The City of Miami Proposed Trolley Route for Coconut Grove and Brickell. By Geniusofdespair

You can see where I whited out THEIR ROUTE and added My Bird Road Connector Route

The meeting to discuss Coconut Grove Trolley route realignment was chaotic with a man in a wheelchair dominating, so I left a half hour after I got there. Order had to be restored and people needed to be civil to each other.

Also there was berating of the good people who came there by two other residents (one who is also employed by the county- from Alice Bravo’s office). This was very rude. The people did not deserve a lecture by the people speaking and they should have been stopped from lecturing. One Know-It-All lady told the people they should have gone to all the meetings, what they said today would be meaningless and it was their fault the trolley route (bus?) route they liked was cancelled (I was not there when that was discussed so I don’t know what popular route they were discussing). She said they should be going to the CITT meeting and they should be glad they have the trolley at all.  Well, lady it was a bond they are paying for so don't act like they are getting a gift from God.

Many were at this meeting to be heard about the cancellation and “sorry" doesn’t really cut it.

What more could anyone ask of these residents? I left unhappy with the new route and the treatment of the people.  One lady said she was mugged at the Douglas Station.

I personally wanted a direct route to get to the Coconut Grove Station from Bayshore down 27th Avenue -- Direct and Fast. The Coconut Grove route they proposed was ridiculous with the box to McDonald and back. There is two much doubling back to get to the station at Coconut Grove that the Douglas Park route doesn’t have.

The only reason I want to get on the trolley at all is because I do not want to get run over crossing US 1. I certainly can walk but crossing the street is very dangerous. Did anyone time this route? I would say it it 45 minutes on the trolley and I can walk it in about 12 to 15 minutes.

If you want to get people out of their cars (I will be out of mine May 30th) you have to make these routes sensible and quick.

I do like the Brickell Extension route if this is it??:

I like it if the trolleys don’t linger at city hall and Mercy which I am apt to think they will do. I am just looking for a quick trolley route to metro rail that does not have a dangerous station drop-off.

If you need a grocery store stop -- (they said as much) Milam's is very expensive, anyway if you add my third bird route it will be close enough. They can get to Publix from Coral Gables route?? or the Fresh Market from the other route to City Hall.

I would do the one down Douglas and the one down 27th and Have a THIRD ROUTE connecting the two on bird. 3 routes and the Brickell route.

Brickell route is fine the way it is. At least it takes you to the Brickell Station. But during traffic times this will be a really slow ride. Will have to get off and walk.

Sorry for all the black spots the other map was on the back of this one.

Moving forward with a referendum was stalled today at the City of Miami. By Geniusofdespair

The City Marina would be run by the other Marina, where there is a bid protest in the works. The City would no longer run the 2nd Marina of racks (at bottom of photo)

Lame Duck Mayor Tomas Regalado wanted a referendum to go forward on the redevelopment of Marinas on Virginia Key. There is currently a bid protest by the current private operator of one of the Marinas.

In any event, the vote needs to be done now in order to get the item on the November Ballot.

Commissioners Gort and Hardemon showed up for the special meeting this morning. Absent were Russell, Carollo and Suarez - no quorum. Should the 3 City Commissioners have come to debate the issue or was it too much of a hot button item for Commissioners facing an election? The meeting is rescheduled for Friday. I expect the same thing will happen.

When a Good Man Encounters a Bully. By Geniusofdespair

Tim Schmand worked for the City of Miami for over 25 years at Bayfront Park as a grant writer then as Director. The pressure was to keep the park solvent with no funds coming from the city coffers, and amazingly, he did. Before he came, it never was solvent. Have you seen it lately. WOW! The events held in the park paid for all the work he did to fix up Bayfront Park and maintain Museum Park. Ultra went off without a hitch this year. To make up for a shortfall he scheduled a hip hop event in May. Tim has been booking events for years without approval of the Trust. Commissioner Frank Carollo reiterated several times the event had to be approved. First time Carollo brought this up was for the hip hop event, saying "All events have to be approved by the Trust!" That was never the case. The Trust trusted Tim.

You know -- a good man will talk to you in a civil manner but he will not be bullied.  Tim quit after a private meeting with Carollo. Could have been nasty for Tim to quit.

Tim Schmand, my friend, an honest, good man, quit. Carollo said that all events booked have to be approved by the Bayfront Park Trust. That never happened in the past. Maybe because they were not hip hop events (i.e. Black Events).

Here is one of Tim's Poems - he is a writer. He is reading it in the park and you can see some of the wonderful additions he has made, the oak tree promenade, a beach, with chairs. This is man filled with good humor and love. I think the City should have worked with him instead of going to extremes. I can't help feeling this whole situation was fueled because Hip Hop will attract Black people. The police were angry over the event.

Ms Rebecca is the New Chief of Staff to City of Miami Commissioner Ken Russell. By Geniusofdespair

I like Rebecca Wakefield and have followed her career for the past 10 years. She has often been quoted in this Blog when she was a reporter for the Sun Post.   After the Sun Post closed down, she worked for Mayor Matti Bower of Miami Beach, she also worked for SEIU Local 1991 and tried her hand at Political Consulting in 2009.

