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2012 Hillsborough River Interlocal Planning Board Meeting Dates
Tuesday, May 15
(Joint Meeting with TAC)
Monday, August 27
Monday, December 3
2012 Hillsborough River Technical Advisory
Council (TAC) Meeting Dates
Tuesday, April 17 - CANCELLED
Tuesday, May 15
Tuesday, June 19
Tuesday, July 17
Tuesday, August 21
Tuesday, September 18
Tuesday, October 16
Tuesday, November 20
Tuesday, December 18
For more information on the Hillsborough River Interlocal Planning Board & Technical Advisory Council, please contact staff at 813.272.5940 or visit:
www.hillsboroughriver.org
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| SWIM Program Adds Projects on River | |
 In recognition of the need to place additional emphasis on the restoration, protection and management of the surface water resources of the State, the Florida Legislature, through the Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Act of 1987, directed the state's water management districts to "design and implement plans and programs for the improvement and management of surface water" (Section 373.451, F.S.). The SWIM legislation requires the water management districts to protect the ecological, aesthetic, recreational, and economic value of the state's surface water bodies, keeping in mind that water quality degradation is frequently caused by point and non-point source pollution, and that degraded water quality can cause both direct and indirect losses of habitats. This program has a long history of successful projects within the Hillsborough River Corridor.
The River Board's Technical Advisory Council recently received a presentation outlining three new projects that will benefit the River from Ms. Stephanie Powers of the District's SWIM program. The first project is River Tower Park. Part of the property adjacent to the River will become a stormwater pond. The large watershed in this area currently discharges directly to the river without treatment. Construction of this stormwater pond is expected to greatly improve water quality in the River. The second project at Water Works Park in Tampa will restore the shoreline and spring run. This project is being completed as a partnership between the City of Tampa and the non-profit Ecosphere organization. The third project, scheduled for 2013, will remove exotic invasive plants, as much turf grass as possible, and plant native plant species at Roger's Park Golf Course. Ponds may also be reconfigured to provide better habitat and water treatment. We look forward to the completion of these important projects on the River.
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| NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS TO THE HILLSBOROUGH RIVER TECHNICAL ADVISORY COUNCIL | |
The Mayor and City Council of the City of Temple Terrace are currently accepting applications from citizens interested in serving as the City's representative on the Hillsborough River Technical Advisory Council. The purpose and scope of the activities of this Council are to give advice and make recommendations to the Hillsborough River Interlocal Planning Board with respect to the development of the coordinated master plan for the Hillsborough River Corridor.
Interested applicants must reside in Temple Terrace. Members of this council serve four year terms without compensation. Financial Disclosure forms must be submitted annually. Persons interested in being considered for appointment to this Board should contact the City Clerk's office at 506-6444 for a Citizen Board Handbook and application. Applications must be returned to the City Clerk, P.O. Box 16930, Temple Terrace, Florida 33687, no later than April 27, 2012. Equal consideration will be given to persons submitting applications and persons recommended by members of the City Council. For more information, go to: http://templeterrace.com/govt/pdfs/HR%20Tech_031412.pdf
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| Member and Officer Roundup | |
 At their January 17, 2012 regular meeting the Temple Terrace City Council re-appointed Council Member Alison Fernandez to serve as the City's representative on the Hillsborough River Interlocal Planning Board. Councilwoman Fernandez is currently serving as Chair of the River Board. We look forward to her continued participation and leadership.
Planning Commissioner Doughty was re-appointed to the  TAC, replacing outgoing Planning Commissioner Ray Young. A member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, Mr. Doughty has focused on the development of hydrologic and hydraulic modeling of stormwater conveyance systems and management facilities with extensive experience in Land Engineering and Planning, Roadway Design, DRI and Stormwater Projects, and commercial and multi-family site development engineering. A resident of Hillsborough County for 38 years, he is the Vice President of Applied Sciences Consulting, Inc. Mr. Doughty has served on many local boards and committees, including the Environmental Protection Commission's Technical Advisory Committee and SWFWMD's Surface Water Advisory Group. He was the Project Manager and Lead Technical Engineer for the preparation of the Hillsborough River Watershed Management Plan for Hillsborough County, which won an Award of Excellence in 2002 at the Planning Commission's Community Design Awards.
