1. The Urban Forum
UEL Board of Directors: NOTICE:
Nancy Liebman Sage Hoffman Enid Pinkney
The UEL accepts articles/letters
Ernest Martin Maria Ines Castro Gabrielle Redfern from its members and members of
Kay Hancock Apfel Bruce Hamerstrom Alberto Ruder the public. These articles/letters do
Ed Barberio Ruth Jacobs Denis Russ not always reflect the views of the Newsletter of The Urban Environment League
Kevin Doran Leroy Jones Maria Salvador Members of the UEL, or its Board, Website: www.uel.org
Gregory Bush James Jude Paul Schwiep or the views of the UEL Advisors. Issue No. 20 Email: uelmiami@bellsouth.net February 2007
Colgate Darden Richard Korman Fortuna Smukler To submit articles/letters, contact:
John DeLeon Santiago Leon David Turner
Robert Flanders Susan Luck John Van Leer uelmiami@bellsouth.net A Message from UEL President Nancy Liebman
Dan McCrea The editor takes full responsibility GROWTH, VISUAL BLIGHT, SCENIC POLLUTION, SPRAWL, TRAFFIC
for botching articles during cuts. AND A LOT OF CONCRETE:
Where has the Good Life Gone?
URBAN ENVIRONMENT LEAGUE OF GREATER MIAMI MEMBERSHIP & RENEWAL APPLICATION UEL is well into its UEL has still not
2007- 08 events resolved is the lack
NAME________________________________________________________________________________________________
mode. In 2006 we of open public
ADDRESS____________________________________CITY___________________ST.______ZIP______________________ hosted candidate’s participation for the
DAY PHONE____________________EVE. PHONE__________________________FAX_____________________________ forums for the 2006 Bicentennial Park
County Commission and Virginia Key
E-MAIL___________________________ OCCUP._________________INTEREST__________________________________
elections and City of master plans.
Signature__________________________________Date______________ (All fees are tax deductible.) Miami Commission At the UEL
elections. We held January Board
Membership $35 Preferred Mem. $50 Board Members and Sponsors of UEL $100 Donations: Students: $15
four successful dinner meeting, it was
programs at the agreed that UEL
UEL Dinner Feb. 20th historic Miami River would join with
Urban Environment Black History Month - Inn, held a Strong Miami Neighbor-
Overtown: Its Present Challenges UEL Bus Tour: River Walk in Ft. Lauderdale 11/17
League of Mayor Charter hoods United to
And Future Vision Change Debate and protest the City of
Greater Miami sponsored an Urban Smart Growth themed bus Miami’s neglect in presenting information to the
Also: Virginia Key Visioning Session &
tour to Delray Beach. public regarding developments to be built on public
945 Pennsylvania Avenue Dinner Feb. 6th (see inside)
Additionally, we negotiated a Watson Island lands with public funds.
Suite 100 An Urban Join UEL on Letter of Agreement between UEL and Flagstone UEL’s resolution can be found on Page 5 of this
Miami Beach, FL 33139 Environment a trip to Developers that provides for the public amenities newsletter. The resolution, if agreed upon by both
League Jupiter Friday, promised by the developer on Watson Island to be UEL and MNU will be sent to the Miami and
Phone: 305 532-7227
Bus completed prior to the time the Certificate of County Commissioners.
Fax: 305 532-8727 Tour March 23rd
Occupancy is issued by the City of Miami. Those We will continue to demand open, transparent
uelmiami@bellsouth.net See Centerfold public amenities include a garden designed by public planning workshops until relief is offered by
Website: www.uel.org Fairchild Gardens, a maritime museum designed the elected officials.
