Luis Viera, the New Tampa resident who has served for greater than eight years in New Tampa’s District 7 on the Tampa Metropolis Council, says he has hosted about 85 city corridor conferences throughout his tenure on the Council. And, although not all of these city corridor occasions have been positioned in — or targeted on — New Tampa, Viera has made his house zip code of 33647 a prime precedence, particularly over the previous 12 months or so, when there was a rise in headline-grabbing homicides in our space.
Viera’s most up-to-date city corridor, held on March 3 on the Compton Park at Tampa Palms clubhouse, was once more attended by almost 50 native residents, as Viera introduced Tampa Police Division (TPD) Capt. Benjamin Brown and two TPD sergeants to debate public security, in addition to Viera’s plans for his future (as we reported in our March 4 New Tampa situation).
Among the many matters Viera mentioned:
Politics – “I’m not rot working for Mayor. Working for that workplace is a full-time job and I’ve a full-time job as an legal professional, so this isn’t my time. However, I actually am going to be working for one thing else, which is able to possible be County Commissioner or State Consultant. My good friend, State Rep. Fentrice Driskell is term-limited in 2026, so that’s possible the place I’ll be working, however an announcement might be forthcoming.”
Overview of what he’s been engaged on in Metropolis Council –
Hurricane Aid – “I bought $3.5 million for North Tampa for hurricane aid, hoping for $1 million extra from Metropolis Council.”
All For Transportation (AFT) gross sales tax cash that was being held by the State Legislature — “It’s going to be launched shortly. We’re inquiring about what the Metropolis will do with its share of the funds. I wish to see a few of it go to 2 issues — New Tampa Blvd. and ending up Tampa Palms (TP) Blvd. We bought the $3-$4 mill funding for the primary half of TP Blvd. 3-4 years in the past. Now we have now to complete what we began. I’ve additionally heard that the county will use AFT funds for Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. from Fowler Ave. to Bearss Ave.”
Parks – “I bought $1 million for the design of the park at Okay-Bar funded with Group Funding Tax (CIT) funds. I’m additionally not going to be right here after 2027, possibly even 2026, so whoever is on this place after me might want to get the funding within the finances to construct that park. A giant a part of that might be a cricket discipline, one thing necessary to the massive Indian -American inhabitants in New Tampa. I’m very proud to have gotten over the past eight years nearly $10 mill in new metropolis parks funded — together with increasing the New Tampa Rec Ctr, including Tampa’s first All Talents Park (the primary city-funded park that caters to individuals with disabilities — autism, mental & bodily), plus the extra growth of the courts at Liberty Center Faculty (a joint mission between the Hillsborough Faculty Board and the town).”
Harrison Boonstoppel – “I made a movement at Metropolis Council to have the All Talents Park renamed for 20-year-old Harrison Boonstoppel, who was killed in Oct. 2023 by the crossfire of rival gangs taking pictures at one another in Ybor Metropolis. Haarrison had some bodily and psychological disabilities however he was the kind of younger man, with the assistance of his household, who actually maximized all of his potential. He was a particular human being. And, with the help of the neighborhoods, together with Tampa Palms, New Tampa, in addition to Pepin Academies (the place he went to high school) and completely different particular wants advocates, we’re attempting to see if we are able to have that park named after Harrison as a result of his life, God relaxation his soul, actually displays what that park is all about.”
Stafford Park, Tampa Palms – “There’s about 5 acres that was initially alleged to be the situation of the All-Talents Park, however the park bought moved as a result of it was very close to the interstate, which might not be good for a sensory park. I’m attempting to see if we are able to get design cash within the subsequent finances for a mushy, neighborhood ‘pocket park’ at that location. Simply ensuring that earlier than they promote that property to Walmart or whoever, that we glance into utilizing it for a metropolis use.”
Penguin Venture – “I bought the town to offer $150,000 for this arts program for individuals with mental disabilities to have the ability to do performs and humanities. one other option to promote New Tampa. It’s humorous that I get tagged as being anti-arts as a result of I voted towards giving $25 million to the Straz Middle and $25 million for the Tampa Museum of Artwork, as a result of I assumed that type of cash may very well be used elsewhere, however the Penguin Venture is the type of arts funding that I can help.”
Fireplace Rescue – “One of many large issues that I actually all the time attempt to battle for on Tampa Metropolis Council is public security. In 2017, I bought Tampa Fireplace Rescue Station No. 23 in Grand Hampton funded, after which Station No. 25 in North Tampa to assist out with Station 13, and just lately, we have been in a position to fund Station No. 24 on Whiteway close to Temple Terrace. I nonetheless actually wish to repair response instances in Okay-Bar Ranch. I’ve been having a disagreement with the administration on Okay-Bar Ranch response instances and I’ve been attempting to determine tips on how to treatment that. Chief Tripp says she’s going to place a further automobile out at Station No. 22 in Cross Creek. We construct and construct and construct however it’s important to have corresponding infrastructure, mobility & public security to go together with that. It’s simply frequent sense.”
