Pinellas County, FL Zoning Overlays & Bonuses: Downtown Design Guide (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- LDC Sec. 138-4503
- Scope
- Downtown Palm Harbor FBC district only
- Reviewer
- Code administrator; appeal to historic preservation board
- Exempt
- Contributing historic properties (Ch. 146 process)
Summary
Buildings inside the Downtown Palm Harbor Form-Based District must follow county-adopted design standards, building form, materials and storefront rules, enforced through the county's Downtown Palm Harbor Form-Based Code, not a countywide design guide.
The following building design standards apply to all buildings and structures located within the Downtown Palm Harbor Form-Based District, except for historic buildings on contributing properties as depicted on the Downtown Palm Harbor District Map, Figure 138-4401.a, whereby the issuance of a certificate of appropriateness consistent with LDC chapter 146 is required. Applicants must also refer to any guidelines adopted by the county identifying appropriate architectural treatments for exterior remodel, renovations, additions, and new development and infill building projects.
(a)Exterior renovation. Any building in the district extant before the adoption of the DPH FBC may retain its existing exterior appearance and continue to serve its useful and functional life as achieved through routine maintenance.
(1)An exterior renovation is defined as the like-kind repair or replacement of an architectural feature or element in a manner that does not alter or modify the exterior appearance of the building.(2)Exterior architectural features and elements to be considered as part of the review of proposed work for exterior renovations include roof materials, wall treatments, windows, doors, foundation treatments, trim-work, ornamentation, and other attached appurtenances.(b)Exterior remodel.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 124).
Full Breakdown
Pinellas County's design-guide provision lives in the Downtown Palm Harbor Form-Based Code (DPH FBC), not as a countywide rule. Sec. 138-4503 requires new construction, additions, remodels and infill projects within the mapped Downtown Palm Harbor Form-Based District to meet the code's building-design standards, permitted building forms, storefront treatment, materials and massing, administered by the code administrator, with contested design calls going to the historic preservation board. Contributing historic properties instead go through the Chapter 146 certificate-of-appropriateness process.
Violations & Fines
A design that doesn't conform to Sec. 138-4503's building forms or the county's adopted design guidelines can be referred to the historic preservation board for a compatibility determination, and board decisions may be appealed only to court, not administratively.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a countywide downtown design guide for Pinellas County?
What happens if my building design doesn't fit the approved forms?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Pinellas County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Pinellas County to another location·View the Florida zoning overlays & bonuses overview
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