CAPTIONING
NOVEMBER 3, 2009
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 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING 
ORGANIZATION BOARD MEETING FOR NOVEMBER 3rd, 2009.
WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND FOR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND 
INVOCATION.
[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]
HEAVENLY FATHER, AS ALWAYS, WE THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL 
THE BLESSINGS THAT YOU'VE GIVEN US.
WE ASK THAT YOU PROTECT OUR YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE IN 
HARM'S WAY PROTECTING OUR FREEDOMS.
WE ASK THAT YOU GUIDE US TODAY AS WE CONDUCT THE BUSINESS 
FOR THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
IN YOUR NAME WE PRAY.
AMEN.
>> AMEN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
WE HAVE -- LET ME SEE.
I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS AN AGENDA ITEM.
YES, WE DO.
WE HAVE PUBLIC INPUT ON AGENDA ITEMS.
YOU HAVE THREE MINUTES.
VIVIAN BACCA.
VIVIAN.
SHE WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE LRTP, LONG-RANGE 
TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
>> GOOD MORNING, GENTLEMEN AND WOMEN.
MY NAME IS VIVIAN BACCA, 413 EL GRECO DRIVE IN BRANDON.
YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS LISTENING TO BETH ALDEN GIVE HER 
OPENING REMARKS ABOUT THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN TO 
HARTLINE, I HEARD HER SAY THAT OUR NUMBER ONE GOAL IS 
SAFETY.
NOW, I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THE NUMBER ONE GOAL OF THIS 
PLAN IS SAFETY.
FOR EXAMPLE, HOW SAFE ARE THE BRANDON RESIDENTS GOING TO BE 
IF LITHIA-PINECREST IS WIDENED TO FOUR LANES, POSSIBLY EVEN 
SIX LANES?
HOW ARE THOSE PEOPLE GOING TO GET ACROSS THAT ROAD?
WE HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF UNSAFE 
CONDITIONS ALONG BLOOMINGDALE, WHICH WAS WIDENED.
IT'S STILL FAILING.
WIDENING ROADS IS NOT THE ANSWER.
WHY DON'T WE TAKE SOME REALLY BOLD ACTION ABOUT SAFETY?
WHY DON'T WE DO WHAT THEY'VE SAID HAS IMPROVED TRAFFIC 
CONDITIONS AND REDUCED -- AND IMPROVED SAFETY BY TAKING ALL 
THESE ROADWAYS, RESTRIPING THEM, MAKING THOSE LANES 
NARROWER, ADDING A BIKE LANE, AND REDUCING THE SPEED LIMIT? 
THAT'S SAFETY.
I ALSO THINK THAT WE ARE REWARDING PEOPLE FOR LIVING 
OUTSIDE THE URBAN SERVICE AREA AND COMMUTING TO TAMPA.
I PERSONALLY SUPPORT THE RURAL AREA, BUT IF YOU WANT TO 
LIVE IN THE RURAL AREA, DON'T EXPECT TO BE SUBSIDIZED TO 
COMMUTE INTO TAMPA.
ALSO, I THINK THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER IF WE'RE GOING TO 
HAVE A LIGHT RAIL PLAN MAYBE DOING SOME KIND OF COMMUNITY 
DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT OR SPECIAL TAXING DISTRICT ALONG THE 
RAIL LINE SO THAT THE BENEFITS FOR IMPROVED PROPERTY VALUES 
AND -- FROM THE RAIL CONSTRUCTION GO BACK INTO SUBSIDIZING 
THE ACTUAL RAIL LINE OPERATIONS.
I DO NOT AGREE THAT WE NEED A 1% SALES TAX INCREASE FROM 
NOW TO ETERNITY JUST FOR TRANSIT.
I THINK THAT PART OF IT COULD SUNSET MAYBE IN 20, 30 YEARS 
AND JUST KEEP A PORTION OF IT TO ACTUALLY RUN THE RAIL.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
DID YOU WANT TO COMMENT, RAY?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  YES.
JUST A BRIEF COMMENT.
THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, SEVERAL ROADS AND PROJECTS IN OUR 
LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN THAT ARE GOING TO CREATE 
SOME CONTROVERSY.
I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE NEXT 30 DAYS IS THE 
IMPORTANT PART FOR PUBLIC INPUT INTO THIS PROCESS.
WE WILL BE LISTENING TO THE PUBLIC AS WE GO OUT TO 
DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES AND TALK ABOUT OUR LONG-RANGE 
TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
SO WE ARE AWARE OF SOME OF THESE ISSUES, AND WE'RE GOING TO 
BE STUDYING AND MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU-ALL AND 
OBVIOUSLY FOLLOWING YOUR DIRECTION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
OKAY.
IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT CARES TO ADDRESS THE BOARD?
IF NOT, THANK YOU.
WE HAVE JOE AMON FROM THE CAC.
JOE, WOULD YOU LIKE TO GIVE YOUR REPORT?
>> GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN, MEMBERS OF THE MPO.
THE CAC HELD A MEETING ON OCTOBER 14th, AND MEMBERS 
INTEREST, PIERRE MATHURIN, WHO'S OUR PERSON WHO TAKES -- 
LOOKS AFTER PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ON CITIES THROUGHOUT THE 
UNITED STATES, ALWAYS BRINGS US GOOD INFORMATION, BROUGHT 
US RIDERSHIP INFORMATION FOR THE UNITED STATES FOR THE -- 
FOR THE 20-SOME-ODD LARGEST CITIES, AND INTERESTING ENOUGH, 
BOTH THE REVENUE HOURS AS WELL AS THE RIDERSHIP HAS GONE 
DOWN VIRTUALLY ACROSS THE BOARD THROUGHOUT THE UNITED 
STATES.
ACTION ITEMS.
2035 LRTP DRAFT COST-AFFORDABLE, MPO STAFF PRESENTED THE 
DRAFT COST-AFFORDABLE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
WE WENT THROUGH AN EXPLANATION PROCESS SO WE UNDERSTOOD THE 
SPREADSHEETS.
WE HAD A LOT OF QUESTIONS THAT WERE -- WERE ASKED AND 
ANSWERED, AND AT THE END OF THAT TIME PERIOD THE COMMITTEE 
THEN UNANIMOUSLY SUPPORTED MAKING THE DRAFT COST-AFFORDABLE 
PLAN AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR REVIEW.
T.I.P. AMENDMENT, WE HAD TWO T.I.P. AMENDMENTS BROUGHT TO 
US, BASICALLY EXTENDED LIMITS OF -- AND ADDING A SIDEWALK 
TO A RESURFACING PROJECT ON HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE IN THE 
NORTHWEST PART OF THE COUNTY AND ADDING A SIDEWALK THROUGH 
THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL PROGRAM IN PLANT CITY ALONG 
WARNELL STREET NEAR LINCOLN ELEMENTARY, AND AGAIN, THE CAC 
UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDED FORWARDING THE AMENDMENT TO THE MPO 
FOR APPROVAL.
WE HAD AN OVERVIEW OF HART'S BUS RAPID TRANSIT INITIATIVE 
NOW KNOWN -- NEW NAME KNOWN AS METRORAPID, WHICH WE KIND OF 
LIKE THAT NAME, BY THE WAY.
IT WAS GIVEN TO THE COMMITTEE BY HART STAFF.
IT WAS INTERESTING.
WE'LL BE FOLLOWING THAT -- VERY CLOSELY ON THAT HOW THAT 
MOVES FORWARD.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS, THE ONLY UNFINISHED BUSINESS WAS 
TAKING BACK THE -- TO THE COMMITTEE YOUR-ALL'S COMMENTS 
FROM THE PREVIOUS -- YOUR PREVIOUS MEETING THANKING THE CAC 
FOR THAT EXTRA MEETING THEY WORKED ON AS IT RELATED TO THE 
TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE.
AND IN NEW BUSINESS, THE JOINT CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE 
MEETS THIS AFTERNOON AT THE D.O.T.'S OFFICE.
WE MEET ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
THIS IS OUR QUARTERLY MEETING.
AND NOVEMBER -- OR WEDNESDAY -- LET'S SEE, WHAT DAY IS 
THIS?
I THINK IT'S -- THE 18th OF NOVEMBER IS OUR REGULAR MEETING 
COMING UP IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.
AND THAT'S OUR MEETINGS, AND THAT'S MY REPORT.
SHORT AND SWEET.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, JOE.
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS OF JOE?
IF NOT, THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED GOOD WORK, JOE.
APPRECIATE IT.
>> APPRECIATE IT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
NEXT WE HAVE NED BAIER, THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TECHNICAL 
ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
>>NED BAIER:  GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIRMAN AND BOARD MEMBERS.
THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, YOUR TECHNICAL STAFF, MET 
ON OCTOBER 19th, AND JUST GIVE YOU A SHORT SUMMARY.
AS YOU KNOW, YOU'RE AT THE TAIL END OF THE LONG-RANGE 
TRANSPORTATION PLAN UPDATE, AND YOUR COMMITTEE HAS BEEN 
MEETING FREQUENTLY TO UNDERSTAND THE PLAN.
WE DO HAVE AN ACTION ITEM FOR YOU TODAY.
BETH ALDEN OF THE MPO STAFF PRESENTED THE DRAFT COST-
AFFORDABLE PLAN AND EXPLAINED THE SPREADSHEET SHOWING ALL 
THE MODES AND THE BREAKOUT OF THE FUNDS AND THE BREAKOUT OF 
THE NEEDS.
THERE ARE TEN PERFORMANCE FACTORS USED TO SCORE OVER 500 
CANDIDATE PROJECTS IN YOUR TRANSPORTATION PLAN, AND THE 
NUMBER ONE AND NUMBER TWO CRITERIA ARE REDUCING TRAFFIC AND 
-- REDUCING CRASHES AND REDUCING TRAFFIC, AND THERE'S TEN 
CRITERIA ACTUALLY.
YOUR TECHNICAL STAFF DOES SUPPORT THAT CRITERIA.
WE THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAKE A SAFER SYSTEM, AND I THINK 
THAT YOUR MPO POLICY MEETING ACTUALLY CAME UP AND 
EMPHASIZED THE SAFETY FACTOR IN REVIEWING THE PROJECTS.
THE TAC PASSED A MOTION TO APPROVE FOR THE PURPOSE OF 
PUBLIC COMMENT THE PROPOSED LIST AND THE MAP THAT GOES 
ALONG WITH THE LIST THAT'S IN YOUR BACKUP OF THE DRAFT 
COST-AFFORDABLE PROJECTS.
THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND THE CITIES, THEIR BUDGET STAFF 
HAVE PROVIDED REVENUE INFORMATION TO THE MPO.
WE'VE ALSO ASKED THE TECHNICAL STAFF TO REVIEW THE LIST AND 
THE MAP TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE THE PRIORITIES 
CONSISTENT WITH THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, SO YOU MAY HAVE 
SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM THE TECHNICAL STAFF OVER 
THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, BUT WE DO ENDORSE THE PLAN TO BE 
PRESENTED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AT THIS TIME.
THE OTHER ACTION ITEM WAS THE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT 
PROGRAM AMENDMENT, AND LIKE THE CAC, WE ALSO ENDORSE THE 
AMENDMENT.
THE FIRST IS FOR HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE.
THAT'S THE RESURFACING PROJECT.
AND THE SECOND AMENDMENT IS FOR THE SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL 
PROJECT TO ADD SIDEWALKS IN THE LINCOLN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 
AREA.
THE TAC -- WE ALSO HEARD REPORTS ON THE HART TRANSIT 
DEVELOPMENT PLAN, AND THAT'S PROBABLY OUR THIRD OR FOURTH 
PRESENTATION WE'VE RECEIVED THIS YEAR ON THAT.
THERE'S A LOT OF FRESH IDEAS, AND WE DO SUPPORT THE TDP.
AND WE ALSO HEARD A VERY DETAILED PRESENTATION ON THE HART 
METRORAPID BUS RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT THAT WILL BE ON 
NEBRASKA AND FLETCHER AVENUES IN THE CITY OF TAMPA AND 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
THE NEXT TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING WILL BE 
NOVEMBER 16th AT 1:30, AND THAT'S ON THE 18th FLOOR OF THE 
COUNTY CENTER.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, NED.
ANY -- ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR NED?
THANK YOU.
>>NED BAIER:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH, NED.
OKAY.
NEXT WE NEED A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE 
OCTOBER 6th MEETING.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  SO MOVE, MR. CHAIRMAN.
>> SECOND.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MOVED AND SECONDED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
OPPOSED.
MOTION CARRIES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY.
WE HAVE TWO ACTION ITEMS ON THE AGENDA.
ONE'S THE T.I.P. PROGRAM -- T.I.P. AMENDMENT FROM WALLY 
BLAIN, TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT AMENDMENT.
WALLY.
>>WALLY BLAIN:  GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
WALLY BLAIN, MPO STAFF.
THERE ARE TWO PROJECTS THAT WE'RE ASKING YOU TO AMEND TO 
THE T.I.P. THIS MORNING.
I WILL REMIND YOU BEFORE I GET STARTED THAT THIS ACTION 
DOES REQUIRE A ROLL CALL VOTE.
THE TWO ITEMS THAT ARE OUT FOR AMENDMENT TO THE T.I.P. 
RIGHT NOW, ONE IS A SIDEWALK RESURFACING PROJECT ALONG 
STATE ROAD 580, COMMONLY KNOWN AROUND HERE AS HILLSBOROUGH 
AVENUE.
IT WILL BE FROM SILVERMILL DRIVE WEST TO THE PINELLAS 
COUNTY LINE.
THE REASON FOR THIS AMENDMENT IS TWOFOLD.
ONE IS THE EXTENSION OF THE LIMITS.
ORIGINALLY THE LIMITS WERE FROM DOUBLE BRANCH TO 
SILVERMILL.
WE'RE EXTENDING THE PROJECT FURTHER WEST OVER TO THE 
PINELLAS COUNTY LINE.
THE SECOND REASON FOR THE AMENDMENT, D.O.T. WHEN THEY WENT 
OUT AND BEGAN TO EVALUATE THIS PROJECT A LITTLE FURTHER 
REALIZED THAT WHERE THEY WERE INITIALLY GOING TO PUT A 
SIDEWALK OVER THE CREEK OUT THERE, THEY WERE GOING TO BUILD 
A SEPARATE BRIDGE.
THEY DON'T REQUIRE A SEPARATE BRIDGE.
NOW THEY CAN PARTITION OFF PART OF THE SHOULDER FOR A 
SIDEWALK, SO YOU'LL SEE THE COST OF THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN 
REDUCED BY ABOUT $3 MILLION, BRINGING THE TOTAL TO AROUND 
$5.5 MILLION FOR THAT PROJECT.
IT'S A RESURFACING, SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS, AS WELL AS A 
CROSSING AT THE SIGNAL OUT THERE.
THE SECOND PROJECT IS FROM THE STATE'S SAFE ROUTES TO 
SCHOOL PROGRAM.
IT'S FOR LINCOLN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
THIS IS A SCHOOL OUT IN THE EAST PLANT CITY AREA, SO THIS 
IS TO ADD ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILE OF SIDEWALK LEADING UP 
TO THE SIDEWALK, AND IT'S THROUGH THE STATE'S SAFE ROUTES 
TO SCHOOL PROGRAM.
BOTH OF THESE PROJECTS ARE INDEPENDENT OF EACH OTHER.
THEY'RE ALSO INDEPENDENT OF ALL THE OTHER PROJECTS IN THE 
WORK PROGRAM AND WON'T CAUSE ANY CHANGES TO ANY PROJECTS 
THAT ARE CURRENTLY PROGRAMMED.
SO WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS A MOTION AND APPROVAL FROM THE 
BOARD THIS MORNING TO AMEND THIS PROJECT INTO THE TIP 
T.I.P.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
ANY QUESTIONS OF WALLY?
>> MOVE APPROVAL.
>> SECOND.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MOVED AND SECONDED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?
ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
OPPOSED.
OH, YEAH, ROLL CALL.
I'M SORRY.
SORRY ABOUT THAT.
>> HAGAN.
>>KEN HAGAN:  YES.
>> DINGFELDER.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  YES.
>> BECKNER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  YES.
>> MILLER.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  [INAUDIBLE]
>> LOTT.
>>RICK LOTT:  YES.
>> AFFRONTI.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES.
>> SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  YES.
>> MULHERN.
>>MARY MULHERN:  WAS THAT MULHERN?
YES.
>> SCOTT IS NOT HERE.
CAETANO.
>>JOSEPH CAETANO:  YES.
>> FERLITA.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  YES.
>> WAINIO.
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  YES.
>> AND WAGGONER.
>>JOE WAGGONER:  YES.
>> THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> MOTION CARRIED.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANKS, WALLY.
THE NEXT ITEM, RAY CHIARAMONTE IS GOING TO INTRODUCE THIS.
MR. CHIARAMONTE.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  THANK YOU.
TODAY IS A VERY EXCITING DAY FOR THE MPO AND FOR OUR STAFF 
WHO HAS WORKED ON THIS PLAN A LONG TIME.
KIND OF REMINDS ME OF WHEN YOU'RE GOING UP THE ROLLER 
COASTER FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS WITH THAT GRINDING SOUND OF 
THOSE CHAINS AND NOW WE'RE AT THE TOP, AND THE PLAN'S GOING 
TO BE LET GO FOR THE NEXT 30 DAYS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND 
PEOPLE SAYING ALL KINDS OF THINGS, AND WE'RE PREPARED FOR 
THE UPS AND DOWNS THAT THAT IS LIKELY TO ENTAIL AS WE HEAR 
FROM THE CITIZENS OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
WE HAVE A LOT OF EVENTS PLANNED, INCLUDING TWO TOWN CALL-IN 
MEETINGS, SIMILAR TO WHAT TBARTA DID WHERE YOU GET KIND OF 
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE TO LISTEN, ACTUALLY THOUSANDS, BUT WHEN 
I WAS ON THE PHONE KIND OF LISTENING TO TBARTA, AT ANY 
GIVEN TIME THEY DID HAVE ALMOST LIKE A THOUSAND PEOPLE AT 
ANY ONE TIME LISTENING, SO IT'S A GREAT WAY OF PUBLIC 
PARTICIPATION, AND I KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN ASKED 
TO HELP WITH THAT EFFORT.
THIS IS A DIFFERENT PLAN.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE COVER OF THE PLAN, EVEN WHAT WE CALLED 
IT KIND OF LEADS YOU TO BELIEVE THIS IS A PARADIGM SHIFT.
IT IS.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT STATISTICS IS THAT OUR OLD PLAN 
WAS 83% ORIENTED TOWARD HIGHWAYS.
THIS PLAN IS PRETTY MUCH, WHEN YOU ADD UP ALL THE FUNDING 
SOURCES, A 50/50 SPLIT BETWEEN TRANSIT AND HIGHWAY, SO THIS 
IS A DIFFERENT PLAN.
I WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING.
SOMETIMES THERE'S CONFUSION ON THE SALES TAX BEING 75%, 
TRANSIT 25%, BUT REMEMBER, OUR MPO PLAN HAS A LOT OF OTHER 
FUNDING SOURCES, SO WHEN YOU TAKE ALL THESE FUNDING SOURCES 
TOGETHER, IT'S APPROXIMATELY A 50/50 SPLIT.
AGAIN -- BUT THAT IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM A PLAN THAT WAS 
83% ORIENTED TOWARD HIGHWAY AND ONLY 17% TOWARD OTHER, SO 
THIS IS A PARADIGM SHIFT.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK OF THIS AS A TRANSPORTATION PLAN, 
I WANT YOU TO THINK OF THIS AS A BUSINESS PLAN FOR OUR 
COMMUNITY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT IS.
THIS IS CHANGING THE DIRECTION OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO 
COMPETE WITH OTHER CITIES IN THE FUTURE.
IT'S A GROWTH MANAGEMENT TOOL BY MAKING TRANSPORTATION 
INVESTMENTS THAT WILL ENCOURAGE MORE INFILL DEVELOPMENT, 
MORE USING OF OUR EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE HAD.
OBVIOUSLY WHEN YOU DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT, IT'S GOING TO BE 
CONTROVERSIAL, SO THAT'S KIND OF THE ROLLER COASTER RIDE 
WE'RE GOING TO BE ON, BUT I THINK WE'VE SEEN WHAT OTHER 
CITIES HAVE DONE, WE'VE LEARNED FROM OTHER CITIES, AND IT'S 
KIND OF NICE TO GET ADVICE FROM PEOPLE LIKE THE MAYOR FROM 
CHARLOTTE THAT WAS HERE YESTERDAY ON -- TELLING US WHAT TO 
AVOID DOING OR WHAT DOESN'T WORK, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE CAN 
SKIP THAT STUFF AND GO TO WHAT YOU KNOW REALLY WORKS IN 
MOST OF THOSE CITIES.
THAT'S ABSOLUTELY WHAT WE'VE TRIED TO DO WITH THIS PLAN.
WANT TO INTRODUCE THE PLAN WITH A VIDEO THAT SOME OF YOU 
HELPED US MAKE.
LYNN MERENDA DID A GREAT JOB OF COORDINATING THIS ALL INTO 
A VIDEO THAT I FEEL LIKE WILL SPEAK TO OUR CITIZENS.
