Nimby: Even on Green Projects.

FPL wanted to put wind turbines near its St. Lucie reactors. The neighbors stopped the project, more content to live near the nuclear reactors than the tall wind turbines.

The New York Times reported that two groups have filed suit in New York to remove a bike path:

But some supporters of high-profile green projects like these say the problem is just plain old Nimbyism — the opposition by residents to a local development of the sort that they otherwise tend to support.

“It’s really pretty innocuous — it’s a bike lane, for goodness’ sake — their resistance has been incredibly frustrating,” said Walter Hook, executive director of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy  in Manhattan and an expert on sustainable transport. He lives in Brooklyn and uses the Prospect Park West bike lane to get around.

Listen305 Radio Show Monday April 4th

I wanted to give UEL members advance notice of next Monday night's Listen305 radio show on 880 AM.

At 7 pm, Norman Braman and Maurice Ferré will join my guest host Obdulio Piedra and myself, for a discussion on reform and recalls in Miami-Dade.

Email me, or post your questions at Listen305.com. And please do listen and call in on Monday night at 7.

Thanks,

Albert Harum-Alvarez

(Albert Harum-Alvarez is a longtime UEL Board Member.)





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Albert Harum-Alvarez

The Science Museum in Bicentennial Park Gets Funding Boost

Phillip and Patricia Frost have given $35 million to the Science Museum to help pay for the new home of the museum in Bicentennial Park.

According to an article in Saturday's Miami Herald:

Combined with other pledges totaling $25 million, the Frosts’ gift gets the museum more than halfway to meeting its $100 million goal for private funding, and provides the campaign with the credibility and momentum needed to close the remaining gap rapidly, said museum director Gillian Thomas. And:

Dr. Frost said he and his wife hope the new museum will help propel Miami’s prospects as a center of science, in particular in the growing field of bio-tech, by encouraging local kids’ interest in the subject.

The Urban Environment League Board has been at odds over the museums in the park. Some in the group are against placing buildings in parks as they eat up much needed park space for the community. Board Member, Dr. Gregory Bush has been vocal with his opposition to the two museums in the park.

Carlos Gimenez wants to take two Charter Amendments off the upcoming ballot.

The Miami Herald reported that County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez wants 2 charter changes proposed by the Miami Dade County Commission last week, tossed from the ballot. They are:

...one that asks voters to end the strong mayor form of county government instituted in 2007
...one that asks voters to impose 12-year term limits on commissioners starting next year, coupled with pay increases and a ban on outside employment.

Another County Commissioner Bruno Barreiro said this weekend:

...he’s seeking a special meeting Thursday to take another look at charter reform. Barreiro said he would like to remove all six proposals from the ballot and start over, with the aim of having a charter review committee make recommendations and then have the proposals voted on in the presidential primary in January, when a larger turnout is expected. Such a plan risks reform being killed by waiting so long before the public votes. Barreiro has yet to circulate a memo formally requesting the special session.

We have debated and had charter task force hearings for almost a year in 2007-2008. The question is do we need more time? The ones remaining on the ballot, are positive and should remain, the lobbying ban falls short but it is a good start:

REMOVE:
Doesn't go far enough:

1. Set 12-year term limits for county commissioners and ban outside employment in exchange for boosting commissioner salaries to $92,097 a year.

Voters want the Strong Mayor:

4. Eliminate the strong-mayor form of government created in 2007.

KEEP:

2. Make voter ballot initiatives easier by eliminating a requirement that signatures be notarized.

3. Allow the Charter Review Task Force to bring proposals approved by two thirds of the panel directly to voters.

5. Ban elected officials from lobbying at County Hall for two years after leaving office

6. Put the Inspector General’s Office in the county charter, in a bid to help insulate it from commission meddling.

They Don't Get It: Reforming the County Commission. By Albert Harum-Alvarez

Monday, March 28 · 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Location,880 AM Radio, 880TheBiz.com, Listen305.com

"There are none so blind as those who will not see." —Jonathan Swift

Mr. Swift must have met the Miami-Dade County Commission. Never to be outdone, the Commission was even more tone-deaf, more arrogant and more childish yesterday than ousted Mayor Alvarez and Commissioner Seijas were during their recall elections earlier this month.

Important Elections Coming Up

With the removal of County Commissioner Natacha Seijas and County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, we will be having an election to fill these 2 seats on May 24th.

