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Newsletter of the Nokomis Area Civic Association
Vol. 9, No. 4, October 2004
Next NACA General Meeting
Tues., Oct. 19, 7 pm, Nokomis Community Center, All Welcome!
"Family Violence Affects Us All!"
See the riveting documentary film, "Battered, Bruised and Broken,"
produced by the Family Violence Study Group of SCOPE (Sarasota Openly Plans For
Excellence) and hear their presentation on Family Violence. In addition,
learn about SPARCC (Safe Place And Rape Crisis Center).
PRESIDENT'S CORNER
by John Ask, NACA President
Dear Nokomis Neighbors:
"Welcome" to the many of you returning to Nokomis from your summer
trips and time spent elsewhere. Presently, there's a lot of activity in
our community and there are plans for much more! This NACA quarterly
newsletter is full of useful information about much of what is happening in our
community. When you are through reading our newsletter, please share it
with a neighbor and encourage them to join NACA, using the form on the back.
Please put Tuesday, October 19th, at 7:00 p.m. on your calendar to attend our
next NACA quarterly meeting at the Nokomis Community Center. At this
meeting you will be updated with the very latest information on the numerous
projects going on in our community. Our featured topic for the meeting
will be the study findings from SCOPE (Sarasota County Openly Plans for
Excellence) regarding Family Violence. You can see SCOPE on the internet
at: www.scopexcel.org. Other topics of interest that you can learn more
about include extending water to some of our neighborhoods, the widening of
Tamiami Trail through Nokomis and our related bridge issues, Rails to Trails
through Nokomis, and the latest with the Nokomis Revitalization Committee
activity.
The vision of NACA continues to be an organization of individual Nokomis
homeowners uniting together for the betterment of our community and Sarasota
County. Collectively, we can and do have a strong voice with our County
elected officials and decision makers. We truly are able to accomplish
more as an organized group versus individually. Please continue to be a
NACA member, and please encourage your neighbors to join, too. At no time
has the activity of NACA been more important in helping shape what Nokomis is
"becoming" through revitalization, infrastructure improvement, and
land development. Let's work together in ensuring that Nokomis remains a
vibrant area providing an outstanding quality of life and appreciating property
values. I hope to see you on the 19th!
NACA FOCUSES ON NATIONAL FAMILY VIOLENCE MONTH ON OCTOBER 19TH
by Don Lewis, NACA County Government Liaison
No fewer than 70 Sarasota community organizations have joined forces to raise
public awareness of family violence--a large, serious, and growing problem both
in Sarasota County and nationally.
SCOPE (Sarasota County Openly Plans For Excellence) will present a 35-minute
documentary film, "BATTERED, BRUISED AND BROKEN," which puts a human
face on the issue of family violence. The two filmmakers who joined
SCOPE'S Family Violence Study Group last fall said, "Making this film was
an emotional experience for all of us. We thought we had a clear idea of
how we would produce this film, but after talking to over 50 people who have
been affected by family violence, we realized how complex and painful this issue
is. It's not a matter of good guy/bad guy. It's like a cancer no one
wants to bring to the table."
This presentation will be followed by SPARCC (Safe Place And Rape Crisis
Center), which will present a 6-minute video that describes what SPARCC is all
about.
You will have an opportunity to ask questions after each presentation. My
wife and I have seen both of these, and if you have any interest in knowing more
about this subject, you will not want to miss this NACA meeting.
NACA CONTRIBUTES TO "HURRICANE CHARLEY DISASTER RELIEF FUND"
by Don Lewis, NACA County Government Liaison
This hurricane really did a number on Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte to the
extent that it will take those hardest hit well over a year to recover.
The Gondolier Sun recently announced a Hurricane Disaster Relief Fund Drive
designed to help those who lost so much.
All donations will be sent by the Gondolier to the Southwest Florida Community
Foundation located in Ft. Myers. The funds will be used to help those in
dire need who can't get sufficient help from others. They will be
identified by an Advisory Committee and recommended to the Foundation, which has
an outstanding reputation in the area, for approval.
NACA is sending a check for $1,000 made out to the "Hurricane Charlie
Disaster Relief Fund." We have also sent a letter to the presidents
of each of our network of 38 Homeowners Associations, asking if they'd like to
join us by sending a check from their respective treasuries to our treasurer, B.
J. Brown, who in turn would forward ours and theirs to Bob Vedder, Gondolier
Publisher, who would forward them to the Foundation.
As of Sept. 27th (the Voice deadline), already nine have responded with a total
of $1200. We expect a lot of the presidents are "snowbirds,"
many of whom won't return until mid-October, so we will wait until then before
sending the checks to Bob. I would ask anyone reading this to call someone
on your HOA Board, see if they have received this letter dated September 20th,
and, if not, explain the intent.
The nine who have responded to date are Sorrento East Villa Section 6, Terra
Cove HOA, Nokomis Oaks, Shore Oaks HOA, Lake Village Mobile Home HOA, Nokomis
Harbor HOA, Calusa Lakes Master HOA, Sorrento East Master HOA, and Sorrento
Inlets HOA. Thank you for your generosity!
