Four Rivers flood project, EDA grant, Ridge Road

46:04All right, so we have a motion and a second. All in favor? Aye. Opposed. Okay. Um so we don't have any R items, um, but I do have a couple things I wanted to bring to the attention of the board. We're on Rs, right? Um first is for Mr. Bellas to come up and give us a little presentation on um Something important to the east side of the county and uh give us a status update on our

46:31Absolutely. Absolutely. Good morning, Commissioners. Uh Mark Bellas, Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer. My uh my father once told me said the value of a good story can never be underestimated. And I can tell you we have a very, very good story that we have been telling to people who uh are very interested in it. And uh in fact it's taking on a life of its own, so I want to update you on that. This is all about the Four Rivers Basins Project. You've heard the name tossed around quite a bit. This began back in 1960 when Donna came through and

47:02did a tremendous amount of flood damage to the state of Florida over an area of 6,000 square miles, including about 15 different counties here, we being right in the center of that. At the time, the state decided to put together the water management districts, Wikmud being one of them, and they were tasked with working with the Army Corps of Engineers to come in and see what they could do to prevent future flooding over that 6,000 square mile area. So that is precisely what they did.

47:32Now, the unfortunate part about this particular project

47:38Let me get us moving here.

47:43Oh we don't have to do that. That's a lot of money. I'm not sure this is up and out. There you go. Okay. The um so the project was authorized by Congress. It was to take a look at uh the area, as I say, 6,000 square miles, and determine what was creating flooding and what they could build as far as uh flood abatement projects to prevent flooding. Interestingly enough, the project was not about protecting people, it was about protecting the agricultural In the area, so that's where this all came from. Quite a bit of damage was done to citrus and and to uh the uh pine

48:14industry at that point in time. So uh all these projects were designed and built and uh interestingly enough of all the projects uh about 30 of them all together If you click me over there. Thank you. Um Only a couple were built. The Tampa Bypass Canal, you'll see if on this particular map, this is the entire area of the Four Rivers Basins project. All of the green lines are those projects that were designed. You can see uh quite a few of them right there in Pasco County. And the ones

48:44that are red are the ones that were built. So you have the Tampa Bypass Canal, and then you've got the outfall from Lake Tarpon. You have something just above Cruise Lake that was was started but not completed. At that point in time, there was a tremendous amount of political pressure to instead of draining the uh Everglades, to save them. And so the money at that point in time went south and we we didn't see it again. At that point, the Armored Car Arm Army Corps put the entire project on the shelf, did not reopen it,

49:14and it sat there for 60 years. So fast forward now as we were having some conversations about a year and a half ago with the Army Corps, we heard the name Four Rivers Basin. They weren't sure exactly what it was because it was was so long ago, but they said, well, we understand that it it had a lot to do with flood abatement, which is the things that we were looking to take care of here in Pasco. So we did some research. We went to the Library of Congress and were able to find all the original information for these projects, including this map that you

49:44see here right now. We contacted the Army Corps again and said, Hey, can you tell us about this particular project? And they said, Sure. It was in fact approved by Congress. It was authorized. The funding was authorized to come in and do this, but the project was stopped and it is in a pause mode. How do we reactivate this project? They said, well, there's a lot of ways you can do it. The best way to do it is to get the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works to reauthorize the studies that were originally done.

50:14So we said, okay, how do you do that? They said, well, you might want to take a take a met take a um a play out of the playbook from the South Florida Water Management District, who, as you probably see, seemed to get a lot of money in the South from the federal government to do flood abatement. So we met with them, talked to them, and they said, Sure, you just you've got to get political support for it. You've got to get Congress to stand back up and say, We'd like to do this. Again. So that is precisely what we did. We met with our federal delegation. We started with uh with

50:45uh uh Congressman Bill Bill Rackus, who said, I will carry the water on this, and we got support from uh Buchanan and from Lee and from Scott's office as well. They uh they have a letter that went directly to the assistant secretary. We had some folks uh up in uh Rick Scott's office in D.C. that also took a walk over to the Pentagon to talk to folks. And lo and behold, a week ago we got notified from the Army Corps that the project has in fact been reauthorized. So we're very happy

51:15about that. That's the entire project, not just what's in Pasco. So this is going to be good for the whole region. So where we go then from here. What we know for certain is that um go ahead and advance that if you would.

