Saving the Grove's 'state of mind'

On November 21, the board of Bayshore In Grove, the group behind the #STOPGroveGridlock banners, adopted a resolution requesting the Miami Historic and Environmental Preservation Board (HEP Board) deny the applications for a special certificate of appropriateness and certificate of approval for the proposed Carrollton School at Villa Woodbine at 2167 South Bayshore Drive.

The board adopted the resolution based on the proposed plan’s inability to meet the standards required to grant the Special Certificate of Appropriateness, as:
a) the proposed use does not “provide public benefit and shall be the minimum necessary to encourage or assure the continued preservation of historic structure”;
b) the proposed use is not “in harmony with the general intent and purpose of this article and shall not be injurious to the neighborhood or otherwise detrimental to the public welfare”; and
c) the project shall be designed and sited in a manner that minimizes the impact on the surrounding areas in terms of vehicular ingress and egress, off street parking, pedestrian safety and convenience, public utilities and services, lighting, noise, or potential adverse impacts.”

Bayshore In Grove questions the need for an additional educational facility in Coconut Grove, as the area has approximately 21,000 residents and 18 schools serving over 6,800 students.

Carrolton School for the Sacred Heart is presently under contract to purchase the 3.7 acre historically designated property, known as Villa Woodbine, in order to build Woodbine School, an all-boys elementary school for grades K-5 with nearly 350 students and 50 faculty/staff.

The City of Miami has previously approved a change of use for the property from single-family use to the existing use as a “private club” with the following conditions: a) is not out of scale with the needs of the neighborhood or City; b) will not materially alter the population, density pattern or increase or over tax the load on public facilities such as utilities, streets, etc.; c) will not adversely influence living conditions in the neighborhood; d) will not create or excessively increase traffic congestion or otherwise affect public safety; e) will not create a drainage problem; f) will not adversely affect property value in the adjacent area; and g) will not constitute a grant of special privilege to an individual owner so as to compromise the protection of the public welfare.

“As a board, we reviewed the plans for the proposed project and believe it goes against the City of Miami’s conditions for the change of use of the property. We also believe it fails to meet the minimum requirements for granting the Certificate of Appropriateness. Villa Woodbine is a historic property with over a hundred trees that would be removed, the impact of the construction will also have negative impacts with flooding of surrounding properties, and the effects a new school will have on our already heavy traffic are just some of the concerns we have with this project. We are asking the board to deny the application and stand with the residents of Coconut Grove,” said Rose Pujol, Co-Founder.

Bayshore In Grove is a not for profit organization dedicated to the advocacy of smart growth strategies critical for climate resilience and for maintaining the unique sense of place that encourages the Coconut Grove “State of Mind”.

The item will come before the Historic and Environmental Preservation Board at its December 3 meeting.