Subject:
Title
Amendments to the Old Bay District of the Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan for the Downtown Redevelopment Area of the City of Clearwater (regular agenda item) (companion to item no. 7).
label
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Adopt the attached resolution approving amendments to the Old Bay District of the Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan (Community Redevelopment Area plan).
Body
Strategic Plan:
Foster Continual Economic Growth and Vitality
4.2 Invest in communities that need the most
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and Our Customers
5.3 Ensure effective and efficient delivery of county services and support
Summary:
In conjunction with the City of Clearwater’s application to amend the Countywide Future Land Use Map Designation of Activity Center associated with the Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan (concurrent agenda item) it is necessary to also amend the Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan (Community Redevelopment Area plan established in accordance with F. S. Chapter 163). While these changes apply to the entire Old Bay District, a periphery planning area, the changes only affect a small portion of the designated Community Redevelopment Area (CRA), where properties are located within both the Old Bay District and the CRA, along the northern edge, generally described as the area between Drew Street and Jones Street to the north, and between Myrtle Avenue and the most western edge of the planning areas (Attachment 1, Map #1). In accordance with the delegation of powers related to the City of Clearwater’s CRA, the County retains final approval of all CRA plan amendments.
In an effort to bring into alignment the Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan and the North Marina Area Master Plan, revisions to the Old Bay District Vision and portions of Chapter 3 Land Use Plan/Redevelopment Plan. Below is a summary of the five proposed amendments.
1st Amendment: “Allow Hotel Uses” is an update to the Old Bay District Vision, to specify where tourism-related development such as restaurants and hotels are desired. These uses would help to strengthen the City’s position as a boating destination, which is supported by the market analysis completed as part of the North Marina Area Master Plan, as well as the Clearwater Comprehensive Boating Plan.
2nd Amendment: “Encourage Certain Uses Along the Pinellas Trail” specifies that neighborhood-scale restaurant and other commercial uses are desired along the Pinellas Trail. The existing North Marina Area Master Plan notes that the Trail has been a major economic redevelopment asset in many portions of the County with few exceptions including the segment which runs through this area, and discusses the Trail as a potential economic engine for residential and commercial investment. These proposed uses are supported by the community and are specified in the North Marina Area Master Plan.
3rd Amendment: Updates the Intensity section to “Increase Overall Allowed Floor Area Ration (FAR) in a Limited Area of the Old Bay District” providing an increase in the permitted FAR from 0.5 to 1.0 for properties fronting North Fort Harrison Avenue and westward. The North Marina Area Master Plan encourages more intensive tourism-centric uses along the waterfront. In addition, the Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan currently envisions North Fort Harrison Avenue to be the main commercial area in the character district providing neighborhood commercial uses on properties on both sides of the street. Increasing the permitted FAR for properties as noted above will better support the desired level of intensity of commercial and mixed uses in the district.
4th Amendment: “Establish Density for Hotels” in the Intensity section by differentiating between dwelling unit and hotel unit density and provides a maximum density of 50 hotel units per acre for properties equal to or greater than two acres that are located west of North Osceola Avenue and north of Seminole Boulevard. Establishing hotel unit density will allow hotels in selected portions of the Old Bay District.
5th Amendment: “Add Policy Regarding Master Plan” includes the addition of Policy 12 providing support for the desired development patterns and uses of the North Marina Area Master Plan and will reinforce the relationship and connection between the two plans with greater consistency.
The proposed amendments support several guiding principles of the Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan and are consistent with the goals, objectives, and policies of the Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan, and they meet the requirements for redevelopment plans as required by Chapter 163, Part III, of the Florida Statutes.
It is recommended that the proposed amendments to the Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan be approved.
Background Information:
The Board of County Commissioners approved the creation of a 247-acre community redevelopment district in Clearwater's downtown in 1981. A redevelopment trust fund and the appropriation of increment revenues from County ad valorem taxes were established in October 1982.
In October 2002, the Board approved the designation of the 202-acre eastern expansion to the Downtown Redevelopment District as a slum or blighted area and authorized the City Commission to create a redevelopment agency (for the expansion area) and to prepare a redevelopment plan. The boundaries of the expanded Downtown Redevelopment District are generally Jones and Drew Streets on the north, Highland Avenue on the east, Court and Turner Streets on the south, and Clearwater Harbor on the west.
The Board reviewed and approved the new Downtown Redevelopment Plan for the expanded Redevelopment District on December 16, 2003. The new Plan included some provisions from the prior Redevelopment Plan that covered the original community redevelopment district; an analysis and plans covering the expansion area of the redevelopment district; and plans for two periphery areas (known as Northwest Periphery and Southwest Periphery Areas) that are adjacent to, but not part of, the Downtown Redevelopment District. Furthermore, the Board, on February 3, 2004, approved amendments to Clearwater's Redevelopment Trust Fund so that the City could collect both city and county tax increments from the expansion area.
In 2005, the Board approved additional amendments to the Downtown Redevelopment Plan. Among these amendments were: 1) the clarification of transfer of development rights; 2) the increase of the maximum density standard for hotels in the East Gateway district; and 3) the incorporation of Downtown Design Guidelines.
In 2009, the Board approved amendments to the Downtown Redevelopment Plan to create a new strategy to the location of a performing arts theater in the Downtown and to provide for community policing innovations.
In 2010, the Board approved two minor amendments to the Downtown Redevelopment Plan. The first was a new policy regarding the potential outdoor display of bicycles for retail bicycle establishments along the Pinellas Trail within the Downtown. The second amendment expanded the variety of permissible uses for those parcels in the vicinity of the Clearwater Gas property on Myrtle Avenue and for those properties east of the Pinellas Trail/CSX rail line in the Myrtle Avenue/Drew Street vicinity, and allowed for a variety of uses including governmental uses, medical facilities, retail, office and mixed-uses, as well as support any future, transit-oriented development.
Fiscal Impact:
The proposed amendments do not call for any additional contributions of county ad valorem tax revenues.
Staff Member Responsible:
Renea Vincent, Director, Planning
Partners:
City of Clearwater, Planning and Development
Attachments:
Proposed Board Resolution Approving Amendments to the Old Bay District section of the Redevelopment Plan
Map #1: Existing and Expanded CRA and Periphery Areas
Character Districts Map
Old Bay District Proposed Density Map
Old Bay District Proposed FAR Map
Adopted City Ordinance No. 8885-16