06/17/2013 SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
June 17, 2013
Present: Mayor George N. Cretekos, Vice Mayor Paul Gibson, Councilmember
Doreen Hock-DiPolito, Councilmember Bill Jonson, and Councilmember
Jay E. Polglaze.
Also Present: William B. Horne - City Manager, Jill S. Silverboard - Assistant City
Manager, Rod Irwin - Assistant City Manager, Pamela K. Akin - City
Attorney, Rosemarie Call - City Clerk, and Nicole Sprague - Official
Records and Legislative Services Coordinator.
To provide continuity for research, items are listed in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
1. Call to Order - Mayor George N. Cretekos
The meeting was called to order at 1:00 p.m. at City Hall.
2. Council Discussion Items
2.1 Area Plan Overview - Michael Delk
An Overview of Beach by Design
In 1997, the City undertook a planning effort to address community concerns
about the overall physical and economic conditions of Clearwater Beach. The
age and obsolescence of buildings and the conditions of the public realm did not
support modern-day travel needs and the strength of the City's tourism was not
sufficient to support modernization and redevelopment.
In order for the market to support new residential, hotel and retail development,
the negative aspects of character and the quality of the public realm, including
traffic circulation, would need to be improved. To that end, Clearwater Beach:
Strategies for Revitalization included the following generalized topics, which if
implemented, could lead to beach redevelopment.
• Transportation and parking
• Redevelopment of the superblocks between Clearwater Beach and the
Hilton and redevelopment of the Mandalay retail district
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• Upgrading of the Beach
• Gulfview-Coronado hotel/retail redevelopment
• East Shore entertainment district and marina
• Bayside multi-family redevelopment
• Brightwater Finger redevelopment
In 2001, Beach by Design was adopted to guide implementation of the
recommendations developed in Strategies of Revitalization in light of fiscal and
legal constraints, analysis of the economy and market, as well as changed
conditions. The document is the special area plan governing Clearwater Beach
and sets forth revitalization strategies addressing six components: land use,
mobility, off-street parking, catalytic projects, and economic feasibility and
financing, and design guidelines. It is based on the following series of strategies:
• creation of an attractive and efficient "arrival and distribution" system at
the intersection of State Road 60 and North Mandalay and Coronado;
• transformation of North Mandalay into an attractive, pedestrian-friendly
street which provides a high quality address for retail and restaurant uses;
• renovation of South Gulfview to the west to create a unique two-way, local
street as part of a destination quality beachfront place;
• improving traffic circulation to the south of State Road 60;
• improving sidewalks and creating an entire beachfront transit system;
• constructing new parking facilities south of Pier 60 park to support beach
visitors and north of Pier 60 park to support the North Mandalay
retail/restaurant corridor;
• promoting a small number of catalytic redevelopment projects; and
• the adoption of design guidelines, which are necessary to achieve the
objectives of Beach by Design.
The plan has been amended on seven occasions to address changing conditions
and City Council concerns. Below is a summary of the six components of the
Plan.
Land Use
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The Plan divides Clearwater Beach into eight distinct character districts (see map
on page three) which govern development and are as follows.
• Old Florida — a transitional district between the tourist area and the
residential area of north Clearwater Beach. The plan supports the development
of new overnight accommodations and attached dwellings throughout the District
with limited retail/commercial and mixed use development fronting Mandalay
Avenue between Bay Esplanade and Somerset Street and restaurants located on
the waterfront. Old Florida includes very specific height, setback and building
stepback requirements in addition to the Design Guidelines that apply to the entire
plan area.
Destination Resort — the prime area for quality beachfront redevelopment to spur
revitalization and redevelopment north of Pier 60. The preferred form of
redevelopment is mixed with resort residential and hospitality uses fronting on the
Beach and retail, restaurant and residential uses fronting on North Mandalay
Avenue.
Marina District — the northern gateway to Clearwater Beach and a desirable place
for tourists and residents alike. The plan supports the development of a
destination waterfront neighborhood that is pedestrian and boater-friendly and
includes a mix of hotels, commercial, restaurant, residential and mixed use
development, water related uses and a public boardwalk. The District offers
development incentives of increased building height in exchange for
redevelopment proposals with larger lot sizes, preferred District uses and the
inclusion of public amenities such as the boardwalk and streetscape
improvements. The District also considers the vacation of East Shore Drive in
certain circumstances. Site design criteria in addition to those included in the
Design Guidelines are required to be met to foster a pedestrian-oriented
waterfront neighborhood.
