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Hillsborough May Close Kinnan Street

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By LAURA KINSLER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 8, 2008

NEW TAMPA - Less than a year after Hillsborough County agreed to accept and maintain the Kinnan Street extension, commissioners are being asked to close it again to traffic.

The dead-end road, built by the developers of Live Oak Preserve, was supposed to connect to Meadow Pointe's Mansfield Boulevard. But Pasco County officials have refused to allow the connection until an extension of State Road 56 is completed.

John Newton, Hillsborough County's road maintenance director, said that since the county removed the concrete barriers to open the road, the area has become a magnet for illegal activities, such as dumping and drag racing. He wants to erect a gate to stop vehicular traffic, except for routine maintenance.

"Hindsight's 20/20," Newton said. "Right now, we're trying to look out for the public safety. If we had left those concrete barriers in place, someone could have crashed into them."

The county's road maintenance department can close the road for 30 days, but anything longer must be approved by county commissioners.

The Kinnan extension was supposed to improve circulation in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area by giving motorists an alternative to Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and Morris Bridge Road. It also was a key factor in the annexation agreement between owners of K-Bar Ranch and the city of Tampa.

K-Bar is approved for 1,199 homes, and it has nearly that many lots in development. Once the road connections are made with Pasco, the density may increase to 1,599.

Developer Marc Mobley detailed a plan in January for a 200,000-square-foot shopping center and 70-acre regional park on Kinnan Street, but those plans have stalled.

Thom Snelling, Tampa's deputy director for growth management and land development, said Mobley Homes' proposal would trigger a rezoning because the city had not planned for such intense development.

The current zoning allows commercial uses, but the developer would be required to "trade off" residential entitlements to build it. A regional park and sports complex would significantly alter the traffic patterns in that part of New Tampa.

"We have not heard from Marc Mobley for quite some time," Snelling said.

County commissioners budgeted $9.4 million in 2005 to build parks in the New Tampa area. The county has purchased land in Branchton and Live Oak Preserve, but all projects are on hold while the city and county try to nail down an agreement with Mobley Homes.

Parks planner Pete Fowler said the county would rather build a large athletic complex in K-Bar than put ball fields in three different locations. But he suspects the project will stay in limbo until "we agree to set a deadline."

"The ultimate goal is to get the best situation we can," Fowler said. "At some point in time, we're just going to have to go with what we've got."

Mobley could not be reached for comment.

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at (813) 865-4844 or lkinsler@tampatrib.com.

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