Minutes, A Living Vision of Alva, Community meeting, April 25, 2002, Alva Middle School  

Present and signed in: Paul Musler, Maria Mulser, Michael Dove, Andy Tilton, Hugh Huler, Roberta Huler, David Robson, Kathy McKenney, John Payne, Timothy Harrison, Litisha Alterma, Sharais Douglas, Dominic Davis, Lan Sm(?), Sara Deffenbaugh, Jeff Urban, Laurie Urban, Rosanne Gause, Tonya Thomas, Andreia Siemienski, Rus Hamilton, Jennifer Hamilton, Tom Colvin, Jean Colvin, Loretta Thomas, Thomas Thomas, Crockett, Sandy Dennis, Pam Lewis, Shawn Pomerleau, Sarah Gillim, Maria Pagan, Lynda Kendrick, Gayanne Bennett, Frank Musco, Ted Urban, Lorraine Urban, Edward Buff, Anita Buff, Ken Rehm, Barbara Rehm, Rob Andrys, David Lee, Gwen Blasingim, Kathy White, Judy Newell, Dale Newell, Richard Woodruff, Gwendolyn Woodruff, Brian Taylor, Julie Moore, Shantee Buss, Vanier Baptiste, Frank Herrera, David Turkel, Paul Bella, Dulis Bella, James D. English, Jr.

 

Meeting opened at 7 p.m. by Sarah Gillim, president. 

Minutes of previous meeting approved.  A group of youth from Charleston Park were welcomed.

Sarah Gillim presented a summary of the April 11 meeting of the Alva, Inc. board of directors.  Meeting included a major discussion with Carol Cunningham, our professional planner, concerning the development of the Alva Community Plan.  Interest was expressed in emphasizing that the Alva center has historic charm and should be preserved.  Rumors that homes will need to be removed for the plan are untrue.  No existing homes will be affected.  The plan is a guide for the future

The board discussed the encouragement of purchasing of land for more conservation, including land near the county Mitigation Park .  The DOT has told us that County road 78 cannot be preserved in perpetuity as a two lane highway as it may be needed in the far future (50 years) for traffic movement.  However, it can be designated as a scenic highway, which would stop any further installations of advertising signs and allow for community input on design etc. The application requires the formation of a special task group to complete the necessary forms and to nominate the highway for scenic designation.  It may be possible to create the scenic designation in both Lee and Hendry Counties .

A letter on behalf of the board of directors from president Gillim was sent to Commissioner Janes in support of his proposal to purchase the SW 20,000 acres of the Babcock ranch for conservation.

Lynn Fensterer presented the treasurer’s report.

Balance forward:                                                                              $5029.03

deposit: funding from County Commissioners :                                     6,000.03

Total:                                                                                    11,029.03

disbursements:                                                                                     1,754.25

Balance, April 25, 2002 :                                                          9,274.78

Lynn Fensterer also announced that the Alva Inc. annual meeting will be the May Alva Community meeting.  A bylaw change is to be recommended to clear ambiguities in the definition of membership in Alva, Inc.  The recommended change would read:

Membership is open to all residents, property owners or business that are interested in the future of Alva.

            It was also recommended that the number of required general meetings be reduced from ten to six annually.

Certain board members will need to be reelected.  An appeal was made for more people to agree to serve on the board of directors.

Sarah Gillim made presentations of certificates and containers of honey to 29 officers, committee leaders and others who have made a significant contribution to Alva, Inc. during the past year.  Sarah was also recognized by the group for her contributions.

Jim Mudd, from Lee County Division of Planning, described the process of what happens to the Alva Community Plan after it is submitted to the county in late June or July.  The plan goes through a series of reviews and evaluations, a process that will probably take about two years.  Division of Planning will work with Alva, Inc. on any “stumbling blocks” to approval.  Possible timetable after submittal in July.   

July – Sept – review by planning dept

Sept 2002  - deadline for final submittal

April 2003 – review by Lee planning agency

Summer/fall 2003 – Review by State Dept of Community affairs

Fall 2003 – review by board of county commissioners

Winter 2003/2004 – final review by Dept of community affairs prior to incorporation into Lee comprehensive plan

A question was raised about possible zoning changes or other developments discouraged by the plan that could happen while the plan is in process of evaluation.  Mr. Mudd pointed out that recommendations in the plan, even if not yet adopted, can still have a large and powerful impact on proposed projects prior to it being adopted. 

Another question was about the relationship of the Alva plan to the East Lee County plan.  Mr. Mudd pointed out that the two plans are in different stages but should be compatible

 

Fund Raising Committee: Lynda Kendrick.  The Country Bazaar is postponed until fall and contributions of items for the bazaar are still needed.

 

The remainder of the meeting was an open discussion in which many participated, the content of which is summarized below.  (Some, not all, of the participants were: Margaret Akers, Susan Brookman, Lynda Kendrick, John Payne, Jean Colvin, Sara Deffenbaugh, Anita Buff, Rob Andrys, Rose Conner)

Sarah Gillim pointed out that Alva, Inc. has no interest in and is not planning to be involved in the enforcement of “code violations.”  This is an issue between neighbors, not a part of the Alva, Inc. program.  A rumor being circulated that Alva, Inc. is planning to “bulldoze” certain properties is utterly false and without any foundation in fact.

It was emphasized that it is important to have as many people as possible involved in helping create and evaluate the Alva plan.  This raised many questions and ideas:

Comments:  We need to publish our goals in as wide a format as possible.  Another general mailing - expensive, but possibly necessary. Post information in every public gathering place available... We need to articulate our boundaries, and this will be part of the completed plan... 

Susan Brookman stated that we should note that the plans from other communities all have evidence of a consensus among their residents and businesses.  A consensus is essential if the plan is to be approved.  It is likely that a “mail out” or “door to door” visitation will need to be done in order to achieve a consensus with adequate participation.  Lee County Commissioners expect to see a consensus for the submitted plan.

Suggestion: go door to door; involve neighbors; need volunteers.

Sara Deffenbaugh ( Box 493 , 33920) offered to stuff envelopes for a mailing daytimes 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. to help with community involvement.   Other volunteers are needed.

Comments:  Many do not know that Alva, Inc. exists.  Present signs are quite good, but need larger and more numerous signs announcing meetings.  Will check into our using the county’s electronic signs which other groups have used.