IT'S NOT A VIDEO THAT'S REAL TECHNICAL, IT'S TO TRY TO MAKE 
OUR AVERAGE CITIZENS UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS WE'RE TRYING TO 
DO WITH THIS PLAN.
WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND CUE THAT UP AND START.
IT'S 14 MINUTES LONG, AND THEN BETH ALDEN WILL GIVE THE 
PRESENTATION OF THE DETAILS OF THE PLAN THAT SUPPORT THAT 
NEW CHANGE IN DIRECTION.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION OVER THE 
LAST TWO YEARS IN DEVELOPING THIS PLAN AND GETTING US TO 
WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
[VIDEO PLAYED]
>> WHAT WILL TAMPA BAY BE LIKE IN 25 YEARS?
>> WILL TRAFFIC STILL BE A PROBLEM WHEN I'M OLD ENOUGH TO 
DRIVE?
>> WHAT IF I CAN'T OR DON'T WANT TO DRIVE, HOW WILL I GET 
AROUND?
>> WILL I BE ABLE TO TAKE A TRAIN TO GET TO WORK?
>> HOW DO WE GET MORE PEOPLE TO CARPOOL?
>>NARRATOR:  LOOKING 25 YEARS INTO THE FUTURE, VISUALIZE A 
TAMPA BAY WHERE YOU CAN CHOOSE HOW YOU WANT TO GET AROUND, 
WHERE COMMUNITIES ARE WALKABLE AND INVITING, A PLACE THAT 
HAS CLEAN AIR, PUBLIC SPACES THAT EVOKE A STRONG SENSE OF 
COMMUNITY AND SUSTAINABLE RESOURCES THAT SUPPORT A STRONG 
ECONOMY.
>>RICK LOTT:  OUR VISION PLAN FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR 2035 
IS ONE THAT SEEKS BALANCE FOR ALL CITIZENS IN OUR 
COMMUNITY.
>> HOW MANY MORE PEOPLE WILL LIVE HERE?
>>NARRATOR:  EVEN WITH THE CURRENT SLOWDOWN OF PEOPLE 
MOVING TO FLORIDA, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S STILL GROWING AND 
IS EXPECTING MORE THAN HALF A MILLION NEW RESIDENTS BY THE 
YEAR 2035.
WE HAVE A SUBSTANTIAL ROADWAY NETWORK IN HILLSBOROUGH 
COUNTY, BUT OUR TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE IS LACKING IN 
SOME AREAS AND AGING IN OTHERS.
IT DOESN'T MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY TODAY, LET ALONE 
OUR GROWING NEEDS OF TOMORROW.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL 
BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO BUILD 
ENOUGH ROADS TO HANDLE THE GROWTH THAT WE EXPECT TO HAVE IN 
OUR COUNTY.
>>NARRATOR:  THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY METROPOLITAN PLANNING 
ORGANIZATION HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PRIORITIZE THE 
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN TRANSPORTATION FUNDING THAT WE'LL 
GET OVER THE NEXT 25 YEARS.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  IN THE PAST WE THOUGHT WE COULD JUST 
CONTINUE PAVING, YOU KNOW, NEW SECTIONS OF HIGHWAY AND THAT 
WOULD SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS.
IT CAN'T.
WE HAVE TO BE MORE INNOVATIVE IN EVERYTHING WE DO.
>>NARRATOR:  THE MPO IS WORKING WITH YOU TO IMPROVE OUR 
LIVABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY, MOBILITY, AND ACCESSIBILITY.
>>MARY MULHERN:  TRANSIT IS ESSENTIAL TO A THRIVING CITY.
LIGHT RAIL WILL BRING OUR GREAT CITY INTO THE 21st CENTURY 
OF VIBRANT, LIVABLE CITIES.
>> WHAT IS A COMPLETE STREET?
>>NARRATOR:  COMPLETE STREETS ARE DESIGNED TO BE 
COMFORTABLE AND SAFE FOR ALL USERS, YOUNG AND OLD, WALKERS, 
BICYCLISTS, DRIVERS, TRANSIT USERS.
COMPLETING THE NETWORK OF SIDEWALKS, BIKE LANES, AND 
MULTIUSE TRAILS IS A BIG PART OF THE 2035 PLAN.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  IT'S ABOUT CONNECTING PEOPLE TO PLACES, 
CREATING JOBS, AND ULTIMATELY A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.
>> WILL I BE ABLE TO GO EVERYWHERE MY SISTER GOES?
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  EVERYONE NEEDS CHOICES AND OPTIONS.
RIDING PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ON THE DAYS YOU CANNOT OR DO 
NOT WANT TO DRIVE OFFER A TRANSPORTATION OPTION TO GET TO 
WORK, GO TO SCHOOL, VISIT FRIENDS, VISIT FAMILY, OR EVEN GO 
TO THE DOCTOR'S OFFICE.
>>NARRATOR:  PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS A VITAL LINK FOR THE 
MORE THAN 51 MILLION AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES.
IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE CONSIDERED 
TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED IS APPROACHING HALF A MILLION.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE HAS 
ACCESS TO OUR SYSTEM NO MATTER THEIR INCOME, AGE, OR 
PHYSICAL ABILITY.
>> I KNOW WE CAN USE TECHNOLOGY TO DO SOME GREAT THINGS 
NOW, BUT CAN IT MAKE TRAFFIC GO FASTER OR TAKING THE BUS 
EASIER?
>>NARRATOR:  USING MAJOR ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP US 
IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW.
INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS OR I.T.S. IS A WAY TO 
BRING TECHNOLOGY INTO YOUR EVERYDAY COMMUTE.
HART, THE HILLSBOROUGH AREA REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY, 
WILL SOON BE INTRODUCING METRORAPID, IT'S A BUS RAPID 
TRANSIT SYSTEM, TO MAKE TAKING THE BUS A BETTER AND FASTER 
ALTERNATIVE BY GIVING THE BUSES PRIORITY AT TRAFFIC SIGNALS 
AND PROVIDING REAL-TIME PASSENGER INFORMATION LIKE WHEN THE 
NEXT BUS IS COMING.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  ONE OF THE BEST THINGS IS THAT BUSES 
WILL COME ABOUT EVERY TEN MINUTES OR SO.
>> WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT?
>>NARRATOR:  RESIDENTS IN OUR REGION USE MORE ENERGY FOR 
TRANSPORTATION THAN ANY OTHER ACTIVITY.
ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE EFFECTS A FAMILY CAN 
HAVE ON THE ENVIRONMENT IS TO CARPOOL OR USE PUBLIC 
TRANSPORTATION INSTEAD OF DRIVING ALONE.
>>BOB CLIFFORD:  WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION, WE HAVE 
TO REALIZE THAT IT'S REALLY -- IT'S ABOUT SEVERAL THINGS.
IT'S ABOUT MOBILITY, IT'S ABOUT THE ECONOMY, IT'S ABOUT THE 
ENVIRONMENT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT WE'RE REALLY 
TALKING ABOUT IS A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE.
>> IF WE CARPOOL, TAKE A BUS, OR TRAIN, HOW MUCH MONEY CAN 
MY FAMILY SAVE?
>>NARRATOR:  RESIDENTS IN OUR AREA SPEND MORE OF THEIR 
HOUSEHOLD BUDGET ON TRANSPORTATION THAN NEARLY ANY OTHER 
REGION IN THE COUNTRY AT ABOUT 28%.
PEOPLE WHO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION CAN SAVE ABOUT $9,000 
A YEAR WHEN YOU CONSIDER THE COST OF OWNING AND OPERATING A 
CAR.
BY HAVING TRANSPORTATION CHOICES, MOST FAMILIES WOULD NOT 
HAVE TO OWN A SECOND OR THIRD CAR.
SOME MAY EVEN BE ABLE TO NOT OWN A CAR AT ALL.
IMAGINE WHAT YOU COULD DO WITH THE EXTRA MONEY.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ALSO TAKES CARS OFF THE ROAD, REDUCES 
TRAVEL TIME, AND RELIEVES STRESS.
>> WILL I BE ABLE TO WALK TO WORK OR TO THE STORE?
>>MELISSA ZORNITTA:  ACROSS THE COUNTRY TRANSIT-ORIENTED 
DEVELOPMENT IS BECOMING A HOT TOPIC.
TOD, AS IT'S OFTEN CALLED, IS A WAY TO FOCUS GROWTH WHILE 
CREATING ATTRACTIVE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES THAT ENCOURAGE 
WALKING, BIKING, AND TRANSIT USAGE.
>>NARRATOR:  TOD GIVES RESIDENTS CHOICES WHEN IT COMES TO 
WHAT KIND OF HOUSE THEY WANT TO LIVE IN OR HOW THEY WANT TO 
GET AROUND.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THERE ARE PLENTY OF BENEFITS RESULTING 
FROM TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, BETTER AIR QUALITY, 
PRESERVATION OF OUR NATURAL AREAS, WALKABLE COMMUNITIES 
WHERE PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS CAN GET AROUND SAFER AND 
EASIER AND INCREASED USE OF PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.
>>KEN HAGAN:  IT'S CRITICALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE PUT 
TOGETHER A MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN THAT WILL IMPROVE 
OUR CITIZENS' QUALITY OF LIFE AND INCREASE OUR ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.
>>MELISSA ZORNITTA:  PLACES SUCH AS CHARLOTTE, NORTH 
CAROLINA, AND DENVER, COLORADO, HAVE SEEN SIGNIFICANT 
INCREASES IN PROPERTY VALUES SURROUNDING TRANSIT STATIONS.
>>MARK SHARPE:  WE KNOW THAT CHARLOTTE'S BEEN VERY 
SUCCESSFUL AT BUILDING A STRONG TRANSPORTATION PLAN WHICH 
HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE AT ALLURING BUSINESSES ACTUALLY FROM THE 
ATLANTA AREA TO CHARLOTTE.
WELL, WE WANT TO ALLURE THOSE BUSINESSES THAT ARE GOING TO 
CHARLOTTE TO TAMPA, AND WE CAN DO THAT WITH A REAL STRONG 
TRANSPORTATION PLAN, WHICH IS WHAT THE METROPOLITAN 
PLANNING ORGANIZATION HAS DONE.
>>NARRATOR:  THE LIGHT RAIL PROJECT IS IMPORTANT, BUT IT'S 
ONLY PART OF THE STORY.
THIS IS REALLY ABOUT MOVING MORE PEOPLE FASTER AND MORE 
EFFICIENTLY THAN EVER BEFORE.
THAT MEANS DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF BUSES RUNNING TODAY.
>> WILL I BE ABLE TO TAKE A TRAIN TO DISNEY?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR A HIGH-SPEED 
RAIL CONNECTION TO ORLANDO, IT'S EVEN MORE IMPORTANT THAT 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY HAVE LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT SERVICE TO 
CONNECT TO LOCAL DESTINATIONS.
>>NARRATOR:  AS WE BUILD A MORE ROBUST TRANSIT SYSTEM, 
CONNECTIONS IN THE TAMPA BAY REGION AND EAST TO THE ORLANDO 
AREA WILL BECOME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT.
>> WHAT IF A HURRICANE COMES, WILL MY FAMILY BE ABLE TO GET 
TO A SAFE PLACE IN TIME?
>>NARRATOR:  IN MAJOR EVACUATIONS OF URBAN AREAS, ONLY 
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION HAS THE CAPACITY TO MOVE MILLIONS OF 
PEOPLE QUICKLY AND TO GIVE CRITICAL SUPPORT TO FIRST 
RESPONDERS BY DELIVERING EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT AND 
TRANSPORTING EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  HURRICANE EVACUATION IS A REAL CONCERN FOR 
US.
A SAFE, EFFICIENT EXIT STRATEGY IS IMPORTANT, AND HAVING 
DIFFERENT OPTIONS TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR AREA WILL 
EXPEDITE THE PROCESS.
>>NARRATOR:  IMPROVING EVACUATION ROUTES AND SECURING 
MOVEMENT OF FREIGHT WILL ENHANCE OUR DAILY SAFETY AND 
BOLSTER OUR ECONOMY.
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  THERE IS AN INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN 
FREIGHT AND PEOPLE.
IF YOU MOVE EITHER ONE OF THEM EFFICIENTLY, YOU MAKE IT 
BETTER FOR THE OTHER IN TERMS OF SHARING HIGHWAYS AND 
CAPACITY ON OUR SYSTEM.
>>NARRATOR:  THE MPO'S 2035 TRANSPORTATION PLAN PLACES 
SAFETY AS A TOP PRIORITY.
WHETHER YOU'RE WALKING, BICYCLING, DRIVING A CAR, USING 
PUBLIC TRANSIT, FLYING OUT OF TOWN, OR EVEN TAKING A 
CRUISE, FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS WILL PUT IN PLACE WHAT YOU NEED 
TO GET YOU WHERE YOU'RE GOING IN THE SAFEST MANNER 
POSSIBLE.
>>LOUIS MILLER:  THE AIRPORT IS TRANSIT READY.
WE HAVE PUT A LOT OF EFFORT AND TIME INTO MAKING SURE THAT 
WHEN LIGHT RAIL FINALLY COMES TO OUR COMMUNITY, IT WILL 
CONNECT THROUGH THE AIRPORT AND GET PEOPLE BACK AND FORTH 
FROM THEIR HOMES TO THE AIRPORT OR TO WHERE THEY WORK.
>> CAN THIS VISION FOR 2035 HELP OUR ECONOMY?
>>NARRATOR:  FOR EVERY DOLLAR THAT'S INVESTED IN TRANSIT, 
RESEARCH SHOWS THAT AS MUCH AS $6 IS GENERATED IN ECONOMIC 
RETURNS.
IN THE ECONOMIC TIMES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY FACING, THAT IS 
A WELCOME STATISTIC.
>>MARK SHARPE:  ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOLS THAT A 
COMMUNITY HAS WHEN THEY TRY TO ATTRACT A COMPANY TO A 
REGION IS ITS TRANSPORTATION NETWORK.
>>PAM IORIO:  INVESTING AND BUILDING AND CONNECTING OUR 
CITY CENTERS THROUGH MULTIMODAL OPTIONS IS A KEY ECONOMIC 
DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE THAT IS ESSENTIAL TO OFFER THE HIGH 
QUALITY OF LIFE THAT WILL ATTRACT AND RETAIN THE TALENTED 
WORKFORCE THAT THE CITY OF TAMPA, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, AND 
OUR REGION NEEDS.
>>NARRATOR:  NOT ONLY DOES TRANSIT ATTRACT EMPLOYERS TO OUR 
REGION, IT ALSO CREATES JOBS.
>>JOSEPH WAGGONER:  AN EFFICIENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IS 
AN ECONOMIC ENGINE AND JOB CREATOR.
>>NARRATOR:  THE CONTINUATION OF TAMPA BAY'S ENVIABLE 
POSITION IN ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS AND QUALITY OF LIFE 
REQUIRES BETTER TRANSPORTATION SOLUTIONS.
>>STUART ROGEL:  THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS IDENTIFIED 
TRANSPORTATION AS THE NUMBER ONE ISSUE AFFECTING OUR 
COMMUNITY AND OUR ECONOMY, AND WE'VE WORKED VERY HARD TO 
PROMOTE TRANSPORTATION AND TO PARTICULARLY FOCUS ON 
BUILDING A TRANSIT SYSTEM THAT CONNECTS OUR REGION 
TOGETHER.
>>NARRATOR:  BUT IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT TRANSIT.
A ROADWAY NETWORK THAT'S WELL MAINTAINED AND EFFICIENT WILL 
PERFORM BETTER AND IS IMPORTANT IN MOVING GOODS AND 
SERVICES.
>>DON SKELTON:  DEVELOPING CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FOR OUR 
REGION'S IMPORTANT LOGISTICS AND DISTRIBUTION INDUSTRY IS 
IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT OUR GROWING POPULATION AND TO INCREASE 
OUR INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
>>RICHARD WAINIO:  THE PORT OF TAMPA IS BY FAR THE LARGEST 
PORT IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA. ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO THE 
EFFICIENT MOVEMENT OF FREIGHT AND PEOPLE IS THE I-4 
CONNECTOR PROJECT.
IT WILL BE COMPLETED RIGHT ABOUT THE TIME WHEN THE 
EXPANSION OF THE PANAMA CANAL TAKES PLACE.
>>BOB CLIFFORD:  TBARTA IS WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH YOUR 
MPO TO ENSURE THAT OUR PLANS ARE EFFECTIVE, COORDINATED, 
AND COHESIVE.
TOGETHER WE BELIEVE WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE 
RESIDENTS OF THE ENTIRE TAMPA BAY REGION.
>> HOW MUCH WILL ALL OF THIS COST?
>>KEN HAGAN:  HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ALREADY HAS A WAY TO PAY 
FOR MANY OF OUR NEEDS, BUT EVEN WITH ALL OF THE FUNDING 
AVAILABLE, THERE IS STILL A SIGNIFICANT SHORTFALL.
>>NARRATOR:  THE COST TO BUILD AND OPERATE EVERYTHING 
NEEDED IN THE 2035 TRANSPORTATION PLAN WILL EXCEED $21 
BILLION.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  WHILE THE COST OF BUILDING A MULTIMODAL 
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IS GREAT OVER A 20-YEAR PERIOD, THE 
COST OF NOT DOING IT IS EVEN HIGHER BECAUSE WE REDUCE OUR 
OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, THE CREATION OF 
JOBS, AND BASICALLY HAVING A HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE.
>> THAT SOUNDS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY.
HOW WILL YOU PAY FOR ALL THIS?
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  FEDERAL PROGRAMS CAN CONTRIBUTE A 
SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUNDING TO A PROJECT, BUT WE NEED TO 
DEDICATE LOCAL MONEY TO SECURE THE FEDERAL FUNDING FOR OUR 
AREA.
>>NARRATOR:  ONE POTENTIAL LOCAL REVENUE SOURCE COULD BE A 
PENNY SALES TAX.
A ONE-CENT SALES TAX WOULD COST A FAMILY HOUSEHOLD WITH 
AVERAGE INCOME ABOUT $142 A YEAR.
>> DECISIONS, DECISIONS.
HOW WILL WE DECIDE WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT?
>>NARRATOR:  CAN WE SHARE RIDES TO WORK IN A CARPOOL OR 
VANPOOL?
CAN WE WALK OR BIKE TO WORK?
DO WE INVEST IN A RAIL TRANSIT SYSTEM? IN NOVEMBER OF 2008 
THE AMERICAN PUBLIC VOTED IN SUPPORT OF 76% OF ALL BALLOT 
INITIATIVES FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION THROUGHOUT THE 
COUNTRY, EVEN AS THE ECONOMY WAS DRASTICALLY SLOWING.
>>PAM IORIO:  THE TAMPA BAY REGION HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO 
START BUILDING A WORLD-CLASS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM RIGHT 
HERE RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE PREPARED FOR THIS FOR DECADES, AND THIS WILL 
SUPPORT SUSTAINABLE GROWTH FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
>>NARRATOR:  OUR FUTURE IS UP TO US.
>> WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE 2035 
TRANSPORTATION PLAN?
>>NARRATOR:  THE HILLSBOROUGH MPO HAS A DEDICATED WEB SITE 
WITH EVERYTHING YOU'D WANT TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2035 
TRANSPORTATION PLAN AND MORE.
JUST VISIT MPO2035.ORG OR FOLLOW HILLSBOROUGH MPO ON 
TWITTER.
YOU HAVE A BIG ROLE TO PLAY IN THESE DECISIONS.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.
HOWDY.
I'M JACK HARRIS, ASKING YOU TO SUPPORT A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE 
FOR TAMPA BAY WITH A LEGACY WE'RE PROUD TO LEAVE OUR 
CHILDREN.
>>GROUP:  REMEMBER, OUR FUTURE IS IN YOUR HANDS.
[END OF VIDEO]
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THAT WAS GREAT.
BY THE WAY, RAY CHIARAMONTE PRESENTED THIS AT THE AMPO 
MEETING THIS PAST WEEK IN SAVANNAH, AND HE WAS EXTREMELY 
WELL RECEIVED IN THE PRESENTATION THAT HE MADE.
DID A GREAT JOB, RAY.
OKAY.
>>MARY MULHERN:  I JUST WANTED TO SAY I LIKE IT BECAUSE 
IT'S KIND OF ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER.
CAN THE MPO FIGURE THIS OUT?
IF THESE KIDS CAN FIGURE IT OUT, WE BETTER BE ABLE TO.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  BETH.
>>BETH ALDEN:  THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WELL, I REALLY FEEL LIKE I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD AFTER 
ALL THAT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  BEFORE I FORGET, LYNN, YOU DID A WONDERFUL 
JOB ON THAT.
GREAT JOB.
[APPLAUSE]
>>BETH ALDEN:  AND YOU ALL DID A GREAT JOB TOO AS 
SPOKESPEOPLE FOR THE PLANNING EFFORT.
THERE'S NO WAY THAT THIS PLAN COULD GO FORWARD WITHOUT YOUR 
LEADERSHIP.
WHAT I WANTED TO DO FOR YOU THIS MORNING IS GIVE YOU SOME 
HIGHLIGHTS OF SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE IDENTIFIED AS 
COST-AFFORDABLE IN THE DRAFT VERSION OF THE PLAN.
