Clearwater board approves single‑family infill at 848 Dempsey with fence condition after neighbors raise safety, use concerns

The Clearwater Community Development Board voted to approve a flexible‑development application for 848 Dempsey Street on May 20, allowing a two‑story detached dwelling in the city’s commercial district so long as the applicant installs a six‑foot, non‑opaque fence along the north, east and west property lines from the front wall to the rear of the lot.

The decision matters because the lot sits on Lakeview’s commercial corridor and neighbors and business owners told the board the site’s recent use as a community garden had drawn people who, they said, created safety and nuisance problems. The board’s approval authorizes the residential infill under the City Development Code’s comprehensive‑infill criteria but leaves enforcement of current activity on the vacant lot to police and code enforcement.

Staff presented FLD2024‑04010 and recommended approval. Ted Kozak, Planning and Development, summarized the application and staff findings and said the proposal meets the city’s infill criteria and is consistent with the comprehensive plan and applicable code sections. Kozak told the board the commercial future‑land‑use category allows residential uses at densities up to…