New town tangled in red tape

BY JEFF SCHWEERS
FLORIDA TODAY

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VIERA — Barely a week old, the new town of Grant-Valkaria has already hit a snag.

The fledgling government can’t issue building permits or enforce its own codes, and the county can’t help without changing its own codes, assistant county attorney Terri Jones said.

Before residents overwhelmingly approved incorporation of the two communities and adopted a charter, builders went through the county for permits.

“We thought we’d be able to have a pass-through of some kind,” said Lisette Kolar, one of the appointed council members.

But that can’t happen because the town charter is different from the county’s, she said.

The county may have to amend its own building code to include Grant-Valkaria until a permanent town council is elected in November and can decide how it wants to handle permitting, Jones said.

Brevard County commissioners discussed the problem today and voted to work with the town officials on a temporary arrangement until they could draft an interlocal agreement for when the new town council is elected in November.

The interim council meets Wednesday night.

The town also would have to adopt all the county regulations as its own and adopt any future regulations until the town is prepared to enforce its own codes, and create an ordinance establishing code enforcement procedures. The county has been very helpful in getting the town on its feet, Kolar said.