Titusville Talking Points July 2020 ADA Accessible

This version of Titusville Talking Points has been formatted to assist those with assistive technology to better read the document.

What’s Happening in Titusville? Here are the latest updates on what’s going on in town.

Summer is here and as the heat returns, Titusville continues to see new developments and projects popping up all over the city. At the North end of town, work continues at the old Walker Hotel to transform it into a downtown hotspot; at the South end of town, major site infrastructure  construction is preparing for Titusville Point.

  As a community, we are continuing to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the City of
Titusville strongly encourages all citizens to follow official CDC guidelines for social distancing, including the use of face coverings/masks when out in public. City hall remains open to the public with reduced hours from 9am – 12pm and 1pm – 4pm. Additionally, visitors are required to wear face masks and sign in at the security desk.

   It’s been a tumultuous couple of months, and despite the global pandemic, projects are chugging along, people are helping people, and we hope to see a return to normalcy in the near future.
 

Talking Points Staff

• Jim Thomas - Managing Editor
• Kurtis Korwan and Shane Daily - Layout/Design/Photojournalism

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New and Continued Projects

Rio Lago - Site plans are under review for a 120-unit Assisted Living/Memory
Care Facility to be located at 3105 S. Washington Avenue.
Horizon Sandpoint - Site and building plans are under review for the redevelopment of the former Sandpoint Plaza located at 22 N. Washington Avenue. The proposed plan includes apartments with commercial mixed use.

Wendy Lee Condominiums - Site plans are under review for a 6-unit residential condominium to be located on Wendy Lee Drive.

Titusville Point - Site construction continues for utilities, drive aisles, landscaping and other site related infrastructure located at the corner of State Road 405 and Cheney Highway.  The proposed site plan includes three commercial buildings – Discount Tire, Aspen Dental, and Cumberland Farms.

Community Credit Union - Site and building construction continues for a 4,100-square-foot bank located at the former Wendy’s restaurant site at 2455 S. Washington Avenue.

Life Storage Expansion - Site and building construction are nearing completion for an expansion of the existing storage business located at 1903 Garden Street. The scope of work included the demolition of two existing one-story buildings and construction of one three-story building consisting of indoor storage units.

South Carpenter Estates - Site construction is complete and several homes are under construction for a 70-lot single-family home subdivision located west of I-95, north of Fox Lake Road.

Cumberland Farms - Site and Building permits have been issued for a retail gasoline store located at the corner of SR 405 and SR 50.

Fox Lake Venue Event Center - A site permit has been issued for a 10,900-square-foot event center to be located at 3815 Fox Lake Road.  The proposal also includes the construction of parking, stormwater retention and landscaping.

Step by Step Learning Center - Site plans have been approved for an 18,000-square-foot children’s daycare center to be located north of South Street and west of South
Park Avenue.

Aspen Dental - Site plans are under review for a 3,750-square-foot retail store to be located at the corner of State Road 405 and Cheney Highway.

Discount Tire - Site plans have been approved for a 7,680-square-foot retail store to be located at the corner of State Road 405 and Cheney Highway.

Brooks Landing Subdivision - A sketch plat for a 143-lot single-family home subdivision to be located north of Jay Jay Road and west of Hammock Road has been approved by staff and has been scheduled for Planning and Zoning Commission and City Council hearings.

River Palms - Site and building construction continues for 100-residential condominium units within two buildings with associated amenities located at 1805 Riverside Drive.

Extended Stay Hotel - The new Extended Stay hotel, located on South Helen Hauser Blvd. is nearing completion. The hotel features 124 rooms, and is expected to open this coming August.

Courtyard by Marriott - Crews continue to work on the new five-story hotel overlooking the Indian River and Kennedy Space Center, located at the site of the former U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. The 152-room hotel will include 14 extended and one-bedroom guest suites, a large outdoor pool and a rooftop deck with bar, for guests to watch rocket launches.

Park Preserve - Construction is nearing completion on the final few homes of this new subdivision at the corner of Knox McRae Drive and South Park Avenue.

Beachwave - Construction crews continue to work on the new Beachwave store located near Sand Point Park. The 33,600-square-foot building will feature over 1,000 sqft of retail space, 3,400 sqft of restaurant space, and a 5,000 sqft tiki bar on the second floor.

Downtown Updates - The CRA is repairing the Julia Court business directory kiosk after it was damaged by a vandal.  City staff is waiting on an order of plexiglass for the kiosk door window to complete the repair.

