Largo commissioners approve first reading to reclassify City Hall site for mixed-use redevelopment

The Largo City Commission voted 6-0 on July 1 to approve on first reading an amendment to the city’s future land use map that would change the 14-acre City Hall property at 201 Highland Avenue North from institutional to a residential-office-retail classification and transmit the proposal to the countywide planning authority for review.

City planning staff told commissioners the change is intended to allow mixed-use redevelopment once the city offices relocate to the Horizon West Bay project downtown. Staff said voters approved a referendum in November authorizing a sale of the property with specific conditions; the ballot measure passed with 57% of voters in favor.

The staff presentation described the site as containing City Hall, the Largo Police Department and the emergency operations center and said the property is being reclassified to expand the range of allowable uses to residential, retail and limited office while explicitly prohibiting some higher-intensity uses on this parcel that otherwise could be permitted under the new designation. Staff noted a roughly 2.75-acre portion of the site falls within FEMA-designated coastal high-hazard and special flood-hazard areas and said any redevelopment would seek to minimize disturbance in those areas.

Planning staff also presented generalized vehicle trip-rate comparisons under countywide plan categories, saying municipal/public facilities typically generate higher daily trips per acre than the retail-and-services category and that a site-specific traffic study could be required if a redevelopment proposal is submitted.

The planning board recommended approval on June 5. Staff said the amendment is consistent with the City of Largo comprehensive plan, Pinellas Countywide rules and Chapter 163 of the Florida Statutes. After the commission vote to approve the amendment on first reading, staff will transmit the proposal to the countywide planning authority for review and return the item for a second reading following that review.

Commissioners asked whether a police station would be allowed under the residential-office-retail classification; staff confirmed it would. Commissioner Smith said she had been skeptical of the ballot process initially but acknowledged the referendum result and said she will monitor future proposals closely.

If a specific redevelopment proceeds, staff emphasized that any uses would be limited to those approved by voters through the referendum and would require subsequent site-plan review and any required environmental or traffic mitigation.

A motion to approve the ordinance on first reading and transmit it to the countywide planning authority passed 6-0.