Dear Mayor: Commission chair airs marina project concerns 

Pinellas County Commission Chair Brian Scott has elevated “significant concerns” surrounding the Tierra Verde Marina’s proposed $33 million redevelopment. 

Scott has taken the somewhat unusual step of petitioning St. Petersburg Mayor Ken Welch on behalf of his constituents. However, it is unlikely that Welch could or would directly intervene in the approval process. 

In a letter to the mayor dated Nov. 18 and obtained by the Catalyst, Scott wrote that residents have “reached out consistently and in great number” regarding the project’s scale, intensity and potential environmental and public-safety impacts. If approved, the aging marina would eventually feature a 90-foot-tall storage facility, a public restaurant with a third-story bar and between 2,400 and 3,000 square feet of new retail space. 

“In sharing these concerns, it is not my intent to oppose economic development or improvements to recreation boating access – both of which are important to our region,” Scott wrote. “Rather, I am seeking to ensure that these voices are heard and considered.

“Please carefully consider whether the proposed project, in its current form, aligns with the long-term safety, environmental stewardship and community character priorities that our jurisdictions collectively strive to uphold.” 

Welch, in an effort to “protect the integrity of the process,” could not respond directly to a request for comment. A spokesperson said the Development Review Commission will make the city’s decision on whether to approve or reject the proposal. 

Residents can also share their concerns with the “well-qualified group of citizen volunteers who are experts in development, real estate and planning.” St. Petersburg annexed 28 acres in Tierra Verde, including the marina, in 2008. 

Tampa-based Greenleaf Capital purchased the property at 100 Pinellas Bayway South for $5 million in 2011. Former Mayor Rick Kriseman, the project’s spokesperson, said in late October that the firm expected to receive approval in December. 

Kriseman, who became mayor in 2014, said Greenleaf made significant changes following extensive feedback from residents. He believes what would become Florida’s second-largest boat storage facility would fill a void in Pinellas County, which has the second-highest number of registered boats in the state. 

“We’re looking forward to providing a real, first-class facility that upgrades what’s already there,” Kriseman said. “It provides a lot more opportunities for boaters and non-boaters than what currently exists.” 

An aerial rendering of the Tierra Verde Marina once construction concludes on the project’s first phase. Images provided.

The marina currently features 314 high-and-dry racks within a 58,000-square-foot storage facility and 64 wet slips. Greenleaf’s multiphased project would increase storage capacity to 711 racks. 

Scott’s letter noted that Tierra Verde has a single-access roadway. Residents worry that additional congestion associated with an expanded marina would “overburden existing infrastructure” and “impede emergency response.” 

“Given Pinellas County’s status as a high-risk coastal region, any expansion in population, boat storage or commercial activity must be evaluated through the lens of hurricane evacuation planning,” Scott wrote.

Kriseman previously said congestion concerns are “not factually based or bounded in what will be the reality.” A study found that demolishing an existing 24,000-square-foot shopping center and gas station would offset redevelopment impacts, and traffic would decrease by 24.6% by the project’s conclusion.

Scott said Welch should also consider potential environmental and water quality consequences. He believes that increased vessel traffic, dredging activity and fuel-related risks “raise substantial concerns.” 

Greenleaf has stated that construction would occur away from the waterfront. The project also includes a stormwater system that will double the current capacity. Kriseman said storing boats onsite would take trucks off the road and save fuel, which is better for the environment. 

Residents have expressed concerns about the expanded marina’s scale and its neighborhood compatibility. “They worry that the project’s density and expanded operational footprint could fundamentally alter both the visual landscape and the community’s coastal village environment,” Scott wrote to Welch. 

Kriseman previously noted that a Residence Inn across the street is 85 feet tall. He said Greenleaf has changed the project’s aesthetics “pretty dramatically” and increased the amount of landscaping after meeting with stakeholders. 

The developer changed the restaurant and bar’s orientation to minimize noise impacts on the adjacent neighborhood. “I think there is a really strong effort that this developer is making to address the concerns that the community has,” Kriseman said.

Greenleaf sent its revised proposal to the city Nov. 14. Planning and zoning department staff will provide recommendations to the Development Review Commission. 

“Thank you for allowing me to amplify the voices of our Tierra Verde residents, and for your thoughtful consideration of these issues,” Scott’s letter concluded. “I appreciate your continued partnership in ensuring responsible growth in our shared coastal communities.”

The Tierra Verde Marina currently features 314 high-and-dry racks and 64 wet slips, which will remain unchanged. Photo: Marinas.com.