2014 Hillsborough River Interlocal Planning Board Meeting Dates:
Monday, December 8
Special Time - 10:30 a.m.
Unless otherwise noted, all River Board meetings will be held at 9:30 a.m. at Temple Terrace City Hall
(City Council Conference Room) 11250 N 56th St, Temple Terrace, FL 33617
2014 Hillsborough River Technical Advisory
Council (TAC)
Upcoming Meeting Dates:
Tuesday, October 21
Tuesday, November 18
All TAC meetings will be held at 1:30 p.m. at the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Tampa Service Center (Laurel Oaks Room)
7601 US Hwy 301, Tampa, FL 33637
For more information on the Hillsborough River Interlocal Planning Board & Technical Advisory Council, please contact staff at 813.272.5940 or visit:
planhillsborough.org
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| River Facts | The Middle River is the portion of the river north of the dam at 30th Street and is the primary source of water for the City of Tampa. The middle river is located in the middle portion of the river extending from its dam with the water contained back to Fletcher Avenue. The Hillsborough River has its headwaters begins in the Green Swamp and ultimately flows into to Tampa Bay.
Water was supplied in Tampa's early days by private wells, cisterns and tanks. Tampa's first water plant went into operation on April 20, 1899, operated by the private Tampa Waterworks Company. It pumped well water to supply the City of Tampa until March 6, 1923, when the people voted to purchase the Waterworks plant for the city. The middle river has been Tampa's official source of water since 1944.
But the middle river is far more than just the source for some of Tampa's drinking water, it is a wonderfully diverse river ecosystem within the larger urban area surrounding it. Orange Lake, in the Temple Crest neighborhood, is an Audubon Society bird nesting and sanctuary, is also a living wetlands.
Upstream along the banks of Temple Terrace's Riverhills Park is a scene from old Florida, with cypress trees dotting the watery landscape.
Recreation:
A 34.5-mile (55.5 km) canoe trail is designated by the State of Florida, starting at Hillsborough River State Park and ending at Rowlett Park in  Tampa. Morris Bridge Park, Trout Creek Wilderness Park, Hillsborough River State Park Lettuce Lake Park, Riverfront Park, Riverhills Park, Angel of Hope Park, Rogers Park, Sulphur Springs Water Tower, and Rivercrest Park are all are located along the Hillsborough River.
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A heartfelt farewell to River Board Chair
Alison Fernandez
 Termed out of office, the River Board must sadly say goodbye to long term member, and Chair of the River Board, Temple Terrace City Council Member Alison Fernandez. Council Member Fernandez became a resident of Temple Terrace in 1972, where she attended local schools, starting with Temple Terrace Elementary and graduating from King High School. A Florida State University graduate with Bachelor of Science degrees in Accounting and Finance, she worked as an auditor for KPMG Peat Marwick, LLC.
Ms. Fernandez also is active in the Temple Terrace Junior Woman's Club, the Lewis Elementary PTA, and the Temple Terrace Soccer Association. She was elected to the City Council on November 7, 2006 and re-elected in 2010. In addition to her service on the Hillsborough River Interlocal Planning Board, Ms. Fernandez is Temple Terrace's liaison to the School Support Committee. We wish Ms. Fernandez all the best in her future pursuits.
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2014 Hillsborough River inlet marking and
Coastal Clean Up
There are a series of scheduled land and water based cleanups, storm drain markings and watershed education activities being organized to develop environmental awareness, stewardship and a respect for our natural resources. The first event was held in Tampa on Saturday, September 20, 2014. Several volunteers helped the Hillsborough River by picking up trash along the river, placing door hanger educational materials in residential neighborhoods, and installing storm drain markers (500 inlets scheduled to be marked, including downtown) on the eastside of the river.
During the Hillsborough River & Coastal Cleanup, data is collected including the number and type of littered items, the overall tonnage removed and the amount of recyclable material diverted from each site. This information is used to determine future projects and create an awareness of the needs within the community. As part of the International Coastal Cleanup, data is shared with Keep America Beautiful, Ocean Conservancy, as well as local officials to help provide a local and global perspective. This is a great opportunity to prevent stormwater pollution in the Hillsborough River.
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Tampa unveils plans for Julian B Lane
Park renovation
| By Keith Morelli, Tribune Staff
Published: September 9, 2014
 | | Artist rendering of proposed promenade along the river. |
TAMPA - Susan Lane stopped by to hear and see first hand the renovations planned for Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park, tucked onto the west bank of the Hillsborough River between Tampa Preparatory School and the Laurel Street Bridge.She had not been invited by city officials. If they had known she would be there, they may have asked her to say a few words.
