Letters to the Editor

+ What’s so onerous about Aria conditions? 
Dear Editor:
When you take the town to task on how, you think, it is foreclosing the rights of the poor and middle class to afford a home on Longboat Key because of the “onerous” conditions imposed on the plans currently approved “unanimously” by our Planning and Zoning board for the Aria project, this old engineer objects. 

There is nothing in the set of conditions to which you devoted so much space that is not required in an adequate set of construction drawings. Did you hear any complaints from the proponents?

The problem in our town is that the planning board has nothing to do with approving plans. The way our town is now structured is that the Longboat Key Town Commission gets the chance to approve plans. The planning board just makes recommendations. 

The result is that the plans presented to the planning board are mostly smoke and mirrors, and the actual plans are finally submitted after the Town Commission has completed its machinations and approved the project.

Just out of curiosity, exactly which of the 37 conditions do you find unnecessary or redundant? I actually found one item missing. There is no provision mentioned about the necessity for a tire-cleaning crushed-stone area to clean the wheels of the construction vehicles exiting the site onto Gulf of Mexico Drive, but I am picky. 

Kudos to the Planning, Zoning and Building Department for doing its job!

But to return to your complaint about the affordability of these proposed dwellings: our Declaration of Independence guarantees our people certain inalienable rights, including “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” It doesn’t guarantee happiness, merely its pursuit.

Nobody is denied ownership of these proposed homes. But let me assure you, anyone who manages to buy one should be guaranteed that all 37 conditions were included in exchange for his or her money. Same goes for the neighbors and the citizenry of Longboat Key who might be impacted.

Bradford Saivetz 
Longboat Key

Editor’s Note: Mr. Saivetz: The list of 37 conditions is a tiny representation of the labyrinthine regulatory scheme on Longboat Key. You ask: Which of the conditions do we find unnecessary or redundant? How about this as a sample: “14) Native and drought-resistant plant species shall be used in the buffer and other common areas to reduce water requirements. No more than 25% of the site may be planted with sod or plant species that are not drought resistant. A detailed landscape plan shall be submitted to the town and approved by the Planning, Zoning and Building Department prior to the issuance of a building permit.

“15) All nuisance exotic species of trees on the entire site shall be removed, including Australian Pine (Casuarina spp.), Carrotwood (Cupianopsis anacardioides) and Brazilian Pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius). All efforts shall be made to avoid the removal of native vegetation; however, whenever such native vegetation having a diameter breast height (dbh) of four (4) inches or greater must be removed, the applicant shall provide on-site replacement trees at a ratio of two (2) replacement trees for each one (1) tree removed. Replacement trees shall have a minimum of a four-inch dbh and a 12-foot height, when planted at grade.”
Really? — Ed.

+ Town employee receives kudos
Dear Editor:
It is nice to see the town of Longboat Key doing some positive work with local businesses. Human Resources Manager Lisa Silvertooth has been working diligently to include and promote businesses on the Key in the health and wellness initiatives the town is offering their employees and Key residents. This is a very positive step and much appreciated by Key businesses.  We need the town support to help keep businesses on the Key, which, in turn, allows the residents to have the services they need right here on the island and helps many of them stay in their homes and maintain their independence.

Irina LaRose
Co-owner of Longboat Key-based Design 2000 for Hair and Nails in Whitney Beach Plaza