CLEARWATER, Fla. – The Church of Scientology has pulled its utility to purchase a road in downtown Clearwater, Mayor Bruce Rector confirmed to FOX 13 hours forward of a deliberate vote on Thursday.
Battle over South Backyard Ave.
The backstory:
The church’s controversial proposal concerned buying a stretch of South Backyard Avenue between Court docket and Franklin Streets, closing it to the general public, and constructing an auditorium and a park.
Critics of the plan included the grassroots group Reconnect Clearwater, which submitted a counter-proposal referred to as “Save the Backyard.” The group proposed honoring African American historical past within the metropolis, together with everybody who helped construct Clearwater.
The Church of Scientology.
Dig deeper:
Each proposals confronted scrutiny at a gathering on Monday wherein the Church of Scientology made a uncommon look at Clearwater Metropolis Corridor.
The church, which owns about 200 properties downtown, informed council members that nearly 10 of the church’s buildings no less than have permits for work to be executed, and featured them in a video.
That video did not discuss South Backyard Avenue, although, and metropolis leaders pointed that out – saying they’ve had greater than sufficient time to redevelop, however a number of storefronts nonetheless sit vacant.
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In a letter to the town on Wednesday, the church didn’t give a selected motive for withdrawing. The letter reads, partly:
“Based mostly upon the discussions so far surrounding the applying, the Church has decided to complement its utility with further info addressing its want for the Backyard Avenue property, together with life security issues. The Church has additionally decided that points surrounding title to the property ought to be reviewed in depth.”
Nonetheless, Rector informed FOX 13 he thinks the church noticed the writing on the wall after Councilmember David Allbritton mentioned Monday he was flipping his vote from a “sure” to a “no” on the sale, that means it wouldn’t move.
The opposite aspect:
FOX 13 has reached out to the Church of Scientology for touch upon the withdrawal of its utility.
What’s subsequent:
The proposed sale of South Backyard Avenue is now not on the agenda for Thursday night time’s assembly.
The Supply: This story was written with info from the Metropolis of Clearwater and former FOX 13 Information stories.
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