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Lutz has potential to be a county gem

Wanted to let you know how right on the money you were with your article on Lutz ("When will "Downtown' Lutz Grow Up?" Jan. 20).

It is a shame that a small handful of self-centered, self-proclaimed spokespeople have manipulated our local politicians to steer development away from the Lutz area. Development of downtown (Lutz) would benefit nearly everyone who lives in Lutz. It's only a few in the minority who speak out to draw attention to their own personal agenda (run for political office for example) who claim to represent the majority.

Truth is, I doubt the local Civic Association has more than 150 members (I have asked, yet even when I was a member nobody would tell me), yet they intimidate the local politicians who believe membership to be stronger than what I believe it is.

What we have in downtown Lutz is exactly as you described, a rundown rusty shell of what could be the gem of Hillsborough County. Shame on all of them who created this disaster that local folks must deal with: lower property value increases while we still pay property taxes, yet zero benefits as a result of those aforementioned few. Despicable!

The most amazing thing of all is how they stand on their soapbox and boast of this "accomplishment" to anyone who listens.

Those in Lutz know: You reap what you sow

Editors:

I found Bill Coats' article about the issues and problems Lutz faces in terms of not being able to attract modern upscale businesses somewhat amusing, but sad nonetheless. As someone who lives west of N Dale Mabry and has never been "antigrowth" when the appropriate criteria are used to guide any community with respect to how growth is managed, I can only say the folks who find themselves now stuck in the 19th century put themselves in that position years ago.

The folks who opposed allowing an east-west connector-extension when the Veteran's Expressway was being planned and forced it to be stubbed at N Dale Mabry are the same folks who have stuck to their guns in terms of fighting modern development in Lutz, particularly east of N Dale Mabry. As the expression goes, you reap what you sow. And in this case, Lutz has become a backward embarrassment to the rest of Hillsborough County, destined to remain somewhere in the past, focusing on its marquee railroad station (if you want to see a real serious effort to revitalize a railroad station, go to Dunedin), and, as Bill Coats put it, "a Publix, a couple of gasoline stations and a million weeds."

Yes, you reap what you sow. The handful of folks in Lutz who have controlled its destiny are solely responsible for this sad commentary where a vital community could have flourished, if allowed to be managed when they had the opportunities in the past. Now, it is Boot Hill and shall remain so. Perhaps someday Lutz will make it into the 21st century, but, it will take money, resources, vision and compromise. Their fate seems "sealed." I hope they are happy with the result and find sticking their heads in the sand a comfortable position, for they have been in that position for a long, long time.

[Last modified February 2, 2006, 11:27:10]