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County Commissioners Reject Development Plan

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By Joyce McKenzie of The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 8, 2008

TEMPLE TERRACE - The developer of a proposed commercial and residential project along Temple Terrace Highway might be headed back to the drawing board.

Hillsborough County commissioners Tuesday rejected, 4-2, StreetSide Developers' request to rezone 49.5 acres of wooded land bordering Davis Road between Temple Terrace Highway and Harney Road for StreetSide at Temple Terrace.

The proposed mixed-use development would have 256,000 square feet of commercial space, including The Home Depot and Kohl's, as well as two unspecified fast-foot eateries, a sit-down restaurant and a bank. The plan also calls for 200 multifamily residential units.

County Commissioners Al Higginbotham, Brian Blair, Jim Norman and Ken Hagan voted against the plan, voicing concerns about the increase in traffic and safety issues related to the proposed traffic pattern for drivers entering and exiting the development.

Commissioners Kevin White and Rose Ferlita voted in favor the rezoning request. Commissioner Mark Sharpe was absent.

It is estimated that the project, slated to be built on a former tree farm previously owned by the Doris C. Harvey Marital Deduction Trust and purchased by Citrus Assets, would generate more than 22,000 vehicle trips a day along that portion of Temple Terrace Highway.

Because of the projected traffic flow, developers planned right-in-, right-out-only access at Temple Terrace Highway, a proposal previously approved by the planning commission staff and county zoning officer John Crislip, who presided over the Nov. 26 zoning hearing master meeting, at which several residents spoke against the project.

Charles White of the county's planning and growth management staff also spoke during the land use meeting Tuesday against the right-in-, right-out-only access plan for Temple Terrace Highway, suggesting it could create a safety issue.

"Our main concern is that we could have an 18-wheeler trying to make a U-turn" at Davis Road in order to head west, White said.

Blair concurred.

"My biggest concern is the safety concern if those trucks start making those U-turns," he said. "Because of this, I can't support it."

Norman viewed the entire projected traffic matter as a problem.

"When there is a traffic issue that is not resolved, you're now hurting your neighbors," Norman said.

William Smalley, whose law firm is on Temple Terrace Highway, also voiced his objection to the plan.

"My major concern is that traffic is going to be insane on Temple Terrace Highway and Davis Road," he said. "Also, Temple Terrace is trying to revitalize its downtown and this big-box proposal will compete with this project."

The attorney representing StreetSide Developers, Gina Grimes, was amenable to asking her client to consider reconfiguring the Temple Terrace Highway access.

Commissioners, in a vote of 6-0, remanded the zoning request back to the zoning hearing master meeting March 3 for a possible access reconfiguration for Temple Terrace Highway.

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

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