Dunedin Local Planning Agency Meeting – September 9, 2026

The Dunedin Local Planning Agency (LPA) met on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, from 6:00 to 6:47 p.m. at City Hall, 737 Louden Ave. The board voted unanimously to approve its August 12, 2026 minutes and received an educational briefing from staff on how the City applies its compatibility standards to development review. Approximately five people were in the audience, and no members of the public offered testimony.

Consent Calendar

• Motion by Ms. Caron, seconded by Ms. Kynes, to approve the August 12, 2026 LPA meeting minutes as submitted. Motion carried unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Chair Benjamin opened public input for the compatibility discussion. No one came forward, and public input was closed.

Discussion Items

• Community Development Director George Kinney presented the history and application of Dunedin's compatibility standards. He explained that the policy has been part of the Comprehensive Plan since 1997, carried through Objective P, Objective O, and now Objective 2.9 of the 2035 Plan.
• Kinney stated the standard is strong: "Development and redevelopment deemed not compatible will be denied," and approved heights "may be substantially less" than zoning maximums. He described compatibility as carrying "as much or more weight than any other design standard."
• Staff and the Architectural Review Committee conduct separate compatibility reviews. Staff focuses on land use compatibility, including nearby development patterns, future plans, street design, surrounding zoning, and massing impacts on light, air, and view. ARC reviews architectural consistency with the Cooper Johnson architectural styles.
• Kinney emphasized that zoning dimensional standards are a limit, not an entitlement; projects must also meet all code provisions, master plan policies, plats, and other requirements. He cited the 444 Skinner project as an example where a requested fourth story was not supported because the surrounding context did not justify it.
• Staff used a sample compatibility map showing 25 properties immediately surrounding a subject property. In that sample, one existing structure exceeded two stories, and the average was 1.4 stories with an average overall height of 17.96 feet.
• Kinney noted that the state Live Local Act preempts local zoning for certain affordable housing projects. He cited a four-acre property behind the bowling alley that has seven development rights left but, under Live Local, could allow up to 30 units per acre, overriding local height, floor area ratio, parking, and density rules. That project would be administratively approved and would not come before the LPA.
• Economic Development Manager Matt Jackson said Forward Pinellas is helping the City plan for the CRA before and after its scheduled sunset in 2033, including questions about street vendors and pedal pubs. He also said, based on his previous planner experience in Clearwater and Oldsmar, Dunedin's compatibility review is "much stronger" than other jurisdictions he has worked in.
• Member Tim Young expressed concern about increasing density and protecting the long-term tax base in transitional corridors. Kinney responded that the upcoming Land Development Code rewrite could add a commercial mixed-use zone and that state legislation, Senate Bill 180, delays more burdensome code amendments until October of next year.
• Staff and members also discussed catalyst projects, including the Azul apartments and the Patricia Avenue corridor, and agreed that the ARC should reevaluate whether additional architectural styles are needed.

Key Outcomes

• The LPA unanimously approved the August 12, 2026 meeting minutes.
• The compatibility discussion was informational only; no formal action was taken.
• The meeting adjourned at 6:47 p.m. by a unanimous motion made by Ms. Kynes and seconded by Ms. Caron.