Key West meeting summaries, agendas, and minutes

Key West Bight board backs $50,000 Thompson Fish House renovation for Reef Relief; Planning Board clears two variances

The Key West Bight Management District Board on Oct. 14 approved $50,000 for renovations to the Thompson Fish House and a rent of $10 a year for Reef Relief, part of a set of lease actions the board passed by 6-0 votes. The same meeting produced approvals for a business sale, a sublease at 901 Caroline Street and a lease assignment at 202R William Street. In the two weeks that followed, city boards also cleared two property variances, advanced a $100,000 welcome-sign recommendation to the City Commission, and resolved a batch of code enforcement cases.

Bight board: renovations, rent and lease transfers

All five Bight board actions passed 6-0, according to the minutes. The board approved the sale of Mellow Enterprises Key West, Inc. to Richard C. Welter II; a sublease of 901 Caroline Street to Shrimp Boat Sound Key West, LLC; and a lease assignment for 202R William Street to Tidal Shift Ventures, LLC. It also approved the $50,000 Thompson Fish House renovation funding with the $10-a-year Reef Relief rent, and adopted its 2027 meeting dates.

Planning Board: two variances, one plan, one postponement

The Planning Board on Oct. 15 granted a variance for 716 Love Lane on a 5-0 vote and a variance for 1019 Packer Street on a 4-1 vote. It approved a minor development plan for 1500 Reynolds Street, 5-0, with specific lighting conditions attached. A variance request for 1812 Flagler Avenue was postponed to Nov. 19, 2026, by unanimous vote. The board also approved its Sept. 17, 2026 minutes.

Art board sends $100,000 sign recommendation to commission

The Art in Public Places Advisory Board voted 5-0 on Oct. 21 to recommend Trellage-Ferrill Studio's proposal for the Welcome/Thank You Sign Project, identified as RFP 26-011, to the City Commission with a maximum budget of $100,000. The recommendation is not a final award; the commission has not acted on it in the records summarized here. The board also approved its 2027 meeting dates and Sept. 16, 2026 minutes, and received and filed a Reef Relief presentation on a storm drain mural.

Code enforcement: fines, settlements and dismissals

The Special Magistrate heard 18 cases on Oct. 22. Five were dismissed on compliance: 26-685, 26-2316, 26-2337, 26-2343 and 26-2346. Cases 26-2325 and 26-2330 drew a $500 administrative cost plus a $250-a-day fine. Case 26-2525 drew a $500 administrative cost plus a $5,000 fine. Settlements were approved at $1,000 in case 26-2556, $1,250 in case 26-2557 and $2,640 in case 26-2589. The compliance date in case CCBLD25-33 was extended to Dec. 15, 2026, and a prior finding and order in case 26-1994 was vacated. Three cases were continued to Nov. 19, 2026.

Trees, water quality and committee business

The Tree Commission on Oct. 20 approved removal of a Gumbo Limbo at 512 Greene St (unanimous), a Mango tree at 915 Grinnell St (5-1) and a Gumbo Limbo at 89 Golf Club Dr (unanimous), each with specific replacement plantings per the meeting summary. A removal request for 1100 Simonton St was postponed to Nov. 10, 2026, and an emergency removal application for 609A Peary Court was withdrawn. The Sustainability Advisory Board on Oct. 13 unanimously backed a Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council resolution on Stock Island Shallow Injection Wells and a no-cost extension of water quality monitoring with Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. The Development Review Committee on Oct. 22 unanimously approved its 2027 dates and August minutes; two land-use requests, on a restaurant consumption area and a transient unit transfer, were discussed with no action taken.

City Attorney screening committee convenes

The Advisory Screening Committee for a City Attorney held its first meeting Oct. 20, electing Mr. Smith as chair and Mr. Klitenick as vice-chair by majority vote, with Klitenick, Smith, Sterling and Varela recorded in favor. Orientation materials were received and filed. No candidates were screened or recommended, and the next meeting was set for Nov. 17, 2026.

Coming up

The supplied schedule lists no upcoming meetings in the next 14 days, so this roundup cannot confirm any. Dates that do appear in the records above: Nov. 10, 2026, for the postponed 1100 Simonton St tree request; Nov. 17, 2026, for the City Attorney screening committee; and Nov. 19, 2026, for the postponed 1812 Flagler Avenue variance and the three continued code enforcement cases.

Key West boards approve $50,000 for Thompson Fish House, two variances and a slate of lease actions

The Key West Bight Management District Board approved $50,000 for renovations to the Thompson Fish House and set rent at $10 a year for Reef Relief, one of five lease-related actions the board took by 6-0 votes at its Oct. 14 meeting. The meeting summary states the renovation funding is intended to facilitate Reef Relief's relocation.

