[3:10] .
[3:11] >> ken hagan: good morning and
[3:13] welcome to the SEPTEMBER 2nd,
[3:14] 2026, regularly scheduled board
[3:15] meeting of the hillsborough
[3:16] county board of county
[3:16] commissioners.
[3:18] Would everyone please rise for
[3:20] the pledge and invocation given
[3:23] by our chaplain, commissioner
[3:24] gwen myers.
[3:39] [Pledge of allegiance]
[3:40] >> gwen myers: o gracious
[3:40] 4e6benly father, thank you for
[3:42] your goodness, your grace, ad
[3:43] mercy.
[3:45] Thank you for all of our
[3:47] speakers who will speak today
[3:48] and share their thoughts with
[3:50] us.
[3:52] Bless this board as we continue
[3:53] to make great decisions on
[3:55] behalf of our county.
[3:59] Bless our administration as they
[4:02] meet and run our county and the
[4:03] operation of this county.
[4:05] Lord, I just thank you for every
[4:07] that you have allowed this
[4:09] county to achieve, and
[4:12] particularly on last friday.
[4:13] Just thank you, thank you,
[4:14] father, for the courage that you
[4:24] gave us to do your will, amen.
[4:26] >> ken hagan: thank you,
[4:26] commissioner myers.
[4:28] Today we have one very special
[4:29] commendation to be presented,
[4:30] and it'll be presented by
[4:45] commissioner boles.
[4:45] >> chris boles: prestaged.
[4:47] Good morning, everybody.
[4:48] How is everyone?
[4:51] Thank you, MR. Chair.
[4:54] Would bries and perry parkman
[4:58] found rsz of the mac parkman
[5:00] foundation as well as travis
[5:06] warner join me at the podium?
[5:12] Thank you.
[5:13] Good morning.
[5:16] Good morning, everybody.
[5:17] the mac parkman foundation's
[5:20] mission is a vytle one, to raise
[5:21] awareness of the effects of
[5:24] repeated head impacts and blast
[5:25] exposures have on the brain and
[5:26] mental health of children,
[5:28] athletes, and veterans.
[5:29] This mission serves as a
[5:32] profound legacy for the
[5:34] mcconnell mac parkman who
[5:39] tragically passed away SEPTEMBER 24th, 2020, after
[5:40] battling mental health issues
[5:45] that were related to a series of
[5:48] three known concussions he
[5:49] sustained ibwrestling, football,
[5:51] and other concussive activities.
[5:54] Today thousands of -- primarily
[5:56] through participation in sports
[5:56] related activities.
[5:58] The mac parkman foundation is
[5:59] dedicated to creating a safer
[6:01] environment in sports and
[6:03] military service, improving
[6:04] treatment for those athletes and
[6:06] veterans affected and ensuring a
[6:07] healthier future for all.
[6:09] It is an honor and a privilege
[6:11] for me and this board to present
[6:14] this commendation to MR. And
[6:16] MRS. Parkman, recognizing their
[6:18] organization, its namesake for
[6:20] their son, and a very important
[6:22] event, the foundation is hosting
[6:26] in our community.
[6:29] The commendation reads as such.
[6:30] Hillsborough county board of
[6:31] county commissioners is pleased
[6:33] to recognize the mac parkman
[6:33] foundation on the occasion of
[6:35] the third annual international
[6:38] summit on repetitive brain
[6:39] trauma, bringing together
[6:40] researchers, medical
[6:41] professionals, athletes,
[6:42] advocates, and community
[6:44] leaders.
[6:46] Since its founding, the mac
[6:48] parkman foundation has been
[6:49] dedicated to protecting brains
[6:51] and saving lives by advancing
[6:53] awareness, research, education,
[6:56] and advocacy surrounding brain
[6:57] health and the prevention and
[6:59] treatment of brain injuries.
[7:00] Through its work, the foundation
[7:02] advocates for safer sports,
[7:04] improved treatments, and greater
[7:05] understanding of brain health,
[7:08] with a particular focus on
[7:10] athletes, veterans, children,
[7:12] and others impacted by brain
[7:14] injury.
[7:15] SEPTEMBER 16th to
[7:18] SEPTEMBER 17th, 2026, the
[7:20] nonprofit organization will host
[7:21] its third annual international
[7:22] summit on repetitive brain
[7:23] trauma at the center for
[7:27] advanced medical learning and
[7:29] simulation, camls in downtown
[7:29] tampa.
[7:30] The event will provide an
[7:32] important forum for advancing
[7:34] dialogue, sharing research, and
[7:35] emerging knowledge, and raising
[7:36] awareness of the effects of
[7:38] repetitive head impacts and
[7:40] heir potential long-term
[7:41] consequences.
[7:42] The mac parkman foundation's
[7:43] continued investment in
[7:45] education, research, and
[7:47] community partnerships reflects
[7:48] its unwavering commitment to
[7:49] improving brain health and
[7:51] protecting the well-being of
[7:54] future generations.
[7:54] The board of county
[7:55] commissioners of hillsborough
[7:57] county, florida, does hereby
[7:59] commend the mac parkman
[8:01] foundation for its dedication to
[8:02] advancing brain health,
[8:03] promoting safer sports,
[8:05] supporting research and
[8:06] treatment, and raising awareness
[8:08] of brain injuries, and wishes
[8:09] the foundation a continued
[8:11] success.
[8:13] Executed this 2nd day of
[8:14] september, 2026.
[8:17] Thank you, sir.
[8:19] >> commissioners boles, thank
[8:20] you so much.
[8:22] >> chris boles: thank you,
[8:22] ma'am.
[8:23] Would you like to have a few
[8:24] moments to speak?
[8:25] >> I would.
[8:28] Thank you so much.
[8:29] Commissioner boles, thank you
[8:31] very much for.
[8:32] Hillsborough county
[8:35] commissioners, chaplain, legal
[8:37] folks, we want to say thank you
[8:39] very much for allowing us not
[8:42] only this day of commendation
[8:44] for ourselves and our son, but
[8:46] for what this summit represents
[8:47] to the hillsborough county and
[8:50] the future of this country.
[8:53] Right now this conference is
[8:55] brought about by the death of
[8:59] our son who took his life at 17
[9:00] after suffering mentalilityinize
[9:02] for years as a result of him
[9:03] starting to play contact sports
[9:04] at 6.
[9:09] Right now the, the participation
[9:10] of young people before their --
[9:12] while their brain is developing
[9:14] in contact sports is the largest
[9:15] preventable cause of mental
[9:18] illness and incarceration in
[9:20] this concountry right now.
[9:22] And not only that, our veteran
[9:24] population blast exposure right
[9:26] now is emerging as a new an
[9:27] critical unsolved science that
[9:29] we need oo address after 130,000
[9:30] veterans have already committed
[9:32] suicide.
[9:34] These two issues right now are
[9:36] based on repetitive brain
[9:36] trauma.
[9:38] This summit that we hold right
[9:40] here in tampa is the only summit
[9:43] of its kind in the world.
[9:45] These issues affect millions of
[9:46] americans, and they are not
[9:49] getting any attention right now
[9:50] because of the fact that sports
[9:52] is a religion, and we all love
[9:52] sports.
[9:56] I'm a semipro rugby major, a
[9:58] retired green beret -- major.
[9:59] Kind of a man and we need our
[10:01] veterans to be lethal and
[10:02] without recognizes these
[10:03] conditions can be treated, that
[10:05] we do have policies and
[10:06] procedures to make better
[10:08] changes to the way we minimize
[10:10] the aggregate exposure of the
[10:11] brain to trauma, we can
[10:13] `absolutely have our contact
[10:14] sports and safe kids that aren't
[10:15] running off cliffs and taking
[10:16] their lives.
[10:18] Millions of kids right now are
[10:19] in medical care, none of them
[10:20] have been assessed.
[10:21] Why?
[10:22] Because the issue between
[10:23] repetitive brain trauma and
[10:25] mental illness and damage to the
[10:26] brain is not trained in any
[10:29] nursing, medical, or
[10:30] psychological curriculum in this
[10:31] country today, which means our
[10:33] entire medical population is not
[10:36] aware of the correlations, and
[10:38] our children are being
[10:39] misdiagnosed and mistreated with
[10:41] extensive amounts of
[10:42] pharmaceuticals instead of
[10:43] modalities that can change the
[10:44] brain.
[10:44] We must treat the brain.
[10:45] In close, I would like to say
[10:47] that we're going to keep this
[10:49] summit here for a couple
[10:50] reasons.
[10:51] Number 1, hillsborough county
[10:52] rocks and we've got mazing
[10:54] commissioners that support us.
[10:55] Number 2, there is not a plot of
[10:57] medical and -- lot of medical
[10:59] and research oriented summits
[10:59] here.
[11:00] and third, hillsborough county
[11:01] just basically rocks.
[11:02] And that's why we're going to
[11:03] keep it here.
[11:06] But we are honored to host this
[11:06] now.
[11:07] This going to be our third one.
[11:08] This grows every year.
[11:09] It is international nature, and
[11:11] we want to thank commissioner
[11:13] boles and the rest of the
[11:15] commissioners and our ceo travis
[11:17] horn here for encouraging us to
[11:19] come here to recognize what me
[11:21] and my beautiful wife have done
[11:22] and for saying to all of you
[11:24] here, this is a huge issue in
[11:26] this country right now, and we
[11:27] are the leading effort in it,
[11:29] and we absolutely need your
[11:30] support.
[11:32] Thank you very much.
[12:30] [Applause]
[12:30] >> ken hagan: thank you,
[12:32] commissioner boles.
[12:33] Bonnie, do you want to review
[12:34] changes to the agenda?
[12:35] >> yes, good morning,
[12:35] commissioners.
[12:36] We have two items that have been
[12:38] deferred to a date to be
[12:38] determined.
[12:40] The first one is item a. 12,
[12:42] which is to approve aerizelution
[12:45] reflecting a modification to the
[12:45] county's tourist development
[12:48] plan for fiscal year 26 and 27.
[12:50] The second one is item g. 1,
[12:53] which is to receive a report on
[12:55] the hillsborough county firearm
[12:56] purchases ordinance.
[12:56] You have several items for time
[12:57] certain today.
[12:59] The first one is item d. 1 at
[13:00] 10:00.
[13:01] This is to hold a public hearing
[13:04] to consider the transfer of
[13:05] certain property rights through
[13:07] a perpetual easement and a
[13:09] temporary construction easement
[13:11] relating to the south
[13:12] hillsborough aquifer recharge
[13:15] program better known as sharp.
[13:17] Item d. 2 is at 10:00.
[13:18] This is related to item b. 1.
[13:20] This is to hold a public hearing
[13:21] and adopt an ordinance providing
[13:23] for a requirement for the
[13:24] registration of short-term
[13:26] vacation rentals and for
[13:28] business regulations of
[13:29] short-term vacation rentals.
[13:32] Then we have item b. 1, also at
[13:34] 10:00, related to item d. 2,
[13:36] which is to adopt a resolution
[13:38] providing for the fee schedule
[13:39] to implement the hillsborough
[13:41] county short-term vacation
[13:43] rental registration and business
[13:44] regulation ordinance.
[13:47] Item d. 3 at 10:00 is to hold a
[13:48] public hearing to consider the
[13:49] hillsborough county code of
[13:51] ordinances and laws relating to
[13:53] cross-connections and back flow
[13:54] control.
[13:57] Item d. 4 also at 10:00, conduct
[13:58] a public hearing and adopt a
[14:00] resolution that establishes the
[14:02] stormwater management non-ad
[14:04] valorem assessment rates and
[14:04] non-ad valorem assessment roll
[14:07] for calendar year 2026.
[14:10] And item b. 2 at 1015 is to
[14:11] adopt a supplementary resolution
[14:13] authorizing the issuance of not
[14:16] to exceed $700 million in
[14:18] aggregate principle amount of
[14:20] the county's utility system
[14:22] revenue bonds for the purpose of
[14:23] financing all or a portion of
[14:24] the acquisition, construction,
[14:26] reconstruction, expansion,
[14:27] replacement, and/or equipping of
[14:28] various capital improvement
[14:30] projects for the utility system.
[14:33] And also to refinance a portion
[14:35] of certain indebtedness.
[14:36] 11:45 is a recess for lunch.
[14:37] Those are the changes to the
[14:38] agenda.
[14:38] >> ken hagan: can we have a
[14:41] motion to approve the changes?
[14:42] Motion, commissioner cohen.
[14:43] Second commissioner miller.
[14:48] Please record your vote.
[14:50] >> motion carried 7-0.
[14:50] >> ken hagan: okay, the board
[14:53] will go into the public comment
[14:53] portion of the agenda.
[14:54] The board welcomes comments from
[14:56] the citizens about any issue or
[14:57] concern.
[14:57] Your opinions are valued in
[14:58] terms of providing valuable
[14:59] input to board members.
[15:01] However, at the same time, it is
[15:03] requested when you address the
[15:04] board that comments are not made
[15:05] directly at staff or board
[15:07] members but rather the issues.
[15:10] The board has set aside 45
[15:11] minutes for public comment this
[15:12] morning.
[15:13] The chair will call the speakers
[15:16] in the order in which you've
[15:16] signed up.
[15:18] Each person will be given three
[15:18] minutes.
[15:20] Please state your name and speak
[15:21] clearly into the microphone.
[15:25] First three speakers, joseph
[15:27] mullburger followed by colonel
[15:29] D.J. Rays and then linda
[15:30] grabowsky.
[15:30] Good morning, sir.
[15:32] >> good morning.
[15:34] I'm united states air frce
[15:40] lieutenant -- retired lieutenant
[15:41] colonel.
[15:42] I'm -- in 1955 the council began
[15:45] as the allied war veterans of
[15:46] hillsborough county, florida,
[15:48] inc., then in 1965 the name was
[15:53] changed to our current name.
[15:55] Our 71 years founded and evolved
[15:56] by veterans as a way to improve
[15:58] the lifestyle of resident
[16:00] veterans and their families.
[16:01] The council had significant
[16:04] influence in establishing our
[16:06] veterans memorial park along
[16:06] highway 301.
[16:09] Today the council is a congress
[16:11] of sorts with representation
[16:12] from veterans organizations from
[16:14] across the county as well as
[16:16] individual members and people
[16:18] with interests to support
[16:18] veterans.
[16:21] In JANUARY 2024, the council
[16:23] established bylaws defining
[16:25] officers, committees, and
[16:25] administrative guidelines.
[16:28] Today we are in the council
[16:30] administration of JANUARY 2026
[16:33] through NOVEMBER 2027.
[16:38] Application of the bylaws is in
[16:39] process, which as a result means
[16:41] a paradigm shift is in process.
[16:43] Committees have been established
[16:45] as defined by the bylaws.
[16:47] The council co-hosts five annual
[16:49] events with the veterans
[16:51] memorial park staff that are
[16:52] sponsored with a hillsborough
[16:53] county budget.
[16:55] These vents come at a cost and
[17:00] an obligation for fiscal
[17:01] responsibility.
[17:02] Since 2008 by way of the bocc
[17:04] the council has been the
[17:08] recipient of a $10,000 grant $10,000 grant.
[17:09] Cost increases this fiscal year
[17:11] were learned about after each
[17:13] event and demonstrate adneed for
[17:15] a $10,000 grant to be increased
[17:17] with a total of $10,000 more for
[17:19] a total of $20,000 for fiscal
[17:20] year 2027.
[17:24] On wednesday, JULY 29th, the
[17:25] bocc held their budgetary vote
[17:26] and voted in favor of the
[17:28] council receiving the
[17:30] $10,000 grant as well as the
[17:31] additional $10,000 for the total
[17:34] budget of $20,000.
[17:35] The council is grateful and
[17:37] extends their thanks to all
[17:39] seven bocc councilmembers and
[17:40] their staffs for their support
[17:42] and this positive way forward.
[17:44] In OCTOBER 2025, the council
[17:46] voted to align with the larger
[17:48] similar organization, the tampa
[17:49] bay defense alliance, which
[17:51] covers eight counties including
[17:52] our own.
[17:54] Alliances allow optimizing
[17:55] opportunities benefiting
[17:56] hillsborough county veterans and
[17:58] heir families, circling back to
[18:00] the fundamental council purpose,
[18:03] improving the lifestyle and
[18:04] resident veterans -- resident
[18:05] veterans and their families.
[18:07] Thank you very much.
[18:08] >> ken hagan: thank you, sir.
[18:11] Appreciate the comments.
[18:13] Colonel reyes, followed by linda
[18:14] grabowsky and then denise
[18:15] herndon.
[18:17] Good morning, sir.
[18:19] >> good morning, everybody.
[18:21] Again my name is D.J. Reyes, I'm
[18:23] a retired U.S. Army colonel.
[18:25] I was appointed by commissioner
[18:26] cepeda to represent district 5
[18:27] on the hillsborough county
[18:29] veterans advisory board.
[18:31] I'm also a state and national
[18:33] advocate for criminal justice
[18:34] involved veterans, and the
[18:35] veterans treatment court,
[18:36] specifically the one here in
[18:37] tampa.
[18:39] I was appointed to and served on
[18:41] the U.S. Secretary of veterans
[18:43] affairs advisory committee on
[18:45] homeless veterans from 2023 to
[18:46] 2024.
[18:48] And in NOVEMBER of 2025, I was
[18:50] appointed to my current
[18:52] position, as a deputy executive
[18:53] director for the florida
[18:54] department of veteran affairs.
[18:56] The purpose why I'm here today
[18:58] is to obtain your favorable
[19:00] consideration to use the
[19:03] existing county owned four acres
[19:05] adjacent to the veterans
[19:07] memorial park for affordable
[19:09] transitional veteran housing,
[19:11] supported by already existing
[19:13] and comprehensive community
[19:15] wraparound services.
[19:16] Again, my perspective is shaped
[19:18] on my experiencing at the ground
[19:20] level supporting the tampa
[19:22] veterans treatment court since
[19:23] 2013 and again my time on the
[19:25] advisory committee at the
[19:26] national level.
[19:28] In your packet, you should have
[19:29] eceived two slides.
[19:30] I'll just like to highlight just
[19:32] a couple key points in there.
[19:33] The first slide points to the
[19:36] national and state rankings
[19:37] placed purely on the number of
[19:39] veterans re -- based purely on
[19:40] the number of veterans residing
[19:40] in florida.
[19:43] Right now we enjoy 1.45 million
[19:45] veterans in our great state, and
[19:48] overall for veterans, and then
[19:51] 172,000 of those are female
[19:51] veterans.