Retail and Restaurant — the prime retail and restaurant area of Clearwater Beach.
The District stresses the need for a public garage to accommodate anticipated
commercial development in the District.
Pier 60 — the major public area of Clearwater Beach. The District supports
beautification efforts and the development of a Pier 60 Plaza as a place of
assembly on the Beach.
Small Motel District — an area where renovations to existing improvements are
anticipated. The only exception is on Brightwater Drive, which is anticipated to
redevelop with new townhomes and timeshares two to four stories above parking.
The Plan supports consideration of a shared parking facility along the street to
provide some of the required parking.
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Beach Walk — the primary beachfront destination of Clearwater Beach. The
District supports the redevelopment of South Gulfview into a great beachfront
promenade (Beach Walk) that will involve removal of some parking west of
Gulfview Boulevard. This strategy was identified as the means to stimulate this
section of the Beach.
Clearwater Pass District — an area of strategic revitalization and renovation in
response to improving conditions in other areas of the Beach.
Mobility
The Mobility element focuses on the arrival and distribution of traffic, the need and
desirability of alternative transportation modes including pedestrian, bicycle and
intra-beach transit, transit between downtown, and transit between Clearwater
Beach and the other barrier islands. The section also discusses access rationing
and the need for residential and guest priorities in such a system and the
possibility of access rationing by controlled access lanes.
Specific improvements proposed in Beach by Design includes the widening of
Coronado to a three lane section; relocation of South Gulfview Boulevard to the
west of its current location to create Beach Walk; a continuous sidewalk system
south of the Roundabout; real sidewalks along North Mandalay; and an intra
beach transit system.
Off-Street Parking
Off-street parking is identified as a key issue in Beach by Design due to following:
The need for additional parking space to serve peak day, peak season demand;
The cost of structured parking being a substantial disincentive for community
redevelopment while additional off-street parking being key to revitalization;
Many existing properties with nonconforming parking, which limits the
revitalization of such properties.
Removal of surface parking lots on the west side of South Gulfview Boulevard
was central to creating an attractive "beachfront address."
Due to the above, the Plan proposes at least two parking garages — one south of
Pier 60 Park and the other behind the Pelican Walk retail center. Additional
garage sites were also identified on the west side of North Mandalay between
Rockaway and Bay Esplanade, in the Clearwater Pass District and at the
Clearwater Marina.
Catalytic Projects
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In order to overcome the economic constraints associated with beach
redevelopment, Beach by Design proposes a number of catalytic resorts projects
that could transform Clearwater Beach into a quality family resort community. In
addition to the Beach Roundabout, these catalytic initiatives were conceptualized
as the means to create a "positive sense of momentum" for Clearwater Beach.
The Plan identified the following constraints that impeded the construction of
destination resorts on Clearwater Beach. They included the regulatory structure
which limited hotel development to 40 rooms per acre and the cost to acquire
enough land to support the minimum number of rooms to support a destination
resort (6.25 acres). In order to overcome these constraints, Beach by Design
established a limited pool of 600 additional hotel rooms that would be available in
key locations on the Beach provided the development complied with specific
criteria. This pool was established by designating the Beach a Community
Redevelopment District on the Countywide Future Land Use Plan Map. The pool
was originally put in place for five years but later Council extended that to 10
years.
In 2007, the Plan was updated due to the impacts of the condominium boom
which had resulted in the significant loss of numerous mid-sized, mid priced hotel
rooms. To overcome the constraints upon hotel development due to the
economic disparity with condominium development, a new hotel density reserve
of 1,385 units was created. The issues in 2007 were similar to those in 1997 but
more pronounced due to the condo boom. Hotels would require a density of 150
— 210 rooms per acre to be an economically viable alternative to condominiums
where only 50 hotel rooms per acre were permitted. The number of rooms
established in the reserve was derived from the findings of a traffic study that
determined what density could be achieved on Clearwater Beach while
maintaining the established Level of Service for transportation concurrency.
Economic Reality and Feasibility
This section of Beach by Design estimated the cost of all of the road, sidewalk
and landscaping improvements included in the Plan. It proposes that a mix of
existing City revenues and a special assessment on benefited properties finance
the investments, as well as federal funding for the capital costs of the intra-beach
and beach access transit systems.
