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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.'' |