The Clearwater City Council Rejected Your Signatures.

On November 5, the Clearwater City Council chose neither option required by our City Charter: repeal the ordinance giving part of South Garden Avenue to the Church of Scientology, or let voters decide in a special election. Three Council members said state law bars our petition as a referendum on a development order. But Florida law excludes giving up rights in land from “development,” and a Florida court has ruled that a road vacation is not a development order.

Now we’re taking that question to a judge. We followed every Charter requirement, and 7,577 verified Clearwater voters signed our petition. Defending your signatures in court will cost about $50,000, and we need your help. Please give today and ask your friends and neighbors to join you. Together, let’s protect the voters’ right to decide Garden Avenue’s future.