Peaboy, is that meeting at 5:00pm?
To Concerned Citizens of Historic Point Washington
- Thread starter Dave Rauschkolb
- Start date
-
Trouble logging in? Send us a message with your username and/or email address for help.
the meeting starts at 4 today in the courthouse annex - looks like the Point Washington Historic District issue comes up at 5:35 (according to the agenda) -
http://www.co.walton.fl.us/default....nce.asp&announceaction=view&announcementid=60
http://www.co.walton.fl.us/default....nce.asp&announceaction=view&announcementid=60
sunshine said:
Thanks for the link.;-) The Oaks at Eden, while being an important part, is a seperate issue and is on the agenda later at 6:20pm.
Okay Dave or Peaboy, what took place at the meeting? We are curious to know. Full report please. 
How I wish that I could be there to attend this meeting! Good luck to all of you. Perhaps you should give each of the Commissioners a DVD copy of the cult environmental horror film, "Frogs," which was filmed at the Wesley Mansion/Eden. Just kidding.
The thing for all citizens groups to remember is that well reasoned and well referenced arguments and points are hard for elected officials to refute. Also, officials like for developers and interest groups to work together to reach their own compromise solutions. Perhaps you should propose that the developers, one of the County planners (to attend meetings), and several members of your group should work together to at least identify areas of concern and mitigation measures for addressing those concerns. When that happens, it becomes very difficult politically for the officials to disregard input from the public.
I also think it is critical for you to work with Commissioner Cindy Meadows and also with your Planning Director or the project manager. These are difficult endeavors, but when people get involved in a reasonable and well-intentioned way, the process DOES work for them. Good luck.
The thing for all citizens groups to remember is that well reasoned and well referenced arguments and points are hard for elected officials to refute. Also, officials like for developers and interest groups to work together to reach their own compromise solutions. Perhaps you should propose that the developers, one of the County planners (to attend meetings), and several members of your group should work together to at least identify areas of concern and mitigation measures for addressing those concerns. When that happens, it becomes very difficult politically for the officials to disregard input from the public.
I also think it is critical for you to work with Commissioner Cindy Meadows and also with your Planning Director or the project manager. These are difficult endeavors, but when people get involved in a reasonable and well-intentioned way, the process DOES work for them. Good luck.
Requesting a report here too...I was there for the Historic PW part (wow, wasn't that smooth?) but had to bail out before the Oaks at Eden discussion.
Some diligent folks uncoverd a zoning issue with the property so the matter was tabled again until it can be straightened out. Seems there are 2 different zoning designations on 2 different parts of the property, part infill and part TND (Traditional Neighborhood Development).
Also the property is within 300 feet of a state-designated archeological sight of interest, so an extensive archeological survey will need to be conducted by the applicant.
Note to developers: it is much easier and profitable to work WITH the community rather than AGAINST the community.
Also the property is within 300 feet of a state-designated archeological sight of interest, so an extensive archeological survey will need to be conducted by the applicant.
Note to developers: it is much easier and profitable to work WITH the community rather than AGAINST the community.
I just heard a report of the meeting.
The short of it is that both parties were represented at the meeting. The developer, Tim Henderson(aka Hendco, aka Oaks of Eden, LLC) was represented by his attorney, and Pt Washington was represented by one attorney hired by a few Pt Wash residents, the newly formed Pt Washington Historic Society (or something like that), and about 60 concerned citizens, not all of whom are from Pt Washington.
The developer met with the residents of PW, but the two sides reached no compromise.
Apparently some new info arose yesterday afternoon, which shows the subject property to be zoned as two different types of zoning, one of which allows 2 units/acre and the other which allows up to 10units/ acre.
(oh, now they tell me. -- our gov't is a little whacked)
Anyway, the developer reduced the density by 2 lots which now brings them to just under 6 units per acre, and they reduced the height limits by 2 ft, from 40' to 38'. No one at the meeting thought that was enough.
Witnesses for Pt Washington included about four people who were well spoken. Ty Nunn, an owner showed the Commissioners the difference in densities through charts and graphs. Gourd Garden Randy spoke at length of the references in publications of Pt Washington being "historic." He also noted historical buildings, pointing out that one of the buildings was at one time the Cuchens Grocery (Roe Cuchens is one of the @sshole commissioners.). Foley, a local PW resident, spoke of all of the artifacts that can be found around the property. Van Ness Butler, of the well known Butler family, spoke at length, but began by cracking the serious tones of the meeting by stating that the only density in the area that came close to the developer's proposed density was the Church Cemetary located close by. He made special note that he and his brother Albert, bought 100 acers adjacent to Eden Gardens with plans to develope it. They spent money and invested time, but as time passed, they came to the conclusion that future genertations should be able to see the land as they saw it as children, raw and beautiful. They could not live, knowing that they destroyed the land, so they sold it to the State and it is now part of Eden Gardens. I hear his story was very moving.
The County tabled the issue until the meeting on Dec 13.
I understand that the Commissioners were admitting emails to the record for this case, which is the first time ever. So keep the emails going to all of the Commissioners.
The short of it is that both parties were represented at the meeting. The developer, Tim Henderson(aka Hendco, aka Oaks of Eden, LLC) was represented by his attorney, and Pt Washington was represented by one attorney hired by a few Pt Wash residents, the newly formed Pt Washington Historic Society (or something like that), and about 60 concerned citizens, not all of whom are from Pt Washington.
The developer met with the residents of PW, but the two sides reached no compromise.
Apparently some new info arose yesterday afternoon, which shows the subject property to be zoned as two different types of zoning, one of which allows 2 units/acre and the other which allows up to 10units/ acre.
(oh, now they tell me. -- our gov't is a little whacked)
Anyway, the developer reduced the density by 2 lots which now brings them to just under 6 units per acre, and they reduced the height limits by 2 ft, from 40' to 38'. No one at the meeting thought that was enough.
Witnesses for Pt Washington included about four people who were well spoken. Ty Nunn, an owner showed the Commissioners the difference in densities through charts and graphs. Gourd Garden Randy spoke at length of the references in publications of Pt Washington being "historic." He also noted historical buildings, pointing out that one of the buildings was at one time the Cuchens Grocery (Roe Cuchens is one of the @sshole commissioners.). Foley, a local PW resident, spoke of all of the artifacts that can be found around the property. Van Ness Butler, of the well known Butler family, spoke at length, but began by cracking the serious tones of the meeting by stating that the only density in the area that came close to the developer's proposed density was the Church Cemetary located close by. He made special note that he and his brother Albert, bought 100 acers adjacent to Eden Gardens with plans to develope it. They spent money and invested time, but as time passed, they came to the conclusion that future genertations should be able to see the land as they saw it as children, raw and beautiful. They could not live, knowing that they destroyed the land, so they sold it to the State and it is now part of Eden Gardens. I hear his story was very moving.
The County tabled the issue until the meeting on Dec 13.
I understand that the Commissioners were admitting emails to the record for this case, which is the first time ever. So keep the emails going to all of the Commissioners.
Last edited:
kurt said:
muwahahahaha!
see, prayer works!
I've been asked to report on the Historic PW portion of the meeting - the short and sweet of it is that Pat Blackshear brought it up, Scott Brannon (District 1) supported it, which I was glad to see as he is our commissioner, as did Cindy Meadows. There is to be more study done, but the proposal to move forward with the Historic Point Washington designation passed 5 - 0. Evidently there is no problem with it, and it was mentioned that it would make the jobs of the planning department and the commissioners much easier :clap_1:
Or, that's how it sounded from the next to the last row.
Or, that's how it sounded from the next to the last row.