Water & Traffic Highlight Viera’s Latest Town Hall Meeting In Tampa Palms! 

District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera (at podium), with representatives from the Tampa Water Dept. at the Jan. 24 Town Hall meeting Viera hosted at Compton Park in Tampa Palms. (Photos by Charmaine George).

On Jan. 24, at Compton Park in Tampa Palms, District 7 Tampa City Council member and New Tampa resident Luis Viera held what he says is about his 70th Town Hall meeting in the seven years he has served on the Council, and although there were a variety of questions asked, many of his answers referred to the “current political will” in the City of Tampa. 

Viera brought along representatives from the City of Tampa Water Department, including director Rory Jones, to this latest Town Hall, to provide updates on and answer questions about the city’s current watering restrictions, the smell and taste of City of Tampa water and more. 

But, following short presentations by Viera, Jones and Water Dept. environmental specialist Julia Palaschak, the crowd of about 50 or so people asked a number of questions about parks, sidewalk cracks, funding for mass transit and other transportation projects and what Tampa is doing to bring more affordable housing within the city limits. 

In other words, it was a pretty typical Town Hall event for Viera, who started the meeting by going over his recent accomplishments in New Tampa, including getting our area $10 million worth of recreation improvements — the expansion of the New Tampa Recreation Center, the addition of the city’s first-ever All Abilities Park and the recent opening of the new City Park facility located between Freedom High and Liberty Middle School that is a partnership with the Hillsborough School District. 

Viera also discussed his intent to put a modular medical-only emergency unit in K-Bar Ranch in order to improve slow response times in the only area of New Tampa that is still growing. 

Julia Palaschak of the Tampa Water Dept. 

He also talked about his public safety master plan to study the needs and potential cost of adding more police officers and firefighters throughout the city. And, he also mentioned being happy that the resurfacing of Tampa Palms Blvd. was finally finished and that his next 33647 road resurfacing project to get done is New Tampa Blvd, in West Meadows, although he admitted that it will be hard to get that project funded without a proper revenue source. 

After his introductory message, Viera turned the floor over to Jones, who basically said he brought his team of water experts, including Palaschak, to the meeting to give a status update on the city’s new outdoor watering restrictions that went into effect on Dec. 1, 2023, which limits home irrigations to one day per week. 

Palaschak said, “The great news is that although no one wanted to go into the holiday season with a water shortage, all of you have responded and we can clearly see that our daily water use has come down. That is a very good sign to us that our customers listened to us and have done a good job of protecting the Hillsborough River and all of our water resources. And of course, you’re surrounded by such great water resources here, with all the wetlands and wellfields.” 

She added, “And of course, with El Niño being here now, this is a great time to turn your irrigation system off. But, if you’re struggling with that, I just want to tell you that one of our specialties is to come to your house. We do a very thorough job of looking at your water use history, at your property and especially, how to use your seasonal irrigation settings.” 

About Parks & Sidewalks 

Viera then turned the meeting over to questions from the audience. He mentioned that it was not intentional that all of the recent parks and recreation projects he got the city to build in New Tampa happened to be located in Tampa Palms. 

Resident Leslie Morris (in red pants) asks Councilman Viera about sidewalk cracks left behind by the contractor who resurfaced Tampa Palms Blvd. 

“I have had people in other parts of New Tampa say to me, ‘Why does Tampa Palms get everything?’ And, I’ve also had people on one side of Tampa Palms asking, ‘Why does everything go on the other side?’ But the truth is, it just happened that way, both the side of Tampa Palms that it’s all on and where all of the projects are located in New Tampa.” 

Viera also touted the completion of the Tampa Palms Blvd. resurfacing project, but at least two Tampa Palms residents mentioned that the contractor left behind a number of cracked sidewalks. 

One of those was resident Leslie Morris, who said she was told that because the sidewalks were cracked but weren’t “displaced,” there was nothing that could or would be done about the cracks. 

Viera responded that, “Unfortunately, a lot of times, contractors do shoddy work,” and although he hadn’t really heard any complaints about the Tampa Palms Blvd. project before, “Sidewalk cracks are usually the type of collateral damage you get with those types of projects.” 

