Minutes: Alva  Community Meeting, October 22, 2004, 7:30 p.m.  Oak Park Club House.

NEXT MEETING: NOVEMBER 18, 7:30 P.M. AT OAK PARK CLUB HOUSE, PEARL ST. ALVA.    (Chairperson Rob Andrys birthday!)

Please hold these dates:
November 20, Garage Sale: Saturday 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., at the Alva Community Center.  Donations accepted.
December 4:  Alva Holiday Party/Picnic/tree lighting. Saturday, beginning at 4 p.m.  Bring lawn chairs, tables and food to share.

Present and signed in (forgive incorrect spellings, some difficult to read): John Payne, Bob Benham, Joan Haverkate, Sylvia Kusiak, Ed Kusiak, Maria Stagert, Lillian Suter, Dottie Purvis, Bette Larsen, Edythe Hewitt, MaryAnn Chodorowski, Rob Andrys, Pat Coleman, Irene Orr, Ed Orr, Tom Super, Stan Corwin, Lynn Fensterer, Sarah Gillim, Gene Thornburg, Jamesine Riley, Mary Ann Pearce, Ben Murphy, Clarence Jackson, Larry Jason, Barbara Jason, Harry Stevens, Ed Mason, Emile Monaghan, Marie Monaghan, James Boatman, Juanita Workman, Flo Ginter, Ken Ginter, Al Dreislart, T. Dreislart, Ivan Bastien, Patty Walker, Donna Daniels, Suzan Corey, Maria C. Pagan, Robert Langer, Carol Langer, Merrill L. Gottschall, Bari McPhail.

Meeting opened by Rob Andrys, chair.  Everyone introduced themselves.

Minutes of October meeting approved. 
Treasurer's report from Lynn Fensterer attached to the minutes.  Balance on hand: $3198.93.
All are urged to contribute their membership dues.  Membership is on annual basis from January 1.  Individual: $5.  Family: $15.  Contributions beyond these amounts are encouraged.  Treasurer, Lynn Fensterer,  has membership forms

Trails and Parks Committee: Pressing for sidewalks from Oak Park and other areas to the Alva schools, a Wayside Park Gazebo.

Fund Raising Committee (Mrs. Super, chair) Possibilities being considered are a Fall Festival and sale of pumpkins.
Donna Daniels is in charge of the Garage Sale on November 20, 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Alva Community Center.  Donations will be accepted.  Alva Fire Dept will be contacted to determine if they will accept and hold donations until the date of the sale.
Membership Committee.  Need update of membership data: Tom Super is working on this.
Newsletter continues to be distributed.  Sarah Gillim is editor.
Honorary Mayor election plans are underway.  Candidates are Tom Super and Dick Spence (our present honorary mayor).  Everyone is encouraged to vote as often as possible: $1 for each vote.  Funds support the Alva community, Alva, Inc.

New Business:
East Lee County Water District has met with community members regarding flooding as a result of a failed weir in Lehigh Acres.  They have agreed to budget relief and repairs.
Concern was expressed for the development of Hawks Haven (on Hy 80 near the Franklin Locks).  Plans are to begin within two months.  Developers have requested approval to build two to three thousand units.  Plans are for a senior age community and golf course.  Major concerns are that this is in the area of flooding already (Lehigh Lake) and increased traffic. 

Question raised concerning traffic light at Broadway and Hy 80 and also at Joel Blvd. and Hy. 80.  At present none is planned but DOT promised that a new survey will be made when the construction is completed to determine if traffic merits the light. 

Concern for street lighting for the above area on Hy 80 was also raised.  A letter/petition will be prepared for the November Alva Inc. meeting for concerned persons to sign.

Continuing discussions with Lee County Planning Department - Paul O Conner:
Guidelines for development and architectural styles on Hy 80 in Alva.
Discussions include "Victorian, Old Florida, Arts and Crafts, Mission," and exclude "Mediterranean."  Specifications follow the Estero Plan, but substitute the above for Mediterranean style.
  The plan will ultimately be a amendment of the Comprehensive Plan.
A seven person committee will be appointed to review plans submitted by owners, developers, etc. to make certain that the guidelines are followed.
The specifications need to be determined and submitted to the Planning Department no later by October 1, 2005.

Rob Andrys announced that the Ft. Denaud area is setting up an organization like Alva, Inc. to work with development that is coming to that area.

Florida Citrus (see Alva newsletter) is asking to increase their area's density to two homes per acre, a major increase.  Patti Walker will head a committee in association with Rob Andrys to oppose this increase.  Others are invited to work with the group.

A petition was distributed for concerned individuals to sign requesting that the Babcock Ranch of 91,000 acres be preserved as a wilderness area.  Rob Andrys suggested that if this huge area is developed the west coast of Florida will begin to look much like the Miami area.  Also forms for receiving donations toward purchase of the ranch for preservation was distributed.

The Alva Holiday Party/Picnic and Christmas tree lighting will be Saturday, December 3 beginning at 4 p.m. at the Wayside Park on Hy 80 at Broadway.   Sarah Gillim's Recorder Group will play.  Everyone is asked to bring food to share, tables and lawn chairs.  Rob Andrys announced that a Girl Scout is planning to paint the Wayside Park tables for her "gold badge." 

Alva Inc. will support Oak Park in securing a zoning variance designated "grass parking" to help them keep a storage area that they have traditionally used, but is not within current zoning regulations. 

Meeting adjourned 8:25 p.m.         Submitted by John Payne, secretary.