The St. Pete Beach Board of Adjustment voted to grant a variance for 6655 Gulf Boulevard that allows the property to retain its existing sidewalk rather than immediately expanding to the 10‑foot width required by the land development code. Planner Brandon Berry told the board the request (variance case 25118) sought relief from the city's sidewalk requirement following a change of use to a neighborhood grocery and that staff recommended approval with conditions including a time-limited scope and landscaping.

Brandon Berry, planner, said the existing sidewalk is about 5 feet in width and noted the land development code requires a 10-foot sidewalk when redevelopment or a change of use occurs; staff can administratively reduce that to no less than 6 feet but cannot authorize the 5-foot width without a variance. Berry said staff's recommended conditions would make any approval temporary: it would expire if the subject property is redeveloped or if adjacent properties later require the wider sidewalk, and it would require low‑growing plantings in the front buffer.

Applicant Ryan, who identified himself as the owner/operator of a neighborhood grocery concept, told the board the project has experienced unexpected construction cost increases tied to electrical work and insurance requirements. He said Duke Energy would not permit tapping into three‑phase power behind the site, which raised site costs, and that wrapping concrete around existing light poles and signage to meet a wider sidewalk would reduce visibility and the landscape buffer that currently discourages vehicles from "curb‑hopping." "There is 3 phase available behind the site, but Duke wouldn't let us tap into it," Ryan said. He added that he risks running out of funds to open if required to complete the sidewalk work immediately.

Two residents, William Lawson and Jo Lynn Lawson, spoke in support of the variance and the grocery. William Lawson said the community would benefit from a coordinated approach to pedestrian pathways rather than installing a single isolated concrete segment and thanked the board for considering staff's recommendation. "We would all, as a city, benefit from a more coordinated approach to our pedestrian pathways," he said. Jo Lynn Lawson asked the board to grant the variance with staff-recommended conditions.

Board members discussed when the condition requiring sidewalk expansion should be triggered. Staff explained the draft condition would require the sidewalk to be expanded when either adjacent property redevelops; the board amended that language to require both adjacent properties to be developed before the grocery site would be required to widen the sidewalk. The board also directed staff to record the variance in the Pinellas County property records so prospective buyers would be aware of the condition.

The board approved the variance with the amended condition and the landscaping requirement. Staff emphasized the approval was limited in scope and would not relieve future owners from the requirement to widen the sidewalk if the specified triggers occur.

The record shows the staff relied on land development code provisions addressing sidewalks and variances; no letters in opposition were filed with the city for this case prior to the hearing, and staff said a supplemental narrative from the owner had been provided and forwarded to the board.