Minutes032802

Minutes: ALVA - A Living Vision of Alva. Community meeting, March 28, 2002.

Alva Middle School

Present (signed in): Michael Dove, Marilyn Fensterer, JoAnne Fowler, Robert Fowler, Sarah Gillim, Jim Green, Thomas Hobbs, Geri Hudkins, Ed Jacobs, Nils Johnson, Doris Johnson, Steve Kindelan, Sue Kindelan, David Lee, Jack Liddell, Kim Liddell, Wendy McPherson, Larry Murphy, Beth Murphy, John Payne, Dave Phelps, Mary Reed, Les Richardson, Charlotte Richardson, Glenn Simmons, Andy Tilton, David Turkel, Boots Weathers, Barbara Wood, Shauna Flock, Rick Flock, Mary Povia, Caroline English Walter, Tom Raber, Joy Raber, George Wheadon, Adrian Povia, Sheri Povia, Iris Borghese, Leigh Adams, Dan Stanley, Phil Stanley, Mark Sandusky, Maria Musler, Ernie Caldwell, Tanya Baer.

Meeting opened by Sarah Gillim, president. Minutes of previous meeting were approved.

A revised draft of the Alva Community plan was made available to those present for their response and evaluation. Note: Copies of the plan may be found on the Alva website: www.Alvafl.org

A petition in support of the Alva Community plan was made available for signatures of supporting residents. Those traveling north for the summer months were especially encouraged to sign before they leave.

Treasurer, Lynn Fensterer, gave the following financial report.

As of March 28:

Disbursements: $298.31

Deposits: 1189.50

Balance on deposit: 5029.03

She expressed gratitude for a gift of $1,000.00 from an Alva resident who is committed to the community planning process. A letter of thanks on behalf of A Living Vision of Alva was sent from the secretary.

Committee reports: Rob Andrys, chair of the Planning Committee, was asked to interpret the meaning of Conservation Communities, that is, how the concept of clustering can increase open space and help the environment without changing the overall allowed densities. He pointed out that growth is coming; the question is not “if” but “when.” He emphasized that the Alva Community Plan is not designed to restrict but to encourage new ideas. He explained the various density zones in the Alva area. The advantages of Conservation communities are:

they allow and keep open space,

less infrastructure is required,

park land can be preserved,

uses a tenth of the asphalt of traditional suburban development,

on average, it is 60% cheaper to develop than a traditional development,

instead of wells and septic systems for every house, a small centralized sewer plant ia used, a much more responsible approach, saves money, and which greatly enhances underground water quality,

homes located on a “trail system” experience a 30 - 40% increase in land value.

He reiterated that the primary purpose of conservation communities is to preserve land and as a result rural areas are more likely to be saved.

Why more rules? It already takes far too long to get approval for development. Answer: these are not “rules,” but guidelines. No one is required to follow these guidelines for one’s present property.

How does this work for the eco system? Answer: It causes far less damage than traditional suburban development.

Comment: The end result could cause one to pay more per acre for land? Answer: Yes, this increases the value of land throughout the area.

Comment: The plan would be more successful if the boundaries were more limited than what is anticipated. These ideas make sense for a small area. The large corporations will fight these plans.

Comment: The importance of careful planning is demonstrated by a comparison of Ft. Myers Beach (little planning) with Sanibel (careful planning). Real estate is far more valuable on Sanibel as a result of planning.

Comment: Sanibel had the funds to buy conservation land, etc. Ft. Myers Beach community did not.

Comment: Important to develop incentive packets to make the plan more attractive. An example of an incentive is to allow home owners to build a “granny flat” on their property, especially as our population continues to age.

The remainder of the meeting was devoted to small group discussions on the various focus groups on various aspects of the plan.

Groups included: Development of state Hy.78, sidewalks and bikepaths, rural preservation/conservation communities; river pedestrian areas, village character/commercial development. Each group recorded and shared its suggestions and these will be forwarded to our professional planner, Carol Cunningham, for inclusion in further drafts of the Alva Community Plan. Further refinements of the plan will be available on our website: