Tierra Verde Marina Redevelopment Approved By St. Petersburg Development Review Commission

The St. Petersburg Development Review Commission has approved the redevelopment of Tierra Verde Marina, a seven-acre waterfront property at 100 Pinellas Bayway South in Tierra Verde. Developed by Greenleaf Capital, the proposal calls for the construction of two 72-foot dry-storage rack buildings, a three-story Harbor House pavilion with a public restaurant, outdoor balcony seating, and a third-floor bar, along with retail space, marina offices, upgraded fueling infrastructure, expanded landscaping buffers, stormwater improvements, and a private pool area for marina members.

As reported by St Pete Rising, the project received approval Wednesday in a narrow 4-3 vote following a lengthy and contentious public hearing. Commissioners Kevin Reali, Joseph Griner, Will Conroy, and David Hugglestone voted in favor of the redevelopment, while Charles Flynt, Sam Blatt, and Sarah Jane Vatelot voted against the proposal.

The existing marina currently contains 64 wet slips and 314 high-and-dry storage racks housed within a 58,000-square-foot indoor storage building. The property also includes a 24,000-square-foot shopping center and a gas station, both of which are slated for demolition as part of the redevelopment. Upon completion, the project would increase total dry-storage capacity to 500 spaces.

The approval includes two conditions that were passed unanimously by the commission. The first requires a noise study and establishes a maximum allowable sound level of 60 decibels. The second limits operating hours for the marina and pool to 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. through 6 p.m. on weekends.

The approved plan represents a scaled-back version of earlier proposals for the property. Previous iterations reportedly included structures rising as high as 90 feet and storage capacity for as many as 711 dry-storage racks. The revised proposal reduces the maximum building height to 72 feet while lowering the total dry-storage count to 500 spaces.

Public comment during the hearing centered on concerns regarding traffic, hurricane evacuation and storm resiliency, environmental impacts, noise, and compatibility with Tierra Verde’s island character. City staff nevertheless recommended approval, noting that the proposal complies with the applicable Pinellas County land development regulations that continue to govern the annexed property. Staff also cited substantial stormwater upgrades that would reportedly increase on-site retention capacity by approximately 70 percent.

Greenleaf Capital acquired the marina property in 2011 for $5 million and has revised the redevelopment proposal multiple times over the years in response to community opposition and feedback.

The developer stated that permitting could take approximately six to nine months, with construction expected to span roughly 18 to 24 months.

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