ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The St. Petersburg City Council approved a resolution on Thursday requiring the city to consider nature-based solutions first for all stormwater infrastructure projects.
“This is huge,” said Public Works Administrator Claude Tankersley. “We’re really excited that we made this progress.”
Tankersley believes St. Petersburg is the first city in Florida to adopt such a policy. He said the ultimate goal is a hybrid approach that combines conventional or “gray” construction with nature-based or “green” solutions.
The city’s Health, Energy, Resilience and Sustainability Committee, known as HERS, had unanimously approved the policy before it went to the full city council for a vote.
“I think it’s really exciting to be able to say that we are a city that’s going to take nature-based approaches seriously,” said Council Member Gina Driscoll. “To think of that first as we move forward.”
Sustainability and Resilience Director Maeven Rogers said the city incorporated a nature-based design into the St. Pete Pier, which includes trees and green space on the north side of the concrete bridge. Last month, Spectrum News first reported about how the city also plans to use HydroPlanters for a $7 million stormwater project near the 54th Avenue North canal.
Tankersley said requiring Public Works to consider nature-based solutions first could help the city win more state grants.
“A lot of grants will give you extra points if you can show you’re doing natural-based solutions to help the environment as well as to the problems of flooding,” he said. “It should help us be more competitive for grants.”
Will Michaels, Resiliency Chair of the Council of Neighborhood Associations Committee, said he supported the move.
“I think that is a fantastic addition here. It’s good to see that that’s being emphasized,” he said. “There’s a lot that can be done with mangroves, with swales, to help blunt the damage that’s done by storms.”
The city’s mandate is to explore nature-based solutions first for major public works projects. Tankersley said some projects may still require conventional construction if nature-based options are too expensive.
The city council also approved creating a Resilience Advisory Committee and a General Obligation Advisory Committee. The GO bond committee will only take effect if voters approve a $600 million referendum in the November election to accelerate stormwater projects.
The city said the GO bond committee would provide transparency and include a citizen member from each district.