A Florida city has handed control of a downtown street to the Church of Scientology for a planned auditorium, drawing backlash and threats of legal action from residents.
In a vote this week, the Clearwater City Council approved vacating South Garden Avenue, a short road beside the church’s Flag Building, which spans an entire city block. The church, which boasts a large share of members in the Gulf Coast city, plans to build an event space on the site named after its founder, L. Ron Hubbard.
Before the vote, dozens of community residents flooded into a city council meeting, with some forced to wait outside. During a public comment period, reactions ranged from fervent support for the project to fierce opposition…