Miami, FL-Mayor Carlos Alvarez of Miami-Dade County today urged Miami-Dade County Commissioners to vote against moving the Urban Development Boundary (UDB) at an upcoming hearing that will take place this week on Thursday. The Mayor joined environmental advocates, civic activists, and local residents to voice their opposition to any movement of the UDB, which would compromise the water supply, economy, and quality of life for Miami-Dade residents.
"It's not about anti-development, it's about planned and intelligent growth; that's why it's so important as part of protecting the wetlands we need to make sure that we hold the line" said Mayor Alvarez.
The UDB serves to protect local agriculture, water supplies, and our precious natural resources, including Everglades and Biscayne National Parks. Currently, three development applications are seeking movement of the UDB into 175 acres of sensitive lands. This includes accommodations for a Lowes Home Improvement Store, which is returning for the third time, various office and retail spaces, and a number of residential units. "County Commissioners must set precedents which discourage urban sprawl and applications like the proposed Parklands development which seeks to add nearly 7,000 homes outside the UDB, also waiting in the wings for its own approval," said Laura Reynolds of Tropical Audubon.
Miami-Dade County is already in the midst of a record-setting drought affecting water supply and usage. The lands outside the UDB recharge and clean Miami-Dade's water supply. "If permitted, these proposed developments will pave over sensitive lands, and thus threaten the quantity and quality of an already stressed and restricted water supply," said Dawn Shirreffs of Clean Water Action.
South Floridians are already suffering the effects of the state and national economic downturn. Miami-Dade is at the epicenter of the real estate collapse, which has resulted in growing numbers of empty homes and lots available for development within the UDB. Development on the outskirts of the community will negatively impact access to social services, affordable housing costs, and will also place a heavy burden on taxpayers to extend infrastructure services to remote areas of the county. Continued urban sprawl will increase traffic congestion and limit the ability for funding the expansion of public transportation systems.
In addition, proposed developments will place pressure on the area's already overburdened school system. Approval of residential development or Lowes' proposed Charter School outside the UDB will exacerbate the problem by placing more pressure on suburban schools, while continuing to reduce enrollment numbers in urban schools. "It is unconscionable that these applications would be considered over the needs of our children already being underserved," said Miami-Dade County resident Jaime Orozco.
Miami-Dade must protect agricultural lands that contribute to the local economy, and serve as a good neighbor to America's Everglades. "Paving over fragile environmental lands will only further impede our economic crisis," said Kahlil Kettering of the National Parks Conservation Association. "The natural beauty of our environment and parklands should be preserved and protected so they continue to attract visitors and boost the region's economy."
Just last month, the Florida Department of Community Affairs unequivocally objected to the applications to move Miami-Dade County's Urban Development Boundary. The report confirmed what most Miami-Dade citizens already know, that these applications threaten water supply, transportation, and school concurrency. Disregarding these recommendations could jeopardize state and federal funding to the County.
Hold the Line is a coalition representing more than 140 diverse municipalities, homeowner groups, businesses, and non-profit organizations that are opposed to any piecemeal movement of the UDB. The Miami-Dade County Commission will hold the hearing on Thursday, April 24, at the County Commission Chambers on 111 N.W. 1st Street, Miami, FL 33128. The meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. For more information visit www.udbline.com.
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