Bulleted briefing on the Lift Station #10 hearing (it serves part of North Beach), final planning & zoning fees, Gulf Blvd undergrounding money, and upcoming community events.
Note: St. Pete Beach is governed by a City Commission. This recap covers the regular City Commission meeting of Tuesday, October 27, 2026, 6:00 PM. All five members were present at roll call: Mayor Tate, Vice Mayor Robinson, and Commissioners Karen Marriott (D1), Al Causey (D3), and Jon Maldonado (D4). Official minutes are not yet posted (checked on CivicClerk Oct. 28). The city’s YouTube video has no captions, so outcomes below come from a machine transcript of the city’s meeting video plus the agenda packet. Every outcome is marked [unverified - check minutes].
NBCA area: St. Pete Beach from 75th Ave north to the Treasure Island line (Blind Pass). Citywide items are still covered.
⏱️ At A Glance (The 60-Second Version)
Lift Station #10 approved (serves part of North Beach): Resolution 2026-28 allows a raised platform, elevated controls, and a permanent backup generator at Fisherman’s Park (Corey Ave street-end, just south of the NBCA area). The station serves 64th Ave north to mid-block between 78th and 79th Ave. The Commission plans to revisit how the site looks in June 2027. Passed [unverified - check minutes].
Planning & zoning fees adopted (final reading): Ordinance 2026-22 now has three conditional use tiers ($1,000 / $1,500 / $3,500) and two hardship variance tiers ($750 / $1,500). The lower tiers are aimed at small businesses and at changes of use that don’t involve new building. Passed [unverified - check minutes].
Gulf Blvd undergrounding money extended: The Commission approved another year of Penny IV county reimbursement, up to $3,632,120.97. Phase 1 of the project runs from 55th to 75th Ave and ends at North Beach’s southern edge. Passed 5-0 [unverified - check minutes].
Next meetings: The City Commission meets Tue., Nov. 17 and Mon., Nov. 30, 2026, 6:00 PM at City Hall (155 Corey Ave.). The Clerk said November’s meeting dates have changed.
📌 Key Decisions & Impact on North Beach
1. Resolution 2026-28: Lift Station #10 at Fisherman’s Park (Conditional Use Permit 26070)
What happened: Public Services Director Camden Mills presented flood-proofing for Lift Station #10. The station sits in the 74th Ave right-of-way at the west street-end of Corey Ave, west of Sunset Way, on the Blind Pass Channel. The plan raises the electrical controls above flood level onto a platform with a permanent backup generator. The platform is about 6 ft above grade and the generator brings the total to just under 14 ft (13.9 ft in the staff report). A fenced enclosure of about 34 x 25 ft would take up about 25 of the park’s 80 ft of waterfront (packet p. 511). Staff said no new public input had come in since the earlier hearing and recommended no design changes. Commissioners asked about local-artist wraps or murals instead of plain vinyl fencing. Community Development Director Laura Canary said she would look into how long the wraps used in Clearwater and Pinellas Park have lasted. The motion included the intent to revisit beautification in June 2027.
The Vote: Passed. Every member called was heard voting yes, and the chair said “motion carries.” (Tally and mover/seconder: [unverified - check minutes])
North Beach Impact: The facility itself is just south of the NBCA line. Its service area runs north to mid-block between 78th and 79th Ave, with some reach toward Blind Pass Rd, so wastewater from part of North Beach depends on it (packet p. 505, map p. 552 below). Staff wrote that the raised platform “would be somewhat inconsistent” with the 2015 Corey Ave vision of open, pedestrian-first space and could be relocated later (p. 513). The CIP report separately lists a $1.5M Fisherman’s Park / Sunset Park rehabilitation, now in design. Staff expect it to be in construction by the end of FY2027.
