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'08 To Bring Important Decisions

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 5, 2008

Now that 2007 is in the rearview mirror, it is time to look ahead to what is likely to happen in the new year. Here are some events expected to unfold in 2008:

Drowning, Cross Lawsuits Pending

WESTCHASE - The Westchase Community Association will continue to deal with legal disputes into 2008.

The association remains one of several defendants in a lawsuit regarding 8-year-old Kiana Appleby, who drowned at the Westchase Swim and Tennis Center.

A trial has been scheduled to begin April 7, according to a judicial assistant for Circuit Judge William P. Levens.

Appleby, who was a student at Citrus Park Christian School and member of the Westchase Dolphins swim team, died May 5, 2005, during practice at the pool on Countryway Boulevard.

Among the lawsuits allegations are that pool employees failed to properly supervise the pool, court records show.

Another ongoing legal matter is a deed restriction dispute involving a Catholic priest who wants to keep a 3-foot-tall Celtic cross in his yard.

The Westchase Community Association filed a lawsuit in May 2007 seeking to force the Rev. Jeff Johnston to remove the cross from his front yard. Johnston filed a counterclaim about a month later to keep the cross.

Johnston's lawyer, Luke Lirot, said recently that the lawsuit has not been resolved and will likely continue into 2008.

Jason Geary

School Needs Boundaries, Leader

CITRUS PARK - Expect to learn more about who will attend a new middle school and who will lead it this year.

With Smith Middle School opening in August, the Hillsborough County School District needs to spend the next few months setting attendance boundaries and hiring. The school is under construction behind Citrus Park Elementary.

The district will hold a meeting at 7 p.m. Jan. 23 at Sickles to share attendance plans with the community. The school likely will draw from Davidsen and Walker middle schools, freeing space there that the district could use to relieve crowding at Farnell and Martinez. The meeting this month is to gather feedback before the school board votes on a proposal.

The district also needs to name a principal for Smith. The principal will hire the staff and get students and parents involved in school decisions, such as colors, a mascot and uniform policy.

Courtney Cairns Pastor

Road Extension Decision Due

CITRUS PARK - The Citrus Park Drive Extension debate continues.

In August, residents of Fawn Ridge went before the county commissioners to speak against the proposed alignment of the future east-west corridor.

The commission responded by asking the Department of Environmental Protection and the Southwest Florida Water Management District to re-examine the alignment to determine whether it can be moved south, farther from the Fawn Ridge neighborhood. Project manager Ben Kniesly said those two agencies are supposed to have responses this month. He said a new Web site, www.citrusparkdriveextension.com, will provide project information.

The proposed extension would be a four-lane road with 12-foot lanes, 4-foot bicycle lanes and 5-foot sidewalks in both directions running 2.8 miles from Countryway Boulevard to Sheldon Road. Part of the road would run along the southernmost edge of Fawn Ridge.

Angela Delgado

Keystone Readies For Fights

KEYSTONE - For residents of this community, 2008 will begin much the way 2007 ended: in a land battle, as their civic association prepares for a series of land-use hearings in the coming year.

Board members are particularly concerned with developer Stephen Dibbs' ambitions to exclude 305 acres from the Keystone-Odessa Community Plan.

"It's a never-ending cycle," said Keystone Civic Association board member Steve Morris, referring to efforts to stave off development. "If we go to sleep for a week, we lose too much ground."

The association will host an impromptu public meeting Thursday to discuss proposed changes to the county's land-use plan, which will be presented to county commissioners in a public hearing Jan. 14.

The association advises the county commissioners on changes to its long-term plans. Morris said residents need to show up to the meetings or risk allowing the commission to interpret their wishes. "They oddly never do a very good job of that," he said.

Stephen Hammill

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