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Bigger housing battles being waged

Re: Battle is brewing in the Old Northeast, April 16.

Count your blessings if having your neighborhood placed on the Local Register of Historic Places is a major issue. I am not trying to minimize the issue or those who live in the Old Northeast. It is a beautiful neighborhood, and I am proud it is part of what makes this great city unique. However, I would offer that battles can and should be brewing on so many more important issues.

How about the cost of insurance that is forcing people out of their homes? Perhaps the unfair tax structures that sometimes have residents in million-dollar neighborhoods paying as much tax as those in working-class neighborhoods. Another might be affordable properties being bulldozed to make way for million-dollar condos, with no affordable housing solutions in sight for our neighborhoods.

According to your article, those opposed to being placed on the Local Register of Historic Places say it "shackles the buyer and the seller," and those in favor say it would "slow tear-downs." I say unaffordable insurance, unfair tax structures and bulldozed affordable housing are a little more shackling to homeowners and are the things we need to slow down.

Steve Lesky, St. Petersburg

Old Northeast, be sure to do homework

Re: Battle is brewing in the Old Northeast.

All the discussion that is now taking place about whether the Historic Old Northeast should become a Local Historic District (LHD) has been helpful in focusing homeowners' attention on what kind of neighborhood they really want to have. What's unfortunate is the misleading and erroneous information that is being circulated by those who feel a "yes" vote means loss of private property rights and control by the city. Well, surprise: Through zoning and codes the city now and will always have these powers, and LHD won't change that.

What LHD will mean is that the character of the neighborhood - the reason the overwhelming number of people moved here in the first place - will be protected. The vast majority of those who already have signed their ballots "yes" feel it is way past time to tell developers they simply can't come in and tear down houses (that are otherwise economically viable) to build new structures way out of proportion and style to what's next door. Palm Harbor-style houses are very nice ... in Palm Harbor. Not next to 75-year-old Craftsman bungalows and Colonial Revivals.

Yes, I want to protect my property rights and home value too - from having a totally inappropriate house built next door or down the block. As Old Northeast homeowners consider a "yes" or "no" vote I encourage them to read the materials being distributed and listen to the arguments being made, and if they sound unreasonable or inflammatory to vote accordingly.

Rick Carson, St. Petersburg

Everything has a risk so keep pedaling

Re: Even street-smart cyclists are at risk, letter, April 16.

Read the newspaper. Watch TV dramas, horror movies and the news. While considering the risks of bicycling on busy streets, people might want to consider more dangers.

Driving a car is dangerous because you can crash with other cars or just yourself. You can get hit by a car or fall while walking, running, or in-line skating. Pollution is another name for poison and can make you sick if you breathe or drink it. Airplanes kill in crashes. Swimming drowns you.

Don't use the stairs because you could fall. Don't ride the escalator because it could catch your clothes and injure you. Don't talk with your mild-mannered neighbor because the person could be a psychopathic molester or murderer. Don't mow your lawn because you could severely injure yourself.

Inside the house, never get drunk because you could kill yourself by burning down the house while smoking or cooking. Get rid of sharp knives because people will cut themselves or a murderer could break into the house and kill you with one. Instead, get a big dog to protect you. No. Don't. A dog will maul you or someone's child.

The whole world is dangerous. So far, history has shown us that 100 percent of people, who are living, die.

The best thing to do is find a way to accept the inevitable. Stop watching so much TV because it scares people into not living. Next, be a pessimistic optimist. When you want to do something, think of all the things that can go wrong. Then, optimistically think of things you can do to prevent those things from happening. Finally, go out, live life and enjoy it.

Risk research shows fatalities, per million exposure hours, are 128.71 for skydiving, 1.07 for swimming, .47 for driving a motor vehicle and .26 for bicycling (www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/health/risks.htm). The physical and psychological benefits bicycling provides via aerobic exercise far outweigh the risks.

With gasoline eating our wallets out, the last thing we need is to scare ourselves out of using a bicycle for inexpensive transportation or socializing.

Kimberly Cooper, St. Petersburg

'Crowns' is a jewel of a production

We recently saw the American Stage production of Crowns. Never have we enjoyed a local production more since the community theater production of Webb's City in 2003.

The show, the music and the cast all were top notch. It's performed outside, at Demens Landing waterfront park.

The weather was superb, and the stars out in all their glory. This show will make you laugh, make you cry and make you proud. The last number brought the audience to their feet as we all clapped and sang along for the gospel finale!

Cost? Ten bucks and bring your own chair or blanket. Twenty-five dollars if you want reserved seating. Hey, forget the cost, just do it! You will not regret it!

Robert "Bob" Lartz, St. Petersburg

Arts festival missed because of parking

Re: Mainsail Arts Festival.

I would like to commend the city of St. Petersburg for moving Mainsail to Vinoy Park, thereby ensuring that no handicapped person can park close enough to participate. My husband and I tried four different approaches into Vinoy Park and found all of them blocked by law enforcement vehicles. Since he cannot walk the 10 to 12 blocks required to approach Mainsail, we missed it this year.

Ann Still, St. Pete Beach

[Last modified April 26, 2006, 06:31:11]