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Council approves land use for St. Pete College expansion
By THOMAS MICHALSKI
Article published on Friday, Aug. 4, 2006 |
PINELLAS PARK – The City Council at its July 27 meeting approved a series of conditional land use proposals that paves the way for St. Petersburg College’s new orthotics and prosthetics education center.
The two-story, 27,000-square-foot addition will be attached to the college’s present Carruth Health Education Center at Park Boulevard and 66th Street.
Susan M. Reiter, director of facilities planning and institutional services, said the facility will offer a bachelor’s of applied science degree in orthotics and prosthetics.
“Many soldiers are returning home from the war in Iraq with missing limbs,” Reiter said. “We want to provide assistance to help them.”
The measures allow for changing land use for certain tracts from residential medium and residential urban to institutional. A heavy commercial and mobile home district also was changed to public district.
Groundbreaking for the new facility was held several months ago. Reiter estimated that the building will be completed and ready for students by the fall of 2007.
The council also approved an ordinance that changes employees’ pension plan by creating two levels of benefits that will mean additional money at the time of retirement.
The new plan, to become effective Oct. 1, creates a contributory and noncontributory plan for the city’s 326 employees.
The amended pension program does not include police and firefighters who are covered under separate retirement benefits.
The new plan allows workers to voluntarily pay more money through payroll deductions into the system. New employees hired after Oct. 1, however, will have no choice but to participate in the program.
Russ Matthews, president of AFSCME Local 762, said the union endorses the changes.
In other matters, the council approved plans to expand Automotive Fleet Enterprises, an automobile wholesale center at 78th Street and 78th Avenue. The property will be used for storing vehicles and building a 16,800-square-foot structure.
The council approved a bid to pay Universal Signs & Accessories of Fort Pierce $70,472 for the Park Boulevard beautification plan that involves decorative signs and accessories for the area’s redevelopment district.
The city’s share of the costs will be $17,618.
Two annexations for a 4.51-acre tract at 12200 66th St. and another 7.7 acres at 74th and 75th streets near 70th Avenue were approved.
A voluntary annexation for 1.14 acres of land at 102nd Avenue and 66th Street also was approved. The owners, Irven and Patricia Albright, plan to construct a 15,300-square-foot warehouse/office building and one 3,200-square-foot caretaker residence.
Two proposed annexations at 6002 105th Terrace and another at 102nd Avenue and 66th Street were introduced on first reading.
The council also reappointed Bonnie Lewis-Brydges, Peggy Kunda and Raymond Long to the planning and zoning commission.
Also approved was the installation of three speed bumps on 84th Avenue between 46th Street and U.S. 19.
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Article published on Friday, Aug. 4, 2006
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