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Seffner Borrow Pit Decision Due Feb. 13

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By D'ANN LAWRENCE WHITE

dlwhite@tampatrib.com

Published: February 4, 2009

SEFFNER - Residents are battling a proposal for a borrow pit between U.S. 92 and Interstate 4, worried the heavy truck traffic could jeopardize students at five local schools.

After airing their concerns Jan. 20 at a zoning hearing, they are awaiting a land use hearing officer's decision on whether to grant a land excavation special-use permit to McCormick Road LLC to remove up to 800,000 cubic yards of dirt from an 89-acre site 50 feet southwest of Old Darby Street.
Hearing officer James Scarola's decision is expected Feb. 13. Under county ordinance, his decision on special-use permits are final unless contested before an appeals board.

Opponents of the borrow pit had just one chance to defeat the proposal. More than 20 sat for three hours at the zoning hearing waiting for an opportunity to make their case to Scarola.

Among them was Elizabeth Belcher, who said she was especially concerned about dump trucks from the borrow pit driving past Burnett Middle School. The school is 3,000 feet west of the proposed borrow pit. Armwood High School sits farther west on U.S. 92, and new elementary, middle and high schools are under construction at U.S. 92 and Gallagher Road.

Attorney Judy James, representing the landowner, said U.S. 92 is a truck route, so trucks will be heading east and west. She said the borrow pit would generate about 35 trips a day.

Residents say that spells danger for children who must cross U.S. 92 to get to school.

"There are no school speed zones on highway 92. Nor is there a patrol officer," Belcher said. "Students must walk across highway 92 to access Burnett Middle School."

She added that student safety along U.S. 92 was the subject of a county land-use meeting Dec. 9 when Commissioner Al Higginbotham said there had been 23 accidents in three years near the three schools on McIntosh Road.

Terry Flott, president of the Seffner Community Alliance, also expressed apprehension.

"With the school bus traffic, two high schools at each end of this, these trucks will create a hazard in the area and are going to interfere with the quality of life and create a traffic hazard," she said.

James said the property owner has agreed not to use Kingsway Road during school because of the number of schools along that road.

Bill Thompson, vice president of the 120-home Shangri La Homeowners Association south of the property, said he worries about damage to the subdivision's lake and potentially diminished property values.

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

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