Tampa City Council (12/18/25)

Key People

• Alan Clendenin (Council Chairman) — Tampa City Council
  • Chaired the meeting and managed the complex agenda with multiple items and discussions
• Scott Steady (Incoming City Attorney) — City of Tampa Legal Department
  • Appointed as new City Attorney effective January 9, replacing Andrea Zelman
• Andrea Zelman (Outgoing City Attorney) — City of Tampa Legal Department
  • Retiring City Attorney who introduced her replacement and managed transition
• Harry Cohen (County Commissioner and Tampa Bay Water Chairman) — Hillsborough County/Tampa Bay Water
  • Provided invocation and represents regional water supply authority partnerships
• Chuck Carden (General Manager) — Tampa Bay Water
  • Presented update on regional water supply system serving Tampa and five other governments
• Luis Viera (Council Member District 7) — Tampa City Council
  • Had to leave meeting early for private obligations, sponsored resolution against derogatory language
• Lynn Hurtak (Council Member District 3) — Tampa City Council
  • Led opposition to bicycle safety ordinance, calling for workshop instead of enforcement approach
• Naya Young (Council Member District 5) — Tampa City Council
  • Newest council member, advocated for local artist opportunities and community engagement
• Bill Carlson (Council Member District 4) — Tampa City Council
  • Voted against multimodal impact fees citing lack of trust in administration's spending
• Charlie Miranda (Council Member District 6) — Tampa City Council
  • Long-serving member who serves on Tampa Bay Water board and provided historical perspective
• Guido Maniscalco (Council Member District 2) — Tampa City Council
  • Supported various agenda items and serves on Tampa Museum of Art board
• Yvette Lewis (President) — NAACP
  • Spoke against proposed bicycle ordinance citing concerns about racial profiling and 'biking while black'
• Chief Barbara Tripp (Fire Chief) — Tampa Fire Rescue
  • Provided updates on Fire Station 24 construction progress and timeline
• Ken Guyette (Project Manager) — City of Tampa Fire Station 24 Project
  • Presented detailed timeline showing construction won't begin until September 2026

Projects & Initiatives

Charter Review Commission

• Owner: Tampa City Council/Mayor
• Status: approved
• Timeline: Commission will begin work in January 2026
• Established commission to review Tampa's city charter with 7 council appointees, 2 mayoral appointees, and alternates. Kenneth Tinkler appointed as attorney, facilitator to be determined.

Fire Station 24 Construction

• Owner: Tampa Fire Rescue/Kokolakis Contracting
• Status: in progress
• Timeline: Construction to begin September 2026, three years after funding approved in 2023
• New fire station in North Tampa area. Design development at 60% completion. Issues with cost estimates higher than expected and timeline longer than anticipated.

Multimodal Transportation Impact Fee Study

• Owner: Tampa Mobility Department
• Status: approved
• Timeline: Effective July 1, 2026
• Updated impact fees for first time since 1989. Fees will be phased in over four years to fund transportation improvements including traffic signals and turn lanes.

Bicycle Safety Ordinance

• Owner: Tampa Police Department/Legal
• Status: denied
• Timeline: Workshop scheduled for April 23, 2026
• Proposed ordinance to regulate bicycles on trails including 10 mph speed limit, prohibition of wheelies/tricks, and electronic bike regulations. Council voted to deny ordinance.

South Howard Stormwater Project

• Owner: Infrastructure Department
• Status: approved
• Timeline: Implementation timeline not specified
• Separate water line replacement project extracted from larger stormwater initiative. Streets will be fully reconstructed where water lines are replaced.

Fair Oaks Community Center Public Art

• Owner: Arts and Cultural Affairs
• Status: approved
• Timeline: Ongoing implementation at new $35 million facility
• Contract for public art installation by Ryan McCullough including community engagement and coloring book component for displaced children.

Tampa Museum of Art Expansion

• Owner: Tampa Museum of Art
• Status: approved
• Timeline: Expansion proceeding with tree preservation concerns noted
• Major expansion including 80,000 square feet of external development, sculpture garden, and Cass Street beautification with community benefits agreement.

USF Stadium Development Agreement

• Owner: University of South Florida
• Status: approved
• Timeline: Per state-approved campus master plan
• Amendment to development agreement for new USF stadium addressing impacts to public facilities and services only, not land use approval.

