NEW TAMPA, Fla. — Hillsborough County commissioners are set to vote again on whether to rezone the Pebble Creek Golf Course for residential development, with the vote scheduled for June 9.
The debate over the property has dragged on for years, pitting neighbors who want the land to remain a golf course against developer GL Homes, which wants to build homes there.
Watch report from Annette Gutierrez
Last July, Tampa Bay 28 reporter Annette Gutierrez told you when Hillsborough County won a court battle to deny the rezoning. But during a hearing in April, commissioners agreed to take up the issue again. Then in mid-May, developers met with neighbors to share their proposal.
Skye Rodgers, a Pebble Creek resident of more than 30 years, reached out to Tampa Bay 28 with concerns about what comes next. In an email, she said:
"It was a dog and pony show. No one had any real answers. I don't understand how this happened. The commissioners voted against rezoning and now they are voting again but this time we have no say."
Gutierrez met with Rodgers today, where she said, "I just really hope that the county commissioner is taking into account the things that have changed over the last 3 years."
Rodgers said the community is essentially back at square one.
"It looks like they're just basically doing a redo, and saying at the same time that everything else is exactly the same. So in the last 3 years, clearly much has changed in New Tampa, and, and so I think there are many more concerns that need to be revisited again," Rodgers said.
Leslie Green founded "Save Pebble Creek" and has rallied nearly 400 people who oppose the rezoning.
"All of the yellow homes are homes that I've reached out to that have given me opposition declaration forms," Green said.
Green is calling for the case to be reopened to allow more research, especially regarding concerns about infrastructure and soil contamination.
"There's two commissioners on the board now that were not on the board back at the original case, which was 2023," Green said. "We don't feel that the soil surveys and studies are complete... they're going to be digging up arsenic, and that scares me."
GL Homes sent a statement saying they are grateful for the opportunity to keep moving forward.
"With the circuit court’s ruling in our favor, GL Homes has continued community engagement efforts. Those efforts have resulted in an increase in support, as residents continue to experience the impacts of living adjacent to a shuttered golf course with an uncertain future. We are grateful for the Board of County Commissioners' vote in April allowing us to continue moving forward."
Gutierrez also sent emails to every Hillsborough County commissioner to gauge their thoughts. One of them said they cannot comment outside of a public hearing.
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