  The CRA has contracted with Spring Moon Signs to replace the Scobie Fish House and Pier historic interpretation sign at Scobie Park located near Main Street and Indian River Avenue which was damaged by a vehicle.  The vehicle driver’s insurance company will be billed for the damage.

   City crews have completed landscape improvements to the Commons Parking Lot between Mariner’s Way and Indian River Avenue.

  Taylor Engineering from Jacksonville, Florida has been awarded a contract to perform a feasibility study for a walkway pier linking Spaceview Mercury Park to Spaceview Gemini Park.  The study will include an assessment of existing conditions, constructability of a walkway, physical constraints, environmental assessment, permitting requirements, , design option evaluations, and feasibility conclusion.

Caribbean Delights Express Sweets - Caribbean Delights Express Sweets is nearing completion on their  new store located at 1823 Knox McRae Drive, at the corner of Barna Avenue.

Willow Creek Subdivision - Now called “Verona,” road construction and other infrastructure is in progress at the new subdivision to be located on Willow Creek Blvd, off Grissom Pkwy. The first phase of the subdivision will consist of 70-single-family homes.

La Bella Vista - A new restaurant called La Bella Vista is coming to the former Portofino’s location on US 1, just north of Titusville Mall. No information is available on menu items or prospective opening date.

Cosmic Creamery at Titus Landing - The city recently issued a Certificate of Occupancy and the business is nearing completion at Titus Landing. An opening date has not been announced but is expected very soon.

Fox Lake Hammock - Engineering plans have been approved for a 62-lot single-family home subdivision located east of South Street, north of Fox Lake Road.

It Couldn’t be Saved

Site engineer determined old building was structurally unsound for renovations.
The building at 346 S. Washington Ave. at the northwest corner of S. Washington Avenue and Julia Street was purchased in February of this year by Mr. Jimmy Mutter. Mr. Mutter had plans to renovate the building into a two-story office building. In the process of inspecting the building, a site engineer found the building to be structural unsound. Mr. Mutter applied for a demolition permit from the City’s Building Division. While not designated on the City’s Local Historic Registry, the building was considered to be a contributing structure to the Titusville National Historic Commercial District and under the City’s Downtown Mixed Use zoning code, the request to demolish the building was heard by the City’s Historic Preservation Board on June 1, 2020.
    The Historic Preservation Board unanimously approved the demolition with the conditions that efforts be made to salvage materials that could be used in the future development or by other historic renovations; a record of the building consisting of a narrative and photos be prepared for archival purposes; the Florida Master Site File be updated and submitted to the Florida Department of State Division of Historic Resources; and that plans for any future construction be submitted to the Historic Preservation Board prior to obtaining a building permit for new construction at the site to ensure that any new construction is not detrimental to the Downtown Historic District. The building was demolished on July 6, 2020. Mr. Mutter has plans to construct a two-story office building at the site.

Hyatt Place Titusville — now open — offers a great view of space launches.

TITUSVILLE, Fla (June 25, 2020) — BBL Hospitality, part of the BBL family of companies, opened their brand new Hyatt Place hotel located off of US 1, at Riverfront Center Boulevard (formerly Vectorspace Boulevard). Even though a formal ribbon-cutting hasn’t taken place because of the ongoing COVID-19 situation, guests have already been enjoying the facilities’ amenities for the past few weeks.

    Groundbreaking for the hotel occurred on December 6, 2018, with members of local government on hand to celebrate the expanding tourism industry of our town. A little over a year-and-a-half later, a five-story building now stands, ready to welcome visitors to our area.

    The hotel features 110 rooms, including eight suites, a kitchen-made breakfast, fitness center, pool, 2,036 square feet of meeting space, and a fifth-floor launch viewing deck that looks out over the Indian River and Kennedy Space Center / Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Manatee Landing Now Leasing

Former Randolph Inn has been revamped into condos.

  The former Randolph Inn located at 3810 South Washington Avenue has been completely renovated and transformed! Now called Manatee Landing, this project has been in the works for many years and is finally seeing its first tenants moving in!

   Consisting of 48 units, the new apartment complex began leasing in February and has already seen about 20 new residents move in. Each apartment features two to three bedrooms and a private balcony.

Launch Now - Live. Work. Connect. Launch Now Takes Next Step To Renovate Downtown Titusville

Formerly known as the Walker Hotel, LaunchNow has been in full force construction to see its vision brought to life. This year has seen a few challenges that brought setbacks to the project, including the COVID-19 outbreak and legal requirements from the National Parks Service requiring approval for the food hall. LaunchNow  is please to report they have cleared those hurdles and are right back on track. Work is resuming on the two residential buildings, coworking office space, and a food hall on the ground floor.

