This week is a bit of an anomaly as Council plays catch up Tuesday morning with a makeup workshop from the hurricanes affecting their schedules. Thursday is a regularly scheduled workshop. Which as a reminder, these are informational. Broader discussions about an issue. An opportunity for Council, staff and the public to address something. And that is one thing that is different about workshops from regular meetings. There is no general public comment period. For each agenda item, there is public comment on that item topic only. That said, as long as you are in the ballpark, Council tends to give everyone an opportunity to speak. The other way these differ from regular meetings is Council can’t take any official action. There are is no voting on the item being discussed. Motions might be made to bring the item to a regular agenda where an action might be taken based on the outcome of the workshop, but that is the start of the public notice. It will then appear on the agenda for review and more public comment before a formal vote. Thursday’s workshop isn’t posted at time of writing, I will direct you to tampa.gov/agendas for details of what is being discussed. I believe there’s a discussion about limiting planned developments on Tuesday, a topic that’s been punted several times. Personally, based on my observations, require a minimum lot size. I asked if they could, and was told yes.

What also sets this week apart from most weeks, is the special call meeting for a single land use case Tuesday evening. It’s been a controversial development for several years and the last time it was before Council, it garnered the most public comment (both in email/letter form uploaded to Onbase and in-person) I’ve observed. That’s why I gave it its own post to try and layout the history and what’s changed since last application. 2713 Bayshore Blvd. I tried to keep that to the facts only asserting how the decision should be decided. But while doing so, I’ve come to have more opinions so I put them in a separate post.

Thursday evening, the admin is bringing a lease agreement between the City and University of Tampa. Two actually, one for Sykes College of Business and one for Plant Park. The one for the campus property provides an “option of conveyance”—assume ownership. The park lease is for 25 years with these stipulations:

• Lessee maintains the park
• Lessee maintains property damage and liability insurance
• Establishment of Reservation System for public use of park
• Acknowledges that portion of Plant Park for “reconstruction/renovation” to existing Riverwalk/Trail

Additionally on the agenda Thursday evening is a Future Land Use amendment proposing rezoning property at 801 East 26th Avenue from R-20 to Community Mix Used 35. Finally there are 2 Special Use applications for sale of alcohol. One, AB2-24-46, at 1901 East 7th Avenue, the other, AB2-24-49, at 501 West Busch Boulevard, Unit #5A.