{"id":3920,"date":"2026-06-19T10:04:22","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T10:04:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=3920"},"modified":"2026-06-19T10:04:22","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T10:04:22","slug":"scientology-wins-battle-over-clearwater-street-lawsuit-looms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=3920","title":{"rendered":"Scientology wins battle over Clearwater street, lawsuit looms"},"content":{"rendered":"

CLEARWATER, Fla.<\/strong> – <\/span>After hours of heated debate, Clearwater City Council voted 3-2 Thursday night to approve a plan that will allow the Church of Scientology to take control of a section of South Garden Avenue.<\/p>

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Church of Scientology’s plan approved<\/h2>

What we know:<\/p>

<\/div>

The stretch of street between Franklin and Court streets is surrounded by church-owned properties. The Church of Scientology plans to use the space to build L. Ron Hubbard Hall, a new venue hall and plaza designed to expand its downtown campus.<\/p>

Thursday\u2019s meeting drew hundreds of people to the Clearwater Main Library, with some arriving before noon to secure a seat inside.<\/p>

The city council meeting began with a delay after opponents argued they were unable to enter the building to speak.<\/p>

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n <\/div>

The fire chief told local leaders more than 2,000 people were outside the library, prompting Mayor Bruce Rector to establish a system where 10 supporters and 10 opponents alternated during public comment.<\/p>

Darren Tessitore was one of several Scientologists who spoke during public comment. He said the project would create a safe space for members of his church to gather.<\/p>

What they’re saying:<\/p>

“As a scientologist, I\u2019m looking forward to having a place where we can come together for the major events and celebrations that are a vital part of our religion,” Tessitore said.<\/p>

Scientologist Joy Gendusa said L. Ron Hubbard Hall would be available to other groups.<\/p>

“The LRH Hall is for us but it\u2019s also for other nonprofits and religions who need a space for their events,” Gendusa said.<\/p>

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n <\/div>

Scientologists also argued that closing South Garden Avenue would improve safety and allow them to practice their religion in peace.<\/p>

Supporters of the proposal, including Councilman Mike Mannino, argued that the closure would not impact public transportation.<\/p>

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“Does this vacation negatively affect any current or future bus or public transportation routes,” he said. “The answer is no.”<\/p>

The other side:<\/p>

Opponents argue the city is giving up valuable public land. Save The Garden, a grassroots group that has collected more than 9,000 signatures against the proposal, has already filed a lawsuit challenging the decision.<\/p>

Barbara Sorey-Love, president of the Clearwater African American Foundation, believe their battle is far from over.<\/p>

“We’re going to fight it,” she said. “We are going to stand up and just take it from the city or the Scientologists.”<\/p>

Save The Garden founder Brooks Gibbs says the legal battle centers on who owns the land underneath South Garden Avenue.<\/p>

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n <\/div>

“Clearwater owns the land underneath the road and Scientology disagrees,” he explained. “That needs to be adjudicated with a court.”<\/p>

Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector was one of two council members who voted against the proposal.<\/p>

“If we choose to vacate a street or an alley, then we should replace it with some alternate street,” he concluded. “We’re not doing that here.”<\/p>

What’s next:<\/p>

While the Church of Scientology now controls the stretch of South Garden Avenue, the fight over its future isn\u2019t over. Save The Garden has filed a lawsuit, challenging the city\u2019s decision.<\/p>

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After hours of heated debate, Clearwater City Council voted 3-2 Thursday night to approve a plan that will allow the Church of Scientology to take control of a section of South Garden Avenue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3916,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[244],"tags":[245],"class_list":["post-3920","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-clearwater","tag-clearwater"],"yoast_head":"\nScientology wins battle over Clearwater street, lawsuit looms - Tampa moving journal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=3920\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Scientology wins battle over Clearwater street, lawsuit looms - 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