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Clearwater parks director outlines storm damage, uncertain FEMA aid and options to rebuild
Summary
Parks Director Art Decatur reported extensive hurricane damage to Clearwater facilities, a months-long closure for the Clearwater Beach Recreation Center, Pier 60 restrictions and uncertainty over FEMA reimbursement under the federal "50%" rule. Staff are weighing repair, elevation or relocation options.
Art Decatur, director of Clearwater Parks and Recreation, told the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board on Jan. 28 that multiple city recreation facilities remain closed or partially restricted after recent hurricanes and that reimbursement from FEMA is uncertain.
Decatur said the Clearwater Beach Recreation Center will remain closed for roughly nine months while architects and engineers complete design, bidding and construction work. He added that Pier 60 has been blocked off since the storm and the city hopes to reopen the pier to the bait-house area by March 1; repair work on the bait house itself could take another three months.
The director warned that FEMA reimbursement is not guaranteed. “I have to be real careful answering that question because I don't know for sure. Certainly, we apply for reimbursement, but there is certainly no guarantee,” Decatur said. He explained that FEMA’s substantial-damage rule — commonly called the “50% rule” — can limit or prevent funding for repairs if the cost to repair exceeds half of a structure’s pre-damage value.
Why this matters: the city’s ability to recover costs will shape whether damaged amenities are repaired in place, elevated, replaced or removed. Decatur said engineers are preparing reports that will determine whether some flood-damaged buildings, including club buildings used by the shuffleboard and lawn-bowling groups, can be repaired under FEMA rules or must be demolished and rebuilt.
Board members pressed the director on alternatives. Decatur said the department is evaluating options that include replacing buildings with elevated structures or proposing new consolidated facilities (an “intergenerational building” concept previously discussed) but noted the new construction would require new budget allocations and additional planning.
Decatur also described operational impacts: while Pier 60 access is restricted for safety, fence removal and partial reopening are targeted for spring break; the bait house closure has reduced an income stream that normally generates revenue for waterfront operations.
The board did not take formal action on repairs during the meeting. Decatur said the department will return with engineer reports and cost estimates that will inform council decisions and potential FEMA applications.
