Dunedin commission approves 78-unit affordable project at Carnation Drive after public concerns over flooding, traffic and light

Dunedin’s City Commission voted unanimously June 5 to approve a development agreement for the Flats on Main Street, a 78‑unit affordable housing project proposed for 1422 Carnation Drive.

The commission approved the second reading of Ordinance 25‑O‑1 after staff described the project as housing “serving individuals and families with income levels ranging anywhere from 30% to 80% of the area median income,” and after developers and county partners outlined financial supports that will reduce tenant rents.

Community-development director George Kenny told commissioners the agreement bundles two code incentives — a 50% density bonus (cited under the land development code) and a 50% public art exemption — and noted the project will proceed to a separate design review. Economic development manager Bob Ironsmith said the project fills a long‑standing local need: “This is, again, 78 units, affordable, attainable housing.”

Developer Brett Green of Archway Partners said the project has been structured to attract state and county resources. He told the commission the Pinellas County Housing Authority has committed $10 million in rental vouchers over a multi‑year period to reduce tenant rents, and the city is contributing $610,000 from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. Green said his firm’s experience in similar projects shows parking demand tends to run about 0.75 to 1.0 space per unit despite zoning parking ratios that are higher.

Residents who live adjacent to the site urged caution. Peggy Fast, speaking on behalf of Saint Christopher Villas residents, said she supports affordable housing but warned the proposed three‑story buildings would cause “light pollution” and worsen drainage problems she says began after nearby development. Kevin Griffin, who owns property on Heather Drive, said heavy rains have left yards flooded and argued the area has tight access that can impede emergency vehicles. Other neighbors asked for a formal geotechnical and environmental assessment, for assurance on stormwater protections and for traffic‑safety analysis at the Carnation Drive/Main Street intersection.

City staff and the developer said many of those topics will be examined in the design‑review phase. George Kenny and other staff said stormwater, parking, traffic impacts, emergency‑vehicle circulation and landscaping buffer plans are part of the forthcoming design review and associated technical studies. City staff noted the developer intends to design stormwater systems to a higher standard than code minimums; staff told the commission the developer is planning retention sized to a 100‑year storm event, above the city’s 25‑year pre/post requirement.

Commissioners and staff emphasized the procedural next steps: approval of the development agreement authorizes the project to move forward to the Local Planning Agency and the city’s design‑review process, where technical plans, drainage calculations, traffic analyses and landscape buffering will be reviewed and public hearings held. The commission recorded unanimous approval on second reading.

What commissioners approved and what comes next: the ordinance approved the development agreement and the City will later review the detailed site design, final engineering, traffic analysis and stormwater calculations. Staff said that, where appropriate, third‑party peer reviews (for example, for traffic) will be used to verify developer studies before final design approvals.

The commission’s vote followed more than an hour of staff presentations, developer responses and public comment. Commissioners asked staff to ensure that the design review explicitly addresses the neighbors’ concerns on drainage, light mitigation, buffering and emergency access before final construction approvals are issued.