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Palm Bay, FL -- The City of Palm Bay holds its second Land Development Code feedback workshop Tuesday, March 17, at 4:00 PM at City Hall. The topic is Infrastructure and Environmental. That covers the rules that decide how new development connects to roads, water, sewer, and stormwater systems, and how the city protects land that shouldn’t be paved over in the first place.

This is the second of four workshops running through April. If you’ve ever watched a new subdivision go up on your street and wondered why the roads didn’t get wider, why your yard started flooding, or why the city still hasn’t run sewer to your neighborhood, this session is the one to attend.

What the LDC Update Is and Why It Matters

Phase 1 of the LDC update was a full rewrite of the code, adopted in September 2024 under Ordinance 2024-33, to align the city’s development rules with the Vision 2045 Comprehensive Plan. The rewrite was necessary. The old code was a decades-old patchwork that didn’t reflect how Palm Bay actually grows.

Phase 2 is a targeted cleanup. Six months of applying the new code revealed scrivener’s errors, gaps, and two state law mandates that need to be incorporated. The workshop series is the public’s chance to flag what’s still broken before the city locks in the revisions. Four sessions, four topic areas, and the window closes after April.

What Workshop 2 Will Cover

Three issues dominate the Infrastructure and Environmental session, and all three hit residents in the wallet or the yard.

Traffic and concurrency. The LDC includes a Concurrency Management System designed to ensure roads, water, and sewer can handle the impact of new development before permits are issued. The city is supposed to verify that infrastructure capacity exists before it approves growth. Residents have been saying for years that road widenings and intersection improvements are not keeping pace with the housing. This workshop is the place to say that on the record, in a formal public input process.

Stormwater and flooding. The code requires new developments to submit drainage plans and use low-impact development techniques. That requirement exists on paper. What residents have watched in practice is new construction raising the grade of neighboring lots with fill dirt and sending water onto older, lower-elevation properties. The Phase 2 update includes a revised definition of “fill” that came out of a council debate over organic versus inorganic materials. The new language defines fill as “the placement of any soil or other solid material, either organic or inorganic, on a natural ground surface or an excavation in an effort to raise the existing grade.” If your yard floods every time it rains because the lot next door got built up, this workshop is directly relevant to you. Show up and say so.

The Indian River Lagoon and septic-to-sewer conversion. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has mandated that cities along the lagoon convert thousands of aging septic systems to central sewer. That is a major infrastructure cost for both the city and property owners, and the timeline is not optional. How the LDC handles development in areas where sewer service doesn’t yet exist affects who pays, how fast it happens, and whether growth keeps outrunning the infrastructure supporting it. That’s worth a public comment.

What Happened at Workshop 1

The first workshop, held March 3, covered Neighborhood Compatibility. Three issues drew the most attention: the 500-foot notification radius for development projects (residents think it’s too narrow), Citizen Participation Plan enforcement (the current code lets developers dismiss neighbor concerns with a written justification, which is a low bar), and whether multi-family design standards should apply to buildings under five units.

Five formal written concerns went into the public record before that session, submitted to Assistant Growth Management Director Deborah Flynn. The city’s consulting firm, Inspire Placemaking, is facilitating the series. The record is accumulating. The more residents show up and put concerns in writing, the harder it is for the final code revisions to ignore them.

Two More After This

Workshop 3 is April 8 and covers Community Development. That includes planned unit developments, mixed-use zoning, and the city’s push to attract commercial and industrial tax base to balance the residential growth that currently dominates.

Workshop 4 is April 21 and covers Processes and Transparency. This is the one that addresses how state laws are shrinking local control. HB 381 moved subdivision plat approvals from public council votes to administrative staff review. The Live Local Act lets developers bypass local zoning entirely if a project includes affordable housing. Those preemptions are permanent unless the Legislature reverses them. That makes every remaining public input opportunity, including these workshops, worth taking seriously.

The Online Survey Is Still Open

Residents who can’t attend in person can submit feedback through the city’s online survey at https://ow.ly/5b1b50YicpK. The current survey covers Neighborhood Compatibility topics from Workshop 1. The city has indicated additional surveys may follow as the workshop series continues.

The survey is not a substitute for showing up. Written public comments carry more weight and create a cleaner record. But it’s better than nothing if you can’t make it Tuesday.

If You Go

LDC Phase 2 Workshop 2: Infrastructure & Environmental Tuesday, March 17, 2026 4:00 PM Palm Bay City Hall 120 Malabar Road SE, Palm Bay, FL 32907

More information: https://www.palmbayfl.gov/government/city-departments-f-to-z/growth-management/land-development-planning

Sources

* City of Palm Bay Growth Management Division

* City of Palm Bay LDC Phase 2 workshop schedule announcement, February 20, 2026

* Palm Bay Land Development Code, Ordinance 2024-33

* LDC Phase 2 Research Notes

* Workshop 1 meeting notes, March 3, 2026

Palm Bay, FL -- Palm Bay’s real estate market has flipped. Home prices are falling for the first time since the pandemic run-up. Inventory has nearly doubled. National builders are dropping subdivisions across the city like paratroopers, and renters are watching luxury apartments go up while Section 8 waitlists stay closed. The city is adding residents at 3.7% annually, over 152,000 people now, but the housing being built isn’t solving the affordability problem that existed before the boom started.

The median home sale price hit $315,000 in January 2026. That’s down 3.1% from a year ago and roughly 10-12% below the May 2022 peak. Active resale listings jumped 73% year-over-year to 471 homes. Homes are sitting on the market for 78 to 90 days, averaging one offer each. A third of all listings have had price cuts. This is a buyer’s market for the first time in five years.

But cheaper relative to last year is not the same thing as affordable. A city employee earning $64,780 cannot qualify for a median-priced home under standard lending rules. A minimum wage worker at $14 an hour can’t rent a studio. And the thousands of new units in the development pipeline are mostly market-rate or above. Palm Bay is building a lot of housing. The question is whether any of it helps the people who need it most.

Single-Family Homes: The Core Market Cools

The numbers tell a clear story. Prices peaked in mid-2022 and have been grinding lower since. The Zillow Home Value Index puts Palm Bay at $313,692 as of February 2026. Price per square foot is $183, down 3.7% from last year. Over five years, prices are still up 10.5% from 2021’s $284,900 median. But anyone who bought at the peak is underwater in real terms, and the trend line is pointed down.

Brevard County’s months of supply sits between 3.7 and 4.4, depending on which data source you prefer. That’s approaching balanced territory. Sale-to-list ratios have settled at 98%, meaning buyers are negotiating again. Sellers who priced aggressively in 2023 are now chasing the market down.

The zip code divide within the city is significant. In 32905, which covers much of the older, eastern part of the city near US-1, the median list price is $267,500. The rest of Palm Bay (32907, 32908, and 32909) clusters between $349,000 and $350,000. Port Malabar’s median sits at $260,000, down 5% year-over-year. If you’re buying in the western growth corridors where the new construction is concentrated, you’re paying $80,000 to $90,000 more than in the city’s older neighborhoods.

According to Reventure’s analysis, Palm Bay homes are still 10.7% overvalued relative to historical norms. That suggests further price declines are likely, especially with inventory climbing and builders competing directly with resale homeowners. One more data point that should concern anyone banking on appreciation: 48% of buyers who searched Palm Bay were looking to leave. That’s not a sign of a market with strong organic demand.

The Builder Invasion

Sixty-two active new construction communities. Let that number sink in.

Lennar is building at Everlands and Tillman Lakes with prices from $301,000 to $400,000. DR Horton has Cypress Bay West in the pipeline with 1,219 single-family homes and 124 townhomes. KB Home is selling in the $300,000 to $362,000 range. These are not small infill projects. These are master-planned communities with thousands of lots, model homes, and sales offices running seven days a week.

For resale homeowners, this is the competition. A buyer choosing between your 15-year-old house that needs a new roof and a brand-new Lennar with a builder warranty, included appliances, and energy-efficient windows is going to take the new build unless your price is meaningfully lower. That dynamic is already showing up in the data. Resale homes sit for nearly three months. New construction in active communities moves faster because buyers finance through the builder’s preferred lender and get rate buydowns.

The builder strategy is straightforward. Palm Bay has cheap land west of I-95, a growing population, and a permitting environment that approves large-scale development. National homebuilders are land-banking thousands of lots and building to demand. When demand softens, they slow starts. When it picks up, they accelerate. Resale homeowners don’t have that flexibility.

Condos and Multi-Family: A Thin Market With a Storm on the Horizon

Palm Bay’s condo and multi-family resale market is small. Only eight active multi-family listings in the entire city, with a median asking price of $627,000. Average condo and co-op list prices jumped 32% year-over-year, from $198,000 to $262,000. But that percentage increase is misleading when the sample size is this small. A handful of higher-priced listings can skew the average dramatically.

