City of St. Petersburg Council Meeting - November 6, 2025

The City Council convened for a meeting focusing on significant infrastructure expansions including the Tampa Bay Ferry, Albert Whited Airport hangar reconstruction, and resilient wastewater facilities. A major portion of the meeting featured public testimony regarding transparency violations and support for the city's historic preservation system, as well as a presentation by a local entrepreneur from the Neighborhood Produce Store. The council unanimously approved the agenda, consent calendar, and several key resolutions, while referring the airport hangar options and historic preservation review questions to committee for further deliberation.

Consent Calendar

• Approvals: Unanimously approved the agenda, consent agenda, and the following ordinances:
  • Ordinance 141 HL: Designating the First Church of the Nazarene as a local historic landmark.
  • Ordinance 623H: Granting a public utility easement to Duke Energy.
  • Ordinance 1175V: Vacating an unimproved dead-end right-of-way in Maximo Woods.
  • Ordinance 1176V: Vacating a street corner easement at Powers Central Park.
  • Ordinance 1175V (Amended): Enacting milestone inspection requirements consistent with state law.
  • Amendments to the 2025 Operating and Capital Improvement budgets.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Dr. Perry Washington: Expressed strong opposition and disappointment toward Councilmember Corey Gibbons Jr., accusing him of ignoring years of police-related concerns and failing to address specific issues despite receiving payments or attention from other council members. (Speaker refused to disclose street address).
• Brad McCoy: Expressed serious opposition and concern regarding the City's public records practices, stating they are "systemic and deliberate" violations of Florida law. He alleged that the City falsely denies the existence of records (specifically text messages), charges unlawful fees without basis, and fails to archive digital communications. He noted he has filed lawsuits to address these issues.
• Peter Belmont: Expressed support for increasing shade in the streetscape, arguing the contrast between existing oak trees and new palm trees makes pedestrian comfort in summer unbearable. He urged the City to "do better" with downtown tree planting.
• Driggers (Friends of Albert Whited Airport): Expressed full support for a public-private partnership proposal where private entities build "hurricane-proof" pre-stressed concrete hangars on city land. He argued this is a win-win that requires no city funds and will bring businesses back.
• Tom Sansone and Joel Giles: Expressed full support for a specific private development proposal featuring pre-cast concrete hangars built by "Scanska" that would survive Cat 5 hurricanes. They stated they have raised 100% cash for the project and offered to personally back any financing gaps.

Discussion Items

• Johns Hopkins Expansion (I1): Moved approval for the issuance of tax-exempt bonds to finance a $70 million expansion of the Johns Hopkins All Children's Campus, including an emergency room pathway, surgery platform expansion, and MRI department. Council Vice Chair noted the item is procedural but essential.
• Tampa Bay Ferry (F2): Presented a proposal to place the ferry service under the stewardship of the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) and operate it via Hubbard's Marina. The new model aims for year-round service with two funding partners (City of Tampa and St. Petersburg), reducing costs by 75% compared to the previous model. Councilmember Debbie Fix Sanders proposed an amendment to explicitly prioritize the North Bayshore/Vinoy Basin for the dock location in the resolution. Council expressed strong support, citing the "right team" and improved financial proposition.
• Ferry Dock Expansion (F10): Councilmember Driscoll presented a report on the planning for a permanent ferry dock and multi-vessel terminal in the North Basins. The proposed design is a wider floating barge to accommodate the ferry, tall ships, and educational vessels simultaneously. Staff confirmed existing infrastructure (fire hydrants, power conduits) is in place to support future expansion if needed.
• Neighborhood Produce Store (F1): Kelly Castle, founder of Saving Our Seniors, presented a business model for affordable fresh produce. She stated she provides a family of three with eight meals for under $28. She expressed a desire to expand to every district, noting her model offers dignity through choice rather than donation. Councilmembers expressed full support, with Givens and Gabbert suggesting expansion to St. Pete Housing Authority properties and Hanowitz noting immediate neighborhood president interest.
• Albert Whited Airport Hangars (F7): Manager Rich Lesniak presented three options for replacing hangars destroyed by Hurricane Milton: (1) Public self-funding (cheapest but lowest resilience), (2) Private lease-only proposal from "Friends of Albert Whited" (no city cost but lowest long-term return), and (3) Public-Private Hybrid. Councilmember Gabbard expressed concern about city bandwidth and a preference for the private option, while Councilmember Driscoll advocated for a more resilient build (Option 3) despite higher costs. The majority expressed a desire to see more financial analysis and the potential for FEMA reimbursement before deciding. The item was referred to the PSNI committee.
• Local Government Funding (F3, F4, F5): Approved funding for the "Archway Partners" Wembish Court affordable housing project; granted a one-year extension to the St. Vincent DePaul Ability Homes project; and clarified funding sources for the Ed White housing project (St. Pete Housing Authority) to align with Penny for Pinellas and CDGB funds.
• Wastewater Facility Replacement (F9): Approved the award of a $18.3 million GMP contract to Ajax Construction to replace a 50-year-old wastewater operations building with a new, three-story, Cat 5 resilient facility elevated to 30 NAVD.
• Consultant Selection (F8): Councilmember Gabbard questioned the selection process for a stormwater asset management consultant due to score discrepancies. Staff explained the qualification-based selection (RFP) process involves independent scoring updates after interviews. The item was approved, with Councilmember Hanowitz noting the critical need for the data regarding pipe conditions.
• CRA Budget (CRA2): Approved the FY26 South St. Petersburg CRA budget of $20.9 million, targeting housing, economic development, and workforce programs. Councilmember Givens suggested expanding internship opportunities for students through CRA funds.
• Historic Preservation Review (G1): Council voted 7-1 (Councilmember Floyd voting no) to refer a New Business item regarding the potential elimination of third-party designation rights and review of voting thresholds to the City Planning, Growth & Neighborhood Investment Committee (CPGNI). Public comment argued the move might be premature due to Senate Bill 180.
• Maritime & Defense Tech Hub (G2): Council unanimously approved a request to refer a referendum on long-term lease terms for the Hub to the Economic and Workforce Development Committee. Supporters stated the Hub has outgrown its space and requires a referendum to allow for expansion.

Key Outcomes

• Approved: The motion to approve the amended Tampa Bay Ferry item (F2) and the permanent dock design item (F10) passed unanimously.
• Approved: Unanimous approval of the Neighborhood Produce Store presentation and support for expansion.
• Referred: The Albert Whited Airport Hangar reconstruction options (F7) were referred to the PSNI committee for deeper financial and resilience analysis.
• Referred: The historic preservation rule changes (G1) were referred to the CPGNI committee for review of third-party designation issues.
• Referred: The Maritime & Defense Tech Hub lease referendum (G2) was referred to the Economic and Workforce Development Committee.
• Approved: Funding for Johns Hopkins bond issuance, wastewater facility replacement, and CRA budget allocations passed unanimously.
• Votes: All items where a vote occurred were passed unanimously except for New Business Item G1, which passed 7 to 1.