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Putting growth in its three places

A trio of planned "activity centers" would get the bulk of commercial growth.

By JACKIE RIPLEY, Times Staff Writer
Published December 21, 2007

LUTZ - There's no way to stop commercial growth from coming to northernmost Hillsborough County. But county commissioners hope at least to control how that growth pans out.

To do that they are considering whether changes should be made to the North Dale Mabry Overlay District, adopted in 1989 to prevent commercial stripping. Planners have been working with area residents since April to come up with ways to handle commercial development north of Van Dyke Road to the Pasco County line.

The proposed solution: Cluster growth in "activity centers."

The committee identified "activity centers" at Sunlake Boulevard, Lutz-Lake Fern Road and Van Dyke Road.

A report outlining those proposals was presented to the County Commission this month.The report showed the commercial activity center at Sunlake as having the greatest potential for growth because Sunlake eventually will connect to Pasco County.

But just how much development might be allowed there has yet to be determined, said Joe Incorvia, the county's manager for community planning.

The report also shows the commercial node at Van Dyke near Dale Mabry as being mostly vacant. Therefore, there is no need for further expansion of allowable square footage since it already can accommodate significant growth, Incorvia said.

And the commercial node at Lutz-Lake Fern would return to its original entitlement of 110,000 square feet.

That potential square footage for commercial development was reduced to 67,000 square feet 20 years ago when the state Department of Transportation purchased property for the highway's future expansion.

"I have no angst over what happened because it's not a free-for-all," said Lutz civic activist Denise Layne.

County commissioners accepted the report, but also told planners to continue making every effort to prevent the kind of retail stripping on N Dale Mabry that is prevalent further south on the busy highway.

Incorvia said there will be at least half a dozen workshops and meetings before commissioners make any of the proposed changes official. The first workshop, taking place after the lengthy plan amendment process, is scheduled Aug. 11 before the Hillsborough Planning Commission.

Jackie Ripley can be reached at ripley@sptimes.com and at 813 269-5308.

[Last modified December 20, 2007, 21:50:07]