The broader context matters more than Palm Bay’s local numbers here. Across Brevard County, condo supply sits at 7.8 months. That’s a buyer’s market. Statewide, Florida’s condo supply has ballooned to 13.2 months, which is distress territory. Half of all condo transactions (51%) are cash deals. That’s not a sign of a healthy lending market for condominiums.

The reason is SB 4-D, the state legislation that followed the Surfside building collapse in 2021. Florida now requires structural inspections, reserve studies, and mandatory reserve funding for condo associations. In older high-rise buildings around the state, this has triggered special assessments ranging from $134,000 to $400,000 per unit. Condo association insurance runs $377 to $438 per month. Owners in some buildings are being assessed more than their units are worth.

Palm Bay gets some insulation from the worst of this because its condo stock is mostly low-rise, newer construction. The city doesn’t have the aging high-rise towers creating distress in South Florida, Fort Lauderdale, and parts of Cocoa Beach. But any buyer looking at a condo in Palm Bay needs to understand the statewide headwinds. Lenders are tightening condo lending standards across the board, and insurance costs are not coming down.

The Rental Market: Flat Rents, Full Pipelines

Rents in Palm Bay have flatlined. Depending on which source you use, average rents run between $1,444 (ApartmentList median) and $1,542 (RentCafe average). Year-over-year changes range from negative 1.5% to positive 0.88%. Functionally flat.

The breakdown by unit type: studios at $1,024, one-bedrooms at $1,415, two-bedrooms at $1,589, and three-bedrooms at $1,929. Palm Bay rents run 12.7% above the Brevard County average. For a city that markets itself on affordability relative to Melbourne and the beaches, that gap is worth watching.

One in four apartments is offering move-in specials. Out of roughly 3,343 total apartment units in the city, between 807 and 843 are advertising concessions like free months or reduced deposits. Landlords don’t give away rent in a tight market. This is softening.

The new supply coming online will add more pressure. Port Malabar, a $100 million luxury apartment project, will deliver 318 units by August 2026 with rents from $1,700 to $3,000. The Havens at Palm Bay will add 266 build-to-rent casita-style units this year. These are market-rate and above. Nobody is building workforce housing at $1,100 a month because the math doesn’t work for developers without subsidies.

The Affordability Wall

Here’s the math that matters.

The median renter household in Palm Bay earns $48,180 per year. At current rents, that household spends 37% of gross income on housing. The standard affordability threshold is 30%. Every dollar above that line comes out of groceries, transportation, healthcare, and savings.

A minimum wage worker earning $14 an hour brings home $29,120 annually before taxes. A studio apartment at $1,024 per month requires $40,960 in annual income to meet the 30% threshold. There is no unit type in Palm Bay that a minimum wage worker can afford. Not a studio. Not a room in a shared apartment at listed rates.

The city’s own employees face the same wall. At a median salary of $64,780, a Palm Bay city worker would need to spend roughly 39% of gross income to buy the median-priced home, factoring in current mortgage rates, insurance at $3,815 per year (the Florida average), and property taxes. The people who run the city can’t comfortably afford to live in it.

The Palm Bayer has covered this gap before. The Section 8 waitlist has been closed since July 2020. Average wait time: five years. The city has only 85 Section 8 units and 686 total approved low-income housing units. For a city of 152,000 people where 20.6% of households rent, that’s a rounding error.

The Live Local Act, Florida’s signature affordable housing legislation, has generated 5,427 units statewide under construction. But the act works by offering density and height bonuses to developers who set aside a percentage of units at affordable rates. In a city where land is cheap and zoning already allows density, the incentive structure is weaker. Palm Bay hasn’t seen the same Live Local Act activity as urban cores with tighter land supplies.

The Development Pipeline: 30,000 Units and Counting

The numbers in the development pipeline are staggering.

Ashton Park, adjacent to SunTerra Lakes in the city’s southwest growth area, has approval for 1,998 multi-family housing units. The Palm Bayer covered the groundbreaking alongside SunTerra Lakes, which at full buildout will add roughly 2,700 total units including single-family, townhome, and multi-family. Everlands includes 624 multi-family units in addition to its single-family lots. Cypress Bay West adds 1,219 single-family and 124 townhome units. Woodfield brings 318 units. Havens contributes 266.

Add it all up: 9,264 housing units are either approved or under construction in Palm Bay right now. Another 21,133 units are in some stage of review. That’s over 30,000 potential units in the pipeline for a city that currently has around 55,000 total housing units.

If even half of those units get built over the next decade, Palm Bay’s housing stock increases by nearly 30%. That level of supply expansion should, in theory, put downward pressure on both home prices and rents. The question is timing. If all 9,264 approved units deliver into a market that’s already softening, the oversupply could be significant. Builders can throttle back single-family starts. But multi-family developers who’ve already broken ground don’t have that option. Those units are coming whether the market wants them or not.

The Palm Bayer’s development boom analysis from last year laid out the scale. It has only gotten larger since.

What It All Means

Palm Bay’s housing market is in transition. The pandemic-era seller’s market is over. Prices are declining. Inventory is rising. Builders are competing directly with homeowners on price and product. For buyers who’ve been priced out for the last four years, this is the most favorable market since 2020.

For current homeowners, the outlook is mixed. If you bought before 2021, you still have equity. If you bought at the 2022 peak, you’re likely at or below your purchase price, and the combination of rising insurance costs ($3,815 average annually and climbing) and declining values is uncomfortable. The 62 active builder communities aren’t going away.

The rental market is softening but not solving the affordability problem. Rents are flat, not falling, and the new supply coming online is priced at or above current market rates. The luxury apartments at Port Malabar will rent for double what a median-income household can afford. One in four existing apartments is already offering concessions. When the new units hit, that ratio will likely increase.

The affordability crisis is structural. It predates the pandemic. It will outlast the current market correction. Palm Bay’s population is growing at 3.7% annually, which creates demand. But the housing being built is calibrated to what the market will bear, not what residents can afford. Until the city or county develops a meaningful workforce housing strategy with actual units, not studies, not task forces, not advisory boards, the gap between what people earn and what housing costs will persist.

The pipeline will change the supply equation. Whether it changes the affordability equation is a different question entirely.

Sources

* Zillow Palm Bay Market Overview (February 2026)

* Redfin Palm Bay Housing Market (January 2026)

* Realtor.com Palm Bay Market Trends (February 2026)

* RentCafe Palm Bay Apartments (March 2026)

* ApartmentList Palm Bay Rent Report (February 2026)

* Florida Realtors Market Data (January 2026)

* Reventure App Market Valuation (February 2026)

* City of Palm Bay Development Services (March 2026)

* U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Palm Bay (2024 estimates)

* The Palm Bayer: Palm Bay Housing Market 2024

* The Palm Bayer: Affordable Housing Crunch

* The Palm Bayer: SunTerra/Ashton Park Groundbreaking

* The Palm Bayer: Development Boom

Palm Bay, FL -- George Santiago founded what would become ROUND13 Boxing at Tony Rosa Community Center in 1978. Nearly half a century later, the club he built is still operating out of the same second-floor recreation room, still coaching kids, and still Brevard's oldest youth boxing program. On March 28, ROUND13 and Boxlite Promotions bring “The New Generation Pro-Am Boxing” to Tony Rosa with 15 to 16 bouts. Six or seven amateur fights and eight or nine professional matchups. Doors open at 4 PM, first bout at 5 PM, last bell around 11 PM.

Tickets range from $35 general admission to $100 front row. That is a long way from the $15 general admission when the club hosted “Champions in the Making: The Legend Continues” back in June 2021. The price jump reflects reality: limited sponsorships and donations, rising sanctioning fees, athlete registration costs, ambulance services, police support, and equipment rentals all add up.

From Fort Huachuca to Palm Bay

Johnny “Sarg” Hernandez runs the club now. He served as head coach of the U.S. Army Boxing Team before retiring at the rank of First Sergeant. He took the reins at ROUND13 and kept Santiago’s mission alive: give kids structure, discipline, and something productive to do after school. The club trains 40 to 60 members per year, operating Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 4:30 to 7:00 PM in partnership with the Palm Bay Recreation Department.

Since 1978, the program has mentored, inspired, and trained thousands of youth throughout Florida. That is not an exaggeration. Forty-eight years of consistent operation in the same building, same community, same mission. ROUND13 Boxing (officially Palm Bay Round 13 Boxing, Inc.) incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2015. Hernandez runs the program alongside volunteer coaches Denny Bennewitz, Frank Gentile, Allan Hernandez, and David Beals.

The Card

Orlando-based Boxlite Promotions and Entertainment, managed by Gonzalo Sapia, is co-promoting the event. Boxlite holds multiple events on record with the Florida State Athletic Commission and partnered with ROUND13 for an April 2025 card at the same venue.

Three of ROUND13’s own boxers will compete on the March 28 card. The rest of the fighters come from clubs across Florida. Tony Rosa Community Center seats up to 1,000, split between 200 ringside chairs and 800 bleacher seats. Tickets are available now at boxlitepro.com.

