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Located on the Midwestern region of Florida (see map below), Pinellas County has a population of just over 900,000 people.
Pinellas County is a part of the Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area with its county seat in Clearwater; the largest city in the county is St. Petersburg.
The county was created on January 1, 1912 when this section of the Florida peninsula together with a small section of the mainland was incorporated into a new county entity.
The relatively small population of Pinellas County is matched by its relatively small geographic size, with around 608 square miles of total area. Of this total area, about 45% (274 square miles or 710 square kilometers) is land and the remaining 55% (334 square miles or 870 square kilometers) is water, making it the second-smallest county in Florida by land area.
What it lacks in size, though, Pinellas County more than makes up for with its 35 miles of pristine beaches and numerous cultural and environmental venues that attract millions of tourists each year. Among other attractions, Pinellas County operates a 21-acre living history museum, Heritage Village, which features nearly 30 historic structures with some buildings dating to the 19th century so visitors can immerse themselves in a lifestyle from a century ago. Likewise, Pinellas County features the Florida Botanical Gardens, a verdant 50-scre garden that is free to the public, as well as Pinewood Cultural Park, the Weedon Island Preserve that includes an observation tower. Other popular destinations in Pinellas County include Caladesi Island, Egmont Key and Honeymoon Island.
All of the unincorporated land in Pinellas County is governed by the Board of County Commissioners pursuant to Florida constitution. The Board of County Commissioners is responsible for adopting ordinances, approving the county budget, establishing millages, and providing various public services. Although county municipalities are self governing, they can obtain specialized services from Pinellas County when they are needed. The day-to-day operations of Pinellas County are overseen by the County Administrator who is appointed by and reports to the Board of County Commissioners. Another vitally important public service position in Pinellas County is the Property Appraiser whose role is described further below.
Like other county property appraisers across the country, the primary role of the Pinellas County Property Appraiser is to determine the value and perform assessments of all real estate and personal property that are located within the county’s borders with the general exception of churches, schools and charitable organizations. The Pinellas County Property Appraiser’s office cautions property owners that the assessed value of their property resets to full market value on January 1st following a change of ownership which typically results in a higher estimated value.
It is important to note, however, that county property appraisers do not calculate or collect taxes and send out tax bills. In addition, the Pinellas County Property Appraiser’s office is also tasked with providing various public services for county taxpayers. The current Pinellas County Property Appraiser, Mr. Mike Twitty, performs these responsibilities in a timely and efficient fashion, and this office has been awarded the International Association of Assessing Officers’ Certificate of Excellence in Assessment Administration as a result.
Besides operating a main office and branch offices in Pinellas County, the property appraiser’s office also maintains a state of the art Web site the features informational brochures, downloadable maps of county properties, a searchable property locator portal, information about the various exemptions that are available to taxpayers and a useful glossary and frequently asked questions section. In addition, the property appraiser’s Web site also features an archive of its published reports and articles dating back several years.
Main Office
Mr. Mike Twitty
County Courthouse, 2nd Floor
315 Court Street
Clearwater, FL 33756
North County
Northside Square
29269 US HWY 19 North
Clearwater, FL 33761
Mid County (co-located with Pinellas County tax collector)
13025 Starkey Road
Largo, FL 33773
South County
Government Services Center
1800 66th Street North
St. Petersburg, FL 33710
(727) 464-3207
(727) 464-3448
TTY/TDD
(727) 464-3370
“Contact us” feature at https://www.pcpao.org/
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekdays (closed holidays)
While Pinellas County may be tucked away on Florida’s Midwestern region, it is situated within easy driving distance of many of the state’s major tourist attractions but it has many cultural, entertainment and environmental offerings of its own that continue to attract growing numbers of tourists each year. Although small in size compared to many other counties in the United States, the Pinellas County Property Appraiser performs his responsibilities in a big way, ensuring that all county taxpayers are aware of their tax liabilities and how they are calculated. In addition, the Pinellas County Property Appraiser has been recognized by The International Association of Assessing Officers for its excellence in assessment administration, reflecting the professionalism and commitment that Mr. Mike Twitty and his dedicated staff bring to the property appraisal table.