This November, St. Petersburg voters will answer a narrow question: should the city be allowed to lease land at Port of St. Petersburg for up to 25 years instead of 10? Charter Amendment #2 changes that one number and nothing else. To see why a “yes” vote makes sense, look at the master plan the city has just finished to see what the Port can become.
The last Port master plan was done in 1999. A new master plan, launched last year, set out to answer two questions: how can Port land evolve to support new economic and social opportunities, and what direction should guide future decisions?
The planning team worked through four phases: understand, explore, decide and finalize. It coordinated with a city-designated stakeholder group and met with city departments, Port users, neighboring property owners and the University of South Florida. Residents had two formal outreach periods, including a June 2025 open house at The Coliseum, two community work sessions and an online survey.
From that input came several guiding tenets, among them a port that evolves over time, stays connected to downtown, prepares for climate and economic change, and uses its small size as a strength. These all work to enhance the St. Pete Innovation District where the Port is based.
Future investment is meant to be market-driven and financially sustainable without increasing the Port’s subsidy, with the city pursuing grants, legislative appropriations, and public-private partnerships. Job growth is a core focus of every phase.
Public private projects like these rely on investment partners and grants, and both need time. Today the city can lease Port land to a tenant for up to 10 years with City Council approval; anything longer requires a citywide referendum. A partner building a facility, or a lender financing one, often cannot recover its investment in a decade, so the city risks losing good projects before they reach the negotiating table.
Amendment #2 would raise the limit to 25 years, the same limit neighboring Albert Whitted Airport has successfully used since 2004, when voters raised it from five. Supporters note that matching the airport’s structure would also satisfy federal funding requirements, helping bring in outside dollars so local taxpayers do not carry everything alone.
The ballot language says the amendment would not change the permitted use of the Port. That means the Port will continue to focus on maritime uses. This does not open the door to residential development. Every lease would still need approval from city administration and City Council, and under the City Charter, long-term waterfront leases require at least six of the eight council members.
The new master plan describes a future of innovation and investment for the Port. Charter Amendment #2 lets the city bring in the partners to get there. Vote yes on Amendment 2.