Ever wonder what the City Council standing committees actually cover in their bimonthly meetings? Council President Daniel Davis recently issued a memorandum, describing in length what areas of City government the six standing committees cover.
Land Use and Zoning Committee — Land use and zoning matters, including zoning; preservation; conservation; building codes; urban renewal; real estate; land use; land, water and wetlands, preservation; water supply issues; comprehensive planning; strategic planning; current planning; growth management and implementation of state statutes regarding same; Landscape Commission; Planning and Development Department; appeals from Planning Commission decisions; growth management; transportation concurrency; school concurrency; water supply planning; monitoring and implementation of the new State growth management laws; actively participate in amending and updating Jacksonville’s Comprehensive Plan, including reviewing all text amendments and Future Land Use Map Amendments to the comprehensive plan; and all related subjects.
Finance Committee — Financial matters, including appropriations; budgets; budgetary transfers; taxes; fees; franchises; bonds; fiscal and investment policies; licensing; personnel; pensions; leases; Administration and Finance Department; Procurement Department; JEA financial issues; auditing; performance measurement and benchmarking; audits of the City and Independent Agencies; selection and retention of the auditor to perform the annual independent audit required by Section 5.11 of the Charter; TRUE Commission reports; and all related subjects.
Rules Committee — Matters relating to confirmation of nominations by the Council; Mayor and Sheriff; rules; laws; executive communications; resolutions; memorials; calendar; agenda; charter revision; governmental reorganization; City Council and School Board redistricting; elections; courts; consumer affairs; “J-Bills” and legislation before the Florida Legislature; and all unclassified subjects.
Recreation and Community Development Committee — Matters relating to recreation; public housing; economic development; affordable housing; farms; forestry; fish and game; parks; zoo; international trade and travel issues; Sister Cities program; Jacksonville Public Library; Parks; Recreation and Entertainment Department; Agriculture Department; Jacksonville Economic Development Commission; Jacksonville Housing Commission; Jacksonville Housing Authority; Community Services Department; ad valorem property tax exemptions; historic preservation; community revitalization; Waterways Commission; vessels for hire; Urban Services Districts; the Neighborhoods Department; education and schools; Duval County School Board; literacy issues; higher education institutions and issues; military bases; personnel and affairs; base realignment and closure (BRAC) issues; veterans’ issues; and all related subjects.
Transportation, Energy and Utilities Committee — Matters relating to roads and streets; Fair Share Assessments; transportation; transportation planning; multimodal transportation issues; intelligent transportation systems (ITS); First Coast MPO; railroads; deregulation of electric utilities; ambulances; towing; vehicles for hire; public utilities or utility- related services; JEA (water and sewer operations, chilled water operations, and other non-budgetary issues, power generation and distribution), Water and Sewer Expansion Authority; Public Works Department; refuse collection; environmental services; public parking; Environmental Resource Management Department; landfills; Jacksonville Transportation Authority; Jacksonville Aviation Authority; Jacksonville Port Authority; service quality improvement and public satisfaction with government services; advanced communication and technology use and “e-government”; and all related subjects.
Public Health and Safety Committee — Matters relating to the Jacksonville Children’s Commission; child services; public safety; motor vehicle inspections; collections; crime victim services; Sheriff’s Office; Fire and Rescue Department; emergency preparedness and civil defenses; hospitals; Health Department; human services; welfare; health; and all related subjects.