A school does not belong at Villa Woodbine

Villa Woodbine today

An organized group of concerned neighbors has been working together to keep Carrollton School from turning Villa Woodbine  into a school. 

Villa Woodbine is used as an event space currently, it mostly hosts weddings. It was designed by famed architect Walter De Garmo, who also worked on Vizcaya back in 1912. The home was built for Mr. and Mrs. Charles Appleton as their winter home, they named it Villa Woodbine. Mr. Charles perfected carbon paper (NCR paper). The Woolworths lived next door in the 1930s at 2167 South Bayshore Drive. It's across from AC Icee's truck at Kennedy Park. 

This is the proposed expansion plan for Villa Woodbine

Attorney Lowell Kuvin will be representing the group at the Friday, September 27 HEP Board (Historical and Environmental Preservation Board) hearing regarding the matter, the meeting starts at 3 pm. The goal is to get as many neighbors out as possible to fill City Hall (3500 Pan American Drive).

According to Kuvin, HEPB does not have the authority to approve the parking waiver or to determine appropriateness of use as Carrollton's alleged proposed use requires an exception since it allegedly clearly violates Comprehensive Plan & Miami 21 Code.

Plus removal of 112 of 220 tree canopy requires NCD 3 review & approval.

A year ago, Carrollton sent out a letter to parents and alumni announcing their proposed new Villa Woodbine school for 350 boys and 50 faculty – a project that will undoubtedly affect the North Grove community.

If the HEPB approves the project on September 27, there is a 15 day window to file an appeal.

BRIEF PROJECT ANALYSIS:

- Lack of compatibility with the neighborhood in height, massing and use. The new school is approx. 18 feet from Tigertail Avenue, has 32 ft roof ridge and 111 ft X 242 ft footprint. The new auditorium is 125 ft from South Bayshore Drive and has a 33 ft roof ridge and 77 ft X 119 ft footprint.

- Proposes Faculty Residences at an existing house north of the school and administrative staff will have use of the historic Villa.

- Project's negative impact on the site as a natural resource includes removal of 113 trees, removal of sections of historic coral rock walls to accommodate vehicle circulation and new structures. Proposes obstruction of the protected Silver Bluff by new pool and deck, which HEPB found is in violation of City Code.

- Their Traffic study includes an inadequate Study Area, has an unidentified surrogate school of comparable enrollment, grade levels and type as basis of trip generation - plus has background growth rate to be calculated on historic growth trends which does not consider traffic added to Coconut Grove due to office, retail and residential projects currently under construction.

- Project requests a 20% waiver for parking reduction from 82 to 65 spaces. No extracurricular bus parking is indicated.

- Driveways on Tigertail Avenue and South Bayshore Drive exceed the MIAMI 21 allowable widths. Proposes 24 ft width for two lanes (max allowable is 20 ft) and 14 ft width for 1 lane (max allowable is 10 ft).

- Lack of public notification

Proposed school site in this dense North Grove neighborhood.