Good afternoon! Welcome to Citizen Beach, the free local newsletter that highlights the best news and stories in the Gulf Beaches of southern Pinellas County — St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, Madeira Beach, and Gulfport!
This week’s highlights: Hot news this week; An article on how businesses in our coastal cities are struggling following the hurricanes last year; In Treasure Island, developers and their supporters on the City Council are planning to increase density and height limits.
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In the News This Week
I’ve captured all the key news impacting our beach communities this week, so you don’t miss anything important!
'It's a ghost town,' John's Pass businesses struggle through a slower-than-normal summer season. This article from WFTS highlights the struggles faced by businesses at John's Pass in Pinellas County, Florida, following the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024. Businesses, such as Pirates Pub & Grub, Dolphin Quest, and Mad Beach Watersports, experienced significant closures and revenue declines. Amber Simmons, General Manager at Pirates Pub & Grub, noted that 2024 was the slowest year since 2020, with her business closed for 10 weeks, though others faced longer closures or job losses. Kirsten Smail from Dolphin Quest reported that the expected Spring Break and summer tourism surges did not materialize. Angela Wilson from Mad Beach Watersports estimated a 30% revenue drop, attributing it to a combination of hurricane impacts and economic factors. Businesses are now hoping for a recovery during the Labor Day period before the typically slower fall season. Read the full article on ABC Action News.
In Treasure Island, Florida, the Life Intervention Focus Team (LIFT) and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Pinellas have partnered to offer mental health classes addressing "hurricane fatigue" following Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024. These storms caused significant emotional and physical trauma, with residents like Keith Dalton still grappling with anxiety, depression, and triggers from the devastation. The first meeting in July focused on recognizing symptoms like fear, irritability, and isolation, while connecting residents to free resources such as therapists. LIFT is expanding its efforts with monthly meetings and a Neighbor for Neighbor program to foster community support. NAMI Pinellas provides additional mental health resources, accessible via their website or the county’s CARE program. Read the full story on Fox13.
LIFT and NAMI hold workshop on Hurricane Fatigue
Manatee’s Wild Beach Party Ends in Rescue! A frisky 470-pound manatee, likely tuckered out from a steamy summer mating marathon, was found napping on Redington Beach. The FWC and ZooTampa swooped in to save the day, hauling the love-weary sea cow to a cozy critical care pool. Moral of the story? Even manatees need a breather after a wild herd party! She’s recovering and will soon be back to her aquatic escapades. Spotted a distressed manatee? Call the FWC at 888-404-3922. Read the full story on Fox13.
Community Beach
Building strong communities empowers individuals, enhances the quality of our lives, and fosters a just society.
Navigating Stormy Waters – Business Challenges in Pinellas County’s Coastal Cities, Summer 2025
As the summer of 2025 unfolds and hurricane season intensifies, the coastal cities of Pinellas County—Madeira Beach, Treasure Island, St. Pete Beach, and Gulfport—are grappling with a complex recovery from the devastating impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024. These vibrant beach communities, known for their bustling tourism-driven economies, are facing significant business challenges, including prolonged closures, revenue declines, permitting delays, and the looming threat of another active hurricane season. Despite these hurdles, resilience and community spirit are driving a slow but hopeful rebound.
A Tough Summer for Coastal Businesses
The summer tourism season, typically a financial lifeline for businesses in Pinellas County’s coastal cities, has been markedly subdued in 2025. The aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, which struck in September and October 2024, left a trail of destruction, with storm surges of 4–7 feet flooding businesses, damaging infrastructure, and disrupting the tourism flow. At John’s Pass in Madeira Beach, a key commercial hub, businesses like Pirates Pub & Grub, Dolphin Quest, and Mad Beach Watersports reported a 30% revenue drop compared to previous years. Amber Simmons, General Manager at Pirates Pub & Grub, described 2024 as the slowest year since 2020, with her business closed for 10 weeks—a relatively short closure compared to others still shuttered or struggling to reopen. Kirsten Smail of Dolphin Quest noted that the anticipated Spring Break and summer tourism surges never materialized, leaving businesses in a financial lurch.
In Treasure Island, Caddy’s Waterfront Restaurant has resorted to operating from a temporary setup in a parking lot, with a food truck and makeshift bar, as its main building undergoes repairs. General Manager Stephen Santasieri emphasized the importance of getting employees back to work and attracting tourists, though he acknowledged that tourism levels remain below pre-storm norms. Similarly, in St. Pete Beach, iconic spots like Woody’s Waterfront and Willy’s Burgers and Booze remain closed, with owners navigating a maze of building codes, permits, and FEMA approvals. Gulfport’s Neptune Grill, owned by Dia Vartsakis, is also stalled by structural damage and permitting delays, leaving its reopening timeline uncertain.
