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As the Pinellas Park and Largo dispute becomes more uncivil, a business for leisure pursuits is caught in the middle.
By ANNE LINDBERG
© St. Petersburg Times, published December 12, 1999
PINELLAS PARK -- Bob Wylie proudly leafs through a scrapbook. The pictures show buildings in such poor condition they had been condemned. Because of termite damage, the floors had sunk 3 inches.
Looking at those photographs, it's hard to comprehend that Wylie's clean, up-to-date office is one of those ratty buildings.
The renovation of 13055 49th St. N is just one of the success stories for Wylie and Hydro Spa, the business he and two of his brothers built from scratch.
Hydro Spa is now a multimillion-dollar family industry that builds hot tubs and spas for Sears and other distributors.
Hydro Spa also has become disputed territory in the annexation wars between Pinellas Park and Largo. Largo's threat to disconnect Hydro Spa's sewer service was the final spark that riled Pinellas Park council members so much they decided Thursday to sue Largo.
"They are throwing me in the mix," Wylie said of Largo's threat to disconnect his sewer service if Pinellas Park does not agree to annexation boundaries. "They are threatening every businessman that contemplates going into Pinellas Park."
Being a pawn in the war between two cities makes life especially tough for a businessman who just wants to be left alone to earn a living, he said.
"I'm here to do business," Wylie said. "I'm not here to ruffle feathers or get caught up in a battle between two cities who ought to be working together."
Here's the story from Wylie's viewpoint:
Wylie and two brothers began Hydro Spa about seven years ago. The business "grew and grew just like a kid," and two years ago, the three began searching for a large permanent location.
They found just what they needed at a condemned site on 49th Street N in the county. They began cleaning up the front half, or western portion of the site, and discovered, Wylie said, "It's not duck soup when you go to the county."
So they approached Pinellas Park, which Wylie said is more business-friendly because officials there understand the sooner a business opens, the sooner tax moneys start pouring in. So Hydro Spa annexed its western 3.5 acres into Pinellas Park.
That acreage, and the portion of the tract to the east, were in Largo's sewer district.
Largo agreed to hook up the western acreage as long as Wylie annexed the eastern or back portion of his land into Largo should the city line ever touch his rear property line.
Time passed and Hydro Spa needed to expand, as did Wylie Properties Inc., the brothers' other business. They began developing the back portion of the property.
That land was unincorporated, meaning Wylie had to go to the county for building and other permits.
Again, he had trouble. And again, he went to Pinellas Park. He told officials there of his problems with the county and of the annexation agreement with Largo.
Pinellas Park agreed to incorporate his eastern 9.7 acres. The City Council also agreed that if Largo's city limits ever touched that property, Pinellas Park would free up the land so it could become part of Largo.
That agreement seemed safe. Wylie would be able to make good on his contract with Largo. And Pinellas Park officials think the Largo city limits will never reach that far, said Assistant City Manager Mike Gustafson.
But Largo did not agree and, as annexation negotiations between the two cities soured, Largo refused to accept Wylie's payment to hook up sewer service to the eastern portion of his property.
Largo city attorneys then wrote Wylie a letter saying he was in violation of their agreement and hooking up the new building would be illegal. They threatened to cut off service to all of his property.
That put a crimp in Wylie's business. He had leased out some of the space in those buildings, but was unable to sign the leases for fear he would be unable to supply sewer service. One of those leases is worth $10,000 a month, he said.
He also wondered what would happen to the 80 employees who work on the western portion of Hydro Spa if Largo cut sewer service. He faced the possibility of having to close his business, at least temporarily, until he could put in a septic tank.
He began attending Largo and Pinellas Park council meetings and workshops.
The Pinellas Park council became outraged.
On Tuesday, Pinellas Park told the Largo council one condition for settling the boundary dispute amicably was a written letter of apology to Wylie.
Largo not only failed to write a letter, but officials from that city came out Thursday and tried to cut off his sewer service.
They decided not to do so after realizing they could not disconnect the new building without cutting off the entire property.
But the mere fact they had gone to cut off the service was enough for the Pinellas Park council. They unanimously decided that they want to sue Largo, in part, to protect Wylie and other property owners.
Largo Mayor Thom Feaster declined comment Friday because Pinellas Park has voted to sue.
Wylie doesn't know what he will do next.
For now, he is just letting his attorneys talk to Largo's attorneys.