Public Meeting March 13 To Discuss Relocating Brandon Library

BRANDON, FL -- Parking has long been an issue at the Brandon Regional Library. But now the county has a plan to alleviate that problem -- move the library.

The county has scheduled a public meeting for Wednesday, March 13 at 6 p.m. to get input on a site for a larger regional library in Brandon with plenty of parking. It is eyeing a 5.8-acre wooded site at the northwest corner of Lumsden Road and Parsons Avenue for the library's new home.

The property has long been for sale to be developed for medical offices.

Built in 1991, the current library at 619 Vonderburg Drive shares a building with the nonprofit Center Place Fine Arts and Civic Association, both of which have outgrown their spaces.

In addition to the limited parking problem, Steve Valdez, customer engagement division director for the county, said there is no way to reconfigure the existing 25,000-square-foot library to offer the services needed by the community including technology and meeting spaces.

So the Hillsborough County Commission has approved using $3.5 million from the Library Tax District Special Revenue Fund to relocate the library. The proposed site is a half mile from the current library. If residents approve, the county hopes to close on the new property by October.

County staff will be at the meeting to discuss the proposed site and answer questions from residents.

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