Saturday, May 16, 2015

Eye on Miami Saturday Editorial May 16th. By Geniusofdespair

Eat your heart out Miami Herald, we took over your glaring oversight: Saturday

JUDICIAL EXEMPT FROM LAW?

You need a tree removal permit to cut down a tree in Miami Dade County. Is ignorance of the law an excuse? I don't know, lets ask Judge Antonio Marin of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court since it is his tree. I am told there were other trees as well. Good mulch, good fine.


A tree removal/relocation permit is required for the removal or relocation of any tree within Miami-Dade County not specifically exempt under the Environmental Code of Miami-Dade County.
HOMESTEAD:
What is a week without news from Hudstead? Got any?

This is really not Hudstead news but since Lynda Bell is Chairman of the Board of National Right to Life, I thought you might find this choice of their email address, for their PAC, amusing:


LITTLE KNOWN FACTOID:

Did you know Florida Right to Life President (On their website) Carrie Eisnaugle is married to Eric Eisnaugle who serves in the Florida Legislature?
Here are the ORLANDO area Representative's Committee assignments:

Rules, Calendar & Ethics Committee Vice Chair
Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee
Justice Appropriations Subcommittee
Local & Federal Affairs Committee
Rulemaking Oversight & Repeal Subcommittee

I wonder how he votes on all those wacky Anti-Abortion bills? This is a link to his sponsored bills.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

If code enforcement does its job, Judge Marin will pay fines and have to plant 4 trees for each tree removed without permits.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if his lawyer wife wrote that bill? Shouldn't he have to recuse himself from such matters?

cyndi said...

Jennifer Sullivan from Mt Dora voted for that HB 633. Then she voted to kill bears. (Did that bill ever make it though?) seems a bit hypocritical.
She's on 23. Is your brain even formed at 23?

Anonymous said...

A developer in South Miami got up to speak at a quasi judicial hearing.She was sworn in, and gave her construction site as her residential address. She had cut down trees without a permit, and was fined $7,000. She appealed the fine,and the Special Master reduced it to $700. What was the penalty for lying after swearing to tell the truth? There has been no answer to that question.Developers get what they want in South Miami at the expense of residents.There are many stories like this.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if Judge Marin is friends with the Special Master.

Anonymous said...

Who wants to make a request for public information, to find out what is the fine and mitigation for Judge Marin?
Let's see how long it will take to get the information. Don't hold your breathe. You might turn blue!

Anonymous said...

What species of tree was cut down? There are a number of them that are non-native and considered to be invasive and are exempt from permit requirements, no matter how large they are. In fact, their removal is required under county code.

Geniusofdespair said...

Oaks?

Anonymous said...


The photos appear to be Judge Marin's vacant lots in South Miami (on SW 44 Street). If so, Marin's in luck - the City of South Miami's tree preservation code is non-compliant with the County's tree ordinance because the City requires less than twice the amount of tree canopy restored to mitigate for canopy removal. So much for South Miami's green image.

Geniusofdespair said...

Part South Miami part unincorporated.

Anonymous said...

That tree trunk and the interior wood looks like it could be an oak. We've seen so many of them destroyed in South Miami,that even us non-experts have a good idea of what we're looking at.
Even if it's an unprotected species, the city arborist was supposed to make a determination, and sign off on it before the the tree was destroyed.Why is another commentator making excuses for this?
There is an isolated section of South Miami that is just south of Bird Road and just east of Ludlam.
Is that where the judge's house is located?

Anonymous said...

That tree trunk looks like an oak to me! The city arborist is supposed to make a determination before any tree is cut down, including a non-protected species.There has to be some documentation of this; if not it was an illegal destruction of a tree.