4970 CITY HALL BLVD

NORTH PORT, FL 34286

City of North Port

Meeting Minutes

City Commission Regular Meeting

CITY COMMISSIONERS

Phil Stokes, Mayor

Pete Emrich, Vice Mayor

Barbara Langdon, Commissioner

David Duval, Commissioner

Demetrius Petrow, Commissioner

APPOINTED OFFICIALS

Jerome Fletcher, City Manager

Michael Fuino, City Attorney

Heather Faust, City Clerk

Tuesday, November 4, 2025

10:00 AM

City Commission Chambers

CALL TO ORDER

Mayor Stokes called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m.

ROLL CALL

5 -

Present:

Mayor Pete Emrich, Commissioner David Duval, Commissioner Demetrius Petrow,

Vice Mayor Barbara Langdon and Commissioner Philip Stokes

ALSO PRESENT

City Manager Fletcher, City Attorney Fuino, Assistant City Clerk Powell, Board

Specialist Lindner, Police Captain Gregory, Development Services Deputy Director

Barnes, Finance Director Kukharenko, Deputy City Manager Yarborough, and Human

Resources Director McDade.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

The Pledge of Allegiance was led by Sarasota County Tax Collector Mike Moran.

1. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

Mayor Stokes requested a motion.

A motion was made by Vice Mayor Emrich, seconded by Commissioner Langdon,

to approve the agenda as presented. The motion carried on the following vote:

5 -

Yes:

Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon

and Commissioner Stokes

2. PUBLIC COMMENT:

Mr. Powell read the following eComment into the record:

City Employee: Spoke to Commissioner communication, workplace environment, and

concerns regarding proper engagement procedures.

3. ANNOUNCEMENTS

25-2986

Announcement of Current Advisory Board and Committee Vacancies

Mayor Stokes announced the item and called on the Assistant City Clerk to read the

announcements.

Mr. Powell read the announcements into record.

4. CONSENT AGENDA:

Mayor Stokes announced the item and queried the City Manager regarding items pulled

from the consent agenda for discussion.

There was no public comment.

Mayor Stokes requested a motion.

A motion was made by Commissioner Langdon, seconded by Vice Mayor Emrich,

to approve the consent agenda as presented. The motion carried on the following

vote:

5 -

Yes:

Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon

and Commissioner Stokes

25-2779

25-2932

Approve the Termination of the Assignment and Assumption of Master

Service Agreement and Statement of Work Between the City of North Port,

Florida, and CivicPlus, LLC, in the Amount of $26,029.50, Approved by the

City Commission on February 28, 2023.

This item was approved on the consent agenda.

Approve the Disposition of Surplus Assets in an Appropriate Fashion

Pursuant to Chapter 2 Administration, Article VIII Procurement, Section

2-419, Disposition of City Assets and Property (d) of the Code of the City

of North Port, Florida.

This item was approved on the consent agenda.

5. PRESENTATIONS: TIME LIMIT OF 15 MINUTES

25-2984

Sarasota County Tax Collector, Mike Moran, Regarding Possible

Long-Term Facility Solution for South County Residents.

Mayor Stokes announced the item.

Mr. Fletcher introduced the item.

Mr. Moran spoke to request for communication between the city and county regarding

options for a long-term tax collector facility in North Port.

Commission questions and discussion took place regarding citizen support and a plan for

moving forward.

There was no public comment.

Mayor Stokes requested a motion.

A motion was made by Commissioner Langdon, seconded by Commissioner Duval,

to direct the City Manager to work with Mr. Moran to bring back plans for a new

Sarasota County Tax Collector building on City Hall Campus.

A motion to amend was made by Vice Mayor Emrich, seconded by Commissioner

Duval, to include the City Attorney in discussions. The motion to amend carried on

the following vote:

5 -

Yes:

Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon

and Commissioner Stokes

The main motion as amended carried on the following vote:

5 -

Yes:

Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon

and Commissioner Stokes

6. PUBLIC HEARINGS:

Ordinance - First Reading:

A. ORD. NO.

An Ordinance of the City of North Port, Florida, Establishing a Schedule

2025-32

and Location of City Commission Regular Meetings and Workshops for the

2026 Calendar Year; Providing for Findings; Providing for Conflicts;

Providing for Severability; and Providing an Effective Date.

Mayor Stokes announced the item and requested a motion to direct the Assistant City

Clerk to read by title only.