Design Guidelines
Because Beach by Design involves private development and redevelopment,
design guidelines were included to ensure that the City's design objectives would
be met. This section includes provisions that guide the following:
• Density
• Building height
• Building design, scale and mass
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• Setbacks
• Street level facades
• Parking areas
• Sidewalks
• Street furniture
• Street lighting
• Fountains
• Materials and colors
Implementation
Significant progress has been made in implementing Beach by Design. Many
public infrastructure and private redevelopment projects have made significant
improvements in the quality and character of both the public and private realm on
Clearwater Beach.
Since the adoption of Beach by Design, a total of 673 overnight accommodation
units have been constructed. A total of 66 units are currently under construction
and another 1191 rooms been approved and still have valid development
approvals. There are also 503 overnight accommodation units pending final
approval by the Community Development Board or City Council.
Specifically, the 600-unit Destination Resort Density Pool has resulted in the
catalytic resort redevelopment envisioned by the Plan. Three resort projects have
been approved which utilized 599 units of those units. Two resorts, the Sand
Pearl and Hyatt Aqualea, have been constructed and the Kiran Grand approval is
still in effect and a redesigned project should be forth coming.
With regard to the Hotel Density Reserve, a total of 412 units out of the 1385 have
been allocated. One hotel has been constructed (Pier 60 Hotel) and one is under
construction (Shepard's); two hotels are pending approval, which if approved,
would use 135 Reserve units.
A total of 799 condominium and townhouse units have been constructed since
Beach by Design was adopted. Nine units are currently under construction and
another 153 units have valid development orders and three units are pending
approval.
Many infrastructure projects identified in the Plan have been completed through
both public and private investment and include:
• Mandalay Streetscape Improvements
• Beach Walk
• Sidewalks on Coronado Avenue, Brightwater Drive, Bayway Boulevard,
and Somerset Street
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• Clearwater Beach Connector Trail (1.2 mil connection between Downtown
and the Beach)
• 400 public parking spaces in the Hyatt Hotel
• 300 public parking spaces in the Surf Style garage
• 25 public parking spaces on Devon Street
Outstanding Implementation Items/Issues to be Addressed:
• The construction of new parking facilities on North Beach
• Construction of the public boardwalk in the Marina District
• Alternative modes of transportation including include access rationing and
transit from Downtown to the Beach.
An Overview of the Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan
The construction of the new Memorial Causeway Bridge was the catalyst for
rethinking the form and function of Downtown. In 2003, the City adopted a major
update to the Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan that included the
boundaries of the City's original Community Redevelopment Area, the areas
contained in the Clearwater Downtown Periphery Plan and the area included in
the expanded Community Redevelopment Area (East Gateway).
The Plan serves as the Special Area Plan and the Community Redevelopment
Plan of the Downtown. As a Special Area Plan, it guides development through
goals, objectives and policies and regulates uses and development potential for
six unique character districts. As a Community Redevelopment Plan, it
establishes policies that guide future actions and projects of the City's Community
Redevelopment Agency.
The Clearwater Downtown Redevelopment Plan contains the following four
sections: Introduction; Existing Conditions; Land Use Plan/Redevelopment Plan;
and Plan Implementation
The Introduction Chapter provides a history of planning in Clearwater and in the
Downtown and identifies the purpose of the Plan. The Existing Conditions
Chapter provides information on existing land use, future land use and zoning
within the Downtown area. It also provides information about historic resources,
demographics, infrastructure, public recreation facilities, existing Downtown
redevelopment programs and investment that has occurred in Downtown in recent
years.
Land Use Plan/Redevelopment Plan
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The Land Use Plan/Redevelopment Plan Chapter establishes the goals,
objectives and policies for Downtown. There are three overriding goals identified
in this Plan, which evolved from the five goals contained in the 1995 Clearwater
Downtown Redevelopment Plan and are as follows:
People Goal: Downtown shall be a place that attracts people for living,
employment and recreation. The City shall encourage redevelopment that will
attract residents and visitors to Downtown as a recreation, entertainment and
shopping destination.
Movement Goal: Create an environment where both people and cars can
circulate throughout Downtown safely and effectively.
Amenity Goal-Create Downtown as a memorable place to be enjoyed by
residents and visitors that capitalizes on Clearwater's waterfront location, natural
resources, built environment and history.
In order to attain these goals, objectives and policies were included to guide
private and public actions. For example, when a site plan is submitted, the project
is reviewed for compliance with the goals, objectives and policies of this Plan. In
addition, public actions must comply.
