Let's see how Green the Mayor is
Here is a letter sent to Mayor Manny Diaz from Commissioner Marc Sarnoff.
I think the Mayor turned green (in the face) after receiving this:
April 27, 2007
VIA E-MAIL:
The Honorable Manny Diaz
Mayor, City of Miami
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, Florida 33133
Re: Grove Bay Residences
3663 South Miami Avenue
Dear Mayor Diaz:
Pursuant to the Commission Hearing of Thursday, April 26, 2007, District 2 would ask that you veto the City Commission’s 3-2 vote in favor of PZ Items No. 1 and 2 concerning 3663 South Miami Avenue [“Grove Bay Residences”]. As you are aware, PZ-1, a change to the Neighborhood Comprehensive Plan, pursuant to the record, this project would:
1. Act to harm the quality of life in the neighborhood.
2. Foster a decline in the surrounding neighborhood.
3. Promote a negative economic impact, reducing job opportunities.
4. Harm the City’s ability to foster downtown as a regional center.
5. Foster land use conflicts in Coconut Grove.
6. Harm our significant natural and coastal resources [diminishing in the City of Miami].
Further, I would ask that you veto PZ-2, a zoning change from GI to R4. Specifically, Zoning Ordinance Section 2210, requires the Commission to apply certain standards when considering a change of zoning request. Although the City of Miami staff concluded a zoning change was acceptable under certain conditions, it failed to address and demonstrate the required standards were met – as they could not be. The overwhelming competent and substantial testimony demonstrated that:
· The proposed change is not in harmony with the established land use pattern. There was no competent evidence showing that this proposal is in harmony with the neighborhood.
· The proposed change is not related to adjacent and nearby districts, and no evidence is in the record showing how it is.
· The change suggested is out of scale with the needs of the neighborhood and the city, and no competent evidence was presented to the contrary.
· The proposed change does not maintain the same or similar population density pattern and does increase and overtax the load on streets and on public facilities;
· The proposed change to multifamily high rise residential, by this application which allows more than 250 units units, will create an adverse impact on traffic both in the short term, during construction, and during the life of any multi family high rise residential development, due to traffic generated by the residents, visitors, and the myriad of service people required to support the dense development allowed under R-4 zoning. South Bayshore Drive is a designated scenic corridor, which cannot be widened or enhanced for traffic.
· This change will negatively affect public safety to a greater extent than the existing classification;
· The testimony from the uncompensated neighbors shows overwhelming concern over the negative impact on already congested streets in the immediate neighborhood.
· There are no changed or changing conditions which make the passage of the proposed change necessary (unless you consider the increasing value of our neighborhood shoreline). The change in zoning to R-4 – High Density Multi Family Residential - will establish a dangerous precedent for additional massive development in this single family neighborhood. It will create the “changing condition” which will be used to support the next application for a similar such use.
· The proposed change will not positively influence living conditions in the neighborhood, and in fact, will negatively influence quality of life and living conditions in the immediate neighborhood as well as throughout the Grove.
· The proposed change will have a negative impact on light and air to adjacent areas as the existing classification;
· The proposed change will have a negative impact on property values in the adjacent neighborhood;
· The proposed change will not contribute to the improvement or development of adjacent property.
· The proposed change does not convey the same treatment to the individual owner as to owners within the same classification and the immediate area and does not further the protection of the public welfare;
· There are absolutely no reasons why the use of this site is unfairly limited under existing zoning;
· It would not be difficult for the developer to find other adequate sites in the surrounding area for the proposed use in districts already permitting such use.
Finally, I would strongly urge you to utilize your veto powers provided to the Mayor under our City Charter, failing in same, I urge you to veto PZ3 and instruct the Commission to come back with conditions to the MUSP, in the event you fail to exercise your veto power for PZ-1 and PZ-2, by demanding:
1. A green construction, LEED Gold Standard and nothing less.
2. A well lighted bay walk of a minimum of twenty-five feet (25-ft.), open to the public at all times.
3. A public bike path sidewalk on a wider road leading to the public bay walk from South Bayshore Drive, with signage located on South Bayshore Drive.
4. A public park of at least Ten Thousand square feet (10,000 sq.ft.).
5. Free public parking reasonably close to the park, in an amount to allow the free use of the park.
6. The Park, Bay Walk, Bike Path, Sidewalk, Signage and parking for park/bay walk users shall be completed and open to the public prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the first phase of the three building project.
7. The requirement of an off duty police officer to direct traffic along Bayshore Drive for construction vehicles.
8. The complete obliteration of the sight of the three (3) towers from Vizcaya, with the use of mature massive oak trees on the Vizcaya property, if permitted, or on the property of 3663 South Miami Avenue.
