The Miami Herald

Posted on Thursday, Mar. 23, 2006

DEVELOPMENT

2nd builder drops bid to move boundary

Adrian Development Group is pulling the plug on its application to move the Urban Development Boundary, saying there is little hope the line will be moved.

BY MATTHEW HAGGMAN
mhaggman@MiamiHerald.com

Adrian Development Group is abandoning its bid to build outside Miami-Dade's Urban Development Boundary, the much-debated line beyond which large-scale development is not allowed.

Adrian is the second developer in recent weeks to withdraw its application to move the line, just weeks in advance of a vote by the County Commission.
Chief executive Peter Adrian said Wednesday afternoon, ''It is clear to us that the County Commmission will not expand the Urban Boundary for residential development.'' In February Shoma Homes withdrew its application for much the same reason.

The moves by the two developers leave seven projects -- ranging from a proposed residential subdivision to super-stores and warehouses -- vying to move the line that runs along the western and southern edge of Miami-Dade County. The withdrawals also point to a growing momentum in recent months against changing the boundary, outside which development is limited to one dwelling per five acres. Opposition is especially strong to residential projects.

Environmentalists and anti-sprawl activists have long fought any movement of the line, but recently the applications have come under intense scrutiny from other and, in some cases, surprising sources.

In February, the state Department of Community Affairs urged county leaders to reject all the applications for new development -- which included nine proposals at the time -- because of concerns over the county's water supply. Gov. Jeb Bush also expressed opposition to moving the line.

MORE PLANNING

Prominent home builder Sergio Pino gave a speech to builders saying the UDB should not be moved without more planning to avoid sprawl and traffic-clogged roads. And a poll by Bendixen & Associates found more than 70 percent of Miami-Dade residents oppose altering the UDB.

''I think the UDB house of cards is falling down,'' said Alan Farago, director of the Everglades Defense Council. Added Cynthia Guerra, executive director of Tropical Audubon Society: "There seems to be an awakening going on in our county.''
However, supporters say the UDB must ultimately be moved to accommodate the region's population growth. Attorney Neisen Kasdin, who is representing the Latin Builders Association and Builders Association of South Florida, said limiting building outside the UDB to just one house per five acres is an inefficient use of land.
''The population continues to grow,'' Kasdin said. "We need a variety of housing for those people coming here and we need to focus our efforts on properly planned development to accommodate our future needs.''

The proposed 260-acre Adrian Development project, called Eureka Palms, was the biggest of the applications in terms of acreage. Located at Southwest 157th Avenue and 184th Street, it also ranked among the most contentious because a portion of the property was located in Miami-Dade's rural Redland area.

Neighborhood activists there feared the area's rural character could be spoiled.

LOWER DENSITY

To offset concerns about density and traffic, Peter Adrian had said the company intended to build 2.5 homes per acre and provide sites for services ranging from a fire station and school to a CSX rail line transit station. It also pledged to comply with water-use requirements and said more than 20 percent of the homes would be affordable housing for middle-class workers.

Adrian said it's ironic that the law allows him to build one house on five acres without any services , but doesn't permit what he proposed. "It is shocking to know that we committed to mitigate for schools, parks, fire service, transit and workforce housing, and still found little support.''