City Council

>> Apparently we're putting out food that. Welcome to the city of St. Petersburg City Council meeting and you're elected if it hurt District 2 Council chair Randy Gabbert district 3 at not marry. Was picked for Lisette kind of way. 5 and Council vice chair Debra big spenders. Gina Driscoll. John Muhammad. And district day Richie Floyd. >> Good morning, everyone. We will call to order the Nov. Second 2023 City Council meeting beginning with roll call place on the air here and what's your big Sanders. Driscoll men Hugh Laurie, your various your job or your. This morning we will begin our meeting with an indication that will be delivered by reverend Mike Alford care it at the cathedral Church of Saint Pete, this will be followed by a moment of silence to honor first responders so please remain standing or please join me in standing and remain standing afterwards for the pledge of allegiance. >> Mighty GOD. From whom all thoughts of truth. Justice mercy and peace proceed. Kendall we pray in the hearts of each one of us. The true love of peace justice and mercy. Comfort the afflicted. Those who mourn and those who find themself in the midst of war, violence and terrorism. Give our leaders we pray the courage to listen and the wisdom to act to seek the path of reconciliation and the wisdom to act to seek the path of reconciliation and to respect the dignity of every human being. Help us also to see the image of GOD in each other, especially those with whom we disagree MAY we one day sit down together to beat swords into plow shares and spears into pruning hooks. Bless we pray the work of this assembly MAY we be the voice of the voiceless the disenfranchised and those living on the margins MAY we always strive to do justice love mercy and walk humbly with you oh Lord. All this we ask in the name of GOD, our creator sustainer and redeemer. >> Please join me in a moment of silence as we honor fallen first responder. Officer Bessette end of watch Nov.. 10th, 1961. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and so the Republic for which it stands one nation under GOD. It is a bull with liberty and justice for all you MAY be seated. Thank you reverend for joining us this morning. >> City Council we have an agenda before us today with the request to add item c b 20 and with that change I will entertain a motion for approval to move approval. You have a motion and second to approve the agenda seeing a request to speak clerk please open the machine for the Seeing all council members voted clerk please telling announce the vote. MADAM Chair motion to approve the agenda passes unanimously. >> ok and now we have our consent agenda clerk do we have any cards on the consent And we do not ok without alerting the motion removal of the consent agenda. Approval second. We have a motion and second seeing no request to speak clerk please a punishing for voting. Council members and the votes seeing all council members that voted clerk please tell enough so that. Chair motion to approve the consent agenda passes unanimously. All right we will take up actually first our new good news item which is item f 3 which was pulled by council member council member Mohammed checked introduce this item we thank you, thank you, MADAM Chair. >> Was one of the congratulations on receiving the grant it is great news, I wanted to express my gratitude to the staff and we didn't lose yesterday residents of the neighborhood who played a role in the success of this particular initiative who will play I should say. I believe the initiative will not only bring more greenery to our community but also deliver tangible improvements and various aspects of our community efforts to improve air quality in the area. We welcome the anticipated reduction in particulate The decrease in the Heat index. As well as the measurable impacts of the project that we expect to benefit the community and so I'm looking forward to it all so excited about the youth environment education sessions that are included in there. Because they will probably sit under those trees. It's been what time then we will so looking ahead to the accomplishments and just again want to read to reiterate our dedication and commitment to improving air quality in the area and I think this is a great announcement and step in the right direction. So. Thank you councilmember Muhammad and if I MAY just give a quick shout out. And very honored to report out on this good news story and council member Mohammed incredibly impressed the mastery of knowledge over the many environmental and community benefits that planting a tree brings. I'm not only to the Childs Park neighborhood but to our overarching 30% tree canopy Cole. I just wanted to take a quick moment to thank our senior urban forestry specialist he's with me today. And Dean hey if you would. You are standing on you and thank you to a city Rob Curtis and public works administrator Claude Tankersley for their support and leadership. i'm I'm happy to answer any questions if there are any but thank you for this acknowledgment. So council member Jessica. Thank you. >> And this >> really just incredible. The project and I'm so excited to see it coming forward. This is. One of 2 tree, good news item. Items that we've had out there for the community lately. Last Sat. I had the opportunity to join Dean Anna and multiple organizations led by a group called are whew and which very small nonprofit that has raised the funding to plant trees along the Pinellas trail. Last Sat.. The group's planted 100 trees between 22th and 24th streets and before that they had done I believe 140 trees between 24th and 28th streets. So seeing people out in the community taking matters into their own hands to raise the money. The money was came from private donors I was. Given a heads up that they're actually receiving a grant to do even more trees. I'm just really amazing. But with with both of these projects it made me think back to a committee meeting that we had not too long ago where. We were given. Just a moment council member Jessica if everyone could just silence their phones whether in the chambers, thank you. I think you go ahead. >> Quite a bit of money we're talking about allocating to do a tree mapping study to determine where trees should go. And I believe it was a $150,000 correct. The city is looking to spend on just mapping it out. I don't believe any maps were used. To determine where the trees are going to going child's Park. Or the trees that are going along the Pinellas trail. So what I want to know is. Why why is that not necessary for this. But we need to spend almost a million dollars. Just to look at trees when that money could be going towards more trees. >> That's an excellent point and I want to share with the council that we are exploring alternatives for that 850,000 bp settlement find following the hearse committee meeting. To answer your question directly we know that the Pinellas trail is a priority area. We know the child's Park. It's a priority area for tree planting beans. You I can tell just by standing out there. And thanks to your leadership in the Pinellas trail plan team take get Street light out there to get us started. We it's very visible. That being said we will do some desk analysis and mapping so that we know where trees will be planted in child's Park. We work really closely with our colleagues in engineering and gis to make sure as well as transportation planning