'Twas a dark and scarey night

cuz dey ain't no street lights in this town

There are two types of street lighting available to unincorporated Hillsborough County residents: Area lights, which are privately placed, owned, and paid for; and Street lights, placed on county property, maintained by the county, and paid for with your tax dollars.

To get an Area Light, call TECO, 813 635-1500, and schedule an appointment.

Caveats:

• Two year contract required
• Minimum charge of $10 per month, added to your electric bill
• Light must be placed on your private property, not on the easement/devil's strip/parkway
• A large truck (about the size of a dump truck) must be able to access the property.
  

To get a Street Light, work with the Hillsborough County Street Lighting Program, telephone 813 272-1551.

Caveats:

• Street Lighting must be done to the entire subdivision
• Petition required; a majority of homeowners must sign it. See website for details
• Your property taxes will increase by an unknown amount. A study must be done; number & type of street lights determined, etc. County could not provide a minimum or maximum dollar figure.
• In the February following petition signature, the street light request will go before a public hearing. If approved, "street lights could be installed the following year." (emphasis added) Or, presumably, they could not be installed the following year.
  

In short, if you feel the need for better lighting, start with TECO and see if an area light does the trick. If yes, fine. If not, start the street light petition process. By the time it goes through, your TECO contract will have expired.