Less talked about, County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez will be running for Mayor. He will have to resign very soon to run and that will open up his Brickell/Coral Gables/Coconut Grove/Key Biscayne seat. We have many UEL Members from this district. We need good people to run for office, maybe you could be the next County Commissioner! You can enlarge the map with your mouse to see if you live in District 7.

Subrata Basu Retires From County Planning for The Peace Corps.

The Urban Environment League wishes Subrata Basu well in the Peace Corps. He has played a role on UEL issues having to do with the UDB line for many years. He was the Assitant Planning Director in the County's Planning Department before he retired recently. Andres Viglucci reported:

Basu has championed the creation of denser, pedestrian-friendly centers inside the county’s urban boundary to improve quality of life and promote efficient use of land, while reducing pressure for building outside in the agricultural Redland.

But that’s a balance he says we have yet to achieve. Basu criticizes both those who promote unneeded development in agricultural areas and those who oppose every urban densification project.

“You can’t say no to both. But you cannot come up with a reasonable balance unless we can sit down and discuss it,’’ he said.

Though never afraid to speak his mind, Basu carried a soft stick as a planner and regulator, say residents and architects with whom he worked in the Gables, where he served as city architect for 15 years.

Subrata regularly attended UEL events and he is known to most of the UEL Board of Directors. His move to Belize will be their gain and our loss.

Should We Have 4 Reactors at Turkey Point?

In reaction to the nuclear reactor crisis unfolding in Japan, the US is taking a second look at nuclear reactor safety. The Miami Herald has been publishing a series of articles on the subject. In the article titled Despite approval, critics question new Turkey Point reactor design.

Former UEL member questions the safety of the new reactor design chosen for Turkey Point:

Mark Oncavage, conservation chair for the Sierra Club in South Florida who has long monitored Turkey Point, said newer designs continue — among other issues — to treat potentially volatile spent fuel, stored in large volumes in pools, in buildings that aren’t as strong or secure as reactors.

But the overriding concern about the AP 1000, he said, is that “none of them have been built and proven yet. It’s an experimental design.’’

In an article Sunday, Energy Secretary Steven Chu said where nuclear reactors are placed will change. He said that surrounding population will play a greater role in where nuclear reactors are placed. Turkey Point, where there are two reactors and two are planned, has 2.5 million people within 50 miles of the plant.

Do We Want Cell Towers in Miami Dade Parks?

County Commissioner Joe Martinez put this on the Agenda of the Recreation & Cultural Affairs Committee and it passed. It will soon go before the entire County Commission:

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR MAYOR’S DESIGNEE TO PREPARE AND ISSUE A COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION FOR INSTALLATION AND OPERATION OF COMMUNICATION TOWERS IN CERTAIN PARKS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL REVENUE TO PARK AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND TO MITIGATE FURTHER REDUCTIONS IN STAFF, MAINTENANCE AND PROGRAMMING

The Vote:

Forwarded with a favorable recommendation as amended
Mover: Carlos A. Gimenez
Seconder: Javier D. Souto
Vote: 4 - 0
Excused: Heyman , Sosa

Message from Mayor Carlos Alvarez to the People About Being Recalled Yesterday

It has been an honor and privilege to serve this community for the past 35 years. The voters have spoken and a time of healing and reconciliation must now begin. No matter which side of the recall issue, one thing is certain: we all care very deeply about this community. A professional management team remains in place in Miami-Dade County government and I know they will work hard to ensure the smoothest transition possible in the coming days. I wish the next Mayor of Miami-Dade County much success.

Public service is an honorable profession and I want to thank County employees for the good work they do day in and day out. I want to thank all of the volunteers and supporters who have worked so hard on my behalf and ask that they move beyond the recall election and continue to work for the betterment of our community in new and different ways. I wish nothing but the best for Miami-Dade County – a place I love and will continue to call home.

Recall Election in Progress for Mayor Alvarez and County Commissioner Seijas

Business as usual has been stopped in the County because of the recall elections taking place today. Meetings were cancelled and few decisions have been made.

Mayor Carlos Alvarez and County Commissioner Natacha Seijas are facing the recall election. Norman Braman has funded the recall against the Mayor. The PAC Miami Voice has been funding the recall effort against the Commissioner.

