MIAMI HERALD
Posted on Mon, Jun. 07, 2004

Reject Keys gateway development proposal

OUR OPINION:
PROJECT WOULD HINDER EVACUATION, GLADES RESTORATION

There are 80,000-plus reasons why the South Florida Regional Planning Council today should reject Atlantic Civil Inc.'s bid to construct a small city on wetlands at Card Sound Road and U.S. 1 in deep south Miami-Dade County.

The first 80,000 reasons are the residents of Monroe County, a good portion of whom will evacuate when a strong hurricane heads their way. The proposed development would sit at the gateway to the Florida Keys, and the added people from its 6,000 housing units, 390,000 square feet of office space, 240-room hotel and a school would turn evacuation into a potential nightmare.

High-value wetlands

Beyond evacuation needs of those 80,000 residents (and the thousands of tourists in the Keys every week) are several more reasons to refuse this project. The 1,500 acres proposed for development include farmland and both damaged and high-value wetlands that are outside Miami-Dade County's Urban Development Boundary. Crossing the UDB has been largely -- and rightly -- inviolate for more than 30 years to preserve Miami-Dade's agricultural economy and for sound environmental purposes, including flood protection for populated areas.

A report by Miami-Dade regulators is quite critical of the proposed project, citing, for instance, the land's tendency to frequent flooding. To develop it, a lot of costly infrastructure would be necessary, including construction of drainage canals that could increase saltwater intrusion in the county's underground drinking-water supply. Miami-Dade is mid-way through conducting two studies critical to the southern area's future. One is a plan to preserve its agricultural lands. The other is an analysis of the water supply in the lower half of the county. At this point, there is no certainty that the future water supply could sustain phenomenal development in South Miami-Dade, a likely outcome that approval of this development would trigger. The report recommends that no major development should be approved until the results of these studies are completed.

Restoring water flow

The acreage that Atlantic Civil wants to develop is also a critical piece of the $8-billion Everglades restoration plan. Rather than undergo development, the land should be purchased for restoration. The huge replumbing project envisions flooding this area to improve water quality offshore, to the benefit of Biscayne National Park. Preserving the land would keep faith with American taxpayers, who are sharing the costs of restoring water flow in Everglades National Park.

Few regions can boast one national park, let alone two. It's in the economic interests of Miami-Dade and Monroe to act in ways that support these national treasures. Monroe already officially opposes this development plan, and so should Miami-Dade.