Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Landscaping And Structures topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Belleair Beach council weighs new landscaping limits, defines gazebos and reviews pool-safety exemptions
Summary
Staff recommended revisions to Chapter 94 to define gazebos and pergolas as permitted accessory structures (with permits), to prohibit bamboo, to set a 4-inch limit on rock near curbs and allow hedges up to 6 feet in certain front-setback areas; council discussed mesh pool-safety fences near seawalls and recommended aligning some rules with Florida building code requirements.
Belleair Beach council members on Monday reviewed multiple Chapter 94 amendments that touch on front-yard landscaping, accessory structures and pool-safety fencing.
Staff proposed new definitions to allow gazebos and pergolas as accessory structures where sheds are currently permitted, but stressed that detached structures must be permitted and could require structural review for wind ratings. "Detached buildings: utility storage shed, and then we add a gazebo or pergola that may be erected...it has all the same criteria," a staff member said.
Council discussed wind-resistance standards. Staff noted county building-code wind velocities (a 135'mph metric used in nearby code language) and recommended referencing the county standard rather than hard-coding a number that could become obsolete. "If we change their number, then our code would update that a benefit with their..." a staff speaker advised.
On landscaping, the draft restricts gravel and rocks used within 4 feet of the curb or road edge to pieces no greater than 4 inches in length or height; shredded hardwood, pine and cypress mulch would be allowed only beyond that 4-foot band. Floating mulches such as bark nuggets and wood chips would be prohibited within the right of way. Councilors debated whether a slightly larger rock-size allowance (6 or 8 inches) might be useful in some cul-de-sacs for traffic control, but several expressed concern about vehicle damage and storm-drain debris.
The proposal would also raise the allowable front-setback hedge height in the first 10 feet from the front of the house to 6 feet (up from a typical 3-foot limit), with exceptions for visibility and site-triangle safety; council requested language to grandfather existing plantings and to consider cul-de-sac exceptions for privacy.
On pool barriers, staff acknowledged a specific complaint involving a mesh safety barrier installed around a pool area adjacent to a seawall that created an effective height exceeding local fence limits when combined with a raised deck. Staff suggested exempting mesh pool-safety barriers that meet the Florida Building Code Section R4501 from the local maximum height in certain configurations or allowing limited daily use under the current 24-hour rule.
Next steps: staff will refine definitions and cross-references to county building standards and return the revised language for council consideration.
