Gulfport City Council Meeting - December 6, 2022

The Gulfport City Council met on December 6, 2022, at 6:00 PM at Gulfport City Hall. The meeting included a presentation on the Advantage Pinellas Housing Compact, public comments on dinghy dock enforcement and homeless issues, approval of four resolutions, and council discussions on a possible trolley service, a community survey, and an RV ordinance review.

Presentations

• Linda Fisher, AICP Principal Planner from Forward Pinellas, presented the Advantage Pinellas Housing Compact, a countywide initiative to address housing affordability. She noted that the median sales price for a single-family home in Pinellas County is now $435,000, and average rent in Gulfport is $1,765 per month. The compact aims to increase housing diversity, promote transit-oriented development, and provide technical assistance and model ordinances to local governments. Council expressed support and reached consensus to join the compact; a resolution to formalize participation will be brought forward.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Ingrid Bredenberg (2701 56th Street South) thanked the city for the tree-lighting event and provided an update on the November 14 community conversation town hall (98 attendees). She requested the city conduct a citywide survey to gather broader resident input, noting that a survey tool (SurveyMonkey) is available through the city.
• Rachel (resident of the Gulfport municipal mooring field) asked for clarification on the impounding and towing of tenders at the dinghy dock. She argued that no notice or warning was given before her tender was towed, and she requested better signage and a fairer enforcement process.
• Ms. Love praised the tree-lighting event and the bathrooms being open, but expressed concern about homeless encampments and enforcement priorities. She questioned a reported quote from Chief Vincent that "you cannot make it illegal just because the person is homeless" and asked for clarification.
• Fred Rowe (resident on a sailboat) spoke in support of boaters, stating that the four-hour limit on the dinghy dock causes hardship for working people and that the dock can hold many dinghies. He asked for consideration of longer hours.

Discussion Items

• City Manager Report: Jim O'Reilly reported that a rent stabilization study with Forward Pinellas was determined not feasible due to legislative obstacles. He proposed a three-hour maximum use rule for beach pavilions (except pavilion six) to address encampment issues, with enforcement once per week per person. Council discussed the idea but did not take a vote. Regarding the dinghy dock, the four-hour limit is intended for transient use; council members debated enforcement and possible accommodations for mooring field residents. The city manager also presented options for the Bogasega Yacht Club negotiations: either direct staff to negotiate or ask for a final proposal. Council supported option one (staff negotiation).
• Resolutions:
  • Resolution 2022-82: Authorized expenditure for 2023 Granicus platforms (agenda management and short-term rental software). Passed unanimously.
  • Resolution 2022-83: Accepted a Florida Humanities Book Festival grant and authorized the city manager to sign the grant contract. Passed unanimously.
  • Resolution 2022-84: Authorized purchase of a 30-ton air conditioning unit for the Casino from United Air Conditioning and Heating, Inc. (replacement due to salt-air corrosion). Passed unanimously.
  • Resolution 2022-85: Authorized use of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds for a citywide sidewalk inventory, ADA ramp data collection, and condition assessment by StreetScan Inc. (piggybacking on Pinellas County's contract). Passed unanimously.
• Council Comments:
  • Vice Mayor Brown thanked staff for the tree-lighting event and promoted the high school play "Clue."
  • Councilmember Ray requested a future agenda discussion on the RV ordinance, specifically the grandfather clause, citing resident concerns. Council agreed to schedule it.
  • Councilmember Thanos raised the idea of a freebie trolley service (Freebee) and a citywide survey, but the majority of council (Mayor Henderson, Councilmember Ray, Councilmember Ferdovich, and Councilmember Thanos after discussion) opposed both due to cost and duplication of existing engagement channels. No consensus to move forward.

Key Outcomes

• All four resolutions (2022-82 through 2022-85) passed unanimously.
• Council reached consensus to join the Advantage Pinellas Housing Compact; a formal resolution will be prepared.
• City Manager and City Attorney were directed to negotiate with the Bogasega Yacht Club to seek a mutual agreement.
• The city manager will improve signage at the dinghy dock regarding enforcement.
• A future discussion on the RV ordinance (grandfather clause) was agreed upon.
• No action was taken on the freebie trolley service or the proposed citywide survey.