St. Petersburg City Council Meeting Summary - October 16, 2025

The City of St. Petersburg Council convened on October 16, 2025, to review the agenda, approve budget and development agreements, address public concerns regarding affordable housing and emergency protocols, and conduct hearings on future land use. The council unanimously approved the agenda, consent items, and several key new business resolutions, including an Urban Land Institute study for the historic gas plant and a ground lease for a new affordable housing project in the South Shore Community Redevelopment Area (CRA).

Consent Calendar

• The council unanimously approved the agenda (Item F2, Ed White Development Project, was deleted prior to approval).
• The consent agenda was unanimously approved without cards or discussion.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Dr. Perry Washington: Expressed concern for his safety, stating he feared assassination, likely by a group he referred to as the "clue cluster clan" (interpreted as a reference to the Ku Klux Klan), which prevented him from providing his address. He claimed he was arrested on his own property and had his civil rights violated, noting his district was Main Street.
• Zendal Clorine: Expressed strong opposition to city spending priorities, stating the city is "wasting money" while the homeless population lives in motels and camps. He advocated for documenting the 28 deaths since April in homeless camps and criticized Catholic Charities for allegedly taking vulnerable people without proper documentation or support.
• Jason Mathis (St. Pete Downtown Partnership): Expressed support for the Urban Land Institute (ULI) concept, clarifying it predates the Arc Ellison proposal. He stated he does not believe the ULI process is intended to slow down the Arc Ellison bid and encouraged the council to use ULI as a resource regardless of the outcome.
• David Hugglestone (WJ Architects): Expressed support for a city-led process involving ULI. He argued that a master development turning over 86 acres to one entity risks losing city control, whereas a city-led process could involve more local businesses and residents.
• Jeff Davis (Resident): Expressed concern regarding roving groups of teens on electric dirt bikes and parents using non-compliant golf carts. He advocated for an awareness program, stating the issue is an awareness problem rather than a fault of the police or council.
• Chris Steinaucker (St. Pete Chamber of Commerce): Expressed support for the ULI study, framing it as an opportunity to build a resilient community. He stated that while the Arc Ellison proposal has good ideas, the council needs to consider what was learned from previous missed development opportunities (Heinz and Rays) and engage the broader community.
• Ella Hugh Brayboy (Resident): Expressed opposition to the agreement with Green Mills. He argued that the property was previously offered for purchase, not leasing, and that a rental-only proposal (instead of home ownership) would decline commercial development in the corridor. He warned that dumping low-income rental projects in the area without mixed-income housing could lead to crime problems in five years, advocating for a mixed-income environment instead.
• Jerome King (Resident): Expressed concern regarding the unit mix. He argued that the allocation of units (9 at 30% AMI vs. 30 at 60% AMI) does not serve the target residents truly in need, stating that the 60% units eat up the window for those who truly need 30% assistance, especially given the displacement from the hurricane.
• Rachel Connard (Student): Expressed support for the future land use map amendment for the St. Pete College site, stating it aligns with the Skyway Marina District vision and promotes economic growth and job opportunities.

