The controversial saga continues: Country Thunder Music Festival remains in limbo as sea turtle nesting season nears, with St. Pete Beach officials emphasizing that the event has not cleared key regulatory hurdles.
After days of escalating back-and-forth between wildlife advocates, TradeWinds Resort and Audubon Florida, the city is now clarifying where the process stands: incomplete.
“Because the event is proposed on the sand beach during sea turtle season, an approval of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in conjunction with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission review is required,” said City Manager Frances Robustelli. “As of today, the Tradewinds’ special event permit application for Country Thunder has not been approved or denied by DEP or by the City.”
While TradeWinds has maintained it is coordinating with environmental agencies and implementing safeguards, the city says the event has not yet met baseline requirements for approval, particularly for activity west of the Coastal Construction Control Line.
“Tradewinds has been working with DEP/FWC but has not received permits from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection,” Robustelli said, noting those approvals are a prerequisite to any city action.
Beyond the missing state permits, the City also pointed to deficiencies in the application itself. “The City, working in coordination with state and local agencies, has not received sufficient information to determine that they have a complete application addressing all impacts needed to approve their City special event permit,” Robustelli said.
The clarification follows a week of mounting claims during which wildlife advocates first pushed to cancel the event, citing risks to sea turtle nests during peak season. TradeWinds responded by outlining mitigation efforts and stating the festival would include environmental education components with oversight from the Audubon Society.
Audubon Florida then rejected that characterization, stating it is not participating in the event and had instead urged organizers to relocate the festival away from the beach.
Now, the City’s position shifts the focus again, away from a debate over mitigation and toward a more fundamental question of eligibility.
Sea turtle nesting season begins May 1, and events on the sand beach during that period trigger additional scrutiny from both state and local regulators.
“Events proposed on the sand beach west of the CCCL line require a DEP/FWC review, particularly during the environmentally sensitive sea turtle and shorebird nesting season,” Robustelli said. “All special event permit applications are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.”
Tickets for the May festival are already being sold, despite the absence of approvals.
“The City plays no role in event marketing and communications or ticket sales,” Robustelli said. “However, the City Special Event application form states that tickets should not be sold prior to approval of the special event.”
For now, no permits have been issued by the city or the state, and no final determination has been made.
This content provided in partnership with StPeteCatalyst.com