[19:53] And this is very, very important
[19:55] because both categories rank
[19:56] number 2 in the nation for
[19:57] veterans.
[19:58] Overall veterans and female
[19:59] veterans.
[20:00] In hillsborough county alone
[20:03] drilling down, we have 97,000
[20:03] veterans.
[20:05] We are the number 1 county most
[20:06] populated veterans in the state
[20:08] of florida.
[20:09] Additionally we have as I
[20:11] mentioneds earlier county owned
[20:12] property.
[20:13] The four acres and thank mny
[20:15] thanks to commissioner cepeda
[20:16] for working this several years
[20:19] with me, we've obtained this and
[20:20] it's right next to the veterans
[20:21] memorial park.
[20:23] It's a perfect location because
[20:24] it's also adjacent to our
[20:26] veterans resource center where
[20:29] frank strom runs his county
[20:31] veteran services officers that
[20:31] provides many beneficial
[20:33] services to our veterans.
[20:34] Equally important transportation
[20:36] wise it's along major bus routes
[20:38] that can get our veterans to and
[20:40] from james haley which is
[20:42] 12 miles in distance.
[20:44] The second slide I want to point
[20:47] out, it points out to the robust
[20:48] community resource network that
[20:50] we enjoy here in hillsborough
[20:51] county and the wraparound
[20:52] services that address not only
[20:54] our housing services but also
[20:56] other critical support that
[20:58] veterans need to sustain their
[21:01] physical, mental, financial, and
[21:01] spiritual health.
[21:03] And here in hillsborough county
[21:04] we're fortunate again to offer
[21:07] our one stop shop and
[21:09] coordination point through these
[21:11] services through our department
[21:12] of consumer and veteran services
[21:14] again led by frank strom and
[21:15] supported by his county veteran
[21:16] service officers who also
[21:17] complement at the state level
[21:20] the veteran service officers and officers and
[21:23] veteran claim examiners.
[21:24] >> ken hagan: thank you.
[21:26] Appreciate your comments, sir.
[21:27] Linda grabowsky.
[21:30] And then denise herndon.
[21:33] And then sergret doss.
[21:37] Good morning.
[21:39] >> it's bringing -- okay.
[21:41] I have no problem with
[21:41] hillsborough county increasing
[21:46] the annual stormwater management
[21:49] assessment if the money pays for
[21:52] experts to be on their public
[21:55] works staff, specialists who can
[21:58] draw science backed conclusions
[22:00] about land use.
[22:02] And when these professionals
[22:04] make a judgment call about a
[22:06] parcel of land --
[22:07] >> ken hagan: ma'am, can I just
[22:07] say one thing?
[22:09] That hearing is actually d. 4.
[22:10] Would you rather speak now
[22:11] instead of then?
[22:12] >> if I could.
[22:14] >> ken hagan: yeah, that's fine.
[22:16] Just want to make sure you knew.
[22:21] Please continue.
[22:22] >> if the professionals make a
[22:25] judgment call about a parcel of
[22:27] land that the other county
[22:30] employees pay attention to them,
[22:32] especially the people who grant
[22:35] building permits.
[22:37] If during big rain events the
[22:39] experts say that a certain area
[22:42] will be at maximum capacity for
[22:45] stormwater runoff control, there
[22:46] should be no more building in
[22:49] that area.
[22:51] Because essentially the experts
[22:53] are saying there is nowhere for
[22:56] the stormwater to go except onto
[22:59] other people's property.
[23:02] It is not fair for sun city
[23:03] center and kings point and
[23:07] freedom plaza established
[23:09] communities, homes that have
[23:14] been there for 30, 40, 50, 60
[23:16] years to have stormwater
[23:17] inundating their properties
[23:20] because some corporation or
[23:22] contractor incesters want to
[23:25] build above 19th avenue or on
[23:28] either side of is cypress
[23:30] village boulevard.
[23:35] Those low lying service a
[23:36] purpose, and just because we've
[23:39] had a number of droughts in
[23:44] recent years and they appear to
[23:46] be lots you can build on, that
[23:48] land should not be built on and
[23:49] the proof is in the flood
[23:53] insurance rate map.
[23:55] I want to make you aware of the
[24:01] fact that in 19 -- 2024, cypress
[24:04] creek ran backwards into sun
[24:06] city and not out of sun city,
[24:11] this is a huge shift.
[24:13] Please listen to the experts,
[24:17] lese protect the 55-plus
[24:18] communities down on the south
[24:22] part of the county, and we're
[24:24] vulnerable, and we need your
[24:25] protection.
[24:27] And I thank you very much.
[24:29] >> ken hagan: thank you,
[24:30] MS. Grabowsky.
[24:32] >> can you say your name for the
[24:32] record.
[24:33] >> I'm sorry.
[24:34] Linda grabowsky.
[24:36] >> ken hagan: all right, denise
[24:37] herndon, and then sergret doss,
[24:41] and then we have a hannah
[24:41] schultz.
[24:42] Your issue is the second public
[24:44] hearing d. 2, so you can either
[24:46] speak now or when that one comes
[24:46] up.
[24:47] It's up to you.
[24:49] Good morning, MS. Herndon.
[24:53] >> good morning, I'm denise
[24:53] herndon.
[24:56] I found out this morning why the
[24:58] sheriff's association is
[25:00] associated with so many pieces
[25:03] of equipment that doesn't relate
[25:06] to this.
[25:10] Sheriffs it's like a family
[25:11] affair.
[25:15] When the, have an employee work
[25:17] at like a ford dealer, get a
[25:19] family discount.
[25:21] So my main thing that I also
[25:25] wanted to talk about is that we
[25:29] had a state come in and do an
[25:30] audit and they had said just a
[25:31] two-day so I know they didn't
[25:35] find everything, and in 2025,
[25:41] our millage rate was 18.2515,
[25:43] and then the state said that we
[25:46] can lower it one mill.
[25:48] Well, you guys are I'm sure will
[25:50] increase the tax.
[25:52] We've got refunded if anybody
[25:58] had chosen to get it because of
[26:01] the 1% transportation tax that
[26:03] florida supreme court said was
[26:03] illegal.
[26:06] Well, we have a bed tax, and
[26:09] that bed tax is paying for
[26:11] things three times over I found
[26:19] out, and that florida statute is
[26:19] 125.0104.
[26:22] It pays for constructing,
[26:24] maintaining, paying debt service
[26:26] on convention centers, sports
[26:31] arenas, and coliseums.
[26:36] Well, gwen myers and you five
[26:38] other county commissioners have
[26:40] voted to have the rays come here
[26:45] and use the cit tax which is
[26:47] supposed to be not for a rays
[26:48] stadium.
[26:49] Ye care -- I don't care about
[26:53] the rays stadium being here.
[26:54] The $800 million that the county
[26:55] taxpayers are going to pay is
[26:57] not a one and done.
[27:01] But you county commissioners and
[27:02] agan, you've been on the
[27:04] commission for 24 years,
[27:07] sidewalks, roads, r not -- are
[27:08] not one and done and that's how
[27:10] they've been treated is one and
[27:11] done.
[27:14] We will own this stadium, and so
[27:17] we're getting bed tax, from all
[27:21] the hotels, and then there was
[27:26] brought up for taking main sail,
[27:28] so the county employees don't
[27:30] have to sleep on the floor and
[27:32] share bathrooms.
[27:34] Well, everybody else does, so
[27:37] why can't the people taking care
[27:42] of storm stuff instead of buy a
[27:43] trailer with showers.
[27:45] Buy blowup mattresses.
[27:46] We have enough county buildings
[27:49] to support it versus taking a
[27:51] vacation at main sail.
[27:53] >> ken hagan: thank you,
[27:54] s. Herndon.
[27:59] Sergret doss.
[28:05] Good morning, sir.
[28:05] >> I appreciate that.
[28:07] `good morning, my name is surgret
[28:07] doss and I was going to talk
[28:09] about a couple of other things
[28:10] but I'm glad we have veteran
[28:10] representation.
[28:13] And I don't care what amount of
[28:15] money is set aside or the board
[28:16] asked the county to give.
[28:19] It's not going to be enough, so
[28:19] it should be given.
[28:20] And because I'm glad that the
[28:23] rays are going to be here in
[28:24] tampa, but we can never talk
[28:26] about money anymore for veteran
[28:27] services.
[28:29] More importantly, there are some
[28:31] veterans who actually run
[28:33] transitional housing for
[28:35] veterans that I don't know if
[28:37] the county reached out to them,
[28:39] or -- run by -- who was -- waldo
[28:46] wooder actually, who has -- 51 c
[28:47] 3 yet but transitional housing
[28:49] and he would welcome veterans.
[28:51] In fact he is a veteran.
[28:52] And the veteran treatment court
[28:53] that I've noticed downstairs
[28:55] I've never been asked to go to
[28:56] one of these courts and we all
[28:57] know that I have a case in front
[28:58] of the united states supreme
[29:00] court for a travesty that I
[29:04] suffered here in hillsborough
[29:05] county.
[29:05] I've had numerous other issues
[29:06] that for some reason the county
[29:08] has just turned a blind eye to.
[29:09] I don't need you to intervene.
[29:11] I just need you if you're an
[29:14] attorney here to do your job.
[29:14] If you're on the county
[29:15] commission I raise an issue like
[29:17] why the county turned a blind
[29:18] eye to over a million dollars
[29:19] worth of my property being taken
[29:21] without me having a day in
[29:22] court, there
[29:24] and instead of having a
[29:26] day in court, what they did was
[29:27] invited me to defend myself
[29:28] against a crime that I never
[29:29] imhitted.
[29:30] That ways -- committed and that
[29:31] case was won.
[29:32] Don't take my word for it.
[29:36] Look it up, my name is sergret
[29:37] urania doss, you can find the
[29:42] case 2017-cf-9089 where I was
[29:43] accused at the time a sitting
[29:46] judge in the mayor's head of
[29:48] security for perjuring a special
[29:49] proceeding.
[29:50] I won the case presented.
[29:52] Another issue he had is for some
[29:53] reason we don't have enough
[29:54] attorneys on board that are
[29:56] willing to help veterans.
[29:58] And the cost of representation
[30:02] at anyway in anything is awfully
[30:03] high.
[30:04] But for some reason we have
[30:05] money for everything except
[30:06] taking care of the people who
[30:07] are willing to give their lives
[30:09] to take care of this country.
[30:10] That's unacceptable.
[30:12] And it doesn't matter if you're
[30:14] red, blue, green, black, brown,
[30:17] gay, straight, or whatever.
[30:18] I don't care where you're from.
[30:22] If you put on an uniform you are
[30:25] part of less than 7% of the --
[30:29] who've ever been in combat.
[30:30] And we give too much lip service
[30:31] to it.
[30:33] We often hear thank you for your
[30:34] service, and my standard answer
[30:37] is it was my honor to do so.
[30:39] But for those who aren't here to
[30:41] speak for themselves, a lot more
[30:42] needs to be done oon behalf of
[30:44] the veterans to include the two
[30:46] veterans that are sitting on
[30:47] this board here today and your
[30:47] attorneys as well.
[30:50] I made my statements clear.
[30:51] I'm glad the rays are here.
[30:55] Two former rays are graduates of
[30:56] the greatest institution of
[30:58] higher education in the -- the
[30:59] university of thomas jefferson
[31:01] high school.
[31:02] >> ken hagan: thank you, sir,
[31:03] appreciate the comments.
[31:03] Hannah schultzy.
[31:05] Did you want to speak now or
[31:14] during the public hearing?
[31:15] Good morning.
[31:16] >> all right, good morning,
[31:16] commissioners.
[31:18] My name is hannah -- and I'm
[31:19] here today because I believe we
[31:20] are actually losing sight of who
[31:22] is going to bear the burdens of
[31:24] this ordinance.
[31:25] I want to start by saying
[31:27] something very clearly.
[31:28] I'm not asking you to protect
[31:31] bad operators.
[31:33] If someone is throwing a party,
[31:34] violating occupancy limits,
[31:36] creating noise problems, safety
[31:38] hazards, or repeatedly violating
[31:43] existing laws, then hold them
[31:43] accountable.
[31:44] But do not confuse the bad
[31:46] actors with the thousands of
[31:48] ordinary property owners who are
[31:51] simply trying to make a living,
[31:52] protect their investment, and
[31:55] have a place to call home in
[31:55] florida.
[31:56] Because there are a real
[31:58] difference between a large
[31:59] corporation owning dozens or
[32:02] hundreds of properties, and an
[32:04] ordinary person owning one
[32:05] vacation home.
[32:06] Think about the person that
[32:10] works their entire life buys a
[32:12] modest home, saves their money,
[32:15] and wants to spend the winter as
[32:17] a snowbird in florida.
[32:19] They live here a few months and
[32:22] when they go home they rent the
[32:24] property for a portion to pay
[32:25] the -- this isn't a
[32:27] corporations, a hotel chain, or
[32:29] some faceless investment fund.
[32:30] This isany
[32:33] is an everyday person
[32:34] rying to afford their piece of
[32:35] the american dream, and those
[32:36] people are already facing
[32:39] enormous costs by ways of
[32:41] insurance, taxes, repairs, hoa
[32:43] fees, and now we're proposing
[32:47] another layer of governmental
[32:48] red tape and an annual fee on
[32:50] top of everything else.
[32:51] His proposed ordinance will
[32:52] require every short-term
[32:54] vacation rental to register and
[32:56] pay $200 a year while also
[32:58] requiring a local responsible
[33:00] party around the clock.
[33:02] The county estimates more than
[33:02] 3,000 properties could be
[33:05] `affected earning an estimated
[33:07] 600 k in one year alone.
[33:08] With a corporation with hundreds
[33:10] of properties, $200 is simply a
[33:12] rounding error.
[33:13] For an ordinary person who
[33:15] bought one property as a
[33:17] retirement plan, every
[33:18] additional cost matters, and
[33:20] that's what concerns me the
[33:21] most.
[33:22] Regulations like this are much
[33:24] larger for large companies to
[33:25] absorb than they are for
[33:28] individual owners: the people
[33:30] with the deepest pockets can pay
[33:32] the fees, hire attorneys, and
[33:35] absorb another regulation: the
[33:36] little guy cannot.
[33:38] And if we make it too expensive
[33:40] or too complicated for ordinary
[33:43] people to participate, who is
[33:43] left?
[33:45] The large investors and
[33:47] companies that can keep, afford
[33:48] to buy properties while
[33:49] individual families get pushed
[33:49] out?
[33:51] I think the board should also be
[33:52] especially careful about the
[33:53] appearance of influence.
[33:55] I recently reviewed the public
[33:57] campaign records and
[33:58] commissioner cohen's campaign
[33:59] received a generation donation
[34:00] from the apartment action
[34:03] committee on JUNE 9th of this
[34:04] year.
[34:05] This organization openly says
[34:06] its purpose is to support
[34:07] candidates who understand and
[34:11] support the apartment industry's
[34:12] interests and to build
[34:14] relationships with elected
[34:14] officials.
[34:16] >> ken hagan: thank you.
[34:17] Appreciate your comments.
[34:17] >> thank you.
[34:20] >> ken hagan: our next speaker,
[34:27] viva yochillis, molly finkel,
[34:31] virtual alawn jovony -- is
[34:32] yochillis here?
[34:33] Please come down.
[34:44] Molly finkel will be next.
[34:45] Good morning.
[34:46] >> good morning.
[34:47] And good morning.
[34:50] My name is viva -- and I live
[34:51] here in south tampa.
[34:54] Thank you for your support of
[34:55] fiba and everything you have
[34:55] been doing for our community.
[34:57] I'm here because I believe in
[34:59] something very simple.
[35:01] Fairness and equal treatment.
[35:03] I'm asking you to look at fiba
[35:05] for what it actually is, a
[35:08] florida based economic
[35:10] organization focused on bringing
[35:13] business, investment, and jobs
[35:15] to hillsborough county.
[35:17] If -- is legally operating in
[35:18] florida and brings result,
[35:21] creating jobs, and attracting
[35:22] investments, I believe it should
[35:25] be judged by those results.
[35:28] Fiba reports that 20 companies
[35:29] already have an established
[35:30] presence here in hillsborough
[35:33] county, and creating over 70
[35:33] direct jobs.
[35:36] Those are jobs and investment
[35:39] here in our community these are
[35:40] results that affect the lives of
[35:42] real people right here in our
[35:43] county.
[35:44] So I'm anding the commission to
[35:45] apply -- I'm asking the
[35:46] commission to apply the same
[35:47] standard to everyone.
[35:48] Before you judge fiba ask
[35:50] yourself, does it create jobs?
[35:52] Does it attract investment?
[35:54] Does it benefit hillsborough
[35:54] county?
[35:56] The numbers don't lie.
[35:58] The answer to all, if the answer
[36:01] to all those three questions is
[36:03] yes for me, that's what it's all
[36:04] about.
[36:06] Fairness, equal treatment, and
[36:07] the community where I live.
[36:08] Thank you so much.
[36:09] >> ken hagan: thank you for your
[36:10] comments.
[36:11] Molly finkel.
[36:15] And is then alain giovanni and
[36:17] last name latrininger.
[36:18] Both virtual.
[36:18] >> good morning, commissioners.
[36:20] My name is molly finkal and I'm
[36:21] a resident of tampa.
[36:23] I grew up in tampa, and I
[36:24] returned several years ago to
[36:27] raise my family here.
[36:28] I'd like to thank you for your
[36:29] continued support and investment
[36:31] in the florida israel business
[36:32] accelerator or fiba.
[36:34] I learned of an outsized number
[36:39] of public comments targeted a
[36:40] $37,500 line item in
[36:41] hillsborough county's 2027
[36:42] budget proposal.
[36:44] These comments are part of a
[36:45] coordinated political campaign
[36:48] designed to delegitimize israel
[36:49] and anybody with any connection
[36:51] to the country.
[36:52] This organized social media
[36:54] driven campaign called fight
[36:56] back fiba shares email templates
[36:57] and phone scripts and offers
[36:58] virtual training sessions for
[36:59] public comment.
[37:01] The provided talking points
[37:03] demand, quote, removing all
[37:06] funding to israeli companies.
[37:08] The campaign is built on lies
[37:09] regarding both fiba's
[37:10] relationship with the state of
[37:11] israel and actions of the state
[37:13] of israel itself.
[37:14] Fiba does not give money to
[37:16] israel but rather brings
[37:17] economic activity here to
[37:19] hillsborough county.
