HEP Board votes against Carrollton project
The HEP Board (Historic and Environmental Protection Board) heard the Carrollton/Villa Woodbine issue regarding the historically designated site on Tuesday afternoon into the evening.
In the end, the HEP Board voted against the Certificate of Approval twice regarding the project itself.
Coconut Grove is being taken over by corporations and this property will be one of them. Carrollton School is a fictitious name. The Convent of the Scared Heart of Miami, Inc. is a corporation that owns Carrollton, the president of the convent is the headmaster of the school, Olen Kalkus.
The Carrollton people focused on trees, new trees that would replace the old mature trees they seek to destroy. Rather than hear the neighbors desire to not have another school and out-of-scale development in the neighborhood, they discussed trees.
They talked around the main issue - the demolition of nearby housing to add eight times the current building size to the property along with massive traffic issues. Their smokescreen was about beautifying the landscaping around the property - again, after destroying so much of the existing canopy, which includes the removal of 113 trees. The mitigation of tree replacement is about 20% of what is there now. Removing old mature trees and replacing them with smaller trees.
Invasive trees, including fruit trees, are not mitigated for this project. So there is a shortfall in mitigation due to that. Rather than just plant the same amount of trees, the project is being studied and planned. Carrollton's planners paid into the city's Tree Trust Fund rather than plant trees just for the sake of planting trees.
They feel that adding all that building square footage is good for the existing pine rock hammock. Bulldozers are never good for a natural area. And neither are bullies who don't pay taxes, who come in and dictate what should be done for those who pay taxes.
"Suddenly a tree becomes evasive [after all these years] when a developer moves in," said Nathan Kurland, resident. "We should be doing everything in our power to keep the canopy we have and to prevent gridlock. We are NOT opposed to Carrollton the school, we are opposed to Carrollton being in our neighborhood," he continued.
"There is no regard for the preservation of the neighborhood," said Village Council member Steve Dloogoff. By the way, the Village Council opposes this project.
As for the historic nature of the property, Lynn Lewis, Vice President of the HEP Board felt that lots of time, hours in fact, were wasted on discussing the trees rather than the historic nature of the property, which is what the HEP Board is all about.
Coconut Grove has 21,000 residents. 18 private schools already in the Grove have 6800 students. Most of the students come from outside the Grove.
A Certificate of Appropriateness should not be given to this project based on the history and unless an archaeology survey of the land is done first. A certificate to dig is required.
One resident who lives next door explained that the Carrollton people are playing the Board. They are taking a private house and turning it into a school. He was passionate about how it will hurt property values and start a precedent if the project is permitted. After he spoke, the Carrollton people ignored it all and explained where their pool and the auditorium would be. Auditorium!
The congruity of the historic structure and what is proposed does not match the neighborhood surroundings. The HEP Board's job is to protect the historic heritage of the city.
The HEP Board voted against the Certificate of Approval twice regarding the project itself - new construction on the parcel, the planting and changing out of trees and everything else except for the traffic and use issues. The vote was tied 4-4 twice, which is a denial by rules of the Board. This decision is a final decision. Appeals may be filed within 15 days.
The Planning & Zoning Department deals with traffic and use issues which is probably the next step and then our City Commissioners will visit the issue.
Here are the votes of the eight Board members who were present at the meeting:
First vote:
Voted NO:
Lynn Lewis
Christopher Cawley
Luis Prieto y Munoz
Jordan Trachtenberg
Voted YES:
William Hopper
Najeeb Campbell
Todd Tragash
Denise Galvez Turros
Second vote:
Voted NO:
Lynn Lewis
Christopher Cawley
Luis Priety y Munoz
William Hopper
Voted YES:
Najeeb Campbell
Jordan Trachtenberg
Denise Galvez Turros
Todd Tragash
The volunteer board members are appointed by City Commissioners.
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posted by Tom Falco at 8:10 PM
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3 Comments:
So is there another step that will bring this project forward or is it done?
Yes, the next step is an appeal to the City Commission, where money talks and bullshit walks. It'll be informative for all the whiny, self-entitled Groveites who think that their champion Commissioner "Sellout" Russell, the liberal, progressive mouse that squeaks will save the day. Bring popcorn and crying towels, because the For Sale sign is now on the front door of City Hall,
Charles B. Patrick
I was present at the December 3rd hearing and am the one who advised the board that the corporation that is attempting to buy Villa Woodbine is a "wolf in sheep's clothing." The nuns no longer own, operate or control Carrollton School or "The Convenant of the Sacred Heart of Miami, Inc." The web page for the religious order of nuns that used to run the school states that the order no longer owns the school. The school is now controlled by a multi-million dollar corporation which also ownes and operates exclusive private schools in wealthy areas throughout the U.S. including New York City; San Francisco; Chicago and other high end cities. Their business model is to acquire premier properties in wealthy areas and operate their schools without paying real estate taxes or income taxes. The Carrollton School's main campus is assessed at over $36 million dollars yet the corporation pays -0- ad valorem property taxes on the property. The name "Carrollton School" is a fictitious name registered to "The Convent of the Sacred of Miami, Inc." The president of the corporation is Olen Kalkus the headmaster of the school. When is the last time you heard of a man running a convent?
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