The New Generation

The event name is not just marketing. “The New Generation” represents the next chapter for ROUND13 after previous event series “Champions in the Making” and “Return of the Warriors.” The focus is on showcasing rising amateur talent and upcoming professional fighters moving up in weight and competition. Hernandez plans to host two to three events per year going forward.

Growing Year Over Year

Since opening their doors, they have hosted more than 25 boxing events. The trajectory tells the story. General admission has gone from $15 in 2021 to $25 in June 2025 to $35 for this card. Ringside jumped from $25 to $75. A new $100 front row tier did not exist before this year.

That kind of pricing only works when people keep showing up. They keep showing up.

If You Go

The New Generation Pro-Am Boxing Saturday, March 28, 2026 Tony Rosa Community Center 1502 Port Malabar Blvd NE, Palm Bay, FL 32905 Doors: 4:00 PM | First Bout: 5:00 PM Tickets: $35 GA / $75 Ringside / $100 Front Row Purchase at boxlitepro.com

For information about ROUND13 Boxing Club, call (321) 403-2595 or visit their Facebook page.

Sources

* Johnny Hernandez, ROUND13 Boxing president (direct correspondence)

* ROUND13 Boxing Club

* Boxlite Promotions

* Florida Division of Corporations

* Florida State Athletic Commission

* Florida Today (March 1, 2026)

* City of Palm Bay Events Calendar

Palm Bay, FL -- Approximately 1,500 golf courses have closed across the United States since 2014. Each one sits on an average of 150 acres of land zoned for recreation or open space. In state after state, a pattern has emerged: an investor buys a struggling course at a discount, lets it deteriorate, then files for rezoning to residential. Academic papers from MIT, Touro Law, and Villanova Law have examined the cycle. 1000 Friends of Florida documented it in a 2021 special report. Companies have built entire business models around it.

In Palm Bay, the former Majors Golf Course, an Arnold Palmer-designed championship course and the centerpiece of the Bayside Lakes community, has been closed since 2022. Its owner, Joy LLC, has spent the past two years seeking approval to build a master-planned residential development called Eden at Bayside Lakes on the roughly 200-acre property. Nearly 3,000 residents have signed a petition opposing it. The HOAs are organized. The yard signs are up.

But six meetings and two years into the process, no attorney has spoken on behalf of Bayside Lakes homeowners at a single public hearing.

The National Playbook

The sequence is consistent enough to diagram.

Step one: acquire a distressed or unprofitable golf course at a steep discount. Step two: allow operations to decline or cease entirely. Step three: cite the deteriorated condition in rezoning applications as evidence the recreational use is “no longer economically viable.” Step four: apply for rezoning from recreation or open space to residential. Step five: if denied, sue, reapply, or invoke state preemption to bypass local zoning entirely.

GL Homes, one of Florida’s largest homebuilders, has run this play simultaneously at multiple properties across South Florida and the Tampa Bay region. ClubLink, a Canadian company, bought eight golf courses out of WCI Communities’ bankruptcy for $8.7 million in 2010, then announced plans to convert three of them to housing developments in 2022. D.R. Horton, the largest homebuilder in the country, has pursued golf course conversions and explicitly threatened to use state law to override local decisions when cities said no.

These are not fringe operators. These are publicly traded companies and institutional investors executing a documented land strategy.

What’s Happening Across Florida

The pattern is not theoretical. It is playing out in real time, in real communities, with real outcomes. Here are the cases that matter.

Sherwood Golf Club, Brevard County. Same county as Palm Bay. The Ballarena Group proposed development on the roughly 100-acre abandoned Sherwood course west of Titusville. The original proposal called for 900 units. After pushback, it was revised to 597 (187 single-family, 408 multi-family). The Brevard County Planning and Zoning Board approved the rezoning in August 2024. The County Commission followed with a 4-1 vote in September 2024 despite significant community opposition. Residents organized as “Save Sherwood” through savesherwood.com. They did not have legal representation.

Calusa Golf Course, Miami-Dade County. GL Homes purchased the course for $32 million, partnering with prior owner Facundo Bacardi on the venture, and proposed 550 homes. Miami-Dade commissioners approved the rezoning. But Save Calusa, the residents’ group, retained an attorney and sued. The courts sided with residents because the hearing was improperly noticed. GL Homes appealed. The Florida Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal in May 2024. The project is effectively dead. The residents won because they had a lawyer who found a procedural defect.

Pebble Creek Golf Course, Hillsborough County. G.L. Acquisitions Corp. sought to rezone the 149-acre course for 250-plus single-family homes. Hillsborough County commissioners denied the rezoning in 2023. The developer sued. The circuit court sided with the developer. The county appealed. In July 2025, the appellate court reversed the lower court and upheld the denial, establishing that county commissions have broad discretion to deny rezoning to preserve community character. The county won because it had lawyers who took the case through two levels of appeals.

Sun City Center, Hillsborough County. ClubLink bought eight courses from WCI bankruptcy for $8.7 million in 2010. In March 2022, ClubLink announced plans to convert three of those courses to housing. In February 2024, ClubLink submitted Notices of Intent to use the Live Local Act to develop Sandpiper, the North Course, and Caloosa Greens, bypassing public hearings and zoning oversight entirely. Litigation was ongoing as of September 2025.

Lone Pine Golf Course, Riviera Beach. The course closed in April 2023. D.R. Horton proposed 286 single-family homes. The city council rejected the proposal 4-1 in July 2023 and denied it again in 2024. D.R. Horton then explicitly threatened to invoke the Live Local Act, telling the council, “your hands are tied.” The council said no twice. The developer responded by pointing to state law that could override the decision entirely.

The pattern across every case: communities that retained independent legal counsel and challenged procedure had a fighting chance. Communities that relied on petitions, public comment, and political pressure alone did not.

Six Parties, Six Interests

The Eden at Bayside Lakes project involves six distinct parties, each with different interests and different levels of power in the process.

Joy LLC. The developer. Owned by Heather Joyner, with attorney Jack Spira and planning firm Cotleur and Hearing out of Jupiter. Joy LLC purchased the Majors Golf Course property at auction in December 2019. The course permanently closed in June 2022. Joy LLC claims the course is “no longer economically viable” and proposes a master-planned community called Eden at Bayside Lakes. The original CPP proposal described 703 units (403 single-family homes, 150 townhomes, 150 apartments). The city’s project page now describes it as a 460-unit community. Joy LLC has filed three applications and is currently in its third review cycle.

The Residents. Nearly 3,000 homeowners in Bayside Lakes. Over 3,000 petition signatures to keep the golf course zoned recreational. An organized coalition of HOA presidents, led by figures like Robert Stise of Summerfield HOA and civic activist John Magee. A contact email ([email protected]). Red shirts. Public comment. Mass attendance at the March 28, 2024 CPP meeting. Two years of sustained opposition. No independent legal counsel retained to represent homeowner interests in the land use proceedings.

The City (Staff). The Growth Management Department, currently under the Deputy City Manager following the departure of Director Lisa Frazier, is conducting the review. Senior Planner Debbie Flynn is the point of contact. The staff review has been thorough and substantive. The city is not rubber-stamping this application.

City Council. The elected body that will ultimately vote on the Comprehensive Plan amendment, the rezoning, and the Preliminary Development Plan. Council has not voted on anything related to this application. No hearing date has been set. Council passed Ordinance 2022-119 in January 2023, strengthening nuisance provisions for unimproved property, a direct response to the condition of the abandoned course. Mayor Medina explored purchasing the property in 2023. The property was appraised at approximately $7 million. Joy LLC was unwilling to sell for less.

The State (DEO). The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity reviews Comprehensive Plan amendments under Section 163.3184 of the Florida Statutes. When Joy LLC’s Comprehensive Plan amendment reaches the state review stage, DEO and other commenting agencies can flag inconsistencies with the state comprehensive planning framework. This review has not occurred yet because the application has not advanced past staff review.

St. Johns River Water Management District. SJRWMD holds conservation easements on 10.78 acres of wetlands within the property. Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) obligations travel with the land. They do not disappear because ownership changes or because the property gets rezoned. The developer’s own environmental narrative acknowledges that impacting those wetlands would cost $150,000 to $175,000 per acre in mitigation, “possibly more if it is determined that these wetlands were utilized as past mitigation.”

What the City Found

The city’s September 2025 review comments, issued during the third review cycle for both the Comprehensive Plan amendment and the Preliminary Development Plan, identified substantial problems with the application. These are the city’s own findings, documented in official review correspondence dated September 18, 2025.

Open space: claimed versus actual. Joy LLC claims 60.72% open space in the development. The city calculated 14.88%. The code requires 25%. The discrepancy is not a rounding error. The city’s position is that stormwater ponds count toward open space only if they are designed as visual and usable amenities with landscaping, access, and recreational value. Stormwater infrastructure that simply holds water does not qualify as open space under the code.

No approved Traffic Impact Study. The city had not accepted the traffic study methodology as of September 2025. The city engineer added three intersections and two road segments to the study scope that Joy LLC had not included. Bayside Lakes has limited ingress and egress points. School traffic is already a daily problem. A traffic study that does not account for the right intersections is not a traffic study.