   Laura Hamilton, Lead Developer of LaunchNow Titusville, gave a report to the Community Redevelopment Agency on May 26 detailing the progress of construction and giving an updated timeline for the project.

   “We are thrilled to report that the National Parks Service has approved our food hall,” said Mrs. Hamilton. “We are actively underway with construction, and more specifically, we’re so far along that we’re currently on the mechanical engineering and plumbing [phase].”

The project includes 12 one-bedroom apartments and 8 studio apartments, featuring natural lighting and updated interiors while staying true to its historical character. Seven of the apartments will also include private decks peaking right into the heart of Downtown Titusville. 

    The food hall has been approved to house 10 food vendors and 2 bars, with a maximum occupancy of 140 people. Outdoor seating will also be available to give visitors the true downtown experience. 

   Focusing on a people-centered design, LaunchNow unveiled their plans for the area in front of their new establishment, which they want to include bike racks, outdoor seating, drink rails, device chargers, music speakers, flower planters, ambient lighting, and public art. In order 

to bring a whole new feeling to the CRA, LaunchNow is seeking additional funding from multiple agencies, along with permission from FDOT to allow construction in front of their property. The company has already received a Commercial Interior Renovation Grant of up to $100,000, and is eligible for a Façade and Beautification Grant for exterior landscaping and signage up to a maximum of $40,000. 

   While 2020 has been quite a busy year, the company still plans to have the project completed in January of 2021. They have already begun leasing apartments now on their website at LaunchNow.space. For more information on this exciting project, contact Ciarra Taylor at 321-503-9234 or at launchnow.space@gmail.com.

Just Rollin’ With It!

Local family business won’t let a pandemic stop them from bringing the fun.

Despite the onslaught of a worldwide pandemic and the economic woes it has inflicted on so many, one local family is working hard to push forward with goals, all the while bringing some fun to town. The result is the recent opening of Let’s Roll Space Coast, a skating rink located near Publix on Garden Street, which first welcomed customers through their doors on June 19.

   Brantley Bostick, president of the company, says he and the family came up with the idea and started working on it in March 2019, and that it has been a true full-family project. Bostick explained his family had been working in the theme park industry for over 30 years, designing and creating props and other themed items for most of the large attractions in Orlando and Tampa. When he and his wife, Lauren, moved back here to her home town, they decided it would a good thing to use their family’s experience to create something fun for Titusville, and bring a little theme park magic to the families and kids in the area.

 It’s been a hefty investment to get the doors open. Bostick says they have spent nearly $600,000 in total to bring the business to life, with over $400,000 just on the building renovations alone, with the remainder going to all the equipment. 

   The result is a nearly 22,000-square-foot skating rink, which features a snack bar, dessert room, game arcade, and five themed birthday party rooms for kids to enjoy their special day. Those rooms are designed to be changed out at regular intervals, and currently include: Rock Star, Princess, Frost also called Ice Princess (based loosely on Disney’s Frozen), a disco party room, and a Sports room. The entire rink features artwork and imagery created by local artists.

   Let’s Roll currently offers weekly “Cheap Skates” nights on Wednesdays, Friday night skate parties, and family days on Sundays. For the summer through August 7, the company is hosting a skate-camp for children ages 6 to 14. The camp includes skating (of course), as well as games and movies.

   “It’s great for Titusville to have something for the kids,” said Tammy Allison, who recently brought her son to try skating for the first time. “It makes me feel young again, too!”

   In keeping with the times we’re living in, Bostick says that guests are encouraged to wear masks when they come to skate, but its just a recommendation, not a requirement. He also stated that they have several sanitizing stations placed throughout the building to keep things clean. The rink currently operates in four-hour blocks, with down time in between to allow for a deep cleaning of the entire place before letting guests back in for more fun.

  Crowds have reportedly been steady since opening. When asked how business has been going during this tumultuous time, Bostick smiled and said, “It [coronavirus] has impacted us, but, we’re rolling with it. We’ll be okay.”

    After pausing to help a couple of guests get a photo taken in front of a large, light-up space shuttle wall display, Bostick joyfully said, “We want to thank everyone who’s come out to support us.”

   For more information on the skate camp, hours of operation, and more, go to their website at LetsRollSpaceCoast.com, or find them on Facebook: @LetsRollSpaceCoast.

