January 20, 2024
Hi Everyone,
I hope everyone is doing well, staying warm, and enjoying time with your friends and families. Citizen turnout at our commission meetings has been amazing, thank you all for supporting our city. Your participation is essential to its health and well-being and it’s having an impact.
Indian Harbor Estates Sewer Project
A workshop has been scheduled for January 24, 2024. The meeting is slated to run from 5:00 to 7:00 PM and will be held in the commission chambers at city hall. The purpose of this workshop is to discuss the current status of the system and a timeline for residents to hookup. Also, to be discussed is the amount of money the city will contribute to defray the cost residents will bear when connecting to the system. It looks like there will be a representative from the Oak Hill City Engineering Firm Mead and Hunt, and Volusia County. Also attending will be Oak Hill City Attorney Scott Simpson. This is a great opportunity for citizens to come and voice their feelings about the project.
Development That Fits
At the Monday, January 22, 2024, City Commissioner’s meeting the commission will vote on the “Oak Hill Subdivision” development plan. Click here to view the city’s staff report. According to the memo from our city administrator, this project consists of 132 single family homes, while the staff report says the project is not to exceed 134 homes or “dwelling units.” The staff report goes on to say that the development will consist of (59) fifty-nine, 50-foot wide lots and seventy-three (73) 40-foot wide lots. The report also says “As proposed, the project is consistent with the existing single family residential nature in the City.” I don’t know of any subdivision in our city that has a 40-foot wide lot size, do you?
If you look at the table on page five of the staff report you’ll see that the proposed development is surrounded on three sides by R-1 low density residential zoning. The west side, across from US-1 is zoned county residential. Our city’s comprehensive plan requires buffering between a development project and “and incompatible uses.” The proposed development plan currently shows a 10-foot wide buffer between the project and North Gaines Street. There is a 15-foot wide buffer between US-1 and the project. Click here to view a lay-out diagram of the proposed development.
I would like to point out the proposed development project is currently zoned RPUD. Development projects with RPUD zoning consist of a development agreement between the developer and the city. Issues such as lot size, density, and aesthetics are settled through negotiation. You should expect our elected officials to negotiate an agreement for a development that enhances the character, nature, and history of Oak Hill. It should also meet expectations of the citizens from the surrounding neighborhoods. Their actions should be a reflection of the people they represent and in their best interest.
If you believe that your elected officials have negotiated a development agreement that meets your expectations and reflects your vision of the way Oak Hill should grow and look in the future, please send them an email and let them know that your happy with the job they are doing protecting your interests.
If you believe that your elected officials have not negotiated a development agreement that meets your expectations and that there actions are not protecting your interests, then reach out to them through email and let them know that the current development plan does not reflect your vision of the way Oak hill should grow and look in the future.
In order to serve you better, It’s important that elected officials understand how you feel and what your expectations are, Below are the email addresses of Oak Hill elected officials.
Mayor Gibson – gibsond@oakhillfl.gov,
Vice Mayor Lindlau – lindlaub@oakhillfl.gov,
Commissioner McGee – mcgees@oakhillfl.gov,
Commissioner Hyatt – hyattl@oakhillfl.gov,
Commissioner Catigano – catiganoj@oakhillfl.gov
City Charter Review
At the January 8, 2024 commission meeting, the Commission agreed to select all of the citizens who applied for positions on the charter review committee. The applicants are: Dru Ann Welch, Cydney Reagan, Charlie Dean, Tom Pentz, Darry Cummings, Carrie Werning, Richard Taylor and Derwin Smothers. A workshop, to be conducted by Ken Parker of the ICMA, has been scheduled for the charter review committee. The workshop will be held on February 4, 2024 at 4:00 PM city hall commission chambers.
Storm Water Plan
There was a workshop held Wednesday, January 11, 2024, in the commission chambers at city hall. The purpose of the workshop was for our city engineers, Mead & Hunt, to explain the results of their extensive stormwater master plan to the commission and citizens. Click here to view and download the plan.
Saints and Sinners Cemetery
The Saints and Sinners restoration and Honor Project got underway last Monday, January 15, 2024; Martin Luther King Day. Dru Anne Welch has done an outstanding job spearheading this project. Her efforts have garnered the support of several veterans’ groups and agencies.
Danny Devine Executive Director, Office of Engagement and Memorial Affairs. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration, was able to secure a replacement grave marker for U. S. Army Veteran and Oak Hill resident Daisie Merrick Cook. Hers had been destroyed by vandals years ago. The new stone was revealed at the ceremony and presented with full military honors. An honor guard, provided by the American Legion Post 285, participated in the ceremony.
They performed a rifle salute and flag folding ceremony to honor the veteran; the flag was presented to the veteran’s family members. Special thanks to Commander Kevin Doherty and Vice Commander-SAL Ricky Taylor, for making that happen.
Don Weaver from the Brevard County Veterans Memorial Center did a great job as MC and event coordinator.
Volunteers meticulously raised, cleaned, and reset veteran grave markers while others searched for veteran sites that may have been overlooked.
At least one additional veteran grave was found. Dru Anne and her crew of volunteers have worked hard to see to it that this cemetery is restored to its rightful condition so it can provide our community with historic value and a sense of pride. One more special thank you to Tom Fitzgerald from Solemn Pride Inc. who provided a beautiful military caisson for the ceremony.
—————————————–
Our City Commissioner’s meeting is Monday, January 22, 2024 at city hall. The time is 6:00 PM. Click here for the agenda pack.
Please come and let your voice be heard. Your presence and participation is how we hold our commission to account.
As always, it’s my pleasure to serve you, I appreciate your support. Please let me know what I can do to help. I’m here to represent you…
Thanks again,
Joe Catigano
Oak Hill City Commissioner
Seat 3
