[Front Cover – Photo of a gray house. April 2022 Titusville Talking Points with Titusville City Seal; Insert photo of a young African-American girl: “The Future Starts Here — Boys and Girls Club of Central Florida p[ems a new center in Historic Titusville Home. Pg 11.”]

[Photo of a group of bicyclists in front of the Welcome Center.] Caption: Hundreds of bicycle enthusiast like this group gathered at the Titusville Welcome Center for the “Ride it Down” event on February 26, 2022.

Be sure to check out

the City of Titusville website

 www.Titusville.com

[Graphic depicting the home page of Titusville.com, showing people doing recreational activities along the river, under a bridge.]

Watch city meetings and other programming on TitusvilleCityTV

Spectrum Channel 498 

AT&T U-verse Channel 99

Talking Points Staff: Jim Thomas – Managing Editor; Kurtis Korwan, Shane Daily, Wil Petty –Layout/Design/Photojournalism

Follow us on Social Media:

City of Titusville Social Media

[Facebook Logo] cityoftitusville

[Twitter Logo] @Titusville

[Instagram Logo] @cityoftitusville

[YouTube Logo] CityofTitusville

[Photo of a family of Sandhill Cranes.] Caption: In the January 2022 issue of Talking Points, we featured a photo of family of Sandhill Crains at the Blue Heron facility taken by Joel Reynolds.

What’s Happening in Titusville

Here are the Newest Updates for What’s Going On in Town

New & Continued Projects — pg. 1

Feature Stories — pg. 6

Air Superiority — pg. 6

Space Coast Airshow to fill the skies over Titusville.

Space Coast Office of Tourism — pg. 7

A look at the tourism advancements made last year.

From Tower to Table — pg. 9

Local restaurant introducing farming techniques of the future.

Titusville Water Tower — pg. 13

Long-standing city icon comes down after 60 years.

Mapping the Future — pg. 15

Online tool gives developers and citizens look at development in town.

Boys & Girls Club — pg. 11

The Future Starts Here for many at The Boys and Girls Club

City Gov News — pg. 17

Completed & Open — pg. 23

New & Continued Projects

Dark Storm

[Satellite image showing a plot of land near buildings.] A site plan is under review for a 26,326-square-foot manufacturing building located at 1800 Armstrong Drive.

Swan’s Storage

[Photo of a wooded area.] A site plan is under review for 7,350 square feet of mini-storage within two buildings, as well as outdoor RV storage located at 3575 South Street.

Wawa

[Photo of a section of land with trees.] A site plan is under review for a 6,119-square-foot restaurant with gas pumps located at 1245 Grumman Place.

Space Perspective

[Artist rendering depicting the inside of a spacecraft.] A site plan is under review for a 49,000-square-foot manufacturing building located on Bristow Way, at the Space Coast Regional Airport.

Caliber Car Wash

[Photo of an empty parking lot.] A site plan is under review for a 3,764-square-foot car wash located on Garden Street as an outparcel on the St. Johns Plaza.

OB 2 Coffee

[Photo of an empty lot where a building used to be.] A site plan has been approved for a 651-square-foot coffee shop located at 405 Garden Street.

New & Continued Projects

GenH2

[Artist rendering of a future building complex.] A site plan is under review for site improvements to the existing property formerly known as Eckler’s and a new manufacturing/warehouse building. Building permits are under review for internal improvements to two existing buildings and one existing building has been demolished. The complete project will include 94,610 square feet of manufacturing/warehouse and 35,000 square feet of office space.

AOTC Office Building

[Photo: A building under construction surrounded by trees.] Site and building construction continues for a 9,600-square-foot office and storage building located at 1540 Armstrong Drive.

Titusville Medical Office — Advent Health

[Photo of a building nearing completion.] Construction is nearly complete on a new 5,285-square-foot Advent Health medical office located across from Titus Landing along US 1.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

[Photo: An old car sales lot being renovated.] A site permit has been issued for site related changes to the property located at 1026 S. Hopkins Avenue for a car rental business. As of publication, the old canopy structure has been removed from the site.

Brooks Landing

[Image of a site plan.] Site construction has begun on a 143-lot single-family home subdivision located north of Jay Jay Road.

Canopy ALF

[Aerial photo of a large building under construciton.] Site and building construction continues for a 49,913-square-foot assisted living facility located at 2805 Cheney Highway.

New & Continued Projects

Launch Federal Credit Union

[Photo: A new bank under construction.] Site and building construction continues on a 3,796-square-foot credit union located along South Singleton Avenue, near Walgreen’s off of Garden Street.

Comfort Suites

[Photo: an empty lot.] Site construction has begun for a 68,922-square-foot, 122 room hotel located at 4830 Helen Hauser Boulevard.

Riverwalk Apartments

[Plan drawings depicting a subdivision’s layout.] Site construction continues for a 210-unit apartment complex located east of South Washington Avenue and west of Riveredge Drive.

SNJ Townhomes

[Plan drawings of a future development.] A preliminary plat/site plan has been approved for 28 two-story townhome units located south of E. Whispering Hills Road and east of Elizabeth Avenue.

Nu-Vision Professional Office

[Photo: An office building under construction.] Construction continues on a new 3,965-square-foot office building located at the corner of Pinedo Drive and US 1.

Mutter Office Building

[Photo of yellow two-story building under construction.] Site and building construction continues for a 2,316-square-foot office building located at 346 South Washington Avenue.

New & Continued Projects

Tranquility Bay

[Artist rendering of a clubhouse and pool.] Site construction continues for a subdivision consisting of 99 single-family homes located at the northeast corner of US 1 and SR 405.

Fox Lake Hammock

[Photo of a home under construction.] Site construction is complete, and home construction has begun, for the 61-lot, single-family home subdivision located along SR 405 just north of Fox Lake Road.

Marina Dog Park

[Photo of a fenced dog park.] The Titusville CRA approved the purchase of two 20x30 shade structures for the Marina Park Dog Park.

Hopkins Square Gets New Lease on Life

Remodeling efforts provide opportunity for new businesses.

[Photo of a strip of storefronts and a sign reading “Hopkins Squre.”]

Hopkins Square, located at 2400 South Hopkins Avenue, adjacent to Titus Landings, recently remodeled its building to provide great places for local businesses to set up shop. The white- and yellow-painted units start at 800 square feet and can accommodate most retail, office, or small restaurant spaces.

