CAPTIONING DECEMBER 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 WOULD LIKE TO OPEN UP OUR MPO BOARD MEETING FOR DECEMBER 4th, 2007. WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR A PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND BRIEF INVOCATION. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] HEAVENLY FATHER, AS ALWAYS, WE THANK YOU FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US AND ALLOWED US TO LIVE IN SUCH A WONDERFUL AREA. WE ASK YOUR SPECIAL BLESSING ON OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE NOT AT HOME DURING THIS CHRISTMAS AND HOLIDAY SEASON, WHO ARE SEPARATED FROM THEIR FAMILIES. WE ASK THAT YOU GIVE THEM EXTRA COMFORT. IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. OKAY. THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE ELECTION OF OFFICERS. ADAM. >>ADAM GORMLY: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WE HAVE TWO OFFICERS TO ELECT TODAY AND ONE POSITION TO FILL. THE FIRST POSITION -- FIRST OFFICER TO SELECT WOULD BE FOR THE CHAIRMAN, AND WE'D OPEN THE FLOOR UP TO NOMINATIONS FOR CHAIRMAN. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. >> MS. FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: IT WOULD BE MY PLEASURE TO NOMINATE JOE AFFRONTI AS OUR CHAIRMAN AGAIN. >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. OKAY. MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANKS FOR YOUR CONFIDENCE. >>ADAM GORMLY: THE SECOND POSITION TO FILL WOULD BE FOR THE VICE CHAIR POSITION. OPEN THE FLOOR FOR ANY NOMINATIONS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MARY. MS. MULHERN. >>MARY MULHERN: I'D LIKE TO NOMINATE ROSE FERLITA. >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND TO NOMINATE ROSE FERLITA AS VICE CHAIR. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER NOMINATIONS? IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. CONGRATULATIONS, ROSE. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MS. MULHERN, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THAT NOMINATION. >>MARY MULHERN: YOU'RE WELCOME. >>ROSE FERLITA: I APPRECIATE IT. >>ADAM GORMLY: AND THE LAST POSITION TO FILL IS AGENCY CLERK, AND IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT MS. FERRARO IS READY, WILLING, AND ABLE TO CONTINUE IN THAT POSITION. >> [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER] >>ROSE FERLITA: WHETHER SHE WANTS TO OR NOT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. WE HAVE A NOMINATION -- >> [INAUDIBLE] >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER NOMINATIONS? IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ADAM. OKAY. PUBLIC INPUT ON AGENDA ITEMS. WE HAVE SEVERAL HERE FOR THE BRANDON BYPASS, AND WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS HOLD THOSE UNTIL WE GET TO THAT ITEM ON THE AGENDA, AND THEN WE'LL CALL YOU UP AND YOU'LL HAVE YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK. OH, I'M SORRY. I MEANT TO MENTION ONE HERE THING. BRIAN BLAIR WILL BE LATE. HE HAD A PREVIOUS MEETING HE HAD TO ATTEND, BUT HE WILL BE HERE, BUT HE'S JUST GOING TO BE LATE, SO I WANT TO MAKE -- FOR THE RECORD. OKAY. WE HAVE DENISE LAYNE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON ITEMS 5-A AND "F." >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS DENISE LAYNE. I'M EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COALITION FOR RESPONSIBLE GROWTH, AND A COUPLE JUST BRIEF COMMENTS. THE MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT THAT YOU'RE HAVING BETWEEN THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND MPO, YOU'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING, I HOPE NOT TODAY, BUT ANOTHER DISCUSSION ON WHO YOUR LEGAL COUNSEL'S GOING TO BE. I WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT A POOL OR AN INDEPENDENT COUNSEL JUST TO CHOOSE FROM DEPENDING ON THE ISSUE. SOME OF YOUR ISSUES MIGHT BE MINOR, NEEDS SOME TECHNICALLY MINOR ADVICE AND GO WHERE YOU WANT. OTHERS MIGHT BE MORE IN-DEPTH AND FROM PUBLIC PERCEPTION, AND A LOT OF TIMES PERCEPTION IS REALITY. HAVING SOMEBODY INDEPENDENT JUST HELPS THE WHOLE PROCESS SITUATION. AS FAR AS FUNDING FOR LEGAL SERVICE, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT I TOLD TBARTA ON FRIDAY. THEY'RE HAVING A FUNDING PROBLEM, BUT SO IS EVERY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY IN THE STATE. THERE IS NO FUNDING FOR ANY REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY IN THIS STATE. WHEN WE ASKED FOR A MILLION DOLLARS AND SENATOR FASANO ACTUALLY PUT A MILLION DOLLARS IN THERE LAST YEAR, THE OTHER RTAs WENT CRAZY, AND THAT'S PART OF THE REASON BESIDES BUDGET CRUNCH THAT WE GOT NO MONEY. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO AT LEAST DONATE WHAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR, ALL THE MPOs PUTTING IN SOME MONEY ON THIS JUST TO GET THE LEGAL STUFF STARTED TO GET US ROLLING, BUT I WOULD ASK YOU AS AN MPO BOARD GOING BACK TO THE LARGER COUNCIL AND THEN COLLECTIVELY GETTING TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER RTAs IN THE STATE, ASKING THE LEGISLATURE FOR MONEY THIS SESSION. IF YOU TRY TO DO IT INDEPENDENT, TBARTA ALONE, IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. FOR THAT VERY REASON I WATCHED IT FAIL. THE SOUTH COUNTY -- OR THE SOUTH STATE -- I FORGET WHAT THEY CALL THEMSELVES -- AROUND MIAMI AND BROWARD COUNTY HAVE BEEN AROUND TEN YEARS, AND THEY ABSOLUTELY BRISTLED WHEN THEY HEARD WE -- A NEW KID ON THE BLOCK MIGHT GET SOME STATE FUNDING THAT THEY'VE NEVER HAD. THEY GET GRANTS, NOBODY GETS A DIRECT STREAMLINE OF FUNDING, SO IF YOU WANT MONEY, PLEASE GET TOGETHER, COLLECTIVELY GO IN AS ALL REGIONAL -- OR REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITIES, AND ASK FOR THAT MONEY. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CAC. IS JOE AMON HERE? YEAH, THERE YOU ARE. HI, JOE. >> HELLO. GOOD MORNING. JOE AMON WITH THE CAC, CHAIRMAN OF THE CAC. MR. CHAIRMAN, AND COMMISSIONERS. WE HAD A MEETING -- WE HAD A JOINT MEETING ACTUALLY WITH THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THAT ONLY HAPPENS OCCASIONALLY, BUT IT'S KIND OF FUN TO MEET WITH OUR COUNTERPARTS AND HEAR A LITTLE DIFFERENT ATTITUDE ABOUT THINGS, BUT WE ALSO HAD A VISITOR FROM -- MR. JOE WAGGONER CAME TO VISIT WITH US TO TELL US SOME OF HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT BEING ON THE JOB FOR A VERY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, AND WE APPRECIATED YOUR TIME IN COMING TO VISIT WITH US. WE'D LIKE TO SEE YOU AGAIN TOO WHENEVER YOU CAN GET IT ON YOUR SCHEDULE. >>JOSEPH WAGGONER: THANK YOU. >> AND THANK YOU FOR COMING. IN OUR PUBLIC INPUT -- AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO COME UP HERE IN FRONT OF YOU SHORTLY -- WE HAD A NUMBER OF CITIZENS EXPRESS THEIR CONCERNS AND THEIR IDEAS CONCERNING THE ALIGNMENT OF THE BRANDON BYPASS, AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT REMOVED FROM THE PLAN, BUT THEY UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR FURTHER STUDIES. IT JUST SO HAPPENED THAT THE VERY NEXT THING AFTER WE HEARD THOSE WAS OUR -- THE VERY NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA WAS TO DISCUSS THE BRANDON BYPASS, AND WE HAD A LONG AND LENGTHY DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BRANDON BYPASS, AND OUR OUTCOME WAS THIS: ALTHOUGH WE BELIEVE THAT THE LOCATION OF THE BRANDON BYPASS AS IS PUT ON A PIECE OF PAPER IS PROBABLY NOT RIGHT, IN OTHER WORDS, THERE'S NOT ENOUGH STUDY TO DECIDE THAT'S THE PARTICULAR SPOT IT OUGHT TO GO. THE MOTION THAT WE MADE WAS THAT THE ALIGNMENT BE STUDIED. WE DIDN'T WANT TO TAKE THE BRANDON BYPASS OFF OF THE LONG- RANGE PLAN BECAUSE OUR CONCERN IS IF YOU TAKE IT OFF OF THE PLAN, OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND, AND WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT. AND SO OUR CHOICE WAS IS TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU LEAVE IT ON THE PLAN AS JUST THAT, A STUDY ITEM, AND THAT IT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN LONG-RANGE PLAN AND STUDY, WHICH IS WHAT IS SO DESPERATELY NEEDED DOWN IN THAT PARTICULAR AREA, AND THAT IS WHAT OUR MOTION IS. SO THE RECOMMENDATION IS DON'T TAKE IT OFF THE PLAN, BUT IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT THAT'S EXACTLY WHERE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IS GOING TO BE. WE KNOW THAT IS NOT REALISTIC AND TO FURTHER STUDY THE ISSUE. WE TALKED ABOUT -- WE HAD A BRIEFING ON THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE ENTERPRISE WORK PROGRAM. WE ENDORSED -- BOTH -- WELL, BOTH THE TAC AND THE CAC ENDORSED THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE ENTERPRISE PROGRAM. WE HEARD ABOUT THE WESTSHORE MOBILITY STUDY STRATEGY, AND AGAIN, WE BOTH PASSED MOTIONS RECOMMENDING THAT THE MPO APPROVE THE WESTSHORE MOBILITY STRATEGY, AND THEN WE ALSO APPROVED OUR 2008 CALENDAR MEETING, AND THE LAST THING WE DID, WE HAD A STATUS REPORT ON THE FDOT TENTATIVE WORK PROGRAM, AND THAT BASICALLY IS MY REPORT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OF -- YES, MARK. MR. SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: ACTUALLY, WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING THE BRANDON BYPASS HERE. WOULD IT BE MORE APPROPRIATE TO HAVE QUESTIONS TO THE CAC DURING THAT PORTION OF THE DISCUSSION? BECAUSE I KNOW IF I STARTED ASKING QUESTIONS, I GOT A FEELING OTHERS ARE GOING TO WANT TO JUMP IN, AND THEN THERE'S GOING TO BE A RESPONSE, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE YOU COME BACK AND DISCUSS IN LENGTH YOUR DELIBERATION ON THAT ISSUE. >> BE HAPPY TO. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THE NEXT IS THE POLICY COMMITTEE REPORT. THE POLICY COMMITTEE MET AT 9:00 ON NOVEMBER 20th IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARDROOM. THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED TWO PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE MPO/PLANNING COMMISSION MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT. THE TWO CHANGES WERE IN RESPONSE TO THE MPO'S SUGGESTIONS AT THE LAST MEETING. IN ADDITION, THE MPO ATTORNEY SUGGESTED A CLARIFICATION TO SECTION 3.00 OF THE AMENDMENT. THE COMMITTEE VOTED TO FORWARD THE AGREEMENT WITH THE CHANGES TO THE FULL MPO BOARD WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL. JUST AN ASIDE, THE RECOMMENDATION BY OUR ATTORNEY WAS THAT -- I THINK IN THERE IT SAID SOMETHING LIKE THE PLANNING COMMISSION WOULD ELECT OR WOULD PROPOSE THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND WE CHANGED THAT TO READ THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION DIRECTOR WOULD APPOINT THE -- WITH, OF COURSE, THE MPO FULL BOARD APPROVAL. NEXT, AS DIRECTED BY THE MPO AT THE NOVEMBER MEETING, THE COMMITTEE REVIEWED THE ISSUE OF REMOVING THE BRANDON BYPASS FROM THE MPO'S 2025 NEEDS ASSESSMENT. FOLLOWING PRESENTATIONS BY STAFF, A NUMBER OF CITIZENS SPOKE IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THE BYPASS FROM THE NEEDS MAP. THE CHAIRMAN ALSO NOTED THE RECEIPT OF E-MAIL OPPOSING THE REMOVAL OF THE BYPASS. STAFF THEN PROVIDED THE COMMITTEE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THIS MATTER. FOLLOWING DISCUSSION, THE COMMITTEES VOTED TO RECOMMEND THAT THE FULL MPO BOARD REMOVE THE BYPASS FROM THE MPO'S NEED ASSESSMENT. RELATED TO THIS ITEM, A CITIZEN POINTED OUT THAT U.S. 41, AS SHOWN ON THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT MAP, AS A FUTURE SIX-LANE ROADWAY WAS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE RUSKIN COMMUNITY PLAN AND SHOULD BE SHOWN AS A FOUR-LANE ROAD. STAFF TOOK A LOOK AT THIS AND ANY OTHER CHANGES THAT MAY BE NEEDED TO RESULT AT -- OF APPROVED COMMUNITY PLANS AND BRING THIS ISSUE BACK TO THE NEXT FEASIBLE POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING. EXCUSE ME. EXCUSE ME. A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE ENTERPRISE PRESENTED THEIR TENTATIVE WORK PROGRAM FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES TWO PROJECTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TOTALING OVER $350 MILLION. THE COMMITTEE VOTED TO RECOMMEND THAT THE FULL MPO BOARD CONCUR WITH THE TURNPIKE ENTERPRISE TENTATIVE WORK PROGRAM. NEXT, THE FDOT DISTRICT SEVEN REPRESENTATIVE EXPLAINED THAT DUE TO ANTICIPATED REVENUE REDUCTIONS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, DISTRICT SEVEN TENTATIVE WORK PROGRAM IS STILL UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND WILL BE PROVIDED TO THE MPO AS SOON AS IT IS AVAILABLE. TWO PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE SCHEDULED ON THE WORK PROGRAM, ONE ON DECEMBER 10th IN NEW PORT RICHEY AND ONE ON DECEMBER 13th IN PINELLAS COUNTY. STAFF PRESENTED THE WESTSHORE MOBILITY STRATEGY PLAN AND EXPLAINED THAT IT OUTLINES BOTH SHORT- AND LONG-TERM STRATEGIES TOWARD IMPROVING MOBILITY WITHIN THE WESTSHORE AREA. THE STRATEGIES INCLUDE A VARIETY OF MODES RANGING FROM SIDEWALKS AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS TO BUS/RAIL TRANSIT AND ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS. FOLLOWING DISCUSSION, THE COMMITTEE VOTED TO FORWARD THE PLAN TO THE FULL MPO BOARD WITH A RECOMMENDATION OF APPROVAL. FINALLY, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PRESENTED A PROPOSED SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS FOR 2008. SHE EXPLAINED THAT SOME MEETINGS HAD TO BE COMBINED DUE TO SCHEDULING CONFLICTS. THE COMMITTEE AGREED WITH THE PROPOSED SCHEDULE OF MEETINGS FOR 2008 AND VOTED TO RECOMMEND APPROVAL BY THE FULL MPO BOARD. THE NEXT MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 18th AT 9:00 A.M. IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARDROOM, AND OF COURSE, EVERYONE IS INVITED. SO THAT'S THE POLICY COMMITTEE REPORT. NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE MPO/TPC MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT. AS YOU KNOW, THIS IS ABOUT THE THIRD TIME IT'S COME BEFORE THE BOARD WITH VERY CONSTRUCTIVE CHANGES THAT WERE MADE TO THE ORIGINAL AGREEMENT, AND THANKS TO MR. WAGGONER, WHO CONTRIBUTED HIS WORDING THAT WAS VERY APPROPRIATE, WE ADDED THAT TO THE AGREEMENT, AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL GET THIS BEHIND US TODAY. SO WITH THAT, I GUESS -- >>LUCIE AYER: WE NEED A VOTE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YEAH. I'M SURE EVERYONE HAS READ IT, READ THE AGREEMENT BY NOW. YES. >> MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D MOVE THAT THE MPO APPROVE THE UPDATED MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE MPO AND THE PLANNING COMMISSION. >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION. DO WE HAVE A SECOND? >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OH, OKAY. >>ROSE FERLITA: OH, I THOUGHT -- >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? OKAY. IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. NEXT ITEM IS THE BRANDON BYPASS -- >>ADAM GORMLY: EXCUSE ME, MR. CHAIR. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YEAH. >>ADAM GORMLY: AT THE -- THERE WAS PREVIOUS DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS ITEM RELATED TO THE LEGAL SERVICES AND WHETHER OR NOT THERE WOULD BE A SEPARATE AGREEMENT -- >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES. >>ADAM GORMLY: -- BETWEEN THE COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND THE MPO. I JUST WONDERED IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE SOME DIRECTION TO PURSUE THAT AGREEMENT? IT WAS DISCUSSED IN THE PAST IN OPEN MEETINGS, BUT I THINK THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT MAYBE IT WOULD GET AIRED IN FRONT OF THE BOARD. >>JOE AFFRONTI: WHAT WE DISCUSSED ON THAT IS THAT LUCIE AND HER STAFF WILL GET TOGETHER WITH YOU AND THE APPROPRIATE -- AND WORK UP AN AGREEMENT WITH YOU. WE CERTAINLY INTEND TO DO THAT. >>ADAM GORMLY: OKAY. >>JOE AFFRONTI: WE WANT TO DO THAT. >>ADAM GORMLY: THANK YOU FOR THAT REFERENCE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>LOUIS MILLER: MR. CHAIRMAN, DO YOU THINK THAT REQUIRES AN ACTION BY THE BOARD THAT WE ASK OR DIRECT LUCIE TO GET WITH THE COUNTY ATTORNEYS TO PUT TOGETHER A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING? IF SO, I'D MAKE THAT MOTION. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION -- >>ROSE FERLITA: SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: -- TO DIRECT STAFF TO WORK ON AN AGREEMENT WITH THE LEGAL STAFF. >> SO MOVED. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? >> AYE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YOU'RE A LITTLE AHEAD. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GOOD POINT, LOUIS. OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE ENTERPRISE TENTATIVE WORK PROGRAM. SHOULD WE HEAR FROM MR. -- >>LUCIE AYER: OH, THE BRANDON BYPASS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OH, I'M SORRY. BRANDON BYPASS. SORRY ABOUT THAT. THE BRANDON BYPASS REMOVED FROM THE 2025 NEEDS ASSESSMENTS. MR. ZAMBITO. >>JOE ZAMBITO: THANK YOU. JOE ZAMBITO WITH THE MPO STAFF. AS YOU MAY RECALL, AT YOUR LAST MEETING YOU DIRECTED THAT THIS ISSUE BE DISCUSSED BY THE POLICY COMMITTEE, WHICH, AS YOUR CHAIRMAN MENTIONED, WAS, AND I'D LIKE TO GO THROUGH A BRIEF PRESENTATION, KIND OF GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF THE BACKGROUND AND HOW WE GOT TO THIS POINT, AND THEN ASK YOU TO LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC AND TAKE WHATEVER ACTION YOU THINK'S APPROPRIATE. THE CONCEPTUAL CORRIDOR THAT'S BEEN SHOWN IN THE MPO NEEDS ASSESSMENT WAS ORIGINALLY INCLUDED IN A 2001 VERSION OF THE 2025 LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, AND IT WAS ALSO IN A - - WHAT WAS CALLED THE SOUTHSHORE CORRIDOR PLAN THAT WAS COMPLETED IN 2002. THERE WAS NOT A SPECIFIC ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THERE HAD BEEN NO DETAILED STUDY, NO PD&E DONE FOR THE PROJECT, BUT IT WAS MORE OF A CONCEPTUAL LOCATION MAP THAT -- ON THE MAP THAT WAS ABOUT A TWO-MILE-WIDE SWATH. THE CONCEPTUAL ALIGNMENT RAN FROM I-75 IN SOUTH COUNTY ALL THE WAY -- AROUND OVER TO THE POLK PARKWAY IN POLK COUNTY, AND WAS INTENDED TO DIVERT SOME OF THE TRIPS THAT WERE GOING FROM ORLANDO TO, LET'S SAY, FORT MYERS AREA, FROM HAVING TO DRIVE DOWN I-4 AND THEN I-75 THROUGH THE BRANDON AREA, WHICH IS ALREADY FAIRLY CONGESTED. IT ALSO WOULD HAVE RELIEVED I-4 THROUGH THE PLANT CITY AREA. THERE WERE A NUMBER OF STUDIES THAT WERE ACTUALLY DONE ON BELTWAYS OR BYPASSES. THERE WAS ONE THAT WAS DONE BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AS PART OF THEIR FUTURE CORRIDORS STUDY. THERE WAS ONE THAT WAS INCLUDED IN THE -- IN AN AMENDMENT THAT WAS WITHDRAWN FOR THE UPDATE OF THE SOUTH COUNTY TRANSPORTATION PLAN. SO THERE'S BEEN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CORRIDORS THAT HAVE BEEN LOOKED AT. ALL OF THEM WERE IN DIFFERENT PLACES, SO THERE REALLY WAS NO CONSENSUS ON WHAT THE BEST PLACE FOR THAT WOULD BE. IN EARLY SEPTEMBER, AS I MENTIONED, THE COUNTY SUBMITTED AN AMENDMENT TO THEIR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WHICH INCLUDED A BYPASSES, AND THAT'S SORT OF WHEN THE PUBLIC STARTED COMING TO OUR MEETINGS AND SAYING THAT THEY FELT THAT THIS WAS INAPPROPRIATE BECAUSE OF VARIOUS ITEMS. SPECIFICALLY, AT THE SEPTEMBER 24th PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING A NUMBER OF CITIZENS SPOKE AGAINST THE BYPASS. AGAIN, THEY WERE CONCERNED ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS, ABOUT ENCOURAGING SPRAWL, AND ABOUT POSSIBLE IMPACTS TO EXISTING DEVELOPMENT -- DEVELOPMENTS THAT WERE ALREADY IN PLACE. THE PLANNING COMMISSION DIRECTED US TO SUGGEST TO THE BOCC THAT THAT CORRIDOR BE REMOVED FROM THEIR RIGHT-OF-WAY CORRIDOR PRESERVATION PLAN, AND AGAIN, AT THE MEETING ON NOVEMBER 6th, THE CITIZENS AGAIN SPOKE AGAINST THE BYPASS. THIS WAS THE PUBLIC HEARING THAT OCCURRED BEFORE THE BOCC. AND FOLLOWING DISCUSSION, THE BOCC VOTED TO REMOVE THIS IN A STRAW VOTE. THERE HAS NOT BEEN A FINAL VOTE TAKEN YET. AND THEN, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THE MPO WHEN DISCUSSING THIS ISSUE, DIRECTED IT TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION -- I MEAN THE POLICY COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER REVIEW. >>JOE AFFRONTI: IS THAT IT, JOE? >>JOE ZAMBITO: YES. LET ME -- >>JOE AFFRONTI: OH, OKAY. >>JOE ZAMBITO: -- JUST GET TO THE RECOMMENDATION. THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE STAFF IS THAT THE CONCEPTUAL ALIGNMENT FOR THE BRANDON BYPASS BE REMOVED FROM THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT UNTIL A MORE DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE NEED AND THE SPECIFIC CORRIDOR LOCATION CAN BE COMPLETED. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, JOE. ANY QUESTIONS OF MR. ZAMBITO? YES, MR. DINGFELDER. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: THANK YOU, JOE. I GUESS I'M CONFUSED ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE IF WE'RE REMOVING IT -- IF WE'RE REMOVING IT FROM, WHAT, FROM THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT -- BUT THEN IT SAYS UNTIL MORE DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE NEED AND SPECIFIC CORRIDOR LOCATION CAN BE COMPLETED. IF WE REMOVE IT FROM THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, WHO WOULD BE WORKING ON THE CORRIDOR LOCATION AND THAT SORT OF THING? IT JUST SEEMS TO BE CONFLICTING. >>JOE ZAMBITO: RIGHT. THIS IS -- THIS IS THE CONSENSUS OF THE MOTIONS THAT WERE APPROVED BY THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE. YOU HEARD THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAD A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT MOTION. THEY SUGGESTED THAT IT STAY THERE UNTIL A STUDY WAS DONE. AND THE POLICY COMMITTEE VOTED THAT IT BE REMOVED UNTIL A STUDY COULD BE DONE TO DETERMINE THE NEED AND AN APPROPRIATE ALIGNMENT. SO THIS IS REFLECTING WHAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOOKED AT THIS HAVE RECOMMENDED. I -- WHAT I'M THINKING IS THE WAY THAT WE WOULD PROCEED IS THAT WE WOULD ADD A POLICY TO THE COUNTY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN THAT WOULD SAY SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT WITHIN SOME REASONABLE PERIOD OF TIME THAT THEY WOULD REQUEST THAT AN APPROPRIATE AGENCY DO A MORE DETAILED STUDY OF A BRANDON BYPASS ALIGNMENT, AND I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT AGENCY WOULD BE. COULD BE THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, COULD BE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY, FDOT, TURNPIKE ENTERPRISE. I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHO WOULD TAKE THIS ON, BUT -- BUT THE POLICY WOULD SIMPLY REQUIRE THE COUNTY TO REQUEST THAT ONE OF THESE AGENCIES LOOK INTO THIS FURTHER IF THEY'RE INTERESTED IN THAT PROJECT. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: IT JUST SEEMS TO ME THAT -- IF WE'RE REMOVING IT -- IT SEEMS TO ME THAT WE'RE REMOVING IT BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE A STATEMENT, PERHAPS, BUT IF WE'RE REMOVING IT AND IT'S JUST AN ILLUSION AND THAT PEOPLE ARE STILL GOING TO BE WORKING ON IT, THEN I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE POINT IS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MR. SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: WELL, THAT -- WHEN THE BOARD -- THE BOCC VOTED TO REMOVE IT FROM OUR MAP. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: WHAT WAS THE VOTE? WHAT WAS THE VOTE, DO YOU KNOW? >>LOUIS MILLER: 5-0. >>MARK SHARPE: 5-0. THAT'S RIGHT. AND I WAS ONE OF THE ONES TO SUPPORT IT, AND I WAS -- AND I HAVE BEEN ONE WHO'S ARGUED THAT IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER TRANSIT DISCUSSIONS, WE NEED TO LOOK AT A REGIONAL BYPASS, TRUE REGIONAL BYPASS. I THINK -- BECAUSE OF THE NORTH-SOUTH TRAFFIC, THE ISSUES THAT WERE ADDRESSED EARLIER, I THINK THAT THERE IS A NEED, BUT I ALSO FEEL THAT THE PROCESS MUST BE FOLLOWED AND THE PROCESS MUST BE THOROUGH, AND WE'VE GOT TO REALLY INVESTIGATE THIS CORRECTLY, AND WE CAN'T BE PREDISPOSED TO ANY BYPASS UNTIL WE'VE DONE THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, SO WE AGREED THAT IT SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF. I THINK WE TOOK THE CORRECT ACTION. BUT NOW IT'S BEFORE THE MPO, AND HERE'S MY CONCERN. I THINK THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE ANALYZED FRESHLY, THAT -- WHEN IT WAS ANALYZED ORIGINALLY BACK IN THE LATE '90s AND THEN, I GUESS, APPROVED IN 2001, WE DID NOT HAVE THIS DISCUSSION THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE WITH REGARD TO THE MPO'S MASS TRANSIT PLAN. IS THAT CORRECT, LUCIE? >>LUCIE AYER: CORRECT. >>MARK SHARPE: OKAY. AND SO NOW WE HAVE A MASS TRANSIT PLAN, AND I THINK THAT THE -- THIS BYPASS NEEDS A REGIONAL BYPASS, AND WHAT I SEE IS JUST A BIG GREEN SWATH THAT KIND OF CUTS THROUGH THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTY OBVIOUSLY TO BYPASS BRANDON, BUT ONE OF THE DISCUSSIONS -- AND I THINK THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY HAD DISCUSSED THIS EARLIER -- WAS THIS WAS GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD REACH UP INTO PASCO COUNTY AND MAKE ITS WAY DOWN INTO MANATEE COUNTY AND TRULY SERVE AS A REGIONAL BYPASS. WE DON'T SEE THAT HERE. SO IF WE TAKE IT OFF, WHAT ASSURANCES DO WE HAVE THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A REGIONAL STUDY? I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE SOME ASSURANCES WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A REGIONAL STUDY, AND I WANT TO KNOW WHO'S GOING TO DO IT, AND COULD FDOT ADDRESS THERE ISSUE? >>DON SKELTON: I'LL ADDRESS THE COMPONENTS THAT I CAN. I'LL START BY SAYING, FIRST, IF THIS -- IF A CORRIDOR IS NOT SHOWN ON A NEEDS PLAN, THE DEPARTMENT WON'T BE STUDYING ANYTHING FURTHER. I MEAN, I THINK THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN IS TO IDENTIFY WHAT YOUR NEEDS ARE BEFORE YOU START NARROWING IN ON THINGS. WE HAD BEGUN OUR FUTURE CORRIDOR STUDY, WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM WHAT YOU SEE HERE. OUR CORRIDOR STUDY STARTED DOWN IN CHARLOTTE COUNTY AND EXTENDED UP INTO HERNANDO COUNTY, SO IT TOOK OFF FROM I-75 MUCH FURTHER SOUTH. THIS PARTICULAR CORRIDOR WOULD HAVE CONNECTED INTO THAT CORRIDOR. WE'VE OBVIOUSLY SHIFTED SOME FOCUS AND PRIORITY. WE'RE LOOKING AT THE EXISTING CORRIDORS, THE I-75 PD&E STUDY, WE'VE SHIFTED A LITTLE BIT AWAY FROM THE FUTURE CORRIDOR FOR NOW. THERE'S NOT A DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A NEED FOR THESE CORRIDORS IN THE FUTURE AS FLORIDA GROWS. IT'S HOW FLORIDA GROWS. >>MARK SHARPE: WELL, THAT'S MY CONCERN. I DON'T -- I THINK THAT LOOKING OUT OVER 2025 AND THEN BEYOND, THERE'S ABSOLUTELY GOING TO BE A NEED. MY CONCERN IS THAT WHAT'S -- THE OPPOSITION IS NOT BASED ON TRANSPORTATION ARGUMENTS, IT'S BASED ON DEVELOPMENT AND SPRAWL ARGUMENTS, AND I THINK THAT'S A VERY LEGITIMATE ISSUE, BUT WE NEED TO BE THINKING -- I'M FOCUSING -- I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHERE ARE WE GOING TO PUT THE NEXT SUBDIVISION, I'M THINKING HOW ARE WE GOING TO MOVE PEOPLE, AGAIN, NOT JUST TODAY BUT 25 YEARS FROM NOW, AND THE FOLKS THAT AREN'T HERE TO SPEAK TO US TODAY BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT BORN YET OR THEY'RE TOO YOUNG TO SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES ARE GOING TO ASK WHAT WERE YOU GUYS DOING? WHY WEREN'T YOU PLANNING FOR OUR MOBILITY NEEDS? AND SO IF WE TAKE IT OFF THE MAP BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE A POLITICAL STATEMENT, WHAT ASSURANCES DO WE HAVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ADDRESSING WHAT WE'RE HERE TO ADDRESS, WHICH IS LONG-TERM TRANSPORTATION NEEDS? SO WHO WOULD DO THAT STUDY? WHO IS GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT OUR LONG- TERM -- I MEAN, I HAVE NO -- THE CONCERN I HAVE IS WE'VE GOT A BIG GREEN LINE HERE THAT WE JUST -- WE PUT THERE, AS YOU SAID, WITHOUT ANY DETAILED ANALYSIS, WE JUST KIND OF PUT A BIG GREEN SWATH OUT ON A MAP, SO OBVIOUSLY WE'VE GOT A LOT OF FOLKS CONCERNED. SO THEN WE NEED TO ANALYZE ACCURATELY WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO, AND WHEN YOU START PUTTING LINES ON A MAP, IT OBVIOUSLY IS GOING TO CONCERN PEOPLE, SO BEFORE WE PUT IT ON A MAP, WE OUGHT TO THINK IT THROUGH. BUT I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM OUR MPO OR OUR STAFF. >>DON SKELTON: AND AGAIN, I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, THE DEPARTMENT WOULD BE LOOKING WHEN WE GET BACK TO THAT TYPE OF PRIORITY AT THE BIGGER REGIONAL PICTURE, THE STATEWIDE PICTURE. WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT NOT NECESSARILY THE ALIGNMENT THAT CONNECTS THE SOUTHSHORE AREA TO EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY BUT MORE THE NORTH-SOUTH AND HOW WE GET FROM SOUTH OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY UP TO THE POLK COUNTY/I-4/ORLANDO REGION. >>MARK SHARPE: SO YOU WILL BE LOOKING AT NORTH-SOUTH? >>DON SKELTON: WE WILL LOOK AT THAT AGAIN. RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT ONE OF OUR PRIORITIES. IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT TODAY. >>MARK SHARPE: MR. HUNTER, WOULD YOU MIND COMING TO THE PODIUM. I HATE TO DO THIS TO YOU, BUT WHAT ASSURANCES COULD THIS BODY HAVE THAT OVER THE NEXT YEAR WE WOULD BE ANALYZING OUR MOBILITY NEEDS, WHICH WOULD INCLUDE NOT THIS BYPASS NECESSARILY BUT A CORRIDOR THAT WOULD MOVE TRAFFIC NORTH- SOUTH AND ALSO, I GUESS, INDICATE TO THE FDOT THAT WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT TRYING TO ADDRESS THIS NEED? >>BOB HUNTER: I DON'T KNOW IF I'D MENTIONED TO YOU -- BOB HUNTER, PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF -- THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN JANUARY IS EMBARKING ON ESSENTIALLY A CONSOLIDATED VISION HILLSBOROUGH 2050 EFFORT. WE INTEND FOR THAT TO INVOLVE VIRTUALLY EVERY TRANSPORTATION, LAND PLANNING AGENCY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THOSE THAT CONNECT TO US. THAT INCLUDES THE COG, THAT INCLUDES TAMPA BAY REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL, FDOT, ALL OF THOSE INVOLVED NOT ONLY IN TRANSPORTATION BUT IN LAND USE, WHICH INCLUDES OUR ADJACENT LAND USE NEIGHBORS, SUCH AS THE COUNTIES. WE CAN'T START A VISION 2050 UNTIL WE GET THE INPUT FROM ALL OF THESE AGENCIES. I AM SURE THOSE AGENCIES, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SPECIFICALLY, WILL BE BRINGING THAT UP. IT SHOULD COME UP IN THE CONTEXT OF LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION. THE REASON WE'RE DOING THIS IS TO MAKE SURE THAT LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION IN THE FUTURE GET CONSIDERED TOGETHER, AND WHAT CAME BEFORE YOU -- MR. WAGGONER, I'M SORRY YOU WEREN'T HERE THEN, BUT MY UNDERSTANDING OF WHEN THAT CAME IN FRONT OF THE BOCC AND OTHERS ON A MAP FROM THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY, IT HADN'T HAD THE STUDY THAT I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE THINK IT HAD, AND IT HAD NOT BEEN APPROVED BY EVEN THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY WHEN IT CAME IN FRONT OF THE BOCC. MY RECOMMENDATION TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION WAS BECAUSE OF PUBLIC CONFIDENCE IT COMES OFF NOW. I THINK THE CORRIDOR CAN BE STUDIED. THERE ARE ALREADY PEOPLE LOOKING AT A CORRIDOR THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, SO I THINK IT SHOULD COME OFF NOW TO START THE SLATE CLEAN, IF YOU WANT MY ANSWER DIRECTLY. IT CAN AND WILL COME BACK, I THINK, AS WE LOOK AT VISION 2050. I'M NOT SO SURE IN THE SHAPE OF A CORRIDOR OR WHAT, A CORRIDOR IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. MAYBE IT WILL COME IN THE SHAPE OF A CORRIDOR FROM THE STANDPOINT OF SOUTH OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY INTO POLK COUNTY. I CAN'T ANSWER THAT, BUT IT WILL COME UP, I'M SURE, IN THE FUTURE. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION. I'M SORRY. >>MARK SHARPE: IT'S HELPFUL. I JUST -- I JUST THINK THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT -- YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A NUMBER -- YOU KNOW, I WORK WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TEAM. WE'VE TALKED TO COMPANIES ABOUT RELOCATING IN THE SOUTH PART OF THE COUNTY. THEY EXPRESSED GRAVE CONCERN ABOUT RELOCATING TO THE SOUTH PART OF THE COUNTY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T MAKE IT UP TO THE UNIVERSITY AREA QUICKLY ENOUGH. NOW, THIS BYPASS IS NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO MOVE ANYBODY QUICKER, ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT TAKE TRAFFIC OFF OF I-75 WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE TAKE THE BYPASS AND TAKE ANOTHER ROUTE, FREEING THE NORTH-SOUTH, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO HAVE A -- I WANT TO HAVE SOME CONFIDENCE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ANALYZING ALL THESE CORRIDORS, AND I HEAR 2050, BUT I'M THINKING ABOUT 20-TODAY, I MEAN RIGHT NOW. WE'VE GOT PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING IN, YOU KNOW, THICK TRAFFIC ON I-75. TAKE I-75 AND LOOK AT ALL THE TRUCKS, AND YOU TAKE YOUR LIFE IN YOUR HANDS WHEN YOU'RE GOING SOUTH ON I-75. TAKE MR. MAYOR HERE FROM PLANT CITY. WHEN I GO OUT AND HAVE BREAKFAST AT FRED'S, ON MY WAY BACK AT 9:00 IN THE MORNING I MIGHT AS WELL BRING A NEWSPAPER, WHICH I USUALLY DO, AND SIT THERE AND READ IT BECAUSE ON I- 4, YOU'RE SITTING IN DEAD STANDSTILL TRAFFIC. SO THERE IS A NEED. THE PEOPLE THAT WERE IN THAT FIRE A YEAR OR SO AGO WHERE WE -- THE LAND WAS SO DRY, AND WE HAD THE FIRE, AND THE CARS WERE ON FIRE ON THE ROAD BECAUSE THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC MOVING ON I-75, SO WE HAVE EVACUATION ISSUES. SO WE HAVE REAL LEGITIMATE ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED, AND WHAT'S HAPPENING IS IT'S THE ISSUE OF SPRAWL, WHICH IS IN ITSELF, A LEGITIMATE -- SEPARATE ISSUE, WHICH IS DRIVING THIS EFFORT TO REMOVE THE BYPASS, AND I'M CONCERNED ABOUT THAT AS WELL. IF WE DO OUR JOB RIGHT AND TIE LAND USE TO TRANSPORTATION, THEN WE CAN ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES, BUT I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD STEP AWAY FROM OUR RESPONSIBILITY, WHICH IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A MOBILITY PLAN, AND SO I'LL MAKE THE MOTION TO REMOVE IT, BUT I WANT TO HEAR SOMEBODY STEP UP AND SAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ANALYZING THESE CORRIDORS. >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. >>MARK SHARPE: BUT WITH THE -- >>JOE AFFRONTI: WE NEED -- BOB, HOW CAN WE BE ASSURED THAT THIS WILL BE LOOKED AT RATHER QUICKLY? >>BOB HUNTER: RATHER QUICKLY, I WOULD SAY WITHIN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS. WE'LL BE COMING BACK TO YOU FOR PARTICIPATION IN THAT 2050 STUDY. I'M SURE SOMEONE AT THIS DAIS WILL SUGGEST WE LOOK AT IT. IF NOT, I'M SURE FDOT WILL. IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION -- >>JOE AFFRONTI: I WILL, YES. >>BOB HUNTER: OKAY. I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO ALL OF THE AGENCIES INVOLVED IN LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION ON THIS. I'M SURE SOMEBODY WILL RAISE THE ISSUE AGAIN AS TO HOW TO - - THE MOBILITY. I ALSO THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE LAND USE ALSO, THOUGH, TOO. