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Brevard County, Florida
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Brevard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the population is 534,359. Influenced by the presence of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Brevard County is also known as the Space Coast.
The official county seat has been located in Titusville since 1894, although most of the county's administration is performed from Viera. Brevard County has more than one county courthouse and sheriff's office because of its elongated north-south county lines.
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Encyclopedia
Brevard County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2007 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the population is 534,359. Influenced by the presence of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Brevard County is also known as the Space Coast.
The official county seat has been located in Titusville since 1894, although most of the county's administration is performed from Viera. Brevard County has more than one county courthouse and sheriff's office because of its elongated north-south county lines. Hence, government services are not centralized in one location, as they are in many American counties.
History
Humans have occupied the county for 12,000 years and the Ais inhabited Brevard when the Spanish explorers discovered the area. Juan Ponce de León is said to have arrived in Florida at the shores of the future county in 1513.
The last naval battle of the American Revolutionary War was fought off the shores of Cape Canaveral in 1783, between the USS Alliance and the HMS Sybill.
"Mosquito County" was formed while the state was still a territory, and on some maps was absorbed into an unofficial "Leigh Read" county between 1839 and 1845. This eventually became three new counties one of which was "Saint Lucia County" on March 14, 1844 - it was renamed Brevard County in 1855 after Theodore Washington Brevard, who served as State Comptroller from 1854 to 1860. In 1905 St. Lucie County was created from the southern third of the county.
In the 1800s, the Hernandez-Capron Trail passed through the county. And in the early 1900s the Union Cypress Railroad was built from present day Lipscomb Rd and University Blvd west of Deer Park.
On Christmas Day 1951, Harry T. and Harriette V. Moore (founders of the
local NAACP and Civil Rights activists) were slain by a bomb, well before the "Civil Rights Era. "Florida's Attorney General has offered a reward and established a hotline to solve the slaying.
The Brevard justice center is named after them as a memorial.
In 1989, county administration was moved to a government complex at Viera, as part of a mid-county development project that included a Baseball Spring Training complex at Space Coast Stadium, and a master-planned community, known as Viera.
In 2008, Tropical Storm Fay dropped a record of rain northwest of Melbourne. The storm caused widespread flooding in the south county area.
In 2008, the county elected its first black county commissioner, Robin Fisher, who won based on the votes of whites, since there is no "black district."
Law and government
Brevard county commissioners are elected by the public to establish ordinances and policies for the county. The Commission appoints a County Manager, who executes the will of the Commission. The county employed about 2,900 workers in 2009.
A centrally located County Government Center in Viera houses the various county government branches, including Housing and Human Services, Juvenile Justice, Public Safety, Public Works and Solid Waste Management. County and school board meetings are televised, and the public is present for all city and town council meetings.
The various cities, towns and villages of Brevard have varying reliance on services provided by the Brevard County government.
The Brevard County government has annual expenditures approximately $1.16 billion, exclusive of the municipalities. Real estate taxes for resident homeowners are less than 2% of the real value of the
property. The total taxable real estate base was expected to be $37.9 billion in 2008. County taxes rose 26.5% in total per capita revenue from 2002-2007, and 49.8% in property tax per capita in the same time frame.
The ex officio Space Coast League of Cities suggests legislation to its representatives.
The Brevard Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is composed of senior locally elected municipal and county officials. This local multi-jurisdictional agency decides where federal and state road money will be used.
Various elected officials call unofficial "town meetings" to allow the public to express their concerns about issues that the officials should address.
The Brevard County Housing Authority acquires and leases housing projects; investigates housing conditions; determines where slums and unsafe housing exist and investigates conditions dangerous to the public. It is managed by citizens appointed by the county commission.
Brevard County has two unique election districts. One governs Port Canaveral; the other, the operation of the Sebastian Inlet Recreation Park.
The Canaveral Port Authority is an independent governmental agency created by the Florida Legislature. Five elected commissioners representing the five port regions are the governing body of Port Canaveral and have jurisdiction over all fiscal and regulatory policies and operations of the Port. The Authority sets policy and can levy taxes. They stopped levying an ad valorum tax on district residents, becoming only the second taxing authority in Florida to do so.
The county has hired a federal lobbyist to represent its interests.
Brevard expects to have 100,000-300,000 more people by 2020, an increase of 60%. This offers a challenge to local government to keep infrastructure ahead of growth, while preserving the environment.
Based on the mid-point of the growth estimates, if Brevard has 200,000 new residents by 2020, taxpayers will have to meet a list of new requirements, including: 400 more police officers and 362 more firefighters; 25 million more gallons per day of drinking water; 1,334 more teachers; 600 more jail beds.
Elected officials
County Commissioners:
District 1 - Truman Scarborough
District 2 - Chuck Nelson
District 3 - Helen Voltz
District 4 - Mary Bolin
District 5 - Jackie Colon
County Manager (appointed) - Peggy Busacca
The following are considered state officials but are elected and paid by the county:
Sheriff - J.R. "Jack" Parker
Clerk of the Courts - Scott Ellis
Property Appraiser - Jim Ford
Tax Collector - Rod Northcutt
Supervisor of Elections - Fred Galley
State Attorney - Norm Wolfinger
Public Defender - James F. Russo
In April 2007, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement seized documents from the office of the county appraiser in connection with an investigation into illegally re-appraising properties at lower values.
Brevard County lies within Florida's 24th congressional district which seat is held by Suzanne Kosmas and within Florida's 15th congressional district which seat is held by Bill Posey.
Justice system
Courts
The county has centralized most county and circuit courts in Viera which try a variety of cases including felonies, misdemeanors, traffic, and domestic. An elected States Attorney prosecutes cases for the public. Defendants can be represented through the auspices of the office of the elected Public Defender. The 18th Circuit Court includes Seminole as well as Brevard and covers not only the court itself but the prosecutor and the Public Defender.
The County elects a sheriff, immediately responsible to the courts but also to the state for the enforcement of state laws.
Police chiefs, appointed by their cities or towns, perform the same function locally. There is no overlap in jurisdictions.
Some volunteers work alongside paid professionals. Included are Citizens Offering Police Support (C.O.P.S.). C.O.P.S. volunteers work under the direction of the County Sheriff and play a part in the county's policing operations.
The county jail is a modern facility which rapidly became
overcrowded. When voters consistently turned down expanding the jail, the sheriff solved the problem by the construction of a large but less expensive "hardened tent" to house non-violent offenders.
The county jail retains prisoners who have been sentenced to a year
or less. Longer sentences must be served in state prisons, such as the facility in Sharpes for young men.
The Coast Guard, homeported at Port Canaveral, plays a significant role in
preventing illegal immigration, and is the major interdictor of drugs in the area.
Brevard has a Drug Court to reduce the prison population resulting from drug issues. Drug Court programs adjudicate cases in which offenders are chronic substance abusers through an extensive supervision and
treatment regimen. Drug Courts require offenders to acknowledge their problems with substances and provide him/her with tools and mechanisms to deal with their addictions, in an effort to reduce or eliminate future criminal conduct. The Drug Court program utilizes a team approach to serve the offenders and the team consists of a judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, treatment
specialists, supervision officers, law enforcement agencies, corrections officials, and others. In exchange for successfully completing this intensive program, the Court may dismiss the charge, reduce the sentence, or offer a combination of other incentives. The police have estimated that 85% of drug dealers and prostitutes are themselves under the influence of drugs or are users trying to get money to purchase drugs.
Melbourne led the nation in MDMA seizures in 2005.
Brevard Legal Aid provides general, civil and domestic violence legal services to low income persons. Providers consist of five staff attorneys, three paralegals and 300 volunteer attorneys who offer pro bono assistance to referred eligible clients. Victims of domestic violence receive immediate need legal assistance with injunctions for protection through a partnership project with the Women's Center and the domestic violence shelters.
There is a local chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). In May 2005, the ACLU accused local police and Sheriff's offices of attempting to intimidate protests by conducting surveillance and filming them. As a result, authorities stopped the practice except for good cause.
The State's Attorney's Office sponsors the Victim/Witness Services. This provides advocates to victims of violent crime and their families. The advocate helps the family understand the legal system as they navigate through it. They also seek out financial assistance
or counseling they might need. In 2005 they helped 8,448 victims in Brevard County.
Juvenile justice
The , a day program for girls ages 12-18 who are referred by the Department of Juvenile Justice, offers education, vocational training, counseling, life skills, cultural arts activities, recreation, and community service focused on the developmental needs of girls.
The Department of Juvenile Justice refers selected youths to the Space Coast Marine Institute (SCMI). The SCMI is a six to eight month moderate security residential facility for juvenile boys ages 14-18 who have committed around 4-12 crimes. The young men arrive at the institute with little or no self-esteem and have experienced minimal positive interaction with adults and peers. The mission of SCMI is to address their by providing a scheduled curriculum of academic, vocational and mental health awareness activities. In addition to a personalized academic education, the daily schedule includes programs that build self-confidence and a greater understanding of the world around us.
Juvenile delinquents are sometimes remanded to the Brevard Sheriff's Ranch in Rockledge, a small ranch with buffalo and other animals requiring
care.
Reentry Brevard contracts with a contractor, often non-profit, to provide halfway services to youth conditionally released from
prison.
Public services
Public safety
The Brevard Emergency Operations Center (EOC) provides Homeland Security for the Space Coast.
The EOC coordinates information regarding the occurrence or threat of any disaster or emergency threatening the safety of the County residents. The EOC uses telephone, television, and the Emergency Services of the County Sheriff, the City Police and Fire Departments to provide coordinated management of all services for cataclysmic events such as Hurricanes, Floods and Terrorism.
The EOC has successfully conducted mass evacuation and relief of hundreds of thousands of residents from hurricanes since 1999 including two in 2004.
Cape Canaveral Port is under the direction of the Port Authority. Emphasis is placed on monitoring the content of containerized cargo on incoming ships, as well as underwater inspection of arriving ships that could be carrying explosive devices.
A Coast Guard Cutter, homeported at USCG Station Port Canaveral, Florida, stops potentially threatening commercial shipping prior to reaching the coast. There are over 40,000 boats registered in the area. A few of these are of continuing concern to CG authorities.
Evacuation routes are insufficient to handle the resulting heavy traffic westbound when an emergency is declared. The Metropolitan Planning Council directed that a major westbound route (US 192) be expanded to four lanes to accommodate the south Brevard population. This is more than half complete.
In 2004, hurricanes destroyed one in every hundred homes in the South County area. Within two blocks of the beach nearly every building sustained some damage. Barefoot Bay, a mobile housing development, was essentially destroyed. Winds tore off the roof of a shelter for special needs people in an elementary school. Emergency Workers were forced to evacuate these people at the peak of the storm.
