Planning & Zoning Meeting (2025-07-21)

MINUTES PLANNING AND ZONING BOARD CITY OF TARPON SPRINGS, FLORIDA JULY 21, 2025

The Planning And Zoning Board of the City of Tarpon Springs, Florida, met in Planning and Zoning Board in the City Hall Auditorium/Commission Chambers, 324 E. Pine Street, on Monday, July 21, 2025 AT 6:30 PM with the following present:

Chairperson N. Mike Kouskoutis

Vice-Chairperson Justin Vessey

Member Robert Rockelein

Member Derla Early

Member Susan Swenson

Alternate Member Matthew Collins

ALSO PRESENT: Patricia McNeese, AICP, Planning Supervisor Allie Keen, AICP, Principal Planner Andrew Salzman, ESQ, Board Attorney Kimberly Creighton, Board Secretary

1. CALL TO ORDER Chairperson Kouskoutis called the meeting to order at 6:30 P.M.

2. ROLL CALL Board Secretary Creighton called the roll.

3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE Chairperson Kouskoutis led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.

4. REFLECTION Mr. Vessey led the reflection.

5. CONSENT AGENDA

a. Minutes

to approve April 21, 2025, meeting minutes as written.

i. April 21, 2025

Vote on Motion - Upon roll call vote, the motion passed as follows:

Member Rainaldi Weave

SECOND: Member Swenson

Chairperson Kouskoutis

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6. QUASI-JUDICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT AND SWEARING IN OF SPEAKERS

Board Attorney Salzman read the Quasi-Judicial Announcement and swore in all who wished to testify. He asked if there was any ex parte communication; there was none.

7. ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

a. Application 2025-16; Application for Annexation, Future Land Use Map Amendment, and Zoning Amendment for property located adjacent to 1267 N. Pinellas Ave - Fairview Blk 11, Lots 18 and 19 less Rd R/W and Fairview Blk 11, Lots 4 and 5 (Quasi-Judicial/Legislative):

i. Ordinance 2025-10 Annexation (Quasi-Judicial)

ii. Ordinance 2025-08 Future Land Use Map Amendment (Legislative)

iii. Ordinance 2025-09 Rezoning (Legislative)

Staff:

Mrs. McNeese provided background information and noted that staff determined that the request did not meet the strict criteria of Section 208.00(G) of the Land Development Code (LDC) and advised the applicant accordingly. The applicant requested a public hearing and determination by the Board of Commissioners (Board) due to extenuating circumstances associated with the detached garage structure located on one of the parcels to be annexed, as noted above. The circumstances were summarized as follows:

1. The existing garage on Parcel ID# 01-27-15-27072-011-0040 (Lots 4 and 5, Fairview Subdivision) was built by a previous owner sometime after 2020 without the benefit of a building permit. Pinellas County initiated a Code Enforcement case on the property in 2023. The case was closed when the current annexation applicants, Mr. and Mrs. Slater, bought the property and paid the outstanding fines, resulting in the issuance of a Release of Lien. A new Pinellas County Code Enforcement case was initiated.

2. If annexed, the parcel would come into the City with an unpermitted (i.e., illegal) garage structure. The City would need to immediately initiate a Code Enforcement case to resolve the unpermitted structure. Planning staff identified a path forward to bring the garage into compliance with City regulations.

Given the above, staff were not opposed to this annexation since there was a potential remedy to the code violation, assuming the applicant followed through. There was a potential long-term benefit accrued to the City in bringing this section of the N. Pinellas Ave. corridor into the municipal limits. However, there would be a burden on the City to initiate and follow through with Code Enforcement action. The Board must decide if the burden on the City was excessive (i.e., "undue" as described in LDC Section 208.00(G)). The Board was asked to note that conditions could not be placed on any of the three ordinances associated with this annexation. The Board was also asked to note that at any time the demolition of the garage, or its relocation to the applicant's adjacent property at 1267 N. Pinellas Ave., would bring the property into compliance immediately. This item was placed before the Board at the applicant's request. He was asking that the Board consider the annexation request with the property in its current condition. There were some aspects of this annexation that could potentially accrue future planning benefits for the City. Those aspects notwithstanding

1. Ordinance 2025-08 (quasi-judicial) to annex approximately 0.77 acres into the City of Tarpon Springs municipal boundary,

2. Ordinance 2025-10 (legislative) to amend the Future Land Use Map (FLUM) from Pinellas County land use designation R/OG (Residential/Office General) to City of Tarpon Springs designation O (Office), and,

3. Ordinance 2025-09 (legislative) to amend the Official Zoning Atlas from Pinellas County zoning district GO (General Professional Offices) to City of Tarpon Springs zoning district RO (Residential Office).

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Applicant:

Frederick M Slater, 1267 N Pinellas Avenue, noted that he has lived in the area for years and he wanted to clean up the area that led to the city from the north.