[37:20] The economic development budget
[37:21] should be judged on the return
[37:23] on this investment.
[37:26] The campaign uses the
[37:30] antizionist genocide libel and
[37:31] its -- in its online messaging
[37:32] and public comments.
[37:33] This libel is completely
[37:34] irrelevant to the county
[37:35] commission's objectives.
[37:36] I trust you will not be fooled
[37:37] by this activist agenda.
[37:40] Thank you for continuing to put
[37:41] hillsborough county's economic
[37:43] well-being and development oer
[37:45] a political campaign.
[37:47] Keep international political
[37:49] agendas out of local politics.
[37:51] Thank you for supporting fiba.
[37:51] >> ken hagan: thank you,
[37:52] MS. Finkel.
[37:53] Appreciate the comments.
[37:58] Is there elan jovony online,
[38:03] virtual?
[38:05] >> yes, I'm here.
[38:09] >> ken hagan: yep, please go
[38:09] ahead.
[38:11] >> good morning, commissioners.
[38:14] My name is elaine giovanni I
[38:16] live in tampa for the last eight
[38:16] years.
[38:17] I would like to open for
[38:19] thanking you for your ongoing
[38:20] support for fiba.
[38:22] Next I want to address one
[38:24] company that has become central
[38:25] to the campaign against fiba and
[38:29] this company's extent.
[38:30] `there is an important farct that
[38:33] should not be lost in this
[38:33] discussion.
[38:35] Extend shows tampa for its
[38:37] headquarters -- chose tampa for
[38:41] its hs because of its proximy to -- who we all know for
[38:43] essential to tampa's company.
[38:47] Both fiba and the tampa bay
[38:48] economic council supported the
[38:50] decision because it aligned with
[38:51] their mission to attract
[38:52] companies, investments, and jobs
[38:54] to ou community.
[38:56] We should look at what extend
[38:58] means economically for
[38:59] hillsborough county.
[39:01] In just one year, extend hired
[39:03] 30 local employees,
[39:06] predominantly retired special
[39:13] operators and pays off -- and
[39:16] pays an average salary of
[39:20] approximately $125,000 a year.
[39:22] The company -- 50,000 square
[39:23] feet of commercial real estate
[39:27] in east tampa for $27,000 per
[39:28] month, that's an investment in
[39:30] our great community.
[39:32] People MAY have strong opinions
[39:35] about defense technology or
[39:36] international conflict.
[39:38] They're entitled to those
[39:38] opinions.
[39:40] But those issues should not be
[39:42] confused with the role of fiba.
[39:46] Fiba is not the israeli
[39:46] government.
[39:48] Fiba does not make military
[39:48] decisions.
[39:51] Fiba's job is economic
[39:51] development.
[39:54] So let's evaluate fiba based on
[39:56] its actual role and measurable
[39:56] local results.
[39:59] Let's not turn an economic
[40:01] development discussion into a
[40:03] referendum on international
[40:03] politics.
[40:05] thank you so much.
[40:08] >> ken hagan: thank you, sir.
[40:12] Last name latrin gr
[40:15] ger and then --
[40:17] is latringer on the line?
[40:18] >> yes.
[40:18] Yes, I'm here.
[40:19] >> ken hagan: good morning.
[40:22] >> thank you good morning and
[40:24] thank you for having me here
[40:24] today.
[40:25] Mi
[40:28] my name is -- and I'm the
[40:30] original director of the israeli
[40:32] american council, the iac in
[40:33] central florida.
[40:35] I want to thank hillsborough
[40:37] county and the commissioners for
[40:38] your support and for the work
[40:41] you do every day to make tampa
[40:43] bay a stronger, more welcoming,
[40:46] and more connected place for
[40:47] everyone.
[40:49] At the iac one of our core goals
[40:51] is to strengthen jewish and
[40:54] israeli american identity while
[40:56] empowering the next generation
[40:58] to become confident leaders and
[41:01] active members of their
[41:01] communities.
[41:03] We blieve that when young
[41:05] people understand who they are,
[41:07] where they come from, and what
[41:10] they can contribute, they become
[41:10] stronger individuals and
[41:12] stronger leaders.
[41:16] That is exactly what our fiba
[41:18] teen program is about.
[41:21] Fiba brings forth five -- more
[41:23] than 100 teens together in a
[41:25] meaningful and supportive
[41:26] environment.
[41:27] Excuse me.
[41:30] Where they can explore their
[41:32] identity, connect with their
[41:34] culture, build friendships, and
[41:37] develop a strong sense of
[41:37] belonging.
[41:40] But it goes beyond identity.
[41:43] Our teens are exposed to
[41:45] leadership, entrepreneurship,
[41:47] innovation, and the world of
[41:48] startups.
[41:49] They'll learn how ideas can
[41:51] become business, how challenges
[41:54] can become opportunities, and
[41:56] how teamwork and creativity can
[41:59] create meaningful impact.
[42:00] Their not simply learning --
[42:01] they are not simply learning
[42:02] about the world around them.
[42:04] They are learning that they have
[42:07] the ability to shape it.
[42:09] For jewish and israeli american
[42:11] students, having a space where
[42:13] they can feel seen, supported,
[42:17] and proud of who they are is
[42:18] incredibly important.
[42:20] At the same time, fiba helped
[42:22] thim build relationships
[42:23] across -- them build
[42:24] relationships across different
[42:25] backgrounds and understand the
[42:27] importance of community,
[42:30] respect, responsibility, and
[42:30] collaboration.
[42:32] And this is why partnerships
[42:35] with hillsborough county are so
[42:35] meaningful.
[42:37] When organizations, schools,
[42:39] community leaders, and local
[42:41] governments come together, we
[42:43] create an environment where
[42:45] young people can thrive.
[42:46] We strengthen not only
[42:48] individual students but the
[42:49] entire community.
[42:51] We are so proud to be part of
[42:53] this community, and we are
[42:55] committed to investing in our
[42:57] young people because they are
[43:00] not only the future of of our
[43:00] community.
[43:01] They are already helping shape
[43:02] it today.
[43:04] Thank you so much.
[43:06] >> ken hagan: thank you for the
[43:07] comments.
[43:09] Anat mansour virtual.
[43:11] Followed by lauren prager and
[43:13] then thomas cobert.
[43:16] Mansour on the line?
[43:17] >> hi, good morning,
[43:17] commissioners.
[43:19] My name is anat, and I live he
[43:22] in south tampa.
[43:23] First, I want to thank you for
[43:26] your continued support of fiba
[43:27] and recognizing the important
[43:30] role it plays in our community.
[43:32] I encourage our -- hillsborough
[43:34] county should stop funding fiba
[43:36] because there are other
[43:37] nonprofits that need that money,
[43:39] and I absolutely agree that
[43:40] there are many organizations in
[43:43] our community doing incredibly
[43:43] important work.
[43:45] We need organizations helping
[43:47] children, helping families,
[43:48] veterans, people facing hunger,
[43:49] housing challenges, health care
[43:52] needs, and so much more.
[43:54] But I don't think we should look
[43:55] at this as a choice between
[43:57] supporting our community and
[43:58] supporting economic development.
[44:01] We need both.
[44:02] I spent years working with
[44:03] organizations, businesses,
[44:06] schools and community partners
[44:08] here in tampa, and I see
[44:10] firsthand how our community
[44:11] and -- economy really are.
[44:12] When businesses come here they
[44:15] create jobs, nay bring
[44:16] investments, they bring local
[44:17] services and they contribute to
[44:19] the broader community.
[44:21] And this is exactly what fiba is
[44:23] designed to do.
[44:25] According to fiba's data, 20
[44:27] companies have established
[44:31] present iphillsborough county,
[44:34] creating 70 direct -- high
[44:35] skilled high wage jobs and these
[44:38] are companies establishing
[44:41] here -- spaces here, creating
[44:43] economic opportunity.
[44:46] Those jobs means --
[44:47] investments -- and those
[44:50] companies become part of the
[44:51] fabric of our community so I
[44:51] don't think the question should
[44:53] be why are we giving money to
[44:54] fiba when another nonprofit
[44:55] needs funding.
[45:00] The question should be is fiba
[45:03] delivering the economic results
[45:05] they were funded to deliver.
[45:06] The answer is of course yes.
[45:07] We should recognize what that
[45:08] investment is, an investment in
[45:10] the future of hillsborough
[45:10] county.
[45:12] It's not a question of fiba --
[45:13] another nonprofit.
[45:15] We can and should support
[45:16] innovations that take care of
[45:19] our community while also
[45:19] supporting organizations that
[45:22] help build our economic future.
[45:24] Thank you.
[45:24] >> ken hagan: all right, thank
[45:25] you.
[45:26] Last three speakers, lauren
[45:28] prager is virtual, followed by
[45:31] thomas cobert, and then bruce
[45:31] harker.
[45:35] MS. Prager on the line?
[45:37] >> good morning, this is lauren
[45:38] prager.
[45:39] I'm a hillsborough county
[45:40] resident living in south tampa,
[45:43] and I wanted to echo the
[45:45] previous few speakers and
[45:47] express first our appreciation
[45:48] to the board and the
[45:51] commissioners for their ongoing
[45:52] support and economic development
[45:53] in growth here in hillsborough
[45:53] county.
[45:55] And that certainly includes the
[45:57] florida israel business
[45:57] accelerator.
[45:58] The comments from our previous
[45:59] speakers really covered many of
[46:01] the points that I want to make,
[46:02] but I do want to just go on the
[46:04] record and echo that through my
[46:06] involvement both as a community
[46:09] leader, as a business
[46:10] professional, and as a parent
[46:12] here in our community, the
[46:14] impacts of organizations like
[46:17] fiba really does resonate beyond
[46:19] just the companies that it
[46:20] brings into our community.
[46:23] And this dynamic and diverse
[46:24] business organization really
[46:25] does help imrove the fabric of
[46:28] our community by bringing in new
[46:29] voices and new ideas and
[46:31] inspiring other people to see
[46:33] that tampa and hillsborough
[46:36] county is an incredible place to
[46:40] build and grow a business and
[46:42] helps us be competitive to other
[46:43] communities in florida that are
[46:44] looking for opportunities to
[46:45] bring in foreign businesses and
[46:48] help to increase high paying and
[46:52] high quality jobs in our
[46:53] community.
[46:54] So I really want to end where I
[46:55] began by saying thank you for
[46:56] your ongoing and continued
[46:58] support, and we very much
[47:01] appreciate how you enable the
[47:03] florida israel business
[47:04] accelerator and the companies
[47:06] that come as a result to thrive
[47:07] here in hillsborough county.
[47:08] >> ken hagan: thank you,
[47:08] MS. Prager.
[47:10] Thomas cobert.
[47:12] To be followed by bruce harker.
[47:20] Good morning, sir.
[47:21] >> MR. CHAIRMAN, commissioners,
[47:22] staff, and deputies.
[47:24] Good morning my name is tom
[47:24] cobert.
[47:26] I was a bachelors of social work
[47:31] degree which was awarded at usf
[47:32] in 1984 when I graduated.
[47:34] It is considered a specialized
[47:34] degree.
[47:35] Essentially it teaches you how
[47:38] to be a jack-of-all-trades in
[47:41] the social sciences.
[47:42] i have noticed a pattern over
[47:44] the time I have been coming to
[47:45] bocc meetings.
[47:47] During discussions of future
[47:51] items, anytime a certain
[47:52] commissioner proposes pursuing
[47:53] an idea or need, another
[47:54] commission has a problem with
[47:57] it.
[47:58] This happens pretty much 100% of
[48:00] the time.
[48:01] Once is happenstance, twice is
[48:03] coincidence, the third time it's
[48:07] enemy action.
[48:09] This is from the 1964 movie
[48:11] goldfinger, a james bond movie.
[48:14] I was 10 when it came out and I
[48:15] loved sean connery as bond.
[48:18] I grew up from 13 to adulthood
[48:19] in six mile creek.
[48:21] A lot of adults back then would
[48:23] be against anything that would
[48:25] resemble the proposals being
[48:28] made currently by one of the
[48:29] commissioners.
[48:30] No one else on the bocc seems to
[48:33] have a problem with the negative
[48:35] spirit of these actions.
[48:36] At the beginning of public
[48:39] comment, the CHAIRMAN Requests
[48:41] that citizens self-regulate
[48:43] themselves, even though the
[48:45] constitution allows them to
[48:47] speak on whatever they wish.
[48:49] This is after all the modern
[48:51] version of the town square.
[48:53] The board puts no restrictions
[48:55] on themselves.
[48:58] If what are essentially a tax
[48:59] continue, I will be forced to
[49:03] act as a community activist and
[49:04] take the issue to members of the
[49:04] community.
[49:06] At the first year anniversary of
[49:08] the juvenile justice council, of
[49:13] which I was a charter member,
[49:14] and it was also the first one in
[49:15] the state before the councils
[49:17] were mandated by state law,
[49:19] county commissioner phyllis
[49:21] busansky who chaired the council
[49:22] named seven movers and shakers
[49:24] in hillsborough county.
[49:26] The public defenders, state
[49:29] attorney, chief judge, state
[49:31] legislator, sheriff and two
[49:33] private citizens of which I was
[49:33] one.
[49:36] With my past experiences and
[49:38] degree, I know how to be
[49:40] effective as a community
[49:41] activist.
[49:42] Congratulations on clearing the
[49:44] vote on continuing with the rays
[49:46] stadium project.
[49:49] When fixed -- finished with
[49:50] everything that is being
[49:51] proposed, it will prove to be a
[49:52] great asset to tampa and
[49:55] hillsborough county.
[49:56] Thank you for listening.
[49:56] `
[49:57] >> ken hagan: thank you,
[49:57] MR. Cobert.
[50:01] Last speaker, bruce harker.
[50:05] >> MR. Chair, this is public
[50:05] comment.
[50:10] We also have an -- giovanni who
[50:12] is had signed up as well.
[50:14] >> ken hagan: I'm sorry, sir.
[50:14] Please identify yourself.
[50:19] >> this is dan putnam with htv.
[50:22] We have an idete giovanni signed
[50:23] up for public comment and she
[50:24] did not speak yet.
[50:25] >> ken hagan: yes, she did.
[50:26] She already spoke.
[50:27] >> there was another person,
[50:33] last same name.
[50:34] >> ken hagan: all right, I'll
[50:37] call on that person next.
[50:42] >> all right, thank you, sir.
[50:45] >> ken hagan: good morning.
[50:46] >> good morning.
[50:49] My name is bruce harker.
[50:51] I'm a disabled and jewish
[50:52] resident of hillsborough county
[50:54] and tampa, and district 3 on a
[50:55] very low income.
[50:59] I'm here to speak about fiba.
[51:00] and the county budget and ensure
[51:02] the needs of hillsborough county
[51:04] residents are met.
[51:05] I support the demands of local
[51:07] community members who want all
[51:09] funding removed from israeli
[51:10] linked business and instead
[51:11] focus on services that benefit
[51:14] the needs of the community in
[51:17] particular our most vulnerable
[51:17] citizens.
[51:20] One such service that could use
[51:21] more funding is the hart system
[51:23] which is grossly underfunded.
[51:26] We have over 2300 bus stops and
[51:27] less than one-third of them have
[51:29] shelter from sun or rain.
[51:30] With the money we gave fiba over
[51:34] the years, hillsborough could've
[51:35] built many more shelters.
[51:37] Many don't even have seats or
[51:37] adequate seats.
[51:38] Last year while waiting for a
[51:41] bus one even a bullet ricocheted
[51:42] several feet from me.
[51:43] Luckily it didn't hit me.
[51:44] The bus stop in question had
[51:46] neither seating nor shelter.
[51:48] Last month while carrying my
[51:49] father's 8th birthday card to
[51:50] the post office, I just missed
[51:53] the bus and it started to
[51:53] downpour.
[51:55] The stop in question had a seat
[51:56] but no shelter.
[51:58] The next bus wouldn't arrive for
[51:59] some time.
[52:00] Luckily I was able to improvise
[52:02] and keep it dry until a lyft
[52:04] arrived which was also an added
[52:05] cost to me.
[52:06] Summer heat can also be
[52:07] dangerous and lead to
[52:09] dehydration as it did to me two
[52:10] summers ago.
[52:12] While these are a few situations
[52:13] I have been in, other disabled
[52:15] have even greater difficulties
[52:17] due to various factors, standing
[52:19] is difficult, or worse for some.
[52:23] the funds allocated to fiba each
[52:24] year can be better be used on
[52:25] programs such as this and many
[52:27] other local initiatives that
[52:29] benefit citizens rather than
[52:30] cause harm in other parts of the
[52:32] world, not to mention the meager
[52:34] number of jobs it has created.
[52:39] I think greg -- said five jobs
[52:40] and someone today said 70 which
[52:42] is meager considering the
[52:43] millions that have been pureed
[52:46] into feeb -- poured into fiba.
[52:47] We must cut ties with fiba
[52:48] wherever possible and spend
[52:49] these tax dollars on programs
[52:50] desperately needed by
[52:51] hillsborough county residents.
[52:53] We demand that our county's
[52:55] budget reflects the needs of the
[52:57] people, by remove al funding to
[52:58] israeli companies and instead
[53:00] invest in lifesaving services
[53:01] for hillsborough residents
[53:02] today.
[53:03] Thank you.
[53:03] >> ken hagan: thank you, sir.
[53:06] Last speaker, will be the second
[53:09] giovanni, virtual.
[53:11] >>> can you hear us?
[53:12] >> ken hagan: yes.
[53:12] >> yes, I can.
[53:14] Can you hear me?
[53:15] Good morning, commissioners.
[53:18] My name is idete giovanni and I
[53:21] live in tampa hillsborough.
[53:22] I want to start by saying a big
[53:24] thank you for standing with
[53:25] fiba.
[53:27] I'm speaking today because I am
[53:30] concerned that the legitimized
[53:32] economic development discussion
[53:33] is being transformed into
[53:35] something very different.
[53:37] The campaign against fiba
[53:39] repeatedly bring the
[53:41] conversation back to israel,
[53:43] gaza, war, and genocide.
[53:47] Those are serious issues.
[53:49] Because -- at length about them
[53:51] and every word to express those
[53:51] views.
[53:54] But fiba is not responsible for
[53:55] israeli foreign policy.
[53:57] Fiba is not the israeli
[53:58] government.
[53:59] Fiba is not the israeli
[54:00] military.
[54:03] Fiba is a in florida and --
[54:05] whose purpose is economic
[54:05] development.