In September 2005, the county hosted an estimated 1,400 refugees from Hurricane Katrina.
Experience with hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne in 2004 prompted the formation of the Brevard Long Term Recovery Coalition, consisting of United Way of America officials and other emergency-needs experts. They recorded the experiences Brevard had developed to restore services after the storms struck. In fall 2005, they passed information they had learned along to Gulf Coast planners attempting to recover from Katrina.
The media has estimated that 26,000 people who would need evacuation have not volunteered this information to Emergency Officials. In the past people have tended to postpone evacuation notification until after the causeways and bridges have been closed and no evacuation is possible.
Brevard County posts lifeguards at fourteen protected areas at various beach front parks. The county is long and most areas cannot be protected. The scope of responsibility for the lifeguards include accident and drowning prevention, public education, citizen assist, search and recovery of lost children, basic life support, and swimmer rescue.
Two Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotillas offer boating safety courses.
North Brevard stands second in the state and the nation with 22,000 lightning strikes annually.
Highway fatalities have decreased nationally, but increased in Florida and locally. Officials are focused on setting and enforcing speed limits and widening the local turnpike, now underway. The flatness of the area prevent runoff during rainstorms and causes cars to hydroplane. The highway department takes deliberate measures to re-engineer roads to avoid hydroplaning.
Project Lifesaver can tag at-risk adults and children with locator devices. This allows guardians to track wandering people with Alzheimers, dementia, autism, etc.
Public health
The state has three public health locations in the county which give immunization shots, provide health information, and track and report on serious diseases or conditions, like HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, encephalitis, and West Nile.
The area was once named "Mosquito County." Mosquitos carry serious diseases, including encephalitis. Brevard County Mosquito Control reduces the mosquito population by many means including adulticiding, larviciding, source reduction, aquatic weed control, waste tire abatement, disease monitoring (of chickens and mosquito-susceptible animals,) environmental monitoring, and biological control of mosquitoes.
Brevard is among the top 100 counties in the US for asbestos-related deaths. Government officials have addressed this issue.
While no one has ever died from it in Brevard County, animal rabies is prevalent, often carried in this area by raccoons. Public announcements and public awareness appear to have prevented fatalities.
In 2005, a woman died from flesh-eating bacteria (Necrotizing fasciitis) that she contracted from the St. Johns River. Two or three cases of flesh-eating bacteria are typically reported in the county each year. Officials caution against exposing open sores to this river.
An ocean condition known as "red tide" occasionally affects people beachside. This occurred in November-December 2007 and November-January 2002.
Public recreation
More than 200 parks, 3 campgrounds, and 6 public golf courses in the county are managed by local government agencies. Offering residents and visitors a wide range of leisure opportunities, the parks include athletic complexes, community centers, aquatic centers, nature centers, trails, conservation areas, beach parks, historic sites, and boating and fishing access to lakes, the Indian River Lagoon and the St. Johns River.
In 2000, Brevard County voters approved bond referendums that provided funding for construction or improvement of over 50 county parks in North Brevard, Merritt Island, and South Brevard. Citizen Committees and Advisory Boards identified community recreational needs. These projects were submitted by the Recreation Advisory Boards to the Board of County Commissioners to be included in the referendum. While some projects are as simple as improved playground equipment, other projects are of a regional nature requiring extensive community planning, permitting and land acquisition. In November 2006, the Board of County Commissioners provided taxpayers the opportunity to vote on issuing additional bonds. The voters approved the additional bonds and with no tax rate increase resulting, because the millage previously approved generates the revenue to repay both sets of bonds.
In 11 sanctuaries that protect natural ecosystems, the county's Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program offers passive recreation opportunities such as hiking, wildlife viewing, biking and paddling. The Management & Education Center at The Enchanted Forest Sanctuary in Titusville, is the EEL Program's first regional educational facility. The EEL Program was established in 1990 to protect the natural habitats of Brevard County by acquiring environmentally sensitive lands for conservation, passive recreation, and environmental education. This was made possible by citizens who voted to tax themselves up to $55 million dollars for the acquisition and maintenance of Brevard's natural areas. Residents reaffirmed the EEL Program in 2004 under a second referendum to protect the natural habitats within Brevard County by the acquisition of environmentally sensitive lands through a willing seller program for the purpose of conservation, passive recreation, and environmental education.
To maximize the funding, the EEL Program forms partnerships with federal, state and local agencies that are committed to the protection of natural resources and our long-term quality of life. EEL sanctuaries are managed to preserve native habitats and the plants and animals that live there.
In conservation areas managed by the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD), recreational opportunities include hiking, bike and equestrian trails, camping, boating and fishing. Although the District's main goal of buying land is to protect water resources, these lands protect plant and wildlife habitat and provide areas for public recreation and environmental education.
The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge and the Canaveral National Seashore are 2 national wildlife refuges in the county that offer recreational pursuits such as hiking, wildlife viewing, paddling, and environmental education.
Libraries
The county centrally controls all 20 libraries in the county. There
are 900,000 volumes. One library card is valid at all locations, and
materials are loaned between locations through a daily courier
service and outside our libraries via Inter-Library Loan. Periodical subscriptions stand at about 2,250. The libraries own over
18,000 videos and 21,000 sound recordings. Personal computers for
public use are hooked up on broadband in all libraries.
