History of the
Selby Community Association
Beginnings - Selby on the Bay Citizens Association
The Selby on the Bay Citizens Association was formed subsequent
to our community's famous 1938 Perpetual Injunction. While the
original developers of Selby on the Bay, Williams & Branham,
were trying to sublet our promised private beach area to the
public for a fee, the residents rallied support behind the
residents who were taking the Selby on the Bay Properties Co. to
court for fraud. Mr. & Mrs. Robey - and anyone
"similarly situated" to them in Selby, had won
permanent rights to use all of the Community Beach and Park
property as promised verbally through the sales speeches and also
materially through the plats, which the salesmen used to sell the
building lots.
The Selby on the Bay Citizens Association was formally organized August 4, 1938. The association acted for the community in public arenas and has improved and maintained the property at the beach ever since. Click here to view 1938 SBCA by-laws.
Selby Community Association -
The Selby Community Association formed on January 12,
1962 after the Selby on the Bay Citizen's Association (SBCA)
merged with the Selby Property Owners Association (SPOA). The
SBCA had been in existence since 1938, just after the Circuit
Court Injunction had been granted to resident Howard Robey, and
his wife. Around 1960, a small faction of the community became
dissatisfied with the SBCA and decided to form another
association. The new association was called Selby Property Owners
Association (SPOA). The two organizations co-existed for a while,
having separate meetings, agendas, and interests, but the two
finally mended their differences, rejoined one another and
incorporated the Selby Community Association (SCA) in 1962.
Holiday Point Marina vs. Selby Community Association
This was a long fought battle that was finally won by
the community in 1996. The marina expansion threatened
encroachment on our private beach and park area. Then SCA
President, Bill Harding, our legal council, Tom Wohlgemuth, along
with many volunteers, watermen, Holiday Point Marina owners and
politicians fought long and hard on this issue. Our thanks to the
many individuals that supported the SCA in this fight.
Growth and Development
Our community association is not against growth and development,
but we have two substantial marinas in our neighborhood, so we
must limit the amount of commercial growth there is within our
residential community. Increased traffic, pollution, noise and
otherwise are all factors to consider with this type of growth.
You can limit development, especially critical waterfront
development, but you can never reverse it.
We have a duty to our permanent and long-time residents not to let the builders and developers do as they please in our community. It is apparent that it is our responsibility to monitor this development because the county is spread too thin to spend the proper time evaluating the commercial and residential development that is happening in our waterfront neighborhood. When they find they have allowed something in error - their response is "sorry but there is nothing we can do now".
History-
1962 - SCA is incorporated from the merging of
two earlier community organizations.
1985 - Received "Pop's Park" from
local property owner.
1992 -Passed legislation limiting the
development of our area.
With the AA Co. Communal Sewer System construction impending,
Selby on the Bay was expected to develop to over 900 homes (more
than doubling). This legislation limited larger tracts of
developing areas of the community from being subdivided into
individual minimum lot sizes. This legislation favored the
community limiting developers from building on every inch of the
community. To recoup the loss in value of the property
limitations, developers have built larger, more moderate homes
enhancing the community's appearance. Some of the property has
been grandfathered or passed variances to achieve some of the
smaller lot development.
1996 - Success in limiting Holiday Point Marina
expansion. Fear of increased pollution at Selby Beach and greater
non-resident traffic in our community drove this issue for nearly
5 years.
1998 - Received legal easement for and installed
a new entrance sign at Mayo Road & Selby Boulevard. 1998 was
first time in SCA history that a legal easement had been acquired
for this property, limiting the property owners liability. A sign
has been on this spot for over 6 decades.
2000 - The Selby Trust, which has title to most
of our community beach property, donated 3 parcels of the land to
the Selby Athletic Association(SAA). An agreement was signed
between the SCA, the SAA and the Selby Trust stating that the
Selby Trust will grant to the SAA most of the rest of the
property over the next six years. The Selby Trust is comprised of
a family group who acquired the land 30 years ago. They do not
reside in Selby.
Our Special Community Benefit Tax District was expanded to
include the entire community of Selby on the Bay, instead of just
the original older section. This action has increased our
revenues dramatically, as well as allowing the whole neighborhood
to contribute equally to upgrades and maintenance of our common
areas.
2001 - As of January 1, 2001, all lot owners in
Selby on the Bay are members of the SCA.
Judge Ronald A. Silkworth ordered that the SCA and all lot owners
have free and unobstructed rights to the clubhouse.
Retrospective-
Looking through the SCA archives - since 1962, there has been a
decline in community participation and interest by the community
residents. As with many of the summer-resort areas on the
peninsula, our community has evolved into a community of
full-time residents and the once powerful SCA has at the same
time diminished with the county performing many functions that
the community association once performed. The lack of community
participation fostered a long period of declining interest. For
many years our community association was made up of the same
people, hard working but without enough time and support to
regain the SCA's once powerful force on the Mayo Peninsula.
Unable to find enough people to fill board positions the SCA
board became frustrated and uneffective.
The SCA has made a resurgence in the past decade. We understand that today people are very busy with work and family, and few have time for community-oriented participation. But remember that your community is where you raise your family and an improvement in your community is good for everyone's family.
Our Community is like any other, except for that we have a
beautiful private beach and the Benefit District to automatically
provide the funds to improve it. I guess it is not like any
other.
The SCA projects that, with current growth, the number of
homes in Selby on the Bay will hit over 550 homes in 1999. With
new owners in the community, great opportunities for enhancement
of our Community Beach & Park and a revitalization of the
association, we hope to set new standards and practices to meet
the demands of today's growing community.
Martin O'Callaghan
Past President
1999
1961-62 John Winner
1962-63 Harry Garner
1963-64 Marion M. Miller
1964-65 George S. Thompson
1965-66 John Samborn
1966-67 John Samborn
1967-68 George S. Thompson
1968-69 George S. Thompson
1969-70 Edward G. Gentner
1970-71 Edward G. Gentner
1971-72 Raymond King
1972-73 Maude Glasscock
1973-74 Michael Wader
1974-75 James Boock
1975-76 James Boock
1976-77 Catherine L. Small
1977-78 Loyal "Mike"Goff
1978-79 James Boock
1979-80 James Boock
1980-81 Gary Moses
1981-82 Stephen "Mike" Mattero
1982-83 Stephen "Mike" Mattero
1983-84 Edward Hitt, Jr.
1984-85 Edward Hitt, Jr.
1985-86 David T. Connolly
1986-87 Salvatore Emelio, Jr.
1987-88 Bradley Kessler
1988-89 Bradley Kessler
1989-90 Edward Hitt, Jr.
1990-91 Edward Hitt, Jr.
1991-92 Michele Ruth
1992-93 Michele Ruth
1993-94 Bill Harding
1994-95 Bill Harding
1995-96 Bill Harding
1996-97 Martin O'Callaghan
1997-98 Martin O'Callaghan
1998-99 Martin O'Callaghan
1999-00 Susan Lanier
2000-01 Susan Lanier
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Last updated 1/31/02.