A fire set at the Daarus Salaam Mosque on Morris Bridge Rd., just north of Cross Creek Blvd., did not cause any major damage or injure anyone, but it was definitely arson, Tampa mayor Bob Buckhorn said at a new conference Friday morning.
Standing behind police tape and in front of the mosque, which is owned by the Islamic Society of Tampa, Buckhorn was flanked by a number of members of the local Muslim community and said such acts will not be tolerated.
“There are tens of thousands of Tampanians who are not Muslim, but today we stand with our Muslim community and say not on my watch, not in my city,” Buckhorn said. “We will not tolerate this.”
The fire was set at the men’s entrance on the north side of the mosque around 2 a.m., and sprinklers went off and doused many of the flames and limited the fire damage to the entrance. There is significant water damage to the mosque, however.
“The community, because of current events, has fears that this could be a hate-related incident,” said Thania Diaz-Clevenger, civil rights director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
Mazen Bondogji, a board member at the Islamic Society of New Tampa, said that the front gate, which is locked every night at 8:30 p.m., was locked when firefighters arrived a little after 2 a.m.
Friday prayer services (which are equivalent to, for example, Sunday services for Catholics) were cancelled as mosque members were redirected to other mosques. Bondogji said as many as 400-500 worshippers show up on Fridays.
Police found three holes in the building’s bullet-proof glass, but determined that they were not caused by firearms.
Diaz-Clevenger said that there are security cameras in the mosque and that they have been turned over to investigators. She did not say if anything was on the video, or if they had survived the sprinklers.
What did survive the incident: the spirit of Mosque goers, according to Bondogji.
“Who ever did this maybe intended to discourage us to not be a part of this community,” he said. “But this makes us stronger, because of the huge amount of support and solidarity we have received. We are part of this community, and that’s how we shall stay.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the state fire marshall’s arson tip line at 877-662-7766. Callers may remain anonymous.
Planners will be seeking permission on Monday, March 20, to rezone nearly 70 acres of land north and east of Lake Forest (see map below) for future development, according to county records.
Engineer Tim Powell of TSP Companies, Inc., on behalf of the land owner Giunta Group Ltd., has applied to rezone 69 acres of developable upland areas at the northeast corner of 42nd street and Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd.
The meeting is scheduled to be held at 6 p.m. at the Hillsborough County Center at 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. in downtown Tampa.
The total acreage of the Giunta property is 641.95 acres, most of it protected wetlands.
Powell is seeking a change to planned development (PD) zoning for three island-like areas abutting Lake Forest in order to build a mixed-use (multi-family residential and commercial and office, or non-residential) development on the site.
The development, called The Reserve at Grand Cypress, would consist of 26,000-sq.ft. of commercial space, 149,000-sq.ft. of office space and 812 multi-family units.
Requests for rezoning hearings were originally scheduled for Dec. 19, Jan. 19 and Feb. 20, but were postponed each time as the site plan has undergone numerous revisions.
Powell wrote in his letter to Lake Forest property owners on Nov. 14 of last year that the property, “has undergone extensive preliminary environmental, civil and transportation engineering and planning for the past two years in anticipation of submitting the Planned Development (PD) site plan specific zoning.”
Lake Forest residents — primarily the 100 or so whose current homes are right on the boundary of the proposed Reserve at Grand Cypress — are expected to present their concerns at the rezoning meeting.
Those concerns, to name a few, are likely to include the impact of building such a large development on the local environment and wildlife, how construction will affect the way the water currently drains from the wetlands, the noise and the proximity of the new apartments to the existing homes, and a potential issue with school rezonings.
Most of the area is already zoned for Chiles Elementary in Tampa Palms, although that school is close to capacity.
Another concern is traffic. However, by the time any construction begins — Powell says it would be “multiple” years before ground is even broken on the project — Segment A of the BBD widening project, which currently is under construction, should be completed.
Some Lake Forest residents met with Powell on Feb. 2, where he presented the proposed plans.
Those residents responded with some of their desires, while hoping to schedule another meeting with Powell.
National Signing Day was Wednesday, Feb. 1. Signing to play college ball from Wharton were (l.-r.) volleyball player Allie Schneider (Florida College), softball player MacKenzie Allen (University of Tampa), and all-time volleyball kills leader Kathryn Attar.
