St. Petersburg City Council Meeting Summary - December 11, 2025

The City Council convened on December 11, 2025, to approve the agenda and consent calendar, hear public testimony on resiliency and affordable housing projects, and recognize community organizations. Key topics included the approval of a 12-month extension for the Sugar Hill Group's redevelopment of Tangerine Plaza to secure affordable housing and a grocery store, the adoption of the Resilient St. Pete Action Plan focusing on nine flood-prone neighborhoods, and celebrations for the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the St. Petersburg City Theater's anniversaries. The meeting concluded with the adoption of capital improvement updates and the designation of a local historic landmark.

Consent Calendar

• Agreed to the agenda modification (deletion of item E1) unanimously.
• Approved the consent agenda unanimously, including the resiliency grant project for Shore Acres.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Representative Lindsay Cross: Expressed full support for the city's resilient investment and resiliency planning, specifically commending the action on stormwater and flooding initiatives in Shore Acres and the collaboration between state and local government. She highlighted the $1 million state appropriation for this work.
• Garrett Marple: Expressed gratitude and full support for the extension of the MLK North Protected Bike Lanes, representing "Activate St. Pete," and requested that the city continue to pursue similar bike infrastructure projects citywide.
• Ron Diner: Expressed strong opposition to the "proposals first" planning process for the Gas Plant project. He argued that developers designing the future before a city plan is created could cost the city billions and urged the Council to reject the proposals-first approach and mandate a planning process with national experts before involving developers.
• Mark Glover: Representing the Housing Authority for St. Petersburg, expressed concern that the city might be leaving insurance recovery funds on the table. He urged the Council to review potential supplemental insurance claims for hurricane damages, noting the legal deadline for these claims is April 9, 2026.
• Ron Diner and Mark Glover (Open Forum): Ron Diner reiterated his opposition to the rushed Gas Plant planning process, arguing for a formal plan before approaching developers. Mark Glover reiterated the need to maximize insurance recovery funds.
• Sarah Harold: Expressed strong support for the Sugar Hill Group's extension request for Tangerine Plaza, framing it as a moral and political imperative for equity and community-driven development in the Deuces neighborhood, arguing that the project represents tangible hope after years of neglect.
• Esther Sony: Expressed full support for the Sugar Hill Group's extension, arguing that the group has secured the necessary partners and financing and only requires flexibility to finalize funding and move forward with the affordable housing and grocery store components.
• Chase Temple: Expressed support for the Sugar Hill Group extension, citing the critical need for affordable housing and a stable food source for youth and families in the neighborhood to combat food insecurity and rising costs of living.
• Senator Darrell Rousan: Expressed support for the Tangerine Plaza extension, emphasizing the need to prioritize the unmet needs of midtown families rather than political maneuvering, and highlighted his long-standing advocacy for the corridor's revitalization.
• Aki Mohammed Akwil: Offered a historical perspective on the time required for social and legal progress, expressing a supportive stance on extensions to ensure accountability and community benefit.
• Dr. Renee Flowers: Expressed support for the Sugar Hill Group, noting that while she had previously questioned the project's funding needs, she now sees that the extension is necessary to finalize financing and that the team remains consistent in their commitment. She highlighted the historical context of the property's development and the need for flexibility.
• Jason Jensen: Representing the project's architects, provided clarification that delays were partly due to Hurricane Milton, a change in project managers, and the city's rigorous site plan review process, emphasizing that the team has invested significant resources and is committed to completing the project.
• Councilmember Driscoll (Public Comment): Expressed concern regarding the lack of secured funding, the late submission of the grocer's commitment letter (only received the day of the meeting), and the uncertainty of borrowing CRA funds, stating these factors prevent her from supporting the extension.
• Councilmember Driscoll (Follow-up on Grocer): Questioned the viability of the proposed grocer, "Taste of the Islands," noting the failure of previous grocery attempts at the site and asking if the current plan includes a model that has a proven track record of success, specifically questioning if the grocer's current size and business model are sufficient for a 3,000 sq. ft. space.
• Ron Binger (Sugar Hill Group): Clarified that "Taste of the Islands" is a minority-owned, community-centric business with a successful track record that can be scaled up, and expressed a willingness to work with partners like the St. Pete Free Clinic to support the grocer's growth.

