Back in 2019 Pete Cuccaro became Pine Ridge’s first Roads Committee Chairman.  At the time that  committee functioned as both Roads Committee and External Affairs representatives for Pine Ridge. They worked to not only improve our internal roads but also lobbied for our interests on the Suncoast exit, the LKQ expansion and other issues impacting our community.  Mr. Cuccaro has written and submitted a document for the Board that recaps the history of the  committee’s efforts so that those that come after will have the history to hopefully  build on.

Having been a previous resident of Miami-Dade County, like many of us in Pine Ridge, Pete is experiencing Deja vu with the current development in Citrus County, especially the development close to us.  Most of us also feel a general neglect by the county government in maintaining our roads and the lack of traffic enforcement.  There is a general feeling we pay a disproportionate amount of taxes compared to the money invested back into Pine Ridge by the county.

Having experienced this whole scenario before and seen the solutions that grassroot citizen efforts have reaped Pete has suggested alternatives that have worked to the benefit of other communities.  While the Board is not ready to move forward on these initiatives, they may be worth exploring in the future.  The majority of the Board thought these ideas were worth putting on the table for our Members for general discussion in the community.

Regards

John Hyde

President, Pine Ridge POA.

TO INCORPORATE OR NOT TO INCORPORATE—THAT IS THE QUESTION

(One Of Many)

By

Pete Cuccaro

‘Some men see things as they are and say why, I dream things that never were and say, why not’ — George Bernard Shaw

In a perfect world there wouldn’t be a need for Pine Ridge to consider incorporation. Notably, Citrus County was near perfect for those moving here during the last forty years. For many it became a quieter, simpler life. Our family has resided here since 2010 and we clearly see and feel the difference between simple then and not so much now. We joined the many before us who were part of generational movements—and we were all joining the Pine Ridge pioneers, many of whom settled in the 1970s.

Politics for us became mostly an afterthought. After paying close attention to local politics in our previous lives, most didn’t consider the need to do it again, particularly in our sunset years—but here we are. We hear over and over again, Citrus has been found”. And the collective inattention and ambivalence inside Pine Ridge over the long haul has begun to haunt. It’s been a cultural thing. I was as guilty as anyone. In recent years I’ve paid serious attention, knowing how the system works—or doesn’t.

It would be ludicrous to now believe Pine Ridge could remain as the original developer envisioned: a unique equestrian and golfing community. Golfing is all but gone and while the equestrian community will live on it won’t be near what it was—or perhaps even what it is now. Notably, Pine Ridge along the way became one of only three equestrian/golf communities in the country and for a time the only one in the State of Florida. We can no longer lay claim to that designation.

As Pine Ridge grows up and out we are being slowly, almost indistinguishably, overwhelmed by the areas encroaching from all around. Smaller communities like Citrus Hills and Black Diamond Ranch with their well-funded activist developers wrestled away the center stage. We should salute them and what they have become. They offer a different environment and culture. It’s a notable distinction.

The once economically influential Mackie Brothers whose vision was Pine Ridge faded away. While progress can always be expected, when not attended to strategically, unintended consequences can overtake expectations—and again—here we are; here Pine Ridge is. The growing myriad of issues, some big, some small, were so gradual they were hardly noticeable, especially when no one was watching. It’s past time to look closely. It takes focused vision and we need to take the blinders off.

The core culture and long standing identity of Pine Ridge has been evaporating before our eyes. Higher density developments under construction to the north and east with their increasing traffic will soon be impacting roads within our community. I have long opined based on professional experience, the interchange at SR589 and CR486 will be a traffic/people/business magnet. Pine Ridge will serve as a funnel from the north and east—and more directly from the south. The traffic volume and all that comes with it won’t be a positive.

And what of the Pine Ridge golf course? This shouldn’t be a settled issue. We remember the outrage directed at the previous owner because of his desire to build townhomes. One major impediment was the need to have sewers as opposed to septic tanks. Now the encroachment from the north and east equates to sewer hookups being that much closer. We’ve had a tendency to think in the moment while adversarial issues are put in play ten and twenty years prior. Are we to wait again until there is another crisis? And what crises are yet to be discovered? This is not the way to run a community.

Recruited by John Hyde and after a lunch meeting with President Mike Perry, we agreed to make another run to eliminate the interchange. We were nearly successful; but, the continuing disadvantage was having FDOT advise time and again, they already accommodated Pine Ridge by moving the interchange 1500 feet away from the 486 entrance. It was exactly this formidable negative echo we had to overcome. FDOT provided a ‘non-accommodation accommodation’. They knew what they weren’t doing when they responded ‘positively’ to a spontaneous petition at the end of a community meeting. They understood how their ‘positive’ response would play out later. Keep in mind the FDOT goal of having an interchange at CR486 was set years before they sought community input. 1500 feet for them was ‘no biggey’. For Pine Ridge it remains consequential. It’s the FDOT process which can be driven by politics and economic gain in the best interest of the community. But what community exactly? It isn’t ours.

And FDOT is not the bad guy. It’s staffed by good people with jobs to do. A learn along the way was the 486 interchange, not part of the original draft, came about with a simple verbal request by a well connected developer representative. Thereafter, the bureaucracy was unleashed with the state and county lining up. Just look at the CR486/CR491 crossroads. Progress? Of course; but at what cost to a unique fifty year community?

For their part Mike Perry, John Hyde and Wayne Tuch were available and engaged. The Roads Committee was established which was comprised of smart people from all walks: police, fire, contractors, engineers, transportation, utilities, business and more. Our intent was to lift the Pine Ridge profile—and so we did. Between writings and meetings, some individual some collective at the highest levels, we generated momentum: public safety, traffic safety, road conditions, and property values were foundational concerns.

