Updated 12/24/2011

For monthly Tierra Verde Community Association meeting & event information, visit:
Tierra Verde Community Association.

For Pinellas County meeting & event information, visit:
Pinellas County Southwest Connection Center online at: 
www.pinellascounty.org/community/CCC/default.htm.

Tierra Verde Community Overlay Plan:
News about the Tierra Verde Community Overlay Plan is available on the
News & Information page of this website.  To learn about the Overlay Plan, which Friends of Tierra Verde was instrumental in bringing to the attention of TVCA and islanders, contact the Pinellas County Planning Department at 727-464-8200.  The Tierra Verde Community Overlay Plan is, thankfully, part of the County's Comprehensive Plan, which protects our island from annexation and unrestrained development.  To review details of the plan, visit:
 www.pinellascounty.org/Plan/tierraverde.htm.

Partners in Planning Meetings:
The Tierra Verde Overlay Program was first brought to the attention of islanders at a public forum attended by County and State officials, and more than 150 islanders.  The event hosted by Friends of Tierra Verde in early 2004, explored annexation issues, bridge replacement and repairs, and offered a Q&A session.  The Overplan Plan was then further explored by TVCA at a public meeting which the Association hosted at a later date.  Annexation, at the time, had financial (and potential deed) implications for all residents of Tierra Verde—not just TVCA members.  

Friends of Tierra Verde Website Recognized "As a Best" Website
By Tampa Bay Times (Formerly St. Petersburg Times)
Friends of Tierra Verde's website was featured in an article in the Neighborhood Times section of the St. Petersburg Times (10/11/06, Page 5).  The article, entitled "Online Neighborhood Sites Keep Residents Connected," showcased a number of Pinellas County community websites offering a way for neighbors to log on to get news and information, and voice opinions about local goings-on.  Friends of Tierra Verde was the only website from the south gulf beaches area to be mentioned in the article. 

Friends of Tierra Verde Mission, Goals, and Agenda:
Friends of Tierra Verde was formed in 2004 as a way to involve and engage the hundreds of "Grandfathered" out homeowners and rental residents of Tierra Verde in dialogues with Pinellas County, the State of Florida, and the Tierra Verde Community Association, regarding issues involving annexation, tax-related issues, bridge replacement and repair, toll increases, fire and rescue services, deed restrictions, and more.  Bringing attention to issues that impact the island's taxpayers and residents as a whole, not just a segment of the community, was the primary goal of Friends of Tierra Verde.  At the time, there was little email communication offered by TVCA.  Today, thanks, we believe, in part, to the "olive branch" efforts of Friends of Tierra Verde, islanders are more informed than ever before.  Both Friends of Tierra Verde and TVCA frequently share communications and reach out to members, individually and collectively, to bring awareness to important issues--that we must all, as a community, work together to resolve or address.  Our board of directors, comprised of longterm residents, most have been on the island ten years or more, sincerely care about Tierra Verde and love living here.  Thank goodness we live in a country and a community that welcomes free speech and invites an open dialogue between all of the entities that govern and impact our community to include homeowners, renters, taxpayers, business owners, government and civic officials, and friends of our community. 

We urge friends of Tierra Verde to join our organization.  It is simple.  All you need to do is provide an email address to receive our communications, and bookmark our website and check it for updates on a regular basis. 

We urge all residents to be aware of what is on the agenda for upcoming Pinellas County Planning and Zoning Commission meetings, and for Pinellas County Board of Commissioner meetings, too.  And, when possible, plan to attend monthly meetings held at the offices of Tierra Verde Community Association, which are located above TD Bank on Sands Point Drive in Tierra Verde.  An upcoming meeting schedule is posted on their website and you can sign up with them to receive their email communications. 

As a friend of Tierra Verde, if you might wish to become more involved in our organization or if you might wish to serve as a board member, simply direct an email to Connie at GoVida@TampaBay.rr.com.  Or, call 727-480-5954 for more information.


Our Goals and Objectives:
Due to the ill health of Connie's husband, as President & Founder of Friends of Tierra Verde, we took a hiatus from hosting community eventsin 2011.  We did, however, continue to share important emails with members!  Our goals and objectives are:

To continue to seek community input and provide updates on toll hikes and the Tierra Verde Bridge project. (We were successful in helping to defeat toll hikes in 2008!).

As an alternative to the potential threat of "All or Nothing" future annexation(s), bring alternate, viable concepts to the attention of all residents, like the idea of incorporating as a village. (Ongoing initiative, pending future annexation threats.)

Explore ways of bringing residents into one community organization.  This initiative would include exploring term limits for board members, removing constraints of "community" board members, since the island's total homeowner population is approximately 2,500--we are too small to keep talented and interested people from serving, if they so desire, and, lastly, reducing the expense of membership, using other nearby unincorporated communities as a model (Ongoing initiative.)

Discuss ongoing implications of the Tierra Verde Overlay Program, which is now part of Pinellas County's Comprehensive Plan.  This program brought to the attention of residents at a public forum hosted by Friends of Tierra Verde.  (We were successful in bringing this initiative to the island.  A mailer from Pinellas County went out to Tierra Verde homeowners in December 2007.  The Overlay Plan has been approved.  Additional information about the Tierra Verde Overlay Plan appears on the News & Information page of this website and on Pinellas County website.)   

Lobby to restrict density issues, including, but not limited to, zoning changes and height variances, and additional development, until the island has a localized disaster plan and the scope of this project has been sufficiently identified (i.e., weather, emergency, traffic, environmental, infrastructure concerns).  (Ongoing initiative.)  

Address the concerns of residents and bring them to the attention of TVCA and Pinellas County, with the aim of making our community more family-friendly and supportive of our small business base.  (Ongoing initiative.)

Introduce landscaping and beautification awards, awards for holiday light displays, and other community-based concepts.  (Friends introduced beautification awards in May 2007 as published in The Island Reporter.  TVCA introduced holiday light display awards in December 2007, after Friends published an article about this issue in a 2007 issue of The Island Reporter) 

Friends of Tierra Verde is not affiliated with any political party and is not associated with the Tierra Verde Community Association (TVCA), although several of our members are members of TVCA.  As a civic organization, we do not charge fees and have no hidden agenda.  We just love the island! 

What do you have to say?  Voice your concerns or opinion by sending an email to us at GoVida@TampaBay.rr.com.  Be sure to include your full name and a telephone number, with area code, if you wish to have a return call.  Care enough to speak up and speak out!  But always do so in a "friendly" way!

HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Provide your full name, address, phone number with area code, and email address to receive our email announcements. Serve on the Friends of Tierra Verde Board. Support local events.  Get involved.  If you are not receiving Friends of Tierra Verde communications, sign up today!  We are now over 600 friends and growing!

To sign up, visit the Contact Us page of this website.  

Connie Langhorst
On Behalf of Friends of Tierra Verde
(727) 480-5954
GoVida@TampaBay.rr.com