Notes from Ellie

Stuff You Should Know About

Hello All,

Great work is proceeding on multiple fronts.

Open Positions

We have three positions we are looking to fill:

• Zoom Meeting Host – to host and conduct SaveSCC meeting interaction with Zoom participants
• CPA or financial advisor – with credit card processing and more mandated financial reporting requirements, assistance in this arena is needed to conduct processing, reconciliation and reporting activities.
• Legal advisor – to advise SaveSCC on legal matters and contracts

Donations on Online Still Coming

Yes, they’re still coming.

Unfortunately, Eric Nisenfeld, our web site software engineer who must perform some backend work, is in the middle of a massive upgrade project for his employer and has not been available to do some things needed prior to our site being ready for credit card processing. As soon as his schedule permits, we’ll be on it!

Save Sun City Center has received its registration compliance certificate from the State of Florida for our charitable operation. Hooray!

Peter Bates, Eric Nisenfeld and I will be working to get our credit card processing gateway with Authorize.net and PNC Bank in operation within the coming weeks and then we will be processing donations via our website – SaveSCC.org.

Hillsborough County Greenways Project

The input period for the Greenways Master Plan Project with Hillsborough County closes on August 8, 2022. I did attend their virtual session Monday night. I am submitting my comments via email to the Project Manager, Sarah Caper, CaperS@hcflgov.net.

My draft is below. If you have any other suggestions or ideas, please get them to me no later than Monday so that I may incorporate them or send your own!

Sarah Caper, Project Manager
Greenways Master Plan Update
Hillsborough County
813-807-0743

Dear Sarah,

I am writing as a resident of the Greater Sun City Center Area of Unincorporated Hillsborough County. This area includes Cypress Creek, Valencia Lakes, Sun City Center, Kings Point and Freedom Plaza. A very unique area primarily of 55+ active seniors is Freedom Plaza, Kings Point and Sun City Center, where I live. We have our own “GREATER SUN CITY CENTER GOLF CART DRIVERS HANDBOOK”. Use of golf carts for transportation in our community is extensive.

There is community interest with respect to Greenways. We are probably the most densely populated area with special provisions for golf cart use throughout the Greater Sun City Center Area within Hillsborough County including special golf cart crossings on 674 and 301 and golf cart lanes on Cypress Creek Blvd. Provisions for increasing golf cart accessibility to recreation areas and other parts of the community and beyond not currently accessible by golf carts is a key vision and hope for the future that is not addressed currently. Extending golf cart access to:

• • SouthShore Regional Library
  • Commercial area along 674 with Popeye’s, Denny’s, and Bob Evans across from Cypress Village Blvd and 33rd St SE, Ruskin
  • Commercial area at E College Ave and 30th St SE, Ruskin

I have even heard of folks going all the way from 674 and 301 to Big Bend on golf carts and bikes via the cement pathways adjacent to the roadway. I am not clear whether these pathways were designed or authorized for such use. They simply say “NO MOTOR VEHICLES”. Greater range and accessibility are our goal while meeting all statutory requirements and providing for safety.

Multi-use greenways for us could include strolling, walking, jogging, biking, triking, amigo carting, wheel-chairing, walking , walking a dog, grandkids and with others, roller blading (?), skateboarding, scooters, e-bikes, golf carting and every other mobility device imaginable including scooters and Segways, some transportation tools human powered, some not.  

Supporting accessibility options for those differently abled could facilitate access and recreating in a safe manner. The thought of traveling 674 or 301 via bike corridors on the roadways is down-right life-threatening to seniors or young families. And the areas around us are teaming with families who would have similar desires to access recreation areas, shopping areas, restaurants, and recreation areas as well.  

Connectivity Greenway goals also include direct access via a greenway into Little Manatee State Park, Camp Bayou, E. G. Simmons Park and other nearby recreation areas. The whole point of living in Florida is to be outside taking in the sights and getting from place to place in the most pleasant and healthy manner possible. Our bikers and trikers, both standard and recumbent, would love some shaded areas to ride and enjoy nature that would not require strapping their toys to motor vehicles to get them to a recreation area. That’s just too challenging for many of us.

I have looked at the county GIS maps and found existing Hillsborough County land on New Bedford Dr that could be the start of a greenway within Sun City Center to Little Manatee State Park. There also potential paths via the end of Pebble Beach Blvd at 301 and potentially at the end of Misty Greens Dr. These are a few for feasibility assessment. I am sure there are others.

E-bikes, E-trikes, E-scooter and other powered transport devices provide special challenges and questions that ultimately must be addressed. I am reviewing the Florida Statute 316 but the topic still leaves me somewhat baffled. Perhaps proper signage and color coding of striping and signage would help identify what uses are permitted on certain pathways, trails, etc.

It is very sad that when the County was doing road work and sidewalk work along 674 recently, that they did not make those sidewalks(?) wider and multimodal accessible to improve accessibility within the community. Hopefully that oversight will not be repeated. I would recommend any roadway project take into account mutli-modal pathways into consideration in their planning and design.

Thanks for your consideration. Should you like to speak more on this topic, I am available.

Sincerely,

Ellie Anderson

Golf Course Property Analysis Project

Some great work is continuing with analysis of the property data on those properties that abut the ClubLink owned golf courses in Sun City Center and Kings Point and those not owned by ClubLink. Golf courses are a keystone feature of our community and as concerned citizens, we are working diligently to build the most compelling case to save our green spaces in perpetuity. It is a tall order goal that has been at the core of our community since its founding and was reconfirmed by the citizens who lived here during the extensive community-based planning effort that involved the community, the planning commission, builders and others and everyone agreed to preserve the existing golf courses and green space some 15 years ago as documented in the Greater Sun City Community Plan.

