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6h ago

St. Pete Beach Weighs $1 Tourist Access Toll for Post-Storm Repairs

City commissioners requested a feasibility and legal review following the mayor’s toll pitch.

Debris and discarded household goods after Hurricane Helene are drenched by the rains of Hurricane Milton in the Belle Vista neighborhood of St. Pete Beach on Thursday, October 10, 2024. FEMA applications for this season’s storms flooded the agency with more than double the number of requests than those following hurricanes Ian and Idalia, according to agency data. (Ricardo Ramirez Buxeda/Orlando Sentinel)
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Overview

  • Mayor Adrian Petrila proposed charging visitors $1 at all three entry points, with residents, business owners and employees exempt.
  • He cited roughly 60,000 daily trips and projected about $11 million in annual revenue to help cover a $200 million infrastructure backlog.
  • The city attorney is slated to present a legal summary in early 2026 as commissioners examine economic impacts and statutory hurdles.
  • Petrila said he has opened discussions with FDOT about a possible transfer of Gulf Boulevard to the city, which could enable tolling.
  • Local business owners and a mayoral challenger criticized the idea over potential tourism losses, and the proposal included no plaza locations or cost estimates and was not listed on the meeting agenda.