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Restoration and Sustainable Growth Threatened by proposed DRI in
Miami-Dade County
Atlantic Civil,
Inc. has submitted a Development of Regional Impact (DRI)
pre-application to the South Florida Regional Planning Council (SFRPC),
encompassing 1,465 acres in southern Miami-Dade County. The proposed DRI
is outside the urban expansion area (UEA) (2015 projection), as well as
the urban development boundary (UDB). This proposed development would
undermine two (2) Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP)
Projects, and is located on lands actively pursued for acquisition by
both the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) (Save Our
Rivers Model Lands Basin) and Miami-Dade County (Environmentally
Endangered Lands Program).
To ensure a
sustainable South Florida, it is important to:
-
avoid destroying wetlands, while
initiating a multi-million dollar wetland restoration project within
the same basin,
-
consider the system-wide cumulative
impacts of growth management decisions on restoration, and
-
actively engage in growth management
throughout the watershed to protect the viability of restoration.
Recommendation:
The South Florida Regional Planning Council should deny the proposed
Florida City DRI until the completion of the SFRPC-sponsored South
Miami-Dade Watershed Plan, and the BBCW and C-111 N Spreader Canal
Project Implementation Reports.
Undermines CERP Projects
Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands (BBCW)
- The purpose of the BBCW project
is to “re-hydrate wetlands.” The proposed development directly conflicts
with the Barnes Sound Wetland sub-component to restore sheet flow. This
development would convert wetlands to concrete and asphalt, contrary to
the goals of the restoration project envisioned for this area.
C-111 North Spreader Canal
- The purpose of the C-111
North Spreader Canal is to “re-hydrate the Model Lands [and] establish
sheet flow[.]” The proposed Florida City DRI would drain 1,465 acres of
historic wetlands within the federally-designated 100-year floodplain
just north of the C-111 Project area, and pollute water discharging into
the Models Lands Basin and the C-111 North Spreader Canal during large
storm events.
Inconsistent with
the Miami-Dade County Comprehensive Development Master Plan
Land Use Policy 2B
discourages urban development in agricultural and open land areas and
prioritizes the provision of services to areas within the UDB first and
the UEA second. Development of environmentally sensitive areas outside
the UDB and UEA is inconsistent with goals of the Comprehensive
Development Master Plan (CDMP).
Land Use Policy 3E
requires the development and implementation of a South Miami-Dade
Watershed Plan “to assure compatible land use and zoning decisions in
the Study Area consistent with long term objectives for a sustainable
South Dade.” The Miami-Dade County CDMP recommends, “heightened scrutiny
to proposed changes in the UDB, land use designations, and zoning” until
the Watershed Plan is completed.
Conclusions
Undeveloped areas in the vicinity of the BBCW and C-111 North Spreader
Canal CERP Projects should be protected from development until the
completion of the Project Implementation Reports and the South
Miami-Dade Watershed Plan. Development outside the UDB should be denied
until these projects have identified land use and water management
strategies that will ensure the enhancement of the environmental,
economic, and community values of the area.
Here is Ocean Reef's resolution:
A resolution of the Ocean Reef Community
Association Board of Directors expressing concerns about a large-scale
mixed use development, proposed by Atlantic Civil, Inc., referred to as
the Florida City Development of Regional Impact (DRI), and directing
staff to communicate ORCA’s concerns to the South Florida Regional
Planning Council in the development review process and oppose any
element or phase of the development that will negatively impact the
health, safety and welfare of Ocean Reef residents or will have a
detrimental effect on the environment and economic base of Ocean Reef.
Whereas, Atlantic Civil, Inc. proposes to
develop 1,465 acres of a 3,187 acre tract located approximately at the
junction of Card Sound Road, U.S. 1 and the Florida’s Turnpike in south
Miami-Dade County, hereinafter called the “Florida City DRI”; and,
Whereas, the proposed Florida City DRI
development consists of 6,000 dwelling units, 300,000 square feet of
retail, 90,000 square feet of office, an 1,800 seat theater, 240 hotel
rooms, a Kindergarten to 8th grade school, a high school and
60 acres of parks to be developed over a ten-year period; and,
Whereas, the proposed development requires
approval as a Development of Regional Impact under Chapter 380, Florida
Statutes; and,
Whereas, the subject parcel requires
amendments of the Miami-Dade County Comprehensive Development Master
Plan Future Land Use Map (FLUM) and, the 2005 Urban Development Boundary
(UDB), as it is located outside the 2005 Urban Development Boundary;
and,
Whereas, a significant amount of vacant,
developable land already exists with existing or programmed
infrastructure and public services within the existing UDB north of the
subject development to easily accommodate the demand for tens of
thousands of new dwellings and large scale commercial, office and other
non-residential development in South Miami-Dade without having to expand
the existing UDB further towards the Florida Keys and environmentally
sensitive lands; and,
Whereas, an expansion of the UDB will only
further encourage urban sprawl and leap-frog development, and the
additional loss of valuable, irreplaceable agriculture lands and open
space in Southwest Miami-Dade County; and,
Whereas, the expansion of the 2005 Urban
Development Boundary will lead to further requests to expand the Urban
Development Boundary (UBD) in Southwest Miami-Dade County to the further
detriment of Ocean Reef and the fragile Everglades, Florida Bay,
Biscayne Bay, and Florida Keys ecosystem; and,
Whereas, the proposed development, which is
all located within the 100-year flood plain, has potential adverse
impacts for the full implementation of the Everglades Restoration Plan
as it may well change the existing flood water holding capacity of the
area, and the historic drainage and flow patterns of surface water to
the Everglades, Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay; and,
Whereas, storm water from such development
could lead to increased storm water pollution loading into Florida Bay
and the Everglades, further degrading the quality of water surrounding
