Keystone residents protest affordable housing project plans: 'Not my backyard'

KEYSTONE, Fla. - Community members in Keystone are coming out against plans for a new development they say will cause more traffic and overcrowding issues in the area. It’s part of Governor Ron DeSantis’ Live Local Act to push for more affordable housing across the state, but Hillsborough County residents say it will badly impact their community.

The plans are for a four-story apartment building with more than 330 units off Van Dyke Road and Tobacco Road.

"In layman’s terms [the law] says you can build affordable housing even if it is in an area that would normally not allow apartments," said Melissa Nordbeck, District 2 County Commission candidate. "The biggest concern is that it doesn’t belong here, any Live Local project. If you’re not able to use your own zoning laws to protect your community, it’s a bad law. Secondly, traffic, and we just fought with the school board to not have their kids rezoned last year."

Residents are concerned the overcrowding will be most obvious in their schools. We spoke with one teacher about this.

"As it is, we’ve already tried to rezone and the overcrowding in the schools is crazy and it just compounds the problem even with more cars coming to schools and severe lack of teachers right now," said Karen Potter, Hillsborough County school teacher.

Some retired residents were just concerned that their "rural paradise" was being overrun.

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"If you look at the area, there’s nothing four stories here for miles and miles around," said Stone Davis, Keystone resident. "It just doesn’t fit here. It probably sounds like ‘not my backyard,’ and it is a little bit, but they could do something really nice here."

Hillsborough County Commissioner Ken Hagan sent FOX13 a statement on this Van Dyke development:

"The live local act was poorly executed and has many unintended consequences.  Unfortunately, the law prevents the public and elected officials from participating in the typical land use/zoning approval process.  This has created confusion and fear on the potential negative impact on neighborhoods, schools, and traffic. I feel very strongly that the Van Dyke Road parcel in Keystone should not qualify or be allowed to be developed under this legislation … as a result, I am thoroughly reviewing all legal, operational, and permitting options that exist to prevent this property from qualifying under the LLA."

Hagan also said this project is in its earliest stage. It still needs an application and a site plan phase.

Neighbors don’t want it to get that far.

"This is a good-intentioned bill, but so often good intentions end up with poor results," said Jeff Long, a Keystone resident.

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"We elected people locally, we get in front of these issues not be reactive. We need a solution to handle this," said Nordbeck. 

Nordbeck is running against sitting commissioner Ken Hagan and she says this project is one of her biggest issues.

When Gov. DeSantis signed the original legislation, he said in part:

"This legislation provides record support for Florida’s workforce and their families to help them live where they work, while also providing historic support for our military communities and the families living near military bases."

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