Reverter Clause on Clearwater Marina Set for RepealBy Anne McKay GarrisAccording to a committee report at the Clearwater Beach Association meeting, Tuesday, the legislative bill to repeal the reverter clause on the Clearwater Marina property is now in the process of being formalized. Responding to a request from the Clearwater City Council, State Representative Jim Frishe, has filed a bill which removes the State's right of reverter on the Marina property if there is any development there except for recreation open space use. In place of the reverter right of the State, Representative Frishe, in response to requests by the people of Clearwater, and the urgings of the three Clearwater Islands neighborhood associations, put in place the requirement that the land cannot be sold, licensed, otherwise disposed of, or leased for more than thirty years without a referendum of the people. The bill has been approved by the Pinellas County Legislative Delegation and a companion bill proposed for the Senate by Senator Dennis Jones. When it is put in formal language, it will be filed by Representative Frishe's office and a public notice will be published. Once filed, the bill will be heard by the appropriate committees in Tallahassee before it goes before the legislature and the senate to be approved and become law. Common custom is for local bills like this one to be approved without much dissent when they finally reach the floor. The community committee, which has been working on the bill, has problems with the "lease for up to thirty years" portion of the law, fearing this will still allow the City to allow a developer to build a hotel on the property. They are studying what further action should be taken.
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