Welcome to the City of St.

Petersburg City Council meeting.

Your elected officials are Mayor Ken Welch.

District 1, Hopley Gurdis.

District 2, Brandy Gabbard.

District 3, Mike Harding.

District 4, and Council Chair, Leseth Hanowitz.

District 5, Deborah Fig Sanders.

District 6, Gina Driscoll.

District 7, Corey Gibbons Jr.

And District 8 and Council Vice Chair, Richie Floyd.

Welcome everyone to the March 26th, 2026 City Council meeting.

Clerk, could I please have a roll call?

Parting.

Pardon.

Here.

Anna Witch.

Here.

Thanks, Anders.

Here.

Driscoll.

Here.

Gavins?

Here.

Floyd?

Here.

Gerdas.

Here.

Gabbard.

Well, everyone, we're going to start off with our invocation by uh Rabbi Philip Weintraub.

And before we start, I want to make sure there's a lot of people that haven't been here before.

Make sure your phones are turned off and silent.

Um for the meeting.

And so if you can please stand for our invocation.

And then please remain standing for the Pledge of Allegiance.

Rabbi Weintraub.

Good afternoon.

Thank you, Chair.

So 3500 years ago, the Israelites, the Jewish people left their indigenous home and went down to Egypt during a famine.

They were welcomed as guests and made their lives there as immigrants.

And then a new pharaoh came into power who saw them not as assets to a broader society, but as enemies.

And so he persecuted them.

He enslaved them, made their lives miserable, and for generations they endured that fate.

But they cried out to God to our shared creator who sent Moshe to lead them out of bondage and return them home.

To this day, the Jewish people reenact this journey every spring.

We gather for a Seder or ritual meal with symbolic foods.

We eat matzah the flat bread that reminds us that our ancestors fled so quickly there was not time for the dough to rise.

We dip our vegetables in salt water, remembering the tears that were shed in slavery, and then we recline as a free people.

We tell this story to our children, and at the center of it is the teaching we were slaves and now we are free.

And we remember our past and think of its echoes in the present.

I thank Councilman Gibbons for the invitation this week to join some of my African American colleagues for a tour of the Florida Holocaust Museum.

There we saw how hatred can lead to state-sponsored violence and genocide.

And we saw how our shared stories of Exodus are not only in the past, but are renewed in each and every day.

The Seder is a tool, a tool of education to ensure that every generation knows who we are and what we stand for.

It instructs us to look not only within our community but throughout our society as a whole.

Because we know that not everyone has yet crossed their sea.

We see people searching for safety, still waiting for relief, still hoping someone will hear their cry.

The story of Exodus is not ancient history.

It is a mirror to the present.

And we know that this season is a time of renewal for all faiths, for many faiths.

Christians will be celebrating Easter with the promise of redemption and of the renewal of life.

Muslims recently honored the end of Ramadan with the joy of Ed Al-Fitr, a celebration of community and gratitude of revelation.

Each of these festivals, cry out to declare there is something greater than ourselves.

Divine parent, as all gathered here, serve this city.

May the memory of bondage inspire them to be bold in pursuing justice.

As those of us who celebrate Passover will eat the matzah, let us remember to move with urgency.

May our retelling of the crossing of the sea give courage to all of us when the path seems impossible.

And in a year that has brought hardship and division.

Let us not forget the light that we are capable of bringing to one another.

I pray that all of us can work together to build a world of love.

Amen.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

And to the Republic for which it stands.

One nation.

Under God, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all.

Thank you so much, Rabbi, for the wonderful invocation.

Council members, we have an agenda before us.

I'll entertain the motion for approval.

We have a motion and a second.

Clerk, if you can please open the machine for voting.

Council members, please enter your votes.

Seeing that all present council members have voted.

Clerk, you please tally and announce the votes.

Madam Chair, motion to approve the agenda passes unanimously with council member gabbard being absent.

Thank you.

We have a consent agenda.

Clerk, do we have any cards?

We do not.

I'll entertain the motion for approval.

We have a motion and a second.

Clerk, you oh, and there is um council member Driscoll.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Um, in the interest of time, I chose today not to pull these items, but I just wanted to point out, and I can see that council member Gerdis probably knows at least one of the two that I'm going to mention.

The first one being item CA5.

Um of yesterday's groundbreaking for our new fire station number two on the which side?

West side.

Um, which was a long time coming.

Um, and and quite a celebratory day for for all of us and for the community.

Today we're approving um additional funding to help us move forward with another project for our fire department, and that is the fire training complex.

Um, another item that I have um advocated for and that we have all supported um over the years for me going back to 2018 when I first started on city council to see these major projects for our first responders moving forward is something that I'm um not just proud of but humbled by because we sit here and we're able to help make a difference in the way that our first responders are treated, the facilities that they use, the tools that they have, and the way that they can support you, the community.

And so I wanted to just point out that that one is for that public safety training facilities project.

The other item is item CB8, and that is an amendment for our the city's agreement with Ready for Life Inc.

This is um a pilot program that um we had started some time back to um help out with foster youth who are aging out of the foster system to help give them a better chance for success in life.

And um, I just do have one question of the administration for this.

Just one question regarding CB8 on the ready for life agreement.

Um, we were all extremely excited to support that when it started.

I'm wondering if perhaps the administration can give an update on that at a future meeting.

And um, yeah, that would be that would be wonderful.

I'd love to know how it's going.

Um I I know it's been successful so far, that's why I support this particular um um amendment today, but I think it's time for us to hear some of the stories of success that are coming out of that program.

Thank you, council member.

All right, thank you.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you, council member.

We're very happy about the training facility.

I know that every council member here that is present and not present has been extremely supportive and has wanted to see that uh take hold.

So we're very happy it's going forward.

Clerk, you open the machine for voting.

Council members, please enter your votes.

Seeing that all present council members have voted, clerk, please tally announce the vote.

Madam Chair, motion to approve the consent agenda passes unanimously with council member gabbard being absent.

Thank you.

Now we go to open forum.

Clerk, are there any speakers for open forum?

Yes, madam chair.

You please read the rules.

Uh, if you wish to address city council on subjects other than public hearing or quasi-judicial items listed on the agenda, please sign up with the clerk.

Only the individual wishing to speak may sign the open form sheet.

Only city residents, owners of property, business owners in the city, or their employees may speak.

All issues discussed under open form must be limited to issues related to the city of St.

Petersburg government.

If you are speaking to an item on the agenda, you may only speak once during the open forum or when the item comes up on the agenda.

Applause is not permitted except in connection with awards and presentations.

In order to provide an opportunity for all citizens to address council, each individual will be given three minutes to speak, and after which the microphone will be muted.

If you wish to address the city council through the Zoom meeting, you must use the raised hand feature button in a Zoom app or enter star nine on your phone at the time the agenda item is addressed.

When it is your turn to speak, you will be unmuted and asked to state your name and address.

At the conclusion of your comments or when you reach the three-minute time limit, you will be muted.

All raised hands will be lowered after each agenda item.

Regardless of the method of participation used, normal rules apply, including a three-minute time limit on comments.

Regardless of the method of participation used, normal rules apply, including a three-minute time limit on comments, the requirement that any presentation materials must be submitted in advance of the meeting and the rules of decorum.

If live public comment is disrupted by violations of the rules of decorum, the chair is authorized to accept public comment by alternate means, including by email only.

And we do have two speakers in chamber and one in Zoom.

I'm going to call the two speakers in chamber first.

When I call your name, please go to an open podium, state your name, address, and cross street for the record.

You'll have three minutes to address City Council.

The two speakers are Fonda Sabin and Sheila Monaghan.

Thank you.

Um good afternoon.

I'm Fonda Sabin.

I live at 263 21st Avenue South in Old Southeast.

I'm speaking today as a concerned resident and on behalf of neighbors who support the meaningful flood protection of St.

Petersburg.

We want real solutions, but we do not support a fast track structural intervention unless the city can clearly demonstrate three things.

One, the existing system and infrastructure has been properly maintained.

Second, the updated post-storm studies have actually been completed.

And third, proposal projects are not worsening the flooding in Old Southeast.

What concerns me the most is that the proposal being presented is an answer before the public has been shown the evidence.

So we know that the long-standing infrastructure maintenance has been deferred for years.

Residents have watched flooding in Bartlett Park, Lake Magory, Bear Creek, and other connected waterways without confidence that the underlying systems have been fully maintained or restored.

We also have concerns about the ongoing maintenance of the stormwater gates and controls that are supposed to prevent water from backing into the system during high tides.

Three years ago, the city allocated funding for new monitoring and control technology that goes across many waterway systems.

Residents deserve a clear and direct update.

What's the prior funding produced?

What did those systems reveal?

What deficiencies were identified?

What repairs have actually been completed and the results?

Because if the city is already invested in advanced stormwater modeling monitoring and diagnosis, then the public should be, should not be asked to accept a new project on faith.

We should be shown what was learned, what has been fixed, and what still remains impaired.

We also understand that the Basin C resilient Saltwater Creek outflow pump was accelerated under SPAR.

It was moved from 2026 to 2025.

We have important questions.

Why is the city accelerating the structural solution before providing current systems have been inspected, restored, or maintained?

Before adding a new control structure near Lake Magory, the city should prove that existing pipes, culverts, and outflows, wetlands, drainages, are functioning properly and not impairing, not impaired by neglect, obstruction, overgrowth, or deferred maintenance.

We support flood protection.

We're asking for transparency, updated studies, and proof.

Show us the models, show us the maintenance history, show us the neighborhood level impacts.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Please go to an open podium, state your name address or cross street for the record.

You'll have three minutes to address council.

My name is Sheila Monahan.

I recite at 266 23rd Avenue Southeast in Old Southeast near Beach Drive in 23rd Avenue.

Good afternoon and thank you for the opportunity to speak.

I want to continue with a previous speaker left off.

This is not opposition for the sake of opposition.

This is a request for accountability, transparent, transparency, and inclusion before the city moves forward with a project that could have unintended consequences for surrounding neighborhoods.

Residents of Old Southeast feel excluded from this conversation, even though we may be among the neighborhoods most affected.

We recently met with a professor who reviewed the 2024 hurricane scenario with and without the Basin C solution, the floodgates.

His indication was deeply alarming that Old Southeast could see two to feet two to five feet more flooding under the Bartlett Park Basin C solution than what occurred during the 2024 hurricanes.

If that is even remotely possible, then this council should be demanding complete public review before any further acceleration of this project.

So where are the city's models?

Where are the updated studies using actual storm conditions from Hurricanes, Helene and Milton?

Where are the neighborhood level before and after flood maps showing which streets, homes, and blocks improve and which might see more flood depth, longer flood duration, or more water backup?

The city has also acknowledged the need for a stormwater system conveyance restoration assessment in late 2025.

To many residents, that suggests there were still city wide infrastructure issues needing inspection, rating, and restoration.

If that is true, then why are we being told that a new structure is the right next step before the public sees the full condition of the systems already in the ground?

We want answers to some basic questions.

Since 2023, what systems were identified as not functioning properly?

Which ones were repaired?

What maintenance has occurred over the last five to ten years on the pipes, culverts, outfalls, channels, ditches, and detention areas, and gates, serving basency and surrounding neighborhoods.

What wetlands, waterways, and natural storage areas have been evaluated for sediment, overgrowth, terrain changes, or reduced capacity.

And finally, will the city release the full record so that residents and independent experts can review it?

That should include updated post storm modeling, technical assumptions, performance data from the stormwater technology program, maintenance logs, sediment and very much.

Any more speakers?

One in Zoom.

Tony Smith, once you enter to the meetings, please unmute yourself, state your name and address.

You have three minutes to address City Council.

Good morning.

The chair hear me?

Yes.

Good morning, Chair.

My name is Tony Smith.

I live at uh 11 6th Avenue North in District 4.

I would like to speak to the chair, the vice chair, and the council members about the nuisances that are coming from the uh peer.

Obviously, we the first uh act we have we had the we belong uh music event.

Second event that I that of nuisance coming from the peer district on Monday, March 9th at 9 p.m.

Another outsider by the name of Brentley Bradley Law Firm.

They did have a permit and they lit off a fireworks show.

People in District 4 are exhausted from the noise and nuisances that are coming from District 6, which is the St.

Pete Pier.

I watched your February 19th council meeting where you guys had a 45-minute discussion on regarding this.

I have learned that Mr.

Jeffries is leading this issue.

However, I believe there's a there's another department that is missing, and that's the peer manager.

Um I just want to convey to you that the nuisances that are coming out of district six are affecting district three, district four, and also district six.

And I'm asking that the cities start mitigating these noises on a Monday night at 9 p.m.

District 4 is exhausted.

I want to briefly discover or share with you what I've what I discovered.

Uh, Chair, did you receive my correspondence this week?

Sir, this is your opportunity to speak, but if you sent something, I'm sure we received it.

Okay, thank you, Chair.

I sent um my letter, which outlined the 62 acts of booming noise that came from District 6.

I also attached the article with the St.

Pete from the St.

Pete Times that outlined where every city official failed us during the music event.

I also discovered in the rules that the peer manager, the event manager, and the city council during this loud music events didn't do anything.

The letter that I sent you outlined what I called the contract chair, uh contract chain of failure.

We have an event manager that didn't do anything.

We have a peer manager that didn't do anything.

The St.

Pleet Police, I understand, did what they could.

Fourth, I don't understand why the council didn't do anything with their contract.

Thank you, sir.

Your time is up.

Any more speakers?

No more speakers.

Okay.

Now we move on to awards and presentations.

Um before we start a little housekeeping.

As you know, there's a lot of people here for a lot of awards.

A lot of times you come up here and then you're gonna go leave, and there's a lot of chatter when you, of course, there's a lot of excitement.

So I'm gonna ask if you're done, you go out, and if you're gonna talk, talk downstairs because what happens is all the noise in that hallway we can hear and hear, and it disturbs the other presentations and the other awards are being given.

So it's just as a courtesy and out of efficiency and running a meeting.

As soon as you're gonna leave, just go and you could go downstairs and then you can celebrate more.

And with that being said, we'll start with D1, the Distinguished Citizen Award to Janie Johnson.

That's gonna be given by Councilmember Givens.

Thank you, madam chair.

You know, the names Catherine Cromb and Mamie Chapman and Lois Bacon and Alma Kicklider and Evelyn Gardner, they are synonymous with nursing in St.

Petersburg, specifically black nursing.

But I believe that the name Janie Johnson goes up there in high regard as well.

She is a graduate of Gibbs High School class of 1969.

Go gladiators, Councilmember Pixanders.

She's also a graduate of St.

Petersburg College and the University of South Florida, Go Bulls.

She's been employed by Bayfront Medical Center for 16 years, employed by Pinellas Technical College practical nursing program for 33 years.

She is a United States Air Force Reserve veteran with almost 23 years of service.

Thank you for your service.

She's also been a flight nurse.

She served in Desert Storm Shield and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

And she is the co-founder of the St.

Petersburg Chapter of the National Black Nurses Association, where she served as past president.

And last but certainly not least, she is a 2024 inductee of the St.

Petersburg Senior Hall of Fame.

Woo.

Serving others isn't just who Janie Johnson is, but it's what she does.

She lives and she breathes service.

She's loving, she's selfless, and she's dedicated to her God, her family, her church, Pastor Thomas, and her community.

Although she has trained and taught hundreds, if not thousands of nurses over the course of her almost 40-year career, there can only be one Janie Johnson.

The City of St.

Petersburg bestows its distinguished citizen award to Miss Janie Johnson.

Whereas a great city is only as great as those persons who give exemplary service to their communities, whether through participation in voluntary programs, through unique personal achievement in their profession, or other endeavors, or simply through a lifetime of good citizenry.

And whereas such service that is truly the lifeblood of the community and the city so often goes unrecognized and unrewarded.

Now, therefore, as a duly elected member of the St.

Petersburg City Council, I hereby recognize that in Miss Janie Johnson, MSRN, we have an outstanding citizen who is truly worthy of the esteem of both the community and the great city of St.

Petersburg.

Ladies and gentlemen, our distinguished citizen, Ms.

James.

You know, I was just telling so, and I thank you all so much for the acknowledgement and the love.

I was just telling my pastor and some of my other friends.

Many times you don't see but other people see.

And as you go through life and you do whatever you can to make someone else happy, that is your reward.

And as I moved through, and I was born here in St.

Petersburg, Florida, stayed right on 22nd Street, right across from the Royal Theater.

And to see myself as I stand here now.

Uh, into the City Hall and all the other things that I've acquired and become friends with so many people.

And moving over from overseas and coming back home.

You're always happy to be home.

And I thank you all so much.

I thank my pastor and all of my friends that came to share in this.

And I was just telling Claude, Claude, please, please.

And he said, my pastor, uh, Reverend Lannis Thomas, he had announced it in church before I even knew.

And I'm saying, we hear you good before.

Those are some of my people from my church.

I said, What?

Uh, what award, you know.

So then Corey, he says, I'm sorry, Miss Janie.

I said, okay.

Okay.

Thank you all so much.

And bless all of you and all those young students that are moving on.

Stay in your craft and make it your best.

Amen.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yeah, I'm gonna turn it over to her vice chair because I'm gonna give the next one.

All right.

Next up, uh, we have CFY scholarship recipients given by Chair Hanowitz.

So we can have everyone that's here from CFY and the scholarship recipients.

If you can all come up, please.

Come up here.

Okay.

We'll find room.

You can get on this side too.

Well, I want to thank Mr.

Dunbar and everyone at CFI uh for their work and for their partnership with the city through the St.

Pete Police Department's Forward Together program.

And thanks to Chief Holloway, who's here in the room with us, and also Yolanda Fernandez, who's part of it, and she's part of the board and the entire police department team involved for fostering this collaboration with CFI.

We are honored to recognize this year's 10 scholarship recipients, seniors from Gibbs High School.

Yeah, Lakewood High School.

Northeast High School, St.

Petersburg High School, whose achievements reflect the core values of City Council's Distinguished Citizen Award, resilience, leadership, and a commitment to uplifting your communities.

I like to thank each scholarship recipient to come up and accept your award.

Um the first up is McKenna Kovacs from Gibbs High.

Come here.

Come on here.

You welcome.

Next up is Leela Cabrick from Gibbs High School.

Okay.

Next up is Ryan Thornley from Gibbs High School.

Great gladiators.

You're welcome.

Next up is Jovon Gerais with Kids High School.

Congratulations.

Next up is Irene LaCoustra from Lakewood High School.

She didn't make it.

Okay.

So put her to the side.

Now I don't know if I'm gonna say this right.

Carolo come off.

Yes.

Oh, thank you.

Oh, Northeast High School.

That's Northeast High School now.

Daryl Woods with Northeast High School.

All right, Dan.

Now, Victoria Castner is not here, but she also received the award from St.

Petersburg High School.

Next up is Alexis Fallon Fifth Laugh Tip from KP High School.