I do like Wakefield's humor (she wrote this about a Trump Building in 2008):

“Every time I drive through Sunny Isles Beach, I see an advertisement wrapped around the front of the Trump Towers project. It is a glossy black and white photo of four smug developers marring a perfectly good chain-link fence for about half a block. The men are the decidedly un-photogenic Dezers (Michael and toadlike son Gil) as well as the follically challenged Donald Trump and Jorge Perez.”

She wrote this about encouraging people to vote in 2007:

“Year in and year out, it’s the same story. A handful of the usual suspects (plus one or two grass-roots candidates who usually don’t have a shot) hires someone from the small group of political consultants who run nearly every local election.” She goes on to describe our broken system of why we get shitty people in office over and over, her reason why:

“It works because most of the rest of the populace doesn’t vote.”

She says 10% to 15% vote in most elections. Her goal is to get the people out to vote with fun events:

“Take a Politician Bowling” night and “Beach Ballot Bingo.” We’ll also be doing limo rides to the polls and red carpet exit polling, among other nutty stunts. The idea in general is simply to have fun, connect with people and get them thinking about local politics.”

 Rebecca: In 2007 that was a good idea.

Now, when it comes to voting, I am for NO ONE FROM THE RUST BELT VOTING and NO ONE FROM THE MIDDLE STATES. Actually, voting is no way to pick anyone anymore, it is an obsolete exercise. We just do a piss poor job. UNLESS, we can vote in primaries of both parties. That would weed out extremists.

Back to Rebecca, good luck at your new post with Commissioner Ken Russell.

City of Miami Chair Hardemon Thinks Historian Arva Moore Parks Unfit for Citizen Slot On Historic Preservation Board. By Geniusofdespair

Arva Moore Parks is a historian, author and preservationist in Miami, Florida. 

Commissioner Ken Russell was trying to appoint Arva Moore Parks To the Historic Preservation Board. Hardemon insisted that the slot was his. It was a citizen slot. There were still two other openings: Real Estate Agent and Landscape Architect. Was Hardemon saying that the Black Community is only fit for one slot, that there is no Black Real Estate Agent or Landscape Architect? Why should he claim this opening when Russell had a candidate? All you daffy City Commissioners, stop folding to Hardemon. Arva Moore Parks was a suitable appointment and that should not have been questioned. Parks only qualifies under Number 3 perhaps (she is not an architectural historian by trade) but surely she qualifies under 7. And qualified she is. Hardemon was off-base. They should have voted on this. Russell: Get some cojones when it comes to Hardemon and the rest of you too. He is a bully. I hate bullies. Hardemon just doesn't like Arva because of the Lemon City - Little Haiti naming controversy.

See Al Crespo report on these two commissioners.

More on the Historic Preservation Board:

Composition; appointment. The historic and environmental preservation board (hereinafter referred to as the "board") shall consist of nine members and one alternate member, to be appointed by the city commission.

Qualifications. It is intended that members and alternate members of the board established by this article be persons of knowledge, experience, mature judgment, and background, having ability and desire to act in the public interest and representing, insofar as may be possible, the various special professional training, experience, and interests required to make informed and equitable decisions concerning preservation and protection of the physical environment. To that end, qualifications of members and alternate members shall be as follows:

1. One member shall be an architect registered in the state.
2. One member shall be a landscape architect registered in the state.
3. One member shall be a historian or architectural historian qualified by means of education or experience and having demonstrated knowledge and interest in county history or architectural history.
4. One member shall be an architect or architectural historian having demonstrated knowledge and experience in architectural restoration and historic preservation
5. One member shall be an experienced real estate broker licensed by the state.
6.One member shall be a person experienced in the field of business and finance or law.
7.Three members shall be citizens with demonstrated knowledge and interest in the historic and architectural heritage of the city and/or conservation of the natural environment, and may also qualify under any of the above categories.
One alternate member shall qualify under one of the above categories.

Mayor Regalado needs to VETO the Blanket Name to stop the pandering in the City of Miami. By Geniusofdespair

Did the community see this map or know of the area to be renamed?

In a unanimous last minute decision with little discussion, the City of Miami Commission agreed to call the LARGE area in the above graphic, Little Haiti. The Community within the boundaries was not properly informed.

The pandering going on in the City of Miami is making me sick. Too many people are running and they all want the Haitian vote.  It is "Let's not offend the Haitian community" -- but in doing so you are dissing the history of African Americans, the White Community and the Bahamian American community and their long past in Miami, before Miami was even a city. Come on Commissioners do the right thing instead, if there is a veto and you have a second chance.

To saddle a large portion of the African American community and many up-and-coming neighborhoods with a name they do not want is lunacy.

This change is going to hurt property values - blanket names do that - and anger African Americans and White Americans --- disregarding their historic places, like Lemon City. Why don't they just call Coral Gables by some blanket name too? Or maybe Miami Lakes could be called little Hialeah. Haitians occupy North Miami in great numbers too. Are you going to rename North Miami Little Haiti North? Where do you stop? Let's call Aventura little Israel. And we can call Doral, Little Venezuela. You can call my house Little Spaghetti Haven...I am Italian. But I want you to include all my neighbors so it is meaningful for me or I will stand up and scream at a meeting and stomp my feet and imply with my shenanigans: No vote for you!

