Panel
passes 2 energy plans
By Jim Ash
FLORIDA CAPITAL BUREAU CHIEF
The
future of
Sen.
Mike Bennett, R-Bradenton, wants to create a quasi-public corporation
that would dole out millions of dollars in grants and tax incentives,
largely to promote the use of alternative fuels, including bio-diesel
and hydrogen.
''I'm
consolidating the essentially splintered effort to develop a state
energy policy,'' Bennett said.
The
measure (SB 996) calls for utility companies to generate half of all new
power they create from ''renewable sources'' by 2015, an aggressive goal
that industry says can't be met.
Bennett's
plan would make it easier to get there by defining nuclear power and
so-called ''clean-burning'' coal as renewable energy.
Environmentalists
were fuming.
''We
can't express strongly enough how much this troubles us,'' said Holly
Binns, field director for the anti-global-warming group, Environment
Florida.
Sen.
Paula Dockery, R-Lakeland, was wary about giving control of such a
massive program to a corporate entity, an idea that surfaced late in the
legislative session.
''It
seems like a very, very powerful committee that is not elected,''
Dockery said. ''Privatizing something so large so quickly is usually
problematic.''
In
an unusual move, the Senate Committee on Environmental Preservation and
Conservation also passed a competing measure by Sen. Lee Constantine,
R-Altamonte Springs, who has led a two-year effort to create a state
energy plan.
It
also would give an average of $900 in tax incentives for consumers who
buy alternative fuel or hybrid cars.
''I
feel very uncomfortable with throwing out a number without talking to a
lot of people,''
Both
plans will have to be reconciled with a similar House proposal (HB 7123)
that makes its last committee stop next week before going to the floor.
Bennett's bill has no House companion.
Meeting
at the same time, the Senate Communications and Public Utilities
Committee also approved a plan to create a ''Climate Action Partnership,
Global Warming'' commission that would study the problem and recommend
ways lawmakers can prepare
The
Senate plans appeared on the same day that Environment Florida released
its analysis of a federal study that shows
The
report also shows that
''We
think of
By
KEVIN BEGOS The
Published:
Apr 13, 2007
From
1990 through 2004,
The
report, issued by Environment Florida, suggests major reductions could
be achieved here using existing technology.
In
one sense,
One,
from Sen. Michael Bennett, would provide $55 million in grants for
renewable energy research and also increase existing biodiesel tax
credits.
"We've
worked with the governor's office on a regular basis. They're much in
favor of the bill," said Bennett, R-Bradenton.
The
corporate tax credit for biodiesel would go from $6.5 million to $13
million, and wholesale distributors also would have to offer the clean
fuel to marinas.
Environmental
groups praised the bill, but with some cautions.
"We
have serious concerns about some of the provisions" in Bennett's
bill, said Holly Binns, field director for Environment Florida. She
mentioned sections that allow nuclear and certain types of coal-fired
plants to qualify as clean energy.
A
bill from Sen. Burt Saunders, R-Naples, provides $500,000 to create the
Florida Climate Action Partnership. It would be a high-level group
formed around the governor to direct the discussion on how climate
change may have an effect on the state.
The
25-member group would include the Senate president and House speaker,
Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink and Agriculture Commissioner Charles
Bronson.
Saunders
said "it's about time" for
"The
good news is we have two senators who are extremely committed to putting
The
Environment Florida report also found that vehicle miles traveled in
WHAT'S
NEXT
Senate
Bill 2446 passed the Communications and Public Utilities committee by
unanimous vote Thursday. It still faces a hearing in the General
Government Appropriations Committee. Senate Bill 996 passed the
Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee by unanimous vote
Thursday. It still faces hearings in Finance and Tax and General
Government Appropriations.
Sponsors
S.B.
2446:
Sen. Burt Saunders, R-Naples; saunders.burt.web@flsenate.gov"
target=_blanksaunders.burt.web@flsenate.gov,
(850) 487-5124
S.B.
996:
Sen. Michael Bennett, R-Bradenton; bennett.mike.web@flsenate.gov"
target=_blankbennett.mike.web@flsenate.gov,
(850) 487-5078
Track
Bills
Reporter
Kevin Begos can be reached at (850) 222-8382.
Sides
in $300 million land deal head to arbitration
Friday,
April 13, 2007
And
one of the key individuals who made the deal possible - convicted former
County Commissioner Tony Masilotti - might have to testify in the
dispute.
Neither
mega-home builder Lennar Homes nor rock mining operator Palm Beach
Aggregates would comment about the matter. But both have a pending case
set to go before an arbitration board, a process that is more expedient
and secretive than a civil court proceeding.
Palm
Beach Aggregates' claims against the home builder are unclear. Lennar
Homes, however, is seeking reams of paper in its defense relating to the
series of once-secret land deals that netted the former commissioner and
his brother, Paul Masilotti, a $7.7 million land parcel in
One
of the eight individuals or entities to receive Lennar Homes' subpoenas
was the
"We're
not a party to whatever is going on, so we're not aware what it's
about," Village Manager Charlie Lynn said Wednesday. "We will
comply with whatever we're requested to do."
On
Tuesday, Lennar Homes requested Paul Masilotti's personnel file and any
documents regarding his employment with the village. Masilotti resigned
from the village in November, just as his bosses were preparing to fire
him for not disclosing his financial ties to the Aggregates deal and
other conflicts of interest.
On
Wednesday, Palm Beach Aggregates sent a letter to the village, along
with others who had received the subpoenas, urging them not to comply
with Lennar Homes' request.
"The
subpoenas for deposition ... are improper and premature," wrote
Louis Mrachek, an attorney for the company, citing arbitration
procedures.
The
subpoenas also sought information from the following individuals:
•
Lawyer-lobbyist William R. Boose III, who was charged in November with
helping Tony Masilotti hide his profit from a government land deal in
The
single charge against him was part of a plea agreement that fell apart.
The charge was withdrawn in January after Boose pleaded not guilty. The
government is expected to file a new case against Boose and is likely to
take him to trial on tougher charges.
•
The representative of
•
Palm Beach Aggregates attorney John B. McCracken, who registered Micco
Eastern in 2004 and later became its manager. The company purchased 305
acres in
•
Royal Palm Beach attorney Robert A. D'Angio Jr., who later became the
manager of Micco Eastern. D'Angio also was the private attorney of Paul
Masilotti.
•
Paul Masilotti, who paid the taxes on the
•
Tony Masilotti, who pushed for the rezoning of the Palm Beach Aggregates
property to allow the construction of 2,000 homes, thus increasing the
value of the property without disclosing his financial ties to the
project. He pleaded guilty in January to a single crime, honest services
fraud.
The
connection between the Masilotti deals and the Palm Beach Aggregates-Lennar
Homes dispute was unclear Wednesday.
Boca
Raton attorney Steven D. Rubin, the real-estate law committee chairman
for the Palm Beach County Bar Association, said behind-the-scenes land
transactions could be a justification for the home builder to modify or
abandon its contract if, for instance, it was unaware of the secret
deals.
"That's
a cause of action through either negligent misrepresentation or
intentional misrepresentation, and intentional misrepresentation -
another word for that is fraud," Rubin said.
But
problems with the deal could predate the Masilotti revelations late last
year.
"It
was my understanding that deal was in trouble as far back as Scripps
moving away from the
In
January 2006, Lennar Homes announced it was backing out of deal to buy
4,700 acres west of
Also
in January 2006, the home builder filed an appeal against Jupiter, after
the town blocked the national home builder from nearly tripling the size
of its upscale Jupiter Isles development.
"They
had a whole lot of bad things going bad at the same time,"
Schofield said.
Preservationists
miffed over surprise paving of mule hoofprints
By
BOB KOSLOW
Staff Writer
Several
mule or horseshoe tracks embedded in the concrete roadway near
"This
is something unique to the history of
According
to Blue, the concrete roads were poured in the center of town between
1926 and 1928 when Town Hall was built. Mules and horses pulled the
wagons filled with stone and cement that were used to make the concrete.
On occasion, the animals crossed over newly poured areas before they set
and left shoe imprints.
Animal
shoeprints are still visible on
About
10 years ago, residents successfully fought off the proposed paving of
There
was no warning or fight this time.
"I
would have liked to have been told before this happened," said
Gerald Morin, chairman of the city's historical preservation board.
"But I'm not sure what we could have done anyway. We are an
advisory board and have no powers."
City
Manager John McCue said the road is in terrible condition and has been
slated for resurfacing for at least two years. The resurfacing of
"The
need to improve the transportation network in the city outweighs
asphalting over the mule prints," McCue said.
Resident
Cal Depew, 60, disagrees.
"I
remember learning to drive on all these concrete roads. I hate to see
them covered up. There's nothing wrong with them," he said.
Two
parks, the Dickinson Memorial Library, and several historical homes line
the newly paved roadway. City officials have talked about creating a
walking and biking corridor along the road between the city's government
buildings on the north end and the parks. The city two years ago erected
decorative street lamps along
"My
first reaction is what's wrong with the road," Morin said. "I
don't like to see the concrete road capped and the prints covered. But,
weighing the pros and cons, it's a necessary evil considering what the
city is trying to do."
Putting
asphalt on top of concrete is not ideal, said Roger Schmitt, regional
director of research and materials for the Florida Department of
Transportation.
"What
will happen is that every place there is a crack in the concrete, there
will be a reflective crack in the asphalt. That will happen in about a
year and the asphalt will be as rough as the concrete road was," he
said.
Crisis
Situation
By
Douglas Carman of
Published:
April 13, 2007
Istokpoga's
water has been going downstream from the lake into a canal system
dumping into
This
is a normal event during the month of April, as the South Florida Water
Management District prepares the lake for the rainy season. But ahead of
the proposal to lower Istokpoga's levels well below its legal limit, the
routine maintenance opened the floodgates for panicked residents,
alleging that SFWMD is acting on the proposal right now.
One
e-mail sent to Highlands Today complained the water dropped more than
four inches the past week, citing the canal's opening. Seven or eight
callers reached SFWMD spokeswoman Missie Barletto to express concerns
about everything ranging from sea wall conditions to property values.
However,
Barletto emphasized that the current drop is routine and is not part of
the diversion plan, still awaiting approval from the U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers.
"When
they look at the structure, it opens from the bottom rather than from
the top, (and) there's a leakage from the bottom of the head,"
Barletto said, adding that it "makes it look as if we've got those
gates really ripping through."
A
Drop in the Bucket
Despite
the rain this week, neither SFWMD nor Erin McCarta, assistant lake
manager with the Highlands County Soil and Conservation District, said
it would make a difference for Istokpoga or any other large lake.
While
it could help lawns and vegetation, Istokpoga's level will not likely go
up without a discharge from Arbuckle Creek, and it would take a few days
before that effect is realized, McCarta said.
Meanwhile,
Carol Ann Wehle, executive director for SFWMD, spoke in dire terms about
the need to tap Istokpoga as a drinking water supply during a press
conference in
"The
need of drinking water must take precedent over the need for
habitat," Wehle said. "This is a very tough and a very painful
decision we have to make."
As
a part of the new restriction, the water would first have to go to the
Brighton Seminole Indian Reserve. SFWMD will figure the percentage of
the water to be given elsewhere later on.
Because
of a law in
By
ANTHONY CORMIER
anthony.cormier@heraldtribune.com
But critics have a different view of
And political opponents of Mayor Wayne Poston are positioning themselves
to use it as an issue during his re-election campaign this year.
On Wednesday, the City Council approved a contract to sell the land to
Neal for $3.2 million, about $1 million less than its appraised value.
The deal opens the door for new homes near a reservoir that is the main
source of
Councilwoman Marianne Barnebey, who said she is considering a run for
mayor, voted against the deal. Barnebey said she was uncomfortable
getting rid of land so close to the city's source of drinking water.
In addition to environmental concerns, which some worry could lead to
tainted water and the destruction of wetlands, there remain questions
about the contract's peculiar financing. While Neal saves $1 million, he
will partner with
Officials say the "unique" contract could boost the city's
take to $5 million. But critics -- primarily former Mayor Bill Evers and
the environmental group ManaSota-88 -- want to know why
"I'd never sell it," Evers, a mayoral candidate, said
Wednesday afternoon. "But if you had to, why not let others in on
it? How do we know Pat Neal is giving them the fair price?"
The plan was hatched last May, when Neal's firm started carrying clay
fill from the area in an unrelated project. At some point, the developer
asked if the 64 acres -- bought in the mid-1990s as a buffer for the
reservoir and treatment plant -- were for sale.
The city wasn't actively looking for a buyer, City Clerk Carl Callahan
said, but was open to negotiations.
Callahan and Neal negotiated for months and worked out the creative
financing plan. Callahan admitted that the proposal was a unique
relationship for a city and a developer, but insisted that Neal was not
given a favorable price.
"This is not a sweetheart deal," Callahan said. "This is
a fair market transaction."
But even some in the city acknowledged that becoming partners with a
developer is an unsavory proposition. In fact, Neal doesn't even know if
he can get the houses built. He must go through a long review process
with
"We're relying on the greed of all developers to maximize the
number of units," said Councilman James Golden.
For his part, Neal -- a former state senator who is one of the biggest
developers in Southwest Florida -- said he is giving
He also brushed aside environmental concerns, positing that 11 acres of
wetlands will screen out chemicals and other waste that could otherwise
be carried into the nearby reservoir. What's more, City Council members
-- including many of those who have received money from Neal during
prior campaigns -- called Neal a "developer with a great
environmental record."
Rainwater from the area is carried down a small knoll through the
wetlands, which act as a natural filter for sediment and contaminants as
the water feeds the lake. The water from the lake -- known as Evers
Reservoir, after the former mayor -- is then treated at a city facility
and sent by pipelines to faucets, showers and fountains throughout
Bradenton.
"The important thing to remember," Neal said, "is that
(the land) is not going away but is going to be done the right
way."
Water
limits begin as fear of crisis builds
Water
limits begin as fear of crisis builds
Friday,
April 13, 2007
Regional
managers tightened
Starting
today, people from Tequesta to
The
Glades will remain under the two-day-a-week limits that began there last
month.
Residents
will notice more dry canals and ponds, and a drop in water pressure in
the shower. The harshest cuts will hit growers around
In
addition, the South Florida Water Management District began moving
toward year-round restrictions that would take effect after the drought
ends.
Far
worse may lie ahead, water managers said, warning that the drought could
persist through 2008 if this summer doesn't bring an abundance of rain.
Without
conservation, ecologically devastating wildfires could wipe out
centuries of peat in the
"We're
talking about your drinking system going dry," Craig Fugate, the
state's top emergency manager, said during a news conference at the
district's headquarters near
Fugate
is best known for dealing with hurricanes, and his presence added to an
air of crisis at Thursday's district board meeting.
"It's
not a hurricane," he said. "But a drought can be just as
devastating economically."
Growers
around the lake already are finding hints of crop damage to rival the
drought of 2000-01, when the sugar, citrus and vegetable industries
reported as much as $120 million in losses, board member Malcolm
"Bubba" Wade said.
"Every
farmer out there is believing that this one looks, smells, tastes and
acts a lot worse than the one in 2001," said Wade, a senior vice
president of U.S. Sugar Corp. in Clewiston.
Some
residential wells in Jupiter are showing signs of drying, said board
member Lennart Lindahl, a Tequesta engineer. And scientists expect a big
drop in wading birds' nesting as their habitat dries, Executive Director
Carol Wehle said.
Separately,
the U.S. Geological Survey announced Thursday that monitoring wells
throughout
The
board took Thursday's actions in a series of 9-0 votes during a morning
of drizzling rain.
Although
this week's rain was welcome, water managers said it did little to ease
the parched conditions that have struck the region since last year.
Wehle dramatized the concept in front of television news cameras by
dumping a teacup of water into a big blue bucket - helpfully labeled
"Drop in the Bucket."
Wehle
said this drought is the first time on record that the district's entire
territory has been dry at once, from the Kissimmee River and Lake
Okeechobee through the
Instead,
saving the coast's drinking water means conserving its current supplies
and hoping for rain. The district also is seeking federal permission to
draw water from the
Besides
the restrictions, the district's staff announced what amounts to a
moratorium on new water permits. The district will continue approving
the permits, but using the new water will have to wait until the drought
is over.
