City council has light agenda Monday
The Cape Coral City Council on Monday will have a couple issues to consider on what will be an otherwise short agenda.
Council is expected to vote on whether to take over the regulation of speed limits on streets located in the city and to set those limits. Currently that authority lies with the city manager.
On Aug. 19, the city council narrowly passed by a 4-3 margin an ordinance to cap the speed limits on local roads to 30 mph. During the public hearing on the ordinance, some had an issue regarding the fact one person had the authority to decide deviations, if any.
Councilmember Rick Williams agreed and said such decisions should be made through public comment and a council vote like everything else.
City Manager John Szerlag agreed and the city has put in place an ordinance to do that.
“It gives council the authority to do a study somewhere and not have to go past the 30 mph speed limit if the study comes back and says it should be 35 mph,” Mayor Joe Coviello said. “The council will have a little more discretion.”
The city council also is expected to vote on a resolution regarding the Master Interlocal Agreement and the distribution of the local option gas tax that will add an additional $850,000 to city coffers from fiscal years 2020 to 2023. The money would be funded through the 6-cent and 5-cent local option gas taxes.
The exact rate has not been decided by the county, but Coviello said it will give the city the ability to add more streetlights and build more sidewalks.
“We’re talking about a sidewalk crew that gives us some discretion as to where we put sidewalks. It won’t be just through grant money,” Coviello said.
The city also is expected to vote to approve the purchase of two properties (with the equivalent of six lots) at the Festival Park location on the consent agenda and fill two vacancies on the Health Facilities Authority.
Council meetings begin at 4:30 p.m. at City Hall, 1015 Cultural Park Blvd.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to include comment from Mayor Joe Coviello.