Thursday, May 1, 2025

Comprehensive Plan Public Workshop

6:00 PM

Council Chambers

Saturday, May 3, 2025

Comprehensive Plan Public Workshop

10:00 AM

Council Chambers

Monday, May 5, 2025

City Council Meeting

6:00 PM

Council Chambers

Wednesday, May 7, 2025

Economic Development Board Meeting

8:00 AM

Council Chambers

Thursday, May 8, 2025

Code Enforcement/Special Magistrate Meeting

2:00 PM

Council Chambers

Saturday, May 10, 2025

Hurricane Preparedness Seminar

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Council Chambers

Wednesday, May 14, 2025

Planning and Zoning Board Meeting

6:30 PM

Council Chambers

Saturday, May 17, 2025

EDGEfest Laser Light Show and Band

6:00 PM

Hawks Park

Monday, May 19, 2025

City Council Meeting

6:00 PM

Council Chambers

Saturday, May 31, 2025

EDGEfest School's Out Glow Party and Movie

7:00 - 10:00 PM

Whistle Stop Park

Click here to review meeting agendas or to watch a live stream/recording of meetings.

Click here to sign up to receive an email when an agenda is posted or updated.

The City Council met on Monday, April 21, 2025, at 6:00 PM.

Some items approved on the consent agenda included:

• Purchase of generators for Lift Stations 1 and 2
• Interlocal agreement for fire and EMS services automatic aid and closest unit response for SE Volusia

Some items on the remainder of the agenda included:

• Second readings of request to amend the Florida Shores Drainage Basin Building Permit Moratorium - approved
• Board appointment to the Economic Development Board - Joshua Champion appointed
• Final Plat for Edgewater Reserve Phase Two - denied
• Phase 1 infrastructure cost reimbursement agreement for construction of stormwater ponds and Parktowne Boulevard - approved
• Resolution to request to make application to Florida Commerce for Small Cities CDBG funding - approved

Click here to review the agenda and to view a live stream/recording of the meeting. You may also sign up, using that same link, to be notified when a meeting agenda is posted.

The City Council held a workshop on November 7, 2024, to discuss a possible moratorium for the City of Edgewater. Council members came to a consensus regarding two moratoriums that could run concurrently for a period of up to one year.

Two draft moratorium ordinances were drafted and reviewed by the Planning and Zoning Board at their November 13, 2024, meeting. First readings of both ordinances were approved at the December 2, 2024, City Council meeting. The second readings of both the Florida Shores Drainage Basin Moratorium and the City-Wide Moratorium were approved at the January 6, 2025, City Council meeting.

One of the ordinances is the Florida Shores Drainage Basin Moratorium. While the proposed one-year moratorium is in effect, the city will not accept, process, or approve any building permit which would increase impervious surface within the Florida Shores Drainage Basin.

Example of impervious surfaces include: ·

• New single-family homes
• Additions
• Detached garages
• Sheds
• Pools
• Driveways
• Patios

Building permits that are related to storm damage or those that have already been submitted prior to the effective date of the Ordinance will not be included in this moratorium.

This Florida Shores Drainage Basin Moratorium will provide time for the city to review the impacts of Hurricane Ian and the storm event on September 14, 2024. During the temporary moratorium the city will repair, maintain, and improve ditches, canals, and other stormwater systems while the city awaits the completion of the master stormwater plan to make new improvements. The report is anticipated to be completed by December of 2025.

The City Council has requested to amend the Florida Shores Drainage Basin Building Permit Moratorium from no new impervious surface to no fill. Any applicant, within the Florida Shores Drainage Basin, that requires fill for a project would not be permitted. This amended Florida Shores Drainage Basin Building Permit Moratorium was approved on first reading at the February 24, 2025, City Council meeting. The second reading was approved at the April 21, 2025, meeting with the following changes:

SECTION 2: Moratorium Imposed. A temporary moratorium, until no later than January 5, 2026, is hereby imposed on the consideration of building permits that require the use of fill dirt on any parcel within the Florida Shores Drainage Basin described in Exhibit A to provide time for the City to review the impacts of Hurricane Ian and the storm event on September 14, 2024.

“Fill dirt” shall be defined as an earthy material which is used to fill in a depression or hole in the ground or create mounds or otherwise artificially change the grade or elevation of real property. The definition of “fill dirt” shall be strictly applied to prohibit the importation of fill dirt. Building permits that utilize the existing dirt onsite by making a cut in the grade of the land shall be allowed to place said fill dirt to change the grade elsewhere on the property.