51:30Yeah. Um go ahead to the last one there if you would. One more. There we go. Yep, right yep. So where the process is right now, the pro the uh the entire project has been reauthorized. We have been in communication and working hand in hand with Swift Mud. There's going to be three projects that begin in Pasco. So we get the first we get the first bite of the apple, which is good. There are two of them that are going to be sponsored by Swift Mud and

52:00one will be the entire Hillsboro watershed, which starts in or starts right here, Dade City, works down through Zephyrhills, works in all the way down through Hillsborough County into Lake Thunder Sassa. It will also include the Cypress Creek area. So that entire area is part of this whole study. And then the the other study, they're going to do one that's a little bit further south, and then we're going to have one that we sponsor, and that is for the Anclote

52:30River Basin. And so the only one where we have to put up a match is the Enclope River, which is actually the smallest project. So the projects will be a reevaluation. Of what the original engineers did in the Four Rivers basins using the new information and data that is available from Swift MUD and from our own folks here at Public Works, of course, right in the center of this with us. We'd we've been at the table with them as well. And then that information will be used for a couple of things. One, to see what project or projects

53:01are feasible now. So again, if you think 60 years, Ago, there was very little population, very little development, things have changed. So, what makes sense to do now? And then those will be the things that we look for appropriations to build. But even if we're not able to build, and certainly you saw the map, I don't know any place in Pasco where we're going to be able to put in a 23-mile-long berm anymore. But what we will have is the information that we need to inform our citizenry that if you live in

53:31this particular area in these conditions, this is what you can expect. Help them make decisions about where they work, where they live, those type of things. Which is information we have based on what has happened, but we want the data to back it up. We want the scientific side of that as well. So that is where we're headed. The second thing I was going to mention to you that's kind of interesting is concurrently, you'll see this on an agenda in November, we are beginning our coastal mapping and monitoring program with USF, which means we're going to be

54:01gathering that same kind of data and information along our coastline. And from that we'll be able to build out some adaptations. We have a few other things in the works too. We're looking at a program, University of Florida, University of Texas came and met with us on a Gulf Futures grant that they are in the top ten getting, which is going to be nice because they want to apply that money to Pasco County. That works out well. Works out well for us. So some really great things coming. This will be transformational to the county. It gives us data and information

54:31we need to prioritize some of the bigger stormwater projects, uh some of the some of the uh money for C D B G D R if we're looking at relocating people, relocating neighborhoods, things like that. This all gives us the data and information to form the basis of those kinds of decisions that we make for the for the city. So very happy to report that.

54:50Commissioner Oriana.

54:51Yeah Mark, I gotta say what you and Anthony Thomas are doing is absolutely phenomenal, digging into this project. I know you brought it to us a little while ago. Uh Santa Bay Waters actually looking at work partner with you too to try to help out because they're a big big stakeholder. Could be some great things. We talked about reservoirs on the east side. That could be part of what's going on when I see all the money that uh Governor DeSantis was talking about with Um the Everglades just a few months back at that Chamber of Commerce event. I said if they can put all that money into that, we've got to be able to get the money back up

55:21here to do this. Now that they've got that funded fully, let's go work on taking care of this this side of the world, of this side of the state. So you're staying with it, you're going, your approach has been phenomenal every step of the way. I can't thank you enough and I know the city's gonna benefit, especially when you consider like the Anklo River being an impaired waterway as well. Something's gonna help us in the coast. Tremendous work. Thank you so much for doing this. And Commissioner Starkey, thanks for bringing this thing forward. I was I wanted to do it, but I just needed more time to talk to you. But I'm glad you brought it out today because it is just phenomenal.

55:52Yeah, our team is great.

