Clearwater Ballot Measure Fails to Gather Enough Signatures

Save the Garden group sought voter approval for downtown rights-of-way transfers

Apr. 7, 2026 at 8:35pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A serene, cinematic painting of an empty downtown street in Clearwater, Florida, with vintage mid-20th century buildings lining the curb and warm, diagonal sunlight casting deep shadows across the pavement, conveying a sense of uncertainty about the city's future development.An eerie calm settles over downtown Clearwater as a failed ballot measure leaves the future of the city's public spaces uncertain.Clearwater Today

A group called Save the Garden has failed to gather enough signatures to put a ballot measure before Clearwater voters that would have required voter approval for any future transfers of public downtown rights-of-way, according to the city's election clerk.

Why it matters

This ballot measure was seen as an attempt by the Church of Scientology to exert more control over the development of downtown Clearwater, where the church owns significant property. The failure to get the measure on the ballot is a setback for the church's efforts to shape the city's future.

The details

The Save the Garden group needed to collect around 11,000 valid signatures from Clearwater voters to get the measure on the ballot, but they fell short of that goal, according to Clearwater election clerk Colbi Edmonds. The group was seeking voter approval for any future transfers of public downtown rights-of-way, which could have impacted the Church of Scientology's plans for the area.

  • The signature gathering effort took place in early 2026.

The players

Colbi Edmonds

The Clearwater election clerk who confirmed the Save the Garden group did not collect enough signatures for their ballot measure.

Save the Garden

A group seeking voter approval for future transfers of public downtown rights-of-way in Clearwater, Florida.

Church of Scientology

The church owns significant property in downtown Clearwater and was seen as backing the Save the Garden ballot measure as a way to exert more control over the area's development.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

The failure of the Save the Garden ballot measure is a setback for the Church of Scientology's efforts to shape the future development of downtown Clearwater, where the church owns substantial real estate. This outcome suggests the city's residents are not fully aligned with the church's vision for the area.