On
the other hand, the board approved 79 variances from the water limits,
many of them allowing churches, schools and scouting groups to hold
charity carwashes. Those variances require low-volume equipment and ban
wasteful "water fights."
Other
variances went to elderly people who want to run their sprinklers at
night, rather than before dawn, and people who want to water on days
other than Saturday for religious reasons.
While
welcoming the restrictions, some environmentalists urged the district to
stop development and make conservation a permanent priority.
"This
shortage situation should be a wake-up call," said Alex Larson, an
activist from The Acreage, adding that the environment and agriculture
should get priority over lawns. "I don't care if the grass turns
gray or purple."
Fugate
said he hopes the state won't forget the drought's lessons once the
rains return.
"I
would just implore us not to make the mistake I think we made when the
last drought ended," he said. "We switched to other
issues."
Arid
By
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published April 13, 2007
WEST
PALM BEACH - South Florida residents must cut water use by up to 30
percent under new rules approved Thursday as the state continues to
suffer from unprecedented drought conditions.
The
board of the South Florida Water Management District approved
restrictions that call for a 30 percent reduction in water use in
Residents
around
"If
we don't get above average rainfall this summer, we may not come out of
drought" until after next year's dry season, said district director
Carol Wehle
The
new restrictions will be in place until rains return to the region.
Despite scattered showers Thursday, officials said
The
rules mean residents will have to cut back lawn and garden watering to
two days a week between 4 and 8 a.m. for the lower east and west coast
regions and three days a week in Martin and St. Lucie counties.
Residents
around
Officials
estimate that 50 percent of drinking water produced daily in
Water-use
permit decision appealed
County claims permit not in public's interest
BY SUSAN LATHAM CARR
STAR-BANNER
OCALA
- Marion County on Thursday appealed the St. Johns River Water
Management District's decision to issue a 20-year water-use permit to
pump half a million gallons of water a day in Citra to supply bulk water
to commercial bottling plants.
"They have misinterpreted the statute requirement that the permits
be issued in the public's interest," Assistant County Attorney Tom
MacNamara said about the district. "I think the public interest
includes whether the use is consistent with the zoning of the
property."
Attorneys for
The county contends the permit is not in the public's interest because
the land is zoned agricultural.
"It's not consistent with zoning and land use," MacNamara
said.
In order for the property to be used for water distribution to bottling
companies, the county commission, an elected body, would have to issue a
special-use permit, and none has been requested.
"They don't have the authority to exclude that fact from their
consideration of public interest," MacNamara said about the
District's board, which is an appointed body. "We are going to make
new law, we hope."
When Greene and Hastings applied in 2005 for the permit to pump the
groundwater out of an existing well in the Black Sink Prairie off
When the surface water permit expired, Greene and Hastings requested an
allocation of surface water to use for mining until the end of 2006. So,
the application became a request for both ground and surface water.
Since then, the applicant has received a temporary permit that
authorizes dewatering at the site until the end of 2007 in order to
continue the mining operation.
Both the well that will draw the water for use as bottled water and the
pump for dewatering the mine are located adjacent to the mine at Black
Sink.
The county already requested an administrative hearing, hoping to stop
the groundwater permit, but lost its argument. The District said the
permit meets the criteria for being a reasonable beneficial use, for
being in the public's interest, and it does not interfere with any
presently existing legal use of water.
Greene and
The county is appealing the District's decision to allow the pumping of
182.14 million gallons of groundwater a year to the 5th District Court
of Appeal in
"It usually is a six-to-nine-month process," MacNamara said.
"It could be shorter, but it also could be longer."
In the meantime, because the county, a government entity, has filed the
appeal, a stay would be in place preventing the groundwater from being
pumped until the matter is resolved by the court.
Susan Latham Carr may be reached at susan.carr@starbanner.com
or 867-4156.
Board
rescinds irrigation permit for golf course
Friday,
April 13, 2007
The
month-old vote that gave 209 million gallons of drinking water per year
to a new county golf course was yanked Thursday, after water managers
blamed "ambiguity," "gray areas" and "a few
other problems" with the irrigation permit they had issued.
With
no water to keep sprouting grass green, some
"It
would be nice to put affordable homes on it, wouldn't it?"
Commission Chairwoman Addie Greene said. "Nice spot for workforce
housing. Perfect. And paint it pink."
Commissioner
Jeff Koons questioned the commission's 1998 decision to change the plan
from a campground to a golf course.
"Obviously,
this decision was made 10 years ago," said Koons, who first was
elected to the commission in 2002. "Given that it's a unique
property up against the conservation area, maybe there's a higher and
better use for it. I want to take a look at it."
Commissioner
Karen Marcus, who had voted initially for the course, agreed.
"It's
a big park, and I don't think I knew it was up against the
Commissioner
Burt Aaronson, who had pushed for the golf course in his south county
district, had little to say about the permit being withdrawn.
"I
have no comment," he said. "They took their action and we'll
see. OK?"
The
county has so far committed to spending $40 million for a park that was
to feature 27 holes of low-priced golf plus an amphitheater, festival
and picnic area. Construction - delayed by hurricanes, contractor
problems and environmental difficulties - was nearly complete, except
for the planting of grass and landscaping.
The
turn of events frustrated members of the West Boca Community Council,
which had lobbied Aaronson for a course over a campground so that the
park could serve local residents rather than outsiders.
"If
it hadn't been for the hurricanes, we would have had a golf course a
year ago and we wouldn't even be talking about this," council
President Sheri Scarborough said. "We want to see the golf course
followed through. I'd hate to see that all this work had gone into it
and then it had just been a waste of taxpayer dollars. That would be a
crime."
The
decision by the South Florida Water Management District's board came one
day after they learned that the staff supervisor who had endorsed speedy
approval of the watering permit may have had an ethical conflict.
Robert
J. Moresi has been the director of the district's water-use regulation
division since June. He lives in a
County
consultant Robert Higgins told The
Palm Beach Post Wednesday that he rented out a room in his
Commissioner
Mary McCarty was annoyed. "I just want to find out why the permit
wasn't done properly," said the commissioner, who is married to the
chairman of the water district's board, Kevin McCarty. "Palm Beach
County should be setting the example on how to do things properly."
Leading
up to the vote, Kevin McCarty made only vague reference to the
problematic housing arrangement. He agreed with points raised by
environmental attorney Marcy LaHart, who last week filed a legal
challenge to the permit. LaHart contended that the county needed to
abide by a new rule limiting additional draw from the region's drinking
water.
"The
understanding is this permit needs to be in conformance with the
regional water availability rule that we passed, and that's a problem,
and we're not sure that it does," Kevin McCarty said. "And
there are a few other problems, too."
So
what next for the beleaguered course? County Administrator Bob Weisman
said only time would tell.
"I
guess we're going to wait and see what kind of re-review water
management is going to do," Weisman said. He accused the agency of
changing the rules in the middle of the game. If the permit can't be
granted without substantial additional expense, Weisman said, "we'd
work with Commissioner Aaronson primarily, since its in his district,
and then we would evaluate again. If they're going to tell us that the
current approval is not going to stand up, then we would have to
reconsider."
Water
managers now suggest that the county find another source, such as water
reclaimed from sewage treatment plants. The nearest is about 10 miles
away, near Atlantic Avenue and Hagen Ranch Road west of Delray Beach,
Weisman said. It could cost $10 million more to extend those pipes, and
only two other courses would likely benefit, he said.
Meanwhile,
Moresi continues to work at the district. Division directors at his
level are paid between $68,910 and $121,576 per year and supervise as
many as 50 employees, district spokesman Randy Smith said.
Weisman
said he hasn't decided what to do about Higgins, the consultant brought
in to solve the golf course's permitting difficulties.
"We
cannot have a situation where someone who is working for us has a
continuing conflict with an employee of the district," Weisman
said. "Clearly that situation has to rectify itself - perceived
conflict or otherwise."
A
Healthy Skepticism On New Roads
Tampa
Tribune editorial Published: Apr 13, 2007
The
latest poll of Hillsborough residents shows that four out of five people
think this increasingly congested urban area needs more transit, maybe
even passenger rail, in the future.
They're
right. Voters in most other cities this size have come to the same
conclusion and have built or are building rail systems. Detroit and
Tampa are among the few cities trying to solve the transportation
problem with roads alone.
But
more pavement is only part of the solution, and most people understand
that. Asked if they think building more roads will make traffic less
congested in the next half century, 55 percent said no.
They
responded based on their own observations. Wider and longer roads in the
suburbs are carrying more cars than ever, and creating bigger traffic
backups. And many city roads like Dale Mabry Highway south of Kennedy
are impossible to widen, no matter how bad the traffic gets.
Previous
polls have shown majority support for rail, yet voters in Hillsborough
County have never been asked to approve or reject a rail plan.
Odds
are improving that the question will someday reach the ballot.
Hartline's board has decided to ask federal officials how to revive a
rail plan that was put on the shelf a few years ago.
The
new poll by the Hillsborough City-County Planning Commission also
revealed an inconsistency that requires smart political leadership to
resolve. People say unaffordable housing is a major problem. They also
say that new development should pay more of the costs of growth, which
would raise housing prices.
The
only way to address the contradiction is to make both growth and
transportation more efficient.
Road
Fix May Mean Wider and Longer
By Tom
Palmer
The Ledger
BARTOW - Traffic congestion in the high-growth area of Lakeland between
Kathleen Road and U.S. 98 North may require a new road network to
prevent further gridlock, traffic planners told the Transportation
Planning Organization on Thursday.
The solution will likely involve extending and connecting existing
roads, planner Ryan Kordek said.
Affected could be portions of Banana Road, Marcum Road, D.R. Bryant Road
and Raulerson Road.
Duff Road is the main east-west corridor in this area, but an evaluation
revealed it was impractical to widen. There isn't enough right of way
along the heavily developed road, Kordek said.
Kordek said widening Banana Road and extending the others was more
practical because there were fewer property owners involved and the
homes there now are generally farther away from the edge of the road,
which means the project would not involve condemning houses.
But at this point street-widening projects have not progressed beyond
the planning stage.
"There are no plans to fund them," he said.
Lakeland Mayor Buddy Fletcher asked planners at the meeting whether an
alternative might be to resurrect a proposal to carry the Polk Parkway
north of Lakeland, making a complete loop around the city.
"I thought we were going to have a rough idea of that
project," Fletcher said.
Ben Walker, a planner from the Florida Department of Transportation,
said that idea was examined but was rejected because there would be too
many environmental problems. The road would have to be constructed
through the Green Swamp Area of Critical State Concern.
"That idea has kind of died," Walker said.
Fletcher said he still thought it was a good idea and speculated there
might be a way to avoid the Green Swamp.
Getting back to the Duff Road issue, County Commissioner Bob English
asked whether it was possible to three-lane Duff Road even if wasn't
practical for four-lane it.
Kordek said it may be possible to install left-turn lanes at key
intersections, because traffic backups behind turning vehicles are a
major problem.
Tom Palmer can be reached at tom.palmer@theledger.com
or 863-802-7535. You can read more on the environment at Palmer's
environmental blog, River Valley's Journal, at http://environment.theledger.com
and more on local government at Side Table Spectator, Palmer's county
government blog, at http://county.theledger.com.
Getting
into hearing in Briny no breeze
Palm
Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday,
April 13, 2007
BRINY
BREEZES — It was a rare sight: people trying to fight their way into
town hall.
For
decades, Briny operated in obscurity, even as mansions and condominiums
rose around this oceanfront mobile home park.
In
January, residents agreed to sell to Boca Raton-based Ocean Land
Investments for $510 million, making most of them millionaires.
Last
week, Ocean Land submitted a plan for a "full destination
resort" for 2,280 in 12- to 20-story towers: a 900-unit condo, 300
time shares and a hotel with up to 350 rooms.
On
Thursday, the town's Board of Aldermen held the first of three hearings
on the plan. This one was short on specifics and was mostly for public
comments.
Normally,
the number of people at meetings can be counted on one hand.
On
Thursday, the town squeezed 85 card chairs inside and people still
stood. Dozens more waited outside.
Brad
Gallagher, who lives in the unincorporated "county pocket"
across the street, showed a postcard he'd received from Palm Beach
County Commissioner Mary McCarty, who was at Thursday's meeting.
"I
was invited to this," he said. "Now I'm being told I can't get
inside? This is ridiculous!"
Jim
Phillippi, a resident put in charge of the door, explained to everyone
that the place was full.
Gallagher
tried to push his way in. Phillippi blocked him: "You're not coming
in," he said.
The
two began a brief tug of war. Gallagher shouted in to the council and to
McCarty, demanding to be heard. Moments later, he was sitting next to
the commissioner.
Florida's
public meetings laws require that councils anticipating turnout larger
than capacity "take reasonable steps to ensure that the facilities
where the meeting will be held will accommodate the anticipated
turnout." Failing to do so, the law says, may violate public access
laws.
Mayor
Roger Bennett said the council couldn't have moved to the auditorium
because seats weren't set up, and besides, town hall had been announced
as the site.
The
council voted to move to the auditorium, which holds 300, for the next
two gatherings: a workshop on Thursday and a hearing April 26 at which
the council would vote to send the plan to the Florida Department of
Community Affairs. The state would make comments and return it to the
town for formal adoption.
"If
you're for it, if you're against it, April 26, you need to speak, not
put it off," McCarty urged.
Those
waiting outside Thursday included Nancy Hogan, a commissioner in Ocean
Ridge, to the north. She was one of several who filled out a form in
order to speak.
"My
God! Don't make your citizens stand out in the heat!" Hogan told
the panel.
She
also said her town wants to work with Briny. Leaders of Ocean Ridge and
Gulf Stream, to the south, have opposed the ambitious plans.
Briny
resident Tom Byrne, who had passed out "NO" buttons in January
before the sale vote, and Robert Ganger, president of the Gulf Stream
Civic Association, wanted more details. Ocean Land consultant Charles
Siemon stressed the plan is a draft and the state still needs to pick at
it.
Also
Thursday, Gerald Hauswirth, 84, an alderman since 1999, resigned, citing
his health. The council will act April 19 on his replacement.
And
Dennis Smith, a retired psychologist, replaced Carol Conkey, 83, who
stepped down last month after seven years.
The
council had deadlocked 4-4 between Smith and Jack Lee, whom Bennett had
ousted as mayor. But Bennett said Thursday that Lee had withdrawn. The
council then unanimously picked Smith.
Panel
OKs Connerton Village Center
By
KEVIN WIATROWSKI The Tampa Tribune
Published:
Apr 13, 2007
DADE
CITY - County officials Thursday gave the green light to a new village
center for Connerton, the massive development going up east of U.S. 41
in the heart of Pasco County.
The
project's developer, Connerton LLC, has begun work on homes in its
second phase, known as The Gardens. Connerton's second phase includes
two school sites.
This
week's approval by the Development Review Committee cleared plans for
The Gardens' village center. The 21-acre site will include a day care
center, clubhouse, small-scale retail, tennis courts and a grass-covered
amphitheater.
The
new development will lie along Connerton Boulevard to the east of The
Arbors, Connerton's first neighborhood.
The
DRC approved a raft of alternate designs and exemptions to the county's
land-development rules so Connerton officials can design the village
center in keeping with the overall vision for the community. That vision
includes lots of pedestrian-friendly spaces and some close-built homes
with alleys.
Connerton
is being built on more than 8,000 acres formerly known as the Conner
Ranch. The developers envision creating a largely self-contained
community between U.S. 41 and Ehren Cutoff Road.
DRC
members also spent a chunk of Thursday's meeting handling changes to the
county's land-use maps.
In
the case of Darby Oaks and Dowling Lake, two projects at the north edge
of the county, DRC members insisted landowners develop the land under
new conservation subdivision rules aimed at concentrating development on
50 percent of a given chunk of land so the rest can be kept open for
wildlife and rural uses.
