Public Meetings - Venice, Florida

The City Council held a public hearing to adopt the final ad valorem tax levy and the official budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027. Both ordinances passed unanimously with no public comment or council discussion. Public Hearings - Ordinance 2026-25 (Final reading – Ad Valorem Tax Levy): The ordinance adopts the final levying of ad valorem taxes for FY2026-2027. The operating millage rate is set at 3.8450 mills, below the rolled-back rate of 3.9261 mills. The voted debt service millage is 0.3451 mills. The City declared itself a taxing authority. No written or oral public comment was received. The ordinance passed unanimously. - Ordinance 2026-26 (Final reading – Official Budget Adoption): The ordinance adopts the official budget for the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2026, and ending September 30, 2027. It provides that disbursements shall not exceed fund budgets without City Council approval and grants the City Manager authority to make certain departmental transfers within approved fund budgets. No written or oral public comment was received. The ordinance passed unanimously. Key Outcomes - Both ordinances were approved unanimously, with no council discussion or amendments. - The final operating millage for FY2026-2027 is set at 3.8450 mills, with a voted debt service millage of 0.3451 mills. - The City’s official budget for FY2026-2027 is adopted, and the City Manager is authorized to make limited transfers within approved fund budgets.

The September 16, 2026, Venice city meeting opened as an equipment test rather than with formal agenda business. Staff tested closed captioning and broadcast streaming for the meeting feed, read quasi-judicial hearing time limits aloud to verify captioning, asked viewers to report what they were seeing, confirmed the broadcast looked okay on the receiving end, and ended the test when no one requested additional time. No agenda, minutes, or substantive discussion items are included in the available record. Equipment Test & Broadcast Verification - Staff announced the session was a test for closed captioning and broadcast streaming, noting a delay in the broadcast streaming feed, and asked viewers to email with what they were seeing on their end. - The operator read the quasi-judicial public comment time limits to check captioning: five minutes for residents, property owners, and business owners; two minutes for non-residents or non-owners; ten minutes for designated representatives; 25-minute presentations for staff, applicants, and affected parties; and per-witness limits for cross-examination, redirect, rebuttal, and final comments. The read was partially inconsistent, listing cross-examination as five minutes and then three minutes per witness. - The operator checked with "Tony" and referenced "RN," asking whether the broadcast was looking okay on that end; the feed was reported as looking okay. - Receiving no requests to continue the test, the operator ended the testing session. Key Outcomes - The closed captioning and broadcast streaming test was completed, with the broadcast appearing correctly on the receiving end. - No formal agenda items, public comments, or votes occurred during this portion of the meeting; the available record contains only the pre-meeting testing exchange.

