News

NOTICE OF PRE-BID MEETING CANCELLATION
Town of Penney Farms Waterline Replacement Project
CDBG Grant # 23DB-N14

Due to the impending approach of Hurricane Helene and its projected impact, the posted mandatory pre-bid meeting scheduled for September 27, 2024, at 10:00 AM local time at the Town of Penney Farms Town Hall, 4100 Clark Avenue, Penney Farms, Florida 32079, has been CANCELLED. The safety and well-being of all participants is our top priority.

However, the Town will still receive sealed submitted bid packages for the Town of Penney Farms Waterline Replacement Project CDBG Grant No. 23DB-N14, up to and no later than 10 AM, October 21, 2024, at the Town Hall office.

We will reschedule a virtual meeting once it is safe to do so and will provide you with the new date and time as soon as possible. The virtual meeting is anticipated to be rescheduled within the next week or two, with information posted on the Town’s website.  

In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact the Town at 904-529-9078 or email  [email protected] for additional information.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

NOTICE – PUBLIC HEARINGS

THE TOWN OF PENNEY FARMS will be holding the following public hearings concerning the Future
Land Use Amendment for the property located at 3421 State Road 16 West, RE# 16-06-25-021733-001-
03, from Residential Medium Low Density to Institutional/Governmental:

• Planning and Zoning Board – Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 6:30 p.m.
• Town Council – Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at 7:00 p.m.

All public hearings will be held at the Penney Farms Town Hall, 4100 Clark Avenue, Penney Farms, FL.
Interested parties may appear at the hearings and be heard with respect to the Future Land Use Map
amendment. After the public hearings, the Planning and Zoning Board or the Town Council may take
immediate action on the proposed Future Land Use Map amendment, or may continue its deliberations to a date, time and place then announced without publishing further notice thereof. A copy of the
application for the proposed Future Land Use Map amendment is available for inspection by the public at
the Penney Farms Town Hall, between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday,
excluding legal holidays.

Pursuant to Section 286.0105, Florida Statutes, a person deciding to appeal any decision made by the
Planning and Zoning Board or the Town Council with respect to any matter considered at the hearings is
advised that such person will need a record of all proceedings and may need to ensure that a verbatim
record of all proceedings is made, which must include the testimony and evidence upon which the appeal
is to be based.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person needing accommodations to
participate in this matter should contact the Penney Farms Town Clerk at (904) 529-9048, no later than
three (3) days prior to the hearings for which this notice has been given.

PENNEY FARMS – The Florida Rural Water Association selected the Town of Penney Farms as the 2020 winner of the Small Public Water System of the Year Award.

“Basically, you have to be in good standing with the department of environmental protection; make sure you don’t have any deficiencies and are in good standing with them,” said Ben Lewis, Program Manager for the Florida Rural Water Association. “You are a member of the Florida Rural Water Association. That’s the two main criteriums. And that you are under population 3,300 for that small system award.”

About two months before the award is given, all Florida Rural Association members are notified that they can submit their applications for recognition.

Penney Farms applied for – and eventually won – the Small Public Water System of the Year Award.

“Utilizing Florida Rural Water. We have an asset management plan,” said Anita Cooper, Penney Farms Town Clerk, of some of the different components in place for the town, which led to the receipt of the award. “All of our items regarding our water lines, sewer lines; all of our utilities are now on a program called Diamond Map, which is a web-based program that you can click on, and it’ll show you where everything is.

“Every time we do a repair, we can put that information into that system. It brings up work order systems, education, and training for different parts of the water system.”

Cooper says that using all of FRW’s services and recommendations were vital in getting to a compliance point that led to becoming the award winner.

Penney Farms has about 250 customers. The water and sewer system are generally outdated, but the town has continued to work on it.

Lewis estimates that for this year, seven small water systems applied for the award. Penney Farms stood out from its competitors by the initiatives it took. It began using the Diamond Maps software, which streamlined their processes and kept better records of the work being done on their water system.

“The award is a direct snapshot of how well the public has a good staff, how well the money has been spent wisely, so it’s a benefit not only to the staff to be recognized but a benefit to the members of the town of Penney Farms to know that their system is being well maintained and their money is being spent correctly and wisely to do that,” said Lewis.

“I think we’ve used every resource they [FRW] have,” said Cooper. “From cost analysis to rate studies. We did water samples; we have really good water here.”

Most residents of the town are not yet aware that the award was won. Cooper said it will soon be on the town website.