TODAY'S PROPOSED ACTION IS TO FORMALLY OPEN THE PUBLIC 
COMMENT PERIOD ON THE PLAN, NOT THAT WE HAVEN'T BEEN 
GETTING A LOT OF PUBLIC COMMENT OVER THE LAST YEAR OR SO, 
BUT THIS IS A FORMAL PROCESS THAT'S FEDERALLY REQUIRED.
YOU HAVE IN YOUR BOARD PACKET A LIST AND SERIES OF MAPS 
SHOWING PROPOSED COST-AFFORDABLE PROJECTS.
THAT'S THE ONLY ACTION -- THAT'S THE ONLY ITEM THAT WOULD 
BE FORMALLY TAKEN ACTION ON.
YOU ALSO HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU A COPY OF OUR NEWSLETTER FOR 
THE FALL WHICH SHOWS AN ABBREVIATED VERSION OF THE LISTS 
AND MAPS SO THAT WE CAN SEND THAT OUT TO THE PUBLIC FOR 
COMMENT.
THE THIRD THING THAT YOU HAVE IN FRONT OF YOU IS A 
NOTEBOOK, WHICH YOU CAN USE AS A DOOR STOP IF YOU -- OR, 
YOU KNOW, READ LATE AT NIGHT TO HELP YOU GO TO SLEEP.
IT CONTAINS ALL OF THE BACKGROUND DATA AND ANALYSIS ON 
THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, CRASHES, SAFETY AND SECURITY, 
CONGESTION, TRANSIT RIDERSHIP, ALL OF THE BACKGROUND DATA 
THAT GOES IN TO DEVELOPING THE PLAN AS WELL AS SOME OF THE 
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS.
THAT DOCUMENT WON'T BE COMPLETED UNTIL DECEMBER WHEN WE 
BRING IT FORWARD TO YOU.
IT DOESN'T AT THIS POINT HAVE A COST-AFFORDABLE CHAPTER IN 
IT.
WE'LL BE WRITING THAT OVER THE NEXT MONTH.
SO TODAY I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT FOR YOU SOME OF THE COST-
AFFORDABLE PROJECTS THAT SPEAK TO EACH OF THE GOALS IN THE 
PLAN, SO YOU'LL SEE AS PROPOSED COST-AFFORDABLE PROJECTS 
THAT THERE ARE ENHANCED ROADS AND PEDESTRIAN ENHANCEMENT 
CORRIDORS TO HELP WITH PEDESTRIAN SAFETY IN THE PLAN.
THERE ARE QUITE A FEW OF THOSE, INCLUDING FLETCHER, WATERS, 
HILLSBOROUGH, DALE MABRY, STATE ROUTE 60 IN THE BRANDON 
AREA, FOCUSING ON OUR HIGH CRASH AREAS.
CONGESTION, WE'VE LOOKED AT OUR MOST CONGESTED CORRIDORS IN 
TERMS OF VEHICLE HOURS OF DELAY.
SOME OF THOSE MOST PROBLEMATIC CORRIDORS ARE ON OUR 
INTERSTATE SYSTEM BUT ALSO SOME OF OUR MAJOR ARTERIALS, 
INCLUDING BRUCE B. DOWNS BOULEVARD, U.S. 301, BOTH IN THE 
NORTH END OF THE COUNTY AND THE SOUTH END OF THE COUNTY, 
STATE ROUTE 60 IN THE BRANDON AREA.
THOSE ARE ALL PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COST-AFFORDABLE 
PLAN.
KENNEDY BOULEVARD AND GUNN HIGHWAY IN CITRUS PARK, ALSO 
VERY CONGESTED ROADS.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO ADD NEW LANES IN THOSE CORRIDORS BUT 
INSTEAD LOOKING AT INTERSECTION ENHANCEMENTS.
AS YOU KNOW, I-275, ONE OF THOSE VERY CONGESTED ROADS, 
GOING TO CONTINUE TO BUILD THAT OUT OVER THE NEXT TEN 
YEARS.
ON I-75, ALSO VERY CONGESTED ROADWAY, WE HAVE SOME LANES 
BEING ADDED IN THE NORTH END OF THE COUNTY, BUT WE'RE 
PROPOSING AS A PRIORITY FOR TRANSPORTATION REGIONAL 
INCENTIVE PROGRAM FUNDING, PARTIAL FUNDING FOR HOT LANES IN 
I-75.
THE VETERANS EXPRESSWAY, WE KNOW THAT'S GOING TO BE A VERY 
CONGESTED CORRIDOR TOO.
YOU'VE SEEN THE TWO LANES TO BE ADDED TO THAT.
CONVERTING OUR SUNPASS FROM THE TOLL PLAZAS TO FREE FLOW IS 
ALSO PART OF THE PLAN.
THAT'LL HELP TO ALLEVIATE THE CONGESTION.
YOU'VE SEEN THIS MAP BEFORE, THAT WE HAVE A LOT OF 
CONGESTED ROADS, EVEN IF WE COULD WIDEN EVERYTHING THAT 
MIGHT BE WIDENED.
SO ALTERNATIVES TO DRIVING, YOU'LL SEE IN THE PLAN FILLING 
IN SIDEWALK GAPS ON THE MAJOR ROAD NETWORK IN ALL THREE 
CITIES AND THE COUNTY, ADDING BIKE LANES IN OUR HIGHEST 
LATENT DEMAND AREAS, AND THIS IS STARTING TO TRANSFORM OUR 
STREETS INTO COMPLETE STREETS, AND IMPROVEMENTS TO BUS 
SHELTERS AND OTHER TRANSIT AMENITIES.
RAIL FOCUSING ON OUR HIGHEST-DENSITY POPULATION AND JOB 
AREAS.
THIS IS A COMPOSITE MAP SHOWING IN BLUE OUR HIGHEST-DENSITY 
JOB AREAS AND IN BROWN OUR HIGHEST-DENSITY RESIDENTIAL 
AREAS, SO TRYING TO FOCUS ON SOME OF THOSE HIGH-DENSITY 
AREAS FIRST, AND EXPANDING THE BUS SERVICE, USING HART'S 
PROPOSAL FOR EXPANDING THAT SERVICE WE THINK WE'D BE 
LOOKING AT FREQUENT SERVICE.
TODAY IT'S ONLY REACHING 13% OF OUR RESIDENTS AND JOBS.
AFTER THE EXPANSION, THAT FREQUENT SERVICE WOULD BE UP TO 
55% OF OUR RESIDENTS AND JOBS WITH AT LEAST SOME SERVICE TO 
ALMOST 70% OF THE POPULATION, AND THAT'S EVEN AFTER ADDING 
HALF A MILLION PEOPLE.
OUR TRANSIT LEVEL OF SERVICE HERE WHEN I MENTIONED THE -- 
THE FREQUENT SERVICE, IT'S SHOWN IN DARK GREEN.
THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TODAY, AND IN THE FUTURE WE'D 
HAVE THAT DARK GREEN SERVICE ALL OVER THE COUNTY ALONG WITH 
FLEX ROUTES SERVING A LOT OF THE COUNTY.
ACTIVITY CENTERS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE SLIGH AVENUE 
EXTENSION AS A PROJECT CONNECTING TO OUR AIRPORT IN THE 
UNIVERSITY AREA, NEW I-75 INTERCHANGE IN THE SOUTH PART OF 
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
THESE ARE JUST A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF CONNECTIONS TO 
ACTIVITY CENTERS AROUND THE COUNTY.
REGIONAL CONNECTIONS, AND WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AS WELL, 
THAT OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM IS THE FIRST LEG OF A LARGER 
REGIONAL SYSTEM, AND THIS IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT FOR US 
AS WE GO FORWARD TO THE FTA AND COMPETE FOR NEW STARTS 
FUNDING, THAT WE'RE NOT COMPETING WITH OUR NEIGHBORS BUT 
THAT THEY SEE US AS COMING TOGETHER AS PART OF AN OVERALL 
REGIONAL SYSTEM.
AS YOU RECALL, WE TALKED ABOUT WHAT ARE OUR OPTIONS IN 
TERMS OF RAIL SEGMENTS, AND WE BELIEVE THAT THAT CONNECTION 
ACROSS THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE TO PINELLAS WOULD BE A 
VERY PRODUCTIVE CONNECTION AND OUTSTANDING IN TERMS OF 
PASSENGER MILES, KIND OF HEAD AND SHOULDERS ABOVE THE -- 
SOME OF THE OTHER OPTIONS THAT WE TESTED.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT IS ANOTHER MAJOR PART OF THE PLAN, AND SO 
YOU'LL SEE PROJECTS IN HERE THAT SUPPORT ADOPTED COMMUNITY 
PLANS LIKE THE UNIVERSITY AREA, THE NORTH 22nd STREET 
MASTER PLAN, HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE IN TOWN 'N COUNTRY, MAKING 
THOSE ENHANCEMENTS.
GOODS MOVEMENT, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT AS WELL, THAT TRUCK 
TRAFFIC IS EXPECTED TO GROW DRAMATICALLY, AND THIS BOARD OF 
COURSE HAS ALREADY TAKEN ACTION ON A MAJOR IMPROVEMENT FOR 
GOODS MOVEMENT USING FEDERAL STIMULUS FUNDS FOR THE I-
4/CROSSTOWN CONNECTOR.
MAINTAINING THE EXISTING SYSTEM, MAINTENANCE COSTS ARE 
TAKEN OFF THE TOP BEFORE WE IDENTIFY FUNDS FOR ANYTHING 
ELSE.
ADVANCED TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ARE PROPOSED TO BE 
FUNDED IN EACH OF THE JURISDICTIONS.
AND TRAVEL DEMAND MANAGEMENT, WE'RE PROPOSING TO CONTINUE 
THE EXISTING PROGRAMS, INCLUDING BAY AREA VANPOOL.
AND FINALLY, SECURITY, LOOKING AT EVACUATION ROUTES AND 
BOTTLENECKS.
ONE OF THE MAJOR ISSUE AREAS THAT'S BEEN IDENTIFIED IN THAT 
AREA IS THE GANDY BOULEVARD CORRIDOR, IDENTIFIED AS A 
CRITICAL ROADWAY BY THE TAMPA BAY REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL 
IN ITS HURRICANE EVACUATION STUDY, AND THIS PLAN DOES 
INCLUDE THE GANDY CORRIDOR PROPOSED ELEVATED REVERSIBLE 
LANES.
SO DEVELOPING THE COST-AFFORDABLE PLAN, WE BROUGHT THE 
PROPOSED COST-AFFORDABLE PROJECTS TO THE MPO'S ADVISORY 
COMMITTEES, AND YOU'VE HEARD THAT THE CITIZENS ADVISORY 
COMMITTEE AND THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE SUPPORTED 
BRINGING THIS OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
SO DID THE BPAC AND THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED BOARD, 
AND SO OUR TIMING IS TO OPEN THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD IN 
NOVEMBER.
THE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE FUNDING SOURCES OF THE PLAN, WE 
HAVE NOT ASSUMED THAT GAS TAX WOULD BE RENEWED.
IMPACT FEES ARE A RELATIVELY MINOR SOURCE.
THE ONE NEW FUNDING SOURCE IS THE PROPOSED LOCAL OPTION 
SALES TAX BASED ON THE TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE 
RECOMMENDATIONS, AND AS RAY MENTIONED, THAT FITS IN TO THE 
OVERALL PLAN FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT FUNDING SOURCES 
COMING TO THIS AREA, THAT IT'S ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.
SO YOU HAVE IN THE NEWSLETTER MAPS OF PROPOSED AFFORDABLE 
ROAD PROJECTS, PROPOSED AFFORDABLE TRANSIT PROJECTS, ALSO 
CYCLING AND TRAILS PROJECTS, AND PEDESTRIAN SAFETY 
CORRIDORS.
AND I WANTED TO ASK LYNN TO STEP UP FOR A COUPLE OF MOMENTS 
AND LET YOU KNOW WHAT OUR PROCESS IS GOING TO BE FOR 
OBTAINING PUBLIC COMMENTS DURING THIS PERIOD.
>>LYNN MERENDA:  HI.
AS YOU NOTICE OUR BEAUTIFUL BANNERS AROUND THE ROOM, WHEN 
WE'RE GOING OUT TO PUBLIC FESTIVALS AND THINGS, WE'RE 
TRYING TO EDUCATE PEOPLE MORE ABOUT WHAT THE MPO DOES AND 
WHAT'S INCLUDED IN OUR PLAN, AND WE ALSO PUT THESE SAFETY 
BANDS AT EACH OF YOUR SEATS.
THESE ARE REFLECTIVE SAFETY BANDS FOR PEOPLE TO WALK OR 
RIDE AT NIGHT, AND THE WEB SITE ON IT REFERS TO WHERE 
PEOPLE CAN GO NOW TO SEE THE VIDEO LIVE, AND WE'LL HAVE 
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PLAN.
YOU ALSO HAVE A COPY OF THE VIDEOS.
IF YOU NEED MORE DVDs, LET ME KNOW OR JUST PLEASE SHARE THE 
WEB SITE TO GET PEOPLE TO WATCH THE VIDEO.
WE WILL BE SENDING OUT MORE MESSAGES TO YOU SHORTLY, AND 
YOU DO HAVE SOME INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.
WE ARE EXPANDING THE 2035 VISION SITE IN THE NEXT WEEK, AND 
WE'LL ALSO OPEN A FACEBOOK TO ADD TO OUR TWITTER, WHICH NOW 
HAS A REACH OF OVER SIX MILLION, AND WE HAVE ABOUT 1300 
REGULAR FOLLOWERS.
YOU SAW THE VIDEO TODAY.
WE'LL BE PLACING LEGAL ADS IN THE PAPER 30 DAYS AND TEN 
DAYS OUT, AND ON MONDAY YOU'LL SEE A FULL FOUR-PAGE WRAP 
AROUND THE TBT, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME ALSO WE'LL BE 
PLACING ADS IN THE SUNDAY ST. PETE TIMES, SO WE ARE TRYING 
TO REACH OUT TO NEW MARKETS AND TOUCH MORE PEOPLE.
FINALLY, TWO TOWN CALL MEETINGS, ONE -- THE FIRST ONE'S 
NEXT TUESDAY AT 10:00.
WE'LL BE CALLING 40,000 REGISTERED VOTERS IN TAMPA AND 
TEMPLE TERRACE, AND JACK HARRIS WILL BE DOING THE OUTCALLS 
AND HE'LL ALSO BE MODERATING THE TOWN CALL.
SO NOT ONLY WILL 40,000 PEOPLE HAVE THE CHANCE TO STAY ON 
THE LINE AND TALK, BUT ALSO WE'LL BE HEAVILY ADVERTISING 
THE PHONE NUMBER, WHICH IS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN ALL READ IT, BUT IT HAS THE CODE 
THAT YOU CAN PUNCH IN.
FOR THE PUBLIC, THAT'S 1-877-229-8493, AND THE CODE ID FOR 
THE CALLS IS 15177#.
IF YOU WANT TO BE ON THESE PANELS, IF YOU COULD PLEASE SEE 
ME AFTER THE MEETING, AND I'LL BE SURE THAT YOU'RE PENCILED 
IN TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS FOR THE PUBLIC ON THESE PLANS.
AND THEN FINALLY ON THURSDAY, THE 19th, WE'LL BE CALLING 
OUT TO UNINCORPORATED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY AND PLANT CITY 
RESIDENTS, 40,000 REGISTERED VOTERS, AND HOLDING ANOTHER 
PANEL THAT NIGHT.
ON ANY NIGHT ANYBODY CAN CALL IN, THOUGH, AND IF YOU WOULD 
LIKE TO PARTICIPATE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.
DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS?
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ANY QUESTIONS?
YES, MR. BECKNER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR, AND ACTUALLY THIS 
IS PROBABLY MORE TOWARDS BETH AS WE'RE GETTING INTO -- AND 
BY THE WAY, GREAT JOB ON THAT VIDEO, LYNN.
THAT WAS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING.
AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH THESE PROJECTS HERE, I HAD A COUPLE 
OF QUESTIONS.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE COSTS OF THESE DIFFERENT PROJECTS, IS 
THIS THE TOTAL COST OF THE PROJECT OR IS THIS THE COST TO 
TAXPAYERS OR WHAT DO THE COSTS REPRESENT?
>>BETH ALDEN:  IT'S TOTAL COST.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  IT IS TOTAL COST.
AND WHEN IT SAYS DEVELOPER IN THE DIFFERENT -- IS THAT A 
DRI OR WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>>BETH ALDEN:  WE'VE WORKED WITH THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT STAFF 
TO IDENTIFY PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, WHICH -- ABOUT WHICH THEY 
MAY HAVE AGREEMENTS WITH DEVELOPERS, SO IT -- REALLY IT 
DEPENDS ON THE STATUS OF THE LOCAL PROJECT.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  OKAY.
AND WHEN IT HAS LIKE A LITTLE DIVISION, LIKE IT MIGHT SAY 
ONE -- LIKE IF I'M LOOKING AT THE LITHIA-PINECREST IN 
BRANDON WHERE IT SAYS 161 AND THEN IT SAYS SLASH DEVELOPER, 
IS THAT A JOINT AGREEMENT BETWEEN -- WHAT DOES THAT 
REPRESENT OR WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
>>BETH ALDEN:  THAT WOULD MEAN THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOME 
PART OF IT THAT CONTRIBUTED BY A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  AND IF IT JUST SAYS JUST DEVELOPER BY 
ITSELF, DOES THAT MEAN THAT IT'S THE -- ALL THAT'S COMING 
FROM A DEVELOPER, THAT'S PART OF AN AGREEMENT, OR IS THERE 
GOING TO BE SPLIT SHARING OF THOSE COSTS, OR WHAT DOES THAT 
MEAN?
>>BETH ALDEN:  IF THERE'S ANY PROPOSED SPLIT, THEN THERE'LL 
BE A NUMBER SHOWN.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  OKAY.
>>BETH ALDEN:  WE'VE ALSO IDENTIFIED IN THE NEWSLETTER -- 
ONE THING I DIDN'T POINT OUT EARLIER WAS THAT WE'VE SHOWN 
WITH ASTERISKS PROJECTS THAT MAY POTENTIALLY BE FUNDED BY 
THE SALES TAX JUST BASED ON THE VERY PRELIMINARY 
INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE AT THIS POINT FROM THE 
TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE, KNOWING, OF COURSE, THAT THE 
COUNTY COMMISSION HASN'T TAKEN ACTION ON THAT YET.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  OKAY.
BUT IF IT JUST SAYS DEVELOPER, IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN 
THAT THE DEVELOPER IS FLIPPING ALL THE COSTS FOR THAT?
COULD THERE BE A SHARED AGREEMENT IF THERE'S NOTHING ELSE 
LISTED NEXT TO DEVELOPER?
>>BETH ALDEN:  IF IT JUST SAYS DEVELOPER, THEN THAT'S THE 
BEST INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE FROM THE LOCAL STAFF WHO'S, 
YOU KNOW, PREPARING THOSE DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  SO THERE MAY BE A NEED THEN TO ALLOCATE -
- I MEAN, THERE COULD BE SHARED ARRANGEMENTS OR SOMETHING?
I'M JUST TRYING TO CLARIFY.
THIS IS SOME CONCERN AND THINGS BEING BROUGHT FORWARD BY 
THE COMMUNITY AND TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY 
WE -- IN THESE TIMES WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE 
NEEDS FOR THE DEVELOPERS BUT ALSO MAKE SURE THAT THE WHOLE 
BURDEN OF SOME OF THESE PROJECTS IF THEY'RE PART OF A DRI 
AGREEMENT AREN'T EXCLUSIVELY FALLING BACK TO THE TAXPAYERS.
>>BETH ALDEN:  RIGHT, AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S A POINT THAT 
WE'RE ALREADY GETTING SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 
PARTICULARLY IN THESE TIMES WHERE WE KNOW DEVELOPMENT HAS 
SLOWED DOWN A LITTLE BIT BUT THE TRANSPORTATION NEED IS 
STILL OUT THERE.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  RIGHT.
>>BETH ALDEN:  SO, YOU KNOW, IT MAY BE THAT THERE ARE SOME 
CASES WHERE PROJECTS COULD BE DONE EARLIER WITH PUBLIC 
DOLLARS, BUT THEN, YOU KNOW, THERE MIGHT BE A PAYBACK OR 
CONTRIBUTION FROM THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY PROPORTIONED TO 
THE IMPACT OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  OKAY.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  DID YOU HAVE -- ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  YEAH, MR. CHAIRMAN, JUST A QUESTION TO 
FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
VERY GOOD QUESTIONS.
BECAUSE I'M LOOKING AT 40th STREET IN EAST TAMPA, AND IT 
SAYS ADDING TWO LANES FROM HILLSBOROUGH TO DIANA STREET, 
AND IT HAS 10 UNDER DEVELOPER.
THAT CAN'T BE ACCURATE.
>>BETH ALDEN:  40th STREET, ADDING TWO LANES FROM 
HILLSBOROUGH AVENUE TO DIANA STREET IS PROPOSED TO BE 
FUNDED FOR A $10 MILLION.
I THINK DEVELOPER IS ON THE LINE ABOVE FOR 24th STREET IN 
SOUTHSHORE.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  OKAY.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  DOES THAT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION?
