Tampa City Council Approves Rezoning For 700 Homes In K-Bar Ranch

More homes have been approved for K-Bar Ranch, which is now completely rezoned and headed towards nearly 2,000 total homes and condos/townhomes in the next few years. (Photo: John C. Cotey)

After two readings and one continuance, the Tampa City Council has approved a rezoning that will pave the way for developer M/I homes to build 698 new homes in K-Bar Ranch.

The growth of the soon-to-be burgeoning community, located north of Cross Creek Blvd. in the northeasternmost part of New Tampa, has been a point of some public debate, due to the lack of infrastructure, namely roads, in the area.

But, only councilman Luis Viera, who represents District 7, which includes all of the neighborhoods within Tampa’s city limits in New Tampa — including K-Bar Ranch — was the only vote against the rezoning approved by the council (by a 6-1 vote on June 28) to allow the new homes to be built in K-Bar.

As it is with any zoning matters, Viera is not allowed to comment on the case for 30 days following the vote.

More homes means more cars, and currently, the only way in and out of K-Bar Ranch is Kinnan St., which runs north and south, or Basset Creek Dr., a two-lane road that runs past Pride Elementary before connecting to Kinnan.

Hillsborough County and the City of Tampa are still pursuing connections north into Pasco County at three different points to help relieve congestion, and K-Bar Ranch Pkwy., an east-west road which is connected to Kinnan St., is still under construction and will provide a path out via Morris Bridge Rd., but not until late 2019 at the earliest.

There was very little discussion amongst the City Council members before the vote, and no one from the public spoke.

Craig Margelowsky, the president of the Heron Preserve neighborhood in K-Bar Ranch and an opponent of adding more homes in his community without more roads, attended the May meeting but was unable to attend on June 28. He says he was disappointed with the decision, but not surprised.

Margelowsky says that he is concerned that by passing the rezoning request, the City of Tampa gave away any leverage it might have had in securing connections with Pasco County. If the rezoning was conditional upon new roads, government officials, as well M/I Homes, would be more pressed to find quicker solutions.
“This took away all the expediency,” Margelowsky says.

However, the City Council had little choice but to okay the rezoning, says Melanie Calloway, the senior transportation planning engineer for Tampa, in order to guarantee the connection of K-Bar Ranch Pkwy.

Calloway cited House Bill 7207, or the Community Planning Act, passed in 2011 and signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott, which handcuffed local governments from imposing what was once state-required concurrency for transportation, parks and schools. The bill allows developers to build without making improvements on over-capacity or failing roadways, which aren’t considered when performing traffic analyses.

Calloway says the City of Tampa can’t legally require M/I Homes to make the connections, but are encouraging them to work with Pasco County, which M/I Homes says it is continuing to do so.

“I think there is more interest in making those connections than there has been,” said K-Bar Ranch attorney Donna Feldman. “I think, in time, they will occur.”
Feldman also said that at the Wesley Chapel Roadways presentation on May 29, it was shown that the majority of those on the Pasco side wanted connections.
However, that “majority” was only true for two of three potential connections — at Meadow Pointe Blvd. & K-Bar Ranch Pkwy., and Wyndfields Blvd. at K-Bar Ranch Pkwy.

No indication has been given that there is enough support for the most convenient, controversial and contentious connection — between Kinnan St. and Mansfield Blvd. in Meadow Pointe. Pasco County District 2 commissioner Mike Moore, who represents the area, is on record as being adamantly opposed to it. He has suggested the Pasco Board of Commissioners (BOC) may not even vote on the connections until next year.

While Moore favors only two of the three connections, the City of Tampa feels that all three connections need to be made.

But, Margelowsky isn’t convinced the Tampa City Council will hold firm on that stance. “Without requiring roads (before passing the rezoning), now Pasco County can sit on this for five years,” he said. “I know that the Wyndfields and Meadow Pointe Blvd. connections will get done, but I don’t see anybody going and actually fighting for Kinnan-Mansfield.”

Connections or no connections, Feldman said the rezoning needed to be approved. The 2,280 acres of K-Bar Ranch was annexed into Tampa in 2002 to “grow the wealth, size and import of the City of Tampa, and the City of Tampa has done that,” she said.