Current Occupants Include: Woods 2 Water moved into unit L in August of 2021. Owners Thomas Hovis and James Box built out their space as a clothing retailer, featuring southern lifestyle brands. The store includes popular apparel from Kimes Ranch, Hey Dude, Nine Line, Old South, Swamp Cracker, HUK, and Guy Harvey.

[Four Photos: 1) Shirts and other apparel inside a store; 2) A woman at a cash register, smiling; 3) Hats on a shelf; 4) Five men standing near a trailer, three of whom are dressed in bull-riding apparel.]

Managed by Tiffany Box, she and her staff offer clothing for men, women, and children, including a full line of hats, handmade jewelry, and dye-sublimation services for custom printing.

Along with the retail shop, the team of Hovis and Box also owns the restaurant, Mims Southern BBQ.

PieZano Brothers, located in Unit A, is currently in the build-out phase of their restaurant space which will feature a full-service pizzeria, take-out, and delivery. Owner Keyur Patel says the restaurant should open in April of 2022.

Pristine Professional Cleaning, located in Unit J-A and owned by Walter Thomas Jr., offers residential, commercial, move-in/out, after-the- event, and pressure washing services.

WSW Healthcare Staffing, located in Unite J-B, was started by Isabella Armstrong and is an ACHA-accredited healthcare staffing organization providing temporary and temp-to-perm staff for a variety of healthcare organizations.

New & Continued Projects

CRA Updates

[Aerial photo showing Sand Point Park, the river, and the marina.]

The Titusville CRA approved the purchase of twelve six-foot-long aluminum park benches with seat backs to be placed at Sand Point Park.

[Aerial photo showing Downtown Titusville and the river in the distance.]

The CRA has approved the purchase of three intersection camera detection systems to be placed at the intersections of the downtown connector trail on Main Street and the trail’s intersection with S. Washington Avenue and S. Hopkins Avenue. The detection system will shorten the time that bicyclists and pedestrians have to wait to cross Hopkins & Washington Avenues.

[Aerial photo looking north along S. Washington Avenue in Downtown Titusville.]

City Council awarded the annual street repaving contract to VA Paving. The following streets in the CRA are scheduled to be resurfaced: Grace Street between US-1 and S. Hopkins Avenue; Brevard Street between Riverside Drive and US-1; Broad Street between Indian River Avenue and Palm Avenue; S. Hopkins Avenue between US-1 and Grace Street; and Indian River Avenue between Palmetto Avenue and South Street. Concrete street repairs are also proposed for Wilson Avenue.

[Aerial photo looking west along Julia Street at the Titusville Playhouse.]

Work to replace the existing street lights on the south side of Julia Street with two new pedestrian street lights similar to those on S. Hopkins Avenue has begun. The project should be completed by this summer.

[Aerial photo showing the inlet of water near Space View Park.]

Incremental architectural design plans have been completed for the proposed observation/walkway pier connecting Spaceview Gemini to Spaceview Mercury Parks has been completed and submitted to the Army Corps of Engineers and the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation for permitting.

[Photo of pumpkins on haystacks with a sign reading “Fresh Produce.”]

Due to available funds from last fall’s American Rescue Plan Farmers Market Token Program, City Council approved four additional farmers market events for this spring. The markets will start up again on Friday, March 25, and are scheduled for April 8 and 22, and May 13. The times are 3:30 pm to 6:00 pm. Registration is at the parking lot at Stephen House Way and S. Washington Avenue.

Feature Stories

[Space Coast International Air Show logo]

Space Coast International Air Show – Presented by KelTec

May 21 to 22 Space Coast Regional Airport

The 2022 Space Coast International Air Show will soar over Space Coast Regional Airport, May 21-22, featuring the U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor Demo Team, Navy E/A-18 Growler, and an all-star performer lineup.

Attendees will be able to see over 30 past and present day military aircraft on ground display including the legendary Navy F-14 Tomcat.

Other scheduled show performers include a P-51 Mustang Demo, an Air Force Heritage flight, the SOCOM Para-Commandos, a Douglas C-47 Tico Bell, as well as aerobatic pilots Buck Roetman and Kent Pietsch.

[Photo of a P-51 Mustang in flight.]

The F-22 Raptor is the fastest and most maneuverable fighter jet in the world today. Its twin engines produce more thrust than any other fighter. Combined with its sleek aerodynamic design, this allows the F-22 to “super cruise” at 1.5 times the speed of sound without using fuel consuming afterburner. Its unique thrust vectoring and advanced flight controls allow it to outmaneuver any other aircraft.

During its demonstration, the F-22 Raptor puts thrust vectoring on full display defying imagination as it climbs straight up, stops in mid-air, then reverses towards the ground before flipping the nose around in a somersault at near zero forward speed. It makes sharp, sudden turns displacing and compressing air into vapor, which often produces its own weather system with massive clouds that engulf the jet.

The EA-18G Growler is the most advanced airborne electronic attack (AEA) platform and is the only one in production today. A variant of the combat-proven F/A-18F Super Hornet, the Growler provides tactical jamming and electronic protection to U.S. military forces and allies around the world. Industry and the U.S. Navy continue to invest in advanced Growler capabilities to ensure it continues to protect all strike aircraft during high-threat missions for decades to come.

The P-51 Mustang is one of the most famous fighters of World War II. Pilot Scott “Scooter” Yoak will fly the P-51 “Quick Silver” in a high-performance aerobatic demonstration of its remarkable maneuvering and speed that allowed the Mustang to achieve such fame. The aerobatic routine is set to music and includes low-level maneuvers including vertical rolls, barrel rolls, inverted passes, Cuban eights, loops, and point rolls.

Known as the Para-Commandos, the United States Special Operations Command Parachute Team is comprised of volunteers from the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and U.S. government civilians who are assigned to the Special Operations Command. Formed in 1991, the Para-Commandos represent the elite Special Operations Forces of the United States armed services.

The Douglas C-47 was a direct militarized variant of the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It first flew a mere 16 days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. “Tico Belle” is a flying memorial to the men who flew her into combat. On June 5, 1944, she was one of the hundreds of C-47s that flew across the English Channel on D-Day, dropping members of the 82nd Airborne behind enemy lines.