Capt. Brown, who’s with TPD’s Particular Operations Division downtown, mentioned his division handles “visitors, visitors murder, the motor unit, the SWAT (Particular Weapons & Ways) group, bomb squad, helicopters, canine, horses, boats — something that’s not regular patrol.” Listed below are a number of the gadgets he mentioned:
Rushing on Tampa Palms Blvd. —“I used to be advised to speak about dashing on Tampa Palms Blvd., however as Councilman Viera mentioned, there are issues our mobility division can do to cut back dashing, however dashing is an epidemic, not simply on Tampa Palms Blvd. or in New Tampa, however in every single place. I reside up right here too, so it’s an enormous concern of mine. I see this downside on a regular basis — to work, house from work…and it results in all the pieces from fights to highway rage to shootings. We clearly don’t need that in our neighborhoods. However, stopping individuals, writing tickets, deters some individuals however not everybody. In February alone, in zip code 33647, there have been over 700 visitors stops. You possibly can think about the quantity of manpower and time that takes to work in [those stops] with requires service…individuals who need assistance. With these visitors stops, some have been citations, some have been arrests, some have been warnings, however the reality of it’s the motor squad, the patrol models, they do plenty of visitors stops up right here and we nonetheless have the issues we have now. ‘Environmental’ modifications we are able to make — embrace creating velocity zones, visitors circles, diminished velocity limits. These are a number of the issues that may be executed to decelerate visitors.”
Capt. Brown additionally mentioned some completely different autos which are positively rising in reputation, not simply in New Tampa, however throughout.
Ebikes & Scooters – “I used to be requested to speak in regards to the legal guidelines on the subject of ebikes, scooters, mopeds, these sorts of issues. For ebikes , the laws and legal guidelines haven’t actually caught up with that but. You do not want a license or registration to drive an ebike, which is a bicycle that has motor of some type on it. It may be fully propelled by the motor or kick began by pedal energy. There’s three lessons — Class 1 is a pedal help solely and may solely go as much as 20 mph. Class 2 is a throttle help, no pedaling. You simply pull a throttle and it goes, and people are solely alleged to go as much as 20 mph. Class 3 is a pedal help that may go as much as 28 mph. These ebikes nonetheless should adhere to regardless of the velocity limits are on the road they’re on. Helmets are necessary for anybody below age16 they usually should adhere to all guidelines of the roadway identical to a bicycle. They are often on the sidewalks, however pedestrians all the time have the proper of manner on sidewalks.”
Golf Carts & Low-Pace Autos – “We’re all conscious of the pattern in sure neighborhoods the place golf carts have gotten extremely popular. They’re simple to cost and simple to get across the neighborhood. There’s three lessons of those, too. There are golf carts, which go lower than 20 mph; low-speed autos, which go 20-25 mph, and are mainly a hybrid between vehicles & golf carts; and there are common vehicles. Low-speed autos appear like golf carts however are able to greater speeds. They are often registered, they usually have to stick to security protocols that vehicles have — cease lamps, flip alerts, head lamps, hind lights, parking brakes, seat belts, and many others. You will get tags for these autos and they are often pushed on the streets, however then, they have to be registered and you will need to carry insurance coverage for them. These aren’t one thing we’re going to exit & assault in the event that they’re being secure, when we have now speeders and other people being reckless. Low-speed autos might be pushed on the road so long as the highway velocity restrict is not any greater than 35 mph and the automobile is able to going no less than 20 mph. In the event that they’re registered and also you’re a licensed driver, you’ll be able to drive these on the streets. Golf carts & low-speed autos can’t go on sidewalks until they’re designated paths/cart-ways. There might be indicators if a sidewalk is designated for that.”
Electrical Scooters – “These are those that the youngsters are driving, however you truly need to be 16 or older to drive a kind of. I’ll admit, although, that I’m in violation of that. My daughter, I’m attempting to persuade her to get off the highway and on the sidewalk and, like many dad and mom, I’m in violation of that. However, the scooters can’t be on the road, they usually can’t be registered, however they will go on sidewalks & designated pathways, however not on streets.”
Faculty Bus Information – Capt. Brown additionally mentioned he was requested to debate faculty bus guidelines. “If the varsity bus is stopped with its ‘arms’ out and there’s no median or a really skinny median, vehicles in each instructions need to cease. The one time you don’t need to cease is when there’s no less than a six-foot-wide raised median,. Then, the oncoming visitors doesn’t need to cease. However clearly, everyone desires to make use of warning. We’re going to begin implementing a faculty velocity security program. No faculties on this space are listed but however I’m anticipating this program to develop and what it does is put cameras within the faculty zones which are going to choose up these dashing via it . Whether or not your view of camera-enforced visitors is constructive or unfavorable, I don’t suppose anybody might argue that defending these faculty zones and our kids is a paramount factor that we needs to be doing. That needs to be popping out in August of subsequent 12 months.”
A few of the questions the officers and Viera answered following their displays might be included when this story seems within the April 1 version of New Tampa Neighborhood Information.
