Downtown redevelopment and Scientology’s role draw sharp divisions in Clearwater debate

The Cleveland Street redevelopment and the presence of Scientology in downtown Clearwater became one of the debate’s most contentious topics, with candidates offering sharply different diagnoses and prescriptions.

Mark Bunker framed the issue as a central motivation for his candidacy, saying he ran previously ‘‘largely on Scientology’’ and warned the council risked being controlled by the organization. He said local developers and named figures have pushed projects without adequate city engagement and told the audience he had previously felt shut out of certain downtown planning conversations.

Other candidates stopped short of accusing the organization of control but called for more openness. Bianca Lvala said the relationship ‘‘is not healthy’’ and urged two-way communication and compromise; she called for city officials to reduce tensions and ensure non-elected actors do not unduly shape planning outcomes.

Jared Leone and Sam Wilson emphasized collaborative activation of downtown—working with residents, property owners, nonprofits and developers to create a walkable, vibrant core that serves residents and visitors. Kevin RT Lachland and others pressed for clearer public presentations about developers’ plans and repeated concerns that city leaders were not getting straightforward answers when projects were discussed.

Candidates repeatedly returned to transparency and public process: several said referendums or public meetings should be available for major uses of public streets or property, while others warned that automatic referendums on every sale would chill development.

None of the candidates offered a binding policy change voted on in the forum; instead they described competing approaches—leverage public meetings and referendums in some cases, emphasize negotiated partnerships and activation in others. The debate underscored that how the city governs downtown redevelopment will be an early test for the next council.