I'm sorry.

Thank you.

And I try to practice.

And then the last one is Kayleen Washington, and she's not here and she's with St.

Pete High School.

This year's recipients represent an extraordinary range of talent and service across all four high schools.

At Gibbs, McKenna has strengthened literacy and student voice.

While Leela has excelled as both a high level dancer and a dedicated instructor to younger students in dance and swimming.

Ryan and Javon stand out for their leadership and athletics and their understanding of mentorship and teamwork.

At Lakewood, Irene is channeling the confidence she built through the years in the drama club towards a focused path in aviation.

I'm sure Council Member Fix Andrews loves that.

At Northeast, Kavrello became deeply involved in this high school community after arriving from Ukraine just a few years ago.

And he shares his tenacity with Daryl, a passionate football player who turned injury into an opportunity to lead with character and support, his teammates.

And at St.

Petersburg High, Victoria Pears National Level Excellence and Cheer and Gymnastics with service as a guide dog trainer while Alexis uses arts, creativity, and humility to strengthen representation in her community.

And Kaylen has transformed tough lived experience to lead with empathy while pursuing a path in pediatric health care.

To the students together, you tend reflect the strength, promise, and future leadership of our city.

We can't wait to see all the great things you do, and we're so proud of you and how you represent St.

Petersburg.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

And now we'll have Mr.

Dunbar say a few words.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

Kevin Dunbar, I'm the executive director of CFY, and appreciate uh you having us back again this year.

Um special group of kids.

Um, one and a half times more than we were here with last year.

If you remember, there were four.

Uh uh this year there are 10.

And they're 10 of 57 that we've done uh throughout Pinellas, 16 different high schools, over 527 applications in three different scholarship programs.

The students either received a 10,000 dollar scholarship, and there were 15 of those.

We did uh 11 $5,000 scholarships.

We did 18 opportunities to go get your AA degree at St.

Petersburg College with your tuition fees and books paid for.

And probably our most uh exciting piece that we're doing now is we gave out 13 vocational trade scholarships.

If the student goes to uh Pinellas Technical College after financial aid, CFY is covering all their expenses.

That's their tools, uniform, everything.

We've gotten the chance to know these children.

Um those who may recall my background.

I was Parcel Recreation Director in Clearwater for 22 years, over 45 years of public service.

Never anything more compelling than when we went to the schools and notified the student for the first time that they received their award.

There's there's there's there's nothing they can pay you to get to gain from that or what you can get from that experience.

Uh, but we have had the opportunity to uh to really transform lives.

Um the uh the staff has been phenomenal with the city in terms of helping us connect with the Pinellas County with the uh St.

Petersburg schools um in terms of the importance of this.

Over one half of our students first won their families to go to college.

So we are actually going out and we're making that difference in impact.

Um with me today are a couple of people I want to introduce.

This is our um this is the chairman of our board, uh, Mr.

Hoyt Hamilton.

Our previous past chair, Fred Fred Miller.

He kind of blended in with the kind of blending with the picture there.

Um a great help for us down here in St.

Petersburg, Yolanda Fernandez, also on our board, uh, chief siding over in the corner there.

He's a passboard member of CFY back in his old Clearwater days where I used to have the opportunity um to work with him.

A lot of the ways we're able to do this is with the support and help of the community.

One of those people's with us today.

Kind of a pretty busy day in his life.

Um Ray's open up today for Mark Ferguson.

Ferg is here with us today, supporting uh Mark is one of the sponsors of one of our uh one of our scholarships, and that's how we uh that's how we get things done.

Uh this year CFY is gonna distribute over 1.5 million dollars.

This was 47,500 are going to these students.

So we thank you for your uh your support.

We thank you for how you um how you have embraced uh the organization as we're coming down to make a difference in you know in the life of a child, and we're so excited also to see what's gonna happen uh in the future of these students.

So, again, one of the cool parts of my job is we stay in touch with them, and so we know what they're doing, but I can tell you our future's great after meeting these these students.

So, again, thank you very much for your time and thank you for honoring our students.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Uh, we're gonna go to council member givens.

Thank you, Vice Chair, and thank you, Mr.

Dunbar and to the team for all that you all do.

You're doing something right.

We brought you back again.

Uh, but congratulations to each of our scholarship recipients.

Um, being a first generation college graduate myself, I must say um it's not gonna be hard, but it's certainly gonna be worth it.

Um, you will, if you have not already overcome many obstacles, many challenges.

Um, but trust and believe you have a whole city behind you that looks forward to seeing you shine.

Uh, so again, whether you're shining on the field, on the court, or in the classroom, just keep letting your light shine and never let anybody den it.

Okay.

Good luck to you.

God bless.

Thank you.

So I'm gonna echo some of what council member givens said.

You know, I was the first in my family to go to college.

And what you see here in a room today, and you're very young.

I can barely remember when I was that young.

Um, but you see a lot of people that are willing to lift you up and take that opportunity.

We're all here.

You can call people, you can find out about their careers, you can ask for advice.

There's lots of mentors out there and never hesitate to reach out because you'd be surprised where that leads you.

And so I'm we're very proud of you, and we truly cannot wait to see what the future holds.

Make the best use of this scholarship.

Okay, thank you.

Okay.

Next up.

We have D3, which is women's sanitation drivers and D4 Women's History Month proclamation that are gonna be presented by Councilmember Fig Sanders.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Afternoon.

So I am so honored um to bring the two, these are two different items.

Um, the first is to recognize our first women in sanitation, but there's something I want to read as a background before I do that.

And ladies, I'm gonna call you up one by one because I want everybody to recognize you, especially in that beautiful pink.

Today we gather to shine a light on a truth that is too often overlooked.

Women are the backbone of sanitation systems, yet their contributions remain undervalued, unrepresented, and under supported.

When we talk about sanitation, we are not just talking about infrastructure or technology, we are talking about dignity, health, safety, and opportunity, and women sit at the center of all of that, not recognizing their value as the missed opportunity, which is why I thank the sanitation department for this honor.

When women lead in sanitation, systems become more inclusive, solutions become more practical, communities become more resilient.

We see better designed facilities, stronger community engagement, and programs that actually meet the needs of our city.

I don't sound biased, do I?

So when women thrive in sanitation, everyone benefits.

Health improves, economies grow, communities become safer, and the cycle of opportunity expands.

Because empowering women in sanitation is not only the right thing to do, it's the smart thing to do.

And it is the only way we will build a world where dignity and opportunity are truly universal.

Thank you, ladies.

So I am gonna call well, first of all, let me tell you this story real quick.

I was at the MLK parade, and Mr.

Reed, where are you, Mr.

Reed?

Come on, Mr.

Reed.

Came to me and said, Councilmember, you see those ladies over there?

There are our first female sanitation drivers.

So when I saw all that beauty sitting back there, and I have to thank Mr.

Reed for acknowledging and recognizing that.

So we were trying to decide.

Do I do February for Black History Day?

No.

I want to do women's month.

Women's is actually International History Month.

I said we're gonna do women's month because as a woman, I want to make sure that we continue to recognize and thank you, Mr.

Reed, for giving that information to me and recognizing this women, these women.

Also, I want to recognize Mr.

Willie Joseph.

Where are you, Mr.

Joseph?

Come on up.

Mr.

Joseph is also the sanitation director.

And when we reached out saying we want to recognize these ladies, he did not hesitate.

And so I want to thank you for even acknowledging the opportunity of promoting our women in such a male dominated field.

Because you know we can do it too.

So for that, I thank you.

But here comes the major part.

Y'all get ready for this drum roll.

Amy Foster.

Come on, Miss Foster, who is the housing and neighborhood administrator.

She over all of these people, right?

So when I say women rule, we rule.

But you know what?

We work hard.

We really do.

We work hard.

And so I'm going to take this opportunity to acknowledge these eight young ladies, and I'm going to call you one at a time, and us gonna take a picture.

So y'all, we are we're gonna take a picture.

So the first driver, Andrea Archer Waller, who I am told is the first female sanitation driver and has been with sanitation for third, I'm not even 33 years old.

33 years.

Next, we have our former mayor cadet Natasha Davis, who works in maintenance work within a lock clearing division.

Next, we also have Miss Lawanta Simmons, who is a sanitation technician with the container maintenance division.

Is she here?

Oh, come on.

Next, we have Miss Kimberly Lovett, who is the sanitation service worker within the container maintenance division.

Next, we have Miss Sharon Turner, who is a sanitation specialist within the residential collections division.

Then we have Natasha Tanksley, the sanitation specialist within the commercial collections division.

Next, we have Chiquita Love, Sanitation Specialist within the Residential Collections Division.

So I'm going to ask the boss of all of us, Miss Amy Foster, to come up and say a few words because this is really a monumental moment, and I want to thank her for acknowledging these young ladies.

Thank you, Councilmember Fig Sanders.

I just have to say that it's so appropriate to recognize these women.

And so I keep that top of mind.

But we will always recognize the women that work for us and all the hard workers that make sure that the trains keep running and that the trash gets picked up.

You know, it is the most easiest job to make somebody happy if their trash gets picked up.

Um it's not an easy job in any way, shape, or form, but I will tell you you know, other things that we do in the city are hard.

The pipes are under the streets, and you don't see the work that's happening there, but whenever the trash gets picked up and you come home at night, it makes everybody happy.

So thank you, ladies.

I also want to recognize two managers who weren't recognized.

We have Antoine Jackson and we also have Mr.

Bob Turner, who is our assistant director as well with us.

And I think we forgot one of the last but not least, because I'm not gonna tell y'all I forgot, we have Miss Anita Richardson, who is my classmate.

Come on, Mr.

Nita Richardson, sanitation specialist within residential collection division.

I'm talking to you, Anita.

Okay, so since you were last, you have to have your picture.

There you go.

Take your picture.

Uh-huh.

That's what we do.

All righty.

So thank you.

So you guys stay up as I read the proclamation from the mayor's office acknowledging women's history month.

Whereas March is annually observed as women's history month and has been designated to identify the historical and significant contributions of women.

And whereas women have made countless tangible and intangible contributions to our city, state, nation, and the world.

And whereas the National Women's History Alliance selects a theme each year to highlight the contributions of women everywhere.

The 2026 theme is leading the change, women shaping a sustainable future.

The theme extends beyond environmental sustainability to matters of finance, resilience, succession, and equity.

And whereas we celebrate women everywhere, and especially in St.

Petersburg, and reaffirm our commitment to advancing the cause of equity and opportunity for women, women, and girls.

Now, therefore, I, Councilmember Deborah Fix Sanders, on behalf of Kenneth T.

Welch, mayor of the City of St.

Petersburg, Florida, do hereby proclaim March 2026 as women's history month in St.

Petersburg.

And I urge residents to join with me in celebrating women's history, their legacy, and their profound contributions to our exciting society.

Thank you, ladies, and congratulations.

If you can please stay there, because Councilmember Givens have some comments for you.

I'll be brief because I know y'all are ready to leave.

But also I want to salute you, Miss Andrea.

Uh, you've been working for sanitation longer than I've been alive.

So I thank you for your service because these beautiful women that stand behind you, they follow in your footsteps.

But you know, I was raised by a strong black woman, a single strong black woman.

And so when I look around, I see strength, I see courage, I see brains, and I see beauty.

And I thank you all so much for your service to our city.

These folks sitting up here with me, uh, they know better than anybody that when our trash doesn't get picked up, we get the phone calls.

So thank you for being there to respond and to help keep our city beautiful.

So thank you so much.

We appreciate you.

Thank you, Chair, and thank you, Councilmember Fig Sanders.

Okay, next up, we have the five do good day proclamation, and we have our own mayor here, Mayor Welsh, to present it.

Welcome, Mayor.

Thank you, madam chair, council, members of our St.

Pete team, and uh members of our St.

Pete community.

It's great to be here on this day of celebrating folks that make our community what it is.

You you told them to.

I told them.

And Rita's right behind them, shushing them.

It's it's it's worth being excited over, so we'll give them a couple seconds.

But it is, madam chair, one of the things that makes St.

Pete great.

We have so many individuals and organizations who are focused every day on uplift and on making our community better.

I'm pleased to recognize one of those individuals and organizations, the Do Good and Shine Brightly Foundation, led by founder and executive director Meredith Percules.

Pericles, I got close.

You want to join me at the podium?

Let's give her a hand, please.

So this foundation brings together not-for-profit agencies across the city to make a difference in our community.

And we appreciate their efforts because we know as local government that we can't do it alone, that progress requires partnership from leaders across our community.

And Meredith, I want to thank you for making an impact for doing good in our community, and this is the second year, right?

That we're going into.

So we've got a proclamation for you, and and I'll read it.

And it reads, whereas St.

Petersburg is a community built on service, generosity, and the belief that every resident has the power to strengthen our shared future.

And whereas acts of kindness, volunteerism, and civic engagement have long played a vital role in elevating the well-being of our neighborhoods, supporting local nonprofits, and fostering a culture of connection across our city.

And whereas Do Good Day was created in St.

Petersburg by the Do Good and Shine Brightly Foundation, Incorporated, to bring together nonprofits, local businesses, families, and volunteers for a citywide celebration of service, amplifying opportunities for residents to engage in meaningful acts of kindness that support community needs.

And whereas this annual gathering highlights the essential work of local nonprofits, showcases opportunities for volunteer engagement, and encourages every resident to take small actions that collectively create a lasting and positive impact.

Now, therefore, I, Kenneth T.

Welch, Mayor of the City of St.

Petersburg, Florida, do hereby proclaim Saturday, March 28th, 2026, as Do Good Day in St.

Petersburg.

And I encourage all residents, organizations, and businesses to participate in activities that promote kindness, volunteerism, and community support.

Meredith, thank you for your leadership, and love to hear a few comments from you.

Thank you to Mayor Welch and to City Council for this great honor.

Do good day was created to bring our community and our nonprofits together in one place to make it easier for people to get involved and support the work that's happening all around them.

Last year we had 38 nonprofits in attendance.

This year we have 52 with a waiting list.

There are roughly 2,000 nonprofits registered here in the city of St.

Pete, 52 in one place.

That's amazing.

That says everything about the heart of the city and the incredible organizations doing work every single day across so many different causes.

This is St.

Pete.

We are St.

Pete.

What makes Do Good Day special isn't just the number, it's what happens when people show up.

It's the connections that are made.

It's the moment someone finds where they belong and where they can make a difference.

It is more than an event, it is a movement.

And now it is a citywide movement.

That's how real change happens here in our community.

So on behalf of all 52 participating nonprofits and the thousands more doing work every day in this community, thank you for recognizing the good that everyone is doing and for believing in what we're building together.

I hope to see you all this Saturday at FERGS from 11 to 2 for Do Good Day.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Mayor, next up, we have the six Transgender Day of Visibility Proclamation.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

So as Amy Foster alluded to, this is uh a recognition we might not be able to do in the future.

Uh so I think today's recognition is that much more important.

It is recognition of Transgender Day of Visibility.

Uh I want to invite our LGBTQ liaison, Nathan Brummer, uh to join me.

And uh let's let's give Nathan.

We uh we all know how hard Nathan works to ensure that we all well informed, that our community is connected and that we have meaningful impact in our community and give everyone access to the city of St.

Pete and our services.

Nathan, I want to thank you for all that you do every day.

And we'll keep we'll keep fighting.

As I read the proclamation, I want to invite uh other representatives of the LGBTQ community to join me at the podium for the reading of this proclamation.

Please join the good afternoon.

Good to see everybody.

Thank you all for joining us.

And it reads, whereas Transgender Day of Visibility is observed each year on March 31st as a day to celebrate the strength, courage, and achievements of transgender and gender diverse people.

And whereas transgender residents are valued members of our city, contributing every day as neighbors, family members, employees, artists, students, business owners, volunteers, and civic leaders.

And whereas the visibility of transgender people in our communities helps foster understanding, compassion, and connection, reminding us that diversity enriches our city and strengthens the fabric of our shared civic life.

And whereas the city of St.

Petersburg recognizes a welcoming and inclusive community benefits everyone, and honoring the dignity and humanity of all people reflects our highest civic values.

And whereas by uplifting the stories, contributions, and voices of transgender people, we help build a city where all individuals, regardless of gender identity or expression, know they belong and are respected.

Now, therefore, I, Kenneth T.

Welch, mayor of the city of St.

Petersburg, Florida, do hereby proclaim Tuesday, March 31st, 2026, as Transgender Day of Visibility in St.

Petersburg.

Without exception.

I want to thank you all for joining us.

And Nathan, I know you have a few words.

Okay.

Thank you, Mayor, Chair, Vice Chair, Council members.

Um we're gonna hear from two of the beautiful leaders behind us leading two phenomenal organizations.

Uh, for me.

This is a a different celebration, and I am so grateful for all of you on the dais and the thousands of employees to be a part of the team now as a member of the city team, um, especially this year.

And what you see behind is just a very small group of the leaders doing phenomenal work that you do work to support.

So as we move forward this year, whatever it brings.

Um, I was really excited to invite this larger group here today so that you you know who these community members are and these leaders.

There are six different organizations represented behind us.

Uh Trans Network, the Tampa Bay uh Trans Film Festival, which is hosted by Tigliff, St.

Pete Pride, the LGBT Chamber, Swamp Boys, and Doll Dynasty.

You may not know all of those, but the community and you all will get to know them.

Um this is the beautiful tapestry of what makes St.

Pete so special.

And when we say we are St.

Pete, this is who we are.

Uh I would love to introduce you all to Unity Jalal, who is the president of the board for Tigliff and uh leading our efforts with the Tampa Bay Trans Film Festival.

Also uh standing with her is Caden Rodriguez, my partner in crime and co-founder of the Trans Film Festival Unity.

Thank you, Nathan.

It's it's been an honor and a pleasure to be a part of Tigliff for the past six years and since uh to well I started just as a volunteer.

Caden and uh Nathan founded uh the transfilm festival and really made it what it is today, and I've been really excited to be a part of it and be a part of its growth and to be leading us into a new era where um we've expanded to be across the bay and where we've expanded to do all kinds of events to help our all kinds of people experience joy, and that joy is critical right now because over these past six years, um, while there's been a lot of joy and a lot of uh strength in that growth, um we've also experienced a lot of hardship as a community where um it's beencome more difficult to access health care, where it's become more difficult to be represented on our identification properly, where it bec it's become more difficult to use the restroom in public facilities.

Um there's been a lot of those kinds of things to try to hold us down and hold us back.

But um, but what that's why we need to have joy and why we need to have film festivals, why we need to have pride, and that's why we've we've moved forward to do trans pride and to do uh a big ball on Friday and to do all kinds of incredible events that um we don't only focus on the bad things happening to us, but we also focus on joy.

And um, and I'm extremely excited that St.

Pete uh is still continuing to support us and to proclaim trans state visibility and accept that we're here and that we're visible and that we're here to stay.

Um thank you.

My name is Unity Jalal.

My pronouns are she, her.