In an attempt to provide the flexibility needed to support redevelopment, the
Downtown Redevelopment Plan established six character districts to govern
development. These districts were determined based on existing and desired
future development patterns, concentration of uses, street patterns, number of
lanes and natural and manmade boundaries. Recently constructed or soon to be
constructed capital projects were also considered.
Each District includes a vision for future development. The vision includes a
description of uses, function, development patterns, prohibited uses and policies
that are specific to implementing the vision of each District. Each district specifies
the amount of floor area ratio or density that can be built, as well as any height
restrictions and prohibited uses. See the attached map entitled Development
Potential Permitted by Downtown Plan Character Districts. Below is a summary of
each district.
Downtown Core District
The Downtown Core District is envisioned to be the most dense and intense
district and should continue to be a center for government and office uses. The
Plan permits a floor area ratio of 4.0 or a density of 70 dwelling units per acre or
95 hotel units per acre. No height regulations are imposed in the Downtown Core,
except that along Cleveland Street height should be consistent with the historic
building patterns and consistent with alternatives specified in the design
guidelines.
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A key component of the redevelopment strategy is to attract residential
development to the Downtown Core. The Plan supports the redevelopment of
the Calvary Baptist Church and City Hall site with a mixed project containing
residential and retail uses. The Plan also supports redevelopment in the
Harborview building footprint with retail/restaurant/hotel and entertainment uses.
Old Bay District
The Old Bay District, which essentially has the same boundaries as the former
Northwest Periphery Plan Area, is considered to be a mixed-use neighborhood
supporting the Downtown employment base with residential uses, limited
neighborhood commercial uses and office uses. The District supports 25 units
per acre for development west of Osceola Avenue along the waterfront. The Plan
provides a density bonus of an additional 25 units per acre in the event over two
acres of land are consolidated for a total of 50 units per acre. Lower density, in
keeping with the existing character of development, is permitted in the balance of
the district, unless an acre of land is consolidated. In that instance, density can
be increased from 7.5 units per acre to 25 units per acre. The preferred housing
styles in this area will be single-family detached and townhouses. Commercial
development is limited to a FAR of 0.5.
There are different several different height allowances for this character district as
follows:
West of Osceola Avenue:
Between Drew and Georgia Streets — 150';
Between Georgia and Eldridge Streets — 120';
Between Eldridge Street and the Old Bay northern boundary — 100';
Between Osceola and Ft. Harrison Avenues and between Jones and Drew
Streets — 150';
East of Osceola Avenue — 40'
South Gateway District
The South Gateway District, formerly known as the Southwest Periphery Plan
Expansion Area, is Downtown's primary gateway from the south. This District
anticipates development of new housing and limited retail uses along South Fort
Harrison, while existing offices are encouraged to remain. The balance of the
District's vacant land is envisioned to redevelop with residential uses at an urban
scale. The Plan provides for a FAR of 1.0 for commercial and office uses. The
allowable density is 25 units per acre, 35 units per acre if over two acres are
consolidated and 50 units per acre if over two acres are consolidated and
developed with a mixed-use project including retail and residential uses.
Town Lake Residential District
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The Town Lake Residential District surrounds Prospect Lake Park and extends
north to Drew Street. This district encompasses land governed by the 1995 Plan,
the Northeast and a portion of the Southeast Periphery Plan Expansion Areas, as
well as areas zoned Medium Density Residential, Commercial and Office.
This District is primarily reserved for new residential construction at a maximum of
30 units per acre. Hotel construction is allowed on Cleveland Street at 40 units
per acre. It is anticipated that new residents in the area will enliven Downtown
and provide a market for new retail and restaurant uses. The Plan requires that
development within this District be at a lower scale and density than that allowed
in the Downtown Core and limits height to 75 feet. The District supports the
addition of neighborhood commercial uses to serve the new residences and
allows community commercial uses along the major streets within the District at a
maximum FAR of 1.0. The development pattern north of Cleveland Street must
be mindful of the existing single-family development along Grove Street and
generally heights should be lower than that south of Cleveland Street.
Renovation of the small historic single-family dwellings along Grove Street is
encouraged.
Town Lake Business Park District
The Town Lake Business Park District is comprised of a portion of the former
Southeast Periphery Plan Expansion Area, land within the boundaries of the 1995
Plan and land within the newly expanded CRA. It is envisioned to be a place for
business park development consisting of corporate and professional offices and
those that conduct research or light assembly not exceeding a total FAR of 1.0.
