Letters to the Editors

Town pride begins at home

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 10, 2000

Editor: Re: Hernando Beach dresses up entry, March 7 Hernando Times:

I am all for anything that will improve our community and polish up this "diamond in the rough" called Hernando Beach. However, a grandiose sign out on U.S. 19 is premature.

Community pride needs to start in the community. It needs to start on "Main Street" Hernando Beach (Shoal Line Boulevard) with each and every commercial property. It then needs to radiate down each residential road to each residential property. Hernando Beach has the potential to be an upscale community, but it has not earned that definition yet.

Pride in the community in which you live or have your business is demonstrated by the appearance of your property. Deed restrictions are not enforced in the majority of Hernando Beach, so it is up to individual property owners to be responsible and to make their own "piece of paradise" aesthetically pleasing.

County ordinances have been ignored for years, and code violations are abundant. Action needs to be taken to bring violators into compliance.

This community has also been neglected by the county for many years. Our roads are in deplorable condition. Now that we finally have a voice in the commission chambers, we are starting to get things done for Hernando Beach.

In a few years a metamorphosis should take place. Water lines, fire hydrants and road repaving are scheduled, and once they are completed, we can place new, distinctive residential street markers. A sidewalk/bikeway also is on the horizon now (something we were told by long-time community leaders would never happen).

For now, a good clean up, a little paint, some shrubbery, palm trees and some grass will go a long way to improve the appearance of downtown Hernando Beach.

The Hernando Beach Entrance Sculpture Committee has made it quite clear that we will have this new $30,000 entrance sign whether or not we agree with it.

So, let's get busy and spruce up Hernando Beach so we can all be proud and not embarrassed. We don't want newcomers to get all excited about our community up on U.S. 19, only to make a U-turn when they arrive in Hernando Beach proper.
-- Julia Jackson, Hernando Beach

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