SUMMARY: In
just two weeks, the Northwood community
came together and presented petitions
(above) from more than the required 80%
of Northwood Homes to proceed with
privatization. We got over 83%, and over
175 residents packed the Dade city
courthouse to capacity to voice their
opposition to a "collector" road tearing
up little Northwood.
Despite
that, Pasco commissioners informed us
that they would like to move forward
with making Northwood Palms Blvd a
collector road, as it would take them
too long to plan for an alternate route
around a community. They also stated
they were afraid that not moving
immediately forward would cause area
businesses & developers to file a
lawsuit against the county. It has left
many of us bewildered at the soft stance
on developers, and wondering if the
current Board of commissioners has the
interests of its communities and
families at heart at all.
Area
businesses and the Chamber of commerce
were contacted. They were all surprised
that traffic was being diverted onto
relief and collector roads - away from
established business corridors.
PLANNING:
I think, and many will agree that Pasco
is one of the most beautiful areas to
live in -- But PASCO IS ALSO DIFFERENT
in their maintenance, and road planning!
When it comes to planning, Pasco
continue to execute plans formulated
during the rural Pasco days when large
land tracts were the norm, and adjacent
or thru roads made little difference.
Today, that outdated thinking of
building "major collector" roads thru
now small communities is tearing them
apart, and threatening the quality of
life. Pasco can - and should do more
to protect its citizens!!
After 2
years of researching Northwood, many residents have
uncovered information all residents will find
interesting. We also had Pasco County Commissioner
Mulieri and Chief Engineer Whidman visit us for a town
forum to discuss the road issues.
Read
Questions asked
We have known for several
years that in Pasco, there is much to gain from taking
control of neighborhood streets or privatizing.
but it was too much work for a handful of people to get
the required 80% approval. Recent developments and
confirmation from the county on the intent of this road
has changed that. More residents are now helping with
the effort to get on the path to privatize.
MAINTENANCE:
In most counties one of the big negatives of privatizing
has been that the community assumes responsibility for
major road repairs. That is not the case in Pasco as
the homes or neighborhoods along a public road have to
pay for major road repairs including paving, blacktoping
anyway.
Pasco county would
undertake Northwood's major repair and then collect from
each home-owner in Northwood with a special assessment.
It was a very surprising item to learn considering Pasco
owns the roads - and that most other municipalities
maintain their roads for both major & minor work. The
county commissioner also restated this at a recent
town-hall forum. Pasco now only pays for minor repairs,
example potholes. In the last 11 years we can
recollect three (3) potholes being filled by Pasco
County. Given that, it is conceivable that
Pothole repairs could easily be handled with a
contingency fund and may not even need its own line-item
..We should however start building a reserve
year-by-year for future major repairs like blacktopping.
Northwood Palms Blvd is a
road that was initially paid for by a CDD bond, that
Northwood Home-owners are still paying off.
Northwood roads although
built by the bond were later turned over to the county
by the builder, who for many years advertised and sold
this as a gated community. We all know the painful truth
today, and have had to deal with the implications.