Social services
Brevard County tries to provide a number of unique services to help the aged, juveniles, the physically and mentally handicapped, and minorities.
Politics
Presidential elections results | Year | Republican | Democratic | Other |
|---|
| 2008 | 54.5% | 44.2% | 0.4% | | 2004 | 57.7% | 41.6% | 0.8% | | 2000 | 52.8% | 44.6% | 1.8% | | 1996 | 45.1% | 41.2% | 13.6% | | 1992 | 43.2% | 31.2% | 25.6% | | 1988 | 70.3% | 28.8% | 0.9% |
Geography
Geographic features
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,557 square miles (4,032 km˛), of which, 1,018 square miles (2,637 km˛) of it is land and 539 square miles (1,395 km˛) of it (34.60%) is water, primarily the Atlantic Ocean, the St. John's River and the Indian River Lagoon. The county is larger in area than Samoa and nearly the same size, and population, as Cape Verde. It is one third again as large as Rhode Island.
Located half-way between Jacksonville, Florida and Miami, Brevard County is an extra-long county, extending over from north to south, but only a handful of miles inland from the seacoast at any point. In marshes in the western part of this county is the source of the St. Johns River.
The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway along the eastern edge of Brevard County is the major waterway route in Brevard County. It includes the Indian River. Additional waterways include Lake Washington, Lake Poinsett, Lake Winder, Sawgrass Lake, St. Johns River, and the Banana River.
Brevard County is the sole county in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The county has a canals for transportation and drainage:
- Canaveral Barge Canal, Courtenay - transportation
- Faulk Canal, Cocoa
- Grand Canal, Tropic
- Haulover Canal, Mims - transportation
- Melbourne Tillman Canal, Melbourne West - drainage
- Old Canal, Wilson
- C-54 Canal - on the south Brevard County Line - drainage
Climate
Climate surprisingly varies in this very long (72 mile) county, particularly in winter. In north county, northern flora can thrive, like deciduous trees. In the south county, sub-tropical plants can grow, such as royal palm trees.
Brevard has subtropical climate, with a distinct wet and dry seasons. The dry lasts from December through May. The wet from June through November.
January is the coldest month with an average low of ; average high . The warmest months are July and August with average highs of ; average lows 72.2. The driest month is April with 1.6" rainfall; the wettest September, 6.6".
Florida is a large subtropical state that experiences hurricanes. Although Brevard county is located along Florida's eastern peninsula, it is less frequently impacted by direct hurricane landfalls than portions of the Panhandle or South Florida. There are two predominant reasons for this. First, westward moving tropical systems often reach an atmospheric ridge weakness in the Bermuda High by the time they approach Florida at a latitude as northerly as Brevard County. Combined with frontal systems that exit the United States' East Coast, many of these tropical systems are steered northwest and eventually curve northward offshore Florida's East Central Coast. A second reason is that hurricanes landfalling along the Florida peninsular Gulf Coast often weaken to a tropical storm by the time they move northeast to affect Brevard County (with some exceptions, such as 2004's Charley).
Although Brevardians may refer to past storms as "hurricanes", by the time they strike here, some of them may have subsided to tropical storms or depressions. Because of the threat of storm surge, the beach community on the barrier island is often required to evacuate well in advance of the storm.
Tornados spinning off from even small storms can result in severe damage in small areas.
Five hurricanes have directly affected Brevard since 1950: David (September 3, 1979), Hurricane Erin (August 2, 1995) - made landfall near Sebastian Inlet and caused mostly minor wind damage and more extensive flooding countywide, Charley (August 13, 2004) - Caused damage in Titusville and North Brevard. Frances (September 3, 2004) - Struck neighboring Vero Beach, Indian River County directly and caused widespread wind damage throughout Brevard, Jeanne (September 26, 2004) - Struck Vero, directly, following very nearly the same path as Frances. The latter two storms caused widespread damage in South Brevard. Slightly more than half of one percent (0.6%) of houses were lost.
The following storms did not affect Brevard County with hurricane force winds: Floyd (September 15, 1999), and Irene (October 16, 1999).
Tropical Storm Fay dropped a record rainfall of in 2008.
Environment
Brevard works together with the federal and state government to control pollution and preserve wetlands and coastal areas through lands dedicated to conservation and wildlife protection. These lands include Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, the Canaveral National Seashore, the St. Johns National Wildlife Refuge, the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, several conservation areas managed by the St. Johns River Water Management District, Brevard County's Environmentally Endangered Lands Program Sanctuaries, and lands dedicated by the State as conservation areas.
Transportation
Brevard County has transportation available in the usual modes for a coastal county - highways, shipping, and airlines.
Public transportation is provided by Space Coast Area Transit.
Power
Florida Power and Light maintains a oil-fired generating plant at Sharpes, Florida. It generates 800 megawatts, supplying most of the requirements for the county. In 2008 the company announced plans to replace the plant with a more efficient natural gas-powered plant in 2013 with a 1,250 megawatt capacity which can supply 250,000 homes or businesses.
Adjacent counties
Fauna
Love bug season occurs in May and September. Motorists, usually, encounter swarms of these while driving during a four week period.
Economy
Personal income
As of the census of 2000:
- Median income for a family - $47,571
- Median income for males - $36,542
- Median income for females - $24,632
- Per capita income - $21,484
- Median income for a household - $40,099
- In 2005, the median income for a household had risen to $43,281
The county ranked 17th for per capita income, out of Florida's 67 counties.
