Palm Bay Council Approves Emerald Lakes East Phase I Plan, Development Agreement
Palm Bay council voted 4-0 to approve Emerald Lakes East Phase I and a related development agreement; fire station coverage drew the most debate.
Palm Bay City Council on Thursday night, Oct. 15, approved the final development plan for Emerald Lakes East Phase I, the next stage of the Emerald Lakes Regional Activity Center east of Interstate 95 along St. Johns Heritage Parkway SE.
Council voted 4-0 for Resolution 2026-24 (case FD26-00001, Excess Land Investment, LLC), then 4-0 again for the first hearing of a related development agreement with the developer. Councilman Kenny Johnson made both motions and Mayor Rob Medina seconded them. Councilman Chandler Langevin took part by phone.
City staff told council the phase covers 652 multifamily units, about 1.1 million square feet of nonresidential space including a 400-room hotel, and about 115 acres of open space, built in four sub-phases. The developer will extend St. Johns Heritage Parkway about 700 feet east to a new Workforce Boulevard and build that road north and south of the parkway, with a traffic signal at the intersection in a later phase.
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The development team said a large retailer and a corporate headquarters are lined up for the east side, and that with a retailer planned on the west side they expect about 1,000 direct permanent jobs. They estimated more than $20 million in impact fees for the east side, due when building permits are issued.
Fire coverage drew the most discussion. Under the plan, the developer must provide a battalion chief vehicle by the 200th residential certificate of occupancy and an aerial apparatus by the hotel's certificate of occupancy. Councilman Mike Hammer urged the city to pursue a permanent fire station for the area now. City Manager Matthew Morton said the city is still looking for a public-private partner willing to be repaid from impact fees, and representatives of the developer said they are open to joining that effort.
In other votes, all 4-0, council approved a variance allowing one additional wall sign on the west side of a planned Wawa at 2200 Malabar Road NW, passed Ordinance 2026-30 on final reading to clarify review criteria for conditional uses, and approved Ordinance 2026-42 on first reading to vacate part of a rear easement.
Source: City of Palm Bay, City Council Regular Meeting 2026-28 video (Oct. 15, 2026)