The
developers had hoped to win a different zoning to let them develop more
of their property.
Also
Thursday, DRC members:
•Approved
a plan by North Carolina-based BB&T Bank to convert into a bank the
abandoned Eckerd's drugstore at the southeast corner of Ridge Road and
Little Road in New Port Richey.
•Approved
an office park at U.S. 41 and Morgan Road at the entrance to the Sunset
Park subdivision. The office complex will include 130,500 square feet of
office space split among 45 buildings - an average of 3,000 square feet
per building. The complex will sit along the west side of the CSX
railroad line that parallels U.S. 41 through Land O' Lakes.
•Approved
a 97.5-acre sand mine in north-central Pasco. Developers intend to
remove 2.5 million cubic yards of earth from the mine to sell to the
state Department of Transportation and others. The mine, which
eventually will fill with water, will be developed with a lakefront
properties, said Robert Williams, an attorney for developer James P.
Gills Jr. of Tarpon Springs.
Developer
gets some wiggle room
The
builder of an office complex has a backup plan, thanks to approval from
Pasco planners.
By
CHUIN-WEI YAP
Published April 13, 2007
DADE
CITY - Ashley Glen, the proposed 1.8-million-square-foot office complex
at the Suncoast Parkway and State Road 54, is expected to require
$27-million worth of road improvements.
Negotiations
with regional planners are continuing, but the dollar amount is causing
enough angst for the developer that it decided to take out a form of
insurance Thursday.
That's
when Pasco's top staff planners gave their approval to allow Ashley Glen
to keep its earlier county-awarded designation as a largely residential
project, should negotiations with regional officials fall through on the
multistory office proposal.
That's
not an outcome the developer, JES Properties, or the county wants.
Unimpressed
by the prospect of a purely residential project at a prime corner of
Pasco real estate, top county officials in early 2005 threw their weight
behind creating the biggest office park in the county, complete with
tower blocks that could rise 11 stories beside the highway.
That's
when they brought JES into the picture to revamp an 800-home proposal by
Standard Pacific Homes. Late last year, the county had, in fact,
encouraged JES to increase its office square footage from 1.2-million to
1.8-million, said Doug Weiland, JES's president.
On
Wednesday and Thursday, Weiland and Steve Booth, the developer's
attorney, said negotiations with regional planning officials are still
going well.
But
Booth said road improvement costs, which are billed to the developer as
its "proportionate share" of the impact on local traffic, were
always a matter of concern.
At
Thursday's Development Review Committee meeting, county planners also
approved a clutch of technical changes to the county's development
blueprint to let JES Properties press on with its office project.
Chuin-Wei
Yap can be reached at 813909-4613 or "cyap@sptimes.com.
County
Hires Judge For Zoning Enforcement
By
Gary Pinnell of
Highlands Today
Published:
April 13, 2007
SEBRING
— Jim Polatty wanted to make it clear, he means no disrespect to the
state's attorneys or the county courts.
Given
a choice between prosecuting a criminal assault or a barking dog
complaint, the state's attorneys would have to prioritize, and Highlands
County's development services director understood that.
"It's
a fact of life," Polatty said Thursday. But the county needed a
civil – not criminal – method of prosecuting zoning and code
violations.
"Everything
was a criminal violation," Polatty said.
That's
why Pam Karlson, a Lake Placid attorney, was sworn in as a special
magistrate for Highlands County code enforcement issues.
"When
a judge tells you to do something, it's more important than when (code
enforcement officer April Hartseil) tells you," said County
Commission Chairman Guy Maxcy, who administered the oath of office.
Civil
fines are a faster way of dispensing justice, Polatty said.
Hartseil
showed a fine schedule: violators can be penalized from $50 to $500 per
offense, daily.
Maxcy
said a magistrate is one way of removing politics from code violations,
like the failure to mow tall weeds or remove junk from a residential
yard.
Polatty
agreed. The alternative, he said, would be to appoint an enforcement
board, which might allow violators to dally longer instead of cleaning
up the mess. "This adds more certainty to the process," he
said.
Liens
And Enforcement
Karlson,
who has practiced law since 1994, specializes in real estate, and has
represented clients before the county commission. She is scheduled to
try cases on the second and fourth Thursdays each month, from 1:30 p.m.,
or as needed.
"We'll
probably hear uncontested cases on one day, and on the other day have
contested hearings," she said. Violators can appeal her rulings to
the county court.
Maxcy
said a magistrate would streamline the code enforcement process. One way
to do that, said Hartseil, is that the county attorney or code
enforcement officers – instead of state's attorneys, can now present
cases to the judge.
"This
provides a more efficient, cost-efficient method," Karlson said. As
a magistrate, she can order violators to pay fines, but unlike criminal
judges, she can't sentence someone to prison.
However,
she can order that a lien be placed on property and require the property
to be sold if those liens aren't paid.
Did
you hear the one about the zoning lawyer?
A
fundraising roast puts the focus on an attorney.
By
MICHAEL VAN SICKLER
Published April 13, 2007
TAMPA
- Dining on filet steaks and barbecued shrimp, 280 of Tampa's business
elite lobbed good-natured barbs at the evening's guest of honor.
It
was a Thursday night roast, Friars Club-style, at the Tampa Bay
Performing Arts Center to raise money for the Hillsborough County
Anti-Drug Alliance.
The
local celebrity the nonprofit board chose to rope in big donors: Ron
Weaver.
Never
heard of him? Well, you haven't been to a zoning meeting in the past 30
years. That's where Weaver has marked his turf as one of the town's top
zoning lawyers.
The
Citrus Park mall? He helped get that approved. The giant Trinity
community in Pasco County? Yep, that's him, too.
Las
Vegas may roast the Dean Martins of the world. Houston exalts Big Oil.
New York City deifies the lions of Wall Street or Broadway.
At
least for this week, Tampa feted two prominent figures from its marquee
industry: land development.
On
Tuesday evening, the American Cancer Society honored land use attorney
Rhea Law, the chief executive of Fowler White, at a Neiman Marcus
fashion show.
Being
a zoning lawyer was hardly the best calling card when Weaver graduated
from Harvard Law School in the early 1970s and began his career in
Tampa.
"People
would say, 'He's a zoning lawyer. Too bad.' " Weaver said.
"But then, starting in the early 1980s, they started saying, 'Hey,
he's a zoning lawyer. Maybe he can help us.' "
Florida's
population surge helped. Hillsborough County's population climbed from
646,960 in 1980 to 1,111,717 in 2005, according to the U.S. census.
Those new residents had to live somewhere.
Weaver
also credits land development laws passed in the 1980s.
"It
got complicated," Weaver said. "We had developers lining up
outside our doors. They needed us."
While
celebrated in some quarters as the shepherds of growth, land use
attorneys aren't held in high regard by some residents who say
development interests hold too much sway over elected officials.
Even
Weaver joked about a day of reckoning.
"When
we land use attorneys die," he said, "we may have to chew
through all the concrete we got approved to get to heaven."
Michael
Van Sickler can be reached at 813 226-3402 or "mvansickler@sptimes.com.
Realtors'
forecast gets a bit gloomier
By
STEPHEN FRATER
stephen.frater@heraldtribune.com
The National Association of Realtors thinks the national median price
for existing homes will drop this year for the first time since the
organization began keeping records in the late 1960s.
The trade group also lowered its 2007 sales forecast for new and
existing
homes.
NAR is forecasting a 0.7 percent dip for the national median price after
a 1 percent gain last year. The group also is estimating that existing
home
sales will fall 2.2 percent this year, compared with a previous forecast
of
a 0.9 percent drop.
The news from the Realtors organization is confirmation of something
that
many real estate experts already knew and have noted. But for a group so
well-known for its optimistic appraisal of the housing market, to some
it
was quite the pronouncement.
"My first thought was, 'Wow, not even the spinmeisters at the NAR
can
sugarcoat the current market any longer,'" said Thomas Heimann, a
real
estate agent and president of Sarasota's Bravo Brokers. "My second
thought
was: I wish we'd only have a 0.7 percent drop in prices in our
market."
But NAR spokesman Walter Molony said in a telephone interview Wednesday
that the downward revisions in the price and sales numbers were not any
indictment of the general health of the real estate market. The NAR just
thinks that tighter lending standards and the continued fallout from the
subprime mortgage market are going to have an impact on sales and
values.
Subprime refers to a class of borrowers with weak credit histories who
would not qualify for standard mortgages. Loans to this kind of customer
were widespread during the recent real estate boom.
The change in outlook was "all due to our projections of subprime
problems, which are highly concentrated in California, Florida and other
scattered metro areas.
"All the other areas of the nation will probably post normal
recovery-type numbers," Molony said. "Some of the price
softness has to do
with projected foreclosures increasing inventories in some local
markets."
The national median sale price for new homes is projected to rise 0.4
percent after a 1.8 percent gain last year. The NAR is forecasting a
14.2
percent decline in new home sales compared to its previous estimate of a
10.4 percent slide.
There have been some significant signs of life in the Southwest Florida
housing market -- both in raw statistics and in anecdotal evidence
provided
by real estate agents.
Sarasota-Bradenton's median sales price dropped 9 percent in February
when compared with the same month in 2006, from $324,200 to $294,500.
But
the February 2007 figure was an improvement from prices of the last four
months, which averaged about $284,000. Charlotte County-North Port saw
flat
sales in February and registered an 11 percent drop in prices, taking
the
market to near a $200,000 median sale price.
"We in the Sarasota-Manatee market were among the first to drop and
I
believe we will be among the first to begin to recover," said Chad
Roffers,
president of Sarasota's Sky Sotheby's International Realty.
Molony noted that the national median price figures also have been
distorted because of shift in the composition of sales from high-cost to
low-cost markets. "So it's not an apples-to-apples comparison. Most
areas
can expect slight gains, and some will see declines, so on balance
overall
prices will be essentially flat," he said.
The NAR has cut its 2007 home sales forecast by 140,000 to 6.34 million,
a figure that would still mean the fourth highest sales year on record,
and
that bodes well for the nation's economy, Molony said.
"Keep in mind that the economic impact of housing results from
sales
volume -- units, not price appreciation," he said.
The new home market is in a steeper decline because of oversupply, and
will not see sales pick up until later, Molony added.
Heimann thinks that a recovery in the Southwest Florida market "may
take
a lot longer than even I anticipated."
While sales volume did pick up for Bravo a bit during the last few
months, most were for homes below $250,000, and most buyers used
subprime
loans.
"As a matter of fact, 9 of our 10 last sales had 100 percent
financing,
and if the subprime market dries up, then that will have a certain
impact on
sales activity," he said.
Heimann is expecting that some areas of the region will see another 5 to
10 percent price decline. "It may well be into 2008 until we see a
recovery
and significant reduction in available inventory," he said.
"It's all about inventory levels," said Manuel Iraola,
president of
Miami-based Home- keys.net, an online realty brokerage that sold $70
million
worth of property in 40 Florida counties last year. "Inventories
have only
one way to go -- up, and prices have only one way to go -- down,"
until the
situation stabilizes.
The trouble in the housing market is coming from many directions, and
involves buyers, lenders and mortgage originators, said Andrea Rankin,
president of Sarasota's Rankin Mortgage.
Roffers thinks buyers have enormous leverage right now.
"There are 10,000 homes to pick from instead of 3,500" and
"plenty of
sellers will work very hard to get a deal done."
Ocoee's
boom will mean more places to eat, shop
Erin
Ailworth
Sentinel Staff Writer
April 13, 2007
OCOEE -- The coming steakhouse is the talk of the town. So is another
Starbucks and the possibility of a Panera Bread.
That's how it is when your hometown, which has long lacked the upscale
eateries and shops considered staples in growing cities, is about to get
a venti-sized influx of commercial growth in the next three years.
Resident Martha Lopez-Anderson, who considers herself a "foodie"
and loves "fine dining," often laments the city's dearth of
restaurants and entertainment.
"If you want to go to the doctor or the furniture store, you go to
Ocoee," Lopez-Anderson said. "[But] every time we go out, we
are always out of Ocoee."
Planning officials said they hope the stores and restaurants, business
parks and medical offices will help balance the wave of residents
expected to follow the construction of more than 5,700 homes on Ocoee's
menu within five years. The new homes will bring an estimated 17,000
people, growing the city by more than half its current population. The
wave will make Ocoee more populous than Altamonte Springs is now.
"As you know, community development follows residential growth; you
can't have one without the other," Community Development Director
Russ Wagner told Ocoee city commissioners at a recent workshop to
discuss the city's boom.
The almost 3 million square feet of planned commercial space would bring
a Texas Roadhouse Grill, another Starbucks, a new ABC Liquor store, an
Advanced Auto Parts and a carwash to Ocoee.
The business is good news for Ocoee, said Krista Compton, vice president
of the West Orange Chamber of Commerce.
"If you have a majority of residents but you don't have anything
for them commercially -- the shops, the restaurants -- then their tax
dollars go somewhere else," Compton said Wednesday. Ideally,
municipalities want their residents to be able to live, work, play and
spend within city limits.
Commissioners had some concerns, however.
Commissioner Gary Hood said he wanted to be sure the businesses coming
to Ocoee would be enough to feed the needs of old and new residents.
"I think we've got too many people here and not enough commercial
to support it," Hood said. "You keep adding people . . . it
catches up to you. I think it's caught up to us."
Some commissioners blame the city's approval process, which Wagner
called "the funnel," for its current lack of commercial
development.
"You and I both know . . . we've had projects last two to three
years coming through the system," said Commissioner Rusty Johnson,
who requested the workshop. Because of those delays, Ocoee has lost out
on projects, he said.
Lopez-Anderson couldn't agree more.
"There's a trend where they [businesses] are skipping over us and
going to Winter Garden, Clermont, Groveland," Lopez-Anderson said.
She attended part of last week's workshop, as did a handful of other
residents, and cheered news of the incoming Texas Roadhouse Grill.
"That one steakhouse, I'm not kidding you, it's going on like four
years that we've been talking about this," she said.
"The day that they break ground down there will be a reason for
celebration."
Erin Ailworth can be reached at eailworth@orlandosentinel.com or
407-420-5507.
550
jobs to be lost as firm is closed
ABN
AMRO, a Citigroup-owned mortgage company, is shutting down in
Jacksonville.
By
DIANA MIDDLETON, The Times-Union
ABN AMRO Mortgage Group's 550 employees in Jacksonville were told
Thursday that their office will be closed by the end of the year and
they will lose their jobs.
The
mortgage company was recently purchased by Citigroup in a deal that
closed March 1. Since then, Citigroup had been working to integrate ABN
AMRO's mortgage services with the services it already provides through
its own mortgage subsidiary CitiMortgage.
The
primary function of ABN AMRO's Jacksonville office, in the Flagler
Center corporate park, was as a customer service and processing call
center - needs that were already being met by existing Citigroup
offices, Citigroup spokesman Mark Rodgers said.
Thus,
the closing.
The
measure follows the announcement Wednesday that 17,000 positions were
eliminated by Citigroup worldwide, 680 of which are in Florida.
Rodgers
said the two job cuts are not related, noting that the recent Citigroup
restructuring was well-planned by the time ABN AMRO was acquired. And
since that acquisition, Citigroup has been analyzing job positions and
entire office sites to determine whether they are vital to the overall
company.
Employees
were told of their fates at town hall-style meetings, learning that some
jobs will be immediately eliminated, while other employees can stay on
board for months until the site's closing.
"As
you transition records and systems, and as different pieces move over, a
position will [stay in place] for as long as it takes to get that
portion of the business transitioned," Rodgers said.
ABN
AMRO has been in the Jacksonville market since 1999, when it purchased
Atlantic Mortgage and Investment Corp. for an estimated $350 million,
according to Times-Union archives. The company had 431 employees at that
time. ABN AMRO was the third owner of Atlantic; its previous owners were
Pitney Bowes and the Regency Group.
Normally,
when a company with a Jacksonville office is acquired, Cornerstone, a
program that encourages existing companies to grow and expand - so
Jacksonville doesn't lose them to another area - takes notice,
spearheading communications to keep negative impact to a minimum. But
Jerry Mallot, executive director of Cornerstone, said ABN AMRO had
always been "a very quiet company."
