Redevelopment vote may be delayed
By BOB McCLURE
As seen in Tampa Bay News Weekly
TREASURE ISLAND – Voters may not get a chance to approve the proposed density and height changes for downtown redevelopment until the March city election.
City leaders were hoping to get the measure before voters on Nov. 6, but that would require the city to have it in the hands of the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections office by Aug. 5.
However, because the Planning and Zoning Board hasn’t put its final stamp of approval on the plan and the city has canceled its July 3 meeting, the completion of two required public hearings following the P&Z approval would mean the earliest the city could present the measure to the Supervisor of Elections would be Wednesday, Aug. 8 – three days past the deadline – unless the city calls a “special meeting.”
“I don’t believe we can make the time frame for getting this on the November ballot,” City Manager Reid Silverboard said June 19. “So I recommend no action tonight.”
Silverboard said the Planning and Zoning Board is considering the formation of a subcommittee to consider the ordinance and then bring it back to the City Commission for the two public hearings.
Meantime, City Attorney Maura Keifer said the city should approve the ordinance first before sending it to the voters.
“You need to approve it before you put it in front of the electorate so you have an informed electorate,” she said. “My advice is to pass the ordinance before you put it on the ballot.”
The ordinance calls for changes in the city’s land development regulations, establishing mixed use permanent residential density in the downtown core of up to 24 units per acre and tourist lodging density of up to 60 units per acre.
It also calls for residential density of up to 15 units per acre and lodging density of up to 60 units per acre along Gulf Boulevard.
In addition, the ordinance amends the maximum height of buildings by 2 feet to compensate for the requirement of vertical space required for flood safety.
The downtown core involves 106th through 108th avenues.
In other action, commissioners:
• Approved spending $2,300 per week for temporary building inspection services from M.T. Causley Inc. The expense is necessary due to an injury to the city’s regular building inspector.
• Passed an ordinance on first reading barring dogs, snakes, birds, pigs and other animals on the public beach. The measure does not ban walking dogs on the Beach Trail.
• Passed a resolution to allow the Landshark Fin-Tastic Voyage Saturday, Aug. 4, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., on the beach behind Gulf Front Park, 10400 Gulf Blvd. The event will feature a beach cleanup, paddleboard sessions and sampling of adult beverages. Proceeds will benefit the Ocean Conservancy.
• Approved $14,232 for composite decking for the boardwalk at 122nd Avenue to the beach.
• Approved $11,600 for the purchase of 25 dumpsters.
• Approved $8,500 in general funds for the police education account, which was overdrawn by $2,280.
• Approved a proposal to maintain the fire department staffing level at 13 firefighters until Lt. Fred Ball retires and firefighter Heber Revilla fills the vacancy created. The over-hire will be budgeted in fiscal 2013 so the position can be refilled if after analysis it is cost effective from an overtime standpoint.
• Awarded a contract for $467,565 to Keystone Excavators for drainage improvement work on Sunset Beach along Bayshore Boulevard from 77th Avenue north to 79th Avenue.
Redevelopment vote may be delayed
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By BOB McCLURE