No utility concurrency review. Joy LLC stated in its application that there is “sufficient capacity” for water and sewer. The city’s Utility Department had not conducted or confirmed this review. The claim was unsupported.

No school concurrency review. Not conducted.

No transportation concurrency review. Not conducted.

Lot sizes reduced. The prior Preliminary Development Plan included 80-foot lot frontages. The current application drops to 40, 50, and 60-foot lots. Smaller lots. Denser feel. Closer to the neighboring Bayside Lakes homes.

Commercial acreage shortfall. Section 185.065(F) of the city code requires a minimum of 15% commercial acreage in the development. Based on the total acreage of 210.99 acres, that means 31.6 acres of commercial. The application does not meet this threshold.

Open space calculation methodology. The city’s math: 31.4 acres of qualifying open space divided by 210.99 total acres equals 14.88%. Not 60.72%.

Joy LLC has not responded to these comments. The review comments were issued September 18, 2025. As of March 2026, approximately six months have passed with no formal response from the developer. Joy LLC resubmitted documents in early March 2026, but the revised plans have not yet been posted to the city’s project website.

The Old Code Advantage

Joy LLC filed its applications before the City of Palm Bay adopted its updated Land Development Code in September 2024. Under Florida law, the application is reviewed under the regulations in effect at the time of filing. This means Joy LLC’s proposal is being evaluated under the old, less restrictive code.

The Palm Bayer previously reported on this regulatory gap in September 2025. The old LDC has different standards for open space calculations, lot dimensions, setbacks, and PUD requirements. Every application filed after September 2024 must meet the updated standards. Joy LLC’s does not, because it does not have to.

This is not illegal. It is how Florida’s development review process works. But it means that a project proposed in 2024 is being judged by standards that Palm Bay’s own elected officials decided were insufficient and replaced.

The Environmental Question

The 200-acre property is not just land. It is part of a water management system.

SJRWMD holds conservation easements on 10.78 acres of wetlands on the property. BMAP obligations, the state’s framework for managing nutrient pollution in impaired waterways, apply to the land regardless of who owns it or what they want to build on it.

The developer’s own narrative acknowledges the cost of impacting those wetlands: $150,000 to $175,000 per acre in mitigation. The narrative adds a caveat that should give everyone pause: the cost could be higher “if it is determined that these wetlands were utilized as past mitigation.” In other words, if prior development in Bayside Lakes already counted these wetlands as environmental offsets, disturbing them now creates a double liability.

The environmental assessment also flags the current condition of the property. Two hundred acres of dead brush and weeds reaching five to six feet. Unmaintained canals with lily pads and dead animals causing blockages. Palm Bay’s Deputy Fire Chief walked the property and confirmed that a single lightning strike could consume neighboring homes within eight minutes.

The property is simultaneously a fire hazard and a development proposal. Both conditions are the result of the same decision: to close the golf course.

What the Residents Have Done

The Bayside Lakes community has been organized, vocal, and persistent. The record shows:

Over 3,000 signatures on a Change.org petition to keep the golf course zoned recreational. Hundreds of residents attending the March 28, 2024 Citizen Participation Plan meeting. Organized red-shirt campaigns at public meetings. An HOA coalition coordinating opposition across multiple homeowners’ associations in Bayside Lakes. A dedicated contact email ([email protected]). Mass email campaigns. Public comment at every relevant meeting. Media coverage through Fox 35, Spectrum News 13, and The Palm Bayer. Two years of sustained civic engagement.

The opposition is real, organized, and broad-based. No one questions the community’s commitment.

What the Residents Have Not Done

A review of the Swagit-recorded proceedings for all six meetings where Eden at Bayside Lakes or Joy LLC appeared on the agenda, spanning from January 2024 through September 2025, confirms one fact: no attorney has spoken on behalf of Bayside Lakes homeowners at any City Council or Planning and Zoning Board meeting.

Two years. Six meetings. Zero legal representation at any proceeding where a vote is taken.

Attorney Kim Rezanka of Lacey Lyons Rezanka did speak on behalf of residents at the March 28, 2024 Citizen Participation Plan meeting. But a CPP meeting is a developer-led requirement, not a City Council or Planning and Zoning Board hearing. No attorney has appeared for residents at any official hearing where the applications are actually decided.

HOA attorneys represent the corporate entity of the homeowners’ association. They protect the association’s governance documents, enforce CC&Rs, manage contracts with vendors, and handle board-level disputes. They do not represent individual homeowners claiming diminished property values. They do not challenge traffic study methodology. They do not file formal objections under Section 163.3184 of the Florida Statutes. They do not retain experts to conduct independent concurrency analyses.

Look at the cases where communities won.

In Calusa, Save Calusa retained a lawyer who found that the rezoning hearing was improperly noticed. The courts killed the project. In Pebble Creek, the county’s attorneys took the denial through circuit court and the appellate court, and the appellate court upheld the county’s authority. In Park Hill, Denver, a conservation easement put the question to voters, and voters said no by a 60-40 margin. In Reston, Virginia, the Board of Supervisors refused to even begin the Comprehensive Plan amendment process.

In every case where the community prevailed, the tools were legal and procedural. Petitions demonstrated public sentiment. Lawyers won the fights.

To date, the Bayside Lakes opposition has relied on petitions, public comment, and HOA coordination. No independent legal counsel has been retained to represent homeowners’ interests in the land use proceedings.

Three Applications, One Long Review

Joy LLC has three applications pending before the City of Palm Bay.

Large-Scale Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Map Amendment (CP24-00008). Filed June 25, 2024. Currently in its third review cycle. Status: Revise and Resubmit. This is the foundational application. The current land use designation does not support the proposed density. Without a FLUM amendment, the project cannot proceed.

Preliminary Development Plan (PD24-00001). Filed July 10, 2024. Third review cycle. Status: Revise and Resubmit. This is the detailed site plan showing lot layout, roads, open space, commercial areas, and infrastructure. The September 2025 review comments identified the open space discrepancy, the missing concurrency reviews, and the lot size reductions.

Final Development Plan (FD24-00002). On hold. Cannot move forward until the PDP is approved by City Council.

The approval sequence, if the applications advance, would proceed through staff review, Planning and Zoning Board recommendation, City Council first reading of the Comprehensive Plan amendment, state review by DEO and commenting agencies, Council second reading and adoption, Council approval of the PDP, and then FDP review. No P&Z hearing date has been set. No Council hearing date has been set.

A Compressed History

December 2019. Joy LLC purchases the Majors Golf Course property at auction.

2020. Golf course operations decline. Joy LLC attorney Jack Spira cites “significant financial loss.”

June 2022. The golf course permanently closes.

January 2023. Palm Bay City Council passes Ordinance 2022-119, modifying nuisance provisions for unimproved property. The ordinance is a direct response to the condition of the abandoned course. Joy LLC’s attorney objects, citing financial hardship.

May through October 2023. Mayor Medina explores city purchase of the property. Staff reveals Joy LLC appraised the property at approximately $7 million and will not sell for less.

November 2023. Medina asks Council to direct staff to negotiate a public-private partnership to restore and operate the course.

March 28, 2024. Citizen Participation Plan meeting at the property. Hundreds of residents attend. Joy LLC presents 703 units (403 single-family, 150 townhomes, 150 apartments), with 38% green space and a linear park using existing golf cart paths. Residents voice concerns about traffic, infrastructure, and loss of green space. Residents criticize the meeting format: limited seating, no opportunity to question the developer directly.

June 25, 2024. Comprehensive Plan amendment application (CP24-00008) filed.

July 10, 2024. Preliminary Development Plan application (PD24-00001) filed.

September 2024. Palm Bay adopts updated Land Development Code. Joy LLC’s applications, filed before adoption, are grandfathered under the old code.

September 18, 2025. City issues third-cycle review comments. Revise and Resubmit. Major findings on open space, traffic, concurrency, and lot sizes.

March 6, 2026. Debbie Flynn notifies HOA contacts that Joy LLC has resubmitted the Eden at Bayside Lakes project. Revised PDP documents expected on the city project website the week of March 9.

March 7-8, 2026. HOA presidents mobilize. Civic activists demand a public hearing within 30 days.

What Happens Next

No Planning and Zoning Board hearing date has been set. No City Council hearing date has been set. The Final Development Plan is on hold. The application is in staff review.

The revised documents from the March 2026 resubmission are expected on the city’s project website the week of March 9. Whether Joy LLC has addressed the open space discrepancy, the missing concurrency reviews, and the lot size changes will be visible in those documents.

The next public touchpoint is unknown.

The city’s dedicated project page for Eden at Bayside Lakes is at palmbayfl.gov. The Comprehensive Plan amendment application, the Preliminary Development Plan, the environmental narrative, and the review correspondence are all public records. Anyone who wants to read the documents themselves can do so.

