Developer runs Tierra Verde Marina property into the ground for 15 years

Greenleaf has owned the Tierra Verde Marina property for 15 years and has allowed it to deteriorate into an unsightly, ill-maintained mess. Now they point to this degraded property and say it needs to be developed. Tierra Verde Next agrees that the property needs to be redeveloped -- primarly because of Greenleaf's own poor stewardship.

We are horrified by what two 72-foot open rack metal towers will look like five years from now, given this property owner's history.

The management style Tierra Verde residents have observed over the past 15 years can best be characterized as negligent. The wet marina has never been full. This is in part because the current makes docking there difficult even in good conditions. In the nearly two years since hurricanes Milton and Helene, two of the four docks have been unusable.  A power pedestal has been lying on its side on the T-dock for nearly two years now.  That same dock isn’t even connected to the land base.

With its previous plan, Greenleaf repeatedly stated that if Phase 1 wasn’t successful, they wouldn’t continue with Phase 2.  Now they say they do not need a Phase 2 at all. This developer has not fully considered the need was for this community.  The only “study” cited was conducted immediately after the 2024 hurricanes wiped out our local docks. At that time, boaters were looking for a TEMPORARY home for their boats.  Those private docks have since been repaired, eliminating the local demand. Any new demand for storage would come from boaters who do not live nearby. This development is not in the interest of Tierra Verde and violates the island's guiding development document, the Tierra Verde Community Overlay Plan.

Greenleaf's promise of a needed upgrade to fix what they destroyed is an experiment bound to failure -- and bound to be destroyed by any future hurricane.  After Greenleaf takes a loss from hurricane damage or poor maintenance, Tierra Verde will be left with the destruction.

See what Greenleaf has allowed its property to become:

Electiricaal pedastal left broken since hurricanes Milton and Helene, /Photo by Paul Lee

Docks not attached to land since the 2024 hurricanes.

Broken sign never repaired, taken over by osprey nesting.

The developers closed all the businesses in this plaza, which had been poorly maintained. / Tampa Bay Times photo