Friday, May 4, 2018

What next for Fresh Start

As you might be aware, on April 25, 2018 Fresh Start presented the results of its community-based proposals to the County, and that same day TST Ventures, (owner James Gabbert) resubmitted its plan for a waste transfer facility to the County.

Fresh Start was aware that TST Ventures had received approval for the Waste Transfer Facility (WTF) in 2015, but then had scrapped it in favor of a more ambitious waste processing plant, which did not receive county approval. 

It had been our hope that the prospect of uses on public lands more compatible with the area's diverse assets - the Celery Fields, neighborhoods, restaurants, kayaking, hiking, birding, schools, new residential housing and offices - might prompt TST Ventures to consider a different sort of development on its six-acre tract on Porter Rd. - perhaps a hotel or restaurant in keeping with the eco-tourism of the area.

In fact we ended our April 25 presentation to the Board with this:

The creative input of our community and advisers has convinced us there’s a larger opportunity here. With good-faith cooperation of County and Community, these public parcels will be a catalyst for a broader transformation of this crucial area that combines history, commerce, nature, recreation, and daily life.  

Over the next few weeks, Fresh Start will be meeting with county staff and the commissioners in hopes of getting a shared vision formalized by the Board. It won't change anything for the six acres on Porter, but perhaps we can find a place for the community's wishes on the 23 acres of Public Land there now.

Thank you for caring about what is done with our public lands.

Tom Matrullo
Fresh Start Executive Council








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