To receive information by the Miami Historical Museum, shops and To further exacerbate the City of Miami’s closed
on upcoming UEL events public baywalks, a garage roof top garden and a door park planning, is their recent betrayal of the
such as dinners, forums marina viewing pier. Look for the complete details public trust by allowing private, for profit closed-
and conferences send you of the agreement on Page 8 and 9 of this issue of door events in public parks during the New Year
the Urban Forum. Holiday and Super Bowl Week with no neighbor-
email address to:
UELmiami@bellsouth.net One of the on-going “burning” issues which hood input or involvement. (Continued next pg.)
12 1

2. O P I N I O N please take the ride – there is little Nancy receiving award of a signed Clyde
The Urban Environment League Dinner Forums place for green space, recreation and Butcher Photograph, from Nate Geisler
Are held at: The Historic Miami River Inn (This is from an email exchange with healthful living in the corridor along of Clean Water Fund and John
Nancy Liebman on the Watershed Study) US 1. Further, there is little space or Adornato of National Parks Conserva-
118 SW South River Drive tion Association. (Below) Nancy with
6:00 PM – Wine Reception financing for the new schools that
What is interesting to me in this this growth would require. Dan Kimball, Superintendent of
6:45 PM – Dinner, Followed by Program dialogue is that we have accepted the Perhaps we are playing an away
Everglades National Park. (The UEL
idea that our population will grow thanks Nate for all his hard work on
game, focusing on how to grow rather behalf of the environment.)
rapidly rather than working to con-
Limited Seating, RSVP a must: trol growth in our fragile ecosystem.
than whether to grow.
Miami River Inn: Evelyn Langlieb Greer
Why? District 9 Miami-Dade County
305-325-0045 In 1929, New York City predicted Public School Board Member
E-mail: Miamihotel@aol.com that its population would grow from
7.5 million to 11 million by 1965 –
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20 so long as the City invested in new UEL Activist, Nancy Lee
Honoring Black History Month - Overtown: Its Present Challenges And Future Vision. railway lines and needed infrastruc-
ture. The City, however, went broke
Receives
Moderator: Mike Vasquez. Speakers: Denise Perry, Director of Power U Center and Philip Bacon, General John Kabler Award
Manager, Growth Partnership for the Collins Center for Public Policy. instead and no infrastructure was
provided. Since the City also had a On January 20th longtime UEL
TUESDAY, MARCH 20 declining job base with high wage Activist, Nancy Lee was honored to
South Florida: A Regional Vision for our Future. manufacturing jobs being replaced by receive the prestigious John Kabler
Speaker: Jim Murley, Director of the Catanese Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions at Florida Atlan- lower wage service sector jobs, high Award from the Everglades Coalition
tic University. (This serves as a prequel to the UEL’s sponsored ABACOA Smart Growth bus tour. See center-fold) housing costs, high cost of living, etc.; during an awards dinner in Orlando.
TUESDAY, APRIL 17 the City actually did not grow in Since 1999, the John V. Kabler
Why Isn’t There A Stronger Constituency for Historic Preservation In Miami? (Dade Heritage Days Event) population at all during those 30 Award has been bestowed on some- Miami Dade, so the Everglades can
Speakers: Becky Roper Matkov, Executive Director, Dade Heritage Trust; City of Miami Historic Preservation years. It is now at 8.2 million. one who has worked to organize and thrive without a line of condo’s butt-
Planner Ellen J. Uguccioni and University of Miami School of Architecture Associate Professor Rocco Ceo, Co- Perhaps the City did not grow be- educate the public and generate ing up to the levee.”
cause a natural equilibrium had been grassroots support for Everglades res- She also acknowledged that the
Author of “The Historic Landscapes of Florida.”
reached – the high housing costs, low toration. Everglades learning curve was steep.
