>>ALAN CLENDENIN: I CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST RECOGNIZE COUNCILWOMAN NAYA YOUNG FOR OUR INVOCATION. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: HERE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: HERE. >>NAYA YOUNG: HERE. >>LUIS VIERA: HERE. >>BILL CARLSON: HERE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: HERE. >>THE CLERK: WE HAVE A PHYSICAL QUORUM. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG. >>NAYA YOUNG: THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE HAVE RONALD WILSON JUNIOR. 18 YEARS OLD AND THIRD GENERATION EAST TAMPA RESIDENT AND MEMBER OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF HIGHLAND PINES. SENIOR AT LEONARD HIGH SCHOOL AND GRADUATE WITH 4.6 GPA. THREE YEARS OF VARSITY LEVELS IN FOOTBALL AND TRACK. ATHLETIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE FIRST TEAM ALL CONFERENCE HONORS, WESTERN CONFERENCE, ALL-STAR RECOGNITION, TEAM MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AND TEAM CAPTAIN, MOST RECENTLY, HE WAS NAMED NATIONAL FOOTBALL FOUNDATION AND COLLEGE HALL OF FAME SCHOLAR ATHLETE FOR EXCELLENCE ON THE FIELD AND IN THE CLASSROOM. HE HAS BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED WITH TAMPA PARKS AND REC SINCE THE AGE OF 5 PARTICIPATING IN AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS, SUMMER CAMPS, BADGES FOR BASEBALL AND JACKSON HEIGHTS. ALSO THE HONOR OF REPRESENTING THE CITY OF PARKS AND REC AT CAL RIPKEN SUMMER CAMP IN BALTIMORE, MARYLAND. RECREATIONAL LEADER IN PARKS AND REC IN THE ATHLETICS DIVISION AND JULIAN B. LANE RIVERFRONT PARK. IN ADDITION TO ACADEMIC, ATHLETIC, AND RECREATIONAL COMMITMENTS, RONALD IS DEEPLY DEVOTED TO GIVING BACK TO HIS COMMUNITY. HE REGULARLY VOLUNTEERS BY ASSISTING WITH HOLIDAY FOOD AND TOY DRIVES, BACKPACK GIVEAWAYS AND OTHER OUTREACH INITIATIVES. HE ALSO HOSTS HIS ANNUAL FOOTBALL DRILLS AND SKILLS CAMP AT JACKSON HEIGHTS CENTER WHERE HE AND HIS PEERS TEACH FOOTBALL FUNDAMENTALS TO APPROXIMATELY 75 YOUTH IN EAST TAMPA, HELPING TO MENTOR AND INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION. RONALD WILL CONTINUE ACADEMIC AND ATHLETIC JOURNEY AT STOCKTON COLLEGE IN CANTON, MISSOURI, PURSUE A DEGREE IN SPORTS MANAGEMENT WHILE FURTHERING HIS FOOTBALL CAREER. RONALD, WILL YOU PLEASE LEAD US IN THE INVOCATION? [ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU. BOW OUR HEADS. ALMIGHTY GOD, WE COME TOGETHER TODAY WITH HUMBLE HEARTS, GRATEFUL FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING THIS COMMUNITY. THANK YOU FOR THE GIFT OF LIFE, FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE CITY AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO CALL IT HOME. AS WE GATHER TO DISCUSS THE MATTERS THAT SHAPE THE FUTURE OF OUR COMMUNITY, GRANT US WISDOM THAT RISES ABOVE PERSONAL INTEREST AND UNDERSTANDING THAT BRIDGES EVERY DIFFERENCE. BLESS THE MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL WITH CLARITY OF THOUGHT, PATIENCE AND DELIBERATION AND COURAGE IN DECISION MAKING. MAY EVERY WORD SPOKEN AND EVERY ACTION TAKEN REFLECT INTEGRITY, COMPASSION AND A GENUINE DESIRE TO SERVE THE COMMON GOOD. HELP US TO LISTEN WITH OPEN MINDS, TO SPEAK WITH SINCERITY AND TO ACT WITH JUSTICE. WE ASK FOR YOUR GUIDANCE UPON THOSE WHO WORK TIRELESSLY BEHIND THE SCENES, OUR CITY STAFF, FIRST RESPONDERS, EDUCATORS, AND VOLUNTEERS, WHOSE DEDICATION HELPS KEEP THIS COMMUNITY STRONG AND VIBRANT. SURROUND THEM WITH PROTECTION, ENCOURAGEMENT AND RENEWED STRENGTH FOR THE TASKS THEY FACE EACH DAY. LORD, BLESS THE RESIDENTS OF TAMPA. MAY THEY FIND HOPE IN TIMES OF CHALLENGE, UNITY IN TIMES OF DIVISION AND JOY IN THE SHARE OF BLESSINGS OF COMMUNITY TRIUMPH. LET THE CITY BE A PLACE WHERE KINDNESS PREVAILS, WHERE OPPORTUNITY IS OPEN TO ALL AND PEACE AND PROSPERITY TAKE ROOT. AS THIS MEETING BEGINS, FILL THIS ROOM WITH THE SPIRIT OF COOPERATION AND PURPOSE, REMIND US THAT LEADERSHIP IS A SACRED TRUST THAT EVERY DECISION CARRIES THE WEIGHT AND RESPONSIBILITY TO ALL WHO ARE SERVED. MAY THE EFFORTS TODAY HONOR YOU AND BRING LASTING BENEFITS TO ALL. IN YOUR HOLY NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] >>NAYA YOUNG: I HAVE TO MENTION THAT THIS IS JEFFERSON'S SON. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: YOU'LL NOTICE THAT OUR CHAIR PRO TEM IS ABSENT. SHE IS NOT FEELING WELL, UNDER THE WEATHER. WE'LL MISS HER TODAY. THIS IS THE FULL CITY COUNCIL. WE HAVE SIX HERE TODAY. WE NEED TO START WITH ADOPTION OF THE MINUTES FROM THE REGULAR SESSION HELD ON MARCH 5, 2026 AND EVENING SESSION, MARCH 12, 2026. MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. AYES HAVE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA AND THE ADDENDUM. WE HAVE THE ADDENDUM SUBMITTED BY COUNCILMAN VIERA. WE'LL TAKE THAT UP. ANY OTHER CHANGES TO THE AGENDA? >>BILL CARLSON: IF THERE IS SOMETHING WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT BETTER, I'M OKAY DELAYING IT BY A COUPLE OF WEEKS. IF MY COLLEAGUES DON'T AGREE, THEN WE'LL GO FORWARD. WITH THAT IN MIND, MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE 86, 87, 88. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE 86 THROUGH 88 FROM COUNCILMAN CARLSON. SECOND FROM MANISCALCO. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE? OPPOSED, AYES HAVE IT. THANK YOU. LET'S GO TO STAFF REPORTS. 69 WE'LL NEED A VOTE. REQUIRE A MAJORITY VOTE OF 5 TO PASS THAT. 70. >>MARTIN SHELBY: MR. CHAIRMAN, IF YOU COULD ALSO DETERMINE WHETHER YOU NEED STAFF PRESENT FOR THESE ITEMS AS WELL. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: DO WE NEED STAFF FOR 69? NO. DO WE NEED STAFF FOR 70? NO. 71? HEARING NONE, DO WE NEED STAFF FOR 72? NO. 73 AND 74 ARE TOGETHER. DO WE NEED STAFF FOR 73 AND 74? >>BILL CARLSON: WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS MORE WHEN WE GET TO IT. I OBJECT TO THE FACT THAT THEY CHANGED NAME FROM WEST RIVERWALK PROJECT TO SOME TAMPA MULTIMODAL THING AS IF IT IS CITYWIDE. THIS LOOKS LIKE POLITICAL GAMEMANSHIP TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THIS IS A GOOD IDEA INSTEAD OF WASTE OF MONEY. I'M VOTING NO ON BOTH OF THOSE. I OBJECT TO THE LARGE AMOUNT OF MONEY THE MAYOR IS WASTING ON THIS. GOOD IDEA IN CONCEPT, BUT SHOULDN'T BE WASTING MONEY WHEN ROADS ARE FALLING APART THROUGHOUT THE CITY. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: 75 AND 76, DO WE REQUIRE STAFF? NO. 77? NO. 78 WE HAVE A REQUEST TO CONTINUE THAT TO APRIL 16. COUNCILMAN VIERA. >>LUIS VIERA: YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. SO THIS IS AN IDEA ON TAKING A LOOK AT ANNUAL -- OR ORIGINALLY IT WAS AN ANNUAL PUBLIC SAFETY MASTER PLAN FOR BOTH POLICE AND FIRE TO BE CODIFIED THROUGH ORDINANCE. AT FIRST IN MY PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS WITH CITY LEGAL, THEY WERE OBJECTING TO SOME OF THE LANGUAGE USED. I MET WITH THE FIRE CHIEF, POLICE CHIEF, CITY ATTORNEY, MR. STEADY, CHIEF OF STAFF, JOHN BENNETT. I'M HOPEFUL THAT WE HAVE A COMPROMISE ON AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ACHIEVE WHAT I WANT THAT IS BETWEEN A CHARTER AMENDMENT AND MERE RESOLUTION, SOMETHING THAT'S ENFORCEABLE. I'M GLAD TO GIVE THIS A LITTLE BIT UNTIL APRIL 16. I KNOW, I WOULD THINK THERE'S STRONG SUPPORT ON COUNCIL FOR THIS. I KNOW OUR FIRST RESPONDER UNION SUPPORT THIS. I MAKE A MOTION TO MOVE TO APRIL 16 OF THIS YEAR, IF I MAY. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. TO MOVE 78 TO APRIL 16, 2026. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. 79, YES, A PowerPoint PRESENTATION. WE'LL WITH HAVE STAFF FOR THAT. 80, MEMO FROM ABBYE FEELEY. REQUIRE STAFF FOR THAT? BIG BLUE CONVERSATION. DO WE WANT THAT CONVERSATION OR IS MEMO SUFFICIENT? SO NO STAFF. 81? >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: IF WE COULD HAVE THEM PRESENT, THEY WORK REALLY HARD ON THIS AND IT IS A GREAT PRESENTATION. IT SHOWS HOW MUCH THE CITY HAS SAVED AND WHAT THEY DO WITH SOLAR. I HAD A BRIEFING YESTERDAY. IT WILL BE BRIEF AND IT WILL BE WORTH IT. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: YES ON 81. YES ON 82. NATURAL RESOURCES. 83. WE HAVE A MEMORANDUM FROM JERRY LOPEZ AND BRIAN KNOX. >>MARTIN SHELBY: MARTIN SHELBY, CITY COUNCIL ATTORNEY. IN SPEAKING WITH COUNCILWOMAN HURTAK, SHE IS REQUESTING THAT THIS ITEM BE CONTINUED BECAUSE OF HER ABSENCE TODAY AND PARTICULARLY BECAUSE OF THE SUBJECT MATTER OF THE APRIL 23rd WORKSHOP. IF SHE CAN HAVE THIS MOVED TO THE WORKSHOP ON THE 23rd, THAT GOES ALONG WITH ALL THE OTHER NATURAL RESOURCE ITEMS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: CAN I GET A MOTION -- >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MOVE TO CONTINUE 83 TO THE WORKSHOP. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. SECOND FROM COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE? AYES HAVE IT. >>BILL CARLSON: I WANT TO ADD WHEN WE DISCUSS THIS, BECAUSE I CAN'T TALK TO YOU OUTSIDE THIS ROOM, WHEN WE DISCUSS THIS, WE NEED TO ADD SEVEN MEMBERS. I SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT EVERY COMMITTEE WE SHOULD HAVE SEVEN MEMBERS WHERE WE EACH APPOINT ONE. OTHERWISE, THE NOMINEES GET MIXED UP AND LOST IN THE SHUFFLE. BUT WE SHOULD MAKE SURE THAT WE CHANGE THE STRUCTURE OF THIS COMMITTEE BECAUSE WE'RE ADDING ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITY TO IT AS WELL. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: VERY GOOD. ITEM 84, COUNCILMAN VIERA. YOU SHOULD HAVE A COPY OF THE RESOLUTION IN FRONT OF YOU. >>MARTIN SHELBY: I DID PROVIDE THAT RESOLUTION. YOU HAVE IT IN FRONT OF YOU THIS MORNING. COULD WE RECEIVE AND FILE THAT NOW AS ACCEPTING IT? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE RESOLUTION ON ITEM 84. >>MARTIN SHELBY: YOU COULD DO THAT AFTER. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THIS WAS NOT IN THE DOCUMENTATION. MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. AND SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO TO RECEIVE AND FILE THE RESOLUTION FOR ITEM NUMBER 84, NOT TO ACTUALLY PASS THE RESOLUTION YET. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. VERY GOOD. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MOVE TO CONTINUE 85 PER THE REQUEST OF THE ASSISTANT CITY ATTORNEY MR. BRODY TO JUNE 18, 2026. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. SECOND FROM MIRANDA. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MOVE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA AND ADDENDUM. >>LUIS VIERA: QUICK COMMENT. FOR 88, I WILL BE MAKING A MOTION ON THIS. I SAW CHIEF BERCAW'S REPORT ON THIS AS TO SUBSTATION PRESENCE. MY REQUEST WAS WITH MORE SO FOR THE COST OF WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR AS OPPOSED TO TAMPA POLICE DEPARTMENT'S POSITION ON IT. I WILL BE MAKING -- WITH VIGOR. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: MOVE TO RECEIVE AND FILE ITEM 80. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION TO RECEIVE AND FILE ITEM NUMBER 80 FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. SECOND FROM MIRANDA. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. AYES HAVE IT. COMMENDATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: CHAIRMAN CLENDENIN, YOU WILL BE PRESENTING TO USF. WE HAVE DR. JOHNNY WONG IN THE AUDIENCE. HE'S GRACED US WITH HIS PRESENCE. THANK YOU, SIR. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: EVERYBODY FROM USF, COME UP. WE HAVE TO FACE THIS WAY. WE'RE TALKING TO ALL OF THEM. THE MICROPHONE IS IN THE PODIUM. FOR THOSE OF YOU HERE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT, WHEN YOU SPEAK, ALWAYS FACE THIS WAY. I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY. IT'S NO COINCIDENCE THAT MY LEGISLATIVE AIDE IS A PLANNER. SO HE IS A BIG ADVOCATE FOR URBAN PLANNING. THE CITY COUNCIL IS TODAY RECOGNIZING USF AND THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA MASTER URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING PROGRAM. TAMPA CITY COUNCIL PROUDLY RECOGNIZES THE FACULTY AND STUDENTS OF THE USF MASTER OF URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING PROGRAM FOR EARNING RECOGNITION AS EXEMPLARY PROGRAM BY THE PLANNING ACCREDITATION BOARD. THE PROGRAM IS THE ONLY GRADUATE LEVEL URBAN PLANNING DEGREE SERVING BOTH THE TAMPA BAY REGION AND THE CITY OF TAMPA, WHILE ALSO BEING ONE OF THE YOUNGEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMS OF ITS KIND IN THE STATE. CONGRATULATIONS EVERYBODY. I'VE GOT EVANGELINE, LAUREN, AND BRICE HER. SOMEBODY ELSE AND A COUPLE OF OTHERS. DO YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE EVERYBODY AND TALK ABOUT IT? >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. HI. I'M EVANGELINE LUCAS. PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR THE URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING AT USF. I ALSO HAVE THE PLEASURE OF SERVING THE CITY AS PLANNING COMMISSIONER. I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU ALL ARE TAKING A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THIS PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM STARTED IN 2009. IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS, IT'S RELATIVELY YOUNG OF URBAN PLANNING PROGRAMS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. WE GRADUATED NEARLY 200 STUDENTS AT THIS POINT, AND THEY ARE JUST SO ENGAGED IN THE COMMUNITY, BOTH AS ALUMNI, AS CURRENT STUDENTS. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU'RE TAKING A MOMENT TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK THAT WE DO. WE'RE REALLY ORIENTED TOWARD COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. I THINK THAT'S EXPRESSED IN SO MANY WAYS. WE HAVE A GRADUATE DEGREE. WE HAVE AN URBAN STUDIES MINOR. AND WE HAVE THREE CERTIFICATES IN SMART CITIES TECHNOLOGY, COASTAL PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. WE JUST EARNED OUR SEVEN-YEAR ACCREDITATION, WHICH IS THE HIGHEST ACCREDITATION YOU CAN GET WITH PLANNING ACCREDITATION BOARD. THAT FAST TRACKS ALUM INTO THEIR CAREERS BECAUSE THEY GET STREAMLINED TO GET CERTIFICATION AS PROFESSIONAL PLANNERS. IT IS A SIGNAL OF THE QUALITY OF OUR GRADUATES, FACULTY AND STUDENTS AND OUR FACILITIES AT USF. I'M JUST GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM. WE DO HAVE A 100% JOB PLACEMENT RATE, AND THAT'S PART OF THE STORY OF HOW TAMPA IS THRIVING AND GROWING AND SO MUCH OPPORTUNITY TO PLAN AND BE PART OF THAT HERE. WE ALSO HAVE A 100% PASS RATE FOR THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED PLANNERS EXAMS, SO OUR STUDENTS ARE GRADUATING JOB READY AND KNOW HOW TO HELP SHAPE THEIR COMMUNITIES. WE'RE IN OUR THIRD YEAR OFFERING A STUDIO PROGRAM. LAST SEMESTER WE PARTNERED WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE CITY OF TAMPA AND OUR STUDENTS GOT INVOLVED IN UPDATING THE ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LAND USE CATEGORY. SO WE STAY INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THESE KINDS OF PROJECTS. EVERY SEMESTER WE OPERATE IN DIFFERENT PLACES IN THE COMMUNITY AND CONTRIBUTE REAL PLANNING STUDIES. WE ALSO HAVE A FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM. I'VE GOT TWO FELLOWS WORKING WITH THE CITY OF TAMPA. FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES OPPORTUNITY FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND WORK IN THE COMMUNITY TO OUR STUDENTS. I'VE ALSO GOT TWO OF OUR MOST PRESTIGIOUS ALUMS WHO ARE CITY STAFFERS HERE TO TALK ABOUT OUR PROGRAM AS WELL. I THINK I'VE JUST ABOUT HIT ALL THE POINTS. BUT I JUST -- OH, WE ALSO HAD THE STUDENT PLANNER OF THE YEAR AT THE STATE OF FLORIDA LEVEL FOR THE SECOND TIME. WE HAD ONE IN 2023 AS WELL. SO OUR STUDENTS ARE ACHIEVING, REPRESENTING THIS AREA IN PLANNING. I THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING THE TIME TO LEARN ABOUT OUR PROGRAM. THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] >> LAUREN O'NEILL. I WORK FOR CITY PLANNING DEPARTMENT AT THE CITY. I WAS REALLY HAPPY TO HEAR FROM THE DOCTOR TO SAY A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE PROGRAM. I WANTED TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO GRADUATE WITH MY SOCIAL WORK DEGREE FROM USF, I WAS STRUGGLING A LITTLE BIT OF HOW TO CONNECT THE WORK THAT I WAS DOING WITH THE WORK THAT I WANTED TO DO. I REALLY WANTED TO WORK AT A COMMUNITY LEVEL. LIKE MANY URBAN PLANNERS, I KIND OF JUST FOUND OUT WHAT URBAN PLANNING WAS BY HAPPENSTANCE. I'M REALLY GLAD I DID. I MET WITH DR. MARK HAVEN, DIRECTOR OF THE USF PROGRAM AT THE TIME TO KIND OF TALK TO HIM ABOUT WHAT MY GOALS WERE. I'M DOING ALL THIS GREAT WORK. I REALLY WANT TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO HOUSING AND SERVICES, AND GET THEM A DIGNIFIED EXISTENCE, A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE AND DO THIS AT A COMMUNITY LEVEL. DOES IT SOUND LIKE URBAN PLANNING IS THE RIGHT PLACE FOR ME TO DO THAT? HE SAID IT ABSOLUTELY IS. I GOT CONNECTED WITH USF WHICH CONNECTED ME TO THE COMMUNITY. I CAN'T OVERSTATE THE STRENGTH OF THE CONNECTIONS THAT USF MURP HAS TO THE WORKFORCE IN TAMPA. SO STRONG THAT IN 2020, DURING COVID, I QUIT MY JOB AS A SOCIAL WORKER AS AN ESSENTIAL WORKER BECAUSE I HAD SUCH FAITH IN MY ABILITY AND PROGRAM'S ABILITY TO CONNECT ME TO URBAN PLANNING INTERNSHIPS, MULTIPLE PLANNING INTERNSHIPS EACH SEMESTER FOR ME TO MAKE ENDS MEET. GET THE HANDS-ON WORK EXPERIENCE, TO GET ASSISTANCE WITH MY TUITION AND MAKE THE CONNECTIONS THAT I STILL REALLY VALUE TO THIS DAY. IT IS BECAUSE OF THE USF MURP PROGRAM THAT I'M LITERALLY HERE IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY BEFORE COUNCIL BECAUSE WE KEEP UP WITH EACH OTHER AND COMMUNICATE WITH ME TO COME AND ASK ME TO SPEAK HERE, BUT ALSO DR. STROM WHO I KNOW IS IN THE AUDIENCE TODAY. EVEN THOUGH FOUR YEARS, GRADUATED FROM THE PROGRAM, I HAD NO HESITANCY TO REACH OUT TO HER AND ASK HER TO BE A REFERENCE FOR ME FOR THIS JOB. I MADE SO MANY GREAT CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER USF MURP ALUMS THAT WORKED AT THE CITY THAT GAVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE AND DO GREAT WORK FOR OUR TAMPA COMMUNITY. I CAN WITHOUT A DOUBT SAY THAT USF MURP ABSOLUTELY DESERVES THE REACCREDITATION. THE CITY COUNCIL COMMENDATION, AND I KNOW THAT THEY'LL CONTINUE TO DO REALLY GREAT WORK IMPACTING STUDENTS, WHICH IN TURN REALLY HAS A GREAT IMPACT ON OUR TAMPA COMMUNITY. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. BRYCE FEHRINGER WITH YOUR CRA STAFF. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP WITH THE PLANNING REACCREDITATION PROCESS WAS THE STRONG RELATIONSHIP THAT THE CITY AND A LOT OF OTHER PUBLIC AGENCIES HAVE WITH THE USF PLANNING PROGRAM. AND WHEN YOU'RE INVESTING IN THESE GRADUATE STUDENTS AND ALLOWING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET EXPERIENCE WHILE THEY ARE STILL IN SCHOOL, THE PAY-OUT WITH EXPERIENCED STAFF THAT WANTS TO CONTINUE TO LIVE AND WORK IN YOUR COMMUNITY IS TENFOLD. I'LL MAKE IT BRIEF. I JUST WANTED TO COME UP AND SAY THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENDATION. IT'S REALLY APPRECIATED. AS AN ALUMNI, I'M HOPING THAT THE CITY AND CRA CAN CONTINUE THAT PROFESSIONAL RELATIONSHIP GOING FORWARD. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> HI, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS NELSON. I'M IN MY SECOND YEAR OF THE MURP PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN GREAT. IT'S AFFORDED ME A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES. I AM CURRENTLY A FELLOW WITH THE CITY WORKING WITH A LOT OF THE GIS WORK AND ADA COMPLIANT WORK. THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN GREAT, AFFORDING ME THE CONNECTIONS AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES TO USE THE TECHNICAL SKILLS IN ACTUAL PLANNING PRACTICE. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS MARIA SOTO, ALSO A STUDENT IN MY SECOND SEMESTER. THUS FAR, THE EXPERIENCE OF THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN VERY ENRICHING, VERY SATISFACTORY. ACADEMICALLY, WE'VE LEARNED A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE. I'M ALSO A FELLOW LIKE THEY MENTIONED. I'M WITH THE WATER DEPARTMENT FOR THE CITY OF TAMPA AND ALSO AN ENRICHING EXPERIENCE, PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, LEARNING MORE ABOUT HOW THE WATER SYSTEM WORKS, DEEPENING SKILLS IN GIS. IN MY CASE, ALL OF THE INTERACTIONS WITH MY COWORKERS AND MY SUPERVISOR. HE MAKES SURE EVERYTHING IS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND GATHER MORE COMPREHENSIVE KNOWLEDGE OF THE WATER SYSTEM. I WANTED TO MENTION BECAUSE CITY OF TAMPA ALSO OFFERS LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE EMPLOYEES, AND I WAS ABLE TO TAKE A TOUR OF THE BROWNFIELDS IN THE CITY AND LEARN MORE ABOUT IT, A TOPIC THAT IS VERY DIRECTLY RELATED TO URBAN PLANNING. SO THE MASTERS PROGRAM WITH THE INTERNSHIP AT USF HAS BEEN COMPLEMENTARY AND VERY ENRICHING TO MY EDUCATION. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. I'M SORT OF -- SEE, I VIOLATE THE SAME THING. I DIDN'T SPEAK DIRECTLY UP HERE AND TURN AROUND. I'M SAD THAT OUR CHAIR PRO TEM LYNN HURTAK IS NOT HERE BECAUSE SHE IS REALLY BIG ON URBAN PLANNING AS MOST OF THE MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL. ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS WE SAY ALL THE TIME, WE DO NOT WANT TO TURN TAMPA INTO ORLANDO AND MIAMI. KEEP US FROM BECOMING ORLANDO OR MIAMI. ON BEHALF OF A GRATEFUL CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PROGRAM. I LOOK FORWARD TO MORE OF YOUR STUDENTS CYCLING THROUGH THE CITY OF TAMPA AND TURNING THIS INTO AMERICA'S NEXT GREAT CITY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ] I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE COUNCILMAN CHARLIE MIRANDA FOR ONE OF HIS PASSION PROJECTS: WATER. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. THANK YOU, HONORABLE MEMBERS OF TAMPA CITY COUNCIL. WHEN YOU LOOK AT WATER, YOU SAY WHAT'S WATER? FIVE LETTERS AND YOU'VE GOT THE WORD. BUT IT'S MORE THAN WATER. NOT ONLY THESE TWO GENTLEMEN TO MY LEFT, BUT SOMETHING YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT. THIS WATER DEPARTMENT IS ONE OF THE BEST IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY. IN FACT, JUST ON REVENUES AND FINANCE AND BONDING CAPABILITIES, THERE'S OVER 30,000 WATER SUPPLIERS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA THAT DO THE SAME THING WE DO. PRODUCE DRINKING WATER. THERE ARE ONLY FIVE IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY THAT HAS A TRIPLE-A BOND RATING. GUESS WHAT, TAMPA IS ONE OF THEM. ONLY ONE THAT IS AHEAD OF US IN THE WHOLE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS FAR AS BOND RATING. ACTUALLY NUMBER 2 IN THE NUMBER 5. THAT'S MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. NEXT TO ME ARE THE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN THAT WORK AND PRODUCE SOME OF THE WATER. DEPARTMENT HEADS, RORY JONES, BRAD BAIRD AND THE HEADS THAT DO THE REAL DIFFICULT WORK. DON'T TELL THEM I SAID THAT. PRESENT THE COMMENDATION ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF TAMPA FOR WHAT THEY DO. BEFORE I DO THAT, I WANT MR. RORY JONES TO COME UP AND SPEAK A FEW MINUTES AND TELL YOU WHAT IT IS ABOUT. PRODUCE 82 BILLION GALLONS OF STEADY DRINKING WATER. PERMIT FROM S.W.F.W.M.D. HE'LL TELL YOU THE REST OF THE STORY. WONDERFUL STORY TO HAVE INDIVIDUALS SO DEDICATED TO THIS DEPARTMENT AND THE CITY THAT SOMETIMES WATER, LIKE MYSELF, TAKE IT FOR GRANTED. DRINK IT, TAKE A BATH WITH IT. HOWEVER NATURE. MAYBE THEY WILL TALK ABOUT. >>RORY JONES: RORY JONES, WATER DEPARTMENT. I GUESS I WANT TO START FIRST AND FOREMOST FOR THANKING YOU GUYS. THE ONE DAY PER WEEK WATERING RESTRICTION HAS BEEN MEANINGFUL AND IMPACTFUL. WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT, AS YOU KNOW, OUR WATER RESOURCE SITUATION IS NOT GREAT. HAD YOU NOT SUPPORTED THAT EFFORT BEFORE, IT WOULD BE MUCH WORSE THAN IT IS TODAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. BEFORE I HAND IT OVER TO JULIA PELOSHIC, I WANT TO SAY A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR LEAN AND MEAN CONSERVATION TEAM. I THINK THE MONEY WE INVEST IN THIS TEAM IS PROBABLY SOME OF THE SMARTEST MONEY THE WATER DEPARTMENT SPENDS. WE SPEND APPROXIMATELY 16 CENTS PER THOUSAND GALLONS SAVED WITH THIS CONSERVATION TEAM. THAT OFFSETS A COST THAT WE WOULD INCUR TO THE TUNE OF 4 TO 12 DOLLARS FOR THAT SAME THOUSAND GALLONS. THE SUCCESS THAT THEY'VE HAD HERE HELPS US CONTINUE TO DELIVER HIGH-QUALITY WATER AT THE LOWEST POSSIBLE COST. THEY ARE BRINGING SOLUTIONS TO THE TABLE THAT AREN'T THE EASY STUFF. LOW-FLOW FIXTURE SWAP-OUTS. THEY ARE BRINGING OUT-OF-THE-BOX IDEAS THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN CHANGING BEHAVIORS. WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO HAND IT OVER TO JULIA, WHERE SHE WILL EXPAND ON SOME OF THE PROGRAMS AND MAYBE GIVE YOU INSIGHT AS TO WHERE THIS IS HEADING. >> THANK YOU, RORY. GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL MEMBERS. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME TODAY RECOGNIZING WATER CONSERVATION MONTH. I WANT TO POINT OUT THAT WATER CONSERVATION IS A TEAM EFFORT. I'M HERE WITH RYAN SMITH AND JUSTIN WIN. WE ARE FLORIDA WATER STAR ACCREDITED, AND FLORIDA FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING CERTIFIED. WE TAKE OUR ROLE IN PROMOTING WATER CONSERVATION IN THE CITY OF TAMPA VERY SERIOUSLY AND WE ENJOY IT DAILY. BUT IT DOES RELY, AGAIN, WATER CONSERVATION, ON COLLABORATION REGIONALLY, WITHIN OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IS WHERE IT REALLY HAPPENS. AND, OF COURSE, WITH THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK. AS RORY POINTED OUT, WE HAVE WATERING RESTRICTIONS IN PLACE SINCE 1992. AND IN 2024, APPROVING THOSE CHANGES REALLY HELPED US AT A CRITICAL TIME FOR TAMPA'S WATER RESOURCES. BUT WE'RE FACING AN EVEN BIGGER CHALLENGE IN 2026, AREN'T WE? 72 PERCENT OF FLORIDA IS IN AN EXTREME DROUGHT AND MORE THAN HALF OF OUR CITY IS IN A SEVERE DROUGHT. NOW, WE SAW LOTS OF PUDDLES THIS MORNING. YAY FOR RAIN. THIS IS A GOOD SIGN AND IT GIVES US FAITH THAT RAIN WILL RETURN AND WE'LL COME OUT OF THIS. BUT IN THE MEANTIME, THE SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT THIS WEEK DID ISSUE A MODIFIED PHASE THREE WATER SHORTAGE ORDER. AGAIN, WITH THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND WITH OUR PROFESSIONALS WHO MONITOR WATER RESOURCES 24/7, 365 DAYS A YEAR, WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS. BUT THE REMAINING CRITICAL PIECE OF THIS STORY IS OUR ABILITY AS A COMMUNITY TO SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR USING WATER WISELY AND AT THIS TIME VERY FRUGALLY. RIGHT NOW AND EVEN WHEN RAIN RETURNS, TAMPA'S WATER SUPPLY CAN ONLY BE TRULY SAFEGUARDED BY INDIVIDUAL ACTION. OUR TEAM WORKS VERY DILIGENTLY TO CONNECT CUSTOMERS WITH WATER SAVINGS. HOMEOWNERS, PROPERTY MANAGERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, WE WANT TO GIVE EVERYONE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAVE WATER. WE MAINTAIN A SUPPLY OF WATER-SAVING DEVICES AVAILABLE TO ALL OF OUR CUSTOMERS FOR THE ASKING. AND TAMPA CONNECT IS A GREAT TOOL TO HELP OUR CUSTOMERS ASK FOR THOSE DEVICES AND SERVICES. OUR GREATEST OPPORTUNITY FOR WATER SAVINGS IS OUTDOORS. TO SAY THAT PAYING ATTENTION TO IRRIGATION IS IMPORTANT IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT AT THIS TIME. ALONG WITH WATER RESTRICTIONS AND ENFORCEMENT OF THOSE RESTRICTIONS, OUR IRRIGATION EVALUATION PROGRAM GENERATES LONG-LASTING WATER SAVINGS YEAR AFTER YEAR. WE'VE WALKED A LOT OF LAWNS AND YARDS SIDE BY SIDE WITH OUR CUSTOMERS, AND IT IS TIME-CONSUMING, BUT JUST BY DEVOTING AN HOUR OF THEIR TIME WITH US, THOSE CUSTOMERS WHO PARTICIPATE IN IRRIGATION EVALUATION SAVE ABOUT 5,600 GALLONS A MONTH. AND THAT GOES ON AND ON. DURING THOSE EVALUATIONS, WE'LL GO TO THE CONTROLLER WITH THEM. WE'LL HELP THEM UNDERSTAND HOW TO USE IT, POINT OUT THE MISTAKES THAT THEY ARE MAKING IN THOSE SETTINGS THAT GENERATE TOO MUCH WATER USAGE AND CHECK THEIR RAIN SENSOR, LOOK FOR LEAKS. HELP THEM HAVE A DIFFERENT CONFIDENCE IN MANAGING WATER USE THROUGH PROPER MANAGEMENT OF THAT IRRIGATION SYSTEM. WE'LL ALSO LOOK AT THEIR WATER NEEDS FOR THEIR PARTICULAR PROJECT OR YARD. SO THEY GET A WATER BUDGET. SO THAT WHEN THEY GET THEIR BILL, THEY CAN ACTUALLY UNDERSTAND IF THEIR TARGET USAGE IS THERE. LAST YEAR, WE CONDUCTED ABOUT 107 OF THESE IRRIGATION EVALUATIONS, AND THAT'S ABOUT 20,000 GALLONS OF WATER SAVED A DAY. THIS YEAR, OUR GOAL IS 200, AND WE'RE WELL ON OUR WAY TO THAT. AGAIN, TAMPA CONNECT MAKES THAT VERY EASY FOR OUR CUSTOMERS TO ASK FOR THAT SERVICE. WE HAVE MONTHLY COMPOST GIVEAWAYS BECAUSE WE LOVE OUR FLORIDA YARDS. AND THAT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AS WE MOVE FROM NEIGHBORHOOD TO NEIGHBORHOOD WITH THAT BIG PILE OF LOCALLY SOURCED COMPOST, WE MEET SO MANY CUSTOMERS AND HELP THEM, AGAIN, UNDERSTAND HOW TO SAVE WATER, AND THAT COMPOST THAT THEY TAKE HOME TO THEIR YARDS HOLDS ON TO MOISTURE AND SAVES THEIR PLANTS AND REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF IRRIGATION THAT THEY HAVE TO APPLY. SPEAKING OF GARDENS, LAST WEEKEND WAS OUR FIRST FLIP WORKSHOP IN COLLABORATION WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY UTILITIES AND OUR UF IFAS FRIENDS OUT IN SEFFNER. FLORIDA LANDSCAPING INCENTIVE PROGRAM. THE GOAL WITH THE PROGRAM WITH A SERIES OF THREE WORKSHOPS IS HELP OUR CUSTOMERS IRRIGATING LAWN, CONVERT A PORTION OF THE LAWN TO A FLORIDA FRIENDLY LANDSCAPE. WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO GO ON THAT JOURNEY WITH THEM AND HELP THEM PLAN FOR THAT GARDEN. OF COURSE, WE'RE NOT INSTALLING THOSE GARDENS UNTIL THE RAINS RETURN. TIMING IS EVERYTHING. AND THESE ARE THE KINDS OF INFORMATION THAT WE WANT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS TO KEEP IN MIND AS WE MOVE THROUGH THIS DELICATE TIME FOR OUR WATER RESOURCES. IN ADDITION TO COLLABORATING LOCALLY, WE HAVE A REBATE PROGRAM. TAMPA BAY WATER WISE. WE DO A VERY GOOD JOB OF CONNECTING ESPECIALLY OUR MULTIFAMILY PROPERTIES WITH REBATES. THOSE INDOOR RETROFITS THAT ARE CONDUCTED WITH A REBATE PROGRAM LEAD TO 15,000 GALLONS A DAY SAVINGS AT THOSE FACILITIES. AND IT REALLY ADDS UP WHEN WE DO SIX OR MORE OF THOSE EACH YEAR. THAT'S SIGNIFICANT SAVINGS. LOOKING AHEAD, WE WANT TO GET MORE OF OUR CUSTOMERS IN THAT STAR AREA CONNECTED TO THE PURPLE PIPE SO WE'RE USING MORE RECLAIM FOR OUTDOOR IRRIGATION AND IMPORTANT FOR US MOVING FORWARD TO SUPPORT THAT. FINALLY, WE WANT TO THANK ALL OF THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS, ALL OF THOSE HOUSEHOLDS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY USING WATER WISELY. THE MAJORITY OF OUR FAMILIES ARE THERE AT LESS THAN A HUNDRED GALLONS A DAY FOR A HOUSEHOLD AND WITHOUT THEM, WE WOULD NOT SUSTAIN THE TAMPA THAT WE HAVE TODAY, WELCOMING GUESTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. WITH THAT, I THANK YOU VERY MUCH. [ APPLAUSE ] >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THIS COMMENDATION IS AN HONOR FOR TAMPA CITY COUNCIL AND REALLY ALL THE CITIZENS OF THE CITY OF TAMPA FOR WHAT BRAD BAIRD HAS DONE, BEING THE FORMER HEAD OF THE WATER DEPARTMENT, OVER THREE, FOUR DEPARTMENTS. RORY JONES AND ALL THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WORK SO DILIGENTLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE WATER TO DRINK, BATHE, AND HAVE FUN WITH ONCE AND A WHILE. HOWEVER, WE ARE IN A DROUGHT PERIOD. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO USE THE AMOUNT OF WATER WE'RE USING. GREAT JOB IN REDUCING, CONTINUE GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN STRETCH IT OUT ANOTHER MONTH OR TWO. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. YOUR COMMENDATION PRESENTED TO YOU AS DIRECTOR ON BEHALF OF ALL THE TAMPA CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS, SIGNED BY ALL SEVEN MEMBERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO. GOD BLESS YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] NOW WE'RE MOVING ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE ONE ONLINE SPEAKER. MICHAEL RANDOLPH. MICHAEL, ARE YOU ONLINE? >> YES, GOOD MORNING. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: GOOD MORNING, MR. RANDOLPH. >> MY NAME IS MICHAEL RANDOLPH. LET ME BEGIN WITH ONE IMAGE. THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD. BECAUSE THAT STORY REFLECTS EXACTLY WHERE WEST TAMPA STANDS TODAY. EARLIER THIS WEEK, I PRESENTED UPDATES ON THE TECHNOLOGY, WEALTH BUILDING AND JOB CREATION CENTER AT THE WEST TAMPA CAC. SENIOR LEADERSHIP FROM THE RELATED GROUP WAS ALSO PRESENT. TO UNDERSTAND OUR NATIONAL POSITION, WE ASKED A.I. TO COMPARE OUR MODEL TO WORKFORCE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRAMS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY. WE EXPECTED TO BE COMPETITIVE, BUT INSTEAD A.I. CONFIRMED OUR MODEL IS A NATIONAL PROTOCOL. NO ONE HAS WHAT WE HAVE. WHY IS THAT SO? WELL, FIRST, WE FULLY INTEGRATE IN THE ECOSYSTEM. A.I. TECH ENTREPRENEURSHIP WEB 3 AND WEALTH BUILDING INTO ONE STRATEGY. WE FOCUS ON OWNERSHIP. RARE INFUSION OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND EMERGING TECH. ANCHORED BY COMMUNITY BENEFIT AGREEMENT. 85% OF OUR OPERATION WILL BE POWERED BY A.I. CUTTING THE COST BY 70% AND OPENING OUR DOORS TO RESIDENTS THAT HAVE 8th GRADE EDUCATION, RETURNING CITIZENS, SENIORS. THIS IS NOT A THEORY. THIS IS AN OPERATIONAL, RESULTING IN UP TO 40 RESIDENT OWNED HOME-BASED AND E-COMMERCE BUSINESSES AND UP TO 60 A.I. JOBS FOCUSED ON LOWER INCOME. DOESN'T STOP THERE. OUR PROGRAM IS GAINING STRONG NATIONAL TRACTION. ENGAGEMENT IS COMING FROM MAJOR HUBS LIKE WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, CHICAGO, SAN FRANCISCO, DALLAS AND OTHER PROGRAMS, CONFIRMING THAT THE CENTER WORK IS RESONATING BEYOND TAMPA. AND THAT BRINGS US BACK TO THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD. WE BUILD THIS MODEL WITH PLANNED PARTNERSHIP. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, MR. RANDOLPH. MR. SHELBY. >>MARTIN SHELBY: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. GOOD MORNING, CITY COUNCIL, MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. MARTIN SHELBY, CITY COUNCIL ATTORNEY. I'M HERE TO BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT THE RULES OF DECORUM FOR COMMENT AT TODAY'S MEETING. IF IF YOU WISH TO SPEAK TO GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT, I HOPE YOU HAVE FILLED OUT A SPEAKER CARD AND PLACED IT IN THE BOX OUTSIDE. ONE CARD PER SPEAKER. EACH PERSON SUBMITTING A CARD WILL BE RECOGNIZED BY NAME TO APPROACH AND SPEAK. PREFERENCE IS GIVEN TO THOSE SPEAKING ON AGENDA ITEMS FIRST. IF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM AND YOU PUT THAT NUMBER DOWN, YOU'LL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY AND THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANT GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT WILL HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AFTER THAT. THREE-MINUTE TIME LIMIT APPLIES. IF YOU NEED ASSISTANCE, PLEASE SEE THE CITY STAFF. IF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON ANY OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE SET FOR PUBLIC HEARING, AND THOSE ARE ITEMS 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, AND 67, YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. THERE IS A SIGN-UP SHEET OUTSIDE. THAT TIME IS WHEN THE ITEMS WILL BE CALLED UP AND YOU'LL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY. SPEAKERS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE ALSO REMINDED TO PLEASE REFRAIN FROM DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR, INCLUDING MAKING VULGAR OR THREATENING REMARKS OR MAKING OR CAUSING DISRUPTIVE NOISES OR SOUNDS OR DISPLAYING SIGNS OR GRAPHICS. DIRECT YOUR COMMENTS PLEASE TO THE ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL RATHER THAN INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS. THE CHAIR WILL RULE OUT OF ORDER ANY PERSON WHO SPEAKS WITHOUT BEING RECOGNIZED OR ATTEMPTS TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL FROM OUTSIDE THE SPEAKER AREA AT THE PODIUM. PERSONS FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE COUNCIL RULES MAY ALSO BE RULED OUT OF ORDER AND AT THE DISCRETION OF THE CHAIR MAY BE REMOVED FROM THE CHAMBERS FOR THE REMAINDER OF TODAY'S MEETING. FINALLY, PLEASE, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS SHOULD REFRAIN FROM ENGAGING A SPEAKER DURING PUBLIC COMMENT. THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE AWARE THAT THE COUNCIL DOES NOT TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS OR HAVE A DIALOGUE WITH YOU DURING GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT. THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS YOUR POSITION TO THE CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU. ALSO, JUST A REMINDER THAT IF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK ON ANYTHING LISTED UNDER STAFF REPORTS OR THE CONSENT AGENDA, THIS IS THE TIME TO SPEAK. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: VERY GOOD. JUST TO RECONFIRM WHAT MR. SHELBY SAID, QUITE A FEW PEOPLE HERE TO SPEAK TO SIDEWALKS. THAT'S A PUBLIC HEARING. THAT WILL BE DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING, NOT DURING THIS TIME. I'VE GOT YOUR CARDS. THAT WILL BE DURING THE PUBLIC HEARING. FIRST TO ON AGENDA ITEMS. GERALD DYKAS ON ITEM 81. START WITH YOUR NAME. >> GERALD DYKAS. I LIKE TO TALK ON THE TECO RATE INCREASES AND HOW THE CITY CAN FIGHT BACK. THEY MANAGE TO THE LAST TIME RAISE THEIR BASE PROFIT FROM 9% TO 10% OR SO. FOR ZERO REASON. JUST PURE GREED AND CORRUPTION IN THE PSC. AND THE CITY COUNCIL REALLY NEEDS TO STATE SOMETHING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE THEY JUST STOLE 10% MORE MONEY FROM EVERY PERSON IN THIS TOWN. NEXT, YOU NEED TO GET TECO START PRODUCING CHEAPER POWER, CLEAN POWER, SOLAR COSTS WITH BATTERIES COSTS FIVE CENTS A KILOWATT HOUR. NATURAL GAS GENERATION. THESE ARE WHOLESALE NUMBERS. 