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Dingfelder Has Eco-Friendly Building Ideas

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By ELLEN GEDALIUS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 19, 2007

TAMPA - Councilman John Dingfelder floated several ideas Tuesday designed to encourage developers to be more environmentally friendly.

This year, the council decided to allow Dingfelder to take the lead on writing a green building ordinance. He outlined his ideas Tuesday in a room full of experts on environmental building.

If a project meets certain environmental standards, Dingfelder suggested, the city could:

•Offer developers of single-family houses a 50 percent rebate on permit fees and expedited rezoning and permit review.

•Offer developers of multifamily and commercial projects rebates on permit fees and expedited reviews, as well as height and density bonuses.

•Refund a portion of sewer and water connection fees and reduce stormwater fees.

The councilman also suggested requiring all new city-funded structures be built to LEED Silver standards. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a set of national standards for sustainable buildings.

Dingfelder also wants to create a city Office of Sustainability. The person who runs that office would coordinate with other departments to ensure the city is taking environmentally friendly approaches.

The city also could mandate that all affordable housing projects built with city help be constructed to Energy Star and Water Star standards.
Councilwoman Linda Saul-Sena, a longtime advocate of environmental issues, said the city needs to do more.

"Internally, what can we do as a city? And what can we incentivize the private sector to do? We need to get right on it," she said.

Dingfelder hopes to bring a draft ordinance to the full council for consideration in January.

Reporter Ellen Gedalius can be reached at (813) 259-7679 or egedalius@tampatrib.com.

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