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Indian Shores hosts Florida Friendly Landscaping program
By BOB MACPHERSON
Article published on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 |
INDIAN SHORES – Indian Shores Mayor Jim Lawrence is inviting interested citizens to a Florida Friendly Landscaping program Wednesday, April 23, 7 p.m. in the Indian Shores auditorium at 19305 Gulf Blvd.
Lawrence said the program, funded by a Southwest Florida Water Management District grant, is the first time the town has sponsored such a program. Lawrence said he hopes to fill City Hall.
A Florida Friendly Landscaping Web site states “as Florida’s population grows, continued land development inevitably follows forcing Floridians to find ways to minimize impacts on the environment. To protect the state’s fragile environment developers and home owners need to understand and deal with the environmental impact of land use decisions by minimizing their adverse impacts on the environment.”
According to the Web site, “a Florida-friendly landscape is one where the right plants are in the right place, watering is done efficiently, fertilizing is done appropriately, mulch is used, wildlife is attracted, yard pests are managed responsibly, yard waste is recycled, storm water runoff is significantly reduced, and the waterfront is protected from pollutants.”
An agricultural extension services representative will present a slide show at the program. Live samples of native Florida plants and micro-irrigation starter kits will be demonstrated and given away as door prizes. A Pinellas County Utilities’ spokesperson will speak on reclaimed water.
Bonnie Dhonau, Indian Shores’ administrative assistant, is in charge of the program. For more information contact Dhonau at 595-4020, ext. 25 or bdhonau@myindianshores.com
Refreshments also will be served at the conclusion of the program.
Post disaster town re-entry tag program
Getting back into town after a hurricane may not be as difficult as one would expect – at least not in Indian Shores. The town has developed a post-disaster program to help citizens return to their homes and businesses as quickly as possible.
The existing procedure is for the sheriff to check the identification of all returning to the beach. To speed up re-entry over the Walsingham and Park Boulevard bridges after a major storm or other disaster, the town established a program using rear-view mirror mounted re-entry ID tags. The tags are colored tan which identifies the occupant(s) of the vehicle as an Indian Shores resident.
The free tags are available to business owners and residents. They can be picked up at Town Hall. They are numbered and a log is kept of the tags issued. Tags issued last year are still good.
However, the town requests that any relevant information that has changed, be updated.
When the sheriff considers it safe to re-enter the barrier islands, those holding re-entry tags must hang them from the rear-view mirror so that law enforcement officers posted at the re-entry point will know that the IDs of the vehicle’s occupants have been checked beforehand. If practical, a separate lane may be established for residents with tags. Re-entry will be expedited because law enforcement will not have to stop every car going through the checkpoint.
The tags also act as a security device for police patrols after re-entry since vehicles belonging in town will be easily distinguishable from those that may not belong. This also helps to prevent looting and vandalism.
Businesses can apply for sufficient tags for their emergency staff. The business owner/manager would hold the tags and issue them to employees when an evacuation is called. The employees would then return the tag after the emergency.
The town’s second annual hurricane awareness party will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 22, at Town Hall.
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Article published on Tuesday, April 15, 2008
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