Gulfport City Council Meeting - June 18, 2024

The Gulfport City Council held its regular meeting on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, at 6:00 PM at Gulfport City Hall. The meeting featured the presentation of the FY 2022-2023 financial audit, public testimony on several local issues, approval of a major safety study, a debate on parking restrictions, and a discussion on whether to pursue an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) ordinance. The city manager noted the city would be closed on June 19th in observance of Juneteenth.

Consent Calendar

• The meeting minutes from the June 4, 2024 council meeting were approved unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Paula Duby (Baywood Point/Marina District) followed up on a meeting regarding parking and safety issues on Trade Winds and 49th Street, trespassing, and dinghy mooring. She suggested restricting parking to one side and creating a resident-only parking zone.
• Barry Jacobson (45th Street) asked for clarity on the six-foot setback requirement for sheds and was informed the city could follow up on a variance process.
• Ms. Love praised the public and code enforcement for improved sidewalk maintenance, supported upcoming sidewalk repairs, and expressed enthusiasm for the 49th Street Safety Study.
• Albert Reisenberg (19th Avenue South) proposed mirroring the Art Walk at Clam Bayou Park to create a walking loop and space for festivals.

Resolutions

Resolution 2024-31: 49th Street Safety Study (Safe Streets for All)

• The council unanimously approved a resolution authorizing the Mayor to endorse Alternative 1.
• Project Description: The plan will reconfigure a section of 49th Street to one lane in each direction with a center turn lane to improve safety.
• Council Positions: Council members praised the plan as a long-overdue safety improvement. Councilmember Thanos clarified the street design details.
• Public Position: Lenny Guggenheimer (49th Street District core group) expressed strong support for the alternative and urged the city to also study parking and transit along the corridor.
• Outcome: The resolution passed 5-0.

Resolution 2024-32: Removal of On-Street Parking on 53rd Street South

• A resolution to remove on-street parking from the east side of 53rd Street South from 29th to 31st Avenue was discussed at length and ultimately tabled.
• Council Debate:
  • The request originated from resident Matt Kidder, citing safety issues for emergency vehicles during festivals like Gecko Fest and the Fourth of July.
  • Councilmember Brown (a resident of the street) argued the street is impassable for fire trucks during events and strongly supported the change.
  • Councilmember Thanos and Vice Mayor O'Hara expressed concerns about the length of the restriction and the impact on adjacent side streets, suggesting a narrower scope or alternative locations.
• Public Positions:
  • Matt Kidder and Priscilla Kidder supported the resolution, emphasizing fire safety risks during crowded events.
  • Multiple residents opposed the piecemeal approach, advocating for a comprehensive study of the entire downtown area before making changes to parking or traffic flow.
  • Karen Schwartz (Stillette Avenue) advocated for better use of remote parking lots and improving the trolley shuttle service.
  • Levi Kidder suggested formally consulting the fire department on the actual vehicle clearance risk and proposed exploring metered parking.
• Outcome: The resolution was tabled 5-0 to allow a comprehensive safety and parking study of the downtown area (57th to 53rd Streets, Shore to 28th Avenue) involving emergency services and public works.

Discussion Items

Discussion of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs)

• The council discussed the potential of permitting ADUs in R-1 and R-1A single-family zoning districts.
• Presentation: City Manager James O'Reilly and staff detailed the legal, zoning, and infrastructural complexities, including flood zone restrictions, density limits, parking requirements, and impact fees.
• Council Positions:
  • Councilmember Thanos advocated in favor, arguing ADUs create affordable housing opportunities and allow for multi-generational living and aging in place without significantly changing neighborhood character compared to large new homes.
  • Vice Mayor O'Hara and Councilmember Brown questioned the high effort for a low yield, noting only a small percentage of lots might qualify based on analyses from other cities like St. Petersburg.
  • Councilmember Ray strongly opposed, arguing it would fundamentally change the character of single-family neighborhoods, harm green space, and exacerbate parking problems.
  • Mayor Henderson opposed moving forward, noting additions are already possible and expressing concern over short-term rentals and overdevelopment.
• Public Positions:
  • Majority of speakers argued in favor, stating ADUs would help retain local workers, allow elderly residents to age in place with dignity, provide affordable caregiving arrangements, and preserve the character of smaller historic homes compared to large "monster" houses.
  • Opposition speakers raised concerns about parking congestion, sewer capacity, canopy loss, and enforcement of rental restrictions.
• Outcome: The council decided against moving forward with the ordinance, directing the City Manager not to proceed with drafting it.

Key Outcomes

• FY 2022-2023 Audit: Jeff Wolf (MSL CPAs & Advisors) presented the audit. The city received an unmodified, clean audit opinion. The general fund showed a strong unassigned fund balance of 52% (expected to normalize to ~30% as ARPA funds are spent). The budget had an overall positive variance of $1.1 million, with revenues exceeding budget by $0.7M and expenditures coming in $0.4M under budget.
• Resolution 2024-31 (49th Street Safety): Approved unanimously (5-0).
• Resolution 2024-32 (53rd Street Parking): Tabled unanimously (5-0) to await a comprehensive traffic and parking study for the downtown area.
• ADU Ordinance: The council decided against moving forward with the ordinance.
• Administrative: The council tentatively agreed to cancel or reschedule the July 2nd meeting due to the July 4th holiday week.
• Recognition: Councilmember Brown announced plans to nominate outgoing volunteer Margie Milford (28 years of service) for the Spirit of Gulfport award.