Sources

Government Records and Applications - City of Palm Bay, Eden at Bayside Lakes Project Page (palmbayfl.gov) - City of Palm Bay, Growth Management Department Review Comments, CP24-00008 and PD24-00001, September 18, 2025 - Palm Bay Ordinance 2022-119 (nuisance provisions for unimproved property) - Palm Bay Ordinance 2022-09 (land use change, 23.86 acres, Sachs Capital Group) - Florida Statute 163.3184 (Comprehensive Plan amendment process) - St. Johns River Water Management District conservation easement records

Research and Advocacy Reports - 1000 Friends of Florida, “Special Report: Golf Course Redevelopment or Repurposing in Florida,” August 2021 - MIT Thesis, “Land Use Disputes over Golf Course Redevelopment” - Touro Law Review, “Ensuring Continuing Community Amenities Through Golf...” - Villanova Law Review, “The Legal Land Use Controls Involved with Golf Course...”

Court Records - Save Calusa v. Miami-Dade County (Florida Supreme Court, May 2024, appeal refused) - G.L. Acquisitions Corp. v. Hillsborough County (appellate court, July 2025, denial upheld)

News Coverage - FOX 35 Orlando, “Palm Bay residents push back over development of vacant golf course,” March 2024 - Spectrum News 13, “Developer looks to transform an old Palm Bay golf course,” March 20, 2024 - The Palm Bayer, “Eden at Bayside Lakes: A Pivotal Juncture for Palm Bay’s Growth,” March 27, 2024 - The Palm Bayer, “Eden at Bayside Lakes CPP Meeting,” March 29, 2024 - The Palm Bayer, “Joy LLC’s Regulatory Advantage: Palm Bay’s Development Loophole,” September 5, 2025 - The Palm Bayer, “Environmental Obligations of Palm Bay’s Majors Golf Course,” June 27, 2025 - The Palm Bayer, “Palm Bay City Council Voting Record 2021-2024,” May 6, 2024

Community Records - Change.org petition, “Keep the Majors Golf Course Zoned Recreational” (3,000+ signatures) - Save Sherwood (savesherwood.com) - Save Sun City Center (savescc.org)

Correspondence - Email chain: Debbie Flynn (City of Palm Bay) to Robert Stise (Summerfield HOA), March 6, 2026

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Palm Bay, FL -- Starting March 16, Palm Bay Utilities will temporarily switch its drinking water disinfection from chloramines to free chlorine. The maintenance runs through April 13. The water is safe to drink, cook with, and bathe in. You do not need to boil water or buy bottled water.

Two groups do need to pay attention: kidney dialysis patients and anyone with fish tanks or ponds. More on both below.

What Is Happening and Why

Most of the year, Palm Bay disinfects its drinking water with chloramines, a combination of chlorine and ammonia. About 35 to 40 percent of U.S. municipalities use this method. Chloramines last longer in the distribution system and produce fewer chemical byproducts than chlorine alone.

The tradeoff is that over time, a thin layer of organic material called biofilm builds up on the inside walls of water pipes. Biofilm is essentially a slime layer where bacteria can attach and shelter themselves from the disinfectant. In chloraminated systems, certain bacteria feed on the ammonia in chloramines, breaking it down in a process called nitrification. That weakens the disinfectant, which allows more bacterial growth, which further weakens the disinfectant. Warmer temperatures accelerate the cycle, which is why Florida utilities do this maintenance regularly.

The fix is straightforward. The utility stops adding ammonia for a few weeks and runs free chlorine through the entire system. Free chlorine is a stronger oxidizer. It strips the biofilm from pipe walls and kills the bacteria that have colonized the distribution system. As the city’s press release explains: “This change helps to get rid of the microbial film that can build up in the distribution pipes and prevents bacteria from developing resistance to our standard treatment.”

This is not an emergency response. It is routine, preventive maintenance, comparable to flushing fire hydrants or cleaning water storage tanks.

This Is Standard Practice Across Florida

Palm Bay is not doing anything unusual. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection recommends this practice for utilities using chloramines. Palm Bay last conducted free chlorine maintenance in April 2023, at FDEP’s request.

Neighboring utilities that run the same program include the City of Melbourne, the City of Cocoa, the Town of Jupiter, Pinellas County, Port St. Lucie, and Palm Beach County Water Utilities. Some do it twice a year. The EPA estimates that 25 to 40 percent of chloramine utilities nationwide conduct periodic free chlorine conversions. Programs typically run two to four weeks. Palm Bay’s 29-day window falls right in that range.

Your Water Is Safe to Drink

Free chlorine is an EPA-approved drinking water disinfectant. In fact, the majority of U.S. water systems use free chlorine as their primary disinfectant year-round. The CDC confirms both chlorine and chloramine are approved and safe for consumption.

During the maintenance period, your water will meet all federal and state Safe Drinking Water Act standards. It is safe for drinking, cooking, bathing, showering, watering your garden, and all normal household uses. Your dogs and cats can drink it safely too.

You might notice a stronger chlorine taste or smell, more like a swimming pool than usual. That is normal and expected. It does not indicate any health risk.

Practical Tips to Reduce the Chlorine Taste

The taste and smell are the only thing most residents will notice. Here is how to deal with it.

Run your tap for one to two minutes before using water for drinking or cooking, especially first thing in the morning or after the water has been sitting in your pipes for several hours. This flushes the stagnant water and reduces the chlorine concentration at the tap.

Fill an open pitcher and put it in the refrigerator. Chlorine dissipates naturally when exposed to air. After an hour or two, the taste and smell will be minimal or gone entirely.

Drop a lemon slice or a small amount of vitamin C into your drinking water. Both neutralize chlorine naturally and safely.

Standard carbon water filters (the kind in pitcher filters, refrigerator filters, and faucet-mount filters) effectively remove chlorine taste and odor. If you already have one, it will handle this without any changes.

One more thing: do not call Utilities to report a chlorine smell unless it is extreme or accompanied by discolored water. A mild pool-like smell is exactly what you should expect during this window.

Dialysis Patients: Contact Your Provider Before March 16

This is the one group that needs to take the maintenance period seriously. Both chloramine and free chlorine must be removed from water used in kidney dialysis machines. This is actually true year-round, not just during maintenance periods.

The reason: during dialysis, water comes into direct contact with the bloodstream through the dialysis membrane, bypassing the digestive system. Your stomach neutralizes chlorine when you drink water. Dialysis bypasses that protection. Chlorine and chloramine are toxic when introduced directly to blood.

Dialysis centers are already equipped to handle this. The maintenance period does not create a new risk; it changes which specific chemical needs to be filtered. But if you do home dialysis, contact your equipment supplier or physician before March 16 to verify your filtration system handles both free chlorine and chloramine. Follow your provider’s testing protocol throughout the maintenance period and during the transition back to chloramine treatment.

Fish and Aquarium Owners: Treat Your Water

Free chlorine is toxic to fish, invertebrates, and the beneficial bacteria in your aquarium or pond. If you use tap water, you need to treat it before adding it to your tank.

Chloramine is also toxic to aquatic life, so if you are using municipal water, you should already be treating it. The switch to free chlorine may require a different treatment approach. Standard aquarium water conditioners, available at any pet store, remove both chlorine and chloramine. Verify that your conditioner handles both chemicals.

Do not do large water changes without treating the new water first. Be especially careful during the transition periods at the start and end of maintenance, when both chemicals may be present briefly. Pond owners with outdoor fish (koi, goldfish) who top off with tap water should also treat it.

What You Do NOT Need to Do

You do not need to boil your water. You do not need to buy bottled water. You do not need to avoid bathing or showering. You do not need to stop watering your garden. You do not need to make any changes to your daily routine unless you fall into one of the two groups above.

The water is safe. This is maintenance, not a water quality emergency.

Contact Information

Palm Bay Utilities: (321) 952-3420 City website: palmbayfl.gov

For questions about dialysis precautions, contact your healthcare provider or dialysis center directly.

Sources:

* City of Palm Bay Utilities press release, March 2026

* City of Palm Bay 2023 free chlorine maintenance notice

* CDC: About Water Disinfection with Chlorine and Chloramine

* EPA: Distribution System Water Quality, Nitrification Fact Sheet

* Florida Department of Environmental Protection chloramine utility guidance

* City of Melbourne FL: Temporary Disinfectant Switch FAQ

* City of Cocoa FL: Temporary Change to Disinfection FAQ

* Pinellas County: Water System Maintenance Program

Palm Bay, FL -- The 8th Annual Strawberry Fest returns to Fred Poppe Regional Park next weekend, March 14-15, with fresh Plant City strawberries, a new cirque act, and monster truck rides. The festival, organized by Buckler Promotions, runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

If you went in February last year, note the calendar shift. The festival has moved from its traditional mid-February slot to mid-March for 2026. Buckler Promotions has not publicly stated a reason for the change.

What’s New This Year

The biggest addition is Cirque Adventure, an acrobatic and aerial performance company running free shows at noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. each day. This appears to be new for the Palm Bay festival.

Monster truck rides from “Nothing But Trouble” return as a paid attraction. New this year is a bungee jump.

