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Committee Tweaks Downtown Riverview Details

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By YVETTE C. HAMMETT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 19, 2008

Updated:

RIVERVIEW - New and renovated businesses in areas designated as downtown and uptown corridors would be adorned with porticos, plaza facades and monument signs under plans the Hillsborough County Commission will be asked to approve in mid-2009.

Members of the Riverview Downtown Plan committee met Aug. 13 to tweak details for development regulations that would frame the new look.

The designated downtown area delineated in the Riverview Community Plan lies north of the Alafia River. An uptown area lies along U.S. 301 and a riverwalk is designated for the south side of the river.

Committee members have been meeting for months to devise a blueprint for the area to better define Riverview as a community.

"New construction triggers most of the development regulations," said county planner Elaine Lund, who is guiding the downtown development plan. Inside renovations would not.

In addition to screening for garbage, fencing for retention ponds and new lighting and signs along roadways, committee member Terri Stella-Vega suggested the plan also address upgrades for bus stops along the major corridors in Riverview.

Committee members also agreed to look into how many bicycle spaces can be provided in lieu of additional parking spaces for cars.

Lund said the proposed land development code regulations for the uptown overlay and the downtown and riverwalk zoning districts will not go to the county commission until about July. The committee will continue to work out specific wording in those draft regulations through the end of this year.

The county commission will have its final public hearing to adopt the future land-use map amendment to the comprehensive plan at 6 p.m. on Nov. 13 at the County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd, Second Floor, Tampa.

The land-use amendment would allow for residential development in commercial areas with up to 12 units per acre in some corridors.

Reporter Yvette C. Hammett can be reached at (813) 865-1566 or yhammett@tampatrib.com.

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