[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",5970412,"mediaKeyId","5833008-3931fd11415ec0490a81b04ba1272b5c","parentId",5833008,"title","Votes at a glance: council approves study of floodgates, childcare food grant, lawn bowling license and pavement contract","audioSeconds",3217,"startMs",2799000,"endMs",6016000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5833008-3931fd11415ec0490a81b04ba1272b5c&start=2799&end=6016","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5833008-3931fd11415ec0490a81b04ba1272b5c/thumbnail_2799000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5970412/St-Petersburg/Pinellas-County/Florida/Votes-at-a-glance-council-approves-study-of-floodgates-childcare-food-grant-lawn-bowling-license-and-pavement-contract","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5970412-0bacbb63fbe3e511a7e7af9c9751a55f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168242&Signature=VhAmGze7MtNYCnv2vzYeitWv8nk1x5raB76rje25mf-7PfTAZl38IiKiRCnhjZUjO1Trp5PYMbLW2PJunPodplpU90XB80Recol0jQM0Kf0onj~hiDBpFN8pr0tzcs8ScyYBAl1KzIQNwh2uyxeKeL-y3CWWH58pDw7VZjQI0YLtICFYEOsAm7kj2c0USt1w~ct7eVNFIvR97DwU71jO40kVA~NXfxQBSALqVnsEhsO0rlYoMWRgTmPNtwJyp5KSgUvgEl5vUypmHInv32INqCXrhB33p2S6uMkgyOXCfC~oUhj2r9QSY~v061qHLd9j9KqXRNra1ZDeFegFmS7RmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of St. Petersburg, FL ","date","2025-09-25T00:00:00Z","article","St. Petersburg City Council approved four notable items during its Sept. 25 meeting after short presentations and targeted discussion: a study and initial funding for tidal gates and wet‑weather storage in the city’s northeast quadrant; continuation of a state child‑nutrition grant for after‑school snacks; a license renewal with conditions for the historic St. Pete Lawn Bowling Club; and an amendment to an accelerated pavement contract.

Quick summaries and results

1) Floodgates and Northwest plant equalization feasibility (Agenda item F2)
- What passed: Council approved staff’s recommendation to move forward with a feasibility and design planning process focused on installing tidal gates and EQ/wet‑weather storage in the area that discharges to Tampa Bay (the Shore Acres vicinity and connected stormwater basins). The item was pulled for discussion and then approved unanimously.
- Why it matters: Public Works staff and consultants told council that some portions of the stormwater/wastewater system are tidally impacted. The Wade Trim study evaluated nine candidate sites, ranked them for storage volume and construction complexity, and highlighted site tradeoffs. Staff emphasized that detailed hydraulic modeling and federal/state permitting (including Army Corps, Florida Fish & Wildlife and NEPA processes) are required before construction can proceed.
- Key technical note from staff: consultants used a planning goal of at least 5 million gallons of EQ storage and noted that an additional 6 inches of a downstream water body could equate to tens of millions of gallons of storage in the system model.

2) Childcare snack program grant (Agenda item F3)
- What passed: Council approved acceptance and continuing participation in a $262,000 grant awarded through the Florida Department of Health to provide nutritionally approved after‑school snacks across city recreation centers, prioritizing food‑insecure neighborhoods.
- What staff said: Mike Jeffries, Community Enrichment, said the program has permanent funding status due to prior strong performance and that last year more than 181,000 snacks were served through city programs.

3) License renewal for St. Petersburg Lawn Bowling Club (Agenda item F4)
- What passed: Council approved a license renewal with the existing longtime club that operates the historic facility (club presence at the site dates to 1916; city relationship since 1933). Council asked staff and the club to make the facility more accessible to the public, pursue a member lockbox option and return with an update in roughly one year.
- Public input: Residents and neighbors were sharply divided. Some speakers asked council to withhold renewal and insist on greater public access and ADA upgrades; others and the club’s attorney urged preservation of the historical use and continuity. Staff said engineering CIP work (notably electrical rewiring) has required temporary de‑energizing and that the city will pursue needed capital repairs.
- Outcome: Motion to renew license passed unanimously; councilset a one‑year follow‑up check‑in.

4) Pavement restoration contract amendment (Agenda item F5)
- What passed: Council approved a contract amendment intended to accelerate roadway resurfacing and to attract contractors willing to commit to a larger volume of local work. The measure passed unanimously.
- Why staff argued for it: Public Works said packaging projects to increase contractor throughput reduced mobilization churn and produced better pricing and faster delivery for many roads across the city.

Why these votes matter together
Several of the approved items affect basic services or quality‑of‑life in neighborhoods: the tidal gates feasibility work could change where and how stormwater is managed across dozens of neighborhoods; the after‑school snack grant continues a long‑running nutrition program that serves youth in food‑insecure areas; the lawn‑bowling license touches a historic city asset and community access to a public parks facility; and the pavement package affects near‑term road repairs across districts.

