Village Weekly Update

November 17, 2025

Message from the Manager

There will be a special call meeting of the Village Council today (Monday, Nov. 17) at 5:30pm at the Founders Park Community Center regarding wastewater issues. 

The Council will hear presentations from engineering teams working for the Village and the Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District on a required wastewater system plan and implementation schedule to comply with a DEP consent order. 

There will also be a discussion about the need for a new wastewater rate study (last study was done in 2022) and an evaluation of how wastewater EDUs are calculated.

The special call meeting will be broadcast in the same manner as regular Village Council meetings, and the public is encouraged to attend in person or online.

Last Thursday, Nov. 13, the Village participated in a zoom conference call with State Rep. Jim Mooney and State Senator Ana Maria Rodriguez to discuss our priorities for the upcoming legislative session that starts in January.

We outlined our appropriations budget requests for state funding for wastewater, transportation, and environmental protection as well as our support for policy legislation such a cap on windstorm premium increases for Citizens Property Insurance policy holders and changes to Senate Bill 180 which passed last legislative session and severely restricted local home rule.

Monroe County, other municipalities, special districts, and non-profit organizations also participated in the local legislative delegation zoom meeting.  

News You Can Use

The Islamorada Planning, Code, and Building Department will never send you an email requesting that you wire transfer money for permits, fees, inspections, or any other services.

If you receive an email asking you to wire funds or make unusual payments, do not respond, click links, or send money.

Please note that the Village only accepts payments for Planning, Code, and Building services:

·        Online through the official CityView Portal, or

·        In person at Village Hall, 3rd Floor Cashiering Window:

o   Monday–Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

o   Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Always verify the sender’s email address:

·        Official Village emails will come from an address ending in @islamorada.fl.us

·        CityView permit-related messages will come from cityview@islamorada.fl.us

If you are unsure whether an email is legitimate, please contact the Village directly using a trusted phone number or the official Village website, not the contact information provided in the suspicious email.

The Council is holding a Special Call Meeting on Monday, November 17, at 5:30 p.m. to discuss wastewater. The meeting will be held in the Community Center at Founders Park. The public is encouraged to attend.

If you can't make it in person, there are four options to watch the meeting:

• Monroe County's MCTV Comcast Channel 77
• The Village's YouTube channel
• Through the Zoom link on the agenda
• From the meeting portal on the Village website

Click here to view the agenda and get the Zoom link.

There is a vacancy on the Workforce/Affordable Housing Citizens Advisory Committee.

Review the Committee's page on the Village website for more information.

If you are interested in joining the committee, please submit an application no later than Sunday, November 30th.

Applicants will be considered by the Village Council at its December 9th meeting.

Islamorada first responders gathered at Fire Rescue Station 20 on November 11th to honor our nation's veterans.

Thank you to all who have served and continue to serve our country and community.

Donations are needed to send to Jamaica as they continue to recover from CAT 5 Hurricane Melissa. Please see the list of items needed below.

Drop off locations are in the Islamorada Administrative Center & Public Safety Headquarters and the Roth Building.

Pursuant to Village Code Chapter 30, Article VI, Division 6, all Vacation Rental Licenses shall be renewed annually. 

The Village of Islamorada requires that all renewal requirements, including the annual Life Safety Inspection, be completed by December 31^st. 

All renewal forms must be submitted electronically through the CityView Portal https://cvportal.us/cityviewportal.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Anita Muxo, Planning & Zoning Technician at (305)664-6498 or via email at:anita.muxo@islamorada.fl.us

Please help brighten the holidays for families in need.

Toys for Keys Kids is a local program dedicated to ensuring that every child wakes up to a gift this season.

Donate new, unwrapped toys to any of the collection locations around the village until December 11th.

Home Depot is hosting a holiday light recycling collection bin from America Recycles Day on November 15 to January 15th. 

Drop off your old holiday lights at the Marathon and Key West Home Depot locations.

Recreation & Events

Join us Friday, December 19 for Beats on the Bay. The Bruce Tribute will be rocking the park like the Boss himself.

Bring your own seating, grab a bite at a food truck, and settle back for an evening of music in beautiful Founders Park.

Admission is free - $10 for parking

Planning Review Engineer Rob Mathers, Council Member Steve Friedman, and Environmental Resources Manager Pete Frezza were representing at the Old Highway 5K this past weekend.

Not only did they represent, they crushed it. Pete was the overall winner, Rob won his age group, and Steve placed in his age group. Congratulations!

Come join the parade! 

