City of Edgewater, Florida

7:00 AM - 5K Walk/Run -- City Hall
4:00 PM - Blood Drive -- Riverside Drive
4:00 PM - Live music, food, kid’s games,  vendors -- Menard-May Park
Dusk - Fireworks display -- George R. Kennedy Park

4th of July is just days away and the Edgewater Fire-Rescue Association has a day of fun planned.  The annual event, a tradition in the community for over 50 years, nearly did not happen this year.  Thanks to the generous support of the local business community and residents enough money was raised to “save the fireworks”.  

The day will begin with a 5K walk/run, co-sponsored by the Southeast Volusia YMCA, along South Riverside Drive.  Participants may sign up in advance at the Southeast Volusia YMCA or at 6 AM on the day of the event.  T-shirts are provided for the first 150 participants. 

The 9:00 AM dedication ceremony at the recently upgraded George R. Kennedy Park has been postponed to a later date.   Live music will be provided by local acts Greg Reyman and The Close Enough Band. The live entertainment will culminate with a nearly two-hour set by AcoustiCon.  Jam Magazine calls the music of locals Brad Sayre and David Simmons “The most unique, exciting and soul stirring instrumental music you will ever hear.”  Vendors will be offering all sorts of tasty treats from BBQ, burgers, popcorn and ice cream.  There will also be over a dozen other vendors offering information, goods and services. Three large inflatables will be available for children as well as a smaller inflatable for the little ones.   Florida’s Blood Centers “Big Red Bus” will be on hand from 4 PM to 8 PM and will be providing free Regal Cinema movie tickets to all donors.  The day will culminate with a spectacular fireworks show by Zambelli Fireworks that is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser.

Free parking is available at southern corner Lamont Street and US 1 as well as the Edgewater Cemetery on South Ridgewood Avenue.  Handicap parking (permit required) is provided at Edgewater City Hall (Park Avenue and Riverside Drive).  George R. Kennedy Park and its boat ramps will be closed to the public from midnight July 3rd until the morning of July 5th.   There will be no public parking at Menard-May Park.  Visitors are asked to cease using the public grills at Menard-May Park by 2 PM on July 4th.  Private fireworks are not permitted and present an extreme safety hazard. 

Mark Saturday, July 4th on your calendar and come spend it with your family, friends and neighbors in Edgewater!!

For more event information or to inquire about vendor space, please call 424-2445.

As a landowner on the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) you are invited to take part in an effort to restore natural habitat on the privately owned shoreline along the river. The Marine Discovery Center (MDC) invites you to help us make a difference.  

Did you know?

• Invasive species, such as Brazilian pepper, displace native plants and have a negative impact on the unique Florida ecosystem.
• When you use fertilizer, herbicides, or pesticides on your lawn, runoff during periods of rain or from irrigation can enter the river directly from your yard or via a stormwater drain. Excess nutrients from fertilizer can cause harmful algal blooms that deplete the water of oxygen, while herbicides and pesticides can harm wildlife.
• One oyster can filter 60 gallons of water per day. Healthy oyster beds help maintain a clean river, but many oyster beds in our area have been lost due to increased boat wake.
• Native plants are better adapted to the humidity, high temperatures, and nutrient poor soils in Florida and often require less irrigation and fertilizer/pesticides than exotic species.
• Many studies following events such as Hurricane Katrina and the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia have shown that communities buffered by mangrove wetlands were strikingly less damaged than those areas without mangroves. Mangroves provide important habitat for a variety of invertebrates and fish and can provide substantial protection against hurricanes for those who live on the water. Mangroves planted waterward of a seawall can increase the life of the structure by bearing the brunt of the storm.

