Staff seeks direction on TC2 West zoning to allow multifamily redevelopment without full-block consolidation

At the Oct. 20 meeting staff reviewed outcomes from an Oct. 9 public forum about the Town Center 2 West (TC2 West) district and asked the Planning Board for input on short- and medium-term zoning changes to encourage redevelopment.

Brandon said the presentation focuses on “short and medium term code permissions for redevelopment” rather than a full visioning exercise. He told the board the TC2 West area contains a large concentration of nonconforming, stand-alone residential and lodging uses that were historically zoned residential; commercial parcels lie at the block centers. Because many parcels are small, staff said the original vision of full-block, large mixed-use developments has not materialized and that current code requirements (setbacks and buffers where commercial abuts single-family) make piecemeal redevelopment difficult.

Staff summarized public feedback: attendees generally supported floodplain-compliant redevelopment and improved streetscapes; several property owners favored allowing multifamily residential redevelopment without requiring full-block assemblage; others emphasized preserving ground-floor commercial where feasible. Concerns raised included rooftop uses adjacent to housing, noise buffering and the financial viability of at-grade commercial in flood-prone areas.

Brandon noted regulatory constraints that will affect any changes: the City’s comprehensive plan, the county-level “activity center” rules administered by Pinellas County, and state review timelines. He described a likely four- to six-month process to develop detailed drafts if the City Commission endorses a direction: local hearings, county activity-center amendments, and up to 90 days for state review.

Board members who attended the Oct. 9 forum described it as constructive. One member said, “I thought that it the meeting went extremely well. The people were very happy to have an opportunity to speak,” and others urged that a broader visioning exercise or community redevelopment planning might be necessary in parallel with zoning changes.

Ending: Staff will bring the forum outcomes and a concept-level approach to the City Commission in November and will return with draft code and comprehensive-plan amendments if the commission directs staff to proceed. No formal board vote was taken on policy direction at the Oct. 20 meeting.