Discussion Items

• Task Force Dagger (Mark Stevens): Mark Stevens, Chairman of Task Force Dagger, presented on the organization's mission to support special operations families. He stated that the organization bridges gaps left by the VA and insurance, focusing on immediate needs, health initiatives (TBIs, PTSD), and rehabilitative events like "Dagger Dive" in Key West. He expressed a commitment to transparency, citing low overhead (3-8%).
• Great Explorations Update: Staff presented an annual report highlighting 165,750 in-kind services, 31 free field trips to Title One schools, and 54 scholarships granted. CEO Angeline Howell stated plans to open a "Discovery Center" to serve children through adulthood, integrating with Pinellas County Schools. Vice Chair Hanowitz suggested that the historic gas plant site could be a future location for this Discovery Center.
• Historic Gas Plant & ULI Study (Councilmember Gabbard): Gabbard moved for a referral to study the historic gas plant site. She stated that the city lacks an unbiased guide to determine the best use for the 85-acre site after the Heinz/Rays deal fell through. She argued that a third-party study by ULI is necessary to ensure the city gets the best return and guides the negotiation. Councilmember Fix Sanders expressed support for the conversation but noted concern over the $135,000 cost. Councilmember Driscoll confirmed that ULI would evaluate all past work and current proposals. The council agreed to have a discussion in committee to determine a funding model.
• Sunshine Center HVAC Replacement (Councilmember Harding): Harding moved to approve the replacement of the aging HVAC system ($20 separate units, 18 years old). Councilmember Gabbard expressed support for the immediate repair but stated it is time to have a bigger conversation about reimagining the senior center with housing, potentially citing it at the historic gas plant.
• 22nd Street CRA Affordability & Parking (Councilmember Harding/Gibbons): Discussion covered a proposal by Green Mills for 54 affordable units. Councilmember Gibbons expressed concern that the area lacks single-family home ownership options and asked about parking for nearby businesses like Sid's Caribbean. Staff stated that the RFP allowed for both purchase/lease and rental/sale, and no special treatment was given. Councilmember Gabbard asked if CRA residents would get preference; staff stated the goal is to fill units locally first. Councilmember Fix Sanders stated she is in favor of getting people housed immediately, even via rentals, over waiting for home ownership.
• St. Pete College Site Amendment (Item J3): Staff proposed changing the Future Land Use Map from Institutional to Planned Redevelopment Commercial (PRC) to align with the Skyway Marina District. Applicant Kevin Reality stated the change is necessary upon the sale of the property and aligns with surrounding zoning.

Key Outcomes

• Agenda Approval: The agenda was approved unanimously (motion passed 8-0), with Item F2 deleted.
• Consent Agenda: Approved unanimously (motion passed 8-0).
• Ordinance 622-H: Approved unanimously (motion passed 8-0) to allow building officials to waive fees for post-disaster emergency permits. Effective date: November 6th public hearing.
• Task Force Dagger: No motion required; presentation completed with expressions of gratitude from the council.
• City of the Arts Grant (F5): Approved unanimously (motion passed 8-0) for 36 organizations.
• Sunshine Center HVAC (F6): Approved unanimously (motion passed 8-0) for the replacement of the air conditioning system. Administration agreed to discuss a broader reimagining of the senior center at the beginning of the next year.
• Council Referrals:
  • G1: Approved unanimously to request an update on the St. Petersburg Lawn Bowling Club license agreement.
  • G2: Approved unanimously to refer the Urban Land Institute (ULI) study for the historic gas plant site to the Housing, Land Use, and Transportation Committee. (Council voted to move the H L U T referral on murals/placemaking to the Council of the Whole for a combined discussion).
  • G3: Approved unanimously to request an update on youth programs.
• Budget & Finance (H3): Approved unanimously to perform a management evaluation of the billing and collections department for FY 2026.
• Interlocal Agreement (H4): Approved unanimously to ask administration to begin dialogue with the county to shorten the length of the in-town interlocal agreement.
• Legal Counsel (I1): Approved unanimously to retain Bryant Miller Olive up to $40,000 for bond referendum legal services.
• CRA 2 (Green Mills Agreements): Approved unanimously a 99-year ground lease with Green Mills Holdings LLC for 54 affordable housing units (mixed AMI levels: 30%, 60%, 70%, 80%) and 2,500 sq ft of retail. The city will receive $885,000 via promissory note. Retail units are intended for minority-owned businesses.
• Report Items:
  • F3 (Great Explorations): Approved unanimously.
  • J1 & J2 (Resolutions): Approved unanimously.
• Future Land Use Amendment (J3): Approved unanimously (motion passed 8-0) to change the designation for the St. Pete College All-State Campus site from Institutional to Planned Redevelopment Commercial (PRC).