"I
didn't even know they had so many employees," he said.
Such
a large loss of jobs will make the mayor's office look harder at what it
takes to be an attractive city for job retention and business growth,
said Susie Wiles, spokeswoman for Mayor John Peyton.
"Despite
the fact that our economy is growing, a loss of jobs of this size is
something we don't prefer," she said. "It makes us take a look
at whether we are doing everything we can to make Jacksonville an
attractive area to grow or relocate your business."
Affected
employees will be "encouraged" to take jobs at existing
Citigroup locations in the area, Rodgers said. Citigroup will also
subsidize at least a portion of outplacement services for affected
employees. Citigroup has not yet decided what it will do with the
building, Rodgers said.
Thursday
afternoon, several ABN AMRO employees streamed outside to smoke
cigarettes and commiserate.
But
there's hope - and plenty of jobs available - for those employees,
according to Cornerstone's Mallot.
"I've
already had one call from a major financial services asking how they can
engage the people affected by the announcement," Mallot said,
noting that companies like Merrill Lynch and Fidelity Investments are
aggressively expanding hiring in Jacksonville. "There's more than
hope. There's real opportunity for the employees."
diana.middleton@jacksonville.com,
(904) 359-4404
Growing
anxiety
Sarasota
Herald-Tribune editorial
Frustrated
Sarasota voters opt for a leadership change
It takes good policy decisions to beget good growth -- and Sarasota
isn't seeing enough of either.
That's the message, we suspect, sent by city voters in elections that
ousted two commission incumbents.
In Tuesday's runoff, Richard Clapp beat District 2 Commissioner Mary
Anne Servian. On March 13, District 3 Commissioner Danny Bilyeu lost to
Kelly Kirschner. Only District 1 Commissioner Fredd Atkins' constituents
gave him another term.
It's hard to know at this point whether, once in office, beginners Clapp
and Kirschner will be able to gain traction for the sustainable,
human-scale, neighborhood-compatible community they envision. But their
victory does change the prevailing wind on the City Commission.
It's doubtful that the board will become anti-growth. But a new majority
-- with at-large Commissioner Lou Ann Palmer as the potential fulcrum --
is likely to demand stronger justification before approving
developments, particularly those needing subsidies or regulatory breaks.
This makes sense. One of the sharpest complaints against the incumbents
is that they didn't ask enough of developers in two prominent
controversies:The Pineapple Square retail/condo project, in which city
land was traded at an undervalued price, against the advice of city
staff and Palmer.
The 1350 condominiums, which received a major, unanimous density bonus
that resulted in an overwhelmingly large, out-of-scale building.
Those were not the only controversies: This was a time in which housing
grew unaffordable; construction disrupted a changing (i.e., urbanizing)
downtown; the city manager and the Van Wezel director lost support and
departed; traffic (and road-funding deficits) increased; sewage spilled
(twice) into Hudson Bayou; lingering red tide aggravated environmental
doubts; Newtown awaited economic rescue; and the price of a new police
station and a proposed baseball stadium skyrocketed.
All of these challenges raised anxiety and heightened discontent. It
will be the new commissioners' privilege -- and burden -- to help
resolve these issues.
As Bilyeu and Servian leave the commission, they deserve thanks for
working so hard for their vision of a thriving city. They influenced
Sarasota at a difficult time of transition -- which is by no means
complete.
Tough choices and a slowing economy await the new commissioners -- who
have our appreciation for their willingness to take on the tasks ahead.
Sarasota's
new slow-growth leaders take office just as growth is slowing
By
CAROL E. LEE and KEVIN MCQUAID
STAFF
WRITERS
carol.lee@heraldtribune.com
kevin.mcquaid@heraldtribune.com
SARASOTA -- The city's two new commissioners, Kelly Kirschner and Dick
Clapp, will have little time to ease into their jobs before they're
faced with some big decisions -- including the selection of a new city
manager.
"It'll be kind of like going back to school," Kirschner said.
"I look forward to diving into it."
But the candidates who promised to change the pace and process of growth
in the city will have no say in some of the projects they criticized
during their campaigns. And given the downturn in the real estate
market, they could wind up making good on their slow-growth pledges by
default.
"Right now, downtown isn't growing very rapidly not because of
votes from the commission but because of the market," said Tony
Souza, executive director of The Downtown Partnership of Sarasota Inc.
In campaigns dominated by development issues, Clapp and Kirschner
unseated incumbent commissioners with more than 60 percent of the vote.
The message from city voters was clear: Slow down and listen.
One of the first issues the new commissioners will face is a vote on
April 16 on whether to make it harder for developers to change the
city's comprehensive plan to increase density of their projects. If
approved, the new rules would require four out of five city
commissioners to approve the higher density. Under current rules, three
'yes' votes are necessary.
Both candidates have expressed support for the change.
Clapp said the new rule would help commissioners and city residents
reach consensus about large development projects.
"If there is community support, it's much more likely that four
commissioners will favor it instead of three," he said.
The proposed rule stemmed from a 380-condominium project on School
Avenue. Three out of five commissioners approved a density increase,
despite complaints from surrounding residents that it would cause major
traffic problems.
Kirschner campaigned against the development in his Alta Vista
neighborhood, and he will have a chance to vote on it, as it circles
back to city commissioners in coming months.
"All of us want that site to be redeveloped," Kirschner said.
"I would hope that we could start getting to a real process."
Clapp and Kirschner have both been vocal critics of the city's 30-year
deal with the Cincinatti Reds to keep the baseball team in Sarasota for
spring training. The agreement hinges on construction of a $54 million
stadium.
"I still have a very uncomfortable feeling about building a new one
right across the street from an old one," Clapp said.
The stadium's funding includes money from the city, county, state and
the Reds. The city also agreed to contribute an additional $10 million
with a private investment deal. Proposals for the private investment are
due today.
State
wants input from public on manatee plan
The
Associated Press
WEST
PALM BEACH - The state will open a second public comment period as it
moves toward developing a final management plan for protecting manatees
in Florida.
Citizens had until January to comment on the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission's draft plan, which was revised and released
Thursday. The commission will open another comment period starting May 7
and extending through June 14.
The final plan will be presented to commissioners in September. If
approved, the state will upgrade the manatee's status from endangered to
threatened, meaning scientists believe the species has rebounded from
the brink of extinction.
Endangered status means an animal is at immediate risk of extinction.
Threatened denotes a species could become endangered in the future if
protections are not maintained.
"Public input and involvement in implementation are essential to
the success of FWC management plans,'' said Ken Haddad, the commission's
executive director.
Scientists estimate there is about a 12 percent chance of significant
decline in the statewide manatee population over the next 60 years.
"The aim of this plan is to take steps to reduce that chance to 1
percent or less,'' said FWC scientist Kipp Frohlich.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has recommended changing the
manatee's status from endangered to threatened in Florida and Puerto
Rico after deeming it no longer meets the requirements to be deemed
endangered. The change won't take effect until after the public comment
period.
An annual census of manatees recorded 2,812 of the animals in Florida
waters this year. In 1991 - the survey's first year - 1,267 manatees
were found in the state.
Regardless of a classification change, the manatee would remain
protected under the federal Endangered Species Act.
Manatee
news briefs
Regulators
to provide update on Piney Point
MANATEE COUNTY -- State environmental regulators will update the Agency
on Bay Management today about the status of their four-year cleanup of
the closed Piney Point phosphates plant in north Manatee County.
The 9 a.m. meeting will be at the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council
offices, 400 Gateway Centre Blvd., Suite 100, Pinellas Park.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has systematically
dumped 1.1 billion gallons of treated waste water, which were stored in
earthen mounds at the bankrupt fertilizer plant, into the bay. The
agency was concerned that heavy rains could cause a major spill of
untreated, highly acidic waste water.
Last week, the DEP said the bulk of that cleanup process is complete and
the mounds are mostly empty.
Phosphate
Boom Feeds On Corn
By
TED JACKOVICS The Tampa Tribune
Published:
Apr 13, 2007
WAUCHULA
- A day at a phosphate mine in Hardee County hardly resembles one at a
Disney theme park, even though CF Industries officials draw a
lighthearted comparison.
These
days, the unsung mining operation is gaining visitors, just like the
world-renowned attractions 50 miles to the northeast.
Along
with school groups that climb aboard the cab of a 7 million-pound
dragline that scoops phosphate-laden earth into a "bucket" big
enough to hold six cement trucks, an increasing number of investors
flock to the CF Industries' surface mine site.
Representatives
from investment firms in Boston and Denver visited this week, prompted
by phosphate industry prospects that appear as bright as ever.
Central
Florida's phosphate industry is enjoying a boom period, thanks in large
measure to demand for phosphate-based fertilizer to feed a burgeoning
corn crop, which supplies an ever-increasing U.S. ethanol alternative
fuel market.
Both
CF Industries, which has about 180 employees at the Hardee mine and
almost 500 more at the Port of Tampa and the company's Plant City
processing plant, and world phosphate leader Mosaic Corp., which employs
about 3,300 in Central Florida operations, run 24/7 these days.
Stock
prices have soared for the two phosphate producers.
CF
Industries shares, which remained flat in the $15 to $17 range from
November 2005 to August 2006, have soared to about $40 in recent weeks.
Mosaic
shares that sold for less than $14 in November 2005 reached the $29
level recently. Despite Mosaic's one-day, 5.5 percent dip with the
release of third-quarter profits Tuesday that did not meet analysts'
estimates, Goldman Sachs analyst Edlain Rodriquez on Wednesday raised
the rating for Minneapolis-based Mosaic from
"neutral/attractive" to "buy/attractive."
While
the two companies have operations that range far beyond Central Florida,
the area phosphate business clearly is pushing overall revenue higher.
"The
only time we shut down the dragline is when we get ahead of production
capacity," said Nick Katzaras, general manager of the Hardee
Phosphate Complex owned by CF Industries, which is based in Deerfield,
Ill. "So we might close during peak electric power cost periods
during the afternoon, but that's all."
Katzaras
supervises the mining operation, which scrapes a mix of phosphate, sand
and clay from the ground, separates the phosphate from the mix and ships
it via CSX rail to CF Industries' fertilizer processing plant north of
Plant City. The sand and clay are returned to the hole, and later trees,
plants and grasses transform the mined-out land to densely vegetated
areas with streams, where aquatic life regains a home.
A
similar surge is under way with Mosaic operations at its multiple mining
and processing plants in Hillsborough, Polk and Manatee counties.
"The
key is the corn market," said David Townsend, Mosaic's assistant
vice president for public affairs in Florida. "Demand is so strong
for fertilizer, our average price for a net ton of phosphate was $246
for the third quarter that ended in February and today it is north of
$400."
The
outlook for fertilizer demand remains strong, with the U.S. Department
of Agriculture forecasting corn plantings will increase 15 percent to
90.5 million acres in 2007, the largest increase since World War II.
The
Renewable Fuels Association, a Washington-based advocacy group for
ethanol production, said 115 ethanol plants were in service in the
That
translates into continued phosphate output locally, with
"In
the old days prior to us becoming a public company in 2005, we would
make decisions based on providing supplies to our [cooperative] members,
as opposed to decisions based on economics," said Herschel Morris,
CF Industries' vice president and general manager of its Florida
phosphate operations.
"Today,
costs remain the same and prices have gone up. That means things have
gone up for the company."
Reporter
Ted Jackovics can be reached at tjackovics@tampatrib.com
or (813) 259-7817.
Panel
makes changes to protection plans
By Jim Ash
FLORIDA CAPITAL BUREAU CHIEF
A
House panel moved quietly Wednesday to strengthen an $85 million plan to
protect
At
the same time, the panel stripped $25 million from what began as an
aggressive push to protect
''A
non-regulatory approach to springs protection is most effective,''
declared the bill's sponsor, Rep. Debbie Boyd, D-Newberry.
The
Lake Okeechobee bill is considered the top conservation legislation of the
session, creatively designating a great swath of rural land north of the
700-squre-mile lake as ''
The
proposal would require developers and growers to more aggressively limit
the nutrient-rich and polluted runoff from their properties that
eventually finds its way into the lake. It also would prevent growers from
fertilizing their fields with sewage sludge left over from wastewater
treatment.
Heralded
as a great compromise between lawmakers, regulators, environmentalists and
developers, the bill began to founder last month when the powerful
environmental group, Audubon of Florida, sent an alert to its vast
membership calling the measure ''essentially meaningless.''
The
group wanted even stronger language that would enshrine a basin protection
plan by the South Florida Water Management District into state law.
Without
the language, developers could tie the state's rulemaking process up in
court for months or years, argued veteran Audubon lobbyist Eric Draper.
The
Lake Okeechobee bill still does not include the language, but the House
Environment & Natural Resources Council slipped it into another bill,
HB 197, that deals with water protection in
''It's
the missing key to fixing
Some
of the state's most powerful building and developer lobbyists were at the
meeting but did not object.
The
Florida Springs Stewardship Act originally called for local governments,
regulators and developers to work together to severely limit runoff in the
vast basin areas that feed the underground springs.
But
Boyd said she agreed instead to call for the creation of a study
commission that will report its findings next year.
However,
a portion of the bill that declares the Legislature's intent drew fire
from environmentalists.
''The
Legislature finds that the most cost-effective means to provide
protection, restoration and preservation of
''That's
an awful bill,'' Draper said after it passed the council unanimously.
''It's anti-environmental.''
Tougher
BY
CURTIS MORGAN
Water
managers Thursday voted to impose the toughest water-use cutbacks ever
across
The
restrictions, which take effect Friday, come despite recent rains that may
have revived some lawns but remain far from making up for a 16-month
drought that has dropped water levels across the region -- from the
Everglades to Lake Okeechobee, which is on track to hit a historic low
before the wet season begins in late May.
Homeowners
in Miami-Dade, Broward,
Golf
courses, nurseries and other industrial users face a 30 percent reduction,
double the current restriction. The supply to sugar growers and other
farms around
District
board members supported the move, saying they needed to do something
drastic to limit impacts on everything from wildlife to drinking water.
Unlike
in 2000-2001, the last time a drought forced mandatory restrictions on
Lake
Okeechobee, the region's water barrel, is so low -- at 10.34 feet Tuesday
-- that water managers worry whether they can pump enough to meet the
anticipated 45 percent reduction to surrounding farms. If the dry spell
continues through June, the traditional start of the rainy season, the
lake could plummet a foot below its historic low of 8.97 feet -- a level
that could prove devastating to wildlife and the aquatic system as well.
Last
week, the district issued an unprecedented order to end releases from the
water conservation areas into the Everglades, which fringe the suburbs
from
Drainage
districts and utilities have been asked to keep canals higher along the
coast in an effort to create a freshwater ''head'' or barrier to prevent
saltwater intrusion, which could exceed the treatment capacity of some
water plants. District maps show Broward wells at risk in Hallandale
Beach, Dania Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Pompano, Hillsboro Beach and
Deerfield Beach, as well as in Palm Beach County. Miami-Dade is also being
asked to shift the bulk of its pumping to western well fields and hold
groundwater high along the coast.
The
result of shifting the water eastward could be drier western suburbs --
most noticeably in Broward and
Water
managers nix controversial golf course permit
Thursday,
April 12, 2007
South
Florida water managers today rescinded their approval for a controversial
Board
members of the South Florida Water Management District didn't mention the
revelation that has sparked an internal investigation at the agency: the
fact that the district regulator who signed off on the golf course's
irrigation permit shares a house with the project's consultant.
"There's
a few other problems too," board Chairman Kevin McCarty said, adding
that he'd like to "begin again" in reviewing the permit
application.
"This
is not a denial," said board member Lennart Lindahl of Tequesta. He
said the county doesn't have to submit an entirely new application.
The
district ordered the investigation Wednesday after The Palm Beach Post
began asking about the living arrangement between Robert Moresi, director
of the district's water use regulation department, and prominent
engineering consultant Robert Higgins.