The Planning Commission of the City of Venice, Florida, met on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chambers at Venice City Hall, 401 West Venice Avenue. The agenda included approval of the September 1, 2026, minutes, a consultant presentation on the Parks Master Plan, and four public hearings: a sign variance, an annexation, a comprehensive plan amendment, and a zoning map amendment. The commission approved the consent minutes, recommended approval of three land-use petitions to City Council, and denied the sign variance. Consent Calendar - Minutes of the September 1, 2026, regular meeting were approved as presented by motion without discussion. Public Comments & Testimony - No members of the public signed up to speak during audience participation. For each quasi-judicial hearing, the commission confirmed that no audience participation was signed up before closing the public portion of the hearing. Parks Master Plan Consultant Presentation - Staff and the commission heard from the parks director of GAI Consultants, Community Solutions Group, on the city's Parks Master Plan update, the first such planning effort for Venice in some time. The presentation described a two-part analytical approach: an amenity inventory of all city parks and a 'parks DNA' assessment of design and ambiance, including layout, function, shade, and user experience. - The public engagement strategy includes approximately 120 yard signs with QR codes placed at park access points, business cards with QR codes at city facilities, a resident survey that remains open throughout the process, and two public workshops on October 27, 2026: an evening workshop from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Community Hall and a lunchtime workshop. - The consultant noted that political and funding dynamics in Florida could affect city funding and emphasized that the plan must be realistic and supported by residents, account for residents crossing jurisdictional boundaries to use parks, and coordinate with Sarasota County Parks. - Commissioner discussion included how residents describe the park system, including the abundance of 'pocket parks' and green space, and the observation that land is unlikely to get cheaper, suggesting the city should look for high-density residential areas unserved by HOA, city, or county parks. Public Hearings PAM Health Venice Signs Variance (26-34VZ) - Continued from September 1, 2026 - The applicant, CPREIF 2639 Curry Lane LLC, represented by Titan Sign Company (agent Cathy Song in the agenda; 'Kathy Song' in the transcript), requested a variance for one additional identification sign on the north side of the PAM Health Rehabilitation Hospital at 2639 Curry Lane, approximately 440 feet from Curry Lane. The applicant cited only 10 square feet of sign area remaining under city code and poor visibility for drivers on the periphery loop approaching from the Sarasota hospital. The site already has a 125-foot wall sign on its southern facade facing Curry Lane, and the roughly 48,600-square-foot building has only one identification sign on Curry Lane. The agent stated that other hospitals have 20 to 30 identification signs at their locations. - Staff and commissioners questioned the proposal, which they described as a 7-foot-by-44-plus-foot sign facing away from the building entrance. They observed that meaningful wayfinding would be better served by supplemental signage along Pinebrook Road or Curry Lane, and they expressed concern that the variance would set a precedent for larger signs without a demonstrated hardship. - The commission denied the variance, finding the petition did not meet the variance criteria. The vote tally was not specified in the transcript. Annexation (26-14AN) - Senior Planner Nicole Tremblay presented a city-initiated annexation of property owned by Calvary Bible Church. City Council directed staff to identify properties within city limits lacking appropriate city zoning; the agent is the City of Venice. No changes to the existing use or site are proposed, and no new buildings are planned at this time, but city zoning would be required if the owner pursued changes. The OPI zone setbacks are 20 feet front, 10 feet side, and 15 feet rear. - The commission, sitting as the Local Planning Agency, found the petition consistent with the comprehensive plan and in accordance with Florida Statutes Chapter 171, and recommended approval to City Council. Comprehensive Plan Amendment (26-15CP) - The commission, sitting as the Local Planning Agency, found the petition consistent with the comprehensive plan and in compliance with Florida Statutes, Chapter 163, Part 2, and recommended approval to City Council. No audience participation was signed up. Mahon Drive Enclave Zoning Map Amendment (26-16RZ) - Quasi-judicial petition presented by staff planner Nicole Tremblay. The commission recommended approval of zoning map amendment petition 26-16RZ to City Council. Comments by Planning Commission Members - The commission's next meeting is scheduled for October 6, 2026. A commissioner thanked the consultants for the Parks Master Plan presentation and noted that the consultants are working with the Citizen Advisory Board and will present the same information to City Council on September 22, 2026. - The same commissioner clarified that approximately 120 yard signs, rather than the initially estimated 40, will be placed at park access points, with QR-code business cards at city facilities, and reminded the public of the two October 27, 2026, workshops, including the evening workshop from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Community Hall. Key Outcomes - Approved the September 1, 2026, regular meeting minutes as presented. - Denied the PAM Health sign variance (26-34VZ), finding the petition did not meet the variance criteria. - Recommended approval of annexation petition 26-14AN to City Council. - Recommended approval of comprehensive plan amendment 26-15CP to City Council. - Recommended approval of Mahon Drive Enclave zoning map amendment 26-16RZ to City Council. - Parks Master Plan: resident survey remains open; public workshops scheduled for October 27, 2026; City Council presentation set for September 22, 2026.