In the next Voice of Nokomis, which will be mailed out in late December,
describing our January meeting program, I will show a list of all of those HOAs
who have contributed to this excellent and well-controlled fund designed to meet
unmet needs.
COMMUNITY CHANGE: REDEVELOPMENT AND INFILL
by Suzanne Gregory, Associate Director of SCOPE (Sarasota County Openly Plans
For Excellence)
Everyone wants to feel connected to and identify with the place he or she lives
and works. As a community grows and changes, it is important to maintain
and cultivate that connection. SCOPE's recently released community study,
"Community Change: Redevelopment and Infill," focuses on how
redevelopment and infill can be used to improve quality of life by creating a
"sense of place" for existing developed areas. Fulfilling
neighborhood and community visions is an integral part of this.
What exactly is "redevelopment" and "infill"?
Redevelopment refers to the revitalization of existing areas through renovation,
replacement of structures, and reusing already developed property that may be in
need of a facelift or more. The goal is to make existing property more
productive. Examples include aging strip malls, shopping centers, and
parking lots. Infill is the development of vacant lots in urban and
suburban settings. Both are essential tools in sustaining a community and,
as the SCOPE Study Group volunteers found, both need an environment and
incentives that will maximize their potential.
About 90% of the population in Sarasota County lives in developed areas west of
the "urban service boundary." The issues surrounding
redevelopment and infill are concerns that affect how we enjoy life in Sarasota
County. What neighborhood characteristics do we value? What
environments do we want to shop in? How do commercial centers and
neighborhood coexist together? And how can the community participate in
these decisions?
Many of the recommendations from the study are directed towards local
government. However, government can't do it alone. The private
sector plays a key role and that includes neighborhoods, businesses, and
developers. Some of the recommendations enhance public involvement in the
processes of planning at the community vision level, as well as individual
projects. The study recommendations include:
- improving public-involvement processes;
- completing a county-wide relational database of neighborhood characteristics;
- involving residents and businesses in creating a redevelopment and infill
plan;
- developing a toolkit to help neighborhoods and businesses develop their
visions;
- making redevelopment more competitive with new development through regulatory
flexibility and incentives tied to redevelopment goals;
- investing adequate public dollars in areas at the "tipping point";
- minimizing displacement of residents and businesses in revitalized areas;
- coordinating affordable-housing and transportation planning goals with
redevelopment plans;
- helping neighborhoods and districts maintain their unique character through
appropriate design guidelines and preservation of unique architectural elements;
and
- considering increased density in areas deemed appropriate.
To understand more about redevelopment and infill, read the SCOPE report or the
Executive Summary on line at www.scopexcel.org or call SCOPE at 365-8751.
SHAKETT CREEK / DONA BAY BRIDGE-HEIGHT ISSUE UPDATE
by Don Lewis, NACA County Government Liaison
BACKGROUND
In the last Voice of Nokomis, I reported that the FDOT (Florida Department of
Transportation) and the Coast Guard met to discuss the possibility of further
increasing the new Dona Bay bridge height to better achieve the navigational
requirements of the Coast Guard. A subsequent FDOT engineering evaluation
resulted in a proposed addition of 3-1/2 feet for a total of 12 feet or about
double the height of the existing bridges. A modified new bridge design
would accomplish this without requiring a change in the proposed original FDOT
design for the road level itself, which, if it had to be increased, would cause
significant complications.
STATUS
A couple of weeks ago, the Coast Guard told the FDOT they would soon be sending
out a public notice advising they accept the FDOT 12-foot bridge-height
proposal. The public will have 30 days to respond with any comments or
objections. If no significant public objections are received (which would
require the Coast Guard to set up an informational workshop meeting), the Coast
Guard will proceed to issue a permit to the FDOT and no new navigational surveys
will be required.
PLAN
When the FDOT receives the permit, it will prepare the required new bridge
drawings, send them out for bids, and eventually sign a contract with the
winning bidder. It is probable that the contractor will have two crews
working simultaneously, one on the new six-lane bridges, the other on widening
US 41 to six lanes.
BOTTOM LINE
The above assumes there will be no significant delays, such as an informational
public workshop, which could delay the process for months. Even without
delays, it's probable it will be year-end 2006 before the entire project is
totally completed.
However, the GOOD NEWS is that, at some point, the Revitalization of Nokomis
plan along US 41 can proceed, which includes attractive gateways at the new
Albee Road now in progress and a similar new Colonia Lane at the intersection
with the new six-laned US 41, plus the beautification of properties all along US
41, making a huge difference in the attractiveness of our Nokomis Community as
people drive through it.
NOKOMIS REVITALIZATION NEWS
by Bruce Dillon, Nokomis Revitalization Advisory Committee Chair & NACA
Revitalization Officer
CENTRAL WATER
Central water could be flowing from the taps in some Nokomis neighborhoods by
year-end 2005, according to County Utilities Planner John Knowles. The
Board of County Commissioners unanimously voted to establish two assessment
districts covering greater Nokomis at their September 15th meeting.
