"Richness of Life in a Rural Setting"

KCA ~ Celebrating our 61st year!  1948 ~ 2009

Local Articles

Home

Articles of Interest to Keystone-Odessa Residents

Civic association, business league square off in Keystone

By Rodney Thrash, Times Staff Writer
Published Sunday, August 31, 2008 8:29 PM

KEYSTONE — A new group says that it — not the long-established Keystone Civic Association — represents the interests of homeowners and businesses in this northwest Hillsborough community.

Keystone: The Great Northwest Business League Inc. has filed for recognition as a not-for-profit corporation from the Florida Department of State's Division of Corporations and rolled out a Web site that could pass as the area's official online portal.

In fact, that's the intent of the league's founding members.

"We're trying to become the official Keystone association instead of the one that is current," said Dimitri Artzibushev, one of three founders listed in state incorporation documents.

He says because of that group and a county-sanctioned community plan that restricts growth, the area lacks sidewalks, water, schools, adequate roads and other basic infrastructure. The civic association has long fought for these protections, as it seeks to maintain a rural style in Keystone.

"I'm in favor of preserving rural characteristics with common sense," Artzibushev said. "With the development that's been going on over the years and the people moving in, you can't go 100 percent rural."

The league wants to widen Gunn Highway, Van Dyke Road, Lutz-Lake Fern Road and Tarpon Springs Road; extend water and wastewater services; and build schools and additional recreational facilities closer to home.

"They may not want a super Wal-Mart, but they want that roadway widened, they want a sidewalk and they want a bike trail," said Claire Clements, another founder.

On its Web site, the league describes itself as a community-based partnership of residents, businesses and property owners.

But critics say that's not entirely true. All the founders are developers who have had trouble getting the county to sign off on projects they've tried to push through.

Only one — Artzibushev — calls Keystone home. The other two own property but don't live there. Clements resides in Westchase; Stephen Dibbs in Northdale. The league's mailing address, 5277 Ehrlich Road, is Dibbs' Carrollwood office.

"All three of them have huge axes to grind," said Tom Aderhold, a Keystone homeowner who had hoped to unseat County Commission Chairman Ken Hagan in Tuesday's primary.

He called the league's formation and its Web site "a full frontal assault" on the Keystone community-based plan, which homeowners drafted and commissioners approved in 2000.

"The real residents of Keystone love the area as it is," Aderhold said.

He should know. He's president of the Keystone Civic Association, which claims 300 paid members.

So far, the new group only has three known members.

Dibbs was unavailable for comment. However, Artzibushev said the civic association's membership numbers are misleading.

"The current Keystone association is controlled by 20 people that make all the decisions," he said. "You've got a lot of pacifists that stay in the background and just pay the membership fee."

Clements added that the point of the Web site is to recruit members and to get input from a cross-section of homeowners, not just a few independent minds.

"You get our Web site out there and we'll see who represents who," she said.

Times researcher Carolyn Edds contributed to this report. Rodney Thrash can be reached at rthrash@sptimes.com or (813) 269-5303.

Hillsborough OKs $50 Million for Parks, Soccer Complex

By MIKE SALINERO
The Tampa Tribune
Published: August 7, 2008

TAMPA - Hillsborough County will spend more than $50 million during the next three years on parks and recreation projects, including a controversial 24-field soccer complex.

The projects were approved by county commissioners Wednesday in a public hearing on spending $47.6 million in Community Investment Tax money. The half-cent sales tax was approved by voters in September 1996 and can only be used on capital projects, not for operations and maintenance.

The county also will spend another several million dollars on the projects approved Wednesday, with the funding coming from other projects that have been delayed or canceled.

The soccer complex will cost $15 million, but county officials say it will draw tournaments from around the country and eventually will make money to help support the rest of the parks system.

"We want to be the center of the universe for soccer," parks director Mark Thornton said.

Other projects include $1.5 million for Veterans Memorial Park on U.S. 301 at the Tampa Bypass Canal. The county spent $2.5 million last year to buy land to expand the park. Veterans groups will raise money for the memorials, Thornton said.

Almost $13 million will go toward extending riding, walking and running trails, and more than $17 million will be used to upgrade lighting, concession stands, restrooms, roads and drainage at neighborhood and regional parks.

The soccer complex is a scaled-down version of Championship Park, a $40 million multisport athletic complex that Commissioner Jim Norman envisioned building in a rural area near Plant City. Commissioners ultimately decided against the project and directed the Parks, Recreation and Conservation Department to develop a list of projects that focused on youth athletics and a veterans park.

Norman used Wednesday's discussion to point out that Polk County is about to build a 275-acre, multisport complex near Auburndale. The complex will be home to the Florida Youth Soccer Association and Russmatt Baseball, which holds collegiate-baseball spring tournaments. Polk County officials estimate the complex will generate $50 million in annual economic activity.

Norman said Hillsborough will have an advantage over Polk because the United Soccer League First Division plans on bringing professional soccer here. A private group of investors wants to build a stadium for the team in northwest Hillsborough that will hold 6,000 to 7,000 fans.

The site for the county's soccer complex has not been determined, but Norman said it should be near the pro team's field so the county and the pro team can use each other's fields and partner in promotions.

Thornton said the complex will help erase a 34-field deficit in the county's soccer program. About 450 organized teams play on the county's 100 soccer fields.

The commission rejected requests from trail groups to begin extending the Upper Tampa Bay Trail to the southern end of the Suncoast Trail in northern Hillsborough County. Thornton said the county hopes to buy the four remaining tracts of property needed for the extension in the coming year.

In the meantime, the parks department will spend $2.2 million in CIT money on a new trailhead for the Upper Tampa Bay Trail on Lutz Lake Fern Road, west of the Suncoast Parkway. The current trailhead will be lost when a new interchange is built at Lutz-Lake Fern Road and the parkway.

Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303 or msalinero@tampatrib.com.
 
Find this article at:
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/aug/07/me-commission-oks-50-million-for-parks-soccer-comp

Back to Top

Coyote's Blamed for Missing Critters

By STEPHEN HAMMILL
The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 21, 2008

KEYSTONE - About three months ago, neighbors living off Tarpon Springs Road began mysteriously losing animals.

The tally so far: five cats killed, a missing baby calf and dozens of worried residents.

Once the sightings started coming in, the cause seems to be clear.

Coyotes are on the hunt.

"It was a shock to me that there would be coyotes around here," said Judy Travis, resident at 19002 Blake Road since 1978.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, coyotes are common in every county in the state, and as development pushes them away, they settle in rural areas.

They rarely attack humans, but smaller animals, such as rabbits, raccoons, armadillos and cats, make easy prey.

Officials at the wildlife commission say a pair of coyotes is responsible for attacks this month on small dogs on leashes in Estero, near Fort Myers.

In May, Travis called law enforcement to voice her concerns after her neighbors' lost two cats and said she saw coyotes prowling their property. Florida Fish and Wildlife officer Paul Van Ost came out to investigate the sightings and confirmed the existence of coyotes in the area.

"Honestly, it was hard to believe at first," said Mark Adams, foreman at L&D Farms on 18737 Crescent Road. "Then my wife started seeing them in pairs, cruising across Tarpon Springs Road during the day."

The local coyotes eventually claimed one of Adams' cats. "My cat had never left, and one day she was gone," he said. "They're so used to dogs; I think they just let them walk right up and snatch them."

After his visit to Keystone, Van Ost told Adams there wasn't much his agency could do. He recommended folks lock up their animals at night and not keep food out.

Now Adams carries a rifle on his early morning rounds. According to the wildlife commission, coyotes, like most predators, are most active late at night or early in the morning.

"They told us not to shoot them at night, but otherwise, they encouraged us to hunt them down," he said.

Adams said he thinks the coyotes probably came from someplace else.

"They have nowhere else to go and no food chain," he said. "There aren't many rural areas like this left around here."

They're getting more brazen, too, often walking out in front of residents in daylight "They make themselves at home," Adams said. "They don't seem to mind people at all."

Adams said sightings dropped in the past two weeks, "but now we're finding smaller prints with larger sets of prints."