2. Ordinance 2026-22: Planning & Zoning Fee Schedule (Final Reading)
What happened: Senior Planner Brandon Berry presented the changes the Commission asked for on Oct. 13 (packet p. 164-172). The fees are:
Conditional use Tier I, $1,000 (currently $500–1,000): new uses in existing buildings with no new construction. Examples given were live music in existing outdoor dining, using an existing parking lot for commercial parking, and converting a retail building to a kennel or cigar bar (p. 167).
Conditional use Tier II, $1,500: all projects not in Tiers I or III, such as commercial docks and new bars or restaurants with rooftop seating (p. 168). At the meeting, staff also named this year’s Blind Pass Marina redevelopment as a Tier II example.
Blind Pass Marina (9555 Blind Pass Rd) — Inside North Beach, at Blind Pass. Ping Pong Partners’ rebuild (outdoor restaurant with live music until 10 p.m., docks cut from 106 to 70 slips) won city CUP and dock variances 5-0 on Apr. 28, 2026. It still needs Pinellas County Water & Navigation Authority approval. On Oct. 27, staff used this project as the middle-tier (Tier II, $1,500) example under the new conditional-use fee schedule — more involved than a change of use in an existing building, but not a large lodging/hotel redevelopment.
Plans: Apr. 28 Commission packet (pp. 380–465): https://stpetebeachfl.api.civicclerk.com/v1/Meetings/GetMeetingFileStream(fileId=7773,plainText=false)
Background: https://www.tampabaybeacons.com/2026/05/12/smaller-marina-bigger-plans-for-blind-pass/ · https://www.fox13news.com/news/tampa-armature-works-developers-win-approval-blind-pass-marina-st-pete-beach
Conditional use Tier III, $3,500 plus $900 when the item goes to the Planning Board: large lodging (over 50 ft or 30 units per buildable acre), commercial projects over 25,000 sq ft, and density-pool requests (p. 166).
Hardship variance Tier I, $750 + $250 per additional request: Community Redevelopment District sites under ½ buildable acre or 7,500 sq ft of commercial floor area, for example relief from a city-imposed requirement such as sidewalk widening or frontage landscaping when a use changes.
Hardship variance Tier II, $1,500 + $250 per additional request. The current hardship variance fee is $500 (p. 169-170).
The fees are not retroactive to complete applications (p. 173). The Planning Board suggested clear tier descriptions and future inflation adjustments. - The Vote: Passed. The motion was restated after public comment, all five members were heard voting yes, and the chair said “motion carries.” (Mover/seconder: [unverified - check minutes]) - North Beach Impact: Blind Pass Rd and Gulf Blvd businesses that need a conditional use for a new use in an existing space, such as outdoor music, will pay the $1,000 Tier I fee rather than $1,500. Small commercial sites may qualify for the $750 Tier I hardship variance. Larger waterfront or lodging projects pay the higher tiers.
Conceptual site plan for Blind Pass Marina redevelopment: open-air restaurant, marina docks, and parking at 9555 Blind Pass Rd. Source: St. Pete Beach Apr. 28, 2026 Commission packet (~p. 432), JVB Architect.
Blind Pass Marina proposed dock layout at 9555 Blind Pass Rd — 70 slips (Dock A/B/C). Source: St. Pete Beach Apr. 28, 2026 Commission packet (~p. 431).
9555 Blind Pass Rd — Image: Google Street View (© Google, captured Jan 2026)
3. Penny IV Interlocal: Gulf Blvd Utility Undergrounding
What happened: The agreement lets the city seek Pinellas County reimbursement of up to $3,632,120.97. That is what remains of the county’s original $7,986,445 commitment (packet p. 188). Payments must be made, and invoices sent, by Sept. 30, 2027 (p. 189). Eligible costs include advance payments to Duke Energy under a binding cost estimate (p. 190). The agreement still goes to the County Commission. In the CIP report, staff said 29 of 50 Phase 2 easements are signed and 21 are still being negotiated. Duke Energy wants all of them in place by the end of March 2027. Construction agreements with Duke and Spectrum are planned for the Nov. 17 meeting. Commissioners offered to help reach property owners.
