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MICHAEL SANDLERCommissioners may postpone a hearing on rezoning a golf course to deal with escalating noise.
Pinellas County must step up its strategy for dealing with escalating noise at St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport before it moves forward with real estate plans, County Commission Chairwoman Karen Seel said Monday.
Responding to complaints from neighborhoods should be the county's No. 1 priority involving the airport, Seel said, even if it means delaying other airport business.
She will recommend today that the commission postpone a public hearing regarding the neighboring Airco Golf Course until county officials have a better handle on the noise issue.
"I just think we need to put this off and really engage the public as we have in the past, to really garner their opinion," she said.
Her statements came one week after hundreds of residents clashed with county officials over the county's plan to turn the public golf course into an industrial park.
On Monday County Administrator Steve Spratt and Richard Gehring, a consultant hired to run the meeting, both apologized for letting the meeting devolve into chaos. Both sent letters to the St. Petersburg Times accepting some blame.
"In hindsight, I could have taken control of Mr. Gehring's presentation and for not doing so, I apologize to those in attendance," Spratt wrote.
Gehring, who is being paid a consulting fee of up to $74,000, was at the center of last week's meeting intended to explain the golf course rezoning.
County officials had planned an informal meeting in a small room at a nearby hotel with charts, zoning maps and consultants - but no formal presentation.
They were met by a crowd of nearly 250 demanding a formal presentation on the recently announced $223-million airport expansion plan.
When that didn't happen, the crowd became agitated. Some shouted. Some catcalled. A man stood on a chair and read a speech.
At that moment, Gehring was handed a microphone, stood on a chair, faced the man and attempted to quiet the crowd.
"Having a meeting where you are standing on chairs doesn't create the right decorum," Gehring said Monday in an interview. "Hopefully, we'll get it right the second time."
Before the night's end, Spratt and Seel decided they had erred and a second meeting would be necessary.
Spratt said Monday he still is trying to set up the meeting. He said Gehring won't be in charge of that one.
"I think he feels bad, and I'm going to step in and be the face of this issue," Spratt said.
- Michael Sandler can be reached at 445-4162 or sandler@sptimes.com