Bait and Beer Shop to Open Up 24/7 on Lake Keystone

By Rich Dugger

Recently a resident was overheard commenting about the upcoming request to allow an exercise facility to operate 24 hours at the northeast corner of Gunn Highway and Van Dyke Road.

Her statement to a friend, “I don't understand these people out here with this "keep everything rural" attitude…what is it, are they going to be up at 2 a.m. and bothered if someone wants to go work out?”

This ignorance is what creates problems with zoning.

It may be possible to have a 2 a.m. workout without it bothering anyone, however, when the next request comes in for a 24 hour business, and it is for a quickie mart, and they want to put it next to little miss "what’s wrong with these people who want rural", she will be at our doors screaming about why the KCA won't stop this out right destruction of our rural community.  But, until it's next to her house, you can bet she will keep screaming for her city life she left behind.

I always find it amazing that people come to Hillsborough County and with its VAST choices for urban lifestyles, the ones that want all the city trappings, simply can't find a house anywhere BUT IN KEYSTONE!

So they arrive with lattes in hand, screaming for cosmopolitans and Sex in the City on cable.  They install chemical misting systems to kill anything that flies in the air, good or bad, and then kick back to enjoy the beauty that is Keystone.  That is, till the OPEN 24 HOURS signs starts flashing from across the lake.

It won't take long for the next guy who wants to operate something in Keystone 24 hours a day to see this business is allowed to do so too.  Courts and County Governments get real spooky when it comes time to tell one business “Yes, you can do this”, and then tell another, “No you cannot”.

Suddenly the city will be here for those who desire more urban trappings. The residents with the desire for 24 hour work outs right here close to home.  Thing is, once those quickie mart signs start flashing everywhere, open 24 hours, beer, cigarettes, etc.  Those sleek urban types won't like that much.  The light from the 24 hour sign will throw odd shadows on the house when it shines through all that zoo type 8 foot tall metal fencing.  They will have to uproot I suppose and find some other rural setting so that they can try again to get ONLY the business they want to open, and hope that they don't get all the other 24 hour businesses around them they don't want.

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Why We Must Preserve Our Two Lane Roads

by Mindee Cobb

Widening the roadways in Keystone is a hot topic. We’ve all heard folks say, "The traffic is so bad on Gunn and Race Track, they HAVE to widen them to four lanes!" Even at July’s General Meeting, some candidates for County Commission expressed strong views that widening our roadways is inevitable.

So why does the KCA have such a strong stance against widening our roads? The answer is quite simple: Widening roads does not relieve traffic volume. In fact, it encourages more traffic! Think about it. Traffic flows much like water, always down the path of least resistance. If you widen the hole of a funnel, does it slow down the amount that comes through? Of course not! When a road is widened, more people will use it and soon the widened road is maxed out and the process starts all over again. "Widening roads to ease traffic congestion is ineffective and expensive at the same time," said Roy Kienitz, Executive Director of the Surface Transportation Policy Project. "It's like trying to cure obesity by loosening your belt." *

Traffic volumes aside, once a road is widened, there will be no stopping the pressure to re-zone for commercial development along these roads. This of course creates a domino effect: Wider roads leads to commercial rezoning…leads to big box development… leads to more truck traffic… leads to more noise and more trash and on it goes. Those residents who worked on the development of the Keystone Odessa Community Plan wisely understood this concept. They knew that in order to maintain the rural lifestyle that is the hallmark of the Keystone area, we MUST keep our roadways as they are. Widening our roads will destroy the very thing we hold most precious, our rural heritage.

The Vision Statement of the Keystone Odessa Community Plan states, "The rural roads that transect our community will remain in their present form to be freely utilized by members of this community. Our country roads shall not become degraded by urban design standards or traffic generated by the high population centers surrounding our community." The plan goes on to state, "While it is understood that over time some changes to roadway configuration may be needed for safety, the residents want to limit those changes to turn lanes, pedestrian / equestrian crossings or traffic control mechanisms rather than widening roadways." Hillsborough County’s long-range transportation plan shows that Gunn Highway and Tarpon Springs Road are scheduled for safety improvements only at some time in the future.

While traffic will continue to flow through our community, we will not encourage it by making our roadways wider. Some KCA members are keeping watch on what goes on around us. They attend transportation meetings to ensure that our area is protected from rampant and irresponsible traffic growth. But these dedicated members can’t do it alone. We need more residents to stand up and help maintain our rural legacy.

* taken from D. Chen's "If You Build It They Will Come" STPP March 1998 Progress Newsletter.

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Groundwater Isn't Cheaper

KCA member Rich Dugger sent this letter to the editor of the Tampa Tribune where it was printed as “Letter of the Day” on Sunday, December 18, 2005.

In your editorial on the battle between SWIFTMUD and Tampa Bay Water over the desal plant, you, like others, have placed the highest priority on the pocketbook.  You do mention safeguarding the environment just enough to sound like you care, and then you go right to the same old thing we who are damaged by groundwater pumping always hear: groundwater is cheaper. 

