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Parks, their uses on agenda

Residents will discuss whether they want to preserve 70 acres and buy 92 acres to address recreation needs.

By BILL COATS
Published November 4, 2005

NEW TAMPA - Three county parks initiatives in New Tampa will be the topic of a public meeting Monday.

Hillsborough County, following the lead of a citizens task force, is proposing to acquire recreation property in Live Oak Preserve and Branchton. It's also proposing to set aside 70 acres off Morris Bridge Road as an environmental preserve. That property, acquired last year for unspecified parks purposes, would become restricted to passive recreation developments such as picnic tables and boardwalks.

Monday's meeting will be 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Hunter's Green Elementary School cafeteria, 9202 Highland Oak Drive.

Steve Valdez, the county's public information manager, said the meeting would be aimed at letting residents decide whether they want the 70 acres preserved, and whether buying 92 acres elsewhere, some of it swamp, will address New Tampa's recreation needs.

"Property costs are going through the roof, and if we ever want to set aside land for parks in that area, we better do it now, because it's not going to be available later," Valdez said.

The topic has been a hot one in New Tampa for more than year.

Three years ago, a spotlight swung to the Morris Bridge property when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers proposed to buy it and rezone it for a training site. Environmentalists protested any use busier than a nature preserve. County commissioners defeated the rezoning 5-2.

Last year, the county bought the land at the Bucs' would-be price, $3.5-million. The Southwest Florida Water Management District, which owns nearly all the adjoining land, has offered to reimburse Hillsborough County for half that price if the 70 acres are preserved.

That idea collided with a drive for additional ballfields in New Tampa, the fastest-growing stretch of north Hillsborough. But in April, a task force of sports enthusiasts and environmentalists agreed that the land should be preserved.

The task force suggested that the county find park land elsewhere. So in September, commissioners voted to pay $2.3-million for 79 acres in Live Oak Preserve, of which 43 are dry enough to be developed.

The county also is trying to buy 13 acres next to the 20-acre Branchton Park on Morris Bridge. But last month, commissioners balked at the price, $235,000 an acre. At midweek, the county was awaiting a fresh appraisal of the property.

- Bill Coats can be reached at 813 269-5309 or coats@sptimes.com

[Last modified November 3, 2005, 08:48:08]