In collaboration with the Alcalde & Fay, staff has identified the City's proposed 2024-2025 federal legislative priorities comprised of the most immediate and significant City projects and infrastructure needs. These priorities, if approved, will be presented and advocated for on behalf of the City to Congressman Posey and Senators Scott and Rubio as well as federal agencies and staff with whom the City’s federal lobbying team, Alcade & Faye, will pursue collaboration and engagement.  

Unlike the City’s state legislative priorities which may be considered during a three-month state legislative session, the preliminary federal priorities assessment should also allow for shifts in appropriations environments which may occur while Congress is in session throughout the year and impact federal lobbying effort and focus. Council will be kept apprised of the status of all lobbying efforts with requests for additional authorization as needed and as funding is passed through our state agencies as formula and competitive funding opportunities.  

Staff is requesting consideration for support for the following funding requests, which are critical to the City’s transportation and environmental concerns, and one legislative request as part of the City's 2024-2025 federal legislative priorities.

FUNDING SUPPORT

St Johns Heritage Parkway Widening

Funding support in the amount of $30 million for the construction of the four-lane widening of St. Johns Heritage Parkway (SJHP) from Malabar Road north to Emerson Road (northern city limits). This 3-mile stretch of roadway serves as a regional corridor providing alternative transportation access and a hurricane evacuation route for the southern portion of Brevard County. The Parkway also serves as an incident management corridor, diverting traffic from congested areas or accidents along Interstate 95. This stretch of the Parkway is currently two lanes and will serve existing and future residents, including 13 new development projects adding approximately 6,289 new residential units immediately west of and adjacent to the Parkway. The City will seek to apply for state and federal grant funds, where eligible, to advance this regionally critical road widening project. The estimated cost to widen SJHP also includes drainage improvements and a bridge structure over the C-1 canal. 

During the 2023-2024 State legislative session, the City receive an appropriation of $1.5 million towards the design and engineering, which is estimated to cost $3.3 million. The design includes two additional travel lanes (one north, one south), bicycle paths, multi-use pedestrian paths, drainage, turn lanes, bus pullouts, traffic signals, and lighting. The City has already acquired all necessary rights-of-way. 

Turkey Creek Water Quality Improvement Projects

Funding support in the amount of $4,780,484 for water quality improvement projects as recommended by the City’s Turkey Creek Restoration Feasibility Study. The City will apply for funds under the Florida Clean Water Act Section 319(h) Grant, Save Our Indian River Lagoon (SOIRL) funding for all seven bioswale, pond, and baseflow improvement projects recommended by the Study. During the current and ongoing 2024-2025 State legislative session, the City has also sought funding appropriations in the amount of $1.1 million, with a $725,000 match from the City, for two projects contained within the Study: Baseflow improvement 1 and Pond Improvement 1. 

Turkey Creek is a local tributary feeding into the Indian River Lagoon, an estuary of national importance. As a City with many recreational amenities and eco-tourism centered around the water, the health of Turkey Creek is important to the community and to the subsequent health of the Indian River Lagoon.

I-95 & Malabar Interchange Improvements

Funding support in the amount of $500,000 for the design and engineering of three intersection improvements at Malabar Road and Interstate 95, which includes the design, survey, utility, and permit for the extension of an existing 2-lane northbound on-ramp, traffic analysis and design for traffic signal improvements to implement an overlap phase, allowing the southbound right-turn phase at the southbound off-ramp to run concurrently with the eastbound left-turn phase at the northbound on-ramp; and preliminary engineering and traffic study for the closure of a median on Malabar and modifying this median opening at San Filippo/Interchange Drive, at a minimum to restrict the eastbound left-turn movement. 

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District 5 Traffic Operations commissioned an operational analysis prepared by Stanley Consultants, Inc. dated February 2023. The recommendations contained in the analysis included the above referenced improvements. At this time, FDOT has no funding to conduct the design and engineering, nor construction funds to implement the recommended improvements.   

LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT

Opportunity Zone designation of 'the compound'

Support for designating one (1) new Opportunity Zone within Palm Bay city limits, specifically Census Tract 071348, which overlaps the area of the city referred to as 'the compound'. The U.S. Department of Treasury established the Opportunity Zone program to create an investment tool for economically distressed census tracts thereby generating economic development and jobs. Eligible census tracts were determined by the local municipalities and ultimately recommended by the Governor to designate as an Opportunity Zone. The City is requesting support to designate Census Tract 071348 as an Opportunity Zone to facilitate private capital investment and development of approximately 2,942 acres of vacant land.