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Vice mayor steps out of resort district issue

By JADE JACKSON LLOYD
Published April 6, 2005

ST. PETE BEACH - Vice Mayor Deborah Nicklaus decided to recuse herself from discussions or votes regarding the city's proposed Large Resort District, since her family owns the Sirata Beach Resort, one of the city's largest hotels.

The district is one of 11 character districts designated in the city's new Community Redevelopment Plan, which needs statewide approval before it's passed.

The proposed zoning ordinance for the district allows 20-story buildings and higher densities for hotels - an issue that has raised the ire of some residents.

Nicklaus, 52 and in her second term, said Tuesday she came to her decision after discussing it with City Attorney Tim Driscoll last week.

At a March 21 workshop on proposed land development regulations, Nicklaus responded to allegations that her participation in these talks constituted a breach of ethics. Although Driscoll said he didn't see a conflict, he offered to do more research.

A talk last week with him solved the quandary: If commissioners own property that constitutes more than 1 percent of the land being affected, commissioners must recuse themselves .

She won't be able to vote on the section of the plan dealing with the Large Resort District, but everything else is fair game, she said. She said she can still discuss it and talk about it with those in her district.

"People have brought it to our attention," she said. "I'm glad we've done the research and have the answer."

The Sirata's 8.7 acres, which the Nicklaus family has owned since 1961, makes up roughly 13.4 percent of the proposed new district, Planning Director Karl Holley said.

There are 65.16 acres in the district, Holley said. The property comprises 3.5 percent of the total area covered by the redevelopment plan.

Land use discussions have been going on in the city since 2002. The divisions they've caused in the city are relatively new, however.

The plans hit a snag recently, when city officials discovered from a resident that they had failed to give proper notice of the meetings in which they discussed and passed the new redevelopment plan.

Since then, residents have signed petitions and been vocal in their opposition to the plan's passage, claiming the city kept them in the dark and the new regulations will benefit developers without regard to the impacts on residents or the city's infrastructure.

Jack Ohlhaber, president of the Council of Association Presidents of St. Pete Beach, is part of a group of residents trying to get the city to scale back its plans.

He said the group is talking to attorneys about bringing the issue to referendum.

"We've gone down there with a group of residents who've protested," he said. "We've gotten not much more than, "This is the way it is and this is how it's going to be. Your three minutes are up. Thank you.' They don't seem to be listening."

If their goal is to stop the plan, time is running out.

Tuesday morning, county commissioners acting as the Countywide Planning Authority approved the redevelopment plan and an amendment to the Countywide Future Land Use Plan. The Pinellas Planning Council and the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council gave the green light, as well, Holley said.

Then, pending approval by the state's Department of Community Affairs, the City Commission will take up the matter on its own, he said.

"The City Commission has to do final adoption," he said. With a chuckle, he added, "It never occurred to me the city would not adopt the plan because if they don't want to, why are we doing all this?"

The next Large Resort District workshop is at 6 p.m. April 18 in City Hall, 155 Corey Ave.

[Last modified April 6, 2005, 01:07:18]