Forward Pinellas seeks recommendation to transmit countywide plan amendments integrating housing toolkit and clarifying land‑use rules

Forward Pinellas staff asked the board Sept. 10 to recommend approval and transmittal of a package of amendments to the countywide plan that update rules, the map of land‑use strategies and an appendix with technical material.

Linda Fisher, Forward Pinellas principal planner, said the package mainly translates guidance from the Advantage Pinellas housing regulatory toolkit into the countywide rules to provide local governments clearer options for enabling affordable and missing‑middle housing. The amendments standardize language, add supporting definitions, and expand two existing bonuses: the senior‑housing bonus would gain an option to incentivize universal design (housing open to all ages but designed for older adults), and the mixed‑use bonus would allow horizontal mixed use on parcels 5 acres or smaller in addition to the current vertical‑mixed‑use option.

The amendments also propose changes to the multimodal accessibility (MAX) index — a tool used to evaluate plan map amendments — by adding additional options to increase an area’s MAX score and creating a formal staff technical‑assistance process. Fisher said the countywide appendix would be revised with updated technical information about the index.

On definitions, Fisher said staff revised a draft recreational‑vehicle definition to defer to the Florida statute governing RVs to avoid conflict with local regulations and to clarify that boats are not RVs, responding to a citizen question raised at a prior meeting.

“We worked closely with our legal counsel to make sure that we stayed within those guardrails,” Fisher said, referencing Senate Bill 180’s restrictions on local governments adopting more restrictive land‑development regulations through Oct. 1, 2027.

Why it matters: the amendments aim to give local governments clearer, consistent tools to meet housing objectives in locations planned for greater density and multimodal access, and to make rule language easier to use when local governments adopt or amend classifications such as target employment centers. Fisher said the Planners Advisory Committee recommended approval Sept. 2, and staff asked the board to adopt a resolution authorizing transmittal of the proposed changes to the countywide planning authority for the required public hearings.

The board moved, seconded and approved the recommendation by voice vote. Staff said the countywide planning authority will hold the formal public hearings and adopt any final changes following its process.