- December 13, 2025
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Regardless of what voters decide Nov. 3, Country Club Shores residents’ days of seeing above-ground power poles are probably limited.
Country Club Shores resident and underground utilites supporter Bob Gault said that regardless of whether the referendum to underground Gulf of Mexico Drive utilities passes in November, residents of all five sections of the neighborhood plan to bury their power lines.
“Under a worst case scenario, we want Country Club Shores designated as a special assessment district, and we’ll have a referendum to get these old 1960s poles and wires undergrounded,” Gault said. “It’s critical to make us competitive, and it’s clearly a benefit for us in terms of the real estate market.”
A Country Club Shores forum held Oct. 6, at Longboat Key Town Hall attracted a standing-room only crowd of Country Club Shores residents. The majority in attendance showed support for a $25.2 million Gulf of Mexico Drive undergrounding project.
“It’s critical to make us competitive, and it’s clearly a benefit for us in terms of the real estate market.”
— Bob Gault, Country Cub Shores resident and undergrounding utilities supporter
The mood was different at a meeting held Sept. 28, for all town residents, that attracted just 15 people. Four of those in attendance at that meeting expressed concern about voting in favor of the GMD without having more information about a $20.5 million neighborhood referendum question, including how it will be funded.
The commission directed staff to put that question and project on hold until after the GMD referendum.
But Assistant Town Manager Anne Ross and Town Manager Dave Bullock were able to go through their entire presentation without interruption at the Country Club Shores forum.
Gault said Country Club Shores is in the process of contracting with the town’s undergrounding consultant to get detailed information on what it would cost each Country Club Shores property owner to bury the wires.
“We’re ready to get it done,” Gault said.