ANY OTHER -- YES, MR. DINGFELDER.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  THANK YOU.
IF I COULD DIRECT EVERYBODY TO THE LAST MAP IN THIS -- IN 
THIS -- IN THE COST-AFFORDABLE BROCHURE.
THE -- BOY, I'LL TELL YOU, YOU GUYS HAVE DONE GREAT WORK, 
AND I LOVE 99% OF IT, BUT THERE'S ALWAYS A BIG BUT THERE, 
ISN'T THERE?
THE -- THERE'S TWO DASHED LINES ON THIS COST-AFFORDABLE 
PUBLIC TRANSIT PROJECT MAP.
ONE OF THEM IS THE SOUTH TAMPA LEG, WHICH GOES ALL THE 
WAY -- APPEARS TO GO ALL THE WAY FROM DOWNTOWN DOWN TO 
MacDILL AIR FORCE BASE, AND THE OTHER ONE IS THE 
BUSCH/LINEBAUGH CORRIDOR.
I THINK BOTH ARE PROBLEMATIC, AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, SINCE -- 
SINCE THIS IS SORT OF A BALANCING ACT, YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE, 
WELL, WE THINK THAT WE'RE GOING TO -- WE'RE GOING TO 
INCLUDE THIS DARK RED LINE ALL THE WAY OUT TO WESLEY 
CHAPEL, OKAY, IN PASCO COUNTY, AS THE PART OF THE COST-
AFFORDABLE, SO WE START OUT WITH $5 BILLION I GUESS THAT WE 
CAN SPEND AND WE HAVE TO PARSE THAT OUT IN TERMS OF WHICH 
PROJECTS CAN FIT IN, AND SO WE -- I GUESS AT THIS POINT 
IT'S JUST STAFF HAS MADE THESE CONCLUSIONS; CORRECT?
>>BETH ALDEN:  RIGHT, THIS IS A STAFF RECOMMENDATION.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  THIS IS THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION?
>>BETH ALDEN:  RIGHT.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  AND SO THE STAFF RECOMMENDATION SAYS 
THE PRIORITY TO THE NORTH IS TO GET ALL THE WAY OUT THERE 
TO WESLEY CHAPEL.
THE PRIORITY TO THE SOUTHWEST IS TO CROSS THE HOWARD 
FRANKLAND BRIDGE.
OKAY.
WELL, I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT AND EVERYBODY'S TALKED 
ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE HOWARD FRANKLAND PROJECT IS 
EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE, YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO START WITH, 
YOU'RE STARTING FROM SCRATCH, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE 
DOLLAR SIGN IS ON THAT -- ON THAT PROJECT.
DO YOU HAVE -- DO YOU KNOW THAT, BETH?
>>BETH ALDEN:  YES.
ACTUALLY WE'VE BEEN TALKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF 
TRANSPORTATION ABOUT THAT AND ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR 
SPLITTING THOSE COSTS.
THE D.O.T. IS LOOKING AT RECONSTRUCTING THE NORTHBOUND SPAN 
AND HAS INDICATED THAT THEY'D BE WILLING TO LOOK AT 
SUPPORTING RAIL WITH THAT NEW STRUCTURE, SO THEY WOULD BE 
LOOKING AT POTENTIALLY A $500-MILLION CONTRIBUTION FOR 
THAT.
WE'D THEN BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RAIL ON THE STRUCTURE, SO 
FOR US IT'S PROBABLY AROUND 300 MILLION TO GET TO THE 
CENTER LINE OF THE SPAN, AND THEN PINELLAS COMING FORWARD 
WITH ANOTHER 400 MILLION TO GET THE REST OF THE WAY ACROSS.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  HOW MANY FOLKS CURRENTLY RIDE THE BUS -
- THE HILLSBOROUGH-PINELLAS BUS BACK AND FORTH?
>>BETH ALDEN:  IT'S NOT A WELL-RIDDEN BUS ROUTE.
THIS IS, THOUGH --
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  I HEARD A NUMBER THAT THERE WERE LIKE, 
I DON'T KNOW, SEVEN TO TEN PEOPLE PER BUS, AND A LOT OF --
>>BETH ALDEN:  I DON'T DOUBT THAT.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  -- AND A LOT OF EMPTY SEATS.
SO MY POINT IS $300 MILLION -- EVEN -- I MEAN, I COMMEND 
THE D.O.T. FOR -- FOR WANTING TO KICK IN, THAT'S GREAT.
IF THEY WANTED TO DO IT ALL, I WOULDN'T BE OPENING MY MOUTH 
ON THAT, BUT -- BUT $300 MILLION IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY, 
AND JUST LOOKING AT BOTH OF THE DASH LINES THAT I'M TALKING 
ABOUT, THE SOUTH TAMPA BRANCH ALREADY HAS A TRACK.
IT ALREADY HAS A RIGHT-OF-WAY.
WE RAN -- YOU KNOW, 15 YEARS AGO WE RAN A LIGHT-SPEED RAIL 
UP AND DOWN THERE FOR A WEEK JUST AS A DEMONSTRATION.
THE SAME THING WITH THE BUSCH/LINEBAUGH CORRIDOR.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THERE'S ALREADY A TRACK ALONG PART 
OR -- PART OF THAT, AND SOMEBODY EVEN SAID IT'S FOR SALE.
LISTEN, I'M NOT THE TECHNICAL PERSON ON THIS.
I JUST THINK THAT -- AND THERE'S MANY -- MANY BOARD MEMBERS 
UP HERE THAT DO KNOW SOUTH TAMPA AND MANY BOARD MEMBERS 
KNOW THAT BUSCH/LINEBAUGH AREA, MY COUNTY COMMISSION 
COMPADRES HERE.
IN SOUTH TAMPA YOU'VE GOT TREMENDOUS DENSITY.
THAT'S PART OF YOUR BOOK.
YOUR BOOK SHOWS THE DENSITY.
YOU'VE GOT A DEMOGRAPHIC THAT IN OTHER CITIES IS WILLING 
AND ABLE AND CHOMPING AT THE BIT TO RIDE RAIL, SO WHY 
WOULDN'T THE DEMOGRAPHIC IN SOUTH TAMPA RIDE THIS RAIL?
THEY DON'T RIDE THE BUSES TODAY, FINE.
OKAY.
I AGREE WITH THAT, BUT I THINK THE DEMOGRAPHIC SHOWS, AND 
WE SAW IT IN CHARLOTTE, THAT IT'S NOT JUST A LOWER 
DEMOGRAPHIC THAT'S RIDING THE RAILS IN CHARLOTTE, IT'S AN 
UPPER MIDDLE-CLASS DEMOGRAPHIC.
YOU'VE GOT THAT IN SOUTH TAMPA.
YOU'VE GOT AN EXISTING RAIL LINE IN SOUTH TAMPA.
YOU'VE GOT -- YOU KNOW -- AND I DON'T WANT TO JUST DWELL ON 
SOUTH TAMPA BECAUSE I ALSO THINK THAT BUSCH/LINEBAUGH 
CORRIDOR HOW IT'S BEEN EXPLAINED TO ME IS A VERY VIABLE 
CORRIDOR, SO WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO DO, NOT NECESSARILY 
TODAY, BUT SINCE THIS IS JUST A DRAFT GOING OUT TO THE 
STREET, IS I WOULD LIKE THIS BOARD TO DIRECT STAFF TO 
REVISIT BOTH OF THOSE DASH LINES AND TO ENCOURAGE STAFF TO 
INCLUDE THEM ONE WAY OR THE OTHER IN THE COST-AFFORDABLE 
PROGRAM.
THE OTHER THING YOU AND RAY AND I TALKED ABOUT YESTERDAY 
WAS THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS ARE ADDING 50% IN ON THE COST OF 
ALL THIS BECAUSE IT IS A 2035 PLAN AND THERE'S A LOT OF 
UNKNOWNS.
THE COST OF STEEL MIGHT GO UP, THE COST OF CONCRETE MIGHT 
GO UP, THE COST OF RIGHT-OF-WAY, ET CETERA, AND I 
APPRECIATE THAT CAUTION AND THAT CONSERVATISM, BUT AT THE 
SAME TIME, THERE'S A 50% SORT OF SLUSH FUND THERE THAT 
MAYBE WE COULD INCLUDE ALL OF THEM AND NOT BICKER ABOUT 
THIS, AND THEN OUR COST-AFFORDABLE PROGRAM COULD REALLY 
EFFECT, YOU KNOW, AND AT LEAST POTENTIALLY BE THERE FOR 
EVERYBODY, AND THAT'S MY WHOLE POINT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
RAY.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  THANK YOU.
YOU REALLY -- I'M GLAD YOU BROUGHT THIS UP BECAUSE THIS IS 
A DISCUSSION THAT NEEDS TO TAKE PLACE.
A LOT OF THINGS NEED TO BE EXPLAINED, AND IT IS AN 
IMPORTANT ISSUE, SO I JUST KIND OF WANT TO TALK ABOUT SOME 
OF THE PARAMETERS THAT WE USED, AND OBVIOUSLY THIS BOARD 
HAS THE ABILITY TO CHANGE THOSE PARAMETERS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID TRY TO DO -- WE DIDN'T PROPOSE THE 
RAIL GO ALL THE WAY TO WESLEY CHAPEL OR ALL THE WAY TO ST. 
PETE, JUST OUR PART IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID LOOK AT IS RIDERSHIP, AND SOME OF 
THOSE CORRIDORS ARE WHERE YOU HAVE THE MOST CONGESTED 
INTERSTATES, AND THAT'S WHY THOSE WERE CHOSEN, BECAUSE THE 
RIDERSHIP WAS HIGHER.
YES, YOU'RE RIGHT, A LOT OF PEOPLE MIGHT NOT USE THE BUS 
NOW, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S IN THE SAME TRAFFIC, AND RAIL 
RIDERS ARE DIFFERENT -- AS YOU POINTED OUT -- IN CHARLOTTE 
ARE DIFFERENT THAN BUS RIDERS.
IT ISN'T THE SAME PEOPLE.
SO THERE ARE A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES USED.
I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WE PROBABLY NEED TO TALK 
ABOUT AT THIS TIME -- AND YOU BROUGHT UP -- IS THE -- THE 
DATA THAT WE USED.
WE PUT IN A 50% COST OVERRIDE BECAUSE WHEN WE STARTED THIS, 
WE WERE BEING VERY CONSERVATIVE.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  OVERINFLATION.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  OVER.
OVER, YES.
WHATEVER IT COST, WE DOUBLED IT BECAUSE IN DENVER AND 
DALLAS THEY RAN INTO PROBLEMS, BUT THE REALITY IS THEY 
BUILT THOSE SYSTEMS BACK IN THE LATE '90s AND EARLY 2000s 
WHEN WE KNOW HOUSES WERE GOING UP, YOU KNOW, DOUBLE IN FIVE 
YEARS AND ALL THAT.
YOU KNOW, I MEAN, MAYBE WE WERE TOO CONSERVATIVE ABOUT 
THIS.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOESN'T FORCE US TO PUT IN A 50% 
OVERRIDE, AND I TALKED TO DON SKELTON ABOUT THIS BEFORE THE 
MEETING.
I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE COULD LOOK AT POSSIBLY IF YOU WANT TO 
DIRECT US TO TO LOWER THAT COST TO MAYBE 40%, YOU KNOW.
I WOULDN'T GO LOWER THAN 25% BUT SOME PERCENTAGE IN THERE 
THAT MIGHT ALLOW US TO SHOW TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT 
THAT AN EXTRA LINE OR TWO WOULD BE COST-AFFORDABLE.
AGAIN, WE'VE KIND OF DONE THIS TO OURSELF IN TRYING TO 
AVOID THESE PROBLEMS THAT THE OTHER CITIES HAVE, BUT THEY 
DID BUILD THEIR SYSTEMS UNDER A DIFFERENT TIME THAT WE'RE 
OBVIOUSLY NOT IN NOW.
OUR EXPERIENCE IN THE LAST COUPLE YEARS IS THINGS ARE 
COMING IN LESS THAN WE GUESSED, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T 
WANT TO ASSUME THAT'S GOING TO STAY THAT WAY, BUT IT'S 
PROBABLY NOT GOING TO GO TO 50% OR WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE 
A PERIOD FROM 2000 TO 2006 AGAIN.
SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WANT US TO, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO RUN 
SOME NUMBERS ON, YOU KNOW, A COUPLE OF ALTERNATIVES THAT IF 
YOU DID A 25% OR A 40% COST OVERRIDE WOULD WE BE ABLE TO 
SHOW ANOTHER LINE OR TWO AS BEING COST-AFFORDABLE.
I DO THINK THE REGIONAL CONNECTIONS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE 
IT ISN'T ONLY LAND USE.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT AREAS IN SOUTH TAMPA, I KNOW 
THAT THEY THINK THAT -- IF YOU LIVE THERE, YOU THINK THE 
TRAFFIC IS REALLY BAD, BUT OUR EXPERIENCE FROM NUMBERS IS 
THAT IT'S NOT AS BAD, AND I THINK THE CROSSTOWN 
EXPRESSWAY'S USE IS EVIDENCE THAT IT'S NOT AS BAD AS, FOR 
EXAMPLE, LIVING IN WESTCHASE OR NEW TAMPA.
YOU WANT TO COME UP AND RIDE --
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  IT DEPENDS ON WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, 
THOUGH.
WHAT IF YOU WANT TO GO TO USF AND YOU LIVE IN SOUTH TAMPA?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  OKAY.
IF YOU WANT TO GO TO USF, YOU'RE RIGHT, BUT I THINK THE 
MAJORITY OF PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUTING PATTERNS WE LOOKED AT 
ARE GOING TO WESTSHORE AND DOWNTOWN FOR EMPLOYMENT.
AND THAT IS -- I AGREE WITH YOU, THE DENSITY IS THERE, IT 
IS A GOOD ROUTE TO LOOK AT.
YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OF THE CONGESTION ISSUE, THE RIDERSHIP, 
YOU'D BE -- COME IN LOWER, BUT A SOLUTION MIGHT BE TO LOOK 
AT THOSE CONTINGENCIES, SO --
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  HOW ABOUT BUSCH/LINEBAUGH, IS THAT 
VIABLE TOO?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  THAT COULD BE VIABLE TOO.
BUT AGAIN, WE WOULD LIKE, I GUESS, MORE POLICY DIRECTION ON 
THAT, DO YOU THINK THAT'S GOOD IDEA TO REVISIT THAT 50% 
OVERRIDE AND SEE -- OR, YOU KNOW -- YES.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ROSE, GO AHEAD.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  THANK YOU.
MR. CHIARAMONTE, I AGREE WITH YOU, AND OBVIOUSLY THIS 
CONVERSATION IS GOOD AND IT'S HEALTHY, AND I ANTICIPATE A 
LOT MORE CONVERSATION TOMORROW, AND THESE ARE SIMPLY DRAFT 
SUGGESTIONS THAT WE'RE GOING TO FINALIZE PROBABLY IN THE 
NEXT COMING MONTH OR SO.
I THINK THE 50% OVERRIDE IS PROBABLY REAL, REAL 
CONSERVATIVE.
I THINK 25% IS WAY, WAY TOO LOW, SO FOLLOWING UP ON YOUR 
SUGGESTION, I WOULD LOVE TO SEE US REVISIT THIS.
MAYBE THE COMPROMISE WOULD BE 40%, AND THEN WE COULD 
CONSIDER THE SOUTH TAMPA ONE AND THEN THE BUSCH/LINEBAUGH.
IF YOU NEED THAT IN THE FORM OF A MOTION IN TERMS OF 
POLICY, I'LL BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.
>> WE'LL NEED THAT.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  OKAY.
THAT'S A MOTION.
>> SECOND.
>> SECOND.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
WE HAVE -- LET'S GET A SECOND AND WE'LL GO --
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  SECOND.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND.
DISCUSSION.
OKAY.
MR. BECKNER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
I WAS JUST GOING TO COMMENT ON THAT AS WELL BECAUSE, RAY, 
WE HAD SOME CONVERSATION AROUND THAT.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, NUMBER ONE, THAT WE DON'T MAKE THE 
MISTAKES THAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS HAVE MADE.
I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW IF THERE ARE OTHER 
COMMUNITIES THAT ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THESE RAIL 
PROJECTS OR AT LEAST HAS COME TO COMPLETION OVER THE LAST 
YEAR OR TWO, WHAT INFLATION RATES THAT THEY MAY HAVE USED.
I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD TO SEE SOMETHING AT 40 AND MAYBE 
EVEN AN ALTERNATIVE AT 30.
IT'S JUST A SUGGESTION, BUT WE DO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE 
DO USE THE CONSERVATIVE ROUTE SO WE DON'T MAKE THOSE 
MISTAKES BECAUSE I KNOW CHARLOTTE, THAT WAS ONE OF THE 
ERRORS THAT THEY HAD IS THAT THEY -- THEY SEEMED TO HAVE 
OVERPROMISED AND OVERCOMMITTED, AND WHEN IT CAME TIME TO 
THE ACTUAL RECONSTRUCTION, IT WAS -- TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF 
THE PROJECTS, IT WAS A LOT MORE THAN THEY EVER ANTICIPATED, 
SO CERTAINLY 40 AND PERHAPS EVEN MAYBE LOOKING AT, YOU 
KNOW, WHAT WE COULD GET AT A 30, AND THEN AS A BOARD WE 
COULD HAVE DISCUSSION ON WHAT MIGHT MAKE THE MOST SENSE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MR. SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I THINK THAT -- AGAIN, I AGREE WITH THE 
PREVIOUS SPEAKERS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF 
SUGGESTIONS.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HEARD FROM MAYOR McCRORY YESTERDAY 
-- AND I HOPE THAT WE'LL DO THIS HERE -- I DON'T WANT TO 
SEE US GETTING INTO THE BUSINESS, THOUGH, OF TRYING TO 
DIRECT A RAIL LINE OR A BUS LINE TO ANY PARTICULAR AREA 
BASED ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE NUMBERS, AND -- AND SO I -
- I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED -- I AM CONCERNED, RAY, ABOUT 
THAT -- THE ARROW -- THE SOLID ARROW GOING ACROSS THE 
BRIDGE ONLY BECAUSE I THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF QUESTIONS 
ABOUT THE VIABILITY, AGAIN, AND MAYBE WHETHER IT'S THE -- 
WE HAVE TO SHOW REGIONAL CONNECTION.
I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.
OUR PARTNERS HAVE SAID THAT, THEY WANT TO SEE THAT, BUT 
SOME OF THIS IS INCUMBENT UPON OUR PARTNERS AT SOME POINT 
IN THE FUTURE SAYING THEY'RE GOING TO STEP UP AS WELL.
SHOULD MAYBE WE NOT WHEN LOOKING AT BOTH THE CONNECTION 
ACROSS THE BRIDGE AND -- ALTHOUGH I THINK IT'S ESSENTIAL 
FOR THE FOLKS LIVING ON BRUCE B. DOWNS THAT THEY KNOW 
RELIEF IS COMING AND WE CAN'T WIDEN THE ROADS.
WHEN WE HEAD INTO PASCO COUNTY, MIGHT THAT NOT ALSO BE A 
DOTTED LINE JUST INDICATING THAT THIS AGAIN IS DEPENDENT 
UPON THE PASCO COMMISSIONERS, WHO I UNDERSTAND ARE MEETING 
TODAY AND ARE GOING TO TAKE A VOTE I THINK OF AFFIRMATION 
SUPPORTING WHAT THEY HEARD YESTERDAY IN THIS PLAN.
I MEAN, THEY'RE CHOMPING AT THE BIT TO JOIN US, BUT MAYBE 
WE DOT THOSE LINES.
I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT ANYMORE -- ANY -- YOU KNOW, 
EVEN SOUTH TAMPA MAKING IT A SOLID LINE UNLESS WE BELIEVE 
BASED UPON THE NUMBERS THAT IT IS WHERE WE THINK WE'RE 
GOING TO BE WITHIN 2035, AND THEN I GUESS MY -- MY THIRD 
QUESTION, BETH, IS WHAT ABOUT A -- FOR THOSE FOLKS WHO LIVE 
IN SOUTH COUNTY -- I'M GLAD TO SEE WE'RE TAKING SOMETHING 
OUT TO BRANDON, BUT THE FOLKS LIVING DOWN IN SOUTH COUNTY, 
HAS THERE BEEN ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT A RAIL LINE ALONG THE 
I-75 CORRIDOR THAT IS -- FOR -- DOWN TO SUN CITY, OR IS 
THAT --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  A DISCUSSION IN THE TBARTA PLAN AND IN 
OUR PLAN HAS BEEN A COMMUTER RAIL ALONG THE RAILWAY -- 
>>MARK SHARPE:  SO IT WOULD BE COMMUTER RAIL?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  -- IN SOUTH COUNTY.
RIGHT, BUT IT'S NOT IN THE COST-AFFORDABLE PLAN.
AS LONG AS YOU BROUGHT THAT UP, I WANT TO CLARIFY SOMETHING 
SO THIS DOESN'T BECOME CONFUSING.