Permitting and Bureaucratic Roadblocks
One of the most significant challenges for businesses is the slow and complex permitting process. At a recent “State of the Beaches” town hall, mayors from Madeira Beach, Treasure Island, St. Pete Beach, and Gulfport expressed frustration with FEMA’s bureaucratic hurdles and contradictory damage assessments. Madeira Beach Mayor Anne-Marie Brooks highlighted that her city issued more permits in two months post-storm than in a typical year, yet delays persist. Redington Beach Vice Mayor Tim Thompson called for streamlined permitting processes, suggesting the elimination of permit fees during disaster recovery to ease the burden on businesses and residents. Gulfport Mayor Karen Love noted that over 600 homes in her city were damaged, adding to the backlog of permits needed for businesses to rebuild.
These delays have tangible impacts. For example, Joshua Monteiro, owner of Second Worn in St. Pete Beach, lost significant inventory to flooding and now operates with limited electrical capacity, hindering his ability to process credit card payments. In Madeira Beach, the Spice and Tea Exchange operates under a tent on the sidewalk, as its building remains damaged. Such workarounds, while creative, underscore the ongoing struggle to return to normal operations.
Economic and Tourism Impacts
Tourism, the economic backbone of Pinellas County’s coastal cities, took a significant hit in 2024, with a 30% drop in tourist tax revenue immediately following the hurricanes. January 2025 bed tax collections in coastal areas like St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, and Madeira Beach were down 35% compared to the previous year, reflecting the closure of many hotels and vacation rentals. However, there are signs of recovery. Pinellas County recorded a record $8.29 million in bed tax revenue in January 2025, driven by St. Petersburg’s 34% surge and Clearwater’s 16% increase, with hotel occupancy reaching 79%. Despite this, coastal businesses report that visitor numbers remain below pre-storm levels, particularly in areas hardest hit by the hurricanes.
The economic ripple effects are profound. Businesses like The Bronze Lady in Madeira Beach rely on loyal annual visitors but need broader support to recover fully. Jeff Romanelli, General Manager of the Friendly Fisherman at John’s Pass, emphasized the need for more customers to support employees who lost jobs due to closures. The University of Florida estimates that businesses facing a 20% customer loss have only a 50/50 chance of full recovery, a sobering statistic for small businesses in these communities.
Hurricane Season Looms Large
As the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, predicted by NOAA to have a 60% chance of above-normal activity with 13–19 named storms, ramps up, businesses are bracing for potential further disruptions. The memory of 2024’s 18 named storms, including five major hurricanes, is fresh, and coastal communities are hyper-aware of the risks. Madeira Beach City Manager Robin Gomez described the 2024 storms as consuming the city “by the Gulf,” with recovery efforts still ongoing. Businesses are investing in resilient infrastructure, such as hurricane shutters, and local governments are pushing for better preparedness, including mandatory evacuation compliance to prevent loss of life.
Despite the challenges, community spirit remains a cornerstone of recovery. Events like the Festival of Lights Holiday Boat Parade in Madeira Beach drew crowds in December 2024, boosting local morale and business. Lisa Sims, a bartender at Tipsy Tiki Bar, highlighted the strong sense of community support from locals in Madeira Beach and Treasure Island, even as tourist numbers lag. The “Still Shining” campaign by Visit St. Pete-Clearwater and a $5.75 million state initiative by Visit Florida are promoting open businesses, encouraging visitors to return.
Looking Ahead: Resilience and Optimism
Despite the setbacks, Pinellas County’s coastal cities are showing remarkable resilience. By early 2025, 80% of destinations had reopened, and John’s Pass reported 90% of its businesses back in operation by December 2024. New developments, like the Beachmaker Resort in Madeira Beach, signal long-term investment in the area’s tourism appeal. Mayors at the “State of the Beaches” town hall emphasized community-driven recovery, with Treasure Island’s businesses reopening, Gulfport’s nightlife thriving, and Madeira Beach hosting events again. However, challenges like traffic, parking, and the need for streamlined permitting remain, as noted by the Treasure Island and Madeira Beach Chamber of Commerce.
For businesses still recovering, the message is clear: they’re open and need support. From the Friendly Fisherman’s newly reopened outdoor deck to VIP Mexican Restaurant’s food truck patio in Treasure Island, these communities are adapting creatively. As Andreas Bieri of The Mucky Duck Bar and Restaurant in Captiva Island aptly put it, living in paradise comes with a cost, but the light at the end of the tunnel is visible. With community support, strategic recovery efforts, and a focus on resilience, Pinellas County’s coastal businesses are determined to weather the storm—both figuratively and literally—as they head into the heart of hurricane season.
