THE PLAN FOR DOWNTOWN CLEARWATER OCTOBER 1997
The Plan for
Downtown
Clearwater October
1997
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CITY OF CLEARWATER
CLEARWATER
DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT BOARD
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CITY COMMISSION:.
Gabriel Cazares
Mayor-Commissioner
Karleen DeBlaker
Commissioner - Vice Mayor
Darwin Frank
Commissioner
Karen Martin
Commissioner
William Nunamaker
Commissioner
DIRECTORS:
Rose Phifer (Mrs. Charles W.)
Chairman
Aaron Bilgore
President, David Bilgore & Co.
Leon Hammock
President, First Federal Savings
& Loan Association
Perc Powell
Retailer
Bronson Thayer
Chairman of Board,
Bank of Clearwater
Dale Warren
First Vice President,
Tack & Warren
William Nunamaker
City Commissioner
CITY ADMINISTRATION
AND PARTICIPATING DEPARTMENTS:
Anthony L. Shoemaker
City Manager
Thomas A. Bustin
City Attorney
Warren D. Renando
Planning Director
Ed Blanton
Building Director
Keith Crawford
Traffic Engineer
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS:
Santo Casella
DDB Executive Director
Anthony L. Shoemaker
City Manager
The
Plan
for
Downtown
Clearwater
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October 1977
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RTKL Associates Inc.
Planning and Urban Design
Gladstone Associates
Economic Analysis
Robert L. Morris Inc.
Traffic Planning
Greenleaf / Telesca Inc.
Engineering
Planning Department
City of Clearwater
DOWNTOWN PLAN TASK FORCE
MEMBERS:
Dom Minotti (Chairman)
Vice President, First National Bank,
Chamber of Commerce Appointee
Richard Burkhart (Vice Chairman)
President-Treasurer American Auto Sales,
City Commission Appointee
Tom Brown
Businessman, City Commission Appointee
Norton Chervitz
Secretary-Treasurer, Peltz Shoe Store,
City Commission Appointee
Richard R. Follett
Landscape Architect,
City Commission Appointee
Robert Kinney
Vice President, Barnett Bank,
DDB Appointee
Richard Leandri
President, Leandri Corp., DDB Appointee
Raymond Lee III
First Federal Savings & Loan
Association, DDB Appointee
Robert H. Levison
Architect, Vice President, Mudano Assoc.,
Architects. Clearwater Housing Authority
Appoi ntee
Nancy McCue (Mrs. James)
City Commission Appointee
Frank Morris
Architect, Planning & Zoning
Board Appointee
John Rankin
Former Commissioner, City
Commission Appointee
Kenneth K. Smith
Jeweler, City Commission Appointee
Bruce Taylor, Sr.
Realtor, Board of Realtors Appointee
Dale Warren
First Vice President, Tack & Warren,
DDB Appointee
Rev. Doyce Wise
Minister, Clearwater Ministerial
Association Appointee
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS:
Frank Mudano
Architect, Mudano Assoc., Appointed
By Clearwater Architects Collaborative
Anthony L. Shoemaker
City Manager,
City of Clearwater
Warren D. Renando
Planning Director, City of Clearwater
Santo Casella
Executive Director,
Downtown Development Board
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Table of Contents
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SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION 1
BACKGROUND 3
THE PLANNING PROCESS 3
THE PLANNING PROGRAM 5
~ SUMMARY OF THE PLAN 6
SECTION 2: DOWNTOWN CLEARWATER TODAY 9
REGIONAL SETTING 11
~ PHYSICAL PROFI LE 12
ECONOMIC PROFILE 28
COMMUNITY ATTITUDES 31
CONCLUSIONS 33
SECTION 3: THE PLAN FOR DOWNTOWN CLEARWATER 35
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 36
SPACE USE PROG RAM 38
REVITALIZATION STRATEGY 41
LAND USE AND TRANSPORTATION PLAN 42
URBAN DESIGN PLAN 43
SECTION 4: IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM 67
DEVELOPMENT COSTS AND SCHEDULE 68
FINANCIAL FEASIBILITY 72
IMPACT OF THE PLAN 73
LEADERSHIP ROLES 76
~ IMPLEMENTATION POWERS 77
FUNDING 78
DEVELOPMENT CONTROL GUIDELINES 80
DOWNTOWN PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM GUIDELINES 81
AGENDA FOR ACTION 82
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List of Tables and Exhibits
T ABL ES
2.1 Population Change 30
3.1 Potential Space Use Program 40
~ 4.1 Development Costs and Schedule 70
