City Council Meeting

>>> GOOD EVENING. AND WELCOME TO THE MARCH 3rd, 2026 COUNCIL MEETING. AFTER 33 YEARS OF SAYING "SALES MEETING" ON TUESDAY, I FEEL LIKE I STILL STUMBLE OVER THAT. COUNCIL MEETING. SO, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. IF THERE IS ANY CHANCE WHATSOEVER THAT YOUR PHONE HAS NOT BEEN SILENCED, PLEASE CHECK IT AND SILENCE IT, OKAY? AND AS ALWAYS, AS I SAY, THERE WILL BE A LOT OF THINGS GOING ON TONIGHT AND THERE WILL BE A LOT OF QUESTIONS, BUT IF YOU FEEL THE URGE TO ASK THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU, I'M GOING TO ASK THAT YOU STEP OUTSIDE, SO THAT WE ONLY HAVE ONE CONVERSATION GOING ON AT A TIME, ALL RIGHT? I APPRECIATE THAT. SO, WITH THAT, I WOULD SAY, LET'S CALL THIS MEETING TO ORDER. OH, I DID CALL IT TO ORDER. YOU KNOW, I GET CONFUSED BETWEEN THAT AND ROLL CALL. >> THEY SOUND THE SAME. >> OKAY, LET ME START ODOR --OVER, I HAVE CALLED THE MEETING TO ORDER, AND NOW WE WILL GO TO THE INVOCATION, WHICH WILL BE GIVEN BY VICE MAYOR THANOS FOR THE LAST TIME, AND THEN FOLLOWED BY THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, SO PLEASE STAND. >> SO, USUALLY, I FIND A QUOTE THAT SEEMS APPROPRIATE FOR THE TIME, BUT WHAT IS ON MY MIND IS THE WAR. AND SO, WHETHER YOU THINK IT IS JUSTIFIED, OR NOT JUSTIFIED, THAT DOESN'T -- I MEAN, IT MATTERS, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. IT'S HERE, IT'S HAPPENING, AND I'M JUST HOPING THAT OUR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEADERS CAN FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT STOP HAPPENING, QUICKLY, SO THAT WE HAVE MINIMAL LOSS OF LIFE BECAUSE THAT TOTALLY WORRIES ME, SO I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT AS MY INVOCATION. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS ONE NATION UNDER GOD INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. VICE MAYOR THANOS? >> HERE. >> COUNCILMEMBER SHAW? >> PRESENT. >> COUNCILMEMBER JACKSON? >> PRESENT. >> COUNCILMEMBER EARLEY? >> PRESENT. >> MAYOR LOVE? >> PRESENT. >> CITY ATTORNEY SALZMAN? >> HERE. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. SO, TONIGHT, WE ARE GOING TO START THE MEETINGS WITH SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS AND WE WILL START OFF FIRST WITH RECOGNIZING OUR OFFICER OF THE YEAR, AND I BELIEVE OUR CITY CLERK IS GOING TO READ THE PROCLAMATION, AND THEN I BELIEVE OUR CHIEF IS GOING TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR OFFICER OF THE YEAR. OKAY, THIS IS A PROCLAMATION HONORING SELENA RAMOS, 2025, OFFICER OF THE YEAR WHERE IS THE SAFETY, WELL-BEING, AND QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR RESIDENTS DEPEND GREATLY ON THE PROFESSIONALISM AND INTEGRITY OF THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY AND WHEREAS, OFFICER SELENA RAMOS, WHO BEGAN HER EMPLOYMENT WITH THE CITY OF GULFPORT POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 2018 AND HAS CONSISTENTLY DEMONSTRATED EXEMPLARY COMMITMENT TO THE MISSION AND VALUES OF HER DEPARTMENT THROUGH OUTSTANDING SERVICE, LEADERSHIP, AND ACCOUNTABILITY. AND, WHEREAS, OFFICER RAMOS HAS DISTINGUISHED HERSELF AS ONE OF THE AGENCY'S STRONGEST FIELD TRAINING OFFICERS, MAINTAINING DOCUMENTATION THAT IS WIDELY REGARDED AS UNPARALLELED IN ITS ACCURACY, THOROUGHNESS, AND PROFESSIONALISM. AND BY NOT ONLY MEETING, BUT ELEVATING THE STANDARDS OF THE FIELD TRAINING PROGRAM. AND WHEREAS, SHE HAS SHOWN A GENUINE INVESTMENT IN DEVELOPMENT AND MENTORSHIP OF NEW OFFICERS, TAKING PERSONAL OWNERSHIP OF THEIR SUCCESS AND DIRECTLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE OVERALL STRENGTH AND FUTURE OF THE DEPARTMENT. AND WHEREAS OFFICER RAMOS HAS DEMONSTRATED NOTABLE GROWTH AND COMPETENCE WHILE WORKING ON A SERGEANT ON THE CHARLIE SHIFT, EFFECTIVELY BOUNCING SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES ALONGSIDE HER PRIMARY ABILITIES WITH SOUND JUDGMENT AND LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL. AND WHEREAS SHE HAS CONSISTENTLY VOLUNTEERED TO COVER SHIFTS, OFTEN ON SHORT NOTICE AND BEYOND NORMAL EXPECTATIONS, WHILE MAINTAINING EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE, A POSITIVE ATTITUDE, AND ENGAGING PRESENCE THAT STRENGTHENS BOTH HER SQUAD AND THE DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE. WHEREAS IN RECOGNITION OF HER DEDICATION, PROFESSIONALISM, LEADERSHIP, AND WORK ETHIC, THE COMMAND STAFF HAS SELECTED OFFICER SELENA RAMOS AS THE 2025 OFFICER OF THE YEAR. NOW, BE IT PROCLAIMED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GULFPORT DOES HEREBY RECOGNIZE AND COMMEND OFFICER SELENA RAMOS FOR HER OUTSTANDING SERVICE AND DEDICATION TO THE COMMUNITY AND BROUGHT PROBABLY CONGRATULATES HER ON BEING NAMED 2025 OFFICER OF THE YEAR. BE IT FURTHER -- [ APPLAUSE ] >> ONE MORE SENTENCE TO READ! BE IT FURTHER PROCLAIMED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ENCOURAGES ALL RESIDENTS TO JOIN IN EXPRESSING SINCERE APPRECIATION -- CONGRATULATIONS! >> [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] >> OKAY, MARY, YOU NEED TO HAND THIS TO HER, OKAY? >> OKAY. >> THANK YOU! >> THANK YOU. CONGRATULATIONS. >> THAT'S VERY GOOD. >> [ APPLAUSE ] >> OKAY, THEN, MOVING RIGHT ALONG BECAUSE WE DO HAVE SEVERAL PRESENTATIONS TONIGHT. BY THE WAY, IF THERE IS A SEAT OPEN NEXT TO YOU, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND, IN CASE SOMEBODY STILL WANTS TO HAVE A SEAT. NOW, YOU KNOW WHERE THE EMPTY SPOTS ARE. OKAY. OUR NEXT PRESENTATION IS GOING TO BE FROM MS. LINDA FISHER WITH FORWARD PINELLAS. YOU KNOW, I THINK AS SOON AS THIS COUNCIL CAME INTO OFFICE, WE PRETTY QUICKLY STARTED TALKING ABOUT ADUs, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE RIGHTS TO MOVE FORWARD, WE HAD TO JUMP THROUGH A COUPLE OF HOOPS AND WE HAVE DONE THAT, NOW. SO, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT AREN'T FAMILIAR, ADUs ARE AUXILIARY DWELLING UNITS, SOMETHING THAT OTHER CITIES ARE DOING, AND SOMETHING WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT. SO, IT'S ALL YOURS, LINDA. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. SO, WE ARE MAKING GOOD PROGRESS ON THE ADU STUDY. TONIGHT, I AM PRESENTING THE FINDINGS OF TASK TWO, EVALUATING THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF ALLOWING ADUs. BEFORE I START, I DO JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT THERE IS PROPOSED LEGISLATION, STATE LEGISLATION, THAT WOULD REQUIRE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO ALLOW ADUs. THIS IS SENATE BILL 48, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE WINDING DOWN IN THE SESSION, IT IS STILL IN PLAY AND WAS PASSED BY THE SENATE A MONTH AGO, BUT THE HOUSE HAS NOT TAKEN IT UP. AND THERE IS A DISAGREEMENT, BECAUSE THE SENATE WANTS TO ALLOW LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO PROHIBIT THEIR USAGE FOR SHORT-TERM RENTALS BUT THE HOUSE DOESN'T WANT TO DO THAT AND THAT IS WHAT CAUSED THIS LAST YEAR. SO, WE HAVE 10 DAYS LEFT IN SESSION AND WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THIS BILL. ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, WE WILL BE PREPARED AND WE WILL CONTINUE WITH OUR STAY. SO, THE ASSESSMENT TONIGHT HAS FIVE PARTS. EXPERIENCES IN PEER COMMUNITIES WITH ADUs, PROJECTIONS FOR HOW MANY ADUs GULFPORT COULD COME TO POTENTIALLY SEE, IMPACT IT MIGHT HAVE ON SERVICES AND FACILITIES, AND AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEVEL, AND LASTLY, COASTAL AND FLOODPLAIN CONSIDERATION. I DID NOT WANT TO CLUTTER UP THIS PRESENTATION WITH A LOT OF DATA SOURCES, SO I HAVE LISTED ALL OF THE CITATIONS AND A TECHNICAL MEMO I WILL MAKE AVAILABLE TO STAFF IN CASE ANYBODY WANTS TO DIG INTO IT. SO, STARTING WITH THE PEER COMMUNITIES, IN ORDER TO DEVELOP PROJECTIONS FOR GULFPORT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO SEE WHAT OTHER EXAMPLES ARE OUT THERE, SO I CHOSE ST. PETERSBURG AND UNINCORPORATED PINELLAS COUNTY AS THE COMMUNITIES, THEY HAVE EXPANDED THEIR ADU REGULATIONS. ST. PETERSBURG HAS A STRONG HISTORIC PRESENCE OF ADUs, BUT THEY ACTUALLY PROHIBITED THEM AS A PERMITTED USE IN 1977. THEY BROUGHT THEM BACK TO THE HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS IN 2007, BUT THE REGULATIONS WERE STILL FAIRLY RESTRICTIVE. NOT MANY WERE BUILT IN THE FIRST DECADE OR SO. THEY ACTUALLY ONLY AVERAGED ABOUT SIX NEW ADUs, PER YEAR. BUT, IN 2019, THE CITY ADOPTED REGULATORY REFORMS. THEY EXEMPTED ADUs FROM THE DENSITY CALCULATION, AND