[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_25":26},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_27":28,"_29":30},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[31,74,86],{"_32":33,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":39,"_40":41,"_42":43,"_44":45,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6196969,"mediaKeyId","3854471-c04d94606dba04e68cc83a28e4c4eb10","parentId",3854471,"title","Planning board reviews FWC model lighting guidance for sea turtle protection; staff recommends voluntary technical guidance because of SB 180","audioSeconds",1149,"startMs",2218000,"endMs",3367000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3854471-c04d94606dba04e68cc83a28e4c4eb10&start=2218&end=3367","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3854471-c04d94606dba04e68cc83a28e4c4eb10/thumbnail_2218000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6196969/St-Pete-Beach/Pinellas-County/Florida/Planning-board-reviews-FWC-model-lighting-guidance-for-sea-turtle-protection-staff-recommends-voluntary-technical-guidance-because-of-SB-180","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6196969-e45665bfefe310fa69429cee1ed7041a/orig.mp4?Expires=1769979574&Signature=hogILg46ySI7K3djsWu~a0CR71bFBUzqEFJn~F5Ce761jKbLMWZUeXrbu9WhYiAV7orsdi8wL3oKJDxffMevNEXCeKEsfqQyzIwDF2mrJgCRNFtusFxhgiUZ4wy1Kysbb-MSi2DhI6SkVk6Bkw0NTml-Qkomi9D9RXlXGfxj92Mmcxwmb5Qm3GDTNpHXKrxpY~558GPKy4RWm7VMB09rIL5f0rV7PhpQUdSDLSfa9xtzu7xxDImG2sJj2sHTRg3HyaGzSUxigJiG8FAo19MIihZweF34GMaaii8cdVUYA0p-sl49Hj0EJgbCbEn4K8dU9QqMGBwafA59qNHtTem0GQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of St. Pete Beach, FL","date","2025-06-17T09:09:30Z","article","Planning Board members on June 16 discussed adopting the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) model lighting ordinance for marine turtle protection. Gil Martinez, senior planner, and Pete Duerer, code enforcement manager, presented the proposal and described enforcement tools and next steps.

Martinez said the city’s current sea turtle lighting rules are in Division 44 of the Land Development Code and dated to 2007. He told the board the FWC model (2020) provides science‑based, pre‑vetted technical standards—bulbs, fixtures, transmittance criteria and testing protocols—that could make local compliance more objective. Martinez said staff proposes using the model as a voluntary technical guide because of legal constraints in Senate Bill 180.

Attorney Brooks and staff explained that SB 180 limits municipalities’ ability to adopt more restrictive land‑use or development standards; as a result, the city can retain existing code enforcement and also provide the FWC model as voluntary technical guidance or a resolution to help property owners identify compliant fixtures and bulbs. Martinez said that approach would not remove staff’s ability to enforce the existing code.

Pete Duerer described the city’s existing enforcement practice. He said code enforcement uses a card and lens—similar to the test described in the FWC materials—to determine whether beachfront lighting is visible from the beach and that staff has cited properties under the current code, including a repeat violator who was fined by a special magistrate (Duerer said the penalty reached $500 per day in that matter).

Board members asked technical questions about measurements and enforcement. Staff noted that assessing existing development sometimes requires instruments such as light meters or spectrometers and that the FWC list of vetted bulbs and fixtures can reduce reliance on subjective local evaluation. Martinez said next steps are to solicit planning board input, consult the Beach Stewardship Committee and technical experts, return a draft ordinance to the planning board, and then send a proposal to the City Commission for readings.