4.2 Estimated Recurring Revenues to the City of Clearwater 75
4.3 Estimated Net Fiscal Impact to the City of Clearwater 75
4.4 Potential Funding Sources 79
EXHIBITS
1.1 Interaction Diagram 4
2.1 State Map 10
2.2 Region Map 10
2.3 City Map 10
2.4 Study Area Boundry 12
2.5 Downtown Districts 12
2.6 Downtown Sub-Areas 12
2.7 Existing Land Use 13
2.8 Existing Street Network 18
2.9 Building Age 21
2.10 Structural Condition 22
2.11 Property Values 23
2.12 Potential Redevelopment Areas 25
2.13 Visual Analysis 27
3.1 Proposed Land Use 43
3.2 Vehicular Circulation Plan 45
3.3 Transit Plan 46
3.4 Downtown Clearwater 1985 (sketch) 48
3.5 Urban Design Plan 49
3.6 Retail Core Area 50
3.7 Entry Court - Eastern Retail Anchor (sketch) 51
3.8 Small Courtyard - Eastern Retail Anchor (sketch) 52
3.9 Alternative Schemes - Eastern Retail Anchor 53
3.10 Cleveland Street Mall (sketch) 54
3.11 Design Concept: Cleveland Street Mall 55
3.12 Pedestrian Alley (sketch) 56
3.13 Waterfront Area 58
3.14 Housing Locations 61
3.15 Office Space Locations 62
3.16 Hotel/Motel Locations 63
3.17 Other Project Locations 65
4.1 Project Location Key Map 69
, 4.2 Traffic Impact 73
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Section 1:
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
THE PLANNING PROCESS
PURPOSE
PRECEPTS
STEPS
THE DESIGN TEAM
THE DOWNTOWN PLAN TASK FORCE
COMMUNITY INPUT
I.D.E.A. ADVISORY PANEL
DEVELOPERS CRITIQUE
STEP-BY-STEP COMMUNITY REVIEW
AND APPROVAL
THE PLANNING PROGRAM
STEP 1: R ECON NAISSANCE
STEP 2: GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND
STRATEGIES
STEP 3: PRELIMINARY PLAN
AND SPACE USE PROGRAM
STEP 4: PLAN EVALUATION
STEP 5: FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
SUMMARY OF THE PLAN
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BACKGROUND
Downtown Clearwater, located atop the coastal
bluff overlooking Clearwater Harbor, is the his-
toric heart of the City of Clearwater. It is the
center of a dynamically changing urban setting.
Across the harbor is Clearwater Beach, a major
growth center of family-oriented tourism within
the region; to the north and south are established
bayfront residential communities; to the east is a
rapidly expanding belt of suburban development.
While Downtown Clearwater shared in some of
the city's rapid growth and development over the
past decade, much of this growth has served to
drain, rather than reinforce, the vitality of the
downtown area. Certain negative signs of change
began to surface within downtown.
In response to the desire to maintain and enhance
the functioning, economic vitality and physical
appearance of downtown, the City of Clearwater
and the Downtown Development Board decided
in the summer of 1975 to jointly sponsor a major
downtown planning study. On April 20, 1976,
RTKL Associates, a Baltimore-based architectural
and planning firm, was commissioned jointly by
the Clearwater Downtown Development Board
and the City of Clearwater to prepare a Plan for
Downtown Clearwater.
THE PLANNING PROCESS
PURPOSE
The planning process for Downtown Clearwater
had two essential purposes. First, it sought to
create a long range development plan that would
provide the general policies and guidelines for
both public sector and private sector involvement
in the improvement of Downtown. Second, it
sought to initiate an on-going process of public-
private sector collaboration within the commun-
ity that would create a positive climate for
improvement of downtown, where all parties
could pursue their interests in a mutually suppor-
tive and coordinated manner.
PR ECEPTS:
The planning process for Downtown Clearwater
was based upon a number of fundamental pre-
cepts to assure the creation of a plan that would
have broad public support, be economically
sound, and be sensitive to its unique setting.
These planning precepts were:
1. Community involvement within the process.
2. Collaboration between public officials, busi-
ness and civic leadership.
3. Advice from independent outside expertise.
4. Open, step-by-step public policy decision-
making.