ELIMINATED MINIMAL LOT AND UNIT SIZES AND THE MARKET RESPONDED. BETWEEN 2019 AND 2021, THEY SAW ABOUT 42 NEW ADUs BUILT EVERY YEAR. IN 2022, THEY WENT EVEN FURTHER, THEY EXPANDED THE AREAS WHERE THEY COULD BE BUILT, STREAMLINED THE PERMITTING PROCESS, AND SINCE THEN, THEY HAVE SEEN ABOUT 100 NEW ADUs BUILT, EACH YEAR. THINGS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT IN UNINCORPORATED COUNTY. THEY COVER MORE LAND AND MORE DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES. THEY NEVER PROHIBITED ADUs IN THE WAY SAINT PETE DID, BUT THEY DID HISTORICALLY HAVE A LOT OF RESTRICTIONS. THEY ALSO ADOPTED AN UPDATE IN 2019 TO EXEMPT ADUs FROM THE DENSITY CALCULATION, BUT BETWEEN 2019 AND 2023, THEY STILL ONLY SAW ABOUT THREE ADUs, PER YEAR. IN 2024, THEY INCREASED THE MAXIMUM SIZE AND STREAMLINED THE PERMITTING PROCESS, BUT STILL, THE MARKET HASN'T RESPONDED, AT LEAST SO FAR. THEY HAVE ONLY SEEN ABOUT FIVE NEW ADUs BUILT EACH YEAR SINCE THEN. SO, WHY ARE SO MANY MORE ADUs BUILT IN SAINT PETE? THERE ARE A FEW REASONS. SAINT PETE HAS FEWER RESTRICTIONS. THEY DON'T REQUIRE THE OWNER TO LIVE ON-SITE, AND THEY WAIVE OFFSTREET PARKING REQUIREMENTS, IN SOME CASES. THEY HAVE ALSO MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO PROMOTE ADUs, AND DEMAND FOR RENTAL HAS BEEN VERY STRONG IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND DOWNTOWN. THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS ARE ALSO COMPACT AND WALKABLE, WHICH ATTRACTS AND SUPPORTS A GREATER VARIETY OF HOUSING TYPES. AND AS A RESULT, THE CITY HAS ATTRACTED DEVELOPERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCED AT BUILDING ADUs. ALL OF THAT CREATES A CRITICAL MASS THAT THEN ENCOURAGES MORE ADU WORTH. THE TWO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE FACED SIMILAR CONCERNS FROM THE PUBLIC. THEY ARE THE SAME THINGS WE HEAR EVERY TIME NEW DENSITY IS PROPOSED IN ESTABLISHED AREAS. WHAT WILL IT DO TO NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER? WHAT ABOUT PARKING? WILL THEY BE USED AS SHORT-TERM RENTALS? BUT, ONCE THE ADU REGULATIONS WERE PASSED, NEITHER SAINT PETE NOR THE COUNTY SAW THOSE FEARS REALIZED ON A WIDESPREAD BASIS. A FEW NEIGHBORS HAVE CONCERNS WITH DRAINAGE, OR PARKING, OR SHORT-TERM RENTALS, BUT THESE ARE LOCALIZED ISSUES AND THEY CAN BE ADDRESSED INDIVIDUALLY. AND SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS ARE ACTUALLY FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE BUILDING ADUs OR WANT TO BUILD ADUs, WHO JUST WANT THE PERMITTING PROCESS TO BE EASIER. ALSO, NEITHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT HAS SEEN ADUs STRAIN PUBLIC SERVICES OR INFRASTRUCTURE. BECAUSE THE NUMBERS ARE JUST REALLY TOO SMALL. SO, WHICH OF THESE TWO VERY DIFFERENT MARKET RESPONSES SHOULD WE USE AS A MODEL? EVERYTHING I SEE POINTS TO SAINT PETE BEING THE BETTER EXAMPLE. THEY ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY CLOSER TO GULFPORT THAN MOST OF THE COUNTY. THEY HAVE A SIMILAR URBAN FORM, WITH WALKABLE NEIGHBORHOODS AND A DEFINED CITY CENTER. YOUR REAL ESTATE MARKETS TEND TO OVERLAP. A PERSON WHO IS HOUSEHUNTING IN SAINT PETE IS MORE LIKELY TO EXPAND THEIR SEARCH TO GULFPORT OR VICE VERSA, THEN SOMEONE WHOSE HOUSE IS IN THE NORTH COUNTY. AND THE SAME IS TRUE OF DEVELOPERS. IF I AM A BUILDER WHO BUILDS ADUs IN SAINT PETE, IT'S A LOT EASIER FOR ME TO EXPAND TO A NEIGHBORING COMMUNITY WITH A SIMILAR URBAN FORM THAN SOMEWHERE ELSE. AND YOU CAN SEE THIS IN AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS. AT THE TOP OF THE SLIDE, IS THE STETSON AREA OF GULFPORT. AND THIS IS THE CRESCENT HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD IN SAINT PETE, THAT IS IN THE HISTORIC PART OF THE CITY THAT HAS THE MOST ADUs. YOU CAN SEE THAT THE STREET GRID IS SIMILAR, THEY BOTH HAVE STRAIGHT LINES, THE BLOCKS, THE HOUSES, AND THE LOTS ARE ALL ABOUT THE SAME SIZE. COMPARE THAT WITH UNINCORPORATED PALM HARBOR, WHICH IS PRETTY TYPICAL FOR NORTH COUNTY NEIGHBORHOODS. THE HOUSES AND LOTS ARE BIGGER, AND THE STREET NETWORK IS BASICALLY SPAGHETTI, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR BLOCK SIZE IS, BECAUSE I CAN'T TELL WHERE THE BLOCKS ARE. BUT, IT IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM GULFPORT. SO, HOW DO WE TRANSLATE THE SAINT PETE EXPERIENCE TO A PROJECTION OF GULFPORT? WELL, FIRST, I LOOKED AT SAINT PETE ADU GROWTH OVER TWO TIME PERIODS. SINCE 2019, THE CITY SAW AN AVERAGE GROWTH RATE SIMILAR TO 3% OF ELIGIBLE PARCELS OVER 10 YEARS. SO, I USED TO THAT FOR THE LOWER PROJECTION. EXCUSE ME. THE LAST THREE YEARS HAVE BEEN THEIR MOST ACTIVE WITH AVERAGE GROWTH CLOSE TO 4.2% OF ELIGIBLE PARCELS OVER 10 YEARS, AND I USED THAT FOR THE HIGHER PROJECTION. ONCE WE KNOW THE RATES THAT WE WANT TO USE, THEN WE NEED TO LOOK AT GULFPORT'S ELIGIBLE PARCELS. AND THE PREVIOUS DIRECTION THAT I HEARD FROM THE COUNCIL WAS TO LOOK AT THE R-1 AND R1A ZONING DISTRICTS, OUTSIDE OF THE COASTAL AREA. SO, I FOCUSED ON THOSE AREAS AND IT WILL ALSO SO SHOW SOME ADDITIONAL ZONING DISTRICTS INSIDE CHHA FOR COMPARISON. >> TAKE YOUR TIME. [ LAUGHTER ] SORRY. ALLERGY SEASON FOR ME. >> SO, THIS IS THE NUMBER OF SINGLE-FAMILY DETACHED PARCELS AS QUALIFIED BY THE APPRAISER'S OFFICE, BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE CHHA. THE POLICY DIRECTION AREAS COVER 1655 PARCELS. APPLYING THE HIGHER AND LOWER GROWTH RATES TO THOSE ELIGIBLE PARCELS GIVES YOU THE NUMBER OF ADUs THAT COULD BE BUILT OVER 10 YEARS. AND I APOLOGIZE, THERE IS A TYPO ON THIS SLIDE, MY RANGE IS WRITTEN INCORRECTLY, HERE. I SHOULD HAVE SAID THE R-1 AND R-1A AREAS, SO FOR THE POLICY AREAS, IT WOULD BE A RANGE OF 49 TO 69 ADUs OVER 10 YEARS. JUST FOR COMPARISON, IF WE LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE POSSIBLE PARCELS AND THE HIGHEST GROWTH RATE, THAT COULD BE A MAXIMUM OF 150 ADUs OVER 10 YEARS. BUT, THAT 49 TO 69 RANGE IS THE BETTER ONE TO USE. SO, GIVEN THOSE NUMBERS, WHAT IMPACTS COULD NEW ADUs HAVE ON PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES? IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT EIGHT NEW ADUs HAVE A LOWER IMPACT AND NEW SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSES WOULD. THE UNITS ARE SMALLER, SO THE HOUSEHOLDS ARE SMALLER, THEY HAVE FEWER SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN, THEY DON'T HAVE LARGE LAWNS THAT NEED WATERING, THEY GENERATE LESS WASTEWATER. AND THEY DON'T HAVE LONG DRIVEWAYS THAT CREATE ADDITIONAL SURFACES. NEW SINGLE-FAMILY HOUSES WOULD ALSO HAVE TO GO SOMEWHERE, WHICH MEANS NEW NEIGHBORHOODS OR SUBDIVISIONS, BUT ADUs FIT INTO EXISTING NEIGHBORHOODS. SO, THEY CONNECT TO EXISTING WATER AND SEWER PIPES, EXISTING ROUTES FOR GARBAGE AND RECYCLING, AND EXISTING SERVICE AREAS FOR FIRST RESPONDERS. THEY DO INCREASE SOME DEMAND ON THESE SERVICES, BUT IT IS TYPICALLY INCREMENTAL AND MANAGEABLE OVER TIME. SO, WHAT ABOUT IMPACTS IN NEIGHBORHOODS? WELL, ACCORDING TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, EACH NEW DWELLING UNIT AT 5 TO 7 NEW VEHICLE TRIPS PER DAY. BUT, A TYPICAL NEIGHBORHOOD STREET CAN ACCOMMODATE 500 TO 1000 TRIPS PER DAY. I WAS SURPRISED IT WAS THAT HIGH. BUT, THAT WORKS OUT TO ABOUT THREE CARS EVERY TWO MINUTES OVER A 10 HOUR PERIOD. SO, THE TRAFFIC IMPACT OF A FEW ADUs. STREET WILL BE VERY MINOR. PARKING IS OFTEN A BIGGER CONCERN. BUT, EVEN HERE BASED ON THE TYPICAL CURB LENGTH PER HOUSE, ASSUMING ONE VEHICLE PER HOUSEHOLD ON THE STREET, YOU CAN ACCOMMODATE AS MANY AS THREE MILES FOR ADUs PRETEND HOUSES, WITH TYPICAL STREETS. WITH THE CAVEAT THAT EVERY STREET IS DIFFERENT AND YOU MIGHT STILL HAVE COMPLAINTS IN LOCALIZED AREAS. FOR PROPERTY VALUES, ADDING AN ADU IS TYPICALLY A NET WIN FOR THE PROPERTY OWNER. THERE MIGHT BE A SMALL NEGATIVE EFFECT ON NEIGHBORING PROPERTIES, BUT THIS IS TYPICALLY SEEN IN AREAS WHERE YOU HAVE CLUSTERS OF POORLY DESIGNED OR MANAGED UNITS. AND YOU CAN MITIGATE THOSE EFFECTS WITH DESIGN STANDARDS AND CODE ENFORCEMENT. NEIGHBORHOOD CHARACTER IS MORE DIFFICULT TO QUANTIFY, BUT THAT IS TYPICALLY ADDRESSED THROUGH STANDARDS, DEVELOPMENT REGULATION, GOVERNING THINGS LIKE BUILDING SIZE, HEIGHT, SETBACKS, SO FORTH. WE WILL BE LOOKING CAREFULLY AT THOSE ELEMENTS IN THE REMAINDER OF THIS STUDY. NOISE AND PRIVACY CAN BE ADDRESSED THROUGH MANY OF THOSE SAME REGULATIONS. THERE IS ALSO THE ISSUE OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS. EVEN IF THEY AREN'T ALLOWED WHERE YOU