Subject:
Title
Case No. FLU-26-01 (Al Rahman, Inc.)
A request for a Future Land Use Map amendment from Residential Rural to Institutional, for approximately 2.69 acres located at 2577 Keystone Road in East Lake Tarpon.
label
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Based upon the evidence and findings contained in the staff report and attachments, Case No. FLU-26-01 is recommended for approval:
An ordinance approving the application of Al Rahman, Inc., for a Future Land Use Map (FLUM) amendment from Residential Rural (R-R) to Institutional (I).
• The applicant is seeking a FLUM amendment on a 2.69-acre parcel.
• The subject property is located within the East Lake Tarpon Community Overlay District, as designated on the FLUM.
• A companion Zoning Atlas amendment including a Conditional Overlay (CO) (Case No. ZON-26-03) is also proposed.
• The requests would allow for the current community assembly facility to redevelop and come into compliance with current Code requirements.
• The Local Planning Agency recommended approval of the request (Vote: 6-0).
o No one appeared in opposition or support, and no correspondence was received.
Body
Strategic Priorities:
Prosperity and Opportunity
3.4 Enhance educational and cultural opportunities.
Summary:
Summary
The subject site is approximately 2.69 acres in size, located at 2577 Keystone Road in East Lake Tarpon, and is currently developed with a community assembly facility with an accessory storage building. The applicant intends to demolish the existing facility and redevelop the site with a slightly larger facility, new parking area, and stormwater retention, along with the removal of a driveway off of Keystone Road. A FLUM amendment from RR to “I” is being requested to facilitate the proposed use. A companion Zoning Atlas amendment from Residential Agriculture (R-A) to Limited “I” (LI) with CO, is also being requested.
The subject property is located within the East Lake Tarpon Community Overlay District, as designated on the FLUM. The Overlay District includes Objectives and Policies to guide the future development of the community. As the maximum allowable floor area ratio (FAR) and impervious surface ratio (ISR) are not increasing (due to the limitations imposed by the companion zoning change case); and the proposed use of a community assembly facility is considered supportive and complementary to the community, the request is determined to be consistent with the Overlay.
Surrounding Uses and Zoning Designations:
The subject property is currently designated RR on the FLUM. The RR category primarily permits large-lot residential and agricultural uses, along with certain institutional, ancillary nonresidential, and recreation/open space uses. The RR category generally permits the proposed institutional use; however, the County Comprehensive Plan, as required by the Countywide Rules, has an acreage threshold within the RR category that limits institutional type uses to a maximum of five (5) contiguous acres. When adding the subject property size to the two (2) existing “I” use properties directly adjacent to the west, the total contiguous size of all properties together exceeds the five (5)-acre threshold. Therefore, a FLUM amendment to a different category is necessary; thus, the reason for this FLUM amendment request to change the land use to “I”. The RR maximum residential density is 0.5 dwelling units per acre; the maximum FAR is 0.3; and the maximum ISR is 0.6.
The proposed change to “I” would generally permit a range of public and semi-public “I”-type uses, including a community assembly facility, along with residential and recreation/open space uses. The maximum residential density is 12.5 dwelling units per acre; the maximum FAR is 0.65; and the maximum ISR is 0.85. It is important to note that per the companion Zoning Atlas amendment and its Conditional Overlay, the subject property would be limited to only a community assembly facility (with accessory storage); a maximum FAR of 0.3; and a maximum ISR of 0.6. Thus, the full range of uses and maximum development parameters for the “I” category could not be achieved.
The site is zoned R-A which allows for single-family residential lots (two (2) acre minimum) and a range of agricultural activities. Community assembly facilities, educational uses, and other similar public/semipublic uses may be permitted as a Type-2 use in an R-A zone. The proposed zoning designation of LI would allow for the community assembly facility use by right. According to the County’s Land Development Code, “The purpose of the LI, District is to designate, develop and accommodate public uses that serve the needs and interests of the surrounding community.”
The proposed Conditional Overlay associated with the zoning change request would limit how the property is used and provide development limitations to ensure compatibility with the surrounding uses. The conditions include the following: limiting the use to only a community assembly facility with accessory storage, limiting the maximum FAR to 0.30 with a maximum ISR of 0.60, increasing the minimum building setbacks for the primary building to 50 feet for the front, side, and rear yards, restricting vehicular access to only East Lake Drive, reducing the maximum building height to 35 feet, requiring a minimum five (5)-foot landscape buffer along the East Lake Drive frontage, and a 10-foot landscape buffer along the Keystone Road frontage consistent with Scenic Non-Commercial Corridor (SNCC) requirements.
The subject property is adjacent to single family residential development on the north. There is single family residential to the south, across Keystone Road. To the west there is an assisted living facility and a community assembly facility (both considered institutional uses). To the east and northeast, across from Old East Lake Road is a large office complex and a single-family residence. There are also other institutional and non-residential uses in the area along the Keystone Road corridor.
Flood Risk:
The subject property is neither within the Coastal High Hazard Area (CHHA) nor the Coastal Storm Area (CSA). The subject property has a potential flood risk. The northern portion is within Pinellas County’s Lake Tarpon Floodplain; however, the proposed concept plan shows the main building not located in the floodplain.
Scenic/Non-commercial Corridor (SNCC):
The subject property fronts along Keystone Road, which is designated in this particular location as a SNCC-Rural Open Space on the Countywide Plan Map and as recognized by the County Comprehensive Plan. Such designation places restrictions on the types of Countywide Plan Map land use designations permitted along the corridor as well as a restriction on office, personal service/office support, and retail commercial uses. Additional landscaping beyond what is normally mandated by the Land Development Code will be required along the site’s Keystone Road frontage. The exact amount and nature of the additional landscaping requirements will be determined during site plan review.
Per the Countywide Rules, development along these scenic corridors is strongly encouraged to be consistent with the appropriate development pattern and compatible in scale with the intent of the corridor classification. The intent of this scenic corridor is to limit impacts on surrounding residential properties and other impact-sensitive uses.
Conclusion:
Staff are of the opinion that the proposed FLUM amendment is appropriate for the subject property and is generally compatible with the surrounding development pattern, allowing for limited institutional-type uses that can serve the needs of and support the surrounding community. The companion Zoning Atlas amendment and associated Conditional Overlay would place further limitations on the subject property that are even more restrictive than the current RR FLUM designation. Also, the subject property is located along Keystone Road, a four (4)-lane divided arterial roadway. Such frontage characteristics support development other than residential. The proposed land use category is compatible with the East Lake Tarpon Community Overlay District. Finally, staff find the proposed amendment consistent with the County Comprehensive Plan.
Body
Background Information:
The LPA unanimously recommended approval of the request during its May 13, 2026, public hearing (Vote: 6-0)
Surrounding property owners within 300 feet of the subject property were notified by mail. A sign advertising the public hearing was posted on the subject property.
Fiscal Impact:
N/A
Staff Member Responsible:
Gregg Mims, Director, Housing and Community Development
Michael Schoderbock, Building and Development Review Services, Presenter
Partners:
N/A
Attachments:
Ordinance
LPA Staff Report
Case Maps
Impacts Assessment
Traffic Analysis
Business Impact Estimate
Application Documents
Survey
Certification of Ownership
Legal Ad
Staff Presentation