[54:08] So I believe we need to ask a
[54:09] very simple question.
[54:11] Should hillsborough county
[54:13] decide whether an economic
[54:15] development of organization
[54:20] deserves funding based on its
[54:21] economic result or based on
[54:23] political disagreement with a
[54:25] foreign government.
[54:26] Fiba -- conflicts.
[54:27] Any companies establish a
[54:32] present in hillsborough county
[54:33] creating 70 direct high skill,
[54:33] high wage jobs.
[54:35] Those companies are investing
[54:38] here, operating facilities here,
[54:40] hiring people here, and
[54:42] contributing to our local
[54:42] economy.
[54:46] And importantly, international
[54:48] business equipment is already
[54:50] part of economic development
[54:51] strategy.
[54:52] The tampa bay economic
[54:53] development council records
[54:55] companies from outside the
[54:57] region, including international
[54:58] companies because bringing
[55:02] investment and jobs here
[55:03] benefits hillsborough county as
[55:04] a resident.
[55:05] Israeli companies should not be
[55:07] held to a different standard.
[55:09] If a company is operating
[55:11] really, it's creating jobs,
[55:13] investing here, and contributing
[55:15] to our economy, it should be
[55:18] evaluated on those factors.
[55:20] We can disagree about
[55:21] international politics, but we
[55:23] should not allow those
[55:24] disagreements to determine
[55:27] economic development policy.
[55:29] Please judge fiba by what it
[55:30] does for hillsborough county.
[55:32] Thank you so much.
[55:33] >> ken hagan: thank you,
[55:33] appreciate your comments.
[55:35] That closes public comment.
[55:36] Can we have a motion to approve
[55:40] conincident.
[55:40] >> ken hagan: motion,
[55:41] commissioner cohen, second
[55:42] commissioner myers.
[55:43] Please records your vote on the
[55:49] consent agenda.
[55:50] >> motion carried 7-0.
[55:51] >> ken hagan: all right, bonnie,
[55:52] we got a few minutes before the
[55:53] first time certain.
[55:56] >> yes, we do -- well, we have
[55:57] regular agenda, we can move to
[55:58] item b. 3.
[56:00] We have two items, and
[56:01] george cassady will present both
[56:03] of these items.
[56:05] First one is regarding the
[56:06] progressive design build
[56:08] agreement for the water waste
[56:10] curt conveyance treme
[56:12] treatment
[56:13] projects.
[56:16] And while we are on that we have
[56:17] an item at 10:15 related to
[56:19] water, if we want to consider
[56:21] that we think think about that.
[56:23] >> good morning, chair, good
[56:24] morning, commissioners.
[56:25] George cassady.
[56:26] Item b. 3 we're r
[56:28] asking for fifth
[56:30] modification to -- for the one
[56:31] water wastewater south
[56:33] wastewater conveyance and
[56:34] treatment project.
[56:35] This increases the contract
[56:38] amount by approximately
[56:39] $586 million.
[56:40] It adds new completion
[56:41] milestones, but I want to point
[56:43] out that the first phase of
[56:45] completion still remains in 2028
[56:47] which will bring an initial
[56:50] capacity online of about eight
[56:52] million gallons.
[56:54] The authorization modification
[56:55] authorization -- for facility
[56:56] construction, long lead
[56:58] equipment items, and additional
[57:00] pipeline work while maintaining
[57:02] a 14% goal for the disadvantaged
[57:04] minority and disadvantaged women
[57:05] business enterprises.
[57:07] I would like to point out that
[57:08] at this point in time we're
[57:10] achieving almost 24%
[57:11] participation so it's really
[57:13] excellent participation this
[57:13] far.
[57:15] Fund flg this modification is
[57:15] available -- funding for this
[57:18] modification is available in the -- for approved projects and
[57:21] we're also ask for approval of
[57:24] fy '26 budget amendment to
[57:26] appropriate $82 million from
[57:27] the 2026 interim financing fund
[57:29] in the south county one water
[57:30] campus advanced wastewater
[57:31] facility treatment project to
[57:32] help fund this modification and
[57:33] associated costs.
[57:35] Staff recommends approval.
[57:36] >> ken hagan: all right, thank
[57:37] you, george.
[57:38] I don't see any questions or
[57:39] comments.
[57:41] Do we need a motion?
[57:42] Motion, commissioner myers.
[57:43] Second, commissioner cohen.
[57:52] Please record your vote on b 3.
[57:54] >> motion carried 7-0.
[57:55] >> ken hagan: bonnie, do you
[57:57] want to do b. 4 and then b. 2.
[57:58] >> thank you.
[57:59] Item b. 4 we're requesting
[58:00] approval for the first
[58:02] modification to the professional
[58:03] services agreement with jacobs
[58:05] engineering group for the south
[58:07] county drinking water facility
[58:08] also within the one water
[58:09] program, increasing te contract
[58:12] amount by approximately
[58:14] $7.2 million to a total of
[58:15] approximately $9.9 million.
[58:17] This modification adds final
[58:18] design and permitting services
[58:20] for phase b of the south county
[58:21] drinking water facility,
[58:23] completing the design to 100%.
[58:26] The existing 10% disadvantaged
[58:28] minority and disadvantaged women
[58:30] business enterprise is at 10%,
[58:31] that participation --
[58:33] participation gol remains in
[58:34] effect, and the economic
[58:35] development department will
[58:38] collaborate with jacobs to
[58:39] identify eligible firms for
[58:40] specialized services.
[58:42] Funding is available in the
[58:43] approved capital improvement
[58:43] program.
[58:45] The purchase orders will be
[58:46] issued only against approved
[58:47] budgets.
[58:48] Staff recommends approval.
[58:49] >> ken hagan: all right, thank
[58:50] you.
[58:51] Questions, comments?
[58:52] If not, can we have a motion?
[58:54] Motion commissioner myers,
[58:55] second commissioner cohen.
[59:00] Please record your vote on b. 4.
[59:01] >> motion carried 7-0.
[59:02] >> ken hagan: all right, then if
[59:04] we can have a motion to take up
[59:07] the b. 2 now motion commissioner
[59:09] cohen, second commissioner
[59:09] wostal.
[59:14] Please record your vote.
[59:16] >> motion carried 7-0.
[59:19] >> ken hagan: okay.
[59:19] Bonnie.
[59:20] >> thank you.
[59:22] The next item is itm b. 2.
[59:26] This is to -- resolution not to
[59:27] exceed $700 million of county
[59:29] utility system revenue bonds,
[59:30] and kevin brickey will present
[59:30] this item.
[59:32] We do have various experts from
[59:34] our bond financing team here as
[59:35] well.
[59:35] >> ken hagan: good morning,
[59:36] kevin.
[59:36] >> good morning, commissioners.
[59:38] Kevin brickey, management and
[59:39] budget.
[59:41] As MS. Wise mentioned, this item
[59:43] is to adopt a supplemental
[59:44] resolution, supplementing and
[59:48] amending resolution number r
[59:50] 03112 to authorize the issuance
[59:54] of not to exceed $700 million in
[59:55] aggregate principal amount to
[59:57] approve the county's utility
[59:59] revenue bonds, series 2026 a for
[1:00:02] the purposes of financing all or
[1:00:04] a portion of the one water
[1:00:06] campus capital improvements.
[1:00:07] Including future expenditures as
[1:00:09] well as refinancing a portion of
[1:00:12] certain interim indebtedness.
[1:00:16] And the to approve the utility
[1:00:17] refunding revenue bonds series
[1:00:19] 2026 b for the purpose of
[1:00:20] refunding all or a portion of
[1:00:23] the county's outstanding series
[1:00:25] 2016 bonds.
[1:00:27] The transaction will be
[1:00:29] completed in the event that it
[1:00:31] enerates a minimum of 3% net
[1:00:33] present value savings, currently
[1:00:35] that projection is 4 oit 075%
[1:00:39] net savings or 650,000 annually.
[1:00:40] This item will also approve the
[1:00:42] paying of costs related to these
[1:00:44] issuing these bonds, approving
[1:00:46] related bond documents and
[1:00:47] authorizing appropriate
[1:00:49] officials to complete necessary
[1:00:49] tasks.
[1:00:52] It's also worth noting that
[1:00:54] recently standard & poor's
[1:00:57] rating agency upgraded the water
[1:01:00] bonds and water resources to a
[1:01:02] triple a rating, the top rating.
[1:01:06] So it is now our water bonds are
[1:01:07] rated triple a by all three
[1:01:09] credit rating agencies, and that
[1:01:13] has a direct impact on issuing
[1:01:15] new water bonds such as this
[1:01:17] because it gives us the
[1:01:18] opportunity to have lower
[1:01:20] borrowing costs.
[1:01:22] >> ken hagan: excellent news.
[1:01:23] I don't see anyone in the queue.
[1:01:26] Can we have a motion?
[1:01:27] Motion to approve b. 2,
[1:01:28] commissioner myers.
[1:01:30] Second, commissioner cohen.
[1:01:35] Please record your vote.
[1:01:38] >> motion carried 7-0.
[1:01:39] >> ken hagan: okay.
[1:01:39] Bonnie?
[1:01:39] >> thank you.
[1:01:41] We can now move to our 10:00
[1:01:42] time certain items.
[1:01:45] We have our first public hearing
[1:01:46] is item d. 1.
[1:01:47] This is a public hearing
[1:01:50] regarding the elapp preserve and
[1:01:51] we have fearest
[1:01:54] forest turbiville who
[1:01:56] will take us through this item.
[1:01:56] George cassady is here if you
[1:01:57] have any questions as well.
[1:01:58] >> ken hagan: all right.
[1:01:59] >> thank you, bonnie and good
[1:02:01] morning, commissioners,
[1:02:02] forest turbiville, conservation
[1:02:03] environmental lands management.
[1:02:05] The item before you today is
[1:02:07] comprised of four requested
[1:02:08] board actions.
[1:02:10] The first action is to hold a
[1:02:11] public hearing to consider the
[1:02:13] transfer of certain property
[1:02:15] rights on the genie and pete
[1:02:17] johnson elapp preserve to the
[1:02:19] county water resources
[1:02:20] department through a perpetual
[1:02:22] easement and a temporary
[1:02:24] construction easement to install
[1:02:28] a water recharge well and
[1:02:29] related compliance monitoring
[1:02:30] wells as part of the county's
[1:02:33] south hillsborough aquifer
[1:02:35] recharge program that's also
[1:02:37] known as the sharp program.
[1:02:40] The second action is to adopt a
[1:02:40] resolution designating a portion
[1:02:43] of the preserve for a perpetual
[1:02:45] easement and a temporary
[1:02:46] construction easement in
[1:02:47] accordance with the conditions
[1:02:49] that are stipulated in the
[1:02:50] resolution.
[1:02:53] The third action is to approve
[1:02:54] and accept these easements which
[1:02:57] will provide the water resources
[1:02:58] department with the necessary
[1:03:00] real estate rights to install,
[1:03:04] operate, and maintain a water
[1:03:05] recharge well and related
[1:03:06] infrastructure as part of the
[1:03:07] sharp program.
[1:03:09] And then finally, the fourth
[1:03:11] action is to approve and execute
[1:03:12] the third amendment to lease
[1:03:14] agreement between the county,
[1:03:16] and southwest florida water
[1:03:17] anagement district, they're the
[1:03:19] property owner, and that's to
[1:03:21] include the new water recharge
[1:03:23] facilities on the preserve and
[1:03:25] ensure that the county provides
[1:03:27] the district with all monthly
[1:03:30] water collection data.
[1:03:31] The conveyance of these
[1:03:34] easements to the water resources
[1:03:36] department meets all necessary
[1:03:38] requirements under the current
[1:03:40] elapp ordinance as well as
[1:03:44] ordinance 93-16, and the cost
[1:03:45] associated with recording these
[1:03:48] easements is less than $500.
[1:03:50] A reminder, this is a public
[1:03:52] hearing, and I'm available to
[1:03:53] answer attorney questions and we
[1:03:55] also have staff from the water
[1:03:56] resources department here as
[1:03:57] well.
[1:03:57] >> ken hagan: all right, thank
[1:03:58] you, forest.
[1:04:01] This is a public hearing.
[1:04:02] First two individuals who have
[1:04:04] signed up, gene abundanter
[1:04:05] virtual and then denise herndon.
[1:04:07] Is gene on the line?
[1:04:08] >> gene did not check in.
[1:04:09] >> ken hagan: all right, thank
[1:04:17] you, denise herndon?
[1:04:20] >> good morning, I'm denise
[1:04:20] herndon.
[1:04:21] No one had told me whether or
[1:04:26] not these were approved to go on
[1:04:31] the thing here.
[1:04:37] This is an area where I live.
[1:04:39] My traumatic brain injury is
[1:04:42] hard for me to look up here and
[1:04:42] look down there.
[1:04:43] I get dizzy.
[1:04:50] This is the lake that I live on.
[1:04:52] This little star right here, all
[1:04:55] these properties here used to be
[1:04:55] one.
[1:04:57] They were split up.
[1:05:01] This star way back when tampa
[1:05:03] bay one knew that they were
[1:05:05] going to interrupt the natural
[1:05:07] flow of these three lakes
[1:05:08] because they are spring lakes,
[1:05:09] when they put tampa bypass in,
[1:05:12] they put this lake, gornto lake,
[1:05:16] drains into chaplain lake, which
[1:05:17] chapman lake which drains into
[1:05:19] ten mile and then goes up
[1:05:19] underneath 60.
[1:05:26] If they get too high.
[1:05:28] In the 27 years this past monday
[1:05:29] hat I've owned my home, milton
[1:05:32] was the highest it ever went up.
[1:05:35] I had asked the person that I
[1:05:37] had bought it from what's the
[1:05:38] highest that it's ever been, and
[1:05:44] there is kind of like a concrete
[1:05:45] seawall and it's never gone up
[1:05:48] in the 27 years, it went up
[1:05:51] three times but milton it went
[1:05:57] up over it, so eric brown from
[1:06:01] public works says that the
[1:06:03] manmade fence that's next to
[1:06:06] jeff's love coffee where ten
[1:06:10] mile lakes goes into up
[1:06:15] underneath the 60, water's
[1:06:15] flowing.
[1:06:17] Well not when the water gets
[1:06:17] high.
[1:06:18] It's all overgrown.
[1:06:20] I went there the other day.
[1:06:22] You can't even see the fence
[1:06:23] now, and it wasn't always that
[1:06:24] grown.
[1:06:26] I guess somebody's been doing
[1:06:27] something but the county come
[1:06:30] out and spend money to dig that
[1:06:31] ditch out.
[1:06:35] But when we need, I'm in a stilt
[1:06:35] home but it's not going to
[1:06:41] affect me, but how many in this
[1:06:42] community all around here
[1:06:43] have gotten flooded before
[1:06:44] milton because like I said, it's
[1:06:48] gotten up high three times
[1:06:52] before milton.
[1:06:54] And is somebody going to change
[1:06:56] the county records like shirlene
[1:06:59] hammond did who's in the dark
[1:07:03] web, a small owner of brandon
[1:07:05] ford concerning this little
[1:07:10] property here that's in the
[1:07:11] redd.
[1:07:15] And I'll never give up, I'll
[1:07:16] never back down until I get
[1:07:18] shirlene hammond that she is
[1:07:19] evil.
[1:07:22] >> ken hagan: thank you, must
[1:07:23] MS. Herndon.
[1:07:25] The next speakers signed up for
[1:07:27] all four public hearings so I'm
[1:07:28] not sure if you want to speak to
[1:07:29] this one.
[1:07:30] It's last name nar and last name
[1:07:32] rogue, it looks like, both
[1:07:32] virtual.
[1:07:33] Did they sign up?
[1:07:37] And do they want to speak?
[1:07:38] >> MR. Chair, they did not sign
[1:07:39] into the meeting.
[1:07:39] `
[1:07:42] >> ken hagan: neither one of
[1:07:42] them?
[1:07:44] >> no, sir.
[1:07:44] >> ken hagan: okay.
[1:07:48] That the closes public comment.
[1:07:49] I don't have any board
[1:07:49] discussion.
[1:07:50] can we
[1:07:51] I have a motion?
[1:07:52] Motion, commissioner wostal,
[1:07:54] second, commissioner myers.
[1:07:59] Please record your vote on d. 1.
[1:08:00] >> motion carried 7-0.
[1:08:01] >> ken hagan: all right, d. 2.
[1:08:02] >> d. 2, this is our next public
[1:08:03] hearing.
[1:08:06] This is regarding the
[1:08:06] requirements for the
[1:08:07] registration for short-term
[1:08:08] vacation rentals.
[1:08:10] And johanna lundgren from the
[1:08:11] county attorney's office will
[1:08:12] take us through this public
[1:08:13] hearing.
[1:08:14] This would then be followed by
[1:08:16] item b. 1, which is related to
[1:08:18] this item.
[1:08:19] >> ken hagan: good morning.
[1:08:20] >> good morning, board.
[1:08:22] This is a pblic hearing to
[1:08:24] consider the adoption of an
[1:08:25] ordinance providing for a
[1:08:26] requirement for the registration
[1:08:29] of short-term vacation rentals
[1:08:31] and for business regulations of
[1:08:33] short-term vacation rentals.
[1:08:34] The ordinance is accompanied by
[1:08:35] a resolution to establish
[1:08:38] related feeds and the ordinance
[1:08:41] is proposed to take effect on
[1:08:42] JANUARY 1st, 2027, in order
[1:08:45] to provide time for
[1:08:45] implementation.
[1:08:46] All legal advertising
[1:08:50] requirements have been met, and
[1:08:51] MR. Joe gross code enforcement
[1:08:53] director is also available for
[1:08:55] any questions.
[1:08:56] >> ken hagan: all right, thank
[1:08:57] you.
[1:08:59] This is a public hearing.
[1:09:00] The first three speakers that
[1:09:03] have signed up, samantha
[1:09:06] freeland, followed by jane
[1:09:07] bonter who's virtual and then
[1:09:16] denise herndon.
[1:09:18] Good morning.
[1:09:19] >> good morning.
[1:09:20] My name is samantha freeland.
[1:09:22] I live in bay crest park.
[1:09:23] I want to start by thanking
[1:09:24] truly you listen to us.
[1:09:26] You took an ordinance when many
[1:09:28] neighborhoods felt invisible.
[1:09:29] You consider the amendments
[1:09:30] residents brought forward, two
[1:09:32] of them a real way to report
[1:09:33] problems and progressive fines
[1:09:35] with real enforcement.