ARE CONSIDERING PUTTING ADUs, THEY SOMETIMES TEND TO APPEAR, ANYWAY. SO, IT WILL BE IMPORTANT TO FORCE THE REGULATIONS. ONE WAY OF MITIGATING THE EFFECT OF SHORT-TERM RENTALS IS TO REQUIRE THE PROPERTY OWNER TO LIVE ON-SITE. BUT, JUST AS AN FYI, IF THAT SENATE BILL 48 DOES PASS, THAT WILL CUT OFF THAT OPTION, SO JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND. >> LINDA, ONE QUESTION --BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE A SHORT-TERM RENTAL, SHORT-TERM RENTAL ORDINANCE, IF THE LAW IS PASSED, THAT WILL OVERRIDE US, AS WELL, MEANING, WE CAN'T SAY, NOT IN GULFPORT, BECAUSE WE DON'T ALLOW THEM IN THAT AREA? >> SHORT-TERM RENTALS, YOU ARE OKAY, SENATE BILL 48 IS THE MANDATORY ADU BILL, AND THAT WILL FOR BID YOU FROM REQUIRING THE PROPERTY OWNER TO LIVE ON-SITE. SO, THAT IS THE PREEMPTION. MANY TIMES, IF YOU HAVE SHORT-TERM RENTALS, LEGAL OR OTHERWISE, IF YOU HAVE AN ADU, YOU COULD REQUIRE THE PROPERTY OWNER TO LIVE ON-SITE, THAT WAY IF IT IS A SHORT-TERM RENTAL, THAT MITIGATES THINGS LIKE NOISE, PARKING, TYPICALLY BECAUSE THE RENTER HAS TO DEAL WITH THOSE IMPACTS. >> WOULD THEY BE -- LIKE, WE HAVE AREAS WHERE WE CAN'T HAVE SHORT-TERM RENTALS, PERIOD. WOULD THAT STILL APPLY? >> IT WOULD STILL APPLY. IT'S JUST, I AM SPEAKING TO, SOMETIMES, THEY HAPPEN WHEN THEY ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO. SO, THAT IS JUST SOMETHING TO WATCH OUT FOR, AND YOU WILL WANT TO ENFORCE ALL OF THE REGULATIONS YOU CAN BUT THAT SENATE BILL, IF IT IS PASSED, MIGHT CUT OFF SOME OF THOSE OPTIONS. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. >> SO, OVERALL, THE IMPACT OF ADUs ON NEIGHBORHOODS IS TYPICALLY NOT AS IMPACTFUL AS RESIDENTS OFTEN FEAR. AND THERE ARE BEST PRACTICES FOR MANAGING ALL OF THESE EFFECTS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. SO, THE LAST TOPIC I WILL COVER IS COASTAL AND FLOODPLAIN ISSUES. EVEN IF ADUs AREN'T GOING INTO THE COASTAL HAZARD AREA, RESIDENTS MAY STILL NEED TO EVACUATE OR WANT TO EVACUATE DURING A STORM. COUNTYWIDE, WE ALREADY FALL SHORT OF THE PUBLIC SHELTER SPACES THAT WE WOULD NEED FOR A WORST-CASE EVACUATION SCENARIO. BUT, TYPICALLY, THE RATES OF PEOPLE SEEKING PUBLIC SHELTER FALLS SHORT OF THOSE PLANNING SCENARIOS, BECAUSE PEOPLE PREFER TO SHELTER WITH FRIENDS, OR FAMILY, OR OTHER PLACES. AND THE NUMBERS OF NEW ADU RESIDENTS WOULD BE SO SMALL THAT IT IS VERY UNLIKELY THAT THEY WOULD AFFECT EVACUATION AND SHELTER RATES. IF YOU WERE TO ALLOW ADUs IN THE FEMA SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA, WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT WHETHER THAT COULD AFFECT YOUR COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM SCORE FOR THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM. I WASN'T ABLE TO FIND A CONCLUSIVE ANSWER FOR THAT. IT IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE LOOKED AT ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS, BUT SINCE THAT WASN'T THE DESIRE TO GO INTO THE CHHA, I DIDN'T PURSUE THAT ANY FURTHER, OTHER THAN TO FIND OUT MORE HOUSING UNITS DON'T AUTOMATICALLY MEAN A LOWER SCORE. BUT, SINCE YOU HAVE SAID THAT YOU WANT TO EXCLUDE ADUs FROM THE COASTAL HAZARD AREA, THAT WOULD ALSO EXCLUDE THE SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA. IN THAT MAP, THE SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA IS SHOWN IN TRANSPARENT YELLOW AND YOU WILL SEE THAT YOU CAN SEE ALMOST NO YELLOW ON THAT MAP. IT IS GREEN, BECAUSE IT IS LAYING ON TOP OF THE BLUE COASTAL HIGH HAZARD AREA. SO, IF YOU EXCLUDE THE COASTAL HIGH HAZARD AREA, YOU ARE ALSO EXCLUDING THE SPECIAL FLOOD HAZARD AREA. AND THE CRs WOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE IN THAT CASE. >> SO, WOULD THAT BE A E AREAS, BASICALLY? >> YES. >> OKAY. >> SO, THOSE ARE THE FACTORS INCLUDED IN THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT. IF YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH THIS, THEN THE NEXT TASK WILL BE FOR ME TO DRAFT THE ACTUAL REGULATIONS AND START WORKING ON THEM WITH THE PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD, AND THEN ULTIMATELY TO BRING THEM BACK TO YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. AND THAT IS MY PRESENTATION. IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. >> WE WILL GO IN SPEAKING ORDER, IF THERE IS ANY QUESTIONS. VICE MAYOR? >> YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTIONS, BUT I AM ALL FOR THIS, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. IT BASICALLY CONFIRMS WHAT I HAVE READ, AND TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT. SO, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA. >> IT ANSWERED MANY OF MY QUESTIONS, AS WELL. SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I WAS PARTICULARLY INTERESTED IN THAT TRAFFIC SLIDE, TOO, BECAUSE THAT IS A CONVERSATION WE SHOULD BE HAVING AND I WOULD LIKE TO READ THAT AND SEE HOW THAT MAY OR MAY NOT FIT INTO OUR DISCUSSIONS ON THAT. >> DO YOU MENTION ABOUT HOW THAT MIGHT AFFECT POLICE AND FIRE? JUST TO NOTE THAT, BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT BUILDING A NEW SUBDIVISION, IT DOESN'T EXTEND THE AREA FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE TO COVER. AGAIN, TYPICALLY, THE NUMBERS ARE NOT SO GREAT THAT THEY AFFECT SERVICE AREAS FOR THOSE FIRST RESPONDERS. >> THANK YOU. >> I HAVE A CLARIFYING QUESTION. SO, IF WE WRITE IT UP THAT WE WANT IT, THE OWNER HAS TO BE ON-SITE, BUT THEN 48 GOES THROUGH, THAT WIPES THAT OUT, THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE SAYING? >> YES. >> AND THE LIKELIHOOD OF THAT? >> THE SENATE PASSED IT A MONTH AGO AND THE HOUSE HAS BEEN IGNORING IT, SO MY PERSONAL FEELING IS THAT IT IS PROBABLY NOT GOING ANYWHERE, BUT NEVER SAY NEVER. >> BUT, WE COULD READ IT OUT RIGHT NOW AND HAVE IT LIKE THAT FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR? >> YES. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. >> I DON'T HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, I HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING THAT BILL REALLY CLOSE, TOO. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY ACTUALLY KIND OF KILLED THAT BILL AND PUT IT AS AN AMENDMENT ONTO THE LIVE LOCAL BILL. BUT EVEN AT THAT, THERE IS NO MEETING OF THE MINDS AND WE ARE SO LATE IN THIS SESSION THAT IT IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GO ANYWHERE. >> YEAH, WE ARE TRACKING EVERYTHING, BUT I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN. >> RIGHT, NOBODY CAN PREDICT. I KNOW, MYSELF, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY GET ADUs AND I KNOW WHEN THIS COUNCIL WAS NEW AND TALKED ABOUT IT, WE DEFINITELY HAD MORE CONSENSUS THAN DISAGREEMENT, AND WE WERE KIND OF JUST WAITING TO GET THE GO-AHEAD. SO, I THINK THAT WE WILL PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, GET BACK TO YOU REAL SOON. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. >> THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT, AND THEN, FOR OUR SECOND PRESENTATION, WE'VE GOT MR. JUSTIN KELLER, HERE. PRESIDENT OF ADVANCED ENGINEERING DESIGN. SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT WE HAD A VERY INTENSE STORM WATER PRESENTATION FROM HIM, AND THEN WE GAVE HIM SOME FEEDBACK, AND NOW HE'S GOING TO COME BACK AND GIVE US FEEDBACK ON THE FEEDBACK AND WHAT HE THINKS ARE THE BEST SYSTEMS. >> I THINK THAT IS WHAT IS CALLED A FEEDBACK LOOP, RIGHT? JUSTIN KELLER WITH ADVANCED ENGINEERING, AGAIN, ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO THE COUNCIL. WANTED TO GO AHEAD AND PROVIDE A BRIEF KIND OF SYNOPSIS OF THE W MP. IT'S NOT WORKING. >> USER ERROR, ON MY PART. THERE, WE GO. ALL RIGHT, SO, WHAT WE ARE GOING TO HIGHLIGHT, WE HAD A LENGTHY DISCUSSION AND GOT SOME GOOD FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCIL IN THAT NOVEMBER 18th MEETING. WE ARE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT HOW WE INCORPORATED THAT INTO OUR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS. WE ARE ALSO GOING TO PRESENT SOME RECOMMENDED NEXT STEPS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE COUNCIL AS TO HOW WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD. WE WILL SUMMARIZE THE TASKS PERFORMED TO DATE AND THEN ALSO LEAVE IT OPEN FOR DISCUSSION AT THE END, AND OF COURSE, QUESTIONS. IT'S ME AND YOU. SORRY. >> WE ARE GOING TO TAGTEAM IT. >> ONE OF THE KEY ASPECTS ANY TIME WE ARE DEVELOPING A PROJECT IS WE WANT TO SHARE THE