Just when you thought the fight to save The Landings couldn't get more urgent…IT DID!

My Clearwater Scoop has learned that the City Council and the developer behind the proposed sports complex may be moving to bypass a public referendum entirely. Their argument? That the Land Use change required for this development does not legally require a community vote.

Let that sink in.

70 acres of public land. 1,994 paved parking spaces. 12 Astroturf soccer fields. A 1,500 seat stadium. A development that will permanently change the character of entire neighborhoods along Keene Road, Drew Street, and Hercules Avenue. And the people who represent you on City Council may decide…without asking you…that none of it requires your vote.

This is exactly what the community has been warning about. It is exactly why what happens on June 23rd matters more than ever.

The Hustons Want to Stay

Here is something worth celebrating in the middle of all of this. The Huston family who have operated The Landings Golf Club for decades want to continue. They want to keep the course running. They want to serve this community the way they always have.

The Hustons are not the problem. The developer and a City Council willing to make decisions behind closed doors are the problem.

What the Developer and Council Are Arguing

The Porter proposal: the development plan sitting on the table right now is being positioned in a way that may allow City Council to approve it with just four votes. Four council members. Not thousands of Clearwater residents. Not a public referendum. Four people deciding the fate of 70 acres of your public green space.

The argument being floated is that this development does not constitute a Land Use change significant enough to trigger the referendum requirement under city code. Legal? Possibly debatable. Democratic? Absolutely NOT!

This is not new behavior from Clearwater City Hall. In 2020 they tried the same land with the same playbook (a development proposal on The Landings that ultimately DID go to referendum because the community demanded it. Voters rejected it with 61% of the vote.

Now they're back. And this time they may try to make sure you never get to vote at all.

Your Next Move - June 23rd at the Main Library

Here is where you come in. And this is urgent.

The City of Clearwater is hosting a City Council Candidate Forum on Monday June 23rd from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at the Clearwater Main Library. Every candidate running for City Council will be in that room.

Our community has one very important question to ask every single one of them:

Will you vote yes or no on the Porter proposal for The Landings?

This is your opportunity to look the people asking for your vote directly in the eye and find out where they stand on the most important community issue in Clearwater right now. Before the election. Before it's too late.

📍 Clearwater Main Library
📅 Monday June 23rd
⏰ 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM
🔗 Full details and candidate information here: https://www.myclearwater.com/Events-and-Meetings/City-Council-Candidate-Forum

The golf course and the land need to be discussed with taxpaying citizens; not decided by four council members in a room somewhere in the next few weeks. That is NOT how democracy is supposed to work. That is NOT how Clearwater is supposed to work.

What You Can Do Right Now

📣 Show up on June 23rd and bring your neighbors, bring your questions, bring your voice
🔁 Share this article with five people today. Most of your neighbors still don't know this is happening
👍 Follow Keep Keene Green on Facebook for the latest updates
📧 Stay tuned to My Clearwater Scoop. We will be at that forum and we will be covering every development of this story

The community stopped them in 2020 with 61% of the vote. That happened only because enough people showed up, paid attention, and demanded to be heard.

This is that moment again. Don't sit this one out.

Public land requires a public vote! Let the people decide. 🌳🦅

For more local news and community stories visit My Clearwater Scoop: → Here

While our community fights to protect 70 acres of public green space at The Landings, there's something every Clearwater and Pinellas County resident can do right now to keep Florida green one yard at a time. Florida's native plant and pollinator garden movement is exploding in 2026 and there's never been a better time to get involved.

A Local Hidden Gem Worth Knowing

Right here in our backyard in Largo, Wilcox Nursery at 12501 Indian Rocks Road has earned a spot on Florida's list of Top Native Plant Nurseries worth visiting this summer. This isn't your big box garden center with a small native section tucked in the back corner. Wilcox carries Florida-friendly and native plant options with real regional expertise with staff who actually understand Pinellas County soil, sun, and summer heat. For Clearwater and Largo residents looking to create yards that support local wildlife and require less maintenance, this is your go-to spot. Call ahead to confirm summer hours and availability before making the drive.

The 2026 Trend Taking Over Florida Yards

Something is shifting in Florida neighborhoods this season. The perfectly manicured lawn with a few standard shrubs is giving way to something wilder, more intentional, and honestly more beautiful with pollinator gardens built with Florida native plants. Native bee populations, butterfly species, and other pollinators have been under real pressure for years and homeowners are starting to connect the dots between what they plant and what shows up in their yard.

The best part? You don't need a big yard or a big budget to make a difference.