Ocean Reef and the Florida Keys which is vital for sustaining the
commercial fishing and tourism economy of the Florida Keys; and,
Whereas, the proposed development is in a
location approximate to the Florida Keys Aqueduct Authority’s well
fields that provide Ocean Reef with its primary source of drinking water
and may have potential detrimental impacts on the yield capacity of this
well system, which is already severely constrained; and,
Whereas, the proposed development will place
increased permanent and transient population within easy access to
Monroe County that will further add to the number of “weekend and
day-trippers” to the Florida Keys further overwhelming the capacity of
the County’s infrastructure and services; and,
Whereas, the project is located within an
area recommended in the Miami-Dade Hurricane Evacuation Plan for
evacuation during a Category 2 or greater hurricane; and,
Whereas, the proposed development will
utilize SW 360th Street to create a main exit point at the
critical junction of Highway 1 and Card Sound Road, which is the sole
hurricane evacuation route for Ocean Reef and the Florida Keys; and,
Whereas, the loading of additional
evacuation traffic from this proposed development at this critical road
junction may detrimentally place the safety of the persons living and
visiting Ocean Reef and the Florida Keys at much greater risk by
increasing hurricane evacuation times and the possibility of
life-threatening traffic jams during evacuation; and,
Whereas, future development in the Florida
Keys is directly tied to the time necessary to evacuate the Florida
Keys, as evacuation is mandatory for residents and visitors for any
Category 3 or greater hurricane; and,
Whereas, under the current Hurricane
Evacuation Model, the Florida Keys are already over the 24 hour standard
that is required by the State of Florida and the County’s Year 2010
Comprehensive Plan; and,
Whereas, increasing the evacuation times for
the Florida Keys resulting from the impacts of this development may even
further limit the development of the Florida Keys in a manner that
detrimentally impacts the Florida Keys economy and the capabilities of
the County and its municipal governments to acquire environmentally
sensitive lands, provide needed work force housing, and generate
sufficient revenues to fund wastewater improvements to meet the
stringent 2010 wastewater treatment standards mandated by the State;
and,
Whereas, the ORCA Board is further concerned
that such an adverse impact may jeopardize the ability of the County to
fully meet the commitments of the partnership that the County recently
entered into with the State of Florida to revise Rule 28.20 Florida
Administrative Code government the Florida Keys Areas of State Critical
Concern;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE OCEAN REEF
COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT:
Section 1: The intensity and location of
development proposed under the Florida City DRI may have significant
adverse primary impacts on Ocean Reef and the Florida Keys in terms of
hurricane evacuation, potable water supply, the Everglades Restoration
Program, and Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay water quality. Potential
secondary adverse impacts on the County resulting from the development
will be an increase in the numbers of day and weekend trippers to
primarily the Upper and Middle Keys further overwhelming the already
constrained capacity of the County’s infrastructure and services.
Section 2: The project will only further
encourage and induce additional urban sprawl in South Miami-Dade by
expanding the Urban Development Boundaries eventually leading to the
elimination of the last acres of open space and agricultural lands
remaining in South Miami-Dade County and placing even further
unnecessary strains on the viability of the Everglades and Florida Bay
ecosystem.
Section 3: If approved as proposed, the
project and similar large-scale developments already occurring unimpeded
in South Miami-Dade County may well threaten the County’s long-term
ability for sustainable development in terms of providing economic and
housing opportunities for residents without compromising the
biodiversity of the natural environment and continued ability of the
natural and man-made systems to sustain livable communities in the
Florida Keys for future generations. In the short-term it threatens to
limit the County’s ability to follow through on commitments made to the
Governor and Cabinet and Florida Department of Community Affairs to
address wastewater, affordable housing, and acquisition of significant
upland habitat issues.
Section 4: ORCA’s representative is
directed to work with the County’s representatives to the South Florida
Regional Council to represent Ocean Reef’s concerns before that body
concerning the proposed Florida City DRI and before other state and
local governing and advisory bodies as appropriate. ORCA’s
representative is also directed to report back to the Board with status
reports and recommendations on any further Board action on this proposed
development.
Section 5: Staff is instructed to continue
to monitor the DRI review and approval process for this project,
including reviewing and providing input on the final DRI application and
supporting amendments to the Miami-Dade County Comprehensive Development
Master Plan Future Land Use Map and 2005 Urban Development Boundary; and
prepare recommendations, as appropriate, for ORCA’s Board to be
submitted to the State of Florida, South Florida Regional Planning
Council, Miami-Dade County, or other appropriate governing or advisory
body.
Section 6: ORCA will oppose, and direct its
staff to oppose, any element or phase of the proposed development that
it is shown to have a deleterious and negative impact, either directly
or indirectly, on the health, safety and welfare of its residents and on
the environment and tourism economic base of the Florida Keys.
Section 7: Staff is requested to send an
executed copy of this resolution to the Florida Department of Community
Affairs, South Florida Regional Planning Council and Miami-Dade County
Commission requesting that Ocean Reef’s concerns and issues identified
by this resolution be fully addressed by the applicant in its project
assessment for the DRI and application for amendments to the Miami-Dade
County Comprehensive Development Master Plan Future Land Use Map and
2005 Urban Development Boundary.
Passed and adopted by the Ocean Reef Community
Association Board of Directors, at a regular meeting of said Board held
on the ___ day of April 2004. |
