St. Petersburg City Council Meeting - November 9, 2023
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St. Petersburg City Council Meeting - November 9, 2023
The St. Petersburg City Council met on November 9, 2023, at 6:30 PM to consider proclamations, a police department report, a presentation from the Palladium Theater, and a CRA funding agreement for an affordable housing project. The meeting included a roll call, invocation, and Pledge of Allegiance. All council members were present, with Councilmember Driscoll absent for one vote. The council approved all consent items unanimously and passed a resolution for the Fairfield Avenue Apartments project.
Proclamations and Awards
- Transgender Day of Remembrance: Mayor Kenneth T. Welch proclaimed November 20, 2023 as Transgender Day of Remembrance in St. Petersburg. Community representatives Tristan Burns, RJ Leschinski, and Rashida Johnson spoke about the vigil to be held at City Hall steps and the importance of supporting transgender residents. They cited statistics on anti-transgender legislation and violence.
- USF St. Pete Student Government Day: Mayor Welch proclaimed November 9, 2023 as USF St. Pete Student Government Day. Chancellor Christine Hardigree and Campus Governor Abdul Mukit Kwaja spoke about the student government's role and the partnership with the city.
- Hospice and Palliative Care Awareness Month: Vice Chair Deborah Fig Sanders proclaimed November 2023 as Hospice and Palliative Care Awareness Month. Karen Davis Pritchett and colleagues from Suncoast Hospice accepted the proclamation and spoke about their services.
- Veterans Day: Councilmember Ed Montaneri proclaimed November 11, 2023 as Veterans Day. Helen Rhymes, social service planning manager, accepted the proclamation. Montaneri encouraged residents to pause at 11 a.m. on November 11 for a moment of silence.
Consent Calendar
- Approved the meeting agenda unanimously.
- Approved Ordinance 562H (year-end appropriation adjustments for FY2023 and FY2024) unanimously; public hearing scheduled for November 27, 2023.
- Approved Ordinances 756L and 788Z (future land use and zoning changes for a 0.41-acre parcel at 266th Street North) unanimously; public hearing scheduled for December 7, 2023. Councilmember Driscoll was absent for this vote.
- Approved item F3 (unspecified) unanimously.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Open Forum: Carrie Mueller (address: 12th and James Avenue) spoke against the proposed new stadium project, arguing that the total cost exceeds $1.2 billion and that the city would contribute approximately 77% of the cost without receiving naming rights or other revenues. She advocated for alternative development of the area.
- CRA Public Comment: Brian Unk, attorney for the applicant, spoke in favor of the Fairfield Avenue Apartments project, describing it as the first project in Florida to utilize HB 1339 and highlighting its 100% affordable units and permanent affordability through a land trust.
Discussion Items
- Police Department Quarterly Report: Chief Anthony Holloway reported that overall crime increased 3.8% compared to the same quarter last year, but the five-year trend is down 6.1%. Violent crime decreased 2.2% (five-year trend down 5%), while property crime increased 5.3% (five-year trend down 4.6%). Auto thefts account for 25% of property crime. There were no homicides in the quarter. The department reported 136 stolen guns (the chief initially said "36" but the breakdown totals 136). The department has 88 applicants in the hiring queue and 25 vacancies. The C.A.L.L. program has exceeded 10,000 calls with no incidents. Council members discussed traffic enforcement on Gandy Boulevard, scooter safety, mental health call responses, and a recent shooting incident downtown.
- Palladium Theater: Executive Director Paul Wilburne presented the theater's 25th anniversary and a capital campaign to renovate the facility. The project costs an estimated $10 million. A private donor has committed $5 million (including a $2 million challenge grant), and the state has provided $850,000 for design. Wilburne requested a one-time appropriation from the city, noting the theater has operated in the black since 2012 and does not seek ongoing support. Council members expressed support and discussed possible funding models.
- CRA Item – Fairfield Avenue Apartments: The CRA considered a resolution to provide $9.7 million in TIF funding to the Fairfield Avenue Apartments project, a 264-unit 100% affordable housing development. The project will include units at 50%, 80%, and 120% of AMI. The per-unit subsidy is $36,742, lower than recent similar projects. Pinellas County approved $12.4 million in funding. The project will be permanently affordable via a land trust. Construction is expected to begin in Q1 2024. Councilmember Mohammed requested reporting on local business participation; the administration agreed to add reporting requirements. The resolution passed unanimously.
- Referral to HERSC: Councilmember Driscoll requested a referral to the Health, Energy, Resilience and Sustainability Committee to discuss updates on Healthy St. Pete and the St. Pete Healthy Food Action Plan. The request was approved unanimously.
Key Outcomes
- All votes were unanimous.
- Agenda approved.
- E1, E2, F3, G1 approved unanimously.
- CRA resolution for Fairfield Avenue Apartments approved unanimously.
- Proclamations presented.
- The council will consider funding for the Palladium Theater in future meetings.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome to the City of St. Petersburg City Council meeting. Your elected officials are Mayor Ken Welch. District 1, Copley Gerdas, District 2, and Council Chair, Brandy Gabber. District 3, Edmonton Ari, District 4, Lisseth Hanowitz, District 5, and Council Vice Chair, Deborah Fig Sanders. District 6, Gita Driscoll, District 7, John Mohammed, and District 8, Richie Floyd. Good afternoon, everyone. We will call to order the November 9th, 2023 City Council meeting, beginning with a roll call. Montaneri. Here. Hanowitz. Here. Fig Sanders. Here. Driscoll. Here. Mohammed. Here. Floyd. Here. Gerdis. Here. Gabriel. Here. We will begin our meeting this afternoon with an invocation that will be given by District 2's own pastor, Pastor David Harding from St. Petersburg Presbyterian Church. And then following the invocation, please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. Please stand. Let's pray together. Gracious God, we give you thanks for this beautiful day which you have made and for the privilege of living in such a beautiful place as St. Petersburg. Your word tells us in the Prophet Jeremiah that we are to seek the welfare of the city where you have placed us and to pray to you for its blessing. And so we do that now as this council meets to conduct the business of our dear city. We thank you for our mayor and our council members and all those who serve at every level in our city government. They are your servants whom you've raised up for such a time as this to serve in their respective offices. We thank you for their hard work and sacrifice and ask that you'd give each of them wise and discerning hearts to skillfully lead and govern our community. Give them your wisdom to solve problems justly, to distinguish between right and wrong, and to bring order, stability, and prosperity to our city. Remind them each day of the privilege and honor that it is to serve in this capacity. And we ask that you would remind us all, Father, that whatever our station in life may be, you have placed us there not to be served, but to serve others, even as your son, Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life on the cross as a ransom for many. And we ask all these things in his great and glorious name. Amen. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God with liberty and justice for all. You may be seated. Thank you so much, Pastor Harding. Have a wonderful day. God bless. Council members, we have an agenda before us today. I'll entertain a motion for approval. Move approval. Second.
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