It's all about greed; they just don't care
It's clear that most of the city commissioners don't care about Coconut Grove, they have no respect for the Grove and they don't care what happens in the Grove. They like the Grove's tax money for the city, but they don't care for the residents.
At Thursday night's NCD meeting, some of the commissioners were barely on the dais, they were wandering around and seemed bored.
Commissioner Joe Carollo brought up the subject of voting at the end of the meeting, he thought that the whole NCD issue should be brought up to a vote. He felt the standing room only crowd, with people pouring out into the lobby, was not enough show of support. They let everyone speak and go through the dog and pony show for what? Why? Why not stop it all and call for a vote at the start of the meeting?
Normally I would like the idea of a vote. But I find that voting can be swayed by lobbyists and developers - just see the Mall on the Water being built at the Scotty's Landing site - the Grove residents were not for this, but the approval made it through anyway.
At Thursday night's NCD meeting, some of the commissioners were barely on the dais, they were wandering around and seemed bored.
Commissioner Joe Carollo brought up the subject of voting at the end of the meeting, he thought that the whole NCD issue should be brought up to a vote. He felt the standing room only crowd, with people pouring out into the lobby, was not enough show of support. They let everyone speak and go through the dog and pony show for what? Why? Why not stop it all and call for a vote at the start of the meeting?
Normally I would like the idea of a vote. But I find that voting can be swayed by lobbyists and developers - just see the Mall on the Water being built at the Scotty's Landing site - the Grove residents were not for this, but the approval made it through anyway.
It's clear that our city commission never saw a developer they didn't like, I lost faith in them after the Melreese Park vote. And it's not just the City of Miami, just the other day the county commissioners voted to allow development along the new Ludlam Trial, an abandoned railway line. So this quiet, nature trail will now look like the Highline looks in Manhattan - what was once a quiet greenway off the beaten path, now goes through a tunnel of over-development, which was built around and over it.
Someone brought up the Melreese Park vote as a reason why our district Commissioner Ken Russell was unable to get the third vote he needed for the NCD. He voted in favor of the Melreese Park vote, when the commissioner in that district, Willy Gort was against it. So it seems that Gort did not vote in favor of the NCD at Thursday's meeting, which would have been the deciding vote. Ken and Commissioner Keon Hardemon were in favor of voting for the NCD changes on Thursday.
It's not going to stop in the county. It's not going to stop in the Grove. It's all about greed.
Someone brought up the Melreese Park vote as a reason why our district Commissioner Ken Russell was unable to get the third vote he needed for the NCD. He voted in favor of the Melreese Park vote, when the commissioner in that district, Willy Gort was against it. So it seems that Gort did not vote in favor of the NCD at Thursday's meeting, which would have been the deciding vote. Ken and Commissioner Keon Hardemon were in favor of voting for the NCD changes on Thursday.
It's not going to stop in the county. It's not going to stop in the Grove. It's all about greed.
posted by Tom Falco at 4:00 AM
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SOME TOUGH QUESTIONS FOR THE COMMISSIONER: HOW WOULD NCD PROPOSAL IMPROVE NCD CODE?
The concern of many neighbors about the overdevelopment taking place in Coconut Grove and the need for improved enforcement has morphed into a Proposal to make radical and confusing changes to the existing NCD code rather than enforcing the existing easily understood code in effect since 2005. Existing NCD code was initially enacted as part of Miami 1100 code and incorporated SD18, and 18.1 which date back to 1991 and corresponds to Coral Gables code.
1. How specifically would proposal #3001, allowing most existing single family sites to become duplex, and therefore subject to splitting, prevent increasing of density, and uses?
2. How would proposal 3001 control the size and mass of new construction at a level LESS than current with all of the excluded building areas in the definition of Floor area and FLR?
3. How would allowing most of the commercial mixed use zoning to increase the density to 231% of present zoning an increase of 131% be helpful and to whom?
4. How would a decrease in required parking by up to 100% which would assure massive on-street parking in all areas including T3 and throughout the area be helpful to the community?
5. How would increasing allowable Lot Coverage in the Single Family District from 50% to 70% an increase of 40% over what Miami 21 allows and 100% above Miami-Dade county allowance be consistent with conservation objectives?
6. How would the combination of increasing allowable Lot Coverage and creation of additional narrow building sites with accompanying mandatory minimum side set backs of 5’ which can have a 3’ encroachment help to protect the existing tree canopy in Coconut Grove?
