Return From The Abyss

Last month’s “Mayor’s Soapbox” waxed philosophic about man’s place in God’s natural world and worried that we were overpopulating and sinfully polluting Florida to the point of creating our own environmental Hell.

Since then, several friends have said to “lighten up” and write specifically about Lake Helen and what we are doing to locally improve our community. As I talked with members of our citizen advisory boards, city employees, store owners, I realized we are truly cutting a different path for the future. Some issues are still being discussed and subject to more City Commission and public review, but here’s a brief summary of some unique projects and concepts:

Environmental – Having an agricultural history with farming, citrus groves and lumbering, Lake Helen people have always seemed to care more than most about their natural surroundings. The Lake Helen Garden Club, the Lake Watch group testing water quality, the citizens who worked tirelessly to clean up Lake Macy, the every March Lake Helen “Neighbors Helping Neighbors” volunteers, all these are evidence of caring. The following are some new projects under way –

1.) 2nd Annual Water Festival: Co-sponsored by the City of Lake Helen and the Cassadaga community, this Saturday, January 18, 2003 event grows from its initial success last year with many government and non-profit agencies participating. Last year hundreds of people took canoe rides on Lake Colby, hiked the nearby trails, attended presentations on the natural world and played environmental education skill games.

2.) Trailways Projects: Many local hikers and walking exercisers, all-terrain bicyclists, birdwatchers, and equestrians have lobbied for more trailways for transit through increasingly fenced off development-prone natural areas. The Cassadaga Trail from the Camp to Lake Colby Park and up to Lake Macy Park has become increasingly popular since its initiation at last year’s Water Festival. The Cross-Volusia Trail from Lake Helen to New Smyrna, a project partnering Lake Helen, City of New Smyrna, and Volusia County continues as a priority trailways master plan issue. Lake Helen recently applied for a FRDAP State Recreation Grant to build a multi-purpose equestrian facility on Pleasant Avenue with a trailhead facility with bathrooms as a lead to this major trail some twenty miles along parts of the old abandoned railroad berm to New Smyrna. Wilderness shelters are planned every two miles.

3.) Environmental Research Station: Stetson University Environmental Studies Program has expressed strong interest in working with Lake Helen and Cassadaga residents for ongoing student studies. The unique small waterways from near I-4, being tributaries for Lake Macy and flowing into Lake Colby and also Lake Helen, provide open lake, swamp, marsh, and creek environs for multiple discipline research. Hundreds of students could be involved as the educational program develops. Accurate water quality studies, bird and animal population research, invasive and natural plant analysis and volunteer labor help are just a few benefits we could derive from this cooperation. In addition, let’s sell them pizza for lunch, books to read, gas for their cars, and flowers for their mother.

Growth Management – Every election year our citizens ask candidates the same basic question, “What will you do to protect Lake Helen?” Here’s what our citizen volunteer board, the Planning and Land Development Regulatory Commission (PLDRC), has recommended –

1.) Gateway Corridor Plan: Recommended by the PLDRC and voted by our Commission about a year ago, this ordinance prescribes strict architectural, tree, signage and landscaping codes for commercial areas and large subdivision developments. The fruits of this regulation effort can be seen in the new Volusia County Fire Station under construction on Main Street. Traditional gabled tin roof, older Florida-style porch and siding architecture, arched doorways with used brick facings and abundant tree and shrub landscaping ensure a quality structure very similar to the excellent effort much earlier by Quality Brands (Budweiser) and 1st Union/Wachovia as adjoining properties. A new realization of the importance of architectural standards will be as the PLDRC gives final approval to “The Woods of Lake Helen,” the 55 acre development of new homes on Main Street on the southeast corner with Summit Avenue.

2.) Population Control: Last year the Commission directed our City Administrator, Don Findell, to contract with an impartial outside planner to conduct a “build-out study” of Lake Helen, which would tell us our future population if every suitable residential lot, as presently zoned, was built on. When Jim Kerr, planner in Orange City, gave us the survey results, we were frankly shocked. If every presently zoned residential lot is built on, our population could be as many as eleven thousand people! In this little two mile by two mile town, a population almost four times what we have at present? After much discussion in a joint meeting with the City Commissioners, the PLDRC directed the City Administrator to evaluate our present residential zoning and prepare recommendations for a zoning plan to allow for a future growth population under six thousand total. Quality of life style seems more important to us than mindless expansion merely for the so-called benefits of “economic development.” Nothing wrong with economic development as long as it is environmentally healthy and benefits local citizens already living here. A tall order which seems elusive in its manifestation. Let’s go slow down and think smart for those of us already here. Nothing wrong with being honestly selfish and protecting what we love.

3.) Commercial Development Analysis: Two years ago, in response to legal inquiries about our commercial development zoning near I-4, we discovered several conflicting future uses/zoning maps affecting what type of development we might allow within city boundaries near that area. Although we solved the zoning problem temporarily by following our attorney’s advice to revert to the 1992 Zoning Map, we resolved to conduct an in-depth analysis of suitable building development uses near I-4 as well as downtown and along incoming traffic arteries. In that light, the PLDRC recently requested the City Commission approve a limited one year moratorium on commercial and large scale residential development until a new every ten-year State mandated Comprehensive Plan can be formulated. We are presently conducting the required public hearings to consider this commercial development moratorium. Again the mantra is “go slow, think smart.” Once the land is gone, it’s gone.

4.) Downtown Business: Sometimes it might appear to local business people that we focus on everything else but the vitality of the small businesses trying to survive in a tough economy in a small town. “Go slow” is not a favorite phrase for entrepreneurs facing weekly payroll and rent payments.

My premise is that soon the deep-thinking, long range master plan will be evidenced in our Comp. Plan and these critical issues will show themselves in supporting a strong, locally-owned, downtown retail sector. Hopefully our planning will prevent large corporate out-of-town chains from building mega gas/convenience stores near I-4 that would suck the thin blood out of our downtown. I think our environmental, low-key traditional village will draw people from outside to use our trailways and parks, walk our historic district, attend and participate in our Home Tour, our monthly flea markets, the Hopkins Hall events, and our equestrian competitions. Let’s have them spend money in our downtown while they visit and then leave.

These are a few of the ideas being evaluated by our citizen boards and our Commission, as presented through my own admittedly opinionated viewpoint. We’re trying to do the best for our citizens as we understand each inter-related issue.

Call us with your ideas, write a letter or column for The City Observer, attend the Parks and Recreation, Historic Preservation, the PLDRC and City Commission meetings. Criticisms, concerns, and even compliments are welcomed. We’re all in this together. Let’s enjoy the ride.