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Not on my block, says Port Richey City Hall

By GARRETT THEROLF
Published September 16, 2005

PORT RICHEY - City officials often play referee when one neighbor hates what the other neighbor plans to build. But this time, those officials are the ones doing the complaining.

In a 3-1 vote this week, City Council members ordered the city attorney to appeal a county decision to allow a 25-foot-high boat and recreational vehicle storage facility to be built next door to City Hall.

The building would be too big, too industrial and probably would create traffic snarls when boat owners turn their vehicles and trailers onto Ridge Road, council members said.

"We just need to speak our piece," said Vice Mayor Bill Bennett, who said he would prefer an office building on the empty lot.

The Pasco County Planning Commission dismissed Bennett's argument when he took the city's objections to them during a meeting last week, and it approved exceptions to county zoning regulations that cleared the way for the project.

The appeal will allow the city to take its case directly to the County Commission for a final decision.

The planning commission approval followed a recommendation from county staffers to deny the exceptions. Among the staff's reasons: the likely traffic problems that city officials predict and the 100- to 150-boat facility would be too large to allow a suitable fence or landscaping to buffer against city hall.

Now, the 2-acre property is vacant scrub land, an occasional dumping ground for old couches and other trash. Nearby businesses include a bank, automotive supply stores and a strip mall.

Planning Commissioner Hugh Townsend said he joined seven other commissioners to overrule the staff because he's familiar with the area that he described as "mixed use, industrial" and came to the conclusion that the storage facility would fit in.

"I try to look simply at the actual facts of the case," Townsend said. "I can't worry about someone else coming to another conclusion.

"If I starting thinking that way, that leads me to say, "I see six other guys voting one way; maybe I should too.' "

Planning Commission Chairman Chuck Grey abstained from the vote. He is the real estate agent representing the owner of the property whose contract to sell is contingent on approval of the boat storage facility.

He said he refrained from any conversation with other commissioners about the matter.

Garrett Therolf can be reached in west Pasco at 869-6232 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6232. His e-mail address is gtherolf@sptimes.com

[Last modified September 16, 2005, 01:36:17]