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Development gets commission's nod
By KATHY SAUNDERS © St. Petersburg Times, published October 22, 2000 TREASURE ISLAND -- City commissioners on Tuesday made a series of decisions that could impact residents and visitors for decades. The unanimity reached at last week's workshop should be finalized at Tuesday's 3:30 p.m. public meeting at City Hall. Here are the details: Commissioners agreed to spend up to $2-million to plan the construction of a new bridge; presented a $100,000 plan to renovate City Hall and set up a schedule to redevelop downtown; gave initial approval to three new townhouse developments; and endorsed the fire department's purchase of an $80,000 rescue truck. Commissioners also signed a proclamation to honor Olympic athlete Michele Smith, who moved to Paradise Island this month after winning her second gold medal with the United States softball team. "It's a blessing for me to be here," said Smith, 31, a hard-throwing pitcher. "The scenery is wonderful here, and I get to come here and relax." Smith autographed softballs and hugged every member of a local girls softball team who came to see and touch her gold medal. "That meeting was a good reflection of what's happening in Treasure Island," said City Manager Chuck Coward after the workshop. Besides adopting a national hero, "It's really been a banner year for Treasure Island with the bridge, new land development, infrastructure improvements and the modernization of downtown." Commissioners accepted the recommendation of a technical review committee in selecting URS/EC Driver & Associates of Tampa to conduct the two-year study needed to renovate or replace the 64-year-old bridge. A new or rehabilitated bridge is expected to cost $40-million to $50-million. The commission spent a day earlier this month reviewing presentations from four firms that wanted the bridge contract. "This will be the first real money we've spent," Coward said. The city paid $78,000 last year for an initial study to determine some preliminary cost estimates for a new bridge. "But this (the new study) will get us pretty far down the road," said Commissioner Butch Ellsworth. Commissioners want to get the bridge construction underway by 2003. The bridge issue drew more consultants than residents. Of the handful of neighbors who attended the meeting, only three addressed the commission. They were concerned about the density of a few townhomes in Sunset Beach and whether the redecorating at City Hall will affect the city's plans to broadcast commission meetings on cable television. The city plans to replace the ceilings and flooring in City Hall, remove outdated wall paneling, remodel some hallways and create a public waiting area for the administrative offices. The walls will be repainted to reflect the sage green theme that commissioners are envisioning throughout the city's new buildings. The designer plans to create a green, wooden-wave pattern along the corridors of City Hall. Commissioners said they wanted a few perks for themselves, too, and asked for a new dais. Coward said the City Hall renovations could be completed by the end of the year if interior designer Carol Green from Design Team Associates Inc. of Tierra Verde gets the go-ahead to hire her own contractors. But commissioners said they may delay the work to offer local companies a chance to submit proposals for some of the jobs. "Even if it costs us the extra money, we're better served by doing our taxpayers this deed," Ellsworth said. "At least we would not end up with egg on our faces." Cablecasting of commission meetings could begin Nov. 28, according to a citizens group that is promoting the project. But city officials have not yet purchased the equipment or set a date for those broadcasts.
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From the Times South Pinellas desks |
