Tying things up
I won't go on about the Grove Bay vote, but after writing for months against the project, I think I should just tie things up after the election.
So the Stop Grove Bay campaign lost and the Grove Harbour project won. Ironically, if it had been only a Grove-wide vote, the issue would have lost, so this says a lot. Voters in Coconut Grove turned down the project 55% vs. 45%. But voters with no knowledge of the issue voted citywide, so people up in Wynwood and Belle Meade and Miami Shores voted for what we should do in our little village.
It did show the true colors of many people and organizations, many good, many bad. I have a friend who had Grove Bay as a client, but he had to drop the client because his conscience would not allow him to work for them. Others sold themselves out for various reasons.
So now it goes to the courts, as there are three lawsuits against the project. If those are thrown out, I can only tell everyone to get ready for non-stop dump trucks, cement trucks and lots of noise and traffic on South Bayshore for a long time and then lots of traffic after that.
Perhaps Stop Grove Bay can reform into a group that will be Secede From Miami or Incorporate Coconut Grove. We need to be our own incorporated village and call our own shots. As much as I like Miami Shores, I don't feel they have the right to decide what goes on on my street. I honestly can't see myself here in Coconut Grove, voting for or against a project on their waterfront, makes no sense.
Did most of those voters who voted for the project ever set foot at the Scotty's/Chart House site? I am betting no.
So the Stop Grove Bay campaign lost and the Grove Harbour project won. Ironically, if it had been only a Grove-wide vote, the issue would have lost, so this says a lot. Voters in Coconut Grove turned down the project 55% vs. 45%. But voters with no knowledge of the issue voted citywide, so people up in Wynwood and Belle Meade and Miami Shores voted for what we should do in our little village.
It did show the true colors of many people and organizations, many good, many bad. I have a friend who had Grove Bay as a client, but he had to drop the client because his conscience would not allow him to work for them. Others sold themselves out for various reasons.
So now it goes to the courts, as there are three lawsuits against the project. If those are thrown out, I can only tell everyone to get ready for non-stop dump trucks, cement trucks and lots of noise and traffic on South Bayshore for a long time and then lots of traffic after that.
Perhaps Stop Grove Bay can reform into a group that will be Secede From Miami or Incorporate Coconut Grove. We need to be our own incorporated village and call our own shots. As much as I like Miami Shores, I don't feel they have the right to decide what goes on on my street. I honestly can't see myself here in Coconut Grove, voting for or against a project on their waterfront, makes no sense.
Did most of those voters who voted for the project ever set foot at the Scotty's/Chart House site? I am betting no.
posted by Tom Falco at 12:01 PM
YOU MAY NOT LIFT THE PHOTOS & TEXT. IT'S COPYRIGHTED INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. YOU CAN HOWEVER SHARE A STORY ON SOCIAL MEDIA BY USING THE LINKS HERE.
For linking to this one story, just click on the time it was posted & just this story will open for sharing - only through social media. Not copying and pasting.
20 Comments:
All you guy need now is a Walmart where peacock park is
Tom,
As a resident of Miami Shores, I can tell you that no one in the Village voted for or against the Grove issue.
This was strictly a City of Miami issue, and you lost, among another reasons because Commissioner Sarnoff had his aide William Plasencia go around to every homeowners and condo meeting night after night with a power-point presentation.
It was that and the use of Absentee Ballot brokers. Check Regalado's campaign reports and see who he hired to handle absentee ballots.
It was always going to be decided by people outside of Coconut Grove, an it was.
I am a Coconut Grove resident, and I voted for the project. I have set foot in Scotty's many times, and it is a dump. I look forward to being able to enjoy the waterfront without worrying about being run over by forklifts trying to get there.
The courts are as screwed up an corrupt in Dade County as the commissioners. Secede and expel Sarnoff.
This proves how stupid residents of the City of Miami are! They got duped again! They will continue to get duped because at the end of the day no one cares about anything in South Florida but their own pockets! Good people go into public office and quickly become corrupt. What happened to the Golden Rule? In south Florida there is no such thing. Bunch of Backstabbing a---h----s .
Jwilloughby, I come agree. I voted FOR the project and I have been to Scotty's many times. It's disgusting, the service is sub-par and the food is nothing to write home about. I'm excited to see what new waterfront restaurant will be placed there.
interestingly I was in wynwood today (I seem to spend as much time there as here in the grove where I live), and there were flyers in several stores "Vote No on Grove Bay"
I support the Grove Bay project. Beyond all the animosity and personal grudges between many of the people involved, it's the best thing for the Grove.
Those of you that are angry and don't like it can exercise your free right and move out.
Cheers,
FR
Miami Shores does not figure in this particular vote, as they are their own Village in the County, not part of the City, with their own mayor, so they cannot vote in City of Miami matters.