Our analysis seeks to drive home the point how integral our courses are to the community character and neighborhoods and just how many properties directly abut these courses. While we still need to verify and cross check each course and the underlying property records, the preliminary analysis of the courses in Sun City Center reveals the following:

 

Course	# of Streets	Abutted Properties
Caloosa Greens Course Analysis	5	191
Club Renaissance Course Analysis	26	479
North Lakes Course Analysis	22	418
Sandpiper Course Analysis	27	440
ClubLink Courses in SCC	80	1528
Course	# of Streets	Abutted Properties
Caloosa Golf Course	16	227
Freedom Fairways	1	33
Non ClubLink Course in SCC	17	260
All SCC Courses	97	1788

 

To me this is staggering. I have not obtained a count of the total residential units in SCC but, 1788 of them abut a golf course!

Assuming 1.6 persons per household, that means 2,861 people are IMBY’s (in my back yarders). If it is 1.7 persons per household, that means 3,040. However you slice it, that’s a significant number of properties, home values, and residents directly impacted in their own backyards.

Of course any development of SCC golf courses impacts every resident via traffic, water pressure, storm runoff, flooding, services times in the post office, bank, grocery, doctor’s office, traffic lights, EMS response, wildlife loss, loss of trees, open vistas, etc. It also directly affects our welfare, peace of mind and general health. It is mind-boggling and goes against prior and existing plan for this community and its green space for recreating outdoors since the community’s founding.

The above summary is exactly that. Behind that summary is another summary, one by course. And behind that is the detailed property record for all of those 1788 properties in Sun City Center. Similar data is being compiled on the Kings Point courses and is in process. Cypress Creek Golf course is not a priority, but we will take a look as time permits.

Caloosa Greens Course Analysis

Abutting Street Properties

E DEL WEBB BLVD	97
CALOOSA PALMS CT	18		Homestead Yes	146	76.44%
CALOOSA WOODS LN	24		Homestead No	45	23.56%
RUNNINGBROOKE WAY	10		Total	191	100.00%
WINTERBROOKE WAY	42
5	191

Club Renaissance Course Analysis

Street	Abutting Properties
RIMINI VISTA WAY	6		Homestead Yes	379	79.12%
CRYSTAL DOWNS CT	4		Homestead No	100	20.88%
CHIPPER DR	20		Total	479	100.00%
MYRTLE VISTA CT	10
KNIGHTS GATE CT	9
NOBLE FAIRE DR	34
GRAND CHATEAUX WAY	4
REGAL MANOR WAY	16
JASMINE CREEK CT	17
VIA TOSCANA WAY	9
SIENA VISTA PL	16
CAPTIVA CT	3
WESTMINSTER MANOR LN	8
NEW BEDFORD DR	7
PERIDOT LN	8
SIGNATURE DR	19
PRESERVATION GREEN CT	15
VILLEROY DR	7
MISTY GREENS DR	39
CRYSTAL GREENS DR	17
LENOX GREENS DR	10
S PEBBLE BEACH BLVD	12
PLATINUM DR	64
EMERALD DUNES DR	112
PACIFIC DUNES DR	9
ATHENS WAY	4
26	479

North Lakes Course Analysis

1^st golf course build in Sun City Center done by Del Webb.

ALLEGHENY DR	40
AUGUSTA DR	29
CHERRY HILLS DR	42
CHURCHILL PL	3
DESERT HILLS DR	24
DESERT HILLS WAY	9
E BROCKTON PL	3
EL RANCHO DR	40
EL TURCO CT	2
FOX HILLS DR	44
GENET CT	4
HACIENDA DR	33
HUXLEY PL	2		Homestead Yes	287	68.66%
LA JOLLA AVE	46		Homestead No	131	31.34%
N PEBBLE BEACH BLVD	28		Total	418	100.00%
OAKMONT AVE	9
OJAI AVE	40
RADFORD PL	5
READING PL	4
RIVIERA DR	3
RUTGERS PL	4
W BROCKTON PL	4
22	418

Sandpiper Course Analysis

Street	Propertied Abutted
AMESBURY CIR	9
ARDMORE WAY	4
AUSTIN HILL CT	3
BROCKFIELD DR	10
CHIPPER DR	39
CLUB MANOR DR	18		Homestead Yes	353	80.23%
COCO PALM CIR	6		Homestead No	87	19.77%
CRANSTON PL	6		Total	440	100.00%
CRYSTAL DOWNS CT	4
EASTLOCH CT	5
FAIRCROSS CIR	7
FAIRSIDE CT	5
FAIRWAY RIDGE CT	22
KILBY WAY	3
KING LEON WAY	25
LAKEHOUSE CT	4
NEW BEDFORD DR	85
NUTMEG PL	6
PACIFIC DUNES DR	31
PINEAPPLE PALM CT	4
REGAL MANOR WAY	13
S PEBBLE BEACH BLVD	25
SMITHFIELD LN	9
STONEHAM DR	6
WESTMONT WAY	6
WOLF LAUREL DR	74
WOODMAR DR	11
27	440

Caloosa Golf Course

BENTWOOD DR	5
CALOOSA PALMS CT	23
CAMELLIA GREEN DR	12
CHICKORY LN	4		Homestead Yes	184	81.06%
E DEL WEBB BLVD	9		Homestead No	43	18.94%
E EAST VIEW	35		total	227	100.00%
LA JOLLA AVE	4
LINGER LN	3
LYNDHURST DR	18
MEADOWLARK LN	18
N PEBBLE BEACH BLVD	3
NORTHWAY DR	13
PRESTANCIA LN	22
STERLING GLEN CT	35
WEST VIEW DR	8
WINTERBROOKE WAY	15
16	227

Freedom Fairways

 

W DEL WEBB BLVD	33		Homestead Yes	18	54.55%
			Homestead No	15	45.45%
			Total	33	100.00%

I am looking forward to the what the facts will reveal to confirm what we already know anecdotally and tell a more compelling story. We will keep you posted.

