The Town Crier

Volume 29, Issue 12

July 2012

 

America Business Womens Association,

Deltona Chapter Newsletter

 

Program Speaker Sandra Walters, author of The Story of Thornby: How Ordinary People Took on Government, explained the process of citizens going up against Deltona City Hall to save a property for environmental purposes from high density development. The area is 40 acres, including 7.5 acres of wetlands, 1000 feet from Lake Monroe with Magnolia and Oak trees that are at least 300 years old. It took The Friends of Thornby group over 11 public hearings, and new mayor and city council, and 9 years to convince politicians to protect the area instead of developing the area into condominiums. It was sold to the City of Deltona for 3 million dollars and now boasts a park for the handicap & non- handicapped children alike. It is only 1 of 10 in all of Florida and the only 1 in Volusia County to provide this type of facility. They hope to build nature trails, a children's garden, & a water taxi service to downtown Sanford in the near future.