55:56Ralph's been a big help getting us in front of folks. Uh interesting when we had the um the local delegation in for our workshop. It was kind of interesting. Interesting to hear that flood abatement was on the top of their list. So I think this tees us up for a lot of our legislative asks in the future as well to fund these projects.

56:12Yeah, great stuff.

56:13Thank you.

56:15Yeah. Dr. Bella, so what are we looking at on time, especially we have what the clocks ticking with C D B G and others? Can you put the map back up? And you know more folks that keep moving in the Pasco challenges can arise. So what's the time? We wait another sixty years. I'll be eighty-nine years old. Uh I'll be gone. So like what do we I hope there's a sin? The urgency now here we are 60-65 years from the initial conversation,

56:45right? Yeah. So what what do we have? Yeah. Not that we're going to receive any guarantees, but yeah, they've got us kind of excited. So

56:54two time frames that the core shared with us. One, they said for the assessment, the initial the evaluation piece, 12 to 18 months is reasonable. They said from beginning to end. of the entire process six to seven years and that's building out of projects.

57:12They gave us so we uh I I guess I'll put it to you this way. We were able to cut the time for getting the Army Corps in in the Pentagon to reapprove this No one believed it. In fact, we were we were sort of accused of moving so quickly that we caused the government shutdown. I don't know that that's the case, but the shock wave uh has been pretty extensive and we're gonna keep pushing. We'll keep pushing. We got a lot of people on our side.

57:39Well never mind, let me correct the record. I'd be ninety nine years old, so uh math wrong, so I just you know. All right, well it's good to hear that there's the the temperament and uh Yeah. You know. ability of them actually wanting to to

57:54help us. A lot of good people behind this. Absolutely. Commissioner

57:57One they had this thing in sixty one, I'm now eighty years old, so I've waited all that time. I can't wait another eighty. There you go. There you go. Um What was the cost of this project back when they forecast back in the sixties?

58:13Fifty-seven million is what Congress means. And what is it today? Oh, I wouldn't even venture a guess. Hundreds of millions, I'm sure, to build out everything. The the the fact is that as you look at it, the estimate is probably less than twenty percent of what the original is designed could still be built at that scale. So much, much smaller scale.

58:32So when they said they'd take this project back up, did they say anything about a timeline for funding of the project? Because you can okay to do a project, but if you hit never get the money, you will never do the project.

58:45We've we've set everybody up to understand that yes, the funding for the studies is available, not necessarily the funding for the projects, but what this does is it puts us uh in good position to ask based on the information that the Army Corps puts together. So I I think we're positioned probably better than we would if it was just an uh just a you know an a a unilateral ask or just nothing connected to it. So I feel pretty good about that. Right.

59:10Um I I have a question with the C D B G D R money um you know we have that timeline with this. Is Can we put any of this towards that or is this gonna take too long and we can't

59:24I w I wish I could answer that today. I I think that we will uh We will have the information from the studies back in time to have a good idea of what we can build and what we can't. So based on the mitigation and the infrastructure funds available through C D B G A DR, we should be able to use some of that somewhere along the line there. So we are we are keeping a close eye on that.

59:45Mr. May I think that's a good question.

59:50So and we talked about specific stormwater projects. So as and I I I gotta say it it's just stunning that you get this work done so quick. I mean think about Ridge Road sat for 23 years up there. For you to get this project to come forward Uh just phenomenal. But I think you can go look at the one project we said we got a shared cost on is Anclo. I think you should go right to Chuck Lane right away.

1:00:10We've done some bunch of studies out there already.

1:00:12So you so take take a look at that, put it forward, put that in, let that be again our match. You can put those planning dollars right in for that and then if you get construction quick enough, you can then tie into some of the two. But at least the planning dollars you can get those allocated immediately.

1:00:26And I think uh we I know we had this conversation, Commissioner Mariano. The Army Corps actually had a project in Anclode in 1958 to make it 150 feet wide and nine foot deep. They got into it with DP, they stepped away from it, said we don't want to do it. The good news about that is the Corps has told us that any project that they initially did work on or did themselves is a priority for them to come back and fix nowadays. So breakwaters. uh peers, things like that are on their priority list. So

1:00:56we can get funding from that too online. So yeah, good stuff.