Zoom Meeting Info

If you want to Zoom to our next meeting, click here.

Agenda

Click here to display the agenda for our working session meeting Tuesday, August 9, 2022 on Zoom or in the Rollins Theatre at 6 pm.

Please keep forwarding our information to your friends and associates. It is important to keep folks informed and onboard.

We will talk extensively about the petition drive and why it is important we go door to door. The CA Board thinking remains unknown and they are a wild card. We must ensure that we have the vast majority of SCC members weighing in on this potential development via their signature on the SaveSCC petition. Should the CA Board, or key members of the Board, in their official capacity, represent the membership agreeing to development on SCC golf courses in the Greater Sun City Area, only signatures from an overwhelming majority of SCC residents to the contrary can negate their action. We’ll talk more Tuesday!

Best regards,

Ellie

Notes from Ellie

Stuff You Should Know About

Hello All,

Hope you are all doing well.

As you all know we are always busy working on multiple fronts. Here are several:

Donations on Online Coming Soon

Save Sun City Center has received its registration compliance certificate from the State of Florida for our charitable operation. Hooray!

Peter Bates, Eric Nisenfeld and I will be working to get our credit card processing gateway with Authorize.net and PNC Bank in operation within the coming weeks and then we will be processing donations via our website SaveSCC.org. Hooray again!

Hillsborough County Greenways Project

Due to a personal scheduling issue where failure to be present might have been grounds for a serious round in the spousal dog house, I could not make the Greenways Project Meeting this Wednesday at the Beth Shields Library.   Carla Miles attended in my stead and put forth my comments with respect to providing Greenways from the Greater Sun City Center Area into the Little Manatee State Park, Camp Bayou, and E. G.  Simmons Park.

All three are wonderful recreating areas that, if they could be safely reached by bike, walking, or methods other than auto, would be very beneficial to our community.

There is an online opportunity to participate on Monday, August 1^st. Details may be found on the county web site at: Master Plan Update Meeting.

You might want to poke around a bit to find more information.

You need to register to provide input or comments.  Register for Master Plan Meeting.

Hope to see you online!

Golf Course Property Analysis Project

Some great work is being done to analyze the property data on those properties that abut the ClubLink-owned golf courses in Sun City Center and Kings Point.  Golf courses are a keystone feature of our community. As concerned citizens, we are working diligently to build a compelling case to save our green spaces in perpetuity.  It may be a tall order goal , but it’s been at the core of our community since its founding. It was reconfirmed by the citizens who live here in the extensive community-based planning effort, the planning commission, builders and others and everyone agreed to preserve the existing golf courses and green space some fifteen years ago (documented in the Greater Sun City Community Plan).

We believe that those courses are integral to the community character and neighborhoods. Many property owner directly abut those courses.

My preliminary analysis of Club Renaissance, my assigned course, reveals the following:

Street	Abutting Properties
RIMINI VISTA WAY	6
CRYSTAL DOWNS CT	4
CHIPPER DR	20
MYRTLE VISTA CT	10
KNIGHTS GATE CT	9
NOBLE FAIRE DR	34
GRAND CHATEAUX WAY	4
REGAL MANOR WAY	16
JASMINE CREEK CT	17
VIA TOSCANA WAY	9
SIENA VISTA PL	16
CAPTIVA CT	3
WESTMINSTER MANOR LN	8
NEW BEDFORD DR	7
PERIDOT LN	8
SIGNATURE DR	19
PRESERVATION GREEN CT	15
VILLEROY DR	7
MISTY GREENS DR	39
CRYSTAL GREENS DR	17
LENOX GREENS DR	10
S PEBBLE BEACH BLVD	12
PLATINUM DR	64
EMERALD DUNES DR	112
24	466

That’s just on Club Renaissance alone.  There are twenty-four streets and 466 properties that abut the course.

The count of properties for the North Lakes course are 418, and 446 for Sandpiper.  That is 1330 homes. (We have a number of courses yet to analyze).

I look forward to what facts will reveal to confirm what we already know.

Then we can tell a more compelling story.

Take care!

Ellie Anderson

 

Notes from Ellie

Stuff You Should Know About

Hello All,

Hope this communique finds all is well with you.

I don’t say it often enough and it warrants repeating – the very vast majority of our members interactions with others in the community are met by the following comments:

• “We’re so glad you are doing this.”
• “We don’t want any more building.”
• “We’re already overbuilt and have infrastructure issues – traffic, water pressure issues, overburden facilities, etc.”
• “Where does the CA stand and what are they doing about this?”

From my public interactions, and those of others, I truly can say that 95% to 98% of the residents we have spoken with (who have an opinion) are against ClubLink’s development agenda.

As a service to this community, SaveSCC is trying our best, in the absence of leadership and transparency from the CA Board, to mount an effective communication strategy to inform the community, build opposition and a successful campaign to defeat ClubLink’s development proposal. Our goal is to preserve the important legacy of our golf courses for recreational use only. These green spaces are a key distinguishing feature of our community that differentiates Sun City Center and Kings Point from any other 55+ community that will be built.

This was recognized and reflected in the community planning effort conducted some 15 years ago. It has not changed. So, be proud of your work and contributions to Save Sun City Center to support this crucial effort!

You’re an awesome force for good in Sun City Center! Keep up your great work! You inspire me!

New Projects

We’ve begun several new projects thanks to our volunteers who donate their time and talent to do the work. Thank you!

Every bit helps advance our cause by better informing and supporting our work and facilitating more understanding of our community, its members and what is important to them. As you will see from the update below, momentum and support are building.

If you have not registered as a SaveSCC member on our website, please do so by going to https://savescc.org/114-2/. Your membership is important to us as we represent you and our community. We are often asked how many members we have to gauge our support with residents.