Accessory commercial uses are encouraged and an incentive is provided that
excludes that floor area in FAR calculations. The character of development in this
District is anticipated to be more typical of suburban development than that
envisioned for the other character districts. Residential development may only
occur in Town Lake Business Park if a minimum of four acres is consolidated and
the density does not exceed 30 units per acre. The maximum allowable height for
all development is 50 feet.
East Gateway
The East Gateway District is primarily comprised of land located within the newly
expanded CRA. It is envisioned to be a stable and diverse neighborhood defined
by its unique Hispanic cultural base. The medium density character of the
neighborhood should remain and include neighborhood commercial and
professional offices. The District serves as the primary entrance from the east into
the Downtown Core, therefore, its redevelopment and improved infrastructure is
essential. The existing residential areas should retain their scale and
development patterns and any infill development should maintain the existing low-
rise scale. It is intended that new commercial development provide employment
opportunities for District residents, as well as serve the daily commercial and
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personal service needs of the neighborhood. The area is governed by nine
Future Land Use Plan categories ranging from Residential Urban, which allows
7.5 units per acre to Commercial General, which allows a FAR of .55 and a
density of 24 units per acre. A portion of this District is part of the original CRA
and is designated Central Business District.
Downtown Design Guidelines
The Design Guidelines are organized into four subsections: purpose and
applicability; new construction; the rehabilitation of designated historic structures;
and signs and miscellaneous. An explanation of the general and specific design
principles promoted by each aspect of the Guidelines is included, as well as a
series of statements describing appropriate and inappropriate design solutions to
implement those principles. Photographs and drawings are also included to
illustrate acceptable and unacceptable design solutions. This approach values
creativity and allows for numerous design solutions for any particular project.
Housing and Neighborhood Element
Florida Statutes requires that a residential use and neighborhood assessment be
conducted for any CRA. The Housing and Neighborhood Element contains a
residential use section, which details existing residential conditions within the
Downtown Plan area, as well as by character district. It also explores the
homeless issues that face Clearwater and the particular impact they have on
Downtown. The residential use analysis confirms that Downtown does not lack
land available for residential purposes nor does it have a housing shortage. In
fact, it is projected that Downtown could absorb 1000 new housing units. The
analysis indicates, however, that there are issues impacting Downtown's
desirability as a place to live such as high rental occupancies, absentee landlords,
overcrowding in certain areas, older housing stock, deferred housing maintenance
and a disproportionate number of low-moderate income residents. Policies
related to housing and the homeless are established to support improving the
condition of the existing housing stock, constructing new housing and improving
the situation for the homeless.
The neighborhood impact evaluated the following and found the Plan would not
have a detrimental impact.
• Relocation
• Traffic Circulation
• Environmental Quality
• Availability of Community Facilities and Services
• Effect on School Population
• Other matters affecting the physical and social quality of the
neighborhood.
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Plan Implementation
Chapter 4, Plan Implementation, details the public strategies or actions that will be
undertaken to implement the goals, objectives and policies. It provides a Capital
Improvement Plan that establishes the major improvements needed in Downtown
ranging from street repaving projects to public uses. This Chapter also lists the
existing redevelopment incentives that are currently available to property owners
and the development community. The final section of this Chapter is the Tax
Increment Revenue projections for the CRA. Projections were included for the
existing CRA because the City planned to use tax increment financing in this area.
Implementation
Progress has been made in implementing the Clearwater Downtown
Redevelopment Plan. The City has invested in infrastructure improvements and
some private redevelopment projects have been constructed.
Since the adoption of the Plan, approximately 367 residential units have been
constructed and 33 are currently under construction. Another 60 units have been
approved and 85 were being constructed until the market crashed. Several
offices and a 115 unit hotel have also been built.
Significant capital investment identified in the Plan has been made and includes
the following projects.
• Memorial Causeway Landscaping
• Cleveland Street and Memorial Causeway Repaving
• Wayfinding
• Ft. Harrison Avenue/Alternative US Highway 19 resurfacing
• Pump Stations 12 and 16
• Cleveland Streetscape
• Intersection improvements related to the bridge
• Myrtle Avenue Reconstruction and Streetscape
• Clearwater Beach Connector Spur (Pinellas Trail)
• Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard and Highland Avenue Gateway Intersection
Improvements
• Glen Oaks Park Stormwater Retention Facility
• Cleveland Street and Gulf to Bay Boulevard Repaving between Fredrica
and Highland Avenue
• Downtown Marina
• Pinellas Trail and East Avenue Improvements
• Portion of the Cleveland Streetscape identified Between Highland and
Myrtle Avenues.
