The Miami Herald

Posted on Thursday, Mar. 23, 2006

PUBLIC OPINION

Sprawl gets thumbs down

A recent poll suggested that 75 percent of Miami-Dade voters are against allowing homes and businesses to be built closer to the Everglades.

BY NOAKI SCHWARTZ
nschwartz@MiamiHerald.com

More than 70 percent of registered voters in Miami-Dade County oppose moving the urban development boundary to allow for new buildings and homes to be built closer to the Everglades, according to a recent poll by Bendixen & Associates.
The poll, jointly sponsored by Bendixen and Miami Herald news partner WFOR-CBS4, interviewed 500 registered county voters. Interviews were done in Creole, Spanish and English. The poll's margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.
Sergio Bendixen, who heads the public opinion research firm, on Wednesday called the findings significant since as far as he knew, no one had yet polled voters on the issue.

Some 75 percent of those surveyed opposed extending the boundary, 19 percent supported an extension and 6 percent said they didn't know or gave no answer, according to the poll.

''I think anytime that in Miami-Dade County you get all three ethnic groups to agree on anything, I'm surprised,'' Bendixen said.

One commissioner contacted by The Herald, however, seemed less impressed.
''That it? Just 75 percent?'' said Commissioner Sally Heyman, who expected the percentage to be higher among respondents who said they opposed moving the boundary.

MITIGATING FACTORS

Opposition to moving the boundary dropped slightly to 71 percent, and support rose to 22 percent, after various arguments on both sides of the issue were introduced, according to the poll.

Arguments for moving the boundary included increasing the amount of affordable housing, creating more jobs, and boosting the economy. Arguments against moving it: environmental concerns, increased traffic and water shortages.

Created in 1975, the development boundary runs mainly along the southern and western edges of the county. It restricts development outside the line to one dwelling per five acres.

Preservationists say the line keeps urban sprawl from encroaching on the Everglades, but developers and their allies say population growth requires that the line be moved.

Late last year, commissioners voted to send a flurry of applications to develop on swaths of land outside the boundary to the state for review. Last month, the Florida Department of Community affairs advised the commission to reject all 17 projects up for consideration, both inside and outside the boundary.

The agency, which reviews land-use changes statewide, raised concerns that there was not enough water to support the expected increase in population that the new developments would bring. It also pointed out that some projects could increase traffic.

The commission is expected to take a final vote on the applications in mid-April. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez, who has been a staunch opponent of moving the boundary, said commissioners should consider what voters are telling them.

A STRONG MESSAGE

''I would say to the elected officials, whose only purpose is to serve constituents and to make decisions in the best interest of their constituents: This is a very strong message,'' Alvarez said.

Gus Gil, who heads the Latin Builders Association, said in light of the state's recommendations and the poll, commissioners need to look at each application individually. ''Some might make sense and some might not make sense. That's government's job to decide,'' he said. "If they feel the infrastructure is not there, it may not be the right time.''

Opposition to moving the boundary varied little by party registration: 74 percent among Democrats surveyed, 65 percent among Republicans surveyed and 76 percent among independents, the poll said.