The following were below the poverty line in 2000:
- Families - 6.80%
- Total population - 9.50%
- Under age 18 - 13.00%
- Age 65 or older - 6.50%
Housing
The county's median home price reached a high in August 2005 at $248,700. New home permits fell in 2007 to 1,894, the lowest since 1982. Sales of existing homes fell 19% in 2007 from the prior year to 373 monthly. The median drop in home prices was 50% from 2005 to 2008, from $248, 700 to $125,200. However, when choices for smaller homes was eliminated, prices on individual homes fell 25%; down 33% for individual condos.
In 2008, a number of mortgage insurers blackmarked Brevard, along with a quarter of the total nations zip codes. This was intended to thwart potential buyers who wish to pay less than 20% down on a home.
In 2009 an economist said that the Brevard housing market will not recover until at least 2011. A later analysis in 2009 seemed to agree, saying that the market would fall 41.4% to bottom out by the end of 2010.
In 2008 Brevard expected to have 100,000-300,000 more people by 2020, an increase of 60%.
In 2008, there were 1,550 permits for residential projects valued at $355.45 million. That is the lowest number of filings since 1975.
Communities
Rockledge is hoping to revitalize Barton Boulevard.
Three communities have either decided or are considering placing
electric lines most vulnerable to high winds, underground despite the high cost.
Cape Canaveral and Satellite Beach have declared a moratorium on converting commercially zoned areas to residential.
The company developing West Viera is seeking state permission and county acquiescence to create a self-governing board that could raise taxes or sell bonds to pay for roads, water lines, pumping stations and other infrastructure needed to support the construction of 16,500 houses, apartments and condominiums. The company is attempting to prove that development can fund itself.
Industry
The Brevard economy has been driven by Trade, Transportation and Utilities
(18%), Professional and Business Services (17%), Total government (15%), Education and Health (14%), Manufacturing (12%), Leisure and hospitality (10%), Construction (6%), Financial (4%).
In 2005, Inc. Magazine voted the Space Coast as the best place to do business in Florida and sixth in the country.
In 2004, Brevard County ranked 13th out of 318 largest counties in the US for increase in the number of jobs.
Port Canaveral is the world's busiest cruise port. It is served by
seven cruise lines. They have six major cruise terminals. There is 750,000 SF of covered freight storage capacity. It handled 4 million tons of cargo in 2004. The port boosts Brevard's economy by $500 million annually.
American City Business Journals rated Brevard 7th for quality of life out of 67.
For 2004, Brevard County moved from 70 to 31 out of the top 200 metropolitan areas "Best Performing." This improvement was driven mainly by job growth.
Two hospitals were among the top five private employers in the county.
A long term concern has been the probable re-assignment of thousands of space coast workers when the shuttle is discontinued in 2010.
Two locally headquartered builders, Mercedes and Holiday were among the top 30 in the nation. Mercedes had $1 billion in sales in 2004.
The Cocoa Redevelopment Center has worked on programs to improve housing in the city's older areas.
Inc. magazine selected two local small companies as among the fastest growing in the country over the past 3 years - Applied Global Technology (nearly 100% annually) and Stops (nearly 200% annually).
Military
Military installations in Brevard County include Patrick Air Force Base, near Satellite Beach, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS), adjacent to the Kennedy Space Center, and the U.S. Air Force Malabar Test Facility on Minton Road in
suburban Palm Bay.
The Navy maintains a Trident turning basin at Port Canaveral for Ballistic Missile Submarines. The Naval Ordnance Test Unit (NOTU) tests weapons on these subs which arrive at the rate of one a month. The 2005 Base closures included realigning NOTU out of state. However, the community was successful in getting this decision revoked. Much credit goes to the Space Coast Defense Alliance, a branch of the Economic Development Council.
CCAFS houses the Air Force Space & Missile Museum that is in the
launch control bunker of Launch Pad 26 where many unmanned rockets were launched early in the U.S. space program including the Explorer, one of the first space craft placed in earth orbit.
The Cape Canaveral Navy League council supports the Sea Services
by adopting ships and units of the Navy and Coast Guard. It also provides a means for civilians to socialize with the officers and crew of allied Navies when they visit port.
Northrup Grumman develops the military JSTARS electronics surveillance system used in all major US conflicts since 1990.
The was a World War II Alamosa-class naval cargo ship that was decommissioned shortly after the war.
Agriculture
23% of Brevard County is agricultural-usable for citrus, raising cattle or horses. Cattle ranches include the Deseret and Duda Ranches; citrus growers include Victory Groves and Harvey's Indian River Groves.
The county ranked 21 out of 24 Florida counties in the shipment of gift fruit.
The volunteer clubs focus on youth development, sometimes using animals as a focus. There are 40 4-H related clubs in the county including livestock- and pet-related and after school clubs.
Tourism
Tourism brings $1 billion annually to Brevard. Brevard competes with other Florida areas for tourists. A number of organizations help promote the area.
The Space Coast Office of Tourism consists of county staff and the Brevard County Tourist Development Council (TDC). They attempt to attract tourists. The TDC serves as an advisory council to the county on the expenditures of revenues received from a tourist tax. This revenue is spent on beach improvements, visitor information centers and website, promotion and advertising, the Brevard Zoo, additional beach improvements and the Space Coast Stadium.
