Plant City Observer
y Observer
YO UR HOMETOW N. YO UR NEWSPAP ER .
YOUR HOMETOWN. YOUR NEWSPAPER
VOLUME 6, NO. 142
. YO UR NEWS PAP ER . COMMISH ROUNDUP: STRING OF PUBLIC HEARINGS AHEAD
A series of public hearings regarding various map amendments throughout the community, as well as a modification to the Plant City Code, are on next week’s city commission meeting agenda.
FREE • THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 2021
BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
Next Monday night is sure to be a busy one as commissioners have stacked the agenda with a long line of public hearings. One issue scheduled for next week regards a proposed townhome development site at the southeast corner of East Sam Allen Road and North Wilder Road. The site is approximately 32.79 acres and, as a result of annexation, the land needs a future land use designation change to conform with the Imagine 2040: Plant City Comprehensive Plan. The applicant is requesting the land use be listed as Residential-9 in lieu of the current planned land use scenario of Residential-4.
The townhomes the applicant hopes to build on the site would have a primary access point via Sam Allen Road. The Master Plan does envision significant residential growth in the area and the city noted that the site is less than a quarter of a mile to the east of the proposed new home of South Florida Baptist Hospital. Because of the closeness to the hospital, city staff needed to reevaluate the planned residential densities in the area. If approved, the amendment would allow for the consideration of up to 295 dwelling units.
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CHAMBER BUILDING Courtesy of Karen Elizabeth
The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce is starting the process of moving to a new location downtown and putting its current home up for sale.
UP FOR BREANNE WILLIAMS STAFF WRITER
The Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce has long stood as a welcoming beacon on the corner of Evers and Reynolds streets. The two-story building, which is approximately 12,000 square feet, is a massive chunk of real estate and the chamber has mostly utilized only the bottom floor over the years. The upper rooms have been used as pseudostorage areas, though most remain empty. There’s been a recent shift at the chamber as it has continued to focus increasingly more on acting as a strong resource for businesses in the community. During the pandemic, the chamber stepped up to the plate and became a one-stop-shop where businesses could get the latest updates on
policies, regulations and funding. President Christine Miller said it was time for a change that externally reflected all of the evolution that has blossomed internally over the last several years. “We formed a committee several months ago that took the time to really look at all of our options,” Miller said. “It was time for a refresh and, really, it all came down to the fact that this space is just too large for this organization and its staff. It can be put to a better use by someone else and with the focus on Evers Street, well, I just have such a vision for who could potentially come in and make this space into something special.”
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