Lodge Improvements
Update September 1, 2020
To all members of Lodge 29 and to all our loyal BINGO players, President Mark Mitchell and the rest of the BOD would like to be the first to wish you happy September 2020. We are seeing an end to this shutdown and we are looking forward to the reopening of the Lodge building for both BINGO and regular meetings and events.
In anticipation of reopening the Lodge BOD would like to show you some of the things we have accomplished and some of the things that will be completed soon.
First, the lodge building has been thoroughly cleaned and the outside has been freshly painted.
Second, the lodge WIFI system has been upgraded to a commercial grade network and all guests will be able to log on with no problems.
Third, we will soon have the following projects completed.
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The inside of the lodge hall will be repainted.
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The above pictured concrete entrance way from the front door to the driveway will be removed, redesigned, and replaced for easier access.
Third, after years of negotiation we are set to begin the construction of our new roadway from US-41 to the front of our lodge. This new road will be 24 feet wide and it will have a deceleration lane for us on US-41 to make turning in a lot easier.
The State has us in a holding pattern for an official reopening date, but we felt it was important that everyone realizes we are working hard to get things ready so that we can exceed your expectations.
LODGE 29’S NEW ROAD
It is common knowledge that first impressions count the most and up until now, the first impression that anyone got of our Lodge was not a particularly good one. The only way any of our members and guests could enter onto our Lodge property was either along a single lane paved road from US-41 or down that muddy goat path from Bell Lake Road. Well, times are changing and soon, our 30 years of praying for improvement will be answered.
For the past 2 years Lodge 29 President Mark Mitchell and his road committee have been involved in a series of negotiations with the owners of the property between our Lodge and US-41. This has been time well spent because the owner, Radiant Oil and Lodge 29 have hammered out a mutually beneficial agreement that gives us an improved access road to US-41 in exchange for our existing single lane asphalt legal easement.
These negotiations have taken a long time because your Lodge 29 President felt that this was the last time, we would be able to change our land locked status without us having to spend $500K of Lodge funds. So, yes, in the end, our work took a lot longer than we had hoped but the results were better than we could have ever dreamed of. We believe that once all members see what your President and the road committee have accomplished, you be proud of our Lodge and confident in the new direction we are heading.
In early June of 2020, Lodge 29 President, Mark Michell, and the representatives from Radiant Oil finalized and signed a contract with the following provisions. In exchange for Lodge 29’s existing 10-foot road and easement from our property to US-41, Lodge 29 will receive the following:
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Complete ownership of a section of property (.33 acre), from US-41 to our Lodge’s property.
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A quality 24’ wide asphalt / concrete road from US-41 to our Lodge’s property.
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A special construction requirement due to anticipated heavy truck traffic for the section at US-41.
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All permits from Pasco Co, FDOT and SWFWMD for this job.
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A new mailing address for Lodge 29.
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Water and sewer lines installed and run beside the new road for future use.
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A 24’ wide, 8” thick crushed asphalt road from the East end of the above road to the front of our Lodge. Approximately 430 feet in length.
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A new concrete illuminated Lodge 29 sign on US-41 near our new road.
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A 6’ high, DOT quality, chain link fence across the entire South side and part of the West property line.
Lodge 29 will be deeded a piece of property approximately 40 feet wide and 345 feet long running from the west side of Lodge 29’s property, westward to the US-41 Right of Way.
In the above picture this is labeled as 14493.72 SF
It is hard to see in the drawing but there is a deceleration lane on US-41 for one of the 2 turns into our Lodge. This will make the turn off US-41 much safer.
Upon this property Radian Oil will build for Lodge 29 a 24-foot-wide asphalt or concrete road that meets county standards for heavy truck traffic. This includes signage, striping, and all permits.
As a side benefit of this change, the Lodge’s mailing address will be changed to reflect that YMCA Camp Road will no longer exist.
On the day that our new road is dedicated for use, Lodge 29’s new address will be 4300 Land O’ Lakes Blvd, Land O’ Lakes FL 34629. This change alone makes finding the Lodge a lot easier for someone who has never visited us before.
The below picture shows the general location on US-41 where our new property joins the DOT right of way. The blue pickup shows the location were our new asphalt road will be. Our new road will be next to the Animal Hospital all the way East to our existing property line. This is just a little more than 100 yards North of where the intersection of US-41 and Bell Lake Road is.
Between the east end of the above road and the front of Lodge 29’s main hall, Radiant Oil will construct an 8” thick, 24-foot-wide crushed asphalt road. This road will join the new road at the East end of our new property, turn North and then curve around the North end of the Lodge’s main hall. The blue pickup truck shows the location of where the road will be when it curves around our existing raised drain field.
A new illuminated sign, (design to be finalized), will be built and placed on US-41 at the location where the new Lodge 29 access road is. Our new sign will be of the same materials and constructed with the same design as the other two signs, 7-11 store and Radiant Oil car wash, which are included in the overall Radiant project.
A new 6’ tall, chain link fence will be built from the South East corner of Lodge 29’s property where it meets the shoreline of Bell Lake, all the way along our Southern border. The fence will then go North until it reaches the Northern end of the Radiant property.
At this point we are just waiting for a final site plan approval from Pasco County. At that time all contracts will be issued to the companies involved and our Lodge will enter into a new era.