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Ward Street Proposal Proves Divisive

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By MICHAEL H. SAMUELS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 24, 2007

BEACH PARK - The debate about whether to close Ward Street continues to boil.

Residents spent about an hour discussing the issue at the Beach Park Homeowners Association meeting last week and remained bitterly divided.

On Thursday, the city council plans to vote for the third time on the issue.

No side won a majority of the council's previous votes. The full seven-member council has yet to be present for a vote on the issue.

The council split its last vote Oct. 4. Council members John Dingfelder, Charlie Miranda and Joseph Caetano voted to close the road. Linda Saul-Sena, Tom Scott and Mary Mulhern voted to keep it open.

Council chairwoman Gwen Miller missed that vote. She previously voted to close the road.

Beach Park neighborhood President Emmy Purcell Reynolds said she has never seen the neighborhood so split on an issue.

Some neighbors want the road closed to cut down on cut-through traffic west of West Shore Boulevard. They especially fear that a proposed redevelopment project the road closure is tied to would add much more traffic.

Porter Development is planning to build a four-story building to replace the Brazzeals Goodyear Tire and Service with offices, restaurants, a fitness center and a top-floor grocery.

The developers proposed closing Ward, which is in the middle of the property, to appease the neighborhood.

'He had to convince his tenants to close Ward,' Reynolds said. 'It is going to hurt his business to cut off access.'

Other neighbors said closing Ward is an inconvenience to them because it limits their access out of the neighborhood. Ward is one of two streets open to Kennedy Boulevard west of West Shore. The neighborhood had the others closed to protect homes from the nearby commercial business district.

'The traffic generated going through the neighborhood, going to a Publix, is going to be unbelievable,' Reynolds said.

Resident Lucia Keenan said she's not even sure she wants a grocery store in the neighborhood. She said with Ward closed, it might take residents longer to drive through the neighborhood and onto West Shore or Kennedy to get to the store than it would to get to the existing grocery stores.

Resident Neil Armstrong proposed deeding the road to the developer but installing an electronic gate, which would give residents access but not cut-through traffic. 'It makes everybody happy,' he said.

The council will vote on the issue at 8:45 a.m. Thursday at City Hall, 315 E. Kennedy Blvd.

Reporter Michael H. Samuels can be reached at (813) 835-2109 or msamuels@tampa trib.com.

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