St. Pete Beach City Commission Meeting – February 24, 2026

The City Commission of St. Pete Beach held a regular meeting on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, at 6:00 PM in Commission Chambers. The meeting included presentations from the Pinellas County Property Appraiser, the Dune Savers volunteer group, and a permit process update; public comments on wireless facility ordinances; adoption of ordinances related to wireless communication facilities and parking fees; acceptance of a capital projects prioritization tool; and discussion of a public-private seawall partnership and permitting standard operating procedures.

Presentations

• Pinellas County Property Appraiser Mike Twitty provided an update on post-hurricane recovery resources, including storm damage surveys, the building value reconsideration (BVR) process, the calamity provision (homestead rebuild up to 130% of original square footage; non-homestead up to 110%), FEMA letter guidance, and a new tax estimator tool for rebuilding scenarios. He answered commissioner questions about acceptable documentation for BVR, commercial property coverage, and the FEMA letter effective date for prior storms.
• Dune Savers 2025 Year in Review – Nancy Stevens reported that in 2025, volunteers contributed 835 hours in the dunes and 155 hours behind the scenes; 55 individual volunteers removed 56 toters (approximately 7,000 cubic feet) of invasive plants and trash, and planted over 500 native plants. Record sea turtle nests were observed. The group aims for a full island pass in 2026 and continues to seek donations and volunteers.
• Permit Process Brief Update – Laura Canary (Community Development Director) and Candice Galloway (Innovation and Technology Director) shared progress since January: completed volunteer exit interviews, implemented single point of contact for permits, same-day permits available (water heaters, panel upgrades, etc.), extended Wednesday hours until 5:30 PM (7 visitors to date), and ongoing work on consolidated reviews, clear timetables, and a 91-day roadmap to June 1. A building and permitting open house is scheduled for March 25, 2026, from 8 AM to 6 PM. Commissioner feedback emphasized improving permit portal status visibility and adding phone calls before denial.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Several residents (Lauren Mones, Ronald Vigneau, Jim DiMartino reading a letter from Scott McCullough, Kelly Lee McFredrick, Jack Rice, Vincent Tormenia) spoke in favor of stricter regulations on small wireless facilities, requesting a 30-foot setback from property lines and 500-foot separation between towers, citing safety, health, aesthetics, and property value concerns. Many expressed distrust of telecommunications companies and noted state preemption issues.
• Matt Mucci (representing AT&T) stated support for Ordinance 2025-24 on second reading (the agreed-upon language) and clarified that only about 10 AT&T small cell facilities exist in St. Pete Beach, not the higher numbers cited by residents.
• Additional brief public comment was taken on the wireless design standards ordinance (5B), with residents urging the commission to adopt the citizens' proposed language.

Consent Calendar

• Approved: February 10, 2026 meeting minutes; continuing contract with George F Young of Florida, Inc. for three years; ratification of Firefighter's Pension Board fifth trustee reappointment. (Motion carried unanimously)

Ordinances & Action Items

• Ordinance 2025-24 (Final Reading) – Amending Chapters 131 and 132 on communication and small wireless facilities. Adopted with a modification to include “including but not limited to” in the list of representative resources (Don Cesar Hotel, Upham Beach, etc.). Motion carried unanimously.
• Ordinance 2026-03 (First Reading) – Amending Chapter 132 design standards (citizen-proposed 30-foot setback and 500-foot separation). After extensive discussion about state preemption and legal risks, the commission voted to adopt the staff-recommended language as a first reading (motion passed). The ordinance will be refined before second reading.
• Ordinance 2026-02 (First Reading) – Removing parking fees from Appendix A to allow future fee changes by resolution. Adopted unanimously as a first reading.
• Acceptance of Capital Projects Prioritization Tool for FY2027 Budget – The finance director presented a matrix-based scoring tool aligning with city strategic goals (health/safety, regulatory, asset condition, community prosperity, resiliency, funding leverage). The tool will be used for FY2027 budget development. Accepted unanimously.

Discussion Items

• Public-Private Seawall Partnership – Commissioner Resnicki proposed evaluating the feasibility of waiving or reducing permit fees for seawall repairs in the Don Cesar neighborhood, where private seawalls abut city right-of-way. The commission agreed to bring back an action item studying legal and fiscal options, potentially bundling projects to reduce costs.
• Permit Process Standard Operating Procedure – Commissioner Robinson requested that the building and permitting department implement a courtesy phone call to applicants before denial, allowing clarification or adjustments. The staff agreed to incorporate this into the process mapping.

Key Outcomes

• Ordinance 2025-24 adopted with minor amendment.
• Ordinance 2026-03 approved on first reading; further revisions expected before second reading.
• Ordinance 2026-02 approved on first reading.
• Capital projects prioritization tool accepted for FY2027 budget.
• Seawall partnership proposal to return as action item at next meeting.
• Building department to add pre-denial phone call procedure.
• Next regular commission meeting scheduled for Monday, March 9, 2026 (due to municipal election on March 10).