Today's Letters: Read more before writing editorial

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published October 23, 2007

Did the Times bother to read the proposed vested rights determination for the Gulf Harbors project and its several hundred pages of documentation before prognosticating doom and gloom? Your editorial left the impression that the county commissioners were stuck with a Hobson's choice of approving yet another ill-conceived development project or subjecting the county to a costly and indefensible lawsuit. Had the Times reviewed the file more critically, your readers would have been better informed of a critical public issue via some old-fashioned reporting and not just another opinion piece.

Rather than laying out the facts that would allow our elected representatives to draw their own conclusions, the county attorney's determination was a diatribe concocted to suggest that the issues were clear-cut and led to only one conclusion. For instance, the commissioners were not told that at least one senior county attorney disputed the relevance of the "binding letters of interpretation" from the state Department of Community Affairs, which are absolutely essential to the developer's theory and the county attorney's opinion that the Gulf Harbors project was statutorily entitled to vested rights from the county's development regulations.

In a memo, Senior Assistant County Attorney David Goldstein - the staff attorney with the most expertise dealing with the DCA - opined that "the DCA binding letter ... does not vest this parcel against any of our land development code provisions and DCA has no jurisdiction to grant such vesting."

Yet the county attorney now reaches a diametrically opposed legal opinion without disclosing his recent position is not supported by at least one of his senior assistant attorneys. Sadly, there is nothing in the file explaining why the county's official position has suddenly changed, or any legal authority that would allow one to independently reach the same conclusions.

The determination also adopts the odd position of the developers that since the county allegedly unconditionally approved the Gulf Harbors project prior to it having adopted any building regulations that the county is without authority to compel the project to adhere to regulations developed over the past 50 years. What rule of logic or law leads to the presumption that the developers should reap massive profits while the public and environment must suffer irreparably for the mutual inaction of our predecessors?

Wouldn't it be more logical to conclude no more than the obvious: That both sides assumed the matters would be decided in the future, since at the time, the project was little more than a concept and artist's rendering.

I hope our commissioners decide not to decide the matter at today's meeting until such time that they task their staff with appraising them of the facts and legal authorities which would support denying vested rights to the Gulf Harbors project. Only when each side's positions are tested via cross-examination does the decider of fact get the input it needs to make a wise decision. Holding a public hearing when the county attorney's position is in lockstep with the developer's is little more than a charade.

Should the commissioners insist on going forward with the hearing, we must all hope that they have done their own independent investigations into the facts, which will allow them to ask the relevant questions and are not strictly relying on the advice of the county attorney, local editors' opinions, or the rants of at least one of their constituents since at least two of the three opinions are based on false premises.

Steve Byle, Leisure Beach

Parents, check on your teenagers

Do you know where your children are? I live in a 55 or older community in the Bayonet Point - Hudson area. As of late we have been having trouble with teenage boys trespassing and vandalizing our property.

Two weeks ago unripe fruit was thrown and broke a window, and the other night a brick was thrown and broke a window. The sheriff's deputies have been out numerous times, and we are told that unless they are caught in the act or we know who they are, they cannot be apprehended.

So, this is a plea to parents. If you have teenage boys, check on their after-school activities and where they are at night. Not only are they destroying property, they are taking peace of mind away from a lot of senior citizens. I am frightened.

Mary Martin, Port Richey

Deputies hear why cat hit with hammer Oct. 19, story

Beating was animal cruelty

Why is it that a man can beat a defenseless cat to death with a hammer in his yard? Why was the person not charged with cruelty to animals, which if I remember right, is a felony.

Oh yea, I forgot. In Pasco County, it doesn't matter if there is a witness or not. If the deputy didn't see it happen, he can't do anything about it.

The article also stated the person was concerned about his four foster children getting sick from the animal urine on his lawn. If I were someone in the Department of Children and Families, I would be concerned with safety of those foster children in his care. Who is to say that if one of them does something he doesn't think is right, he won't take a hammer to them as well.

Leanora Luongo, Zephyrhills

Deputies hear why cat hit with hammer Oct. 19, story

Animal Control needs to respond

I have to agree with the Leisure Beach man who called Animal Control over his problem.

I have called Animal Control several times, first over a neighbor's loose dog killing one of our ducks. While telling the neighbor about the killing, he and I both watched the same dog kill another neighbor's cat. He didn't even try to stop the dog. The same dog also killed another neighbor's cat. Another time, it had the women next door trapped in her house.

On all the calls made, there was no action taken by Animal Control. If we take our own action, we are threatened with criminal charges. In days gone by, Animal Control people were very responsive and acted immediately.

Our taxes pay Animal Control. Are they afraid to work for their pay? Let's get them to work for a change.

George De Maio, Shady Hills

New location, same great food

A while back, I couldn't flip though the Pasco Times without reading an article filled with outrage and disgust regarding Main Street Landing. I, too, was thoroughly incensed by this project that still remains in shambles on beautiful riverfront property.

My biggest gripe was that this slapdash enterprise forced one of my favorite restaurants, Juan's Black Bean Deli, out of business. The uproar of public disappointment was considerable, but there was barely a whisper when Juan's returned. So I am hoping you'll print this letter, allowing me to announce (with all the boisterous hoopla deserving such occasion) that Juan's Black Bean Cafe is open on Main Street, just yards away from the former location.

The restaurant is beautifully decorated inside with dark woods and rich colors, mirroring the flavors in the food. I walked in and my heart actually lifted when I saw Mr. De Sosa and family there, exactly as always, and was thrilled when they remembered my family. The food has not been changed at all, because it would be impossible to improve those dishes. I am heartened that, despite the ineptitude of so many in New Port Richey, Juan's Black Bean Cafe is reopened, and I look forward to its tremendous success!

Heidi Sullivan, New Port Richey

I believe what I see, and I see God

As a liberal Democrat deist, I believe that intelligent design as well as the big bang theory should be taught in Pasco County and in all schools in America. Although most scientists believe in the big bang theory, I feel that it is absurd. To me, big bang sounds like a bomb, and no bomb ever made a vast, infinite universe.

If we see a man-made cabinet, we all believe there is a cabinet-maker. If we all see a universe, we all believe there is a universe. Even the most devout atheist and scientist, when he or she thinks of these countless stars and plants rotating peacefully millions of miles from one another, must, at times, believe this is a universe-maker. That universe-maker is God.

Me? I believe in a loving and caring God. I believe in heaven. When I get to heaven, I expect to see millions of scientists and atheists. You have to be a loving and caring God to love and care for skeptical scientists and atheists.

Albert J. Maduri, New Port Richey

Man charged in burglary of church Oct. 19, story

Check out Bible verse on treasures

A man stole more than $250,000 from the Zephyrhills Victory Baptist Church. Amazing, $250,000 worth of jewelry in a church safe! What about St. Matthew VI: 19-21, "Lay not for yourself treasures upon earth?"

Jerry Hobbs, Lutz

[Last modified October 22, 2007, 21:35:50]