On Affordable Housing 

Up next was a question about affordable housing in Tampa, to which Viera responded that, “Affordable housing is one of the biggest questions, not just in Tampa but in all of Florida. Inflation is even worse here in Florida because everybody is moving here and increasing that demand, causing an explosion of housing costs. I voted ‘No’ in City Council on rent control. I would love it if I could wave a wand and say, ‘That’s it, you’re not going to put rents up higher than this,’ but it’s not going to work. We’ve seen to it that 30% of our Tampa CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) budget goes to affordable housing. And, I’m working right now to try to get veteran housing in East Tampa and accessible housing for people with disabilities, but we also need market incentives. We never really did anything on affordable housing in the city outside of the CRA but now we’re doing that, which is a big change because we do have an affordability crisis here in Tampa.” 

On The ‘Political Will’ 

When asked about funding for things like light rail and additional police and firefighters and transportation, Viera’s response to many of the questions was that in order to fund those important public safety items, “There has to be a funding source and I don’t think that, with the kind of inflation we’ve got, that the political will is there to raise taxes to fund them.” 

One of the funding sources for transportation Viera mentioned was the twice-passed-and-twice-struck-down penny transportation sales tax. He mentioned that there currently is more than $500 million being held in Tallahassee that was raised from the first transportation tax passed by voters countywide in 2018. That tax ultimately was declared to be contrary to Florida law by the state Supreme Court, so the legislature is deciding what to do with that tax money. 

“I hope at least a portion of it will go to fund transportation projects,” Viera said. “But I’m sure there’s going to be some kind of compromise where the legislature will want to use a lot of it for tax breaks, too. But, nearly three out of every five voters in the county voted for the tax. How do we get that money back? We probably have to wait until the political climate is right.” 

Viera also said he was happy to finally get funding for his public safety master plan in this year’s budget. 

“I know we need a significant increase, for example, in the number of police officers in the city. The public safety master plan will show what our needs are for police and fire and what it will cost to fund them. Then, we have to have a very frank talk about that.” 

Recapping The City Of Tampa’s Hanukkah Celebration In New Tampa! 

(Clockwise from top left photo) Lighting the Hanukkah candles are Tampa Gymnastics & Dance Junior Showstars from the New Tampa Recreation Center

“Last year, the city held a joint Christmas/Hanukkah celebration here” District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera told a small crowd of about 50 people at the New Tampa Recreation Center in Tampa Palms, “but this year, I thought it made sense to do separate Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations in New Tampa.” 

Viera said that this year, in light of the Israel-Hamas war that began in October, he asked the city to give New Tampa’s Jewish residents their own celebration of the “Festival of Lights” on Dec. 11. 

(l.-r.) Tony Mulkey of Tampa Parks & Rec, Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera, Katherine Saslow & Tracy and Steve Falkowitz

“But, what was really heartwarming was how many people who attended the event weren’t Jewish, but were there to support their Jewish friends and learn more about Hanukkah.” 

The candle-lighting ceremony was led by Tampa Palms residents Tracy and Steve Falkowitz, who told the story of Hanukkah and the significance of the nine-candle menorah. Lighting the candles were girls from Tampa Gymnastics & Dance Junior Showstars. Also speaking were Viera and Cindy Spahn from Tampa Jewish Family Services. In addition, on hand were Tampa Parks & Recreation interim director Tony Mulkey, a Rabbi from the Tampa Torah Academy and a representative of the Bryan Glazer Family Jewish Community Center. 

“I wanted to show support for our Jewish friends, who are still reeling from the Hamas invasion of Israel,” Viera said. “The city stands against the recent increase in anti-Semitism throughout the U.S., even as it supports people of all religions, cultures and races.” 

Attendees also got to tour the Rec Center (17302 Commerce Park Blvd.), which was buzzing with activity. 

Councilman Viera with Cindy Spahn of Tampa Jewish Family Services

Community To Benefit From City’s New Tampa Sports Pavilion At Liberty, Too 

City of Tampa and Hillsborough County School District officials came out in force for the ribbon cutting at the new New Tampa Sports Pavilion behind Liberty Middle School in Tampa Palms. (All photos provided by the City of Tampa) 

What used to be six old, underused tennis courts just for students at Liberty Middle School in Tampa Palms has been transformed into a new recreational area for the entire community. 

