City of Bonita Springs, City council meeting of September 9, 2026

The City Council meeting of Bonita Springs, Florida, held on September 9, 2026, focused primarily on fiscal year 2026-2027 budget and tax rate approvals, including the tentative ad valorem millage rate set at 0.8470 mills to fund stormwater, transportation, environmental, and capital projects. The council adopted the tentative budget totaling approximately $52.5 million across all funds. Discussions included the approval of a parking demand study for downtown Bonita Springs, with plans to issue a solicitation for qualified consultants to assess current and future parking needs, potentially informing future public-private partnership opportunities for parking garage development. The council also approved preliminary steps to support downtown arts and cultural development, including potential expansion of artist cottages and related planning efforts without immediate funding requests. Additionally, the council authorized moving forward with a $35 million general obligation bond issuance to finance acquisition and capital improvements for the Bonita Asterero Rail Trail. Other agenda items included approval of special event permits, use of the city logo for promotional purposes, and adoption of the city master plan incorporating recent trail projects. No direct contract awards or vendor selections were made during this meeting, but several procurement-related action items were initiated, such as the parking study solicitation and bond issuance authorization.