Posted October 14, 2020 at 3:45 PM
Background
The City of Tampa is seeking public comment on a proposed application for a Planning Grant to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to evaluate current land use policies and regulations affecting development within the City of Tampa’s Hurricane Evacuation Zones A and B.
In April 2018, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that the state of Florida would receive $633,485,000 in funding to support long-term mitigation efforts (following Hurricanes Hermine, Matthew and Irma) through HUD’s Community Development Block Grant Mitigation (CDBG-MIT) Program. The Federal Register Vol. 84, No. 45838, which delineates all program requirements, was released on August 30, 2019.
The CBDG-MIT funding is designed to address mitigation needs to ensure that the state of Florida is more resilient to future natural disasters. The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) is the lead agency and responsible entity for administering the CDBG-MIT funds allocated to the state. The state of Florida’s Action Plan, which was approved by HUD on April 2, 2020, details how this funding, along with subsequent allocations, will be apportioned to address unmet mitigation needs in Florida that represent targeted strategic investments for grantees based on current or foreseeable risks.
The City is requesting $500,000 through the program, with another $100,000 being provided as in-kind staff support for overall project administration and technical review. The total budget for the project is $600,000.
City of Tampa Proposal
Consistent with the State Action Plan, the City of Tampa proposes to conduct a study and analysis of the City of Tampa Hurricane Evacuation Zones A and B focusing on:
- Evaluating the effectiveness of the City’s current plans and policies in making development more resilient in vulnerable areas;
Community Value – Tampa’s population has historically migrated along and near the bays and rivers. These areas are the most vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms. Today, approximately 35.0% percent of the City’s population resides in the Hurricane A and B Evacuation Zones. New development continues in many parts of the Hurricane A and B Zones. There are concerns regarding the effectiveness of current policies in guiding future development in this area in a manner that protects property, human life, and economic viability. The Project will evaluate the current state and regional requirements for development in the study area, and assess the City’s current comprehensive planning requirements for development, including hurricane evacuation, shelter requirements, building regulations, rebuilding practices, and zoning requirements. The assessment will recommend changes (if needed) to reduce the risk posed by tropical storms and severe weather.
- Strengthening ties with key community lifelines and identifying specific projects to mitigate impacts of tropical events and severe flooding;
Community Value – Consistent with the objectives of the State Action Plan, the project will outline strategies to strengthen community lifelines, represented by areas shown in Figure 1 below. Key community stakeholders and asset managers from Tampa Port Authority, Tampa General Hospital, University of Tampa, MacDill AFB, Tampa Downtown Partnership, Westshore Alliance, the Greater Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, and others will be convened to collectively develop an integrated plan for improving the resiliency of this network in the face of tropical storm events and other climate change events.
- Target two geographical areas for community level planning, focusing on identifying specific projects that will increase resiliency.
Community Value – There are two communities within the Planning Area that provide the opportunity for a neighborhood-level planning approach that will result in specific capital projects and strategies. The two areas present different challenges.
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- Palmetto Beach – The Palmetto Beach area consists of 560 acres east of downtown Tampa. The population is 1,883 persons, residing in 894 housing units. It is comprised of mostly single-family homes along McKay Bay adjacent to the heavy industrial uses of the Port of Tampa and the City of Tampa’s McKay Bay Waste-to-Energy facility. The Census Tract covering Palmetto Beach is one of the city’s Low Income Census Tracts with 30.8% of the population having an income below the poverty level. From a development perspective, the community has been stable for many years, but it is vulnerable to floods and storm surges. There is a need to create a strategy to strengthen the resiliency of the community and protect and enhance affordable housing, particularly as the community grows.
- South of Gandy – The South of Gandy area consists of roughly 4,300 acres in the southernmost part of Tampa’s Interbay Peninsula, north of MacDill AFB. It is comprised of a mix of commercial and residential land uses, with a range of housing types (single-family, townhouse, and high-rise multifamily). Property values and household incomes are higher than in many other parts of the City. Development activity in this area is robust with several new projects being permitted in recent years. There is a need to create effective policies for guiding redevelopment in the area, taking into consideration potential wind and storm surge risks, evacuation, shelter needs, traffic and protection, and preservation of neighborhood and community character.
The Project will evaluate development trends in the two neighborhoods and recommend projects, programs, and policies that will support the economic and social development of each community. The lessons learned from the neighborhood analysis will be integrated into plans for other areas of the city.
The Project will also evaluate the extent vulnerable and low-income communities are at at-risk during storm and flooding events, regardless of their location. Oftentimes these communities are not able to invest in resiliency efforts such as storm-proofing or hardening their homes or access to affordable alternative energy. In severe storm events, these populations may not have access to groceries, and medicines and may experience loss of employment.
Proposed Budget
$500,000
The City of Tampa invites public comment on the concept described on this page. Below are some questions to help guide your response and feedback.
- What do you feel are the top issues that the Planning Project should address?
- What opportunities should the Planning Project pursue?
- What needs to be considered for the Palmetto Beach area?
- What needs to be considered for the South of Gandy area?
- What comments would you like to make overall on the concept?
You can submit your response in the box below before October 30, 2020.