The City of Edgewater shall require a stormwater report that demonstrates a no net rise in flood stage and no adverse impacts to adjacent properties. While the temporary moratorium is in effect, the City shall not accept, process, or approve any building permit which would allow for an increase in “fill dirt” except for the exception denoted above and those that have already been submitted prior to the effective date of this Ordinance.

Click here to watch recordings of the meetings referenced above.

Click here to view moratorium related documentation, including a map of the areas affected.

Questions related to the moratoriums can be directed to the Development Services Department by calling 386-424-2400 x1502 or by clicking here to email the department.

Due to the ongoing dry conditions and in order to conserve irrigation water availability for all customers, beginning April 24, 2025, staff will deactivate the Reclaimed Water distribution pumps between the hours of 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM each day. This protocol will continue until routine rainfall has returned.

Daytime usage of reclaimed water has been much higher than normal and is depleting the supply from the storage tanks during the day before the majority of users have an opportunity to use the resource in the evening and overnight hours.

The City augments the supply of reclaimed water with surface water withdrawn from the borrow pit adjacent to the Wastewater Treatment Plant. The water level in the borrow pit remains adequate and the city is maximizing its withdrawal rate, however, this amount still does not meet the current reclaimed water demand.

Please direct any questions or concerns to the Department of Environmental Services by calling 386-424-2400, ext. 4007 or click here to email the department.

I continue to serve our residents and community as Interim City Manager, while the search for a full-time manager is ongoing. The City Council has chosen the executive recruitment firm SGR to conduct a nationwide search for candidates. SGR has begun the search process.

At a Special Meeting on December 20, 2024, the City Council authorized, by consensus, the creation of an ad hoc committee to assist in the search for a new City Manager. The Committee will review the top 15 applications as determined by SGR and recommend who the City Council should interview.

This Committee has been created for this specific purpose and shall sunset upon making their recommendations to SGR. Each member of the City Council appointed one member, and the mayor appointed two members. The creation of this committee and its members was formalized at the January 27, 2025, City Council meeting.

The City Manager Search Committee met on March 26, 2025, and again on April 17, 2025, and was updated by SGR with the information below:

This is the most current update from SGR:

• There were 45 applicants for the position.
• The Board compiled a list of 16 applicants who were further vetted by SGR prior to the April 17th meeting.
• SGR advised 5 applicants withdrew their applications and 2 did not complete the required additional paperwork which brought the list of applicants to 9.
• The City Manager Search Committee narrowed the list to 5 semi-finalists.

The City Clerk will work with SGR to set up City tours, individual meetings with Council members and staff between May 6 - 9, 2025. There will also be an open house for residents to meet the applicants before a Special Meeting is held where the City Council can interview each applicant. The City Council will then select a candidate for the job. Staff would then negotiate a contract to bring back to the Council for their approval.

I continue to work for the betterment of our community and our residents during this time. Edgewater is a great place to live, work, and visit, and I am committed to doing all I can as Interim City Manager to ensure it stays that way!

"The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails."—John Maxwell

Join me in adjusting the sails!

If you would like to contact Interim City Manager Thurman, you can call 386-424-2400 x1203 or click this link to email him.

Volusia County finalized the transfer of 9.04 acres to the City for the maintenance of critical stormwater infrastructure on March 26, 2025, marking another step in a collaborative effort to reduce flooding and strengthen stormwater management. The property is part of the more than 2,500-acre Stewart Property, which the County purchased in June 2024.

The Volusia County Council approved the transfer during its January 21, 2025, meeting, authorizing the conveyance of the canals and adjacent maintenance access areas to Edgewater. The action also included an access easement for the central canal and annexation of the property into Edgewater's boundaries, allowing the city to maintain and operate the infrastructure.

The property includes two canals: a 25-foot-wide canal along its eastern boundary and another canal running east to west through the center of the property. One is a 50 foot wide strip of land covering the Silver Palm canal (runs north-south just west of Silver Palm Drive), which the City already maintains and will continue to do so. They also provided a 50 foot wide drainage easement over the canal that runs east-west through the property, which the City will maintain going forward.

These canals act like large drains and will be crucial in managing stormwater by collecting and directing excess rainwater away from neighborhoods, streets, and surrounding areas. By channeling water into designated pathways, the canals will reduce the risk of standing water, protect homes and businesses from potential water damage, and minimize road closures.