No formal ordinance change was adopted at the planning‑board meeting; staff recommended the voluntary technical guidance approach to balance turtle‑protection goals and the current statutory constraints.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Planning Board - June 16, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Planning Board members on June 16 discussed adopting the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission model lighting standards for marine turtle protection; staff recommended adopting the model as voluntary technical guidance in light of Senate Bill 180.","taxTitle","St. Pete Beach, Pinellas County, Florida","taxId",48406,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_32":75,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":76,"_40":77,"_42":78,"_44":79,"_46":80,"_48":81,"_50":82,"_52":83,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":84,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":85,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6196974,"St. Pete Beach planning board reviews Community Redevelopment Agency proposal focused on resiliency; staff to present finding of necessity to commission July 8",1900,403000,2303000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3854471-c04d94606dba04e68cc83a28e4c4eb10&start=403&end=2303","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3854471-c04d94606dba04e68cc83a28e4c4eb10/thumbnail_403000.jpg","/articles/6196974/St-Pete-Beach/Pinellas-County/Florida/St-Pete-Beach-planning-board-reviews-Community-Redevelopment-Agency-proposal-focused-on-resiliency-staff-to-present-finding-of-necessity-to-commission-July-8","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6196974-6019c977bc90d3e710f9abe928842c60/orig.mp4?Expires=1769979574&Signature=Gdsm5qTUQZjppp2s0e9ZkgqbMl~EzI543LbJVGsyldw9JGosGjiRrxH2Nlc2VVFnsrqWtAmTWzS59LHFtGBYG-KhznWBojmVaiX~hpNPWZ5R~xXKR2~g-D2e8SZka2DXiUD9VJsl3TsPncSZXaBmOiJENDolYfR9FryTjWvB4l64pvy3JrHL12JBzz63H9FiaaewVARgnT9lS-B7LP7cyyZHqgC8UOcZIJSU0cjDDHhfzjkukMXWdAKusg88~Df3O3HItGBUu9ql7hAPJjS2awNpecKUZUZbNwy-Z2YrCZV9ro~ilSYG5cvx62bggyZDUrvUzMQi~YCvQIZn23VpmA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Planning Board of St. Pete Beach heard a presentation June 16 from Gil Martinez, senior planner with the Community Development Department, on creating a Community Redevelopment Agency that would use tax increment financing to fund infrastructure and resiliency projects.

Martinez told the board that a CRA would require a finding of necessity demonstrating that an area meets the statutory definition of blight under Florida Statute 163, a community redevelopment plan aligned with the city’s comprehensive plan, and—if county revenues are affected—interlocal agreements with Pinellas County. He said staff is scheduled to seek the commission’s consideration of a finding of necessity on July 8.

A CRA funds projects primarily through TIF, Martinez said: the assessed value within the designated area is fixed at a base year, and future increases in ad valorem revenue above that baseline—the increment—can be directed to the CRA for reinvestment in projects within the CRA boundary. He said a CRA can enter contracts, acquire and dispose of property, apply for grants, and issue bonds for capital improvements.

Board members asked questions about why earlier efforts in St. Pete Beach did not proceed. Martinez said research found a 2005 finding of necessity that stalled, in part because the county was hesitant to consider CRAs for barrier island communities at that time; he said staff could not confirm details about the 2013 effort. A board member noted that Hurricanes recently damaged many properties and said some neighborhoods “would probably be declared a blight at this point,” adding concern about property tax implications.

Martinez and other staff clarified technical points raised by board members: TIF applies to ad valorem tax revenue distribution and does not directly raise a property owner’s tax bill; the “freeze” is in distribution, not a freeze of an owner’s assessed value. He said Pinellas County has revised its delegation criteria and now expects new CRAs to start with a lower county participation rate—“start at 50 and then you kind of work your way up”—instead of the near-95% participation the board has seen historically in some jurisdictions. Staff also said baselines can be reset in some cases if the original base year proves disadvantageous.

Martinez said staff is pursuing technical assistance with the University of Florida Institute for Built Environment Resilience (FIBER) to help develop the finding of necessity and to visualize resiliency needs and grant-ready projects. He told the board the finding-of-necessity scope of services has been received and will be taken to the commission.

Board members pressed for comparisons to other coastal communities and asked staff to report back on whether other jurisdictions adopted CRAs after storm damage. Martinez said he would research municipal examples and return with a report to the board the following month.

The discussion identified dependencies and next steps—the board’s review would continue as staff develops the finding of necessity and the community redevelopment plan and as the commission considers interlocal agreements with the county. No formal action to establish a CRA was taken at the planning-board meeting.","City staff introduced a proposal to create a Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) that would use tax increment financing (TIF) to pay for resiliency and infrastructure projects; staff plans to seek a finding of necessity from the City Commission on July 8 and to work with Pinellas County and university partners on technical analysis.",{"_32":87,"_34":35,"_36":37,"_38":88,"_40":89,"_42":90,"_44":91,"_46":92,"_48":93,"_50":94,"_52":95,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":96,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":97,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":67,"_71":72,"_73":72},6196964,"Planning board presses for resiliency priorities, code fixes to allow elevation and fill as Treasure Island shifts policy",722,3341000,4063000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3854471-c04d94606dba04e68cc83a28e4c4eb10&start=3341&end=4063","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3854471-c04d94606dba04e68cc83a28e4c4eb10/thumbnail_3341000.jpg","/articles/6196964/St-Pete-Beach/Pinellas-County/Florida/Planning-board-presses-for-resiliency-priorities-code-fixes-to-allow-elevation-and-fill-as-Treasure-Island-shifts-policy","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6196964-ae65cdad73e3655c6a1806f826321a27/orig.mp4?Expires=1769979574&Signature=HUmv7V365ylQPCAnShxNsYwMbSo1rxi8xrmKMrYWMfMya99RS1G9BBrP2CaQb3FRbx35wGIXoVC4LUOP2PaiA8IgeWS8ikCWV3vGluCP5eAMFH4Uo3Wdzc9HB8wnxh~pg4pEpQD5OT2zf~caySsV2B0ckA0-Y9UI4BaZO47RXgT4kL-shpJvxM1aEksrN-T5zdogPipOk0WNXb5h9yzuItqLly~CI9ryBZ9BAGUyL~cClck4Fc60qRFMsDPyOmg0MmKLveu9MWwZ9Hok66ZGVzdrvhtdbTwecFczmi-nBvEs0ZqGHOdkhfzSiiS~REgKjB3y93UtXwN8FVsepaIm1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","A planning‑board discussion on June 16 focused on local code provisions the board said are limiting residents’ ability to rebuild or improve resilience after recent hurricanes. Board members urged staff to prioritize code updates and to prepare voluntary measures the commission could adopt while Senate Bill 180 constrains mandatory changes.

A board member said Treasure Island recently shifted to allow voluntary elevation using fill material after previously restricting fill, and urged St. Pete Beach staff and commissioners to study that approach. The same member described cases where homeowners rebuilding after storm damage face code limits that keep finished floors and garages near tide levels and said current rules could leave properties repeatedly flooded during king tides.

Staff and other board members discussed the tradeoffs governing elevation and fill: concerns about runoff to neighbors, the historical origin of the anti‑fill rule, and the availability of the city’s variance process. City staff suggested the planning board could work with staff experts to craft voluntary approaches—focusing on drainage, swales, and construction techniques—to encourage resilient rebuilding without violating SB 180.

Board members proposed preparing a prioritized list of code updates and voluntary measures to present to commissioners at upcoming retreats; staff said it will review specific code sections that limit elevation and consider whether changes can be framed as voluntary guidance or technical solutions. No formal code amendments were adopted at the meeting.","Board members urged staff and the City Commission to prioritize resiliency and to consider voluntary code changes that would let homeowners elevate properties or add fill; members cited Treasure Island's new voluntary elevation approach and asked staff to work with the commission and technical experts.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Planning board reviews FWC model lighting guidance for sea turtle protection; staff recommends voluntary technical guidance because of SB 180

St. Pete Beach planning board reviews Community Redevelopment Agency proposal focused on resiliency; staff to present finding of necessity to commission July 8

Planning board presses for resiliency priorities, code fixes to allow elevation and fill as Treasure Island shifts policy