1:00:59Um that red up there, is that the Masaric Town Maseric Channel? Yeah.

1:01:04Yes.

1:01:05That is.

1:01:05Yes. Yes.

1:01:06That's a that's a pretty neat trail opportunity and um Swift Mutt manages I believe and um they had closed it off to pedestrians, which was kinda crazy. So I I I got it back open for the equestrian people to be able to ride down the sides. But um it's a beautiful channel that goes from our county up to Hernando.

1:01:28And and to you Commissioner Mariano's point earlier to the with the We have uh Tampa Bay Water and Swift Motor at the same table now too looking at Cypress Creek for a joint water uh abatement or flood abatement and water supply project collectively. So It's just a matter of getting people at the table talking about what we can do together. It's it's amazing how many people want that and want to do it. So

1:01:48Commissioner. Yeah, I just was gonna add something. If Ridge Road you know it took forever to get Ridge Road done, but it was twenty-three to thirty years trying to wait on that. And but you gotta remember timing's perfect. If it had been done twenty three or thirty years ago, we wouldn't have a Moffat like we have there today. That serves all of our pizza. So timing's very important things done and and timing on this with the hurricanes and all that we've just had. Uh proves that we do need these sites to

1:02:19help us in these flood limits.

1:02:20Absolutely. Absolutely. And we did compliment Colonel Bowen by the way when we saw him on Ridge Road. We said that was the one place that didn't flood during as far as our evacuation routes, so he felt pretty good about that. So good stuff.

1:02:33All right. Well thank you so much. Thank

1:02:35you for your support.

1:02:36Up next I have um David Engel to come up and talk about a Letter that I need your permission to sign. I think I have a copy here. I did all the commissioners get a copy of this? Are we gonna read it? Joanna?

1:02:49What is it?

1:02:50This letter. Not yet. Okay. Um so David do you have a copy of it?

1:02:55I do ma'am.

1:02:56Okay. So let's talk about that meeting. Very exciting and

1:03:00I will do. Um David Engel, Planning and Economic Development Director. I don't have a presentation today, but I just want to give you some brief history. Approximately two years ago Tampa Wave, which is a consortium of county engagement for economic development, approached the University of South Florida to investigate how we can bring in and introduce new types of industrial development and research and development here in our region. I don't know if the board is aware

1:03:30of this, but Tampa Bay is the number one manufacturing area for the State of Florida. And uh as a result of that USF study they identified that uh defense technology is ripe for the pickings here for our region. Uh we have the Space Coast, McDill Air Force Base, and a lot of uh potential for defense technology. It was seen as a catalyst type of um activity because innovation invent defense tech, it spreads out and it will contribute

1:04:00to our economic prosperity. As a result of the study, uh a Economic Development Administration grant application is being submitted. We have a time-sensitive matter and Tampa Wave, who's our lead in this engagement, has requested a letter of endorsement by the Board of County Commissioners. And we're not pledging any any funding contribution to this for matching funds. But that's something that I could bring forth to the

1:04:30board if they receive this EDA grant. We just want to make sure that the money is equally spent in Pasco as well as Hillsborough and Pernella. So we want to have equal standing at the table. So the request is if the board could endorse the chair signing this letter of support without any financial commitment, we would be very much appreciated. Appreciate it.

1:04:52Uh well let me tell you a little more. Um you know I have the uh PEDC International Economic Development Committee. And um what what there's a gentleman on there named Andy Bennett who lives in Pasco County who um is former military and now has a company called Defense Tech and he and he works with a group to bring Um defense contractors here to Tampa Bay and he's partnered with Tampa Bay Wave. And if you remember we have

1:05:22the the company that came that just moved here that does the fingerprint through the windows, that's working with D O D. Um And uh they also brought another company, I don't know who it is yet, another defense contractor has come to the county. So they they came uh and met with us. couple of weeks ago. Um so this EDA grant is a Tampa Bay grant, so it's Hillsboro. Penellas and Pasco working together. I think the ask was a

1:05:52hundred thousand each.

