Dirty tricks - stealing a lawfully placed campaign sign located on private property

Politics run amok. Resorting to stealing signs to influence a campaign.  Does anyone recognize the truck? It appears to be a black Jeep Pickup. Witnesses advise that the driver had a white dog with him.

Not much to go on, but perhaps it is enough to identify the thief.

2021's first test - the bridge is back. Will it unite or divide Palmetto Bay? Will it happen without input from Palmetto Bay's so-called leaders?

Where do the Palmetto Bay elected leaders stand on this issue?

Let's be clear, my opinions here in this post concern much more than to bridge or not to bridge. It is about issue straddling and pandering misstatements passed along in Palmetto Bay,  much of the time done through proxy. The conflicting promises made, talking points specially developed for whomever the candidates are speaking, the underground attacks and rumor mongering (and preventing debates where the truth would be aired). 

Distractions, misdirection. A local government of bread and circuses. 
Questions from concerned residents: "Will Palmetto Bay leaders support or oppose the bridge?"
(Non) Response from elected officials: "Look! Over there! Palmetto Bay is holding birthday drive bys, would you like one? Don't miss out"

What is the plan? I heard the rumors made in the door to door personal campaigning - to vote against Silva and David Singer as they were “pro-bridge”. So now we have a District Commissioner who is on board with the bridge. So again, I ask, What is the plan from Palmetto Bay leadership? 

This should be interesting as a bridge is not an issue that can be easily straddled. This is an issue like human rights, a woman’s right to choose, balanced budgeting, and the death penalty; you are in or out.

Where do the current Palmetto Bay elected leaders stand on this issue? We know well where our District commissioner stands on this issue, as reported in the Miami Herald, A lawyer who won her first county battle in middle school, Cohen Higgins joins commission, By Douglas Hanks, Dec 14, 2020:

As a candidate, Cohen Higgins broke with Levine Cava on one top local issue: a county plan to build a bridge over a canal in Palmetto Bay and allow Southwest 87th Avenue to continue over it.

Levine Cava got heat for opposing the plan, which Palmetto Bay’s leadership didn’t want for the traffic it would bring north of the canal. Communities south of the canal backed the bridge as a way to ease cars snaking through neighborhood streets instead of taking 87th Avenue straight through. Cohen Higgins backs the bridge.

“I was very vocal and clear on that position,” she said. “I didn’t want to sit on the fence on it. I knew the politically safe thing to do would have been to give a cryptic response.”

So for those who voted for Cody and Tellam on the allegation that they will oppose the bridge (which was a position I never personally heard from either of them during their respective campaigns); I again ask: "What is the plan?" and will there be any public positions made or will it be muted responses by the current Palmetto Bay officials, be a "cryptic response" taking as it would be "...the politically safe thing to do..."? This is something Commissioner DCH has refused to do. Good for Commissioner DCH. Honesty in government. I should warn her about that. 

Now in Palmetto Bay, will we see action or a shrug of the shoulders? Denial and avoidance, all calculated to absolve themselves of any responsibility to control development in Palmetto Bay under the phrase “it is a County issue”.

The kool aid handed out along 87th Avenue, north of the canal, may soon taste bitter.

BTW, I am looking forward to many good things from Commissioner DCH, I realize that I may not agree with her on everything, but she is very upfront about her plans, her vision.

We shall see, these are exciting times we live in. But there are times that exciting is not a good thing. What will change in 2021 from 1998 (yes, 1998), 2015, 2017 and 2018? Recommended reading: January 6, 2020, Palmetto Bay’s current Mayor needs to stop hiding behind proxy attacks and build coalitions, not angry mobs through misinformation. 2020’s first textbook example of poor leadership.

I leave you with this - the rendering of the new bridge planned for SW 136th Street. Note the bike lanes on both sides [where do the west bound (Pinecrest side) bicyclists go before and after the bridge? I ask this as the bike lanes were removed from the project, but apparently remain on the bridge]

Great video - from the heart. David Singer for Palmetto Bay Council, District 2

Watch this short video. David Singer's youngest son speaks from the heart. 

The youngest of the Singer family has been a frequent volunteer, working to help serve at numerous breakfasts at the American Legion, post 133.

Public services for some. Perhaps there is a political order. Friends and allies first?

