[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6508710,"mediaKeyId","5503160-8e9f825ee0462f01cd0d8b47cde0d707","parentId",5503160,"title","USF St. Petersburg tells council $350,000 USDA grant will fund industrial composter and student‑run program","audioSeconds",270,"startMs",301000,"endMs",571000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5503160-8e9f825ee0462f01cd0d8b47cde0d707&start=301&end=571","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5503160-8e9f825ee0462f01cd0d8b47cde0d707/thumbnail_301000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6508710/St-Petersburg/Pinellas-County/Florida/USF-St-Petersburg-tells-council-350000-USDA-grant-will-fund-industrial-composter-and-studentrun-program","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6508710-376ed61c461632a5ac47cc778c4c2b8f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158046&Signature=N960YQGKtzlP3akc95Bt8rzsO4xtfsmk1OR7Myqm1odLSCsmE-68gch5XO7BvimGtgqNfXEWIGB3OPDhe2AgeRKUHoueRmFaL0TvtrnyjveIHGOTlxPGzTZg1nFWvL8AkuILx0IIE5J4~Fl1lAPaD7HduQH6NEhgR3TpackNENIg7qLhzqkj9sCD1rMdpnUQdwC~SDSQtsjrBuZ46-9G-9KqiyjygjwTEXRbyEIbJYaWHCyHREURIZ7S8MSdRn6IIMRZk908lbao~0GEdGJVGfWEtKdI7oWrpH6dJT7it1Ja6z5SfVHZKeJulxp8jN6lZeCECDlWsorq-RzYFz2lQg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","St. Petersburg City","date","2025-07-10T00:00:00Z","article","Karen Nesmith, representing USF St. Petersburg, addressed council during public comment on July 15 to thank city staff for partnership on a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant of $350,000 that will fund purchase of an industrial composter for the university campus.

Nesmith said the project was developed with USF sustainability faculty, a Student Green Energy Fund, and the Knott Center for Entrepreneurship. The initial phase will divert dining‑hall food waste into compost for landscaping, urban agriculture and community gardens. A planned Phase 2 would scale the operation to accept food waste from downtown restaurants, markets and other partners and return compost to community sites. Nesmith said the project also provides hands‑on experience for students in a sustainable‑business class where students would run the operations.

The remarks were made as part of the meeting's public comment and were framed as an expression of gratitude to the city's grants office and its Office of Sustainability and Resilience for staff support in applying for and administering the USDA award.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","St. Petersburg City Council\t\tJuly 10, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A USF St. Petersburg representative thanked the city and described a USDA award for a $350,000 industrial composter that will divert campus food waste, produce compost for landscaping and scale to accept downtown partners in phase two.","taxTitle","St. Petersburg, Pinellas County, Florida","taxId",3508,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6508715,"Council approves CDBG amendments: additional funds for Pinellas Hope and Abundant Life church projects",195,3309000,3504000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5503160-8e9f825ee0462f01cd0d8b47cde0d707&start=3309&end=3504","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5503160-8e9f825ee0462f01cd0d8b47cde0d707/thumbnail_3309000.jpg","/articles/6508715/St-Petersburg/Pinellas-County/Florida/Council-approves-CDBG-amendments-additional-funds-for-Pinellas-Hope-and-Abundant-Life-church-projects","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6508715-984f5a435132238621898f93fc8b05e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158046&Signature=HeodQ~hQAfDTFiHvHZ3pP0XBB1zxiSK-kR7oCDFmY84H0w8RQ7BlR3VhW7t2fC1GrmJmwPos2v6FlmEGZ5YX8ZoEc9CHzseoVeakTk8VpsdDAr4kTGRHcEDjBW2iRfc-sJJho5e22RrshnIEOL7V26Vh8nonlDMahEhK7lZJWecdQtNaa6coW-3awRJeIi00vjtWzdr86xLGWmxGeXZO8IRULNxSlbu7AjSPOnezjWc5vzvaQoP-pJX-lHedodpXj0twOoVppKmw3BruOJ3C~pSjcYc~oDPXtyctxCkwyUuhHU7tnuvfYEBccowBJB~NX-pm92ZBcY2NNMk80KQMeA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The St. Petersburg City Council on July 15 approved two amendments to previously awarded Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) projects.

Pinellas Hope — J2: Carly Pinella, housing development coordinator, said the Pinellas Hope restroom and shower project (originally funded with $850,000 in CDBG coronavirus funds starting in 2022) has made substantial progress but requires about $129,000 in additional funds to complete site work, create storage sheds for donated items and better separate the restroom facilities from adjacent permanent supportive housing units. Council approved the amendment unanimously.

Abundant Life Ministries — J3: The church asked for an additional roughly $84,000 after work performed under the earlier contract revealed the need for fire‑code and other repairs to obtain a certificate of occupancy. Staff recommended the additional funds so the space can be used as community service space for meals and counseling. The council approved that amendment unanimously as well.

Both approvals were presented as contract amendments/additional CDBG disbursements to complete projects already underway. Staff said both organizations remain subject to the usual federal CDBG requirements and reporting.

Votes at a glance:
- J2 (Pinellas Hope): Approve additional CDBG funding (approx. $129,000) — passed unanimously.
- J3 (Abundant Life Ministries): Approve additional CDBG funding (approx. $84,000) — passed unanimously.

Staff said Pinellas Hope will present to council next week with more detail on the completed facility.","The council approved two Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) amendments to add funds to ongoing projects: roughly $129,000 for Pinellas Hope site improvements and about $84,000 for code‑related repairs at Abundant Life Ministries.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6508720,"Residents, condo managers and businesses press council to fund downtown —Clean and Safe' outreach; council refers program discussion to committee",2979,719000,3698000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5503160-8e9f825ee0462f01cd0d8b47cde0d707&start=719&end=3698","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5503160-8e9f825ee0462f01cd0d8b47cde0d707/thumbnail_719000.jpg","/articles/6508720/St-Petersburg/Pinellas-County/Florida/Residents-condo-managers-and-businesses-press-council-to-fund-downtown-Clean-and-Safe-outreach-council-refers-program-discussion-to-committee","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6508720-f4e675007a8d581ef0320c91bb004604/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158046&Signature=KkEnWD8ypSMp9R4~72OEKt3IlX~NTfJSjG1a4UHKpMHTXEhwgYdPf-wxnOtDKmGxu4I3d-YzRyZtdlUBEIb4j6jk7UfeaWuKwH9kWNIt0l~lMItLalGyBhqBOnUcQf0Rx4cMcmc~rMf4hiL1UXXWqY7-JJfkV8DYHtmhPOrphP1XASRTlXsRP2doprNNAHrU5jBX5N0orJ2qhICt65ZwKkAXHy4TLMtOHmFMyKJYTVMRUHjS-WTjKGb6-lAJN-dF8Ugfp6PmVSPgRvIl77Yka05usI6DWSkD6i3StB32Q1nnxAb4oGVn3GbqeHJ31co7F4j93ieGGhoJ2GkYVE2XAg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Three downtown residents and a building maintenance manager urged the City Council on July 15 to support funding for the city's Clean and Safe program, emphasizing daily cleaning and trained outreach to connect people experiencing homelessness with services.

Saba Bragg, who said she serves on the board of directors for the Salter Condominium (301 First Street South), asked council to \"please support funding for the Clean and Safe program,\" saying it expands daily street cleaning and, importantly, homeless outreach. \"We're not just moving people along, we're helping them connect with real services and support,\" she said.

Catherine Southern, a downtown resident, described personal encounters with unsanitary or threatening situations on downtown sidewalks in other cities and urged St. Petersburg to avoid similar outcomes. John Castricone, who identified himself as the maintenance manager for the 1 St. Petersburg condominium association, told council staff and members that his building regularly finds people sheltering in stairwells and must repeatedly clean urine and other waste and asked for greater visible city support, including sanitation, outreach and targeted policing.

After hearing public comment, Vice Chair Lizeth Hanowitz moved to refer the Clean and Safety discussion to the committee of the whole for fuller study. The motion passed unanimously.

Council members and staff noted the issue intersects with a range of downtown efforts — from law enforcement to social services — and said the committee referral will allow broader review of costs, staffing, and potential funding sources before any appropriation decision.

