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Revised Guidelines On Growth Balance Competing Interests

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 8, 2007

A more robust effort at involving the public has led to improvements in a proposed update of Hillsborough County's growth plan.

What has not changed is the wise refusal of planners to expand existing growth boundaries. County commissioners tonight should approve the bulk of the suggestions, designed to enhance the county's quality of life while discouraging additional sprawl.

In March at a workshop meeting, a majority of the commission voted to toss in the trash a whole stack of "livability" changes proposed by the City-County Planning Commission. The public, surprised that the process ended abruptly before the advertised public hearing, voiced strong objections.

Commissioners subsequently agreed to reconsider the changes if planners would also take the proposals back to community meetings and reconsider objections from developers. The flakier ideas, such as planning to rebuild public art if it is destroyed in a disaster, have been dropped.

Some developers and community activists remain unsatisfied, but the resulting compromise is a better balance between those who want to build everywhere and those who want to stop all growth.

Wording that could be interpreted as mandates has been softened to make it clear the growth plan only encourages or promotes certain changes that can raise public costs. For example, bike lanes will be recommended on roads only where feasible.

The most important single issue is something not included in the proposal: The expansion of the urban service boundary advocated by major homebuilders.

Another thing missing from the plan update is a map showing a future Brandon bypass from southwestern Hillsborough to Interstate 4 at Plant City. The road is premature at best and the Planning Commission was right to erase it.

Planners make a convincing case that expected population growth over the next 20 years can fit inside today's growth boundary, even if allowable density is not increased. With only small increases in density in selected areas, the area will grow more efficiently and at less public cost for new roads and other services.

Builders point out that all the best building sites have been used and that to keep home prices low, they need to expand onto less-expensive agricultural land. They also correctly note that most neighborhoods fight, usually successfully, against higher densities.

At some point, residents must either expand the boundary or accept more homes per acre nearer their low-density neighborhoods. That tension must somehow be resolved, but there is no immediate crisis.

With more than 50,000 lots zoned for houses as yet unbuilt, supply in the unincorporated area seems to be well ahead of demand. If 400,000 people do move to Hillsborough over the next 20 years, as has been estimated, they all can't expect to enjoy country living.

Most of them will live in or near existing developments. Properly managed, their arrival will make the suburbs more lively, interesting, and prosperous.

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