TUESDAY, MAY 15 “First you must learn a new language:
Are There Any Solutions To Our Transportation and Traffic Problems? wage jobs, and failing infrastructure The Everglades Coalition is an al-
encouraged potential new residents liance of 45 local, state and national Army Corps speak. And then you
Speakers: Miami Dade County Commissioner Carlos A. Gimenez and Bernardo Benes, one of the founding get this thick yellow bible filled with
to go elsewhere. conservation and environmental or-
members of the County’s MOVN (Meeting our Vehicular Needs) Initiative. We have invited a Board Member stuff you hardly understand. It is hard
Perhaps high housing costs, a low ganizations dedicated to full restora-
of the County’s Citizens Independent Transportation Trust. to recruit volunteers when you need
wage economy, hurricanes, high tion of the greater Everglades ecosys-
All dinners begin with a wine reception at 6PM and dinner at 6:45 followed by the speakers and a lively discussion. Open property taxes and insurance have tem, from the Kissimmee Chain of to understand an entire eco-system.”
to the public, admission is $25 for UEL Members and $30 for non-members. Reservations are required. A limited number created a natural equilibrium in Mi- Lakes into Lake Okeechobee,
of seats are available at no charge for the 7:30 discussion session only. ami as well. through the “River of Grass”, out to
Topics and speakers can change without notice. The Watershed Study assumed Florida Bay and the Keys. The UEL
rapid growth and tried to plan for it, is a member of the Everglades Coali-
which is good planning. However, tion and has fought to hold the line
UEL continues to advocate against harder in Tallahassee to take local ported by the New York Times (De- the number of students in our pub- on development near the Everglades.
visual blight from billboard and signage powers away from Florida’s cember 12, ‘06). The Times said, lic school system – that is, public Nancy Lee said in her acceptance
building signage pollution. Most of Home Rule counties. It is time for Brazil’s new law, which took effect on schools plus charter schools – has speech: “John Kabler tried to edu-
the signs found lurking along the in- the citizens to step up to the plate January 1, 2007, “is a rare victory of declined by 30,000 over the past five cate and organize people around Ev-
terstate roads are illegal, according to and demand an end to the visual pol- the public interest over private, of or- years. That is almost a 10% decline erglades issues. Like him I also try to
the County’s Outdoor Sign Ordi- lution of billboards and wall signs. der over disorder, aesthetics over ugli- in five years. The school system de- educate the public on the importance
nance, so, where is the enforcement? Even San Paulo, Brazil is banning ness, of cleanliness over trash”. mographer anticipates continued de- of the Everglades and specifically,
While the County, who holds the en- this type of visual obstruction from Will the time come when our clines in enrollment. these past few years, I have worked
forcement powers, drags its feet, the its skyline. According to an article elected officials consider prevailing If you have not driven down US 1 with grass roots coalitions to keep de-
sign industry continues to lobby from the Sao Paulo Journal and re- over private disorder? (More on Pg. 9) to Florida City in the past three years, velopment from the buffer lands in
2 11

3. Photo Album: Call To Action For the city’s planning director, sent a let- Australian tree-line path named af-
UEL Bus Tour 11/ ter to the South Florida Regional ter horse trainer, Sunny Fitzsimmons,
Elected Officials To Planning Council supporting the and a most impressive race track with
17/2006 1
Building a Help Save Hialeah Park Historic Preservation Board’s deci- infield lakes that the flamingos and
Shared Vision for sion, outlining a few historical facts, other birds still call home. The bo-
By Milly Herrera and objecting to the development tanical gardens include very old trees
the Future of our
Community Hialeah Park appears almost plan that was proposed. and a large Ficus Tree that was once
ghostly from afar. Those waiting at In May, Frederick P. Gaske, Direc- one of the most photographed in
the Metrorail Station can glance over tor and State Historic Preservation America. The Flamingo Fountain,
2 and see portions of the grounds and Officer under the Florida Depart- Widener Fountain and statue of Ci-
These are some candid
photos taken on the 3 4 5 often spot the pretty pink flamin- ment of State, tation still stand at Hialeah Park.
tour. We must thank gos by the lake. They won’t see sent a letter to Nonetheless, years of neglect and
Delray Beach Mayor the track because it Steve Lefton, ar- damage from Hurricane Wilma have
Jeff Pearlman and filled in with grass chitect for left all structures in dire need of re-
Diane Colonna of the over time; the Kimley-Horn pair. The stables were decertified by
CRA for the inspiring horses haven’t raced and Associates, the city council as historic in Novem-
presentation on the6 here since 2001, ber and were recently demolished and
echoing the same
Delray redevelopment.
and the stables lin- sentiments and lost forever....
