St. Pete Beach is governed by a City Commission. This recap covers the regular meeting of Tue., May 26, 2026, 6:00 PM. All five members present. Source: official minutes (approved June 9, 2026).
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)
Gulf Blvd undergrounding Phase 2 discontinued (consensus, no formal vote): Staff directed to stop Phase 2A (~$8.1M est., ~$2.8M more city money needed) and recommend reallocating funds.
FY2026 budget amendment (Ord. 2026-12) adopted 5-0 on final reading.
Coming up (at the time): Historic designation workshop May 28; beach-sign community meeting June 3; beach ordinance first reading slated for June 9.
📌 Key Decisions & Impact on North Beach
1. Gulf Blvd Utility Undergrounding (75th Ave to 35th Ave)
What happened: Public Services Director Camden Mills reported Phase 1 city work is complete, Phase 2 design is done, and several private easements remain unresolved. The Pinellas County grant (~$8M) has ~$3.9M remaining but is set to expire Sept. 30, 2026. Commissioners questioned flood/saltwater vulnerability of underground lines, rising costs, and a partially undergrounded corridor. One resident suggested elevating utility components instead.
The Vote: No formal vote — consensus to discontinue Phase 2, have staff recommend reallocation of FY2026/FY2027 funds, and ask Duke Energy and Pinellas County whether remaining grant funds can go to utility hardening (e.g., elevating equipment).
North Beach Impact: Outside the NBCA area. The corridor ran from 75th Ave south to 35th Ave, so it ended at our southern boundary. Blind Pass Rd north of 75th was never in this project.
2. Ordinance 2026-12 — FY2026 Budget Amendment (Final Reading)
What happened: No changes from first reading; no public comment.
The Vote: Passed 5-0 (Causey moved, Marriott seconded).
North Beach Impact: Citywide capital and operating adjustments (see May 12 recap).
3. Other Actions
City Clerk evaluation: One-time 10% market adjustment plus future CPI/merit alignment for City Clerk Renee Rose (base salary $107,217) — passed 4-1 (Causey moved, Maldonado seconded; Robinson no).
Consent agenda, passed 5-0 (Marriott/Robinson): Dolphin public-art sculpture on Corey Ave (Res. 2026-18); $300,000 FDEP agreement for the Vulnerability Assessment & Adaptation Plan update; $1,281,491.46 fleet purchases (with $700,000 reimbursement); Raftelis fee-study change order. PSTA trolley addendum and Ord. 2026-13 (seawall/living shoreline standards) were removed from the agenda.
Agenda 5-0 (Marriott/Maldonado).
Presentation: Living seawall demonstration designs for S. Maritana Dr (Tampa Bay Estuary Program / Ecosphere Restoration Institute); templates to be made available to residents.
💬 Public Comment & Open Discussion
A Bahia Honda Way resident asked for more Beach Stewardship Committee involvement and cautioned against using surveys (vs. deeds) for beach trespass decisions. A W. Maritana Dr resident opposed mandated living-shoreline approaches, noting seawalls are a homeowner responsibility.
Shark fishing (Robinson’s added item): Safety concerns about shore-based shark fishing, chumming and drones. City Attorney to prepare a legal memo; draft beach ordinance already prohibits chumming from the beach. No vote.
Reports: State budget requests awaiting Governor’s signature — $1.5M Fire Station 22, $2M Pass-a-Grille lift station, $1.825M Boca Ciega Dr. Commissioner Marriott thanked the Sheriff’s Office for investigating illegal debris dumping on vacant/construction lots in District 1.
📅 Upcoming Community Events & NBCA Meetups
Note: these dates were upcoming at the time of this meeting and are now past. - Historic designation community workshop: May 28, 2026 (time/location [unverified - check]). - Beach sign community meeting: Wed., June 3, 2026, 6:00 PM, Commission Chambers. - [NBCA: North Beach Civic Association meetup, date/location 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. - Blind Pass Marina: Coverage notes the property formerly housed the Hippie Shack and Sea Hags Bar and Grill. The developer said it is open to a formal traffic study, and county Water and Navigation Authority approval is still needed. (FOX 13, May 18, 2026)
🗳️ What’s Next & How to Get Involved
Note: dates below are past. - Next City Commission meeting: Tue., June 9, 2026, 6:00 PM — comprehensive beach ordinance first reading was planned. - [NBCA: next North Beach Civic Association gathering, date/location TBD] - 📬 Subscribe to the North Beachcomber on Substack.
Sources: Meeting video · Official minutes (CivicClerk file 7890) via Agendas & Minutes.
🎙️ From the Meeting Video (unofficial)
Source: City YouTube video, auto-generated captions via YouTube’s public transcript. Captions are machine-made and may mis-hear words. Official minutes remain the authority for votes and motions.**
Audience comments start around 75 min. See the video for full remarks.
28 min: “…it’s currently split into three different phases. Um phase one is from 75th Avenue to 55th Avenue and then phase 2 A is from 55th to 45th and then phase 2B is from 45th Avenue to 35th. Um so the entire stretch of of the project…”
48 min: “…once the the infrastructure is in place um undergrounded you know the the section that we have from 55th to 75th if that if that infrastructure does get damaged by flooding is then Duke responsible for the maintenance and the…”
62 min: “…there seems to be desperate need for the money in other areas right now. A big chunk of 75th North is undergrounded in the neighborhood. Not not that that is specifically relevant, but [laughter]…”