7. What specific clauses, aspects of the City’s Planning proposal # 3001 add clarity and enforceability to that required by the Intent of the existing NCD-3 Code ?
8. Where are those clarifying clauses, which would enhance and make more streamlined the enforceability of the code and how so?
9. How would delegating the making of changes to strengthen a code suffering from lack of enforcement, to those who have shown lack of effectiveness, favoritism and bias in enforcement of the existing code, be likely to produce a more effective or stronger code? Would that not be counter intuitive?
Ask the Commissioner for answers in writing citing specific sections and clauses of the proposal, “Whereas statements” are not the proposed code.
LINK to Village Council chair’s answers in red and our follow up responses in green :
Village council answers and reply
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gp3wku0ruf5hl5n/vc%20answers%20and%20reply.docx?dl=0
analysis of an actual site
https://www.dropbox.com/s/5h0mbfzrqgpewuh/4111%20hardie%20is%20exactly%20like%20this%20alt.docx?dl=0
GREED........THATS WHAT OUR PRESIDENT IS FOR ALSO......""DONT FOLLOW THE LEADER"""TRY TRY TRY TO MAKE GOOD CHANGES FOR THE GROVE!!
WE DONT WANT ANOTHER
ASPHALT JUNGLE....' LIKE THE REST OF MIAMI.
WEST GROVE SHOULD HAVE CERTAIN AMOUNT OF HISTORIC HOMES, TURNED INTO A MUSEUM, TO MEMORIALIZE THE EARLY BAHAMIAN GROVE...(not the entire W.GROVE ! tHE REST OF W.GROVE SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN 2 FLOOR BUILDINGS.
Sorry W.Grovites....you cant expect landlords NOT to make $ on their properties. BUY the property or MOVE.!
IN COMMERCIAL STREETS, BUILDINGS SHOULD BE NO MORE THAN 5 FLOORS--ALL WITH PARKING ON THE ROOFS.
"""WHAT A BEAUTIFUL WORLD THIS WOULD BE THERE WAS LESS GREED & MORE LOVE!!
Everyone on the anti-development side of things loves to turn this issue into a Homeowner v. The Greedy Developer Issue. This isn't a Homeowner v. Greedy Developer issue at all ... this is something that less than 5% of the people that live in the Grove are pushing for v. the other 95% of the Grove Homeowners that either oppose the plan or have no idea what is going on, what is being voted on, and have no idea what an NCD overlay actually is. Why should Commissioner Carollo be impressed that 150 people out of the 20,000+ that live in The Grove showed up to talk. Those same 150 people show up to give their 2 cents on every issue that is presented.
I think we are all in agreement that the trees need to be protected and the Zoning Code needs to be enforced .. two things that didn't happen in the past which spurred this whole thing but please call it what it is ... it is 5% of the Grove Residents trying to impose their will and views on the other 95% of the people who live in the Grove.
Jim S
It is absolutely about greed Jim, Carollo and Manolo know Coconut Grove is a cash cow for the city and money raised in Coconut Grove is spent to subsidize outside the area. They have every incentive to have this racket go on and expand, promote over development in Coconut Grove to benefit their own agenda and supporter, why they will push for delays, excuses and insertion of loopholes. Manolo claims he is an economist, if he really is a good one he should understand reduction in square footage allowable will actually raise prices per square footage like hundreds of NCDs around the country when increase in square footage will reduce price per square foot, He wants to keep kicking the can down the road because he cares little about residents of Coconut Grove and their quality of life and cares only for siphoning tax dollars out of the area. We are not like their constituency and we do not want to be treated like them, Most Coconut Grove developers do not reside here. 40% should be maximum allowable for single family homes first floor and half that on the second floor, otherwise secede.
SO IF YOU DONT THINK COCONUT GROVE IS A VERY SPECIAL PART OF MIAMI.....& YOU DONT WANT TO FIGHT TO PRESERVE THE ORIGINAL LOOK.............THEN I GUESS YOU WIn!!
RAPE THE GREENERY & MAKE IT INTO ANOTHER "ASPHALT JUNGLE"" LIKE MOST CITIES ARE......
SO I SHOULD MOVE TO ''GREENER PASTURES" & TAKE MY BUSINESS WITH ME......THATS LIFE!
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