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Dade City Opens Door To Housing

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By NICOLA M. WHITE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 13, 2008

DADE CITY - Despite a statewide slump in the housing market, developers Gary Walden and Isaac W. McKinney III want to bring new rooftops to the city's downtown district.

But first the land, at Florida Avenue and Fourth Street, needs to be rezoned to allow multifamily residential development. Tuesday evening, the city commission set the stage for the rezoning by scheduling a public hearing on the matter for the next city commission meeting, on Feb. 26.

Walden and McKinney plan to build 30 town houses on 1.73 acres. The land is earmarked to allow a mix of residential and office development. City Planner Karla Owens said the project conforms with the surrounding property, which has the Casa Mia Apartments to the south.
Commission members unanimously gave the nod for the project to move forward. Commissioner Scott Black was absent.

In other news, the commission discussed an inquiry by local lawyer Dennis Alfonso, who approached the city saying he was representing a group of residents concerned about the city's selection of the new police chief. Acting City Manager Jim Class has narrowed down a pool of applicants to four men and had earlier set up a panel of residents to review resumes. Class is expected to make a final decision soon.

The inquiry seems to have stirred more questions than answers.

Alfonso has not gotten back to the city to say who exactly he represents and why his clients are concerned about the police chief selection, said Owens, who is also the city's attorney.

While discussing the issue, Mayor Hutch Brock turned to Commissioner Camille Hernandez and asked her point blank whether she was behind the inquiry; last year, she expressed concern about the formation of the committee.

Hernandez said she was not but that she had heard from several concerned residents in the community.

The commission also talked about April's municipal election. This year, there will only be one polling place for Dade City voters: First Baptist Church at 37511 Church Ave.

Reporter Nicola M. White can be reached at (813) 779-4613 or nwhite1@tampatrib.com.

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