Live Oak Economic Development Corporation members on Sept. 30 recommended that the City Council consider resolutions authorizing up to $2,404,121 in Economic Development Corporation (EDC) expenditures in the 2025–26 budget, city staff said.

The recommendations followed a series of public hearings on individual budget items; staff opened each hearing, summarized the request and closed the hearing after noting there were no members of the public who wished to speak. Miss Louder, EDC staff, told the board the public-comment period for the package runs 60 days and “that date will expire on December 2.”

The most expensive single item the board recommended for council consideration was $522,690 for work on the main park basketball pavilion. Miss Louder said the pavilion is “kind of aging” and added, “we are hoping to get a grant to contribute to that as well.” The board also recommended up to $300,000 to purchase future water rights; Louder said approving the request would increase the EDC’s available balance for water-rights purchases and that staff will provide the board’s regular annual report in January.

Votes were recorded for each recommendation. Most motions were carried without recorded opposition; one motion (park kayak launch pads) carried 5–1 with a single no vote recorded. The board did not receive substantive public comment during any of the hearings.

Votes at a glance: the board recommended that the City Council consider resolutions authorizing the following EDC expenditures for fiscal year 2025–26 (amounts as presented to the board): water-rights purchase — not to exceed $300,000 (recommendation passed); visual improvement program — not to exceed $100,000 (passed); business improvement grant — not to exceed $150,000 (passed); sand volleyball court — not to exceed $22,400 (passed); basketball pavilion — not to exceed $522,690 (passed); kayak launch pads — not to exceed $149,331 (passed, 5–1); municipal pool picnic stations — not to exceed $98,800 (passed); park picnic stations — not to exceed $131,800 (passed); main-park gazebo — not to exceed $65,900 (passed); site work and professional services (park) — not to exceed $320,300 (passed); park fitness structure — not to exceed $137,000 (passed); park erosion & beautification design — not to exceed $405,900 (passed).

Details and context

- Water rights: Miss Louder described the water-rights request as an annual item the EDC pursues to keep parcels available for future development. She told the board the EDC has been unable to purchase additional rights in recent years because leases were not available and that staff supports the recommendation. Louder said the public-comment period closes Dec. 2 and that, if the board’s recommendations move forward, the City Council will see the resolutions for their first reading on Oct. 14.

- Park projects and grants: The packet included multiple park-related projects drawn from the city’s master park plan that staff said were reviewed during a prior budget workshop. The requests included site work and design, amenities such as picnic stations and a fitness structure, and erosion and beautification design. Louder noted that several projects are intended as city beautification and quality-of-life investments and that some projects may be supplemented by outside grants.

- Process notes: Staff opened and closed each public hearing after confirming there were no speakers. For the water-rights item Louder said these hearings start an open-comment period that runs 60 days. The board made recommendations to forward the resolutions to City Council; the board’s recommendation does not itself enact the expenditures. Council action would be required for final approval.

What’s next

The board recommended the resolutions be forwarded to the City Council; staff said the council would receive the resolutions for initial consideration on Oct. 14 and that the public-comment window on the package ends Dec. 2. Staff also said the EDC will deliver its regular annual report to the board in January.