Pinellas LPA backs rezoning recommendation to allow third unit at 4500 40th Street North in Lealman

The Pinellas County Local Planning Agency on April voted 4–2 to recommend that the Board of County Commissioners approve a future land‑use map amendment (FLU 25‑01) to change 4500 Fortieth Street North in Lealman from Residential Urban (RU) to Residential Medium (RM), a change that would permit up to three dwelling units on the 0.21‑acre parcel instead of two.

Planning staff recommended denial, saying the change would create an isolated RM designation inside a neighborhood otherwise designated RU and would make the county’s plan map inconsistent with the Forward Pinellas countywide plan map. “It would create an isolated 0.21‑acre RM designation that’s completely surrounded by RU,” said Scott Swearingen, long‑range planner with Pinellas County, who presented the staff report and cited the distance to the nearest RM designation and the 100% increase in allowed density from 7.5 to 15 dwelling units per acre.

The applicant, Mila Ortiz, who identified herself as sole owner of Mila Mania Properties, told the Local Planning Agency she wants to convert existing space to create a third long‑term rental unit. Ortiz said the building currently contains two permitted units but historically had been operated in multiple configurations; she…