Repeat after me: these are workshop items and no formal action can occur. Tampa City Council will not be voting to do anything with solid waste or anything else on the agenda. That said, this is an opportunity for members of the public to comment on each specific item as they are heard in contrast to a regular meeting where public comment at the beginning of the meeting is the only opportunity. And as a reminder, you can register to call in to speak if you are unable to attend in person and I always encourage folks to email Council.Info is available on the agenda links above.
Workshop Agenda
Item 1 – Solid Waste Rate Adjustment
So the arguments about raising the rates are solid. (Pun intended). The rate increases are nominal for a service we all take for granted. Safeguards are in place to assist anyone on a fixed income or otherwise need help with utilities.
The questions that are going to arise are around money. There is a proposal on the table to do a short term loan to fund some operational costs and cost overruns on the modernization of the waste to energy plant. Which I thought was already addressed. Looking at the presentation, it shows that in fall of 2022, Council approved $220 million in bonding in the form of a reimbursement resolution. I’m going to need to see the presentation and hear context on the timeline of what’s been already approved in past budgets vs what is being proposed as new spending to better understand what’s being suggested.
I think this is an opportunity for the city to make folks think hard about what I do believe most folks take for granted. We could always cut back to one residential curb side pick up a week. Recycling every 2 weeks. Yard waste once a month. Or pay $4 more a month and think twice about what you are throwing away and recycling.
Item 2 Honorary Naming
This item was something that was previously addressed by Council to try and bring more equity between City Council and the Admin in what is named for who. It seems some unintended consequences resulted in confusion and hurt feelings on the naming of something. This discussion will attempt to improve the process.
Urban Tree Canopy
This seems like it was a recent presentation on a separate topic of tree budgets and the canopy. The city won a grant to plant trees in urban hot spots often neglected. The problem staff is encountering is identifying actual pieces of land that can sustain a tree planting without infrastructure changes. They have been working with USF and GIS but thus far their modeling has failed. Thus far. I think they’ll improve their model and will start to identify places we can plant the trees. The data is useful regardless.
Item 4 Section 27-61 of the City Code.
I’m not exactly sure what Section 27-61 is, but the presentation is a recommendation to remove Council’s review of the hearing master decision in formal review/petition to review case. Administrative review permits or board decision would be either or. You either appeal to Council or the hearing officer forgoing any Council intervention. Pick your poison. Again, nothing will be decided on this Thursday, it’s a recommendation from staff. If Council wants to move forward they would need to indicate to staff it’s something to bring back on a regular agenda.
Evening Land Use
Item 2 is a Future Land Use Map amendment for a huge tract of land at the south east corner of Florida and Columbus. It appears to extends south to Amelia and half way east to Morgan St. (At time of review no documents were available in Onbase.) I vaguely recall a project before the Architectural Review for this block as it is in the Historic Tampa Heights neighborhood. This is only a FLUA so no details about what might be built will be provided, only the max density this would bring. I will be listening closely to the neighborhood on this one.
Items 5-9 are Special Use alcohol sales and consumption applications. The issues of late night crowds and violence are once again front and center to the city. I think neighborhood support/opposition will factor into more and more of these decisions. As I have recommended in similar cases, focus on the language in the staff report and any waivers being requested.
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