Since there have been neighborhoods and developers, there have been conflicts and compromises when it comes to new projects. It comes with the territory of developers dealing with municipal governments and their politics and their codes as well as civic associations and, around here, Community Development Corporations.
Developers, understandably, want to max out on their investment, whether it’s higher, wider or pricier. Neighborhoods, of course, want the right fit. Proportion counts, as does infrastructure impact. In the end, enlightened self interest should carry the day.
Tampa’s developer-neighborhood nexus, however, has a quirky CDC component. City Council gave two of them, in East Tampa and West Tampa, special status. They’re de facto development-review players with some leverage. That can lead to the perception of quid pro quo scenarios and accusations of “side deals” or worse — extortion concessions.
Hence, City Council’s recent move to give all registered neighborhood groups the same status.
Predictably enough, the West Tampa CDC, in the cross-hairs of community/developer scrutiny over affordable housing and rehab programs, objected. The board chairwoman, Margaret Fisher, said her group holds no influence with developers, which seemed an overly modest stretch. Fellow board member Joe Robinson, however, nailed it. “This is a racial issue to take us out,” he said.
The irony was palpable.
In striving to make all registered neighborhood groups equally accountable, City Council had made them all equal in standing. Imagine that as a racial issue. Moreover, there’s the matter of the city and groups such as the WTCDC being in compliance with Florida’s open government law.
That’s as black and white as you can get – but not racial.