How to get involved:

• The Community Stewardship program seeks to educate shoreline landowners and engage them to restore their private shorelines. If you don’t own shoreline property, you can still participate as a volunteer. MDC volunteers are available to assist shoreline landowners with various tasks, such as removing Brazilian pepper, planting native vegetation, and oyster restoration. Please contact Stephanie Wolfe at (386)428-4828 or email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Public workshops will be held throughout the year. Please visit our website at www.marinediscoverycenter.org to view the calendar for workshop dates. We also wish to meet with individual landowners at their property to conduct a shoreline audit, to educate, and to make recommendations on shoreline restoration. Please contact Stephanie Wolfe to schedule an appointment for a shoreline audit.
• You will learn: how to identify invasive species, what herbicides are best to remove certain invasive plants, how to identify the different types of mangroves and how to plant them, what native plants would be suitable for your yard, the details of oyster restoration, the effects of polluted runoff, and much more!

This publication was funded in part, through a grant agreement from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Coastal Management Program, by a grant provided by the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration No. NA08NOS4190415. The views, statements, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the State of Florida, NOAA or any other of their subagencies. November 2008

The City of Edgewater is currently seeking anyone interested in serving on a City Board or Committee.

Applications can be obtained on the City’s website at www.cityofedgewater.org, by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at 386-424-2400 or at City Hall, 104 N. Riverside Drive.

The Boards currently with vacancies are:
Citizen Code Enforcement
The Citizen Code Enforcement Board consists of seven members, with three-year terms.  The Board meets monthly on the third Thursday at 2:00 p.m.  Board members must be City residents for at least one year prior to appointment, unless no qualified candidate applies for membership.  Members may not be City employees or serve on other City Boards or Committees.

The Board functions shall include, but not be limited to: having the authority to hear and decide alleged violations of the City Code of Ordinances, including but not limited to:  All areas of jurisdiction set forth in Chapters 162, 489 and 553 F.S.; Chapter 10, Article II – Noise; Chapter 10, Article III – Cleanliness and Sanitation of Premises; Chapter 10, Article IV – Sewage Disposal; Chapter 11 – Occupational License; Chapter 12, Article II – Garage Sales; Chapter 12, Article III – Alarm Systems; Chapter 15 – Streets and Sidewalks; Chapter 21 – Land Development Code.

Construction Regulation
The Citizen Construction Regulation Board consists of seven members, with three-year terms.  Five members shall be representative of the following:  Florida licensed general contractor; Florida licenses architect or structural engineer; Florida licensed property or casualty agent; Florida certified fire inspector or firefighter and a citizen at large.  The remaining two members shall be chosen from the following Florida licensed contractors:  electrical, plumbing and air conditioning.  The architect shall be other than a landscape architect.  

The Board meets monthly on the third Thursday in January, March, May, July, September, and November at 7:00 p.m.  Board members must be City residents for at least one year prior to appointment, unless no qualified candidate applies for membership.  Members may not be City employees or serve on other City Boards or Committees.

The Board functions shall include, but not be limited to: review the building, fire and other related technical code and policies; hear appeals of a decision or action of the Building Official or Fire Chief; provide recommendations to the City Council on building and construction related matters; exercise disciplinary control and oversight over locally licensed contractors.

Economic Development
The Economic Development Board consists of nine members, with three-year terms.  The Board meets monthly on the first Wednesday at 8:00 a.m.  Board members shall be a resident of the City, work within the City, or own property or a business within the City of Edgewater.  Members may not be City employees or serve on other City Boards or Committees.

The purpose of the Board shall be to formulate plans for use and development of property for industrial development; promote the City as a prospective site for industry and provide support for existing businesses.

The fireworks celebration will be held this year thanks in great part to a group of local business owners, spearheaded by Robert Skelton of Fantastic Design Group, who formed the “Friends of the Fireworks” committee in an attempt to give the fundraising effort a much-needed boost.  The  “Save Edgewater’s 4th of July Fireworks” benefit held on Saturday, April 25th was a huge success.   By the end of the day, Edgewater Fire-Rescue Association’s coffers were only approximately $2000 short of the needed $12,500.  The event itself raised over $5,000.  Residents from all over Southeast Volusia County attended the benefit and made it a success.  The current total of funds raised is just over the $12,500 necessary to fund the fireworks display. Any additional monies raised will be used to provide free entertainment, such as live music and games for children, at the event.  Donations, all of which are tax exempt, are still be accepted at the Fire Administration office (1605 South Ridgewood Avenue) or via mail (PO Box 100, Edgewater, FL  32132). 

