When will the Grove call its own shots?

It's interesting to note that the Colombian parade happening this weekend, was given permission to take place even though the Grove was basically against it. The BID (Business Improvement District), local businesses said "no" and many Grovites are not for it (I have gotten emails and people have told me in person), they don't want the street closed down and I suspect it is also because it is "our town" and locals want to decide what events take place.

The BID says they told the parade organizers to come up with another plan and they did, but I know from certain BID members that they are totally against this parade closing any street down, even if it is a partial street.

To be honest, many of the condo dwellers and others, just don't like so many street closures because it messes with access to and from their homes. So many of them leave during events like the recent Coconut Grove Arts Festival to avoid the traffic, noise and craziness, while others, who don't live right on top of the events live for these type events.

I am sure the Colombian festival and parade is a great event, and that is why I promoted it with a story, but it reminds me of the Merrie Christmas Park issue, where neighbors have no say in their own neighborhood park until they protested and made a big deal of it. But no one was informed or voted on the issue before the fact. The City comes in and just does what it wants. I am told that three City Commissioners want the parade here. I am also told that the BID agreed to the new route up South Bayshore Drive, but I am sure that is because the City told them that is the way it is. The BID does what it is told to do, the BID does not think on its own, never has. I am sure that if I took a poll today of the main BID board and the BID marketing committee, the majority of these board members would vote "no" on having the parade on South Bayshore Drive, or anywhere in the Grove for that matter.

Of course it's all about money, not quality of life. The City gets their city services paid -- police, permits, so does the BID, they get their cut and even waste removal gets a fee. As of this writing, no one has been paid yet by the Colombian group.

The Gifford Lane Art Stroll almost didn't happen this year because the City was strong arming the neighbors for lots of fees from police to insurance and permits. District Commissioner Marc Sarnoff stepped in and took care of the fees for the neighbors, but there is now a doubt as to whether Sunday's event was the last one because of this.

This is another reason why Coconut Grove needs to be it's own City and get out of the clutches of the City of Miami. They're doing it in the Middle East, do we need to start a Twitter and Facebook protest here to be free?