Lutz zoning for shops, restaurants is a breeze

By LOGAN MABE

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 16, 2000

LUTZ -- A philosophical alliance between a developer and the Lutz Civic Association resulted in the relatively pain-free passage of a rezoning that will bring two new restaurants to the area.

Warren Family Enterprises got approval from the Hillsborough County Commission on Tuesday to move ahead with a plan to build a small complex of stores and offices at the northwest corner of U.S. 41 and Crystal Grove Boulevard, just north of an existing McDonald's.

Rezoning proposals in Lutz often are about as much fun for developers as a trip to the dentist. But this one won praise from the civic association, which had a say in what the project will look like.

The rural-flavored complex will likely contain a 6,000-square-foot bank, 40,000 square feet of shops, a 15,000-square-foot drugstore and two 7,000-square-foot restaurants.

Some restaurants that have been contacted include Applebee's, Buddy Freddy's and Cracker Barrel.

As U.S. 41 was widened, it became a more attractive stretch for commercial use. But Lutz residents saw to it that the county adopt growth plans to discourage massive retailers like Wal-Mart from moving in.

In the Warren project, Lutz civic leaders think they've struck on business that's bucolic. (Petition RZ 00-0303)

CITRUS PARK: Commissioners also approved MEF Inc.'s request for a major modification on 18 acres at S. Mobley Road and Gunn Highway. And this modification is, in fact, major.

In 1988, the company had the property rezoned with plans to build a 118-bed nursing home and a 29-lot subdivision. Now, MEF has the go-ahead to build, instead, 37,500 square feet of office space there. (Petition MM 00-0305)

CARROLLWOOD: It's back the drawing board once again for JFJ Investments Inc., which has been trying to rezone 6.6 acres at the southwest corner of Lynn and Anderson roads. County commissioners sent the petition back to a zoning hearing master, the second time the board has remanded the proposal.

JFJ had asked for permission to build 5,000 square feet of commercial space close to Lynn road on the undeveloped site.

Since then, though, the company has filled a pond on the southern two thirds of the property and is now wants permission for 60,000 square feet of mixed commercial and office space on a site that contains "an extensive amount of concrete rubble and building debris."

The zoning administrator didn't like the idea. The Planning Commission was similarly unimpressed and found the project inconsistent with the comprehensive plan. And a zoning hearing master recommended denial following a hearing in February.

Now JFJ has the option to revise the request and try again. (Petition RZ 99-0297)

LUTZ: To nobody's surprise, neighbors along Geraci Road sued Hillsborough County last week in hopes of overturning a rezoning for Lake Pearl, a long-term plan for 205 houses.

Peter Geraci, the 46-year-old rancher who lives on the 181 acres, doesn't plan to allow the development during his lifetime. That makes the rezoning premature, a violation of the county's binding long-range plan, the neighbors argue. The rezoning also violates the plan by allowing development more intense than the surrounding neighborhoods, the suit claims.

An attorney for Hillsborough County didn't return calls about the suit.

It becomes the fifth lawsuit pending over land-use issues along a two-mile stretch of N Dale Mabry Highway, including a lingering one Geraci and his brother filed over the county's earlier refusal to rezone the property, and a federal suit they are pursuing over the county's refusal to rezone adjacent property for a shopping mall. Others have been filed by neighborhood groups attempting to block a shopping center at the southeast corner of Dale Mabry and Van Dyke Road and a high school at the southeast corner of Dale Mabry and Lutz-Lake Fern Road.

LUTZ: Neighbors agree that a Publix store would be preferable to a high school at the corner of N Dale Mabry Highway and Van Dyke Road. But a zoning hearing master last week heard how divided they are about how big a shopping center should surround Publix.

The crowd debated the issue about two hours at a hearing Monday night. It will be up to the zoning hearing master to decide how to advise the County Commission on the point.

Publix wants to build a 44,000-square-foot store, but would rather it be in an 89,000-square-foot shopping center, to allow for possible future expansion. But neighbors and county staff think the site is limited to 60,000 total feet of commercial development, because a chunk of the land, zoned for 110,000 square feet back in 1983, was condemned by the Florida Department of Transportation for a future frontage road and designated for no more than 60,000 feet under a Dale Mabry Corridor Plan.

Supportive neighbors said they'd rather get the Publix and a larger shopping center, than a smaller center with unknown tenants. Opponents said the larger center just wouldn't fit in with the semirural character of the area.

-- Times Staff Writer Bill Coats contributed to this report.

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