Although the Messenger property is currently landlocked, it would be easy for a developer to purchase an adjacent property with street frontage in order to create another subdivision. Does Safety Harbor really want to lose more trees and open space to create more homes and traffic? Also, why would Safety Harbor want to sell public assets at the low point of the real estate market? Shouldn't we be preserving our open spaces for future generations?

The 10-acre Messenger property may be currently landlocked, but a developer could easily purchase an adjoining property with street frontage and a create subdivision there. Safety Harbor should be preserving our trees and open space and not selling public properties at the low point in the real estate market. Having open space with nature is important for Safety Harbor. We don't want every inch of Safety Harbor to be developed into a subdivision. There are many other ways the City can fund the new Waterfront Park without selling our open spaces to potential developers for a relatively small amount of money.

Safety Harbor has done well to develop slowly. Now it's called charm. Before considering selling off what is considered unnecessary property, considerable study and calculation is necessary. Quick money fixes seldom lead to intelligent decisions. Later park development may be the very thing to improve nearby property values.

This is a bad idea, Mayor Ayoub. Of course, given the current trend of appeasing and giving into developers, I quess none of us should be suprised.

Jeff, Nothing needs to happen to this property at this moment. The City should preserve open spaces for the enjoyment of the public and nature. This 10-acre area of land gives animals and birds a place to live and it preserves our beautiful trees and plants. It also gives the City the possibility of creating a new park someday without having to go out and purchase an expensive piece of land. Since there is a lack of open land in Safety Harbor, these 10 acres are valuable to our City. It should be kept in its natural state for the benefit of everyone.

Let the Richmond Group develope this pc of property instead of the Firminech piece maybe the city can make a deal. This would be a good transitional property as the Planning and Zoning commission would propbably say. Is the commision only looking for $'s and that's why we are letting the Firminech Property be over developed and create more of a traffic nightmare

Swimming pool for community!

You guys changed my mind. I thought selling it would be a good way to fund the waterfront park, but three thing changed my mind:
1) We don't need every inch of land developed. Our population density is already higher than the county.
2) Selling at a low point in the real estate market is a bad idea.
3) Green spaces are essential for the wild life with which we are blessed.
If the want to put the land to a good use how about a community farm. People rent plots and grow their own food. It's just one idea. But that's what we need, a council with creative, resourceful ideas.

David, You are exactly right when you say that selling the 10-acre Messenger property is a classic case of short-term thinking. City officials need to think about our City in the long term and not think in the short term by selling this property for a relatively small amount of money. The City may need this space for a future park, ball field, public building, or simply as open space. We need to hold on to this valuable 10-acre parcel of land which we couldn't ever go back out and purchase again. Since there is already a lack of open space in Safety Harbor, this parcel of land will only become more valuable over time. Let's hope that our City officials realize how valuable this open space is to our City and how it may be needed by future generations of Safety Harbor residents.

I would love to be able to purchase that land & build a first class B&B with a mini golf course but I need to sell a lot of clothes in order to do that, would the city be willing to finance this with easy terms for this dream of mine :)

Has anyone considered that Mayor Ayoub by bringing up the sale of city property at this time might perhaps be using a diversionary tactic to cause the residents of Safety Harbor to lose focus on the Firminech development project?

I would like to turn everybody's attention to the 3 problems at hand with homeless & teens using the property; dumping ground for trash & serious problems with coyotes which can be deadly if a homeless person or teens getting attacked by these wild animals on this property which can also be a huge problem for people living around this area so I object to what some of you expressed by leaving the area as it is, sorry that is not acceptable, lets use logic & come up with a suitable solution before these serious problems accelerate to even bigger issues, we all know coyotes are wild animals & will use any means to attain food source even though wild life officials claim they are not dangerous to humans but according to some reports I read about the serious coyote problem in Pinellas county how brazen these creatures are with daily sightings in all hours of the day, all you have to do is search on google & you'll see the problem is widely growing with the coyotes now getting access to screened in porches of residential homes, personally I feel that is too close for comfort well anyway do the research & you will see what I am talking about....

Good thoughts Dee, however, don't we already have a merchants association called the Chamber of Commerce? Is this organization not meeting the needs of our business community? While, most festivals or events support local charities, I feel that using one or more of the events to raise monies to the betterment of our city and and the lives of the citizens who live here is an idea well worth implementing. Have you talked to the Chamber or any city officials about your idea's Dee? If not, I believe many would support you and your endeavors to better the community we all live within.

Here's 2 More Pros of Having a Merchants Association :)
Social Advantages:
For a business owner, the opportunity to participate in a business association can be as much of a personal consideration as a business decision. Associations hold dinners and special events for their members, giving them chances to meet with their peers and enjoy the company of fellow entrepreneurs. Participation in a business association may also serve as a social expectation in a community where small business owners know one another through work as well as outside of it.
Improved Business Climate:
The result of participating in a business association, whatever immediate benefits it provides, should be an improvement in an area's business climate. As business owners get to know one another they find ways to share resources, unite on important issues and develop new tools for securing their profitability in the community and creating an atmosphere that encourages competition and attracts customers. With effective leadership and adequate participation, a business association can make it easier for its members to make money and also enjoy the process.
I obtain these Pros from the Small Business Chronicle website!

