Minutes: A Living Vision of ALVA: Community Meeting, September 16, 2004

NEXT MEETING: OCT. 21, OAK PARK COMMUNITY CENTER, 7:30 P.M.

Present and signed in: John Payne, Rob Andrys, Jensene Payne, Stan Corwin, Becky Crockett, Ruby Daniels, Donna Daniels, James, E. English, Jr., Christina Hay, Richard Hay, Irene Orr, Ed Orr, Colette Corwin, Sarah Gillim, David Turkel, Tom Super.

All present introduced themselves.

Tom Super reminded everyone that he is working on an updated database for the organization and asked everyone to give him their latest information.

Minutes of the August meeting were taken by Sarah Gillim and approved.
A letter of thanks was received from Commissioner Ray Judah for inviting him to participate in the voter forum in August.

Treasurer's Report (attached to minutes).  Balance on had $3253.93.
Lynn Fensterer recommended that ALVA offer a donation to Oak Park for their generously allowing our group to meet in their community building.
Lynn Fensterer also reminded the group that no announcements may be placed in individual's mail boxes: it is against the law and a large fine could result.

Parks and Trails committee: no report

Fund Raising Committee: Alison Super is taking a leadership role in this committee.

Newsletter: edited by Sarah Gillim who distributed copies.  She received deep appreciation from the group for her excellent work.  It continues to be published monthly and distributed through various outlets.  Sarah noted that requests for advertising is increasing such that an additional page will need to be added.

Fund Raiser events:
Honorary Mayor, "election" set for February.  Dick Spence, our current honorary mayor, will be asked by Rob Andrys to lead the campaign and run again.  Others are urged to offer their names.  The "installation date" is set for February 12.
Garage Sale is tentatively set for Saturday, November 20th at the Alva Community Center as later dates have been already filled.

New Business:
Possible location for a new bridge over the Caloosahatchee River has been established for the county line between Lee and Hendry County.  It is not funded.  Contact persons: Jim Mudd, Matt Noble.

Community reports:
Water problems that affected Alva residents occurred along Hickey Creek when a Lehigh Acres weir broke sending high water downstream. Lynn Fensterer reported that she needed to abandon her home briefly as water came up toward her home.  Alva residents along Tuckahoe Road were asked to voluntarily evacuate when another Lehigh Acres weir threatened to break with the possibility of sending a three to four foot wave down Bedman Creek. This is a major concern for these residents.  The weirs and canals in the Lehigh area have not been properly maintained and further erosion and damage is possible. A meeting with Lee County Water Control will be requested to express these concerns and get seek remedial action.

 

Rob Andrys will contact Paul O'Connor to seek relief and action.  People are urged to write letters and to demand a public hearing concerning the problem. 
Bayshore: Fundraising- A Bayshore Garage Sale will be supported by ALVA, but it was determined that Bayshore and Alva should each have their own individual sales.
Hickey Creek:  The boat ramp was approved for Hickey Creek, but only for downstream travel.  However, there is no effective means to enforce the ruling.  People living on or near Hickey, Oak and Dyess Creeks are affected by the problem of boats too large and fast for the size of the waterways. 
 
Concern was also voiced for the routing of Treeline Road which is being constructed to relieve traffic on I-75 will travel up Sunshine Blvd in Lehigh through the Hickey Creek neighborhood and intersecting SR 80 just west of the Hickey Creek Mitigation Park.  Residents are asked to ask more about these plans to get a better grasp of where this major road will pass through Hickey Creek. 

Major Agenda: Guidelines for commercial development on S.R. 80 in the Alva planning district.  Rob Andrys described a proposal to develop a corridor plan similar to the Estero plan, (except that the plan will be limited to only the commercial corridor).  One suggestion would be to create a distinctively Alva look that would emphasize the rural "Old Florida - Cracker" appearance by promoting these architectural styles as well as Victorian, Arts and Crafts and Bungalow styles to the future commercial buildings along SR 80.  This corridor plan would include landscaping with native plants and shade trees and work towards creating a pedestrian oriented core as close to Broadway and SR 80 as possible.  Rob Andrys will contact Paul O’Conner with the Lee County Planning Department to review the steps that will be necessary to develop these guidelines.  The Planning Department will be requested to write up the final guidelines with input from the business owners along SR 80  and the Alva residents for their ultimate approval by the Lee County Board of County Commissioners. 

Request was made for committee personnel.  The following is the information that is on file with various minutes (incomplete and perhaps inaccurate).

Database: Tom Super
Membership: Mary Reed, Colette Corwin, Dona Daniels, Ruby Daniels
Newsletter: Sarah Gillim
Website: Steve Brookman
Parks and Trails: Sarah Gillim, Laura Davis
Honorary Mayor program: Dick Spence
New board members:  Ruby Daniels, Colette Corwin, Tom Super. 
Conservation 2020. Geza Wass de Czege
Fund Raising: Alison Super