Zoom

Hybrid meetings will be the norm for our regularly scheduled Save Sun City meetings on the 2^nd and 4^thTuesdays of the month. Hybrid means we meet both via both in-person via attendance at the Rollins Theatre and also virtually via Zoom. A Zoom invitation for every meeting will be published on the News from Ellie Anderson page before every meeting and then again the day prior to meeting to all registered SaveSCC members. The Zoom invitation is also posted on SaveScc.org under “Take Action”, “Meeting” the Friday before the meeting.

Below is the Zoom invitation for our Newcomer meeting on July 26, 22 from the Rollins Theatre at 6 PM on the Main Campus, 960-E Cherry Hill Dr.

Zoom Invitation

Topic: @Save Sun City Center’s Zoom Meeting
Time: Jul 26, 2022 18:00 Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85022656006?pwd=d3ZMZkliQ2JBMTZtMlR3THdYYml3UT09

Meeting ID: 850 2265 6006
Passcode: 002018
One tap mobile
+16468769923,,85022656006#,,,,*002018# US (New York)
+16469313860,,85022656006#,,,,*002018# US

Dial by your location
+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)
+1 646 931 3860 US
+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 386 347 5053 US
+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)
+1 564 217 2000 US
+1 669 444 9171 US
Meeting ID: 850 2265 6006
Passcode: 002018
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/keoD71kfAs

Zoom attendees may join the meeting prior to 6:00 pm. We will generally try to be in the meeting room and set up by 5:45 allowing time for everyone to get connected and ready to start at 6:00 pm.

H:ow to Use Zoom

Participants will use the Zoom toolbar to:

• Mute or unmute themselves via the Mute microphone Icon
• Raise or lower their hand to speak via the Reactions Icon. Select the Reaction Icon and “raise your hand”. A Hand will appear on your window in Zoom to alert the Host you wish to speak. The Zoom host will recognize you at the appropriate time so you may unmute yourself via the Mute microphone Icon and speak. When finished, lower your hand and mute yourself again so as to not disrupt the meeting.

Our initial protocol for the Zoom participants will be as follows: all participants will be Mute when joining the Zoom meeting. We do this to control background noise. When you want to speak, just raise your hand via the Reactions icon and the host will alert you when to Unmute and speak. When finished, Mute again and remove your Raised Hand.

We are using Zoom’s basic offering to conduct our meetings. If it works sufficiently well, we’ll stick with that as the lowest cost option. If we discover we need more features and controls, we will explore an upgrade to the Webinar version.

Special thanks to our Zoom hosts and technical support team – Peter Bates and Larry Bender!

All members and guests are welcome at any session or meeting on a first-come, first-admitted basis. The Rollins Theatre has a capacity of 140. Unfortunately, when we reach posted room capacity, we have to turn away potential attendees. So get there early! A limitation also applies to Zoom participants as well.

We may call other special meetings as circumstances warrant.

All meeting agendas and meeting location, time, and date details will be sent via the GetInvolved@SaveSCC.org email to all SaveSCC members subscribed to our email blasts.

To receive these blasts, please join us as a member by clicking here.

Notes from Ellie

Summer in Sun CIty

Hello All,

Hope this note finds you safe, healthy and happy. Summertime is here in Sun City Center and the living is HOT! Many folks are enjoying the pools, air conditioning and some barbequing. Hope you are doing well.

I would like to acknowledge and give thanks for the generosity and contributions of SaveSCC members and supporters. The work is sometimes like pushing boulders uphill. But I reflect on the progress we’ve made together and the wonderful rag-tag team we are. We are from all backgrounds, creeds, colors, persuasions, economic strata, educational and professional achievement levels. We share a love for our community and we do the best we can together to protect, maintain, nurture, and develop the golf courses for the future. Throughout this effort we have come together as strangers to become collaborators and friends in this great endeavor.

May we encourage a new wave of citizen involvement in our community in every way. People are contributing their wisdom, time, talent, money, expertise and goodwill to help advance the cause on every front. They write, call, contact others, pursue projects, do website work, post information, talk to friends and neighbors, and approach strangers. They perform many tasks from managing sign-ins, logistics, ordering supplies and printed goods, designing banners, yard-signs, scanning materials, writing and contacting our commissioners, to speaking and writing the CA Board. They also canvas our neighborhoods. It all matters and contributes to the common good. Thank you all for all you do. You are my inspiration.

We are the catalysts for a broad community coalition that is making a difference. Please continue with us on this journey to save SCC!

Our Save SCC ongoing outreach in support of our petition effort and membership drive continues. It can be slow going, with the heat and many folks out of town but we are making progress. Please keep up your efforts. Every little bit matters and makes a difference.

Every day brings more petitions locally and from folks far afield in the mail. Please keep them coming. Remember the goal is every SaveSCC member gathers 30 petition signatures!

While we do not expect to see ClubLink any time soon at a community meeting, it is still time to press on with our work so we are ready and prepared at a moment’s notice.

I did a reconnaissance drive via golf cart around parts of the North Lakes Course and Calossa Greens as some of you had suggested. Bonnie Hoelper last week was my guide. There appears to be more than sufficient areas for ingress and egress from both courses should Clublink proceed with development proposals. Neither was as landlocked as I had previously understood.

The next SaveSCC meeting is on Tuesday, July 12^Th at 6 pm in the Rollins Theatre. This meeting is a working session.

Agenda

Introductions – Ellie Anderson ( 312-282-7337, andersonellie@mac.com)
Welcome – returning folks, new folks – Ellie Anderson
Open Positions – Legal Advisor, CPA familiar with Nonprofit accounting
Petitions & Pamphlets

Updates

• Zoning/Government Relations – Mike Newsom
• Web Site & Facebook – Peter Bates & Tami Mondy
• Call to Action – Petition and Membership drive – Ellie Anderson & Carol Hugill
• Treasurers Report – Ellie Anderson

Other Business
Wrap -up

Hope to see you tonight!

