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Vote gives initial okay to industrial uses

After multiple votes, city officials approve a land use change that would let Cepcot Corp. build manufacturing and distribution facilities.

By SHANNON TAN
Published August 4, 2005

LARGO - One by one, the 19 speakers raved about Pinch-A-Penny and the Thomas family's contributions to the community.

Several speakers were former or current Pinch-A-Penny employees. Others were High Point residents. There were representatives from the YMCA, Upper Pinellas Association for Retarded Citizens and Ruth Eckerd Hall.

All were trying to persuade the City Commission to amend a future land use designation so that Pinch-A-Penny's subsidiary company, Cepcot Corp., could build warehouse, light manufacturing and distribution facilities on 33 acres at 150th Avenue, west of 62nd Street.

City staffers recommended that commissioners not approve the change to the future land use map, saying an industrial use was incompatible with the proposed town center concept. Boulder Venture South LLC is planning a $145-million Largo Towne Center with a movie theater, office and retail space, and apartments on the adjacent Crossroads Mall property.

"You're not going to win," said Pinch-A-Penny founder Fred Thomas, pointing to City Manager Steven Stanton. "I'm still in the ring."

Thomas said city staffers have been "good adversaries," but "if you vote no, I'm out of here."

He wanted the commission to approve the land use change without requiring a development agreement with the city, which Thomas said would delay the project. Such an agreement would have laid out a site and building design for the project, landscaping, transportation improvements, allowable uses and density.

Thomas got what he wanted.

Commissioners voted 4-3 not to keep the Cepcot properties inside a new community redevelopment district bounded by U.S. 19, 62nd Street, Roosevelt Boulevard and 150th Avenue.

Then they voted to approve the land use change without a development agreement. It failed by a 4-3 vote.

They voted to approve it with the agreement. It also failed by a 4-3 vote.

So they voted again, this time passing - on another 4-3 vote - the land use change with no conditions attached. Vice Mayor Gay Gentry and commissioners Pat Gerard and Harriet Crozier voted no.

Commissioners also unanimously amended the future land use map to make the Boulder property a community redevelopment district. The changes will be reviewed by the Pinellas Planning Council and the Florida Department of Community Affairs before coming back to the commission for a final vote in December.

Shannon Tan can be reached at shtan@sptimes.com or 445-4174.

[Last modified August 4, 2005, 01:05:20]