 We are very sad to report that long serving TAC member and Chair, Robert Carnahan, has resigned. A citizen appointee of the City of Temple Terrace, Mr. Carnahan has been an integral part of the Technical Advisory Council for many years. Mr. Carnahan will be greatly missed. We wish Mr. Carnahan all the best in his future endeavors.
 The Technical Advisory Council elected new officers at their regular January meeting. Dr. Richard Brown was elected Chair. Dr. Brown is a citizen appointee of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners.
 Mr. Peter Owens was elected Vice-Chair. Mr. Owens is the staff appointee of the Environmental Protection Commission of Hillsborough County. We look forward to an active year under this leadership.
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Did you know?
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The Sulphur Springs Water Tower, a landmark of Tampa, stands 214 feet (65 m) tall, with a foundation 45 feet (14 m) deep which makes it visible from nearby Interstate 275 and much of the rest of Sulphur Springs.
The structure is constructed from poured cement using railroad rails for 'rebar.' The walls are eight inches (203 mm) thick with a buttressed base on solid rock. "Concrete was poured into forms that were raised by yokes and jacks -- 10 feet (3.0 m) went up a day. The tower rests on rock, has cantilever foundation, and with the buttresses will be rather a difficult job to ever destroy," wrote Poole. When it was operational, it stored 200,000 gallons of water pumped up from the nearby artesian springs. The water tank occupies the upper quarter of the cylindrical tower; while seven floors, one room per floor, constitute the lower three quarters. Original construction included an electric passenger elevator.
The water tower was built in 1927 by Grover Poole for realtor and developer Josiah T. Richardson to supply adequate water pressure to the Sulphur Springs Hotel & Apartments and Mave's Arcade. Richardson had developed next to Sulphur Spring with plans to expand the resort spa, alligator farm tourist attraction, and other enterprises. Mave's Arcade occupied the first floor of the hotel building and was the first shopping mall in Florida.
Richardson mortgaged the entire resort ($180,000 at the time) to finance the construction of the tower. However, in 1933, with the sabotage and collapse of the Tampa Electric Company dam that ripped through downtown Tampa during the Depression (draining cow pasture land that had been inconveniently flooded by the dam's construction), the arcade was heavily damaged. The businesses in the arcade failed, and Richardson lost everything.
From construction until 1971, the water tower happily operated as a private water company piping artesian well water to commercial and residential customers in the immediate vicinity. The tower is built over the opening of an artesian well, and the water well and pumps are located under the tower itself. Another building was on the property at that time housed fluoridation and filtering equipment. In 1971, the owner of the water company and tower - "the Estate of J.F. Hendrick" (several beneficiaries under his will including surviving relatives) - ceased water piping operations, leaving the City's water utility company the business of piping water to citizens.
Later in the 1970s, this property was home to the Tower Drive-In Theater. At one time, it was defaced with significant amounts of graffiti. An aircraft warning light atop the tower (since removed) was said to have interfered with movie viewing. The screen was backed against the river, so people across the river could not view the movie screen without paying admission. All remnants of the drive-in theatre have been removed except for some sea-shell dredgings that paved the theatre's car aisles.
In the mid-1980s there was a move to develop the property as a condominium or high-end apartment complex, with the tower preserved as its centerpiece. Ultimately, the project fell through. In 1989, the tower was restored. It was pressure washed and painted with 150 gallons of 'graffiti proof paint' donated by Sherwin-Williams Co., with labor donated by Service Painting Corp.
2002 saw a bid by a large chain drugstore to build on the site, but public outcry killed the project. The site was subsequently purchased by the City of Tampa who in 2005 installed lights for nighttime illumination. In what is now called River Tower Park, there is a limited one-lane access road off Bird Street and no facilities. The ongoing Tampa Riverwalk project is planned to pass under the tower along the river. Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sulphur_Springs_Water_Tower |
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In accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other nondiscrimination laws, public participation is solicited without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability or family status. |
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