that where we're plan team is not impeding with any underground utilities overhead utilities visibility. Triangles as well as Sidewalks so there will be some map, you know some apps created but our office of sustainability and resilience here is that point we've heard we took that point following the hearse committee meeting. And right now we do not We have not gone out to bed. We have not engaged procurement on that tree map beam as we're looking for more cost-effective ways to get even more trees in the ground. Okay great. Thank you I just see so much good that's being done without the need for mapping that I wonder if we could reconsider. How we go about that absent in the future so I appreciate that and. I look forward to an update on that if you when you are ready. If you could request. From staff I can put in the new business item to get that on my future hers committee meeting are you can be right here to the dias that sounds great. Thank you. That's member Mount Mary thank you and I but this this is a very good news Over there. Past When we do when we start budget process with our budget priorities. One of my budget priorities is always to try to plant a 1000 trees year and in the city of St. Petersburg and we bp funds to go towards project this year. So I was very glad to hear what you want what you just stated and because I was thinking about putting in a new business item today like revisit this. This issue but it sounds like we're on the on the right calf and my goal is to get trees in the ground and enhance our tree canopy >> I thought I should share councilmember Mohnton are and we have a goal that we plan to meet or exceed this this calendar year. I think this was brought before the hearse committee to plant 600 trees and and a 1000 a year matching that goal that you've stated very good. Wonderful glad to hear about the news on the Pinellas trail where we have both. The public sector and volunteers in the private sector doing that thing same thing to try to enhance or tree canopy that makes our and even better place to live so thank you for bringing this forward thinking. That's member Hannah what's think you chair and thank you so much as you know the whole City Council supports the planning of trees I think we've talked in various meetings about this. But I was curious about looking at the grant itself I know that there is a matching grant program so they give 49 and change 49,000 in change and then we match it. And when we do matching neighborhood Volunteer hours are used for that not just dollars and I saw that the grant itself allows for volunteer hours to be used towards act Grant as opposed to money are we using those volunteer hours that people are using because that builds community spirit. You get people's by and we've done this in the community for many projects and I think it's extremely important to do that I was just wondering if you're applying volunteer hours and keep tracking those to apply to the grant as opposed to cash that they go to other trees absolutely to free up funds for yes that is something Dean hay with that we have planned and envision doing. If you're out in the Pinellas round saw the hunt I think it was over a 100 150 volunteers. That is a way to do it it's that the partnership in the volunteer hours that make this possible we're small team so that is how we do track their hours or so we have not started yet that we've had a ceremonial tree planting and child's Park, but we are bringing this award for acceptance from City Council before we start playing teen in child's Park. So we will be yes and so I look forward to bringing a report out how many hours how many volunteers. As metrics towards the success of this is I know even planning the program in from the beginning you could track all those hours and will go towards that so thank you very much, we're very happy with all that replanting que. >> We have a motion a second seeing no further request. A spate clerk Lisa punishing for voting. Its members and your votes. Seeing all council members voted clerk please telling us the vote. MADAM Chair motion to approve agenda item f 3 passes unanimously. We thank you Allison thank you Dean. Okay we will now move into open forum Park we please read the rules for open for now. We wish to address City Council on subjects other than public hearings work wide-eyed you dish to this on the agenda. Please sign up with the clerk. Only the individual wishing to a sign the open form she only city residents owners of property business owners in the city or their employees MAY speak. All issues discussed and are open for must be limited to issues related to the city of St. Petersburg government. If you wish to speak to an item on the agenda you MAY only speak once during during the open forum for when the item comes up on the agenda in order to provide an opportunity for all citizens to address Council. Each individual will be given 3 minutes to speak and after which the market from will be muted. If you wish to address to the council to the zoom meeting. You must use the raise hand feature been in the zoom app or inter star 9 on on the phone your phone at the time the agenda items addressed when is your turn to speak, you will be unmuted an axe to state your name and address at the conclusion of your comments were when you reach the 3 minute time limit. You will be muted all raise hands will be lowered after each agenda item regardless of the method of participation used normal rules apply, including the 3 minute time limit on comments. The requirement that any presentation materials must be submitted in advance of the meeting and the rules of decorum if live public comment is disrupted by violations of the rules of decorum the chair is authorized to accept public comment by alternate means including by email only and we do have some speakers, MADAM Chair, many speakers do we have. We have 12 signed up on the form but we have zoom zoom. Just wanted to let everyone know we do have our public hearings this morning and so our policy and procedure states that was our first open forum can be limited to 30 minutes and because we have that I'm right behind it we have to start our public hearings quickly. We will exercising that 30 minute rule. So if anyone is speaking to a specific item on the agenda. They will be given an opportunity to speak to that item when that item comes up. So just wanted to let everyone know that when we stop at the 30 minutes that is because we have public hearing afterwards. This call the speakers took time to come to a good time, MADAM Chair first 2 speakers jurist Cassidy and Sean reaction please go to either I the podium state your name and address for the record and you have 3 minutes to address City Council. >> Good morning, MADAM Chair and members of Council George Cassidy I reside at 3130 10th Street North Petersburg which is the Magnolia Heights subdivision or name. And I'm here this morning to raise awareness for all of you on a really chronic and persistent Street flooding that we've had for a long time, I've lived my address now for a little over 10 years. My family moved And we made a conscious decision to move the Magnolia It was a friendly neighborhood, it was a walkable neighborhood. And most importantly believe it or not it's at the top of the Hill. It's at 44 feet above sea level who would imagine that city St. Petersburg has a mountain that's 44 feet above sea level and we found it and I'm I'm