Pinellas commissioners hold hearing Tuesday on land-use change for Dunedin's former Jones Building parks site

Pinellas County commissioners will hold a public hearing Tuesday, Oct. 13, on a Dunedin request tied to the former Jones Building at 1241 San Christopher Drive. The request would change the countywide land-use designation for about 1.17 acres from Public/Semi-Public to Retail & Services.

The change is one step toward Dunedin selling the surplus parks building for private commercial use. The county vote covers only the countywide designation. It is not final approval of the sale, according to the Palm Harbor-Dunedin Beacon.

What the site is and who would use it

The Jones Building once held Dunedin's Parks Division offices, maintenance operations and storage. The city declared the roughly 15,750-square-foot building surplus in 2022.

Citing Dunedin Local Planning Agency records from July 8, the Beacon reported that the city intends to sell the property to Bozarth, a local window and door contractor, which would use it for offices and storage.

Bob Ironsmith, Dunedin's economic development and CRA director, made the city's case at the July meeting, as quoted by the Beacon. "This makes sense for the City. The property is deemed surplus, and the City can use the revenue," he said. He added that the city no longer uses the property and that the deal keeps Bozarth in town.

Recommendations and conditions so far

The Local Planning Agency unanimously recommended the land-use amendment. It also backed a separate local rezoning from Municipal Public Lands to Form-Based Medium.

That recommendation carried a condition: the buyer must finish wall and driveway repairs within six months of closing.

The Beacon reported that the county agenda shows two more unanimous recommendations for the countywide amendment. Forward Pinellas and the Planners Advisory Committee both backed it.

How to weigh in

The meeting starts at 9:30 a.m. in the Palm Room at 333 Chestnut Street in Clearwater. It is a hybrid meeting, so residents can attend in person or take part virtually. The Dunedin case is item 7 on the county agenda.

Because the item is a public hearing, residents can speak for or against it. According to the Beacon, anyone who wants to speak remotely must preregister by 5 p.m. today, Monday, Oct. 12. Preregistration is encouraged but not required for people attending in person.

Residents can also send written comments before the meeting through the county's public comment system.