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Most Recent
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Quick Facts about the Homebuyer Tax Credit
Earlier this year Congress passed legislation that provided first-time homebuyers a tax credit up to $8,000. As you may have heard, President Obama recently approved the first-time homebuyer tax credit extension, which extends the credit until April 30, 2010.
Here are the basics of the extended home buyer tax credit for 2009/2010:
As part of its plan to stimulate the U.S. housing market and address the economic challenges facing our nation, Congress has passed new legislation that:
- Extends the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers until April 30, 2010.
- Expands the credit to grant up to $6,500 credit to current home owners purchasing a new or existing home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.
Who Qualifies for the Extended Credit?
- First-time home buyers who purchase homes between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.
- Current home owners purchasing a home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010, who have used the home being sold or vacated as a principal residence for five consecutive years within the last eight.
To qualify as a “first-time home buyer” you, and your spouse, may not have owned a residence during the three years prior to the purchase.
Which Properties Are Eligible?The Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit may be applied to primary residences, including: single-family homes, condos, townhomes, and co-ops.
How Much Is Available?The maximum allowable credit for first-time home buyers is $8,000. The maximum allowable credit for current homeowners is $6,500.
How is a Buyer’s Credit Amount Determined?Each home buyer’s tax credit is determined by tow additional factors:
- The price of the home.
- The buyer’s income.
PriceUnder the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, credit may only be awarded on homes purchased for $800,000 or less.
Buyer IncomeUnder the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, which is effective on November 7, 2009, single buyers with incomes up to $125,000 and married couples with incomes up to $225,000-may receive the maximum tax credit. These income limits have changed from the 2009 First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit limits.
If My Income Exceeds These Limits, Can I Still Get a Credit?Yes, some buyers may still be eligible for the credit. The credit decreases for buyers who earn between $125,000 and $145,000 for single buyers and between $225,000 and $245,000 for home buyers filing jointly. The amount of the tax credit decreases as a buyer’s income approaches the maximum limit. Home buyers earning more than the maximum qualifying income-over $145,000 for singles and over $245,000 for couples- are not eligible for the credit.
Can I Still Qualify If My Home Purchase Closes After April 30, 2010?Under the Extended Home Buyer Tax Credit, as long as a written binding contract to purchase is in effect on April 30, 2010, you will have until July 1, 2010 to close.
Will the Tax Credit Need to Be Repaid?No. You do not need to repay the tax credit, if you occupy your home for three years or more. However, if you sell the property during this three-year period, the full amount credit will be recouped on the sale.
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Market in the Park
Discover Paradise in Pinellas County!
It’s that time of year again . . .
. . . Market in the Park is back!
The 3rd Annual Market in the Park at Heritage Village sponsored by the Pinellas County Historical Society.
This family-friendly event takes place from 9AM to 1PM on Saturdays from Nov. 7, 2009 to April 17, 2010. The November schedule is included below and more information is available online from the Heritage Village website.
Admission is free!
Market in the Park features farm-fresh produce, and natural products and gardening items. On-site restrooms and plenty of room to roam make Market in the Park attractive to everyone. Food and beverages are also sold. Plans are in the works to introduce other special events and promotions.
Heritage Village is located at 11909 125th Street North in Largo, FL.
For more information, call Heritage Village at 727-582-2123.
Just another fun activity . . . in Paradise Found!
About Heritage Village:
Hours of Operation:
Wednesday – Saturday
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sunday 1 – 4 p.m.
Closed Mondays, Tuesdays and on all Pinellas County holidays.Heritage Village features exhibits, a Museum Gift Shop, a Native Plant Trail, and Guided Walking Tours. Current exhibits include:
The Structures at Heritage Village: As you walk through the pine and palmetto landscape, you are really walking through the museum! The buildings and other features make up the Village’s largest “artifacts” and are part of the museum’s “collection.” Inside the buildings, you will find period rooms and displays depicting life ways, culture and early industries that shaped the Pinellas peninsula.Pieces of the Past: Some of the living history demonstrations and hands-on activities you might encounter during your stroll through the Village include pine needle and palm frond weaving, laundry day, working in the heritage garden, rope making, net mending, blacksmithing, traditional fiber arts, and pioneer cooking.
Pinellas Passport: Your Ticket through Time illustrates major areas of development in Pinellas County, including coastal living with a focus on the sponge industry; agriculture featuring citrus industry artifacts; community life through newspapers and a printing press; and tourism, showcasing souvenirs and once-popular roadside attraction icons. In the Roy Helms Gallery.
