John’s Pass business owners worried over future zoning changes in case of natural disaster
JOHN’S PASS, Fla. (WFLA) — Business owners and residents will be the first to tell you that John’s Pass floods, and floods often.
“All I want is to keep what’s ours,” said Michael Berry.
If Woody’s Watersports is wiped off John’s Pass by a natural disaster, owner Michael Berry isn’t sure he would rebuild.
“My prices would have to go up,” explained Berry. “I’d have to reduce my workforce. There’s all kinds of numbers you have to juggle to see whether or not you could make the kind of revenue that you make.”
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Because of the worries of hurricanes and flooding, Pinellas County and Madeira Beach officials are working on new regulations for the future of John’s Pass if it is destroyed.
“If we weren’t able to recreate that after some natural disaster,” said Dylan Hubbard. “It would just be, to me, a detriment to the area, to the region and really to our overall lifestyle.”
County commissioners approved a land use change for John’s Pass that allows businesses to keep the same density inside their properties if they rebuild. While owners said that’s a win, they said they’re more worried about zoning changes potentially coming soon.
“You think about the building that we own,” explained Berry. “If it were to come down because of a storm, to only be able to build 70 percent of our property makes no sense because we need 100 percent of our property to continue our operations the way we currently have our operations.”
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Madeira Beach officials said some commercial buildings may have to change their setbacks and height upon redevelopment or rebuild.
“It would end John’s Pass as we know it,” said Hubbard, boat captain and owner of Hubbard’s Marina.
“To me,” Hubbard expounded. “If you’re not able to build back what John’s Pass is currently, it’s a loss.”
The land use change that was approved by the county on Tuesday is expected to changed locally in Madeira Beach next month. City officials said the zoning change hearings should start in late spring or early summer.
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