Board of County Commissioners - Regular Meeting

Tuesday, August 25, 2026Official site

The Board honored former County Manager Tom Jenkins, approved policy revisions for the Live Local Act, and certified an agricultural enclave for Strada Development. They also supported regional LNG production at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

About this meeting

Government Body
Board of County Commissioners
Meeting Type
Board Of County Commissioners
Location
Brevard County, FL
Meeting Date
August 25, 2026

Published excerpts

Only published remarks appear here. The full transcript is not published.

49 sections (from 56 segments)

4:29 – 4:41•Thad Altman

Okay, thank you. I'd like to recognize Pastor Gaston Kinney of the First Baptist Church of Coco. Nice suit, Pastor.

6:11•Thad Altman

Thank you, that was wonderful. Helped us start the day off right. I appreciate it. I'd like to ask everyone to stand for the pledge. Please face the flag.

6:40 – 7:16•Thad Altman

Okay, I think first thing, a motion would be order to approve Commissioner Goodson to appear. I'll make a motion for Commissioner Goodson to participate by phone. Motion second for Commissioner Goodson to participate by phone. All in favor say yay. Yay. Yay. It carries unanimously. Thank you. Good to have you here, Commissioner. First, item D1, minutes for approval May 7th, 2026 zoning meeting and July 9th, 2026 zoning meeting. Make a motion to approve.

7:18 – 14:01•Thad Altman

Motion, second. All in favor say yay. Yay. Yay. Cures unanimously. Thank you. E1, resolutions. We have a resolution honoring the life and memory of former county manager Tom Jenkins and I think we have Family members here would like to ask them to come up. Thank you so much for being here. It's good seeing you. Thank you for having us. I'd like to read the resolution and then we'll open up for comments after that. This is a resolution of the Board of County Commissioners of Brevard County, Florida, honoring the life and memory of former County Manager Tom Jenkins. Whereas the Board of County C

14:08 – 14:35•Thad Altman

So motion is second for the resolution. All those in favor say yay. Yay. It carries unanimously. I just want to thank you for what your dedication has been to Brevard County because I know this job that he held is incredibly demanding. It required great support from home to give him the time and the independence and the freedom to really, really... to do what he did for all of us, and we all are grateful for him.

15:21•Thad Altman

Thank you, thank you, thank you so much.

16:55 – 17:10•Thad Altman

Thank you. Thank you so much. Okay, we will move to the agenda. Okay, item F, consent agenda. Are there any items that we wanna remove from the consent?

17:16 – 17:41•Thad Altman

Okay, we have one card for F9. We have one card for F9. Why don't we go ahead and get a motion for the remainder of the consent agenda and then we'll hear F9.

17:44 – 18:05•Thad Altman

Second. So motion second for the consent agenda. All in favor say yay. Okay. Carries unanimously. Okay, F9. F9, approval of the Brevard County's policy 76, caretaker's policy.

18:10•Thad Altman

Card is from Richard Helfinger. Helfinger, Helfinger.

19:38 – 20:09•Thad Altman

All right, any discussion on F9? A motion to be in order. Motion to approve up to nine. Is there a second? Second. Second. Discussion? All in favor say yay. Yay. Aye. Carries unanimously. Thank you. We'll move to G. We have no G cards for public comment. First item of public hearing, H1.

20:49 – 21:00•Thad Altman

I'll second. Motion to approve in a second. For the record, no cards. Any discussion? All in favor say yea. Yea. It carries unanimously. Thank you.

21:37 – 21:54•Thad Altman

Okay, any discussion? No cards, all in favor? We have a motion. You made a motion. Oh, I thought you did I'll suck him motion the second all in favor say, yeah Thank you h3

22:37•Thad Altman

Okay, maybe give us a few of the highlights of the changes.

26:40•Thad Altman

Do you have any questions? Okay. Thank you, Justin.

29:03 – 29:28•Thad Altman

And I would think it would be very difficult to argue that short-term rentals are affordable housing. I mean, the Live Local Act only allows you to take these land use categories and provide for affordable housing. If anything, short-term rentals have made affordable housing even more difficult.

29:30 – 31:51•Thad Altman

Yeah, I figured. But that's a good point, and I think it's very astute for you to bring that up. I'd like to just say a few things. First, I can't begin to express how horrible this is. And this is an example of big government... big special interests, far removed from the people, just trouncing the rights of our landowners. And it started with the Live Local Act when they allowed industrial uses to be used as affordable housing. Now that's a lot different, because if you're living next to industry, relatively, or BU2, whatever, relatively intensive land use. You could argue, I think, that a r

32:17•Thad Altman

Wow. Well, that's good news. At least we have that because that is a very critical hurricane evacuation zone.

34:39 – 35:50•Thad Altman

And a very good point on maintaining a faith-based initiative. It wouldn't prevent, for example, if I have a church of a particular denomination, because I've seen churches that have sold. I went to preschool at a Lutheran school church, and now it's a non-denominational. The ownership could change as long as it maintained its entity as a church. 501c3 nonprofit religious institution, then that new institution could operate affordable housing. And I don't want to bring out examples of faith because it might seem like I'm picking on things, but it could be a way of getting around if you have an

36:05•Thad Altman

Okay, so what we have is no choice but to adjust our code to meet the state law.

36:24 – 36:37•Thad Altman

All in favor say yay. Yay. Okay, carries unanimously. Okay, next item. H4.

