TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa City Council members were briefed Thursday morning on the proposed South Howard flood relief project ahead of a vote.

What You Need To Know

City officials say the South Howard flood relief project involves designing and building a major stormwater conveyance system to improve drainage and reduce flooding

The council is scheduled to vote on reallocating more than $21 million in grant funding from the Stormwater Bond Series Fund to support the project

The project carries an estimated total price tag of $98 million

The SoHo Business Alliance has filed a legal challenge related to Thursday’s meeting, claiming it violated Florida’s Sunshine Law because of insufficient public notice. The City Attorney’s Office disputes that claim

The council is scheduled to vote on reallocating more than $21 million in grant funding from the Stormwater Bond Series Fund to support the project. City officials say the vote is necessary to keep the project alive, while some residents and business owners say they still have significant concerns.

The project carries an estimated total price tag of $98 million.

City officials say the project involves designing and building a major stormwater conveyance system to improve drainage and reduce flooding.

What Thursday’s vote does

City officials say the project would involve designing and building a major stormwater conveyance system aimed at improving drainage and reducing chronic flooding in the South Howard area.

During Thursday’s workshop, council members emphasized the vote does not authorize construction. Instead, it would shift existing stormwater funds from one project to another to allow planning and design work to continue.

“Some members of the community were told today was the most important vote,” said Councilman Bill Carlson. “Tonight, we’re only moving $21 million from one account to another — which could easily be moved again.”

City officials argue that the funding shift is critical to prevent the project from stalling.

In a statement released Thursday, the City of Tampa said the future of the South Howard flood relief project hinges on the vote.

“The project would effectively be dead if council members vote against moving unspent stormwater funds from another successful project into the SoHo project,” said city spokesperson Adam Smith. “There’s no point continuing to devote resources and energy to this if it lacks support from council members.”

Joanie Corneil, owner of Bella’s Café, attended the workshop and said she remains unconvinced that the project’s benefits justify its cost.

“There’s no guarantee — and spending $100 million, I don’t agree,” Corneil said.

She also raised concerns about potential economic affects on local businesses and questioned whether surrounding neighborhoods such as Parkland Estates and Palma Ceia Pines would see meaningful flood relief.

Housing advocate Stephanie Poynor questioned whether the project focuses too narrowly on one area while other flood-prone neighborhoods across Tampa remain vulnerable.

“You can see there are tons of areas that are low-lying and going to flood too,” Poynor said. “But we’re going to spend all our money in one area and then not have anything left.”

Residents say they are seeking stronger assurances that long-delayed flood mitigation efforts will finally move forward.

“Here we are, 10 years later, still discussing this,” Poynor added. “Inaction is not an option.”

Sunshine Law challenge filed

The SoHo Business Alliance has filed a legal challenge related to Thursday’s meeting, claiming it violated Florida’s Sunshine Law because of insufficient public notice.

The City Attorney’s Office disputes that claim.

“The Tampa City Attorney’s Office says the meeting was properly noticed,” Smith said. “In addition, we promoted it on social media, informed area neighborhood associations, and emailed hundreds of people who signed up for updates about this project. Very few Tampa City Council meetings are promoted as much as this one.”

City Council members are expected to continue discussing funding and potential changes to the project during their meeting Thursday at 6 p.m. Any final decision on the South Howard Flood Relief Project would take place at a future meeting.