St. Pete Beach City Commission Meeting Summary

The St. Pete Beach City Commission held its regular meeting on June 23, 2026, at 6:00 PM. The primary focus was the second reading of a sign ordinance to prohibit posts and signs within 50 feet of the water line, which generated extensive public comment and commission debate over property rights, public safety, and customary beach access. The commission also approved the consent agenda, adopted amended rules for the Historic Preservation Board, conducted the annual City Manager evaluation and a contract amendment, and discussed a resolution on hyperscale data centers.

Consent Calendar

• The June 23, 2026 meeting agenda was approved as amended.
• Consent items a-b and d-q were adopted unanimously, including the ratification of the firefighter collective bargaining agreement wage reopener, three commercial diving service agreements ($50,000 annual limit each), five wastewater system rehabilitation agreements, four civil on-call construction agreements, and a $2,950,000 pump station rehabilitation contract.
• Item 3c (Historic Preservation Board rules) was pulled from consent and discussed separately.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Amanda Senago (Resident): Asserted her right to customary use of the dry sand beach and demanded the commission codify and protect public access.
• Vincent Tarmenia (3514 Gazablanco Ave): Asked about the Publix grocery store redevelopment and expressed concerns about corporate property acquisitions and unregulated short-term rentals.
• Deborah Scheckner (Ocusega Isle Dr): Supported customary use, shared visitor feedback preferring St. Pete Beach's low-rise character, and requested updates on the mothball situation and street lighting safety.
• Phyllis Parker (3611 Casablanca Ave): Proposed adjusting minimum rental periods to 14/30 days to improve neighborhood protection and fund community resilience.
• Kathy Garshaw (3607 Casablanca): Encouraged community collaboration for city events and promoted an upcoming public listening session on flooding, requesting it be recorded.
• Dana Richardson (5830 Bahama Way South): Asserted customary use rights. Opposed the sign proliferation, arguing it undermines the beach's appeal and preemptively restricts access.
• Dominic Isgrow (46th Ave): Asserted customary use rights. Called for a stricter sign ordinance banning all signs and cones seaward of the CCCL, warning the current ordinance allows collateral attacks on public beach rights.
• Robert Sazan (Plaza Beach Hotel): Opposed the sign ordinance as an unconstitutional infringement on property rights. He stated his property's signs, which allow pass-through, resulted in zero sheriff calls. Warned of a lawsuit.
• Alyssa Gagnan (Attorney for hotel interests): Argued the ordinance is an unconstitutional speech ban, is preempted by state trespass law, and exposes the city to legal liability.
• Dana Richardson (Second comment): Reiterated that customary use is established by state law (citing the 1974 case) and opposed the sign ordinance.
• Melanie Grant Vandergrift (Islands End Resort): Expressed strong support for permanent signage to enforce property boundaries and manage liability, noting her property lacks established customary use.

Discussion Items

1. Historic Preservation Board Rules (Resolution 2026-20) The commission discussed an amendment allowing business with three members instead of four. The city attorney detailed an automatic appeal process for floodplain variances denied by a 2-1 vote, which would go to a meeting with four members. Commissioner Maldonado requested this reconsideration process be applied to all HPB votes, not just floodplain issues. The city attorney agreed to bring back a broader review. The resolution was adopted as amended (5-0).

2. Sign Ordinance (2026-11) – Second Reading The commission deliberated on codifying the emergency ban on signs within 50 feet of the Gulf, set to expire June 27, 2026.

• Debate: Commissioners balanced safety (clear zone for pedestrians and sea turtles), property rights (need for trespass enforcement), aesthetic concerns (visual clutter), and customary access. Mayor Tate urged action to avoid a worse outcome, while others expressed discomfort with the compromise but viewed it as necessary. The city attorney confirmed the 50-foot prohibition was defensible as a safety and content-neutral regulation.
• Amendments Adopted: The commission agreed to add “rebar” to the list of banned items; use “and” for the water line definitions (whichever is more landward); modify sign separation to “300 feet from any other sign on the same zoning lot”; and include a clause stating the code does not supersede, negate, or infringe upon customary use rights.
• Outcome: Ordinance 2026-11 was adopted by a unanimous vote (5-0) with the listed amendments.

3. City Manager Annual Evaluation and Contract Amendment City Manager Frances Cruz presented her 360-degree evaluation, reporting high morale and improved processes. She requested a two-year extension (total five years), employee-equivalent COLA, and a 90-day post-election transition period. All commissioners offered strong praise for her performance, professionalism, and leadership. The contract amendment was clarified to trigger the transition period only upon a change in commission composition. The motion to approve passed unanimously (5-0).

4. Hyperscale Data Centers (Discussion) Commissioner Maldonado brought up a potential ordinance to ban hyperscale data centers due to high resource consumption. Other commissioners viewed it as a low priority given the unlikelihood of such development. The consensus was to avoid a heavy ordinance process and instead direct staff to prepare a symbolic resolution of support for state-level legislation (Senate Bill 484).

Key Outcomes

• Consent Agenda (Amended): Adopted 5-0.
• HPB Rules (Res. 2026-20): Adopted 5-0, with a future review promised for broader application.
• Sign Ordinance (2026-11): Adopted on second reading 5-0, prohibiting permanent signs within 50 ft of the water and protecting customary use.
• City Manager Contract: Second amendment approved 5-0 (5-year term, employee-equivalent COLA, 90-day transition period).
• Data Center Resolution: Staff directed to draft a symbolic resolution supporting SB 484.
• City Manager Update: Staff provided an update on the Publix redevelopment at Dolphin Village, noting smaller-scale projects may not require a public hearing while larger developments would.