12 CENTS A KILOWATT HOUR. COAL IS LIKE 15 CENTS A KILOWATT HOUR. ACTUALLY COSTS LESS TO BUILD NEW SOLAR THAN IT DOES TO RUN FOSSIL FUEL PLANTS. YOU NEED TO MAKE THEM WHERE THEY WILL TAKE PEOPLE -- A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO MAKE MORE POWER, SOLAR POWER AND OTHER RENEWABLE ENERGY AND SELL IT ON DEMAND. BUT TECO DOES NOT LET THAT HAPPEN. WE COULD HAVE -- EVENTUALLY WE'LL HAVE PROBABLY HALF THE PROPERTIES IN THIS TOWN WILL HAVE SOLAR AND A BATTERY AND AN EV THAT NOT ONLY STORES ENERGY, BUT GENERATES IT ON DEMAND. TECO IS NOT TAKING ANY OF THESE INTO CONSIDERATION FOR THE FUTURE. BECAUSE OF THAT, OUR BILLS NOW ARE EASILY 25% HIGHER THAN WHAT THEY SHOULD BE. WE REALLY NEED THE CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE THESE PEOPLE AND ALSO FIND OUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN PSC THAT ARE SCREWING US BADLY. I MEAN, IT'S PURE CORRUPTION. I MEAN, THERE'S JUST ZERO REASON FOR THE PROFIT PERCENT TO INCREASE. THERE'S JUST NOTHING ABOUT THAT THAT SHOULD EVER HAPPEN. I APPRECIATE IT IF YOU DO MORE THINGS LIKE THAT. ALSO, THE CITY, I MEAN, ELECTRIC CARS RIGHT NOW ARE INEXPENSIVE, AND I JUST GOT A BID FOR $22,000 FOR BRAND-NEW ELECTRIC EQUINOX. THE CITY REALLY NEEDS TO START MOVING TO ELECTRIC CARS HARD. BECAUSE THEY SAVE SERIOUS, SERIOUS MONEY. THINGS CHANGED COMPLETELY IN LAST TWO YEARS. BATTERY PRICES DROPPED. PRICES OF SOLAR PANELS DROPPED. PRICES OF BATTERIES FOR STORAGE DROPPED. INVERTERS HAVE DROPPED. EVERYTHING HAS DROPPED EXCEPT TECO. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: EVERYBODY, THIS IS THE TIME FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. PLEASE REFRAIN FROM ANY RESPONSE. TODD, YOU ARE SPEAKING TO TECO AS WELL. >> MY NAME IS TODD RANDOLPH. I AM HERE TO MAKE A COMMENT ON AGENDA 81. I HAVE A KIT FOR SOLAR. I ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO DO ANYTHING TO SECURE OUR FUTURE ENERGY NEEDS. I THINK THAT IS THE BEST -- MAYBE THE ONLY PLACE YOU CAN PUT MONEY THAT MIGHT BE SOMEWHAT SAFE NOWADAYS. I'M PARTICIPATING WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH AFFORDABLE ENERGY COALITION AND ASK THE TAMPA CITY COUNCIL TO PASS A RESOLUTION URGING OUR STATE LEGISLATURE TO PASS AFFORDABLE ENERGY LEGISLATION. ASSUME ASKING MUNICIPAL LEADERS TO MAKE A STATEMENT TO STATE LEADERS IS SOMEWHAT UNORTHODOX, HOWEVER WE ARE IN UNORTHODOX CONDITIONS. RECENTLY THE NEW FIGURE OF HOW MANY AMERICANS ARE LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK IS STATED AT 70%. THAT KEEPS INCREASING. WHAT IS ALSO OUT OF THE ORDINARY IS HOW STATE LEGISLATURE HAS FAILED TO TAKE UP ANY OF THE ISSUES OF AFFORDABILITY, PARTICULARLY ENERGY, WHICH HAS BEEN THE MOST EGREGIOUS COST-OF-LIVING INCREASE IN RECENT YEARS. THIS WAS NOTED BASICALLY IN EVERY MAJOR PUBLICATION IN THE STATE, IN THE TAMPA BAY TIMES, ALSO IN LA GACETA HERE. AND I'D LOVE TO POINT THIS OUT. NOTHING WAS DONE TO REIN IN UTILITIES COMPANIES HUGE PRICE INCREASES. TWO TYPOS IN ONE SENTENCE. I THINK PEOPLE CAN ENJOY THAT. THIS ASK IS NOT UNPARALLELED. COLLIER COUNTY COMMISSION PASSED A RESOLUTION URGING THE PSC TO OPPOSE MASSIVE FPL RATE HIKE. COLLIER COMMISSION IS MADE UP OF REPUBLICANS. TAMPA BAY TIMES ARTICLE ALSO REFERENCES HOW DON GAUGE, PROMINENT REPUBLICAN, LED AN EFFORT FOR AFFORDABLE ENERGY MEASURES THIS PAST LEGISLATION. CONGRESSIONAL BILLS ARE PRESENT, BUT THEY DO NOT ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE UNIQUE TO FLORIDA, PARTICULARLY THE TRANSPARENCY AND OVERSIGHT OF PSC AND FUEL COST SHARING. TECO, OWNED BY EMERA CURRENTLY IS RAKING IN MASSIVE PROFITS AS THEIR STOCK IS UP 24%. THAT'S AFTER IRAN, GIVING OUT FOUR POINT, YOU KNOW, TWO PERCENT DIVIDENDS. THEY HAVE A LOT OF MONEY. THEY ARE GIVING TO THEIR CEOs AND TO POLITICAL CONTRIBUTIONS. A REPORT RELEASED A MONTH AGO BY THE KLEEL INSTITUTE HAS A COMPREHENSIVE AND SOURCED ANALYSIS OF THE ISSUES WHICH CULMINATED INTO THE EQUITABLE OPERATION OF UTILITIES IN THIS STATE. THE TIMING IS RIGHT. FRAMING IS APPROPRIATE, AND THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN -- PRECEDENT HAS BEEN SET FOR THIS BODY TO PASS A RESOLUTION URGING THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO PASS AFFORDABLE ENERGY LEGISLATION. THANKS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, TODD. ISABEL MULLER ALSO ON 81, FOLLOWED BY BEN ON ITEM 81. GOOD MORNING. >> I'M ISABELA WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH AFFORDABLE ENERGY COALITION AND ALSO THE TAMPA BAY ORGANIZER FOR THE NONPROFIT WATER WATCH AND STUDENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA. I FIRST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR HAVING US ALL HERE, ESPECIALLY MY COALITION MEMBERS. TODAY I'LL BE SPEAKING ON ITEM 81 REGARDING HOW MUCH THE CITY HAS SPENT ON ELECTRICITY BILLS IN 2024 AND 2025. I LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS, I KNOW THAT THE CITY HAS SAVED MONEY BECAUSE OF THE INVESTMENTS THEY HAVE MADE IN SOLAR AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES WHICH APPLAUD THE CITY AND SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER KAYLA FOR DOING THAT. HOWEVER, THAT IS NOT THE CASE FOR MANY RESIDENTS IN TAMPA. OUR COALITION HAS SPOKEN WITH SEVERAL COUNCIL MEMBERS ALREADY. COUNCIL MEMBER YOUNG, MANISCALCO, HURTAK, MIRANDA AS WELL, AND WE'RE ALL IN AGREEMENT THAT ENERGY BILLS ARE TOO HIGH AND THESE RATE INCREASES THAT WE'RE SEEING FROM TAMPA ELECTRIC ARE FURTHER ADDING TO THE FINANCIAL BURDEN THAT MANY OF US ARE ALREADY FACING. SO THAT IS WHY OUR COALITION HAS BEEN ADVOCATING FOR AFFORDABLE ENERGY REFORM AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT WOULD HELP TO LOWER ELECTRICITY BILLS BY REINING IN UTILITY PROFITEERING, INSULATING CUSTOMERS FROM HIGH FUEL COST FLUCTUATIONS AND OVERALL INCREASING TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY FROM THE FLORIDA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION IN TALLAHASSEE. HOWEVER, DESPITE THERE BEING THREE PIECES OF AFFORDABLE ENERGY LEGISLATION FILED EARLIER THIS YEAR, BOTH BY DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS SHOWING THAT THIS IS A BIPARTISAN ISSUE, NEITHER OF THEM PASSED. SO THIS JUST SHOWS THE UNPRODUCTIVE NATURE OF THE PAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION WHILE OUR ENERGY BILLS CONTINUE TO INCREASE AND OUR UTILITY REGULATORS ARE JUST GOING TO KEEP APPROVING RATE INCREASE AFTER RATE INCREASE WHILE WE CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH SKYROCKETING BILLS. AND AT THIS POINT, THERE HAS BEEN A LACK OF ACTION FROM OUR LAWMAKERS IN TALLAHASSEE, ESPECIALLY OUR LOCAL LEADERS HERE IN TAMPA BAY. HOUSE MINORITY LEADER COUNTRIES DRISKELLHAS YET TAKEN A STAND TT BILLS. ALTHOUGH TECO CUSTOMERS ARE PAYING SOME OF THE HIGHEST ENERGY BILLS IN THE COUNTRY. IT'S CLUE THAT THEY NOT ONLY NEED TO BE HEARING FROM THEIR CONSTITUENTS, BUT ALSO OUR LOCAL OFFICIALS, URGING THEM TO PROTECT OUR TAMPA RESIDENTS FROM FURTHER ASTRONOMICAL RATE HIKES. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY, TO URGE THE CITY COUNCIL TO PASS A RESOLUTION CALLING ON THE STATE LEGISLATOR TO ACT ON AFFORDABLE ENERGY AND OUR COALITION JUST HELD A COMMUNITY EVENT A FEW WEEKS AGO, SHARING TO FOLKS ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND ABOUT THE IDEA AROUND PASSING RESOLUTION. AND I HAVE THOSE PUBLIC COMMENT CARDS HERE FROM SOME FOLKS URGING YOU WITH THE ASK. I KNOW WE HAVEN'T SPOKEN WITH ALL OF YOU, BUT WOULD BE OPEN TO SPEAKING TO MORE COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT THIS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, ISABELA. IF YOU WANT THOSE SUBMITTED HAND THEM TO THE ATTORNEY, PLEASE. BEN, FOLLOWED BY ALYSSA WHITE. >> HI. I'M BEN BRAVER. I WAS A SCIENCE TEACHER -- SPEAKING ON TOPIC 81. SCIENCE TEACHER IN THE AREA. SO, ENERGY IS SOMETHING I CARE A LOT ABOUT, RIGHT? IT'S INCREDIBLE OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES THE ADVANCES WE HAVE MADE IN THESE FIELDS, THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO RELY ON THIS DIRTY ENERGY ANYMORE AND WE CAN EXPAND THE MODES OF ENERGY WE GET AND HOW WE GET THE ENERGY. WHEN WE RELY ON VERY FEW WAYS TO GET ENERGY, ENERGY COSTS RISE. WHEN WE RELY ON TECO, MONOPOLIES FOR ENERGY AND THAT'S IT. OUR ENERGY COSTS RISE. THEY HAVE A 24 PERCENT PROFIT. THAT'S RIDICULOUS. THAT'S TAKING MONEY DIRECTLY OUT OF THE HANDS OF HARDWORKING FAMILIES HERE, MAKING IT HARDER TO BOOST OUR ECONOMY, FOR THEM TO AFFORD TO LIVE. 55% OF PEOPLE IN FLORIDA HAVE HAD TO DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO STAY IN FLORIDA OR NOT BECAUSE OF RISING BILLS. WE CAN FREE UP OUR ENERGY. WE CAN TAKE THE ENERGY THAT'S CONSTANTLY FALLING ON OUR HEADS AND CONVERT IT INTO USEFUL WORKING ENERGY SO WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY SO MUCH TO THESE MONOPOLIES. PEOPLE MAKING HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY. THE PEOPLE OF TAMPA BAY SHOULD BE WORKING FOR THEMSELVES. THE CITY COUNCIL CAN ENSURE THAT THEIR MONEY IS GOING BACK TO THEM, BY INVESTING MORE IN OUR SOLAR, BY NOT GIVING ALL OF OUR TAX DOLLARS TO THESE HUGE CORPORATIONS. PARENTS WORKING THREE JOBS FOR THEIR KIDS, SLEEPING IN THEIR CARS AREN'T WORKING FOR THE EXECUTIVES WHO COULD HAVE THREE HOMES. WE NEED AFFORDABLE ENERGY RESOLUTIONS. WE NEED LAWS PUSHING FOR THIS IN OUR STATE. WE'VE BEEN BUILDING THEM ON LIBRARIES AND WORKED OUT AMAZING. RECEIVED $300,000 OVER THE PAST YEAR BECAUSE OF THE SOLAR ENERGY AND ALL THE INFRASTRUCTURE THEY HAVE BEEN BUILDING. IT IS EFFICIENT FOR THE PEOPLE. THIS IS WHAT THEY WANT. WE ALL KNOW THAT THE ONE WORD OF OUR TIME RIGHT NOW IS AFFORDABILITY, BECAUSE WE HAVE ALLOWED CORPORATIONS TO WALK ALL OVER THE PEOPLE. Y'ALL HAVE THE CHANCE TO STOP THAT. TO IMPROVE AFFORDABILITY IN THIS CITY, AND TO KEEP MONEY IN OUR HANDS. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, BEN. [ APPLAUSE ] [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] NO. NO CLAPPING. ALYSSA WHITE FOLLOWED BY CONNIE BURTON. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ALYSSA WHITE. I SERVE AS CLIMATE JUSTICE ORGANIZE WE ARE FLORIDA STUDENT POWER AND PROUD MEMBER OF THE HILLSBOROUGH AFFORDABLE ENERGY COALITION. TODAY I WILL BE SPEAKING IN REGARD TO ITEM 81. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE STRUGGLING UNDER THE WEIGHT OF RISING ELECTRIC BILLS, AND IT'S NOT GETTING ANY BETTER. TAMPA ELECTRIC COMPANY CONTINUES TO RAISE RATES AND THE IMPACT IS VERY REAL FOR OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS. FAMILIES ARE BEING FORCED TO MAKE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICES BETWEEN KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON, BUYING GROCERIES, PAYING RENT OR PREPARING FOR STORMS AND NOW EVEN PAYING CRAZY GAS PRICES. IN A STATE WHERE EXTREME HEAT AND SEVERE WEATHER ARE A CONSTANT REALITY, WE KNOW ELECTRICITY IS NOT A LUXURY. IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR SAFETY AND THE HEALTH AND SURVIVAL OF OUR PEOPLE. WHAT IS ESPECIALLY CONCERNING IS THAT THESE INCREASES ARE HAPPENING WHILE MANY COMMUNITY MEMBERS FEEL LEFT OUT OF THE CONVERSATION. PEOPLE DO NOT FEEL HEARD, AND THEY DO NOT FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE A SAY IN DECISIONS THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT THEIR COST OF LIVING AND LIVES OF THEIR FAMILIES. EARLIER THIS MONTH, WE HELD A COMMUNITY EVENT FOCUSED ON ENERGY AFFORDABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY. OVER 50 TAMPA RESIDENTS SHOWED UP, INCLUDING STUDENTS, WORKING FAMILIES, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, ALL WITH THE SAME MESSAGE, THAT ENERGY COSTS ARE FAR TOO HIGH AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE. PEOPLE SHARED STORIES OF SKYROCKETING BILLS, CONFUSION OVER MORE CHARGES THAT KEEP GETTING ADDED ON AND HONESTLY FEAR ABOUT WHAT THAT NEXT RATE INCREASE WILL MEAN FOR THEM. I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I DO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS COUNCIL DOES NOT DIRECTLY VOTE ON UTILITY RATE DECISIONS AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT THAT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE THE POWER IN THIS MOMENT. AS ELECTED LEADERS OF THIS CITY, YOU HAVE A PLATFORM. YOU HAVE INFLUENCE. AND YOU HAVE A DUTY AND RESPONSIBILITY TO REPRESENT YOUR CONSTITUENTS. SO WHAT CAN YOU DO? YOU CAN APPLY PRESSURE. YOU CAN PUBLICLY ADVOCATE FOR YOUR RESIDENTS AND YOUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. YOU CAN CALL FOR GREATER TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY, AND YOU CAN STAND WITH US AS OUR COMMUNITY AT A TIME WHEN PEOPLE ARE ASKING TO BE HEARD. WE NEED LEADERSHIP AT THE LOCAL LEVEL THAT IS WILLING TO STAND WITH RESIDENTS AND ADVOCATE FOR CLEAN AND AFFORDABLE ENERGY. I URGE THIS COUNCIL TO RECOGNIZE THE URGENCY OF THIS ISSUE AND TO EXPLORE WAYS TO INCREASE COMMUNITY INPUT, PUSH FOR GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY AND USE YOUR VOICE TO SUPPORT POLICIES THAT PROTECT TAMPA RESIDENTS FROM THESE EXCESSIVE ENERGY BURDENS. PLEASE CONSIDER THE CREATION OF THE RESOLUTION AND SHOW UP FOR THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU ALL CALL HOME. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CONNIE BURTON, THE BIRTHDAY GIRL. HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY. >> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. CONNIE BURTON. JUST WANT TO PUT ENERGY IN THE ROOM THIS MORNING. ITEM NUMBER 3, I JUST WANT TO CALL ATTENTION TO WHEN -- YOU KNOW, OUR COMMUNITIES WERE DESCRIBED AS SLUMS, HOODS, GHETTOS, AND NOW HEAR THIS URBAN. I QUESTION THAT BECAUSE NOW WE SEE URBANISM CAN MOVE TOWARD GENTRIFICATION BECAUSE BOTH OF THE WORDS ARE VERY CONNECTED. I ENJOY HEARING THE CITY STAFF REPORTS BECAUSE IT GIVES ME A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AS TO WHAT IS GOING TO BE LEFT BEHIND ONCE YOU GUYS ARE GONE. ITEM NUMBER 88 AND 81, UNTIL THE CHIEF OF POLICE CAN COME AND TELL THE COMMUNITY AT-LARGE AS TO WHY A 29-YEAR VETERAN HAS BEEN TERMINATED, WE SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY DISCUSSION WITH THEM ABOUT MOVING, BUILDING, OR DOING ANYTHING. THE COMMUNITY DESERVE TO KNOW WHY. AND AS TO THE MAIN REASON I CAME THIS MORNING IS BECAUSE OF WHAT THE UNITED NATIONS DID THIS WEEK. THEY SAID THAT THE GREATEST CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY OCCURRED AS IT RELATES TO THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE. WE CAN'T MOVE AWAY FROM THAT. AS MUCH AS WE SAY THAT WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT HISTORICAL WRONGS. THIS COMMUNITY HAD AND THIS COUNCIL HAD THE ABILITY TO DO THAT WITH RESOLUTION 568. THE CITY CHICKEN BECAUSE OF A DICTATOR IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND BE ABDICATED ITS RESPONSIBILITYN THAT. AS IT RELATES TO TECO BILLS, IT WILL CHANGE WHEN THIS COMMUNITY CAN SEE ITS SHARED INTEREST. WHEN WE CAN SEE HOW WE AS A COMMUNITY CAN VOTE IN THE INTEREST OF THE PEOPLE AND NOT BASED ON POLITICAL PARTIES, THEN WE WILL BRING CORPORATIONS TO ITS KNEES. RIGHT NOW, PEOPLE ARE MOVING BLINDLY AS TO WHAT IS NOT IN THEIR BEST INTEREST. I WOULD HOPE FROM THE ENERGY OF THIS ROOM WE CAN RECONCILE THAT. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ADRIAN SANTIAGO FOLLOWED BY VALERIE BULLOCK. GOOD MORNING. START WITH YOUR NAME PLEASE. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. ADRIENNE SANTIAGO. I AM A COMMUNITY PLANNER IN THE REGION, BORN AND RAISED IN TAMPA. PROUD TO SAY THAT. I'M REALLY PROUD OF WHAT THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING FOR ENERGY. I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON AGENDA ITEM 81. ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT THE CITY HAS ALREADY INVESTED A LOT IN WHAT THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY COULD LOOK LIKE AS IT PERTAINS TO OUR ECONOMY AND OUR GREAT PORTFOLIO. AS WHAT'S BEEN MENTIONED ALREADY, IT WOULD BE LIFE CHANGING FOR A LOT OF THE TAXPAYERS AND RATEPAYERS IN OUR REGION. SO WE'RE A CRITICAL REGION FOR RESILIENCY, THE WAY WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH CLIMATE AND THAT'S CONNECTED TO EVERYTHING WE DO FROM TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING, ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES AND INCREASING ACCESS TO CLEAN ENERGY. BECAUSE CLEAN ENERGY IS AFFORDABLE ENERGY. WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO CONTINUE DOWN THIS PATH OF COST SAVINGS FOR THE CONSTITUENTS AND ADVOCATING AT THE STATE LEVEL WHERE THERE IS SUPPORT FOR SOLAR ENERGY BECAUSE WE ARE THE SUNSHINE STATE. WE HAVE ACCESS TO THIS POWER. WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE LEGISLATION ON TRANSLATING THE BENEFITS OF EFFICIENCIES MADE IN PRODUCTION, THOSE BENEFITS TO BE RECEIVED AT THE HOUSEHOLD LEVEL. THERE'S LEGISLATION IN PLAY RIGHT NOW AT THE STATE. AND WE JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO CONTINUE ITS WORK WITH THE SUSTAINABILITY DIVISION AND MY GOOD FRIEND KAYLA KOS TELLY AND SHOWING SUPPORT FOR WHAT FUTURE COST SAVINGS WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR OUR REGION. WE APPLAUD THE CITY FOR WHAT THEY ARE DOING AND HOPE THEY CONSIDER A RESOLUTION FOR AFFORDABLE ENERGY IN TAMPA BAY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, ADRIAN. VALERIE BULLOCK FOLLOWED BY JAMES ADAIR. >> GOOD MORNING. VALERIE BULLOCK, PONCE De LEON, COLLEGE HILL PROJECTS. I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT A LOT OF STUFF ON THE AGENDA. I'LL START WITH NUMBER 81. THE POLLUTION AND THE PRICE OF ELECTRICITY IS RISING FASTER THAN GLOBAL WARMING. THIS WOULD BE THE PERFECT TIME TO OPEN UP A SOLAR PLANT BATTERY MANUFACTURING PLANT IN EAST TAMPA. THAT WILL HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM. LIKE THE BIG CORPORATIONS DO, BUT WE DO HAVE CITY COUNCIL. I'VE BEEN COMING DOWN HERE A LONG TIME, AND MY MAIN THING THAT I WANT, MANUFACTURING PLANT, DISTRIBUTION CENTERS, AND WAREHOUSES IN EAST TAMPA. HOW THIS FIT WITH NUMBER 81? IF YOU ALL CAN GET A DISTRIBUTION CENTER, SOLAR PLANT OVER THERE, THAT WILL CREATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND WE ALL BE ABLE TO GET JOBS OVER THERE. AND ALSO TAKE SOME OF THE BURDEN OFF OF OUR LIGHT BILLS FOR GIVING TECO ALL THE MONEY. THIS SEEMS LIKE A DAVID AND GOLIATH FIGHT, BUT WE HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE. YOU MIGHT SAY, WELL, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR THAT. WE DON'T WITH HAVE THIS. YES, YOU DO. OVER A MILLION DOLLARS TO FENCE THE CITY OF TAMPA. WERE THEY A SOLE SOURCE? WERE THEY THE LOWEST BID? LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF FRIVOLOUS SPENDING. ITEM 34, IF THEY WANT A MILLION DOLLARS FOR ANOTHER STUDY. CONSULTATION FOR WASTEWATER. WHEN DO WE GET TO THE POINT THAT WE DON'T NEED TO PAY A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE STUDY AND WE JUST GET THE WORK DONE? THIS REMIND ME OF TOILET TO TAP 2.0. GAVE THEM OVER $1 MILLION FOR A STUDY. AND THEY LEFT. WE DON'T NEED ANOTHER STUDY. WE NEED WORK TO GET DONE. AND WE NEED TO ACT LIKE THE CITY OF TAMPA MONEY IS OUR MONEY. YOU KNOW HOW SOME OF US CAN SIT ON A DIME FOR TEN DOLLARS, WE NEED TO DO THAT WITH THIS MONEY. IT SEEMS LIKE THE BIG CORPORATIONS, THEY COME IN, THEY ASK, OR THE MAYOR SAY SHE WANTS THIS AND IT GET DONE. BUT IT'S NOT RIGHT. WE NEED TO BE MORE CAREFUL WITH THE MONEY THAT WE ARE SPENDING. NUMBER 30, COVERING DUMPSTERS FOR $270,000. LOOK LIKE TO ME THAT'S COSMETIC. WHAT ABOUT THE FLOODING? WHAT ABOUT THE SIDEWALKS WE NEED? WHAT ABOUT THE ROADS WE NEED TO GET PAVED? WE DO NOT HAVE MONEY TO BE SPENDING FOR COSMETIC STUFF. WE NEED TO SPEND A DOLLAR TO HELP THE INFRASTRUCTURE, MAKE $12 BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, VALERIE. JAMES -- [ APPLAUSE ] [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] NO APPLAUD -- HEY, GUYS, NO APPLAUSE. THIS IS THE TIME FOR PEOPLE TO SPEAK TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO GET THEIR OPINIONS, NOT FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT TO THE SPEAKERS. JAMES ADAIR FOLLOWED BY CARROLL ANN BENNETT. >> JAMES ADAIR, THE NEIGHBOR WHO CARES. FIRST, BEFORE THE HANDOUT, UPDATE YOU ON THE DASHBOARD THAT STORMWATER HAS FOR OPEN TICKETS AND CLOSED WORK ORDERS. THIS IS A SCREEN SHOT. PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THAT. 180 DAYS. FRANKLY, I WAS A BIG FAN OF THE DASHBOARD BUT WITH 180 DAYS, KIND OF MEANS NOTHING AT THIS POINT. WE NEED TO GET A WAY TO SORT BY DATE 7/14 30. SOME ARE GOING BACK TO DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR. WE'VE HAD TWO WARS SINCE THESE THINGS WERE DONE. A LOT IS MOVING. ONLY WAY TO STAY ACCOUNTABLE TO THIS IS BY HAVING THIS TOGGLE. WHEN THE DASHBOARD WAS ORIGINALLY STARTED WHEN THE COMMUNITY WAS OUTRAGED, THERE WAS A DEBATE AS TO WHAT THE TIMELINE SHOULD BE. FRANKLY, I SAW THE DASHBOARD BEFORE IT WAS 180. I SORT OF AGREED AT THE TIME, EVERYBODY WOULD COME WITH PITCHFORKS IF THEY SAW THE LITTLE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT WOULD BE ON HERE. I SAID ROLL IT OUT, BE COOL AND THEN LET'S CHANGE IT LATER. THIS IS LATER. WE NEED TO GET THIS DONE. THAT IS MY LATEST HOBBY HORSE. WHAT I HANDED TO YOU IS THE PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST ACCOUNTABILITY. IT'S BEEN MOVED, BUT ALREADY PREPARED AND WE HAVE TIME. I'M WAITING ON SOME OF MY OWN REQUESTS, 30 OR MORE DAYS THAT SHOULDN'T BE THAT HARD. I KNOW THE DOCUMENTS EXIST. I KNOW ALREADY PREPARED FOR STAFF OTHERWISE. BY THE WAY, STAFF, THANK YOU GUYS FOR WATCHING. I KNOW YOU ARE. APPRECIATE YOU. IF YOU HAVE AN E-MAIL FROM ME, CHECK IT. WE SHOULD ESTABLISH A 30-DAY THRESHOLD WHERE THERE IS A TRIGGER THAT GOES UP TO A BOSS OR SOMEBODY, HEY, TICKTOCK, LET'S GO. YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS. YOU ARE OUR REPRESENTATIVES. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THAT IS EVEN A SCENARIO. REQUIRE QUARTERLY REPORTING POSSIBLY IN PERSON. IF THERE WAS A DASHBOARD THAT SHOWED HOW MANY RECORDS WERE COMING IN, WHICH DEPARTMENTS ARE GETTING A+ ON GETTING THEIR DATA BACK, I THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE THEN THEY DON'T HAVE TO SHOW UP. A REAL MEANINGFUL DASHBOARD WOULD BE HELPFUL. I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE ABOUT THE REPORTING AND HOW IT TAXES STAFF. I SAID TO HER FRANKLY THAT IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CONSTITUENTS TO FEEL CONNECTED TO THE WORK THAT YOU GUYS DO AND THIS SYSTEM IS REALLY IMPORTANT. I ADMONISHED HER AND SAID THIS IS A REALLY IMPORTANT GOOD THING. DON'T LOOK AT IT AS TAKING AWAY FROM STAFF TIME. THE MORE THAT STAFF CAN INTERACT WITH YOUR CONSTITUENTS, MAKES THEM MORE CONNECTED AND MORE INFORMED. THE LEVEL OF THIS PUBLIC COMMENT IS SO ELEVATED COMPARED TO WHAT YOU WOULD NORMALLY SEE. IT'S BECAUSE WE GET EDUCATED THROUGH PUBLIC RECORDS AND ALSO STAFF INTERACTION. FINALLY, INDEPENDENT TRACKING. I KNOW THEY ALREADY CHARGE FOR SOME OF THIS STUFF. WE SHOULD HAVE AN INTERNAL ACCOUNTING WAY TO SAY, HEY, LISTEN, I SPENT TWO HOURS ON THIS, JUST LIKE STORMWATER SAYS, SPENT TWO HOURS ON PARADES. INTERNAL ACCOUNTING THAT COULD HAPPEN SO WHEN YOU TAKE TIME AWAY, YOU GUYS AS COUNCIL WOULD KNOW, HEY, WE SPENT THIS MUCH TIME ON IT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, JAMES. CARROLL ANN BENNETT, FOLLOWED BY STEPHANIE POYNOR. >> HI. MY NAME IS CARROLL ANN BENNETT. I WANT TO COMMENT ON ITEM 83, THE NATURAL RESOURCES ADVISORY COMMITTEE. I'M GLAD IT IS PROCEEDING THE WAY IT HAS. I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO PEOPLE THAT YOU THINK WOULD BE GOOD ON THE COMMITTEE AND ASKING THEM TO APPLY. I WANT TO COMMENT SPECIFICALLY ON THE STAGGERING OF THE TERMS. THIS PROPOSAL TO ME DOES NOT REALLY ACCOMPLISH THAT. IT'S BASICALLY GOT TWO MAYORAL APPOINTMENTS, TWO OUT OF SIX, AND ALL FIVE OF THE CITY COUNCIL APPOINTMENTS AS BEING INITIALLY APPOINTED FOR TWO YEARS, AND THEN THE OTHER FOUR MAYORAL APPOINTMENTS BEING APPOINTED FOR THREE YEARS, THAT DOESN'T REALLY ADD UP TO ME. I DON'T THINK THAT IS AN ADEQUATE -- I DON'T THINK THAT'S REALLY ADEQUATE STAGGERING. I THINK IT SHOULD BE TWEAKED. I'LL LEAVE IT TO YOU ALL TO FIGURE OUT THE BEST WAY TO DO IT, BUT THIS JUST DOESN'T SEEM TO BE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. STEPHANIE POYNOR. >> GOOD MORNING. STEPHANIE POYNOR. I AGREE WITH CARROLL ANN. THE TECO RESOLUTION, THESE FOLKS ARE ASKING YOU FOR SOMETHING VERY REALISTIC. BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS THAT YOU ALL -- ALL OF YOU COMMIT TO NOT TAKING MONEY FROM TECO. I LOOKED AND DUG INTO PEOPLE'S, LAST ELECTION, MAYOR $35,000 DONATION FROM TECO. WHEN YOU TAKE PEOPLE FROM THEM, YOU ARE TAKING MONEY FROM THE FOLKS WHO ARE STANDING HERE SAYING THAT THEY SHOULD NOT BE DONATING. LIKE I SAID, I HAVEN'T CHECKED IN A LONG TIME. ON THE PARKS ISSUE THIS WEEK, THE WEST PARKS, OH, MY GOSH, SO EXCITED TO HAVE A LIST OF WHAT IS IN THE WEST DISTRICT. I WOULD LIKE FOR MR. FOWLER TO SUPPLY THE REST OF THOSE DISTRICTS TO US SO WE KNOW WHICH AREAS ARE BEING SERVICED. $2.7 MILLION FOR OPEN GOV SOFTWARE. IT SHOULD BE A HECK OF A LOT EASIER TO UNDERSTAND AND SHOULD BE SOME SUPPORT FOR REGULAR PEOPLE IN THE CITY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE IT BECAUSE IT IS NOT VERY USER FRIENDLY. NUMBER 49, WHY ARE WE NOT RENEGOTIATING A CONTRACT FROM 2001, AT&T, SINGULAR, PLENTY OF MONEY. WHY PAYING THE SAME PRICE FOR PIECE OF EASEMENT 25 YEARS LATER? THAT'S RIDICULOUS. WE HAVE NOT RENEGOTIATED THAT BUT THEY ARE GETTING A DEAL EVERY SINKING TIME. CLOSE THE LOOPHOLES IN SIDEWALKS. I COULD GO INTO THAT. CRA ITEMS, I'M GLAD TO SEE THERE MAY BE SOMETHING MOVING FORWARD. I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE 300K FOR ONE LOT IN EAST TAMPA. THAT IS A HELL A BUNCH OF MONEY. WHEN I WENT TO SELL A LOT LAST YEAR IN SOUTH TAMPA, I WASN'T GOING TO GET THAT MUCH MONEY. WHY IS THE CITY OVERPAYING FOR A LOT? I DON'T KNOW. RIVERWALK, CAN YOU EXPLAIN TO ME, FIRST OF ALL, YOU KNOW I HAVE AN ISSUE WITH IT. CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHY WE SPEND ALL THIS MONEY ON A RIVERWALK AND ONE DEVELOPER THAT WILL HOLD TWO PARCELS OF THE RIVERWALK HOSTAGE AS LONG AS THEY FEEL LIKE IT BECAUSE LOOK AT ROME YARD. ROME YARD WAS APPROVED THE SAME TIME HANNA STREET WAS. HANNA STREET HAS BEEN DONE FOR YEARS, YET ROME YARD IS LIKE THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD. WATER SAVING IN THE CITY. WHY DOES THE CITY OF TAMPA BUY GRASS? PLEASE EXPLAIN THAT TO ME. IT IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN. YES, IT'S CHEAP TO BUY IT. YET EVERY TIME WE SEE GRASS COME ON THE AGENDA, THERE IS HALF A MILLION DOLLARS BEING SPENT ON IT. THAT IS A WASTE OF OUR CITY'S FUNDS. I THINK THAT HITS IT ALL THIS WEEK. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: BREVITY. THAT'S A SHOCK. THE NEXT NINE SPEAKERS ARE OFF TOPIC, OFF AGENDA. RAYMOND JOHNSON FOLLOWED BY DAVID CORONEL. GOOD MORNING, START WITH YOUR NAME. THREE MINUTES. >> RAYMOND JOHNSON. I'M HERE TO SPEAK AS LIKE A LEADER FOR THE HOMELESS. WE'VE BEEN TARGETED A LOT. LIKE, I KNOW THERE ARE MANY RESOURCES THAT HELPS US LIKE THE SHELTERS AND STUFF, BUT THEY ARE NOT REALLY HELPING US WITH WORK WITH. LIKE, WE NEED JOBS, DECENT PAYING JOBS SO WE CAN KEEP UP WITH WHAT WE HAVE TO. THE COST OF LIVING IS RISING A LOT. NOW, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOMELESS AND A BUM. SEE, A BUM IS SET IN THE WAY OF THE STREETS. HOMELESS, WE'RE IN A SITUATION. WHEN YOU RAISE THE PRICE OF FOOD, YOU RAISE THE PRICE OF PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING AND FOOD BECOMES MORE SYNTHETIC, NOT AS NUTRIENT. WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT. WE'RE LOSING HELP. WE'RE LOSING THE FIGHT AGAINST PRETTY MUCH THE POLICE. THEY ARE TARGETING US A LOT. GIVING US RECORDS AND WE'RE NOT ABLE TO GET DECENT JOBS ANYMORE. SO THAT'S MAKING IT A LOT HARDER TO KEEP LIKE PROGRESSING MORE. IT'S MAKING IT A LOT HARDER TO MAINTAIN, AND WE NEED HELP. WITH THESE SHELTER AND STUFF, THEY ARE NOT REALLY HELPING US. YES, THERE IS A LOT OF OTHER BENEFITS LIKE THE FEEDINGS AND STUFF, BUT THE THING IS, SOME OF US CAN'T GET TO THEM. WE NEED BETTER TRANSPORTATION FOR IT. I'M SORRY. I'M A BIT NERVOUS. THIS IS MY FIRST TIME HERE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: YOU'RE DOING FINE. >> IT'S LIKE BASICALLY THE STANDARDS WE'RE BEING PUT AT, WE CAN'T MEET. I THINK I BASICALLY SAID WHAT I WANTED TO. I REALLY WANT TO LEAD A COMMITTEE FOR HIGHLAND PINES ITSELF BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE A LOT OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS ARE GETTING TARGETED AND A LOT OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS DO WORK AS I DO. WE'RE ALL REGULAR PEOPLE. WE ALL TRY TO MAINTAIN. BUT A LOT OF THEM -- I KNOW THERE IS A HOMELESS COMMITTEE FOR THE WHOLE CITY, BUT WE NEED ONE SPECIFICALLY FOR HIGHLAND PINES, AND I WOULD LIKE TO BE THE LEADER OF THAT, IF I MAY. THAT'S PRETTY MUCH ALL I GOT TO SAY. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: JANELLE WILL SPEAK TO YOU AFTER. VERY GOOD. DAVID CORONEL FOLLOWED BY MICHELLE. COULD YOU GUYS STEP OUT IN THE LOBBY? >> MY NAME IS DAVID CORNELL. I AM THE SECRETARY OF THE INFORMAL COMMITTEE ON HOMELESSNESS IN HIGHLAND PINES. MAY I ASK -- WE HAVE A PETITION OVER HERE. MAY I ASK THE CLERK OF THE COURT TO MAKE COPIES OF THIS PETITION. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE WON'T MAKE COPIES. YOU CAN HAND IT TO MR. SHELBY. >> ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE NOTES OF THE MEETING THAT WE HAVE FOR EACH COUNCIL MEMBER. ALREADY THESE COPIES ARE FOR EACH COUNCIL MEMBER AND THE LAWYER. OKAY. THE FIRST THING I WOULD LIKE TO DO IS SHOW A LETTER I GOT FROM PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN. AND YOU'LL NOTE THAT I HIGHLIGHTED THAT MAY YOU CONTINUE TO BE THE KEEPER OF THAT FLAME. I JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT. SO WE HEARD MY COLLEAGUE, PRESIDENT IN TRAINING OF THE HIGHLAND PINES ASSOCIATION, I AM THE SECRETARY OF THAT. I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS FIRST INTRODUCED TO THIS COUNCIL BY A GENTLEMAN OF THE NAME AL LUCAS, HIS STEPFATHER WAS BILL EPSERRY, FOUNDED THE JUNIOR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. AL LUCAS, PROLIFIC AUTHOR CARRIED THE FLAME FORWARD AND INTRODUCED MYSELF TO THIS COUNCIL. I AS A BUSINESS OWNER AND VETERAN AND TAMPA BAY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE MEMBER OF HIGHLAND PINES RESIDENTS AS WELL, WAS ENTRUSTED BY FORMER PRESIDENT BIDEN TO BE A KEEPER OF THE FLAME. NOW I'M GLAD THAT THE COUNCIL HAD THE PLEASURE OF MEETING WHOM I HOPE AS WELL WILL BE THE PRESIDENT OF THE HIGHLAND PINES HOMELESS SITUATION -- EXCUSE ME, HOMELESS COMMITTEE. I'M A BIT NERVOUS MYSELF. AND THAT'S BASICALLY ALL I HAVE. I WANT TO THANK THIS COUNCIL FOR LISTENING AND T THANK THE PUBLIC AT LARGE FOR LISTENING. EVERYBODY HAVE A GREAT DAY. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU FOR COMING. MICHELLE, FOLLOWED BY PAMELA CANNELLA. GOOD MORNING, MICHELLE. >> MY NAME IS MICHELLE MASTROTOTARO. I WANT TO KNOW ANSWERS TO WHY THIS IS STILL NOT DONE YET. IT'S ACTUALLY PAID FOR. THEY PAID 3 MILLION AND SOMETHING. THEY SAY THE START DATE, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO STUDIES, NOTHING THEY HAVE DONE IN THAT AREA TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE GOING TO START. I PUT A REQUEST FOR THE RETENTION PONDS, TO CLEAN OUT THE DITCHES. I HAVE TO GO INTO THOSE BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM. THIS IS IN 2024. STILL OPEN. DID ANOTHER ONE FEBRUARY 18 O18.STILL NOTHING. THIS IS WHAT WE'RE DEALING WITH. ALL THIS. WE'RE DEALING WITH ALL THESE BLOCKED PASSAGES. EVERYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE HAS BEEN NEGLECTED FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. AND THE SYSTEM DOESN'T EVEN WORK ON MY ROAD. SO THERE IS A BIG SYSTEM, AND THEN THERE IS A SMALL ONE. THIS IS THE BIG POND. IT DOESN'T EVEN GET TO US THAT POND. I WANT SOME ANSWERS BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT TAPPAN PARK USED TO LOOK LIKE. IT'S NOT LIKE THAT NO MORE. IT'S ACTUALLY DESERT ALMOST LOOKING. IF THEY TRY TO SAY THERE IS NOTHING WRONG, THERE IS A LOT WRONG, BECAUSE NOW IT'S -- THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW. HOW CAN YOU DESTROY SOMETHING? THEY USED TO HAVE CHILDREN PLAYING ON THERE AND NOW LOOK. YOU THINK PEOPLE CAN PLAY ON THAT? THEY REROUTED THE ROAD, AND THAT'S WHY THAT LOOKS LIKE THAT IN 2020 BECAUSE OF THESE APARTMENTS. SO GOING BACK TO THE APARTMENTS -- OH, AND I SPOKE TO BRANDON. HE TOLD ME THAT WHEN THEY DID THE PIPES, THEY DID ALL THE GAS LINES, THEY WERE GOING TO FIX THAT. HE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE THAT GO ON THAT ROAD. FOR YEARS, TAPPAN PARK RESERVES FUNCTIONS AS A NATURAL STORMWATER BASIN. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, MICHELLE. >> JUST PLEASE DO SOMETHING. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU SO MUCH. PAM CANNELLA FOLLOWED BY SURGRET DOSS. GOOD MORNING, PAM. >> MY NAME IS PAM CANNELLA. I'M CONCERNED AS WE APPROACH 2026 RAIN AND HURRICANE SEASON. IT WAS ALL HANDS ON DECK TO CLEAN EXISTING STORMWATER DRAINAGE SYSTEM IN 2024 THROUGH 2025. WELL, ONCE THE FEAR OF HURRICANE SEASON PASSED, IN-HOUSE CREW WENT BACK TO EVENTS AND BARRICADES. NO CITYWIDE CATCH-UP CLEANING OF EXISTING STORMWATER SYSTEM, AND NO FUNDING FOR CONTRACTED HELP TO CATCH UP. IN-HOUSE CREW IS DOING THE BEST THEY CAN, BUT IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TASK. THEY ARE STILL WORKING ON CATCH-UP, AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE POSTED BY THE CITY ON NEXT DOOR. HOW LONG HAS THIS DRAIN BEEN COVERED WITH DIRT AND NOT FUNCTIONING? THIS IS WHY CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE IS IMPORTANT. MY PAL MIRA DITCH WAS CLEANED AND GRATED, EXCAVATED MAY 2025, BUT WITHOUT MAINTENANCE, BANK EROSION, AND CLEANING OF TRASH AND DEBRIS, THE DITCH WILL NOT FUNCTION EFFICIENTLY TO PREVENT FLOODING. MAINTENANCE WAS NEEDED EIGHT MONTHS AFTER THE CLEANING. WORK ORDERS FOR CLEANING OF DRAINAGE SYSTEM, CAVE-INS CAN TAKE ONE YEAR OR LONGER. RESIDENTS EXPECT THEIR WORK ORDER TO BE ADDRESSED IN A REASONABLE TIME. AGAIN, IN-HOUSE CREW CANNOT KEEP UP. SWEEPERS, 32 ROUTES. EACH HAVE THEIR AREAS SWEEPED SIX TO SEVEN TIMES A YEAR. THERE'S ONLY SIX SWEEPERS. MOBILITY SOLUTIONS ARE -- TOO MANY VACUUM TRUCKS OR ADDITIONAL STREET SWEEPER OR ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL. OVER DEVELOPMENT HAS PUT A STRAIN ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, A DOMINO EFFECT THAT HAS CAUSED FLOODING IN NEIGHBORHOODS BECAUSE OF LACK OF MAINTENANCE OF OUR STORMWATER SYSTEM DUE TO NO FUNDING AND NO MANPOWER. AND TOO MANY REPAIRS. THERE IS STORMWATER WORK TO BE DONE ALL OVER SOUTH TAMPA. WE SEE THEM EVERY DAY. BARRICADES AND PAINT MARKING DITCHES, DRAINS, AND CAVE-INS. MY QUESTION IS, WHAT IS BEING DONE BY THE CITY? LET'S GO DOWN TO PALMA CEIA PINES. SHOULD THIS PROPERTY, THIS AREA OF PALMA CEIA PINES SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED FOR PROPER DRAINAGE INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON HOWARD PROJECT THAT WILL NOT ADDRESS FLOODING IN THAT AREA. OUR INFRASTRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE THE CITY OF TAMPA'S FIRST PRIORITY. STOP WASTEFUL SPENDING. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. SURGRESS DOS FOLLOWED BY STEPHEN MICHELINI. SURGRET DOSS. >> GOOD MORNING, CITY OF TAMPA. MY NAME IS SURGRET DOSS. I WANT TO WISH A HAPPY RETURN TO SISTER CONNIE. RAISE MY HAND AS OG BECAUSE MY GENERATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR NOT PASSING DOWN OR MAINTAINING THE STANDARDS SET BY THOSE WHO CAME THROUGH THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WHO PAVED THE WAY FOR SO MANY OF US. THEY GAVE THEIR REAL BLOOD, SWEAT, AND SWEAT EQUITY TO SEE A BETTER COUNTRY, AND WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN THAT COUNTRY YET. WE'RE FOOLING OURSELVES IF WE THINK WE'LL GET IT, ESPECIALLY GIVEN WHAT'S GOING ON ON THE WORLD STAGE TODAY. AND EVEN THE WORLD KNOWS SISTER CONNIE THAT SOMETHING SHOULD BE GIVEN FOR THE STOLEN AFRICANS AND THE BENEFITS THAT WE DID NOT GET TO RECEIVE IN THIS COUNTRY. BUT ANYWAY, SOME PEOPLE ASKED ME, DOSS YOU JUMP ON THEM ALL THE TIME, THEY WANT ME TO TALK ABOUT CHILD SUPPORT. PRETTY DECENT ABOUT. CHILD SUPPORT IS NOT FRAUD. NOT UNCONSTITUTIONAL. PEOPLE OUT THERE WATCHING, GET THAT OUT OF THE WAY. BUT WHAT I DO WANT TO SAY IS TO YOU ALL AND THE REST OF THE WORLD LISTENING THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY PROCEDURAL ERRORS, OTHER VIOLATIONS THAT MAY LEAD ONE TO FIND THAT THERE IS A CONSTITUTIONAL VIOLATION THAT'S TAKING PLACE. OF COURSE, I'M NOT GIVING ANY LEGAL ADVICE. I'M TALKING ABOUT WHY WE DON'T HAVE HEARING OFFICERS AND JUDGES THAT DO THEIR DAMN JOB. SOMETIMES THE LAW IS NOT THAT COMPLICATED. YOU CAN READ, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT. AND WE DO KNOW I'VE HAD SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE EVEN THE BAR ASSOCIATION HATES THE FACT THAT I TEACH PEOPLE WHO CAN'T READ HOW TO READ. YOU NEED TO FIND COALITIONS OF PEOPLE WHO THINK LIKE YOU, WILLING TO STAND UP AND NOT BE SOME OF THE GATEKEEPERS WHO MANY HAVE NO RACIAL INTEGRITY AS WELL, BUT WHO CHARGE PEOPLE TO DO THINGS THAT THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO DO. UNTIL YOU STAND UP TO THE PEOPLE WHO I'M LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW, YOU ALL NOT REALLY A PART OF THE CHAIN OF PROBLEMS THAT I HAVE, BUT UNTIL YOU STAND UP TO THE PEOPLE THAT YOU ELECT, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET ANY RESULTS. NO WAR, NO FREEDOM HAS EVER BEEN WON WAVING PEOPLE, BARBERSHOP BITCHING ALL THE TIME. UNTIL YOU MAKE YOUR PRESENCE KNOWN AND STAND UP FOR YOURSELF, PEOPLE WILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOU AND TURN A BLIND EYE TO OTHERS WHO ARE NOT DOING THEIR JOB AND TAKING ADVANTAGE. I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DIDN'T SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE FACT THAT I WANT PEOPLE -- THOSE BULLETS ARE REAL. WE ARE ABOUT TO WALK INTO A SITUATION THAT WE JUST CANNOT WIN, WE'VE NEVER WON ANYTHING ON FOREIGN SOIL ON OUR OWN. YOU CAN SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO ABOUT WORLD WAR II. THAT WASN'T US, MORE RUSSIA. YOU CANNOT DEFEAT IN IDEOLOGY. IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN. THAT BEING SAID, SHOUT-OUT TO THE GREATEST INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING IN THE CITY OF TAMPA, UNIVERSITY OF THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. MR. MICHELINI, FOLLOWED BY LUCY. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. STEVE MICHELINI. HEARD A LOT ABOUT STORMWATER AND HOW TO TREAT STORMWATER. I HAVE SEVERAL SUGGESTIONS FOR THE COUNCIL TO CONSIDER. ONE IS TO INCREASE THE FINES TO THE MAXIMUM ALLOWED BY LAW FOR DUMPING TRASH, DEBRIS OR YARD WASTE IN DITCHES, CANALS, WATERWAYS, DRAINAGE PIPES, OR CULVERTS. GO AHEAD AND TAKE THAT, MAKE IT A MAXIMUM FINE. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME. REQUIRE PERVIOUS CONCRETE OR SIMILAR PRODUCTS FOR SIDEWALKS AND DRIVEWAYS. STOP PUTTING DOWN HARD CONCRETE THAT DOESN'T BREATHE AND DOESN'T PERCOLATE. REVISE TRANSPORTATION STANDARDS TO ALLOW PERVIOUS OPTIONS LIKE GRAVEL INSTEAD OF PAVED PARKING SPACES AND DRIVEWAYS. EVERY TIME YOU DO THAT, YOU INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF STORMWATER REQUIRED. REQUIRE SURVEYS AND CONFIRMATIONS REGARDING CITY PROJECTS FOR STREET CONSTRUCTION TO ENSURE THAT DRAINAGE FLOWS IN THE CORRECT DIRECTION FOR THE STREETS THAT THEY ARE PAVING AND THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE. CONSIDER USING PERVIOUS MATERIALS FOR ALL ROADWAYS INSTEAD OF CONTINUING TO PAVE THINGS. BRICK STREETS BREATHE, AND THEY USED TO PERCOLATE. AND THAT SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED TO HOLD WATER AND PREVENT IT FROM GOING INTO HOUSES. NOW WHEN YOU START ELIMINATING THE BRICK STREETS AND YOU ELIMINATE PERVIOUS CONCRETE, YOU HAVE ONLY INCREASED THE PROBLEM. YOU DON'T RELY ON GRAVITY FOR WATER DELIVERY SYSTEMS, SO WHY RELY ON GRAVITY TO EVACUATE STORMWATER? THERE IS AN OBJECTION TO USING PUMPS. THEY SHOULD BE PART OF THE NORMAL PROCESS AND NOT AN EXCEPTION. STREETS AND ROADWAYS ARE DESIGNED TO HANDLE STORMWATER PREVIOUSLY AND KEEP IT FROM GOING INTO PROPERTIES. REINSTITUTE THAT. INFORMATION THAT YOU RECEIVED A VIDEO AND SOME -- AND A SLIDE SHOW. ALL OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THERE WAS FROM APPLICATIONS THAT THE CITY OF TAMPA APPLIED FOR FROM EITHER THE STATE OR S.W.F.W.M.D., NOTHING IN THERE WAS MADE UP. IT'S FACTUAL. IT WAS FACT BASED AND DOUBLE CHECKED. STORMWATER PIPES WITH PUMPS, THEY WORK. IF YOU USE PUMPS, YOU INCREASE THE CAPACITY. DON'T COME UP HERE AND KEEP TELLING EVERYBODY THAT THE STORMWATER SYSTEM WON'T WORK UNLESS YOU PUT IN A MASSIVE SYSTEM. A MASSIVE SYSTEM WILL WORK WITH PUMPS. THE ORIGINAL JMT REPORT CALLED FOR IT. THE CITY SKIPPED RIGHT OVER IT AND SAID, OH, WE DON'T WANT TO DO THAT. IT REQUIRES MAINTENANCE. YOU EITHER PAY FOR THE MAINTENANCE OR YOU PAY FOR THE DAMAGE. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, MR. MICHELINI. LUCY JAMES FOLLOWED BY ROBERT JAMES. >> CAN WE CHANGE THE ORDER? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: SURE CAN. ROBERT JAMES FOLLOWED BY LUCY JAMES. START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> HI. I'M ROBERT JAMES. THANK YOU. I WANT TO GIVE YOU A FOLLOW-UP AND LET YOU KNOW WHERE WE ARE AT. MAKING GREAT PROGRESS, PARTNERSHIP, IF YOU REMEMBER URGENCE. URGENCE IS URGENT. I REALLY THANK BRANDON CAMPBELL AND THE MOBILITY DEPARTMENT. DONE A DILIGENT JOB OF LOOKING AT THE TECHNOLOGY. I BELIEVE WE ADDRESSED ALL HIS MAJOR CONCERNS. WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH HIM. I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOU GUYS SIGN ON WITH US AND WHOEVER WANTS TO GIVE ME A CALL, WE CAN HELP COORDINATE AND BE A CHAMPION WITH THAT. WE'VE GOTTEN GREAT SUPPORT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. COMMISSIONER CEPEDA HAS BEEN GREAT AT GIVING US CONTACTS IN THE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. MEETINGS WITH PUBLIC WORKS FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. HART, WE HAD A GREAT MEETING WITH HART. I'LL TALK ABOUT TECO, GREAT HOW WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TECO RIGHT NOW. WE ACTUALLY PRESENTED A PROPOSAL TO TECO. THEY ARE GOING TO SAVE 10 TO 15 MILLION A YEAR BY IMPLEMENTING THIS TECHNOLOGY. SO WE HAVE A JOINT PARTNERSHIP, I THINK WE'LL BE ABLE TO JOIN TOGETHER IN THE PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER WITH THE CITY. TO GIVE YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION ON THE HART MEETING WE HAD, WE SHOWED THEM ADDITIONAL SAVINGS THAT WE HADN'T IDENTIFIED BEFORE AND COST SAVINGS FOR THEIR OPERATIONS AND BEING ABLE TO IMPLEMENT. I HAVE A TRANSIT BACKGROUND. I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH AND HOW THEY ARE DEALING WITH THAT. SO I WAS ABLE TO IDENTIFY ALL THESE AREAS TO BENEFIT THEM. A NEW ITEM THAT WE HADN'T TALKED ABOUT BEFORE IS I DID A DETAILED ANALYSIS, AND THAT IS THE OTHER REPORT THAT YOU HAVE, SHOWING THE DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE BENEFITS OF TAMPA FIRE AND RESCUE. HUGE, ADDITIONAL LIFE-SAVINGS IN WHAT WE PROJECTED FOR, EXTRA 50 TO 100 PER YEAR OF WHAT WE PROJECTED BEFORE. WE ALSO HAVE FASTER RESPONSE TIMES AS REALLY THE CAUSE. I THINK LUCY WILL TALK TO THAT. ALSO IDENTIFIED ADDITIONAL 5 TO 11 MILLION IN SAVINGS ON TOP OF 12 TO 18 WE IDENTIFIED PREVIOUSLY FOR THE CITY TO SAVE, USING THE TYPE OF OPERATIONS. IT REALLY COMES FROM A LOT OF DIFFERENT AREAS. REALLY, RESPONSE TIMES, BEING ABLE TO KNOW WHERE THE HYDRANTS ARE, WHERE THE SHUTOFF VALVES ARE. I TALKED TO FIREMEN. THEY SAY THIS WILL BE PIVOTAL IN BEING ABLE TO LOCATE THE DEVICES IN THE FIELD AND GET THEM TO THE SAME CLICKER, EVERY SECOND SAVES LIVES. LIKE I SAID, URGENT IS URGENT. WE NEED TO START GETTING THIS THROUGH TO SAVE LIVES AND SAVING MONEY. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. LUCY. FOLLOWED BY ROBIN LOCKETT. >> HI. MY NAME IS LUCY JAMES. I'M HERE JUST TO ENFORCE THAT I'M AN EMT BACK IN MY YOUNG AGE. WHEN THIS INNOVATION CAME, I'M REALLY SUPPORTIVE BECAUSE IN THE CASE OF EMERGENCY, IT IS CRUCIAL TO HAVE ONE SECOND WE CAN SAVE A LIFE. MINUTES CAN SAVE A LIFE. SOMETIMES WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO GET IT TO THE PLACE BECAUSE THE ROADS, BECAUSE THE OBSTRUCTIONS AND STUFF LIKE THAT. WITH THIS TECHNOLOGY, WE COULD BE ABLE TO AVOID THAT AND GET THERE QUICKLY AND SAVE A LIFE. IN THIS EMERGENCY, LIKE CARDIAC ARREST, OH, I'M GOING TO PUMP A LITTLE BIT AND THEN WAIT AND THEN WAIT FOR THE EMT COME AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SOMETIMES WE DON'T HAVE TIME TO GET THERE AND EXECUTE OUR JOB. ACCIDENTS. STOPS IN THE ROADS THAT WE CANNOT GET OVER THERE. WITH THIS DEVICE, WE CAN FIND ANOTHER ROUTE TO GET OVER THERE, BECAUSE SOMETIMES GPS. STROKES FIRES. I HAVE EPISODE OF FIRE WHERE ALL THE EPISODES IS VERY FAMILIAR IN MY CASE BACK, WHAT I SAID AND WORKED. YEAH, IT'S VERY, VERY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS ARE FAMILIAR, SEE THE FIRE IN THE HOUSE, IT GO VERY QUICKLY WITH. EVERYTHING TURN BIG MESS IF YOU ARE NOT THERE IN VERY, VERY, THAT TIME. LIKE ONE SECOND MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE, YOU KNOW, TO THE EMERGENCY. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT I'M LISTENING TO THE RIGHT THINGS. LOOKED TO ME LIKE YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT MAY BE WONDERFUL. BUT THAT'S GOT TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF BIDDING IT OUT AND SO FORTH AND SO ON. I'M NOT DEBATING. JUST MAKING A STATEMENT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ADMINISTRATION FUNCTION JUST SO YOU KNOW. ROBIN LOCKETT FOLLOWED BY ASHLEY MORROW AND THAT WILL BE OUR LAST SPEAKER. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. ROBIN LOCKETT. FIRST, I WANT TO SAY THAT IT IS SUCH A JOY TO SEE THE COMMUNITY COME OUT AND ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES. YOU HAVE A HOMELESS PERSON THAT'S COMING OUT. IF I MISUNDERSTOOD, I APOLOGIZE. BUT THAT'S THE ASSUMPTION. BUT HE'S ADVOCATING FOR HIMSELF, RIGHT? HOW DO WE HAVE ALL OF THESE COALITIONS AND COMMUNITY BOARDS AND WE DON'T HAVE PEOPLE THAT'S REALLY IMPACTED ON THE BOARD TO TELL PEOPLE THAT'S MAKING DECISIONS ON HOW THINGS WILL BE BETTER FOR THEM. I APPLAUD THE YOUNG MAN FOR BEING BRAVE ENOUGH TO COME OUT AND ADVOCATE FOR HIMSELF AND KUDOS TO COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG. HE'S IN YOUR DISTRICT. I SPOKE WITH DARLENE, AND SHE INDICATED, HEY, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH HIM. TO GET HIM TO COME OUT AND DO THAT, THAT'S FANTASTIC. APPLAUSE TO YOU. ITEM NUMBER 81. SO I STAND WITH THE HILLSBOROUGH AFFORDABLE ENERGY COALITION. WE'RE A PART OF THAT. I THINK THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE CITY OF TAMPA TO STAND WITH THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT THE TECO BILL IS HIGH. UNLESS YOU ARE IN A DIFFERENT ZIP CODE AND GIVING YOU ALL DIFFERENT PRIVILEGES. RIGHT? THERE IS LACK OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING STILL. WAGES ARE NOT INCREASING. THERE IS STILL A HOUSING CRISIS HERE IN TAMPA. THINGS ARE STILL NOT ABLE TO MAKE A DECISION -- THEY ARE ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL AND THEIR RENT IS STILL GOING UP. I HAVE MADISON HIGHLAND, MY OLD FAVORITE APARTMENT COMPLEX, THEIR LANDLORD IS RAISING THEIR RENT TWICE A YEAR AND THIS IS ON A FIXED INCOME. A FIXED INCOME. AND THIS IS A PROJECT THAT THE CITY WAS A PART OF, GIVING THEM -- THEY RECEIVED SOMETHING FROM THE CITY. BUT AGAIN, THEIR RATES ARE STILL BEING RAISED. I STAND WITH THE COALITION IN REGARDS TO CREATING A RESOLUTION, HAVING TO ASK, RIGHT, THAT TECO DOES SOMETHING WITH THE RATES OR THAT THE STATE RIGHTS OF LAW, DO SOMETHING, BECAUSE SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE. WHAT A WONDERFUL WAY THAT WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT THE CITY HAS LIMITED ABILITY, BUT, AGAIN, STANDING WITH THE COMMUNITY TO DO THAT PART WOULD BE FANTASTIC. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, ROBIN. ASHLEY. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ASHLEY MORROW. I WILL BE SHARING TAMPA'S BLACK HISTORY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. SORRY FOR MY TARDINESS. I WANT TO START WITH THE BLACK MILITIA AGAIN. I'LL KEEP BRINGING THIS BACK UP. BECAUSE WE ARE STILL IN THE 1870s. SUGAR THIS TIME, GROUP OF 92, 94 BLACK MEN WERE HERE IN TAMPA DEFENDING AND PROTECTING THE BLACK COMMUNITY. AND THESE ARE THEIR NAMES HERE. DURING THE 1870s, WE HAD THIS THING GOING ON CALLED HOMESTEADING WHERE PEOPLE OF ANY COLOR, IF THEY DID NOT BEAR ARMS AGAINST THE U.S., WERE ABLE TO CLAIM LAND IN THIS AREA. HERE IS WHERE WE ARE. WE ARE IN THIS LITTLE RED BOX. THIS WAS THE FORT BROOKE MILITARY RESERVATION. BLACK OWNED. THE BOTTOM HALF OF THIS WAS WITH BLACK OWNED BY FORTUNE TAYLOR, SIGH RES CHARLES, THOMAS JACKSON. THIS WAS A WHITE MAN BUT THIS IS WHERE THE SCRUB, ENCORE 6. THEN WE HAD PEOPLE THAT SQUATTED IN THE AREA. WHEN THEY SQUAT, THEY LIVE THERE, KIND OF TOOK CLAIM OF IT. TAMPA CAME IN AND SAID, NO, YOU ALL NEED TO MOVE. TWO BLACK MEN HOMESTEADED. ANDREW STILLINGS AND JULIA CESAR. I'LL SHOW YOU THEIR DOCUMENTS IN A SECOND. THAT LITTLE RED SQUARE IS THIS. WHAT YOU SEE HERE, THAT'S OAKLAWN UP AT THE TOP. OBVIOUSLY, THERE WERE NOT SKY RISES. LITTLE HOMES. LITTLE VILLAGE. BUT YOU HAD BLACK PEOPLE HOMESTEADING LAND ON THE OUTSKIRTS LIKE JOHN MATTHEWS WHO HOMESTEADED THE AREA NEAR WHERE ARMATURE WORKS IS. RICHARD HAMILTON, WHICH HOMESTEADED THE AREA, NORTH OF WHERE ARMATURE WORKS IS. THOMAS JACKSON, WHICH OWNED THE LAND JUST ABOVE OAKLAWN CEMETERY. FORTUNE TAYLOR. SHE OWNED THE LAND WHERE THE BARRY MORE HOTEL IS CURRENTLY. HERE ARE JUST SOME BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS FORTUNE TAYLOR HAD WHERE SHE SOLD TO THE MAYOR CLARK FOR $200, AND THEN YOU HAVE HER SELLING TO JACKSON, SELLING TO E.A. CLARK AGAIN. SELLING TO JOHN P.D. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT SAYS. THEN YOU HAVE HER SELLING TO SOMEONE ELSE AS WELL. JULIUS CAESAR, HE OWNED LAND IN THE CHANNELSIDE AREA. HE HOMESTEADED AN AREA OVER IN THE GARRISON, FORT BROOKE MILITARY RESERVATION. FINALLY, THIS IS A WHITE MAN, BUT THIS IS WHERE THE SCRUB WAS LOCATED. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: REMEMBER BACK THEN, THAT WASN'T A VERY PLEASANT PLACE TO LIVE. THERE WERE A LOT OF MOSQUITOES. >> IT WAS NOT NUANCED. WATERFRONT IS VERY VALUABLE NOW. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: IT IS, IT IS, IT IS. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE. WE ARE NOW MOVING ON TO ITEM NUMBER 3, A RESOLUTION APPROVING, CONSENTING TO, AND CONFIRMING THE APPOINTMENT BY THE MAYOR OF ANSLEY B BLACKWELLO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATIONIST. ANSLEY, ARE YOU IN THE AUDIENCE? HEARING NONE, MOTION TO MOVE ITEM 3. MOTION FROM MANISCALCO, SECOND FROM VIERA. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. SHE IS APPOINTED. ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC HERE FOR RECONSIDERATION OF LEGISLATIVE MATTERS? HEARING NONE, ON TO OUR CONN. CONSENT AGENDA. COUNCILMAN VIERA, MOVE ITEMS 4 THROUGH 8. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I WAS GOING TO ASK THE COUNCIL, WE HAVE A 10:00. 62, 63, 64, IF WE CAN TAKE THEM. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: LET'S MOVE THROUGH THE CONSENT AGENDA AND WE'LL BE THERE. >>LUIS VIERA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I MOVE ITEMS 4 THROUGH 8. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG, WOULD YOU MOVE 9 THROUGH 23. >>NAYA YOUNG: I MOVE ITEMS 9 THROUGH 23. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. AYES HAVE IT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I MOVE ITEMS 24 THROUGH 36. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. COUNCILMAN MIRANDA, WOULD YOU MOVE ITEMS 37 THROUGH 41. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: 37 THROUGH 41. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. COUNCILMAN CARLSON, 42 THROUGH 54. >>BILL CARLSON: I'M GOING TO VOTE AGAINST 54. I MOVE 42 THROUGH 53. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN CARLSON TO MOVE 42 THROUGH 53. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT. COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG, WOULD YOU MOVE ITEM NUMBER 54? >>NAYA YOUNG: I MOVE ITEM 54. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG, SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? >>BILL CARLSON: NAY. >>THE CLERK: MOTION CARRIED CARLSON VOTING NO AND HURTAK ABSENT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: I MOVE ITEMS 55 THROUGH 61. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO MOVING ITEMS 55 THROUGH 61. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. MOTION TO MOVE 69 THROUGH 77. MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? THE AYES HAVE IT. THAT WAS THROUGH 77. CAN I GET A MOTION TO OPEN THE 10:00 PUBLIC HEARINGS? >>BILL CARLSON: [INAUDIBLE] MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: 73 AND 74 YOU SAID? >>BILL CARLSON: YEAH. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE HAVE A MOTION TO RECONSIDER 73 AND 74 FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. HE VOTED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YOU WANT TO -- >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I NEED TO MOVE 73 AND 74. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: MOVE 73 AND 74 WITH THE CAVEAT THAT STARTED WAY BACK, MAYOR POE'S ADMINISTRATION IN '74 THROUGH '79. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? >>BILL CARLSON: NAY CLARK CLARK MOTION CARRIED WITH CARLSON VOTING NO AND HURTAK BEING ABSENT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, CLERK. MOTION TO OPEN THE 10:00 PUBLIC HEARINGS. MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. AYES HAVE IT. 10:00 PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE OPEN. NON-QUASI-JUDICIAL. ITEM 62, I WAS ABSENT AT THE FIRST VOTE, BUT I HAVE REVIEWED THE HEARING AND I AM READY TO VOTE. ITEM NUMBER 62. >>MORRIS MASSEY: MORRIS MASSEY, LEGAL DEPARTMENT. THIS IS AN AMENDMENT TO AN EXISTING ORDINANCE REGARDING THE LEGAL DEFENSE OF CITY OR PUBLIC OFFICIALS. IT'S CLARIFYING THAT IT INCLUDES YOU ALL ACTING IN YOUR CAPACITY AS CRA BOARD MEMBERS. I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING, SO YOU SHOULD TAKE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT AS WELL. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: NONE AT ALL. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: VERY GOOD. ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC WHO WISHES TO SPEAK TO ITEM 62? >> GOOD MORNING, STEPHANIE POYNOR. I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT THAT POSTER CHILDREN FOR THIS ARE COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER AND COUNCILMAN GUDES. YES, THE CRA SHOULD BE COVERED AS PART OF THE REQUEST FOR SERVICES SO WE DON'T HAVE TO SHUT DOWN CRA MEETINGS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ACTING SILLY. BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT -- I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT ALL OF YOU SHOULD FEEL COVERED UP THERE. IT SHOULD NEVER, EVER COST YOU YOUR RETIREMENT MONEY IN ORDER TO DO YOUR JOB ON COUNCIL. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST. COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER WAS ACCUSED OF SPEAKING TO ME -- TO ME ON EX PARTE COMMUNICATION. IT NEVER HAPPENED. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU THAT. YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE NOBODY EVER ASKED ME. JEAN STROHMEYER. JEAN SAID IT DIDN'T HAPPEN TO HER EITHER. I DON'T KNOW WHO THE HELL IT HAPPENED TO. COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER HAD TO SPEND ABOUT $75,000 OF HIS OWN PERSONAL MONEY TO DEFEND HIMSELF FROM THE NONSENSE. THE CITY OF TAMPA SHOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK? MOTION TO CLOSE FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. COUNCILMAN CARLSON, WOULD YOU READ ITEM 62. >>BILL CARLSON: MOVE ITEM 62, FILE E2026-8, CHAPTER 2, AN ORDINANCE BEING PRESENTED FOR SECOND READING AND ADOPTION, AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF TAMPA, FLORIDA, AMENDING SECTION 2-234 OF THE CITY OF TAMPA CODE ENTITLED "REPRESENTATION AND REIMBURSEMENT IN THE DEFENSE OF ELECTED OFFICIALS" TO INCLUDE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS ACTING IN THEIR CAPACITY AS COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD MEMBERS IN THE DEFINITION OF ELECTED OFFICIALS, PROVIDING FOR POSSIBLE REIMBURSEMENT TO THE CITY BY THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY FOR LEGAL FEES AND COSTS INCURRED BY THE CITY IN REPRESENTING COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BOARD MEMBERS, REPEALING ALL ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT THEREWITH, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: BEFORE I GET A SECOND ON THAT, ATTORNEY BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, MR. MICHELINI, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM? 62, CRA FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CLEAN ON THAT. MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN CARLSON. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. ROLL CALL, PLEASE. >>THE CLERK: MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY WITH HURTAK BEING ABSENT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. ITEM NUMBER 63. >> EMMA GREGORY, LEGAL DEPARTMENT. THIS IS A PRESENTATION OF A SECOND READING ON AN ORDINANCE THAT WAS REQUESTED BY CITY COUNCIL MOTION TO REMOVE SECTION 22-103-C-1 FROM THE CODE. THIS IS A SECTION THAT ALLOWS APPLICANTS WHO ARE REDEVELOPING OR CONSTRUCTING A NEW STRUCTURE TO APPLY TO PAY THE SIDEWALK IN LIEU FEE INSTEAD OF CONSTRUCTING A SIDEWALK WHEN IT IS UNLIKELY IN THE FUTURE THAT THAT SIDEWALK WOULD CONNECT TO ANOTHER PIECE OF SIDEWALK. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. VERY GOOD. COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: SO WE RECEIVED A LOT OF E-MAILS ABOUT THIS, SPECIFICALLY CULBREATH BAYOU IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WHY IT'S DISTINCT AND UNIQUE AS IT WAS DESIGNED ORIGINALLY TO NOT HAVE THE SIDEWALKS BECAUSE THAT'S HOW IT WAS MEANT TO BE. I SUPPORT THIS BUT REMOVING OR EXEMPTING THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. I KNOW WE RECEIVED A MEMO, FROM FIRST TO SECOND READING, WE CAN'T CHANGE THAT, BUT IF WE WERE TO TAKE THIS BACK TO FIRST READING, MAKE THE MODIFICATIONS, BASICALLY, AS COUNCILMAN CARLSON MENTIONED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING, DELAY IT A FEW WEEKS TO TAKE OUT THAT SECTION, AND PUTTING IT BACK TO FIRST READING FOR CLARITY BECAUSE OF LEGAL REASONS, CAN WE DO THAT TODAY? >> CERTAINLY COUNCIL'S PLEASURE TO TAKE THIS BACK TO FIRST READING. ONLY THING I WOULD SAY, IF THERE IS A RENEWED MOTION ABOUT THE FEASIBILITY OF EXCLUDING CULBREATH BAYOU IN GENERAL, NOT JUST BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING, THE CITY NEEDS A RATIONAL BASIS TO REGULATE. I THINK BASED ON WHAT HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN SUBMITTED, IF YOU LOOK AT THE PLATS, 50 FEET OF RIGHT-OF-WAY DEDICATED WITH NOTHING IN THE PLAT DESCRIPTIONS THAT I REVIEWED SAYING IT'S ONLY FOR THESE SPECIFIC USES, BUT CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DISCUSS MORE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN VIERA. >>LUIS VIERA: YES, SIR, SINCE COUNCILMAN CARLSON SPOKE ABOUT THIS, I DIDN'T WANT TO SPEAK BEFORE YOU, IF YOU WANTED TO GO FIRST. DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK ON IT FIRST? I WAS GOING TO SAY I AGREE WITH COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO AND I AGREE WITH WHAT COUNCILMAN CARLSON IN HIS DISTRICT HAS SAID. IF WE CAN EXCLUDE THIS COMMUNITY FROM IT, STRONGLY SUPPORT THAT, ESPECIALLY TALKING TO THE FOLKS THERE, THIS IS A COMMUNITY DEVASTATED IN THE STORMS OF 2024. AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN WELL FORMULATED OPINIONS FROM THEIR EXPERIENCES, UNIQUE NATURE AND CHARACTER OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. I DO SUPPORT PUTTING THE BRAKES ON THIS JUST FOR A LITTLE BIT TO SEE IF WE CAN CARVE THAT OUT. FINDING A RATIONAL BASIS FOR THAT, I'M SURE WE CAN MAYBE SOME OF THE THINGS I JUST TALKED ABOUT. BUT I DO SUPPORT THAT. AGAIN, I SUPPORT LIKE COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO SAID, THIS ORDINANCE, I THINK IT IS A GREAT THING FOR TAMPA, GOING TO MOVE US FORWARD, BUT WE SHOULD MAKE THAT COMMITMENT FOR THAT COMMUNITY GIVEN WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH, GIVEN THEIR STATED HISTORY AND VERY WELL FORMULATED, WELL FORMED, WELL SUPPORTED PREFERENCE FOR THAT. SO I DO SUPPORT THAT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN CARLSON, DO YOU WANT ME TO GO TO MIRANDA AND THEN CLOSE IT OUT? >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. CHAIRMAN. I HAVE DIFFERENT REASONS. WHEN WE DID THE PIPES PROGRAM, BIG PROGRAM THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SIDEWALKS. BUT IT IS A CITY PROGRAM AND TAKES 22 YEARS TO DO THAT ONE. WE HAVE NO PLAN -- AND IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT. YOU ARE THE ATTORNEY DOING THE LEGAL STUFF. WHAT PROGRAM DO WE HAVE THAT WE'LL GUARANTEE THAT THE SIDEWALKS, A, WILL BE BUILT AND HOW THEY ARE GOING TO BUILD, HALF HERE, ONE OVER THERE, ONE PERSON HAS A SIDEWALK, GO TWO BLOCKS TO FIND ANOTHER ONE? WHEN IS THE CONNECTIVITY GOING TO HAPPEN BY THE CITY? WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE THINGS, THESE ARE CITY PROPERTIES. THEY ARE NOT INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES. A RIGHT-OF-WAY BELONGS TO THE CITY, AM I CORRECT? >>EMMA GREGORY: UM-HUM. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: CAN I BUILD A RIGHT-OF-WAY MY GARAGE? THE ANSWER IS NO. YET YOU TELL US, NOT YOU, THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT IS TELLING US THAT WE HAVE TO BUILD A SIDEWALK, AND IF YOU DON'T WANT THE SIDEWALK, YOU HAVE TO PAY IN LIEU FEE TO SOMEBODY ELSE TO BUILD THE SIDEWALK, DOESN'T MAKE SENSE, IN MY MIND. SIDEWALKS, ONE ON ARMENIA BETWEEN COLUMBUS AND AZEELE I MEAN AILEEN, RIGHT NEXT TO A BRAND-NEW HOME INDIVIDUAL BOUGHT, I DON'T KNOW WHY HE BUILT RIGHT THERE, BUT HE DID. HIS RIGHT. BEAUTIFUL HOME AND HAS A SIDEWALK. NO SIDEWALK BEFORE IT AND AFTER IT, FROM THERE TO ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL. YOU KNOW WHAT, THERE IS AN OAK TREE AT THE END. SO THE SIDEWALK GOES TO THE TREE, MAKES A LEFT-HAND TURN AND DROPS THE CITIZEN INTO THE MIDDLE OF MacDILL AVENUE. YOU DID NOT WRITE THAT. I DIDN'T WRITE THAT, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE LAW SAYS. AM I GOING TO DROP A PERSON IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET OFF A SIDEWALK? IT TURNS LEFT, NOT ANGLE -- >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN MIRANDA, REMEMBER, THIS IS A PUBLIC HEARING. WE'RE IN A PUBLIC HEARING. IT HASN'T BEEN CLOSED YET FOR PONTIFICATION. THIS IS Q & A TIME. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I'M TALKING LIKE A PUBLIC HEARING. THE PUBLIC IS RIGHT THERE. THAT'S WHY THEY ARE HEARING ME. I'LL STOP THERE, BUT SO MANY REASONS THAT THERE'S NO PLAN FOR THE CITY TO TELL THE CITIZENS, WHY DON'T WE HAVE A TAX ON IT AND THEN EVERYBODY CAN HAVE A SIDEWALK, SEE WHAT HAPPENS. DOESN'T DO THAT WAY. NOW YOU'RE GOING TO CHARGE THE CITIZEN, AFFORDABLE HOUSING DOES NOT EXIST. WHEN YOU LOOK AT 60-FOOT LOT, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, PAYING ADDITIONAL $12,000 TO HAVE A SIDEWALK. MY WHOLE HOUSE COST $12,000. 12,600. SOMEBODY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, $12,000 FEE FOR HAVING AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUILT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME DO THAT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCILMAN CARLSON, YOU HAVE A MOTION? >>BILL CARLSON: CAN I MAKE A COMMENT TOO? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MAKE IT BRIEF. >>BILL CARLSON: WE GOT A LOT OF E-MAILS EXPLAINING TO US WHY WE SHOULD BE IN FAVOR OF SIDEWALKS. I THINK MOST OR ALL OF US KNOW THAT. THAT'S WHY THIS IS ON THE AGENDA. WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THIS PASSED FOR SEVERAL YEARS. AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH WALK BIKE TAMPA, SIDEWALK STOMPERS AND OTHERS, AND WE'VE HIT A LOT OF OBSTACLES OVER THE YEARS. THE REMAINING OBSTACLE THAT WAS UNEXPECTED WAS THAT THIS ONE NEIGHBORHOOD CAME BACK AND SAID, HEY, THIS IS GOING TO BE A HUGE BURDEN ON US. I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM, I THINK MAYBE OTHERS HAVE AS WELL, WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT, TRYING TO FIGURE THIS OUT. THE ULTIMATE THING IS THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT SAID WE CAN'T PUT ANY KIND OF EXCLUSION IN AT SECOND READING, WE HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK TO FIRST READING. SIMILAR TO WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER VIERA SAID, THIS NEIGHBORHOOD WAS ONE OF THE WORST HIT. I DROVE THROUGH THERE IN THE DAYS AFTER THE STORMS, AND THEY WERE HIT BY SIX OR EIGHT FEET OF STORM SURGE. IT WIPED OUT MORE THAN HALF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, I THINK, AND IN THE DAYS AFTER, THERE WAS FURNITURE, CHAIRS, ALL KINDS OF THINGS ON THE STREETS. IT WAS A TERRIBLY RAVAGED NEIGHBORHOOD. THEY ARE JUST STARTING TO RECOVER. THIS WOULD BE A PARTICULAR BURDEN TO THEM NOW. WE ALSO HAVE SEPARATELY THE ISSUE OF GRANDFATHERING PEOPLE IN WHO WERE HIT BY THE STORMS. WE HAVE TO COME BACK TO THAT AT SOME POINT AS WELL ON THE FEE. ANYWAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE MOTION IS, BUT I WOULD MAKE A MOTION TO BRING THIS BACK TO FIRST READING AND ASK LEGAL TO WORK WITH THAT NEIGHBORHOOD TO FIGURE OUT SOME LANGUAGE TO ADD IN. CULBREATH BAYOU NEIGHBORHOOD. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: EMMA, CAN YOU HELP US WITH THAT? WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM COUNCIL TO BRING THIS BACK -- >>BILL CARLSON: SHE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THIS ALREADY. I'LL GIVE HER CREDIT FOR THAT. AS THE CITY ATTORNEY, I THINK THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS SOME PROPOSALS THAT COULD GO THROUGH BUT WE NEED MORE TIME TO WORK ON IT AND CAN'T ADD ANYTHING UNTIL FIRST READING. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: DO YOU NEED A SPECIFIC DATE OR SAY TO FIRST READING AND THEN YOU SCHEDULE IT? >>EMMA GREGORY: IT'S REALLY UP TO YOU ALL. I'M -- I DON'T HAVE A CLEAR IDEA OF HOW MUCH TIME. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: IN OTHER WORDS, THE COUNCIL, IT APPEARS AS THOUGH AT LEAST FOUR PEOPLE ON COUNCIL THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD EXCLUDED. I UNDERSTAND YOUR CONCERNS. HOW LONG WOULD YOU NEED TO WORK ON THE LEGAL LANGUAGE TO BRING THIS BACK TO FIRST READING AND COME BACK BEFORE COUNCIL WITH THAT EXCLUSION? >>EMMA GREGORY: I WOULD ASK AT LEAST MAY. ONE OF THE MEETINGS IN MAY. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: CAN SOMEBODY LOOK AT THE AGENDA IN MAY AND SEE WHAT WE HAVE? MR. SHELBY, YOU HAD SOMETHING. MAY 7 OR THE 21st. MAY 7 LOOKS GOOD. >>MARTIN SHELBY: BASICALLY, COUNCIL, IT'S JUST YOU HAVE TO ALLOW THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE IS, IN FACT, A FACTUAL PREDICATE UPON WHICH YOU CAN ACT. YOU MAY WANT TO DO SOMETHING, BUT LEGALLY, I'M HEARING FROM THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT THAT YOU ARE PREVENTED ABSENT CERTAIN FINDINGS THAT NEED TO BE WITHIN FINDINGS OF FACT MADE BY YOU AND PLACED INTO THE ORDINANCE WHICH HAVE TO FIRST BE RESEARCHED AND CREATED. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE'LL ENJOY THAT PRESENTATION ON MAY 7, IF THAT MOTION IS MOVED. COUNCILMAN CARLSON, YOU'RE REQUESTING THIS ITEM -- WE HAVE TO TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT BEFORE WE TAKE A VOTE. MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THIS BUSINESS SO PEOPLE UNDERSTOOD WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU'RE GOING TO REQUEST TO MOVE FILE 2026-8, CHAPTER 22 TO MAY 7 FOR FIRST READING. >>BILL CARLSON: YES. AND ASK THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT TO WORK WITH US AND CULBREATH BAYOU TO TRY TO FIND SOME LANGUAGE TO ALLOW THEM TO BE EXEMPTED. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. WE'RE NOT GOING TO VOTE RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING. >>LUIS VIERA: THIS COMMUNITY HAS A LOT OF ATTORNEYS. I KNOW MR. DIAZ WAS HERE. WE HAVE A FORMER HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT WHO LIVES HERE WHO I'M SURE CAN WORK ON THE ISSUES AND HAS COLLEAGUES. >>BILL CARLSON: TO MARTY'S POINT AND I DON'T WANT TO LITIGATE THE LANGUAGE RIGHT HERE IF WE DON'T HAVE TO. >>MARTIN SHELBY: YOU SHOULDN'T. >>BILL CARLSON: THERE WERE OPTIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING WITH THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT. AND THE THING WE DON'T WANT TO DO IS MAKE IT SO BROAD THAT IT'S EASY FOR EVERYBODY ELSE TO BE EXCLUDED. SO WE'VE GOT TO WORK ON THAT AND GET THIS. IF WE HAD THE PICTURES AND MAYBE SOMEBODY BROUGHT THEM, IF YOU SEE THE PICTURES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AFTER THE STORMS, YOU WOULD UNDERSTAND WHY WE ARE PUSHING THIS. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: IF I MAY, ALONG WITH MR. CARLSON'S REQUEST, I THINK YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT NARROW AS TO WHAT IT IS, SO OTHERS, IF THEY HAVE THE SAME, WHICH I DON'T THINK YOU ARE GOING TO FIND ANY THE SAME, ABOUT THE LOCATION, THE STRUCTURES OF THE STREET, THE GRID. IT'S A HUNDRED PERCENT HOMES. NO RESIDENTIAL, NO COMMERCIAL BUILDING, NO HOSPITALS, NOTHING THERE OTHER THAN RESIDENTIAL HOMES, THEN YOU NARROW THAT SCOPE TO THAT INDIVIDUAL SO OTHERS HAVE IT CAN ALSO QUALIFY WHICH I DON'T THINK THEY WILL. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ALSO WALLED AND LIMITED ACCESS. >>MARTIN SHELBY: MARTIN SHELBY, CITY COUNCIL ATTORNEY. JUST A REMINDER, COUNCIL, THAT THERE ARE OTHER PROVISIONS AFFECTING OTHER PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE CITY WITH REGARD TO THIS ORDINANCE. AND THIS IS YOUR -- THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO TALK DURING PUBLIC HEARING WITH REGARD TO THOSE ITEMS AS WELL. IN ADDITION, SO THOSE PEOPLE FROM CULBREATH ISLES, KNOWING WHAT -- EXCUSE ME. CULBREATH BAYOU -- >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THE EASY RIGHT TURN. >>MARTIN SHELBY: FORGIVE ME. CULBREATH BAYOU, EXCLUDING THAT, AT LEAST THOSE WHO ARE HERE TO SPEAK TO THAT NOW KNOW THE MOTION THAT IS ON THE FLOOR, AND THEY CAN WISH TO ADDRESS THAT. WITH REGARD TO OTHER PEOPLE THROUGHOUT OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY WHO MAY WANT TO ALSO ADDRESS THIS ITEM, THIS IS THEIR OPPORTUNITY AS WELL. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: CORRECT. THANK YOU. WE'LL MOVE ON TO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS. AGAIN, AS MR. SHELBY JUST STATED, WHAT IS ON THE FLOOR RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE THE ORIGINAL RESOLUTION OR THE ORDINANCE THAT HAD BEEN PUBLISHED ON 63. COUNCILMAN CARLSON HAS MADE A MOTION TO CONTINUE THAT ITEM TO MAY 7 FOR HAVING OUR LEGAL DEPARTMENT LOOK AT THE EXCLUSION OF THIS PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD. IF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK TO THE ORIGINAL MOTION, ITEM NUMBER 63 OR THE CONTINUATION, THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO CITY COUNCIL. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO LINE UP ALL AGAINST THE WALL, IF YOU'RE GOING TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM, WE'LL ADDRESS EACH PERSON INDIVIDUALLY. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES. MR. MICHELINI, YOU WANT TO START FIRST. START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE. >> STEVE MICHELINI. I HAVE NO OBJECTION TO A CONTINUANCE ON THIS ISSUE. I JUST WANT TO BRING TO THE COUNCIL'S ATTENTION, YOU TALKED ABOUT PROVIDING SOME RELIEF FOR STORM-DAMAGED HOMES, THIS WOULD BE AN IDEAL OPPORTUNITY SINCE YOU ARE AMENDING THE CODE TO INSERT THAT ISSUE AS WELL. THE SECOND PART OF THAT IS THAT WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE IN LIEU FEE WAS EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH AND YOU WERE GOING TO REVISIT THAT AS WELL. THAT WAS ADOPTED BY RESOLUTION AND NOT BY ORDINANCE. SO IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS WELL AS PART OF YOUR DISCUSSION. BUT I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE COUNCIL TO DISCUSS AND PERHAPS CONSIDER INSERTING STORM-DAMAGED HOMES AND PROVIDING SOME KIND OF RELIEF FOR THEM, WHETHER IT'S AN EXEMPTION OR REDUCTION IN FEES. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, SIR. NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER. START WITH YOUR NAME, PLEASE. >> GOOD MORNING. EMILY HINSDALE. I WOULD LIKE TO URGE YOU TO MOVE AHEAD WITH THE SECOND READING AND VOTE YES ON ITEM 63 WHICH AFFECTS THE ENTIRE CITY. I AM THE COFOUNDER OF A LOCAL SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL NONPROFIT CALLED SIDEWALK STOMPERS. FIND SAFE WAYS TO SCHOOL FOR ALL CHILDREN REGARDLESS OF PARENT INCOME AND FLEXIBILITY. ONE OF THE CHIEF CONCERNS I HEAR WHEN MEETING WITH SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES LOOKING FOR SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL IS THERE ARE NO SIDEWALKS TO SAFELY GUIDE CHILDREN TO SCHOOL. MANY NEIGHBORHOODS IN TAMPA WERE BUILT WITHOUT SIDEWALKS, WHETHER HUNDRED YEARS AGO, 50 YEARS AGO OR 30 YEARS AGO. AT THAT TIME, APPARENTLY OUR CITY LEADERS COULD NOT CONCEIVE OF A FUTURE WHERE OUR STREETS WERE SO OVERBURDENED WITH SPEEDING CARS THAT IT WAS DANGEROUS TO WALK IN THE STREET. IN 2026, HOWEVER, WE KNOW THE RESULTS OF THIS KIND OF PLANNING. 19,297 CRASHES ON TAMPA ROADS IN 2025. 266 OF THOSE CRASHES RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURIES. 45 OF THOSE CRASHES RESULTED IN DEATH. 20 OF THOSE DEATHS WERE PEOPLE WALKING OR BIKING. AND THAT'S JUST ONE YEAR. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL COALITION FOR SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL, STREETS WITH PAVED SIDEWALKS ARE 88.2% LESS LIKELY TO HAVE FATAL CRASHES. RESIDENTS IN TAMPA GET THE PROBLEM. SOME NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE ASKED THE CITY TO INSTALL SPEED BUMPS TO SLOW TRAFFIC IN THEIR AREA. SOME NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE ASKED FOR MORE STOP SIGNS AND STOPLIGHTS AND MANY HAVE ASKED FOR SIDEWALKS. SOMETIMES THE RESULTS ARE SPORADIC. OVER TIME WE CAN ACCOMPLISH REAL CHANGE WITH THIS CODE. I CAN POINT TO FULL CITY BLOCKS OF SIDEWALK NEAR SCHOOLS CREATED SOLELY THROUGH REDEVELOPMENT. THIS ORDINANCE MAKES A REAL AND MEASURABLE DIFFERENCE AND WITH THE ELIMINATION OF THIS LOOPHOLE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DRIVE DYNAMIC IMPROVEMENTS. MY REMINDER TO TAMPA CITY COUNCIL TODAY IS THIS. PLEASE REMEMBER WHO THIS VOTE IS FOR. FOR CHILDREN WALKING TO SCHOOL IN SULPHUR SPRINGS K-8, NEXT YEAR, WILL SHIFT TO ELEMENTARY ONLY SCHOOL, RESULTING IN YOUNGER CHILDREN WALKING TO SCHOOL ALONE. IT IS FOR CHILDREN AT BROWARD ELEMENTARY IN SEMINOLE HEIGHTS, WHICH WILL GROW BY SEVERAL HUNDRED STUDENTS NEXT YEAR AS NEIGHBORING SCHOOL CLOSES, ALL OF THEM NEEDING A SAFE ROUTE TO SCHOOL. IT IS FOR CHILDREN AT MONROE MIDDLE SCHOOL IN SOUTH TAMPA, SUDDENLY SHIFTING TO A REOPENED SCHOOL NEXT YEAR, AGAIN, AUGUST 10, AND NEEDING TO FIND SAFE PATHWAYS. THIS IS NOT AN ORDINANCE FOR ONE NEIGHBORHOOD OR ONE RESIDENT. THIS IS AN ORDINANCE FOR ALL TAMPA CHILDREN, ALL TAMPA RESIDENTS. AND YOUR VOTE TODAY WILL HAVE WIDE-REACHING EFFECTS IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, ESPECIALLY WHEN SCHOOL STARTS AGAIN, AUGUST 10. PLEASE VOTE YES TO AMEND THE SIDEWALK ORDINANCE TODAY. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, EMILY. NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER. >> CARROLL ANN BENNETT. A FEW BAD APPLES HAVE MADE THIS NECESSARY. THE FEE WAS RIDICULOUSLY LOW AND CREATED A FINANCIAL LOOPHOLE TO EXPLOIT. THE CITY APPROVED THEM BY MISTAKE OVER AND OVER AGAIN. SINCE THE CITY IS INCAPABLE OF ADMINISTERING THIS EXCEPTION, THE ONLY SOLUTION IS TO TAKE IT AWAY. I ONLY HAVE TIME TO SHOW YOU A FEW OF THE MISTAKES THEY MADE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE CITY TOLD YOU THEY DON'T APPROVE EXCEPTIONS WITHIN A HALF MILE OF THE SCHOOL, BUT EACH OF THESE IS NEAR A SCHOOL. HERE IS A SIDEWALK. THEY APPLIED FOR THE EXCEPTION BECAUSE THEY SAID THERE WAS NO SIDEWALK NEARBY AND THE CITY APPROVED IT. AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE IS A SIDEWALK NEXT DOOR. THE CITY APPROVED THIS EXCEPTION THROUGH THE LOOPHOLE. YOU CAN SEE HERE THERE IS A SIDEWALK. THIS AREA RIGHT HERE, THE CITY APPROVED USING THE LOOPHOLE BECAUSE THEY SAID THERE WAS NO SIDEWALK NEARBY. I TURNED AROUND ON THE EXACT SAME SIDEWALK AND I'M WALKING TOWARD LOIS AVENUE, WHICH IS THE MAIN ROUTE TO ADUM ELEMENTARY. TWO STREETS FROM ADUM ELEMENTARY. AND THAT SIDEWALK WOULD HAVE CONNECTED TO THAT, BUT THE CITY APPROVED IT THROUGH THE LOOPHOLE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SIDEWALK NEARBY. THE CITY APPROVED A LOOPHOLE HERE BECAUSE THEY SAID THERE'S NO SIDEWALK TO CONNECT TO, AND YET IF YOU LOOK, YOU WILL SEE THAT, YES, IN FACT, THERE IS A SIDEWALK TO CONNECT TO AND NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IT'S AT A BUS STOP. THIS IS ONE BLOCK FROM ADUM ELEMENTARY. I ALSO WANT TO POINT OUT THIS IS A VERY ODDLY SHAPED LOT. THEIR RIGHT-OF-WAY WHERE THEY DIDN'T PUT THE SIDEWALK IS 25 FEET WIDE. ADUM IS RIGHT THERE. THEY HAVE A 25-FOOT WIDE RIGHT-OF-WAY AND COULD HAVE EASILY PUT A SIDEWALK BUT THE CITY SAID, NO, THERE'S NO SIDEWALK TO CONNECT TO. OKAY TO PAY $29 INTO THE FUND INSTEAD OF. THIS IS MY FAVORITE. NO SIDEWALK TO CONNECT TO, EVEN THOUGH THIS HOUSE NEXT DOOR HAS A SIDEWALK AND, WAIT FOR IT, THE HOUSE ON THE OTHER SIDE HAS A SIDEWALK. IT HAS A SIDEWALK ON BOTH SIDES AND THE CITY APPROVED THE LOOPHOLE, SAID THEY COULD PAY $29 A FOOT BECAUSE THERE'S NO SIDEWALK TO CONNECT TO. AND THIS IS THE ONE I WANT TO SHOW YOU YOU GUYS HAVE ACCOMPLISHED BY RAISING THE FEE. LOOK AT THIS OBSTACLE THAT SUDDENLY COULD BE OVERCOME BECAUSE THE FEE WAS INCREASED. ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW WE CAN USE FLEXI-PAVE AND WE CAN HAVE A SIDEWALK WITH HUNDRED PERCENT PERMEABLE SURFACE. NEXT TO THE CURB, SO IT DOESN'T BLOCK THE DRIVEWAY. KUDOS TO DOMAIN HOMES. KUDOS TO YOU FOR RAISING THE FEE WHICH SUDDENLY NOW INSURMOUNTABLE OBSTACLES ARE SURMOUNTABLE. VIRGINIA PARK IN THE PIPES PROGRAM, PART OF THE PROGRAM WAS TO FILL ALL THESE GAPS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT HAD BEEN CREATED. IF ALL THE SIDEWALKS HAD BEEN BUILT THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN BUILT, THOSE GAPS WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH FEWER. AND THE MONEY SPENT ON THAT COULD HAVE THEN BEEN SPENT ON NEIGHBORHOODS. THE MONEY GOES FARTHER IF THOSE GAPS ARE FEWER. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: NEXT PUBLIC SPEAKER. GOOD MORNING. IS IT STILL MORNING? IT IS. >> IT IS. GOOD MORNING. PAULA FLORES. I'M A BOARD MEMBER OF WALK BIKE TAMPA. I'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE ON THIS ISSUE AND MANY. AND I SUPPORT WHOLEHEARTEDLY THE COMMENTS THAT EMILY HINSDALE MENTIONED A MINUTE AGO. I'M ALSO A RESIDENT WHO WALKS THREE MILES EVERY SINGLE DAY IN SOUTH TAMPA. WHAT I SEE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS DEEPLY CONCERNING. A LACK OF SIDEWALKS, INADEQUATE CROSSINGS ESPECIALLY. MOMS PUSHING STROLLERS IN THE STREET, JOGGERS FORCED INTO TRAFFIC AND CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, INCLUDING MINE, WITHOUT SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS AND TO PARKS. IT IS INCOMPREHENSIBLE TO HEAR OPPOSITION AND THE HESITATION TO BUILDING SIDEWALKS. SIDEWALKS ARE A FUNDAMENTAL PART OF OUR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK. THEY SERVE EVERYONE. PEOPLE WALKING, ROLLING, AND EVEN THOSE DRIVING BY MAKING STREETS SAFER FOR EVERYBODY. THEY ARE NOT OPTIONAL AMENITIES THAT SHOULD NEVER BE, AND THEY SHOULDN'T DISAPPEAR JUST BECAUSE OF SOMEONE'S PREFERENCE. THEY ARE ESSENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THE SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS AND ALSO OUR VISITORS TO OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY. TAMPA HAS OVER 1200 MILES OF ROADS WITHOUT SIDEWALKS, AND ONE OF THE HIGHEST PEDESTRIAN FATALITY RATES IN THE COUNTRY. YES, IN THE COUNTRY. THIS MEANS WE ARE KNOWINGLY PUTTING LIVES AT RISK INSTEAD OF BUILDING SAFER STREETS FOR ALL. SIDEWALKS ARE ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOLS WE HAVE TO PROTECT PEDESTRIANS, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN. SO WE MUST ELIMINATE THE LOOPHOLE THAT ALLOWS NEW HOMES TO BE BUILT WITHOUT THE SIDEWALKS. RIGHT NOW, BUILDERS AND HOMEOWNERS CAN AVOID INSTALLING THE SIDEWALKS, AND IF THERE'S NO NEARBY CONNECTION. THIS HAS LED TO ENTIRE BLOCKS, EVEN NEAR SCHOOLS AS MENTIONED, BEING BUILT WITHOUT SAFE WALKING PATHS. THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS A SMALL CHANGE THAT WILL MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR SAFETY WALKABILITY AND CONNECTIVITY. CITY COUNCIL, PLEASE VOTE YES ON THE AGENDA ITEM 63 NOW. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, PAULA. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. START WITH YOUR NAME. >> HI. MY NAME IS ANSLEY BOSS. I AM THE PRESIDENT OF CULBREATH BAYOU. THANK YOU FOR HEARING ME THIS MORNING. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A STANDING QUICKLY OF REPRESENTATION FROM OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. IF THE NEIGHBORS OF CULBREATH BAYOU, IF YOU WOULD PLEASE STAND. THANK YOU FOR THE MOTION THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED. I WOULD LIKE FOR PUBLIC RECORD TO CONTINUE WITH OUR AGENDA TO CLARIFY OUR REASONING FOR EXEMPTION. CULBREATH BAYOU WAS INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED AND DEVELOPED WITHOUT SIDEWALKS IN FAVOR OF WIDE TRAVELWAYS, PRESERVED TREE CANOPY, AND A DISTINCT GARDEN-STYLE RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER. THAT DESIGN HAS REMAINED UNCHANGED. THERE ARE NO SIDEWALKS ANYWHERE WITHIN THE SUBDIVISION. NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS ARE SUBSTANTIALLY WIDER AS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED. THAN THE TYPICAL CITY OF TAMPA RESIDENTIAL STREET WIDTH. THE NEIGHBORHOOD PREVIOUSLY VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY IN 2012 AGAINST BUILDING SIDEWALKS WHEN GIVEN THE OPTION AND THE CITY OF TAMPA COUNCIL SUPPORTED THAT DECISION. CULBREATH BAYOU CONTAINS NO THRU STREETS. THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS ENCLOSED ON ALL FOUR SIDES AND IS ACCESSIBLE THROUGH ONLY THREE ENTRANCES WITH LIMITED THRU TRAFFIC. THE DEVELOPER'S ORIGINAL INTENT IS DOCUMENTED. THE DAUGHTER OF JOE BUYER WHO I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SPEAKING WITH ON THE PHONE CONFIRMS THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS INTENTIONALLY DESIGNED WITHOUT SIDEWALKS. THE ORIGINAL RECORDED PLATS, WHICH I BROUGHT SEVERAL PAGES, BUT I'LL SHOW THAT ONE FOR EXAMPLE, AND DEDICATION DOCUMENTS REFLECT THE DESIGN DEDICATING RIGHT-OF-WAYS FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES THAT DO NOT INCLUDE SIDEWALKS. ESTABLISHED LAND USE PRINCIPLES SUPPORT RESPECTING ORIGINAL SUBDIVISION DESIGN, PARTICULARLY WHERE INFRASTRUCTURE WAS INTENTIONALLY OMITTED AND RETROACTIVE CHANGES WOULD MATERIALLY ALTER THE NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER. I WOULD LIKE TO ALSO CLARIFY THAT WE STRONGLY SUPPORT THE CITY'S COMMITMENT TO SIDEWALKS AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. HOWEVER, WE ASK FOR A MORE CONTACT SENSITIVE APPROACH IN OUR COMMUNITY OF CULBREATH BAYOU. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, AND WE ARE ALSO HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE WITH WHOMEVER WE NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR THE NEXT MEETING IN MAY. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO NOTE IT'S VERY EFFECTIVE OF ASKING EVERYBODY TO STAND. NOT EVERYBODY HAS TO TAKE THE FULL THREE MINUTES AND THAT'S JUST AS EFFECTIVE AS MESSAGING. THOSE OF YOU WATCHING FOR THIS HEARING AND FUTURE HEARINGS, JUST REMEMBER THAT LESSON. IT IS A REALLY GOOD LESSON FOR CITY COUNCIL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. WE THANK YOU FOR THAT PROBABLY SUGGESTION. >> GOOD MORNING, CHAIR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. MY NAME IS JOSE MIRANDA. I'M A RESIDENT OF CULBREATH BAYOU SINCE 2018. I SERVE AS THE LONG-TERM PLANNING CHAIR FOR OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION. MY WIFE AND I ARE RAISING OUR SIX-YEAR-OLD TWINS ON THESE STREETS. I LOVE THIS NEIGHBORHOOD AND THAT'S WHY I'M STANDING HERE TODAY. I'VE HANDED EACH OF YOU A PRINTED COPY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD PETITION. WHEN YOU HOLD IT, I'D ASK YOU TO LOOK AT THE NAMES, NEIGHBORS OF EVERY AGE, FAMILIES WHO HAVE LIVED HERE FOR DECADES ALONGSIDE FAMILIES LIKE MINE WHO ARE JUST GETTING STARTED. IT WASN'T DRIVEN BY A CAMPAIGN OR A MAILER. IT SPREAD THE WAY THINGS SPREAD IN A TIGHT KNIT NEIGHBORHOOD ONE FRONT PORCH AT A TIME. THE MESSAGE WAS THE SAME EVERYWHERE. PLEASE DON'T CHANGE WHAT MAKES THIS PLACE SPECIAL. WE HUMBLY ASK THAT YOU CONSIDER WHAT THAT MEANS. WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO SIDEWALKS. WE ARE NOT OPPOSED TO PEDESTRIAN SAFETY. IN FACT, WE'RE PASSIONATE ABOUT IT. AND THAT'S WHY WE ARE ASKING YOU TO CONSIDER THE CULBREATH BAYOU IS SIMPLY DIFFERENT BY DESIGN AND BY HISTORY. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS PLATTED IN 1959, INTENTIONALLY WITHOUT SIDEWALKS. OUR STREETS AVERAGE 50 FEET WIDE. NEARLY 50% WIDER THAN THE CITY'S STANDARD RESIDENTIAL STREET. PEDESTRIANS JOGGERS PETS AND CHILDREN HAVE ALWAYS SAFELY SHARED THAT SPACE. CULBREATH BAYOU STREETS ARE SAFE. WE'VE HAD NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES EVEN AS WE NAVIGATE MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORS REBUILDING AFTER SIGNIFICANT LOSS FOLLOWING THE STORMS. THIS LARGE SHARED SPACE WAS THE ORIGINAL DESIGN INTENT, CONFIRMED EVEN BY THE DEVELOPER'S OWN FAMILY. CULBREATH BAYOU IS HOME TO ONE OF THE DENSEST CONCENTRATION OF MATURE GRAND LIVE OAKS IN ALL OF SOUTH TAMPA, ALONG WITH THE HIGH DENSITY OF MATURE FOLIAGE. THESE DEGREES ARE NOT DECORATIVE. THEY ARE IRREPLACEABLE. SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION WOULD DESTROY ROOT IS ITLESS THAT TOOK DECADES TO GROW. ONCE THAT CANOPY IS GONE, IT WOULD TAKE GENERATIONS TO RECOVER, IF IT RECOVERS AT ALL. UTILITIES AND DRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE WERE INSTALLED WITHOUT ANY RESERVATION FOR SIDEWALK CORRIDORS. RETROFITTING WOULD MEAN RELOCATING UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE AT ENORMOUS COST FOR SIDEWALKS THAT WOULD DEAD END BECAUSE OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS A SELF-CONTAINED LOOP WITH THREE ENTRANCES THAT DO NOT CONNECT TO ANY OTHER THRU SIDEWALKS. I UNDERSTAND THE CITY ATTORNEY HAS ADVISED THAT A CARVE-OUT CANNOT BE ADDED BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND READING. I RESPECT THAT PROCESS, BUT WE ARE RESPECTFULLY ASKING FOR YOUR HELP, WHETHER THAT MEANS VOTING NO ON ITEM 63 OR IS HE THINK THIS BACK TO FIRST READING WITH AN AMENDMENT THAT EXEMPTS NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE OURS. WE BELIEVE THOUGHTFUL POLICY ACCOUNTS FOR UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES. WE BELIEVE THIS COUNCIL HAS BOTH THE WISDOM AND THE COMPASSION TO FIND A PRACTICAL PATH FORWARD. WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR TIME, YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND YOUR SERVICE TO THE CITY. WE HUMBLY ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: FOR STAFF, ANYBODY THAT'S LISTENING, WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH ITEM NUMBER 66, LAST 10:30 PUBLIC HEARING, STARTING WITH 67, IT WILL BE HEARD AFTER LUNCH. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: ALTHOUGH HE CARRIES THE SAME NAME I DO, WE ARE NOT RELATED. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I CAN TELL. HE LOOKS MUCH BETTER. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: I WANT TO MAKE SURE. I'M ON THE UGLY SIDE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THAT'S SELF-EVIDENT. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. >>MARTIN SHELBY: HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE YOUR LAST NAME? >> CRAFT. >>MARTIN SHELBY: CRAFT. IS SARAH CRAFT? ARE YOU WYATT CRAFT. MR. CRAFT IS DONATING A MINUTE TO SARAH CRAFT. >> TOTAL OF FOUR MINUTES. >> START WITH YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE FOUR MINUTES. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS SARAH CRAFT. MY FAMILY IS BUILDING A HOME IN CULBREATH BAYOU. THE INTENTION OF THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT IS GOOD. WE ARE PRO SIDEWALKS. I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE THAT SAFE PASSAGE OF PEDESTRIANS IS IMPORTANT. MY FAMILY DOES NOT WANT TO GET HIT BY A CAR ON THE ROAD. CITY OF TAMPA RESIDENTS WALKING TO DESTINATIONS NEED A PROTECTED PATHWAY TO DO SO. FOR SEVERAL KEY REASONS, THE SIDEWALK ORDINANCE DOES NOT MAKE SENSE FOR THE CULBREATH BAYOU NEIGHBORHOOD. WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT THE CITY COUNCIL UNDERSTANDS OUR COMMUNITY'S RATIONALE FOR WHY THIS ORDINANCE NEEDS TO GO BACK TO FIRST HEARING TO ADDRESS OUR SPECIFIC NEEDS. ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL IN THIS CASE. CULBREATH BAYOU WAS INTRODUCED IN THE 1960s AS MASTER PLAN COMMUNITY WITH DISTINCT DIFFERENCES COMPARED TO OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY OF TAMPA. AS JOSE MENTIONED, 50% WIDER STREETS THAN TYPICAL RESIDENTIAL PAVED ROADWAYS IN TAMPA THAT ALLOW FOR SAFE PEDESTRIAN TRAVEL. SIDEWALKS WERE NEVER CONTEMPLATED IN THE DESIGN OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. WITH ONLY THREE POINTS OF ENTRY TO THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS EXCLUSIVELY RESIDENTIAL WITH NO DESTINATION LIKE CHURCH, RESTAURANT, SCHOOL OR OTHER USE, CULBREATH BAYOU DOES NOT EXPERIENCE THE TYPE OF VEHICULAR OR PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC THAT RESULTS IN UNSAFE SITUATIONS LIKE OTHER PARTS OF OUR CITY. IF YOU HAVEN'T WALKED THROUGH CULBREATH BAYOU, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO. PEOPLE SEEK OUT CULBREATH BAYOU FOR THEIR MORNING WALKS BECAUSE IT FEELS SAFE FROM VEHICLE TRAFFIC. I GREW UP IN THE NEXT NEIGHBORHOOD OVER, BEACH PARK. MY FAMILY WOULD RIDE OUR BIKES ON SATURDAY MORNING TO THE BAYOU BECAUSE OF ITS SAFE STREETS. THE ORIGINAL DESIGN INTENT OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD FEATURED OAK TREES THAT FILLED THE CITY'S EASEMENT WHERE A SIDEWALK WOULD GO. AS SHOWN IN THE CITY OF TAMPA TREE CANOPY AND URBAN FOREST ANALYSIS FROM 2016, CULBREATH BAYOU HAS THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF TREE CANOPY OF ANY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY OF TAMPA AT 65% COVERAGE. OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS YOU MIGHT BE FAMILIAR WITH FOR THE BEAUTIFUL TREE CANOPIES HAVE EVEN LESS, HISTORIC HYDE PARK, 41%, SEMINOLE HEIGHTS AT 45%. WE KNOW THE CITY OF TAMPA CARES ABOUT SAVING THESE TREES, SO DOES OUR NEIGHBORHOOD OF CULBREATH BAYOU. MY FAMILY WALKED THROUGH CULBREATH BAYOU LAST WEEKEND AND COUNTED EVERY OAK TREE IN THE PATH OF A POTENTIAL SIDEWALK. OUR TWO-YEAR-OLD PARTICULARLY ENJOYED THIS ACTIVITY. OF THE 158 HOMES IN CULBREATH BAYOU, 47 OF THE HOMES OR 30 PERCENT HAVE OAK TREES IN THE PATH OF WHERE A SIDEWALK WOULD BE PLACED. YOU CAN SEE HERE PICTURES OF THE TREES JUST EVERYWHERE, IS WHERE A SIDEWALK WOULD BE PLACED. YOU CAN SEE LARGE GRAND OAKS AS WELL. AND ANYTHING HERE HIGHLIGHTED GREEN IS A HOUSE WHERE A TREE WOULD BE IN THE EASEMENT. FURTHER, I SHOULD NOTE THAT THE TREES COUNTED WERE ONLY OAKS NEAR THE ROAD WHERE A SIDEWALK WOULD BE PLACED. UNDERSTAND POTENTIAL FUTURE LOTS WOULD BE MUCH LARGER GIVEN THE GRAND OAKS HAVE A 20-FOOT RADIUS, CRITICAL ROOT PROTECTION ZONE, SO NO SIDEWALKS WOULD BE ABLE TO BE BUILT WITHIN 20 FEET OF ANY GRAND OF WHICH THERE ARE MANY IN THE FRONT SIDE YARDS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, FURTHER RESTRICTING ANY CONNECTING SIDEWALKS. THIS IS ESPECIALLY RELEVANT FOR MY FAMILY SINCE WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL OAK TREE ON OUR LAND IN THE PATH OF WHERE A SIDEWALK WOULD BE PLACED. WHILE IT DOESN'T YET FIT THE DEFINITION OF GRAND OAK, THINK OF THE IMPACT REMOVING TREES TODAY WOULD HAVE ON THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY AND FUTURE, ALL IN THE NAME OF SAFETY, ALREADY FELT WHOLEHEARTEDLY THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOOD. FOR THESE REASONS, MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND I FEEL GRATEFUL THAT ORDINANCE BEING MOVED BACK TO FIRST READING. I TRUST THAT YOU RECOGNIZE THE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES SHOULD BE RESPECTED AND CONSIDERED WHEN APPROVING ORDINANCES. I THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO OUR CONCERNS AND RATIONALE WITH THE ORDINANCE AMENDMENT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. REMEMBER, IF YOU ARE SPEAKING, YOU CAN SAY YOU AGREE WITH SOMEBODY AND DON'T HAVE TO GO THE WHOLE THREE MINUTES. >> ANDREW DIAZ, SOUTH FERN CROSS CIRCLE TAMPA. FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF LETTING OUR NEIGHBORHOOD MEET WITH A LOT OF YOU INDIVIDUALLY AND EXPRESS OUR CONCERNS. I AM GOING TO NOT REPEAT OTHER ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN. MY NEIGHBORS DID A GREAT JOB I THINK LAYING OUT THE ISSUE. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A COUPLE OF THINGS AND COUNCIL MEMBER CARLSON, YOU MADE A GREAT POINT REGARDING THE IMPACTS OF THE FLOOD. OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WAS DEVASTATED. WHAT IS HAPPENING, KIND OF IRONIC, ONE OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS WAS TALKING ABOUT FLOODING IN SOUTH TAMPA. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ORDINANCE WILL INCREASE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, CREATING MORE PROBLEMS SHOULD WE HAVE AN EVENT LIKE WE DID. SO GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE WOULD BE LOSING IMPERVIOUS SURFACE IS PROBLEMATIC. SECONDLY, THE CITY OF TAMPA FOR YEARS THANKFULLY HAS DONE SO MUCH WORK TO PRESERVE THE TREE CANOPY. WE APPLAUD THAT. WE LOVE THAT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. AS SARAH JUST POINTED OUT THIS ORDINANCE, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ORDINANCE WOULD BE DEVASTATING TO AT LEAST A THIRD OF THE HOMES IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO TO PRESERVE THE TREE CANOPY, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ORDINANCE, THE FORCING OF THE SIDEWALKS IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, DOES NOT WORK. WE'VE GOT A BEAUTIFUL, SAFE, PEDESTRIAN NEIGHBORHOOD. IT IS WHAT BROUGHT PEOPLE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. MY WIFE AND I ARE, SECOND HOME WAS ABOUT HALF A MILE FROM CULBREATH BAYOU. WE WOULD WALK NIGHTS AND SPECIFICALLY GO TO CULBREATH BAYOU TO WALK. WHY? BECAUSE IT IS SAFE. IT'S FAMILY FRIENDLY. IT IS A WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOOD. IT IS PROBABLY THE MOST PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY OF TAMPA. AND TO FORCE SIDEWALKS INTO THIS AREA IS TRYING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM THAT MAY BE IN OTHER PLACES. IT IS IN OTHER PLACES. IT'S NOT IN CULBREATH BAYOU. I SUBMIT TO YOU, THIS ORDINANCE IS TRYING TO SOLVE A PROBLEM THAT DOES NOT EXIST FOR US. JUST AS IMPORTANT TO THAT, NO ONE IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WANTS IT. I SUBMIT TO YOU UNDER THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THE -- AN EXCEPTION FOR NEIGHBORHOODS, NOT JUST THE BAYOU, BUT FOR OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT SHARE CHARACTERISTICS THAT WE HAVE THAT WE WORK WITH THE COUNCIL TO FIND A WAY THAT THIS DOES NOT APPLY BECAUSE IT IS A SOLUTION LOOKING FOR A PROBLEM THAT NO ONE LIVES THERE WANTS. I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE COUNCIL AND WITH THE LEGAL STAFF, ATTORNEY CARTER ANDERSON AND I AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE MET. AND WE'RE HERE TO WORK WITH YOU. WE WANT TO SOLVE THE SOLUTION FOR THE BENEFIT OF EVERYONE AND TO KEEP THE BAYOU THE BAYOU. THE LAST THING I WANT TO MENTION, THE DESIGN AND PLANNING ELEMENT OF RETROFITTING A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT WASN'T DESIGNED FOR THAT, DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. IT WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON THE AESTHETICS, POTENTIALLY FLOODING AND EVERYTHING THAT MAKES CULBREATH BAYOU SPECIAL. WE, AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. AND I THINK IT WAS WISE TO LET'S GO BACK TO FIRST READING AND SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT WORKS. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU SO MUCH. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. START WITH YOUR NAME, YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> GOOD AFTERNOON. STEPHANIE POYNOR. YOU KNOW, THIS WHOLE ENTIRE SUBJECT KIND OF MAKES ME STRUGGLE. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS. NUMBER ONE, NOBODY IS GOING TO MAKE ANYBODY TAKE OUT TREES TO PUT IN A SIDEWALK, NO MATTER WHAT NEIGHBORHOOD IT IS. THE PROBLEM IS, IS WHERE THEY SAY, OH, I CAN'T PUT IN A SIDEWALK AND THERE ARE SIDEWALKS COMING OR WHATNOT. HERE'S MY ULTIMATE STRUGGLE. JUST AS MANY PEOPLE LOST HOMES IN PORT TAMPA, ALL UP AND DOWN, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PENINSULA, IN SOG AS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. HELD TO THE SAME STANDARD. SHOULDN'T BE AN EXCEPTION FOR NEIGHBORHOOD. SHOULD BE EXCEPTION FOR HOMES DAMAGED BEYOND THE 50% AFTER A HURRICANE. THAT SHOULD BE THE EXCEPTION, NOT FOR ONE PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD. I'M SORRY, BUT I HAVE TO THINK ABOUT HOW THIS IMPACTS OUR ENTIRE CITY. MAYBE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT SOMEBODY SAID WAS THAT THEIR STREETS ARE 50-FOOT WIDE. MAYBE YOU INCLUDE THAT AND MAKE THAT PART OF THE EXCEPTION. BUT TO SAY ONE NEIGHBORHOOD IS BETTER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE IN THE CITY AND DOESN'T HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING, IT'S NOT EQUITABLE. I KNOW I'M THROWING OUT A WHOLE BUNCH OF STUFF HERE, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS, I'VE GOT TO STAND BACK AND WATCH IT FROM ALL POINTS OF VIEW. WE HAD NEW TAMPA FOLKS, NORTH TAMPA FOLKS GOT FLOODED OUT. DO THEY GET THE SAME EXEMPTION BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY SIDEWALKS THERE. WE HAVE TO BE EQUITABLE. AND THE PROBLEM BEFORE REALLY AND TRULY, HERE WE GO BACK TO THE THING I ALWAYS SAY, YOU GUYS NEVER MAKE A DECISION WITHOUT TWO ATTORNEYS WATCHING YOU DO IT. YET WE'VE GOT FOLKS IN THE CONSTRUCTION SERVICES DEPARTMENT WILLY-NILLY LETTING PEOPLE NOT DO WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING. TRYING TO FIGURE THAT OUT. BUT I'M NOT SAYING THAT CULBREATH BAYOU SHOULD HAVE AN EXCEPTION OR THEY SHOULDN'T. BUT WE CAN'T GO AROUND -- NOBODY MADE AN EXCEPTION FOR SOG. NOBODY MADE AN EXCEPTION FOR BALLAST POINT OR FOR PORT TAMPA. YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE THOSE PEOPLE DIDN'T COME DOWN HERE AND SCREAM ABOUT IT. THEY ARE SUCKING IT UP, BUTTERCUP. WE'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE, NOT JUST ONE COMMUNITY. I'M NOT CALLING THESE FOLKS AND SAYING THEY ARE WRONG FOR ASKING FOR IT. I'M JUST SAYING THAT WHEN YOU PUT A STATUTE IN PLACE, YOU HAVE TO THINK OF ALL THE RAMIFICATIONS FOR IT. I HAVE TENANTS WHO LIVED IN MY PROPERTY WHO HAD MORE THAN 50% DAMAGES BUT THEY WERE REQUIRED TO PUT IN SIDEWALKS. IT'S THE SAME FOR EVERYBODY. CAN'T NOT BE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. NEXT SPEAKER, PLEASE. START WITH YOUR NAME. YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> CHARLES REYNOLDS, 1217 SOUTH ROCKSNER ROAD. LIVED IN THE BAYOU SINCE 1988. ASPIRATION AS A YOUNG MAN BECAUSE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD WAS SO SPECIAL. IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR MY FAMILY TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO MOVE THERE, BUT WE DID BECAUSE OF THE AESTHETICS. I WANT TO ADDRESS THE FACT THAT WE DON'T THINK WE'RE SPECIAL. WE'RE NOT SEEKINGEN A EXEMPTION BECAUSE WE THINK WE'RE BETTER. THE EXEMPTION IS BECAUSE OF AN ANCIENT LAW, A LAW OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES. SOMETIMES THE BEST GOVERNMENT IS RESTRAINED. AND WE'RE ASKING THIS COUNCIL TO USE ITS JUDGMENT TO NOT HAVE A ONE SIZE FITS ALL. I DID WANT TO MENTION ONE THING BEFORE I SIT DOWN BECAUSE IT HASN'T BEEN MENTIONED. THE CITY OF TAMPA HAS DONE AN AMAZING JOB WITH A PROGRAM CALLED THE TREE-MENDOUS PROGRAM. IT REPLACES OAK TREES AND OTHER TREES WHEN THEY ARE LOST. I LOST TWO TREES IN THE STORM AS WELL AS MY HOUSE. I HAD BOTH THOSE TREES REPLACED BY THE CITY OF TAMPA, PLACED INTO THEIR EASEMENT, AND NOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE, NOW YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT PULLING THOSE TREES OUT TO BE ABLE TO PUT MORE HARD-SCAPE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AGAIN, I THINK THAT SOMETIMES THERE IS A NEED FOR AN EXCEPTION, NOT BECAUSE ANYBODY IS ABOVE ANYBODY ELSE BUT BECAUSE COMMON SENSE DEMANDS IT. I'M CONFIDENT THAT THE CITY COUNCIL WILL EXERCISE THAT COMMON SENSE. WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU. HOPE FIND EXCEPTION, AS COUNCILMAN MIRANDA POINTED OUT, I THINK THERE ARE VERY FEW NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WOULD EVER QUALIFY FOR ANOTHER EXEMPTION. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. THAT CONCLUDES PUBLIC COMMENT. WE HAVE CARTER ANDERSON, YOU ARE ONLINE. THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME. CARTER? ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO ADD? CARTER, UNMUTE YOURSELF. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. I KNOW OUR NEIGHBORHOOD -- I LIVE IN CULBREATH BAYOU. I AM THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BAR ASSOCIATION THAT COUNCIL MEMBER VIERA REFERRED TO EARLIER. IF I COULD SHARE MY SCREEN, I COULD SHOW THE COUNCIL AN EXCEPTION THAT'S NOT UNIQUE TO CULBREATH BAYOU. IT COULD BE APPLIED ON A RATIONAL BASIS FOR ANY NEIGHBORHOOD THAT MET THESE CHARACTERISTICS. I'M NOT SURE IF THE LANGUAGE IN RED IS APPEARING. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: YES, WE HAVE IT. CTTV, CAN YOU PUT IT UP ON THE PUBLIC MONITORS AS WELL, PLEASE? THERE WE GO. WE'RE GOOD. >> AND THIS IS JUST THINGS LIKE THERE ARE NO CUT-THRU STREETS, NO BUSINESSES OR COMMERCIAL USES AND NO POTENTIAL FOR COMMERCIAL USES IN THE FUTURE. THERE ARE NO SCHOOLS WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, NO CHURCHES WITHIN THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND BUILDING SIDEWALKS IN A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE NO SIDEWALKS CURRENTLY EXIST WOULD RISK NEGATIVELY IMPACTING THE CHARACTER AND QUALITY OF THE COMMUNITY. CAN I STOP SCREEN SHARING NOW? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: SURE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. SO WE'RE CERTAINLY IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION TO SEND THIS BACK TO FIRST READING TO LET US WORK WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND ANY CITY STAFF TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. AND IF THAT MOTION WERE NOT TO PASS, THEN WE'D ASK THAT THE COUNCIL VOTE NO ON THE CURRENT PROPOSED AMENDMENT WHICH WOULD ELIMINATE AN EXCEPTION THAT HAS APPLIED IN THE BAYOU SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE ORDINANCE. EITHER SENDING IT BACK TO FIRST READING TO WORK ON THIS OR JUST VOTING NO ON SECOND READING WOULD BE WONDERFUL. AGAIN, WE THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. I KNOW WE'VE CONTACTED LOTS OF YOU AND MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL INDIVIDUALLY TO TRY TO EXPRESS OUR CONCERNS. WE APPRECIATE YOU LISTENING AND CONSIDERING THIS. THANK YOU. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU, MR. ANDERSON. THAT CONCLUDES OUR PUBLIC COMMENT. CAN I GET A MOTION TO CLOSE? WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO, SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN CARLSON. ON THE FLOOR I HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN CARLSON AND SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM -- SORRY, NOT TO CONTINUE -- TO BRING THIS BACK FOR FIRST READING AND CONSIDERATION ON MAY 7. MAY 7. ROLL CALL, PLEASE? GO AHEAD. EMMA. >>NAYA YOUNG: JUST SOME CLARIFYING QUESTIONS FOR ME. FOR THE SIDEWALK, CAN -- DO YOU HAVE TO CUT DOWN THE TREES TO BUILD A SIDEWALK? >>EMMA GREGORY: THERE IS AN EXCEPTION IN THE CODE CURRENTLY FOR GRAND TREES. THIS IS MORE OF A STAFF-LEVEL QUESTION. >>NAYA YOUNG: I WAS GOING TO ASK -- OH, THERE YOU ARE. >> GOOD MORNING, COUNCIL. BRANDON CAMPBELL, MOBILITY DIRECTOR. YES, AS EMMA STATED, IN THE IN LIEU FEE ORDINANCE, THERE IS AN EXEMPTION. AMONG THOSE THAT YOU ARE CONSIDERING ELIMINATING WITH THE SIDEWALK TO NOWHERE CLAUSE, THERE IS AN EXEMPTION THAT WOULD CONTINUE TO APPLY FOR CASES WHERE THERE IS A GRAND TREE INVOLVED. A DEVELOPER OR HOME BUILDER COULD OPT TO PAY INTO THE IN LIEU FEE, IN LIEU OF BUILDING A SIDEWALK IN THAT CIRCUMSTANCE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: JUST A REMINDER, THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR IS NOT THE SUBSTANCE OF THIS RIGHT NOW. WE'RE JUST TALKING ABOUT BRINGING THIS BACK TO FIRST READING CONSIDERATION FOR THE EXCLUSION OF THE CULBREATH BAYOU. FOR THE STAFF TO LOOK AT THAT. THAT'S WHAT THE MOTION IS ON THE FLOOR. IF THAT FAILS, WE GO BACK TO THE SUBSTANCE OF THE MOTION ITSELF. RIGHT NOW, IT'S JUST ABOUT BRINGING THIS BACK ON MAY 7 AS FIRST READING CONSIDERATION WITH LANGUAGE THAT WOULD EXCLUDE CULBREATH BAYOU. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THAT. NO. >>NAYA YOUNG: [INAUDIBLE] >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE HAVE A MOTION AND WE HAVE A SECOND -- WE DID CLOSE IT. SO SORRY. WE ARE STILL CLOSED. MISSED THAT PART. WE HAVE ELECTRONIC VOTING. CAN YOU PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >> NO, NO. YOU'RE TAKING IT BACK TO FIRST READING. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: I SAW THAT POP UP. THAT'S INTERESTING. HAVE US DO IT THAT WAY. I WAS GOING TO HAVE YOU CALL THE ROLL. CLERK, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL? AGAIN, JUST A REMINDER, THIS IS JUST TO BRING THIS BACK FOR MAY 7 FOR FIRST READING CONSIDERATION WITH THE CLARITY LANGUAGE OF EXCLUDING, IF IT IS POSSIBLE, TO EXCLUDE CULBREATH BAYOU. >> HURTAK IS ABSENT. YOUNG? >>NAYA YOUNG: YES. >>LUIS VIERA: YES. >>BILL CARLSON: YES. >>CHARLIE MIRANDA: YES. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: YES. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: YES. >>THE CLERK: MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY WITH HURTAK BEING ABSENT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT CONCLUDES THAT. WE'RE MOVING ON TO ITEM 64, FILE TA/CPA 25-16. >> GOOD MORNING. EMILY PHELAN, PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF. ITEM 64 IS TA/CPA 25-16. A MAP AMENDMENT LOCATED AT 1301 EAST COLUMBUS AVENUE. THE REQUEST IS TO CHANGE THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION FROM RESIDENTIAL 20 TO RESIDENTIAL 35. THIS AMENDMENT WAS APPROVED AT THE FEBRUARY 26, 2026 HEARING AND IT IS IN FRONT OF YOU TODAY FOR SECOND READING. I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: DOES COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC THAT WISHES TO SPEAK TO ITEM 64? WE HAVE A MOTION TO CLOSE FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. A SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. COUNCILMAN VIERA, WOULD YOU READ ITEM 64, PLEASE? >>LUIS VIERA: I MOVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE TAMPA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, FUTURE LAND USE ELEMENT, FUTURE LAND USE MAP, FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1301 EAST COLUMBUS AVENUE FROM RESIDENTIAL 20, R-20 TO RESIDENTIAL 35, R-35, PROVIDING FOR REPEAL OF ALL ONS IN CONFLICT, PROVIDING FOR SEVERABILITY, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: WE HAVE A MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>THE CLERK: MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY WITH HURTAK BEING ABSENT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: THANK YOU. CAN WE GET A MOTION TO OPEN THE 10:30 PUBLIC HEARINGS? MOTION FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. IF YOU ARE HERE TO SPEAK TO 65 OR 66, PLEASE STAND, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND BE SWORN IN BY OUR CLERK, PLEASE. >> DO YOU SWEAR OR AFFIRM THAT THE TESTIMONY THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO PROVIDE IS THE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH? >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ITEM NUMBER 65. I SEE LaCHONE ON. >>LaCHONE DOCK: THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIRMAN AND COUNCIL. LaCHONE DOCK, DEVELOPMENT COORDINATION. ITEM 65 IS AB 2-26-02. IT IS FOR THE PROPERTY AT 4205 AND 4230 SOUTH MacDILL AVENUE. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR A SMALL VENUE CLASSIFICATION FOR THE SALE OF BEER AND WINE CONSUMPTION ON PREMISES AND PACKAGE SALES CONSUMPTION OFF PREMISE. THIS ITEM WAS BEFORE YOU ON FEBRUARY 19. AT THAT TIME, IT WAS BEFORE YOU FOR SECOND READING. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT CHANGES WERE REQUIRED TO BE MADE TO THE ORDINANCE. THOSE CHANGES WERE MADE. THAT HEARING BECAME THE FIRST READING. SO TODAY'S HEARING IS FOR SECOND READING AND ADOPTION. I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? APPLICANT? >> ALEX SCHALER, 400 NORTH ASHLEY DRIVE. I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER TO ADD BUT HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ANYBODY FROM THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK TO THE ITEM? MOTION TO CLOSE FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN VIERA. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG, WOULD YOU LIKE TO READ ITEM 65, PLEASE? >>NAYA YOUNG: FILE AB 2-26-02, ORDINANCE BEING PRESENTED FOR SECOND READING AND ADOPTION, AN ORDINANCE APPROVING A SPECIAL USE PERMIT SU-2 FOR ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SALES, SMALL VENUE CONSUMPTION ON PREMISES AND PACKAGE SALES/OFF PREMISES CONSUMPTION AND MAKING LAWFUL THE SALE OF BEER AND WINE AT OR FROM THE CERTAIN LOT, PLOT OR TRACT OF LAND LOCATED AT 4205 AND 4230 SOUTH MacDILL AVENUE, TAMPA, FLORIDA AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN SECTION 2, PROVIDING THAT ALL ORDINANCES OR PARTS OF ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT ARE REPEALED, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: MOTION FROM COUNCILWOMAN YOUNG, SECOND BY COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. PLEASE RECORD YOUR VOTE. >>THE CLERK: MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY WITH HURTAK BEING ABSENT. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: OUR LAST BEFORE LUNCH IS ITEM 66. >>ROSS SAMONS: DEVELOPMENT COORDINATION. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THE CLERK TO SHARE MY SCREEN, PLEASE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: HOLD ON ONE SECOND. GO AHEAD, ROSS. >>ROSS SAMONS: ROSS SAMONS, DEVELOPMENT COORDINATION PRESENTING FILE VAC 26-05. APPLICANT IS 2111 NORTH BOULEVARD LLC, REPRESENTATIVE NAME IS ADAM HARDEN. PROPERTY ADDRESS IS 2111 NORTH BOULEVARD. THIS IS A PROPOSED VACATING REQUEST TO VACATE A PORTION OF ROSS AVENUE RIGHT-OF-WAY LOCATED NORTH OF PALM AVENUE, SOUTH OF PARK AVENUE, EAST OF NORTH BOULEVARD AND WEST OF MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE. THIS APPLICATION WAS FILED ON DECEMBER 12, 2025. THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IS PARTIALLY IMPROVED. RIGHT-OF-WAY WAS CREATED BY SUBDIVISION PLAT. THE EXISTING RIGHT-OF-WAY IS APPROXIMATELY 1509 SQUARE FEET. THE REASON FOR THE REQUEST WAS FOR THE VACATION AND DEDICATION OF RIGHT-OF-WAY TO RECONCILE ROAD GRID WITHIN THE MASTER PLAN. AERIAL VIEW OF THE PROPOSED VACATING REQUEST IN YELLOW. APPLICANT'S PROPERTY IN RED. NORTH BOULEVARD ON THE WEST AND PART OF ROSS AVENUE ON THE NORTH. ATLAS VIEW OF PROPOSED VACATING REQUEST OF ROSS AVENUE AND THE GENERAL LOCATION OF THAT. THESE ARE THE TWO PLATS IN WHICH THE ROSS AVENUE WAS DEDICATED. HERE IS AN IMAGE OF ROSS AVENUE LOOKING EAST FROM NORTH BOULEVARD. AND AGAIN ROSS AVENUE LOOKING SOUTHEAST. PROPOSED VACATING AREA. STAFF HAVE NO OBJECTION TO THE VACATING REQUEST. SPECIAL CONDITIONS, NATURAL RESOURCES, COMPLIED WITH CHAPTER 27, REGARD TO TREE PRESERVATION AND SITE DESIGN FOR ANY IMPROVEMENTS PLACED ADJACENT TO TREES IN A VACATED AREA. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I'M AVAILABLE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, APPLICANT. ADAM. >> ADAM HARDEN, 220 WEST 7th AVENUE 33602. HERE ON BEHALF OF THE APPLICANT, 2111 NORTH BOULEVARD LLC, SUBSIDIARY OF RIVERSIDE HEIGHTS. I'LL KEEP IT BRIEF AND BE AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS. THE PROPOSAL IS TO VACATE 1500 SQUARE FEET OF ROSS AND TO DEDICATE APPROXIMATELY 1600 SQUARE FEET OF NORTH BOULEVARD. AFTER SOME TIME, WE WERE ABLE TO WITH THE PASSING OF THE SENIOR MATRIARCH, WE WERE ABLE TO PURCHASE THE REMAINDER OF THE BROWNFIELD SITE, THE OLD GAS STATION, AND WE DEMO'D THAT AND NOW TRYING TO ALIGN THE PLAT WITH THE MASTER PLAN. WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO THAT AT THE TIME BECAUSE WE DIDN'T OWN THE PROPERTY YET. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HERE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: COUNCIL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, ANYBODY IN THE PUBLIC WHO WISHES TO SPEAK TO THIS ITEM? MOTION TO CLOSE FROM COUNCILMAN MIRANDA. SECOND FROM COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. OPPOSED? AYES HAVE IT. COUNCILMAN MANISCALCO, WOULD YOU READ THIS PLEASE. >>GUIDO MANISCALCO: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ORDINANCE PRESENTED FOR FIRST READING CONSIDERATION, ORDINANCE OF CITY OF TAMPA, FLORIDA, VACATING CLOSING DISCONTINUING AND ABANDONING A PORTION OF ROSS AVENUE RIGHT-OF-WAY LOCATED NORTH OF PALM AVENUE, SOUTH OF PARK AVENUE, EAST OF NORTH BOULEVARD AND WEST OF MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE AS DEDICATED BY THE PLATS OF CRAIG AND JAMIESON'S RIVER VIEW SUBDIFFER AND DILL'S SUBDIVISION IN THE CITY OF TAMPA, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, MORE FULLY DESCRIBED IN SECTION 2 HEREOF SUBJECT TO CERTAIN COVENANTS, CONDITIONS AND RESTRICTIONS AS MORE PARTICULARLY SET FORTH HEREIN, PROVIDING FOR ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS, PROVIDING FOR DEFINITIONS INTERPRETATIONS AND REPEALING CONFLICTS, PROVIDING FOR SEVER, PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: ALL IN FAVOR, AYE. >>THE CLERK: MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY WITH HURTAK ABSENT. SECOND READING AND ADOPTION WILL BE HELD ON APRIL 16, 2026 AT 10 A.M. A.M. IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, 315 EAST KENNEDY BOULEVARD, THIRD FLOOR, TAMPA, FLORIDA 33602. >>ALAN CLENDENIN: IT IS 12:06. WE ARE GOING TO BREAK FOR LUNCH, BACK IN OUR SEATS READY TO START BUSINESS AT 1:30 P.M. AND WE WILL HEAR ABOUT THE RENAMING FOR TONY GARCIA JUNIOR. [ SOUNDING GAVEL ] [LUNCH RECESS]