Around 100 residents went to a strategy session Tuesday night in anticipation of a St. Pete Development Review Commission meeting in early December.

TIERRA VERDE, Fla. — A battle over the Tierra Verde marina is heating up, with many neighbors voicing their opposition ahead of a key meeting.

At the St. Pete special commission meeting Tuesday night, more than 100 residents filled the Island Church on Tierra Verde as the marina owner, Greenleaf Capital, wants to expand the current dry and wet slip marina off Pinellas Bayway South. 

The developer continues courting civic groups in support of plans to create the second-largest boat storage facility in the country, capable of housing more than 700 boats.

Many people here on the island don’t like the plan because it would take out shops and a local gas station. Recently, the owners didn’t extend leases to those businesses, so now they’re all gone.

“We’re 4,000 people here on the island, and we’re not only the people on the island that are listening and are taking note. We have people from all over the state, from all over the country that are supporting us,” said Melanie Coleman-Simon, an organizer with Tierra Verde Next. 

At the meeting, residents came together to strategize, pass out t-shirts ahead of the DRC meeting on Dec. 3, which will decide the fate of the idea. Many residents said they hate it, and it will make their small key overrun with traffic and take away wildlife habitat.

“I’m hoping that they take into consideration what could happen if this gets approved,” said Karen Fernandez, who visits Tierra Verde with her family. “I hope that they do not approve this at all.”

Greenleaf needs the DRC to approve the plan and recently got letters in support from the St. Pete and Tampa Bay Beaches Chambers of Commerce.

The St. Pete Council of Neighborhood Associations, CONA, also sent a support letter but later rescinded it “after talking to more in the community,” according to a revision letter sent to the city.

St. Pete Chamber CEO Chris Steinocher said he stands by the chamber’s support of the project. He said it’s part of the rush of development that makes the city better and grows the local economy.