Cruise terminal proposal draws threats Cruise terminal proposal draws threats

Manatee County officials insist that the public will have a chance to comment on the proposed cruise terminal amid reports of harassment. Fox 13’s Kimberly Kuizon reports.  

TERRA CEIA, Fla. – Manatee County leaders are speaking out after what they describe as harassment and threats aimed at county employees and their families over a proposed cruise terminal near the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

The backstory:

In a statement released Wednesday, County Administrator Charlie Bishop said staff members have been targeted as debate over the project grows. In some cases, the targets were staff members’ children.

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“No county employee should be harassed for performing their professional duties. No child should ever be targeted because of where their parent works,” Bishop wrote. “These actions must stop.”

Terra Ceia is about as “Old Florida” as you can get. The waters have attracted fishermen, boaters and those looking for a quiet life. 

“Most the people who live in this area appreciate our clean air and clean water,” resident Tom Glancy said. 

Glancy has called the area home for nearly a decade. That’s why he and countless others can’t figure out why SSA Marine and Slip Knot LLC would pick their slice of paradise for a cruise terminal. 

What they’re saying:

“To think that they’re going to even consider putting something like a heavy industrial site that would have such great impacts right in the middle of an aquatic preserve is just mind-blowing,” Glancy told FOX 13. 

Plans are preliminary, and a formal application has yet to be filed with Manatee County, but residents are concerned about the area surrounding the 328-acre property known as Knott-Cowen tract. 

“There’s actually some really unique habitats right in the edge of where they are proposing to do this, where we have sargassum, soft corals and a lot of stuff that just isn’t found in a lot of other places. It’s a very unique area,” Glancy said. 

The proposal involves a privately developed cruise ship terminal on the Gulf side of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge near Terra Ceia Bay.

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According to a January pre-application letter submitted to Manatee County by Stantec Consulting Services on behalf of Slip Knot LLC, the developer is seeking early guidance on a large-scale plan amendment that would shift the land to a “heavy industrial” designation to allow for a cruise port and related facilities. The property consists of mangrove areas, uplands and submerged land.

“It’s a contentious issue, people have been very upset and emotionally charged as they have the right to be,” Courtney De Pol, deputy county administrator for Manatee County, said.

Dig deeper:

Manatee County said debate and disagreement have also brought harassment to county employees and their families.

“This is a pause, it’s reminding the public to be respectful, our staff knows what they are doing. They deal with these contentious problems each and every day, but we want to make sure the public understands there will be plenty of time to do public comment,” De Pol said. 

De Pol said the proposed cruise terminal will likely go through years of review. 

Glancy, his neighbors and a large portion of Manatee County will be watching and waiting. 

“We understand people have a right to do what they need to do with their land, but it all has to be done within the rules and regulations that exist. At the county level, we are just urging people to get out and actually come to meetings and speak clearly about what your concerns are,” Glancy said. 

Manatee County said a letter making the rounds on social media talking about “rapid response” to Slip Knot LLC is a standard letter that goes out for any project that would bring significant economic impact. They said a “rapid response” letter does not necessarily mean rapid approval. 

The grassroots organization Suncoast Waterkeeper is urging residents to oppose the project, warning it could threaten what it calls “the heart of Tampa Bay,” including mangroves, seagrass beds and nearby aquatic preserves.

The group has also criticized job and environmental claims tied to the terminal, arguing the long-term impacts outweigh the benefits. An online petition against the project has garnered more than 17,000 signatures in three weeks’ time.

What’s next:

County leaders say any proposal would still have to undergo technical review, meet zoning and environmental rules and go before the Manatee County Commission. There would be multiple public hearings along the way.                               

“Healthy debate is welcome,” Bishop wrote. “Harassment, intimidation and targeting of staff or their families is not.                                                                                                                           

The Source: Manatee County Government statement, Suncoast Waterkeeper advocacy materials, and a January pre-application letter submitted to Manatee County by Stantec Consulting Services on behalf of Slip Knot LLC.

Manatee County