Clearwater Marine Aquarium Downtown Expansion

[Clearwater Coalition]

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium wants to expand its operations and is seeking to lease land from the City of Clearwater in downtown Clearwater. The proposed site is where Clearwater's city hall is situated.

Clearwater residents will vote on November 5, 2013 to approve leasing the land to the CMA. If the voters approve this lease then city hall will have to move. As of now a new location has not been made public. There are other details that need to be worked out between the City of Clearwater and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

Election and Referendum Information - www.votepinellas.com/?id=2050

Ordinance No. 8418-13 - www.scribd.com/doc/169378107/Ordinance-No-8418-13

ClearwaterMarine Aquarium Expansion Information - www.scribd.com/doc/148783388/Clearwater-Marine-Aquarium-Downtown-Expansion-Plan

Memorandum of Understanding - www.scribd.com/doc/164293147/Memorandum-of-Understanding-between-the-City-of-Clearwater-and-the-Clearwater-Marine-Aquarium

Groups for the Expansion

Friends of CMA, Inc.
www.YesForClearwater.com

Winters New Home
www.wintersnewhome.com


Groups Against the Expansion

Friends of Clearwater, Inc.
www.FriendsofClearwater.com

CMA Doubts
www.cmadoubts.org

Focus Tampa Bay
www.focustampabay.org/home

[Carl Schrader]

On Tuesday, July 30, 2013
The Skycrest Neighbors Association

www.skycrestneighbors.org/default.php

is hosting speakers from the Clearwater Marine Aquarium to present to the public and answer questions about the downtown expansion plan.

Skycrest Neighbors Association
Meets at
Trinity Presbyterian Church
2001 Rainbow Drive
Clearwater FL 33765

Meeting Starts at 7:00 PM

Calendar Information - www.clearwatercoalition.org/Pages/Calendar.aspx

[Jack Mortimer]

This is a very unusual situation for the Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA) because there is no clear consensus among residents.

Some downtown residents are vehemently against the Aquarium's proposal and are investigating legal options. Others feel that a downtown aquarium would be the best thing ever. Many are undecided. So it's difficult for the Association to take a formal stance.

The official position of the DNA is just this:

1) We are intrigued by the proposal but need a lot more information. The CMA proposal has the potential to be a game-changer for downtown. But...

2) We are very disappointed in the lack of economic benefit that the Aquarium has brought to downtown to date. Our studies show that only 2% of Harborview visitors actually cross the street to venture into downtown shops and restaurants. Neither the City nor the Aquarium have made any substantial efforts to correct it, leaving most downtown residents frustrated with the lack of results. Four months ago we publicly issued a list of suggestions to help solve the problem, but none of them have been acted upon and several have been flat out rejected. Will the same problems exist with a new Aquarium? It's a key question.

The other major concerns for residents are traffic and noise. It's clear to all of us that a large commercial attraction will bring more vehicular and foot traffic to our neighborhood, for better or for worse. The question is... How much and how many? It's hard to predict, and it's a highly controversial (and contentious) topic. The Aquarium commissioned a traffic study in May but the results were hard to believe; the study contends that no appreciable increase in traffic will result from a new Aquarium downtown.

The traffic issue is naturally the #1 concern of Water's Edge and Pierce 100 (which comprise half of all downtown residents) because they are faced with the prospect of a large commercial attraction literally next door -- not much different than being right next door to a movie theater.

Few, if any, downtown residents are "anti-development". None of us are satisfied with the current state of Cleveland Street, and we all want to see growth and improvement. We just want to be sure that the Aquarium proposal is the right answer. Quality of life is important to us. After all, downtown is our home.

We can expect to hear more information - and controversy - in August, September and October. The City is staying silent on this issue for now, waiting for the public to make a decision in November. They would rather not influence the voters one way or the other, nor do they want to invest taxpayer dollars in studies until there is a clear mandate. Unfortunately, most of us feel like we don't yet have enough information to make an intelligent and informed decision. So we'll do our best to sift through all the information and propaganda (on both sides) and carry on with our own research.

The next few months are going to be interesting! We'll continue to post current information on our website: www.downtownneighborhood.net.

[Carl Schrader]

The Sand Key Civic Association is hosting a forum about this topic on Tuesday, October 8th at the Clearwater Sailing Center.

The event will begin at 7:00PM

More Information - clearwatergazette.com/Civic-association-plans-open-forum-Sand-Key-09182013

Clearwater Community Sailing Center Website - www.clearwatercommunitysailing.org/

Sand Key Civic Association - www.mysandkey.org/

Event Flyer - www.scribd.com/doc/172870997/Sand-Key-Civic-Association-s-October-8th-Forum

[Carl Schrader]

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium will present its proposal to expand into downtown Cleawater on Monday October 28th from 6:00 to 7:30 PM

Countryside Country Club
3001 Countryside Drive
Clearwater, FL 33771

To attend RSVP to Rita
[phone]

www.clubcorp.com/Clubs/Countryside-Country-Club

Google Map Link - maps.google.com/maps?q=3001+countryside+blvd+clearwater&hl=en&sll=28.047137,-82.721214&sspn=0.159986,0.220757&hnear=3001+Countryside+Blvd,+Clearwater,+Florida+33761&t=m&z=16