From a friend:

Photo taken 12-2-2019

During the campaign of Mayor Cunningham, one of the items she made a big deal of was her “Street by Street Initiative.”  So far, all I see out of this initiative is an opportunity for our mayor to have taken another selfie.

Since October 31st, when FPL came by and removed the street signs in order to completely kill the property values of a few homes in Palmetto Bay by putting huge power poles practically in the yards of my neighbors, the signs have not been replaced. Even with several calls to the Village Public Works Department, the signs are missing, or laying on the ground.

So far, the only things I have seen happen is for a crew to come by about two weeks ago and decide to leave one of the signs on the ground, and take the other away.

After a month and a half, the corners of SW 148 St/SW 75 Ave and SW 148 St/74 Place are still without street signs.  I know that the crew that came by took one of the signs because they said it was damaged and in need of repair.  I don’t know what this would have to do with the other street sign that is still laying on the ground.

I am not impressed.
(UNSIGNED)

EDITOR’S NOTE: The statement I posted above was sent to me by a FOSDU, but the person asked to remain anonymous. This post stands out to me for two reason, the first is the difference between actual service levels most receive from that presented on village controlled social media.

The second is this is what happens when you remove village operations from the Manager and Staff and create a process where it becomes political. It becomes more important to make a 'bid splash' for the photo ops than making sure our 'quiet residents' are taken care of in a timely manner.

The 'Street by street' should be an end of this current Mayor and Council scapegoating the manager and staff as now the council is directing provision of services. They own it.

Non-political public services means priorities are established as to what needs done, regardless of location.

Politicizing public services means its more likely for our elected officials to see that those who will send praise out on social media get served first, even if that means the quiet residents have to wait longer.

How has the process been going? Information is being carefully controlled in Palmetto Bay. It started with the current Mayor and council placing the shade down over transparency by removing agendas, minutes, full resolutions from the website that actually documents what is going on in the Village, how tax dollars are being spent.

The next step that followed was replacing that information with the self-promotion and carefully crafted controlled information – some might call propaganda.  

And that, my friends, is where the term 'selfies over substance' came about and we certainly saw evidence of that at the most recent State of the Village Address.

And finally, why do some areas seem to receive all the attention at the expense of others? The answer is obvious, services based upon political favoritism, rather than professional management.

Let's get those signs reinstalled. They weren't cheap. Someone may have an accident, either through inability to know their precise location or possibly even running into the signs.The manager and staff would have had it done long ago, but they probably don't have time to go off list (or possibility the authority to go off list). 

IMHO 

Thoughts on the most recent litigation FILED by the village: Good faith or is this a less than good faith attempt to avoid a deal that the Mayor and Council had no authority to make?

The recent lawsuit for injunctive relief is a very big deal. This is diplomacy through litigation, giving up on communication turning the entire matter over to the court where all parties are divested of certain decision making authority. This is a long post, but this is an extraordinary situation that cannot be presented in 'small bites', so please use this as weekend reading.

The buzz around the village is whether the current Mayor and council overstepped their authority in reaching a formal agreement with Miami-Dade County, through the Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) without bringing the proposal back to the residents. It is a fair question as others have wondered whether this lawsuit is an abject 'abdication of responsibility' of the responsibility of their elected office as spelled out in the Village Charter for Mayor Cunningham and the entire Village Council to maintain civility, communication and advocate for Palmetto Bay with Miami-Dade County. 

Is the lawsuit nothing but an attempt to weasel out of the commitment represented by Village elected leaders to support the traffic circle and force a four way stop as a permanent measure despite an agreed-to short term stopgap? This lawsuit may provide some insight.

Bridges for 77th and 87th Avenue and what of Old Cutler Road?

Is this council abdicating their responsibility for traffic calming and simply asking the court to step in and decide for them an issue of Village-wide concern, issues relating to the bridges for 77th and 87th Avenues and Old Cutler Road, as they would prefer to continue to hand out feel good proclamations over getting their hands dirty on issues of controversy? This lawsuit can be seen as a mechanism to avoid issues they signed up to decide. 

Debunking some of the 'reasons alleged' for the lawsuit.

