Essay contest has land prize

DeFUNIAK SPRINGS  -Fifty-nine acres for $100?
    It's not a scam, says Linda Christy, CEO and executive director of DeFuniak Springs-based Urban Matters for the Arts, and partner and chief marketing officer of Mezzaluna Springs Development.
    Urban Matters and Rural Artist Workspace have teamed up with Mezzaluna to sponsor an essay contest. Entrants must pay a $100 fee, and whoever pens the best essay in 100 words or fewer about how he or she will use the land in an environmentally friendly way wins the land.
    According to the Holmes County Property Appraiser's Office, the land was put into a family trust in 1920. In November, Mezzaluna Springs Development purchased 160 acres for $925,000. Holmes County Deputy Property Appraiser Cindy Pope said the 59-acre parcel at stake is valued at $118,000 and current taxes total about $1,800.
    When asked about the contest, Karen Szulczewski, communications director of the Better Business Bureau of Northwest Florida, said it almost sounds like a lottery.
    "The state of Florida has pretty strict rules on raffles and drawings," she added.
    " You're basically submitting $100 for the chance to win property, and there's no guarantee you're going to get anything out of it."
    But it could be worth it if people are willing to take a chance.
    Any structure built on the land would get its water and sewer service through a well and septic system, Christy wrote in an e-mail. But if the essay winner wants to build more than 50 homes on the site, he or she could tap into the public water and sewer system that serves the Mezzaluna Springs development.
    The 59 acres are "not needed for our present plans," she said. If too few people enter the contest, single-family homes will be built on the site eventually.
    The contest judges are "looking for someone who's open to using the property in a manner that is complementary to Mezzaluna Springs," a nearby new-urban community that features abundant green space, community centers, bike paths, energy-efficient homes and 80 acres of protected wetlands.
    For more information, go to www.mezzalunasprings.com.
    "Living out in Florida, there's a great need for walkable communities and affordable housing, particularly in Northwest Florida," said Christy, who added that the site is "an ideal location to build a new urbanism community" that is affordable for people such as firefighters, police officers and teachers.
    "There's plenty of homes out there for the wealthy, but not for the ones who provide the essentials of life," she said.
    The property's mixed-use zoning allows for the development of 50,000 square feet of commercial space and up to 100 residential units. In addition, a small portion of the wetlands on the property has been put into a conservancy.
    Urban Matters was formed in Grand Rapids, Mich., in 2004, Christy said. The company relocated from Fort Myers to DeFuniak Springs in 2008.
    "We have business consultants who volunteer time to work with emerging artists to help them acquire some of the business skills they need to start a business," Christy said. "They help them put together business plans, establish business goals and help them work with bankers and small business associations to get the loans they need."
    The group also helps coordinate art exhibits, performances and concerts.
    Essay contest entries should include the person's name, address, phone number and e-mail address, and should be sent to linda@urbanmatters.org. They also can be submitted to Linda Christy, c/o Urban Matters for the Arts Inc., 446 S. 11th St., DeFuniak Springs, FL 32435.
    The deadline is May 1 and the winner will be notified on or before May 6. Entrants must be at least 18 years old.
    For more information, call Linda Christy at 635-4062, ext. 2, or e-mail her at linda@urbanmatters.org.