By ROYCELYN BASTIAN
Driving past Continental Plaza on FM 1960, many have noticed graffiti on the sign and yellow caution tape warning many about the large pot holes and illegal dumping that has taken place for many years.Now that the property owners are no longer under an association and have the option to build on their land, there will be a clean up event Sept. 20 and 27.
“Our goal is to take the trash that has been dumped on the side of our roads and put them on the roads and bulldoze them towards FM 1960 into trash containers,” said Margaret Kopko, representing property owners in Continental Plaza.
The clean up event will take place 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Organizers are working with county officials to get a tractor to push and collect the trash. Businesses will also be asked to donate or help get 10 trash containers for the event.
“Once the cleanup is complete, we have plans to do surveillance and go to the businesses on FM 1960 and ask them to stop illegal dumping on the properties,” said Marianna Kopko, another property owner.
A gate is also an option to deter people from further tearing and trashing the roads and properties.
Continental Plaza, which consists of approximately 450 property owners and 229 acres of land, contains no structures. Half of the properties are deemed for commercial businesses and the other half will be residential structures. Owners began purchasing land in the 1980s; however, after deals were finalized, they began to realize the mistake they had made.
“Lanco-Continental Land owners association collected millions of dollars fees to maintain our properties and to enjoy the escalating value of land. Surrounding properties did increased their values but continental plaza became a the de-facto garbage dump, money was stolen for Lanco's greed,” said Paul Dalde, property owner in Continental Plaza. “Huge 18 wheelers make short cut through the main street of continental creating those big potholes. In the beginning, kids were drag racing at night too, until the pavement on those roads are gone to the mud it is today.”
Now that the Continental Land Owners Association went out of business in 2007, property owners are ready to build, develop or sell their property and first order of business is to clean it up. After Sept. 20 and Sept. 27, developers are going to start looking at the open land and begin developing it.
“We like to take back our land from the vandals, homeless and malicious people around, your brilliant story presentation would help other land owners who are disappointed and dismayed, and help us in making Continental Plaza unique as it was envisioned to be. We need community cooperation to do that,” Dalde said.
According to organizers of the cleanup, the event will help to remove garbage, reduce crime, reduce traffic and increase the beautification can development of the area.
For more information on the clean up event Sept. 20 and 27, e-mail coast567 AT yahoo.com or visit http://continental.forumer.com
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