By Janet Zink, Times Staff Writer
Thursday, September 23, 2010
TAMPA — A request to change a private school's land-use designation on Thursday turned into a discussion of a state constitutional amendment voters will consider on Nov. 2.
The City Council gave the school preliminary approval for the change last month despite objections of neighbors.
"That's why there is an Amendment 4 out there," said Patrick Cimino at the final public hearing on the request. "It's a response of communities like us and neighbors like us having to deal with legislative bodies like you and feeling that the community public interest is not watched out for."
Amendment 4, billed by its supporters as the Hometown Democracy amendment, would require voters to approve any land-use changes made to city and county comprehensive plans. Now, elected officials make those decisions.
People who live near the St. John's Episcopal Church and school in South Tampa worry the change approved Thursday will pave the way for more intense development on a property that already attracts long lines of cars when parents drop off and pick up their children at the school.
School and church leaders say they have no expansion plans.
It's a technical issue, they said. They say they requested the change because their existing residential designation was a mistake made by the city. The facilities couldn't be rebuilt if a disaster strikes, they argued.
"People are concerned about the looming Hometown Democracy deadline," church member Clarke Hobby told the council. "Our primary concern is being able to rebuild our existing facilities in the event of a casualty."
School supporters said any major construction on the property in the Hyde Park historic district would require approval from the Architectural Review Commission and the council.
Council member Yvonne Yolie Capin suggested putting off a decision so the school and neighbors could work out differences.
But Mark Bentley, the school's attorney, declined that offer.
If the issue isn't resolved and Amendment 4 passes, the city would either have to pay $500,000 for a special referendum or the school would have to wait until the next general election in 2012 to decide, he said.
The council decided in favor of the property owners 5-2, with Charlie Miranda and Mary Mulhern voting against it.
