BELLEAIR — The Town Commission voted unanimously Feb. 17 to build an 8-foot-wide shared-use pathway on the west side of Indian Rocks Road, approving a roughly $6 million project that could break ground later this year after a packed public hearing drew more than two dozen speakers.
The 5-0 vote capped a spirited but civil debate over whether the Phase 3 pathway should go on the west side, as originally planned, or the east side, where supporters argued a buffer between the road and the path would be safer.
Town officials, anticipating a big crowd, filled the Town Hall auditorium with extra chairs, set up overflow seating in the lobby and asked speakers to submit comment cards in advance.
When the hearing opened, the competing cases played out like a tennis match.
Backers of Option A — the west-side plan approved by the board in 2023 — said it would be cheaper, safer and quicker to complete. Proponents of Option B said placing the path on the east side, with a wide sidewalk as a buffer from the road, made more sense.
“One reason the commission decided to put the path on the west side was because there were no points of conflict,” Assistant Town Manager Ashley Bernal said during her presentation, pointing to a map that showed the east-side route crossing multiple streets and driveways.
Representatives of Belleair Country Club, where the path would run alongside the 14th hole, said the club “strongly supports Option A, because Option B is a retreat from a safety-first approach.”
A third option that would have halted Phase 3 design work was quickly set aside and never revisited.
After roughly 30 minutes of public comment — including two young girls dressed in pink who came to the podium — support for Option A narrowly outweighed that of Option B.
Option A carries an estimated price tag of $6 million for design and construction, with work starting as early as this coming winter. Option B was projected at $6.33 million and would likely not begin until the winter of 2027-28, Bernal said.
In addition to the west-side path, the project includes a 6-foot sidewalk on the east side, a three-way stop at the intersection of Eastleigh Drive and a new bridge along the route.
“I fear the danger of golf balls, and I think the purpose of this path is safety,” Commissioner Tom Kelly said. “I don’t know why we wouldn’t vote for Option A.”
Deputy Mayor Tom Shelly agreed, calling Option A the “quickest, most financially responsible and safest” choice. He thanked state Sen. Ed Hooper, R-District 21, for pursuing more than $10 million in funding for the Indian Rocks Road project.
Before the vote, Mayor Mike Wilkinson praised the audience for its participation.
“We have a hard decision to make, and some people might leave here unhappy,” he said. “But I’m excited, because we’re going to have a new bridge and a new road. And whatever we decide will be better than what we have now.”
Afterward, Wilkinson said the decision came down to a handful of factors: Option A was safer, had fewer points of conflict, cost less and could be completed sooner.
“I’m glad we listened to everybody,” he said. “I think everybody who wanted to have a say was heard.”
He credited the smooth proceedings to town staff and residents alike.
“We have very passionate residents here, but they’re also very respectful, even during difficult discussions like these,” the mayor said.
For more information on the Indian Rocks Road project, visit the town’s website.
