SEMINOLE HEIGHTS - A map outlining a progressive strategy for neighborhood redevelopment garnered strong support from residents at an April open house.

But it logged a few critical comments at another public meeting last week.

City planners are tweaking the map, based on those comments, before submitting it for the city council's review at a public workshop, possibly on July 24.

"This is community-driven," city senior planner Cathy Coyle said.

Michelle Crespi said she and other residents living near Henry and Ola Park want to preserve single-family homes, many of which are being rehabilitated by their owners. The map could open the way for apartments or town houses.

"We're particularly unhappy about that because it is across from the park," Crespi said.

She was happy when Coyle said the map would be changed to meet residents' concerns. But Crespi said she plans to canvass her neighborhood before the workshop.

"There's still going to be a lot of issues," she said.

The map is the result of meetings in which residents and property and business owners worked with city planners to create a redevelopment vision for three neighborhoods: South, Southeast and Old Seminole Heights. Open house invitations were mailed to more than 9,000 addresses.

Four maps, including one that left Seminole Heights as is, were presented. Of the 139 people who gave an opinion, 95 liked the more progressive map that fostered a greater blend of shops, residences and public spaces. It reduced the overall number of single-family homes to about 61 percent; other maps were in the 70 percent range.

Four people liked none of the maps, and 13 preferred the status quo. Four liked a map with minor adjustments to allow more apartments or town homes, and 23 wanted a map that created different lot sizes for single-family homes.

The city launched the two-year pilot project in February to learn what residents and property owners want for their neighborhood and then create regulations, known as form-based zoning codes, to make their vision happen over the next 10, 20 or 50 years.

Generally, form-based codes focus on the size and appearance of buildings, as well as the layout of streets and public spaces. The intent is to create more mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods.

Traditional zoning generally separates areas based on land use and decisions of public safety and health, placing shops, homes and factories in different districts.

Bruce Gibson said Seminole Heights is held back because of underused commercial properties. But he worries that the proposed map wouldn't solve the problem and could make things worse. He also wonders how much population growth is needed to support new businesses.

"I'm not convinced we're going to get boutiques, coffee and tea shops," said Gibson, of Old Seminole Heights.

Ann Hipson raised concerns about creating a category, called office/live-work, for home-based offices along portions of Central Avenue.

She had no problem with existing offices or shops on Central and Hanna avenues.

"That adds to the charm of Central Avenue," said Hipson, who lives on Central. "But I think if you see that from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard all the way to Hanna, you're going to lose the charm of one of the prettiest streets in Tampa."

Gibson agreed, saying "I'm skeptical of it because I don't see anything wrong with how it is. I don't see a problem that needs to be addressed by change."

At one of the planning workshops, residents proposed a village center along Nebraska Avenue, near the Publix grocery store and Lake Roberta.

"I love the concept of it, but I don't see how we can pull it off," said Eric Holsinger, who lives on Suwanee Avenue. "It seems like it would be easier if it went on one of the established commercial corridors."

Susan Long, president of the Old Seminole Heights Neighborhood Association, said she saw potential conflicts between a village center developer and the community's desire for more public green space.

Questions also were asked as to why additional commercial is desired near homes at 15th Street and Hanna.

"Some people in the area wanted smaller shops to walk to," Coyle said.

Some tweaks to the map were made before the June 11 meeting in response to residents or neighborhood groups, and Coyle said more will be made.

Another public workshop will be scheduled in September before a final plan goes to the council for a vote in December. If approved, city planners would begin writing codes to submit to the council and Hillsborough Planning Commission for approval in 2009.

For information or to comment, call the city's land development office at (813) 274-8405 or go online to www .tampagov.net.

Reporter Kathy Steele can be reached at (813) 259-7652 or ksteele@tampatrib.com.