Crystal River City Council plans to vote on upping the budget for utility maintenance, paying more to permit the Riverwalk, and temporarily allowing open containers of alcohol.
Council members will call to order at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 14, at City Hall, 123 NW U.S. 19, Crystal River.
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Council to vote on increasing contract $5,000 for Riverwalk permitting assistance
Council on Monday will vote to increase the city’s $15,000 contract with Dean, Mead, and Dunbar $5,000 to help with the state permitting of the Crystal River King’s Bay Riverwalk.
Council hired Dean, Mead, and Dunbar in December to provide specialized legal assistance in permitting the Riverwalk, which would establish several sovereign submerged land leases behind an upland parcel where the city had no riparian rights.
City staff recommends paying the law firm, which has $2,095 unspent, an additional $5,000 to finish the permitting procedure.
Council to vote on increasing water, sewer maintenance budget $50,000
Council on Monday will vote to add $50,000 to the budgeted $100,000 base fee for US Water to perform maintenance and repairs on Crystal River’s water and sewer systems.
According to the city, its annual $100,000 base fee for maintenance was first established in the city’s contract with US Water in 2016, and hasn’t changed since.
Over the past few years, according to the city, US Water has exceeded the allotted budget because of yearly price increases and, now, significant inflation rates.
Increasing the base fee for maintenance to $150,000 would not just address those price increase, but also eliminate the 15 percent add on fees caused by the overages.
Council to vote on temporary waiver of open-alcohol-container rule for pump house
Council will vote Monday on a motion to waive Crystal River’s open-alcohol-container rule during December for the city’s pump house and splash pad areas near its water tower.
City staff’s report states the waiver would allow the city to rent its pump house and surroundings for holiday parties if requested.
Also on Crystal River City Council’s agenda for Monday:
City staff will introduce council to an ordinance amendment seeking to include water vessel engine and exhaust noises as exemptions to the city’s noise-sensitive zones.
Council adopted an ordinance to establish the ability to designate noise sensitive zones in the city where sounds can not exceed 55 decibels when measured 25 feet from the source.
However, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission informed the city a state law prohibits local governments from enacting regulations of vessel engine or exhaust noises.
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Citrus County Sheriff’s Office officials will present council with a quarterly report of Crystal River’s crime and traffic statistics from the third quarter of 2022.
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Council will vote during a public hearing on an ordinance seeking to add a new development standard requiring vehicular cross-access interconnection between either new non-residential and mixed-use developments or adjacent vacant parcels.
It doesn’t apply to either lots committed to being residential or existing commercial developments, unless redeveloped.
It’s city staff’s hope the ordinance amendment will help, among other things, improve traffic circulation within commercial projects, and minimize needs for additional driveways on arterial roadways.