The tennis courts are gone, and what stands in their place will now be called the New Tampa Sports Pavilion. 

The Pavilion includes three basketball courts that also can be used for pickleball, tennis and volleyball. 

Next to the courts, a huge metal shade structure stands over an artificial turf field. At 166 feet by 127 feet, it’s larger than four school buses lined up one way and three school buses lined up the other. 

A building with offices and restrooms is located by the covered field, too. 

On November 15, City of Tampa and Hillsborough County School District officials held a ribbon cutting to officially open the new expansion, which will be used by Liberty students during the school day and open to the public whenever school is not in session. 

The new basketball courts at the Pavilion.

District 7 Tampa City Council member Luis Viera, whose son attended Liberty, says the idea was suggested at a 2020 town hall meeting by Tampa Palms resident Alexandra Gilmore. He championed the idea, saying it would add to the other recreational opportunities that have been brought to New Tampa over the last several years. 

“This is another big win for New Tampa and a really big deal,” says Viera. “It’s a $4-million expansion, and when you include the $3-million expansion of the New Tampa Recreation Center and multi-million-dollar All-Abilities Park, it represents a nearly $10 million investment in parks for New Tampa since 2018.” 

He’s referring to the playground that opened at the New Tampa Community Park one year ago, the first of its kind in the city that is designed for kids of all abilities, especially those who may not be able to play at typical playgrounds because they use a wheelchair or have other special needs. 

Viera says that investment has made a significant impact. 

Dist. 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera speaking at the ribbon cutting.

“New Tampa has gone from being a city park desert, where all we had was a rec center that was busting at the seams,” he says, “to being home to the city’s first All-Abilities Park and now this additional expansion.” 

The new rec center expansion is located adjacent to the New Tampa Community Park on the property of Liberty at 17400 Commerce Park Blvd. 

The ribbon cutting on Nov.15 was attended by Viera, City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor, Hillsborough County School Board members Jessica Vaughn and Lynn Gray, and Hillsborough’s Superintendent of Schools Van Ayres. 

Viera says the public access to the courts will be scheduled after school ends each day, during school holidays, weekends, and summer. 

City of Tampa manager of athletics, aquatics and special facilities Heather Erickson says the New Tampa Sports Pavilion has experienced something of a soft opening and expects to be fully operational around January 1. 

She says security lights are in place, but the courts themselves are not yet properly lighted, so they currently are only open until sundown. 

Starting in 2024, the pavilion will be staffed for open basketball and pickleball nightly, plus scheduled activities. 

“Our obligation is to make sure it’s not just a hangout without supervision,” Erickson says. “We also offer classes such as sports readiness for girls and boys, fitness and agility.” 

For more information, she says check the City of Tampa website at TampaGov.net after Jan. 1. Navigate to “Parks & Rec,” then “Activities,” then “Athletics.” For questions about using the facility, reach out to Tampa’s supervisor of athletics Cedric Smith at Cedric.Smith@tampagov.net. 

What’s Happening With Morris Bridge Rd? 

 Tampa City Council Denies Proposal To Allow New Development On The East Side Of Morris Bridge Rd. 

Research by Joel Provenzano 

The blue outline above represents the city limits of the City of Tampa. The portion outlined in purple is the property that was proposed for new development that was unanimously voted down by the Tampa City Council on Nov. 30. (Map Source: City of Tampa; modified by Neighborhood News) 

 When Cory Lake Isles first began developing in the late 1980s, the only entrance to that now-built-out community was off Morris Bridge Rd. — at that time a little-known, little-used, two-lane arterial roadway that connected to Fletcher Ave. and I-75, four miles south of the Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. exit off I-75, which turned north towards (and continuing past) the Pasco County line. 

It wasn’t until several years later, when Cory Lake Isles developer Gene Thomason was able to get a new entrance to his fledgling community off Cross Creek Blvd., that home sales in Cory Lake Isles really began in earnest. Until then, Morris Bridge Rd. was — pun intended — a bridge too far for most of the people who wanted to move into the suddenly burgeoning community that first began being called “New Tampa” in the mid-1990s. 

But, while it took about another decade for any significant new development along Morris Bridge Rd. to take hold, the huge K-Bar Ranch development started with the Easton Park subdivision just north of Pride Elementary. Today, K-Bar/Easton Park is the only community in the entire City of Tampa experiencing significant growth. 

