First of all - I invite you to attend two main meetings that will have the biggest impact on issues relating to the canals:
1. This Saturday, January 14,
2017 - 11:00 AM - Legislative VISIONING SESSION WORKSHOP, at the Edward &
Arlene Feller Community Room at Ludovici Park, 17641 Old Cutler Road
2. Village-wide Canal Workshop
on Friday, January 20, 2017 at 7:00 PM. at Palmetto Bay Municipal Center, 9705
East Hibiscus Street.
Secondly: ONGOING PROJECT – PINECREST. The
SFWMD has advised us that a bank restoration project will commence in Pinecrest
on January17. This restoration is covering C100A – starting in Pinecrest, but
because of the nature of the work, a large part of the C100A canal- the part of
the canal that crosses over into Palmetto Bay off 136 street (it opens into the
lake off 136 street) – extending into Palmetto Bay – will be shut down for all
boat traffic. This shutdown is expected
to last several months.
Mobilizing, staffing, materials will affect time of the project and
resulting shut down will occur.
Efforts continue past and present. We remain committed to work with the SFWMD to continue the restoration
South, to ultimately include all of Palmetto Bay. This is a long process. I have been committed from my first terms in
office. I sponsored resolution 2008-119
requesting the State to fund and undertake the restoration. It’s a funding issue with the State.
We have asked the State Of Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission to
undertake boating safety enforcement within the Canals located within Palmetto
Bay (resolution 2009-19).
Canal bank restoration is paid for through the taxes paid to the SWFMD –
visible on your tax bill (everyone pays into this taxing district). I joined in with the mayors of Cutler Bay and Pinecrest last year asking that the SFWMD mileage rate not be reduced - specifically in order to allow for funding of canal bank restoration.
We are having a vision session this Saturday on our legislative agenda –
this Saturday, January 14, 2017 - 11:00 AM at the
Edward & Arlene Feller Community Room at Ludovici Park, 17641 Old Cutler
Road - I urge those interested/impacted to attend this meeting and express a
desire (which I will sponsor - or any member of the council can sponsor) for Palmetto Bay to ask the Florida Legislature
to fund canal bank restoration throughout Palmetto Bay, just as we would
stormwater or FRDAP requests – only our State Legislators can make this
appropriation and your Mayor & village council is committed to working with
them to request this funding.
That is being done – I remain working with the SFWMD to identify and
obtain the funding to actually complete the much-needed canal bank restoration.
This requires the legislative requests, follow up in Tallahassee, personally
and through our lobbying team and locally through the SFWD.
Canal ownership. It is important to note that Palmetto Bay has no jurisdiction or ownership
of the canals or the canal banks. The property
connects directly to the private property of the individual homeowners. The canals and banks are controlled by the
SFWMD and enforcement is under the Florida Fish and Wildlife.
Again, I strongly encourage those interested in the Canal restoration issue to attend both meetings listed above. I continue to gather information and will post updates to my blog.
Very truly yours,
Eugene Flinn, Mayor
Palmetto Bay
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