Lutz News-Lutz/Odessa-March. 25, 2015

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Lutz NEWS

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MARCH 25, 2015

Road clash at Sunlake and Lutz Lake Fern By B.C. Manion

bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

James Scarola is deliberating the future of a parcel at the southwest corner of Lutz Lake Fern Road and Sunlake Boulevard. Applicants for a special use permit want to use a 7.4-acre parcel to become the new home of the Tampa Academy of Math and Science, a charter school specializing in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Ruth Gimpel, who owns a horse stable next door, wants Scarola to deny the request.

B.C. MANION/STAFF PHOTO

Ruth Gimpel Stables is next door to a proposed charter school in Lutz. Ruth Gimpel said the proposed school could destroy her livelihood.

So do residents living west of the proposed school. A number of organizations also have weighed in against the proposed school, including area homeowner associations, the Lutz Citizens Coalition, the Lutz Civic Association and the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Clubs. Scarola, a land-use hearing officer for Hillsborough County, had a public hearing on the request on March 16. He has 15 working days from that public hearing to issue his ruling. See CLASH, page9A

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Cars and trucks attempting to make a left-hand turn off of State Road 54 into the Village Lakes Shopping Center, east of the intersection of U.S. 41, will find it much easier once a new set of traffic signals are activated. The lights have been installed near the Lowe’s store, on State Road 54, expected to open in April.

Traffic signals by Lowe’s ready for action By Kathy Steele

officials turned down a request for a traffic signal from Fotopoulos and other business owners. Traffic signals outside the new Lowe’s “Without the light there, you can’t get Home Improvement store on State Road 54 out of (the parking lot) to go east or even are expected to be operational within two going west, you’re taking your life in your to three weeks, according to officials with hands,” he said. the Florida Department of Transportation. Charlene Wingo agreed. She and some The addition of stop lights and turn lanes friends were leaving the shopping center that will help get motorists in and out of last week, laden with their purchases. “The Lowe’s and the Village Lakes Shopping light will make it a lot easier to head east on Center is welcome news to area residents State Road 54,” she said. “I was just thinking and business owners. now, ‘How am I going to get out of the parkBilly Fotopoulos, owner of Pizza Villa, re- ing lot?’ ” members when the shopping center and Fotopoulos said he loses business due to his restaurant were under construction the lack of traffic signals. Residents living on three decades ago. State Road 54, southeast of the shopping “We needed the light there 30 years ago,” center, are reluctant to try and cross over, he Fotopoulos said. But he said state highway said.

ksteele@lakerlutznews.com

“It will save businesses. It will save lives there,” Fotopoulos said. The signal will give motorists a green light to turn left, going east on State Road 54. Motorists also can cross over the road to access entrances to either Lowe’s or the Village Lakes Shopping Center. When the traffic signals are activated, highway officials say they will be synced with signals at the intersection of State Road 54 and U.S. 41 to help ease traffic flow. The signals will be the only ones between U.S. 41 and Collier Parkway about 2 miles away. The half-mile distance between the signals at the intersection and those by Lowe’s are standard, highway officials said. The 152,000 square-foot Lowe’s, at 21500 State Road 54, is expected to open in April.

This Girl Scout project could save lives By B.C. Manion

bcmanion@lakerlutznews.com

When most people think of Girl Scouts, they tend to picture little girls selling cookies in front of the local store or singing in a camp sing-along. It’s unlikely they envision a young woman working on a project to improve traffic safety. But that’s exactly what Wesley High School student Samantha Politano is doing. She’s launched a three-year project aimed at making life safer for the students who attend Wesley Chapel High School, Thomas Weightman Middle School and Wesley Chapel Elementary School. She’s not only interested in making life safer for students. She wants to improve the conditions for all drivers — parents dropping off and picking up their kids, bus drivers making their rounds, and faculty members and students who drive to school. In addition to making Wells Road safer, she’s also aiming to spread the message of safe driving habits. She hopes her efforts will encourage drivers to buckle up and put away their cellphones, which will reduce their chance of being injured or having an accident. She also thinks it would be neat to give Wells Road a second, honorary name — Wildcat Way — to pay tribute to the mascot for the elementary, middle and high schools. Politano is tackling the traffic safety issue on a number of fronts and has enlisted the aid of Jeff Novotny, former president of the Greater Wesley Chapel

help because he’s married to her thirdgrade teacher, Amanda, who teaches at Wesley Chapel Elementary. “Mrs. Novotny was one of the most influential teachers, ever,” Politano said. So, why would a teenager take on an issue like traffic safety? In Politano’s case, it’s because she’s striving to attain a Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve. The distinction is based on the completion of a project that focuses on making a difference. Politano said her decision to work on traffic issues was partly inspired by a friend of hers who was injured when a car backed into her in the parking lot. She said she also heard about a freshman who was struck by a vehicle on Wells Road. It’s not hard to see that Wells Road has traffic issues during student arrival and departure times. On one recent afternoon, parents arrived at least 20 minutes before school got out, parking their cars on the edges B.C. MANION/STAFF PHOTO on both sides of Wells Road. Wesley Chapel High student Samantha Politano With cars flanking both sides of the is striving to attain a Girl Scout Gold Award, the road, passing traffic — including school highest honor awarded to a Girl Scout. Her buses — had to drive close to the middle project is to improve safety traffic conditions of the road, and in some cases over the on Wells Road. centerline. Parents also pulled into a parking lot Chamber of Commerce. at Wesley Chapel High to wait for their chilNovotny is widely known in business cir- dren, reminiscent of the staging area of the cles around Wesley Chapel, but that’s not See SCOUT, page9A why Politano asked him. She wanted his


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