Link to video.
I took a video excerpt from the infamous February County Commission meeting that Gimleteye and I have been reporting on all week.
This video is from the end of the meeting when the Commissioners tried to impose a moratorium on issuing wetlands' violations in the 8 1/2 square mile area. The County lawyer warns against such a move saying you don't have a factual record here that the laws are being enforced any differently in the 8 1/2 square mile area than any other area.
Also listen near the end to Alice Pena at 3:20. What insanity. Listen to Lee Hefty respond to her complaints.
Here is a link to Gimleteye's 3 part post on this County Commission Meeting.
7 comments:
Lee Hefty is a saint.... The farm bureau has fought DERMs efforts to keep the wetland -farm fringes clear of debris and junk.
If I can not keep junk tractors and other crap on my property in kendall because it can cause public hazards, why on earth would those living or working on the fringe think that they should be allowed to endanger our water?
The 8.5 and the farm bureau are window dressing Penas issue. Actually, at this point, Pena is using the farm bureau for her own benefit.
The issues Pena and her neighbors have arise from the fact that they bought 20, 40 acre or larger tracts in a swampland area because the property was cheap. They expected to have county services without county taxes or law enforcement (unless they need police to save their butts).
Well, surprise! Swamps flood and people don't get paved roads unless they or a developer pay and build them. It does not help to have people in the neighborhood who agree to take in FREE fill that is contaminated with trash and dump it 2 feet thick on their property.
Don't you think people are required to get a fill permit for a reason? These people took in dirty fill from the
keys and then did not want to remove it. The fill even had garbage like chunks of athletic shoes in it. Are the taxpayers supposed to pay for the behavior of Pena's neighbors? DERM simply asked for compliance. It really isn't a wetland issue. You can not simply dump 2 feet of fill anywhere in the county.
I am sorry that people of 8.5 mile area bought swampland. They need to have gone after their realtors for fraud and should have done there own due diligence. Many of the folks in that area took advantage of the buyout which allowed them to find dry farmable land elsewhere.
The county, state and federal government should not
have to be responsible for folks who hedged their bets on converting swampland into a up scale community. The commission needs to put it into perspective. It should be noted that the farm bureau bank rolls candidates and campaign... So, the commission does not care as much about the 8.5 mile area as they do about the money Pena can raise through the farm bureau.
Joe's aides laughing it up and hitting the shots at 3:50 is priceless!
FYI...the elevation in the 8.5 mile area is at or higher than some areas in Kendall. The owners also pay property taxes and most of the money does not stay in the Ag area.
What is your point? No one said the taxes stay in Ag area. But let's look at taxes, Alice Pena on 4.3 acres paid $3,788 in taxes on a home with a market value of $380,199. Erik Fresen's house has $20,000 more in market value but his taxes are $7,741.74. He lives on a 10,946 square foot lot.
The county has stacks of affidavits from 8.5 property purchasers agreeing that they could not develop the property. The residents have ignored these agreements and developed an illegal city complete with cock and dog fights. They say they want to be left alone but demand roads, flood protection, rescue during heavy rains and other ammenities. They are a wacko lot who don't seem to understand that septic tanks do not work under water and are a health hazzard. They have lost livestock from flooding but persist in living in this area of east Everglades. The county should enforce the affidavits and kick them out.
Diaz gives me such a headache.
How can you be on a major federal group like the south florida ecosystem restoration taskforce and not understand that wetlands are not wet all year round?
Gradeschoolers know more about the everglades than this guy.
^ You took the words out of my mouth. When I heard Mr. Diaz asking about what time of year inspections are done...I couldn't believe it! What ignorance! This just shows that he is no scientist and has not a clue what he is talking about when it comes to wetlands. Amazing. I was like "what an idiot."
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