Development Issues Growing in Maitland, Winter Park
Opinion Reader Views - Orlando Sentinel
Posted March 11, 2007
I am an English professor at the University of Central Florida and Rollins and have lived in Maitland since 2002. After watching several years of ineffective negotiations and stalled projects for downtown development in Maitland, I am losing patience.
I want to make clear a dangerous fact that has been overlooked in many recent Maitland meetings regarding downtown development: If Maitland continues to not offer anything for my generation -- the young professionals in their 20s and 30s -- and if our downtown fails to provide for our needs and the needs of our children, Maitland will lose us to communities that offer a far better social dynamic, income-producing opportunities and revenue-generating support.
I talk to my neighbors, and especially the other young professionals. Usually because of career demands, we have a difficult time making it to such town meetings -- and we're all in favor of a downtown now. But I see this election as a vital tipping point in the battle against those people who don't speak for my generation's interests at all, despite their loud claims to the contrary.
Maitland ought to have individuals like myself fighting to move here in droves -- but we don't, nor will we in the future unless Maitland steps up and offers what we need to thrive. Those people making noise don't represent us or our best interests -- not by a long shot.
The "obstructionists" are not the future of Maitland. I am the future of Maitland. And those people, the obstructionists, who claim to act with the intent of protecting Maitland's future, will end up sabotaging my generation instead.
Vanessa M. Blakeslee, Maitland Resident
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8 comments:
Wonderful blog!!!! Keep up the good work! How nice for Maitland.
3/12/2007 8:55:13 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
MAITLAND ~ Will Your Vote Sabotage Our Future Generations
I agree and I wrote a similar letter to the mayor about a month ago. They don't and won't listen to us. I'm 31 and I have lived in Maitland since Aug. 2004. I am the HOA president of my community and they will not hear what they we have to say. Unfortunately, I also work a rigorous schedule and cannot make the meetings. Maybe we should team up with other young individuals in our community and try to go into one meeting at the same time.
Another Maitland Resident Voice
3/12/2007 9:28:09 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
MAITLAND ~ Will Your Vote Sabotage Our Future Generations
Well said. It’s so frustrating seeing all the Roponen and Davey signs sprouting up around town. I’m afraid it doesn’t look good for downtown development. Every time I see these signs I want to talk to the homeowners and ask what they are thinking- do they like what we have and why do they not want change that we can all be proud of. For some reason it appears that the obstructionists are well organized and get out the vote and therefore win out at election time over those who are so indifferent that they never get to the polls. We’re so fortunate to have Brossier who lives here and is so experienced and has put in such enormous energy, time and creativity for a town he cares about. I only wish your email to me also got to everyone else in Maitland, not just to those in the choir.
Thanks
3/12/2007 9:38:36 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
MAITLAND ~ Will Your Vote Sabotage Our Future Generations
I agree whole hearted, well put. I am new to the area and will be voting tomorrow for the first time in a Florida election. Did they host a debate between the candidates?
New Resident
(I am unsure as to whether they hosted a debate. Perhaps "we the people of Maitland" need to be more vocal about what we want from our candidates, elected officials and hopeful developers - Ann Lanier)
3/12/2007 10:16:22 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Ms. Blakeslee,
I am very pleased to see your opinion letter in this email. I appreciated you sending it to me. I believe exactly the same as you. I just wished you had singled out the “obstructionists” of our future. Many people simply do not know what is going on and if it doesn’t appear very clear and direct, they still won’t know who these people are. Our city’s future is in deed at stake! Two of the candidates, Repenon and Davey, are not only supported by but were involved with the top levels of Maitland United directly despite their claims otherwise. Perhaps you saw the latest Grossman email article of emails exchange between them, all documenting the truth.
I just wish the community would be ALLOWED to come together. The Maitland United folks have and continue to create the divisiveness that pulls us all apart, a far cry from what they officially say their mission is.
The whole effort is very complicated but I thought your article was truly from the heart and sends a clear message, “Let our city go!”
Thanks,
Joan Randolph
Former City Councilwoman (of Maitland)
3/12/2007 10:19:04 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
I agree with all my heart and am furious with the false information that the so called "Maitland United" group has published. This includes the half page spread in the Sunday paper which made it sound like the projest was 7 stories high and that there was no location to move the City Hall. The reason that there is no place to move the City hall is because they have moved to block the perfect location (The Civic Center)!!