Holiday Fest is returning on December 5 from 4-10 pm, and the Holiday Parade at 7:30 pm

2025 Holiday Parade theme:

A Season for Kindness

To Every Creature, Great or Small 🐈🐇🐖🐕

Music, art, food, dance, contests, fun ❄️

🎄 The 21st Annual Holiday Fest

📆 Friday, December 5, 2025

🕔 4-10 PM

📍 Founders Park

As part of our (Winter) Green Initiative, we encourage carpooling and bringing your own non-glass reusable drinking cup ♻️

For more information, please call the Islamorada Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center at 305-664-4503.

Special Council Meeting on Wastewater

November 17 | 5:30 pm

CANCELLED - Workforce / Affordable Housing Committee

November 17 | 5:00 pm

Code Compliance Hearing

November 18 | 10:00 am

Parks and Recreation Committee

November 18 | 5:00 pm

Historic Preservation Committee

November 19 | 10:00 am

Interim Committee Weeks:

Week of November 3

Week of November 17

Week of December 1

Week of December 8

◆ November 21

House final deadline to file Appropriation Project Request Forms

◆ November 21

Member Bill Submission Deadline

◆ January 7

Member Bill Final Draft Deadline 

◆ January 13

Day 1 ~ First Day of the 2026 Regular Session 

◆ January 16

House Attestation Forms Due for Appropriations Projects

◆ March 13

Day 60 ~ Last Day of the 2026 Regular Session

The Village is submitting four appropriation requests for consideration during the 2026 Legislative Session.

North Plantation Key Pump Station Capital Project

Request amount: $750,000

This project involves corrective actions in engineering and construction for the replacement of the existing North Plantation Key Transfer Pump Station (that has experienced several sanitary sewer overflows) with an in-line booster pump station in compliance with all necessary parties and in a time frame compliant with the FDEP issued consent order (OGC FILE NO. 25-0038) and Village response plan. 100% of the funds would go to contracted services for construction. The outcome of the project is to solve the effluent transient surge within the conveyance force main to Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District.

Sea Oats Beach Breakwater Project

Request amount: $300,000

Requested funding is for the first phase of an erosion control and living shoreline project along Islamorada’s Sea Oats Beach. The first phase of the project involves the completion of pre-construction activities including the design, final engineering, and permitting. Included in this design and engineering phase is wave attenuation and sediment transport modelling. A feasibility study has already been performed for the project. Completion of pre-construction activities during this first phase would bring this project to shovel ready.

The goal of the construction during the second phase of the project is twofold. First, to provide erosion control to safeguard against storm surges and sea level rise. Second, incorporate habitat components to aid water quality enhancements and shoreline protection (e.g., seagrass and mangroves). This project is a follow up to Islamorada’s vulnerability assessment completed in 2024 which recommended this shoreline for a breakwater/artificial reef. The project site is immediately adjacent to US 1 which is a critical evacuation route. Sea Oats Beach is identified as a Critically Eroded Beach by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Water Resource Management.

Islamorada’s Schools to Neighborhoods Pedestrian Safety

Request amount: $350,000

This project would extend existing sidewalks at schools, connecting them to high residential areas immediately adjacent to the schools. The project would target the three public schools on Plantation Key: Coral Shores High School, Plantation Key School, Treasure Village Montessori School.

Enhancement of Islamorada’s Public Transit System

Request amount: $350,000

This is a transportation-related project focused on expanding and enhancing the Village’s public transit system. Potentially this could include a fixed route along the old highway.

Anita spent many years outside the government sector before joining the Village.

She grew up in Palmetto Bay - back when it was Perrine. Many weekends were spent

in the Keys with her father, who did a lot of local engineering work.

After graduating from the University of Florida, Anita went to Atlanta, Washington DC, and Boston, and before settling in Toronto, Ontario, for the next 12 years.

Personal reasons brought her back stateside, and she briefly lived in the Palmetto Bay area. Soon after, she found work in hospitality in the Keys, which she resumed for another 5 years.

Before arriving at the Village, Anita worked primarily in marketing and hospitality.

When she joined the Village, she worked part-time for about 4 years in the Building Department. Anita then moved to the Planning Department, where she is today, primarily working in administrative roles.

Staff service awards were presented at the November 10 Village Council Meeting. The Village is fortunate to have these long-serving, dedicated professionals on staff.

Village employees with 5 years of service:

• Evelyn Fraley
• Paul Minning

Village employees with 10 years of service:

• Karla Vasquez
• Alexander Estrada
• Adrian Castellanos

Village Employees with 20 Years of Service:

• Anne Onsgard
• Ronald Jacobs

Village Employee with 25 years of Service:

• Maria Bagiotti

Human Resources Director Jamie Terry presented Assistant Director of Founders Park Anne Osgard and Founders Park Director Maria Bagiotti with their service awards.

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