 The Edgewater Fire-Rescue Association would like to thank the following donors who
“saved the fireworks” this year through their generous support and donations.

The Friends of the Fireworks
·    Fantastic Design Group
·    Bridgeton Deli/Market
·    Advanced Heat and Air
·    MH Audio
·    Squeals on Wheels BBQ
·    Omni Printing
·    Party World
·    Reddy Ice
·    Edgewater Rent-All
·    Party Time Inflatables
·    Chick-fil-A of Edgewater
·    Firestore Online
·    Payne Brothers Band
·    Close Enough Band
·    Coca-Cola

Silver Sponsor ($1000)
·    Chick-Fil-A (corporate)

Bronze Sponsor ($500-$999)
·    B & C Sign
·    Edgewater CAPS (Citizens Assisting Police)
·    Ron’s General Carpentry, Inc.
·    Edgewater Rotary Club
·    Shiny Brite Car Wash

Business ($100-$499)
·    Aqua Park Aquatic Center
·    BJ’s Flowers
·    BMC Classics
·    Mr. And Mrs. Tracey Barlow
·    Bob Herrold’s All Season Pools
·    Susan Bradley – Collado Real Estate
·    Michelle and Scott Browning
·    Bulldog Windows and Doors
·    Roger and Sandra Bushnell
·    Jamie Calkins – Edward Jones
·    Denise Campion
·    Lorraine Cevasco
·    Nona Conger
·    Cut Above Designs
·    D. Peterson, Inc.
·    DeLoach and Peterson, P.A.
·    Milford Dinter
·    Donatti Building and Roofing
·    Dustin’s BBQ
·    Edgewater Powerboats
·    Edgewater Yard Shop
·    Exlin
·    First Presbyterian Church of New Smyrna Beach
·    Florida Homes and Land
·    Fraternal Order of Eagles
·    Gene Kelly and Sons
·    Marcia and Larry Harris
·    Hatz Company Industries
·    Hendricks Printing
·    Wayne Hubbel and Maryalice Ditzler
·    Jared Vaughn, LLC
·    Jimz Fix It Shop
·    Randy and Diane Killian
·    Kim’s Kleaning Service
·    Joel and Denise Kroyer
·    Lindley’s Nursery and Garden Center
·    Little Drug Company
·    Magnolia Properties
·    Malonys Oyster Bar
·    McKenna’s Place
·    McLeod Orthopedic Clinic, P.A.
·    Letza and Peter Nagy
·    Night Swan Bed and Breakfast
·    New Smyrna Beach Lions Club
·    Osborne Hardware
·    Outpost Majestic
·    Victoria Perkins
·    Preferred Electrical
·    Rena’s Insurance
·    Robert S. Thurlow, P.A.
·    Ropp’s Auto Electric
·    Sea Scouts/Ship 495
·    Smyrna Yacht Club
·    Stavro’s Pizza
·    Stuart’s Car Care Center
·    Tax Doctors of Volusia County
·    Betty Tillinger
·    P.J. Warmack
·    William Rossiter
·    WSBB

Family ($25-$99)
·    American Hardware
·    Achilles, Marcella
·    Miller and Dean, MD
·    Mark and Brenda Dewees
·    Bob and Kelly Dunaja
·    Janet Garnsey and Dianne Peters
·    Georgette Harris
·    Betty Kormylo
·    Nora Metz
·    Daniel and Doris Miller
·    Elizabeth Peters
·    Brenda Phillips
·    Raymond and Lorna Reed
·    Dale Robinson
·    State Farm – Buddy Davenport
·    Jenny Sylvester
·    Teddy’s Family Restaurant
·    Butch Williams
·    Mike Visconti

You may look at this time of year as a lot of work or you could look at it as a great time to save money and help protect your environment, by using your yard debris instead of buying mulch and commercial fertilizers.  Leaves can be used as mulch or used in your compost pile for the making of great “black gold” soil to use in your flower pots, flower beds, or gardens, etc.  

