Neighborhood notebook

Jungle Terrace residents victorious in zoning fight

A developer's request to build three restaurants on Tyrone Boulevard is turned down.

By ANDREW MEACHAM
© St. Petersburg Times
published April 20, 2003

ST. PETERSBURG -- The Planning Commission on Tuesday rejected a developer's bid to locate three new restaurants within 5 acres on Tyrone Boulevard. The 8-0 vote represents a victory for Jungle Terrace residents who had lobbied against the proposal and a requested zoning change from industrial to commercial general. Seventeen neighbors spoke in opposition at the meeting.

In deciding whether to grant 66th Street Land Company the zoning change at 3200 Tyrone Blvd., commissioners entertained a range of issues from traffic flow to the benefits of industrial uses in general compared with commercial.

"I think this site has seen its day as an industrial use," said attorney Donald Mastry, representing the developer. Mastry argued that bringing renewed industry to the now-dormant site also would increase traffic and that residents were off-base calculating greater economic benefits for the area through industrial uses.

In the end, commissioners were convinced by arguments presented by Steve Plice, Jungle Terrace's vice president, who noted that the city's comprehensive plan calls for creating more industrial space. Replacing the former plastics manufacturing shop and current warehouse with three restaurants would run counter to the plan, Plice said.

"We have to have the courage to vote no," commissioner Karl Nurse said.

Mastry spoke with three Jungle Terrace board members in the weeks leading up to the meeting in an effort to negotiate a settlement. Talks broke down when both parties recognized they were too far apart, Plice said.

The Perkins Neighborhood Association holds its annual fish fry and yard sale Saturday, starting at 7:30 a.m. at 22nd Street S and 16th Avenue.

Meetings

BAYOU HIGHLANDS: 7 p.m. Thursday. Coquina Key Resource Center, 435 45th Ave. S. Search for new meeting location.

COQUINA KEY: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Coquina Key Clubhouse, 3850 Pompano Drive. SE. Times correspondent Scott Hartzell.

EUCLID HEIGHTS: 7 p.m. Tuesday. First Alliance Church, 5000 10th St. N. Sheriff's Lt. Scott Stiner, on biological terrorism.

HARRIS PARK: 7:30 p.m. Monday. Vietnamese Alliance Church, 4344 21st St. N. Sheriff's Office on recent standoff. Amending the bylaws.

HISTORIC OLD NORTHEAST: 7 p.m. Monday. Westminster Presbyterian Church, 126 11th Ave. NE. Engineering, Stormwater and Transportation director Michael Connors; historic planner Rick Smith on sidewalks and hexagonal block districts.

JUNGLE TERRACE: 7 p.m. Monday (ice cream social 6:45). Walter Fuller Recreation Center, 7891 26th Ave. N. Codes Inspector Ernie Turner, Public Service Representative Susan Fuchs.

LAKEWOOD ESTATES: 7 p.m. Tuesday. Lakewood United Church of Christ, 2601 54th Ave. S. City Council member James Bennett.

METHODIST TOWN: 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Dwight Jones Neighborhood Center, 1035 Burlington Ave. N. Times correspondent Scott Hartzell.

PERKINS: 7 p.m. Monday. Perkins Elementary School, 2400 Queensboro Ave. S. Mayor Rick Baker; Community police Officer Joseph Smith with film on terror alert system. Public invited.

TWINBROOKS: 6:30 p.m. Monday. Childs Park United Methodist Church, 3940 18th Ave. S. Neighborhood transportation manager Michael Frederick, on the neighborhood's proposed traffic plan.

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