Once More, the Gateway to Space!

Excitement is high as the Space Coast reclaims its role as the home of U.S. human spaceflight.

TITUSVILLE, Fla. (May 30, 2020) — The local community recently experienced a resurgence of passion for space exploration as two brave veteran astronauts — Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley — crossed the crew access arm to boldly do what no person had done before: ride a commercial rocket to the stars. 

    Manufactured by Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), the Falcon 9 commercial vehicle and its Crew Dragon spacecraft stood more than 256 feet tall. Cradled at the historic Launch Pad 39-A, the home to most of the space shuttle and all of the lunar landing launches, the rocket stood poised to make history. Across America, but especially on the shores of Titusville and the surrounding communities, emotions ran high and excitement was at a fever pitch. Then at 3:22 p.m., the nine Merlin engines ignited, sending the two astronauts hurdling towards the heavens, with America’s hopes and excitement riding with them.

    Dubbed SpaceX Demo-2, the launch served as a full flight test and certification of the commercial company’s ability to send crews to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP). The two crew members will stay aboard the ISS until August, with a planned return to Earth on August 2. Once complete, the mission will be one giant leap for the space agency to end our reliance on the Russian space program for rides to and from the orbiting outpost after nine years and billions of dollars spent.

Expansion of Commercial Crew Flights

    Over the past several years, multi-billion-dollar investments by companies such as SpaceX, Blue Origin and Boeing have brought hundreds of jobs and increased tax revenues to our area. 

    The successful Crew Dragon launch along with a scheduled fully-operation crew launch slated for August, is enabling the U.S. to bring human space flight back to our shores for the first time since the last shuttle launch in July, 2011, and is a giant expansion to the Space Coast’s ever-growing aerospace industry.

    Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos, has been investing nearly $1-billion on the creation of rocket manufacturing and processing plants inside Exploration Park near Kennedy Space Center. The company has been working to fabricate their New Glenn rockets with plans to launch them from Launch Complex 36 at nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Part of the investment will be used toward road and infrastructure improvements to enable them to transport the rockets from the plant to the launch pad.

   The New Glenn rocket is a single configuration heavy-lift launch vehicle capable of carrying people and payloads routinely to Earth orbit and beyond. Featuring a reusable first stage built for 25 missions, the reusable segments will be recovered and processed at the new facility in Exploration Park.

   Meanwhile, Boeing continues their work preparing the CST-100 spacecraft for crew demonstration flights scheduled for later this year and early next. Operating out of one of the former Space Shuttle Processing Facilities (SSPF) adjacent to the gargantuan Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC, the company has been working toward providing their own vehicle for transporting astronauts to the ISS. With one un-crewed flight test complete, the second un-crewed flight is set for later in the 4th quarter of this year, and a crewed flight test is on the books for early 2021.

Moon, Mars, Beyond...

    Barely a week after SpaceX’s successful crewed launch, company CEO Elon Musk put out message to employees directing them to focus now on the next big thing: “Starship.”

   “Please consider the top SpaceX priority (apart from anything that could reduce Dragon return risk) to be Starship,” he stated in the company-wide email.

   Starship is the name of Musk’s follow-up to Crew Dragon. It is an estimated 120-meter (393-foot) behemoth of a rocket made up of the Starship vehicle (160 ft) and Super Heavy booster (230 ft), collectively referred to as Starship. According to the company, this vehicle will represent a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo to Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond. Starship will be the world’s most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, with the ability to carry in excess of 100 metric tons to Earth orbit.

     SpaceX is working on a mission slated to launch in 2023, which will be a flyby lunar tourism and art project mission conceived and financed by Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa. Named #dearMoon, the mission will make use of a SpaceX Starship on a private spaceflight flying a single circumlunar trajectory around the moon.

    “Starship is the key to making life multiplanetary & protecting the light of consciousness,” Musk stated on his Twitter account, one day after the Crew Dragon made its way to orbit.

    Blue Origin has its hands in lunar exploration as well, being selected by NASA as a primary contractor, along with SpaceX and Dynetics, for the creation of the new lunar landing vehicles for the Artemis missions — humanity’s return to the surface of the moon. In April 2020, NASA selected the three companies for their distinct lander and mission designs, which will drive a broader range of technology development and, ultimately, more sustainability for lunar surface access. Blue Origin, along with Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Draper, are developing the Integrated Lander Vehicle (ILV), a three-stage lander that harnesses the proven spaceflight heritage of each member of the team.