I am doing what I can to encourage the vote in favor of Flowers and Frosch, but I fear that the "scare" and "mudslinging" campaign of Davey and Reponen has done a lot of damage.
Rebecca Dicks - see (following)letter to (Orlando Sentinel)editor, not published
We believe that Maitland council candidates, Repoven and Davey, while well meaning, are misguided in championing the cause of a small but active special interest group who are doing everything they can to stop the excellent city plan proposed for the development of Maitland town center. There is always an element in society that fights change. A similar group formed in 1993, to limit the scale of the development of Lake Lily Park. Using similar arguments, including the need for “fiscal responsibility”, and the fear of “higher taxes”, they proposed deleting the boardwalk, pavilion, and restroom facilities from the plan. Fortunately, for the residents of Maitland, all of these items were built. The group did succeed in reducing the size of the staging area, which rendered it too small for any production. The result being that every time a performance is given in the park, staging must be rented, set up and removed at a cost to the Maitland tax payer. It is this same type of false economy that will occur if the current, beautifully designed city plan is not implemented. We strongly support Maitland Council candidates Flowers and Frosch in this Tuesday’s election. To the Maitland elected, may we say that there will always be another project, it is always politically expedient to talk in terms of fiscal responsibility, but if you have the courage and vision to complete the quality project before you, we believe you can only benefit Maitland’s future.
John and Rebecca Dicks
17 year Maitland residents and former owners of Pence and Pound House
3/12/2007 11:58:46 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Good Morning,
My name is Ann Lanier and I sent you the copy of Vanessa M. Blakeslee's published opinion that was posted by the Orlando Sentinel - see link: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/opinion/orl-letbox11_607mar11,0,7560879.story?coll=orl-opinion-headlines
I've lived in Central Florida for almost 50 years and although I wasn't born and bred here, it has always been my home. I well remember when it was first announced that Disney was coming to town. Even at a young age I heard the cry of the nay-sayers and all the ill effects that Disney would bring to "our" beautiful city. And I also recall the debates concerning the traffic needs and how our city must be pro-active towards developing the road systems that would be ultimately needed for Orlando and surrounding areas and that we must learn from the history and experiences of California and not postpone the absolute and necessary changes that would be needed in order to avoid severe traffic bottle-necking and stalemating. Today Interstate-4 clearly demonstrates to all of us what "too little too late" truly costs the residents of Central Florida. Change is inevitable - it's how we embrace it that proves how effective or ineffective the end results we all live with will be.
And when learning to drive back in the late 60's I even clearly remember the intersection of Horatio and Highway 17-92 in Maitland - a place to be avoided at all costs, as far as I was concerned, because of the bad traffic and ugly street lined businesses. All I could think about when having to travel over to this side of town was how quickly I could maneuver past the 17-92/Horatio intersection. I also remember questioning why anyone in their right mind would want to live in Maitland. And then I met Bruce Grossman and he "showed me the way".
Bruce drove me all around Maitland while talking to me and pointing out Lake Lily and the artist events often presented there, the Civic Center next to the Library, quaint back roads woven around lovely lakes, a fantastic Art Center, a thriving Jewish Community Center, well maintained sports fields off Kennedy Blvd. and a city with a vision for providing the community with a much needed upscale downtown area - a true downtown reflective of the surrounding neighborhoods that made up Maitland's thriving and much sought after community. After our drive I began to refer to Maitland as The Sister City of Winter Park and The Sweet Spot of Central Florida - we truly have it all. Well, except for a true uptown downtown.
And so believing and trusting the City of Maitland to provide it's residents with a much needed new grand downtown that it was promising, I invested in Maitland and moved here in 1998 making Maitland my new hometown. Development towards building a thriving business, city and residential area just made so much sense to me and I supported the plan from the get to. Because the traffic that passes through Maitland cannot and will never ever be stopped...instead of griping and complaining and fighting to "keep" Maitland the way it's always been (a clear impossibility and does it really makes any sense anyway ?), why not give everyone a wonderful reason to stop and spend their money in Maitland as opposed to financially supporting the areas all around Maitland instead ? Why not give us, the resident's, a true downtown for our community and at the same time create a new tax base that will pay for our city's necessary improvements ?