blessed and happy that we did find a high spot on the Hill was that important to me. I grew up in St. Petersburg I've as we all have had those moments in time we had to evacuate because of storms and I made a conscious decision when I moved my family this neighborhood that we didn't want to evacuate. We want to stay in our home during the storm of that. So it 44 feet, you know if you think about at magnitude 5 hurricane and 28 feet of storm surge, we're an island surrounded by water and I wanted to be on that Island. Unfortunately in our which is probably about 80 to 90 years old and some of its construction. You might guess that the storm drain system in the neighborhood is equally 80 to 90 years old. And it's woefully inadequate to move water. Especially in these heavy rain events that we see happening from time to time. I will tell you that a little bit of water in the street is okay. I mean I don't mind 6 inches of water in the curb and driving down that that doesn't pose a problem. What about a problem with his 2 feet of water on the street that goes into my house that into my garage into my pool over everything that I own on my property. That's an issue. For the 10 years that I've been there I've contacted. The stormwater group they come out wonderfully to try and clean the drains that hasn't fixed anything contacted the engineering department. They have really acknowledged that the system is inadequate and the convenience needs to be improved now can dance is a fancy engineering term for much of 2 small. But that is small and we've known that for a long time. I'm here today to ask for help we're not asking to arrest sea level rise. For straw recurs we're not asking to turn the tides that we're asking for is a small project to improve the pipeline system within a couple of streets of our neighborhood to keep our homes from flooding. I don't think it's right and I think I like you to put this on your priority list for funding in the future. Thank you very much. Thank you Sir. Next speaker. My name is younger child that 9 to one 32nd Avenue North and St. Petersburg good morning council members. I'm I'm here for the same We recently moved into the house at 9 to one 32th Avenue. a little over 2 years During the great flood of JULY 16th is I call it a 2022. We're going at a wedding for less than 3 hours. We get home there's over 3 inches of water in my garage MISTER George says we're over 47 feet at sea level. So I'd like to know who was responsible for overseeing storm drainage and plans on replacing old infrastructure. Part 3 of land development code chapter one 54 article 2 drainage requirement section one 5450. The purpose and intent. It is the purpose and intent of this article the planned for to address and to maintain drainage to protect the generals health safety and welfare of the people Pinellas County additionally it is the purpose and intent to guard against flooding. Protect Hyder hydrology and ensure water safety. You also have section one can be for 51 of the general choir months. It states a complete drainage system Shelby provided all areas within the proposed developments including lot streets in other areas and must be adequate drained. Article 2 drainage requirements section one 5457 to drainage plan every application for new construction or substantial improvements, including single-family homes, subdivided lands and must includes drainage plans. We just had 2 lots that have set 2 houses on 10th Street. Near the corner of 30th. Now there's 4 homes nearby canopy I like to see their drainage plan and when the city approved that there's also a church on 30th in like 12 Street and they put up a Houses that was just a church so like to see what that drainage plan consist of I'm doing this to get a foia request. My first submitted this claim that I had some property damage his we're doing Reef. Construction on the House and most of our items were in the garage as I mentioned we took over 3 inches of water in the garage. Christopher Allen, the s p supervisor responded that the if the pipes are cool clean. They're just overwhelmed due to the size of the pipes but getting overwhelmed. Document to that I have attached. I want to follow up because they said they would send me. There a master plan request which I was never copied on. Also they respond about cleaning out the vectors they just said the pipes are being overwhelmed and that that they're smaller well if they known that why are we replacing them or are we doing other stuff for the infrastructure, not doing the real infrastructure needs where our houses are flooding on 47th. >> This week. The suit is MADAM Chair Marley price in. Mariel sec. Tick please go to the podium state your name and address for the record and you will have 3 minutes to address City Council. Good morning Council Marley price of 32th ave North. i just wanted to voice my support for allowing a public vote on the stadium deal. I think that since this is one of the largest developments the city will be taking place with and the amount of funds public funds that are going towards that it just makes sense to let public input go with that and since it's not going to be like a binding vote. I don't see any reason why it wouldn't happen. Additionally sense. There's no reason to push it through quickly because the current stadium there's nothing structurally wrong with that it just seems like why would make the most sense. >> Good morning. My name is mireles second and I live at 4200 25th Avenue North. And I'm here to comment on Oct. 12th resolution to Israel in the current conflict in Gaza and before I begin I want to say thank you councilmember Floyd for voting no on that resolution and I also want to address the rest of the council. I'm going to read because I'm nervous and I'm making an emotional so forgive me I also forgot to bring to shift as a genocide and as a genocide in the war survivor myself I was very saddened, disappointed and frightened by the aggressive tone and lack of compassion toward people of Palestine express in a resolution passed by the council and that over 12. It had a chilling effect on me and most likely many other people who live in Saint Pete. I would like to ask you to take the next step and pass another resolution just to show support for people of Palestine and local residents of Palestinian descent and to advocate for peace. It's it's just it's the just thing to do given that the city voted to pass that over 12 for a solution, something needs to be done to correct for the oversight in the Oct. 12th resolution. Less that resolution is repealed as I write this message for as I read this at least a 1800 Palestinians have been killed and by Israeli forces in Gaza since Oct. 7th, which includes 3,600 children. More than 21,000 Palestinians have been injured by the Israeli it attacks and bombings in Gaza since Oct. 7th. They and their loved ones deserve compassion and empathy Saint Pete residents of Palestinian descent also deserve compassion and empathy I appreciate your time and I truly hope that you take my message into consideration. I also hope that you share my message with the rest of the well I actually also e-mail this so I really hope that you take this into consideration and I really believe that that this can be a teaching moment for our city and in closing I would like to say that Palestinian people are people just like all of us and they deserve your and our. >> It MAY need our compassion 50. 10 says or they maybe even their lives the pen. Thank you when you know. Excuse because 2 speakers, MADAM Chair, Jon Stewart and William Kilgore please go to either podium state your name and address for the record and you will have 3 minutes to address City Council. >> Good morning Jon Stewart 2130 Burlington Avenue North. I'm here this morning to speak to h one the re stadium referendum. I'm urging you to pass it. First of all you need to hear our voices because every study ever conducted shows that giving money to sports stadium has never benefited the community that gave the money never when a City Council member cited that fact David Abrams and consultant consultant with inner circle sports said the study's contain outdated information. This is a survey of studies of the impact of money for sports. Stadiums it contains the outdated information of 30 years and a 130 studies. Their recent analysis finds a decade-old consensus very limited it economic impacts of professional sports teams is accurate. The large subsidies they concluded are not justified. And there is overwhelming debt evidence of the subsidies economic impotence. We need a voice second you need to hear our voices because there is no indication that a new sports stadium will even benefit the Tampa Bay rays. A recent raise playoff game had the lowest attendance since the Cincinnati Reds playoff game. In 1919 for context here are some figures attendance at the 1919 Reds playoff game, 13,000 924 people population of Cincinnati in 19 2401,247 people. Attendance at the to 23. 2023 raise playoff game. 19,704 population of Tampa Bay area in 2021. 3.2 2 million. And we have online ticket sales. The rays history has shown that even if you build it, they will not come. Finally why are we able to find money for 1.2 billion dollar company but we can't find the money for the city money to keep that supermarket 18th Avenue South and 22th Street, South open money for affordable housing. Why are we giving the rays the whole loaf and then begging for crumbs for Lazarus please give us a bigger percentage of affordable housing. Why are we spending the money directly. This is from the presentation that the rays team made. Tampa Bay rays responsibilities and rights responsibilities, 30 year maintenance insurance all the things you need to run a business rights revenue and naming and sponsorship rights in other words they want to run a business. They want our money and they want to just take the money to take the profits. It's such a good deal for the city of St. Petersburg it's a good deal for the rays they should pay for it and you need to hear our voice. Thank you. Next speaker. Hi everybody, thanks William Kilgore of with the Saint Pete and its union that reside in the Ponce de Leon neighborhood. Good to see This morning I'm just wanting to speak in support of agenda item h one and the straw poll. >> Coming up this when thank council member Floyd for bringing bringing this for this is really important. I'm you know looking at something like a straw poll, it's nonbinding. You know, but it's a it's important that that you know community is heard. You know there's been a lot of things that the administration's put on it, you know some of town halls and things like that those are great I don't knock that at all. You know it's a way of getting people involved I think that's it that's amazing. You know but it's important you know that that the vote that you get a good gauge on on what's happening is there's a lot of opposition. The stadium agreement I mean it's beyond its across the political spectrum. You know all across the different people different walks of life who are who are questioning, you know what the spending money on it I just huge for profit. It baseball team in did to build the stadium when there's other priorities in the city and things we need you know I I saw some of that argument and one of the article about you know against that you know it's that you know you can't put everything to a vote we elect you know we elect our officials said. You know, but make decisions and things like that you know, and I agree, I mean there's certain things every ordinance if we had to you know have a direct vote on it. Yeah it doesn't make You know, but this is something that's like once in a generation. You know, and it's really important that you know people are able to be You know this is being fast tracked through I think there's this it get this by, but this high a pace that sales pitch. You know happening right now. You know its people are learning about the details you know looking at housing, obviously you know why but the what speak on that you know you look that original plan had the units at 60% am I there were like 603 units plant was the majority of the 859 units they they've cut that down to 300 units at 60% am I so you know they're reducing some of these lower income units there you know bumping up the workforce which I like to call market rate housing. You know because it is market rate housing. You know I mean I wouldn't I don't qualify for workforce, housing. You know so those kind of things and saying we've increased the number of affordable units and you know that there's just a lot a lot of issues a lot of these details and when you're looking at hundreds in the millions of dollars in debt. All that being tied up in the tiff you know that's this juicy pocket of tax revenue audits being locked away and put back into the downtown with that could be going to the general fund and being you know dispersed throughout the city for other things so put it to a vote let the people that you know have a say in its nonbinding there you go. I think it's no no no skin off the city's know so thank you. Next to speakers. Peter cans and Andy Oliver please go to either podium state your name and address after MISTER Addressed City Council. >> Good morning, Peter Kent. I'm smart to speak in favor of voting for each one which calls for citywide straw vote. On the proposed stadium deal. My name is Peter way my comments draw from 3 Kerr experiences first as Les design engineer. And 6,000 acre new city second as a commissioner of public works for 7080 person staff and 3rd in the nba. Which is given and we are given a number talks at Eckerd college. On the stadium, economics. The proposed stadium comes with a hefty one billion cost to taxpayers broken into 4 items. $704 million bond repayment. $25 million over and interest on those bonds. The tree landed 20 acres worth 92 million. A loss of million in property taxes if instead of the stadium. Next year's House they were built on the site. We break down the 1.3 billion a cause. It amounts to have million dollars subsidy to the rays. Breach home game over the next 30 years half a million dollars. You can look at it as $35.60. Subsidy to each attendee each game for 30 years. Supporting local colleges admission to employers would have a more positive impact on St. Petersburg then the stadium for the more country to claim a study published last year on a 130 private stadium part of partnerships but 3 prominent economists showed that this little spin off from the stadium deals. One half of the increase property taxes from all new construction. In both the gas plant so he in the existing downtown district we'll be legally committed to the repayment of those $704 million bonds rather than for other city services. On the other 62 acres the developers being given a