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Wednesday, May 21, 2014

The City wants to do what?

There is a proposed Charter Amendment coming up on election day on the August 26 ballot that will allow the City Commission to exclude the public from discussions, negotiations, planning and having their say on City Owned Submerged Lands.i.e. eliminating the current requirement in part that any and all waterfront/submerged lands must go for a vote.

Could this have something to do with the proposed soccer stadium downtown at the large slip of water that they want to turn into land?

The ballot reads: "Shall the Miami Charter be changed to allow the City to enter into leases or management agreements, for City-owned submerged lands (lands under water including bay bottoms), with entities having possessory or ownership interest in abutting uplands (lands bordering water) to build marinas, docks or like facilities, using methods adopted by ordinance, on the condition that such leases or management agreements result in a return to the City of at least fair market value?"

Why would anyone want to give up their right to vote and allow the City to decide for them if they currently have the right to vote now? Are they going to then want to choose the Governor and President for me? Maybe they can run my condo board for me, too and decide what I should eat and drink and where I should shop and live. Maybe we can give the City of Miami power of attorney over our lives. They can decide everything for us.

It all sounds so unconstitutional. Where is the ACLU on this?

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26 Comments:

Anonymous Al Crespo said...

Forget the ACLU. This is a problem for the citizens of Miami to deal with. If people want to fight this, the 21st century dildo that Jeffrey Berkowitz wants to build in the Marina parking lot at Bayside and the filling in of the slip next to the AAA Arena so David Beckam and his pals can build a soccer stadium, then they're going to have to stand up and stop it at the ballot box.

It's time to quit whining and moaning and start acting like citizens. If people don't do that then the screwing their getting, haven gotten, and will continue to get from a bunch of pretty scummy politicians is something that they deserve.

May 21, 2014 7:23 AM  
Anonymous Bryan said...

Anything goes in the Nearby Banana Republic! Smart money on droves of dribbling Sarnoff supports voting 'yes' on this.

May 21, 2014 7:29 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The City has lost it's mind and let hope the voters will realize what's going on. We have given up enough land designated park! We gave up Monty's and the parking lot at Monty's which was designated park! An outdoor not covered soccer stadium will not work in South Florida in the summer when soccer is played! People will not go, too hot, too much rain and mosquitoes ! They should use Marlins stadium for soccer. Soccer will be a flop they already tried it a few years back and it flopped. Beckham smeckham no one cares here! STOP GIVING UP PARK LAND & OUR RIGHT TO VOTE! SAY NOT TO THE USE OF THE LAND AND STADIUM!

May 21, 2014 7:58 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Start emailing and calling Sarnoff and the other commissioners NOW! Tell Sarnoff that if he wants his wife to have a chance of winning his seat in the next election then he better start protecting the quality life, view corridors and traffic concerns of the downtown residents that he covets as potential supporters in the future.

May 21, 2014 8:22 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anon 8:22 AM anyone who votes in another or any Sarnoff into any office is crazy!

May 21, 2014 8:42 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Al is right. The citizens of Miami need to take matters into their own hands. Things like this happen because people are too involved in their daily lives to give a crap about what their local government is up to. Sadly, uninformed voters comprise the majority of the population and they are responsible for screwing over fellow citizens.

May 21, 2014 8:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

We need to vote no. This is ridiculous. It will give them full power to do what they want including all bayshore drive waterfront/ submerged land. If it goes through they will exploit the land for their benefit and for the developers that want more land and not for the people that live in the area.

May 21, 2014 8:59 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Unfortunately voting is a scam when whomever we put in office, from President to local government, can do a 180 the second they get the job. There needs to be some sort of legal mechanism to hold an elected official to their promises and some sort of punitive action to take against one whose purpose flip flops the second they're in power.
Right now we have a more sophisticated version of Tammany Hall with everyone in contest to see who can emulate Boss Tweed the best.

May 21, 2014 9:00 AM  
Anonymous Al Crespo said...

I have just posted a call to action on my blog. Will you join to take back Miami from the corrupt politicians? www.crespogram.com

May 21, 2014 10:20 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Everyone who cares needs to encourage those that are not so involved to start to care. We need VOTERS at the poll. To lose our waterfront slip used for world class sailing regattas is a crying shame and the thought of a "Sarnoff" in office AGAIN is unthinkable and appalling. We have to move to action.

May 21, 2014 11:18 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am totally against this ballot measure and filling in the boat slip. I hope to be a part of a large group of Miami voters who take a stand and organize aginst this. I think Al Crespo makes an excellent case.
I do not think it is productive to attack politicians, call people corrupt or act anything but professional and concerned for our city and that will make our case credible and get the will of the voters behind rejecting this fiasco.

In other words, keep all the attacks and veno out of it and just get to work, orgainze gatherings at your home or condo. Print out photos of the beautiful walkway on the water and views and educate people about how filling this in is horrible. Dont scream and attack the elected officials, just vote them out

May 21, 2014 11:39 AM  
Anonymous Charles Corda said...

The ramifications of this proposed Charter Amendment are not limited to the Soccer Stadium Deal. This will effect the entire Coastline in the City of Miami..All of District Two. As such it would seem to me that Sarnoff is once again behind this attempt to exclude the public from any meaningful participation in making decisions that effect our waterfront.. This is just another attempt to subvert the decision making process into one that excludes those most effected. More back room deals that benefit the Developers and Politicians and hurt our community...Another move to consolidate power in the hands of a few politicians. Boss Tweed is back! VOTE THIS DOWN!