Speakers and who to watch
- Brijesh (Rajesh) Freeman, Capital Improvements / Public Works, led the presentation on the floodgate/EQ storage analysis and modelling.
- Mike Jeffries, Community Enrichment Administrator, presented the childcare snack grant details.
- Mike (Parks & Rec) and public speakers (Beth Eshenfelder, Robert Cascia, Sheila Lake) led the public conversation on the lawn bowling license.

Actions recorded (summary)
- F2: Motion to approve moving forward with feasibility and planning for tidal gates and equalization storage; outcome: approved unanimously.
- F3: Motion to accept and appropriate Florida Department of Health childcare snack grant ($262,000); outcome: approved unanimously.
- F4: Motion to renew the license agreement with the St. Petersburg Lawn Bowling Club and to require staff/board to increase public access and return with a one‑year update; outcome: approved unanimously.
- F5: Motion to approve contract amendment to accelerate pavement resurfacing projects; outcome: approved unanimously (Councilmember Floyd was recorded absent for F5 vote earlier in the meeting notes but the item passed on its roll call).

What to expect next
- Public Works will continue modelling and permitting work and will engage regulatory agencies where necessary for F2; additional community engagement will be scheduled during design phases.
- Parks and Recreation staff will work with the lawn bowling board to expand availability and will return to council with a one‑year update on access and facility improvements.
- Grants and finance staff will post the appropriation for the childcare snack grant and schedule any vendor or operating approvals required to deliver services in after‑school programs.

Short quotes
\"We find that all of our snacks that we order for each rec center are being utilized and they're being utilized appropriately.\" — Mike Jeffries, Community Enrichment Administrator
\"This is not to say we are moving forward with design and construction; this is to investigate whether it can be done and what the permitting implications are.\" — Public Works staff (presentation summary)

Where to read more: Council backup materials, staff feasibility reports (Wade Trim) and the committee agendas for the Capital Improvements and Parks & Rec teams provide the technical backup to these votes.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City of St. Petersburg, FL - City Council September 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","On Sept. 25 the St. Petersburg City Council approved a river of routine and high‑impact items: a regional floodgate feasibility study for Shore Acres and nearby neighborhoods, a $262,000 childcare snack grant, a license renewal for the St. Pete Lawn Bowling Club with follow‑up conditions, and an accelerated pavement contract amendment.","taxTitle","St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida","taxId",3508,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},5970415,"St. Petersburg council asks administration to rethink sale of Science Center after public outcry and utility study",6760,379000,7139000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5833008-3931fd11415ec0490a81b04ba1272b5c&start=379&end=7139","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5833008-3931fd11415ec0490a81b04ba1272b5c/thumbnail_379000.jpg","/articles/5970415/St-Petersburg/Pinellas-County/Florida/St-Petersburg-council-asks-administration-to-rethink-sale-of-Science-Center-after-public-outcry-and-utility-study","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5970415-1e35d2966581e4a2ba4b1cbbad6864f2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168242&Signature=TU6wWkCha2qVKGb8dewhU5nhsM9oKcm2Z-70WlLWPvLZ1faXsdDkT~UlN~EOyWNwTJ4RZKV4MjeQNYENivAWU0vYAXJaboen4c4LocYOTjCxDjtQI1B2i0vo5kE-y5X-PU54HbaElmKPTaXSoPbsFdN8Ceut8seBGVEY1T0qon9drtL2veu7xqHUxOPunANs9Bt9ceFhe5AEbdDZm~pt53nGixZG51O6ShrSYH42r-6R5vvpRoXKKizionOmk~xLZSgsn1NCy1QfM3jSU~dyPpnsJnalbOteapo8E6lanIsyHG5JVrZZ-5XvETBtB4NC0HtV6pJRcjLBiu0OmnzR3Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","St. Petersburg City Council on Sept. 25 unanimously asked the administration to reconsider plans for the St. Petersburg Science Center site and to continue negotiations with the St. Petersburg Group while studying alternative locations for wastewater equalization or stormwater storage needs.

The council’s action followed more than two hours of public comment from West Side residents, neighborhood leaders and educators urging the city to preserve and reopen the Science Center — a long‑running educational facility — and after city staff presented a third‑party feasibility report that ranked several nearby sites for potential water‑treatment equalization storage.

Why it matters: The Science Center property at 7701 20th Ave. N. sits immediately south of the city’s Northwest Water Reclamation Facility. City real‑estate staff and public‑works engineers said the parcel is strategically located for future utility projects, while community leaders said the site is the only fully funded, ready plan for a West Side STEM hub that would serve thousands of children and bring state and federal grant money to the neighborhood.

