Hillsborough Residents Ponder Post-Disaster Recovery

A half-dozen Hillsborough County residents spent Monday night saying "yes" or "no" to plans for recovery following a major disaster by placing red and green stickers on a map.

At the first in a series of public hearings on the county's Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan, the residents met with about 15 representatives from the countywide task force that wrote the recommendations.

Using charts and one-on-one discussions, officials explained recommendations in areas such as economic redevelopment, land use, health and social services, housing and the administration of federal or state assistance funds.

Temple Terrace Fire Chief Keith Chapman, a task force member, said health and social services raises a lot of questions because of special needs groups, hospitals, health clinics and schools.

Eugene Henry, manager of the county's Hazard Mitigation Section, was facilitator of the meeting at the University Area Community Center. He said the county passed a post-disaster ordinance in 1993 but began looking at writing a plan after the 2004 hurricane season, which brought several storms to the Bay area.

The plan looks at recovery beginning about six months after a disaster and carrying through for five years or more.

"It's not just looking at land use," Henry said. "It is how do you pay your (municipal) bonds when you have no businesses collecting taxes? How do you get the kids back in schools - and out of shelters?"

Among the task force recommendations: establishing priority redevelopment areas. The University Area community, Brandon, Temple Terrace, Citrus Park and Egypt Lake - all away from the coast - were among the areas identified.

Attendees used green or red stickers to indicate their support or opposition to the recommendations.

University Area resident Steve Moraga said he was glad to learn the county is developing a plan but wondered what would happen if residents in his neighborhood were flooded out of their apartments.

Additional public hearings, all at 6:30 p.m., will be held:

• Thursday at Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library, 3910 S. Manhattan Ave.

• Monday at Riverview Branch Library, 10509 Riverview Drive

• March 10 at SouthShore Regional Library, 15816 Beth Shields Way

• March 16 at Bay Crest Elementary School cafeteria, 4925 Webb Drive

• March 19 at Bruton Memorial Library, 302 W. McLendon St., Plant City.

The proposals also can be viewed online www.hillsboroughcounty.org. Click on the A to Z Index link and then the Post-Disaster Redevelopment Plan link. For information, call (813) 272-5600.