May 21, 2014 11:40 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Beckham and his developer handlers have hired an army of lobbyists and rabid bloggers to buy votes of elected officials first and the public second. They employ many of the same lies that worked so well for the Marlins. Sarnoff and his wife pander to Beckham and his selfies. Residents gets screwed.

May 21, 2014 2:10 PM  
Anonymous Al Crespo said...

No, residents don't get screwed. residents stand up and fight back!

May 21, 2014 2:40 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I Agree with AL we need to stand up to this. We all need to vote. Do not let this pass we will lose all rights to vote on any submerged land and remember that they have different definition and interpretation and there is always something more behind what the vote is for. I think this also has something to do with the Chart house and Scotty landings property and the Barrier islands if this pass the commissioners will have all the say on what will happen. Believe me they will use this to the full extent that the law permits. Also at the same time we have the developers trying to add another tower to Grove Isle. lets put this all together, Soccer Stadium, New development on the property of Chart house and Scotty, New development on Grove Isle. what they all have in common WATER and if we cannot not vote the developers will get what they want from the commissioner at the expense of the citizens that have lived here for many years and pay taxes. We deserve and have the right that the elected officials do not get more power than what they need especial at this local very local level. Stand up for your rights

May 21, 2014 2:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Whoever approved the ballot must go under the microscope. Democracy has given way to oligarchy because people are either complacent or are too busy trying to make ends meet.

May 21, 2014 3:15 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Where is the details of the measure, who proposed it and who is supporting it in the commission?

May 21, 2014 3:31 PM  
Anonymous Al Crespo said...

Folks, the proposed change to the City Charter was approved by the Miami City Commission at their last meeting. The Commission is not going to change their mind and undo their vote. This is now going before the voters in August. Therefore, this issue, and the filling in of the boat slip next to the AAA Arena, and also the Skyrise Tower, which could also make it onto the August ballot need to be voted down. That requires a concerted effort.

Folks in the Grove need to become part of a larger group of folks that include folks from Brickell, downtown, Midtown/Wynwood, the Upper Eastside and also Overtown and all of Little Havana.

All of these folks need to be included, because all of them have been led down the Primrose path. I will have a new story up sometime tomorrow that details how that happened.

But for now, save the anger and think about how to start forming alliances and working together.

May 21, 2014 4:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Who cares about an empty man made boat slip?

May 21, 2014 9:01 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

No one, including municipalities can arbitrarily assume the right to do as they please with lakes, streams, rivers and underwater ocean bottom land. In judicial order: Feds, States, Counties, Municipalities. Everything placed in our waters requires about 64 detailed impact reports, testing, investigations & projections. Such a process would take a min of about 20-plus years.

Perhaps the Grape or Al can obtain a copy of this proposal/details to see how it reads. Jobie Steppe

May 22, 2014 8:49 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

To Anon 9:01 PM:
If you are interested in protecting the view corridors, access to and usability of the waterfront in downtown Miami, then you should care.
If you are interested in preventing the transfer of 7.5+ acres of waterfront land to a private enterprise for significantly less than what the property would command in a fair market sale/lease, then you should care.
If you are interested in preventing a 6+ story wall to be built along the last open stretch of the waterfront, then you should care.
The slip is a protected, deep water, mooring basin that has hosted, and will host in the future, visiting ships and other vessels to the downtown waterfront generating revenue for the city and providing a unique attractor bringing people to the waterfront. The Miami International Boat Show has been waiting for completion of the uplands park improvements to be completed so they can moor their megayachts there for the show. America's Cup and Volvo around the World related regattas are all vying for the opportunity to stage their events in the "empty man made boat slip". All generate direct revenue to the City as well as significant economic activity for the hotels, restaurants and shops of downtown all the while preserving access and views to the Bay for the average citizen who may not have a megayacht or racing sailboat but just wants to walk along the Baywalk.
Join the public on June 14 & 15th and visit the tall ship USS Eagle when it moors in the slip and spend sometime to perhaps appreciate better and care more about what happens to the slip.

May 22, 2014 10:10 AM  
Anonymous Al Crespo said...

Al is working on it. Will have a more comprehensive story either tonight or tomorrow....

May 22, 2014 10:24 AM  
Anonymous That Guy said...

Beckham should just build his stadium out at tropical park, or strike a deal with the University of Miami for a dual purpose soccer & football stadium closer to campus.

Those are ideas that will be good for the city, and generate interest and revenue in improving what we have. We don't need this level of change. Sure, it's a dream locaiton on the water, but why does a stadium need that view? Aren't people supposed to watch the games?

May 22, 2014 11:16 AM  
Blogger Thom said...

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/101/420/637/stop-the-proposed-building-of-a-mls-soccer-stadium-on-biscayne-blvd-at-museum-park/?taf_id=11057124

May 22, 2014 9:59 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Al is working on nothing, but thank you Al for refraining from your normal vulgarity. In other words Al, if you truly knew law, and U should then you would report that all this silly hype about some new condo is 100% covered by existing law and precedent, HELLO!

May 23, 2014 7:38 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

City officials who abuse power every day are vulgar

May 23, 2014 10:51 PM  

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