Downtown Palm Harbor Development Battle Could End Soon

Pinellas County's Local Planning Agency (LPA) has recommended that county commissioners approve requests that would pave the way for the construction of a new Geographic Solutions building in old downtown Palm Harbor.

The proposal will go before the Pinellas County Commission on Oct. 16.

"Commissioners could take final action at that hearing," said Gordon Beardslee, Pinellas County Planning Department Administrator.

On Sept. 13, the LPA unanimously approved the transfer of development rights from properties owned by Geographic Solutions in old downtown Palm Harbor to an undeveloped property the company also owns in old downtown Palm Harbor at the corner of Georgia Avenue and 12th Street. This is where Geographic Solutions plans to build a new facility.  

The group also approved a conditional use request for the new building, subject to six conditions-

• The development must conform with the site plan application, which includes the creation of five parking spaces at two of the other properties owned by Geographic Solutions. These properties are located at 1001 Omaha Circle and 905 11th St.
• The development must be in conformance with elevation plans.
• The development should not exceed 18,900 square feet of office space.
• Covered bicycle racks should be provided at the development and at least two of the other properties owned by Geographic Solutions, including the properties at; 1001 Omaha Circle, 1188 Omaha St. and 905 11th St.
• Geographic Solutions and any subsequent business at the location of this new building are required to work with the Tampa Bay Regional Transportation Authority's Commuter Services to provide commute options to their employees within downtown Palm Harbor to reduce the number of vehicular trips on the surrounding roadways and reduce the demand for public parking spaces in downtown Palm Harbor. Commute options include, but are not limited to carpooling, vanpooling, transit, teleworking, walking and bicycling.
• The developer will work with county staff to incorporate low impact design techniques in the parking plan for the new building.

The LPA also approved a variance to reduce the minimum front setback from ten feet to five feet at the new building.

Geographic Solutions employs more than 140 workers at six locations in Palm Harbor and one satellite location in Salinas, CA. Computer programmers and other technical staff will be able to work together at the new location, instead of working at separate buildings.

The building, which is scheduled to be completed in about a year, was designed to complement the architectural style of the nearby historic White Chapel.

Neil Valk, who owns the building where Peggy O'Neill's Irish Pub & Eatery is located in old downtown Palm Harbor, has been fighting the construction of a new Geographic Solutions building for more than a year. He's turned out to voice his concerns at many public meetings about the project and also gathered signatures against it.

He spoke at the recent LPA meeting and also voiced his concerns to Palm Harbor Patch about a parking study for old downtown Palm Harbor that he thinks the county is trying to fast track. Valk thinks workers at the new Geographic Solutions building will create parking problems in old downtown Palm Harbor. 

"This study should be complete within 60 days, yet Pinellas County is continuing to push this project through. I believe they're afraid of the traffic study will show that Geographic Solutions will dominate all public parking in Palm Harbor," said Valk.

On Sept. 13, Valk asked the LPA to postpone its decision about the development requests until the traffic study was complete. That request was denied.

Beardslee says it is his understanding that the parking study was commissioned separately and looks at the present and future parking needs of old downtown Palm Harbor and is not connected with the new Geographic Solutions project.

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• Local Planning Agency Agenda Sep. 13