The Historic and Architectural Preservation Board of the City of Venice, Florida, convened on Monday, September 14, 2026, at 11:15 AM in Council Chambers. The meeting appears to have been primarily an equipment and agenda testing session: the agenda included a note for "equipment testing," and the transcript shows staff moving through agenda items without substantive discussion. No public testimony, board discussion, or staff recommendations were recorded, and the meeting adjourned with no further business. Meeting Conduct - Call to order and roll call were completed. - The board proceeded through audience participation, approval of minutes, new business, public hearing, board discussion, and staff comments. - One motion passed during the approval-of-minutes portion, though the transcript does not specify the exact motion. - Agenda item 26-0737, listed under New Business as "Test File 3," was referred to as "Test file" in the transcript; no presentation or discussion followed. - No members of the public provided comments. - An unidentified speaker noted technical difficulties with closed captioning ("Audits not giving me a closed captioning option to turn on") and a pop-up appeared during the meeting. Key Outcomes - The meeting was adjourned with no further business. - No substantive decisions, recommendations, or public testimony occurred; the session appears to have been a test of the meeting system and agenda format.

This meeting was only a technical test of the broadcast and captioning systems. No agenda, minutes, or substantive discussion were available. The transcript contains only system testing remarks, including a reference to a 35-second broadcast delay. No public comments, discussion items, or decisions occurred.

The Historic and Architectural Preservation Board met on September 10, 2026, at 9:00 AM in Council Chambers. The board considered two certificate of architectural compliance (CAC) applications, each accompanied by variance or design alternative requests, and discussed proposed code changes related to facade color coverage and garage regulations. Both applications were approved, with one subject to additional submittals reviewed by the chair. Consent Calendar - Approval of Minutes: The minutes of the July 9, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously. Public Comments & Testimony - No members of the public spoke on any agenda item. Discussion Items - 521 Harbor Drive S (PLAR26-00237): Applicant Sam Hardie (Beebe Design Studio) requested a CAC for a two-story addition, covered patio, kitchen extension, and pool, along with a variance to allow a front‑loading garage on a 120‑foot‑wide lot (prohibited under Section 7106 D1D for lots 50 feet) and a design alternative for single‑color wall coverage. Staff noted the existing house is a 1926 VHP structure. The board discussed the garage placement (set back 25 feet from the front facade), design details (awnings, windows, trim colors), and the need for technical review by other departments. Chair B recused himself due to a family relationship with the applicant’s firm; Vice Chair Trammell presided. A motion to approve with the requested variance and design alternative passed 5‑1 (Barrick dissenting). - 401 Nassau Street (PLAR26-00256): Applicant Jordan Allison sought a CAC for a 1,400‑square‑foot addition, new entrance, front porch, and a design alternative for single‑color coverage (Benjamin Moore Simply White). The existing 1983 home is not in the VHP style. The board received a pre‑application presentation in July and discussed roof overhang reductions, window proportions, chimney cap materials, and a future privacy wall. Staff noted missing submittal items (roof tile spec, light fixture cut sheet, door spec, window sill detail, chimney cap cut sheet, and adjustment to the kitchen window height). The board approved the application with conditions requiring those items to be submitted to and approved by the chair, with authority to refer back to the full board if unsatisfied. The vote was unanimous (7‑0). Key Outcomes - 521 Harbor Drive S: Approved with variance for front‑loading garage and design alternative for color coverage (5‑1). - 401 Nassau Street: Approved with design alternative for single‑color coverage and conditions requiring additional submittals reviewed by the chair (7‑0). - Code Change Discussion – Color Coverage: Staff presented a second draft revising Section 710.4 to distinguish between residential and non‑residential properties. The board leaned toward allowing up to 100% of wall surfaces in one approved color for residential, with trim and accent colors to be contrasting and complementary; for non‑residential, up to 80% primary and 20% secondary. The draft will be refined and brought back for formal consideration. - Garage Code Discussion: The board identified ambiguity in garage regulations (Section 710.6) and agreed to have staff develop language clarifying definitions (e.g., “rear‑located garage”) and possibly revising the prohibition on front‑loading garages on lots 50 feet. A draft will be presented at a future meeting. - Historic Resources Update: Historical Resources Manager Harry Klinghammer announced an archives open house on October 3, 2026, and provided an update on state grants for historic surveys. The Edgewood/Seaboard grant is closing; a new grant for surveying Gulf Shores and Golden Beach is pending signature.

