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Residents Question Project's Planners

Tribune photo by JOHN CEBALLOS

John Bowers, senior project manager for Wilson Miller, leads a presentation of his firm's plans for the Reserve at West Lake during a community meeting May 28. More than 50 citizens were in attendance to ask questions and express their concerns.

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By JOHN CEBALLOS

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 4, 2008

WIMAUMA - South Shore citizens recently had the opportunity to express their concerns about a project that would bring 1,000 homes to more than 500 acres.

On May 28, planners for the proposed development, the Reserve at West Lake, attended a community meeting at the Wimauma Civic Center, 5705 Hillsborough St.

More than 50 people from Wimauma and the surrounding Balm and Ruskin areas were in attendance.

John Bowers and several representatives from Wilson Miller, the project's planning firm, provided an overview of the project with Bowers, the senior project manager, leading the presentation.

The project would involve building 1,089 dwellings on 537 acres used as a sod farm. The land is owned by Turfgrass America, which was represented at the meeting by Ron Mahan.

The size of the project and its proximity to Bullfrog Creek and lands connected with the Environmental Lands Acquisition and Protection Program - 537 acres adjacent to the ELAPP-protected Balm Scrub Preserve - make it a priority for residents in the area, according to Marcella O'Steen, president of the Balm Civic Association.

It will be the first project to use the new Wimauma Village Residential-2 land-use category.

Turfgrass representatives were scheduled to present the project before a county zoning official in March, but decided to postpone that meeting after receiving more than 50 letters from residents opposed to the project.

That resulted in the May 28 community meeting. Wilson Miller originally wanted the meeting to be formatted as an open house, with representatives answering questions at information stations.

However, they eventually agreed to requests from residents, including members of the Balm Civic Association, to conduct a meeting with a more open question-and-answer format.

"We just think it's a lot better because people might hear someone else ask a question, and that could make them think of an issue that might not have occurred to them otherwise," O'Steen said.

Bowers said 40 percent of the acreage on the project will be dedicated to green space and that Hillsborough County Planning and Growth Management found their plan to be "approvable," given 20 conditions.

One of those conditions involves a wildlife crossing clause, which was of particular interest to several residents in attendance.

"I'm philosophically opposed to this project, but I really hope you do something with the wildlife crossing," said Mariella Smith of Ruskin.

Vivienne Handy echoed those remarks, expressing concerns about the isolation of wetlands and that the proposed project may not comply with the established Wimauma Community Plan.

O'Steen said accessibility was also a major problem. The project currently has two access points for more than 1,000 dwellings. One of the access points, on West Lake Drive, is under dispute from an adjoining property owner, while the other, on County Road 672 through the Balm Scrub, is only 50-feet wide.

"Not another inch is available to them from ELAPP," O'Steen said. "So here again we have another problem."

Bowers said the issue would be resolved after they receive their rezoning from the county.

For his part, Mahan said construction on the project would not start until two years from now at the earliest.

A hearing before the zoning hearing master is scheduled for July 14. The project will then go to the County Commissioners at a later date.

O'Steen urged those in attendance to attend both those meetings and express their opinions.

"To be honest, I was under-whelmed by their presentation," O'Steen said. "I kept hearing a lot of 'probably' and 'that will be decided later.'"

Reporter John Ceballos can be reached at (813) 865-1555 or jceballos@tampatrib.com

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