Clearwater Community Resiliency and Leisure Services Advisory Board Meeting - August 27, 2026
Clearwater Community Resiliency and Leisure Services Advisory Board Meeting - August 27, 2026
The Community Resiliency and Leisure Services Advisory Board met on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 4:00 PM in the Main Library Council Chambers. The board approved meeting minutes, heard a hurricane preparedness presentation, received an update on the Reimagine Main Library Project, discussed procedures for handling public comments, and voted to adjust future meeting dates.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the minutes of the June 25, 2026 meeting (ID#26-0976) unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No public comments were made under the "Citizens to be Heard" agenda item, but during the hurricane preparedness discussion multiple residents raised concerns about assistance for elderly residents before and after storms, electric vehicle fire risks, and the need for a volunteer network. One resident praised neighbors helping neighbors during the 2024 storms.
- During the library presentation, a board member questioned why three previous redevelopment proposals were rejected. Another asked about the scope of library space available for cultural uses.
Discussion Items
- Hurricane Preparedness (ID#26-0973): Emergency Management Specialist Miyah McClaney presented on the current season (7-13 storms, 2-6 hurricanes predicted), storm surge risks, evacuation zones (most of Clearwater in high-risk red zone), and the city's 45-50 ongoing recovery projects from Hurricanes Helene, Debbie, and Milton. She reported $9.3 million in FEMA reimbursements received so far. Residents asked about charging a stormwater system resilience, supporting elderly residents, and electric vehicle safety. McClaney recommended residents be self-sufficient for 3-7 days.
- Reimagine Clearwater Main Library Project (ID#26-0992): Brian Ulbricht, CRA Coordinator, presented the effort to find cultural/arts tenants for part of the library. Six proposals were received in 2024 (including Imagine Museum, Wizard of Oz Museum, Comedy Hall of Fame) but council rejected all. Current outreach includes 87 active engagements, 12 in-person meetings, and 8 library tours. No formal proposal is being solicited; instead staff is listening to ideas. A board member expressed disappointment that the three finalists were rejected without clear explanation. Staff noted the Dalí Museum showed no interest in a satellite site. The board discussed the possibility of temporary events versus permanent exhibits.
- Handling Public Comments (ID#26-0977): Staff recommended that citizen concerns raised under Citizens to be Heard be placed on the next meeting agenda for formal discussion, allowing staff time to research and allowing other citizens to comment. The board reached consensus to follow this process.
- Meeting Schedule Changes (ID#26-1006): The board voted unanimously to move the October 22, 2026 meeting to Thursday, October 29, 2026. They also voted to cancel the December 24, 2026 meeting (Christmas Eve) and instead meet on January 7, 2027.
- Next Meeting Agenda (ID#26-1077): The board agreed to include a 45-minute presentation by planning staff on proposed tree code amendments. A suggestion to discuss Amendment 3 budget impacts was deferred due to election timing and existing city resources.
Key Outcomes
- Approved June 25, 2026 minutes.
- Voted unanimously to move the October 22 meeting to October 29, 2026.
- Voted unanimously to cancel the December 24, 2026 meeting and reschedule to January 7, 2027.
- Agreed by consensus to agenda citizens' concerns for staff research before board discussion.
- Planning staff will present tree code amendments at the next meeting.
- Staff will follow up with the city manager regarding a previous board referral to council about seashell mulch code enforcement.
Meeting Transcript
I went through it as well, yeah. So are they gonna settle this for us? But it's because there's a lot of it. It's because there's an event going on at the sound. It's not normal. Oh, I see. That's what it was. Okay. All right. Well, that's a little better. Okay. Let her sit down and then we'll start. Okay. Did you struggle to park? We were waiting since we are. We all had a hard time. There's about that. I'm by Starbucks. We were taking bets earlier to see who was the first person. Can I call this meeting to order today? Um I'd like to start with the approval of the June twenty-fifth minutes. Does anyone have any comments? I moved the we approve the minutes. I second it. I second it. All in favor? Yeah, I just was checking. Um citizens to be heard. Do we have anyone? All right, so new business on the agenda. We have hurricane preparedness. So yes, so uh Miss Maya McLeaney from Emergency Management is here to provide that presentation that we were trying to schedule for last time, but uh when you're ready, Mr. Clane. Well, this week seems appropriate. So good afternoon, um I've been everybody. So a couple of things I'm gonna talk about. Um just understanding your wrist, preparing your household or yourself, um, how Clearwater prepares, how emergency management helps the citizens prepare, and just any questions or comments you have for me. So just a quick snapshot of the current hurricane season. So we right now scheduled to have seven to 13 storms. Two to six hurricanes. Sorry. So currently, right now the eastern part of the Atlantic is pretty calm, pretty tame. We have Dolly possibly kind of turning in the Atlantic. But if you look at current systems on NWS and NHC National Hurricane Center on the west side of the country of the Pacific, they currently have about four systems churning in the up in the far left corner. They have the most recent storm that let off a lot of rain on the Hawaii Islands. So basically from this slide, just take from that we're pretty calm, we're pretty, nothing's too much going on in the Atlantic, but in the western part of the country, they're pretty pretty active with their storm systems. So why does Hurricane Comeritis for Clear Water? Just a couple things that coastal water impacts. So like storm surge and coastal flooding is pretty pretty common for clear water concerning hurricanes, winds and severe weather for strong winds and tornadoes associated with tropical systems. People kind of forget about tornadoes.
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