No agenda, minutes, or transcript were provided for this meeting. Therefore, no summary can be produced.

The Venice City Council met on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 9:00 AM in the Council Chambers. The meeting included ceremonial recognitions, public comments, a public hearing on a budget amendment, new ordinances, resolutions, and appointments. Key decisions included approval of the budget amendment, adoption of a public-private partnership ordinance, updates to the affordable housing property inventory, and appointment of board members. Ceremonial Recognitions - Firefighter/Paramedic Seth Todd was sworn in, along with Firefighter/EMTs Austin Dulak and Ian Jensen. - Life Saving Awards were presented to Police Officers Josh Rowell, Steven Short, Justin Lorenz, Isaac Murray, Corporal Ryan Keogh, and Officer Courtney Brady for incidents on January 30, April 14, May 3, and May 17, 2026. - Eric Tanner, IT Manager, received a 5-Year Service Award. - Mayor Pachota proclaimed September 15, 2026 as "IT Professionals Day" in Venice, presented to IT Director Roger Navarro and staff. Public Comments & Testimony - Steve Oglethorpe (representing Golden Beach Associates Board of Directors) argued that the city has not operated in good faith regarding the Venice Municipal Airport Master Plan, alleging the city misled the public about plans for a control tower, support buildings, and development. He demanded the council terminate the current master plan and begin a transparent, open process. - Joan Farrell (former councilwoman) spoke on two topics: (1) Urging an ad hoc fix for citizen access to the jetty to watch sunsets, citing a cost estimate of under $25,000 for a sidewalk and suggesting community involvement; (2) Criticizing the appointments to the Venice Housing Authority, alleging possible cronyism with the nominations of Donna Bolt (wife of Vice Mayor Boldt) and Peter Boers (city employee), and urging the council to appoint qualified newcomers (a social worker and an Air Force veteran). She also questioned why the city's list of affordable housing properties had none deemed suitable and accused the city of having a "hard heart" on affordable housing. Public Hearing - Ordinance 2026-24 (Budget Amendment): Final reading of an ordinance amending the FY 2025-2026 budget by increasing total revenue and expenditures by $6,476,400. City Manager Clinch noted the amendment includes $200,000 for a comprehensive airport environmental study (stormwater, soil, air quality sampling). The public hearing was opened and closed with no public comment. The council voted unanimously to adopt the ordinance. Discussion Items - Ordinance 2026-27 (Public-Private Partnerships): First reading of an ordinance amending Chapter 2 to add Section 2-227 on unsolicited proposals for public-private partnerships. City Manager Clinch explained the ordinance provides a local process in compliance with state statutes, including application fees, review timelines, and council approval. Councilmember Smith asked about applicability to the CBOARD project and airport property. The ordinance was approved unanimously on first reading. - Resolution 2026-16 (Affordable Housing Property Inventory): Re-adoption of the inventory of city-owned real property suitable for affordable housing, superseding Resolution 2023-39. City Manager noted that almost all properties have designated uses, except for a 3-acre parcel off Knights Trail/Laurel Oaks (reserved for future city growth needs) and that Fire Station 52 (to be vacated spring 2026) is being discussed with the Venice Housing Authority for affordable housing. Councilmember Smith questioned why the Laurel Oaks parcel was not listed as suitable. The resolution was approved unanimously. - Resolution 2026-17 (Personnel Procedures – Health Insurance): Amendment to Section 2.1 raising wage bands for group health insurance to align with the 3.5% non-bargaining pay increase, preventing employees from moving into higher contribution brackets. Approved unanimously. - Mayor's Garden at Lavallee Municipal Campus (Item 26-0724): Council considered the Citizen Advisory Board's recommendation to create a garden with bench and fountain in front of the mayor's office. Mayor Pachota stated the enhancements would be at his personal expense. City Manager Clinch said Public Works would remove dead plants and ensure irrigation. The proposal was approved unanimously. - City Logo (Item 26-0725): Mayor Pachota moved to authorize himself to work with staff and spend no more than $5,000 to design a new city logo, with a transition and implementation plan. He noted the current centennial logo (based on the historic Venice Company sign) has received positive feedback, and a single logo is desired, with exceptions for police and fire. A 5-7 year implementation plan was discussed to phase in the new logo. The motion passed unanimously. - Temporary Sign Code (Item 26-0726): Mayor Pachota proposed adopting Sarasota County's sign code to simplify regulations, particularly for political signs. Councilmember Smith requested an effective date after November 3, 2026 to avoid disrupting the current election season. The motion, with the amended effective date, passed unanimously. Appointments - Fire Pension Board of Trustees (Item 26-0727): Mary Beth Holland was appointed to a term from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2030. Unanimous approval. - Venice Housing Authority (Item 26-0728): Two appointments for terms from October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2030. - First appointment: Katie D'Aurora was appointed by a vote of 6-1 (Councilmember Smith opposed). - Second appointment: Donna Bolt (wife of Vice Mayor Boldt) was appointed by a vote of 6-1 (Councilmember Smith opposed). Council discussion included concerns about cronyism and the need to encourage new applicants, with Councilmember Smith urging the appointment of other qualified residents. Mayor Pachota and Councilmember Frank defended the appointees' service and the difficulty of filling positions. Key Outcomes - Ordinance 2026-24 (Budget Amendment) adopted unanimously. - Ordinance 2026-27 (Public-Private Partnerships) approved on first reading unanimously. - Resolution 2026-16 (Affordable Housing Inventory) adopted unanimously. - Resolution 2026-17 (Personnel Health Insurance) adopted unanimously. - Mayor's Garden approved unanimously. - Logo design authorized up to $5,000, unanimously. - Temporary Sign Code changes approved, effective after November 3, 2026, unanimously. - Mary Beth Holland appointed to Fire Pension Board unanimously. - Katie D'Aurora appointed to Venice Housing Authority (6-1). - Donna Bolt appointed to Venice Housing Authority (6-1). - Upcoming events: Student Government Day on October 14, Airport Council Workshop on October 15, 9/11 Remembrance at 9 AM on September 11, Venice Main Street Beach Party on September 26, Holiday Parade applications open, and Reggae Nights on October 3.

