With such a brief land use agenda, it seems like a perfect opportunity to have the planning staff brief the public and council about the complex Comprehensive Plan process we are facing with the rewrite by Able City East. Explain the critical issues and  make a serious effort to engage the public.  

In another Florida county, last Thursday commissioners voted to delay the county’s proposed comprehensive plan after residents packed the chamber with concerns about growth and development.  We should be packing our community center - but do people even understand what a rewrite of the comp plan could mean to them - their children and grandchildren over the next 20 years?  

We thank the Village for extending the public comment deadline to March 13!  Now encourage the public - let them know why it is important to get engaged in the process!

Could there be a single meeting of the Village Council without controversy?  Doesn’t look like this will be it!  Check the administrative relief for 183 E. Ridge Road.  The owner wants a BPAS allocation for a prior Councilman’s former property - on a narrow jetty creating an oceanside boat basin and park.  

Administrative relief can be provided when an applicant for a BPAS allocation has been on the waiting list for 4 years without getting an allocation.  A hearing is then scheduled before the Village Council.  

From Village Code: Action by village council. At the conclusion of the public hearing, the village council may take any or a combination of the following actions:

1. Grant the applicant an allocation award for all or part of the allocation       requested in the next succeeding allocation period or extended pro rata       over several succeeding allocation periods.

2. Offer to purchase the property at its fair market value.

3. Suggest such other relief as may be necessary and appropriate.

The Council has consistently provided an allocation when they have administrative Relief hearings.

There are 6 administrative relief allocations remaining and no market rate allocations… with 38 Applicants looking for allocations. A majority are eligible for administrative relief.  Those 6 should be used judiciously by the Village.  The property in question is contiguous to other properties purchased together by this owner. This property does have a significant use - boat dockage. The market value is listed as $98,039 by the County Property Appraiser with 75% of the value being the improvements and 25% being the land.  

According to the plat, a portion of the “platted lot” is listed as a park with another portion as the 20’ easement for access to the park.

The Village should either…

1. deny the administrative relief as not necessary as the owner has a significant use of the property for dockage.  

2. Offer to purchase the property at just (market) value listed as $98,039 to return the “park” and park access easement for the originally intended public use, based on the designations on the plat map.  

Save valuable Administrative Relief for more appropriate situations.

Florida voters have a chance to lower homestead property taxes.

Elected officials always find reason to increase taxes, year after year. Property taxes in Islamorada are up 58% since 2020, with no increase in population.  

The homestead tax reduction plan limits local governments to using property tax  for “core services” such as public safety, education, administrative costs and infrastructure.

The proposal also impacts non-homestead properties, like businesses, rentals, vacation homes. Right now, the taxable value of those properties can rise by as much as 10 percent a year. The amendment would cut that in half.

Potential Impact in Islamorada: Though work on the 2026-2027 budget is underway in Islamorada, the June Council agenda has nothing related to the impact of the homestead tax reduction on Village’s future budgets, if the referendum is passed.  

Islamorada has 1820 homesteaded dwellings that will be affected, a very small percentage of all real estate parcels in the Village.  With high appraised values, even the homesteads will continue to pay significant property tax in the early years. And will not have the school exemption increased.

Wouldn’t it be smart to start consider reducing some taxes now, just in case? Monroe County made significant cuts in their budget approved in September 2025, anticipating the need to make future cuts.

The 2027 high school season is right around the corner.

We do not have the numbers yet to calculate how much lost revenue the Village and other taxing authorities would face.  

Gov DeSantis has argued that rapidly rising property tax collections are placing increasing pressure on Florida homeowners, with statewide collections rising from roughly $32 billion in 2019 to about $60 billion today.

The Village has seen an increase in total property taxes of $6,719,600 since 2020, a 58% increase, with no increase in population.  

The hope is that the local governments will trim some excesses in their budget.

The homestead properties are only a relatively small part of the total property tax revenue in the Village.  A vast majority of the homestead properties have a taxable value in excess of $150,000 and will continue to pay property taxes.

Click here for details of the proposal from the Florida League of Cities.

Several bills were filed for the Special Session on property taxes that began Monday afternoon, June 1.

The primary bill to be considered by both the Florida House and Florida Senate would place a constitutional amendment before the voters at the 2026 General Election this November. The resolution increases the homestead exemption from the current $50,000 to $150,000 beginning Jan 1, 2027, and to $250,000 beginning Jan 1, 2028. The increased homestead exemption applies to county, municipal, school district, and special district levies.

During day one of the special session: Lawmakers seemed to be moving the property tax overhaul forward, but with major changes that protect public-school funding and strip out a proposed trust fund to offset local revenue losses.

Only  homesteads would see relief under the proposal; commercial and investment properties would stay taxed as-is. Any amendment approved by lawmakers would still need 60% voter approval in November to take effect.

A $150,000 deduction at the 2025 millage rate (8.9199) would amount to over $1300 per year for homesteaded properties in Islamorada.

There are few people who have contributed as much to protect our treasured environment as Charlie Causey.