A public hearing will be held next week to determine the language that will be placed on the November ballot regarding whether or not to replace the St. Pete Pier as it is currently structured.
Last week the Council voted 5-3 to hold that public hearing, making it apparent that they have been convinced to allow the citizenry to weigh in on what has appeared to be a done deal – the remaking of the inverted pyramid into an entirely new structure.
For the last year a very public process has been in place on creating an entirely new look for the iconic structure, which has struggled financially for years. That public process led the Council to ultimately approve a new design called The Lens, designed by Michael Maltzan Architecture.
That vote regarding ballot language came after the Pinellas County Supervisor of Elections verified more than 20,000 petitions submitted by the group voteonthepier.com were legitimate.
Of the five council members who voted in support, none was happier than Wengay Newton.
This article appears in Jul 19-25, 2012.