St. Petersburg City Council Meeting - June 13, 2025

The St. Petersburg City Council met on June 13, 2025, at 6:30 PM. The meeting began with an invocation given by Councilmember Fix Sanders, a moment of silence for Tampa City Councilmember Gwendolyn Henderson, and the Pledge of Allegiance. The council addressed a wide range of items, including consent agenda, public comments focused on homelessness and water billing, presentations on community initiatives, approval of a major disaster recovery action plan (Sunrise St. Pete), and a historic landmark designation.

Consent Calendar

• The agenda and consent agenda (with addition of CA1) were each approved unanimously by all present members.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Homelessness and Clean & Safe Program (Open Forum): Multiple speakers addressed the proposed Clean and Safe Program, urging the council to reject it. Reverend Andy Oliver (Allendale United Methodist Church) argued the program criminalizes poverty and called for more outreach and housing-first strategies. Dylan Dames (Faith in Florida) warned that the program represents displacement and wealth transfer to the private sector. Jay James (third generation native) said the plan would privatize the first public institution (Williams Park) and dehumanize unhoused people. Other speakers echoed these concerns, emphasizing the need for affordable housing, mental health resources, and community-based solutions. One speaker (Rowan Finley) criticized anti-homelessness measures and called for accessible public spaces. Another speaker (William Kilgore, St. Pete Tenants Union) described the proposed business improvement district as anti-democratic and benefiting wealthy property owners at the expense of public space.
• Water Billing Complaints: Matt Widener and Zandale Floornoy spoke about ongoing issues with high water bills, alleging the city has not fulfilled promises to investigate billing problems. Widener noted that $1.7 million in adjustments was not true relief. Floornoy described losing personal belongings due to a dispute with her housing provider.
• Bikes and Scooters: Vicky Majors expressed concerns about electric scooters and bikes on sidewalks, requesting licensing and enforcement.
• Sunrise St. Pete Public Hearing (J2): Residents testified about unmet needs from Hurricanes Idalia and Helene. Sandra Harris and Gloria Maxwell highlighted the need for tree removal assistance and clear information about applying for disaster relief programs. Tanner Moody, a substantially damaged homeowner, noted that permit fees for new construction are not waived. Jerome King and Sophia Isidore stressed that South St. Pete residents lack timely information and many face homelessness due to the storms. Rebecca Hughes (Pinellas Community Foundation) urged support for trauma-informed mental health services for nonprofits and community responders.

Discussion Items

• Distinguished Citizen Award: Vice Chair Hanowitz presented the award to Sonoma Cassica, a standout student-athlete (soccer goalie and javelin thrower) from Shorecrest now at Notre Dame, for her achievements and representation of the city.
• Saturday Shops Update (F1): Founder Renee Edwards reported the program has generated over $1.14 million in small business revenue over four years, trained over 300 graduates, and supported 104 vendors in the Everyday Shops retail location. Councilmembers praised the program's impact, especially post-hurricane food truck deployments.
• Hidden Voices Update (F2): Esther Sani (PERC) and Dayshawn Mims reported that since 2021, Hidden Voices has reached over 3,000 individuals, with 50 active clients receiving wraparound services. The trauma-informed program focuses on returning citizens, mental health, workforce development, and street outreach. Councilmembers noted alignment with the RISE program and called for more city support for community navigator positions.
• New Business Referrals (G1-G8): Council unanimously approved referrals to committees on topics including SB 180 implementation (G1), storm squad initiative (G2), cultural action plan (G3), SB 1730 code changes (G4), city television code cleanup (G5), equitable business development (G6), a goal of creating 500 affordable housing units per year at or below 80% AMI (G7), and the future of the in-town CRA (G8).
• Sunrise St. Pete CDBG-DR Action Plan (J2): The city presented a $159.8 million disaster recovery plan tied to Hurricanes Idalia and Helene. Key programs include: $35M for single-family home repair/reconstruction (up to $100K/unit), $12M for reimbursement of completed repairs (up to $50K), $14M for disaster relief payments (up to $15K for rent/utilities), $5M for homebuyer assistance, $48M for affordable rental housing (up to $125K per unit, targeting 582 units), $5M for voluntary buyouts, $6M for nonprofit community services, $25M for public infrastructure, and $1.9M for post-disaster planning. The plan allocates 70% of funds to housing, 17% to infrastructure, and 13% to public services. Councilmember Gabbard requested quarterly reporting. Councilmember Driscoll questioned the lack of business assistance and the $7.9M administrative cost. Staff noted difficulty meeting federal requirements for business aid but are exploring other sources. The plan was approved unanimously.
• Emory House Historic Landmark (J3): The council unanimously designated the W.E. and Margaret H. Emory House (1922) at 1947 Beach Drive SE as a local historic landmark. Staff noted the property meets four criteria, including association with architect Henry DuPont and builder Franklin Mason, and retains integrity.
• Land Use and Development Agreement (J4 A,B,C): The council unanimously approved amendments to the future land use map, zoning, and a development agreement for three sites near 4th Street N and Gandy Boulevard. The plan reduces overall density (max 20 townhomes) and non-residential intensity (max 10,000 sq ft), consolidates preservation areas on site 1, and provides financial guarantees for wetland maintenance.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda and Agendas were approved unanimously.
• Legal Items I1 and I2 passed unanimously, approving a $75,000 settlement in an employment discrimination case and a $50,000 retainer for employment law firm Jones Hurley & Hand.
• F4 - Pension Prepayment: Approved unanimously to use $2 million from the unappropriated fund balance to prepay the FY26 police pension contribution, reducing the projected $8.1 million budget gap by 25%.
• Sunrise St. Pete Action Plan (J2) was approved unanimously, with a directive to add quarterly reporting to the Budget, Finance, and Taxation Committee.
• J3 and J4 approved unanimously (J4 included all three ordinances A, B, C).
• Referrals G1-G8 all passed unanimously.
• Council Announcements: Council took a three-week summer break after the meeting. Councilmember Gabbard noted a tree planting ceremony for Dave Hoover on June 14. Councilmember Givens announced a Youth Mental Health Awareness Fair on June 14. Councilmember Driscoll requested improved timeliness of staff materials for future meetings.