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Tarpon Springs' pause on Safford is refreshing

When Clearwater city planners realized that an area of Clearwater Beach was redeveloping at breakneck speed in ways that might be detrimental to the neighborhood, they suggested the City Council temporarily halt new building proposals there. The pause, they said, would permit city officials to brainstorm the kind of development that would be best there and craft land development codes to match the vision.

The City Council, lobbied hard by developers, declined to approve even a short moratorium.

Tarpon Springs officials recently have shown they have the courage Clearwater lacked.

On Tuesday, Tarpon Springs city commissioners unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on new development along Safford Avenue, a downtown street that parallels Pinellas Avenue. The city staff had recognized Safford as a "hot" area for redevelopment after noticing increasing calls from developers interested in Safford properties.

Safford Avenue has an interesting history. As the western boundary of the predominantly black Union Academy neighborhood, Safford had commercial properties that served those residents but not always the best interests of the city.

The notorious Brothers Store, for example, frequently was criticized by police. It stood near "Candy Corner," the intersection of Safford and Lime Street, the center of the city's street drug trade. The business eventually was closed and torn down by the city. Later, Sonny's Bar, another controversial businesses, was demolished.

The Pinellas Trail runs down the center of Safford Avenue, but for years the trail was little used. People looked at the neighborhood and chose to do their recreational walking or biking elsewhere. When the Pinellas Trail was first constructed, city officials had hoped it would be the same kind of boon for downtown that Dunedin had experienced. They soon realized that the blight around the trail would have to improve first.

Times have changed along Safford Avenue. Demand for land is high throughout Pinellas County, and there is land available on Safford. The trail, a gem waiting to be polished, is getting more use. The city recently put benches and landscaping along the street, demonstrating its commitment to the area. And nearby Tarpon Avenue appears to be thriving as the city's ambitious plan for downtown redevelopment gets cranked up. The streets that extend from Tarpon Avenue are bound to benefit.

Rather than let development occur haphazardly along Safford Avenue, Tarpon Springs will spend the next six months figuring out what it would like to see there. Is it housing? Stores and restaurants? Offices? Or is it a place where other kinds of businesses should be permitted - businesses that would provide jobs for residents?

City officials plan to conduct meetings where residents and property owners will be invited to talk about Safford's future. The city should make a special effort to publicize those meetings in the Union Academy neighborhood and hold some at times and in locations convenient to those residents.

City planners will put the new vision into words in the land development code and the moratorium will be lifted.

All residents of Tarpon Springs have a vested interest in seeing Safford Avenue transformed into an area that can grow and prosper. Everyone should watch for the announcement of meetings and find a way to join the conversation.

[Last modified April 22, 2005, 00:44:19]