I was forwarded the following letter sent to Lutz Community News:
Dear Ms. Manion,
After reading your article in the Lutz News, May 23, 2012, I am very disappointed
that your headline is inaccurate and that you did not point out one objection to the
school until your jump on page 13.
The headline should read "Lutz Objects to the LOCATION of the School (not the
school itself)." I realize that there is only so much space on the front page, but it
all went to the supposed advantages of the school and only on page 13 do you
talk about the realistic concerns to the project by people who truly understand the
community, traffic flow and impact on the environment.
In addition to the obvious traffic nightmare the location of this school will create,
people should know that the Gates school seems to have no qualms about
swapping roosters (they keep touting how they house fowl on their premises) for
red-tailed hawks, owls, woodpeckers, egrets and herons that will no longer have
a sanctuary. Yes, thatʼs it in a nutshell — letʼs all gather 'round to hear the
clucking and crowing rather than appreciate all sorts of wading, migrating and
nesting birds that find refuge here. Really?
During my phone interview with you, I also told you about the accident we were
the victims of 5 or 6 years ago on a slow weekend afternoon while we were
sitting on Sunset Lane in line for the light to change at Hwy. 41. We were several
cars back from the light. Let me reiterate -- a young man driving his motherʼs car
barreled into us. He said he was distracted by people on the side of this narrow
country road on which we were all stopped. After he hit us, we hit the car in front
of us and so on. Ultimately three cars were hit from behind, all stationary.
Then I told you about the ridiculous length of time it took to clear the scene of the
accident due to the narrowness of Sunset Lane, a 2-lane country road with a
narrow sidewalk on only one side — this is the same road that will supposedly be
able to cope with the cars needed to transfer a potential 1,000 students to and
from a school or schools without widening the street.
I regret that during your call I was only able to tell you that traffic was backed up
a very long way and was unable to specify the number of feet although you
asked me repeatedly to define the distance. Perhaps this is why you did not use
this example of mayhem in your article.
I also told you about the numerous near collisions we see all the time where the
entrance to the Winn Dixie/post office plaza on the south side of Sunset Lane
meets the entrance to the Walgreens on the north side. These are right across
from each other immediately after turning off of Hwy. 41. The congestion and
confusion at these entrances is more evidence of poor planning with which we
have all had to live. There is also a zero tolerance for pedestrians and bicyclists
in the area, so if either happens to be trying to cross the road anywhere on
Sunset, let alone near the plaza, he does so at his own peril. If a bicyclist is riding
on the road, traffic does not have adequate room to move around him safely
although some people try. These are the conditions as they exist today. If we add
school traffic to the mix, there will most certainly be irreparable consequences
that could have been prevented.
In addition, in response to Colleen Krukʼs perspective as quoted in your article,
her view does not represent any people we know that live in this neighborhood or
otherwise. Her idea of settling for the school location just to ensure the land is not
destroyed in a worse way in the future is inexplicable and represents a
willingness to accept what is given to you even though you know itʼs wrong
because you fear the consequences. This is not the attitude of the community as
we know it, and certainly not mine.
Cathryn Greene
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