Council approves Crosstown Phase 2 contract; parks workplan, interlocal for park, and multiple contracts advance

The FY26 Annual Parks and Recreation Committee Report, in addition to FY24 and Fy25 are attached. Prior years were not presented because of changes in the Council. added | attachments=1 | reports=1

(Note: Individual speakers will be limited to 3 minutes. At the discretion of the mayor, this 3 minute allowance may be adjusted depending on the level of business coming before the City Council)

FDOT is providing $2M through the TRIP program to be used toward the Phase 2 construction of the Crosstown Connector. | attachments=2 | reports=1

BECI's evaluation of the Community Center identified the roof replacement as the highest priority repair that should be done. | attachments=4 | reports=1

William F. Davis Construction, Inc, on behalf of both Scott G. Brand and Kacey A. Murphy, has applied for Harbor and Waterways Board review. The proposed project includes the installation of approximately 130 LF of new vinyl seawall and construction of a new marginal dock measuring 80 feet (80’) long by six feet (6') wide, for a total of 480 SF. The applicant seeks a recommendation for approval from the Harbor and Waterways Board for a residential marine construction project proposing a new residential marginal dock with: Total Square Feet: 480 SF Total Number of Piers or Docks: 1 Total Length: 6 LF Total Slip Density: 0 Located in: Canals of Holiday Isle | attachments=9 | reports=1

The last financial institution signature authorization resolution was approved in January 2025. An updated resolution is required now that Council approved a change in the position of Mayor Pro-Tem. The resolution has been updated to reflect this change. | attachments=2 | reports=1

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Announcements

On January 5, 2026 Council selected CWR Contracting for the RFB 25-17-CM Crosstown Connector Phase 2 Construction. Staff were instructed to negotiate a contract with CWR. | attachments=5 | reports=1

The City issued Request for Bids (RFB) 25-14-PW seeking qualified vendors to provide fire equipment services, alarm monitoring, camera system maintenance, fire suppression inspections, and related life safety services for approximately 20 City-maintained facilities (RFB document is attached). The contract term is three (3) years with two optional one-year renewals, not to exceed five (5) years total. The scope included: • Annual facility inspections for fire safety equipment • Fire extinguisher replacement and recharging • Semi-annual sprinkler and range hood system inspections • Alarm monitoring for fire and security systems • Maintenance and repair of existing camera systems (Turing and Hikvision) • Ability to install upgraded systems as needed The RFB was publicly advertised, and all requirements were clearly outlined, including insurance, licensing, certifications, and mandatory forms. | attachments=3 | reports=1

The City of Destin is authorized under Chapter 162, Florida Statues, to impose daily fines and liens on private property pursuant to the statutory process for code enforcement. The City Council additionally set forth a process in its City Code of Ordinances to process requests for reductions of these liens pursuant to objective criteria set forth in the City Code, as well as pursuant to a chart providing for maximum lien reduction percentages. From time to time, the City Council has expressed that it has been overly constrained by the maximum lien reduction percentages set forth in the City Code of Ordinances, and has asked staff to bring this issue back for discussion. | reports=1

On January 20, 2026, the City Council directed the Mayor to attend the Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners meeting (accompanied and supported by the City Manager and City Attorney) to be held on Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 8:30am in Shalimar, in order to request County's support for a proposed interlocal that recognizes collaboration between the City and County for future development of the newly acquired State Park adjacent to the City-owned Norriego Point Park in the event that the County ​obtains a legal interest in the State Park (such as a lease from the State). In preparation for the February 17th Board of County Commissioners meeting, the City Attorney and City Manager have prepared the attached proposed interlocal agreement for City Council consideration. If acceptable to the City Council, the City Attorney and City Manager will forward a copy of the proposed interlocal to the Okaloosa County Attorney and County Administrator, and the Mayor will propose it to the BCC on February 17th. | attachments=1 | reports=1

The Strategic Visioning Session was held on January 23, 20206 (minutes are attached to this item). | attachments=3 | reports=1