Her father was Julian B. Lane, Tampa's mayor from 1959 to 1963, who was instrumental in fighting segregation and went on to become a state lawmaker. The park named for him was built nearly 40 years ago, and Susan Lane had never walked through it before. "I've never walked to the river," she said. Besides being mayor, long before the park was built and dedicated to him in 1977, her father was captain of the Hillsborough High School football team, which played an annual Thanksgiving game at Phillips Field, the municipal stadium then on the Tampa Prep site. "He would have been really pleased," she said, after looking over the proposed design. "We all are proud of this."
The concept came out of a series of meetings with community leaders and residents living close to the park, including North Boulevard Homes across the street, said Mark Johnson, with Civitas, the urban design and landscaping team hired by the city to mold the park. "We didn't start with an idea," he said. The idea came after meeting with more than 300 people who dished out their own ideas. "It was refined again and again, based on people's feedback."
The most prominent need: a "great lawn," where picnics can be held along the riverfront, he said. "That's a big deal here," he said, more so than in other cities where the Denver-based Civitas has designed parks. There will be more, he said. A boathouse will store not only the Stewards Foundation, which offers rowing programs for children and teens and hosts crew competitions each year, but other organizations as well. There will be kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and even dragon boats stored in the boathouse. On the second floor will be a community center, Johnson said.
Now, there are mounds throughout the park, including one in which a small amphitheater sits. That will be torn down, along with some of the hills, so that the river can be seen from the west end of the park, Johnson said. There will be renovated parking and a water park for children. Basketball, tennis and beach volleyball courts will be renovated, and two stages for public events are planned. Walkways will adorn the park so people can stroll along the river and beneath the old live oaks.
"First and foremost," Johnson said, "people wanted access to the river." Mayor Bob Buckhorn said the surrounding communities have offered input that the designers paid attention."This pays homage to the neighborhoods," he said. "We included the communities in this. They've been involved. This is like no other project I've been involved with during my 25 years with the city."
The park is part of Buckhorn's plan for 150 acres of largely public riverfront land just north of Interstate 275, which city officials refer to as the "west bank." Eventually, the mayor said, the west side of the river between Julian B. Lane Riverfront Park and Rick's on the River restaurant to the north will be accessible to the public."It's not inexpensive," he said, "but I think it's worth doing."
Buckhorn said $8 million is in the budget to start the project, which he wants completed within five years. He said it will cost a lot more than that but wouldn't venture a guess. He said the city is looking at ways to offset costs, like boathouse naming rights or other private-sector sources of revenue. "To put it in perspective, Curtis Hixon Waterfront Park is five acres and that cost $20 million," he said. "This park is 25 acres. This will cost a significant sum of money. "But this is a worthwhile investment," he said. "It will pay dividends for years to come."
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Water Flowing Into Reservoir |
Tampa Bay Water is once again storing water in the region's water savings account, the C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir. Since July 25, 2014, an average of 129 million gallons of water has flowed into the reservoir daily.
 The reservoir has been undergoing a renovation since 2012 and is nearly complete. The renovation was done from the bottom up, so refilling could begin while construction around the top of the facility was finished. The reservoir has a 15.5-billion gallon capacity.
Reservoir renovation construction is nearing completion. Night work is now complete, and Kiewit is removing construction equipment from the reservoir site, including heavy trucks, tools, supplies, lights, machinery shelters, storage areas and other equipment that are no longer needed. The equipment was used to renovate the reservoir including replacing the erosion-control layer so the facility can perform as intended and when needed. In the next few weeks the office facilities will be removed and the area fully restored. This is all part of the final stages of construction. When full, the reservoir holds enough water to fill Raymond James Stadium more than 33 times. Water that is stored during wet times is used during dry times.
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32nd Annual Planning & Design Awards -
Get your tickets now! | 
Plan to join us as we recognize excellence in planning and design and toast Planning Commission and MPO Executive Director, Ray Chiaramonte, who will be retiring in January 2015!
October 30, 2014 |
Winners Announced
A La Carte Event Pavilion | 4050 Dana Shores Drive | Tampa
6:15 p.m. |
Cash Bar Reception
7:15 p.m. |
Dinner & Presentations
Tickets are $50 per person and are on sale through October 24, 2014. To make reservations or for more information, visit our online registration page right here!
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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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