Proposed amendments to the city's Coastal High Hazard Area (CHHA) map and land development regulations will be discussed tomorrow by City Council. The proposal would allow for increased density in the CHHA and require new construction to be more resilient to major storm events. CHHA will be discussed at a Committee of the Whole meeting on Thursday, July 30th at 2:30 PM. If council decides to move forward with the proposal, two public hearings with options for public comment will be scheduled prior to a final vote. Email amy.foster@stpete.org with your thoughts and questions and watch the live meeting here.
Instead of police, CAL Team members will respond to an estimated 12,000 calls per year for things like intoxication, mental health crises, truancy, homelessness complaints and neighborhood disputes.
Incorporating community member on the hiring board.
Increasing mandatory training for officers on things like bias in policing and deescalation.
Evaluating additional equipment and policy changes to improve policing.
Good News from District 8 Neighborhoods!
Shout out to Central Oak Park Resident Debbie Pollock for bringing her neighbors together and supporting those in need! Pollock set up a
table in her front yard with free food and has replenished the table with donations from her neighbors many times since the start of the pandemic. Kind and thoughtful actions like these help us all get through these uncertain times. Thank you, Debbie!
Congratulations to the Historic Kenwood Neighborhood Association for being named
Neighborhood of the Year by Neighborhoods, USA! HKNA was recognized for their public arts initiatives which have revitalized the neighborhood. Since 2017, HKNA has raised money to beautify 7 benches, 16 street signs, and 26 light posts with local art. Keep up the great work, Historic Kenwood!
Return to School
The Pinellas County School Board voted to delay the start of the 2020-2021 school year by two weeks to allow time for additional COVID-19 precautionary measures to be put in place. School will now begin on August 24, 2020.
About 60% of families opted to enroll their students in virtual schooling options and 40% choose to send their students back in person. Those who made no selection were automatically enrolled in in-person schooling. To read more about each option, click here.
Although the deadline to select your preference through the portal has passed, you can still make changes to your selection. Use one of these three ways to get in touch with staff who can help.
If your child's school is closed due to COVID-19 and they typically receive free or reduced cost school meals, you are eligible for Pandemic- EBT. Click here for more information.
Healing While Black
In recognition of National Minority Mental Health Month, The Well for Life will host Healing While Black on July 31st via Zoom to engage in dialogue, explore research, bare witness to lived experiences.