A motion was made by Commissioner Langdon, seconded by Vice Mayor Emrich,

to direct the Assistant City Clerk to read the Ordinance by title only. The motion

carried on the following vote:

5 -

Yes:

Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon

and Commissioner Stokes

Mr. Powell read the Ordinance by title only.

Mr. Powell introduced the item.

There were no Commission questions or discussion.

There was no public comment.

Mayor Stokes closed the public hearing and requested a motion.

A motion was made by Vice Mayor Emrich, seconded by Commissioner Duval, to

continue Ordinance No. 2025-32 to second reading on November 18, 2025. The

motion carried on the following vote:

5 -

Yes:

Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon

and Commissioner Stokes

Resolution:

B. RES. NO.

2025-R-74

A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of North Port, Florida,

Transferring Real Property Located on Manila Avenue and Described as

Lot 25, Block 734, 12th Addition to Port Charlotte Subdivision, Sarasota

County Property Appraiser Parcel Identification Number 1144073425, to

the North Port Road and Drainage District; Incorporating Recitals;

Providing for Filing of Documents; Providing for Conflicts; Providing for

Severability;and Providing an Effective Date.

Mayor Stokes announced the item and called on the Assistant City Clerk to read by title

only.

Mr. Powell read the Resolution by title only.

Mr. Fletcher introduced the item.

There were no Commission questions or discussion.

There was no public comment.

Mayor Stokes closed the public hearing and requested a motion.

A motion was made by Commissioner Duval, seconded by Vice Mayor Emrich, to

adopt Resolution No. 2025-R-74 as presented. The motion carried on the following

vote:

5 -

Yes:

Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon

and Commissioner Stokes

C. RES. NO.

2025-R-84

A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of North Port, Florida,

Granting

Non-Exclusive

Permanent

and

Exclusive

Temporary

Construction Easements Located on a Portion of the Parcel Lying in

Section 12, Township 40 South, Range 20 East, Sarasota County Florida,

Property Appraiser Parcel Identification Numbers

0793-00-1010 and

0815-00-1010; Providing Various Easements; Providing for Incorporation

of Recitals; Providing for Filing of Documents; Providing for Conflicts;

Providing for Severability; and Providing an Effective Date.

Mayor Stokes announced the item and called on the Assistant City Clerk to read by title

only.

Mr. Powell read the Resolution by title only.

Mr. Fletcher introduced the item.

There were no Commission questions or discussion.

There was no public comment.

Mayor Stokes closed the public hearing and requested a motion.

A motion was made by Commissioner Langdon, seconded by Commissioner Duval,

to adopt Resolution No. 2025-R-84 as presented. The motion carried on the

following vote:

5 -

Yes:

Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon

and Commissioner Stokes

7. GENERAL BUSINESS:

25-2969

Discussion and Possible Direction Regarding Amendments to Chapter 58,

Code of the City of North Port, Florida, to Provide Affordable Housing

Impact Fee Exemption or Reduction, Government Use Impact Fee

Exemption, Amend the Impact Fee Deferral Program, and Process

Improvements.

Mayor Stokes announced the item.

Mr. Fletcher introduced the item.

Ms. Barnes provided a presentation regarding affordable-housing exemption, other local

government affordable-housing exemption or reductions, and government-use exemption.

Commission questions and discussion took place regarding income-controlled housing,

Eco Senior housing, the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC), impact-fee

incentives, development needs, housing studies, prior workshop requests, case -by-case

impact-fee exemptions, waivers and deferrals, policy structures for guidance, Florida

Statutes, State and County grants, proposed improvements and incentives, land uses,

comparisons between local and county housing studies, the need for solid direction from

the Commission, zoning classifications, density bonuses, public-purpose determinations,

impact-fee flexibility and usage, capital and reserve funds, construction-inflation impacts,

system improvements, Commission-directed initiatives, tax considerations, general-fund

flexibility, labor and material-cost increases, the budget process, the Capital Improvement

Plan (CIP), capacity and service standards, legal limitations, transportation uses,

Furniture, Fixtures, and Equipment (FF&E) facilities, and statutory language.

Ms. Barnes continued her presentation regarding deferral program, eligible development

change, security and agreement length changes, process improvements, and codified

best practices.

Commission questions and discussion continued regarding options clarification for voting

and deferral program extension timeline and utilization.

Public Comment:

In Person:

Eric Card: Expressed support of Item No. 25-2969.