Best Native Plants For Clearwater Gardens Right Now

Here are the native plants flying off nursery shelves this season that work beautifully in Pinellas County yards:

Frogfruit - a low-growing groundcover that spreads quietly along lawn edges and blooms across a long season attracting native bees and butterflies. Handles Florida heat, tolerates sandy soil, and asks for very little once established.

Coreopsis - Florida's own state wildflower. Bright yellow blooms, handles sandy soil and heat, attracts native bees and butterflies, and the seedheads feed birds through migration season. Buy from a native nursery to make sure you're getting the real thing.

Tropical Sage - scarlet blooms that attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and native bees across a long season. Reseeds freely so once you plant it you'll have it coming back year after year with almost no effort.

Goldenrod - one of the most ecologically valuable plants a Florida gardener can grow despite its undeserved reputation for causing allergies. The real culprit is ragweed. Goldenrod feeds bees, butterflies, and birds from fall through winter.

Blue Mistflower - soft blue-purple blooms arriving just as summer fades, filling a gap that most gardens leave empty and feeding migrating butterflies when they need it most.

A Few Quick Summer Gardening Tips

Water deeply and less frequently rather than shallow and daily. Florida's sandy soil drains fast and deep roots handle heat and drought far better. Early morning is the best time to water before the heat sets in. Avoid overwatering during rainy season as most native plants actually prefer to dry out between rains.

Skip the pesticides in pollinator gardens. A yard full of native blooms means nothing if sprays wipe out the insects it was designed to support.

Every native plant you put in the ground is a small vote for the kind of Florida you want to live in. 🌿🦋

Learn more about Wilcox Nursery here: LEARN MORE →
Read more about Florida's pollinator garden trend here: LEARN MORE →

If you've been waiting for the Gulf to warm up the wait is over. Clearwater Beach water temperatures have reached 81 degrees. Warm, clear, and perfect for swimming, paddleboarding, or just wading in. Historically Gulf temperatures peak around 85-86 degrees in late summer so we're already well into comfortable swimming territory ahead of schedule.

Check current water temperatures and conditions Here

Watch the live Clearwater Beach Cam Here

Our pets aren't just animals — they're family. If you've seen any of the pets below please email us at [email protected] and we will connect you directly with their families. One share could bring someone's baby home.

Zena has been missing for over 105 days from the Seville Condo area near Clearwater Costco. Her heartbroken family will not give up searching

LEARN MORE →

Leah has been missing since April 28th from the King Arthur Court in Dunedin. Her Mom has owned her since she was a puppy.

LEARN MORE →

Lobo has been missing since May 11th from Gladden Park in St. Petersburg. Her Mom has owned her since she was a puppy.

LEARN MORE →

River is a one-year-old male tabby (brown, white, and gray) who slipped out the front door on May 30th, and last seen near 134th Ave and Trotter Rd in Largo.

LEARN MORE →

🤠 Wednesday Night Line Dancing — OCC Roadhouse Clearwater Free lessons. 6:00pm to 7:30pm — All ages welcome DJ Brandon takes over at 7:30pm playing requests all night 10575 49th Street North, Clearwater INFO →

🎸 90 Surge Thursday June 18th - FREE - 7:00 pm OCC Roadhouse Clearwater, FL INFO→

🐢 Sea Turtle Nesting Patrol Experience Join conservation volunteers monitoring nests along the beach Reservations required INFO & TICKETS →

🚶‍♀️ SilverSneakers: Boom Class Wednesday June 17th at 8:00 am or 9:00 am - Aging Well Center @ The Long Center, 1501 N. Belcher Road, Clearwater, 33765, View Map LEARN MORE →

🚶‍♀️ SilverSneakers: Zumba Gold Class Thursday June 18th at 9:00 am - Aging Well Center @ The Long Center, 1501 N. Belcher Road, Clearwater, 33765, View Map LEARN MORE →

🧘 Yoga Thursday June 18th at 7:00 pm - 8:15 pm - Aging Well Center @ The Long Center, 1501 N. Belcher Road, Clearwater, 33765, View Map FEES & LEARN MORE →

⛵ Clearwater Community Sailing Center A nonprofit sailing center at 1001 Gulf Blvd offering boat rentals, sailing lessons for all ages, and Summer Camp. Open Tuesday through Sunday 9am to 5pm. LEARN MORE →

🏓 Pickleball Court Locations: Here is the easiest way to find Pickleball courts near you with an interactive map. LEARN MORE →

🏖️ Near the Beach

🏙️ Inland

⚠️ Trivia nights and schedules can change. We recommend confirming directly with the venue before heading out. Know of a change or a new spot? Tell Scout →

Thanks for reading My Clearwater Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone that you think would be interested.

Until next time,

Stan, Scoop and Scout