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Park land swap likely

The county is putting together a trade with a developer that could result in a long-awaited park.

By ANNE LINDBERG
Published January 1, 2006

LEALMAN - For a while, it appeared 2005 would be the year Lealman activists would get the park they had long wanted along Joe's Creek.

County officials built the first portion of a walking trail and a parking lot and held a dedication. They were even prepared to buy a parcel of land that separated the two park parcels to create one large recreational area.

Activists' dreams seemed to be coming true.

Then reality took over. The Sembler Co. of St. Petersburg outbid the county for the center parcel and it seemed the park was doomed.

But with a little bit of wheeling and dealing, Lealman may still get its park.

The county is negotiating a land swap with Sembler. The county would get land that links the two halves of the park and Sembler would get the same amount of land that would adjoin its property.

Sembler also would agree to build and maintain an access road into the park and provide drainage for the park site.

The matter is scheduled to come up for a preliminary vote Jan. 24 as part of a move to rezone the property Sembler wants.

But even if the County Commission approves, there still could be one hitch. The state Department of Environmental Protection has not yet passed the site as okay for building.

Without that approval, the site may remain vacant for a while longer.

[Last modified January 1, 2006, 00:28:15]