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Seffner Stakes Claim To Forest

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By D'ANN LAWRENCE WHITE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 30, 2008

SEFFNER - The Seffner-Mango area is growing, and not just in terms of population.

At last week's Seffner-Mango Community Plan meeting, the 20 residents in attendance agreed to shift the community's boundaries and claim land east to McIntosh Road.

The stake adds another square mile to Seffner.

Previously, the plan included parts of Mango and Seffner that lie within the county's urban service area, in which the county provides water and sewer service. However, residents who have attended community planning meetings the past six months said they believe it is just as important to include the rural service area east of Seffner.

"This area contains the last forest in this area," said resident Susan Watson, referring to an extensive area that crosses over Interstate 4 known as the Eagles Forest because it is home to a bald eagles' nest. "And there are wetlands and environmental concerns here that have ramifications for the rest of the community. We have over 50 species of wildlife here and 26 species of birds."

Watson and resident Joy Ingram are fighting an attempt by Tampa Electric Co. to place a high-voltage power line through that area.

Like other communities in Hillsborough County, the Mango and Seffner residents are working with the county Planning & Growth Management Department to come up with a community plan that will direct growth in their communities.

The process is part of the county's community-based planning process that, when complete, will become part of the Comprehensive Land-Use Plan and serve as a guide for long-term growth.

Residents and business owners are invited to take part in the process, giving their thoughts on all aspects of the community from transportation to zoning density.

In the case of Mango and Seffner, said Ingram, the overwhelming collective sentiment is to keep things status quo.

"Our main plan is no plan," she said. "We really don't want any zoning changes. We want to maintain the zoning the way it is."

Dennis Schrand, president of the Greater Seffner-Mango Chamber of Commerce, agreed.

Rather than make sweeping changes, the residential and business communities prefer to improve on the positive features of the two communities, he said.

Because Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard has the majority of the commercial development, they would like the area between County Road 579 and Kingsway Road delineated as downtown.

They also would like to keep trucks off Parsons Avenue and Kingsway Road and limit further commercial development along those roads.

In addition, they told county planners they want to protect existing historical, agricultural and natural resources, including the area around Eagles Forest, which once was a pioneer wagon trail between Brandon and Plant City.

Currently, the highest density development permitted in the planning area is 20 units per acre west of Interstate 75, and that's as high a density as the residents want. They want to keep the remainder of the urban service area at four and six units per acre.

They also want to keep the rural areas rural, with appropriate building densities, and prevent expansion of the urban service area.

Other suggestions include establishing sign standards, adding bike routes along Parsons and Kings, placing entry signs along roads into the community and paving a bike path to Seffner-Valrico Road and an 8-foot sidewalk along Mango Road.

Requested road improvements include resurfacing U.S. 92 and addressing code enforcement problems, adding a frontage road on the south side of I-4, banning commercial uses on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard east of Seffner-Valrico Road and adding traffic control equipment at the intersections of Parsons and U.S. 92, Kings and 92, Martin Luther King and Mango Road and Seffner-Valrico and Wheeler roads.

John Healey, a principal planner with planning and growth management, said he will revise the concept map to reflect the residents' suggestions and bring it to the Aug. 21 meeting for viewing.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the Hillsborough County Cooperative Extension Service office, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner.

For information, call Healey at (813) 276-8393.

Reporter D'Ann Lawrence White can be reached at (813) 657-4524 or dlwhite@tampatrib.com.

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