Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves addressed several pressing city issues during Tuesday’s press conference, covering everything from youth sports investigations to infrastructure projects and future development plans.
Infrastructure Updates and Stormwater Management
Reeves provided updates on several major infrastructure projects affecting residents. The Bluff Park project continues to face delays due to coordination between the Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation Florida, though funding remains secured.
Regarding the South Devilliers stormwater project, the mayor provided extensive details about the engineering study that revealed the area’s complex challenges. “What happens many times in local government is hyperbole and anecdotes take over real data,” Reeves explained, defending his decision to commission the study. He noted the area’s challenging geography: “The sea level is about six inches under the asphalt. And so that pond isn’t going to do you a whole lot of good.”
The mayor addressed long-standing community frustrations: “There’s always been this thought of, well, why don’t you just put a stormwater pond in and the Villa Street since that’s the lowest point right there… Why not just put a pond in? Well, you don’t put a pond in because the sea level is about six inches under the asphalt.”
He emphasized his commitment to data-driven solutions rather than quick fixes: “Let’s spend a little money and let’s get the real answer of what’s actually the remedy here. Not why don’t you dig this ditch or why don’t you do that?” The study revealed a $2.4 million solution that “still isn’t a major solution, really.”
Reeves clarified that this stormwater analysis was completely separate from development projects on the former ECUA site: “The nexus between that and that project started well before we knew anything about what was happening at ECUA. And those do not go hand in hand.” He stressed that any development “has the complete obligation to take care of their own stormwater or better.”
The upcoming B Street closure from July 7 for 10 weeks will impact traffic flow, but the mayor worked to minimize disruption to residents and businesses. “We heard that there was a change in the timeline for the B Street project that it would need to go to Main Street sooner. And the first thing that came across our desk was in four days. And I said, ‘Well, we are not doing that,'” Reeves said.
He secured additional time, stating: “What’s the maximum amount of runway we could get to ensure that we communicate this effectively?” The closure was pushed to July 7 to “gets us through the 4th of July weekend.”
The mayor added the A Street entrance to Joe Patti’s Seafood would remain open during the construction.
Bay Center Master Plan Takes Shape
The mayor elaborated on the upcoming Bay Center neighborhood master plan, or more specifically, on the scheduled meeting with the Escambia County Commission on July 10. If the commissioners agree with his recommendation, the project may be led by Nashville-based Smith Gee Studio, a firm with both national experience and local connections.
- “They actually not only have done these types of vision plan projects around the country… but also coincidentally, they worked on our 2010 CRA plan here,” Reeves stated.
The mayor emphasized that no contracts have been signed yet. “We have signed nothing with them,” he clarified, adding: “Haven’t paid ’em, haven’t signed anything. We got a scope, a rough idea of what it would cost… somewhere in the $150,000 range, something like that.”
Reeves stressed the collaborative nature of the process: “The whole goal of this is for them to come in and say, here’s what we do, help us understand what you want.”
- He made clear that the consultant selection isn’t final: “If this isn’t the group that we want to have do it, then there’s other firms that we would be able to look into and get back to the drawing board.”
The mayor committed to full transparency and community involvement: “It’s not just the mayor’s report, it’s the council’s report. It’s the commissions, even though the city’s paying for it. This is a community project period.” He added, “How can I say that we should be collaborative if I’m not being collaborative.”
Photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash.