In 2004, Brevard experienced its best October and November tourism until then, despite widespread hurricane damage and loss of five beachside hotels. Four of these hotels were restored by 2006.
In 2008, the county had 11,000 hotel rooms available. In July 2007, there was a 66.1% occupancy rate.
In September 2005, FEMA diverted one cruise line from Canaveral (under contract) to shelter Hurricane Katrina evacuees, with a consequent negative impact on local tourism.
The mission of Keep Brevard Beautiful (KBB) is to motivate and educate business, school, group and individual partnerships to reduce litter, recycle, landscape, and beautify for the environmental and economic benefit of Brevard County. Among other tasks, KBB schedules and oversees volunteer cleanups four times a year along roads, parks and beaches.
Cocoa Main Street, a member of the Florida and National Main Street Programs, works toward restoring business sites in the historic area known as "Cocoa Village." Cocoa Main Street has received six Florida Main Street Awards given by the Secretary of State. The restored area is a tourist attraction and an economic magnet. Melbourne Main Street is another historic business area and tourist attraction restored through the Main Street Programs.
Brevard has five judged art festivals annually attracting tens of thousands of people to art displays. Most festivals are held in the spring or fall when many tourists can attend. Many other annual festivals are held in parks and public sites throughout the year. The Brevard Cultural Alliance (BCA) maintains an event calendar and a map of sites of historic, cultural, and ecological interest.
For Brevard County businesses, fishing tournaments, such as the Wal-Mart FLW Redfish Series tournament in August, bring more than $2.5 million a year in direct spending and more in indirect spending. Tournaments provide a revenue source for the county and local businesses.
The annual Grant Seafood Festival attracts as many as 50,000 people for the two day February event. It is the Southeast's largest and longest running seafood festival.
The Globe Sebastian Inlet Pro surfing contest, on the county line, draws 16,000 visitors the second weekend in January.
An ice skating rink in Rockledge serves the county's residents and visitors with hockey and figure skating events.
Competitiveness
The Milken institute ranked Brevard number one, out of 200 largest metropolitan areas, in overall job growth for 2005.
Forbes magazine ranked Melbourne 2nd out of 150 metropolitan areas in the US, for the percentage of the population that are engineers,
6.6%, just ahead of Silicon Valley.
Brevard Count's unemployment rate fell to a record low 2.8% in December 2005.
In 2006, Forbes magazine named Harris Corporation, headquartered in
Brevard, to its "Platinum 400" List.
The Technological Research and Development Authority, based in the Space Coast, delivers technologies to schools and small businesses throughout the State of Florida. They obtain this information through strategic alliances with NASA, the federal government, the aerospace industry and state partners. They also sponsor a business incubator at the Melbourne Airport.
The National Association of Realtors reported that existing homes prices in Brevard rose 33% annually the third quarter of 2005,
the sixth highest metropolitan area in the nation (out of 147). There was a slight decrease in existing home prices the last quarter of 2005.
In October, 2005, Brevard realized that the average owner of a house
could not afford that house at current prices! The same month, the sale price of existing homes dropped by 8%.
In January 2005, CNN/Money ranked the homes in "Palm Bay" perhaps referring to all of the Space Coast as "49% overvalued" and within 10% of the most overvalued homes in the United States.
In 2005, the Sunrise Bank of Cocoa Beach became the first bank in the state to have a mobile branch.
The City of Palm Bay made the finals for "All American City" for three years 2003-2005.
Labor
Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is the largest employer in the county with 15,000 contractors and civil servants. While there is concern about the new generation of space vehicles requiring 1/3 fewer workers, about that number are eligible for retirement by 2011.
Unions represented at KSC include American Federation of Government Workers, International Association of Machinists and International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
Brevard County Teachers are represented by the Brevard Federation of Teachers (AFT).
In 2005, the Next Generation Consulting for Leadership Brevard, a leadership development organization for local business and civic groups, and Brevard Tomorrow commissioned a survey of people 21-44. Basically, these people often found the area "boring", mainly because it is family-friendly at the expense of being singles-friendly. While this may have labor repercussions later, currently business is having no problems hiring.
The county had an unemployment rate of 3.5% in August 2005, near a record low.
In early 2005, Forbes ranked the area 27th in job growth out of 150 metropolitan areas in the country. The county ranked 18th in the nation for mid-sized areas in 2006.
Manpower Employment Outlook Survey said the hiring outlook in Brevard for the last quarter of 2005 was the 19th-best in the nation among the 470 communities participating in the survey.
2004 Hurricane recovery has helped the area achieve high employment.
Banking
The Space Coast Credit Union is the largest locally-based financial institution in Brevard and the largest credit union in the state with assets of $1.44 billion.
Communication and utilities
The area code for most of the county became "321" in 1999: as in the "3...2...1... Lift Off!" countdown sequence. A small portion of the county along the southern border, including the communities of Micco and Barefoot Bay, share a 772 area code with a neighboring county to the south.
Two power plants in Brevard generate electricity from petroleum delivered by barge. The output from one plant (Florida Power and Light) is used locally, the other by Orlando.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were in the county:
- People - 476,230 people
- Households - 198,195
- Families - 132,394
- population density - 181/km˛ (468/sq mi)
- Housing units - 222,072
- Average housing density - 84/km˛ (218/sq mi)
The total population is larger than America's least-populated state, Wyoming.