Discussion Items

• Resilient St. Pete Action Plan: Councilmember Gabbard led a presentation on the plan completed by the resident-led task force. The report detailed a "story map" approach for nine neighborhoods (including Shore Acres, Riviera Bay, and Childs Park) to identify flood risks and pathways to resilience (protection, accommodation, avoidance, retreat). The plan aims to integrate data, infrastructure projects, and community voices to inform future Capital Improvement Program (CIP) budgets.
• Canal Dredging (Riviera Bay): Councilmember Gabbard introduced a preliminary design item for Canals 11 and 12 to address chronic flooding. Vanessa Paglisi of the Riviera Bay Civic Association testified in strong support, detailing the severe sedimentation and flooding issues in the neighborhood caused by construction and the need to restore navigability and prevent flooding.
• Tangerine Plaza Extension (Agenda Item F3):
  • Context: Sugar Hill Group requested a 12-month extension to secure financing and a grocery store commitment to fulfill the lease and development agreement.
  • Financial Concerns: Administrator Corbett and Mark Van Lu confirmed that the requested $11.16 million CRA subsidy was not currently available, and the County required a unit mix adjustment (including 80% AMI units) to qualify for Penny for Pinellas construction funds. Oliver Groves of Sugar Hill confirmed they were open to adjusting the unit mix to meet these requirements.
  • Council Deliberation: Councilmember Harding proposed reducing the extension to 90 days, later amended to 6 months by Councilmember Givens. Administration indicated that 6 months was unrealistic given the financing and permitting timeline. Councilmember Driscoll opposed the extension due to unsecured funding and late information, while Councilmember Floyd, Gabbard, and others supported the extension, citing equity and the risks of restarting the process.
  • Vote: The Council voted 6-2 to approve the 12-month extension.
• Budget Stress Test (New Business G1): Councilmember Harding requested a referral to the Budget, Finance, and Taxation Committee to stress-test the city's budget against the potential loss of $60+ million in property tax revenue due to state legislation eliminating homestead exemptions or a major disaster. All members supported the referral.
• De-annexation (New Business H1A): Councilmember Floyd requested approval to support the de-annexation of Lincoln Cemetery from Gulfport. The motion passed unanimously.
• Capital Improvement Plan Update (J1): Staff presented the five-year CIP update, noting available capacity in water, sewer, and solid waste systems despite post-hurricane challenges. Councilmember Goward asked for clarification on recycling capacity and county vs. city facility roles.
• Affordable Housing Site Plan (J2): Council adopted a new ordinance to incorporate Florida Senate Bill 1730 (2025) into city code, specifically allowing affordable workforce housing on religious-owned properties ("Yes in God's Backyard").
• Historic Landmark Designation (J3): Staff recommended designating the Abbey Upham House (built 1926) as a local historic landmark. The property, designed by Nathaniel J. Upham in the French Eclectic style, meets all eligibility and integrity criteria.

Key Outcomes

• Unanimous Vote: Approved the agenda, consent calendar, Canal Dredging (Item F4), Budget Stress Test referral (Item G1), De-annexation of Lincoln Cemetery (Item H1A), Capital Improvement Plan Update (Item J1), Affordable Housing Site Plan Ordinance (Item J2), and Historic Landmark Designation for the Abbey Upham House (Item J3).
• Vote Outcome: Approved a 12-month extension for the Sugar Hill Group's Tangerine Plaza redevelopment agreement (Item F3) with a 6-2 tally (Councilmembers Driscoll and Hanowitz voted no).
• Resiliency Plan: Officially adopted the "Resilient St. Pete Action Plan" which will serve as a centralized resource for nine pilot neighborhoods and guide future flood mitigation and infrastructure investments.
• Acknowledgments: Recognized the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Zeta Upsilon Omega Chapter (70th Anniversary) and the St. Petersburg City Theater (100th Anniversary).
• Administrative Transition: Acknowledged the retirement of Finance Director Anne Fritz and announced the upcoming leadership team for the next year (Councilmember Hanowitz as Chair, Councilmember Floyd as Vice Chair).