The public commenters and the referral reflect an ongoing citywide conversation about downtown cleanliness, safety, and how outreach and sanitation services are funded and coordinated.","Multiple downtown residents and property managers urged council to fund the city's Clean and Safe program to increase street cleaning and outreach to people experiencing homelessness; council unanimously referred the issue to the committee of the whole for further discussion.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6508724,"Council approves $103,000 task‑order amendment to refine Center for the Arts master plan after debate",2077,1509000,3586000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5503160-8e9f825ee0462f01cd0d8b47cde0d707&start=1509&end=3586","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5503160-8e9f825ee0462f01cd0d8b47cde0d707/thumbnail_1509000.jpg","/articles/6508724/St-Petersburg/Pinellas-County/Florida/Council-approves-103000-taskorder-amendment-to-refine-Center-for-the-Arts-master-plan-after-debate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6508724-98160bde40d23ea5b72f85a9b0775412/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158046&Signature=CvXH6eINYujkqry8z3EHpI3aIwKDWSogfepHST51vPe1UVjUHBGojRYtFTBPwRZrVDwbyWCMIp05VKR8~ZBgNfKgSh5FemilSbVc5oNNj8fWLu3W2yd2twl85dqap4Trh~Wos29o42XPBdeVHySez49gDet4RT08BkT8dtytQeiYMUpzx0m385Fmj8GuiCa~~FzwhovUxr7OSBkjFWKNapDbKQy3VJYWg-o7BDyohryYpEi8bOoJkm2wpN3Y5ARwE8ABhiF45GMNwTQTc1DaNtogoRhvKc~8LNHnsrFZKBW3uNbcqJT65wesmjeDwVtPr4BBwRO5q-rDuOD~ddJgZg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","St. Petersburg City Council voted 6–2 on July 15 to authorize an amendment to a consultant task order that will fund additional study and stakeholder outreach for the downtown Center for the Arts site.

The amendment adds about $103,000 to the existing continuing services contract with ASD Sky (consultant) to refine a Phase 1 concept centered on the Mahaffey Theater, the Dali Plaza and the downtown parking garage and to expand stakeholder engagement before staff returns with a more detailed recommendation.

City planner Beth Herendine said the consultant's earlier conceptual work included a two‑phase vision developed after site visits and stakeholder interviews beginning in 2020; Phase 1 focuses on the garage, an enlarged plaza, and visitor drop‑off while Phase 2 included a longer‑term waterfront amphitheater. The amendment narrows work to Phase 1, expands outreach to additional stakeholders, and removes a previously considered conference center project.

Council members debated whether the city should spend the money now, with Council member Brandy Gabbard saying she opposed the expenditure because she did not see the need for an additional $103,000 at this point and cited concerns about city bandwidth and capital needs that were raised by stakeholders. Gabbard and Council member Mike Harding voted no.

Supporters said the garage is aging (administration estimated replacement at roughly $35,000 per parking space) and that a coordinated plan is preferable to piecemeal work. Council member Gina Driscoll, who has long supported a coordinated plan for the site, said the consultant can help produce a realistic, implementable plan.

Herendine and staff said the list of stakeholders will be expanded to include the Saturday Morning Market, the Downtown Neighborhood Association, the Florida Orchestra, the Salvador Dali Museum and other downtown partners; councilors asked staff to add additional cultural institutions such as Imagine Museum and the Carter G. Woodson African American Museum to outreach.

The motion passed 6–2; the council clerk recorded Council members Gabbard and Harding as voting no. Staff said the refined Phase 1 work will be returned to the Economic and Workforce Development committee (EWD) for further review, likely in September, and that final design and capital costs will require separate approvals.

The vote authorizes only planning/study funds and does not appropriate construction dollars for new facilities or a replacement garage.","Council voted 6–2 to authorize a roughly $103,000 amendment to the consultant task order to refine a phase‑1 master plan for the downtown Center for the Arts site, focusing on the Mahaffey, plaza and aging parking garage.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6508726,"St. Petersburg council unanimously adopts broad land‑development code changes affecting ADUs, design bonuses and flood‑zone rules",1537,3967000,5504000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5503160-8e9f825ee0462f01cd0d8b47cde0d707&start=3967&end=5504","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5503160-8e9f825ee0462f01cd0d8b47cde0d707/thumbnail_3967000.jpg","/articles/6508726/St-Petersburg/Pinellas-County/Florida/St-Petersburg-council-unanimously-adopts-broad-landdevelopment-code-changes-affecting-ADUs-design-bonuses-and-floodzone-rules","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6508726-88415a1b9db61eb4db43bdc972e263f7/orig.mp4?Expires=1771158046&Signature=bCyI2VXmhIGZWLExN0AYDAaXKmmqB0yd8-UK7E1olNxDfYaPs5Xo3f3DBTrpdSyy9aSUuuGNl9YIGQrU9TkR7MfAZnEppEuIqAhDHxXrDgfJu9UL-vwgvgl7iBigkuARLvyquTbDWe3OURpMdLwuKNN5f2C78WSY6gQIhYqo9HLZ2hPJZ1fNGnWcxlqt7b37P0ahMzUcUmzsmg4ufnAFCodFH3EUBJLuyZDFangtvUpH2hQCsnXaQ1IWzHmfa4pI81rtB6iSjTDk8-naC-Lhm4j9iDwayRSgMd-lt-Bg3-f9F3a6VlpA0vZELsezp3vBFUTvI1xTr29Ia7QIfz485Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","St. Petersburg City Council on July 15 unanimously approved Ordinance 611H, a comprehensive update to the city's Land Development Regulations that changes development standards across several residential and mixed‑use zoning districts.