OUR PLAN ISN'T EXACTLY THE SAME AS HART'S BECAUSE --
>>MARK SHARPE:  RIGHT.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  -- HART IS BASING IT -- THEY'RE NOT 
LIMITED BY 2035, THEY'RE BASING IT ON A REFERENDUM THAT 
GOES MORE INTO THE FUTURE THAN OURS, AND THAT'S WHY WE KIND 
OF GET INTO A PROBLEM OF NOT SHOWING AS MUCH AS WE COULD 
BECAUSE WE'RE COVERED BY 2035, AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE 
WANT TO DO, WE HAVE TO CONVINCE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT 
OUR PLAN'S COST-AFFORDABLE, SO WE CAN'T JUST PUT ANYTHING 
WE WANT ON THIS PLAN WITHOUT JUSTIFICATION, YOU KNOW.
I THINK WE CAN ARGUE A DIFFERENT PERCENTAGE OF COST 
OVERRUN, BUT WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT THAT BECAUSE 
THAT'S WHO REALLY IS DRIVING THE APPROVAL OF THE PLAN.
SO THAT'S WHY THIS PLAN WOULD ALWAYS PROBABLY HAVE SOME 
DIFFERENCES WITH THE HART PLAN.
>>MARK SHARPE:  ARE WE GOING TO ABLE -- I'M A LITTLE 
CONCERNED AS WELL ABOUT CONFUSION --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  RIGHT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  -- JUST MAKING SURE THAT AS WE'RE TALKING 
AND HART'S TALKING THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS BECAUSE 
REALLY --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  IT'S A DIFFERENT TIME FRAME.
WE NEED TO BE CLEAR TO PEOPLE.
IF THE PLANS ARE DIFFERENT, THEY'RE DIFFERENT BECAUSE HART 
IS GOING -- THEY CAN GO FARTHER IN THE FUTURE THAN 2035 AND 
SHOW OTHER LINES ON THEIR PLAN.
WE CANNOT DO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE LIMITED BY THE FEDERAL 
GOVERNMENT TO 2035, AND THAT'S EVEN A STRETCH.
A LOT OF OTHER MPO PLANS ARE LIMITED TO 2030, BUT WE JUST 
DID OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATES AND WE GOT THEM TO AGREE 
TO 2035, EVEN THOUGH IT'S A LITTLE MORE, YOU KNOW, THAN 20 
YEARS, SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE BOUND BY THAT.
SO -- AND WE HAVE TO CONVINCE THEM IT'S COST-AFFORDABLE.
JUST TO BRING UP THE ISSUE ABOUT THE HALF PENNY AND THE 
PENNY, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE ADVICE WE GOT FROM THESE OTHER 
CITIES IS THE HALF PENNY -- AND WE FELT MAYBE A HALF PENNY 
WOULD BE ENOUGH WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROCESS.
WE QUICKLY REALIZED WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SERVE ENOUGH 
AREAS OF THE COUNTY IN OUR OPINION FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE 
RESIDENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TO VOTE FOR IT.
THAT'S WHY WE NEEDED THE PENNY, AND THAT'S WHY WE DON'T 
NEED A SUNSET DATE BECAUSE YOU GET INTO BONDING AT THE ENDS 
OF THE TIME AND THE PROJECTS WOULD BE MUCH REDUCED IF WE 
DID THAT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  THE COMMUNITIES -- WHEN WE WERE OUT IN 
DALLAS A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, THEY WERE VERY CLEAR, THEY WISH 
THEY HAD GONE TO THE FULL CENT BUT BECAUSE WHEN YOU TRY TO 
GO LOW JUST TO GET THE VOTERS TO SUPPORT YOU, THEN YOU FIND 
OUT LATER YOU'VE GOT TO GO BACK TO THE VOTERS AND SAY, WE 
DON'T HAVE ENOUGH, SO YOU'VE GOT TO ASK THEM FOR WHAT YOU 
NEED.
I WOULD JUST CLOSE BY SAYING, BETH, I THINK THAT YOU'VE 
DONE A SPECTACULAR JOB, BOTH YOU AND RAY AND STAFF.
STAFF HAS DONE A PHENOMENAL JOB, AND THE CHALLENGE WE FACE 
IS QUITE SIMPLE.
EVERYONE'S GOING TO HAVE AN OPINION AND THERE'S GOING TO BE 
SOME PRETTY VITRIOLIC RESPONSES FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE 
GOING TO SAY, I WANT THIS OR I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THE 
PLAN, AND I GUESS WHAT I WOULD ASK THE CITIZENS LISTENING 
IS THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY IN EXACTLY ONE YEAR TO DO 
SOMETHING REALLY BIG HERE, AND I'M REALLY FOCUSED ON THIS 
REFERENDUM, AND -- AND I WOULD HOPE THAT EVERYONE, LEFT, 
RIGHT, CENTER AT SOME POINT RECOGNIZES THIS IS NOT PERFECT, 
IT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE TO PERFECT, BUT IT'S BETTER THAN THE 
ALTERNATIVE, AND SO I WOULD HOPE THAT THOSE WHO ARE OUT 
THERE THINKING, WELL, I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT IT, THEY 
WOULD RECONSIDER BECAUSE THE -- THE OTHER OPTION IS -- IS 
GOING TO BE DISMAL, AND SO I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'VE 
DONE, AND I HOPE YOU'LL HAVE A VERY PRODUCTIVE 30 DAYS, BUT 
AT THE END OF THE DAY WE CAN GET, YOU KNOW, A CONSENSUS AND 
THEN GO FORWARD AND SUPPORT THIS.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MARY.
>>MARY MULHERN:  YES.
YES.
AT FIRST I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THE INFLATION OR THE 
CONTINGENCY PERCENTAGE IN THERE, AND A LOT OF THAT HAS TO 
DO WITH -- HOW CONSERVATIVE WE ARE HAS TO DO WITH HOW LONG 
IS IT GOING TO TAKE BEFORE WE DO THIS, SO IF WE GET THIS 
REFERENDUM PASSED -- IF WE GET IT ON THE BALLOT, IF WE GET 
IT PASSED, WE CAN START DOING IT.
IF WE CONTINUE TO DELAY -- AND, YOU KNOW, AS POLICYMAKERS 
AND INFLUENCERS, IF WE CAN GET THIS GOING, THEN WE CAN BE A 
LITTLE -- YOU KNOW, MAYBE GO TO 40% OR 30% IN THE PLANNING 
BECAUSE IF WE HAVE THE FAITH AND THE REALLY MOTIVATION AND 
THE INTENT THAT WE ARE GOING TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN -- AS 
COMMISSIONER SHARPE SAID, NO MATTER WHERE YOU STAND, THIS 
IS A PRACTICAL THING.
AND I WAS JUST IN -- I WENT TO THE RAILVOLUTION CONFERENCE 
IN BOSTON OVER THE WEEKEND, AND IT'S FASCINATING TO SEE ALL 
THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF RAIL THAT ARE HAPPENING ALL OVER THE 
COUNTRY, ALL OVER THE WORLD BUT MOSTLY HERE, AND WE HAVE TO 
REMIND OURSELVES THAT WE ARE SO, SO FAR BEHIND THAT IT IS 
JUST INCUMBENT ON US TO CATCH UP.
WE ARE IT.
WE ARE WITH DETROIT LAGGING BEHIND ALL THE OTHER CITIES AND 
ALL THE OTHER METROPOLITAN AREAS IN DOING THIS, AND THERE 
WERE A COUPLE OF -- THERE WERE MOBILE WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE.
ONE OF THEM WAS HIGH-SPEED RAIL THAT WENT FROM BOSTON TO A 
TOWN IN MAINE CALLED SACO, SACO, MAINE, SO HERE WE ARE 
TALKING ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE A COUNTY THAT'S BIGGER 
THAN -- POPULATIONWISE BIGGER THAN RHODE ISLAND, BUT -- AND 
IT'S EASIER IN NEW ENGLAND TO, YOU KNOW, GET PEOPLE FROM 
HERE TO THERE, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT WHAT OUR EXPECTATIONS 
ARE HERE, IF YOU CAN GET -- HAVE HIGH-SPEED RAIL FROM A BIG 
CITY TO A LITTLE TOWN IN MAINE, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO -- TO 
REALLY THINK ABOUT DOING THAT, PUSHING THAT -- I KNOW WE'RE 
NOT TALKING ABOUT HIGH-SPEED RAIL, BUT EVEN WITH THE -- THE 
LIGHT RAIL WE HAVE TO REALIZE THAT WE'VE GOT TO BE 
COMMITTED TO THIS OR IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, MARY.
COUNCILMAN SCOTT.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  WELL, LET ME JUST SAY AGAIN I THINK WE ALL 
WOULD SAY THAT THE MPO STAFF HAS DONE A GREAT JOB ON 
WORKING ON THIS, PUTTING THIS TOGETHER.
I THINK, RAY, YOU RAISED SOME VERY GOOD POINTS THAT ARE 
VERY IMPORTANT; THAT IS, WITH HART AND THEIR INVOLVEMENT 
WITH THIS IN TERMS OF EDUCATING EVERYBODY.
ALSO WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHAT WE'RE DOING, THAT'S 
IN LINE WITH THE TRANSPORTATION TASK FORCE.
THEIR RECOMMENDATION COMES TOMORROW, I THINK, TO THE FULL 
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION, AND -- WHICH ALSO WE HAVE -- IF 
I'M NOT RECALL -- AS I RECALL, HART CAME AND MADE A 
PRESENTATION, AND IT IS PRETTY MUCH IN LINE WITH WHAT'S -- 
WHAT IT IS HERE, SO WE'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ALL 
SAYING THE SAME THING, THAT THE MESSAGE IS THE SAME AND 
WE'RE NOT HAVING TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT MESSAGES THAT ARE 
GOING OUT.
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
THE OTHER ISSUE THAT I RAISED IS IS ALL THESE PEOPLE THAT 
HAVE DONE RAIL HAD SOME PROBLEMS BECAUSE THEY 
UNDERESTIMATED THE COST.
I THINK YOU GO BACK TO DALLAS, DENVER, CHARLOTTE, MIAMI, I 
MEAN JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE, ALL OF THEM HAD ISSUES BECAUSE 
THEY UNDERESTIMATED, AND WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN THAT SAME 
SITUATION, SO WITH THOSE WHO ARE SAYING WE MAY BE TOO 
CONSERVATIVE, YOU MAY WANT TO LOOK AT THAT AND MAKE SURE 
THAT WE -- WE DON'T RUN INTO THE SAME ISSUE.
WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO GO BACK.
I THINK THE ISSUE, THE PENNY IS VERY VALID.
NOT ONLY WAS A DISCUSSION DISCUSSED BY THE OTHER CITIES AND 
MUNICIPALITIES, BUT WE HAD DISCUSSION WITH THE COUNTY STAFF 
AND THE CITY STAFF WHY IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO PUT ON THE 
REFERENDUM THE FULL PENNY.
I MEAN, THEY LOOKED AT THE NUMBERS, AND WE HAD A FULL 
DISCUSSION WITH THE TASK FORCE, THE EXECUTIVE TEAM LOOKED 
AT THAT, COMMISSIONER SHARPE, COMMISSIONER BECKNER, AND SO 
I THINK WE PRETTY MUCH CONCUR ON THE ISSUE, IT'S JUST A 
MATTER OF AS IT GOES TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSION THEM 
EMBRACING THAT OR SUPPORTING THAT AND MOVING FORWARD FOR 
THE -- FOR THE RECOMMENDATION.
THE LAST THING I WILL SAY IS IN TERMS OF THE REGIONAL 
CONNECTION, AT SOME POINT THERE HAS TO BE THIS WHOLE 
DIALOGUE OF TBARTA.
I COMMEND SECRETARY SKELTON FOR THE WHOLE ISSUE OF PUTTING 
UP, WHAT, $500 MILLION?
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
I THINK THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT REGIONAL 
CONNECTION, YOU'VE GOT -- YOU HAVE TO START THAT DIALOGUE 
NOW AND SEE WHERE ARE WE GOING TO WHAT -- TO THE LINE, 
WHERE TBARTA'S GOING TO COME IN, AND WHERE -- WHERE 
PINELLAS, PASCO, AND ALL THOSE -- THOSE COMMUNITIES IS 
GOING TO CONNECT AND WHAT THE COST IS GOING TO BE IF WE'RE 
GOING TO TALK ABOUT REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY, AND WE AT SOME 
POINT HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BEGIN TO HAVE THAT DIALOGUE -- AND 
I'M SURE THAT'S GOING ON -- WITH ALL THOSE COMMUNITIES THAT 
ARE INVOLVED WITH THIS PROCESS BECAUSE THAT'S VERY KEY.
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY, BUT I -- I 
WILL COMMEND -- I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE THAT 
DISCUSSION WITH DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, CONTINUE THAT 
DISCUSSION WITH PINELLAS COUNTY AND PASCO, NOT TO ELIMINATE 
IT.
WE SHOULD BE TALKING TO THEM SO THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT WE 
HAVE REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY.
LAST THING I WILL SAY IS WE HAVE A HUGE OPPORTUNITY.
THIS COMMUNITY NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND WE HAVE A HUGE 
OPPORTUNITY.
THIS MAY BE OUR LAST OPPORTUNITY FOR A LONG TIME.
LISTEN, PEOPLE, I'VE BEEN AROUND.
I WAS HERE FOR COMMITTEE OF 99 -- I KEEP SAYING THAT, I 
HATE TO KEEP REMINDING -- BUT 99 AND 2003.
WE MISSED A HUGE OPPORTUNITY WHEN WE WERE IN LINE WITH THE 
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE'RE NOT EVEN IN LINE NOW.
WE'RE NOT.
WE'RE HOPING THAT THROUGH HART THAT WE CAN GET THIS DONE 
AND HOPING WE CAN GET A MATCH FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
COMMISSIONER BECKNER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
AND I'LL CONTINUE TO ECHO THOSE SENTIMENTS, THE IMPORTANCE 
OF EDUCATION.
I'LL START SOUNDING LIKE A BROKEN RECORD, BUT I WILL 
CONTINUE TO -- TO PUT FORWARD THAT THE -- THE ABSOLUTE 
NECESSITY THAT WHEN WE'RE OUT PRESENTING THIS THAT WE ARE 
ON THE SAME PAGE, AND I THINK I NOW UNDERSTAND THE 
DIFFERENCES IN HART AND THEN ALSO FROM THE MPO, BUT THERE'S 
NO REASON WHY I DON'T THINK WE CAN HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT 
CLEARLY DEFINES WHAT THE LONG-RANGE PLAN IS VERSUS WHAT 
WOULD BE THE COST-AFFORDABLE PLAN VERSUS WHAT HART IS 
ENVISIONING NOW.
THAT ABSOLUTELY IS ESSENTIAL THAT -- THAT WE HAVE A 
SUCCINCT AND SYNCHRONIZED PRESENTATION.
WE CANNOT HAVE MULTIPLE PRESENTATIONS GOING OUT THERE OR 
THIS WILL NOT WORK.
IT WILL CONFUSE THE VOTERS.
AND IF THE VOTERS DO NOT KNOW OR UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY'RE 
APPROVING OR VOTING FOR AND WHAT THEIR EXTRA PENNY IS GOING 
TO GO TOWARDS, THEY WILL NOT APPROVE THIS REFERENDUM, SO I 
WILL CONTINUE TO HARP ON THAT TO MAKE SURE, RAY, WHEN THIS 
PRESENTATION IS READY TO ROLL OUT THAT WE HAVE TO HAVE A -- 
AGAIN AN ORGANIZED AND -- AND IN-SYNC PRESENTATION FROM ALL 
LEVELS, SO WHETHER YOU'RE PART OF MPO, HART, THE BOCC, 
WHOEVER'S GIVING THE PRESENTATION, IT SHOULD BE THE EXACT 
SAME PRESENTATION, THE EXACT SAME SCRIPT, AND AGAIN WE JUST 
BUILD THESE DIFFERENT COMPONENTS INTO IT.
I THINK IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL AND ESSENTIAL TO THE 
SUCCESS OF THIS FOR US TO DO THAT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  GOOD POINT.
VERY GOOD.
YES, MR. DINGFELDER.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  THANK YOU.
YOU KNOW, THOSE OF US WHO WENT UP TO CHARLOTTE EITHER 
RECENTLY OR BEFORE THAT, WE SAW THEIR LONG-RANGE PLAN.
>> YES, SIR.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  AND THEIR LONG-RANGE PLAN INCLUDED THE 
CORE CITY AND FIVE SPOKES GOING OUT FROM THE CORE CITY.
NOW, OUR -- YOU KNOW, OUR GEOGRAPHY AND THE BAY MESSES UP 
THOSE FIVE SPOKES, BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT'S THEIR 
LONG-RANGE PLAN.
THEY'VE ONLY BUILT ONE OF THOSE SPOKES, OKAY, BUT THEY 
ALREADY HAVE A SYSTEM THAT EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT AND 
EVERYBODY'S EXCITED ABOUT.
THE -- TOM, YOU KNOW, I AGREE WITH YOU A THOUSAND PERCENT, 
YOU KNOW, THAT -- YOU KNOW, WE MISSED OUR CHANCE TO GET IN 
LINE AND NOW WE'RE NOT IN LINE AT ALL, BUT WE WON'T EVEN BE 
ABLE TO GET IN LINE AGAIN UNLESS WE PASS THIS PENNY SALES 
TAX, AND THAT'S EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US WORKING HARD TO DO 
THAT.
AND THAT'S MY WHOLE POINT IS IF WE DON'T -- IF WE DON'T 
INCLUDE SOUTH TAMPA AND THE FOLKS IN THE NORTHWEST, OKAY, 
WHO WE ALL CARE ABOUT AS MUCH AS -- MARK WAS TALKING 
YESTERDAY ABOUT BRANDON AND HE'S GOT A NICE PURPLE LINE ALL 
THE WAY OUT THERE TO BRANDON.
GREAT, OKAY.
SAME THING UP TO NEW TAMPA.
WE'VE GOT A PURPLE LINE GOING UP THERE TO NEW TAMPA.
FANTASTIC.
WE CAN'T IGNORE THE NEEDS AND THE VOTES OF THE FOLKS IN THE 
REST OF -- IN THE REST OF THE COUNTY, AND -- AND RAY -- AND 
ROSE, I APPRECIATE YOUR MOTION.
I THINK YOU WERE RIGHT ON THAT, YOU KNOW -- AND RAY, YOUR 
SUGGESTION, BUT LET'S -- LET'S BE CONSERVATIVE, BUT LET'S 
NOT BE OVERLY CONSERVATIVE WHERE WE'RE SHOOTING OURSELF IN 
THE FOOT, AND I THINK IF WE DROP BACK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD 
OF, YOU KNOW, 25%, 30%, AND THAT'S ON TOP OF INFLATION -- 
BETH, WHAT'S THE INFLATION FIGURE FOR 2035?
HOW MUCH HAVE WE ALREADY ADDED IN FOR INFLATION?
>>BETH ALDEN:  WE'RE USING 2.5% TO 3% PER YEAR.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  2.5% TO 3% PER YEAR, OKAY, AND OVER 20-
SOMETHING YEARS THAT'S A LOT ITSELF, AND THEN YOU'VE GOT 
THE OVERAGE OF 50% ON TOP OF THAT OR 100%.
WHICH IS IT, 50% OR 100%?
>>BETH ALDEN:  IT'S 50%.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  50% ON TOP OF THAT.
I THINK IT'S OVERLY CONSERVATIVE.
THE COUNTY DOESN'T BUDGET LIKE THAT, THE CITY DOESN'T 
BUDGET LIKE THAT.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE STATE DOES OR NOT, BUT I JUST THINK 
THAT WE CAN MODERATE THAT A LITTLE BIT AND GET RID OF THESE 
DASH LINES, MAKE THEM ALL DARK PURPLE AND TAKE IT TO THE 
VOTERS IN A -- IN A COHESIVE MANNER THAT'S NOT CONFUSING.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
MR. SKELTON.
>>DON SKELTON:  YEAH.
JUST WANT TO MAKE TWO POINTS.
FIRST, ON THE REGIONAL CONNECTIONS, I THINK IT IS VITAL TO 
SHOW THOSE REGIONAL CONNECTIONS.
YOU'VE GOT PASCO COUNTY THAT IS READY TO GO, YOU'VE GOT 
PINELLAS COUNTY THAT'S NEEDING TO CONNECT.
WE NEED TO BE THINKING OF THIS AS A REGION.
YOU NEED TO HAVE INTERCONNECTIVITY, AND CERTAINLY WHEN THE 
STATE GOES TO INVEST IN THIS, WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT 
WHETHER IT'S GOING TO CONNECT REGIONALLY, SO I THINK THAT 
BECOMES EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
REGARDING THE CONTINGENCY AMOUNTS, A LOT OF WHAT GOES INTO 
THOSE CONTINGENCY AMOUNTS IS WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW YET.
THIS ENTIRE PLAN IS BUILT ON PLANNING NUMBERS.
YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN INTO THE MEAT OF SPECIFIC ALIGNMENT, 
SPECIFIC TECHNOLOGY, AND WE DO IT ON THE ROADWAY SYSTEM 
TOO.
WHEN WE PUT IN A PLANNING NUMBER INTO OUR PROGRAM FOR 
CONSTRUCTION, WE ADD 25%.
WHEN WE GET TO 30% PLANS, WE'LL DROP IT DOWN TO 20%.
WHEN WE GET TO 60% PLANS, WE'LL DROP IT DOWN TO 15%, 90, 
DROP IT DOWN TO FIVE.
YOU KNOW A LOT MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT THE FURTHER ON YOU 
GO.
IS 50 A LITTLE BIT OVERCONSERVATIVE?
POSSIBLY.
I WOULD BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT GOING ALL THE WAY TO 25% WITH 
WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW YET.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  I AGREE WITH THAT.
I DEFINITELY AGREE WITH THAT.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  MARY.
>>MARY MULHERN:  YES.
I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT WAS WONDERFUL WHAT COMMISSIONER 
BECKNER SAID BECAUSE IT REALLY SUMMED UP WHAT WE NEED TO 
DO, AND I THINK IT'S INTERESTING THAT -- I WENT WITH THE 
CHAMBER A COUPLE YEARS AGO TO ORLANDO, AND I THINK SOME 
PEOPLE HERE WERE PROBABLY ON THAT TRIP TOO, AND THE MAYOR -
- MAYOR McCRORY AND THEIR PLANNER FOR THEIR RAIL SYSTEM, 
THEIR NUMBER ONE THING WAS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO THE 
MARKETING FOR THIS IF YOU WANT IT TO PASS.
AND I KNOW WE'VE HAD ALL THESE OTHER VISITS AND VISITORS 
TALKING ABOUT RAIL FROM OTHER CITIES, AND I THINK THAT'S 
THE EXACT SAME THING WE HEARD FROM DALLAS, PROBABLY FROM 
EVERYWHERE, FROM SALT LAKE, THAT YOU HAVE TO MARKET, 
STRONGLY, STRONGLY MARKET YOUR REFERENDUM, AND I THINK, 
COMMISSIONER BECKNER, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY ON THAT WE HAVE TO 
HAVE A CONSISTENT PLAN AND MESSAGE.
IT'S A STRATEGIC PLAN.
I THINK IF YOU COME -- I COME FROM A MARKETING BACKGROUND, 
AND THAT'S THE WAY WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THIS IF WE WANT 
IT TO REALLY HAPPEN.
SO I THINK THOSE WERE REALLY GOOD POINTS, AND I APPRECIATE 
IT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
ANY OTHER -- ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
OKAY.
WE HAD A MOTION ON THE FLOOR TO LOWER THE 50% INCREASE.
ROSE'S MOTION WAS 25%?
>>ROSE FERLITA:  IT WAS TO 40%.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OH, 40, I THOUGHT IT WAS 25.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  NO, NO, 40% AND LOOK AT THOSE TWO 
CONFIGURATIONS TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT THAT'S AFFORDABLE TO 
THE PLAN, THE SOUTH TAMPA AND THE ONE ON BUSCH AND 
LINEBAUGH.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  ROSE, COULD I ASK YOU TO PERHAPS 
SOFTEN -- SOFTEN THAT UP JUST A LITTLE BIT SO WE DON'T HAVE 
A HARD AND FAST 40%.
MAYBE RAY CAN WORK WITH DON AND TALK TO THE FEDS A LITTLE 
BIT AND SEE WHAT'S REASONABLE.
I MEAN, WHAT IF THEY CAME IN AT LIKE 35 AND EVERYBODY SAID 
THAT'S REASONABLE, THEN WE'RE STUCK AT 40.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  OH, YEAH.
I'M JUST -- I MEAN, THIS IS ALL FOR DISCUSSION, SO IT 
DOESN'T HAVE TO BE STEADFAST TO THAT 40%.
SOMEWHERE IN THAT AREA DEPENDING ON OVERRUNS.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  IF I COULD HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF 
FLEXIBILITY TO SEE --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  YEAH.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  -- WHAT DOING THAT DOES AND COME BACK, 
AND MEANWHILE PEOPLE CAN STILL BE COMMENTING ON THE PLAN.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  RIGHT.
AND I THINK IT'S VIABLE BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT YOU'VE GOT 
THE DENSITY IN SOUTH TAMPA AND THE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS OUT ON 
LINEBAUGH AND BUSCH, SO BOTH KIND OF WARRANT A SECOND LOOK, 
SO THAT'S FINE, JOHN.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT -- YES, MR. 
SHARPE.
>>MARK SHARPE:  NOT AS PART OF THIS MOTION NECESSARILY, BUT 
I DO BELIEVE THAT WHAT COMMISSIONER BECKNER SAID IS 
ACCURATE.
IN THE PRESENTATION IT HAS TO BE CLEAR, I BELIEVE, TO THE 
VOTERS WHAT THEIR VOTE IS GOING TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENT SO 
THAT WE'RE NOT -- SO THEY'RE NOT SITTING THERE DEBATING A 
LINE OVER ACROSS THE BRIDGE OR A LINE THAT MIGHT OR MIGHT 
NOT OCCUR WITHIN -- SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OTHER BOARD 
MEMBERS THINK, BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALL 
KNOW EVERYONE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 
AND THERE ISN'T ANY CONFUSION.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  WELL, I'VE GOT TO BRING THIS UP AGAIN.
REMEMBER, THEY'RE NOT VOTING ON THIS MPO PLAN, THEY'RE 
VOTING ON THE REFERENDUM.
YOU-ALL COULD PUT SOMETHING THAT'S IN OUR NEEDS PLAN THAT 
WAS DOTTED IN THE REFERENDUM THAT PEOPLE WERE VOTING ON 
BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT -- THE REFERENDUM ISN'T GOVERNED BY
2035 --
>>MARK SHARPE:  RIGHT.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  -- IT'S GOVERNED BY ETERNITY, SO, YOU 
KNOW -- BUT YOU WANT TO BE REALISTIC, SO WE NEED TO BE 
CLEAR THAT THE MPO PLAN IS NOT WHAT THE VOTERS ARE VOTING 
ON, THEY'RE VOTING ON WHAT PROJECTS YOU PUT IN THE 
REFERENDUM.
OBVIOUSLY HAVING THOSE PROJECTS IN THE MPO PLAN WOULD BE AN 
ASSET IN GETTING FEDERAL FUNDS, AND THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO 
LOOK AT THIS AND LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF AREAS THAT 
ARE GRAY THAT YOU DIRECTED US TO DO, WHICH WE WILL GET 
RIGHT ON AND GET INFORMATION.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
MR. BECKNER.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  YES.
I JUST WANTED TO -- JUST TO CLARIFY IN PART OF OUR 
DISCUSSION IS I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO SEE THE LONGER-TERM 
VISION LIKE WE'RE DOING IN THE MPO, BUT AGAIN, WE CAN SHOW 
THAT LONG-TERM VISION WITH WHAT ALSO THE VOTERS WILL BE 
VOTING ON IN THE REFERENDUM.
WE JUST NEED IN THE PRESENTATION TO DIVIDE THAT OUT, AND 
AROUND MY POINT, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN WE'RE 
GIVING THE PRESENTATION, IT'S THE SAME PRESENTATION, SO 
WHAT I WOULD ENVISION IS WE WOULD HAVE A POWERPOINT WITH A 
SCRIPT THAT, AGAIN, WHETHER YOU'RE MPO, HART, WHETHER 
YOU'RE BOCC, CITY COUNCIL, WHOEVER'S PRESENTING THIS, 
YOU'RE SHOWING THE SAME PRESENTATION AND JUST IN THAT 
PRESENTATION WE DIVIDE THAT OUT, SO I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO 
PROBABLY NEED SOME MORE CONVERSATION WITH HART AND THINGS 
LIKE THAT AND HOW THAT WORKS, BUT JUST TO AGAIN -- WHAT 
COMMISSIONER SHARPE MENTIONS AND COUNCILWOMAN MULHERN, YOU 
KNOW, IT'S JUST SO IMPORTANT THAT WE DEVELOP AND MAKE SURE 
THAT THIS BOARD, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTANDS AND APPROVES THAT 
WE'RE DEVELOPING A -- A CONGRUENT AND A SINGLE PRESENTATION 
WITH THE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  RIGHT, AND THAT PRESENTATION ULTIMATELY 
SHOULD BE ON WHAT THEY'RE VOTING FOR IN THE REFERENDUM.
THAT'S THE PRESENTATION IT SHOULD BE.
NOT ANY ONE OF THE INDIVIDUAL PLANS, THE REFERENDUM.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  RIGHT.
[INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK]
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  THERE'S THINGS WE'RE DOING HERE THAT 
AREN'T GOING TO BE ON THE REFERENDUM THAT ARE GOING TO BE 
FUNDED WITH THE EXISTING GAS TAXES OR FEDERAL FUNDS OR ALL 
KINDS OF OTHER THINGS, SO THAT PRESENTATION DOES NEED TO BE 
THE SAME, THAT'S THE REFERENDUM PRESENTATION, OF WHICH 
WE'RE ALL A PART OF IN DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT THAT'S A SINGLE 
PRESENTATION ONCE WE ASCERTAIN WHAT IS GOING TO BE IN THAT 
REFERENDUM.
>>KEVIN BECKNER:  RIGHT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
MY QUESTION IS IF -- IF WE LOWER THE 50% TO 40%, WHICH IS 
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, WILL THAT PROVIDE ANYMORE ROUTES 
THAT WE COULD SHOW, ANY LINES THAT WE COULD SHOW WHEN YOU 
PRESENT THIS TO THE PUBLIC?
>>BETH ALDEN:  WELL, WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT ANALYSIS YET, BUT 
THAT WOULD BE WHAT WE WOULD LOOK AT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  BECAUSE WHAT WE'RE -- WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED 
TO VOTE ON HERE IS TO TAKE THIS PLAN TO THE -- APPROVE 
TAKING THIS PLAN TO THE PUBLIC, AND MY QUESTION IS DO WE 
APPROVE THIS PLAN TAKING TO THE PUBLIC OR DO WE REVISE IT 
BASED ON --
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  THIS IS NOT THE PLAN GOING TO THE PUBLIC.
>>MARK SHARPE:  I DON'T THINK THIS SHOULD GO TO THE PUBLIC.
I DON'T THINK IT SHOULD, AND I'M CONCERNED.
IF WE START GOING OUT WITH 2035 PLANS AND --
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  CAN'T DO THAT.
>>MARK SHARPE:  BECAUSE WE'RE SITTING HERE ASKING 
QUESTIONS, WE'RE UNSURE.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  OKAY.
WE NEED TO GO --
>>MARK SHARPE:  WE NEED ONE -- I UNDERSTAND WE NEED TO GO 
TO THE PUBLIC, BUT I THINK THAT WE NEED TO -- THERE NEEDS 
TO BE ONE PLAN GOING TO THE PUBLIC THAT THEY NEED TO BE 
ABLE TO FOCUS ON AS TO WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE VOTING FOR, 
WHICH IS -- YOU KNOW, WHICH IS NOT THIS.
THIS IS A DOCUMENT USED FOR LONG-TERM PLANNING.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  IT WILL NEVER BE THIS IS MY POINT, AND 
WE ARE -- BY FEDERAL LAW, OUR PLAN HAS TO BE ADOPTED IN 
DECEMBER.
WE HAVE TO HAVE A 30-DAY PERIOD OF PUBLIC COMMENT.
THIS NEEDS TO GO TO THE PUBLIC FOR THEM TO COMMENT, AND 
THEIR COMMENTS COULD BE WE WANT A SOLID LINE.
THIS IS WHAT IT'S ABOUT.
IT'S A DRAFT.
IT'S NOT -- YOU'RE NOT APPROVING THIS PLAN.
YOU'RE LETTING THIS OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT FOR A FEDERALLY 
REQUIRED 30-DAY PERIOD.
THAT'S ALL YOU'RE DOING.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  COUNCILMAN SCOTT.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  BUT AGAIN, THAT'S WHY WE HAVE TO BE CLEAR.
YOU HAVE TO BE CLEAR AND THE MESSAGE HAS TO BE CONCISE, AND 
I'M ASSUMING AGAIN THAT THIS PLAN IS FOR -- GOING TO BE 
APPROVED BY US THE -- ON THE 9th; RIGHT?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  YES.
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  THIS IS NOT THE PLAN THAT'S GOING TO 
REFERENDUM.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  EVEN ON THE 9th IT WON'T --
[INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK]
>>THOMAS SCOTT:  THIS IS NOT THE PLAN, SO WE NEED TO MAKE 
SURE THAT WE'RE NOT CONFUSING WHAT THIS IS AND WHAT'S GOING 
TO THE PUBLIC ON THE BALLOT NOVEMBER 2010.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
SO WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS TO -- THIS PLAN IS NOT THE 
FINAL PLAN.
ALL WE'RE DOING IS GOING TO PUBLIC MEETINGS, GETTING INPUT 
FROM THE PUBLIC, THEN YOU'LL COME BACK TO US WITH A FINAL 
PROPOSED PLAN.
SO -- SO THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE NEED TO VOTE ON.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  RIGHT.
AND THEN -- BUT FIRST THE MOTION IS TO DIRECT STAFF TO 
REVISIT THAT ISSUE DURING THE 30-DAY COMMENT PERIOD --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YES.
>>JOHN DINGFELDER:  -- AND COME BACK TO US IN DECEMBER WITH 
OPTIONS.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  RIGHT.
AND WE'LL PROBABLY MEET WITH YOU INDIVIDUALLY EVEN BEFORE 
THEN AND TELL YOU WHAT WE'VE FOUND.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
YES, SIR.
>> BRIEFLY, RAY, FROM EVERYTHING I'VE HEARD YOU SAY AS 
YOU'VE DEVELOPED THIS PLAN AND YOUR OTHER COORDINATION 
EFFORTS, EVERYTHING THAT'S IN HERE IS CONSISTENT WITH ALL 
THE OTHER -- HART PLAN THAT'S OUT THERE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE 
TBARTA PLAN, THE D.O.T.'S PLANS?
IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO THE TIME FRAME OF WHICH --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  RIGHT.
>> -- YOU IMPLEMENT WHAT PART, AND IF YOU DID THAT IN 
OVERLAYS, YOU'D SEE --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  RIGHT.
>> -- THE FUTURE PARTS COME IN SO YOU WOULD BE CONSISTENT?
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  THERE ISN'T A CONFLICT, AND I CAN 
EXPLAIN [INCOMPREHENSIBLE]
SOUTH TAMPA, WE HAVE SOUTH TAMPA IN OUR NEEDS PLAN.
THAT'S WHY IT'S DOTTED.
HART I BELIEVE HAS IT IN THEIR LONG-RANGE PLAN ALREADY AS 
SOLID BECAUSE THEIR LONG-RANGE PLAN'S NOT 2035, IT'S THE 
ULTIMATE LONG-RANGE PLAN.
SO IT'S NOT IN CONFLICT, IT'S JUST THEY GO FARTHER OUT, AND 
IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE LIKE THAT.
IT'S ALWAYS -- YOU KNOW, YOUR REFERENDUM, IF IT DOESN'T 
HAVE AN END, IT NOT JUST GOING TO BE 2035, BUT THE MPO PLAN 
IS REQUIRED TO BE 2035, SO IT'S NOT GOING TO THE SAME, BUT 
IT CAN STILL BE CONSISTENT AND NOT IN CONFLICT.
[INDISCERNIBLE CROSS TALK]
>>BETH ALDEN:  THERE IS ONE MORE DIFFERENCE.
>> I'M SORRY.
>>BETH ALDEN:  AND I'M SORRY TO INTERRUPT, BUT, I MEAN, OUR 
DIFFERENCE WITH THE HART RAPID TRANSIT PLAN IS THAT HART 
WAS SHOWING THE SOUTH TAMPA LINE AS SOLID WHERE WE HAD 
SHOWN IT AS DOTTED, AND WE'LL GO BACK AND REVISIT THAT, BUT 
THE HART PLAN DOES NOT INCLUDE FUNDING FOR THE REGIONAL 
CONNECTIONS, AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE BEEN CLEAR ON THAT 
POINT EITHER.
>>MARK SHARPE:  [INAUDIBLE]
THAT INCLUDES SET-ASIDES SO THAT WHEN THE OTHERS VOTE FOR 
IT, THERE'S LIKE 15% OR 20% SET-ASIDE SO THAT WE CAN MAKE 
THE CONNECTION WHEN THE OTHERS ENTER IN.
THEY DID FACTOR IN A CONTINGENCY FUND FOR -- TO MAKE THE 
CONNECTIONS, JUST NOT TO PAY FOR THE ENTIRE THING.
>>BETH ALDEN:  AND THAT MAY WORK FOR THEIR PLANNING 
PURPOSE.
IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK FOR THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION 
PLAN, THOUGH.
>>MARK SHARPE:  RIGHT.
THIS IS GOING TO BE CONFUSING.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ANY OTHER -- ANY OTHER COMMENTS?
NO?
OKAY.
ADAM, IF I'M CORRECT NOW, MS. FERLITA MADE THE MOTION TO 
LOWER THE AMOUNT FROM 50 TO 40.
COULD WE CONSIDER THAT AS PART OF THE TOTAL MOTION TO MOVE 
THIS FORWARD SO THEY COULD PRESENT A PLAN WITH THE REVISION 
TO THE PUBLIC FOR PUBLIC COMMENT?
>>ADAM GORMLY:  YES.
IF YOU WANTED TO CLARIFY THE MOTION TO INCLUDE THAT, THAT 
WOULD BE APPROPRIATE.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  WELL, THE MOTION SIMPLY WAS INSTEAD OF 
BEING AS CONSERVATIVE AND STICKING WITH THE 50%, CONSIDER 
PERHAPS STAFF LOOKING AND REVIEWING A 40% OR THEREABOUTS, 
CERTAINLY NOT AS LOW AS 25% BUT THEREABOUTS SO THAT WE LOOK 
AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO INCLUDE THE OTHER TWO LINES WE WERE 
TALKING ABOUT IN OUR FINALIZED DECISION.
THEN, OF COURSE, AFTER THAT, RAY HAS CLARIFIED IT, THEN IT 
GOES TO THE PUBLIC AND IT HAS TO GO TO THE PUBLIC, AND THEY 
MAY AGREE OR DISAGREE.
>>ADAM GORMLY:  AND IS THAT MOTION TO APPROVE -- INCLUDE 
APPROVING THE PLAN FOR GOING OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT I THINK 
WAS THE POINT THAT THE CHAIRMAN WAS --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  YES.
YES.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  WITH THE REVISION IN THE AMOUNT.
OKAY.
WE HAVE -- YES, MR. WAGGONER.
>>JOE WAGGONER:  I'M CONFUSED.
WERE YOU LOOKING TO MAKE THAT REVISION BEFORE YOU WENT ON?
I THOUGHT WHAT YOU START OUT WITH WAS -- WE HAVE A 30-DAY 
REVIEW PERIOD COMING UP.
IF WE APPROVE THE PLAN AS IT'S BEEN SUBMITTED TO US, ONE OF 
THE FIRST COMMENTS WE'VE HEARD FROM THIS BOARD IS TAKE A 
LOOK AT THIS CONTINGENCY MARGIN TO SEE IF WE CAN AMEND MORE 
OF THE LINES IN, AND THAT WILL BE ONE OF THE OUTCOMES OF 
THIS REVIEW PROCESS AS WE GO FORWARD.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  YEAH.
ACTUALLY, WE'RE NOT APPROVING THE PLAN.
>> RIGHT.
>>JOE WAGGONER:  I'M SORRY, APPROVE --
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  WE'RE GIVING THEM PERMISSION TO GO OUT --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  LOOKING AT MY MOTION AS A VEHICLE FOR 
DISCUSSION BETWEEN NOW AND THE END OF OUR 30-DAY REVIEW, 
AND AT THAT POINT THEN IT KIND OF STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN.
>> RIGHT.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  WE TAKE IT TO THE PUBLIC AND SAY THIS IS 
WHAT WE FINALIZED, WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK?
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  AND THEN YOU COME BACK WITH A FINAL PLAN.
>>ROSE FERLITA:  WE'RE NOT -- WE'RE JUST DIRECTING STAFF --
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  IN DECEMBER YOU ADOPT A FINAL PLAN.
THE PUBLIC'S GOING TO COMMENT NOW.
WE'RE GOING TO KNOW WHAT THE PUBLIC'S GOING TO SAY.
WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT 
THAT WE'RE GOING REVISIT THIS AND BE WORKING ON IT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  SO WE CAN TAKE THAT ALL IN ONE MOTION 
THEN?
>>ADAM GORMLY:  YES, I BELIEVE YOU CAN TAKE THAT --
>>ROSE FERLITA:  IT'S BASICALLY FOR STAFF TO LOOK AT THAT 
AND COME BACK WITH A REPORT ON WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO IF 
WE REDUCE THAT SET-ASIDE FOR OVERRUNS FROM 50% TO 40% OR 
PERHAPS EVEN LOWER THAN THAT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ALL RIGHT.
WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON IT?
IF NOT, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
[CHORUS OF AYES]
OPPOSED.
I DIDN'T HEAR EVERYBODY.
>> [INAUDIBLE]
>>MARK SHARPE:  I GUESS THE AYES HAVE IT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ALL RIGHT.
MOTION PASSES.
THANK YOU.
>>BETH ALDEN:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
THE NEXT ITEM IS THE BROWN -- I'M SORRY -- YEAH, BROWNFIELD 
REDEVELOPMENT TRANSIT CORRIDORS, JOHN McCARTHY, WHO IS THE 
SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER FOR JACOBS.
