HomeMy WebLinkAboutOak Forest Wall-1995 t
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7 There is mention,of course, of a
tax ¢ �} t ;�r e wall the county built along Red
i s T'.. , Bug Lake Road when it was wid-
ened.That, though,was a horse of
Don Boyett a different color.
It Red Bug had been elevated so
OUR COUNTY that an existing brick wall— built
by the subdivision was reduced
to a knee-high fence. Privacy that
Wall shielding road had bought by homeowners
was lost by b by an act of f the It
was only fitting a wrong be e right righted.
wasn't part of deal Oak Forest has no wall;the coun-
ty is not changing the roadway's
Amatter of fairness: Sinn elevation; no additional right of
they moved to Florida they way is being taken. In other words,
had enjoyed the view from the county is making use of its own
the back porch. The trees and
shmbbery were hosts to birds and a B' some estimates the wall
pleasant shield to whatever ugly ur- would cost $65 per foot, or about
ban scene might lie on the other $400,000.That would be for starters;
side. It was bucolic splendor in the once one wall is built, of course,
midst of urban WAWA. 'others would ask for the same con-
Then one bright morning ma- sidetation.
chinery could be heard. The trees
came down and, behold, the urban
world of which they were a part
was exposed to the back porch.
It happens all the time in any
growth area Undeveloped lands of-
fer easy-on-the-eyes viewing at no
charge. And then when the view's
owner makes use of it,the viewers
take umbrage. They have been de-
nied the use of another's property.
Something akin to that is taking
place in Winter Springs. This time
it is a subdivision that backs up to
a roadway the county is about to
widen. The subdivision — support-
ed by the City Commission —
wants a wall to shield it from the
new highway.
Here's the picture: Two-lane
Thskawilla Road is to grow to a
four-lane divided highway. Oak
Forest residents,who have enjoyed
the roadway screening of shrub-
bery on the county right of way, "�
say:Whoa up,County! If you build
a wider highway,then put up a wall
to screen us from it.
Oak Forest gets its wall ;
Tuscawiila gets landscape
By Will Wellons through the city is expected to be- Winter Springs commissioners
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OF THE SENTINEL STAFF -'-- gin in 1996. also approved the concept. .
In return for the lusher plant- The city expects Oak Forest
ings, the city will arrange for the residents to help pay for the
WINTER SPRINGS—Seminole construction of the wall along the $354,000 wall.
County and city officials have front of Oak Forest and the instal- Commissioner John Ferring,
reached a tentative deal that could lation of irrigation in the median. who helped negotiate the pact,
bring a wall and landscaping to a The city's bill in the deal was esti- was pleased that the city was to
widened Tuskawilla Road. mated at$549,250. get more than $250,000 from the
Many residents of the Oak For- Morris said the deal is the first county. However, fellow commis-
est community have been upset step to setting a minimum sten- sioner David McLeod questioned
that the county wants to widen dard for landscaping other road why the city was going to pay
Tuskawilla Road from two to four projects in the county. Morris more than $2 for every dollar that
lanes without erecting a wall wants to get away from just laying the county would contribute.
along their community. A swatch highway grass and "mowing it However, Ferring said, "the city
of trees along Oak Forest would twice a year whether it needs it or will come out ahead," if the resi-
be lost in the widening. not." dents help pay for the wall.
The county still refuses to build Last week, county commission- Oak Forest resident Ken Haines
a wall. However, County Commis- ers approved the concept of in- said he believes it is a good deal
sion Chairman Randy Morris is creasing the landscaping budget and the residents would be willing
willing to have the county pay for and sharing costs with the cities. to pay for part of the wall.
$260,000 in landscaping for 22-foot However, the commission wants "We would not pay for all of it,"
medians,which will be built in the to poll all the cities before it Haines said. "I think we would do
roadway. Road construction moves forward. our share."
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