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Condos mar barrier isles' natural state

Re: 7 posh condo projects okayed for beach, story, Sept. 21.

Unbelievable. We are finally facing the fact that hurricanes can be dangerous and that barrier islands are necessary as a buffer from the storms, and here are Clearwater leaders continuing to make bad decisions in hopes of a higher tax base.

That is disgusting. All million-dollar condo growth on the beach should be stopped immediately to allow these islands off the coast of Florida to return to their natural state, with a few cottages and day traffic only.

Guess what? The residents of Pinellas County will get an added benefit: the gentle crosswinds that haven't been felt for 20 years. Fewer mosquitoes, too.

Island still under threat of pollution, congestion

I do not own a boat. I do not want boat docks on Honeymoon Island.

That said, the Dunedin city government unanimously voting "no" on boat docks at Honeymoon Island is more than a little bit hypocritical. They have given their okay to hundreds of new condominiums on Alt. U.S. 19, from downtown to the causeway. This will have a significant negative effect on the causeway and Honeymoon Island.

The current city leaders in Dunedin will be a major contributor to congestion and pollution on Alt. U.S. 19, the Dunedin Causeway and Honeymoon Island.

Traffic calming popular way to enforce rules

Re: Roundabouts pose long list of problems, letter, Sept. 2.

In a recent letter to the St. Petersburg Times, a couple wrote to complain about traffic calming in Skycrest, especially on Cleveland Street.

In reply, the Skycrest Neighbors group was instructed to contact property owners. We did. We contacted owners who live in their homes and local, out of town, out of state and out of country property owners. We were able to get well over the 65 percent support required because thinking people could see the benefits of a form of traffic control.

Traffic calming will prevent bad drivers from using the turn lane as a passing lane. It will get drivers who cannot see stop signs to stop before crossing Cleveland Street. Schoolchildren have crossing guards to get them across the street; it is impossible for anyone to cross Keene Road in the allotted 8 seconds.

Hopefully, traffic calming will rid us of trucks delivering beer, water, soft drinks, pizza products and more. Speeders to the beach can find a faster route.

Anyone who does not understand or like traffic calming should drive through Grandview Terrace to find out how well it works.

Still don't like it? Don't use Cleveland Street. Try Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard.

Residents say farewell to their old home county

We are leaving Pinellas County and wanted to say goodbye to the following:

Gridlocked roads

Boom boxes (thought a law was passed against these)

Souped-up cars with no mufflers

Drivers who think they are in the Indy 500

Gas-powered scooters operated illegally

Obnoxious brats and their even more obnoxious parents

Inept and ineffective Sheriff's Office

Politicians who are more interested in their horses than their constituents.

Thank God, we are moving back to civilization.

We came, we saw, we laughed, we left.

[Last modified September 22, 2005, 01:03:19]