Thank you, Unity.

Uh, and our second and final speaker, I'd like to introduce you all to Callan Jones, uh, our president for Trans Network, a local organization that I will let them share a little bit more about you everyone.

I mean, one of the benefits of standing here on behalf of Trans Network is that we work with all of these folks.

Um we've heard so many words today, starting with the rabbi, we've talked about overcome, we've talked about community perseverance.

We saw these beautiful women in sanitation who are showing up and being themselves, and that is who we are, and that is who our community is.

Um we are a community that intersects with every other identity group.

We are all races, all abilities, all religions, all socioeconomic classes, we are everywhere, and unfortunately, we're in a time right now where folks are telling us to be less.

Um we're not going to be.

We were founded because we needed to be, but we are here and we're focused on joy, we're focused on resilience, we're focused on community connection and what people need.

Um, the trans network board members, if you could raise your hands.

We are in community.

We have an artist and a videographer who make our community that much more beautiful.

We have a realtor and a mortgage broker who help folks buy houses and stay here.

We are mental health therapists, we are some of the nation's leaders in disability advocacy.

We are neighbors, and we are folks that partner with St.

Pete Pride.

We partner with the LGBT chamber, we partner with Swamp Boys Doll Dynasty, the other organizations that you've heard about to say who are we, what do we need, and how do we do that together?

Because as the mayor said, we all move forward in dignity, in respect and inclusion, and that is what we're here for.

Um, if you would like to join us and see more of our work at the end of April, we have our next community meal.

We do these every quarter.

We bring together people.

Um, last month we had over 120 people RSVP.

If that shows you the need and the desire for free food, we had an amazing art activity.

At this next one, we're having a clothing swap because we want people to be affirmed, to show up as their true selves and to know that they are welcome here.

They are valued here, and within Trans Network, they have a home here because unfortunately, we have a lot of people who are looking for that.

Thank you to the mayor, thank you to the council, thank you to everyone for being here, especially Nathan for being out proud and visible in this work.

Um, we hope we can see you next year.

That's what we'll leave that with.

We hope that we can see you next year in this capacity.

If you can stay a minute, we have a couple of council members or make comments.

Councilmember Driscoll.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mayor, for bringing forward this important proclamation.

And Nathan, thank you for your service to our city and for everything that you are.

Um matter what happens somewhere else that we have to go along with, it doesn't change the fact that St.

Petersburg is a place where everyone is seen safe and celebrated.

That will not stop.

I don't want you to listen to the be less message.

Because what that really is is BS.

All right.

Be you.

Be exactly who you are, because in St.

Petersburg, that's what we want to nurture.

That's what makes our city so special.

And no matter if I know that the symbols are important.

I know that public displays are important.

I know that that times like this are important.

But I don't think any of that is more important than the end of the mayor's proclamation, where it talks about treating each other with dignity and respect.

And that is something that no one can ever take away from us as a city or as individuals.

And so with what is happening right now, I encourage everyone to think about ways that you as an individual can be more of an ally, be more of an advocate, be more of who we already are, so that there is no denying what kind of a place St.

Petersburg is.

So as much as I hate what's happening right now, I'm looking at, okay, what can we do?

And if we stick together, we can do it.

And you better be back here next year, no matter what.

Because we'll talk about, you know, like we'll figure something out.

Just show up and we'll do it.

All right.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

Councilmember Fig Sanders.

Thank you.

First of all, I I when I spoke last year, and thank you so much.

You guys showed up in numbers, and I appreciate that.

Thank you, Mayor, for recognizing what is so important to the fiber of our city, and that is diversity.

That name unity, I love that.

Okay, I can't have any more children, but that name unity, I do love that.

Um, so uh, you know, I just want to thank you all for being here.

And I love that term, out, proud, and visible.

I think when you were here last year, I said, we see you.

I see you.

And when no matter what happens, as they say, injustice for one is injustice for us all, we're gonna have to definitely deal with that on so many different levels because all so many different cultures and communities are dealing with injustices.

And what we've done with the city of St.

Petersburg, especially under the leadership of the mayor, is we've made it work.

We've made everyone feel safe, welcomed, and that we know we're gonna always be different.

You can see the differences between myself and council member floor.

We're different.

We're on our own individual people.

Yeah, I had to use you because you see right next to me.

But we're all our own individual people.

And I love the fact that you know, because I teach my children to be who they are, whatever that may be, to be who they are and to be the best at it.

And I continue to share that message because it is so important for us to know who we are and to walk in our steps to make sure your journey counts.

So thank you so much again, Mayor.

Thank you, Nathan, for everything that you do.

And I just want to applaud all of you for recognizing who you are and not bowing down to anybody else in our as we say hypocritical judgment of who people are supposed to be.

Congratulations.

Thank you.

Councilman, uh Vice Chair Floyd.

Thank you.

Uh I'll be brief.

I just want to thank everyone uh here in front of me today uh for the work that you do publicly and for being yourselves publicly.

I've had a lot of friends who have uh chosen to step back from public life uh because of their LGBTQ identity, uh, move away from the state.

And uh all I would say is I understand when that decision gets made, but uh the courage that it takes to continue to be publicly active uh in this advocacy uh is really um how do I say this?

Uh it's really inspiring to me because uh no matter what they push down from Tallahassee, no matter what hateful crap flows our way.

Uh people are there's gonna be more uh LGBTQ people born every day in the state, and so uh we can't all escape.

Uh we can't all give up.

And so I'm really uh proud and inspired by the work that y'all do every day.

So thank you.

My colleagues and the mayor have said pretty much what the city of St.

Pete stands for.

And I hope you all feel the love in this room because we are in an environment right now where they're trying to push people into the shadows.

Many in the community, not just you, but many.

And you know what?

It is very disheartening.

But you know what?

We have to embrace love because there is so much love out there, and you see it in our community as opposed to some of the hate that's out there.

And I know it's the hate can sound very loud lately, and it's hard to ignore it, but trust me, when you go out to the community, there is much more love out there, and that's what we need to continue pushing, and that's what you do every day, and continue to be yourselves.

Period.

No one is gonna change who you are.

You live your life 365 days of the year, and you're gonna live happy, not because of what they do in Tallahassee.

Like a council member said, BS, it's BS.

Well, thank you very much.

Thank you for being here.

Next up, we have uh an item from legal, I won.

And we have Sarah Lucker, who is gonna be presenting.

Hi, Sarah.

Hi, thank you, everybody.

Oh, one second.

We'll give them a minute to be able to walk out.

Okay, so this afternoon, I'm just bringing forth a settlement for an employment claim.

Uh, it's in the case of Wheaton Williams versus the city of St.

Petersburg, U.S.

District Court case numbers 824 C V 01230 NHA.

Um, this is a failure to hire claim where the plaintiff claimed that the city violated his civil rights by failing to hire him due to his age, race, and national origin.

Um, the total quantifiable exposure for this type of claim uh in this instance amounts up to 460,000, but a jury could decide to award additional non-economic damages related to pain, suffering, and emotional distress.

And our outside counsel who handled this was able to negotiate a settlement in the amount of 90,000 dollars.

So that's what you're voting on today.

You have a motion and a second.

Clerk, you please open machine for voting.

Council members, please enter your votes.

Seeing that all present council members have voted, clerk, please tally announce the vote.

Madam Chair, motion to approve adjunct I one passes unanimously with council member Gabbard being absent.

Thank you, and thank you, Legal, for the great work on this, and let the outside attorneys know, great job.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next up is H1.

This is my item.

It's a BFNT action item.

Well, it would have been your item, but I was there.

So uh respectfully requesting city council approval of a resolution authorizing the mayor or his designee to accept the proposals submitted by Brown and Brown of Florida to provide property insurance coverage effective April 1st, 2026.

And Councilmember Gerdes.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair and Madam Chair, thank you for uh stepping in as chair of BFNT uh as I was sick that day.

I just wanted to quickly thank um Tom and Blaze and the whole team.

Uh and so and then Brown and Brown uh because let me tell you again having lived half in this world for 15 years.

Uh the work that they do on a daily basis to make sure that the city is protected is really incredible.

And to come back uh frankly with increasing coverage and still be saving money is pretty unbelievable.

And I think that's that goes all the way down to the auditors uh and the inspections that we do on an annual basis.

And so I'm just very thankful again.

Thank you to the BF and T committee for uh the discussion at committee.

But uh I'd be remiss if I just didn't uh bring it up and Chris.

Sorry, I didn't I didn't say your name as well, but everybody on the team, I'm just very thankful for all the work.

A lot like we were this morning uh on the financial side.

It's just that they they continue to do great work, and I'm very very uh to have a small very, very happy to have a small part in that, and I'll move approval.

Thank you.

We have a motion and a second.

Clerk, you please open the machine for voting.

Council members, please enter your votes.

Seeing that all present council members have voted, clerk please tell announced to vote.

Madam Chair, motion to approve a genome H1 passes unanimously with council members Driscoll and Gabbard being absent.

Thank you, and thank you all for the great work.

Next up, we have E1.

We're in ordinances E1 is setting April 2nd, 2026 as a public hearing date for an ordinance.

Clerk Proposed ordinance number 632-H and ordinance amending section 2-209, parentheses A of the City Code to clarify provisions related to the cone of silence and provide an effective date.

Public hearing date for this ordinance is scheduled for April 2nd, 2026.

And we have no speakers.

We have a motion and a second.

Clerk, if you could please open the machine for voting.

Council members, please enter your votes.

Seeing that all present council members have voted, clerk, please tally announce the vote.

Madam Chair, motion to approve adjend them.

E1 passes unanimously with councilmember Driscoll and Gabbert being absent.

Next up, we have E2 setting April 2nd, 2026 as the public hearing date for an ordinance approving the vacation of a dead-end 20-foot alley abiding lots three, four, and five located at 1013.

Dr.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Street South.

Clerk, if you could please read the ordinance.

Proposed ordinance number 1178-V, an ordinance approving the vacation of a dead end 20 foot alley abutting lots three, four, and five in the Alma Heights revised subdivision.

Generally located at 1013, Dr.

MLK, Dr.

ML King, Junior Street South, setting forth conditions for this for the vacation to become effective and providing for an effective date.

Public hearing date for this ordinance is scheduled for April 2nd, 2026.

And we have no uh speakers.

Move approval.

Second.

We have a motion and a second.

Clerk, if you can please open the machine for voting.

Council members, please enter your votes.

Seeing that all present council members have voted.

Clerk, please tally announce the vote.

Madam Chair, motion to approve adjannum E2 passes unanimously with council member gabbrock being absent.

Thank you.

Thank you, Cheryl, for being here.

We have report snuff, F1.

We have a presentation by Excelsior University BSN pre-licensure program, Dr.

Tisha Lakou.

Are you present?

Hi, how are you doing?

This was Councilmember Gabbard's item, and she invited you here, but unfortunately, she is out sick.

So she I'm sure would have great things to say about what you do, but you can introduce yourself and then uh do the presentation.

That would be great.

Hello, I am Dr.

Tisha LeCouv, and this is Dr.

Angela Owens.

She is the associate dean of our program, and I'm the department chair.

And we are here in St.

Petersburg on site on uh Fourth Avenue.

So I'm gonna figure out this to change my slide here.

Okay, so um Excelsior University is a program.

Um that we have our nursing program that was founded in 1971.

We have other programs as well at our university, but we're here to talk about our BSN pre-licensure program.

So we are not for profit distance learning institution.

We're mainly for adult learners, but we have had our youngest graduate at age nine, believe it or not, and our oldest at 90 years old.

So our average of our students is 35 years old.

Um we are uh also accredited.

We are will be doing our ACEN accreditation for our nursing program once we are in the progress of having our students and all of our staff and faculty on site.

Mainly our students are working adults as well as could be high school graduates.

And our program again is going to allow our students to sit for the NCLEX exam.

Florida nursing shortage, as you know, Brandy and I spoke, and we are short, 60,000 nurses.

So we are here to help fulfill that need and fill that gap.

So in the next 10 years, again, it could be because of our aging workforce.

40% of our current nurses again are nearing retirement.

So what is our program exploring?

We're looking again at um medical surgical, pediatrics, maternal newborn, mental health, community health, and nursing leadership with our partners, our local hospitals in the area, as well as some of our skilled nursing facilities.

So our program is what we call a hybrid program.

So our didactic theory courses are actually online.

So our students will be doing their program remotely, and then they'll come on site to our Fourth Street address to do their exams and then of course do their labs.

Their clinicals will be at our partner sites for the hospitals.

And then also, so we're looking at again simulation hours, 168 hours that will be on site, possibly one to two days a week.

And then we also have our clinicals, 562.5 hours, and those are on our local clinical sites.

So the goal is again to for our students to be able to hit that general education requirement.

If they're coming in with that, they can already start our nursing core core program.

And so we're looking at doing our BSN pre-licensure program in less than four years, which is not really something that's common around here, right?

So that is the goal.

You can kind of see um our progress and how the program will go.

And then the main thing is is we're help, we're here to help fill this nursing gap and help the shortage.

These are just some videos of our labs and simulation center that are up and running right here in St.

Petersburg.

So this just kind of gives you a quick little overview.

I know I don't have a lot of time, so I'm just gonna kind of speed through it for you.

So this just kind of gives you just a little brief overview of what we have going on in our lab.

So we are having an open house.

We have three actually open houses next week, starting on Tuesday, and then Wednesday is gonna be all day 10 to 7 for our nursing um potential nursing students.

We do have obviously financial aid available.

We have some scholarships available with our partners and with for different um programs available for students.

Again, we have our veterans program, and this is all information again that can be seen on our partnership site.

Um, and then this is just gonna kind of go over a little bit of our mission process, who the contacts are, if anyone's interested.

I also left some flyers regarding our open house at the front desk out in the hallway.

So again, um our students coming in again, they could be coming with a previous biology degree, so they could come directly into our nursing core program, or they could be starting just basic from high school going in to the general ed and then starting our program.

So the goal is again that we have all these criteria met though before they would be coming in.

So if any of you know of anyone that is wanting to get their bachelor's and nursing license degree, or even getting um probably from our LPNs to be able to have that opportunity for advanced, helping with the workforce situation in St.

Petersburg.

Again, this is our open house, um, one of our open houses that's mainly going to be for the nursing portion, but we do have other programs.

We have cyber security um program as well as engineering that'll be on site.

And I'm just gonna leave you with some more pictures of our lab.

And if you guys have any questions, and definitely come by and see us.

Yeah, come by and see us and check it out.

Great.

Well, thank you.

I don't see any speaker.

Oh, council member givens.

Thank you very much, Chair, and thank you all for being here.

I appreciate it.

I come from a family of nurses, so this is exciting.

Um, I did have a question.

You mentioned your um your prerequisites.

Students who are graduating from high school.

I'm thinking about Boga Siega High School, for example.

They have a medical academy there.

Um, have you all connected with those schools?

Do you have any relationships with Pinellas Technical College, uh, job core?

Do any of those schools have any relationships with you all already?

Um, so we are also our site director is here, Christina Jones.

She can answer that question probably more directly.

Um we I did go to some of the different um college nights that the Pinellas County had recently last month, and I spoke to a lot of different students about that.

A lot of them were juniors, which is fine because we are still going to be here and be available for that.

So that um go ahead, Christina.

Hi.

I don't like to speak as much as they do, but uh but yes, to answer your question, the answer is yes.

So we are making connections locally.

The good thing, although we are based out of Albany, New York, the staff down here is all local, so we are all part of our community.

So long story short, yes, um, we are making connections with with everybody local because we want to give back to our community that we serve.

I love it.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Chair.

Great.

Thank you.

Well, thank you very much for being here again.

April 1st, 10 o'clock.

First open house.

Is the open house uh at 9400 4th Street North.

Yeah, so we have also Tuesday, March 31st, 4 to 7, and then Wednesday, April 1st, 10 to 7, and Thursday, April 2nd, 10 to 2.

Great.

Okay.

Well, thank you, ladies, for being here.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you for the offer to you.

Thank you.

Next up, we have F2, a resolution approving the second amendment to the agreement between the city and BMS Cat to expand the scope of work for BMS CAT to provide additional sanitation services at Traffic Hannah Field and to increase the contract price in amount not to exceed 25,653.91.

Hi Beth.

We have a motion and a second.

Clara Q, please open the machine for voting.

Council members, please enter your votes.

Seeing that all present council members have voted, Clerk, please tally announce the vote.

F two passes unanimously with Councilmember Gybert being absent.

Thank you.

Thank you, Beth, for being here.

May I just take one point of privilege?

We do have a few members of the team here of the of team, so I just like to say thank you.

We have members of um Hennessy, uh Hennessey and Hunt Construction are here.

Um BMS Cat.

Um we have, and I would I would name them.

We have uh our engineering, Kat Corcoran from Engineering, and I just really wanted to take the opportunity.

The the facility will be ready for opening day, is ready.

The city's work is substantially complete thanks to the people who and uh who are here and uh Pete Karamatsanis are um owners' rep.

So I really just wanted to take a moment to say thank you to them and to all the city departments because there are many, many, many um who were involved in the repair work.

Thank you, Beth, for saying that.

And obviously, we approved it so quickly because the work has been done so great.

Because otherwise, then it wouldn't have been good if this were taken long.

But we you you did now get some people to actually say stuff.

So here we go.

Sorry, sorry, thank you.

No, no, you're good.

It's it's fine, but but a fast approval is a good thing.

Yes, that's all I wanted to say.

Council member Driscoll.

Thank you, Beth.

Thank you for for bringing this.

Um I met with Beth last week, took a walk around the trap.

It's looking great.

I'm so glad that the others are here so that I can thank all of you.

I can't believe we did it.

Not we.

I can't believe you got it done.

I mean, like it's just amazing.

The time, I didn't know if we were gonna be able to get it done on time, but you guys were so confident all the way.

And you know, this hasn't been easy for any of us.

But seeing it last week and seeing that the new ownership of the race has put in some investment too to make it a better fan experience.

Um, but looking at what the the city did with the help of our partners that that did the toughest work, um, I couldn't be more grateful.

And I'm so glad that we um are that we chose the partners that we did.

Um when you say Hennessy, when you say, you know, Pete, uh, then it's like, you know what?

We might actually be able to get this done.

And it's done.

And just Beth, thank you.

And I will be the best one of all.

I'm gonna say Raul Quintana, who is retired and is in California.

I asked him to be today.

He's to be here.

He's in California with his daughter and his granddaughter in California.

But Raul was one of the first people on on who brought these wonderful dome experienced consultants to the table.

And so just uh a tremendous amount of gratitude goes out to Raul.

Yes, yes.

Big thanks to him, and I'm glad he's there and not here.

So is he sure he's having a much better time?

But he knows who to call, and I couldn't be more grateful.

And Beth, you you are doing this on top of so many other things right now.

Um, I my admiration for you is just unending.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Gerdis.