Coyotes can have litters of up to 10 pups each year.

"For many years, people have dumped cats out here," Travis said. "I worry for them."

Travis owns three house cats and cares for another four living mainly outside. She now takes them in at night.

She said the coyotes have pushed beyond the tag of "nuisance."

"I love wildlife, but I can't stand those helpless animals being killed like this," she said.

The wildlife commission said attacks on pets or humans by wildlife should be reported to the Wildlife Alert Hotline at (888) 404-3922.

Sightings can be reported by visiting MyFWC.com or by calling (863) 648-3200.

Reporter Stephen Hammill can be reached at (813) 865-1523 or at shammill@tampatrib.com.

Back to Top

Auto Dealer Drops His Bid For Helicopter Pad

By STEPHEN HAMMILL
The Tampa Tribune
Published: April 11, 2008

ODESSA - Auto dealer Ernie Haire has quit his bid to build a helicopter pad on his Lake Keystone property.

Haire's withdrawal comes on the heels of a discovery that his application for private airport designation from the state included false information.

Haire sent an e-mail to Hillsborough County's Planning and Growth Management Division on Thursday afternoon, withdrawing his application for a special-use permit for his home at 17909 Crawley Road.

In April 2007, Haire applied for and received helipad site approval from the Aviation Office of the state Department of Transportation. That application stated that he already had local zoning approval, a requirement for DOT site approval, state officials said.

Earlier this year, the DOT received an anonymous call asking them to check the facts of the application. On March 7, Micki Liddell with the Aviation Office in Tallahassee checked with Tom Hiznay, senior planner with county Planning and Growth Management, to confirm that Haire did not have local zoning approval. Hiznay confirmed that.

The DOT sent a certified letter to Haire on Wednesday revoking site approval.

"They are asked if they have local zoning approval in the application," said Pamela Griffis, deputy communications director for the Florida Department of Transportation.

Haire's name was on the DOT application stating zoning approval had been given, Griffis said.

"This is not uncommon. Sometimes they think they have things done when they don't," she said.

"We're very happy this has happened," said Jim Swain, president of the Lake Keystone Property Owners Association, who led a band of residents opposed to Haire's plan, citing noise, environmental and safety concerns.

Swain said the new information regarding Haire's application to the state could have repercussions.

"Thousands of dollars have been spent fighting this thing," Swain said. "If, in fact, someone was falsifying documents ... this is serious stuff."

Haire and his attorney could not be reached for comment.

Reporter Stephen Hammill can be reached at (813) 865-1523 or shammill@tampatrib.com.
Find this article at :  http//www2.tbo.com/content/2008/apr/11/me-auto-dealer-drops-his-bid-for-helicopter pad

Back to Top

Newsletter Publisher Keeps Keystone Alert

By STEPHEN HAMMILL, The Tampa Tribune
Published: December 19, 2007

KEYSTONE - A real estate agent by trade, Debra Benoit finds time when she can to try her hand at another profession: publisher.

Benoit is in charge of the Keystone Connection, a monthly newsletter printed by the Keystone Civic Association.

She first joined the KCA as a business member. "I have a tendency to volunteer a lot when I probably shouldn't," she said with a laugh.

Benoit works out of her home office in Tampa Palms, where she moved from Odessa two years ago. She retained her membership and position in the KCA after the move.

July marked the return of the newsletter after a one-year absence. "We replaced it with a mailing postcard, but as soon as we stopped the newsletter, membership dropped," she said.

Now membership is on the rise again, at about 250 members. Only paid members receive the newsletter. Yearly membership costs $15 for families, $10 for seniors and singles and $25 for businesses.

"It's just a great way to communicate with the neighborhood," she said.

Paid advertisers sign up for a three-month cycle. "We actually have a waiting list for ads now," Benoit said. "We mostly just look to cover the cost of printing and mailing the newsletter. We're nonprofit."

She's at work on this month's issue. The process begins with e-mail. Colleagues and fellow KCA board members contact Benoit about different news items affecting Keystone-Odessa.

"Right now the Dibbs borrow pit is a big issue up here," she said. "We want to be sure that our membership knows what's going on with that."

Developer Stephen Dibbs wants to remove about 305 acres from the Keystone-Odessa Community Plan. The KCA, in efforts to preserve the area's rural character, has battled repeatedly with Dibbs over the years.

"We're going to state Keystone is supporting not having this pit," Benoit said.

Issues of growth and development are on the minds of Keystone residents. It's one of the reasons Benoit decided to get involved. "This is one of the last rural areas so close to a city," she said. "And it's nice that they want to preserve that."

Not all subjects are controversial. The annual music festival, formerly the jazz festival, will dominate the pages in the coming year.

The KCA encourages contributions from residents about anything affecting the community. Hillsborough County Community Resource Deputy Charity Arthur supplies neighborhood-specific crime-fighting tips and statistics.

Benoit writes a real estate market watch. She also is preparing a daylight-savings article to remind residents to adjust lawn sprinkler timers.

Each issue includes minutes from the prior month's KCA general meetings.

Benoit uses an inexpensive software program for layout. The goal is to publish the newsletter before each general membership meeting, held the last Thursday of each month.

Frances Barksdale handles the mailing. Lately, she has been helped by the staff of Fifth Third Bank's newest branch at 17751 Gunn Highway.

"Fifth Third have been wonderful business partners," Benoit said. "They let us use a room to fold the newsletters; even the tellers lend a hand."

For information or to submit items for the Keystone Connection, call (813) 484-4052.

Reporter Stephen Hammill can be reached at (813) 865-1523 or shammill@tampatrib.com.

Back to Top

Growth and the Gopher Tortoise

A Times Editorial
Published January 1, 2006

They are slow, so homely they're cute and their hygiene leaves something to be desired. Yet Florida's gopher tortoises are developing a national following. Credit the Lake Park Five, who gave their lives for the cause.

It must have seemed like an insignificant obstacle: five burrows on land Wal-Mart intended for a new store in Lake Park. The retail giant could have relocated the tortoises, which are a "species of special concern" and therefore protected (somewhat) by the state. Instead, Wal-Mart chose to pay $11,409 for a state permit to entomb the tortoises under the store's foundation, benignly dubbed an "incidental taking."

Wal-Mart is no stranger to controversy, but it probably didn't anticipate such a backlash to the deaths of five lethargic burrow-dwellers. The Humane Society of the United States took up the cause, bringing nationwide denunciation of the corporation's decision to condemn the tortoises to a slow death by starvation or asphyxiation. Now the company promises to "do a better job" of looking for an alternative the next time.

Wal-Mart isn't the only villain. In the past 14 years, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has approved the destruction of 74,000 gopher tortoises to make way for development. The commission has also allowed more than 50,000 of them to be moved elsewhere.

Relocation sounds like the more humane choice, and it should be. But just digging up a burrow and releasing the tortoise elsewhere falls far short of ensuring its survival. Given their slow-motion lifestyle, it is difficult for tortoises to find a mate or food, escape traffic or adapt to change. They need dry sandy soil (also a favorite of developers) and because they commonly suffer from respiratory disease, their introduction into a different tortoise colony could further endanger the species.

Gopher tortoises are found only in the Southeast corner of the country, with Florida being their largest range. Not only are they fascinating creatures, but their burrows are used by other species, including owls and armadillos. Most importantly, they are a unique part of natural Florida, which is in danger of disappearing.

Development isn't going to stop, so the state needs to do a better job of protecting gopher tortoises. It has used the permit money to create nine protected habitats, but more energy should go into relocation. The Humane Society of the United States recommends post-release monitoring of gopher tortoises, which isn't currently required. That way, the state would know which techniques and locations work. Also, "soft releases" should be mandatory, meaning that rather than leaving tortoises to fend for themselves, they should be kept in a confined area and fed until they adapt to their new surroundings.

Those requirements aren't too much to ask of Wal-Mart and other developers. At least the conservation commission seems to have gotten the message. It has assembled a group made up of individuals and organizations interested in the issue. Together, the group and the commission should develop new guidelines to better protect the species.

Florida shouldn't wait for another Lake Park Five to shame the state into action.

© 2007 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
 

Back to Top