Ellie

 

Notes from Ellie

So, What’s Been Happening?

Greetings all!

Our next Newcomer meeting is Tuesday, 6/28/22 in the Rollins Theatre at 6 pm. All are welcome. Tech Gods willing, a PowerPoint presentation will be used to cover the ClubLink situation, soup to nuts, to stop rezoning or building!

Call to Action – Petition and Membership Drive

 

Positive comments have reached me from many of the folks you have contacted as part of SaveSCC’s outreach for the petition and membership drive. Your door-to-door and community activities at shopping centers and elsewhere are making an impact.

Please keep up the outstanding work. Now is the time to load our arsenal for the fight to come.

Mail-in petitions from those out of town or otherwise locally unreachable are arriving as well. Please keep those petitions coming!

All SaveSCC members with a banner on their golf cart should be sure to carry a clipboard with petitions and pamphlets use freely when not on CA property.

Remember our goal is that every SaveSCC member secure 30 petition signatures, and to ask those folks to become members. They can  join us via the web site so that they are counted among those we represent. Also, they will receive SaveSCC email blasts to keep them informed.

1500 petitions arrived from VistaPrint and 6000 pamphlets are on their way and hopefully will be available for the Newcomer meeting on Tuesday.

Please remember that we’ve been told that all Save Sun City Center canvassers must refrain from canvassing on CA property.

ClubLink Update

In a nutshell, here’s what’s going on with ClubLink:

Having contacted Clublink, John Finlayson informed us that they have not finalized their obtaining of a building contractor, and have not moved forward with any permit requests with State or Local Agencies. John also stated with the market downturn and construction issues in the building market it may impact their starting of the project. They advised that they will keep us informed of any updates.

The planned meeting on June 29thhas been canceled.

It is not surprising that they are experiencing difficulties. A competent development professional performing their due diligence would evaluate the undertaking this project in SCC is a challenge with an uncertain future and outcome.

We still must be diligent in our preparations for the filing of applications with Hillsborough County for rezoning, permits, variances, or plan amendments. There is no telling what ClubLink activities are taking place behind the scenes . We must be prepared to act on a moment’s notice.

The work we are doing now will pay great dividends when the time comes before the Land Use Officer Hearing and the Board of County Commissioners Land Use Meeting and Board of Commissioner Meetings. The Save Sun City Center case will be well prepared and ready to execute with our continued good work and support! Now is not the time to be complacent.

SaveSCC Banking and Electronic Payment Services

SaveSCC banking operations via a commercial account with PNC bank for checking, debit/credit, and electronic payments are working. SaveSCC donations and funds are on deposit. Work to establish online donations via SaveSCC.org is underway and we hope to have that operational in a few weeks.

All transaction data will be stored safely and securely in PCI-DSS compliant environments hosted by Authorize.net as a gateway and PNC bank as the processor. This insures protection of all donor financial and personal information.

That’s the news for now.

Notes from Ellie

So, What’s Been Happening?

Greetings all!

Hope your summer is off to a great start. Things have quieted down here in Sun City Center. The traffic has lessened as we heat up and folks leave town.

Please forward this communique and attachments to others who might have interest. Getting the word out is always important. Consider bringing your neighbor or a friend to a newcomer meeting. We‘d be happy to see them and share with them.

SaveSCC has been blessed with a number of actively involved, talented and experienced members doing all kinds of work to advance the cause. SaveSCC’s progress would not be possible without them. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Save Sun City Center Banner

Mike Blaine had 40 2’ x 3’ vinyl banners with grommets made. He has given them as an in-kind donation to SaveSCC. Mike and I ask folks who are truly out and visible to use these banners as an effective tool to further get the word out and buzz going. Folk displaying them should always be prepared for encounters and questions with pamphlets and petition forms. The banners will be available at the meeting Tuesday on a first-come, first-serve basis for a $10.00 donation.

One would be a great addition to the back of your golf cart or hanging in your lanai or front garden if you are in a busy location.

If the response is favorable as we think it will be, and more are needed, the donations will be used to purchase more.

Critical Open Position

Legal advice and counsel from any active or retired legal professionals on a volunteer basis would be a huge asset to our organization. While we had some wonderful folks assisting in this regard, they are no longer able to do so.

Surely there must be some among us with expertise in this area. Active or retired attorneys or legal assistants, please think about helping us navigate forward. WE NEED YOU!

Please contact me at 312-282-7337 or andersonellie@mac.com. Thanks!

Interview with Lois Kindle, Reporter from Observer News

I will be interviewed by Lois Kindle from the Observer News soon, probably later this week. She is preparing an article regarding the ClubLink proposal and the community reaction. There are other interviewees planned for the piece. That’s all I know at this time. Naturally, the text of the interview will be available on our website as soon as it’s available.

New SaveSCC Meeting Schedule

Adjustments to the Save SCC meeting days were required as we outgrew the capacity of the Caper room and are moving to the Rollins Theatre. Because of overtime considerations for the CA maintenance staff and the setup on Wednesday in the Rollins theatre for the Front Porch Pickers, our meeting day is changing as well.

There will be meetings two times a month in the Rollins Theatre on the 2nd Tuesday (working) and 4th Tuesday (newcomer) of the month at 6 pm, not every Wednesday.

Our next SaveSCC meeting on Tuesday, June 14th in the Rollins Theatre at 6 pm is a working meeting.

The Rollins Theatre has a capacity of 140. When we reach posted room capacity, unfortunately potential attendees will be turned away. Choose what meeting you will attend based on your reasons for being there. Know what the focus of the meeting will be as outlined below and choose accordingly. Here are the two types of meetings we have.

