St. Pete Catalyst; Published By Mark Parker
As St. Petersburg’s Pier, Edge and Grand Central Districts continue to gain popularity, so does the proliferation of unpermitted vendor tables that attract crowds and block sidewalks.
City leaders advanced an initiative that expands a 2019 ordinance prohibiting tables and stands in heavily trafficked areas. Councilmember Gina Driscoll, whose district encompasses downtown, proposed the original regulation before the St. Pete Pier opened.
The $90 million public amenity and the city’s growth led to more unpermitted tables and “table-like objects,” which clog the right of way and create safety issues. However, some council members expressed concern that an additional ordinance would impede efforts to help homeless residents.
“I just want to emphasize that my reasoning for bringing this forward and establishing it (the prohibition zone) in the first place was not about what activities are happening with tables, but just the safety issues presented by the tables,” Driscoll said during the May 11 Public Services and Infrastructure (PSI) Committee meeting. “This allows the activity to take place in areas where it’s appropriate and safe to do so while keeping our pedestrian areas clear and safe.
“I just want to make sure there is no question about the intent.” Read more
