EDGEWATER, FL — As the Edgewater City Council prepares to vote on the potential repeal of its building moratorium, one resident is calling on city leaders to stand firm—and go even further.
Raymond Jaroszewski, known to many locals as Ray Jaro, submitted a passionate open letter to Mayor Michael Depew ahead of tonight’s council meeting. In it, Jaroszewski urges the mayor and council members not only to preserve the moratorium, but to expand it and join a growing legal challenge against Florida Senate Bill 180.
> “It is your job to look out for the citizens of Edgewater, to fight for the Citizens of Edgewater, to represent the Citizens of Edgewater,” Jaroszewski writes. “Don’t let Senate Bill 180 take away the rights of the citizens of Edgewater to help determine the future of our city.”
Senate Bill 180, passed earlier this year, limits the ability of local governments to enforce certain zoning restrictions and development moratoriums. Supporters argue it streamlines housing growth and addresses statewide shortages. Critics, including Jaroszewski, say it undermines local control and accelerates overdevelopment.
Jaroszewski cites rising insurance rates, flooding, and declining home values as consequences of unchecked growth. He calls on Mayor Depew to honor his campaign promises to protect the environment and hold developers accountable.
> “Being a leader requires more than showing up and casting a vote,” he writes. “It is your job to reach out and convince other city officials to do the right thing—to put your career on the line if need be.”
The letter paints a vivid picture of Edgewater’s natural beauty and tight-knit community, warning against the encroachment of “gas stations, red lights, traffic, strip malls and smoke shops.” Jaroszewski argues that zoning laws are the city’s strongest tool to shape its future and preserve its character.
> “We need development slowed down to a crawl and new thought processes applied,” he writes. “We need our elected officials to put their constituents first, to put our quality of life first, to put Florida, its people, its land, its water first.”
The City Council is expected to hear public comment tonight before voting on the moratorium’s fate. Jaroszewski’s letter has already sparked conversation among residents and advocates concerned about the pace and impact of development.
Whether city leaders will heed the call remains to be seen.
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📣 Want to share your thoughts on Senate Bill 180 or the building moratorium? Edgewater Community News welcomes letters to the editor and community commentary.
Disclaimer: The following article includes excerpts from an open letter is by Raymond Jaroszewski, a homeowner in Edgewater, Florida. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial stance of Edgewater Community News.
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