County Commissioner Pepe Diaz, on the loose in the Florida Keys... by gimleteye

Eyeonmiami began reporting on the strange case of Pepe Diaz in the Florida Keys; specifically his role in a Key Largo trailer park called Calusa Campground. Diaz, with the help of prominent Miami attorney Santiago Echemendia, successfully lobbied to change the Monroe County planning code to convert campgrounds for motor homes into sites vested with the right to build a permanent home. This had an instant effect of creating property rights at Calusa Campground that never previously existed. It was a move that generated big controversy in the Keys.Since the mid-1980's there has been an mandate in place to limit development and building rates-- to protect fragile natural resources and the Keys from being overrun by population impacts and to ensure hurricane evacuation routes are not overwhelmed in a crisis. ROGO, as it is known, has plenty of loopholes. Still, securing new home building sites a burdensome, difficult process for property owners unless, now, you own a trailer park site.

Although he was only one of scores of homeowners at Calusa, Pepe brought his influence on the Miami-Dade County Commission--to the controversy. As the Monroe County Commission reviewed the change in a series of public and very acrimonious hearings, at least some of the commissioners did not even know the person angrily testifying and in the face of opponents was a county commissioner in Miami-Dade.

While Pepe's apparent invisibility was of interest to Eyeonmiami (worth noting that Pepe's biggest supporter on the Monroe County Commission, Marathon commissioner DiGennaro, also had interest in a mobile home park in Homestead, adjacent to public infrastructure), what called attention to this story was the fact that Diaz, in Miami-Dade, has been a strong opponent and critic of community groups and environmentalists organized against moving the Urban Development Boundary, as part of the movement to Hold The Line.

Another point of interest is how important positions in the Florida Keys government structure is filled with former Miami-Dade county employees, including Peter Horton at the airport authority and Roman Gastesi, former Miami-Dade water czar and then lobbyist, as county manager.

Also, Diaz turns out to be hot-tempered to the point of starting fights as he takes over the Calusa Campground development project, even after the approval of the zoning change. "The disagreement almost became violent during a condo association meeting on Sunday, May 16 with a crowd of more than 100 Calusa owners in the community’s clubhouse. The meeting was to discuss architectural and aesthetic standards for the permanent structures, and improvements to the park’s pool that must be approved by the owners. But most of the three hours were dominated by intense arguments and near-fist fights, including one where Diaz charged toward board members and was pulled out of the room by his supporters."

Joe Gallardo, one of the biggest owners of individual lots at Calusa Campground, was thrown off the five person board last year. In his view, Diaz is making a whole host of enemies at Calusa with his attack-style and manipulation. "Half an hour after the election that got me off the board, Pepe was in the new board member’s home drinking whisky and smoking a cigar." Another observer says, "It's all about what is in it for Pepe: he is a “I” guy and not a “we” guy. He’s a control guy. How do you get all these county officials at 9:30 in the morning, and Santiago Echemendia to go there for free: what’s in it for him?" According to this source, Diaz is chair of the development committee and as trailers are converted to individual homes, he is trying to ensure that only selected contractors are authorized by homeowners.

"He doesn’t let anyone else talk or present anything," concludes one long-time Calusa member. Quite an interesting view on a county commissioner from Florida's most populous county who has indignantly addressed critics from the dais in Miami-Dade, that "I represent the people." (Please click, 'read more')


Redevelopment effort causing a rift at Calusa
BY ROBERT SILK Free Press Staff
rsilk@keysnews.com
KEY LARGO -- A rift within Calusa Campground came close to erupting at a meeting of the community's board earlier this month.

The 387-lot mile marker 101.5 park entered into a development agreement with Monroe County last year that will enable owners to clear out their recreational vehicles and build permanent homes.

To set the stage for the new construction, a park planning and zoning committee developed a set of architectural and aesthetic guidelines.

But attendees at the Calusa condo association meeting on May 16 say the proceedings got especially heated when a committee member squared off against the five-member Calusa board about the board's plan to hire a Key West planning consultant to review those guidelines.

Jose "Pepe" Diaz is a Miami-Dade County commissioner who owns a lot at Calusa. Board members told the Free Press that while arguing angrily against the board's plan to hire planning consultant The Craig Company at $185 per hour, Diaz lost his temper. He began to approach the dais but was restrained.

"I never felt threatened," said Calusa board member Joe Gallardo. "There were too many women holding him back."

Added Calusa President Manny Lopez, "I did see him approach the dais and being restrained by other residents. I never felt threatened."

Diaz did not return phone calls from the Free Press.

The fireworks at the May 16 meeting may have been the most public salvo, but they were far from the beginning of tensions at Calusa, where the redevelopment guidelines as well as a renovation of the swimming pool are dividing the community.

Diaz is part of an effort spearheaded by lot owner Jacobo Gonzalez to recall the board. Gonzalez says his main grievance is that the board is spending too much money.

He expects the pool renovation to cost more than $300,000, (thus far a $159,000 contract has been awarded for a portion of the project) and in this economy many of the campground's largely Miami-based owners don't have extra money lying around.

He also says the board managed to use the law to find a way to avoid competitive elections over the winter. He says 150 lot owners have signed the recall form.

"There is a lot of power they have that is being misused," Gonzalez told the Free Press in reference to the board. "They are using that power to benefit themselves."

Lopez, though, calls the recall effort the work of a "few disgruntled owners."

Though all five board members retained their seats without opposition, the board president contends that elections were properly advertised and nobody else applied to run.

Gallardo, meanwhile, accuses Diaz of trying to gain control of the redevelopment process so that work might be steered to his associates.

"He is trying to manipulate the system and control the whole thing," Gallardo said, "He doesn't want outside people coming in."

Gallardo also says it struck him as odd that Monroe County Administrator Roman Gastesi along with county Growth Management Director Christine Hurley and Principal Planner Joe Haberman attended the Sunday morning condo association meeting.

Gastesi said he was there at the request of Diaz, who is a friend of his from his days working for Miami-Dade County. But he said he and his staff attended in order to answer questions about the redevelopment agreement, which is a major one by Monroe County standards.

"We answered a few questions and we left," Gastesi said.

Gallardo speculated that Diaz invited Gastesi as a demonstration of influence.

"The truth is, as we see it, he had a recall out there and he wanted to show power," Gallardo said.

Gonzalez, though, said emotions boiled over at the board meeting because it is operating unchecked.

"We have issues with the board and they are trying to do things that we don't want them to do. So, yeah, we are edgy," he said.

Dade politician battles Key Largo condo board
Diaz decides to back effort to recall board
By David Goodhue
dgoodhue@keysreporter.com
Posted - Friday, May 21, 2010 12:42 PM EDT
A Miami-Dade county commissioner is making waves at a Key Largo condo community in a movement to replace the co-op’s board of directors.

Jose “Pepe” Diaz, vice chairman of the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners, didn’t plan to join the effort to recall the board of the Calusa Camp Resort. But he was forced to, he said, because the five-member board is making decisions opposed by many of the condo association’s more than 380 members.

Calusa’s board members say the recall effort is a way Diaz can install friends from Miami to take control as the community goes ahead with plans to replace RVs and trailers with permanent homes.

“He wants to manipulate these people and take control, but we won’t let him,” board member Joe Gallardo said.

The conflict between Diaz and the board is relatively recent. Diaz was influential, using his political experience to help Calusa, located at mile marker 101.5, to win a zoning change from Monroe County last year, which paved the way for pending redevelopment.

But since then, the relationship has steadily deteriorated.

Intense arguments

The disagreement almost became violent during a condo association meeting on Sunday, May 16 with a crowd of more than 100 Calusa owners in the community’s clubhouse. The meeting was to discuss architectural and aesthetic standards for the permanent structures, and improvements to the park’s pool that must be approved by the owners.

But most of the three hours were dominated by intense arguments and near-fist fights, including one where Diaz charged toward board members and was pulled out of the room by his supporters.

Diaz was also angry that a reporter was at the meeting, which he said was private. Monroe County Administrator Roman Gastesi and two members of his staff were there at Diaz’ invitation.

Tension between Diaz and the board grew throughout the meeting.. Diaz spent about half an hour describing housing styles owners could choose, all in some type of “Caribbean” or “Key West” style.

But an argument quickly erupted between the board, audience and Diaz when board members said they wanted to hire a Key West company led by planning consultant Don Craig, which charges $185 an hour, to review the development plan.

Diaz maintains the plan passed muster when the Monroe County Commission approved the zoning change for the recreational vehicle resort to allow permanent structures last year. The attorneys representing the board of directors — Santiago Echemendia of Tew Cardenas and David Rogel of Becker & Poliakoff — said at the meeting that the community should hire a planning consultant to look at the plan.

Diaz was on a committee that decided many of the plan’s architectural and aesthetic standards. He said hiring Craig’s firm would duplicate work the committee did in collaborating with Gastesi and county planners, and would be a financial drain for many residents especially hard hit by the recession.

“In the last minute you bring in a planner at $185 an hour when you have people here who can’t pay their association fees,” he said.

Board members said they want Craig to make sure the plan will stand up to legal challenges. Diaz called the decision another example of the board making arbitrary decisions without consulting owners. After a heated exchange in both English and Spanish, Diaz announced he would join the recall effort that began about two months ago with a petition.

Joining recall effort

“I’m making it public right now, I’m fully part of the recall,” Diaz yelled toward the board.

Board member Milton Martinez yelled back, “Well, we already knew that.”

That began more arguments between Diaz and the board, and between members of the crowd. It culminated with Diaz running toward the dais and several members of the crowd holding onto him and leading him out of the meeting. He did not return.

Board members accuse Diaz of starting the recall petition. Diaz said in an interview that he only pointed owners in the right direction on procedure for recalling the board. He insisted his decision was not solidified until the meeting.

“There’s a lot at stake here, and we’re fed up,” he said.

The chaotic nature of the meeting made determining who supported which side difficult. When asked, several owners said that they agree with Diaz that board members are making decisions without thinking of the best interest of the community.

“Their agenda is to do whatever they want regardless of the cost or the will of the association,” Jacob Gonzales said. “We have no rights anymore.”

rsilk@keysnews.com