[1:09:37] They're being added.
[1:09:38] That is not nothing.
[1:09:39] For those of who have spent
[1:09:41] nights documenting noise,
[1:09:43] overcrowding, and the chaos, it
[1:09:45] is a crack of light.
[1:09:46] But I also need to speak
[1:09:47] honestly about what's missing
[1:09:49] and what is its absolutely sense
[1:09:50] feel like.
[1:09:52] We asked for one simple
[1:09:54] protection before any short-term
[1:09:55] rental can be -- a life safety
[1:09:57] inspection, not a ban, not a
[1:09:58] limit on how long can stay, just
[1:10:00] a check under the same building
[1:10:01] code and fire prevention code
[1:10:04] that applies to other places
[1:10:06] where public speaks to make sure
[1:10:06] smoke alarms work.
[1:10:08] Exits are clear, and the
[1:10:11] structures -- you did not
[1:10:12] include it.
[1:10:13] I need you to sit with that for
[1:10:15] a moment.
[1:10:17] Families will be checking into
[1:10:19] these homes without anyone from
[1:10:21] the county verifying the most
[1:10:22] basic safeguards.
[1:10:23] Neighbors go sleep next door not
[1:10:26] knowing whether the house --
[1:10:27] that spreads before help
[1:10:27] arrives.
[1:10:28] That is a quiet fear this
[1:10:29] decision leaves in place, and it
[1:10:31] is a fear no parent, no
[1:10:32] homeowner, and no first
[1:10:33] responder should have to carry
[1:10:34] because an inspection was
[1:10:37] treated as an option.
[1:10:39] We are not an abstract policy.
[1:10:41] We are the people who smell the
[1:10:41] smoke.
[1:10:43] We are the people whose children
[1:10:45] sleep in the houses next door,
[1:10:48] the ones that will stand in the
[1:10:50] street if a rental becomes an
[1:10:53] inferno and a ladder truck strug
[1:10:56] tools reach the -- so yes, thank
[1:10:56] you for the ordinance.
[1:10:57] Thank you for the two
[1:10:58] amendments, but please hear
[1:10:58] this.
[1:11:00] This cannot be the end of the
[1:11:01] ork.
[1:11:02] An ordinance that still allows
[1:11:03] renningstration without basic
[1:11:04] life safety inspection leaves a
[1:11:06] hole that only becomes visible
[1:11:07] when it is too late and I will
[1:11:08] give you an example.
[1:11:10] We have three homes around me.
[1:11:11] One sleeps 20, it's a
[1:11:12] four-bedroom home.
[1:11:14] One sleeps 18, it's a
[1:11:14] four-bedroom home.
[1:11:16] I have a 1600 square foot home
[1:11:17] around the corner from me that
[1:11:19] sleeps 16 or more.
[1:11:21] These homes have been modified.
[1:11:24] We don't know if there's fire
[1:11:24] safety inspection.
[1:11:26] And they're safe to sleep in.
[1:11:27] These are families coming and
[1:11:30] going all the time from our
[1:11:30] neighborhood.
[1:11:31] We have documented the chaos.
[1:11:32] We've called the sheriff office
[1:11:33] for parties with hundreds of
[1:11:35] cars parked in the street.
[1:11:37] I've had drunk people coming to
[1:11:38] my neighborhood's home, walking
[1:11:42] right in the door.
[1:11:43] I've had drunk people climb over
[1:11:45] fences trying to get into a
[1:11:46] neighbor's house that they
[1:11:52] thought was the party they saw
[1:11:53] online to go attend.
[1:11:54] so I thank you for that and we
[1:11:56] truly do need this life
[1:11:57] inspection because that is what
[1:11:59] any other business in the coutee
[1:12:00] is required -- county is
[1:12:01] required before they operate
[1:12:02] within the public realm.
[1:12:02] Thank you.
[1:12:03] >> ken hagan: thank you, ma'am.
[1:12:06] Appreciate the comments.
[1:12:08] Gene bonter and then denise
[1:12:09] herndon and mark kiddo.
[1:12:13] Is MS. Bonter on the line?
[1:12:14] >> MS. Bonter did not check into
[1:12:14] the meeting.
[1:12:15] >> ken hagan: all right, thank
[1:12:17] you, denise herndon and thec --
[1:12:22] then mark kiddo.
[1:12:24] >> good morning, denise herndon
[1:12:25] again.
[1:12:32] This is an air b&b in my
[1:12:32] community.
[1:12:35] We have -- woo.
[1:12:38] , we have well and septic tank.
[1:12:41] This was a group home when this
[1:12:44] picture was taken, and they had
[1:12:47] to put two new septic tanks in,
[1:12:49] the first guy says this 12349
[1:12:50] big
[1:12:51] 12349 -- isn't big enough.
[1:12:53] Now it's -- and they had two
[1:12:54] registered sex offenders.
[1:12:55] I would rather know where the
[1:12:59] sex offenders are with AIRBNBs
[1:13:01] you don't know where the sex
[1:13:02] offenders are because they don't
[1:13:03] have to register as a
[1:13:04] short-term.
[1:13:06] And as I've said before,
[1:13:08] short-term anything under six
[1:13:09] months, they're supposed to be
[1:13:13] paying a 6% sales bed tax.
[1:13:18] Florida statute 125.0104.
[1:13:22] And this will help pay for the
[1:13:26] rays stadium, the convention
[1:13:30] enter, are we collecting this
[1:13:31] money?
[1:13:34] The sports authority we're
[1:13:36] paying for stuff for our, all of
[1:13:36] our things.
[1:13:38] i think we're being triple
[1:13:39] dipped here.
[1:13:42] Bed tax, sports authority, and
[1:13:43] now the cit.
[1:13:44] And wherever else you're going
[1:13:46] to pull this money from.
[1:13:47] For the rays stadium.
[1:13:51] Like I said, I have a problem
[1:13:53] billionaires getting county
[1:13:55] money, and I live in
[1:13:56] unincorporated county even
[1:13:58] though I'm pretty much indigent
[1:14:00] I don't pay as much as a lot of
[1:14:04] other people, but this is
[1:14:05] ridiculous.
[1:14:07] That it was told one way, we're
[1:14:08] not going to -- oh, these are
[1:14:10] for fire stations, these are for
[1:14:12] roads, these are for sidewalks
[1:14:14] and we're going to use it for a
[1:14:14] rays stadium.
[1:14:16] What's going to happen because
[1:14:17] when I kind of looked at it,
[1:14:21] there is no other community in
[1:14:28] the whole country that uses a
[1:14:31] junior college for a sports
[1:14:31] arena.
[1:14:33] Ooh, are we going to have to
[1:14:35] start paying for everything that
[1:14:36] needs to be done to the
[1:14:38] community college because the
[1:14:41] state legislature said that rays
[1:14:43] can be built here.
[1:14:45] That's something that we don't
[1:14:49] even know yet, so we're triple
[1:14:49] dippal.
[1:14:51] For the rays stadium, and this
[1:14:52] needs to stop.
[1:14:54] You guys are stewards of our
[1:14:57] money, and you're fought doing --
[1:14:58] you're not doing it well, and we
[1:15:01] don't need an african american
[1:15:03] arts and cultural center.
[1:15:06] We need sidewalks more.
[1:15:07] We need -- there are some places
[1:15:09] there is not even any sidewalks.
[1:15:12] We need roads.
[1:15:15] Over behind the skating rink in
[1:15:17] brandon one, some pipes going to
[1:15:19] be collapsing because there is a
[1:15:21] big dip right behind it.
[1:15:23] So let's get stuff done.
[1:15:24] >> ken hagan: thank you,
[1:15:25] MS. Herndon.
[1:15:29] Mark kiddo then greg nemey who's
[1:15:30] virtual.
[1:15:33] Last speaker.
[1:15:34] Good morning.
[1:15:35] >> good morning, commissioners.
[1:15:37] My name is mark kiddo, I want to
[1:15:41] thank the board, what was that?
[1:15:41] Okay.
[1:15:42] >> ken hagan: time's up.
[1:15:43] >> I want to thank the board for
[1:15:44] dopting a shorts-term rental
[1:15:46] ordinance and for taking
[1:15:47] seriously the amendments
[1:15:48] residents placed before you.
[1:15:51] Two of those protections a real
[1:15:52] complaint system and progressive
[1:15:54] fines with proactive enforcement
[1:15:56] are moving forward.
[1:15:58] That matters, it is progress,
[1:16:00] but progress is not the finish
[1:16:00] line.
[1:16:02] This ordinance is only the
[1:16:02] beginning.
[1:16:04] Paper on the books does not
[1:16:05] protect the single-family, a
[1:16:07] single guest, or a single
[1:16:09] neighborhood until it produces
[1:16:11] actionable results.
[1:16:12] Registration without
[1:16:13] accountability is a list.
[1:16:15] Fines without follow-through are
[1:16:15] empty words.
[1:16:17] The test is not whether you pass
[1:16:18] something.
[1:16:20] The test is whether lives and
[1:16:21] property are safer because of
[1:16:22] what you did.
[1:16:25] Which brings me to what is still
[1:16:26] missing.
[1:16:28] Mandatory safety inspection
[1:16:30] before registration was not
[1:16:31] included.
[1:16:32] That decision carries weight.
[1:16:34] Short-term rentals have burned,
[1:16:36] homes have been destroyed,
[1:16:37] surrounding properties have been
[1:16:38] damaged.
[1:16:39] Lives have been put at risk, and
[1:16:40] inin
[1:16:43] insome places lost, these are
[1:16:44] not theritical harms.
[1:16:45] They are documented ones.
[1:16:46] You are now on notice.
[1:16:47] I need you to understand what
[1:16:49] that decision lands like in a
[1:16:50] neighborhood that is already
[1:16:52] watched short-term rentals
[1:16:53] multiple that has already called
[1:16:54] the sheriff when dozens of
[1:16:56] people poured into a single
[1:16:58] house, that already lives with
[1:16:59] the knowledge that the next fire
[1:17:01] MAY not be someone else's story.
[1:17:04] If a short-term rental in
[1:17:05] hillsborough county becomes the
[1:17:06] site of a fire that takes the
[1:17:08] life of a vacationer, neighbor,
[1:17:10] or a first responder, or that
[1:17:12] destroys a neighbor's home, this
[1:17:15] board willobe part -- will own
[1:17:17] part of that outcome.
[1:17:18] Not because you created the
[1:17:18] industry, but because you had
[1:17:20] the chance to require basic life
[1:17:21] safety inspection under the
[1:17:23] florida building code and fire
[1:17:27] predges code -- prevention code
[1:17:28] before registration took effect.
[1:17:29] You chose not to.
[1:17:30] There is a practical path a.
[1:17:31] Modest value added fee on
[1:17:32] registration can fund the
[1:17:33] inspections.
[1:17:34] Fire personnel already trained
[1:17:36] in the lifesaving standards can
[1:17:38] conduct them.
[1:17:40] The system can be
[1:17:40] self-sustaining.
[1:17:42] It protects guests, it protects
[1:17:44] neighbors, it protects the
[1:17:45] county.
[1:17:46] Other counties have already
[1:17:47] shown that it can done within
[1:17:48] state law.
[1:17:48] We ask for it.
[1:17:50] The records shows why it
[1:17:51] matters.
[1:17:52] So again, I thank you for what
[1:17:54] you did adopt, and I urge you
[1:17:56] not to, do not treat this
[1:17:57] ordinance as complete.
[1:17:59] Demand results, revisit the life
[1:18:01] safety inspection because when
[1:18:03] the next preventable tragedy
[1:18:05] happens, the question will not
[1:18:06] be whether you have an
[1:18:07] ordinance.
[1:18:10] The question will be whether you
[1:18:11] have the courage to make it mean
[1:18:12] something.
[1:18:13] Thank you for your time.
[1:18:14] >> ken hagan: thank you,
[1:18:16] MR. Kiddo.
[1:18:17] Greg nemey virtual, did greg
[1:18:20] sign up?
[1:18:22] >> greg, can you hear us?
[1:18:22] >> I can.
[1:18:24] Can you hear me?
[1:18:25] >> yes, we can, sir, go ahead.
[1:18:27] >> ken hagan: yes, please
[1:18:29] continue.
[1:18:30] >> first, thank you to the
[1:18:31] commissioners for taking up the
[1:18:34] issue of short-term and vacation
[1:18:36] rentals in our residential
[1:18:37] neighborhoods.
[1:18:38] It's a topic which has proven to
[1:18:40] be a serious problem in our
[1:18:42] communities, one which I believe
[1:18:44] is well past due for common
[1:18:46] sense regulation.
[1:18:47] The bay crest park development
[1:18:50] where I live is a long
[1:18:51] established neighborhood of
[1:18:53] single-family houses.
[1:18:55] `it has always been a close knit
[1:18:56] community where we take -- where
[1:18:57] we know our neighbors and take
[1:19:00] pride in our homes.
[1:19:02] Since hurricane helene, there
[1:19:06] are now over 125 of these homes
[1:19:09] being rented shorttime
[1:19:10] short-term and
[1:19:11] vacation rentals.
[1:19:11] They are changing the character
[1:19:12] of the neighborhood.
[1:19:14] not all of those businesses have
[1:19:15] caused problems.
[1:19:18] Some are well run, bed their
[1:19:20] clients and exercise restraints,
[1:19:23] understanding that this is not a
[1:19:24] tourist town but a residential
[1:19:26] family neighborhood.
[1:19:27] Unfortunately, the economics of
[1:19:31] the str business rate incentives
[1:19:34] for bad actors to cut corners.
[1:19:36] They ignore the building codes,
[1:19:38] safety, fire, and occupancy
[1:19:40] laws, in order to maximize
[1:19:41] short-term profits.
[1:19:44] When this causes problems for
[1:19:46] full-time residents, the current
[1:19:48] regulatory system has left us
[1:19:50] without protection or recourse.
[1:19:52] That is why this ordinance is so
[1:19:54] badly needed.
[1:19:56] With over 3,000 such businesses
[1:19:59] already operating in the county,
[1:20:01] these programs will continue to
[1:20:03] grow until they are addressed
[1:20:05] and this ordinance provides a
[1:20:06] framework for doing that now
[1:20:09] before it's too late.
[1:20:10] Finally I wish to join my
[1:20:14] neighbors in asking one further
[1:20:16] addition to this ordinance.
[1:20:18] Understanding the main purpose
[1:20:21] of the resolution is as it
[1:20:23] states to protect the health,
[1:20:25] safety, and welfare of
[1:20:27] hillsborough county citizens and
[1:20:28] visitors and knowing that a
[1:20:30] large number of these businesses
[1:20:32] have already begun operating in
[1:20:35] the county without inspecting
[1:20:37] regulation, I wish to encourage
[1:20:38] the board to add one new clause
[1:20:41] to section e, that clause should
[1:20:42] provide that each such
[1:20:45] short-term rental property shall
[1:20:50] receive an initial inspection as
[1:20:51] soon after the filing of their
[1:20:54] affidavit of compliance as the
[1:20:55] county enforcement officer is
[1:20:56] available for such purpose.
[1:20:58] This specific and narrow scope
[1:21:00] of this initial inspection will
[1:21:03] be to ensure that minimal
[1:21:06] conditions necessary to protect
[1:21:10] the safety and property of both
[1:21:11] the residents in the surrounding
[1:21:13] neighborhood and of the visitors
[1:21:15] in that facility will be taken
[1:21:18] care of.
[1:21:20] I would lielg like to thank you
[1:21:24] once again for taking this up.
[1:21:25] >> ken hagan: thank you, sir.
[1:21:25] All right that closes public
[1:21:26] comment.
[1:21:26] We will go into board
[1:21:27] discussion.
[1:21:29] Commissioner wostal, you're
[1:21:30] recognized.
[1:21:30] >> joshua wostal: thank you,
[1:21:31] MR. Chair.
[1:21:32] And I would just say to the
[1:21:34] speakers I have no doubt just
[1:21:35] like every other ordinance that
[1:21:38] we put into place initially we
[1:21:40] always come back with changes,
[1:21:43] maybe unexpected -- unintended
[1:21:45] consequences or simply
[1:21:47] oversights and I'll continue to
[1:21:48] be supportive of this.
[1:21:50] Director gross has personally
[1:21:52] assisted me in dealing with
[1:21:54] residents that have been
[1:21:56] intentionally abused by
[1:21:58] neighbors that are hosting what
[1:22:00] is commonly referred to as
[1:22:02] accessory dwelling units in
[1:22:03] these short-term rentals.
[1:22:06] I know that they plague the west
[1:22:08] tampa community as well as the
[1:22:10] town 'n' country area.
[1:22:12] We've ran into situations of
[1:22:15] people parbing r -- parking
[1:22:17] RVs in their parking lots and
[1:22:19] running pvc pipe and drilling
[1:22:20] into their sewage lines and
[1:22:21] arenting out those.
[1:22:23] It's a myriad of problems that
[1:22:24] exist with this.
[1:22:26] I for one am a fan of the least
[1:22:28] amount of government as
[1:22:28] possible.
[1:22:30] but unfortunately in this
[1:22:31] situation, there is just so many
[1:22:33] bad actors that unless society
[1:22:36] is willing to accept vigilante
[1:22:39] behavior, we're going to have to
[1:22:41] empower staff to regulate these
[1:22:44] and more importantly the
[1:22:46] sheriffs, empower them to not
[1:22:48] violate constitutional rights,
[1:22:50] but when we plan for these
[1:22:52] ommunities, we plan for certain
[1:22:55] things like impacts to the roads
[1:22:57] and mobility and parking
[1:22:59] requirements, and when you have
[1:23:02] houses that being listed as
[1:23:04] revenue generator for four
[1:23:06] families in a single family
[1:23:07] home, well you're introducing
[1:23:10] new impacts that we didn't
[1:23:11] originally expect and charge
[1:23:12] that developer.
[1:23:14] And that new homeowner that is
[1:23:16] now turning this into a business
[1:23:17] should be held accountable to
[1:23:19] pay all of those additional
[1:23:20] impacts to the surrounding
[1:23:23] community that were not planned planned
[1:23:24] for when that community was
[1:23:25] built.
[1:23:26] One thing that did stick out to
[1:23:28] me from one of the speakers that
[1:23:29] I agree with is that I believe
[1:23:32] that the initial fee if it's
[1:23:35] $200 to create them in the
[1:23:37] database and the system is fine.
[1:23:38] I don't know that the
[1:23:39] reoccurring fee annually should
[1:23:42] be that same amount.
