Forward Pinellas General Planning Contract

Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District Seven

Pinellas County is one of Florida’s premier locations to live, work, play and visit. With just under a million residents, there is an estimated demand for another 10-30 precent increase in population over the next 25 years to support desires for continued job growth. Yet, much of the land in the county is already developed. Recent changes to the Coastal High Hazard Area mapping also indicate that 25 percent of the land in the county is at a greater risk for more frequent flooding in the face of a changing climate.

These dynamics mean that the future of the county’s continued vibrancy rests on shifting its development patterns to more resilient, mixed-use patterns of clustered density. This needs to occur primarily through infill and redevelopment in existing centers and along some of the county’s primary commercial corridors located outside the Coastal High Hazard Areas. Successful redevelopment and infill can create conditions where more people live, work, shop and visit in areas where things are closer together. This in turn makes transportation options such as walking, biking, transit and shorter car trips more convenient and viable.

The Renaissance team assists Forward Pinellas with planning that fully recognizes these dynamics. The identification of priority multimodal corridors, supporting implementation of complete streets, expanding the bicycle and pedestrian networks and partnering with PSTA to expand transit options and create transit-supportive development reflects a long-term commitment to increasing non-auto mode share. Land use planning and policy changes such as a shifting to form-based codes, reducing parking requirements, advancing creative stormwater management solutions and green infrastructure, addressing missing middle housing options, and up-zoning for mixed use, higher density development reflects progress by the county and several cities to create more urban patterns of development. Combined, the framework for integrated land use and transportation solutions in support of a more sustainable, resilient and equitable Pinellas County is getting set.

Renaissance has most recently provided integrated planning services to Forward Pinellas on the following projects:

Whitney Road Complete Streets Plan

Whitney Road serves as a key east-west connection in an area of the county where historic suburban development patterns and both natural and man-made barriers limit connectivity, particularly for shorter trips that could perhaps be made by walking and bicycling. As agencies within Pinellas County seek means to build a stronger framework for regional and subregional transit services and trail connections that can help create a more urban context, the last mile connectivity to, from, and within places like the Whitney Road corridor increase in importance and value. The value of communities such as those served by Whitney Road lies in the combination of encouraging and directing desired economic growth while respecting established communities and addressing their long-standing needs for safe and effective travel.

The intent of the Whitney Road Complete Streets project was to prepare a concept plan that identifies roadway, infrastructure, and safety improvements such as crosswalks, sidewalks, and bicycle improvements along the corridor that will better support the needs of all users. Renaissance led the study and facilitated the public engagement process through which ideas were collected about how Whitney Road could be improved to create a safe, convenient, and pleasant traveling experience for people who drive, walk or bike on this road. Concepts for roadway and infrastructure improvements were developed, which will enable effective plans that improve mobility, accessibility, safety, and a sense of place.

Target Employment & Industrial Lands Study (TEILS) Update

Creating a complete community means having a balance of living wage jobs, attainable housing, and good transportation options. Pinellas County is predominantly built out, and yet it continues to attract new residents, jobs, and more visitors each year. Concurrently, rising costs of housing and the lack of vacant land available to build new homes is creating a housing affordability crunch in the County. Additionally, the nature of work is changing, between the shifting landscape of retail, influence of artificial intelligence and autonomous, and the impact of COVID and cross-sector labor shortages. The Target Employment & Land Study (TEILS) Study intended to meet the future needs of the modern workforce and ensure continued prosperity for generations to come.

Renaissance, with SB Friedman, led the TEILS update to engage key stakeholders and create a holistic set of policies which support the County’s plans for housing, job growth, and transportation. We were responsible for validating the employment space and location needs to quantify future demand. This information can then be used to assess the availability and suitability for the land and location needs of the target industries and consider housing and transportation solutions to support employment growth. The TEILS Update included several elements including: 

  • Literature Review: Reviewing and summarizing existing planning & policy documents.

  • Target Employers Needs Assessment: Identifying target employers’ needs & potential solutions to fulfill those needs; creating a report summarizing results of the target employers survey and GIS analysis to include the identification of characteristics and needs of target employers and prioritization. 

  • Preservation Criteria Assessment: Analyzing preservation criteria for Industrially-designated land and its potential to support target employment and growth.

These efforts culminated in the Countywide Rules Amendments Recommendations, a holistic set of policies that better preserve and enhance land for target employment and, in turn, foster continued job growth to maintain a robust economy.