WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — The fight over an entrance gate into a Pasco County neighborhood is now escalating.
After attempting to install barriers, and then a gate, the Meadow Pointe II community is lawyering up.
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It’s a fight over the Meadow Pointe II entrance gate off Mansfield Blvd in Wesley Chapel.
“Everybody needs to just use their own gates,” said Matt Holderman, resident of Meadow Pointe II.
The entrance to the Meadow Pointe II community leads drivers through Meadow Pointe II, and eventually into Meadow Pointe III.
“The reason why there’s so much tension around this gate is because it’s the main artery in and out of the community,” said Scott Valentine, resident of Meadow Pointe III.
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Until recently, the two communities had a land-use agreement allowing Meadow Pointe III homeowners to use the Meadow Pointe II gate.
That agreement is now up, and Meadow Pointe II wants them to use their own gate on the opposite side of the neighborhood. It’s a driving difference of about five minutes.
“I think we have to take it away in order to cut the traffic,” said Laura Vanecek, resident of Meadow Pointe II.
Meadow Pointe II homeowners are tired of the amount of vehicles traveling through their neighborhood.
“My biggest concern is the traffic,” said Holderman.
Over the last few weeks, Meadow Pointe II’s CDD has put up barriers and stop arms, both of those moves were later halted by the county.
Now they’re taking it a step further, bringing lawyers in.
Those lawyers filed a public records request for extensive information on communication between county officials and Meadow Pointe III members. Among those members, Scott Valentine, who is called out specifically in the request.
“I think because I’ve been a vocal advocate for everything, I’ve become a target,” said Valentine.
Valentine said he has not been working with the county, only that he wants a solution as much as anybody.
One Meadow Pointe II homeowner says she just wants to improve safety.
“If the end result is that it slows traffic down then I’m OK with it. I will spend whatever to make the neighborhood safe,” said Vanecek.
The lawyers for Meadow Pointe II said they have not filed any lawsuits. They said they’re awaiting the information from the public records request and will decide their next move from there.
