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Want to start a fight? Mention high-rises

The development debate never seems to go away in Treasure Island.

By KATHY SAUNDERS
Published March 2, 2005

Tall buildings are still debatable in Treasure Island.

The issue of allowing high-rise hotels on the beach appeared to settle down last year when the last of the prodevelopment commissioners were voted out of office.

But the high-rise argument keeps resurfacing and, once again, has become a point of contention in this year's March 8 election.

During a candidates debate Friday at City Hall, incumbents Phil Collins and Richard Kraus, both retired business owners, said the city has healed from the high-rise wars that included lawsuits, a petition to recall a commissioner, charges of ethics code violations and resignations.

Their opponents, however, say the divisiveness is worse than ever. Rick Taylor is challenging Collins for the District 1 seat, and Carol Coward wants to unseat Kraus in District 3. They accused Collins and Kraus of polarizing the community.

Collins and Kraus are part of a very vocal group that opposes tall buildings in the city. Taylor and Coward are not part of that group.

Still, Collins said he believes the citizens of Treasure Island are "well on their way" to healing the rift over beachfront development with the recent increase in condo-hotels along Gulf Boulevard and charter amendments on the ballot in the upcoming election.

"These are all things that are improving the area, and with certain guidelines I think we are going to make it," Collins said.

Taylor disagreed.

"I don't believe that this rift is stopped at all. In fact, I think it's gotten worse," he said. "I see our city right now not being close to our citizens and our groups."

The candidates agreed on a few things. They want the city to come up with ways to maintain the new $50-million drawbridge once the tolls are abolished. And they all want to revitalize downtown and traffic calming in neighborhoods.

But last week's debate always returned to tall buildings.

It's the same issue that split the city in 2001 when the idea to bring luxury, 10-story hotels to the beach was proposed in a draft of new land development regulations. Thousands of citizens signed petitions rejecting the idea, but commissioners quickly passed the regulations two weeks before residents went to the polls to vote against the proposal. Ultimately, the court stopped those laws from ever being enforced.

Coward said the city has been held hostage by current commissioners and their antidevelopment backers.

"I think the healing process has gotten worse. I think we have a small group of people who are driving this town into worse and worse conditions," said Coward, the wife of the former city manager who was seen as a supporter of taller buildings. "We have to stop allowing these people to tear our city apart."

Coward said her accounting and financial background would make her a better choice than Kraus for a commission faced with future budget decisions about increasing taxes, maintenance costs on the new bridge and beach renourishment.

Kraus said he should be re-elected because of his record for the past two years as a commissioner who pays attention to detail and who has no ties to special interest groups.

"The residents of Treasure Island worked very hard to eliminate the city of special interest commissioners who tried to change the look and lifestyle of our island forever," he said. "We need to continue working together to keep that from ever happening again."

Taylor, owner of Ricky T's bar for the past 11 years, described himself as a people person who will be accessible to his constituents on the Isle of Capri. He is concerned that the trend to develop condominiums along the beach will result in a loss of tourism.

"I'm scared," he said. "I want to make sure that we have enough tourism on the island to support business."

Collins was endorsed by the citizens who fought tall buildings and said he believes local businesses will benefit in the long term by the city's development regulations. He said he should be re-elected because of his experience.

"There is a learning curve involved in doing this job, and I think that gives me an edge up on my opponent," Collins said.

All of the candidates said they support the proposed amendment on next week's ballot to change the charter's super majority requirement. The amendment would change a problem in the wording of the citizen-initiated referendum against tall buildings. The legislation said future height and density increases had to be approved by more than half of the city's registered voters, instead of a simple majority of those who actually vote.

Changing that requirement is among seven charter amendments being put to voters on Tuesday.

[Last modified March 2, 2005, 00:47:18]