The Varrea Planned Development District once again stirred up intense community input Monday evening when residents voiced their opposition to a map amendment for the community.
The transmittal public hearing was held for Varrea after the upcoming development district asked city commissioners to transmit the map amendment to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity and other state and local agencies for their review and comment.
Varrea is a massive community that is planned for the other side of I-4 near the southwest corner of Charlie Taylor and East Knights Griffin roads. The applicant wants to expand its planned mixed-use activity center, hence the need for the map amendment.
If approved, the amendment would allow for the consideration of up to 480,035 square feet of neighborhood commercial/office uses or 917 dwelling units, or even a combination of the two. The designation for the land currently only allows the property to have up to 164,031 square feet of neighborhood commercial/office uses or 531 dwelling units or a combination.
Neighboring properties, however, see routine flooding and residents are concerned Varrea is not taking their warnings seriously.
Varrea has a complex past. It spans more than 1,000 ares of pasture land and originally got its approval in 2007. The plan for the district was modified in 2011 and neighboring residents braced for impact.
But nothing came.
It wasn’t until 2015 that the district picked up steam and it was announced Varrea would become a high-class neighborhood similar in style to Walden Lake and FishHawk. Residents with deep roots in the surrounding agriculture-based properties braced again.
The project stalled.
However, movement recently began again and residents see the same concerns they had in 2007 are still unaddressed. According to the neighbors, conservation of the natural rural ecosystems has always been a priority but the conversation took on a far more desperate tone in 2016. Flooding began to plague the area, according to several of the speakers including Travis Luttrell, a citizen who lives on Charlie Taylor Road.
Itchepackesassa Creek borders one side of the area and Varrea is on the other. The speakers said the roads flood constantly and that has been the cause of several car accidents and injuries. There is a pond on one of the properties that will fill and overflow in any heavy rain and the residents are concerned that a development originally slated to have approximate 2,000 homes will exacerbate the issue.
“We all agree that no one wants to destroy the country way of life when development begins,” Luttrell said. “Then we all shook hands and you promised to protect us using zoning restrictions. Specifically Residential 4, which reduces the height of buildings and the lot capacities. Now we were happy to read in your Imagine 2040 Comprehensive Plan that elected officials wanted to manage growth while reducing urban sprawl. Unfortunately, today you are being asked to break that promise. They want you to manage growth by shoving urban sprawl to the outskirts of Plant City, failing to recognize your rural constituents and their small businesses.”
The speakers agreed that they wish to see the development succeed, but the key lies in a compromise. The spokesman for Varrea reminded commissioners there are no in-depth plans at this phase of the process. The change cannot be done without SWFWMD and other crucial state agencies’ approval.
Mayor Rick Lott paused and reminded staff and the applicant it was obvious there were serious concerns. He said he wanted all citizens, whether they live in the city limits or not, to know they are Plant Citians and all are a crucial part of Plant City.
By SWFWMD law, the developer will not be able to put more water off the property than what is currently going off now. Whatever is draining currently, the drainage cannot increase.
The area in question is a pseudo no-man’s land as it is the outskirts of county and city management. The county has promised to clean out the creek in question, which will help with flow and overall eco-management. Lott promised those who spoke that the City of Plant City would call the county to ensure the creek was cleaned out, as he was under the impression that was already in the works or was supposed to have occurred. Commissioner Mike Sparkman echoed those concerns and said he heard from many residents that the issue was a serious concern. He said he understood the problem, but he also understood the rights of the developer.
Ultimately, the commissioners agreed to send the map amendment on to review by the other agencies. Then the amendment will come back before the commissioners for further discussion and a vote.