ST. PETE BEACH - The legal dispute over the city's development rules and regulations continued this week with no quick resolution in sight.

Ken Weiss, attorney for three residents suing the city, rejected a settlement offer made by the City Commission last week and instead issued a counter proposal to end a series of lawsuits that have cost the city $161,000 so far this year.

By the end of April, the city's total legal costs reached $201,000, exceeding the 2009-2010 $200,000 legal budget.

Next week, the commission is expected to use $50,000 in unanticipated revenues to boost that budget.

But with a trial scheduled for August on the Comprehensive Plan and related development issues, it is unlikely that will be enough to last until Sept. 30, the end of the city's fiscal year.

The commission will meet in closed session Thursday at 4 p.m. to discuss the cases and Weiss' latest settlement offer.

Last week, the commission proposed repeating the 2008 referendum election in which voters overwhelmingly approved changes to the city's Comprehensive Plan. Weiss was given until 5 p.m. Monday to respond.

"He rejected our offer and submitted a counter offer," City Manager Mike Bonfield said Tuesday. "This is nowhere near what we suggested. We will have to review it."

Weiss said he was instructed by his clients, residents Bill Pyle, Bruce Kadoura and Richard McCormick, to insist that new ballot language include specific height and density increases for each of the city's special development districts.