Link to Heritage Village Photos
Press release and Market in the Park logo courtesy of www.PinellasCounty.org.
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O Wave in Downtown St. Petersburg
I love public art! I can be out in the world, just moving along through life, and I might be anywhere at all, and suddenly I come upon something that was placed there, just for me to look at, to study, to question, to enjoy, or maybe to laugh at. Okay, maybe it wasn’t placed there just for me. You can look at it, too. But the point is that it’s there for all to see and to take in, if you like, or to ignore if you so choose.
St. Petersburg has a LOT of public art installations scattered around the city and I still discover new ones every now and then. This post is about a new public art installation that was installed a couple of months ago in downtown St. Petersburg. I realize that this is a subjective opinion, but it’s my post so I get to state my opinion: The sculpture is absolutely stunning!
This sculpture is called “O Wave”. Not “O-Wave”, as I’ve seen in some places, but just “O Wave”. It was created by artist/sculptor Gordon Huether, and it was commissioned by JMC Communities, the developers of the new luxury condominium, Ovation, in downtown St. Petersburg. The sculpture is a sixteen foot tall curving arc made of stainless steel and dichroic glass. The glass reflects and refracts and generally plays with the light, and it changes according to the angle that you view it from.
The artist, in a recent statement about the new sculpture, said, “With curves that evoke nearby waters and Ovation’s own undulating lines, glass that simultaneously transmits and reflects light, and reflective surfaces that capture ambient activity of nearby trees, sky and passersby, the fixed sculpture takes on a distinct animated character, creating a passively kinetic sculpture.”
I am posting two photos, just to give a little feel of the different look that it takes on. Please click on the photos to bring up a full-size version for a better look. But for the best look, head downtown and see this beautiful work for yourself! You’ll find it on Beach Drive, at the corner of Second Avenue North.
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Veterans of Tierra Verde
As a military veteran (U.S. Army & Army Reserves) and proud member of Veterans of Tierra Verde, I pause, as I do every year, on the occasion of Veterans Day, to remember the brave men and women who serve in and support our nation’s Armed Forces. Honoring the service of active duty military personnel, their sacrifice and that of their family members, as well as remembering those who have made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of our country, are the reasons why we celebrate this day of remembrance.
Aside from Veteran’s Day, which occurs on November 11, members of Veterans of Tierra Verde meet regularly and are committed, year round, to supporting veterans. Members, representing a wide age range and all branches of the service, support each other and share inspirational, firsthand accounts of WWII, D Day, VJ Day, Pearl Harbor, Korea, Vietnam, and the Gulf War conflicts.
The organization is committed to supporting community events and charitable organizations, too. They organize donation drives and ship personal items overseas to active duty troops serving in the Middle East and around the world. Members have donated military memorabilia to the Armed Forces Museum. They provide POW (Prisoner Of War) flags to area fire stations and conduct flag raising ceremonies at various locations, including Ft. De Soto Park. They assist with the proper disposal of tattered and worn out U.S. flags, serve as members of Color Guard ceremonies and processionals, host public speaking events, and mount an annual holiday drive, collecting toys and needed supplies for local families of active duty military personnel.
On December 6, 2006, Bill Allen, Tierra Verde resident and President of Veterans of Tierra Verde, was nominated (and later selected) to receive a community service award presented by Pinellas Realtor Organization at PRO’s annual dinner and awards ceremony. It was a great honor for Bill and his wife, Helen, who was present for the event, as an acknowledgement of the good work Veterans of Tierra Verde has been doing for many years on behalf of our nation’s military veterans and active duty personnel.
Veterans of Tierra Verde meet for breakfast each month at Bob Evans Restaurant on 34th Street North (U.S. 19). Veterans and their guests are welcome to join the group for their monthly dinner meeting, which takes place at Isla del Sol Yacht & Country Club on Sun Boulevard in south St. Petersburg.
Military veterans, whether stateside or combat, are encouraged and welcomed to join. More information is available online at www.VeteransofTierraVerde.com.
The below photos feature members of Veterans of Tierra Verde and their spouses. Their work is a labor of love . . . and a duty (to always remember).
I hope that you will pause to remember our nation’s military veterans on Veteran’s Day. If you are a veteran and live in the South Gulf Beaches area of Pinellas County, consider attending a Veterans of Tierra Verde event. I guarantee that you will be inspired and make a new friend, or two, or three . . .
Happy Veteran’s Day to my brothers and sisters in arms. YOU are my heroes!
