Clearwater council approves Garden Avenue vacation after heated public comment

The Clearwater City Council voted 3–2 on June 18 to vacate a southern portion of Garden Avenue to allow the Church of Scientology's proposed L. Ron Hubbard Hall to build a continuous campus and a security buffer, following an extended public‑comment period that featured dozens of speakers on both sides.

Supporters at the microphone described the closure as a safety measure for large, regular gatherings. "Permanent closure is the only solution that actually protects people," said Ryan Igo, a retired federal firefighter who testified about changes in emergency response and the need for “standoff” distance at mass gatherings. Chief Eric Gandandy, addressing capacity and safety logistics, told the council the building’s safe capacity is about 650 inside while an estimated 2,000 people remained outside during the meeting, and recommended an organized, screened rotation if outside speakers were to be admitted.

Opponents countered that the street is public infrastructure and that the hall can be completed without permanently removing public access. "They can build their hall and all of Clearwater can keep the street," said a resident, Jill, who represented petition signers opposed to the vacation and warned the council against giving away downtown right‑of‑way. Neighborhood advocates and the Clearwater African‑American Foundation president Barbara Sory Love urged the council to preserve the street as part of the city’s historic public fabric.

A key legal question animated much of the debate. The council discussed a nonbinding opinion from the Florida Attorney General concluding the abutting property owners hold the underlying title to the portion of Garden Avenue at issue; that opinion contradicted a prior, longer city attorney memorandum that said the land was held in fee by the city. Several opponents urged waiting for a judicial quiet‑title ruling; an attorney for a downtown business requested a continuance so a declaratory action could be filed to determine ownership.

Council members who supported the vacation cited traffic studies and emergency‑response analyses they said showed minimal negative impact on evacuation routes and transit, and noted prior downtown vacations the city had approved in the past. Those opposed emphasized permanent loss of public access, the comprehensive plan’s direction, and pending county redevelopment requests that some said merited pause.

The ordinance on second reading (Ordinance 9907‑26) was approved after a motion and second. No individual vote by member name was recorded in the public transcript; the council announced the result as three in favor and two opposed. Opponents at the meeting said they intended to pursue litigation and a referendum under the city charter to require voter reconsideration.

Votes at a glance
• Transfer of listed city properties to the Clearwater Community Redevelopment Agency (agenda item 7.1) — approved unanimously; action allows transfer of identified parcels for strategic redevelopment.
• Ordinance 9909‑26 (amending Chapter 30 — parking modernization) — approved on first reading, unanimous.
• Ordinance 9921‑26 (operating budget amendment) — approved (voice vote).
• Ordinance 9922‑26 (capital budget increase of $3,574,619) — approved (voice vote).
• Ordinance 9906‑26 (amending code section 28.04, trading and selling on streets) — approved (third reading, voice vote).

What happens next
The ordinance takes effect per its terms. Opponents at the meeting said they plan further legal action and a possible voter referendum. The city did not announce additional mitigation or implementation steps during the meeting; council members and staff noted public‑communications follow‑up to collect comment cards and continue community outreach.

Reporting notes
The council opened the floor to registered public comment and limited debate to roughly 60 minutes per council rules; staff and law enforcement coordinated an in‑meeting recess so a limited number of speakers outside the building could be admitted. The public comment period included testimony from business owners, longterm residents, veterans and public‑safety professionals, faith leaders and multiple representatives of the Church of Scientology and community groups. The transcript shows multiple factual claims about traffic volumes, petition signatures (opponents cited approximately 9,000 signatures), and building capacities; where those figures were stated in testimony they are attributed in this article to the speakers who made them. This article does not resolve ownership questions or legal claims; those remain subject to subsequent legal processes.