HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Residents in Seminole Heights are worried a construction project is setting a bad precedent for what the city will allow as more homes are being built.
Developers are building a cluster of homes on Paris Street, but there have been some city code issues that neighbors are questioning.
When developers started construction on one home, neighbors noticed how close the front of the house is to the street, a space of about 13 feet. But other homes are further back.
Neighbors don't like the idea that this would create a jagged line that doesn't fit in with the look of the neighborhood.
“Once they poured the foundation, me and my wife noticed that it was incredibly close to the curb and street," said Marcus Lienhard, who lives across the street. "That alarmed us because that's not what fits in with the neighborhood at all. So we reached out to the city back in May and raised the concern with them."
Aside from the look, Lienhard said it raises questions about the city code. Then a stop work order was put into place.
Now the developer is going through a design exception, which means they are asking for approval for a design that might not meet the requirements already in place.
If you do not live in the neighborhood, it might not directly impact you, but Lienhard worries if the design exception is approved, it will set a precedent for similar issues in the future.
“The problem is, when these things get passed, they set precedent, so any tear down next to you—your neighbor moves, they sell their house, tear it down," Lienhard said. "They can point to developments like this and say, 'Oh, we can do the same thing they did, and here’s the reason why because you allowed it in previous ones.'"
The topic is on the Tampa City Council agenda for Thursday, but when we reached out to councilors for an interview, they said the design exception would be considered during a quasi-judicial hearing. Due to that, councilors cannot comment ahead of time.
