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Residents Object To Project

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By JOYCE McKENZIE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 17, 2007

TEMPLE TERRACE - Armed to wage war over the possibility of an unwelcome new neighbor, about 50 area residents gathered Monday night at Centerpointe Church.

They were not at the Temple Terrace Highway house of worship to ask for guidance or forgiveness. They were there to voice their objections to a 50-acre project of retail and residential development proposed between Temple Terrace Highway and Harney Road west of Davis Road.

Commonly known as the Doris Harvey Estate, the property is owned by Citrus Assets, a company that is seeking county approval to rezone the parcel to accommodate 276,000 square feet of commercial development, which would include Kohl's and The Home Depot, as well as two unspecified fast-food eateries, a sit-down restaurant and a bank. It also would have 200 apartments.

StreetSide Developers hopes to develop the project and name it StreetSide at Temple Terrace.

On hand to represent the Harvey family was attorney Gina Grimes, who introduced Blair Schlossberg of StreetSide Developers; Michael Raysor of Raysor Transportation Consulting; and Susan Mariner, a senior planner with the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission assigned to the case.

"Not developing the land from the Harvey family standpoint is simply not an option," Grimes said.

Her message, however, didn't stop many audience members from venting their reluctance to support the project.

Residents who live nearby told StreetSide representatives their main concern is increased traffic that, according to Raysor, could generate 22,000 vehicles daily along that stretch of Temple Terrace Highway.

Attorney William Smalley of Temple Terrace, whose office abuts Temple Terrace Highway, is troubled by the thought of heavier traffic volumes on Harney Road, slated to be the only point of access into the project's housing component.

"Rush hour in the morning is insane, especially with kids trying to get to King High School," said Smalley, who would prefer to see a project built with less density. "I also don't know where they get their demographics from. It's a mainly rural community, so who's going to support it? It's a real head-scratcher."

Although the property and project are under the county's jurisdiction, Mariner noted that Temple Terrace city staff members have been allowed to weigh in on the project's plan because of its proximity to its city limits. They asked that the buildings' architecture be of Mediterranean style and that a bike path be created along the center's western edge.

One of the few people in favor of the StreetSide plan was Don Balaban, a longtime resident of the nearby River Run subdivision. Along with other planned road improvements for the project, he'd like to have a left-turn signal installed at Davis Road and Temple Terrace Highway, as well as a traffic signal at Davis Road and Morris Bridge Road.

"These people have a right to develop that property," he said. "This is the only place around that doesn't have a Home Depot."

Grimes said no contracts have been signed with potential tenants and talk about The Home Depot and Kohl's opening stores there is hearsay. StreetSide Developers had posted a site plan on its Web site identifying The Home Depot and Kohl's as tenants.

Mariner encouraged attendees to e-mail her at mariners@hillsborough county.org or call her at (813) 276-8372 with further concerns, comments and questions prior to the upcoming rezoning hearing. Those who speak at the hearing, she added, also are eligible to do so when the issue comes before the Hillsborough County commissioners Jan. 8 for a final vote.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Hearing on proposed rezoning of property at Temple Terrace Highway and Davis Road

WHERE: Second floor of the Frederick B. Karl County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.

WHEN: 6 p.m. Nov. 26

NOTE: Comments sent to whitec@hillsboroughcounty.org at least two days before the hearing will be accepted into the public record.

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 865-4849 or jmckenzie@tampatrib.com.

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