quarter of a billion dollars. Present value discount from the appraisal end value plus a $130 million of city-funded finances was the funded infrastructure. Which have been still pleased with the developer with a $90 million profit on that pardon that portion of the deal. It is a city taxpayers are not the developer we're subsidizing these affordable housing. If the developer feels to be is commitment. The agreement limits his maximum penalty of $30 million. I believe the city taxpayers being taken check it know stadium subsidy dot com. Please request, the stadium agreement vote. Thank you. Thank you Sir. Andy Oliver safety resident, a 3 a tier 300 North. Here's speak in favor of the straw poll today and I have to There are some people out there that did not want me to speak today. Someone actually called one of my supervisors to tell them I needed to back off because I was quote harassing the mayor. Also if you read the Times of social media, you'll know that someone has been taking very personal shots at me. So I'm here today, not because I believe I can change any of your minds. I truly believe each of you. Even when we sometimes or often disagree. You want what's very best for the city. So didn't come here to change any of you I came here so that those who wish to hear me silence don't change me. I'm asking you to vote for this nonbinding straw poll. So you get just one more data point before your final decision. I went back and I read all the council minutes, very exciting of the last time we were considering handing over something this big to a private company 2021 the marina. Some of you back then were very insistent on hearing from the people in a vote this feels bigger. If we have a straw poll it doesn't slow down our timeline it's not going backwards. It's not starting over its nearly one more data point from what you get to help represent the people. It put you on the side of the people. Maybe we'll learn overwhelmingly that the city approves an and that will give you more cover from friends people like me. Maybe the vote will be close or slightly against and that's also a gift to you. It gives you a higher point of leverage for negotiating to make this deal even better. Your job isn't to carry the administration's water we elected. You to negotiate on behalf of us that we can have the very best for the whole city. For example, currently the proposed penalty for not building a unit of affordable housing is only $25,000. We all know that that would just be the cost of doing business for building a luxury condo the people's voice in the straw poll gives you the leverage to make that amendment so that we all win. I can count votes. I know in the end. The steel is going to go through. After all said and done in a final vote on the steal the future I know that some votes are going to disappoint me but even if I disagree I know the each of you voted for what you believe is in the best interest of the city. But for this vote. Not about starting over going backward but a vote about listening to the people I don't think I will be able to understand and know for this vote today for something that would create leverage for you to make this deal even better. And it will help you with the most important decision for our city in over a generation. I really wasn't planning to come today. But I couldn't let those trying to silence me change me. So with your vote today don't err on the side of silencing err on the side of a much greater tool for moving this deal forward listening. >> That's just the first time 2 speakers, MADAM Chair Kerry Mueller Mueller and James from Marco please but I the podium state your name and address for the record and you will have 3 minutes to address City Council. >> Hi and good morning. My name is James try Marco I live at 8 oh 9 18th Avenue North by Crystal Lake. I'm pleased to be with all of you say. I'm just here lakes some previous speakers to urge you vote yes on the straw poll and that we do. Take an accurate gauge of the whole cities opinion on the Heinz phrase development plan. I attended the community hearings back months ago. And I remember that conversation in detail I was seated with that. A table full of Saint Pete residents, nobody said what we want is 5,000 luxury condos in a publicly funded stadium. People talked about him point blank spaces where employment opportunities can be offered affordable housing green spaces. That's that's what folks asked for it feels like the city risks, the impression that we want to pursue a deal with the rays at any cost and that we dip in and listen to people every now and then and then we go and negotiate with the rays regardless of what people said and I I really don't want that to be the impression that people get about this process. When I think about the future of this town. There's been a trend over the past couple of decades that you can see in the census data with the city becoming increasingly wealthy and white. It doesn't look but the way it was when I grew up here and the incredible community. Communities that have been created over the generations and those bonds that like put us together and make us a real town. They are at risk of being torn apart. And because we have have this vast downtown around area that we can decide what to do with. We get one. But only one chance to build something that really works for the people of St. Petersburg only one chance. It's big you know like a lot of towns in Florida that are facing gentrification we'll never have 86 downtown acres to play with. And we have that chance I don't want to see us rush. I want to see is within within to the residents of St. Petersburg on this question. So please support the straw poll. Thank you. Good morning. My name is Kerry. Mueller I'm it 12th Street South in James Avenue. And I'm here today to voice my support for the straw poll for Tropicana redevelopment based on reviewing the meeting that was held last week the committee of the whole meeting that discussed some of the turns and the deal for the development. I'm for the development of that project and I think that it should be for the highest and best use. In addition to the community benefits. Facilities that will be located there. Previously worked at the city of Miami before I moved to St. Petersburg doing plan review worked in public works did a lot of plan review for the town development who is doing quite a substantial number of construction projects in Miami. They're quality developer now we've moved away from midtown toward the stadium proposal. And what I want to talk about today are the terms of the development for proposed by Heinz raise. In addition to a deeply discounted purchase price. They're asking for it substantial amount of including $132 million for infrastructure. And James Corbett said that the roads are already in place when a developer shows up on site and really a question that developers are supposed to fund infrastructure improvements, not the city the city is also looking at giving them million for green space that's not built on. It's an unusual concession and also demolition cost of $8 million. I think it's $25 million for affordable housing construction. In addition to the funds they would receive from shipping home. There's just a lot of concessions even pain documentary stamp tax fees by the city for the private developers purchase costs. It's like a real state agent when you're looking at someone who wants to buy your home