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Business leaders and Parkland Estates residents press council to route South Howard stormwater work away from neighborhoods
Summary
Residents and the SoHo Business Alliance urged city staff and council to pursue alternative alignments for a proposed South Howard stormwater project, saying the contractor’s current options would require trenching that would destroy trees and disrupt small residential streets.
Business and neighborhood representatives urged Tampa City Council to seek alternatives to the contractor‑proposed routes for a stormwater project affecting South Howard Avenue and surrounding neighborhoods.
Steve Michelini, representing the SoHo Business Alliance, told the council the alliance will not support an alignment that “goes through the neighborhoods or disrupts the neighborhoods in any way.” He said the group had proposed alternate routes that use city and CSX right‑of‑way, and urged the mobility department and the contract consultant (JMT/Kimmons) to evaluate additional alternatives and the large tract along Swan and the railroad for underground retention.
Residents from Parkland Estates and representatives of the Parkland Estates Civic Club also spoke. Yvonne Ferrelli, on behalf of the civic club, reminded council members they had previously passed resolution CM 24‑68‑31 directing staff to bypass Parkland Estates and use commercial corridors; she said two consultant proposals would require a 36‑foot work corridor on Lakeview Avenue and would remove mature street trees. Parkland Estates vice president Marilyn Samaha repeated the club’s request that the city enforce its prior resolution and use the city‑preferred Swan→Howard→Bayshore route.
Council members agreed to remove Item 7 from today’s agenda and to ask FDOT for a future update on multimodal projects affecting bike paths. Councilmember Viera moved — and the council agreed — to ask staff to request an FDOT presentation on multimodal work and updates on 275 and related mobility projects. The council also recorded motions to continue or reschedule several agenda items as staff work continued.