9. The staggering of times for construction vehicles’ arrivals and departures so as to not coincide with hospital shifts or peak usage of Bayshore Drive.
10. The shuttling of all construction workers to and from the building site from a remote location away from the Grove (perhaps from under the Metro rail parking, station, or lot).
District 2 strongly urges you, Mr. Mayor, as a resident of district 2, to exercise the veto power provided to you under the City Charter, to protect the health, welfare and safety of District 2 voters and more specifically, Coconut Grove. Your words at the State of the City Address were profound and with the deeds behind it we truly can create a sustainable city.
I look forward to your prompt response.
Yours very truly,
Marc David Sarnoff
Commissioner District 2
City of Miami
cc: City Clerk
City Attorney, Jorge Fernandez
Mr. Pedro G. Hernandez, City Manager
Commissioner Angel Gonzalez
Commissioner Joe M. Sanchez
Commissioner Tomas P. Regalado
Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones
I think the Mayor turned green (in the face) after receiving this:
April 27, 2007
VIA E-MAIL:
The Honorable Manny Diaz
Mayor, City of Miami
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, Florida 33133
Re: Grove Bay Residences
3663 South Miami Avenue
Dear Mayor Diaz:
Pursuant to the Commission Hearing of Thursday, April 26, 2007, District 2 would ask that you veto the City Commission’s 3-2 vote in favor of PZ Items No. 1 and 2 concerning 3663 South Miami Avenue [“Grove Bay Residences”]. As you are aware, PZ-1, a change to the Neighborhood Comprehensive Plan, pursuant to the record, this project would:
1. Act to harm the quality of life in the neighborhood.
2. Foster a decline in the surrounding neighborhood.
3. Promote a negative economic impact, reducing job opportunities.
4. Harm the City’s ability to foster downtown as a regional center.
5. Foster land use conflicts in Coconut Grove.
6. Harm our significant natural and coastal resources [diminishing in the City of Miami].
Further, I would ask that you veto PZ-2, a zoning change from GI to R4. Specifically, Zoning Ordinance Section 2210, requires the Commission to apply certain standards when considering a change of zoning request. Although the City of Miami staff concluded a zoning change was acceptable under certain conditions, it failed to address and demonstrate the required standards were met – as they could not be. The overwhelming competent and substantial testimony demonstrated that:
· The proposed change is not in harmony with the established land use pattern. There was no competent evidence showing that this proposal is in harmony with the neighborhood.
· The proposed change is not related to adjacent and nearby districts, and no evidence is in the record showing how it is.
· The change suggested is out of scale with the needs of the neighborhood and the city, and no competent evidence was presented to the contrary.
· The proposed change does not maintain the same or similar population density pattern and does increase and overtax the load on streets and on public facilities;
· The proposed change to multifamily high rise residential, by this application which allows more than 250 units units, will create an adverse impact on traffic both in the short term, during construction, and during the life of any multi family high rise residential development, due to traffic generated by the residents, visitors, and the myriad of service people required to support the dense development allowed under R-4 zoning. South Bayshore Drive is a designated scenic corridor, which cannot be widened or enhanced for traffic.
· This change will negatively affect public safety to a greater extent than the existing classification;
· The testimony from the uncompensated neighbors shows overwhelming concern over the negative impact on already congested streets in the immediate neighborhood.
· There are no changed or changing conditions which make the passage of the proposed change necessary (unless you consider the increasing value of our neighborhood shoreline). The change in zoning to R-4 – High Density Multi Family Residential - will establish a dangerous precedent for additional massive development in this single family neighborhood. It will create the “changing condition” which will be used to support the next application for a similar such use.
· The proposed change will not positively influence living conditions in the neighborhood, and in fact, will negatively influence quality of life and living conditions in the immediate neighborhood as well as throughout the Grove.
· The proposed change will have a negative impact on light and air to adjacent areas as the existing classification;
· The proposed change will have a negative impact on property values in the adjacent neighborhood;
· The proposed change will not contribute to the improvement or development of adjacent property.
· The proposed change does not convey the same treatment to the individual owner as to owners within the same classification and the immediate area and does not further the protection of the public welfare;
· There are absolutely no reasons why the use of this site is unfairly limited under existing zoning;
· It would not be difficult for the developer to find other adequate sites in the surrounding area for the proposed use in districts already permitting such use.
Finally, I would strongly urge you to utilize your veto powers provided to the Mayor under our City Charter, failing in same, I urge you to veto PZ3 and instruct the Commission to come back with conditions to the MUSP, in the event you fail to exercise your veto power for PZ-1 and PZ-2, by demanding:
1. A green construction, LEED Gold Standard and nothing less.
2. A well lighted bay walk of a minimum of twenty-five feet (25-ft.), open to the public at all times.
3. A public bike path sidewalk on a wider road leading to the public bay walk from South Bayshore Drive, with signage located on South Bayshore Drive.
