Save the Garden submits petitions for land transfer changes after Scientology dispute
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The petition calls for a new ordinance making it harder to transfer public land downtown.
Save the Garden, a group formed last year after the Church of Scientology sought a right-of-way transfer from the city for a project it had been planning, has submitted 8,000 petitions to the Clearwater Clerk’s Office for verification, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
The petitions seek a city ordinance that would establish new protocols for public right-of-way transfers. Under the city charter, the Clerk now has 20 days to verify the petitions. If the petitions are verified successfully, the issue will head first to the City Council for consideration. If the City Council decides not to move forward with the proposed ordinance, the matter would then head to voters to decide.
The petition’s proposed ordinance would require voter approval of public right-of-way vacations in the city’s Downtown Community Redevelopment Area, which includes the site the Church of Scientology had sought. Voters would be asked to approve such vacations in either a regularly scheduled municipal election or in a special referendum.
At issue is a now defunct proposal for the city to sell a portion of South Garden Avenue to the Church of Scientology for $1.375 million with the intent of closing that portion of the street. The church owns adjacent property and wants to build an auditorium and park. The church sought to shut down that area of the street because leaders say it’s not safe to have vehicle traffic between the two projects.
The Church has since withdrawn its petition for the portion of Garden Avenue, but previously indicated it could refile.
Read more https://floridapolitics.com/archives/786046-save-the-garden-submits-petitions-for-land-transfer-changes-after-scientology-dispute/
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