Also troubling is the apparent abandonment of discussion and rush to court. This suit is very limited, it seeks relief specific only to the intersection of SW 87th Avenue and SW 174th Street.

When has Miami-Dade County ever refused to sit and negotiate? I have always found the County, yes including the DTPW, to always be available to discuss. There has been significant collaboration in the past - and yes, there has been disagreement as well. But this is part of a relationship where disagreement occurs. That is the nature of overlapping governmental authority. It is quite disingenuous to alleged that a this lawsuit is needed to get the parties to sit and talk, especially at a mediation. Tell me this mayor and council really do not believe such foolish talk to be accurate. 

This is far from a lawsuit against the County "to take control of our streets" as we have heard some yet to declare candidates promote. It is undeniable that the facts allege in the verified complaint relative to Malbrook would be the best opportunity to file such a suit, yet it is not filed and the rumor remains hanging out there as the next kool aid to be passed out in the 2020 Village elections. Watch out for it.

BAD PRECEDENT?  

BEST CASE: The best result of this lawsuit is a court order making the 4 way stop permanent. Many Malbrook residents are not in favor of the 4 way stops remains. This opinion is not consistent within or outside of Malbrook. When then, can we expect a lawsuit to restore the 4 way stop signs on 82nd Avenue at 148th in Mangowood?

WORST CASE: We move forward to negotiation with Miami-Dade County through lawsuit after lawsuit with the results determined by the court

Either way, it is clear that our local elected council members, the Mayor and Council Members have exhausted their advocacy talents and have turned instead to diplomacy through litigation.

WHAT WAS AGREED TO?

Good question.  And it deserves a straight and unequivocal answer.

Mayor Cunningham distributed the following update in an e-blast:

On Monday, Commissioner Cava's staff and Village staff, including myself, met with representatives from Miami-Dade County Transportation and Public Works Department and Marlin Engineering, the Village's traffic engineering firm, to discuss the traffic solutions that have been proposed for the Malbrook neighborhood area. Previously, County staff had requested a traffic study to substantiate the request made by the Village for traffic mitigation. The results were discussed and subsequently the plans have been approved by the county. As was previously discussed, the solutions proposed to reduce cut-through traffic for Malbrook include:

• a dedicated right tun lane from SW 87th Avenue onto SW 168th Street

• permanent installation of "no-right turn" signs along SW 87th Avenue for eastbound traffic

• a traffic circle for the intersection of SW 174th Street and SW 87th Avenue

I have requested that the plans be shared with the community.  Next step are Council approval, funding, plans and implementation. You can click here to read the approval letter.

THE ACTUAL WORDS USED ARE IMPORTANT. Words have meaning, especially in context: This appears to be what is termed "a done deal" as the language used by the Mayor is "...Next step (sic) are Council approval, funding, plans and implementation." (Emphasis in bold is added). I places those words in bold to show that no where does it indicate that this proposal was to come back for negotiation. To the contrary, its council approval (not "discussion") plans AND (not possible) implementation."

Is it the Mayor and Village Council that have broken the agreement with the County and not the other way around?

There is much to consider here. Now we, the Village Taxpayers, sit and wait for important operational decisions to be made by the court - or for the court to reject this suit and push the responsibility back where it belongs - on the Palmetto Bay Village Council.

Finally, a post script (I will let the Village's own words speak for itself): As promoted by the official Palmetto Bay social media on September 17, 2019, posted on its official Facebook page:

MALBROOK UPDATE: Thanks to the stewardship of our Mayor & Council and our County Commissioner who continue to advocate for our residents, Malbrook residents will soon get some relief to their traffic situation. Mayor Cunningham and Village staff, along with Sean McCrackine and Maria Levrant from County Commissioner Levine Cava’s office met with representatives from Miami-Dade County Transportation and Public Works Department and Marlin Engineering, the Village’s traffic engineering firm, to discuss the traffic solutions proposed for the Malbrook neighborhood area. ... 

(go to the official page, 9/17/19 to view for yourself)

The facts about the Palmetto Bay Village Center. Its not 485, its never been 485.

We hold the cards.  My opponent and her team either do not get it about the 22 acres or they have no qualms about deliberately spreading misinformation.

It could not be any simpler: The developer must transfer the 22 acres to the village as a condition to any change in developmental rights at the Palmetto Bay Village Center.