ASSUMPTIONS THAT WE MAKE. THIS IS A SLIDE WE WENT OVER AT THAT NOVEMBER MEETING BUT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE TO DISCUSS IT AGAIN. NUMBER ONE, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WHEN WE ARE EVALUATING THESE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS, THAT WE ARE CONSISTENT. ALL MODEL VARIABLES REMAIN THE SAME TITLE AND ELEVATION, SO ON, SO FORTH. WE ARE ALSO ASSUMING THERE ARE NO CITY BUYOUTS, NONE OF THESE PROJECTS PROPOSE ANY SORT OF LARGE-SCALE RESIDENT BUYOUT TO WHERE WE BUY HOMES EITHER IN OR ADJACENT TO A FLOODPLAIN AND CONVERT THEM FOR STORM WATER MANAGEMENT. IT IS IMPORTANT TO US THAT WE SPREAD THE WEALTH. ALTHOUGH, LIKE MANY COMMUNITIES, THERE ARE CERTAIN HOTSPOTS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE PRESENT PROJECTS, WE TRY TO DISTRIBUTE THE PROJECTS EQUITABLY AROUND THE COMMUNITY. ALSO, THIS IS STORM WATER 101, DO NO HARM. WE CAN MAKE A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS, AND JUST PASS THE BUCK DOWNSTREAM, BUT OBVIOUSLY, EVERYTHING WE DO, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT NOT ONLY DO WE REALIZE BENEFITS IN THAT IMMEDIATE AREA BUT DOWNSTREAM AND UPSTREAM, WE DO NOT PASS THE BUCK TO SOMEBODY ELSE. WE ALSO WANT TO CONSIDER SCALE. YOU KNOW, THERE ARE CERTAIN, LET'S SAY, MORE DRASTIC MEASURES THAT ANY ENTITY COULD TAKE, BUT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE MINDFUL OF THE COMPLEXITY AND THE FINANCIAL COMMITMENTS THAT EACH PROJECT WOULD REPRESENT. WE WANT TO MINIMIZE ORDER DEPENDENCY, TO WHERE WE WANT TO HAVE IT TO WHERE ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE A SCENARIO TO WEAR ONE PROJECT MUST BE DONE BEFORE ANOTHER, WE DO WANT TO TRY TO MAKE THEM STANDALONE, TO WHERE THE CITY CAN VIEW THEM ALL, ASSESS THEIR PRIORITIES, AND MAKE THE CALL AS THEY SEE FIT. AND THEN ALSO, EVERYTHING IS IN TODAY'S DOLLARS. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY, THE COUNCIL AND STAFF DETERMINE THE TIMING OF ANY PROJECT, SO WHAT WE DO, WE PRESENT IN TODAY'S DOLLARS AND THEN DURING THE ACTUAL CIP PROCESS IS WHEN IT WOULD BE EQUATED TO FUTURE DOLLARS, DEPENDING ON WHEN AND IF IT GETS SLATED. SO, THE FIRST PROJECT WE LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS THE ADAPTATION PLAN. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE DISCUSSED NOT ONLY DURING THE WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PRESENTATION, BUT ALSO THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT. WHAT THIS DOES, THIS EFFORT SETS THE STAGE FOR FUTURE PLANNING, YOU KNOW, WE JUST HEARD ABOUT ADUs AND COASTAL HIGH HAZARD, AGAIN, THIS KIND OF ALLIANCE TWO, HOW DO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THE CITY IS RESILIENT, MOVING FORWARD? THIS BUILDS UPON THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT, THE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT WAS A STUDY THAT KIND OF SAYS, HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS, THE ADAPTATION PLAN IS, WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? IT ALSO PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK. IT IS A STUDY THAT IS 100% FUNDED THROUGH RESILIENT FOLDERS PROGRAM, TO WHERE IF WE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET THE FUNDS, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS ZERO COST TO THE CITY IN THE END ONCE THE REIMBURSEMENT IS COMPLETE. AND THAT IS ESTIMATED AT $250,000. AND THIS SCHEDULE IS PREPARED BASED UPON A SUBMISSION, WHEN THE RESILIENT FLORIDA TIMELINE ENDS IN SEPTEMBER 1st OF THIS YEAR. THE FUNDS WOULD TYPICALLY BE AVAILABLE IN JUNE OF '27, WHICH WOULD PUT US AT COMPLETION AROUND FEBRUARY 2029. THIS IS A PROJECT THAT WAS ADDED BASED ON MY COUNCIL FEEDBACK, THIS IS BMP THREE, IMPROVEMENTS AT 60th STREET AND 20th AVENUE. THIS PROJECT, EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T PROVIDE A LOT A FLOODPLAIN REDUCTION, IT WILL BE PRETTY OFFICIAL FOR SOME OF THE TYPICAL EVERYDAY FLORIDA THUNDERSTORMS THAT WE GET. THIS IS ABOUT ADDING IN RECONSTRUCTED ROADWAYS IN ORDER TO COLLECT THE WATER IN A MORE EFFICIENT MANNER. IT WOULD ALSO ADD TWO MORE EFFICIENT PIPING TO CONNECT THOSE ZONES TOGETHER. THIS IS REALLY A PROJECT ESTIMATED AT 1.75 THAT WE FEEL IS A GOOD WAY TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE LOW HANGING FRUIT, IF YOU WILL, BEFORE WE START LOOKING AT SOME OF THE MORE INTENSE PROJECTS WE PROPOSED. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS WHAT WE SAY, WITH THE CITY COUNCIL AND MANAGEMENT'S BLESSING, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE SAY FOR APPROPRIATION IN 2026. AND AGAIN, THIS DEMONSTRATES THAT --I AM JUST ALL OVER WITH THIS KEYBOARD TODAY, I APOLOGIZE. SO, THIS IDENTIFIES A SCHEDULE WHICH WOULD PROPOSE THE PROJECT BEING CONSTRUCTED, CONSTRUCTION COMPLETION BY THE END OF 2028. THE MARINA FLOODING MITIGATION PROJECT, AS MANY OF YOU LIKELY KNOW, THE MARINA AREA IS ONE OF THE LOWER AREAS IN THE CITY. THE CITY HAS ALREADY INVESTED, THEY PUT A LOT OF MONEY INTO THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THAT AREA AND THAT IS GOOD BECAUSE THE SYSTEM DOES RESPOND DURING DECENT SIZED RAIN EVENTS WHEN THE TIDE IS IN A FAVORABLE CONDITION. HOWEVER, BECAUSE IT IS SO LOW, THERE ARE CHALLENGES WHEN ELEVATED TIDES ARE EXPERIENCED. SO, WHAT THIS IS, THIS IS MORE OR LESS A PILOT PROJECT WE WOULD LOOK INTO. IT HAS A PUBLIC FACING ELEMENT AND A PROJECTION ELEMENT TO IT, AS WELL. AND THERE ARE ACTUAL VALVES THAT WOULD BE CONNECTED TO A GAUGE THAT READS THE WATER LEVELS IN REAL TIME NOT ONLY IN THE BAY BUT ALSO THE RAINFALL LEVELS, THE POOLED RAINFALL LEVELS WITHIN THE ROADWAY. AND THERE WOULD BE A LOGIC CONTROLLER THAT WOULD TELL THE VALVE ON OR OFF. WHAT THIS DOES, IT PROVIDES SOME OF THE BENEFITS, WITHOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES, WHICH IS BACKFILL PREVENTERS NEED ADDITIONAL HEAD TO OPEN. SO, THIS IS, MORE OR LESS, THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. SO, THERE IS NOT A SCHEDULE IDENTIFIED FOR THIS BECAUSE IT IS DEPENDENT ON STATE FUNDING, AND WE ARE ESTIMATING, OUR PRE-DESIGN ESTIMATE IS $1.5 MILLION FOR THIS PROJECT. >> AND HAVE WE APPLIED FOR FUNDS FOR THIS, AS WELL? >> YES, THERE WAS AN APPLICATION SUBMITTED. >> AND A REQUEST? >> AND A REQUEST. YES. SO, THIS PROJECT IS ALSO ONE THAT WAS REQUESTED THIS YEAR AND THIS IS NOT NECESSARILY A BMP, SO TO SPEAK, BUT THIS IS A PROJECT THAT CAN, AGAIN, HAVE STORMWATER BENEFITS. THIS IS THE POLICE AND FIRE RAPID RESPONSE ROADWAY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT. IT FOCUSES ON IMPROVING STORMWATER COLLECTION AND REDUCING FLOW. AGAIN, SOME OF THESE OLDER AREAS, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS YOU HAVE INCONSISTENT LONGITUDINAL SLOPES, YOU HAVE CROSS SLOPES THAT ARE ATYPICAL AND VERY THROUGHOUT THE DRIVE. SO, REALLY, WHAT THIS PROJECT DOES, IS IT PROVIDES IMPROVED STORMWATER COLLECTION AND BETTER DRIVABILITY ALONG THE SOUTHERN END OF THE CITY'S COMPLEX, TO IMPROVE INGRESS AND EGRESS OUT OF THE SITE. IT CORRELATES TO BMP, TO ONE OF THOSE THAT WE WILL TALK ABOUT HERE, BUT AGAIN THIS SCHEDULE IS DEPENDENT UPON STATE FUNDING WITH A PRE-DESIGN ESTIMATE OF $3.75 MILLION. AND SO, THIS IS A STORMWATER FOCUSED EXPANSION OF THE POLICE AND FIRE RAPID RESPONSE PROJECT. INITIALLY, WE PROPOSED --AND WE ARE STILL PROPOSING THIS, IT'S JUST AN ALTERNATE --THERE IS FLOODING THAT WE ESSENTIALLY WANT TO COLLECT THE WATER AND WE WANT TO DISCHARGE IT TO THE BAY, IN ORDER TO GET IT OUT QUICKER. AND WHAT THIS PROJECT DOES, IS IT EXPANDS UPON SOME OF THE COUNCILS FEEDBACK, IN TERMS OF, HOW CAN WE USE GREEN AREAS A LITTLE BIT MORE STRATEGICALLY? IN MODELING THIS, YOU CAN SEE WE HAVE THE PINK POLYGONS, WHICH DEMONSTRATES A CLIMB OR PART, EXCAVATING OUT THAT AREA AND USING IT FOR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT. THIS WOULD PROVIDE SIMILAR RESULTS TO BMP 1, WHICH WAS PRESENTED AS SOLELY THE PIPE TO OPTION. THE ONE DIFFERENCE IS THIS WOULD ALLOW FOR A SMALLER PIPE, A SMALLER OUTFIELD PIPE. SO, WE CAN EITHER HAVE A LARGER BOX, OR WE BUILD THE POND AND WE HAVE A SMALLER PIPE LEADING TO THE BAY. THE COST IS PRETTY COMPARABLE TO THE INITIAL VERSION OF THE PROJECT, BUT I DO THINK THAT IF WE WERE TO GET INTO DESIGN, THAT THERE COULD BE SOME COST SAVINGS IN THE UTILITY RELOCATION AND IMPACT ASPECT OF THE PROJECT. ANY TIME --YOU KNOW, ANYTIME YOU HAVE A BIGGER PIPE, YOU HAVE MORE OF A CHANCE OF HAVING