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Posted on Mon. Nov 26, 2007
Developers test Dade boundary again
BY CHARLES RABIN
crabin@MiamiHerald.com
Eighteen months after losing a contentious battle to expand Miami-Dade County's Urban Development Boundary, developers are back and armed with a new weapon: a water permit they hope will push their vision forward.
Last time, county commissioners took the advice of the state's Department of Community Affairs and rejected four applicants' requests to build outside the boundary. Four others withdrew their applications before the vote.
The main concerns: The county was unable to secure a water permit that would serve growth inside the boundary for decades, and that there was already an abundance of land to build on inside the so-called UDB.
But two weeks ago, the state granted Miami-Dade County the elusive water permit -- setting the stage for a series of key votes Tuesday.
''We've already said no, but they're returning like zombies out of Night of the Living Dead,'' said Commissioner Katy Sorenson, who vowed to vote against any growth initiatives outside the development line.
''If we're starting to get serious about water, climate and environmental issues, the most important thing we can do is prevent urban sprawl,'' she said.
Not everyone on the dais shares Sorenson's view. Commissioner Joe Martinez, whose district could be affected by two of the renewed applications, said the 20-year water permit will weigh heavily in his decision-making.
Commissioners will hear from developers pushing plans to build a mix of commercial and residential projects in territory that has been mostly off-limits to construction.
The debate will surely pit opponents to further development in Florida's most populous county against business interests that say the projects are needed.
One applicant wants to build a Lowe's retail store near Southwest 138th Avenue and Eighth Street; another plans to create office and industrial space in an area in Doral near Beacon Lakes; two others aim to convert agricultural patches of land off Kendall Drive near Southwest 167th Avenue to business and office space.
Attorney Juan Mayol represents Lowe's, now making its fourth attempt to build in far West Miami-Dade. If approved, the home improvement store promises to bring a new charter school to the neighborhood that will accommodate up to 2,000 students.
Mayol said the company's plan will address key area issues: ``Namely, the lack of retail services and the lack of a high school.''
The argument has swayed County Commissioner Jose ''Pepe'' Diaz, who said the area where Lowe's wants to build is infected with nonnative melaleuca. Residents, Diaz said, are ''overwhelmingly'' in favor of it.
In all, commissioners will ponder 17 changes in the county's Comprehensive Development Master Plan.
The four of greatest concern -- including the Lowe's and a large low-density housing complex called Kendall Commons -- stand outside the imaginary boundary that is the eastern reaches of Florida's Everglades.
The county's Department of Planning and Zoning has denied the four requests.
''The groups have not demonstrated the need to move the boundaries for those particular applications,'' said Mark Woerner, acting assistant director for planning. ``Countywide, we won't have a depletion [in housing] until 2019.''
The commission must decide whether to kill the applications, or go against the wishes of staff and forward them to the state Department of Community Affairs. That department would return its recommendations to commissioners in April for a final vote.
Members of Hold the Line -- an umbrella group comprising environmental groups such as the Audubon Society and the National Parks Conservation Association -- are urging opponents to show up at County Hall early Tuesday.
Miami Lakes Town Councilman Michael Pizzi, who belongs to Hold the Line, called it ''nervy'' that developers are back before the commission so quickly.
''Urban sprawl -- building first and planning for services later -- has destroyed the quality of life for thousands of Dade County residents. They want to do this at the expense of schools, police, fire and gridlock traffic,'' he said.
But Martinez, the county commissioner who oversees a large portion of Kendall, believes some of the applicants have an upside. Though the Lowe's would be built just outside his district, he said the company has promised to build a bridge over Southwest 139th Avenue that will actually "alleviate traffic.''
Martinez said he's also likely to vote for the Kendall commercial office plan, and against the Kendall Commons plan, because Dade already has an abundance of housing.
County Mayor Carlos Alvarez remains opposed to moving the development line, spokeswoman Suzy Trutie said, "`but he will evaluate every application on a case-by-case basis.''