TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. – The Treasure Island City Commission has taken action to support local businesses struggling to recover from the devastating impacts of the 2024 hurricane season. On February 18th, the Commission unanimously approved the first reading of a resolution that would temporarily extend the allowable duration of special events for businesses undergoing reconstruction.
Under current regulations, special events are limited to a maximum of nine days. However, recognizing the challenges faced by businesses rebuilding after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, the proposed ordinance would extend the approval period to six months, with the possibility of two additional three-month extensions.
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This measure aims to provide businesses with greater flexibility in hosting events to generate revenue and re-engage with customers while they rebuild.
“I just want to thank the City Manager (Chuck Anderson), Kathryn (Younkin) and Joan (Goodrich) for putting this together, getting this in front of you guys, because this is going to help out a lot of families,” Caddy’s on Treasure Island Owner Marcus Winter stated from the podium. “There’s a lot of people ready to come back to work. We got quite a bit of damage down there. We’re lucky enough we have space we can do this, do it safely, and provide parking, and it would be a good future for us as a business.
The ordinance is expected to pass its second reading at the City Commission meeting on March 4th. Once passed, businesses will be able to utilize food trucks, tents, restroom trailers, and other temporary amenities while they reconstruct their facilities. All events will still need to comply with existing regulations regarding parking, lighting, noise, and hours of operation.
The Commission also added a provision allowing for these special event permitting changes to be implemented during any future declared State of Emergency.
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