Bight Board: leases, a business sale and a 2027 calendar

Every action item before the board passed 6-0, according to the official minutes:

• Sale of Mellow Enterprises Key West, Inc. to Richard C. Welter II
• Sublease of 901 Caroline Street to Shrimp Boat Sound Key West, LLC
• Lease assignment for 202R William Street to Tidal Shift Ventures, LLC
• $50,000 for Thompson Fish House renovations and $10/year rent for Reef Relief
• 2027 Key West Bight Board meeting dates

The board's summary describes the items collectively as lease-related actions. The minutes as provided do not include further terms of the leases, the sale price of the business, or a breakdown of the renovation costs.

Planning Board: two variances granted, one postponed

The Planning Board on Oct. 15 granted a variance for 716 Love Lane on a 5-0 vote and a variance for 1019 Packer Street on a 4-1 vote. It also approved a minor development plan for 1500 Reynolds Street, 5-0, with specific lighting conditions attached.

A variance request for 1812 Flagler Avenue was postponed to Nov. 19, 2026, by unanimous vote. The board approved its Sept. 17, 2026 minutes unanimously. The summary does not describe the nature of the requested variances or the conditions placed on the Reynolds Street plan beyond the lighting requirement.

Sustainability Advisory Board: injection wells and water monitoring

The Sustainability Advisory Board on Oct. 13 voted unanimously to support a resolution of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council concerning Stock Island Shallow Injection Wells. The board's action was support for the resolution, not adoption of it.

The board also approved, unanimously, a no-cost extension for Key West Water Quality Monitoring with Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. In separate unanimous votes it approved proposed 2027 meeting dates and the minutes of its Aug. 10, 2026 meeting.

The summaries do not state the length of the monitoring extension or the terms of the sanctuary council resolution.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings for the next 14 days appear in the data provided for this roundup. That absence reflects the supplied listing only and is not confirmation that no city boards will meet; residents should check the city's official postings for agendas and times.

One date already on the calendar from this week's actions: the Planning Board is scheduled to take up the 1812 Flagler Avenue variance on Nov. 19, 2026, after postponing it unanimously on Oct. 15.

Key West Commission Authorizes Up to $15.5M in Bonds; CRA Renews Bahama Village Lease

Key West's City Commission authorized up to $15.5 million in general obligation bonds for transportation and roadway projects at its Oct. 1 meeting — the largest dollar figure among decisions recorded in the past two weeks. The vote was 7-0.

City Commission: bonds, plan, and purchases

Alongside the bond authorization, the Commission adopted a strategic plan titled "Key West Forward: Foster, Fund, Finish 2026-2030" on a 7-0 vote, and authorized a search for a City Attorney with an Advisory Screening Committee, also 7-0.

Other spending and project decisions from the same meeting:

• $1 million for predevelopment work for Fire Station No. 3 (7-0)
• $164,538.85 for emergency sinkhole and stormwater repair on Front Street (unanimous)
• $552,943.36 for a Vactor sewer cleaning vehicle (unanimous)
• A Minor Development Plan for aquarium improvements at 1 Whitehead Street (7-0)

The Commission postponed its investigation into City Manager Brian L. Barroso to November 5, 2026.

On the bond item, the record describes the action as an authorization of up to $15.5 million for transportation and roadways. That sets a ceiling; the summary provided does not state that the full amount has been spent or borrowed.

Bahama Village: TIF budget and a lease renewal

The Caroline Street Corridor and Bahama Village Community Redevelopment Agency ratified the Bahama Village TIF Fund budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 (unanimous) and approved a five-year lease renewal for Conch Tees & Souvenirs dba Pirate Jack's at 201 William Street, Suite A (unanimous).

The agency also directed the City Manager to analyze a BVRAC recommendation to hire a strategic planning and economic development consultant, on a 7-0 vote. The action was a direction to analyze the recommendation; the record does not show that a consultant has been hired.

Naval Properties authority: environmental covenant

The Naval Properties Local Redevelopment Authority passed Resolution 26-293, approving a Declaration of Restrictive Covenant with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for Bahama Village Parcel F. According to the summary, the agreement requires engineering controls at the parcel to be maintained in perpetuity. The vote was unanimous. The authority also approved its September 3, 2026 meeting minutes, unanimously.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings were listed in the data provided for the next 14 days, so this roundup cannot point to a specific date or agenda. One item to watch is the City Manager matter the Commission postponed to November 5, 2026. Residents who want to follow any of the items above should check the city's official meeting calendar and posted agendas, which are the authoritative source for dates, times, and documents.

