Clearwater to pursue resilience and clean-energy grants; council first reading would consolidate advisory boards

City sustainability staff told the Environmental Advisory Board on Nov. 12 that Clearwater has accepted a congressional directed spending award and is lining up matching funds and projects to expand public-sited solar and other resilience work.

Cassie Cordova, the city’s sustainability manager, said the city has accepted $949,500 in congressional-directed funds that will support roughly $2,000,000 of solar projects when combined with local match and related financing; planned sites include the new city hall, the Long Center, the North Greenwood Recreation Center and the Countryside Library. Cordova said those installations would bring the city’s total public facilities with solar to nine and that the city expects to pursue federal tax incentives (the city referred to the "elective pay" process) that previously yielded modest returns ($100,000 and $25,000 in prior years) and could exceed a half-million dollars on the most recent projects once finalized.

Staff also provided other program updates: the Energy Efficiency Community Block Grant (EECBG) order for electric vehicles is nearly complete with one final EV expected next month; the city applied for an urban forestry grant to support a canopy assessment and management plan; the city received a Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council stormwater education grant and plans an Adopt-A-Drain program with a nonprofit platform; and staff will launch a multi-year "Resilient Clearwater" outreach campaign tied to the vulnerability assessment.

In governance news, Cordova said City Council completed first reading of an ordinance to consolidate the Environmental Advisory Board with Parks & Recreation and the Library advisory boards into a new Community Resiliency and Leisure Services Advisory Board; the ordinance returns for second reading on Nov. 20. If adopted, existing EAB members will be invited to apply for positions on the consolidated board, which would meet bimonthly and include preferences for members with environmental backgrounds on at least three of seven seats.

Procedural note: earlier in the meeting the board approved the previous meeting minutes on a motion by Michael Rubino and a second by Kelly Dobbin, with all voting aye.

What’s next: staff said they will continue to pursue implementation grants and tax-credit recoveries, finalize solar project procurement, and roll out Resilient Clearwater outreach activities and materials for public distribution.