General Working Session

General working sessions are held on the second Tuesday of the Month, 6 pm, Rollins Theatre, Main Campus, 960-E Cherry Hill Dr.

They are where we meet to discuss work in progress, outline upcoming activities, and coordinate strategies and activities, and to do’s among the working members of our various teams and the members of the group contributing their time and talent. These working sessions about the work underway and upcoming activities. General working sessions are not recommended for newcomers as they are task and work focused and offer limited opportunities for general discussion of the how’s and why’s of our group. These meetings are focused on the work at hand.

Newcomer Sessions

Newcomer sessions are held on the fourth Tuesday of the Month, 6 pm, Rollins Theatre, Main Campus, 960-E Cherry Hill Dr.

They are where we hope to educate and bring on board new members or others interested in learning about our group and activities who are new to our SaveSCC citizen’s initiative. We cover the why’s, how’s, what’s, who’s and wherefores of our work. We speak about ClubLink’s development proposal and our responses to it, and our citizen’s advocacy work with the CA Board and the Hillsborough County staff and Commissioners to ensure there is no approval for ClubLink’s rezoning or permit applications for their planned development on golf courses and green spaces.

Other special meetings will be called from time to time as circumstances warranted.

All meeting agendas and meeting location, time, and date details are sent via the GetInvolved@SaveSCC.org email to all SaveSCC members subscribed to our email blasts via our website SaveSCC.org using the “Join Us” tab.

SaveSCC.org Website

Work has been underway to improve the SaveSCC.org web site to make it easier to navigate and location information on the site and to add more content. Everyone please take a look. Your input and suggestions are important and we’ll solicit your ideas at Tuesday’s meeting. Peter Bates will be demonstrating the site and its features to support our work and pending calls to action, like the following:

Call to Action for Petition Effort and Membership Drive

At our working session on June 14th at 6 pm in the Rollins Theatre at 901 Cherry Hill Dr, we are launching a Call to Action for our Petition Effort and Membership Drive. We ask for the active participation of every member of our group of concerned citizens to gather 30 signatures and provide interested folks with pamphlets as needed.

Everyone is to engage in this effort whether you are in town or away. This will be our comprehensive drive to gather as many petition signatures as possible and enroll as many members via the SaveSCC.org web site as possible prior to ClubLink’s next move.

As active seniors who are a part of the Sun City Center community, clubs, HOA’s, neighborhood groups, and other social and leisure activities, every one of us has a large circle of friends and acquaintances. Now is the time to engage with your circle to ask them to join us in the cause to protect our golf courses and green spaces. Here are some things you can do in talking to your freinds and neighbors.

• Speak with them.
• Give them a pamphlet.
• Bring them to a meeting.
• Get them signed up as a SaveSCC member via the SaveSCC.org web site.
• Have them sign the petition.
• Have them send a letter to the Hillsborough County Commissions via the SaveSCC.org menu “Take Action”.
• Get them involved and knowledgeable.

The more residents that are active members of our group and active spokespersons for the cause, the better the chances of success. Everyone has a role to play. This is an all-hands effort. It will enrich our lives and lead to a better, stronger, more engaged community for the future. The will of the people matters!

The petition is available for download on SaveSCC.org under the tab “Take Action.” Select the pull down list entry “Petition”. New members can join us via the SaveSCC.org tab “Take Action.” Select the pull down list entry “Join Us”.

The petition for the Hillsborough County commissioners is ready for your use and action as part of our outreach efforts are to commence after Tuesday’s meeting where we will finalize our rollout strategy to maximize our effectiveness.

Petition Instructions

The petition process is pretty straightforward. Download and print or copy as needed. Do not add additional signature sheets. Just copy the official petition page.

The higher the pile of signatures, the greater the visual impact when delivered.

Ask people before they sign if they have signed this petition before and whether they are Hillsborough County residents. This petition is for Hillsborough County residents only. The petition has only been available since June 10, so hopefully people will remember. Duplicate or non-residents signatures are prohibited and could result in disqualification of the sheets they signed.

Always carry a couple of petition forms with you everywhere you go to use or distribute to others. Bring some SaveSCC pamphlets too! Download the most up to date pamphlet. Don’t leave home without the petition or pamphlet and use at will. A clipboard is a great tool for this task. Keep one in your golf cart and car so you don’t forget. When out and about, always have them with you. Carry extra forms. Maybe you can recruit others who are ready to get involved and help the cause!

Completed petition forms can be returned at SaveSCC meetings, the SCC Emergency Squad office or the SCC Security Patrol office. The petition is also available at these sites for folks to drop in and sign as well. Signed petitions may also be mailed to Ellie Anderson, 1731 Pacific Dunes Dr., Sun City Center, Fl 33573. Return instructions are on the petition form.

Please encourage all petition signatories to go to our web site and “Join Us” as a member so that they are counted as SaveSCC members that we represent when speaking before the county or SCCCA.

Donation Acknowledgements

Donation acknowledgements were sent out at the end of May to all donors. There were a few anonymous donations and people where their acknowledgements were undeliverable via email or snail mail. If you made a donation and did not receive an acknowledgement, please notify us via email to GetInvolved@SaveSCC.org so the issue is addressed and corrected. Keeping accurate records of gifts, in-kind donations and our transactions is of paramount importance. Your financial support is needed and very much appreciated.

SaveSCC Structure

The evaluation of possible options to formalize our structure, operating guidelines and leadership on a going forward has been under consideration and review. For now SaveSC will continue to operate as we have been: a growing informal group of concerned citizen members working together to advocate strongly against the development of golf courses in our community. We will continue to seek to engage others as members of our group and count ourselves as member citizens choosing representation as a part of SaveSCC when engaging with the County and Community Association and other organizations.

