Tampa — Dozens of residents urged Tampa City Council on Dec. 2 to move forward with the South Howard flood-relief project and associated capital work, saying maintenance alone will not prevent repeated flooding in parts of South Tampa. The council voted to continue the related agenda items to Dec. 18 and directed staff to upload substitute backup and additional materials.

Council discussion earlier in the meeting focused on administrative options: staff said it was possible to decouple water and paving work from the South Howard package and move that scope to a different contract with the same contractor and design team. Council and staff agreed to keep the items on the Dec. 18 agenda as a placeholder so the administration could substitute a revised item and provide consistent background materials. A roll call on the continuance was recorded; the motion carried with at least one recorded negative vote on a related motion.

Several residents spoke during public comment in support of the flood relief project. Laurie Singleton, a Palmasia Pines resident and retired firefighter, said the recent flooding was a failure of drainage infrastructure and asked the council to approve relief work. “This was a drainage event. This was a lack of infrastructure that is servicing my home,” she said, adding, “I don’t want to have to deal with flooding again.”

Other neighborhood speakers, including those from Partland Estates and Palmasia Pines, described frequent street flooding after relatively short rains and told council the existing pipes and drains lack capacity. “Maintenance is the key here, but it is not just a maintenance issue,” said Steven Garish, a neighborhood representative. “The pipes are too small. We need a permanent solution.”

Council members and staff also noted related public engagement activities: a listening session was scheduled for Dec. 16 from 6–7 p.m. at the Central Asturiano to gather neighborhood input before the Dec. 18 agenda date. Council asked staff to include substitute motions for the water project in the backup and to ensure the public has clear, timely materials before the Dec. 18 meeting.

What’s next: Items 60 and 61 were continued to Dec. 18 with staff direction to produce consistent backup, and council scheduled a public listening session on Dec. 16 to inform the Dec. 18 decisions.