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NORA KOCHThe county blocks a developer's proposal to move a transmission line to the edge of pasture next to Sail Harbor.
CLEARWATER - For nearly two years, developer Tom Freed planned to prepare a nine-acre pasture east of Tarpon Springs for construction of two dozen upscale homes.
He just had to figure out first what to do with the high-voltage transmission line that bisects the property.
But Tuesday night the Pinellas County Commission decided for him, unanimously striking down his proposal to move the 190-foot towers to the edge of the property, next to half-million-dollar homes in the Sail Harbor development.
Freed had requested a land use change from the county to move the power line corridor from the center of the pasture, which he has a contract to buy. As it stands, he could not put the 24 homes there without moving the transmission lines to the northern edge of the property, directly south of homes on Mary Lane.
But Sail Harbor residents feared that if the transmission lines were moved even closer, their property values would depreciate, picturesque views would be scarred and health concerns would arise.
"There are no easy decisions left on land use in our county," said commission Chairwoman Susan Latvala. She said they would need to make those choices "in the best interest of the people who are already there."
Last fall, when the county sent out the first notices about Freed's plan, no one complained. Critics and county officials blamed the no-show on vague wording in the notice. So commissioners delayed a final vote on the project, and officials went door to door in Sail Harbor to explain the proposal clearly.
Once neighbors realized that Freed wanted to move the poles closer to their homes, Sail Harbor residents got riled up and organized their protest.
Tuesday night, they were 50 strong at a public hearing before the commission's vote and are counting the decision as a victory. Before this issue, the community association struggled to get homeowners to meetings to vote for a board, said Marvin Anderson, a four-year Sail Harbor resident.
But when the power lines threatened, neighbors rallied together. They attended and spoke at public hearings, wrote letters to county officials and spent $8,000 on an attorney.
"I didn't want to look at a bunch of transmission lines when I walked out the front door," said Anderson, a former vice president of the neighborhood association.
Don Munro said he left the meeting Tuesday relieved.
"It just seemed illogical to help the profit of a developer to the detriment of the existing homeowners," said the one-year Sail Harbor resident.
While neighbors are breathing sighs of relief, Freed is seething. He has poured thousands of dollars into legal and engineering fees and stands to lose another $50,000 if the transmission poles issue isn't worked out in time to close the contract by the end of next month.
But money aside, Freed thinks officials skirted official procedure and denied him due process of law.
"Instead of thinking about the laws and the procedures as they've been written and enforced forever, they choose to think about votes," said Freed, a Safety Harbor resident.
Freed said he is considering how to proceed with the property, and has not ruled out taking legal action against the county.
"We're trying to make lemonade out of this right now," he said.
- Nora Koch can be reached at nkoch@sptimes.com or 727 771-4304.