Moresi
has been living in Higgins'
While
both men work in
"He
could have gotten a room locally and I just said, 'I've got a room, so
just pay me what you'd pay,'" Higgins said of Moresi on Wednesday.
"We've been friends way before he even became an employee."
Records
show that Moresi twice signed the staff recommendation to OK an allocation
of more than 200 million gallons of fresh drinking water for the course
per year.
The
permit, granted last month, allows the golf sprinklers to spray up to
nearly 1 million gallons a day from the Biscayne Aquifer, which flows
under the Everglades and provides drinking water to most of
Hours
after The Post began inquiring about the living arrangement, McCarty
announced at a meeting Wednesday that the board might revoke the permit
because of an entirely different reason: questions about the golf course's
water supply.
McCarty
said board members approved the watering permit because they believed the
county eventually would irrigate the golf course with reclaimed water from
sewage plants. But the permit that the district's board approved in March
merely requires the county to consider using reclaimed water, not to adopt
it.
The
district has received widespread criticism for issuing the permit, which
it issued on the same day it imposed watering restrictions because of
drought.
Water
district to probe golf deal
By
Stacey Singer And Robert P. King
Thursday,
April 12, 2007
The
future of a controversial
The
South Florida Water Management District ordered an internal investigation
after The Palm Beach Post
inquired about the relationship. "We take this issue very
seriously," district spokesman Randy Smith said.
Robert
Moresi, director of the district's water use regulation department, has
lived in engineer Robert Higgins' West Palm Beach home since joining the
district in June. Higgins was hired by the county's master developer to
solve its problems winning the district's irrigation and environmental
permits.
While
both men work in
Higgins
declined to say how much Moresi pays in rent but contended "there's
no conflict." Moresi did not return calls for comment.
It's
unclear whether their landlord-tenant relationship runs afoul of state and
water district ethics regulations. State ethics rules say public employees
cannot have a contractual relationship that presents a recurring conflict
of interest, said Kerrie Stillman, public information officer for the
Florida Commission on Ethics.
Higgins
is a well-connected engineering consultant who frequently represents
developers and government agencies seeking permits from water-district
staff, including Moresi. The disclosure of their personal relationship has
prompted the district to turn over the matter to its inspector general,
Smith said.
Upon
learning of the water district's investigation, County Administrator Bob
Weisman notified county commissioners.
"To
my great dismay, I have just been advised by South Florida Water
Management District management that there may have been an inappropriate
business relationship between their Plan Review Supervisor and our
consultant water resource engineer for this project," Weisman wrote.
"This raises questions about the correctness of the (water district)
staff review for the permit."
Weisman
said he supported a second review of the permit and added that the
course's ultimate fate is unclear.
"It's
way too premature" to say what will happen, Weisman said. "We
may pursue it, or we will see what the issues are."
Records
show that Moresi twice signed the staff recommendation to OK a reservation
of more than 200 million gallons of fresh drinking water for the course
per year.
The
permit, granted last month, allows the golf sprinklers to spray up to
nearly 1 million gallons a day from the Biscayne Aquifer, which flows
under the Everglades and provides drinking water to most of
The
county's 27-hole course, an amphitheater and a festival area have been
nine years in the making at the western end of
The
project has taken years in part because of the complex environmental
issues. The land was formerly a county rock mining site. It sits next to
the northern remnant of the
At
first, the course's main well was to go next to the rock pit, but
reviewers thought it dangerously close to Loxahatchee. It was moved
farther west. But analysis then suggested the created wetland could dry up
once the course started watering. The staff report found those to be minor
issues, and gave the county credit for another restoration project already
under way near Lantana.
"The
use is reasonable-beneficial, will not interfere with any presently
existing legal use of water and is consistent with the public
interest," Moresi's staff opinion stated.
Water
district Chairman Kevin McCarty said board members approved the watering
permit because they believed the county eventually would irrigate the golf
course with reclaimed water from sewage plants.
Weisman
said that's not the case, because early studies showed it would have cost
about $10 million to extend the pipes. Plus, there may not be adequate
supply, he said.
McCarty
said the board could vote as soon as today to reconsider the permit.
"It
was my impression that the county was going to be providing reuse water in
a fairly reasonable amount of time," said McCarty, who is married to
County Commissioner Mary McCarty. "I think that's the board's
impression from what we were given at the briefing from staff."
The
district has received widespread criticism since the board OK'd the
golf-course permit on March 15 - the same day it imposed watering
restrictions because of drought. Rosa Durando, conservation director of
the Audubon Society of the
"That's
just a saving-face statement," Durando said of McCarty's rationale
for revisiting the permit. "They knew damn well that the county had
no concrete plans to run reuse lines out there."
Whatever
the reason,
"The
permit should never have been issued in the first place," said LaHart,
who has filed a legal challenge on behalf of a Clewiston outdoorsman who
kayaks nearby. "I'm glad they're not digging in their heels."
One
potential snag: LaHart said she doesn't think the board can rescind the
permit until her challenge is resolved. On the other hand, she said a
district lawyer has already contacted her about settling the case.
Another
board member, Malcolm "Bubba" Wade of Clewiston, defended last
month's vote. He said that as far as he knew at the time, the county had
met all the district's legal requirements for obtaining the permit.
LaHart,
a former water district lawyer, now is a legal advocate for environmental
groups. She has crossed paths with Higgins before - most notably at Mecca
Farms.
Higgins
has consulted for the county on many water and wetland permitting issues,
and worked on the defunct plan to build The Scripps Research Institute on
the former citrus grove.
Higgins
supported splitting the 2,000-acre development into parts to speed its
review by the backlogged U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Ultimately,
Higgins' position failed in federal court. Scripps had to move.
The
county, meanwhile, is still struggling with what to do with the property.
It had paid $60 million for the land and spent another $17 million on the
concrete that sits today in the middle of a vacant field.
Growth
guidelines remain out of mix
Some
residents worry that officials are favoring developers over the public.
By
MICHAEL VAN SICKLER
Published April 12, 2007
On
Wednesday, some residents who opposed that decision hoped commissioners
would reconsider.
They
didn't, further heightening the residents' concern that commissioners are
consulting more with developers than the public about building policy.
"I'm
very discouraged," said George Niemann, a board member of the Dover
Woods Homeowners Association. "They seem to be excluding the public
in the process."
During
a March 14 workshop, commissioners voted 5-2 to toss about 70 policies
from the comprehensive plan, which dictates how the county will grow. It
sets parameters on everything from where developers can build to how dense
and tall their projects can be.
Residents
complained commissioners didn't give the public notice it would take
action at a workshop, a type of meeting where they typically discuss
topics but don't vote on them.
The
policies were only recommendations on how to build, said Ray Chiaramonte,
the Planning Commission's assistant executive director.
But
builders call them onerous and more hassle in an already complicated
process.
"They
sound innocuous, but they all tend to become mandatory," said Joseph
Narkiewicz, executive vice president of the Tampa Bay Builders
Association.
Commissioners
Rose Ferlita and Mark Sharpe argued that the public should have a say. An
assistant county attorney assured them that commissioners could reinstate
the policies during a public hearing on April 19.
But
commission Chairman Jim Norman turned red faced. "The board voted to
exclude the policies,"
The
disagreement, which came at the end of the meeting, left many puzzled.
Chiaramonte
and Narkiewicz said they weren't clear what commissioners could do at the
next week's public hearing.
"I'm
a little confused," Narkiewicz said.
Michael
Van Sickler can be reached at (813) 226-3402 or mvansickler@sptimes.com.
Judge
off
Thursday,
April 12, 2007
The
4th District Court of Appeal said Circuit Judge Diana Lewis should have
disqualified herself from the case because her father, Phil Lewis, has
"an economic interest" that "could be substantially
affected by the proceeding."
Attorneys
from the Pacific Legal Foundation, which represents Jerry David and Genie
Corie and the Coalition for Property Rights, asked Lewis to recuse
herself, but she refused without stating a reason.
That
prompted the foundation, a property rights advocacy group, to appeal to
the appellate court.
In
its ruling, the appellate court said the chief circuit judge must reassign
the case.
Through
her assistant, Lewis said she had not reviewed the ruling and could not
comment on the decision.
Steven
Geoffrey Gieseler, a foundation attorney, welcomed the ruling. The case
was appealed not because Lewis had shown any bias, Gieseler said, but
because of the mere appearance that she or her family could profit from
the outcome.
"We
feel Judge Lewis is an honorable judge, a good and worthy public
servant," Gieseler said.
The
case has been reassigned to Circuit Judge Jonathan Gerber, Gieseler said.
Prior
to changes in
Last
May, the city agreed to take property within its Community Redevelopment
Agency boundaries on behalf of master developer Viking Inlet Harbor
Properties.
However,
in light of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, state lawmakers in May made it
illegal for governments to take private property for the purpose of
redevelopment and turn it over to developers.
In
June, the foundation filed its lawsuit, seeking an injunction to stop the
city's massive redevelopment plan.
In
November, the council passed a resolution agreeing to abide by the new
law. However, advocacy groups like the foundation said the city's
resolution had no teeth and didn't go far enough.
Last
month, voters swept incumbent Mayor Michael Brown, the self-proclaimed
architect of the city's redevelopment plan, and three council members out
of office.
Gieseler
said the hope is that the new mayor and council members, who were
supported by foes of the city's use of eminent domain, will make an
emphatic declaration not to use it.
Under
those conditions, the foundation might consider settling the case, he
said.
"We're
moving ahead until we have reason to believe the case is no longer
necessary," Gieseler said.
Traffic,
wetlands concerns no deterrent for subdivision
By
KELLY CUCULIANSKY
Staff Writer
EDGEWATER
-- An Oak Trail resident's concerns of increased traffic and wetlands
destruction were not enough to persuade the City Council to deny a
residential subdivision agreement Monday.
Council
members approved a residential rezoning request and the associated
development agreement for a roughly 28-acre property south of
Cecil
Secrest told the council he and his neighbors are concerned Elegant Manor
Estates, a 52-lot development, will affect wetlands in the Turnbull
Hammock. The
"The
traffic is tremendous," he said, later suggesting a new traffic light
for the area. "There have been several major accidents out here,
where
During
the public hearing, council members learned that as plans move forward, a
traffic study will be performed to assess transportation issues.
Developers may address the curve at
A
traffic engineer would address how it's going to be accomplished during
the plat process,
Mayor
Michael Thomas said he was concerned about the future need to widen
But
City Manager Jon Williams said the council approved an ordinance that
would require developer to pay a proportionate share for roads.
"If
we find a segment of road that is failing, that ordinance would come into
play."
While
Thomas said he wasn't pleased with the subdivision plans because of the
nearness to the hammock, he said the development is suitable because the
land already has been cleared and filled.
Meanwhile,
"We
know the sanctity of the Turnbull Hammock and everybody, I think, is in
agreement that that's an area to be protected," he said. "This
is a piece of property that's historically filled and cleared. It's not an
expansion of development out into the hammock."
If
there is a problem with wetlands and drainage on the property,
Councilwoman Debra Rogers said other agencies, such as St. Johns River
Water Management District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will
monitor the issues.
Council
members are left with no choice but to approve it because the development
meets the requirements in the city's comprehensive plan, she said.
"At this level, if we don't pass this, then the city could be in for
another lawsuit."
In
other business, the City Council:
·
Approved several board appointments. Charlene Zeese was reappointed to the
Planning and Zoning Board, and Laverna McGinnis was reappointed to the
Library Board. Jamie Young and Mary Wenderoth will serve on the Animal
Control Board.
·
Approved to rezone about 2 acres at
·
Postponed a second reading to change the future land use for about 10
acres at
kelly.cuculiansky@news-jrnl.com
Rivals
praise Martin project
Thursday,
April 12, 2007
STUART
— It was a political lovefest seldom seen in
Many
of those from both camps in the usually bitter growth-vs.-no-growth debate
were in rare agreement Wednesday, praising a proposed development that
will bring hundreds of homes to 460 acres in Hobe Sound.
County
commissioners, with one exception, were caught in the wave, voting 4-1 to
change the county's growth rules to allow developer Alberto Micha to build
the 650-home Atlantic Preserve project.
"Even
the people that oppose my projects on a monthly basis do see the forest
through the trees here. In this case, they see the Atlantic Ridge
ecosystem," said Morris Crady, a land planner who represents Micha.
In
return for giving the county 2,300 acres to be preserved, commissioners
agreed to allow Micha to cluster the homes on the 460 acres and move the
county's urban service boundary, beyond which water and sewer service
normally is not allowed. If state officials approve the change, it would
allow the homes to receive those utilities.
Slow-growth
activists who normally blast any suggestion of clustering homes or moving
the urban service boundary supported the change Wednesday to get the
pristine land next to the
"I
wish all developers would give the county nice presents like this in order
to get amendments," said
The
activists said the land is in the right location for them to support the
project because it is adjacent to the existing urban boundary. The
preserved land, which the state has wanted to buy for years, eventually
could provide a wildlife corridor between
"Wildlife,
the
Rainfall
in the preserved area flows into the headwaters of the
Commission
Chairman Michael DiTerlizzi, who voted against the proposal, criticized
the slow-growth activists for supporting the boundary change after
shouting so many times in the past that doing so would cause urban sprawl.
"I
can only look to the places to the south and what happened every time they
moved the boundary," DiTerlizzi said. "If you move it once,
you'll find the justification to move it 100 times."
Commissioner
Doug Smith said he hopes the commissioners who voted to move the boundary
for Micha's project remember that when other developers ask for it.
"As
we find all this love in the room, when it comes time to remind each other
of who did what when it comes to moving the urban service boundary, I hope
we find love in the room then," Smith said.
Slow-growth
activists such as former County Commissioner Maggy Hurchalla said Micha's
project is different from other proposals to extend the urban boundary.
The terms of this change in the county's comprehensive plan are so strict
that it would set a precedent for other developers to use, she said.
But
many who have supported proposals in the past to allow clustering in more
rural western Martin County said Micha's project could show how clustering
can work there as well.
"Don't
be so short-sighted as to think this is the only place this could
work," said Jim Haygood, who manages the Calusa Creek Tree Farm and
Ranch west of Hobe Sound.
Commissioner
Susan Valliere suggested another comprehensive plan amendment proclaiming
that the county is willing to consider allowing clustering for other
developers.
"We
should encourage more projects like the Atlantic Ridge project,"
Valliere said. "I believe we can have other wonderful projects if we
work together."
The
commission took no action on Valliere's idea.
Commissioner
Sarah Heard said Micha's project is different from other clustering
proposals because the land would be given to the state to become part of
the neighboring state park. It could not be developed into homes later if
county commissioners decided to change their policies, she said.
"The
state's not in the business of developing land," Heard said.
It
was clear Wednesday that future development lovefests are unlikely.
Slow-growth proponents such as Bill Summers warned that their support
ended at the Micha project boundaries.
"If
you try to use this as a hammer to go the clustering route," Summers
said, "the public will come back to haunt you."
Impact
fee plan angers builders
Seek
to sway public opinion
JOSHUA
DAVIDOVICH
LEESBURG
-
A proposed county impact fee increase has united building interests in the
county and sent them scrambling to build up a grassroots effort to turn
public opinion and political will against the fee increases, which if
passed would be among the highest in the state.
A consortium of about 100 building interests, from suppliers and
contractors to real estate agents and lenders, met in Leesburg Wednesday
night to rally support against the proposed increases.
"My competition is
sitting in a little round building in Tavares and they are going to put me
out of business more than anybody else," Don Magruder of Ro-Mac
Lumber said, referring to Lake County Commission. "This is a fight
and it's going to be a hard fight."
The Lake County Home Builders Association is hoping to head off the
increases by asking their supporters to broadcast the anti-impact fee
message to friends, employees, the media, county commissioners and school
board members.
One directive on the builders' call to action asks supporters to
"Talk to everybody you know and let them know that housing in
Supporters were also furnished with a list of talking points maintaining
that the impact fees would lead the county toward economic doom, cutting
off jobs for builders and home-buying opportunities for the elderly, poor
and working classes.