We also want to thank the Florida Trust for Historic Preservation for hosting us at the Bonnet ing Palm Avenue outlining a num- As a community activist in Hi-
House. And thank you Gloria Katz of Smart Growth Broward for the Riverwalk Tour. are gone. Also visible from the ber of historical and architectural aleah and member of The Citizens
9 MetroRail Station is the top of the facts. of South Florida for the Preservation
8 magnificent clubhouse, which sadly Let’s look back of the Hialeah Race Track, I call on
shows damage sustained from Hur- James H. Bright, the founder of all elected officials who sincerely care
7
ricane Wilma in 2005 and previous the city of Hialeah, donated the land about this park to join us in helping
years of neglect, and nothing is be- that is Hialeah Park for public use and to save this historic treasure. This is
ing done to repair it. was successful at obtaining public especially a call to action to Cuban-
Massive Residential Development funding for its development. The Americans representing us at the lo-
A massive redevelopment plan was park opened in 1925 and went cal, state and federal levels. We did
proposed last year, to create a mixed through several transformations dur- not come to this country to destroy
used community on the park ing its initial years, including the re- a piece of American history or remain
10 grounds, which would include me- building of the clubhouse and grand- passive when such a threat exists.
dium and high density residential, a stand shortly after a Hurricane in Continued neglect and failure to
11 12 school and commercial “big box” re- 1926 damaged it. immediately repair the damaged
tail stores. We believe that any attempt to structures at Hialeah Park is irrespon-
In March 2006, the City of convert this park into a residential or sible. Our elected officials should feel
Hialeah’s Historic Preservation Board commercial complex goes against ev- the urgency of saving Hialeah Park
wrote that “The proposed develop- erything that Bright envisioned for and do something now.
ment has an adverse effect on the his- this site and fails to render the land Anyone interested in the preser-
toric character of the Hialeah Park for public use. vation of Hialeah Park should con-
13 Race Track because it is adverse to the Hialeah Park is of tremendous ar- tact either Alex Fuentes at:
protection, enhancement and per- chitectural and historical significance. afbmw750@aol.com, or Milly
petuation of building, structures, im- It marks the beginnings of the city of Herrera at: herrera101@aol.com.
provements, landscape features and Hialeah, its founders, first architects
historical sources of the Hialeah Park and builders, and represents a historic
Race Track that represents a distinc- resting place for the champion thor- Nate Geisler of Clean Water Fund
tive element of the city’s cultural, so- oughbreds that raced here. The 210- is leaving to attend graduate school.
cial, economic and architectural his- acre sanctuary displays two grand Nate worked with UEL during the
tory.” entrances, a magnificent clubhouse Hold The Line Campaign. We thank
Two weeks later, Debora Storch, of French-Mediterranean style, a long him and wish him the best of luck.
10 3

4. amenities be codified and UEL will precepts which is to make Island and safety fundamentals. The post-
Help Design the Future take on the burden of public moni-
toring (to which all parties agreed).
Here are the amenities UEL will be
Gardens a cultural experience. The
trust will be funded with a percent-
age of net operating income from the
construction Career Center will then
provide accredited education service
in areas such as retail management,
of Miami’s Tropical Island monitoring:
• 60% of the project is set aside as
public open space.
project and managed by a board
whose members will plan for the se-
lection of specific art and other in-
customer service, botanical training,
marina operations and hospitality.