To the men and women of our nation’s Armed Forces, and their families, who paid the ultimate price so that we can experience the freedoms we enjoy in this country, I shall honor you by pausing to say “Thank You” on November 11.
Remembering and honoring our veterans with pride . . . in Paradise Found.
Photos courtesy of Veterans of Tierra Verde.
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Pumpkins on the Porch . . . At Tampa Bay Watch
Halloween is almost here and the South Gulf Beaches area of Pinellas County is gearing up for the fun holiday!
One community-oriented event that is new this year is Pumpkins on the Porch. Here’s more information about it.
Tampa Bay Watch invites all members, volunteers, and residents of Tierra Verde to attend the 1st Annual Pumpkins on the Porch to be held at the Tampa Bay Watch Marine Center.
This family event will feature snacks, bobbing for apples, pumpkin decorating, trick-or-treating around the facility, and the showing of It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!™ on the lawn.
It takes place on October 30, 2009, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Tampa Bay Watch Marine Center, located just outside the entrance to Ft. De Soto Park at 3000 Pinellas Bayway South in Tierra Verde, FL 33715.
B.Y.O.P. (Bring Your Own Pumpkin) and plan to have a spooktacular good time!
There will be a limited supply of pumpkins available for sale. Tampa Bay Watch will supply carving stencils and utensils, and plenty of candy!
Pumpkins graciously provided by Hydro Harvest Farms.
Tampa Bay Watch . . . Restoring the Bay Every Day!
Have a Boo-tiful Day . . . in Paradise Found!
Tampa Bay Watch, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit stewardship program dedicated exclusively to the protection and restoration of the marine and wetland environments of the Tampa Bay estuary through scientific and educational programs.
With your help, TBW is protecting Florida’s largest open water estuary. By expanding community involvement in hands-on restoration and protection projects around the bay, they strive to counteract the huge loss of wetland habitat over the past 100 years.
Press release and photos appear courtesy of the Tampa Bay Watch Marine Center.
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October Fun at The St. Petersburg Pier
Autumn has arrived and is a great time to visit Florida’s Suncoast!
The season ushers in the month of October and one of my favorite holidays-Halloween!
With trick or treating in mind, plan to explore The St. Petersburg Pier! Nestled between Vinoy Park and Demens Landing, within walking distance of shops, restaurants, and museums, in downtown St. Petersburg (FL), The Pier offers visitors and residents alike the opportunity to shop and sightsee, and to simply relax. The Pier is open 365 days a year. The family-friendly venue offers daytime and nighttime fun for all ages!
If you are considering trick or treating this year dressed as a rabbit, you’ll be “hoppy” to know that The Pier is a short hop, skip, and jump from the South Gulf Beaches! A ten-minute car ride from any of the beaches communities (Bacopa Bay, Isla del Sol, St. Pete Beach, Pass-a-Grille, or Tierra Verde, to name a few) and you’re there!
The Pier, home to the Columbia Restaurant and The Pier Aquarium, has a number of events planned in celebration of the season and, of course, in honor of Halloween! I’ve included a partial list below.
Be sure to have a Boo-tiful and Happy Halloween . . . in Paradise Found!
Thrill the World St. Pete
Thrill the World is a simultaneous worldwide attempt to break the World Record for the largest simultaneous dance with Michael Jackson’s “Thriller.” Thousands of people in cities around the world will learn the “Thriller” dance and perform it together on the day that Thrill the World take place. All ages are welcome to participate in the local St. Petersburg, Florida event. Dancers need to sign up, learn the dance (anyone can do it), and show up on Saturday, October 24th, at The Pier. The dance will take place at 8:30 p.m., but dancers are encouraged to show up two hours earlier to practice on the third floor of The Pier.Dance training is available online and at local studios. Sign up (it’s free) to make sure you’re part of Thrill the World and Thrill the World St. Pete. Sponsored by Studio 620, The Pier, St. Pete Shuffle, and more! Following the event, visit Captain Al’s Waterfront Grill and Bar for more “Thriller” and MJ music until 12:30 a.m.
