A new Planned Development (PD) application RZ-PD 26-0974 has been submitted to allow construction of a gas station and convenience store at 14702 Bellamy Road and 5911 Ehrlich Road.

More than 700 residents signed our previous petition opposing the original rezoning application. Although that application was withdrawn, the developer has now submitted a revised proposal. While some engineering changes have been made—including right-in/right-out driveways, roadway modifications, reduced wetland impacts, and updated landscaping—the fundamental concerns that brought our community together remain.  This proposal is still the wrong development in the wrong location.

Why We Oppose This Planned Development

🚦 Traffic & Public Safety

• The proposed gas station would generate substantial daily traffic, including fuel delivery trucks, at an already busy intersection.
• The application still requests a driveway-spacing exception, and Bellamy Road's existing design continues to raise concerns about safe access for residents, pedestrians, cyclists, school traffic, and emergency responders.
• The proposed roadway changes do not eliminate the long-term traffic and safety impacts of this high-intensity commercial use.

🏡 Protect Our Neighborhood

• A gas station and convenience store are not compatible with the established residential character of the Bellamy Road community.
• Increased lighting, noise, traffic, and around-the-clock commercial activity would permanently change the character of our neighborhood.
• The site is immediately adjacent to homes, a church, and an academy that deserve a safe and peaceful environment.

🌿 Preserve Our Natural Resources

• Although the revised plan reduces some wetland impacts, important environmental concerns remain.
• Development on this site continues to raise questions about wetlands, stormwater management, drainage, water quality, and flooding.
• Once these natural resources are lost, they cannot be replaced.

📍 Choose Development That Fits Our Community

• We support responsible growth—but it must be appropriate for its location.
• This Planned Development is inconsistent with the surrounding residential community and relies on development exceptions that should not be granted.
• Hillsborough County can encourage economic growth while protecting neighborhoods by directing this type of high-intensity commercial development to more appropriate locations.

Our Message to the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners

We respectfully ask the Board to DENY this Planned Development application.

This petition is not opposition to responsible growth or new investment. It is a request that development be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood, protect public safety and environmental resources, and preserve the quality of life that makes the Bellamy Road community a wonderful place to live, worship, learn, and raise a family.

Please sign this petition and share it with your friends, neighbors, and community members. Every signature sends a clear message that the Bellamy Road community remains united in protecting our neighborhood.