The UEL may not like the project,
• A 100-foot wide promenade will stallations. or how it came about, but we now
February 6th Dinner and Visioning Session run the entire length of the property • The establishment of the Skill all have an obligation to assure that
In Honor of: on the water side. This promenade Training Center will require Flag- these public promises are fulfilled.
In Memory of Civil will be fully open to the public and stone to provide 10% of the construc- Too often in the past, public asser-
Environmentalist Rights Leader will connect to walking paths. The tion jobs to City of Miami residents tions have been neglected when no
Mabel Miller Athalie Range
promenade will be landscaped with and provide training for them to ob- one is looking. UEL will be the
palm trees and provide seating to tain marketable construction skills watchdog.
enjoy the waterfront view.
Speakers Include • A full-service fish market will be
constructed waterside next to the
Nancy Liebman, Continued...
UEL has been advocating for good urban planning and design practices
Miami-Dade Westin Hotel which will have its own
since its formation in 1997. With the onslaught of applications to move the
parking for easy access by the public.
Mayor Carlos Alvarez • A Maritime Gallery/Museum
Urban Development Boundary line, our organization hosted forums and
tours and spoke out in favor of a countywide master plan for urban design
will be designed and operated by the
infill and smart growth. We felt this would be a better alternative to moving
Historical Museum of Southern
the line for new development and dispelling some of the myths about den-
The city of Miami is embarking on an ambitious plan to create a Master Plan for Florida. The Museum originally re-
sity. The South Dade Watershed study was an example of a master plan for
the island but it is up to the residents of the city and the county to help provide input quested 4000 square feet of space,
urban infill development. However, in some circles, there remains a zealous
which is the minimum required in
into the design, otherwise the island could turn out like Watson Island or worse. the lease. However, the developer is
move to continue to develop beyond the UDB. Those line movers continue
You are invited to help the City of Miami and Miami-Dade County create a Master to gain momentum and some of the valuable concepts in the Watershed
working with the Museum to accom-
Plan for Virginia Key. It’s up to us and not simply professional planners to envision a study appear to be tanking.
modate additional square footage re-
Among the strategies of the Watershed Plan was the concept to tie new
better future for that unique island. quests.
development to infrastructure improvements. UEL continues to join the
• The developer is obligated to
chorus of citizens demanding the existing infrastructure within the urban
On February 6th Two Events will take place on Virginia Key spend up to $1,000,000 for the im-
core be fixed before adding new development outside the line.
provement of the South park area
You are invited to participate in either or both. (slated to be the only true public open
As the Watershed Committee sunsets, we applaud the efforts of its long
There will be a Dinner time chair, Roger Carlton and the valiant members of the environmental
space in City unencumbered owner-
community for their undying efforts to promote rational growth in Miami
To Honor the Late Chair of the Virginia Key Park Trust, Athalie Range & ship on the Island) and the Japanese
Dade County and address dire water issues. We should all be watching for
Garden. Improvements may include,
Longtime Virginia Key Activist Mabel Miller but are not limited to, a children’s
the new hoard of UDB line movers. It will probably be a cast of the same old
Cocktails at 5:30 (Cash bar) Dinner Begins at 6 pm: Cost of Dinner $25 players in 2008, once again trying to move development into the buffer
playground, restroom facilities, view-
lands of the Everglades. How much longer will Miami Dade Countians put
Location: Overlooking Biscayne Bay at Rosenstiel School ing area and lighting.
up with the urban sprawl that is crowding out the landscape? See an alter-
• A model boat basin will be con-
nate point of view by School Board member, Evelyn Greer on Page 11.
structed which will be similar to the
A Separate FREE Visioning Forum children’s boat basin in Central Park.