Outstanding Implementation Items/Issues to be Addressed:
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• Streetscape Improvements on Cleveland Street and Gulf-to-Bay
Boulevard
• Integration of East Gateway Vision into Plan
• New City Hall
• Multi-modal Transportation Center
• Maintain Design Standards
• Beautification of Downtown
• Sidewalks of Insufficient Width to Provide Full Pedestrian/Urban
Experience
Planning and Development Director Michael Delk provided an overview of Beach by
Design and requested direction regarding the current philosophical approach to
encourage redevelopment of existing small parcels versus going back to a suburban
redevelopment plan that provides for larger setbacks and property assemblages. He
also requested guidance regarding areas of Beach by Design that may require change.
In response to a question, Mr. Delk said the view corridors and building mass are part of
the design review component and are regulated by Beach by Design, which are not
reviewed by Council. Staff is concerned that projects meeting Beach by Design
guidelines may be turned down by Council because the developer may not go far
enough.
Discussion ensued regarding the view corridors with comments made that current view
corridors are not adequate and the setbacks are too liberal. Concerns were expressed
with vehicular traffic, lack of parking on the beach and project mass on limited parcel
space. A concern was expressed that placing limitations now on Beach by Design
would limit mid-priced hotels, which are still needed. It was suggested that hotels
should be encouraged to use more shared parking.
In response to questions, Mr. Delk said the number of hotel rooms lost since 2002 was
1,743. The City has gained 632 rooms. Less than 5% of Clearwater's population lives
on Clearwater Beach. Planning and Development Assistant Director Gina Clayton said
when the Old Florida provisions were amended, the maximum residential building
height was limited to 65 ft. and 75 ft. for hotels. The additional setback and stepback
requirements do not apply in other districts. Ms. Clayton said these restrictions were
intended to keep view corridors open, in particular from the Bay to the Gulf of Mexico.
Depending on where the land is located, one side of East Shore or two sides of East
Shore, the height bonus thresholds are '/2 acre, 1 acre, and 2 acres.
Staff was directed to provide a spreadsheet with the current density, setbacks,
stepbacks, and view corridor guidelines. The City Attorney suggested that staff provide
information for each character district.
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One individual suggested clarifying the infill development criteria and one individual
supported the review of Beach by Design. One individual expressed concern with the
current vehicular traffic on Clearwater Beach and supported clarification of infill
development.
Discussion ensued regarding reviewing Beach by Design district by district; there was
consensus for Councilmembers to provide the City Manager with their proposed
amendments. The proposed amendments would be discussed at a future meeting.
Council recessed from 4:41 p.m. to 4:50 p.m.
Planning and Development Assistant Director Gina Clayton reviewed the Downtown
Redevelopment Plan.
In response to questions, Ms. Clayton said the project at 1100 Cleveland Street
received an allocation from the public amenities incentive pool, which is greater than 30
units per acre. The project received the allocation because of contributions to
streetscape.
A concern was expressed that little redevelopment has occurred along the Ft. Harrison
Avenue corridor due to the plan's design guideline restrictions. Discussion ensued
regarding the potential relocation of Walgreens to Ft. Harrison. Assistant City Manager
Jill Silverboard said staff was concerned with aspects of the proposed site layout, such
as multiple curb cuts on two primary thoroughfares that are high-volume moving
roadways and the proposed suburban model, which is typically used in less intensive
locations. Ms. Silverboard said the proposed project would degrade the thoroughfare's
level of service and potentially cause a vehicular stacking issue. Mr. Delk said
downtown Clearwater does not have the supporting infrastructure for an urban retail
store.
The City Manager said the design guidelines are constructed to provide staff discretion
in terms of how it interprets whether the guidelines are being complied with. If the
guidelines are not specific enough, then staff needs direction to review those areas that
may need change.
In response to questions, Mr. Delk said the design guideline restrictions have not been
an issue in the South Gateway area redevelopment. South Ft. Harrison Avenue has
been urbanized over the last ten years and is taking on an attractive appearance that
will tie-in with the medical complex to the south.
There was no consensus to amend the downtown redevelopment plan.
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2.3 1999 Development Code Review - Michael Delk
Discussion deferred to a future meeting.
3. Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 5:38 p.m.
Attest
City Clerk
—Room ncrcFckos
Mayor
City of Clearwater
Special Council 2013 -06 -17 15