The Charter Review Recommendations of 2008

These were the Charter Review Recommendations submitted to the County Commission in 2008. They did not enact the recommendations. Norman Braman is now focused on Charter changes. Below is the executive summary of the recommendations presented to the Commission in 2008:

Executive Summary
The Miami-Dade Charter Review Task Force (CRTF) has accomplished its charge, and adopted its eighteen (18) final recommendations regarding the Miami-Dade County Home Rule Charter. This Final Report describes the process of the Task Force deliberations, summarizes factual investigations and provides a brief synopsis of the rationale for the final recommendations. Following the conclusion of this report, dissenting opinions are provided.
October 31, 2007 Final Recommendations

In its October 31, 2007 Initial Report, the Task Force made the following recommendations:
1. The Public Safety Director should remain an appointed position. However, the Task Force recommended that the electors of Miami-Dade County be asked whether they wish to amend the Home Rule Charter to provide that: the Public Safety Director (i.e. Sheriff, Police Chief) shall be appointed by the Mayor for a period of four (4) years, at the expiration of each term subject to re-appointment; that the appointment can be vetoed by a super majority (two-thirds) vote of the County Commission; that the Public Safety Director could be removed by the Mayor subject to the consent of a simple majority vote of the County Commission; or by the County Commission subject to a super majority (two-thirds) vote. Once appointed, that person shall carry out the functions of the office independent of the Mayor and County Commission except for funding and budgeting matters. (Motion passed: 10-5)

2. The Supervisor of Elections should remain an appointed position. However, the Task Force recommended that the electors of Miami-Dade County be asked whether they wish to amend the Home Rule Charter to provide that: the Supervisor of Elections shall be appointed by the Mayor for a period of four (4) years, at the expiration of each term subject to re-appointment; that the appointment can be vetoed by a super majority (two-thirds) vote of the County Commission; that the Supervisor of Elections could be removed by the Mayor subject to the consent of a simple majority vote of the County Commission; or by the County Commission subject to a super majority (two-thirds) vote. Once appointed, that person shall carry out the functions of the office independent of the Mayor and County Commission except for funding and budgeting matters. (Motion passed: 10-5)

3. The position of Property Appraiser become an elected position. (Motion passed: 12-4)

4. The Task Force recommends that the electors of Miami-Dade County be asked whether they wish to amend the Home Rule Charter to provide that County Commissioners shall receive a population based salary provided by Florida’s Statutory formula (approximately $91,995); Commissioner’s terms in office shall be limited to two, four-year terms; and Commissioners shall be prohibited from having outside employment. (Motion passed: 14-0)
The Task Force further recommends that the Home Rule Charter not be amended with respect to the following issues:

5. The Tax Collector remain as an appointed position. (Motion passed unanimously: 14-0)

6. The manner in which the Board of County Commissioners is currently comprised shall
remain as is, with 13 single-member Commission Districts. (Motion passed: 14-1)

Since the release of its Initial Report, the Task Force continued its work, and on January 17, 2008 adopted the following additional final recommendations. The Task Force further recommends that:

7. The County Commission appoint an independent Task Force to prepare and submit a comprehensive plan in 2009 for countywide incorporation, accomplished through annexation and/or incorporation, subject to amendments or changes by two-thirds vote of the County Commission, and that such plan be placed on the ballot for all citizens to vote on at a general election in 2010. (Motion passed: 9-5)

8. The electors of Miami-Dade County be asked whether the Home Rule Charter should be amended to empower future Charter Review Task Forces to place proposed Charter amendments directly on the ballot, if the proposed Charter amendment is approved by a two-thirds vote of the Task Force members present; and to provide that the appointment process for future Task Force members be the same as contained in Sections 1 and 2 of the resolution creating the current Charter Review Task Force, with the exception that the provision allowing Commissioners to appoint themselves to the Task Force be deleted. (Motion passed: 9-5)

9. The electors of Miami-Dade County be asked whether the Home Rule Charter should be amended to provide that the time period to collect signatures for proposed Charter amendments and citizens’ initiatives be extended to 120 days and that proposed Charter amendments must only be placed on the ballot during a general election. (Motion passed: 14-0)

10. The electors of Miami-Dade County be asked whether the Home Rule Charter should be amended to require the County Commission to hold a public hearing on any citizen initiated changes to the Home Rule Charter on the date the County Commission sets the election date on the proposed Charter amendment. A public hearing shall also be required for any Charter amendment initiated by the County Commission. (Motion passed: 14-0)

