Windward Pass Resort Proposal Denied Again by St. Pete Beach Officials

The Proposal Returns to the Agenda

A long running development proposal made another appearance before the St. Pete Beach City Commission and reached the same outcome as before.

On January 27th, commissioners voted to deny the Windward Pass Resort for a second time. The project had returned following revisions and participation in a state led dispute resolution process, but city leaders remained unconvinced that the plan aligned with local planning goals.

The vote reaffirmed the city’s earlier decision and closed the door, at least for now, on the current version of the proposal.

A Waterfront Site Under Scrutiny

The proposed resort was planned for a group of vacant parcels along Gulf Boulevard near McPherson Bayou, positioned between the Sand Cove Apartments and the Sun Harbor Condominiums. Its location has made it one of the more closely watched undeveloped properties on St. Pete Beach.

City officials have repeatedly emphasized that the site sits within the Bayou Residential zoning district, an area intended to serve as a transition between higher intensity beachfront development and nearby residential neighborhoods. That designation has shaped how the city evaluates proposals for the land.

A Resort Designed for Visitors

Plans for the Windward Pass Resort included a six story structure with approximately 100 guest rooms. The development team also proposed amenities typically associated with destination hotels, including a rooftop bar and family oriented recreational features.

After the initial denial, the applicant revised the plan by reducing the number of rooms, adjusting parking arrangements, relocating amenities to comply with setback requirements, and adding noise mitigation measures. Despite those changes, the overall scale and use of the property remained largely unchanged.

Zoning Limits and Lodging Capacity

One of the central considerations in the commission’s decision was the city’s cap on temporary lodging units. St. Pete Beach limits how many hotel and short term rental units can be approved citywide, treating them as a finite resource.

Commissioners expressed concern that approving the Windward Pass Resort would allocate a significant portion of the remaining units to a single project within a district not primarily intended for large scale lodging.

Once assigned, those units cannot be easily redistributed, a factor that weighed heavily throughout deliberations.

Mediation Without a Green Light

Following the first denial, the developer sought relief through a formal dispute resolution process under state law. A settlement recommendation was produced and later presented to the city for consideration.

While the process allowed for dialogue and revisions, the City Commission ultimately chose not to adopt the recommendation. Officials maintained that the proposal continued to conflict with the intent of the zoning district and the city’s broader planning framework. The vote to deny the settlement effectively upheld the original rejection.

The Property Remains Unbuilt

With the second denial now on record, the Windward Pass site remains vacant. The developer retains the option to pursue judicial review or return with a substantially different proposal in the future.

For now, the decision signals that St. Pete Beach is holding firm to its zoning standards and lodging limits, particularly in areas meant to transition between residential and tourism focused zones.

A Clear Direction From City Leaders

This latest vote reinforces how St. Pete Beach is approaching development along its waterfront corridors. Rather than prioritizing size or amenities alone, officials continue to emphasize compatibility, zoning intent, and long range planning. Any future proposal for the Gulf Boulevard site will likely need to reflect a fundamentally different approach if it is to move forward.