SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve a Future Land Use Map Amendment from the Residential Urban (RU), Residential Medium (RM), Residential High (RH), Residential/Office General (R/OG), Institutional (I), Commercial General (CG), and Recreation/Open Space (R/OS) categories to the Central Business District (CBD) category for 968 parcels located in the Prospect Lake and Downtown Gateway Character Districts of the Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan, and pass Ordinance 9143-18 on second reading. (LUP2017-09004)
Body
SUMMARY:
This Future Land Use Map amendment involves 968 parcels totaling 172.488 acres which are generally located south of Drew Street, east of Prospect Avenue, north of Court Street, and west of Highland Avenue. The properties are comprised of a mix of uses, including single and multi-family residential, office and commercial, among others, and 33 of the parcels are vacant. The area is largely built out and has an older housing stock, although some intermittent redevelopment has occurred, including the Country Club Townhomes on Drew Street. Commercial uses are found mostly along the Cleveland Street and Gulf to Bay Boulevard corridors.
The request is to amend the Future Land Use Map designations of this area from Residential Urban (RU), Residential Medium (RM), Residential High (RH), Residential/Office General (R/OG), Institutional (I), Commercial General (CG), and Recreation/Open Space (R/OS) to Central Business District (CBD). The City is initiating this amendment to establish a uniform land use designation across the Downtown Gateway and Prospect Lake Character Districts consistent with the Downtown Plan. A companion rezoning application proposes to amend the properties’ zoning to the Downtown (D) District (REZ2017-09005, Ordinance 9144-18).
This future land use amendment and companion rezoning (REZ2017-09005) were passed on first reading by City Council on June 7, 2018. Ordinance 9143-18 was amended on first reading to remove a parcel description from the ordinance title that was inadvertently advertised as the parcel in question already had the correct Central Business District (CBD) future land use designation applied. This will ensure that the ordinance reflects the correct number of parcels and the correct acreage being amended.
The Planning and Development Department previously determined that the proposed amendment is consistent with the provisions of Clearwater Community Development Code, Clearwater Comprehensive Plan, and the Countywide Plan Rules.
As required by Florida Statutes, the proposed Future Land Use Map amendment was submitted to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) and other required State agencies and Pinellas County for review and comment. The Planning and Development Department received responses from DEO, Florida Department of Transportation, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Pinellas County, Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, and the Southwest Florida Water Management District stating they had no comments on and/or objections to the proposed amendments. Therefore, no changes to the proposed Future Land Use Map amendment were required.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT: N/A
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS: N/A