Sweeping South St. Pete zoning changes receive final approval

After five years of arduous studies, planning and debate, a historically underutilized and industrial area of St. Petersburg is on the precipice of a growth spurt.

On Sept./ 12, The City Council unanimously approved transit-oriented zoning changes and a Target Employment Center overlay to accommodate multifamily redevelopment while supporting the Warehouse Arts District’s creative character. The land use amendments encompass a 58-acre area around 1^st Avenue and 22^nd Street South.

Stakeholders have long clamored for sweeping zoning changes to increase housing, employment and commercial opportunities in their corner of the city. Councilmember Gina Driscoll noted the path to final approval was “full of twists and turns.”

“But in the end, I think we made some changes that made this better,” Driscoll added. “I feel like we are really creating St. Pete’s next great neighborhood, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.”

A graphic showing the target center employment overlay area. Screengrab, city documents.

Establishing what Driscoll called a neighborhood for the creative class intrinsically intertwines with the region’s first bus-rapid-transit service. Plans to explore transit-oriented development (TOD) in typically industrial and residentially zoned areas coincided with those to launch the SunRunner nearly a decade ago.

Local officials commissioned the SunRunner Rising Development Study to discern how TOD could spur revitalization and growth. The Target Employment Center (TEC) overlay is directly south of the 22^nd Street (Deuces) corridor’s SunRunner station.

The area also encompasses a section of the Pinellas Trail that lacks development. In 2023, public workshops highlighted the demand for mixed-use zoning allowances and increased density.

The council approved multiple plan amendments at a Sept. 5 hearing. Those included waiving parking requirements for projects that meet TEC criteria.

Council members also voted to remove workforce housing density bonuses required to unlock the maximum allowable floor area ratio (FAR) – structure size relative to its lot. Developers can build up to 86 feet if they dedicate 40% of ground floor space to TEC industries.

Those include several light industrial, manufacturing and arts-related operations. The overlay also allows retail, hospitality, office, research and educational uses that occur “concurrently with or after” target employment applications.

A graphic showing the maximum allowable building heights. Screengrab, city documents.

However, some stakeholders, led by Miami-based developer Joe Furst, expressed concern that the ground floor restrictions would hinder commercial development and vibrancy provided by bars, restaurants and other businesses.

Council members agreed to eliminate loading docks, mechanical space and building ramps from square footage calculations. The final piece of the zoning puzzle – food truck regulations – remained unresolved.

City ordinances prevent food trucks from remaining in one place permanently. Administrators warned of the potential fire and safety implications.

However, the district is already home to unique culinary concepts like Foodie Labs, which allows restaurateurs to use commercial kitchen space while experimenting with menus and branding. The facility’s programming includes food truck permitting assistance.

After a nearly four-hour discussion that ended after 9 p.m. Sept. 5, the city council agreed to defer a final vote until the following week. “We’ve waited five years,” Driscoll said at the time. “One more week to make sure we get this right, I think, is worth it.”

Heather Judd, assistant city attorney, subsequently removed language from the food truck ordinance that prevented parking on a property for more than five days. She also added a 10-foot minimum building clearance, per the fire marshal’s guidance.

Fire officials will also conduct annual food truck inspections. Judd said they will implement storage requirements for combustibles like propane tanks on a case-by-case basis.

An aerial view of the site Joe Furst plans to transform from vacant industrial land to a mixed-use development. Photo provided.

Furst, founder of Place Projects, now spends much of his time in St. Petersburg. He bought over seven acres of perpetually underutilized land adjacent to 3 Daughters Brewing and the Morean Center for Clay in early 2019 and has since spearheaded efforts to rezone the Warehouse Arts District.

At the Sept. 12 meeting, Furst credited city staff for ensuring stakeholders reached a consensus. He also pushed back against recent criticisms of the council.

“I can tell you, with certainty, unequivocally, this is the most educated, informed and thoughtful council that exists,” Furst added. “For all of you who take additional time to learn, to engage, to understand, to then have thoughtful conversations around critical issues … that’s something that you should be extraordinarily proud of.”

Councilmember Brandi Gabbard said she was “incredibly proud” of their efforts over the past five years. She also “had a blast” at the Sept. 5 hearing due to the collaboration displayed by city and community stakeholders.

“It’s been a very long time for us to finally bring this forward,” Gabbard said. “We got it right.”