OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

St. Petersburg City Council Meeting December 12, 2024: Historic District, Storm Recovery, Trop Repairs

City Council — Thursday, December 12, 2024
BodySt Petersburg, Florida
SessionCity Council
DateThursday, December 12, 2024
StatusFILED
Video Record
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Transcript — Verbatim
0:06

Welcome to the City of St.

0:07

Petersburg City Council meeting.

0:10

Your elected officials are Mayor Ken Welch.

0:14

District 1 and Council Vice Chair Copley Gurtis.

0:20

District 2, Brandy Gabbard.

0:23

District 4, Lisseth Hanowitz.

0:27

District 5 and Council Chair, Deborah Fake Sanders.

0:32

District 6, Gina Driscoll.

0:37

District 7, John Mohammed.

0:41

And District 8, Richie Floyd.

0:51

Good afternoon, everyone.

0:53

We now call to order our December 12th, 2024.

0:56

City Council meeting beginning with the roll call, please.

0:58

Hannawitz?

0:59

Here.

0:59

Alexander's Driscoll?

1:01

Here.

1:01

Mohammed.

1:02

Floyd?

1:03

Here.

1:04

Gurtis.

1:04

Here.

1:05

Gabbert.

1:05

Here.

1:06

Thank you.

1:07

Joining us today.

1:08

We will have our invitation given by Pastor Katura Pittman from Greater Mount Zion AME, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

1:16

Will everyone please join me in standing.

1:27

Oh thou in whose presence my soul takes delight.

1:32

On whom in affliction I call.

1:43

Heavenly Father, we come this afternoon.

1:46

The last council meeting of 2024.

1:51

Giving you thanks, Lord, for the things that has happened this year.

1:55

That our council member, led by our chair, has had an opportunity to deal with for us, your people.

2:04

I come thanking you, Lord God, for the wisdom that has been given that has caused us to weather the storms.

2:12

Now, Lord God, in this last meeting of this year, we ask that they continue to use godly judgment and things that are done that will affect us all into the new year and beyond.

2:26

You are Father God, our hope.

2:29

You are our salvation.

2:32

But most of all, dear God, you are all and all for us.

2:36

We thank you.

2:37

We ask that you continue to bless this council as they proceed to do those things that are beneficial to our city.

2:47

And for this, Heavenly Father, we give you thanks.

2:50

We praise you and amen.

2:56

To the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation.

3:09

Thank you, Mr.

3:10

East BC there.

3:15

Thank you, Pastor Kay, for that invitation.

3:17

I love you.

3:18

Thank you so much.

3:21

So, Council members, we have an agenda before us today with the request to add items F5 and F6.

3:28

With those changes, I entertain a motion for approval.

3:31

Move approval.

3:32

Second.

3:34

Now that we have a motion and a second, can you please open the machine for voting?

3:38

Council members, please cast your votes.

3:41

Seeing that our present council members have voted, can you please tell and announce the vote?

3:45

Madam Chair, motion to approve the agenda, passes unanimously.

3:48

Thank you.

3:49

Council members, they have an a consent agenda before us.

3:52

I entertain the motion for approval of the consent agenda.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Historic Preservation██████████████████████████████████████38%
Arts And Culture█████████████13%
Legal Matters██████████10%
Procedural███████7%
Stadium Management██████6%
Zoning and Land Use█████5%
Community Engagement████4%
Economic Development███3%
Affordable Housing███3%
Summary of Proceedings

St. Petersburg City Council Meeting – December 12, 2024

The St. Petersburg City Council met on December 12, 2024, for its last regular meeting of the year, beginning at approximately 6:30 PM. The meeting included public comment, presentations from community organizations, reports on hurricane recovery and Tropicana Field repairs, and a lengthy quasi-judicial public hearing on the proposed Mirror Lake Local Historic District. The council voted on several significant items, including approvals for storm recovery financing, roof design services for Tropicana Field, and the creation of the Mirror Lake Historic District.

Consent Calendar

  • The council unanimously approved the consent agenda, which included routine approvals and unanimous actions. No cards or public comments were submitted on consent items.

Public Comments & Testimony

  • Open Forum:
    • Peter Kent, a retired public works commissioner, urged the council to delay items F1 and F2 (Tropicana Field roof repairs) and H2 ($50 million bond), citing concerns about the Rays' commitment and a letter from a retired attorney who called the city's actions a possible anticipatory breach of contract.
    • Christy Brunner (St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce) expressed support for the Dali Museum lease amendment (Item J2).
    • Jason Mathis (St. Petersburg Downtown Partnership) echoed support for the Dali Museum and wished the council a happy holiday.
  • Public Hearing – Mirror Lake Historic District (J3):
    • Numerous speakers, including property owners, preservation advocates, and community members, spoke in favor of the district. They highlighted the area's historic significance, community support, and economic benefits from historic districts.
    • Opponents, including developer Will Conroy and registered opponent Matt Widener, argued the designation would downzone property, impose burdensome regulations, and expose the city to lawsuits. Widener also raised procedural objections regarding ballot counting and legal challenges.
  • Public Hearing – Dali Museum Lease Amendment (J2):
    • Several speakers, including junior docents and a museum instructor, spoke passionately in favor of the expansion, emphasizing its educational and cultural benefits.