UTILITY IMPACTS AND THAT HAS A DOLLAR VALUE ASSOCIATED WITH IT, AS WELL. SO, THERE COULD BE BENEFITS RELIES ON THE BACK END AS FAR AS REALIZING THE UTILITY DISTURBANCES. BMP 7, THERE WAS A HOME AT THE CORNER OF WORD IBIS PARK AND 59th STREET. AND ONE OF THE COMMENTS WAS, THERE IS A PARCEL THAT MAY BE UP FOR SALE, AND HOW CAN WE USE THAT IN A STRATEGIC MANNER FOR STORMWATER IMPROVEMENTS? WE DID A PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING REPORT THAT LOOKED AT THE AREA INDEPENDENTLY, SO WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE, HOW COULD WE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT FOCUSES ON THIS PARCEL? SO, ONE OF THE THINGS --YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE BENEFITS THE CITY HAS, WAS JUST SHARED, WALKABILITY, DENSITY, URBAN ENVIRONMENT. THAT IS ALSO A CHALLENGE FOR STORMWATER. SO, THE AREA WE NEED TO, LET'S SAY, CONSTRUCT MEANINGFUL STORMWATER FACILITIES, IS LARGER THAN A SINGLE LOT. BUT, IF WE DO HAVE A SINGLE LOT, WE CAN BE SLICK WITH HOW WE DO THIS AND FOR THIS PROJECT, WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING IS WE WOULD HAVE A GENTLE DEPRESSION OH AREA WITH NATIVE FLORIDA PLANTINGS, LIKE A BIO SWELL, IF YOU WILL, AND WE WOULD UTILIZE A STORMWATER PUMP STATION IN ORDER TO DISCHARGE THE WATER VIA A PUMP SYSTEM. NOW, THIS WOULD NOT REDUCE FLOODPLAIN VOLUMES, WHEN YOU GET YOUR 500 YEAR STORM, IT WOULD STILL FLOOD TO THE SAME AMOUNT. BUT, WHAT THIS WOULD DO, THIS WOULD ALLOW YOU TO RECOVER QUICKER, TO WHERE WE IDENTIFIED THAT YOU WOULD HAVE ABOUT 12 HOURS OF ROADWAY FLOODING DURING THE STORM, AND IT WOULD REDUCE IT TO ABOUT FOUR. SO, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH THE MAXIMUM STAGES OR THOSE MAXIMUM FLOOD ELEVATIONS SUGGEST THAT THE PROJECT DOESN'T HAVE EFFECTIVENESS, IT ACTUALLY DOES, AND IT IS REALLY ABOUT LESSENING THE DURATION OF THE IMPACT MORE SO THAN LESSENING THE IMPACT ITSELF. THE INCLUSION OF BIO SWELLS AND NATIVE PLANTS AND PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR STORMWATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT, AND THIS STORMWATER PUMP STATION, AGAIN, AS I MENTIONED, WOULD BE USED TO FOCUS ON RECOVERY, NOT NECESSARILY FLOOD REDUCTION. AND THIS IS A PRE-DESIGN ESTIMATE OF $2.2 MILLION. BMP NUMBER 8, AGAIN, THIS IS FOCUSING ON THE SAME THEME OF USING -- OR, EVALUATING OPPORTUNITIES TO USE GREEN SPACE FOR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT. THOMASON PARK ACTUALLY HAS A STORMWATER FACILITY TO THE NORTH OF THE TWO PARK FIELDS. THIS HYPOTHETICAL PROJECT PROPOSES REMOVING THE NORTHERN BALL FIELD AND EXPANDING THE POND TO COVER THAT AREA. THERE IS A LOT OF WATER THAT IS GENERATED NORTH OF 22nd AND, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THIS AREA IN THE TANGERINE PART OF THE POND AREA. SO, WE DEFINITELY DID SEE SOME MEANINGFUL BENEFITS. WE DO REALIZE THAT IN ORDER TO REALLY MAXIMIZE ON THESE, WE HAVE TO ROUTE WATER TO THE 49th SYSTEM. THERE IS A VERY LARGE 49th STREET SYSTEM THAT ACTUALLY HAS CAPACITY, SO THIS IS A RARE SITUATION IN PINELLAS COUNTY TO WHERE THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUMP MORE WATER INTO AN EXISTING SYSTEM WITHOUT HAVING IT POP OUT OF THE GROUND. SO, THIS PROJECT MAXIMIZES --OR, LET'S SAY, USES THAT FACILITY THAT HAS SOME CAPACITY IN IT, AND PROVIDES A DEGREE OF FLOOD PROTECTION. IT DOES NOT MEET YOUR LEVEL OF SERVICE, BUT IT WILL PROVIDE BENEFIT. AND SO, THIS PROJECT IS ESTIMATED AT $5.3 MILLION. SO, AS FAR AS THE AND RECOMMENDED NEXT STEPS, WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT WE CONTINUE WITH PURSUING THE ADAPTATION PLAN GRANT APPLICATION, AGAIN, THAT IS DUE IN SEPTEMBER OF THIS YEAR AND IF WE ARE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO GET THAT FUNDING, THOSE FUNDS WOULD BE ORDERED IN JULY OF 227. WE ALSO WOULD ASK THAT YOU PURSUE THESE PROJECTS, THE STORMWATER IMPROVEMENTS. BMP 6, THE MARINA TITLE FLOODING MITIGATION PROJECT AND THE POLICE AND FIRE RAPID RESPONSE ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH IS A ROADWAY PROJECT THAT DOES HAVE SOME SECONDARY AND IMPACTFUL STORMWATER BENEFITS TO IT. AND YOU WILL NOTE HERE, THAT THE ADAPTATION PLAN HAS A GRANT WINDOW COMING UP, AND TWO OF THESE PROJECTS WERE ALREADY SUBMITTED FOR STATE APPROPRIATIONS THIS YEAR. SO, TO PUT A BOW ON THE PRESENTATION, WE HAVE 10 BMPS IN TOTAL THAT WE EVALUATED, FOR THE UTILIZE GREEN SPACES, EITHER FOR STORMWATER, OR, LET'S SAY, FOR FLOOD REDUCTION, OR FOR HOUSING A FACILITY, LIKE THE WOOD IBIS PROPOSAL PRESENTS. THERE WERE SOME SMALLER GREEN SPACES WE EVALUATED, COBLE PARK WAS A LOCATION IDENTIFIED, THE REC CENTER, AS WELL. A LOT OF TIMES, WHEN YOU HAVE THESE SMALL AREAS, THE JUICE ISN'T WORTH THE SQUEEZE. TWO WHERE, IN ORDER TO HAVE IMPACTFUL FLOOD BENEFITS, YOU NEED LAND. IN ORDER --YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO CONVERT THE GREEN AREAS. THE PROJECT PRESENTED, AND WE PROVIDED SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO SOLICIT THE COUNCIL'S FEEDBACK. AND THEN, WE ALSO WANTED TO SHARE WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH CITY STAFF IN THE BACKGROUND. THAT FUNDING ACQUISITION IS ALREADY UNDERWAY. WHEN WE GET THE FINAL ANSWERS, WE WILL CERTAINLY SHARE THOSE, LIKELY THROUGH STAFF, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO LOOK AT OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRANT FUNDING, A COUPLE OF ONES THAT WE ALREADY ARE EYEING IN ADDITION TO THE RESILIENT FOUR. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WITH THE VULNERABILITY WRAPPING UP, YOU WILL NOW BE ELIGIBLE FOR RESILIENT FLORIDA FUNDS THROUGH THE IMPLEMENTATION SIDE OF THE PROGRAM. THAT IS A --IT IS A COMPETITIVE PROGRAM BUT THERE IS A GOOD CHUNK OF CHANGE THERE AT THE STATE LEVEL AND THAT REQUIRES A 50% MATCH. SO, I KNOW WE HAVE TALKED A LOT, SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PROVIDED ALL THE NECESSARY FEEDBACK REQUESTED OF THE COUNCIL AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >> OKAY, WE WILL GO IN SPEAKING ORDER. SO, THE ONES THAT WE HAVE APPLIED FOR THIS YEAR, I KNOW THERE IS THE MARINA ONE AND THE FIRE -- >> YEAH, THE POLICE AND RAPID RESPONSE. >> YEAH, AND WE WILL HEAR WHEN THE FINAL BUDGET IS DONE, AND I THINK THEY NEED TO HAVE THE BUDGET BY JULY 1st? >> YEAH, SO, I TEND TO NOT FOLLOW THE PLAYYLAY BECAUSE I HAVE GOTTEN MY HEART RIPPED OUT A COUPLE TIMES SO I TEND TO JUST SAY, "OKAY, WHAT BUDGET DID THE GOVERNOR SIGNED?" AND I LOOK FROM THERE. I BELIEVE ONE OF THE PROJECTS MADE IT IN I WANT TO SAY THE SENATE BUDGET, BUT I UNDERSTAND THERE IS SOME DISCUSSIONS THAT HAPPENED DURING THE BUDGET CONFERENCE AND THAT CAN GET ADDED BACK, SO THAT IS WHY I TRY TO KEEP MY SANITY AND JUST SEE WHAT THE GOVERNOR SIGNS AND GO FROM THERE. >> WOULD EITHER OF THOSE REQUIRE MATCHING FUNDS FROM US? >> THE STATE APPROPRIATION DOES IDENTIFY THAT THE CITY HAS COMMITTED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF FUNDS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE POLICE AND FIRE RAPID RESPONSE, THAT PROJECT IS ESTIMATED ABOUT 3.75, $3 MILLION WAS REQUESTED WITH THE $750,000 MATCH. UNLIKE A CONVENTIONAL GRANT OPPORTUNITY, THE STATE APPROPRIATION DOES NOT REQUIRE YOU TO PUT THAT MATCH IN WRITING, BUT IN MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE CITY, THE CITY HAS GOOD FAITH, ALWAYS, COMMITTED TO THAT MATCH AND MOVED FORWARD WITH THAT UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WAS COMMITTED TO IN THE APPLICATION WILL BE FOLLOWED THROUGH ON THE BACK END. >> AND I KNOW THAT TAMPA BAY REGIONAL PLANNING HELPS WITH THE ADAPTATIONS GRANTS, BUT I PRESUME YOU WOULD WRITE THAT YOURSELF, AND EITHER YOU WOULD GET IT FROM THE SAME PLACE THEY WOULD GET THE FUNDS, RIGHT? >> YES, IT'S ALL THE SAME. >> IT'S ALL THE SAME POT? >> WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING THOSE FUNDED IN THE PAST AND, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY HOPE THAT IS THE SAME THING COMING UP, THIS YEAR. AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WITH THE COUNCIL'S BLESSING, OUR INTENTION WOULD BE TO SUBMIT ON YOUR BEHALF. >> OKAY, AND JUST SO YOU KNOW, WHAT I WAS THINKING WITH THAT HOUSE ON 27th AND 59th, MY THOUGHT WAS TO CLOSE THAT STREET, SO IT WOULD GO FROM THAT LOT ACROSS THE STREET INTO THE PARK, BECAUSE THAT WHOLE AREA IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE FLOODS TERRIBLY, SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL, YOU KNOW, GO WITH THE GO AROUND. ANYWAY, THAT WAS JUST THE IDEA, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO HAPPEN THAT WAY, OBVIOUSLY. SO, THAT IS ALL. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. >> DOES THIS INCLUDE A MAINTENANCE COST IN YOUR PLAN? >> ALL OF THESE COSTS ARE UP FRONT CAPITAL. >> OH, OKAY. >> YES, SO, THERE IS NO MAINTENANCE COST. CERTAINLY, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE ANY TIME WE GO TO THE FINAL DESIGN STAGE, THAT WE ARE AWARE THAT WE ARE NOT SIGNING THE CITY OF FOR WHAT I WOULD CALL ATYPICAL MAINTENANCE. BUT, NO, THESE NUMBERS DO NOT INCLUDE A CERTAIN MAINTENANCE DOLLAR. >> OKAY, AND MY OTHER QUESTION IS, IS THERE ANY REMOVING OF POLLUTANTS THAT YOU HAVE FACTORED INTO ANY OF THESE PUMPS, OR -- YOU KNOW, SO, THE PONDS THAT WE PROPOSED, THERE WOULD BE A WATER QUALITY OR A POLLUTANT REMOVAL ELEMENT TO THEM. AND ALSO, FOR THE WOOD IBIS PROJECT, WE WOULD ENVISION WHAT WE WOULD CALL PRETREATMENT AND WHAT THAT IS, WE WOULD RUN THAT THROUGH A BIO SWELL TO REMOVE A DEGREE OF POLLUTANTS BEFORE WE DISCHARGE. AND ALSO, I BELIEVE, FOR BMP 1 AND 1A WHICH IS A BIGGER VERSION OF THE POLICE AND FIRE RAPID RESPONSE --I KEEP SAYING THAT PRETTY QUICK, THAT'S GOOD. FOR THAT PROJECT, THERE IS AN OFF-LINE STORM LINE TREATMENT PROPOSED FOR THAT PROJECT. SO, WE CERTAINLY DO TRY TO LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES, STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITIES, TO ADDRESS WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS IN THESE UPDATES. THANK YOU. >> YES, THANK YOU. >> I LOVE WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT TOMLINSON AND THE FACT YOU COULD UTILIZE 49th. IS THERE ANYWAY YOU COULD NOT TAKE AWAY ONE OF OUR BALL FIELDS TO DO IT? TO LOOK FOR SOMETHING ELSE? BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA. >> YOU KNOW, THAT'S --I HEAR YOUR CONCERN BECAUSE TO BE HONEST, WHEN WE INITIALLY CAME IN, LIKE, NOVEMBER, I HAVE GOTTEN YELLED AT FOR TRYING TO SUGGEST USING PARKS, BECAUSE OF THIS REASON. BECAUSE EVENTUALLY, YOU WERE GOING TO BE TRADING OUT ONE BENEFIT FOR THE OTHER. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T VALUE STORMWATER LIKE THEY DO A PARK, I AM A NERD, I LOVE STORMWATER, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T. SO, THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING TO WEAR, ONCE WE HAVE THE COUNCIL'S FEEDBACK TO EVALUATE THAT, WE HAD TO LOOK FOR LARGE SWATHS OF LAND THAT COULD DO IT. AND, UNFORTUNATELY, A BASEBALL FIELD IS ONE OF THEM. NOW, WE TRY TO BE NICE AND ONLY TAKE OUT ONE, YOU KNOW, TO WHERE TAKING OUT TWO WOULD BE MORE IMPACTFUL, BUT IT DOES GET INTO THE LARGER DISCUSSION OF, WHAT THIS CITY PRIORITIZES. >> I UNDERSTAND NOW. THERE IS A LOT OF KIDS, YOU KNOW? >> YEAH, I KNOW. >> OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WE CAN TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN WITHOUT THE BALLPARK? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, AND THESE -- [ LAUGHTER ] YEAH? OKAY. >> THESE PROJECTS ARE CERTAINLY --JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE ON PAPER NOW IN THIS FORM, DOES NOT MEAN THEY CAN'T TAKE A DIFFERENT SHAPE. >> OKAY. >> SO, FOCUSING ON THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF CONCERN, WHICH IS TOMLINSON PARK, AND SEEING THAT GREEN SPACE --ALTHOUGH IT IS VALUABLE, IT WAS AVAILABLE. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO EVALUATE TO SEE WHAT THE BENEFIT IS. >> I LIKE THAT AND THE FACT THAT THERE IS ROOM ON 49th AND ALL OF THAT, MAYBE -- >> YEAH, IT'S -- >> IT COULD BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT? >> IT FELT A LITTLE DIRTY, DRAWING UPON A BALL FIELD, SO -- >> THANKS, JUSTIN. YOU GOT IT. >> I WILL TELL YOU, WITHIN THE LAST 48 HOURS, I TALKED TO SOME OF THE PARENTS FROM LITTLE LEAGUE -- >> OH! >> AND I WILL TELL YOU, THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR SCHEDULE FOR OPENING GAME --WHICH IS REALLY SOON, OPENING SEASON --BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY MORE KIDS THIS YEAR, THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THEY CAN POSSIBLY DO THE SCHEDULE TO ACCOMMODATE EVERYBODY, SO -- >> THERE IS A LOT OF KIDS. IT'S WONDERFUL. >> SO, THE LEAGUE IS GROWING, IS WHAT I LEARNED THE OTHER DAY, SO, THAT YOU WOULD EVEN DARE TO SUGGEST, TO SAY THOSE WORDS -- >> I WILL GROW THE BEARD OUT A LITTLE BIT MORE, THAT IS FINE. >> SO, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR THIS PRESENTATION, BECAUSE THIS IS THE REAL MEAT AND POTATOES THAT MEANS SOMETHING BECAUSE WE ARE NOT ENGINEERS. SO, THIS PRESENTATION WAS EXTREMELY HELPFUL, AND I ALSO APPRECIATE THE FACT THAT YOU DID TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION SOME OF THE FEEDBACK THAT WE GAVE THEM, AND IT IS VERY OBVIOUS. SO, WHEN IT COMES TO THE --WHEN WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT CLIMBER PARKS, OR YOU --I JUST WANTED TO BE CLEAR -- ARE YOU SUGGESTING THAT WE WOULD LITERALLY DIG DOWN DEEP ENOUGH THAT WE WOULD HAVE PONDS THERE, ALL THE TIME? OR, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, WE WOULD CREATE SOME GOOD-SIZED SWELLS, SO THAT WHEN THEY ARE DRY, PEOPLE CAN STILL WALK, AND PLAY, AND PEOPLE CAN WALK THEIR DOGS OR DO WHATEVER, BUT WHEN WE HAVE THE FLOODS, WE DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT, WE WANT TO KEEP THE WATER OUT OF THE HOUSES. SO, WHAT EXTREME ARE WE TALKING ABOUT? ARE WE EVEN DARE TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION? >> SO, WHEN WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT GREEN SPACE, WE DON'T WANT TO NIBBLE AROUND THE EDGES BECAUSE FROM AN EVALUATION STANDPOINT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO REPORT WHAT PROJECT X COULD YIELD, FROM A FLOOD BENEFIT. WITH THIS PARTICULAR COMMUNICATION, WE DID PROPOSE THAT WE WOULD BE MORE OR LESS CUTTING DOWN TO THE GROUND WATER TABLE. IN THIS DESIGN, IT WOULD BE A WET POND. IT WOULD HAVE A VARYING DEGREE WATER ELEVATION DEPENDING ON THE SEASON WE ARE IN, BUT IT WOULD BE ONE TO WHERE WE WANT IT TO MAXIMIZE OUR VOLUME. KIND OF GETTING BACK TO MY COMMENT OF, WHEN YOU ARE --YOU KNOW, THE PRIOR PRESENTER SHOWED THAT PICTURE OF SAINT PETE AND GULFPORT, WHAT WASN'T IN THAT PICTURE? PONDS. GO LOOK AT PASCOE COUNTY, LOOK AT HERNANDO COUNTY, WHERE THEY ARE BUILDING NEW SUBDIVISIONS. YOU HAVE A GOOD PERCENTAGE OF THAT LAND BEING ALLOCATED TOWARD A POND. >> RIGHT. >> SO, WHEN YOU SEE THE GREEN, IN STORMWATER STANDPOINT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE GOT TO LOOK AT HOW MUCH BENEFIT IT CAN PROVIDE. AND IN THIS CASE, THAT IS IMPACTFUL. NOW, THE SECOND PART COMES, LIKE, PEOPLE LIKE THEIR PARKS. AND HOW DO WE MAKE IT TO WHERE WE CAN ACCOMPLISH BOTH? AND, YOU KNOW, IF WE MAKE IT A WET POND, IT COULD BE A FEATURE. COULD WE PUT A RECREATIONAL PATH AROUND IT? COULD WE, YOU KNOW, MAKE IT AN ART WALK AND PUT THE ART AROUND IT, IN ORDER TO BRING CERTAIN ELEMENTS THAT THE CITY LIKES? AND THAT IS CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT, I THINK, AS YOU GO FORWARD WITH A PROJECT AS IMPACTFUL AS THIS, THAT REQUIRES THIS FINANCIAL COMMITMENT, I DEFINITELY THINK THAT THOSE ELEMENTS HAVE TO BE CONSIDERED. FOR THIS STAGE, DIG A HOLE AS DEEP AS WE CAN GO AND SEE WHAT IT CAN DO. SO -- >> SO, THEN, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT ONE BLOCK OF THE PARK, OR TWO BLOCKS OF CLIMBER PARKS? >> GOING BACK TO THE BALL FIELD QUESTION? OKAY. IT'S TWO BLOCKS PER TWO BLOCKS. SO -- SO, MIGHT WE BE ABLE TO HAVE A COMPROMISE, IF ONE IS A WET POND, THEN MAYBE THE OTHER IS A DEEP SWELL THAT WILL HOLD IT DURING THE WORST OF OUR EVENTS, BUT WILL DRY OUT RELATIVELY QUICKLY FOR PLAY? >> YEAH, AND YOU KNOW, TO THE COMMENT EARLIER, THESE ARE -- THESE CAN BE SHAPED AS THE CITY DESIRES. SO, IF THIS WAS DETERMINED TO NOT BE A WORTHWHILE PURSUIT AND IT HAD TO BE MODIFIED, THEN THAT COULD CERTAINLY BE DONE. NOW, I WILL SAY THAT IF WE TAKE OUT HALF OF THE STORAGE, THEN WE CAN EXPECT THAT WE WILL SPEND ALSO A SIMILAR AMOUNT OF MONEY AND NOT GET AS MUCH BENEFIT. SO, ONE OF THE THINGS WE WOULD LOOK AT IS, OKAY, IF WE DID INCORPORATE THAT, NATURALLY, WE WOULD NOT HAVE THE SAME IMPROVEMENT TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, AND WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN ACCURATELY REPORT YOU, AS FAR AS, HERE IS OPTION A WITH BOTH OF THESE OPTIONS I CLIMBER PARKS