    Dynetics, a Leidos company based out of Hunstville, Alabama is working with a team of more than 25 subcontractors to develop the Dynetics Human Landing System. This system includes a single element providing the ascent and descent capabilities, and is capable of launching on a number of different commercial rockets.

     SpaceX’s contribution is the aforementioned Starship.

   Working with Lockheed Martin, NASA, continues developing the Orion spacecraft, as well as working with myriad contractors on the 

Space Launch System (SLS), and the Gateway — an outpost to be placed in lunar orbit to provide vital support for a sustainable, long-term human return to the lunar surface, as well as a staging point for deep space exploration. The space agency is slated to return astronauts to the moon for the first time in nearly half a century.

The Red Planet

    NASA and the European Space Agency are steadily working on a new robotic mission to Mars, slated for the end of July 2020. Called Perseverance, the mission will see a car-sized rover sent to the red planet to hunt for signs of ancient life and store samples for future return to Earth. The 2,315-lb. rover, the centerpiece of NASA’s $2.7 billion Mars 2020 mission, is scheduled to land inside Mars’ Jezero Crater on Feb. 18, 2021.

More Launches

    Mission operational tempo for NASA, the US Air Force (US Space Force), and commercial launches has been increasing over the years, with more launches annually, making Titusville and the surrounding area the Gateway to Space once again. Here is a list at just some of the launches scheduled for the remainder of 2020:

Date: TBD • Falcon 9 • Starlink 9/BlackSky Global

Launch time: TBD | Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

Date: TBD • Falcon 9 • Anasis 2

Launch time: TBD | Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

July 25 • Falcon 9 • SAOCOM 1B

Launch time: 7:19 p.m. EDT | Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

July 30 • Atlas 5 • Mars 2020

Launch window: 7:50-9:50 a.m. EDT | Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

Late July • Falcon 9 • Starlink 10/SkySats 19-21

Launch time: TBD | Launch site: SLC-40, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

Aug. 26 • Delta 4-Heavy • NROL-44

Launch time: TBD | Launch site: SLC-37B, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

Aug. 30 • Falcon 9 • Crew 1

Launch time: TBD | Launch site: LC-39A, Kennedy Space Center, Florida

September • Atlas 5 • NROL-101

Launch time: TBD | Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

Sept. 30 • Falcon 9 • GPS 3 SV04

Launch window: TBD | Launch site: Cape Canaveral, Florida

4th Quarter • Atlas 5 • CST-100 Starliner Orbital Flight Test 2

Launch window: TBD | Launch site: SLC-41, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida

Lockheed Martin Takes Over former Astronaut Hall of Fame

Once the home to famed memorabilia, the building is being converted into a light manufacturing facility for the aerospace company.

Work has already begun at the site of the former U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame to convert it into a light manufacturing facility for Lockheed Martin. The 46,000-square-foot building which once taught people of all ages about the space program will now be used to help push the space program forward, back to the moon, and eventually on to Mars. The company plans to use the former building as a factory to build parts of the Orion spacecraft, the new NASA vehicle which will send astronauts to the Moon as part of the Artemis Missions.

  Heavy equipment is in the process of removing old material and leftover infrastructure which has remained in the former museum since Delaware North Companies moved the Hall of Fame over to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex four years ago. Inside the revamped facility, Lockheed Martin workers will conduct sub-assembly manufacturing and testing for Orion spacecraft thermal protection system (TPS), avionic harness cabling, and tubing for propulsion and the environmental control and life support system.

   In September 2019, Lockheed Martin won the follow-on contract to construct the Orion spacecraft beginning with the Artemis 3 mission, scheduled for launch in 2024. The contract is for the production and operation of six Orion missions, with the option of six additional missions that can be added later.

Get Ready for the All New Titusville.com

We are excited to give you a sneak peak at our new city website at Titusville.com, debuting in August! This new and improved site provides access to a myriad of city services, including online bill pay, employment applications, Talking Points magazine and video, and much, much more! 

In order to build the best website we can, we’ve partnered with CivicPlus, who works with over 4,000 municipalities, cities, counties, and other local governments across the country. They have also done work for several local cities, including Cocoa, Port Orange, Rockledge, and many more. 

The site has been redesigned to better accommodate visitors from mobile devices and ADA screenreading programs. With a new responsive design, we can’t wait to unveil what we’ve been working on.

