Council moves stormwater items, seeks short-term fixes; staff outlines pump upgrades and generator plan

Tampa City Council on Thursday consolidated two stormwater agenda items and moved them to the May workshop so staff and engineering consultants could present an updated stormwater master-plan analysis and short-term solutions.

Council members said the city must act quickly after heavy flooding this fall and winter, and asked staff to return with practical maintenance, pump and generator plans to reduce flood risk before the next rainy season.

Key decisions and scheduling - Council approved a motion from Council Member Lisa Carlson to remove items numbered 5 and 7 from the present workshop and reschedule combined stormwater discussion and presentations for the May 22 workshop. The motion passed unanimously. - Council retained item 6 (short-term maintenance/solutions) on the current agenda for discussion; larger master-plan materials will be presented in May.

What staff reported - Mobility Director Vic Bide said the city has a funded watershed master-plan program that will model each basin, estimate capital needs and inform long-term priorities. Applied Sciences is coordinating multiple consultants; work is structured to produce results rapidly and to harmonize models across basins. - Staff reported the stormwater operations group inspects and maintains pipes, ditches and structures and that contractors and crews cleared thousands of linear feet, inspected and cleaned hundreds of structures, and removed debris since the storms. Mobility said stormwater operations currently includes approximately 62 positions funded by the stormwater service assessment, plus contracted…