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St. Pete Beach historic board presses staff to clarify how rooftop 'non‑habitable' space affects height limits
Summary
Members of the Historic Preservation Board said March 5 that recent elevated homes along Gulf Way appear to rely on rooftop 'non‑habitable' storage or access to exceed the 28‑foot flat‑roof height limit, and urged staff to pursue a city workshop to resolve interpretation gaps. Staff said the current practice follows building‑code definitions and offered to take a joint workshop proposal to city management.
St. Pete Beach’s Historic Preservation Board devoted more than an hour on March 5 to a debate over how the city measures building height in the Pass‑a‑Grille overlay, with members warning that rooftop enclosures labeled “non‑habitable” are being used to gain additional vertical space.
Board Chair Lowery said the example of a nearly completed Gulf Way residence — which staff showed as reaching roughly 32 feet from the defined 8‑foot above‑grade baseline — undercuts the plain reading of the 28‑foot limit for a flat roof. “It’s 32 feet. It’s got a flat roof. That’s higher than 28 feet,” Chair Lowery said. “I say it is 4 feet higher than it’s supposed to be. End of story.”
Staff planner Brandon told the board the contested top level was shown on the…
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