Ahead of hurricane season, regional body plans resiliency summit

With the beginning of the 2023 hurricane season less than three months away, the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council and Regional Resiliency Coalition has scheduled its third annual Tampa Bay Regional Resiliency Leadership Summit for May 4-5 at the Hilton Clearwater Beach Resort.

According to a news release, the event will bring together regional and national experts to discuss resiliency strategies specifically for the Tampa Bay region. Summit presentations and discussions will address the threats of climate change and sea level rise on multimodal transportation, rising temperatures, insurance and infrastructure.

The summit agenda will again include a panel discussion featuring mayors from three coastal communities: Key West Mayor Teri Johnston, Sarasota Mayor Kyle Battie and St. Pete Beach Mayor Alan Johnson. They will discuss their experiences in building resilience, storm preparedness and disaster response while mitigating the effects of sea level rise and more frequent and intense hurricanes.