TIERRA VERDE, Fla. — Tierra Verde residents are asking a circuit court to overturn St. Petersburg’s approval of a proposed redevelopment at the Tierra Verde Marina, arguing the city applied the wrong height limit when it approved plans for new 72-foot dry storage racks.

The St. Petersburg Development Review Commission approved Greenleaf Capital’s proposal last month. Developers said the project would modernize the marina with new dry storage racks, upgraded existing wet slips and a new restaurant, bar and marina office.

The project has drawn opposition from many residents, who said the planned racks would be too tall for the area.

“The height is going to allow all these extra boats that this island can’t hold. Our infrastructure is not designed for this. Our residential neighborhood is not designed for 72-foot warehouse structures,” said Melanie Coleman-Simon, spokesperson for Tierra Verde Next.

Tierra Verde Next, a community group that said it represents more than 1,000 residents, filed a petition asking the circuit court to undo the city’s development approval. The group claims the city’s Development Review Commission applied the wrong height limit.

“So the current proposal is going to add 22 feet to the county code, which is saying only 50 feet, and that’s what’s legal, and that’s what the DRC did not have the right to do, just to allow them that extra space,” Coleman-Simon said.

The marina is in a unique area where county codes apply, but the location is under St. Petersburg’s jurisdiction.

Developers argue that state law should have prevented the county from adopting more restrictive land development regulations in 2025. They claim the prior maximum height of 75 feet still stands.

Greenleaf Capital spokesperson Rick Kriseman previously told Spectrum News that the proposal meets code criteria.

“So we think it’s a real win win, for the boating community, for the community that lives here, and it’ll be a great project,” Kriseman said in March.

A city spokesperson said the city cannot comment on pending legal action. However, the height issue was discussed by commission members and city staff at the Development Review Commission hearing.

“So the allowed height by right is 75 feet, or you could go through approval for 100 feet. They chose to go to 72 feet, so they are below the 75 which is allowed by right,” city staff said at the DRC hearing in May.

“But does the Tierra Verde overlay prescribe a 50 foot maximum?,” a commission member asked. ‘No,” a speaker said at the hearing.

The new racks would add 173 storage spots, bringing the marina’s total capacity to 500 spots.

MarineMax, which said it is the largest boat retailer in the U.S., has a St. Petersburg location with its own marina and boats for sale. General Manager Caleb Peavler said there is a need for more boat storage in the county.

“Our marina usually stays at around 95% capacity. The 5% of vacancy is by choice. We try to retain a vacancy, so we have more room for customers that trust us to purchase a new boat, and they’ve got somewhere to store it,” Peavler said.

Peavler said more dry storage in south Pinellas County would be good for business.

“It’s going to be helpful to sell more boats. As that demand stays high, having a place to store that boat inside is more beneficial and bodes confidence for customers to pursue that transaction faster,” he said.

Tierra Verde Next said its concerns also include noise and hurricanes. Coleman-Simon said the group is not against development but wants the racks lowered to 50 feet.

“It would be within the county code that we all agreed on that our island could live with,” Coleman-Simon said.

Greenleaf Capital told Spectrum Bay News 9 that it is prepared to defend the Development Review Commission’s approval of the site plan and will file a response to Tierra Verde Next’s petition.