Architectural guidelines showcased
Councilors get first look at plan for city’s commercial corridor standards
By BOB McCLURE
| Article published on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008 |
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SEMINOLE – City councilors got their first look Jan. 29 at a final draft of what could become the guide for future development along gateways into Seminole.
Five members of a design team from the University of South Florida, the city’s five-member Developmental Review Board, the city’s six-member Architectural Standards Advisory Committee and six of the seven councilors (Dan Hester was absent), got their first look during a workshop at the city’s proposed Commercial Corridors Architectural Design Standards.
The 104-page document is the result of more than a year’s work to improve the visual character of the city along Seminole and Park boulevards, Park Street and Starkey Road.
The final draft session on the guidelines will be followed by a pair of public meetings involving business owners and a review process before adoption of the final code.
“The big thing at this point is what do we want Seminole to look like and go in that direction,” said Joan Carvajal, a member of the advisory committee.
“We need to bring more businesses and people in (to Seminole) and not be a drive-through city,” said advisory committee member Lisa Crimella. “Right now we don’t offer that and we want to bring them in.”
Prior to the joint workshop, the advisory committee identified five priority issues that evolved from the design process. They were:
- What thresholds or “triggers” will result in existing development being required to meet new standards?
- Will the city consider an incentive-based program to impact specific aspects of the standards and guidelines?
- How can the city implement greater consistency in signage and landscaping for existing development? Can this be done without hurting small business?
- Does the current building height limit of 50 feet promote flat roofs while discouraging creative architectural features?
- How might more emphasis on water conserving landscapes be implemented?
The committee suggested all redevelopment be treated as new construction, triggering the need to conform to all required aspects. Renovated buildings would be affected by building modifications that equal 50 percent or greater of the assessed value of the property. Site modifications and landscaping would be triggered whenever a permit is required for changes or at the time of a land use change.
Bringing signage up to new standards would happen with a land use change, a change of ownership in the property, whenever any physical change to a sign takes place or whenever a sign permit is required.
Deadline for compliance in all aspects would be within seven years with appropriate incentives to help business owners.
“I’m concerned about what the impact this will have on our businesses,” said Councilor Bob Matthews. “I think we need to design some incentives to make it workable.”
“What do we have to give (to business owners)?” asked Councilor Peter Hofstra.
“Future Penny for Pinellas funds tied to economic development,” said City Manager Frank Edmunds.
“Low interest loans or grants are things that could be administered easily and would help to make changes noticeable in the short term,” Edmunds said.
Councilor Patricia Hartstein suggested the council decide what kind of signs and perhaps the style of signs more definitively.
“The sign thing doesn’t tell people what they can do but instead what they cannot do, which creates creativity,” said Frank Moss, a member of the advisory committee. “Over time it will give us the flavor and character that we will be proud of for a long time.”
The committee recommended retention of the existing 50-foot height limitations, allowing an additional 8 feet for architectural features that are not usable space, giving preference to taller buildings at major intersections.
“I think the current height is something we can hold with,” said Matthews.
“I agree with everything the committee suggests,” said Hofstra.
As far as landscaping, the committee suggests the use of more Florida-friendly landscaping, providing a resource list of certified landscape architects and irrigation contractors, implementing a system by the city for maintaining standards and checking out the possibility for shallow well irrigation.
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Article published on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008
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