11. The electors of Miami-Dade County be asked whether of the Home Rule Charter should be amended to provide that the County Commission hold a public hearing on the proposed initiative at the time a citizen initiative petition is presented to the County Commission for possible passage or repeal of an ordinance. (Motion passed: 14-0)

12. The electors of Miami-Dade County be asked whether the Home Rule Charter should be amended to provide that the County Commission shall adopt no resolutions or ordinances regulating the citizen petition procedures as defined in the Home Rule Charter. (Motion passed: 14-0)

13. The electors of Miami-Dade County be asked whether the Home Rule Charter should be amended to reflect that the certification and petition gathering provisions contained in Article 8 of the Home Rule Charter should also govern citizen initiative petition procedures to amend the Home Rule Charter. (Motion passed: 14-0)

14. The electors of Miami-Dade County be asked whether the Home Rule Charter should be amended to provide that the Clerk of the Court, rather than the County Commission, approve as to form any citizen initiative petition. (Motion passed: 14-0)

15. The electors of Miami-Dade County be asked whether the Home Rule Charter should be amended to provide that bid protests shall be heard by hearing officers charged with making final determinations based on findings of facts and conclusions of law; that the appeal process shall be governed by the rules of procedure set forth in State of Florida’s Administrative Procedure Act; and that the findings of the hearing officer would be final, subject to appeal by a disappointed bidder to the County Commission solely on an abuse of discretion standard. (Motion passed: 8-6)

16. The electors of Miami-Dade County be asked whether the Home Rule Charter should be amended to provide that any Comprehensive Development Master Plan application requesting that the Urban Development Boundary (UDB) line be moved must be approved by a vote of at least 3⁄4’s of the County Commissioners then in office; that every five years an independent body shall be constituted to conduct a comprehensive and holistic study as to where the UDB line should be drawn; and that if a change in the location of the UDB line is recommended by such independent body and such change in location is approved by a simple majority vote of County Commissioners present, such recommendations must be submitted for approval by the electorate in the form of a referendum. (Motion passed: 9-5)

17. The electors of Miami-Dade County be asked whether the Home Rule Charter should be amended to provide that all zoning applications, including variances and setbacks, be heard first by the Community Councils with any appeals from those decisions being heard by hearing officers charged with making final determinations based on findings of fact and conclusions of law, that the appeal process shall be governed by the rules of procedure set forth in the State of Florida’s Administrative Procedure Act and that the findings of the hearing officer would be final subject to appeal to the County Commission solely on an abuse of discretion standard. (Motion passed: 14-0)

18. That the electors of Miami-Dade County be asked whether Section 9.07 of the Home Rule Charter shall be amended in the following manner (Motion passed: 17-0):
A. Amendments to this Charter may be proposed by a resolution adopted by the Board of County Commissioners or by petition of electors numbering not less than ten percent of the total number of electors registered in Dade County at the time the petition is submitted to the Clerk. Initiatory petitions shall be certified in the manner required for initiatory petitions for an ordinance.
B. Amendments to this Charter may be proposed by initiatory petitions of electors shall be governed by the following procedure:
1. The person proposing the amendment shall submit to the Clerk a proposed petition, in the form specified in section (2) below, and proposed ballot language, including a title. The Clerk shall without delay approve as to form a petition for circulation in one or several copies as the proposer may desire.
2. The petition shall be printed in 14-point font and contain the following information: (a) the title and text of the proposed amendment, printed in English, Spanish and Creole; (b) a statement in each petition circulator's own handwriting, setting forth his or her own name, both in printed and signature form; (c) the residence address of the circulator; (d) dates between which all the signatures on each individual petition were obtained; and (e) a sworn statement that the circulator personally
circulated the petition and witnessed each signature as it was being written.
3. Initiatory petitions shall be certified in the manner required for initiatory petitions for an ordinance.
4. The Board of County Commissioners shall call an election to be held within 60-120 days of the date that a certified petition is presented to the County Commission. Such election shall be called in conjunction a countywide with the next scheduled general election. ;however, if no countywide election is scheduled to occur within 60-120 days or presentation, a special election on the position shall be called.
C. Amendments to this Charter may be proposed by the Board of County Commissioners at any time. Elections on charter amendments proposed by the Board shall be held not less than 60 nor more than 120 days after the Board adopts a resolution proposing any amendment.
D. The result of all elections on charter amendments shall be determined by a majority of the electors voting on the proposed amendment.
E. All current ordinances and resolutions regulating initiative petitions shall be repealed.