Freedom coach Autum Hernandez knew coming into the 2017 softball season she was going to have to lean on her incoming freshmen this year, but she didn’t know the youngsters would come through so quickly.
Thanks to some clutch pitching and hitting from freshman Niyah Pope, the Patriots opened what should be an interesting season with a 6-5 win on Feb. 14 over traditional Tampa Bay power Riverview.
Pope pitched the last four innings, allowing just one hit and striking out four, to earn the win, and also contributed a base hit and two RBI for Freedom.
“If she keeps working hard, she is going to be very good,’’ said Hernandez, who guided the Patriots to the State championship game in 2013.
Hernandez has never started a season with so many young players. She only has 11 players on her roster, and five of them are freshman. She says once they adapt to the speed of the high school game, however, the Patriots could be contenders in Class 8A, District 4, which includes Wharton, Wiregrass Ranch and defending champion Strawberry Crest.
“We’re small, so we have to stay healthy,’’ she said.
The season-opening win was a confidence boost for her young players. The Patriots fell behind in the top of the second inning when the Sharks scored all five of their runs, but settled down and started coming back. They scored a run in the bottom of the second, and then added four in the bottom of the third to tie it up.
In the bottom of the seventh, Freedom loaded the bases and senior Gracie Seidel scored the winning run on an error, the ninth miscue of the game for the Sharks.
“We just put the ball in play and took advantage of their mistakes,’’ Hernandez said.
The Patriots may be young, but they do return a few key components, like Seidel, the senior centerfielder who batted .259 last season with five extra base hits, junior middle infielder Dallas O’Clair (.296 with a team-high 16 RBI) and infielder and leading hitter Lauren Hall, who batted .436 in 2016.
The Patriots will host rival Wharton on Thursday, March 9, 7 p.m.
Speaking of the Wildcats — who were 11-10 last season but advanced to the District championship game before falling in extra innings in a Regional quarterfinal loss to Ocala Forest — they return the bulk of their roster and opened their season in impressive fashion.
The Wildcats pounced on the Panthers of Plant for a 10-0 victory shortened after five innings due to the mercy rule.
Signing from Freedom were (l.-r.) football player Kalijahe Spann (Warner University), girls basketball player Megan Clark (Tennessee Tech) and golfer Tyler Bray (Maryville College).
TRACK OFF & RUNNING: Hillsborough High may have won the team titles at the New Tampa Preseason Classic on Feb. 9, but the tracksters from Wharton and Freedom both came away with some notable performances.
Wharton sophmore Nehemiah Rivers and his senior sister Bryanna both captured first-place in the 1,600-meter run. Nehemiah won his race in 4 minutes, 44 seconds, while Bryanna covered the four laps in 5:20.
Rivers was followed in her race by six of her teammates, as the Wildcats swept the top seven spots in the race. Senior Rania Samhouri was second in 5:24, and was followed by junior Rachel Lettiero, freshman Nia Rivers, sophomores Kayla McCullough and Amanda Blake, and senior Marin James.
Freshman Casey Pleune was second in the boys’ race behind Nehemiah Rivers in 4:46.
Wharton senior Aria Tate won the 100m hurdles in 14.70, more than two seconds ahead of the next closest finisher, and Lettiero won the 3200m race, with sophomores Amanda Brake and Nicolina Otero finishing in second and third, respectively. The Wharton boys picked up first-place finishes from senior Ryan Russell, who won the 400 hurdles in 50.50 seconds; Eric Jurgensmeyer, who won the 800 meters; and senior high jumper Justin Brown, who soared 5 feet, 8 inches.
Freedom junior Alejandro Michel won the 3,200-meter race in 10:36, 19 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher, and Bryant Young tossed the discus 102 feet and 10.25 inches to win his event. Young’s throw was almost 16 feet further than anyone else.
Freedom’s Trent Burnett was a double winner, winning the 200m in 24.10 and with a long jump of 20 feet, 9 inches.
The Connected City is officially coming to Wesley Chapel.
“I think we realize we actually made history today,’’ said District 2 commissioner and Pasco Board of County Commissioner (BCC) chairman Mike Moore.
After months of delays and negotiations, Metro Development Group finally put forth a polished plan that the BCC could not only live with, but gush over.
The commissioners approved the massive project at its Feb. 7 meeting in New Port Richey by a unanimous 5-0 vote.
Both sides were pleased to see the plan to build the nation’s first gigabit community constructed from the ground up move forward. It was viewed by the commissioners as a seminal moment for Pasco County.
“I think it’s going to turn out to be one of the greatest things we’ve done here in Pasco County,’’ said District 1 commissioner Ron Oakley, who was elected in November.
“I’m very jealous this is in your district,’’ District 3 commissioner Kathryn Starkey told Oakley.
The Connected City is a 7,800-acre area running north from Overpass Rd. in Wesley Chapel to S.R. 52 in San Antonio, and west from I-75 to Curley Rd.
Alternative transportation is a big component of the Connected City coming to Wesley Chapel.
It has been touted by developers and planners as a first-of-its-kind, high-tech economic engine that will promote major job creation, alternative transportation along integrated roadways and not just one, but two first-in-the-country, man-made Crystal Lagoons.
One of those lagoons recently broke ground at the Epperson Ranch development off Curley Rd. (see story, pg. 6), while the other lagoon is expected to break ground later this year at the planned Mirada development in the northwest corner of the Connected City, just south of the S.R. 52 exit off I-75.
Metro owns roughly 35 percent of the land and is already building homes in Mirada and Epperson Ranch; they plan to begin selling those homes by the end of the year.
The project is part of a 10-year pilot program created by Senate Bill 1216 in May of 2015. It allows for an expedited planning and approval process for creating city-connected corridors. For the length of the pilot program, there will be no state oversight, although there will be two-year reviews.
More than 100 Wesley Chapel residents showed up to the first public meetings at Wesley Chapel Elementary in December of 2015 regarding the Connected City, voicing concerns about the impact on the Florida aquifer, the effect on sewers and sinkholes and how construction would impact the area, which they said was already prone to flooding.
At the final public hearing and vote, only one person spoke.
The longer-than-expected 18-month process to gain approval required a number of adjustments, from scrapping plans to form a committee that would bypass county oversight to contributing $7 million to build additional roads to rigorous debate over mobility fee credits.
“We worked very closely with the county throughout the entire process — they are our public partner on the Connected City, so we were sure to be flexible during the planning process to meet their requests,’’ said Kartik Goyani, vice president of operations with Metro Development and the man credited with being the visionary behind the Connected City.
“Every hoop, question and demand illustrates the hard work that goes into a project like this,” Goyani added. “The success of the Connected City is indicative of true collaboration and dedication to a common goal.”
With 72 acres of site-ready employment centers set aside, as well as commitments from Tampa General Hospital, Florida Hospital and Saint Leo University for proposed centers, and the potential for a number of tech start-ups, the project’s promise of job creation convinced District 4 commissioner Mike Wells Jr. of the merits of the Connected City.
Wells’ father, Mike Sr., was involved decades ago in the development of Trinity on the west side of the county.
“The Board wasn’t really sold on bringing that forward,” Wells Jr. said. “But as a Board, they moved forward on it and look at what Trinity is today. (During this process) I have pondered that. I know more about connected cities than I ever wanted to know. But, at the end of the day, I feel it is right for the county. It comes down to jobs creation to me.”
Wells Jr. added that despite his support, he would hold developers accountable for those promised job creations.
Ernie Monaco, the county’s assistant planning and development administrator, has been one of the leading – and more excitable – proponents of the Connected City.
He says that as a result of the project, planners have written new development code that could be extended to areas beyond the huge development itself.
He also listed a number of things that will put Pasco on the cutting edge – things like driverless vehicles, clean energy homes, incentives for builders and employers, improvements in local schools, innovative healthcare and a business community that keeps area residents from having to move away to find good employment opportunities.
“That’s the kind of future we want,” Monaco said.
The commissioners agreed, unanimously. Despite the delays and countless meetings, the Connected City promises to be a game changer, Moore said.
“All eyes are going to be upon us now,” he said. “So get ready.”
A fire set at the Daarus Salaam Mosque on Morris Bridge Rd., just north of Cross Creek Blvd., did not cause any major damage or injure anyone, but it was definitely arson, Tampa mayor Bob Buckhorn said at a new conference Friday morning.
“The community, because of current events, has fears that this could be a hate-related incident,” said Thania Diaz-Clevenger, civil rights director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).
