Plan okay to raze Bern's garden

LUTZ: Land once used to supply Bern's Steak House with its veggies may soon house a subdivision.

Zoning hearing master Andrew A. Baker is recommending the Hillsborough County Commission approve developer Hung T. Mai's rezoning request that would allow a subdivision on the 23 acres owned by the late Bern Laxer and his wife, Girt, founders of the south Tampa restaurant.

If approved, the project would allow for six homes to the acre on the vacant property adjacent to the Hampton Lakes community, north of Bearss Avenue.

Baker endorsed the request despite negative testimony at the zoning hearing from the Hampton Lakes Homeowner's Association, the Thompson East Property Owner's Association and nearby residents.

Commissioners are scheduled to hear about the project and a related request seeking permission to develop an additional access road into the proposed subdivision on Oct. 8. (Petition 02-0790)

CARROLLWOOD: Mobley Housing Group has won zoning hearing master Andrew A. Baker's endorsement of a 91-home subdivision off Hutchison Road, north of Rawls Road. Although one nearby resident voiced concern over traffic along Hutchison Road at last month's zoning hearing, transportation staff has found that the roads are "presently adequate ... and will continue to be adequate with the addition of project traffic."

Zoning staff and the Planning Commission are also recommending approval of the project. County commissioners are scheduled to vote on the plan Oct. 8. (Petition 02-0881)

ODESSA: Zoning hearing master James A. Scarola is recommending County Commissioners approve a request to add 13 homes to the existing Canterbury and Hunter's Glen subdivisions off Brown Road. Developers are asking permission to join two parcels south of Van Dyke Road with the 66-home Canterbury and 14-home Hunter's Glen neighborhoods into one zoning designation.

If approved, the rezoning would allow nine 1-acre lots, three 2-acre lots, private stables and an existing home with a barn. The request is scheduled to go before County Commissioners on Oct. 8. (Petition 02-0996)

UPPER TAMPA BAY: Scarola, the Planning Commission and staff from the county's Planning & Growth Management Department are supporting a request to develop up to five homes on a 3.25-acre site at the southeast corner of State Street and Honeybee Lane. County Commissioners are expected to vote on the proposal at the land-use meeting scheduled for Oct. 8. (Petition 02-1027)

TOWN 'N COUNTRY: The Wal-Mart on Waters Avenue is one step closer to winning county permission to expand its garden center. The 115,381-square-foot store also wants to reduce the number of parking spaces and to add seasonal, enclosed storage as an allowed use in the northeast parking lot. Baker, along with zoning staff and the Planning Commission, is recommending approval of the project. (Petition 02-0335)

County commissioners are scheduled to vote on the following requests Tuesday: UNIVERSITY NORTH: The owner of a 0.7-acre site at the southwest corner of Fletcher Avenue and 19th Street wants to build an 8,000-square-foot Family Dollar discount store on the property. Zoning officials are supporting the development. (Petition 02-0877)

KEYSTONE: Taylor Woodrow Communities hopes to get the go-ahead from commissioners to slightly modify its site plans for the 797-home Waterchase community under construction off Race Track Road. The development company is requesting premission to reduce lot width sizes within Village F in the northwest corner of the project from 70 to 60 feet. (Petition 02-1191)

TOWN 'N COUNTRY: Commissioners will hear about a plan to develop offices on the northeast side of Memorial Highway west of Webb Road. The property is now zoned for six homes to the acre. Planning staff and a zoning hearing master have recommended the project be approved. (Petition 02-1018)

WESTCHASE: Amprop Associates Inc. wants permission to develop a right-in/right-out driveway connection onto Race Track Road from the Westchester development. The county-approved project planned for the southeast corner of Race Track Road and Countryway Boulevard, will include commercial space, a corporate park, apartments and homes. Staff from the Planning & Growth Management Department are supporting the request. (Petition 02-1190)

TOWN 'N COUNTRY: Steven J. Weiss will ask for approval to operate a manufacturing business on nearly 2 acres on Linebaugh Avenue east of Henderson Road. (Petition 02-0990)

When and where

Hearings of county zoning hearing masters and land use hearing officers and land use meetings of the County Commission are held on the second floor of the County Center, 601 E Kennedy Blvd. Zoning hearings begin at 6 p.m., and commission meetings begin at 9 a.m. Both are televised on government access channels. Land use hearing officer hearings, which are not televised, begin at 9 a.m. For information, call 272-5920.

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