BEING REMOVED, HERE IS THE BENEFIT, HERE IS OPTION B WITH LET'S SAY A HYBRID VERSION OF THAT AND HERE ARE THE BENEFITS. WE WANTED TO DEMONSTRATE WHAT THIS PROJECT COULD DO. AS WE SCALE BACK, FOR VARIOUS REASONS, THE IMPROVEMENTS WOULD SCALE BACK. BUT, THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT STILL CAN'T BE SOMETHING WORTHWHILE TO LOOK AT. >> OKAY, THANK YOU. I DO UNDERSTAND THE ANSWER, AND I UNDERSTAND COST, EXPERIENCE. YEAH. >> AND THEN, THE ONLY OTHER ONE I HAD IS ON WOOD IBIS, AND I THINK THAT IS DOWN THE ROAD ENOUGH THAT --YOU KNOW, DOWN THE ROAD, YOU TALK ABOUT A BIO SWELL IN THERE, WITH THE PUMP SYSTEM GREAT, I AM JUST WONDERING, DID WE EVER CHECK --DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE WATER TABLE IS, THERE? MEANING, IS IT POSSIBLE FOR US TO DO 1 OF 2 THINGS? OR, ONE OF THESE THINGS? CAN WE TAKE THE POND, AND MAKE THAT ANY DEEPER? OR, ARE WE JUST GOING TO HIT WATER? AND TWO, HOW ABOUT THE CREEK THAT COMES INTO IT? CAN WE MAKE THAT DEEPER OR WHITER TO HOLD MORE WATER? >> SO, LET'S GET TO THE QUESTION OF WOOD IBIS AND IF WE DREDGE IT. IF YOU DREDGED WOOD IBIS, THE WATER LEVEL WOULD NOT DROP. ESSENTIALLY WHAT YOU ARE SEEING NOW IS THAT GROUND WATER TABLE MANIFESTING ITSELF IN THE OPEN AREA. IF YOU DREDGE IT, YOU WILL GET ADDITIONAL TREATMENT VOLUME TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU ARE 40 FEET BELOW THE WATER LEVEL, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GET FLOOD PROTECTION, BUT YOU WILL GET ADDITIONAL TREATMENT BENEFITS. SO, RIGHT NOW, ITEM THE BOTTOM OF THAT CUP IS YOUR WATER LEVEL AND THAT IS WHAT YOU WALK OUT TO SEE AT WOOD IBIS RIGHT NOW. AND REALLY, THAT'S PART OF THE CHALLENGE, WHEN YOU WORK IN LOW-LYING AREAS, I GREW UP IN SHORE ACRES, LIKE, THAT IS IT. YOU HAVE TO GO WIDE. AND AT PINELLAS COUNTY, LAND IS NOT GOOD, BECAUSE THAT IS AT A PREMIUM. >> YOU HAVE ANSWERED ALL MY QUESTIONS. I REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> I DO HAVE QUESTIONS ON IT, I ASKED WHAT YOU DID IN THE SWELL VERSUS POND AT CLIMBER PARKS, BECAUSE I RECALLED IT BEING SWELL, AND THEN WHAT MADE ME QUESTION THAT, WHEN YOU SAID "POND," IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU JUST SAID ABOUT WOOD IBIS BECAUSE I REMEMBER THAT FROM BEFORE. SO, WHY WOULD THAT, AT CLIMBER PARKS, BE DIFFERENT THAN AT WOOD IBIS, THEN? >> AT CLIMBER PARKS, THERE IS ENOUGH LAND TO MAKE A DENT INTO THE FLOODING PROBLEM. MORE OR LESS, IF WE HAVE BIG AREAS AND WE EXCAVATE, AND PROVIDE FLOOD BENEFITS, THEN THAT IS WORTHWHILE, IN THIS STORMWATER EVALUATION ENVIRONMENT. WITH WOOD IBIS, WITH THAT ADDITIONAL LAWN, THERE IS JUST NOT --THERE IS NOT GOING TO BE ANY TANGIBLE FLOOD BENEFITS. >> BUT, WHAT I AM TRYING TO UNDERSTAND IS, IF WOOD IBIS --IF DREDGING WILL ONLY IMPROVE WATER QUALITY BUT NOT HELP FLOODING -- >> LIKE, WHY IS CLIMBER PARKS DIFFERENT? >> EXACTLY. >> SO, CLIMBER PART HAS A LOT HIGHER --CLIMBER PARK IS A LOT HIGHER, ELEVATION WISE. >> OKAY. >> YEAH, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE SAUDI CITY, WOOD IBIS IS REALLY -- WOOD IBIS IS REALLY THE HISTORIC COASTLINE OF THE CITY, AND THEN PYCC GOT BUILT AND THAT, MORE OR LESS --THAT MARSH AREA WITH THE DITCH, WHERE THAT NATURAL AREA GOES TO, THAT WAS THE OLD COASTLINE BEFORE THEY DEVELOPED. SO, WOOD IBIS IS MUCH LOWER, SO YOU CAN DIG A LOT DEEPER IN CLIMBER PARKS, AND YOU CAN GET MORE VOLUME BETWEEN GRADE AND THE GROUNDWATER. OKAY, THANK YOU. >> SURE. >> AND WHAT ABOUT IN TOMLINSON? ON FIRST AVENUE NORTH, THERE IS A BALL FIELD THAT'S -- BEAR CREEK, YEAH. THAT IS A FLOATABLE PARK. THAT IS A FLOATABLE PART, AND IF YOU KNOW HOW BIG IT IS -- >> IT ISN'T THAT BIG, RIGHT? >> WELL, TOMLINSON HAS SOME GOOD SIZE AND IT PROVIDES SOME BENEFITS, BUT I DON'T THINK IT IS AS BIG AS THAT BEAR CREEK FACILITY. >> WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO BE --COULD YOU DIG IT OUT AND STILL USE IT FOR A BALL FIELD WHEN IT IS DRY? OR, ARE YOU THINKING A PERMANENT POND? >> FOR THIS ONE, IT WOULD BE A PERMANENT POND, JUST BECAUSE IF YOU WERE TO MAKE IT TO WHERE IT WAS A FLOATABLE PARK, YOU STILL HAVE TO REASONABLY HAVE IT BE A PARK, YOU KNOW? WHERE IT WOULD STILL HAVE TO DRY OUT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIMES AND THAT MEANS MORE OR LESS WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS YOU ARE ELEVATING THE BOTTOM OF THAT FACILITY TO WHERE YOU ARE LIMITING STORAGE IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE PLAY. AND SO, WITH BEAR CREEK, WITH THE BEAR CREEK FACILITY, THEY WERE LOOKING TO REALLY --BECAUSE REALLY IT IS NOT A PARK BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THAT EMBANKMENT, AS YOU WERE HEADING WEST ON FIRST AVENUE, IT GOES DOWN PRETTY SIGNIFICANT. THAT IS A GOOD AMOUNT OF VOLUME. AND YOU WILL NOTICE, TOO, THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE ROAD AND KIND OF THE STATIC WATER LEVEL OF BEAR CREEK, IS DECENT FOR PINELLAS COUNTY. SO, THAT'S REALLY --THAT FLOATABLE PARK, BECAUSE OF THE UNIQUE SITUATION THAT IS IN, YOU HAVE THE LAND AND GRAND WORKTABLES FAVORABLE, THAT WORKS THERE. WITH --AGAIN, WE COULD LOOK AT A FLOATABLE PARK FOR TOMLINSON BUT AGAIN WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS WE ARE REMOVING THE STORAGE, TO IMPROVE THE LIKELIHOOD OF PLAY, AND THERE JUST ISN'T A STORMWATER BENEFIT FOR THAT. >> I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE BOAT RENTALS OR SOMETHING ON THERE. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >> ALL RIGHT. >> AND NOW, WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO OUR THIRD PRESENTATION, WHICH HAS BEEN GIVEN BY MS. AMY BRADLOW. GOOD. I WAS GOING TO SAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE, SO I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO FIND YOU. OKAY. AND YOU ARE WITH PBK ARCHITECTS, WHO HAVE DONE OUR DESIGNS FOR THE SENIOR CENTER IN THE PAST. SO, WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY. THANK YOU. >> AT EVENING, MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. I AM WARD, I AM PRESIDENT OF WARD. WITH ME IS AMY BRADLOW, A REGISTERED ARCHITECT, AND SHE HAS BEEN A COLLEAGUE OF MINE FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS. SHE IS A PRINCIPAL WITH THE FIRM, SHE HEADS UP OUR CIVIL PRACTICE OF THE ENTIRE FIRM. ALSO WITH US IS FELIPE DELGADO IN THE AUDIENCE. HE IS AN ARCHITECT INTERN WITH THE FIRM AND HERE IS MARK STOCKER, MARK IS PRESIDENT OF HENNESSY CONSTRUCTION. IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH HENNESSY CONSTRUCTION, THEY HAVE BEEN A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY IN THIS AREA FOR OVER 100 YEARS, THEY HAVE WORKED WITH US ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT PROJECTS. WE ASKED THEM FOR A COMPLEMENTARY SERVICE AS, AS WE DO A STUDY, WHAT ARE THE COSTS? WE HAVE SOME REAL-TIME COSTS, AND MARK AND HIS TEAM HAVE REALLY INVESTED A LOT AND I CAN'T THANK MARK ENOUGH. THEY ARE A GREAT COMPANY AND THEY UNDERSTAND THIS SIZE. THEY DO PROJECTS THAT ARE SMALLER, THEY DO PROJECTS THAT ARE LARGER, BUT THEY ARE THE RIGHT TEAM MEMBER TO HAVE WITH US, SO REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT HE HAS DONE. AMY IS GOING TO GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION, BUT I DID WANT TO SAY THAT WE HAVE ALL WATCHED THE PREVIOUS MEETINGS OF THE COUNCIL, AND AS YOU KNOW, WE DID THE ORIGINAL DESIGN. OF COURSE, THERE IS A COST TO THAT. THE FUNDRAISING DIDN'T QUITE COME THROUGH LIKE EVERYONE EXPECTED, SO WE ASK UNDERSTAND THERE IS A NEED TO MAKE SOME CHANGES AND WE DID HEAR THE VISION OF THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL, THAT WE NEED TO CHANGE DIRECTION, TAKE A LOOK AT RENOVATING THE EXISTING BUILDING, AND DOING SOME ADDITIONS. SO, AMY IS GOING TO RUN THROUGH THREE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS THAT KIND OF CARRY OUT YOUR VISION, WHERE WE ARE TRYING TO KEEP THE SENIOR CENTER IN OPERATION, WHICH IS REALLY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE IT GETS PHENOMENAL USE. TAKE A LOOK AT A PHASE ONE, WHICH WOULD BE AN IN ADDITION, A PHASE TWO, WHICH WOULD BE A SECOND EDITION WHICH WOULD START TO GET CLOSE TO THE ORIGINAL SQUARE FOOTAGE THAT WE HAD ENVISIONED PREVIOUSLY, AND THEN THE THIRD PHASE WOULD BE A RENOVATION THAT JUST KEEPS BUILDING, SO IT KIND OF TAKES IT INTO MANAGEABLE, BITE -SIZED CHUNKS THAT ARE ALSO FINANCIALLY MANAGEABLE. SO, I WILL LET THE REAL EXPERT TAKE OVER NOW AND THAT IS