Hope to see you Tuesday evening!

Pass the word!

Be part of the Call to Action!

Ellie

Notes from Ellie

Welcome and Thanks to all Members

Greetings all!

Today it is two months and one day since ClubLink’s presentation in the Community Hall. We heard of their plans to close Sandpiper and develop portions of the North Lakes course, Caloosa Greens, and Sandpiper. They haven’t scheduled any more meetings yet, even though facilities are reserved for a meeting on June 25th.

This has given us in SaveSCC precious time to build some infrastructure and capacity to pursue our goals: preserve golf courses and green space in Sun City Center and Kings Point. Given that we all are volunteers and we’ve only been at this for two months, I’d say our progress has been remarkable. Your membership, attendance at meetings, donations, suggestions, and work are making a difference as we “form and storm.” We continue to inform Sun City Center residents and get them to take a more active interest in this critical matter.

Due to this inspired citizens’ action, we see success in the future as we defeat ClubLink’s development plan.

Even people who are out-of-towners or snowbirds are helping out.

Our membership is now growing at a faster rate due to our successful canvassing operations. Please continue to talk to your friends, neighbors and associates, encourage registration on the website, and forward our materials.

At this stage, we are continuing to build our membership base and fine-tuning our communications. This positions in us well for when ClubLink returns or files their paperwork for rezoning or permitting.

We are continuing active dialogues with the county staffs in planning and development to further understand how we can most effectively engage and present the case to defeat ClubLink.

My dialogue is also continuing with Bob Sullivan and the CA Board regarding our potential structure. Some possibilities include a not for profit corporation, a CA Club, or a nonaffiliated organization.

Results of the Newcomer Meeting on May 18th

The feedback we received regarding our inaugural “Newcomer” meeting was very positive. We covered the ClubLink proposal and the SaveSCC response from soup to nuts in an hour and a half. (Unfortunately, we were unable to enlist my PowerPoint presentation.) More than 100 folks attended. It was a successful night. The mission to bring everyone up to speed was accomplished. Many thanks to all who attended. The mix was about 60% first timers and 40% returning folks or members who have been at other meetings.

We Need a Corporate Secretary

Before we can establish of SaveSCC’s organizational structure, we need a corporate secretary. Here is a brief description of the position’s responsibilities: A corporate secretary is required by state corporation laws for every corporation and by the CA for all Clubs and nonaffiliated organizations. A corporate secretary is responsible for ensuring that the records (or minutes) of the board’s actions during a meeting reflect the proper exercise of the fiduciary duties.

Please step forward for consideration for this important and vital role. You will become an important officer in our team. We need you now. This is your chance to join our inner circle and make a difference in the future of SaveSCC and our community. You will be well supported by me and the other SaveSCC board members, Mike Newson and Gershon Klein.

Other Matters

While I had an extensive review and gameplan I was going to share regarding the Comprehensive Plan, we should probably not reveal any details of our coming offensive strategy. There is no need to forewarn ClubLink.

At tonight’s meeting, we will revisit our meeting philosophy for the summer (or until we receive confirmation of action from ClubLink.

SaveSCC Agenda
Working Meeting May 25, 2022
Rollins Theater, 6 pm – 7:30 pm
Introduction of our Chairperson – Ellie Anderson
Introduction of our Moderator
Ground Rules for Comments from the Floor
Welcome – returning folks, new folks  – Ellie Anderson
Future Meeting and Room Arrangements Discussion – Ellie Anderson
Open Positions
Pending Work Plan Tasks
Updates:
CA Board Update
Zoning / Government Relations Team – Mike Newsome
Pamphlet and Canvassing Team – Carol Hugill
Web Team – Peter Bates
Corporate setup Team – Fern Kirkham & Kerry Didday
Graphics and promo materials – Bill Stinchcomb
Treasury Report – Ruth Johnson, Assistant Treasurer
Other Business
Wrap-up

 

Notes from Ellie

Report from Last Community Leaders Meeting

I attended the recent Community Leaders Meeting to:

• Review the Zoom equipment setup used by the CA Community Manager, Lyn Reitz, for “Zooming” their meetings. Their setup for CA Board and other meetings seems most satisfactory and superior to those used by many of the HOAs. This good intelligence for our equipment selection for our Zoom setup for our Wednesday night sessions. We want to increase participation for snowbirds, the infirmed or those who don’t come out in the evening.
• Provide the leaders in attendance with the SaveSCC brochures to raise awareness and get more folks on board. We hoped they would distribute the pamphlets within their organizations and beyond. Probably not going to happen.
• Use the audience participation opportunity to promote SaveSCC and our goals to stop ClubLink’s development plans and protect golf courses and greenspaces.

Pamphlets were provided at all tables for the attendees.

After the meeting, I received a request from Bob Sullivan, CA Board President , that we cease and desist from approaching club spaces, and members in club spaces. or anyone on CA property distributing pamphlets or campaigning for our cause “Save Sun City.” This activity is prohibited per Bob. Accordingly, I ask that all SaveSCC members and helpers honor this request and refrain from any SaveSCC activities with the Clubs and on CA property. The CA has been very forth-coming and cooperative with our requests and work. I do not want anyone to jeopardize the goodwill we have. If you have a club matter or CA, do not take it upon yourself. Please contact me. There have been a number of complaints from Club Presidents and members to the CA Board. Thank you.

Newcomers Meeting

We will be holding our first Newcomers Meeting on Wednesday, May 18th at 6 pm in the Caper room. This will not be our typical working session. This is a great opportunity for us to bring Newcomers into the fold. We will speak to the challenges ClubLink’s proposed development presents, talk about SaveSCC, why we are, who we are, what we’re about, and most importantly, how we can work together to defeat ClubLink. We can stop their development project and protect our golf courses and greenspaces. I look forward to seeing you there. The shotgun email that went out contains a preliminary draft of the agenda.