I think this issue is sensitive and has to be heard in the community in the context of a Charrette with a facilitator (a Charrette is a meeting in which all stakeholders in a project attempt to resolve conflicts and map solutions).  A Charrette has to be planned with all the stakeholders invited if there is a veto and there should be a veto. You can't just scream and shout to get your way and intimidate mealy-mouthed politicians running for reelection. You have to be civilized. Dragging a bunch of noisy people to a meeting shouldn't guarantee a win.

This isn't about Haitian pride to name a too large area of the city after a Country of origin (a country that the name supporters left). This is about sanity in our Neighborhoods and people practicing being neighborly and respecting the history of a place to which they immigrated. There is enough bad blood within our communities without adding to it. This designation takes in too many neighborhoods. You should think before you vote Commissioners. Make sure the community is on board. Ask who drew the map. Did you even listen to Enid Pinkney, a Miami born Black Citizen with Bahamian roots, a respected historian,  former President of Dade Heritage Trust, and member of the Virginia Key Trust when she spoke before your vote? What about listening to Arva Moore Parks, Ph.D. or Alma Brown? No you didn't listen to any of them. You just listened to the LOUD, not respectful.

Little Italy in New York...almost all Chinese now. Name change: Chinatown 2? Little China Italiano? New York's China-Pizza Hood?

Here Are letters written by others on this topic:

PROTECTING MIAMI'S HISTORY AND HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOODS

Little River - Lemon City - Edison

On Thursday, May 26, 2016, Keon Hardemon, a pompous, arrogant, politician with NO RESPECT for the History of Miami, presented a Resolution to eliminate, and erase three Historic Neighborhoods from Miami and rename them Little Haiti.

We, who spend our time, energy, and money protecting, preserving and restoring the History of our beautiful Miami City are greatly troubled that the other four Commissioners who voted for this Resolution also have a flagrant disregard towards the "Protection and Preservation of Miami's History and Historic Neighborhoods".

These three Historic Neighborhoods, Little River, Lemon City, and Edison were created at the end of the 19Th Century and the beginning of the 20Th Century. They are a very important part of Miami's History.

Mayor Regalado, I ask you to VETO this Resolution immediately!! (GENIUS - I ASK YOU TO VETO AS WELL).

As the Mayor and Leader of our Beautiful Miami City it is your responsibility to "Protect and Preserve Miami's History."

if the Haitian Residents living in Miami want to name a section of Miami "Little Haiti", there are plenty of residential areas west of Little River, Lemon City, and Edison Neighborhoods that are not name designated.

I was born In Miami. I grew up with friends and family living in the Little River, Lemon City, and Edison Historic Neighborhoods.

I purchased my Home in the Upper Eastside because this area of Miami is part of my past, my present, and my future.

Any Society or City that does not "Protect and Preserve" it's History is doomed to fail.

Sincerely,

Eileen M Bottari
Historic Palm Grove
-----------------

Distinguished Miami Mayor and Commissioners,

It has come to my attention that there is an effort to rename one of Miami's historic neighborhoods, Lemon City. (RE 11 on May 26, 2016).

As a family member of early pioneers of Lemon City, Little River, Arch Creek and the Redland region, I'm concerned that the loss of a name place -- made all the more famous by my friend Thelma Peters in her iconic pioneer history book of the same name -- could be a short-sighted error in judgment by some that might not appreciate our recent past.

Lemon City, Arch Creek, Little River, Buena Vista... these place names are the last lingering remainders of our short history in South Dade. They are associated with the bold and proud early pioneers that forged this territory.

My great grandfather Edward DeVere Burr was chairman of the Dade Country Commission during the formative years of 1915 to 1921. His older brother was state railroad commissioner for 25 years. His younger brother established Burr's Berry Farm back in 1919. The brothers are buried in the first plot of Miami's pioneer cemetery.

My hope and prayer is that as today's leaders, as stewards of our founders' legacy, you will make every effort to respect, protect and admire such small but significant vestiges of these living remainders. The erasure of such an iconic place name is a travesty that deprives all who follow from some significant clues to our past.

Every noteworthy group that contributes to the success and legacy of our communities deserves some respect and admiration for their efforts, but not at the expense of those that came before them, who forged a pioneer wilderness into this world renowned bustling metropolis that we share -- and strive to protect.

Robert A. Burr

-----------------
Distinguished Miami Mayor and Commissioners,

I believe Mr Burr's letter shares the sentiment of a lot of local residents, businesses and stakeholders in the large area being proposed a name designation of "Little Haiti" in a resolution being put forth by Commissioner Hardemon. Like many of the large property owners in the area, we embrace and enjoy the Haitian community and culture. The reason why I was drawn to invest in the neighborhood was because of its history and diversity.
I surprising found out about the resolution being on this Thursdays agenda just this week.

I ask that such an important decision be deferred to allow for more dialog and consideration from the many residents, businesses, historians, and property owners who participate in this very large geographical area.

Respectfully,
Avra Jain

-----------------

Mayor Regalado,

Please veto this item.