Titusville’s New Mayor-Elect

Congratulations go out to Titusville Vice Mayor Dan Diesel, who ran unopposed for Mayor in the 2020 election. The qualifying period to run for mayor ended on May 28, 2020, resulting in Mr. Diesel automatically winning the seat.

    Mr. Diesel will be replacing outgoing Mayor Walt Johnson, who has served on the council for over 14 years, the last four of which were as Mayor. Mr. Johnson’s term ends on November 24, 2020.

   Mr. Diesel has served on council since 2016 and was a long-time teacher, football coach and athletic director for Titusville High School.

Social Media Milestone

The City of Titusville Youtube channel recently hit 1,000 subscribers and has become the first municipality on the Space Coast to do so!  We want to thank all of our subscribers! For informational videos on city services, council meetings, public service announcements, safety messages and more, check us out at Youtube.com/CityofTitusville

City Services Continue

City Staff Keep things moving forward during pandemic.

Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, city employees continued to serve our community to the best of their ability, despite the growing uncertainty of a global pandemic. Staff continued to provide essential services to citizens, sometimes remotely using modern technology. 

  Public Safety, Public Works, and Water Resources departments continued essential services with minimum disruptions. Community Development continued to work with the developers to keep the myriad projects coming to town from stalling out due to the virus. 

   We want to take a minute to thank city employees for all of the hard work that they do to keep the City of Titusville and all of its functions running smoothly.

COVID-19 EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM AVAILABLE IN TITUSVILLE

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) provided $185,292 in supplemental Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV) funding to the City of Titusville to respond to the coronavirus.
   On April 28, 2020, City Council authorized the use of these funds to provide emergency assistance to households who have been impacted by the COVID-19 Emergency Disaster, for rent and utilities.
 Effective June 1, 2020, the Neighborhood Services
Department will begin accepting applications from eligible households for assistance under the COVID-19 EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
   Applications are available in person at the Harry T. Moore
Social Service Center located at 725 S De Leon Avenue, or available by email upon request.
    The principal factors to be considered in receiving assistance through the program are:

•  Applicant is a resident of Titusville (city limits)

•  Applicant is at or below 80% of the current area  median income lists for the Palm Bay-Titusville-Melbourne statistical area.

•  Applicant can demonstrate assistance is required as a result of impacts from the virus.

•  Applicant can demonstrate loss of household income.

•  Applicant can demonstrate benefits under this program are not duplicative.

     For more information, you may contact the Neighborhood Services Department by email or call 321-567-3987.

City Clerk’s Office News:
2020 Titusville Community Service Award Recipient

On June 14, Joe Robinson was named the 2020 Titusville Community Service Award recipient at a ceremony held in conjunction with the City’s annual Flag 

Day Celebration.

   Mr. Robinson became Executive Director for North Brevard Charities Sharing Center, Inc. (NBCSC) in 1997, no one could have predicted the impact this would have for North Brevard Charities Sharing Center, Inc. NBCSC has acquired 37 rental properties that are used for emergency, transitional, short and long-term rentals and stabilization programs.

Other services provided are utility and rent assistance, food pantry, emergency dental, and weekly community dinners. Mr. Robinson oversees all operations of the Thrift Store, Harry T. Moore Social Services Center and the North Brevard Charities. The latest endeavor is the renovation of the Services Center House, a Titusville historical landmark located at 126 S. Grannis Avenue, that was bequeathed to NBCSC. This will be the future home for the Boys and Girls Club of Titusville.

  Mr. Robinson has served on countless volunteer housing and homelessness boards and is a proud Titusville Rotarian. He is an ordained minister and serves Antioch Christian Fellowship Baptist Church. Mr. Robinson has given many people a second chance when no one else would and has counseled many when they were at their wits end.

 The Community Service Award was established in memory of Reverend Harry R. Lee who served the City and community in many different capacities. Through his words and actions, he set an example for encouraging service and unity. Annually, nominations for the award are solicited from area schools, churches, and civic organizations as

well as from the community at large. Those nominated are recognized at the award ceremony and each receive a framed certificate. This year’s nominees for exceptional service to the community in addition to Barry Russell was Ed Rodriguez and Hollie Anderson.

Support Economic Development

Area businesses receive free face masks - North Brevard’s economic development partners, which include the City of Titusville, the Titusville Area Chamber of Commerce, and the North Brevard Economic Development Zone, have been working diligently to not only support local businesses, but also to safeguard the patrons that frequent and personnel that work in these businesses.