The Space Coast International Air Show is one of six air shows that are part of the 2022 AirDotShow Live Tour, which also includes the Fort Lauderdale Air Show (April 30-May 1), Ocean City (Maryland) Air Show (June 11-12), New York Air Show (September 10-11), Orlando Air and Space Show (October 29-30), and Atlanta Air Show (November 5-6).

For more information about the Space Coast International Air Show please visit SpaceCoastAirshow.com

[Photo of a F-18 in flight.]

Feature Stories

Space Coast Florida – Office of Tourism 2021 Year in Review

The Space Coast Office of Tourism’s recovery year has surpassed record numbers, with total Tourist Development Tax (TDT) for the fiscal year (October 2020 – September 2021) reaching $16,939,307. This is in comparison to $13.065 million in 2020 and exceeding the $16.023 million high in 2019. Since the recovery began starting in March and through to September, TDT was at $12.06 million, beating the $10.1 million in the same period in 2019. Hotels represented 64% of TDT for the year, followed by vacation rentals at 34%. In terms of hotel/motel revenue by city, Cocoa Beach and Cape Canaveral (32%) were slightly ahead of Melbourne and the Beaches (30%) as a percentage of the total.

“Clearly the return to sailing at the Port gave us some added boost, but also people were ready to travel and that is reflected in the numbers,” says Peter Cranis, Executive Director. Cruising, which returned July 31, makes up 20% of Space Coast tourism, and Port Canaveral continues to earn its title of second busiest cruising port in the world, only behind Port Miami. Cruises have begun operating at 74-84% capacity on recent sailings, and 66 cruises were scheduled in the first two months of the return alone.

“Both the Spring and Summer marketing campaigns with a $2.85 million budget can be credited with some of this improvement,” adds Cranis. “The campaigns have been able to show our outdoor experiences such as beaches and nature juxtaposed with rocket launches which truly differentiate us.”

The split-screen Spring TV Ad, created by agency-of-record &Barr, won Gold in the 2022 Graphis Design Competition under the categories of video animation. It emphasized the “Only Here” aspect of the campaign, showing icons for different cities “+ Space.” A version of this splitscreen idea was continued through the Summer. The Summer campaign was also supplemented by a Pandora station, Space Coast Grooves, with songs chosen by staff, partners, and fans that attracted 15K total listeners and 109K total spins, with an average time spent listening of 24 minutes. The songs chosen evoke a Space Coast getaway with favorite “songs of summer” from groups like The Beach Boys, but with some space- themed songs added in like Elton John’s Rocket Man and David Bowie’s Space Oddity.

Launches have always had a major impact on Space Coast tourism, and in the past fiscal year, 34 launches including Crew-2 and Inspiration4 (the first all civilian mission) brought hundreds of thousands of visitors to the area. In fact, 2020 as a calendar year was recognized as the number one launch site in the world with a total of 31 launches and 2021 is shaping up to tie with 24 successful launches and another 7 potentially set for the rest of the year.

Looking ahead to 2021/2022, the Space Coast Office of Tourism has a lot to be excited about. Fall is for Foodies kicked off in November to celebrate the culinary offerings the Space Coast has to offer and included inviting influencers in-market to share with their audiences. Starting in March, top UK airline and tourism company TUI will begin flying direct from London to the Melbourne Orlando Airport, bringing 150,000 Brits a year. Port Canaveral will be home-porting a record 11 ships in the coming year, including those from Disney, Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, and MSC. Disney’s newest ship Wish will embark in Summer 2022. Port Canaveral expects an average of 55 cruise sailings a month in the current budget year. 2022 kicks off the start of the Artemis program with the uncrewed Artemis 1 test launch. The primary goal of the Artemis program is to return humans, including the first woman, to the moon by 2025 to establish a sustainable human presence and continue towards Mars.

The Office of Tourism looks forward to continuing their momentum through 2022. If you have any questions, call (321) 433-4470 or visit their website at VisitSpaceCoast.com.

Campaigns (ROI 33:1; Direct User Spend $92 Million; Budget $2.85 Million)

• Web
  1. 1,575,864 Users (+ 53.6% vs 2019)
  2. 10.3 Million Search Impressions (+48% vs 2020)
• Social
  1. 5,779 Pieces of Original Content Developed
  2. 331,731 Followers
  3. 8.8 Million Impressions
  4. 488,184 Engagements
• Emails
  1. 5,899 New Subscribers
  2. 50,699 Subscribers
  3. 20.7% Open Rate (Industry Average 16.6%)
  4. 48 Emails Sent

Public Relations

• 2.7 Billion Media Impressions
• Publicity Value $3.8 Million

FAM Tours

Space Coast Florida – Office of Tourism 2021 Year in Review

(Continued)

[Table depicting hotel revenue for fiscal years 2018/2019 and 2020/2021, with dollar amount in millions along the left vertical axis.] FY18-19 = $16.02 million; FY20-21 = $16.94 million. TDT up 5.7% versus FY 2019.

• Hotel Rooms
  1. Total number = 10,670
     • Up 16% from 2019
  2. 2.32 million hotel rooms sold

Space Coast Statistics

• 31 Launches from Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
• Port Canaveral – Second busiest cruise port in the world
  1. Named Best Homeport in the U.S. by Cruise Hive
• Film Permits Issued = 26
• Major Productions Filmed = 10
• Major Event Support:
  1. $221,500 awarded
     • Great Florida Airshow
     • Cocoa Beach Airshow
     • Thunder on Cocoa Beach
  2. Estimated economic impact = over $45 million
• Tourism and Lagoon:
  1. 13 grants awarded
  2. $841,668 put towards shoreline restoration, enhancing parks, and education
• Sports:
  1. 21 events awarded
  2. $174,850 funded
  3. Economic impact = $28 million
• Cultural:
  1. 17 grants awarded
  2. $140,000 invested in arts & culture in Brevard County
  3. Economic impact = $7.3 million
• Capital Facilities:
  1. 1 grant awarded
  2. $1,000,000 for Lori Wilson Park Restoration Project
• Travel Trade Professionals:
  1. 3,153 connections made, including
     • Virgin Holidays
     • Travelweek Canada
     • Youth Travel Planner

[National Geographic Travel – Best of the World logo]

[Pandora logo] Caption: Pandora – 15,000 total listeners; 109,000 of total spins; average listen time of 24 minutes.

