“AARGH!”
This was the last sentence of the email I received by Margaret “Maggy,” Hurchalla, an environmental activist who was also a former Martin County commissioner. Last week, passed away.
I received that email on Thursday, two days before I learned that she had died in recovery from hip surgery.
Maggy wasn’t complaining about her health. Instead, she was expressing her frustration with the system. Martin County CommissionShe appeared to be poised to reverse a significant part her legacy this week.
The commission had originally scheduled a Feb. 22 meeting.Hearing publicOn A proposed land-use modification that would make it easier and more affordable to build upscale residential communities in areas of the county not yet included in established urban services boundaries.
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Maggy was among those who believed that county officials hadn’t given sufficient notice about the proposed changes to the public. Maggy was also concerned that the county’s website didn’t properly load the agenda materials for the proposed changes to allow citizens to read them before they were implemented.
In an earlier email, she had described her proposed “rural lifestyle”, land-use designation as “disaster” in a previous email and predicted that if adopted, it would “signal the end of any comprehensive planning” in Martin County.
That’s how Maggya will be remembered. She was always ready to fight the “good fight” until it was too late.
Although I didn’t know her very well, my few weeks with her made quite an impression.
Maggy and my first contact was late last year. It was just before Martin County commissioners were to consider changes to the comprehensive development plan.
Maggy was among many people who voiced concern about the proposed changes during a conference with our editorial board.
The board agreed that the changes were being made too quickly without enough time for residents to have a say or offer input. That editorial was written by me.The next Sunday’s newspaper featured the following:
Maggy didn’t contact me again until a few days later. Max Chesnes, TCPalm’s environmental reporter, had arranged that the three of us would go on a kayaking adventure, launching from Stuart’s waterfront home.
Max had briefly told me about Maggy’s past, but I didn’t know much about her career. I didn’t know her role incraftingof Martin County’s comprehensive plan, with its limits on development, was considered one of her greatestachievements.
It’s safe to say that she didn’t know much about me. She was just another person who had been on kayaking or hiking trips.
It didn’t really matter who you are. Maggy was open to helping you see the beauty of Florida’s natural landscapes if you were even remotely interested.
I was able to see the meticulous planning she had before we launched our kayaks on that day. She created a map of the waterways nearby and traced the route she would take.
She coordinated our planned route with tidal flow so it never felt like we were in a current while on our excursion.
We spent a lot of time traversing a “secret passage” through mangrove swamps that I wouldn’t be able to find again, even if I was staring straight at it.
This trip helped me get out of a funk that I was in since the death of my mother after Thanksgiving.
Physical activity in the fresh environment was a big help. However, it was hard to stay downcast when you are surrounded by someone who has lived a life filled with determination and purpose.
Maggy stopped occasionally to point out wildlife and other interesting features along the way. We shared stories about how ibises had adapted to life among humans, and we laughed about how ungainly sandhills cranes look when they are running.
Maggy mentioned my editorial that I had written. She was surprised that I was able to cut through so much technical jargon and get it right. To be honest, I was also surprised.
We have been having similar conversations over email in the last few weeks regarding the proposed “rural lifestyle” land designation. This would allow for developers to extend water lines and sewer lines to ruralMartin county.
Maggy outlined in detail the parts of the proposed changes that she was unhappy with. She then sent an email in, in which she seemed to accept the county staff’s justification for the new designation of land-use.
I asked her if she had second thoughts about opposing the changes. Her answer was a resounding “no”.
She wrote, “I tried to outline what i heard second-hand about the staff’s situation in as neutral as friendly way possible.””I don’t agree with any of this.”
Maggy was trying understand her adversaries’ points of view. This tactic is one I have used myself many times when confronted with conflict.
She was ready to fight to protect Martin County’s quality-of-life, as she had done many times before.
It’s not uncommon to hear young people describe their deaths as full of vigor. Maggy was 81 when she died, but the same could be said about her.
I don’t think she would have been able to attend the public hearing regarding the proposed land-use changes.
The battle between environmentalists vs. developmentadvocates can be fierce and never-ending, especially in fast-growingFlorida.
Every time environmentalists fail to protect a piece of land from being graded and paved, they lose ground.
It can be frustrating, just like a kayaker trying fight against tidal force.
Maggy was a great paddling partner.
This column is Blake Fontenay’s opinion. Contact him via email at [email protected]or at 772-232-5424.