What is the difference between composting and mulching?

• Composting is a natural process of decomposition and the recycling of organic material into a rich soil amendment.
• Mulching is placing any material (leaves, pine needles, wood chips, paper, and rocks) over the soil to reduce the soil moisture evaporation, insulate plant roots from extreme temperature changes, reduce erosion and suppress weed growth.

You may prefer to have your yard debris picked up by the City’s Environmental Services Department.

General guidelines:   

• Please place bags and/or containers to the curb on WEDNESDAY (except Holiday weeks) for pick up.
• All grass clipping, leaves, and pine needles MUST be bagged or contained to eliminate the possibility of interfering with the stormwater drainage system.
• Do not mix loose laying yard debris with your bagged or contained yard debris. (Keep separated for separate pick ups)
• All grass clippings, leaves, and pine needles bags or containers must be free of any other type of waste.
• Keep all bagged or contained yard debris at curbside not blocking your mailbox, driveway, or drainage swale/ditch area in front of your own home.

Yard debris is defined as: grass clippings, leaves, shrubbery and tree cuttings, pine needles, palm fronds, etc.sd

Check out the Event Calendar for FREE 2009 Educational Seminars.

All seminars are located indoors at Full Moon Natives, 1737 Fern Park Drive, Port Orange, Florida.

Seminars are FREE to the public—reservations are requested to make sure handouts are available for each participant.

Refreshments and light snacks will be provided.

RSVP by calling 386-212-9923 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

***Edgewater Residents***
When you attend one of these classes make sure to sign in, the Edgewater Environmental Services Department will be using it as part of the NPDES Educational Outreach permit requirements.

Rain barrel and washing machine rebates are now available from The Water Authority of Volusia

The Water Authority of Volusia is offering a limited number of $20 rebates for rain barrels and $100 rebates for low water volume front-loading washing machines that are purchased after November 1, 2008

To be eligible, you must:

• Be a resident of Daytona Beach Shores; DeBary; DeLand; Deltona; Edgewater; Holly Hill; Ponce Inlet; Port Orange; Orange City; Ormond Beach; South Daytona or unincorporated Volusia County
• Purchase the rain barrel or washing machine after November 1, 2008
• Complete rebate form (available for download at www.WAVh2o.com, or call WAV at 386-226-0422 x 27)
• Provide proof of purchase
• Provide a copy of the most recent water bill from your utility, bill must be current.

Details available at www.WAVh2o.com or call WAV at 386-226-0422 x 27.

• Any brand of washing machine is eligible, as long as it is a front loading low-volume water conserving appliance.
• Any brand of rain barrel is eligible, and barrels can be purchased from any source, as long as the barrel will contain a minimum of 50 gallons. A list of vendors/commercial operations known to provide rain barrels can be found in Volusia County on the WAV web site.
• NOTE: Purchasers are solely responsible for the installation and compliance with all laws, rules, and regulations of any governmental entity or homeowner’s association. WAV does not warrant or otherwise guarantee the rain barrel or washing machine or its operation.
• WAV or representative of the local government agency utility may inspect the installation of the rain barrel or washing machine within six months of installation.
• Rebate checks will be issued within 30 days of receipt of the documents to those who have met the requirements. The program is available on a first-come, first-served basis until a total of 150 rain barrel rebates and 70 washing machine rebates have been issued.

We invite you to join us in a series of workshops dedicated to creating a new vision for the future of Edgewater. Envision Edgewater is a highly participatory process in which residents are asked to envision an Edgewater with the qualities and characteristics they feel are important to achieving a high quality of life. Led by the Central Florida Sustainable Communities Initiative (CFSCI), the workshops will provide every citizen with the opportunity to help create a plan for Edgewater’s future. Have a passion for parks? Want an active, safe and fun downtown? We want to hear about it! Click here for more information.