Because of my desire to see our community grow in a positive way for our needs of today and tomorrow, I will support both Flowers and Frosch with my vote.
To repeat, today Interstate-4 clearly demonstrates to all of us what "too little too late" truly costs the residents of Central Florida. Change is inevitable - it's how we embrace it that proves how effective or ineffective the end results will be that we will all inevitably live with each and every single day.
More voices speak out....who will listen ?
I encourage you to forward this email to everyone you know in the Central Florida area and ask them to forward to everyone they know as well. I just wish we had a large data-base of Maitland residents to send these to so that all voices could be heard.
Thank you to everyone who shared their views and opinions...and see you at the polls tomorrow.
Ann Lanier
245 W. George Avenue
Maitland, FL 32751
(407) 622-1165
3/12/2007 9:24:26 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Hello again,
As I continue to receive such insightful, supportive and encouraging emails from our Maitland residents - I wanted to share the comments with everyone.
I sincerely thank each and every one of you who took the time to share your views, comments and desires concerning "OUR" Maitland.
Ann Lanier
NOTE: I have withheld personal information only because of not having permission to disclose identity and wishing to honor each individuals privacy.
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3/12/2007 8:36:06 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
It's nice to hear so many people feel the same way we do. I am praying that all the young people who have not been able to make it to the meetings go to the poles tomorrow and vote for Frosch and Flowers!!!! We have a chance to be heard that way!!!
What is so unbelievable is that people are against the upscale Maitland project. Especially when the developer has tried so hard to work together with the city people and us Maitland citizens to make it OUR place not just HIS dream. I believe that if we all band together and get the vote out we can prevail!!!!
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3/12/2007 6:01:32 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
I COULD NOT AGREE WITH YOU MORE....................IT WOULD BE NICE IF EVERY SINGLE COMMISSIONER AND CITIZEN COULD READ YOU(R) E-MAIL.
THANKS FOR YOUR EFFORTS.
Stephen
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3/12/2007 5:35:30 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Ann,
Bravo! Flowers and Frosch both have my vote. I, too, have lived in this area all but 5 of my 50 years. My concern is that Maitland United, and others who are like-minded, have spread a spirit of fear and doom that is unwarranted and detrimental to the future of our City.
Just yesterday, my wife was essentially verbally accosted by campaign workers for Davie and Reponen as they went door to door. We have a Frosch sign on our front yard. Their approach was disrespectful and venomous. All this did was reinforce our choices for City Council that is based on what we believe to be an objective review of the positions. I also believe that many Maitland residents have decided to back candidates without informing themselves, but rather, being influenced by acquaintances.
David
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3/12/2007 3:34:22 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:
As a new resident to the city of Maitland I find myself confused by the wide variety of views on the up coming election. On one hand Maitland United wants a grand park as the town center and the opposition wants a town center anchored by retail, residences and offices.
I have visited a lot of the parks in the area with my son and have never found them to be crowded, including Quinn Strong Park which is just steps away from the proposed development. In fact most of them are in need of improvement. As early as this past weekend I attended a concert in the park at Lake Lilly. The crowd was not even large enough to fill the lawn. Why does Maitland United feel it would be any different if the concert was downtown?
Maitland does not need more green space. It needs a tax base that will generate funds to help improve the parks it currently owns.
In the words of Daniel Burnham "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood and probably will themselves not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will not die."
Roger
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3/12/2007 2:32:55 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time
OK my opinion. I have lived here 50 years, grew up here and this IS MY HOME.
Although I somewhat agree with Vanessa (Sentinel Opinion), her ME GENERATION angers me by stating Maitland must have what I and my generation want or we will move. On the other hand I agree with her about some(one) trying to keep Maitland at a stand still. It is next to impossible with the other surround(ing) communities growing, Maitland must change and change for the better and not stand still and see what happens. ANN, I agree with you 100%. We can not stop progress() but we can control it and use it in our favor. Vanessa states she and her neighbors can not make meetings due to their work schedule and yet she complains about what happens there. I call this “back seat driving”. Be involved and get involved, work can be made up later.
Ann, you have not insulted me in any way. You see what needs to be and understand progress will not stop for you, me or anyone else. Control it, plan for it and it will not bite you in the butt!
Richard
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