"It's time we put the light of day on the problem that exists,"
Magruder said. "Contact these folks and let them know how things are
affecting you."
Advocates of the fees say they are needed to keep up with the rapid growth
the area is experiencing. Without the money, they say, schools will
quickly become crowded and roads will deteriorate, maintaining that growth
should pay for growth.
On April 17, the Lake County Commission will see the school impact fee
study for the first time. The school board previously voted 5-0 to pass
the fees at 100 percent.
HBA President Jim Bible said the organization is preparing to fight the
methodology used in the impact fee study and said legal action may be in
the works if all else fails.
"We hired a consultant, we hired an attorney, but it really needs a
community's support," he said. "What is critical is that each
and every one of you spread the message to everyone you know."
Our
view: Fighting sprawl
Florida Today editorial
Plan
for new
With
the potential to eventually include more than 1,300 homes, the 257-acre
project would, like such other local CDDs as Viera East and Baytree, be
its own taxing district.
In
other words,
That's
in addition to about $14,000 in impact fees per home and regular property
taxes paid annually by homeowners to the city and county.
Some
residents of
But
projects of this size are always subject to change or delay, and plans to
house its 3,200-plus residents will be accomplished in phases, and not
completed for four to five years -- at best.
The
city also has the right to stop development should
Most
important for the long-term smart growth of
City
officials and staff so far have worked to ensure the Southern Homes of
Miami toes the line, a path they should continue to pursue.
But
overall,
Readers
express a variety of opinions in their letters to
If
dumping is fine, why not drilling?
Let's
see, I am trying to understand something.
Although
it is in the national interest and would contribute something toward
energy independence, we still can't drill for oil or natural gas within
125 miles off the
This,
even though some of our major suppliers, such as Mexico and possibly even
Saudi Arabia, are showing signs of reaching peak production, while other
oil-exporting countries like Venezuela and others in the Middle East are
becoming more hostile toward the United States.
Meanwhile,
there is no problem dumping over 1.3 million gallons of sewage just three
miles off the coast of
Perhaps
there are polls I am not aware of showing that tourists hate the thought
of a few tar balls on their feet, however remote, but don't mind swimming
in bacteria-laden waters.
I
still don't get it. I guess I am trying to make sense out of nonsense.
Leonard
Jean
Land
casinos would solve sewage issue
"We
ain't hooking up," says lobbyist Ralph Haben of the gambling ship
industry.
Of
course, Haben is already hooked up, and doesn't mind swimming in ground up
chlorinated feces as long as he gets paid.
The
same goes for Rep. Faye Culp, R-Tampa. She's also correct when she states,
"It goes to the issue of federal jurisdiction and what we do in
international waters."
I
say fine -- stay in international waters and don't use our ports to load
the gambling boat.
How
do we accomplish this? Legalize land-based casino gambling.
Casinos
would not only solve the ocean pollution problem but would aid
It's
beyond me why
Something
smells, and I ain't hooked up.
Don
McLendon
Put
more pressure on local lawmakers
In
regard to a recent article headlined "Brevard advocates outraged with
watered-down sewage bill":
In
my opinion, there is nothing worse than allowing the dumping of sewage and
bilge water in the ocean. There can be no justification for this type of
action.
What
I don't understand is how a legislator, in good conscience, can vote
against a bill that would curb this dumping by gambling ships.
What
I find curious is why
As
a citizen represented by the legislators, I want to know why they are for
or against each bill. How else can I determine if they are acting in my
best interest or in their own selfish interest?
Is
Please
report on all bills, informing readers about the reasons our legislators
vote as they do.
Joe
Skowron
Waste
pollution is cause for concern
What
am I missing here?
I
understand that lobbyists exert tremendous influence, and the "black
water" from the gambling ships has been treated with chlorine.
As
a science student who majored in biology and chemistry I know that
chlorine does not kill everything, and does not neutralize other
chemicals, such as ammonia, which would be contained in heavy
concentrations.
Brevard
is not the only county that has this problem, yet I see little support for
the anti-dumping bill sponsored by Rep. Bob Allen,
While
I love the beach and ocean, I avoid activities where I could swallow ocean
water, and suggest that others should be very cautious also.
Jeanne
Sanford
No
wetlands fight for EPC
Commissioners
won't let their environmental agency challenge a bill undercutting it.
By
MICHAEL VAN SICKLER
Published April 12, 2007
Officials
at the county's Environmental Protection Commission were told by a
majority of commissioners who oversee the agency that state and federal
rules suffice in protecting wetlands from development, and that it was
wasteful to have separate local regulations.
"Without
question, there is duplication," said Commissioner Brian Blair, who
chairs the EPC. "We have no evidence that our wetlands are declining.
That's been stated by scientists."
Blair
was joined by board Chairman Jim Norman and Commissioners Ken Hagan, Al
Higginbotham and Kevin White in denying agency officials permission to
even write a letter protesting the measure. The bill HB 957 was amended
last month so that it would end local protections of wetlands in 20
counties.
It
also would eliminate the EPC's $2.2-million wetlands division, which for
the past 22 years has imposed rules not enforced by the state, such as
protecting wetlands of a half-acre or less.
The
EPC staff argued local rules were essential in improving the water quality
of
"We
think we're doing a good job," said the EPC's executive director,
Richard Garrity. "We have more stringent regulations. I'd call them
better regulations."
Commissioners
Rose Ferlita and Mark Sharpe wanted to write a letter opposing the bill,
but were rebuffed.
"We
are the EPC," Ferlita said. "It's absolutely our responsibility
to take a position."
News
of the commission's decision rocked former Commissioner Jan Platt, who was
on the board when it established its wetland protections.
"That
is a copout," Platt said. "That is terrible news."
Denise
Layne of the Coalition 4 Responsible Growth, based in Lutz, said she was
so angry she was shaking. She said developers had a stranglehold over a
majority of the commissioners, and arguments for the legislation were
based on false information that the state and local wetland programs are
redundant.
"I
can't believe our own commissioners won't defend themselves," said
Layne, who was in
In
February, the EPC scuttled plans to impose even stricter rules to widen a
protective zone around some wetlands by 20 feet after some developers
protested.
"(The
EPC) has been doing too good a job," said Marcella O'Steen of the
Balm Civic Association. "I think this is a big rap on their
knuckles."
It
was unclear whether the EPC can share information with groups that are
fighting the bill, such as the Florida Association of Counties, said Rick
Tschantz, the agency's attorney.
"It's
a good idea not to do that," he said. "It might be seen by
commissioners as an end run around them."
In
When
asked about the agency, he responded: "EPC?"
Staff
writers Rebecca Catalanello and Craig Pittman contributed to this story.
Michael Van Sickler can be reached at (813) 226-3402 or mvansickler@sptimes.com
By
MIKE SALINERO The
Published:
Apr 12, 2007
Government
agencies and nonprofit conservation groups have scrambled to preserve
what's left of these valuable wildlife habitats, but available land is
dwindling while becoming more expensive.
The
answer may lie in a relatively small restoration project near
"There
are very small opportunities to get big chunks of land along
Ries
said he sold the project to TECO as a way to burnish its corporate image.
When TECO managers said they couldn't make a significant cash
contribution, Ries suggested the company preserve land near its manatee
viewing center at the
"I
told them, 'Let's do something in the ground, not just education,'"
Ries said. "'Let's do something you can kick your feet in.'"
Project
Benefits Public, Ecosystems
After
getting TECO onboard, Ries went to his former colleague Brandt Henningsen
about getting the water management district to participate. Henningsen
works on environmental restoration projects for the district's Surface
Water Improvement & Management division.
Ries
said he could get grants to cover a large chunk of the project if SWIM
would do the work. Henningsen was cautiously enthusiastic. The SWIM
program has preserved 2,104 acres since 1989, all on publicly owned land.
"Since
we are using public dollars, we need to make sure certain criteria are
met," Henningsen said. "One of the most important is that the
restoration has to benefit the public as well as the ecosystems of Tampa
Bay."
To
satisfy the water district's criteria, TECO agreed to put a conservation
easement on the property that preserves it forever.
The
project is on three parcels near the mouth of Newman Branch, a stream that
once meandered to the Bay but has been straightened and channeled for
flood control.
North
of the stream is a series of long-abandoned fish farm ponds that will be
converted into wetlands. These marshes will clean stormwater flowing from
the north before it enters a man-made pond. Native vegetation will be
planted around the system.
During
heavy rains, water from the pond will flow over a berm into a saltwater
wetland and lagoon connected to the bay by Newman Branch. Henningsen said
the fresh water flow will lower the salinity in the marsh and lagoon,
making it a perfect habitat for small redfish, snook and other aquatic
species.
Restoration
To Become A Showcase
Another
lagoon and marsh is being constructed south of the branch. The tide will
ebb and flow in this system, but it won't get as much fresh water as the
northern system gets during heavy rains.
"The
fish need different salinity levels at different times of their
lives," Henningsen said. "For their life cycles to be
successful, they need a full suite of habitats and different
salinities."
The
restoration should be complete in June, after which TECO and the water
district will solicit volunteers to plant native vegetation. TECO plans to
connect the manatee viewing center with the restoration site by trails
with educational signs, said Stan Kroh, company manager for compliance and
stewardship.
"One
of our goals is to really beautify the property," Kroh said." We
want to showcase it and share it with the public."
Reporter
Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303 ormsalinero@tampatrib.com
R.
O. Ranch to hold grand opening ceremony
By
Ira Mikell, Free Press Reporter
—
The Schultes, Frank “Red” and Olive, are elated about opening their
namesake R. O. Ranch to the public, especially to residents of Lafayette
County. A grand opening ceremony is scheduled to be held on Saturday,
April 28 from 7 a.m until 2 p.m. The entrance to R. O. Ranch is located on
CR 357 approximately two miles southeast of CR 51, near Mayo.
As a grand gesture to the county, of whom they have been a part for many
years, the Schultes donated 2,481 acres of their property to the Suwannee
River Water Management District on July 6, 2006, in order to preserve and
protect it for future generations. “The R.O. Ranch Equestrian Park is
one of the newest and most exciting projects the District has ever
undertaken. Made possible by a $3.5 million endowment from the Schultes,
the park will ensure that future generations of equestrians have a public
place to ride their horses and experience Florida’s rich, natural
environment,” Gwen Lord, SRWMD administrative assistant, said.
The love and appreciation for nature as well as the richness of this
county’s history were two motivators that influenced the Schultes to
give back to the community. Since taking ownership of the property in
1972, the Schultes have been taking care of the land as well as keeping
the forest in the same natural condition before they bought the acreage.
It is their hope that many people who visit and traverse R. O. Ranch will
enjoy being there and will continue to bring their families in the years
to come.
This vast expanse of acreage stretches for miles in each direction. Upon
this Ponderosa-like spread, one can enjoy its pristine landscape and be
able to hear and observe deer, squirrels, coyotes, rabbits, birds,
turkeys, and other wild animals grazing and scurrying about the
countryside. Visitors to the park will also be able to hike along the
trails or ride by horseback.
Following the ceremony will be lots of good food to go around,
entertainment, and plenty of things to do for the entire family. The
Schultes, as well as SRWMD officials, encourage everyone to come out and
be a part of history as R. O. Ranch opens its doors for the first time.
“Join us as we celebrate the grand opening of our first day use
trailhead. Bring your horse and join in the trail ride, or enjoy a free
wagon ride. Hear about the exciting future of the R.O. Ranch Equestrian
Park,” Lord, said.
Pahokee
Sugar Mill's Closure Is Sweet Sorrow For Workers
By
BRIAN SKOLOFF The Associated Press
Published:
Apr 12, 2007
PAHOKEE
- The old sugar mill rises like a rusty tin mirage from endless green
fields of freshly cut cane and swaths of rich, black soil. A sweet, musty
smell hangs heavy in the air as white steam pours from its smokestacks for
the last time.
The
Bryant Sugar House has ground more than 90 billion tons of cane into about
20 million pounds of raw sugar. On Wednesday, the plant wrapped up its
45th harvest season and prepared to close forever after a yearslong
national trend in the industry - falling prices and better technology that
mean fewer jobs as more mills turn to automation and computers.
Faced
with growing pressure from foreign sugar, U.S. Sugar Corp., the nation's
largest producer of cane sugar, is combining the mill's operations with a
high-tech plant 30 miles away. About 200 people will lose their jobs.
"We've
had more and more trade agreements that continue to give away more access
to our marketplace, creating a very, very competitive environment,"
said Robert Coker, the company's vice president.
He
said the company was forced to modernize one plant and consolidate
operations, "and, unfortunately, when you modernize, it means
eliminating jobs."
Thirty-three
mills across the country have closed in the past decade as producers try
to remain competitive in a market becoming flush with excess foreign
sugar, according to the American Sugar Alliance.
The
$10 billion-a-year industry employs 146,000 people in the United States,
but trade agreements with other nations threaten even more U.S jobs as
producers streamline their facilities to cut costs, the industry claims.
Foreign
Sugar Puts Strain On U.S. Producers
The
problem isn't as much with the market as it is with prices. The United
States is the world's second-largest importer of sugar - about 1.6 million
tons a year from 41 countries.
Many
nations, such as Thailand and Brazil, subsidize their sugar farmers, who
also pay a lot less for labor than U.S. producers.
The
United States does not subsidize sugar farmers, but it does impose high
tariffs on imports to keep prices level. Still, as foreign sugar floods
into the country under new trade agreements, American producers are having
to lower their prices - and cut costs - because of excess supply that
exceeds demand, said the sugar alliance's Phillip Hayes.
The
20-year average price of sugar on the world market is about 9 cents per
pound, compared with about 23 cents a pound in the United States, Hayes
said.
The
9 cent price "is actually lower than the world average cost of
production. How in the world can anyone sell sugar for a profit if the
world price is half the cost of producing sugar?"
Back
at the mill near Pahokee, it was business as usual for a few final days in
the heart of the Everglades. Cars sport bumper stickers that say,
"Sugar: Just 15 calories a spoonful." The sweet stuff is a $2
billion-a-year industry for Florida and a way of life around here, as seen
in the nearby town of Belle Glade's slogan: "Her soil is her
fortune."
The
mill rattles and roars as turbines and conveyor belts carry cane through
spiraling blades, hot water, presses and churns, producing a sticky, light
brown, crystalized sugar.
Harvest
season typically begins in early October and lasts into April. U.S. Sugar
farms about 160,000 acres and, at times, processes more than 800,000 tons
of sugar a year. Other U.S. sugar is made from beets, mostly grown in
North Dakota and Minnesota.
The
Bryant plant opened after Fidel Castro took over in Cuba and imports from
the communist nation were cut off, including sugar. The operation doesn't
include a refinery capable of producing a sale-ready product, as does the
plant in nearby Clewiston, making it less cost-effective.
'It's
A Sad Day' For Mill Employees
Some
of the 202 employees will go to work at U.S. Sugar's other plant. Some
will retire. Many simply will move on. The company held a job fair.
"It's
a sad day," said 65-year-old mill manager Jacques Albert-Thenet.
"Some of these people have worked here an entire generation."
Secretary
Linda Stanley, 63, has worked at the plant since it opened in 1962. She
has seen generations working side by side: "Husbands, wives, sisters,
children, brothers, nieces and nephews."
Mill
mechanic Jessie Brown Jr., 50, works alongside his two sons. He's been
here 31 years and soon will head to the other mill for work.
"I'm
going to have to do little adjusting. This is home," Brown said.
"You gotta start all over again in a new place. Most of the people
who are here now are your family."
Bad
News: Not As Much Fruit, Good News: Higher Prices
By
Gary Pinnell of Highlands
Today
Published:
April 12, 2007
SEBRING
— In 2007, there was less fruit on each tree, according to the Florida
crop report, released Tuesday. But nature has balanced that loss with a
gift.
The
U.S.D.A. decreased its estimate of Florida's orange crop to 130.7 million
boxes, 111 million less than just three years ago, when 242 million boxes
were produced. Hurricanes, diseases and real estate development have wiped
out 176,000 acres of citrus trees in the past four years.
But,
according to citrus grower Ben Albritton of Wauchula, those fewer oranges
this year will make more juice.