All items summarized here are drawn from official minutes of meetings held Oct. 1, 2026.

Key West Bight board approves marina fees manual; tree removals approved

The Key West Bight Management District Board approved the fiscal year 2026-27 marina fees and collection manual, recommending approval by the Community Redevelopment Agency. The vote was 4-0 with two members recused. The board also approved its agenda and July 15, 2026 minutes, and received the Director's Report and Adept Marketing Report as filed.

Marina fees manual

The manual, which sets marina fees for the coming fiscal year, now goes to the CRA for final approval. No other details on the fee amounts were provided in the meeting record.

Tree removals

The Tree Commission approved the removal of two Horseflesh Mahogany trees at 129 and 166 Golf Course Drive, with replacement trees required, and one Cuban Mahogany tree at 201 William Street, with transplant or replacement required. Both votes were unanimous.

The commission postponed several items to September 15, 2026: an emergency tree removal permit for 619 Duval Street, a Duval Street tree planting action item, and a Gumbo Limbo tree removal at 512 Greene Street. An application to remove one Pink Tabebuia and one Mahogany tree at 1812 Flagler Ave was withdrawn by the applicant.

Pension board

The General Employees Pension Board held a special meeting and unanimously approved action items from its September 4th meeting. The board also directed staff to send letters to active employees and retirees as part of the process to select a fifth board member.

Sustainability and art boards

The Sustainability Advisory Board approved its agenda and April 13, 2026 minutes unanimously. It discussed the Adaptation Plan Progress and Workshop, and received and filed reports on Waste Diversion, Transportation Alternatives, and Sustainability and Adaptation. No substantive policy decisions were made.

The Art in Public Places Advisory Board, with five members present and two absent, unanimously approved its agenda and July 15, 2026 minutes (with one abstention). Members discussed current projects and received the Public Art Administrator's August 2026 report, which was filed. No substantive policy decisions were made.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are scheduled in the next 14 days according to the provided records.

Key West Commission approves utility rate adjustments, new public comment rules

The Key West City Commission approved annual rate adjustments for sewer, solid waste, and stormwater services at its Aug. 6 meeting, along with amended rules for public comments and a policy on naming city facilities. The commission also postponed a $5.3 million software purchase to September.

City Commission actions

The commission adopted amended Rules of Procedure for public comments by a 4-2 vote, with Commissioners Haskell and Kaufman dissenting (Res 26-215). It also passed a policy prohibiting naming city facilities after living persons (Res 26-216, 6-0).

Rate adjustments were approved unanimously for sewer (Res 26-218), solid waste (Res 26-219), and stormwater (Res 26-220), each by a 6-0 vote. The commission remanded a zoning appeal for 600 Whitehead Street back to the Planning Board (Res 26-221, 6-0).

The $5.3 million Workday ERP system purchase was postponed to Sept. 3, 2026, by a 5-1 vote. A police collective bargaining agreement was approved on the consent agenda (Res 26-211).

CRA approves leases

The Caroline Street Corridor and Bahama Village Community Redevelopment Agency approved a 10-year lease with David Bernsen d/b/a Shrimp Boat Sound Key West, LLC for the former recording studio on Lazy Way at the Historic Seaport. The lease includes two 5-year renewal options and an option to expand. The agency also approved a 10-year lease amendment for Boat House Key West, LLC at 231 Margaret Street, reducing the term from 15 to 10 years with two 5-year renewal options. Both items passed unanimously, with Commissioner Castillo absent (Res 26-222 and Res 26-223).

Board of Adjustment denies appeal

The Board of Adjustment denied an appeal by property owners of 2827 Harris Ave., upholding the Chief Building Official's May 19, 2026 revocation of the certificate of occupancy. The board found the acting CBO had authority to revoke under Florida Building Code Section 111.04. The vote was 6-0 with one member absent. A second appeal regarding 1 Duval Street was withdrawn by the applicant.

Other boards

The General Employees Pension Board approved action items from its Sept. 4 meeting and directed staff to send letters to active employees and retirees as part of selecting a fifth board member. No other substantive decisions were made.

The Sustainability Advisory Board approved its agenda and April 13 minutes, discussed the Adaptation Plan Progress and Workshop, and received and filed reports on Waste Diversion, Transportation Alternatives, and Sustainability and Adaptation.

The Key West Bight Management District Board approved the draft Fiscal Year 2026-27 Marina Fees and Collection Manual and recommended approval by the CRA. The vote was 4-0 with two members recused. The board also approved its agenda and July 15 minutes, and received the Director's Report and Adept Marketing Report as filed.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings were listed for the next 14 days.