Coming up on the UEL agenda is the March 23th study tour to FIU’s
(including speakers, video overview of the island, oral history testimony and public Smart Growth Resource Center to learn from the experts how “smart growth”
•There is a small pier planned on
can be applied to Miami Dade County’s future. We will visit Abacoa, a model
comment) for Virginia Key. Open to the public from 7-9 pm. the east side of the mega yacht facil-
community developed with smart growth principles (see center-fold).
ity nearest to the fish market for a
Rosenstiel Auditorium, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Virginia Key. We are planning a joint venture with the Trust for Public Lands to host a
water taxi drop-off and pick-up sta-
Reservations are required to attend the dinner (where there is a cost of $25 per person) series of community workshops about growth management, density, urban
tion.
design and transportation.
If you are coming to the dinner you must call: 305 667-4398 to Reserve TODAY! • A civic arts trust is planned in
We look forward to seeing you at our events and hope you will share your
keeping with one of the major project
comments with us about the issues you read in this newsletter.
4 9

5. A Cautionary Tale: Millennium Park in Chicago. Not then lobbied the State to waive its
Miami. Part of the problem is that deed restrictions. Governor Jeb Bush UEL Resolution
Watson Island and the City the City still is recovering from its and the State Cabinet authorized the WHERE AS, THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT LEAGUE AND THE MIAMI NEIGHBORHOODS
of Miami’s Waterfront financial traumas of the 90’s, its brush waiver. UEL focused its opposition UNITED are non-profit organizations whose mission is to insure open, transparent planning and approval
By Ernie Martin, Senior Vice with bankruptcy, and its craving for on trying to get the promised public processes, and
President of the UEL revenue to claw its way to solvency— benefits implemented, but the City WHERE AS, the City of Miami has been negligent in providing public notices to its citizens regarding
which caused the City to view valu- was not forthcoming with any docu- projects paid for with public funds, and
Watson Island— the City of able public land owned by the tax- mentation. WHERE AS, the City of Miami needs to improve its communication process to inform its citizens about
Miami’s jewel on the MacArthur payers, presumably in perpetuity, as Finally, UEL hired a public com- zoning, permitting and use changes to their neighborhoods, and
Causeway connecting downtown an opportunity to sell off land to munication specialist to help us with
wealthy developers as a short-term fix the City—Mr. Alfredo Balsera. For- WHERE AS, the planning process in the City of Miami has failed to be an open and transparent process for
Miami to South Beach— is an in-
for their financial woes. With the tunately, he identified a County per- its residents seeking input and information regarding projects on public land, and
structive lesson of how NOT to save
public open space on Biscayne Bay. recent building boom and the in- mit process for an environmental WHERE AS, the citizens in Cocoanut Grove insured that City of Miami Sasaki Cocoanut Grove Waterfront
The City of Miami became the crease in the tax base, this mentality marina that required a public hear- Redevelopment Plan included an open public process complete with public hearings, recruiting citizens to
steward of this valuable land in 1949, should have switched back to munici- ing before the Board of County become part of the planning effort, open workshops, and the planning philosophy that “All development shall
when the State deeded the property pal service as the principal goal of Commissioners. With Nancy out of be determined through the public process” and
to the City stipulating that the City local government. But, to this day, town, I represented UEL on Septem- WHERE AS, the planning process for Bicentennial Park and Virginia Key has never had a scheduled public
could “not give or grant any license valuable public waterfront lands in ber 26, 2006 and strongly objected hearing, open workshops, or citizen involvement, and
or permit to any private person, firm Miami are not assigned to its Parks to the lack of documentation of the WHERE AS, the Buena Vista East Historic Neighborhood Association has filed a law suit against the City of
or corporation to construct struc- and Recreation Dept., whose mission public benefits promised by the de- Miami because of lack of public notice on projects the Association opposes, and
tures, buildings or other things on is to protect and develop public veloper. The City was represented by
spaces, but to its Economic Devel- Mayor Diaz, Miami Commissioners WHERE AS, the residents who live, pay for and support parks, public spaces, waterfronts, streetscapes, and
the...lands or any part thereof for any
opment Dept., whose mission is to Sanchez and Haskins, the lawyer for public buildings are the primary users and the major stakeholders in public projects and neighborhood changes,
private use or purpose.” The deed
maximize revenue to the City. the developer, and the developer him- and
further states that the city “never sell
or convey or lease the...land or any In this context, the UEL began an self. To our surprise, the County WHERE AS, the RFP process for public projects in the City of Miami lacks specifics for the creation of
part thereof to any private person, uphill battle—a sort of David and Commission agreed with us! They guidelines and scope of work that includes the public, and
firm or corporation for any private Goliath story—to try to salvage as deferred the meeting until the City WHERE AS, the residents in the City of Miami need to be kept informed about projects on public land,
use or purpose, it being the intention much public benefit from the Island and the entire development team met
of this restriction that the said lands Gardens project as was feasible, and with UEL to document the public BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED THAT THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT LEAGUE AND THE MI-
shall be used solely for public pur- remarkably we have had some major benefits.