and they're making you a lowball offer they're asking for all kinds of concessions and it's up to the owner and owners agent to negotiate a good deal. It's fair and it's the best purchase price and offer that you can receive in. I'm Michael Harrison at one point said that when he received the previous rfp that didn't include this the rays stadium that he threw it in the trash. He didn't say he looked at it it didn't work they try to make it work didn't work. He said we just threw it in the garbage and makes me concerned that that person really wants to do business. In the city of St. Petersburg James Corbett said that the developer is about maximizing profit and I think that that's very clear and I just am concerned about the partnership with the city at the prison really has interest in working with the city and our best interest because it seems like it's one-sided so I would like the opportunity for the city to have some input and whether or not to steal continues think. Thank you where to have 2 more. We do feel that carts. Okay very good so was that the final speaker. All right everybody when we made it 2 minutes before so great we will start our public hearings now. We will go ahead and take up item c one through c 3 which is our preliminary assessments and we're joined by code compliance assistant director Joel. All right. We have a motion and a second on item c one through c 3 and seeing no requests to speak to have any cards on the and we do. Alright clerk please a punishing for voting. Council members in your vote saying all council members voted clerk please tell announce the vote. MADAM Chair motion to approve agenda's items be one through the 3 passes unanimously. All right, thank you, thank you MISTER, a all right next we will go to item before this is a ordinance to create chapter 28 to provide tax abatement for certain affordable housing clerk we please read the title. >> The proposed ordinance 5.61 ph an ordinance of the city of St. Petersburg amending the city code to create a new chapter housing, creating chapter 28 article one in general, providing definitions creating chapter 28 are too well for double housing tax relief, providing authority providing the ability providing a process for use providing clear penalties and providing an affected date and we do not have any cards for this time. All right and we're joined this morning, the housing neighborhood services administrator Amy Foster good morning, good morning. We do have a short presentation if you'd like it. So this item was heard before budget finance and taxation Committee on Aug. 24. Okay there we go all right. It if you remember the live local Gave us the opportunity. There are 3 opportunities for tax abatement. What we're all of our Tech isn't a wake you up this morning. There are 3 options provided for in the live local act for tax abatement one is a local option for affordable housing property tactic tax exemption. Another one provides an exemption for nonprofit land with a 99 year ground lease and the 3rd option is for missing middle property tax exemption. We did go over all 3 of those and how work in the budget finance and taxation committee today will only be discussing the local options since that is the ordinance that. You will be passing today. This is the parameters for how the local incentives must work. This is codified in state law so we don't have a lot of flexibility. In how this works so there will be 50 or more units development it will apply if at least 20% of the units for and 60% am I are lower. The tax exemptions can only apply to affordable units we can apply it to new and existing developments and you'll see there's a tiered system based on the number of units are percent of units that are affordable. Here's some other parameters that are required by state law maximum must be based on heads multifamily tax subsidy project income limits, or 90% of fair market value, whichever is less. Exemption only applies to the taxes levied by the unit of government granting the exemption so for us that means the city of Saint Pete can debate our taxes we can't evade taxes for the juvenile welfare board psta the county or others. We that you will be a leader today, no one has yet taken up. Advantage of this incentive I think Jacksonville is one of the only municipalities in the state that done this. So far so we would be the first in our County. We must post exemptions on our website. It would expire in 2026. And there would be penalties for noncompliance this is just a little bit of the by the numbers of how actual developments this would apply to and you can see how much tax relief would be provided so it's not a huge hit to the general fund as of today this is future cost. For us, but we think it's important in order to develop more units. Here are a few of the things that we talked about at the committee level that you provided in our a hack committee also provided input on this week. Made some tweaks based on the discussion and direction you provided. Budget finance and taxation. So it will apply to all new developments. For existing developments who already receive subsidies from the city in order to get bill. They need to meet 2 of the 3 following criteria for 50% relief option. They need to extend their period of affordability provide for substantial renovation or prove that their insurance have increased more than 50% over the last 3 years. We believe based on conversations with developers that many will meet 2 of these 3 criteria, but it allows us to get something in return so extended affordability units that are of a higher quality or they're receiving some kind of are experiencing some kind of hardship they still won. The insurance issues that we have here in the state of Florida. Again it will be tiered based on the number of affordable units we'll have a local application process with monitoring. One of the discussion points we talked about was code enforcement issues, this is outlined in state law. But we used our definitions to just make it more clear that it would be 3 or more citations and a 24 month period that had not yet been remedied. And that there was no outstanding debt to the city. If someone did not agree an administrative decision on this it would be appealable to City Council. Staff recommends approval and I'm here for any questions you MAY have to move approval, second. All right well, thank you just real quick all take a moment of privilege to say a personal thank you. This was my new business item that I brought forward to be fmt and I'm just wanted to thank staff think administration for jumping on this opportunity so quickly once the legislation was signed. I do have the privilege of sitting on not only our local a hack but also because of that I've get to have conversations with a hack members that are other elected officials across the state and last week I was on the region 5 a hat committee and I wanted to echo what you said no one else is taking the lead on this Jacksonville has implemented an ordinance but in my opinion it is not as robust as what ours is from what I've been hearing they're having some challenges navigating through that because it was not built the way that this particular ordinance says so I wanted to really a big thank you to you Amy particular cause you took the lead on this you saw the need for it the work that you're doing with the development community to help them understand it even before we pass it. So