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YEAH. I AGREE WITH MR. SHARPE. I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE ASSURED THAT THIS WILL BE LOOKED AT QUICKLY RATHER THAN THE 2050 BECAUSE THAT'S A LONG WAY FROM NOW AND TO HOPE THAT SOMEBODY WILL BRING THIS UP WHEN YOU MEET WITH YOUR VARIOUS GROUPS I DON'T THINK IS ADEQUATE. I THINK WE NEED TO BE ASSURED THAT THIS WILL BE LOOKED AT RATHER SOON. I THINK MARY -- MARY, YOU HAD A -- >>MARK SHARPE: I'M GOING TO MAKE A MOTION. MY MOTION WILL THEN INCLUDE, THOUGH, THAT WE DO ANALYZE -- WITHOUT IT BEING TIED TO THIS PARTICULAR BYPASS -- CORRIDORS TO MOVE TRAFFIC NORTH AND SOUTH. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. DIPPING DING THAT'S PART OF MY SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: AND EAST-WEST. PART OF THE DISCUSSION. WAIT, MARY RAISED -- >> THERE'S A MOTION ON THE FLOOR. MR. SHARPE IS MAKING A SECOND MOTION. >>JOE AFFRONTI: NOW WE'RE GOING INTO DISCUSSION. >>ROSE FERLITA: HE CLARIFIED HIS MOTION. >> [INAUDIBLE] WE NOW HAVE TWO MOTIONS. >>MARK SHARPE: NO, IT'S A -- IT'S AN ADDITION -- WELL, MY MOTION -- THEN LET ME CLARIFY MY MOTION. MY MOTION IS THAT WE REMOVE THE BRANDON BYPASS FROM THIS MAP BUT THAT WE ALL -- WE ALSO WITHIN THE NEXT 12 MONTHS BEGIN TO ANALYZE THESE MOBILITY, NORTH-SOUTH AND EAST-WEST. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. THAT'S THE MOTION. NOW, DO WE HAVE A SECOND? >>JOHN DINGFELDER: THAT WAS MY SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. WE HAVE A SECOND. NOW DISCUSSION. MARY, YOU RAISED YOUR HAND EARLY ON. >>MARY MULHERN: YEAH. I JUST WANTED TO REASSURE COMMISSIONER SHARPE THAT I DON'T THINK WE'RE EVER GOING TO FORGET ABOUT ROADS AND EXPRESSWAYS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND ALSO TO SAY THAT, WE CANNOT SEPARATE LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION, AND TRANSPORTATION HAS TO BE LOOKED AT ON A MULTIMODAL BASIS, AND I BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT TBARTA IS STARTING TO DO, SO WE NOW HAVE THIS REGIONAL ASSOCIATION THAT'S GOING TO BE LOOKING AT MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION, WHICH IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO, AND I THINK BECAUSE THIS -- I DON'T THINK YOU WANT TO SAY "GREEN SWATH" BECAUSE IT HAS A BAD CONNOTATION, BUT IT -- BECAUSE IT WAS TWO MILES WIDE, THAT IS WHAT BROUGHT UP THE LAND USE PROBLEMS. NOW, THE LAND USE QUESTIONS THAT ALL THESE CONSTITUENTS HAD -- AND THERE ARE QUESTIONS -- WAS BECAUSE THIS TRANSPORTATION CORRIDOR WAS GOING TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN OUT THERE, AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY GOING TO CREATE SPRAWL, SO THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN JUST LOOK AT IT. YOU CAN'T LOOK AT IT IN A VACUUM, BUT I THINK BETWEEN FDOT, TBARTA, THE COUNTY COMMISSION, THE PLANNING COMMISSION, THE MPO, NO ONE'S GOING TO FORGET TO LOOK AT ROADS. WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS NOT FORGET TO LOOK AT THE FACT THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT LAND USE AT THE SAME TIME, AND AT LEAST IN THE CITY, WORKING ON OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO, AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO CREATE MORE URBAN DENSITY AND PUT THE NEW DEVELOPMENT, THE NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THE NEW JOB CENTERS IN THE AREAS WHERE WE HAVE THE CAPACITY AND WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BE BUILDING THE CAPACITY, SO I THINK THAT WE JUST NEED TO THINK -- IT'S A GOOD THING THAT WE'RE HAVING THIS DISCUSSION BECAUSE I WANT THAT TO BE PUT IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF A MULTIMODAL STUDY AND A LAND USE STUDY. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, MS. MULHERN. >> MR. MAYOR. >>JOE AFFRONTI: ROSE FERLITA, THEN WE'LL GET TO YOU NEXT. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. YOU KNOW, MS. MULHERN, I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT, AND I THINK WE'RE ALL SAYING THE SAME THING AND WE'RE ALL FRUSTRATED OVER THE SAME THING. OBVIOUSLY FDOT NEEDS SOMETHING ON THE BOOK TO LOOK AT A REGIONAL PLAN AND FOCUS FROM NORTH TO SOUTH TO HILLSBOROUGH TO POLK, BUT THIS WHOLE PROCESS HAS BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE FOR ME, AS I SAT AND LISTENED TO BOTH STAFF AND TO SOME OF THE VERY CONSTITUENTS THAT ARE OUT THERE, IT WAS, IN FACT, THROWN OUT THERE, MARY, AND SO THAT WAS THE PROBLEM WITH THE BAD CONNOTATION. IT IS A BAD CONNOTATION BECAUSE THE PROCESS WASN'T THOUGHTFUL BY DESIGN. WHAT IT DID WAS ABSOLUTELY ERODE PUBLIC CONFIDENCE. WHEN I HAD THE SAME RESIDENTS THAT ARE SHAKING THEIR HEAD YES IN MY OFFICE BECAUSE I WANTED SOME CLARIFICATION FROM OUR STAFF AND OUR STAFF IS TELLING THEM NO, DON'T WORRY, IT'S NOT EVEN IN THE MAKING AT THIS POINT, THEN THAT VERY - - THAT VERY GROUP FINDS OUT THAT TWO DAYS OR FOUR DAYS -- I FORGET WHAT IT WAS -- BEFORE OUR MEETING THE VERY PERSON ON OUR STAFF THAT SAID DON'T WORRY, IT'S NOT EVEN IN CONCEPT YET, WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE POINT PERSON ON ONE OF OUR WEB SITES. YOU TALK ABOUT EROSION OF PUBLIC CONFIDENCE? YOU BET. YOU BET. SO ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT WE DON'T NEED TO LOOK AT A REGIONAL ATTITUDE ABOUT TRANSPORTATION NEEDS AND -- AND MULTIMODAL AND WHERE THE LAND USE COMPLEMENTS WHAT WE WANT TO DO IN TERMS OF TRANSPORTATION, MAYOR LOTT AND I HAD A VERY PRODUCTIVE CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT, THAT'S ALL FINE, BUT YOU JUST DON'T SLAP SOMETHING OUT THERE AND SAY, OKAY, THIS IS WHAT IT IS, IT WON'T INCLUDE ANY KIND OF A METHODICAL PROCESS, IT WASN'T THOUGHTFUL BY DESIGN, AND PEOPLE JUST DIDN'T TRUST WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO PRESENT. SO ALTHOUGH WE'RE NOT DENYING THE NEED FOR GROWTH, IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, BUT IT HAS TO BE THOUGHTFUL PLACEMENT BY THE PEOPLE THAT REPRESENT THESE COMMUNITIES AND THE NEED IS THERE. WE JUST -- IF YOU HAVE A BAD PLAN, YOU GET IT OUT OF THE WAY AND YOU START AGAIN. DON'T CONTINUE TO TRY TO RECONFIGURE IT AND BAND-AID IT BECAUSE WHAT WAS THERE OBVIOUSLY WERE ISSUES OF LACK OF CONFIDENCE AND ALSO BAD PLACEMENT SO THAT SPRAWL WAS GOING TO BE ENCOURAGED, NOT ACCOMMODATION OF GROWTH, SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE FORGOT ABOUT, AND I THINK WHAT MR. HUNTER SAID WAS TRUE, WE'LL LOOK AT IT AGAIN, BUT LET'S JUST BE A LITTLE BIT MORE CLEAR ON WHAT WE THINK THE NEEDS ARE INSTEAD OF PUTTING SOMETHING OUT THERE AND UPSETTING PEOPLE OVER A REASON THAT SHOULDN'T EVEN BE THERE. THAT'S MY FRUSTRATION. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, MS. FERLITA. MAYOR LOTT. >>RICK LOTT: OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A TOPIC HERE TODAY WITH A LOT OF PASSION IN THE ROOM, SO I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING THAT COMMISSIONER FERLITA SAYS. I JUST WANT TO ADD, THOUGH, THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS IS NEEDED TO HANDLE TODAY'S -- OUR FUTURE GROWTH. IT'S NOT FUTURE GROWTH. IF YOU LOOK AT I-75 AND I-4 ALL ALONG HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THESE ARE FAILED HIGHWAYS TODAY. WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT FUTURE GROWTH, THEY'RE FAILED TODAY. PLANT CITY, ALL FOUR EXITS, THERE'S A -- I-4 IS A FAILED INTERSTATE THROUGH OUR SYSTEM RIGHT THERE. I KNOW 60 AND 75 -- I DON'T KNOW FOR A FACT, BUT IF THE FOUR EXITS IN PLANT CITY ARE A FAILED HIGHWAY ON I-4, THAT HAS TO BE A FAILED HIGHWAY. 75 AND I-4 HAS TO BE A FAILED HIGHWAY. BRUCE B. DOWNS AND 75. SO, I MEAN, ALL ALONG HERE, WE HAVE AN INTERSTATE SYSTEM THAT BY THE NUMBERS ARE CALLED AN "F," OKAY, A FAILED HIGHWAY, SO WHEN I LOOK AT CORRIDORS AND SO FORTH, I'M NOT SO -- IT'S OBVIOUSLY ONE ISSUE IS FUTURE GROWTH AND HOW THAT GROWTH WOULD BE APPLIED, BUT IT ALSO HAS TO TAKE AND TAKE A FAILED INTERSTATE SYSTEM IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND MOVE IT TO AN ACCEPTABLE LEVEL OF SERVICE, SO MY MENTIONING OF THIS IS SIMPLY FROM A STANDPOINT OF SENSE OF URGENCY. I KNOW, COMMISSIONER SHARPE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 12 MONTHS OUT. I HOPE IT'S NOT LONGER THAN 12 MONTHS OUT THAT WE COME BACK WITH SOME TYPE OF PLAN BECAUSE AS I'VE NOTICED, IT'S VERY EASY FOR SOMETHING TO BE 12 MONTHS, THEN ANOTHER 12 MONTHS, ANOTHER 12 MONTHS, AND WHAT IT REMINDS ME OF IS THE SELMON EXPRESSWAY. I REMEMBER ORIGINALLY THAT WAS GOING TO GO AND CONNECT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO 60 AND DOVER ROAD, AND THEN BECAUSE WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT GROWTH AND SPRAWL AND EVERYTHING, WE SHORTENED THE HIGHWAY UP, AND WE DIDN'T WANT TO BYPASS BUSINESSES ON 60, AND I WOULD THINK MOST CITIZENS THAT LIVE IN BRANDON TODAY WISH THAT THE SELMON EXPRESSWAY WENT DOWN TO 60 AND DOVER ROAD OR SOMEWHERE AROUND THAT AREA TO TAKE CARE OF TRAFFIC BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE DIDN'T WANT THAT -- YOU KNOW, THAT SPRAWL TO OCCUR, IT DID OCCUR, SO I THINK TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE HERE. WE CAN'T WAIT UNTIL 2050. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. SCOTT. >>THOMAS SCOTT: WELL, I GUESS THAT'S MY QUESTION. TWOFOLD. ONE IS TO THE SECRETARY, HOW DOES THAT SATISFY YOU WHEN WE SAY THAT WE'RE REMOVING THIS BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER AND COMING BACK AND LOOKING AT IT IN 12 MONTHS? THAT'S NUMBER ONE. NUMBER TWO IS WHO IS GOING TO TAKE THE LEAD ON IT? IS IT TBARTA, IS IT THIS MPO, OR WHO IS GOING TO LEAD ALL THESE CORRIDORS AND TRANSPORTATION ISSUES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT? >>DON SKELTON: LET ME MAKE A COUPLE OF POINTS TO YOUR QUESTION. THERE CONTINUES TO BE A LOT OF COMMENT ABOUT D.O.T. WILL TAKE THE LEAD ON THIS, AND I TRIED TO EXPLAIN WHAT D.O.T. WAS LOOKING AT IN THEIR NEW CORRIDOR A COUPLE YEARS AGO THAT NOW WE'VE -- WE'VE KIND OF PUT ON A BACK BURNER FOR RIGHT NOW. THIS MPO HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DEVELOPING, ANALYZING, AND PRODUCING A NEEDS PLAN. THIS, I WOULD THINK, NEEDS TO BE PART OF THAT ANALYSIS. IS IT NEEDED OR IS IT NOT NEEDED? THEN YOU CAN IDENTIFY WHO'S THE APPROPRIATE ONE TO DO THE STUDIES. THE COUNTY HAS TO BE A MAJOR PLAYER IN THIS. IT HAS TO BE. AND THEN IF THE COUNTY WANTS TO REQUEST THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY OR SOMEBODY TO LOOK AT IT, THAT CAN HAPPEN, BUT THERE'S GOT TO BE -- THERE'S GOT TO BE A MAJOR PLAYER. >>THOMAS SCOTT: SO, THEN, IN ESSENCE -- SO, THEN, IN ESSENCE, THEN, WHAT WE HAVE -- WE HAVE TO LOOK TO THE COUNTY COMMISSION THE WAY IT SOUNDS IN TERMS OF WHETHER THIS IS NEEDED OR NOT, AND THEN FROM THERE, I GUESS, THE MPO DETERMINES, I GUESS -- >>JOE AFFRONTI: HOW IT'LL BE DONE. >>THOMAS SCOTT: -- HOW IT'LL BE DONE AND OUR INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION IS WHAT I'M HEARING. I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, THOUGH. I THINK COMMISSIONER SHARPE RAISED A VERY VALID -- WELL, MOST OF THOSE WHO'VE SPOKEN -- A VERY VALID POINT. YOU CAN'T WAIT SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE, SOME 2012. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE REALLY IMMEDIATELY, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY NOW THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MULTIMODAL AND -- YOU KNOW, AND ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING WITH TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE PUT OFF. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. MR. DINGFELDER. THEN I'LL -- >>JOHN DINGFELDER: I THINK THAT -- THE SECRETARY SPOKE ABOUT NEEDS, AND I THINK WE REALLY HAVE TO ANALYZE WHAT THE NEED -- WHAT THE NEED IS THAT WE'RE ADDRESSING. AND IT'S CURIOUS THAT THIS THING HAS BEEN TERMED THE BRANDON BYPASS BECAUSE I THINK -- I REALLY LIKED WHAT I HEARD EARLIER, WHICH -- AND I THINK COMMISSIONER SHARPE SAID IT, THE SECRETARY SAID IT, WHICH IS THAT THE NEED IS TO GET THAT TRAFFIC BACK AND FORTH FROM I-4 COMING FROM ORLANDO AND GET IT DOWN TOWARD MANATEE AND SARASOTA TO BYPASS HILLSBOROUGH, OKAY. AND I -- AND I THINK THAT'S -- THAT'S THE CRITICAL PART OF THIS IS THAT WE NEED TO BYPASS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THE CONCERN I HAVE -- AND THEREFORE, IN MY OPINION, THERE PROBABLY SHOULD BE SOME KIND OF SWATH FURTHER EAST, OKAY, MAYBE NOT EVEN IN THIS COUNTY, THAT DOES EXACTLY THAT, THAT BYPASSES HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. THE PROBLEM THAT I SEE WITH THIS, QUOTE, BRANDON BYPASS IS THAT THE WAY THAT IT'S SUCKED RIGHT INTO THE EDGE OF OUR EXISTING SPRAWL, THERE'S NO DOUBT -- AND I'VE SEEN IT IN OTHER COMMUNITIES, YOU SEE IT OUT IN ORLANDO AND ELSEWHERE -- THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THE MINUTE YOU PUT IN THAT ROAD, THEN THE NEXT COMMISSION, THE NEXT COUNTY COMMISSION THAT COMES ALONG, WILL EXPAND THE URBAN SERVICE AREA BECAUSE IT JUST MAKES SENSE, BECAUSE NOW YOU -- [APPLAUSE] -- >>JOE AFFRONTI: PLEASE. THANK YOU. >>JOHN DINGFELDER: -- BECAUSE NOW YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL ROAD THAT ACCOMMODATES ALL THAT ADDITIONAL GROWTH, AND THEN THE URBAN SERVICE AREA WILL NOT EXIST AND IT WILL JUST KEEP GOING, AND MARK, I'M NOT SPEAKING TO YOU BECAUSE I KNOW YOU WOULDN'T DO IT, BUT WE CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE NEXT COUNTY COMMISSION BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THEIR THOUGHT PROCESS IS, BUT I THINK HISTORY JUST SPEAKS FOR ITSELF AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT WHEN YOU PUT IN THIS KIND OF ROAD, IMMEDIATELY EXCEPT FOR ONE EXCEPTION, WHICH I THINK IS PORTLAND, WHERE THEY MADE A ROAD LIKE THAT, THEY SAID THAT'S AS FAR AS WE'RE GOING TO GO -- BUT I THINK OTHER EXAMPLES SPEAK TO WHAT I SAID, BUT ANYWAY, SO I AM THRILLED, AND I WOULD ACTUALLY LOVE TO SEE THE SECRETARY BRING US SOME OF THOSE ORIGINAL PLANS. EVEN THOUGH IT MIGHT NOT BE A PRIORITY FOR THE DEPARTMENT RIGHT NOW -- AND I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT SHOW US SOME OF THOSE ORIGINAL PLANS OF THOSE CORRIDORS AND HOW THEY WORKED, AND THEN THAT WAY EVERYBODY WOULD HAVE MORE OF A -- YOU KNOW, A COMFORT LEVEL THAT THE ISSUE WILL BE ADDRESSED, THE ISSUE WILL BE ADDRESSED, IT JUST MIGHT NOT BE ADDRESSED IN THIS PATH, IT WILL BE ADDRESSED ELSEWHERE, BUT IT WILL HAVE -- AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT WILL HAVE THE SAME FUNCTION, WHICH IS TO GET THAT TRAFFIC OUT OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND BYPASS IT AROUND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. MR. WAGGONER, YOU HAD A -- >>JOSEPH WAGGONER: YES. I'D LIKE TO ECHO SECRETARY SKELTON'S POINT THAT AS AN IMPLEMENTING AGENCY, WE SHOULD TAKE THE LEAD, AND I COUNT MYSELF AS AN IMPLEMENTING AGENCY FROM THE REGIONAL LEVEL FROM THE LOCAL ELECTED LEADERS AND THE LOCAL JURISDICTIONS WHO CONTROL THE LAND USE PLANS, SO I KNOW RIGHT NOW THIS ISSUE IS IN FRONT OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS GOING THROUGH A PLANNING PROCESS, AND I HOPE THAT -- I LOOK FORWARD TO GETTING DIRECTION FROM THAT PROCESS WHEN IT'S COMPLETED. I BELIEVE THE MOTION AS PUT FORTH AND AMENDED BY COMMISSIONER SHARPE AND COUNCILMAN DINGFELDER STARTS TO SPEAK TO THAT. I THINK THE CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE ACTUALLY SAID IT VERY WELL IN THEIR REVIEW OF WHAT THEY THOUGHT SHOULD BE DONE. IN SOMEWHAT RECOGNITION OF THE HISTORY OF THEA PERHAPS GOING OUT OF TURN IN A PREVIOUS EFFORT BUT MORE IN RECOGNITION THAT I THINK WE SHOULD TAKE OUR LEADERS -- WE SHOULD TAKE OUR CUES FROM LOCAL ELECTED LEADERS IN THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE. I'M NOT GOING TO VOTE ON THIS ITEM, BUT I THINK WE CAN'T HIGHLIGHT ENOUGH HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO ADDRESS IT IN A MULTIMODAL WAY, SIMPLE NUMBERS, AND I JUST DID SOME MATH. IF YOU JUST ASSUME A VERY, VERY CONSERVATIVE GROWTH RATE OF 2% -- A GROWTH RATE OF 2%, IN 20 YEARS, YOU'LL HAVE 50% MORE OF WHATEVER IT IS OUT THERE THAN YOU HAVE TODAY. IF YOUR GROWTH RATE CLIMBS TO 3%, YOU'RE UP 119%, SO YOU'VE DOUBLED THE TRIP DEMANDS THAT ARE OUT THERE. YOU GO OUT TO THE 20 -- YOU GO OUT TO THE 2050 TIME FRAME, THEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT A 2% GROWTH RATE, YOU'RE AT 100%, 120% GREATER THAN YOU HAVE TODAY, AND IF IT'S 3%, YOU'RE 500%, FIVE TIMES THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC DEMAND YOU HAVE OUT THERE TODAY, SO THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE OF MY STATEMENT. I SEE A NEED AS AN IMPLEMENTING AGENCY. I AGREE WITH SECRETARY SKELTON ABOUT THE -- THOSE WHO CONTROL THE LAND USE PLANS AND -- YOU NEST THESE THINGS. THEY BUILD FROM THE BOTTOM UP ON A BASE, AND THAT'S THE GUIDANCE I THINK I'M LOOKING FOR. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES, MR. SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: WHAT I'M GOING TO ASK FOR, THOUGH, NOT AT THIS POINT, WE ALREADY HAVE A MOTION, BUT MR. HUNTER, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES. WE HAVE TO HAVE THE VISION -- THE GRAND VISION ON HOW WE'RE GOING TO LIVE, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO LIVE, AND PUT OUR COMMUNITIES. THAT ALSO WILL HAVE A TRANSPORTATION PLAN THAT THEY CAN DOVETAIL. WE'VE GOT AN MPO TRANSIT PLAN THAT'S BEING -- THAT IS BEING PRESENTED TO THE PUBLIC. YOU'RE GETTING READY TO DO AN ANALYSIS OUT TO 2050 WITH REGARD TO -- WHAT IS THIS? -- YOUR 2050 PLAN THAT WILL LOOK AT LAND USE. >>BOB HUNTER: IT WILL LOOK AT LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION. TRANSPORTATION IS AN ELEMENT OF YOUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. >>MARK SHARPE: SO IF WE CAN FIGURE OUT A WAY TO GET THE TECHNICAL EXPERTS AND BRILLIANT STAFF PERSONNEL TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN MERGE IT ALL, WHICH IS THE LAND USE, THE TRANSPORTATION, LOOKING AT OUR IMMEDIATE EXISTING NEEDS AS WELL AS OUR LONG-TERM TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, I THINK WE CAN DO WHAT WE'VE SET OUT TO DO, WHICH IS TO ADDRESS OUR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS WITHOUT EXACERBATING THE PROBLEM BY PROMOTING MORE SPRAWL. WE'RE NOT TRYING TO DO THAT. WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IS ADDRESS AN IMMEDIATE TRANSPORTATION ISSUE AS WELL AS OUR LONG-TERM TRANSPORTATION ISSUE, BUT I WILL BE BRINGING TO THE BOARD AND THEN BACK TO THIS BODY WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS SOME -- NOT RECOMMENDATIONS BUT REQUESTS FOR STAFF, PROFESSIONAL STAFF -- THAT WAS THE OTHER THING. I DON'T WANT PEOPLE -- I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE PUSHED BY ANYBODY THAT HAS A -- YOU KNOW, THEIR OWN LITTLE OBJECTIVE NECESSARILY, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE NEED TO HAVE STAFF AND THOSE WHO ARE TRAINED TO DO THIS LOOKING AT OUR TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE NEEDS AND MARRYING THEM. I THINK WE CAN DO THAT, AND I THINK THAT WAY WE CAN GIVE CONFIDENCE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE -- BE PREPARED OUT TO 2025, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE PREPARED TO DO THAT. >>BOB HUNTER: YES, WE ARE. WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW ON IT. WE'RE -- TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, WE'VE LOOKED TO THE COUNTY ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT, WHICH WASN'T THERE. MAYBE IT MIGHT BE THERE THIS TIME TO HELP US MOVE IT ALONG. THANK YOU. >>MARK SHARPE: I'LL SUPPORT THE FINANCIAL. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. WE HAD BRIAN BLAIR. BRIAN. >>BRIAN BLAIR: FIRST OFF, BOB, LET ME FINISH ON YOUR COMMENT THERE. WHEN YOU SAID YOU LOOKED TO THE COUNTY FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT, WHICH -- WHERE WAS THAT AT THAT YOU DIDN'T GET? >>BOB HUNTER: COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. >>BRIAN BLAIR: FOR -- ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT -- >>BOB HUNTER: HELPING THE PLANNING COMMISSION FUND THE VISION 2050. >>BRIAN BLAIR: PLAN? >>BOB HUNTER: YES, SIR. >>BRIAN BLAIR: I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE YOU WEREN'T TALKING ABOUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE ITSELF. >>BOB HUNTER: NO, SIR. NO. >>BRIAN BLAIR: OKAY. AND THEN I -- I JUST KIND OF GOT HERE, AND I KNOW THIS IS KIND OF A HOT BUTTON, THE BRANDON BYPASS, WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE, AND I UNDERSTAND THEIR CONCERNS. MANY OF THEM ARE HERE RIGHT NOW, AND I HAD MENTIONED AT OUR LAST COMMISSION MEETING WHEN -- OR LAND USE MEETING WHEN THIS WAS BROUGHT UP THAT -- SEVERAL PEOPLE CAME UP HERE. I HAD GONE TO A MEETING WITH 35 PEOPLE IN ATTENDANCE THAT SAID THAT THIS HAD ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED, AND THEY WERE REALLY UPSET THAT IT WAS BEING TAKEN OFF THE MAP. MARK, YOU REMEMBER THAT DISCUSSION, AND I'M SURE COMMISSIONER FERLITA DOES AS WELL. >>ROSE FERLITA: I DON'T -- I REMEMBER PEOPLE BEING UPSET THAT IT WAS NOT TAKEN OFF. >>BRIAN BLAIR: SOME THAT WERE -- >>ROSE FERLITA: MAYBE WE WERE AT DIFFERENT MEETINGS, COMMISSIONER. >>BRIAN BLAIR: WE HAD BOTH, BUT AS MARK STARTED TO SAY -- WE HAD BOTH. WE HAD THOSE THAT DIDN'T WANT IT ON THERE BECAUSE OF THE FEAR OF SPRAWL, BUT WHAT IS THE -- WHAT IS THE PLAN RIGHT NOW TO TAKE THE -- TO ALLEVIATE THE HORRIBLE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS IN THAT AREA? >>JOE AFFRONTI: I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR. >>BRIAN BLAIR: THAT'S -- >>MARK SHARPE: BEFORE YOU CAME OUT, BRIAN -- >>BRIAN BLAIR: I MISSED THAT. THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING -- >>MARK SHARPE: WE MADE A MOTION TO TAKE IT OFF SO THAT WE COULD CLEAN UP THE PROCESS BUT ALSO THAT WE WOULD LOOK AT AND BEGIN TO STUDY THAT VERY NEED BUT DO IT IN A PROFESSIONAL WAY WITH STAFF -- START OVER WITH NO PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS ABOUT WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO, WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE, START OVER AND LET STAFF TRAINED TO DO IT EVALUATE AND BRING THE COMMUNITY AND GET THEM INVOLVED. WE'VE GOT MANY EXPERTS THAT CAN HELP US WITH THAT. >>BRIAN BLAIR: OKAY. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING, BRIAN. >>BRIAN BLAIR: THAT'S FINE. THAT'S FINE. BOB, CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION -- ANOTHER QUESTION? WE -- WHEN WE RELY ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE MPO AND OUR PGM STAFF, HOW DO WE THEN WIND UP WITH THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE NOW IN THE BRANDON AREAS? BECAUSE WE GO BY YOUR COMP PLAN, AND WE'VE ONLY APPROVED, WHAT, 87%, I BELIEVE, OR -- OF WHAT YOU'VE RECOMMENDED US TO APPROVE. >>BOB HUNTER: I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE PERCENTAGE. IT'S PROBABLY ABOUT 95% OF WHAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS RECOMMENDED. >>BRIAN BLAIR: EVEN IF IT'S 1% LESS -- >>BOB HUNTER: TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I GUESS MOST DIRECTLY, IT'S THE COUNTY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. WE'VE RECOMMENDED IT TO YOU. THE PROBLEM IS THE LACK OF FUNDING FOR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS, STRAIGHT OUT. TRANSPORTATION IS NOT BEING FUND ADEQUATELY AND HASN'T BEEN FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS TO ACCOMMODATE THE GROWTH THAT'S BEEN APPROVED. >>BRIAN BLAIR: YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY THAT'S WHY WE HAVE CONCURRENCY AND THINGS LIKE THAT NOW, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE BACK THEN -- WELL, WHAT SMART GROWTH IS IS MAKING SURE INFRASTRUCTURE IS IN PLACE BEFORE GROWTH TAKES PLACE, AND ONE OF THE THINGS I HATE WORSE IS -- ONE -- EMINENT DOMAIN JUST REALLY BOTHERS ME. YOU KNOW, IF YOU'VE GOT SOMEBODY -- I KNOW A PERSON RIGHT NOW THAT'S STILL CRUSHED OVER IT BECAUSE OF THE CROSSTOWN, AND SO MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINED ABOUT THAT, BUT WHAT WOULD WE DO WITHOUT IT RIGHT NOW, AND WE GET BLAMED AS A COUNTY COMMISSION BODY SOMETIMES FOR THE -- FOR THE TRANSPORTATION PROBLEMS, BUT WE'VE GOT A PLANNING COMMISSION AND AN MPO -- AND THIS ISN'T A BLAME GAME, THIS IS ASKING WHERE DID WE GO WRONG, AND YOU'RE SAYING IT WAS THE FUNDING OF THE ROADS. DID YOU PLAN THOSE ROADS THAT WERE TO BE FUNDED OR DID -- WERE YOU IN ON THE PLANNING OF THE ROADS? >>BOB HUNTER: YES, SIR, WE HAVE BEEN. LET ME ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. >>BRIAN BLAIR: WHAT ROADS WERE NOT FUNDED IN BRANDON, IN THAT AREA? >>BOB HUNTER: THE COUNTY STAFF HAS A BACKLOG OF $3.2 BILLION WORTH OF NEEDS THAT HAS GONE UNFUNDED FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS, AND EVERY TIME YOU APPROVE OF A PROJECT, IT'S NOT FUNDED ADEQUATELY TO HANDLE THE TRAFFIC. I'M NOT BLAMING THE COUNTY COMMISSION. YOU JUST DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING RESOURCES TO APPROVE OF THE GROWTH THAT YOU'VE BEEN APPROVING. >>BRIAN BLAIR: OKAY. THEN I'M GOING BACK TO YOU TO SAY YOU'VE RECOMMENDED -- >>BOB HUNTER: WE'VE RECOMMENDED THE PROJECT BE APPROVED OR THE PLAN BE AMENDED, BUT IF YOU'LL GO BACK AND LOOK AT OUR PREVIOUS STAFF REPORTS, WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT THERE'S A LACK OF FUNDING AND CAPACITY IN AN IDENTIFIED PROJECT THAT NEEDS TO BE APPROVED. THAT PROJECT ESSENTIALLY GETS ADDED TO YOUR NEEDS LIST. WHEN YOU APPROVE A PROJECT, IT GETS ADDED TO THE COUNTY'S NEEDS LIST. JUST LIKE HAD BEEN MENTIONED HERE AT THE MPO, YOU APPROVE OF A WORK PROGRAM THAT HAS ROADS FUNDED FROM VARIOUS FUNDING SOURCES, THEN YOU HAVE A NEEDS LIST OVER HERE FROM ALL FOUR GOVERNMENTS, AND THAT NEEDS LIST -- PART OF THAT IS THE COUNTY'S NEEDS LIST OF UNFUNDED NEEDS BASED UPON THE GROWTH THAT'S BEEN APPROVED. IT'S A FUNDING ISSUE, REALLY, THAT GETS WORSE. >>BRIAN BLAIR: NO DOUBT. >>BOB HUNTER: OKAY. I'M SORRY. THAT'S MY DIRECT ANSWER TO IT. >>BRIAN BLAIR: OKAY. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. THANK YOU. BEFORE WE HEAR -- >>BRIAN BLAIR: COMMISSIONER SHARPE, TOO. EXCUSE ME, MR. CHAIR. >>JOE AFFRONTI: BEFORE WE HEAR FROM THOSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WANT TO SPEAK TO THE BOARD, I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT THE MOTION ON THE FLOOR IS THAT WE REMOVE THE CURRENT BYPASS AS SHOWN ON THE MAP WITH THE STIPULATION THAT WITHIN 12 MONTHS WE'LL HAVE A PLAN FOR RELIEVING THE EXCESSIVE TRAFFIC IN THE SOUTHERN AREA. THAT'S HOW I UNDERSTAND THE MOTION. OKAY. SO WITH THAT, WE HAVE TEN PEOPLE THAT HAVE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TO THIS ISSUE, SO BEFORE WE VOTE -- YES, MARY. >>MARY MULHERN: I JUST WANTED TO -- HOPEFULLY THIS WON'T CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION, BUT I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT IN THE REPORT FROM THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, WHAT THEY HAD RECOMMENDED WAS A GREATER VISION PLAN THAT INCLUDES LAND USE FOR 2050, SO THEY -- THEY WANTED THIS TO BE IN THE 2050 PLAN. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. OKAY. FOR THOSE THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, I'LL READ YOUR NAME, AND IF YOU STILL WANT TO SPEAK, EVEN REGARDLESS OF THE MOTION THAT'S ON THE FLOOR -- WE HAD OVER 50 E-MAILS AS WELL, SO WE'VE BEEN PRETTY WELL EDUCATED ON YOUR FEELINGS, BUT WITH THAT, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK VIVIAN BACCA -- VIVIAN BACCA. >>LUCIE AYER: I THINK THEY WANT TO SPEAK. >>JOE AFFRONTI: I GUESS SO. >> VIVIAN BACCA, 413 EL GRECO DRIVE IN BRANDON. I DID HAVE SOME THINGS THAT I WANTED TO SAY, AND I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS DISCUSSION, AND IT'S ACTUALLY CAUSED ME TO THINK OF SOME MORE THINGS, AND ONE OF THE PROBLEMS HERE IS WE'RE ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT ROADS, AND I KNOW COUNCILMAN MULHERN TALKED ABOUT -- YOU KNOW, TALKING ABOUT MULTIMODAL ISSUES OF TRANSPORTATION AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VISIONINGS FOR THE FUTURE, AND WE -- 15 YEARS AGO WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT THE INTERNET WOULD BE THE FORCE IT IS IN OUR ECONOMY TODAY? LOOK AT HOW IT HAS CHANGED OUR LIFE. WHO IS TO SAY THAT IN THE NEXT 15 YEARS SOMETHING ELSE WON'T EVOLVE IN THE TRANSPORTATION REALM TO GET PEOPLE -- MAYBE THEY DON'T EVEN NEED TO LEAVE THEIR HOMES TO GO TO WORK. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO LOOK IN THE FUTURE AND NOT ASSUME IT WILL STAY THE SAME AS THE PRESENT, SO PART OF THE WHOLE ISSUE IS HOW DO WE DO THAT? AND IF WE JUST SAY, WELL, OKAY, WE'RE ONLY GOING TO FOCUS ON ROADS AND MOVING PEOPLE THE WAY THEY ARE NOW, WHAT ABOUT EDUCATION? WHAT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OTHER THINGS? THAT'S THE ONE THING. THE OTHER THING IS WHEN YOU HAVE A TWO-MILE-WIDE PRESERVATION CORRIDOR, YOU HAVE ESSENTIALLY PUT THE THREAT OF EMINENT DOMAIN ON EVERY SINGLE PROPERTY THAT IS IN THAT CORRIDOR. IF YOU'RE GOING TO DO THAT, IF YOU'RE PREPARED TO DO THAT, THEN YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED TO GIVE THEM A PROPERTY TAX DISCOUNT. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. DENISE LAYNE. >> DENISE LAYNE, AGAIN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF COALITION FOR RESPONSIBLE GROWTH. I'VE BEEN PART OF THE STATE CORRIDOR STUDY. THERE'S CORRIDORS EVERYWHERE. POLK COUNTY IS TRYING TO LOOK AT A HEARTLAND. YOU'VE HEARD THAT, THE HEARTLAND ROAD. THEY'RE DIRECTLY TYING THAT ROAD TO LAND USE, LIMITED ACCESS, THAT TYPE OF THING. THEY'RE LOOKING AT IT HOLISTICALLY. I SUPPORT THE MOTION YOU'RE MAKING. I WOULD LIKE YOU ALL TO GET RID OF THE WORDS "BYPASS" AND "BELTWAY" BECAUSE THAT ABSOLUTELY IS THE CONNOTATION OF GOING THROUGH THE ELAPP LANDS -- BOTH OF THOSE GO THROUGH ELAPP LANDS, SKIRT THE URBAN SERVICE AREA, DO NOT TIE TO LAND USE. YOU'RE CREATING AN ABSOLUTE MONSTER YOU DON'T NEED TO CREATE. NOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A REGIONAL LOOK AT THIS. WHAT THE HECK DID WE SET UP TBARTA FOR? AS AN MPO BOARD, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SAY TO TBARTA JUST LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE, NOT THAT YOU SUPPORT A SPECIFIC CORRIDOR OR YOU EVEN WANT ONE, BUT THAT HEARTLAND MIGHT BE THE SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEMS. YOU'VE GOT ANOTHER THING YOU'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT. BACK- ROOM DEALINGS IN TALLAHASSEE LAST YEAR CREATED A WHOLE LITTLE CSX RAILROAD BYPASS. GOOD GOD, D.O.T. HAS BEEN BUYING RIGHT-OF-WAY ALONG I-4 TO PUT A RAIL SYSTEM IN, DUH, IN ONE SWEET LITTLE DEAL BEHIND THE SCENES THAT JUST NOW IS COMING OUT. THAT'S NOT GOING ALONG I-4 ANYMORE. SO ALL THE WORK WE'VE DONE. AGAIN, TAKE A DEEP BREATH. TRANSPORTATION IN THIS COUNTY HAS ALWAYS GUIDED LAND USE, ALWAYS, 100%. THE REASON YOU'RE GRIDLOCKED ON 75, WE'RE USING OUR INTERSTATE AS A LOCAL ROAD GETTING FROM ONE MALL TO THE OTHER, FROM ONE THING TO THE OTHER. WE ARE NOT USING THEM AS MOVING PEOPLE OR PRODUCT. SO WE'RE FINDING OUT ABOUT CARS. STAY ON 75, GUYS. COME ON. THINK ABOUT IT. YOU GOT THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. DOUBLE-DECK 75, RAIL 75, BRT 75. YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE ACRONYMS ARE. I DON'T HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO YOU. BUS RAPID TRANSIT. GOOD GOD, COME ON, FOLKS. WE'RE NOT EVEN DOING THE BASICS, AND YOU WANT TO CRAM ANOTHER WHOLE ROAD IN THERE WITH NO LAND USE ATTACHMENT. DON'T. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET RID OF ANYTHING. PLEASE MAKE THE RECOMMENDATION. YOU HAVE SEATS ON THAT, ALL OF YOU DO, ON TBARTA. COLLECTIVELY LOOK AT THE BIG REGIONAL PICTURE, AND I MIGHT FIND OUT YOU DON'T NEED ANYTHING NEW. YOU COULD DOUBLE-DECK, YOU COULD DO A LOT OF THINGS, AND GET AWAY FROM CARS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: PLEASE WRAP IT UP. THANK YOU. >> I THOUGHT THAT WAS MY 30 SECONDS. I APOLOGIZE. THANK YOU. I THINK YOU GET THE DRIFT. BUT GET RID OF BELTWAY AND BYWAY, PLEASE DO THAT, AND LOOK AT THIS REALISTICALLY AND NOT AS ANY SPECIAL INTEREST THAT IT HAS BEEN. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. WE HAVE SEVEN MORE OR SIX MORE, I GUESS. IS THERE ANYONE -- WITH YOUR PERMISSION, THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK, IS THERE ANY ONE PERSON THAT COULD SPEAK FOR THE GROUP, JUST IN THE ESSENCE OF TRYING TO EXPEDITE THIS? IF NOT, WE'LL MOVE FORWARD. MARIELLA SMITH. >> HI. MARIELLA SMITH, AND AT YOUR LAST MEETING, I HANDED -- OR I SHOWED A MAP, AND AT THE POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING, I HANDED OUT A LETTER THAT WAS WRITTEN BY OUR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND CONSERVATION DEPARTMENT. THEY STRONGLY, STRENUOUSLY OBJECT TO THIS ALIGNMENT OF THIS BYPASS BECAUSE IT IMPACTS SO MANY OF OUR PRESERVES, I THINK ABOUT SEVEN OF THEM, AND IT WOULD UNDUE THE YEARS OF WORK THEY'VE SPENT ACQUIRING WITH THE TAXPAYER MONEY OUR PRESERVES AND TRYING TO CONNECT THEM IN CORRIDORS. AND IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF THEIR LETTER THEY NOTE THAT THESE NATURE PRESERVES THAT THE BYPASS WOULD IMPACT WERE ACQUIRED JOINTLY WITH STATE FUNDING, AND THEY'RE PROTECTED BY STATE ORDINANCES AS WELL AS LOCAL LAWS, AND SO -- PETER AWE ALUOTTO, PGM DIRECTOR, HAS SAID IN OUR PUBLIC HEARING WHERE THE COUNTY COMMISSION TOOK IT OFF THE MAP THAT THIS ALIGNMENT IS UNFEASIBLE. IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO BUILD THIS ROAD THROUGH ALL THESE ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LANDS. THE SWATH IS ALL WRONG, AND IT MAKES NO SENSE TO KEEP IT ON YOUR MAP FOR THE REASONS THAT YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT THE TWO- MILE-WIDE SWATH BEING USELESS FOR CORRIDOR PLANNING, BUT IT IS ALSO WRONG BECAUSE IT'S RIGHT NOW BEING USED AS AN ARGUMENT TO PROMOTE SPRAWL. THIS SWATH IS PROMOTING SPRAWL WITHOUT EVEN BEING BUILT. IT'S BEING USED BY THOSE WHO WANT TO EXPAND THE URBAN SERVICE AREA TO SAY, LOOK, SEE, WE HAVE PLANS FOR THIS ROAD HERE, WE'RE GOING TO END UP BUILDING HERE BEFORE IT'S EVEN -- BEFORE IT'S EVEN BUILT. AND WE'VE BEEN ACCUSED, US CITIZENS WHO HAVE BEEN FIGHTING THIS THING, OF NIMBYISM. I DON'T LIVE ANYWHERE NEAR THIS GREEN SWATH. I LIVE IN THE URBAN SERVICE AREA. I'M CONCERNED ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENTAL LANDS, BUT AS A TAXPAYER, I'M CONCERNED ABOUT SPRAWL BECAUSE WE CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP SPRAWLING OUT. IT'S TWO EXPENSIVE TO PROVIDE THAT INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEN TO DEAL WITH THE COMMUTER TRAFFIC COMING IN. SO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUSHING THIS PARTICULAR ALIGNMENT ARE THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD PROFIT FROM THE SPRAWL, AND THE REST OF US WOULD PAY FOR IT. WE NEED TO CONCENTRATE GROWTH IN OUR TRANSIT CORRIDORS, AND I AGREE WITH VIV THAT THERE'S NEW THINGS COMING, AND RIGHT NOW WE ALREADY KNOW OF NEW PLANS FOR NEW CORRIDORS BEING PROPOSED BY OTHER AGENCIES, SO THERE'S REASONS TO HOPE THAT MASS TRANSIT WILL HELP ALLEVIATE THE NEEDS THAT THIS BYPASS WAS MEANT TO ADDRESS. PLEASE TAKE THE SWATH OFF THE MAP, CONTINUE STUDYING THE NEED FOR NEW CORRIDORS IN LIGHT OF NEW -- NEW PLANS, AND AS YOU PLAN, PLEASE INCLUDE EVERYBODY AND PLAN ALSO TO PREVENT SPRAWL, PROTECT OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR AGRICULTURAL LAND, AS WELL AS OUR NATURAL RESOURCES AS WE GROW. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. GEORGE NIEMANN. >> GOOD MORNING. GEORGE NIEMANN, DOVER, FLORIDA. I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THIS GROUP AND ASK YOU TO PLEASE -- I AM ONE OF THE CITIZENS THAT ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT HAVING THIS DEPICTION ON THE MAP, AND WHAT I WOULD SAY TO YOU IS I'VE HEARD SOME ARGUMENTS TO SAY, WELL, IF WE TAKE THIS LINE OFF THE MAP, I GUESS NOBODY WILL STUDY IT. THAT IS ABSURD. THAT IDEA IS REALLY ABSURD TO SAY WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A MARKER ON THE MAP. WELL, I WOULD SAY TO YOU IF THAT'S YOUR PREMISE AND YOU SAY THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE A LINE DRAWN ON THE MAP, NO ONE'S GOING TO LOOK AT IT, THEN I WOULD SAY, LET'S PUT A LOT OF LINES ON THE MAP. HOW ABOUT MASS TRANSIT? HOW ABOUT A SUBURBAN RAILROAD? IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES TO HAVE IT STUDIED, THEN I WOULD SAY BEFORE YOU APPROVE THIS MAP, LET'S PUT A LINE WITH THE RAILROAD TIES UNDER IT BECAUSE IF THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE TO GET YOU TO LOOK AT IT -- WE KNOW THAT THAT'S NOT SO. WE KNOW THAT IT'S A TOTAL MOBILITY PICTURE, AND WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT -- HOPEFULLY WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT RAIL MOVING PEOPLE AS WELL, SO IF -- IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES, THEN LET'S REDRAW THE MAP AND LET'S PUT LINES ALL OVER THE PLACE. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY TO YOU. AND PLEASE, I KNOW YOU'RE CHUCKLING, BUT I'M JUST TRYING TO MAKE A POINT. BUT IN ANY CASE, I APPRECIATE YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS MATTER, AND I HOPE YOU'LL DO THE RIGHT THING. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. SHARPE, YOU HAD A COMMENT? >>MARK SHARPE: I'LL WAIT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. PAM CLOUSTON. I HOPE I PRONOUNCED THE LAST NAME PROPERLY. >> YOU DID. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: ALL RIGHT. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M ONE OF THOSE NIMBYs, I GUESS, BUT I REALLY DON'T THINK THIS SHOULD BE IN ANYBODY'S BACKYARD. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW BADLY SINCE I'VE MOVED TO FLORIDA IN 1983 I HAVE WANTED TO COME DOWNTOWN AND HAVE A VIBRANT, AWESOME PLACE TO BE, AND I THINK TAMPA'S TRYING TO MOVE IN THAT DIRECTION. I HOPE SO BECAUSE I THINK IT WOULD BE A BENEFIT FOR ALL OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, BUT IF WE KEEP PUTTING ROADS OUT THERE WHERE THE SPRAWL IS GOING TO GO -- MR. DINGFELDER IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. IF WE PUT THAT ROAD OUT THERE -- AS FAR AS EXTENDING THE CROSSTOWN OUT TO DOVER ROAD, WHAT WOULD THAT HAVE DONE? THAT WOULD HAVE JUST ADDED MORE SUBDIVISIONS, MORE HOUSING OUT THAT WAY. MARIELLA IS RIGHT. THEY ARE -- THE PEOPLE THAT ARE PUSHING THIS ROAD ARE THE DEVELOPERS THAT WANT TO BRING MORE DEVELOPMENT OUT TO THE AREA. WE'VE SEEN A HUGE SLOWDOWN IN PEOPLE MOVING INTO THE STATE OF FLORIDA. SOME OF THE LAND USE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE APPROVED ISN'T GOING TO BE USED FOR YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS. I THINK BECAUSE IN THE LAST 25 YEARS WE DID NOT TIE THE INFRASTRUCTURE TO THE DEVELOPMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WAS THERE, WE'VE GOT THE PROBLEM. I THINK WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO APPROVING A BELTWAY WITHIN -- A BYPASS, WHATEVER -- WITHIN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, RATHER THAN MOVE TRANSPORTATION, IT'S GOING TO SPUR MORE DEVELOPMENT. THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE BACKED UP AND CLOGGED UP. WE'VE GOT EXISTING CORRIDORS OF ROADS. LITHIA-PINECREST IS SCHEDULED TO BE WIDENED, I THINK 39 IS. THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE SCHEDULED TO BE WIDENED, AND I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT THAT. I COME FROM A SUBURBAN AREA OF A VERY LARGE CITY. I LIKED LIVING IN THE SUBURBS WHEN I WAS A KID. I LIVE IN A RURAL AREA NOW BECAUSE THAT'S OUR FAMILY'S LIFESTYLE CHOICE. I HAVE TWO BRIGHT, BRILLIANT, SMART YOUNG ADULT FLORIDA CRACKER DAUGHTERS THAT ARE HERE NOW THAT ARE GOING TO ADD TO THE STATE, BUT THEY'RE NOT GOING TO STAY HERE IF THEY'RE CROWDED OUT OF THEIR RURAL AREA. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE. I DON'T THINK PEOPLE HAVE LOOKED -- SINCE THIS PLAN WAS THOUGHT OF IN 2001, 2002, I DON'T THINK THEY'VE LOOKED TO SEE WHAT ACTUALLY HAS -- BESIDES THE FISHHAWK SUBDIVISION AND THINGS LIKE THAT WHAT HAS ACTUALLY HAPPENED. PEOPLE SINCE 2001 HAVE MOVED OUT AND AWAY, NOT THAT THEY DON'T WANT TO COME BACK AND BE IN A VIBRANT, WONDERFUL CITY, BUT THEY'VE MOVED OUT AND AWAY. THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE LIVING IN THE RURAL AREA AS A RURAL LIFESTYLE. I THINK IF WE START TO CONCENTRATE SOME OF OUR CORRIDORS AND MORE OF OUR BUSINESSES IN THE URBAN CORE, WE'RE GOING TO BRING THIS WHOLE COUNTY AND THIS WHOLE CITY TO LIFE, BUT YOUR PUSHING EVERYTHING OUT TO THE RURAL AREA IS NOT GOING TO DO WHAT I THINK WE ALL WANT TO DO. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, PAM. KELLY CORNELIUS. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS KELLY CORNELIUS. I'M HERE TODAY REPRESENTING R-LAND, WHICH STANDS FOR RURAL LITHIA AREA NEIGHBORHOOD DEFENSE. WE WERE RECENTLY FORMED IN SEPTEMBER, AND WHAT STARTED OUT WITH SEVEN OF US UNHAPPY MAINLY IN PART WITH THIS BYPASS HAS QUICKLY TURNED INTO OVER 250 MEMBERS. WE HAVE OVER 400 SIGNATURES ON A PETITION AGAINST THE BYPASS. AND WE'RE ASKING FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE BYPASS OR AS WE CALL IT IN LITHIA, "THE GREEN SWATH OF DEATH," BECAUSE NUMBER ONE, IT WILL DESTROY ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LANDS, IT WILL DESTROY ALREADY DEVELOPED YET RURAL NEIGHBORHOODS, IT HAS ALREADY DESTROYED OUR PEACE OF MIND IN THE LITHIA COMMUNITY, AND IT WOULD CREATE CERTAIN SPRAWL. YOUR MAP ON THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, THE 2000 NEEDS -- OR 2004 NEEDS ASSESSMENT MAP HAS KIND OF MORPHED INTO THE RECENT SOUTH COUNTY PLAN, AND THIS -- THE RED AREA ON THAT MAP DEPICTS WHERE THAT SWATH HAS MORPHED FROM YOUR MAP INTO THIS MAP, AND SO OUR CONCERN IS BY LEAVING IT ON THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT MAP -- AND YOU'VE ALL AGREED OR MENTIONED THAT THERE WASN'T REALLY A LOT OF STUDY OR ANYTHING BEHIND THAT NEEDS ASSESSMENT MAP, BUT THESE IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE USING IT AS A TOOL FOR OTHER -- FOR OTHER ALIGNMENTS, SO IN FEBRUARY OF LAST YEAR IN AN E-MAIL FROM MARTIN STONE OF THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY, I ASKED ABOUT WHAT THE ALIGNMENT WAS, AND I EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS, AND HE TRIED TO LET ME KNOW THAT THERE REALLY WASN'T A LOCATION THAT HAD BEEN DETERMINED YET, BUT HE DID STATE THE BRANDON BYPASS IS THE BASIS FOR OUR CURRENT EVALUATIONS. SO THAT'S ONE AGENCY THAT'S USING IT FOR THEIR CURRENT EVALUATIONS. NOW WE HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT TBARTA. YOU KNOW, ACCORDING TO MARCELLA'S MAP, WHICH I HOPE SHE BROUGHT, TBARTA IS FROM THE TAMPA BAY PARTNERSHIP, WHO IS FROM EVIDENTLY JOE SMITH. THEY ARE THE ONES THAT CREATED THIS BYPASS AGENDA WAY BACK IN THE '80s, SO I'M PRETTY SURE YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT SOMEBODY BRINGING IT UP. I HOPE THAT WE DO LOOK AT THE FDOT FLORIDA WEST CENTRAL CORRIDOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS BECAUSE THEY APPEAR TO AVOID ANY ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS, NOT OUR OUTER BELTWAY, BUT YOUR FLORIDA WEST CENTRAL CORRIDORS, AND I BET YOU WOULD NOT HAVE ANY CITIZENS COMPLAINING ABOUT THAT BECAUSE IT APPEARS IT'S AN UNDEVELOPED AREA. SO THAT'S OUR CONCERN. AND YES, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT A NIMBY WAS WHEN I SAW THAT E- MAIL FROM MIKE PETERSON PASSED OUT, AND IT SOUNDED KIND OF BAD, SO WHEN I ASKED ABOUT IT AND I LEARNED THAT IT WAS NOT IN MY BACKYARD, I'M CLAIMING THE TITLE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT IT IN MY BACKYARD AND I DON'T WANT IT NEXT TO MY BACKYARD, AND I'VE CERTAINLY BEEN CALLED WORSE, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION ON THIS REMOVAL FROM THIS NIMBY AND MY COMMUNITY. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, KELLY. GAYLE SCOTT. >> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME'S GAYLE SCOTT. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF THE DORMAN-BROWNING NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND WE WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT YOUR REMOVAL OF THIS FROM YOUR NEEDS ASSESSMENTS. BUT I REALLY HADN'T PLANNED TO SPEAK TODAY, OBVIOUSLY, AND I WAS SITTING THERE LISTENING, AND I GUESS WHAT CONCERNED ME THE MOST IS SOME OF YOU-ALL ARE SAYING THAT THIS IS SO IMPORTANT, YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE IT OFF THE MAP, BUT IT'S REALLY SO IMPORTANT YOU'VE STILL GOT TO STUDY IT NOW IN 12 MONTHS, OKAY. WELL, WE HAVE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT WANTS TO DO COMMUNITY PLANS, AND THERE'S NO FUNDING FOR THEM, THERE'S NO PLANS FOR THEM UNTIL 2011 OR 2012, AND REALLY, TRANSPORTATION SHOULD NOT DRIVE THE COMMUNITY. THE COMMUNITY PLANS SHOULD DRIVE YOUR TRANSPORTATION, SO PLEASE KEEP THAT IN MIND WHEN YOU DECIDE WHEN TO STUDY AN AREA. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. MARCELLA OSTEEN. >> GOOD MORNING. MARCELLA OSTEEN, BALM, FLORIDA. JUST GOT SOME BULLET POINTS. IT'S UTTER SOPHISTRY TO THINK WE NEED THIS MAP -- THIS LINE ON THIS MAP TO REMIND US TO STUDY NORTH-SOUTH TRANSPORTATION. IT'S NOT LIKE WE NEED TO TIE A LITTLE STRING AROUND OUR FINGER TO REMEMBER TO DO THAT. WE DON'T NEED TO DO THAT. I'M QUITE SURE THAT WE WON'T FORGET TO LOOK AT THIS, AND IF WE DO, THERE WILL BE MANY PEOPLE WHO WILL REMIND US, AND I'M NOT GOING TO NAME ANY NAMES, BUT I'M SURE YOU KNOW WHO THEY ARE. YES, WE DO NEED A NEEDS ASSESSMENTS. THAT IS PRETTY BASIC. WE NEED TO HAVE FIRM PROOF OF AN EXACT NEED BEFORE WE START SHOOTING FROM THE HIP LIKE THIS. MOTIVE. LOOK AT THE PEOPLE, THE INTEREST, THE INDUSTRIES THAT ARE PUSHING THIS SO ASSIDUOUSLY. FOLLOW THE MONEY. CONSIDER THE SOURCE. WHO HAS -- WHO -- CUI BONO OR WHATEVER, WHO BENEFITS, AND IT'S NOT THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY AT THIS TIME, IT'S PARTICULAR PEOPLE WHO OWN PARTICULAR LAND ALONG A PARTICULAR ROUTE. THAT'S HOW IT STARTED IN THE '80s. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE, COME AND TALK TO ME, AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I'VE LEARNED BY RESEARCH, AND THAT'LL SHED SOME LIGHT ON THIS WHOLE THING ABOUT WHY IT'S -- IT'S LIKE THE SKY IS GOING TO FALL UNLESS WE GET A BYPASS OR A BELTWAY RUNNING UP THROUGH THE RURAL AREA. NOW, MR. DINGFELDER, I REALLY LIKE YOUR COMMENTS, AND IF YOU WOULD CONSIDER WHEN YOUR TERM IS UP, I COULD SELL YOU SOME LAND, YOU CAN MOVE OUT IN THE COUNTY, AND YOU CAN RUN FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONER BECAUSE WE NEED YOU. I REALLY, REALLY LIKE YOUR COMMENTS. [APPLAUSE] >>JOE AFFRONTI: PLEASE. >> LOOK AT ATLANTA WITH THEIR BELTWAYS, THEIR BYPASSES. THE MINUTE THEY PUT THEM UP, BOOM, IT JUST FILLED UP WITH DEVELOPMENT. DIDN'T SOLVE A THING. IN FACT, WHEN WE GO TO -- NORTH OF ATLANTA, WE GO RIGHT THROUGH TOWN. WE DO NOT GO AROUND THE DOUGHNUT. I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU MET WITH, BRIAN, THE 35 PEOPLE, BUT THERE'S A THOUSAND PEOPLE THAT CAME OUT TO THREE DIFFERENT MEETINGS BACK TO BACK IN SOUTH COUNTY, AND THEY WERE ADAMANTLY OPPOSED TO THIS, SO I WOULD WANT YOU TO THINK ABOUT THOSE THOUSAND PEOPLE AS OPPOSED TO THOSE 35 PEOPLE. YOU WERE WONDERING WHAT HAPPENED -- HOW WE GOT IN THIS FIX. BECAUSE OF THE LAST 20 YEARS. UNCONTROLLED GROWTH. THAT'S NOT A MYSTERY. THE HEARTLAND -- THE HEARTLAND ROUTE JUST MIGHT BE OUR SOLUTION, AND IF IT REMOVES NORTH-SOUTH TRAFFIC AND IT DOESN'T GO THROUGH HILLSBOROUGH, OH, WELL. THAT WOULD BE A GOOD THING, I WOULD THINK, BUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE PUSHING OUR INSIDE BELTWAY WILL NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL, SO DON'T LOOK FOR ANY SUPPORT FROM THOSE PEOPLE FOR THAT. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, MARCELLA. LAUREN O'GRADY. >> HELLO. GOOD MORNING. I'M LAUREN O'GRADY. I LIVE 660 BRYAN TERRACE DRIVE RIGHT IN BRANDON. MY HORSE IS OUT IN LITHIA. I RIDE OUT THERE, I BIKE RIDE OUT THERE, SO I'M AFFECTED, EVEN THOUGH I LIVE IN THE HEART OF BRANDON WITH ALL THAT TRAFFIC. I'M JUST WONDERING, CONSIDERING THE RECENT DECEPTION REGARDING THE SOUTH COUNTY PLAN, I ASK HOW THIS MAP GOT ADOPTED IN THE FIRST PLACE, AND WAS IT SHOPPED AROUND BY OUR PLANNING AND GROWTH DEPARTMENT? I SUPPORT THE REMOVAL OF THE BRANDON BYPASS FROM THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT MAP, AND I HOPE THAT IT DOES GET REMOVED. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. JANET KOVACH. >> I NEED TO USE THE ELMO. GOOD MORNING. FOR THE RECORD, MY NAME IS JANET KOVACH, AND I RESIDE AT 8214 REVELS ROAD. I DO LIVE IN THE URBAN SERVICE AREA, AND WE HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE WITH FARMS. I HAVE TWO HORSES. OF COURSE, I HAVE NO URBAN SERVICES. I'VE LIVED THERE FOR TEN YEARS, BUT -- SO I DON'T THINK THAT AN URBAN SERVICE LINE ACTUALLY DECLINES YOU FROM HAVING A RURAL LIFESTYLE, AND ALL THE PEOPLE NEXT TO ME THAT HAVE FIVE-ACRE FARMS FEEL THE SAME WAY. THIS INDIVIDUAL WANTED TO KNOW HOW THIS PLAN GOT STARTED. IT GOT STARTED IN 2002. HERE ARE ALL THE -- THE MEETINGS THAT HAPPENED. WE HAD NINE WORKSHOPS, THREE OPEN HOUSE, AND FIVE TRANSPORTATION MEETINGS, AND THESE WERE ALL DONE BY CITIZENS, AND AT THE MEETING THAT I SPOKE AT, COMMISSIONER BLAIR, THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE THAT WERE IN SUPPORT OF THIS, AND IT STARTED OUT -- IT WAS NEVER CALLED A BELTWAY, IT WAS BY CITIZENS, AND WE CALLED IT THE SAUSAGE AND THE HOT DOG, AND THIS WAS BEFORE A BELTWAY WAS EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT, AND IT WAS TO ALLEVIATE TRAFFIC, AND THERE WERE NEEDS ASSESSMENT STUDIES DONE. ONE OF THE THINGS I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT, AT THE MEETINGS -- YOU SAID THAT THE INDIVIDUAL WANTED TO KNOW WHAT STAFF WERE INVOLVED. AT THIS MEETING THAT HAPPENED ON OCTOBER 22nd, 2002 -- AND IT WAS ADOPTED IN 2003 AND TRANSMITTED TO DCA -- I CAN SHOW YOU RIGHT HERE YOU HAD PEOPLE FROM PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT, LUCIE YOU WERE THERE FROM THE MPO, WE HAD PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF, AND WE HAD FDOT AT THESE MEETINGS, AND IT WAS STUDIED OVER AND OVER AGAIN, AND IT WAS BY CITIZENS, AND THIS IS ALL AVAILABLE ON-LINE. ANYONE CAN ACCESS ALL THE MEETING MINUTES, ALL THE DOCUMENTATION, AND ORIGINALLY WE DIDN'T WANT A LINE ON THE MAP, BUT THEN MPO SAID IT WOULD BE BETTER TO HAVE A WIDE -- A WIDER AREA TO STUDY BEFORE A LINE WAS PUT ON A MAP. NOW, LET ME TELL YOU WHY IT WAS PUT ON THERE. IT WAS PUT ON THERE TO ALLEVIATE TRUCK TRAFFIC. LET'S NOT FORGET COUNTY COMMISSION TOOK 640 AND TOOK ALL TRUCK TRAFFIC OFF THAT EASTWAY EXPRESSWAY. THERE ARE 11,000 MOVEMENTS THAT ENTER TRUCKS FROM THE PORT OF TAMPA, AND THAT DOESN'T EVEN INCLUDE THE PORT OF MANATEE. IT WAS TO GET RIGHT-OF-WAY DEDICATION. I MEAN, LET'S LOOK AT THE VETERANS. THE VETERANS IS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN OUT HERE. WE'VE TAKEN IT OFF. THERE WAS A COMMUNITY PLAN THAT WAS DONE IN 2002 AND 2003, AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN, IT WON'T BE THE LEE ROY WHERE YOU HAD SOME PLANNING, IF YOU TAKE IT OFF OF 2050. I MEAN, 2050, I'LL BE 95, GOD WILLING, IF I'M STILL ALIVE. WE'RE PLANNING. THAT'S WHAT YOU DO, REGIONAL PLANNING TO MOVE TRAFFIC IF ONE AREA TO ANOTHER. THERE WAS A NEEDS ASSESSMENT. THERE WERE 50,000 TRIPS AT THAT TIME. I GUARANTEE IT'S MORE. I LIVE IN THE AREA. THERE'S GRIDLOCK. MARIELLA AND DENISE AND ALL THESE PEOPLE I SUPPORT, I NORMALLY ARE ON THE SAME ISSUES WITH THEM, BUT THEY'VE TALKED ABOUT 41, MARIELLA MENTIONED AT THE LAST MEETING, HAS NO MORE CAPACITY. 301 IS A LEVEL-OF-SERVICE "F." JOE ZAMBITO SAYS 60 CAN'T BE WIDENED ANYMORE. PLANT CITY IS A FAILING AREA RIGHT NOW. YOU HAVE TO FIND A WAY. I THINK A FEASIBILITY STUDY IS A GREAT WAY TO GO, BUT NOBODY WANTS LINES ON A MAP, BUT THAT'S WHAT THE PLANNING PROCESS IS. YOU WRITE IT DOWN, YOU STICK IT ON PAPER, AND YOU PLAN FOR THE FUTURE. IN 2050 -- I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW I LIVE OUT THERE. IT'S GRIDLOCKED. BOTTOM LINE. ANYONE WHO'S VISITED KNOWS THAT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. I WOULD SUPPORT NOT REMOVING WHAT WE CALL THE HOT DOG OR THE SAUSAGE BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY TO STUDY THE FEASIBILITY AND LEAVE IT ON THE 2050 PLAN. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MR. SHARPE, DID YOU HAVE A COMMENT YOU WANTED TO MAKE BEFORE WE VOTE? >>MARK SHARPE: WELL, I JUST WANTED TO SAY -- AND I APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS OF MS. KOVACH AS WELL AS THE COMMENTS FROM THE CITIZENS WHO SPOKE. I THINK THAT YOU ALL DID AN EXCELLENT JOB. I'M GOING TO STICK, THOUGH, WITH MY MOTION, WHICH IS TO REMOVE FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS, WHICH IS I DO BELIEVE THE PROCESS -- ALTHOUGH, JANET, YOU'VE GONE A GOOD JOB OF LAYING OUT HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE, THE PROCESS STILL, I THINK, HAD SOME HOLES. THERE WAS A LACK OF COMMUNICATION. WE DIDN'T HAVE THE DETAILED ANALYSIS, WE DIDN'T HAVE THE NEEDS ASSESSMENT, AND I THINK BEFORE YOU PUT SOMETHING ON A MAP, SOMETHING ESPECIALLY AS BIG AS THAT, THAT YOU NEED TO GO THROUGH ALL -- YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THE STEPS. I ALSO THINK THAT THE POINT THAT MARIELLA SMITH MADE WITH REGARD TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, THAT NEEDS TO BE ABSOLUTELY CONSIDERED, SO WE'VE GOT TO CONSIDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES. THIS IS A VERY SENSITIVE ISSUE, AND I THINK BEFORE WE JUST START PLOPPING SOMETHING DOWN, WE NEED TO THINK IT THROUGH, AND GEORGE, YOU MADE A VERY POINT WITH REGARD TO THE FACT IF YOU PUT EVERYTHING ON THE MAP, BOY, YOU'RE GOING TO GET EVERYBODY FIRED UP. THAT'S TRUE. AT THE SAME TIME -- I WILL CLOSE WHERE I'VE BEEN FROM THE BEGINNING. WE NEED TO THINK THIS THROUGH. WE'VE GOT TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE PEOPLE. AT SOME POINT WE'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING AND IT'S GOING TO OFFEND SOMEONE AND THEY'RE GOING TO GET UPSET, BUT IF WE DO IT IN A WAY THAT I THINK IS AS THOUGHTFUL AS POSSIBLE AND - - AND CAREFULLY CONSIDERED -- I THINK, DENISE, YOUR POINT WITH REGARD TO THE HEARTLAND, I'M GOING TO MAKE THAT A RECOMMENDATION, AND WE'LL COME BACK LATER AND WE'LL LOOK AT THAT. WE WILL CAREFULLY LOOK AT THAT. I THINK, THOUGH, ALL THE POINTS MADE BY THE CITIZENS WHO'VE COME HERE AND WHO'VE COME TO ALL THE MEETINGS ARE WELL TAKEN. I CAN'T PROMISE YOU THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE ASKED FOR, BUT I THINK THAT WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT THE PROCESS ITSELF -- MARCELLA -- THAT WE FOLLOW THE PROCESS AND THAT WE RESTORE AND REESTABLISH THE TRUST THAT IS LACKING. JANET, I KNOW YOU'VE PUT IN A LOT OF WORK, BUT SOMETIMES WE'VE JUST GOT TO PUT IN MORE WORK AND WE'VE GOT TO GO OUT THERE AND DO IT RIGHT, AND THAT DOES NOT MEAN -- WHEN I SAY DO IT RIGHT, THAT MEANS TO THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE CONCERNED THAT THIS IS PREORDAINED, THAT IS GOING TO BE THERE. THAT'S NOT THE CASE. WHAT I'M ASKING FOR IS THAT WE LOOK AT THE CORRIDOR, THAT WE GET RID OF THIS NAME. I'VE HEARD THAT FROM A NUMBER OF PEOPLE. WE'RE NOT GOING TO CALL IT BYPASS, SAUSAGE, HOT DOG, SWATH OF DEATH, ALL THOSE THINGS. WE'LL COME UP WITH A PROFESSIONAL-SOUNDING NAME THAT WILL GET THE JOB DONE. SO WITH THAT I CALL THE MOTION -- I CALL THE VOTE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, MR. SHARPE. I TOO WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING HERE AND TAKING THE INTEREST FOR BEING HERE AND STATE YOUR CONCERNS. WITH THAT, ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA -- >>LUCIE AYER: [INAUDIBLE] >>JOE AFFRONTI: NO. OKAY. THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE ENTERPRISE TENTATIVE WORK PROGRAM, ALICE GILMARTIN. >> GOOD MORNING. IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. ALICE GILMARTIN. I'M THE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS OFFICER FROM THE FLORIDA TURNPIKE, AND I'M THE NEW REPRESENTATIVE TO THE HILLSBOROUGH MPO. YOU HAVE IN YOUR PACKET -- YOU'LL SEE THAT WE HAVE A BROCHURE. I WON'T TAKE TIME TO GO OVER THIS TODAY BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE RUNNING A LITTLE LATE, BUT AT YOUR LEISURE PLEASE ROAD OVER ABOUT THE TURNPIKE'S PARTNERSHIPS AND SOME OF OUR ELECTRONIC TOLLING INFORMATION. ALSO IN YOUR PACKET YOU HAVE A MAP THAT SHOWS THE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TENTATIVE WORK PROGRAM THAT'S 08-09 TO FISCAL YEAR '12-'13. THEY'RE ON A MAP, AND I ASK YOU TO TURN IT OVER, AND YOU'LL SEE IT LISTS THE VARIOUS IMPROVEMENTS IN THE TENTATIVE WORK PROGRAM IN THE DISTRICT SEVEN AREA. IF YOU GO TO THE THIRD BOX DOWN, IT HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPROVEMENTS TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND WE'RE HERE TODAY TO ASK FOR YOUR ENDORSEMENT FOR THESE IMPROVEMENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE FIRST ONE IS THE -- THE CROSSTOWN CONNECTOR, AND THE SECOND ONE IS THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE VETERANS EXPRESSWAY. THE TURNPIKE IS LOOKING AT SPENDING OVER 350 MILLION IN THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AREA IN THE NEXT FISCAL FIVE YEARS. ANY QUESTIONS? >>JOE AFFRONTI: MR. MILLER. >>LOUIS MILLER: YES. I WOULD MOVE THAT THE MPO BOARD APPROVE FLORIDA TURNPIKE ENTERPRISE'S TENTATIVE WORK PROGRAM FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR FISCAL '08-'09 THROUGH 2012-'13. >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION. IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. >> AND I HAVE ONE MORE THING TO ADD. I GRACIOUSLY THANK DISTRICT SEVEN AND THEIR STAFF TO ALLOW US TO PIGGYBACK THEIR PUBLIC HEARINGS THAT THEY'LL BE HAVING NEXT WEEK, AND I'M SURE STAFF WILL PRESENT THOSE TIMES AND DATES. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THE NEXT ITEM IS THE WESTSHORE MOBILITY STUDY. >>ALAN STEINBECK: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND GOOD MORNING. ALAN STEINBECK, MPO STAFF. THE MPO HAS BEEN WORKING ON THE WESTSHORE MOBILITY STRATEGY FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW, WORKING WITH THE WESTSHORE ALLIANCE. WE WANTED TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, HOW WILL WE GET TO, FROM, AND AROUND WESTSHORE IN THE FUTURE? THERE'S A BASIC PROBLEM IN THE WESTSHORE AREA, AND THAT IS ESSENTIALLY THAT TRANSPORTATION DEMAND EXCEEDS THE SUPPLY OF CAPACITY, ESPECIALLY WITH RESPECT TO VEHICLE CAPACITY. WE HAVE CONSTRAINED ROADWAYS, ESPECIALLY THE LOCAL SYSTEM, ALSO LIMITED RESOURCES TO WIDEN ROADWAYS. THERE HAS BEEN WORK DONE ON THE INTERSTATE SYSTEM THAT IS IN PROGRESS AND NEW WORK COMMENCING THAT WILL HELP PEOPLE GET TO WESTSHORE AND GET THROUGH THE AREA, BUT THERE ARE ALSO ISSUES ON THE GROUND ON THE SURFACE STREETS AS WELL. THE UPSIDE IS THERE IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, AND WE HAVE AN UNTAPPED UNIVERSE OF ALTERNATIVES, WALKING, CYCLING, AND TAKING TRANSIT TO WESTSHORE AND TO GET AROUND THAT AREA, SO WE WANTED THROUGH THIS STRATEGY TO LOOK AT IMPROVEMENTS TO THE ROADWAY SYSTEM AND LOOK AT HOW THOSE IMPROVEMENTS NEED TO BE AUGMENTED WITH OTHER INVESTMENTS IN THE SYSTEM AS A WHOLE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE CAPACITY OUT INTO THE FUTURE. AND WE WANTED TO BE STRATEGIC. THIS IS NOT A COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF STRATEGIES. THERE ARE 22 STRATEGIES IN THIS DOCUMENT THAT THE ALLIANCE WILL BE WORKING WITH AND COORDINATING WITH D.O.T., THE CITY OF TAMPA, AND HARTLINE ON, AND THEY ARE INTENDED TO BE STRATEGIC, NOT COMPREHENSIVE. SOME OF THE DESIRED OUTCOMES WERE TO IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE IMPROVEMENTS, POLICIES, AND PROGRAMS THAT COULD ASSIST WITH MOBILITY AND TO PROVIDE A STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR POLICIES THAT GET DEVELOPED, THE WESTSHORE DRI UPDATE, TRANSPORTATION PLANS THAT WE DO HERE AND IN OTHER PLACES, INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, AND ALSO FUTURE TRANSIT SERVICE. THE STUDY AREA INCLUDED A LARGER AREA OF WESTSHORE, BUT WE FOCUSED IN ON THE WESTSHORE PROPER, THE AREA NORTH OF KENNEDY, WEST OF DALE MABRY, AND INCLUDING BOY SCOUT AND THE AIRPORT. WE DID WORK ON -- WE DID AN EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT, AND WE DID A SURVEY AS WELL TO HELP US IDENTIFY WHAT -- WHICH DIRECTION TO HEAD WITH THESE SUGGESTIONS, AND THESE FINDINGS ARE BASED ON THAT. THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE NOT IN YOUR PACKET, BUT IT IS A PART OF THIS EFFORT THAT WE DID, AND WE DIVIDED THE RECOMMENDATIONS INTO FOUR PHASES, A SHORT-TERM AND THEN SOME FUTURE YEARS. SOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING, WELL, WHY ARE WE WAITING UNTIL 2030 TO DO SUCH AND SUCH ON THE LIST? WELL, IT JUST MEANS THAT IT'S TO BE IN PLACE AT THAT TIME, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE'RE GOING TO WAIT UNTIL THOSE FUTURE YEARS TO GET THESE THINGS DONE. IT IS A CERTAIN DELIVERY DATE ON THE THINGS UNDER EACH CATEGORY. THE PURPOSE WAS FOR EACH PHASE THAT THEY'RE ARRANGED IN A LOGICAL SEQUENCE OF ACTION BASED ON FUNDING, VIABILITY, AND NEED. WE LOOKED AT SEVERAL THINGS, IMPACT FEES, AND THERE'S A SPECIAL ASSESSMENT FOR WESTSHORE, AND THAT INTO THE FUTURE THAT THE CITY CONTEMPLATE USING IMPACT FEES FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES. RIGHT NOW THEY ARE USED LARGELY FOR ROADWAY CAPACITY, BUT GIVEN THE LIMITATIONS OF FUTURE CAPACITY IMPROVEMENTS, THERE WILL BE AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE A TIME TO LOOK AT USING IMPACT FEES FOR OTHER PURPOSES. WE'RE NOT SUGGESTING RAIDING EXISTING SOURCES BECAUSE THERE STILL ARE NEEDS ON THE ROADWAY SYSTEM THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. THE LOCAL STREET NETWORK IS VERY IMPORTANT TO WESTSHORE, BOTH IN TERMS OF WALKABILITY BUT ALSO LOCAL TRAVEL AND VEHICLES. THERE ARE SOME CONNECTIONS BEING MADE. D.O.T. HAS DONE WORK WITH THE ALLIANCE TO MAKE SOME CONNECTIONS UNDER THE INTERSTATE DURING THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE DONE THERE, SO THERE IS WORK BEING DONE IN THAT AREA. ALSO THE CITY OF TAMPA WORKED ON [INCOMPREHENSIBLE] AS WELL. ON THE INTERSTATE, YOU HAVE HEARD ABOUT THIS PREVIOUSLY, BUT THE INTERSTATE IMPROVEMENTS THAT YOU SEE ARE NOT THE LAST GENERATION OF IMPROVEMENTS TO BE CONTEMPLATED. THERE IS A BOTTLENECK, IN ESSENCE, AT THE INTERCHANGE THERE, AND THERE IS A PHASE -- ANOTHER PHASE OF IMPROVEMENT THAT IS NOT FUNDED, THAT IS NOT IN THE CURRENT PLANS, BUT THAT DOES RELATE TO THE LONG-TERM STRATEGIC INTEREST OF THE AREA AND OUR REGION TO FIND A WAY TO FUND THOSE IMPROVEMENTS AND WIDEN THAT TO ITS ULTIMATE ARRANGEMENT. FOR RAIL TRANSIT, THE ALLIANCE WANTED TO LOOK IN PARTICULAR AT HOW THE CURRENT RAIL PLANS WERE AFFECTING THEM, WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN ON THE GROUND, WHAT THEY WOULD NEED TO SUPPORT, WHAT IT MEANT TO THE DEVELOPMENT PATTERN OF WESTSHORE, SO WE DID GO THROUGH A PROCESS OF LEARNING ABOUT THAT FOR THE MOST PART AND HAVE RATIFIED THE IDEAS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING DISCUSSED CONCEPTUALLY AT THE TRANSIT STUDY AND TBARTA. WITH BUS SERVICE, WESTSHORE IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST UNDERSERVED AREAS IN THE SYSTEM IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR TWO REASONS, ONE IS THE LACK OF FUNDING, BUT ALSO IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SERVE THE AREA GIVEN ITS CONFIGURATION. IT'S VERY SPREAD OUT. SO THERE ARE CHALLENGES, BUT AS WESTSHORE CONTINUES TO GROW AND INFILL DEVELOPMENT GOES THERE, IT WILL BE MORE READY FOR THAT KIND OF SERVICE, AND THERE WILL BE A GREATER NEED FOR THAT KIND OF SERVICE, SO WE'VE LOOKED AT WAYS TO DO THAT, BOTH IN TERMS OF EXPANDING SERVICE HOURS, EXPANDING LOCAL AND EXPRESS SERVICE, AND JUST HAVING BETTER COVERAGE OF THE AREA AS A DESTINATION FOR BUSES. WE'VE ALSO SUPPORTED THE BRT, THE PHASE II OF BRT IMPROVEMENTS THAT -- THE CURRENT DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE GOING ON NOW AT HART. KEEPING IN MIND, THOUGH, THAT THAT BUS SERVICE -- THE OPERATIONS OF THAT SERVICE IS NOT FUNDED. THERE IS TYPICALLY MONEY TO GET THINGS -- BUSES PURCHASED AND IMPLEMENTED, BUT THEN THE OPERATING COSTS ARE A BIG ISSUE, AND THERE -- THAT STUFF IS CURRENTLY NOT FUNDED THROUGH THE MONEY WE HAVE AVAILABLE NOW. AND LASTLY, THE DEVELOPMENT PATTERN FOR THE WESTSHORE AREA, THEY ARE WORKING ON HOUSING ISSUES AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE HAVE SOME OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE THERE NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY THEY MAKE, AND WESTSHORE HAS SOME SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS IN THAT REGARD, AND IT WILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE A MORE DIVERSE PLACE WITH HOUSING, OFFICE, AND RETAIL, AND A MIXTURE OF USES TO LIMIT THE NEED FOR REGIONAL TRAVEL AND DESTINATION TRAVEL. SO WE PRESENTED THESE STRATEGIES TO OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES. THEY DID RECOMMEND THAT THE MPO ADOPT THESE STRATEGIES, AND WE'RE PRESENTING IT HERE FOR YOUR APPROVAL TODAY. >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY QUESTIONS OF ALAN? IF NOT, WE NEED A MOTION TO -- >>ROSE FERLITA: SO MOVE, MR. CHAIRMAN, TO ACCEPT THE MOBILITY STRATEGY REPORT. >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] I'M SORRY. I WENT TOO FAST. MARY. >>MARY MULHERN: NOT REALLY IN QUESTIONING THE MOTION. I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT AS MR. HUNTER SAID EARLIER, OUR PROBLEMS ARE FUNDING SOURCES, AND RECENTLY I READ THAT OUR TRANSIT DOLLARS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WE SPEND -- THIS IS FOR ROADS, THIS IS JUST FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION -- $65 A PERSON A YEAR; ST. PETERS -- OR PROBABLY PINELLAS SPENDS $171 A PERSON A YEAR; AND -- OR NO, THAT'S MIAMI-DADE -- AND ST. PETE IT'S ABOUT 65, SO WE'RE SPENDING ABOUT 1/10 OF WHAT MIAMI-DADE IS SPENDING ON TRANSIT AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE 20% OF WHAT PINELLAS IS, SO WE REALLY HAVE TO THINK ABOUT THAT. WE'VE GOT TO GET THE FUNDING IN PLACE TO EVEN HAVE DECENT BUS SYSTEM. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. THANK YOU. OKAY. MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>ALAN STEINBECK: THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS THE CALENDAR OF MEETINGS FOR 2008. >>LUCIE AYER: THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE HAVE INCLUDED THE CALENDAR IN YOUR PACKET. WE ARE COMBINING TWO MEETINGS NEXT YEAR. THE FIRST ONE WOULD BE A COMBINED MEETING IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY, AND THAT WOULD TAKE PLACE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH, AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS A COMBINED MEETING IN OCTOBER AND NOVEMBER, AND THAT ONE ALSO WILL TAKE PLACE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MONTH, WHICH IS OCTOBER. THE REST OF THE TIME IS ALWAYS THE FIRST TUESDAY OF THE MONTH, SO YOU ARE OFF FOR TWO MONTHS; HOWEVER, THE -- ALL THE COMMITTEES WILL CONTINUE TO MEET EXCEPT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN JANUARY, SO I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR APPROVAL ON THE CALENDAR. >>THOMAS SCOTT: MOVE THE CALENDAR. >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. WE GOT ONE MORE ITEM ON THE ACTION ITEMS, WHICH IS ROMAN NUMERAL V "F," TBARTA REQUISITION -- OR RECOMMENDATION. >>LUCIE AYER: RIGHT. AS YOU KNOW, THAT THEY -- TBARTA HAS MADE A MOTION TO ASK EACH MPO TO GIVE THEM $10,000 TO GET THEM STARTED ON DOING THEIR LEGAL AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS AND THAT THE PUBLIC DOLLARS WILL BE MATCHED BY PRIVATE DOLLARS, SO ALTOGETHER THEY WILL HAVE $100,000 IN THE NEXT COMING MONTHS TO OPERATE, AND I'M ASKING FOR YOUR APPROVAL, AND IF YOU DO APPROVE, YOU ARE THE FIRST MPO THAT EVER APPROVED THIS REQUEST. >>MARK SHARPE: SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? YES. >>THOMAS SCOTT: JUST ONE QUESTION. I'LL SUPPORT THAT. WHAT ABOUT POTENTIAL FUNDING FROM THE STATE IN THE FUTURE? >>LUCIE AYER: WELL, RIGHT NOW, THE STATE IS PUTTING IN A LOT OF MONEY FOR -- ON THE TECHNICAL SIDE, AND I DON'T HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL FOR -- >>THOMAS SCOTT: YEAH, BUT I KNOW THAT THEY HAD A MILLION DOLLARS THAT GOT VETOED, SO I'M JUST QUESTIONING, YOU KNOW -- >>LUCIE AYER: I THINK THEY WILL TRY AGAIN, BUT I THINK MS. LAYNE HAS SAID THAT IT MAY HAVE TO BE A STATEWIDE EFFORT FOR THEM TO RECEIVE FUNDING, BUT I ALSO WANT TO REMIND ALL OF US THAT AS MPO WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO USE FEDERAL OR STATE DOLLARS TO LOBBY AT THOSE LEVELS, JUST SO YOU KNOW. >>THOMAS SCOTT: OKAY. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. WITH YOUR PERMISSION, IF THERE'S NO OBJECTION, MR. MILLER HAS TO LEAVE, SO WE'D LIKE TO MOVE HIS FUTURE TRANSIT AT TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT UP, AND SO MR. MILLER. >>LOUIS MILLER: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I APPRECIATE THAT. WE HAD A STUDY. YOU'VE SEEN SOME PUBLICITY IN THE NEWSPAPERS ABOUT IT, BUT WE WANTED TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM THAT SHOWED THAT WE WOULD MAINTAIN A CORRIDOR THROUGH TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, SO IT WOULD BASICALLY BE, AS I STATED IN THE MPO MEETING A FEW MONTHS AGO, RAIL READY IN THE FUTURE. THAT STUDY HAS NOW BEEN COMPLETED, AND WHILE NADINE WAS HERE, NADINE JONES, TALKING TO YOU ABOUT IT ABOUT TWO MONTHS AGO, SO I WON'T GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE DETAILS, BUT WE NOW HAVE AN ANIMATION THAT WE PUT TOGETHER THAT ACTUALLY SHOWS HOW A RAIL SYSTEM COULD WORK AT TAMPA INTERNATIONAL. I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT ONE THING. WE HAVE NO INTENTION OF SAYING WE'RE GOING TO COME OUT AND BUILD A RAIL SYSTEM. WE'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SUCH A THING. WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS WHEN THE TBARTA OR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, WHOEVER IT IS THAT COMES UP AND MANAGES THE LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM WITHIN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, THAT WHEN THEY COME TO THE AIRPORT THEY HAVE A WAY TO GET THROUGH, AND IF WE COULD START THAT ANIMATION, I CAN KIND OF EXPLAIN TO YOU HOW IT GOES THROUGH, SO I'M READY FOR THAT. IF YOU NOTICE RIGHT HERE, THE RAILS ARE RUNNING ALONG. THAT'S ON -- JUST SOUTH OF SPRUCE STREET GOING TOWARDS THE WEST. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM AS IT COMES INTO THE AIRPORT. I LOST MY PICTURE. THERE IS IT UP THERE. CONTINUES ON. YOU CAN SEE A PLANE LANDING THERE ON THE EAST RUNWAY AS IT'S COMING DOWN. THE RAILS -- THE CARS WILL TURN, AND OUR GOAL IN THIS WAS TO MAKE SURE WE MAINTAIN THIS CORRIDOR INTO THE FUTURE AND THE BOARD WOULD TAKE NO ACTION IN THE FUTURE TO DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD ELIMINATE THE ABILITY FOR THIS TO RUN IN -- THROUGH TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. NOW, YOU'LL NOTICE NOW IT'S GOING TO START TO ELEVATE. THAT'S WHY IT GETS SO EXPENSIVE. IT HAS TO GO UP AND GET ABOVE ALL THE TRAFFIC. THE TRAFFIC IS MOVING UNDERNEATH IT, GOING THROUGH GARAGES THAT AREN'T EVEN BUILT YET. YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THE POST OFFICE IS GONE. YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE WHEN IT TURNS ANOTHER CORNER UP HERE, THIS IS WELL IN THE FUTURE, WE HAVE AN EXTRA NORTH-SOUTH ROAD YOU CAN SEE ON THE ROAD. THAT WOULD BE THE ROAD TAKING YOU TO THE NORTH TERMINAL BUILDING. NOW WE'RE GOING BACK DOWN UNDER THE TAXIWAY AS IT'S COMING INTO THE AIRPORT. IT'S COMING UP NOW AND ELEVATING AGAIN, WHICH IT WOULD NEED TO DO. IT'S GOING TO GO OVER -- THAT'S AIRSIDE "A" YOU SEE TO YOUR RIGHT. THAT'S THE SHUTTLE SYSTEM UNDERNEATH AIRSIDE "A" RUNNING BACK AND FORTH. IT WOULD CONTINUE TO RUN, SO IT'S GOING TO GO UP, AND IT'S GOING TO STOP HERE IN A MINUTE, AND IF YOU LOOK IN THAT FACE OF WHERE THAT STATION IS, THERE'S A TRAIN READY TO COME OUT AS WELL, SO IT'S A THROUGH SYSTEM, AND AS WE TURN AROUND AND GO TO THE NORTH, YOU'LL SEE THAT TRAIN COMING THROUGH, COMING OUT OF THE SOUTH -- GOING TO THE SOUTH, SO AS WE TURN AROUND HERE, IT TAKES ABOUT A MINUTE OR TWO, AND THEN THE TRAIN IS GOING TO COME OUT AGAIN. YOU'LL SEE THE AIRCRAFT MOVING, THE TRAFFIC BELOW. NOW IT'S COMING OUT, IT'S GOING OVER -- THAT'S AIRSIDE "C" YOU SEE THERE, SOUTHWEST, BRAND-NEW AIRSIDE, HERE AGAIN GOING OVER THE SHUTTLE CARS TO AIRSIDE "C." NOW IT'S GOING TO GO BACK DOWN VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE IT HAS TO GO UNDER THESE ELEVATED TAXIWAYS TO GET TO THE NEW NORTH TERMINAL, WHICH YOU SEE OUT THERE. PLANNED ON OPENING THAT FIRST PHASE OF THE TERMINAL, BY THE WAY, 2015, WHICH ISN'T THAT FAR AWAY, AT A COST OF ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS. THE RAIL SYSTEM WILL GO UP AGAIN. AS IT COMES IN, IT IS GOING TO STOP AT A STATION RIGHT AT THE NORTH TERMINAL COMPLEX, ALLOWING PEOPLE TO GET OFF THERE SO THEY COULD HAVE STOPPED AT EITHER, DEPENDING WHICH AIRLINE THEY WERE FLYING ON, EITHER TERMINAL. IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO TURN AGAIN TO KEEP THIS -- IT'S AMAZING WHAT THEY CAN DO. I CALL THIS THE "E" TICKET RIDE. I TELL YOU, IT GOES UP AND DOWN BUT IT HAS TO BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE AIRPORT IS EXISTING TODAY. IT'S GOING TO COME OUT OF THE STATION AND GO BACK DOWN AGAIN WHEN YOU SEE THIS IN A MINUTE, AND HERE AGAIN, THE TRIP BACK DOWN, THAT'S THE FUTURE AIRSIDE THAT WON'T BE BUILT PROBABLY FOR A LONG, LONG, LONG TIME. THAT'S ONE OF THE LAST AIRSIDES TO EVER BE BUILT IN THE NORTH TERMINAL. IT GOES BACK DOWN AGAIN, GOES UNDERNEATH THE TAXIWAY. THAT'S HILLSBOROUGH. THAT'S CROSSING HILLSBOROUGH RIGHT THERE. NOW, WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT WILL HAPPEN WITH THIS, WHETHER HILLSBOROUGH WILL BE ELEVATED UP OVER THE TRAIN STATION -- OVER THE TRAINS OR THE TRAIN COULD CROSS AT GRADE BECAUSE IT WOULD COME ABOUT EVERY TEN MINUTES. YOU COULD DO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS, BUT HERE AGAIN, OUR GOAL WAS TO MAKE SURE THE AIRPORT WAS RAIL READY, SO WHEN THE BOARD APPROVED THIS, WE ADOPTED A MOTION THAT SAID THAT THERE WOULD BE NO ACTION TAKEN AT THE AIRPORT THAT WOULD DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD INTERFERE WITH THAT CORRIDOR INTO THE FUTURE, SO WHEN SOME DAY WHEN THE TRANSIT SYSTEM DECIDES THEY WANT TO BUILD A RAIL, GET THAT SYSTEM GOING, IT WILL BE READY AND IT'S THERE AND IT'S PRESERVED FOR YOU. COST OF THAT ELEVATED LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM IS ABOUT $250 MILLION, BUT THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE COST OF THE RIGHT-OF- WAY, WHICH WE WOULD BE DONATING. WE WOULD PRESERVE THE LAND. THERE WOULD BE NO COST. YOU COULD ACTUALLY USE THAT DONATIONAL RIGHT-OF-WAY TO GET SOME FEDERAL FUNDING OR SOME OTHER ITEMS IN THE FUTURE. I APPRECIATE YOU CHANGING THE AGENDA ITEM. >>MARK SHARPE: I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THAT'S EXCITING, LOUIS. >>MARK SHARPE: THAT'S GREAT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YEAH, THAT'S GREAT INFORMATION. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT, WE HAVE LIVABLE ROADWAYS. COUNCILMAN -- >>BRIAN BLAIR: I JUST WANTED TO COMPLIMENT MR. MILLER ON AN EXCELLENT -- ON A JOB WELL DONE. WE HAVE -- AS A BOARD, WE ALSO -- I NEVER HEAR US TALK ABOUT THE OPERATIONAL EXPENSES OF THE MULTIMODAL SYSTEMS, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WHEN WE GOT THE FIGURE THE OTHER DAY, I WANTED TO ASK THIS QUESTION OF -- IT WAS 6.1 BILLION OR 8 BILLION. WHAT WAS THE FIGURE THAT WE GOT, ANYBODY REMEMBER, FOR THE OVERALL PLAN? BUT OPERATIONAL DOLLARS HAVE TO ALSO BE FIGURED INTO THOSE NUMBERS IN THE FUTURE, AND I JUST WANTED PUT THAT ON THE RECORD. THANK YOU. GREAT PRESENTATION. >>JOE AFFRONTI: WONDERFUL. OKAY. LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE. MS. MULHERN. >>MARY MULHERN: THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN. THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE MET ON NOVEMBER 21st. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT STAFF PRESENTED THE RIVERVIEW COMMUNITY PLAN AND THE CONCEPT FOR THE DOWNTOWN AREA. THE PRESIDENT OF THE GREATER RIVERVIEW CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ALSO ATTENDED THE MEETING TO DISCUSS THE EFFORTS TO PRESERVE LANDSCAPE ON U.S. 301. THE CHAMBER RECENTLY LED A SUCCESSFUL EFFORT TO FIND PRIVATE FUNDING TO MAINTAIN THE TREES IN THE MEDIAN AT 301 ALONG A SEVERAL-MILE CORRIDOR. THE MAINTENANCE OF THE TREES HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. THE RECENT BUDGET CUTS LEFT REDUCED FUNDING FOR MAINTENANCE, AND THE EXTENSION OF THE CONTRACT WAS NOT PURSUED. BEFORE PRIVATE FUNDING WAS IDENTIFIED, THE TREES WERE TO BE REMOVED IN ORDER TO REDUCE THE MAINTENANCE OBLIGATION. THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE IS CONCERNED THAT OTHER LANDSCAPE INSTALLATIONS WILL MEET WITH THE SAME FATE AND URGES THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE FUNDING TO MAINTAIN ROADWAYS. THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS GUIDELINES AND THEIR ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT OF THE CITY OF TAMPA COMP PLAN. EMPHASIS WAS PLACED ON MAKING SURE THAT POLICIES, CODES, AND TECHNICAL STANDARDS FOR BOTH ROADWAYS AND DEVELOPMENT WORK IN CONCERT TO SUPPORT TRANSIT AND WALKABILITY WITHIN THE CITY OF TAMPA. THE COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS ITS APPRECIATION TO MICHELLE GREENE, WHO SERVED AS THE FDOT BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN COORDINATOR AND HOPES THAT A REPLACEMENT WILL SOON BE NAMED. THE NEXT LIVABLE ROADWAYS MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 19th, AT 8:30 A.M. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MARY. ANY QUESTIONS OF MARY? IF NOT, WE MOVE ON TO THE BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE GENA. >>GENA TORRES: THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. GENA TORRES, MPO STAFF. THE BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MET ON NOVEMBER 14th, AND WHAT WE DISCUSSED WAS AN ARTICLE THAT WE READ ABOUT THE $500 MILLION SALES TAX FUND IDENTIFIED FOR ROAD WIDENING PROJECTS, AND THE COMMITTEE MADE A MOTION TO SEND A LETTER TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS, IT'S IN DRAFT FORM NOW, AND -- JUST TO HIGHLIGHT OUR ALARMING BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN FATALITY RATES HERE IN OUR COUNTY. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT NEW ROAD WIDENING PROJECTS TYPICALLY DO INCLUDE BIKE LANES AND SIDEWALKS, SO WE'RE HAPPY TO SEE THAT, BUT THAT THERE'S A BACKLOG OF ROADS THAT AREN'T SLATED FOR WIDENING, PROBABLY FOR A LOT OF GOOD REASONS, BUT THEY ALSO NEED BICYCLE LANES AND SIDEWALKS. SO THESE ROADS NEED TO BE RETROFITTED, SOMETIMES VERY COST AFFORDABLE COMPARED TO HAVING A BIKE RIGHT-OF-WAY BUT WITH STRIPING OR ADDING A SIDEWALK IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY THAT'S ALREADY THERE, SO THAT'S THE GIST OF THE LETTER THAT WILL BE COMING TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. THE BPAC RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON -- THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE HAS A SAFETY PROGRAM WHERE THEY BOUGHT TRAILERS FILLED WITH BIKES AND CONES AND ALL -- SIGNS AND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY CAN PUT ON BIKE RODEOS, AND EACH OF THEIR FOUR DISTRICTS HAS THE TRAILER, AND THEY WERE GIVING US AN UPDATE ON THE HELMET PURCHASES AND -- WE WERE JUST VERY HAPPY THAT THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS TAKING SUCH A BIG INTEREST IN BIKE SAFETY, AND THEY'RE ASSISTING THE BPAC WITH THEIR GASPARILLA BIKE RODEO THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE HOLDING ON JANUARY 19th, THE MORNING OF THE CHILDREN'S PARADE ON BAYSHORE. OUR OUTREACH COMMITTEE IS WORKING ON A NEW PROGRAM CALLED WOMEN ON WHEELS, AND THE IDEA IS TO MEET ONCE OR TWICE A MONTH. WE'RE GOING TO MEET ON THE UPPER TAMPA BAY TRAIL AND JUST TEACH BASIC BIKE MECHANICS, RULES OF THE ROAD, BICYCLE HANDLING, SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT MAYBE WOMEN ARE MAYBE MORE HESITANT TO TRY CYCLING, SO WE WANT TO MAKE EVERYONE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT. THEY CAN TALK BAD ABOUT THEIR HUSBANDS OR SOMETHING FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. THE NEXT MEETING IS GOING TO BE HELD ON DECEMBER 12th, AND IT'S GOING TO BE AT THE UPPER TAMPA BAY TRAIL. THIS IS A LITTLE MORE FESTIVE MEETING THAT WE HAVE, AND THAT WILL BE AT 6:00 P.M., BUT EARLIER RIDES ARE ENCOURAGED AND HIKING ON THE TRAIL. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, GENA. ANY QUESTIONS OF GENA? IF NOT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT, LUCIE. >>LUCIE AYER: FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I ATTENDED THE TBARTA MEETING JUST LAST FRIDAY, AND THEY ALSO SET UP THEIR SCHEDULE, AND THEY MEET ON THE VERY LAST -- THE FOURTH FRIDAY OF EACH MONTH, BUT THEY ALSO SKIP THE MONTH OF JULY. IN TERMS OF THE BYLAWS THAT DEALS WITH THE CCC -- THAT'S THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION. THEY CHANGED THE BYLAWS SO THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE CHAIRS COORDINATING COMMITTEE WOULD CONTINUE TO BE THE -- THE MEMBER EVEN THOUGH THAT THIS PERSON MAY NOT BE THE CHAIR OF THE LOCAL MPO, AND THE MEMBERSHIP IS FOR TWO YEARS. THE -- OTHER THING IS THAT THAT WILL ALSO ALLOW THE CCC TO DESIGNATE AN ALTERNATE WHO WILL BE ALLOWED TO SERVE WHENEVER THE REGULAR MEMBER IS NOT AVAILABLE. AS YOU KNOW, THE CCC MEETS EVERY THREE MONTHS, SO THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO PROVIDE CONTINUITY, AND IN TERMS OF THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE LEGAL AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, AS I SAID, I'M VERY PROUD TO NOW SAY THAT WE'RE THE FIRST MPO WHO APPROVED THIS. I'M SURE THEY WILL BE VERY APPRECIATIVE. AND THEN THEY ALSO APPOINTED EIGHT OUT OF THE 16 CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS LAST FRIDAY. I'M SURE THEY WILL CONTINUE TO FILL THAT. THE ONLY OTHER THING THAT I WANT TO REPORT TO YOU IS THAT THE NEXT MEETING IS JANUARY 25th, AND I DON'T KNOW THE LOCATION YET, BUT THEY ALWAYS PUBLICIZE THEIR MEETINGS. IN TERMS OF OUR SCHEDULE, I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THIS MPO IS HOSTING THE STATEWIDE MPO ADVISORY COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE, AND THEY ARE MEETING IN MY OFFICE ON FRIDAY. AND THE OTHER THING IS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD THIS EARLIER, BUT I JUST WANT TO REMIND YOU THAT WE WILL HAVE A JOINT CAC/TAC MEETING ON DECEMBER THE 12th, AND IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE 18th FLOOR AT 1:30, AND THEN THE CCC IS ACTUALLY MEETING, THEN, ON FRIDAY, THE 14th, AND THIS TIME IT'S GOING TO BE IN POLK COUNTY. THE LAST THING I WANT TO REPORT TO YOU IS THAT THE POLICY COMMITTEE WILL MEET ON DECEMBER THE 18th AT 9:00 A.M. ON THE 18th FLOOR. AND THAT'S THE END OF MY REPORT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, LUCIE. OKAY. FDOT TENTATIVE WORK PROGRAM FOR 2008-2009/'12 AND '13. >> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR, AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. LINDA STACHEWICZ, D.O.T. WE'RE NOT GOING TO USE THE POWERPOINT. IN THE INTEREST OF TIME AND RUNNING LATE, I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH A QUICK HIGHLIGHT AND SUMMARY OF THE WORK PROGRAM. THIS IS COMING TO YOU AS A STATUS ITEM AND WILL COME BACK TO YOU IN JANUARY AS AN ACTION