City: Building bonuses will lead to better construction

St. Petersburg zoning officials believe new density bonuses will foster more cohesive construction and support the tree canopy in traditional neighborhoods.

The proposed residential land development code changes would also modify building design regulations and provide accommodations for elevating existing homes in flood zones. City council members heard the storm-delayed update at a March 6 committee meeting.

“Every day, we hear new things from new customers, and we’re always trying to keep our code up to date as much as possible,” said zoning official Corey Malyszka. “Or there’s a lot of confusion – gray areas in the code that need to be refined.”

The proposed changes focus on areas zoned as neighborhood traditional (NT) or suburban (NS). In 2017, the city council adopted a floor area ratio (FAR) limit for new homes in traditional neighborhoods to address scale and compatibility concerns.

FAR is a building’s total floor area related to the size of its lot. Developers have built 1,968 new homes in traditional neighborhoods since the 2017 amendments, and 356 utilized FAR bonus options.

The changes would provide a .10 FAR bonus for new homes with facades featuring a minimum 6-foot offset. That would increase the allowable building space on a 20,000-square-foot lot by 2,000 feet.

Developers can also receive a .02 bonus for planting trees with a shade radius of 8 to 10 feet. Zoning officials will offer a .01 increase for homes with a 200-amp electric inverter and conduit to accommodate solar charging.

Scott Bolyard, deputy zoning official, said residents in historic neighborhoods have complained that new homes are typically taller and have lower porches than neighboring properties. The zoning changes would provide a .03 bonus if porches are at least 18 inches above the existing grade and roof peaks are below 30 feet.

Façade material quality is another emerging concern, and zoning officials will offer developers a .05 bonus for using “solid wood siding, brick, stone or wrought iron through all structures.” They proposed a .03 increase for brick or stone veneers.

“Staff has also been seeing a prevalence of new homes built to maximize the entire buildable area of the lot with large, two-story box-like structures,” Bolyard said. “To help break the box, a new (.05) FAR bonus is proposed for providing a minimum 20-foot separation between the principal and accessory structures, as well as between the second-floor portion of the principal structure.”

Councilmember Lisset Hanewicz noted that many townhome projects along corridors lack cohesion with the surrounding traditional neighborhoods. Elizbeth Abernethy, planning and development director, said her team would draft language mandating stoops or porches in those developments to increase cohesion.

Zoning officials hope density bonuses encourage more new construction to look like the bottom rather than the top photo. Screengrab, city documents.

Zoning officials also want to establish the city’s first grand tree preservation incentive. Builders could receive a .02 FAR bonus per tree, or .04 maximum, with the amendments.

Elizabeth Abernethy, planning and development director, said the city would ensure existing trees could survive construction before allowing additional density. “We don’t want to give a bonus to allow a bigger house and then have the tree cut down six months later.”

“There’s root pruning and fertilizing that can be done ahead of construction to help make sure that tree survives,” she added. “So, that’s where the arborist’s report, and being part of the maintenance and construction process, comes into play.”

Conversely, Malyszka said developers with tight lots will claim that a grand tree is no longer viable and requires removal. “Well, show me it’s in bad shape. Our arborist does go out to verify and look at the tree.”

The changes will also accommodate existing structures in Special Flood Hazard Areas. Malyszka noted that many residents, particularly those in Shore Acres, must elevate their homes according to current Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) regulations.

However, city setback requirements often create a conflict and trigger a variance request process that can take six weeks. Zoning officials want to allow minor encroachments into typically mandated setbacks for homes in Special Flood Hazard Areas.

St. Petersburg’s Development Review Commission will discuss the amendments in April before zoning officials seek the city council’s approval in May. The changes are also Abernethy’s swan song, as she will retire next month.

“I’m glad you’re here and presenting this,” Councilmember Gina Driscoll told Abernethy. “It just really is such a great example – a lot of stuff, but a small example – of the incredible work you’ve done for our city.”