Tarpon Springs commissioners have signed off on a new 32-unit townhome community on Mango Street, giving a rare infill project the green light and putting a fresh spotlight on a long-discussed gap in the Disston Avenue roadway.
Commission Backs Mango Street Plan
In a unanimous vote, the commission approved a site plan for the townhomes and agreed to vacate 37,035 square feet of unimproved right of way in the Lake Butler Heights subdivision. That area includes portions of Stachelberg Avenue, Burke Street and an unnamed alley, clearing the land for the project, as reported by Tampa Bay Beacons.
The plan calls for 32 single-family attached townhomes spread across five buildings on the south side of Mango Street, about 96 feet east of Disston Avenue. It also includes a half-acre park, according to Tampa Bay Beacons.
Site Plan And Municipal Process
City records show the project is filed as Resolution 2026-23 (Application 24-34) on the Planning & Zoning agenda. The board reviewed the proposal in mid-June before forwarding it to the commission for final site plan approval.
The agenda listing and review trail indicate the application now moves into replatting and permitting, a standard step before the city can issue building permits.
Disston Avenue's Missing Link
The Mango Street project also revived a familiar planning question: whether to finally close the roughly quarter-mile gap between the northern and southern segments of Disston Avenue.
Planners have long viewed that missing link as a potential secondary evacuation route and a key connection to Belcher Road. The city received a $100,000 Forward Pinellas grant to develop a Disston Avenue Complete Streets Concept Plan, according to the Forward Pinellas grant application.
What Officials Said
City leaders cast the townhome project as a modest but meaningful way to add housing to a tight market.
Vice Mayor Michael Eisner told the commission that “the thing we need most in this town is affordable housing.” Commissioner Lori Weaver cautioned that current building costs make $300,000 homes unrealistic. Commissioner David Banther said the townhomes will likely be the most affordable new construction in Tarpon Springs, according to Tampa Bay Beacons.
Next Steps And Neighborhood Impacts
City staff reported that the applicant paid a $32,220 application fee, which amounted to half the appraised value of the vacated right of way. The city will retain the north 17.5 feet of Stachelberg Avenue next to Mango Street so that the corridor could be widened to 80 feet in the future if needed.
Developers must complete a replat before applying for building permits. After that, the city’s Development Review process will dictate construction timing and any required public improvements for the project.