Relying on our analysis of FDOT data, County records and our media push—the interchange was at one point all but eliminated and would proceed directly from SR44 to SR 19. The then chairman of the commission said as much and was quoted in the Chronicle. The Roads Committee stirred such a fuss pressure was applied against us within state and county government meetings. We had been using their own data and information to our advantage.

In a matter of weeks, the wagons were circled and the upstarts from Pine Ridge were to be ignored. The flawed County Resolution language we identified was discreetly revised and public official utterings mattered not. Elected leadership flip-flopped and thereafter gave us the tin ear. Their ‘greater good’ was not the Pine Ridge greater good. There is a larger much more detailed story of course and it’s all public record. Some would argue ‘it’s all politics’. Sure it is. This begs the question: where is the Pine Ridge political engine? An organized community is aware of external threats and would have pushed back. We weren’t. We should be. Organization equals respect. We would have had an early heads up.

Does this happen to an Inverness or Crystal River? Here’s one answer. While we were asking for intervention on behalf of Pine Ridge because of expected traffic increases to no avail, the Hernando/Citrus MPO backed Crystal River in their rerouting of SR44 because of the predictable traffic increase in downtown Crystal River. Hmmmm.

The rerouting of SR44 on Turkey Oak to SR 19 clearly makes sense—as much sense as eliminating the traffic magnet outside our community. Whereas the Pine Ridge request would have saved an estimated $12 million by eliminating an interchange thereby reducing traffic flow within Pine Ridge, FDOT funded the Turkey Oak/SR44 plan agreeing to spend millions more.

Inverness? Look at the incredible city center improvements. Like Crystal River, they were also involved with the MPO ensuring SR589 didn’t negatively impact their city. It too made sense. They knew early on.

So there you have it. Inverness, Crystal River and their elected leadership will always have influence within the County and State based on statutes, ordinances and perhaps most important—relationships. Even though our population is larger than both cities and the tax base is huge, we don’t have the kind of political body which can insure our future is mitigated in the best interest of our property owners.

Creating a municipality is no easy process. Having state and county champions is the ideal. Legal guidance and relationships are paramount. There are specialty law firms. A Charter Committee would need to be established. Boundaries need to be carved as it doesn’t necessarily default to the current boundary. We could expect neighboring communities and businesses wanting to be included. There would need to be a review of existing and proposed government expenditures on behalf of Pine Ridge past, present and future. One base line, is how we could have saved $12,000,000 taxpayer dollars.

New municipalities learned as they established strategic plans, they could be more cost effective with surpluses to spend on elective upgrades. In ordinary times there is money flowing from the feds and the State with some direct earmarks to municipalities. Importantly, new cities were now architects of their own destiny. Look again to our Citrus cities. Those from Miami-Dade can look to the successful carve outs of: Key Biscayne, Miami Gardens, Aventura, Sunny Isles, Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay.

Windfall revenue improved some property values more than 50% in just a few years—some more than 100% in a decade. Taxes remained low based on Portability. (Property tax increases were capped at 3% or the CPI whichever was/is lowest).

No municipality? Counties control funds and dole them based on formulas that benefit their greater good. Does any resident or property owner within Pine Ridge think for a minute we are getting even a fair share return based on what we are paying in property taxes? We need only look at our roads. We can do better.

Think of this paper as a first writing on the topic to advance the conversation beyond the loud whisper happening in recent years. It’s intended to be an essay in advance of INFORMED community discussion and debate. The new Pine Ridge POA Board of Directors could form the first committee to begin the research. Let’s ask them to do as much. There are smart people living among us.

In any move toward incorporating, much pro and con is to be expected. There will be many ‘experts’ landing on both sides of the issue. There absolutely needs to be discussion and debate. But let it be based on reality and not third hand info because someone has some indirect information. In the end, just as in 1776, the way forward no matter the path, is decided by “We The People”. I say informed people.

WHAT IS ON THE HORIZON POTENTIALY IMPACTING PINE RIDGE

Road Conditions (a positive vote regarding the intended tax to fund road resurfacing countywide doesn’t automatically translate into Pine Ridge being a priority—moreover, PR doesn’t have input on the quality);

The golf course (The POA should own the golf course allowing influence over our destiny—should have already happened);

Pine Ridge Boulevard road widening (there is no “warrant” currently, but the interchange will raise the traffic count making it more likely—date undetermined);

Road widening of CR491 and the CR486 interchange construction will also impact resident traffic throughout Pine Ridge (a worst case scenario would be simultaneous construction at any point);

The East/West corridors from 1-75 to SR589 still need watching (consider the on again off again of the Suncoast—it is never over until it’s over);

Awareness of all property zoned commercial within Pine Ridge (we currently have little to nothing to say about zoning issues Which could impact Pine Ridge—as a municipality we would have more sway);

A potential truck stop adjacent to LKQ on CR486 (there are many already parking there);

The ongoing Truck Stop on CR491 north of Modelwood adjacent Pine Ridge property (there is a sign inviting trucks to park on the Smalley property—permit required);

Regulation/enforcement of commercial thru trucks in violation of already posted signage (expect it to exacerbate once commercial property is realized—the domino effect will occur unless enforcement is utilized;

Pine Ridge traffic speeding will increase as new studies reveal new norms which in turn will raise posted limits;

Continue conversations with Diamond Self Storage ownership regarding a joint effort to ‘beautify’ the Modelwood Entrance,

Liaison with the Catholic Diocese of St Petersburg to learn their intent for 50 acres of owned property adjacent to Pine Ridge mitigating as might be necessary (think affordable housing).

Feel free to share your thoughts with me at this email: petecuccaro@gmail.com. I don’t do Facebook.