- Jun 24
- 4 min read
Faced with the prospect of gentrification, a historically Black community in Clearwater is organizing to demand a seat at the table and insisting that any redevelopment must prioritize residents over investors.
City officials are advancing a plan to apply a redevelopment overlay across most of the North Greenwood Community Redevelopment Area. The proposal would incentivize denser, mixed-use development and establish a more consistent project approval process to attract new investments.
However, community leaders believe the rezoning plan threatens North Greenwood’s legacy and undermines generational wealth-building capacity by destabilizing families who have called the area home for decades. The resulting public outcry has led officials to postpone the official review process and conduct additional outreach.
Katrina George, program director for local nonprofit Powerful Young Adults, is leading the charge to protect the community’s interests. The lifelong North Greenwood resident was “really disheartened with the fact that I never received any notice of this, and the question became, ‘Who else was not aware that they were trying to rezone us?’”
“Concerns about increased taxes, rising costs, and the possibility of eminent domain without fair and just compensation create fear and uncertainty for longtime property owners who have invested their lives into this community,” George said.
“This is not just a rezoning issue - this is about preserving a legacy, protecting families, and honoring the history of North Greenwood.”
Over 100 residents signed a petition George circulated in three days. It states that many received notice of the proposed Countywide Plan Map Amendment and Planned Redevelopment District around May 26, less than two weeks before a public hearing, “while others report no notice at all.”
The petition, submitted by George on June 1, adds that “North Greenwood residents support revitalization, but not gentrification.” Her family has owned property in the area since 1932, and she serves on Clearwater’s Brownfield Board of Advisors.
Residents also requested the postponement of any vote, along with additional public meetings and outreach sessions within affected neighborhoods, verification that all stakeholders have received proper notice, and a comprehensive impact analysis. Their advocacy got results.
Within two days, Lauren Matzke, director of planning and development for Clearwater, moved to postpone a Forward Pinellas board meeting on the matter, initially scheduled for June 8. The county’s planning agency will now discuss the redevelopment district overlay on July 8.
“We’re ok with the extension they provided,” George said. “We’re putting the word out throughout the community, notifying churches and organizations as to what is going on.”
The city will now host a community meeting to discuss the proposed land-use and zoning changes on June 30 at the North Greenwood Recreation Center. Matzke said officials would also attend another CRA Citizens Advisory Committee hearing.
If approved, the Planned Redevelopment District overlay would affect over 490 acres - roughly 58% of the 841-acre CRA. The changes would also allow multifamily, mixed-use, and commercial development on properties previously restricted to low-density residential uses.
George, in an email to Matzke, suggested coordinated outreach efforts to ensure everyone can participate in the meetings. She also advocated for mailed postcards that clearly explain the rezoning, highlight positive and negative impacts on property values, taxes, and quality of life, and highlight other pertinent information.
“Many of the ideas you identified align with outreach efforts we are already working on,” Matzke replied. “Given the timing of the June 30 meeting, some items will need to be phased into future outreach activities, but we agree that direct communication and broad community awareness are important.”
Matzke said the CRA team will assist with outreach efforts, officials will enhance online information, and her department will provide a hard copy of answers to frequently asked questions at the June 30 meeting. The city is also considering direct mailers “as we move into the next phase of the project and begin discussing the details of the proposed zoning changes.”
“Feedback like this helps us strengthen our outreach efforts and identify additional ways to connect with the community,” Matzke concluded.
George has also compiled a list of “meaningful and enforceable safeguards” she would like officials to establish before implementing the Planned Redevelopment District overlay. Those include:
Property tax stabilization or relief measures for existing homeowners
Anti-displacement protections for vulnerable residents, particularly seniors
Preservation of affordable housing opportunities
Protections for existing small businesses
Infrastructure improvements
Community benefit requirements for new developments
Most residents within the CRA purchased their properties to create generational wealth, George said. She also noted that there is “very limited land” to build new complexes and plazas in North Greenwood.
“The only way you can get it done is if you come in and take our land,” George said of redevelopment. “If you’re coming into our community, we want at least five times the value of our home or property.”
George, who understands that growth is inevitable, is hopeful that local officials and residents can come to a “best of both worlds” agreement. She urges stakeholders to attend the upcoming meetings to counter the “voices out there that are not looking out for our best interests.”
Officials should “start treating us like we’re part of the city” by including North Greenwood residents in the process, George said. “And as a community, we have to band together and let our voices be heard.”
For more information on the upcoming community meeting, visit the website here.
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