TAMPA, Fla. — As city and county officials discuss possible development of a piece of property next to several Tampa cemeteries, some residents fear unmarked graves could be located on the property.
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Aileen Henderson is the founder of the Cemetery Society. She spoke on Monday night at a Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission meeting.
She has concerns about proposed development on a 1.34-acre site on North Boulevard near Woodlawn Cemetery and Showmen's Rest Cemetery in Tampa.
"This particular parcel, we believe there are human remains. We believe that because it is adjacent to the potter's field," she said.
The Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission voted to change the future land use on this site from Public/Semi-Public (P/SP) to Residential-3 (R-3).
The R-3 designation would allow a low-density residential development pattern and prohibit commercial uses.
According to county documents, testing conducted in 2021 stated it appears that graves are not present at the project site, but additional tests were suggested like test pits (hand dug or with a backhoe).
The veteran who bought the property said he plans to build a single-family home on the property.
He also said he paid for additional testing which discovered no identifiable evidence of human remains.
Tampa City Council is expected to vote on the proposed development on Sept. 24.
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