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Little Harbor Seeks Zoning Change For A Resort

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By LIZ BLEAU, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 21, 2007

RUSKIN - The housing market is driving developers of Little Harbor, a residential enclave of 1,500 homes at Bahia Beach, to seek approval to change its zoning to allow shorter-term rentals of its housing units and to convert up to 250 of the housing units to hotel units.

In its application, Little Harbor said it is seeking to allow for development and operation of a "resort," an undefined term in the existing land development code.

A zoning hearing on the request, originally scheduled for this month, has been rescheduled to Dec. 18.

Little Harbor was approved under zoning back in the late 1980s that allowed the high-density waterfront development that includes condominiums, town homes and single-family residences along with a commercial and retail area.

Little Harbor has applied for a zoning change to allow for daily rentals rather than the current zoning that allows weekly rentals in 200 of the completed residential units and the conversion of 250 residential units to hotel use.

Tom Tosi, president of the local division of Earthmark, parent company of Little Harbor, said they believe an expanded resort would benefit the area.

Some residents are opposed to the changes. Environmental activist Mariella Smith has encouraged residents to oppose the proposed changes until Earthmark meets the conditions of a mitigation plan that is part of the zoning for another of its projects, Riverton.
Tosi said Smith's statement that the mitigation work has not been done is not correct. "We have done everything we are required to do at this point."

The zoning hearing will be Dec. 18 at the County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., and beginning at 6 p.m.

Reporter Liz Bleau can be reached at (813) 865-1557 or lbleau@tampatrib.com.

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