CLEARWATER, Fla. — A controversial dock project in a narrow Clearwater estuary is moving forward despite years of pushback from residents and environmental advocates who say it could threaten manatees and other wildlife.

Neighbors fighting the proposal can’t understand why, but documents obtained by 10 Tampa Bay News show the developer behind the project made a $24,300 donation to satisfy a state permitting requirement — a move critics argue allowed the project to bypass environmental protections meant for Florida’s aquatic preserves.

The proposal from Valor Capital would add nine private docks along Stevenson Creek for residents of the Serena by the Sea apartment complex. The creek is part of an aquatic preserve, an area designated by the state for heightened environmental protection.

For residents like Sherry Day, who has lived near the creek for more than a decade, the fight to stop the docks has become personal.

Day frequently launches her kayak from the creek and says the quiet waterway is home to manatees, dolphins and other wildlife that have returned after years of restoration work.

“It’s a wonderful connection with nature,” Day said. “We’ve estimated there’s been about $100 million in taxpayer money spent to restore it.”

Day and other members of the Stevenson Creek Advocacy Group worry that adding more boat traffic could harm manatees that use the shallow estuary for fresh water.

“There’s not enough room for motorboats and manatees,” said Michael Foley, another member of the advocacy group. “Manatees have already been killed. We’ve documented six deaths in the Stevenson Creek estuary.”

That’s part of the reason the Florida Department of Environmental Protection has what’s known as a public interest requirement, which states certain Florida waters are worthy of special protection and therefore projects in them cannot adversely affect public health, wildlife, water quality or other environmental factors.

But state law also allows agencies to accept monetary donations as mitigation for environmental impacts.

Records show Valor Capital donated $24,300 to the Aquatic Preserve Society, a nonprofit affiliated with the state’s aquatic preserve program. In a letter obtained by 10 Tampa Bay, the organization acknowledged the payment and said it would satisfy the project’s public interest requirement.

Critics say the arrangement effectively allows developers to pay their way past certain environmental protections.

“We write letters, we attend meetings, we pay our taxes, and then these loopholes seem to be very strong in the developer’s favor,” Day said.

Records indicate this is not the only example of such donations tied to docking permits.

A similar case occurred in 2024 in Lemon Bay near Englewood, where a developer contributed $30,000 to satisfy a public interest requirement for a commercial docking facility.

Advocates fear the Stevenson Creek project could set a precedent.

“This isn’t just one dock,” Foley said. “It’s going to set a precedent that could turn the restored estuary into a marina.”

10 Tampa Bay News requested an interview with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection about the permitting process and the donation policy, but the department declined all requests.

In a written statement, Valor Capital said the dock design complies with environmental regulations.

“The residential docks added by Valor along Stevenson’s Creek are in line with the surrounding docks for current homeowners,” the statement said. “The application was reviewed and approved by the City of Clearwater, Pinellas County Water & Navigation, FDEP and SWFWMD. The dock configuration is designed to have no impact on the adjacent oyster beds along the waterfrontage and is not located in an area that has been designated by any City, County, State or Federal agency as being environmentally significant. Even so, Valor is happy to support the state fund and is committed to continuing to be good stewards of the environment.” 

The project has already received approval from the city, state and county. It is still awaiting a decision from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the last step before construction could begin.

In the meantime, Day and her neighbors hope the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will think twice before approving the permit — a decision they believe will impact more than just their own community.

“I think we as a community need to look at our laws and speak out,” she said. “Stop the lobbyists being the powerful people that run our state. Bring it back to the people.”