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Panel Moves Ahead With Land-Use Plan

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By YVETTE C. HAMMETT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 21, 2008

RIVERVIEW - Residents creating a new look for downtown Riverview worry that a county planning rule could allow high-density commercial development to creep into their residential neighborhoods.

Still, the committee defining the plan agreed last week to move forward with plans to amend the county's Comprehensive Land-Use Plan to permit higher densities in a future downtown district, which will trigger the worrisome "flex rule." The comprehensive plan is a blueprint for growth.

A working committee made up of local residents and business people has been meeting monthly since February 2007 to devise a plan for a future downtown area in Riverview. The plan is an offshoot of the Riverview Community Plan, approved by the county commission in 2005 with a goal of preserving the community's relationship with the Alafia River.

The plan is divided into three segments - downtown, uptown and river walk.

The uptown area includes the U.S. 301 corridor north of the Alafia and designates guidelines for commercial and residential densities and public uses for specific structures.

The river walk area would include a pedestrian walkway on the south side of the Alafia River and lighting on the bridge that carries U.S. 301 over the river.

Plans for the downtown area, closer to Riverview Drive, include a high-density, walkable shopping area with storefronts close to sidewalks.

The defined downtown area would require higher density construction than the existing land uses allow, prompting the need for an amendment to the comprehensive plan.

If county commissioners approve the amendment, owners of land within 500 feet of the high-density commercial areas could ask the county to invoke the flex rule, which would allow the landowners to request the same high-density land-use category.

Riverview resident Terri Stella-Vega said she lives in one of the areas that could be affected by the flex rule. "Sometimes, things encroach. I just want to see some balance," she said.

Vince Crane also lives in an area he said is "subject to creep." He preferred to wait six months before seeking a comprehensive-plan amendment so everyone in Riverview could be notified and wording could be added prohibiting use of the flex rule in the downtown area.

If the comprehensive plan amendments are approved in November, the next step in creating the downtown district will be zoning changes.

County planner Joe Incorvia assured residents they can include wording in those changes that would discourage use of the flex rule.

If that isn't a solid enough protection, land-use attorney Mike Peterson told fellow committee members they can request another comprehensive plan amendment that would eliminate use of the flex rule in the downtown district.

The comprehensive plan changes will be discussed during a planning commission public hearing at 5:30 p.m. June 9 on the 18th floor of the County Center, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa.

Reporter Yvette C. Hammett can be reached at (813) 657-4532 or yhammett@tampatrib.com.

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