Downtown Art Community to Grow from Zone Changes

Artists wanting to live and work in their downtown Dunedin studio may soon get their chance.

City leaders are expected to approve proposed zone changes Thursday that seek to shape downtown's future development.

The changes set the area up for a future art overlay district, an enclave where artists could more easily work and live in the downtown business district. 

Dozens of property owners along Douglas, Highland and Howard avenues, Skinner Boulevard and Highland Court volunteered to be a part of the city initiative that moves them into the "downtown core" zone, allowing them more freedom in how they can use their buildings.

The volunteer property owners currently fall under downtown zoning designations that limit how their buildings can be used. Depending on where the building is located, they are restricted to only conducting business, living or engaging in industrial activities. 

The "core" designation lifts many of the restrictions for how the buildings can be used, meaning that residences and businesses could be mixed together. Officials would instead focuses regulation efforts on building look and placement, city documents explain

The city is only considering owners wishing to make the zone switch, but eventually officials want to eliminate the industrial, residential and commercial designations all together, absorbing them into the existing "downtown core."

The following properties, listed by street, are being considered:

• Douglas Avenue at 911, 937, 957, 967, 971, 985 and 991
• Skinner Boulevard at 413
• Highland Avenue at 915-917, 932, 943-945, 946, 948, 949-957, 968 and 970
• Howard Avenue at 984 and 953 (lots 7, 8, 9 and 10)
• Highland Court at 420-422

City leaders approved the zone changes April 4 on first reading. They are expected to approve them upon second reading at the April 18 public meeting.

Residents can attend at Dunedin City Hall or watch the meeting live beginning at 6:30 p.m. Thursday on Dunedin TV (Channel 615 for Bright House customers or Channel 15 for Knology and Verizon customers).

Related Coverage:

• Downtown Art Overlay District Talks Continue
• Traffic Advisory: Douglas Avenue Lane Closures
• Coming Soon: The Green House on Douglas Avenue
• Hundredth Orange Goes Up at Institute for Creative Arts

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