Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Dunedin public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
48 issues with high priority
Marina Repair and Master Plan Progress
The east bulkhead should be substantially complete by late November, but paving slips to just before Christmas and the fishing pier is still stuck waiting on a federal fisheries permit review. Staff are documenting contractor delay damages and planning alternative boat parade viewing.
Wastewater Treatment Plant capital projects
The city refinanced its state wastewater loans at favorable rates — the finished projects close out at 0% interest and the remaining electrical project gets $17.5 million at 2.16%, far below the ~4.8% market rate.
Recycling services contract award
Recycling now costs $1.17 million a year — up from about $931,000 — and two commissioners balked at the price and the missing side-by-side comparison with the rival bidder before voting it down. It returns October 22 with more data, and residents' rates (paid through the enterprise fund) will reflect the outcome.
968 Douglas Avenue rezoning to Downtown Core
Rezoning 1.07 acres from Downtown Industrial to Downtown Core lets Mazas Development add ground-floor retail to a 318-space parking garage serving downtown and Main Street Exchange. Unanimous first-reading approval; final vote October 22.
Senate Bill 1134 and Dunedin's Scottish heritage
New state law bars cities from funding or promoting anything tied to diversity, equity, and inclusion starting January 1, 2027 — and yes, that includes Scottish cultural events. Officials could even face removal from office for violations, so the city attorney is reviewing every event and contract.
School drop-off traffic on Texas and Carolina Avenues
Two longtime residents described years of dangerous congestion, blocked driveways, and hostile parents from drivers using a residential block as an unofficial drop-off lane for the high school. Staff explained the gate opens for pedestrians and pledged continued talks with the school and sheriff, with an update due in a couple of weeks.
Sunsetting two advisory committees
Two pairs of underperforming citizen committees were merged into one each — Social Services/ADA and Stormwater & Sustainability — to get more robust agendas and better attendance.
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office Contract
The city's law enforcement bill rises about 5.67% to $6.48 million, driven by collectively bargained deputy pay and benefits. Commissioners debated whether Amendment 3 cuts could force renegotiation.
Fire Station Condition Assessments
An $87,420 engineering assessment of Fire Stations 60, 61, and 62 was on the consent agenda, tied to hurricane hardening budget adjustments — the first step toward repairing or hardening the stations.
Public Works Efficiency Recommendations Implementation
The city is overhauling how Public Works plans, schedules, and tracks work — cutting equipment, freezing positions, and tracking every labor hour. So far it has saved about $565,000, with more possible in Parks and Utilities. Savings on frozen positions will come back to the Commission for a future decision.
Vacant former Mike's Automotive property
A California LLC's vacant shopping center property had waist-high grass, trash, and homeless people living in the dumpster enclosure. The mowing got done, but the trash and tree trimming didn't — the owner has until October 21 or fines start.
Fine procedure change for first-hearing cases
The city attorney's office changed the board's template so fine amounts are now set at the second hearing, after members see whether owners actually made progress — inspectors no longer recommend a dollar figure up front.
Gladys Douglas Preserve Phase II Development
Designs for pavilions, restrooms, a pier and kayak launch are at 90%, but costs exceed the roughly $2.3 million budget. The project will go to bid with add-alternates so the city can buy what it can afford.
Neglected vacant property at 1804 Main Street
A California LLC's vacant shopping center property had waist-high grass, trash, and homeless people living in the dumpster enclosure. The mowing got done, but the trash and tree trimming didn't — the owner has until October 21 or fines start.
FY 2027 CRA Operating and Capital Budget
The CRA adopted its $12.5 million FY 2027 budget, funding a Main Street streetscape redo, a master plan update, and downtown improvements. The budget includes a $9.1 million placeholder for borrowing toward the downtown parking garage, and tax increment revenue is roughly a 50/50 split with the county.
Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan
A fully grant-funded study of 60 flood scenarios identifies the wastewater treatment plant, supply wells, the Causeway, and neighborhoods as vulnerable to surge, rainfall, and sea level rise. Approved 4-1 but commissioners demanded a plain-English summary and a workshop on execution.
Future of the existing pool and Parks & Recreation services
A survey found about half of pickleball court users are non-residents. Commissioners from both sides of the dais want a way to prioritize Dunedin residents — signage, fees, or ID checks — though any enforcement costs money.
Parking Garage Financing
The city took a step toward building a $10.3 million, roughly 192-space garage at Douglas & Scotland by amending its deal with Pinellas County to use $3.2 million in CRA tax-increment funding. Debt service of about $850,000 a year will eventually fall on the general fund after the CRA sunsets in 2033.
CRA Master Plan update and downtown capital projects
Economic Development is updating the CRA/downtown master plan with free help from Forward Pinellas before the CRA sunsets in 2033 — covering questions like whether to allow pedal pubs and street vendors downtown.
Land Development Code rewrite — Module 2 development standards
The long-awaited rewrite of the land development code is slightly delayed — partly because state Senate Bill 180 bars cities from making code changes more burdensome to developers until October 2027. Staff hopes to kick off the process before year-end.
Compatibility standards governing new development
Dunedin's compatibility rule — on the books since 1997 — lets staff scale back height, density, and massing on projects that don't fit their surroundings, even if they meet zoning minimums. It's the main tool preserving the town's character as new development pressure arrives.
Live Local preemption on four-acre site near bowling alley
A state affordable-housing law (Live Local) lets a four-acre property near the bowling alley build up to 30 units per acre with extra height and less parking — overriding local zoning for those items. It will be approved administratively with no public hearing, so the LPA and the public won't see it.
Dunedin Causeway motorized watercraft launching
The commission permanently banned launching or landing jet skis and other motorized watercraft from the Causeway beach, effective immediately. Supporters cited two jet ski deaths, seagrass recovery since the 2024 storms, and lack of infrastructure; opponents said no data proves jet skis damage seagrass and asked for a resident-permit alternative.
Hurricane storm cost recovery
Two homeowners (Bella and Ficken) told the board their roof and fence repairs are stalled by ongoing insurance and litigation battles. The board gave both 60-day windows to November 1.
Tri-County MPO Merger and Dunedin's Representation
Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco may merge their three MPOs into one 25-member regional transportation board. Under the draft plan, Dunedin loses its guaranteed voting seat and could only hold a rotating small-city seat — a big deal for who speaks up for Dunedin's roads, trails, and transit priorities.
Main Street Exchange and Douglas Avenue Parking Garage Construction
The developer and Hawkins Construction laid out how 100-foot precast trucks will reach the tight downtown site — mostly no closures, a three-week single-lane closure near the end, and just a two-day full closure timed around festivals. A dedicated website will track it all.
Repeat short-term-rental operation in MF-15 district
An owner keeps advertising a fourplex for 3-night stays despite the 90-day minimum rule near the Causeway — his third board case since 2023, with last year's fine still unpaid. Inspectors struggle to document each day he toggles listings on and off across platforms.
Property maintenance and code enforcement citywide
Two owners who promised in June to fix fence violations instead let them worsen or ignored them entirely, drawing $150-per-day fines that accrue until they comply.
Historic Preservation Code Overhaul (Ordinance 25-02)
After a long process, the city finalized its rewritten historic preservation rules — most landmark change approvals now go to the Historic Preservation Committee instead of the full Commission, speeding things up for property owners.
FY2025 Audit Results and City Finances
Clean audit across the board: unmodified opinion, no findings, positive net position everywhere, and a 28.7% fund balance — down from 45% because of hurricanes and slow FEMA reimbursements, but still healthy.
Sale and rezoning of the Jones Building site
The city is selling its old Parks Division building at 1241 San Christopher Drive to a growing local business, with legal covenants banning manufacturing and nuisance uses to protect the 15 homes behind it. First readings passed; the sale would put the property back on the tax rolls.
FY 2027 Personnel and Health Benefits Costs
The self-funded health plan's claims are running 18% higher per employee than last year, reserves have dropped by about $1 million, and employee-only coverage is free no matter which plan is chosen — so 80% of employees pick the richest plan. The Board of Finance recommends raising employee rates, steering people to cheaper plans, raising out-of-pocket limits, and bidding out the plan administration.
Employee health insurance cost increases
Health benefits costs jump nearly 16% in the proposed budget — roughly $1.1 million — and one commissioner called the trend 'completely unsustainable.' Details come at the August 4 workshop.
Board of Finance capital project recommendations
The citizen finance board wants the $23.5 million aquatic center delayed to 2029 and the $9.1 million downtown garage held, plus trims to parks projects — warning that multi-year debt could sink the city if Amendment 3 passes.
FY 2026 Street Resurfacing Program
About 30 streets get milled and repaved this year under a $1.53 million contract, with the low bid allowing extra curbing and the addition of Robmar Drive. Expect construction disruption in late April through July.
Highlander Aquatic Complex closure and replacement
The $18 million pool replacement stays delayed a couple of years for budget reasons, and the city's only public pool just had a valve failure that flooded the pump room and pushed opening back six weeks. The mayor wants a costed plan brought back to the commission on patching the old pool to survive until the new one is built.
FY 2027 City Commission budget
The city is trimming operating costs — nearly $1 million cut from the General Fund citywide — while insurance costs rise 15%. Commissioners pushed back on cutting their own training allowance, which will stay at $1,500 each.
Utility Rate Increases
Trash and recycling rates are set to jump about 28.5% in April, with another 15.6% bump next year — roughly $6.75 more per month now. Inflation, county disposal fees rising 8% a year, and long-delayed truck replacement are the drivers. Final approval comes March 19.
Weaver Park shoreline erosion and living shoreline project
Weaver Park's shoreline is eroding and Pinellas County won't permit a seawall there, so staff are designing a living shoreline — riprap, mangroves, oyster structures — plus an ADA kayak launch. The design avoids all surveyed seagrass. Cost depends on phasing, and no construction money moves before the November referendum.
Downtown Open Container District and Second Friday Revival
Roughly 30 downtown restaurant, bar and brewery owners jointly asked the city to create a Largo-style open-container district in the CRA with city-branded cups — a potential new non-property-tax revenue stream — and to revive Second Friday street parties on Main Street. Staff will research it and bring it to a workshop.
Sanitary Sewer CIPP Lining
The city is spending $899,834 to line about 11,500 feet of aging sewer pipes, which keeps groundwater out of the treatment plant and extends pipe life around 50 years without digging up streets.
Hammock Park boardwalk replacement
The city spent $152,231 to replace the unsafe western boardwalk at Hammock Park — but officials warned that if the November tax referendum passes, projects like this would likely disappear and the boardwalk would have to be closed. Friends of the Hammock offered grant-writing help.
Offensive accumulation and safety hazards at 53 Highland Avenue
Months of furniture, refrigerators, and debris piled around a rental home — plus a backyard fire and a back gate nailed shut — have neighbors worried about fire safety and rising crime. The property owner is stuck trying to evict a tenant while facing $250/day fines.
November 3, 2026 Municipal Election
Seats Two and Four are up for four-year terms. Vice Mayor Walker plans to seek reelection; Commissioner Gow is termed out. Mark Ossian and Janice "Nan" Bennett are running for Seat Four.
FY 2026 Second Budget Amendment
The city moved $31.4 million of unfinished projects and purchase orders into this year's budget — about $15 million less carry-forward than last year. Four funds (solid waste, stormwater, golf, health insurance) sit below reserve targets, and the General Fund is healthier than projected at 32%.
Egret on Union affordable housing project
The city is backing a bid for state tax credits to build 88 affordable townhomes on Union Street for essential workers like nurses, teachers, and first responders. If the state award comes through, a development agreement with increased density would come back to the commission.
Grand Oak Park construction delays and unforeseen costs
Social media buzzed about the ~$454,679 park restroom price. The city manager walked through the numbers: a premanufactured building was the cheapest way to meet downtown design standards within the $600,000 projection.
Jerry Branch Creek erosion at Tahitian Place
A condo HOA president says the creek bank on their property has eroded from a 4:1 slope to roughly 2:1, threatening structures, and says city staff haven't responded to earlier calls.