Basis of Design Book 2 - City of St. Petersburg

CITY CHARTER
Per the City Charter, the City of St. Petersburg shall have all governmental, corporate, and
proprietary powers to enable it to conduct municipal government, perform municipal
functions and render municipal services, and may exercise any power for municipal purposes
except when expressly prohibited by law.
The parks of the City are for the benefit and pleasure of the public and every person may
enjoy the privileges of City parks subject to compliance with the provisions of the City
Charter and all other applicable laws. The concept for having added protections for certain
City owned Park and Waterfront Property resulted from a Charter amendment in 1984.
A park and waterfront property map added to the Charter in 1984 had as its purpose to
afford additional protections to certain properties used as park & certain waterfront property.
Those properties were determined to warrant these protections by a citizen committee,
City Council and the citizens of the City at referendum. At that time there were also
other properties used for park uses which were determined not to warrant these additional
protections but which were, and are, operated as parks or for park purposes.
Based on referendum language approved by voters on November 8, 2011 a new Waterfront
Master Plan must be adopted via the following steps:
a. City Council is required to adopt an ordinance identifying the process and criteria
for the development of the Waterfront Master Plan by July 1, 2012; and
b. Approve an inclusive Waterfront Master Plan in accordance with that ordinance
by July 1, 2015.
Parks & Waterfront Property Protection
(Charter Sec.1.02 Park & Waterfront property; use, disposition)
Purpose
The purpose of this Charter Section is to protect City-owned park and waterfront property.
Except as provided herein, no waterfront or park property owned by the City may be sold,
donated or leased without specific authorization by a majority vote in a City-wide referendum.
Park and Waterfront Property
The City Park and Waterfront Map conclusively determines which property within the City
limits, and owned by the City on September 20, 1984, is waterfront property and which is
park property.
Property acquired by the City after September 20, 1984 shall be considered park property
if it is so designated by City Council and shall be considered waterfront property if it is contiguous
to, or under the waters of Lake Maggiore, Crescent Lake, Mirror Lake, Tampa Bay,
Boca Ciega Bay or the Gulf of Mexico or any other bays, arms or harbors. The property
owned by the City of St. Petersburg in the City of Treasure Island, adjacent to the Gulf of
Mexico, shall be considered waterfront property.
December 2011
DRAFT
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