Village Weekly Update

October 6, 2025

Message from the Manager

The Islamorada Village Council will be holding two public meetings this week on Tuesday and Thursday at the Founders Park Community Center, both starting at 5:30pm.  

On Tuesday, the Council and the public will hear a presentation of the final Founders Park Master Plan from consultants Miller Legg. There will also be an update from FKAA’s contractor on the Plantation Key water main transmission line replacement project. 

I will give a report on meetings which have been held between the engineering teams of the Village and Key Largo Wastewater Treatment District (KLWTD) and will discuss how we are working to improve cooperation and communication between the two entities.                         

The Village is KLWTD’s largest customer. KLWTD has made several recommendations for improvements to Islamorada’s wastewater system which will be presented to the Council. 

Resolutions will be considered to approve a one-year extension for the Village’s state lobbying team, approve the final rankings for a selection of a contractor for the Founders Park pool resurfacing and facilities improvements, and authorize work on backfilling Canal # 148 on Lower Matecumbe Key.  

Ordinances will also be brought up for approval to create a slow speed minimum wake zone at the Starcks Wheel Ditch, amend the Village Code to create provisions protecting peacocks, lower the maximum speed limit on Cortez Drive, eliminate term limits on the Local Planning Agency (LPA), and allow backing movements within a street right of way. 

There will be two quasi-judicial hearings on appeals of dwelling unit determinations for 82935, 82925 and 82929 Overseas Highway and for 107 Carroll Street. 

On Thursday, I will give an update on negotiations between the Village and the Monroe County School District regarding a revised site design plan for the Founders Park baseball field and proposed agreements for the field’s use and maintenance.  

Agendas and documents for both meetings can be found by going to the Village’s website at www.islamorada.fl.us and clicking on the Agendas & Meetings tab. 

News You Can Use

The Village Council approved the FY 2025–2026 budget on September 16, and we want to keep residents updated on how their tax dollars are being used to support our community.

Understanding Your Property Tax Bill

What affects my property tax bill? 

1. Assessed Value – Set by Monroe County Property Appraiser based on market value.

There are homestead and other exemptions that reduce your taxable value and the Save Our Homes cap which limits assessments for full-time residents.

2. Millage Rate - Set annually by local governments to meet community needs.    

           
It is the tax rate applied to every $1,000 of taxable property. 

                              
Islamorada’s millage rate of 2.65 means $2.65 in Village taxes for every $1,000 of assessed value.

Millage Rate x Assessed Value= Property Tax

Millage Rate Breakdown FY 2024*

This image shows the proportionate share of each taxing authority within the Village of Islamorada for every dollar a resident pays in property taxes.

For example: if the total millage rate charged by a municipality was 0.2500 and the total millage rates charged by the county, school district, municipality, and special districts within the municipality totaled 1.0000, then 25 cents for every dollar paid towards property taxes by a resident in the municipality would go towards the municipality.

*Collected from County Tax Collector

Subject: Temporary traffic pattern change. 

To all residents and motorists,

This announcement serves to inform you about upcoming changes to traffic flow in the Plantation Key Colony neighborhood on October 31, 2025, Halloween night. 

The changes are scheduled to begin at 5:00 PM and are expected to last until 10:00 PM. 

The purpose of these changes is to reduce congestion in the neighborhood and provide a safe environment for our Trick or Treaters. 

All vehicles will remain to the right of all cones. All pedestrians will remain on the left of all cones.     

All vehicles entering Plantation Key Colony will utilize Royal Poinciana Boulevard. 

At Coconut Palm Boulevards, vehicles will be directed to turn right or left depending on their destination.

North Coconut Palm Boulevard will become a one-way street.

South Coconut Palm Boulevard will become a one-way street from the intersection of Royal Poinciana Boulevard to the intersection of Bougainvillea Street.

Hibiscus Streets will become one-way streets, allowing turns only on to Royal Poinciana Boulevard towards US-1. 

Jasmine Streets will become one-way streets, allowing turns only on to Royal Poinciana Boulevard towards US-1.

Bougainvillea Street will become a one-way street between South Coconut Palm Boulevard and Royal Poinciana Boulevard, allowing turns on to Royal Poinciana Boulevard towards US-1. 

Royal Poinciana Boulevard will be the only way out of Plantation Key Colony as a one-way street. 

All vehicles leaving the area will utilize Royal Poinciana Boulevard only. 

Plantation Key Colony will have residential parking only.  Non-residents will park at Plantation Key School, Coral Shores High School and the Old Road. 

Please follow all posted signage and directions for your safety and the safety of all participants. Please avoid distractions and exercise caution while navigating the area. 

