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Community Sticks Together

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By SEAN C. LEDIG, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 5, 2007

FOREST HILLS - There's nothing like a common cause to bring people together.

For the North Forest Hills Neighborhood Association, concern about their lakes, ponds and roads was the catalyst that united them.

Association President Jim Wilson said that in the years since, the community is still heavily involved in issues related to the lakes.

'We're very involved in the wetlands issue,' Wilson said, referring to the recent controversy of removing the county's Environmental Protection Commission's oversight of wetland management.

'We feel pretty good about that,' Wilson said of the community's involvement in the wetland issue. 'And there's no new development in the area around the lakes. That's encouraging.'

Like the main Forest Hills community, North Forest Hills was founded during the land boom of the 1920s. However, North Forest Hills is located outside of the Tampa city limits, off North Boulevard going north to Fletcher Avenue.

The association got its start three years ago when residents along Cedar Lakes found out their neighbor, Frank Cacciatore, intended to sell his property to developer Gary Jernigan for town homes.

At the time, residents were concerned that the higher residential density would lead to traffic jams and damage to East and West Cedar Lake, located just south of Fletcher Avenue, near North Boulevard.

The request to rezone the land for the development was eventually withdrawn. But the situation taught them that other issues could loom in the future, said Paul Willies, a former North Forest Hills resident who helped found the association.

Norman Motko, a retired engineer from Ohio, said he likes the 'small town' feel of the neighborhood, and he wants to preserve it. Living across from the lakes, Motko said he enjoys stargazing while the water reflects the starlight.

The homes are quite simple, typical retirement fare, he said.

'There are a lot of Florida homes that are the standard block building with very little roof height,' Motko said. 'The old block building with three bedrooms, two baths. It was the typical retirement style house for a Yankee coming to Florida.'

And for the most part, North Forest Hills is a place where he can go for some peace and quiet, Motko said.

'We have a stretch of road that is on North Boulevard where they kind of go fast,' he said. 'Otherwise, it's a very quiet community.'

AT A GLANCE

WHAT: North Forest Hills Neighborhood Association

NUMBER OF MEMBERS: About 50

INFORMATION: Call (813) 932-7375 or www.nfhna.org

Reporter Sean C. Ledig can be reached at (813) 865-1507 or sledig@tampatrib.com.

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