Site Plan / Development Review - Unincorporated Pinellas County

Unincorporated County

New commercial projects, subdivisions, and larger developments in unincorporated Pinellas County go through Development Review Services (DRS) within Building and Development Review Services. DRS reviews site plans, subdivision plats, and related submittals for the unincorporated county and six partner communities. The process starts with an optional-but-recommended pre-application meeting and runs through the Pinellas County Access Portal.

Who needs this

Developers and property owners proposing site development - new commercial construction, multifamily projects, subdivisions/plats - in unincorporated Pinellas County or the county's partner communities.

Steps

  1. 1

    Request a site plan pre-application meeting

    Submit a Development Meeting application in the Access Portal (select Develop, then Create an application, accept terms, select Development Meeting). The $350.00 fee is invoiced after submission and credited toward the site plan submittal fee. Meetings are held the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month as scheduling allows, in person or via Microsoft Teams; staff comments are preliminary and informational only.

    pinellas.gov/services/request-a-site-plan-pre-application-me
  2. 2

    Submit the site plan application

    File the site plan or plat submittal through the Pinellas County Access Portal (DRS module); an account is required.

    aca-prod.accela.com/pinellas/Default.aspx
  3. 3

    DRS plan review

    Development Review Services conducts plan review and compliance assessment; contact [email protected] or (727) 464-3888 (440 Court Street, Clearwater) with questions.

    pinellas.gov/development-review-services/

Requirements

  • Pinellas County Access Portal account
  • Site plan and submittal-checklist items identified at the pre-application meeting

Documents

  • Site plan / subdivision plat drawings
  • Submittal checklist items as determined for the project

Fees

ItemAmountNotes
Site plan pre-application meeting$350.00Invoiced after submission; credited toward the site plan submittal fee.
Site plan / plat review feessee fee scheduleFY25 Building and Development Review Services fee schedule (effective Oct. 1, 2024) in the county budget User Fees section; a new fee schedule specific to inspection and private provider fees takes effect July 1, 2026 for compliance with HB 803 / FS 553.79.

Fee amounts change, the linked official schedule always controls.

Good to know

Pre-application review comments are explicitly not an approval or denial. DRS also serves six partner communities under agreement, so some city projects use this county process. The Qless online queue (https://kiosk.na6.qless.com/kiosk/app/home/124) can be used to get in line for in-person help.