Meeting colors

OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD

Record of Proceedings

Gulfport City Council Workshop on Marina Parcel (Former Lions Club) - January 8, 2026

City Council — Thursday, January 8, 2026

BodyGulfport, Florida

SessionCity Council

DateThursday, January 8, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

Meeting Thumbnail

⇩ GET FROM SOURCE

STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE

Transcript — Verbatim

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.

Speaker 1

4:54

Good evening.

4:55

I love it.

4:56

I love seeing a lot of people here.

Unassigned speaker

5:00

And I'm hoping that a lot of you are gonna want to share your ideas with us.

Speaker 1

5:02

We're gonna appreciate that.

5:04

I'll get really upset if anybody has their phone on and it rings during this discussion.

5:11

So if there's any chance, you might want to fix it now.

5:15

And while we're having the discussion, if there's any need to talk to your neighbor, I'd appreciate if you walk out there and do it in the hallway.

5:24

So we only have one discussion going on at a time.

5:28

So a workshop is a little bit different than uh a city council with a real strict agenda.

5:34

So here's what tonight's gonna look like.

5:37

Um first I'm just gonna give a real quick little overview, you know, maybe two minutes, and then the uh council will have an opportunity in speaking order to share what their thoughts are about the marina property or properties, and then we're gonna open it up for council comments.

5:53

And so if I'm not staring at you when you're talking, it's because I'm writing notes, okay, trying to see what the most common response is, so that we would know how to start to proceed.

6:03

So um, and when that's done, and everybody that wants to talk is gonna have an opportunity to talk.

6:09

When that's done, then we'll probably go in speaking order one more time, and that'll probably be the end of it.

6:15

There's no vote tonight, there's no decisions being made.

6:18

This is all about what are we gonna do with the property.

6:22

So for my real quick overview, um the Lions Club did not renew their lease, okay.

6:28

Um, and so I think as of December 5th, that is back in the possession of the um city of Gulfport and the city of Gulfport, for those of you that don't know this, most of you do because you're from that the marina area.

6:41

We've always owned that land, and the Lions Club owned the building.

6:46

And there was a contract signed many years ago, probably before I was even in town, that talked about the buyout and how that would happen.

6:54

So the actual buyout, the exchange of money has not happened yet because there's a little discrepancy and we're working through an appraisal issue, but it will help it will happen and it will be settled.

7:06

So the question is, and the property will come down.

7:09

It was damaged in the floods.

7:11

It's an old building, it also has asbestos in it.

7:15

So it is gonna come down no matter what, okay.

7:18

And so now we have a big piece of property, and of course that was the point of having the maps up there kind of outlined in that hot pink, okay.

7:27

I also will say, because I could see where um knowing this other little component might affect what you have to say.

7:35

For those of you that did not hear, the Coast Guard station is also coming down.

7:40

Okay, that was underwater, that's also full of asbestos.

7:44

The city has done a very good job of accommodating the Coast Guard and the Lions Club, I believe both at the neighborhood center.

7:51

So in terms of meeting space, they're getting it from us, okay.

7:56

Um so that that's probably the most that I I want to say is that you know we're here primarily to talk about the one property, but there's nothing wrong about talking about the other property if you choose.

8:09

And the other thing, just to be clear on the front end.

8:14

I'm gonna say before the storms ever hit, so I'm gonna uh suggest it was early in 2024.

8:21

The city council decided to move forward with a living shoreline on the area that we all talk about, kind of the point, the mangroves.

8:30

Okay.

8:32

When the storms hit, that got put on hold.

8:35

It was not forgotten.

8:36

So don't quote me exact, but I'm gonna say either June or July, I talked to the city manager and asked him what the next step was on that to move forward, and he said that we had to get a submerged permit submergable.

Speaker 2

8:51

Submerged land lease.

Speaker 1

8:52

S submerged land lease, okay.

8:54

And so we did that paperwork at that time.

8:57

I also asked him, is that gonna be two weeks, two months, or two years?

9:03

Who knows?

9:04

Okay.

9:05

So I mean, I'm not trying to be a smart alley, but we don't know.

9:08

It's not like you know, we've done it before during these times when um the federal government's been uh cut substantially.