[1:23:45] I think it should be more of
[1:23:48] when bona fide complaints and
[1:23:51] inspections produce a result,
[1:23:53] then you know we fine them, and
[1:23:55] those fines should be being used
[1:23:58] to directly benefit the code
[1:23:59] enforcement's budget and pay for
[1:24:01] their staff's time.
[1:24:03] So I don't know if we've
[1:24:07] discussed exactly what the
[1:24:09] $600,000 a year expected is
[1:24:10] going to be.
[1:24:13] i don't know what, went into
[1:24:15] deciding tht it needs to be
[1:24:17] $200 a year every year.
[1:24:20] The initial registration fee I'd
[1:24:22] understand, and paying for
[1:24:24] inspections and then fines, bt,
[1:24:26] if somebody has an answer for
[1:24:27] that, I would be happy to hear
[1:24:28] it.
[1:24:30] The other thing that I'm wanted
[1:24:33] to ask is that when we fine
[1:24:37] someone, are we able to then
[1:24:38] proceed into court afterwards?
[1:24:45] Like we do for fining anyone
[1:24:45] else?
[1:24:47] >> I'm going to ask johanna if
[1:24:48] she can come up and answer those
[1:24:49] questions.
[1:24:50] One as it relates to your
[1:24:52] question on how they determine
[1:24:53] the fee, and second as it
[1:24:57] relates to the enforcement.
[1:25:00] >> yes, commissioner.
[1:25:02] The $200 resolution -- fee
[1:25:03] that's proposed to be
[1:25:04] established by resolution for
[1:25:06] the annual registration was
[1:25:09] determined based on coordination
[1:25:12] with code enforcement to kind of
[1:25:15] evaluate what would support the
[1:25:17] implementation of the program.
[1:25:19] It's expected that there will be
[1:25:21] a vendor who wile be selected in
[1:25:22] order to -- will be selected in
[1:25:25] order to establish the web-based
[1:25:28] registry and the $200 is
[1:25:31] proposed to support the
[1:25:33] implementation and ongoing
[1:25:35] monitoring and code enforcement
[1:25:36] staff time.
[1:25:39] It is significantly lower than
[1:25:40] most of the other local
[1:25:42] governments throughout the state
[1:25:44] that we've looked at.
[1:25:45] >> joshua wostal: okay.
[1:25:46] That's a fair enough answer.
[1:25:47] Thank you.
[1:25:48] >> joshua wostal: and
[1:25:49] additionally on the code
[1:25:53] enforcement side, violations of
[1:25:55] the ordinance would be processed
[1:25:57] through code enforcement, so
[1:25:59] there would be the opportunity
[1:26:00] once it's determined that
[1:26:02] someone's operating without a
[1:26:03] registration, do go through the
[1:26:09] code enforcement process with
[1:26:10] that.
[1:26:10] >> joshua wostal: which if they
[1:26:12] don't comply can eventually lead
[1:26:13] to going to court.
[1:26:14] >> absolutely.
[1:26:14] >> joshua wostal: okay, because
[1:26:15] that have
[1:26:16] is a very strong
[1:26:17] enforcement mechanism that I
[1:26:18] think has been understated.
[1:26:20] I mean, that is something that
[1:26:24] will properly motivate a bad
[1:26:25] actor to adhere to the
[1:26:26] ordinance, so thank you for
[1:26:26] clearing that up.
[1:26:28] Thank you.
[1:26:28] >> ken hagan: all right,
[1:26:33] commissioner cohen.
[1:26:34] >> christine miller: he is going
[1:26:35] to let me jump in.
[1:26:36] >> ken hagan: commissioner
[1:26:36] miller.
[1:26:37] >> christine miller: thank you,
[1:26:37] MR. Chair.
[1:26:38] First I wanted to give credit
[1:26:38] where credit is due.
[1:26:40] And thank commissioner cohen for
[1:26:44] leading the charge on this item and for
[1:26:45] getting us to this point.
[1:26:47] I think that we know we're
[1:26:48] addressing a needed change.
[1:26:50] When most of the e-mails in
[1:26:51] opposition are just to make it
[1:26:54] more strict, so I'm very pleased
[1:26:55] that we're bringing this
[1:26:55] forward.
[1:26:56] This ordinance gives the county
[1:26:57] an important framework for
[1:26:58] addressing short-term rentals
[1:26:59] while protecting the quality of
[1:27:00] life in our neighborhoods, and
[1:27:02] I'm happy to support this item
[1:27:03] today.
[1:27:04] i know that our staff will
[1:27:07] continue to monitor and
[1:27:08] implement and advise the board
[1:27:10] as modifications and stronger
[1:27:12] policies are needed moving
[1:27:12] forward.
[1:27:13] So thank you for your leadership
[1:27:14] on this, sir.
[1:27:15] >> ken hagan: commissioner
[1:27:15] cohen.
[1:27:16] >> harry cohen: thank you very
[1:27:16] much.
[1:27:18] And thank you, MR. Chair.
[1:27:20] Several months ago I asked the
[1:27:22] county attorney to look into
[1:27:23] available options to better
[1:27:25] address the impacts created by
[1:27:27] short-term vacation rentals and
[1:27:30] support effective enforcement
[1:27:31] when violations of the code
[1:27:32] occur.
[1:27:34] And this was directly the result
[1:27:37] of citizen complaints to all of
[1:27:41] our offices related to parties
[1:27:43] and, you know, 40 people are
[1:27:44] next door in the middle of the
[1:27:47] night all making lots of noise
[1:27:50] and who can we call to get some
[1:27:51] relief.
[1:27:53] The florida legislature has
[1:27:55] preempted local governments from
[1:27:56] regulating the zoning locations
[1:27:58] of short-term vacation rentals
[1:28:00] and rental durations beyond the
[1:28:02] existing regulations that the
[1:28:05] county had in effect in 2011.
[1:28:06] Code enforcement staff and the
[1:28:08] county attorney's office have
[1:28:10] coordinated to develop an
[1:28:11] ordinance that is designed to
[1:28:13] address the issues presented by
[1:28:15] short-term vacation rentals
[1:28:16] within the framework of state
[1:28:17] law.
[1:28:18] Short-term vacation rental
[1:28:20] owners will be required to
[1:28:22] register with the county and
[1:28:23] comply with significant
[1:28:24] operational requirements.
[1:28:27] The ordinance will support
[1:28:28] monitoring enforcement and rapid
[1:28:30] resolution of nuisances
[1:28:32] affecting neighborhoods.
[1:28:34] The ordinance includes
[1:28:35] additional important features.
[1:28:38] The owner must provide an
[1:28:39] affidavit affirming compliance
[1:28:41] with the code of ordinances and
[1:28:44] land development code, and the
[1:28:47] owner must authorize inspections
[1:28:49] which can occur anytime upon the
[1:28:50] request by code enforcement or
[1:28:51] the sheriff.
[1:28:52] I'm going to come back to this
[1:28:55] in a minute because it relates
[1:28:57] to one of the issues thatt was
[1:28:58] brawtd up in public comment.
[1:28:59] -- that was brought up in public
[1:29:00] comment.
[1:29:01] The owner must designate a local
[1:29:02] responsible party to manage the
[1:29:04] property, and who can be called
[1:29:05] on by code enforcement, law
[1:29:07] enforcement, or other county
[1:29:10] agencies to timely respond to
[1:29:11] issues at the property within
[1:29:12] one hour of the request.
[1:29:15] If there is a party going on at
[1:29:18] midnight and soeone calls our
[1:29:20] 24-hour a day, 7-day number,
[1:29:23] they need to be able to reach a
[1:29:24] responsible party that can get
[1:29:27] to the property within an hour.
[1:29:31] The owner must inform renters of
[1:29:34] our local rules, and post
[1:29:35] important information in the
[1:29:37] rental including emergency and
[1:29:39] safety information, trash and
[1:29:41] recycling pick-up dates,
[1:29:43] advising of the county's noise
[1:29:44] ordinance, and information on
[1:29:47] permissible parking spaces.
[1:29:49] I intend to continue to monitor
[1:29:51] these issues and in coordination
[1:29:53] with code enforcement and the
[1:29:54] sheriff, and the county
[1:29:55] attorney, ensure that we
[1:29:58] continue to employ best
[1:30:00] practices in protecting our
[1:30:01] residential neighborhoods.
[1:30:02] i want to address specifically
[1:30:05] some of the issues that came up
[1:30:08] once we set this public hearing.
[1:30:09] There were three main requests
[1:30:11] that were made to us in terms of
[1:30:13] the strengthening the ordinance.
[1:30:15] One was to make sure that we had
[1:30:17] a designated phone number like I
[1:30:18] mentioned earlier, which is
[1:30:21] going to be part of the rfp.
[1:30:24] The second is to make sure that
[1:30:27] the fine structure is really
[1:30:28] enforceable and what I want to
[1:30:30] say to commissioners wostal's
[1:30:32] excellent question, is not
[1:30:35] omwill it go to court, but when
[1:30:37] because these are mostly
[1:30:39] nonhomesteaded properties, these
[1:30:41] fines will turn into a lien and
[1:30:43] that lien will be able to be
[1:30:45] enforced on these properties to
[1:30:47] make sure that it's actually
[1:30:48] actually
[1:30:48] paid.
[1:30:50] The third issue that came up was
[1:30:53] the issue of compulsory
[1:30:54] inspection in advance of
[1:30:55] registration as opposed to what
[1:30:58] we have, which is to provide an
[1:31:01] affidavit confirming compliance.
[1:31:05] And you know, what I have maybe
[1:31:07] I'll ask johanna if or code
[1:31:08] enforcement if they want to
[1:31:10] address this particular issue
[1:31:13] and is then I'll just comment on
[1:31:15] what I think is a way for us to
[1:31:16] move forward to keep this issue
[1:31:20] in front of us.
[1:31:21] >> yes, commissioner cohen, you
[1:31:22] described that accurately.
[1:31:25] What the process will be is that
[1:31:29] in order to receive the required
[1:31:31] registration, the owner must
[1:31:33] authorize inspections that can
[1:31:37] take place anytime after we
[1:31:39] receive any concern or complaint
[1:31:41] that would immediately allow
[1:31:43] code enforcement --
[1:31:44] >> harry cohen: would trigger an
[1:31:44] inspection.
[1:31:45] >> would trigger the inspection,
[1:31:48] and if there is, if there is any
[1:31:50] delay on the owner's part or
[1:31:52] they don't show up, there is an
[1:31:54] additional no show fee that will
[1:31:55] incentivize them to make sure
[1:31:56] that the property is made
[1:31:58] available for inspection.
[1:32:01] But that would create a separate
[1:32:02] violation as well.
[1:32:03] >> harry cohen: okay.
[1:32:04] So one of the comments or more
[1:32:06] than one of the comments that
[1:32:07] were made earlier is that this
[1:32:09] is not the end of the work, and
[1:32:11] what I want to say to everyone
[1:32:12] is is that we're going to pass
[1:32:13] this, we're going implement it,
[1:32:15] and then we're going to monitor
[1:32:16] and see how it, how it does.
[1:32:19] And what I'm going to suggest is
[1:32:21] that 90 days after it goes into
[1:32:23] effect, we have a staff report,
[1:32:26] and we can assess how we're
[1:32:26] doing.
[1:32:29] We can bring back up the issue
[1:32:31] of whether or not we should
[1:32:33] entertain doing compulsory
[1:32:36] inspections based on what our
[1:32:36] initial experience has been, and
[1:32:38] I think commissioner wostal
[1:32:40] makes an excellent point.
[1:32:42] Once it's up and running, it MAY
[1:32:45] be possible that the $200 fee
[1:32:46] can actually be reduced.
[1:32:48] We'll take a look at that.
[1:32:50] So I want to assure everyone
[1:32:51] this really is just the
[1:32:53] beginning of the process, but
[1:32:55] it's a very meaningful step
[1:32:58] forward that is going to give
[1:32:59] the neighborhoods some relief
[1:33:01] and some ability to have the
[1:33:04] professional help of our staff
[1:33:06] available to them to enforce
[1:33:09] laws and regulations to keep our
[1:33:10] neighborhoods safe and peaceful.
[1:33:13] And with that, I would like to
[1:33:14] move approval of the ordinance.
[1:33:15] >> ken hagan: all right, we got
[1:33:17] a motion by commissioner cohen,
[1:33:19] second commissioner myers.
[1:33:27] Please record your vote.
[1:33:28] >> motion carried 7-0.
[1:33:30] >> ken hagan: now we have the
[1:33:30] companion item.
[1:33:32] >> the companion item is item b.
[1:33:34] 1, this is the resolution and
[1:33:37] providing for the fee schedule.
[1:33:38] >> ken hagan: okay, motion
[1:33:39] commissioner cohen, second,
[1:33:39] commissioner wostal.
[1:33:41] Please record your voe on
[1:33:47] vote on b. 1.
[1:33:50] >> motion carried 7-0.
[1:33:50] >> ken hagan: okay.
[1:33:51] D. 3.
[1:33:51] >> thank you.
[1:33:54] Next item is item d. 3, this is
[1:33:56] a public hearing relating to the
[1:33:57] cross-connection and back flow
[1:33:58] control.
[1:34:01] We have greg hoss from the
[1:34:01] county attorney's office to
[1:34:02] present this.
[1:34:03] This is a --
[1:34:04] >> good morning.
[1:34:05] Greg hoss, county attorney's
[1:34:06] office.
[1:34:07] Commissioners, this is a public
[1:34:08] hearing to consider a draft
[1:34:10] ordinance to amend chapter 1
[1:34:11] twub of
[1:34:12] 121of the hillsborough county code
[1:34:14] of ordinances and laws relating
[1:34:15] to cross-connection and back
[1:34:16] flow control.
[1:34:17] The environmental services
[1:34:19] division has asked for this
[1:34:22] proposed amendment, which will
[1:34:24] 1, eliminate the hillsborough
[1:34:25] county back flow control board,
[1:34:27] 2, give code enforcement
[1:34:29] officers the ability to enforce
[1:34:30] chapter 121, and 3, provide that
[1:34:31] future amendments to the
[1:34:32] cross-connection control plan
[1:34:33] will be approved by the board of
[1:34:34] county commissioners by
[1:34:35] resolution.
[1:34:37] the existing cross-connection
[1:34:38] control board was established to
[1:34:40] hear appeals to actions taken by
[1:34:42] county staff under the
[1:34:43] cross-connection control plan.
[1:34:45] There has not been an appeal
[1:34:45] submitted to the board for the
[1:34:48] past several years.
[1:34:50] With the elimination of the
[1:34:50] hillsborough county
[1:34:53] cross-connection control board,
[1:34:55] future appeals MAY be heard by
[1:34:57] the -- hillsborough county has
[1:34:58] maintained a cross-connection
[1:34:59] back flow prevention program for
[1:35:00] many years as required by
[1:35:01] federal and state law said.
[1:35:03] These changes will streamline
[1:35:05] the system and will not have a
[1:35:06] negative impact on the program.
[1:35:08] We have county staff including
[1:35:09] kevin moran director of
[1:35:11] environmental services and joe
[1:35:12] gross director of code
[1:35:13] enforcement here to help answer
[1:35:14] any questions you MAY have.
[1:35:15] This is a public hearing.
[1:35:16] >> ken hagan: all right, thank
[1:35:16] you.
[1:35:16] This is a public hearing.
[1:35:22] No one has signed up to speak
[1:35:23] what's the pleasure of the board
[1:35:25] motion to approve, commissioner
[1:35:26] myers, second, commissioner
[1:35:27] cohen.
[1:35:36] Please record your vote.
[1:35:37] >> motion carried 7-0.
[1:35:37] >> ken hagan: d. 4.
[1:35:39] >> d. 4.
[1:35:40] This is the next public hearing.
[1:35:42] This is related to the
[1:35:44] stormwater management non-ad
[1:35:45] valorem assessment rates and
[1:35:47] non-ad valorem assessment roll
[1:35:48] for the next calendar year.
[1:35:49] And josh bellotti will take us
[1:35:52] through this presentation.
[1:35:53] >> okay, good morning,
[1:35:54] commissioners.
[1:35:57] Josh bellotti, engineering and
[1:35:57] operations.
[1:35:58] This is the annual public
[1:36:00] hearing to set the stormwater
[1:36:02] non-ad valorem assessment rates
[1:36:03] and the assessment roll for
[1:36:05] calendar year 2026.
[1:36:07] The stormwater management
[1:36:09] program is established by
[1:36:09] ordinance, and the stormwater
[1:36:12] fee is a non-ad valorem
[1:36:13] assessment included on the
[1:36:15] annual property tax bill.
[1:36:16] I'll start with the quick recap
[1:36:18] of some of the rate discussions
[1:36:20] from this year.
[1:36:22] Raftelis the county's rate
[1:36:23] consultant completed the 2026
[1:36:25] rate study in FEBRUARY, updating
[1:36:25] from the previous study
[1:36:28] conducted in 2019.
[1:36:29] They had coordinated their
[1:36:31] efforts with black & veatch and
[1:36:32] inincorporated recommendations
[1:36:33] from their comprehensive
[1:36:35] regional stormwater evaluation.
[1:36:37] The board received the rate
[1:36:38] study in APRIL, which included
[1:36:41] rate recommendations for both
[1:36:42] capital projects as well as
[1:36:44] enhanced maintenance.
[1:36:45] Staff returned in JUNE to
[1:36:47] provide the board with updated
[1:36:49] rate options to consider,
[1:36:49] including removal of the
[1:36:51] increase for capital projects
[1:36:55] due to the utilization of
[1:36:56] cdbg-dr grant funding for
[1:36:56] stormwater projects over the
[1:36:57] next several years.
[1:36:59] The direction was proceed with
[1:37:01] the increased tie to enhanced
[1:37:02] maintenance only.
[1:37:03] And so we scheduled the public
[1:37:04] hearing for SEPTEMBER 2nd, and
[1:37:06] mailed out notices to all of the
[1:37:07] assessed properties on
[1:37:09] JULY 20th.
[1:37:11] As we presented in JUNE, the top
[1:37:12] maintenance activities for
[1:37:14] stormwater include things like
[1:37:15] clearing ditches and pipes,
[1:37:17] mowing and cleaning canals, and
[1:37:18] repairing structures.
[1:37:20] And while these activities are
[1:37:22] funded in part with stormwater
[1:37:23] assessment revenue, they're not
[1:37:25] fully supported by the
[1:37:27] assessment, and rely on
[1:37:28] $20 million and annual general
[1:37:29] funds to supplement.
