Panther Statue Destroyed by a Hit and Run
- Details
- Category: Snell Isle Alerts
- Published: Sunday, 24 April 2022 19:05
The SIPOA panther statue at the corner of Cordova & Lido Way was severely damaged by a HIT & RUN driver Saturday night (4-23-22) around 11:45PM. Footage was captured on a resident’s RING camera that was provided to St Pete Police when they took the report this morning. Because it was near midnight, the camera footage is not clear and absolute but it has been suggested it was done by a Camry or similar type vehicle. Based on how hard the panther and pedestal was hit, the driver had to be speeding as this statue weighs about 1200 pounds and the panther atop the base was totally destroyed. The driver was heading north on Cordova towards Eden Isle Blvd and should have substantial damage on their right front grill and headlight area. They did not stop after the accident.
If you see a vehicle, probably dark in color, missing the lamp cover shown below and pretty severe damage to their right front grill and side, please let us hear from you. We recently filed charges against a Commercial Company driving an 18-wheeler who destroyed a SIPOA planter at the corner of Snell Isle Blvd & Nina. We were quick to file charges against the Company and with the excellent and prompt work from our SIPOA Vice President, Michael Labbee, he was able to recover damages from that company within a month. We will press charges against the party who destroyed this panther but we need to find them first.
If you think you see a vehicle that might have this type of damage, do not approach it, but do get a description - make and model, along with the license tag, the most important part. Call Bonnie Hargrett at 727-821-1048 with the information. The Police are working the case and we want to be of assistance in any way possible so SIPOA can file an insurance claim.
THANK YOU for your help!
With 1,000 people a day moving to the sunshine state, the city of St. Petersburg is looking to add a substantial amount of affordable living dwellings throughout the city. They take the form of duplexes, triplexes, quads, and more recently, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) - an additional dwelling on the same lot that already has an existing home.
Certain St. Petersburg neighborhoods have seen an influx of ADUs (in many cases used as short term rentals) as they may be currently zoned for them. Snell Isle has not been zoned for ADUs in the past, but the St. Petersburg 2050 Plan proposes to include Snell Isle - and other Coastal High Hazard Areas - for more housing density in order to deliver on the promise of more affordable housing units. Neighborhoods already impacted with these housing density changes have noted that they are experiencing increased traffic in addition to parking issues. Snell Isle residents should also consider the change to impervious surface ratios (additional man-made hard surface areas) which would further impact stormwater run-off.
Snell Isle Property Owners Association (SIPOA) will be hosting an important meeting on Tuesday, May 17th beginning at 6:30 PM at the St. Pete Woman's Club, where Elizabeth Abernethy of the City’s Development Review Commission (DRC) and her colleague, Derek Kilborn, of the City’s Urban Planning and Historic Preservation Division will present to Snell Isle residents about proposed changes to our neighborhood.
Neighborhoods across the city each have their own character and identity and Snell Isle enjoys being the premier neighborhood in all of St. Petersburg and we want to keep it that way. Snell Isle is home to the historic Vinoy Renaissance Resort and Golf Club, a premier golf course. Our tropical surroundings provide waterfront vistas for most residents with a large percentage of Snell’s homes enjoying waterfront property. It’s important that the proposed changes, and implications, be thought out thoroughly and the voice of the community be heard before such plans are approved.
We hope you'll join us at this very important meeting on May 17th to understand the potential impact to Snell Isle.
Under the category of cool things to do that I never knew I had access to...
Did you know that the Water Treatment Facility hosted Open Houses? Well, they do! The public is invited to get a behind-the-scenes look into the work that goes into keeping St. Pete flowing at the City's water treatment facilities. Attendees can expect to learn about drinking water sourcing and processing at the Cosme Water Treatment Plant in Odessa and how wastewater becomes reclaimed water at one of the three reclaimed water treatment facilities in St. Petersburg.
Plant operators and City staff will lead tours to show the flow of water from beginning to end and answer questions. Tours will begin hourly at 9 a.m. with the last tour starting at 11 a.m.
Saturday, May 7 at 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Southwest Water Reclamation Facility
3800 54th Ave. S.
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Saturday, May 14 at 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Cosme Water Treatment Plant
16015 Race Track Rd.
Odessa, FL 33556
Saturday, May 21 at 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Northeast Water Reclamation Facility
1160 62nd Ave. NE.
St. Petersburg, FL 33702
Saturday, May 28 at 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Northwest Water Reclamation Facility
7500 26th Ave. N
St. Petersburg, FL 33710
The majority of the tour is outdoors and is a walking tour. Attendees should plan to be in the sun and wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes. Facilities are not ADA accessible by default, however reasonable accommodations can be made by calling the Water Resources Department at 727-893-7261. A driver’s license or state photo ID is required for entry and children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Details and additional open house dates can be found at 