The Vote: Passed 5-0. All five were heard voting yes. (Mover/seconder: [unverified - check minutes])
North Beach Impact: Phase 1 runs from 75th Ave to 55th Ave (Exhibit A, p. 197), so the work stops at the NBCA’s southern edge. Phases 2a and 2b continue south to the Bayway. None of this agreement covers North Beach streets.
4. Forward Pinellas: Regional Planning & Waterborne Transit (Presentation, no vote)
What happened: Executive Director Whit Blanton and Principal Planner Nousheen Rahman briefed the Commission:
Regional board: A possible regional transportation board (MPO) with Hillsborough and Pasco would have 25 voting seats. Pinellas would have 8, including one rotating seat for smaller cities like St. Pete Beach (p. 25).
Timeline: Agreements on the merger would go to the member governments around January–February. The regional MPO would be official in Summer 2028 (p. 26).
Ferry: The Cross Bay Ferry re-launch is estimated for fall 2026 (p. 28).
St. Pete Beach waterborne transit: Staff suggested Merry Pier as a possible local hub, plus “various publicly-owned docking locations” and partnerships with other barrier-island communities (p. 30).
North Beach Impact: No North Beach dock was named. A future service “up and down Gulf Boulevard” was discussed only in general terms. For context, the approved Water Club plan at 73 75th Ave, on the NBCA boundary, includes a public water taxi dock (see Around North Beach).
5. Capital Improvement Plan Quarterly Report (Presentation, no vote)
What happened: Director Mills gave the first quarterly CIP report. The capital plan is about $192M over five years, with 58 projects in FY2027. North Beach items:
The 79th Ave seawall cap was replaced in FY2026.
The 80th Ave seawall is one of the priority segments already funded in the capital program.
Work on all lift stations, including #4, #7 and #10, is targeted to finish July 29, 2027. The schedule depends on generators arriving May 7, 2027.
Citywide items: - The 18-inch underwater Force Main 1 needs replacing by about 2038. The estimate is $21.5M, and the city has applied for a state revolving loan. Advertising is planned for March 2027, with construction from Nov. 2029 to July 2032. - Sending city wastewater to the county instead was estimated at $60M+. - Wastewater repair priorities are Vina del Mar, then Pass-a-Grille, then the Don CeSar area.
The slides were not in the packet. Mills said he would send an updated slide out after the meeting. - North Beach Impact: The seawall work at 79th and 80th Ave and the Fisherman’s Park rehab are the North Beach-area items to watch in future quarterly reports.
6. Other Actions
Agenda approved as amended:
Consent items C (ParkMobile/Flowbird) and G (Total Parking Solutions, $11,250/yr) were moved to a future meeting.
Items B and E were pulled for discussion.
Two discussion items were added: mosquitoes and an appeal process for building official decisions.
[Vote tally unverified - check minutes]
Consent items A, D, F and H, passed: [tally unverified - check minutes]
A: Oct. 13 minutes.
D: FDEP grant L0550, $2,000,000, no local match, for Pass-a-Grille wastewater inflow & infiltration repairs (p. 83).
F: CABA’s Veterans Day event on Corey Ave, Sat., Nov. 14, with a street closure and alcohol sales, estimated 1,000 attendees (p. 133).
H: FY2027 pay plan change moving Fire Captain/Paramedic up one grade to fix pay compression.
B: 2027 meeting schedule. Meetings stay on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 6 PM, starting Jan. 12 and Jan. 26, 2027 (p. 39-41). An amendment was heard moving June 8 to June 15 and June 22 to June 29, 2027. Approved as amended [final dates and vote unverified - check minutes].
E: Merry Pier boat slip. Shell Key Shuttle is selling its business and leaving, so only Offshore Hustler’s month-to-month license was considered. Commissioners said $500/month (about $14/ft) is below market, and the motion set $700/month. Passed 4-1, with Vice Mayor Robinson heard voting no [unverified - check minutes]. Staff expect a longer-term lease through a competitive process by about April 2027.