For further information or questions regarding this traffic change, please contact:

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Cpt. Lissette Quintero

305-619-0779 or Lquintero@keysso.net

Thank you for your patience and understanding.  

This past week, a team from Florida’s Institute for Regional Conservation completed a habitat restoration and debris removal project surrounding the Village’s remaining Key Tree Cactus plants.

In collaboration with Village staff and working under grant funds provided by the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the team spent six days working in the Islamorada area.

The work was successful in restoring open habitat where the cactus should have ample room and sunlight to thrive for years to come. We are hopeful that they will be reproducing in the wild once again.

The Key Tree Cactus is one of the most endangered cactus species in the world. There are only about 300 individual cacti remaining in the Keys, found in 12 separate locations from Key Largo to Big Pine.

Within Islamorada, there are about 65 individual cactus plants remaining, clustered in three different locations on Village owned Conservation properties on Upper Matecumbe Key. This represents about 22% of the Keys wide population.

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is scheduled to begin a landscaping project on Monday, October 6, 2025, along US 1 from MM 75.02 to MM 81.44 through Lower Matecumbe and the southern section of Upper Matecumbe Keys.

The planting will occur in the FDOT right-of-ways running parallel to the highway. The $1.86 million project will take approximately six months to complete, followed by a two-year establishment period to ensure successful growth of the plantings. Construction activities will be phased to minimize disruption, with no lane closures anticipated.

Access to and from adjacent neighborhoods and businesses will be maintained during construction. This much-anticipated project has been years in the making and will aid to beautify the right-of-way as well as to create habitat with native plantings through lower Matecumbe and the southern section of upper Matecumbe Keys. 

Our next Regular Village Council meetings will be held on October 7 and 9, respectively.

Agendas are available in the Meeting Portal on our website.  

Four Ways to View Village Meetings

The Village offers four different ways to watch Village Council, LPA, Workshops, and other meetings—so that residents can stay informed in whichever way works best for them.

Zoom

Zoom is an online platform for video and audio meetings, webinars, and screen sharing. Attendees can watch live and also participate in public comment by using the “raise hand” feature. The Village Clerk will call on Zoom participants after in-person attendees have had their turn to speak.

To join, go to zoom.com, select the Meet tab, then Join a meeting, and enter the 11-digit Zoom ID listed in the Public Notice and Agenda on the Village website.

For a faster option, a direct link is posted to the black ALERT bar at the top of islamorada.fl.us one hour before each meeting—just click Join the Meeting on Zoom.

YouTube

Village meetings are live-streamed on the official YouTube channel at youtube.com/@Islamorada_FL. YouTube can be viewed on your computer, as well as your mobile device, or smart TV through the YouTube app. Streams typically begin about five minutes before the scheduled start, with information displayed while viewers wait. Subscribing to the channel ensures you’ll receive notifications when new videos or live streams are available.

Recordings remain available on the channel, so meetings can be watched anytime, from anywhere. A direct YouTube link is also posted to the black ALERT bar on the Village website one hour before each meeting.

Village Website

Residents can view meetings directly through the Village website. Simply go to islamorada.fl.us, click the Agendas & Meetings button, select the meeting, then click Meeting Media on the left-hand side. As with YouTube, the stream usually begins five minutes before the official start time, so the page may say “There is no video for this Event” if accessed too early. The recording remains available afterward on the same page for future viewing and includes timestamps.

Comcast Channel 77

Meetings can also be watched live on Comcast Channel 77, with replays running for at least two weeks following the meeting. However, please note: Channel 77 is consistently available only within Village boundaries, between approximately Mile Marker 90 and Mile Marker 72. Outside of this range, you may experience interruptions or have no access to the channel at all.

In Summary

Whether through Zoom, YouTube, the Village website, or Comcast Channel 77, residents have several ways to stay engaged. These choices ensure that meetings are accessible both live and on-demand, and they also provide redundancy in the event that one of the platforms we rely on experiences technical difficulties.

Recreation & Events

Earlier this spring, the Council discussed dedicating the dog park at Founders Park in honor of the late Mike Forster. Following a public poll, the park will officially be named the "Mangrove" Mike Forster Dog Park.

Mayor Mahoney and Village staff are now planning a special dedication ceremony in January, which will include a commemorative plaque and bench to celebrate Mike’s legacy.

To make this tribute truly special, we’re inviting the community to help bring the celebration to life.

Donations will directly support the ceremony and memorial features.

If you’d like to contribute, visit Centennial Bank and ask to donate to the “Mangrove Mike Dedication” account, or contact Mayor Mahoney for more information.

Wear your witchiest attire and join us for the Islamorada Witches Paddle on Saturday, October 18th, at 2:00 PM. Paddle ½ mile from the Green Turtle Hammock Nature Preserve kayak launch to the Islamorada Fish Company, where you can rest for a spell with your new water-borne coven. Paddle back to the Green Turtle Hammock Nature Preserve at your leisure. Bring your costumed friends and family — and bring your own paddle board or kayak. 

Safety is always a priority. Witches must follow park rules and the U.S. Coast Guard regulations for nonmotorized vessels. To get in the water more quickly at the event, you can complete the Village's event participation liability waiver in advance: Adult Waiver, Youth Waiver. 

This event is open to the public. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, all persons who are disabled and who need special accommodations to participate in this event because of that disability should contact the ADA Coordinator at ADA@islamorada.fl.us or 305-664-6448 at least 48 hours before the scheduled event.

Other questions? Contact emily.rother@islamorada.fl.us.

Witches, let's paddle!

The Good Health Clinic's Tomorrowland for Health Party: Saturday, October 11th from 7:00-10:00pm at Founders Park Beach. Annual Benefit Party for the Good Health Clinic! Dinner, Dancing, and Lasers! Visitwww.thegoodhealthclinic.org for more information.

Lifeguard Training Course: Blended Learning Format (online + in person) approximately 30-hour course. Must be 15 years of age. Mandatory Pre-Skills Test October 23rd. Course dates: November 7-9, 2025. $275 Course Fee. Register by October 22nd. Contact Instructor Anna Capps at Lifeguards@islamorada.fl.us.

Save the Date! 7th Annual Trunk or Treat Halloween Party & Haunted Hayride: Saturday, October 25th, 6:00-9:00pm. Halloween Festivities, Food, and Fun! Registration is open now!

Click below to register your Trunk and/or register a Spooky Spot on the Haunted Hayride! Contact the Park for more details.

Decorate your vehicle and provide candy to Trunk or Treaters:

CLICK HERE to register a Trunk!

Decorate a spot on the trail and bring spooky fun to Haunted Hayride Trail riders:

CLICK HERE to register a Spooky Spot!

Regular Village Council Meeting

October 7 | 5:30 pm

Regular Village Council Meeting

October 9 | 5:30 pm

Local Planning Agency Meeting

October 13 | 5:30 pm

Youth Council Meeting

October 14 | 4:00 pm

Historic Preservation Commission Meeting

October 15 | 10:00 am

Florida City Week is October 20 - 26

Islamorada is joining cities throughout the state in celebrating Florida City Week, a weeklong celebration that raises awareness about the importance of municipal government and its daily impact on residents.

The annual event is sponsored by the Florida League of Cities, the united voice for Florida’s municipal governments.

Because local government is the government closest to the people and the one with the most direct daily impact on its residents, it is important that residents understand how their city operates, the services it provides, and the importance of their active involvement.

“Florida City Week is an opportunity to help our residents learn more about the many services we provide, which will lead to more knowledgeable citizen participation in the future,” said Village Manager Ron Saunders.

Take a few minutes to check out How City Government Works - a video from the FLC.

Staff Spotlight

Noah Levine

Lifeguard 2

Noah Levine joined the Village in May as a Full-Time Lifeguard 2 at the Ron Levy Aquatic Center.

He and his family recently relocated to Islamorada from Broward County.

Prior to his move, Noah worked as a legal assistant and was an active figure in South Florida’s vibrant theatre community for many years.

He’s quickly become a valued member of the team and truly enjoys working with everyone at the pool. Noah was recognized as September's Lifeguard of the Month for his dedication to safety at the aquatic center. 

Noah lives in Plantation Key Colony with his wife, Cally, an educator at PKS, and their son, Miles, a first-grader who will soon turn seven.

Outside of work, Noah remains involved in the performing arts and will be appearing in The Key Players’ upcoming production of War of the Worlds, running October 9–19. Be sure to come out and support him!

We’re pleased to share that our Planning Department’s Review Engineer, Robert Mather, P.E., has recently completed the Florida Department of Transportation’s Advanced Temporary Traffic Control (TTC) certification. This 2-day advanced-level training equips engineers and project supervisors with the knowledge and authority to design, implement, and oversee complex work zone traffic control plans on state and local roadways.

Gaining this certification provides valuable insight into the technical standards, safety protocols, and regulatory requirements that govern temporary traffic control on Florida’s roadways. It enhances our ability to evaluate development proposals, coordinate with engineering and public works teams, and provide informed feedback during interagency reviews or capital improvement planning.

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