210 acres in southern Keystone approved for new subdivision

By LOGAN MABE

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 27, 2000

KEYSTONE -- Land use designations for one of the largest residential developments ever proposed in the southern Keystone area were approved last week by the Hillsborough County Commission.

Three years ago, representatives of FL Tampa West Inc. asked to rezone 210 acres from corporate park usage to a residential planned development. The company wants to build up to 300 attached and/or detached single family or multifamily homes

The property, west of Nine Eagles Road and north of Race Track Road, was once envisioned as part of the Tri-County Business Park.

The business park was approved to someday provide up to 3.7-million square feet of light industrial and commercial uses on 386 acres. But the increased demand for homes has developers eyeing all available large parcels as future subdivisions, and parts of the business park have been sold off for housing.

FL Tampa West's request got the necessary approvals along the way from county staff, the Planning Commission and a zoning hearing master. But the project languished for years with no further action taken.

In 1998, zoning hearing master Andrew A. Baker noted that new homes would generate far less traffic than a huge business park. "In developing 300 residential units versus 3.7-million square feet of research corporate park uses approved on site, this proposal will significantly decrease potential impacts on Nine Eagles Road and Race Track Road," Baker wrote. (Petition RZ 98-0019)

As part of the FL Tampa West project, Reptron Electronics Inc. won approval of its major modification request that allowed the residential project to move forward while preserving commercial usage on 154 acres.

Reptron sought to break off the 210 acres from the original Development of Regional Impact, and have the DRI redesignated to allow 500,000 square feet of industrial use rather than the originally approved 3.7-million square feet.

The company retained the commercial property and asked the county to designate the parcel for a 100,000-square-foot office building and another 150,000-square-foot manufacturing and warehouse facility. (Petition MM 98-0041)

U.S. Home Corp. is getting a piece of the Tri-County Business Park action, too. The home-building giant won approval from the County Commission to modify the development designation on 20 acres formerly designated as part of the business park. U.S. Home wants to build 71 single-family homes on the parcel.

The site, just west of Nine Eagles Road and north of Race Track Road, formerly was approved for 100,000 square feet of industrial construction.

A large network of wetlands buffer the proposed residential site from the industrial portion of the business park, developers said. (Petition MM 98-1443).

The County Commission also approved the following items:

NORTHDALE: Commissioners okayed a rezoning that would allow a beauty shop, day care center or mobile homes on a three-quarter-acre parcel at Ehrlich and Casey roads. The site is on the west side of Casey, about 1,600 feet north of Ehrlich. (Petition RZ 00-0041)

LUTZ: The Austin House will be able to double the number of residents in a small adult congregate living facility on the northwest corner of Van Dyke Road and Juanita Drive.

Commissioners approved the rezoning of 1.6 acres from agricultural single family conventional-1 to planned development.

Austin House has six residents but managers want to add six more. To meet state and county licensing requirements, the home needs extra acreage. County staff recommended approval of the request. (Petition RZ 99-0985)

LAKE MAGDALENE: Westfield Homes of Florida has been cleared to begin work on a 13.5-acre subdivision west of Lake Magdalene Boulevard, southeast of Lake Platt Lane.

The company that built VillaRosa asked to rezone the land from one home per acre to four homes per acre. (Petition RZ 00-0053)

KEYSTONE: Taylor Development Group Inc. won a rezoning of 40 acres at Van Dyke Road and Whirley Road for the second phase of Van Dyke Estates. Company president Todd Taylor said the 40-lot subdivision would be an extension of a project being developed by a different company. Phase 1 consisted of 44 lots on 27 acres. Homes will be priced from $170,000 to $200,000. (Petition RZ 00-0095)

The following item is scheduled to be heard by a zoning hearing master:

LUTZ: Plans for a new restaurant in Lutz, along with a complex of stores, will go before a zoning judge Monday. Warren Family Enterprises of Dade City proposes the complex next to swamps and a retention pond along U.S. 41. Representatives for the developer have been tight-lipped about which restaurants are being sought. But they have not disputed the word of civic leaders that the candidates include Cracker Barrel, Buddy Freddy's and Applebee's. Thus far, the plan has the rare luxury of being supported by Lutz civic leaders. They have urged the developer to impart a country character and perhaps even call the center "Lutz Junction," the original name of Lutz. (Petition RZ 00-0303.)

• Beauty shop/day care okayed on Casey near Ehrlich.

• Group home to double in Lutz.

• Westfield Homes has plans for Lake Magdalene.

• Van Dyke Estates to move into Phase 2.

• Buddy Freddy's cooking in Lutz?

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