Thank you, Chair, and yes, sorry, I was quick and on the move approval, but uh to chair's point, that's why.

But this is the second time now, Councilmember Driscoll has stolen half of what Beth, uh, first and foremost, just thank you so much for your leadership.

I really don't know what else to say other than that.

Just a massive thank you from all of us here and everybody that's gonna be able to get to enjoy that stadium over the next few years, and they wouldn't be able to do it without you.

And so thank you.

Uh, and and thank you for bringing up Raul.

Um the the you guys are uh a rock star team.

Uh very thankful for uh for Raul.

A con he was in constant communication, I know with all of us, but I'll just speak for me uh over the last year and a half, and just uh it really has been incredible.

I think I've I've toured it five or six times over the the 14 months, and to see the transformation is absolutely incredible.

I mean, my kids see it from the outside when we're on the interstate, and they talk about it, and then I'm like, yeah, you should see the inside.

Like that's the easy that not the easy part.

That's the easy part to see.

And so um, and then certain last but not least, certainly the teams at BMS and Hennessy, just so thankful for your partnership, and not just on this, right?

Like the the partnership across multiple projects uh throughout our city really is incredible, and uh just very thankful for that type of partnership with people we know we can rely on in a time like this and in normal times too, just to get the job done.

And so that's that's really important to us as well.

And so um just very thankful, and Beth, again, once once again, Councilmember Driscoll said it.

This is on top of everything else that you're doing.

And so um thank you for shepherding all of these projects.

And I do, I'm sorry, and audit and um uh I don't definitely want to say thank you to audit and to Blaze and his team at um risk management for all the work they're doing with FEMA and the insurance providers because we have yes, because we have um we have received um quite a bit, and they continue to work with both F or FEMA and FDEM and um our insurance providers to get even more reimbursement dollars.

Awesome.

Thank you very much.

Thank you again to everybody.

Thank you, madam chair.

Thank you.

Councilmember Harding.

Thank you, Chair.

Beth, I'll I will uh echo what has been said.

Um and I actually had a speech prepared for Roel.

Um but I think we've uh I was gonna talk about all the places that he should be today that we've talked about.

Um and I'm very happy for him and very proud of you and everyone sitting behind you and the what is hundreds, if not thousands of other people that uh that worked on this project that that has no that has no real predecessor, except for it it except for the project itself, which uh which um is what 40 some odd years old or however old it is.

So you guys reinvented all of this.

I don't think that most people appreciate that the that you've you've told us in the past that parts of this roof were made in Germany, assembled in China, and then brought to just the the the logistics alone are um are mind-numbing that you all were able to able to accomplish and to make sure that that um that it's all done by opening day, which um which which is absolutely monumental.

Um congratulations to you and the team.

I hope all of you and everyone sitting behind you will be there.

Um I hope we have a box reserved for uh for all the people that that moved this and um and we appreciate the the chance to share this with you and uh and congratulations.

And now you can get on to these 17 other projects that you have on your list.

Thank you.

It's probably more than 17.

Probably council member givens.

Thank you very much, Chair.

Uh, and congratulations to you, Beth, Raul, and to the entire team.

Uh you all did all the heavy lifting, and we appreciate you all for that.

Uh, I agree with Councilmember Harding.

I hope you all get the best seats in the house for the opening game.

Uh I did have one question.

Um, if you don't mind, Beth, just for transparency purposes and for those who are listening and may not be aware of what we're approving today.

Do you just kind of can you go into detail without going into too much detail of what the scope of work is that we're approving for that 25 million dollars?

Sure, absolutely.

So today's today's item is for 25.

Excuse me.

I apologize, thousands.

Misspoke.

Thank you.

Thank you.

No problem.

Smaller.

Thank you.

Yes, yes, yes.

We had an initial, so BMS Cat was our remediation provider, so they chased, collected, cleaned the water and and damaged drywall and all of those wonderful things for uh including the six inches we had on August 23rd, um, which we we remember not so fondly, but we got through it.

Um so the original agreement with BMS Cat was for 3.9 million.

There was a first amendment for 1.6 million.

I'm rounding, and then today I'm asking for a second amendment for about just under $26,000.

That's for some additional services that they did cleaning and things once the mechanical systems came on uh online.

And it's not extra money.

We had some savings in other areas, particularly in um uh our security uh that we had approved.

So we're just taking some of those funds and adding it with your approval to the BMS CAT contract, but it's not added to the budget.

And I appreciate you clarifying that you know a lot of times you have constituents who have questions, and so I appreciate you going on the record for that.

Um, I've stated it before, this is a city-owned asset that I think we have to protect and to preserve.

Um, regardless of what happens in the future with baseball, this is our asset, and so I thank you all so much for pouring all your hard work into making sure that we protect at Tropicana Field.

Uh, and I look forward to coming for opening day.

So thank you so much for all your hard work.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Well, Beth, like always, I mean already council member uh Gerta said what I was gonna say, Rockstar.

Okay, Rockstar team for sure over here.

Stand up, y'all.

Come on, come on.

Let's do this.

And that's also for Roe who's not present.

Uh that clap.

Um, but you know, there are lots of people that said, you know, there were naysayers.

Like, is it really gonna happen?

Especially when it's government that's involved sometimes.

Are they really gonna do it by the date?

Well, guess what?

You did.

So congratulations.

And honestly, Beth, you you really, I mean, I can't believe how many balls you have going on at the same time, and you're not dropping those balls.

You got this one, you knocked this one out of the park.

I had to I had to do a baseball analogy.

I had to do the baseball analogy.

Um, you knocked it out of the park.

Um, and I think you've done a great service to our city, and we are extremely appreciative, and that's why the votes happen so quickly.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Welcome.

Thank you again to this amazing team.

You're welcome.

Well, thank you all.

Okay.

Next up, we have F3.

We have a resolution approving the first amendment to the transportation disadvantage program agreement between the city and PSTA to increase the maximum annual subsidy from 175,000 to 250,000.

Hi, Evan, how are you doing?

Hi, good afternoon, counsel.

Uh Evan Moore, director of transportation uh and parking management.

And Tom Whalen is here, our regional um transportation coordinator, and some friends from PSDA are here as well, our partners in this.

Uh Amanda Barrett and Devin Deal are right behind me here.

Um so this partnership began about two and a half years ago, and uh based on prior use, the annual cost would have been 136,000.

But we knew that it would be popular, we knew that more people would join if we remove that financial barrier.

And so we budgeted 175,000 for future growth, and I'm happy to report that we're exceeding all expectations, and that's one reason why we're here today for an amendment is to ask for a funding supplement.

So what's the uh program due and who's it for?

So it's just for St.

Pete residents below 200% of the federal poverty poverty level.

Qualify for entirely free transit on all PSTA routes.

Uh 10-day pass would normally cost five dollars.

We bring that down to zero uh unlimited monthly pass 11.

We bring that down to zero.

So why would we make make this commitment?

Well, one reason is it's right in our comprehensive plan.

And um, you know, the price reduction, even though the state pays for most of the cost, there's still a barrier, and that's proven with the numbers that we've seen.

So once we have removed that barrier down to zero, the numbers have gone gone well.

Uh increased significantly.

Here's a map of uh by zip code users across all of Pinellas County of the TD program.

And this is actually before the program began.

We weren't able to do a new map, but when we are able to do uh get a new map from Ford Pinellas, you'll see even darker colors in St.

Petersburg because of the way that this has expanded.

But uh as it has been, you can see that the majority of folks who use this are St.

Pete residents within Pinellas County.

So besides the state funding and the city funding that I mentioned, the Pinellas County Health Department does provide a subsidy for their customers.

So in that case, where we also have Pinellas County involved, the city subsidy is only six dollars per month.

And then in the bottom uh on this chart, you can see the growth over the years.

So in the first fiscal year, it actually didn't grow very much.

It took a little while for a word to get out.

But then in FY25, we saw uh substantial increase.

And so far in FY26, only four months in again, a big increase.

So what we saw from FY24 to FY26 is about a 58% increase in use.

So with that, I'd be happy to take any questions.

And I will point out that this is one of those transit investments where uh the transportation and parking management department has an enterprise component, general fund component, and we're utilizing some of that enterprise to pay for uh transit-related activities so that we're not taking away from the general fund.

And uh this is another one of those examples.

So second.

We have a motion and a second.

Councilmember Driscoll.

Thank you.

I have a question about ridership.

So I'm not sure if that would be you, but I'd love to hear from our friends at PSCA.

It's great to see you.

I miss seeing you uh twice a month, but glad you're here today.

Um the increase in use of the passes.

Are you noticing an increase in writership, or is it that more current writers are signing on for the TD program?

A little bit of both.

Um in February, we saw just over 2,000 rides from those uh with 80,000, excuse me, 80,000 rides, 2,000 passes.

Um we are seeing increases both on utilization of existing passes as well as enrollment.

So okay, great.

My my hope is that offering this will help more people be able to use the bus for transportation and not just help those who are already using it, but get more people.

Absolutely.

This um this cap increase would um effectively allow the city to subsidize a um about 500 more individuals per year.

Um that's 12 months of bus passes, which for each of those individuals is about a thousand dollars that if they weren't part of the TD program, they would have to pay out of pocket full retail for their transportation costs.

Yes, and for each of those individuals, it can mean a better job.

Absolutely a way to get to a way to get to school, a way to get to the grocery store to the doctor's appointments.

That is money well spent.

So thank you, and thank you for your continued partnership with our city.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Councilmember Givens.

Thank you.

This question's probably for Evan.

Um, Evan, how are we pushing and promoting the program currently?

Um, most of the promotion actually, so I I'll uh phone a friend again here.

And um most of the promotion is I think on the PSDA side, but we have worked with the marketing department.

The other thing that we're doing is um we're cross-marketing between the access to our scooter share program and and this, trying to make sure everybody that does the access for scooter share knows about PSTA, and everybody that's on this knows about the scooter.

So we have the bus system and then the scooters uh and bikes could be part of the first mile, last mile um solution there.

We've done some pushes in the past.

I think you'll see something come out about this program uh from the city after if uh council hopefully approves it this afternoon.

So we'll we'll have another push today or tomorrow uh on getting the word out.

I appreciate it.

And and I look forward, were you gonna say something?

Go ahead.

Um I was just gonna say I am the director of communications and marketing for PSTA, so you happened to have the right person available on the PSTA side.

Um, talk about what we're doing to promote the program.

We are working directly with schools and nonprofit organizations who serve those populations.

Um there was uh talk about Ready for Life earlier, that's one of our partners, directions for Living.

Um, we've worked with a large number of organizations in the community to get the word out about the program, not only to their customers directly holding outreach events at those locations, but also doing train the trainer programs.

Um, so that those case managers and staff of those organizations are directly trained on our application process and qualification process and can help their clients get enrolled in the program.

That is awesome news, and that's what I was actually hinting at is seeing an expansion of services or collaboration with our our nonprofit partners.

I'm thinking about uh Metropolitan Ministries, family support services, Lutheran Family Services, even our faith-based partners, right?

That may be providing those wraparound services to services, excuse me, to the community.

How can we better inform them?

I believe people perish from a lack of knowledge, and a lot of time people don't even know about the disadvantaged program when I'm out in the community promoting it.

So I look forward to seeing a heightened partnership and collaboration between the city's marketing department.

I look at our social media page.

I think that's a great opportunity and outlet for us to reach the masses.

Uh so thank you for what you do.

We really appreciate this.

And this is exciting.

500 more people will be served, at least a thousand dollars a year.

You are saving the actual uh excuse me, the average taxpayer.

So I really appreciate this.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

Thank you all for everything you do.

Thank you, Evan.

Uh, we have a motion and a second.

Well, no, we don't have do we have we have yeah, we do.

We have a motion second.

Okay, clerk, please open the machine for voting.

Council members, please enter your votes.

Seeing that all present council members have voted, clerk, please tally announce a vote.

Madam Chair, motion to approve agenda.

Free passes unanimously with council member gabbard being absent.

Great.

Thank you.

Thank you all for being here.

Okay.

Next up, we have new business.

G1 is a referral to H L U T.

It's a staff request.

Vice Chair Floyd, pass it to you.

Thank you.

Uh I'm respectfully requesting a referral to the housing land use and transportation committee or other relevant committee for a review of the draft findings and recommendations for the connecting South St.

Petersburg CRA mobility study.

So staff request, I'll move approval.

We have a motion and a second.

Clerk, if you can open the machine for voting, council members, please enter your votes.

Mike.

Seeing that all present council members have voted, clerk's please tally announced to vote.

Madam Chair, motion to approve a joint.

G1 passes unanimously with Council Member Gabbard being absent.

Thank you.

We have next up is G2 is a referral to a PSI.

Councilmember Driscoll.

Thank you.

This new business item respectfully requests a referral to the public services and infrastructure committee or other relevant committee for a discussion on creating a vessel exclusion zone within the lagoon at Kokina Key Park.

Um this could also be um sent depending on what this schedule looks like for everybody.

It doesn't necessarily have to be PS and I, it could be hers because it's an environmental issue, and it could be HLUT because it's about kayaks and canoes, and that my friend is transportation.

Well, I will say as PS PSNI is pretty packed.

Well, so I don't know how the other committees are looking.

Yeah, how quick hers.

I well, uh council member gavers and her uh Cheryl Stacks is working with me on this as well, so that makes so it could be transportation related.

Okay.

Um but I I um I don't have a I mean this isn't something that my next item has a is time sensitive.

This one is not so much, except that people really want to see this happen.

So um if we could send it to H L U T and it could be heard sometime soon.

Uh HLUT, uh it might have have to be a couple of months for H L U T, I think.

Um we we've got our next two meetings planned already, and they're quite packed agendas, but after that would be a possibility, depending on uh if that's still the fastest route possible.

Does any I don't know if what how hers is looking?

Yeah, I don't know either.

Um, if somebody has any information on hers, that would be helpful.

But this is a referral to PS and I or any relevant committee, so it should be fine.

Although it didn't say in the item, you did say that that's gonna be that's the motion.

Yeah, usually usually it's the the committee is determined at the time that the new business item is read.

Um I would I could maybe chime in with one thing.

I agree, Councilmember Driscoll that typically that's the case, it doesn't mean it absolutely has to be though.

So if it was the will of the body to say, you could even theoretically say as between H L U T, HERS, whatever other committee you wanted to identify, the first available agenda.

You could phrase it that way in your motion if you chose to, and then the chair Jeannie could work with the check with the chairs of the various committees, and it just goes as long as that's okay with everybody, it just goes on whichever committee meeting can first hear it.

Then I'll keep the reading the reading of this as it is with a specific committee to be determined based on availability.

Okay, and I'll move approval.

Second of a motion and second, Councilmember Gurtis.

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Um, and I thought this was about one thing, and then you said kayaks and canoes.

Could you just council member Driscoll, Madam Chair, if it's okay?

Could you give a little bit of background to this?

Because I I honestly thought this would be about mooring.

No in Kokina Key Lagoon.

And so um, which makes total sense.

But if you could give a little background on the canoeing and kayaking, that would be super helpful.

I'm certainly not against the conversation, just looking for some context.

I wish it was about mooring, but I don't have enough time left on city council to take up mooring.

So I'm gonna do this.

Um this particular lagoon area is very popular for kayaking and canoeing, and it's a very there's a very small opening into Big Bayou and Tampa Bay from there, and it's a perfect spot for um, and there used to be more like Boy Scout troops that would go out and learn how to kayak or canoe, um water safety, that kind of stuff.

Um we want to make it more inviting for that and more welcoming and safer for that.

Having motorized vessels mixed in with that does create a safety issue.

Um because it's such a small all almost enclosed area, it seems to pass um initial legal observation that we wouldn't be going up against any state laws regarding voters' rights by doing this.

So my so my goal is for to establish kind of a kayak and canoe um trailway, if you will.

So think about a really mini version of Wheaton Island.

So it's the exclusion of motorized vessels is what you're looking for.

Yes.

Okay.

My water brain went to all vessels, and so that's why I was looking for some comments.

No, it's really just um addressing the motorized so that the non-motorized can can um operate safely.

Thank you very much.

Thank you, Chair.

Yeah, and I look forward to talking about it much more in whatever committee it lands in.

Okay, we have a motion and a second clerk.

If you can open the machine for voting, council members, please enter your votes.

Seeing that all present council members have voted, clerk please tally announce a vote.

Madam Chair was you to approve a genetic two passes unanimously with Council Member Garrett being absent.

Okay.

Next up, we move to G3.

It's also Councilmember Driscoll's.

Thank you.

For this item, I'm respectfully requesting a referral to the public services and infrastructure committee for discussion on the designation of the city of St.

Petersburg as a bird sanctuary in accordance with Florida Administrative Code Rule 68A-19.002.

Um, the reasoning, the the main reason behind this is that as our city grows, we're losing habitat for our birds, and St.

Petersburg is actually home to some um quite uncommon birds.

And this is something that um quite a few, like dozens of other cities in Florida have established, large and small, and it creates more protection for those birds and um actually for people as well.

But it's just a a really great way as a growing city for us to make sure that we're taking care of nature along the way.

I look forward to the conversation.

This one actually is time sensitive because of the process.

This one um requires an approval by the um FWC.

And they make these approvals in January and July.

And I would very much like this to be in their hands by July.

I don't know if Sarah, if you want to add anything to this part of it, because it's just it's not as easy of a process as us just going to committee and then doing a public hearing.

So there's three steps to the process, and the process is um quite old, so there aren't a lot of examples of cities doing it recently because a lot of the ones that implemented their ordinances before this process was being utilized.

So there aren't a ton of examples to work off of, but the way that the administrative code lays it out, um, it's three steps.

The first one is a local governmental body with jurisdiction over an area, so over a city, which would be like city council in this instance, submits a written request um to create a bird sanctuary to fish in wildlife, and they also have to uh have a resolution saying that they're taking on responsibility for enforcement of that sanctuary, so that would be like signage, telling law enforcement this is a bird sanctuary.

Um, and then step two is after receiving that request, the commission investigates um what they say is to ensure the tract of land under consideration is sufficiently developed as to preclude recreational hunting in the interest of safety, and that its closure will not result in a denial of reasonable and lawful hunting opportunity.

So they're looking to see is the city developed enough that it makes sense that people should not be able to hunt in this area.

Is it a safety concern?

Is that gonna counteract anyone's riots and abilities to hunt?

And then the third step, like council member Driscoll mentioned, is that action of the commission is taken on evaluating that at the January and July meetings.

So those are the two days that they could evaluate it.

If we don't get it to them until July, they may not have time to do that staff review for step two.

Um so that's where the time sensitivity piece comes in.

I don't feel like this is an extremely complicated issue.

Um I don't think it's going to take up a whole lot of time.

It's really just being able to get that request letter in.

So the only thing I'm gonna say in terms of PSI, and I check with Janie.

We're really backed up, like we have a lot of items.

Hers is more open.

You're in you're on hers.

If you want to put it on, you know, like the last one, put it open and see where we can get it in faster.

Because of the time-sensitive nature.

Would that work?

That's fine.

I think yeah.

It's a great fit for hers as well.

Yeah.

And I think you may be able to get it on hers quicker.

But we could do both like we did in the last one, and then to see where we can get it in quicker.

Okay, well, I'll amend this and um to um read that it is requesting a referral to the health energy resilience and sustainability committee for a discussion on the designation of the city as a bird sanctuary in accordance with Florida Administrative Code.

And I move approval.

Okay, motion of second, count and no other speakers.

Clerk, you please open for voting.

Council members, please enter your votes.

Seeing that all present council members have voted, clerk, please tally announce the vote.

With council member Gabber being absent.

Great, thank you.

We move on to council committee reports.

H2, the February 26th, 2026, EWD action item.

Councilmember Driscoll.

Thanks.

One second while I get to that page.

All right, so this is in regards to our February 26th meeting.

We had an action item which was um uh sent for city council, and um we are respectfully requesting city council approval of a request for our administration to support the grant proposals for the economic development agency and the Pinellas County Employment sites.

Um, both of those grants, along with the St.

Petersburg Innovation District and the St.

Petersburg Downtown Partnership, providing technical assistance and support to the city for these grant applications.

And this is relation to the hub two project at the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub.

And I'll move approval.

Second.

You have a motion and a second.

Clerk, if you can open the machine for voting, council members, please enter your votes, seeing that all present council members have voted.

Clerk, please tally announce the vote.

Next up we have H3, the March 12th, 2026 Cow Action Item, which is mine, respectfully requesting city council approval of a resolution appointing Mark Vigiano and David Harbiter Bitner to the community benefits advisory council standing committee.

We have a motion and a second.

Clerk, if you can open the machine for voting, council members, please enter your votes.

Seeing that all present council members have voted, clerk, please tally announce the vote.

Thank you.

And I just want to thank every council member at the Cal.

It was done really well.

We went through that, like I I thought it was just everyone did a great job.

Um, and we have selected two great people for that committee.

So I'm very for the council.

I'm very excited about that.

Okay.

I think we are gonna have a little break before 501 when we have public hearings and quasi judicial proceedings at this time.

We are adjourned.

Thank you, everyone.

Thank you, Chair, and the city.

But that's probably a fairly problem.

Oh, I think it's a good one.

Yeah.

City Council meeting March 26, 2026 is reconvening.

We're starting with public hearings and quasi judicial proceedings.

The first up we have is J1 and J2, which can take in together.

Move approval, J1, J2.

Second.

Have a motion and a second.

Hi Joe.

Clerk, you please open the machine for voting.

Council members, please enter your votes.

Seeing that all present council members have voted.

Clerk, please tally announce the votes.

Passes unanimously, with Councilmember Garbert being absent.

Thank you.

Thank you, Joe, for being here.

We move on to J three, an ordinance amending the official zoning map by changing the zoning of a three point eight four acre parcel located at 7701 22nd Avenue North, the science center from neighborhood suburban one, and S one to institutional center slash institutional.

I see that one.

This is quasi judicial.

Anyone wishing to speak on this item must fill out a yellow card and provide it to the city clerk, and all speakers must be sworn in before presenting testimony.

The procedures for quasi judicial proceedings can be found on the yellow sheet attached to the printed agendas for if viewing digitally pages 14 through 15 of the council agenda.

Clerk, can you please swear in all parties and speakers, including city staff?

So if you're a party or speaker, please stand up to be sworn in.

Oh, I'm sorry, this is the wrong one.

No.

Okay.

Parcel located at 7701 22nd Avenue North from neighborhood suburban dash one.

Thank you, Clerk.

We'll now move on to presentations.

Each party will have 10 minutes for their presentation.

And we will begin with the city staff's presentation.

Um Britton Wilson for the record presenting an amendment to the official zoning atlas for a 3.84-acre site, which is home to the Science Center, located at 7701 22nd Avenue North.

Surrounding uses starting on the top right is the city's Northwest Water Reclamation Facility.

And then south of 22nd Avenue North is the Azalea single family neighborhood, followed by the Jungle Prada neighborhood.

Then the Zalea Middle School is directly west of the site, and then Walter Fuller City Park is on the north side of 26th Avenue North.

This is a this is a zoning map showing the subject site as designated neighborhood suburban or NS1, which is proposed for amendment to Institutional Center Institutional or ICI, which will allow for the revitalization of the Science Center and to accommodate education, assembly, and indoor and outdoor museum activities that aren't currently allowed under the single family zoning of NS1.

So this slide shows the overall change in development potential from the existing NS single family zoning that would allow a total of 29 dwelling units, and where the proposed zoning would allow for 48 accessory dwelling units with an increased FAR from 0.35 to 0.55, and both with the same allowed height of 36 feet.

However, all parcels over two acres are eligible to follow the large tract plan development process, where when large buffers of 75 feet or more are used, building heights could reach as high as 72 feet.

So with both the existing and the proposed zoning district, a 72-foot high building could potentially be built after obtaining approval from the development review commission or DRC.

So as noted in the staff report, the proposed amendment is consistent with many policies of a comprehensive plan, such as supporting a logical and compatible land use transition, and is consistent with the established surrounding neighborhood that is a mix of institutional and residential uses.

Staff was contacted by two residents.

One was a letter of concern from a neighbor about building height compromising backyard privacy and a phone call that expressed concern regarding the lack of formal historic designation of the site.

And both staff and the applicant reached out to these residents and discussed their concerns and ways to address them during the site plan review process.

And with that, uh staff recommends a finding of consistency with a comprehensive plan and recommends approval of the proposed rezoning from neighborhood suburban to institutional center as it allows for the revitalization of the former science center, which is consistent with the surrounding neighborhood.

And that completes my presentation.

Staff and I believe the applicant is here to answer any questions you may have.

Thank you.

Does the applicant have a presentation?

Can you please speak at the podium so that way it's clear for the record?

Thank you.

That's all right.

Hello, Sean Williams, uh Carbon Design and Architecture.

I'm the architect for the project, and we don't have a presentation at this time.

Thank you.

Is there a registered opponent for this item?

Staff?

There isn't.

Okay.

We'll now take public comment.

Clerk, do we have any cards?

We do not.

This concludes the public comment portion of this proceeding.

Now it's cross-examination that I still have to ask, even though there's not an opponent.

So everyone understands thank you.

Now we will move into cross-examination.

Each party will have five minutes for cross-examination.

Staff, would you like to cross-examine?

Staff waves, thank you.

As there is no registered opponent, does the applicant wish to cross-examine?

The applicant waves.

The applicant waves.

Okay, we go to the closing arguments.

Now we have to move on to closing arguments or rebuttal.

Each party will have five minutes to provide a closing argument or rebuttal.

Staff any closing argument or a vital.

No, ma'am.

As there is no registered appointment.

Does the applicant have any closing arguments or rebuttal?

He does not.

He does not.

Thank you.

The quasi judicial proceeding is now closed, and we will move into executive session.

Approval.

We have a motion.

Second.

And a second.

Council Member Driscoll.

Thank you.

There was one letter that was received by a neighboring resident with some concerns that really weren't related to the zoning.

But there were some concerns about the project itself.

And so even though it doesn't really apply here, I do hope that either city staff or the applicant or both will be in contact with that resident to work through the concerns that they have in the future.

Absolutely.

All right.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you.

We have a motion and a second.

Clerk, you please open the machine for voting.

Council members, please enter your votes.

Seeing that all present council members have voted.

Clerk, please tally announce vote.

Madam Chair, motion to approve a genetic J 3 passes unanimously with Councilmember Garber being absent.

Thank you, and thank you, Britain, for being here and everyone for that was here for J 3.

Now we move on to J 4, which is an appeal to DRC's approval of the site plan to construct a 21-story building in the 400 block of Fifth Avenue North.

This item is quasi-judicial.

Anyone wishing to speak on this item must fill out a yellow card and provide it to the clerk of the city clerk.

And all speakers must be sworn in for this item before presenting testimony.

The procedures for quasi judicial proceedings can be found on the yellow sheet attached to the printed agendas or a viewing digitally.

Clerk, can you please swear in all parties and speakers, including staff?

So I would figure that pretty much everyone in the room here stands up, please.

Because you're probably going to speak.

And if you are planning to speak, you stand up and you get sworn.

Can you swear or affirm that we have it if you're about to move to the whole person about the truth?

Thank you.

We will now move to presentations.

Each party will have 10 minutes for their presentation, and we will begin with city staff's presentation.

Next, we will have applicants' presentation.

And then its opponent's presentation.

So we will start with City Staff.

All right, thank you so much.

Adriana Puente Shaw, Urban Design Development Coordinator for the City of St.

Pete.

The subject property is generally located at 434 4th Street North and 432, 442, 450, and 466 Fifth Avenue North.

These parcels are currently developed with surface parking lots and various multifamily buildings.

The subject property is within the downtown St.

Pete National Register Historic District.

The downtown St.

Pete National Historic Registered District is established in 2004 and includes diverse collection of buildings constructed between 19, sorry, 1888 and 1954.

Of the 10 parcels being redeveloped, five are considered contributing.

While the designation acknowledges the area's historic significance, it does not impose restrictions on property use.

This is a survey of the existing property showing the structures as well as the surface parking areas.

And these are some of the structures that are existing on site.

As well as structures adjacent to the property.

The proposed development consists of 21-story building with 370 dwelling units, including 3,819 square foot ground floor commercial space and a 485-space parking garage.

Based on the project breakdown provided by the applicant, the minimum required parking by code would be 254 spaces.

The project massing has been designed with sensitivity to the nearby potential eligible historic church surrounding neighborhoods.

The main tower is strategically positioned at the northeast corner of the pro of the property to maximize its distance from the church.

Residential units, a double height lobby, commercial spaces will wrap the first two levels of the structured parking garage on northeast and west facades of the building.

The use of the podium paired with transparency, open areas aims to produce to enhance a pedestrian experience.

Residential, indoor and outdoor amenities will be restricted to the amenity deck, which is located above the parking garage.

And the remaining floors will be devoted solely to residential units.

Vehicular access will be from Fifth Street North, the existing East West Alley that is south of the proposed building.

The development review commission, also referred to as the DRC, heard the subject site plan application at the January 7, 2026 hearing.

After hearing testimony from staff, the agent, the registered opponent, and members of the public, DRC made one motion.

The motion was to approve the site plan, and the motion passed with a vote of four to one.

A copy of the DRC staff report for case number 2531007 and the results letter along with the vote record were included in exhibit A.

An appeal was filed by Preserve the Berg on January 20th, 2026.

Person to City Code appeals require the supermajority vote of city council to overturn the DRC's decision with a standard review for appeal as de novo, which means that the city council may hear new evidence and may substitute its judgment for that of the DRC.

City Council may decide to retain, eliminate, or further amend any of the conditions of approval.

Adding new conditions of the approval is also permissible, but the burden of proof of the appeal is on the appellant.

It is the responsibility of council to evaluate the weight of this criteria in making their determination.

Staff has reviewed the grounds for appeals set forth in the appeal letter.

We will now state the appellants' grounds for appeal and as well as provide staff's response.

The appellant states that the project has inconsistencies with several of the comprehensive plan sections.

Staff finds that the comprehensive plan is a broad document that covers many subject areas or elements that address numerous issues through the system of goals, objectives, and policies.

It is recognized in the plan that there are competing policies and that staff has the discretion to interpret the plan as it relates to a particular project or development in a matter that would max maximize the consistency with the plan.

In the memo, staff identified several objectives and policies demonstrating that the proposed multifamily use is consistent with the comp plan.

Appellant states that inconsistencies with St.

Pete 2050 policies.

Staff finds that the St.

P 2050 plan does not address specific uses, land uses.

Rather, it's a broad visioning document that outlines 10 priority community themes.

These themes are identified to help making future decisions and guide the plans for the city's programs and services throughout the next 30 years.

The St.

P 2050 plan theme of community character and growth identifies downtown as an area for redevelopment and future growth.

Appellant states inconsistency with development standards providing opposition to the massing and the height of the proposed development with concerns to how it will impact surrounding developments and neighborhoods.

Staff reviewed the subject property, which is located in downtown Center 2, also known as DC2 zoning district.

This district provides for intense residential development that still allows for a mixture of uses that enhance and support the core of the surrounding neighborhoods.

Heights in this district begin to taper down from those in the core of downtown, and the development sites transition to other corridor districts as well as the neighborhoods.

However, the setbacks within this district still apply, creating a pedestrian scale environment at the sidewalk level.

The proposed building sorry, the proposed building setback at grade along Fifth Avenue is zero feet to 10 feet.

The portion of the building at zero foot setback does not exceed more than half the block.

The setback along 4th Street also provides relief as the proposed setback at grade is 10 feet.

Portions of the building above 62 feet meet the minimum setback and the required distance between buildings.

As proposed, the project meets or exceeds all standards for development on this site.

The following design features were incorporated by the applicant into the project to address pedestrian scale.

They place the building close to the property line, defining a street edge.

Parking is concealed from view, storm windows, and large glass entries were incorporated at the ground floor.

Street scrape improvements, including a white sideboard, decorated hardscape as well as landscaping, and the integration of overhangs and decorative arches and vertical changes in the facade.

There are multiple examples of projects built in DC 2 and DC 1, west of MLK that require the same setback and distance between the buildings and subject property that have building height at least 60 feet and have a majority of the building extending the length of the street along the property lines.

There was a chart provided in the memo with a list of these properties.

The subject property is also within the in town activity center.

The in town activity center was established by city to encourage urban development with significant higher intensity and density than other parts of the city.

The maximum building height for the subject property is 200 feet, but the applicant qualifies for an additional height of 12 feet due to the fact that there's 50% of the first floors being devoted to parking.

Allowable height map from DC section of the code is shown here for reference and provides further illustration of the tapering of the heights within these district.

Allowable heights in this district taper from the core and transition to the surrounding corridors and neighborhoods, the tallest area being the orange and blue zones, followed by magenta zones, then green zone, and ending with the beige zone.

The subject site has a base height of 125 feet.

The block immediately to the south, also zone DC2, which is adjacent to the Mirror Lake Local Historic District, has a base height of 300 feet.

The character of dynamic and changing areas such as the in town activity center cannot be narrowly defined by selected few existing buildings immediately surrounding a particular development.

Staff asserts that the appropriate context for this review and for this development is broader and encompassing downtown more generally and DC2 in home.

The applicant states that the user has only agreed.

Sorry, the appellant states that the applicant has only agreed to point five FAR towards historic TDR bonus.

The projects in DC district may utilize bonuses to receive greater development rights.

Per city code, this property has a contributing resource to a local historic district or a national register or historic place district.

Then the which requires the first point five bonus to be dedicated towards historic preservation, and the following additional 1.0 bonus shall be towards workforce housing.

The demolition of the appellant states that the demolition of the contributing structures will be weakened the overall integrity of the downtown national register storage district.

In the memorandum, staff detailed analysis that was prepared by Derrick Kilborn planning director.

The memo states that existing buildings include 33 multifamily dwelling units and 41 licensed beds in a residential equivalent use.

During testimony, the DRC public hearing, Mr.

Kilmourne was asked to confirm whether this proposal would demolish more contributing structures than any other development constructed or approved in recent years.

Mr.

Kilborn has since confirmed that this is accurate.

Redevelopments at 200 Mirror Lake Drive consisted of five buildings and at 443rd Avenue North consisted of four buildings.

All right to the DRC hearing, staff received email requests and additional information.

Staff also received several emails in opposition and support, and two registered opponents.

Emails were attached to the DRC report as exhibit A.

After the DRC hearing, staff received additional emails in opposition, which are provided for distribution.

Planning staff recommends that city council deny the appeal there by upholding the decision of the DRC and approving the site plan subject to the special conditions of approval.

Thank you.

This concludes my presentation.

Thank you.

I was three, two, one.

I've been I've been practicing time.

Congratulations.

I know it was a lot.

I'm sorry, everybody.

And look, I speak fast.

I'm Hispanic, so when I speak in English, I speak as fast as I do when I speak in Spanish.

So I speak Spanish too.

I figured.

That's my theme.

Yeah, sorry.

Thank you very much.

Next we'll have applicant presentation.

The rules call for the appellant to go first.

This is what I have here.

D double check.

It's generally applicant when we're doing regular quasi-judicial, but because the actual applicant here is the appellant in a way because they filed the appeal.

So appellant.

And then we'll do property owner.

You're right.

This is just my cheat sheet that I have to say.

And if I don't say it, then I get in trouble.

So I said what it said.

But it's appellate.

So there you go.

So appellate.

And just a reminder: anyone that's arriving late is gonna have to be sworn in if you're speaking, and we will do that before public comment, just in case I forget.

Thank you.

I don't know where I'm pointing this.

So let's see if you can do it within the 10 minutes, like she did.

My name is Manny Latezo, I'm the executive director of Preserve the Burg.

I want to thank you for hearing this appeal.

I know this is kind of over time for you guys, so uh, we do appreciate your attention to the matter.

Uh, my colleague Peter Belmont will be presenting this case, but I think what you will see is that the argument is deeply rooted in code.

Uh, this project is incompatible in mass and scale.

It does not taper, it demolishes more historic resources than we have seen in recent memory.

And by the way, it's also overparked by about 50% per code.

Preserve the Berg is happy to support compatible in-fill development.

We have supported a number of projects uh in downtown St.

Pete and in other neighborhoods.

We are very happy to support these sites being redeveloped in a sensible, thoughtful manner.

In the last few years, here's just a few of the projects that we were more than happy to lend our support for.

And we want to be judicious in our time before you.

So looking at the downtown development guide over the last year or two, we see about 68 projects that are under development or under construction.

Preserve the burg has officially appealed three of them.

That's including uh our time here today.

We have not been before council on an appeal since 2019.

Um, so I'm gonna turn things over to uh Peter to walk you through the rest of the case.

Thank you.

Thank you.

I also am going to be speaking fast because there's a lot to cover.

You actually have three options.

You may not realize that uh to continue the case is an option, and if you need more information or input from the DRC, yep, that's an option.

So a good place to start is the development review process.

And the importance here is that when you get bigger, there's more review.

And so smaller projects are not subject to the site plan review criteria, but the bigger projects are.

The significance for you is with embedded within those site plan review criteria are the neighborhood compatibility standards, and that's what's really at issue today.

Why do we have neighborhood compatibility review?

I would suggest it makes common sense and to me it goes back a long time.

And what I mean for a long time is back in the 70s, and yep, in the 70s, I was here before you then too.

But back in the 70s, there was a comprehensive planning effort undertaken, and it was recognized then that it was a good idea to have big development, intense development downtown.

It was true then, it's true today.

But it was also understood that biggest is not always best.

And there has to be some process, some pathway to say for particular locations in town town, we need to temper biggest by something else, something less intense.

