Subject:
Title
Q Z/LU-25-10-15 (Ralph M. Wescott)
A request for a land use change from Industrial Limited to Residential Low Medium and a zoning change from C-3, Commercial, Wholesale, Warehousing & Industrial to R-4-CO, One, Two & Three Family Residential-Conditional Overlay, with the Conditional Overlay limiting the use to a single family home and related accessory uses on approximately 1.1 acres located at the southwest corner of the intersection of 135th Place N. and Palm Way in the unincorporated area of Largo (a portion of parcel 01/30/15/70416/400/1101).
label
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Denial of Case No. Q Z/LU-25-10-15: the application of Ralph M. Wescott for a land use change from Industrial Limited to Residential Low Medium and a zoning change from C-3, Commercial, Wholesale, Warehousing & Industrial to R-4-CO, One, Two & Three Family Residential-Conditional Overlay with the Conditional Overlay limiting the use to a single family home and related accessory uses on approximately 1.1 acres located at the southwest corner of the intersection of 135th Place N and Palm Way.
Body
Strategic Plan:
Foster Continual Economic Growth and Vitality
4.3 Catalyze redevelopment through planning and regulatory programs
Summary:
The subject area is currently designated Industrial Limited (IL) on the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) and is zoned C-3, Commercial, Wholesale, Warehousing and Industrial Support district. The subject area is a portion of a larger parcel that contains a single family home and accessory buildings to the east. The applicant purchased the subject area as part of a separate property in 1978 and subsequently combined the two properties into one parcel for tax relief purposes. The Industrial FLUM designation dates from the 1970s. The existing C-3 zoning was placed on the property in 1979 at the applicant’s request. The applicant is now seeking to amend the subject area to Residential Low Medium (RLM) on the FLUM and R-4, One, Two and Three Family Residential on the Zoning Atlas, which would make is consistent with the other portion of the parcel that contains the existing residence. In addition, a Conditional Overlay is proposed that would restrict the use of the property to one single-family home with related accessory uses. The requested R-4 designation would otherwise allow up to five single-family units (or five duplex structures) if the subject area was fully subdivided. The future intent is to split the property into two lots and build a single family home within the amendment area. The new home would be for the applicant’s daughter, who desires to live close to her father for caretaker purposes.
The subject area is accessed from Ulmerton Road via Coral Way and 135th Place North. It is adjacent to IL-designated properties to the north, south and west. It is part of a distinct light industrial/heavy commercial node that is otherwise fully developed. Warehousing, light manufacturing and auto repair are next door uses. Residential uses with the same FLUM and zoning designations as those proposed exist to the east of the amendment site.
As the County seeks to strengthen its local economy, the potential conversion of industrially-designated land to residential uses is an important consideration. Industrial uses provide opportunities for economic vitality and job growth. In recognition of this issue, the Economic Element of the Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan contains specific criteria to evaluate the potential conversion of industrially-designated land to other uses. Those criteria and staff’s evaluation of them pertaining to this case are detailed in the attached Local Planning Agency (LPA) report.
When taken as a whole, it is staff’s conclusion that the conversion evaluation criteria do not support this amendment request. The subject area is part of a cohesive node of industrially-designated land. An amendment to residential would be an encroachment that would disrupt that established pattern. For these reasons, staff recommends denial of the proposed amendments.
Background Information:
The proposed amendments did not originally include a Conditional Overlay. During their October 8, 2015 public hearing, the LPA suggested the applicant include a Conditional Overlay limiting the use of the property to one single family home and related accessory uses, based on the applicant’s intent to build a house on the property. The LPA continued action on this case to allow the applicant an opportunity to amend their application. The LPA then unanimously recommended approval of the amended request with the Conditional Overlay during its December 10, 2015 public hearing (Vote 6-0).
The addition of the proposed Conditional Overlay, however, does not override the basis for staff’s recommendation of denial for all components of the request. The proposal would still remove an Industrial Limited designation from the FLUM, thereby eliminating the potential for a viable future employment-based business. It is still staff’s conclusion that the industrially-designated land conversion criteria within the Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan do not support the proposed amendments to residential land use and zoning designations.
Fiscal Impact:
N/A
Staff Member Responsible:
Gordon Beardslee, Director, Planning
Partners:
N/A
Attachments:
LPA Report
Case Maps
Resolution
Ordinance
Impact Assessment
Traffic Analysis
Correspondence
Boundary Survey
Ad
Ad Map
PowerPoint Presentation