thank you so much for I did just want to share with my One of the biggest concerns really is the fact that it has the sunset portion that I believe was something that the Legislature didn't really think through properly. And so when developers are trying to utilize this as part of their Performa a lot of financing and to tease are saying like that isn't stable. It's only 4 years it's going to sunset so. Myself I did appeal to others who were on that call for cities around the state who are looking to utilize this to press the Legislature for a glitch bill either this session are next. So that it can be extended so that will be something that I would like to work on with you maybe Saint Pete once again being a leader could actually get one of representatives to push the bill and I don't know how much bandwidth there would be for this year. But I think as that sunset gets closer more people will start to see the need for that, so we did meet with representative crosses 8 on this issue and ask for the sun set to be certainly it would be helpful if Council made that a part of their lair agenda. But the sunset provision that you're mentioning is that that get addressed and I also just want to mention chair that MISTER Green and did a lot of work going I'm getting all of the units figured out and which properties are affordable whether shamburg recognizes them are not what our records look at what the state looks at and so I I didn't do this work alone and just wanted to mention them as well. Thank you to MISTER Green and his team has always crunching numbers for us so thank you all so much. All right seeing no further requests to speak do we have any Kurtz on this item. No all right. Motion and a second so please open machine for voting. Council members and events. Seeing all council members voted clerk please tell you notes to them. MADAM Chair motion to approve agenda item e 4 passes unanimously all right great that concludes our public hearings for today we will now go back to reports and take up item f 2 >> administrator Foster I have you as and we're also joined by real estate property management director, Aaron fish alum show you today, good morning Council chair, good thank you and good morning Council. >> Is the item before you today as the acquisition of property by the city from St. Petersburg College of property. In question is a property that in 2000. 22 the college reviewed. Their properties and they declared certain properties surplus. And one of the properties in which they declared surplus was at 7045 Burlington Avenue North. Subsequently after the clearing the property surplus they made available for sale. The property includes 5.2 3 acres of land with approximately 20,000 square feet of improvements with the current zoning designation of neighborhood traditional single family. This property bounded on the north by 4th Avenue north on the South by Burlington Avenue North. I used by 70th Street north on the West by 70 first Street North and just Jason to 71th Street north to the to the West is the Pinellas trail. The adjacent properties to this to the north and to the south have. Neighborhood suburban multi-family zoning. This zoning could support up 268 units on site. Also within the vicinity is industrial traditional zone property. And the Pinellas trail to the east supports a multi modal options. Also within the vicinity of the property approximately 700 and 50 feet to the north is the Saint Pete college campus. And to the west of the property. Approximately 1100 the West is a commercial mixed mixed use property. In DECEMBER of 20 to 2022 gives me the city submitted a letter of intent to the college offering to purchase the property for the construction of affordable housing. Her subsequent The city and the college negotiated a contract for purchase that purchase price is million the city will have 90 days of due diligence to perform inspections and studies the college is to deliver to the city, a total commitment within 45 days. 180 days are provided for the city to commence the rezoning process for the property. In the closing is to occur within. 60 days after the rezoning process. The city has to pay for inspections title policy, closing and recording fees. The intent is to rezone the property from its current and t 2, a neighborhood traditional single-family zoning to the one neighborhood suburban multi-family zoning. The conclusion of the process city would clothes and issue an rfp to solicit proposals from developers for the development of the property which would include approximately a 105 townhomes for sale at or below a 120% am I in conjunction entering into the purchase contract. The city would also enter into an agreement with the college which would provide. 30% of those townhomes to be available to college employees and students on a first right of refusal bases. The college did provide too. Appraisals for the property to the city. As of Apr. 20 23. The market value was estimated at 4,600 thousand as determined by and rickon and Associates and mccormick's even in Toronto, the value was estimated at 5,040 thousand. And with that I open it up for questions. The co 2 parts of the Senate. Temperature right councilmember guard us thank you, MADAM Chair. Karen thanks for the I only have one question and then a couple of quick comments on the 30% of town homes available. Sbc employees and students are those to to buy those units or to rent them. These are for sale you guys just want to I just want to make sure that the the sbc employees and students were a part of that yes they are all for sale. Okay I just 2 administration a big thank you you know this in in my backyard literally and figuratively I don't know that it's that long but was was this campus being used when you are at sea it's been a while it was it was being used yeah not but it's it's been a long time and so this has this has been sitting dormant. You know there used to be a track there were some basketball courts. And none of it is being used now so I was very happy to see Saint Pete college. And their willingness to dispose of this property and thank you to administration for jumping on this. I've been working our been they've been keeping me abreast of all this and it's been very exciting, especially. For to be selling And so just very thankful. Thank you for all the diligence and and very excited support this. Thank you MADAM Chair. A council member handle it, thank you chair and thank you Aaron for your presentation appears to be a win-win for us and Saint Pete college. As to the contract price of $4.2 million explain how that Valley was calculated on on the 30% of homes. That are going to be available to fpc employees and students in reduction of the purchase price, which is you know below market value. >> low initially the the initial purchase price was offered. >> The price based on the safety college employees were students being able to by the town homes because they would buy them at the same price of anybody else would they would just have access to them. Ok. Now that that's a better explanation I understand. Thank you so much. That's never fun. Thank Just a couple of things can you talk about the purchase price a little bit or is that speculative since we're still a The purchase price of 4.2 million is agree to some sort of the purchase price of each individual townhome that's sorry about that as MISTER Fish stated we intend to do an that's something that we've