Not transferring the 22 acres means that that the developer has no right to 85 units, granted or reduced.

Not transferring the 22 acres to the village means that that the developer's rights remain as existed since 2008: 300 senior units, 100 town homes.

There has never been and never will be 485- based upon the traffic chokeholds that we placed in the ordinance we passed 3-2 in 2016.  We are in some serious negotiations, and those negotiations are delicate. The negotiations require that politics be put aside and we speak in a unified voice.

So far these negotiations are playing out as expected at the Monday, Oct. 15, hearing as the PBVC owners:

• Objected to this ordinance, also alleging the timing is premature.
• Threatened to not deed over the 22 acres (actually 40 acres) unless they get their way.

Strong leadership stands up to threats.  We countered with the fact that the PBVC loses all of their rights of the 2016 ordinance if they walk away, reverting back to the 2008 rights. The owners of the PBVC don't want this.

Here are some of the concessions I achieved Monday night (October 15, 2018):

• The owners admitted that the final number will not be "485". 
• The representative for the PBVC mentioned that negotiations are ongoing for 200 -- half of the units -- to be Senior housing units. That's a HUGE offer in regard to traffic reduction.

The Village Manager and our Village Attorney will now enter into negotiations that should result in a significant reduction of the overall impact of this property AND obtain endangered Pine Rocklands.

None of the above would have happened if Councilman Singer had not brought this ordinance forward. None of this will happen, or our final results will be reduced if we don't stand together.

Being mayor is a special responsibility that I take very seriously. I have to continue to work hard and represent the best interest of the Village. Contrast this with a candidate and her supporters who undermine the process for there own political gain.

Pine Rockland preservation advocate Al Sunshine has endorsed Eugene Flinn for Mayor, Palmetto Bay

Environmentalist / Pine Rockland preservation advocate Al Sunshine has endorsed Eugene Flinn for Mayor, Palmetto Bay.

Mr. Sunshine was direct and to the point:

I fully support Mayor Eugene Flinn’s re-election as an environmentally conscious neighbor who’s worked hard for us and remains committed to maintaining our quality of life and endangered habitats.

He’s an avid, long time supporter of preserving our vanishing Pine Rocklands.

Any friend of the Miami Tiger Beetle is a friend of mine.

Re-Elect Mayor Flinn!

Al Sunshine 

Thank you Al. It is my pleasure to work with you on preserving our environment.

Eugene Flinn

I am proud to announce my Sierra Club endorsement!

I am humbled to announce that I have been endorsed by the Sierra Club.

I am proud of my record for sustainability here in Palmetto Bay. I have worked hard to get Palmetto Bay to be a green city and make it greener every day. Growth is smart growth - and limited growth. I am proud to participate as a member of the Miami Pine Rocklands Coalition among other environmental groups.  I participate and listen and work toward preservation of land from fighting to preserve 22 acres of endangered Pine Rockland at the Palmetto Bay Village Center, to working for grants (to pay in full) our park land. 

 As Mayor, I have refused to meet with developers in private. I am the only member of the Palmetto Bay council who can say this.  I have held meetings in public where interested members of the public can attend, listen and participate. 

 

              I am also proud of working with the original Village Council to renovate existing parks and buying new parkland, as well as bringing diverse park amenities including a dog park, softball complex, beach volleyball courts, and a skate park. I have seen to it that we include and protect our environment sensitive areas such as the 5 acre Pineland in Coral Reef Park. I have also worked with the team to purchase and preserve a bay front park (Thalatta Estate). Activities include Earth Week (to raise environmental awareness) and age friendly programming and promoting bicycling within the village. I participate annually with the various bike to work, alternative transportation events.

              I created “Shade Palmetto Bay” – our annual tree / plant give away (native of course).  This year, I put my money where my mouth is and personally donated 130 seedling pines for the giveaway.

              I worked for for recognition of our green spaces as Florida-Friendly Landscapes. Note that in our Village of Parks, Coral Reef, Palmetto Bay and Perrine Wayside Dog Park were recognized on June 18, 2018. 

              I signed on to the US Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement and joined Sierra Club’s Mayors for 100% Clean Energy – not just signing, but following up on and keeping the commitments made.