37:11•Thad Altman

Okay, we have one card, Richard Heffelfinger.

40:28 – 40:50•Thad Altman

Thank you. Okay. Any questions as they're all the cards that we have? All right. Motion would be in order. Second. Motion and second to approve. All in favor say yay. Yay. Okay. Unanimously. Okay. H5.

42:16 – 42:40•Thad Altman

Okay. So we can do that in one motion. I don't think we have any cards here. No cards? No cards. All right, any other questions? I'll make the motion to approve. So motion and second to approve. All in favor say yay. Yay. He carries unanimously, thank you. Next on to H6.

43:13•Thad Altman

We do have one card, Richard Heffelfinger.

44:42•Thad Altman

Motion to approve H6. I'll second. Second. All in favor say yay. Yay. Carries unanimously. Thank you. H7.

45:48•Thad Altman

Okay, we have numerous cards. We'll begin with the applicant's representative, Kim Rosenka.

51:01 – 51:28•Thad Altman

Okay, any questions? I have a quick question. I was by there, looked at it, because I've been out there a lot. I noticed that to the back of the property, if I'm looking at the right spot, it looked like there was palm trees, cultured palm trees. Is there any ornamental growth of ornamental palms, or is that off the property? Or is it strictly cattle that you're... Oh, it's both. You do have palm trees.

51:33•Thad Altman

So it's not just cattle agriculture, it's ornamentals?

51:59•Thad Altman

I just noticed in the back of the property, it looks like there's a palm grove.

52:23•Thad Altman

And I notice there's a line, a colonnade of palms at the front of the property that have been planted. It really looks nice. I saw that. Did those come from the side or were those brought from outside?

55:40•Thad Altman

Yes, and we do have one additional card, Commissioner.

58:22 – 58:37•Thad Altman

Okay, I have a couple questions. You may want to stay here because you've made some good points and it's brought some things to light that I want to clarify with staff. Could you address this sort of as a zoning item?

58:40•Thad Altman

I think this has never been done in the history of Florida before, so you're not the only one. But this really is not what we're reviewing, isn't it? Maybe explain just so the public will understand.

59:50 – 1:00:03•Thad Altman

Glad you're here. I mean, you are untrod ground here, and so... I know. So what would be possible would be something compatible with a nearby land use, such as any river preserve?

1:00:20•Thad Altman

I know the applicant may have some feedback on that, but just want to be sure you understood.

1:00:29 – 1:00:44•Thad Altman

No confusion. I think this is, again, untrotted ground. It's in the law that I think there's only one other place in the entire state that might be evaluating this enclave issue. But it's, again, another thing that the state of Florida has passed.

1:01:14•Thad Altman

Okay. All right, that's our last card. Yes.

1:02:02•Thad Altman

Okay, great. All right, okay, Commissioner Goodson?

1:02:15 – 1:02:36•Thad Altman

second motion second to approve the agriculture enclave designation uh any discussion all those in favor say yay yay carries unanimously thank you thank you commissioner and we will move to h1 i won i won i'm sorry i won

1:06:14•Thad Altman

Thank you. Okay, we have no other cards? No cards. I don't think, okay. Morris, did you push that button?

1:09:22•Thad Altman

Did you have any preference, just out of deference of you?

1:09:58 – 1:11:01•Thad Altman

Thank you. Motion carries. And we will move on to J1 New Business, which is my item. This is... Asking the board to approve a letter. And what the letter does is it offers support for a regional LNG production and storage infrastructure facility at, I want to clarify this, at the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral. Space Force Station, so it's not an effort to put LNG outside of the Space Center, but I know that KSC is in the process of looking at creating an LNG facility on site. This simply supports that to support the LNG needs. We know, for example, just one Starship launch may, and I

1:11:19 – 1:11:41•Thad Altman

Yeah, okay This would be at the Kennedy Space Center There's a motion second all the favor say yeah, yeah Yeah Opposed? Carries unanimously. Okay, thank you. We will move to public comments. The second public comment. We have no cards. Then we'll go to Board of Reports.

1:12:04 – 1:12:20•Thad Altman

Awesome and helpful on native plants, so we know who to call. Should we give her her phone number out here? I'm joking. That's wonderful. Thank you. County Attorney? I have no report, Mr. Chair. Commissioner One? District One?

1:12:38•Thad Altman

Fantastic. District two? No reports, sir. District 3?

1:14:51 – 1:15:43•Thad Altman

i know i'm familiar with this property and it is unique it's one of the last remaining natural pieces of property on the san sebastian river which is an of a unique environmental resource with manatees and at florida i think that's florida outstanding waters out there right off of sebastian and have great i think it's great habitat value as well as potential recreational use I know there's some standards that may be a little outdated because I think shoreline preservation, aquatic species and mammals like the manatee, and public enjoyment and access are things that should be considered. As wel

1:18:19•Thad Altman

Okay, motion and second, all in favor say yay. Yay. Motion carries. Thank you very much. Thank you. District four.

1:18:56 – 1:19:11•Thad Altman

Thank you, and I'm looking forward to serving with you the next two, maybe four, you never know. It's been a great honor serving with you. You've done a wonderful job. Okay, I have no reports. Meeting adjourned.

These excerpts are remarks by officials whose identity a person confirmed, from a transcript generated automatically from the official public meeting video and presented unedited. Accuracy may vary; view the original recording for reference.