The Latest from Hudstead - Keys Gate. The Speedway now in the Mix. By Geniusofdespair

It is bad enough to live near a very noisy speedway, however look at Turkey Point in the distance. That would scare me much more. I talked to one resident of Keys Gate who said he could hear the speedway 4 miles away when the wind is blowing in the wrong direction.

Here is an email being circulated by a Keys Gate Delegate in the greatest Metropolis we have, Homestead:

Dear Keys Gate and overall City of Homestead neighbors,

In the face of growing community support from Homestead voters and Keys Gate homeowners, on March 9 a surprising development occurred. The City and Mr. Rosen were notified that the Homestead-Miami Speedway (the Racetrack) had hired litigating legal counsel from Coral Gables.

It appears the Racetrack will be challenging the minor variances (minor as defined by the State of Florida) requested of the 2012 zoning change passed unanimously by our City Council and agreed upon at that time by the Racetrack and its Special Interests. That change allowed for 189 townhomes and a restaurant to be built in the Park of Commerce. Mr. Rosen has asked to reduce the number of homes to 91 single family homes, thereby reducing density and traffic. This home development is linked to the golf course because it is part of the Master Plan and will help offset the $12 million investment to renovate the golf course and clubhouse.

Due to this delaying tactic by the Special Interests at the Racetrack, Mr. Rosen will not be asking the City Council for approval tomorrow (Wednesday), while he works to find out why the track now objects to a previously approved plan. There is confusion as to why they would want to stall this progress for potentially, years. The variances requested will reduce traffic, density, and are further away from the Racetrack than homes built by Lennar Homes. Why is the Racetrack using this delay tactic? As these two areas are part of the Master Plan, is the Racetrack now going to dictate how Keys Gate will be further developed and completed? Does the track have a Hidden Agenda? Why are they stepping into private development and preventing building in the Park of Commerce (POC) and subsequently, our golf course? In essence, a no vote on these minor variances represents a NO vote to the golf course & clubhouse.

The Keys Gate Residents Association (KGRA) has also objected to Mr. Rosen's request. Why? Why do the KGRA and their Delegate candidates want to delay or possibly stop a Fazio Golf Course? This upgraded golf course and clubhouse will raise our property values, make Homestead a destination, and provide jobs! The Council approved by unanimous vote in 2012 to allow 189 townhomes and a restaurant to be built on the land where the revised plan now requests to build only 91 single family homes. The racetrack did not object to the 2012 plan. Why object now to a plan with less density and less traffic? The racetrack had no objections to other townhomes that are being built closer to the racetrack than the land area mentioned above. Why is it ok for Lennar Homes to build closer to the racetrack, but not ok to build Keys Gate homes a little further away from the track?

Why does two of the current council who voted “yes” in 2012, now vote no against a reduced density plan and the golf course; as well as the current Mayor?

The POC and the golf course are both part of the previously approved Master Plan. Why is the racetrack attempting to dictate to the City, and to Keys Gate, how our community will be developed?
By attempting to stop the development plans already approved, the racetrack is stopping the golf course development. Why? Who at the racetrack wants to stop the golf course from reopening?

Is the Racetrack now running the City?

Let your voices be heard and don’t allow a powerful Special Interest Group, such as the Racetrack, to control the future of our community in a way that only serves their demands, at the expense of OUR quality of life.

This is OUR community! Do not allow a special interest group to take it from us, without a fight!!!

MEANWHILE AT THE MIAMI HERALD:

But for months the speedway has been vocal about its discontent with Rosen’s proposal to build single-family homes so close to the race track. On Friday, The race track’s vice president of operations, Albert Garcia, told the Miami Herald he believes developer’s plan will eventually lead the neighbors to complain about noise and traffic.

“Residential encroachment will definitely impact us negatively,” Garcia said. “Residential encroachment has had a devastating impact on similar race track across the country, leading to operating restrictions and closures.”

On March 9, a Coral Gables land-use attorney representing the speedway filed a records request with the city clerk, asking that the city provide numerous documents regarding area traffic and Rosen’s initial Development of Regional Impact (DRI) for his property. A DRI is a giant development that is given approval by the state.

“Our land-use experts are in the process of analyzing [the impact] to our year-round operation and championship races,” Garcia told the Miami Herald. “Only after completing this review will we know all the problems with this rezoning and our basis to challenge. Without a traffic study, we wont know the actual and total negative impact.”