4. A public park of at least Ten Thousand square feet (10,000 sq.ft.).
5. Free public parking reasonably close to the park, in an amount to allow the free use of the park.
6. The Park, Bay Walk, Bike Path, Sidewalk, Signage and parking for park/bay walk users shall be completed and open to the public prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy for the first phase of the three building project.
7. The requirement of an off duty police officer to direct traffic along Bayshore Drive for construction vehicles.
8. The complete obliteration of the sight of the three (3) towers from Vizcaya, with the use of mature massive oak trees on the Vizcaya property, if permitted, or on the property of 3663 South Miami Avenue.
9. The staggering of times for construction vehicles’ arrivals and departures so as to not coincide with hospital shifts or peak usage of Bayshore Drive.
10. The shuttling of all construction workers to and from the building site from a remote location away from the Grove (perhaps from under the Metro rail parking, station, or lot).
District 2 strongly urges you, Mr. Mayor, as a resident of district 2, to exercise the veto power provided to you under the City Charter, to protect the health, welfare and safety of District 2 voters and more specifically, Coconut Grove. Your words at the State of the City Address were profound and with the deeds behind it we truly can create a sustainable city.
I look forward to your prompt response.
Yours very truly,
Marc David Sarnoff
Commissioner District 2
City of Miami
cc: City Clerk
City Attorney, Jorge Fernandez
Mr. Pedro G. Hernandez, City Manager
Commissioner Angel Gonzalez
Commissioner Joe M. Sanchez
Commissioner Tomas P. Regalado
Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones
posted by Tom Falco at 4:14 PM
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19 Comments:
Nice job, Marc. Keep up the good work.
CL
Uh oh, competence on the City Commission. Surely there must be an ordnance which prohibits rational discussion.
Fantastic letter. Manny Diaz "the Green Mayor"? Let us see if Manny Diaz can walk the walk, not just talk the talk?
Manny? District 2 vs. Jorge Perez?
Quality of Life vs. More Concrete?
Take your pick?
Marc Sarnoff spoke very eloquently and logically while making his most recent presentation to the Coconut Grove Village Council.
Hopefully Mayor Manny Diaz will be more logical and more community minded then Commissioners Spence-Jones, Gonzalez and Sanchez.
But to get him to veto the 3 to 5 City Commissioners vote is a real long shot.
I don’t recall him ever vetoing any vote since he has been in office.
I don’t recall him ever saying no to a developers request to up-zone his soon to be acquired or recently acquired property.
I hope that Marc also sent his brilliant Letter out to all media including; Jim DeFede, Ch 4,6,7,10, 33, Michael Putney, New times, Miami Today, Sun Post, Miami Today, Biscayne Times, Miami Monthly Magzine, Miami Business Review and submitted it in a revised form as an Op-Ed piece or a Letter To The Editor to the Herald.
I hope that Marc has some help in communication his noble desires to our cities Latino community via Spanish language media.
One way to appeal to Mayor Diaz may be to discuss his “Legacy.”
Does he always want to be known in this town as “Cement Manny” or is there still time to actually turn his reputation around and really get the public to see him as “Our First Green Mayor” and possibly even as the “Defender of the Public Good?”
I believe that by not vetoing this unprecedented and unlawful change in zoning vote by these three Commissioners, Mayor Diaz will position himself as a codefendant with them in a lawsuit that may be set in motion.
The City Atty should also be liable for not declaring more forcibly that non-zoning issues were not admissible.
The City Atty should also be punished or fired for acting as the 6th Commissioner.
The City should also provide the public with an advocate representative (like a court appointed attorney for a defendant in a trial) when the community is fighting an issue that the city should be defending through our own laws.
Harry Emilio Gottlieb
Coconut Grove
Let's back Commissioner Sarnoff by sending an email to Diaz asap. Put the pressure on the pseudo pundit to be a real mayor for his peeps.
Marc left out one request.
11. I want a pony and train set for Christmas.
Doesn't anyone know that politicians who say they are "Green" are just providing opiates to the masses?
Just look at Al Gore's hypocrisy with his energy consuming McMansion.
Marc left out one request.
11. I want a pony and train set for Christmas.
Doesn't anyone know that politicians who say they are "Green" are just providing opiates to the masses?
Just look at Al Gore's hypocrisy with his energy consuming McMansion.
As much as that last comment probably pissed off the majority of people on this blog, I thought it was pretty funny, hahaha.