[Graphis 2021 Gold logo]

[Space Coast office of Tourism logo] VisitSpaceCoast.com

Facebook and Twitter: /Florida’s Space Coast

Feature Stories

A Thyme to Plant, A Time to Reap.

Local family restaurant is introducing an innovative technique to create good and healthy meals.

[Photo of a woman standing next to growing plants in an aeroponic tower.] Caption: Joyce Chamberlain with one of her many Tower Garden aeroponic stations.

For the past eight years, Chamberlain’s Good Thymes Family Restaurant has been a local staple for good food and a friendly atmosphere, comfortably nestled in their quaint location along Garden Street. Operating in the spot of the former Heavenly BBQ since 2014, the owners, Joyce and Jeffrey Chamberlain, have been cooking up home-cooked meals for their guests for even longer — originally starting out in 2011 at the Sherwood Golf Course clubhouse off Carpenter Road in North Titusville.

Today, the Chamberlains are preparing for the next big step in their restaurant’s evolution, incorporating an innovative technique for growing their herbs, greens, and vegetables in a healthier, cleaner, and better way; all in an effort to provide a better-quality product for their patrons, especially their elderly customers who need added nutrition as they age. The method is called aeroponics, a concept originally conceived by Dutch biologist Frits Warmolt Went in 1957, and refined over several decades.

[Photo of the exterior of the Good Thymes restaurant.]

Aero-what?

Aeroponics is the process of growing plants without soil using only water and nutrients, and is an evolutionary offshoot of hydroponics.  Whereas hydroponics irrigates plant roots with the nutrient solution, aeroponics showers the roots with the special solution. In fact, aeroponics has become so widely used that restaurants and individuals in large cities employ it for their growing needs, and even NASA has incorporated it into their spaceflight repertoire — even featuring it in the Orbit Café at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.

While both methods are very similar, what the Chamberlain’s are using for their restaurant is a specific system known as the Tower Garden by Juice Plus, which employs a vertical growing system to provide for better nutrient delivery, higher vitamin content, and a reduction in the likelihood of bacterial spread.

The Tower Garden was conceived by Tim Blank, a globally recognized authority on hydroponics and urban farming, who cut his teeth in the world of hydroponics by working in Disney’s state-of-the-art EPCOT

(continued next page)

A Thyme to Plant, A Time to Reap.

(Continued)

hydroponic greenhouses for 12 years. After leaving the house of mouse, Blank founded his own company where he developed this new technique which is rapidly becoming the most widely used aeroponic growing system in the U.S.

[Photo of green bell peppers growing on an aeroponic tower.]

Lettuce Eat Healthier

The Chamberlains saw this technique as a great opportunity to do something new and better, so in November 2021, they started purchasing their first towers. With considerable investment, the family has now established their own aeroponic farms, with 2 towers at the restaurant, 18 towers at their home in Titusville, and 12 more towers at their daughter’s home in Mims.  While individual towers start at approximately $660 each — with a price reduction for multiple towers (Juice Plus offers one-year financing) — owner Joyce Chamberlain says she expects to recoup the investment within the first year of use.

[Photo of a young girl holding a carton of cherry tomatoes.] Caption: The Chamberlains’ granddaughter, Hailey, holds a sample of Tower Garden-grown produce.

“We’re calling it ‘Living Lettuce Salads’,” explained Joyce from the corner of her restaurant where her towers currently stand. “People need nutritional food, and having a good source for produce is important.”

Their goal is to begin is to provide fresh produce, “from tower to table, right off the root.” No more store-bought, processed vegetables, and greens; only locally-sourced, homegrown produce. In fact, Joyce expects that once everything is fully operational they will be able to sell tower-grown produce directly to their customers.

Room to grow

The incorporation of the Tower Gardens is part of a modest renovation plan the family has for their restaurant. In the near future, they plan to revamp the dining area to give it more of a farmhouse motif. They also plan to add new dishes to their menu to include specialty salads and vegetarian dishes using their Tower Garden produce, an opportunity that Head Chef Justin Medina is looking forward to.

[Photo of a man standing at a food preparation station.] Caption: Chef Justin Medina is coming up with new dishes to add to the Good Thymes menu.

“We’re coming up with many different and new meal options,” said Median, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef whose previous ventures include opening the Brix Project for Playalinda Brewery and developing their menu. “I want to branch out and do more than just the classic food.”

Serving more than just a meal

Serving has been in the Chamberlain’s hearts for many years, having once operated a women’s and children’s ministry with a local church.  Today, the Chamberlains continue their service to people and the community every morning — Monday through Saturday — when they open their doors and feed the homeless from 6 to 8 a.m.

Chamberlain’s Good Thymes Family Restaurant’s hours of operation can be found at their website www.mygoodthymes.com or by going to their Facebook page: @GoodThymesRestaurant.   For anyone interested in learning more about aeroponics, and growing their own home gardens, Joyce is a local representative for Tower Garden and can be contacted by going to joycechamberlain.towergarden.com.

[Photo of a Tower Garden with lettuce growing on it.] Caption: One of the over 30 Garden Tower aeroponic stations operated by Good Thymes.

Feature Stories

[Photo of an older gray house that has been newly-renovated. Insert photo of a man in a military uniform.] Caption: Brigadier General Ellerbe W. Carter, Kentucky National Guard.

Enduring Legacy — Boys and Girls Club opens new center in historic house.

The Boys and Girls Club of America (BGCA), founded in 1860, has grown to more than 4,000 locations in the US, including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. An institution that helps mentor and educate lower-income and disadvantaged youth, the club has been given credit for turning kids around and giving them a strong foundation to build a life on.

Recently, the organization opened a new location right here in Titusville at one of the community’s landmark homes: The Historic Carter House, located at 126 Grannis Ave.

In the Beginning

The little house on the corner of Grannis Ave. and Blanton St has withstood the test of time. Built in 1915, the Florida-style home with an inviting wrap-around porch has battled against the force of hurricanes, and the ever-changing landscape of our town. Through it all, the house has become a local icon which has meant so much to so many over the years.