[1:37:31] We did share for the board's
[1:37:32] future consideration the option
[1:37:34] for increasing the stormwater
[1:37:35] assessment to eliminate the need
[1:37:37] for general fund
[1:37:38] supplementation.
[1:37:39] But for today the proposal is
[1:37:41] just for a 15% increase in these
[1:37:42] maintenance activities.
[1:37:43] , which
[1:37:45] amounts to an additional
[1:37:46] $2.7 million that would go
[1:37:48] towards expanding contracted
[1:37:50] maintenance services such as
[1:37:51] right-of-way mowing, canal and
[1:37:53] slope mowing, ditch clearing and
[1:37:55] restoration, and pipe and inlet
[1:37:56] cleaning.
[1:37:57] This is consistent with the
[1:37:58] approach that we also presenteds
[1:38:01] to you in JUNE, which was to put
[1:38:02] additional funding towards
[1:38:04] contracts for routinely
[1:38:05] scheduled maintenance as a
[1:38:06] strategy to help balance the
[1:38:08] increased demand and service
[1:38:09] level expectations associated
[1:38:12] with county-wide growth.
[1:38:14] To generate that additional
[1:38:16] $2.7 million in annual revenue,
[1:38:17] the proposed assessment increase
[1:38:19] is illustrated here for the
[1:38:20] small, medium, and large tiers
[1:38:22] of the residential rates.
[1:38:24] The medium tier represents one
[1:38:26] equivalent residential unit or
[1:38:28] eru, and includes the majority
[1:38:30] of residential properties
[1:38:31] assessed.
[1:38:32] Excuse me.
[1:38:34] that tier would have a $6 annual
[1:38:38] increase from $86.49 to
[1:38:40] $92.58 annually.
[1:38:42] And for comparison, this chart
[1:38:43] shows how the county's rate
[1:38:44] stacks up against other cities
[1:38:47] and counties, and our proposed
[1:38:48] rate, for example, falls just
[1:38:50] below pasco and sarasota, and
[1:38:52] remains substantially lower than
[1:38:54] pinellas and the city of tampa.
[1:38:56] So in summary, today's public
[1:38:57] hearing is to set the stormwater
[1:38:59] assessment rates and tax roll
[1:39:02] for calendar year 2026.
[1:39:03] Written noticed were sent via
[1:39:06] first class mail to all
[1:39:07] 331,000-plus properties that
[1:39:09] receive this assessment, and
[1:39:11] notice of the public hearing was
[1:39:12] advertised in the tampa bay
[1:39:13] times on JULY 5th.
[1:39:14] The notices state that property
[1:39:15] owners have the right to file
[1:39:17] written objections.
[1:39:19] To date public works has
[1:39:19] received 12 written objections
[1:39:21] to the 2026 stormwater
[1:39:22] assessment.
[1:39:24] That concludes my presentation.
[1:39:25] I'll be happy to answer
[1:39:26] questions that you might have.
[1:39:27] This is a public hearing.
[1:39:28] >> ken hagan: all right, thanks,
[1:39:29] josh.
[1:39:30] This is a public hearing.
[1:39:33] Five individuals have sined up.
[1:39:35] We have charlotte butler who's
[1:39:35] virtual.
[1:39:37] Followed by tracy thompson
[1:39:38] virtual.
[1:39:41] And robert mindinol.
[1:39:45] Is MS. Butler on the line?
[1:39:50] >> can you hear us? Charlotte,
[1:39:51] can you go ahead and unmute
[1:39:53] yourself, please?
[1:39:55] >> hello, I am here, and I am
[1:39:55] sorry.
[1:39:56] I pushed the wong button.
[1:39:58] >> ken hagan: good morning.
[1:39:58] >> yes, charlotte butler.
[1:40:01] I live in plant city area
[1:40:03] unincorporated part of the
[1:40:04] county.
[1:40:05] As per the person I have
[1:40:08] I spoke with
[1:40:09] in the stormwater management
[1:40:11] department, the total gross area
[1:40:12] as shown on property appraiser
[1:40:13] information is used to determine
[1:40:16] the impervious surface.
[1:40:17] However, based on a review of
[1:40:19] several properties in my
[1:40:22] immediate area, the total gross
[1:40:25] area does not include paved
[1:40:27] areas such as concrete or
[1:40:29] asphalt driveways, stand alone
[1:40:32] sheds, and pools which are all
[1:40:33] impervious surfaces.
[1:40:34] Although pools and stand alone
[1:40:37] sheds are listed in the extra
[1:40:39] section of the property
[1:40:41] appraiser information, there are
[1:40:43] no associated measurements and
[1:40:47] paved areas that are, that are
[1:40:48] not listed at all.
[1:40:50] None of these extras are counted
[1:40:52] towards the total gross area for
[1:40:54] purposes of determining
[1:40:55] impervious surface.
[1:40:57] Yet they most definitely create
[1:41:00] water runoff.
[1:41:04] Why is paved stated in the
[1:41:06] notice section that I received,
[1:41:11] but it is not included as a
[1:41:11] measurement?
[1:41:16] And the terminology of building
[1:41:19] footprint and total gross area
[1:41:20] could be construed a couple of
[1:41:23] different ways.
[1:41:25] Using the 2025 tax collector
[1:41:27] data, some of the reviewed
[1:41:29] properties that are in the same
[1:41:32] building footprint range as me
[1:41:35] and close to my total gross area
[1:41:40] were assessed at $132.33.
[1:41:41] However, a couple of properties
[1:41:43] with total gross areas that are
[1:41:47] 40 to 60% larger than my total
[1:41:49] gross area, were assessed at a
[1:41:53] lower fee of $86.49.
[1:41:54] Why?
[1:41:55] Clearly there is some
[1:41:57] discrepancy regarding the
[1:41:59] calculation used for stormwater
[1:42:01] management assessment fee that
[1:42:03] should be addressed before
[1:42:07] applying the increased fee to
[1:42:09] the 2026 property tax.
[1:42:11] A more equitable stormwater fee
[1:42:13] would compare the total gross
[1:42:17] area of impervious surface to
[1:42:19] the total land units.
[1:42:22] Using that same tax collector
[1:42:24] data, I create
[1:42:27] created a spreadsheet
[1:42:28] with a simple formula based on
[1:42:30] total gross area to total land
[1:42:34] units where one acre equals
[1:42:35] 43,560 square feet.
[1:42:38] Using this methodology, the
[1:42:40] assessment fee would equate to
[1:42:43] 2% of impervious surface for my
[1:42:43] property.
[1:42:46] And should qualify me for a fee
[1:42:49] exemption or a sizable fee
[1:42:49] reduction.
[1:42:53] At the very least, my 2026
[1:42:54] assessment should be changed
[1:42:56] from one of the highest fees to
[1:42:57] the lowest --
[1:42:58] >> christine miller: thank you
[1:42:59] for your comments, ma'am.
[1:43:00] Thank you very much.
[1:43:03] Next up is tracy thompson
[1:43:12] followed by robert mendinhaul.
[1:43:14] Did draysy check in.
[1:43:15] >> good morning, I'm tracy
[1:43:16] thompson a 27-year resident of
[1:43:17] hillsborough county and a
[1:43:22] tax-paying citizen.
[1:43:24] I did the same calculations as
[1:43:26] the lady who spoke right before
[1:43:28] me, and -- calculation consider
[1:43:31] the total acreage of these
[1:43:32] properties.
[1:43:35] Being that my property is almost
[1:43:36] 14 acres, and most of my roof
[1:43:39] size is actually
[1:43:41] actually barns, run in
[1:43:43] sheds and equipment sheds --
[1:43:44] agriculture, however I have no
[1:43:45] agriculture exemption because
[1:43:47] I'm a poor farmer and sal not
[1:43:49] to make much -- seem not to make
[1:43:51] much money as farming -- I do
[1:43:52] not have an agricultural
[1:43:54] exemption which would normally
[1:43:55] exempt me entirely.
[1:43:57] However being that I'm on
[1:43:58] 14 acres and even if you take
[1:44:01] the total roof space, the
[1:44:06] numbers of square feet
[1:44:08] impervious by square footage
[1:44:10] actually only 589 square feet.
[1:44:12] As opposed to what the
[1:44:15] assessment is taking, as if the
[1:44:16] whole roof line was sitting on
[1:44:18] one acre.
[1:44:21] So only 1.35% of the property is
[1:44:24] impervious, even the driveway is
[1:44:26] crushed asphalt which is
[1:44:26] pervious.
[1:44:29] So the whole calculation rests
[1:44:30] on roof alone.
[1:44:32] So I agree completely with the
[1:44:33] woman speaking prior to me.
[1:44:36] We need some additional research
[1:44:39] on how these numbers are arrived
[1:44:39] at.
[1:44:41] I also want to point out that in
[1:44:42] east hillsborough county seems I
[1:44:45] am also -- since I am also in
[1:44:48] plant city we have these
[1:44:49] enormous warehouses that have
[1:44:50] been installed on county line
[1:44:51] road and drifting south towards
[1:44:52] state road 60.
[1:44:56] We have these huge subdivisions
[1:44:58] that have been installed bigger
[1:45:00] apartment complexes, and all of
[1:45:02] those have been raised.
[1:45:05] Every one of them are raised up
[1:45:08] between six inches and 4 1/2
[1:45:08] feet.
[1:45:10] All the runoff from those are
[1:45:11] drifting down into the farms
[1:45:13] that surround them.
[1:45:15] So we're providing quite a bit
[1:45:20] of permeable land to absorb the
[1:45:20] ruboff
[1:45:22] rub -- runoff from these
[1:45:23] subdivisions.
[1:45:24] I'm not quite sure how we got
[1:45:25] lumped together with them in our
[1:45:25] rate assessment.
[1:45:28] Thank you so much for hearing
[1:45:28] me.
[1:45:31] >> ken hagan: thank you for your
[1:45:31] comments.
[1:45:35] Robert meninhall.
[1:45:35] Robert here?
[1:45:37] Followed by denise herndon and
[1:45:40] then last speaker tiffany rentz.
[1:45:45] Good morning.
[1:45:46] >> I want to thank the members
[1:45:47] of the board here for allowing
[1:45:49] me to speak this morning.
[1:45:52] This is the first time I've ever
[1:45:53] spoken to this group although
[1:45:54] I've attended several meetings.
[1:45:57] I am a land owner in odessa.
[1:46:00] Been here for, been in
[1:46:01] hillsborough county for over 40
[1:46:06] years, lived in odessa for 32
[1:46:07] years.
[1:46:08] I'm here to speak to you and I
[1:46:11] agree with the people who have
[1:46:13] spoken before me.
[1:46:14] These issues are similar issues
[1:46:21] but I have a couple more.
[1:46:25] I received this notice of this
[1:46:26] meeting at the end of the JULY I
[1:46:30] believe it was, the end of JULY,
[1:46:31] and and it was for this public
[1:46:32] hearing, to esablish a
[1:46:34] stormwater management assessment
[1:46:40] rates and roll for calendar year
[1:46:41] 2026.
[1:46:44] My issue is a kitchen table
[1:46:45] issue.
[1:46:45] Okay?
[1:46:46] Costs are going up, and every
[1:46:50] time we turn around, I get fee
[1:46:51] increases.
[1:46:53] I'm a retired individual, okay?
[1:46:54] So I have to think about how I'm
[1:46:56] am I going to pay for these
[1:47:03] things that are basically taxes.
[1:47:06] O this resolution doesn't take
[1:47:07] into consideration current
[1:47:09] stormwater mitigation by
[1:47:11] individual land owners, and I'll
[1:47:12] get to that in a minute.
[1:47:15] The ERUs are strictly based on
[1:47:18] assigned eru or the actual
[1:47:19] impervious scare
[1:47:20] pervious square footage.
[1:47:21] There is no indication of how
[1:47:26] the eru assessment for my
[1:47:29] property is assigned at all,
[1:47:31] none, and yet the notice told me
[1:47:33] what my proposed eru was going
[1:47:36] to be, 1.53 I think.
[1:47:38] My property is located in a
[1:47:39] flood zone z.
[1:47:41] This is unincorporated area.
[1:47:43] I'll show you that in a minute,
[1:47:46] and does -- and did not flood
[1:47:48] during helene and milton.
[1:47:50] All standing groundwater on my
[1:47:51] property during that time
[1:47:55] subsided in two days from
[1:47:56] milton.
[1:47:57] This is a plan form.
[1:48:01] This is what I, our particular
[1:48:02] property or building on our
[1:48:02] property.
[1:48:06] It's the only building right
[1:48:06] now.
[1:48:10] This is an aerial view.
[1:48:12] There is a one-acre pond that's
[1:48:14] eight feet deep when it's full,
[1:48:18] and then there is about three
[1:48:22] acres of wetlands, okay?
[1:48:25] All the, all of the runoff is
[1:48:27] either in from this area, from
[1:48:28] the keystone parm
[1:48:30] keystone park colony.
[1:48:32] All that runoff comes through my
[1:48:33] property, comes through large
[1:48:35] ditches that are in the south
[1:48:36] participant of the property on
[1:48:39] jones road, and in the eastern
[1:48:40] side of the property on angel
[1:48:41] lane.
[1:48:43] And this all flows through a
[1:48:46] culvert over into another
[1:48:48] wetlands area and ultimately
[1:48:49] ends up --
[1:48:49] >> ken hagan: thank you, sir.
[1:48:50] >> can you state your name for
[1:48:52] the record, please.
[1:48:54] >> yes, robert mendenhall.
[1:48:55] >> ken hagan: thank you, sir,
[1:48:57] appreciate your comments.
[1:48:58] Denise hunterren and then last
[1:49:10] speaker tiffany rentz.
[1:49:11] >> good morning, denise herndon
[1:49:13] again.
[1:49:16] This is concerning the maps that
[1:49:17] I had just shown you, the
[1:49:19] aerials from the hillsborough
[1:49:23] county site.
[1:49:27] When eric brown had come out to
[1:49:28] investigate the fence that
[1:49:31] somebody has put in concrete for
[1:49:32] the water that flows from the
[1:49:37] three lakes, gornto lake, my
[1:49:38] lake, chapman -- goes into
[1:49:40] chapman lakes and then goes into
[1:49:43] ten mile then goes underneath
[1:49:48] the highway 60.
[1:49:53] I know where this star here
[1:49:55] that's where the drainage from
[1:49:56] gornto lake, no one's cleaning
[1:49:57] it out.
[1:49:58] Eric brown didn't even know.
[1:49:59] We don't have an easement there
[1:50:01] or anything.
[1:50:05] I have no idea where chapman
[1:50:06] drains into ten mile lake.
[1:50:09] I do know where ten mile lake
[1:50:13] drains out.
[1:50:16] And I don't believe eric is a
[1:50:17] very good assessment.
[1:50:21] We aren't having water issues
[1:50:25] that would need to have the
[1:50:28] three drains or three lakes
[1:50:37] draining into the area under 60.
[1:50:40] That fence was never there.
[1:50:43] Some people say it was.
[1:50:44] It's in concrete.
[1:50:46] Well, cut it out.
[1:50:48] Like I said, it doesn't matter
[1:50:51] to me but it matters to other
[1:50:53] homeowners because I'm up on
[1:50:54] stilts.
[1:50:56] Even milton didn't come anywhere
[1:50:57] near my home.
[1:51:00] it killed a avocado tree because
[1:51:01] avocados and it wasn't a big
[1:51:05] one, it wasn't producing fruit
[1:51:08] yet, but someone was pumping
[1:51:10] water into the area because it
[1:51:13] came up, the water, the gornto
[1:51:18] lake came up three days later,
[1:51:20] so and I could see water flowing
[1:51:25] into my property.
[1:51:26] So, and it had to be on the
[1:51:28] south side of the road, because
[1:51:31] it was coming from the road,
[1:51:34] road tracks
[1:51:38] roded tracks would've been
[1:51:39] affected.
[1:51:41] I still heard trains going by.
[1:51:43] Water is going to go to the
[1:51:44] lowest point, but the county
[1:51:45] needs to have experienced people
[1:51:47] to come out and that fence
[1:51:49] should nt be there.
[1:51:52] It's a homemade fence that's
[1:51:54] been put in concrete.
[1:51:59] I have looked for 27 years
[1:52:00] wanting to tart a
[1:52:01] start a business in
[1:52:03] there, and I have alays gone
[1:52:04] around it long before just love
[1:52:05] coffee was there.
[1:52:06] Someone needs to do something
[1:52:08] about this fence, and if the
[1:52:09] other homeowners that are
[1:52:10] getting flooded don't do
[1:52:11] anything, oh, well,.
[1:52:13] >> ken hagan: thank you,
[1:52:13] MS. Herndon.
[1:52:14] Tiffany rentz.
[1:52:19] Is she on the line?
[1:52:20] >> tiffany did not sign in.
[1:52:21] >> ken hagan: all right, thank
[1:52:21] you.
[1:52:22] That closes public comment.
[1:52:24] We'll go into board discussion.
[1:52:25] Commissioner wostal.
[1:52:26] >> joshua wostal: yes.
[1:52:28] Just bonnie if staff could help
[1:52:31] the speaker 65 and over be made
[1:52:32] ware of the senior discounts
[1:52:33] that exist and help them
[1:52:36] navigate that I would appreciate
[1:52:38] it.
[1:52:39] >> ken hagan: okay.
[1:52:39] Don't see anyone else in the
[1:52:41] queue, so what's the pleasure of
[1:52:44] the board?
[1:52:46] Got a motion to approve d. 4 by
[1:52:48] commissioner myers, second
[1:52:48] commissioner boles.
[1:52:57] Please record your vote.
[1:52:58] >> motion carries 5-2 with
[1:52:59] commissioners cameron cepeda and
[1:53:01] wostal voting no.
[1:53:02] >> ken hagan: okay.
[1:53:02] Bonnie, next item.
[1:53:03] >> we ask now move to
[1:53:04] commissioner -- we can now move
[1:53:05] to commissioner items.
[1:53:07] The first item is commissioner
[1:53:09] boles' item, item f. 1, and then
[1:53:11] commissioner boles, item f. 2,
[1:53:12] first 1
[1:53:15] one regarding growth
[1:53:17] related infrastructure fee
[1:53:17] policy.
[1:53:18] >> ken hagan: commissioner
[1:53:18] boles.
[1:53:19] >> chris boles: thank you,
[1:53:21] MR. Chair.