ITEM. THE PROGRAM WAS DELAYED IN CONCLUDING DUE TO SOME REVENUE FORECASTS THAT WE HAD A CHANGE IN. WE'VE PASSED ALONG A PACKET TO YOU TODAY; HOWEVER, IT'S BEEN BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION THAT SOME OF THE COMMENTS IN THE WORK PROGRAM PACKET ARE NOT CORRECT. THE PROJECTS ARE ACCURATE AND THE FUNDING THAT IS PROGRAMMED IS ACCURATE, BUT THERE'S A FEW COMMENTS, ONE BEING A COMMENT LISTED ON 40th STREET THAT SAYS CONSTRUCTION WAS DELAYED. IT IS NOT CORRECT, SO I'LL GO OVER A FEW OF THE COMMENTS ON THE -- ON THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PROGRAM AND TAKE ANY QUESTIONS. WE HAD A FEW PROJECTS THAT WERE DEFERRED AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROGRAM DUE TO A REDUCTION IN SOME ESTIMATES, ONE OF THEM BEING 40th STREET WAS ACTUALLY DEFERRED ONE YEAR TO 2010. IT WAS DEFERRED TO ALIGN THE PROJECT WITH THE LOCAL FUNDS AND THE FEDERAL FUNDS. THERE WILL BE NO DELAY IN THE PROJECT SCHEDULE. IT'S STILL SCHEDULED TO BEGIN 2009 -- IN THE SUMMER OF 2009 AND 2010, SO THE FUNDS WERE JUST ALIGNED TO ALIGN THE FEDERAL FUNDING. MLK WAS DEFERRED FROM 2010 TO 2013 FROM HIGHVIEW TO EAST PARSONS, BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS IS THAT THE SECOND SEGMENT, WHICH I'LL READ LATER, IS BEING ADDED TO THE PROGRAM FOR MLK. THE DALE MABRY FRONTAGE ROADS WERE -- THE PE WAS DEFERRED TO 2012 AT 6.5 MILLION. THE REHAB OF I-75 FROM SOUTH OF PROGRESS TO STATE ROAD 60 WAS DEFERRED TO 2010, A $21-MILLION PROJECT. PROJECTS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ADVANCE, WE'RE REALLY PLEASED TO SAY THAT THE I-275 NORTHBOUND OFF RAMP AT STATE ROAD 60, THE AIRPORT FLYOVER, HAS BEEN ADVANCED FROM 2012 TO 2009. THIS IS A SAFETY AND OPERATIONAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. THE OTHER PROJECT THAT WAS ADVANCED IS AN I-275 I.T.S. PROJECT. PROJECTS ADDED TO THE PROGRAM, WE'RE REALLY HAPPY TO REPORT THAT WE WERE ABLE TO RESTORE THE "Z" MOVEMENT OF THE I- 4/SELMON EXPRESSWAY INTERCHANGE BACK INTO THE PROGRAM. CONSTRUCTION'S BEEN ADDED FOR 2013 FOR 110 MILLION, AND THAT RUNS RIGHT IN BEHIND THE CONSTRUCTION THAT IS CURRENTLY STILL PROGRAMMED FROM SELMON TO I-4 FOR 377 MILLION, SO THAT ENTIRE PROJECT IS NOW PROGRAMMED IN THE FIVE-YEAR PROGRAM. MLK WAS ADDED EAST OF PARSONS TO EAST OF KINGSWAY, AS I MENTIONED, RIGHT-OF-WAY FOR 2013 TO CONNECT TO THE OTHER SEGMENT; COURTNEY CAMPBELL BRIDGE REHAB WAS ADDED; AND THE I-75/FOWLER AVENUE TO THE I-275 I.T.S. PROJECT WAS ADDED. WE DID ADD 11 RESURFACING PROJECTS THROUGHOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR A TOTAL OF $73 MILLION. THOSE ARE LISTED, AND WE'LL HAVE A DETAILED LIST FOR YOU IN THE UPCOMING PROGRAM PRESENTATION. ALL OF THE PRIORITY PROJECTS FROM THE MPO BOARD FOR SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM FUNDING I CAN GLADLY SAY WERE FUNDED. FULLY FUNDED AT THE RECOMMENDED AMOUNTS AS REQUESTED BY THE BOARD. I CAN -- THAT WAS $19.3 MILLION. I'LL RUN THROUGH THOSE QUICKLY FOR YOU SINCE THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO YOU AS THE MPO TRANSPORTATION PLANNING. 40th STREET AT 5.6 MILLION; THE TAMPA DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP FOR 195; HART BUS REPLACEMENTS FOR 2.5 MILLION; I.T.S. FOR THE CITY OF TAMPA AT 1.7; BACS FOR OUTREACH; THE WESTSHORE ALLIANCE PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENT SYSTEM; SAM ALLEN RIGHT-OF- WAY ACQUISITION FOR TWO MILLION; BRUCE B. DOWNS RIGHT-OF- WAY ACQUISITION AT SIX MILLION; AND THE NEW NORTH TAMPA TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE, SO ALL OF THOSE PROJECTS WERE INCLUDED. WE INCLUDED A COUPLE OF SAFETY AND -- SAFE-ROUTES-TO-SCHOOL PROGRAMS FOR BRYANT ELEMENTARY AND OAK GROVE. WE'VE INCLUDED YOUR ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS THAT WERE DETERMINED FEASIBLE AND READY TO GO FOR THE NEW FIFTH YEAR. WE'VE FUNDED McMULLEN ROAD SIDEWALK FROM BALM-RIVERVIEW. WE'VE INCLUDED FUNDING FOR DOWNTOWN RIVERWALK FOR THE YEAR 2013 FOR THEIR NEXT SEGMENTS. BASICALLY THAT'S A QUICK OVERVIEW. WE ARE HAVING OUR PUBLIC HEARINGS, AS MENTIONED BEFORE, ON DECEMBER 10th AND DECEMBER 13th. THE DECEMBER 10th MEETING WILL BE HELD IN PASCO, AND THE 13th WILL BE HELD AT THE TAMPA BAY REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL. IF YOU DON'T HAVE THAT INVITATION, I'M SURE THE MPO STAFF CAN PROVIDE YOU ALL THE DETAILS FOR THOSE EVENING MEETINGS. AND THE MPO WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE ANY WRITTEN COMMENT ON THIS PROGRAM UNTIL JANUARY 21st, SO YOU WILL RECEIVE PACKETS PROBABLY THE END OF NEXT WEEK THAT WILL UPDATE WHAT YOU HAVE. YOU CAN ATTEND THE PUBLIC HEARINGS, AND IT WILL COME BACK TO YOU FOR YOUR NEXT MEETING. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS? >> THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: IF NOT, WE APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: WE'RE VERY PRIVILEGED HERE -- WE'RE VERY PRIVILEGED TO -- FOR AN AWARD THAT WAS GIVEN TO OUR EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY. MR. JOE WAGGONER OF THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY IS GOING TO SHOW YOU WHAT WE GOT. WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT. >>JOSEPH WAGGONER: I NEED TO TAKE UP WEIGHTLIFTING AGAIN. THAT THING'S HEAVY. ON OCTOBER 10th, 2007, THE INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE, TUNNEL, AND TURNPIKE ASSOCIATION AWARDED THE REVERSIBLE EXPRESS LANES PROJECT WITH THEIR 2007 PRESIDENT'S AWARD. THIS IS THE ITEM RIGHT HERE IN FRONT OF YOU. THE INTERNATIONAL BRIDGE, TUNNEL, AND TURNPIKE ASSOCIATION, OR IBTTA, AS WE AFFECTIONATELY CALL IT IN THE BUSINESS BECAUSE WE DON'T LIKE TO SAY ALL THAT, GET YOUR TONGUE TWISTED, IS AN INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TOLL AGENCIES CREATED TO SHARE NEW IDEAS WITHIN THE TOLLING COMMUNITY. THERE ARE OVER 200 TOLL AGENCIES AROUND THE WORLD AND THERE ARE OVER A THOUSAND TOLL FACILITIES IN THE WORLD. THIS PROJECT IS ONE OF A THOUSAND. IT REPRESENTS A CREATIVE SOLUTION TO A COMMON PROBLEM FOR MANY PLACES IN THE WORLD. THE REVERSIBLE EXPRESS LANES PROJECT IS BEING COPIED IN FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA, AND IN BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA, AND IT'S STRONGLY BEING CONSIDERED IN AREAS LIKE ATLANTA AND PITTSBURGH. THE PROJECT OPENED TO TRAFFIC IN JULY 2006. IT'S OPERATING AHEAD OF PROJECTIONS, AND BEST OF ALL, IT'S PROVIDING A MUCH-NEEDED SERVICE THAT OUR CUSTOMERS TRULY SEEM TO APPRECIATE. THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW TOLL ROADS CAN ALSO SUPPORT TRANSIT. I SPOKE TO THE NEW DIRECTOR OF HART THE OTHER DAY, AND HE CONFIRMED THAT THE REVERSIBLE EXPRESS LANE ROUTE HELPS THEM PROVIDE ONE OF THEIR BEST IF NOT THEIR BEST EXPRESS BUS SERVICE THAT THEY HAVE IN THE COUNTY. THIS FACILITY HAS RECEIVED OVER A DOZEN AWARDS, BUT AGAIN, THE BEST AWARD OF ALL IS THAT THE REL IS PROVIDING A GREAT SERVICE TO OUR CITIZENS AND THE COMMUNITY. THE TAMPA-HILLSBOROUGH EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY PROVIDED A CREATIVE SOLUTION. THE AWARD HAS PUT THE CITY OF TAMPA AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ON THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL MAP AS A LEADER IN TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS, AND WE ASK YOU TO PLEASE ENJOY THIS RECOGNITION FOR TAMPA AND THE COUNTY OF HILLSBOROUGH. THIS PROJECT HAS PUT THE REGION ON THE MAP AS PROGRESSIVE THINKERS WHO ARE WILLING TO TAKE ACTION, TO TAKE CREATIVE ACTIONS, AND NOW I HAVE A BRIEF VIDEO I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU ON THE PROJECT, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [VIDEO PLAYED] >>NARRATOR: THE LEE ROY SELMON CROSSTOWN EXPRESSWAY IS A 15-MILE-LONG, FOUR-LANE TOLL HIGHWAY IN TAMPA, FLORIDA, CONNECTING FROM EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, SUBURBAN BRANDON, AND I-75 THROUGH DOWNTOWN TAMPA, TO GANDY BOULEVARD AND DALE MABRY HIGHWAY, PROVIDING DRIVERS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE CITY WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO DOWNTOWN AND THE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISES ALONG STATE ROAD 60. WITH FUTURE HIGHWAY IMPROVEMENTS ON THE WEST, LINKING TO THE GANDY BRIDGE AND I-275 IN PINELLAS COUNTY, AND A DIRECT CONNECTION TO I-4 TO BE CONSTRUCTED EAST OF DOWNTOWN, THE CROSSTOWN IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT REGIONAL HIGHWAY. DURING THE PAST 20 YEARS, EVER-INCREASING TRAFFIC EVENTUALLY RESULTED IN SEVERE CONGESTION FOR THOUSANDS OF DAILY EXPRESSWAY COMMUTERS. AND BECAUSE OF MANY URBAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSTRAINTS, ACQUIRING MORE LAND TO WIDEN THE HIGHWAY WAS NOT AN OPTION. THE TAMPA-HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY'S EXTRAORDINARY SOLUTION TO RELIEVE THIS CONGESTION WAS TO BUILD TEN MILES OF REVERSIBLE EXPRESS LANES FROM BRANDON AND I-75 TO DOWNTOWN TAMPA. MOST OF THE PROJECT WAS CONSTRUCTED AS AN ELEGANT THREE- LANE PRECAST CONCRETE SEGMENTAL BRIDGE. THIS UNIQUE STRUCTURE, BUILT IN AN OFF-SITE FACTORY, AND ASSEMBLED IN THE MEDIAN OF THE EXISTING EXPRESSWAY, PROVIDES NONSTOP TRIPS FOR COMMUTERS AND OTHER TRAVELERS HEADED TO AND FROM DOWNTOWN. IN THE MORNING, THE REVERSIBLE LANES ARE ONE WAY TO TAMPA, WHICH MORE THAN DOUBLES THE EXPRESSWAY'S CAPACITY. THE LANES ARE FOR CARS AND EXPRESS BUSES ONLY AND OPERATE WITH THE WORLD'S FIRST REVERSIBLE OPEN ROAD TOLLING SOLUTION USING SUNPASS, FLORIDA'S STATEWIDE ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION SYSTEM, AND VIDEO TOLL COLLECTION BASED ON LICENSE PLATE PHOTOGRAPHY. CUSTOMERS MAY ENTER THE REVERSIBLE LANES AT GATEWAY ENTRANCES IN BRANDON AND IN DOWNTOWN, AND DRIVERS CAN MOVE BETWEEN THE EXPRESS LANES AND THE CROSSTOWN LOCAL LANES USING A NUMBER OF INTERNAL RAMPS. THIS CONVENIENT, EFFICIENT SYSTEM DELIVERS SAFE NONSTOP TRIPS TO DOWNTOWN WHILE THE LANES BELOW PROVIDE UNCONGESTED TRAVEL TO OTHER LOCAL DESTINATIONS. LATER IN THE DAY, THE EXPRESS LANES ARE REVERSED FOR ONE- WAY TRAFFIC IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, QUICKLY AND SAFELY CARRYING COMMUTERS HOME FROM WORK. THE PROJECT IS TRULY A HIGHWAY WITHIN A HIGHWAY. ON WEEKDAY MORNINGS, COMMUTERS MAY USE THE BRANDON GATEWAY TO ACCESS THE EXPRESS LANES DIRECTLY TO TAMPA. WEST OF U.S. 301, RAMPS ALLOW TRAFFIC TO MOVE TO THE OUTSIDE LANES FOR LOCAL DESTINATIONS, SUCH AS YBOR CITY, OR TO ENTER THE CENTER LANES FROM THE EXISTING EXPRESSWAY FOR THE TRIP TO DOWNTOWN. ONCE MORNING RUSH HOUR IS OVER, THE EAST END OF THE ONE-WAY OPERATION CLOSES, AND AFTER A SAFETY INSPECTION, AND EASTBOUND RAMP OPENS TO PROVIDE ACCESS BACK TO BRANDON AREA SHOPPING AND RESTAURANTS. THIS SPLIT OPERATION CONTINUES UNTIL MID-AFTERNOON, WHEN THE WEST END IS CLOSED. AFTER ANOTHER SAFETY INSPECTION, THE DOWNTOWN GATEWAY ENTRANCE AND TWO ADDITIONAL EASTBOUND RAMPS OPEN TO HANDLE AFTERNOON TRAFFIC LEAVING THE CITY. ELECTRONIC MESSAGE SIGNS DISPLAY WHETHER THE EXPRESS LANES ARE OPEN OR CLOSED. WARNING GATES BLOCK WRONG-WAY ACCESS TO THE LANES, AND A DRAW BRIDGE-STYLE RESISTANCE BARRIER PREVENTS VEHICLES FROM ENTERING THE REVERSIBLE EXPRESS LANES IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. CITY OF TAMPA TRAFFIC MANAGERS OVERSEE THE OPENING AND CLOSING OF THE LANES FROM A NEW TRANSPORTATION CENTER, WHERE THEY MONITOR THE EXPRESSWAY TO ENSURE SAFE ROADWAY OPERATIONS AND DISPATCH ROAD RANGER ASSISTANCE IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT OR VEHICLE BREAKDOWN. THIS INNOVATIVE SET OF REVERSIBLE EXPRESS LANES HAS WON NUMEROUS AWARDS FOR PLANNING, DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, AND OPERATIONS, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT RECOGNITION HAS COME FROM EXPRESSWAY CUSTOMERS AND THE LOCAL MEDIA. >> WHEN IT COMES TO GETTING THERE ON THE CROSSTOWN EXPRESSWAY, REVERSIBLE LANES' PERFORMANCE EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS. THE BRIDGE OPENED TO TRAFFIC A YEAR AGO TODAY, AND AS BAY NEWS 9'S HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY REPORTER CHUCK JOHNSON EXPLAINS, EVEN A 50% TOLL INCREASE COULDN'T KEEP COMMUTERS AWAY. >> MALIK BORABA COMMUTES FROM HIS HOME IN RIVERVIEW TO HIS OFFICE IN DOWNTOWN TAMPA AND BACK EACH DAY. HE SAYS BEFORE THE REVERSIBLE BRIDGE LANES OPENED ONE YEAR AGO, HIS COMMUTE WAS A CHORE. >> IT WAS A MESS. IT TOOK ME, LIKE, WHAT, 45 MINUTES JUST TO COME HERE. WITH THE BRIDGE, IT PROBABLY TAKES ME, LIKE, FIVE, SEVEN MINUTES TO CROSS THE HIGHWAY. >> AND HE'S NOT THE ONLY ONE SAVING TIME. THE CROSSTOWN EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY SAYS THE REVERSIBLE ONE- WAY BRIDGE HAS CHOPPED 20 MINUTES TO A HALF HOUR OFF THE COMMUTE OF MOST DRIVERS WHO USE IT. BEFORE THE BRIDGE OPENED, THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY ESTIMATED THAT ABOUT 12,000 VEHICLES WOULD USE IT EACH DAY AFTER ONE YEAR WITH A $1 TOLL. IN REALITY, BETWEEN 16- AND 17,000 VEHICLES USE THE BRIDGE EACH DAY, AND THE TOLL IS $1.50 EACH WAY. PLANNING DIRECTOR MARTIN STONE SAYS NORMALLY A TOLL INCREASE LEADS TO A DROP IN USAGE. >> IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, BY THE END OF THE FIRST MONTH, WE WERE ALREADY EXCEEDING PROJECTIONS BY ABOUT 2%, WHICH SAYS THAT WE TRULY ARE PROVIDING A PREMIUM VALUE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE USING THE LANES. >> COMMUTERS LIKE MALIK BORABA SAYS THE TIME IS WELL WORTH THE COST. FOR THE CONVENIENCE AND THE PRICE, NO COMPLAINT. >> AND THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY SAYS COMMUTER RESPONSE LIKE THAT MAKES THE BRIDGE A SUCCESS AFTER ITS FIRST YEAR. IN TAMPA, CHUCK JOHNSON, BAY NEWS 9. >>NARRATOR: THE BEAUTIFUL CONCRETE SEGMENTAL BRIDGE, THE COMPUTER-BASED SAFETY CONTROLS, THE STATE-OF-THE-ART OPEN- ROAD TOLLING SYSTEM, AND THE REVERSIBLE EXPRESS LANE OPERATION ALL COMBINE TO CREATE ONE OF THE MOST ADVANCED TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS EVER CONSTRUCTED AND A PERMANENT SOLUTION FOR URBAN COMMUTER CONGESTION. AND WHILE THESE LANES PROVIDE A PREMIUM VALUE FOR THOUSANDS OF DAILY EXPRESSWAY CUSTOMERS, THEY ARE ALSO HELPING TO SUSTAIN THE VITALITY OF TAMPA'S CITY CENTER AND TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL WHO LIVE AND DRIVE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. [END OF VIDEO] >>JOE AFFRONTI: THAT IS WONDERFUL. AND MR. WAGGONER, WE WANT TO THANK YOU AND THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY FOR PROVIDING THIS WONDERFUL, CONVENIENT WAY FOR OUR CITIZENS TO TRAVEL. THANK YOU. >>JOSEPH WAGGONER: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>ROSE FERLITA: CONGRATULATIONS, YES. >>JOE AFFRONTI: PUBLIC INPUT. DO WE HAVE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT CARES TO ADDRESS THE COMMISSION ON -- THE MPO BOARD ON ANY ITEMS THAT ARE NOT ON THE AGENDA? IF NOT, DO WE HAVE ANY OLD BUSINESS TO DISCUSS? >>ROSE FERLITA: I JUST WANT TO MAKE A COMMENT BEFORE WE LEFT. THANKS, MR. CHAIR. >>JOE AFFRONTI: SURE. NEW BUSINESS? >>MARK SHARPE: NEW BUSINESS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. >>MARK SHARPE: I WANTED TO ASK OUR STAFF TO LOOK AT THE ISSUE OF COMMERCIAL TRUCK ACTIVITY ON OUR ROADS. I'M INTERESTED IN SEEING WHAT THE CURRENT -- WHAT OUR CURRENT STATUS IS. I'D LIKE TO KNOW THROUGH TRAFFIC AS WELL AS TRAFFIC THAT HAS A POINT OF ORIGIN AT OUR PORT, AND THEN I WANT US TO LOOK OUT OVER THE NEXT 25 YEARS WITH REGARD TO CSX AS WELL AS THE EXPANSION OF PORT ACTIVITY AND HOW THAT WILL -- JUST LOOKING AT IMPACT. I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO SOLUTIONS, I JUST WANT TO LOOK AT IMPACT RIGHT NOW, BUT IF WE COULD HAVE AN ANALYSIS DONE AND THEN A REPORT BACK TO THE MPO BOARD AND JUST IN WHATEVER IS A TIMELY FASHION BY YOUR STAFF. >>JOE AFFRONTI: GOOD IDEA. >>ROSE FERLITA: YOU DON'T NEED THAT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION? >>MARK SHARPE: THAT IS IN THE FORM OF A MOTION. >>ROSE FERLITA: SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. ANY OTHER NEW BUSINESS? >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, I JUST WANTED TO SAY AGAIN CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR REELECTION. WE TRULY APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP YOU'VE GIVEN US, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THAT. TO MS. MULHERN, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE NOMINATION, AND COLLEAGUES THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THAT NOMINATION. THANKS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU TOO, ROSE. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANKS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: BEFORE WE ADJOURN, I JUST WANT TO WISH EVERYONE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS. WE'RE VERY FORTUNATE, WE'RE VERY BLESSED, AND I THINK WE'RE -- TO LIVE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND BE ACTIVE AS WE ARE, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL. >>ROSE FERLITA: THANK YOU, JOE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: WITH THAT, WE ADJOURN. 1