THE OTHER THING IS THAT IN THE COMMUNITY, THERE ARE A LOT OF GROUPS THAT WANT TO BE THE CENTER FUNNEL OF ACTIVITY AND EVERYTHING FLOWS THROUGH THEM. WHAT I HEARD LOUD AND CLEAR FROM THE NONPROFITS IN THE COMMUNITY IS THEY DON'T WANT A FUNNEL. THEY WANT A COLLABORATIVE MODEL. EVERYTHING YOU TALKED ABOUT WAS COLLABORATION AND PARTNERSHIP. EVERYBODY IS WHO SEAT AT THE TABLE. NOBODY IS IN THE CENTER. EVERYBODY IS WORKING TOGETHER. I THINK THAT IS THE ONLY WAY WE'RE GOING TO SUCCEED. I THINK WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT IS REALLY IMPORTANT. AS YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNITY GROUPS KNOW THEIR AUDIENCE. THEY KNOW THE PEOPLE. THEY KNOW WHAT THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE AND THEY KNOW HOW TO RECRUIT. THEY KNOW WHAT THE TRAINING NEEDS ARE, AND WE SHOULD TRUST THEM TO WORK THEM. IT SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE DOING THAT, WHICH IS GREAT. AS WE LOOK FORWARD, I THINK IN THE OTHER SEGMENTS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT NOT ON THE AGENDA, WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT. BY THE WAY, HAD TWO CONVERSATIONS WITH RICHARDS FROM THE EDC AND RON GRIST DONALDY, RON IS STEPPING UP AS CHAIR TOWARD THE END OF THE YEAR. PROBABLY HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH YOU ABOUT REFORMS AND CHANGES THEY WANT TO MAKE. I THINK THAT IS POSITIVE AS WELL. LAST THING, JAVIER, MAYBE BOTH OF YOU DO MEASUREMENT, BUT I KNOW JAVIER DOES MEASUREMENT. I WOULD RECOMMEND FOR ANYBODY WHO IS WATCHING, IF YOU GO TO TAMPA SCORECARD.COM, THERE IS A LOT OF DATA ON TAMPA COMPARED TO OTHER CITIES. THE CITY NOW HAS ITS OWN ECONOMIC DASHBOARD ALSO. FLORIDA CHAMBER FOUNDATION, SCORECARD AND OTHERS, REGIONAL SCORECARD. YOU SEE THAT TAMPA'S NUMBERS ARE NOT VERY GOOD. THE MEDIAN INCOME IS HIGH -- SORRY, THE PER CAPITA INCOME IS HIGH AND GROWING, BUT WHEN WE LOOKED AT OUTLIERS, WE FOUND THAT TAMPA HAS A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PEOPLE MAKING MORE THAN $200,000 A YEAR WHICH ARTIFICIALLY RAISES THE PER CAPITA INCOME. THEN MEDIAN SAME EXTENT SAME THING HAPPENING BECAUSE SO MANY RICH PEOPLE MOVE IN. ALSO GENTRIFICATION. WHERE I'M LEADING IS I THINK WE NEED TO WORK WITH USF TO CREATE A MODEL. I KNOW YOU HAVE DONE THIS BEFORE AND YOU KNOW HOW TO DO IT. I'M HAPPY TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT IT COLLABORATE. IT COULD BE NEIGHBORHOOD BY NEIGHBORHOOD, ZIP CODE, BUT ALSO GENTRIFICATION WHICH COULD THROW THAT OFF. YOU COULD CREATE A MODEL WHERE YOU HAVE A CONTROL GROUP, SCIENTIFICALLY VALID SAMPLE OF PEOPLE AND PEOPLE YOU ARE HELPING AND LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE IN WAGES OVER TIME. BUT I THINK THAT THE PUBLIC WANTS TO SEE THAT WE'RE USING THE MONEY CORRECTLY BUT ALSO MORE IMPORTANTLY, AS MY COLLEAGUES HAVE SAID, WE HAVE A DUTY TO THE PUBLIC TO HELP THEM EARN MORE IN THE COMMUNITY TO IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE. WE'VE DONE A LOT TO SUBSIDIZE REAL ESTATE AND COMPANIES MOVING TO THE AREA. THIS IS A RELATIVELY SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WILL HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY. I'D LIKE TO MEASURE IT SO YOU ALL GET CREDIT FOR THE GOOD WORK YOU'RE DOING. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, MA'AM. >>LYNN HURTAK: CAN YOU SAY THE NAME OF THE WEBSITE AGAIN? >> TPAWORX.COM. >>LYNN HURTAK: THAT'S IT. W-O-R-X. JUST MAKING SURE PEOPLE KNOW HOW TO FIND IT. >> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THAT. >> IF I MAY MAKE ONE MORE COMMENT, FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE EMPLOYER, THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY DEPARTMENT HAS IDENTIFIED 11 AREAS IN WHICH WE SHOULD OR COULD OR ARE CURRENTLY INFLUENCING BUSINESS GROWTH THROUGHOUT THE CITY. THERE ARE FIVE ADDITIONAL GAPS THAT WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THAT WE ARE WORKING TO LEVERAGE SOME FEDERAL FUNDING SO WE CAN PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THOSE VERY TINY BUSINESSES AND/OR THOSE MIDDLE-SIZE BUSINESSES FROM SIX TO MAYBE 99 EMPLOYEES SO THEY CAN GROW. THEY CAN PROVIDE MORE EMPLOYMENT SO REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SKILLS. AND THESE ARE GOING TO BE DEDICATED SPECIFICALLY TO THE MOST VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES. WE'RE LOOKING AT LOW TO MODERATE INCOME AREAS. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ALL RIGHT. IF YOU HAVE NOT SPOKEN AND WISH TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, PLEASE COME UP. YOU'VE ALREADY SPOKEN. >> DARYL HYCH. I'M SEMI FAMILIAR WITH WHAT IS TAKING PLACE AT THE EDC BECAUSE I REACHED OUT TO THEM BACK IN DECEMBER. AND THE REPORT SHE REFERENCED FROM SEPTEMBER, I ACTUALLY READ THAT REPORT AND I STARTED ASKING THE QUESTION ABOUT HOW IS THIS INFORMATION, AS COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK STATED, HOW IS THIS INFORMATION DISSEMINATED TO THE COMMUNITIES BEING UNDERSERVED? I SPECIFICALLY ASKED ABOUT A PROGRAM CALLED CERT UP. AND CERT UP IS A PROGRAM THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ASSISTING INDIVIDUALS WITH GETTING VARIOUS CERTIFICATIONS AND DIFFERENT THINGS TO HELP THEM SCALE UP IN THE EMPLOYMENT SPACE. WHAT I BEGAN TO REALIZE, AFTER SEEING THE PLAYERS IN THIS SPACE, OF COURSE, RAN THROUGH HCC, DR. ATWATER, AND I BEGAN TO REALIZE THAT THIS MESSAGE NEVER MAKES IT TO THE COMMUNITY. THAT REPORT WAS RAN IN SEPTEMBER. I READ TO YOU WHAT CRAIG RICHARDS STAYED ABOUT CERT. WHILE THIS HAS LED TO GREATER OPPORTUNITIES AND INCOME FOR MANY AREA RESIDENTS, A LARGE NUMBER OF OUR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES HAVE NOT YET BENEFITED FROM THE INCREASED -- FROM THIS INCREASE PROSPERITY. A LACK OF EDUCATION AND SKILLS OUR EMPLOYERS REQUIRE KEY REASONS, BUT OTHER FACTORS SUCH AS PROXIMITY TO GOOD-PAYING JOBS PLAY A ROLE AS WELL. NOW, HE IS THE HEAD OF THIS PROGRAM. IF HE KNOW THAT AND HE JUST SAID IT, AND HE HAS ALL THESE THINGS AVAILABLE TO HIM TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, HOW IS IT THAT NO ONE IN THE COMMUNITY AS I HAVE ASKED, CHAIRMAN OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BLACK CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. I HAVE ASKED THIS QUESTION, WHO KNOWS ABOUT CERT UP? NOBODY KNOWS. SO THE MESSAGE IS NOT BEING RELAYED FOR WHATEVER THE REASON, AND, AGAIN, IT ROLLS RIGHT BACK INTO 568 BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE CONTINUOUSLY KEEP HEARING ABOUT THESE PEOPLE AND THESE ORGANIZATIONS WHO DRIVE THEIR CAR AND THEY PUT IT IN THE GARAGE, AND THEY PARK IT IN THE GARAGE AND THEY NEVER BRING IT BACK OUT BECAUSE ONCE THEY HAVE ARRIVED HOME, THEY DON'T COME BACK OUT TO SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. EARLIER, OR LAST WEEK, MS. CONNIE MENTIONED ABOUT PASSION AND ANGER. SEE, I'M GETTING ANGRY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE'VE GOT ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS THAT SAY AND PLAY AND DO, BUT THIS THING BEEN AROUND AND NO ONE HAS HEARD OF THIS CERT UP PROGRAM? IT HASN'T MATRICULATED THROUGH THE CIRCLES. YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT I WAS PART OF THE ADMINISTRATION WITH THE PRESIDENT BY SO MANY PEOPLE KNOWING WHO WE WERE BY THE WORK WE'VE BEEN DOING IN THE COMMUNITY. YET NO ONE HAS HEARD ABOUT ALL THE GREAT THINGS THAT MY FRIEND JUST DISCUSSED. I DON'T TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM IT, BUT WE GOT TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT THERE. BILLBOARD, I SEE TWEET SIGNS ALL OVER THE DAGGONE CITY. THEY ARE AT LEAST MAKING YOU KNOW THEY ARE MAKING CUSTOM SUITS. GET THE MESSAGE OUT SO PEOPLE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. YES MA'AM. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> VALERIE BULLOCK FROM PONCE De LEON, COLLEGE HILL. I'LL PIGGYBACK ON WHAT HE'S SAYING. WHEN YOU GIVE THE INFORMATION TO ONE ORGANIZATION, LIKE THE YOUNG LADY SAID, SHE GAVE IT TO ABE BROWN PRISON MINISTRY, THAT WAS TARGETED FOR THE PEOPLE WHO STAND IN TRANSITIONAL HOUSING GETTING OUT OF PRISON WHO THEY HAVE THEIR CONTRACT WITH. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IT GET OUT TO JOHN Q WHO IS WALKING DOWN THE STREET WHO IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH NOTHING, NOBODY. AND WE CAN DO THAT LIKE EBT, WHERE THEY GO AND SIGN UP FOR FOOD STAMPS. WE CAN FIND PLACES TO PUT THE INFORMATION OUT TO MAKE SURE IT GET TO THE PEOPLE. I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT'S NOT A GOOD ORGANIZATION. THIS IS WHAT HAVE BEEN OUR ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM FOR 20 YEARS. THINGS ARE HAPPENING, BUT WE NEVER KNOW ABOUT IT. WE NEED TO SEE IF WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB OF PUTTING THE INFORMATION OUT, NOT JUST TO ONE ORGANIZATION, BUT A LOT MORE ORGANIZATIONS. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, MA'AM. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES SIR. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> HASSEIN CALDWELL. I JUST WANT TO SAY THE SAME THING WHAT I'VE BEEN SAYING. EVERYBODY SAYING THE SAME THING. THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO DO. WHAT I WAS SAYING, I UNDERSTAND WHAT EVERYBODY IS SAYING. IT'S LIKE THE SAME THING, BUT WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PAGE NOW. EVERYBODY SAYING ALMOST THE SAME THING BUT WE HAVE TO COME TOGETHER. THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO COME UP. I HEARD OF THESE PEOPLE BUT I NEVER MET THEM. NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M DOING NOW. TAKE ME TIME TO ADJUST. STUDYING MY WORDS BECAUSE I'M UP HERE NOW, BUT I GOT TO GET USED TO IT. I WANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHEN YOU HEAR CERTAIN THINGS, WANT CERTAIN THINGS, SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO GO OUT THERE ON FAITH. KEEP MAKING YOUR CIRCLE BIGGER AND GOD PUT YOU IN A PLACE WHERE YOU NEED TO BE. ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS CONTINUE ON WITH WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON AND TALKING ABOUT AND THINGS WORK OUT, ABOUT BUT WE HAVE TO COME TOGETHER. THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO GET UP TO SAY AND GET YOUR CARD. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. COUNCIL MEMBER HURTAK, THIS WAS YOUR MOTION. WHAT I'M HEARING IS REGARDING COMMUNICATION AND GETTING THAT MESSAGE OUT THERE. HOSPITAL TO SAY PER SE A JOB FAIR -- I DON'T WANT TO SAY PER SE A JOB FAIR, BUT GETTING IN THE COMMUNITY AND SOME KIND OF COMMUNITY MEETING WHATEVER TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT THERE FOR PEOPLE. I KNOW IT'S ON THE WEBSITE. I KNOW IT'S OUT THERE DIGITALLY. PERHAPS GOING IN AND MEETING WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, REACHING OUT TO NEIGHBORHOOD PRESIDENTS, JUST MAKING IT AS EASILY AND ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY, BUT MAKE SURE EVERYBODY GETS THE MESSAGE. THE CITY HAS THE WEBSITE. WE HAVE CTTV. WE HAVE SO MANY THINGS. I THINK ONE ON ONE, MEETING WITH FOLKS AND LETTING THEM KNOW, HEY, THERE ARE THESE OPPORTUNITIES I THINK WOULD BE WISE TO DO THAT. >>LYNN HURTAK: I AGREE. AGAIN, I'LL WORK ON A MOTION WITH YOU FOR THIS SO WE GET EXACTLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR, BUT JUST A PLAN JUST TO LET US KNOW WHAT YOUR COMMUNICATION PLAN IS, HOW THAT'S GOING TO BE DISSEMINATED TO THE COMMUNITY. AS YOU'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY, THEY REALLY WANT SOMETHING THAT COMES TO THEM AND DOESN'T JUST GO THROUGH THE NONPROFITS. I HAVE TO IMAGINE YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN MIND, BUT WHAT IS THAT? CAN YOU SPEAK TO THAT NOW? >> YEAH, I CAN. AS IT RELATES TO THE JOBS AND THE CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS, CAREER SOURCE TAMPA BAY, THAT IS THE MAIN CONDUIT. THERE WAS A PROGRAM THAT WAS MENTIONED THAT'S RUN OUT OF THE EDC. THERE ARE A PLETHORA OF PROGRAMS THAT ARE RUN FROM A NUMBER OF PEOPLE. WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS NOT HAVE THE INDIVIDUAL FOCUS ON THAT SPECIFIC PROGRAM NAME BECAUSE THAT'S A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH. THAT'S THE FUNDING. BUT IF THEY COME IN TO THE WORKFORCE BOARD, IF THEY GO INTO CAREER SOURCE, OR IF THEY COME IN AND TALK TO US, WHAT THEY'LL GET CONNECTED TO IS THE PROGRAM THAT MEETS THEIR NEEDS. HCC DOES A GREAT JOB OF THAT, BUT IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT IF PEOPLE TRY TO REMEMBER THE INDIVIDUAL NAMES. YOU JUST NEED TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN OR WHAT YOU MIGHT WANT TO TALK ABOUT POSSIBLY EXPLORING. AND THEN THERE ARE TEAMS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE TO HELP AN INDIVIDUAL EXPLORE THE OPPORTUNITIES AND FIND THE FIT THAT'S BEST FOR THEM. >>LYNN HURTAK: I THINK THAT'S GREAT, BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE WE'RE MISSING SOME ORGANIZATIONS. MR. HYCH'S ORGANIZATION DOESN'T SEEM TO KNOW ABOUT THIS. THERE ARE SO MANY ORGANIZATIONS. I THINK THE ISSUE IS HOW DO WE REACH EVERY SINGLE ONE WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING. OBVIOUSLY, I'M SURE THAT YOU ALL WILL CONNECT, BUT FROM THAT, AGAIN, WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO? THIS IS THE AGE-OLD QUESTION OF HOW WE REACH PEOPLE. SO WORKING WITH -- >> HOW ABOUT WE DOUBLE BACK WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS PEOPLE AND PUT TOGETHER A PLAN TO GET THE WORD OUT? >>LYNN HURTAK: YEAH. THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I WAS SAYING. WHAT WE'LL DO IS I'LL HAVE YOU ALL AND KELLY CRAFT A MOTION. GENERALLY, I DON'T WANT TO JUST THROW OUT A MOTION BECAUSE I LIKE TO MAKE IT VERY SPECIFIC. MAYBE IF WE COULD WORK ON A QUICK MOTION AND I COULD PRESENT THAT NEXT WEEK AS TO WHAT WE WANT TO SEE GOING FORWARD. BUT, YES, A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN AND A STRATEGY IS EXACTLY WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE. >> WE'LL REACH OUT TO KELLY. >>LYNN HURTAK: YEAH. WE'LL COME UP WITH THE CORRECT WORDING AND LANGUAGE. BUT REALLY KNOWING TODAY, AS PEOPLE LEAVE, KNOWING THAT THE GOAL IS A COMMUNICATIONS PLAN AND THAT I'LL BE BRINGING A MOTION FORWARD NEXT WEEK THAT HAS THE DATES, EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT. I DO REALLY APPRECIATE IT. IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'RE ON THE RIGHT TRACK, BUT, YEAH, OUR NEXT BIGGEST CHALLENGE IS HOW DO WE LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT IT? THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR HARD WORK. WE HAVE MORE TO DO, BUT I KNOW WE'RE ALL UP TO THE CHALLENGE. >> IT'S BEEN A GREAT TEAM EFFORT. GREAT MOMENTUM. >>LYNN HURTAK: WONDERFUL. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT NEXT STEP AND BRING IN AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. SO THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE'LL GO TO ITEMS 3 AND 4. THEY TIE IN TOGETHER. WE'LL START WITH 3 REGARDING THE MILLION DOLLARS HERE AND NATURAL RESOURCES. GOOD MORNING, SIR. >> GOOD MORNING. WHIT REMER, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE OFFICER. AS YOU MENTIONED, I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TAKE 3 AND 4 TOGETHER. WE'VE GOT A SLIDE SHOW, IF WE CAN GET THAT GOING. I THINK JC WILL KICK IT OFF AND I'LL WRAP UP ON THE TAIL END. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE IT UP. GO AHEAD, SIR. GOOD MORNING. >>JC HUDGISON: CITY OF TAMPA. SO BASICALLY WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, THERE WERE KIND OF SIX DIFFERENT SECTIONS OF THE MOTION. WE KIND OF WANTED TO BREAK IT DOWN BASED OFF OF KIND OF THE GROUPS DEALING WITH THEM PRIMARILY. ITEMS 1, 2, 3, TALKING ABOUT WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT MITIGATION TREES. TWO, HOW TO INCREASE AND IMPROVE CODE ENFORCEMENT. AND ADDING THE FINE AND PUNISHMENT WILL BE HANDLED BY MYSELF. AND THEN WHIT WILL TAKE 4, 5, AND 6. MITIGATION TREE TRACKING. WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH ACCELA, WHICH IS OUR PERMITTING SYSTEM, TO TRY TO FIND A WAY TO BETTER TRACK TREE REMOVAL, TREE REPLACEMENT. RIGHT NOW, THE WAY WE TRACK THEM, IDEALLY ARE STAND-ALONE PERMITS. SOMEBODY CALLS IN, HEY, THEY WANT TO REMOVE A TREE OR DO SOMETHING TO A TREE, THAT WAS REALLY THE ONLY WAY THAT WE HAD GOOD, SOLID NUMBERS. HOWEVER, BLD PERMITS, ANY CONSTRUCTION GOING ON IN THE CITY, WE NEEDED TO MAKE SURE WE WERE ALSO ENCOMPASSING THEM THERE. WE DO TO AN EXTENT, TRACKING IS THE ISSUE, BECAUSE WE DO PROVIDE TREE TABLES AND THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH AND TALK ABOUT THE REPLACEMENT OF THE TREES. HOWEVER, FOR THE POINT OF TRYING TO CALCULATE THE TREE CANOPY, WHERE IT IS, HOW MANY WE'RE LOSING OF CERTAIN TREES, IT JUST NEVER WAS REALLY IN ONE CENTRAL LOCATION TO PUT THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER. SO WE STARTED WORKING PROBABLY ABOUT RIGHT AFTER THE TREE CANOPY STUDY CAME OUT TO SAY, HEY, HOW CAN WE BETTER TRACK THESE TREES, HOW CAN WE GET THAT INFORMATION TOGETHER THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH THE PUBLIC AND FOR US TO HAVE A RUNNING TALLY AS PROJECTS ARE BEING COMPLETED. SO WE STARTED JANUARY 2024 TO KIND OF PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER, AND WE STARTED APRIL 8th OF 2024. SO AS OF RIGHT NOW, ANY FUTURE BUILDING PERMITS THAT COME IN, WE'RE ABLE TO TRACK THOSE NUMBERS. AND SO THAT HELPS US BOTH WAYS. THAT HELPS US COMING IN THE DOOR SO WE CAN MAKE SURE OBVIOUSLY IT'S COMPLIANT, BUT ALSO A QUICKER PLACE FOR MY STAFF WHEN THEY ARE OUT THERE DOING FINALS, HEY, THESE ARE THE NUMBER OF TREES SUPPOSED TO BE OUT THERE. SIMPLE COUNTING THE TREES, HEY, WE NEED THIS MANY PROTECTED, THESE MANY GRAND. WE'RE MAKING SURE THOSE TREES ARE BEING THERE. THIS IS KIND OF A SNAPSHOT. THIS IS WHAT THE STAFF WILL SEE. THIS IS WHAT STAFF WILL INPUT BECAUSE WE WOULD PREFER THE STAFF TO DOUBLE CHECK THE NUMBERS AGAINST THE TREE TABLE. SO YOU CAN SEE BASED OFF -- WE KIND OF FILLED THEM ALL WITH THREES, BUT TO GIVE YOU A TEMPLATE OF WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE. YOU'RE ABLE TO SEE EACH DIFFERENT TYPE OF TREE, WHAT IS BEING REMOVED, BEING REPLACED AND BEING CREDITED. IDEALLY, WE CAN TRACK ALL OF THOSE PHASES OF THE PROCESS. IF THEY DECIDE THEY WANT TO PAY INTO THE TREE TRUST FUND, THAT'S ALSO LOCATED IN THE SAME LOCATION. WE WANT OUR STAFF NOT TO HAVE TO JUMP BETWEEN THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT PERMITS OR THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT RECORDS TO FIND THAT INFORMATION. IT'S ALL IN ONE RECORD. WHEN WE GET TO OUR FINAL INSPECTION, THIS POPS UP, STAFF GOES OUT TO LOOK TO MAKE SURE ALL OF THE NUMBERS LINE UP. SO THAT HELPS NOT ONLY NATURAL RESOURCES BUT ANY OTHER STAFF, IF SOMEBODY IS OUT THERE AND THEY SEE IT, THEY HAVE ONE PLACE IN ACCELA TO GO SEE AND GET ALL THE INFORMATION. RIGHT NOW, THEY KIND OF HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE TREE TABLES AND GRAB A PAGE HERE, LANDSCAPING PLAN HERE. REVISION HERE. SO FOR US, IT WAS INTENTIONAL TO TRY TO PUT IT ALL IN ONE PLACE SO IT'S EASY ACCESS. TWO, BECAUSE THESE ARE CALLED ASI FIELD, YOU CAN THEN PULL THOSE NUMBERS TO TRACK THEM. ANY LIFETIME, WE CAN SAY HOW MANY GRAND TREES HAVE BEEN REMOVED BASED OFF ALL OUR BLDs, WE CAN GIVE YOU A NUMBER. RIGHT NOW, IT IS A LABOR, BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GO BACK THROUGH ALL THE TREE TABLES WHICH AREN'T REALLY IN ASI FORMAT TO BE ABLE TO PULL THOSE THINGS OUT. THE NEW TREE TRACKING PROVIDED WITHIN ACCELA. I HAVE SOME OF MY NATURAL RESOURCES STAFF NOT TOO HAPPY WITH ME BECAUSE IT IS AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF WORK TO EXTRACT THE INFORMATION BUT REALLY NO OTHER WAY TO DO IT. WE THINK THAT IS SOMETHING TO PROVIDE, WORKING WITH WHIT WHERE TO DISPLAY IT AND PUT IT ONLINE SO THE PUBLIC CAN SEE IT. UNDER ACCELA, WE CAN BREAK THOSE THINGS DOWN TO SHOW YOU WHERE THE NUMBERS ARE AT. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: IF SOMEBODY IS UNHAPPY WITH YOU, THAT MEANS YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB. [ LAUGHTER ] BUT ON THE OTHER SIDE, I APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND INDIVIDUALS YOU'RE WORKING WITH REGARDING THE TREE TRACKING, I THINK THE SOUTH FLORIDA, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, DOING A STUDY OF WHERE THE TREES SHOULD BE PLANTED AT. THAT'S NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, IF WE HAVE THAT IN HAND, IT SHOULD NOT BE TOO DIFFICULT -- YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU APPLY TO DO A DEVELOPMENT OR ONE BUILDING, WHATEVER, IT TAKES A LONG TIME, PERIOD OF TIME, NOT A LONG TIME, PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE YOU GET TO THE FINAL BEFORE THE COUNCIL. BETWEEN ALL THAT TIME, SHOULD THERE BE A PLAN THAT PUT A SHARED BURDEN ON BOTH, THE ONE WHO WANTS TO APPLY AND THE CITY WHO WANTS TO RECEIVE BUT ALSO MANAGE A TREE FUND. SO AT THE TIME IT COMES BEFORE COUNCIL, IN MY OPINION, THERE SHOULD BE AT LEAST A CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF HOW MANY TREES ARE GOING DOWN AND WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO BE PLANTED. AND THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE SITE PLAN SO THAT WE KNOW ALL OF US AND THE PUBLIC, MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN US, UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHERE THE TREES ARE AT. THERE SHOULD ALSO BE A TRACKING SYSTEM OF WHERE AND HOW THOSE TREES ARE TREATED AFTER THEY ARE PLANTED. YOU CAN PLANT ANY TREE YOU WANT, AND IF YOU DON'T TAKE CARE OF IT, MORE THAN LIKELY, THEY MAY NOT SUCCEED. WE CAN'T DEPEND ON NATURE ANYMORE THAT IT'S GOING TO RAIN ONLY FROM JUNE TO SEPTEMBER BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE WAY WE'RE TREATING NATURE, THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. JUST THIS YEAR ALONE WE HAD RAIN WHEN WE WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO HAVE RAIN AND WHEN YOU NEED RAIN, YOU DON'T HAVE RAIN. I'M PUTTING IT BACK ON YOUR STAFF OF THE JOB THEY ARE DOING TO WORK WITH THE DEVELOPERS AND THE CITY STAFF, THAT AT THE TIME THAT IT COMES BEFORE US, WE SHOULD HAVE AN X-RAY OF WHERE THOSE TREES ARE GOING AND WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. I'M NOT A TREE EXPERT, BUT I'M SURE WHEN YOU PLANT A TREE, YOU HAVE TO WATER IT SO MANY DAYS FOR SO MUCH PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE IT HAS A CHANCE TO BE HUNDRED PERCENT. THERE'S NOTHING IN LIFE THAT IS HUNDRED PERCENT ACCURATE. WHAT WE'RE GOING AFTER, THAT TREE THEN HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MORE THAN LIKELY SUCCEED IN GROWING, OTHERWISE IT WILL HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT OF NOT SUCCEEDING AND GROWING AND IT WOULD BE A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY AND A WASTED OPPORTUNITY THAT WE SHOULD NOT GO THROUGH. I THINK YOU'RE DOING A GREAT JOB AND I THINK WE HAVE TO DO A STEP FURTHER AND THAT'S PUT IT TOGETHER. SO THAT MAP IS COMPLETED. THE APPLICATION IS EITHER APPROVED, NOT APPROVED, AND THAT'S HOW IT GOES. I'M NOT AN EXPERT ON TREES. I'M NOT AN EXPERT, BUT I SEE THAT THE PLAN IS MISSING ONE THING. AT THE END, WHEN DOES IT HAPPEN AND HOW DOES IT HAPPEN AND HOW MAINTAINED? IF NOT MAINTAINED, NO WAY THAT TREE IS GOING TO SURVIVE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, SIR. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I APPRECIATE LATER ON 60 OR 90 DAYS, IF YOU CAN GIVE US BACK A REPORT ON YOUR CONCEPTUAL IDEAS OF HOW YOU WORK IT OUT WITH THE PLANNERS OF THE CITY. >> YES, SIR. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU. >>JC HUDGISON: THE NEXT PART IS CODE ENFORCEMNT. WITH THE NATURAL RESOURCES SECTION, ESPECIALLY FOR -- >>ALAN CLENDENIN: HOLD ON ONE SECOND. COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: APPRECIATE IT, LIKE AS WE'RE GOING FROM SECTION TO SECTION JUST HAVE A BRIEF TIME FOR QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE. I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL THING. I KNOW IT WAS AN INTENSIVE LABOR TO PUT ALL THIS ORGANIZING TOGETHER. I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT, YOU KNOW, AT THE END, BEFORE CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, AS YOU'RE CLOSING OUT, YOU'RE DOUBLE-CHECKING THAT ALL THE TREES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THERE. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM IS -- DO YOU HAVE YOUR PHONE? IF YOU COULD GRAB YOUR PHONE AND COME OVER HERE TO THE ELMO. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS, THOUGH, IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IS WHEN PEOPLE -- WHEN RESIDENTS BUY THAT NEW HOUSE, THERE ARE TREES THAT ARE PLANTED THAT THEY ARE JUST PULLING OUT. I HAD TO TELL A NEIGHBOR WHO LITERALLY PULLED THE FULL TREE OUT AND PUT IT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHICH, A, IT WAS PLANTED POORLY BECAUSE IT WAS STILL IN ITS POT CONFIGURATION. WHOEVER PLANTED IT DIDN'T DO A GOOD JOB AND ALL THE ROOTS WERE STILL ROOT-BOUND. THAT'S WHY THEY GOT RID OF THE TREE. THEY PULLED IT OUT BECAUSE IT WAS ROOT-BOUND. THEY PULL IT OUT AND THROW IT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. YOU SHOULD REALLY TALK TO YOUR DEVELOPER BECAUSE I'M PRETTY SURE THAT IS A MITIGATION TREE. IF YOU CAN PULL UP MS. CARROLL ANN BENNETT'S MOST RECENT E-MAIL TO US THIS MORNING. THIS IS WHAT'S HAPPENING. THEY ARE LITERALLY SELLING THE TREES, THE MITIGATION TREES THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED TO PUT IN. CAN YOU JUST SCROLL? YEAH, IT'S KIND OF WILD THE STORIES THAT WE'RE SEEING. IS THERE SOMEWHERE I CAN SELL A NEWLY PLANTED OAK TREE THAT WE'RE HAVING REMOVED FROM OUR YARD? WE DON'T WANT IT BUT THE BUILDERS PUT IT IN. IT'S NOT AN OPTION FOR THESE PEOPLE TO TAKE IT OUT. THEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM. I REALLY APPRECIATE -- I THINK YOU HAVE DONE A GREAT JOB WITH THE FIRST STEP OF COLLATING THE INFORMATION. BUT THEN WHAT DO WE DO WITH IT? HOW DO WE TELL THESE OWNERS THAT IT IS A MITIGATION TREE? DO WE ADD A FINE? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THEY KNOW YOU CANNOT TAKE THIS TREE OUT? AND IF YOU DO, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT IT BACK. HOW CAN WE WATCH THAT? HOW CAN WE TARGET THAT? THAT'S WHAT I BELIEVE COUNCILMAN MIRANDA WAS ALSO TALKING ABOUT, TOO. THANK YOU SO MUCH BECAUSE I THINK THE VISUAL ON THAT WAS SO BRILLIANT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MS. FEELEY. >>ABBYE FEELEY: ABBYE FEELEY, DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT. JUST WANTED TO SAY BRIEFLY, WE ACTUALLY HAD OUR MONTHLY MEETING WITH TBBA, THE TAMPA BAY BUILDERS ASSOCIATION, LAST MONTH AND I WAS IN ATTENDANCE, I BROUGHT THIS UP. BECAUSE WE ARE AWARE, MS. BENNETT IS COMMUNICATING WITH US AND WE ARE SENDING OUR TEAMS OUT. BUT THIS IS A BALANCED RESPONSIBILITY RIGHT? THE HOME BUILDERS ALSO HAVE TO BE INFORMING WHEN THEY ARE BUILDING THESE NEW HOMES THAT THE CITY DOES HAVE A LANDSCAPE CODE. YOU ARE REQUIRED TWO TREES. SOME OF THEM HAVE MORE TREES BECAUSE THEY TOOK OUT OTHER TREES AND THEY ARE MITIGATING. WE'RE AWARE OF THAT. WE'VE BEEN WORKING THROUGH IT. YES, YOU CAN'T JUST SELL. WALK UP AND YOUR TREES ARE NOW NEW TREES, I'VE SEEN THE Facebook POSTS. WE ARE AWARE. WE ARE WORKING ON IT. I'LL LET JC TALK TO THAT. YES, IN WE GO BY, AGAIN, WE'VE SAID TO YOU ALL MANY TIMES, THERE ARE 137,000 PARCELS IN THE CITY AND THERE'S ONLY SO MANY OF US. BY PEOPLE LETTING US KNOW THEY ARE SEEING THAT HAPPEN WE CAN REACT TO THAT. IF NOT, WE CAN ALSO WORK WITH OUR INSPECTIONS TEAM TO SEE ABOUT DOING SOMETHING SO MANY MONTHS AFTER THE C.O. IS ISSUED JUST TO RIDE BY AND MAKE SURE THOSE TREES ARE STILL THERE. I DON'T WANT TO COMMIT THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SEE ALL OF THEM. I THINK IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF THIS YEAR WE PERMITTED 525 NEW SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES. THAT'S 525 THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE NEW TREES OR HAVE RETAINED THEIR EXISTING TREES. BUT WE ARE VERY MUCH AWARE OF THEM. >>JC HUDGISON: THE SECTION IS 2728422. MITIGATION TREES, WE HAVE UP TO SIX MONTHS AFTER THE CO HAS BEEN ISSUED TO GO BACK AND MAKE SURE THOSE MITIGATION TREES ARE DOING WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO. WE'RE DOING THAT AND WORKING WITH BRIAN KNOX WITH THE PLANNING TO ALSO DEVELOP A HANGER, SO WHEN WE DO THAT FINAL INSPECTION, THAT THEY HAVE THAT HANGER, PUT IT ON THE DOOR, SO REGARDLESS OF WHO IS AROUND, THEY ARE SAYING, HEY, PLEASE BE AWARE, YOU MAY HAVE MITIGATION TREES ON YOUR SITE. AND IN CITING THAT SECTION OF THE CODE. THAT'S WHERE WE'RE WORKING AT AT THIS POINT. WE'RE GETTING A LOT MORE OF THOSE UNFORTUNATELY. THAT'S KIND OF THAT BACK PART OF THE ENFORCEMENT. BUT WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING TO START DOING THAT. WE HOPE TO HAVE THE HANGERS IN THE NEXT 60 DAYS. BRIAN IS WORKING WITH THE MARKETING DEPARTMENT, MAKE SURE IT LOOKS NICE. IDEALLY, PART OF THE FINAL INSPECTION, TAKE THE HANGER AND THE HANGER GOES ON THE FRONT DOOR TO SAY, HEY, YOU COULD POTENTIALLY OR YOU HAVE MITIGATION TREES ON YOUR SITE. PLEASE BE AWARE PER THE SECTION OF CODE IN SIX MONTHS, WE ARE ALLOWED TO COME BACK TO THE SITE PER THE TREE CODE TO GO BACK AND MAKE SURE THE TREES ARE WHERE THEY ARE AND HEALTHY. >>LYNN HURTAK: ON THAT DOOR HANGER, I WOULD ALSO REALLY LOVE IT IF YOU INCLUDED THE COST, THE FINE, IF THERE IS A FINE. IF THERE ISN'T A FINE, NEED TO CREATE A FINE. WHAT IS THE PUSH FOR PEOPLE TO NOT GET RID OF THE TREES? AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE THAT BIG, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE. WHEN SOMEONE BUYS A NEW HOUSE, ALL OF THE MAIL THEY GET, ALL OF THE EXTRA STUFF, IF YOU TAKE OUT A TREE, YOU COULD HAVE A FINE. BUT ALSO, I THINK THAT, MS. FEELEY, YOUR DEPARTMENT HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB WITH GATHERING GROUPS TOGETHER. SO THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME TO GET TTAG AND THE TBBA AND THE REALTORS TOGETHER TO KIND OF FIND A SOLUTION. HOW DO WE TELL -- I MEAN, OTHER THAN THESE DOOR HANGERS, BECAUSE YOU'RE RIGHT. IT'S NOT JUST OUR RESPONSIBILITY. IT CAN BE A COOPERATIVE, HAND IN HAND WITH BOTH BUILDERS AND REALTORS. HOW CAN WE USE THEM TO HELP SHARE THAT? BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH, WITH TE NEW HOMEOWNERS, AND THEY KNOW THEM. I THINK THAT MAYBE A COLLECTIVE MEETING TOGETHER, TRYING TO FIND THE BEST WAY TO GET THIS INFORMATION OUT, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK BY AND LARGE PEOPLE -- IF THEY DON'T KNOW, DON'T JUST PULL THE TREES OUT, WHICH THEY ARE DOING. >>ABBYE FEELEY: TOUCH ON THAT, TOO. JC AND I MET WITH GTAR THIS WEEK, REPRESENT A FROM GTAR, GREATER TAMPA AREA REALTORS. WE ARE GOING TO BE MEETING WITH THEM IN THE FALL. WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER A SESSION TO GO OVER, BECAUSE I THINK SOME OF THIS, TOO, CAME UP WITH THE WHOLE ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION ISSUES. AND ALSO, UNPERMITTED WORK, WHEN PEOPLE ARE BUYING AND SELLING. SO WE HAD A VERY ROBUST CONVERSATION EARLIER THIS WEEK WHERE WE WILL BE GOING OUT AND DOING A SESSION. I THINK THEY'LL BE ABLE TO COUNT IT AS CONTINUING EDUCATION TO SHARE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION SO WE CAN DEFINITELY ADD THIS TO THAT AS WELL. BUT WE COULD STILL LOOK AT THAT. BUT I THINK WE HAVE SEVERAL OF THOSE FORUMS. WE DO HAVE OUR QUARTERLY ADVISORY COMMITTEES THAT JC HEADS UP THAT ALSO PROVIDE A FORUM FOR US TO CONTINUE TO DISSEMINATE THAT INFORMATION. >>LYNN HURTAK: I APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK IT'S GREAT, BUT STILL ONE OF THOSE THINGS WHERE WE'RE TALKING TO MULTIPLE ORGANIZATIONS WHERE MAYBE IF WE COULD ALL COME TOGETHER AND FIND A WAY -- THE BUILDER IS LOOKING AT IT ONE WAY, AND THE HOMEOWNERS GROUP IS LOOKING AT IT A DIFFERENT WAY, LIKE WHAT'S THE BEST WAY? I STILL THINK THERE IS VALUE IN COMING UP WITH A MEETING AND COMING UP WITH A PLAN BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE ISSUE HERE IS EVERYBODY IS DOING THEIR OWN JOB, BUT NO ONE IS COMING -- >>ABBYE FEELEY: ACTUALLY TEACHING AT THE MAYOR'S NEIGHBORHOOD UNIVERSITY ON MAY 11, ALSO SATURDAY MORNING, ZONING 101 AND 102. I'M HAPPY TO INCLUDE THIS IN THAT DIALOGUE AS WELL AS ANOTHER FORUM TO GET SOME OF THAT INFORMATION OUT THERE. >>LYNN HURTAK: I THINK THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL. ANYTHING WE CAN DO SO IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY FALL ON STAFF. AND I THINK THE MORE EDUCATION THAT WE CAN PROVIDE IN TRYING TO GET THE BUY-IN FROM OTHERS, IT'S LESS WORK FOR YOU ALL IN THE LONG RUN. YOU'RE RIGHT. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY AFTER SIX MONTHS THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE TREE, SO WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO? THAT'S THE WAY I SEE US PUTTING IN WORK AHEAD OF TIME TO NOT HAVE TO DO AS MUCH WORK ON THE BACK END. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THAT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ANYBODY ELSE? ANYTHING ELSE, SIR, FOR YOUR PRESENTATION, BEFORE I GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT? >> WELL, NOT FOR THAT SECTION. STILL HAVE THREE MORE -- TWO MORE SECTIONS. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: GO AHEAD, SIR. HE'S NOT DONE WITH THE PRESENTATION. GO AHEAD, SIR. IMPROVE CODE ENFORCEMENT. >>JC HUDGISON: UNDER CODE ENFORCEMENT, I HAVE LEGAL DEPARTMENT HERE -- >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE NEED IT UP ON OUR SCREENS AS WELL. YES SIR. GO AHEAD. >>JC HUDGISON: A LOT OF TIMES WE WERE LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE SAYING WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT THE TREE CUTTERS THAT COME IN AND KIND OF CUT TREES AND PRUNE TREES. OUR NORMAL STANCE IS, HEY, THIS IS THE PROPERTY OWNER. THIS IS THE PERSON WHO HAS THE TREE. HOWEVER, WE DID GO BACK TO LOOK AT THE DEFINITION YOU SEE UNDER 9-2 FOR A VIOLATOR. STATES THAT THE VIOLATOR IS A PERSON RESPONSIBLE OR BELIEVED TO BE RESPONSIBLE. SO THAT'S KIND OF GIVING US A LITTLE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE TO LOOK AT HOW TO ENFORCE SOMEOF THAT. WHAT WE'RE PLANNING ON DOING NOW IS TO MOVE FORWARD TO NOT ONLY ISSUE A NOTICE OF VIOLATION TO THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY, BUT ALSO A NOTICE OF VIOLATION TO THAT TREE COMPANY. WE CAN IDENTIFY WHO THEY ARE. IF THEY HAVE A DUMPSTER OR SOMETHING OR GOT A TRUCK AND WE HAVE THAT EVIDENCE AND WE'RE ABLE TO GET THAT INFORMATION, WE'RE ISSUING BOTH THE NOTICE OF VIOLATION TO THE OWNER AND TO THE TREE COMPANY. SO THEN BOTH OF THEM WILL BE RESPONSIBLE, HAVE TO GO THROUGH THEIR PROCESS, COME SEE MAGISTRATE AND FIGURE OUT HOW THEY ARE GOING TO RESOLVE ALL OF THAT. THAT'S ONE DEFINITE THING WE'RE STARTING TO DO NOW. UNFORTUNATELY, TREE CUTTERS AREN'T REQUIRED TO BE LICENSED. ONCE AGAIN, NOT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN GO AFTER SOMEBODY'S LICENSE. CAN'T REVOKE THEIR LICENSE TO KEEP THEM FROM DOING IT. UNFORTUNATELY IT WILL BE A LONGER PROCESS TO TRY TO GET SOME OF THE COMPLIANCE THERE. AS YOU MENTIONED, IF THEY DON'T KNOW, THEY DON'T KNOW. THEY CUT THE TREE. HOMEOWNER PAYS THEM, THEY MOVE ON. IDEALLY, TRYING TO BE ABLE TO GO AFTER NOT ONLY THE OWNER, BUT THE OWNER AND TREE COMPANY TO BE ABLE TO GET COMPLIANCE BETTER. FOR US, IT'S JUST TRYING TO FIND OUT WHO THEY ARE. I THINK I HAVE A PICTURE ON HERE. IDEALLY, WE HAVE A DUMPSTER. WE HAVE SOMETHING WE CAN GO AFTER. WE HAVE PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE OF THIS VIOLATION HAPPENING. WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. IDEALLY, OUR PLAN GOING FORWARD NOW IS FOR ANY FUTURE ILLEGAL TREE TRIMMING OR REMOVAL, WE'LL CITE THE PROPERTY OWNER AND CITE THE TREE TRIMMING COMPANY IF THEY HAVE THE INFORMATION AND WE CAN FIND OUT WHO THEY ARE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU. I'M THINKING WAY OUT OF THE BOX. THE REASON FOR WHAT I'LL SAY NEXT, I'VE HAD TWO INDIVIDUALS IN THE LAST MONTH OR SO CALL THE OFFICE AND ASK THIS QUESTION. I JUST BOUGHT THIS HOUSE. AND THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION I'M TALKING ABOUT. I JUST BOUGHT THIS HOUSE. AND I GOT CITED FOR HAVING A VIOLATION ON THE PROPERTY THAT I JUST BOUGHT. BUT I DIDN'T DO IT. I BOUGHT IT FROM THE SELLER. THE SELLER DID IT. NOW WHO DO WE GO AFTER? THAT IS A LEGAL QUESTION AND WHY I'M BRINGING IT UP. THE PROBLEM IS, AT THE TIME, AND I'M NOT A LAWYER AND DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT LAW. I ADMIT TO THAT. HOWEVER, THAT BEING SAID, AT THE TIME THAT YOU BUY THE HOUSE, DOES ANYBODY TELL YOU IF THERE ARE ANY VIOLATIONS ON THAT HOUSE? IS IT THE SELLER'S RESPONSIBILITY OR WHOEVER SOLD THE HOUSE TO YOU, THE RESPONSIBILITY OR IS IT YOUR RESPONSIBILITY AS BUYER TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE NO OTHER LEGAL OR ILLEGAL THINGS IN YOUR DEED AT THE COURTHOUSE, THAT THE CITY RECORDED THESE THINGS SO THAT WHEN YOU DO CHECK, YOU FIND OUT THAT THERE IS SOMETHING THERE AND YOU CAN GET OUT OF THE DEAL. I DON'T KNOW. IT IS A VAST QUESTION, BUT BECOMING, IF I HAD ONE AND I HAVE TWO, THAT MEANS MORE THAN LIKELY I'M GOING TO HAVE MORE. SO HOW DO WE STOP THAT NOW? BECAUSE I DON'T WANT A MASSIVE THING OF FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, TEN PEOPLE. WHO KNOWS WHAT IS GOING ON. IF IT WASN'T THE CODE ENFORCEMENT DOING THE JOB, I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD ANY, NONE. BUT I WOULD IMAGINE IN MY OWN LITTLE MIND THAT SOMEHOW WE'RE GETTING SMARTER AND LOOKING AT ZILLOW AND LOOKING AT A HOUSE THAT WAS TEN YEARS OLD, AND NOW YOU SEE A DIFFERENT HOUSE ON THE SAME PIECE OF PROPERTY. >>CAMARIA PETTIS-MACKLE: CAMARIA PETTIS-MACKLE FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. YOU ALREADY MADE A MOTION FOR THAT AND IT'S COMING UP I BELIEVE IN JUNE. I'LL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT AT THE TIME. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, SIR. GO AHEAD. >>JC HUDGISON: SO THAT'S THE SECTION FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE GO TO THE FINE SECTION? >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: NO, SIR. GO AHEAD. >>JC HUDGISON: SO WE TALKED TO -- WE'VE HEARD FROM CONSTITUENTS BOUT HOW TO ADDRESS ADDING A FINE OR ADDING A MAX FINE TO THE PROCESS. UNFORTUNATELY, BASED OFF OF A CITATION, IT DOES NOT PROVIDE A PROVISION TO TAMPA CODE SECTION -- I'LL READ IT. SECTION 23.5 DOES NOT PROVIDE A PROVISION TO ISSUE A CITATION FOR REMOVING A TREE WITHOUT A PERMIT. THAT'S WHY IT KIND OF MOVES TO CHAPTER 27 AND THAT ENFORCEMENT. WE WOULD NOT SUGGEST MOVING TO A CITATION BECAUSE THE MAXIMUM FINE YOU CAN DO IS $500. THEREFORE, THAT IS A ONE-TIME OFFENSE. THEY DO IT ONE TIME AND IT'S DONE. SO, THEREFORE, IF THEY REMOVE MULTIPLE TREES, THAT WOULD BE A ONE-TIME FINE AND THAT'S IT. PERSONALLY, IN LOOKING AT HOW WE WANT TO DO, HOW WE CURRENTLY DO ADMINISTRATIVE FINES, WE CAN DESIGNATE A TREE AS IRREPARABLE OR IRREVERSIBLE AND CHARGE UP TO 15,000. I WOULDN'T WANT TO CHOOSE TO GO TO A CITATION METHOD WHERE ONLY CHARGING 500 AND ONE SHOT AND COST OF DOING BUSINESS. THEY DO IT AND SAY, HEY, I'LL PAY $500 TO CUT THE TREE DOWN AS OPPOSED TO US DEALING WITH IT ON $15,000 PER VIOLATION. SEE WHAT I'M SAYING. THEREFORE THOSE THINGS CAN BUILD UP FOR BIGGER VIOLATIONS. FOR US, WE WOULD NOT SUGGEST CHANGING THAT. BASED OFF OF THE WAY THE TREE CODE IS WRITTEN, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE THE 15,000. IF WE GO TO THE CITATION PROCESS, IT'S MORE OF A CIVIL CRIMINAL SITUATION. THEY COME AND TICKET, PAY THE TICKET AND MOVE ON. SO WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP KIND OF THE PROCESS AS WE HAVE IT FOR THE $15,000 PER VIOLATION TO BE USED BECAUSE THE MAGISTRATE, NOW, WE CAN TAKE IT TO THE MAGISTRATE. THEY CAN GO UP TO 15,000, BUT THAT IS ON THE MAGISTRATE TO ACTUALLY MAKE THE CALL OF WHAT THAT FINE WOULD BE. THEY CAN CHARGE UP TO $15,000 PER VIOLATION. WE CAN SUGGEST A MAX FINE, BUT IT IS ULTIMATELY UP TO THE MAGISTRATE TO DO THAT. IF DO YOU THE TICKET, $500, ONE SHOT, THAT'S IT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WHEN YOU SAY FOR A VIOLATION, WOULD EACH TREE BE A VIOLATION? >>JC HUDGISON: IT IS UP TO THE SPECIAL MAGISTRATE. COULD SAY 15,000 FOR THE CITE. 15,000 PER TREE. WE MAKE THE CASE, WE TELL THEM WHAT WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO DO, BUT IT'S UP TO THE MAGISTRATE TO THEN MAKE THAT JUDGMENT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILMAN MIRANDA AND THEN -- >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: ALONG THE SAME LINES, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. HAVE WE DONE A CURSORY REVIEW ON HOW MANY LANDS, WE THINK WE HAVE MORE THAN TEN TREES ON OR FIVE TREES ON? BECAUSE THEN YOU CAN GET A SCOPE TO FIND OUT WHICH IS BEST TO USE, 500 OR 15,000? >>JC HUDGISON: I'D HAVE TO GET BACK WITH YOU. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I WOULD SUGGEST AGAIN THAT SOMEHOW, IF IT'S POSSIBLE, FIND OUT HOW MANY PIECES OF PROPERTY THAT WE HAVE THAT HAVE MORE THAN FIVE TREES OR FOUR TREES BECAUSE NOW WHAT YOU'RE ASKING FOR MAY SOUND GREAT, BUT AT THE END, SOMEBODY MAY HAVE 30 TREES, $15,000, THAT IS A BARGAIN. THE OTHER WAY AROUND, IT'S NOT A BARGAIN. I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER. BUT MAYBE YOU CAN FIND OUT FOR US. IF IT'S POSSIBLE. I KNOW I ASK THESE SIMPLE QUESTIONS. >>JC HUDGISON: I'LL GET WITH BRIAN KNOX AND SEE. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>JC HUDGISON: OUR ACTION ITEM FOR THAT, WE WOULDN'T RECOMMEND ANY CHANGE IN THAT PROCESS JUST BASED OFF THE VARIATION OF THE CITATION, WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT THE WAY IT IS. ANOTHER PART OF THAT MITIGATION IS YOU PAY INTO THE TREE TRUST FUND, SO, THEREFORE, IF IT IS A REGULAR CITATION, IT IS A CRIMINAL CITATION AND WE DON'T GET THAT $500 BACK AT ALL. AT LEAST UNDER 15,000 AND MAGISTRATE IT CAN BE A MOTION TO PAY INTO THE TREE TRUST FUND WHICH CAN THEN LEAD DIRECTLY TO TREE MITIGATION. I BELIEVE THAT'S MY SECTION. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE INITIAL -- I DON'T EVEN THINK WE HAVE TO GO BACK. I APPRECIATE THE WAY WE'RE LOOKING AT FINES FOR CUTTING THE TREES. I MIGHT HAVE SEEN IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS HERE. WHAT CAN WE DO -- AND MAYBE IT'S TOO PRELIMINARY. MAYBE THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS DURING THE SESSION. WHAT CAN WE DO TO PROVIDE FINES OR FEES OR SOME TYPE OF PUNISHMENT TO PEOPLE WHO TAKE OUT THE MITIGATION TREES BEFORE THEY EVEN HAVE A CHANCE TO BECOME SOMETHING THAT'S CUT DOWN. RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING IN -- SO THE ISSUE WE JUST SAW, PEOPLE PULLING OUT THE TREES AND SELLING THEM, WE HAVE NO -- WHAT IS OUR CURRENT RECOURSE FOR THAT? >>JC HUDGISON: VIOLATION OF 284. WE COULD GO BACK AND THEN CITE THEM FOR ILLEGAL TREE REMOVAL AND THEN -- BECAUSE IT IS A VIOLATION. WE GO BACK AND CONFIRM, HEY, YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE HAVE THREE MITIGATION TREES. PULLED TWO OUT TO TRY TO SELL ON Facebook. WE GO BACK AND SEE THOSE AREN'T THERE, THEN WE CAN CITE YOU FOR ILLEGAL TREE REMOVAL AND THAT STARTS YOUR PROCESS TO THE MAGISTRATE. >>LYNN HURTAK: THAT MAKES SENSE. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD PUT ON THE DOOR HANGER. YOU COULD BE FINED UP TO $15,000 PER TREE YOU REMOVE. YOU PUT THAT ON A TREE HANGER, THAT'S SERIOUS. -- ON A DOOR HANGER, THAT'S SERIOUS. IT GETS PEOPLE AT LEAST INTERESTED, OH, GOSH, WHAT DO I NEED TO DO? WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? AGAIN, AS WE PUT A GROUP TOGETHER TO FIGURE IT OUT TO REALLY HELP PEOPLE. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE CLARIFICATION BECAUSE THAT'S KIND OF WHAT I NEEDED TO KNOW AND WHAT I NEED THE PUBLIC TO KNOW, IF YOU TAKE OUT EVEN A MITIGATION TREE, THAT'S $15,000 A TREE, UP TO $15,000 A TREE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH THAT. BECAUSE $500, IT'S A LOT OF MONEY, BUT $15,000 IS SCARY. IT'S MUCH SCARIER. I THINK THAT WOULD SEND A MESSAGE, UP TO 15,000, PEOPLE WILL LOOK AT IT AND THINK TWICE AND THREE TIMES AND FOUR TIMES. YES SIR. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. WHIT REMER, SUSTAINABILITY RESILIENCE OFFICER. BOYS, HOW DO YOU THINK DAD DID? >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I WAS WONDERING WHO WAS IN THE BACK. GOOD. >>WHIT REMER: THE LAST THREE PARTS OF THIS MOTION, AND THIS IS ALSO ITEM 4 WAS KEEPING TRACK OF THE MILLION DOLLAR USDA GRANT. CREATION OF A LARGER CITYWIDE TREE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM AND INCENTIVIZING LIVE OAKS. >>LYNN HURTAK: WHAT IS S AND R? >>WHIT REMER: SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE. KEEPING TRACK OF THE MILLION DOLLAR USDA GRANT, THIS WAS ACCEPTED BY CITY COUNCIL I BELIEVE LAST WEEK. THIS GRANT, WE APPLIED FOR $27 MILLION FOR THIS GRANT. WE RECEIVED A MILLION DOLLARS. IT'S A REALLY EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR US. THE FUNDS UNDER THIS GRANT ARE VERY FLEXIBLE. BUT THE PRIMARY THING I WANT TO POINT OUT HERE IS THAT ONE OF THE STIPULATIONS WITH THIS PARTICULAR GRANT FUND WAS THAT IF THE RECEIVING ENTITY WANTED TO AVOID A COST SHARE MATCH, THOSE FUNDS NEEDED TO BE SPENT IN SPECIFIC CENSUS TRACTS. JUSTICE 40 TRACTS. LARGER BIDEN ADMINISTRATION INITIATIVE TO SPEND 40% OF FEDERAL FUNDS IN DISADVANTAGED AND LOW INCOME AREAS. THIS PARTICULAR GRANT, HONESTLY, JUST FOR ADMINISTRATIVE PURPOSES AND, FRANKLY, TO ADDRESS INEQUALITIES THAT WE SEE IN THESE CENSUS TRACTS, REALLY WANTED TO FOCUS AND HONE IN AND SPEND THIS MILLION DOLLARS RIGHT IN THOSE CENSUS TRACTS. SO THAT KIND OF LIMITED THE GRANDEUR IDEAS THAT WE HAD IN THE LARGER $27 MILLION GRANT. HERE'S WHAT WE'RE DOING TO ENSURE THAT WE GET THE BEST VALUE FOR THIS MILLION DOLLARS. WE JUST COMPLETED THE URBAN FOREST CANOPY ANALYSIS. SO WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD IDEA OF WHERE WE HAVE LOST CANOPY OR WHERE WE HAD NO CANOPY OR LOW CANOPY TO BEGIN WITH. WE'VE TAKEN THAT DATA AND WE HAVE OVERLAID THAT WITH THE JUSTICE 40 TRACTS AND AREAS WHERE WE KNOW VIA SATELLITE AND SURFACE LAND TEMPERATURE ARE HOT NEIGHBORHOODS. AND WE'VE TAKEN THESE THREE DATA POINTS AND COMBINED THEM WITH SOME OF THE OUTREACH THAT WAS CONDUCTED AS PART OF THE URBAN FOREST CANOPY ANALYSIS BY THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA WHO WE ASKED TO CONTINUE TO HELP US IDENTIFY STRATEGIC PLANTING AREAS IN THESE CENSUS TRACTS. HERE ARE THE CENSUS TRACTS WITH THE HIGH HEAT, LOW CANOPY, AND OUR JUSTICE 40 TRACTS. AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S KIND OF LIKE A BELT ACROSS THE CITY STRETCHING FROM DREW PARK, KIND OF WEST TAMPA AIRPORT, DOWN THROUGH NORTH OF KENNEDY AND UP INTO YBOR, DOWNTOWN, AND INTO THE WESTERN PART OF EAST TAMPA. HERE ARE MORE VISUALIZATIONS. WE'RE DOING ALL THIS USING SOPHISTICATED SATELLITE AND GIS DATA. SO WE ARE THEN OVERLAYING THAT INFORMATION WITH AREAS OF RIGHTS-OF-WAY. THESE PARTICULAR FUNDS CAN BE USED ON PRIVATE OR PUBLIC PROPERTY. WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOTH OF THOSE, BUT PRIMARILY WE WILL BE FOCUSED ON PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAY FOR THIS GRANT. AND TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE MEETING SEVERAL OF THE GOALS THAT WE KNOW AS CITY COUNCIL AND THE ADMINISTRATION WANT TO MEET, AND THAT'S PROVIDING SHADE ALONG LOW-STRESS NETWORKS, ALONG BIKE CORRIDORS, ALONG HEAVILY PEDESTRIAN TRAFFICKED CORRIDORS. WE NOW OVERLAID THAT WITH OUR MOBILITY NETWORK. WE'RE FINDING THESE POCKETS, THESE PARCELS OR WHAT ARE CALLED IN GIS POLYGONS THAT ARE -- SEEM LIKE THEY ARE GOOD SPOTS TO PLANT TREES. I SAY SEEM WITH GREAT EMPHASIS BECAUSE THE FIRST DESKTOP EXERCISE WE DID, WE THOUGHT WE IDENTIFIED SOME REALLY GREAT STREETS IN MacFARLANE PARK AND GOT OUR TEAM TO GO OUT THERE AND START WALKING THE STREETS. LO AND BEHOLD, THE GIS LAYERS DIDN'T REALLY TELL US THE FULL STORY OF WHAT ACTUALLY WE WERE SEEING ON THE GROUND. I CAN TELL YOU, SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE, WE COVER A LOT OF ISSUES. PLANTING TREES IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT IS THE HARDEST THING THAT I AM DOING AT THE CITY OF TAMPA RIGHT NOW. IT IS THE HARDEST THING. AND PLANTING LIVE OAK TREES IN PARTICULAR BECOMES EXCEPTIONALLY MORE DIFFICULT. BECAUSE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, THE MOBILITY DEPARTMENT, THE RIGHT-OF-WAY TEAM, THE FORESTERS TECO THE INFRASTRUCTURE TEAM, THEY ALL HAVE RULES THAT SAY WHERE WE CAN PUT A TREE. THE CANOPY AS IT EXISTS NOW WOULD NEVER EXIST AS IT DOES NOW IF WE HAD TO FOLLOW THESE SAME TYPES OF PROTOCOLS. THERE ARE PIPES UNDERGROUND. THERE ARE TRANSMISSION LINES OVERHEAD. THERE ARE SIDEWALKS. THERE ARE CURBS. THERE ARE ADA ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES. IT IS REALLY A PRECISE EXERCISE IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THESE TREES CAN GO. HERE AGAIN, THESE ARE SOME OF THE CORRIDORS IN MACFARLANE PARK THAT WERE IDENTIFIED ON THE GIS EXERCISE. AND THIS SLIDE SHOW HASN'T BEEN UPDATED TO SHOW THE REAL-TIME STREET VIEW WHEN WE GOT OUT THERE. BUT WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH USF. WE WILL SPEND THIS MILLION DOLLARS USING THE BEST DATA AVAILABLE, TALKING ALSO WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, TALKING WITH THE COMMUNITY GROUPS AND ENSURING THAT WE DO THE BEST WE CAN. I CAN TELL YOU EVERY OTHER CITY IS ALSO GOING THROUGH THIS EXERCISE. THERE WAS A BIG ARTICLE THIS WEEK ABOUT HOW MIAMI IS DEALING WITH THIS. IT'S REALLY CHALLENGING. BUT I PROMISE YOU, YOU HAVE THE FULL WEIGHT AND THE SUPPORT OF CITY STAFF AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS TRYING TO WORK THIS OUT. >>LYNN HURTAK: THANK YOU FOR THAT SECTION. AND WE PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE STOPPED BEFORE BECAUSE NUMBER THREE ENDED AND WE REALLY NEEDED TO HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THAT BEFORE WE MOVED TO ITEM FOUR. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I THINK WE COMBINED THE TWO TOGETHER. >>LYNN HURTAK: YEAH, BUT THE PUBLIC IS GOING TO WANT TO SPEAK TWICE, I'M PRETTY SURE. I GUESS ONE OF THE BIG ISSUES IS WHO DECIDES WHERE THESE TREES GO? A GOOD EXAMPLE IS I TALKED TO YOU ON TUESDAY ABOUT A TREE PLANTING IN HENRY AND OLA PARK. THE NEIGHBORS WERE SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS TREE PLANTING, AND THEN PEOPLE GOT OUT THERE ON WEDNESDAY WHEN THE TREES WERE SUPPOSED TO BE PLANTED AND THERE ARE FOUR OR FIVE OAKS AND THE REST CRAPE MYRTLES. JUST WALKING THROUGH THE PARK, I GOT THREE COMPLAINTS FROM NEIGHBORS BECAUSE WHY ARE THEY PLANTING CRAPE MYRTLES. WE DON'T WANT CRAPE MYRTLES. WE WANT SHADE TREES. THIS WAS IN AN AREA OF THE PARK THAT WE WERE TOLD WE COULDN'T PUT A DOG PARK BECAUSE THERE ARE NO WIRES ABOVE, NO INFRASTRUCTURE BELOW. IT'S JUST OPEN SPACE AND IT'S ALONG OLA AVENUE WHICH IS GOING TO BE A BIKEWAY. WHY WOULDN'T WE HAVE PLANTED OAK TREES? THAT'S KIND OF AN ISSUE OF HOW, IF WE'RE PRIORITIZING SHADE ALONG CORRIDORS THAT ACTUALLY CAN TAKE THE SHADE, WHAT DO WE DO? OR HOW ARE WE NOT CONNECTING SOMEHOW WITH THAT? HOW IS THE COMMUNICATION GETTING -- >>WHIT REMER: SURE. I THINK DEPENDING ON WHERE THE TREE IS BEING PLANTED AND WHO THE SPONSORING DEPARTMENT IS, WE'LL GIVE YOU SOME INDICATION OF THE TYPE OF TREE SELECTION. WE HAVE A TREE MATRIX FOR THE CITY THAT LISTS ALL THE TYPES OF TREES THAT WE ENCOURAGE PLANTING HERE. THERE ARE ALSO SHADE TREES. THERE ARE UNDERSTORY TREES. THE MANTRA THAT LEADS THE DAY HERE IS RIGHT TREE, RIGHT PLACE. SO FOR THIS PARTICULAR PLANTING, I KNOW THIS WAS A KEEP TAMPA BAY BEAUTIFUL SPONSORED PLANTING. BECAUSE IT WAS IN THE CITY PARK, OUR LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS WOULD HAVE HAD PROBABLY THE GREATEST SAY IN TREE TYPOLOGY AND SELECTION. KAYLA, DO YOU HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT? >> KAYLA, CITY OF TAMPA STAFF. FOR THAT SPECIFIC PLANTING IT WAS LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS I BELIEVE WHO DREW UP THE PLANS IN OUR PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT. THEY WERE THE ONES WHO DECIDED ON TREES. JUST AS WHIT SAID, I KNOW THEY TRIED TO BALANCE BIODIVERSITY, ALSO HAVING DIFFERENT TYPES OF TREES AND THEN THE RIGHT TREE IN THE RIGHT PLACE. BEYOND THAT I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. >>LYNN HURTAK: THANKS. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MR. REMER, HOW MANY SLIDES DO YOU HAVE LEFT IN YOUR PRESENTATION? >>WHIT REMER: IT LOOKS LIKE THREE SUBSTANTIVE SLIDES. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: REFERENCE TO LANDSCAPE, RUNG A BELL. ON BAYSHORE, THEY PLANT CLUMP PALM TREES INSTEAD OF SHADE TREES. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN THAT -- IN THESE WIDE-OPEN SPACES THAT WE'RE PLANTING CLUMP PALM TREES AND NOT SHADE TREES? I DON'T GET IT. >>WHIT REMER: I THINK THAT TREE SELECTION, AGAIN, PROBABLY IS DETERMINED USING A VARIETY OF FACTORS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: HOW DO WE TRUMP THAT? >>WHIT REMER: WELL, THIS IS PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: -- THE PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE -- HOW DO WE QUESTION THAT PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE? >>WHIT REMER: I SUPPOSE WE COULD HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, WHILE THEY ARE CHOOSING THE TREES ON BAYSHORE, I IMAGINE IT IS A COMBINATION OF SPACE, MAINTENANCE NEEDS AND WHAT RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY ALONG BAYSHORE EITHER HAVE ASKED FOR OR ACCUSTOMED TO. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I'M ONE OF THE RESIDENTS. THEY DON'T ASK. WE WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND SEE THINGS HAPPENING. NOBODY ASKS US. >>WHIT REMER: WE PUSH THE BOUNDARIES ALL THE TIME ASKING HARD QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO GET MORE TREES IN. SO YOU'RE NOT GOING TO FIND A BIGGER ADVOCATE FOR PUTTING NEW TREES IN THE CITY, ESPECIALLY SHADE TREES. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: IT WAS INTERESTING, YOU SAID THE RIGHT TREE, RIGHT PLACE. SEEMS LIKE CLUMP PALM TREES IS NOT THE RIGHT TREE FOR ANY PLACE. IT'S NOT A HABITAT. NOT A SHADE TREE. >>WHIT REMER: IT'S ACTUALLY NOT EVEN A TREE. IT COULD BE A COMBINATION BETWEEN THE AVAILABLE SPACE THAT'S BOTH THE CANOPY AND THE ROOT SYSTEM. IT COULD BE REPLACING A TREE THAT WAS IN KIND AND LIKE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I THINK THEY HAD ACCESS TO THESE THINGS. >>WHIT REMER: IF YOU CAN GIVE ME A SPECIFIC TREE EXAMPLE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: BETWEEN SWAN AND BREVARD ON BAYSHORE. >>WHIT REMER: I'M SURE STAFF IS WATCHING AND WILL TAKE NOTE AND GET YOU AN ANSWER. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: DID YOU WANT TO STOP HERE AND GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT AND KICK IT OFF AGAIN? >>LYNN HURTAK: I GUESS WE CAN FINISH THIS AND DO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE FIRST PART AND THEN THE SECOND PART. THE PUBLIC WILL WANT TO TALK ABOUT TREES. TWO SEPARATE ITEMS. BUT HE'S ALMOST DONE. IF I COULD GET A RESPONSE FOR WHY THEY PUT CRAPE MYRTLES INSTEAD OF SHADE TREES ALONG OLA, THAT WOULD BE GREAT. BECAUSE THE NEIGHBORHOOD REALLY WANTED PLACES TO PICNIC OR READ A BOOK UNDER A TREE. CRAPE MYRTLES AREN'T GOING TO PROVIDE THAT. >>WHIT REMER: WE CAN PROVIDE AN ANSWER. THE NEXT PART OF THE MOTION WAS A REQUEST TO LOOK AT CREATING A LARGER TREE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM FOR LOW INCOME RESIDENTS. PART OF THIS MOTION MIGHT HAVE BEEN PROMPTED BY A PILOT PROGRAM THAT THE EAST TAMPA CRA INSTITUTED WHEREBY RESIDENTS WERE REIMBURSED UP TO $2500 FOR MAINTENANCE, TREE MAINTENANCE THAT OCCURRED ON THEIR PROPERTY. THAT PROGRAM WAS OVERSUBSCRIBED VERY, VERY QUICKLY, BOTH IN TERMS OF INTEREST AND THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THAT PROGRAM. SHOWS AN INTEREST. IT'S A GOOD THING. THAT PROGRAM HAS BEEN PAUSED. IT'S NO LONGER ACCEPTING NEW APPLICANTS. THE ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT AND BURDEN OF THE PROGRAM I THINK BECAME VERY CHALLENGING TO MANAGE. THE CRA ISN'T REALLY SET UP TO MANAGE THOSE TYPES OF INDIVIDUAL GRANTS AT THE SCALE AND THE VOLUME THAT THEY RECEIVED. RIGHT NOW, JUST FOR CONTEXT, OUR CITY MAINTENANCE PROGRAM IS BUDGETED AT $2.3 MILLION. THAT PROGRAM HAS INDICATED THAT TO BE ON A MORE PROACTIVE PRUNING SCHEDULE AND MAINTENANCE ASKED ME OF FIVE YEARS, WHICH IS -- SCHEDULE OF FIVE YEARS, WHICH IS BEST PRACTICE, BUDGET NEED TO BE BETWEEN 4.5 TO ALMOST $10 MILLION. RIGHT NOW, THE 16 FOLKS THAT WORK IN THAT DEPARTMENT SPEND ABOUT HALF OF THEIR TIME RESPONDING TO EMERGENCY WORK ORDERS, HELPING REDUCE SIGNIFICANT AND IMMEDIATE LIABILITIES TO THE CITY. THAT COULD BE BRANCHES ON SIDEWALKS, ON CARS, IN PARKS. THEY SPEND A LOT OF TIME DOING EMERGENCY WORK ORDERS. WHEN THEY ARE NOT DOING EMERGENCY WORK ORDERS, THEY ARE TRYING TO DO PROACTIVE MAINTENANCE. ALL THAT TO SAY THE CITY RIGHT NOW DOESN'T RECOMMEND EXPANDING OR STARTING A NEW LOW INCOME MAINTENANCE PROGRAM GIVEN THE INCREDIBLE BURDEN THAT OUR MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT HAS JUST FOR THE CITY'S TREES ON CITY RIGHTS-OF-WAY. THE FINAL THING, INCENTIVIZE LIVE OAK PLANTINGS. AGAIN HERE, RIGHT TREE, RIGHT PLACE. I'M TOLD IN AN IDEAL CIRCUMSTANCE TO HAVE A LIVE OAK PLANTED YOU NEED A HUNDRED FEET OF CLEARANCE IN EVERY DIRECTION. I CHALLENGE YOU, GO FIND A HUNDRED FEET OF CLEARANCE IN ANY DIRECTION ON A CITY RIGHT-OF-WAY THAT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD PLACE TO PLANT AN OAK TREE. I THINK WE'LL HAVE TO FIND SOME FLEXIBILITY IN THESE RULES AND GET CREATIVE. THERE ARE WAYS THAT YOU CAN PLANT TREES IN THESE SPECIALTY TREE BOXES THAT WILL HELP DIRECT ROOT GROWTH IN CERTAIN DIRECTIONS. AGAIN, THE LIVE OAKS THAT EXIST HERE, EXIST HERE BECAUSE OF DEVELOPMENT. I KNOW THAT'S KIND OF PARADOXICAL IN TODAY'S WORLD, BUT IF YOU LOOK AT PICTURES OF SOUTH TAMPA FROM A HUNDRED YEARS AGO, IT WAS MOSTLY SLASH PINE AND PALM. A LOT OF THESE SINGLE-FAMILY RANCH HOMES THAT HAVE A LAUREL OAK PLANTED RIGHT IN THE FRONT OR RIGHT IN THE BACK, THEY WERE PROBABLY PLANTED THERE POSTWAR BY THE FAMILY. THEY WERE ALL EXCITED TO DIG A TREE AND PUT IT RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE. AND THAT'S BEEN GREAT FOR THE LAST 70 YEARS, BUT WE'RE AT A POINT IN OUR TREE CANOPY WHERE WE'RE FOCUSED ON REGENERATION AND WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO FIND THE RIGHT PLACE TO PUT THOSE TREES. I CAN TELL YOU JUST BASED ON SOME ANECDOTAL AND REAL EVIDENCE THAT WE'VE SEEN THROUGH OUR GIVEAWAYS AND THROUGH THE TREE-MENDOUS PROGRAM, WHY LIVES OAKS ARE ONE OF THE LEAST POPULAR TREES TO PLANT. WE KNOW THE MAINTENANCE BURDEN ON THOSE CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE AND HAVE BIG IMPACTS ON YOUR INSURANCE RATES IF THE TREES HANG OVER YOUR ROOFS. THOSE ARE A COUPLE OF THE REASONS THAT WE'VE HEARD IN ADDITION TO THE POLLEN AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS, PARKING SPACES, A LOT OF REASONS WHY THE BIG SHADE TREES AREN'T DESIRABLE. AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC TO FIND WAYS TO SHOW THEM THE BENEFITS OF THE BIG SHADE TREES. THE STORMWATER BENEFITS. THE CARBON SEQUESTRATION, HEALTHY AIR, AESTHETICS, ALL THOSE THINGS WE KNOW. THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT IS PROCREATING THOUSANDS OF LIVE OAKS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO PLANT SHADE TREES EVERY SINGLE PLACE THAT A SHADE TREE IS APPROPRIATE. OTHER THAN THAT, WE HOPE TO ALSO CONTINUE TO DIVERSIFY THE CANOPY AND BRING IN -- THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF TREES ON THE TREE MATRIX. SO JUST FOCUSING ON LIVE OAKS IS IMPORTANT, BUT DOESN'T PAINT A FULL PICTURE OF THE ENTIRE DIVERSE CANOPY WITH THE PORT BEING HERE, INVASIVE SPECIES CAN BE INTRODUCED. IT IS LIKELY IN ALL CITIES THAT HAVE A KIND OF MONOLITHIC CANOPY THAT AT SOME POINT, LOSE A PORTION OF THE CANOPY. WE REALLY WANT TO CONTINUE TO DIVERSIFY THE CANOPY AS WELL. I JUST THOUGHT I'D TOUCH REAL QUICK ON THE 30,000 TREE STRATEGY. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ANNOUNCED A YEAR AGO. WE NEED TO BE DOING ABOUT 5,000 TREES A YEAR. RIGHT NOW WE'RE DOING ABOUT 2500. IT'S REALLY BUILDING NEW MUSCLE AND PUTTING NEW CONTRACTS IN PLACE, GETTING NEW STAFF IN PLACE. FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS OR SO, TREE-TREE-MENDOUS HAS BEEN REALLY THE ONLY RIFE PLANTING PROGRAM THAT THE CITY HAS SPONSORED. WE DO A GREAT JOB PLANTING IN THE CITY PARKS AND WITH THE GREEN TEAM, CONTINUING TO DO THAT. WE ARE TRYING TO INSTITUTE ENTIRELY NEW PLANTING PROGRAMS, WHETHER WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, WHETHER THROUGH THE TREE GIVEAWAY, THE USDA GRANT. WE'VE GOT TO UNLOCK THE POTENTIAL TO PLANT THESE NEW TREES. AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE COMPETING WITH $20 MILLION FLOATING AROUND OTHER CITIES IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR TREES, FROM THE TREE FARM. INVENTORY IS ALSO COMING UP IN BOTH SHORT SUPPLY AND WITH PRICE TAGS THREE TO FOUR TIMES THAN WHAT WE SAW IN PREVIOUS YEARS. AGAIN, THE 30,000 TREE STRATEGY, WE THINK IT'S BOLD BUT ACHIEVABLE. IT HAS NICE ALLITERATION WITH THE 30% OPEN AND TREE SPACE -- EXCUSE ME, OPEN AND NATURAL SPACES INITIATIVES THAT MANY ENVIRONMENTAL AND CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS HAVE PUSHED. AND, OF COURSE, WE KNOW THAT THE BIOLOGICAL AND HEALTH THRESHOLD FOR A HEALTHY TREE CANOPY IS 30%. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW. SO WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION MOVING FORWARD. THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION. HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN AND HURTAK. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: HOW CLOSELY DO YOU WORK WITH MOBILITY IN CREATING THE STREETSCAPES TO LANDSCAPE MEDIANS, FOR COOLING? IS THERE -- DESIGNING AND REPAVING, MAYBE FIND SPACES IN MEDIANS OR IN THE AREAS, MAYBE PROTECTING BIKE LANES WITH LANDSCAPING? >>WHIT REMER: GREAT QUESTION. CRITICAL NEED FOR MORE INTERDEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION. MOBILITY I THINK IS OPEN TO INCORPORATING LANDSCAPING INTO PLANS. I THINK FOR A LOT OF PROJECTS, LANDSCAPING IS KIND OF THE LAST THING IN THE BUDGET. SOMETIMES IT GETS CUT. ADD IRRIGATION ON TOP OF THAT -- IRRIGATION CAN BE TWICE AS EXPENSIVE AS THE ACTUAL LANDSCAPING ITSELF. THAT'S A DEPARTMENT AS THEY CONTINUE TO DO STREET RENOVATIONS AND REDOS, WE'LL CERTAINLY LOOK FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES. SOUTH HOWARD FUND RELIEF PROJECT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ABSOLUTELY. SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY IN YOUR DEPARTMENT COULD BE PROACTIVE AND MAYBE REACHING OUT TO MOBILITY AS THEY SEE MAYBE OPPORTUNITIES, IF THEY ARE LOOKING AT THESE PROJECTS, TO WORK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE DESIGN PHASES OF THESE PROJECTS TO INCORPORATE LANDSCAPING OR DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE REVERSE, MOBILITY REACHING OUT TO YOU ALL? >>WHIT REMER: I THINK BOTH WOULD BE GREAT. LOVE FOR THEM TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL ME AND SAY WE HAVE A PROJECT, WOULD LIKE TREES. CONVERSELY, IF I SEE PROJECTS KIND OF COMING THROUGH THE SYSTEM, I ALWAYS REACH OUT TO THEM AND OFFER ASSISTANCE AND MONEY. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WHY DON'T WE OFF LINE FIGURE OUT A WAY OF WORKING WITH THE MOBILITY DEPARTMENT AND MAYBE COME UP WITH A PROCEDURE TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS A GOOD IDEA. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT DOING A LOT OF MOBILITY PROJECTS IN THE CITY, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THAT COORDINATION AND TAKE THIS INTO ACCOUNT. I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA TO COME UP WITH A WAY TO INTEGRATE THE TWO DEPARTMENTS TO LOOK FOR THESE KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES. >>WHIT REMER: YES, SIR. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCIL MEMBER HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: I WOULD LIKE YOU TO MAKE THAT A MOTION BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT THAT GOES INTO IT. RIGHT NOW WE ARE PLANTING GRASS THAT NEEDS TO BE MOWED. THAT NEEDS TO BE -- MY POLLINATOR GARDEN IS GORGEOUS AND REQUIRES NO MAINTENANCE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: LET'S TAKE IT, MAYBE A LITTLE PREMATURE. MAYBE GET THE STRUCTURE TOGETHER AND COME BACK WITH A MOTION. >>LYNN HURTAK: YES, THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING. I'D LIKE IT TO COME BACK BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD BE INTERESTING. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I'LL TAKE AN IOU ON THAT TO FOLLOW THROUGH. TIM, IF YOU ARE LISTENING, MAKE SURE I DO THAT. >>WHIT REMER: AS PART OF OUR CLIMATE ACTION PLAN, THE MAYOR ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER SAYING EVERY CIP PROJECT, EVERYTHING WE BUILD NEEDS TO LOOK BACK AT OUR RESILIENCE PLAN AND CLIMATE PLAN AND YOU BETTER BELIEVE THE URBAN CANOPY AND PLANTING TREES IS TOP OF THE LIST IN THOSE PLANS. THEY ARE UNDER THE ADMINISTRATIVE -- THE EXECUTIVE ORDER TO FOLLOW THAT. I CONTINUE TO WORK BOTH ON A PROFESSIONAL BASIS WITH THE DEPARTMENTS TO INCORPORATE THOSE PRACTICES. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. GOOD PRESENTATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >>LYNN HURTAK: MY POINT WAS NOT JUST THE TREES BUT EVERYTHING ELSE WE'RE PUTTING UNDER THE TREES, BECAUSE THAT IS A BIG EXPENSE FOR US RIGHT NOW IS ALL THESE CONTRACTS TO MOW. AND WE COULD DO BETTER. BUT TO GO BACK TO MAINTENANCE PROGRAM, YOU SAY THAT THE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM IS EXPENSIVE AND UNWIELDING. I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT. BUT THEN HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE PLANTING LIVE OAKS? WE CAN'T DO THAT WITHOUT MAINTENANCE. SO I THINK THAT'S OUR BALANCE IS TO FIND A WAY TO RECONFIGURE THE PROGRAM TO HELP PEOPLE. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT GETTING RID OF THE PROGRAM IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN AFFORD AS A CITY. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS A COST TO IT. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TREE COMPANIES WERE GOING AT 250 -- OR $2500. THEY WERE DOING THE MAX FOR EVEN A LITTLE TREE TRIM, BUT THERE HAS TO BE A WAY TO CHANGE THE PROGRAM SO THAT'S NOT THE WAY IT'S DONE. THERE HAS TO BE -- HOWEVER WE WANT TO DO IT, I JUST THINK IT DESERVES ANOTHER LOOK. IF WE'RE LOOKING AT PLANTING TREES IN THESE JUSTICE 40 TRACTS, WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO HELP PEOPLE LEARN ABOUT WHY PLANTING THE TREES IS IMPORTANT BUT HOW DO WE HELP THEM MAINTAIN IT FOR FOLKS WHO MAY NOT BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT? AGAIN, YOU'RE NOT WORRYING ABOUT TODAY'S TREES THAT WE'RE PLANTING. THOSE AREN'T THE ISSUES. IT'S THE TREES THAT HAVE BEEN HERE. AND THAT NEED IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY AS WE PLANT. THE NEED, AS YOU SAID, FOR THESE LAUREL OAKS, ESPECIALLY AS THEY REACH THEIR LIFE SPAN AND FALL ON PEOPLE'S HOUSES, IF THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO FIX THAT OR TRYING TO GET THE TREE DOWN BEFORE IT FALLS ON YOUR HOUSE, I DO BELIEVE AGAIN THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE AS A CITY SHOULD BE HELPING CITIZENS. THIS GOES ALONG WITH KEEPING PEOPLE IN THEIR HOMES. SO IT'S LARGER THAN JUST TREES. IT GOES TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS WELL. SO I WOULD ASK THAT WE FIND A WAY TO LOOK AGAIN AT HOW WE CAN WORK ON THAT PROGRAM, IF IT'S MORE FUNDING, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING WE ASK FOR IN THE NEXT BUDGET. IT JUST SEEMS LIKE THIS ITERATION DIDN'T WORK OUT, BUT WHAT IS A NEW ITERATION THAT WE CAN COME UP WITH? >>WHIT REMER: PERHAPS A SOLUTION TO KIND OF GET THIS OFF THE GROUND AGAIN WOULD BE MAYBE TO SEE THROUGH THE OWNER OCCUPIED REHAB PROGRAM WHERE WE ARE ALREADY ON-SITE AND DOING WORK, IF WE COULD LOOK AT MAINTENANCE OPPORTUNITIES THERE. AGAIN, I WOULD CAUTION ABOUT SETTING UP A STAND-ALONE, LOW-INCOME MAINTENANCE PROGRAM RIGHT NOW JUST GIVEN THE BALANCE OF CITY BUDGET NEEDS AND ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN ON THAT. BUT IF WE ARE ALREADY OUT THERE DOING LIFE SAFETY UPGRADES TO THE HOUSE, THE FRONT PORCH HAS A HOLE OR OTHER ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES THAT THE OWNER OCCUPIED PROGRAM HAS AND TREE LIMB HANGING OVER THE ROOF, MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD SUPPORT WITH ADDITIONAL FUNDING. >>JOHN BENNETT: GOOD MORNING. JOHN BENNETT, CHIEF OF STAFF. GOOD MORNING TO THE PUBLIC. TO AUGMENT THE QUESTION AND WHIT'S COMMENTS, I HAD SPARKED A THING WITH NICOLE TO LOOK AT THE JOB ORDER CONTRACTING FOR CRA FOR ROOFING. MAYBE I CAN LOOK AT THE SAME THING WITH JOB ORDER CONTRACTING THROUGH THE CRA AND OTHER THINGS FOR THE TREE ASPECT. THAT'S SOMETHING I'LL TAKE BACK AND TRY AND WORK WITH THE TEAM ON. >>LYNN HURTAK: I APPRECIATE THAT BECAUSE THAT REALLY DOES -- THE OLDER TREES, THAT'S IT. PEOPLE CAN'T STAY IN THEIR HOMES IF THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT THAT TREE FALLING ON IT BECAUSE THEN IT BECOMES A HUGE ISSUE FOR US. THEN THAT BECOMES HOMEOWNER OCCUPIED REHAB OF FIXING A ROOF AND FIXING THE AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM. IF THERE IS A WAY, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE THAT. I THINK HONESTLY JUST FINDING A WAY TO STOP FOLKS FROM BILLING FOR THE HIGHEST COST WHEN IT'S NOT A HIGHEST COST ISSUE IS REALLY THE ISSUE. I THINK WE COULD FIX THAT. SO I APPRECIATE THAT. >>JOHN BENNETT: THE OTHER THING WITH THE JOB ORDER CONTRACTING, IT LENDS ITSELF TO A LOT OF EQUAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY POSITIONS TOO. IT COULD BE A WIN-WIN IF WE WORK THROUGH THIS AS WE'RE NAVIGATING FOR THE OTHER ELEMENTS. >>LYNN HURTAK: THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILMAN CARLSON. >>BILL CARLSON: I WANT TO ECHO WHAT MY COLLEAGUE JUST SAID ABOUT THE CRA MAINTENANCE PROGRAM. MAYBE WE SHOULD BRING THIS BACK UP AT THE CRA. I THINK OF THE CRA AS A SEPARATE ENTITY. BY LAW, IT IS A SEPARATE ENTITY. WE HAVE AN OUTSOURCE CONTRACT WITH THE CITY AND FOR THAT, THE CITY PROVIDES IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE PAY THE CITY, PROVIDES PURCHASING SERVICES AND LEGAL SERVICES FOR FREE. BUT IF THE CRA WAS A SEPARATE ENTITY, IT WOULD PAY FOR THOSE SERVICES. AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS THINK ABOUT WHAT THE CRA HAD ON, IF STAND-ALONE ENTITY, HOW WOULD WE HANDLE THIS? AND IF THAT MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO PAY FOR AN ADDITIONAL LEVEL OF OUTSOURCE FOR PURCHASING OR SOMETHING, IT SEEMS LIKE IT WOULD BE WORTH IT. I THINK MAYBE WE SHOULD TALK ABOUT THIS MORE IN THE CRA. I DON'T THINK THE CRA SHOULD BE ON THINGS. THE CITY'S CAPACITY- IT SHOULD BE A FASTER, NIMBLE ORGANIZATION. BUT ALSO, FROM A CUSTOMER POINT OF VIEW, YOU HEAR THAT ALMOST EVERY WEEK WE HAVE FOLKS TALKING ABOUT HOW WE NEED TO PROVIDE SERVICES, ESPECIALLY TO EAST TAMPA AND OTHER AREAS. I'VE HEARD MORE COMPLIMENTS AND THANKS ABOUT THAT PROGRAM THAN ANYTHING ELSE THAT WE'VE DONE IN EAST TAMPA BECAUSE IT TOUCHES A LOT OF PEOPLE. ALSO, IT PUTS, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, IT PUTS PEOPLE'S HOUSES AT RISK, CAUSES ALL KINDS OF OTHER PROBLEMS. THE OTHER THING, DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH THEY CUT, IT SHOULD BE A ONCE IN FIVE YEARS SITUATION OR MAYBE ONCE IN TEN YEARS THING. BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO TALK MORE ABOUT IT IN CRA. JUST SOME QUICK NOTES. SIMILAR TO THE HOUSING GOAL OF 9,000 OR 10,000 HOMES, WHATEVER IT IS, I DON'T REALLY LIKE HAVING A NUMBER LIKE THAT OF 30,000 TREES. IT'S GREAT FOR MARKETING PURPOSES BUT THE DOWN SIDE OF IT THE TIMES SOMEBODY WILL COME BACK, OH, DID YOU REALLY DO THIS? ARE YOU TELLING THE TRUTH? I WOULD RATHER TAKE, IF YOU GO TO THE LAST BULLET POINT, WHATEVER THE TREE COVER IS NOW, DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS? >>WHIT REMER: 30%. >>BILL CARLSON: THAT'S OUR GOAL? >>WHIT REMER: THAT'S WHAT THE TREE COVER IS NOW. IT'S REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT TO EQUATE NEW TREE PLANTINGS WITH ADDITIONAL CANOPY COVER. >>BILL CARLSON: WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT TREES AND WE'RE TRYING TO -- I KNOW THE ADMINISTRATION PROBABLY WON'T CHANGE IT, BUT I DON'T LIKE THESE NUMBERS BECAUSE AFFECTING THE TREE CANOPY, JUST LIKE WHEN TALKING ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TALK ABOUT MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME, REAL GOAL THAT HAS A LOT OF INPUTS THAT REALLY AFFECTS PEOPLE. THE TREE CANOPY IS THE OUTCOME GOAL. OUTPUT IS THE TREE. RATHER US FOCUS ON OUTCOMES. NEXT 275. YOU KNOW I TALK TOO MUCH ABOUT HAVING LIVED IN SINGAPORE. GARDEN CITY, GREEN CITY. FOUNDING PRIME MINISTER PERSONALLY PICKED OUT TREES AND BRUSH TO PUT IN. I THINK IN THESE RANKINGS OF TREES, WE ROTATE BETWEEN NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO WITH SINGAPORE. RECENTLY WE'RE NUMBER ONE EVEN. FROM THE AIRPORT TO DOWNTOWN SINGAPORE, THE THING YOU NOTICE IS THAT THE ENTIRE HIGHWAY IS COVERED WITH TREE CANOPY. IT IS THE FIRST IMPRESSION EVERYBODY HAS. WHEN WE HAD THE PRIME MINISTER OF SINGAPORE HERE ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO, WE HAD TO TALK TO HIM, DISTRACT HIM AS WE TOOK HIM DOWN 275. I KNOW WE ARE LIMITED BY WHAT F.D.O.T. WOULD ALLOW. ST. PETE UNDER MAYOR FISCHER PLANTED A BUNCH OF TREES, NOT OAK TREES, BUT PLANTED A LOT OF TREES IN THE MEDIAN, TEN YEARS LATER, RIPPED THEM OUT. I WISH WE COULD FIND A WAY AT LEAST WITH PART OF OUR INTERSTATE, TO PUT TREES THAT WILL CREATE SHADE AND CANOPY BECAUSE THAT HAS A HUGE BRANDING EFFECT ON THE CITY. ALSO CALM PEOPLE DOWN. IT LOWERS THE TEMPERATURE AS PEOPLE ARE SITTING IN CARS. I WISH WE WOULD LOOK AT THAT AT SOME POINT. I WANT TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE OTHER PRESENTATIONS, BUT THE ONE LINK TO ALL OF THEM IS WE NEED MORE PUBLIC EDUCATION. WE NEED A WHOLE CAMPAIGN AROUND THIS. MY COLLEAGUES HAVE TALKED ABOUT THAT. WE NEED TO FOR SURE TALK ABOUT THE FINES. I LIKE THE MESSAGE UP TO $15,000 FINE. SOME PEOPLE SAY, OH, WELL, THAT'S THE COST OF BUSINESS AND SOME DEVELOPERS DEVELOPERS HAVE DONE THAT. FOR MOST PEOPLE, $15,000 IS A BIG THREAT. A HOMEOWNER MYSELF, IF YOU WANT TO TEAR OUT A TREE, I HAVE A TREE THAT THEY SAY IS -- I DON'T KNOW WHO TO CALL. WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT PLACEMENT. 1976 PEOPLE PLANTED TREES UNDERNEATH POWERS LINES IN NEW SUBURB BEAUTIFUL. MY STREET, THEY PLANTED TREES IN A WAY THAT BREAKS UP STREETS. IN GULFVIEW, PLANTED IN SMALL MEDIANS, RIPPING UP ROADS AND SIDEWALKS. NEED TO TALK ABOUT THE TYPE OF TREE. LAST THING I WANT TO SAY, THE DNA OF THE TREE, THINKING WAY IN THE FUTURE, ARE YOU LOOKING AT BIODIVERSITY OF THE DNA. ARE WE BRINGING IN DIFFERENT LIVE OAKS FROM DIFFERENT AREAS OR IS IT OKAY TO USE THE SAME SOURCE BASE? >>WHIT REMER: YEAH, A LOT THERE. MAYBE GOING BACKWARDS. WHEN WE WERE WALKING AROUND MacFARLANE PARK, SOME EXPERTS TALKED ABOUT HOW LIVE OAKS ARE SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SPECIES NOW AND HAVE ADAPTED TO THE SPECIFIC CLIMATE. BOTH THROUGH THE SPECIES, WE'RE TRYING TO INCREASE BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY. I DO THINK THAT PROBABLY SOME OF THE AGRICULTURAL WORK GOING ON AT UF IFAS IDENTIFYING NEW LIVE OAKS THAT ARE THE BEST FOR THIS PART OF FLORIDA. I'LL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT THAT. THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION. WE DO HAVE TWO CAMPAIGNS RELATED TO BOTH THE TREES FOR TAMPA. 30,000 TREES GOAL. AND THEN I THINK IT'S CALL BEFORE YOU SAW. IS THAT IT? KNOW THE LAW BEFORE YOU SAW. THAT IS ANOTHER CAMPAIGN WE'VE GOT. THERE ARE PUBLIC CAMPAIGNS THAT ARE OUT THERE, BOTH ON THE ILLEGAL CUTTING SIDE AND ON THE REPLANTING, REGROWTH SIDE. 275 INTERSTATES AND TREES, YEAH, TYPICALLY DON'T MIX, BUT MAYBE SOME OF THOSE SMALLER ARTERIALS AND COLLECTOR ROADS, DEFINITELY, COUNCILMAN CLENDENIN'S POINT, LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH BOTH MOBILITY AND F.D.O.T. AGAIN, SOME OF THIS IS GETTING IN THE PROJECT EARLY, PUTTING THE IRRIGATION IN TO THE MEDIAN. I KNOW THAT'S THEN A HOLDUP ON MANY OF THE PROJECTS. FOR THE TREES THAT WE'RE PUTTING IN RIGHT NOW, I AM REALLY GOING TO PUSH HARD TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE BUBBLE IRRIGATION ON ALL THE NEW RIGHT-OF-WAY TREES WE PUT IN BECAUSE GETTING HAND WATERING DONE EVERY DAY FOR THE FIRST KIND OF LIKE 60 TO 90 DAYS CAN BE CHALLENGING. I THINK THERE ARE ALSO WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES THERE WE CAN EXPLORE. AGAIN, THAT MIGHT INCLUDE NEEDING A COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE, NEEDING A NEW WATER TRUCK. DEVELOPING AND CREATING THE SCHEDULE. AGAIN, RIGHT NOW, OUTSIDE OF THE TREE-MENDOUS PROGRAM AND THE PARKS AND REC DEPARTMENT WHO PLANTS TREES JUST IN CITY PARKS, ME AND KAYLA ARE REALLY THE ONLY ONES FOCUSED ON PLANTING TREES IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. IT'S A HEAVY LIFT. DEVELOPING THESE NEW PROTOCOLS WILL BE SOMETHING THAT TAKE TIME BUT KNOW WE ARE THINKING ABOUT IT. COUNCILMAN, DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER -- OKAY. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. BACK IN 1979, SO HAPPENS THAT I WAS HERE. MAYOR POE AND SIX OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS AND MYSELF MADE SEVEN. YOU WEREN'T ALLOWED TO PLANT A TREE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY. YOU HAD TO PUT IT IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, IF I RECALL. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED IN 1979. >>WHIT REMER: THAT'S STILL THE CASE WITH TREE TRUST FUND MONEY RIGHT NOW. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: RIGHT. I UNDERSTAND THAT. WE'RE TRYING TO CHANGE THAT BAD HABIT. I'LL CALL IT A HABIT. BUT THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER. IT MAY TAKE SOMETIME. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DO THIS OVERNIGHT. 30,000 50,000. YOU HAVE TO HAVE A GOAL. STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU'RE AT FOR THE REST OF YOUR DAMN LIFE. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GOAL TO ATTAIN THAT GOAL, EVEN IF YOU FALL SHORT, SOMETIMES YOU GO OVER YOUR GOAL, THAT'S WONDERFUL. EITHER WAY. YOU MUST SET A STANDARD, NO MATTER WHETHER LOW OR HIGH SO YOU CAN ATTAIN THAT GOAL. ANY SPORT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE A QUARTERBACK OR BASEBALL PLAYER OR HOCKEY PLAYER AND SAY I'M NEVER GOING TO SCORE A GOAL. NO, SCORE THE MOST GOALS, EVEN IF YOU DON'T, BUT YOU WANT THAT INCENTIVE. WINNING IS ONLY ONE THING. KNOW WHAT IT MEANS? THAT YOU NEVER WANT TO LOSE. THAT'S HOW YOU WIN. THAT'S JUST MY SAY FOR THE DAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCIL MEMBER CLENDENIN. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK, CHAIRMAN MANISCALCO AND MYSELF SIT ON THE TPO. BEEN A BIG ISSUE WITH ROBLES PARK AND F.D.O.T. SECRETARY GWEN -- WE HAVE A CONCRETE BARRIER BETWEEN 275 AND THE PARK. ALSO COMMITTED TO A LANDSCAPE BUFFER, TO DO THE INTENSITY REQUIRED REQUIRES RIGHT-OF-WAY FROM THE CITY AND SUPPORT FROM THE CITY. CAN YOU WORK WITH MOBILITY DEPARTMENT AND MAYBE, CHIEF BENNETT, MAYBE BE A GO-BETWEEN TO ENSURE THAT HAPPENS. SECRETARY GWYNN IS AMICABLE TO MAKE A PLAN TO MAKE IT HAPPEN BUT CITY SUPPORT TO USE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY F.D.O.T. HAS ALONG WITH THE CITY RIGHT-OF-WAY TO PUT THE PROGRAM TOGETHER. >>WHIT REMER: YES, SIR. I BELIEVE OUR DIRECTOR OF PARKS AND RECREATION MET WITH RESIDENTS OUT THERE AND LOOKED AND IS ACTIVELY EXPLORING OPTIONS TO CREATE A GREEN WALL OR ENHANCEMENTS. I BELIEVE THAT F.D.O.T. HAS A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF THEIR PROJECT BUDGET THAT HAS TO GO TO LANDSCAPING. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: EXACTLY. SECRETARY GWYNN COMMITTED SAYING THEY WOULD SUPPORT. THEY NEEDED THE CITY TO COME ON BOARD BECAUSE WE HAVE PART OF THE RIGHT-OF-WAY THAT'S REQUIRED. >>WHIT REMER: YES, SIR. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MR. REMER, DOES THAT CONCLUDE EVERYTHING WITH 3 AND 4? >>WHIT REMER: EVERYTHING I'VE GOT FOR RIGHT NOW. YES SIR. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK. IF SOMEBODY WISHES TO SPEAK AGAIN AFTER I GO THROUGH EVERYBODY, BECAUSE IT'S TWO PARTS AND PER THE REQUEST OF COUNCIL MEMBER HURTAK, WE'LL TAKE IT UP LIKE THAT. THEN WE'LL GO TO THE REGISTERED PUBLIC SPEAKERS. >> JUSTIN VASKE, LEGAL DEPARTMENT. MY RECOMMENDATION IS TO IDENTIFY ITEM 3 FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND THEN IDENTIFY ITEM 4 FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: IF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM 3, PLEASE COME UP, STATE YOUR NAME. AND THEN WE'LL ASK ABOUT ITEM 4. >>STEVE MICHELINI: STEVE MICHELINI, ALSO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BUILDERS ASSOCIATION, GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE FOR TAMPA. FIRST, I WANT TO TELL YOU, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH JC HUDGISON, ABBYE FEELEY EVERY MONTH REGARDING A VARIETY OF ISSUES AND TREES HAS BEEN ONE OF THOSE BIG ISSUES THAT WE'VE WORKED THROUGH, INCLUDING THE TREE INVENTORY THAT JC AND HIS STAFF HAVE PUT TOGETHER. AS HE SAID, IT WAS A MONUMENTAL TASK AND TRACKING WHERE THOSE TREES WERE -- IT WAS A PROBLEM. THE BUILDERS ASSOCIATION DOES NOT SUPPORT THE REMOVAL OF TREES ONCE A HOUSE IS OCCUPIED. AND THERE IS A CONSTANT POLICING ACTIVITY THAT GOES ON. ALL OF THOSE PROPERTIES ON NEW HOUSES ARE WARRANTIED A YEAR. EVERY NEW HOMEOWNER IN THE HOUSE IS GIVEN A PACKAGE OF INFORMATION AND A TUTORIAL AND THEY HAVE THE TREE AND LANDSCAPING PEOPLE. THEY HAVE THE SPRINKLER PEOPLE THEY ARE ALL THERE TO EXPLAIN EXACTLY WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO MAINTAIN THE TREES AND THE REST OF THEIR LAWN. IF SOMETHING HAPPENS WITHIN THAT WARRANTY PERIOD, IT'S REPLACED. SO THE CONTRACTOR HAS TO COME BACK AND REPLACE THOSE TREES. IF SOMEBODY OPTS TO REMOVE A TREE, THAT IS DONE WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE AND CERTAINLY WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE CONTRACTOR. THERE IS SELF-POLICING AS WELL. WE SEE THOSE SAME E-MAILS AND THOSE SAME Facebook POSTS AND THE CONTRACTORS ARE PRETTY UPSET ABOUT IT WHEN THEY SEE IT BECAUSE THEY'VE SPENT A LOT OF MONEY TO PUT THOSE TREES IN PLACE AND SOMEBODY WANTS TO SELL THEM, SO THERE IS A LOT OF THAT GOING ON. THERE IS A SPECIFIC CARE PACKAGE THAT'S GIVEN TO EVERY HOMEOWNER WHEN THEY GO IN SO THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO. THEY KNOW ABOUT THE IRRIGATION SYSTEM. THEY KNOW ABOUT CARING FOR THE TREES, AND THAT THEY ALSO HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO MAINTAIN THEM. I'LL SKIP FOR A SECOND, IF YOU HAD A HUNDRED BY A HUNDRED FOOT AREA TO PLANT A LIVE OAK, NOT ONE OF THE REZONINGS THAT I BRING TO YOU WOULD BE ALLOWED TO SHOW YOU A LIVE OAK BEING PLANTED ON THAT PROPERTY. IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. WE'RE SHOWING YOU LIVE OAKS. WE'RE SHOWING YOU SHADE TREES GOING INTO THESE PROJECTS. IF YOU NEEDED THAT MUCH SPACE, IT WOULD TAKE UP THE ENTIRE LOT. I THINK PROBABLY THAT CRITERIA NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT. BUT THE RIGHT-OF-WAY TREES, WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT MAINTAINED AND THE PUBLIC MAINTENANCE OF THOSE TREES, ESPECIALLY IN THE LESS AFFLUENT AREAS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE. BUT CERTAINLY WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT THE BUILDERS ASSOCIATION DOES NOT SUPPORT NOR CONDONE THE REMOVAL BUT RATHER THE MAINTENANCE AND THE CARE FOR ALL OF THOSE TREES. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. YES MA'AM. PLEASE COME UP AND STATE YOUR NAME. YOU'RE SPEAKING ON ITEM NUMBER 3 CORRECT? >> I THINK SO. IT'S SO MUCH INFORMATION. MY NAME IS ALISON DATE. I'M WITH TTAG AND SIERRA CLUB. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO SAY THAT I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT THIS IS BEING ADDRESSED BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ASKING SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS FOR AS LONG AS WE'VE BEEN IN EXISTENCE. IT'S REALLY NICE THAT IT IS BEING ADDRESSED BECAUSE I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE KNOW THAT WE DO HAVE SOME KIND OF SUMMARY SHEET OF WHAT'S BEING PLANTED AND WHAT'S BEING TAKEN OUT AND THAT IT'S AN ONGOING EVENT, WHICH I THINK HAPPENED BEFORE THIS ADMINISTRATION AND THEN EVERYTHING GOT DISBURSED AND THAT WAS ELIMINATED. ANSWER. HOW MANY GRAND OAKS HAVE BEEN CUT DOWN THIS YEAR? NOBODY COULD EVER SAY UNTIL THE SURVEY CAME OUT, WHICH YOU SAW HOW LONG IT TOOK FOR THAT TO HAPPEN. I'M REALLY HAPPY ABOUT THAT. I THINK THAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT KEEPING TRACK OF THE MAINTENANCE -- AND I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME TO SAY THIS, THE MAINTENANCE OF THE MITIGATION TREES AND THE GIVEAWAY TREES. IT HAS TO HAPPEN, I THINK IT TAKES TWO OR THREE YEARS FOR A TREE TO BE ESTABLISHED. IN THAT TWO- OR THREE-YEAR PERIOD ON REGULAR INTERVALS, SOMEBODY SHOULD -- MAYBE PEOPLE HAVE TO TAKE A PICTURE AND SEND IT IN. SOMEBODY DOESN'T HAVE TO GO THERE, BUT TO SHOW THE TREE IS STILL THERE, IT'S ALIVE I THINK WOULD BE GOOD. OTHERWISE WE'RE PLANTING ALL THESE TREES, BUT ARE THEY LIVING? ARE THEY SURVIVING? IF THEY AREN'T, THEN WE'RE NOT GOING TO MEET OUR GOAL EITHER. TECHNOLOGY IS GREAT. I ALSO WANT TO SEE THOSE TREES ALL ON THE TREE MAP. THE MITIGATION TREES, THE GIVEAWAY TREES. THE LIVE OAKS. AND MAYBE THAT I WANTED TO GET ALL THE LIVE OAKS ON THE LAST TREE MAP BECAUSE THEN I THINK WE COULD LOOK TO SEE HOW MANY OF THEM GOT CUT DOWN. THAT AND ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO SAY BUT I CAN'T SAY IT YET, SOMEHOW THE FINE -- IS THAT THE NEXT ONE -- IS THAT THE FINE FOR THE TREE CUTTERS SOMEHOW MAYBE IT COULD BE CONNECTED TO THE OWNER. THE OWNER SHOULD BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY WHO CUT DOWN THE TREE, SO IF THEY CAN'T, MAYBE THEY NEED TO BE CHARGED AN ADDITIONAL FEE. I DON'T KNOW. BUT THEN AT LEAST YOU COULD KNOW WHO THE TREE CUTTERS ARE WHO ARE DOING IT. THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES MA'AM. PLEASE COME ON UP AND STATE YOUR NAME. >> GOOD MORNING. NANCY STEVENS. ALSO WITH TTAG AND TAMPA BAY SIERRA CLUB. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THIS. AND PROGRESS IS BEING MADE. I DO LIKE TO SEE THAT. I WANTED TO BRING UP SOMETHING THAT WHIT BROUGHT UP WHICH IS HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO PLANT A NEW TREE. HE GAVE AN EXAMPLE OF MacFARLANE PARK WHICH I THOUGHT WAS VERY INTERESTING. THAT KIND OF GOES BACK TO ITEM 3, WHICH IS SAVING THE TREES WE HAVE, WHICH JUST SHOWS IT'S MORE IMPORTANT TO SAVE THE TREES WE HAVE BECAUSE MAYBE THEY ARE REPLACEABLE BECAUSE IF YOU TAKE IT OUT, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PUT ONE BACK THERE BECAUSE OF THE CONSTRAINTS. MACFARLANE PARK IS AN EXCELLENT EXAMPLE. NEW CONSTRUCTION ACROSS THE STREET. THEY TORE DOWN A TREE TO PUT IN THE PLUMBING AND THE ELECTRIC FOR THE NEW HOUSE. WELL, WHY WASN'T THAT TREE SAVED? THE PLUMBING AND ELECTRIC ROUTED IN A WAY TO AVOID THE TREE AND SAVE THE TREE? TREES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED INFRASTRUCTURE. TREES SHOULD BE PROTECTED. I DON'T KNOW WHY THE TREE IN THAT CASE WAS NOT PROTECTED AND WORKED AROUND. AND NOW PROBABLY CAN'T BE REPLACED BECAUSE NOW THING UNDERGROUND AND IT CAN'T BE REPLACED. AGAIN, I THINK STEPS BEING MADE BY KEEPING TRACK OF IT AND WORK TOWARDS THAT GOAL. BUT I THINK THE GOAL SHOULD BE TO PRESERVE THE CANOPY AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. THE HUNDRED FOOT CANOPY FOR LIVE OAK, THE RITZ-CARLTON WAS PUTTING OAK TREES. THEY PUT TOWN HOUSES IN. EVERY TOWN HOUSE ONE OAK TREE. THEY HAVE A NEW VARIETY OF OAK TREES. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE NAME. SOMETHING LIKE AN URBAN OAK. MAYBE CARROLL ANN CAN REMEMBER IT. IT DOESN'T HAVE AS WIDE A SPREAD. WE GOT TO THINK OUT OF THE BOX HERE. MAYBE NEW VARIETY OF TREES THAT CAN FIT BETTER IN SOME LOCATIONS. WE CAN TRY TO WORK TO LOOK FOR THOSE THINGS. MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING WE CAN USE IN MORE APPLICATIONS. AGAIN, THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> BOB WHITMORE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CITY TREE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MR. WHITMORE, YOU SPOKE ABOUT TREES AT THE BEGINNING. >> YES, I DID. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MR. VASKE. >> NO, BUT I'M SPEAKING -- >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: GO AHEAD. GO AHEAD. >> WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, PULLING OUT TREES ISN'T A BIG PROBLEM. IT'S VERY ILLUSTRATIVE OF WHAT'S GOING ON. BUT MITIGATION IS A DECEPTION. IT'S THERE. IT'S SMOKE AND MIRRORS TO ALLOW BUILDERS TO TAKE DOWN HEALTHY TREES. AND WE'RE PUTTING IN SAPLINGS WHERE WE HAVE HEALTHY TREES THAT ARE BEING TAKEN OUT TO PUT BUILDINGS THAT ARE WAY BIGGER THAN THEY SHOULD BE ON PLOTS OF LAND. SO MITIGATION, THE MITIGATION FUND IS A DECEPTION TO ALLOW US TO REMOVE TREES. I AM HERE TO SAVE TREES AND I WANT TO MAKE A FEW SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT WE NEED TO DO. FIRST OF ALL, THE D AND R IS UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING. ANYBODY FIND THAT KIND OF CONFLICTIVE TURN, DIRECTION. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT MAYOR CASTOR DID WHEN SHE FIRST CAME IN. SHE MOVED THEM OUT FROM A FREE-STANDING DEPARTMENT AND PUT THEM UNDER THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT. WHICH ALL THAT DOES IS IT PUTS THEM IN A POSITION TO HAVE TO WORK WITH BUILDERS TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO BUILD AS OPPOSED TO FOCUSING ON A MISSION WHICH WOULD BE TO PRESERVE THE% NATURAL RESOURCES OF TAMPA BAY. THE FIRST THING THAT WE NEED TO DO IS WE NEED TO MAKE THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES A FREE-STANDING DEPARTMENT SO THAT THE BUILDER'S BOOT ISN'T ON THEIR NECK AND THEY HAVE TO DO WHAT THEY SAY OR POSSIBLY LOSE THEIR JOBS. WHEN THEY CHANGE THAT, A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE LEFT. THERE IS A CERTAIN CULTURE OF FEAR OVER THERE AS TO, MAN, IF I PUSH TOO HARD, I'M GOING TO BE IN A SITUATION WHERE SOMEBODY WILL COME FOR MY JOB. WE HAVE TO LET THEM DO THEIR JOB. MOVING THEM OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT IS A GREAT WAY TO DO IT. WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT FINES AND PENALTIES AND THAT SORT OF THING. THIS NEEDS TO BE A CRIMINAL ACT. WHEN YOU TAKE DOWN A PROTECTED TREE, IF YOU SHOOT A BALD EAGLE, THERE IS MORE THAN A FINE TO THAT. THIS IS A CRIMINAL ACT. I'M ASKING FOR A CLASS TWO MISDEMEANOR, WHICH IS THE SAME, WHICH IS THE SAME AS EXCESSIVE SPEEDING. ALL RIGHT. IF YOU COME IN AND CUT DOWN A PROTECTED TREE, IT SHOULD BE A MISDEMEANOR. AND THAT'S GOING TO KEEP A LOT OF THE TREE CUTTERS AWAY WHO, BY THE WAY, SHOULD BE LICENSED. WHY AREN'T THESE GUYS LICENSED? LICENSE THE TREE CUTTERS. AS A TREE ADVOCATE, I COME AROUND AND SEE SOMEBODY CUTTING DOWN A TREE AND HAVE TO APPROACH THESE GUYS WITH CHAIN SAWS. I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY CAME FROM OR WHAT THEY DO. WE HAVE TO HAVE LICENSING FOR TREE CUTTERS. FINALLY, I'M ASKING FOR A MORATORIUM ON REMOVAL OF OAK TREES. THAT'S MY GOAL, COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. A MORATORIUM ON REMOVING HEALTHY OAKS. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. YES MA'AM. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. YOU'RE HERE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 3, CORRECT? GO AHEAD. >> COURTNEY HONING WITH THE TAMPA GARDEN CLUB. I AM THE CIVIC CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR HOSTING THIS WORKSHOP THIS MORNING. WE SO APPRECIATE IT. A COUPLE OF THINGS AND I'LL BE BRIEF. THE FIRST THING IS WE ARE HAPPY TO BE A PARTNER IN ALL OF THIS. I'M HAPPY TO GIVE OUR INFORMATION, CONTACT INFORMATION TO MS. FEELEY OR WHOEVER THE DESIGNATED PERSON IS TO HELP WITH THE MEETINGS. WE WOULD LOVE TO BE A PARTICIPANT IN THESE MEETINGS TO ASSIST IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN. THE SECOND THING I WANTED TO ASK YOU IS REGARDING THE VARIANCE REVIEW BOARD. A LOT OF THESE TREES ARE BEING CUT DOWN IN THE VRB PROCESS. I DON'T WANT TO BE CRITICAL OF THE VRB OR THE INDIVIDUALS, HOWEVER WE BELIEVE THAT TREES COULD BE SAVED DURING THAT PROCESS AND ELIMINATE SOME OF THESE NEEDS FOR MITIGATION TREES. SO AS YOU'RE CONSIDERING CANDIDATES FOR THE VRB, WOULD YOU PLEASE CONSIDER WHETHER OR NOT THE INDIVIDUAL IS AN ADVOCATE FOR TREES. I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. WE COULD PROBABLY PREVENT A LOT OF THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY EVEN COME UP. THE THIRD THING I WANTED TO MENTION IS I HAVE BEEN HEARING RUMBLINGS THAT THE HOT LINE YOU CAN CALL IF YOU SEE A TREE BEING CUT DOWN AND BELIEVE IT'S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE, I HEARD OF THEM GOING TO VOICE MAIL OR NO ONE IS FOLLOWING UP. IF SOMEONE WOULD CITY COUNCIL COULD CHECK ON THAT, WE WOULD BE REALLY GRATEFUL AND APPRECIATIVE. THE LAST THING I WAS THINKING OF AN IDEA BACK THERE WHILE YOU WERE DISCUSSING THIS, PEOPLE HAVE TO SIGN PAPERWORK WHEN THEY BUY A HOUSE. A LOT OF PAPERWORK. I REALIZE THAT. MAYBE THE REALTOR COULD HELP WITH PROVIDING THAT INDIVIDUAL WITH PAPERWORK THAT THEY SIGN KNOWING THAT THERE IS A MITIGATION TREE IN THAT YARD AND THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING CARE OF THAT TREE AND FOR NOT TAKING IT OUT. JUST SOMETHING TO CONSIDER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. AGAIN, THE GARDEN CLUB IS HAPPY TO BE A PARTNER IN THIS AND WE APPRECIATE YOU HOSTING THE WORKSHOP. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES MA'AM. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> HELLO. PAULA MECKLEY. I AM THE PRESIDENT OF THE TAMPA GARDEN CLUB, AND WE ARE SO EXCITED THAT THIS CONVERSATION IS HAPPENING. IT REALLY DOES OUR HEART WELL THAT YOU GUYS ARE TAKING A HARD LOOK AT ALL OF THIS. I WANT TO SAY A FEW THINGS. SIX MONTHS ISN'T LONG ENOUGH. IT FALLS THEN BACK ONTO THE NEIGHBOR TO REPORT THAT. AND THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING. YOU'RE PUTTING A WEDGE BETWEEN YOUR NEIGHBOR AND THE PERSON WHO IS TAKING OUT A MITIGATION TREE. TREES ARE INFRASTRUCTURE. I LOVE THAT. I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT AND REPLACING THESE BIG SHADE TREES AND I'M NOT SPECIFICALLY TALKING ABOUT LIVE OAKS, BUT ANY BIG SHADE TREE, THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF THEM, WITH CRAPE MYRTLES IS NOT THE ANSWER. I PERSONALLY HAD AN EXPERIENCE RECENTLY WHERE A DEVELOPER WAS GETTING READY TO DO THIS BIG PROJECT AND THEY BROUGHT PLANS AND WE LOOKED AT THEM AND THEY SAID WE'RE GOING TO PUT THESE TEN LIVE OAKS IN TEN FOOT SPACE. THOSE WOULD NEVER SURVIVE THERE. THEY ARE NOT GOING TO SURVIVE. BUT THE DEVELOPERS CAN EASILY PUT THESE TREES IN THESE VERY WEIRD LOCATIONS AND THEIR PLANS GET APPROVED. BUT YET I'M LISTENING TO THE CITY AND THEY ARE HAVING A HARD TIME PUTTING TREES IN BECAUSE THERE ARE ALL THESE RESTRICTIONS ABOUT WHERE THEY CAN PUT TREES IN. BUT DEVELOPERS CAN PUT THEM ANYWHERE IN A TWO FOOT BY TWO FOOT SPOT. OH, YEAH, MEET THEIR OBLIGATION. SOMETHING WRONG WITH THAT, TRYING TO DO MORE TREES, THE CITY IS TRYING TO DO IT BUT THE DEVELOPERS ARE GETTING THAT OPPORTUNITY. I DON'T GET IT. THE LAST THING IS I LOVE THE IDEA OF THE JUSTICE TRACTS. WE HAVE HEAT TRACTS. ROBLES PARK, TRYING TO HELP AND SUPPORT ROBLES PARK WITH THEIR GREEN WALL. THAT IS SUPER IMPORTANT. THESE AREAS REALLY NEED THE SHADE FROM THE HEAT ISLANDS AND HEAT TRACTS THAT GO UP AND DOWN. IF THERE'S ANY WAY THE TAMPA GARDEN CLUB CAN SUPPORT THAT, WE -- ABBYE FEELEY, WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO HOST SOME MEETINGS AT OUR CLUB BRINGING REALTORS TOGETHER, BRINGING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS TOGETHER, BRINGING WHOEVER YOU NEED, GIVE ME A CALL. I'M HAPPY TO TRY TO PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER. WE HAVE A BUILDING THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO HOST. WE LOVE THE DIRECTION THIS IS GOING. WE WANT TO BE A PARTNER. WE WANT TO HELP. WE WANT TO SUPPORT THIS EFFORT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, MA'AM. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> GOOD MORNING. STEPHANIE POYNOR. THIS IS KIND OF DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD BECAUSE AS ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND SEEN REALLY POORLY PLANTED MITIGATION TREES ON BERMS THIS BIG ON A BLOCK WALL THAT COULD EASILY BE PUNCTURED BY THOSE TREES. A 12-FOOT BY 12-FOOT SPACE IS NOT ADEQUATE FOR LIVE OAKS BUT YET THEY PLANTED MANY, MANY OF THEM IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. THEN WHEN MY NEIGHBORS SAID, OH, MY GOSH, THEY ARE STARTING TO ENCROACH ON OUR WATER LINE AND IT'S BEEN SIX OR SEVEN YEARS AGO NOW, THE CITY WANTED TO FINE THEM FOR TAKING OUT THE LIVE OAK THAT WAS THERE. THE ONES PLANTED IN MY YARD ARE NOT IN THE ORIGINAL LOCATION. THEY WERE RELOCATED ON MY LOT BECAUSE THEY WERE POORLY PLACED. YOU GOT A REALLY FUNKY SITUATION HERE. I'M BEFUDDLED THAT WE HAVE BUILDERS RUNNING OUT AND WILLY-NILLY PLACING THEM WHEREVER THEY WANT, EVEN WHEN IT'S REALLY NOT A GOOD IDEA FOR THEM TO BE THERE BECAUSE OF THE SEWER LINES AND WHATNOT. BUT THEN WE'RE STANDING HERE GOING, WELL, WE NEED TO FINE THE HOMEOWNERS, YET WE HAVE BUSINESS LICENSES FOR CONSULTANTS. WE HAVE BUSINESS LICENSES FOR LANDSCAPERS. WE HAVE A BUNCH OF LANDSCAPERS HERE TODAY. I GUARANTEE YOU THEY HAVE BUSINESS LICENSES. HANDY MAN HAS TO HAVE LICENSE. I HAVE TO HAVE A BUSINESS LICENSE FOR EACH ONE OF MY RENTALS. YET WE'RE TALKING THAT WE DON'T HAVE ANY LICENSING IN THE CITY FOR THE TREE GUYS. I'M KIND OF CONFUSED. I WANT TO SHOW YOU THIS BEAUTIFUL TREE THAT I PASSED ON THE WAY HERE THIS MORNING THAT IS NOW ABOUT YEAH TALL AND SITTING ON ITS SIDE AND THE BASE OF IT IS SITTING SIDEWAYS. SOMEBODY ALREADY FILED IT. I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO FILE THE COMPLAINT. IT WAS CUT DOWN WITHOUT A PERMIT. I'M NOT KIDDING YOU, THE BASE STANDS THIS HIGH SITTING ON ITS SIDE. I DIDN'T GET A CHANCE TO TAKE PICTURES BECAUSE I WAS RUNNING BEHIND. I THINK DOING THE DOOR HANGER WITH THE INSPECTION, I THINK THAT THE CITY SHOULD ADD AFFIDAVITS TO A SALE OF A BRAND-NEW PROPERTY. ABBYE SAID 500 AND SOMETHING BRAND-NEW HOMES IN THE CITY. I THINK YOU SHOULD HAVE TO SIGN AN AFFIDAVIT THAT SAYS THE TREES ARE NEW AND THEY ARE MITIGATION TREES AND THEY WILL NOT BE REMOVED AND DESTROYED. LIKE I SAID, MINE ARE NOT IN THE ORIGINAL PLACEMENT. I'M JUST SO CONFUSED. I WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR CITIZENS. WE CAN PUSH THINGS OUT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT THE BUILDERS ARE DOIG US A DISSERVICE ON A REGULAR BASIS. AND TO SAY THAT WE CAN'T HOLD THE TREE GUYS RESPONSIBLE IS RIDICULOUS BECAUSE THAT WAS THE CONVERSATION I HAD ABOUT MY NEIGHBORS' TREES. THEY CALLED MY HOMEOWNERS BECAUSE I WAS THE PROPERTY MANAGER AND SAID YOU HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS. AND I SAID, WAIT A MINUTE. WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL THE TREE GUYS, THEY DIDN'T KNOW. I DIDN'T KNOW BACK THEN. BUT I KNOW NOW. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE TWO REGISTERED SPEAKERS FOR THIS ITEM. LORRAINE PERINO, ITEM NUMBER 3. PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF AND STATE YOUR NAME. MS. PERINO. WE CAN'T HEAR YOU, MA'AM. WE'LL GO TO CARROLL ANN BENNETT FOR ITEM NUMBER 3 AND BACK TO MS. PERINO. CARROLL ANN BENNETT, IF YOU ARE ON, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF FOR ITEM NUMBER 3. >> HI. MY NAME IS CARROLL ANN BENNETT. I'M SORRY I'M NOT THERE IN PERSON. I'M OUT OF STATE WORKING ON MY FAMILY'S TREE FARM. I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBERS HURTAK AND CARLSON FOR MAKING THE MOTION. THIS HAS BEEN AN EXTREMELY INFORMATIVE AND BENEFICIAL WORKSHOP. I'M THRILLED WITH IT. I WANT TO COMMEND ALL THE COUNCIL MEMBERS ON YOUR COMMENTS. IT'S OBVIOUS THAT YOU ARE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE AND INSIGHTFUL. IT'S VERY ENCOURAGING. I'M ALSO EXTREMELY HAPPY ABOUT THE NEW POLICY ABOUT FINING THE TREE CUTTERS. I THINK THIS IS GOING TO HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON ILLEGAL TREE REMOVALS AND I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE ILLEGAL PART OF THAT. I THINK THAT A LOT OF TIMES THESE TREE CUTTERS CAN BE IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE HOMEOWNERS, AND IF THE HOMEOWNERS REFUSE, PERHAPS SOMETHING CAN HAPPEN IN REGARDS TO THAT. BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL TAKE A PICTURE OF A LICENSE PLATE OF BILLY JOE BOB'S RUSTY PICKUP TRUCK WITH HIS CHAIN SAW ON A SUNDAY -- EASTER SUNDAY CUTTING DOWN A TREE AND THE CITY OF TAMPA HAPPENS TO HAVE A POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT KNOWS WHERE BILLY JOE BOB LIVES AND THEY CAN NAIL THE VIOLATION TO HIM. SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO ACTUALLY BE A LOT EASIER TO DO THIS, AND I THINK IT WILL HAVE A BIG IMPACT. I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT FINES FOR ILLEGAL PRUNING. I HAVE REPORTED SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE VERY LARGE LIMBS WERE REMOVED FROM GRAND TREES WITHOUT A PERMIT, WHICH IS REQUIRED BY OUR CODE, AND I AM UNAWARE OF ANY FINES HAVING BEEN LEVIED FOR THAT VIOLATION, WHICH IS IRREPARABLE. I WOULD LIKE TO GET A LITTLE INFORMATION. I WAS ABLE TO GET ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. ALSO COMMENT ON THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT. MARY DANIELLE BRYSON IN CHARGE OF CODE ENFORCEMENT FINANCIAL RESOURCES DOES AN AMAZING JOB. QUITE FRANKLY, I BELIEVE SHE'S GOT THE WORK OF TWO PEOPLE. SHE HAS A VERY HARD TIME KEEPING UP WITH EVERYTHING. I HAVE MADE 30, 40 COMPLAINTS PROBABLY IN LESS THAN A YEAR, AND IT'S JUST VERY HARD FOR HER TO KEEP UP WITH THIS. I THINK THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, IT SEEMS TO ME HAS BEEN CHRONICALLY UNDERSTAFFED. I DON'T KNOW WHY. I KNOW IT SEEMS LIKE THEY HIRE PEOPLE AND THEN THE PEOPLE QUIT. I KNOW THEY ARE ALWAYS SEARCHING FOR PEOPLE. I KNOW WHEN KATHY BECK RETIRED, HER POSITION WAS NEVER REPOSTED. I KNOW THERE WAS A CONSULTANT FROM NEW YORK WHO CAME TO TAMPA IN 2019 AND SAID YOU SHOULD BREAK UP THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEPARTMENT AND SPREAD THEM OUT. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE TOLD ME THAT'S A BETTER WAY TO DO THINGS. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE OR NOT. MAYBE GOING BACK TO A CENTRALIZED AND REPOSTING KATHY BECK'S POSITION MIGHT BE THE WAY TO GO. I DON'T KNOW. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MA'AM. >> I ALSO WANT ON NUMBER 4. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WHAT DID YOU SAY ABOUT NUMBER 4? >> I'LL BE COMMENTING ON THAT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I'LL COME BACK TO YOU FOR THAT. MS. PERINO, ARE YOU ON? GO AHEAD ON ITEM NUMBER 3. >> CAN YOU HEAR ME? >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, MA'AM. GO AHEAD. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> GOOD MORNING. LORRAINE PERINO, PRESIDENT OF THE TAMPA TREE ADVOCACY GROUP. ACCORDING TO THE TREE CANOPY AND URBAN FOREST ANALYSIS OF 2021, TAMPA'S TREE CANOPY IN 2021 WAS THE LOWEST PERCENTAGE IN 26 YEARS, SINCE 1995. THE LOSS OF TREE CANOPY SINCE 2011 IS OVER 3,300 ACRES. TO PUT THAT IN PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S AN AREA ROUGHLY THE SIZE OF CLEAR CUTTING FOUR DAVIS ISLANDS, FIVE DOWNTOWN AREAS, 25 AL LOPEZ PARKS, 3.7 U.S. CAMPUSES OR OVER 1,325 TIMES THE AREA OF RAYMOND JAMES STADIUM WHERE THE TAMPA BAY BUCS PLAY FOOTBALL. IN SOUTH TAMPA, THERE'S BEEN A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE BETWEEN 2016 AND 2021. THE 2021 TREE CANOPY OF SOUTH TAMPA IS THE LOWEST IN 26 YEARS SINCE 1998. I'M ENCOURAGED BY SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS DISCUSSED TODAY. I WOULD LIKE TO REINFORCE FINING THE TREE CUTTERS WHO PRUNE TREES WITHOUT CHECKING FIRST TO SEE IF THERE IS A CITY PERMIT OR REMOVE TREES WITHOUT SEEING IF THERE IS A CITY PERMIT. BROWARD COUNTY LICENSES THEIR TREE CUTTERS, AND THEY MAKE THEM TAKE A COURSE ON HOW TO PROPERLY PRUNE TREES BEFORE THEY CAN GET THEIR LICENSE. THEY DID THAT BECAUSE THEIR TREE CANOPY WENT DOWN TO 18% IS WHAT I READ. TAMPA SHOULD DO THE SAME THING. FOLLOW UP ON MITIGATION TREE PLANTINGS. MAKE SURE THEY ARE BEING CARED FOR AND NOT SOLD. FOLLOW UP ON THE TREE GIVE AWAYS THAT THE CITY IS GIVING AWAY TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE CARED FOR FROM THAT MILLION-DOLLAR GRANT THAT THE CITY GOT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. MAKE GRAND TREE REMOVAL A MISDEMEANOR. IN ADDITION TO MITIGATION AND PAYING A HIGH FINE, GRAND TREES ARE NOT CONSIDERED TO BE RARE IN THE CITY OF TAMPA. THE PREVAILING THOUGHT WHEN IT COMES TO NEW CONSTRUCTION IT'S EASIER REMOVALS, EASIER FORGIVENESS THAN PERMISSION. INCREASE THE FINES, MAKE IT A MISDEMEANOR. TREE HOT LINE IS INEFFECTUAL. THE TTAG Facebook PAGE, PEOPLE HAVE GIVEN UP ON THE TREE HOT LINE BECAUSE NOTHING EVER COMES OF THEIR COMPLAINT. SO THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT AND MADE TO WORK. IN MY OPINION, IT NEVER HAS WORKED VERY WELL. PLANTING LIVE OAK TREES IS DIFFICULT. THEY NEED A LOT OF SPACE. AS I SAID LAST WEEK IN MY FIRE STATION PRESENTATION, THERE ARE PUBLIC SPACES WHERE GRANT OAKS CAN BE PLANTED. PARKS CHURCHES COLLEGE CAMPUSES, FIRE STATIONS AND POLICE STATIONS ARE SOME PLACES YOU CAN LOOK AT TO PLANT LIVE OAKS BECAUSE THEY ARE SO VALUABLE, YOU CAN'T JUST SAY THEY ARE TOO BIG AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO PLANT THEM. THEY CONTRIBUTE TOO MUCH TO THE ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT TO DISCOUNT THEM. IN CONCLUSION, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE TREE WORKSHOP. I WANT TO THANK COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK FOR BRINGING IT INTO EXISTENCE. WE AT TTAG WOULD LIKE TO SEE TREES ALWAYS BE FRONT AND CENTER OF EVERYBODY'S MIND AND NOT JUST DISCUSSED AT A TREE WORKSHOP. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AT THIS TIME, WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEM NUMBER 4. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 4. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> WHITMORE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CITY TREE. THIS HAS BEEN FUN. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S WORTH TAKING A DAY OFF BUT I REALLY APPRECIATE THE EFFORT. I WILL BE STANDING HERE IN FIVE YEARS TALKING ABOUT 5% DEPLETION OF THE TREE CANOPY IN TAMPA. UNTIL THERE IS POLITICAL WILL IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE TO MAKE TREE PRESERVATION A CRITICAL MATTER, WE WILL NOT SAVE THE CANOPY. SAPLINGS IS NOT -- ARE NOT SAVING THE CANOPY. THAT'S NOT THE ANSWER. WE HAVE GOT TO FIGURE OUT A WAY -- THERE'S NO WAY WE CAN DO THIS IN AN HOUR. WHEN SOMEBODY PULLS DOWN A LITTLE HOUSE, WHY CAN THEY PUT UP A BIG HOUSE WHEN SOMEBODY HAD A BIG OAK TREE? MITIGATION PARK. SOMEBODY BUYS A LOT FULL OF TREES AND COMES AND WANTS TO PUT UP CONDOS HAPPENING AT COACHMAN AND MacDILL AND WANTS TO PUT UP CONDOS, WELL, NO, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF TREES ON THERE AND THE CITY HAS DECIDED THEY WILL CALL THAT A MITIGATION PARK AND MITIGATE THERE BECAUSE THERE ARE NO PIPES. LET'S BUY LOTS WHERE THERE ARE BIG GIANT OAKS IN THE MIDDLE, WELL, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT TO TEAR THEM DOWN BECAUSE BUILDINGS COME FIRST. NO MITIGATE. PLANT YOUR LITTLE TREES AROUND THAT THING AND MAYBE IF WE DON'T ALL FRY BEFORE 40 YEARS WHEN THIS TREE ACTUALLY BECOMES ABLE TO PROTECT US FROM GLOBAL WARMING, THEN MAYBE IT'S A GREAT IDEA. THE ONE THING THAT WE NEED AND EVERYBODY IS GOING TO MOAN AND HATE THIS IDEA, IS REVISIT AND REVISE THE TREE CODES IN LIEU OF NEW SCIENTIFIC FACTS THAT TALK ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING FOR A COASTAL CITY THAT DEPENDS ON TREES TO KEEP US FROM DROWNING AND FRYING IN FLORIDA. IT'S TIME TO GET THE BUILDERS AND TTAG AND DNR, YOU GUYS AND EVERYBODY ELSE AND DO WHAT THEY DID TO MAKE THAT BIG BOOK OF STUFF, REVISE IT. WHY DO WE HAVE TO TEAR DOWN A TREE BECAUSE IT'S TEN FEET INSIDE WHERE -- NO, LET'S KEEP IT UP AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT. WE WILL CUT IT DOWN BEFORE WE LOOK FOR A VARIANCE CHANGE TO KNOCK OFF TEN FEET OFF OF THE REQUIRED ROOM NEEDED FOR A LIVE OAK TREE. IT'S INSANE. IT'S LIKE LET'S KILL THE PATIENT INSTEAD OF TAKING OUT THE APPENDIX BECAUSE IT'S EASY. IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL MORNING. I REALLY DO APPRECIATE COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK DOING THIS AND COUNCILMAN CARLSON AND ALL YOU GUYS. YOU'VE ALL COME AROUND FOR THE NEED FOR TREES. I JUST DON'T FEEL THE URGENCY. I JUST DON'T. I DON'T FEEL THE URGENCY. IT'S URGENT. EVERY CITY IN THE COUNTRY KNOWS IT'S URGENT. EVERY CITY. AND PUT AN HOUR AND I'LL BE BACK TO SAVE A TREE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES SIR. COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: [INAUDIBLE] A LOT MORE HAS TO BE DONE TO SAVE US FROM OURSELVES. BUILDING SOMETHING WITHOUT SO SOLAR. YOU CAN BUILD SOMETHING WITH GRASS. YOU CAN DO A LOT OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN CHANGE. TREES AIN'T THE ONLY THING YOU CAN DO TO SAVE THE WORLD. WE HAVE DISCUSSED NOTHING BUT TREES TODAY. IT'S TRUE IT IS THE ONLY THING ON THE AGENDA. YOU DON'T NEED TO HAVE ALL THE GRASS YOU NEED IN YOUR FRONT YARD OR THE BACKYARD. YOU CAN HAVE ROCKS. YOU CAN COLOR THE ROCKS ANY COLOR YOU WANT. WHY DO WE BUILD HOUSES WITH EAVES. THE HURRICANES PICK UP THE ROOF AND THE WALLS COLLAPSE. THAT'S NICE. I'M NOT AN ARCHITECT, NOT AN ENGINEER. WHY DO WE BUILD HOUSES WHERE UNDER THE SIX INCHES OF CONCRETE IS WHERE YOUR PLUMBING IS AT. WHEN YOU HAVE A LEAK, YOU HAVE TO TEAR THE HOUSE INSIDE. IT MAKES REAL GOOD SENSE TO DO THAT. WE NEED A LOT MORE THINKING. WE'VE ALL GOT TO WORK TOGETHER TO SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS. IF YOU SOLVE ONE, YOU'RE NOT SOLVING MUCH. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS YOU CAN DO. WHY DO WE HAVE ELECTRIC CARS? WHY DO YOU HAVE HYBRIDS? SOONER OR LATER AND MORE THAN LIKELY SOONER THAN LATER, YOU'LL HAVE ENGINES THAT RUN ON WATER THAT DRIVE A CAR AND HYDROGEN DRIVING A CAR. BUT THAT'S ALL I'M GOING TO SAY, MR. CHAIRMAN. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES MA'AM. MA'AM? NO. >> STEPHANIE POYNOR. CHARLIE, YOU KNOW AS WELL AS I DO HOW MUCH I HATE GRASS BECAUSE IT IS A WASTE OF MONEY AND WASTE OF TIME. BUT WE ALL KNOW THAT I AM NOT A TREE HUGGER HERE. I'VE GOT LOTS OF FRIENDS HERE WHO ARE TREE HUGGERS AND I LOVE THEM FOR IT. BUT JUST IN THE LAST HOUR OR SO, THESE ARE THE PLACES WHERE I SEE THAT WE NEED TREES JUST IN MY COMMUNITY. THE NEW E.L.A.P.P. PROJECT PUTTING IN THAT NINE ACRE POND, THEY'LL NEED NEW TREES. GADSDEN PARK DESPERATELY NEEDS TREES ON THE WALKING TRAIL. BOBBY HICKS PARK, THERE ARE NO TREES ON A HUGE PART OF THAT PROPERTY. THE ROAD TO PICNIC ISLAND WHICH FLOODS EVERY TIME, SO THAT IS A GREAT PLACE FOR TREES THAT DRINK UP 40 -- 400,000 GALLONS OF WATER A YEAR COULD GO. THE NEW PARKING LOTS AT ROBINSON COULD USE SOME TREES. THE MANHATTAN TRAIL, THE TRAIL THAT RUNS ALONG MANHATTAN COULD USE SOME MORE TREES. THAT'S JUST WHAT I CAME UP WITH IN FIVE MINUTES. WE'VE GOT THAN. WE'VE GOT TTAG. WE'VE GOT ALL THESE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE CITY. I GUARANTEE YOU THAT IF I CAN COME UP WITH THAT IN FIVE MINUTES AND THAT'S NOT EVEN ON THE OTHER SIDE -- THAT'S NOT ALL OF SOG. THERE ARE PLENTY OF PLACES TO PLANT TREES AND PLENTY OF WAYS TO WORK WITH FOLKS TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE TREES. I ASKED FOR TREES TWO YEARS AGO WHEN WE DID THE SOG -- SORRY, OVER A YEAR AGO BECAUSE THEY JUST HAD THEIR ANNIVERSARY. I ASKED FOR TREES FOR OUR MITIGATION FROM THE CITY. AND I WAS TOLD, NO, I COULDN'T HAVE THE TREES. THE CITY WOULD NOT DONATE TREES TO OUR COMMUNITY CENTER FOR THE BUFFER BETWEEN OUR PROPERTY AND THE CITY'S RIGHT-OF-WAY. THERE'S A LITTLE ROAD THERE. BUT YET I WAS TOLD, NO, YOU CAN'T HAVE THOSE TREES. NOW, MAYBE MY COMMUNITY GARDENS PEOPLE GO AND PICK THEM UP ONE OR TWO AT A TIME. THAT IS THEIR DEAL. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DO. BUT THE THING ABOUT IT IS WE HAVE TO USE COMMON SENSE ON WHERE WE CAN REPLACE THE TREES AT. BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT MY NEIGHBORHOOD, AND WE'VE GOT 16-YEAR-OLD TREES THAT HAVEN'T BEEN WATERED SINCE, OH, AT LEAST 2010, THEY ARE FINE. BUT WE'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT SOMETHING. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW STAFF CAN COME UP HERE AND GO, WE CAN'T PLANT THEM ALL WHEN BY LOOKING AT A GIS MAP, NO, WE'RE NEVER GOING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE TO PLANT THEM ALL. BUT IF WE CAN REALLY, REALLY LEAN INTO THIS, WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS, WHO KNOW THEIR COMMUNITY BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE, I'VE NEVER RECEIVED AN E-MAIL FROM MR. REMER AND HIS DEPARTMENT ABOUT, HEY, WHERE DO YOU THINK TREES CAN GO IN OUR COMMUNITY? NEVER HAPPENED. IT COULD HAPPEN TODAY. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE SOME REGISTERED SPEAKERS. CARROLL ANN BENNETT FOR ITEM NUMBER 4. >> HI. CARROLL ANN BENNETT. I'M VERY HAPPY ABOUT ITEM 4. THE BENEFITS OF TREES ARE EXTREMELY WELL KNOWN. THE HEALTH BENEFITS, THE FINANCIAL BENEFITS, AND IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT ALL OF TAMPA HAS A HEALTHY TREE CANOPY. MY DAUGHTER HAD TO HAVE A TREE REMOVED IN HER YARD. SHE DIDN'T WANT IT REMOVED BUT IT WAS DISEASED. IT HAD TO BE REMOVED. SHE KNEW IT WOULD HAVE AN IMPACT BUT HAD NO IDEA THE IMPACT. CENTRAL HEAT AND AIR THAT WORKED FINE FOR YEARS COULD NO LONGER KEEP UP. IT RAN 24/7. SHE HAD TO BUY A PORTABLE TO SUPPLEMENT IT. HER ELECTRIC BILL WENT THROUGH THE ROOF AND SHE NOW HAS TO PAY FOR AN ENTIRE NEW HVAC JUST BECAUSE OF THE REMOVAL OF ONE TREE. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE KEEP THESE TREES IN THESE JUSTICE 40 NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE PLANT THEM. PART OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE TREES IS THE GENTRIFICATION WHICH IS A PROBLEM FOR EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD IN TAMPA. THE HOUSING STUDY SAID ONE OF THE BIGGEST CONTRIBUTORS TO THE RISE IN THE COST OF HOUSING IS THE RISE IN THE SIZE OF THE HOUSING, THE SQUARE FOOTAGE. EVERYTHING IS BIGGER. WE HAD ALL THIS MISSING MIDDLE THAT WAS -- I MEAN, 17, 18 HUNDRED SQUARE FOOT HOUSE USED TO BE CONSIDERED VERY LARGE. WHEN YOU PUT THAT HOUSE ON A LOT, YOU HAD PLENTY OF ROOM FOR GRAND TREES. BUT IF YOU REMOVE THAT HOUSE AND YOU REPLACE IT WITH A FIVE OR SIX THOUSAND-SQUARE-FOOT HOUSE THAT'S BUILT ALL THE WAY TO THE SETBACKS, NOW YOU NO LONGER HAVE ROOM FOR THESE TREES AND THE COST OF HOUSING GOES UP. PEOPLE DON'T EVEN NECESSARILY WANT PLACES THAT BIG BUT THAT IS THE ONLY THING BEING BUILT. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT. ACCORDING TO THE TREE STUDY, THEY IDENTIFIED PLACES WHERE 5.8 MILLION TREES CAN BE PLANTED AND 263,000 TREES ON CITY PROPERTY. I KNOW ALL THOSE AREN'T APPROPRIATE FOR LIVE OAKS, BUT THEY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED. I WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY THAT LIVE OAKS NEED A 20-FOOT PROTECTIVE RADIUS. THE NEW VARIETIES MAY NEED LESS, BUT THEY ARE, AND THE TREE STUDY TELLS YOU, THEY ARE THE STRONGEST TREES. THEY ARE THE MOST RESISTANT TO STORMS. THEY ARE VERY ADAPTABLE TO SPACES. THEY DON'T ALWAYS HAVE TO HAVE A GIANT PLACE. YES, YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE RIGHT TREE IN THE RIGHT PLACE, BUT NEED TO REMEMBER THESE ARE THE TREES DOING ALL THE WORK, EVEN IF ONLY 3% OF THE POPULATION. I ALSO WANT TO SAY OUR TREE-MENDOUS PROGRAM, PEOPLE WANT TO PARTICIPATE. THE WAIT LIST, NINE MONTHS, TEN MONTHS, A YEAR. WHY DON'T WE TRY TO MAKE IT SO THE PEOPLE CAN GET THE TREES THROUGH THE TREE-MENDOUS PROGRAM? ABBYE FEELEY HAS WORKED WITH ME. WE TALKED ABOUT THE INSPECTORS GOING TO THE SITES AND THEY SEE THE TREE BARRIER. THE GIANT ORANGE BARRIER IS DOWN AND TRUCKS RUN OVER IT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MA'AM. OUR LAST SPEAKER IS LORRAINE PERINO. ITEM NUMBER 4. >> I'M SORRY. CAN YOU HEAR ME? >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES, MA'AM. GO AHEAD. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> LORRAINE PERINO, PRESIDENT OF THE TAMPA TREE ADVOCACY GROUP. I REALLY WASN'T PLANNING TO SPEAK TWICE. I JUST WANTED TO SAY HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THIS TREE WORKSHOP AND THIS CONVERSATION. I'M HEARTENED BY ALL THE SOLUTIONS THAT THE STAFF HAS COME UP WITH. I THINK WE SHOULD GO FURTHER. WE SHOULD LICENSE THE TREE CUTTERS, AS I SAID, BROWARD COUNTY LICENSES THEIRS BECAUSE THEIR TREE CANOPY GOT SO LOW. A LOT OF THESE TREE CUTTERS DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. THEY PRUNE TREES IMPROPERLY. THE TREE A COUPLE OF YEARS LATER BECOMES DANGEROUS OR UNSTABLE AND HAS TO BE REMOVED. THAT HAPPENED IN MY OWN NEIGHBORHOOD A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. THE HOMEOWNER DID NOT WANT TO REMOVE THE TREE, BUT THE TREE CUTTERS HAD DAMAGED IT. SO THE GRAND OAK HAD TO BE REMOVED. THE TREE HOT LINE, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THAT. I LOVE WHAT STEPHEN POYNOR SAID. THERE ARE A LOT OF PLACES THAT TREES CAN BE PLANTED. THE CITY NEEDS TO WORK WITH THAN, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF TREES THAT ARE GOING TO BE PLANTED BECAUSE OF THIS $1 MILLION THAT TAMPA GOT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. SO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS. WORK WITH THAN. PLANT MORE TREES. WE HAVE A BRUTAL SUMMER COMING UP. I UNDERSTAND IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE EVEN HOTTER THAN IT WAS LAST YEAR, WHICH LAST YEAR BROKE A RECORD FOR HEAT, THE HEAT INDEX, BECAUSE WE'VE LOST SO MANY TREES. YEAH, WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS AND WORK WITH TTAG. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALL THE IMPLEMENTATION THAT'S GOING ON. THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO SAY. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. WOULD ANY COUNCIL MEMBER LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION?% COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON. >>BILL CARLSON: [INAUDIBLE] >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCIL MEMBER HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: I'M GOING TO WORK ON SOME MOTIONS. I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY MOTIONS RIGHT NOW. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH STAFF ON THE POSSIBILITY OF LICENSING TREE CUTTERS. IT'S A STATE THING. BUT THEN HOW CAN A COUNTY DO IT? >> THEY DO. >>LYNN HURTAK: THEY DON'T. >> THEY DON'T. >>LYNN HURTAK: THEY DON'T. IF WE CAN'T LICENSE TREE CUTTERS, DEFINITELY WOULD LOVE AN UPDATE ON THE TREE HOT LINE. I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING, IF FOLKS ARE REALLY HAVING TROUBLE REACHING THE TREE HOT LINE, THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING WE NEED TO -- >>ABBYE FEELEY: I CAN ANSWER THAT NOW. ABBYE FEELEY. JC IS HERE. MARY DANIELLE BRYSON IS HERE ALSO. I THINK THERE IS A LITTLE BIT OF -- HOW DO I WANT TO SAY IT? I THINK THE EXPECTATION IS WHEN YOU CALL THE TREE HOT LINE, OUR TEAM IS RUNNING OUT AND JUMPING IN FRONT OF THE TREE. I'M GOING TO BE HONEST. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING NOR SHOULD THAT BE THE EXPECTATION OF WHAT IS HAPPENING. THAT HAS NEVER BEEN WHAT HAS HAPPENED. WHEN THE TREE HOT LINE IS CALLED AND A PROPERTY IS REPORTED, WE THEN GO OUT THERE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE REALITY OF THIS IS IT'S IRREPARABLE DAMAGE. I'VE HAD IT HAPPEN. I'M A CITIZEN IN THE CITY. HAD THIS HAPPEN ON A PROPERTY RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM MY HOUSE WHERE SOMEBODY STARTED TAKING DOWN A TREE. WE CAN'T THEN STOP THAT. WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT PERSON IS THEN CITED, AND THE CITATION THEN HAS TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS. I HAVE LOOKED AT OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND ASKED WHAT IS THEIR PROTOCOL? DO THEY HAVE A TREE HOT LINE? DO THEY GO OUT THERE? CLEARLY WE ARE NOT GOING TO PUT A CITY EMPLOYEE IN BETWEEN A CHAIN SAW AND A TREE. IT DOES NOT WORK THAT WAY. IF THAT IS WHAT THE EXPECTATION IS, I WANT TO BE ON THE RECORD THAT THAT IS NOT WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. BUT WHEN A COMPLAINT IS CALLED IN, WE DO THEN GO OUT. WE HAVE THE CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY COMPLIANCE TEAM. WE JUST ARE HIRING ANOTHER FOREST EXAMINER UNDER THAT. WE HAVE GROWN NATURAL RESOURCES FROM WHAT USED TO BE ONE DIVISION OF FIVE TO NOW NINE THAT IS INTEGRATED INTO THE DIFFERENT PROCESSES. AND WE BELIEVE IT'S WORKING MORE EFFECTIVELY BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE SET THAT ARE REVIEWING PLANS. WE HAVE ONE SET THAT GOES OUT. WE HAVE ONE SET THAT DOES THE INSPECTIONS. WE HAVE ONE SET THAT DOES THE ZONINGS AND VARIANCES, WHERE IT USED TO BE ONE TEAM AND ONE PERSON WAS DOING SIX OR EIGHT DIFFERENT THINGS AND JUMPING AROUND ALL DAY LONG TO GO OUT AND DO AN INSPECTION, COME BACK AND DO VRB REVIEW, THEN DO SOMETHING ELSE, A PLAN REVIEW. WE NOW HAVE DEDICATED TO THAT ON OUR TEAM. WE ARE LOOKING AT CONTINUING TO IMPROVE THE HOTLINE. I DON'T KNOW IF JC WANTS TO ADD ANYTHING TO THAT NOW. I DID SEE HIM COME UP. WE ARE DEDICATED TO PROVIDING THAT SERVICE IN A MEANINGFUL WAY. I DO WANT TO BE CLEAR, IF YOU CALL IN, WE ARE NOT THEN JUMPING OUT THERE AND UNFORTUNATELY PROBABLY THE DAMAGE IS DONE. >>JC HUDGISON: CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL. YEAH, WHEN WE INITIALLY PUT THE TREE HOT LINE TOGETHER, WE KNEW WE WERE GETTING INUNDATED WITH CALLS. THE THOUGHT WAS TO TRY TO HAVE A SEPARATE SERVICE TO KIND OF HELP US WITH THAT. WE'VE HEARD ALL THE COMPLAINTS. THE INTENT IS TO MOVE THE HOT LINE INTO OUR TAMPA CONNECT PROGRAM SO THEN THEREFORE IT CAN BE TRACKED THE WAY ALL OUR OTHER COMPLAINTS ARE BEING TRACKED. UPLOAD PHOTOS, YOU CAN DO ALL OF THAT. A PART OF THE TAMPA CONNECT PART THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE DIFFICULT IS WHEN YOU KIN OF ANOTHER STATE STATUTE, YOU CAN'T BE ANONYMOUS. YOU HAVE TO THEN MAKE SURE YOU SUBMIT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. TRYING TO -- WE'RE WORKING WITH T AND I. I MET WITH THEM LAST WEEK. EVENTUALLY WILL SUNSET THE HOT LINE BECAUSE IT'S JUST NOT WORKING AS WE THOUGHT. WHEN IT LOOPS BACK AND THERE ARE CONNECTIONS AND CALLING THIS PERSON AND SENDS YOU BACK IN THE LOOP, WE'RE AWARE OF THAT. THE INTENT IS TO MOVE IT TO THE TAMPA CONNECT PROGRAM THAT THE CITY IS ALREADY USING AND INTEGRATE THE COMPLAINTS INTO THERE. THEN AT LEAST IT'S GOING TO A PERSON HERE AT THE CITY INSTEAD OF GOING TO AN ANSWERING SERVICE AND THEN RELAYED BACK TO US. WE WERE FIGURING THAT IS TOO MUCH TIME BETWEEN WHEN THOSE ARE HAPPENING. COMES THROUGH TAMPA CONNECT, IMMEDIATELY GETS ASSIGNED TO A PERSON AND WE CAN GO OUT AND DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. >>LYNN HURTAK: I APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR EFFICIENCIES. WHAT I MIGHT RECOMMEND, AS YOU'RE BRINGING THIS UP IS TO PROVIDE SOME OF THOSE EXPECTATIONS, ESPECIALLY IF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO THE WEBSITE OR IF THEY ARE USING THE MOBILE, THIS IS NOT -- WE WON'T STOP RIGHT AWAY, BUT WE WILL GET YOUR INFORMATION. JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF -- LITTLE BACKGROUND FOR PEOPLE TO MANAGE SOME EXPECTATIONS, BECAUSE I TRULY BELIEVE IF WE GET -- AND JUST WORK ON THE COMMUNICATIONS, BECAUSE I THINK IF WE GET A TELEVISION STORY ABOUT TAKING DOWN A TREE AND THEY GET A $15,000 FINE, THAT'S GOING TO BE HUGE. AND THAT WILL DO A LOT OF THE WORK FOR US. I APPRECIATE THAT, THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YOU HAVE MORE? >>LYNN HURTAK: ONE QUICK QUESTION FOR WHIT OR ANYONE ELSE WHO IS DOING JUST THE TREE WORK ITSELF. THE ONE THING WE DID NOT DISCUSS TODAY, AND I WAS JUST THINKING AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, I'M REDOING ANOTHER PART OF MY YARD. TOOK OUT GRASS AND PUTTING IN ANOTHER POLLINATOR GARDEN. ONE OF THE MAIN THINGS MY HUSBAND AND I WORKED ON YESTERDAY WAS DIGGING A GIANT HOLE FOR THE AVOCADO TREE GOING IN AND PLANTED A MANGO TREE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE YARD. THOSE WILL BE SHADE TREES. AND THEY ARE PROVIDING HABITATS ALREADY FOR BIRDS AND BUTTERFLIES AND BEES AND BATS THAT WE HAVE ALL OVER OUR YARD. WHAT ARE WE DOING ABOUT FRUIT TREES, NOT NECESSARILY IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAYS, ALTHOUGH I STILL THINK THAT'S PERFECTLY REASONABLE, BUT EVEN PART OF OUR TREE-MENDOUS PROGRAM. >>WHIT REMER: SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE OFFICER. THIS YEAR FOR THE TREE GIVEAWAY, WE INTRODUCED FRUIT TREES FOR THE FIRST TIME. VERY POPULAR, HUCKLEBERRY -- RED MULBERRY, WHICH I'M SURE WILL WORK WELL IN PEOPLE'S BACKYARDS WHEN THE MULBERRIES START DROPPING ON THEIR BEAUTIFUL DRIVEWAYS AND STAINING THEM, MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT STORY. WE'RE CERTAINLY OPEN MINDED TO INCLUDING FRUIT TREES IN THE DIVERSITY OF TREES WE'RE PLANNING. GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE HAVE FOUND THAT IT'S NOT BEST PRACTICE TO PLANT FRUIT TREES ON PUBLIC RIGHTS-OF-WAY BECAUSE THE FRUITS CAN ROT AND DROP AND GET SMASHED AND YOU GET RODENTS AND COMPLAINTS AND ALL OF A SUDDEN PEOPLE ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FRUIT TREE IN FRONT OF THEIR HOUSE. AS PART OF THE GIVEAWAY, WHEN PUTTING ON PRIVATE PROPERTY, I THINK THAT'S CERTAINLY A GREAT IDEA. WE'LL CONTINUE TO INTRODUCE THOSE INTO THE GIVEAWAY. WHEN WE LAUNCH THE NEW NEIGHBORHOOD BASED PLANTING PROGRAM WHICH WE'RE TENTATIVELY CALLING PLANT YOUR HEART OUT, KIND OF MIMICKED OFF PAINT YOUR HEART OUT, WHERE WE WORK WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, LIKE MS. POYNOR'S TO SURVEY PLACES IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD THAT THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED TO PLANT TREES. THE CITY WILL PURCHASE THOSE TREES. WE'LL USE THE GREEN TEAM AND THE SUPPORT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO PUT THOSE TREES IN. THAT WILL BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FRUIT TREES. >>LYNN HURTAK: I APPRECIATE THAT. FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE WORRIED ABOUT FRUIT TREES, AS LONG AS YOU'VE GOT SOME FERRELL CATS IN YOUR -- FERAL CATS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOU ARE PRETTY GOOD TO GO. THE FERAL CATS KEEP THE RATS AWAY. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: DO YOU MIND IF I GIVE YOU A CALL LATER THIS AFTERNOON? >>WHIT REMER: I'D LOVE FOR NOTHING MORE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: SEPARATE TOPIC, BUT SINCE YOU ARE HERE. ANYBODY ELSE, COUNCILMAN CARLSON WILL KICK OFF THE LAST WORKSHOP ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 6. >>BILL CARLSON: BECAUSE IT'S LUNCHTIME AND I THINK WE WOULD LIKE TO GO OUT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IT AND WE'VE GOT EXPERTISE AND FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE HERE. I'VE ALSO SPOKEN TO STAFF. MY RECOMMENDATION IS WE LET PUBLIC COMMENT GO FIRST AND WE CAN CONTROL HOW LONG WE SPEAK, BUT WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SPEAK. MY RECOMMENDATION IS LET THE PUBLIC GO FIRST AND GAUGE HOW MUCH WE WANT TO SPEAK AFTERWARDS. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I THINK THAT IS A GREAT IDEA. >>LYNN HURTAK: I JUST WANT THE COMMUNITY TO KNOW WHY WE'RE DOING IT, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE -- DO WE HAVE A PRESENTATION? >>ABBYE FEELEY: ABBYE FEELEY. SO THE MOTION WAS NOT FOR STAFF TO APPEAR, BUT IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT YOU WOULD LIKE A BRIEF PRESENTATION. ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN TERMS OF REGULATING TURF, WHAT WE'VE DONE, WHO WE HAVE MET WITH. IT'S ABOUT SIX SLIDES. IF YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR FROM STAFF, THAT'S FINE TOO BUT WE'RE PREPARED IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO. >>BILL CARLSON: ABBYE, I JUST REALIZED, YOU CALLED ME AND LEFT A MESSAGE. I FORGOT TO CALL YOU BACK. I APOLOGIZE. THE FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE BEEN TALKING TO STAFF ABOUT THIS. I THINK AFTER THE FOLKS FROM THE COMMUNITY SPEAK, THEN ABBYE CAN GO THROUGH. I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU ALL. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: [INAUDIBLE] -- IF NOT, WE'LL LISTEN TO THEM AGAIN BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'LL SAY. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: HOW ABOUT -- ALL RIGHT. KICK IT OFF. >>ABBYE FEELEY: DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR OF DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH. WITH ME JC HUDGISON, CHIEF BUILDING OFFICIAL. WE JUST WANTED TO TOUCH BRIEFLY ON KIND OF WHERE WE'VE BEEN IN THE PAST TWO YEARS ON WORKING ON THE MATTER OF TURF. THERE HAS BEEN A LARGE INCREASE IN THE INSTALLATION OF TURF, BOTH ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY. THIS HAS BEEN PREDOMINANTLY ON RESIDENTIAL, NOT SO MUCH COMMERCIAL. AND ISSUES WERE ARISING SUCH AS RUNOFF, PONDING, ENCROACHING ON TREES. LIKE I MENTIONED, INSTALLATION IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. AND I LOOKED AT MANY BEST PRACTICES, WHAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE DOING, HOW THEY ARE HANDLING IT, AND REALLY OUR GOAL IS TO CREATE A BALANCED AND STANDARDIZED PROCESS TO ENSURE ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY WHILE MINIMIZING ADVERSE IMPACTS TO ADJACENT PROPERTIES AND THE CITY INFRASTRUCTURE. BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS WHEN LARGE SWATHES ARE BEING PLACED IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, IT IS TAKING A TOLL ON THE STORMWATER SYSTEM BECAUSE IT'S SHEET FLOWING OFF AND SOME OF IT WAS NOT PERMEABLE. REALLY, THE RIGHT-OF-WAY DIVISION DOES NOT WANT TO MANAGE TURF IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. WHAT DID WE DO? WE GOT TOGETHER, WE HAD POLICY DISCUSSIONS INTERNAL. STORMWATER, NATURAL RESOURCES, MOBILITY, CONSTRUCTION SERVICES, WHIT'S TEAM, AND WE LOOKED AT PERMEABILITY, IMPACT ON THE SYSTEM, COMPLIANCE WITH THE LANDSCAPE CODE. RIGHT NOW OUR LANDSCAPE CODE SAYS 25% NATURAL. IT DOES NOT ACKNOWLEDGE TURF AS AN ALLOWABLE SURFACE WITHIN THAT. EVEN THOUGH SOME OF OUR SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSES ARE PUTTING TURF, THEY STILL SHOULD BE PROVIDING 25% GREEN. WE LOOKED AT THE PLACEMENT IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. WHAT WE WOULD DO IF WE PERMITTED WHAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS WERE DOING, I DID BRING WITH ME AND I HAVE IF ANYBODY IS INTERESTED, SOME SHEETS ON WHO WE LOOKED AT, WHAT THEY ARE DOING, HOW THEY ARE DOING IT, WHAT THEIR REQUIREMENTS ARE. WE WORKED WITH VIK BHIDE, ALEX AWAD TO COME UP WITH SOME CONSIDERATIONS. THEN WE HAD INDUSTRY DISCUSSIONS, MANY OF THEM. I THINK MANY OF THE FOLKS WE TALKED WITH ARE HERE TODAY, WHICH WILL BE GREAT, BUT WE WORKED TO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT NEW STANDARDS WERE, WHAT THE NEW TECHNOLOGIES WERE, WHAT THE MATERIALS WERE, HOW INSTALLING, UNDERLAYMENT, IS IT PERVIOUS, NOT PERVIOUS? WHAT ARE THE SITE CONDITIONS? ARE THEY RE-GRADING WHERE A SITE IS NOW HAVING AN ADVERSE IMPACT TO THE NEIGHBOR. WHAT ENDED UP HAPPENING OUT OF THAT IS STORMWATER HIRED AN ENGINEER TO ACTUALLY GO OUT TO A COUPLE OF LOCATIONS THAT ALREADY HAVE IT IN PLACE, LOOK AT HOW THEY DID IT. LOOK AT WHAT THE UNDERLAYMENT WAS. AND IT ALLOWED US TO DEVELOP WHAT WE BELIEVE IS A PERMEABLE STANDARD. SO IF YOU ARE DOING IT IN THE WAY THAT WE HAVE, THAT'S CONSIDERED PERMEABLE WHICH I KNOW MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE OF THE 50% RULE, RIGHT? YOU CAN'T COVER MORE THAN 50% OF YOUR LOT UNTIL YOU ARE REQUIRED TO RETAIN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF WATER ON YOUR PROPERTY. BUT WITH THIS PERMEABLE STANDARD THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH ALEX AND HIS TEAM ON IN STORMWATER, THEY DO CONSIDER IT PERMEABLE, SO IT DOESN'T COUNT AGAINST THE 50%. WE WORKED OUT A STANDARD ON THAT, AND THEN WE ACTUALLY DID COME UP WITH A PERMIT TYPE. IT IS A MISCELLANEOUS PERMIT AS BEEN DISCUSSED TODAY. THE LANDSCAPE COMPANIES THAT ARE DOING THIS ARE NOT LICENSED BY THE STATE. SO UNLIKE OTHER PERMITS WHERE YOU NEED A GC OR LICENSED INDIVIDUAL TO PULL THAT, WE ARE DOING THIS UNDER A MISCELLANEOUS PERMIT. FAST PASS, SINGLE INSPECTION, AND WE WORKED WITH THE GROUPS TO COME UP WITH WHAT WAS THE DOCUMENTATION THAT WAS ABLE TO BE PROVIDED IN A MEANINGFUL WAY SO THAT WE COULD ENSURE THAT IT IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH WHAT WE HAVE. WE ALSO HAVE A WEBSITE THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR THAT. LASTLY PERMITTING STANDARDS. NOT TO BE INSTALLED IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. AREAS UNDER 150 SQUARE FEET EXEMPT. 10 BY 15 AREA OR LESS, DON'T NEED TO PERMIT IT. AND THEN WE WILL NOT DO RETROACTIVE ENFORCEMENT ON INSTALLATIONS THAT WERE DONE PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE, WHICH IS WHAT WE FOUND IN MOST LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. UNLIKE ST. PETE BEACH JUST PASSED NO TURF AND THEN WENT OUT AND HAD EVERYBODY PULL UP THE TURF THAT WAS PUT IN OUT THERE. DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTS ARE TAKING DIFFERENT POSITIONS ON THIS. PRIOR TO THE PERMITTING TAKING EFFECTIVE ON JANUARY 1, WE DID DO TWO WORKSHOPS OUT AT HANNA WITH INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES AND THEN WE HAVE COMMITTED THAT IN SIX MONTHS WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A FOLLOW-UP TO SEE HOW WE'RE DOING, WHAT'S GOING ON, WHERE ARE WE GOING FROM HERE, IS THIS WORKING? THAT IS OUR BRIEF PRESENTATION VERY QUICKLY. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: AT THIS TIME WE WON'T TAKE COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL. WE'LL GO TO PUBLIC COMMENT TO HEAR FROM THE PUBLIC FIRST AND THEN GO INTO DISCUSSION. >>STEVE MICHELINI: STEVE MICHELINI, AGAIN, THE BUILDERS ASSOCIATION WORKED WITH THE CITY STAFF EXTENSIVELY AND WE WERE INVOLVED WITH ALL OF THOSE TESTS AND STUDIES THAT RESULTED IN STORMWATER INDICATING THAT IT WAS A HUNDRED PERCENT PERVIOUS. THE WESTERN STATES -- I SENT YOU ALL AN E-MAIL. IT IS AN ATTACHMENT, SO YOU HAVE EVERYTHING THAT I'M GOING TO SAY TO YOU. THIS DIAGRAM HERE GIVES YOU AN IDEA OF THE COST SAVINGS. AS I'VE BEEN TOLD BY THE INDUSTRY THAT 50% OF THE WATER UTILIZATION IN A SINGLE-FAMILY HOME IS OUTSIDE OF THE HOME. THE NORMAL CONSUMPTION OR THE SAVINGS OF WATER CONSUMPTION FOR A SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSE IS ABOUT 25,000 GALLONS IN A YEAR. SO THESE WESTERN STATES, TEXAS, ARIZONA, NEW MEXICO, CALIFORNIA, UTAH, COLORADO, AND OTHERS. THERE ARE MORE. HAVE STARTED UTILIZING OR ALLOWING MORE ARTIFICIAL TURF TO BE UTILIZED AS A COST SAVINGS AND A WATER SAVINGS. IT ALSO STOPS THE PESTICIDES AND FERTILIZERS FROM GOING INTO THE STORMWATER SYSTEM. THIS DIAGRAM ALSO WAS SENT TO YOU BY E-MAIL AS BASICALLY THE BENEFITS OF ARTIFICIAL TURF. ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE STILL HAVE PENDING AND ABBYE MENTIONED IT, WAS NATURAL RESOURCES. IT'S NOT THE COVERAGE OF THE LOT SO MUCH AS IT IS THE SEPARATION FROM TREES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE MIGHT ASK COUNCIL TO DO IS TO MAKE A MOTION TO EXAMINE THAT ISSUE. IT WOULD REQUIRE A TEXT AMENDMENT TO CHANGE THAT AND TO CHANGE HOW ARTIFICIAL TURF IS TREATED AS A COMPONENT OF A SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSE. I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE COMMERCIAL. MOST OF THE PROPERTIES THAT ARE USED FOR ATHLETIC FIELDS ARE NOW CONVERTING TO ARTIFICIAL TURF. THOSE ARE LARGE INSTALLATIONS. AS YOU KNOW, IT IS AN ALL-PURPOSE, ALL-WEATHER SURFACE THAT'S UTILIZED FOR THOSE ACTIVITIES. PLAYGROUNDS. THE CITY IS USING RUBBERIZED COMPONENTS AS WELL AS ARTIFICIAL TURF. ONE OF THE COMPONENTS THAT'S GOING IN NOW FOR ONE OF THE SCHOOLS IS AN UNDERDRAIN SYSTEM WITH COLLECTION TANKS. THE WATER IS BEING USED FOR IRRIGATION FOR THE PLANTS THAT NEED IRRIGATION. I'VE GIVEN YOU A LOT OF INFORMATION. I DON'T HAVE THE THREE MINUTES TO GO OVER ALL OF IT, BUT IT WAS E-MAILED ALL TO YOU WITH THE BACKUP MATERIAL INCLUDING THE SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION ON THE STUDY OF TURF AND THAT IT IS SAFE AND DOES NOT CREATE HEAT SPOTS. IT'S NOT CONTAMINATING, AND IT IS A SAFE ALTERNATIVE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. NEXT SPEAKER, YES, MA'AM, MS. STEVENS. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. OKAY. YES, SIR, PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> CHRIS POWELL. OWNER OF FOREVER LAWN IN TAMPA BAY. ALSO OWN FOREVER LAWN JACKSONVILLE AND AT ONE TIME OWNED FOREVER LAWN MIAMI AND NAPLES. I HAD A 16-YEAR CAREER IN SYNTHETIC GRASS IN TAMPA. WE HAVE ABOUT 40 EMPLOYEES. WE'RE HEADQUARTERED RIGHT HERE IN DOWNTOWN TAMPA. I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING HONESTLY. I WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT. I APPRECIATE THE EFFORT YOU MAKE AND WHAT YOU DO FOR OUR CITY. I'VE LIVED HERE SINCE 1995 AND HAD SEVERAL BUSINESSES IN THAT TIME. I SEE MYSELF AS AN ACTIVE PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND HAVE ENJOYED SEEING THE CITY OF TAMPA AND TAMPA BAY AS A WHOLE GROW. WE'VE BENEFITED FROM THAT. OUR COMPANY HAS GROWN RIGHT ALONGSIDE THAT, SO THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN OUR COMPANY ARE FROM OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS, HAVE GROWN UP IN THE CITY OF TAMPA, OUR DEALERSHIP AND THE FOREVER LAWN WORLD, 92 FOREVER LAWN DEALERS AROUND NORTH AMERICA. TAMPA BAY IS THE LARGEST OF THOSE DEALERSHIPS. WE DO A LOT. A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANT TO EMPHASIZE. THERE ARE SIX COMPANIES HERE THAT ARE ALL ARTIFICIAL TURF COMPANIES. I THINK COLLECTIVELY WE HAVE PROBABLY 70 PLUS YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY. SO THERE ARE A LOT OF RESOURCES HERE IN THE ROOM THAT WANT TO BE A RESOURCE FOR YOU GUYS. I'VE GOTTEN TO KNOW JC AND THE CITY STAFF OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS. WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH STANDARDS THAT MAKE SENSE. AND I THINK THERE IS A WAY TO DO IT RESPONSIBLY. SOMETHING I WANTED TO DISPEL A LITTLE BIT, THERE IS A LOT OF GRAND STATEMENTS MADE ABOUT ARTIFICIAL TURF. MANY OF THEM ARE NOT TRUE. SO WHEN YOU HEAR THAT IT IS IMPERMEABLE, STEVE MENTIONED THE ONE. WE'RE DOING THE FIELD OUT AT MANHATTAN K-8. IT IS THE NEW SCHOOL GOING IN. AND LITERALLY THE TURF IS OVER A STONE BASE AND UNDERNEATH THAT THERE'S MASSIVE RAIN COLLECTION TANKS. THEY ARE LIKE BUS-SIZED TANKS. ALL OF THAT WATER GOES THROUGH THE TURF, GOES THROUGH THE STONE, IS CAPTURED IN THE TANKS FOR REUSE ON THE PROPERTY. SO IT WILL BE USED FOR ALL THE LANDSCAPE AND EVERYTHING. IF IT WEREN'T PERMEABLE, YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT. NO ENGINEER WOULD SIGN OFF ON THAT. ANOTHER PROJECT WE'VE DONE, THE CHILDREN'S CANCER CENTER. WE DID THE PLAYGROUND FOR THEM. IF THERE WERE HEALTH CONCERNS, DO YOU REALLY THINK THEY WOULDN'T DO THEIR ANALYSIS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S IN THE TURF AND WHAT THE IMPACTS OF THAT ARE TO PUT IT IN THE CHILDREN'S CANCER CENTER? SO A COUPLE OF THE RESOURCES I WANT TO THROW OUT TO YOU GUYS IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD THEM, SYNTHETIC TURF COUNCIL IS THE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION FOR THE SYNTHETIC TURF INDUSTRY. IT'S NOT JUST TURF COMPANIES. IT'S ARCHITECTS. THERE ARE ARBORISTS IN IT. THERE ARE MANUFACTURERS. THERE ARE COMMUNITY LEADERS. THERE'S TESTING AGENCIES. IT'S A COMMUNITY AROUND THE RESPONSIBLE IMPLEMENTATION OF SYNTHETIC GRASS. THEY HAVE RESEARCH THAT DATES 50 YEARS. THIS IS NOT A NEW PRODUCT. SO IN 50 YEARS, THERE IS A LOT THAT'S BEEN -- FOR THAT. THE SYNTHETIC TURF COUNCIL IS SOMETHING I WOULD ASK YOU GUYS TO LOOK TO. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. YES MA'AM. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> HI. NANCY STEVENS. TAMPA BAY SIERRA CLUB. I SENT YOU EARLIER A MEMO FROM THE AGENCY -- I SENT YOU EARLIER A MEMO FROM THE AGENCY ON BAY MANAGEMENT THAT HAD -- THAT THEY HAD CONTRACTED TO -- THAT DOES A SURVEY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WITH ARTIFICIAL TURF AND ALSO SURVEY SOME OF THE SOLUTIONS. I WAS GLAD TO HEAR THE PRESENTATION. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE CITY IS MAKING PROGRESS AND MAKING SENSIBLE REGULATIONS ABOUT USING IT, WHICH IS WHAT I WANTED TO SPEAK TO TODAY. SENSIBLE REGULATIONS. ARTIFICIAL TURF IS NOT A REPLACEMENT FOR NATURAL GRASS. IT'S A MAN-MADE SUBSTANCE. IT HAS ISSUES. IT'S PLASTIC. IT HAS CHEMICALS. IT'S NOT NATURAL. SO I WOULD HOPE THAT THERE WOULD NEVER BE A CONSIDERATION OF ALLOWING IT TO SUBSTITUTE FOR NATURAL GRASS. YOU CAN PUT ROCKS AND PAINT THEM GREEN IF THEY WANT SOMETHING GREEN. BUT THAT IS A NATURAL SOLUTION. ARTIFICIAL TURF IS NOT. SOME OF THE REASONS, IN THE MEMO I SENT YOU, WE TALKED ABOUT PERMEABILITY AND IF THE CITY CAN INSPECT AND GUARANTEE AN IMPLEMENTATION THAT IS PERMEABLE, THAT MAYBE CAN BE RECTIFIED, BUT HAVE TO BE VERY SPECIFIC AND LAST OVER THE YEARS. MAKE SURE IT'S GOING TO LAST, NOT GET CLOGGED UP AFTER A FEW YEARS. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT IT ABSORBS HEAT AND MUCH HOTTER THAN REGULAR TURF. IT NEGATIVELY IMPACTS THE ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM. YOU HAVE PLASTIC ON ROCKS THAT'S NOT NATURAL. A GRASS SYSTEM, YOU HAVE MACRO ORGANIZE -- MICROORGANISMS THAT WOULD BREAK DOWN THINGS LIKE IN A DOG PARK. IF DOGS DO THEIR DUTY ON THE NATURAL GRASS AND IT'S NOT PICKED UP PROPERLY, IT WILL GET BROKEN DOWN, GO THROUGH THE GRASS AND THE MICROORGANISMS WILL CLEAN IT UP BEFORE IT GOES INTO THE WATERWAY. WE HAVE DOG PARKS IN THE CITY OF TAMPA THAT ARE ARTIFICIAL GRASS. THEY HOSE THEM DOWN. WHERE DO THOSE EXCRETIONS GO? DIRECTLY INTO THE STORM SYSTEM WITHOUT BEING BROKEN DOWN BY ORGANISMS. YOU ARE POLLUTING THE WATERWAYS BY USING NATURAL GRASS. GLAD TO HEAR IT WON'T BE USED IN RIGHT-OF-WAYS. SAME THING, YOU NEED NATURAL SYSTEMS TO HELP FILTER VARIOUS VARIOUS NATURAL COMPONENTS, LIKE LEAFS EVEN. THOSE WILL ALSO GET WASHED OUT. FINALLY, THERE ARE HARMFUL CHEMICALS IN THE ARTIFICIAL TURF, NOT ONLY FOR WHEN IT IS INSTALLED BUT FOREVER. WHEN IT GETS PULLED OUT, IT HAS TO GO INTO A LAND FILL AND BE IN THE LAND FILL FOREVER. I'M GLAD TO SEE REGULATIONS ARE BEING MADE AND CONTINUE THE WORK AND GLAD TO WORK WITH YOU TO PROVIDE SOME MORE INPUT. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU. YES MA'AM. GOOD MORNING. GOOD AFTERNOON. >> CHIMERA APSELL. I CAME HERE A LITTLE LATE AND FOUND OUT UNTIL NOT LONG AGO THAT ITEM 7 WAS KICKED DOWN THE ROAD YET AGAIN. NOT GOING TO SPEAK ON THAT. VERY DISAPPOINTED TO SEE THAT HAS BEEN ONCE AGAIN KICKED DOWN THE ROAD. THE WAY THAT ELECTIONS ARE RUN IN TAMPA LEADS TO -- THE SYSTEM JUST DOES NOT WORK. IT PROTECTS THE STATUS QUO. YOU CLEARLY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN CHANGING IT. I THINK YOU MUST ALL BE HAPPY WITH BEING ELECTED BY VERY TEENY PERCENT OF THE ACTUAL ELECTED VOTERS IN THE CITY OF TAMPA. IT HAS CONSEQUENCES FOR WHO WAS ELECTED, FOR WHO VOTES, AND FOR THE KINDS OF POLICIES THAT ARE PASSED. IT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED. THERE'S ALL KINDS OF RESEARCH OUT THERE NOW THAT SHOWING THAT AT LEAST POLICIES THAT DO NOT ADDRESS REAL PROBLEMS, LIKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS. IF SOMEONE COULD REACH OUT TO ME AND LET ME KNOW WHY THAT HAS BEEN AGAIN DELAYED, I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IT. BECAUSE IT'S A PROBLEM. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES SIR. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> TOM McCASSIDY. I'M A CITY OF TAMPA RESIDENT. ALSO A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER. WE EMPLOY ABOUT 14 PEOPLE HERE LOCALLY. WE'RE AN ARTIFICIAL TURF INSTALLER IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. WHERE I'M GOING TO GO WITH THIS, THERE IS A BIGGER CONVERSATION THAT HAS TO BE HAD. WE SAT HERE AND TALKED ABOUT TREES ALL MORNING. WE TALK ABOUT HEAT, AMBIENT HEAT. ARTIFICIAL TURF DOES NOT HOLD AMBIENT HEAT. SHADE COVERAGE COMES OVER, HEAT IS GONE. I WANT TO WORK WITH THESE PEOPLE. I WANT TO TALK WITH THE PEOPLE AND COME UP WITH EDUCATION AND TALK TO EVERYBODY ABOUT THIS. ONE OF MY BIGGEST CONCERNS AS A PERSON LIVING IN TAMPA IS THE WATERWAYS AND THE RUNOFF WE HAVE. I WOULDN'T BE IN THIS BUSINESS IF I THOUGHT I WAS HURTING, A, THE TREES, THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATERWAYS. OUR WATERWAYS HAVE MAJOR ISSUES. RED TIDE, RUNOFF, ALGAE BLOOM. THE LAKES ARE AFFECTED BY IT.@O. IT'S A BIG PROBLEM. ARTIFICIAL TURF DOES HELP WITH THAT. WE DON'T HAVE THE PESTICIDES. WE DON'T HAVE THINGS RUNNING OFF INTO THE WATER. AGAIN, I BELIEVE THIS IS GOING TO BE A CONVERSATION, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES THAT HAVE CAME OVER THE YEARS THAT NEED TO BE TALKED ABOUT AND NEED TO BE BROUGHT TO THE FOREFRONT AND THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO DO THROUGH THIS PROCESS. ALSO A MEMBER OF THE STC, WHICH MY COUNTERPART TALKED ABOUT, TOO, THAT IS A WEALTH OF INFORMATION TO GO TO TO PULL THINGS. IT'S AFTERNOON NOW, SO I WANT TO GET BACK -- THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. YES SIR. COME ON UP. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS IRA BLANCO. THE OWNER OF BLANCO'S TURF. WE'VE BEEN INSTALLING TURF IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA ALMOST 15 YEARS, SINCE 2010. I WANT TO GIVE YOU A QUICK EXAMPLE OF MY DAUGHTER. SHE IS SIX YEARS OLD. ANOTHER ONE HAVE HERE. SHE HAS ECZEMA. SINCE SHE WAS BORN SHE HAS BEEN WITH ECZEMA. RECENTLY ABOUT SIX MONTHS AGO, TOOK HER TO THE DOCTOR. CAME OUT WITH A LOT OF ALLERGIES. THEY SAY LIKE ALL THE ALLERGIES, MOST OF THEM RELATED WITH REAL GRASS. BAHIA, ZOYSIA, SAY RELATED TO GRASS. OBVIOUSLY, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, WE BOUGHT A NEW HOUSE, WE STAIN Y Y -- WE INSTALLED ARTIFL TURF. THAT HELPED WITH ECZEMA AND ALLERGIES. THAT'S ONE POINT THAT I WANTED TO TELL YOU GUYS. ANOTHER THING IS THAT WITH THE TREES, I'VE BEEN INSTALLING ARTIFICIAL GRASS, MAYBE DONE 3,000 INSTALLATIONS ALL AROUND FLORIDA, NOT ONLY TAMPA BAY, NAPLES, ORLANDO, ALL OVER. ALL OF THE INSTALLATIONS, NOBODY CALLED ME -- WE'VE DONE A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS. BIG TREES, REGULATED TREES. ALL THE INSTALLATION, NOBODY EVER CALLED US TO SAY THE TREE LOOKS LIKE IT'S STARTIN TO DIE OR THIS OR THAT. WE HAVE A LOT OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES LIKE AIR DRAINS, A TESTIMONY WE CAN PUT UNDER THE TURF AND WE CAN SHOW YOU THIS LATER, THAT KEEPS THE GROUND COOLER BY HAVING IT RIGHT UNDER THE TURF. ALSO EXTREMELY PERMEABLE. NOT ONLY THAT, WE ALSO HAVE TECO THAT HELPS COOLING THE TURF DOWN. IT BRINGS THE TEMPERATURE DOWN 40 TO 50 DEGREES. WE ALSO HAVE WONDER FILL, ANOTHER PRODUCT FOR PETS. ANTIBACTERIAL THAT GOES ON THE TURF. LAST THING I WANT TO TOUCH IS THAT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WORRY ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL STUFF, THE ARTIFICIAL TURF INSTALLATION USUALLY LAST ON A HOUSE I WOULD SAY BETWEEN 10 AND 12 YEARS BEFORE THIS PERSON DECIDES TO REMOVE IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE HOW IT LOOKS ANYMORE, BUT THE TURF ITSELF, BEFORE IT STARTS DETERIORATING IS ABOUT 20 YEARS. I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU GUYS KNOW ABOUT THIS. WE HAVE MORE STUFF THAT I'LL SHOW LATER. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. IS THERE ANYBODY ELSE THAT WISHES TO SPEAK? YES MA'AM. WAIT. PLEASE COME UP TO THE MICROPHONE. >> MY NAME IS ALISON DATE. I HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING BECAUSE I AM CONCERNED ABOUT HOW PLASTIC IS TAKING OVER OUR WORLD. IN MY LIFETIME, IT'S IN EVERYTHING. IT'S EVERYWHERE. I DON'T THINK WE ALL KNOW THE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF THAT. BUT THEY ARE FINDING OUT THAT THEY ARE NOT GOOD. JUST YESTERDAY I THINK IT WAS IN THE NEW YORK TIMES, THERE WAS AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW EPA IS FINALLY, AFTER TEN YEARS, GOING TO MAKE A NATIONAL REGULATION THAT PFAS HAVE TO BE, SOME OF THEM, BECAUSE THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THEM, BUT FOUR OF THEM NEED TO BE MONITORED IN OUR WATER SYSTEM, WHICH I THINK THE NEW FILTERING SYSTEM IN TAMPA IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THAT TOO. ANYWAY, THERE ARE PFAS IN ARTIFICIAL GRASS. AND THEY BREAK OFF LITTLE BITS, AND WE INGEST THEM INTO OUR BODIES. AND THEY NEVER GO AWAY. AND EVERYBODY, ALMOST EVERYBODY ON -- EVERYTHING ON THIS PLANET HAS THAT IN THEIR BODY NOW. THAT DID NOT EXIST BEFORE. SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO STOP THAT IS IMPORTANT. PLASTIC BOTTLES, PLASTIC DRINKING BOTTLES. DON'T USE THEM. GET A WATER CONTAINER THAT IS NOT PLASTIC BECAUSE JUST THE ACTION OF THE WATER IN THE PLASTIC RUBS OFF LITTLE PARTICLES, YOU CAN'T SEE THEM AND YOU ARE PUTTING THEM IN YOUR BODY. THAT HAPPENS IN THE SEEING PLASTIC GRASS AT A PRESCHOOL TO ME IS JUST HORRENDOUS. KIDS ARE PLAYING ON THAT AND IT IS DISINTEGRATING. SOME PLACES NEED THEM, BUT TO BE ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE, IT SHOULD BE LIMITED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. AND FOR THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF THIS COMMUNITY. I HAD TO SAY THAT. THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MA'AM. YES, SIR, PLEASE COME UP. PLEASE STATE YOUR NAME. >> HELLO, MY NAME IS KRAMER SPEARS. I AM ONE OF THE OWNER OF MAGNOLIA TURF COMPANY. I JESUS WANTED TO MENTION, AS YOU SEE, A LOT OF US HERE WITHIN THIS INDUSTRY. WHAT I HEARD WAS A LOT OF STATEMENTS. AND I THINK IT IS A MATTER OF EDUCATING EVERYBODY AS TO WHAT IS REALLY IN THE TURF AND WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON IN OUR INDUSTRY. THERE IS A BIG CONCERN OF PFAS, A TURF WE USE AND THE OTHER GENTLEMEN HERE USE HAVE TESTING DATA TO SHOW NO FOREVER CHEMICALS IN THE GRASS OR TURF THAT WE USE. WE CAN PROVIDE THAT TO YOU ALL SO YOU CAN REVIEW THAT AS WELL. ALSO, WE WANT TO WORK WITH Y'ALL. WE WANT TO WORK WITH NOT ONLY Y'ALL BUT WORKING WITH THE BUILDERS ASSOCIATION AS INSTALLERS. WE ARE TRYING TO COME UP WITH A PROCESS THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY. SO JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT. AS WE -- AS WE TALKED ABOUT ALSO, IT WILL BE IMPERMEABLE. SOMETHING WE ALREADY TOUCHED ON AND A STANDARD SET BY THE PERMIT PROCESS. BUT THAT'S ALL I WANTED TO ADD. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR. ANYBODY ELSE WHO WISHES TO SPEAK? IF NOT, WE WILL CLOSE OUT PUBLIC COMMENT AND TAKE IT BACK TO COUNCILMAN CARLSON. >>BILL CARLSON: YEAH, THANKS, EVERYBODY, FOR BRINGING ALL YOUR IDEAS AND THOUGHTS. I PERSONALLY HAVE HAD SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THIS. THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE TALK ABOUT IT. A LOT OF INFORMATION HAS BEEN CIRCULATING LAST FEW DAYS. MY INTENTION TODAY IS NOT TO MAKE A MOTION TO DECIDE TO DO ANYTHING. AND I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION THAT ABBY DID AND GOING THROUGH ALL THE WORK THAT THE STAFF HAS DONE IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO FROM THIS POINT FORWARD IS TO CONTINUE LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY, TALK TO STAFF, AND MAYBE COME BACK AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE WITH A MOTION OR MAYBE MY COLLEAGUES WOULD LIKE TO DO THAT. BUT BEFORE I COME OUT, MR. McCASSIDY, CAN YOU COME UP. I SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING TO MR. McCASSIDY AND THAT THE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER WITH THE SIERRA CLUB. LIKE ON THE TREE PROGRAM YEARS AGO, THE BUILDERS GOT TOGETHER -- THE STATE UNDID THE HARD WORK THEY DID THE MORE EVERYBODY TALKS TOGETHER THE MORE INFORMATION WE WILL HAVE. I WANT TO PUT YOU ON THE SPOT, MR. McCASSIDY, AN INTERIM POINT ALONG THE LINES OF WHAT THE STAFF WAS DOING. YESTERDAY YOU TALKED ABOUT THE DIFFERENT QUALITY OF TURF. CAN YOU BRIEFLY TOUCH ON THAT? IT SOUNDED LIKE THERE ARE DIFFERENT LEVELS OF QUALITY OF MATERIALS AND DIFFERENT LEVELS OF QUALITY OF INSTALLERS SO A DIFFERENCE IN WHAT THE BASE IS LIKE AND THE QUALITY OF THE MATERIALS. SO IF WE WERE GOING TO TRY TO REGULATE, IF POSSIBLE, IT SEEMS LIKE WE COULD REGULATE TO THE HIGHER STANDARD INSTEAD OF THE LOWER STANDARD. CAN YOU JUST BRIEFLY ADDRESS THAT? >> CORRECT, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ALONGSIDE THE TAMPA BAY BUILDERS ASSOCIATION AND THE CITY TO COME UP WITH STANDARDS. AND YOU CAN'T DO A MUNICIPAL OR A CITY MANDATE TO DO U.S. MADE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT. ONLY COMES FROM A FEDERAL MANDATE, BUT YOU CAN WORK TOWARD USING A HIGHER QUALITY PRODUCT THAT IS RIGOROUSLY TESTED F FOR PFAS, VOCs. THE DIFFERENT HARMFUL CONCERNED CHEMICALS A LOT OF THE U.S. MANUF MANUFACTURERS HAVE RIGOROUS TESTING FOR ALL THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. SO I THINK THERE ARE WAYS THAT YOU CAN WORK TOWARD HAVING PRODUCTS THAT HAVE THE TESTING THAT SHOULD BE DONE. >>BILL CARLSON: I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE, THE CONCERNS -- ESPECIALLY THAT THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS HAVE ARE TRUE. THEY ARE MORE TRUE WITH THE LOWER QUALITY BASED ON WHAT YOU ARE SAYING. AND THE PERMEABILITY, YOU ARE ALSO SAYING THE LOWER QUALITY HAS SOMETIMES ZERO. THE HIGHER -- >> THAT IS MORE TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT. YOUR ORIGINAL ARTIFICIAL TURF, IT WASN'T PERMEABLE. YEARS AND YEARS AGO. THE 70s WHEN IT CAME ACROSS. OVER TIME DRAINAGE HOLES. WE HAVE BACKS THAT ARE FULLY PERVIOUS. THE WHOLE ENTIRE THING DRAINS. AS QUICK AS THE WATER GOES, IT GOES THROUGH. >>BILL CARLSON: CAN YOU BRIEFLY TELL US WHAT YOU PUT UNDERNEATH IT AND HOW THE HIGHER-END INSTALLERS USE THE SUBSTRATE. >> WE USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BUILDERS ASSOCIATION AND THE CITY, WE CAME UP WITH A STANDARD WITH ENGINEERING AND TESTING THAT -- IF WE USE A ROCK BASE -- ROUGHLY A THREE TO FOUR-INCH LIMESTONE OR GRANITE ROCK BASE UNDERNEATH, THAT SHOWS THE SYSTEM IS BEING 100% PERVIOUS. >>BILL CARLSON: WHAT IS THE ALTERNATIVE THAT MAYBE SOME OTHER INSTALLERS MAY BE DOING? >> YOU CAN DO -- THERE IS CRUSHED CONCRETE. CRUSHED LIMESTONE. THE BASE PANELS THAT ARE GOOD POTENTIALITY TIFFS THAT WERE TALKED ABOUT. SOME PUT IT STRAIGHT ON JUST DIRT, WHICH OVER TIME WON'T HOLD UP AS WELL. >>BILL CARLSON: THOSE AREN'T PERMEABLE YOU ARE SAYING? >> THEY LOCK UP A LITTLE BIT MORE OVER TIME. RIGHT? THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE MORE OF A FINE MATERIAL IN THEM THAT WILL LOCK UP AND BIND UP OVER TIME. BUT IF YOU USE A PROPER ROCK SOURCE, A WASHED ROCK, IT WILL STAY PERVIOUS FOR THE LIFETIME. >>BILL CARLSON: MAYBE YOU ALL WANT TO MAKE A MOTION, I WANT TO CONTINUE TO TALK TO THE INDUSTRY AND THE ENVIRONMENTALIST. I WENT INTO THE CONVERSATION YESTERDAY BEING 100% OPPOSED TO IT. IT SOUNDS LIKE A WAY TO DRAW A CIRCLE AROUND THE SAFER VERSIONS AND HIGHER QUALITY VERSIONS, BUT MAYBE BLOCK THE DANGEROUS ONES. I WANT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK, CLENDENIN AND THEN MIRANDA. >>LYNN HURTAK: THANK YOU, AGAIN, I REALLY APPRECIATE -- NO, I APPRECIATE IT. I APPRECIATE THIS CONVERSATION, BECAUSE I TEND TO AGREE WITH YOU. I JUST -- PLASTIC IN GENERAL I JUST -- IT IS JUST A SKURJ SCOURGE ON OUR WERE THEY. I MEAN, I GET IT, BUT IT IS GOOD TO KNOW THERE ARE PROCEDURES THAT ARE GOING ON TO MAKE THIS MORE PERMEABLE. LITLE BIT SAFER. MY ONLY REAL QUESTION FOR DOES 25 MERIDIAN -- 25% STILL HAVE TO BE REAL? >> ABBYE FEELEY. YES, 25%. THAT IS WHAT THE TREE AND LANDSCAPE CODE IS FOR SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTS. 25% NEEDS TO BE GREEN AND HAVE THE TREES THAT YOU ARE REQUIRED TO DO. AND THEN THE REST -- >>LYNN HURTAK: CAN BE -- >>ABBYE FEELEY: CAN BE A COMBINATION. GOING ON. COUPLE OF THINGS - YOU STILL HAVE THE 50%, RIGHT. IF YOU HAVE LOT COVERAGE MORE THAN 50%, YOU OWE A HALF-INCH RETENTION FOR THE ENTIRE LOT. AND THAT IS COMING IN AT A CERTAIN -- CERTAIN WAY, EITHER PERK PIPE OR WHOEVER -- HOWEVER YOU ARE DOING IT. BUT A COMBINATION OF SWALES. BUT THEN, YES, YOU COULD HAVE TURF IN THE -- IN THE REMAINDER. >>LYNN HURTAK: YOU CAN HAVE TURF IN THE REMAINDER BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE 25% OF PLANTS AND TREES AND OTHER HE, LIKE -- >>ABBYE FEELEY: 25% GREEN. OR NATURAL -- NATURAL MATERIAL. >>LYNN HURTAK: THANK YOU. A WEIRD WAY TO SAY. I APPRECIATE IT. THAT IS ALL I WANTED TO KNOW. AGAIN, I WANTED TO COMMEND YOU WITH WORKING WITH THE INDUSTRY. I THINK THAT COUNCILMAN CARLSON'S SUGGESTION OF KIND OF BRINGING IN OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, SIERRA CLUB AND SO FORTH, NEIGHBORHOODS WOULD ALSO HELP WITH GETTING THE INFORMATION OUT AND SHARING EVERYTHING. SO I JUST THANK YOU FOR THIS CONVERSATION TODAY. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILMAN CLENDENIN. AND THEN COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: PERHAPS 2K3WE9 AWAY FROM SAYING "GREEN" AND TALK OF LIVING -- LIVING ORGANISMS. ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED AND ONE OF THE THINGS -- ONE, I THINK EVERYTHING IS A BALANCE. THERE ARE TWO PARTS OF THIS. THE ALTERNATIVE OF TURF IS -- IS NOT NECESSARILY WITHOUT RISK AND PROBLEMS. THERE ARE PROBLEMS -- PROBLEMATIC ON WATER RESOURCES. PROBLEMATIC ON CHEMICAL RESOURCES. NOT NATURAL THAT WE HAVE ST. AUGUSTINE GRASS ROLLING EVERYWHERE. IT IS NOT A NATURAL LANDSCAPE. SO WE HAVE TO COUNTERBALANCE THAT WITH THE ARGUMENT OF TURF VERSUS -- NATURAL TURF VERSUS ARTIFICIAL TURF. BOTH OF THEM HAVE NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES. SECONDLY, THE IMPACT ON CRITTERS. THERE ARE ALSO ISSUES THAT -- AGAIN, IT IS A BALANCE. AND I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS -- DISCUSSIONS THAT WE HAVEN'T HEARD TODAY, WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION. BECAUSE WHEN YOU TALK OF ORGANIC AND LIVE CREATURES THAT DEPEND ON LIVING PARTS OF THE GROUND, THAT HAVEN'T BEEN PART OF THAT. OF COURSE, THE GRANITE IS NOT SOMETHING YOU WILL HAVE -- YOU WILL NOT ENCOURAGE ORGANISMS TO BE LIVING IN A GRANITE SUBSTRATE. SO, AGAIN, I THINK -- I THINK EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS A BALANCE. I THINK TRYING TO FIND WHERE THAT BALANCE IS WHAT THE DISCUSSION IS HERE. WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL. YOU KNOW -- SO I THINK THAT IS WHAT WE ARE SEARCHING FOR HAVE SOME SEMBLANCE OF A BALANCE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. ABBY, I MAY NEED YOUR HELP, SOME TIME IN PRIOR COUNCIL -- EIGHT OR TEN YEARS AGO, I FORGET WHAT IT WAS, WE CUT DOWN THE AMOUNT OF PLANTED GRASS BECAUSE WE WANTED TO SAVE WATER. REMEMBER THAT? I THINK 70% OF THE FRONT OF YOUR LOT LINE -- IF YOU HAVE 75-FOOT LOT, YOU CAN PUT 70% OF GRASS OR 60% TO 70% IF I RECALL THAT. THE 25% IN MY MIND IS THE 25% OF THE TOTAL LOT OR 25% OF THE 70% OR 60% OR WHATEVER IT WAS. BECAUSE THERE IS A DIFFERENT MATHEMATICALLY. I AM JUST THINKING OUT LOUD AND MY MIND IS STILL MOVING. MY HAIR HAS FALLEN OFF, THAT'S WHY I CAN THINK. >>ABBYE FEELEY: I BELIEVE IT IS 25 MERIDIAN OF THE TOTAL LOT. BUT MARY IS HERE. I AM GOING TO LET HER ANSWER, BECAUSE -- >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I NEED TO FIND SOMETHING BECAUSE I REMEMBER SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >>ABBYE FEELEY: I AM NOT REVIEWING PLAN AS THE THAT LEVEL ANYMORE AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK IMPROPERLY. LET ME LET HER ANSWER. >> MARY DANIELS, NATURAL RESOURCES. IT IS 25% OF THE LOT. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: OF THE TOTAL LOT? >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THE TOTAL LOT. 25% OF THE TOTAL LOT OF 25% OF THE 25%? >> NO, 25% OF THE TOTAL LOT. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: OF THE TOTAL LOT? >> YES. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: OKAY. THAT NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO, TAMPA BAY WATER PRODUCES 200 MILLION GALLONS OF WATER, CITY OF TAMPA 82 MILLION GALLONS AND BOTH ARE TESTED FOR PFAS ON REGULAR BASIS. 23478 ONE. NUMBER TWO, YOU SHOULD BE PROUD THAT THE CITY OF TAMPA IS ONE OF SEVEN -- I WILL SAY THAT AGAIN, SEVEN IN WATER UTILITIES OVER 30,000 IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THAT HAS A AAA BOND RATING. YOU SHOULD BE PROUD OF YOURSELF AND WHAT YOU HAVE DONE. SAYING THESE THINGS, THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT BECAUSE WHAT GOES DOWN SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINES. SOMEBODY IS GOING TO BE RECEIVING IT. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT -- IF <font color="#FF0000"><u> HEAR THE NAME PINEY POINT ONE </u></font> MORE TIME, EVERY TIME YOU TURN AROUND, IT IS FIXED. AND EVERY TIME YOU TURN AROUND IT IS DUMPING ANYTHING MORE INTO THE BAY AND WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO DO WHAT WE ARE DOING TO THE ENVIRONMENT. NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE. WHERE YOU COME FROM. HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE. PHOW M WHERE YOU LIVE. WHAT KIND OF CAR YOU DRIVE, IT WILL BE THE SAME FOR ALL OF US. THE FISH KILLS THAT ARE HAPPENING -- ARE HAPPENING FOR A REASON. BECAUSE THEY ARE MAN-MADE. THE ENVIRONMENT TAKES CARE OF ITSELF PRETTY DAMN WELL. AROUND WE ARE HERE TO RUIN IT PRETTY DAMN WELL AND WE HAVE DONE IT FOR MANY YEARS. MAYBE WE DIDN'T KNOW IT THEN, BUT WE CERTAINLY KNOW IT NOW. THESE ARE THE THINGS YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT IN MY MIND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A BALANCE OF NATURE, SO THAT NATURE CAN BE GOOD FOR US. AND WE CAN BE GOOD FOR NATURE. LIKE GETTING MARRIED. EVIDENTLY, NO ONE EVER TOOK THE OATH OF MARRIAGE WHEN IT COMES TO THE ENVIRONMENT. BUT I SAY THIS BECAUSE THE MORE YOU SEE, THE MORE YOU NEED. AND YOU MUST UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM TRYING TO SAY -- I TRY TO BE HUMOROUS AT TIMES BUT I AM NOT. AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THINGS -- I WATCHED ALL KIND OF TV SHOWS -- I DON'T WATCH TV MUCH, BUT I WATCH SCRIPP OR SOMETHING TO DO WITH CHANNEL 3 AND WONDERFUL THING ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT ON WEDU A WEEK AGO. AND SOMETHING SOONER OR LATER IF WE DON'T TAKE CARE OF, THERE WILL BE MORE PEOPLE HOSPITALIZED. WHY IS ALL THE CANCER STUFF COMING UP NOW. NOT THAT THEY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT CANCER. MAYBE 80 YEARS AGO THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS. 80 YEARS AGO EVERYBODY DIED OF TWO THINGS, NATURAL CAUSES. NO SUCH THING OF DYING OF NATURAL CAUSES. YOU DIE OF SOME DISEASE OR SOME REASON. CANCER IS GOING UP IN MANY AREAS. WHAT IS CAUSING IT? I DON'T KNOW. SUGAR. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I GUARANTEE YOU IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE ENVIRONMENT. SMOKING IS ALLOWED AND SMOKING KILLS YOU, BUT WE STILL ALLOW IT. THERE ARE DIFFERENT THINGS IN LIFE THAT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT -- FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR AND SAY, IS THIS RIGHT FOR ME? IF IT IS RIGHT FOR YOU, I GUESS IT IS ACCEPTABLE. BUT WHAT I AM GETTING AT IS WE HAVE TO START REGULATION, AND I AM GLAD WE ARE AT THIS TOPIC OF SPEAKING ABOUT IT, BECAUSE IT HAS TO SOMEHOW, SOMEWHERE, COME TO AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE FUTURE IS GOING TO BE. AND I APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION. AND RIGHT NOW, I DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT ANY LAWS. I THINK WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF UNDERSTANDING WHERE THE CONVERSATION IS COMING FROM. SO WE CAN GATHER ALL THE INFORMATION SO WE CAN MAKE A BETTER DECISION TOMORROW THAT WE CAN TODAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MAKE A MOTION? OR LEAVE IT AT THAT THE AND KEEP THE DISCUSSION GOING? WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING TO DO? A WORKSHOP OR A REGULAR MEETING? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I THINK WE SHOULD BRING IT BACK FOR A WORKSHOP. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I CAN MAKE A MOTION TO BRING THIS DISCUSSION BACK ON AUGUST 29. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN CLENDENIN. SECONDED FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. CORRECT? >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: WHY HE. SHOULD WE PUT IN THERE SOME WAY WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR. MORE SPECIFIC. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: NO. I THINK LET'S TALK TO STAFF AND WE CAN -- >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: OKAY. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: OFF GRID, TALK TO THEM ABOUT IT AND FIGURE OUT THE DIRECTION UNLESS YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE YOU WANT TO ADD. >>BILL CARLSON: I THINK THE IDEA IS BY THE END OF THE DISCUSSION, WE WILL HAVE SEVERAL MONTHS TO TALK TO FOLKS, WE WILL HAVE SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I DOESN'T TO TAKE THIS DOWN A PATH WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE ARE HEADED. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: A MOTION AND A SECOND. THAT CONCLUDES TODAY'S WORKSHOP AGENDA. I AM GOING TO GO TO NEW BUSINESS. I HAVE NEW BUSINESS. THIS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THE CHAIR PRO TEM RECOGNIZES CHAIRMAN MANISCALCO. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: CITY OF COUNCIL TO WRITE A LETTER OF SUPPORT FOR THE STRAZ CENTER IS APPLYING FOR. THIS GRANT IS TO REPLACE THE EXTERIOR BUILDING ILLUMINATION AND STRAZ CENTER LOGO DESIGN. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: SECONDS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. OPPOSED. AYES HAVE IT. [ INAUDIBLE ] >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I AM SORRY. WHO SECONDED IT? >>GWEN HENDERSON: I DID AND CHARLIE DID. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: YOU CAN HAVE IT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MISS HENDERSON. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE ARE STILL IN A MEETING. >>LYNN HURTAK: WE ARE STILL IN A MEETING. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANKS FOR COMING. ALL RIGHT, COUNCILMAN MIRANDA, DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW BUSINESS. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: NONE SIR. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILMAN VIERA. >>LUIS VIERA: I WANT TO MOVE. NEXT WEEK I WAS HAVING AN UPDATE ON THE WEST TAMPA LITTLE LEAGUE MONUMENT. AND A CONTINUANCE HAVE BEEN REQUESTED TO JULY 18. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: SECOND. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: A MOTION HAVE COUNCILMAN VIERA. SECONDED FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. >>LUIS VIERA: THEY WILL GIVE ESTIMATES OF THE RESTORATION AND WHAT THAT WILL COST. I WANT TO KNOW -- I AM HEARING THINGS OF THE SULPHUR SPRINGS POOL BEING -- BEING -- NOT BEING ABLE TO BE USED. REPAIRS, ETC. I WANTED TO HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE SULPHUR SPRINGS POOL AND WHERE IT IS I HAVE A MAY 2nd AND TOO EARLY. >> I WILL SECOND THAT. I HEARD IT IS CLOSED. >>LUIS VIERA: I WAS LOOKING AT MAY 2. >>LYNN HURTAK: THE AGENDA IS ALREADY MADE FOR MAY 2. >>LUIS VIERA: YEAH, HOW ABOUT MAY 16. >>LYNN HURTAK: WE HAVE OVER 12 ITEMS ON THAT AGENDA. JUNE 6? IT IS STILL VERY FULL. >>LUIS VIERA: I MEAN, I WANT TO GET THIS SOON BECAUSE OF SUMMERTIME. AND I AM SURE STAFF WILL BE WORKING ON THIS ISSUE BETWEEN NOW AND THEN. BUT LET'S DO JUNE 6. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. SECONDED FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. IN ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. OPPOSE? ANYTHING ELSE, SIR? >>LUIS VIERA: I WISH TO HAVE AN UPDATE -- LONG STORY. POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN APPARENTLY -- FROM WHAT I HEAR UNFILLED IN PARKS AND RECREATION. THEY ARE CREATING SOME DELAYS IN THE NEW TAMPA REC CENTER AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AN UPDATE ON THAT. WE WILL HAVE A COMMUNITY MEETING IN MAY AND AN UPDATE AND A WRITTEN REPORT IS FINAL AND OTHERWISE NOTED ON JUNE 20. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. SECONDED FROM COUNCILMAN CLENDENIN. ANYTHING ELSE? >>LUIS VIERA: LASTLY A COMMENDATION FOR SAINT JAMES UNITED METHODIST CHURCH FOR A RED CARPET EVENT. PROM ON SATURDAY EVENING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILMAN VIERA FOR THE MOTION. AND COUNCILMAN MIRANDA SECONDED. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. OPPOSED? THANK YOU. YES MA'AM? >>GWEN HENDERSON: I WOULD LIKE STAFF TO GIVE US THE STATUS -- TO PROVIDE US WITH A REPORT -- IT CAN BE A MEMO, OF COURSE, ON -- ON THE PAST YELLOWJACKETS FIELD -- BASEBALL -- THE BASEBALL TEAM. THE YELLOW JACKETS AND RETURNING THE YELLOW JACKETS TO THEIR FIELD IF NOT PLANNED FOR ANYTHING ELSE. SITTING THERE EMPTY AND THEY HAVE BEEN SINCE REQUIRED TO MOVE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: A MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN HENDERSON. SECONDED FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. OPPOSED? COUNCILMAN VIERA WAS THE SECOND. ALL RIGHT, ANYTHING ELSE? >>GWEN HENDERSON: NO, SIR, THANK YOU. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILMAN CLENDENIN. I HAVE ONE MORE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: CHAIR PRO TEM RECOGNIZES CHAIRMAN MANISCALCO. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: LIKE TO PRESENT A MOTION OF THE TAMPA ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN RECOGNIZING AAIP HERITAGE MONTH. I PRESENT IT OFF-SITE AT THE PACIFIC ISLANDER CULTURAL FESTIVAL AT MAY 11. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. SECONDED FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I WOULD LIKE AFTER SPEAKING WITH OUR COUNSEL MARTY SHELBY AND CLERK'S OFFICE, THE RULES WE TALK ABOUT OF SPEAKER SIGN-IN CARDS. I PROPOSE DOING A 90-DAY TEST PERIOD OF DOING IT TO SEE HOW IT WORKS. TO BE ABLE -- ONE, BECAUSE THE CITY CLERK HAS ISSUES WITH, YOU KNOW, CAPTURING NAMES ANDING TO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO. AND JUST SEE HOW IT WORKS AS FAR AS ORDER. WOULDN'T RESTRICT -- ONLY FOUR OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT. NOT FOR INDIVIDUAL ISSUES, JUST THE BEGINNING OF THE COUNCIL MEETINGS. OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT. AND DO A 90-DAY TEST PERIOD TO SEE HOW IT WORKS. >>LUIS VIERA: SECOND. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN CLENDENIN. SECONDED FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: WE ALREADY AGREED TO HAVE A MEMBER OF CLERK'S STAFF TO HELP PEOPLE WRITE THEIR NAMES. IF THAT DOESN'T WORK, I WOULD BE OPEN TO TRYING SOMETHING DIFFERENT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: AGAIN 90-DAY TEST PERIOD. >>LYNN HURTAK: A 90-DAY TEST PERIOD FOR WHAT WE ALREADY AGREED ON. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I AGREE WITH COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. CAN WE GET A ROLL CALL VOTE? >>LYNN HURTAK: NO. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: YES. >>GWEN HENDERSON: NO. >>LUIS VIERA: YES. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: NO. >>BILL CARLSON: IF YOU BRING IT BACK IN 06 DAYS OR SOMETHING I MAY SAY YES, BUT RIGHT NOW, NO. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: NO. >>CLERK: MOTION FAILED WITH HURTAK, MIRANDA, MANISCALCO VOTING AND CARLSON VOTING NO. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK. >>LYNN HURTAK: I WOULD LIKE A MOTION OF CHAIRMAN MANISCALCO TO SEND A LETTER IN SUPPORT OF CITY OF TAMPA OF THE WALK-BIKE GRANT. A NATIONAL NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT SUPPORTS THE DEVELOPMENT OF SAFE MULTIMODAL NETWORKS IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES. MA MINNESOTA MANISCALCO I WILL SUPPORT THAT. A MOTION AND A SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE? >>LYNN HURTAK: THEY HAVE -- WE HAVE A WHOLE -- >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I HAVE A ENGLISH DEGREE AND I MIGHT AS WELL PUT IT TO GOOD USE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ANYTHING ELSE MA'AM? GET THAT AND GO TO LAW SCHOOL. COUNCILMAN CARLSON. >>BILL CARLSON: I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. BUT JUST A COMMENT ON THE -- ON THE PUBLIC COMMENT. I DO THINK THAT WE OUGHT TO ASK PEOPLE TO STAND UP. NOT EVERYBODY CAN STAND UP, BUT WHAT IS HAPPENING, IS PEOPLE ARE JOCKEYING FOR POSITION. SITTING DOWN. HARD FOR US TO STEM HOW LONG ITS GOING TO BE. I THINK WE NEED TO CUT IT OFF EARLIER TO SAY THIS IS THE LAST ONE AND NOT LET ANYBODY ELSE IN. I -- WE WANT TO LET EVERYBODY HAVE A CHANCE TO SPEAK AS WE WARNED SEVERAL TIMES IF PEOPLE DON'T GET IN LINE, IT JUST SEEMS TO GO ON AND ON AND ON. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ALSO SECURITY ISSUES -- IF EVERYBODY LINING UP -- AND MILLING ABOUT. THERE IS -- PEOPLE -- I MEAN, IT IS A LITTLE -- IT IS CHAOTIC AND CREATES AN ISSUE IN A PUBLIC SPACE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: A BIG SPECIAL THANK YOU FOR JUSTIN VASKE TO FILL IN. A MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: MOTION. >>GWEN HENDERSON: SECOND. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. OPPOSED. WE ARE ADJOURNED. [GAVEL SOUNDING]