"They've
upped the yield from 1.62 to 1.65 gallons per box," said Albritton,
whose family owns groves in DeSoto, Manatee and Hardee counties.
"That's close to a record." The best ever was 1.627 gallons of
juice per box, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
But
for the farmers, the best thing about this year's crop is the price.
"The
gold star this year goes to price," said Ray Royce, executive
director of Highlands County Citrus Growers Association. "Most
growers would have never assumed that they could be getting what they are
getting for fruit."
The
supply this year is smaller, so prices are higher, he said.
"A
box of fruit is worth about $15 to $16, less what it takes to pick and
haul," Royce said. "That's about $10 more than it was worth a
couple of years ago."
Each
box weighs about 90 pounds, Royce said. But farmers won't have a windfall,
because the smaller crop will cost more to pick.
Since
trees have less fruit, it doesn't take as many pickers, but they are paid
more because it takes longer to pick a box of fruit, Royce said.
Pickers
are paid by the box, Royce said, "with the provision that they are
guaranteed to make minimum wage from the time they get on the bus in the
morning to the time they get home."
Even
so, Albritton said, "There's nothing really bad about this
year."
Not
even the drought?
"It
doesn't seem to be affecting this year's crop," said Albritton, who
represents the Florida Citrus Commission in District 2. "It may have
an effect on next year's crop, though."
Before
the ripe oranges are even picked, trees bloom for the next crop, and those
blooms evolve into tiny green oranges. Right now, Albritton said,
"the tree is determining how many fruit to set and hold. We'll know
in October."
Royce
agreed: "I don't think the drought had much effect on this year's
crop."
Tuesday's
rainfall, which measured from 0.5 to 4 inches in some places, was timely
for the 2007-08 crop, Royce said.
"It
helps blooming trees stay out of stress," Royce said. "When
they're under stress, they tend to set less fruit. And when there's more
stress, they tend to drop fruit."
"The
other positive is that there is adequate labor this year," Royce
said. Last year, the crop came in a month late, and some growers had
trouble hiring enough pickers to bring in the final 10 percent of the
crop.
The
crop will be 100 percent harvested by the middle of June, Albritton
guessed.
What's
the bottom line?
"This
year will be better than last year, which was better than the year
before," Royce estimated.
Tortoises
would get added protections under agency plan
BY RICHARD CONN
STAR-BANNER
OCALA
- The state is developing a plan to protect gopher tortoises and hopes to
have it in place this summer.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission is reclassifying
tortoises from a "species of special concern" to
"threatened" - a status that affords them more protection -
because of the encroachment on their habitats.
The tortoise is considered a "keystone species," because more
than 350 other animals or insects use their burrows.
The wildlife commission recently asked for the public's input on the plan.
Some 2,000 comments came rolling in.
Many of the comments didn't offer new ideas, but instead echoed a common
sentiment: Don't let bulldozers bury gopher tortoises.
Currently, developers can pay for "incidental take" permits that
allow them to bury tortoises during development.
"Basically, the people of Florida have spoken; they don't want gopher
tortoises to be entombed," said Joy Hill, spokeswoman for the
commission.
The proposal would require developers to pay to relocate the reptiles, and
in doing so fund a land acquisition program for new habitats. Hill said
the program would aim to relocate 4,000 tortoises and create 25,000 acres
of habitat a year until 2022.
The fee for relocating would start with a flat rate of $500 for properties
with 10 or fewer tortoises. If a developer relocates tortoises off their
property, they would also likely be required to pay other fees for
relocation agents and to the receptive landowners, Hill said.
The fees could end up totaling as much as $9,200, depending on
circumstances such as size of the property.
That upper range is strongly opposed by the Florida Homebuilders
Association, said the organization's general counsel, Keith Hetrick.
Hetrick called the initial proposed fee schedule, as well as the creation
of another state land-buying program, "inexcusable" and an
"irresponsible use of tax dollars."
He said that while his association does not oppose relocating tortoises,
the proposed fees are too exorbitant and the state, not developers, should
be responsible for maintaining any new habitats.
"There's no reason why they can't use existing public lands to
relocate these gopher tortoises," Hetrick said.
Hill said the plan and the fee rates aren't set in stone.
One of the biggest obstacles is trying to find suitable land to relocate
the reptiles without causing overcrowding. Hill said there is a dearth of
available public and private acreage that isn't already inhabited by the
species.
"The biggest challenge is where to put them," Hill said.
Hill said that any relocated tortoises must be tested for an upper
respiratory tract disease common to the species that, if not detected,
could wipe out a healthy population of the reptiles.
A revamped management plan from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission will be posted again for public comment on May 7. Commission
members are set to vote on the plan in June.
Richard Conn may be reached at richard.conn@starbanner.com
or at 867-4045.
Gopher
tortoises seized by police from drug suspects
By
MILLARD K. IVES
Ocala
Star-Banner
OCALA
- State wildlife officers say a 41-year-old man dragged six gopher
tortoises from their burrows and was trying to sell them as food in Ocala.
Richard Leonard Manns apparently used a homemade tool with a long curved
piece of flexible metal with a hooked end to snag the tortoises and pull
them out. He was accused of trying to sell them to "regular
customers'' to feed his drug habit, Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission officers said this morning.
Manns was arrested late Tuesday afternoon on six counts of taking gopher
tortoises, six counts of possession and one count of attempting to sell
them and is being held in the Marion County Jail in lieu of $33,500 bail.
The tortoises are a species of special concern and it is illegal to hunt
them.
"These tortoises have to deal with development pressures, habitat
losses and people hunting them,'' FWC biologist Sarah Johnson said.
Manns was a passenger in a sedan being driven by woman on NW 4th Street
when agents with the Multi-Agency Drug Enforcement Team pulled them over
for a traffic violation. According to the FWC, the officers asked Manns if
he had anything illegal in the vehicle and Manns told them he had a bag of
tortoises.
Officers opened the trunk, discovered something moving in a green duffle
bag and saw the tortoises. They called the wildlife agency.
FWC Lt. Greg Eason said Manns, who has a record of drug charges, told
officials he was selling the reptiles to get money for drugs.
Eason said Manns allegedly went to a wooded area on West State Road 200
earlier in the day, hunting for the tortoises. Using the tool, he would
look for a burrow, stick the metal into the hole, feel for the tortoises
and try to drive the hook into a shell opening in an effort to drag out
the tortoise.
The bag contained four females and two males, but one male apparently died
after sustaining massive trauma to one of its legs.
The five tortoises, each about one foot in length, are now in a fenced pen
at FWC's Ocala office on SR 200. Johnson said the tortoises will be given
a checkup and, hopefully, returned to their natural habitat.
According to a Smithsonian.com, the reptile was at one time a staple in
the diets of Florida natives and Depression-era families - and was known
as the Hoover Chicken.
Johnson said some people continued to eat the gopher tortoise after it
became a protected species.
Case
of the Bullet in the Bear
By John
Chambliss
The Ledger
Agitated, Hatch asked what he should he should do if a situation arose
requiring him to defend himself or his family from the bear. The official
told him to leave the bear alone and to be patient until the following
Monday, so she could contact a biologist.
An hour later, the bear was dead. Hatch told Fish and Wildlife officials
that his stepdaughter, Stephanie Warfle, 18, had been attacked by the
bear, but was not injured. Later, Warfle told investigators that she was
on the back porch when the bear growled and moved toward her.
Hatch said the bear was in his backyard, about 20 to 30 feet away from his
back door, when he shot it.
His wife, Robin Hatch, told investigators the bear rummaged through trash
in their yard before it was killed. She told investigators she yelled at
the bear, but it continued to dig through the trash.
Hatch declined comment. His lawyer, Richard Pipkin of Sebring, did not
return a phone message.
It wasn't the first time a bear had bothered the Hatch family.
In 2001, a bear was rummaging through Hatch's garbage when his dog ran
outside to confront the bear. The bear struck the dog, which received
minor injuries. Afterward, Fish and Wildlife officials met with Hatch and
told him to keep his trash in the house until the day of pick-up.
John Chambliss can be reached at john.chambliss@theledger.com
or 863-401-6965.
Overuse,
misuse closes popular swimming area
By
LOGAN NEILL
Published April 12, 2007
WEEKI
WACHEE -- A popular swimming spot on the Weeki Wachee River remains off
limits indefinitely after the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission closed it because of overuse and vandalism.
The
area, located inside the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management Area and known
to locals as "the sandbox" and "the bluffs," has been
closed for about three weeks since FWC officials determined that the abuse
had outstripped the agency's ability to control it.
Though
the 400-acre wildlife refuge remains open, anyone caught entering the
swimming area or nearby observation tower faces a possible $500 fine and
up to 60 days in jail.
According
to FWC spokesman Gary Morse, the public area was put off limits because of
damage to an erosion control buffer designed to protect the shoreline.
However, Morse acknowledged that the area's long history of vandalism and
criminal activity was also a factor.
"We're
in the process of evaluating what we need to do," Morse said.
"We want to provide a safe place for the public while also protecting
the fragile environment. Clearly, what we've been doing up to this point
hasn't worked very well."
The
area, which is accessible by boat and by land, has been a popular
gathering spot for decades. Located about a mile and a half west of Weeki
Wachee Springs, it is one of only two river locations in Hernando County
that provide public access for swimming. On a typical summer day, as many
as 300 visitors would gather to enjoy the pristine spring-fed waters.
Morse
said that although his agency is responsible for patrolling the area, lack
of adequate manpower has often left the site vulnerable to vandalism,
littering and other criminal activity.
A
recent visit to the wildlife refuge revealed the extent of the problem. A
grassy terrace where swimmers gather is littered with trash, cigarette
butts and discarded clothing. There are numerous signs of recent
campfires, which are not allowed in the park. A 20 foot-high tower built
for manatee observation is defaced by graffiti, its railing broken by
vandals.
For
wildlife officer Joe Wolff, patrolling the area can be a daunting task.
Wolff, whose canine unit covers five counties, said that few visitors pay
the $3 visitors fee, which is collected on an honor system near the park
entrance. Alcohol possession, which is illegal in state wildlife areas,
theft and illegal entry are also frequent complaints. However, he has
frequently seen much worse.
"I
came out here a few weeks ago and found two guys smoking methamphetamine
in the parking lot," said Wolff. "It was 10 a.m. on a Wednesday
morning."
Wolff,
who patrols four counties in addition to Hernando, said while he would
welcome more enforcement help, he would rather that park users respect the
rules and realize that continued problems could mean permanent closure of
the bluff.
"You
can have a dozen officers out here and it won't matter if the prevailing
attitude is to tear the place up," Wolff said. "It's got to
start with the people who use the area."
Chuck
Morton, president of the Hernando Environmental Land Protectors, a
grass-roots organization dedicated to environmental preservation west of
Weeki Wachee, believes the wildlife commission should permanently ban
river access inside the management area.
"The
problem is that they made it accessible to the public without ever
considering how they were going to manage it," said Morton.
"People don't belong in a wildlife area."
Morton
said HELP organizes three to four river cleanup days each year. The
activity at the bluff, he said, "puts a black eye on an otherwise
beautiful area."
Lou
Olivas, owner of Weeki Wachee Canoe and Kayak rental said that he now
warns his customers to heed warning signs telling them to keep off the
bluff. He suggests anyone wanting to swim to head further down river to
Rogers Park.
Though
he is sorry to see the closing, Olivas agrees that something had to be
done. "It was getting a little crazy," he said.
Although
the FWC is evaluating the closing of the area, Morse said residents
shouldn't expect an answer soon.
Said
Morse, "Right now, our options are a bit limited."
Logan
Neill can be reached at 848-1435 or "lneill@sptimes.com.
State
trail strolls through county
By
DAVE PIEKLIK
Inverness
seen as ‘missing link’ between Pensacola, South Florida
Anyone
planning to take a stroll through Inverness may soon be told to go take a
hike. Which is exactly what a group of volunteers working on plans for a
new scenic nature trail extension want.
Plans
are beginning to bring the Florida National Scenic Trail through the
city’s Whis-pering Pines Park. From there, the hiking trail would
connect to the Withlacoochee State Trail, where hikers could continue
north to get back on the scenic trail if they wanted.
The
1,300-mile hiking trail, also called the Florida Trail, stretches from the
Big Cypress National Preserve in South Florida to the Gulf Islands
National Seashore near Pensacola. A section of the trail enters Citrus
County from the south in the Withlacoochee State Forest, but ends at the
intersection of County Road 581 and Haven Street.
Uncompleted
portions of the trail also exist in Dunnellon, though plans include
building a pedestrian bridge to link the scenic trail with the 46-mile
paved state trail.
“What
they’re trying to do is start filling in the gaps,” Inverness Parks
and Recreation Di-rector Pati Smith said Tuesday.
Florida
National Scenic Trail liaison Kent Wimmer agrees the new section planned
for Inverness is “the missing link.”
“Assuming
we can get all the planning and flagging done,” he said Wednesday of
mapping out the trail’s route, “we’ll probably be building this
section next fall.”
The
trail, which was started in 1966, has a bit of distinction; it is one of
eight in the nation that Congress has designated as National Scenic
Trails. Others on the list include the Appala-chian Trail, the Continental
Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail.
What’s
being proposed for Whispering Pines Park is a roughly 1-mile tract through
the 290-acre park, from its southwest corner to its northeast corner,
according to Wimmer. From 581, hikers would walk along the road before
crossing State Road 44 until they got to the park.
From
there, the scenic trail would wander through pine trees and other
vegetation before arriving at the state trail. Smith said the nature trail
would be for hikers only, so barriers would be installed to keep bikes and
all terrain vehicles out.
Smith
believes having the trail through Inverness will literally put the city on
the map. “Any brochures of the trail will mention the city of
Inverness,” she said.
An
even bigger incentive for the city is that volunteers of the nonprofit
Florida Trail As-sociation would be responsible for the trail’s
construction and maintenance. The association uses public lands when
possible, and grants to acquire land for the trail.
Wimmer
said the trail is kept to between 4 and 5-feet wide, with a canopy of
7-feet to ac-commodate hikers with backpacks.
Common
to the trail are people referred to as “thru-hikers;” men and women
hiking the trail’s entire length, according to the association. The
average journey takes an average of three months and costs about $1,500.
These
people often make stops to towns and cities off the trail, a potential
economic im-pact not lost on Smith.
“They
lay out the trail…and basically where they want to stop for the
night,” she said. “They come into town to eat, they come into town to
get a room because they want to take a shower.”
While
Wimmer said most local hikers likely will be day or weekend hikers, he
agreed there would be an impact on Whispering Pines, adding, “I think it
will be a nice asset to the park.”
Townhouse
zoning approved despite criticism
By
DAN DEWITT
Published April 12, 2007
BROOKSVILLE
-A developer plans to go ahead with plans to build 241 townhouses near a
popular trailhead of the Withlacoochee State Trail after the County
Commission approved a rezoning to allow the development Wednesday.
"I
think it's going to be a great project for the county," said Nick
Nicholson, a Brooksville engineer who helped design the development, on
Croom-Rital Road just north of State Road 50.
The
townhouses, which developer Joseph Selway of Brooksville plans to sell for
as little as $150,000, will provide housing for working families,
Nicholson said.
Commissioner
Diane Rowden, who cast the only vote against the rezoning, didn't agree.
"Work
force housing is the big buzzword now," she said after the meeting.
"They can't use the word affordable housing because who, if they are
making $30,000 per year, can afford a $150,000 mortgage?"
The
development will also draw from the county's falling supply of
groundwater, she said: "This is one more straw in the ground."
But
Nicholson said several steps have been taken to reduce the amount of water
the development will consume. Half of the 4 acres of open space will be
planted with native plants that need less water to maintain.
Also,
he said, the 50-foot wide buffer along Croom-Rital will be left natural
and not require any irrigation.
Some
regular trail users objected to the location of such dense development on
a 25-acre parcel across from one of the county's centers of outdoor
recreation.
"Hernando
County has done a really good job of marketing ecotourism and people come
from all over the state to use that trail," Joe Murphy, conservation
chairman of Hernando Audubon, said last month.
