Pinellas commissioners approve development changes to John's Pass

MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. - It’s a tourist attraction in the Tampa Bay Area, and changes could be on the way.

Pinellas County commissioners gave the green light to development changes to John’s Pass on Tuesday, saying that the changes are needed for Madeira Beach to fall in line with the county’s development rules. They approved it in a 6-1 vote to change the 27 acres of property at the John’s Pass Village Area to an Activity Center, okaying potential higher density.

Commissioner Janet Long was the one vote opposed. 

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"I call it God's view, our barrier islands, which Madeira Beach is on the barrier island," Long said. "In my opinion, it is already densely built out, and considering the proximity to water on both sides and the fact that it comes up by Tampa Bay, depending on the phase of the moon and where the tides are in the event of a storm, these folks on the barrier islands are some of the most vulnerable in our entire county."

"I think it’s just asking for trouble," she said.

Shelley Eckert’s balcony overlooks John’s Pass, and she said it’s her piece of paradise.

"It’s unique," Eckert said. "It’s not something that we should develop and change."

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Eckert worries changes could bring more traffic to what she calls her quaint community.

"They just want to squeeze more and more in, and I think there needs to come a time when they just put a stop to it," Eckert said.

Rodney Chatman, the planning division manager with Forward Pinellas, told the commissioners at the Tuesday meeting that right now, the area averages 16 residential units per acre, 51 temporary lodging units and a floor area ratio of 1.24. 

The changes would mean 16 residential units per acre still, 50 temporary lodging units and a floor area ratio of 1.78, he said, spread out across the 27 acres of the property. The property extends from properties west of Gulf Boulevard to Boca Ciega Bay on the east and from John’s Pass north to 133rd Avenue East.

"When we're talking about the density, we're basically going from the old zones where they were allowed certain on the waterfront on the storefront, and we're spreading that kind of balance, averaging it out across the entire acreage," Commissioner Charlie Justice asked Chatman, to which he replied, "Yes."

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Chatman said the changes are needed for Madeira Beach to fall into compliance with county rules on development standards that for years it hasn’t followed. Without the changes, Chatman also said they wouldn’t be able to rebuild buildings if they’re destroyed by some type of disaster.

"The area, it has significantly small lot sizes," Chatman said. "In the planning world, we know that in order for larger scale development to occur, that you need larger footprints, larger parcels … we think it's extremely unlikely that you would have some massive redevelopment occur in this area just because you'd have to assemble, someone would have to assemble multiple properties all at once to be able to make a massive redevelopment project occur."

Madeira Beach’s city commissioners still have to approve the change. City leaders said that final vote will happen in March.  City officials would also decide on land development regulations like the heights of buildings. 

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