The Clearwater City Council voted 3-2 to vacate a portion of South Garden Avenue, the stretch of road running in front of the Church of Scientology’s flagship building downtown. The vote transfers control of that section of public road to the church, which already owns multiple properties in the surrounding area.
The decision followed months of public debate. More than an hour of public comment preceded the vote, with hundreds of people gathered outside City Hall as council members decided.
Mayor Bruce Rector opposed the move, arguing it could harm downtown’s economy by reducing vehicle access to the area. “I would love to have more cars using Garden Avenue to access the exciting things we are developing and continue to develop in downtown Clearwater,” Rector said.
Councilman Ryan Cotton voted in favor, saying he believed some opponents of the transfer were unfairly targeting the church specifically. “I think that everybody needs to realize that yes, we are the public; yes, we are Clearwater citizens, and that includes Scientologists as well,” Cotton said.
A community group called “Save the Garden” had pushed for a ballot measure requiring voter approval on future road sales, after the church applied last year to purchase part of the avenue. The city determined that the petition did not collect enough valid signatures. A lawsuit over that decision is still pending.
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