Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Growth a concern in Pinellas Park

By ANNE LINDBERG
Published March 29, 2006

PINELLAS PARK - City officials got a bit of a shock when they analyzed the results of their seventh annual survey of residents' thoughts about their city: The No. 1 concern was growth management.

Not only that, growth management is seen as the No. 1 issue facing Pinellas Park for the next five to seven years.

In past years, such issues as traffic and transportation, drainage, or public safety were the primary concern. But those slipped to second, third and fifth, respectively. Fourth on this year's list was code compliance.

"It surprised me," said Bob Bray, the city's planning director who oversees the annual survey.

The problem is, Bray said, no one knows exactly what the ranking means in the long run. It could change the way Pinellas Park does business.

"I sincerely believe that it means that the entire city and city administration and council are going to have to look at development that's being proposed for the city and see how we can maximize what the community wants without limiting economic development," Bray said. "It's a challenge."

Governments across the county face the same challenge as land becomes scarce and homes become less affordable. One solution has been to allow greater density, or more dwellings per acre of land.

But that does not seem to be playing well in Pinellas Park, which has seen greenspace in the form of horse farms, pasturage and plant farms disappear in the past few years to become treeless townhomes surrounded by high concrete walls.

Consider some of the comments made by more than 400 residents who responded to the computer questionnaire:

"OVERBUILDING. TOO MANY CONDOS AND APARTMENT BUILDINGS. TOO MUCH TRAFFIC." "TOO MUCH ASPHALT - NOT ENOUGH TREES." "NO. 1 GROWTH - I don't want to lose the "country' feel. We have condos going up around us. They are also building upwards, which means more people on less land, which leads to more congestion on our roadways."

"City planning should always bear in mind quality of life. Our neighborhoods are growing so fast that there isn't anyplace for the children to safely play outdoors. Watch density . . . too many units too close together limits outside space."

Pinellas Park began its annual citizen satisfaction survey in 1999. The survey results are used several ways, including as a report card of sorts to see how the government is doing. The results may also determine what the government emphasizes in the future.

For example, in past years, residents have said they were concerned about public safety. The city then increased the Police Department's budget and the number of officers in Pinellas Park.

Now that residents have indicated a concern about growth, the next step is to find out exactly what they have in mind, Bray said. That will likely take the form of more surveys.

"We just don't have a full picture of what the community wants," he said. "We need their feedback."

[Last modified March 29, 2006, 01:23:20]