Tampa council rejects mediated settlement for 2713 Bayshore rezoning; debate centers on synagogue deal, neighborhood impact

TAMPA — The Tampa City Council voted 4–3 Tuesday night to reject a mediated settlement that would have rezoned 2713 Bayshore Boulevard to allow a 16‑story, 195‑foot residential tower alongside Congregation Rodef Shalom.

The vote followed nearly eight hours of testimony, including presentations by the developer and synagogue, expert witnesses and more than 75 public speakers who were split between supporting and opposing the proposal. Supporters said the project would secure the synagogue’s long‑term future; opponents said the scale and density are incompatible with the neighborhood and could worsen traffic and flooding.

Deputy City Attorney Kate Wells told the council the hearing stemmed from the Florida Land Use and Environmental Dispute Resolution Act, section 70.51 of the Florida Statutes, which creates a two‑step administrative process when an applicant seeks relief after a rezoning denial. Judge Lamar Battles, the special magistrate who mediated the negotiations, described his role as a facilitator who helped the parties reach the proposed settlement at mediated sessions on June 25 and July 26, 2024.

The settlement — proposed by developer Related Group and congregation leaders — would have rezoned the property from one planned development (PD) to a revised PD permitting an 18,014‑square‑foot place of religious assembly to remain on site and a new multifamily building with 38 units. Jake Kramer, attorney for the Related Group, and Nick Perez, president of Related’s condominium division, emphasized revisions from earlier proposals: reduced height (from a…