CAPTIONING MAY 6, 2008 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. WELCOME TO OUR METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY MEETING OF MAY 6th, 2008. WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND A BRIEF INVOCATION. [PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE] HEAVENLY FATHER, WE CONTINUE TO THANK YOU FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS THAT YOU GAVE ALL -- THAT YOU GIVE ALL OF US EVERY DAY. WE'RE SO GRATEFUL. PLEASE HELP AND GUIDE US THROUGH OUR DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE FOR THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY DURING THESE TIMES OF CHANGE, AND WE ASK FOR YOUR BLESSED GUIDANCE. WE ASK THAT YOUR PROTECT OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THROUGHOUT THE WORLD WHO ARE PROTECTING OUR FREEDOMS. IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. >> AMEN. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ITEMS THAT I WOULD LIKE TO -- A COUPLE PRESENTATIONS I'D LIKE TO MAKE TO START THE MEETING OFF. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO THANK -- AND WHERE IS SHE? LINDA SAUL-SENA IS BACK ON THE MPO BOARD, AND WE CERTAINLY WELCOME HER BACK. SHE'S GREAT. I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE IS. SHE'LL BE HERE SHORTLY. FIRST PRESENTATION I HAVE IS FOR CITY COUNCIL CHAIRMAN OF TAMPA, TOM SCOTT. TOM. HERE'S THE PLAQUE. IT SAYS, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION HEREBY RECOGNIZES THOMAS SCOTT FOR HIS DEDICATION AND OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AS BOARD MEMBER OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION AND CHAIRMAN OF THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED COORDINATING BOARD, PRESENTED ON MAY 6th, 2008. THANK YOU, TOM. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN, TO THE MPO. IN THE RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION OF THE COMMUNITY, THEY SAY OFTEN WHEN THEY GIVE YOU A PLAQUE THAT MEANS THAT THEY'RE RETIRING YOU PRETTY MUCH, YOU KNOW, SO I HOPE THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE. I HOPE THAT WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO COMING BACK ONE DAY AND CONTINUING TO SERVE, BUT LET ME JUST SAY THAT I'VE SERVED ON THE MPO 11 YEARS STRAIGHT, WELL, TEN YEARS WITH THE COUNTY COMMISSION AND THEN ONE YEAR WITH THE CITY. IT'S BEEN A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH THE MPO, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW MY SUPPORT IS STILL WITH THE MPO. LET ME SAY IN CLOSING I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU -- I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU, AS I SAID ON YESTERDAY, COMMISSIONER SHARPE AND I TBARTA MEETING OR WHEN THEY MADE THEIR REPORT IN OUR TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE AND I SAID TO -- TO MR. -- YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. >> CLIFFORD. >> YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT, CLIFFORD, THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY - - AND I SAID THIS A FEW WEEKS AGO -- IS WAY AHEAD OF THE OTHER COUNTIES IN THE REGION, AND I WOULD SUGGEST THAT YOU GO BACK AND DUST OFF THE 2003 TRANSIT PLAN AND LOOK AT THAT PLAN AND UPDATE THAT PLAN AND POSITION YOURSELF TO BE IN LINE TO MOVE FORWARD. NONE OF THE OTHER COUNTIES ARE AS ADVANCED OR AS FAR AS HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ON THE WHOLE ISSUE OF MASS TRANSIT -- YOU KNOW, SEE FOR YOURSELF -- AS WELL AS YOU'VE BEEN AUTHORIZED THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE THE UP TO ONE-CENT SURTAX, TRANSPORTATION TAX. NOT THAT YOU MAY NOT WANT TO USE IT OR WHATEVER, BUT AT LEAST YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT THE 2003 PLAN IS AVAILABLE, IT JUST NEEDS TO BE UPDATED, AND YOU ARE READY TO GO. I ENCOURAGE THAT, AND AT THE CITY COUNCIL, IN MY PRESENTATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL, THAT I'M SUGGESTING THAT WE BEGIN TO LOOK AND WORK WITH THE COUNTY IN TERMS OF TRANSPORTATION AS IT MOVES FORWARD FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND THE CITY OF TAMPA. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF BEING HERE, AND I KNOW THAT THE TWO CITY COUNCIL REPRESENTATIVES ARE GOING TO DO EXTREMELY WELL AND THE THREE AT LEAST THAT ARE HERE ARE GOING TO DO A GREAT JOB. I HAVE THE UTMOST RESPECT AND CONFIDENCE FOR THEM, AND AGAIN, TO THE BOARD, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME THE PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH YOU. IT'S BEEN GREAT. THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>MARK SHARPE: I JUST WANTED TO SAY, MR. SCOTT, I KNOW YOU'RE NOT RETIRING, AND I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU ON YOUR NEW JOB AS CHAIRMAN OF THE CITY COUNCIL. I ENJOYED THE SHORT TIME THAT I HAD THE CHANCE TO SERVE WITH YOU ON THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION AND TO WORK WITH YOU ON THE MPO BOARD. YOU'RE A GREAT LEADER, YOU'RE A GREAT FIGHTER, AND WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER AND FIGHT TOGETHER FOR A COMPREHENSIVE TRANSIT PLAN, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MS. SAUL-SENA. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: I WANTED TO BEGIN BY THANKING OUR NEW CHAIRMAN, COMMISSIONER SCOTT -- I MEAN COUNCIL MEMBER SCOTT BECAUSE HE REAPPOINTED ME TO THE MPO, AND I'M REALLY HAPPY TO BE BACK HERE SERVING, BUT THE WHOLE TONE OF COUNCIL IS VERY -- IS TO BE VERY ENGAGED WITH TRANSPORTATION ISSUES AND TO EXHIBIT LEADERSHIP, AND I LOOK FORWARD AS CHAIRMAN OF TAMPA CITY COUNCIL TO YOUR LEADERSHIP IN THIS ARENA. LAST WEEK WE WERE FORTUNATE TO HAVE RICHARD SIMONETTA FROM ARIZONA MAKE A PRESENTATION TO US, AND WE WERE ALL JAZZED. IT'S VERY EXCITING WHAT THEY'VE DONE, AND WE WANT TO FOLLOW SUIT, SO THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP. >>BRIAN BLAIR: YES. I'D ALSO -- >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES. >>BRIAN BLAIR: COMMISSIONER SCOTT, YOU'VE BEEN SUCH A FRIEND TO ME ON THE BOARD FOR THREE YEARS. I MISS YOU NOW THAT YOU'RE OVER AT THE CITY, BUT I KNOW YOU'RE DOING GREAT THINGS, AND AGAIN, I'LL ECHO THE SENTIMENTS OF MY COLLEAGUE, COMMISSIONER SHARPE, AND SAY WHAT A GREAT LEADER, A BRILLIANT MAN, AND JUST A FRIEND AND A FRIEND TO THE COMMUNITY THAT YOU'VE BEEN. YOU'RE AN AWESOME PERSON. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >>BRIAN BLAIR: AWESOME INDIVIDUAL. >> THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, MR. SCOTT. I HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH MR. SCOTT ON THE TOURIST DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL WHERE HE WAS CHAIR AND ALSO THE TRANSPORTATION -- THE -- OUR TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, AND MORE RECENTLY NOW WITH THE MPO, AND MR. SCOTT HAS REALLY ALWAYS, ALWAYS CONTRIBUTED, AND YOU COULD ALWAYS DEPEND ON MR. SCOTT TO EXPRESS HIS VIEWS. [LAUGHTER] SO -- WHICH WAS VERY, VERY GOOD. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. SCOTT. >> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, MAY I JUST SAY ONE ADD-ON COMPLIMENT TO MR. SCOTT? >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES. >>ROSE FERLITA: I REMEMBER YEARS AGO -- AND TOM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER THIS OR NOT -- YOU CAME IN FROM NOPLACE AND CAME INTO MY DRUGSTORE, AND YOU SAID, THIS IS WHAT I'M DOING AND THIS IS WHAT I'M RUNNING FOR, AND I SAID, GUT FEELING TELLS ME THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BRING LEADERSHIP, I'M IN, AND I HAVE BEEN A SUPPORTER AND A FAN OF YOURS AND A FRIEND OF YOURS, HOPEFULLY, FOR ALL THAT TIME. SO THANKS FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. OKAY. THE NEXT PRESENTATION I'D LIKE TO MAKE IS TO LUCIA AYERS. LUCIA. LUCIA, I'VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF WORKING WITH LUCIA AS CHAIRMAN FOR THE LAST YEAR AND A HALF, AND IN MY OPINION, LUCIA HAS RAISED THE BAR FOR WHAT IS EXPECTED OF AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AN MPO, AND I WANT TO TELL YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE PERSONALLY HAVING WORKED WITH YOU. YOU TAUGHT ME A LOT, AND IT'S CERTAINLY -- YOU'VE DONE AN AWFUL LOT FOR OUR COUNTY. THIS IS A RESOLUTION -- HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION -- A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE DEDICATED SERVICE OF LUCIA AYER, AICP, AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION. WHEREAS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION, MS. AYER OVERSAW THE COMPLEX TASK OF COORDINATING ALL ASPECTS OF TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND PROGRAMMING IN FULL COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATIONS REGARDING FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING; AND WHEREAS, MS. AYERS EFFECTIVELY MANAGED THE STAFF THAT PROVIDES TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AS PART OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMPREHENSIVE PLANS UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CITY-COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION; AND WHEREAS, MS. AYERS MAINTAINED COMMITMENT TO MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO COMPREHENSIVE LAND USE PLANNING IN SUPPORT OF LIVABLE, SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES; AND WHEREAS, MS. AYERS REPRESENTED THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE JURISDICTIONS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND STATE INTERAGENCY RELATIONSHIPS AND WORKING WITH THE WEST CENTRAL FLORIDA MPO CHAIRS COORDINATING COMMITTEE AND THE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION'S ADVISORY COMMITTEE; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION HEREBY GRATEFULLY RECOGNIZES AND COMMENDS LUCIA AYERS FOR HER 13 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE AS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MPO. IT'S A REAL PLEASURE TO GIVE -- TO PRESENT THIS TO YOU, LUCIA. >> THANK YOU. [APPLAUSE] >>JOE AFFRONTI: AND, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANTED TO ADD ONE OTHER THING. IN ALL MY -- THE MEETINGS THAT I HAVE ATTENDED FOR THE CHAIRS COORDINATING COMMITTEE AND OTHERS, LUCIA AYERS IS REALLY RESPECTED AND LOOKED UP TO FROM ALL THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, SO WE'RE -- WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE LUCIA AS OUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND WE'LL WISH YOU THE BEST, LUCIA. >> THANK YOU. MAYBE MAY I? >>JOE AFFRONTI: ABSOLUTELY. >> WOW, I USUALLY WRITE EVERYTHING FOR YOU GUYS. I DIDN'T WRITE THIS. MY STAFF KNOWS ME BETTER THAN I MYSELF AT TIMES. I JUST REALLY WANT TO TELL YOU THAT MY WORDS CANNOT EXPRESS HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE THIS. IT'S NICE TO BE RECOGNIZED BY YOUR PEERS, BUT IT'S NICER WHEN YOU'RE BEING RECOGNIZED BY YOUR BOSSES. I WILL ALWAYS TREASURE THIS BECAUSE IT'S COMING FROM YOU. YOU UNDERSTAND HOW COMPLEX IT IS FOR DEALING WITH TRANSPORTATION IN THIS COMMUNITY. YOU RESTORE MY FAITH IN MYSELF, AND I WANT TO THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. THANKS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, LUCIA. [APPLAUSE] >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: [INAUDIBLE] >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: I JUST WANTED TO ADD MY COMPLIMENTS SPECIFICALLY TO MRS. AYERS. I WORKED WITH HER FOR 12 OF HER 13 YEARS AS THE DIRECTOR. HER PROFESSIONALISM, HER SAVVY, HER DEDICATION IS REALLY REMARKABLE, AND I WANT TO CONGRATULATE YOU. IT WAS A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH YOU. >> IF YOU DON'T MIND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: NO, NOT AT ALL. >> OKAY. I JUST WANT TO THANK HER PERSONALLY BECAUSE THIS IS MY FOURTH YEAR ON THE MPO BOARD, AND FOR THOSE OF US THAT CAN REMEMBER OUR FIRST YEAR ON THIS BOARD, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN A CLOSET IN THE DARK AND YOU'RE GOING LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON. THERE'S SO MANY ACRONYMS AND T.I.P. -- YOU JUST FEEL LOST, AND I'D LIKE TO SAY THAT LUCIE DID A PHENOMENAL JOB OF -- I KNOW FOR ME AND SOME OTHER MEMBERS -- OF TAKING US IN THAT FIRST YEAR AND BRINGING US IN AND TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, TURN THE LIGHTS ON IN OUR BRAINS SO WE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON AT THESE MEETINGS, AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU, LUCIE. YOU'RE A GOOD FRIEND, YOU'RE A GOOD PERSON. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THANKS FOR HELPING ME PERSONALLY ALL THESE YEARS. I APPRECIATE IT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. MARY. >>MARY MULHERN: OH, THANK YOU. I JUST WANTED TO THANK LUCIE AND REALLY ECHO WHAT MR. LOTT'S SAID, THAT LUCIE'S MADE IT EASY TO UNDERSTAND THE VERY CONVOLUTED BUREAUCRATIC WORKINGS OF THE MPO WITH THE STATE AND THE COUNTY AND ALL THESE DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES AND TRANSPORTATION ENTITIES, AND I HAVE TO SAY THAT SHE HAS BEEN A GREAT, GREAT SUPPORTER IN MY ONE YEAR HERE OF TRANSIT, AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THAT EXAMPLE TO PUSH FOR TRANSIT, SO THANKS, LUCIE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. MS. FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, I AS WELL WANT TO EXPRESSES MY THANKS TO LUCIE. LUCIE, WHEN I WAS ON CITY COUNCIL, OF COURSE I DID NOT SIT ON THE MPO. I THINK MY FORMER COLLEAGUE, MS. SAUL-SENA, MR. HARRISON, AND I DON'T KNOW WHO THE THIRD ONE WAS, LINDA, BUT I WAS NOT ON THIS BOARD, SO JUST LIKE MAYOR LOTT SAID, YOU MUCH DID THE SAME THING FOR ME. WHEN I CAME OVER AND I SAT ON MPO AS A COUNTY COMMISSIONER, YOU WERE ALWAYS THERE FOR ME, YOU WERE READY TO BRIEF ME FOR AS LONG AS OR AS LITTLE AS I NEEDED, AND YOU WERE A STAPLE. YOU WERE SOLID, YOU WERE THERE, AND YOU HELPED ME IN ANY CAPACITY, AND IF IT WAS SOMETHING PERHAPS NOT INVOLVED IN OUR BRIEFING BUT I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY GETTING THAT INFO, THEN YOU TOOK IT UPON YOURSELF OUT OF YOUR JOB DESCRIPTION TO FIND THAT FOR ME. THAT IS VERY HELPFUL. IT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD WHEN YOU KNOW IF YOU DON'T KNOW SOMETHING THAT YOU'VE GOT AN EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OR STAFF MEMBER THAT CAN MAKE YOU LOOK GOOD BY GIVING YOU THE INFORMATION AND FEEDING IT TO YOU BEFORE WE HAVE AN ACTIVE MEETING. ONE THING THAT YOU SAID A WHILE AGO AND I WANT TO CORRECT, YOU SAID THAT WHAT WE HAVE DONE HAS RESTORED YOUR CONFIDENCE IN YOU. I SEE ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHY THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ANY RESTORATION. YOUR CONFIDENCE GOES HAND IN HAND WITH THE NUMBER OF YEARS OF SERVICE, SOLID SERVICE YOU GAVE TO US IN THIS CAPACITY, AND IN CLOSING, LET ME TELL YOU, FOR ME YOUR'S NOT OFF THE HOOK. I KNOW YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING ELSE FOR US NOW, LUCIE, BUT I KNOW WHERE YOU ARE, I KNOW HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU, AND I'M PROBABLY GOING TO BE ASKING FOR HELP AGAIN, SO ONGOING THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU'VE DONE AND WHAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO DO FOR US. THANKS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MS. FERLITA. [APPLAUSE] YES, MR. CHIARAMONTE. >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: YES. I JUST WANTED TO COMPLIMENT LUCIE FOR ALL THE COORDINATION THAT WENT ON, ESPECIALLY OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS WITH OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. SHE COMPLETELY INVOLVED THE LAND USE PLANNERS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN REALLY DOING A COMPLEMENTARY -- A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND TRANSPORTATION PLAN TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY WITH THE TRANSIT PLAN, HAVING A LOT OF INVOLVEMENT WITH THAT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, SO I REALLY APPRECIATE HER LETTING, AGAIN, THE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REALLY WORK ON THAT PLAN WITH THEM SO WE CAN COME UP WITH SOMETHING WHERE LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION TRULY WORK TOGETHER. AS LUCIE WOULD CALL US, THE PARTNERS IN CRIME. I MEAN, LUCIE'S BEEN A GREAT COWORKER, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE KNOWLEDGE I GAIN FROM HER. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RAY. OKAY. DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 1st MEETING? >> SO MOVE. >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT CARES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON ANY ITEMS? I GUESS NOT. OKAY. THANK YOU. BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME LINDA SAUL-SENA BACK TO OUR MPO BOARD. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: IT WAS A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU BEFORE, AND NOW THAT YOU'RE BACK ON, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU IN THE FUTURE. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: I'VE DONE A WONDERFUL JOB. OKAY. ANY -- WE NEED A REPORT FROM THE -- JOE AMON. >> JOE AMON, CHAIR OF THE CAC. I DON'T KNOW IF YOU NEED THE REPORT OR NOT, BUT I'M SUPPOSED TO DO IT. [LAUGHTER] >> [INAUDIBLE] >> I ALSO WANT TO GIVE AN ACCOLADE TO MS. AYERS. I'VE BEEN ON THE CAC NOW FOR ABOUT SEVEN YEARS, I THINK, I FORGET HOW LONG, BUT SOME LENGTH OF TIME, AND I CAN TELL YOU WHEN I FIRST GOT HERE I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING. I'M NOT SURE I KNOW MUCH NOW, BUT SHE HAS LED US THROUGH SOME PRETTY INTERESTING ISSUES AND HELPED US DIRECT AND KEEP US ON TRACK FOR MANY THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE, AND LUCIE, WE APPRECIATE THAT. SHE ALREADY LEFT. SORRY, BUT I WANTED TO GO ON RECORD. SHE DID A GREAT JOB. WE REALLY APPRECIATE HAVING HER. ALONG WITH OUR REPORT, AND IT WILL BE SHORT LIKE ALWAYS, I HOPE. ACTION ITEMS. WE HAD OUR BRIEFING FOR FISCAL YEAR 07-08/11-12 TRANSPORTATION AMENDMENTS, MOVING MONEY AROUND. YOU CAN BELIEVE WE WERE VERY INTERESTED IN THIS BECAUSE IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE STREETCAR. BASICALLY THEY'RE MOVING FUNDS FROM THE STREETCAR, THE CMAQ FUNDS FROM THE STREETCAR, TO USE THEM FOR ENHANCED SERVICE AND ADDITIONAL BUS PURCHASES, WHICH WE THINK ARE VERY CRITICAL, SO WE'RE IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE'RE ALSO IN AGREEMENT OF MOVING SOME OTHER MONIES, SERVICE TRANSPORTATION FUNDS, TO THE TUNE OF $2 MILLION BACK INTO THE STREETCAR FUND, WHICH WE THINK IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR THE LONG-TERM TRANSPORTATION NEEDS OF OUR COUNTY. THE NEXT THING WE DID, THE FDOT HAS UPGRADES TO RAILROAD CROSSINGS AND -- RAILROAD SIGNALS I THINK IS THE PROPER TERMINOLOGY, BUT WE AGAIN LOOKED AT THAT AND THOUGHT THAT WAS A GOOD USE OF THE MONEY, AND SO WE APPROVED -- THE CAC APPROVED THESE AMENDMENTS. WE ALSO HAD A BRIEFING ABOUT THE WORK PROGRAM, THE DRAFT. WE DID NOT VOTE ON IT BECAUSE IT WAS IN ITS SECOND DRAFT. WE UNDERSTAND THERE WERE SOME CHANGES GOING TO BE MADE TO IT, AND IT'S COMING BACK TO US IN JUNE, AND SO WE'LL LOOK AT IT AGAIN IN JUNE, BUT RIGHT NOW WE THINK WE WILL APPROVE IT. IT JUST HASN'T BEEN FORMALLY APPROVED YET. STATUS REPORTS WERE GIVEN TO US. ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ONES WAS THE I-275 IMPROVEMENTS, AND A GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME OF JOHN McSHAFFREY CAME TO VISIT WITH US, SECRETARY SKELTON, AND HE DID A MAGNIFICENT JOB. BY THE WAY, THAT'S A GREAT, GREAT PROGRAM. WE DIDN'T HAVE AS MUCH TIME AS WE SHOULD HAVE HAD FOR HIM. WE GAVE HIM 30 MINUTES ALMOST, AND IT WASN'T ENOUGH BECAUSE THAT IS ONE DEVIL OF A GOOD PROGRAM TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON ON 275, EVERYTHING FROM THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUES TO THE VISUAL ISSUES TO THE -- WHAT IT DOES TO THE COMMUNITIES. IT'S A GREAT, GREAT PROGRAM, AND I THINK EVERYBODY IN THE COMMUNITY OUGHT TO SEE THAT BECAUSE JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY USES THAT ROADWAY. REGGIE CAME TO VISIT US, REGGIE SANFORD FROM THE EPC CAME TO GIVE US A BRIEFING ABOUT THE AIR QUALITY STANDARDS. THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES. HE'S GOING TO GIVE YOU-ALL A BRIEFING HERE SHORTLY ABOUT IT. THE ONLY ONE COMMENT THAT WE HAD THAT I'M GOING TO BRING BACK TO HIM AGAIN AND USE THIS FORUM TO SAY IT, I HAPPEN TO LIVE IN THE NEW TAMPA AREA, AND THERE'S NOT A SINGLE MONITORING STATION IN NEW TAMPA. I'VE BEEN LIVING THERE FOR MANY YEARS, AND THE INTERESTING THING -- FOR MANY YEARS I'VE WATCHED WHERE THE EPC KEPT THEIR MONITORS. FOR SOME REASON, WITH ALL THE NEW PEOPLE UP THERE, WE'RE JUST NOT TAKING ANY READINGS FOR THE AIR QUALITY, AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE SOMEBODY PUT AN AIR QUALITY METER UP IN THIS AREA, AND WE HAD THIS CONVERSATION WITH REGGIE, BUT I JUST THOUGHT I'D PUT IT ON THE RECORD AGAIN ANYWAY. WE HAD A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FROM LUCIE. OF COURSE, MOST OF THAT HAS CHANGED ALREADY, SO WE'LL GET ANOTHER ONE IN A COUPLE WEEKS, SO HOPEFULLY THAT WILL BE THE RIGHT ONE, AND THE LAST IS WE HAD A DRAFT T.I.P. DOCUMENTATION FROM WALLY BLAIR. WE KNOW THAT'S A WORK IN PROCESS, SO WE'LL GET BACK TO THAT. AND OUR NEXT MEETING WILL BE WEDNESDAY, MAY 14th, AT 1:15 P.M., AND IF YOU-ALL HAVE ANYTHING THAT YOU'D LIKE FOR THE CAC TO SPECIFICALLY LOOK AT, PLEASE BRING IT FORWARD TO ME. EITHER CALL ME OR OUR LIAISON OR WHOEVER, RAY, OR WHATEVER, AND BRING THEM TO US AND TELL US WHAT YOU'D LIKE US TO DO. WE THANK YOU. THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, JOE. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS OF MR. AMON? IF NOT, THANK YOU SO MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: APPRECIATE IT. ALL RIGHT. THE POLICY COMMITTEE REPORT. THE POLICY COMMITTEE MET AT 9:00 ON APRIL 22nd IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARDROOM. DUE TO THE SCHEDULING CONFLICT, POLICY COMMITTEE CHAIR ROSE FERLITA HAD ASKED THAT I CHAIR THE APRIL 22nd MEETING. FOLLOWING APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE MARCH 18th POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING, STAFF INTRODUCED FOUR AMENDMENTS TO THE CURRENT TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. TWO OF THE AMENDMENTS RELATED TO FUNDING FOR HART PROJECTS AND TWO WERE REQUESTS FROM FDOT TO ADD FUNDING TO UPGRADE THE CROSSING SAFETY DEVICES AT TWO RAILROAD CROSSINGS. FOLLOWING THE BRIEF EXPLANATIONS OF THE NEED OF THE AMENDMENTS BY HART AND FDOT STAFF, THE POLICY COMMITTEE VOTED TO FORWARD THESE AMENDMENTS TO THE FULL MPO BOARD WITH A RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL. THIS ITEM IS SCHEDULED LATER IN -- NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA. NEXT, STAFF PRESENTED THE LATEST DRAFT OF THE UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM FOR 2008-2010. THE DRAFT UPWP ADDRESSES COMMENTS RECEIVED TO DATE AND INCLUDES THE DRAFT LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY PLAN. THIS ITEM WILL COME UP TO THE MPO FOR APPROVAL AT THE JUNE MPO MEETING. A COPY OF THE DRAFT LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENCY PLAN IS INCLUDED IN YOUR FOLDERS TODAY. FINALLY, STAFF PRESENTED THE FIRST DRAFT OF THE T.I.P. DOCUMENT THAT WILL COME TO THE MPO FOR APPROVAL IN JUNE. THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED SEVERAL PROJECTS IN THE FDOT WORK PROGRAM THAT MAY BE DELAYED AS A RESULT OF ANTICIPATED REVENUE REDUCTIONS. MR. WAINIO ASKED THAT FDOT PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION ON POSSIBLE DELAYS TO THE I-4/CROSSTOWN EXPRESSWAY CORRECTOR, AS THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT TO THE PORT. FDOT RESPONSE IS INCLUDED IN YOUR FOLDERS. THERE WAS A GOOD DISCUSSION ON THE ANTICIPATED WORKSHOP THAT TOOK PLACE THIS MORNING. WE ALSO DISCUSSED THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MPO'S TRANSIT EFFORT AND THAT OF THE TAMPA BAY AREA REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, TBARTA. THE POLICY COMMITTEE ALSO VOTED TO PRESENT A PLAQUE TO COUNCILMAN TOM SCOTT FOR HIS DEDICATED SERVICE ON THE MPO BOARD AND A RESOLUTION OF APPRECIATION TO MS. LUCIA AYERS FOR HER YEARS OF SERVICE AS THE MPO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WHICH WE PRESENTED THIS MORNING. THE NEXT POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR MAY 20th AT 9:00 A.M. IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARDROOM. ALL MPO BOARD MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND. THAT CONCLUDES THE POLICY COMMITTEE REPORT. >>ROSE FERLITA: MR. CHAIRMAN, THANK YOU FOR DOING THAT. I DID HAVE A BOCC MEETING CONFLICT, SO THAT WAS THE REASON I WAS NOT THERE, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >>JOE AFFRONTI: NO PROBLEM. ANYTIME. OKAY. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. ONE IS THE AFFIRMATION OF RAY CHIARAMONTE AS INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AND THE OTHER ONE ARE AMENDMENTS TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2007-2008/2011-2012 TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM. >>BRIAN BLAIR: MOTION TO APPROVE RAY. >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. CONGRATULATIONS, RAY. >>ROSE FERLITA: RAY, YOU'RE IN. GOOD LUCK. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE. >>ADAM GORMLY: EXCUSE ME, MR. CHAIR, ITEM "B" ON YOUR ACTION ITEMS IS A ROLL CALL VOTE, A SEPARATE VOTE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. >>ADAM GORMLY: AND YOU MAY HAVE SOMEBODY TO PRESENT IT TO YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OH, OKAY. >>WALLY BLAIN: WALLY BLAIN, MPO STAFF. THERE ARE FOUR AMENDMENTS TO THE T.I.P. THAT ARE COMING BEFORE YOU THIS MORNING. TWO OF THOSE DEAL WITH HARTLINE AND THE STREETCAR FUNDING. THE OTHER TWO DEAL WITH RAIL SAFETY CROSSINGS. THIS DOES -- AS THE ATTORNEY HAD MENTIONED -- DOES REQUIRE A ROLL CALL VOTE OF THE MPOs. YOU CAN TAKE THESE AS ONE VOTE OR SEPARATE, HOWEVER YOU FEEL IS APPROPRIATE FOR THIS. MARY SHAVALIER IS HERE WITH HART STAFF AS WELL AS MR. MECHANIK, WHO'S HERE REPRESENTING THE HART BOARD AND STREETCAR BOARD TO DISCUSS THE HART AMENDMENTS FOR THE STAR WITH YOU, AND THEN LINDA STACHEWICZ IS HERE WITH D.O.T. TO DISCUSS THOSE RAIL SAFETY PROJECTS, SO AT THIS TIME I'LL TURN IT OVER TO MARY SHAVALIER OF HART FOR THOSE AMENDMENTS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. >>MARY SHAVALIER: GOOD MORNING. I'M MARY SHAVALIER WITH HART STAFF, AND WE'RE HERE, AS MR. AMON SAID, TO TRY TO MOVE MONEY AROUND FOR TWO IMPORTANT PROJECTS. THE PROJECTS ARE THE STREETCAR, THE EXTENSION OF THE STREETCAR FROM SOUTHERN TRANSPORTATION PLAZA TO WHITING STREET, TO BRING IT CLOSER TO THE DOWNTOWN, AND FOR ANOTHER BUS AND MORE BUS SERVICE ON ROUTE 2, WHICH IS OUR HIGHEST RIDERSHIP ROUTE THAT GOES ALONG NEBRASKA, AND IT'S ALSO OUR FIRST CORRIDOR FOR THE BUS RAPID TRANSIT. THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS ARE IN YOUR PACKAGE. THE CMAQ FUNDS, IT'S OLDER CMAQ MONEY. I BELIEVE IT'S THE OLDEST CMAQ MONEY IN THE STATE. WE ARE THEN SHIFTING THAT FOR A BUS PURCHASE AND THEN OPERATING MORE SERVICE ON ROUTE 2. IT WOULD ENHANCE THE FREQUENCY. THE BUS WOULD RUN EVERY 20 MINUTES INSTEAD OF EVERY 30 MINUTES IN THE MIDDAY PERIOD AND AT NIGHT, AND PURCHASING THE BUS, AND THEN THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION FUNDS THEN WOULD BE SHIFTED FROM THE STREETCAR MUSEUM -- WE HAD A FEW YEARS AGO THOUGHT OF A MUSEUM FOR THE STREETCAR, BUT INSTEAD THIS MONEY WOULD BE SHIFTED INTO THE STREETCAR EXTENSION PROJECT. THAT WOULD ALLOW US WITH SOME OTHER FUNDING TO GO AHEAD THEN WITH THAT EXTENSION TO WHITING STREET. MR. MECHANIK REPRESENTS BOTH THE HART BOARD AND THE STREETCAR BOARD, AND HE'S HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT SUPPORT. >>DAVID MECHANIK: MR. CHAIRMAN. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES, SIR. >>DAVID MECHANIK: DAVID MECHANIK, 305 SOUTH BOULEVARD, TAMPA, FLORIDA. AS MARY INDICATED, ON BEHALF OF THE HART BOARD AND THE -- AS PRESIDENT OF THE STREETCAR BOARD, I APPEAR BEFORE A LOT OF BOARDS, AND ONCE I HEAR THAT THEY'VE ALREADY VOTED TO APPROVE THE ITEM, I'M NOT PLANNING ON ADDING ANY PARTICULAR DISCUSSION HERE. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MPO FOR ITS SUPPORT. THE DECISION BASED ON THE BACKUP MATERIALS TODAY WILL ALLOW US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE STREETCAR EXTENSION, AND WITH THAT, WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. WE'LL BE CERTAINLY HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY QUESTIONS? >>BRIAN BLAIR: YES. MR. MECHANIK, WITH THE EXTENSION OF THE STREETCAR, WON'T THAT INCREASE OPERATION HOURS? >>DAVID MECHANIK: IT WOULD NOT NECESSARILY. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT COULD OCCUR DOWN THE ROAD, BUT THE EXTENSION OF THE CAR ITSELF WOULD NOT EXTEND THE HOURS. >>BRIAN BLAIR: WHAT IS THE INTENTION OF THE EXTENSION? ISN'T IT TO SERVE BUSINESS -- >>DAVID MECHANIK: WELL, IT WOULD -- CERTAINLY IT WOULD ENABLE US TO SERVE THE CENTER PART OF DOWNTOWN, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE HAD ALWAYS INTENDED TO DO WITH THE STREETCAR, JUST INITIALLY THERE WASN'T ENOUGH FUND TO GO BRING IT UP THAT FAR NORTH, BUT THIS DECISION DOES NOT AFFECT THE HOURS OF OPERATION. >>BRIAN BLAIR: THEN WHAT GOOD WOULD IT DO TO EXTEND IT THAT ADDITIONAL THREE BLOCKS? >>DAVID MECHANIK: WELL, THERE ARE -- MORE PEOPLE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO USE THE STREETCAR IN ITS CURRENT CONFIGURATION. NOW, IT ALSO DOES NOT PRECLUDE US FROM CHANGING THE HOURS OF OPERATION. WE RECENTLY WERE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A BALANCED BUDGET FOR THE STREETCAR, AND WE WOULD NOT BE CHANGING ANY HOURS OF OPERATION WITHOUT ALSO BALANCING THE BUDGET IN ORDER TO GET THAT ACCOMPLISHED. >>BRIAN BLAIR: OKAY. >>DAVID MECHANIK: BUT IT WOULD ALLOW US TO CERTAINLY DO THAT IF THAT WAS THE DECISION OF THE APPROPRIATE ENTITIES. >>BRIAN BLAIR: ARE ANY DOLLARS THAT COULD BE USED ON BUS SERVICE BEING DIVERTED TO THE STREETCAR? >>DAVID MECHANIK: NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF, SIR. >>BRIAN BLAIR: OKAY. MARY, IS THAT -- COULD YOU ANSWER THAT AS WELL? >>MARY SHAVALIER: WELL, THE SURFACE TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM DOLLARS FUND OTHER TRANSIT AS WELL, SO THAT IS PART OF THE FUNDING PROGRAM. THE LAST PIECE OF FUNDING FOR THE STREETCAR EXTENSION WAS FEDERAL DISCRETIONARY MONEY. THAT WAS SPECIFICALLY EARMARKED FOR THE STREETCAR EXTENSION. >>BRIAN BLAIR: BUT THERE IS PART OF IT THAT COULD BE USED FOR BUSES? >>MARY SHAVALIER: SURFACE TRANSPORTATION. >>BRIAN BLAIR: THAT'S A MILLION DOLLARS. >>MARY SHAVALIER: THAT AND 1.4 MILLION. IT'S A TOTAL OF 3.4. THAT WOULD REQUIRE, THOUGH, THE HART BOARD CHANGING THAT USE AND THE MPO BOARD CHANGING THAT USE, THOUGH. RIGHT. >>BRIAN BLAIR: OKAY. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES, MS. SAUL-SENA. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: I WANTED TO CONGRATULATE THE HARTLINE BOARD FOR FIGURING OUT HOW TO ENABLE THIS THREE-BLOCK EXTENSION TO OCCUR. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE -- THAT WE THE MPO HAVE BACKED FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. I THINK IT WILL ALLOW A GREATER USAGE OF THE STREETCAR, AND IT WILL BENEFIT OUR COMMUNITY. IT WILL ENLARGE ITS SCOPE, AND IT WILL BEGIN TO TRANSITION THE STREETCAR FROM BEING STRICTLY AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOL TO A TRUE TRANSPORTATION OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE, SO CONGRATULATIONS ON DEVELOPING THIS FUNDING STRATEGY. >>JOE AFFRONTI: WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? IF NOT, WE MOVE FORWARD. I GUESS YOU HAVE TO TAKE A VOTE. >> BLAIR. >>BRIAN BLAIR: NO. >> MILLER. >>LOUIS MILLER: YES. >> LOTT. >>RICK LOTT: YES. >> AFFRONTI. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES. >> SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: YES. >> MULHERN. >>MARY MULHERN: YES. >> SAUL-SENA. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: YES. >> FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: YES. >> WAGGONER. >>JOSEPH WAGGONER: YES. >> MOTION CARRIED 8-1. COMMISSIONER BLAIR VOTED NO. >>BRIAN BLAIR: AND LET ME QUALIFY THAT BY SAYING THE $3.4 MILLION COULD BE USED FOR DIRE NEEDS IN OUR BUS SERVICE TO ABSOLUTELY MOVE PEOPLE FROM PLACE TO PLACE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. I GUESS WE HAVE ANOTHER ITEM, THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM AMENDMENT, D.O.T. -- FDOT. >> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR AND BOARD MEMBERS. LINDA STACHEWICZ WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, AND WE'RE BRINGING TO YOU TODAY TWO PROJECTS FOR THE UPGRADE AND UPDATE OF TWO RAILROAD SIGNALS, ONE AT THE SYDNEY-DOVER ROAD AND ONE AT ORIENT ROAD, WHICH IS THE ENTRANCE TO THE INTERMODAL YARD. THESE ARE CURRENT YEAR FUNDS THAT HAVE BEEN BROUGHT TO US FROM FEDERAL HIGHWAY THAT ARE TYPICALLY USED FOR HIGH-SPEED SAFETY RAIL PROJECTS. MOST OF THIS MONEY USUALLY GOES TO AMTRAK; HOWEVER, WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE TO GET A LITTLE SMALL PORTION OF THIS MONEY TO UPDATE THESE TWO RAILROAD SIGNALS. THE EQUIPMENT THAT'S CURRENTLY THERE IS DIFFICULT TO GET REPLACEMENT PARTS ON AND IS ANTIQUATED AND NEEDS TO BE UPDATED. BOTH LOCATIONS CURRENTLY SERVE 18-PLUS TRAINS A DAY, WHICH FOUR ARE AMTRAK, AND AS I MENTIONED, ORIENT ROAD IS THE INTERMODAL YARD, WHICH IS SLIGHTLY HIGHER IN COST. D.O.T. IS SEEKING MPO APPROVAL FOR THESE TWO PROJECTS TO BE ADDED TO THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT IN THE CURRENT YEAR. ANY QUESTIONS? >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WE THANK YOU. DO WE NEED A -- >> THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: -- VOTE WITH THAT? OKAY. >> [INAUDIBLE] >> SECOND. >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY FURTHER -- I DIDN'T KNOW WHETHER WE NEEDED A ROLL CALL VOTE OR NOT. WE DON'T FOR THAT. >>ADAM GORMLY: YES. BOTH OF THESE AMENDMENTS REQUIRE ROLL CALL VOTES. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. >> BLAIR. >>BRIAN BLAIR: YES. >> MILLER. >>LOUIS MILLER: YES. >> LOTT. >>RICK LOTT: YES. >> AFFRONTI. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES. >> SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: YES. >> MULHERN. >>MARY MULHERN: YES. >> SAUL-SENA. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: YES. >> FERLITA. >>ROSE FERLITA: YES. >> WAGGONER. >>JOSEPH WAGGONER: YES. >> MOTION CARRIED 9-0. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. THE NEXT, CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. MS. SAUL-SENA I GUESS CHAIRED THE LAST LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE, SO WOULD YOU -- >>MARY MULHERN: THAT'S FINE. YOU WANT TO READ THE MINUTES FOR US, LINDA. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MS. SAUL-SENA. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE HELD A MEETING ON APRIL 23rd. BECAUSE THE CHAIRMAN'S REPORTS WERE NOT ABLE TO BE DISCUSSED AT THE LAST MPO MEETING, THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE REQUESTED THAT THEIR PREVIOUS MOTION BE READ TODAY. WE DISCUSSED THE REMOVAL OF LANDSCAPING FROM SEVERAL ROADWAY PROJECTS IN THE COUNTY. THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF AESTHETIC IMPROVEMENTS ALONG ROADS SUCH AS SHADE TREES AND PLANTED MEDIANS HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED BY PRIVATE DEVELOPERS AS INSTRUMENTS IN LIVABILITY THAT YIELD A RETURN. THE COMMITTEE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE MAINTENANCE OF THESE TREATMENTS AND EVEN THE MAINTENANCE OF EXISTING ROADWAYS ARE OFTEN UNDERFUNDED. THE DISCUSSION PROMPTED THE FOLLOWING MOTION, AND THIS IS FOR US TO CONSIDER TODAY. THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE OBJECTS TO THE REMOVAL OF LANDSCAPING FROM ROADWAY PROJECTS AND SUGGESTS MORE INVESTMENT BE MADE IN MAINTENANCE. CURRENTLY THERE ARE SOME SEMI-MATURE TREES THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED FOR REMOVAL BECAUSE THE COUNTY IS NOT PLANNING TO BUDGET FOR MAINTENANCE. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THIS IS A LOSE-LOSE. FIRST OF ALL, IT UNDERMINES THE ORIGINAL INVESTMENT THAT WAS MADE, AND THESE TREES ARE YEARS OLD, AND SO THEY'VE MATURED AND PROVIDED MORE SHADE THAN THEY DID WHEN THEY WERE ORIGINALLY PLANTED. IT SEEMS TO BE A REALLY -- AND LASTLY, IT COSTS MONEY FOR THE REMOVAL, SO IT SEEMS LIKE A REAL PENNY WISE, POUND FOOLISH DECISION, AND WHILE THE MPO CAN'T DIRECT THE COUNTY WHAT TO DO, WE FELT THAT THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE COULD BRING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE MPO. >>DON SKELTON: MR. CHAIRMAN. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES. >>DON SKELTON: JUST FROM THE DEPARTMENT'S STANDPOINT, WHEN WE AGREED TO PUT IN LANDSCAPING ON OUR PROJECTS, IT IS ONLY WITH MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS, AND THOSE MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS HAVE PROVISIONS IN THERE THAT IF THE LOCAL MAINTAINING AGENCY FAILS OR CHOOSES NOT TO MAINTAIN, THEN THEY WILL REMOVE THE LANDSCAPING AT THEIR COST. WE NEED TO DO THAT UP FRONT, SO IF THE INVESTMENT'S NOT GOING TO BE THERE, THEN THE DEPARTMENT'S NOT GOING TO INVEST IN THE LANDSCAPING. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OH -- >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: SO WHAT THE LIVABLE ROADWAY COMMITTEE MEETING IS ASKING THIS MPO TO DO IS TO REQUEST THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WHO SERVE ON HERE RETHINK THE REMOVAL OF THIS LANDSCAPING BECAUSE IT'S CURRENTLY PLANNED TO HAPPEN, AND WE THINK THAT WOULD BE A VERY POOR CHOICE. SO I'LL FINISH THE REST OF MY REPORT, BUT I HOPE WE CAN BRING THIS UP PERHAPS UNDER NEW BUSINESS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: GO AHEAD. WHY DON'T YOU -- YEAH. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: THANK YOU. A PRESENTATION WAS MADE ON HARTLINE'S TRANSIT INFRASTRUCTURE REPORT, AND GREAT NEWS WAS SHARED THAT OVER 200 NEW SHELTERS AND 150 RETROFITS ARE UNDER CONTRACT WITH LIFETIME MAINTENANCE. IT WAS ALSO CONFIRMED THAT TRASH RECEPTACLES WOULD BE PLACED AT EACH OF THESE SHELTERS. NEXT THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED PEDESTRIAN-SCALE LIGHTING AND REVIEWED THE VARIETY OF STYLES AVAILABLE IN THE INDUSTRY. WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE TAMPA ELECTRIC COMPANY TO INSTALL BETTER COMMUNITY AND PEDESTRIAN-FRIENDLY LIGHTING AS A COMPONENT OF THEIR ROAD LIGHTING STRATEGIES. A TECO REPRESENTATIVE IS INVITED TO ATTEND THE NEXT LIVABLE ROADWAYS MEETING. LASTLY, CONCERNS HAVE BEEN RAISED ABOUT THE PLANS DEVELOPED FOR THE COURTNEY CAMPBELL CAUSEWAY ADDRESSING THE INTENTION TO IMPROVE ACCESS FOR BICYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS USING THIS FLORIDA SCENIC HIGHWAY. THE COMMITTEE HOPES TO FOLLOW UP WITH A PRESENTATION AT THE JUNE LIVABLE ROADWAYS MEETING. THE NEXT MEETING IS PLANNED FOR MAY 28th AT 9:00 A.M. AND WILL BE HELD AT THE NEW WALKER COMMUNICATIONS CONFERENCE ROOM ON KENNEDY BOULEVARD, AND ALL MPO MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND. PERHAPS THIS IS THE TIME TO ADDRESS THE QUESTION OF REMOVING THE LANDSCAPING. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. I GUESS WHAT WE WOULD NEED IS A -- >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: A MOTION. >>JOE AFFRONTI: -- A MOTION TO REQUEST THAT THE COUNTY COMMISSION RECONSIDER. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: MY MOTION IS -- WILL ACTUALLY BE BROADER THAN THAT BECAUSE THE CITY OF TAMPA HAS CONSIDERED REMOVING SOME LANDSCAPING BECAUSE OF BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS, AND IT'S JUST NOT A SMART THING TO DO. WE MIGHT BE UNDER BUDGET CONSTRAINTS THIS YEAR, AND IN TWO YEARS THINGS ARE BETTER AND WE'VE LOST THE INVESTMENT THAT WE'VE MADE IN THIS LANDSCAPING, SO MY MOTION WOULD BE THAT ALL MUNICIPALITIES BE ENCOURAGED BY THE MPO'S -- BY THE MPO TO NOT REMOVE LANDSCAPING BUT TO CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN EXISTING LANDSCAPING ALONG OUR ROADWAYS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION. >> [INAUDIBLE] >>JOE AFFRONTI: WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND. YES, DISCUSSION. >>MARK SHARPE: WITH REGARD TO THE LANDSCAPING, IT IS A BUDGET -- IT IS A BUDGETARY ISSUE. I WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO HAVE IT READDRESSED AS AN ISSUE. I CAN'T GUARANTEE YOU THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GO FORWARD WITH THE FINANCING. I SHARE YOUR CONCERNS. I TOO BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, THE -- THAT THE -- IT SERVES A NUMBER OF PURPOSES, AND I THINK IT'S A VALUE, BUT AGAIN, I CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT IN THE END, AFTER GETTING OUR PRESENTATION FROM OUR STAFF, THAT I WON'T BE GOING ALONG WITH THE CURRENT STAFF RECOMMENDATION, AND HOPEFULLY MAYBE THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN FIND -- CREATIVE WAYS THAT WE CAN FIND TO CONTINUE TO LANDSCAPE BUT IN A LESS COSTLY FASHION, SO I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT THAT. AND THEN I HAVE ONE QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK YOU NOT RELATED TO LANDSCAPING BUT RELATED TO THE SHELTERS. I TALKED WITH OUR HART DIRECTOR ABOUT THIS. AFTER LISTENING TO THE GENTLEMAN FROM PHOENIX TALK ABOUT THE PHOENIX EXPERIENCE, THEY SHOWED THESE SHELTERS THAT PROVIDE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SHADE, MAKES THE AREA COOLER, AND AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THEY'RE NOT THAT EXPENSIVE OR -- RELATED TO PERHAPS OTHER SHELTERS, BUT COULD WE EXPLORE BRINGING TO OUR AREA THE TYPE OF SHELTERS THAT THEY'RE USING IN PHOENIX? NOW THEY'RE USING IT FOR THE RAIL SYSTEM, BUT PHOENIX IS VERY HOT. IT'S, I MEAN, WELL ABOVE A HUNDRED DEGREES AT TIMES. EVERYONE STANDS OUTSIDE, BUT THESE SHELTERS ARE DESIGNED IN SUCH A WAY AS TO PROVIDE A LOT OF SHADE, AND I THOUGHT THEY WERE VERY CREATIVE, AND IT MIGHT BE OUR FIRST STEP TOWARDS PROVIDING SHELTER NOT JUST FOR BUS BUT FOR ANY OTHER TYPE OF TRANSIT WE MIGHT PROVIDE. AND I, AS AN OBSERVER, ESPECIALLY IF YOU LOOK AT THE WESTSHORE AREA, WHEN YOU SEE PEOPLE WALKING AROUND, IT IS BLISTERING OUT THERE, AND WE DON'T CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT THAT'S VERY CONDUCIVE TO WALKERS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: LET'S MOVE FORWARD WITH THE MOTION ON THE TABLE. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST THAT PERHAPS BEFORE YOU DETERMINE TO REMOVE THE LANDSCAPING THAT YOU GET A COST OF WHAT JUST THE REMOVAL WOULD BE BECAUSE I DARESAY THAT THE REMOVAL COSTS MIGHT BE EQUAL TO THE MAINTENANCE COSTS FOR A YEAR OR SO, AND THEN HOPEFULLY THE ECONOMIC PICTURE WILL BE ROSIER. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MS. MULHERN. >>MARY MULHERN: YEAH, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD ALL DO THAT, AND WITH THE CITY, IF WE HAVE PROJECTS, I MEAN, IT JUST MAKES SENSE TO COMPARE THE COSTS, BUT I ALSO WANTED TO SAY I WAS IMPRESSED WITH THAT TOO WHEN THE PHOENIX TRANSIT GUY SHOWED US THAT, AND I SUGGESTED TO HIM THAT THEY SHOULD LOOK AT HAVING SOLAR PANELS ON THOSE COVERS BECAUSE THEY COULD USE THAT DIRECTLY TO HEAT AND COOL THOSE AREAS. >>BRIAN BLAIR: THAT'S A BETTER IDEA. >>MARY MULHERN: EVEN TO HAVE CEILING FANS OR SOMETHING. >>JOE AFFRONTI: COMMISSIONER BLAIR. >>BRIAN BLAIR: LET ME FIRST SAY TO MARY THAT'S A INNOVATIVE IDEA. I LIKE THAT. LINDA, I THINK YOU'RE A HUNDRED PERCENT RIGHT, IT COULD COST MORE TO TAKE THOSE OUT, AND WE DO NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT. I THINK THE AESTHETICS OF OUR HIGHWAYS AND ROADWAYS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO OUR COMMUNITY OVERALL, AND ALSO, I'D LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BUS SHELTERS. FOR A LONG TIME -- WELL, TWO YEARS -- I WORKED ON TRYING TO GET MORE SHELTERS AND ALSO -- BY USING AN ADVERTISING PROGRAM, AND I WAS JUST WONDERING WHERE -- WHERE IS HART ON THAT ISSUE? >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: THAT IS EXACTLY WHY WE HAVE MORE SHELTERS, BECAUSE THE PEOPLE DOING THE ADVERTISING ARE PAYING FOR THE INSTALLATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE SHELTERS, SO THAT WAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL INITIATIVE. >>BRIAN BLAIR: WELL, THANK YOU. I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES. >> I'LL MAKE A MOTION FOR THE -- >>JOE AFFRONTI: WE'VE GOT ONE MOTION ON THE TABLE FOR THE -- >>MARK SHARPE: DO YOU NEED A SECOND? >>BRIAN BLAIR: FOR THE LANDSCAPING. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YES, FOR THE LANDSCAPING. WHY DON'T WE -- WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND. SO THIS WAS THE DISCUSSION. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR OF THAT MOTION, SAY AYE. [CHORUS OF AYES] OPPOSED. MOTION CARRIES. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. DO YOU WANT TO MAKE A MOTION ON THE SHELTERS, IS THAT -- >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: WE'LL BRING THAT UP. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. ALL RIGHT. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT IS THE BICYCLE-PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE, GENA TORRES. >>GENA TORRES: GENA TORRES, MPO STAFF. THE BICYCLE-PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING WAS HELD ON APRIL 9th AT THE UPPER TAMPA BAY TRAIL, AND THE MAJORITY OF OUR MEETING WAS USED TO GUIDE THE UPDATE OF THE COMPREHENSIVE BICYCLE PLAN, ITS VISIONS AND GOALS IS WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW, WE'VE JUST KICKED IT OFF. EACH OF THE EXISTING OBJECTIVES WERE DISCUSSED, AND THE COMMITTEE DECIDED IF THEY WERE STILL APPROPRIATE AND IF, YOU KNOW, CHANGES NEED TO BE MADE. THE NEXT STEP IN THE BIKE PLAN UPDATE WILL BE IDENTIFYING NEEDS, BOTH FACILITY NEEDS, WHICH ARE ON-ROAD BIKE LANES, AND OFF-ROAD NEEDS, THE TRAILS, BUT ALSO SAFETY EDUCATION. THE PUBLIC OUTREACH SURVEY, WE HAVE MAILED THAT OUT TO THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE AND POSTED IT ON THE MPO WEB SITE, AND IT'S TO GATHER RESIDENTS' BICYCLING HABITS, CONCERNS, AND SUGGESTIONS. OVER 500 RESPONSES HAVE BEEN RECEIVED, AND THERE'S A BACKUP IN THE -- IN THE WAY THAT THAT -- THOSE -- THOSE SURVEYS ARE RECEIVED THAT YOU CAN ONLY INPUT ONE TIME, SO I PROMISE YOU I'VE ONLY ANSWERED THAT SURVEY ONE TIME MYSELF. FINAL EDITS WERE MADE TO THE POPULAR BICYCLE SUITABILITY MAP, AND THE UPDATE IS A COOPERATIVE EFFORT WE'RE DOING WITH THE CENTER FOR URBAN TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH WHERE THEY'RE FUNDING THE UPDATE TO THE MAP, AND WE'RE GOING TO - - THE MPO IS FUNDING THE PRINTING OF IT, AND IT'S JUST BEEN A REALLY HELPFUL MAP TO REACH OUT TO THE PUBLIC AND TO GET WHERE -- WHERE CYCLING IS BEST IN OUR COUNTY. MAY IS NATIONAL BIKE MONTH WITH A PROCLAMATION PRESENTED BY THE MAYORS OF TAMPA, ST. PETERSBURG, CLEARWATER, AND TEMPLE TERRACE, AND THAT WAS KICKED OFF ON MAY 1st, AND I WILL BE LEADING A RIDE FROM SEMINOLE HEIGHTS ON MAY 16th, WHICH IS NATIONAL BIKE TO WORK DAY, AND IF YOU'D LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON ALL THE DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT ARE GOING ON, THERE'S -- TAMPABAYCYCLE.COM HAS A LOT OF -- A LISTING OF THE EVENTS. THE NEXT BICYCLE-PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING IS MAY 14th, AND THAT'S AT 5:30, AND WE'LL HOLD IT HERE IN THE COUNTY CENTER ON THE 18th FLOOR. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, GENA. AS ALWAYS, GOOD JOB. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? IF NOT, WE MOVE FORWARD. TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED COORDINATING COMMITTEE BOARD, ALLISON YEH. >>ALLISON YEH: GOOD MORNING. ALLISON YEH, TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED COORDINATING BOARD REPORT. JUNE -- SORRY, APRIL 22nd WAS OUR PUBLIC HEARING AND REGULAR MEETING. THAT WAS OUR LAST MEETING WITH COUNCILMAN SCOTT. MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAME OUT AND SPOKE TO US. WE GOT A COMMENT BY E-MAIL AND PEOPLE CAME TO SPEAK IN PERSON. GENERALLY THE PUBLIC'S COMMENTS CENTERED AROUND WANTING MORE TD SERVICES EXTENDED AND HAVING TD SERVICES FOR MORE RECREATIONAL EVENTS OR PERSONAL LIFE-ENHANCING EVENTS. THE BOARD COMMUNICATED TO THE PUBLIC THAT WE'RE TRYING TO WORK ON INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS BASED ON, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS, AND WE'RE COORDINATING WITH DIFFERENT AGENCIES TO DO THAT. AT THAT MEETING -- THE REGULAR MEETING WAS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE PUBLIC HEARING. THE BOARD APPROVED THE PRIORITY RANKING OF PROJECTS FOR THE 2008 AND 2009 JOB ACCESS REVERSE COMMUTE AND NEW FREEDOM FUNDING PROGRAMS. THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH THE MPO BOARDS RIGHT NOW AND WILL BE BROUGHT TO YOU IN JUNE FOR YOUR APPROVAL, SO I WON'T DETAIL THAT HERE. DURING THIS MEETING THE TDCB ALSO HEARD A PRESENTATION ON THE UNIFIED PLANNING WORK PROGRAM. WE GOT REPORTS FROM OUR VARIOUS COMMITTEES, AND MEMBERS ALSO COMMUNICATED GOING UP TO TALLAHASSEE IN MARCH FOR THE STATE TD LEGISLATIVE DAY WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO TALK TO OUR REPRESENTATIVES, GLORIOSO, AMBLER, HOMAN, REAGAN, AND WE ALSO TALKED TO SENATOR STORMS, JOYNER, AND JUSTICE ON THE VARIOUS TD ISSUES THAT ARE FACING THE COMMUNITY HERE. THE NEXT MEETING OF THE TDCB WITH OUR NEW CHAIRMAN, WHICH WE HAVE NOT DETERMINED YET, WILL BE JUNE 24th AN THE 18th FLOOR OF THIS BUILDING, AND IF ANY OF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT ME. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, ALLISON. ALLISON MENTIONED THAT THERE IS NO CHAIR FOR THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED COORDINATING COMMITTEE, SO IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN CHAIRING THAT COMMITTEE -- AND IT'S A GREAT ONE. THEY'VE GOT A VERY LOYAL BOARD. I SERVED AS CHAIRMAN FOR, I THINK, TWO OR THREE YEARS, AND IT'S AN EXCELLENT BOARD BECAUSE THEY REALLY PARTICIPATE. SO IF THERE'S ANYBODY THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED, PLEASE CONTACT RAY CHIARAMONTE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT. MR. CHIARAMONTE. >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: I'D FIRST LIKE TO THANK THE BOARD FOR APPROVING ME AS INTERIM DIRECTOR. I WILL TELL YOU WHILE IN THIS POSITION I WILL USE ALL MY ENERGY TO TRY TO DO WHAT YOU NEED DONE, WHICH I KNOW -- I'M FINDING OUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS. [LAUGHTER] COMPLICATED THINGS. I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M PART OF THE TBARTA LAND USE COMMITTEE, AND WE'LL BE HAVING OUR FIRST MEETING MAY 9th WHERE WE GO OVER THE COMPREHENSIVE PLANS OF THE DIFFERENT COUNTIES, INCLUDING HILLSBOROUGH, AND SEE HOW THEY FIT IN WITH TBARTA'S PLANS, AND THAT WILL BE AN ONGOING COMMITTEE THAT I'LL BE SERVING ON WHILE I'M IN THIS POSITION, AND EVEN IN MY OTHER POSITION AS THE PLANNING COMMISSION I WAS GOING TO BE SERVING ON THAT BOARD. I'M MAKING A PRESENTATION ON OUR TRANSIT STUDY TO THE EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY ON MAY 19th, AND I WANT TO GET THE BOARD DIRECTION IF THEY WANT ME TO CONTINUE THAT PROCESS, PRESENTING OUR TRANSIT STUDY IN THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE IF SO, I WILL SCHEDULE OTHER PRESENTATIONS. IF FOR NOTHING ELSE, TO MAKE PEOPLE AWARE OF THE PROCESS AND GET THEM INVOLVED. >>JOE AFFRONTI: I THINK WE NEED THAT. >> YES. >>ROSE FERLITA: ABSOLUTELY. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MR. SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: WE'RE TALKING THE 2050? >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: YES. >>JOE AFFRONTI: YEAH. >>MARK SHARPE: I WOULD ASK THAT YOU REDOUBLE THE EFFORT WITH REGARD TO THE [INAUDIBLE] BUT ALSO GET, YOU KNOW, AMPLE FEEDBACK. >> RIGHT. >>MARK SHARPE: I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF VERY VALID POINTS OUT THERE AMONGST SOME OF THE AGENCIES ABOUT OUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES, AND LET'S SEE IF WE CAN'T START TO INCORPORATE THOSE COMMENTS INTO OUR PLAN SO THAT WE HAVE A COMPETITIVE CONCEPT TO BE SUCCESSFUL. >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: JUST SO EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS, THAT PLAN -- AND THERE'S BEEN TALK ABOUT THE TAMPA RAIL PROJECT. I MEAN, A LOT OF INFORMATION FROM THAT TAMPA RAIL STUDY WAS USED IN THIS PLAN, SO WE JUST NEED TO START FROM SCRATCH, SO IN A WAY IT WAS DUSTED OFF AND KIND OF REPACKAGED IN A MORE REGIONAL FASHION. THE OTHER THING IS THAT THERE STILL IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT CHANGES CAN BE MADE TO THAT PLAN. IT IS A CONCEPT STUDY AT THIS POINT. IT DOESN'T BECOME HARD AND FAST UNTIL IT BECOMES PART OF THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN, WHICH IS DUE TO BE ADOPTED IN 2009. SO WE HAVE THE CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT SOME THINGS AND GET FEEDBACK. NEXT POLICY COMMITTEE IS MAY 20th, AGAIN, 9:00 A.M. IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION BOARDROOM, AND THE NEXT TBARTA MEETING WILL BE HELD MAY 23rd AT 9:00 A.M. I PLAN TO ATTEND ALL THOSE MEETINGS. IN THE FUTURE THAT'S AT FDOT'S OFFICES ON McKINLEY DRIVE. A COUPLE THINGS I WANTED TO COMMENT IN ADDITION, AND I HAVE TO ENTER INTO THIS LANDSCAPING DISCUSSION A LITTLE. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID WHEN I CAME TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN 1987 WAS TO BEGIN WORK ON THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS PROGRAM, AND THAT CAME OUT OF THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THEN GOT PUT INTO GUIDELINES THAT THE JURISDICTIONS ADOPTED. I REALLY THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT ELIMINATING LANDSCAPING, WHICH GOES INTO MY NEXT SUBJECT. I WAS JUST IN PHOENIX. I DRAGGED MY WIFE ACROSS THE DESERT TO GO SEE THEIR FLEDGLING RAIL PLAN THAT THEY HAVE AND ACTUALLY TAKE PICTURES OF IT AND KIND OF WALK IT AND DRIVE IT AND JUST SEE HOW IT LOOKED. I CONVINCED HER THAT I NEEDED TO DO THIS NOW THAT I WAS IN THIS INTERIM POSITION, AND SINCE I WAS 500 MILES AWAY, I THOUGHT, OKAY, I'LL RENT A CAR AND DO THIS. ANYWAY, THE THING THAT IMPRESSED ME ABOUT PHOENIX WAS IMMEDIATELY I NOTICED THE LANDSCAPING, AND I THOUGHT I WOULDN'T LIKE PHOENIX, BUT THEY'VE REALLY DONE A GREAT JOB. I MEAN, ALL THEIR ROADWAYS ARE LANDSCAPED, AND IT JUST HAS A TREMENDOUS IMPACT. YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE IN A QUALITY COMMUNITY, SO I THINK THAT WE REALLY NEED TO BE CAREFUL. YOU KNOW, OUR ROADWAYS ARE LIKE OUR FRONT YARDS. THAT'S THE FRONT YARD OF OUR COMMUNITY. WE NEED TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT LOOKS GOOD BECAUSE WE'RE COMPETING WITH THESE OTHER CITIES, AND YOU DO HAVE AN IMPRESSION WHEN YOU VISIT PLACES. I'M SURE WHEN YOU'RE RELOCATING YOUR COMPANY OR SOMETHING, IT'S GOING TO GIVE YOU AN IMPRESSION OF WHAT THAT CITY'S VALUES ARE, SO I THINK WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT LANDSCAPING ISSUES LIKE THAT. I HAVE A LOT OF PICTURES OF THOSE SHELTERS, LIKE 50 PICTURES OF THEM, AND THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THEM, WHAT I THINK THEY DID IS THEY TILTED THE -- THESE VENTS, DEPENDING ON WHERE THE STATION WAS, TO GIVE SHADE FOR THE PARTICULAR SUN DIRECTION OF THAT PARTICULAR STATION, SO IT'S NOT JUST ONE DESIGN. EACH ONE IS DESIGNED A LITTLE DIFFERENT TO GET THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF SHADE FOR THE MAXIMUM PART OF THE DAY. I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA. THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO SAY ABOUT PHOENIX, WHICH MAKES ME FEEL CONFIDENT, IS PHOENIX IS THE FIRST CITY THAT I'VE SEEN THAT HAS RAIL THAT I CAN HONESTLY SAY I FELT WAS LESS DENSE THAN TAMPA. I MEAN, IT'S DOWNTOWN. I'M GOING TO LOOK UP THE STATISTICS, BUT I'M POSITIVE THAT IT'S SMALLER THAN TAMPA'S. THEY DIDN'T HAVE NEARLY AS MANY TALL BUILDINGS, AND YOU SUSPECT THEIR WORKFORCE IS NOT AS LARGE AS OURS. THEY HAVE A UNIVERSITY THAT I DON'T THINK HAS AS MANY STUDENTS AS USF. THEIR LAND USE PATTERN IS VERY WHAT I WOULD SAY URBAN SPRAWL, LOW-DENSITY WHERE THE LINE WAS GOING. THE DENSITY WAS NOT HIGH AT ALL. AGAIN, I HAVE PICTURES OF ALL THIS THAT I CAN SHARE WITH YOU. I WAS GOING TO MAKE CDs FOR EVERYBODY IF THEY'RE INTERESTED. BUT CERTAINLY THEY FEEL LIKE IT CAN WORK THERE, AND I'LL TELL YOU ONE THING I DID NOTICE AND I TOOK SOME PICTURES OF IS NEW DEVELOPMENT'S COMING OUT OF THE GROUND. EVEN THOUGH THE RAIL'S NOT RUNNING YET, IT'S GOING TO OPEN IN DECEMBER, BUT THE TRACK'S THERE AND THE CARS ARE ALL IN A YARD. I SAW THEM ALSO, BUT YOU COULD CLEARLY SEE REDEVELOPMENT OCCURRING IN THESE LOWER-DENSITY AREAS AROUND WHERE THE STATIONS WERE ALREADY. THERE WAS BIG SIGNS FOR BIG -- MUCH MORE MASSIVE PEDESTRIAN-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, SO IT CLEARLY IS HAVING AN EFFECT ON THEIR LAND USE PATTERN, SO I THINK PHOENIX IS AN INTERESTING MODEL FOR US. AND I WANTED TO LET THE MEMBERS KNOW THAT ANYTIME YOU WANT TO MEET WITH ME OR ANYTHING, PLEASE CALL. I'M AVAILABLE. IF YOU HAVE A PARTICULAR THING YOU WANT TO DISCUSS, I'D BE HAPPY TO DO THAT. I'M INTERESTED IN THIS LAND USE TRANSPORTATION CONNECTION, ALWAYS HAVE BEEN, AND, YOU KNOW, I'D LIKE TO PARTICIPATE AND HELP AS LONG AS I'M IN THIS POSITION. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU, RAY. ANY -- YES, MR. SHARPE. >>MARK SHARPE: FIRST OFF, I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR JUMPING IN SO FAST. I KNOW THESE ARE CHALLENGING TIMES, BUT I APPRECIATE THE SPIRIT IN WHICH YOU'VE ENTERED IN YOUR NEW POSITION AND THE FACT THAT YOU REALLY HAVEN'T LET THE DUST SETTLE, AND IN PARTICULAR -- AND I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE NOT TO TREAD WATER, WHICH YOU'RE NOT DOING. IN FACT, I WOULD SAY RAY WENT TO A CONFERENCE IN LAS VEGAS, I KNOW A NUMBER OF OTHER PEOPLE WERE THERE, AND HE INDICATED THAT WHEN HE HAD SPARE TIME, HE -- RATHER THAN GOING AND -- TO THE CASINOS, HE TOOK HIS CAMERA AND WENT TO PHOENIX ON HIS OWN AND DID LOOK AT THE SYSTEM, AND THAT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE, AND I'M SURE YOUR WIFE WAS IMPRESSED AS WELL. MY WIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN APPRECIATIVE. [LAUGHTER] IF YOU COULD -- THOUGH I AM INTERESTED IN THE LANDSCAPING, AND IF YOU COULD HELP WITH THE COUNTY AND AS WELL WITH I IMAGINE THE CITY AND ALL THE OTHER ENTITIES LOOKING FOR LOW-COST WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN PROVIDE A VERY VISIBLY APPEALING LANDSCAPE -- I KNOW IN SOME AREAS THEY USE THE STATE WILD FLOWERS, YOU KNOW, YOU GO INTO SOME -- I'VE SEEN THIS IN SOME OF THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES. THEY'RE LOW COST FOR MAINTENANCE, BUT THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL, AND IF THERE'S A WAY THAT WE CAN USE -- AND WE PROBABLY ALREADY ARE, BUT IF THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO TO ENHANCE THE -- THE VIEW USING LOW-MAINTENANCE FLOWERS AND PLANTS, I THINK THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL. AND THEN WITH REGARD TO THE SHELTERS, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, AND IF WE COULD LOOK AT WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN PHOENIX AND COME UP WITH A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AS WELL AND PUT THAT AS PART OF YOUR COMMITTEE'S WORK TO FIND WAYS THAT WE CAN ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO WALK A BIT MORE AND FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE AS THEY'RE WAITING FOR A BUS, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL, AND THOSE SHELTERS SEEM TO BE IDEAL, AND THE CONCEPT THAT MS. MULHERN HAD WITH REGARD TO SOLAR PAN ELSE TO POWER THE -- WHETHER IT'S THE COOLING OR THE HEATING, I'M NOT SURE IF THEY'RE ALREADY DOING THAT IN SOME AREAS, BUT THAT SEEMS LIKE A GREAT IDEA AS WELL. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? IF NOT, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH, RAY. >>RAY CHIARAMONTE: [INAUDIBLE] >>JOE AFFRONTI: CLEAN AIR MONTH. OH, I'M SORRY. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS COMMITTEE IS CHAIRED BY MS. MULHERN. SHE WASN'T ABLE TO ATTEND THE LAST MEETING, THAT'S WHY I READ THE REPORT, BUT THESE AT CHAIR. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. NEXT IS CLEAN AIR MONTH, REGINALD SANFORD. >> YES. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN. GOOD MORNING, BOARD MEMBERS. AS GENA MENTIONED, MAY IS NATIONAL BIKE MONTH, BUT IT'S ALSO NATIONAL CLEAN AIR MONTH, AND AS YOU RECALL, EACH YEAR I COME BEFORE THIS BOARD TO GIVE A PRESENTATION ON HOW HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY STANDS WITH REGARD TO MEETING THE FEDERAL AIR QUALITY STANDARDS. IT JUST SO HAPPENS THAT EPA HAS PROMULGATE ADD NEW STANDARD FOR OZONE THAT WILL BE MORE RESTRICTIVE AND WILL MAKE THINGS A LITTLE BIT TIGHTER, AND I WANT TO TACK ON A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. IF I CAN TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO THE SLIDES, PLEASE. IT'S BEEN WELL ESTABLISHED THAT AIR QUALITY -- POOR AIR QUALITY CAN HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON OUR HEALTH, BOTH ON OUR RESPIRATORY SYSTEMS AND OUR CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS. WITH THAT IN MIND, EPA HAS ESTABLISHED CERTAIN POLLUTANTS THAT -- IN WHICH WE HAVE TO MONITOR HERE FOR IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. >>ROSE FERLITA: REGGIE, EXCUSE ME. IT'S NOT COMING THROUGH YET. >> OKAY. WILL THE FOLKS AT HTV MAYBE TURN THE MONITORS ON. >>ROSE FERLITA: IT'S COUNTY CENTRAL NOW. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THERE WE GO. >> COUNTY CENTRAL. OKAY. WELL, THIS IS THE PREVIOUS SLIDE THAT I SHOWED ON THE IMPACTS OF THE AIR QUALITY ON OUR HEALTH. AND THIS IS WHERE I AM NOW. EPA HAS ESTABLISHED CERTAIN STANDARDS FOR CERTAIN POLLUTANTS. THE POLLUTANTS ARE LISTED RIGHT HERE. IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THE EPC RUNS MONITORING STATIONS FOR THESE POLLUTANTS. AS YOU CAN SEE, THE MONITORING STATIONS ARE PREDOMINANTLY IN THE MORE CONCENTRATED POPULATION AREAS OF THE COUNTY. THIS IS A TYPICAL -- WHAT A TYPICAL STATION LOOKS LIKE WITH THE MONITORS IN PLACE. AS OUR CAC CHAIR, JOE AMON, MENTIONED, THERE ARE NO MONITORS UP IN THE NORTH TAMPA AREA. REALLY -- REALLY THE MONITORING SITES ARE ESTABLISHED IN COORDINATION WITH EPA AND ALSO WITH THE STATE, AND REALLY WHAT I BELIEVE THEY'RE TRYING TO DO IS TO GET A WORST-CASE SCENARIO SO YOU CAN SEE THE POPULATION CENTERS ARE, YOU KNOW, PREDOMINANTLY IN THE AREAS IN WHICH WE HAVE THE MONITORING STATIONS. ONE OF THE PERSISTENT POLLUTANTS THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND ALSO IN OTHER METROPOLITAN AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES IS FINE PARTICLES. THESE PARTICLES ARE ABOUT 1/70 THE DIAMETER OF THE HUMAN HAIR. YOU MAY RECALL LAST YEAR THAT WE HAD AN EXCEPTIONAL FINE PARTICLE EVENT DUE TO THE FIRES IN NORTHERN FLORIDA. IT WAS ALMOST A YEAR AGO THIS WEEK IN WHICH WE WERE IMPACTED BY THOSE FIRES. DOWN HERE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE, THIS IS AN ACTUAL PICTURE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL KIDS THAT WERE IMPACTED DURING THE WEEK IN WHICH WE HAD AN EXCEPTIONAL EVENT. THE OTHER EXCEPTIONAL POLLUTANT THAT WE HAVE A DIFFICULT TIME DEALING WITH HERE LOCALLY AND ALSO NATIONALLY IS GROUND-LEVEL OZONE. YOU MAY REMEMBER FROM SCIENCE CLASS THAT OZONE IN THE OUTER ATMOSPHERE IS -- PROTECTS US FROM THE HARMFUL RAYS OF THE SUN, BUT AT GROUND-LEVEL OZONE IS ACTUALLY CONSIDERED TO BE A POLLUTANT. IT'S GENERATED BY THE CHEMICALS THAT ARE PRODUCED AT INDUSTRIAL SOURCES AND ALSO BY THE AUTOMOBILES THAT ARE ON THE ROAD, AND THESE CHEMICALS REACT IN THE PRESENCE OF SUNLIGHT TO FORM THAT GROUND-LEVEL OZONE. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IS ATTAINING ALL OF THE CURRENT STANDARDS FOR ALL OF THE POLLUTANTS THAT EPA REQUIRES US TO MONITOR FOR, INCLUDING THE FINE PARTICLES AND ALSO THE CURRENT OZONE STANDARD. EPA HAS ESTABLISHED A WAY IN WHICH THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAN UNDERSTAND WHAT THEIR DAILY AIR QUALITY LEVELS ARE. IT'S CALLED THE "AIR QUALITY INDEX." A PERSON IN THE PUBLIC CAN JUST SIMPLY CALL THIS NUMBER HERE, AND THEY CAN FIND OUT WHAT THE INDEX IS FOR THAT DAY, AND THE INDEX IS REALLY A CONSOLIDATION OF DATA INTO A SINGLE NUMBER, SO IT IS KIND OF A USER-FRIENDLY WAY TO UNDERSTAND AIR QUALITY. AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE CHART, MOST DAYS OF THE YEAR ARE EITHER GOOD OR MODERATE. WE ONLY HAVE A FEW DAYS IN WHICH IT'S CONSIDERED TO BE UNHEALTHY, AND I BELIEVE THE MAJORITY OF THESE DAYS LAST YEAR WERE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE PARTICULATE, THE FOREST FIRES IN NORTH FLORIDA. WE'RE NOT MANDATED TO IMPLEMENT ANY POLLUTION CONTROL PROGRAMS AS FAR AS AIR QUALITY GOES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, BUT WE DO HAVE SEVERAL VOLUNTARY PROGRAMS THAT WE DO. TWO OF THESE PROGRAMS ARE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED BECAUSE THIS BOARD GRANTED US A -- WELL, TWO CMAQ GRANTS A FEW YEARS AGO. ONE IS CALLED THE "SMART DRIVER PROGRAM" IN WHICH WE PROVIDE EDUCATION AND OUTREACH MATERIAL FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC ON HOW TO BETTER MAINTAIN THEIR VEHICLES, AND THE OTHER IS CALLED THE "CLEAN AIR PARTNERSHIP." THIS IS AN EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. IT'S REALLY A PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF SINGLE-OCCUPANT VEHICLE TRIPS THAT GO BACK AND FORTH TO WORK EACH DAY. THAT CONCLUDES THE AIR QUALITY UPDATE FOR HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. I'LL BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I GET INTO THE REVISED FEDERAL OZONE STANDARD. >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? IF NOT, THANK YOU. >> OKAY. I'LL MOVE ON. EPA IS REQUIRED BY THE CLEAN AIR ACT TO PERIODICALLY REVIEW ALL OF THE STANDARDS THAT ARE SET FOR ALL OF THE CRITERIA POLLUTANTS. THEY RECENTLY COMPLETED A REVIEW OF THE OZONE STANDARD AND DETERMINED THAT THE STANDARD NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED TO BETTER PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH, SO IN EFFECT WHAT EPA DID WAS LOWER THE STANDARD. IN OTHER WORDS, THEY MADE THE STANDARD HARD TORE MEET. THE CURRENT STANDARD THAT WE'LL OPERATE UNDER UNTIL THE LATTER PART OF THIS MONTH IS .08 PARTS PER MILLION, AND THIS IS DONE ON AN AVERAGING, AND AS I SAID BEFORE, WE'RE IN ATTAINMENT FOR THE CURRENT STANDARD. THE REVISED STANDARD THAT WILL GO INTO EFFECT ON MAY 27th, I BELIEVE, LOWERS THE STANDARD TO .075 PARTS PER MILLION, AND EARLY INDICATIONS ARE THAT WE WILL NOT MEET THAT NEW STANDARD. AS YOU CAN SEE IN THIS MAP OF THE UNITED STATES, THESE ARE THE -- THE AREAS IN RED ARE THE AREAS THAT ARE NOT -- I'M SORRY. THE AREAS IN RED ARE THE AREAS THAT ARE NOT MEETING THE CURRENT STANDARD, AND CAN YOU SEE THE ENTIRE STATE OF FLORIDA, ALONG WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, IS IN GOOD SHAPE. WE'RE MEETING THAT CURRENT STANDARD. EPA APPLIED THE NEW STANDARD TO THE SAME DATA, AND WHAT THEY FOUND IS THAT NOT ONLY WILL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PROBABLY NOT MEET THAT NEW STANDARD, BUT THERE ARE 13 OTHER COUNTIES -- I'M SORRY, 12 OTHER COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAT ARE NOT EXPECTED TO MEET THAT NEW STANDARD. IT'S NOT JUST A HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY OR FLORIDA ISSUE, IT'S SOMETHING THAT REACHES EVERY METROPOLITAN AREA THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. WE APPLIED THE NEW STANDARD TO HISTORICAL DATA THAT WE COLLECTED AT THE OFFICE, AND AS YOU CAN SEE GRAPHICALLY HERE, WE WOULD NOT HAVE MET THE NEW STANDARD OVER THE PAST -- FOR ANY YEAR OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS. SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN? WELL, THE IMPLICATIONS OF BEING DESIGNATED AS NONATTAINMENT MEANS THAT THE STATE OF FLORIDA, IN COOPERATION WITH STAFFS FROM THE EPC, THE MPO, AND OTHER PLANNING AND TRANSPORTATION AND AIR QUALITY AGENCIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF FLORIDA, WOULD HAVE TO PUT TOGETHER AN APPROVABLE PLAN, AND THIS PLAN WOULD BASICALLY OUTLINE A ROAD MAP IN WHICH WE WOULD COME INTO COMPLIANCE WITH THE NEW STANDARD OVER A CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME. THE MPO WOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED TO ADHERE TO THE CONFORMITY REQUIREMENTS. SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT. AND IN GENERAL, THAT'S WHERE AN AIR QUALITY ANALYSIS IS ATTACHED TO EVERY SINGLE PLAN THAT'S APPROVED BY THIS BOARD, SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE T.I.P. AND ALSO THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN WOULD HAVE TO HAVE AN AIR QUALITY ANALYSIS SHOWING THAT THE PLAN WILL NOT CONTRIBUTE TO POOR AIR QUALITY. YOU MAY ASK, WELL, WHAT IS THE STATIONARY SIDE OF THE WORLD DOING, WHAT'S BEING DONE FROM THE INDUSTRIAL SOURCES? WELL, THEY WILL HAVE TIGHTER PERMITS THAT WOULD BE REQUIRED -- THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO MEET, AND THIS WOULD APPLY NOT TO THE CURRENTLY OPERATING INDUSTRIAL SOURCES BUT ANY NEW SOURCES THAT COME TO THE AREA. AND LASTLY, WE WOULD HAVE TO MEET THAT NEW OZONE STANDARD BY CERTAIN DEADLINES. THE NEXT SIGNIFICANT DATE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION SCHEME IS JUNE 2009. AT THAT TIME THE STATE WILL LOOK AT ALL OF THE AIR QUALITY DATA FROM ALL OF THE COUNTIES AND MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO EPA ON WHICH COUNTIES SHOULD BE DESIGNATED AT NONATTAINMENT. THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY QUESTIONS? YES, MS. SAUL-SENA. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: ARE YOU WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD IN TERMS OF ENCOURAGING NONIDLING BOTH BY BUSES AND BY PARENTS WAITING IN LINE TO PICK UP THEIR KIDS? >> YES. WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD. I BELIEVE IT WAS TWO YEARS AGO WE WORKED TO GET A GRANT FOR THEM TO INSTALL POLLUTION CONTROL DEVICES ON THE BUSES, AND AT THAT TIME THE SCHOOL BOARD TOLD US THAT THEY HAVE A NONIDLING POLICY THAT'S OUT THERE, AND IT'S DESIGNED FOR JUST WHAT YOU SAID. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: BECAUSE I KNOW PARENTS OF ASTHMATIC KIDS ARE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS. I'D LIKE TO TALK TO YOU AFTER THE MEETING ABOUT -- >> ABSOLUTELY. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: -- ABOUT MAKING MORE PARENTS AWARE OF THE IMPACTS OF IDLING WHILE THEY'RE STANDING IN CARPOOL LINE. >> ABSOLUTELY. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: THANKS. >> THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? IF NOT, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. NEXT WE HAVE WALLY BLAIN, THE DRAFT TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM DOCUMENT. >>WALLY BLAIN: GOOD MORNING. WALLY BLAIN, MPO STAFF. I'M HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU THE DRAFT OF THE T.I.P. DOCUMENT. THIS IS THE DOCUMENT THAT WILL GO INTO EFFECT ON OCTOBER 1st OF THIS YEAR AND REMAIN IN EFFECT NEXT YEAR FOR THE FIVE-YEAR FUNDING OF TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS. THIS IS THE FINAL PHASE OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS T.I.P. WE BASE THIS ON PRIORITIES THAT THE MPO ADOPTED BACK IN LAST SEPTEMBER. IT'S A COMPILATION OF ALL THE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS THAT ALL THE AGENCIES HAVE PROGRAMMED, MUNICIPALITIES, AS WELL AS JUST THE TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS WE HAVE OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, SO THIS DOES TAKE AND REFLECT D.O.T.'S WORK PROGRAM, THE COUNTY AND CITY'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS OF HART, PORT AUTHORITY, EXPRESSWAY AUTHORITY. JUST TO REMIND YOU OF THE PRIORITIES THAT THE MPO SET LAST SEPTEMBER, THE FIRST ONE WAS FOR TRANSPORTATION PLANNING PROGRAMS SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO AS A STAFF TO SUPPORT THE AGENCIES IN THE AREA. CONSTRUCTION FOR 40th STREET WAS IN THERE. THERE WAS ALSO SOME RIGHT-OF-WAY MONEY FOR BRUCE B. DOWNS AS WELL AS FOR SAM ALLEN ROAD IN PLANT CITY AND SOME BUS REPLACEMENT MONEY. SEVERAL OF THE TRANSPORTATION DEMAND MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATIONS REQUESTED MONEY FOR OUTREACH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS. THOSE WERE ALL AWARDED FUNDS THROUGH THE STP PROGRAM. ALSO, THE WESTSHORE ALLIANCE REQUESTED MONEY FOR SIDEWALK AND PEDESTRIAN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE WESTSHORE AREA, CONSISTENT WITH THE MPO'S WESTSHORE PEDESTRIAN SYSTEMS PLAN. THERE WAS ALSO A TRAFFIC SYSTEM MAINTENANCE PROJECT THAT WAS AWARDED TO THE CITY OF TAMPA. THIS IS TO UPGRADE EXISTING SIGNAL SYSTEMS AND COMMUNICATION THROUGH THE I.T.S. PROGRAM. A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS TO ADD HERE, THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE LAST WORK PROGRAM AND T.I.P. DOCUMENT THAT YOU'VE HEARD. TWO PROJECTS WERE ADVANCED INTO THE -- INTO -- OR ADVANCED DURING THIS FIVE YEARS. THE FIRST IS THE I-275 NORTHBOUND OFF RAMP AT STATE ROAD 60. THIS WILL BE MOVED FROM 2012 UP TO 2009. THIS IS TO TIE IN THE WORK THAT'S CURRENTLY BEING DONE ON I-275 AS WELL AS THE WORK AT THE AIRPORT INTERCHANGE PROJECT. ALSO ON I-275 FROM BEARSS NORTH TO THE JUNCTION OF I-75 AN I.T.S. PROGRAM WAS ADDED TO HELP WITH COMMUNICATION, AND THIS WILL EXTEND THE CURRENT TRAFFIC -- TRAVELER ALERT SYSTEM THAT'S OUT THERE NOW. SOME ADDITIONS THAT WERE ADDED TO THE PROJECT, AND THIS FIRST ONE WAS AN ITEM OF DISCUSSION AT THE POLICY COMMITTEE MEETING, IS THE I-4/SELMON EXPRESSWAY "Z" MOVEMENT CONNECTOR, AND THE CONSTRUCTION MONEY HAS BEEN PROGRAMMED NOW FOR 2013. THERE WAS A HANDOUT THAT WAS PROVIDED TO YOU THAT KIND OF SHOWS AN OVERALL OF THE PROJECT. IT LOOKS LIKE THIS. IT'S KIND OF A MAP, A GRAPHICAL. YOU CAN SEE IN THE ORANGE WHAT THE "Z" MOVEMENT IS AND ALSO THE FUNDING FOR THAT IN THE YEAR 2013 AND A NOTE ON THAT, SO THE INFORMATION WE CURRENTLY HAVE IS THAT HAS BEEN MOVED INTO THE WORK PROGRAM. ALSO, RIGHT-OF-WAY ALONG STATE ROAD 574 -- THIS IS MARTIN LUTHER KING BOULEVARD IN THE SEFFNER/VALRICO AREA -- WAS ADVANCED OR ADDED IN IN THE FIFTH YEAR, AND THEN TO MAINTAIN AND PRESERVE THE SYSTEM BECAUSE PROJECTS ARE BEING DEFERRED AND THINGS ARE NOT BEING DONE AS THEY WERE INITIALLY ANTICIPATED, 11 RESURFACING PROJECTS WERE ADDED IN SO THAT THE GOAL OF MAINTAINING AND PRESERVING THE EXISTING SYSTEM IS MET. THERE WERE ALSO A COUPLE OF DEFERRALS. THE FIRST ONE IS NOT TO ALARM ANYONE. THE ACTUAL PROJECT SCHEDULE FOR 40th STREET DOES REMAIN ON SCHEDULE AS PLANNED. NOTHING HAS CHANGED THERE. THIS DEFERRAL IS JUST TO ALIGN THE LOCAL FUNDING WITH FEDERAL MONEY. IT'S MORE SHIFTING FUNDS FROM A BUDGET STANDPOINT BUT DOES NOT AFFECT THE PRODUCIBILITY OF THAT PROJECT. FINALLY THE DALE MABRY HIGHWAY FRONTAGE ROAD DESIGN WAS MOVED FROM 2011 TO 2012. THIS IS UP IN THE CHEVAL AREA. THERE WERE SOME PROJECTS -- THERE WAS A PROJECT FOR TAMPA PORTWIDE THAT WAS DEFERRED FROM 2010 TO 2012. THIS WAS ALSO AN ISSUE OF DISCUSSION AT THE POLICY MEETING. IT DOESN'T DELAY THE -- IT DOES DELAY THE MONEY, IT MOVES IT FROM 2010 TO 2012. IT'S AN ANNUAL RECURRING AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT'S THERE FOR THE PORT FOR JUST GENERAL IMPROVEMENTS. IT'S AROUND $2.5 MILLION A YEAR. WHAT THIS MEANS IS IN 2010 THERE IS NO MONEY THERE, AND IN 2012, THERE'S ABOUT A LITTLE OVER 4.5 MILLION, SO THE MONEY'S COMBINED AND ROLLED FORWARD TO A LATER YEAR. ALSO SOME LAND ACQUISITION FOR THE DREW PARK AREA AND THE NORTH OF HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE FOR THE TAMPA AIRPORT, THAT WAS DEFERRED FROM 2010 TO 2012 AS WELL. THE COUNTY'S TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE HAS MADE A RECOMMENDATION TO ADVANCE SOME PROJECTS BASED ON THE COMMUNITY INVESTMENT TAX. YOU CAN KIND OF SEE A BREAKDOWN HERE OF HOW THAT MONEY'S BEING SHIFTED AROUND. IT'S AROUND $500 MILLION. THOSE PROJECTS ARE BEING INCORPORATED AND INCLUDED AS PART OF THE COUNTY'S CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM, SO AS THOSE PROJECTS ARE PROGRAMMED BY THE COUNTY, THEY'LL BE REFLECTED IN THE T.I.P. AS WELL. WE DID GO THROUGH THE COMMITTEES LAST MONTH, PRESENTED THE SAME INFORMATION TO THEM, GAVE THEM AN UPDATE, GOT SOME COMMENTS. WE'RE PRESENTING THIS TO YOU TODAY FOR ANY COMMENTS OR REVIEW YOU MAY HAVE. THE REST OF THIS MONTH WE'LL GO TO THE COMMITTEES AND GET THEIR APPROVAL AND COME BACK TO YOU ON JUNE 3rd FOR A PUBLIC HEARING FOR APPROVAL BEFORE WE SUBMIT TO D.O.T. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, I CAN ANSWER THOSE NOW. >>JOE AFFRONTI: ANY QUESTIONS? YES, MR. SKELTON. >>DON SKELTON: THANK YOU, MAYOR. JUST A COMMENT. THIS DOES REFLECT THE DEPARTMENT'S FIVE-YEAR WORK PROGRAM AS IT SITS TODAY. THAT DOES NOT MEAN THE RESULTS OF LAST WEEK'S BUDGET HAVE NOT BEEN FACTORED IN. WE WILL BE LOOKING STATEWIDE TO MOVE ABOUT $1.4-BILLION WORTH OF PROJECTS OUT OF THE WORK PROGRAM, SO WE WILL BE BACK ADDRESSING WHICH PROJECTS WITHIN THIS T.I.P. AND WORK PROGRAM STILL NEED TO MOVE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP. OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OF WALLY? YES, MS. SAUL-SENA. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: IF IT TURNS OUT THAT WE DON'T -- IF WE HAVE A FEDERAL GAS TAX HOLIDAY THIS SUMMER, WILL THAT ULTIMATELY AFFECT OUR WORK PROGRAM? >>DON SKELTON: IT WOULD LIKELY AFFECT THE WORK PROGRAM. AS ANY GAS TAX REVENUES DON'T GO INTO THE TRUST FUND MAY AFFECT FLORIDA'S APPROPRIATION FROM THAT. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: WE SHOULD SHARE THAT INFORMATION. THANKS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? IF NOT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, WALLY. >>WALLY BLAIN: THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: IS THERE ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT CARES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD ON ANY ITEMS? >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: IT'S SUCH A GIMMICK. IT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE REAL PROBLEM. >>JOE AFFRONTI: PLEASE IDENTIFY YOURSELF, AND YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES. >> TERRY FLOTT, U-CAN. I JUST WANTED -- I WANTED TO MAKE A COMMENT REGARDING THE LIVABLE COMMUNITIES AND SUPPORT THE COMMISSIONERS THAT SPOKE. BECAUSE WE HAVE AN ELDERLY POPULATION IN THIS COMMUNITY AS WELL, I THINK THE SHADING OF SIDEWALKS IS GOING TO BE -- INSTEAD OF JUST THE TRANSIT LOCATIONS, THE HUBS -- IS GOING TO BE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT. WE CAN HAVE SIDEWALKS TO GET TO PLACES TO UTILIZE AND PICK UP BUS ROUTES, LIGHT RAIL, WHATEVER, BUT IF WE DON'T HAVE THE TREES AND THE SHADING AND LANDSCAPING THAT HELPS PROVIDE IT TO MAKE IT A WALKABLE COMMUNITY, THEN WHAT GOOD IS IT GOING TO BE? PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO WALK TO THOSE LOCATIONS TO CATCH THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, SO I THINK THAT BOARD MEMBER SAUL-SENA WAS EXACTLY CORRECT, AND WE NEED TO REALLY TRY TO FIND SOME WAYS THAT WE CANNOT BE RIPPING OUT OUR LANDSCAPING AND PROVIDING A MUCH MORE WALKABLE COMMUNITY. I LIVED IN LAS VEGAS FOR MANY YEARS, AND I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE WALKING DOWN THE SIDEWALKS, AND OF MORE RECENT, I'VE BEEN THINKING, GEE, I'M BACK IN LAS VEGAS AS I WALK OUTSIDE OF MY HOME AND WATCH THE TREES DISAPPEARING. HAD A FRIEND IN PHOENIX, SO I KNOW THE AREA VERY WELL. WE WILL SOON BE ABLE TO BEGIN FRYING EGGS ON THE SIDEWALKS LIKE THEY DO OUT IN LAS VEGAS ANNUALLY, SO I'M HOPING THAT WE DON'T GET TO THAT POINT. THAT IS WHAT BRINGS PEOPLE TO FLORIDA. CERTAINLY BROUGHT ME, AND WHEN MY FAMILY MEMBERS COME TO VISIT, THEY MAKE COMMENTS ON HOW GREEN IT IS, BUT I SEE IT FADING AWAY DAY BY DAY BECAUSE WE'RE LOSING OUR TREES, WHICH ALSO GOES TO ADDRESS THE AIR QUALITY. IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I WAS IN SCHOOL, AS YOU CAN WELL TELL, BUT I BELIEVE THE TREES ARE ALSO VITAL TO OUR AIR QUALITY AS WELL, SO WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO MAKE THAT PART OF NEW DEVELOPMENT ALONG ROADWAYS AND WHATNOT, WE HAVE TO DO THAT, OTHERWISE ALL INFORM IS GOING TO BE FOR NAUGHT. WE WON'T HAVE A QUALITY AREA AND PEOPLE WON'T USE WHAT WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YES, MA'AM. >> VIVIAN BACCA, 413 EL GRECO DRIVE IN BRANDON, AND WHEN I FIRST HEARD THAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT RIPPING OUT THE TREES, I WAS TOTALLY INCENSED. IT CAME UP IN THE BRANDON COMMUNITY PLAN, AND THAT'S WHEN WE FOUND OUT THAT IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE AS JUST ADOPTING THE ROADS BECAUSE THERE IS A LOT OF MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS AND SAFETY ISSUES AND THINGS LIKE THAT THAT ALL NEED TO BE WORKED OUT, AND I HOPE THAT THE LIVABLE COMMUNITIES' RESOLUTION WILL GET THAT ON THE PATH. MAYBE THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE COULD WORK IT OUT. YOU KNOW, IF THE FDOT AGREEMENT SAID THAT, WELL, IF WE DON'T MAINTAIN THEM A CERTAIN WAY, THEN WE'VE GOT TO RIP THEM OUT, THEN MAYBE WE NEED TO RENEGOTIATE THAT AGREEMENT BECAUSE -- AND CERTAINLY IN THE FUTURE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER IS PLANTING DROUGHT-TOLERANT TREES BECAUSE SOME OF OUR TREES ARE DEFINITELY A LOT MORE DROUGHT TOLERANT THAN OTHERS. AS FAR AS THE WILDLIFE COMMISSIONER SHARPE MENTIONED, I LIVED IN TEXAS FOR SEVERAL YEARS. THERE WAS A WHOLE BIG MOVEMENT, AND YOU COULD GET FREE SEEDS TO PLANT WHILE -- YOU KNOW, THE STATE FLOWER ALL ALONG THE HIGH WASTE, AND THAT IS A GOOD THING, BUT YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IS WORKABLE IN YOUR AREA, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THE STATE FLOWER IS REALLY WHAT WE WANT TO BE PLANTING IN THERE. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE PROVIDING SHADE. I SUPPORT THE RESOLUTION, AND I HOPE YOU'LL GO FORWARD. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANYONE ELSE? IF NOT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY OLD BUSINESS THAT WE NEED TO DISCUSS? NEW BUSINESS? WE HAVE AN UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF I-4/CROSSTOWN CONNECTOR, FDOT, MR. SKELTON. >>DON SKELTON: EXCUSE ME. JUST BRIEFLY IN THE ESSENCE OF TIME. A HANDOUT HAS BEEN PROVIDED THAT GIVES YOU THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROJECT. I KNOW THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION AT THE POLICY COMMITTEE AND CONCERNS ABOUT DELAYS IN THE PROJECT. I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE ARE STILL PRODUCING THE PROJECT, DESIGNING THE PROJECT TO BE ABLE TO OPEN BIDS IN THE FALL OF 2009. THE PROJECT WILL BE DONE IN ITS ENTIRETY. I KNOW THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION BECAUSE THE "Z" MOVEMENT WAS ADDED TO THE NEW FIFTH YEAR. WE WILL OPEN BIDS FOR THE ENTIRE PROJECT. IT WILL BE A -- A BUILD-FINANCE PROCUREMENT. IN OTHER WORDS, WE'LL BE ASKING FOR A CONTRACTOR TEAM TO COME IN AND FINANCE THE ENTIRE PROJECT UP FRONT, KNOWING THAT THERE'S A $100-PLUS MILLION THAT'S NOT AVAILABLE UNTIL 2013, SO THAT WILL BE THE PROJECT. IT IS ABOUT A FOUR-YEAR-DURATION CONSTRUCTION PROJECT, AND THAT IS IF THERE IS NO ISSUES ALONG THE WAY AND WEATHER COOPERATES AND THOSE TYPE THINGS, SO THAT'S WHY WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN SAYING IF WORK STARTS IN EARLY CALENDAR YEAR 2010, IT WOULD BE COMPLETE BY EARLY CALENDAR YEAR 2014. I THINK THAT CAUSED SOME CONFUSION BECAUSE EARLIER DATES MAY HAVE BEEN ASSUMED THAT IT WOULD BE OPEN BY 2013 AND SUCH, SO WE ARE STILL PRODUCING THE PROJECT, STILL GOING TO HAVE IT PLANNED TO BE OPEN BY 2014, AND AGAIN, I WILL QUALIFY THAT BY SAYING THAT'S AS OF TODAY. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM IS GOING TO BE. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. BY THE WAY, THERE'S A LEGISLATIVE UPDATE IN YOUR PACKET WITH ALL THE BILLS THAT WERE PASSED AND SO ON, SO IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE TO READ THROUGH THEM. YES, MS. SAUL-SENA. >>LINDA SAUL-SENA: I WANTED TO COMMEND THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION BY RECOGNIZING THE IMPACT OF THIS PROPOSED IMPROVEMENT TO PALMETTO BEACH AND TAKING FORWARD-THINKING ACTIONS TO PROTECT PALMETTO BEACH DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE CONNECTOR. THAT WAS REALLY GREAT. THANK YOU. >>JOE AFFRONTI: THANK YOU. ANY OTHER -- ANY OTHER BUSINESS? NOW, NEXT MONTH -- OH, YES. I'M SORRY. >>MARY MULHERN: I'M SORRY. >>JOE AFFRONTI: MARY. >>MARY MULHERN: JUST -- I'M LOOKING AT THE MAP, AND I JUST WANTED -- I KNOW THIS IS GOING TO BE -- IS LONG AND COMPLICATED, BUT IF YOU COULD GIVE ME JUST A BRIEF REASON WHY THERE'S SO MANY LANES FOR THAT ONE CONNECTOR. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONNECTING TWO FREEWAY, AND IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S MORE LANES ON THE CONNECTOR THAN THERE ARE ON THE FREEWAY TO ME. >>DON SKELTON: THE NUMBER OF LANES ARE SO THAT THAT -- AND IT'S A LITTLE LESS THAN A MILE BETWEEN I-4 AND THE LEE ROY SELMON CROSSTOWN, BUT YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU'VE GOT NOT ONLY ENOUGH LANES FOR THE VEHICLES BUT THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO CHANGE TOO MANY LANES ALONG THE WAY, SO YOU'VE GOT TWO- LANE RAMPS AND ONE-LANE RAMPS AND THOSE TYPE THINGS. YOU ALSO HAVE MULTIPLE MOVEMENTS. YOU HAVE TRUCK ONLY LANES. THAT'S PRIMARILY THE ONES THAT GO DOWN TO 22nd AND 20th STREET, SO THOSE TRUCK ONLY LANES ARE NOT GOING TO BE ACCESSED BY REGULAR VEHICLES, SO YOU'VE GOT DIFFERENT RAMPS FOR THAT, AND MAKING SURE THAT ALL THOSE MOVEMENTS STAY SEPARATED. AND THEN YOU'VE GOT THOSE MOVEMENTS THAT ARE GOING EASTBOUND ON I-4 AND THOSE MOVEMENTS THAT ARE GOING WESTBOUND ON I-4, SO THESE ARE THE NUMBER OF LANES -- IF YOU THINK OUT BY THE AIRPORT HOW MANY LANES SIT OUT THERE BECAUSE OF ALL THE MERGING AND DIVERGING AND WEAVE OPERATIONS THAT GO ON THAT WE'RE TRYING TO CORRECT WITH THE CURRENT PROJECT, BUT THAT'S KIND OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS ONE-MILE STRETCH BETWEEN THE TWO INTERSTATES. >>MARY MULHERN: OKAY. THANKS. >>JOE AFFRONTI: OKAY. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? IF NOT, THANK YOU. NEXT MONTH WE'LL -- AS MR. HUNTER HAD SUGGESTED THAT WE HAVE ANOTHER WORKSHOP AT 8:00 IN JUNE, JUNE 3rd, I BELIEVE IT IS, AND WE'LL HAVE TWO FACILITATORS THERE, AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION FOR YOU TO GET A CONSENSUS AND MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR WHOLE PROGRAM. SO WITH THAT, WE ADJOURN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. 1