Dunedin planning agency recommends rezoning and sale of city-owned Jones Building with six-month repair condition

The Dunedin Local Planning Agency on Monday voted unanimously to recommend approval of a city-initiated land-use plan amendment and rezoning that would allow the sale of the city-owned Jones Building at 1241 San Christopher Drive.

George Kinney of the city’s Community Development Department told the board the 1.17-acre property—acquired by the city in 1976—is currently designated public/semi-public and zoned municipal public lands (MPL). Staff recommended changing the land-use category to retail and services and rezoning the parcel to form-based medium (FXM), and asked the board to include a declaration of restrictive covenants to limit future uses and protect neighboring homes.

"The applicant owner is the City of Dunedin," Kinney said during his presentation, adding that the covenant would restrict uses to a short list (service/industry/maintenance contractor uses; single-family, duplex, multifamily and group-home residential types; and religious or educational facilities) and require site improvements. He read from the draft covenant, saying "the declarant shall repair and refinish the concrete block wall along the west property line, shall also repair and replace the existing wood fence along the south and east property lines, and provide appropriate landscaping areas along said property lines." The covenant also bars conduct that "constitute[s] a public or private nuisance or hazard."

City staff said Beaux Arts Contractors, the operator of the adjoining property, is the prospective purchaser and has helped shape the covenant language. The prospective buyer, staff said, intends to use the site for offices and storage and not for on-site manufacturing.

Several board members questioned whether the covenant and the zoning together might be too broad or too permissive. "It runs with the land," a board member noted, raising concern that a future owner would also be able to select from the permitted uses. The city attorney and staff said the attorney had reviewed the covenant language and that the declaration would bind successors and assigns and provide enforcement remedies.

Residents attending the hearing urged caution. One public commenter said, "This is city property used for city reasons. Once you get rid of it, it's gone," and asked how the city will ensure a fair price. Lydia Johnson, a nearby resident who said she has lived in the area for more than 25 years, asked why the city was considering a sale. Applicant representatives and staff replied that departments had reviewed the site under the city's surplus-property process and that the city will obtain an appraisal to determine market value.

Bob, the applicant representative, told the board the city procured three quotes for appraisal services and will select an appraiser from the shortlist; staff confirmed the appraisal will consider the restrictive covenant and the nonconforming driveway when valuing the property. "We had 3 quotes," he said of the procurement.

Board members and staff agreed to require a deadline for the repairs and driveway work as part of the recommendation. The motion approved by the Local Planning Agency included: approval of the city-initiated land-use plan amendment and rezoning (Ordinance 26-06 and Ordinance 26-07), inclusion of the declaration of restrictive covenants, a waiver of the application fee, and a condition that the fence/wall repairs and driveway reconfiguration be completed within six months of the property's closing date. The motion was moved by a committee member and seconded by Chair Benjamins; the board passed the motion by voice vote with no recorded roll-call tally.

Next steps: the Local Planning Agency’s recommendation will go to the City Commission for first reading and transmittal to the county (Forward Pinellas) for review; staff said the county review could take time because of the covenant language. The transcript does not record a sale price; staff said the single-appraisal process will determine market value, accounting for the covenant and access limitations.

Why it matters: the recommendation would enable the city to divest a surplus municipal parcel while attempting to limit future uses and require neighborhood-protection improvements. Neighbors pressed for clear enforcement and a timeline for repairs; the LPA’s recommendation sends that mix of protections and conditions to the City Commission for final action.