I think that if Mr. Sarnoff is going to try and turn things around, its best to try one thing at a time rather than send a laundry list of requests. Then again, maybe start with the laundry list to get it all out there and then attack each point one by one?
The simple fact of the matter is that it doesnt matter how many letters Mr. Sarnoff or anyone on this blog writes. History has shown time and time again that we are screwed by this incompetent and "in your face" corrupt government. Not to say that there isnt at least a little corruption in every city government, but Miami officials seem to shove it in your face with a "go ahead and try and stop us" attitude. Its almost the same as dealing with my condo board. You have a bunch of unqualified morons making decisions for the population under the disguise of "benefitting everyone" when in fact they only care to benefit themselves.
You people's apathy is exactly what's ailing this country. You live in a bubble...and we all know what inevitably happens to bubbles.
I'll take what you consider to be Al Gore's hypocrisy anyday. He's trying to save your bubble!
Just a note. The whole thing on how much al gores electric bill was bogus. They based his consumption on the bill amount. however Al pays the extra option you can select on you electric service with charges you a greater fee, in exchange for renewable energy.
Hey, at least Al doesn't travel to rubber chicken fundraisers in a 747.
Marc Sarnoff was advocating for tree canopies and green space long before Manny Diaz took his first "Concrete Appreciation" course at Belen.
Let's support people who are proponents of a healthy planet. Period.
Micro-analyzing the activities of those in the public eye to make ourselves somehow less guilty of participating in the environmental/global protection agenda is unproductive.
But then again fellow citizens of the planet, why change?
If Mayor Diaz proves himself to advocate the environment as he claims - let's support his every move. If not...well, the benefit of the doubt is in order until he f#*@%! up!
You realize that Manny Diaz views every park in Miami as an opportunity to cover grass with concrete?
Manny proposes to pave 12-13 acres of Bicentennial Park with three museums and 3-4 other concrete structures. And Manny has paved over green space in many of our other parks. Green?
Maybe the green represents money
...and we've all misunderstood the real meaning of the greening of Manny!
The following is an interesting prospective, especially after reading all of the above blogs that espouse untruths and hysteria.
"I see that Commissioner Sarnoff is sponsoring a softball game this weekend. I have always been a big fan of games. In the spirit of ball games, I feel Mercy was Marc’s strike two and we the Grove are paying a big price for his over zealous, grovite hysteria. I voted for Marc based on his “smart growth” platform and I feel it is time for him to address his platform. We could have had the Max Stan design for Home Depot. We were working to limit the uses, traffic patterns, and limited delivery intrusions through our neighborhoods. After months of debate with the developer we are getting the same old home depot design with zero charm or character. Strike one!
Grove Activist, smart growth provides a means for communities to incorporate more compact building design as an alternative to conventional, land consumptive development. The proposed and modified Grove Bay project is the best alternative for the Mercy Property, but we could have made it a better if we would have worked with the developer. We took a harsh loosing stand. Mercy hospital stated over and over---we are committed to selling the land. Development happens! Let us be smart. The recent letter by Sarnoff to Mayor Diaz asking for a veto on the Mercy Project may have merit, but is it too late? If Related finds a burst of good will we have a great bay walk and the landscaping will be spectacular. They already lowered the building to 289 feet and promised a substantial public bay walk. Grove Isle is 220 feet! Marc, it is time to actually implement smart growth. Why vote no—vote lets make it the best we can for Coconut Grove. Force workshops with developers. There are two real properties left for major development in Coconut Grove. Development will come by right. Don’t make it strike three?"
Marc, as a leader, was downright WRONG not to negotiate these items with the developer AND console Grovite angst PRIOR to the vote on April 26th. Better late than never? I don't think so. Let's not forget that HIS vote was also made to garner votes in November. If he were a little more intelligent, he would not have just yielded to the whining going on here and in other blogs, but would have voted in favor of the Mercy project with a clear conscience, having negotiated in advance, the points outlined in his letter.
Grove Bay as proposed is not 289' tall, it is more like 311' tall.
It is hard to respect a company like Related, owned by Jorge Perez, which has to spend a year writing checks and paying off as many people as possible. Perhaps Related would like to disclose how much money it spent buying votes? Is that "smart planning"?
Generally "community-popular" planning includes a down-zoning as is in the case of the Related project. The age old battle between development and anti-development rages on -- but sometimes there is room for compromise. Personally, the impact on MY life (traffic, etc)will be much deminished by the passing of the Related project. MY thanks go to the Commissioner's who voted in favor -- I may still be able to enjoy my ride along Bayshore.
Marc Sarnoff does not have any idea what Smart Growth is. It's time to get real and elect a new commissioner!
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