Free Caricatures & Face Painting
Lars-Erik Robinson, of Fritzy Bros. One Man Circus, will entertain your entire family with free caricatures on the first and third Sunday of each month. There is also free face painting Saturdays from 1:00-4:00 p.m.Salsa Every Friday at Captain Al’s Restaurant
Captain Al’s Waterfront Restaurant offers Salsa music and dancing every Friday night from 9:00 p.m. to midnight. Free introduction to Salsa dance lessons from 8:30 to 9:00 p.m. by Greg Richardson from B.A.I.L.E. (which stands for Bay Area International Latin Events). Enjoy a beverage or dinner as you take in Tampa Bay’s wide water views and dance the night away.Gallery Walk at Crystal Mirage Gallery
The Downtown St. Petersburg Arts Association has twenty-five galleries open to the public from 5:30 to 9:00 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month. The Crystal Mirage Gallery, located on the first floor at The Pier, is one of the galleries and shouldn’t be missed on your stops around the downtown.Oldies but Goodies Dances
The Pier comes alive with the sound of big band and dance music on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month! The dance floor is yours to enjoy! Come alone or with friends! It’s a great way to meet new people! The “Oldies but Goodies” Dance is free and open to all. The Downtowners perform on the second Wednesday with big band sounds. The Ron Berringer Trio performs on the fourth Wednesday with dance favorites, including the Electric Slide and tunes from the 50′s and 60′s.Movies on the Waterfront
Family flicks at the St. Petersburg Pier on the third Saturday of each month. Join the fun in the Waterside Courtyard at The Pier for “Movies on the Waterfront.” Bring a blanket and pillow. Pajamas are allowed, but no coolers. The event is sponsored by Parent Guide Magazine and KIDS FIRST®. Movies begin at dusk. In the event of rain will be moved inside to the Activity Room. The movie for October will have a Halloween theme. Moviegoers are encouraged to come in costume!About The St. Petersburg Pier
The Pier is open 365 days a year, rain or shine, Monday through Thursday from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. Attractions and restaurant hours vary. FREE Pier Trolley service from the Dolphin and Pelican Parking Lots runs from 7:00 a.m. until 1/2 hour after the last restaurant closes.PHOTO CREDITS:
Photos of The St. Petersburg Pier courtesy of The City of St. Petersburg.
Photos of the Jack-o-latern and Tierra Verde trick-or-treaters courtesy of yours truly. -
Get Your Free Culture This Saturday!
I realize that today is only Thursday, but I wanted to publish this post now so that you all know about it in time to build it into your Saturday schedule. The annual ArtsAlive Free Museum day will happen this Saturday, September 26th, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Completely Free admission to all of these museums! Choose your favorites, or maybe choose one or two that you’ve never been to before, then grab your kids or your sweetheart or both and go out and get some culture!
Participating St. Petersburg museums, in alphabetical order, are:
Dr. Carter G. Woodson Museum @ 2240 9th Avenue South 727.323.1104
Florida Holocaust Museum @ 55 5th Street South 727.820.0100
Florida International Museum @ 244 2nd Avenue North 727.341-7900
Great Explorations Children’s Museum @ 1925 4th Street North 727.821.8992
Morean Arts Center @ 719 Central Avenue 727.822.7872
Museum of Fine Arts @ 255 Beach Drive NE 727.896.2667
Pier Aquarium @ 800 2nd Avenue NE 727.895.7437
Salvador Dali Museum @ 1000 3rd Street South 727.823.3767
St. Petersburg Museum of History @ 335 2nd Avenue NE 727.894.1052 -
SPCA Tampa Bay Pet Walk
When the month of October nears its end, my husband, Tom, as he invariably does, asks me what I would like to have for my birthday (which is November 6).
For the past three years, my answer has been the same–and it will be the same this year, too. I will share with him that I wish to attend the annual SPCA Tampa Bay Pet Walk.
My annual wish is the result of our adoption (from SPCA Tampa Bay) of a miniature Dachshund. We renamed the spunky little dog “Moby” (although, as time would tell, his original name, “Rascal,” was befitting).
After adjusting to his new home and overcoming some minor behaviorial issues, Moby wiggled his way into our hearts and has become the love of our lives. He makes us smile with his antics and loves to go for car rides (check him out . . . in cruise mode in the photo below). Tom and I are healthier, too, thanks to the daily walks Moby (effectively) begs out of us. The joy that comes from saving an animal life and having a loving pet as a member of our family is such a wonderful gift-one that we are very grateful for.
Okay . . . I admit to being a doting doggie mama. But SPCA Tampa Bay does great work on behalf of animals throughout Pinellas County. They offer free feline spay and neutering services, host Pet Photo Days, and offer training and behavior classes.
The 19th annual SPCA Tampa Bay Pet Walk, one of the largest and longest-running pet walks in Florida, benefits homeless, abused and unwanted animals at SPCA Tampa Bay. It is showcased by a one-mile walk along meandering trails at North Shore Park, situated at the water’s edge near The Pier in downtown St. Petersburg (FL). The Pet Walk will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 24, 2009. Last year’s event attracted more than 2,500 people and raised $212,000! This year, SPCA Tampa Bay hopes to surpass those numbers.
Event highlights include 80+ vendors, canine activities, refreshments, entertainment, prizes, and contests, including: The St. Petersburg Times’ SPCA Adoptable Pet Parade; The Iam’s Pet Howl-O-Ween Costume Contest; Frontline/Heartgard SPCA Tent; PetSmart Amateur Agility Course; The Dog Training Club of St. Petersburg Agility Dogs; Pet Photography Studio; Doggie Spa Area; Caricature Artist, and Balloons and Face Painting for kids.
There will be demonstrations of fly ball, K-9 obedience and agility, shopping, music, and the 400 Beach Seafood & Tap House Food Court with yummy treats for pets and people! Meet and greet radio and TV personalities, media sponsors, enjoy complimentary pancakes courtesy of IHOP, complimentary Zephyrhills Natural Spring Bottled Water, and get team and pet photos taken at the Pumpkin Patch!
There is a $10 registration fee, which makes you an official Pet Walk participant and provides a thank you gift of a pet bandana that you can pick up at donation drop-off sites or on the day of the event. All proceeds help SPCA Tampa Bay continue to increase pet adoptions, provide 24-hour emergency care for sick and injured strays, investigate suspected animal cruelty cases, educate the public on humane pet care, and so much more.
To my husband, Tom . . .
. . . If you read this, then you will know, without asking, what I wish to have as a gift for my birthday.To readers of this blog . . .
. . . Join the community celebration! Put on your walking shoes, grab the leash, and bring your furry friends to the SPCA Tampa Bay Pet Walk. Tom and I will be there, with Moby, and thousands of friendly people and their pets.Even if you won’t be celebrating a birthday, you’ll be treated to a special day . . . in Paradise Found!
About SPCA Tampa Bay:
Serving Tampa Bay’s homeless pets, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Tampa Bay has been at the forefront of humane animal care in our community for nearly 70 years. Today, SPCA Tampa Bay is the largest non-profit humane organization in the area, providing care to homeless and abused animals every year.
PHOTO CREDITS:
Vampire & Witch Photo Courtesy of http://www.people.com/. (Tina Calhoun of Atlanta writes, “My black pug mix, George Clooney, is dressed up like a vampire because he has the perfect teeth for the costume – those are really his! And my parents’ dog, Stella, is a little witch sometimes.”).
SPCA Tampa Bay Pet Walk Mascot photos by Danette Morse. http://www.photographybydanette.com/.Photos of Moby courtesy of yours truly.
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Tierra Verde Community Garage Sale
In April 2009, I participated in organizing the Tierra Verde Island Wide Garage Sale. The event, which began in November 2008, was hosted by The Island Reporter, a South Gulf Beaches community newspaper. The April sale, as the November one, was a big hit with island residents and “garage sailors” (as I refer to weekend bargain hunters).
My husband and I challenged ourselves to stop at each and every sale. We visited more than 150 of them! The photos accompanying this post were taken that day.
Weather wise, the skies were blue, the spring day temperature was just right, and there were thousands of interesting items, value buys, and friendly smiles on display at each place we visited!
The event has become so popular that the Tierra Verde Women’s Club is planning to host a Tierra Verde Community Garage Sale at a central location in downtown Tierra Verde on November 14, 2009. Put the date on your calendar and plan to attend! There will be booths featuring garage sale items; craft displays; food venders, and island businesses will be hosting sidewalk sales.
In addition to the Tierra Verde Women’s Club Community Garage Sale, The Island Reporter, intends to sponsor their Island Wide Sale on the same date, making the event, in the truest sense, an oh so fun community-wide activity.
For homeowners, the sale is a wonderful way to free up garage or closet space. Participants are encouraged to donate a portion of the proceeds from their garage sale to their favorite charity. And, augmenting the event, there will be open houses for homebuyers to tour!
For visitors, this activity offers a great way to become acquainted with the charm of Tierra Verde and the neighborly friendliness of the island’s residents.
After participating in the sale, go a few miles south, to Ft. De Soto Park, for a refreshing walk along the shoreline of North Beach, rated as America’s Top Beach for the second consecutive year (2009 and 2008) by TripAdvisor, the world’s largest online travel community, and the #1 Beach in the USA by Dr. Beach in 2005.
