PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — From Melanie Coleman Simon’s balcony, you can see the tranquil canals of Tierra Verde.
Manatees drift by year-round, night herons perch in the mangroves and quiet waters surround the neighborhood that residents want to protect.
WATCH: Tierra Verde neighbors request meeting with developer after marina plan withdrawal
But Coleman Simon says that peace was threatened when Greenleaf Capital announced plans to redevelop the island’s 40-year-old marina.
The proposal called for 399 new dry storage boat racks, new buildings and a three-story restaurant and bar. Residents worried the project would overwhelm the island, increase traffic and noise and disrupt wildlife.
“More than double the amount of boats that would be going out of there,” Coleman Simon said. “We just saw that as a little — not a little — a lot too much and too high.”
Following weeks of community pushback, Greenleaf voluntarily withdrew its application on November 21, saying it will “revisit the project’s height and intensity.”
A statement noted the decision reflected feedback from multiple resident and community meetings.
Now, as Greenleaf revises its plans for the marina, Tierra Verde NEXT is hoping to have a seat at the table.
The group met Tuesday and agreed to reach out to the developer. The group will request a meeting with Greenleaf to help shape a redevelopment plan that balances new marina features with neighborhood needs.
“We think that Greenleaf, in working with us, can come up with a beautiful plan and be one of the most beautiful structures in Pinellas County,” Coleman Simon said. “We’re hoping they’ll be reasonable. We certainly are.”
For Coleman Simon, the marina is more than just boat storage. It is a key piece of the quaint coastal community, and she says her group is committed to making sure any future development protects the community and its surrounding environment.
Greenleaf has said that more marina space is needed in Pinellas County, a county that holds the second most boat registrations in the State of Florida.
“Even before Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, boat storage vacancies were limited,” Greenleaf wrote in an October news release. “The storms caused widespread dock damage, further tightening the market and driving more boat owners to seek secure, storm-resilient dry storage options.”
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