Now consider the current Sirata proposal, where developers are proposing a Conditional Use Permit all the way to the maximum limit anticipated by our obsolete Comprehensive Plan: 75 rooms per acre.

Residents of St. Pete Beach have basic questions:

• On what basis was this upper limit established?
• Did this upper limit anticipate current levels of traffic, contention over beach access, and demands on our natural resources, emergency services and other infrastructure?
• Can our community handle an effective doubling of rooms per acre in the Large Resort District?

At the heart of these questions is our city's Comprehensive Plan. As noted by Charles Gauthier, a planner with over 45 years of Florida experience:

For more information, read Mr. Gauthier's recently-commissioned report.

The bottom line is that no developer is entitled to 75 rooms per acre. The St. Pete Beach Land Development Code specifies a maximum density of 30 temporary lodging units per acre in the Large Resort District. 

Any proposed development above 30 rooms per acre requires a Conditional Use Permit, which may be granted or denied at the City Commission's discretion based upon the proposed development's compatibility with our community. The absolute maximum threshold of 75 TLUs per acre has never before been granted to any development.

There is no precedent for developments of these proposed sizes and densities. The Bellwether, which is dense, is located on an extremely small property and was built long before our LDC was in effect. Based upon current demands on our environment, infrastructure, and natural resources, we believe that proposed developments of 75 TLUs per acre are out of touch with reality, and simply incompatible with our community.