Looks Like We're Winning This Fight

Thanks to all who wrote letters opposing the rezoning of sensitive coastal wetlands on Tampa Bay next to
E.G. Simmons Park, we've won an early victory! Thanks, again,
to all who care enough about our community and our environment to help!
here

On A Wet Clump Of Mangroves & Sandbars In Tampa Bay

Next to E.G. Simmons Park at the end of 19th Av. in Ruskin, developers want to change the zoning to get 5 times more housing than their current zoning allows, to go from 1 house per 5 acres
to 1 house per 1 acre on 170 acres.

Of the site’s 170 acres, only 29 are uplands while 141 acres are wetlands — mostly underwater!

You have to see the aerial photos to appreciate the insanity of adding residential housing density to these submerged lands and mangroves growing knee-deep in Tampa Bay.
See more photos, maps and details here.

Attend the hearings:
July 25, 6:00 p.m: PRELIMINARY Zoning Hearing
Sept. 13, 9:00 a.m: FINAL County Commission Hearing
County Center, 2nd floor, 601 E. Kennedy, TAMPA

Hands Across the Sand

Charlie Crist was the star at Hands Across the Sand press conference hosted by Tradewinds resort, immediately followed by hundreds Joining Hands on St. Pete Beach to say NO to offshore oil drilling
and YES to clean and safe energy.
more
"Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til it's gone." -- I sure am missing Gov. Charlie right about now. Local heroine Mariella Smith.

Uterus Has Joined Facebook

"Florida's Republican House leadership has banned the word "uterus" from the house floor. So Uterus has joined Facebook, hoping to find some friends to say there's nothing nasty or 'inappropriate' with "uterus."
Mariella Smith

Beckner, Ferlita, White And Sharpe

Citizens Win On Community Plans
Hagan & Higginbotham opposed the motion, voting for the special interests, while Kevin Beckner & Rose Ferlita led the board in voting for the citizens' interests, joined by Kevin White & Mark Sharpe......more

(The) hearing provided a good look at the stark differences between Ken Hagan & Linda Saul-Sena, who is running against him for a countywide commission seat, as Saul-Sena spoke up from her background as a planner on behalf of the citizens, while Hagan fought for the developers who are contributing so heavily to his campaign.

E-Mail Or Call And Thank Them
Rose Ferlita, District 1
ferlitar@hillsboroughcounty.org
Phone: ( 813 ) 272-5470

Kevin White, District 3
whitek@hillsboroughcounty.org
Phone: ( 813 ) 272-5720

Kevin Beckner, District 6
becknerk@hillsboroughcounty.org
Phone: 272-5730

Mark Sharpe, District 7
sharpem@hillsboroughcounty.org
Phone: 272-5735

These Two Guys, Ken Hagan And Al Higginbotham, Remember Them In The Voting Booth.

Mariella Smith And UCAN

Hillsborough County's United Citizen Action Network (UCAN)
Won the award for "Outstanding Public Interest Group" from the American Planning Association's Florida Chapter. I'm proud to have been honored with my fellow UCAN board members at the APA's annual conference luncheon today. Terry Flott, Vivian Bacca, George Niemann, Marcella O'steen, Bev Griffiths, Vivienne Handy, Laura Swain, Charlotte Butler-Nelson on Thursday.
here

Meet & Greet

Linda Saul-Sena and John Dingfelder
Sunday, September 12, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
At The Home Of Claudia & Pete Davidsen, 103 2nd St. NW, Ruskin
Please RSVP to Claudia Davidsen: 813-641-3237 or e-mail Nell1@aol.com

"Meet & Greet"

Mariella Smith, Linda Saul-Sena & John Dingfelder

here

Save The South Coast Greenway Trail!

A multi-use paved trail planned to run from Ruskin to Tampa. Connected with side trails to Sun City Center, Apollo Beach, Balm, Gibsonton, Riverview, and other communities; and connecting several schools, libraries and shopping centers. This trail would provide a safe system for alternative transportation — bicycles, skaters, baby-strollers, wheelchairs and pedestrians — IF we can persuade the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to get it built........here

Manage Cone Ranch

The Hillsborough County Water Resource Services Department, which controls the property, is denying public access........here

"You don't even know the value and the issues with the land unless you are monitoring its health and the animal and plant species on it,"....Lorraine Margeson

"If ELAPP owns it, we can have public access, which is not allowed now,"....Mariella Smith

Local Hero Mariela Smith

Proposes bike lanes for South Hillsborough County......here
Connecting Ruskin And Sun City Center With Greenways.

Alan Snel Is Happy

Protect Cockroach Bay

A California developer wants to change our Comprehensive Plan to build a "multi-modal" cargo distribution center near Cockroach Bay. Unfortunately, the developer has persuaded the Ruskin Chamber to support this, in the name of "economic development." So unless we get a big turnout of opposition, the commissioners will be led to believe that citizens support this atrocity..........here

Mariella Smith: Water Alert

State legislators are planning to rob the pollution cleanup fund (paid for by gas tax) which is supposed to pay to cleanup toxic chemicals seeping toward our drinking water sources and threatening our rivers. Hundreds of polluted sites are under cleanup in Hillsborough County — 8 of those sites are labeled an "Imminent Threat" to our drinking water supplies........more

Battle To Save Egmont Key

“It’s time to call in the cavalry. Deliberations in Tallahassee may seal the fate of this beloved historical island. Letters and calls to legislators are needed now if we are to muster the support to
Save Egmont Key.”............here
They will only act in our interest if we demand this of them..........Mariella