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.

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Hillsborough OKs $50 Million for Parks, Soccer Complex

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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.

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