Subject:
Title
Ordinance amending portions of Chapter 150, Impact Fees, of the Land Development Code.
label
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Conduct a public hearing and adopt the proposed ordinance amending portions of Chapter 150, Impact Fees, of the Land Development Code.
Body
Strategic Plan:
Foster Continual Economic Growth and Vitality
4.3 Catalyze redevelopment through planning and regulatory programs
4.4 Invest in infrastructure to meet current and future needs
4.5 Provide safe and effective transportation systems to support the efficient flow of motorists, commerce, and regional connectivity
Summary:
The proposed Ordinance includes amendments to Chapter 150, Impact Fees, of the Pinellas County Land Development Code. The amendments set forth the site plan requirements associated with the proposed Mobility Management System. Other proposed changes to Chapter 150 included in this Ordinance seek to change the name “transportation impact fee” to “multimodal impact fee”; modify the boundaries of the impact fee districts and downtown area districts to be consistent and better coordinated with current municipal development patterns; correct the fee schedule rate for adult congregate living facilities; and add a footnote regarding the unit of measure used for the general commercial category.
The Local Planning Agency (LPA) reviewed the proposed Ordinance at a public hearing on February 11, 2016 and determined that the proposed amendments are consistent with the Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan and recommended approval of the Ordinance by a vote of 6 to 0.
Background Information:
In response to the 2011 Community Planning Act, which removed State-mandated transportation concurrency management requirements, the Pinellas County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) endorsed the Pinellas County Mobility Management System on September 11, 2013. The Mobility Management System provides a framework for a coordinated multimodal approach to managing the traffic impact of development projects as a replacement for local transportation concurrency systems. It calls for establishing a tiered development review approach requiring larger scale projects adding new trips on deficient roadways to implement transportation management plans (TMPs), which can be applied as credit toward their impact fee assessment. TMPs would include strategies such as trail, sidewalk, bus stop and intersection improvements or trip reduction programs such as vanpooling or telecommuting. Projects located on non-deficient roadways would only be required to pay an impact fee commensurate with the number of new trips they generate. The System is also intended to ensure consistency between County and municipal site plan review processes as they pertain to reviewing and managing the traffic impacts of development projects while increasing mobility for all users of the transportation system.
Proposed Amendments to Chapter 134:
While the proposed amendments to Chapter 150 establish the Mobility Management System and multimodal impact fees and associated districts, a separate proposed Ordinance to Chapter 134, Article VI (Concurrency System) repeals transportation concurrency in support of the newly proposed Mobility Management System. Both Ordinances are being proposed concurrently and, if adopted, would take effect at the same time.
2014 Proposed Amendments to Chapter 150 and the Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan:
An initial public hearing by the Board on proposed amendments to Chapter 150 was held on October 21, 2014. At that same hearing, the Board considered an ordinance including proposed amendments to the Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan reflecting the replacement of transportation concurrency with the Mobility Management System and transmitted the proposed Plan amendments to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) for review and comment. It became evident, however, after the amendments were transmitted, that not all of the municipalities were quite ready to take action on their corresponding amendment packages. This was important as the multimodal impact fee, similar to the existing countywide impact fee, is a countywide fee and approach, requiring countywide agreement on both the policy and regulatory approach. Consequently, adoption of the County’s original 2014 amendment package was postponed until each of the municipalities was ready to adopt their related amendment packages. At this time, with the municipalities now on a similar timeline, the County is proceeding with its amendments to Chapter 150 and the Comprehensive Plan.
Proposed Amendments to the Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan:
Most recently, the supporting Comprehensive Plan Ordinance was heard by the Board on November 24, 2015 and transmitted to the Florida DEO for review. The Planning Department received mostly minor comments from the Florida DEO and the other state and regional review agencies. In response to such comments, a few changes consisting almost entirely of minor grammatical corrections were incorporated into the proposed Ordinance amending the Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan. A second hearing for adoption of the Ordinance is included on the agenda of the March 29th meeting of the Board. The intent is to adopt the Comprehensive Plan amendments along with the supporting Land Development Code amendments to Chapter 134, Article VI (Concurrency System), and Chapter 150, Impact Fees, at this same meeting.
Scheduled Adoptions:
The adoption hearing for the Ordinance amending the Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan is scheduled to coincide with respective adoption public hearings on the proposed Ordinance amending Chapter 150 (per this staff report) and the proposed Ordinance amending Chapter 134 of the Pinellas County Land Development Code (per a separate agenda item and staff report).
Fiscal Impact:
No additional costs will be incurred by Pinellas County in the implementation of the Mobility Management System.
Staff Member Responsible:
Gordon Beardslee, Director, Planning
Partners:
Municipalities
Metropolitan Planning Organization
Attachments:
Ordinance (strike-through / underline)
Ordinance (approved as to form)
Staff Report and LPA Recommendation
Legal Notice
PowerPoint Summary of Proposed Amendments