The City Commissioners were right to be skeptical of this large scale commercial and apartment project proposed by the Richman Group. This project is too large and it will cause lots of traffic problems for Safety Harbor residents using SR590 and McMullen Booth Rd. Also, bringing in nearly 600 new residents, who are all renters with no stake in the community, would be a big mistake. There would be up to 200 new students attending our school system that we taxpayers would have to educate and bus to school. Safety Harbor should say no to this project. We are an attractive City and I'm sure that a better opportunity will be presented in the near future that will fit in better and will cause less problems for the residents of Safety Harbor.

Harborite, the impression many people took away from the workshop last night is that this deal could be dead. But as Mr. Kolb said, if the Richman Group pulls out, the property could remain vacant for years, or the owners could sell to someone looking to put more industrial or larger commercial ventures on the property. It is an interesting situation. Thanks for the comment.

Okay Bobby is ringing in. This morning I fired off an e-mail to Commissioner Besore expressing my concerns that go beyond traffic. Mr. Kolb stated that "the company has no plans to use the property for anything other than market rate housing". But what if they can't get it filled and sell. Will the new owner be bound to that concept? My next concern is the land itself, it has been an industrial site forever, what has seeped in or been dumped into the soil? Children play in the dirt, if the dirt is toxic it could be disaster waiting to happen. Mayor Steingold's concerns over the encroachment of commercial building along the McMullen-Booth corridor is right on. A number of years ago I was speaking to County Commissioner Karen Seel, she remembers when McMullen-Booth was a two lane road. The decision to widen and expand was tempered with it never to become the next US19. No one wants to stand in the way of progress. But do we need another nail salon, or gamer’s paradise? Inch by inch foot by foot the developers are chomping at the bit when they see land that is buildable. From Gulf to Bay to Curlew Rd. when will we say enough is enough?

Excellent points Bobby!

Renters have no permanent loyalty to the community they are temporarily roosting in. They are generally transients who have another destination in mind. Section 8 housing may not be on the books at this time but who's to say this wouldn't be the plan for a later date or with a different corporation owning the property. Permanent residents have a deep connection to their home town. This is the type residents we're looking for to keep the charm of Safety Harbor. I've watched the development of S.H. for 36 years. It's gone relatively well to kee the small town atmosphere. The current proposal to redevelope the old citrus processing plant area doesn't sound like what the residents of Safety Harbor would be pleased with. I'm not, that's for sure.

I've had my concerns as well about the future of any rental properties built on this site. Look around it and mostly what you'll see are more warehouses plus a couple of auto repair shops. Personally, if I were a renter looking to pay market rate for an apartment, I'd want something with a much better view.

All too often many apartment complexes that start out as luxury apartments almost always end up as section 8 or low income housing, most families don't want to waste their money paying rent, houses for sale are still low enough to buy with down payment & lower monthly rates than rent providing you have credit, now if you don't have good credit you will not be able rent in a complex due to credit check so building this humongous complex is not the right move, I feel best use for this property is a country club & golf course, this would complete the charm of our quaint town, just a suggestion look forward to your comments...

I bet there are a lot of people in town who would like to see a golf course there Dee!

How about a disc golf course? Only having 34 acres probably limits the number of holes to nine and even then golf courses use a lot of water and chemicals to keep them maintained, Does anyone know the selling price of this property, maybe the city could buy the property and make it a multi-use park and perserve the land for the use of us citizens, our children and generations to come.

I meant to say "traditional golf courses use a lot of water and chemicals to keep them maintained." A disc golf course is self substaining and the more trees the better.

Hey Bobby, think you meant to use irrelevent instead of insignificant in your missive. And what do you have against tree-hugging hippies?

Sounds like Bobby has done his homework. Almost like he was running for city commission or something... :)

I'm just goofing on you Booby, but, actually wouldn't the anology work better as your fingers go a lot faster than your brain? And does this now make the trees Robert Saltzman hugging hippies? Just sayin... that's all. Love ya man!

Sorry, meant to type Bobby. Damn fingers!

I'm really enjoying this dialog between you two!

I've lived here 8 years. Small house up aorund the bend from this property. I've enjoyed your thoughts. I like the idea of a preserve. Does the City have the funds available for such a project? I have not read much of the discussion. How great of a tax windfall could this property be for the City? In the end, I'd rather have it sit silent, as is, than see it developed.

Roscoe, thank you for the comment and the support of Safety Harbor Patch. As for putting a preserve on the land, I know that the majority of the area is currently zoned for industrial use, and it is owned by the Firmenich company. They are trying to sell it, and the Richman Group is offering to purchase it and have some of the zoning rights changed so they can put a residential development as well as commercial businesses on the property. If the Richman Group deal does not go through, the land could indeed remain undeveloped for a long time. As for the city purchasing the property, that hasn't been discussed as an option yet, and I'm not sure if it would ever happen. I would have to get a city official to comment on that possibility. Thanks again.