Big-Box Opponents Demand Written Answers From all 7 Commissioners

The letter is in the mail, for each of the seven Hillsborough County Commissioners, with a separate letter for Commissioner Al Higginbotham, who represents the community in which Bloomingdale, Brandon and Valrico residents are up in arms over a proposed development off Bloomingdale Avenue.

The letters request written answers to a series of questions residents asked at the June 10 meeting with Higginbotham, concerning the proposed big-box retail and apartment complex development of some 44 acres just west of the Lithia-Pinecrest Road and Bloomingdale Avenue intersection.

• See 16 Questions Asked by Bloomingdale Big-Box Opponents

Residents stood before the commissioner at the packed multipurpose room at the Brandon Community Center on Sadie Street, where they read both the questions and supporting details researched by members of CAN-DO, the community group under whose auspices the two-month protest has been waged.

• See Packed Big-Box Meeting Puts Commissioner in the Hot Seat
• See
• See Higginbotham Vows To Hear All Big-Box Questions Tonight (June 10)

At the meeting, Higginbotham announced that he had an 8 a.m. June 11 meeting with David Singer, the attorney for the developer, Redstone Properties. The certified letter he was sent asks that he give residents an update on that meeting.

His letter, and the other letters — to commissioners Ken Hagan, Mark Sharpe, Kevin Beckner, Victor Crist, Sandra Murman and Les Miller — were sent by certified mail June 13, according to Dan Grant and Fred Brown, members of the steering committee for the Coordinated Active Neighborhoods Development Organization (CAN-DO).

"We want to make sure that Commissioner Higginbotham, and all the commissioners, answer the questions we asked at the [June 10] meeting," Grant said. "He [Higginbotham] was taking copious notes and we want to see what he answers. And it is for all the commissioners, because you can't approve a development like this with just one commissioner's vote."

Enclosed with the certified letters is a copy of the nine-page document residents read from at the June 10 meeting, including background material, text from pertinent BOCC meetings and the 16 questions residents want answered. The document was distributed at the meeting, for resident signatures, but not in an organized fashion. Still, the document drew 222 signatures, to which residents noted their addresses as well.

"It is our effort to continue to put pressure on the commissioner, the [county] attorney, the developer and the bank that owns the property, or whoever owns the property," Brown said.

While CAN-DO organizers were "slightly encouraged" by the commissioners' 6-1 vote June 11, at a land-use hearing, to look into invoking a rarely used zoning option to delay approval of a plan, it hasn't lessened their resolve to keep the pressue on.

• See Big-Box Opponents 'Slightly Encouraged' Vow To Stay Focused
• See Commission Seeks Way to Hold Big-Box Developer 'To the Fire'

"We're not taking that off the table, that we will consider taking legal action if necessary," Brown said. "They're so concerned about the developer suing them. They should be worried as much or more about us out here, with this proposed project they're trying to ram down our throats, filing a citizens' lawsuit. We will get it done if if comes to that."

In the certified letter sent to commissioners, CAN-DO asks "that our concerns and questions be answered by the BOCC and county staff in writing." Also, that CAN-DO "be informed in advance of all meetings regarding this project and the [land use code] text amendment, including, but not limited to, BOCC meetings addressing this issue or the text amendment, county staff meetings regarding this issue or the text amendment, and any meeting with Redstone [Properties] or their attorney, Mr. Singer."

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• Bloomingdale Big-Box Meeting at Brandon Recreation Center Tonight (June 10)

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