Temple Terrace has long prized its small-town feel — the parks and shaded trails, tight-knit neighborhoods and support for local businesses.
How to preserve that character while the city grows was the central question at a community open house June 30 at the Omar K. Lightfoot Center on North 56th Street.
The Temple Terrace Chamber of Commerce and Hillsborough City-County Planning Commission sought residents’ input on what they value about the city and what they would like to see change as it plans for the future.
“The meeting was to see what people love about Temple Terrace and what they would like to see in 20 years,” said Jason Gonzalez, project manager for the community engagement portion of division planning. “What we came up with was more ways for us to connect as a community.
“Some of the newer residents, and also some of the residents who don’t feel so tapped in with what’s going on in the community, expressed the idea of loving those moments when we get together. But they would also like to see how many organizations there are in Temple Terrace and how to get involved.”
The 25 organizations on hand included the chamber, the Garden Club, the Junior Woman’s Club, the League of Women Voters of Hillsborough and Pasco Counties, Democratic and Republican clubs, and several schools, churches and recreational groups.
“The idea is for people to get to know who is in the community and what they do and their purpose,” Gonzalez said.
Kim Granata-Clark, who has lived in Temple Terrace for five years, was attending such a community event for the first time.
“I want to hear what’s going on,” said Granata-Clark, 53. “These events are great because it makes the community stronger.”
Imagine 2050: Temple Terrace Comprehensive Plan
Residents have spent this year filling out a city survey on what they like and dislike about Temple Terrace. It closed July 7. Suggestions have included improving the city’s appearance and public safety, expanding access to mental health services, adding ways to get around by bike or without a car, and creating more green space.
Planning officials also walked attendees through Imagine 2050: Temple Terrace Comprehensive Plan and explained how the survey results will be used.
“The pamphlet discusses the Imagine 2040 update, which occurred in 2016. It discusses what’s currently adopted for the city of Temple Terrace,” said Diego Guerra, project manager for the Hillsborough River Interlocal Planning Board and Technical Advisory Council. “We are in the process of updating the vision, which will lead to the major update of the comprehensive plan — the 2050 plan.
“Once it’s adopted by the city council, we will create a pamphlet that mirrors the 2040 plan, but the content will change because of priorities for the city.”
Consultants will compile and analyze the results and present them to the planning commission, then to the county commission and to elected city officials in early fall. Officials would then vote on adopting the vision, the first step toward updating the comprehensive plan, Guerra said.
Clyde Sanadi, 74, has lived in Temple Terrace since 1999. He said he views the community through its Facebook bulletin board, because “that brings in people from all dimensions of Temple Terrace.
“It’s a nice town. It has the rec center. I didn’t even know there was that much for seniors, and I’m going to get involved with that.”
Sanadi did have one gripe.
“In the past we’ve subsidized a private country club (Temple Terrace Golf & Country Club), and I don’t like the idea,” he said. “That’s the only thing that I don’t like about Temple Terrace.”
Keeping that small-town feel may prove difficult. By 2050, the city is projected to have 34,483 residents — roughly 7,000 more than today.
“It has changed a lot over the years,” Sanadi said. “It used to be kind of old America, with the Little League fields and that type of thing. I don’t know how you can preserve the small-town feel of Temple Terrace when the speed limit on Fowler (Avenue) is 55 or 60 miles an hour and it’s four lanes.”