Belleair Beach Millage Rates Hold Steady

The city council voted last week to retain the same millage rate of 1.9800 mills for the new fiscal year. This brings the 2009 fiscal year budget to $2.2 million down from $2.5 million during the current year. Declines in property values have reduced tax revenues in the City of Belleair Beach and City Manager Nancy McCollum said the city will make the required $300,000 reduction across all accounts in the city budget with no appreciable decrease in city services.

Make Sure Your Address Can Be Seen

The town of Belleair want residents to make sure thier addresses are visible for emergency reponders, like fire rescue workers. The address should be posted above the garage door or the front of your home facing the street. The numbers need to be at least 6 inches high according to the town ordinance. The police department will be sending warning letters to non-compliant homeowners, giving them a few weeks to make corrections.

Court Case Against Biltmore Accepted

The circuit court has agreed to hear a lawsuit brought by 3 Belleair residents against the town and Legg Mason Real Estate Investors, the owners of the Belleview Biltmore, claiming the Belleair Commission acted inappropriately in its conduct of public hearings regarding the Belleview Biltmore owner’s request for variances to the town’s building code.
The litigation alleges among other things that the commission had already made up its mind to grant the variances and that the May hearing was “tainted by the mayor’s clear favoritism for the applicant.” The suit also suggests that the commission failed to provide equal time to residents to fully present their opposition to the variance requests. The town now has 30 days to file a response, and the complainants have an opportunity to respond.

Biltmore's Cabana Club Plans Approved

The Clearwater Community Development Board unanimously approved plans to redevelop the Cabana Club on Sand Key. The Cabana Club property, which will be an annex for the Belleview Biltmore, will include a six-story, 38-room Victorian-style boutique hotel and a new 4,981-square-foot restaurant. New Florida-friendly landscaping will be installed throughout the site.

Belleair Beach Cuts Projects For Bridge Repair

The City Council voted to cut road paving and other routine projects during 2009 to pay for plans to rebuild the Harrison Street bridge. City Manager Nancy McCollum listed what items would be cut from the city’s 2009 operating budget to make up for the over-budget cost:- eliminate $113k from street re-paving;- eliminate Bayside Park landscaping, general plant replacement, building repairs - eliminate contract grass cutting in parks, $5k originally budgeted for Parks Board landscaping projects. Also, they passed an ordinance banning residential lights that shine on the beach during the sea turtle mating season that takes effect Oct. 1. The council also put off a vote on offshore drilling.