Survey Reveals 'Ideal' Community

Picture this:

People who live in Spring Hill, Brooksville, Ridge Manor and other towns in Hernando County are conveniently located near bus stops or rail centers.

Citizens leave their cars or SUVs in the garage and hop on a mass transit system to get to work, the doctor's office or the store.

Within walking distance from home is a park where the kids can go on a Saturday afternoon and hike or play baseball. Mom and dad could visit a nearby community center in the evening and meet friends or chill out after work.

Children would not have to be bused long distances to schools.

There would also be plenty of open space surrounding these compact cities to allow for the preservation of tall oaks and wetlands.

Sound idyllic?

Perhaps.

But to the 3,438 people who responded to an on-line survey sponsored by the One Bay Partnership, that is exactly the kind of community they would like to see - population centers compactly designed around the environment and mass transit.

The survey respondents also identified mass transit, cost of living and employment as the top three issues facing the future of the Tampa Bay region.

One Bay is a partnership of several public and private organizations formed to develop a blueprint for growth in Hernando, Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Manatee and Sarasota counties.

One of those participating agencies is the Tampa Bay Partnership, whose president and CEO, Stuart Rogel, spoke to county commissioners Tuesday.

Rogel said Hernando County respondents closely mirrored their neighbors in other Tampa Bay communities.

However, when it came to identifying the top three issues, Hernando Countians ranked them as employment, cost of living and water availability - in that order.

Rogel invited commissioners to participate in the drafting of a formal report that they could consider incorporating in their future land development regulations and other initiatives.

County Commissioner John Druzbick said the One Bay results will prove invaluable to the newly formed economic development standing committee.