Looking for Corporate Officers for SaveSCC

We are establishing our legal entity now – Save Sun City Center, Inc. Finding the right folks for our open officer positions who have the time, talent, experience and enthusiasm, are in town and are representative of a broad base of the community, is a major hurdle we need to get past. Unfortunately, some folk who were in various capacities previously were not able to step up as corporate officers. The open positions are Corporate Secretary, Assistant Treasurer and Agent. We need strong, competent, hard-working folks in these key positions and cannot proceed with our corporate filing without them officially signed-on and in place. This is a high priority, urgent appeal. If we are to succeed, talented, dedicated and motivated folks leading and driving the effort are essential.

Open Positions

We have a number of positions we are seeking to fill. If you have time and are looking for a volunteer opportunity, we need you! The shotgun email contains a list of available openings.
Summer time has unique challenges with snowbirds, graduations, and vacations.

Cash Only Donations

Some of you have been asking when you’ll be able to donate via the web site and why now we accept cash, not checks. In a word, soon.

SaveSCC’s legal organization and filings, as well as our EIN information, are prerequisites before SaveSCC can establish the banking relationships needed to handle checks and electronic payments.

For now, we can only accept cash donations held by our treasurer until we get this resolved. Meanwhile, we still must meet our expenses in the interim for web hosting, domain registration, Google Workspace, Zoom, pamphlets, flipchart, flipchart paper, collateral materials, hardware for the Zoom setup including camera and microphone, etc.

Clarification on North Lake Course Zoning

In response to a recent request from our planning and zoning team, we received the following information with regards to the North Lakes from a Hillsborough County executive planner:

A review of the historic zoning records associated with the subject parcel indicates the parcel was zoned R-1 in the early 1970’s. The R-1 district permitted both single-family lots and golf courses. During the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, Hillsborough County went through a process called Zoning Conformance in which all the zoning district classifications across unincorporated Hillsborough County were updated to conform to the newly adopted Hillsborough County Comprehensive Plan. During that time frame, the zoning designation was changed to the present RSC-6 zoning district, which also presently permits both single-family lots and golf courses. As such, the current RSC-6 zoning predates adoption of the referenced Community Plan provisions for Sun City Center.

With respect to the other courses in Sun City Center, those other courses are included with the Planned Development zoning district that covers the majority of Sun City Center. The subject zoning district was in place at the time of Zoning Conformance and therefore, the area was retained as a Planned Development as part of that process. Uses within Planned Development districts are regulated in accordance with a general site plan that is approved as part of the zoning approval. The other golf courses are designated on the general site plan as a golf course. Therefore, unlike the RSC-6 zoned parcel covering the North Lakes Golf Course, these golf courses cannot be utilized for any other use without first having to modify the zoning through a noticed public hearing process to change the use designation on the general site plan. Such zoning review would require review for consistency with applicable policy provisions in the Hillsborough County Comprehensive Plan, including the Greater Sun City Community Plan.

We look forward to seeing you at Wednesday’s meeting. Please distribute this information to your friends and associates.

Let’s get the word out.

Notes from Ellie

Finances

Many thanks to the attendees at our meeting Wednesday night in the Caper room. We received cash donations totaling $2,300. Awesome start. These funds are being held by our treasurer, Mike Smith, and will be used exclusively for professional services when we feel they are warranted.

We are doing as much of the work ourselves as possible to minimize expenses while not jeopardizing our outcomes. Almost another $1,500 has been spent and donated by key participants for items like flip charts, web hosting and tools, pamphlets and lawn signs.

My Meeting with the CA

On Thursday May 12 I spoke with Bob Sullivan, CA Board President. Bob informed me that he had called John Finlayson, Chief Operating Officer of ClubLink on Wednesday to get an update on where they are. So far, they have not selected any builder. Knowing of our interest to potentially buy Sandpiper, Bob inquired as to what offer they might entertain. John said the they would require a bonafide offer, but they weren’t selling anyway (!). They intend to develop Sandpiper.

ClubLink will not be meeting with the CA membership this month. There is a tentative session scheduled for June 29, but there is no confirmation from ClubLink.

Bob assured me that he would include me in any special sessions between the CA, ClubLink, and Sun City Center HOA presidents.

The big question: Does the CA Board support SaveSCC? To date, they have remained neutral on the ClubLink project. (Mitchell Horowitz, Attorney at Law with Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, is advising the CA Board on ClubLink related matters with others in the firm.)

What is the CA Board’s position on Save SCC?

Only Bob Sullivan can answer that question. I suspect he would say “neutral.” He and other board members are aware of SaveSCC and our efforts. I have offered comments and questions during the audience participation periods of the official board meeting at the last two meetings. I plan to make this a regular activity until the ClubLink matter is concluded.

All the members have received the Save Sun City pamphlet from us.

I have met and spoken with Bob on many occasions since this recent project was announced in the March 23^rd presentation from ClubLink.

Board members have received emails and phone conversations from many  SaveSCC members.

Formalizing SaveSCC

We are starting to formalize our organization legally. We need to establish key officers or a board. We already have a number of candidates in mind but are asking if there are others who want to be considered. If you are interested, please contact me and provide some background and why you think you be a great asset.

Using Zoom for Remote Meeting Attendees

Regarding Zoom, we are proceeding as quickly as possible to establish capabilities to allow remote meeting access to those who can’t attend in person, such as snowbirds. We will also use these capabilities extensively in our work groups and teams.

Someone approached me a few weeks back after one of our sessions with the offer of computer equipment. If you’re reading this and that offer still stands, could you please contact me?

Enjoy your golf outings and greenspace! Many thanks for your support and time!

Ellie
andersonellie@mac.com
312-282-7337