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County center puts help closer to home

Taking care of business, like getting permits or paying fines, is more convenient now that the new service center is open.

By JOYCE WITT
Published December 16, 2005

Residents of Ruskin, Sun City Center and Apollo Beach no longer have to drive to Tampa to pay traffic tickets or get building permits. Hillsborough County's SouthShore Regional Service Center officially opened Monday.

The center is at 410 30th St. SE, behind the Sun Point Shopping Center in Ruskin.

Government offices in the center include Building Services, Citizen's Action Center, Clerk of the Circuit Court, Code Enforcement, Water Department and the SouthShore Community Justice Center.

In addition to handling traffic ticket and permit issues, residents can also do things like pay water bills, get zoning information, file civil lawsuits and even get married. The Justice Center helps individuals resolve conflicts such as animal nuisances, neighbor conflicts and landlord-tenant problems.

The $3-million, 20,000-square-foot center also contains several conference rooms available to the community for group meetings.

The facility is operated by the Hillsborough County Real Estate Department.

Manager Charlotte Emrick is thrilled the center is finally open. "Traffic is terrible in downtown Tampa, and so is parking. Now residents can take care of business in their own neighborhood," she said.

Dina Kroon and her fiance, William Rock, came to the center Monday morning to file a quit claim deed.

"The center is very convenient because we live in Sun City. I really like it and I'm glad it's here," Kroon said.

According to Buck Harvester of the Real Estate Department, future plans may include a HARTline facility on adjoining property and a SouthShore Fire Station. The fire station is number eight on the current priority list, with the first three stations already under way.

Additional regional service centers are planned for Brandon and Plant City.

The Brandon Center is in design phase; the project is targeted for completion in fall 2007.

The Plant City Center is part of a larger project to replace the Plant City Courthouse.

Construction is estimated to begin in 2008 and will be completed in phases, depending on available funding.

The proposed date of the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the SouthShore Regional Service Center is Jan. 12 at 2 p.m.

[Last modified December 15, 2005, 10:05:12]