It is important to note that in actuality the people of Belle Meade and Wynwood were indeed supportive of the majority of Coconut Grove residents who were against the Grove Harbor project. If you look at the map of the way the vote went (Green = Yes and Blue = No) you will see that in addition to the precincts in the Grove that were against the project (581, 582, 583, 584 586, 587 and 532), the majority of Precincts 530 and 599 (Wynwood) and further north, 592 Legion Park- around Belle Meade voted against the project as well.
Check out http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/FL/Dade/49184/122513/en/md_zoom.html?cid=0125&
It is also important to note that only 20% to 30% of registered Grove voters thought this item, as well as the election of an entire new Village Council, important enough to come out and vote.Those who do not bother to vote are often the ones who do the most complaining. I admire my mother-in-law, who is 90, has been sick for the past 2 weeks and rallied out of bed yesterday afternoon to go vote.
My congratulations to the New Village Council. I hope they can find a way back to City Hall. It's been 4 years, and perhaps Mayor Regalado can now review the law that removed them, on the eve of his first election, supposedly to make room for more "community groups" to meet at City Hall. I am willing to bet that a majority of community groups did not make use of that law these past 4 years, and I am hoping that the Mayor will re-interpret that law in a manner that will allow those groups who truly want to make use of the Chambers to Village Council be allowed to regularly meet meet there again.
Liliana Dones
Have live in the Grove for more than 30 years. Ask me how many times I've dined on the water...
Cape Code, Martha’s Vineyard, Sausalito all respect their history, charm and uniqueness, that attracts residence and visitors alike.
Coconut Grove keeps picking away at our history, charm and uniqueness, with shopping centers, chain stores, mediocre and chain restaurants, broken sidewalks, cookie cutter faux Mediterranean architecture, gated public street events that require an entrance fee, high rents that result in high turnover rates of businesses, inhospitable parking meters, tickets and towing charges. We are indeed our worst enemy.
The Grove Bayharbour project may not be to everyone’s taste. But at least the Grove is not getting a "Margaritaville", like Hollywood Beach. http://www.hollywoodfl.org/index.aspx?NID=650
To have a real voice in our future, Grovites need to make the monumental effort to pursue the legal means of becoming the Village of Coconut Grove. Being our own municipality is no guarantee that we won’t continue to make a mess of things, but it will at least be our mess, if that is what we choose.
Looking forward to being part of a new Village Council. Thank you for those who supported my efforts and feel free to reach out with questions/concerns.
Javier
javiergonzalezpa@bellsouth.net
I don't see why Coconut Grove cannot become its own municipality when El Portal is one with around fifty households.
Thanks, Javier. I was actually one of those voting for you.
What, if anything, do you plan to do to stop Grove Bay?
8:02, thank you for the support and feel free to email me directly, I'll be happy to meet and discuss my concerns/idea's with the current project.
J
My 2 cents.
First, if the ballot had read, "Do you TRUST the City to lease..." instead of "Shall the City be authorized to lease," EVERYONE would have voted against it. It's not the pretty architectural renderings that so many Grovites are against. It's that time and again the City has promised green space and pedestrian access, and then caved in to the developers who plead economic hardship in order to justify reducing the promised greenspace. The ballot language gives the Commission WAY to much leeway to pave it all as long as the developer makes the lease payments. (Which of course can later be renegotiated like Jungle Island.)
Second, the Grove secession idea is a delusion. The Grove is not like Key Biscayne or Pinecrest or Palmetto Bay. We are not an area of unincorporated Dade trying creating our own city. We are ALREADY part of a city. That is an entirely different legal situation. And if you think it was hard to rally Grove support for a citywide vote against Grove Bay, dream on about a COUNTYWIDE vote to change the County charter to allow cities within it to splinter into smaller cities.
I say we should not secede, we should sue the crap out of the city of Miami for dumping its lethal toxic waste in our neighborhoods after it annexed Coconut Grove.
The addition of Home Depot to Coconut Grove really devastated the community. My home value keeps going down because a store that sells nails and screw drivers is now conveniently located near-by. I can't imagine what a professionally planned public open space area is going to do the community. We are rapidly going to become Detroit/sarcasm off
I cant wait to see if target or walmart will win peacock park.and if you think im joking get ready my friends.you have no idea
I'm not crazy about the design of the project, but did want to see something done. The only great thing at Scotty's is the view. The Chart's House glory days are long gone. I would love to see something lovely done with the area for us to enjoy and to bring in business. I'm not sure I'm crazy about a parking garage, although I realize we need parking, and I'm not convinced about the design Architectonica has come up with. A good steak house is needed in the Grove, but I also would love to see some small local business' given the opportunity to get in there. I had once read Garcia's might be an option. That would be fantastic! A homegrown Miami favorite and great seafood with a gorgeous view! I would love to enjoy more views of our Bay. One of the reasons we moved to the Grove. Right now unless you're a member of a yacht club, can peek though the mangroves at Kennedy Park or Peacock Park, or are a millionaire to afford a house on the water - you can forget it. I want to keep the charm of the Grove, but we have to do something.
Post a Comment
<< Home