Ordinance 2026-24 (final reading), passed: Lets the Clerk’s designee accept candidate qualifying papers. [tally unverified - check minutes]
Resolution 2026-27, Lift Station #7 (Belle Vista Triangle Park, 0 44th Ave), passed 5-0 [unverified - check minutes]:
Location stays as designed.
Wood-look fence and more landscaping, as the neighborhood board requested.
The bench, shade structure and monument sign (about $30K) would need general-fund money, so they will be revisited in June 2027.
Resolution 2026-29, Lift Station #4 (20th Ave street-end by Pass-a-Grille Marina), with staff recommendations:
Remove the fence.
Shift the curb.
Remove a section of the raised median to improve marina travel-lift access.
Members were heard voting yes [outcome and tally unverified - check minutes]. A follow-up talk on fence or no fence and art wraps for the stations was suggested for about April 2027 [unverified]. - Presentations: The Clearwater Composite Squadron, Civil Air Patrol, was recognized for its support of the July 4th 250th celebration. The Employees of the 4th Quarter recognition was on the agenda (p. 5), but the meeting video’s audio drops out from about 4 to 18 minutes [recognition unverified - check].
💬 Public Comment & Open Discussion
Audience comments (general): One speaker, Debra Schechner [spelling unverified - check], made several requests:
She asked for progress on campaign statements about finding “$200 million plus” in new revenue.
She asked what the city has done on customary use, beach access and beach signage.
She asked the mayor to hold open-house meetings the night before commission meetings.
She said the CIP presentation showed transparency she would like to see in every department.
On Ordinance 2026-22: A speaker [name unverified - check] said large hotel projects should fully cover review costs and asked about water and sewer capacity given new development and drought.
On Lift Station #7: Greg Kramer [spelling unverified - check] of Moody St. in Belle Vista said “nobody wanted this structure.” He said the neighborhood board accepts the staff recommendations, asked for the wood fence and monument sign, and said $3,750 for landscaping is too little.
Mosquitoes (discussion, no vote): A commissioner [attribution: Maldonado, from context - check] relayed residents’ dengue concerns about standing water in abandoned pools. Staff gave two routes:
Mosquitoes: report to Pinellas County Mosquito Control through SeeClickFix. The county, not the city, treats for mosquitoes.
Abandoned pools: report to city code enforcement.
Building official appeals (discussion, no vote): Commissioner Marriott asked how residents can appeal building official decisions. The City Attorney said appeals go to the Pinellas County Construction Licensing Board under city code §98-30. The consensus was to make that process more visible, including appeal language on building official letters.
Reports:
City Clerk: Qualifying for the March 9, 2027 election (Districts 2 and 4) is Nov. 2 through Nov. 13 [daily hours unverified - check]. November meetings are now Nov. 17 and Nov. 30.
City Manager: Nothing new on the Dolphin Village Publix (outside the NBCA area). The city is waiting for a community meeting date and an application.
Commissioner Causey (D3): Running a “pothole drive” asking residents to report 100 potholes on SeeClickFix.
Vice Mayor Robinson: Said she plans to qualify again for District 2.
Commissioner Marriott (D1): Said the new owners of Woody’s are working through permits to reopen, and work has started on Willie’s [locations unverified - check].
📅 Upcoming Community Events & NBCA Meetups
Trick-or-Treat Trail: Thu., Oct. 29, 2026, 6:00–8:00 PM, Horan Park (City Manager report).
Last fall Concert in the Park: Fri., Oct. 30, 2026, 7:00–9:00 PM, Horan Park. Boat parade sign-ups will be taken there.
Corey Avenue Sip & Stroll: Fri., Oct. 30, 2026, 5:00–8:00 PM (The Link Property Group blog). Belle Vista Halloween Block Party: Oct. 30 (approved July 28).
Don CeSar / Boca Ciega resiliency project, first public workshop: Thu., Nov. 5, 2026, 6:00 PM, Community Center (CIP report).