The ordinance sets new floor‑area‑ratio (FAR) bonuses and clarifies rules for accessory dwelling units (ADUs), building massing, fence and landscape standards, sidewalk payment‑in‑lieu, and how building heights are measured in flood‑prone areas.

Corey Milishka, a city planning presenter, told council the update responds to stakeholder feedback and to problems the code has produced in recent years, including tall, boxy single‑family homes and repeated variance requests. Scott Warrie of Development Review Services described specific changes: the draft removes a redundant 0.06 FAR bonus for minimal facade articulation; fixes a typo in a tree‑planting bonus (feet, not inches); narrows the solar‑ready bonus but creates a new bonus for installed solar (0.01 FAR per kilowatt up to 0.03); adds a 0.01 bonus for EV charging capability; and creates bonuses for preservation of large (\"grand\") trees and for elevated front porches.

The council approved a staff amendment codifying an administrative interpretation for ADU area calculations: 300 square feet per enclosed parking space will be excluded from ADU size calculations (the change memorializes the calculation staff has applied since 2022).

Other changes approved include:
- A quality‑materials FAR bonus (0.05 for certain premium exterior materials; 0.03 for brick/stone veneer or hardyboard).
- A bonus (0.03) for front porches elevated at least 18 inches (up from 12 inches) with accompanying limits on building height intended to keep new homes closer in scale with surrounding historic houses.
- A massing bonus that rewards a minimum 20‑foot separation between principal and accessory structures or between second‑floor portions of the principal structure to \"break the box.\"
- A modest expansion of allowable blank wall width in rear halves of lots from 16 to 20 feet where the wall is not visible from the right of way.
- A payment‑in‑lieu option for sidewalks so property owners can fund a city sidewalk fund instead of repeatedly seeking variances.
- Revised noticing for dock side‑setback waiver requests so only waterfront property owners within 200 feet on the same side of the request are notified.
- An allowance for an additional 2 feet in building height measurement for structures required by the Florida Building Code to elevate the lowest horizontal structural member above design flood elevation.

Council members praised the amount of stakeholder outreach and the length of the process. Council member Brandy Gabbard led a narrowly scoped amendment earlier in the meeting to set the ADU parking exclusion at 300 square feet; the council approved that amendment unanimously before the final vote. Council member Gina Driscoll said she supported the package and noted the changes expand ADU opportunities in more neighborhoods.

Staff said the ordinance was developed with multiple committee reviews, a Development Review Commission recommendation, and feedback from builders, neighborhood groups and preservation advocates. Milishka and Warrie said the revisions aim to reduce the number of design variances staff must process and to better align new construction with existing neighborhood character.

The ordinance passed unanimously. Implementation details, such as any required administrative forms or arborist reports tied to tree‑preservation bonuses, will be worked out by staff and appear in administrative procedures.

The changes reference the Florida Building Code and staff said they reviewed recent state legislation (Senate Bill 180) during drafting and removed any provisions that would conflict with newer state restrictions.

City legal and planning staff remained available to answer follow‑up questions and noted the code changes were intended to be consistent with the city's Comprehensive Plan.

Council action on the ordinance closes a multi‑year review of the code that began with earlier rezonings and a 2017 code revision that originally established several of the development controls the new ordinance modifies.","The City Council approved a wide-ranging amendment to the city’s Land Development Regulations to clarify building envelopes, add incentives for porch elevation, solar and tree preservation, and codify how accessory dwelling units are measured.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

USF St. Petersburg tells council $350,000 USDA grant will fund industrial composter and student‑run program

Council approves CDBG amendments: additional funds for Pinellas Hope and Abundant Life church projects

Residents, condo managers and businesses press council to fund downtown —Clean and Safe' outreach; council refers program discussion to committee

Council approves $103,000 task‑order amendment to refine Center for the Arts master plan after debate

St. Petersburg council unanimously adopts broad land‑development code changes affecting ADUs, design bonuses and flood‑zone rules