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McDill area may get new limits

Tampa moves toward a land use category that targets density and height increases.

By RICK GERSHMAN
Published July 21, 2006

TAMPA - The City Council gave initial approval Thursday to a plan to prohibit high-density and high-altitude housing from encroaching on MacDill Air Force Base and its flight lines.

Council members unanimously approved a motion that would create a new land use category called "MI-AP" - for military installation airport - for areas around the base.

The vote sends the concept forward to the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission for its consideration.

The designation also would create five zoning classifications, MI-AP 1 through 5.

The city's joint land use study recommends a freeze on developments surrounding the base and on density or height increases. It highlights potential accident zones in the neighborhoods northeast of the base - under the planes' flight path - and calls for a reduction of the density allowed in those areas for construction.

"This is a security issue that has to be right at the top of our priority list," said council member Rose Ferlita.

The committee that made the recommendations presented the study to the council for the first time Thursday after soliciting comments during community meetings. The plan will have to go through a public hearing process to be ratified, which could take up to six months, council member John Dingfelder said.

Council member Shawn Harrison said he looked forward to the public hearings "when we really can hear from the people who will be impacted by this."

The joint land use study's policy committee consisted of Dingfelder, Mayor Pam Iorio, Air Force Wing Commander Margaret Woodward and County Commissioner Kathy Castor.

Rick Gershman can be reached at rgershman@sptimes.com or 226-3431.

[Last modified July 20, 2006, 23:20:13]