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County staff unveil Joe's Creek Industrial Park master plan; stormwater and lot size pose key constraints
Summary
A staff-led master plan proposes a hybrid, targeted approach to preserve industrial uses while enabling limited mixed-use changes; stormwater and small lot sizes were highlighted as major redevelopment constraints and infrastructure upgrades were proposed in phases.
County planners and consultants presented a draft master plan for Joe's Creek Industrial Park on July 17 that recommends targeted land‑use flexibility while keeping the area's industrial employment base intact.
Amy Davis, community coordinator for the Lowman area and the Lowman CRA, told commissioners the master plan grew from the countywide Target Employment and Industrial Land (TEAL) study and a year-long engagement process with businesses and Forward Pinellas. The plan looks at land use, real estate market demand, utilities and stormwater solutions before any code amendments are proposed.
Kimley‑Horn project manager Jared Snyder and infrastructure lead Nick Vitoritis outlined market findings and constraints. The study area covers about 160 acres with 129 businesses and roughly 1,400 employees; the average building age is about 55 years. The market consultant SP/Freeman found strong short‑term demand for smaller industrial footprints but limited short‑term demand for large office or big‑box industrial that requires large, assembled parcels.
Stormwater and flooding are central challenges. Consultants showed that roughly two‑thirds of properties fall within flood‑hazard areas and that the area was historically wetland. Consultants described incremental options (greenway/stream restoration and trail projects that could shrink flood plain by about 11 acres) and a larger package of capital improvements—upsizing a culvert under 30th Street, adding regional storage and creating a regional stormwater facility—that could reduce flood extent by about 40-plus acres. Consultants also reported privately held bulkheads along Joe's Creek with signs of movement and some cut tie rods; they recommended geophysical testing and easement agreements for full inspection.
Because many parcels are under one acre, consultants recommended development‑standard flexibility to enable small‑lot industrial uses and encouraged tools to support property assembly for larger projects. Utilities capacity (potable water served by the City of St. Petersburg and county wastewater) was judged sufficient overall, though localized modeling and lift‑station analysis would be required before significant new development.
The plan proposes a hybrid zoning map with targeted mixed‑use corridors on parcels that are higher and drier, supporting mixed‑use on neighborhood edges, and retaining smaller employment lots in the heart of the park. Funding options discussed included special assessments, grants and phased capital projects. The plan is scheduled for a formal adoption hearing on Aug. 19; if adopted it will be forwarded to Forward Pinellas and followed by a 12–14 month code update to set detailed development standards.
The presentation emphasized phased infrastructure work—culvert upsizing is already in the county capital plan for FY26—and further site investigations for seawall/bulkhead rehabilitation, regional stormwater sites and utility line upgrades.
