Civic groups appeal borrow pit decision

By Times Staff
Published March 13, 2008

Keystone

Opponents of a proposed borrow pit in northwest Hillsborough are taking their case to the county's land-use appeals board.

Last month, a Hillsborough County land-use hearing officer approved developer Stephen Dibbs' request to dig 2.5-million cubic yards of dirt near Lutz-Lake Fern Road for road and construction projects. The excavation has the potential to bring up to 56 dump trucks per day through residential streets.

The appeal of the Keystone and Lutz civic associations will be heard at 9 a.m. May 2.

"We believe both the communities of Lutz and Keystone will be negatively affected for at least 10 years by this very bad decision," Denise Layne and Tom Aderhold wrote in a joint e-mailed statement. Layne is head of the Lutz Civic Association. Aderhold is president of Keystone's.

New Port Richey

Hundreds hear plans for new power lines

Hundreds of Pasco residents packed an open house Wednesday where Progress Energy explained its plans for new power lines spanning 10 counties from Levy to Polk.

Cherie Jacobs, Progress spokeswoman, said that seizing property through eminent domain would be done only as a last resort. The utility would prefer not to take any new land at all, and may opt to buy an easement instead of purchasing property outright, she said. Wherever possible, the utility would locate the new lines with existing lines.

Progress' mile-wide study corridors could run north-south down the Suncoast Parkway, west Pasco or the Starkey Wilderness Park, or east-west along State Road 54.

Progress Energy will select a specific route in June.

[Last modified March 13, 2008, 00:53:40]