The Staplesw

The festival’s core has stayed consistent since it moved from Melbourne’s Wickham Park to Palm Bay in 2024. Fresh strawberries, strawberry shortcake, strawberry fudge, and strawberry lemonade anchor the food side. Beer and wine vendors will also be on site.

Free activities include a petting farm, bounce houses, rock painting, cornhole, hula hoop competitions, and sack races. The pie eating contest returns three times daily (11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.) with a $5 entry fee. The Berry Cute Baby Contest runs at noon each day.

Axe throwing and pony rides are back as paid attractions. Arts and crafts vendors will be set up across the park.

Children’s Hunger Project Partnership

A portion of festival proceeds goes to the Children’s Hunger Project, a Brevard County nonprofit that sends backpacks of food home with school-age children who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches. The partnership has been in place since at least 2022.

Bring a canned good to the gate and you’ll get $1 off admission. Two birds, one can.

Practical Info

The festival is at Fred Poppe Regional Park, 1951 Malabar Road NW. Parking is free. Admission has historically been $7 for adults, with children 2 and under free. The 2026 website has not confirmed this year’s pricing, so check palmbayfest.com before you go. Based on prior years, expect cash only at the entrance.

This is a privately organized event by Buckler Promotions, not a City of Palm Bay production. It does not appear on the city’s official events calendar.

Sources: palmbayfest.com, bucklershows.com, thechildrenshungerproject.org, The Palm Bayer prior coverage (2024)

Palm Bay, FL -- The Palm Bay Charter Review Commission holds its third meeting of 2026 on Thursday, March 12, beginning at 6:00 P.M. in Council Chambers at City Hall, 120 Malabar Road SE. The agenda covers five charter articles, with the central debate focused on whether to change how the city’s property tax revenue cap works. But the meeting may open with something else entirely: a conduct question about commissioners using personal devices during prior meetings. The meeting is broadcast live on the city’s website.

The commission has ten members and has been working through the charter since November. Thursday’s agenda brings them to the last five articles, from taxes and borrowing to public safety and the transition schedule.

Where Things Stand

The commission has approved amendments to Articles I, III, IV, and V across its first two meetings. The changes include new procedures for filling vacant Council seats, revised public comment rules, a reduced signature threshold for citizen petitions (from 10% to 4.5%), and citizenship and naturalization requirements for the City Clerk, City Attorney, and City Manager.

The February 12 meeting also approved a redefinition of the word “Constitution” within the charter text, and a term limit reform capping Council service at 12 consecutive years or three consecutive terms. That term limit vote was unanimous. The Constitutional definition vote passed 8-2, with commissioners Thomas Gaume and Phil Weinberg voting no.

At that same meeting, Commissioner Weinberg moved to remove all references to the 3% property tax cap from the charter. The motion failed 7-2, with only Weinberg and Commissioner Jordin Chandler in favor. The commission also voted on a proposal to eliminate designated Council seat numbers and hold all four Council races at large. That motion failed 4-6.

A Cell Phone Problem on the Dais

At the March 5 City Council meeting, Deputy Mayor Mike Jaffe stated on the record that it had been brought to his attention that members of the Charter Review Commission appeared to be on a group text chat during a CRC meeting, with two or three commissioners on the thread simultaneously. He did not name names or make formal accusations, but said the optics were not great. Mayor Rob Medina responded: “You’re spot on.”

Following that council meeting, an agenda revision request was submitted to the City Clerk asking that a formal standing rule on electronic devices be placed as the first order of business at Thursday’s meeting. The proposed rule would require all commissioners to power off or silence personal electronic devices at the call to order and surrender them to the City Clerk, with devices returned at adjournment. A commissioner needing a device for official meeting documents could declare that use to the Chair in advance and receive approval on a case-by-case basis.

Personal device restrictions are standard practice for public boards in Florida, in large part because of the Sunshine Law. Section 286.011, Florida Statutes, prohibits two or more members of the same public board from discussing matters that may foreseeably come before that board outside of a public meeting.

A group text between commissioners during a meeting creates the possibility of exactly that kind of communication. Whether it violates the statute depends on the content of the messages, but the risk is why most boards either prohibit or restrict device use on the dais.

The published agenda for Thursday’s meeting does not include the electronic device item.

Disclosure: This reporter submitted the agenda revision request described above. See editor’s note below.

Article VI: The Tax Cap

The most substantive scheduled item Thursday is Article VI. Section 6.01(b) of the current charter limits annual property tax revenue growth to 3%, regardless of inflation. The cap was approved by voters in 2016 with 71% support. Section 6.01(c) allows the Council to exceed the cap with a supermajority vote, provided it declares an emergency or critical need.

The proposal before the commission replaces the flat 3% with a formula: the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), as published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, plus one percentage point. The result is capped at a hard ceiling of 5%. The cap cannot exceed 5% in any year. The supermajority override remains unchanged.

The proposal is not a repeal. The cap stays in place. Only the formula changes.

The supporting document included in the agenda packet makes the economic case. From 2019 through 2024, cumulative inflation was 22.4% according to BLS data. The 3% cap allowed 15.9% revenue growth over the same period. For the current fiscal year, the cap rate fell below the rollback rate for the first time in city history, meaning the cap was restricting revenue below what the city collected the prior year before accounting for new construction. The Council declared a critical need to fund baseline operations.

The proposal includes a year-by-year comparison using BLS data from 2020 through 2025. In low-inflation years the formula produces a tighter cap than 3%. In 2020, when inflation was 1.2%, the proposed cap would have been 2.2%. In high-inflation years like 2022, when CPI hit 8%, the 5% ceiling would have held the cap well below what the city needed to cover actual cost increases. As of January 2026, inflation is running at 2.4%, which would produce a proposed cap of 3.4%.

The document also includes suggested ballot language for the November 2026 general election and anticipates likely questions from commission members and the public.

Disclosure: This reporter serves as Vice-Chair of the Charter Review Commission and is presenting the Article VI proposal at Thursday’s meeting. See editor’s note below.

Articles VII Through X

The remaining four articles on the agenda are brief. No proposed changes to any of them have been announced.

Article VII authorizes the Council to borrow money and issue bonds under state law. Article VIII establishes the police department, fire department, and requires the City Manager to maintain a current emergency response plan. Article IX covers the Charter Review Commission’s authority and the Council’s power to create boards and committees. Article X addresses conflicts with existing laws, pending matters, the severability clause, and the charter’s effective date.

Meeting Information

The Charter Review Commission meets Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 6:00 P.M. in Council Chambers at Palm Bay City Hall, 120 Malabar Road SE, Palm Bay, FL 32907. The meeting is broadcast live on the city’s website.

Public comment is open on all agenda items at the time each item is heard. Speakers wishing to address non-agenda items may do so during the public comments period at the beginning of the meeting. All speakers are limited to three minutes.

Sources

* CRC Meeting 2026-03 Agenda Packet -- City of Palm Bay

* Section 286.011, Florida Statutes -- Government in the Sunshine Law

* U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U data cited in agenda packet

Editor’s note: Thomas Gaume, who covers city government for The Palm Bayer, serves as Vice-Chair of the Palm Bay Charter Review Commission. He is presenting the Article VI property tax proposal described in this article and submitted the agenda revision request for the electronic device standing rule described in this article. That request was not reflected in the published agenda. The Palm Bayer is disclosing both roles so readers can weigh the coverage accordingly.

Palm Bay, FL -- The city’s free Multicultural Festival returns Saturday, March 7, at Fred Poppe Regional Park. Doors open at 11 a.m. and the event runs through 3 p.m. Admission is free. Parking is available at the park.

This is the fifth year the city has hosted the event, which has grown into one of Palm Bay’s most attended community gatherings.

Art Show Opens Tonight

New for 2026, the festival has added an inaugural Art Show produced in partnership with the Brevard Cultural Alliance. The art goes on display tonight, Friday, March 6, with a reception from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Ted Whitlock Community Center Gym.

The exhibit continues through Saturday’s main festival. The theme ties into the national Semiquincentennial -- America’s 250th anniversary -- making this the first Multicultural Festival to include a formal fine arts component.

Entertainment Lineup

Saturday’s stage schedule features a wide range of live performances:

* Indian River Flute Circle

* Safari Todd

* Wah Lum Kung Fu

* Hiti Mahana

* Moko Jumbie Stilt Walkers and Junkanoo Band

* American Bellydance Club

* Spirit of Samba

Performances run throughout the event’s four-hour window.

Food, Vendors, and a Kids’ Zone

Food trucks will be on site with international options. Local craft and cultural vendors will be set up across the park grounds. A dedicated Kids’ Zone offers activities for younger attendees.

Mayor Rob Medina promoted the event in his March message to residents: “Celebrate culture, creativity, and community with family and friends.”

What You Need to Know

When: Saturday, March 7, 2026. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Where: Fred Poppe Regional Park, 1951 Malabar Rd NW, Palm Bay, FL 32907 Admission: Free Parking: Free, on site

Tonight’s art reception at Ted Whitlock Community Center Gym runs 5 to 8 p.m. and is also free.

