Tampa council denies request to vacate Cordelia Street alley after code and flooding concerns

The Tampa City Council voted to deny a petition to vacate the 10-foot alley that runs north of Cordelia Street and south of Ivy Street in West Tampa, citing code violations, utility easements and concerns that closing the alley could worsen localized flooding. The motion to deny passed after a roll-call vote; Councilman Juan Miranda was the lone dissenting vote.

City staff had recommended against the vacation. Abby Feeley, director of Development and Economic Opportunity, and departments including Wastewater, Code Enforcement, Mobility and Natural Resources raised objections and asked that standard easement reservations be retained for utilities. Code Enforcement officer Jean Primus told the council she had an active case documenting “obstructions that…