1:05:54Yes ma'am.

1:05:54Oh so I'm I um I'm hoping that we'll come back um with uh ask for us to put in our share because I believe Hillsborough and Penales have already approved their uh one hundred. That's correct. Yeah. Um but time is of the essence for them to apply for this grant so

1:06:12So my motion is though that it doesn't cover any financial

1:06:16responsibility at this

1:06:17time, but just support.

1:06:19But we want to be included in And they're saying that we we are You know, we're the catch basin for a lot of these companies because there's no space down in Hillsborough and Penels. So we have an opportunity to be partnering with SOCOM. And um you know, all the cool things that are happening down there at McDill. um for those companies to come here. and um set up shop. So yeah, Commissioner Oakley.

1:06:44The economic development money from the Penny for Pasco, would this be an applicable use for that funds? Yes sir, it

1:06:50would.

1:06:51I'm ready to make a motion to put the hundred grand from that. I

1:06:54I would second that.

1:06:55Well I well made a motion. I know you made a motion. I'm d I'm I'm throwing that out there to you. So you

1:07:01can amend your motion if you choose. I mean this is a great this is This is something we want to be participating in. Yes.

1:07:08So question is David, so does this money go to This money is to be inje if if we're to give receive the grant, this money is injected into the actual businesses itself.

1:07:20Well, it's establishing incubators throughout the county, seed money to establish uh burgeoning businesses that are an aerospace defense. And we're hopeful that because of our ready sites and ready-to-go project uh land area if that's industrially zoned with all the access and utilities, that we could uh obtain some of that development here in the county.

1:07:42And the the EDA grant. require a m a local match. All three counties. And so all three counties want to go in together, I'd love for us to go in.

1:07:50I think it makes a better look if all three counties have committed a

1:07:54hundred

1:07:55thousand as well.

1:07:57And if you know Tampa Bay Wave, I mean that's a very established organization and defen the defense tech It's great company and they're doing wonderful things. Okay. So a motion.

1:08:10So no no Commissioner Oakley made the motion. I threw the idea out to add the hundred thousand in through the penny for Pasco. Oh I thought you amended his motion. Have you m you amended the motion? Do

1:08:19you

1:08:19accept it?

1:08:20This is penny money.

1:08:23So I I also have a question. So I mean it specifically calls out AM skills. Is this money designated for that organization? No, no, no.

1:08:31No sir, it's

1:08:31not a good idea.

1:08:36No, there's there's this is directly to the Tampa Wave effort. It's just some of the attributes the county has that's attractive for aerospace defense. We also named uh smart starts and various other programming that the county supported parts.

1:08:50Sure. So Commissioner Oakley made the motion, he's willing to amend with 100,000 EDC. Who made the second? I did. She did. She's allowed to make it. I'm allowed to second. She's allowed to make a

1:09:03second.

1:09:05Good.

1:09:05Okay. Um I think we have two letters. One has the funding match in it. She can't make it and one has right? I sent you.

1:09:15There were there were two draft letters, one with a funding commitment, one without. So we would say

1:09:19it says

1:09:20we default to the funding one if the board is gives me an affirmative vote.

1:09:23They they drafted this letter for us. They just happened to I told them about our manufacturing training program and they went to see it. You're like, oh my God, this is fantastic. So um Okay, so all in favor? Uh aye. Opposed? Okay. So we'll do the other letter. If you get me the other copy, I'll send it. I know they needed ASAP because that grant application is due. Um the is panos here?

1:09:51No. I you know, we have a lot of time and I just wanted to get an update on Ridge Road. And how we're doing, but I don't know if there's anyone here that can give us that.

1:09:59Sure there is.

1:10:02Oh

1:10:02I thought he was.

1:10:04Is he here?

