Subject:
Title
Case No. FLU-24-01 (Jose E. Pagan Guzman)
A request for a Future Land Use Map amendment from Residential Low to Commercial General on approximately 0.15 acre located at 2520 55th Avenue North in the Lealman community of unincorporated Pinellas County. (Companion to Item No.11)
label
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Based upon the evidence and findings contained in the staff report and attachments, Case No. FLU-24-01 is recommended for approval.
An ordinance approving the application of Jose E. Pagan Guzman for a Future Land Use Map (FLUM) amendment from Residential Low to Commercial General (0.15 acres).
• The applicant is seeking a FLUM amendment on a parcel totaling 0.15 acres in size.
• The subject property is located within the Lealman Community Redevelopment Area.
• Approval of this request would allow the applicant to convert the property from a single-family residence to an office to support the applicant’s adjacent business operations directly to the east and south.
• The Local Planning Agency recommended approval of the request. One person appeared in opposition, citing traffic, noise, and pollutant concerns. One letter in opposition has been received.
• The applicant is also seeking a zoning atlas amendment, including a variance under a separate case number (ZON-24-01).
Body
Strategic Plan:
Foster Continual Economic Growth and Vitality
4.3 Catalyze redevelopment through planning and regulatory programs
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and our Customers
5.2 Be responsible stewards of the public’s resources
Summary:
Summary
The subject property is approximately 0.15 acres, located at 2520 55th Avenue North in Lealman. The property is designated RL on the FLUM, and it is zoned R-4, One (1), Two (2), & Three (3) Family Residential. It currently contains a single-family home. The RL land use category is intended primarily for low density residential uses with some limited institutional and nonresidential uses. The applicant wishes to have the ability to convert the existing single-family residence into an office for the business operations that are located on the adjacent property to the east. While the RL category allows for some limited nonresidential use, the property would be better suited to a nonresidential land use category, given the applicant’s intent for future use.
Importantly, concurrent with this FLUM change application, the applicant is also pursuing a Zoning Atlas amendment from R-4, One (1), Two (2), & Three (3) Family Residential, to C-2, General Commercial and Services (with a corresponding Variance regarding the lot size of the subject property). (Case # ZON-24-01). The R-4 district allows detached single-family, two (2)-family, and three (3)-family dwelling development. A zoning amendment to C-2 is therefore proposed, which would allow a range of uses (e.g., general office, retail commercial, commercial/ business services, etc.). A change to C-2 would make the existing single-family home nonconforming, but it would be allowed to continue as a home until it is either abandoned or when the property is developed with a primary office use.
Effective May 2nd, 2024, a large portion of the area around the subject property including the contiguous parcel that occupies the applicant’s existing business operations became part of the Lealman Form Based Code (L-FBC) District, which is designated on the District Map as Neighborhood Park (NP). The NP district encourages a mix of uses such as retail commercial and other office-based uses. Notably, the subject property does not fall within the L-FBC area, but the applicant’s contiguous parcel does.
Compatibility with Surrounding Uses and FLUM Designations:
The subject property is located approximately 651 feet east of Haines Road and 590 feet west of I-275. The surrounding area contains a variety of uses that consist of a mix of retail, commercial/business services, and residential uses within the parcel’s vicinity. Across 54th Avenue to the south of the subject parcel is a mobile home park and retail commercial. 54th Avenue is an arterial roadway with a combination of commercial, office, and residential uses in its vicinity. To the west of the subject property is a single-family residence which is nonconforming with their C-2 commercial zoning district. Single-family homes are also to the north of the subject property. The subject property is not within the Coastal Storm Area and has a low flood risk.
While the subject property is located along the boundary of an established single-family neighborhood directly to the north, it is within a block of CG parcels surrounded along the east, west and south sides that are also located on 55th Avenue. The subject parcel is the last one on the block to retain a residential land use designation. The proposed CG land use can be considered an appropriate transition in addition to the implementation of the Lealman Form-Based Code that would allow a variety of non-residential uses.
Staff finds the proposed Land Use amendment appropriate for the subject property and is compatible with the surrounding development pattern. Additional impacts to infrastructure are anticipated to be minimal, if any. Staff also finds the amendment consistent with the Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan.
Background Information:
The LPA unanimously recommended approval of the request during its May 8, 2024, public hearing.
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:
Glenn Bailey, Interim Director, Housing and Community Development
Partners:
N/A
Attachments:
LPA Report
Case Maps
Impacts Assessment
Transportation Analysis
Ordinance
Citizen Correspondence
Application
Legal Description and Survey
Legal Ad
Legal Ad Map
Presentation