I opposed Amendment one in 2016 – sponsoring reso 2016-90 that passed by a slim 3/2 margin.   https://www.palmettobay-fl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2739/Resolution-2016-90-PDF  Both my opponents, Karyn Cunningham and Tim Schaffer, voted AGAINST my reso warning the public of the hidden agenda contained in Amendment one.

 I was the prime sponsor in bringing Palmetto Bay in as a participating municipality with the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact when it was formalized back in 2009/2010. 

I was the first of our local officials to advocate for the completion of CERP/BBCW in our region. See Palmetto Bay Resolution:  2007-044

I sponsored (with a single co-sponsor) Reso 2009-018 Urging the US Congress and Florida Legislature to fully fund Biscayne Bay Wetlands projects

Reso2007-073 – in support of the SFWMD request for congressional appropriation of funds necessary to bring the Herbert Hoover Dike into compliance with current levee protection safety standards

Reso2016-036 Urging the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the SFWMD to expedite Phase II of the Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands Project.

Under my leadership, Palmetto Bay has led the way in green initiatives, building the first countywide LEED-certified park building at Coral Reef Park, followed by the very first statewide Platinum LEED-certified Village Hall! 

·                Palmetto Bay Charter member PACE – I serve on the district board

·                Preserving green space, creation of new green space/parks as well as updating existing green space and parks.  

·                Championed the creation of a Sustainable Community Plan (SCP). 

I sponsored resolution preserving the following acreage:

·       Ludovici Park, working with our Miami-Dade County Environmental Crimes to take ownership of land which had previously suffered mangrove destruction, restoring those mangroves and placing that land in the public domain, eventually becoming Ludovici Park – where a library now stands and the restored mangrove area rests, off the private ownership and in protective hands.

·     Land that the County was about to surplused to developers into public ownership -  soon to be known as The Woods along 168^th street.

·     I was the sponsor of Palmetto Bay Resolution 2010-32, Opposing the FPL application relating to Turkey Point Units 6 & &, power lines, opposing the siting transmission lines down US1 (the subsequent administration pulled out of this effort, leaving Pinecrest and South Miami to win this effort without Palmetto Bay’s collaboration).

Notable resolutions are numerous, but some of my favorites that I sponsored include:

·       2005-043, calling upon the Board of County Commissioners to oppose any extension to the Urban Development Boundary (“Hold The Line”)

·       2007-049 Relating to protecting the land considered to be a wildlife sanctuary at SW 168^th Street and 88^th.

·       2008-078  Requesting Miami-Dade to authorize the use of low emission vehicles on County Owned Residential streets located within Palmetto Bay and the County as such low emission vehicles would assist with greening communities by lowering gas emissions and curtail use of gas, ensure slower speeds and thus protect residents, pedestrians and general public.

      2016-68, opposing the DEP's weakening of restrictions that would allow an increase in the release of toxic chemicals into Florida’s Waters.

·     Obtaining the Tree City USA Designation in my second term.

I am including the following blog posts I have written on these and other environmental topics.

CLICKHERE or the following heading to view a blog post from March 28, 2016, Our environment, our community, our future - a collaborative effort to maintain ourquality of life. Part 1 - our local environment, documenting part of my longterm (not election time) actions relating to our environment. 

We need to protect and prepare for our future, whether it is protecting our native Pine Rocklands, Mangroves, or Everglades.  We need to grow smart or not at all.  And don’t leave out transportation.  Transportation is another Number One issue (yes - there are more than a single critical issue facing South Florida) as growing gridlock is rapidly eroding our quality of life – but more on that in a future post.

I remain proud of my accomplishments to date as well as my ongoing commitment to continue the vision and work to further and exceed these past accomplishments, including:

Palmetto Bay seeks to become a model community for energy savings and environmental conservation. The Municipal Center is a testament to this goal. For more information, please feel free to review the following Official Palmetto Bay webpages:

• Have You Heard? Green is the New Black!
• Palmetto Bay Green Page
  And a few of my past blog posts, including:
• May 4, 2018, Great response to our solar initiatives. Thank you to all who have participated.
• October 9, 2012, Great news. It is official. Palmetto Bay's Village Hall receives Platinum LEED certification.
• August 23, 2017, The Smart Growth Partnership - The Village of Palmetto Bay wins a smart growth award for its DUV Code.
• Also see the article posted online through the Southeast Florida Regional Compact (an organization I have sponsored participating with):  Village Hall LEED Platinum Certified Facility
• Obtaining certification of the first Green Certified municipal building in Miami-Dade County (our Parks building at Coral Reef Park).
• Solar power initiatives.  Co-sponsoring Solar Co-Ops
• Prime sponsor of permit fee waiver initiatives for Solar Panel initiative.
• Championing the efforts to purchase and preserve Thalatta Estate - working with the willing seller to buy the property through the Trust for Public Lands and Florida Communities Trust to bring this property into public ownership for all to enjoy.
• Went electronic, eliminating paper - for e-newsletters - first created e-currents and now "Your Village At Work."
• Tree City USA Designation
• Working for recognition of our green spaces as Florida-Friendly Landscapes. Note that in our Village of Parks, Coral Reef, Palmetto Bay and Perrine Wayside Dog Park were recognized on June 18, 2018. 
• I have also actively worked to support the efforts of community groups such as LivableCutler at the county and state level to halt over development. These efforts led to public acquisition of 130 acres earmarked for CERP/BBCW. My entire family have been part of the volunteer effort to restore the acquired coastal wetlands.
• Finally – I established a Palmetto Bay “Environmentalist of the Year” Award – to recognize and encourage environmental action.

Thank you Sierra Club! 

Eugene Flinn

Important DUV Zoning Votes – My opponent has a 100% approval rating for the Downtown construction.

Record distortion is a horrible thing. I am posting the actual voting record for the entire council in order to demonstrate that an opponent claiming to be "anti-development" is distorting the truth. Her votes, on the record, contradict the statements made in private when she goes 'door to door'. Where are these "anti-development" votes? She has actually voted more often for development in the downtown district than I have.  The truth matters. 

The following documents the votes taken on downtown zoning matters - these are votes that result in actual approval, providing authorization to build.

I also ask that you read the Miami Herald articles for more background, applicable links and quotes cited at the end of this post.  

5 important votes have occurred in the Palmetto Bay downtown area:

Atlantico      passed  4-0 (Vice Mayor absent)

Parkview      passed  4-1 (Flinn voted NO – opponent voted to APPROVE)

Sandpiper    passed  5-0

Soleste        passed  5-0

Shores         passed  4-0 (Vice Mayor absent)

Flinn’s opponent voted for each and every development - 5-0 - 100% for development!

Flinn voting record is 4-1 for the rental projects.

Details below:

Atlantico, June 20, 2016, Resolution 2016-051 - PASSED 4-0

17945 SW 97 Avenue

FCI Palmetto Bay, LLC made an application for a site plan, which included design considerations and a bonus floor, for the property at 179 SW 97th.

PASSED 4-0 (Vice mayor absent)

YES   Council Member Karyn Cunningham

YES   Council Member David Singer

YES   Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara

ABS   Vice-Mayor John DuBois

YES   Mayor Eugene Flinn

Atlantico, FCI –Street vacation, April 17, 2017, Resolution 2017 – 064 - PASSED 4-1

17945 SW 97 Avenue

The Village of Palmetto Bay vacates an approximate 5 foot strip of land along the eastern most portion of the 97 Avenue (Franjo Road) right-of-way for an approximate distance of 208 feet to FCI Palmetto Bay, LLC.

PASSED 4-1

YES   Council Member Karyn Cunningham

YES   Council Member David Singer

YES   Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara

NO     Vice-Mayor John DuBois

YES   Mayor Eugene Flinn

Parkview, June 19, 2017, Resolution 2017 – 080 - PASSED 4-1

9420, 9450, and 9500 SW 174TH Street

PASSED 4-1

YES   Council Member Karyn Cunningham

YES   Council Member David Singer

YES   Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara

YES   Vice-Mayor John DuBois

NO     Mayor Eugene Flinn

Sandpiper – June 19, 2017, Resolution 2017 – 079 - PASSED 5-0

9701 WAYNE STREET

Indigo Gardens Developers, LLC made an application for a site plan entitled “Sandpiper Village of Palmetto Bay”, which included design considerations and bonus floors, for the property located at 9701 Wayne Street