The Venice City Council held a Budget Public Hearing on September 8, 2026, at 5:01 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting focused on two ordinances: the final levying of ad valorem taxes for FY 2026-2027 (Ordinance 2026-25) and the adoption of the official budget for the same fiscal year (Ordinance 2026-26). The city manager presented key budget highlights, including the addition of two traffic officers, organizational changes to the police department, and plans for fire department review. The city also reached a population milestone of 30,887 residents. No public comments were received, and both ordinances passed unanimously on first reading. Public Hearings - Ordinances First Reading Ordinance 2026-25 - Ad Valorem Tax Levy The city manager stated the current operating millage rate is 3.9041 mills, with a rolled-back rate of 3.9261 mills. The budget includes two new traffic officers and police department restructuring. Plans for FY27 include a fire staffing review and potential movement of fire service funding to a non-ad valorem source. The city manager also noted that the city has a lean budget, and next year will require a 10% budget reduction model due to new state legislation, which may impact staffing levels. Council member Smith commented that the city did not need to run a "notice of proposed tax increase" ad, unlike other municipalities, indicating no tax increase. Vote: Unanimous approval on first reading, scheduled for final reading. Ordinance 2026-26 - Official Budget Adoption This ordinance adopts the official budget for FY 2026-2027 (Oct 1, 2026 - Sep 30, 2027), controlling disbursements and allowing departmental transfers with city manager authority. No public comment. Vote: Unanimous approval on first reading, scheduled for final reading. Key Outcomes - Both ordinances passed unanimously on first reading. - Final readings are scheduled for a future meeting (likely at a subsequent 5:00 PM meeting, as referenced by Council member Smith). - The city will prepare for next year's 10% budget reduction model mandated by state legislation. Note: The minutes were not available, so this summary relies solely on the transcript and agenda.