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LPA recommends denial of Pine Street map amendment after residents raise density and brownfields concerns
Summary
The Local Planning Agency on Oct. 8 recommended denial of a proposed RU→RM future land-use change for an 18.43-acre site at 13400 Pine Street in unincorporated Largo, citing staff concerns about compatibility, missing assurances and remediation requirements for a former landfill.
The Local Planning Agency on Oct. 8 recommended denial of a future land-use amendment (FLU25.09) that would change an approximately 18.43-acre former construction-and-debris landfill at 13400 Pine Street (unincorporated Largo) from Residential Urban (7.5 dwelling units per acre) to Residential Medium (15 dwelling units per acre).
Scott Swearingen, Long Range Planning Manager for Pinellas County, told the board the parcel has a lengthy history of approvals and an expired development agreement and that the RU→RM change would allow a substantial increase in theoretical development capacity: at the RU designation the site could yield about 138 market-rate units; an RM designation would allow up to 276 units under the land-use rules and could permit up to 414 units if an affordable-housing density bonus were later granted. Swearingen noted a high-level trip-generation estimate of about 627 additional daily vehicle trips (approximately 55 AM and 70 PM peak-hour trips) and signaled potential environmental remediation related to the site’s prior use.
Katie Cole, representing contract purchaser Bel Air Development Group, said the RPD (Residential Planned Development) zoning and the master-development-plan process would address buffering, access, stormwater and other compatibility concerns and highlighted that the parcel recently received confirmation of potential eligibility under the Live Local state designation. “The RPD zoning ensures those concerns have to be addressed through a master development plan,” Cole said, arguing the site could be an appropriate location for multifamily or affordable housing where infrastructure exists.
Long-time residents opposed the change. Marva Perry, a Pinellas County Master Gardener volunteer, warned of back-to-back high-density affordable projects near the existing Rainbow Village site and raised drainage, traffic and property-value concerns. Neighbors also cited the site’s brownfields history, saying remediation and geotechnical constraints have delayed prior projects.
An initial motion to approve the map amendment failed on a roll call. The board later made a motion to deny FLU25.09 based on staff recommendation; that denial motion carried on roll call and will be forwarded as the LPA recommendation to the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners for its Nov. 18, 2025 hearing.
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