Key West boards approve tree removals, historic renovations; several decisions postponed

Key West's Tree Commission, Development Review Committee, and Historic Architectural Review Commission each met over the past two weeks, with the Tree Commission clearing multiple tree removals and HARC approving several historic-property renovations while postponing others.

Tree Commission

On July 21, the Tree Commission unanimously approved the removal of six trees across residential and city properties, each tied to required caliper-inch replacements:

• One Cuban Mahogany at 308 Front St.
• One Mahogany at 1812 Flagler Ave.
• One Gumbo Limbo at 629 Dey St.
• One Mahogany at 615 Southard St.
• One Poinciana at 1321 Johnson St.

The commission unanimously denied a request to remove one Spanish Lime tree at 1004 Thomas St.

A decision on a Pink Tabebuia tree at 1812 Flagler Ave. was postponed unanimously until August 18, 2026.

The commission also unanimously approved conceptual landscape plans for 3401 Duck Ave. and 2900 N. Roosevelt Blvd.

Development Review Committee

On July 23, the Development Review Committee unanimously approved its meeting agenda and the minutes from June 25, 2026.

The committee discussed a conditional use for golf cart rentals at 1500 Reynolds Street and an easement related to a building encroachment at 518 Fleming Street. No decisions were recorded on either item, according to the official minutes.

Historic Architectural Review Commission

On July 29, HARC acted on several historic-property projects:

• Renovations at 409 Catherine Street were approved 6-1, with a condition to replace the front door, frame, columns, and transom with a gate.
• Porch reconstruction and site improvements at 327 Julia Street were approved 6-0, with one recusal.
• Demolition of a non-historic covered front porch and roof overhang at 327 Julia Street was approved 6-0, with one recusal.
• Renovations and restoration of historic fenestrations at 421 Caroline Street were approved 7-0.
• Aluminum folding doors and a new roof stack at 1130 Duval Street were approved 6-0, with one recusal.

HARC postponed renovations and demolition at 901 Washington Street to its August 25, 2026 meeting. Painting of wood shutters at 724 Olivia Street was also postponed to August 25, 2026, on a 7-0 vote.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed in the next 14 days, according to the available agenda data. Residents may want to confirm future meeting dates directly with the City of Key West, as the postponed Tree Commission item for 1812 Flagler Ave. is tentatively set for August 18, 2026, and the postponed HARC items for 901 Washington Street and 724 Olivia Street are tentatively set for August 25, 2026.

Bight Board approves two long-term leases, rejects FY27 budget draft; Planning Board clears aquarium deck project

The Key West Bight Management District Board approved two long-term lease renewals at its July 15 meeting, including a 15-year extension for Boat House Key West, LLC, while rejecting a draft budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The Planning Board, meeting the following day, approved a development plan for over-water decking at 1 Whitehead Street and three variances at other properties.

Key West Bight Management District Board — July 15

The board approved a 15-year lease renewal with Boat House Key West, LLC for the property at #1 231 Margaret Street. The vote was 4-0, with one recusal.

It also approved a 10-year lease with David Bernsen dba Shrimp Boat Sound Key West, LLC for the former recording studio on Lazy Way. That vote was 4-1.

The draft FY 2026-2027 Account 405 budget was rejected on a 2-3 vote, with two members absent.

The agenda and the June 10, 2026 minutes were each approved unanimously.

Planning Board — July 16

The board approved a Minor Development Plan and Conditional Use for 1 Whitehead Street, allowing over-water decking and a wave attenuator. The vote was 5 yes, 1 recuse, 1 absent.

Two variances were also approved:

• 522 Front Street — Yes 6, Absent 1
• 1107 Fleming Street — Yes 6, Absent 1

Each variance was subject to staff-recommended conditions.

Three additional variance requests were postponed to August 20, 2026: 624 United Street, 3206 Eagle Avenue, and 1013 Grinnell Street.

The agenda was approved unanimously as amended, and the June 18, 2026 minutes were approved unanimously with an amendment.

Bahama Village Redevelopment Advisory Committee — July 13

The committee unanimously approved its amended agenda and the minutes from its May 11, 2026 meeting.

The Black Educators History Museum schedule update and the CRA Manager's report were received and filed. FY27 budget items and a consultant hiring were discussed, but no formal decisions were made.

Art in Public Places Advisory Board — July 15

The board unanimously approved its agenda and prior meeting minutes.

The 91607 Caroline Street Project presentation and the Public Art Administrator's July 2026 Report were received and filed. No other actions were taken.

Coming up

No upcoming meetings are listed in the next 14 days, according to the available agenda data.