The racial makeup of the county was:
There were 198,195 households out of which 26.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.00% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.20% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 2.84.
The population was distributed as follows: 22.00% under the age of 18, 6.80% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 24.30% from 45 to 64, and 19.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 95.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.30 males. In 2007, 30% of the population was over 55.
9.50% of the population and 6.80% of families are below the poverty
line. Out of the total population, 13.00% of those under the age of 18 and 6.50% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
In 2005, the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which consists solely of Brevard County, was estimated to stand 91st in population out of 263 in the country.
In 2006, the county stood 10th in population in the state, out of 67. The increase in population from 2000 was 11.8%, less than the Florida average of 12.7%.
According to the 2000 census, the county had about 80,000 veterans. 21% of the population older than 18 is a veteran.
Religion
A pastor spearheaded the construction of three high rise buildings with 500 units housing the needy elderly.
Church festivals are sponsored by various religious groups including Jewish and Greek Orthodox. Thousands attend.
Various religious groups have demonstrated near the local abortion
clinic forcing it to move twice since its founding in 1977.
Health
The Brevard Alzheimer's Foundation is unique for being a local organization only. It has three adult daycare service locations and often provides transportation and funding.
The Space Coast Early Intervention Center is a nationally recognized not-for-profit pre-school and therapeutic center that offers care and aids with the development of small children with special needs. Children are treated and educated with the specific goal of mainstreaming children diagnosed with the following into public school: Down syndrome, William's syndrome, Rett syndrome, Cerebral palsy, Autism, P-4 Deletion syndrome, PDD and Apert syndrome as well as children with visual, speech and hearing delays.
Health Outreach Prevention & Education (HOPE) is a network of community partners working together to provide care for people without insurance, and for children with special needs. This network includes hospitals.
Brevard introduced (2005-6) a Federally approved experimental Medicade program which puts volunteering 60+ years olds in an HMO-like organization in order to save money.
The non-profit Circles of Care provides mental health programs to Brevard.
211 Brevard responds to people in crisis and/or needing information about community resources.
Space Coast Center for Independent Living offers over-all services for individuals with all types of disabilities: Peer support, advocacy, skills training, accessibility surveys, support groups, transportation, specialized equipment and sign language interpreter coordination services. Additional program for high school students for career development.
Health First is the largest healthcare provider in the county consisting of three not-for-profit hospitals—Cape Canaveral Hospital in Cocoa Beach, Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, and Palm Bay Community Hospital in Palm Bay. Besides hospitalization, services include outpatient centers; the county's only trauma center; home care; specialized programs for cancer, diabetes, heart, stroke, and rehabilitative services; central Brevard's largest medical group; three fitness centers; and Medicare Advantage, commercial POS, and commercial HMO health plans. Health First tries to integrate quality healthcare services with state-of-the-art technology.
Harmony Farms runs "Horses and the Handicapped", a therapeutic riding program located on the Duda Ranch in Viera.
Parrish Medical Center is a 210-bed, not-for-profit public medical center serving Florida's Space Coast for 50 years. The Center is Brevard's only Spirit of Women network hospital. It has been recognized as Modern Healthcare magazine's Spirit of Excellence for Service award winner, Starizon & Healthcare Design magazine's Discovery Award winner for exceptional patient experience, and has earned more disease-specific Gold Seals of Approval for quality and excellence from the Joint Commission than any other hospital in Central Florida. Parrish Medical Center has been named America's No. 1 Healing Hospital for the third straight year by the Baptist Healing Trust.
Cities and towns
Incorporated
Unincorporated
Former place names
There are place names currently used, or used at one time by the USGS. Some are early developments, others are former stations along the main line of the Florida East Coast Railway. Several of these disappeared when Kennedy Space Center took over their area.
Education
The Space Coast contains a higher percentage of college graduates than any of the other 66 Florida counties.
Undergraduate and graduate
College education in Brevard County is provided by the Brevard Community College and Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne.
The Brevard Community College (BCC) is a two-year college, which has multiple campuses. 13,600 students attend BCC with sites in Melbourne, Palm Bay, Titusville and Cocoa. A modern planetarium and observatory is located on the Cocoa campus.
The Palm Bay branch of BCC offers technical and vocational training for Associate Degrees and Certificates for entering the workforce, improving professional skills, and developing new competence.
Other courses include a two year nursing degree and certification by the "Police Academy" which is a basic requirement for employment in law enforcement in Brevard County.
Florida Tech (Florida Institute of Technology) is a university which offers Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate degrees, specializing in the sciences. 4,400 students are enrolled on site, of which half are at the graduate level. About 26% are from abroad. It is located in Melbourne.
The University of Central Florida has a branch on the Community College Cocoa Campus. Additionally it operates the Florida Solar Energy Center.
Other colleges include Barry University, Columbia College, a cooperating program with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida Metropolitan University-Melbourne, Keiser University - Melbourne and Webster University.
Elementary and secondary
For 2005, the students had higher SAT scores than any other Florida School District.
The superintendent of schools was selected as best in state by his peers in 2005.
For 2005, the District has a higher percentage (9%) of National Board Certified Teachers than any of the other largest ten districts in the state.
In 2005, Brevard is first in Florida in the number of "A"-rated schools in the 10 largest districts.
AARP ranked the school district No. 8 on the 2005 list of Best Employers for Workers Over 50. It was the only public-school system and the highest-ranked Florida employer on the national list.