Commissioners made a huge mistake. Commissioners should have done their due diligence. They should have asked the obvious questions:


1. Who drew the borders in Exhibit A provided with the item?

2. How many acres are included in the borders designated in Exhibit A?

3. Will approving this item be disrespectful to African-Americans and Bahamians and to other current residents and stakeholders?

4. Was proper notice provided? Not just putting the Agenda online the Thursday before the meeting BUT was there a concerted effort to NOT inform local businessmen and stakeholders within the affected area, African-Americans, Bahamians, Historians, journalists and other concerned citizens? Citizens testified they only had 1-4 days notice this item was coming up and less than 1-4 days to prepare rebuttals.

5. Why did every historian who testified on May 26th ask commissioners to defer or deny the item? Why?

6. Did anyone do an Economic Impact Study of how the legislation will affect existing businesses AND our tax base?

7. Were any historians asked to provide reports on the proposed borders?

8. Were any cartographers or map experts asked to provide reports on the proposed borders?

9. Why did the Chair or the Clerk not demand speakers be sworn in?

10. Is there are a concerted effort to erase the history of Lemon City and Little River?

11. Why were there NO publicly noticed meetings to discuss the proposed borders?

12. Since there was no historic or academic justification provided was the legislation entirely political?


For these reasons and for many more please veto RE 11 from May 26th, 2016.

Thank you,
Peter R. Ehrlich, Jr

THE AMAZING RACE: May 7th Miami Vs. Key Biscayne. By Geniusofdespair

The Great Paddle Off At 12 Noon

Miami vs. Key Biscayne at the Flex Park:

The Miami Marine Stadium Flex Park has been at the center of some squabbles between the City of Miami and the Village of Key Biscayne. This Saturday the Flex Park will be the perfect venue for the ultimate battle - Miami Commissionators v. Key Rat Paddlers.

It's all part of the Orange Bowl Paddle Championship which benefits Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami.

Miami's team will include Commissioners Ken Russell, Francis Suarez and Frank Carollo. They will face off with Mayor Mayra Lindsay's Key Rat Paddlers at noon during the Corporate Challenge at the new Marine Stadium Beach now open to the public.

Eye on Miami Picture of the Week: City of Miami District 2 Commissioner Ken Russell. By Geniusofdespair

City of Miami Commissioner Ken Russell was on hand to answer audience questions March 3rd at the Urban Environment League event at the Perez (Ick) Art Museum. Audience: Just so you know -- your speeches with a question tacked on the end are such a bore. We didn't go to the forum to hear your speech. Stop with the speeches. Just ask the damn question.

The auditorium was packed to hear the new commissioner, a yo-yo mogul, who replaced Marc Sarnoff (another Ick).  He is a breath of fresh air, let's hope he stays the really good guy he is now.

I was glad to hear a fellow blogger inspired him to run: He said something Al Crespo wrote did it for him.  Thank you Al.

Free Event! March 3rd at PAM: Reclaiming Miami's Public Waterfront. By Geniusofdespair

Be at this Urban Environment Event and meet Ken Russell, the City Commissioner for District 2.  Everyone will be there. So go.

Miami Dade Coastline Royalty. By Geniusofdespair

While waiting for my luggage, I was mulling over useless 'what ifs'. If Teresa Sarnoff wins the City of Miami election (despite not showing up at The League of Women Voters' Debate, angering women) and Marc Sarnoff wins the County District 7 Race ( if Xavier Suarez doesn't run again and instead runs for Mayor -- Marc Sarnoff said he would run if Xavier doesn't) the Sarnoffs will control most of Miami Dade's valuable waterfront making them extremely important people to know -  perhaps the most powerful couple in Miami Dade. They could coordinate on everything. I had better stop thinking up stuff.

NO WAY on Conservancy for Bicentennial Park (Museum Park) - will be heard today. By Geniusofdespair

The City of Miami is hearing the wacky PRIVATE Conservancy idea for Bicentennial Park (They call it Museum Park). It is happening too quickly without enough public input. Don't do it!! What is the rush, does Commissioner Marc Sarnoff need a legacy? The park has recently opened, give it a chance. I wrote about this dumb idea in depth. Read the damn article. As Clark Kent said in my article:

The park looks great now. It's better to leave well enough alone. For the first time, I actually like a park in the City of Miami and thought the City had done a good thing for the public. The park is not cluttered with crap or commercialism. The open green spaces are so few in downtown Miami, to have this in the heart of the city is an unexpected delight. But of course, this being Miami, anything that is free and good and open is eyed by private for profit special interests for their own enterprise. Let's not let that happen. What a dumb idea to consider tearing up the park to build an underground parking garage - on the Bay - and all this for an upscale restaurant?

They are so intent on stealing this park from the public, piece by piece over the years. They have one museum that can only afford a shell and another that has private parties all the time. Let the dust settle, let the Science Museum open first. What else do they want from us.....tell the City of Miami commissioners: We need more time to digest this Manny Diaz idea as we might want to barf it up.

Sunday and I have NOTHIN'...By Geniusofdespair

I do like my latest painting. I don't why. It is not really that good looking. Maybe because it is someone helping another  person. I usually paint nice people as opposed to what I think of "real" people. Maybe my paintings would be better if I painted more authentically what I think of people.

I sat next next to the sweetest little girl at Books and Books. I have known her parents for years and I like them. She grew up to be such a gentle soul. I was happy to see that. Someday I will have to try to paint her.

Miami City Mayor Tomas Regalado got married in June.

Tomas & Ana Regalado

Jet Blue advertised a one day $39 fare. I got 2 tickets, it was for real. I am going to L.A. The catch, the way back is $159 but hey, still a good deal.

If you want to read a good take on Yogi Berra (a brief history to boot) read Kurt Stone, the Liberal Rabbi, Historian. Don't know Berra? He was one of a kind: "It ain't over till it's over" is one of his quotes.

I read in the Miami Herald that peanut butter and fluff day is coming. Maybe it is not called fluff, it is that marshmallow stuff in a jar. I thought, that could be interesting, I like peanut butter, until I remembered marshmallows are puffed up sugar. No kale or tofu in them. Hmmm. I really do hate anything without sugar in it. I am a sugar addict. Maybe I will have to celebrate Peanut Butter Fluff day.

Well, I was expecting Gimleteye to write about global warming,  !Jeb!, or flooding so I didn't prepare.

I could write about Donald Trump, who I will vote for. I do think he is a horrible human being. Why? Because of what he did to the residents of Doral. He didn't care. He said he would have his daughter meet with them, never happened. Liar.


video on local 10

If you don't watch the damn video here is a synopsis:

Doral golf course owner Donald Trump blocked the long time views of the golf course, had by residents, with Areca Palms leaving residents without light and views and diminished their property values. He even built islands in the water hazards and put the palms on them to block the houses from HIS view. Just imagine a golfer having to see a home? Oh, how awful for them. Some of the homes are valued at over a million dollars each. They are well maintained.

The high growing trees (they are classified as trees and grow over 20 feet and 8 to 10 feet in diameter) are being planted up against the people's units property line blocking their light and view. Donald Trump has left the people weighing their option of selling out their communities to highrise developers.

Donald Trump is a greedy bastard in my opinion. He should agree to buy the land so he has control on what is built instead of screwing the homeowners who were already there. So vote for him. If this is how he acts on the small scale, we will have a dictator. I suppose that is what everyone wants. As a Rino, I want him in the race.

From the Coalition Against Causeway Chaos: The Stench of (Miami) Corruption

Find online, here: The Coalition Against Causeway Chaos

The stench of corruption is overwhelming..

Since our last update here’s what’s happening and why you need to be alert and concerned:

Tomorrow’s Rip Off

Tomorrow, Monday at 5 pm the City of Miami—without notice, without discussion, and without a vote is likely to approve a gigantic, monster 633 foot billboard trashing both Miami and Miami Beach.

That’s right. Miami City officials are likely to approve it. Without public input. Without discussion. Without debate.

To add insult to injury they’ll also hand over $100 million plus to the developer. No questions asked.

The LED billboard is just one more example of the City of Miami and its Commissioners run amok. Caring not one wit for its own citizens let alone its neighbors.

Just imagine 2 acres of beaming lights flashing commercials from mid-Miami to Biscayne Bay, the Venetian Islands and Miami Beach. Vegas here we come!

The best hope of stopping this glowing monument to corruption s at this point is to send a message to Miami’s Mayor Tomas Regalato urging him to stand up against it, or to Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenz who’s declared all this billboard stuff illegal but so has failed to act.

There's More. Much More.
Not only are the Miami Commissioners handing out millions of Community Redevelopment Authority funds to their favorite private developers by giving away taxpayer money for the Sky Rise Development… the World Center… they’re destroying our marine environment to boot...

What a bunch of bumble headed, greedy losers.

No wonder there’s a tsunami of lawsuits against this outlaw behavior by folks Miami voters elected to serve ‘we the people” not the billionaire developers.

But then, money talks. The Commissioners of Miami listen.

Watson Island.

For 14 years The City of Miami, in conspiracy with a developer, has attempted to pull the same trick.

Fortunately, thanks to the generosity of caring donors like you our organized efforts have been able to effectively oppose them. The Flagstone Island Gardens project is wrong, corrupt and will be stopped.

An update:

We won a major victory when Judge Thomas Rebull ordered the City of Miami to make key City employees available for depositors. We’re told that his is quite a rare order. Now we’ll be able to seek the truth—under penalty of perjury—about why the City lied and withheld critical information while he Commissioners were voting on the Watson Island project. Stay tuned.

We’re also awaiting the Traffic Study commissioned by the City of Miami Beach and that is likely to prove one more enormous speed bump in the path of the flawed and anachronistic Flagstone project.

Meanwhile, Miami officials, blind and deaf to public concern about traffic on either side of the Bay, keep lying their way toward zoning changes that will enable them to do whatever they want. You can get a taste of the talent Miami officials have avoiding the truth by watching this video of their latest attempt at lying before the Board of Planning and Zoning Appeals here.

Fortunately the Board was not in a mood to buy the lies. The City will try again in September and we’ll alert and let you know what you can do to stand up against the City’s attempts to pillage Watson Island.

Speaking of Lying...

There’s good reason why the members of the Key Biscayne Neighborhood Association rose to their feet and cheered the other night at their annual meeting. And unequivocally shouted out “You lied to us!” to Brian May, Flagstone’s high-paid lobbyist.

No doubt about it. Smooth talking, fork-tongued Brian, was caught lying outright! Trying as best he could to put lipstick on the Flagstone Pig.

Poor Brian tried to convince folks that Flagstone and their Watson Island monstrosity was a model citizen, living up to its financial commitments to the City. Poor put upon developer forced to meet the harsh terms of a touch Miami Commission. Only problem is it’s not true. Flagstone is behind millions and millions in payments as you’ll see when out Attorney Sam Dubbin reveals the truth.

Brian, have you no shame?

If you want a first-rate civics lesson in lying by one of the smoothest talking lobbyists on the developers’ payrolls you should take the time to watch this video filmed courtesy of Al Crespo.

Brian’s lies are captured in their entirety and the truth laid bare by our Attorney Sam Dubbin. Frankly if you’re into finding out more about the truth it’s worth your time to watch this video of the Association meeting. You’ll find it here and you’ll be disgusted.

More importantly, for the arguments of why this project endangers us all –including its very real threat to Art Basel—go here and listen to Bob Goodman, Art Basel’s Representative say why Watson Island threatens this most significant cultural –and economic—event.

Everyone’s Organized But the Citizens.

Make no mistake. The developers and their lobbyists and lawyers spend big bucks to get their way. They do this knowing that the citizen/taxpayer really doesn’t have the money to fight them and City Hall.

While we sure don’t have to match them dollar for dollar we really do have to put lawyers in court and organizers on the ground to oppose them.

So , if you really care about prevailing against the big money corruption of thoughtless development please do your part and contribute today to help support or fight. Just go online, or click on the bar below to do your part.

Thank you.

In early July we take the depositions of key City employees about what they knew and why they withheld disclosing key information on the vote to approve—or not—the Flagstone development.

Our Investigative Taskforce finishes report on campaign contributions, “pay for play” and other scum-laden findings about how Miami’s elected officials are fighting the very citizens they’re elected to serve. All to put money in their own pockets.

Onward!


Roger Craver, President
The Coalition Against Causeway Chaos

What is wrong with the City of Miami? When did citizens start becoming enemies of the state? ... by gimleteye

Former speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Dick Pettigrew writes an OPED in the Miami Herald today, concerning the way in which city government appears to have institutionalized secrecy; thwarting people from having access to information related to complex development schemes that, in effect, allow developers, their lobbyists and engineering consultants to sit in the same room with agency staff far, far from the sunshine that government is supposed to provide.

How did this happen? And is it worse today than it has been in the past?

As a civic activist for over twenty five years, I don't recall any golden era of open government in Florida. From my first dealings with the South Florida Water Management District and state agencies like the Florida Department of Environmental Protection or of Community Affairs, I understood from staff positioning on public information or details on permitting, that in their view the citizen is the enemy.

How this works is on display every time citizens go to County Hall or the City Commission to protest a zoning approval. The developers and their representatives are chummy on the sidelines with regulators while citizens in the audience are on the defensive. Before they even get to the microphone to speak to elected officials on the dais, they are already victims of "due process".

Tragically, as Pettigrew notes, the courts are not much help. The judicial system should provide the fabled check and balance, but -- as Pettigrew also notes -- the expense of keeping up with judicial processes is most times more than ordinary citizens can bear.

At Eye On Miami, we witnessed the relationship between government and citizens take a nose-dive when local freedom of information requests began to be accompanied with outrageously high bills for copying documents. It was as if to say to the inquisitive, "fuck you".

The insider deal for the Marlins Stadium, after the Miami Heat Arena and the Performing Arsht Center, was a watershed event in the suppression of open government in Miami. For the Marlins Stadium, there were so many false pretenses and lies used by the City of Miami and the County, together, that insiders -- especially those with a conscience -- thought to themselves, "if we can invent an economic argument that sounds reasonable, we can get anything done." To leaders of that era, these are credentials not black marks on their personal histories.

In state government, Gov. Rick Scott raised the secrecy bar to unattainable heights. And in the federal arena, the continuous war against terror has been a de facto surrendering of privacy in favor of government secrecy. There is no question that local elected officials are influenced by the atmospherics of secrecy from above.

I don't yearn for a past golden era of open government in Florida, because there was none. What exists today, though, does feel qualitatively different. Some insiders gloat, "Miami has grown up as a major American city". Too bad it has grown into a bully; insulted from criticism and hardened against reform.

Op-Ed
May 28, 2015

City keeps development deals a secret
MIAMI HERALD
BY RICHARD PETTIGREW
rapettig@aol.com

Almost 50 years ago, changes to Florida’s Constitution and laws guaranteed access to public meetings and records, assuring residents the right to know what their government is doing. These reforms were enacted to counter widespread corruption and set a new standard for “sunshine” in state and local government.

Sadly, in today’s city of Miami a small group of officials is aggressively working to keep the public in the dark, employing a cloak of secrecy to advance controversial deals.

Miami Dade Waterfront Only for the Wealthy? Guest Blog by Gregory Bush

Late one night in December 1902, after returning to his home overlooking Biscayne Bay in downtown Miami, Judge George Worley was shocked to see that Henry Flagler’s FEC company had constructed a large barbed wire fence for several blocks along the waterfront. He was so upset at his lost access to what he considered to be the public’s waterfront that he went to Budges hardware store, got a barbed wire cutter and tore down the fence. The FEC promptly put it up again and Worley cut it again and again until he was arrested. His case eventually wound its way up to the state Supreme Court that ruled in 1905 that the original plat dictated a public park along the waterfront. He won - but in recent decades battles for the public waterfront have gotten far more complex and the public understanding of the issues has gotten far more cloudy as wealth trumps public access.

Today, waterfront development in Miami has generally been forged through manufactured crises devoid of coherent long term planning. Miami Dade residents face multiple threats to what is left of our public waterfront. The issues remain complex and obscure to most residents. Yet this is a critical hour.

Look around our beautiful Biscayne Bay (if you can): Watson Island, Skyrise and Parcel B (waterfront of the American Airlines Arena) as well as the Marine Stadium basin at Virginia Key are all in the throws of complex development schemes that are taking away public waterfront land and access to beautiful Biscayne Bay – each to benefit a narrow set of wealthy or favored interests. Multiple lawsuits have been filed in the name of the public interest but the issue of standing by plaintiffs has been repeatedly used to thwart challenges towards government actions.

The loss of our public waterfront has been due, in large part, to the power of varied commercial interests – and their legions of consultants - who seize the initiative for land deals behind closed doors alongside government officials. Campaign contributions follow, public cynicism ensues, and public space is effectively lost. Years ago, for example, Miami passed the Carrolo Amendment, mandating public referenda on waterfront leases, but city officials established elaborate patterns of evasion such as using the Miami Exhibition and Sports Authority and “licensing” agreements.

The Marine Stadium area is a classic case in point.

Toxic Soil Found at Bayfront Park. By Geniusofdespair

In the 80's they decided that Bayfront Park was too flat and added fill to make it a bit more interesting.  DERM has now found that the fill added is toxic and must be removed or capped. DERM decided to test all City parks after they found toxic material in other parks.

The areas in question in Bayfront Park might be closed off to the public if the cleanup is not swiftly completed. The City, although they paid for the cleanup at other parks, will not pay for the cleanup at Bayfront, they want them to pay for their own cleanup. All those Ultra people, I hope they didn't eat the dirt.

(Thanks to Carlos Gimenez, The County Department is not called DERM anymore but I can't recall nor do I care to use their new name).

Miami River: Our History Under Siege. Guest Blog By Ernest Martin

The Historical Library - was Torn Down. No respect for history in the City of Miami.

IS THE HISTORICAL ORDINANCE UNDER SIEGE?

The City’s Historic and Environmental Board faces a dilemma. A small Historic District on the Miami River is in a peculiar paradox. The City’s new Miami 21 Code, in its Historic Preservation section, aligned itself with several other local municipalities, such as Miami Beach and Coral Gables, in outlawing the practice of allowing protected designated structures to be neglected to the point where these structures show signs of deterioration. The Board established to prevent such action and to prevent these willful owners from demolishing these links to our past, the Miami Historic and Environmental Board, has been getting tough lately. Their own law says a property owner has to have a permit for a proper replacement structure that meets their approval, if they prove that demolition is the last resort.

The City’s Historic and Environmental Board was getting into its enforcement role, when it discovered the latest culprit in the City was the City! 

The Seybold Canal House, dating back to 1915 and the last remaining part of John Seybold’s estate, an early Miami Pioneer. The State of Florida even indicated the building was so significant that it was eligible for nomination to the prestigious National Register of Historic Places. Volunteers from the tiny Historic District of Spring Garden raised enough money to buy it, and gave it over to the City in 2003 to finish the job. The City accepted their gift, but let the building rot in place.

The City let it further deteriorate to the point where it had to be demolished. This made the City both the criminal and the sheriff.

The City’s Historic and Preservation Board will sort through this at City Hall on May 5 at time certain 5 pm. The Board previously approved an acceptable replacement, fitting to commemorate the Seybold family, by the late architect Les Beilinson who died, sadly, before his building could be built.

The City of Miami must comply with the same law that applies to us all--if you own property in an historic district you follow the law.  Chapter 23 of Miami 21 says clearly that a contributing building in a historic district cannot be demolished unless there in an appropriate replacement.

-- Dr. Martin is a resident of Spring Gardens and has been a member of many City Boards since his retirement from the County.

Is the "Miami Innovation Tower" Right for Overtown/Park West? Guest Blog by 2Tall

Taller than the Space Needle

Do We Really Need such a Grandiose Erection?

A 600 foot tall advertising tower in Overtown/Park West may dominate the landscape in years to come that will top off the insult to Overtown itself that has was long ago done with the construction of I-95.

Is this really any path of progress towards racial or economic justice? Or is it a payoff on the road towards an endless culture of spectacle tucked within a newly commercialized space that will overwhelm the entire area and define Miami's future?  This may well be become another sad moment when people speaking out could make a difference. 

Who spoke out before I-95 came roaring though and devastated Overtown?

And this deal was just announced in the press on Friday. It's an insult to any kind of a democratic or thoughtful process. But perhaps typical of Miami. No one is against enhanced economic activity but this is not the way towards a better future.

