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SEE
INTO THE FUTURE…
Learn
how your Pinellas County Government is solving
today’s problems and meeting tomorrow’s challenges
through the Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan.
What
does the future hold for your community?
The Pinellas County Comprehensive Plan has
some answers. As Florida enters the 21st Century, it faces a wide array of challenges –
to service its growing population, to preserve
its fragile environment, and to enhance the quality
of life for its citizens. To ensure that these
challenges are addressed, the State of Florida
requires that every local government prepare a
comprehensive plan. The local plans address a
number of different issues, including transportation,
natural resources and public services and facilities.
In their plans, cities and counties analyze current
conditions, identify goals, and design the strategies
to reach these goals. Pinellas County’s Comprehensive
Plan lets citizens know what they can expect in
their future by describing how their County is
managing growth, providing vital services and
protecting the environment.
*The Board of County Commissioners adopted a major update to the Comprehensive Plan on March 18, 2008. Once a Notice of Compliance is received from the State, the new compendium will be available online.
The
following 12 Elements make up Pinellas County’s
Comprehensive Plan:
1.
FUTURE LAND USE: 
Where
will people live, work and play?
Where should houses, apartments stores, offices
and industry be located? How many should be built?
The Future Land Use Element looks at existing
and future conditions and determines the type
and intensity of development suitable for the
remaining undeveloped areas of unincorporated
Pinellas County. It also considers that Pinellas
County is facing build-out, and recognizes the
significance of redevelopment issues in the future.
Additional policies provide for the conservation
of natural resources and for a balanced relationship
between development and environmental needs.
2.
TRANSPORTATION:
TRAFFIC
CIRCULATION: How
will we meet the transportation needs of today
and tomorrow?
The Transportation Element identifies where road
improvements will be needed, and also includes
policies requiring consideration of mass transit
options, pedestrian facilities and bicycle friendly
design as alternatives to traditional methods
of travel.
How
can we best use the Clearwater/St. Petersburg
International Airport and facilitate economic
development?
The Transportation Element assesses the current
air traffic at the airport and prescribes strategies
to increase use, as well as economic activity
around the facility.
How
can we enhance mass transit services?
The policies of the Transportation Element also
focus on how to provide an effective transportation
alternative to the private automobile, requiring
that the needs of people who are dependent on
mass transit be considered in transportation facilities
planning.
3.
NATURAL HISTORIC & CULTURAL RESOURCES:
How
can we protect and restore the quality of our
natural resources?
This Element takes a comprehensive look at the
County’s natural resources. Goals include the
protection and restoration of air quality, floodplains,
native vegetation and wildlife species. The Element
also directs the County’s historic preservation
efforts in the unincorporated area. An inventory
of cultural resources, as well as related goals
and objectives geared toward increasing cultural
opportunities for residents and visitors, is also
included.
4.
COASTAL MANAGEMENT:
How
will we manage coastal resources?
How well will our coastal area weather a hurricane?
How will we recover and rebuild after a big storm?
The Coastal management Element explores these
questions and directs solutions to these and other
coastal issues such as the provision of public
beach access, the protection and restoration of
natural coastal resources and associated land
use planning requirements.
5.
HOUSING:
How
will we meet the housing requirements of current
and future residents?
The Housing Element analyzes the County’s housing
conditions and identifies strategies to meet existing
and future housing requirements of the unincorporated
County. It addresses such issues as the availability
of housing to low and moderate income families,
first time buyers and others with special needs.
It also looks at methods of preserving our existing
housing stock and historically significant structures.
6.
INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION:
How
will we work with neighboring communities and
agencies in managing our growth?
The guidelines and principles of the Intergovernmental
Coordination Element call for coordination and
cooperation between Pinellas County, its 24 municipalities
and other public and private agencies in their
planning activities, the initiation and enforcement
of development controls, the provision of services,
and other related activities.
7.
RECREATION & OPEN SPACE:
How
many, and what kind of parks do we need?
The Recreation and Open Space Element inventories
our existing network of regional parks and preserves,
as well as our anticipated future park and open
space requirements. It contains policies that
provide for commitments to public access and public
education, and support the County’s integrated
and innovative program of land acquisition, park
development and management for the protection
of the County’s natural resources.
8.
SANITARY SEWER:
HOW
DO WE ENSURE RELIABLE WASTEWATER COLLECTION
AND
TREATMENT, AND THE SAFE AND EFFICIENT DISPOSAL
OF THE BY-PRODUCTS?
The Sanitary Sewer Element evaluates existing
and projected needs for regional wastewater collection,
treatment and disposal and provides for the continued
development and expansion of the County’s comprehensive
wastewater reuse program to support resource conservation
and environmentally sound wastewater disposal
options.
9.
WATER SUPPLY:
HOW
WILL WE MEET OUR FUTURE NEEDS FOR WATER?
How much water will we need? Where will it come
from ? The Water Supply Element analyzes current
supply and demand, and projects future sources
and demand, and projects future sources and demands
for water. Intergovernmental and interagency coordination
are integral to achieving these goals. The Element
also directs the County to expand its comprehensive
water conservation program and provides policies
for ensuring the future of a safe potable water
supply for all customers of the Pinellas County
Utilities System.
10.
SOLID WASTE & RESOURCE RECOVERY:
How
do we dispose of out garbage?
The County’s programs for countywide garbage disposal,
recycling and hazardous waste disposal are described,
and future disposal needs are calculated , in
the Solid Waste and Resource Recovery Element.
In order to maximize the longevity of the resource
recovery plant and landfill, specific goals are
included for recycling and source reduction. Additional
policies direct the management of the County’s
hazardous waste collection and disposal program.
11.
SURFACE WATER MANAGEMENT:
HOW
CAN WE REDUCE FLOODING AS WELL AS ENHANCE WATER
QUALITY AND NATURAL RESOURCE PROTECTION?
The Element includes policies
to correct flood control deficiencies and to improve
water quality to support dependent natural resources
through the development of comprehensive watershed
management plans. Additional policies provide
for the preservation of wetlands, floodplains
and natural drainageways and support regional
solutions to surface water management when possible.
12.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS:
How
will we pay for the facilities and services described
in the Elements above?
The Capital Improvements Element requires the
Comprehensive Plan to be financially feasible.
It calculates how much money is needed, where
the money will come from and when it is anticipated
to be available in order to carry out the improvements
in facilities and services called for in the Plan.
Download
the Full Compendium
How
will we ensure that the Comprehensive Plan is
put into action?
The compendium describes the procedure by which
the County monitors the implementation of the
Comprehensive Plan, and lists the major findings,
goals, objectives and policies of the 12 elements
of the Plan. It also describes the County’s concurrency
management system which is designed to ensure
that the facilities and services necessary to
support growth and development are available to
meet the impacts of that development.
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