STEPS
The planning process for Downtown Clearwater
was composed of five sequential steps:
Step I. Reconnaissance
Step 2. Goals, Objectives and Strategies
Step 3. Preliminary Development Plan and Space
Use Program
Step 4. Plan Evaluation
Step 5. Final Development Plans
THE DESIGN TEAM
RTKL Associates formed a Design Team with
three other professional consulting firms to pre-
pare the Plan for Downtown Clearwater in
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conjunction with the Planning Department of the
City of Clearwater. The Design Team was com-
posed of:
RTKL Associates - planning, urban design and
team management
Gladstone Associates - economic analysis and
implementation
Robert L. Morris - traffic, parking and public
transit
Greenleaf/Telesca - utilities engineering
Clearwater Planning Department - data collection
and liaison
THE DOWNTOWN PLAN TASK FORCE
Recognizing that an effective planning process
must incorporate community involvement and
participation, a Downtown Plan Task Force was
formed to guide the Design Team in the formu-
lation of the plan. The Task Force was comprised
of a broad spectrum of community represen-
tatives who were concerned about the fate and
future of Downtown Clearwater.
COMMUNITY INPUT
In addition to the Task Force, community input
into the planning process was accomplished by:
1. An extensive personal interview program
with public, business and civic leaders.
2. A survey questionnaire program of down-
town businessmen and property owners.
3. A community-wide survey questionnaire
program of citizens from throughout the
city.
4. Public hearings at the conclusion of each
step of the planning process.
I.D.E.A. ADVISORY PANEL
The International Downtown Executives Associ-
ation (I.D.E.A.) provided a panel of experts from
throughout the country to review the emerging
plan and advise Clearwater of realistic options for
revitalizing downtown. The panel visited Clear-
water twice at critical junctures within the
planning process for work sessions with the
Design Team, Task Force, City Commission and
Downtown Development Board.
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DEVELOPER CRITIQUE
Part of the reality of getting a downtown plan
implemented is an understanding of developer
objectives, motivations and needs. As part of the
Downtown Clearwater planning process, repre-
sentatives from three real estate development
companies were invited to review and critique the
emerging downtown plan from a developer's
standpoint. The purpose of such a review was to
receive insights and recommendations on creating
a plan with attractive opportunities and incen-
tives to encourage private redevelopment of
downtown.
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STEP-BY-STEP REVIEW AND APPROVAL
The findings and recommendations of each step
of the Downtown Clearwater planning process
were presented at public hearings to the City
Commission and Downtown Development Board
for their review, modification and approval. This
provided not only a thorough understanding of
the emerging plan, but also necessary public
policy directives at critical junctures by those
city officials who ultimately will be responsible
for committing the powers and resources of the
city to implement the plan. The conclusions of
each step of the process became the foundation
upon which the work in subsequent steps of the
process was based.
Reviews plans, provides
guidance to Design T earn
and recommends action
to public officials
Provides
Advice
Provides data base
and professional
assistance
1.1 INTERACTION DIAGRAM
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THE PLANNING PROGRAM
STEP 1: RECONNAISSANCE
The planning program for Downtown Clearwater
began with a reconnaissance by the Design Team
to identify the key issues and parameters affec-
ting the future of downtown. The Design Team
conducted an overview examination of the phys-
ical, economic and social conditions present
within downtown and the interrelationship of
downtown to the surrounding area. A personal
interview program with community leaders and a
survey questionnaire program of downtown busi-
nessmen and property owners were conducted to
identify the spectrum of community attitudes
about downtown and to assess potential entre-
preneurial leadership. Opportunities and con-
straints upon downtown revitalization were iden-
tified in regards to community attitudes and
leadership, the natural setting, land use and
circulation, building conditions, market trends
and utility support capabilities.
STEP 2: GOALS, OBJECTIVES AND
STRATEGIES
Preliminary downtown goals and objectives, as
well as alternative strategies of achieving them,
were identified and evaluated. A survey question-
naire program, sampling a wide spectrum of the
entire community, was conducted to assess com-
munity-wide attitudes and opinions about the
future of downtown. A final set of six goals and
sixteen objectives were adopted to guide the
formulation of the plan. Preliminary plan con-
cepts and revitalization strategies, depicting the
physical implications of the selected goals and
objectives as well as the findings of the recon-
naissance phase, were formu lated. These served as
a sounding board to focus the scrutiny of the
Task Force, City Commission, Downtown Devel-
opment Board and the I.D.E.A. Panel during its
first work session in Clearwater.
STEP 3: PRELIMINARY DEVELOPMENT
PLAN AND SPACE USE PROGRAM
Based upon the conclusions of Step 1 and 2, a
market study was conducted to formulate a
Space Use Program depicting the projected scale
and timing of potential downtown residential,
office space, retail and lodging facilities that
could realistically be expected through 1985. A
Preliminary Development Plan was then formu-
lated based upon the initial planning concept and
strategy and the projected space use program.