PASSED 5-0

YES   Council Member Karyn Cunningham

YES   Council Member David Singer

YES   Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara

YES   Vice-Mayor John DuBois

YES   Mayor Eugene Flinn

Soleste - October 16, 2017, Resolution 2017-112 - PASSED 5-0

Estate Investments Group, LLC made an application for a site plan, which included design considerations, for the property located at 18301 South Dixie Highway

PASSED 5-0

YES   Council Member Karyn Cunningham

YES   Council Member David Singer

YES   Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara

YES   Vice-Mayor John DuBois

YES   Mayor Eugene Flinn

Atlantico, FCI - October 16, 2017, Resolution 2017 – 114   - PASSED 5-0

17945 SW 97 Avenue

FCI Palmetto Bay, LLC has agreed to contribute $500,298.46 to the Village of Palmetto Bay for the construction of a portion of Park Drive and theoretical SW 179 Street, both abutting the FCI Property as shown on the New Streets Plan of the DUVR.

PASSED 5-0

YES   Council Member Karyn Cunningham

YES   Council Member David Singer

YES   Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara

YES   Vice-Mayor John DuBois

YES   Mayor Eugene Flinn

Shores at Palmetto Bay, July 23, 2018, Resolution 2018-097 - PASSED 4-0

17800 SW 97 Avenue

Shores at Palmetto Bay made an application for a site plan, which included design considerations and a bonus floor, for the property at 17800 SW 97 Avenue.

PASSED 4-0 (Vice mayor absent)

YES   Council Member Karyn Cunningham

YES   Council Member David Singer

YES   Council Member Larissa Siegel Lara

ABS   Vice-Mayor John DuBois

YES   Mayor Eugene Flinn

My opponent has largely been invisible in her vision for the Downtown.  I have always been on the record with the goals we are attempting to achieve.  Please review a past Miami Herald article: This city wants to change things up. What will it take for its downtown to be hot?

With hope of attracting more restaurants and relieving its traffic woes, Palmetto Bay is considering tweaking its downtown zoning code to restrict density, limit development incentives and rearrange land uses.

In 2015, the city passed its Downtown Urban Village zoning code, a plan designed to encourage economic investment in the the village’s distressed commercial corridor along Franjo Road and U.S. 1. The goal? To make Palmetto Bay’s core — mostly vacant land, scruffy buildings and warehouses — an urban center that’s more livable and walkable.

The pedestrian-friendly vision features interior, interconnected public walkways, widened and landscaped sidewalks, a civic plaza and twice the amount of required open spaces.

I have always been concerned with traffic. Smart, controlled growth is the key to protecting our community.  

“What’s missing are the retail stores, restaurants. How do we make sure to bring those in without having traffic explode?” Flinn said.

We cannot go back to the days of allowing the courts to dictate our growth, where the prior administration continued to get hammed by the courts and the developers obtained 100% of what they wanted from Court victories.

Additional recommended reading is also found in the Miami Herald, April 20, 2017: 300 apartments on U.S. 1? Palmetto Bay tells developers to think again, by Monique O. Madan

In this case, the development would be LEED certified. Developers of the project currently have the right to 74 units, and were asking for 226 bonus apartments — a number that the mayor called “obscene.”

“Your entire project is car-based. I haven’t heard any mention of trying to get people to the rail, no stops, circulators to come pick people up. Everything is about cars and parking spaces, as far as you’re concerned,” Mayor Eugene Flinn said.

Opponents argued that the development would inundate roads with traffic on streets that are already congested during rush hour.

          ***   ***   ***
Planners offered to donate $100,000 to the city, contingent on the plans being passed. Councilman David Singer asked the number be bumped up to $250,000. The mayor joked and suggested $1 million. At the end, talks about $2 million were on the table.

“You know what? I’d rather you keep your $2 million and scale down this project,” Flinn said. “And I really don’t buy the traffic studies. It lead to the conclusion that the traffic issue alone is enough to reject this project. I strongly recommend that you come back and rethink this thing.”

This project did come back for hearing in June. The glaring deficiencies were not sufficiently addressed in my opinion, so I voted "NO".  My opponent voted IN FAVOR.

Is she "anti-development"?  Hardly.