Public testimony: Dozens of residents and neighborhood leaders implored council to reverse an administrative decision to pause the site sale and to relocate a brush/yard‑waste site instead of selling to the St. Petersburg Group, which proposed a privately funded Science Center renovation. “Save the Science Center,” said Jamie Hoke, a West Side resident and longtime advocate. John Hoke, president of the Council of Neighborhood Associations, told council the center “is an integral asset to creating good and great humans in Saint Pete.” Former educators, nonprofit leaders and a state senator described the center as a pipeline for STEM careers and cited millions in grant commitments already secured for programming.

What staff reported: Aaron Fish, the city’s real estate and property management director, reviewed the property’s acquisition and the grant and appraisal history. He told council the city bought the whole site in 2019 for about $3.2 million and later split the northern half for wastewater use and the southern half — roughly 3.89 acres — was appraised at about $1.5–$1.64 million in early 2023. Fish said the city transmitted a draft purchase agreement with the St. Petersburg Group in August 2023 with a proposed sale price of $1.6 million, subject to appraisals and standard closing contingencies. He also reviewed a renovation feasibility study that estimated building rehabilitation costs at roughly $3.5 million up to $9 million depending on scope.

Public‑works feasibility and the utility concern: Claude Tankersley, Public Works administrator, and consultants explained why the Northwest Wastewater Reclamation Facility commissioned a separate feasibility study, completed in draft in August and final in September 2025, to evaluate whether short‑term equalization (EQ) or wet‑weather storage tanks would be feasible and where they would fit most effectively. The consultant evaluated nine candidate sites and concluded the best long‑term footprints for future treatment expansion were (1) a parcel referred to as “site 4” on the plant south side, (2) the Science Center site, (3) the former Raytheon parcel, and (4) the brush site. Tankersley said the on‑site south area (site 4) scored highest because it is adjacent to existing treatment processes and therefore easier to integrate for future regulatory upgrades.

The report and modelling prompted staff to flag potential constraints on selling the Science Center parcel before first determining whether it is needed for wastewater resiliency. The feasibility work modeled storage volumes and costs; the study cited a planning‑level goal of at least 5 million gallons of EQ/wet‑weather storage and noted the practical and permitting complexity of siting storage tanks inside an urban utility footprint.

Council action and next steps: Councilmember Gina Driscoll moved a formal request that the administration “reconsider the plans for the Science Center site and move forward with the agreement with the St. Petersburg Group for the Science Center and work on alternatives for the public works uses in other locations.” The motion — intended to preserve the St. Petersburg Group’s sale agreement while directing staff to pursue other options for utility storage — passed unanimously.

Administration agreed to return with a status update at the Oct. 2 City Council meeting and to continue the feasibility, permitting and interagency outreach necessary to determine realistic timelines and permitting constraints, including coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state historic‑preservation requirements tied to federal grants.

Community context and funding: Supporters said the St. Petersburg Group had sought historic‑preservation accommodations required by the HUD grant process and that state and federal appropriations — including funds secured by state lawmakers and others — could be lost if the city does not move the transaction forward. Senator Daryl Rouson told council he had helped bring nearly $7 million in state funding to the effort over several years and warned that re‑securing appropriations is uncertain if the project stalls.

What council asked staff to do: The council’s unanimous motion preserves the buyer’s negotiated agreement while instructing the administration to pursue alternatives for any utility storage or EQ tanks that do not require this parcel; to continue engagement with the St. Petersburg Group and with federal and state permitting authorities; and to report back on a timeline for next steps.

Quotes (selected)
\"No further city funding is needed to make this happen…Let's ensure baby Harrison and every child can build, learn, and soar here.\" — Jamie Hoke, West Side resident
\"The property was a strategic acquisition…(to) serve two purposes: expansion of the northwest water reclamation facility and to ensure the city's brush site could remain on the property.\" — Aaron Fish, Real Estate and Property Management Director
\"We did this because we love science…we are aware of the irony that our love of science also runs up against our requirement to provide resiliency for our sewer system.\" — Claude Tankersley, Public Works Administrator

Ending: Council left the door open to both outcomes: the sale and reactivation of a funded Science Center and further study of alternative locations for sewer‑system resiliency. Staff agreed to return quickly with specific timelines and the results of ongoing permitting conversations that will shape whether both goals can be achieved without losing grant commitments or jeopardizing utility reliability.","After hours of public testimony from West Side residents and a city feasibility study that flagged the site’s utility value, the City Council voted to ask the administration to reconsider plans for the St. Petersburg Science Center property and pursue the pending sale while exploring alternatives for stormwater/wastewater storage.","actionData","errors"]

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Votes at a glance: council approves study of floodgates, childcare food grant, lawn bowling license and pavement contract

St. Petersburg council asks administration to rethink sale of Science Center after public outcry and utility study