When word got out about Hillsborough County’s plans to cut down trees in the U.S. 41 medians in Lutz, it took howls of protests to silence the chain saws.
Armed with promises from State Sen. Jon Legg, R-Lutz, and Hillsborough County officials to work with the community to find another solution, a meeting has been set for Oct. 29 to discuss what to do instead.
The county had planned to cut down the trees because it wanted to return maintenance of the medians to the Florida Department of Transportation, which has jurisdiction over the highway. The state roads department would only take over if 91 of the 135 trees in the median were removed.
The trees slated for destruction were 64 crape myrtle, 14 wax myrtle, seven live oaks, three Shumard oaks and three red maple.
After a contentious community meeting on Jan. 24, however, the county put the brakes on that plan and agreed to return to the community for another meeting to discuss potential solutions.
Recently, the trees won a two-year reprieve, when Walmart stepped forward with a $5,000 check to cover maintenance costs. That solution resulted from a partnership between Legg, Hillsborough County, the Lutz Citizens Coalition and Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful.
Walmart said it would revisit the matter in two years, Legg said. Meanwhile, efforts can be made to broaden support.
Now that a temporary solution has been found, another community meeting has been set for 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 29 at the Lutz Community Center, 98 First Ave., N.W.
The meeting is intended for volunteers in Lutz who may want to participate in the maintenance of the medians along U.S. 41.
Mike White, founder and president of the Lutz Citizens Coalition, said he’s happy with efforts made to date to preserve the trees.
“I think it’s a win-win,” White said. “The voice of Lutz was heard loud and clear.”
He said the solution demonstrates great follow-through by Legg, the county, Walmart, Keep Tampa Bay Beautiful, Hillsborough County and the Lutz Citizens Coalition.
“Everyone stepped up to the plate,” White said.
On another front, the Lutz Citizens Coalition recently received approval to adopt Sunset Lane, from U.S. 41 to Livingston Avenue.
White said he expects the cleanups to occur about a half-dozen times a year, followed by a social gathering of the volunteers.