I know we are stronger when we work together. We need to remind ourselves and each other that we are on the same team and are all working to improve our community in our own ways. Let’s bring a spirit of cooperation and congeniality to 2025 and there will be no stopping us!  

Click here to reach me via email. I would love to hear what we are doing right and what we can be doing better!  

Dry retention/detention areas were installed into most of the east-west roads in the Florida Shores community with roadside swales connecting the houses to the retention/detention areas, in the 1990s as part of the Florida Shores Roadway Improvements Project.

The stormwater system was engineered to hold a portion of rainfall within these swales and retention/detention areas, allowing stormwater discharge into the canals and out to the Indian River.

The "first flush" of rainfall contains most of the pollution that gathers on the ground, such as gas and oil, pet waste, and other contaminants accumulated on roadways, driveways, and other impervious surfaces.

By holding the first amount of runoff in the swales and ponds and allowing the natural action of percolation to draw that water down into the soil, the majority of contaminants are treated within the soil and not discharged into the Indian River. The action of percolation can take up to three (3) days to complete.

Interim Environmental Services Director Sean Maroney provided an update on the control structure "boxes" in these dry ponds at the March 17, 2025, City Council meeting. He advised that there are approximately 92 of these structures throughout Florida Shores. Mr. Maroney advised the Council that the boxes were not installed for flood control but rather for water quality to catch that “first flush” mentioned above before it could drain into the river.

The city has committed to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) that staff will inspect all of these boxes by April 24, 2025. As of March 17th, 53 of these boxes have been inspected and 20 have been found to have various-sized notches cut. It is believed these boxes were cut in an attempt to allow water to flow and relieve areas of potential flooding from water that had not percolated. There may have also been concerns about standing water that was creating mosquito issues.

Following the requirements of the City’s St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) permit, stormwater crews will be repairing any boxes that have been altered, by bricking and sealing the notches. It is possible that this action will not reduce flooding due to the dry ponds now holding more water, but the boxes will all comply with the SJRWMD requirements. Stormwater personnel will monitor the performance of these boxes after the completion of this work to ensure water is operating as originally designed and permitted.

Click here to view the 2023, 2024 and 2025 monthly stormwater maintenance activity reports.

For additional information or for any questions, please call the Environmental Services Department at 386-424-2400 x4007 or click this link to contact the department.

The City of Edgewater has been using a web-based tracking system called trac EZ since 2013. Once a request is made through the system, it generates an email to several members of the relevant department. This includes contact information from the user which allows the department to contact them for follow up, if necessary.

By clicking this link on our website users can choose either to send a complaint, compliment or request to 18 different departments or services within various departments.

We encourage residents, business owners and visitors to utilize this quick and easy resource from either their phones or computers. Using this system allows your request to be tracked, prioritized as needed and provides a method for City staff to contact you for follow up. Using this link, as opposed to posting on social media, ensures that your request will be received in a timely manner.

Our 220+ dedicated employees are ready to provide thorough, timely and competent service!

The city has several advisory boards and committees that report to City Council. These boards/committees, such as the Planning and Zoning Board, may make recommendations to City Council on various development projects. Some boards/committees have the authority to grant variances or uphold citations, such as the Planning and Zoning and Code Enforcement Boards. Other boards/committees gather information or promote the city at events or within the community.

Terms expire on the various boards at regular intervals. In addition, vacancies may be created from time to time when members resign from boards. Applications can be submitted to the City Clerk, in person or online, at any time and will be kept for one year.

All advisory boards are subject to the Sunshine Law. The primary purpose of Government in the Sunshine is to assure public access to the decision-making process of public boards and commissions. The Sunshine Law extends to discussions and deliberations as well as to formal action taken by boards and commissions.

Members of boards/commissions (Police, Fire and General Employee Pension Boards and Planning and Zoning Board) are required to file financial disclosures within 30 days of appointment.

The City of Edgewater is currently seeking individuals interested in serving on a City Board or Committee.

The current list of City boards/committees is as follows:

• Economic Development Board
• Firefighters’ Pension Board
• General Employee Pension Board
• Police Pension Board
• Planning and Zoning Board
• Recreation and Cultural Services Board
• City Manager Search Committee

The following boards/committees have vacancies:

• Economic Development Board
• Planning and Zoning Board
• Firefighters’ Pension Board

Click here to learn more!

Resilient Florida Vulnerability Assessment Study

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) Resilient Florida Vulnerability Assessment Study and Adaptation plan are underway by the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council. They held their second Public Outreach meeting on February 3, 2025, during a City Council meeting. This project will be completed in the coming months and will better position the City of Edgewater for resiliency grant funding opportunities regarding infrastructure flood mitigation projects. 

Fire Station 55 Emergency Traffic Signal

This project involves the construction of an emergency traffic signal in front of Fire Station 55 (1605 South Ridgewood Avenue). This traffic signal will be used to electronically signal traffic along US 1 and Rhode Island Street for emergency vehicles entering the roadway in front of the station. This will proactively prevent emergency braking, near misses and accidents which will consequently improve response times and safety. Improved response times lead to an improvement in the insurance industry ratings of a community's fire suppression service, with a corresponding reduction in fire insurance rates for residential and commercial property owners.

Join us in welcoming these new businesses to the City:

A&S Cleaning Solutions LLC

Home based business

513-282-8331

Description: Deep Cleaning Service 

All Facets Home Improvement LLC

Home based business

386-506-9293

Description: Handyman Home Remodeling

Ashleys Giggles & Grins LLC

Home based business

386-843-0552

Description: Home Daycare

Edgewater Chamber of Commerce

2111 South Ridgewood Avenue, Unit 2

857-600-9018

Description: Chamber of Commerce

Heartstrings2bynell

Home based business

386-315-7529

Description: Online Craft Sales

Iwash Florida Inc

1517 South Ridgewood Avenue, Unit 4

270-210-4180

Description: Laundromat

Justin Wagner Company LLC

Home based business

386-732-9869

Description: Support Services For Landscaping Sales

Local Lift & Dock Supply Inc

2050 West Park Avenue

386-402-4505

Description: Manufacturing Local Boat Lifts 

Rock & Root Botanicals LLC

2120 South Ridgewood Avenue, Unit 7B

561-370-8188

Description: Coffee/ Botanical Tea House

Top Tier Health & Fitness

931 South Ridgewood Avenue, Unit B3

386-275-3168

Description: Private Personal Training 



Click here to learn more about how to open a business in Edgewater!

The City of Edgewater provides a monthly utility bill. It is often confused as a “water bill” when it is compared to other nearby communities’ monthly water bills. Your monthly utility bill is all inclusive (water, sewer, stormwater, garbage and recycling). In other cities many of these services are billed separately through annual tax assessment.

With over 12,000 utility customers the bills go out to residents in two cycles - on the 14th and 28th days of the month. Payment is due 20 days from the bill date, unless it falls on a weekend in which case it is due the next business day.

If you would like to receive two email payment reminders each month, choose "Utility Bill Email Reminder" and click here to sign up.

Click here for more information and nomination forms.

There are several great events coming up in the next few months. To learn more about the events or become a vendor, please call the Special Events Coordinator at 386-424-2400 x7207.

Meet Storm and Echo!

Look at these adorable pups. This is Storm and Echo. They are almost 5 months old and are typical mischievous husky puppies.

They do not need to be adopted together. These puppies are in foster care and not on site so you will need to make an appointment to meet them.

Their adoption fee is $300.

Click here to apply online to adopt Storm, Echo or one of our other pets.

Edgewater Animal Shelter

605 Mango Tree Drive

Edgewater, FL 32132

386-402-7476

It is our mission to place our animals in safe, secure, loving, and lifelong homes. Our goal is to find the BEST homes for our pets and to make this a wonderful experience for you and your family. Therefore, we have stringent policies for adoption.

Florida Statutes require that any dog or cat adopted through an animal shelter be spayed or neutered. All our animals are also vaccinated, given flea prevention, dewormed and microchipped. Dogs six months or older have been tested for heartworm. Please understand that some of our animals come from unknown medical backgrounds. Often our animals come to us with ailments such as skin conditions, internal and external parasites etc. With tender loving care we treat what we can, and we do our best to make sure that our animals are in very good health when they go to their new homes.

The Edgewater Animal Shelter provides low-cost wellness services, spay and neuter services, grooming and microchips.

Hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Click here to visit the Edgewater Animal Shelter website and learn about all the services offered.