>> GREAT.
GOOD MORNING.
I WANTED TO REVIEW WITH YOU JUST BRIEFLY -- I DON'T WANT TO 
TAKE TOO MUCH TIME TODAY -- SOME OF THE EXPERIENCE THAT 
HAPPENED IN ST. LOUIS, AND IT'S INTERESTING TO HEAR THE 
DIALOGUE THIS MORNING ABOUT THE SALES TAX AND THE PENNY.
ST. LOUIS WENT THROUGH THAT SAME SORT OF THING.
WHAT I WANT TO FOCUS ON IS SOME OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 
BECAUSE ST. LOUIS OPENED ITS FIRST LINE IN 1993, SO WE HAVE 
15, 16 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE FOR THAT PRIMARY LINE, AND TWO, 
THREE YEARS AGO WE OPENED ANOTHER EXTENSION INTO ST. LOUIS 
COUNTY, SO WE HAVE SOME TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT THAT'S 
OCCURRED FROM THAT ORIGINAL SYSTEM AS WELL AS ALONG THE NEW 
LINE, AND WHERE THE NEWEST LINE HAS BEEN BUILT IS AN 
ECONOMICALLY VERY VIBRANT AREA.
THE ECONOMY RIGHT NOW, OF COURSE, IS NOT SUITABLE FOR A LOT 
OF DEVELOPMENT, BUT THAT PARTICULAR CORRIDOR WHERE THE 
EXTENSION WAS BUILT HAS A WHOLE LOT OF INNATE MARKET 
INTEREST, SO WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS LOOK AT THIS LINE A 
LITTLE BIT.
THE RED LINE, THE INITIAL LINE WENT FROM ESSENTIALLY 
DOWNTOWN ST. LOUIS, IT CROSSED THE RIVER INTO ILLINOIS, SO 
WE'RE DEALING WITH TWO STATES IN A REGIONAL CONTEXT, NOT 
JUST MULTIPLE COUNTIES, AND IT EXTENDED THROUGH DOWNTOWN 
ST. LOUIS AND IT USED AN EXISTING RAIL LINE THAT WAS 
ACQUIRED AND ESSENTIALLY TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE, IT WAS 
LIGHTLY USED FREIGHT, AND THEN IT WENT ON NEW ALIGNMENT AT 
THE END OF THE LINE OUT TO THE AIRPORT.
SO THE INITIAL LINE WAS ABOUT 18 MILES IN LENGTH, AND WE'LL 
TALK ABOUT A FEW OF THOSE STATIONS WHERE DEVELOPMENT HAS 
OCCURRED OVER THE LAST 15 TO 16 YEARS, AND THEN THE BLUE 
LINE THAT'S SHOWN ON THE DIAGRAM IS -- EXCUSE ME -- IS 
WHERE THE NEW LINE EXTENSION WAS BUILT, AND THAT GOES INTO 
AN AREA THAT HAS A WHOLE LOT MORE MARKET INTEREST, SO YOU 
CAN SEE SOME DIFFERENCES IN THE TYPES OF DEVELOPMENT THAT 
OCCURRED.
THIS IS THE DOWNTOWN CIVIC CENTER STATION, SO ON THE TOP 
IMAGE YOU SEE THE GATEWAY ARCH IN THE BACKGROUND.
YOU'RE AT ABOUT 14th STREET ON THE WEST SIDE OF DOWNTOWN.
THE PROJECT AT THAT LOCATION HAS GENERATED A MAJOR PUBLIC 
INVESTMENT IN TERMS OF A MULTIMODAL CENTER THAT WAS 
RECENTLY OPENED LAST YEAR FOR AMTRAK-GREYHOUND.
THERE IS CAR RENTAL AVAILABLE AND A HOTEL ACROSS THE 
STREET.
THERE'S A MAJOR LOCAL BUS TRANSFER, SO THE EQUIVALENT OF 
HART PROVIDING A BUS TRANSFER CENTER AT THAT LOCATION, AND 
AS WELL THE LIGHT RAIL STATION.
AND FROM THAT STATION YOU HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO LAMBERT 
AIRPORT, THE PRIMARY AIRPORT FOR THE REGION, SO IT IS A 
MULTIMODAL TERMINAL THAT.
IS ALSO WHERE HIGH-SPEED RAIL WILL COME ON THE LINE THAT 
WOULD GO FROM ST. LOUIS TO SPRINGFIELD TO CHICAGO IF THEY 
SHOULD BE SO LUCKY TO GET FUNDING FOR THAT PARTICULAR 
PROJECT.
THE PRIVATE SECTOR CAME IN, AND IT WAS NOT A BUT FOR 
PROJECT; HOWEVER, IT WAS CERTAINLY A FACTOR IN DEVELOPING A 
WORLD WAR I ERA WAREHOUSE.
THE 13-STORY WAREHOUSE WAS COMPLETELY REBUILT.
IT INCLUDED 450 PARKING SPACES ON MULTIPLE LOWER LEVELS, 
AND THEN THE UPPER LEVEL WAS THE HOTEL AND A SERIES OF 
CONDOMINIUMS.
SOME OF THE CONDOMINIUMS TODAY GO FOR OVER A MILLION 
DOLLARS, SO IT'S ONE OF THE MARKETING FACTORS FOR THIS 
LOCATION IS YOU CAN WALK OUT OF THIS BUILDING AND WALK 
ACROSS THE STREET AND GET ON METROLINK AND GO TO THE 
AIRPORT.
YOU ALSO WILL HOPEFULLY BE ABLE TO TAKE HIGH-SPEED RAIL OUT 
OF THERE SOME DAY AS WELL.
SO THIS IS A STATION WHERE YOU HAVE THE PUBLIC SECTOR 
INVESTING AT THAT LOCATION, YOU ALSO HAVE THE PRIVATE 
SECTOR, AND THEN THERE'S A FUTURE PROJECT WHERE THE 
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE IS LOOKING TO BUILD ITS 
HEADQUARTERS ADJACENT TO THAT STATION.
THIS PROJECT -- THE NEXT STATION I'M SHOWING YOU IS IN 
WELLSTON.
THIS IS IN A VERY LOW-INCOME MINORITY AREA.
IT IS A BROWNFIELD SITE, PART OF THE REASON I CAME TO TAMPA 
TODAY FOR THE CONFERENCE, AND BASICALLY THERE -- WAGNER 
ELECTRIC MANUFACTURED TRANSFORMERS AT THIS SITE FOR 
SOMETHING LIKE 50 YEARS, AND WHEN THEY DECIDED TO CLOSE THE 
FACILITY, THEY LEFT A LOT OF PCBs AND ARSENIC AND LEAD AND 
OTHER CONTAMINATION BEHIND.
THE RAIL LINE THAT YOU SEE GOING THROUGH THERE, NORMALLY 
THE STATIONS WERE LOCATED AT THE MAJOR CROSS STREETS LIKE 
PAGE AVENUE, WHICH IS SHOWN ON THE RIGHT SIDE.
OUR STATION SPACING IN THE SUBURBAN AREAS IS ABOUT A MILE 
AT MAJOR CROSS STREETS, AND IN THIS CASE THE STATION WASN'T 
LOCATED AT PAGE BUT RATHER IT WAS MOVED INTO PLYMOUTH, A 
LOCAL STREET, SO YOU SEE WITH THE ARROWS THE NEED TO ROUTE 
THE BUSES THAT ARE ON THE MAIN CROSS STREET THROUGH TO THAT 
STATION, BUT THAT STATION THEN BECAME A FOCUS FOR PUBLIC-
SECTOR INVESTMENT TO CREATE JOBS TRAINING CENTERS, AN 
ENTERPRISE ZONE, AND TO ACTUALLY DEVELOP AN INDUSTRIAL PARK 
TO TRY TO LATER GET THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN -- THE PRIVATE 
SECTOR TO BUILD.
THAT -- THAT PRIVATE SECTOR HAS NOT YET JOINED THIS MARKET.
IT IS AN ECONOMICALLY DEPRESSED LOCATION.
IT IS -- DOES NOT HAVE INTERSTATE ACCESS, AND SO IT IS A 
VERY DIFFICULT MARKET, BUT THE PUBLIC SECTOR WITH THE JOB 
CENTER AND SO FORTH HAS BROUGHT VITALITY TO THIS AREA AND 
TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE ACCESS THAT THE LIGHT RAIL STATION 
PROVIDED AT THIS LOCATION.
THE METROPOLITAN EDUCATION AND TRAINING CENTER, THE MET 
CENTER, IS THE JOB CENTER, AND YOU HAVE AN EXPANSION OF THE 
INDUSTRIAL PARK OCCURRING AS WELL AND A NUMBER OF COMMUNITY 
ENHANCEMENTS, SO IT'S PART OF -- ST. LOUIS COUNTY HAS A 
GREATER PROGRAM TO INVEST IN HOUSING AT THIS LOCATION AND A 
WHOLE SERIES OF OTHER AMENITIES.
THERE'S PARKLAND, THERE'S A TRAIL THAT'S BEING BROUGHT 
THROUGH THIS AREA ALONG ENGLEHOLM CREEK AND SO FORTH.
NOW, THIS IS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE COIN.
THIS IS THE BRENTWOOD/I-64 STATION.
THIS IS IN A -- ONE OF THE HOTTEST ECONOMIC MARKETS IN ST. 
LOUIS, SO -- ST. LOUIS COUNTY, A MAJOR SHOPPING CENTER, THE 
GALLERIA, ALL KINDS OF STRIP RETAIL.
NORDSTROM'S IS OPENING A STORE IN THIS AREA, AND YOU HAVE A 
LOT OF ACTIVITY HERE, SO THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS ACCUSTOMED 
TO INVESTING IN THIS MARKETPLACE.
MOST OF THEIR INVESTMENT IS RELATED TO THE HIGHWAY.
INTERSTATE 64 IN THIS LOCATION ACTUALLY HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR 
A YEAR TO BUILD THE WEST HALF FROM HERE WEST, ABOUT FIVE TO 
SEVEN MILES, AND THE SAME TO THE EAST, AND IT'S BEING 
COMPLETELY REBUILT, SO THERE'S A LOT OF TRAFFIC CONGESTION, 
BUT THE ACTIVITY FROM THE MARKETPLACE HAS BEEN VERY STRONG.
MOST OF THE PROJECTS YOU SEE THERE, THE PROMENADE, 
BRENTWOOD POINTE, AND SO FORTH, ARE BASICALLY STRIP RETAIL 
THAT ARE HIGHWAY ORIENTED, BUT THE MERIDIAN AT BRENTWOOD 
WHERE WE'RE SHOWING THE STATION FOR METROLINK IS ONE THAT 
INCLUDED AN OFFICE BUILDING, AND THE SALES PITCH FOR THAT 
OFFICE BUILDING IS THAT YOU HAVE ACCESS ON METROLINK TO 
CLAYTON, THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER, TO DOWNTOWN ST. 
LOUIS, TO THE AIRPORT, AND SO FORTH.
WE ALSO AT THIS LOCATION INCLUDED SOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR 
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT, SO IN THE IMAGE ON THE LOWER RIGHT-HAND 
SIDE WE ACTUALLY INCLUDED A PEDESTRIAN UNDERPASS UNDER 
INTERSTATE 64, SO YOU SEE THE TWO LARGE TUBES FOR THE NORTH 
AND SOUTHBOUND METROLINK LIGHT RAIL VEHICLES, AND WE HAVE A 
FUTURE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS UNDERNEATH EAGER ROAD AND THE 
INTERSTATE THAT WILL ALLOW US IN THE FUTURE TO PROVIDE A 
MORE IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE INTERSTATE.
BECAUSE OUR STATION IS LOCATED SO CLOSE TO THAT INTERSTATE, 
WE HAVE GREAT VEHICULAR ACCESS, BUT WE WANTED TO ALSO HAVE 
THAT PEDESTRIAN ACCESS TO ALLOW SOME OF THE LOW-DENSITY 
RESIDENTIAL TO BE REDEVELOPED OVER TIME ON THE NORTH SIDE 
AND LINK DIRECTLY IN TO THIS STATION LOCATION.
THE TOP IMAGE SHOWS YOU THE OFFICE BUILDING WHERE AGAIN 
THAT SALES PITCH IS WALK ACCESS TO THE METROLINK STATION.
HISTORICALLY MOST OF OUR STATIONS WERE BUILT WITH PARK-N-
RIDE LOTS.
THEY WERE SURFACE LOTS.
IT'S A GREAT WAY TO ACQUIRE REAL ESTATE THAT -- FTA ISN'T 
GOING TO ALLOW YOU TO USE FEDERAL DOLLARS JUST TO BUY LAND 
FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, BUT YOU CAN BUY LAND FOR PARK-N-
RIDE LOTS AND THEN LATER REDEVELOP THOSE, REPLACING LOST 
SURFACE SPACES WITH STRUCTURED PARKING, AND THEN YOU CAN 
INTRODUCE COMMERCIAL OR OTHER USES.
IN THIS CASE, FROM DAY ONE THERE'S A TEN-STORY PARKING 
GARAGE, SO IT INCLUDES -- IT'S RIGHT BEHIND THE IMAGE ON 
THE RIGHT.
INCLUDES 900 SPACES THAT THE TRANSIT AGENCY PROVIDED TO 
USE -- TO WORK AS AN INTERCEPT ALONG INTERSTATE 64, AND 
THEN THE DEVELOPER INCLUDED 600 SPACES FOR HIS PROJECT AS 
WELL, AND FUTURE MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT IS OCCURRING AROUND 
THAT, INCLUDING ACTIVITIES WITH SOME RESIDENTIAL, 
MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL TIE-INS.
THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI, ST. LOUIS, IS ANOTHER 
INTERESTING EXAMPLE.
IN THIS CASE THERE ARE THREE STATIONS.
THEY'RE A LITTLE OVER TWO MILES APART BETWEEN THE THREE OF 
THEM, AND YOU'RE SEEING A MIXTURE OF ACTIVITY, SO SOME ARE 
PUBLIC SECTOR AND SOME ARE VERY SIGNIFICANT PRIVATE SECTOR.
THE UM-ST. LOUIS STATION IS THE ONE ON THE SOUTH AT THE 
BOTTOM OF THE IMAGE, AND AT THAT LOCATION THERE IS A PARK-
N-RIDE LOT AND THERE'S A BUS INTERFACE, AND THE 
MUNICIPALITY OF NORMANDY, A SMALL SUBURBAN AREA, IS 
ACTUALLY ENTERTAINING TEARING DOWN ITS CITY HALL IN ORDER 
TO ACCOMMODATE REDEVELOPMENT IN THAT LOCATION THAT WOULD 
TIE IN TO A GREAT STREETS INITIATIVE AND GET A DENSER 
DEVELOPMENT THAT RELATES DIRECTLY TO THAT STATION.
THIS IMAGE ON THE RIGHT SHOWS YOU WHERE THE CITY HALL IS 
TODAY.
IT'S A SMALL -- IT'S A ONE-STORY BUILDING, HAS THE POLICE 
DEPARTMENT, SMALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS, AND IT SHOWS A 
POTENTIAL REDEVELOPMENT WITH TWO- AND THREE-STORY BUILDINGS 
WITH RETAIL AND A DIRECT ACCESS TO THE STATION.
THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI IS LOOKING AS WELL TO ADD 
ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES ON CAMPUS, A FUTURE OPTOMETRY AND 
NURSING BUILDING, AND EVEN THOUGH IT IS A -- PRIMARILY A -- 
A COMMUTER CAMPUS, THEY DO HAVE ABOUT 1500 ON-CAMPUS 
DORMITORY UNITS, AND THEY'VE JUST COMPLETED OAK HALL THAT'S 
WITHIN WALK ACCESS OF THIS STATION.
THE UM-ST. LOUIS NORTH STATION, THE ONE THAT'S ON THE NORTH 
CAMPUS, INCLUDES THE STUDENT UNION BUILDING CENTER THAT WAS 
BUILT -- SHOWN ON THE TOP -- JUST WITHIN THE LAST FIVE 
YEARS OR SO, AND THE I.M. PEI PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, A 
$50-MILLION PROJECT THAT THEY BUILT THAT HAS WALK ACCESS TO 
THE METROLINK STATION, SO IT HAS AUTO ACCESS, BUT A LARGE 
PART OF THAT CAPACITY IS WITH THE METROLINK ACCESS.
THE SAME WAY -- WHEN WE WERE AT THE CIVIC CENTER STATION 
DOWNTOWN, THE SCOTT TRADE CENTER INCLUDES THE BLUES -- 
WHERE THE BLUES HOCKEY TEAM PLAYS, A 20,000-SEAT ARENA, AND 
A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THE RIDERSHIP USING THAT STATION IS 
GOING TO EVENTS AT THAT VENUE.
THEY WOULD ADD ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS AT THIS STATION OVER 
TIME.
THE CAMPUS WANTS TO INCLUDE A FINE ARTS CENTER HERE.
NORTH HANLEY IS PROBABLY THE MOST EXCITING IN A WAY BECAUSE 
THIS WAS A VERY LARGE PARK-N-RIDE LOT.
IT'S AN INTERSTATE -- STATION ON INTERSTATE 70, AND WE 
ACQUIRED A NUMBER OF HOUSES THERE AND PUT A LARGE PARK-N-
RIDE LOT IN.
THAT PARK-N-RIDE LOT HAS BEEN ADDED TO, AND IN ADDITION 
WE'VE BUILT A PARKING GARAGE AT THAT LOT NOW USING OTHER 
FEDERAL FUNDS BECAUSE THE DEMAND WAS SO STRONG AT THAT 
LOCATION, SO THERE ARE OVER 650 SPACES IN THAT PARKING 
GARAGE, AND OVER TIME WE WOULD HOPE THAT ADDITIONAL SPACES 
MIGHT BE REPLACED IN STRUCTURED PARKING WITH THE PRIVATE 
SECTOR ADDING TO THE RETAIL AND OFFICE COMPONENT.
THIS AREA IS IN THE FLIGHT PATH TO LAMBERT AIRPORT.
IT'S THE LAST STATION OUTSIDE THE AIRPORT, SO IT IS A 
SIGNIFICANT LOCATION IN TERMS OF BOTH BUS TRANSFER AND 
PARK-N-RIDE, AND ONE OF THE MAJOR ACTIVITIES THAT OCCURRED 
HERE WAS -- WE WERE ABLE TO LOCATE A FORTUNE 500 COMPANY, 
AND THEY WERE IN -- THEY WERE RELATIVELY LARGE, EXPRESS 
SCRIPTS.
OMAHA, OTHER CITIES WERE COMPETING TO HAVE THEM RELOCATE.
THEY REALLY WANTED TO STAY CLOSE TO WHERE THEIR 
HEADQUARTERS HAD BEEN, BUT THEY CHOSE TO MOVE TO THIS 
LOCATION FOR THE SYNERGY WITH THE CAMPUS, WITH THE 
UNIVERSITY FACULTY, AND STUDENTS, BUT ONE OF THE FACTORS 
THAT WAS A CONSIDERATION WAS THE METROLINK ACCESS.
BECAUSE THEY WERE CHANGING, THEIR EMPLOYEES COULD STILL GET 
ACCESS, MANY OF THEM, TO THIS LOCATION.
IT'S VERY CONVENIENT TO THE AIRPORT, DIRECT ACCESS THAT 
WAY, AND THEY BUILT THEIR FIRST BUILDING, A $50-MILLION, IN 
2007, THE ONE YOU SEE THERE ON THE LOWER RIGHT.
THEY'VE GOT ABOUT A THOUSAND, 1100 EMPLOYEES WITH THAT 
BUILDING.
THEY DID AN EXPANSION JUST TO THE EAST OF THAT, AND THAT 
OPENED THIS YEAR WITH 180,000 SQUARE FEET, ANOTHER 900 
EMPLOYEES, AND NEXT YEAR THERE'S ANOTHER BUILDING 
PROGRAMMED THAT WILL BE DIRECTLY ACROSS THE TREAT FROM THE 
NORTH HANLEY STATION, PERHAPS 170,000 SQUARE FEET.
WE DO HAVE A TRAIL.
WE'RE JUST -- PLANS GO TO BID FOR ANOTHER 4,000 FEET AT THE 
ST. VINCENT GREENWAY THAT GOES TO THIS VERY LOCATION.
THAT GOES TO BID TOMORROW.
SO TYING ALL OF THOSE ACTIVITIES TOGETHER, THE TRAILS.
BUT THIS IS A PARTICULARLY SUCCESSFUL INVESTMENT FROM THE 
PRIVATE SECTOR AT THIS LOCATION, AND WHILE THE RAIL WAS NOT 
A BUT FOR, IT CLEARLY WAS ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT WE USED 
AND THAT THE CLIENT FELT WAS SIGNIFICANT IN SELECTING THIS 
LOCATION FOR ITS CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS.
THANK YOU.
BE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ANY -- ANY COMMENTS?
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, SIR.
>> SURE.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ANY COMMENTS?
IF NOT, WE THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU SO MUCH.
OKAY.
NEXT WE HAVE TRANSIT-ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT POLICIES, MELISSA 
ZORNITTA.
>>MELISSA ZORNITTA:  GOOD MORNING.
MELISSA ZORNITTA WITH YOUR PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF.
