Church of Scientology makes rare appearance during Clearwater meeting on closing downtown street

Heated meeting over sale of Clearwater Street

Kailey Tracy reports.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - It was one of the first times the public has heard directly from the Church of Scientology, and it came during the latest crossroads with the City of Clearwater.

On Monday, the discussion around whether the city should sell South Garden Avenue between Court and Franklin Streets to the church became heated at times. Members of the public packed City Council’s chambers.

"We’re in a horrible marriage that needs counseling," Councilmember Mike Mannino said, describing the city’s relationship with the Church of Scientology. "We would all agree with that."

Battle over South Garden Ave.

The backstory:

The church said it wants to build an auditorium and a park right next to the street in question, and it also wants the city to close the street. In April, council members decided to table the final vote to sell a portion of South Garden Ave. to the Church of Scientology.

What they're saying:

"With 4,000 people going in and out of the hull and the park, in the twenty-first century, you just aren’t going to have a public road right in between those two," Sarah Heller, who is with the Church of Scientology, said.

Heller also cited safety as a primary reason to close the road.

Councilmember Lina Teixeira asked Heller if the church needed the road privatized, or if the project could be modified to keep the street open to the public, stating how often it’s used every day. Heller said the project can’t be modified.

Heller said the auditorium would be used for banquets and the church’s events, but would be open to non-profits using it and would work with Ruth Eckerd Hall, so they don’t compete with that venue.

Dig deeper:

Before asking questions about the proposal, Mannino commended the church for coming to the City Council workshop. It was met with applause from the crowd in attendance, many of whom spoke up against the church’s plans.

"I think it’s important to thank you for being here," he said.

Councilmembers said they’ve been begging the church to come to City Hall for years. The church said almost 10 of its buildings at least have permits for work to be done in downtown and were featured in a video they showed Council on Monday. They post the buildings’ updates on the Cleveland Street Alliance.

"I just don’t understand the significance that’s being put on the videos simply, because I think of them as a visual aid, a supplemental tool, and it could also be a misrepresentation in a way to it being attached to this agenda item," Teixeira said.

The video itself didn’t show or touch on the street in question. The church said it shows, though, that they are redeveloping downtown. Heller and the church’s partners, including a leasing agent at the meeting on Monday, said it has taken so many years to redevelop, because they’re curating the perfect mix of businesses to occupy the spaces, but assured the spaces are open to everybody.

They said they’ve spent millions on experts, design and more to help revitalize downtown. The leasing agent also mentioned he’s commonly asked by businesses looking to come to the area if the city and the church will work together.

City leaders pointed out the church owns around 200 properties in downtown Clearwater. Councilmember Teixeria said the church builds beautiful buildings, but her concern is with what goes into them, because several are still vacant. She said there’s nothing tangible to show for the work they’ve been doing.

"This isn’t smoke and mirrors," the leasing agent assured councilmembers.

The other side:

The grassroots group Reconnect Clearwater recently submitted a counter proposal for the street called Save the Garden, and also presented at Monday’s meeting.

The Church of Scientology wants to buy a portion of South Garden Ave., leading to a counter-proposal from a grassroots group.

"Others have voiced concern that denying this sale [the street to the Church] might mean losing any chance at progress," Brooks Gibbs, the founder of Reconnect Clearwater, said. "This kind of pressure isn’t the mark of a healthy partnership."

Its plan includes a park honoring African American history in Clearwater, and everyone who built the city. Their plan too, though, faces scrutiny.

"It would seem to me, especially after talking to Pastor Childs, that the African American community is being used as a means to an end and it boils my blood to think that might be appropriate or happening," Councilmember Ryan Cotton said.

"It doesn’t seem like an African American championship video," Cotton said, describing the video on Save the Garden’s website. "It seems like a backwards compliment sandwich in ‘I hate Scientology.’"

A couple of councilmembers said other residents reached out and questioned the group’s motives.

"It was [President of the Clearwater African American Foundation] Ms. Barbara Sorey-Love’s testimony on March 17 right here in front of the diocese that inspired the idea. I did not come up with this African American cause. She spoke it," Gibbs said with Sorey-Love and a group of Reconnect Clearwater members standing with him at Monday’s meeting.

Eventually, Gibbs said, they’ll have a mile-long walk through using QR technology and augmented reality to learn more about Clearwater’s history. He said it would take about 36 months to complete the project.

During the final comments of the meeting, Mannino told the audience the community isn’t as divided as we think we are. He said we are all looking to develop a thriving downtown Clearwater and for the city to heal.

Councilmember David Allbritton, who had been in favor of the sale of the street to the church, told the crowd he has now changed his mind.

"My eagerness to initiate an active downtown may have clouded my judgement regarding trust in Scientology’s plan, however, I find it difficult to trust them to execute this plan when they won’t even share the complete plan [for redevelopment] openly," Allbritton said.

Allbritton said he requested the church share the video it showed during Monday’s meeting with the public a few months ago, but they didn’t. He also said they’ve had ample time to revitalize downtown.

Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector called the church’s presentation on Monday "underwhelming," saying it didn’t have anything to do with why they’re asking the city to close the street. He said downtown Clearwater doesn’t need another auditorium with Ruth Eckerd Hall and the BayCare Sound nearby.

"We need the street more than we need an auditorium," Rector said.

"The trust is a problem," Rector said. "I think they’ve grown their footprint enough in downtown Clearwater."

What's next:

Rector also said he’s voting no on Thursday on the sale.

The grassroots group said it is offering $1.5 million for the street compared to the Church’s $1.375 offer. City Council will vote on whether to sell the street to the Church on Thursday.

The grassroots group asked Monday that Council also vote on their proposal Thursday.

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The Source: Information for this story was gathered by FOX 13's Regina Gonzalez and Kailey Tracy, with additional information from previous FOX 13 News reports.

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