Three Lakes Wants A Bridge

About two years ago while going through government websites, I found that Representative John Snyder had submitted a grant request to provide state money to Three Lakes to build a tunnel under Kanner Highway to connect their property on both sides of the road.

I wrote that there would be no benefit whatsoever to anyone but Three Lakes if the state provided tax dollars to a developer to further the project. Snyder pulled the request and the developer at the time said they would fund the tunnel if they decided to build one.

The tunnel must have been too expensive because I found in Martin County’s Proposed Development Project Status an item to build a bridge over Kanner Highway instead of the tunnel. Staff has approved the bridge amendment. And at this point I cannot determine if any FDOT funds will be used. This is coming before the commission on October 22nd.

When I originally championed this development and Rural Lifestyle, I believed it would save Martin County from hundreds if not thousands of homes being built which would have resulted in urban sprawl. Rich people (and I understand memberships start at a million bucks) playing golf is not a big deal for the 1200 acres that would be kept as open space. I still believe it.

The rich can be childlike in their ability to see things from only their perspective. Then like any child you need to keep tabs on what they are doing. Anyone who has or has been around kids knows they find it hard not to get their way. That goes for rich people too. And the owners of this golf facility are rich…one is a billionaire.

We keep our eye on the kids to make sure that permission to ride their bike doesn’t become permission to ride their bike on Kanner Highway instead of what you thought would be your cul-de-sac. It is in a 10-year old’s nature to use what we say and take greater liberties than what was intended.

The same goes for the rich. They can take the permission given to build a tunnel for golf carts and try to make it into a bridge to accommodate not just golf carts but cars as well. That is why we review the development department’s projects list.

This is not an indictment of anyone, only a heads up. I hope the present and incoming commissioners are paying attention. For the commission will be the final decision makers. Approving this would be a bad decision.

Photo by Jonathan Varghese on Unsplash