9:15

So I just wanted to be clear is that that is moving forward when it can.

9:21

It's not a matter that we can do it right now because we have to have that land lease, but we are going to move forward with that.

9:28

So anybody that really wanted to focus in on

Unassigned speaker

9:31

that,

Speaker 1

9:31

we have that under control.

9:33

So that's really all I had to say uh for opening comments, so then we will go in speaking order and give um our council an opportunity to share if there's any thoughts they have on it, what they're thinking, if they heard from any of their constituents and want to share, uh now would be the time.

9:50

I'll start.

9:51

All righty, thank you.

Speaker 3

9:52

Um there are a plethora of options for us, but I am active listener tonight.

Unassigned speaker

10:00

I really I haven't heard from any of my constituents on this, and I've asked, but you know, a water park would be great, is what I heard, you know, things that may or may not be feasible.

Speaker 3

10:10

Um, but I have a lot of kids in my ward, and I'm hearing that over and over.

10:13

I'm not even sure that we would want to entertain that, but that's what I'm hearing.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Marina Management█████████████████████████████████████████████46%

Community Engagement██████████████████████████████31%

Procedural██████6%

Recreational Facilities██████6%

Public Engagement██████6%

Environmental Protection███3%

Parking Management██2%

Summary of Proceedings

Gulfport City Council Workshop on Marina Parcel (Former Lions Club) – January 8, 2026

The Gulfport City Council held a workshop on January 8, 2026, at 6:00 PM at Gulfport City Hall to gather community input on the future of the marina parcel previously leased by the Lions Club. The building, damaged by floods and containing asbestos, will be demolished. The Coast Guard station is also slated for demolition. No votes or decisions were made; the meeting was purely for listening and idea collection.

