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Zoning

Neighbor opposes replacing duplex

By STEPHANIE HAYES
Published February 20, 2005

The following petitions will be reviewed by a land use hearing officer.

LUTZ: Alan Lewandowski is fighting fire with an appeal.

A West Lake Burrell Estates duplex that was built in 1967 was destroyed by a fire in 2002. The county deemed the fire an "act of God." This determination allows owner Harvey Estes to build a new duplex, even though the land is zoned for single-family use.

Lewandowski, who lives in West Lake Burrell Estates, is crying foul. He says the February fire that destroyed half the duplex was arson, and he is citing a Hillsborough County Fire Rescue incident report that calls the fire incendiary. The report says a sofa, chair and car seats on the front porch were ignited.

"The apartment was left uninhabited for almost three years," Lewandowski said. "It was just a concrete slab."

In June of 2002, another fire with an undetermined cause destroyed the other half.

Lewandowski says that since the first fire appeared to be arson and the apartment was left vacant for so long, the new duplex should not go up. He is appealing the nonconforming use ruling that Estes received to build a bigger duplex, scaled up from 1,352 to 2,149 square feet. (Petition 05-0416)

CARROLLWOOD: Wal-Mart will wait longer for the word on more sign space.

The store's request for an additional 387 square feet for wall signs on the front of the building at Normandie Road and Gunn Highway has been continued to the March 11 hearing.

Currently, Wal-Mart is allowed 200 square feet for signs. Planners say that's plenty, and that Wal-Mart is so well known that it doesn't need extra sign space. (Petition 04-1645)

CARROLLWOOD: Before two houses can take shape, Jeffrey Martin needs room for a septic tank.

Martin bought a half-acre at 11909 Lake Ridge Road in September, which he hopes to subdivide for two new homes. Martin needs a variance of more than 2,000 square feet to the minimum lot size for a septic tank. (Petition 05-0381)

CARROLLWOOD: A homeowner wants to spruce up his Carroll Lake Drive home and needs to reduce the front yard setback by 7 feet.

Jim Stutzman wants to remodel the front entrance to the house and add a second story and a covered walkway to add symmetry to the look of the house. (Petition 05-0397)

KEYSTONE: A garage at Lake Calm Lane may become a home if variances are approved.

Emmett Hall Jr. wants to refashion a 400-square-foot garage into an accessory dwelling for a family member. Hall needs a 20-foot variance to the front yard and a 10-foot variance to the side yard. (Petition 05-0412) KEYSTONE: On Hanlon Road, another homeowner wants to house family.

Otis Florence Jr. hopes to turn his 1,100-square-foot home into a mother-in-law suite and build a new home on the property at Keystone Lake. Florence is asking for a 500-foot variance to the accessory dwelling size and more than 40 feet of variances to the both front and back yard setbacks. (Petition 05-0417)

KEYSTONE: Add-ons mean setback changes at Redcliff Drive.

Stephen Adcock wants to make room for a growing family by adding two new rooms to his house near the Veterans Expressway. To do so, Adcock needs a 4-foot variance to the rear yard setback. (Petition 05-0454)

[Last modified February 19, 2005, 08:08:05]