Subject:
Title
CP-04-02-19: Proposed Ordinance amending the Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use and Quality Communities Element policies regarding the AIRCO site, amending the Commercial General and Residential Office Retail future land use map (FLUM) categories and rules to promote economic development and increased housing opportunities, removing the 12.5 unit per acre residential density restriction in the Residential Medium and Residential High categories, and amending the Capital Improvements Element.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Conduct a 1st public hearing on the proposed ordinance and authorize transmittal to the Countywide Planning Authority and Florida Department of Equal Opportunity.
The proposed Ordinance will enact the following major changes:
• Increase residential densities in the Commercial General and Residential Office Retail future land use map categories to 24 units per acre
• Remove the 12.5 unit per acre restriction in Residential Medium and Residential High future land use categories, allowing these designations to achieve their underlying density of 15 and 30 units per acre, respectively
• Remove prescriptive zoning compatibility language that has rendered some parcels “non-conforming” and prohibits redevelopment without a zoning or land use change
• Adopts and enacts the Target Employment Center overlay from the Countywide Plan that increases allowable floor area ratios (FAR) for target industry development
• Updates AIRCO related policies within the Future Land Use Element to promote development of this site for targeted industries
• Updates the Capital Improvements Element to reflect changes to Florida Statutes and incorporate the County’s portfolio management approach to the Capital Improvements Program
Body
Strategic Plan:
Foster Continual Economic Growth and Vitality
4.1 Proactively attract and retain businesses with targeted jobs to the county and the region
4.2 Invest in communities that need the most
4.3 Catalyze redevelopment through planning and regulatory programs
Summary:
The Planning Department, in coordination with staff from Economic Development, Community Development, the Airport, Public Works and OMB is proposing an interim set of amendments to the Future Land Use Element and Future Land Use Map Category Descriptions and Rules, as well as an update to the Capital Improvements Element. These proposed amendments, and their purposes, are outlined below:
1. Compliment and take full advantage of the new redevelopment-oriented standards of the Land Development Code.
2. Remove restrictive language in the Category Descriptions that specifies what zoning districts are compatible with a given Future Land Use Map Category. This has created situations where a property has basically been rendered “nonconforming” and must apply for either a land use or zoning map amendment in order to be usable. Removing this prescriptive language will provide flexibility to accommodate narrow ranges of uses without requiring land use/zoning amendments. There is no requirement from the State or the Countywide Plan Rules for this provision.
3. Amending the CG, Commercial General and ROR, Residential Office Retail categories reflect density and intensity provided by the Countywide Plan Map and Rules. This will allow for increased floor area ratios of up .55 and residential densities up to 24 units per acre on major corridors. This measure will immediately provide much needed density to accommodate workforce and affordable housing projects along corridors where transit is available, and near employment centers.
4. Adopting the Target Employment Center (TEC) overlay provided for by the Countywide Plan Map and Rules into the Future Land Use Map Categories. This will allow for a 100% floor area ratio intensity bonus for manufacturing, office, and research and development uses for those properties that are identified on the Countywide Plan Map as part of the TEC overlay.
5. Removing the 12.5 dwelling unit per acre maximum restriction. This will allow properties with existing map categories in Residential Medium (15 units per acre) and Residential High (30 units per acre) to actually achieve those densities. Again, this will facilitate the development of much needed attainable housing.
6. Adding Recreation / Open Space as an allowable use in most categories
7. Amending policies in the Future Land Use element related to redevelopment of the AIRCO site to allow more flexibility, to fully take advantage of the updated Airport Master Plan, as well as the Gateway Master Plan, currently under development.
a. Specifically proposed is to eliminate restrictions on the amount of buildable area that were based upon DRI thresholds that are no longer applicable to Pinellas County.
b. Adding a policy to restrict the use of the “buffer parcel” to exactly that. The Airport Master Plan Update already recognizes this restriction.
c. Removing requirements for a transportation management plan prior to any permits being issued on the 10 acre portion of the property zoned for commercial development. Transportation impact studies and mitigation are required during development/site plan review.
d. Modifying the requirements for a “Master Development Plan” approved by the BCC to a “Preliminary Plan” approved by the County Administrator, after review and evaluation by the Development Review Committee. Planning Staff has evaluated this requirement in an attempt to create a master plan with the assistance of Economic Development. We concluded that is impractical to create such a plan as currently specified when there isn’t an end user of any type identified. As proposed a preliminary development plan is similar to that which would typically be required to be provided with a development agreement. Notably, the “genesis” of the master development plan requirement came about as a result of recommendations by the Pinellas Planning Council and not from Pinellas County Planning staff.
8. Updating the Capital Improvements Element (CIE) to reflect the most current statutory requirement and more closely align with the County’s portfolio approach to the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). This will allow us to reference our annual CIP and eliminate annual amendments to the CIE. The attached element is amended in its entirety and is not provided in strike-through underline format.
Background Information:
The following Goals and Objective from the Comprehensive Plan support the proposed amendments:
FUTURE LAND USE ELEMENT:
GOAL ONE: THE PATTERN OF LAND USE IN PINELLAS COUNTY SHALL PROVIDE A VARIETY OF URBAN ENVIRONMENTS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF A DIVERSE POPULATION AND THE LOCAL ECONOMY, CONSERVE AND LIMIT DEMANDS ON NATURAL AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES TO ENSURE SUSTAINABLE BUILT AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS, BE IN THE OVERALL PUBLIC INTEREST, AND EFFECTIVELY SERVE THE COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL NEEDS OF THE POPULATION.
1.2. Objective: Establish development regulations that respond to the challenges of a mature urban county with established communities that are experiencing infill development and redevelopment activity.
1.14. Objective: Pinellas County will encourage a land use pattern that provides opportunities for employment in proximity to housing and that more effectively balances the number of jobs with the number of housing units within different areas of the County.
HOUSING ELEMENT:
1.1. Objective: Support the provision of dwelling units in a variety of types, locations and costs so that housing supply matches the projected housing need in Pinellas County while encouraging development that is consistent with the Future Land Use and Quality Communities Element.
1.4. Objective: Pinellas County will make adequate sites available for affordable housing.
ECONOMIC ELEMENT:
1.1. Objective: To strengthen the local economy by attracting 50,000 new high-wage primary jobs to Pinellas County by 2030.
1.2. Objective: To provide quality siting opportunities for primary employers by maintaining and enhancing industrial lands within Pinellas County.
1.4. Objective: To achieve a business climate that promotes and supports local business retention, expansion and diversity.
Fiscal Impact:
N/A
Staff Member Responsible:
Renea Vincent, Director, Planning
Partners:
N/A
Attachments:
Ordinance with Attachments A, B, &C
Map Exhibit: Residential Medium and Residential High Parcels
Map Exhibit: Commercial General and Residential Office Retail Parcels
Map Exhibit: Target Employment Overlay District