Mayor Stokes requested a motion.

A motion was made by Vice Mayor Emrich, seconded by Commissioner Langdon,

to direct the City Manager to prepare an ordinance for consideration including

Option 1C the proposed updated deferral program eligibility and refined program

requirements and Option 1D the proposed process improvements. The motion

carried on the following vote with Mayor Stokes dissenting due to stating there is

no need to provide incentives of impact fee waivers:

3 - Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Petrow and Vice Mayor Langdon

2 - Commissioner Duval and Commissioner Stokes

Recess was taken from 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Yes:

No:

25-2975

Discussion and Possible Action Regarding the Unified Land Development

Code, Section 3.2.3.B. Non-Residential Uses in the Corridor Transitional

(CT) and Corridor (COR) Zoning Districts (Limitation on Hours of

Operation).

Commissioner Langdon stated that, following

discussion with the City Attorney

regarding the rezoning of her home, there is no conflict with her voting on Item No.

25-2975.

Mayor Stokes announced the item.

Mr. Fletcher introduced the item.

Ms. Barnes spoke to Unified Land Development Code

(ULDC) workshops,

Commission-directed changes to the permitted uses within the Corridor Transitional (CT)

and Corridor (COR) districts to ensure compatibility with adjacent residential districts, a

review of permissible primary uses, special-exception uses, and prohibited uses,

Economic Development analysis of business hours-of-operation, and the Attorney

General’s opinion.

Commission questions and discussion took place regarding changes, essential services,

differences between minor and major services, staff opinions on the changes, noise

ordinances, clarification of the CT and COR zoning districts, legal exposure,

hours-of-operation restrictions, clarification of noise limitations, commercial development,

quality of life, case law, and the ability to regulate short-term rentals.

There was no public comment.

Mayor Stokes requested a motion.

A motion was made by Commissioner Langdon, seconded by Vice Mayor Emrich,

to direct the City Manager to prepare an Ordinance regarding Section 3.2.3.B of the

Unified Land Development Code (ULDC) to remove the hours-of-operation

limitation in the Corridor Transitional (CT) and Corridor (COR) Zoning Districts also

known as Annex 1 and Annex 2. The motion carried on the following vote:

5 -

Yes:

Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon

and Commissioner Stokes

25-2806

Discussion and Possible Action Regarding Commission Compensation

Formula. (Requested by Mayor Stokes).

Mayor Stokes announced the item.

Mr. Powell introduced the item.

Mayor Stokes spoke to the item.

Commission questions and discussion took place regarding cost-of-living concerns,

charter amendments for pay scales and adjustments, failed referendums and government

trust, salary-adjustment effective dates tied to the election cycle, North Port City Code

Section 5.04(b), future Charter Review Advisory Board (CRAB) review, and rights of future

Commissioners.

There was no public comment.

Mayor Stokes requested a motion.

A motion was made by Vice Mayor Emrich, seconded by Commissioner Langdon,

to direct the City Attorney to draft an Ordinance for Commission compensation

starting the new compensation at the base line of what it is right now adding what

is comparable for the City employees cost of living increase annually.

Commission questions and discussion continued regarding cost-of-living, salary freezes,

Consumer Price Index (CPI), Social Security income, cost-of-living adjustment

percentages, future cost-of-living, and Commission actions.

The motion carried on the following vote:

5 -

Yes:

Mayor Emrich, Commissioner Duval, Commissioner Petrow, Vice Mayor Langdon

and Commissioner Stokes

8. PUBLIC COMMENT:

There was no public comment.

9. COMMISSION COMMUNICATIONS:

Mayor Stokes called on Commissioners for communications.

Commissioner Duval's Communications

Commissioner Duval reported on events attended.

Commissioner Langdon's Communications

Commissioner Langdon did not have a report.

Mayor Stokes' Communications

Mayor Stokes did not have a report.

Vice Mayor Emrich's Communications

Vice Mayor Emrich did not have a report.

Commissioner Petrow's Communications

Commissioner Petrow did not have a report.

10. ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGAL REPORTS:

Mayor Stokes called on Charter Officers for reports.

Mr. Fletcher did not have a report.

Mr. Fuino did not have a report.

Mr. Powell did not have a report.

11. ADJOURNMENT:

Mayor Stokes adjourned the meeting at 1:18 p.m.

By: ___________________________________

Phil Stokes, Mayor

Attest: _________________________________

Heather Faust, City Clerk