Money & Spending

• Fees increased from 1989 levels, phased over 4 years — Multimodal Transportation Impact Fees
  • Payer: Developers/Property owners
  • Recipient: City of Tampa Mobility Department
  • First update since 1989, to fund traffic signals, turn lanes, and mobility improvements
• Budget includes $165,000 for underground power lines — Fire Station 24 Construction
  • Payer: City of Tampa
  • Recipient: Kokolakis Contracting/Design team
  • Funded in 2023 budget, construction delayed until September 2026
• $110,000 for artist Ryan McCullough, $200,000 for additional art and maintenance — Public Art Contract - Fair Oaks
  • Payer: City of Tampa
  • Recipient: Artist and arts programs
  • Community engagement component included, calls for more local artist opportunities
• Approximately $1 million separated from South Howard project — Water Line Replacements
  • Payer: City of Tampa water funds
  • Recipient: Infrastructure contractors
  • Extracted from tree trust fund controversy, funded separately
• $334,000 — Tree Trust Fund Refund
  • Payer: Water Department
  • Recipient: Tree Trust Fund
  • Item continued to January 8 to explore alternative funding from FY25 surplus
• $700,000 requested for ADA bathrooms — Gadsden Park ADA Improvements
  • Payer: City of Tampa
  • Recipient: Parks and Recreation
  • Public called for comprehensive park investment beyond just bathrooms
• Unspecified CRA funds available — CRA Funding for Fire Stations
  • Payer: Community Redevelopment Agency
  • Recipient: Fire station construction
  • Council members noted CRA has funds available but administration hasn't moved forward

Decisions

• Approved Scott Steady as new City Attorney effective January 9, 2026
• Established Charter Review Commission with 7 council appointees, 2 mayoral appointees, and alternates
• Approved Kenneth Tinkler as Charter Review Commission attorney
• Denied bicycle safety ordinance targeting riverwalk and trail regulations
• Approved multimodal transportation impact fee increases phased over four years starting July 1, 2026
• Approved separation of water line replacement project from South Howard stormwater project
• Continued tree trust fund refund item to January 8, 2026
• Approved USF stadium development agreement amendment
• Approved Ybor City parking requirements rollback ordinance (first reading)
• Approved special use permit for 2901 North Albany Avenue multifamily dwelling
• Approved Tampa Museum of Art community benefits agreement
• Approved Fair Oaks public art contract with community engagement component
• Approved resolution condemning derogatory language and hate speech
• Scheduled workshop on bicycle/pedestrian safety for April 23, 2026

Action Items

• [ ] Fire Department/Project team: Provide written report on accelerating Fire Station 24 construction by minimum one month (due: February 19, 2026)
• [ ] Fire Department: Move Fire Station 24 GMP contract presentation to Council (due: July 16, 2026)
• [ ] City Council: Conduct Charter Review Commission organizational workshop (due: January 13, 2026 at 5 PM)
• [ ] TPD/Mobility Staff/Councilwoman Hurtak: Organize bicycle/pedestrian safety workshop with community meetings (due: April 23, 2026 workshop, March 2026 community meeting)
• [ ] City Attorney: Prepare legal memorandum on building permit errors and remedies (due: February 5, 2026)
• [ ] City staff: Provide written report on Freedmen's Bureau historical marker investigation (due: February 19, 2026)
• [ ] Local 754/Tampa Fire Rescue: Present updated Fire Master Plan and GIS study (due: February 19, 2026)
• [ ] Legal Department/Administration: Review G3 Life Applications tax credit application and prepare resolution (due: January 8, 2026)
• [ ] Mobility Department/Legal Department: Present mobility and legal options for downtown traffic management (due: January 8, 2026)
• [ ] Parks and Recreation/Council: Continue Gadsden Park accessible playground funding discussion (due: January 8, 2026)

Risks & Open Questions

• Fire Station 24 construction timeline continues to slip with three-year delay from funding to groundbreaking raising concerns about emergency response capabilities
• Bicycle safety ordinance denial could leave enforcement gaps for dangerous behavior on riverwalk and trails
• Downtown traffic congestion from road closures may worsen with new entertainment venues without coordination improvements
• Potential racial profiling concerns raised about any future bicycle enforcement policies
• Charter Review Commission timeline compressed with substantial work required in limited timeframe
• Public trust issues with administration transparency noted by multiple council members
• Enterprise fund lending practices questioned by council members as potentially problematic
• Property tax reform measures in November 2026 could limit future public safety investments
• Gadsden Park remains in poor condition with safety and ADA accessibility issues unresolved
• Community concerns about equitable opportunities for local artists in public contracting
• USF development may impact surrounding neighborhoods with flooding and traffic concerns
• Rising construction costs and supply chain issues affecting multiple capital projects