How do you do that?

These are your rules to do that by.

These are what we refer to as the compatibility review criteria that are embedded within the site plan review criteria.

As you can see, they give you broad authority, broad discretion to basically look at how does the building fit within its surroundings?

What is the context?

And if it's basically too big, too massive, it doesn't really fit, you can say no.

What do we talk about when it's compatible?

The comp plan tells you this is the comp plan definition, compatible, not having significant adverse impact, limited variation from adjacent uses in net density, et cetera.

So those are the rules.

I think it's clear that when you apply those rules and think about is biggest best in this location, the answer is clearly no.

It's not compatible.

Not compatible with the neighborhood across the street.

Tapering.

Staff mentioned there's a tapering requirement.

It's unique to DC2 where the pelican is located.

So you have the maximum height that the Pelican go to, and that's what it's reaching for.

But what you see on the screen is the requirement in DC2 that buildings also have to taper down.

I don't think there's a lot of argument what taper means.

Use your common sense, use the dictionary.

What I came up with when I looked at the dictionary is what you see on the screen to become progressively smaller, to diminish gradually.

I don't think that's what you see with the pelican.

The code has a maximum building height map.

Staff seems to think this is the taper map, but it is what you see before you.

The comp plan has a number of policies that are applicable that one would have to question how does this project meet.

I want you to pay particular attention to the top one because naturally occurring affordable housing or NOAA is an issue today.

We're never going to answer the affordability crisis without using our existing housing stock that's affordable.

The city recognized that in the comp plan, and it said we're going to protect that housing stock, and how are we going to do it?

We are going to discourage demolition of national register of properties.

And so here we are, that you're being asked to approve to demolish all of them at the Pelican site.

And by the way, again, it's 74 beds or units of naturally occurring affordable housing that are there.

I challenge you to think of a development that's going to knock down more downtown.

Parking is Manny briefly mentioned.

There's a lot of parking being provided, 485 spaces.

When the project went to the DRC, the DRC was told most of that is required.

The DRC was told 370 of those 485 spaces are code required parking.

We had a lot of problem with that.

We couldn't quite figure it out.

We asked staff about it a couple times, and finally, post-DRC, staff came back to us and said, you know, actually, only 254 spaces are needed.

And so the DRC never had the right numbers about parking.

And I would suggest to you it matters because parking is part of the mass problem.

The more parking there is, the bigger that massive parking garage is.

And if there was an option not to require it, maybe things would be different.

The DRC decision.

I respect the DRC.

I do a lot of participation, particularly with the CPPC.

Our commissioners work hard.

But I want you to understand the context of what happened because you have in your backup material minutes from January but not minutes from September.

It first went to the DRC in September, and basically it was continued because the handwriting was on the wall, on the wall for what?

That it was going to be denied.

And how do I know that?

Because after the public comments were taken, after the commissioner spoke, the chair said to the applicant, would you like to continue the case and perhaps speak with staff about making some changes?

And so it was continued.

Comes back in January, it's approved.

It has prettier pictures, but no changes in the massing and scale of the project, and it's approved.

But when you add up all the commissioners who have voted on it, there are eight in total.

We know four voted for it.

We know one voted against it, and we know three more are about to vote against it before it was continued.

So just for your information and context of that decision, it was closer to four to four.

Can you say no based upon the compatibility criteria?

Yes, you can because the court tells us you can.

And so back in 2008, there was a court case, and it was the direct issue that we're talking about today on appeal before the court.

The developer said, Oh my gosh, I meet the FAR standards, oh my gosh, I meet the height standards, but you said no.

How can you do that?

You're telling me it's not compatible.

I'm going to challenge you in court.

And the court said, City Council, you're right, you get to do that.

One important factor that the staff, I think, was a bit incorrect on.

What is the focus of the compatibility review?

It is the surrounding neighborhood.

It is not downtown as a whole or the entire zoning district.

That's what the city explained to the court.

This is an example of compatibility in action.

This was a DRC matter two years ago.

It started big, it ended up much smaller when the compatibility standards were applied.

We're asking you to do that through this project.

So thank you and please approve our appeal.

Thank you.

Next, we will have the applicant.

Good afternoon.

Yes.

My name is Don Master.

My address is 200 Central Avenue.

I've been sworn in.

I represent the applicant in this matter, and it might not surprise you.

I disagree with most of what Peter has said.

He's distorted many things that he said.

But the preserve the Berg states the proposed buildings are of greater intensity than any other building on Fifth Avenue built under the current code.

I don't care what code it was was built under.

There's a building at 400 Beach Drive on Fifth Avenue that's 29 stories and it's been there forever, and it's across the street from a two-story older home, and it's across the street from the historical Northeast neighborhood.

And no problems have developed from that.

It also feels that 100 fifteen, excuse me, the parking ratio is 1.15 spaces per unit.

I don't think that's too much.

And preserve the Berg says that the LDRs are inconsistent with a number of comp plan provisions.

But Professor the Berg does not think tall buildings are compatible with shorter buildings.

Well, that the uh that's just not so, and we will deal with that in a minute.

The application is a no-variance application, which means it complies with all of the LDRs.

If the position of the preserve the burg is correct, it means all the buildings which have been approved in the DC districts are not consistent with the comp plan, and we all know that's not true or correct.

In Preserve the Berg stated many comp plan provisions, which he says are inconsistent with this application.

He failed to mention LU 23.3, and I'm going to read it to you.

And it states the city's LDR shall continue to support greater development intensity within the corridor and the center zoning districts, particularly where located along fixed transit lines and around transit stops and transit stations.

This project is located in a center zoning district.

It's located along fixed transit lines on both 4th Street and Fifth Avenue, and the DC two LDRs are entirely consistent with the comp plan, in spite of what has been said.

Now I'd like to speak to the project, this project, which staff has recommended approval, and the DRC approves.

This project satisfies all the standards of review for site plan set forth in the code, and on pages 5 through 8 of the staff report to the DC DRC that confirms the standards are met.

The use is consistent with the comp plan.

The property is designated Central Business District and Intown Activity Center in the city's companies.

These designations permit the highest intensity development within the city, along with a range of various uses, including those proposed for the project.

Now I'll speak to Criterion 14.

There is one local landmark, Trinity Luke and Lutheran Church, located at 467 Fourth Avenue North, and it's within 200 feet of the property.

The church is located south of the property and is separated from the church by 75 feet across an alley and a surface parking lot, and also a three-story non-designated building.

The church faces Fourth Avenue North and Fifth Street North, with the proposed project being adjacent to and facing the rear of the church's three-story office building, which they did not ask to be designated.

The three-story building at the rear of the church and the parking lot on the north side of the church were expressly not designated, and they're in between the church, the building proposed, and the sanctuary.

And the church has also been across the street from a 15-story apartment building for over 20 years, and that hadn't been a problem either.

The project and properties surrounding it are located within the downtown St.

Petersburg National Register Historic District, and as stated by your staff and the staff report, national register designations do not impose any restrictions on the use of the property.

The project has been thoughtfully designed to be sensitive to both the church and the surrounding neighborhood.

The main tower of the project has been deliberately located towards the northeast corner of the property, which is the intersection of 4th Street and Fifth Avenue North, and is as far away from as possible from the church.

And no elements of this church are in any way obstructed, view obstructed or affected by this project.

The height map has tapering built into it, as was stated by to the DRC by Mr.

Meliska.

And I urge you to ask him to explain that to you because I don't have time.

The area covered by the height map contains buildings of over 500 feet in the core, and it goes down to 200 feet at the edge.

It's not like Mr.

Belmont explained to you.

Tapering does not also mean that the buildings in the DC district have to match the height the buildings across the street and outside of the height map area.

The height map does not regulate the height of the buildings outside of the area covered by the map.

I urge you to again ask Mr.

Melissa to confirm what I'm saying.

And tall buildings are compatible with shorter buildings, and big buildings are compatible with smaller buildings.

And there are many examples around town.

You've got the 400 Central Avenue at 46 stories across the street from two and four-story buildings.

You have Art House with 42 stories across the street from two-story buildings, and at 400 Beach Drive, four blocks east on Fifth Avenue, you have the 29-story building across from a two-story house.

In situations where this city and this council is going to limit the height map, it has been done by legislation amending the code.

And one example of that is where Roser Park neighborhood is adjacent to the Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital.

The code was amended to increase the setback and reduce the height of the future hospital buildings right next to the property lines.

It was done by legislation, not by the DRC or this council just saying it shouldn't apply, because it says it does apply.

A few blocks to the east on Fifth Avenue, there's the 29-story 400 Beach Drive building that is across the street from the historic old Northeast neighborhood and a two-story older house, and there does not seem to be any facts which support permitting that 29-story building to be on Fifth Avenue, and this building not being on Fifth Avenue.

In fact, the facts are stronger for this building because the tallest building is across the street from predominantly commercial uses and residential uses.

The code also says all projects in the DC district may utilize the FAR bonuses if the project meets the qualifications to use the bonuses.

FAR bonuses are written to provide public benefits and amenities, which this city wants to occur or to be built, such in this case, a payment of $1,340,000 is being made to the workforce housing fund.

The city, through the code is saying a building can be larger than the FAR if FAR bonuses are utilized, and the code says they are available to all projects in the DC district.

Do not follow the heights map or do not allow the limit or to limit the utilization of AR bonuses to the extent permitted the code when the code expressly says all projects within the downtown center may utilize the bonuses to receive greater development rights.

Just ten amount to rezoning this site.

I would also point out that every city department that is required to review this has reviewed it and has recommended approval.

The planning and historical preservation division has said in its report, and I quote the seven buildings on four contributing parcels to the downtown St.

Petersburg National Register District are not protected from demolition without a separate landmark designation.

Continuing the code, the quote, the historical preservation division agrees the applicant has made an effort to articulate the base at 20 feet in recognition of the surrounding character and kept the base at a height of 60 feet.

The opponents want these buildings to receive the same protection as if they had been designated without going through the designation process.

And I don't believe that's the correct or was intended by the code in any way, nor does the uh preservation department at the city.

The Transportation Department concluded that there is traffic capacity on 4th Street, Fifth Avenue, and Fourth Avenue, and the in its words, the proposed development is anticipated to have relatively minor impact on the traffic carrying capacity of the downtown road.

The planning department states, and I quote again the site is zone DC2 with a future land use of central business district and is located in the in town activity center.

These designations permit the highest intensity development within the city, and the proposed uses are consistent with the comp plan.

The project is well suited in the surrounding high-intensity mixed-use neighborhood, which is approved for and features similar mid to high-rise buildings.

Those are the words of your planning department.

Those are not my words.

And property owners, I think should be able to rely on the code.

It's not right that the property owner reads the code, spends the time and hundreds of thousands of dollars to develop a no-variance project, agrees to the conditions of approval.

All city departments recommend approval.

Thank you, sir.

Almost made it.

Pardon?

Almost made it in time, but the bell rang.

Thank you.

Okay.

We have some late arrivals that need to be sworn in.

So those who arrived and are speaking have filled out a yellow card and have not been sworn.

You need to stand up to be sworn.

So everyone that arrives late that filled out a card that is going to speak and has not been sworn.

Please stand up.

Okay.

Clerk.

Raise your right hand.

Can you swear or affirm that the evidence you are about to give will be the truth, the alter, and up and lecture?

Thank you.

Okay, clerk.

We will now take public comment, and I know we do have cards.

I'm going to call two speakers at a time.

When I call your name, please go to an open podium.

State your name, address, or cross street for the record, and you will have three minutes to address city council.

First two speakers are Christy Bruner and Nori Morimoto.

So if your name is called, you take one of the podiums.

You don't have to fight over it.

Good afternoon.

Good afternoon.

My name is Christy Brunner, Vice President of Advocacy with the St.

Petersburg Chamber, 1002nd Avenue North.

I'm here today to reiterate the chamber's support for the Pelican project and to respectfully urge you to deny the appeal and uphold the DRC's approval of the site plan.

In October, the chamber submitted a formal letter of support for the project following a thorough review by our housing land use and development committee.

That process brought together business leaders and stakeholders to evaluate the project's alignment with our city's growth, housing, and economic development priorities.

After careful consideration, our members strongly supported this pelican as a project that meets both the intent of our policies and the needs of our community.

Important, this project has already gone through the city's established review process.

The development review commission evaluated the site plan against the uh applicable standard and determined it's consistent with our codes and vision.

Upholding that decision is critical, not just for this project, but for maintaining a predictable and transparent development process that businesses and investors rely on when choosing to invest in St.

Petersburg.

From the chamber's perspective, the pelican produce represents the type of high quality investment that supports our city's continued momentum.

First, it addresses housing in walkable job accessible areas with 370 new residential units in a central downtown corridor.

This project helps expand housing supply in a location where residents can live, work, and contribute to our local economy.

Second, the project contributes to economic vitality.

It will generate jobs during construction and operation, activate the streetscape with new retail space, and increase property tax revenue that support essential city services.

And third, Pelican will enhance the Northern Gateway to downtown St.

Petersburg.

Its design reflects careful consideration of the surrounding development patterns, incorporating a thoughtful transition and scale, and active pedestrian-friendly streetscape along Fifth Avenue North.

We recognize and respect the passion of residents who care deeply about our city's character, and we share that commitment.

While there may be differing perspectives on individual projects, the chamber remains committed to working alongside preservation advocates and community stakeholders to support long-term success of St.

Petersburg, balancing growth with an appreciation of what makes our city unique.

St.

Petersburg has built a reputation as a city that values growth, design, excellence, and a fair, consistent review process.

When a project meets our standards and receives approval through appropriate channels, it is important we uphold that process.

For these reasons, the St.

Petersburg Chamber of Commerce respectfully asks that you deny the appeal and uphold the DRC approval.

Thank you for your time and your leadership.

Good evening.

The pelican development has been a topic of discussion at various JUNA meetings for the last seven months.

Opinions and comments range from negative reactions of destroying the historic nature of the neighborhood to positive support for development of St.

Petersburg.

In December of last year, we conducted a survey with the approximately 1,200 Junin households.

The results show strong overall concern for three items.

The proposed architecture conflicts with the neighborhood's predominant craftsman style.

The pelican design does not fit the character of historic uptown north of Fifth Avenue.

The proposed development is out of scale for its location.

The proposed 21 stories will overwhelm the one to four floor buildings across Fifth Avenue North.

Increased density will exacerbate parking issues, parking and traffic impacts are a major concern currently.

Of the three concerns, the most important to the community is the style of architecture and scale of the structure.

The proposed development brings a stark high rise development across the street from a neighborhood with mostly single-floor craftsman style homes and within close proximity to the historic round lake.

Nearby residents, park dwellers, and wildlife would be impacted by large shadows.

The developer must consider how the proposed buildings will affect this unique community asset.

In conclusion, addressing the style by adding a craftsman style facade and reducing the height so that the structure does not cast shadows over historic Round Lake Park would significantly improve JUNA's support towards the pelican development.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next two speakers are Christy Anderson and Victoria Stout.

Please go to an open podium, state your name, address, or cross street for the record, and you'll have three minutes to address City Council.

I'm Victoria Stout, 633 Eighth Avenue North.

And if my speech sounds emotional rather than legal, don't take any of it personally.

People with money and political influence just keep buying property and putting parcels together to make bigger projects that only benefits them and their cronies in real estate, construction, and government.

The cliches we are falling into, destruction of historic areas in favors of in favor of McMansions or endless townhouses, the high-rise disease that has ruined so many Florida towns already, and no thought to dwindling water supplies or availability of public transportation, resulting in noisy crowded streets, uh, more danger to pedestrians, and some of the highest auto insurance rates in the nation.

Um, my neighborhood is all already suffers from all the noise generated by Fourth Street and Fifth Avenue North racetrack onto the interstate, uh, downtown events, endless sirens and mega glass gas blowers everywhere.

Now you want the earth to shake as we endure months of pile drivers, loud beeping, bulldozers, jackhammers, and all the other noise associated with giant construction projects.

Chirping birds gone, noise pollution instead.

We already have high rises without full occupancy.

Maybe the units are all sold, but there's no one there to add to our local economy.

Meanwhile, people that live and work here are often getting priced out because the money people that come here heard it was an easy place to plunder and squeeze them out of the market.

Putting a gigantic high-rise next to our historic neighborhood uh puts it in grave danger of being next on the list for redevelopment just by its proximity.

Uh they'll just present their case for rezoning, throw the money around the right places, come election time, and poof, there goes the neighborhood.

Hello, Fort Lauderdale, which is uh, by the way, a case study.

A friend of mine who was a geography professor at University of Texas said Broward County and Fort Lauderdale in particular was a case study in bad or lack of urban planning.

I can't think of any benefit that this uh current uh production current thing would offer to the city or its citizens, except those who would um reap a financial reward, like developers, real estate agents, construction companies, etc.

Don't sell us out because of threats of money and power plays by big talkers, etc.

This town has been suckered many times in the past.

Please don't let it happen again.

There are so many things we could and should do to make St.

Pete a better place.

Another high rise next to an historic neighborhood is not one of those things.

It's time to start thinking creatively instead of in Florida clichés when it comes to taking St.

Pete into the future.

Thank you.

You next speaker.

Hi, uh counsel.

Thanks for giving us an opportunity to speak.

My name is Kristen Anderson, and I live at 826 Dartmoor Street in historic uptown.

I'm the immediate past president of the neighborhood association.

I am first and foremost opposed to the the destruction of this village of seven historic buildings, one of which, the Weirrick, is housing low-income seniors, 62 and over in an independent living home, and another Cara House is an independent living community for adults with mental health challenges.

The two combined buildings have more than a hundred residents.

The WIRIC was financed in part through state of Florida low-income housing tax credits, and yet this property will now become luxury apartments.

Height tamper tapering of and maybe tampering of high-rise buildings into surrounding communities.

We're the surrounding communities.

We're not this high, that height, this high.

We're people in a community.

Along Fourth Street and Central is the 46-story Red Apple building.

Then you go to the 23-story condo across from Mirror Lake Library, approved in 2021, but still an empty lot yet already flipped to a different developer.

Then there is the 12-story Peterborough building on the block across the street from this proposed 21-story building, which has been there for decades.

I don't think this adheres to the tapering mentioned in the comp, no matter what lawyerly explanation.

Is dreamed up.

No.

I've had this in meeting.

No, let me let me finish.

I've had this happen in meetings before.

This is a quasi-judicial hearing.

There is no laughing, there's no clapping, none of that.

You're me.

We handle this just like any other meeting.

And it is disrespectful.

You have just taken from everything she said.

Because I have to focus on what you're doing.

And it's just wrong.

So give us the give us the ability to listen to the speakers.

And I do not want to hear any more clapping.

I will recess, and we will take this longer.

And I'm not kidding.

And I will tell you something else.

When you're speaking, you speak to us.

It is six o'clock at night.

And we want to listen to everyone.

And we want everyone to be respectful.

