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Neighbors wary of RV, boat, trailer restrictions
By AMY WIMMER, Times Staff Writer ST. PETE BEACH -- When Dennis and Lacie Davis were home-shopping eight years ago, they told their real estate agent what they wanted: A driveway large enough for their 27-foot recreational vehicle, in a community that would allow them to park it there. The Davises, who have owned an RV 13 of the 15 years they have been married and use it to take their church youth group on camping trips, found what they were looking for in the Bahia Shores neighborhood here. Now, a proposed new restriction in the city, contained in a controversial set of land development regulations, would forbid the Davises and other families from parking boats, trailers or RVs in their front or side yards. "The city has taken it upon itself to create a deed-restricted community," said Dennis Davis who, along with his wife, Lacie, has collected about 150 petition signatures against the proposal. The Davises got a temporary reprieve on Tuesday, when the City Commission voted to delay any action on the land development regulations until the city develops a master plan. Commissioners might push through aspects of the proposed regulations not affected by the master plan, such as grandfathering protections for Pass-a-Grille. "I don't want to lose the good things we've put in the LDRs just because we have problems with parts of it," Mayor Ward Friszolowski said. The Davises plan to keep an eye on the process to make sure the boat, trailer and RV parking restrictions aren't part of what is approved. "When so much effort is put into writing these regulations and so little is done to let us know, I question the whole batch," Dennis Davis said. The vote to pursue a master plan came as a surprise to those who have lobbied for it for months. The contingent that questioned construction of a new city hall wanted St. Pete Beach to approve a master plan before embarking on such a big project. After the unanimous vote to delay approving the land development regulations, resident Bill Allard, who is running for District 3 commissioner, said: "It's nice to see a 180-degree turnaround in 90 days." In a sign that election season has arrived in politically minded St. Pete Beach, Friszolowski replied: "When you speak, I just want you to speak the truth and not twist things. I know you're running for office, and I know it's that time of year, but let's be upfront about everything." The St. Pete Beach city election is March 12. Friszolowski and District 3 Commissioner Pete Blank are up for re-election and face opposition; District 1 Commissioner John Phillips is not running again. Even Ralph Lickton was pleased with the commission's decision to create a master plan. Lickton is the city resident who first discovered that the land development regulations, despite the claims to the contrary by the city's senior planner, contained height cap increases from 35 to 50 feet in several parts of the city. "I have to say I think we're finally going in the right direction," Lickton said. "Thank you." Mike Bonfield, who joined the city as city manager just last month, said the master plan process could take nine to 12 months -- longer if the city opts to make several changes to its comprehensive plan to accommodate the master plan. A comprehensive plan is a state-required document that sets the tone for the future development of a municipality. A master plan is an in-depth study of what a community envisions for itself in the future. A master plan can involve days of brainstorming, often led by professional urban planners, followed by specific plans for how to accomplish what the community wants. Madeira Beach, where Bonfield was previously city manager, is hosting a group of urban planners later this month as part of its master plan. Bonfield encouraged interested St. Pete Beach city residents to pay attention to Madeira Beach's efforts. Commissioners asked Bonfield to return to the commission with a schedule and cost estimates for a master plan, as well as suggestions of noncontroversial sections of the land development regulations that can be separated from the entire document and passed quickly. As for the boat, trailer and RV regulations, which prompted several angry letters from residents who had recently learned of the proposed new law, city commissioners seem unclear about why it was included. "We're a boating community, and I don't want to prevent people from parking their boats and trailers in their front yards," Friszolowski said. Allard, the commission candidate, accused city officials of not taking responsibility for what is contained in the land development regulations. He questioned why senior planner Jerry Speece inserted items like height increases and parking restrictions if commissioners didn't support such rules. He called Speece the commissioners' "fall guy." "So Jerry Speece was just pulling things out of the air?" Allard asked commissioners. Friszolowski defended the city's history of managing its land development code. "We never raised heights. We've only lowered heights," Friszolowski said. "With that, enough of the political rhetoric."
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