St. Pete Beach is considering a yearlong moratorium on commercial development, the Tampa Bay Business Journal reported. The move comes after a series of development approvals sparked backlash in the historically quaint city.
Mayor Adrian Petrila pitched the city commission on a yearlong pause from commercial development Tuesday. In that time, the city would review its comprehensive plan with a consultant. The move came not long after the city approved expansions at TradeWinds Island Resort and Sirata Beach Resort, controversial decisions Petrila voted against.
Commissioner Karen Marriott suggested the plan may go too far. “From a legal aspect, is it defensible to essentially say, ‘We don’t want the hotels to do anything but anybody else can?’” Marriott said. “Because I think that’s what we’re getting at.”
The moratorium would not apply to residential development. St. Pete Beach has a long history of opposition to development, and the approvals seemed to buck that trend.
However, last year, the group Protect St. Pete Beach and several residents sued the city over its appointment of interim commissioners, aiming to invalidate some of the commission’s actions, including the hotel expansion approvals. A judge ruled that the city had acted legally in appointing interim commissioners to fill the spots of those who resigned late last year, but the suit showed that development opposition is still alive and well in the city.
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Tradewinds’ plans are ambitious. The hotel wants to build more than 600 hotel rooms, 68,000 square feet of shopping and dining space and a ballroom. The Sirata plans to add two hotels with 400 rooms.
It’s been a busy week for the city commissioners. On Tuesday, they voted to fire city attorney Andrew Dickman. Commissioner Joe Moholland said Dickman had lost his confidence.