Salute to Service Veterans Day event: Sun., Nov. 8, 2026, put on by American Legion Post 305 and resident volunteers (Commissioner Marriott). Time and location: [unverified - check].
Vice Mayor Robinson library hours: Mon., Nov. 9, 2026, 5:00–5:45 PM, St. Pete Beach Library.
Library closed for Veterans Day: Wed., Nov. 11, 2026.
CABA Veterans Day event: Sat., Nov. 14, 2026, 12:00–9:00 PM, 300 block and part of the 400 block of Corey Ave (approved on consent).
Beach Stewardship Committee (public meeting): Wed., Nov. 18, 2026, 9:00 AM, City Hall.
MindTravel Live-to-Headphones Piano Concert: Fri., Nov. 20, 2026, Upham Beach Park (Eventbrite). Start time: [unverified - check].
[NBCA: North Beach Civic Association Re-Launch Meetup, date/time/location TBD]: RSVP at [NBCA: link TBD]
[NBCA: North Beach Beach Cleanup, date/meeting spot TBD]: Sign up at [NBCA: link TBD]
🏗️ Around North Beach
Items inside or on the edge of the NBCA area (75th Ave north to the Treasure Island line at Blind Pass), dated on or before this meeting. - Water Club St. Pete Beach targets a 2027 start: Kolter Urban’s 129-unit project at 73 75th Ave (waterfront end of Corey Ave, formerly Corey Landing) is two 8-story buildings. The plan includes about 12,000 sq ft of retail and restaurant space, 400+ parking spaces, a 31-slip private marina, 8 public slips and a public water taxi dock. Approval conditions include a public waterfront park and a $150,000 payment to the city. Construction is expected in 2027, with completion by the end of 2029. (Groundbreak, Oct. 13, 2026 · Tampa Bay Business Journal, Sept. 29, 2026) - Blind Pass Marina still waiting on the county: The 70-slip rebuild at 9555 Blind Pass Rd, approved by the city Apr. 28, still needs Pinellas County Water & Navigation Authority approval. No hearing date was found. (Navit, checked Sept. 30, 2026 · Tampa Bay Beacons) - Upham Beach sea oat planting: A volunteer sea oat planting was set for Upham Beach Park (6850 Beach Plaza, just south of 75th Ave) on Oct. 4. (St. Pete Local, Oct. 1, 2026)
🗳️ What’s Next & How to Get Involved
City Commission: Tue., Nov. 17, 2026, 6:00 PM and Mon., Nov. 30, 2026, 6:00 PM, City Hall, 155 Corey Ave. The Dec. 1 meeting is listed as canceled. Next after that is Tue., Dec. 15. The Nov. 2 lift station date announced Oct. 13 is no longer on the calendar, because the hearings moved to Oct. 27.
Watch for:
Duke Energy and Spectrum undergrounding agreements (planned for Nov. 17).
The return of the ParkMobile/Flowbird and Total Parking Solutions contracts.
A Merry Pier slip-leasing solicitation.
The June 2027 (or earlier) lift station beautification and fence review.
The next quarterly CIP report.
Running for office: Qualifying for Districts 2 and 4 runs Nov. 2–13 at the City Clerk’s office.
Speak at a meeting: Fill out the speaker form on the city’s Agendas & Minutes page.
[NBCA: next North Beach Civic Association gathering, date/location TBD]
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Sources: Meeting video (YouTube) · Meeting video file (CivicClerk) · Oct. 27 agenda (CivicClerk file 8150) · Oct. 27 agenda packet (CivicClerk file 8152) · Agendas & Minutes. The YouTube video has no captions. Outcomes come from a machine transcript of the city’s meeting video and the agenda packet. Official minutes were not yet available.