This statement is true - for those of you who do not live near these wells. For those of us that do, consider going from having a wonderful water source that was clean and clear and free of smell which is then pumped dry from under you; then in comes TBW with a new 300 ft. deep well. The water stinks, comes out black and takes huge amounts of filtering to make it odorless and to get it anywhere near what we had prior to the over-pumping.

Please do not encourage others to take the "this is better for me because it is cheaper" method of thinking when you talk about groundwater.   Know that someone is paying more - and trust me, those of us around these wellheads have paid our share of this cost, more than you ever will.

Rich Dugger, Odessa

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Lead Foot

 by Laura Swain

With school starting, many of us have developed a severe case of Lead-Foot. If you are unfamiliar with this malady, it manifests as an overwhelming sense of urgency and the feeling that you must get to wherever you are going in the least possible amount of time.

It overtakes our otherwise gentle natures and causes us to stomp on the gas the instant the light changes, and if you aren’t first in line, to honk at the slow idiot that isn’t moving as fast as you would like. Doesn’t matter that the person going slow turns out to be your neighbor.

It causes you to exceed speed limits on ALL of our area roads, putting the safety of walkers, joggers, bikers, horseback riders, kids and pets in imminent danger. And worst of all, it clouds our ability to notice and appreciate the incredible array of birds, squirrels, and other amazing creations here in Keystone.

A lot of us (dare I say most?) living in the Keystone-Odessa area moved here because of the open spaces and the reminiscence of a simpler, slower time. There was a time in the not too distant past when we waved to each other as we passed on the roads. And we actually knew who we were waving to—or at least whose car it was. But this was before the current Lead-Foot epidemic.

Since our roads are being inundated daily with outsiders that are just passing through, it is up to US to determine whether we will morph into the suburban mind-set that surrounds us, or whether we each make a conscious choice to rid ourselves of the plague of Lead-Foot.

I am going to make my own decision to not only slow down, but also to take the time to smile and wave at my fellow tortoises on the road. And I want to believe that the jerk honking and yelling at my somewhat slow pace is just one of those folks from outside our community infected with Lead-Foot.

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Impact Fees
by Rich Dugger

Neighbors,

Below you will find a listing of facts compiled from newspaper articles and county documents. These facts are all surrounding "IMPACT FEES"

What is an impact fee?

ANSWER: In a nutshell - It is money charged to developers when new homes are built so that the county can have schools, roads, fire departments, etc to service those moving into the new homes / neighborhoods.

Why should you care about Impact Fees?

ANSWER:  Because you are paying for these new schools, fire departments, police stations out of your property taxes only after your level of service is diminished because we have to spread the schools, fire departments, police, etc out to cover these new areas that did not get these things when they were built.    Plain and simple - The developer builds a neighborhood, cashes in, hauls butt - You get overcrowded schools, congested roads -- AND your land taxes go up not only to continue covering the cost of the schools and roads and service you have always paid for, but now to build new schools and pay for needed service to residents who also need them but were supplied none of these necessary things when their community was built.

The facts .....

• Hillsborough County Schools 5 year building program is SHORT 276.5 MILLION DOLLARS.
• Impact Fees are used toward creating new schools.
• In 2003 Commissioners Opposed raising these fees for schools charged to developers
• Commissioner Norman predicted that YOU will be happy to pay for these new school sites with your property tax dollars so that those who profit from developing the land may keep inadequate fees at the same level they were 20 years ago and today.
• A consultant told school and county officials this week impact fees need to increase to about $4,300.00 to keep pace with growth.
• Hillsborough County currently charges  $196.00 for school impact fees
• By one consultant's estimate, the county's school impact fee ought be in the thousands. That may sound outrageous, but other nearby counties also have high school impact fees, according to last year's figures.  It's over $1,600 in Polk County, over $1,170 in Hernando, nearly $1,700 in Pasco, and in Manatee County, nearly $2,600 (as reported in the St. Pete Times, August of 2004).  I repeat: In Hillsborough, it's $196.
• The Chairman of our Board of County Commissioners, Jim Norman suggest that the school board spend LESS on the bus system that we depend on for the safe delivery of our children to school rather than raise impact fees.  He also suggested increasing our sales tax to shield the developers from the Impact Fee increase they oppose, for the needed schools the residential projects they profit from create.

Sovereignty of the People and Civic Associations

By Marvin T. Travis, D.P.A., Professor Emeritus, Saint Leo University 

In 1831 the French government sent a 26 year-old aristocrat to the United States to study our prison system.  While here he traveled extensively and became captivated with this new form of government that was just taking hold in America.  When he returned home he wrote a small book entitled Democracy in America.  His name was Alexis de Tocqueville.  The book has become a classic of American government.  Listen to a few quotes from his story.

