Council approves 5‑foot height increase for Gateway Center Live Local apartments after contentious public comment

Pinellas Park City Council voted unanimously Aug. 12 to approve a conditional‑use request that increases the maximum height in a Light Industrial (M‑1) zoning district from 50 to 55 feet for a proposed Live Local multifamily development on a 24‑acre site east of Gateway Center Boulevard.

Todd Byron, planning coordinator, presented the case (ACU0525‑00010), describing a 384‑unit project in five buildings sited toward the center of the property to maximize setbacks. Byron said the parcel is in the city’s industrial limited future land‑use category and that two nearby developments have previously been granted height increases. The applicant said the project will proceed under the Live Local Act’s requirements, including that at least 40% of proposed rental units be affordable for renters earning roughly 80–120% of area median income; affordability protections will be recorded in a declaration of covenants and enforced with annual reporting.

Nick Malone, speaking about the Live Local statute, told the council that the state law requires municipalities to allow multifamily housing on commercially or industrially zoned land when the developer meets the affordability rules and that the city’s local height limit under Live Local is 50 feet. "So that's what's before you tonight: they're exceeding the height limitations. . . . they're asking for 55, I believe," Malone said, adding that infrastructure and permitting requirements still apply.

Applicant representative Kevin Reale said the five‑foot increase is narrow and primarily intended to allow rooftop mechanical equipment to be elevated and shielded and to permit modest architectural features; he emphasized the change would not increase unit counts or alter the site plan. "What they wanna do is they wanna spend more money to add architectural features so that the AC unit, the condensers can be put on the roof, and they can be shielded rather than having them on the ground with fencing around them," Reale said.

Multiple neighborhood speakers urged rejection or asked for more information about traffic, drainage and public notice. Helen Tipton called the Live Local law "a loophole" that lets developers convert industrial land to high‑density housing without the same local review normal zoning changes receive. She asked council members to urge state lawmakers to revisit the statute: "You do realize literally have to call your representatives, tell them that you do not like the bill that was passed, that you believe that it is impeding on you as a citizen's rights to decide what happens in your community," Tipton said.

Residents described drainage problems and maintenance shortfalls in nearby conveyance ditches. "This track right here is run by Swiftmud. We have to have the — that track right there is a drainage ditch. It's never cleaned out," said Steven Sorensen, who said heavy vegetation and debris have been left for months. Several speakers said they received little or no notice of the proposal because the Live Local process can be approved administratively if it stays under local height limits.

Council members who spoke urged staff and the applicant to meet directly with neighbors to explain project details such as access points, playgrounds and pedestrian connections. Mayor Sandra Bradbury and other council members noted that staff and the developer had designed the site to maximize setbacks and that the height increase request was limited to architectural and mechanical screening rather than additional units or density.

After public comment, Council member Ricky Seville moved to approve the conditional use; the motion was seconded and carried unanimously. Council staff recorded the vote as unanimous in favor. Following the vote, staff and the applicant were asked to brief nearby residents on site plans, stormwater controls and relocation of mechanical equipment and to coordinate further outreach.