A Times Editorial

Turmoil in Treasure Island

The treasure on Treasure Island has long been sun, sand and tranquility. The sun and sand are still there but tranquility has been shattered by a fight over new development regulations.

Distrustful of their own City Commission, some residents are promoting a referendum that would give the people veto power over new rules to increase building heights or density.

Commissioners, distrustful of their own citizens, are moving forward with a rewrite of regulations just days before the referendum vote. The result is a divided city, and it is the commission's fault for letting the matter get out of hand.

It all started when the city began the process of rewriting the rules that govern development. Where building heights are currently limited to 55 feet (or 5 stories) for hotels in Treasure Island, the city was considering increasing that limit to 100 feet (10 stories). The commission was also considering new rules that would have let property owners increase the density of projects on the beach side of Gulf Boulevard.

Some residents objected and when they felt the City Commission wasn't listening to them, they launched a successful petition drive. A referendum item on the Nov. 5 ballot in Treasure Island will ask residents if they want to adopt an ordinance that would require voter approval of any changes to the city's development rules involving building height or density.

There is a complication, however. The city attorney has said the way the referendum is worded, it would require a majority of registered voters, not just a majority of those casting a vote, to approve any rule changes. And that hurdle would be so high that the city would likely never win voter approval.

The City Commission had a couple of reasonable responses available. If it felt the referendum was too restrictive and would hurt the city, it could have written its own referendum and let the voters choose between the two (but it is too late now for that approach). Or it could campaign against the referendum. Instead, the commission has taken another path, one that is an insult to the democratic process.

The commission is going forward with a rewrite of development rules, which includes a provision allowing 100-foot heights for hotels in the northern half of the city. Not only is that clearly in conflict with the spirit of the referendum, but the commission has scheduled its final vote on the new rules for Oct. 22, two weeks before the election. So if voters approve the referendum, it could be too late to affect the new development rules.

That isn't how democracy is supposed to work. In fact, by appearing to ignore the public's wishes, commissioners have probably hurt their chances to see the referendum defeated.

It is not too late to do what is right, however. Commissioners should delay approving any new development rules until after the people have spoken. If commissioners don't like the answer they get in the upcoming election, they can always ask residents to pass another referendum, this time one that is more reasonable.

That is, after all, the American way.

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