“Whenever the political laws of the United States are to be discussed, it is with the doctrine of the sovereignty of the people that we must begin …In America the principle of the sovereignty of the people is neither barren nor concealed…it is recognized by the customs and proclaimed by the laws; it spreads freely… If there is a country in the world where the doctrine of the sovereignty of the people can be fairly appreciated, where it can be studied…that country is America… The American attaches himself to his little community for the same reason that the mountaineer clings to his hills, because the characteristic features of his country are there more distinctly marked; it has a more striking physiognomy…The people reign in the American political world as the Deity does in the universe.  They are the cause and the aim of all things; everything comes from them, and everything is absorbed in them.”

De Tocqueville was writing about the Keystone Civic Association and thousands of civic associations like it across this great country.   Our association becomes quiet when all is well and our chosen representatives in government do their job well.  But when those representatives become careless with our sovereignty or power hungry and ignore our little community, our association becomes a powerful defender of its just rights.

 Our community leaders evolve and fade over time.  They have fought in the water wars to protect our lakes and our community’s way of life.  Many of those who fought are now passing from the active scene.  Others spent years developing and securing approval of our Community Plan.  Others defeated one of the state’s largest grocery chains when it tried to ignore us and build an unwanted store.  Others forced proper action when the county tried to give protection to water wells serving only urban residents.

 Now, too soon, we are again called to action.  The April 12 association meeting was the most forceful expression of our demand for community sovereignty that I have witnessed in the past 30 years. Every person attending a standing room only meeting, by secret ballot, voted to sue the county government.  Some had to rush to join the association because they were determined to vote and give money for the suit.  Why? Because we were betrayed by a disingenuous school board and by a county commission that ignored its own commitment to our community. 

We have been led by an outstanding president. We have now elected a new board. Isn’t it interesting that in this year of strong partisan party politics we have no idea of the party affiliations of those selected. That speaks to the sovereignty of the people as a community.

We will continue to be a rural community embracing our agricultural past.  We value nature above commercialism.  We value dark, star filled nights to the glare of urban lights.  We value the sound of frogs above the sound of traffic.  We value rural two lane roads over arterial highways.  And we value protection of our water resources above all else.

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The Need for Gateway Signs in Keystone

by Rich Dugger

 It's been almost 5 years since the Keystone Odessa Community Plan was adopted by Hillsborough County.  One of the unfinished components of this plan is the placement of "gateway signs," usually located along the borders of a neighborhood to define its boundaries and create a "sense of place."

 If I were to ask you, "Where does Keystone start and where does it end?" could you tell me?  Most people can't and believe it or not, some people who live in Keystone don't know it!  Part of the problem can be traced back to when the post office moved their building onto Tarpon Springs Road.  At that time, the entire Keystone area was switched to a mailing address of "Odessa."  My family moved out here when I was one year old and I always thought we lived in Odessa - this is what we told everyone.  I had always thought that Keystone was just a small area around Lake Keystone, Keystone Park and the Keystone United Methodist Church.  It was years later that I finally realized we lived in Keystone.

 So part of the reason we need gateway signs is so that people who live in Keystone know they are part of Keystone.  But we also want others to realize that Keystone is a community - not just some route that gets you to Tampa or Clearwater.  I frequently answer phone calls for the KCA Land Use Committee from people interested in buying property out here.  They think they can turn around and split it up and cut it up like they do with the land in areas all around us - most are surprised when they find out the truth.  When you drive down from Pasco, you're going from industrial land with a density of up to nine dwelling units per acre, into Keystone with only one dwelling unit per five acres. Boom!  That's a huge difference! 

The Hillsborough County Comprehensive Plan states that there should be a transition between two areas with such drastic differences.  But Keystone has no buffer - it seems as though these extreme disparities in land use are pressing in on all our borders.  The lone Keystone "gateway sign" is a perfect example of this disparity.  Drive south on Race Track Road to South Mobley Road and you will see that lone sign on the east side of the road.  Yes, that's it, just where all the massive construction begins for the widening of Race Track Road - which is just north of the new large developments straddling Race Track - which is just north of where the new Sweet Bay grocery store and new shopping village is located - which is.…well, you get the picture.   

What many KCA members don't like or appreciate is the expectation that Keystone should succumb to the whim of development - just as other areas have - in order to accommodate the needs of some communities around us.  The Keystone Civic Association will not permit this to happen on our watch which is why we are often referred to as stubborn as well as, well, let's just say, other names.  We do have quite the reputation, you know!   But the KCA chooses to serve the needs of our residents first and foremost.

Gateway signs are needed - our borders will be immediately recognizable and provide us with that "sense of place."   As for the process to get the signs, we are working with the county and have also tried a few other routes.  Most of the work is being done by Steve Morris and Woody Wood, who actually built an incredible model of a sample "gateway sign."  Any one interested in helping with the gateway signs or any other land use issues should contact the Land Use Committee at 926-2792.

FYI:    If you reside live in the following developments, you also live within the Keystone Odessa Community Plan boundaries: