Quips & Quotes
To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter ...to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or by a wildflower at spring ~ these are some of the rewards of the simple life.
 ~ John Burroughs ~
(1837-1921)

Visit Your Virtual Community Center Online
We'd like to remind you to frequently check out the PPHO.org website. After all, it is your virtual Community Center. It is updated every other month, as well as whenever there is pertinent info. We now have over 27 residents on the PPHO email list. That means that 27 of you are able to get this very same newsletter delivered right to your inbox! (Of course, you will continue to receive this hard copy, as well). The use of email enables us to easily and handily communicate with almost half our residents via email and this opens the door to much timelier, more frequent and less costly communications for our community. We promise never to rent, share or sell your email addresses. You will only be receiving this quarterly newsletter and other infrequent important community info. So, please don't forget to add your email to the list, if you have not done so. Call 561-0325 if you would like for it to be added right away or send your email address, name and lot # to webmaster@ppho.org. Don't worry if you don't have email...you won't be left out of any formal or required communications, which will continue to be delivered via US Mail.

URGENT NOTICE - Results of the County Commission Meeting - April 1, 2002
Re: IPD (Industrial Planned Development) Crystal Drive & Plantation Road
Plantation Pines Petition for Certain Relief from proposed Industrial Planned Development - "The Crystal Commerce Center"

Only those who had spoken at the preliminary hearing were permitted to be heard at the final hearing on April 1, 2002. Those that spoke on behalf of Plantation Pines at the preliminary hearing were Kevin Kichinka, Brad Rothenberg and Mike Tisch. In total Plantation Pines had 9 residents in attendance at the preliminary hearing, however all did not speak. At the final hearing Kevin Kichinka spoke during his allotted time (5 minutes) and also was allowed to speak in place of Brad Rothenberg (with his permission) and Bob Rentz spoke in the place of Mike Tisch (with his permission) and presented our petition. Here is a synopsis of the meeting:

Bob Rentz was told that he could not speak, but when they called Kevin Kichinka next, he reminded the Commissioner's that Bob was representing Mike Tisch and they then permitted him to speak. Mr. Rentz presented the PPHOA Petition that was signed by 38 residents. Nonetheless, they rejected our petition, because it had not been presented at the preliminary hearing. We suspected this would happen, but had still wanted to try.

Mr. Rentz had already left, but the developer's rep asked the Commissioner's to act
against his representation since Bob had been one of the reviewers of the
project for the County, calling it a "conflict of interest". The County attorney
saw no conflict, however and the issue died.

Mr. Kichinka then cited several Land Development Codes which supported his request to reject this site for a re-zoning. He talked about the existing violations by the Miami developer already pending on his other properties on Plantation. He asked for the deletion of several uses and for higher quality development under "Commercial Standards".

Commissioner Ray Judah made a motion to dismiss the zoning totally as inappropriate, Commissioner Janes seconded the motion. However, the motion was denied 3-2.

Discussions followed about the buffer/FPL easement problem. Mr. Kichinka
brought up that "machine shop" was a use not defined in the Land Code (in
fact, staff used Webster's Dictionary) was discussed.

They voted 3-2 For, to delete the uses of "Metal Fabrication II" and "machine
shop", to have the trees in the buffer along Plantation planted instead on
the developer's land west of the FPL easement, and stipulated that Sector "D"
along Plantation be built according to the higher Commercial Standards of Construction,
open space, landscape and buffering. (These are points in our favor).

They then voted 4-1 (Ray Judah against) For the project.

Commissioner St. Czerny, dist. 2, our Commissioner sat on his hands and had no
input against the project. Commissioner Coy added nothing to the discussion. Commissioner Albion made comments against our interests and in favor of the commercial development.

Although the re-zoning was passed, we did claim a partial "victory" since "Metal Fabrication II", a use that would include assembling pool cages and large scale cut-to-size metal buildings, the named use for half of this 21 acre site, was denied. In addition, the much higher grade Commercial Dev Standards as per Sec 10-600 which were requested by Mr. Kichinka and passed by the Commissioner means that the developer will have to install better and more attractive landscaping buffers (this applies only to "D" - the tract parallel to Plantation Road). And this will hopefully make the area as attractive as possible under the circumstance and in addition could negatively impact the developer financially.

We can now wait to see how soon the Miami developer moves to build on the
last 1/4 use that remained unchanged. It's back to the drawing board on the
other 3/4's of the project.

County Commissioner remarked on the lack of opposition both at the Preliminary Hearing and at the final Meeting. The developer's rep hammered on that issue, saying
that no one from the Rookery is opposed, no one from any of the other HOA's
is opposed, there is no one showing up from any of the Churches. Then the developer basically said that Mr. Kichinka was the only one that was against this project. (Even after Bob Rentz, a board member from the PPHOA spoke and presented a petition signed by 38 residents and 2 other additional people had spoken at the preliminary hearing!).

The consensus of those in attendance of this hearing was that had we had more support at the preliminary hearing, as well as people in the audience at the final hearing, the chances were that the first 3-2 vote would have been in favor of denying this re-zoning and the project may have "gone away".

If there is something to be learned from this, it is that we really do have more of a voice in our community than some of us might suspect. The results of this hearing have shown us this. If just a few people were able to make progress, think what a larger group of us could do. We should all keep this is mind as developers continue to  build on the areas surrounding our beloved homes and neighborhoods.

Who is our County Commissioner?
There was a little confusion due to re-drawing of district boundaries, but here's the info for your reference:
County Commissioner for District #2 -
Douglas St. Cerny
Phone: 335-2227      Fax: 335-2143
Email: Dist2@leegov.com
Correspondence: Box 398, Fort Myers, FL 33902-0398
Click here to Post A Message to County Commissioner Doug St. Cerny

Click here to visit the Lee County Government Website
Get info on just about anything you can imagine regarding our local government!

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