Dunedin's Local Planning Agency heard the city's request to rezone a publicly owned parcel at 1241 San Christopher Drive from government use to retail and mixed-use development on July 8.

The city filed Application LUP/ZO-2026-0001, its first land use amendment and rezoning of 2026, asking the board to recommend approval of two ordinances to the City Commission. Ordinance 26-06 would change the site's land use designation from Public/Semi-Public to Retail & Services. Ordinance 26-07 would rezone it from Municipal Public Lands to Form-Based Medium, a category that permits storefronts, offices, rowhouses and apartments.

Community Development Director George Kinney presented the application to the LPA at its 6 p.m. meeting at City Hall, 737 Louden Ave.

What Form-Based Medium zoning allows

Under Dunedin's FX-M code, adopted in 2014 under Ordinance 14-03, buildings must sit close to the sidewalk with front setbacks between 2 and 12 feet. Maximum height is 40 feet. On local roads, structures can be one to two stories; on arterial or collector roads, a two-story minimum applies. Permitted frontage types include shopfronts, galleries and arcades.

The code was first applied at 375 Patricia Ave., the former Nielsen Media property. The tight setbacks and street-facing commercial space mark a sharp departure from the current Municipal Public Lands designation, which limits the site to government or institutional use.

Restrictive covenants and background

The application includes a Declaration of Restrictive Covenants that would place conditions on future development even after the zoning change takes effect. The agenda references the covenants but does not include their full text.

Agenda documents also cite minutes from a City Commission workshop on Oct. 18, 2022, indicating officials have discussed the parcel's potential redevelopment for more than three years. A business impact estimates exhibit, required under Florida law for land use amendments, is also part of the filing.

What's next

The LPA's role is advisory. Its recommendation on the two ordinances goes to the Dunedin City Commission for final action. Meeting minutes from the July 8 hearing have not yet been posted, so the board's formal vote is unconfirmed. The City Commission's next meeting date for first reading of the ordinances has not been published.

Residents can track upcoming City Commission agendas at dunedin.granicus.com for hearing dates and public comment opportunities.