Through collaboration with the Florida Chamber of Commerce, the partners were able to secure 30,000 face masks to provide to local merchants on a complimentary basis. Each business is eligible to receive 100 masks, which can then be offered to staff members or customers in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 at area establishments. The Chamber is maintaining a list of those interested in obtaining additional masks if supplies remain available.

Residents encouraged to shop & buy local
In an effort to assist North Brevard businesses with weathering the effects of COVID-19, the City’s economic development office placed advertisements in local media outlets in an effort to encourage the community to patronize local establishments as often as possible for dining, purchasing goods and services, and other needs. The message is even more relevant today, so please continue to shop local whenever you can.

Those businesses wanting to further demonstrate their commitment to the safety of their patrons and their employees have been invited to sign “The Pledge.” A purely voluntary gesture, signing the pledge exhibits additional dedication to following the operating procedures and guidance from national health organizations, as well as the City and the Titusville Chamber. Businesses interested in signing the pledge can contact the Titusville Chamber and, upon executing the pledge, will be provided with a window decal so that visitors will know that they are serious about ensuring the wellbeing and security of those around them.

New website offers tips on reopening safely
The City and the Titusville Chamber recently launched a new website that includes a myriad of resources on how to reopen your business SAFELY in the midst of COVID-19. The site, RebootTitusville.com, went live on June 23, 2020, and will remain accessible as long as it is needed.

Weather Emergency Water Use

Severe storms can knock out electrical service. After the storm is over, power does not always return instantly nor does it always return to all of the city at the same time. You should wait until power returns throughout the city before using high water use fixtures such as washing machines and dishwashers. Everyday tasks like doing the laundry or washing dishes can overload sewer lift stations that are still without power.

   Lift stations move sewage from your house to our wastewater plants. Without electricity, lift station pumps cannot operate and the sewage does not move through the pipes. This results in sewage backing up into homes and businesses and overflowing into streets and waterways if waste keeps being put into the system.

   There are over 200 lift stations located throughout the city. About half of the lift stations in Titusville are owned and maintained by the City. Currently, permanent backup generators have been installed at 7 of these lift stations. Five portable generators are moved to various stations depending upon situational need. Use of the generators can be limited by the duration and strength of the storm, which can impact fuel supplies. Storm damage and flooding can also limit our ability to reach a lift station.

  The remaining lift stations are privately owned. Although they are inspected annually by the city, they are not required to have backup power and may not be prepared to handle extensive electrical outages.

   So, don’t let a weather emergency turn into a water emergency. Keep water use to a minimum during emergencies and wait until power returns throughout the city before resuming your normal cleaning schedule. For emergency water and sewer notifications go to www.titusville.com. 

What Should I Know About BOIL WATER NOTICES?

For over twenty years, Titusville’s water system as a whole has never lost system pressure as a result of a hurricane or storm. No matter the weather, Titusville’s water customers have been able to turn on the tap and have access to safe, drinkable water.

   To help ensure its residents have a reliable drinking water supply, Titusville’s Mourning Dove Water Treatment Facility is equipped with redundant pumps and backup electrical generators. During emergencies, essential personnel and treatment professionals are stationed at the plant on a continuous basis. 

     If a hurricane or emergency were to cause Titusville’s water distribution system pressure to drop to zero or a negative pressure, Titusville would issue a precautionary boil water notice (PBWN) because the pressure drop could cause conditions that would allow contaminants to enter the public water system through backflow by back-pressure or back-siphonage. The most likely scenario during a storm, however, is that the integrity of the water system will be maintained but that isolated water main breaks will occur as a result of overturned trees and other storm damage.

    If a PBWN is issued, it means there is a potential threat to the quality and safety of your drinking water. The notice provides information on what area is affected, what happened, when it happened, what is being done to fix it, what steps you need to take, and a contact phone number. A PBWN is issued in the form of a reverse 911 call (for large scale incidents) or a hand-delivered notice. In addition, the City posts notices on its website and provides news releases to local news media.

    Under a PBWN, water used for consumption (which includes drinking, brushing teeth, washing food, and ice) should be disinfected by one of the following methods:

• Bring tap water to a rolling boil for one (1) minute; or
• Put eight (8) drops (about 1/8th teaspoon) of common, unscented household bleach into a gallon of tap water in a food-grade container. Shake it, and allow it to stand for 30 minutes before drinking. If the water is cloudy, use sixteen (16) drops (about 1/4 teaspoon) of bleach. Shake it, and let it stand for 30 minutes. There should be a slight chlorine odor. The bleach should have 5 to 8 percent active ingredients; or
• Use water purification tablets or iodine available from sports and camping stores.

