Miami-Dade County Commission Loves Development In Everglades

Progress Florida is asking citizens to put pressure on Lowes.

Thanks to the support of thousands of Floridians, today the Everglades are a little safer from developers. On Friday July 18th, the Florida Department of Community Affairs (DCA) announced it would deny Lowe’s and another big developer their plans to build outside Miami-Dade’s Urban Development Boundary (UDB).

But our work isn’t done. Lowe’s, who still wants to cement urban sprawl to the edge of the Everglades, plans to take this decision to court.

“We feel confident that the decision will be overturned,” declared Lowe’s’ attorney.

Progress Florida set up a form letter page to send to Lowe's. My experience is that form letters don't work. Lowe's is dead set on building their store. My advise is email Charlie Crist at Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com and the Miami-Dade County Commission.

Barbara J. Jordan
Dorrin D. Rolle
Audrey M. Edmonson
Sally A. Heyman
Bruno A. Barreiro
Rebeca Sosa
Carlos A. Gimenez
Katy Sorenson
Dennis C. Moss
Javier D. Souto
Jose ''Pepe'' Diaz
Natacha Seijas 305-375-4831

The Florida Department of Community Affairs ruled against Lowes because the Miami County Commission violated state land-use guidelines. Mayor Carlos Alvarez vetoed the legislation. The County Commission overrode the veto. The thing to understand about County Commissions is they receive huge campaign contributions from developers. Lowe's and other corporations spent a great deal of money putting the Commision in their pockets. They aren't going to be swayed by form letters. Politicians back off when voters put pressure on them. The Hillsborough County Commission backed off killing local protection for wetlands, after activists made their voices heard.

The FDCA ruled on parcels A and B. Parcel A is where the Lowe's will be. Parcel B is where a charter school is to be built. The report noted, "Wetlands are present on the sites." Other undeveloped land can be used for the Lowe's. What is interesting is that Parcel B can be used for nonresidential purposes. It's bad when School Superintendent Rudy Crew has no hopes of a charter school being built on parcel B.

A spokesman for the county school district said Superintendent Rudy Crew was not counting on the charter school. Killing or delaying plans for one school in one neighborhood ''is probably not going to have an effect on us,'' spokesman John Schuster said.

Parcel B would have to be bought for a charter school or developed. Mike McDaniel, FDCA Chief of Comprehensive Planning, noted the Commission approved the land zoning against objections from County staffers. The exception for Parcel B's nonresidential use after the FDCA issued an objections report.

Where the political pressure needs to be applied is the Miami-Dade County Commission. Emailing Lowe's is a waste of time. Lowe's has made up it's mind a long time ago.