To that end, on Nov. 30, District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera and his fellow City Council members unanimously voted down a proposed comprehensive plan amendment for 28.36 total acres in two parcels (see map) on the east side of Morris Bridge Rd. (property that was annexed into the city in 2007), that would have allowed for up to 43 new single-family homes (and more) to be built across Morris Bridge Rd. from an undeveloped portion of the Easton Park subdivision. 

“My constituents who live in K-Bar Ranch, Easton Park and Cory Lake Isles all tell me that Tampa shouldn’t allow any additional development along Morris Bridge Road,” Viera told me after the Nov. 30 public hearing. “They all say, ‘Morris Bridge is full,’ and I definitely agree with that.” 

Since the City of Tampa annexed (in 2007), for the first time ever, property previously located in unincorporated Hillsborough County, east of Morris Bridge Rd., no property owners in that area had ever requested to build new residential units or commercial buildings in that area. 

That changed on Nov. 30, when representatives for Ike and Yvonne Okeke, who own two parcels totalling 28.36 acres on the east side of Morris Bridge Rd. (across from a currently undeveloped portion of the Easton Park subdivision of K-Bar Ranch), requested Amendment #TA/CPA 23-19) to the City of Tampa’s Comprehensive Plan that, if approved, would have allowed the property to change from its Rural Estate-10 & Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) Adopted Future Land Use designation to Suburban Mixed Use-3 (which allows for up to three dwelling units per acre) and ESA. 

Considering that there are only about 14.36 acres of developable land on the site, without the Plan Amendment, the property owners can only build one dwelling unit — or 40,000 sq. ft. of non-residential uses — on the site. 

If the change had been approved, however, the property owners could have built up to 43 single-family detached and multi-family dwelling units or 156,380 total sq. ft. of both residential and non-residential uses. 

All of the property on the east side of Morris Bridge Rd. included in the 2007 annexation was originally designated as Rural Estate-5, meaning that only one dwelling unit per acre would be allowed. 

However, in 2008, according to staff planner Jennifer Malone of the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission staff, who appeared at the Nov. 30 public hearing, the Comprehensive Plan was amended to further reduce the number of possible dwelling units per acre on the east side of Morris Bridge Rd. from 1 dwelling unit per 5 acres to just 1 unit per 10 acres. 

This is the property on Morris Bridge Rd. that was requested to receive a Comprehensive Land Use Plan amendment that was rejected by the Tampa City Council on Nov. 30. 

Malone confirmed that this Comprehensive Plan land use designation is the lowest future land use category in the entire City of Tampa and, in fact, the Rural Estate-10 designation was actually created by the City for these annexed properties. 

According to Malone, the land, which, to the east, is near Hillsborough River State Park and the Lower Hillsborough Wildlife Management area, is uniquely environmentally sensitive. 

In fact, Malone said, “The State Department of Community Affairs (DCA) commented that the annexed property is so unique that RE-5 wasn’t rural enough for this area,” which helped the city decide to create the RE-10 designation specifically for this area. The DCA also wanted the land use for the city property to match the one dwelling unit per 10 acres designation of the adjacent Hillsborough County property. 

Prior to the Nov. 30 hearing, the proposal to change the land use designation was first rejected by the Planning Commission staff for being “inconsistent with the Tampa Comprehensive Plan,” a conclusion shared by the City of Tampa’s own staff — due to the lack of utilities and city services within the area and lack of similar land uses on the east side of Morris Bridge Rd. — even though the property in the undeveloped portion of Easton Park directly across Morris Bridge Rd. already has the Suburban Mixed Use-3 designation that these property owners were seeking for their land. 

Malone pointed out, however, that there are “no Suburban Mixed Use-3 land uses on the east side of Morris Bridge, which has a significantly different development pattern than the west side.” 

Tampa’s Transportation Planning Organization also noted that there are no roadway capacity improvements, transportation projects or transit services planned for the area (more on this below). 

Evan Johnson with the City’s planning department, corroborated Malone’s claims: 

1) He said Morris Bridge Rd. can’t handle any additional capacity and isn’t programmed to get any larger or to offer any type of mass transit. 

