CAPTIONING SEPTEMBER 4, 2007 METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION ***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the ***following meeting. It should be used for informational ***purposes only. This document has not been edited; ***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words ***that did not translate. >>JOE AFFRONTI: GOOD MORNING. I'D LIKE TO CALL OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION MEETING TO ORDER. WHAT'S THIS? >>LUCIE AYER: [INAUDIBLE] >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. THE FIRST ITEM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING, BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE A NEW MEMBER TO OUR METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, MR. JOSEPH WAGGONER, WHO REPRESENTS OUR EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY, AND WELCOME. WELCOME, JOSEPH. >>JOSEPH WAGGONER: THANK YOU, SIR. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MY NAME IS JOE AFFRONTI, AND I AM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION. AS FOR THE FORMAT OF PUBLIC HEARING, FIRST WE WILL HEAR A SHORT PRESENTATION FROM STAFF ON THE PRIORITIES, THEN WE WILL OPEN UP THE HEARING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. WE WILL FIRST RECOGNIZE ANY PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND THEN TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT IN THE ORDER THAT YOU HAVE SIGNED IN. FOLLOWING PUBLIC COMMENT, WE WILL HAVE BOARD DISCUSSION AND TAKE ACTION ON THE PRIORITIES FOR THE T.I.P. WHEN YOU ADDRESS THE BOARD, PLEASE STEP UP TO THE MICROPHONE AND CLEARLY STATE YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS. PLEASE LIMIT YOUR COMMENTS TO THREE MINUTES EACH IN ORDER THAT EVERYONE ELSE MAY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. BEFORE WE START THE HEARING, LET ME REMIND YOU THAT THERE ARE BLUE FORMS ON THE TABLE BY THE DOOR FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO SPEAK. IF YOU HAVE NOT SIGNED IN, PLEASE FILL OUT A FORM AND GIVE IT TO LINDA FERRARO, THE MPO SECRETARY. IF YOU WISH TO EXPRESS YOUR COMMENTS IN WRITING, THERE ARE BEIGE FORMS ON THE TABLE. NOW I'LL CALL ON THE STAFF TO GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. MR. WALLY BLAIN. >>WALLY BLAIN: GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. WALLY BLAIN, MPO STAFF. THE PRESENTATION YOU'RE ABOUT TO HEAR THIS MORNING IS ABOUT THE PRIORITIES FOR FUNDING FOR THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM FOR THE MONEY THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE NEW FIFTH YEAR OF OUR T.I.P., WHICH WILL BE 2012-2013. THIS PROCESS FOR THESE FUNDS BEGAN BACK IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR WHEN WE HELD A KICKOFF MEETING TO TALK ABOUT APPLICATIONS THAT WILL BE RECEIVED FROM THE LOCAL AGENCIES, TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITIES THAT ARE WITHIN THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY MPO BOUNDARY. THOSE APPLICATIONS WERE RECEIVED BY APRIL, AND AS YOU'LL SEE LATER, WE DID RECEIVE 14 APPLICATIONS BY THAT DEADLINE. STAFF WENT THROUGH AN EVALUATION USING CRITERIA ADOPTED BY THE MPO OF THOSE PROJECTS AND HAVE TAKEN THOSE PRIORITIES AND DRAFT RANKINGS TO THE COMMITTEES IN JULY FOR REVIEW. WE ALSO BROUGHT THOSE BEFORE YOU IN AUGUST FOR REVIEW JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION OF WHERE WE WERE SO FAR ALONG THE PROCESS. IN AUGUST WE ALSO TOOK THOSE PRIORITIES ALONG WITH A FUNDING RECOMMENDATION TO THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES, AND AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE AGENDA WRITE-UP THE ACTION TAKEN BY THE ADVISORY COMMITTEES TO THIS POINT. WE ARE HERE TODAY AT A PUBLIC HEARING TO ADOPT THE PRIORITIES AND GET YOUR INFORMATION AS THE OFFICIAL BOARD THAT ADOPTS THESE PRIORITIES BEFORE SUBMITTING THEM TO FDOT FOR PROGRAMMING. THIS YEAR WE DID RECEIVE 14 APPLICATIONS, AS I MENTIONED. THOSE APPLICATIONS TOTALED ABOUT $52 MILLION IN REQUESTS. OF THAT, SEVEN OF THOSE WERE SPECIFICALLY FOR HIGHWAY WIDENING ACTIVITIES, EITHER THROUGH RIGHT-OF-WAY OR CONSTRUCTION; THREE WERE FROM ORGANIZATION, AND THOSE ARE MONITORING AND MANAGING TRANSPORTATION DEMAND AND NEED THROUGH OTHER WAYS RATHER THAN JUST WIDENING THE ROADWAY. WE ALSO RECEIVED ONE APPLICATION FROM HARTLINE FOR BUS REPLACEMENT. WE RECEIVED ONE APPLICATION FROM THE WESTSHORE ALLIANCE FOR PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENT CORRIDORS IN THE WESTSHORE AREA. THIS WOULD BE TO ENHANCE SOME OF THE CROSSWALKS AND SIDEWALKS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS THE MPO PEDESTRIAN NEED STUDY FOR THE WESTSHORE AREA. WE DID RECEIVE AN APPLICATION FROM PLANT CITY FOR THEIR MIDTOWN REDEVELOPMENT AREA, SOME ALIGNMENTS IN THERE, AND ONE APPLICATION FROM THE CITY OF TAMPA FOR INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM SIGNAL COORDINATION AND CONNECTION. AS I MENTIONED, WE DID USE THE MPO'S ADOPTED CRITERIA TO COME UP WITH TECHNICAL RANKINGS, AND THOSE TECHNICAL RANKINGS WERE PRESENTED TO THE COMMITTEES AS WELL AS THE MPO LAST MONTH. AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THIS IS ALSO IN YOUR PACKET, HOW THE RANKING OF THOSE PROJECTS CAME OUT. WHAT I WANT TO FOCUS ON NOW IS THE FUNDING RECOMMENDATION THAT IS COMING FORWARD FOR THOSE PROJECTS. THERE IS A PROJECT FOR THE MPO CORRIDOR SYSTEMS AND PLANNING. THIS IS FOR US TO CARRY OUT THE REGULATED MANDATED STUDY ACTIVITIES WE DO BUT TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO DO STUDIES. THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION TO FUND 40th STREET. A REQUEST CAME IN FOR $8,662,000. THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE FOR $5,662,000. THE DIFFERENCE OF THREE MILLION, THE TASK FORCE HAS PRIORITIZED $3 MILLION FOR THAT PROJECT, SO THE ESTIMATE OF THE STP FUNDING WOULD TOTAL $8,662,000. THE NEXT IS EMPLOYER/PUBLIC OUTREACH AND EDUCATION. THE REQUEST WAS FOR $390,000. THE RECOMMENDATION IS FOR HALF OF THAT, $195,000. HARTLINE CAME IN WITH -- AT A $5 MILLION REQUEST FOR BUS REPLACEMENTS. WE'RE ALSO MAKING A RECOMMENDATION OF HALF OF THAT AMOUNT FOR $2,500,000. THE CITY OF TAMPA TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WAS $3,500,000. WE'RE RECOMMENDING $1,750,000, AGAIN 50% OF WHAT THE REQUESTED AMOUNT WAS. BAY AREA COMMUTER SERVICE, THE REGIONAL DEMAND MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION, AGAIN YOU CAN SEE THEY CAME IN WITH $490,000, AND WE'RE RECOMMENDING $245,000, 50% OF WHAT THEY REQUESTED. THE WESTSHORE ALLIANCE AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENT CORRIDORS, THEY CAME IN WITH A REQUEST OF $356,020. WE'RE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION IT BE FULLY FUNDED. A REQUEST FOR WIDENING OF SAM ALLEN ROAD FOR $4,240,000, AGAIN A 50% RECOMMENDATION, $2,120,000. BRUCE B. DOWNS HAD A REQUEST OF $12 MILLION FROM PEBBLE CREEK NORTH TO THE COUNTY LINE. THE RECOMMENDATION IS FOR $6 MILLION, 50% OF THE REQUEST. THE NORTH TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE IS THE FINAL AND THIRD TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION THAT REQUESTED MONEY THIS YEAR. THEY REQUESTED $390,000, AND WE'RE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION OF 50% AT $195,000. THAT TOTAL FOR THE RECOMMENDED FUNDING IS $19,623,000. THE REASON WE CHOSE A 50% BENCHMARK FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE PROJECTS WAS TO GET AS FAR DOWN THE LIST OF PRIORITIES AS WE COULD AND GET THE FUNDING TO AS MANY PROJECTS AS WE COULD KEEP GOING ONE AT A TIME. IN THE PAST YEARS WE'VE PRIORITIZED BETWEEN $22- AND $24 MILLION. BASED ON REVENUES EACH YEAR AND SEEING OUR PRIORITIES AREN'T ALWAYS FUNDED, WE'VE CUT THAT PRIORITY TARGET BACK. AS FAR AS WHAT OUR FUNDING GOAL IS, THE ACTION THAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO TAKE TODAY IS THAT YOU ADOPT THE STP PRIORITY LIST SO WE CAN FORWARD THOSE ON TO THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR PROGRAMMING IN THEIR WORK PROGRAM. AT THIS TIME, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I CAN TAKE THOSE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE -- THERE'S NO ONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT SUBMITTED ANY FORMS TO SPEAK TO THE COMMISSION, SO ANY QUESTIONS THAT ANYONE HAS ON OUR COMMISSION, PLEASE ASK WALLY OR ANY CONCERNS, ANYTHING? YES, SIR, MR. WAINIO. >>RICHARD WAINIO: I THINK I HAVE THIS ON. GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBER. IT'S NICE. I MET HIM COMING UP THE ELEVATOR TODAY, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SPENDING MORE TIME WITH YOU. NOT SO MUCH A QUESTION AS A COMMENT, AND IT MAY BE BEST ADDRESSED BY MR. SKELTON, IN FACT. I SAW AN ARTICLE TODAY IN THE ST. PETE TIMES. I THINK JUST AT FIRST GLANCE IT LOOKED LIKE A PRETTY GOOD ARTICLE, IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT, ABOUT TRANSPORTATION. TALKED ABOUT THE I-4 CONNECTOR AND A NUMBER OF THE OTHER MAJOR PROJECTS AND ABOUT OUR NEW TRANSPORTATION LEADER HERE. IT REFERENCED THE I-4 CONNECTOR, AND IT GAVE A TIMELINE, AND IT TALKED ABOUT IT BEING COMPLETED PERHAPS IN 2013. OVER THE YEARS -- AND I -- I ENTER THIS MORE FOR THE RECORD THAN ANYTHING ELSE. I THINK -- AND THE PORT -- THE PORT BELIEVES THAT THAT PROJECT IS THE MOST CRITICAL AND IMPORTANT PROJECT IN -- CERTAINLY IN THAT PART OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND WE HAVE ASKED REPEATEDLY THAT WE TRY TO STICK TO A TIMETABLE, AND IN FACT, WE'VE ASKED THAT -- AND I KNOW YOU'VE LOOKED AT IT, DON -- WE'VE ASKED THAT YOU ADVANCE IT BY A YEAR OR TWO. UP TO NOW, WHEN PEOPLE TALK TO ME ABOUT WHEN IT'S GOING TO GET DONE, I HAD BEEN TALKING, WELL, 2012. I WISH THEY COULD ADVANCE IT A YEAR OR SO. NOW, I SEE IN TODAY'S NEWSPAPER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 2013, AND KNOWING HOW THESE PROJECTS GO, IT COULD EASILY SLIP, I'M SURE, TO 2014 OR 2015, AND I THINK THIS PROJECT NEEDS TO BE MOVED FORWARD EXPEDITIOUSLY. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, MR. WAINIO. ANY OTHER COMMENT? >>DON SKELTON: IF I MIGHT, JUST IN RESPONSE TO THAT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES. >>DON SKELTON: WE HAVE THAT PROJECT FUNDED -- TO BEGIN FUNDING IN 2009-2010, THAT FISCAL YEAR. YOU COULD IMAGINE THE MAGNITUDE OF THAT PROJECT. IT'S A OVER $400-MILLION CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, SO MOVING IT ANY EARLIER THAN THAT IS NOT GOING TO BE POSSIBLE. IT'S ALSO ABOUT A FOUR-YEAR DURATION. THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THE 2013, AND AS WE GO FURTHER IN DESIGN AND WE GET A LITTLE BIT BETTER HANDLE ON THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT, SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET STARTED AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN AND GET IT OPEN. PARTICULARLY AS A REVENUE-PRODUCING PROJECT, THE QUICKER IT GETS OPEN, THE BETTER. >>JOE AFFRONTI: AND ALSO THE REQUEST THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT IS IN THE LETTER THAT WE'RE SENDING TO MR. SKELTON ON THE FIRST PAGE UNDER NATIONAL HIGHWAY SYSTEM SIS TURNPIKE FUNDS. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? IF NOT, WE'LL NEED A VOTE. AS YOU COULD SEE, THE POLICY COMMITTEE VOTED TO MOVE THIS FORWARD, THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE VOTED TO MOVE IT FORWARD, THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, AND THE TD COORDINATING COMMITTEE ALSO VOTED TO MOVE THIS FORWARD, SO WE NEED A MOTION. >> I'LL MOVE THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION. >>ROSE FERLITA: SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: AND A SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] DO WE -- >>LUCIE AYER: WE NEED A ROLL CALL. >>JOE AFFRONTI: WE NEED A ROLL CALL. OKAY. >> COMMISSIONER HAGAN. >>KEN HAGAN: YES. >> COMMISSIONER BLAIR. >>BRIAN BLAIR: YES. >> MR. MILLER. >>LOUIS MILLER: YES. >> MR. -- MAYOR LOTT. >>RICK LOTT: YES. >> MAYOR AFFRONTI. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES. >> COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: YES. >> COUNCILWOMAN MULHERN. >>MARY MULHERN: YES. >> COUNCILMAN CAETANO. >>JOSEPH CAETANO: YES. >> COMMISSIONER FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: YES. >> MR. WAINIO. >>RICHARD WAINIO: YES. >> AND MR. WAGGONER. >>JOSEPH WAGGONER: YES. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: MOTION CARRIED 11-0. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. WITH THAT, WE CLOSE OUR PUBLIC HEARING AND WE ADJOURN, AND THEN WE WILL OPEN UP OUR REGULAR METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION MEETING. WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND A BRIEF INVOCATION. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] HEAVENLY FATHER, AS ALWAYS, WE THANK YOU FOR THE WONDERFUL BLESSINGS THAT YOU'VE BESTOWED ON US. WE ASK THAT YOU GIVE US THE WISDOM AND THE KNOWLEDGE TO CONDUCT THE COUNTY'S BUSINESS HERE TODAY. AND AS ALWAYS, WE ASK THAT YOU PROTECT OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE SERVING OUR COUNTRY TO PROTECT OUR FREEDOMS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY, AMEN. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM OUR AUGUST 6th MEETING? >> SO MOVE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MOVED. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE ANYONE WHO CARES TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL ON ANY ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA? OH, I'M SORRY. >>LUCIE AYER: [INAUDIBLE] >>JOE AFFRONTI: THERE ISN'T ANYONE ANYWAY. OKAY. WE HAVE CAC. >> EXCUSE ME. I'M SORRY, CHAIRMAN. COULD I ASK WHO MADE THAT MOTION AND SECONDED IT. >>MARK SHARPE: I MOVED IT. >> YOU MOVED IT. >>JOSEPH CAETANO: CAETANO SECOND. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: CAC. WHO IS GOING TO -- >>BETH ALDEN: GOOD MORNING. BETH ALDEN, MPO STAFF. >>JOE AFFRONTI: I DIDN'T SEE YOU BACK THERE, BETH. I'M SORRY. >>BETH ALDEN: OUR CHAIR, JOE AMON, SENDS HIS REGRETS THAT HE CAN'T BE HERE THIS MORNING. THE CAC MET ON AUGUST THE 15th, AND THEY RECOMMENDED THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM PRIORITIES, WHICH YOU JUST ADOPTED. THEY ALSO RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF A T.I.P. AMENDMENT, WHICH YOU'LL BE HEARING THIS MORNING. IT'S A RESEARCH PROPOSAL PUT FORTH WITH USF, AND IT'S NEW MONEY. IT'S A GRANT PROGRAM FROM THE FED, SO THEY'RE KIND OF EXCITED ABOUT THAT PROJECT. THEY ALSO RECOMMENDED APPROVAL OF THE DOWNTOWN CIRCULATOR STUDY REPORT, WHICH YOU'LL BE HEARING ABOUT THIS MORNING, THAT LOOKS AT THE RUBBER TIRE TROLLEY AND THE COMMUTER CHOICES WEEK. YOU'LL SEE SOME STATUS REPORTS THAT THEY SAW ON THEIR AGENDA. THE NORTHEAST PLANT CITY MASTER PLAN AND THE WESTSHORE MOBILITY STRATEGIES ARE BOTH PROJECTS THAT THE MPO HAS BEEN WORKING ON IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. AND YOU'LL BE SEEING SOME REPORTS ON THOSE THIS MONTH AND IN THE COMING MONTHS. AND THE CAC WAS EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND ENCOURAGED US TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH RESIDENT AND STAKEHOLDER GROUPS TO MAKE THOSE PROJECTS THE BEST THEY CAN BE. THE NEXT MEETING OF THE CAC WILL BE WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 12th, AT 1:15 P.M., AND BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, BETH. ANY QUESTIONS OF BETH? IF NOT, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH. LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE, COUNCIL -- >>LUCIE AYER: NO, POLICY COMMITTEE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OH, I'M SORRY. >>LUCIE AYER: [INAUDIBLE] >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. GOT YOU, LUCIE. POLICY COMMITTEE, THAT'S ME. POLICY COMMITTEE MET AT 9 A.M. ON AUGUST 22nd IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARDROOM. FIRST THE POLICY COMMITTEE APPROVED THE MPO PRIORITIES THAT WERE DISCUSSED AT THE PUBLIC HEARING EARLIER. NEXT, THE COMMITTEE CONSIDERED AN AMENDMENT TO THE CURRENT TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. THIS AMENDMENT IS FOR THE GRANT FROM THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION TO DO RESEARCH ON THE DYNAMICALLY PRICED CAR-SHARE PROJECT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA. THE CENTER FOR URBAN RESEARCH, CUTR, WILL RECEIVE A $313,000 GRANT AND ADMINISTER THIS PROJECT. THE POLICY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THAT FULL MPO APPROVE THIS T.I.P. AMENDMENT. THE COMMITTEE ALSO HEARD A PRESENTATION ON THE STUDY OF THE DOWNTOWN CIRCULATOR SYSTEM. THE STUDY OF THE RUBBER WHEEL TROLLEY LOOKED AT OTHER CITIES WITH SIMILAR SYSTEMS AND MADE BOTH SHORT- AND LONG- RANGE RECOMMENDATIONS TO APPROVE THE SYSTEM. THE POLICY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THE FULL MPO ACCEPT THE STUDY. THE MPO TRANSIT STUDY, THE STUDY CONSIDERED SEVERAL LAND USE AND FIXED GUIDEWAY CONCEPTS. THE PREFERRED SCENARIO WILL BE PREPARED THIS MONTH AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES DEVELOPED IN OCTOBER-NOVEMBER. FINALLY, AS DIRECTED BY THE MPO STAFF, PROVIDED FOR MR. NEAL COSENTINO TO ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE ON HIS ESTIMATE OF THE COST TO PROVIDE A REGIONAL BUS SYSTEM. MR. COSENTINO CONCLUDED THAT WE SHOULD BE A GLOBAL LEADER IN THE TRANSPORTATION AND DISTRIBUTION AND CLAIMED THAT THE COST OF A REGIONAL BUS SYSTEM TO CONNECT TO VARIOUS AIRPORTS WOULD BE AROUND $160 MILLION. THE NEXT SCHEDULED POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE HELD AT 9:00 ON SEPTEMBER 18th IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARDROOM. AS ALWAYS, ALL BOARD MEMBERS ARE URGED TO ATTEND. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE. MS. MULHERN. >>MARY MULHERN: THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE MET ON AUGUST 22nd. THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION STAFF PRESENTED THE FINDINGS OF THE ONE-WAY PAIRS STUDY THAT HAS BEEN RECENTLY COMPLETED. THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY WAS TO ANALYZE THE FEASIBILITY OF CONVERTING THE ONE-WAY PORTIONS OF TAMPA STREET, HIGHLAND AVENUE, HOWARD AVENUE, ARMENIA AVENUE INTO TWO-WAY STREETS. IT FOCUSED ON CORRIDOR AND INTERLEVEL SERVICE FOR 2030. THE CONVERSIONS ARE NOT FEASIBLE BASED ON DEGRADATION OF LEVEL OF SERVICE AND WITH CHANGES THAT WOULD AFFECT THE I- 275 INTERCHANGE AT HOWARD AND ARMENIA. IN GENERAL, THE COMMITTEE WAS NOT RECEPTIVE TO THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY. THERE WAS A DESIRE TO LOOK FURTHER INTO THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND TO ALLOW FOR AREA RESIDENTS AND OTHERS TO UNDERSTAND AND COMMENT ON THE ISSUES. HART STAFF PROVIDED THE COMMITTEE WITH A STATUS REPORT ON THE TRANSIT EMPHASIS CORRIDOR STUDY THAT IS NEARING COMPLETION. THERE WILL BE A TOUR OF THE ROUTES BEING CONSIDERED ON THE MORNING OF SEPTEMBER 10th. THE NEXT LIVABLE ROADWAYS MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26th, AT 8:30 A.M. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OF MS. MULHERN? THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>MARY MULHERN: YOU'RE WELCOME. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. I SORT OF GOT OUT OF ORDER A LITTLE BIT, BUT THE -- NEXT I WILL GO INTO SOME ACTION ITEMS HERE. DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM. >>GENA TORRES: GOOD MORNING. GENA TORRES. I'M WITH THE MPO STAFF. THIS WAS SET UP FOR RIGHT-HANDED PEOPLE. FOR YOU LEFT-HANDED FOLKS, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN. [LAUGHTER] LAST MONTH I CAME TO YOU AND EXPLAINED THAT THE -- THE MPO HAS ITS STAND-ALONE DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE -- WITH THE CONSULTANT DOLLARS THAT WE GET FROM -- FROM FEDERAL AND STATE DOLLARS THAT WE ARE NOT DISCRIMINATING IN THOSE AWARDS OF THOSE CONTRACTS AND THAT WE GIVE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE TO DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES. THERE WAS A FEW QUESTIONS. WHAT I'M COMING TO YOU TODAY IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN ENCOURAGED BY D.O.T. TO ADOPT THEIR PROGRAM, AND THIS IS WHY. THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN OUR STAND-ALONE PROGRAM AND THE D.O.T. PROGRAM ARE -- ACTUALLY, WE CREATED OUR PROGRAM BASED ON THEIRS, SO THERE'S -- MOST OF THE ITEMS IN EACH OF THEM ARE IDENTICAL. THE ONLY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN OUR PROGRAM AND THE D.O.T. PROGRAM IS THAT OUR GOAL IS CURRENTLY TO AWARD -- 6% OF OUR FUNDING THAT WE GIVE TO CONSULTANTS, THAT IT BE AWARDED TO DBEs, DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES, AND THE D.O.T. HAS A HIGHER GOAL. I THINK WHY THE D.O.T. ENCOURAGED US TO SWITCH IS I SUBMITTED HANDWRITTEN DOCUMENTS TO THE D.O.T., AND THEY HAVE A PRETTY INTRICATE PROGRAM SET UP ON THE WEB WHERE YOU CAN INPUT YOUR -- THE DOLLARS THAT YOU'RE EXPENDING RIGHT ON-LINE, SO IT DETERMINES THE GOAL PERCENTAGE FOR YOU AND IT MAKES THE CONTRIBUTION PRETTY OBVIOUS. WELL, THAT'S STATEWIDE NOW, WE WILL BE CONTRIBUTING WITH THE OTHER MPOs AND OTHER LOCAL AGENCIES TO OBTAIN THAT GOAL AND EXCEED IT, HOPEFULLY, AND WE WILL BE ABLE TO STREAMLINE OUR REPORTING. WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOES HAVE UPDATES TO ANY OF THEIR REQUIREMENTS WITH THE DBEs, IT WOULD MEAN THAT EACH OF OUR AGENCIES WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK BEFORE OUR BOARDS AND UPDATE IT, BUT THIS WAY D.O.T. CAN UPDATE IT AND IT'S ALL ON-LINE. SO I'M JUST COMING BEFORE YOU ASKING THAT WE GET A RECOMMENDATION THAT WE CAN ADOPT THE D.O.T.'S DBE PROGRAM. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, GENA. ANY QUESTIONS OF GENA? IF NOT, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE POLICY COMMITTEE APPROVED THE RECOMMENDATION, THE CITIZENS ADVISORY APPROVED IT, AND THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE APPROVED IT. >> I WOULD MOVE APPROVAL OF THE D.O.T. -- >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. ANY DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, GENA. >>GENA TORRES: YOU'RE WELCOME. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE T.I.P. AMENDMENT. WALLY BLAIN. >>WALLY BLAIN: GOOD MORNING. WALLY BLAIN, MPO STAFF. I'M JOINED THIS MORNING BY JULIE BOND, NORTH TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE. SHE'LL BE THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR ADMINISTERING THIS RESEARCH PROJECT. WHAT THIS IS A VALUE PRICING PROJECT THAT'S COME DOWN FROM THE FEDERAL HIGHWAYS ADMINISTRATION. IT IS A PILOT PROJECT, SO IT IS TARGETED MONEY. IT CAN'T BE USED OTHER THAN FOR A RESEARCH PROJECT OF THIS NATURE. THIS IS NEW MONEY, SO IT DOESN'T IMPACT ANY OTHER PROJECTS WE HAVE CURRENTLY IN THE T.I.P. THE REASON YOU'RE ASKED TO TAKE ACTION BECAUSE IT IS FEDERAL DOLLARS. IN ORDER FOR THE GRANT RECIPIENT TO RECEIVE THE MONEY, IT HAS TO BE SHOWN IN THE DOCUMENT. THIS WILL GO TOWARDS LOOKING AT A CARE-SHARING PROGRAM THAT'S GOING TO BE SET UP ON THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA CAMPUS. IT'S A CAR RENTAL PROGRAM. THERE WILL BE CARS AVAILABLE TO STAFF AND FACULTY OF THE USF CAMPUS THAT CAN USE THOSE CARS ON A RESERVE BASIS FOR MAKING THEIR TRIP DESTINATIONS. THE GOAL IS FOR PEOPLE TO GET TO CAMPUS SOME OTHER WAY THAN A PERSONAL VEHICLE AND THEN HAVE THE AVAILABILITY OF A CAR AT THEIR DISPOSAL TO USE FOR THEIR DAILY TRIPS IF THEY MAY HAVE ONE AS THE NEED ARISES. IF THERE'S ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROGRAM OR CAR- SHARING, JULIE BOND IS HERE TO ANSWER THOSE. OTHERWISE, I'LL COME BACK AT THE END, AND THIS, AGAIN, WILL REQUIRE A ROLL CALL VOTE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? YES, MARY. >>MARY MULHERN: I HAVE A QUESTION. I HEARD THIS, I THINK, IN THE POLICY COMMITTEE, AND TODAY I'M JUST HEARING YOU SAY. IS IT JUST FOR FACULTY AND STAFF, OR ARE STUDENTS ABLE TO USE IT? >> THE PROGRAM WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS, AND ACTUALLY, IF SOMEONE IS A MEMBER OF THE CAR-SHARE PROGRAM AND THEY COME IN FROM OUT OF STATE, THEY CAN BOOK THE RESERVATION ON-LINE AND USE THE CARS. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: EXCUSE ME. I NEED YOUR NAME ON THE RECORD, PLEASE. >> SURE. I'M JULIE BOND, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE, OPERATED BY THE CENTER FOR URBAN TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH. >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WE'LL NEED A RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE THIS FORWARD. >> MOVE TO APPROVE. >>MARK SHARPE: SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. >> ROLL CALL. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OH, ROLL CALL. SORRY ABOUT THAT. I'M GLAD YOU'RE HERE, LUCIE. >> COMMISSIONER HAGAN. >>KEN HAGAN: YES. >> COMMISSIONER BLAIR. >>BRIAN BLAIR: YES. >> MR. MILLER. >>LOUIS MILLER: YES. >> MAYOR LOTT. >>RICK LOTT: YES. >> MR. AFFRONTI. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES. >> COMMISSIONER SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: YES. >> MS. MULHERN. >>MARY MULHERN: YES. >> MR. CAETANO. >>JOSEPH CAETANO: YES. >> COMMISSIONER FERLITA. AND MR. WAINIO. >>RICHARD WAINIO: YES. >> MR. WAGGONER. >>JOSEPH WAGGONER: YES. >>RECORDING SECRETARY: 10-0, MOTION CARRIED. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE DOWNTOWN CIRCULATION STUDY. ALLISON. >>ALLISON YEH: GOOD MORNING. ALLISON YEH, MPO STAFF. THE MPO HAS BEEN WORKING ON A TAMPA DOWNTOWN CIRCULATOR STUDY OF THE HART RUBBER TROLLEY SYSTEM FROM THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, AND TODAY WE'D LIKE TO PRESENT THE FINAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS ON THAT. I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE MR. MARTIN PEATE FROM URS CORPORATION WHO WILL PRESENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND FINDINGS TO YOU, AFTER WHICH WE'LL ASK YOU TO TAKE ACTION ON THIS DOCUMENT. THANK YOU. >> GOOD MORNING. WHAT WE STARTED OUT WITH IS WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE EXISTING DOWNTOWN CIRCULATOR THAT WE HAVE THAT RUNS NORTH AND SOUTH THROUGH DOWNTOWN, AND WHAT WE DID WAS PARTNER UP WITH THOSE WHO WOULD BE INVOLVED IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS, MPO, HART, CITY OF TAMPA, AND THE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP. SO WHAT WE DID IS WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE EXISTING CONDITIONS. WE DECIDED TO TAKE A LOOK AT SOME SIMILAR CITIES IN A PEER REVIEW THAT HAD SIMILAR CONDITIONS IN THEIR DOWNTOWN AREA PLUS A CIRCULATOR SYSTEM THAT WE THOUGHT WAS PRETTY SUCCESSFUL. >> EXCUSE ME, SIR. BEFORE YOU GO ANY FURTHER, COULD I PLEASE HAVE YOUR NAME. >> I'M SORRY. MARTY PEATE WITH URS. >> THANK YOU. >> THE POWERPOINT NEEDS TO GO ON THE SCREEN. THANK YOU. AFTER WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE PEER REVIEW, WE HAD SEVERAL TEAM MEETINGS, WE ORGANIZED THE STAKEHOLDER GROUP AND HAD SOME FOCUS GROUPS TO GET SOME LOCAL ON-THE-GROUND INPUT ON THE CIRCULATOR SYSTEM, PERFORMED A MARKET ANALYSIS TO SEE WHICH MARKETS WERE ALSO IN DOWNTOWN, ALSO AN EXISTING CONDITION IN A FUTURE PROPOSAL, AND THEN WE WENT AROUND AND GOT SOME OPERATIONAL AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS TOGETHER. THE STAKEHOLDERS' GROUP, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS PRETTY EXTENSIVE. WE TOOK A LOOK AT ALL THE PEOPLE THAT COULD BE INVOLVED IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA FROM DEVELOPERS AND PRIVATE INTERESTS TO THE EXISTING NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS THE DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP AND THE GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES THAT ARE HERE, A LOT OF THE EVENT CENTERS AND EMPLOYMENT CENTERS, THE GENERATORS AND ATTRACTORS THAT ARE IN DOWNTOWN AND SOME OF THE LARGE EMPLOYEE BASES. THE TWO EXISTING CIRCULATOR SYSTEMS, ONE IS THE DOWNTOWN CIRCULATOR THAT GOES BASICALLY NORTH AND SOUTH ALONG TAMPA AND FLORIDA IN DOWNTOWN, AND THE OTHER ONE CONNECTS WITH HYDE PARK. INITIAL DISCUSSIONS WITH HARTLINE DIRECTED US TO FOCUS MORE ON THE ROUTE 96 AND THAT 98 WOULD BE DEALT WITH ON ITS OWN THROUGH OTHER STUDIES AND OTHER DIRECTIONS THROUGH HARTLINE. SO LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF THE CITIES THAT WE TOOK A LOOK AT AS FAR AS PEER REVIEW. CHATTANOOGA HAS AN ELECTRIC SHUTTLE SYSTEM, THEY USE ELECTRIC BUSES, AND THEY HAVE CITY-OWNED PARKING GARAGES AT THE NORTH AND SOUTH END OF THEIR SYSTEM. THE REVENUES FROM THESE PARKING STRUCTURES HELP FUND THE SYSTEM, AND IT'S A FREE-FARE SYSTEM, SO IF YOU PARK IN THE GARAGES AND USE THEIR SYSTEM, IT'S FREE. NORFOLK ALSO HAS AN ELECTRIC BUS. IT IS ALSO A FREE SHUTTLE, AND IT CONNECTS THEIR CONVENTION CENTER AND THEIR RETAIL AREAS AND THEIR HOTELS. THEY ALSO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT STUDENT BASE IN THE NORFOLK AREA AS FAR AS USERS, AND THESE ARE ALSO EMPLOYEES TO THE VARIOUS CONVENTION CENTERS AND AREAS THAT ARE THERE. ORLANDO, RIGHT DOWN IN I-4, HAS THE LIMO SYSTEM, AND 80% OF THE PUBLIC PARKING IN DOWNTOWN ORLANDO IS LOCATED ALONG THIS ROUTE. THEY ALSO HAVE MODELED THEIR LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS TO SUPPORT THE TRANSIT AND PERIPHERAL PARKING TO CAPTURE THE TRIPS IN ORLANDO BEFORE THEY GET INTO THE CORE AND TRY TO FORCE PEOPLE ONTO THE LIMO SYSTEM. ALSO, THIS SYSTEM IS A FREE FARE AS LONG AS THERE'S NO TRANSFERS, AS LONG AS YOU STAY ON THE LIMO SYSTEM IT'S FREE. SO AFTER THAT WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE MARKET AND GROWTH PROJECTIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN DOWNTOWN. AS YOU CAN SEE, FROM 2007 TO 2012, IN THOSE FIVE YEARS, ALL OF THE TRIPS, ESPECIALLY THE PRODUCERS AND ATTRACTORS, GROW AT A PRETTY HEFTY RATE. IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA IN 2006 ATTENDANCE FIGURES AT THE VENUES THAT WE HAVE RANGE FROM 3 MILLION PEOPLE IN YBOR CITY TO 81,000 AT THE ART MUSEUM. ALSO CAN'T FORGET THE UNIVERSITY OF TAMPA HAS 5300 PEOPLE THERE. 65% OF THEM ARE FULL-TIME STUDENTS THAT ARE AT THE UNIVERSITY, AND 70% OF THEM LIVE ON CAMPUS. THIS IS A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER CONSIDERING A LOT OF THE PEOPLE THAT GO TO UT ARE ALSO EMPLOYEES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. SO HERE ON THE MARKET ANALYSIS -- THIS IS NOT A RORSCHACH TEST, IT'S JUST A VERY COLORFUL WAY TO PICK THE VERY BLENDED MARKET THAT WE HAVE IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA. AS YOU SEE IN THE CHANNELSIDE AREA, YOU HAVE RESIDENTIAL, YOU HAVE EMPLOYMENT, AND YOU HAVE ENTERTAINMENT. IN THE ARTS DISTRICT YOU HAVE THE SAME THING, AND ALSO OUT IN YBOR CITY. SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS TRYING TO CONNECT THE DOTS, BEING THE MARKETS, AND ACTUALLY GET PEOPLE TO AND FROM WHERE THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY WANT TO GO. THIS IS OUR RECOMMENDED ROUTE. AS YOU SEE, THERE'S TWO LINES THERE, ONE IS A BLUE LINE, ONE IS A RED LINE. THE BLUE LINE IS VERY CLOSE TO THE EXISTING SYSTEM. WE TRIED TO STRAIGHTEN IT OUT AND MAKE IT A MORE LOGICAL AND DIRECT SYSTEM TO INCREASE THE HEADWAYS AND MAKE IT MORE OPERATIONAL. THE RED LINE CAME OUT OF THE STAKEHOLDERS' GROUP TO IDENTIFY THAT AS AN EVENTS OR SPECIAL EVENT CIRCULATOR SYSTEM THAT COULD RUN ON WEEKENDS OR IN THE EVENING OR LARGE CONVENTIONS OR CONCERTS THAT WOULD MORE CONNECT THE EVENTS OCCURRING IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AFTER HOURS. SO IN OUR SHORT-TERM RECOMMENDATIONS, WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO IS TAKE A LOOK AT THE NORTH-SOUTH CIRCULATOR FIRST AND THE EVENT CIRCULATOR TO GIVE IT THE FLEXIBILITY TO REACH THOSE MARKETS THAT ARE GROWING BUT ALSO INCREASE THE PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT. I SHOULD SAY IMPROVE THE PEDESTRIAN ENVIRONMENT WITH BETTER SIDEWALKS, LIGHTING, AND CONNECTIVITY WITH EXISTING TRANSIT STOPS AND ALSO THE INTEGRATION TO THE EXISTING SYSTEM. WE HAVE THE STREETCAR AND WE HAVE MANY EXISTING ROUTES THAT WILL TRAVERSE THIS SYSTEM, AND IF WE INTEGRATE THE TWO, IT WILL BE VERY WELL RECEIVED. AND ALSO INCREASE THE CIRCULATOR VISIBILITY THROUGH COLLATERAL MATERIAL IN THE EVENTS WITH CONVENTIONS, WITH THE CHANNELSIDE, WITH THE PERFORMING ARTS DISTRICT, WITH THE HOTELS IN THE AREA. FIRST, THE LONG-RANGE -- AS FAR AS THE LONG-RANGE RECOMMENDATIONS GO, THESE WILL BE 2012 OR BEYOND, IS CONNECTION WITH YBOR CITY. YOU COULD EITHER DO THAT BY EXTENDING THE NORTHERN END OF THE NORTH-SOUTH ROUTE OR CREATE WHAT WE WERE DESCRIBING AS A POSTAGE STAMP, WHICH WOULD BE A PERIMETER ROUTE THAT WOULD LOOP THE DOWNTOWN AREA, REACH OUT TO YBOR CITY, AND COME AROUND, AND IT WOULD CIRCULATE AROUND THE OUTSIDE OF THE DOWNTOWN AREA. ALSO, THE URBAN DESIGN ENHANCEMENTS, MAKE IT A URBAN EXPERIENCE TO ACTUALLY UTILIZE THE TRANSIT THAT'S AVAILABLE AND GET PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR CAR AND UTILIZE THE SYSTEMS THAT ARE THERE. AND USE THAT TO CONNECT THE EXISTING PARKING AND ALL THOSE POTENTIAL PARKING FACILITIES THAT ARE ON THE SLATE. AS FAR AS POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS, AS WE SAW, THE OTHER SUCCESSFUL PEER CITIES HAD A FREE-FARE ZONE, AND THAT FREE FARE WAS CREATED BY REVENUE FROM THE PARKING STRUCTURES THAT BASICALLY THE CIRCULATOR CONNECTED. THE DOWNTOWN CIRCULATOR ADVISORY BOARD, I UNDERSTAND, HAS ALREADY BEEN FORMED THROUGH HART. THIS IS -- WOULD BE A GROUP OF PRIVATE, BUSINESS, AND GOVERNMENTAL OFFICIALS THAT WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT WHEN IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO UTILIZE THAT SPECIAL EVENT CIRCULATOR TO BE ABLE TO COORDINATE IT WITH LARGE CONVENTIONS AND LARGE EVENTS SO IT COULD BE USED AT THE APPROPRIATE TIMES. AND ALSO ENCOURAGE LAND USE DECISIONS TO MAKE IT VERY TRANSIT-FRIENDLY, BUT THE KEY POLICY RECOMMENDATION IS THE COORDINATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES OF HARTLINE, CITY OF TAMPA, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND THE LARGE EMPLOYEE GENERATORS DOWNTOWN. SO WITH THAT, WE'D LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE MPO BOARD APPROVE THE FINAL REPORT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS? >>RICK LOTT: MAYOR AFFRONTI, I HAVE ONE QUESTION, IF YOU DON'T MIND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OH, YES. >>RICK LOTT: WHEN WE LOOK AT THE CONAGRA PARKING LOT, IS THAT THE 2800-SPACE PARKING LOT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THE RECOMMENDATION, AND WHERE IS THAT LOCATED AT? >> CONAGRA, I BELIEVE IF YOU GO BACK TO THE CONAGRA LOT -- AND I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT KNOWING EXACTLY -- IT'S DIRECTLY NORTH OF THE FORUM, IN THAT GENERAL AREA. >>RICK LOTT: NORTH OF THE FORUM, OKAY. >> IN THAT GENERAL AREA. >> AND IT'S 2800 SPACES? >> YES, I BELIEVE SO. >> IS THAT MULTILEVEL OR SINGLE LEVEL? >> I BELIEVE THAT WILL BE MULTILEVEL. IT'S A STRUCTURE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION? >>RICK LOTT: YES, THANKS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MS. FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: NO, I WAS POINTING TO MR. WAINIO. I'M SORRY. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES, MR. WAINIO. >>RICHARD WAINIO: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. JUST A COUPLE QUESTIONS. ONE IS DID WE RECEIVE THE FINAL REPORT? I DON'T RECALL SEEING THE REPORT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO GET A COPY OF IT IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY SENT IT TO US. >> WE CAN SEND YOU A COPY. >>RICHARD WAINIO: YEAH, BECAUSE I HAVE NO BASIS FOR ACTING ON THIS WITHOUT SEEING THE REPORT ITSELF. THE OTHER COMMENT IS -- AND I DON'T KNOW HOW THE PROJECT TEAM AND STAKEHOLDER LISTS WERE PUT TOGETHER HERE, BUT I THINK TAMPA PORT AUTHORITY NOT BEING ON HERE IS -- I'M NOT SURE IF THERE WAS SOME REASON FOR THAT, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE AN OMISSION THAT -- I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE ONE OF THE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS, NOT ONLY THE CRUISE BUSINESS BUT AS HOLDING THE GROUND LEASE ON CHANNELSIDE, MAJOR LANDOWNER UP AND DOWN CHANNELSIDE, AND WE ALSO CONTROL THE MOVEMENT OF VEHICLES ON SOME OF THOSE ROADS. WE HAVE THE RIGHT, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, TO EVEN SHUT DOWN PART OF THE CHANNELSIDE IF WE CHOOSE TO FOR OPERATIONS PURPOSES, AND WHATEVER GOES ON DOWN THERE IMPACTS POTENTIALLY OUR OPERATIONS WITH OUR CRUISE VESSELS, AND WE MOVE A LOT OF TRUCKS IN AND OUT OF THAT AREA, SO I WOULD -- YOU JUST COMMENTED ON AN ADVISORY GROUP BEING FORMED. IF WE'RE NOT PART OF THAT ADVISORY GROUP, AT LEAST WE SHOULD BE CONSULTED BY THAT ADVISORY GROUP BECAUSE I DO THINK WE'RE ARGUABLY THE MOST -- THE LARGEST PLAYER IN THIS WHOLE AREA DOWN THERE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. MR. BOOTS, YOU HAD A QUESTION? >>SETH BOOTS: THANK YOU. HOW DOES THE RECENT SLOW-DOWN OR FAIRLY RECENT SLOW-DOWN IN THE REAL ESTATE MARKET, PARTICULARLY THE CONDO MARKET, AFFECT THE TIMING OF YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT? >> WELL, AS FAR AS THE RESIDENTIAL ATTRACTORS -- >>SETH BOOTS: CORRECT. >> -- PRODUCERS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, THOSE WERE LOOKED AT, BUT THEY WERE NOT THE DRIVING FORCE IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE THE SLOW-DOWN IN THE MARKET WAS BEGINNING RIGHT AS WE WERE ALSO STARTING OUR STUDY. IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE ROUTE, IT'S NOT REALLY THAT MUCH DIFFERENT FROM WHAT'S OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. >>SETH BOOTS: OKAY. >> WHAT WE TRIED TO DO WAS TRIED TO MAKE IT A MORE LOGICAL -- IF YOU'RE A VISITOR FROM OUT OF TOWN, IT MAKES A LOT MORE SENSE NOW, AND WE TRIED TO CONNECT THE EXISTING DOTS IN THE SHORT-TERM RECOMMENDATIONS. >>SETH BOOTS: OKAY. SO IT WOULD BE FAIR TO SAY THAT THE EFFECT OF THE REAL ESTATE IS NEGLIGIBLE ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS? >> PRETTY MUCH A WASH. >>SETH BOOTS: OKAY. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MR. WAINIO'S COMMENTS WERE REALLY WELL- FOUNDED. I JUST WONDER WHAT COULD BE DONE IN ORDER TO INCLUDE THE PORT, WHICH IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF OUR COMMUNITY, IN YOUR STUDY. >>ALLISON YEH: WELL, MR. WAINIO, ACTUALLY, THE STAKEHOLDERS' LIST YOU SAY WASN'T REFLECTIVE OF THE INVITATIONS WE SENT OUT, IT WAS REFLECTIVE OF WHO CAME TO THE STAKEHOLDERS' MEETINGS, SO I CAN GO BACK TO LOOK AT OUR RECORDS AND SEE WHO WE INVITED FROM YOUR ORGANIZATION, BUT WE CAN DID NOT FORGET THE PORT AUTHORITY. THERE WAS MEETINGS AND ADDITIONAL FOCUS GROUPS ON TOP OF THAT. WE HAVE PROVIDED THE SUMMARY AND MAILED ELECTRONIC COPIES TO THE STAKEHOLDERS. IT'S QUITE A LENGTHY REPORT, BUT WE WILL MAKE SURE YOU GET A COPY OF THE FINAL REPORT OR EARLIER THAN THE FINAL IF YOU WANT THAT. >>RICHARD WAINIO: IF WE'RE NOT ON THE LIST AS A STAKEHOLDER, PERHAPS WE WERE NOT ON YOUR LIST TO MAKE A COPY. >> I'M SORRY. I NEED YOUR NAME ON THE RECORD, PLEASE. >>ALLISON YEH: I'M SORRY. ALLISON YEH, MPO STAFF. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE ISSUE WAS IN REGARDS TO BREAKDOWN OF COMMUNICATION, MR. WAINIO BRINGS A GREAT POINT TO THE TABLE, AND MY QUESTION WOULD BE THIS: WHAT WOULD BE THE DOWNSIDE IN TABLING THIS UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING SO THAT MR. WAINIO CAN LOOK AT THE REPORT AND WEIGH IN ON IT, BEING -- BEING A MAJOR COMPONENT OF WHAT HAPPENS? >> THAT WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM AT ALL. >>ROSE FERLITA: I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO MAKE THAT MOTION. WOULD THAT BE OKAY? >> SECOND. >>RICHARD WAINIO: APPRECIATE IT. >>ROSE FERLITA: SURE. >>THOMAS SCOTT: ARE WE INCLUDING THE PORT AS A STAKEHOLDER? I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A BREAKDOWN, WE NEED CLARIFICATION ON THAT. IT SHOULD BE. IF NOT, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE ADDED TO THAT. >>ALLISON YEH: SURE. THE LIST WE SHOWED YOU WAS THE PEOPLE -- THE REPRESENTATIVES THAT SHOWED UP TO THE STAKEHOLDERS' MEETINGS, BUT WE CAN DEFINITELY INCLUDE THE PORT AS A STAKEHOLDER, AND WE DON'T -- >>ROSE FERLITA: COUNCILMAN SCOTT, I'LL MAKE AN AMENDMENT THAT HE BE SENT THE INFORMATION AND BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THE STAKEHOLDER GROUP, AND WE'LL MOVE ON THAT NEXT MONTH. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: WE HAVE MOTION AND SECOND TO TABLE IT TO NEXT MONTH'S MEETING. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM IS COMMUTER CHOICES WEEK, OCTOBER 1st TO THE 5th, 2007, SANDI MOODY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BAY AREA COMMUTER SERVICES, INCORPORATED. >> GOOD MORNING. I AM SANDI MOODY. I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF BAY AREA COMMUTER SERVICES, AND WE'RE VERY HAPPY TO COME BACK BEFORE YOU AGAIN FOR THE 11th YEAR TO ASK FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN COMMUTER CHOICES WEEK, WHICH IS A SERIES OF EVENTS IN BOTH HILLSBOROUGH AND PINELLAS COUNTY, TRYING TO ENLIGHTEN THE PUBLIC ON THE VARIOUS WAYS THEY CAN DO THINGS OTHER THAN DRIVE BY THEMSELVES, AND I THINK MORE PARTICULARLY THAN ANY OTHER TIME THAT WE'VE COME BEFORE YOU THIS IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT ISSUE BECAUSE OF ALL THE CONSTRAINTS THAT WE HAVE ON GETTING OUR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IN ORDER AND WITH ALL THE DISCUSSION ABOUT TRANSPORTATION NOW, ALL THESE CHOICES THAT WE HAVE, SUCH AS CARPOOLING, VANPOOLING, TAKING THE BUS, USING TELEWORK AS OPPOSED TO ACTUALLY GOING TO A WORK LOCATION, AND ALSO TALKING TO BUSINESSES ABOUT GETTING TRAFFIC OFF THE PEAK TIMES BY USING VARIABLE WORK-HOUR PROGRAMS, WALKING, BIKING, ANYTHING YOU CAN DO OTHER THAN DRIVE BY YOURSELVES. THIS IS WHAT WE TRY TO DO DURING THIS TIME PERIOD, AND WE'RE HERE AGAIN ASKING FOR YOUR SUPPORT. I WILL SHOW YOU OUR LITTLE POSTER THAT -- IT'S PRETTY MUCH WHAT YOU SEE EVERY YEAR. AGAIN, THIS IS THE 11th YEAR. WE'RE GOING TO BE HAVING EVENTS KICKING OFF IN DOWNTOWN TAMPA ON THE 1st IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TAMPA DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP AND A SERIES OF EVENTS ALL WEEK LONG. CAN YOU FIND THE INFORMATION ON OUR WEB SITE AT WWW.TAMPABAYRIDESHARE.ORG. WE HOPE YOU'LL LOOK AT INFORMATION IN YOUR PACKETS AND JOIN US AS WE PUT ON OUR 11th EVENT. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, MS. MOODY. ANY QUESTIONS OF MS. MOODY? >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, MOVE WE ADOPT THE RECOMMENDED RESOLUTION, AND SANDI, THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO. >>BRIAN BLAIR: SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY DISCUSSION? WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. NOW THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. FIRST WE HAD ONE ALREADY FROM MS. MULHERN. NOW WE NEED THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED COORDINATING BOARD, TAMPA COUNCILMAN TOM >>THOMAS SCOTT. >>THOMAS SCOTT: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. MEMBERS, INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKETS SHOULD BE A REPORT THAT THE TD COORDINATING BOARD MET ON AUGUST 21st. IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION COORDINATORS, CTC, RECEIVED AN AWARD FROM THE FLORIDA COMMISSION FOR THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED. THE CTC IS THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, WHO OPERATE THE SUNSHINE LINE, SO WE WANT TO CONGRATULATE THEM FOR THE AWARD, AND ALSO THE BOARD ALSO APPROVED FIVE COORDINATION CONTRACTS WITH THE CTC FOR PROVIDING TRANSPORTATION SERVICES TO PERSONS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL AND MEDICAL DISABILITIES. ALSO, THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PLAN PRIORITIES FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008-2009 TO 2012-2013 WERE ALSO APPROVED. AND FINALLY, THE BOARD HEARD FROM -- A REPORT ON HART'S 2007 INFRASTRUCTURE AND ACCESSIBILITIES IMPROVEMENTS. NEXT TDC BOARD MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER THE 23rd ON THE 18th FLOOR OF COUNTY CENTER AT 1:15 P.M., AND YOU ALL ARE INVITED. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, MR. SCOTT. ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE NEXT REPORT BY GENA TORRES FOR THE BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE. >>GENA TORRES: GOOD MORNING AGAIN. GENA TORRES, MPO STAFF. THE BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MET ON AUGUST 8th, AND THE COMMITTEE RECEIVED A REQUEST FROM THE COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO ADD BULLFROG CREEK ROAD TO THE LIST OF NEEDED BICYCLE FACILITIES. THIS IS BEING CONSIDERED FOR PAVED SHOULDERS. THERE'S A LOT OF RESIDENTS CYCLING IN THE AREA, A NEARBY SCHOOL, AND BALL FIELDS, I THINK. THE BPAC MADE A MOTION TO ADD THAT TO THE NEEDED LIST OF PROJECTS, AND THIS LED TO A DISCUSSION OF UPDATING THE BICYCLE PLAN SO IT'S MORE COMPREHENSIVE, AND THAT WILL BE KICKED OFF LATER THIS FALL, AND THE BPAC AND OTHERS WILL ACT AS THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THAT UPDATE. AFTER THE PRESENTATION WE HAD ON THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, THERE WAS A DISCUSSION ON BUDGET REDUCTIONS THAT WE ALL KNOW AND FEEL THAT LED THE COMMITTEE TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING MOTION, THAT THE CITY OF TAMPA AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RECOGNIZE THE SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION THAT THE TRANSPORTATION MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONS MAKE TO TRANSFORMING OUR COMMUNITY INTO A MORE LIVABLE PLACE AND TO SUPPORT THEM WITH CONTINUED FUNDING. I THINK IT WAS ABOUT A TOTAL OF MAYBE $25,000 THAT ALL THREE OF THE TMOs WERE GETTING, AND THAT WAS CUT. THE BPAC ALSO RECEIVED PRESENTATIONS ON THE WESTSHORE MOBILITY STRATEGY, COMMUTER CHOICES WEEK, AND THE REGIONAL MULTIUSE TRAILS UPDATE. A PRESENTATION ON THE WEST TAMPA REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT WAS DELAYED UNTIL OUR NEXT MEETING, WHICH IS SCHEDULED FOR SEPTEMBER 10th, AT 5:30. THAT'S MY REPORT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS OF MS. TORRES? IF NOT, WE THANK YOU. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE MEETING THAT I ATTENDED FOR THE TAMPA BAY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY. EVEN THOUGH THIS IS NOT PART OF OUR REGULAR COMMITTEES, I WOULD LIKE TO LET ALL OF YOU KNOW THAT I ATTENDED THE BOARD MEETING ON AUGUST 24th TOGETHER WITH LUCIE. IT WAS DEFINITELY A MOMENTOUS OCCASION WITH ELECTED -- 11 ELECTED OFFICIALS AND DISTRICT 7 SECRETARY PRESENT. AT THE TIME, THE GOVERNOR STILL HAD NOT ANNOUNCED FOUR APPOINTED OFFICIALS. THE MEMBER DISCUSSED A LOT OF ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES BUT REALIZED THAT THEY NEED TO FIND RESOURCES FIRST BEFORE THEY CAN ATTEMPT TO DEAL WITH THEM, AND IN THE MEANTIME, FDOT IS PROVIDING STAFF SUPPORT AND BRIEFS THE BOARD ON THE LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS OF THE BOARD, WHICH INCLUDED THE MANDATE TO HAVE A REGIONAL PLAN TO BE COMPLETED BY JULY 2009. AT THIS POINT FDOT WILL ALSO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE BOARD BY CONTINUING TO ENTER INTO A SECOND PHASE OF A STRATEGIC REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION NEEDS ASSESSMENT STUDY; HOWEVER, IT WAS ALSO REPEATED, EMPHASIZED THAT THE BOARD WILL LOOK INTO VARIOUS PLANS OF THE REGION AS A STARTING POINT AS WELL. IN THE END, WHAT WAS TRULY EXCITING WAS THE INSIGHTFUL REMARKS MADE BY THE MEMBERS BEFORE THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED. THEY EXPRESSED A DESIRE AND HOPE THAT THIS REGION WILL FINALLY COME TOGETHER TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP ON A LONG-TERM, SENSIBLE TRANSPORTATION SOLUTION THAT WOULD INCLUDE TRANSIT IN THE TAMPA BAY AREA. THEY ALL ACKNOWLEDGED THAT CITIZENS SEE NO BOUNDARY LINES WHEN THEY TRAVEL. THEY ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE TO COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER. IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE SEPTEMBER 21st AT THE TAMPA BAY REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL, AND THAT THE FUTURE MEETING PLACES WILL BE ROTATED THROUGHOUT THE REGION, AND THAT'S THE END OF MY REPORT. OKAY. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT. LUCIE. >>LUCIE AYER: YES. I WILL BE VERY BRIEF. JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU-ALL THAT WE HAVE A REGIONAL MPO MEETING COMING UP. IT'S GOING TO BE NEXT FRIDAY. IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>LUCIE AYER: I'M JUST ACTUALLY REMINDING HIM THAT THERE IS A MEETING. >>LOUIS MILLER: I'M AWARE OF THAT. >>LUCIE AYER: I'M ONLY KIDDING. AND I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT, AS YOU KNOW, THIS GROUP DEALS WITH REGIONAL ISSUES, SO THE CCC, THAT'S THE ACRONYM, WILL HAVE A PUBLIC HEARING ON THEIR REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN AMENDMENT BECAUSE WE DEAL WITH SIX MPOs IN EIGHT COUNTIES, SO FOR THIS MEETING WE WILL BE ADDING CERTAIN FACILITIES IN HERNANDO COUNTY AND CITRUS COUNTY. AND ALSO, THE CCC GROUP IS MANDATED TO GIVE RECOMMENDATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ON THE TRANSPORTATION REGIONAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. THAT'S THE TRIP. AND ALSO -- SO IT IS PART OF OUR PUBLIC HEARING. AND THEN AFTER THAT, THEY WILL BE APPROVING A MULTIUSE TRAIL BROCHURE. ONCE AGAIN, THIS IS VERY USEFUL TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, NOT JUST HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BUT THE EIGHT COUNTIES, AND ALSO, THERE WILL BE DISCUSSION ABOUT THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY MEETING, AND YOU BASICALLY HEARD THE SUMMARY FROM MAYOR AFFRONTI, BUT THEY ALSO WILL BE TALKING ABOUT ANOTHER MEETING THAT KIND OF TOOK PLACE PRIOR TO THAT, AND THAT'S WITH THE TAMPA BAY PARTNERSHIPS, THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION FORUM. AS YOU CAN TELL, THAT'S THE GROUP THAT DEALS WITH REGIONAL ACTIVITIES, AND WE ALL PARTICIPATE IN IT. THE OTHER THING I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU OF IS, OF COURSE, THE POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING ON SEPTEMBER THE 18th, 9 A.M., ON THE 18th FLOOR, AND ANOTHER THING IS THAT ORIGINALLY WE -- YOU WILL HEAR ABOUT OUR TRANSIT STUDY AND THAT OUR NEXT LEADERSHIP MEETING ORIGINALLY WAS SET FOR SEPTEMBER 21st, BUT AS YOU HEARD THAT THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY WILL BE MEETING ON THE SAME DAY AROUND THE SAME TIME, SO WE ARE ACTUALLY MOVING OUR MEETING TO MONDAY, SEPTEMBER THE 24th, AND YOU WILL BE RECEIVING INFORMATION ABOUT IT. THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT MEETING. YOU WILL HEAR THE PRESENTATION FROM STAFF ABOUT WHERE WE ARE AT, AND THE NEXT MEETING WOULD BE IMPORTANT IN THE SENSE THAT WE WILL BE DISCUSSING A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY FOR YOU-ALL TO LOOK AT ON TRANSIT. AND THAT INCLUDES MY -- CONCLUDES MY REPORT. THANKS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY QUESTIONS OF LUCIE? THANK YOU, LUCIE. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A STATUS REPORT, MPO TRANSIT STUDY. MR. ALAN STEINBECK. >>ALAN STEINBECK: GOOD MORNING. ALAN STEINBECK, MPO STAFF. I'M THE PROJECT MANAGER OF THIS STUDY HERE TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF STATUS REPORT ON OUR PROGRESS. WE HAVE BASICALLY A THREE-STEP PROCESS THAT WE'RE GOING THROUGH FOR THIS TRANSIT STUDY. THE FIRST WAS TO IDENTIFY NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES, AND WE COMPLETED THAT PHASE IN JUNE. IF YOU RECALL, WE RELEASED A NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES MAP SHOWING COUNTYWIDE MAP FOR A CONCEPTUAL SYSTEM. WE LOOKED AT BOTH OLD PLANS AND OLD IDEAS, TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THE CURRENT CONVERSATIONS TAKING PLACE ABOUT TRANSIT, AND DID AN EXTENSIVE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT EFFORT TO GET TO THE COMPLETION OF THAT PHASE. WE THEN TOOK THOSE NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND BROKE THEM DOWN INTO SOME TRANSIT CONCEPTS, WHICH I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU ABOUT THIS MORNING. WE ANALYZED THOSE, AND THAT PROCESS IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY. WE HAVE SOME FINDINGS AND WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL OUTPUTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE TO MOVE INTO A RECOMMENDATION OF A PREFERRED SCENARIO, AND THAT IS WHAT LUCIE ALLUDED TO. YOU'LL SEE THAT AT THE END OF THE MONTH. WE WILL BRING THAT OUT AND DISCUSS THAT. I WANTED TO REFER YOU TO THIS DOCUMENT, THE TRANSIT TECHNOLOGY REVIEW. THIS IS IN YOUR FOLDER THIS MORNING, AND THERE ARE COPIES OUT ON THE SIGN-IN TABLE AT THE BACK. THIS IS A GOOD PRIMER ON TRANSIT TECHNOLOGIES. IT DEALS WITH BUS, LIGHT RAIL, COMMUTER RAIL, AND REGIONAL RAIL, AND THESE ARE THE TECHNOLOGIES WE'RE CONSIDERING IN THE STUDY FOR THIS AREA. WHETHER YOU KNOW VERY LITTLE OR A LOT ABOUT TRANSIT, I THINK YOU'LL FIND SOMETHING INTERESTING IN HERE. IT CAN BE READ OR JUST THUMBED THROUGH AND YOU CAN GET SOMETHING OUT OF IT, SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO SO. IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING THE NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES, JUST TO REWIND A LITTLE BIT HERE, WE DID LOOK AT COMMUTER AND REGIONAL RAIL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY, BOTH ALONG CSX RIGHTS-OF-WAY BUT ALSO ALONG INTERSTATE RIGHTS- OF-WAY AND THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING RAIL SERVE A REGIONAL FUNCTION. WE CONSIDERED LIGHT RAIL OPPORTUNITIES. WE LOOKED AT THE ABILITY FOR LIGHT RAIL TO BE A COUNTYWIDE SYSTEM AND TO CROSS INTO PINELLAS COUNTY AND SERVE ST. PETERSBURG AND OTHER AREAS OF PINELLAS. ALSO BUS OPPORTUNITIES. BUS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THIS STUDY. WE HAVE A SEPARATE BRT STUDY THAT WE'RE DOING LOOKING AT BUS, AND WE'RE GOING TO BRING BUS AND RAIL TOGETHER INTO THE PREFERRED SCENARIO, SO YOU'LL SEE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO TRANSIT IN THAT PREFERRED SCENARIO. SO WE TOOK ALL THAT AND GOT TO OUR TRANSIT NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES MAP, AND THERE IS A PAMPHLET YOU SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED, AND THAT WAS MADE AVAILABLE IN MAY AND JUNE. IN ORDER TO BEST UNDERSTAND THOSE NEEDS AND OPPORTUNITIES AND TO GET TO A RECOMMENDATION, WE DID BREAK THESE DOWN INTO CONCEPTS, AS I MENTIONED. I'M GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THESE SO YOU CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT WE DID. WE'RE NOT ASKING PEOPLE TO CHOOSE AMONG THESE CONCEPTS, WE'RE REALLY DOING THIS SO WE, AS STAFF, CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE TYPES OF INVESTMENTS, BUT WE DID LOOK AT THE TAMPA RAIL PROJECT, THE LIGHT RAIL PROJECT CONNECTING USF, DOWNTOWN, AND WESTSHORE, AND WE ADDED AN EXTENSION OUT TO THE AIRPORT. WE HAVE CONCEPT "B," WHICH IS A MORE EXTENSIVE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM, WHICH WOULD SERVE A LARGER PART OF THE COUNTY, INCLUDING THE URBANIZED AREAS. AND CONCEPT "C," WHICH TOOK INTO ACCOUNT THOSE COMMUTER RAIL ALTERNATIVES AND SOME REGIONAL RAIL ALTERNATIVES. IN ORDER TO COMMUNICATE SOME OF THE ISSUES THAT WE'VE FOUND HERE, WE HAVE DEVELOPED THIS BROCHURE. THIS IS, AGAIN, IN YOUR FOLDER AND ALSO AT THE BACK TABLE, AND IT DEALS WITH ISSUES OF QUALITY OF LIFE, MOBILITY, ECONOMIC VITALITY, AND THESE WERE THE THREE TENETS OF THE ANALYSIS WE'RE DOING. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE COMMUNICATE THOSE ISSUES TO PEOPLE AND THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THESE ISSUES. IT'S NOT PURELY ABOUT MOBILITY, IT'S ABOUT OUR ABILITY TO CONTINUE TO GROW AND PROSPER. AND WE HAVE A SURVEY INSTRUMENT WE'VE DEVELOPED ALONG WITH THAT, AND WE'VE GOTTEN SOME INITIAL RESULTS. THE BIG QUESTION FOR US IN ONE ASPECT OF OUR ANALYSIS IS HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO LIVE AND WORK WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO TRANSIT IN 2050? THAT IS OUR ANALYSIS FOR THIS -- THAT'S OUR ANALYSIS YEAR FOR THIS STUDY. IN ORDER TO DO THAT, WE LOOKED AT EACH OF THOSE CONCEPTS AND WE DEVELOPED STATION AREA CONCEPTS ALONG EACH OF THE RAIL LINES LOOKING AT A HALF MILE AND QUARTER-MILE RADIUS. WE LOOKED AT WHAT'S ON THE GROUND AND THE COMPATIBILITY OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND ALSO THE LAND USE PLAN AND THE COMPATIBILITY OF THESE THINGS RELATIVE TO THE LAND USE PLAN. WE LOOKED AT THE 2050 SCENARIO AND THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF THAT LAND TO ALLOW FOR TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT. SO YOU CAN SEE CONCEPT "A," CONCEPT "B," THE STATION AREAS. THEY COVER A LARGE PORTION OF THE COUNTY, THE URBANIZED AREA OF THE COUNTY. CONCEPT "C" GETS OUT TO PLANT CITY THROUGH BRANDON IN SOUTH COUNTY, NORTHWEST IN NORTH, AND SERVES A DIFFERENT FUNCTION BUT HAS OPPORTUNITY FOR THAT TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT. WE THREW ALL THESE TOGETHER FOR A CONCEPT "A," "B," AND "C," TO SEE HOW THE WHOLE SYSTEM WOULD WORK TOGETHER AND WHAT THE POTENTIAL OF THAT WOULD BE. WE DID SOME ANALYSIS OF LAND USE. THESE ARE -- THE GRAPHIC YOU SEE SHOWS TRAFFIC ANALYSIS ZONES AND DENSITIES. THE RED ARE THE MORE INTENSE DENSITIES, AND DOWN TO THE GREEN, WHICH IS THE LOWEST. THIS IS THE TREND FOR 2050, AND WE PUT THE RAIL LINES ON THE GROUND AND PUT THE TRANSIT AREAS INTO THE MODEL, AND WE STARTED TO LOOK AT WHERE GROWTH WAS GOING TO GO RELATIVE TO THESE CONCEPTS AND HOW MUCH GROWTH COULD BE ACCOMMODATED IN CERTAIN AREAS WITH THESE CONCEPTS. SO CONCEPT "A," THE TRANSIT-ORIENTED FOR 2050, YOU CAN SEE THERE. YOU HAVE A CLUSTERING EFFECT. CONCEPT "B," WHICH GETS OUT FURTHER INTO THE COUNTY CAN ACCOMMODATE DEVELOPMENT IN A LARGER AREA. CONCEPT "C," THERE'S MORE DEVELOPMENT SPREAD OUT, SO YOU DON'T SEE AS MUCH CLUSTERING, BUT IT CAN CERTAINLY ACCOMMODATE A LOT OF PEOPLE AND JOBS. AND THEN ABC WAS THE MOST ACCOMMODATIVE OF NEW PEOPLE AND JOBS. WE LOOKED AT ACTUAL NUMBERS. OVER 750,000 NEW JOBS WILL COME TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BETWEEN 2000 AND 2050, AND WE WANTED TO FIND OUT HOW MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE COULD BE ACCOMMODATED WITHIN STATION AREAS, AND YOU CAN SEE THE PERCENTAGES. THESE ARE THE PERCENTAGES OF THOSE NEW JOBS WHICH COULD BE LOCATED IN THOSE AREAS. YOU CAN SEE STARTING ON THE LEFT, CONCEPT "A," 23%, MOVING ON UP TO 48% OF NEW JOBS WITHIN THE CONCEPT ABC. SO IT'S A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER. I WAS SURPRISED THAT WE CAME UP WITH THAT RESULT. OVER A MILLION NEW RESIDENTS WILL COME TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BETWEEN 2000 AND 2050, AND WE DID THE SAME EXERCISE. OF THOSE MILLION NEW PEOPLE WHO ARE COMING, HOW MANY CAN BE ACCOMMODATED WITHIN THESE STATION AREAS. GIVEN OUR ANALYSIS, YOU CAN SEE GOING ACROSS THE BOARD 17% FOR CONCEPT "A," CONCEPT "B" IS 40%. THAT'S SHOWING THAT WE CAN REALLY HAVE PEOPLE LIVING NEAR TRAIN STATIONS. CONCEPT "B" GETS UP TO -- ABC GETS UP TO 58% OF THOSE NEW RESIDENTS. THIS IS THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF THOSE AREAS. WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT IT'S NECESSARILY GOING TO GO THIS WAY, BUT THESE AREAS CAN ACCOMMODATE THIS NUMBER OF PEOPLE. WE RECENTLY HELD AN OPEN HOUSE, A WEEK AGO SATURDAY, TO COMMUNICATE SOME OF THESE ISSUES TO PEOPLE AND REALLY GET THEIR OPINION ABOUT THIS. WE SHOWED THEM THE CONCEPTS, WE TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THE DIFFERENT ISSUES, AND THEY -- WE GOT SOME REAL GOOD FEEDBACK FROM THEM, BOTH VERBAL FEEDBACK BUT ALSO ON A WRITTEN SURVEY. WE'RE HEARING THAT CONCEPT "A" IS REALLY A GOOD START. THAT'S THE TAMPA RAIL PROJECT. BUT THERE'S A CONSENSUS THAT A SYSTEM WOULD NEED TO SERVE A LARGER AREA TO BE BENEFICIAL FOR US HERE. CONCEPT "B," PEOPLE RECOGNIZED THAT COUNTYWIDE TRAVEL WAS MET FOR A LARGE NUMBER OF PEOPLE, AND THEY STARTED LOOKING AT CONCEPT "B" AND HAVING A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP IN TERMS OF THIS SYSTEM GETS ME WHERE I WANT TO GO, IT GETS ME TO THE PLACES THAT I GO AROUND THE COUNTY. ON CONCEPT "C," WHICH IS THE REGIONAL TRAVEL, THE COMMUTER RAIL, THEY DID UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT, AND PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT, BUT IT'S NOT PERSONAL FOR THEM. THEY DON'T SEE THEMSELVES USING THAT, AND THESE ARE THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RESIDENTS, SO THAT'S AN OBVIOUS RESULT THERE THAT THEY'RE THINKING OF THAT MORE IN TERMS OF THE WHOLE REGION, NOT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL. CONCEPT ABC THEY'VE MENTIONED AS A GOOD LONG-TERM VISION AND IT WAS THE MOST PREFERRED CONCEPT OF THE FOUR. PEOPLE DID LIKE THAT COMPLETE SYSTEM WITH THE LIGHT RAIL, COMMUTER RAIL, AND BUS. INCIDENTALLY, CONCEPT "B" WAS THE SECOND MOST PREFERRED OF THOSE PARTICIPANTS. WE ARE LOOKING AT SYSTEM DESIGN ISSUES. WE WANT TO LOOK AT THE SYSTEM LEVEL BUT ALSO GET DOWN AND LOOK AT SOME OF THE ISSUES ON THE GROUND. SOME OF THE MAIN ONES ARE CONNECTING DOWNTOWN AND WESTSHORE, THE AREA OF DOWNTOWN TAMPA, THE USF AREA, AND THE I-4 CORRIDOR. WE TOOK A LOOK AT THE TAMPA RAIL PROJECT AND LOOKED AT THAT IN TERMS OF THE COUNTYWIDE SYSTEM, A REGION MOBILITY, AND ALSO ITS VIABILITY OF GOING IN ON THE GROUND, AND WE -- AND WE'VE COME UP WITH SOME DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES FOR THAT. WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS THE TAMPA RAIL PROJECT ALIGNMENT COMING OUT OF DOWNTOWN. IT WAS ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED TO GO THROUGH WEST TAMPA AND ALONG LOCAL STREETS, MAKING ITS WAY TO WESTSHORE. AS WE'VE INCORPORATED DISCUSSIONS OF REGIONAL MOBILITY AND COUNTYWIDE MOBILITY INTO THIS STUDY, WE'RE LOOKING AT THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING THIS GO ALONG THE INTERSTATE RIGHT- OF-WAY AND CONNECTING UP AND THROUGH THE AIRPORT SO THAT YOU'RE NOT BREAKING DOWN THE TRAVEL TIMES AS PEOPLE COME ACROSS THE BAY OR COME FROM NORTHWEST COUNTY OR THE AIRPORT, THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO QUICKLY GO BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND WESTSHORE. THE DOWNTOWN AREA, AGAIN, BLUE IS THE TAMPA RAIL PROJECT ALIGNMENT, BUT THERE IS DEFINITELY THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE PROPERTY JUST SOUTH OF I-275 WHERE A MULTIMODAL SYSTEM OR MULTIMODAL CENTER IS BEING CONSIDERED IN THAT LOCATION, SO THERE'S A DIFFERENT POTENTIAL -- EITHER ONE OF THESE WORKS, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT ALIGNMENT AS WELL. IN THE USF AREA, IF YOU LOOK TO THE LEFT OF THE SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL FOR THE TAMPA RAIL PROJECT GOING UP BRUCE B. DOWNS AND HAVING TWO STOPS AT PINE DRIVE AND 131st STREET. WHEN THAT PROJECT WAS DONE, USF WAS NOT INTERESTED IN HAVING RAIL GO THROUGH THEIR CAMPUS, BUT THERE'S BEEN SOME CHANGE IN THINKING, AND THE PRESIDENT, GENSHAFT, HAS EXPRESSED A DESIRE TO HAVE THE RAIL SYSTEM BETTER SERVE USF AND ALL THE PEOPLE WHO COME THERE, SO WE'RE LOOKING AT AN ALIGNMENT THAT DOES GO THROUGH THE CAMPUS AND LOOKING AT WHERE STATIONS MIGHT GO. COMING UP ALONG -- IT'S MAPLE DRIVE ADJACENT TO USF AND THE SUN DOME, THERE'S A STATION THERE THAT COULD SERVE AS A WALK-AND-RIDE STATION FOR USF STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES. AT FLETCHER AVENUE, WHICH COULD SERVE AGAIN AS A WALK-AND- RIDE FOR A LOT OF THE RESIDENTIAL POPULATION UP THERE AT USF BUT ALSO A PARK-AND-RIDE FOR OTHERS. AND THE MEDICAL CENTER STATION, WHICH CAN SERVE THAT LARGE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES UP THERE IN THE HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY. WE LOOKED AT QUARTER-MILE AND HALF-MILE RADIUSES, WALK DISTANCE FROM THE STATIONS, AND THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE IS THE TOP LINE IS A HALF MILE FROM THE STATION AND THE MIDDLE LINE IS A QUARTER MILE. HALF A MILE IS QUITE A LONG WAY IN THE SUMMER OUT THERE IN NORTH TAMPA, BUT WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE SERVING A LARGE PART OF THE CAMPUS WITH THOSE. LOOKING DOWN TO THE SOUTH, WE'RE LOOKING AT STATIONS IN THE AREA OF MOSI. THE COUNTY OWNS A LARGE TRACT OF UNDEVELOPED LAND IN THAT AREA NEAR MOSI. MOSI HAS PLANS FOR EXPANSION, SO THAT'S A LIKELY SITE. AND THEN RESEARCH PARK/BUSCH GARDENS, WHICH GIVES YOU GOOD ACCESS TO BUSCH GARDENS BUT ALSO THE MERCK FACILITY THAT'S PLANNED. IN TERMS OF I-4, THERE ARE THREE POSSIBLE RIGHTS-OF-WAY THAT CAN BE USED FOR REGIONAL TRAVEL AND COMMUTER RAIL TRAVEL. I-4, WHICH IS VERY FAST, AND IT'S OWNED BY THE STATE, SO THE RIGHT-OF-WAY'S AVAILABLE, JUST THE TRACKS AND TRAINS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. IN TERMS OF CSX LINES, THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IS AVAILABLE BUT THE RIGHT OF USE IS NOT AVAILABLE, SO WE HAVE TO WORK ON THAT. WE'RE LOOKING AT ALL THREE OF THOSE LINES AND HOW THOSE THINGS CAN SERVE COMMUTER RAIL TRAVEL, REGIONAL TRAVEL, AND LOCAL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TRAVEL. OUR NEXT STEPS ARE TO BUILD A PREFERRED SCENARIO, SO WE'RE HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS NOW ABOUT THAT, AND WE'RE PLANNING TO HAVE THAT AVAILABLE IN SEPTEMBER FOR REVIEW AND COMMENT AND MOVE ON INTO OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER WHEN WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU WITH THE FINDINGS OF THIS STUDY ASKING YOU FOR ADOPTION. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, ALAN. ANY QUESTIONS OF ALAN STEINBECK? YES, SIR. >>SETH BOOTS: THANK YOU. JUST ONE QUESTION. WHEN WE HAVE OPEN HOUSES AND PUBLIC OUTREACH AND CITIZEN INVOLVEMENT TYPE OF ACTIVITIES, WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION IS GIVEN TO THE CITIZENS REGARDING THE FUND ANTICIPATED -- YOU KNOW, APPROXIMATE FUNDING REQUIRED AS WELL AS FUNDING SOURCES THAT -- OR POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES FOR THE PROGRAM SO THAT THEY CAN GET AN IDEA OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT IT COULD HAVE ON THEM AS FAR AS CONSTRUCTING THESE FACILITIES? >>ALAN STEINBECK: WE DO -- IN THIS CASE WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT YET. WHAT WE DID RECENTLY WAS TALK TO THEM ABOUT THE CONCEPTS AND GIVE THEM A CONCEPTUAL UNDERSTANDING OF HOW A SYSTEM COULD WORK FOR THEM. WE WILL HAVE THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE, THOUGH, WHEN WE DO THAT PREFERRED SCENARIO. EVERYONE WILL SEE THE NUMBERS. WE HAVE PEOPLE WORKING ON THAT, AND WE HAVE PRETTY GOOD PLANNING-LEVEL NUMBERS THAT GETS DOWN TO EACH CORRIDOR, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO BREAK IT DOWN ANY WAY FOLKS WANT TO SEE, EITHER PUBLIC OR DIFFERENT AGENCIES. >>SETH BOOTS: I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE AS A CITIZEN, I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THESE, JUST I WANT TO KNOW HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST ME TO BUILD IT, AND THEY GO HAND IN HAND, SO I THINK WHENEVER WE TALK ABOUT ALL THE POTENTIALS THAT WE CAN HAVE AND THESE GREAT SYSTEMS WE CAN HAVE, WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE, YOU