In 1946, the house was purchased by Brigadier General Ellerbe Carter just before he retired from the Kentucky Army National Guard after a long and illustrious career — a career which took him from the battles against Poncho Villa in the southwestern U.S., to the European Theater of World War I, and other postings stateside. Along the way, Carter met and interacted with many interesting people. One instance, while he was a Captain, he met a young Army second lieutenant by the name of George S. Patton, who shared a love of polo. They both liked to compete, and once during a match, Patton wanted to wager Carter’s horse on the game. Carter, however, wanted to wager his shirt instead, to which Patton agreed. Carter lost and before he could leave the field, Patton insisted he hand over his shirt, which Carter promptly did while they were still on their horses.

[Photo of a U.S. Army General.] Caption: General George S. Patton, Jr., circa 1944.

General Carter moved his wife, Patricia, and their nine children into the little house in 1946, and it quickly became a gathering place for children in the neighborhood. Mrs. Carter, hired a dance instructor and opened her home to children who wanted to learn to dance, she championed natural childbirth and wrote a book on the subject, she was instrumental in starting the first free public library, even opening the front of her home as a library.

Over time, General Carter became more involved in local politics, serving as a city council member and eventually Mayor. The General was also friends with General George S. Patton, As the children grew older and the passing of the General and his wife, the home fell into disrepair. Through a collaborated effort of the North Brevard Heritage Foundation, the City of Titusville, and Carter family members, ownership of the house and property was transferred to the North Brevard Charities and Sharing Center.

A New Beginning

Council Member Jolynn Nelson, a former prosecutor in the juvenile division of the State Attorney’s Office, wanted to make a difference in the lives of children in Titusville. While serving as a prosecutor, she would recommend children to the Boys & Girls Club, and she found that

(continued on next page)

Enduring Legacy

(Continued)

it made a positive difference in their lives. The club was also a way to circumvent kids from encountering crime on the streets while exploring their interests.

Nelson wanted to find a home in a lower-income neighborhood so that it would be easily accessible to those children in need. North Brevard Charities, CEO Joe Robinson, and current city council member stepped in and offered the old house on 126 Grannis Ave.

[Photos of two city council members.] Caption: Titusville City Council Members Jo Lynn Nelson and Joe Robinson.

With the aid of local charities, Nelson was able to fundraise approximately $300,000 for operating, and an additional $200,000 for the restoration and operating expenses.

The house needed a complete restoration. The roof and floors needed replacing and interior walls were demolished and rebuilt. Over 3 years, Nelson and her team pitched in and brought the house up to code, the hard-working councilwoman even appeared at a council meeting with paint on her cheek.

The team soon turned a once deteriorating dwelling into a city landmark. Now listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, a little house is once again a place for children to learn and grow.

Today, Titusville’s Boys and Girls Club are open every day after school. The members have access to various programs that teach them health and life skills, leadership and career development, sports and fitness as well as helping to instill the importance of being responsible and giving them the confidence to take on life’s challenges.

[Photo of a young African-American boy smiling and working in a garden.]

The Titusville’s Boys and Girls Club currently has 40 members between the ages of 6 to 18 and is overseen by Jeremy “Coach” Jones and two part-time staff members as well as a number of volunteers.

Erin Harvey is the Brevard County Development Officer of The Boys and Girls Club. After many years of working for the American Cancer Society, she found a new calling after her daughter became a member.

“Each child is different, we tailor the program to the child’s needs. Some just need a place to feel like they belong.”, says Harvey.

The Boys and Girls Club’s overall approach is known as Triple Play, “The program feeds the mind, body, and soul.” says Harvey.

Since opening their doors in December of 2021, the Titusville Boys and Girls Club has grown steadily and continues to offer new and enriching opportunities, some include, gardening, music, art and crafts, the study of various culture through food and activities, as well as S.T.E.A.M programs, utilizing a 3D printer.

Members also have access to tutoring during the “Power Hour”, an allotted time for homework and study.

[Photo Collage: 1) a group of children exercising outside; 2) a woman teaching small children about gardening; 3) a woman teaches children in a classroom; 4) a man helping young children with an art project; 5) a woman tending a garden.]

Prominent Alumni

The Boys and Girls Club is a great way to give children a start in life, many have gone on to notable achievements and worldwide fame.

Some former members include Ashanti, General Westley Clark, Cuba Gooding Jr, Hulk Hogan, Evander Holyfield, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jennifer Lopez, Sugar Ray Leonard, Adam Sandler, Martin Sheen, Usher, Denzel Washington, Shaun White, and Katy Perry to name a few.

The Titusville Boys and Girls Club survives on grants and donations.  They have partnered with the United Way as well as receives grants from the Department of Education and donations from private individuals and companies. If you would like to contribute to the Boys and Girls Club. Contact Erin Harvey at 407-841-6855.

Children between the ages of 6-18 who would like to become a member of the Titusville Boys and Girls Club, their parents or guardian can contact Coach Jones, at 321-567-3082.

[Photo inside a classroom.]

Feature Stories

End of an Icon

End of an Icon

(Continued)

When it was still in operation, the tower processed as much as 200,000 gallons per day, seven days a week. That means that in its 60 years of operation, approximately 4,368,000,000 gallons of water were processed through the tower!

Now that it’s gone, many who grew up in Titusville are recalling fond memories of the tower on social media.

“Great memories playing in the shadows of this tower as a student at Whispering Hills. Farewell awesome tower!” says Lori S. on a Facebook post.

“There goes a lot of memories for the Tville boys of the 60’s,” says Barbara E. also on a Facebook post about the tower.

The Titusville water tower has truly stood the test of time. To put it into perspective, here’s a look at some of the historical events that have taken place since the tower’s construction, both here in Titusville and around the globe.

[Photo of a crane dismantling the water tower.]

Did You Know?

In 2012, popular comedian Daniel Tosh offered to pay $7,000 to have his name printed on the tower to replace the word “Titusville” as part of a birthday promotion. However, it was decided that the tower should not be used for the purpose of advertising, and the offer was declined.

[Photo of comedian Daniel Tosh.]

A Witness to History

[A timeline depicting historic event which have occurred during the lifetime of the water tower.]

