Transformation ahead for St. Pete neighborhoods surrounding SunRunner stops
By Breanne Williams
Tampa Bay Business Journal
Published: Aug 12, 2022

A wave of transformative development is on the horizon for communities in St. Petersburg after the SunRunner, a bus rapid transit line, launches in October.

The city of St. Petersburg is finalizing plans to encourage development around the transit stops. Part of those plans include a transit-oriented development overlay, which will allow for an increase in density in bubbles centered on the SunRunner stops. Liz Abernethy, the city’s planning and development services director, said there are various steps still ahead, but zoning changes may occur in early 2023.

While much discussion has been had around 22nd Street, also known as the Deuces, many of the other SunRunner stops could bring impactful changes to residents.

The proposed plan shows SunRunner stops broken down into four categories: downtown, urban, neighborhood and village. The amount of density allowed in each category would reflect the character of the communities at each location. For example, urban stops like 22nd Street and 32nd Street would have a higher allotment for density than a village stop at 66th Street.

In the current proposal, an urban station could allow for a half-mile of a zoning bubble, while a neighborhood station could support a quarter-mile. For 22nd Street, the system could take vacant industrial zoned property and allow for mixed-use development that would act as an extension of the rapid growth from nearby neighborhoods.

Urban Design and Historic Preservation Manager Derek Kilborn said there would more than likely be further tiers within the overlay that would control the development types allowed based on the distance between transit stations and proposed projects.

“This is great for 22nd, but the benefits to the city are way beyond just what could happen with increasing densities along 22nd Street,” said Evan Mory, transportation and parking management director for the city.

At 32nd Street — just outside the Grand Central District — development includes a Walmart, fast-food stops, single-family homes and a handful of standalone retail and apartments. Urban zoning could see a wave of multifamily residential and more targeted commercial, which could be the next extension of Central Avenue’s growth.

The 49th Street stop — proposed as a neighborhood category — is primarily surrounded by single-family homes with a scattering of standalone commercial like a hardware store, dentist’s office and gas station. The 66th Street station is surrounded by single-family homes with a string of single-story commercial along Central Avenue like a Starbucks, Walgreens and doctor’s offices.

Mory said allowing higher density near these SunRunner stops will generate greater ridership. Adding a service like the SunRunner also allows the city to justify higher density in areas that otherwise might not have been able to support it.

Abernethy said one of the important things they consider when discussing zoning is how land use may or may not be compatible. They ensure they provide “step-downs” in intensity or weight so there won’t be a single-family house next to a 10-story building.

The city is working on engaging a consultant to assist with next steps, which include amending the city’s comprehensive plan, amending the city’s future land use plan, a countywide map amendment creating the zoning and land development regulation for the overlay system and holding additional stakeholder meetings for the areas in question.