Public Comments & Testimony

Beth Birkabine (24-year resident, BCYC member): Thanked council for the holiday lighted boat parade. Emphasized the critical need to preserve the small boat launch area behind the Lions Club for youth sailing and small boat programs (sunfish, prams, kayaks, paddleboards). Noted that this beach-style launch is rare in Pinellas County and essential for sailboats that cannot be launched from fixed docks. Stated that the launch area is separate from the hoist and slip facilities used by BCYC’s adult school boats.
Christine Crosby (28-year resident, Baywood Point): Shared personal story of grandchildren taking private sailing lessons at that beach, calling it unique and ideal for children.
Chuck (resident since 2019, near the property): Supported keeping the area for small boats, limited motors, and no heavy vehicular traffic. Mentioned 17 members now have sunfish using that beach. Also noted wildlife and mangroves.
Paula Duby (Baywood Point, BCYC member): Highlighted that the cove is a manatee birthing and hurricane hole area. Requested that the launch area be open to the general public for small boats (sailboats, paddleboards, kayaks), not just clubs. Noted parking available nearby.
Judy Kuhn (48th Street South, marina district): Urged flood mitigation through permeable surfaces and salt-tolerant native plants (sea grape, mangroves, buttonwood). Supported preserving small boat access but wanted the rest of the area to become green space to reduce flooding.
Guy O'Connor (Gulfport resident, continuing Beth's statement): Asked the city to formally recognize the small boat launch area, guarantee shared access for BCYC and Gulfport Yacht Club, and allow limited on-site storage with BCYC as steward. Also encouraged expansion of dry storage (income for city) and adding marina amenities like restrooms, but discouraged paving or heavy construction. Offered to help with appraisal issues and to cooperate on re-establishing the marina.
Jonathan McCoachy (28-year resident, 300-400 feet from site): Advocated for the entire area east of Tift and south of 29th to be marine-focused. Supported public access for small boats, a marine advisory committee, restrooms for marina tenants, and exploring partnerships with Tampa Bay Watch or USF for educational use. Suggested asking experts what to do with the 4,000 sq ft building site before demolition.
John Hogan (Upton Street, marina district): Proposed a small bar and grill for boaters and the neighborhood, arguing it would generate revenue and bring people. Believed parking is sufficient and it could coexist with small boat launch.
Joel Hine (Past Commodore, Boca Ciega Yacht Club): Asked to preserve small boat access and partner with existing clubs (like BCYC and Gulfport Yacht Club) who can manage the area responsibly. Compared to other area sailing programs (St. Pete Sailing Center $130/quarter, Clearwater $175/year, BCYC $190/quarter) which provide structured access. Noted that these clubs assume liability and insurance costs.
Bob Fechner (Commodore, Gulfport Yacht Club, 5626 25th Ave S): Highlighted club’s 90-year history in Gulfport (2028). Club races 5-15 boats twice a month, with regattas expecting 30 boats. All boats are small catamarans/monohulls needing beach launch. Supported public access but stressed continued use for both clubs. Favored a marine advisory council.
Fred Fortis (3049 DuPont Street S, Gulfport Yacht Club): Stressed the area is the only spot for hand-launching catamarans and dinghies. Expressed concerns about full public access leading to security issues for boats and city maintenance costs. Suggested keeping it quasi-public.
Kimberly McAllenis (Upton Street): Emphasized environmental impact must be paramount, especially after hurricanes. Disagreed with exclusive club access; said if public, it should be fully public. Called for thoughtful planning balancing environment, community, and finances.
Albert Risenberg (19th Avenue S, sailor with sunfish): Noted that yacht clubs have locked up much of the shoreline. Advocated for a simple public park/launch area that is permeable and low-maintenance, open to everyone without membership fees.
Paula (Del Rio Way): Supported a marine council. Opposed any additional traffic (restaurant/bar) as Del Rio Way is already congested during regattas. Supported public small craft access but not exclusive club use.
Karen Schwartz (Delaware Avenue S, marina district): Opposed any development; wanted the area to return to mangroves and permeable surfaces. Suggested portable restrooms and food trucks instead of permanent structures.
Lenny Gokenheimer (5213 Delette Avenue S): Supported restrooms on wheels (like a mobile trailer) that can be removed during storms. Favored a council to manage the area and enforce rules.
Deb Atkins (452 27th Avenue, marina district, 11-year resident): Opposed Ferris wheel or commercialization. Supported open public launch (not membership-based) and environmental focus, but concerned about traffic from boat trailers.
Lauren Stern (Ward 4, reading for Gulfport Coastline Coalition): Urged keeping land free, public, and rewilded; using green infrastructure; and exploring designation as a wildlife release area. Supported portable restrooms.
Julie Jacoby (49th Street, 24-year homeowner): Supported continued use by both yacht clubs but also public access. Noted parking and trailer access must be considered if public launch allowed. Opposed restaurant. Suggested expanded kayak/paddleboard storage for revenue.
Margaret Tober (written comment): Demolish the building and create a living shoreline, or demolish and sell the property.
Brian Durr (written comment, read by council): Suggested dog park and beach, public park with kayak storage rental, partial expansion of dry dock, shared club facility, or short-term camper site for storm-displaced residents. Opposed amphitheater, hotel, commercial, selling land, or restricting beach access. Also suggested covered picnic pavilions at the Coast Guard site.

Discussion Items

Mayor: Opened meeting emphasizing listening mode. Noted that demolition of the Lions Club building is imminent (January) and the city owns the land. Mentioned the living shoreline project at the point is pending a submerged land lease but moving forward.
Councilor (unidentified): Heard from constituents wanting a water park but is open to listening.
Vice Mayor: Heard various suggestions; noted building must come down due to asbestos. Open to portable restrooms (earlier quote $70k for a unit). Favored public boat launch, keeping it low-maintenance and natural, and a marine advisory committee. Opposed commercial use like bar/grill due to floodproofing costs and landlord complications.
Councilor (second): Supported passive park and small boat access. Heard from businesses opposing competition. Mentioned support for sunset park at Clam Bayou, splash pads not feasible near shore due to aquifer, possible bike rental expansion from marina to downtown. Noted eagle and kingfisher sightings.
Mayor: Summarized consensus: no commercialization, keep public access, both clubs and public can use launch, environmental protection, restrooms (whichever most cost-effective), a small fenced playground for children since the area lacks one, permeable surfaces, and a marine advisory board (but need to decide if formal advisory board under sunshine or volunteer group).
City Manager: Provided updates: market value appraisal ordered for Lions Club buyout; plans to go out to bid for South Basin and casino dock within two weeks; demolition of both buildings likely in January; Coast Guard demolition cost similar to Lions Club (around $40,000).