Call the City of Miami Commission and say no.

Commissioners will meet (Monday) at 5 pm at Camillus House.  Be there! If you can't here is a link to voice your opinion.

Genius: Commissioner Keon Hardemon is your sister or any family member involved with lobbying for this structure or involved in any way? If so you must recuse yourself because it is the right thing to do. Make your community proud don't sell it out. Why is this district always a sell out? Do you want to displace all your friends with gentrification or improve their life? What's it going to be? Be a lawyer but be a good guy...

Get Your Eyes Opened on April 21st to CRA's. By Geniusofdespair

I always thought CRA's were a crock of shit, a complete scam. Peter Bockweg heads one, come on. I wrote about one in Homestead that was audited.  Here is a second article.

Find out if I am right and let me know. I don't know if I can attend but it is really worthwhile to know what is going on with these as they absorb a lot of money.  CRA stands for Community Redevelopment Agency or Money Sucker.

CRAs IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY:
PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

Sponsored by the Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions (CUES)
FAU School of Urban and Regional Planning (SURP)
Co-Sponsored by the Urban Environment League of Greater Miami (UEL)
“Miami After Dark” Radio Program, WZAB 880AM, and GrandCentral

TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2015

MIAMI CENTER FOR ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN (MCAD)
100 NORTHEAST FIRST AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA 33132

6:00PM- Registration and Reception (Light Snacks)

6:30PM- Welcoming Remarks -- 
Professor Steven Bourassa, Director, FAU SURP
 Professor Gregory W. Bush 
University of Miami History Department, Vice President UEL

6:40PM- Keynote Address
In the Beginning...Establishing and Implementing the CRA
-- Xavier L. Suarez, County Commissioner, District 7 Former Mayor of the City of Miami, 1985-1991

7:00PM- CUES Redevelopment Research: Miami-Dade County CRAs

Overview of the CRAs in Miami-Dade County
--Abigail Weiss, Graduate Research Assistant, CUES

--Max Wemyss, Graduate Research Assistant, CUES


Case Study: Southeast Overtown/Parkwest CRA

--Anielle M. Darucaud, Graduate Research Assistant, CUES

Case Study: North Miami CRA
--Christopher P. Riley, Graduate Research Assistant, CUES

8:00PM- The Future

Understanding the Broward County Approach to CRAs
-- Frank Schnidman, Professor, FAU SURP, Executive Director, CUES

Issues and Options for Miami-Dade County
--Daniella Levine Cava, County Commissioner, District 8

8:50PM- Closing Comments: “Redevelopment and Economic Development”
-- Frank Nero, President, Beacon Global Advisors

9:00PM- Adjourn

This seminar is open to the public. There is no charge to attend.
For additional information, please contact Professor Frank Schnidman at: schnidma@fau.edu

Imagine: You are blind trying to get from the Ziff Ballet Hall to the PAM Museum On Biscayne Blvd. Sidewalks. By Geniusofdespair

 Danger Pedestrians Trying to Walk!

I am not blind and I still couldn't navigate the sidewalk between to the two locations -- PAMM and the Ziff Ballet at the Arsht Center -- yesterday on the West Side of the street. I am nursing an injured ankle. Take a look at how they maintain our expensively designed (by Brazilian Artist Burle Marx) sidewalks in our prestige Art Center District, it is a very short walk:

If your blind, how do you not trip? How exactly do you navigate the sidewalk without hitting into something like a tree or pole or garbage pail here. Remember these fancy sidewalks cost a fortune.

This is a real obstacle course. This is where you cross to get to PAM/Bicentennial Park (to the left). You can see the crosswalk to the side street in the distance. All of this greets you on a crossing corner. Where is a straight line to cross without crap in it?

Here is a decaying support in the middle of the sidewalk. I hope it supports nothing important like the Road above it...

Why is that girder there, and the bricks and the piece of plywood? Not much to trip on here.

Bricks missing and never replaced. You could trip in the sand trap or that short pole in the middle of crosswalk area just beyond it.  What is that thing sticking out from the pole on the left.

Here it is again, looks easy to walk here.

This is where my accident occurred. I tripped on the bolts sticking up on that circle, trying to avoid tripping under that pipe that could catch your foot easily. I jammed my foot into the bolts and tripped over them. Note this is before the cross walk you can see in the photo.

Walking into these concrete barriers would be really easy. Who jury rigged this? And, then the bolts sticking up are just beyond. In front of the Arsht Center the sidewalks are maintained but this is just a block away.

Where the fancy sidewalk ends there is a dip in the middle  (you can see it about 2 feet from the end) a very easy trip in that hole you hardly notice.  Then you get to the regular sidewalk. Gracious, what is a pedestrian suppose to do in downtown?  This is not new.  I wrote about the sidewalk before in 2014 (East Side). The sidewalks must be maintained or people can get seriously injured.

I also wrote a THIRD BLOG about the East and West side of the street in 2009. The above blog addresses the West Side of Biscayne Blvd. only. Fix the damn sidewalk someone.  I want physical therapy on my ankle. To tell you the truth, these 3 blogs are good for a lawsuit.