The Brooksville City Council approved a new utility service agreement (USA) for Majestic Oaks and approved first reading of Ordinance 995 to add Majestic Oaks Partners LLC to the list of developments with assigned ERUs, voting 4-0 on both procedural items during the special meeting.

Staff described a 2005 USA for Majestic Oaks covering 687 residential units and 100,000 square feet of commercial space. City staff told the council that although many legacy USAs were treated as void if inactive for more than four years (per Ordinance 986 adopted September 16, 2024), Majestic Oaks presented circumstances and prior staff communications indicating the 2005 agreement had been recognized in later staff actions. City staff presented options, including requiring Majestic Oaks to pay new connection-fee rates or reinstating a new USA under updated terms. A staff recommendation was to issue a new USA under the new, higher fee schedule adopted earlier in the meeting.

Council and staff negotiated language permitting phased payment arrangements for developers who cannot pay all connection fees up front, with an explicit limitation: capacity reservations would apply only to the ERUs actually paid for at the time of payment. As presented to council, the 2005 connection-fee totals for 687 units (water and wastewater) were reported as $1,648,800; staff stated the updated connection-fee total for the same 687 units under the new rates would be higher by approximately $3,254,496, representing a material increase that staff said the city needs to fund wastewater capacity improvements.

Council then voted 4-0 to award a new utility service agreement to Majestic Oaks at the new connection-fee rates and to reflect the 2005 unit-count information (687 residential units and 75 commercial units as listed in the action language). The council also approved the first reading of Ordinance 995 by a 4-0 vote and scheduled the second and final reading for Feb. 3, 2025. The ordinance amendment adds Majestic Oaks to the list of subdivisions with an executed utility service agreement and modifies application rules for wastewater connection allocations.

During the discussion, Metro Development and Majestic Oaks representatives indicated they prefer to proceed under the new USA with a phasing schedule that staff said the new form allows. Council members expressed appreciation for staff work to reconcile legacy agreements and to enable a path forward that balances the city's need for capital with developers' financing realities.

Votes recorded on the motions were: Councilmember McKeithen — Aye; Councilmember Hallau — Aye; Councilmember Earhart — Aye; Mayor Tanner — Aye. Motion recorded as 4 to 0 in favor of awarding the new USA and for the ordinance first reading. Staff will return with the final ordinance language for second reading on Feb. 3, 2025.