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think Mayor Ayoub only has a 1 year term. He is filling out the term left open by our former mayor Andy Steingold...

While I understand that these are valid problems, I don't believe that selling the property is the way to handle them. Homeless people and nature are going to find a place to go, no matter that piece of land or another. Let's get to work on those issues!
However, I think we have a bigger problem brewing in Safety Harbor. I believe that our new Mayor is trying to shake hands with his developer and realtor buddies. I have not met anyone yet that believes he is not out to reap what he can from his seat in Safety Harbor. I believe a lot of peoples opinions are turning out to be true, whether I wanted to believe them or not. Really?...his first NEW piece of business as the new mayor is to bring up the selling of another piece of land? Does nobody else see it? Selling this piece of land, shoving this Firmenich project through, with NO explanation as to WHY, and building UP our water front to no longer be a quaint, charming little town are things that will have him laughing his way to the bank.

Thank you Jeff, you know me when it comes to important issues such as this which affects all our businesses, I have a specific goal to bring more customers to our quaint & friendly town which in turn is profitable for all the business owners & to attract more visitors to all our wonderful resources like the art gallery, library, museum, resort/spa & must not forget our Chamber of Commerce which is full of information about our area's history, nature & sparkling waterfront, there are activities galore & here's another million dollar idea which can benefit our city a great deal would be for our city officials to put together a tour of our city by putting in charge a tour guide to attract more visitors, now as business owners we can participate in this program by telling guests who are staying in our resort/spa, I am at an advantage being right across from the resort, I am also a condo owner at Top of the World largest retirement community many of the seasonal retirees are looking for activities, we also have a great in house bus system who can bring the retirees, this can be advertised in the local paper of Top of the World, there is so much that can be done, these ideas I present is just tip of more greater things, if anybody is interested please come see me at my boutique anytime during my business hours, it is difficult for me to leave since I work long hours but everybody is always welcome, this is all for now till we meet again right here :)

I just thought of another possibility, I am not ready to mention it yet but Jeff I appreciate if you can visit me this week so I can first tell you about it, I would really appreciate it, thanks & good night :)

We need to keep this place and others green: Hi!

I just signed the petition "The City of Safety Harbor Commission: Vote No to Richman Group of Florida's proposed Development Agreement." on Change.org.

It's important. Will you sign it too? Here's the link:

http://www.change.org/petitions/the-city-of-safety-harbor-commission-vote-no-to-richman-group-of-florida-s-proposed-development-agreement-2

Thanks!

Given the people involved, it would be wise to be suspicious.....

How about a community garden? We could rent plots and garden on them? Then volunteer a certain number of hours a week on the "community" parts of it?

I like everyones take on what is happening and some great suggestions about what can be done in certian areas and to create more business for the downtown merchants and to clean up some unsightly areas. Lets not take our sites off of what is happening with the Firminech property this is huge. If this gets approved many people are going to be thinking much differently about Safety Harbor and there elected leaders. The traffic will be a nightmare and the green space gone forever. I for one will take a hard look and see if it is time to leave after 27 years here. My property is one of the ones that will be affected. We built our house with intention of staying here because of the small town atmosphere and the developement has been kept in check. We felt that the leaders looked at community first above all else and did not overdevelope. I for the life of me can't see how this even got thru the Planning and Zoning and believe it is time for a change there. I am also surprised the the City Planner Matt would even say this is a good fit for the city. Where else are there 3 and 4 story building in all of Safety Harbor.Maybe it time for a change there also. If our elected officials aren't going listening what are we going to do????? It is time to show them we mean business. We need people to be there at the commission meeting, we need the petition signed at www.tinyurl.com\signonline we people telling their neighbors.We need the merchants downtown speaking up like Dee.

So the obvious missing point: Why did the City purchase a landlocked parcel for so many $$$?
Let us explore ways (buy add'l lots to gain access and parking. Offer incentive to church to use their parking at low use periods...) to make this property useful to the community. A managed wild habitat is a great use....

I wish I could buy it and do absolutely nothing with it! We have many volunteers here to help keep it clean if there is dumping. Have parks and rec do drive by checks on the way to North Cit Park. Coyotes will chase off the homeless and the teens. If years down the road the Church itself wants to expand, not a developer, then sell it. Try to make a profit not a loss. The Church could also want to sell their land to same developer and we all will be in the same Firmenich situation again. I haven't heard of any complaints about that property until now, I personally have heard how much the neighboring homes love the birds and small wildlife like rabbits there. Also, over how many years ago were each of these problems? Things do happen and get addressed and move on. We just can't take back the loss of land. Developing that land only costs the city money, water, infrastructure, traffic, schools and I can go on. This just seems to be short term fix to long term regret. No thought has gone into it, obviously. No need to even look into selling it right now.