And we're sitting here quietly listening to you.

There's no need to act like children.

Go on.

I apologize.

This building is way too large and too high with its slot line construction.

The traffic from this building, as it's currently proposed, will be a huge burden on historic uptown located at it as it is at next next to Fifth Avenue.

This is a horrible place to put a building this large in the middle of a confluence of three national register historic districts.

It just doesn't fit into the height nor the culture of the surrounding neighborhood.

The city should not just be helping developers, but it should be helping residents, especially those who are at poverty levels, or those like us long-term residents of uptown who have to live with the problems that come with overdevelopment.

We need more enforcement of codes that create some sort of preservation for these historic buildings by enforcing codes that are going to make them have uh roofs that don't have holes in them.

You know, the plumbing, whatever, people are there.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next two speakers, please.

Next two speakers are Sansy Sussman and Hila Griesdorn.

Please go to an open podium, state your name, address, or cross street for the record.

You'll have three minutes to address City Council.

Hi, my name's Sansi Sussman.

Um my address, 450 Sixth Avenue North, on one block from the development.

Could I ask the clerk to put up that picture of the northwest corner?

While he's doing that, as you can see, I ride my bike and the corner of Fifth Street and Fifth Avenue, which at the lower end of that building.

Umly has a flashing light.

It's a dangerous intersection.

I don't believe the traffic study, and I would ask you to confirm this, studied that whether or not a traffic light should go in there.

But with the impact of 370 more cars in that area, as well as if you looked down, you'll see a bunch of green trees, and it was just mentioned there's already an approved 21-story building only two blocks away that hasn't been built yet, but that will also impact traffic in that area.

And if you look to the that's the northwest, I guess the southeast, a n northeast corner, you'll see low rise buildings there.

But if you allow a 21-story building here, there's no reason that the owners of those buildings wouldn't consider development there matching also increasing.

So I don't I believe you can ask this to be reconsidered based on infrastructure needs.

Thank you.

Uh her card indicates she's for the appeal.

Thank you.

Next two speakers.

Next two speakers are Irma Wally and David Heslop.

Uh please go to an open podium, state your name, address, or cross street.

For the record, you'll have three minutes to address City Council.

My name is David Hisloop, and I live at 130 Fourth Avenue North.

Uh I've been sworn in.

And I am for the motion.

For decades now, City Council and its appointed boards have carefully considered development projects in downtown St.

Petersburg.

For the first half of that period, the comprehensive plan for the city was carefully followed, particularly the clauses that require tall buildings to taper from Central Avenue to the outer edges of the city.

One can see this tapering successfully done, wherein buildings such as 400 Central, which is the highest in town, are located at the spine of the city, and the height decreases as you approach 4th and Fifth Avenue's North and South.

The current project would disrupt this flow by allowing a multi-story 21-story tower, which is several times higher than its surrounding Fifth Avenue North community.

This not only degrades the carefully worked out vision for the city, but also disrupts the local community, which is primarily two and three-story residences.

Also of consideration is the fact that the required demolition of one half of an entire city block of structures dating from the early 1900s, as was mentioned before, is unprecedented in modern St.

Petersburg.

People often confuse when they look at these buildings as run-down buildings that are of no longer of any use.

However, it is not the buildings' failure, but rather that of owners or landlords.

Many blocks like this can be restored to quite a high density of occupancy merely by restoring the existing buildings that are already there, which also is much much better for the environment.

All these buildings could easily be rehab rehabilitated into usable dense housing.

The continuation of the approval of outsized high rises, particularly with their pedestal parking, will probably be looked upon as a bad decision in the next decade or so.

As cars and automobiles are phased out in favor of pedestrian scale and walkability, the blank and multi-story parking spaces in these buildings at the base will be seen as a major mistake.

Thus I urge the City Council to reconsider past opinions on this pelican project.

Clearly, the high-density, diverse neighborhoods of this block deserve to have housing in compliance with the St.

Petersburg Comprehensive Plan and the general good practices of urban planning.

I urge council members to vote to reconsider approval of this plan and substitute a more community-friendly rehabilitation of existing houses.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

Good afternoon.

I'm Irma Whaley.

I'd like to read a letter from Rob Wirtz that was sent to the DRC on January 6th.

I'm sorry.

Your address, ma'am.

Your address.

What?

Where you live, your address.

Oh, I'm sorry.

That's all right.

1935 Bonita Way South and Lakewood Estates.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Members of the Development Review Commission.

The historical Northeast Neighborhood Association, HONA, urges denial of the proposed plans for the Pelican development in the 400 block of the Fifth Avenue North, unless it is modified to address negative impacts to surrounding residential neighborhoods.

As proposed, it will present an entire block-long facade of parking garage twice as tall as the abutting residential neighborhoods.

There is no provision for the required step down in scale to transition to the immediately adjacent residential zoning category.

Compatible step down of the garage facade to adjoining neighborhood is achievable by lowering the roof line along Fifth Avenue North to a compatible three to four stories with the garage stepping back or hidden by the apartments.

These spaces could be liner town homes or apartments with street entrances.

What is shown on the rendering appears to be an unbroken wall of storefronts that is unlikely to succeed as retail spaces without subsidies, subsidies.

Other development projects of this scope within St.

Petersburg downtown have incorporated such compatible scale residential.

Examples include Parkshore condominiums, two-story residentials along First Street Northeast, and Candham Central, 800 block of Central Avenue, which provided townhomes with entrances along First Avenue North.

Both of these completed developments offer concrete examples of how compatible scale can be incorporated into a large project along with similar thoroughfares.

Unless and until such compatibility is addressed, HONA urges you to reject the current design.

Rob Wirts, co-chair of preservation and planning committee, historical Northeast Neighborhood Association.

My 30 seconds worth of personal opinion is I'm concerned about the block immediately across Fourth Street East.

That's a block with two-story buildings.

I'm sure developers are waiting to see what is approved in the Pelican project to because that will tell them what they can do.

And then that will make actually three almost three full blocks of next speakers.

Okay.

He cannot speak again under public comment.

The next two speakers are Carol Swainy and Edward Gross.

Please go to an open podium, state your name and address for the cross street for the record.

You'll have three minutes to address city council.

Okay, Carol Swainey indicate she was for the appeal.

And are you Carol Swainey is going to pass to the next the next person?

So Edward Gross.

Edward Gross.

Okay.

Yeah.

I'm sorry, was Fort For the Appeal, yeah.

Thank you.

My name is Edward Gross.

I live at 616 7th Street North, which is about three blocks from this.

And one thing I want to say about the neighborhood is right now with the traffic that we have.

We are a one-way street.

It comes off a fifth.

So you come off a fifth and you make a right onto our street.

Because of the density of traffic, we have people going the wrong way down our street every day.

We sit on the porch and we watch three or four people a day going the wrong way.

On the other street on Grove, we don't know what's going on there.

It's also one way.

This area cannot handle any more traffic.

You're talking about putting three or four hundred cars on the road.

We cannot cross over Fifth Fifth Avenue.

It's dangerous for us to go across Fifth Avenue right now.

It reminds me of when we were just recently in Miami and to go two blocks.

It took us almost an hour and a half in Miami.

That's that's that's where we're headed.

What's in that neighborhood?

We got the Coliseum, we got the palladium, we have the shuffle board courts.

We have that beautiful arts and crafts museum.

Uh that's what we have in that area.

That's the character of that area.

What they are building is basically a huge box, and it's very ugly.

It's not even a beautiful building, it's just a box to enhance their income, right?

They haven't even designed a beautiful building to go into there.

If they're going to go forward, at least give us something nice, right?

Now I'm also a biker, and I try, and I have to go up fifth.

It's going to be impossible to bike around that area.

Now, what's going on in our neighborhood right now?

Okay, uptown is really becoming more and more upscale, okay.

We have young people with babies.

We live right next to Millennium Playground, and there's kids in there all day that are playing in there, little kids.

We have young people who are just getting started in life in their 20s and 30s.

That's what's going on in our neighborhood.

The people who are gonna buy these condos, they're not gonna do what the chamber is saying they're gonna do and work downtown.

That's not the people that can afford these million-dollar condos.

That's not what's gonna happen.

So if you want to maintain the character of the area, and particularly of our neighborhoods, you'll reject this project or make them scale it way back.

Thank you.

Next two speakers are Lori McDonald and Jason Mathis.

Please go to an open podium, state your name, address, or cross street for the record.

You'll have three minutes to address City Council.

Go ahead, ma'am.

Um my name is Lori McDonald.

I live at 103 Wildwood Lane in uh the Driftwood neighborhood.

I support the appeal, and I oppose the the Pelican.

The couple issues I want to bring to mind that I that are important to me.

One of these is that qualitative versus quantitative criteria.

Quantitative criteria are more clear-cut.

Understand that the qualitative criteria like compatibility can be a little tougher to deal with, but they are really important to citizens.

They're really important to the people in our town.

They're also important to the visitors.

So I ask you to be sure that you are giving the due attention to each part of the of the code that you should.

Another thing I want to say is that National Register buildings, they're identified as valuable buildings, valuable parts of our history, and actually our history is a very important part of our future.

And even what is relied upon with the National Register buildings is for local government decisions.

So it does rely, it does rely on you to be making decisions about what should happen with National Register buildings that are so identified.

And when you go down that, if it's gonna have this massive building on one side, and a community of neighbors on the other side, it it's two different St.

Pete's.

Both have a place here, but they don't have a place across the street from each other.

Thank you.

Good evening.

My name is Jason Mathis, and I am with the downtown partnership located at 244 2nd Avenue North.

I wanted to thank you all for your service.

Um I've said that to you before, and I will say it every time I talk to you.

It's it's not easy what you do, and I sincerely appreciate it.

Um whether you like this project or not, this is a process question.

As staff has noted, the building meets every zoning and land use requirement and has been recommended by city staff and approved by the DRC.

It is consistent with the comp plan and meets the city's code for height.

That's not in dispute.

The developers followed all the rules.

As staff has noted, the comp plan provides broad regulations and height restrictions in other neighborhoods through a zoning category, but downtown is unique.

For whatever reason, we decided that height is regulated through the downtown height map and not the comp plan in downtown St.

Petersburg.

And as you saw, the height map stages down as you go towards residential neighborhoods.

I want to reiterate this.

As staff has noted, the building is consistent with every aspect of the city's building code and meets the height requirements that we have all agreed to through the legislative process.

If you don't like this project, you think it's too tall.

Okay, that's fine.

Amend the height map to make it lower through the right process.

And we would be delighted to engage with our friends at Preserve the Berg, the chamber, downtown property owners, residents and developers, to have a community conversation about what the height map should look like and work with you all to enact any changes.

That's the way that St.

Pete works.

We collaborate and we do it the right way through the legislative process.

But that's not what has happened here.

The city has an obligation to follow the rules that we have all set to govern development in our community, and we urge you to deny this appeal.

Thank you.

Next two speakers are Alex Kaufman and Corey Lynch.

Please go to an open podium, state your name, address, or cross street for the record.

You'll have three minutes to address city council.

Hi, my name's Corey Lint.

I live at 510 Fifth Street North.

Um I'm for the appeal.

Um very nervous.

I've never done this before.

So I'm just here as myself, a regular person.

I'm a millennial.

Um I've lived in St.

Pete since about 2015.

Um I live in uptown now.

I've lived in Crescent Lake and in Roser Park.

Um, as probably all of us have seen, I've uh seen the city change a lot.

Um and I I came here like a lot of people did, and like a lot of people visit for sort of what I see as the heart of the city.

It's the arts.

I came here to work for the Florida Orchestra.

Um, and a lot of my friends work for the orchestra, are working artists, working class people.

Um I think those people like me and and you know, my colleagues are the heart of the city.

Um, I know there are a lot of details, a lot of legal, you know, process things going on that I'm not familiar with, frankly.

Um, I just know, I mean, if there's any subjectivity here, to me, it kind of feels like a choice between like are we choosing like the people, the existing residents, or are we choosing dollar signs?

And it feels like the dollar signs have gotten so many yeses over the years, and it's really sad to me to see the people kind of suffer from that, and things like character are not just like emotional, you know, appeal things.

These are like really meaningful to the identity of our city and who we are and the pride that we take in our city.

Um I had some notes, so I'm gonna refer back to those.

Um just want to reiterate what some people said about the crosswalk.

I live at 510 Fifth Street North, which is like basically a catty corner from this development, this proposed development.

Um yeah, that crosswalk is already pretty dangerous, so I'm really concerned about the traffic there.

Um, even with the light, like I mean, I use that crosswalk probably six to ten times a week, and people just blow through that they don't care about the lights.

Um that's definitely a concern.

Um I do worry about like the artists and the people that make this community what it is about them sort of continuing to be pushed out.

Um I guess uh a question that I had is sort of do we want to be a place where like we're filling it in with more and more wealthy people and again just like paying attention to the dollar signs and and I I look at this proposal and I'm just like, why?

Is that what we need?

Is that gonna help us?

Is that gonna help I I'm really just concerned about the identity, you know, of the city, and I really love and care about my neighborhood and my neighbors.

Um, so yeah, this is very off the cuff.

Uh, but I hope it's helpful.

Thank you so much for listening to us today.

Uh Alex Kaufman, line 40 Granville Court North.

Uh hello, City Council.

My name's Alex Kaufman.

You may know me from such public art projects as the first flight at the pier, Gladiolis Blossom in front of the police station, and the Sunshine City Mosaic.

Thank you guys for the extension on that project.

Um, I am here to speak against the Pelican development.

And I've done lots of renderings, I've done lots of designs, and there's one word that comes to mind when I look at this proposed development, and it's gonna be harsh, but it's grotesque.

I don't really care what the rules are to see this proposed building put in this specific location.

There's no other way to describe it but grotesque in its current form.

Scale is inappropriate.

I think you can tell from people in the community, it is not beneficial to the neighborhoods.

Um, you know, I left Fort Lauderdale 15 years ago, Broward County, to come here because I love this place, and I have poured my heart and soul into contributing to the fabric of the culture as best I can.

It is very sad to see developments like this get the green light without much debate and just full head of steam toward that direction.

It is a place that I despise and I avoid at all costs.

I really hope that you guys can take a look at this specific development in this specific location and ask yourself is this really contributing to the culture of the city in this spot?

Or is it grotesque?

Uh I yield the rest of my time.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Next two speakers are Eliza Shannon and Emily Alwyn.

Please go to an open podium.

State your name, address or cross street for the record.

You'll have three minutes to address City Council.

Hi, good evening.

I'm Emily Elwyn.

I live at 836 16th Avenue Northeast.

Um I'm a board member of Preserve the Burg, a former president of Preserve the Burg, and I'm an architectural historian with 30 years of experience in the field of historic preservation.

I reviewed the development project, and I'm familiar with the on-site historic resources as well as the adjacent historic districts and landmarks.

It's my professional opinion that the tower and the monolithic parking podium will negatively impact the historic resources and historic districts in this area, including but not limited to the national register listed historic structures proposed for demolition.

When evaluating historic resources, we consider more of the loss of the individual buildings.

Of course, this demolition will have an immediate and irreversible effect on those structures.

But it also weakens the overall integrity of the historic district by removing the historic fabric and distro and disturbing the pattern of development.

The downtown National Register Historic District is significant not just for its historic architecture, but for its community planning and development.

This legible pattern of historic development and diverse collection of both high style and vernacular buildings creates a coherent and identifiable sense of place.

It's this sense of place that makes St.

Pete so special.

And it's under intense pressure.

Maintaining that workable balance between growth and preservation requires that new development be compatible with the historic district in scale and massing.

As you've seen by the many project images, this out-of-scale construction creates a significant adverse impact on the remaining historic resources through its looming effect and incompatible height and massing, which fundamentally alter how a historic place is experienced at street level.

The parking podium reads as a monolithic single element, and the unbroken vertical facade along Fifth Avenue North is not compatible in size, massing or scale with the historic surrounds.

Finally, I urge you to consider the cumulative effect of this proposal will have on our city's valuable sense of place.

By allowing intense new construction in a sensitive historic district, we damage piece by piece the historic character that draws residents and visitors downtown.

Each loss compounds the next.

Over time, it erodes the historic integrity and leaves us with an unattractive, placeless city rather than a downtown that feels rooted and recognizable.

For these reasons, I respectfully recommend that you overturn the DRC committee, the DRC decision, and approve the appeal.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Eliza Shannon.

Her card indicates she is for the appeal.

Okay.

Next two speakers are Tori Riley and Ray Arsenault.

Please go to an open podium.

State your name, address, or cross street for the record.

You'll have three minutes to address City Council.

Hi.

Hello.

Hi.

I'm a little nervous.

I'm Tori Riley.

I live at 226 Fifth Avenue North here.

I'm not for this project at all.

And I know that you have a difficult decision in front of you, and I really appreciate all the time that you're taking listening to us.

For all the reasons stated, it's just wrong.

It's just not in the right place.

That wall of parking, it's really a Berlin wall for the rest of the city.

You can't cross over without walking around this building, this massive building.

So it it just is a wrong place for the and not a very pretty building as well.

We moved here to St.

Petersburg because of what it was.

It's walkable, it's friendly, it's artsy, it's a balance of neighborhoods and height and scale.

And with this building is really setting the new marker, a new line that says this is going to be allowed on this corridor.

Twenty-two stories.

That's huge.

Huge against a two-story building.

And despite all the rules and regulations that allow this building to be this height, sometimes the rules aren't right.

And you just have to say no.

So I would you consider re-examining that.

And I appreciate your time.

Thank you.

Ray Arsenal.

His card indicates he is for the appeal.

Next two speakers are Robert Blackman and Roy Schorer.

Please go to an open podium, state your name, address, or cross street for the record.

You'll have three minutes to address City Council.

Robert Blackman, 11901 4th Street North.

Uh, first I want to thank everybody on the council for your service to the community.

And I want to thank Preserve the Burg for their service to our community, their advocacy, and all they do to help maintain the historic fabric of our community, especially Peter Belmont.

I remember when we gave him the key to the city.

Well deserved of deserving of that, excuse me.

Um let's talk about this project, though.

This week we tore down Fit to Run, a historic Victorian building.

I didn't see any outrage.

We've been celebrating the scarlet letter painting pink of a bunch of historic buildings on fourth and fourth.

There was no appeal on that.

We're bearing the lead on this project, which is yeah, maybe we're losing 70 units of what I would say are not contributing anything to the blight of this site to maintain the historic jewels of them, which is the Hollander Hotel and the Avalon Hotel.

Those are over 150 units between the two of those.

So two-thirds of this site, which is owned by the same owner right now, will be enhanced with the investment that will be put into those buildings.

So many times this council has heard people with historic buildings say that they don't have the money to maintain them.

They're very expensive.

This is not a destruction or obliteration of the site, it's a culling of the herd, getting rid of the weakest, least contributing parts of the site.

If this were to talk about the Avalon and the Hollander being demolished, I would be against this.

