Titusville Resolution 25-2026: City Council Vote on U.S. Space Academy Location on October 27

The Titusville City Council will meet on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. to consider Resolution No. 25-2026. The resolution states the city's support for a Titusville location for the proposed United States Space Academy. It asks the State of Florida to evaluate Titusville as part of the state's effort to host the academy. It also authorizes the City Manager to coordinate with state, county, federal and private partners. The item is New Business item 12.A on the agenda. Staff recommends approval.

What Resolution No. 25-2026 Would Do

The draft resolution in the agenda packet is titled a resolution indicating the city's interest in being considered and selected as a location for the proposed United States Space Academy. The draft in the packet does not yet show a number. The agenda and staff report list it as Resolution No. 25-2026.

The recitals say Titusville is on Florida's Space Coast near the John F. Kennedy Space Center. They say the city has a longstanding relationship with the nation's space program. They also point to the city's ties to the regional aerospace industry, including its proximity to SpaceX and Blue Origin. The recitals state that the City Council intends to request consideration as a suitable location while preserving review requirements and the city's authority over future commitments.

Section 2 states that the City Council supports consideration and selection of a suitable location within the city for the academy. It requests that the State of Florida evaluate Titusville as part of its effort to host the academy.

Section 3 authorizes the City Manager, or a designee, to coordinate with several groups. These are the Governor's Office or its designated representative, Space Florida, Brevard County, appropriate federal representatives, and education and industry partners. The purpose is to share the city's interest and provide information on potential sites, infrastructure and community assets. This work must stay within existing authority and appropriations.

Section 4 directs the City Manager to coordinate an evaluation of potential sites. The evaluation covers the Comprehensive Plan, zoning, master plan and development requirements. It includes the city's Planned Industrial Development provisions. The City Manager is to present any recommended changes and their costs to City Council for further consideration.

Section 6 directs the City Clerk to send a signed copy of the resolution to several officials. The list includes the Governor of Florida and the Governor's designated representative for the academy initiative, if one is named. It also includes Space Florida, the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners, the members of Congress who represent Titusville, and the NASA Administrator. The copy to NASA is for distribution to the Presidential Commission as appropriate. The resolution says the transmittal is to be coordinated with the state's submission process. Under Section 7, the resolution takes effect immediately upon adoption.

The Executive Order and NASA's Request for Information

Executive Order 14423, Establishing the United States Space Academy, was signed on August 28, 2026. It was published in the Federal Register on September 3, 2026. The order creates the Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy. The NASA Administrator chairs the commission.

The order describes the Space Academy as a proposed NASA-led federal academy. It would combine technical education with leadership development, discipline and a commitment to public service. Within 120 days of the order, the commission must send the President a report with key details for setting up the academy. That report must include recommendations on governance, curriculum, service obligations for graduates and requirements for applicants. It must also include the process for selecting the academy's permanent physical location.

NASA then issued a Request for Information to the states. The staff report says NASA's announcement was dated September 10. Under the request, each state may submit one official response. The Governor must designate in writing both the entity that prepares the response and a State Selecting Official who endorses it. NASA says the responses will inform the commission's path toward selecting a location. The request lists three goals. These are to identify potential sites for a permanent campus with a groundbreaking no later than 2027, to find interim options so instruction can begin in 2028, and to explore the costs and possible state, local and other partnerships. NASA's news release says the request calls for a permanent location in operation by 2031. The request also says a separate announcement for formal proposals may be issued later.

The staff report says the response deadline is October 26. NASA's news release, updated on October 14, 2026, says the deadline was extended to Monday, November 16, 2026, at 6 p.m. EST. The listing for the request on SAM.gov also shows the extension to November 16.

What the Staff Report Says

The staff report is from City Manager Thomas Abbate, and the item falls under the Economic Development office. It says that on September 22, 2026, Council directed staff to add an agenda item on the city's options for bringing the academy to Titusville. The report says Council also discussed drafting a resolution in support and amending the code for the Planned Industrial Development zoning district.

According to the report, a Titusville location could connect advanced education and research with the nearby aerospace economy. Staff proposes presenting three points as reasons for consideration. These are the city's proximity to Kennedy Space Center, its industrial employment base, and potential education and industry partnerships.

The report also states that several items need confirmation before they can be included as commitments in a proposal. These are site availability, institutional partnerships, infrastructure capacity and financial terms. The report lists "Other direction" as the alternative. The fields for budget and source of funds are blank. The packet includes a copy of the Executive Order and the draft resolution.

Limits in Section 5 and the October 27 Meeting

Section 5 of the resolution sets out what it does not do. It does not select or approve a particular parcel. It does not amend the Comprehensive Plan or the Land Development Regulations. It does not grant a development approval or convey, reserve or encumber property. It does not award an incentive, waive a fee or commit city funding. The resolution states that any such action would be subject to applicable law, required review and separate authorization. It also states that it does not authorize any promise of guaranteed permitting, site readiness or infrastructure capacity.

The agenda includes a time for petitions and requests from the public on items not on the agenda. It notes that anyone who wants to appeal a Council decision may need a verbatim record of the meeting. Under section 286.26, Florida Statutes, any physically handicapped person who wants to attend should submit a written request to the chairperson at least 48 hours before the meeting.

The staff report's recommended action is to approve Resolution No. 25-2026 in support of a Titusville location for the proposed United States Space Academy. The City Council meets Tuesday, October 27, 2026, at 6:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber at City Hall, 555 S. Washington Ave., Titusville.