SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
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Approve a Zoning Atlas Amendment from the Low Medium Density Residential (LMDR), Medium Density Residential (MDR), Medium High Density Residential (MHDR), High Density Residential (HDR), Office (O), Commercial (C), Institutional (I) and Open Space/Recreation (OS/R) Districts to the Downtown (D) District for 969 parcels located in the Prospect Lake and Downtown Gateway Character Districts of the Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan, and pass Ordinance 9144-18 on second reading. (REZ2017-09005)
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SUMMARY:
In 2004, the City updated the Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan (Downtown Plan) to incorporate the “Gateway Expansion Area” [expanded Community Redevelopment Area (CRA)] into the East Gateway, Town Lake Residential, and Town Lake Business Park Character Districts. However, due to certain requirements for Special Area Plans at the time, the City decided not to pursue amendments to the future land use designations or zoning districts for many of the properties in the expanded CRA, so they remained a mix of categories although they were governed by the Downtown Plan. More recently, the City has completed another update to the Downtown Plan, adopted by City Council March 1, 2018 (Ordinance 9103-18). This update addressed the need to unify areas of the now Downtown Gateway and Prospect Lake Character Districts with the rest of Downtown by amending the properties’ land use and zoning to Central Business District (CBD) future land use and Downtown (D) District zoning.
This Zoning Atlas amendment involves 969 parcels totaling 174.788 acres which are generally located south of Drew Street, east of Prospect Avenue, north of Court Street, and west of Highland Avenue, including one parcel located at the southeast corner of Myrtle Avenue and Chestnut Street that has a portion not zoned as Downtown (D). The request is to change the properties’ Zoning Atlas designations from the Low Medium Density Residential (LMDR), Medium Density Residential (MDR), Medium High Density Residential (MHDR), High Density Residential (HDR), Office (O), Commercial (C), Institutional (I) and Open Space/Recreation (OS/R) Districts to the Downtown (D) District. The City is initiating this amendment to establish a uniform zoning district across the Downtown Gateway and Prospect Lake Character Districts consistent with the Downtown Plan, as well as the companion land use amendment to the Central Business District (CBD) District (LUP2017-09004, Ordinance 9143-18).
This rezoning and companion future land use amendment (LUP2017-09004) were passed on first reading by City Council on June 7, 2018. Ordinance 9144-18 was amended on first reading to update the number of parcels from 968 to 969 in order to add one parcel that was already designated with the correct future land use designation but needed the proposed Downtown (D) District zoning to be designated.
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.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT: N/A
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS: N/A