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Planners Holding The Line On Water

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By B.C. MANION, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 15, 2007

TAMPA - Hillsborough County planners are fighting two proposed changes to the county's long-range plan that would amend policies for extending water and sewer lines into rural areas.

One proposal calls for allowing the county to extend water and sewer lines to mixed-use developments in rural areas when:

•The parcels are 50 acres or greater and are at the intersection of two collector roadways, or bigger roads.

•The parcels have a minimum frontage of 1,800 feet on at least a collector designated roadway; and,

•The parcels are within 500 feet of existing water and sewer lines.

Another proposal calls for allowing the extension of public water and sewer into rural service areas to promote economic development.

Both proposals are facing opposition from county agencies.

Planners from the county's planning and growth management staff object to the idea of granting water and sewer line extensions to promote economic development as being "too broad."

Staff members on the county's water resource services team say that land-use patterns and densities should be determined in a comprehensive manner, to meet the county's objectives of providing rural, suburban and urban lifestyle choices.

"The availability of water and wastewater service should not drive those decisions," the team's report says.

A planner for the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission outlined a summary of the proposed amendments and agency reactions during a workshop on Monday.

The planning commission did not take public testimony, but has set a public hearing on the amendments for 5:30 p.m. Jan. 14.

The planning board advises the Hillsborough County Commission on changes to the county's long-range plan. The county commission has set a public hearing on the requests for 6 p.m. Feb. 7.

Reporter B.C Manion can be reached at (813) 865-1507 or bmanion @tampatrib.com.

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