For vendor inquiries, contact Special Events Coordinator Kaley Berry at [email protected].

Palm Bay, FL -- The council meeting on March 5 covered more ground than most. Council declared consensus for an emergency order against a late-night event venue at Turner Square, confronted a bridge project whose estimated cost has tripled since authorization, and heard City Manager Matthew Morton formally preview the retirement of Police Chief Mario Augello. Along the way, the council hired an interim procurement officer, heard a resident relitigate the Langevin settlement optics, and Councilman Mike Jaffe flagged a texting situation at the Charter Review Commission.

Late-Night Events at Turner Square Put on Notice

The most animated exchange of the night involved Casika Event Center, located at Turner Square at the intersection of Jupiter Boulevard and Eldron Boulevard. The venue has been running events until 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

Growth Management Director Althea Jefferson and then-Deputy Chief Jeff Spears briefed the council. The situation is complicated: the twerking contests generating the most complaints appear to stem from a separate restaurant in the same plaza, not from Casika itself. That distinction has legal consequences. It does not change much for residents who live nearby.

Mayor Rob Medina did not leave his position ambiguous. “I’ve been to thousands of weddings, events, bars. You don’t have twerking contests at 2:30 in the morning.” He said he wants an emergency order issued.

Deputy Mayor Mike Jaffe focused on what tools the city has available. Three enforcement paths were discussed: reverse zoning, an emergency curfew, or revising the Land Development Code to address temporary uses. A multi-department meeting was scheduled for the following Friday morning to work through which path is viable.

Medina declared consensus on the dais for an emergency order before the meeting ended. No formal vote was taken Thursday. The enforcement mechanism will come back after the interdepartmental meeting.

For context: the entity behind the plaza is Kasika Heritage Corp. and 3085 Jupiter, LLC. The company has been in the city’s permitting system since at least 2024, when it filed conditional use request CU24-00001 for alcohol service at a dining establishment. That request went to a council agenda in July 2024 and was continued to Planning and Zoning in September 2024.

C7 Canal Bridge: Estimated at $2.5 Million. Now $6.2 Million.

The C7 Canal Bridge project came before the council for a revised scope and cost presentation. The original estimate when the project was authorized: $2.5 million. The current projected total: $6.2 million.

Public Works Director Kevin Brinkley and Kimley-Horn engineer Matthew Gillespie presented the updated figures. The bridge-alone component is approximately $2.4 million. Jaffe said he is not confident that number will hold either.

The council approved the updated scope 5-0. Jaffe made the motion, Medina seconded. No one argued the bridge should not be built. The cost trajectory stands on its own.

Chief Augello Is Out April 2. Jeff Spears Takes Over.

Police Chief Mariano “Mario” Augello retires April 2. Morton announced plans for a public event to mark the transition.

“I’ve invited PD, I’ve invited fire, I’ve invited our staff. The community’s invited to come,” Morton said. “It’s a momentous day to celebrate a legacy of leadership from Chief Augello and to welcome a new legacy of leadership with Chief Spears.”

Augello has led the Palm Bay Police Department for 25 years. He founded the Palm Bay Blue Foundation, a nonprofit supporting officer and family wellness. The department achieved Excelsior Status from the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation in late 2025. FOP attorney Alan Diamond described morale at the department as “better than I’ve ever seen it.”

Augello’s tenure has not been without dispute. Retired Deputy Police Chief Lance Fisher has appeared at public meetings repeatedly since 2024, alleging excessive force incidents, falsified reports, intimidation of officers who report misconduct, and interference in a Melbourne death investigation. Fisher has called for Augello’s resignation or administrative leave pending an independent investigation. Those allegations remain unresolved.

Incoming Chief Jeff Spears grew up in Palm Bay and started with the department as a Police Explorer. He has worked up through the ranks to his current position as Deputy Chief. The formal transition is April 2.

Ordinance 2026-04: Development Agreements Shift to Final Phase (4-1)

The council passed Ordinance 2026-04 on a 4-1 vote. Councilman Mike Hammer was the lone dissent.

The ordinance removes the requirement for a Development Agreement at the Preliminary Development Plan stage. Under the new structure, a DA is required only when a developer submits a Final Development Plan. The city’s reasoning: binding agreements should be based on finalized project details, not conceptual estimates.

Hammer’s objection: removing the preliminary DA requirement gives developers a free pass until the final plan arrives, which may be reviewed by a different council and different staff than the ones who started the process. “I can’t promise when I’m in a mountain in Tennessee that they’re going to be doing the same thing,” he said.

Hammer proposed adding a simplified terms sheet at the PDP stage -- enough to get key issues into the public record early. He moved to approve the ordinance with that addition. The motion died without a second. Jaffe then moved to approve the ordinance as written. That passed 4-1.

Battin Relitigates the Langevin Settlement Optics

Resident Bill Battin used public comment to challenge how the $55,000 Langevin settlement landed on the February 27 special council meeting agenda. The fire assessment discussion that night drew a standing-room crowd. By the time the settlement vote came up, the room had thinned to nine people. Battin’s read: “like you were trying to hide it.”

City Attorney Patricia Smith explained the sequence. The federal court dismissed the Langevin case immediately upon filing of a joint settlement notice, which canceled the upcoming pretrial conference and trial date. The next regular council meeting already had a finalized published agenda. Smith said she was not willing to do an agenda revision because she thought that would look bad. The next available meeting was the special meeting. The settlement went there.

The settlement itself: $55,000, approved 4-0 on February 27. Councilman Chandler Langevin was absent. All funds went to plaintiff’s attorney Anthony Sabatini. None went to Langevin. The city released all liability. Neither party admitted wrongdoing. The underlying case, Langevin v. City of Palm Bay, No. 6:25-cv-02015-GAP-NWH, involved First Amendment claims stemming from his October 2025 censure.

There is a cost that does not appear in that figure. At the February 27 meeting, Morton confirmed a publicly traded company had walked away from a planned Palm Bay investment because of the Langevin controversy. That number is not quantifiable and will never appear on an invoice.

No council action was taken Thursday. The matter is legally closed.

Interim CPO: David Gragan, $146,000, Six Months

The council approved a contract with SGR Government for interim Chief Procurement Officer David Gragan at $115 per hour, with a not-to-exceed cap of $146,000. The six-month engagement covers approximately 1,024 working hours.

Cost breakdown: $117,760 salary equivalent, $12,000 travel stipend, $14,400 hotel, $900 SGR placement fee.

Gragan’s background: retired U.S. Marine Corps major, former state procurement director for Indiana, former CPO for the state of Texas. Mayor Rob Medina reviewed his resume. "It is impeccable," he said. Hammer connected the hire to the federal Department of Government Efficiency by name. “I would like to remind everybody we are doing a Doge and I think having this influence here is going to be great,” he said.

Medina put the hire in perspective. “State procurement director for the state of Indiana, CPO for the state of Texas. I think our community is blessed to have this opportunity.”

Approved 5-0. Gragan’s assignment: modernize procurement workflows, update the procurement manual, clarify staff roles, improve vendor confidence, and help recruit a permanent CPO.

Crystal Palace: Debris on the Ground, Affordable Housing in the Plans

Jaffe raised the condition of the former Crystal Palace property at 1881 Palm Bay Road. Demolition started a few months ago. The contractor threw debris outside the building and went quiet. The city has had no response to its outreach.

“I don’t know if anybody’s driven down Palm Bay Road lately and looked at the Crystal Palace project,” Jaffe said. “They started the demolition it seems like a few months ago and then threw everything outside the building.”

The city posted stop work orders and notices of violation. The cleanup path: the city removes the debris, bills the contractor, and applies a lien if the bill goes unpaid. One council member raised the idea of an ordinance that would terminate building permits when a city lien is active on a property. Morton said he would look into the legality.

The property is owned by 1611 Meridian LLC, whose attorney is Kim Rezanka and whose principals include Ner Dora and William Peretta. The developer’s stated plan is to convert the former Holiday Inn into affordable housing: 130 studio units in Phase 1 and 170 one- and two-bedroom units in Phase 2. The identity of the demolition contractor who left the debris is not established in available records.

Four Federal Projects Selected for 2026-2027 Priority List

The council approved its federal legislative priorities for fiscal year 2026-2027 on a 5-0 vote. Four projects were selected from a list of six.

Selected:

* ITS Traffic Enhancements at Emerson/Babcock and Jupiter/San Filippo -- $1 million federal request, $226,415 city match

* Intersection Safety at San Filippo SE and Wyoming Drive SE -- $2.4 million, $600,000 match

* Intersection Safety at San Filippo SE and Jupiter Boulevard SE -- $2.4 million, $600,000 match

* Roundabout at Malabar Road NW and St. Johns Heritage Parkway -- $3 million, $1.5 million match

Total federal ask: $8.8 million. Total city match: $2,926,415.

