Response to growth is responsible growth

Posted on Sunday, July 31, 2005

Response to growth is responsible growth

Information presented by the Parks Committee of Miami Neighborhoods United (Miami City Commission, July 7) stated that Miami is ranked 55th of 55 major cities in park acreage per 1,000 residents.

Per capita green space continues to decrease as the current building boom progresses. Impact fees, charged on construction projects, enable infrastructural improvements, including parks, that add to the quality of life. Unfortunately, the city may not be collecting ''proper'' impact fees.

The Supreme Court recently decided to expand the use of eminent domain. Eminent domain allows municipalities to obtain private holdings, after just compensation, for public use. The court's decision strengthened the tenant of procuring private holdings for the public good.

In a recent case of restricted private development, Miami City Attorney Jorge Fernandez decided against a condo development in Morningside. Supposedly, Section 1305 of the code empowers the rejection of a building deemed incompatible with its surroundings. This was supported by Commissioner Johnny Winton who suggested the city can require new developments to be compatible with the look, feel and scale of their surroundings.

It is well known the majority of Coconut Grove residents are overwhelmingly opposed to Home Depot moving into the Grove. This has been proven by hundreds of people at commission meetings, by 12,000 petition signatures, and by the display of 1,500 yard signs. It is also evident that many of the Grove's single-family homes are being replaced by zero-lot McMansions. Building these McMansions allows developers to turn a $600,000 property into $1.4 million townhomes, and rake in ludicrous amounts of money. I suggest the city levy impact fees on new construction sufficient to increase the acquisition of new park space.

These funds, generated from developers, are used to purchase the Home Depot site which is then turned into a Gateway Park to Coconut Grove. Given recent court decisions this should be easily accomplished if supported by the city. The people benefit by not being saddled with an inappropriately sized Home Depot, and by gaining park space at no cost to taxpayers.

We should all remember: The response to growth is responsible growth.

LEN SCINTO
COCONUT GROVE

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