Key Outcomes

No formal votes or decisions were taken. The council will use the input gathered to guide future plans for the marina parcel.
The Lions Club building and Coast Guard station are scheduled for demolition in January 2026, pending appraisal and council action on the buyout.
The South Basin and casino dock projects will go out for bid within two weeks.
The living shoreline project at the point remains pending a submerged land lease from the federal government.
A marine advisory committee or volunteer group will be considered; council advised to determine structure (formal vs. informal) before proceeding.
The council emphasized that any development must prioritize environmental protection, flood mitigation, permeable surfaces, and public access for small non-motorized boats, while avoiding commercialization and additional traffic in the neighborhood.

Meeting Transcript

Good evening. I love it. I love seeing a lot of people here. And I'm hoping that a lot of you are gonna want to share your ideas with us. We're gonna appreciate that. I'll get really upset if anybody has their phone on and it rings during this discussion. So if there's any chance, you might want to fix it now. And while we're having the discussion, if there's any need to talk to your neighbor, I'd appreciate if you walk out there and do it in the hallway. So we only have one discussion going on at a time. So a workshop is a little bit different than uh a city council with a real strict agenda. So here's what tonight's gonna look like. Um first I'm just gonna give a real quick little overview, you know, maybe two minutes, and then the uh council will have an opportunity in speaking order to share what their thoughts are about the marina property or properties, and then we're gonna open it up for council comments. And so if I'm not staring at you when you're talking, it's because I'm writing notes, okay, trying to see what the most common response is, so that we would know how to start to proceed. So um, and when that's done, and everybody that wants to talk is gonna have an opportunity to talk. When that's done, then we'll probably go in speaking order one more time, and that'll probably be the end of it. There's no vote tonight, there's no decisions being made. This is all about what are we gonna do with the property. So for my real quick overview, um the Lions Club did not renew their lease, okay. Um, and so I think as of December 5th, that is back in the possession of the um city of Gulfport and the city of Gulfport, for those of you that don't know this, most of you do because you're from that the marina area. We've always owned that land, and the Lions Club owned the building. And there was a contract signed many years ago, probably before I was even in town, that talked about the buyout and how that would happen. So the actual buyout, the exchange of money has not happened yet because there's a little discrepancy and we're working through an appraisal issue, but it will help it will happen and it will be settled. So the question is, and the property will come down. It was damaged in the floods. It's an old building, it also has asbestos in it. So it is gonna come down no matter what, okay. And so now we have a big piece of property, and of course that was the point of having the maps up there kind of outlined in that hot pink, okay. I also will say, because I could see where um knowing this other little component might affect what you have to say. For those of you that did not hear, the Coast Guard station is also coming down. Okay, that was underwater, that's also full of asbestos. The city has done a very good job of accommodating the Coast Guard and the Lions Club, I believe both at the neighborhood center. So in terms of meeting space, they're getting it from us, okay. Um so that that's probably the most that I I want to say is that you know we're here primarily to talk about the one property, but there's nothing wrong about talking about the other property if you choose. And the other thing, just to be clear on the front end. I'm gonna say before the storms ever hit, so I'm gonna uh suggest it was early in 2024. The city council decided to move forward with a living shoreline on the area that we all talk about, kind of the point, the mangroves. Okay. When the storms hit, that got put on hold. It was not forgotten. So don't quote me exact, but I'm gonna say either June or July, I talked to the city manager and asked him what the next step was on that to move forward, and he said that we had to get a submerged permit submergable. Submerged land lease. S submerged land lease, okay. And so we did that paperwork at that time. I also asked him, is that gonna be two weeks, two months, or two years? Who knows? Okay. So I mean, I'm not trying to be a smart alley, but we don't know. It's not like you know, we've done it before during these times when um the federal government's been uh cut substantially. So I just wanted to be clear is that that is moving forward when it can. It's not a matter that we can do it right now because we have to have that land lease, but we are going to move forward with that.

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI

TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com