Call to Order

Date: January 13, 2004 

• Ms. Sally Thompson called the meeting to order at 6:10 pm. Introductions were made all around as the new Tampa Greenways and Trails Coordinator Mary Helen Duke attended her first meeting.

Attendees:

• Erle Boynton, Sally Flynn, Jim Hartnett, Melanie Higgins, Fred Hoffman, Missy Hoffman, Edith Hooten, Art Hushen (TPD), Sharon Keene, Nina Mabilleau (Transportation), Roy Paz (TPD), Charner Reese, Ed Ross, Janet Stanley, Randy Stribling, Sally Thompson (Chair), Steve Treverton, Virginia Vetter, Larry Weatherby, Alan Wright (Vice Chair), Mary Helen Duke, Karen Cashon, Karla Price

Old Business:

• Blake Trail Extension: Ms. Price informed the CAC that the agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation is now complete and that the agreement with Presbyterian Village (delayed by sale of property) is ready to go before the Tampa City Council. The low bidder has been contacted and has agreed to hold the price as bid last year. The Hillsborough County School Board required compensation for the easement, and a property trade is underway.

  South Tampa Greenway: The Phillips Company wished to close a street adjacent to the South Tampa Greenway and an agreement has been worked out to permit that closing in return for the development of a trail on their property. Regarding properties that the City has attempted to acquire for greenways and trail yet failed to acquire due to limits placed on associated property costs, developers have so far been generally receptive to the concept of developing trails on those properties.

  Gadsden Park Trail: The bid package was too high and it is being repackaged to ideally reduce the cost. Construction is expected to begin by summer 2004.

  MacDill Bike Trail: The easement agreement with MacDill Air Force Base is not yet in place. This issue is a matter of paperwork.

  Picnic Island Bayou: This new 200 acre acquisition between MacDill AFB and Picnic Island Park contains only 5 acres of upland and is anticipated to increase the Blueways of our system. Manatee County success in Blueways will serve as a guide for the development of this area.

  Desoto Park: The portion of the McKay Bike Trail that lies within Desoto Park was completed in December 2003 and will provide a connection via Bermuda Boulevard. An on-road bike lane is being recommended along a portion of Bermuda Boulevard.

  Rowlett Park Canoe Launch: A reply letter from the Water Department continued to stress the "unrelenting danger" to Tampa's water supply that an improved canoe launch would provide. Mr. Art Hushen of the Tampa Police Department's CPTED Unit added that his division worked with the Water Department regarding safety to the area. Mr. Ed Ross pointed out that anyone at present can launch at the existing canoe launch. Mr. Fred Hoffman added that the Yukon Street ramp is also open for launching without restriction or oversight. Ms. Price suggested that the Parks and Recreation Department simply continue to peruse in-house measures to improve the existing facilities until funding becomes available

New Business:

• Ross J. Ferlita Greenways and Trails System Recognition: Mayor Pam Iorio and the City Council passed a resolution renaming our system the Ross J. Ferlita Greenways and Trails System in honor of the retiring Director of Parks and Recreation. The CAC has a draft letter under consideration to Mr. Ferlita, thanking him for his unwavering support of our greenways and trails development and extending an offer of a position of emeritus member of the CAC. Chair Thompson read the draft aloud and requested comments. Mr. Randy Stribling then moved that a final draft of the letter be made as read for her signature and the motion was seconded by Ms. Melanie Higgins. The motion passed unanimously.

  FY 2009 MPO Transportation Improvement Priorities: Ms. Duke provided a list of projects that were recommended for funding as Transportation Improvement projects, as well as those not recommended for funding. The Tampa Downtown Riverwalk was approved for funding. This covers Phase 3 (Washington Street to Tampa Museum of Art) and portions of Phase 2. This item is on the Mayor's priority list and connects to the Ribbon of Green. Several other projects that did not receive recommendation for funding included the Bayshore Boulevard Bike Trail (southbound lanes) and several sidewalk projects.

  Surface Transportation Program (STP) Applications: Projects approved for funding include 40th Street from Hillsborough Avenue to Fowler Avenue.

  Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Applications: Ms Duke reported that no submitted applications from the City of Tampa were approved for funding, including the South Tampa Greenway connection of Friendship Bridge to Picnic Island Park and the

  2 MacDill Trail, the Hillsborough River Greenway Downtown Phase, the Hillsborough River Greenway Lowry Phase or the Hillsborough River Greenway Pedestrian Bridge Connection at Florida Avenue. Florida is in the process of being designated as an "attainment state" and CMAQ funds will no longer be available.

  TEA21: The reauthorization of this program is still in flux and was extended through February 29, 2004. The White House proposal (SafeTea) would allocate $247 Billion, the House proposal would allocate $375 Billion and the Senate proposal would allocate $311 Billion. Florida is a donor state which typically has received back 90.5% of what it sends to Washington DC. The House version would return closer to 95%. The White House proposal would also eliminate or modify the Transportation Improvement Program process to every 5 years instead of annually (the House proposal would be modified to update every 4 years). It is expected that the revampment will require another three month extension.

  Strategic Intermodal System Public Comment Period: A FDOT public workshop was slated tonight for public comment. This timeframe is through February and citizens can sent their comments via the website at www.dot.state.fl.us/planning/sis.

  Trail Easements/Right of Way Preservation Incentives, Development Regulations and Staff Procedures: Ms. Duke stressed that better coordination between the local municipal deparments is needed to ensure that trail easements are noted and required when developers submit plans in areas where trail easements are desired. Evaluation of the current system is underway to determine how to best implement this review. Any ideas or suggestions should be forwarded to Ms. Duke. Ms. Mabilleau inquired as to the use of railroad corridors and Ms. Price noted that in a couple of areas, such as Port Tampa, active CSX corridors with wide rights of way are being considered but that CSX has not yet been notified as past contact suggest they might not be very receptive. Similar precedents have been set in other states regarding shared use and our hopes are high that in the future, some areas may well have shared rail and trail usage.

  Tampa Greenways and Trails Powerpoint Presentation: Ms. Price made a presentation as shown to Mayor Pam Iorio last fall to the attendees. Ms. Thompson mentioned the McKay Bay Strategic Plan and will provide information in the near future.

  Mayor's Walk and Walkable Communities Workshop: This has been discussed with the possibility of getting speaker Dan Burden of Walkable Communities Inc. A date of Saturday March 15, 2004 has been previously suggested but is insufficient time to organize. Mr. Burden is not available until the fall. Ms. Duke asked if the CAC would be interested in co-sponsoring such an event, possibly with the BPAC, the River Round Table, and the HGC. Chair Thompson thought that by fall and with the cooperation of the other local organizations, a co-sponsor was workable. Mr. Hushen assured the CAC that the Tampa Police Department CPTED Unit would be glad to help, and Mr. Larry Weatherby committed the assistance of the Hillsborough Greenway Committee.

  3 CAC Meeting Schedule: The CAC discussed this issue and decided to meet bimonthly at 6 pm, using the Seminole Garden Center when available, or the Kate Jackson Community Center as a back-up meeting location.

  Sulphur Springs River Clean-Up Student Art Grant Application: A draft support letter to the Mayor's Beautification Grant Program was read. Mr. Ed Ross moved to accept the letter as read and Mr. Randy Stribling seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

  GreenFest 2004: This Friends of Plant Park festival is slated for 10 am - 4 pm each day on Saturday March 27 and Sunday March 28. Volunteers are requested to man a table.

  Bike Rodeo: January 31, 2004 is slated for a bike rodeo and the organizers are looking for donations of new helmets. Anyone with connections is requested to contact Ms. Duke.

  Public Comments: Chair Thompson asked if any member of the public wished to speak. None came forward.

  Other Business/Announcements: Chair Thompson asked if there was any other business or announcements. None were presented.

  Next Citizen's Advisory Committee Meeting is scheduled for March 11, 2004 at the Seminole Garden Center.

  The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 pm.

Special Presentations:

• Hillsborough County Greenway: Ms. Charner Reese of Hillsborough County Greenways (HCG) spoke briefly about the goals and aspirations of that organization and passed around an update with map for the CAC's perusal. Ms. Thompson stated that frequent communication between such organizations as the CAC, the HCG, and the Bicycle Pedestrian Action Committee (BPAC) is a commitment that should be made and kept.