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Official Won't Back Real Estate Office

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By ELIZABETH LEE BROWN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 3, 2007

LUTZ - A zoning hearing officer has ruled that a proposed real estate office along North Dale Mabry Highway would be out of character with the surrounding residential neighborhood.

Brian Hiatt, co-owner of Genesis Mortgage Services, wants to rezone the southwest corner of Holly Lane and North Dale Mabry to turn the 2,000-square-foot home into an office for his company.

The house is oriented toward Holly Lane, which is a dead-end street on the west side of Dale Mabry.
Hearing officer John Crislip recommended county commissioners, who make the final decision, deny the rezoning request, according to a three-page report filed with the county last week.

Crislip concluded that turning the home into an office would be an inappropriate use for that corner, and approval would encourage others to seek similar uses not allowed under the county's comprehensive plan.

'It remains suitable for residential use and would not qualify as an infill development,' he wrote.

The office use would violate the county's North Dale Mabry Overlay District plan, which clusters commercial uses at three main intersections. The .6-acre parcel on Holly Lane is outside the commercial nodes.

During the hearing Sept. 4, Hiatt said he was willing to have county planners re-review the request to place development restrictions, such as limiting the operating hours and requiring a residential-styled architecture.

But Crislip wrote that adding restrictions to the office project would not qualify the parcel for an exemption under county rules.

Two county planning agencies also ruled against the change because the office introduces a nonresidential use in a residential area.

Reporter Elizabeth Lee Brown can be reached at (813) 865-1502 or ebrown@tampatrib.com.

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