Presentations & Updates

  • Pinellas Opportunity Council (POC): Executive Director Patty Sawyer and client Shabrea Tinson presented on POC's family wraparound program, funded by the city for 10 years. The program serves approximately 30 clients annually, with 90% achieving self-sufficiency. Council members praised POC's impact.
  • Shine Mural Festival: Director Janae Preebe reported on the 10th anniversary festival, which created 15 new murals despite hurricane disruptions. The festival attracted 19,000 attendees, generated 53 media features reaching 50 million viewers, and supported local businesses through hospitality partnerships.

Discussion Items

State of Emergency Update (Item F6)

  • Fire Emergency Management Manager Amber Bolding reported ongoing debris removal (34,000 truckloads, 1.9 million cubic yards), FEMA assistance deadline extended to January 7, 2025, and the new Elevate Florida residential mitigation program. The mayor's emergency powers are being used to waive permit fees, suspend utility late fees, and allow temporary RVs on storm-damaged properties.

Tropicana Field Emergency Roof Repairs (Items F1, F2, F5)

  • City Architect Rob Quintana presented:
    • F1: A design-build agreement with Hennessy Construction for pre-construction services for the roof replacement ($1,450,272). This satisfies the contractual obligation under the current use agreement to begin repairs within three months.
    • F2: An architectural design agreement with ASD for balance-of-work repairs ($206,000).
    • F5: An amendment to bring Global Rope Access back to remove 400 loose metal panels on the roof structure for safety.
  • Council discussion focused on contractual obligations, ongoing negotiations with the Rays, and the need for future clarity on a settlement before committing more funds. Items F1, F2, and F5 were all approved unanimously.

Committee Reports

  • H1A/B: Resolutions reappointing Kimberly Brown Williams and Angel Charlton to the St. Petersburg Housing Authority Board – approved unanimously.
  • H2: A resolution authorizing a $50 million non-ad valorem revenue note for storm-related expenses (debris removal, facility repairs, etc.). Administration stated the note provides flexibility and will be tracked for IRS compliance. Council will receive a full update on storm expenses at the January 23 BFNT meeting. Approved unanimously.

CRA Items

  • CRA2: Amendment to the Affordable Single-Family Residential Facade Improvement Grant Program, increasing the maximum grant to $15,000 and expanding eligible projects – approved unanimously.
  • CRA3: Amendment to the Property Acquisition and Site Preparation Program clarifying multi-year projects subject to annual appropriations – approved unanimously.

Public Hearings

  • J1: Ordinance updating the five-year Capital Improvement Schedule – approved unanimously.
  • J2: Ordinance amending the 99-year lease for the Dali Museum to allow expansion, as authorized by the 2022 referendum – approved unanimously.
  • J3: Ordinance designating the Mirror Lake Local Historic District. After extensive testimony, the council voted 5-2 to approve the district as amended. An earlier motion to classify the Sunshine Center building and a city-owned parking lot as non-contributing properties passed 6-1. Council members Gerdes and Hanowitz voted against final approval.

Key Outcomes

  • F1 & F2: Approved unanimously – authorized $1,450,272 for pre-construction roof design services and $206,000 for architectural design of other storm repairs at Tropicana Field.
  • F5: Approved unanimously – expanded Global Rope Access scope to remove loose metal panels from the Trop roof.
  • H2: Approved unanimously – authorized $50 million revenue note to finance storm recovery costs.
  • J2: Approved unanimously – authorized Dali Museum expansion lease amendment.
  • J3: Approved 5-2 – created Mirror Lake Local Historic District (with the Sunshine Center and a parking lot classified as non-contributing). The district encompasses properties within roughly 200 feet of Mirror Lake Park.
  • Council Leadership: Vice Chair Copley Gerdes was elected Chair for 2025; Chair Deborah Fig-Sanders steps down after serving as chair during 2024.

Meeting Transcript

Welcome to the City of St. Petersburg City Council meeting. Your elected officials are Mayor Ken Welch. District 1 and Council Vice Chair Copley Gurtis. District 2, Brandy Gabbard. District 4, Lisseth Hanowitz. District 5 and Council Chair, Deborah Fake Sanders. District 6, Gina Driscoll. District 7, John Mohammed. And District 8, Richie Floyd. Good afternoon, everyone. We now call to order our December 12th, 2024. City Council meeting beginning with the roll call, please. Hannawitz? Here. Alexander's Driscoll? Here. Mohammed. Floyd? Here. Gurtis. Here. Gabbert. Here. Thank you. Joining us today. We will have our invitation given by Pastor Katura Pittman from Greater Mount Zion AME, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Will everyone please join me in standing. Oh thou in whose presence my soul takes delight. On whom in affliction I call. Heavenly Father, we come this afternoon. The last council meeting of 2024. Giving you thanks, Lord, for the things that has happened this year. That our council member, led by our chair, has had an opportunity to deal with for us, your people. I come thanking you, Lord God, for the wisdom that has been given that has caused us to weather the storms. Now, Lord God, in this last meeting of this year, we ask that they continue to use godly judgment and things that are done that will affect us all into the new year and beyond. You are Father God, our hope. You are our salvation. But most of all, dear God, you are all and all for us. We thank you. We ask that you continue to bless this council as they proceed to do those things that are beneficial to our city. And for this, Heavenly Father, we give you thanks. We praise you and amen. To the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation. Thank you, Mr. East BC there. Thank you, Pastor Kay, for that invitation. I love you. Thank you so much. So, Council members, we have an agenda before us today with the request to add items F5 and F6.

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