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Hernando Today

Changing Of The Guard

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By MICHAEL D. BATES

The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 26, 2008

Hernando Today

BROOKSVILLE - They don't get much publicity. They're not elected. They're hardly household names. For that matter, they don't even get paid.

And yet, the five members of Hernando County's planning and zoning board are often unsung heroes who often find themselves on the front lines of controversial issues, especially when a developer proposes a mega-commercial or residential project right next to a small community battling to keep its rural solitude.

Two of those P&Z members, Anna Liisa Covell and Anthony Palmieri, have served on the P&Z board a combined 18 years.

Because of term limits, they will step down Dec. 31.

They brought a certain flair to the proceedings - Covell, with her stern, no-nonsense approach, and Palmieri with his trademark accent and penchant for long speeches and tough grilling.
Chief Planner Jerry Greif, who worked closely with Covell and Palmieri during their terms, said both served the county well. They will certainly be missed, he said.

During Covell and Palmieri's watch the P&Z board streamlined operations by including a "unified" agenda during meetings, which lumps quick-action items together and speeds up proceedings.
Covell was appointed in December 2000 and served two terms. Palmieri was appointed to fill out a term in February 1998 and subsequently served two consecutive terms.

Greif said both brought their own strengths to the board.

Covell, who owns a Brooksville electric company, brought a business sense to the table. Palmieri, a retired banker and retiree, looked at planning and land use issues from those angles.

"They've been great members," County Commissioner David Russell said of Palmieri and Covell, "We're going to miss them."

Russell said all the volunteers on that board - including the two alternates who fill in when needed - deserve a huge debt of gratitude for volunteering their time, often under tough circumstances.

"I think it's necessary to have that apolitical board of unelected officials that can make decisions based purely on policy," he said.

With only two more meetings left for the twosome, it will definitely represent a changing of the guard. And, as Palmieri says, perhaps a shift in philosophy as well.

Palmieri: 'Just Fade Away'

Palmieri was one of the more colorful members on the P&Z board. Always quick with a joke, Palmieri was fond of addressing applicants directly and succinctly.

Often, when proceedings got a bit heated and developers or their representatives visibly squirmed when they saw their projects in danger of getting seriously reworked, Palmieri - after wishing them his typical "good morning" - tried to lighten things up.

But even then, if he disagreed with the way a project was laid out, he would say so. Nicely, of course.

"I'm sorry, I just can't support this," Palmieri would say.

To do a good job, Palmieri said planning members need to do their homework to render a fair decision to the applicant and the people it will affect, he said. Sometimes, Palmieri drove to the development site prior to the meeting to get a better handle on the project scope.

"People that come before the P&Z board, they have a problem (and) they deserve to be listened to and they deserve respect," he said. "I hope they understand why we voted the way we did."

He readily admits that sometimes his long-winded diatribes earned him the reputation as a grandstander.

During the controversial Hickory Hill comprehensive plan amendment, for example, Palmieri remembers talking non-stop for about 20 minutes.

He was initially against that 1,750-home subdivision proposed for the Spring Lake area. After it went back to planning staffers for revision, he reversed his decision.

"We really get the dirt out and really dig so we can make a sound recommendation to the county commission board," Palmieri said.

Palmieri believes he and Covell are the only conservatives on the board - defining "conservative" as someone siding with staff recommendations more often than not.

"The others seem more liberal and tend to approve things that staff recommended not to approve," Palmieri said.

Palmieri, who will turn 80 in December, said it's time to step down for good. He doesn't plan to show up at any P&Z meetings for fear of influencing the board's vote.

That should prove difficult for a man who says he has not missed a single planning meeting in 11 years.

General Douglas McArthur famously said, "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away."

"That's what I intend to do" Palmieri said. "Just fade away."

Covell: Time For Fresh Eyes, Ears
Covell took her job seriously and it showed in her preparatory work before meetings and her unabashed questioning of applicants. She was never afraid to ask tough questions of engineers and developers.

If she didn't favor a project, she let it be known.

As chairwoman, she adhered closely to the agenda, took few breaks and moved meetings along at a brisk pace.

Looking back, Covell said it was all worth it.

She called it a "real honor" to have served on the planning and zoning board during a time when Hernando County experienced one of its largest growth spurts.

Particularly from 2003 to 2006, it was not uncommon for P&Z meetings to last well into the late evening.

These days, with the economy holding back many development projects, meeting agendas are lighter and Covell and crew are often adjourned before lunch.
Covell said for many people, the planning board serves as a "juror" - making decisions for people who come from neighborhoods in the path of development.

"It's emotional for a lot of people," she said.

She hopes the board was able to make the right decisions for the good of the community.

"It's been a real privilege to assist in that process," Covell said.

However, Covell said it's time to pass the baton to someone else. Time, she said, for a fresh set of eyes and ears to review projects.

She said she will miss the planning staffers with whom she worked closely over the years. Now, she says it's time to concentrate on other endeavors, including her Brooksville business.

"I'm kind of looking forward to it," Covell said. "I think eight years is plenty."

Reporter Michael D. Bates can be reached at 352-544-5290 or mbates@hernandotoday.com.

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