She said the land-use entitlements allow for far more density than what was allowed for in a 2015 rezoning of the area.

The current rezoning is for a northwest portion of land adjacent to Kinnan St., and a northeast portion of K-Bar Ranch adjacent to Morris Bridge Rd. The rest, Feldman says, already has been rezoned.

Feldman told council members that M/I Homes has done its part. The financial impact of building K-Bar Ranch Pkwy is $18.8-million, and she said that M/I Homes also donated 60 acres of K-Bar Ranch land to the city for a park, which also was more than required.

“This project, as a whole, has been mitigated over and above what is necessary to accommodate this rezoning, which really started with the annexation of this project in the early 2000s,” Feldman said as she asked the council for approval.

K-Bar already has roughly 500 homes and townhomes already built, with another 700 or so approved in 2015 — despite similar protests from residents then about a lack infrastructure and roads — that currently are under construction. The new rezoning will add nearly 700 more homes to the community, bringing the total to nearly 1,900.

New Tampa’s Traffic Issues Getting A Closer Look From City, Local Residents

Hunter’s Green resident Peter Mirones (left) listens as residents voice their concerns about bike and pedestrian safety in New Tampa, as well as about the reckless driving that Mirones and others say has contributed to some of our area’s traffic problems. (Photo: John C. Cotey)

After sitting in on a quickly organized town hall meeting called by a local resident, District 7 City of Tampa councilman Luis Viera says the next New Tampa Council (NTC) meeting could be one of its most informative, as well as most important.

On Wednesday, July 25, 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at Compton Park in Tampa Palms, the NTC will host a town hall with the City of Tampa’s Transportation Department, as well as with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).

Viera says that the city will discuss the new timing for the traffic signals on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd., including the troublesome intersection at Cross Creek Blvd., as well as upcoming transportation projects that will affect our area.

“It’s very important for New Tampa residents to come to this meeting,” Viera says. “There are a lot of exciting and pivotal things happening in our city with regards to mass transit and transportation and we need to be updated on all these developments. And, most importantly, New Tampa residents have to be engaged, because without engagement, we will not see the results we need for our area…and our area needs results now.”

April Ingram would agree.

The K-Bar Ranch (see separate story on pg. 6) resident isn’t exactly sure when her outrage over local traffic in New Tampa boiled over.
Was it during the 30 minutes or so she says it has sometimes taken her to turn right onto Cross Creek Blvd. from BBD on her way home from the University of South Florida?

Was it the first time a car did not yield to her as she tried to walk across Kinnan St. at a designated crosswalk, or was it the second?

Was it one of the many times she’s seen cars speeding by? Or the times she has been awakened at night by the sound of car tires squealing and screeching, the result of racing down Kinnan St.? Or, just how unsafe she feels in general when she’s biking with her son or walking her dog?

Whenever it was, Ingram hosted a meeting at the New Tampa Regional Library on July 2 to find out if she was alone…and she wasn’t.

Roughly a dozen local residents from Meadow Pointe, Cory Lake Isles and Hunter’s Green showed up — including Viera and Eric Denney, an aide to District 5 Hillsborough County commissioner Ken Hagan, as well as two Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) corporals — to sound off on traffic issues they encounter on a daily basis.

“I am pleased and happy that anyone showed up,” said Ingram. “I think this was a good start.”

Those in attendance focused primarily on many of the same issues Ingram has, as well as bicycle and pedestrian safety.

A lot of the frustration was aimed at what they feel was a lack of response to their complaints from the Tampa Police Department (TPD). Most in attendance also argued that more of a police presence in New Tampa would help deter reckless drivers.

Peter Mirones, who lives in Hunter’s Green, said he has seen a parked TPD car dramatically alter the way people drive. But, when that police car leaves, “it’s Hell’s Bells.”

Mirones, an avid bicyclist, says New Tampa is not friendly to bikers, and others agreed. The bike trail on New Tampa Blvd. is in such disrepair it is practically unusable, he said.

Mirones organized a biking event over the weekend to memorialize West Meadows resident Pedro Aguerreberry, who was killed by a driver on June 24. The ride began at the entrance to Flatwoods Park and eventually made its way down New Tampa Blvd. near where Aguerreberry was struck. Mirones said some of the police officers even suggested that the bicyclists should ride in the road because the bike path was so bad.

Others at the July 2 meeting who enjoy but also fear biking in New Tampa suggested some kind of pedestrian bridge that crosses over BBD at Richmond Place Dr. would allow safer access into Flatwoods Park for those who live on the west side of BBD. While there is a light at Richmond Place Dr., the general consensus was that it is not safe for anyone crossing BBD.

Another suggestion: New Tampa should consider installing rectangular rapid flashing beacons, or RRFBs, similar to the ones at crosswalks on E. Fletcher Ave., at some of the New Tampa area’s trouble spots.

Viera encouraged everyone to attend next week’s NTC meeting to present some of the concerns and suggestions that were raised at the meeting.

“There were some good ideas presented tonight,” Viera said. “I think the momentum has really been growing in the City of Tampa the last 6-9 months toward pedestrian safety. Meetings like this can help.”

Business Notes: Nye Commons Fills Up Quickly & Still More To Come On S.R. 56

Local restaurant favorite OTB Delights Café, which currently is located on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. across the street from Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, is moving a few miles up the road.

According to the county’s permitting records, OTB— which stands for Only The Best — is looking to move into the new Nye Commons Plaza on the west side of BBD, just south of S.R. 54, which is owned by Nye Commercial Developers.

Currently under a zoning review, OTB, which specializes in serving hand-crafted fresh and healthy sandwiches, wraps and salads, would take over a 1,345-sq.-ft. space in the 14,000-sq.-ft. plaza., which now has seven tenants, including Nye Commercial Developers.

“We are all filled up,” says Brent Nye, who says he still fields calls from prospective tenants.

Also potentially moving into the plaza is Board & Brush Creative Studios, which is looking to take over a 1,302-sq.-ft. space.

Board & Brush is a do-it-yourself studio, allowing customers to build “on-trend, farmhouse-classic, inspirational pieces of décor for your home, office or cottage.” Although primarily for wood projects, the studio does have other project materials, like glass, slate, canvas and others. Board & Brush is a franchise that has more than 150 locations across the U.S., including eight currently in Florida, the closest of which is in Clearwater.

Also in permitting to set up shop at the Nye Commons is Keystone Title Agency, Inc., which currently has a location in Port Richey. Avalon Spa & Nails also is opening a second Wesley Chapel location in the plaza, and Nye says a veterinarian and an insurance company have leased space as well.

BUT, ‘CHIPOTLE IS MY LIFE!’: Permitting has been filed with the county for a 15,664-sq.-ft. shell building that is likely to be a commercial strip center right off S.R. 56, in front of the soon-to-open Hyatt Place Hotel & Convention Center.

The strip center could be home to a number of coming projects that have been previously reported, like Golf Galaxy, Total Wine & More and Blaze Pizza. One of the rumored new restaurants coming to that side of S.R. 56, Chipotle Mexican Grill, won’t be located in the new strip center, however. According to permitting records, it will be located closer to the Earth Fare health and wellness supermarket coming to the corner of S.R. 56 and Wesley Chapel Blvd.

You Can Bank On Roxanne Simmonds Of Premier Sotheby’s Intl. Realty

Roxanne Simmonds of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty and her husband, Dennis, enjoy living the Florida lifestyle. She wants you to enjoy it, too, by helping you find your dream home.

With more than 20 years of experience in banking, most recently as an executive managing teams of people, local Realtor Roxanne Simmonds of Premier Sotheby’s International Realty has the expertise to help her clients navigate the sometimes-tricky process of buying or selling a home.

The Cory Lake Isles resident says she fell in love with the New Tampa area when she relocated to Tampa from Boston 11 years ago. At the time, she was a market executive with Bank of America and was later promoted to area executive for West Florida.

After that, Roxanne worked as a program executive, where she says she traveled all over the country, managing the sale of financial centers to community banks. She explains that when Bank of America executives wanted to sell off financial centers that no longer fit their business model, she would manage that transition, which would include selling the physical building, transitioning clients to the new community bank and transitioning Bank of America associates to their new employer.

While Bank of America brought her to Tampa, Roxanne says it was the appeal of Cory Lake Isles that drew her to New Tampa. She says she always loved her drive back home after working in downtown Tampa. In fact, although she still spends most of her time in the New Tampa/Wesley Chapel area, the Premier Sotheby’s International Realty local office is in South Tampa on S. Moody Ave.

“There’s so much beauty (in New Tampa),” she says. “With the quietness and trees, I feel like I’m going to my country home right in Tampa.”
She says homes in the New Tampa area currently are an excellent value, especially when you consider the amenities offered in many local communities — such as community pools and clubhouses — and the proximity to shopping at two major local malls and the continuing influx of new restaurants.

“We are a community that truly has something for everyone,” says Roxanne.“I love this area,” she adds. “If my husband and I decide to downsize, it will still be in New Tampa. I see the growth of the community, but it seems it’s growing closer together. You have all different backgrounds, and the diversity is fabulous.”
She also enjoys the proximity to downtown Tampa, where she and her husband, Dennis, enjoy visiting Jackson’s of Harbour Island, Armature Works and other restaurants.

Roxanne and Dennis have been married 33 years. They live with their newly-adopted Maltipoo puppy, Webster. Their daughter, Nicole, used to live in Cory Lake Isles, too, but recently moved back to Boston and will be married this October. Their son, D.J., was a Boston police officer who died in 2014 as a result of injuries sustained when he was one of the first officers to engage the Boston Marathon bombers nearly a year before.
“He’s our hero,” says Roxanne.

About Premier Sotheby’s International Realty
Roxanne says she was drawn to Premier Sotheby’s International Realty because it is a luxury brand with a great reputation. Although she is one of the first associates in New Tampa with the company, she is familiar with its reputation from her time in downtown Tampa and Boston. Premier Sotheby’s is affiliated with the world-renowned Sotheby’s auction house (Sothebys.com).

Roxanne, with Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn.

Roxanne left her role with Bank of America in 2016 and took some time off. She earned her real estate license in 2017, and that’s when she says her phone started ringing off the hook from companies who were recruiting her to join their agency.

But, no one from Premier Sotheby’s ever called her. She says that’s because the company is difficult to get into because of its high standards. So, Roxanne decided to call them.

The local Premier Sotheby’s management found her banking background and customer service focus a great match for their upscale company. Plus, Roxanne did residential lending in the early part of her career, so she already understood that important part of the home-buying process.

“I know how to treat people well,” says Roxanne. “I’ve been trained through the companies I’ve worked for, but I also just know that it’s important to treat people with respect and to be kind.”

She doesn’t overlook the simple things: “If you say you’re going to do something,” she says, “do it. Be timely. Return phone calls.”
While the name Sotheby’s conjures up images of luxury, Roxanne says she will help anyone looking to buy or sell a home.

She says her currently active listings go up to $850,000 right now, but she’s also working with a client looking to purchase in the $180,000-$250,000 price range.
“We have multi-million-dollar properties,” Roxanne says, “but we have a wide variety, too. No matter what the price point is, I make sure the client has a luxury experience.”

Roxanne adds that if you’re considering selling your home, there’s no reason to try to make that decision alone. “If you are even thinking about whether or not to sell your house, contact me,” she says. “I can give you information to help with the decision, either way.”

She can help you understand the value of your home and have a conversation about where you want to go in the next season of life and how to get there.

She helps buyers who are relocating, those who are buying a first home, a bigger home or downsizing. Whether they need to know how to get electricity, what a CDD is, or how flood zones work, Roxanne says she can help guide buyers and sellers through all of their questions. She adds that she enjoys helping people find the special place that will become their home.

“It is just a material thing, but it’s where memories are made, where we celebrate holidays and birthdays, and at the end of a hard day, it’s where we retreat from life,” Roxanne explains. “So, we want it to be comfortable, whether it’s 1,000 square feet or 7,000.”

Premier Sotheby’s International Realty’s Tampa office is located at 202 S. Moody Ave. For a consultation with Roxanne Simmonds, call her at (813) 613-3687 or send an email to Roxanne.Simmonds@PremierSIR.com. For more information, or visit RoxanneSimmonds.PremierSothebysRealty.com.