City Council Meeting – January 2026

Acting City Manager Zoie Burgess was absent.

Next City meeting: Education Advisory Board this Thursday 1/8, 6PM at 4001 SPW.

1) MAVIS TIRES & BRAKES – representatives were on the agenda to request site plan approval for their motor vehicle repair use, however, there was one duck not in a row, so we’ll see them at February’s meeting instead.

Mavis Tires & Brakes is expected to go into the northeast corner of the Publix pod, it’ll have six (6) service bays situated within 5,636 sq. ft.

2) LOWE’S POD G NORTH – During a sign waiver request for Pod G North, Westlake’s land planner Mr. Donaldson E. Hearing noted that the this pod, to be known as Town Center West (yes, this is the west side of the future “Town Center”), comprises 57.65 acres! This means that “Town Center West” could eventually have between 30-40 commercial tenants, just in Pod G North alone. Westlake is going to be a REAL city one day. Not anytime soon, but one day.

As seen immediately below, Pods G and L are the future “Town Center”. Pod G North, which we’re talking about, is the top half of Pod G.

3) RECOVERY RESIDENCES – As mandated by Florida Legislature, specifically Senate Bill 954, which updates chapter 397, Florida Statutes, a first reading of Ordinance 2026-01 was approved.

This ordinance sets out a procedure for review and approval of certified recovery residences (i.e., in Westlake residential homes). The primary requirement is that the ordinance complies with the Fair Housing Amendments Act (FHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

This Bill was signed by Governor DeSantis in June of 2025 and applies to ALL Florida municipalities. NOT just the City of Westlake.

And yes, “recovery residents” means many things, even the things you think it might. But other established City ordinances would still apply to individual recovery residents (like the ordinance discussed here). There’s more information here.

As of now, the City has received no applications for such a residence.

4) CITY MANAGER RECRUITMENT – The City received 19 applications for our City Manager position.

FCCMA, the outfit engaged by the City to carry out the recruitment process for FREE, categorized those 19 applicants into three (3) groups:

QUALIFIED Meets All Requirements (6 applicants);
QUALIFIED Does Not Meet All Requirements (2 applicants);
NOT RECOMMENDED.

Mayor J.P. O’Connor suggested that the Council should meet with all eight of the QUALIFIED applicants, arguing that the thing(s) that render(s) an applicant as not meeting all requirements could be minor and it would be fair to find out more. The rest of the Council agreed.

Background checks will be carried out for each of these eight (8) applicants and then a series of round robin interviews will take place between the applicants and the City Council February 5th.

Westlake Wanderer - City Manager Search 9/12/25 — Westlake Wanderer – City Manager Search 9/12/25

5) FIREWORKS – Westlake has re-upped with Zambelli Fireworks for our 5th FourthFest (at $55k), happening July 4th, 2026. I think Zambelli puts on a pretty amazing 22-minute show.

However, Mayor O’Connor pointed out that this re-up is without any RFPs (i.e. requests for proposals) having gone out last year. (I don’t know how this keeps happening… it is SO frustrating) But Mayor O’Connor insists we go out for RFPs for next year’s FourthFest (and soon!), if not just to show that Zambelli really is the best deal around.

6) SPRINGFEST – is scheduled for Saturday March 28th! (Easter is April 5th, FYI.)

7) PROJECT TANGO – Commissioner Sara Baxter is holding a town hall meeting about Project Tango Wednesday 1/28, 6-8PM in Royal Palm Beach. Let’s not sleep on this guys, the war isn’t over yet!

A Westlake resident asked the Council what their feelings were on the topic. In particular both Mayor J.P. O’Connor and Councilman Gary Werner said that they would be happy to speak about their knowledge and feelings with anyone wondering, just off the record (as advised by the City attorney). You can find their emails HERE.

8) PBSO REPORT FOR 2025 – Captain Robert Sandt gave a snapshot summary of crime in Westlake in 2025. Outlook is good, folks!

ZERO violent crimes (e.g. robberies, stabbings, homicides)
ZERO home burglaries
ONE auto burglary
ONE stolen vehicle (which was left unlocked)

Captain Sandt recommends that we keep doing exactly what we’re doing: keep the lights on; lock up; and look out for and talk to your neighbors.

Captain Sandt also says part of the magic lies in the positive, welcoming relationship Westlake has for his deputies. We’re all in this together!

9) PBCFR DECEMBER 2025 REPORT – Chief Amanda Vomero was on hand to give us Station 22’s report for December 2025.

Always impressive is the average response times: dispatch is handled within 41 seconds; turnout happens at 44 seconds; travel average is 5:03 minutes, for a total average response time of 6:28 minutes!

There were 61 incidents in December, made up mostly of medical calls and alarms (my guess says these are false alarms, given Capt. Sandt’s report). There was one “hazardous situation”, which I always find curious. UPDATE: A neighbor pointed out this was most likely the gas leak that happened behind Carmela Coffee December 19th.