The St. Petersburg City Council voted 6-2 Thursday to pursue a planning-first approach before selecting a developer for the redevelopment of the historic Gas Plant district.

The vote supports Councilwoman Brandi Gabbard’s motion expressing the council’s preference for slowing down the process. Gabbard said the city is chasing a speeding bullet with the current timeline. While the resolution cannot force Mayor Ken Welch to delay the project, it signals the council’s position on the matter.

Mayor Welch’s office received nine development proposals before this week’s deadline. In a Wednesday memo to the council, Welch argued against pausing, warning that another planning exercise after proposals have been submitted risks repeating a pattern of plans discussed, promises acknowledged, and action deferred.

The Gas Plant district, a historically Black neighborhood razed decades ago for what is now Tropicana Field, has been the subject of long-standing redevelopment discussions. The disagreement highlights tension between those wanting immediate progress and council members seeking more planning before committing to a developer.

Gabbard, who plans to run for mayor, voted with the majority. Welch has filed to run for re-election.

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