Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
With lawyers in tow, Longleaf and Ellington Estates residents try to sway commissioners.
By JAMES THORNER
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 29, 2001
NEW PORT RICHEY -- They sat in segregated sections of the meeting room at the West Pasco Government Center: Longleaf residents clustered in the back rows, Ellington Estates residents near the front.
What divided them more than seating was the issue of Ellington Way: whether the road should remain a barricaded dead end serving 38 property owners in Ellington Estates or become a through road to serve more than 1,000 future homes in Longleaf.
Late Tuesday, Pasco County commissioners had yet to resolve the dispute.
But both sides made their cases at the speaker's podium. Ellington residents expressed concern for the safety of their children should the road open up; Longleaf residents made the case for better traffic flow.
Dave Stein of Ellington summed up the attitude of many of his neighbors, arguing that traffic from Longleaf would threaten their children's lives.
A person struck by a car moving 30 mph has only a 7 percent chance of survival, Stein said.
"We have nothing against the people from Longleaf. We just don't want them to destroy our roads and our kids," he said.
Kids apparently have become pawns in the neighborhood dispute. Residents from both neighborhoods recounted tales of their children feeling intimidated, in some case having the police called on them.
"The rift over this barricade issue has affected all of us, including our children," said Longleaf resident William Lusk to applause from his neighbors.
Before more than 15 neighbors spoke, lawyers for Ellington and Longleaf crossed swords. John Renke represented Ellington, and Steve Booth represented Longleaf developer Jay B. "Trey" Starkey III.
Booth asked commissioners to drop the barricade to allow school buses to access Longleaf without parents having to venture onto State Road 54.
But Renke accused Longleaf, which has built only the first phase of an expected 1,400 homes and apartments, of reneging on an original promise to leave Ellington Way closed to through traffic.
"They are now abandoning that promise," Renke said.
To try to resolve the standoff, commissioners considered initiating a traffic study to count cars on the road.
Indications are the anger won't dissipate any time soon. As one Longleaf woman said toward the end of the discussion: "Shame on us all."