📊 Presentations & Documents
Forward Pinellas: regional transportation planning & waterborne transit — Oct 27 Commission agenda packet (packet p. 6-31) - Forward Pinellas local government grants have run for 11 years, with over $13M awarded (p. 13). Planning grants go up to $150,000 (p. 14). - Draft regional MPO: 25 voting seats, including 8 for Pinellas with 1 rotating smaller-city seat (p. 25). It would become official in Summer 2028 (p. 26). - “Redevelopment of Merry Pier as the future local hub for waterborne transportation service” (p. 30).
Ord. 2026-22: revised fee tiers (final reading) — Oct 27 Commission agenda packet (packet p. 162-185) - Conditional use Tier I is $1,000 for uses in existing spaces with no new building or addition (p. 167). - Hardship variance Tier I is $750 + $250 per extra request, for sites under ½ acre or under 7,500 sq ft (p. 170). - No discount when a hardship variance is filed together with a conditional use permit (p. 171).
Penny IV Gulf Blvd undergrounding interlocal + phase maps — Oct 27 Commission agenda packet (packet p. 186-205) - $3,632,120.97 remains of the county’s $7,986,445 commitment (p. 188). Invoices are due by Sept. 30, 2027 (p. 189). - Exhibit A: “Phase 1 (75th Avenue to 55th Avenue)” (p. 197).
Lift Station #10 (Fisherman’s Park): staff report, plans & service area — Oct 27 Commission agenda packet (packet p. 501-552) - The service area runs “from 64th Avenue to the south and the mid-block between 78th and 79th Avenue on the north” (p. 505). - When the project is done, 100% of the city’s critical lift stations will have raised controls and permanent backup power, up from 50% now (p. 550).
Map: Lift Station #10 service area (red), reaching north to about 78th/79th Ave — Source: Oct 27, 2026 Commission agenda packet, p. 552
Lift station flood-mitigation presentation (#4, #7, #10) and Lift Station #7 alternatives — Oct 27 Commission agenda packet (packet p. 208-215, 469-484) - Total heights: about 12.85 ft (#7), 13.9 ft (#10) and 13.8 ft (#4) (p. 208-215).
FDEP grant L0550: $2M wastewater inflow & infiltration (Pass-a-Grille) — Oct 27 Commission agenda packet (packet p. 83-116) - A $2,000,000 state appropriation, paid as cost reimbursement with no local match, for laterals, gravity mains, manholes and clean-outs (p. 83).
🎙️ From the Meeting Video (unofficial)
Source: City YouTube video. YouTube has no captions for this video, so these quotes come from a machine transcript of the city’s own meeting-video file (CivicClerk). It may mis-hear words, and times may be off by up to a minute. Official minutes remain the authority for votes and motions.**
Audience comments start around 69 min. See the video for full remarks.
33 min: “…I know that you all have a major redevelopment on Mary [Merry] Pier that is open, that is a potential idea for a hub for St. Pete Beach. as well as considering other publicly owned locations…”
38 min: “…for our shoreline protection improvements in seawalls, we replaced the seawall cap at 79th Avenue…”
48 min: “…we’re planning to bring those agreements to commission for your consideration on November 17th. And then we’re also underway with easement acquisitions for phase two. Currently 21 of the 50 are still remaining in negotiations…”
101 min: “…earlier this year the city saw the blind pass marina redevelopment that included not only outdoor seating, outdoor music, but new construction on the property itself. So that would fall under the tier two…”
144 min: “…This lift station is located within Fisherman’s Park. It’s not real property, it’s within the 74th Avenue right of way…”
📍 North Beach Locations
Fisherman’s Park, west street-end of Corey Ave at Sunset Way (Lift Station #10 site, application address 7350 Sunset Way; just south of the NBCA area, serves North Beach to 78th/79th Ave) — Image: Google Street View (© Google, captured Jan 2026)Open in Google Maps Street View(coordinates: Google Street View metadata)
75 Corey Ave, part of the Water Club St. Pete Beach site (main parcel 73 75th Ave; on the NBCA boundary) — Image: Google Street View (© Google, captured Jan 2026)Open in Google Maps Street View(coordinates: Google Street View metadata)