The River to Sea TPO is pleased to announce that it will now be operating under the name Volusia-Flagler Transportation Planning Organization (VFTPO). As part of the TPO’s Apportionment Plan approved earlier this year, the TPO expanded its Metropolitan Planning Area (MPA) Boundary to cover all of Flagler County and will now cover both Volusia and Flagler Counties in their entirety. This expansion provides improved transportation planning coordination between all agency partners and allows the TPO to plan and implement a comprehensive regional transportation plan that considers the current and future growth occurring across the entirety of Volusia and Flagler Counties. Have questions or want to get involved, just click here.

   Click here to read their April newsletter.

Pickleball Courts

Work is underway on the Pickleball courts and associated amenities at Hawks Park. This project will build a first ever USA Pickleball Association Standard 4-court Pickleball complex with amenities within Hawks Park (just west of the Southeast Volusia Family YMCA). Amenities within Phase 1 of this project will include a parking lot with 40 spaces that are ADA compliant, a stormwater management pond, landscaping, court lighting, irrigation, and sidewalks. This project is being funded with Volusia ECHO (environmental/ecological, cultural, historical/heritage, and outdoor recreational projects) funding ($600,000) with a $600,000 match from the City. ECHO provides grant funds to finance acquisition, restoration, construction, or improvement of projects to be used for environmental, cultural, historical, and outdoor recreational purposes.

Parks and Recreation maintenance projects

• Trimming trees on US 1
• City Hall remodeling/addition work.
• Adding a new bike rack/tool station to Whistle Stop Park
• Added some new security lighting to the Rotary Park

Stormwater maintenance projects

Stormwater maintenance activities are performed year-round.

Crews have recently been working in the following areas:

• The Kaiser machine is mowing the Travelers-Umbrella Canal. It It is currently at 29th Street, headed north.
• The Menzi machine is mowing and cleaning the Travelers-Umbrella Canal. It is currently at 24th Street, headed north
• Crew is regrading the side street retention area on 23rd Street, from Yule Tree Drive to Woodland Drive.
• Vac truck is working in multiple areas, currently in the south end of Florida Shores in the area of 30th Street.

Riverside Drive used to be called the Strand.

The Strand followed an old Timucuan Indian trail from long ago. It grew from a foot path to a one-way washboard road for horses and buggies. It had beautiful views of what was then called the Hillsboro River. There was a turnaround area at what is now Boston Road where friends and neighbors would gather to visit under the shade of Live Oak trees. 

Since fresh water was need for the new community, a well was drilled at the east end of Park Avenue along the Strand. Since few home sites had wells, it also became a gathering place along the Strand. A portion of this well still stands at the corner of Park Avenue and Riverside Drive. 

There are several positions available with the City of Edgewater. Currently there are openings for:

City Engineer/Deputy Director

Refuse Equipment Operator

Police Officer

Lead Mechanic

Field Operations Distribution System Operator Recruit

Police Department Victim Advocate Volunteer

Stormwater Equipment Operator

Wastewater Plant Operator Recruit

Specialized Heavy Equipment Operator

Finance Clerk 1

Economic/Redevelopment Coordinator

Click here to learn more about these jobs as well as the other job opportunities available.

Each of the over 200 City employees strive to provide the best service possible to the residents of and visitors to our community.

• Tiana Dewees, in Utility Billing Specialist, was praised for assisting a resident with a utility bill issue.

• Tom Neuber and the Refuse team were praised by a resident of Glenbrooke Subdivision for their outstanding service

• Officer Feger, with the Police Department, was praised by a resident for his assistance in changing a flat tire.

 We would love to hear how our employees are doing. You can let us know by clicking here.  Want to join our team? Click here to see a list of open positions.

Knowing who to call is nearly half the battle of tackling that question you have or issue you would like to address. 

While the City can address most of your questions/concerns by calling 386-424-2400 or using this link to the online contact system there are several areas outside of the direct jurisdiction of the City. Below you will find links for other agencies that you may find helpful. Just click on each listed to be redirected to their website.

• Railroad Related (Florida East Coast Railway)

• Aircraft Related (Federal Aviation Authority)

• Fish and Wildlife Related (Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission)

• Roadway Related (Florida Department of Transportation)

• Nuisance Alligator Hotline

• Volusia County Mosquito Control

• Volusia Business Resources

Your feedback matters to us and we would love to hear from you regarding what you would like to see more or less of in this newsletter. Click here to email your suggestions and thanks for reading!!