The term “livable communities” is used to describe urban environments where walking, bicycling and transit service is safe, comfortable and efficient and where the physical environment offers an interesting and unique experience from the standpoint of street, land and building design. Another key aspect of livable communities is the mixing of land uses which allows people to live closer to their points of destination such as shopping and work locations. The MPO has initiated a program to develop a set of model comprehensive plan policies and land development codes designed to implement livable community features in the design and construction of streetscape improvements and land development projects. The MPO’s Livable Communities Task Force, chaired by Pinellas County Commissioner Robert Stewart, has been meeting on a regular basis to review and provide direction on the project.

At their meeting on June 13, 2006, the MPO approved the Livable Communities Model Comprehensive Plan Objectives and Policies for implementation by the local governments through their respective comprehensive plans.  The model objectives and policies provide the policy framework for the subsequent development of the model land development codes which is currently underway.  The final version of the model codes will also be transmitted to the local governments for implementation through their site plan review processes.

A working draft of the Livable Communities Model Land Development Code is available here .  Comments on the document may be provided via email.  The model code draft is scheduled for review by the Livable Communities Task Force at their next meeting in July 2 , 2008, at 3:30 pm in the Planning Department Conference Room, located at 600 Cleveland Street, Suite 750 , Clearwater , FL 3375 . All interested parties are invited to attend.

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