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Zoning

Industrial park wants flexibility to add retail stores

By ANDREW MEACHAM
Published December 16, 2005

RIVERVIEW - Neighbors of an industrial park could get something they have wanted for several years: a few retail stores to balance the landscape.

The project, Interchange Center, is five years from completion. Interchange Center Investors is asking for a major modification of the industrial park to allow for commercial and retail space. The park will bring jobs to the area, backers say.

Residents in neighboring Riverview suburbs objected when the investors first sought to rezone the agricultural land to an industrial park in 1999, saying the park would bring trucks through their streets. The commission granted the rezoning for the 70 acres between S Falkenburg Road and U.S. 301, from Crescent Park Drive and Camden Field Parkway, with conditions to limit truck access onto Falkenburg.

Today, Interchange Center is about 30 to 40 percent built, said attorney Vincent Marchetti, representing the investor group. He returns to the zoning hearing master in January to propose returning full truck access to Falkenburg.

If commissioners approve, the park could convert 90,000 square feet to commercial space, which could include retail stores. Dedicating more space to commercial use would lessen truck traffic and diversify the area, Marchetti said.

"It may not end up (commercial), but we would like the ability to do that," he said.

The investors have offered to abide by a list of conditions that limit building height to 40 to 50 feet, prohibit outside storage, and restrict entrances and exits to S Falkenburg and Foxworth roads.

If commissioners accept the proposal, trucks would be able to travel to or from the property. But with an additional requested 90,000 square feet of commercial space along S Falkenburg Road, fewer semitrailer trucks would be pulling into Interchange Center, Marchetti argued.

The request goes before the zoning hearing master Jan. 17, then to the County Commission on March 7. (PETITION 06-0128)

RUSKIN: Property owners Darryl Kight and Daniel Fisher want to rezone 8 acres and build 40 houses.

The development would take up the northwest corner of 27th Street and 14th Avenue SE. Kight and Fisher are seeking a rezoning from agricultural to a planned development. The developer would leave an existing lake intact. The rezoning application goes before the County Commission on Feb. 28. (PETITION 06-0123)

RIVERVIEW: A divided County Commission on Tuesday approved a zoning change for a 579-acre complex called Harvest Creek that would include up to 2,750 apartments, condominiums and homes, despite concerns about school overcrowding. Harvest Creek will occupy most of the land between Interstate 75 and S Falkenburg Road, between Camden Fields Parkway and Eagle Palm Drive.

Attorney Vincent Marchetti, representing developer Centex Homes, said the project will bring $11-million in tax revenue to the county. Centex has pledged 10 acres to the School Board to help relieve overcrowded public schools, plus land for a library and fire station.

Chief facilities officer Cathy Valdez said the School Board is happy with Centex's offer, even though it lacks the money to build a new school in the area.

Under questioning by Commissioner Ronda Storms, Valdez acknowledged that 10 acres would likely not be enough land for a combined elementary and middle school. Other residents raised concerns about traffic and a possible danger to the area's gopher tortoises.

Commissioners granted the zoning request from agricultural to a planned development by a 4-3 vote, with Thomas Scott, Mark Sharpe and Storms voting no. Centex does not expect to finish any of the homes until 2007. Harvest Creek will take about eight years to build, Marchetti said. (PETITION 05-1253)

Andrew Meacham is a Times staff writer. He can be reached at 813-661-2431 or through e-mail, ameacham@sptimes.com

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