HomeMy WebLinkAbout2006 04 24 Other Miller relates to Public Hearings 205
Date: April 24, 2006
The attached document was provided by
Commissioner Robert S. Miller and relates to
the comments that he read into the Record
during Public Hearings "205" at the April 24,
2006 Regular Meeting of the City Commission.
RECEIVED
APR 21 2006
Robert S. Miller
City Commissioner
WinterSprings,FL 32708
CITY OF WINTER SP
OFFICE OF THE CITY CLt::RK
April 25, 2006
Subject: No annexation in the Black Hammock. This is not the solution.
The issue before the Winter Springs Commission Monday evening, 24 April 2006, is, and
has been for a decade about urban sprawl and not annexation in the Black Hammock. By
Winter Springs passing a unilateral ordinance not to annex further, without securing some
type of commitment from Oviedo and the County to also honor the need to protect the
rural character of the Black Hammock, tells the people of Black Hammock and our own
voters, that we have turned our back on a serious environmental question of regional
concern. On numerous Masions I have advocated a 25 year moratorium on development
in the Black Hammock rural area, but been laughed at.
The Mayor has spoken eloquently about making peace with the County and Oviedo.
Since we agreed to, a number of things have come to my attention that greatly concern
me. Our recent meetings with the County solved none of the City's concerns, concerns
the Mayor led us to believe the County would seriously address. They said no to help
with a dog park, no to a library, no to the trail, and no to the Senior Citizens Center.
Through intermediaries the County also demands we drop our lawsuit for which the
Courts have already found in our favor.
Oviedo's Council chairman, Persameiere, has now also publicly stated its good Winter
Springs not going to annex in the e\st because the Black Hammock has always been
Oviedo's property, and Oviedo will now develop the Black Hammock up to the shores of
Lake Jessup.
The font page of the Seminole Herald of Friday August, 7, 1998 - almost eight years ago,
contains the basis for the issue between us. Oviedo could not then provide urban services
tf Black Hammock, and wanted to stop Winter Springs from doing so. It was Oviedo's
city manager who created their strategy. He said, "If Seminole County is serious about
the rural boundaries. It will be very important for them to take action to defend (against)
the extension of urban services by other cities into the rural zone. (Black Hammock)"
Newspapers at the time accurately summed up Oviedo's anti-annexation strategy for
Winter Springs when they observed that "Oviedo was prepared to do battle with Winter
Springs, and would seek the County's help." Oviedo and the County then secretly crated
a 'Munich type agreement' in which Winter Springs was excluded from their Joint
Planning Agreement (JPA).
Three weeks ago we met with the County Commission, who admitted they are again
formulating yet another bilateral Joint Planning Agreement with Oviedo. I do not recall
anyone calling me to ask if we should be included? Each of us should take a drive into
the rural areas of eastern Oviedo and observe the development. Oviedo, the County, and
the Orlando Sentinel distract everyone's attention by yelling most foul about Winter
Springs, but conveniently ignore urban sprawl consuming huge tracts of sensitive lands
out there. And the Sentinel deliberately ignores the County's illegal "rural area'
referendum which contained more than one issue. The courts have struck down the
County's referendum which was no than asking voters, "Should we salute the American
flag?" While the fme print denies women the right to vote!
The Orlando Sentinel's 23 April Sunday's paper devotes three pages to local concerns.
But is devotes seven entire sections - of over one hundred pages... to full page
advertising .. for developers, their development plans, their endless new parades of
homes, and the square miles of Florida that land developers are bulldozing monthly to
accommodate the Orlando Sentinel's revenues which bring us the rampant mban sprawl
we are all trying to curtail. The Sentinel's leaders have obviously been shamefully bought
and paid for by the millions of dollars of revenue thrown at them by developers. The
Sentinel's owners shoulq, stop trying to cover their exposed posteriors with diversionary
tactics, by holding others responsible for the chaos they have wrought. They have dirty
skirts and serious internal ethical conflicts, and they should admit it, and stop making
local city government their scapegoat.
Since we are now abandoning efforts to protect the Black Hammock, we should pass a
resolution to invite the County and Oviedo to an open public forum of the three
government entities, invite the public and the press, and lets discuss the real issue here? Is
it nothing more than getting rid of Winter Springs so the County and Oviedo can develop
the area to a lesser standard? Lets fmd out? I invite all three bodies to participate in an
open pub' bate.
Robert S. Miller