SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve the annexation of 2201 Main Street, Dunedin, Florida, and pass Ordinance 9834-25 on first reading. (ANX2025-05006).
Body
SUMMARY:
This voluntary annexation petition involves a 0.70-acre property consisting of one parcel of land occupied by a vacant lot. The property is located southeast corner of Main Street and Belcher Road. The applicant is requesting annexation in order to receive sanitary sewer and solid waste service from the city. The property is contiguous to existing city boundaries along the east and south.
The parcel is part of a larger site, comprised of two lots, and the subject property is located outside of the city’s Planning Area, as depicted on Map I.1 in Clearwater 2045, the city’s Comprehensive Plan. The overall site is currently being redeveloped with a medical center (freestanding emergency room), and the primary structure has been permitted by the city of Clearwater. The subject property will provide surface parking for the new building, and certain utilities are located on the property. The parcel was previously located within the city of Dunedin city limits; however, Dunedin City Commission voted to contract its boundaries to remove this property, and the parcel is temporarily part of unincorporated Pinellas County. This process will allow the city of Clearwater to annex the property, and for the city to provide all utility services to the site.
The applicant has also submitted applications to amend the property’s Future Land Use Map designation of undesignated (Pinellas County) to Institutional (I) (LUP2025-05001) and to rezone the property from undesignated (Pinellas County) to Institutional (I) (REZ2025-05001) upon annexation into the City of Clearwater.
The Planning and Development Department determined that the proposed annexation is consistent with the provisions of Community Development Code Section 4-604.E as follows:
• The city has adequate capacity to serve this property with sanitary sewer, solid waste, police, fire and EMS service. The property currently receives water service from the city of Clearwater. The closest sanitary sewer line is located in the adjacent Main Street right-of-way. The applicant has paid the city's sewer impact and assessment fees and has been connected to the City's sewer system. Collection of solid waste will be provided by the city of Clearwater. The property is located within Police District III and service will be administered through the district headquarters located at 2851 McMullen Booth Road. Fire and emergency medical services will be provided to this property by Station #49 located at 565 Sky Harbor Drive. Therefore, the proposed annexation will not have an adverse effect on public services and their levels of service; and
• The proposed annexation is consistent with and promotes the following objective of Clearwater 2045:
Objective PI 9.1 Continue to work with Pinellas County in the orderly annexation of the city’s existing enclaves.
• The property proposed for annexation is contiguous to existing City boundaries along the east and south; therefore, the annexation is consistent with Florida Statutes Chapter 171.044.
STRATEGIC PRIORITY:
This annexation petition supports the Deliver Effective and Efficient Services by Optimizing City Assets and Resources goal of the city’s Strategic Plan by reducing enclaves and delivering city services to properties within the city’s service boundary. This petition also supports Ensure Exceptional Communities and Neighborhoods Where Everyone Can Thrive goal by better unifying neighborhoods and reducing issues with multiple jurisdictions.
