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Taxing District by Kay Watts
At a recent
meeting I was asked to update the participants on the history and
developments of the Feather Sound Community Services Taxing District. It
occurred to me that many of you are new to the area and are asking, "What
is the FSCSD"? In 1990 the streetlights did not go all around Feather
Sound Drive. Because of the different lighting districts in the community,
the front entrance was rarely illuminated. Earl Maize, a Feather Sound
resident, took his concerns about this lack of lighting and the
possibility of annexation to the streets. He and his wife formed what was
called a "Green Ribbon" committee which consisted of interested volunteers
in the community going door to door for signatures enabling a referendum
on a ballot allowing us to become our own Taxing District. The needed
signatures were obtained, the referendum passed, and
the articles were filed on November 30, 1990 and approved May 21,
1991. The Feather Sound Community Services Taxing District was formed.
Obviously, I have short-circuited many of the legal details encountered,
but the dates are correct.
The District
was officially established "for the purpose of providing street lighting
and the acquisition, development and maintenance of recreational areas and
green space for the residents of Feather Sound." The services are funded
by ad-valorem taxes of one mill on your property taxes. The District is
run by a Board of Directors, numbering five, who
are appointed by the Board of County Commissioners of Pinellas County. The
first priority of the Board was integrating the lighting within Feather
Sound into one District with Florida Power and adding additional fixtures
around the perimeter. That was accomplished in the early days of the
Taxing District. At the same time, a ground maintenance crew was hired to
mow and maintain the common green areas of Feather Sound. The acquisition
and development of a recreational area remained to be the core work of the
Board. After looking into several properties, the present recreation area
was purchased for $97,000 on December 28,1992. It is in the name of
Pinellas County and is to be developed and maintained by the Taxing
District. A couple of years ensued with planning by civil engineers and
obtaining the necessary permitting by the Department of Environmental
Protection Agency and Army Corps. of Engineers, as well as the State of
Florida.
Because much of the area consists of environmentally sensitive land, there
was a lot of mitigation. Phase 1, which is now complete consists of a
sodded ball field, irrigation, hard court with basketball hoops,
landscaping, roping of the areas, parking spaces and picnic tables and
trash containers. There is also an osprey pole if you look carefully. The
Board is currently at work on Phase 2 of the recreation area, which will
consist of a boardwalk surrounding the side and back perimeters of the
area along with a gazebo. We hope to begin this phase within the next
month or two.
I
hope that this update has been helpful and gives a better understanding
how your one mill for Feather Sound is being used. Watch once again for
the annual report to be mailed to you this spring. |