SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve a rights-of-way vacation request from Myrtle Development LLC for city rights-of-way and alleyway more particularly described as those portions of Laura Street, a 15 ft. platted alley, and North Street, also known as Grove Street, lying east of East Street, also known as East Avenue and abutting blocks 14, 15, and 16, in Gould and Ewing’s 2nd Addition according to the plat thereof as recorded in Plat Book 1, Page 52 of the Public Records of Hillsborough County, Florida, of which Pinellas County was formerly a part and pass Ordinance 9908-26 on first reading.
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SUMMARY:
On April 17, 2026, the Church of Scientology Flag Service Organization, through its affiliated development entity Myrtle Development LLC, applied to vacate a portion of Laura St, a 15 ft. platted alley, and Grove St.
Grove Street and the 15 ft. platted alley are currently unused.
Laura Street is currently open to vehicular traffic and has free public parking.
A city-owned property, addressed as 103 N East Ave, as an abutting property, will be affected by this proposed vacation, increasing the parcel size with the addition of 3,250 square feet of land included in half of the 15 ft. platted alley on the south, and half of the Grove St. right-of-way on the north.
A multi-departmental internal review was completed on August 31, 2026 and is included as an attachment to this agenda item.
The Applicant seeks to vacate these rights-of-way for the development of the EVO Entertainment - Family Entertainment Center.
Conditions include: 1. Applicant shall obtain a certificate of occupancy for the development within 4 years of the execution of the Ordinance; 2. Applicant shall execute and return to the City within 30 calendar days any new easements as necessary to accommodate new or existing public utilities as appropriate; 3. Applicant will be responsible for the reasonable relocation of utilities within the rights-of-way upon request and at no expense to the City; 4. City may continue full use of the rights-of-way until such time as City issues a right-of-way permit, and City will not be required to issue the right-of-way permit until City has issued building permits authorizing construction supporting the development; 5. Applicant will responsible for any expenses for replacing, removing, or relocating crossing warning devices, warning signs, permanent closure signs, dead end signs, and other markers related to CSX Railroad Crossings; 6. This vacation Ordinance would not take effect unless the conditions are satisfied.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
N/A
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS:
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STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
1. High Performing Government: Embrace a culture of innovation that thrives on continuous improvement.
2. Preserve community livability through responsible development standards, proactive code compliance, and targeted revitalization.
