The Preserve at Tara residents sound off about survey

Some homeowners at The Preserve at Tara have been working with the Florida Department of Transportation for the last decade to solve a noise problem due to living in close proximity to Interstate 75.

Just when the community thought it was sure to get a sound wall, the Florida Department of Transportation issued a Proposed Noise Barrier Survey on May 8.

The homeowners are concerned the fate of a wall depends on their ability to mark the survey and return it to the Florida Department of Transportation by June 1.

“We have waited for this for 10 years and now all of us are on pins and needles about whether we are going to get our sound wall or not,” said Linde Davis, who lives at The Preserve at Tara. “The survey may not even be that big of deal, but we are really stressed out about it.”

The purpose of the survey was to verify the “support or opposition to construction of the noise barrier.” The letter additionally stated that the decision to construct the sound wall will be dependent upon the support or opposition of the homeowners affected.

FDOT hand-delivered the survey to 148 residents in The Preserve at Tara. The 148 were determined based on the proximity of their residences to a potential sound wall.

FDOT spokesman Robin Stublen said the only way the sound wall project won't happen would be if more than 50% of the surveys collected are against it. The total number of surveys returned doesn't matter.

Some residents believe the hand delivery is problematic.

“It is just crazy that they brought it to our door, we had to sign it and we had to be home,” said resident Jocelyn Duprey. “So many people probably did not get the survey (because they were not at home). I don’t know why they don’t just build the wall. They have built so many other noise barriers.”

Davis mentioned that many of The Preserve at Tara’s residents are snowbirds. Many of the houses are either vacant or being rented.

Stublen said if residents weren't home, the surveys were forwarded to their address.

Darby Connor, a development district board member for The Preserve at Tara, said the time frame is a bit rushed.

“It was such short notice,” Connor said. “I don’t know if they are trying to pull a fast one on us or what."

Davis said an email from Florida Department of Transportation District Noise Specialist Jeffrey James said most residents who returned the survey were in support.

“Having a sound wall would be so great,” Davis said. “But we cannot force these people to send in their vote.”