[1:53:22] For several months my office has
[1:53:25] been kind of reviewing whatd
[1:53:26] what I'm
[1:53:28] kind of piecing together a
[1:53:29] mosaic of different things we
[1:53:30] need to look at as we continue
[1:53:32] to drean droaght -- address
[1:53:33] growth here in hillsborough
[1:53:33] county.
[1:53:38] I think it's no surprise that we
[1:53:40] continue to have these issues
[1:53:41] that come before us and we try
[1:53:44] to address them even today as
[1:53:46] we're addressing fees.
[1:53:47] We got to look at how we're
[1:53:49] paying for the growth that we're
[1:53:59] absorbing and the growth that
[1:54:00] we, this board, not this
[1:54:00] particular but the board of
[1:54:01] county commissioners has some
[1:54:05] regard in some ways neglected to
[1:54:06] perhaps bring forward.
[1:54:09] so part of that and ideas and
[1:54:10] some of the thought processes
[1:54:12] behind this was to put a very
[1:54:12] comprehensive backup document
[1:54:14] with that.
[1:54:16] So if you looked it was 57
[1:54:17] pages, and that was just for the
[1:54:19] two fees that I really address
[1:54:21] which was the fire and the
[1:54:22] mobility fees.
[1:54:25] `and showing that over the
[1:54:29] history of their, their
[1:54:31] formation and certainly their
[1:54:34] changes over the years, were 31
[1:54:36] years for fire didn't get
[1:54:37] changed, 26 years there was no
[1:54:38] meaningful change in mobility
[1:54:43] fees until we adopted those fees
[1:54:43] in 2016 and you know throughout
[1:54:45] this work essentially identified
[1:54:47] gaps in our governance and the
[1:54:48] way we should maybe be looking
[1:54:49] at that.
[1:54:51] So what I'm looking for at the
[1:54:55] very least is to kind of grab a
[1:54:56] holistic approach to addressing
[1:54:58] these gaps by establishing
[1:54:59] future safeguards for future
[1:55:01] boards that are coming before
[1:55:01] us.
[1:55:04] And essentially regular periodic
[1:55:07] process that challenges us to
[1:55:09] review, adjust our policies as
[1:55:11] circumstances and needs changes change
[1:55:13] so that we're not putting the
[1:55:17] burden on the backs of existing
[1:55:18] homeowners and residents and
[1:55:21] that we're having growth kind of
[1:55:22] pay for some part of its share
[1:55:24] going forward.
[1:55:26] I believe that this will give
[1:55:27] thus county the better tools,
[1:55:29] better information, and
[1:55:30] certainly more consistent
[1:55:32] framework to plan for not just
[1:55:34] for ourselves, for staffer, and
[1:55:35] the developers out there so that
[1:55:39] they can kind of understand
[1:55:40] where we are coming from as we
[1:55:43] come with these fees so we don't
[1:55:47] go 31 years and raise fire fees
[1:55:53] from $38.66 back in 1988 to $300 in 2019.
[1:55:54] Same thing for where we have
[1:55:56] adopted the transportation
[1:55:57] impact fee through a mobility
[1:55:59] fee zone.
[1:56:01] So I think we made considerable
[1:56:03] efforts here recently, and I
[1:56:06] would certainly like to hear
[1:56:07] your comments on this issue.
[1:56:10] Thank you, MR. Chair.
[1:56:10] >> ken hagan: okay.
[1:56:11] Commissioner wostal.
[1:56:12] >> joshua wostal: thank you.
[1:56:14] Bonnie, we talked about this a
[1:56:15] little bit.
[1:56:16] I know the prior administrators
[1:56:18] for the past couple of decades
[1:56:21] let these fall behind, but but
[1:56:22] you've had like your own policy
[1:56:23] essentially doing this, and this
[1:56:26] is just kind of formalizing it,
[1:56:27] right?
[1:56:28] >> I think that this is helpful
[1:56:30] to make sure that we're
[1:56:31] routinely doing it.
[1:56:33] I know that the auditor did
[1:56:36] identify that the mobility fees
[1:56:39] had not been increased this last
[1:56:41] time, so but I think it is very
[1:56:42] important that we do monitor
[1:56:43] these much more closely, and we
[1:56:46] have been doing that much more
[1:56:46] closely.
[1:56:47] >> joshua wostal: yeah, I'm fine
[1:56:50] with the the formalized process
[1:56:51] for it.
[1:56:53] >> ken hagan: okay, commissioner
[1:56:54] boles.
[1:56:55] >> chris boles: just quickly to
[1:56:55] follow up.
[1:56:57] You know, one of the things that
[1:56:59] I'd like to certainly complement
[1:57:01] our administrator on it now who
[1:57:03] that done an excellent job of
[1:57:04] making sure that we are keeping
[1:57:07] up with these, and I think we've
[1:57:11] found here certainly with senate
[1:57:12] bill 180 live local act we
[1:57:14] continue to see how the
[1:57:16] legislature continues to
[1:57:18] subrogate us to their authority
[1:57:20] here on a local level, and to me
[1:57:22] that's part of the problem that
[1:57:23] if we're not making these
[1:57:25] changes in at least addressing
[1:57:27] them every on a staggered basis
[1:57:30] or on a regular periodic review,
[1:57:32] we can find ourselves falling
[1:57:33] further and further behind while
[1:57:35] legislature continues to put
[1:57:37] further hand confidence on us.
[1:57:39] -- handcuffs on us and so that's
[1:57:40] one of the things I also want to
[1:57:41] address with this and I think
[1:57:43] it's important for us to do that
[1:57:44] and so we can maybe get ahead of
[1:57:45] it.
[1:57:46] Right now because we're even
[1:57:48] past JULY 1st this year,
[1:57:50] it's further put us behind with
[1:57:51] the new act that went through
[1:57:53] last year.
[1:57:54] >> ken hagan: all right, so is
[1:57:59] that a motion?
[1:58:00] >> chris boles: I see
[1:58:01] commissioner miller was in
[1:58:02] the --
[1:58:03] >> ken hagan: commissioner
[1:58:03] miller.
[1:58:04] >> christine miller: I'm happy
[1:58:04] to wait but I was wondering if
[1:58:05] he was --
[1:58:06] >> chris boles: I would like to
[1:58:07] make a motion that we accept
[1:58:08] this to have staff come bck
[1:58:11] with a policy for us to review.
[1:58:11] >> christine miller: second.
[1:58:12] >> ken hagan: I got a motion,
[1:58:13] commissioner boles, second,
[1:58:13] commissioner miller.
[1:58:15] Commissioner miller?
[1:58:15] >> christine miller: thank you,
[1:58:16] MR. Chair.
[1:58:20] This is great news for district
[1:58:21] 4 I appreciate you bricking this
[1:58:22] forward.
[1:58:23] With all the growth we're
[1:58:25] experiencing, having a plan for
[1:58:27] regularly evaluating if the
[1:58:32] infrastructure is keeping up,
[1:58:34] and ving a regular review
[1:58:35] process, this is great for our
[1:58:36] community, and I'm happy to
[1:58:37] support it today.
[1:58:38] >> ken hagan: commissioner
[1:58:38] wostal.
[1:58:39] >> joshua wostal: one suggestion
[1:58:40] that I had that you might want
[1:58:43] to talk to the county attorneys
[1:58:44] about is whether or not you
[1:58:45] could just codify this, these
[1:58:47] impact fee increases within the
[1:58:51] land development code to
[1:58:52] circumnavigate future bills like
[1:58:56] sb 180 that say you can't worsen
[1:58:58] or strengthen the land
[1:59:00] development code because then
[1:59:01] it's already codified in the
[1:59:03] land development code, so
[1:59:04] raising impact fees would
[1:59:06] potentially be a workaround just
[1:59:07] a thought I had with bonnie when
[1:59:11] we were talking.
[1:59:13] >> we're happy to take a look at
[1:59:14] that.
[1:59:14] >> ken hagan: anytime we can
[1:59:15] make a preemptative strike
[1:59:17] against the legislature, I'm
[1:59:19] certainly on board for that.
[1:59:20] Okay, so we got a motion,
[1:59:21] commissioner boles, second,
[1:59:21] commissioner miller.
[1:59:28] Please record your vote.
[1:59:29] >> motion carries 7-0.
[1:59:30] >> ken hagan: all right, f. 2.
[1:59:31] Commissioner boles.
[1:59:32] >> chris boles: yeah, I'll make
[1:59:33] this quick.
[1:59:35] So earlier this year again I
[1:59:36] have my staff look at some of
[1:59:39] the flag items that were
[1:59:41] previously made by the district
[1:59:42] 6 commissioner who was in here
[1:59:44] previous to me, and there was
[1:59:47] some item that were unused
[1:59:48] meaning that there was some
[1:59:50] funds that were essentially
[1:59:56] sitting stagnant, my word, and I
[1:59:57] determined through
[1:59:58] communications and conversations
[2:00:02] with staff that perhaps the
[2:00:03] $850,000 that's sitting there
[2:00:04] could be better used for
[2:00:06] projects today versus sitting
[2:00:07] for projects that MAY never come
[2:00:10] to fruition or have already been
[2:00:12] paid for through other means
[2:00:13] through other departments.
[2:00:17] So essentially this is to
[2:00:19] provide that money for the, I
[2:00:21] won't get into the details of
[2:00:24] it, but essentially transfer
[2:00:25] most
[2:00:28] those monies from the -- to the
[2:00:31] unincorporated for the
[2:00:32] bridge replacement and sidewalk
[2:00:35] repairs in the amounts listed.
[2:00:36] >> ken hagan: we got a motion
[2:00:36] commissioner boles, second
[2:00:37] commissioner wostal.
[2:00:42] I would say that's a great find,
[2:00:45] and excellent reallocation.
[2:00:45] O.
[2:00:46] >> chris boles: and I do want to
[2:00:47] say that one thing.
[2:00:51] That money was allocated 3w50eu9 by the
[2:00:52] previous commissioner to that
[2:00:52] area.
[2:00:54] We're keeping it in that area.
[2:00:55] It's not moving anywhere else.
[2:00:56] >> ken hagan: yep.
[2:00:56] Okay.
[2:00:56] Nice work.
[2:00:58] All right, motion, commissioner
[2:00:59] boles, second, commissioner
[2:00:59] wostal.
[2:01:05] Please record your vote f. 2.
[2:01:06] >> motion carried 7-0.
[2:01:07] >> ken hagan: all right, f. 3.
[2:01:09] >> f. 3 is commissioner myers'
[2:01:11] item regarding carryover funding
[2:01:12] for the urban league.
[2:01:13] >> ken hagan: commissioner
[2:01:13] myers.
[2:01:14] >> gwen myers: thank you,
[2:01:14] MR. Chair.
[2:01:16] I move to approve f. 3 as
[2:01:17] presented, and would like to
[2:01:21] mention the untimely death of
[2:01:25] stanley gray who was the
[2:01:25] hillsborough urban league ceo
[2:01:28] and PRESIDENT, and this fall the
[2:01:29] hillsborough urban league and
[2:01:31] the pinellas urban league plans
[2:01:34] to merge for the good of both
[2:01:36] programs, and county.
[2:01:37] >> ken hagan: okay, we got a
[2:01:38] motion, commissioner myers,
[2:01:40] second, commissioner cohen.
[2:01:45] Please record your vote on f. 3.
[2:01:47] >> motion carried 7-0.
[2:01:52] >> ken hagan: all right, g. 2.
[2:02:11] >> this item is being presented
[2:02:13] will following a request on JUNE
[2:02:14] 3rd.
[2:02:17] The estimated cost for full
[2:02:20] asphalt paving of dirt roads are
[2:02:25] substantial and cost
[2:02:26] prohibitive, due to water
[2:02:27] resource permitting.
[2:02:30] The report on lower cost
[2:02:33] alternatives to paving,
[2:02:34] identifying a representative
[2:02:36] pilot project for consideration.
[2:02:38] Staff completed an eval u eight
[2:02:40] of a variety of stabilization
[2:02:42] options including those listed
[2:02:46] and depicted here, such as woven
[2:02:50] geo textile fabrics,
[2:02:53] interlocking geo grids, and geo
[2:02:53] cells.
[2:02:55] Any of which could be utilized
[2:02:58] with a permable aggregate
[2:02:58] surface layer.
[2:03:01] With that, we came up with a
[2:03:04] recommendation for a standard
[2:03:05] treatment.
[2:03:07] Covered with a stabilized
[2:03:11] aggregate at varying depths.
[2:03:12] This treatment would be
[2:03:14] estimated to reduce the on going
[2:03:16] maintenance needs for an
[2:03:18] approximately 5 to 10 year
[2:03:19] period.
[2:03:22] For planning purposes, the costs
[2:03:25] estimated 400 to $750,000
[2:03:28] averaging $600,000 per mile.
[2:03:30] If this were applied to the
[2:03:32] specific set of 27 roads the
[2:03:34] board has adopted for dirt road
[2:03:35] maintenance.
[2:03:37] The estimated cost is about $4.5
[2:03:38] million.
[2:03:41] Compared to the $63 million
[2:03:44] estimate for full asphalt
[2:03:44] paving.
[2:03:51] To evaluate this option for
[2:03:53] viability, we have identified a
[2:03:55] pilot project on valley tree
[2:03:56] drive.
[2:03:57] It's a good representative
[2:03:59] sample roadway to conduct the
[2:04:02] pilot project on, and it's also
[2:04:04] a smaller roadway segment which
[2:04:07] keeps the pilot cost down as
[2:04:07] well.
[2:04:09] If we proceed with this plan, we
[2:04:11] estimate about a 9 month
[2:04:13] duration for us to procure and
[2:04:16] construct and contract, and
[2:04:17] construct, excuse me, and we
[2:04:18] would evaluate the results of
[2:04:20] the pilot, and consider whether
[2:04:23] to pursue the remaining 26 dirt
[2:04:25] roads in future budget cycles.
[2:04:26] That's all I have, and I'll be
[2:04:32] happy to answer any questions.
[2:04:38] >> ken hagan: thanks, josh,
[2:04:47] commissioner boles?
[2:04:49] >> chris boles: when we were
[2:04:54] talking about miles of dirt
[2:04:59] roads, we have sections of dirt
[2:05:03] roads, not full miles of dirt
[2:05:03] roads.
[2:05:04] They go into neighborhoods,
[2:05:05] correct?
[2:05:06] >> correct.
[2:05:07] >> chris boles: in some cases
[2:05:08] with, he go into these
[2:05:10] neighborhoods, we, the county,
[2:05:13] once they're -- because we're --
[2:05:16] I'm calling them legacy roads,
[2:05:17] we're gong in there and we have
[2:05:20] to maintain them to a degree or
[2:05:22] we're absolutely suggested to
[2:05:25] maintaining them to what
[2:05:25] standard?
[2:05:28] >> this specific set of 27
[2:05:29] roads, not all dirt roads
[2:05:31] throughout the county.
[2:05:31] -
[2:05:31] >> it's the ones we're
[2:05:33] responsible for.
[2:05:36] >> right.
[2:05:40] This set of 27 roads have been
[2:05:42] adopted by the board that we
[2:05:46] call class e basis, it requires
[2:05:49] grading as necessary.
[2:05:50] And emergency vehicle passing.
[2:05:53] >> we go out once or twice,
[2:05:55] maybe three times a year,
[2:05:59] depending on rainy weather,
[2:06:00] what's been driving on it.
[2:06:03] We have continual maintenance
[2:06:05] going on it all the time.
[2:06:10] The $100,000 for this road, if
[2:06:13] we put an extra step down, we
[2:06:15] won the have to do maintenance
[2:06:15] as often?
[2:06:17] >> that's correct.
[2:06:18] >> chris boles: is that a
[2:06:19] correct depiction?
[2:06:21] >> yes, it is.
[2:06:23] It is the expectation to reduce
[2:06:24] the level of on going
[2:06:26] maintenance.
[2:06:29] >> chris boles: thank you, sir.
[2:06:32] >> ken hagan: commissioner
[2:06:34] cameron cepeda?
[2:06:35] >> donna cameron cepeda: thank
[2:06:35] you.
[2:06:37] As we can see, this is going to
[2:06:39] be a significant savings in
[2:06:40] millions of dollars in this
[2:06:41] process.
[2:06:43] And it is a long process, longer
[2:06:47] than I would like to see,
[2:06:48] obviously, but nine months from
[2:06:51] the planning all the way to
[2:06:52] construction phase.
[2:06:56] But I've been out there on the
[2:06:57] streets and on that street, in
[2:07:01] particular, with all the
[2:07:03] neighbors who are complaining
[2:07:05] and rightly so, because they had
[2:07:07] been waiting for years and year
[2:07:08] after year they were told next
[2:07:11] year, next year, you're on the
[2:07:14] list, and so I'm very glad to
[2:07:16] see they're moving forward, we
[2:07:20] would like to move forward on
[2:07:20] this.
[2:07:24] It's quite a savings, so I'm
[2:07:26] very happy about this outcome
[2:07:28] you brought forward in this
[2:07:28] presentation.
[2:07:31] So I would like to make a motion
[2:07:33] to move forward with the pilot
[2:07:33] project.
[2:07:42] >> can we get a motion and a
[2:07:42] second.
[2:07:46] Record your votes.
[2:07:51] >> passes 7-0.
[2:07:57] >> ken hagan: future issues.
[2:07:57] >> christine miller: I would
[2:08:00] like to request that we review
[2:08:03] the nonlaw enforcement towing
[2:08:03] rates.
[2:08:04] The ordinance states that the
[2:08:06] fees are to be reviewed every
[2:08:08] three years, and it's close to 3
[2:08:10] and a half years since it's been
[2:08:11] updated.
[2:08:12] Code enforcement has already
[2:08:15] held meetings with the industry
[2:08:17] stakeholders, and the next step
[2:08:28] is for the board to provide
[2:08:28] review.
[2:08:32] I would ask for a $25 flat fuel
[2:08:35] surcharge for nonconsensual law
[2:08:37] enforcement tows.
[2:08:38] Diesel fuel prices have
[2:08:42] increased drastically, and are
[2:08:46] currently between $5.25 and
[2:08:49] $5.40 in the tampa bay market.
[2:08:53] I'm asking for this until the
[2:08:56] fuel goes under $4 an hour or
[2:08:56] there's no impact to the county
[2:09:00] budget.
[2:09:01] >> ken hagan: did you get all
[2:09:02] that?
[2:09:03] That was a mouthful.
[2:09:04] Anyone else?