Beaches notebook

By AMY WIMMER, SHEILA MULLANE ESTRADA and ANDREW MEACHAM

© St. Petersburg Times,
published August 8, 2001

Sunspot Apartments to evolve into condos

MADEIRA BEACH -- The two-story Sunspot Apartments, 14130 Gulf Blvd., is about to become a four-story condominium with a rooftop penthouse.

The Villa Mirador project was approved by the Board of Adjustment despite the objections of residents in adjacent five- and six-story condominiums.

Residents argued the proposed building would block their side views of the gulf and urged the city to abide by current codes, which restrict building height to no more than 38 feet above flood level with a maximum of three floors of living area.

The board was unsympathetic. "I don't see any less of the Gulf if a building is three or four or five stories," said chairman Joe Jorgensen.

A project site plan must be submitted to the city's planning board before demolition and construction can begin.

Indian Rocks Beach

Pending county approval, city officials plan to begin construction of the Indian Rocks Beach Nature Preserve boardwalk Aug. 27. The 2,100-foot "interpretive trail" over wetlands will include a 20-foot pier overlooking the Intracoastal, public services director Dean Scharmen said

The first half of the boardwalk should be finished by Christmas. The city hopes to finish the $265,000 project by April. More than half of the project is being financed with money from the oil spill settlement. Visitors to the preserve at 903 Gulf Blvd. will be able to walk above mangroves and sea grasses and read signs about wildlife and plant life.

North Redington Beach

Development of a new park and money for the possible undergrounding of utilities highlight next year's budget to be considered by the Town Commission later this month

And although the proposed $616,016 budget is about $30,000 higher than the current budget, there will be no increase in property taxes, according to Mayor Harold Radcliffe. The town's entire 2001-2002 budget totals $1,903,549, which includes the special sewer, stormwater and capital improvement funds in addition to the general operating budget.

"We have the lowest property tax rate in all of Pinellas County," Radcliffe said. That rate of 1.0 mills means a home with a taxable assessed value of $225,000, minus the homestead exemption, would pay $200 a year in property taxes.

Public safety consumes about 40 percent of the town's budget. Those expenses include $131,093 to the Sheriff's Office for law enforcement, up from $124,580 last year. The cost of fire protection services provided jointly by the Madeira Beach and Seminole fire departments also increased about $5,000 for the coming year.

The city would set aside $89,000 for utility undergrounding in the event a county proposal to jointly beautify Gulf Boulevard is enacted.

The proposed budget also calls for spending $55,000 to develop the Harold Radcliffe Park, named to honor the current mayor, near the intersection of South Bath Club Drive and Bath Club Circle and adjacent to the town's tennis court.

The town has applied for a $10,000 state grant to help pay for developing plans for the park, which Radcliffe says will include a covered pavilion.

"It will be a multi-use park where the town and residents can hold picnics and special events," said Radcliffe. The park may include a concrete pad for in-line skating and basketball. He hopes the park improvements can be completed within six months.

The new budget will be considered by the commission at 7 p.m. Aug. 30.

Beach trolleys

Beginning Dec. 9, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority beach trolleys will begin stopping three times an hour rather than two. The stops also will continue until 11:50 p.m. instead of stopping at 9:30 p.m. The extended trolley service will discontinue April 9

The beach trolley program was launched last year when St. Pete Beach and Treasure Island, the two beach cities that do not belong to the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority, agreed to allow PSTA to bring a trolley system to St. Pete Beach.

Compiled by staff writer Amy Wimmer and correspondents Sheila Mullane Estrada and Andrew Meacham.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright