At a hearing Feb. 3, Riverview residents asked zoning official John Crislip to defend their rural way of life. Crislip gave them the answer they wanted Feb. 24 when he recommended denial of a request from land planners Burcaw and Associates to rezone 41 acres on the southwest corner of Simmons Loop Road and U.S. 301.
The developers want to put 245 homes on the site, which currently is approved for one home per 5 acres.
At the hearing, more than a dozen people talked about the negative impact the subdivision, called Hawks Run, would have on their community. They also presented a petition with 52 signatures opposing the development.
The residents spoke of riding horses and bicycles in their neighborhood and enjoying the abundant wildlife. They said that Simmons Loop Road is narrow, subject to flooding in certain places and cannot support additional traffic. They pointed out that the other small-lot subdivisions being built in the area are east of U.S. 301, and they worried that the proposed development would set a precedent for additional small-lot developments along Simmons Loop Road.
"I've lived on Simmons Loop for over 40 years, and there is no way this proposal is compatible to our way of life out there," said Winlon Franklin.
Crislip apparently agreed. He recommended denial of the petition based in part on a section of the county's future land use plan that says new residential projects should recognize the lifestyle choices of the people in the surrounding area.
The County Commission is scheduled to make a final decision on the request March 23. (Petition 04-0056)
The County Commission approved the following zoning requests at its land use meeting Feb. 24.
BRANDON: Land use attorney Vincent Marchetti received approval to modify the regulations on 34 acres at the northeast corner of Pauls Drive and Lumsden Road. The change paves the way for 20 single-family homes instead of 150 multifamily units; 12,600 square feet of office space; 5,250 square feet of retail space; and a 2,160-square-foot restaurant with a drive-through. (Petition 03-1333)
RIVERVIEW: Jinx Wilson got the okay to rezone 26 acres on the east side of U.S. 301 just north of Boyette Road to planned development. Plans call for 182,000 square feet of commercial space and 38,000 square feet of offices. (Petition 03-1600)
GIBSONTON: Robert and Cheri Encinosa received approval to rezone 6.5 acres on the south side of Boyette Road just east of U.S. 301 to planned development to allow for the expansion of an animal hospital. (Petition 03-1606)
THONOTOSASSA: The Cornerstone Group received approval to rezone 16 acres on the west side of Williams Road just north of Clay Pit Road to planned development. The developer plans to put 260 apartments on the parcel. (Petition 04-0060)
RUSKIN: Commissioners rezoned 8.5 acres on the northeast corner of 15th Street at State Road 674 to planned development to allow 94,500 square feet of retail, office and warehouse space. (Petition 04-0063)
RIVERVIEW: M/I Homes received approval to rezone 24 acres at the southwest corner of Pine Avenue and U.S. 301 to planned development to allow construction of 144 townhomes. (Petition 03-1331)
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. All hearings before a zoning hearing master begin at 6 p.m. on Mondays or Tuesdays; commission meetings begin at 9 a.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. Both are televised on government access channels. Land use hearing officer hearings, which are not televised, begin at 9 a.m. every third Friday. Basic information about each petition is available online at http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/pgm/zoning/hearings.html For information, call 276-2058.