KNOW, HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR IT AND THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. >>ALAN STEINBECK: AND THIS BOARD WILL SEE THAT. WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO THE FINAL DECISION, YOU-ALL WILL HAVE THAT TO CONSIDER. >>SETH BOOTS: I THINK THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO SEE MAYBE NOT AS DETAILED A VERSION AS THAT BUT A CONDENSED VERSION LIKE THIS IS HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO COST RATHER THAN, OH, LOOK WHAT WE CAN HAVE. SO THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. MS. MULHERN. >>MARY MULHERN: I JUST WANTED TO ADD TO THAT, AND I'VE GOT A LITTLE CHART, SOME STATISTICS THAT I GOT FROM THE TAMPA BAY REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL MEETING LAST MONTH THAT REALLY STRUCK ME. BECAUSE OF THE COST -- OF COURSE THE COST OF BUILDING THE TRANSIT IS GOING TO BE HUGE, AND WE HAVE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT, BUT SURPRISINGLY TAMPA BAY, THE COST PER CAPITA FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE ACCOUNTS FOR 25% OF INCOME, AND THAT -- WAIT. IS THAT RIGHT? YES. TRANSPORTATION COST. IF YOU COMPARE THAT TO NEW YORK CITY, THEIR PERCENTAGE THAT THEY PUT TOWARD TRANSPORTATION IS 15.1%. SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THE COST OF BUILDING THIS TRANSIT, WE ALSO HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THE SAVINGS THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE WHEN THEY DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE, THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR GAS, THEY -- YOU KNOW, FAMILIES MAY NOT HAVE TO HAVE TWO CARS, THEY CAN LIVE ON -- YOU KNOW, EXIST ON ONE CAR, AND REALLY, WE DON'T NECESSARILY EVERY DAY REALIZE THE COST OF WHAT TRANSIT IS FOR US HERE IN TAMPA BAY, AND I THINK THAT'S JUST REALLY STRIKING THAT WE -- WE -- 10% MORE OF THE INCOME HERE IS SPENT ON TRANSIT THAN IT IS IN NEW YORK CITY, WHERE PUBLIC TRANSIT IS THE MAIN WAY TO GET AROUND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY OTHER -- YES. >>RICK LOTT: I KNOW YOU TOUCHED ON THIS OR YOU COVERED A PORTION OF IT, BUT I GUESS THE -- IN YOUR REPORT HERE, THE MOST STRIKING INFORMATION I HAVE HERE IS WHEN I LOOK AT THE POPULATION SHIFT FROM A PERCENTAGE STANDPOINT IN THE COUNTY OVER THE NEXT 40 YEARS, AND I GUESS THE QUESTION IS -- YOU KNOW, I LOVE THE DIRECTION WE'RE GOING AND IN THE EVALUATION OF TRANSIT AND SO FORTH, BUT IS THIS BEING COORDINATED WITH THE SYSTEMS IN THE SOUTHEAST AS WELL BECAUSE THAT'S STILL PRIMARILY OPEN, YOU KNOW, RANGE, AND IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A TRANSIT SYSTEM, BUT IF WE'RE NOT TODAY SETTING THE LAND USES, OKAY, IS -- YOU KNOW, THEN -- AND SHIFTING THOSE POPULATIONS WHERE THESE HUBS AND RAIL STATIONS ARE GOING TO BE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO TRULY EVER GET THE TRUE BENEFIT OF TRANSIT, SO IS THAT COORDINATION GOING ON BETWEEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE MPO OR -- AND WHAT TIME FRAME DO WE NEED TO BE MAKING THOSE LAND USE, YOU KNOW, COMMITMENTS BEFORE TRANSIT EVER IS BUILT? WHAT'S THAT COORDINATION THERE? >>ALAN STEINBECK: WE'VE BEEN COORDINATING A LOT WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND WITH JURISDICTIONS ON THESE TYPES OF ISSUES. WHAT YOU SAW ON THE PRESENTATION THIS MORNING WAS A CARRYING CAPACITY ANALYSIS. WE'RE NOT SUGGESTING THAT EVERYONE ABANDON ALL TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT OTHER THAN TOD. FIRST OF ALL, THAT'S NOT REALISTIC, BUT SECONDLY, BECAUSE WE'RE NOT THERE YET. I THINK WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS THERE NEEDS TO BE A PUBLIC COMMITMENT TO A PLAN, A RAIL PLAN AND TRANSIT PLAN, AND ONLY THEN CAN YOU REALLY GET SERIOUS ABOUT LOOKING AT ANY CHANGES TO THE LAND USE PLAN OR THE WAY WE IMPLEMENT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. THAT'S LIKELY TO BE -- THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE THIS FALL BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY CONVERSATIONS GOING ON AND SO MANY DIFFERENT AGENCIES AND GOVERNMENTS THAT NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND SAY THIS IS WHAT WE'D LIKE TO DO. WE'RE PUTTING THIS FORTH TO ASSIST EVERYONE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THE IMPLICATIONS ARE AND WHAT DIRECTIONS WE MAY NEED TO HEAD AND WHAT IDEAS NEED TO BE BUBBLED UP, AND WHAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT ON A LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL WITH EACH OTHER TO MAKE THIS ALL WORK, BUT ONLY WHEN WE GET DONE WITH THAT PROCESS CAN WE SAY HERE'S THE PLAN, NOW LET'S REALLY TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT LAND USE. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO NOW IS BE REALISTIC ABOUT THE LAND USE PLAN THAT WE HAVE, WHICH IT IS ACCOMMODATIVE OF HIGHER DENSITIES, SO WE'RE REALLY NOT THINKING THAT THIS -- EVERYTHING'S GOING TO NEED TO BE THROWN OUT OR RETHOUGHT. IT'S VERY ACCOMMODATIVE OF THE DENSITIES THAT SUPPORT TRANSIT. IT'S A MATTER OF HOW PROJECTS GET IMPLEMENTED AND HOW WE'RE COMMITTED TO PUTTING TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT IN THE AREA OF THOSE STATIONS. >>RICK LOTT: BUT ISN'T IT -- IF WE WERE TO APPROVE A TRANSIT PLAN WITHOUT HAVING A CORRESPONDING LAND USE PLAN, THAT WOULD BE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE, WOULDN'T IT? I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF CRAZY TO HAVE A TRANSIT SYSTEM PLAN IF WE DON'T -- YOU KNOW, IF WE DOESN'T HAVE A LAND USE PLAN THAT'S DIRECTING THE TRAFFIC TO THAT TRANSIT SYSTEM, SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WHEN WE GO TO APPROVE A TRANSIT PLAN, ARE WE APPROVING OR ARE WE ASKING, DO WE HAVE CONFIRMATION THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, I GUESS, ARE GOING TO APPROVE A LAND USE PLAN ON TOP OF THAT? WHAT'S THE COORDINATION THERE? >>ALAN STEINBECK: IT'S AN ITERATIVE PROCESS, AND WE'RE RIGHT NOW IN THE PROCESS OF UPDATING ALL OF THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. THEY WILL BE OUT AHEAD OF THIS TRANSIT DISCUSSION THAT'S TAKING PLACE. WE WILL GET TO THE ADOPTION OF THOSE BEFORE WE GET TO ANY SORT OF REGIONAL OR COUNTYWIDE ADOPTED TRANSIT SYSTEM, BUT ONCE THAT HAPPENS, YOU GO BACK, THEN, AND LOOK AT THE LAND USE AND WHAT MAY NEED TO CHANGE. WE'RE NOT THERE. I'M NOT A LAND USE PLANNER, I'M A TRANSIT PLANNER, AND SO WE -- BUT WE'RE WORKING HAND IN HAND AT EACH STEP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAKING SOME REASONABLE ASSESSMENTS. THE REASON WE GOT INTO LAND USE IS SO THAT WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THIS, AS TRANSPORTATION PLANNERS, WE CAN TELL YOU ALL THAT WE THINK THIS CAN WORK, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO THROW OUT EVERYTHING AND START OVER. THIS -- OUR LAND USE PLAN IS ACCOMMODATIVE OF THIS TYPE OF THINKING, AND THEY'RE MUTUALLY REINFORCING. WE WANT TO SAY THAT AT THE CONCEPTUAL LEVEL NOW BUT NOT HAVING LAND USE CHANGES. >>JOE AFFRONTI: DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SORT OF? >>RICK LOTT: SORT OF. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES. >>MARY MULHERN: I'D JUST ADD, ALAN, ONE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION, WHICH MR. LOTT KIND OF BROUGHT UP. I DIDN'T SEE ANY KIND OF DENSITY DOWN IN THE SOUTHSHORE AREA, AND I WAS JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT. YOU KNOW, I WOULD HAVE ASSUMED THAT THERE WOULD BE A LOT THERE AND THAT WE NEED TO PLAN FOR SOME KIND OF TRANSPORTATION TRANSIT FROM SOUTH COUNTY. >>ALAN STEINBECK: THERE IS A LOT, AND WE ANTICIPATE A LOT, AND WE DON'T ANTICIPATE CHANGING A LOT. THAT AREA WILL GET BUILT OUT. THE GRAPHICS THAT YOU SAW HAVE A STRANGE PHENOMENON WITH THE TRAFFIC ANALYSIS ZONES. THEY'RE REALLY BIG DOWN THERE, SO YOU PUT A STATION IN THERE, AND THE WAY THE DATA IS DISPLAYED, IT GETS SPREAD OUT OVER THE WHOLE TAZ, SO THERE'S A VISUAL TRICK THERE. BELIEVE ME, THOSE MAPS BELIE THE AMOUNT OF DEVELOPMENT THAT'S GOING TO BE DOWN THERE. >>MARY MULHERN: I DIDN'T SEE ANY OF THOSE RED BOXES DOWN THERE. THAT'S WHY I WAS CURIOUS. >>ALAN STEINBECK: RIGHT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? >>BRIAN BLAIR: I WAS JUST GOING TO COMPLIMENT BOTH SETH AND MAYOR LOTT ON THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY PUT FORWARD BECAUSE I THINK THE COMMUNITY REALLY HAS TO BUY INTO A PLAN. THERE'S A LOT OF TIME BEING SPENT ON IT, BUT UNTIL YOU, "A," KNOW THE COST, "B," NO THE LAND USE AND ALL THAT'S PUT TOGETHER, IT'S HARD TO REALLY SINK YOUR TEETH INTO SOMETHING. EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW. AND THEN MARY BROUGHT UP A GOOD POINT, WELL, WHAT BENEFITS DOES -- ARE DERIVED FROM THIS THAT YOU CAN JUSTIFY THOSE TAXES? SO THIS IS A VERY IN-DEPTH PROJECT THAT YOU'RE TAKING ON, AND SO I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S COMMENTS. THEY'RE VERY, VERY WELL TAKEN. >>JOE AFFRONTI: COUNCILMAN SCOTT. >>THOMAS SCOTT: YEAH. IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, THOUGH, YOU'RE GOING BACK TO 2000, 2001, RIGHT, LUCIE, WHEN WE DISCUSSED ALL THESE SAME ISSUES. I'M TELLING YOU, ALL THIS WAS BACK ON THE TABLE IN 2000- 2001, SO IT'S -- I JUST WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW. IN FACT, THE PLAN YOU HAVE IS PRETTY MUCH -- APPEARS TO BE A MODIFIED PLAN SOMEWHAT OF THAT TIME WHEN IT CAME TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. IT'S BEEN CHANGED SOMEWHAT, BEEN MODIFIED, BUT AT THAT TIME WE WERE SET. IN FACT, I THINK WE HAD APPROVAL FROM COMMUNITY AFFAIRS TO MOVE FORWARD, WE JUST COULDN'T GET THE, I GUESS, THE TAX OR REFERENDUM ON THE BALLOT, AND THAT WAS THE BIG ISSUE, AND SO ALL OF THOSE QUESTIONS -- YOU'RE ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS, AND THEY WERE ASKED THEN AND EVERYTHING. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. MS. FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: JUST A QUICK COMMENT BACK TO COUNCILWOMAN MULHERN. MARY, MAYBE THIS DOESN'T REALLY DEPICT CLEARLY ENOUGH THE DENSITY OR THE POTENTIAL DENSITY DOWN IN SOUTH COUNTY, WHICH IS, OF COURSE, PART OF MY DISTRICT, BUT YOU'LL SEE THAT COMING VERY MUCH SO, SPECIFICALLY IN COMPLEMENT OR IN KEEPING WITH THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY PLANS DOWN THERE, BUT THAT'S -- I THINK HE'S RIGHT, IT REALLY DOESN'T DEPICT IT ENOUGH. >>LUCIE AYER: AND IF I CAN, MR. CHAIRMAN, WE HAVE BEEN HAVING INFORMAL DISCUSSIONS LIKE WITH THE SOUTHSHORE ROUNDTABLE PEOPLE. THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF OUR PLAN, AND FOR THE REPRESENTATIVES THAT I HAVE SPOKEN WITH, THEY'VE ALL BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS, AND ONCE AGAIN, I HAVE TO REITERATE THAT THE -- THIS PHENOMENON, THE TRAFFIC ZONE IS SO LARGE THERE. THE TRAFFIC ZONES WERE DESIGNED TO HAVE SOME KIND OF AN EQUALIZING EFFECT, SO THE DENSER THE PLACE, THE SMALLER THE AREA, SO EACH ZONE WILL CARRY AROUND THE SAME CAPACITY, SO BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU LOSE SIGHT OF THAT. WE ARE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CORRECT THAT. MAYBE WE JUST DEAL WITH DENSITY IN TERMS OF ACREAGE, BUT THAT'S JUST -- THE STAFF'S GOING TO DO THAT. BUT I REALLY WANT TO LET YOU-ALL KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH ALL THE VARIOUS PARTNERS AND WITH THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON THE PLANNING -- LAND PLANNING SIDE, AND THEY ARE UPDATING ALL THEIR -- THE COMP PLANS. WE ARE DOING THIS IN SYNC AND LOCKSTEP. I THINK WHAT ALAN WAS REFERRING TO IS IT IS NOT A MATTER OF CHANGING THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHAT IS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT PLAN, SO THE NEXT STEP REALLY IS ON THE LAND -- ON THE LAND USE SIDE IS TO DEAL WITH THE LAND DEVELOPMENT CODE. YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY. NOW, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO WRITE UP YOUR CODE SO THAT YOU CAN IMPLEMENT THAT, SO YOU CAN ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO TO PLACES WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, AND THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN -- THE WAY I SEE IT IS THAT AFTER THE MPO APPROVES THIS PLAN, WHICH IS GOING TO BE A CONCEPTUAL PLAN NO MATTER WHAT -- BUT THIS WILL CREATE THE BASIS FOR THE LAND USE PLANNERS TO BEGIN TO LOOK AT THOSE THINGS, AND THAT'S OUR SCHEDULE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES. >>RICK LOTT: I GUESS I FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, THAT THE -- IF I LOOK AT THE POPULATION SHIFTS, YOU KNOW, THE POPULATION PERCENTAGEWISE, THE LARGEST SHARE BY 2050 IS GOING TO BE IN THE SOUTHEAST PORTION OF THE COUNTY, AND ONE REASON WHY NEW YORK WORKED SO WELL IS THEY BUILT THE TRANSIT SYSTEM, THEY BUILT THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND IT, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE -- AND WE HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY NOW, OKAY, AND COMMISSIONER SCOTT, I AGREE WITH YOU, THAT TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE HERE BECAUSE EVERY YEAR THAT GOES BY, EVERY TIME WE APPROVE ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT, WE'RE ACTUALLY CREATING, YOU KNOW, HURDLES FOR OURSELVES ACCOMPLISHING THE ULTIMATE GOAL, AND I GUESS THE QUESTION WE HAVE HERE IS THAT IF WE -- IF THE SOUTHEAST IS A BLANK PIECE OF PAPER, YOU KNOW, WHICH IT ALMOST IS, OKAY, WHAT STEPS -- WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO BE ABLE TO PUT -- DO WE NEED TOWN CENTERS THERE, YOU KNOW, SETH? OKAY. DO WE HAVE A COMPLETE OVERLAY PLAN THAT LOOKS AT THE ENTIRE SOUTHEAST COUNTY AND SAYS THIS IS WHERE THE TRANSIT'S GOING TO BE, THIS IS WHERE THE RAIL'S GOING TO BE, THIS IS WHERE THE TOWN CENTER IS GOING TO BE, THIS IS GOING TO BE THE CODE, THIS IS GOING TO BE THE DENSITIES? BECAUSE IF WE DON'T, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF -- WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE FULLY UTILIZED, OKAY, AND IT IS GOING TO BE WOULD HAVE, COULD HAVE, SHOULD HAVE. AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE VIABLE LANDS, AGRICULTURAL LAND THAT'S GOING TO BE EATEN UP BECAUSE WE DIDN'T PUT THE DENSITIES IN PLACE TO PRESERVE THE POPULATION BUT NOT PRESERVE OUR AGRICULTURAL LAND. I'M AT THE POINT WHERE IT'S NOW, NOW, NOW, NOW, AND I WONDER FROM OUR STANDPOINT, OUR SENSE OF URGENCY -- I DON'T WANT TO BE SITTING HERE EIGHT YEARS FROM NOW TELLING ANOTHER NEW PERSON LIKE MYSELF, YOU KNOW, IN 2007 WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND MAYBE IT WAS A LITTLE BIT -- YOU KNOW, SO WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO TO GET GOING, I GUESS? CAN YOU ANSWER THAT? >>SETH BOOTS: TO KIND OF DISTILL THE THOUGHT THAT COMMISSIONER LOTT HAS, I THINK THE PLAN HAS TO BE REACTIVE AND PART OF IT'S PROACTIVE. PART OF IT THAT'S REACTIVE IS THE PART THAT'S THERE, THE DENSER AREAS, THE EMPLOYMENT CENTERS, THAT SORT OF THING, AND THEN THE PROACTIVE PART OF THE PLAN THAT NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED AS WELL, LIKE HE'S SAYING, FOR THE AREAS THAT THERE WILL BE FUTURE GROWTH AND THE AREAS WE CAN ENCOURAGE GROWTH TO SERVE TRANSIT, SO I THINK THE PLAN NEEDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST ALL PROACTIVE, NOT JUST REACTIVE, BUT A LITTLE BIT OF BOTH, SO THAT'S JUST MY THOUGHT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. YES, MR. WAINIO. >>RICHARD WAINIO: I WOULD JUST ADD THAT I CERTAINLY AGREE WITH MAYOR LOTT, THE NEED TO BE AGGRESSIVE DOWN IN THE SOUTHEASTERN PART OF THE COUNTY. THE ONLY -- I AGREE WITH VIRTUALLY EVERYTHING YOU SAID. I WOULD CHANGE A COUPLE OF WORDS. WHEN YOU SAY IT'S -- WHAT WERE YOUR WORDS? -- THAT IT WAS A BLANK SHEET OF PAPER AT THIS POINT? I DRIVE IN EVERY MORNING FROM LITHIA, AND IT'S NOT A BLANK -- IT'S BUMPER TO BUMPER ALL THE WAY, SO I THINK WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING, AND I THINK YOU-ALL WOULD AGREE, THAT WE'RE GETTING FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHIND THE CURVE DOWN IN THAT PART OF THE COUNTY, AND IF WE DON'T MOVE RAPIDLY, THAT AREA WILL BE, YOU KNOW -- IS WORSE-OFF THAN ANY OTHER AREA POTENTIALLY BECAUSE OF THE GROWTH, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: EXCELLENT POINTS. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? IF NOT, ALAN, GREAT JOB, AND WE -- I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS COMPLETE REPORT IS AVAILABLE ON-LINE AS OF TODAY, SO IF ANYBODY WANTS TO ACCESS IT -- YES. >>THOMAS SCOTT: I JUST WANT TO FOLLOW UP. I THINK THE ONLY AGENCY THAT HAS BEEN PROACTIVE AND VOTED ON IT HAS BEEN THE AVIATION AUTHORITY, MR. MILLER, AM I RIGHT ON THAT, IN TERMS OF THE RAIL STATIONS AND ALL THAT, THAT'S ALREADY A PART OF THE PLAN FOR THE AVIATION AUTHORITY AND HAVE BEEN VOTED ON AND APPROVED? >>LOUIS MILLER: EXACTLY. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A DETAILED STUDY TO PRESENT TO THE MPO NEXT MONTH. THE FINAL REPORT IS TO THE BOARD AS TO HOW IT GETS THROUGH THE AIRPORT. WE WANT TO BE RAIL READY AT THE TIME THAT HAPPENS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY OTHER COMMENTS? MR. BLAIR. >>BRIAN BLAIR: TO ME, AGAIN, THE MOST IMPORTANT FACET OF THE WHOLE PROGRAM, THOUGH, IS YOUR FUNDING SOURCE. WE CAN DREAM UP ALL WE WANT AND HAVE THE BEST PLAN IN THE WORLD, BUT IF WE CAN'T FUND IT, IT'S NEVER GOING TO WORK, SO THAT'S GOT TO BE ADDRESSED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. >>ALAN STEINBECK: YES. AND THERE WILL BE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. WE ARE DOING PLANNING COST ESTIMATES DURING THIS STUDY. AFTER THIS STUDY IS DONE AND AT THE TIME IT'S DONE WE'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THOSE AND MOVE THAT INTO A DISCUSSION OF HOW IT COULD GET DONE WITH MONEY, AND THAT WILL BE A DISCUSSION THAT TAKES PLACE AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL AND BOTH A COUNTYWIDE LEVEL HERE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. ANY OTHER -- IF NOT, WE -- >>RICK LOTT: I LIKE THAT TERM "RAIL READY." WHETHER WE HAVE IT NOW OR NOT, LET'S ALL TRY TO BE AT LEAST RAIL READY WHEN IT DOES HAPPEN, BECAUSE EVENTUALLY IT WILL HAPPEN, MAYBE 20 YEARS FROM NOW, 30 YEARS FROM NOW, 10 YEARS FROM NOW, BUT I THINK HE'S SHOWING GREAT LEADERSHIP AT THE AIRPORT TO BE RAIL READY. I THINK IT WILL BE CHEAPER WHEN YOU'RE DOING YOUR MODIFICATIONS THAN WHEN IT'S HERE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, ALAN. THAT WAS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. THE NEXT ITEM IS PUBLIC INPUT. WE HAVE ONE GENTLEMAN, CHIP THOMAS, WHO WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE COUNCIL. AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> HI. IT'S CHIP THOMAS, I LIVE AT 1219 EAST HENRY AVENUE, AND WHEN I SAW THE AGENDA FOR THIS MORNING, ON PUBLIC INPUT THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THERE ABOUT PRIORITIES FOR TRANSPORTATION, SO I THOUGHT I'D ZIP DOWN HERE AND TRY TO CONVINCE YOU WHY BIKING AND WALKING SHOULD BE HIGHER ON THE LIST OF PRIORITIES AS A PARTIAL SOLUTION TO TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS, AND I WANT TO TOUCH ON REAL QUICK THE STATE OF PEDESTRIAN AND BIKING ACTIVITY IN THE AREA NOW, AND IT'S BAD. WE HAVE A NATIONAL REPUTATION AS BEING AN UNSAFE, INHOSPITABLE, AND DANGEROUS PLACE TO WALK AND RIDE, AND WHEN I SAY THIS, I'M NOT POINTING ANY FINGERS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN THIS WAY FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND NONE OF YOU WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE WAY IT IS NOW. IT'S TAKEN A LONG TIME TO GET TO THIS POINT TOO, BUT A NUMBER OF STUDIES DONE OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS, NATIONAL STUDIES, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY RANKS CONSISTENTLY IN THE TOP THREE, TOP FIVE FOR FATALITIES AND INJURIES, BOTH FOR BIKING AND WALKING. AND SO YOU'RE PROBABLY ALL AWARE OF THAT, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT, YOU ARE NOW, AND IF YOU WALK OR YOU RIDE IN THIS COUNTY, YOU ARE TREATED AS A THIRD-CLASS CITIZEN. THERE ARE -- AND YOU PROBABLY DON'T HAVE MUCH EXPERIENCE BECAUSE MOST PEOPLE DON'T. A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE -- THERE AREN'T A LOT OF PEOPLE WALKING OR RIDING, BUT A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THEM ARE NOT DOING IT BY CHOICE, AND WE HAVE LOUSY SIDEWALKS, BIKE LANES, AND UNFRIENDLY ROADS, BUT IT GOES BEYOND THAT. THERE'S A REAL UNFRIENDLY MENTALITY AMONG MOTORISTS. THEY DON'T YIELD THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, THEY DON'T SEE YOU OR THEY DON'T RESPECT YOU, SO I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU TWO REASONS WHY THIS SHOULD BE AT LEAST IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS, IF NOT IN THE FRONT OF YOUR MIND. ONE, I THINK WE'RE ENTERING AN ERA WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO DO THE RIGHT THING, AND THEY'RE STARTING TO RECOGNIZE HOW HARMFUL DRIVING IS, AND WE HAVE SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR FUTURE OIL SUPPLY AND THERE'S CONGESTION ISSUES AND POLLUTION AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS, AND I THINK PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO SLOWLY COME AROUND TO KIND OF A GREEN MENTALITY, AND THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO WALK OR RIDE WHEN THEY CAN, AT LEAST SHORT TRIPS, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CHOOSE TO DO THAT IF IT'S NOT SAFE, AND IT'S NOT SAFE FOR MOST OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. IT REALLY ISN'T. THE SECOND -- WAS THAT -- THE SECOND REASON IS -- THIS IS GOING TO INVOLVE SOME MACROECONOMICS, I DON'T HAVE TIME TO GET INTO IT, BUT I THINK WE'RE ALSO ENTERING AN ERA WHERE DRIVING A CAR IS GOING TO BE OUT OF REACH FOR MORE AND MORE OF THE MASSES AS OPPOSED TO THE HISTORY OF THE CAR UP UNTIL NOW, IT'S BECOME MORE AND MORE AFFORDABLE, BUT THE U.S. HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE MARKET FOR OIL UP UNTIL ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO. THAT'S NOT TRUE ANYMORE. THIS IS HAPPENING WHILE OIL SUPPLIES MIGHT BE PEAKING. AS YOU SAID, DRIVING IS GOING TO BECOME UNAFFORDABLE FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, SO -- >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, MR. THOMAS. OKAY. ANY OLD BUSINESS? ANY NEW BUSINESS? IF NOT, WE ADJOURN. WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 1