May 11, 2026, Council Briefing agenda packet

Council Briefing · 2026-05-11 · agenda_packet

[11 North Third Street] City Council Briefing on May 11, 2026, at 11 North Third Street, Jacksonville Beach, FL, will cover various city matters. Key topics include an update on City Signage and Brand Standards, discussion on E-bikes, a Solar Program discussion, FY2027 Budget Assumptions and Calendar, Committee Assignment Report, and Miscellaneous City Manager's Items. No public comments are taken at this briefing. [11 North Third Street] City Council Briefing on May 11, 2026, will discuss proposed revisions to e-bike regulations. The discussion will consider state legislation impacts, including requirements for yielding to pedestrians, speed limits on sidewalks, and penalties. A draft ordinance is presented, with a specific subsection (31-6(d)) that could prohibit e-bikes on the beach, which can be removed if Council does not wish to implement this restriction. The previous discussion in April 2025 was split on prohibiting e-bikes on the beach. The state has adopted CS for SB 382, awaiting Governor's action, which sets rules for shared pathways, sidewalks, and creates a Micromobility Device Safety Task Force. The city's current ordinance does not prohibit e-bikes on sidewalks, but the proposed changes may address this. Enforcement will be through civil citations with fines up to $50. [11 North Third Street] City Council Briefing on May 11, 2026, will review the Net Metering Policy for solar panels. The current program has reached its participation cap of 2.5% of peak load. Council will consider increasing the cap (e.g., to 5%) and whether to continue compensating exported solar energy at the full retail rate or revise it to the utility's avoided cost. This discussion involves trade-offs between customer access, equity, utility finances, and energy strategy. [11 North Third Street] City Council Briefing on May 11, 2026, will discuss FY2027 Budget Assumptions and Calendar. Key financial assumptions include realistic revenue and expenditure estimates, contingency planning, use of one-time revenues for capital projects, and maintaining fund balance reserves. The city is debt-free and uses a pay-as-you-go approach for capital projects. Proposed legislation impacts are not addressed until signed by the Governor. Revenue assumptions include an unchanged millage rate of 3.9947, continued 50% return of Southend TIF funds, projected state shared revenues, assumed increases in electric and stormwater rates, unchanged natural gas rates with a higher pass-through cost, and utility rates adjusting with CPI. Expense assumptions cover personnel costs (payroll, benefits, merit increases, pay grade adjustments) and operating costs (moderate increases in energy and natural gas). The Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) will include projects costing $25,000 or more. The budget workshop schedule and tentative adoption dates (September 8 and 14, 2026) are also presented.