The only contested decision was the fourth slot. Medina backed the San Filippo/Wyoming intersection. Councilman Mike Hammer ranked the Garvey Road project his fifth priority. ‘Mine is five just because where Jupiter meets Garvey, there has been a number of accidents there and it’s a four-way stop,’ Hammer said. Hammer deferred to the majority. Garvey Road did not make the list.

Jaffe Flags Texting During a Charter Review Commission Meeting

Jaffe disclosed that two or three Charter Review Commission members were in a group text thread during a public CRC meeting. He did not allege a violation of Florida’s Government in the Sunshine Law. He called the optics a problem.

“Not saying that they’re violating the Sunshine Law,” Jaffe said, “but the optics aren’t great.”

He formally asked City Attorney Smith to look into the matter and address it at the next CRC meeting. Smith did not weigh in on the floor Thursday.

Florida’s Sunshine Law, Section 286.011, prohibits board members from communicating with each other outside of public meetings on matters that may come before the board. Whether a group text thread during a public meeting triggers that prohibition is a question Smith will now have to answer.

Mayor Medina Stepped Back From a Lobbyist Selection

During the city manager’s report, Morton noted a complication in the state lobbyist review committee process. Mayor Medina recused himself after learning a finalist candidate had donated to the Mayor’s Ball fundraiser.

“I’m definitely not going to jeopardize -- that could be construed as a conflict of interest even though I didn’t gain personally from it,” Medina said. He said he did not see the finalist list until the day he reported for committee training.

The council agreed to let Morton appoint a city staff member to fill the role. The finalist’s name was not disclosed publicly Thursday and is not confirmed in available records.

Republic Services, Consent, Routine Business

The council approved an amendment to the city’s agreement with Republic Services to convert solid waste billing from quarterly to monthly for residents who pay separately from their city utility bill -- approximately 40 percent of households.

The quarterly bill of roughly $90 becomes a monthly bill of roughly $29 to $30. The annual cost is unchanged. The city transferred more than $1 million in FY2026 to cover unpaid quarterly bills. Monthly billing is intended to reduce that exposure. Postage costs rise from $3.60 per year to $9.60. Approved 5-0.

The consent agenda included a $355,532 reallocation of General Fund savings from first-quarter budget adjustments: $40,000 to medical supplies for Fire Station 7 and temporary stations; $20,000 for SWAT medic equipment; $58,100 for Fire Station 2 repairs including HVAC, air quality testing, and shower and bathroom work; $16,280 for delivery and contingency on a donated Kroger modular building for the Police Range; and $221,152 to General Fund contingency. Approved 5-0.

Sources

* Regular Council Meeting 2026-08, City of Palm Bay, March 5, 2026

* Special Council Meeting 2026-07, City of Palm Bay, February 27, 2026

* Langevin v. City of Palm Bay, Case No. 6:25-cv-02015-GAP-NWH, U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida

* City of Palm Bay agenda packet, RCM 2026-08

* Palm Bayer SCM 2026-07 coverage: Palm Bay Pays $55K to End Langevin Lawsuit

* Bayer NotebookLM corpus, 87 sources

Correction: An earlier version of this article attributed a quote regarding the Jupiter and Garvey intersection to Councilman Johnson. The statement was made by Councilman Hammer. The text has been updated to reflect the correct speaker.

Palm Bay, FL -- The City of Palm Bay is opening the doors of its South Regional Water Treatment Plant on March 12, 2026, from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. Residents can tour the facility at 250 Osmosis Drive, watch water testing demonstrations, and put questions directly to Utilities Department staff. The event is free and open to the public.

The open house is part of the city’s community outreach effort. It is also a practical opportunity for residents to see, and ask questions about, the infrastructure that treats and delivers their drinking water. The Palm Bayer submitted four questions to the Utilities Department ahead of the event. Their answers are below.

Q&A with Palm Bay Utilities

Q. Can you walk us through the treatment process from source to tap? What are the main steps the water goes through before it reaches residents?

A. At our South Regional Water Treatment Plant (SRWTP), water is pulled from the Floridan Aquifer by our wells and pumped into our treatment facility where it undergoes pretreatment. During this process, the water is dosed with antiscalant to protect our filter membranes and is filtered through to remove sand and sediment. After this, the water travels through our Reverse Osmosis membranes, which remove particles as small as a virus and produce high purity drinking water. Next, the water is pumped to our degasification chambers to remove hydrogen sulfide, which causes an egg-like smell, and improve the taste and odor of our water. Once the degasification is complete, chlorine is added to ensure proper disinfection, and the pH is adjusted for corrosion control. All of the treated water is then sent to our ground storage tanks, which connect to our high service pumps that pump water to our customers 24/7, 365 days of the year.

Q. How does Palm Bay’s drinking water quality compare to state and federal standards? Are there any recent test results or the latest Consumer Confidence Report you can point us to?

A. The City of Palm Bay’s drinking water is in compliance with federal and state regulations. You can find our most recent Consumer Confidence Report on the city’s website.

Q. What is the plant’s current capacity, and how is the city planning for growth in demand as new connections come online?

A. Our SRWTP is rated for 6 million gallons per day (MGD) and our North Regional Water Treatment Plant (NRWTP) is rated for 10 MGD. Our SRWTP is currently being expanded by 2 MGD and can be expanded up to 10 MGD. Additionally, we are currently in the design phase for a Reverse Osmosis plant in the North that will eventually replace the North Lime Softening Treatment Plant.

Q. What can residents do on their end to protect water quality or reduce strain on the system? Any practical tips the department recommends?

A. We always recommend water conservation! This can include simple, everyday things like turning the tap off while you brush your teeth or reusing household water to water plants and clean instead of pouring it down the drain. It’s important to check for leaks as well, especially in your toilets, as they can drip away more than 90 gallons of water per day. This can be done by performing a dye test: place food coloring into the toilet’s tank and let it sit for roughly 15 minutes without flushing. If color appears in the bowl, this can indicate a leak, which can be very costly!

What the Annual Water Quality Report Shows

The city’s compliance answer references the 2025 Consumer Confidence Report, which covers testing conducted in 2024. Two items in that report are worth knowing before you go.

Fluoride. City Council voted unanimously on January 2, 2025 to permanently end water fluoridation. It was not an abrupt reversal: the North Regional plant equipment broke down in January 2016 and the South Regional equipment became inoperable in 2017, meaning the city had not actively fluoridated its water for years. The January 2 meeting included an extended public comment period, with healthcare professionals split on the issue. Florida’s Surgeon General had issued a recommendation against community water fluoridation in November 2024 due to neuropsychiatric risks. Utilities Director Gabriel Bowden explained at the meeting that the fluoride infrastructure would be repurposed to hold liquid ammonia, used to create chloramines, a longer-lasting disinfectant. The Palm Bayer covered the decision at the time. Residents who weren’t following the January 2025 council meeting may not know fluoridation was ended permanently.

PFAS. Testing conducted between June and December 2024 detected PFOA, a type of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance, in two locations: at trace levels averaging 0.0079 parts per billion at the North Regional plant and 0.0083 parts per billion at an aquifer storage and recovery well. The South Regional plant came in below the minimum reporting level. The EPA set a new maximum contaminant level for PFOA at 0.004 parts per billion in 2024. The levels detected at the north locations are above that threshold. No violation has been declared. Under EPA’s rule, water systems have until 2029 to achieve compliance, and the city is monitoring and reporting as required.

Neither item means the water is unsafe to drink. Both are the kind of details the staff at the open house can speak to directly.

Questions Worth Bringing

This is a guided tour, not a public hearing. But the staff who will be there know the system, and an hour with them is worth using well.

On PFAS: What is the city’s plan to bring the north locations into compliance with the EPA’s 0.004 ppb MCL before the 2029 deadline? Is the new north RO plant part of that strategy?

On capacity: The South Regional expansion adds 2 MGD. At what demand level does the next expansion phase begin, and what is the expected timeline?

On the north plant replacement: What is the estimated cost and timeline for the new reverse osmosis facility planned for the north service area?

On water quality generally: If residents have specific questions about taste, odor, or anything in the CCR, the staff at this event are the right people to ask.

The Details

What: City of Palm Bay Water Treatment Plant Open House. Guided tours, water testing demonstrations, Q&A with Utilities Department staff.

When: Thursday, March 12, 2026. 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM.

Where: South Regional Water Treatment Plant, 250 Osmosis Drive, Palm Bay, FL 32909.

Contact: Celia Killen, Outreach Coordinator, City of Palm Bay Utilities. [email protected], (321) 952-3410 ext. 7015.

It’s a one-hour window. Free. Worth the drive.

Sources

* City of Palm Bay Utilities Department Q&A response to The Palm Bayer (March 2, 2026), via Celia Killen, Outreach Coordinator

* City of Palm Bay 2025 Consumer Confidence Report (testing performed 2024)

* City of Palm Bay Open House Press Release (February 23, 2026)

* What Happened at Palm Bay’s Latest City Council Meeting? (January 3, 2025) — fluoridation vote coverage