Our Florida. Our Future

Our Florida. Our Future was recommended to us by a UEL member.

Our Florida. Our Future. is a multi-year effort to envision the future of Florida and includes three major thrusts: develop a scenario planning process, engage at least 4 million Floridians in this discussion, and support both the scenarios and the civic engagement efforts with appropriate research, data collection and policy papers.

Our goal: to create a dynamic global state with communities that are prosperous, healthy, just, neighborly and sustainable.

This project will help Floridians prepare for the future and increase the chances for a better quality of life. It will nourish a deliberative democracy that legitimizes the vision.

It will create a broad civic dialog around plausible visions of the future (scenarios), based on informed discussions across the state. These discussions will build relationships and organizations that will continue into the future and enable Floridians to guide their destinies.

Department of Community Affairs is Threatened

Today in the Miami Herald it was reported by Craig Pittman that Governor Rick Scott wants to curtail the State Growth Management agency, merging it with the Department of Environmental Protection, reducing its budget and eliminating much of their staff.

The UEL has long supported the Department of Community of Affairs and would be against any of these moves that negatively effect growth management in the State. The UEL wrote a white paper on the DCA years ago, stating that regulation should be even stricter in some areas as there is little means for enforcement in the department.

Good Government: The Goal

Former County Commissioner Katy Sorenson announced in the Miami Herald today, the launch of The Good Government Initiative. She said:

The Good Government Initiative will provide a venue for early-career elected officials throughout the South Florida region to develop leadership skills and to hone their ability to practice good governance. It will provide a forum for training, for conversations without political consequence, a laboratory for officials to consider, to ask questions and to be exposed to a range of opinions and information. Participants will work with current and former elected and appointed officials and other government practitioners, academics, journalists, community leaders and others, as well as a cohort of fellow early-career officials.

The inaugural class will include 25 early-career elected officials from Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach counties.

Funding for the initiative comes from the Knight Foundation and it has the support of the University of Miami and the Miami Foundation.

Some Highlights from The February 28 UEL Board Meeting

A nominating committee was formed made up of Jennifer Garcia, Greg Bush, Ernie Martin, Sonia Succar-Ferre, Barbara Falsey and Albert Ruder to select candidates for the 2011-2012 Board of Directors.

If you have someone you want to nominate for the Board of Directors get in touch with any of them or send an email to uelinfo@bellsouth.net

The Board also agreed the Annual Meeting should occur during the first two weeks of June. The Annual Meeting Committee will choose a time and date for the meeting and choose the recipients for the Orchids and Onions. Fran Bohnsack, Sonia Succar-Ferre, Barbara Falsey and Ernie Martin are on this Committee. If you want to volunteer to help, contact any of them or send an email to uelinfo@bellsouth.net

UEL BUS TOUR: Visit to the MIMO District

The UEL Bus Tour included a drive through the Mimo District (Miami Modern) and a stop at the historically refurbished New Yorker Boutique Motel. During the drive UEL members got a glimpse of Miami Architecture in the 50's (MIMO covers architecture from 1945 to 1969) by seeing the Biscayne Boulevard historical district.

March 23rd: Board of County Commissioners Public Hearing on the Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR)

This is a notice from the county about the review conducted of the Miami Dade County Comprehensive Plan, called the EAR. The integrity of UDB line is part of the plan:

Please be advised that the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) public hearing on the adoption of the 2010 Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR) will be on Wednesday, March 23, 2011 at 9:30 AM, at the Miami-Dade County Commission Chamber, Stephen P. Clark Center, 111 NW 1st Street, 2nd Floor, Miami, Florida 33128. The public is invited to attend and participate in the public hearing.

The draft 2010 EAR and other relevant documents, including the Department of Planning and Zoning’s (DP&Z) Proposed Revisions to the Draft 2010 EAR, dated January 10, 2011, are available on the EAR website.

For information about the EAR, please contact the Miami-Dade County Department of Planning and Zoning, Metropolitan Planning Section at 111 NW 1st Street, Suite 1220, Miami, Florida 33128-1972; or call (305) 375-2835.

UEL BUS TOUR: Visiting the Wynwood Walls Part II