The plan set forth a preliminary development
framework including the spatial arrangement of
land uses within an improved transportation
network, an illustrative urban design concept,
and a preliminary phasing schedule and imple-
mentation strategy.
STEP 4: PLAN EVALUATION
The Preliminary Development Plan was subjected
to a series of evaluations. A technical and cost
evaluation was conducted to access the func-
tional effectiveness, utility system requirements
and estimated public and private development
costs of the proposed plan. A land use economic
evaluation was conducted to assess the financial
feasibility and fiscal impact of both the overall
plan and its individual development project com-
ponents. An evaluation of appropriate implemen-
tation mechanisms was conducted, including
potential legal, funding, organizational and pro-
motional tools. The Preliminary Plan was also
subjected to an evaluation by the I.D.E.A.
Advisory Panel during its second work session in
Clearwater, and a developer's critique by three
representatives of real estate development com-
panies who offered their insights on promoting
private redevelopment of downtown.
STEP 5: FINAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The Final Development Plan for Downtown
Clearwater, documented in this report, is the
result of a second planning cycle that built upon
and refined the Preliminary Plan, based upon the
conclusions of the plan evaluation phase. The
Final Plan incorporates a land use and transpor-
tation plan, an illustrative urban design plan, and
an implementation program to guide revitaliza-
tion and development of Downtown Clearwater
through 1985. The plan includes a phased pro-
gram of coordinated public and private invest-
ments, an assessment of the fiscal impact of the
proposed development program, and guidelines
for development controls and incentives.
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SUMMARY OF THE PLAN
The Final Development Plan that has evolved
from the Downtown Clearwater planning process
is the city's own plan; it reflects the desires and
aspirations of the community, as expressed in
their participation and input into the process,
which, in turn, have been translated by the
Design Team into a definitive plan. The intent of
the plan is to create an environment that will
distinguish Downtown Clearwater as the heart of
the community; as a place where one can
comfortably and conveniently work, shop, play
and reside.
The Final Development Plan builds upon down-
town's strengths while attempting to remedy
problems which threaten its continued vitality.
The plan envisions the downtown core area (that
area west of Myrtle Avenue) as a pedestrian-
oriented district that includes a distinctive retail
shopping area, a waterfront park system, a
government center area, and new office, residen.
tial and hotel/motel facilities. The eastern corri-
dor area (that area east of Myrtle Avenue) will be
retained and improved primarily as an automo-
bile-oriented commercial district that includes
Cleveland Plaza, linear commercial corridors
along Cleveland Street and Myrtle Avenue, an
automotive sales/service/parts center, and new
residential development where existing neighbor-
hoods can be extended into the area. The
downtown traffic circulation system will be
improved to -minimize pedestrian-vehicular con-
flicts, increase accessibility to downtown, and
reroute disruptive through-traffic not destined
for downtown around, rather than through, the
core area. A street landscaping and graphic
signing program will beautify the area, create
special "gateways" into downtown, and inform
and direct people to downtown activities and
parking.
The public works program includes the new
downtown library, the Cleveland Street semi-
mall, a waterfront park system, and a street
landscaping and graphic signing program. Private
developers will build new housing, office space,
hotel/motel facilities, and a "retail anchor" of
specialty shops and restaurants near a farmers
market.
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Public sector costs for downtown systems
improvements (streets, parks, parking, etc.) are
estimated to be $3.9 million. The new downtown
library facility will cost an additional $3.0
million. The total public investment of $6.9
million would be invested over the next four-year
period. Funding for public improvements would
come from a combination of local, state and
federal monies. This limited public sector invest-
ment is expected to have a multiplier effect,
causing a far more significant amount of private
sector investment. The projected private sector
investment is expected to be $50.4 million by
1985. Some additional public funding of parking
facilities, that have been included in the private
sector cost estimate, may be necessary to provide
incentives for certain private redevelopment
projects. When completed in approximately eight
years, the private sector investments would
return an additional $937,000 per year in tax
revenues as the result of the estimated 68%
increase in the downtown tax base.
The basic implementation strategy employs a
"leveraging" concept where public investments
are made to trigger private redevelopment efforts.
The city's role in plan implementation includes
coordinated capital improvements programming,
zoning incentives, and provisions of public
parking facilities as primary incentives for attrac-
ting private investment. The Downtown Develop-
ment Board's role includes aggressive and persua-
sive leadership, an active development pack-
aging/recruitment program, and a possible non-
profit developer's role for certain public purpose
projects.