1:10:05Yeah,

1:10:06it's got something. I texted him but I Oh good. Okay, can you just give us a little update on Ridge Road? Sure. Uh Panos

1:10:15Conces, assistant county engineer with the Transportation Engineering Department. Ridge Road is progressing well. The contractor had encountered some issues with unsuitable soils that were not in the initial uh plan. But they're moving forward. Um we are working now with an agreement for the CSX uh crossing and that's gonna go to the uh County Attorney's Office. We're just processing the RLS right now. So everything is moving well. Um the the utilities

1:10:45connection for Moffit is moving forward. Um we expect those to happen before the end of the year. That's the important uh commitment.

1:10:56And um With regards to opening the two lanes, we are trying to open them by the end of the year. You know, it's not very sure that we're gonna make that goal.

1:11:07Two so you don't oh we're gonna do it like the last time. Two on one side, two lanes, and then

1:11:13we're gonna build the other two lanes. Okay.

1:11:16I've I've never gotten the answer, but I've asked many, many times. Um that when we do the bridge over the CSX Railroad Railroad. Make sure that there is room enough for pedestrians and cyclists and whatever to go under that as well.

1:11:30We have that under consideration. We we will try to accommodate that.

1:11:34Yeah. It's there. It is there? I mean we if we're building it we better be not trying we better you know, we need to be doing it. I've been saying it since who designed that road. Yes. So um It's much cheaper to go go ahead and let people cross underneath. I I don't even know where it is and what's around it, but than to do a pedestrian overpass. Um okay I have two more questions for you. Um

1:12:03I was told State wrote the that the bike ped overpass at State Road fifty two was gonna start quite a while ago and When I drive by it I don't see any construction, so Where is that project? Do you happen to know?

1:12:17Uh I I don't have the status at this time. I can contact the PM and I will update you. Uh

1:12:25what's really frustrating to me is we've had that Penny for Pasco money sitting there for years, for for fifty four The fifty-four overpass and the fifty-two overpass And uh uh we keep It was supposed to be built years ago and every year the price goes up. So every year our money you know, doesn't stretch like it should. So I don't understand it. It was supposed to be under construction like a year ago. Um so

1:12:54Yeah, I'd love to get the answer.

1:12:58I don't know if we're building it or if D O T's Sun Coast is building it, but It was B both of those were spot should have been done by now. It's fit

1:13:07to

1:13:08the state project. Huh?

1:13:10If

1:13:10it's how we fit it for, it's a state road. Um well it's the Sun Coast I think, not D O T but we gave them the money. Um, uh, yeah. They've long been funded. Somehow the fifty-four one was gonna go first, but we put that on hold Because we thought the side the the we had to wait for the turnpike to finish their new design, but it turned out that wasn't true. But in the meantime The fifty two one went ahead. Do you remember this from our MPO

1:13:41meetings? Like two years ago. And there's I just look, there is nothing happening there. So

1:13:47I will I will find out. That's

1:13:49probably maybe a Tania question.

1:13:51Yes.

1:13:52Okay.

1:13:52Madam Clerk. Just to touch on one thing on fifty-two as well. I I just heard this morning that they're actually looking at building another truck stop out at seventy five and fifty-two. Really? Yeah, Representative Holton was not comfortable with it, I think it was. And I think it's something we should go take a look at because We need to see what's going on there.

1:14:10At our at that intersection?

1:14:14So I just I just heard that this morning, but if you can check into that seventy

1:14:17five and fifty two the interchange?

1:14:21Where

1:14:22all

1:14:22those corners are taken,

1:14:24just Dunno. Well I think it's worth taking a look at.

1:14:27Hopefully not the north. West Corner. Which

1:14:32I I don't know actually like I said, all I have is heard, but now that you've brought it up you're gonna t check with D O T. I think it'll take a look at that too.

1:14:39Okay. We'll look at that.

1:14:40Where was it you heard that truck stop was going? Yeah, I was on a radio call this morning, but then I got a text from someone who was a civic association first that heard Representative Pulkin was afraid of what was going on out there.

1:14:52Okay. Okay. Yeah, I've I've not heard about any other uh truck stop going in that area. So

1:14:59Interesting. Um any other questions for panels? No. Okay. All right, thank you very much. Okay, so we'll move on to Commissioner Oakley.