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Posted by Cynthia Guerra on 18:36:30 06/13/05
In Reply to: Florida City annexation approved? posted by Marci
Action Alert: Everglades Wetlands
Ask Miami-Dade County Commissioner's to support Mayor Alvarez's veto of the annexation of Everglades Wetlands!
Despite hearing from numerous residents, community and environmental groups, and despite the presence of over 200 people present in opposition to the annexation, the Board of County Commissioners approved the Florida City Annexation, by a vote of 7-5 on June 7th.
Votes for: Barbara J. Jordan, District 1; Dorrin D. Rolle, District 2; Dennis C. Moss, Vice Chairman, District 9; Joe A. Martinez, Chairman, District 11; Bruno A. Barreiro, District 5; José Pepe Diaz, District 12; and Natacha Seijas, District 13.
Votes against: Katy Sorenson, District 8; Barbara Carey-Shuler, Ed. D., District 3; Sally A. Heyman, District 4; Rebeca Sosa, District 6; and Carlos A. Gimenez, District 7
Absent: Senator Javier D. Souto, District 10
Miami-Dade County Mayor Alvarez isued a veto on Friday, June 10th. Please contact your commissioner and Commission Chair Martinez and tell them to uphold the veto:
To find out who your commissioner is, visit
http://gisims.miamidade.gov/scripts/esrimap.dll?name=CountyServices&Cmd=Map
Further Information:
This is a critical decision point that sets the stage for future land use battles in Miami-Dade County.
Florida City has requested to annex over 1700 acres of Everglades wetlands, which could then be developed into 6000 homes, office and retail space and a movie theater. Annexation and any proposed development is inappropriate for this area and it will impair the progress of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.
The 1700 acres are within the boundaries of two projects of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) intended to restore and enhance the freshwater and coastal wetlands and the nearshore environment of Biscayne National Park and Bay, the panhandle of Everglades National Park and Barnes and Card Sounds. Allowing annexation of this land will decrease the oversight of any proposed development on this property. Since the land owner and Lennar Homes have already proposed a plan to build over 6,000 homes in this area, the threat of destroying these wetlands is real. Development will directly reduce the success of these restoration projects' objectives of protecting and enhancing critically important Everglades wetlands.
The County must retain jurisdiction over this property to control any development requests. Approval of any development in this location is unequivocally inconsistent with the County's imperative to direct and encourage in-fill and redevelopment in underutilized urban areas of the County. The project pushes development into a low-lying, flood prone area of Miami-Dade where the development should be avoided. Due to the project's proximity to U.S. Route 1 and Card Sound Road, a hurricane evacuation plan for this area will likely have negative impacts on the evacuation for Florida Keys residents. With the reality of last years four-hurricane season, this is unacceptable for those residents. Development in this area will also compromise the drinking water wells for south Dade communities, and the Florida Keys.
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