AMI NEIGHBORHOODS UNITED WILL ESTABLISH THEIR COALITION TO DEMAND THAT
poses, including municipal purposes successes in the process. Nancy Liebman conducted the
UEL President Nancy Liebman negotiations, and (after some initial THE CITY OF MIAMI ENACT THE FOLLOWING IMPROVEMENTS TO CREATE AN OPEN AND
and not otherwise.” In recent years,
the City has leased the land to Parrot had tried to get the public benefit reluctance) all of the public docu- TRANSPARENT PLANNING AND APPROVAL PROCESS:
Island Jungle, the Children’s Museum provisions of Flagstone Properties, ments were released to us—the
(which, in a stretch, might arguably the developer of Island Gardens and equivalent of a couple of New York 1. Adopt the guidelines that adopt the methods used by Sasaki and Associates for the Cocoanut Grove
wiggle in as a “municipal purpose”) Mega Yacht Marina, to be specified City telephone books. Sadly, the Waterfront Redevelopment Plan to provide open and inclusive meetings with members of the community.
and now the Island Gardens and for at least two years, with no success City’s documentation is voluminous 2. Resolve to change the city ordinance to require direct notification to property owners within 1,000 feet of
Mega Yacht Marina, a 24 acre play- in getting City cooperation. Flag- about how much money the City a zoning and land use changes
ground for the rich with two towers stone had won a public Request for could get from the development, but 3. Require consultants for all public projects to assist stakeholders in following the process by requiring there
of 26 and 42 stories. The City, as Proposal process in 2001 by promis- sparse on how the public would ben- be a current dedicated link on their websites
steward of the land, has opened up ing several concessions for public efit from this give away of publicly 4. Establish a broad-based effort to appreciate the history of public spaces so that important history within a
the henhouse to the foxes. benefit, after which the project went owned land. Since we were holding community can be preserved
One might expect a tourist ori- to voter referendum in 2001 with up the approval of their marina per- 5. Finalize the city’s Master Plan to prevent the destruction of the historic character and built pattern of
ented waterfront City like Miami heavy lobbying by the City and Flag- mits, Flagstone and the City became existing neighborhoods
would use the availability of a strate- stone to waive the law against water- very forthcoming. Since we knew 6. Immediately plan for an open public workshop for Bicentennial Park and Virginia Key to include all
gically located public island in front land give-a ways. In an off elec- from the outset that we could not stakeholders throughout Miami Dade County
Biscayne Bay as an opportunity to tion with little opposition and heavy stop the project (a lawsuit by City 7. Establish a Resident’s Committee with members from each registered neighborhood association in the city
create a grand municipal park, some- Flagstone funding to persuade vot- citizens had already failed in the to participate with the Planning Department on public projects 8. Re-activate the Parks Advisory Board imme-
thing like Sydney’s waterfront or ers, the referendum passed. The City courts) we demanded that public diately to create a public oversight process in the city.
8 5

6. 6 7