A day after inundating county officials with e-mails expressing alarm about the rapid growth in Ruskin, area residents left a Feb. 26 Ruskin Community Plan meeting with their fears calmed.
"We had a lot of good ideas expressed here," Ruskin resident Mariella Smith said after the meeting.
Bruce McClendon, director of Hillsborough County's Planning and Growth Management department, opened the brainstorming session that drew more than 40 people by saying that the Ruskin Neighborhood Service Center was in the hands of the residents. He likened the county planners at the meeting to midwives.
"We're going to assist you in the birth, and it's your baby when it comes out," he said.
The group gathered around six tables equipped with maps of Ruskin and felt-tip pens. Residents were instructed to use those tools to create a vision for Ruskin's future.
The six groups ended up with similar results. All agreed that Marsh Creek and land along the Little Manatee River needed to be protected; that eco-tourism was a priority for the area; that more access should be available to waterways and public lands; that gated communities and small lots should be kept to a minimum; and that the downtown area needs to be rejuvenated.
This was the sixth meeting to discuss the Ruskin community plan. Resident Bruce Marsh described it as "the most productive and promising we have had."
But earlier in the week, several residents launched an e-mail campaign to communicate their concerns about recent land use decisions that have paved the way for at least 7,000 new homes in Ruskin.
"The stress on the environment, the infrastructure, natural resources, and the people of Ruskin presents a clear danger," wrote Pete and Claudia Davidsen, who live on Second St. NW.
Davidsen, though, felt somewhat relieved after the Community Plan meeting.
"I realize that the horse is out of the barn, but maybe we've had a little consciousness raising," she said. "There's some hope here. This is a very important process."
What's next:
The next meeting about the Ruskin Community Plan is at 6:30 p.m. March 11 at the Ruskin Neighborhood Service Center.