This agenda item is included for consideration as a follow-up to discussions held during the council’s recent strategic visioning session. During that session, council reviewed current assignments to local boards and regional committees and identified concerns related to attendance, communication, and the effective representation of the city. Consistent with the direction provided at the visioning session, this item is being brought forward to allow the council to formally consider potential changes to committee assignments at a regular council meeting. | attachments=1 | reports=1

At the January 23, 2026 visioning session, a list of available funding was provided to Council members. A request was made to categorize the list by restriction and to provide the reference number to the relevant motion, resolution, or statute. | attachments=3 | reports=1

Councilmember Geile proposed using a portion of excess funds to consider staff salary increases above the standard Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA). He emphasized recognizing staff contributions beyond inflationary adjustments. | reports=1

Councilmember Geile raised concerns regarding the parking situation at Sibert Avenue, noting that the city already possesses a parking plan developed by a previous city engineer, which contemplated a potential multi-story parking structure. He stated there is no reason the city cannot move forward incrementally by developing the site in stages. Specifically, he suggested completing Stage One, which would include foundational work and site preparation. This approach would allow future councils the flexibility to expand vertically if desired, provided the initial work is planned correctly | reports=1

Councilmember Geile emphasized the need for stormwater abatement funding, particularly to support the Public Works Department. He noted the significant burden placed on staff handling stormwater issues, citing recurring problems on Snapper Drive. He advocated allocating resources to enable staff to address stormwater challenges more effectively. ​ | reports=1

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During the visioning session on January 23, 2026, Councilmember Bagby formally requested that the following item be placed on the agenda for the next regular council meeting, at which time he intends to make the following motion: Motion to Amend Strategic Goal No. 6. Change the title to “Promote and protect our natural environment.” | attachments=1 | reports=1

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During the visioning session on January 23, 2026, Councilmember Bagby formally requested that the following item be placed on the agenda for the next regular council meeting, at which time he intends to make the following motion: Motion to Remove Critical Priority 1.from the Council’s strategic priorities and adjust and renumber the remaining priorities accordingly, including elevating items through 1.9 into the critical priorities list. ​ | attachments=1 | reports=1

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The City Manager requested Code Compliance staff to provide a 2026 action report. | attachments=2 | reports=1

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At the March 1, 2021, City Council meeting, Council passed a motion to replace transportation concurrency (MMTD) with a Mobility Fee-Based Plan. Staff worked with 3TP Ventures to create the Mobility Plan, which the Council adopted on September 16, 2024. The Mobility Plan is a comprehensive blueprint for addressing the City's current and future transportation needs. Mobility fees fund transportation projects that address the impacts of future growth, while also addressing service gaps such as multimodal infrastructure and traffic congestion. The Mobility Plan is fee-based. The mobility fees were approved on May 19, 2025, and replaced the transportation impact fee. Adoption of the Mobility Plan and fee negated the transportation concurrency requirements of the comprehensive plan and LDC. However, the city will continue to track the transportation level of service (LOS) to ensure the system is operating as needed. | attachments=4 | reports=1

On April 5, 2021, the City Council approved the scope of work and budget for a full rewrite of the Land Development Code (LDC). After internal and public reviews, beginning in early 2023, staff presented a draft of Article 3 to the City Council at its workshop on December 3, 2024. Incorporating the City Council’s input, staff created a final draft. Further refinements have been made based on re-reviews by new staff (see Background Article 3 Working Draft ). In addition to the staff report, the staff has provided: a draft ordinance and Exhibit A (proposed nonconformities replacement article and the nonconformities article to be replaced – struck through) background documents, the current working draft, which includes the input from the city council workshop and the re-review conducted by staff a listing of changes, reorganizations, and consolidations This will be the format for all further submissions. | attachments=4 | reports=1

On December 1, 2025, City Council requested an amendment to the Land Development Code removing certain provisions for parking reductions within the city limits. | attachments=1 | reports=1

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