Civic Issues
Topics getting the most attention in Pinellas County public meetings, ranked by how frequently they are discussed.
5 issues in environment with medium priority
Lake Seminole weed management
Lakeside residents described cattails and invasive weeds choking shorelines and trapping boats, and proposed a resident liaison and coordinated mechanical harvesting instead of piecemeal chemical spraying.
Solid waste tipping fees and recycling grants
Tipping fees go up 8% this year (second of three planned increases) after losing the power purchase agreement. The $500,000 municipal recycling grant program would be repealed since it no longer drives diversion.
Free public EV charging stations
The county's 20 free public EV chargers cost ~$56,000 a year and many are failing. Commissioners voiced support for discontinuing them and letting the private sector handle charging.
Walsingham equestrian park preservation
Commissioners Scott and Peters discovered a 50-acre equestrian park in Seminole leased for $1 a year and want it permanently protected as conservation land, possibly through the county's environmental lands charter provision.
Flushable Wipes Sewer Problems
Those wipes labeled 'flushable' aren't breaking down like toilet paper, and they're clogging sewer pipes all over Pinellas County. Cities are footing big bills to clear the mess, and that cost can trickle down to your utility bill.