Sidney Lanier
07-22-2008, 05:49 PM
I just posted the following on the 'BOCC meeting' thread.
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Following is an email I just this minute sent to the five county commissioners to the email addresses posted by JohnM (thanks!); the email did include my name and address which I am leaving off this post. I suggest we BOMBARD them with emails this afternoon; hopefully it'll help....
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Gentlemen:
As an owner in The Villages whose home is on a small but nonetheless through street and who is not there at the moment and thus cannot attend tonight's meeting, I am writing to express my concern over your board's recent action concerning the closing of Oak Forest Drive, an otherwise public road, to all traffic other than that pertaining to residents.
I can understand that residents of ANY road would want the equivalent of a private road where there is no traffic other than their own and that of their guests and servicepeople. And I am sure the residents of Oak Forest believe that they have enough of an issue to have carried it to the point where you as a board are considering the equivalent of a 'private road' designation.
However, I see two serious issues:
First, Oak Forest is NOT a private road; it is a public road maintained by public taxation. If there is an issue with, say, speeders using Oak Forest, then the law needs to be enforced, that is, the violators need to be addressed rather than closing the road to all but resident traffic because of a these violators.
Second, do you realize what a precedent this would set? Can you even begin to imagine how many residents of literally HUNDREDS of what are presently through roads will collect petitions and attend your meetings in order to ask for the same for their roads? Do you have any idea of the can of worms you would be opening by NOT revisiting the Oak Forest situation?
Thank you for your consideration!
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Following is an email I just this minute sent to the five county commissioners to the email addresses posted by JohnM (thanks!); the email did include my name and address which I am leaving off this post. I suggest we BOMBARD them with emails this afternoon; hopefully it'll help....
------------------------
Gentlemen:
As an owner in The Villages whose home is on a small but nonetheless through street and who is not there at the moment and thus cannot attend tonight's meeting, I am writing to express my concern over your board's recent action concerning the closing of Oak Forest Drive, an otherwise public road, to all traffic other than that pertaining to residents.
I can understand that residents of ANY road would want the equivalent of a private road where there is no traffic other than their own and that of their guests and servicepeople. And I am sure the residents of Oak Forest believe that they have enough of an issue to have carried it to the point where you as a board are considering the equivalent of a 'private road' designation.
However, I see two serious issues:
First, Oak Forest is NOT a private road; it is a public road maintained by public taxation. If there is an issue with, say, speeders using Oak Forest, then the law needs to be enforced, that is, the violators need to be addressed rather than closing the road to all but resident traffic because of a these violators.
Second, do you realize what a precedent this would set? Can you even begin to imagine how many residents of literally HUNDREDS of what are presently through roads will collect petitions and attend your meetings in order to ask for the same for their roads? Do you have any idea of the can of worms you would be opening by NOT revisiting the Oak Forest situation?
Thank you for your consideration!