Health & Fitness
How A Community and A County Commission Stopped a Developer
Pinellas County Commission refuses land use change and kills construction of luxury apartments in Safety Harbor because the residents and taxpayers don't want any more development
The residents of Safety Harbor, Florida opposed construction of a market rate residential apartment complex on open land in their community. After losing their fight to stop development up the chain at every level, the Pinellas County Commission, which had final say on whether to re-zone the land, cast their votes in accordance with the wishes of the community and refused to approve a land use change Wednesday night. The developer is giving up, pulling out of Safety Harbor, and putting the land back up for sale.
The developer of the now defunct Safety Harbor Apartments, Richman Brothers, is the same developer who wants to turn the wetlands and trees in Briarwood into market rate apartments, while kicking out the vulnerable long term residents and further snarling traffic at Ulmerton and Seminole Boulevard.
Wednesday's action by the County Commission in voting with the people of Safety Harbor may have implications for the Briarwood vote as well. What do you think? Is there still hope for Briarwood given the Safety Harbor vote?