Or, enjoy lunch at one of the island’s many restaurants-there’s something to tickle everyone’s taste buds, from Italian, German, Asian, French, and continental cuisine, including hamburgers, foot long sandwiches, salads, pizza, locally-caught fresh seafood, cold beverages, and ice cream! Yum!
It has famously been said that “a picture is worth a thousand words.” So, I will let the below pictures from the April 2009 Tierra Verde Island Wide Garage Sale speak to tell the rest of this happy story for me.
I hope to meet other “Garage Sailors” on November 14th!
Come play on our island and enjoy another fun day . . . in Paradise Found!
PHOTO CREDIT: Photos courtesy of Connie Langhorst and Thomas Gerwe.
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Celebrating Labor Day
Labor Day is just around the corner.
Given that the Bureau of Labor Statistics is celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2009, it seems appropriate, with this post, to recognize Pinellas County for its commitment to preserving our area’s natural beauty and for having a vision for the future. This achievement is the direct result of the dedication and hard work of many people-from residents to local, state, and federal government officials.
In recognition of Labor Day, it is fitting to offer a tip of the hat to Mother Nature, for the natural beauty she bestowed upon our area, and to Pinellas County officials for adopting a “Gateway to the Future” plan.
Here are a some highlights about Pinellas County worth celebrating . . .
Pinellas County was designated as the first “Green County” in Florida in 2007. (Source: Florida Green Building Coalition).
Two Pinellas County beaches have been named the #1 beach in the continental US, including Ft. De Soto County Park (North Beach) in 2005 and Caladesi Island State Park in 2008.
According to Pinellas County’s official website, future plans call for supporting economic and employment potential with County projects and plans, a recreational plan, an intermodal transportation hub, international airport master plan update, and plans for other County projects.
With regard to the environment, County officials, working in conjunction with community leaders, volunteer groups, residents, and representatives from every level of government, are committed to natural resource protection and public use opportunities for parks and waterways throughout Pinellas County.
Historical preservation is another priority. Karen Williams Seel, currently a member of the Pinellas County Board of Commissioners, chairs the Historic Preservation Advisory Board, in a post on the County’s website, says:
Pinellas County enjoys a rich and diverse culture and historic past. The historical, cultural and aesthetic heritage is among its most valued assets. Few urban areas today boast such unique perspectives of the past. Because of widespread growth and redevelopment in recent years, it is critical to the future of our County that we preserve and maintain significant elements of its history.
With this in mind, the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) took the initiative to establish a countywide policy to address historical protection and redevelopment issues among local communities. In June 2005, the BCC by resolution created the Historic Preservation Task Force (HPTF) to develop a historic preservation plan inclusive of all jurisdictions . . .
. . . Now established as the Historic Preservation Advisory Board, members look forward to addressing future objectives. Such objectives include:
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Establishing and maintaining a County Register of Historic Places;
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Developing and promoting preservation regulations and programs,
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Providing educational outreach and technical assistance (e.g. “Tool Box Kits” on historic preservation) to interested groups and citizens;
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Exploring financial incentives to preserve historic resources;
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Enhancing possible grant opportunities through participation in the Florida Certified Local Governments (CLG) Program;
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Integrating and maintaining consistent historic preservation policy in Pinellas County planning processes;
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And, researching, evaluating, and developing an ordinance to restrict demolition of significant historic resources.
I am honored to serve as Chair of the Advisory Board and to be a part of perpetuating the culture and history of our County into future generations. The Advisory Board welcomes input from all citizens and the perspectives of those who can continue to enhance the rich heritage of Pinellas County.
The future of Pinellas County and our area’s breathtaking natural beauty are very bright, indeed!
Thinking about Labor Day . . . it takes time and energy to explore the many parks, beaches, waterways, nature trails, and historic landmarks that exist in Pinellas County.
But it’s worth the effort and is the best kind of work–because it’s fun!
I wish everyone a Happy Labor Day!
Feeling proud (and lucky) to live . . . in Paradise Found!
PHOTO CREDIT: Photos appearing in this post are courtesy of Pinellas County.
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- Come join the Tampa Bay Rowdies for Military Appreciation Night for a chance to honor local troops!
- Greek Wine and Food Tasting to benefit All Children’s Hospital and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society
- Time is running out to stand up for sensible mortgage rules
- Fort De Soto – Quartermaster Storehouse Museum
- Midday By The Bay
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