Gerald Butler

The Board of Adjustment meeting agenda for February 10, 2026, includes a roll call, the consideration of the minutes from the January 13, 2026 meeting, and New Business. The primary New Business item is the consideration of Resolution No. BA SE 26-01, which pertains to granting a special exception within a Residential Single-Family 3 (RSF-3) zoning district to permit a standard design manufactured home. The agenda also lists no Old Business or Workshop items.

The City Council meeting addressed several significant items. The agenda was approved after removing the Baptist Women's World Day of Prayer Proclamation. The consent agenda included approvals for several resolutions concerning agreements for police department equipment (Motorola Solutions and DataWorks Plus), renewal of a mutual aid agreement with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for the Child Abduction Response Team, a task assignment for a risk and resilience assessment update for the potable water system, and an agreement for administering grant funds for the Wilson Street Cemetery restoration. Under the Quasi-Judicial section, the Council held a first reading for two companion ordinances: Ordinance No. 2025-2338, concerning the amendment of the Future Land Use Plan Map to change land classification from County Residential to City Industrial, and Ordinance No. 2025-2339, regarding the rezoning of the same acreage from County Rural Residential (RR) to City Industrial (I). Both ordinances passed the first reading despite opposition during public comments. Old Business involved final readings and approvals for ordinances related to solid waste services and management (Ordinance No. 2025-2327) and the use of Speed Detection Systems in school zones (Ordinance No. 2025-2341). New Business included the approval of an ordinance pertaining to police officers' pension plan benefits, resolutions establishing intent to reimburse project costs with future financing, approving an agreement for school zone auto speed enforcement services, amending the fiscal year budget, and authorizing the City Manager to issue trespass warnings. The Council also discussed follow-up from a Housing Workshop, reaching a consensus for the City Manager and City Attorney to cooperate with Precept Acquisitions to develop a Public Private Partnership proposal for a housing study, rather than immediately issuing an RFP.

The meeting included a call to order and roll call. Discussion items were focused on administrative approvals, specifically requests for Certificates of Appropriateness (COA). These included COA 25-19 for a property in the Lake Isabella Historic District and COA 26-01 for a property in the Lake City Historic Commercial District. There were no items under Old Business, New Business, or Workshop topics listed for this agenda.

The meeting commenced with the approval of the agenda and a proclamation in recognition of Terry Hancock. Key actions included approving the consent agenda, which covered three resolutions regarding accepting State of Florida Department of Transportation grant funds for the Police Department's Strategic Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) related to speed enforcement, impaired driving enforcement, and occupant protection enforcement. Additionally, a resolution was approved for the maintenance and security of Wilson Cemetery. During the quasi-judicial hearing, the Council approved the first reading of an ordinance concerning rezoning property from Residential, Single Family-3 (RSF-3) to Commercial, Neighborhood (CN). Under Old Business, the final reading and approval of an Interlocal Service Boundary Agreement with Columbia County regarding the Cornerstone Planning Area was conducted. New Business items included the approval of a resolution updating the public records request policy and another resolution authorizing the City Manager to issue trespass warnings and orders. The Council also discussed and approved a resolution amending the 2025 Employee Holiday Schedule to align with County Offices. Finally, Council Member Ricky Jernigan was reappointed to the Columbia County Tourist Development Council. An informational update on the Gwen Lake project was provided, and departmental comments focused on scheduling a review of the City/County Fire Service Consolidation Study.

The agenda for this City Council Regular Session included several key items, predominantly focused on quasi-judicial hearings and final readings of ordinances related to voluntary annexation of real property in Columbia County, Florida, under petitions ANX 25-07 and ANX 25-08. Additionally, the Council addressed final readings for two ordinances amending the Land Development Regulations, specifically introducing a "MU" Mixed-Use Zoning District (Ordinance No. 2026-2347) and modifying height and yard requirements for various residential and commercial districts (Ordinance No. 2026-2348). New business involved resolutions for approving agreements related to audio visual equipment (Resolution No. 2026-012, tabled from a previous meeting), extending Government Affairs Consulting Services (Resolution No. 2026-015), amending an agreement for tree removal services (Resolution No. 2026-016), designating administrative authority for plat submittals (Resolution No. 2026-017), and adopting the proposal for a fire consolidation feasibility study (Resolution No. 2026-018). The Council also planned to discuss and possibly take action on the appointment to the Planning and Zoning Board.