But
Nicholson and Selway have said the land is well-suited for a multifamily
project. It is designated for residential use in the county comprehensive
plan. It is also next to land zoned for commercial use and across SR 50
from a 4,800-acre planned development district that will include a mix of
residential, industrial and commercial property.
Dan
DeWitt can be reached at dewitt@sptimes.com
or 352754-6116.
Planners
Deny Apartment Rezoning
By
KEVIN WIATROWSKI The Tampa Tribune
Published:
Apr 12, 2007
LAND
- O' LAKES - Sharply divided planning commissioners on Wednesday denied
James Scarpo and his neighbors the rezoning needed to build apartments on
Cypress Creek Road.
With
three commissioners absent, the planning commission split 4-4 on Scarpo's
request after Hank King, Scarpo's neighbor to the south, objected to the
488-apartment proposal.
County
commissioners will have the final say on April 24.
Scarpo's
group plans to sell its three lots to Texas-based apartment builder
Greystone Development Group LLC.
King
has his own plans for apartments on the northwest corner of his family's
325-acre ranch. King's complexes would sit next to the 30 acres owned by
Scarpo and his neighbors.
King
gave commissioners copies of the conditions the county has imposed on his
property and on Scarpo's, with the differences highlighted. King claims he
is being held to a higher standard even though the two projects are
similar.
"They're
doing the same thing I'm doing," King said.
For
months now, Scarpo, King and the county have engaged in a three-sided
debate over the twin projects and the road improvements needed to make
them viable.
King's
apartment complex is part of a much larger plan for his land that includes
retail, industrial and office uses. County officials are insisting he do
more to account for the traffic those developments will create.
Scarpo's
much smaller residential-only project doesn't need to take the same
measures, county planners said.
Scarpo
is required to make a variety of improvements to Cypress Creek Road to
make the two-lane county road safer. Those changes, however, must be done
on King's land along the east side of the road.
King
has said he won't go along with that work until the county agrees to
rezone his property.
Scarpo's
attorney, Jerry Figurski, urged commissioners not to let King tie the
other project in knots.
"Throughout
this process, we have been used as a hostage by Hank King to get his
588-apartment project approved," Figurski said.
His
clients will meet with the county today to discuss options for road
improvements, the lawyer said. One of those options calls for the county
to declare King's land along the road to as essentially public property
because the county has maintained it for years, Figurski said.
Planning
Commissioner Dennis Smith objected to Scarpo's proposal out of concern the
dispute with King would keep the needed improvements from happening for
years, if ever.
"In
Meadow Pointe, we're still living with the results of someone who was
going to build a road and transferred that responsibility to someone
else," Smith said, referring to the extension of State Road 56.
"It's been seven years, and that road still isn't approved."
Reporter
Kevin Wiatrowski can be reached at (813) 948-4201 or kwiatrowski@tampatrib.com.
City
to vote on impact fees
By Julian Pecquet
DEMOCRAT
STAFF WRITER
All
new developments in Leon County would have to help pay for road projects,
under a concept that Tallahassee city commissioners asked staff to pursue
Wednesday.
No
time line has been set for the adoption of the proposal, called impact
fees, but the commissioners' vote follows a similar move by county
commissioners last month.
The
impact fees are opposed by some developers, who say they would make
affordable housing impossible because additional costs would be passed on
to homebuyers. But city and county officials say more money is needed for
road projects, because the state no longer allows new developments when
they make traffic worse on congested roadways.
City
commissioners also asked staff to develop a list with the county of road
projects that would receive money from impact and other fees. Widening
projects on a draft list are Mahan Drive from Dempsey Mayo Road to I-10;
Pensacola Street from Capital Circle Southwest to Appleyard Drive; and
Tharpe Street from Capital Circle Northwest to Ocala Road.
Commissioners
Andrew Gillum and Mark Mustian also asked staff to consider setting some
money aside for sidewalks, bicycle lanes and bus transportation throughout
town.
"We
have to recognize that what we've been doing doesn't go where we want to
go," Gillum said.
Housing
Worries Fuel Senate Report
The
Associated Press
Published:
Apr 12, 2007
WASHINGTON
- Key Senate Democrats issued a report Wednesday detailing the housing
market's decline amid calls for federal aid to homeowners at risk of
foreclosure.
The
report from New York Democrat Charles Schumer, chairman of the Joint
Economic Committee, came the same day that the nation's trade group for
realtors said the housing slump is worsening.
The
National Association of Realtors said the national median price for
existing homes would decline this year for the first time since 1968. The
announcement came the same day an activist nonprofit group called on Wall
Street to help homeowners restructure mortgage loans. Across town,
senators called for the government to come up with hundreds of millions of
dollars to help homeowners.
The
NAR predicted that the median price for existing homes nationwide will
drop 0.7 percent to $220,300 this year, down from $221,900 last year.
Tighter lending standards and more fallout from troubled loans given to
people with shaky credit are to blame, the NAR said.
Even
though the median price of new homes is expected to rise slightly this
year, the NAR also estimated existing home sales will fall 2.2 percent,
compared with an earlier forecast of a 0.9 percent decline. New home sales
are expected to fall 14.2 percent, compared with a previous estimate of a
10.4 percent slide, the NAR said.
Economist
Edward Leamer, director of the University of California, Los Angeles'
Anderson Forecast, predicts a larger decline in existing homes prices,
with a drop of up to 3 percent this year, and he expects that trend to
continue for two to three years. With high-interest rate mortgages for
people with poor credit no longer available, Leamer said, "you're
eliminating 20 to 30 percent of the demand for homes."
With
1.8 million adjustable rate mortgages resetting to higher rates this year
and next, foreclosures are sure to continue rising, the 32-page report
from the JEC states.
The
Federal Housing Administration could be revamped to refinance at-risk
mortgages, the JEC's report states, citing a Harvard professor's proposal
to have the housing agency oversee a rescue fund to restructure failed or
failing mortgages.
Real
Estate sales slump leaves Latimore Landings in limbo
WINTER
HAVEN - Due to the cooling condominium market, it might be a while before
Latimore Landings near Lake Howard becomes a reality.
Blakley
said whichever building does best in the pre-sale phase, that's the
building that will be constructed first.
Blakley
said the site had been cleared since the summer of 2006. The land was
formerly used for a private residence, city buildings and a boat and
motorcycle dealership.
He
said the soil has gone through testing and after about 75 to 80 feet,
crews hit solid ground.
"We're
not dealing with shaky ground," Blakley said. "We've dealt with
sites like this before. We've known all along that we've had to dig deep
to support a building like this."
Blakley
said that mostly Winter Haven residents have made reservations for
Latimore Landings. He said the gated marina brings in people who want to
enjoy the boating lifestyle. Most of the people who have made their
reservations above age 55.
"I
think the lifestyle will appeal to someone who enjoys the lakes,"
Blakley said. "We're offering a carefree, leisure lifestyle."
Builder
plans a retirement community
By
KATE McCARDELL
Jackson
County Floridan
Thursday,
April 12, 2007
The
vegetation coming down on the lot adjacent to Eastside Baptist Church off
U.S. 90 near Marianna has had some people wondering what development might
go up.
According
to Chuck Neel, who in March purchased the 4.55-acre parcel of property
from J.K.G. LLC., the development will most likely be a retirement home
community.
As
indicated on the Jackson County Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Plan,
the parcel is zoned as mixed use.
"It's
going to be a home community for people age 55 and up. It will have small
homes and small lots for folks who don't want to maintain large homes and
large lots. In other words, houses for those who want to downsize,"
said Neel.
Neel
said that a name and other details for the community have not been set so
far, as the development is still in its earliest stages.
"We
still have to go through all the proper networks and channels with the
county, city and state. The outcome of that will help determine things
like the price range for the homes," said Neel.
Some
residents have questioned the legality of taking down the tall hardwood
trees that stood on the lot.
According
to Kim Cole-Sweazy, planner for the
"A
tree ordinance is something that's been discussed but the county
government hasn't taken it up at this point," said Cole-Sweazy.
"Before
I had even bought the property, a biologist told me that the trees on that
lot were not live oaks," said Neel, "In fact, the biologist said
that those particular kind of oaks there were near the end of their life
span, which is about 70 to 80 years."
Neel
said that he intends to exceed the landscape requirements determined by
the county comprehensive plan, and that the landscaping will include
trees.
"It will be a nice, quiet, attractive little community," said Neel.
Road
plan aims to ease congestion
By
CINDY SWIRKO
Sun
staff writer
An
expanded road network that includes widening some roads and building new
ones got an initial endorsement from the Alachua County Commission Tuesday
as a way to try to relieve traffic congestion.
The 4-1 vote came after a philosophical debate on whether the plan will
actually ease traffic or create more development that will further clog
roads. "We have an obligation to give our residents a grid
network," Commissioner Lee Pinkoson said.
"We are penalizing our own residents."
Pinkoson said part of the traffic on major roads
is from commuters who live in neighboring counties and work in
But Commissioner Mike Byerly, who voted against
the measure, said the improved grid west of Interstate 75 will not ease
traffic because it will allow more development. He added that traffic will
continue to bottleneck at I-75 because of the limited crossings.
"I don't agree with the contention that making these improvements is
going to improve traffic conditions west of I-75," Byerly
said. "Traffic congestion will get much worse because we are adding
capacity without fundamentally changing the way we are growing the
community. I don't think the problem is too few roads, it's too much
permitted growth in areas where we don't have the infrastructure to
accommodate it."
Commissioners voted to allow county staff to pursue creation of a plan for
the improvements.
The discussion came after a consultant's report estimating that by 2025 a
commute from Newberry to downtown
A trip from Archer would take 40 minutes to I-75 and another 26 minutes from
there to downtown.
More grim news followed - even if the county expands road capacity, it will
shave only minutes off the commute.
Jonathan Paul of the county's Growth Management Department presented a list
of roads that would be top priorities for traffic improvements.
They include four-laning a section of
Cost estimates were not presented, but officials said it will take millions
of dollars. Paul said much of it would come from developers.
Commissioners are also considering increasing the local gas tax by 5 cents a
gallon from the current 7 cents a gallon. County commissioners will meet
with
Commissioner Cynthia Chestnut voted for the proposal but said crowded roads
in west
Chestnut also was concerned that job growth in the west side of the county,
which could be enabled with improved roads, might further impoverish east
"The people who need jobs in the inner city can't get to these
jobs," she said. "I want to see the central city live."
Two residents spoke on the matter.
Meanwhile, Layton Mank of the Coalition for
Responsible Growth, which formed in opposition to changes sought for the Springhills
mixed-use development, said road improvements needed for Springhills
could take money away from other projects.
Cindy Swirko
can be reached at 352-374-5024 or swirkoc@
gvillesun.com.
Water
managers may revoke permit for south county golf course
Wednesday,
April 11, 2007
Kevin
McCarty, chairman of the South Florida Water Management District, said he
and other board members had been under the impression last month that the
county had some plan to extend recycled-sewage lines to irrigate the golf
course in the near future. But now he's asked the district's staff to find
out from the county whether that's true.
If
the county can't provide that assurance, the board will consider the permit
at its regular monthly meeting Thursday morning in suburban
The
permit approved last month allows the county to irrigate the course with
fresh water from the same shallow aquifer that supplies the vast majority of
drinking water in the county.
The
district has received widespread condemnation for the vote, which occurred
on the same day that the board imposed three-day-a-week watering limits
because of drought.
Development
costs run deep
St.
Pete Times letters to the editor:
So,
the developers of the proposed Hickory Hill subdivision are willing to pony
up, maybe, $12-million to offset the cost of developing Hickory Hill. Why,
that's awfully nice of them. I wonder what the other developers in the area
will be willing to come up with?
What?
You thought that it would be only Sierra Properties doing the developing?
You thought that the Hickory Hill development was limited to one
insignificant golf course project? Think again, my friends.
Should
this project go through, there will be thousands and thousands of potential
homes up for development. Sierra's paltry gesture of a $12-million payoff to
our county is cheap to an extraordinary measure, considering that the
Florida Department of Transportation estimates that adding an extra two
lanes to a highway costs around $13.4-million. That's for one mile, folks.
Six-tenths of one mile on
We
are constantly told by Sierra's proxies that "growth is coming to
Spring
Hill and Brooksville could be bought off and bypassed for less than a mile
of road costs when simple math tells you that you will have to build an
extraordinary amount of high-priced homes to pay for the potential
infrastructure for the Sierra development.
I
hope our county commissioners aren't swayed by the slickness of a
developer's brochure when the hard facts of the FDOT glare ominously.
Voters
in 2008 might hold commissioners accountable for diluting the value of their
property because of the less-than-lustrous lure of Sierra's payment. That's
if Spring Hill still retains its residents who aren't leaving because of
myopic growth policies that have contributed to diminishing home equity.
James
Wrye, Spring Hill
Seminar
touts low-impact development to builders, county officials
BY RICHARD
STAR-BANNER
"This is all about quality of life and we want to protect it,"
Coffman said.
Coffman, president of Maryland-based Environmental Services Group, recently
made his case to a gathering of local builders, planners and government
officials at
The concept, called low-impact development, aims to reduce pollution and
maintain the hydrologic conditions that existed on a piece of property
before development began.
Coffman is a pioneer in the field. In 1990, while serving as associate
director for programs and planning for the Department of Environmental
Resources for
The landscaped depressions feature trees, shrubs and other native plants
that serve as bioretention areas. They collect
runoff from roofs, driveways and parking lots and filter it back into the
soil instead of sending the water, possibly polluted by impervious surfaces,
offsite into traditional curb and gutter systems and then into nearby
waterways.
In other words, the rain gardens keep the water where it falls.
But low-impact development isn't just about rain gardens. Coffman touted the
use on all building sites of rain barrels, which collect and harvest
rainwater. That water could be used during droughts. He also promoted porous
pavement, a type of asphalt that filters pollutants and reduces runoff by
allowing moisture to pass through it.
Low-impact development homes were built several years ago by the
"Sure, there are bits and pieces of them," he said. "Nowhere
in the country is everyone doing everything you can think of"
low-impact development.
But Coffman believes the winds of change are blowing. He said the concept is
a "no-brainer for most people," and builders and government bodies
are increasingly receptive.
"I think in a relatively short time, maybe a year or two, we're going
to see a big change," Coffman said.
Marion County Commission Chairman Stan McClain, who is also a local home
builder, was impressed with the presentation.
"That was one of the most informative seminars I've been to in a long
time," he said.
McClain believes that builders and homeowners may not be necessarily tied to
the traditional curb and gutter methods of handling stormwater
and could be sold on more environmentally sensitive methods that could be
more cost effective.
"I could see where we could work some of those things in," McClain
said.
LOW-COST
ALTERNATIVE
In
general, Coffman said, low-impact development is cheaper because it reduces
infrastructure and the need for future maintenance. He presented as an
example a Wisconsin homebuilder who he said saved $780,000 by using rain
gardens instead of using conventional methods to manage stormwater.
"That's one of the attractive things about low-impact development is
that it's also low on cost," Coffman said. "It's a lower cost to
construct. It's a lower cost to maintain, and it also reduces that tax
burden in the future because of the reduction of that infrastructure."
Alex Kane, vice president of development for Heritage Green, a builder of
low-impact developments in
"And you know, when you turn around and look at a 6-year-old girl and
say, 'In 30 years I will have given you something,' that's what development
should be about," he said.
Richard Conn may be reached at richard.conn@starbanner.com
or at 867-4045.
Invasive
Snails Spotted On
By
Douglas Carman of
Published:
April 11, 2007
Those
globs hatch into channeled apple snails, which are considered an invasive
and extremely destructive creature in
Erin
McCarta from the Highlands County Soil and Water
Conservation District said Tuesday from her office that she was not sure
about the ecological impact the new snails may have on the lake.
However,
she was concerned about how widespread they could potentially become.
"The
biggest concern is you can carry the eggs to another lake," she said.
The
channeled apple snail, an exotic species from
Previously,
the invasive snail species has been documented only around