AMY. >> THANKS, WARD. SO, WE DID A THREE PHASE PROJECT, LIKE YOU HAVE REQUESTED IN THE PAST. THE FIRST THING WE LOOKED AT IS YOUR LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS TO SEE, HOW BIG CAN YOU BUILD AN EXPANSION TO THE EXISTING FACILITY? AS WELL AS THE FLORIDA BUILDING CODE. WE CAN BUILD APPROXIMATELY A 10,000 SQUARE FOOT EXPANSION WHICH, ONCE ADDED ONTO YOUR EXISTING FACILITY, LIKE WARD SAID, IT COMES CLOSE TO THE ORIGINALLY PROGRAMMED SIZE FOR THE NEW FACILITY. SOME OF THE BIGGEST NEEDS ARE JUST LARGE, MULTIPURPOSE ROOMS YOU CAN USE FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF ACTIVITIES AND CLASSES, SO FOR PHASE ONE, WE ARE SHOWING TWO LARGE MULTIPURPOSE ROOMS IN THE RED COLOR. THAT COULD BE ONE BIG SPACE WITH A FOLDING PARTITION IN THIS SPACE, SO COULD BE USED AS TWO SPACES OR ONE LARGE SPACE, DEPENDING ON WHAT IS GOING ON AND THE YELLOW THERE IS AN EXPANSION TO THE LOBBY, AND WE ARE LOOKING AT THIS FROM THE LIBRARY SIDE OF THE FACILITY. YOU CAN SEE THAT THE FEEDER IS UP THERE TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN. SO, THIS WOULD BE AN EXPANSION GOING SOUTH, THERE. AND THEN, IN BLUE, WE HAVE RESTROOMS, WHICH WOULD BE TO ACCOMMODATE THE EXPANSION, YOU KNOW, AND THE OCCUPANTS OF THAT EXPANSION. SO, THAT WOULD BE PHASE ONE. YOU WOULD BE GETTING ABOUT 4200 SQUARE FEET WITH THAT PHASE ONE. NOW, FOR PHASE TWO, WE ARE SHOWING THREE DIFFERENT OPTIONS. SO, THE FIRST ONE, WE UNDERSTAND THERE WAS AN IDEA TO BUILD OVER THE EXISTING FACILITY. SO, THAT IS WHAT WE ARE SHOWING, HERE. YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BUILD THESE BIG SPACES AS THE EXPANSION, AND THEN SOME OF THE SMALLER SPACES, LIKE THE OFFICES AND SUCH, CAN BE RENOVATED IN THE FINAL PHASE IN THE EXISTING FACILITY. SO, ONE THING TO NOTE IS THAT THE EXISTING BUILDING WAS NOT BUILT TO ACCOMMODATE A SECOND STORY. SO, WHAT YOU WILL SEE HERE IN YELLOW, GOING DOWN THROUGH THAT SECOND FLOOR EXPANSION, THAT IS NEW COLUMNS THAT WOULD HAVE TO PENETRATE THROUGH THE EXISTING BUILDING, THAT MEANS PENETRATING FOUNDATION, SO IT WOULD BE A PRETTY EXPENSIVE EXPANSION, AND YOU WOULD HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THE ENTIRE FACILITY DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS OPTION OF PHASE TWO. WE ARE ALSO SHOWING ADDITIONAL RESTROOMS HERE ABOVE THOSE BUILT IN PHASE ONE, AND THE YELLOW IS, AGAIN, CIRCULATION SPACE TO BRING YOU UP FROM THE FIRST FLOOR AND TO THOSE NEW SPACES. AND THEN, IN THE DARK RED, THAT WOULD BE VERTICAL CIRCULATION, ELEVATORS AND STAIRS, SO WE HAVE A STAIR AND AN ELEVATOR HERE, TO WHERE IT IS THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SCREEN AND THEN ONE ADDITIONAL EGRESS STAIR OVER THERE, CLOSER TO THE FEEDER. WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE THE TWO STAIRS, AS REQUIRED BY CODE. SO, THIS WOULD BE OPTION ONE FOR THE EXPANSION OF PHASE TWO. OPTION TWO WOULD BE JUST BUILDING UP OVER THE PHASE ONE EXPANSION AND THE BENEFIT OF THIS IS THAT WE CAN DESIGN THE PHASE ONE EXPANSION TO RECEIVE THE PHASE TWO EXPANSION IN THE FUTURE. SO THIS WOULD BE LESS COSTLY AND LESS COMPLICATED. YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO SHUT DOWN THE EXISTING BUILDING DURING CONSTRUCTION. OF COURSE, WHAT IS BELOW THE PHASE ONE EXPANSION, THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE SHUT DOWN DURING CONSTRUCTION FOR SAFETY, BUT YOU STILL HAVE USE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE FACILITY. AND FINALLY, THE THIRD OPTION, IS JUST TO CONTINUE BUILDING HORIZONTALLY, THIS WOULD HAVE TO BE, DON'T SHUT ANY PART OF THE FACILITY DOWN DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THIS PHASE. IT WOULD BE THE LEAST COSTLY OPTION. YOU GET MORE PROGRAM AREA BECAUSE WE ARE NOT HAVING TO BUILD STAIRS AND ELEVATORS WHICH FEED INTO THE AMOUNT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO BUILD BY CODE. SO, YOUR MULTIPURPOSE SPACES WILL BE SLIGHTLY LARGER. THE DOWNSIDE IS, OBVIOUSLY WE ARE TAKING UP A LOT OF THE PARKING LOT. SO, WE WOULD MAY BE STILL BE ABLE TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF PARKING, BUT IT WOULD BE DRASTICALLY REDUCED. SO, NO MATTER WHICH ONE OF THESE OPTIONS WE GO WITH, WE WOULD HAVE TO TALK ABOUT A PARKING VARIANCE OF SOME SORT, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT REALLY ABLE TO ADD ANY PARKING TO ACCOMMODATE THE EXPANSION WE ARE ADDING ON THE BUILDING. AND THEN, FINALLY, PHASE THREE WOULD JUST BE A RENOVATION OF THE EXISTING FACILITY, SO AT THAT POINT, YOU COULD OCCUPY BOTH A PHASE ONE AND PHASE TWO EXPANSIONS, WHILE THE EXISTING FACILITY IS BEING RENOVATED. SO, WE HAVE DONE JUST SOME RENDERINGS, LOOKING FROM THE LIBRARY TOWARD THE EXPANSIONS, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF JUST HOW PHASE ONE MIGHT LOOK. WE ARE JUST TRYING TO KEEP SOME OF THE SAME MATERIALS FROM THE EXISTING CENTER BUT, YOU KNOW, BRING IN A CONTEMPORARY LOOK AND THIS IS DONE WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF TALKING WITH ANY OF YOU, SO OBVIOUSLY THIS IS OPEN FOR DISCUSSION BUT THIS IS JUST ONE IDEA OF HOW IT MIGHT LOOK. AND YOU CAN SEE WE ARE ADDING A SHARE FOR DROP OFFS AND THAT IS JUST ANOTHER VIEW. AND THEN, THIS IS LOOKING TOWARD THAT MULTIPURPOSE ROOM EXPANSION. SO, WE DID LOOK AT, WHEN WE BUILD PHASE ONE, HOW CAN WE RECONFIGURE THE PARKING LOT TO AVOID LOSING PARKING? IN PHASE ONE, WE BELIEVE WE CAN DO THAT BY GOING TO 90 DEGREE PARKING INSTEAD OF THE ANGLED PARKING THAT IS THERE NOW. YOU WILL LOSE PARKING, IF WE GO WITH THE PHASE --I'M SORRY, THE OPTION THREE OF PHASE TWO THAT IS IN AN ALL HORIZONTAL EXPANSION. SO, AS WE MENTIONED, HENNESSY CONSTRUCTION WAS REALLY HELPFUL IN ASSISTING US FOR DOING COST ESTIMATES FOR EACH OF THE OPTIONS. SO, THIS IS PHASE ONE. YOUR CONSTRUCTION COSTS WOULD BE JUST A LITTLE OVER $3 MILLION. WE HAVE ADDED AN OWNER CONTINGENCY OF 5%, THAT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT IN RENOVATION EXPANSION PROJECTS BECAUSE OF ANYTHING UNFORESEEN COMES UP DURING CONSTRUCTION, OR IF THE CITY FEELS THE NEED TO MAKE ANY CHANGES, THAT GIVES YOU SOME MONEY TO DO THAT. FF AND E IS FOR FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT SO THAT IS AN ADDITIONAL COST AND THEN SOFT COST, ONE THING TO NOTE ON PHASE ONE HERE, IS THAT THIS INCLUDES SOME MONEY THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SPENT ON THE DESIGN, THE WORK DONE TO DATE OF THE NEW CONSTRUCTION OPTION. SO, THAT BRINGS A GRAND TOTAL FOR PHASE ONE TO A LITTLE OVER $4 MILLION. NOW, THE VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR PHASE TWO, OF COURSE, OPTION THREE IS THE LEAST EXPENSIVE, THAT'S THE OPTION WHERE YOU GO ALL HORIZONTAL. PHASE TWO, OPTION TWO, WHICH IS GOING ABOVE PHASE ONE, THAT IS ABOUT A 17% INCREASE, AS COMPARED TO GOING ALL HORIZONTAL. AND THEN, OPTION ONE, BUILDING OVER THE EXISTING SENIOR CENTER, IS THE MOST EXPENSIVE AT 31% MORE EXPENSIVE THAN GOING HORIZONTAL. THESE ARE ALL IN TODAY'S DOLLARS. SO, THESE ALL DO NOT YET INCLUDE ANY COST ESCALATION, DEPENDING ON WHEN PHASE TWO MIGHT BE COMPLETED. AND THEN, FINALLY, PHASE THREE, YOU ARE LOOKING AT, IN TODAY'S DOLLARS, ABOUT $2.7 MILLION IN CONSTRUCTION FOR A GRAND TOTAL OF ABOUT $3.5 MILLION. AND AGAIN, DEPENDING ON WHEN PHASE THREE IS COMPLETED, IT WILL INCREASE. SO, THAT IS EVERYTHING WE HAVE FOR TODAY, AND WE WOULD WELCOME ANY QUESTIONS. >> MAYOR? >> YES? >> COUNCIL WILL BE RECEIVING A LETTER THIS EVENING, TO DECIDE IN SUPPORT OF, WHAT WE RECOMMEND IS THE PHASE WHERE YOU BUILD ON TOP OF THE NEW SECTION. FOR PHASE ONE, WE WILL BE HAVING A CONGRESSIONAL COMMUNITY PROJECTS, ASK OF CONGRESSWOMAN LUNA OF $3 MILLION, AND WE ARE IN THE PROCESS NOW OF GATHERING INFORMATION AND WE NEED TO SUBMIT THAT BY FRIDAY. SO, THAT IS WHERE WE ASK FOR A CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATION. WE ALSO HAVE PARTNERS WITH THE FOUNDATION AND OF COURSE, YOUR CITY HAS SOME DOLLARS. REGARDLESS OF THE SOFT COST, THOSE DOLLARS ARE CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATIONS, SO WE ARE STILL UTILIZING THEM AS WE PROCEED THROUGH THE PHASE. >> SO --OKAY, GOOD. GOT IT. >> YES. >> ALL RIGHT, SO ANY QUESTIONS, ANY COMMENTS? ALL THESE OPTIONS INCLUDE CLOSING 27th STREET? >> NO, THESE DO NOT REQUIRE THAT. >> BUT, IF WE DID, THAT COULD GIVE SOME ADDITIONAL PARKING THAT YOU NEED, RIGHT? >> POTENTIALLY, YES. >> SO, JUST TO CLARIFY, IN THE PLAN THAT YOU SHOWED US THE LAST TIME, YOU DID HAVE, WHERE 27th