Old Homosassa – Page 35

Friday Meanderings

February 20, 2015 by KTgreen

Chilly Maggie — Maggie in her Winter Attire

It’s ch-ch-ch-illy here. So chilly I was shaking when I took that picture yesterday. Brrrrr!

Now I have to talk about the Old Homosassa sidewalks. Sorry, I’m possibly a bit obsessed with the subject.

Since I never received a response from Jeff Rogers regarding my email from last week, I emailed everyone again.

To Randy Oliver, County Administrator, Ron Kitchen, County Commissioner, Walt Eastmond, Transportation Project Manager, and Jeff Rodgers, Public Works Director.

I did not hear from Mr. Rogers as referenced in the attached email.

I would like to follow up on the email I sent you last week regarding the sidewalks in Old Homosassa. I have a suggestion. Could the sidewalk run behind the Sugarmill Ruins? There appears to be room there. And that would eliminate the dangerous sidewalk crossing on Yulee Drive. I have been down to Sugarmill Ruins twice on beautiful days in the last two weeks and both days the traffic was non-stop. Plus the cars do not stop at the two crosswalks from the parking area to the ruins. Taking the sidewalk across Yulee Drive then back again past the Old Mill Tavern will be very dangerous for pedestrians.

I took these pictures on Monday afternoon. I did not attach them to the email but in retrospect, I should have because they illustrate my point.

curve — The cross walk will be in the area where the first car is.

Here’s the existing sidewalk behind the Sugarmill Ruins.

Sugarmill Ruins Sidewalk — View from the other side.

I received two responses…

From Jeff Rogers,

We have provided this information to the engineer that is designing the project. We will forward their response when we obtain it, and we can have further discussions.

Thank you for your thoughts.

And Randy Oliver,

I will check with Jeff. Who owns the property behind Sugarmill Ruins as the County would need an easement to use the property?

And my response to Mr. Oliver,

The Sugarmill Ruins is a state park so I believe the state owns it.

I’m wondering if any of our county representatives that I’m emailing have actually been to Old Homosassa and looked at the section of Yulee drive that they propose installing a cross walk.

Okay. On to other subjects.

What’s going on this weekend?

It will be a sunny beautiful warm weekend. Yeah!

We are headed to the Open House at Three Sisters Springs on Saturday. Catching a bus at Kings Bay Plaza with two of our grandkids. There will be pictures on Monday!

This is Elvis Presley Weekend in Inverness. Starting with Friday Night Thunder classic car cruise in with an Elvis impersonator and continues with Elvis themed events through the weekend.

There’s a Healthy Living Show at the Crystal River Mall on Saturday.

On a quest to understand the water issues in the state, Terry and I will be attending a presentation on Wednesday at 6 pm at the Plantation Resort in Crystal River. Two retired scientists, Carl Wolfe and Rae Ellen Syverson will present a study from data collected from a 30-day period during this winter’s tourist season.

Have a great weekend!

Kathy

Old Homosassa Sidewalks Revisited

February 16, 2015 by KTgreen

Where the Sidewalk Ends — Where the sidewalk ends….

I’ve posted a few times about the Old Homosassa Sidewalks, first back in July 2014 and then last Sunday. If this is your first visit to my website, the concern is that we have seven large oaks that are marked to be removed between in the Sugarmill Ruins area for the sidewalks. I am all for the sidewalks, just not the destruction of several of our beautiful trees.

I emailed our county officials regarding this issue and received three responses.
From Commissioner Ron Kitchen: “Thank you for your concern for our community and for your well thought out comments. I am sure we will take what you say into consideration as the county continues with the planning process.”

Walt Eastmond, Transportation Project Manager, responded, “Good morning Mrs. Green – Thank you for your interest in the Yulee sidewalk project and taking the time to review the 60% plans and the site. We appreciate your comments and will forward them to our consultant preparing the plans.

And on Wednesday I was “cc:d” on an email from Randy Oliver, County Administrator, to Jeff Rogers: “Jeff: Would you ask someone to follow up with Mrs. Green and copy Commissioner Kitchens and myself on the response.”

Jeff did not email me. So sad.

I’ll be following up on those emails this week.

Here’s a website and some emails addresses for you.

Citrus County Board of County Commissioners http://www.bocc.citrus.fl.us/

Ron Kitchen, 1st Vice Chairman and Commissioner District 2, Ron.Kitchen@bocc.citrus.fl.us

Randy Oliver, County Administrator, Randy.Oliver@bocc.citrus.fl.us

Walt Eastmond, Transportation Project Manager, Walt.Eastmond@bocc.citrus.fl.us

Old Homosassa Trees

Friday Meanderings

February 13, 2015February 13, 2015 by KTgreen

It’s been a strange week for us. Started out with Terry and I studying the plans for the future Old Homosassa sidewalks and discovering that we would lose seven large oak trees that help create our canopy. I updated my post from Sunday about the sidewalk plans with the email I sent and the responses. I was feeling hopeful.

Then on Wednesday I was “cc:d” along with Commissioner Ron Kitchen on the following email from Randy Oliver, County Administrator, to Jeff Rodgers, the Director of Public Works.

Jeff:

Would you ask someone to follow up with Mrs. Green and copy Commissioner Kitchens and myself on the response.

Thanks,

Randy

Haven’t heard anything. Now I’m perplexed. Will follow up with Mr. Oliver next week.

Meanwhile, I’ve been busy busy busy letting all of the “locals” know about the tree issue.

The Old Homosassa Heritage Council had a town meeting at the Civic Club on Tuesday. We are moving forward with fund raising to purchase and refurbish the water tower. Very Exciting!

I couldn’t find a lot going on in the county that I wanted to attend this weekend–probably because we already have plans. But if we get a chance, we’ll be stopping by the Visitor Center on US 19 at the Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park on Saturday for the arts and crafts show by local artists.

There is a lot coming up!

February 21st is the next open house at Three Sisters Springs. This is a GREAT event. Sponsored by the Friends of Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, you can catch a bus at Kings Bay Plaza. With the weather being a bit chilly, you are ensured of seeing manatees. Possibly hundreds of them. And you don’t even have to get in the water, you can view them from the boardwalk. Plus–it’s free!

Right here in Old Homosassa, on March 6th and 7th from 5 – 9 we will be having the Luminary Art Nights. We have some great art spots here. I’m planning on helping out Watsons Art Gallery & Studio. If you haven’t stopped there already, you must. Check out the art and then have dinner at one of our several fun restaurants on either side of the river.

On March 14th it’s the Shrimpapalooza! Sponsored by the Homosassa Springs Rotary Club, this is nothing but fun. A parade. Beads. A festival. Beads. Bands. Beads. Food. Beads. Have I convinced you yet? We like to take at least one grandkid….

I think that’s it for now.

Have a great weekend and Valentine’s Day!

Kathy