• 1960 – Water tower is built.
• 1963 – Martin Luther King delivers “I have a dream…”
• 1969 – The first man walks on the moon.
• 1972 – Astronaut High School is built.
• 1975 – Vietnam Conflict ends.
• 1982 – The Windover Archaeological Site is discovered.
• 1989 – The Berlin Wall comes down, reuniting East and West Germany.
• 1991 – The first public web page goes online.
• 1995 – Shuttle Atlantis docks with Russian Space Station for first time.
• 2001 – A terrorist attack destroys the Twin Towers on 9/11.
• 2002 – The new Parrish Medical Center opens.
• 2011 – Construction finishes on the A. Max Brewer Bridge.
• 2017 – Titusville officially becomes a “Trail Town.”
• 2022 – Water tower is demolished.

Feature Stories

[Photo of a person working at a computer.]

Mapping Progress – Online tool gives City staff and citizens access to a plethora of information.

Since 2016, the City of Titusville has been using an innovative online tool known as a geographic information system, or GIS, to create, manage, analyze and map important information pertaining to public and private development projects throughout the city. Known as ArcGIS, the tool was developed and is managed by the Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI) in coordination with the National Geographic Society.

Just What is GIS?

A Geographic Information System is a digital system for spatially displaying data. This allows users to visually analyze the spatial relationships between topography, vegetation and land uses. GIS connects data to a map, integrating location data (where things are) with all types of descriptive information (what things are like there).

This provides a foundation for mapping and analysis that is used in science and almost every industry. GIS helps users understand patterns, relationships, and geographic context. The benefits include improved communication and efficiency as well as better management and decision making.

Today, hundreds of thousands of organizations in virtually every field are using GIS to make maps that communicate, perform analysis, share information, and solve complex problems around the world. The system is used in everything from education, health, manufacturing, petroleum production, real estate, telecommunications, transportation, electric and gas utilities, government, and more.

[Graphic: “...maps you can ask complex questions from and get detailed answers back.”]

GIS and Titusville

For several years, the tool has been a valuable asset for not only City Staff, but also private developers and citizens, aiding in the ongoing progress of their projects.

The tool is constantly used by Titusville’s Water Resources Department to maintain and track water utility data including location of water lines, hydrants, water mains, sewer structures, and more. Employees such as Sandra Reller of the Public Works Department, which maintains the City’s stormwater system, uses the GIS for locating its pipes and structures throughout town. Public Works

(continued next page)

Mapping Progress

(Continued)

also maintains maps and information pertaining to street paving and maintenance, which citizens can access at any time through the City’s website, Titusville.com.

The system is also able to provide information pertaining to Titusville’s Code of Ordinances regarding height restrictions in certain areas of town, water walls, regulations, variances, utility hookups, and more. It is regularly used by Code Enforcement to ensure compliance from subject properties in need of remediation.

Developers and real estate companies find the tool useful for researching properties, enabling them to track permits and variances for approval through staff and regulatory boards and commissions. The implementation of GIS in the Community Development Department has dramatically decreased the volume of calls from citizens trying to get information about projects and developments.

[Image of the Titusville Maps webpage.] Caption: The GIS home screen accessible from Titusville.com.

Telling a Story

The ArcGIS tool also provides City departments and staff the ability to inform the public about various issues using visual storytelling, called Story Maps. Using customizable maps, city GIS information, photographs, and other pieces of information, colorful and informative narratives have been created to provide citizens with important details on developing projects.

Such story maps run the gambit from information on construction projects and upcoming public hearings regarding developments to the aforementioned road paving as well as walking tours, landmarks, parks and trails, and efforts to help improve the Indian River Lagoon. Maintained by two city employees, David Jordan and Mariana Hristova, many of the maps are updated weekly.

“I’ve always described GIS as smart maps,” says David Jordan, GIS Analyst for the City of Titusville, “[they’re] maps you can ask complex questions from and get detailed answers back.”

To access the City’s ArcGIS system maps, visit Titusville.com and click on the button marked GIS Maps, or go to Titusville.com/502/Geographic-Information-Systems.

[ESRI logo and graphic.]

[Screenshot of the GIS map interface.] Caption — Above: A GIS map listing applications for development which are under review by the City, showing the projects’ information and geographic location.

City Gov News

2022 Street Resurfacing

Planned Start Date: Spring 2022

[Maps depicting the locations of roads which are scheduled to be paved, arranged by neighborhood/location. The following table will specify which roads and sections of roads are scheduled.]

City Gov News

Did You Know?

The Public Works Department recently purchased a vegetation harvesting boat. The boat will give the City the ability to mechanically remove vegetation within City owned ponds and larger ditches instead of spraying them with chemicals. This will reduce the amount of herbicides the City uses within these water bodies which could have eventually ended up in the Indian River Lagoon.

[Photo of a specialized boat used for harvesting vegetation from bodies of water.]

City Gov News

Red, White & Boom Over North Brevard

July 4, 2022 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Chain of Lakes Park.

Free Admission

[Graphic of star-spangled star shapes over a red background with patriotic stripes.]

Titusville Updates CRA Redevelopment Plan

We want to hear from YOU! The City of Titusville is updating its Community Redevelopment Plan and would like your input and perspective. There are a several ways you can provide your input.

The consultant S&ME, Inc. from Orlando, Florida, has been contracted to update the City of Titusville’s Downtown CRA Redevelopment Plan. The Redevelopment Plan guides the City and the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), a governmental entity that oversees the Redevelopment District, in the improvement of the Redevelopment District with a set of goals and programs. A number of public meetings are proposed by S&ME to obtain input on what objectives and programs need to be developed to improve the Downtown CRA District.

For more information, visit Titusville.com/CRAPlanUpdate to learn about the Community Redevelopment Area, upcoming workshops and take a survey! You can also leave your comments and view comments on an interactive Map of downtown Titusville. Also be sure to join us at our next upcoming plan presentation!

CRA Redevelopment Plan Presentation

When: Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 5:30 PM

Where: City Hall Council Chamber, 555 S. Washington Ave.

Upcoming Public Meetings

• Tuesday, June 14, 2022 – CRA presentation with an approval of a Resolution
• Wednesday, June 22, 2022 – Local Planning Agency (Planning & Zoning Board)
• Tuesday, July 12, 2022 – First City Council Meeting with a reading of an Ordinance
• Tuesday, July 26, 2022 – Second City Council Meeting with approval of an Ordinance

North Brevard Economic Report

Troy Post, North Brevard Economic Development Zone

Local Real Estate Market

According to the Space Coast Board of REALTORS, “Closed Home Sales” (single family homes) for Jan 2022 were up 6.4%, with 770 units closed, compared to 724 units in Jan 2021. “New Pending Sales” were down by -7.7% over the previous year, with “New Listings,” which indicates available stock, also down by -4.5%. The Median Sales Price for single family homes in Brevard climbed by 21.9% to $239,000. “Months’ Supply of Inventory” of homes for sale was down by -33.3% to under one months, a decrease from 1.2 months in Jan 2021.

Employment numbers for Titusville show marked improvement over past year of COVID-19.

The table below shows the latest economic statistics for the northern part of Brevard County, Florida (principally the communities of Mims, Port St. John, Scottsmoor, and Titusville), according to seasonally unadjusted figures from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

City Gov News

e-PlanSoft - New cloud-based system will enhance efficiency of development plan

review process.

The City of Titusville has partnered with e-PlanSoft™, developer and provider of the leading cloud-based electronic plan review and document management solutions.

The company’s flagship product, e-PlanREVIEW, will be integrated with the City’s BS&A permitting platform to create a full end-to-end permitting and plan review solution. The combined solutions will allow for full automation of the processes, enhanced efficiency, and a shift to paperless processes. Adopting the BS&A solution for permitting allowed the City to make great strides in improving its processes for permitting. The addition of e-PlanREVIEW will complement the functionality, resulting in a comprehensive integrated solution that will optimize its permitting and plan review practices.

“We’re looking forward to the full automation that we’ll achieve by adding e-PlanREVIEW,” states Steve Adams, Chief Building Official at the City of Titusville. “The advanced commenting functionality will keep plan review comments with the project and accessible in our BS & A system, saving our staff from redundant entry tasks. Additionally, the Scout Inspection Tool will also reduce the time needed, by relieving our staff from manually adjusting files to fall within required parameters.”

e-PlanREVIEW will be acquired through a contract with Carahsoft for the purchase of the cloud-based plan review solution. Carahsoft serves as e-PlanSoft’s Master Government Aggregator®, making the company’s solutions available through Carahsoft’s reseller partners and contracts, including NASA SEWP V, NASPO ValuePoint, NCPA, NJSBA and OMNIA Partners.

“We are thrilled to connect e-PlanSoft and the City of Titusville to help streamline the City’s plan review processes,” said Lacey Wean, Director who leads Carahsoft’s e-PlanSoft division. “With e-PlanREVIEW, Titusville can securely modernize its permitting and plan review procedures through automated electronic software, eliminating manual data entry and allowing staff to focus on further key initiatives.”

The City processes over 5,000 permit applications per year on average, with approximately 75% of those requiring plan review.

The number represents an increase that occurred through the course of the pandemic. With such a large workload, the City understood that to stay abreast of both trends in plan review and permitting practices and the growing number of projects, technology would need to be introduced to its processes that have historically been substantially manual.

e-PlanREVIEW brings a full complement of advanced tools that will enhance efficiency and reduce the time required for plan e-PlanSoft reviews. Currently, plans are submitted as paper or scans, and staff digitizes them and enters them into the BS & A system. The addition of e-PlanREVIEW allows applicants to submit digital plan sets, which is a growing trend, and easier for applicants.

e-PlanSoft’s PDF Scout Inspector Tool will alleviate much of the manual tasks associated with intake. Scout vets incoming plans to ensure files are suitable for review. Currently City staff manually vets and adjusts files. When Scout detects issues, such as legibility, orientation, or others, it rejects the submittal and provides the applicant with the information needed to adjust the file and resubmit. For agencies that receive paper files, it’s not uncommon for turnaround time on plan reviews to be impacted by several days, as there may be issues that aren’t detected until the first reviewer begins the review process.

[Photo of planners using a tablet device.]

“It’s gratifying to bring a solution to an agency that will benefit so well from its deployment,” states Harrison Longhurst, Regional Sales Manager at e-PlanSoft. “The flexibility of e-PlanREVIEW and its seamless integration with the City’s BS & A permitting platform, address the City’s needs optimally, and perfectly complement the functionality of the permitting platform to create a full end-to-end solution that will optimize the City’s processes.”

The City will realize significantly improved efficiency and time savings throughout the full plan review process. Among the tools and benefits that will positively affect its processes, e-PlanREVIEW’s comments capabilities will be among the most impactful. Time required for the full process is reduced by eliminating the need to manually enter plan review comments into the permitting solution. The City will also enjoy the full benefit of flexible viewing options and version control, as well as the PDF Scout Inspector Tool, which vets incoming files to ensure they are suitable for review.

“We are excited that our integration with e-PlanREVIEW will serve the City of Titusville,” states Tim Giesen, Vice President at BS & A Software. “The interface between our applications delivers efficiency and seamless continuity in all planning and construction processes.”

City Gov News

Titusville Police Department

[Titusville Police logo.]

Promoting Teamwork within our community – 1100 John Glenn Blvd., Titusville, FL  32780 — PH 321-264-7800

Police target reducing traffic crashes in major safety initiative.

Titusville Police Department and the City of Titusville has adopted the VISION ZERO and TARGET ZERO traffic safety initiatives in an effort to curtail the number of deadly automobile crashes in the city. This plan comes on the heels of a 2016 through 2020 analysis by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) of data from 103 cities, with a resident population of 15,000 to 75,000 people. The study looks at nine specific factors contributing to traffic crashes which resulted in serious injury and/or fatalities, of which the City of Titusville ranked in the top 25 percent in occurrences in six of the nine categories:

• Aging Road Users #16/103
• Impaired Driving #21/103
• Motorcyclists #14/103
• Occupant Protection #14/103
• Speed/Aggressive Driving #9/103
• Teen Drivers #17/103

In fact, in the city of Titusville, police have responded to 416 traffic crashes in just the last 90 days (January 1 - March 31). That is nearly 5 traffic crashes per day!

[Target Zero logo]

Vision Zero is a traffic safety initiative that takes an ethical approach toward achieving safety for all road users by setting a goal of zero traffic fatalities or serious injuries. Target Zero is a parallel effort that plans programs and projects, both infrastructure and behavior-related, to help achieve zero fatalities and serious injuries.

The Titusville Police Department Traffic Unit and Patrol Officers will be highly visible citywide enforcing traffic laws, specifically speeding and aggressive driving, distracted and impaired driving and enforcing the “MOVE OVER” law.

[Photo of a white SUV on its roof after a crash.] Caption: A rollover traffic crash at Hopkins Ave. and Garden St. from 2019. (TPD)

Motorists buckle up, slow down, put down wireless communication devices and focus on driving. Look twice for motorcycles. Move over for emergency vehicles and reduce speed in work zones. Pedestrians and cyclists sharing the roadway, be alert and deactivate your distracting devices, so that you are aware of important audio cues and motor vehicle traffic.

“FDOT has provided our agency with critical information pinpointing specific traffic safety issues within the city of Titusville”, said Traffic Lieutenant TJ Wright. “This data allows officers to create targeted proactive strategies and focused traffic enforcement, ultimately reducing serious and deadly traffic crashes and achieving our goal of Target Zero”, added Wright.

[Photo of four police officers standing with their respective police SUVs.]

City Gov News

[Titusville Fire Department logo.]

Titusville Fire Department

550 S. Washington Ave. — Titusville, FL  32796 — 321.567.3800

Titusville Fire Receives Grants for Life-Saving Equipment

The first quarter of 2022 saw two grant awards for emergency medical services (EMS) technology. The first award received was for King Vision Video Laryngoscopes provided by Jess Parrish Medical Foundation. This unique tool will allow paramedics to perform life-saving airway skills on scene with improved accuracy. When a patient is unable to control their airway or breath, the paramedic will use the video to watch a tube being passed through the vocal cords and allow for adequate assisted respirations.

The second award received was from Brevard County Fire Rescue EMS Trust Grant for funding assistance with a new records management system. The new system, ESO, has the capability of fire incident reporting, fire prevention pre-planning, and recording patient information all in real time. The paramedic crews will bring a computer into the home, ask questions, and enter the information directly at the time of interaction resulting in improved patient care reports.

Technology advancements have increased the standard of care and these two awards have helped Titusville Fire do so as well.

[Photo of firefighter personnel with citizens. Insert photo of laryngoscopes.]

Public Education Van wins 2022 Law Enforcement Vehicle Graphics Award

[Photo of a utility van with a clown.]

This past January our department was the recipient of the 2022 Vehicle Graphics award sponsored by the Florida Sheriffs Association and the Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association. Our very own Life Safety Specialist Kerri Lubeski (Ember the Fire Clown) was on location at the Fire-Rescue East conference and trade show to accept the award. Votes were cast on social media for the vehicles entered in the contest, with a panel of judges having the final say. This award-winning graphic was made possible by our talented in-house Media Specialist, Wil Petty. We are extremely proud to have this statewide recognition right here in Titusville.

[Photo of an award plaque: 2022 Law Enforcement Vehicle Graphics Contest — First Place Award in the category of Law Enforcement Vehicles awarded to Titusville Fire Department. The Florida Sheriffs Association and Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association is proud to recognize the creativity displayed on the fire-rescue vehicle.]

Completed & Open

Vystar Credit Union

[Photo: New bank building with “Opening Soon” stamp overlay.] A new credit union is now open at the site of the former Eckerd’s located at 1809 Cheney Highway.

Shepard Drive Warehouse Expansion

[Photo: Warehouse surrounded by trees, with “Completed” stamp overlay.] Construction is complete on the 9,800-square-foot warehouse expansion to an existing 10,150-square-foot building located at 1500 Shepard Drive.

Country Club Estates

[Photo: Entryway to subdivision, with “Completed” stamp overlay.] Construction is complete on Country Club Estates, formerly known as La Hacienda.

Courtyard by Marriott

[Photo: New hotel buidling, with “Open for Business” stamp overlay.] A new 152-room, five-story hotel with a rocket launch observation deck is now open on Vectorspace Blvd near the Police Hall of Fame.

Massage Envy

[Photo: New storefront at a shopping plaza, with “Open for Business” stamp overlay.] A new massage parlor and skin care boutique is now open at Titus Landing.

Playa Linda Frappe

[Photo: A new restaurant storefront in a strip mall, with “Open for Business” stamp overlay.] A new restaurant featuring the flavors of Puerto Rico has opened in Baldwin Plaza on US 1 in Downtown Titusville.

Completed & Open

Burger Rob’s

[Photo: A new restaurant storefront with cars parked in front, with “Open for Business” stamp overlay.] A new restaurant is open at the corner of Country Club Blvd. and Hopkins Ave.

Historic Preservation Board

The Historic Preservation Board will be hosting an annual Historic Preservation Workshop on May 19, 2022. The workshop is being held in National Historic Preservation Month.

The City has been awarded a Fiscal Year 2023 Small Matching Grant in the amount of $50,000 from the Florida Department of Historical Resources to create Architectural Design Guidelines in both booklet and electronic formats. The project timeline is from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023. The guidelines will help members of the Historic Preservation Board with design review guidelines for when requests for renovations to historic structures come before them, and for owners of designated historic and potentially historic buildings who want to make improvements to their buildings.

Titusville Community Service Awards

Submit a Nomination Today!

[Graphic: Titusville City Seal]

The Titusville Community Service Award Select Committee is seeking nominations for its annual award. This award was established in honor of Reverend Harry R. Lee for his extraordinary, long-term contributions. Reverend Lee served the community in many different capacities. He was the City Chaplain, City Employee Assistance Advisor, Chaplain of Sertoma Club, and Chaplain of the Titusville Area Chamber of Commerce. By his spirit, words, and actions he personified the concept of unity and the spirit of service in the community.

This year’s award will be presented on June 14th at the Flag Day/Community Service Award Celebration. Like Mr. Lee, nominees should be those who have made great contributions to the Titusville area. We invite you to help us honor these exceptional individuals by submitting a nomination today! For more information and to receive a nomination form, contact Emily in the City Clerk’s Office at 567- 3686. The form is also available at the information desk at City Hall.

Important City Numbers

[Back Cover – Photo of purple and pink flowers growing in a garden.] Caption: Some of the garden plants growing at the Historic Carter House, site of a new Boys and Girls Club.

City of Titusville, 555 South Washington Avenue, 321-567-3775.; Titusville.com; Hashtag Launch from Here.