Killing the tree canopy; paying a small fine
It just proves the destructive nature of the developers and the small fines they are willing to pay in the name of greed.
This is the letter sent to city zoning and others, this is what allegedly happened and was said:
I've left two phone messages for you this morning because a crew from USA Equipment (786-999-2872) is at 3764 Carmen Court next door to our home and they are removing palm trees with a chain saw and tractor. Please see the attached image taken this morning. Ms. Genesis Troutman from the city's code compliance department was kind enough to come out this morning after I repeatedly left phone messages with our NET Office and Code Compliance. She spoke with the cutters and asked them to stop. They refused, and told her they would simply pay the fine. When I told them that they should not have cut the palm trees, their project manager said, "They are building a $3 million home here. You want us to pay a fine for the trees? Sure, here's $300."
Along with the illegal palm tree removal, my husband and I are very concerned about the bamboo stand that divides our properties. We understand that, unfortunately, a permit is not required for removal of the bamboo, but our concern is that most of this bamboo is on our property. As they remove what few stalks are on 3764 Carmen Ct. this morning, they are jeopardizing the entire stand and encroaching on our bamboo -- what little green barrier we have between us and what is now a vacant, dusty lot. I previously sent you photos of what this lot looked like before they started removing trees. I have requested a phone call. Can we please speak this week about what is being done to enforce city codes?
A neighbor
posted by Tom Falco at 11:13 AM
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9 Comments:
Shameful and outrageous.
When the city administration operates like gangsters running an organized criminal enterprise, then why should you be surprised when residents start acting in the same way. Money talks, and bullshit walks, and in the City of Miami, you should be thankful that you might even even get the payment of a fine. How many abuses of the system and violations of the laws have occurred when even a fine wasn't forthcoming.
The developers at 3140 Day Avenue are trying to do the same thing!
Main Highway had a green tunnel created by the now disappearing canopy of Banyans. The private school should replant trees they cut to expand their money pit. City should replant Banyans on Main Highway.
When I returned from a trip out of town last Tuesday, I came back to my swale FULL of cleared palms trunks and palm fronds. Very mature Fish Tail and Alexander palms - large stumps. The pile was 10 feet wide and more than 10 feet high. I could have been fined as all this was out way before the Friday pick up. I reported it and was told not to add anything, which is a pain because we have over an acre and the yard guys were coming on Thursday. Some jerks use other people"s swales to avoid dump charges and/or to not leave evidence near the offending property. Some overgrown properties need to be cleaned up, lush doesn't have to mean a mess. But, doing it the right way needs to be enforced. The developers or whomever is working on the properties need to be held accountable. The clearing and the dumping need to have clear guidelines. If you ignore them, a fine AND a work stop.
Isn't enforcing the law making them pay a fine? In the meantime, people are complaining about the sidewalks on Main Highway and how the trees have made them almost impossible to walk on in some areas (corner of Main St. and Grand for example, near Le Bouchon). And then people will complain if those trees have to come down. It's a no win situation here I think.
To "Anonymous" posting about what the "developers" are doing at 3140 Day Ave.
Please share a little more information about who you are and what the developer is planning on for 3140 Day. I would be very interested in your understanding of what they are doing.
I have no idea what they are planning for 3140 Day but, I do know the parties who purchased the property. Be very vigilant as they will try to get away with any code violation they can.
Palms are not considered trees. A tree is classified as a woody perennial, i.e., wood fibrous, a palm, I guess uses water in its fiber to grow towards the sky and simply isn't covered by Miami-Dade tree ordinances and can be eliminated/cut down by the property owner. It's like a golf cart isn't considered a car for transportations, but there they are on the roadway anyway. Or a glider isn't a plane, but there they fly anyway, or a deer isn't a dear, but there goes the spelling anyway and an ant isn't an aunt, but is an ant anyway. Details, details and more details; but in the end the law/code enforcement will replace whatever with something green and just as nice. Jobie Steppe
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