City Beach
Citizen participation in our local governments is absolutely essential if we want to preserve and enhance our coastal communities.
Community Alert: Upcoming LPA Meeting Could Reshape Treasure Island’s Downtown
On Thursday, August 21, 2025, at 2:00 PM, the City of Treasure Island’s Local Planning Agency (LPA) will meet at City Hall (10451 Gulf Blvd) to discuss a big change to Treasure Island’s building rules. This would significantly affect the downtown area! Your opinion matters! Here’s a simple explanation of what’s happening and how it might impact us.
What Change Are They Talking About?
A company called Pirate Square, LLC, is asking to amend the city’s rules for the Planned Redevelopment-Mixed Use-Core (PR-MU Core) area in downtown Treasure Island—that’s the land south of 107th Avenue (currently, a parking lot). You may recall that the buildings that were there were demolished a couple of years ago, causing businesses like CJ’s, The Pearl, and others to relocate.
Let’s break it down:
What We Have Now:
Right now, this area allows up to 24 homes and 60 tourist units (like hotel rooms) per acre. An “acre” is about the size of a football field without the end zones.
There’s also a rule called Floor Area Ratio (FAR), which limits how much floor space a building can have. With an FAR of 1.0, the building’s total floor space can’t be bigger than the land it sits on. For example, if you have 1 acre (43,560 square feet), you can build up to 43,560 square feet of space—maybe a 1- or 2-story building covering the lot.
What They Want to Change:
They want to allow 90 homes and 150 tourist units per acre—much more than now!
They also want to raise the FAR to 3.0. This means the building’s floor space can be three times the size of the land. Using the same 1-acre example, you could build up to 130,680 square feet of space. This doesn’t mean the building spreads out three times wider (that’s impossible on one lot), but it lets builders add more floors—like a 3-story building where each floor is the size of the land, or a taller building with smaller floors. This is how they’d fit all those extra homes and units. Here are some examples:
A 3-story building where each floor is the full size of the land (43,560 sq ft per floor x 3 = 130,680 sq ft total). This could accommodate more units, such as 90 homes or 150 tourist units.
A 6-story building where each floor is half the land size (21,780 sq ft per floor x 6 = 130,680 sq ft total), still fitting those extra units.
Or a taller building, like 10 stories, with even smaller floors (e.g., 13,068 sq ft per floor x 10 = 130,680 sq ft), depending on design and height rules.
This extra space is how they plan to fit the increased number of homes (from 24 to 90 per acre) and tourist units (from 60 to 150 per acre) on the same piece of land.
This change aims to help rebuild downtown after Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024 and align with county rules for increased development.
Here’s a Real-World Example
A real-world example of a 9-story building (first floor garage), is Harbour Hill, 700 Beach Drive, NE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 (see the building’s layout at Highrises.com).
Something Like This Could Tower in Treasure Island’s Downtown
Why Are They Doing This?
The city aims to encourage rebuilding by creating a mix of homes, shops, and tourist spots, which will boost our economy and make downtown more walkable. They say it’ll help after the hurricanes and align with Pinellas County’s plan.
How Could This Affect Us?
If this change happens, here’s what might change in our city:
More People and Buildings: 90 homes and 150 tourist units per acre could lead to increased traffic, crowding, and pressure on roads, water, and drainage—especially after storm damage.
Taller Buildings?: The FAR of 3.0 lets builders use three times the land’s floor space. To accommodate that many units, they might build upward, such as 3, 4, or more stories, even though height limits aren’t directly changed. This could block views or change our low-rise beach feel.
Economic Good: More businesses and tourists could bring in money for city services.
Neighborhood Feel: Some of us, including me, worry this could raise property values or alter the quiet character we love.
What’s Next?
LPA Meeting: On August 21, 2025, at 2:00 PM at City Hall, the LPA will review this and hold a public hearing. They’ll decide if it should go to the City Commission. Here’s the agenda packet for this meeting.
City Commission Hearings: If approved, hearings start on September 16, 2025, with another later date to be set.
Final Decision: It could take effect 45 days after state review unless someone objects.
What Can You Do?
You can help decide our future! Since I prefer keeping our current height and density limits, I’ll be speaking up. Join me:
Please attend the Meeting: Go to City Hall on August 21 at 2 PM and say you want to keep things as they are!
Email the City: Write to [email protected] or Maryellen Edwards at [email protected] before August 21.
Stay Updated: Watch for the Special Area Plan, which will show if height rules change.
Let’s protect Treasure Island’s charm together. See you at the meeting!
Five Floors Above a Garage is Doable - Keep It Small!
Thank you!
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