talked about in other committees is you know a preference our peas and trying to lay out what we're looking forward to give some certainty. And will include some some direction the rfp and we'll see what we get back from the development community. So that's a to be determined of course that will come back to City Council would have to be approved, but yeah, I'm sorry I'm not being clear I just mean like the end user like purchasing the townhome not like us like what the purchase price of a 120% of am I is that's what I was getting a yes sorry, I'm sorry. >> I MISTER Curtis's answer still stands. We won't know until we know what it cost to develop the property and this would have to determine purchase price and what the subsidy. The city would put in an order to develop that property so that that is yet to be determined and would have to come back to Council okay okay, so there's not like a limit to what. I know when it comes out like we get the charter am I and runs there's like this is how much you charge a a 120% of am I there's that that chart is used for rentals yeah, I'm certainly their guidelines about what. You charge for down payment assistance when it comes to shipping home and other things but we're we're pretty far off from that our first step is to rezone the property. And then we would go from there ok for a while councilmember since I've talked to housing but the last time I think around 3 5375 people were qualifying. Hurt when it's the it's it's much higher than that now it's almost $500,000. I think. But again those are things we that we would have to determine at a later date once we know what it costs to develop the town him so k. That is. A lot of We all move on from that 06:00am. >> Just about administration's confidence and you know getting the deal done I know you wouldn't be bringing it to us if you weren't, but we've had a couple of issues with townhome developments recently come back and asking for more money I know that there's I don't know the details but I know worst having some issues the deuces project so I just want to hear about us confidence and getting this deal done. Yeah I think that's a that's a great question we talked about this a little bit before I mean I think we're super excited to see. The Namaste a development coming to a close and getting ceos on mlk and that's really the first town home development that we've that will be completed. We're excited about the deals that city councils approved with habitat for humanity. We're hopeful that those will move But we're still in a wait and see bases. To do says rising townhomes are actually meeting with the mayor tomorrow will be a briefing City Council pretty soon on those that is a little bit different because we're acting as the developer that would not be the intention here and I think through the rfp process. We can lay out what we're looking for and I would hope that we get some really strong proposals on this property is a fantastic property. It's a significant in size it's right by the Pinellas trail. I think it worked really well. >> Yeah I totally agree with that. This is excellent property. The right place to be doing something like We're getting a good price on its a totally support this and I just wanted to get some of that stuff cleared up I look forward to us continuing to discuss this in the future, thanks. Council vice chair fix Sanders. >> Thank you chair, good morning, good morning, good morning. I am also excited about this but I will have to publicly state I want is to please And I was so glad to hear you mention habitat for humanity. Yea I'm a big fan of the process and their business model but as we move forward continuously and I think you know do for me say this several times. I love a 120% I guess but I want us to try to get away from that as the benchmark when we started to build affordable housing because a 120% really is an affordable housing it for a lot of our residents. So I'm wanting us to I know that MAY be a starting point but as we're going to look forward to moving forward with the housing concept that one 20 is not always what our target is you know I really want us to get to the 80 to 60% in the war on a lot of these projects that were actually you know it and I do thank you MISTER Greatest to clarify and we're not the developers on this so we don't know what the prize. We will be to actually constructed these what can we please keep that and my percentage in mind as we're moving forward with the dollars in trying to create some of these units that are fixed in there, but I just I just like to add to that I want to Administrator Foster on the spot. >> I totally understand what you're saying I just want to for the for the record say if you look at our 10 year plan. And you look at our multifamily units and you look at the percentage of those units at 60% name, I blow it significant. So that that Yeah I think I think one thing that's important to understand here councilmember fix Sanders is that you know certainly administration shares your goal that. For rental units we would go as low as possible rate 60% or lower. When it comes to home ownership, even habitat for humanity would tell you that 80% am I is hard for somebody to sustain a home. And so we really have struggled in some of the other projects of bringing that number down with the current building environment. I think a 120 am I in lower still allows us to try and hit some of those lower am But I would tell you that the the sustainability issue for a family with our insurance increases and strains on our economy makes it really hard for home ownership to get much lower than that. And thank you for helping me understand and thank you for entertainment. Thank you thank you too. Some of them just go. Thank you. >> I appreciate that year making an effort to we Housing opportunities for those who are. At 80% and lower. But and. At one 20 and I understand that that has different meaning for home ownership so I get that. I also understand that. >> There is. There's a challenge sometimes with building want for one 20. When it comes to certain types of funding is that is that true. I I think it depends on what funding sources you're using I'm yeah. So the city is not going to be the developer in this case is there a plan will the rfp before. Will that include some kind of conveyance at some point or will the city it does the city plan to maintain ownership of the property in perpetuity. I think all of those things are things that we can discuss moving forward. You know certainly we have to get the land first and do the rezoning we've heard from me, loud and clear that you have a preference for home ownership have a preference for us taking control and not just allowing unsolicited offers to come our way so certainly before we work through all the details on that rfp we can have some further conversation with you. Thanks and it might be a good idea to sort of. Not make that too narrow. Every question the rfp so that we can look at some different options. This is a great get and I'm really excited and I think all of you who worked hard to make this happen. Thank you. >> Well I echo the sentiments of all of my colleagues on what a fantastic opportunity that this says I'm very excited that this is an ownership opportunity because we do a lot of great work in the rental space but the homeownership piece of it is sometimes a harder metric to be able to achieve. So I'm very glad that we ar