I JUST WANT TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO SHARE WITH YOU-ALL A 
LITTLE ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING LOCALLY TO HELP TRANSIT-
ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT OCCUR HERE AS WE PLAN FOR TRANSIT IN 
OUR FUTURE.
THIS TRULY IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO LINK THE LAND USE WITH THE 
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
WE HAVE DEVELOPED A DEFINITION OF TRANSIT-ORIENTED 
DEVELOPMENT WHICH INCLUDES A COMPACT NEIGHBORHOOD WITH 
HOUSING, JOBS, AND NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES WITHIN AN EASY 
WALKING DISTANCE OF A TRANSIT STATION AND OFFERING MULTIPLE 
TRAVEL OPTIONS WITHIN THAT AREA.
AND THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS WHY WE ARE EXPLORING THIS 
DEVELOPMENT PATTERN.
MOST OF THEM ARE ALL VERY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE ALREADY 
HAVE IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLANS.
THEY FOCUS ON MIXED USE, PROVIDING ALTERNATIVES TO DRIVING, 
CREATING SENSE OF PLACE AND HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES, AND 
SUPPORTING OUR CURRENT GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGY OF OUR 
URBAN SERVICE AREA AND PRESERVATION OF OUR RURAL AREA.
THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPONENTS TO A TRANSIT-ORIENTED 
DEVELOPMENT THAT WERE MENTIONED IN THE DEFINITION, AND 
WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW WE CAN IMPLEMENT THOSE INTO OUR 
COMPREHENSIVE PLANS.
THE FIRST STEP IS THAT WE'VE FORMULATED IN CONJUNCTION WITH 
THE MPO STAFF AND HART A JOINT LAND USE WORKING GROUP.
THIS HAS REALLY BEEN A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO ADDRESS HOW 
TO IMPLEMENT BOTH THE TRANSIT SIDE OF THINGS WITH HART 
LOOKING AT ITS ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS, THE PLANNING 
COMMISSION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR TRANSIT-ORIENTED 
POLICIES AND THE MPO AND THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION 
PLAN.
WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF WORKSHOPS AND HAVE HAD A TREMENDOUS 
INPUT FROM STAKEHOLDERS FROM ALL FOUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, 
THE EPC, AVIATION AUTHORITY, FDOT'S BEEN IN ATTENDANCE, 
TBARTA, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY GROUPS SUCH AS THE WESTSHORE 
ALLIANCE, THE TAMPA DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP, AND U-CAN.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN HAVING REGIONAL PARTICIPATION FROM PINELLAS 
AND PASCO COUNTY, SO IT'S REALLY BEEN AN EXCITING EFFORT TO 
SEE ALL OF THE DIFFERENT GROUPS COME TOGETHER ON THESE 
POLICIES.
AND WHAT WE HAVE DEVELOPED SO FAR IS WHAT WE CALL STATION 
TYPOLOGIES.
WE ARE LOOKING SYSTEMWIDE AT WHAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF 
STATIONS WE WILL HAVE THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM, THE FIRST ONE 
BEING A HIGH-INTENSITY URBAN, AND THERE WILL PROBABLY ONLY 
BE ONE DOWNTOWN, AND THAT WILL BE OUR PRIMARY HUB.
THEN WE WILL HAVE MIXED-USE REGIONAL STATIONS THAT WILL BE 
SOMETHING LIKE A WESTSHORE, MAYBE A BRANDON.
WHEN WE LOOK AT SOME OF THESE STATIONS, WE ALSO HAVE 
SEPARATED OUT URBAN AND SUBURBAN TYPOLOGIES BECAUSE WE KNOW 
IN THE CITY OF TAMPA THERE IS A DIFFERENT FORM AND FUNCTION 
TO THE AREA THAN THERE WOULD BE IN A MORE SUBURBAN SETTING.
OUR NEXT STATION TYPE IS A COMMUNITY CENTER STATION.
THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING LIKE IN THE WESTCHASE AREA, MORE OF 
A LOCALIZED CENTER OF ACTIVITIES FOR THAT COMMUNITY.
AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER, AND AS YOU 
CAN SEE, THE INTENSITY, THE DENSITY OF THESE STATIONS KIND 
OF DECREASES FROM THE HIGHEST DOWN TO THE LOWEST AS WE MOVE 
INTO A NEIGHBORHOOD WHERE WE'RE REALLY GOING TO BE FOCUSED 
ON BEING CONTEXT SENSITIVE TO THOSE EXISTING AND PLANNED 
NEIGHBORHOODS.
WE ALSO HAVE STATION TYPES FOR PARK-N-RIDE STATIONS AS WELL 
AS FOR SPECIAL STATIONS LIKE THE AIRPORT AND THE AREAS THAT 
ARE AROUND THE AIRPORT THAT ARE PREDOMINANTLY EMPLOYMENT 
AND INDUSTRIAL AREAS.
THOSE WILL BE SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT BECAUSE WHILE THEY MAY 
HAVE HIGHER INTENSITY OF USES AROUND THOSE TRANSIT 
STATIONS, THEY REALLY WILL NOT INCLUDE RESIDENTIAL 
DEVELOPMENT.
WHAT WE'RE PROPOSING IS A -- TO PUT INTO THE COMPREHENSIVE 
PLAN IS WHAT WE CALL A FLOATING DESIGNATION.
THIS WOULD GO IN TO THE PLAN EITHER CITYWIDE, COUNTYWIDE, 
DEPENDING ON THE JURISDICTION, AND IT WOULD THEN APPLY ONCE 
THE DECISION IS MADE THAT THERE WILL BE A STATION IN A 
CERTAIN LOCATION.
OF COURSE, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE ALL THOSE STATIONS ARE GOING 
TO GO.
WE DON'T KNOW WHERE ALL OF THE EXACT ALIGNMENTS WILL BE.
SO WE WANT SOME FLEXIBILITY AT THIS TIME, BUT WE WANT THE 
PLAN TO ALLOW FOR THE TYPE OF DENSITY AND INTENSITY THAT 
THOSE STATION AREAS WILL NEED.
THE FLOATING DESIGNATION WOULD LAND, SO TO SPEAK, WHEN 
THE -- A STATION AREA PLAN IS DEVELOPED, AND THIS IS 
SOMETHING THAT WE'VE SEEN AS A VERY SUCCESSFUL PRACTICE IN 
PLACES LIKE IN CHARLOTTE AND IN DENVER.
THEY GO THROUGH A PLANNING PROCESS TO DELINEATE THE 
BOUNDARY AROUND THE STATION AREA WHERE THEY WANT TO FOCUS 
THAT DEVELOPMENT, THEY ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY, AND THEY 
EMPLOY A NUMBER OF DESIGN PRINCIPLES THAT GO ALONG WITH 
THAT INCREASED DENSITY AND INTENSITY.
THOSE DESIGN PRINCIPLES LOOK AT THE MIX OF HOUSING AND 
USES.
THERE WOULD BE A MARKET ANALYSIS THAT'S DONE BECAUSE 
OBVIOUSLY NOT EVERY AREA IS GOING TO HAVE THE SAME SCALE OF 
DEVELOPMENT.
IT WOULDN'T BE APPROPRIATE.
THE MARKET WOULDN'T WARRANT IT.
WE ALSO WILL LOOK AT HOW TO INCORPORATE ALL THE DIFFERENT 
MODES WITHIN THE AREA SO THAT THERE'S ABILITY FOR WALKING 
AND BIKING BUT THAT WE ALSO ADDRESS THINGS LIKE PARKING 
BECAUSE PARKING'S GOING TO NEED TO BE HANDLED DIFFERENTLY 
IN THESE AREAS THAN PERHAPS IT IS IN OUR TRADITIONAL 
PATTERN OF DEVELOPMENT.
AND THEN FINALLY WE LOOK AT THINGS LIKE STREETSCAPE, 
CREATING ACTIVE EDGES ALONG ROADWAYS SO THAT AS PEOPLE WALK 
TO THE STATION THEY HAVE SHOPS AND THINGS TO LOOK AT AND 
ENGAGE THEM.
ADDITIONALLY, PROVIDING PUBLIC OPEN SPACES WITHIN THESE 
AREAS IS VERY IMPORTANT AS WELL.
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH IS A MIX OF FLEXIBILITY 
AND COMMITMENT.
IT'S IMPORTANT AS WE MOVE FORWARD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HART 
INTO THE FTA PROCESS THAT THEY SAY THAT WE'RE COMMITTED TO 
HAVING OUR LAND USE PLAN SUPPORT THE TRANSIT SYSTEM TO 
INCREASE RIDERSHIP, TO PROVIDE THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT 
IS APPROPRIATE AROUND THAT AREA, BUT WE ALSO WANT TO 
PROVIDE SOME FLEXIBILITY IN OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN BECAUSE, 
AS WE ALL KNOW, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ISN'T THE EASIEST 
DOCUMENT TO AMEND, AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE SOME FLEXIBILITY 
SO THAT -- BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME UNKNOWNS RIGHT NOW.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
OUR PROCESS IS THAT WE WILL BE BRINGING THIS FORWARD TO THE 
CITY OF TAMPA AND TO UNINCORPORATED HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY 
AFTER THE FIRST OF THE YEAR FOR WORKSHOPS AND PUBLIC 
HEARINGS AS PART OF THE PLAN AMENDMENT PROCESS.
WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO HAVE THOSE JOINT LAND USE WORKING 
GROUP MEETINGS, AND ALL OF THE INFORMATION REGARDING THOSE 
ARE UP ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION'S WEB SITE.
AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU, MELISSA.
ANY -- ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR MELISSA?
>>MELISSA ZORNITTA:  THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  IF NOT, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
OKAY.
CHAIRMAN'S REPORT.
LIVABLE ROADWAYS.
COUNCILWOMAN MULHERN.
>>MARY MULHERN:  I HAVE TO FIND MY REPORT HERE.
I DIDN'T SEE IT.
OKAY.
I MAY NOT HAVE GOTTEN IT.
IS IT IN THE BIG -- HERE WE GO.
YEAH.
I DIDN'T FIND A REPORT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OKAY.
COULD WE GO AHEAD WITH THE NEXT ONE UNTIL YOU FIND YOUR 
SHEET?
>>BETH ALDEN:  MR. CHAIR, IF I COULD, THE LIVABLE ROADWAYS 
COMMITTEE DID NOT MEET THIS PAST MONTH.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  OH, THEY DID NOT MEET?
>>MARY MULHERN:  OH, GOOD.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THEN THERE'S NO REPORT.
THANK YOU.
>>MARY MULHERN:  ONE LESS REPORT.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  DON'T GO AWAY, BETH.
YOU'RE NEXT.
BICYCLE-PEDESTRIAN --
>>BETH ALDEN:  ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I'M FILLING IN FOR MICHELE OGILVIE, WHO IS AT TRAINING THIS 
MORNING.
THE BICYCLE-PEDESTRIAN ADVISORY COMMITTEE MET ON OCTOBER 
14th AND HEARD A COUPLE OF GREAT REPORTS, ONE THAT AN 
EXTENSION OF THE UPPER TAMPA BAY TRAIL TO BRING IT UP 
CLOSER TO THAT CONNECTION WITH THE SUNCOAST PARKWAY TRAIL, 
IS GOING TO BE UNDER DESIGN.
THE COMMITTEE ALSO SUPPORTED THE DRAFT COST-AFFORDABLE 
PLAN.
THE COMMITTEE HEARD ABOUT THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY 
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ACTION PLAN FOCUSING ON THE UNIVERSITY 
AREA, ONE OF OUR HIGHEST PEDESTRIAN CRASH AREAS AND HEARD 
ABOUT SOME OF THE FLETCHER AVENUE IMPROVEMENTS.
THE COMMITTEE IS ALSO LOOKING AT A POTENTIAL COLLABORATION 
WITH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, LOOKING AT SOME NEW STIMULUS 
FUNDING THAT'S COMING TO THIS AREA AND HOW CAN WE ADDRESS 
PROBLEMS OF OBESITY AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY.
AND THEN FINALLY HEARD A REPORT ON THE BICYCLE BASH BY THE 
BAY, WHICH HAPPENED IN -- I THINK IN OCTOBER, A LOT OF 
GREAT EVENTS THERE.
I THINK YOU HEARD SOMETHING ABOUT THAT LAST MONTH.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  ANY QUESTIONS OF BETH?
IF NOT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH, BETH.
OKAY.
THE NEXT ITEM IS THE TDCB, TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED 
COORDINATING BOARD.
WE HELD OUR MEETING ON OCTOBER 22nd.
THE BOARD REVIEWED AND APPROVED THE COMMUNITY 
TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR'S ANNUAL OPERATIONS REPORT.
THE REPORT SHOWS THAT 1.4 MILLION DOOR-TO-DOOR AND BUS 
TRIPS WERE PROVIDED TO MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, ELDERLY DAY 
CARE, AND NUTRITION SERVICES FOR 15,000 CLIENTS AT A COST 
OF $15 MILLION.
THE BOARD RECEIVED AN UPDATE ON THE LRTP COST-AFFORDABLE 
PLAN.
AFTER DISCUSSION, THE BOARD MADE A MOTION AND CONFIRMED 
THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE DRAFT COST-AFFORDABLE PROJECTS TO BE 
TAKEN OUT FOR PUBLIC COMMENT.
THE BOARD ALSO SPENT TIME DISCUSSING THE LONG-RANGE PLAN'S 
EMPHASIS ON RAIL.
IT WAS RECOMMENDED THAT THE MESSAGE SHOULD EMPHASIZE THAT 
$142 THAT COULD BE RAISED BY A ONE PENNY SALES TAX IS AN 
INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE AND NOT SOLELY A COST.
THE BOARD RECEIVED A PRESENTATION ON HART'S NEW START FOR 
RAIL AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY ASKED THAT THE SYSTEM EXTEND 
QUICKLY TO THE CARROLLWOOD AREA, NOTING THE BENEFITS RAIL 
WILL BRING TO PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES FOR WORK AND PLAY.
THE BOARD REVIEWED AND COMPLETED -- THE COMPLETED 
RESTRIPING PROJECT TO BUSCH BOULEVARD AS A FOLLOW-UP ON 
THEIR 2004 ASSESSMENT.
THE BOARD WAS PLEASED TO NOTE THAT MANY IMPROVEMENTS THAT 
HAVE BEEN MADE TO MAKE THE ROAD MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PERSONS 
WITH DISABILITIES AND THEREFORE EVERYONE -- EVERYONE -- AND 
EVERYONE.
IMPROVEMENTS INCLUDE COMPLETE SIDEWALKS AT BUSCH AND 
NEBRASKA AVENUE AS WELL AS NEW COUNTDOWN LIGHTS AND ADA-
ACCESSIBLE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS.
THE BOARD IS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN A TRICOUNTY ACCESS PLAN 
UPDATE AND THE COMMUNITY TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR'S 
EVALUATION, BOTH TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF THE YEAR.
I WANT TO MAKE A SPECIAL COMMENT HERE.
ON BEHALF OF THE TRANSPORTATION DISADVANTAGED BOARD, I WANT 
TO THANK OUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR ALLOWING THE SUNSHINE 
LINE TO OPERATE LAST FRIDAY SO THEY COULD TAKE PATIENCE TO 
THEIR VERY NEEDED MEDICAL EMERGENCIES, SO I WANT TO THANK 
YOU ALL FOR DOING THAT.
THANK YOU.
THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE ON DECEMBER 10th AT 9:15 ON THE 
18th FLOOR OF THE COUNTY CENTER.
OKAY.
WITH THAT, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT.
>>RAY CHIARAMONTE:  OKAY.
VERY QUICKLY, I'VE BEEN ATTENDING A NUMBER OF MEETINGS.
I'VE BEEN OUT TO BRANDON AND LUTZ PRESENTING THE LONG-RANGE 
TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
I'M ALSO SERVING ON THE STATEWIDE MOBILITY FEE STAKEHOLDERS 
MEETING.
I'LL BE IN TALLAHASSEE ON MONDAY ATTENDING THAT MEETING.
I'VE BEEN MEETING WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS, THE MAYOR AND ALL 
THAT, TO KEEP EVERYBODY UP-TO-DATE ON THE LONG-RANGE 
TRANSPORTATION PLAN.
WE'VE BEEN STARTING OUR BRIEFINGS WITH -- WITH OUR MPO 
BOARD MEMBERS.
ALSO I'M INVOLVED IN THE MPO ADVISORY COUNCIL AND THE URBAN 
COALITION OF OTHER CITIES IN FLORIDA ON THESE 
TRANSPORTATION ISSUES TO TRY TO BE MUTUALLY SUPPORTIVE OF 
OUR EFFORTS, ESPECIALLY WITH RAIL TRANSIT.
AND MAYOR AFFRONTI AND I WERE JUST AT THE NATIONAL 
METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION CONFERENCE IN SAVANNAH, 
WHERE WE ATTENDED A LOT OF GOOD SESSIONS AND AGAIN 
CONVINCED ME MORE WE'RE ON THE RIGHT PATH AND WE'RE 
LEARNING OTHER PEOPLE'S MISTAKES UP FRONT SO WE DON'T MAKE 
THEM AND CATCH UP.
THANK YOU.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  RAY DID A GREAT JOB.
HE MADE US PROUD OF HIS PRESENTATION HE MADE THERE.
OKAY.
NEXT WE HAVE ONE MORE ITEM.
WE HAVE -- VIVIAN BACCA WANTS TO SPEAK ABOUT THE 
REFERENDUM.
>> GOOD MORNING AGAIN.
VIVIAN BACCA, 413 EL GRECO DRIVE IN BRANDON.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU ARE AWARE, BUT THIS MORNING 
WARREN BUFFET ANNOUNCED THAT BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY WAS 
ACQUIRING ALL THE SHARES THAT THEY DIDN'T ALREADY OWN, 
SOMEWHERE 74%, 76% OF BURLINGTON NORTHERN RAILROAD, AND HE 
SAID -- IT WAS CLOSE TO 76, HE BOUGHT IT AT A HUNDRED.
WENT UP RIGHT AWAY.
BUT ANYWAY, HE SAID HE WAS MAKING AN ALL-IN BET ON AMERICA.
NOW, HE'S ONE OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL LONG-TERM INVESTORS 
OF OUR TIME, AND IF HE BELIEVES OUR ECONOMY IS COMING 
BACK -- AND THERE'S A LOT OF SIGNS THAT IT IS -- THEN YOU 
HAVE TO ASK YOURSELF IS 2% TO 3% INFLATION REALLY GOING TO 
BE ENOUGH?
AND MAYBE IT IS ENOUGH IN THIS PARTICULAR PRESENT TIME, BUT 
YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE FACT THAT I REMEMBER THE '70s, THE 
'80s, THE EARLY '90s.
I REMEMBER I USED TO HAVE A CHART ON MY DESK FOR THE PRIME 
RATE, AND IT WAS ESCALATING ALMOST ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
ALMOST ANY REGULAR PERSON COULD GO IN AT ONE POINT AND GET 
A 10% CD FOR SIX MONTHS, SO THERE IS ALWAYS THE POTENTIAL 
THAT THAT INFLATION RATE COULD RETURN, PARTICULARLY IN VIEW 
OF THE LARGE NATIONAL DEFICIT AND THE NEED TO REFINANCE IT.
SO IN VIEW OF ALL THAT, WHY AM I SAYING THIS?
I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT REVERSING A VERY 
CONSERVATIVE OVERRUN ASSUMPTION.
IT'S OKAY TO SAY WE'VE GOT THIS NUMBER BUILT IN, AND, GEE, 
BY THE WAY, IF WE COME IN UNDER BUDGET BECAUSE OF ALL THESE 
OTHER FACTORS, THEN THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO DO 
FOR THE FUTURE AS AN EXPANSION PLAN, BUT IT'S ALWAYS BETTER 
TO UNDERPROMISE AND OVERDELIVER, PARTICULARLY IF YOU MAY 
COME BACK AND ASK FOR A RENEWAL OF THE ONE-CENT -- PENNY 
TAX THAT WAS FOR THE STADIUM, THAT WAS FOR CAPITAL 
PROJECTS, THAT WAS FOR SCHOOLS.
THAT TAX IS EXPIRING, BUT IT COULD COME BACK AND BE 
RENEWED, AND WOULDN'T IT BE A LOT EASIER TO GET THE VOTERS 
TO APPROVE THAT IF THEY CAN SEE YOU OVERDELIVER, 
UNDERPROMISE.
ALSO, I THINK ONE THING TO CONSIDER IN THE TRANSIT-ORIENTED 
DEVELOPMENT AREA IS QUIET ZONES.
IF YOU WANT PEOPLE TO SUPPORT RAIL, IT SHOULD NOT BE THE 
COMMUNITY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO GET THE FUNDING TOGETHER TO 
HAVE A QUIET ZONE.
PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS MAKE DISTINCTIONS IN THEIR MINDS 
BETWEEN LIGHT RAIL AND FREIGHT RAIL.
ALL THEY SEE IS A TRAIN.
PEOPLE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE 
TO PAY FOR THE IMPACT OF SOMEONE ELSE'S USE.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD.
>>JOE AFFRONTI:  THANK YOU.
OKAY.
ANY -- ANYTHING ELSE?
ANY NEW BUSINESS?
ANY OLD BUSINESS?
IF NOT, WE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
WE ADJOURN.



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