The timetable for service to the Revitalization area east of US 41 is tied to
the upcoming road-improvement projects on Colonia Lane between Nash Avenue and
Albee Farm Road and the Colonia Lane Gateway. (Also see "Shakett
Creek/Dona Bay Bridge-height Issue Update" above.)
The water main needed to serve most of that area will be installed during those
projects, which are scheduled to start during fiscal year 2005. Water
service to those neighborhoods should be available in 2006, according to
planners.
The assessment districts will fund the construction of distribution lines
passing all the properties in a district. All property owners in a
district will share the cost, including the cost of acquiring any easements
needed on private roads. The cost can be financed by the County and appear
on the annual property tax bill or it may also be paid as a one-time fee.
Advisory boards for the districts are to be appointed to provide local input.
Property owners who wish to connect will also be responsible for the capacity
(impact) fee, the fee for meter installation, the security deposit, and the
plumbing connecting the meter to the house. In some cases there is a
payment plan available for the capacity fee. In addition, there may be
payment assistance available depending on income level and family size.
It is the hope of the Board of Directors of NACA that the spirit of community
prevails where easements are needed, and that this project can proceed with
maximum speed and minimum cost for all.
The next meeting of the Nokomis Revitalization Advisory Committee is November 3,
2004, at 6:30 p.m. at the Community Center on Nippino Trail. The topic
will be the impact of Stormwater on our Waterways and Dredging.
WATERWAYS REPORT
by Patrick McCarthy, NACA Waterways
I'm writing this article as Jeanne blasts through. Power is on (for now)
and it looks like once again Nokomis was spared the destruction that so many of
our neighbors have suffered this past six weeks. Having lived in Florida
all my life, I can say that we have never had a season like this before.
In fact, the only hurricane I have been through was Donna in 1960, and that I
don't remember, as I was only one year old. We rode out the storm in the
lobby of the Bradford Motel in downtown Ft. Myers. But that's another
story.
As explained elsewhere in this newsletter, the US 41/Dona Bay bridge issue is
ongoing.
As our waterways become more crowded, it is even more important for people to
operate their vessels in a responsible manner. Some of the things I have
seen this summer are not only irresponsible, but reckless. If we cannot
police ourselves, I'm sure our local, state, and federal law-enforcement
agencies will be happy to do it for us.
The next meeting of the Nokomis Center Revitalization Advisory Board will
address the issue of the accelerated deterioration of the Curry Creek/Roberts
Bay area. County staff will be on hand to advise and answer the questions
of the board members. Hopefully, a better understanding of the situation
will result so we can progress toward a solution. The meeting will be
November 3 at the Nokomis Community Center, 6:30 p.m.
IT'S MEMBERSHIP TIME
by Tom Bartholomay, NACA Secretary & Membership Chair
As snowbirds return to "Paradise," it is a good time to sign them up
as members of NACA. This organization is the watchdog for what our
community wants to accomplish. At present, Albee Road nears completion.
Won't it be nice to have a walking path and bike lane to use when going to the
beach? Colonia Lane will be started in '05 and County water will follow
for all who don't have public water now.
To be strong, our membership must continue to grow. You, a valued member,
are asked to help.
It would work well if, when soliciting members for your neighborhood
association, you could get a member for NACA at the same time.
We have some associations which have done a great job. Nokomis Oaks,
Waterside Acres, and Shakett Island have 100% of their residents in NACA, with
Shore Oaks right behind. Others that should be mentioned are Terra Cove,
Calusa Lakes, Sorrento East and Fair Winds. Thank you, and keep up the
good work!
To solicit a new member, just take this Voice of Nokomis, with the membership
application, and contact your prospect. Dues are only $5.00 a year!
For membership information or to request a speaker, call me, Tom Bartholomay, at
484-7396.
NACA Board of Directors
John Ask, President 486-0012
B. J. Brown, Treasurer 488-8204
Tom Bartholomay, Secretary & Membership Chair 484-7396
Norm Stewart, Association Liaison Officer 966-9054
Don Lewis, Government Liaison Officer 485-6737
Eddie Toomer, Transportation 716-3202 cel
Bruce Dillon, Revitalization 485-9366
Patrick McCarthy, Waterways 488-3784
Al Bell, At Large 484-0190
NACA Membership and Newsletter
Have you paid your dues yet? The number after your name on the label
is the year up through which you are paid. If you have questions, call B.
J. We welcome your membership and encourage you to invite your neighbors
to join, too! Send your check for $5 per household (U.S. Checks only
please!) and application below to:
Mrs. B. J. Brown, 416 Palmetto Crescent, Nokomis, FL 34275-3030
Check one: New Member___ Renewal___
Number of adults in your household _____________
P L E A S E P R I N T !
Name
Address
City, State, Zip
Phone
Fax
E-MAIL
Homeowners Assoc.
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