2) He said the property is too environmentally sensitive and too close to Hillsborough’s rural service area to allow the change. 

3) And, “The property owners are not required to connect to city utilities but, depending upon what they end up wanting to build, they could be required to do so.” 

Also, Johnson said, “The closest possible hook-up for water would be 1,700- 2,000 feet away, in the new portion of K-Bar Ranch. And, the nearest wastewater hookup is a manhole in Easton Park that would be about a 1/4-mile from this site, and those are significant distances and could cost from several hundred thousand to a million dollars or more to build these facilities.” 

Because of all of these factors, and the significant increase in proposed density of the site, Johnson said, “We object to the change in the character (of the property) because the jump is so large.” 

David Wright, who spoke on behalf of the property owners, said that the density request was reduced from their original proposal, adding that, “We know where the wetlands are” and that the proposal took those into account. Wright claimed that the 14-1/2 acres fronting Morris Bridge Rd. “is ready for development, so all we’re really asking for is a continuation and expansion of the same Morris Bridge land use (on the west side).” Wright also acknowledged that the property owner would be responsible for making the utility connection to the site. 

Turning It Down 

District 7 City Councilman Luis Viera, whose district includes all of the city portions of New Tampa, made the motion to deny the plan amendment. The proposed change was unanimously (7-0) voted down by the Council members, after Viera said he had, “A lot of high hurdles with this proposal, including across-the-board negative comments from both the Planning Commission and City staff.” 

Viera also noted that even though the property on both sides of Morris Bridge Rd. in this area is city property, the roadway itself is a county road, “and my understanding is that it can’t be expanded, because of its environmental designation…and it is just packed at the seams right now, which is one of the top things I hear from my constituents.” 

He added that another big issue he has are the emergency response times by Tampa Fire Rescue in K-Bar Ranch, as well as, “the mosque, the church and the Sikh house of worship, all on Morris Bridge Rd. I see this as a size-36 waist trying on size-32 pants and I can’t see supporting this proposal.” 

But, What About Two Rivers? 

Even though the east side of Morris Bridge Rd. is clearly environmentally sensitive, a little to the north of the Pasco County line, the road is currently being widened to accommodate the new 3,405-acre Two Rivers development, which is planned to include 6,400 new residential units, 1.3-million-sq.-ft. of office and industrial space and 630,000 sq.- ft. of retail space, plus three new schools, a golf course and numerous other amenities. 

The second phase of Two Rivers actually extends south of the Pasco County line and the development is certain to bring much more traffic to Morris Bridge Rd., so the hope here is that something can be done to widen Morris Bridge Rd. south of the county line, too. 

 

City Of Tampa To Host Hanukkah Celebration Tomorrow At New Tampa Rec Center!

District 7 Tampa City Councilman Luis Viera says that, “Before last year, New Tampa never had its own (city-hosted) Christmas tree event. Last year, I sought to have both a Christmas and Hanukkah event on the same day.” This year, the city held its Christmas tree lighting on Nov. 27 and is hosting a Hanukkah event on Monday, December 11, 6:30 p.m., also at the New Tampa Recreation Center (17302 Commerce Park Blvd.). 

“This is all part of the efforts I have been undertaking since 2016 to continue to have an increased connection between our city government and New Tampa,” Viera says. “It is important that we get the same dignity and respect as all other parts of the city have.” 

At the Christmas event (l.-r. in photo, above), State Rep. Fentrice Driskell, Viera and his fellow City Council member Lynn Hurtak, Heather Erickson and Tony Mulkey of the Tampa Parks & Rec Dept. and Tampa Palms resident and the event’s M.C. Tracy Falkowitz were all on hand for the Christmas tree lighting and festivities (photos below). 

As for the Hanukkah event on Dec. 11, it’s entirely possible that some of you may not receive this issue — or may not read it that quickly, even if you do receive it on time — before that event is held, but Viera says that he wants to make sure that people know his #1 concern for that event is public safety. 

“We are looking forward to a wonderful celebration of this holiday and hearing from community members on what Hanukkah means to them at this time,” Viera says. “I am acutely aware of the sentiments and feelings of our American Jewish brothers and sisters in this time of increased and immoral anti-Semitism, so we will have security on hand for this event.”