    Showering, baths, and shaving can be done with tap water, but the water should not be swallowed or allowed in eyes or nose or mouth. Bathing time should be minimized. Individuals with recent surgical wounds, are immunosuppressed, or have a chronic illness may want to use bottled or boiled water (that has cooled) for cleansing.

    A PBWN remains in effect while bacteriological tests are conducted to ensure the safety of the water. The important thing to remember is that a PBWN is a precaution done for your safety and the instructions in the notice must be followed to ensure that safety.

Titusville Fire Department News

New Fire Safety Videos

The pandemic may have put a temporary hold to our face to face public education and outreach opportunities but with social media at our finger tips it hasn’t come to a complete stop.  Life Safety Specialist, Kerri Lubeski has started to record her fire and life safety messages and post them to Facebook and YouTube so people can get the education from the comfort of their home. Our department believes that the best method of fire prevention is education. Take five to ten minutes and watch our Quick Tip videos and share them with your family and friends. Education, Planning and Preparation are key to keeping you and your loved ones safe. 

Find the Videos Online at

https://www.facebook.com/titusvillefire/

https://www.youtube.com/user/CityOfTitusville/videos

Beat the Heat

855 children have died due to Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke since 1998. All of these deaths could have been prevented. – Source noheatstroke.org 

It’s that time of year where the unfortunate happens to families all over the country. A child dies from heatstroke after being left in the car. This can happen to anyone at any time! The best method of protection is educating yourself and those who take care of your child to create reminders to look before you lock. Take the quiz to find out why do cars heat up, how children die in hot cars and what you can do. https://training.nsc.org/hot-cars/ 

For more information check out https://noheatstroke.org/

Completed Projects

Beach Bum Barber - Now open, Beach Bum Barber Company, located at 4400 South Hopkins Avenue. A formal ribbon cutting with the Titusville Chamber of Commerce is pending.

321 Produce - A fresh fruit and vegetable market recently opened their doors at 1315 South Washington Avenue.

Final Page Book Store - A new and used book store recently opened their doors at 3204 South Hopkins Avenue.

Blue Origin - Construction is now complete on two buildings at the Blue Origin Campus in Exploration Park – the Testing and Clearing Tanks Building and the Surface Coating Facility Building.

Let’s Roll Space Coast - The new 46,000-square-foot skating rink and entertainment center is now open near Publix on Garden Street.

Manatee Landing - The conversion of the former Randolph Inn into condominiums is complete at 3810 South Washington Avenue.

Hyatt Place Hotel - The new Hyatt Place hotel is now open at the corner of Riverfront Center Boulevard and US 1.

Salsa’s Restaurant at Titus Landing - Salsa’s Cocina Mexicana & Cantina recently held a soft opening and is now serving at Titus Landing.

Historic Spotlight - Draa Field

   Many long-time residents of Titusville will remember Draa Field, a place where local students came together to play sports throughout the years. Founded in the 1950s, Draa Field was donated to the City of Titusville by the Draa Family. Named after Titusville’s first city manager, C.A. “Blinker” Draa, the complex was originally used as a baseball facility for the Central East Coast Titusville Gulls and the Raleigh, N.C., Caps. It quickly became more well-known as the park where Astronaut and Titusville High School students met up to play football. 

   Today, the objective of the park is to provide a water quality benefit to the Indian River Lagoon and to reduce flooding within the basin. This facility provides a reduction in Nitrogen and Phosphorus leaving the system that helps meet the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements for the lagoon.  The Park, which serves as a trailhead to the East Central Regional Rail Trail, also has many amenities such as a walking trail, educational kiosks, renovated restrooms, and fountains.

Gone Too Soon

Local restaurateur who brought unique flavors and dining experiences will be greatly missed.

   Chef Larry, the popular local restaurateur known for amazing cuisine and the tiny cottage he turned into a food mecca, is being mourned by the entire city after passing away unexpectedly on June 16 at the young age of 59.

   Larry Berkowitz opened his tiny cafe over 11 years ago, and ever since has gained a reputation in the community for his quality food, and for his love of cars. He cared about people and even promoted and encouraged other restaurants in town. He always went the extra mile for his patrons to make them feel they were not just customers, but part of the family.

   He sometimes catered city functions and was always willing to go the extra mile. Thank you Chef Larry, for all you meant to Titusville. We will miss you.