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| THE
MIAMI HERALD |
March
6, 2005
IN MY OPINION
Governor wants to
hold boundary line
JIM DEFEDE
First it was Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez who stunned
environmentalists by coming out against moving the county's
Urban Development Boundary line.
Friday it was the governor's turn.
During a visit to The Herald, Gov. Jeb Bush made his
first public comments about the impending fight between
developers and community activists, saying he has ''grave
concerns'' about efforts in his home county to move
the UDB.
''There would have to be a major compelling need to
expand the line,'' Bush said, adding that so far he
has seen no such need.
The UDB is a ragged line along the western and southern
fringes of the county intended as a buffer between the
Everglades and insidious sprawl of housing developments
and shopping malls.
Outside the UDB, only one house can be built for every
five acres.
Several developers are now pushing to move the line.
In South Miami-Dade, Atlantic Civil wants the UDB altered
so it can build 6,000 homes, a multiplex movie theater
and 300,000 square feet of retail space on wetlands
at the mouth of the Keys. Mega home builder Lennar has
an option on the land.
And in West Miami-Dade, Texas builder D.R. Horton is
seeking its own expansion of the UDB so it can build
5,000 homes and condos along Krome Avenue near Kendall
Drive.
Bush rattled off a series of reasons why the UDB should
not be moved. He said expanding the line would be ''counter
productive'' to the state's efforts to restore the Everglades.
''You've also got hurricane evacuation issues,'' he
said.
A development at the top of the Keys could trap Monroe
County residents evacuating during a storm.
Developers argue moving the UDB will keep housing prices
down and allow poor and middle income families the opportunity
to own a home.
''The call for more affordable housing is a legit one,''
the governor agreed, ``but I think there's other ways
it can be done.''
Rather than expanding the UDB, developers should use
land already available. ''Infill in a community that
has affordable housing needs makes more sense,'' he
said.
As Bush discussed the UDB, Alvarez stood nearby. Bush
then motioned to Alvarez and said he had been talking
to the mayor about the pending assault on the UDB as
the two of them spent the day campaigning against the
slots initiative.
Alvarez was thrilled by the governor's public comments.
But if Alvarez was thrilled, members of the environmental
community, who I subsequently called, were left speechless.
Well, almost.
''Oh, my God,'' said Cynthia Guerra, executive director
Tropical Audubon Society. "That's the best news
I've heard all day. I'm really encouraged by the leadership
the governor is showing on this issue by speaking out.
I think he summarized the issues of why the UDB should
not be moved very well. It's a tremendous message because
not only is he the governor, he is also a former developer
and can speak with some authority on this issue. I hope
other developers take notice of what the governor said.''
She also hoped the governor's words would resonate with
the state agencies that will play a role in deciding
if the UDB is moved, including the Department of Community
Affairs, the Department of Environmental Protection
and the South Florida Water Management District.
Nancy Liebman, president of the Urban Environment League,
hailed Bush's statements, saying: ``We will work with
him to hold the line.''
After the governor left the Herald building Friday,
Alvarez stayed behind and said he was amazed by the
reaction he has received since coming out against expanding
the UDB. 'People keep shaking my hand and saying, `I
didn't vote for you, but I'm thrilled with what you
are doing,' '' he laughed.
''I'm one of them,'' Liebman admitted. "I didn't vote for him
but I now have such a deep respect for what he did. He has actually
come out on the side of the citizens.'' |
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