TIERRA VERDE, Fla. – A plan to just about double the scale of the Tierra Verde Marina has sparked backlash from neighbors who mentioned the mission would deliver extra site visitors, congestion and the lack of key companies on their small island group.
What we all know:
The house owners of Tierra Verde Marina – Greenleaf Capital – need to demolish the present retail plaza and fuel station on the property to make room for bigger boat racks and a personal boat membership. The mission would greater than double the variety of dry racks, going from 314 to greater than 700.
What they’re saying:
“They’re making an attempt to cram an excessive amount of in right here,” mentioned longtime resident Wade Cullis, who has lived on Tierra Verde for 45 years.
Cullis and different residents have collected greater than 3,000 signatures on a petition opposing the plan and have even employed an lawyer to combat the event.
The mission would demolish certainly one of solely two fuel stations on the island and neighbors mentioned that could be a recipe for catastrophe. It will depart hundreds of residents, vacationers and staff reliant on one small fuel station.
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For a lot of residents, the most important problem is site visitors. Tierra Verde is the gateway to Fort De Soto Park, one of the common Pinellas County locations, that pulls hundreds of thousands every year.
Resident Paul Lee mentioned including lots of of boat racks would make an already troublesome drive insufferable. Throughout excessive season it might probably take greater than an hour to get on and off the island.
“The roads weren’t constructed to deal with that form of site visitors,” he mentioned. “It’s going to extend site visitors to the place it’s virtually insufferable to reside out right here,” Lee mentioned.
Native perspective:
Past site visitors, some residents fear about further boat site visitors, noise air pollution and what the mission might imply for native marine life and the encircling atmosphere.
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“Do we actually want extra boats within the water?” requested neighbor Melanie Coleman-Simon, who lives close by. “This island doesn’t want it.”
Residents additionally mentioned the event is already impacting the group. Because the plans for the marina have moved ahead, longtime companies have closed or relocated, together with a bait store, hair salon, gymnasium and dry cleaner.
Cullis mentioned neighbors aren’t in opposition to bettering the marina, however they need a scaled-back plan that preserves at the least some retail. Cullis mentioned they’ve made a number of makes an attempt to succeed in the developer to work on a compromise, with none luck.
“Give us a little bit retail, and we might be your largest supporter,” he mentioned.
The opposite facet:
Greenleaf Capital didn’t instantly reply to FOX 13’s request for remark.
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Dig deeper:
The property falls underneath an uncommon jurisdiction. It sits throughout the Metropolis of St. Petersburg however follows Pinellas County zoning guidelines, as a result of the land was annexed from the county years in the past. This has added layers of complexity to the approval course of, leaving residents annoyed about how choices are being made.
What’s subsequent:
Neighbors mentioned they plan to indicate up in full drive on the upcoming St. Petersburg Growth Evaluation Fee assembly on October 1 decided to make their voices heard.
The Supply: Sources for this report embody interviews with residents, a proposal submitted to the Metropolis of St. Pete and data supplied at group conferences.
