 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Baptists confident plans will succeed
By JOSH ZIMMER © St. Petersburg Times, published November 19, 2000 ODESSA -- Following a setback in their development plans, leaders from First Baptist Church of Citrus Park plan to provide more information on their proposed 900-student school off Gunn Highway. Recently, Land Use Hearing Officer Margaret Tusing ruled the church's special use permit application was lacking in specifics. Despite recommendations for approval from staff at both the Planning and Growth Management Department and the Planning Commission, Tusing posed questions about traffic, sewage treatment and overall benefit to the community. Church directors will meet soon to develop a "game plan" to keep the 66,000-square-foot proposal with lighted ball fields alive, said church member Duane Milford, the applicant. The special use permit is part of a larger plan for 160,000 square feet of church space, including a 26,400-square-foot sanctuary. The church assumed some of the development issues would be addressed after receiving a permit, Milford said. But he said he is confident Tusing's questions can be answered. A public hearing before Tusing is scheduled for Dec. 8. County agencies, including the health department, already have indicated the church can build an on-site wastewater treatment plant, Milford said. In addition, the church from the beginning knew it would have to spend money on a turn lane or traffic control officers. As for whether the Keystone-Odessa area would benefit from the church/school, Milford said many of the school's 625 students live in the area. Tusing's remand pleased Keystone activists, who favor slow growth and fear the complex's impact in the community. "It seemed to me she was really putting the burden back on them," Keystone Civic Association Vice President Laura Swain said. "For something that is as strong an impact as that, I thought they had to have more (information)." - Josh Zimmer can be reached at (813) 226-3474 or zimmer@sptimes.com.
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From the Times |
