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Marina expansion issue still draws lively debate

Despite a May vote to allow the project at Sunset Landing, the owner now claims the city has ordered work halted.

By PHIL DAVIS
Published June 29, 2005

PORT RICHEY - Residents wearing "We're Not Leaving!" T-shirts filled City Council chambers on Tuesday night to show support for the owners of Sunset Landing Marina, who are feuding with the city over expansion permits.

"We're trying to show how much support this marina has," said Tim Tonkin, a friend of the Perrott family, which owns the marina at 5115 Sunset Blvd. "We feel as if they are trying to drive us away."

The Perrotts won conditional approval May 24 to make repairs and add new floating and pilings to the marina at 5115 Sunset Blvd. The 3-2 vote came after almost two hours of intense debate, led by council members Jim Priest and Bill Bennett.

But Kristin Perrott said the city has ordered her family to stop work on the project and provided no clear instructions on how to proceed. She said the city also is stopping them from repairing hurricane-related damage to the marina, which opened for business in 1958. She asked to address the council at Tuesday's night' s meeting.

"I just really want to find out why they're holding us back from fixing our docks and expanding as a business," Perrott said.

Building official Ed Winch said he has not received clearance from the state to issue the proper permits.

"As far as the city is concerned, everything still stands as it was at the last meeting," Winch said.

Perrott showed up at the Tuesday night meeting with a box of gray T-shirts that she handed out to more than 30 supporters, who put on the shirts and lined the walls in the council chambers.

At the May 24 meeting, Priest and Bennett challenged the marina's compliance with city codes and complained about its impact on the neighborhood. The marina has been accused of causing parking problems on Sunset Boulevard.

The council voted 3-2 on May 24 to approve the expansion as long as the Perrotts could certify they were following the law on the distance between buildings and private property, parking and boat waste disposal before construction begins. The city staff had recommended approval of the project.

Bennett and Mayor Mark Abbott cast the dissenting votes.

As of 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, the issue still was being discussed in a public comment session.

[Last modified June 29, 2005, 01:19:17]