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Dade City To Discuss Builder's New Plan

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By CHRISTIAN M. WADE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 10, 2008

DADE CITY - The east-west connector road is off the table, but an often-delayed proposal to build nearly 300 homes along the city's southern border has resurfaced.
Winter Park developer Flanagan-Hillpot came forward in March with plans to build Terrace Park on a 56-acre parcel along U.S. 301, south of Willingham Avenue.

The developer has proposed annexing the undeveloped property into the city. That would require the approval of the city commission.

Tonight, commissioners will discuss whether they think the most recent manifestation of the proposed subdivision is good for the city. No vote on the project is expected.

A central issue for commissioners is the traffic the new subdivision would generate and whether surrounding roads, including U.S. 301, could handle the extra vehicles.

The density of the proposed housing project is another issue for city officials.

Commissioner Steve Van Gorden has numerous concerns about the project - specifically, when it comes to stormwater run-off in the neighborhood.

The area is in a flood-prone basin, and commissioners haven't seen a plan from the developers for building retention ponds to collect stormwater.

"Everyone knows we've had a problem with flooding in this area in the past," Van Gorden said.

Plans for the project have changed several times since March.

In their most recent plan, submitted with the annexation request, the owners propose building 286 homes - a mix of single-family homes and town homes - and offices.

At one point, the developers had proposed building a road connecting U.S. 301 and State Road 52. But that idea has been replaced with a proposal to extend the city's rails-to-trails pathway, which will run through a municipal right of way on the property.

"It meets all the criteria for annexation into the city," City Manager Billy Poe said. "But the project has changed many times, and commissioners need to decide how to proceed."

In most cases, annexations are requested by developers who are building or planning housing or retail. Under state law, property annexed from a county to a city has to be compact, contiguous to the surrounding land and serve urban-development purposes.

For developers, annexations mean more access to central sewer and drinking water systems and fire and police services. By adding upscale developments, city officials hope to generate more property tax proceeds, which help pay for municipal services.

But it doesn't always work out that way. In some cases, vacant land gets annexed, and the developers shelve the project.

That happened in New Port Richey two years ago when the city annexed about 30 undeveloped acres in the Gulf Harbors area as part of an agreement with Ryland Homes, which planned to build a gated community with 500 condominiums there.

After approving the annexation, the council rezoned the property from a multifamily designation to a planned development district and approved preliminary site plans for the gated complex. The proposed community even had a name: Venetian Isles.

Several months later, Ryland put the land on the market for $12.5 million - nearly $10 million more than the builder paid for it - leaving the future of the project uncertain.

Failing to find a buyer, Ryland last year took the property off the market.

With the Terrace Park subdivision, construction has yet to begin.

Pasco County officials reviewed the project a few years ago and concluded that it was too intense of a land use for the area. They recommended city officials suggest the homes on the north end of the property be single-family units instead of town homes.

The property borders a neighborhood with single-family homes on larger lots as well as commercial land along U.S. 301. Some residents have complained about the density.

"I can't understand why we would even be considering a project that the county turned down," Van Gorden said. "If it wasn't good for them, why would it be good for us?"

Reporter Christian M. Wade can be reached at (727) 815-1082 or cwade@tampatrib.com.

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