Pinellas Park council OKs warehouse conditional‑use and variance; consent agenda passes

Pinellas Park — The City Council unanimously approved a conditional‑use application (CU‑1126‑00005) and a related variance (0426‑000020) on June 1 to allow a metal warehouse and a reduced driveway stacking distance at 6520 116th Avenue North.

Planning coordinator Kira Brown summarized the application, noting the property’s commercial general land use and CH heavy commercial zoning. The applicant requested a landscape‑buffer waiver along the roadway and a variance to reduce the minimum stacking distance from 25 feet to about 9 feet because of site constraints. The proposed structure is a 4,680 square‑foot metal building with a lean‑to for an RV.

Applicant Jeff Sllayton, who said he owns the adjacent property, described the building as personal storage to consolidate materials now stored off site. Contractor Rob D. told council that similar nearby buildings lack the landscaping and stacking improvements required by current code and urged flexibility for the cul‑de‑sac location.

Council approved the conditional use and the variance on first and final reading; both motions carried unanimously. The council also passed consent calendar items C1–C4, including first reading of an ordinance amending chapter 18 of the land‑development code to remove an invasive species from the approved tree list, authorization to grant two utility easements to the Pinellas Park Water Management District, and award of a water‑tower demolition bid.

What this means: The approvals permit the applicant to advance to site‑plan and permitting review; required landscaping, parking and drainage will be enforced through those subsequent processes and any relief will depend on final site‑plan approval.