I am for this site.

Think about what we're getting as a community.

At the central where the old PD is, we paid public money to get parking spaces.

By Peter's uh presentation, we're getting 250 spaces over what is mandated.

That's pretty good, and we're getting it for free as a city.

We're also getting an increase tax base when we've had discussions.

I've seen you all discuss the fact that there could be property tax changes at the state level where we're going to need taxes.

Also, 1.5 million dollars is being put into the public housing fund from this project and real public art, not ephemeral like the pink buildings that'll be gone in a heartbeat.

There's real contribution being made, not only by the developer putting in the pelicans, but also $50,000 to the public art fund.

You know, there's also talk about the tapering.

Tapering is from district to district, not within a district.

When you are in a speed limit zone, it's a 65.

When you get towards the end of it, if you're going 60, you can't get a ticket.

It's mandated within the district what the tapering is.

The tapering is why you go from district to district.

I think that's been misunderstood.

Also, there's been talk about traffic calming in the past.

Fifth Avenue North is an interstate on-ramp.

This is going to naturally cause traffic calming, which is good for pedestrians and bicyclists.

I think the preserve the burg deserves more money.

You've seen Charleston, you've seen Savannah have gotten support from their government.

The city council controls the personings of the city.

I think there should be a program where money is given to preserve the burg to invest first party in these properties as opposed to these 11th hour appeals.

You know, at the end of the day, though, these have all been my opinions.

We need to look at the true facts.

The experts, the city, every city staff that's reviewed this has supported it.

And there was only one vote against this at the DRC.

Unanimous support from the experts and those we entrust to make the decisions.

I'm for this project, and I hope that you will consider these points.

Thank you.

I'm going to remind people when people are speaking, please no laughing and no snickering.

We have a democracy here, and people are going to have differences of opinion.

If there wouldn't be differences of opinion, it would be in North Korea.

And there are times you're just not going to agree with people, and that's okay.

But we're going to listen to people respectfully, just like we're listening to you all respectfully.

That's all we ask.

It's part of the decorum, it's part of our rules.

It's hard for us to concentrate if there's noise.

And after a long day of hearing people, trust me, it gets exhausting to concentrate.

So I'm trying to concentrate just like every other council member is trying to concentrate.

It's not a huge ask.

It's just being respectful.

Next two speakers, please.

Roy Sharer.

Okay, his card indicates he is for the appeal.

Next two speakers are Bill Herman and Erica Stanley.

Please go to an open podium, state your name, address, or cross street for the record, and you'll have three minutes to address City Council.

Good evening.

My name is Bill Herman.

I live at 134th Avenue North.

I have been sworn, and congratulations, you've made it through the first hour of your public hearing.

I have two objections.

The first is that in July of last year, I submitted comments that do appear in your backup, uh in your backup information.

But like the DRC in July of last year, I got it wrong.

I then submitted amended comments on March 12th, and they're not in your package.

And let me begin by silencing something that my friend Mr.

Mash will probably say at some point, we just hate tall buildings.

Well, I don't hate tall buildings.

I just hate ugly tall buildings.

I like the 400.

I like the Nolan.

I like large buildings that are set on the normal 100 foot-wide separation.

If you stand or you take a map and measure out from 400 across the street that are buildings are on the other side, it's a hundred foot.

Nolan to the other side is a hundred foot.

That opening, that airiness breaks up the mass and scale.

In this case, Fifth Avenue North has 78 feet from their property line of this project across the street to those two-story buildings, is 78 feet.

That difference in scale is kind of that difference in width is important.

Unfortunately, because you don't have my notes, or we're not included in your backup.

You may not have read my email.

You would not have had the opportunity to go down and take a walk on Fifth Avenue North.

The Whitney, the W building, the Walker Whitney Tower, that building with that uh painting of the young woman on it, is about 150 feet tall.

I walk that area all the time because that's where I live.

So when I walk down that street, it actually feels tighter when you walk by the Whitney because of the size and that narrower street.

You walk down Central Past uh 400, it's really nice.

That tightness makes a difference.

It's important to remember that they're asking for a building 50% taller than the W.

And it's important.

I'm saying the word asking.

The right, as I understand the code, is 125 feet.

And if they were coming in the 125 feet, I'd be home having dinner with my wife.

Nothing personal.

Instead, they're asking for something dramatically taller.

I bring to your attention one last time because I'm running out of time.

My comments are not in your package.

And I have to ask how many other comments were not included in your package?

It's kind of important because that's what you want to base your decision on.

And I'm going to cut this short so you can get it out of here a little bit.

Oh, five seconds.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Hi, I am Erica Stanley.

I live at 540 Eighth Avenue North, which is just a few blocks from this proposed development.

Um, which I want to say first and foremost, um, we're all here because we love St.

Pete.

You all are here serving because you love St.

Pete, and and we're here for the same reason.

Um, I I moved here in 2002 and have lived downtown um in several different neighborhoods, and I I think that there are three main three main things here that I want us to consider.

Um, the first is stewardship.

We're here because we love St.

Pete, and yes, I I understand the 400 beach example, I I get it.

Um it's a different zone, but our neighborhood doesn't have to be that way.

Just because it's there doesn't mean that ours has to be there as well.

I saw the looks on your faces during the presentation when that image of the rendering came up.

None of you want that in your neighborhood either.

I I don't know.

I'm speculating, but but if you go and you stand on the sidewalk where this is going to be and look up and think about 21 stories, I'm not pro-development, I'm not pro-building.

I think that it is the right of a landowner to be able to build on land that they own.

But as stewards of a city that we love and a community that we love, is this the right building on that land?

Um, second of all, I I want to talk about affordability.

Now I know that affordability is not the responsibility of the developer, it's not their fault, it's not their responsibility.

Um, but I I do want to appeal to counsel that if we're adding this many more units, we're going to need more teachers, more firefighters, more first responders.

Those are not the types of people who are going, those are not the types of salaries that are going to be able to afford the places that are being built.

And I'm not just talking about this building, but the other buildings that are the cranes in St.

Pete.

Where are all of those people that we need in our community that hold our community together?

Where are they going to go?

Um, and I'm gonna skip over the third because that's infrastructure and that's boring, but I really don't want my water pressure to go down.

Um, and I know that that's something that gets addressed with codes and but on what timeline and what's gonna happen to our lot of points have been made about how well they have followed the rules, and I appreciate that so much.

Rules are so important, and our governor was following the rules when he came into our city and painted over all of our beautiful murals and our crosswalks.

That was legal, those are the rules, and we all know it wasn't right, and we all know that it wasn't in the heart of St.

Pete.

And so I would just want you all to think about that as you're making your final decision.

Thank you.

Next two speakers are Mary Dowd and Kimberly Franklin.

Please go to an open podium, state your name, address, or cross street for the record.

You'll have three minutes to address city council.

Uh good morning, lady.

I mean, good evening, ladies and gentlemen.

My name is Camberly Michelle Franklin.

I'm trying to hold it together.

I live at four five, I my mail goes to 450 Fifth Avenue North.

I live at 442, Fifth Avenue North, apartment number two, cross street, Fifth Street North.

And my front porch is faces Fifth Avenue North.

Since I have lived there April 3rd, we'll be three years, ladies and gentlemen.

I have eye witnessed a T-bone wreck where the people takes off on the on the red light.

It's at 4th Street North, and when they take off, they're off to the races.

They're either going to the interstate to the 375, they're in the wrong lane.

I eyewitness a T-bone where this one vehicle hits the vehicle pulling up from Fifth Street, it flips it upside down onto the sidewalk.

Thank God there was nobody there.

Nobody on their front porch.

It took out a street light electric power poles, people.

It scared me to death.

I live across the street diagonally from now where there is a yellow flashing crosswalk.

That some people you watch them, they're on the phone.

You better not just rely on them flashing lights.

Because there's so many people that does looking at their GPS on the big screens, not knowing which direction to go, they're tourists.

They're confused.

We can't cross the street.

50% at least of the residents of the care house are 100 are special needs individuals.

They see the psychiatrist, thanks to Carolyn and Miss Maggie, who own the care house.

If it weren't for them, they would probably be in the state hospital or someplace like that.

Here at care house where I live, they can see the psychiatrist through the video through the office to the ladies.

They can maintain not they can maintain independent living.

They stay on their medications.

If they don't, then they are checked in to a psych hospital and treated, and they're allowed to come back and be productive citizens of St.

Petersburg.

That said, um I'm basically begging for compassion and empathy from all the rich people.

Think of Proverbs chapter 22, verses 22 and 23 folks.

That's what I'm talking about.

Thank you.

That's all I have to say.

Please don't take away our affordable housing.

It's all supposed to be about promising knowledge to the gaslight district people.

They're still waiting.

Where are we supposed to go?

The owner of the Hollander Hotel says, oh, we'll provide 50% of you folks at the a place to live.

What about the other 50% of Mary Dowd?

I live at 205 Eighth Avenue Northeast, and I have been sworn in.

I support the appeal and ask that you vote to deny the Pelican project for all the reasons previously stated.

Um I drive up and down 4th Street regularly to work on 4th Street, and it's just a few blocks away from the proposed 400 block of Fifth Avenue project.

Uh the traffic and increasing number of serious accidents, and yes, there was another one yesterday.

Make downtown traffic on 4th Street not only congested but incredibly dangerous.

Adding a 200 feet high tower to 4th Street and Fifth Avenue North only adds fuel to the fire.

I disagree with some of the previous comments made that the Pelican is thoughtfully designed, sensitive to scale, tapered, that the Pelican respects historic buildings such as the Trinity Church.

Honestly, I don't see that.

I see another luxury condo condominium and a reduction in the amount of affordable housing.

I applaud the efforts of the Preserve the Berg and appealing this DRC decision, and I urge City Council to please deny approval.

Thank you.

Thank you.

The next two speakers are Charles DeFritus and Brian Van Vanderblee Wheat.

Please go to an open podium, state your name, address, or cross street for the record, and you'll have three minutes to address city council.

Good evening, sir.

You can start.

Hello, my name is Charles Defratus.

I'd like to thank you for being here.

We've been here for hours already.

I've only been here for a little.

Um about 30 years ago.

My address is 1425 11th Avenue North.

Thank you.

For the record, I'm also uh intimately connected with every single building between Dartmoor Street and the alley behind it on Fifth Avenue, going as far as 6th Avenue.

I walk that alley every single day, three, four or five times a day, and I am absolutely familiar with every square inch of that block.

Now, about 30 years ago, in spite of my accent, I uh was a welder in Orlando, and I came to St.

Petersburg hearing that it was a nice town.

And it was.

I came here and I've settled here, and I've lived here ever since.

There comes a time when no matter what the rules and the regulations are, you sometimes have to take a stand.

St.

Petersburg that I remember has been chipped away and chipped away.

It has been ground away by you might say by progress.

Well, all I hear is a wrecking ball of progress coming right now.

Um we've had a previous speaker who said big buildings can live alongside little buildings.

I'm sure if I walked into this room with an 800-pound gorilla, you'd all be taken aback by that.

That is what we're faced with.

We have an enormous, another speaker called it grotesque building going up alongside two-story buildings.

Small, they may not fit the picture perfect image of what perhaps the Chamber of Commerce might like to have for our city when you think of money and income and taxes and this and that.

But you forget people.

We have to look at these things all the time.

This is it's almost brutalist, the architecture that they are proposing.

It's tall.

And you can, you know, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it's not going to make it anything different.

It is grotesque.

Um also remember that big fish eat little fish.

And it's been happening in St.

Petersburg ever since I've arrived.

And I do beg you to take a stand against that.

Thank you.

Thank you.

My name is Brian Van Der Valleet.

I live at 728 7th Street North.

Uh I'm a longtime resident of historic uptown, uh, which is just a few blocks away.

I live just a few blocks away.

This is the neighborhood immediately adjacent to the proposed Pelican project.

I've lived in the neighborhood since 2001, and I've been a volunteer serving uh on our neighborhood board since 2019.

I would like to express my significant concerns about the structure as proposed.

I am not opposed to all new structures, but I believe this particular 21-story building would have a significant negative impact on the quality of life for the residents of my neighborhood, historic uptown.

I believe it is completely out of scale with the surrounding buildings, would cause additional parking issues and additional heavy traffic throughout our neighborhood streets and the round lake park area.

I do wonder what impact this mammoth building would have on the ecological balance of the wildlife that currently thrives in our beloved Round Lake Park.

Uh if you've never been to Round Lake Park, I highly recommend it.

It's beautiful, particularly in the morning.

I've I was there a couple of months ago looking out towards the city, thinking, my God, how is this mammoth building going to impact this park, these birds, these turtles, these trees.

We have something really special with that park.

So I do want you as you're considering what's happening to take that into consideration.

I wonder if if uh if any kind of environmental studies by actual experts uh were were done to review what impact the sunlight blocking structure could have on Round Lake Park and the surrounding areas.

Our neighborhood conducted a survey with 68 respondents, and more than 70% agree that the proposed structure is out of scale for its location.

Uh this result reflects much of what I've heard through conversations with many of my friends and others who I've talked with in the neighborhood.

I hope that message is heard by you today.

Many decades ago, our city leaders had the wisdom to protect our waterfront parks from overdevelopment.

I do not know the names of those leaders, but I'm still grateful for their foresight and wisdom.

Today I ask you, the city leaders of our time, to carefully consider what kind of city do you wish us to be.

We are not Austin, we are not Miami, we are not Fort Lauderdale.

We are St.

Pete.

And I hope you have the wisdom to guide us into a future that includes growth, of course, but also carefully considers the needs of our residents, our communities, and our beautiful natural parks.

Thank you for your consideration.

Thank you.

The final two.

The final two speakers are fellow Tanik and Colleen Codner.

Please go to an open podium, state your name, address across the street for the record.

You'll have three minutes to address City Council.

I'm Philip Sinek live at 512 Dogmore Street North.

Right across the street from the and um and I support the appeal.

Live in historic uptown.

Want to thank you for listening to the neighbors and residents of the community in this process.

The historic uptown neighborhoods are beautiful quaint area with historic homes and a quiet park around Roman Lake, a towering 21-story building on the south side of Fifth Ave.

We put our community in its shadow.

I live in a 100-year-old hotel converted into apartments.

Um right across there.

And it would include a parking garage, the proposed property would to help with the influx of visitors and guests to the massive building.

I mean, even though they'll have a parking garage, a lot of people still won't use it.

They'll park around the lake, they'll park on the neighboring streets, and um parking's already hard to find in our neighborhood.

This will just end up a battle for the visitors and residents to just park near their own home.

Um it's not just after the garage is built, but during construction as well.

We'll take up spots for local businesses in the area.

And if the property were to be respectful of the neighborhood and simply be asked to keep it at a reasonable height, taper it off, it would fit with the community.

The current plan is very inconsistent with the neighborhood's architecture.

If there were to be development here, there are many other options in size, scope, style, character that would be more appropriate.

Um it could possibly fit among high rises in that sort of area, but that's not what exists here, you know.

And um it would displace people on the block and offer only expensive expensive options in the future, eliminating affordable housing, raising rent prices in the area for an already high market.

Um I live in a hundred-year-old building.

It's proof that you can improve the use of a property without destroying the historic charm or building a massive skyscraper.

The developer said that other tall buildings have been approved one even twenty years ago.

I I would point out that that's because that just because someone made a mistake 20 years ago, that doesn't mean the same mistake has to be made today.

Hopefully, we're all wiser now and can recognize how important the character of a community is.

Property owners on the north side of Fifth Ave have had the foresight to preserve the area because of its unique character and historic nature.

Uh, I would ask that you further preserve preserve that.

You have a unique property to I mean a unique opportunity to preserve a historic community, and I would ask you to please do so.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello, um, I'm Colleen Codner.

I reside at 512 uh Dartmoor.

Uh I am in support of the appeal and I do oppose the Pelican project.

Um again, I'll apologize, like someone said before me for speaking more from emotion and from the higher.

I'm also a nervous speaker, so I'm a little freaked out up here.

But um ma'am, did you get did you arrive late?

Uh yes, ma'am.

He needs to be sworn.

I did swear.

Oh, you did?

Okay, I just want to make sure I remember you coming late.

I want to make sense.

I was with the last two speakers.

Thank you.

Yeah, and thank you, and thank you all for being here and listening, and I apologize.

Yeah.

Um, so before I speak, I I I have to digress.

I was one of those people that arrived in St.

Pete maybe six years back from a bigger city, and I was like, more culture, more diversity, more growth, more people, you know, all of those things, which of course I understood, included more buildings and more upward buildings, and and I still stand stand by a lot of that.

I'm not I'm not completely against that.

Um, but as a person who's lived in cities across America, I I've personally watched Caprini Green be raised to the ground at Chicago projects raised to the ground.

I've watched San Francisco rapidly dentrify and redevelop, and I could go on.

And I think that um even those of us who are not wildly crazy about all this rapid development of St.

Pete can unanimous unanimously agree that yes, some amount of you know development is necessary for the growth and advancement of our community.

That being said, uh, you know, I'm not there to refute that.

Um I'm here to say that I think that we should be very deliberate and careful about how we go about this.

Um all development, I I think someone else mentioned all development is not good growth.

It's just not.

I've seen it firsthand, and there's a certain essence and soul to each community that needs to be protected.

Uh, period.

Because once you lose that soul of a city, you don't get it back.

Uh St.

Pete's a beautiful and unique city in Florida.

I'm particularly fond of its quaint neighborhoods and perhaps the most notably, most notably the violent, if you will, eccentric residents.

Um not technical and I'm not that good with the legal and zoning expertise, so I'll leave that to the professionals to address.

But I will say from the average citizens um perspective and logic, it would be unreasonable for a family to move to the downtown district and a growing city and expect that a high rise wouldn't go up right next to them.

That's what a downtown district hopes to be.

Building up is great, and it's a good sign in many ways.

But to move to a quaint tree-lined cobblestone neighborhood in a historic craftsman district.

It's it's it's reasonable and logical to expect not to be blindsided by a 21-story monstrosity being your new neighbor.

This building is grossly out of sale and character for this historic neighborhood.

It will be towering over us.

It will be displacing affordable housing with more luxury living and largely changing the character of a whole neighborhood.

Shadows, parking, socioeconomic status changes.

I've heard many people say that they would just sell their homes and move away if this goes through, like just talking in the neighborhood around Round Lake and stuff.

That would be a loss from the us characters that have been here in our St.

Pete.

If St.

Pete is a city won't make a stand against disallowing corporate greed and money to take precedence over the best interests in the existing community, then I think that we all know no one in Florida will.

No one in Florida will.

Thank you.

Thank you.

No more speakers, Matthew.

Okay.

Now we close public comment.

Go to cross-examination.

Each party will have five minutes for cross-examination.

Staff, would you like to cross examine staff waves?

Thank you.

Would the appellant like to cross examine?

Sorry.

Yes.

That's fine.