Proposed Crystal Beach Community Overlay

Between May 16 and June 13, the Pinellas County Planning Department conducted a vote to determine the level of support Crystal Beach property owners had for a community-led initiative to establish a Community Overlay to be included in the County’s Comprehensive Plan. Nearly 500 property owners voted, with approximately 90% voting in favor and 10% opposed. The voting packets mailed out by the County to property owners stated that if at least 60% of returned votes were in favor of the initiative, the Planning Department would support bringing the proposed Overlay to the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) for a final decision on whether it will be adopted into the Comprehensive Plan. Since this threshold was met, the Planning Department is now in the process of scheduling public hearings so a final decision can be made on whether the Overlay will be adopted into the Comprehensive Plan.

The first step in this process will be for the Local Planning Agency (LPA) to conduct a public hearing to review the matter, which has been set for July 14 at 9:00 AM in the County Commission Assembly Room on the 5th Floor of the County Courthouse. The LPA’s role is to review the objectives and policies contained in the proposed Overlay for consistency with other policies in the County’s Comprehensive Plan, and to make a recommendation to the BCC on whether it believes the Overlay should be adopted.

The second step in the process will be for the BCC to hold a public hearing. Adopting community overlays entails amendments to the Comprehensive Plan, so the purpose of this public hearing is for the BCC to decide whether it will authorize Planning Department staff to submit the proposed Overlay document and associated background information to the State for its review, as required by State statutes concerning comprehensive plan amendments.

If the BCC authorizes Planning Department staff to take this step, the BCC will hold a final public hearing after the State has completed its review. At this public hearing the BCC would make a final determination as to whether the proposed Crystal Beach Community Overlay will be adopted into the County’s Comprehensive Plan.

While the LPA public hearing is confirmed for July 14, the dates and times of the BCC public hearing(s) are to be determined at this point. The first hearing would likely be on August 23 at 6 PM, again in the County Commission Assembly Room on the 5th Floor of the County Courthouse. If the BCC authorizes staff to send the Overlay document to the State for review, the third and final public hearing would likely be held sometime in November. The dates and times for all of the hearings referenced above will be advertised in the Tampa Bay Times, as well as on this website.

Questions concerning the Crystal Beach Community Overlay can be directed to Christopher Moore at 727-464-8219 or Contact Planning.

Thank you for taking the time to vote and for being a part of Crystal Beach’s future!

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