The Final Development Plan is an ambitious but
achievable plan. It is closely tied to the realities
of economic feasibility. It provides a long-range
vision of downtown that can be bitten-off one
piece at a time. It will require further effort,
commitment and initiative by the community to
be implemented successfully. Its ultimate
product will contribute positively to the eco-
nomic well-being of the community, as well as
rekindle a sense of civic pride and investor
confidence in downtown. It will project a posi-
tive image of downtown that befits its heritage as
the heart of the community and reflects the
concerns and aspirations of the citizens of Clear-
water for their community.
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Section 2:
DOWNTOWN
CLEARWATER
TODAY
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REGIONAL SETTING
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PHYSICAL PROFILE
THE STUDY AREA
LAND USE
TRANSPORTATION
BUILDING STOCK
PROPERTY VALUES
UTILITIES
REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY AREAS
VISUAL QUALITY
ECONOMIC PROFI LE
OVERVIEW
RETAI L
OTHER ACTIVITI ES
COMMUNITY ATTITUDES
PERCEPTIONS OF DOWNTOWN
LEADERSHIP OBSERVATIONS
LEADERSHIP ISSUES
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CONCLUSIONS
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Bellealf Rd
Largo
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REGION
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CITY
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REGIONAL SETTING
Clearwater, located approximately midway along
Florida's western gulf coastline, is the smallest of
three major cities within the Tampa Bay Region.
The region is marked by a number of natural
amenities and a diversity of communities, each
with its own particular character and identity.
Tampa, the largest city within the region, lies
some 20 miles east of Clearwater across Old
Tampa Bay. Route 60 serves as the primary
east-west highway linking Clearwater and its gulf
beaches to Tampa. Route 19 serves as the
primary north-south highway linking Clearwater
to St. Petersburg, the second largest city in the
region, lying some 17 miles south of Clearwater.
The region is served by the impressive new
Tampa International Airport.
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Clearwater's traditional character within the
region has been marked by its smaller scale and
relaxed setting along the gulf coast. Its climate,
white beaches and gulf breezes have made it an
attractive place to live and a popular vacation
destination. The city has developed as the pre-
dominant urban center serving northern Pinellas
and southern Pasco Counties. Its service area
encompasses smaller surrounding communities
such as Largo, Dunedin and Belleair Beach. It
also serves as the county seat of Pinellas County.
The local economy has developed around
tourism, retirement living, retail trade and real
estate development/construction. Tourism, cen-
tered on Clearwater Beach, is a major factor in
the local economy. Recent studies indicate that
approximately 750,000 tourists visit the Clear-
water area annually. As the resident population
has grown, the citrus groves that once occupied
the eastern outskirts of the city have been
replaced by suburban development. Retail trade
has increased dramatically to serve both the
growing resident and tourist population. Two
major regional shopping centers, Clearwater Mall
and Countryside Mall, have been built recently to
serve the area.
Downtown Clearwater has traditionally been the
commercial center of the community. In recent
years, its vitality as a commercial center has
suffered increasingly from age, fragmented land
ownership patterns and competition from
modern retail centers around the city. Its future
role will continue to be an important one. It will,
however, be a changing role, influenced and
shaped by peripheral developments and its ability
to maintain a strong competitive position in
serving the community.
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PHYSICAL PROFI LE
THE STUDY AREA
Downtown Clearwater is located atop the highest
coastal bluffs of Florida, overlooking Clearwater
Harbor. The waterfront setting, coastal bluff, live
oaks and palms have provided it with a dramatic
natural setting. Traditionally, the intersection of
Cleveland Street and Fort Harrison Avenue
marked the center of the downtown area. As the
community has grown, the downtown area has
expanded, primarily eastward along Cleveland
Street. Today the downtown study area encom-
passes approximately 300 acres of land, exten-
ding from the waterfront eastward some 14
blocks to the Cleveland Plaza area.
LAND USE
Downtown Clearwater contains- a variety of land
uses whose spatial arrangement within a public
"skeleton" of streets, sidewalks and utilities
displays a distinct pattern and structure. In
general, commercial and retail uses predominate
the area, and the general intensity of land use is
low, with much area devoted to traffic circula-
tion and parking. High density uses are generally
limited to several relatively new bank office
buildings and high-rise residential buildings.
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The overall land use pattern of downtown tends
to be broken down into two distinct areas: the
Downtown Core Area and the Eastern Corridor
Area.
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2.5 DISTRICTS
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2.6 SUB -AREAS
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STUDY AREA BOUNDARIES hrt...]'-i
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