NORTH PORT — A group of North Port residents have joined to help inform the public about changes happening across city neighborhoods.
Pam Tokarz and Susan Balmer said they met while North Port City Commission discussed approvals for a project called Toledo Blade 320.
The development is set for a parcel at the end of Toledo Blade Boulevard north of Interstate 75 and across from North Port Estates — the neighborhood where Tokarz and Balmer both live.
Changes would allow "light industrial" use of the land. So far, it has received approvals from the majority of North Port commissioners, although residents of the Estates have spoken in opposition during public hearings.
As they researched development projects and planned zoning changes around the city, Tokarz and Balmer met more and more people who were finding out that changes were coming to their neighborhoods — whether it was apartments near single-family homes, or converting agricultural or residential properties to commercial or industrial.
They posted their concerns and initiated discussion on social media and created a page called No Zone North Port FL.
Last summer, they had a meeting in a conference room at the Shannon Staub Public Library. As more people became interested, they continued to have the meetings each month.
Kevin Riley joined them in September with concerns over the same area.
The three think city residents aren't informed about what's happening.
“We worry that a lot of residents don’t know what’s going on,” Balmer said.
Tokarz said, for instance, she has met people who live in the Lady Slipper neighborhood who were completely unaware a portion of the land was being rezoned to "mixed-use." That would allow for residential and commercial development in the area which is low and prone to flooding.
City leaders have stated plans to try to increase the amount of commercial property within the city. It's an effort to correct the city layout created in the 1950s and early 1960s by General Development Corp., which mostly platted and sold single-family lots. The goal is 18% to 20%.
Converting some of the residential property to commercial will help broaden the tax base and will help create jobs, so people can work in the city where they live.
Tokarz says the group isn't necessarily opposed to that, but they also believe rezoning is happening "too easily" and without listening to residents' concerns.
From some of their meetings, a large portion of time has been spent on just educating attendees about what's happening, rather than spreading the word to increase support, according to Tokarz.
They want that changed and people to be in the know.
Balmer, a retired teacher, said she believes Commissioner Debbie McDowell is the board member who speaks out for the people most of the time.
Riley understands the need for development, but does not think the city is doing it correctly.
After hearing City Manager Jerome Fletcher’s idea to bring an event center to town, and possibly a minor league hockey team, each admitted they liked the idea.
There are, however, concerned that city officials are moving too fast without considering some of the consequences they may be creating.
“They’re putting us at risk without even listening to us,” Riley said, citing the building of commercial developments that could generate chemical waste.
He said, from his own experience in the pharmaceutical industry, accidents and spills happen, even when the work is done inside of industrial plants.
That can threaten the water supply, Riley said.
It's not just industrial and commercial growth that concerns the group. They also see problems with recent approvals of apartment and condominium complexes and the added traffic they will bring.
New housing and apartment complexes have been designed and priced for people who “rent by choice,” with the city officials saying these units can help house staff for the three hospitals that are planned for they city.
Tokarz said, however, that a large chunk of those future employees will not be able to afford them as many are not on “doctor salaries.”
They implore locals to get involved with them and take action.
The group has set its next meeting for 6 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Shannon Staub Library on the campus of the Suncoast Technical College, 4445 Career Lane, North Port.
To learn more, email
norezonenorthportfl@gmail.com
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