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TO: an interested Property Owner:

FROM: Larry Fleming

Yesterday, on the tennis court, you asked me why I thought we should spend association money to restore the Eagles Nest Area.  You also mentioned that you did not have enough information to formulate a point of view on ENA restoration.  In follow-up to our conversation, here is some factual information for your consideration:

  1. The ENA is a multi-million dollar piece of property owned by The Landings Management Association.  No one has been allowed into the property for many years. The property has become, in the words of Bruce Holst of Selby Gardens, an  environmental wasteland.  The following county and state environmental experts have visited the ENA, and are appalled by the volume of noxious vegetation they witnessed:  Annemarie Post, Todd Hershfeld, Rob Wright, Paul Semenec.   These people are concerned that our ENA is in effect a nursery for noxious plants such as Brazilian Pepper and Carrotwood, and that birds and the wind are spreading seeds throughout the local area.  The level of concern is high enough that the county would almost certainly be willing to pay half the cost of remediation were it not for the threats of lawsuits now being made by a few people living near the ENA.
  2. Even in its degraded state, the ENA is a beautiful, peaceful spot that should be open on a restricted basis for enjoyment by Landings residents.  This can be achieved without infringing on the privacy of surrounding homeowners.  The ENA is a sanctuary that is rarely found in a residential community like The Landings.  If restored to a natural state, most real estate agent showing a home in The Landings would almost certainly use it as a sales point with prospective clients.  It is another feature that would set us apart from other local residential communities, and increase property values.  I encourage you to take a brief walk on the path marked for future mulching.   I predict you will be astonished by the size and potential beauty of the ENA.  You will also see how easy it will be to protect privacy of adjacent homeowners.  When standing at the site proposed for the eagles nest observation area you will be hard pressed to see a house.
  3. I can provide testimony from multiple sources that the types of exotic plants now present in the ENA repel desirable birds.  Restoration would be a boon to exercise walkers and bird-watchers who enjoy nature and who would like to add another link to their customary morning walk.  
  4. Here is a list of what we propose to plant in the ENA to replace the Peppers Trees, etc:  48 fifteen Gallon Live Oaks, approximately 9’ tall and 1-1/2” caliper; 24 fifteen Gallon Slash Pines, approximately 7-1/2’ tall and 1-1/2” caliper; 24 fifteen Gallon Red Cedar, approximately 6-1/2’ tall and 1-1/2” caliper; 120 seven Gallon Wax Myrtle, each about 4’ tall and 3-1/2’ wide;  40 seven Gallon Walters Viburnum, each about 4’ tall and 3-1/2’ wide.  These are all plantings endorsed by the County as appropriate.  This is a sufficient volume of plant material to be responsive to the Board Of County Commissioners stated goal of replacing lost tree canopy in Sarasota County.
  5. The costs of restoration are modest:  the initial work of constructing a mulched path and observation area, killing poison ivy and removing the dozens of strangler vines that are killing existing trees would be about $4,600, or $6.50 per household.  If this was all we did, it would be a wonderful accomplishment!  If we proceed with replanting per item four, the cost would be in the area of $21,000 (including a temporary irrigation system).  With a matching grant from the county, this would amount to $31 per household.  Costs to maintain the area will be minimal; occasional remulching and reapplication of herbicide.  Only one bid has been received on removal of existing exotics.  That bid is for about $3,000.  It is likely LMA would choose to proceed with the overall project over a several year period to keep down annual costs.

This is probably a longer answer to your question than you expected.  The short answer is that I support restoring the ENA because I find it unacceptable to be barred (without good reason) from entering property of which I am a co-owner.  Nevertheless, entry into the area by Landings Residents should be restricted to the degree necessary to protect the privacy and tranquility of homeowners (and nesting Eagles!).  The types of restriction needed should be decided by the LMA in consultation with folks living around the ENA and other interested people in the Landings community.