In 2005, Brevard led the state in science in fifth and 11th grade assessments.
In 2006, Brevard students took almost a third of all prizes at the
state science fair, including the most first-place awards. This occurred in 2007, as well.
A team consisting of Brevard high school students stood second in the world in the robotics world championship in 2007.
In 2007, the Division 3 Technical Team from Eau Gallie High School placed 1st Place in World Odyssey of the Mind tournament.
In 2006, the District had 5 of the top 10 Elementary Schools in the state, according to the Florida Dept. of Ed.
Brevard is in the top ten in the state in each of the 22 areas of assessment on the standard statewide exams given students each year.
In 2005 & 2006, Newsweek ranked Cocoa Beach High School among the top 100 US high schools (out of 21,000) in part due to its International Baccalaureate program.
10th graders led the state in the writing exam in 2006.
The state has ranked 15 of the elementary schools as tops in the state including a Title I South Lake, a former "D"-ranked school!
Brevard leads the state in the number of high school students dual enrolled in secondary and college courses.
Continuing education
Continuing education is provided by the Brevard Community College, and the University of Central Florida.
Life long learning is offered by the Community College at four branches throughout the county as well as evening courses at high schools.
The County School Board sponsors BPS-TV. Those interested can study for the General Education Development exam, learn a foreign language, or learn about the arts. From midnight to 6 a.m., the station's Classic Arts Showcase offers ballet, jazz and classical music programming.
Sports teams
Minor league baseball
Brevard County is the home of the Brevard County Manatees.
Major league baseball
The Washington Nationals hold their spring training at Space Coast Stadium in Viera.They play about 14 games against other professional teams locally in March as part of the "Grapefruit" League.
Professional Basketball
The Brevard Blue Ducks, members of the USBL, played their home schedule at the Clemente Center at Florida Tech. They have changed their home city more times than any other USBL team. They have been in Brevard since 2002. In 2007 the Clemente Center opted not to extend the team a lease of its facilities, prompting a cancellation of the season.
Minor League Football
Brevard County is home to the Brevard Warriors, a minor league football team whose first season was 2008-2009 year.
Media
Newspapers
Florida Today is the major daily newspaper serving Melbourne, Brevard County and the Space Coast region of Florida. It is owned by the media conglomerate Gannett. The monthly newspaper, El Playero, serves the Spanish-speaking population of the Space Coast. The weekly Home Town News is a free newspaper, supported by advertising, that has versions in other Florida counties. It presents local news.
The Brevard Technical Journal is the industry monthly newspaper for business management, engineering, purchasing, manufacturing, and staff. It features news & features about the business and the science of technology in Brevard County - Florida's Space & Technology Coast.
Radio
See Template:Melbourne Radio.
Television
Independent stations include:
- Channel 43 WOTF-TV Univision Spanish Language
- Channel 68 WBCC Brevard Community College Education
Films
The following films were filmed (in parts) in Brevard County.
Arts and culture
The King Center, seating 2000, features locally produced and former Broadway shows, ballet, and symphony. Several different performances are scheduled each week.
The Brevard Symphony Orchestra and the Space Coast Ballet offer shows performed by professionals. Both have encountered obstacles to production: fundraising, recruiting skilled professionals and rehearsing them. For the Ballet, integrating a large number of qualified amateurs into their company for performances.
The Brevard Zoo is a 56 acre facility.
Ballet
The Space Coast Ballet incorporates professional principal dancers and instructors together with many roles for local senior talent as well as roles for students. They annually stage the "The Nutcracker."
Classical music
The Brevard Symphony Orchestra has been bringing the classics, performed by professionals, to the Space Coast for over fifty years.
The Brevard Symphony Youth Orchestra provides an opportunity for musically qualified students to be coached by professionals from the Brevard Symphony Orchestra and perform with other qualified novices.
Traditional Music
The City of Melbourne Pipes and Drums is a teaching band.
Museums
The Space Coast has a number of museums from the rocket exhibitions at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor's Complex, and the Air Force Space & Missile Museum, to local museums and others of unique character such as the American Police Hall of Fame & Museum, and the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame Museum.
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers an educational look at the accomplishments of America's space program. A visitor can have a close look at the launch pads, first built for NASA's Apollo missions and presently used by the Space Shuttle fleet. The Observation Gantry near Launch Complex 39 offers a view of the Space Shuttle launch pads, the Vehicle Assembly Building, and the crawler-way over which the rockets are taken to the pad. The Saturn V Complex displays the largest vehicle ever flown.
The Astronaut Hall of Fame is the only facility in the nation dedicated to telling the stories of American astronauts and features the world's largest collection of astronauts' personal effects.
The U.S. Spacewalk Walk of Fame commemorates Kennedy Space Center's history with a museum, monuments and programs.
The Brevard Museum of History & Natural Science features the remains of the "Windover Man", the oldest human remains found on the North American continent and a re-creation of the Windover Dig, a 'wet' archaeological site. A visitor may see how Native Americans lived and Florida pioneers survived.
Honor America runs the Liberty Bell Memorial Museum. This houses a replica of the Liberty Bell, historical documents, and patriotic memorabilia. Items are permanent reminders of our nation's history, as well as a memorial to military veterans.
See also
External links
Government links and constitutional offices
Special districts
Education
Judicial branch
Local references
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