Contact Secretary Tom Pelham Today!

Anyone wishing to put in their two cents regarding the proposed location for State School HHH1 or Lennar's Parkland 2018 development is encouraged to make their feelings known to Tom Pelham, Secretary of the Florida Department of Community Affairs at:

Florida Department of Community Affairs

2555 Shumard Oak Boulevard

Tallahassee, FL 32399-2100

or by email at:

http://www.dca.state.fl.us/contactus/OSForm.cfm?subject=Contact%20Secretary%20Pelham

An Open Letter to Secretary Pelham of the Florida Department of Community Affairs

On December 16th, the following letter was forwarded to Secretary Pelham of the FLDCA, Commissioner Eric Smith of the FLDOE, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho of Miami-Dade Schools, and Representative Juan Zapata of District 119:

Dear Secretary Pelham,

I am writing to seek your help in resolving a difficult situation that has been unfolding in southern Miami-Dade County. Over the past year, Miami-Dade Schools has endeavored to build a new 2,500 student high school in the midst of an established community on the fringe of the county’s Urban Development Boundary (UDB). The local residents of the area maintain that the project, though representing over $60 million in public monies, has been executed without proper public engagement or regard to public sentiment. Though Miami-Dade Schools remains unresponsive, the local community has repeatedly iterated that this project is in conflict with accepted policies intended to promote both community participation and smart-growth planning.

In August of 2007, Miami-Dade Schools used the power of eminent domain to wrest 40 acres of land from private ownership. Situated on the corner of SW 160 street and SW 152 avenue, this area would become the proposed site for a new high school tentatively dubbed HHH1. At the time of its condemnation, this parcel of agricultural land was being actively cultivated. It is important to note that the property lies wholly within one mile from Miami-Dade County’s UDB.

As you are aware, the Florida legislature passed the Local Government Comprehensive Planning and Land Development Act (F.S. 163.3161) in 1985. This act mandated that all local governments adopt a framework to promote smart growth. In response, Miami-Dade County adopted their current Comprehensive Development Master Plan (CDMP). The CDMP establishes a UDB that serves to delineate areas appropriate for large-scale development in an effort to both limit sprawl, retain agricultural lands, and preserve vital natural resources outside the UDB. The CDMP not only sets forth clear recommendations regarding land use outside the UDB but, in recognizing its potential to promote urban development, also offers specific guidelines regarding improvements and developments inside the UDB.

Educational Element 2 (EDU-2A) of the plan sets forth recommendations regarding the construction of new schools. The county’s CDMP clearly states that new high schools should not be situated within one mile of the UDB. To work around this issue, the Miami-Dade Schools Facility Planning Office approached the Miami-Dade Zoning Department to seek an exemption. In a letter dated February 1, 2006, the Miami-Dade Planning and Zoning department cited EDU-2A in its recommendation that the site not be utilized for the purposes of constructing a high school. Of significant importance, this entire process was neither transparent nor open to public comment.

In March of 2008, against both the accepted smart growth policies of the CDMP and professional counsel from the Planning and Zoning Department, the Miami-Dade School Board awarded a preconstruction contract in the amount of $229,000 to Betancourt Castellon Associates, Inc. By early April, heavy machinery appeared to clear and fence the site. Though clearly in planning for well over two years, the local community was afforded no notice regarding the intended construction of this major facility prior to this activity. Since that time, our residents have tried tirelessly to voice numerous well-founded concerns regarding the lack of process involved in this endeavor, the improper location selected for this project, and the likely impacts it will bring.

Over the past year, the Board has been plagued by a series of high-profile issues—most notably, a serious operational budget deficit that has resulted in cuts of hundreds of jobs and salaries. Just last week, the Board voted to sue the state in an effort to recoup $34.7 million it alleges were improperly withheld. Given the realities of this dire financial situation, we properly question not only how Miami-Dade Schools would endeavor to adequately staff such a large facility, but also why the district would not choose to revisit plans for a project that the community it intends to benefit deems both unnecessary and potentially harmful.

To date, the Miami-Dade School Board has not yet awarded a construction contract for the project. Ownership over a part of the 40-acre parcel is currently in litigation, which has fortunately afforded us a rare window of opportunity. We remain hopeful that the Department of Community Affairs will exercise its powers of oversight to compel a thorough review of this project. We feel this is particularly important given Lennar’s recent application for an exemption to the CDMP to allow for the development of a nearly 1,000-acre residential development outside the UDB. Dubbed “Parkland”, the mini-city threatens to continue the practice of sprawl by foisting over 19,000 new residents on agricultural lands. The construction of HHH1 at its currently proposed location would merely present yet another improvement to infrastructure on the fringe that would serve to entice and justify such future developments.

That there remains such a palpable disconnect between our local government agencies and the communities they are meant to serve is regrettable. Poor planning and clear lack of interest in involving the public have now left all parties in an unfortunate situation. The solution, however, does not lie in pursuing construction of a flawed project. Rather, the only appropriate resolution will be reevaluating the true need for this facility, properly articulating how such a facility would be staffed and, most importantly, finding a location that does not compromise smart growth policies and promote unwanted development in the host community. We humbly request you advise Miami-Dade Schools to take such action.


cc: Juan Zapata, District 119 Florida House Representative
cc: Dr. Eric J. Smith, Florida Department of Education Commissioner
cc: Dr. Albeto Carvalho, Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent

Lennar's Push to Move Dade's Development Line Criticized by Two of the County's Biggest Developers

The following article appeared in the Miami Herald on Friday, October 31...

BY MATTHEW HAGGMAN

Days before a group led by home builder Lennar launches an effort to win government approval for a new suburb on Miami-Dade County's western fringe, two of Miami's most prominent developers said the project should be rejected.

On Thursday, Armando Codina, South Florida's biggest commercial builder, and Jorge Perez, the region's largest condominium developer, said now is not the time to allow construction of a 19,000-person community near the Everglades.

To build the suburb, called Parkland, Lennar must persuade county commissioners to move the Urban Development Boundary, which limits large-scale building along the western and southern edges of the county.

''For residential development, it makes no sense to move the line,'' said Flagler Development Chairman Codina, who himself has twice won approval to move the UDB for offices and industrial parks.

''There are lots of opportunities within the boundary to build residential right now . . . But all applications should be judged on their own merits,'' said Codina, who made his comments during the Urban Land Institute's annual meeting in Miami Beach.

Perez, chairman and chief executive of Related Group, took his objection a step further.

''I think it's immoral to move the boundary,'' said Perez, who has focused on building condos and restaurants in urban areas.

''The urban boundary was done with a lot of planning and thinking,'' said Perez, also speaking at the ULI meeting. ``And that type of suburban development, when it comes to issues like the aquifer, the environment, traffic, it is the wrong type of urban policy.''

The developers' remarks come as Lennar and a group of prominent business leaders partnering in the Parkland project are set to begin public hearings Monday to win county approval for an expansion of the UDB.

''It's a shame that two developers would be so quick to react without having seen the merits of the project,'' said Jose Cancela, who heads up communications for the Parkland builders. ``Especially Armando, who has been the recipient of UDB moves on more than one occasion.

``As for Jorge, I would say he is highly motivated to make that statement because of the glut of condos that he is stuck with right now.''

The Parkland group is seeking government approval to put nearly 7,000 homes, shops, offices, a hospital and schools on 961 acres west of Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport. The rectangular patch of agricultural land west of the UDB runs from Southwest 162nd Avenue to Krome Avenue and Southwest 136th Street to Southwest 152nd Street.

Miami-Dade County's Department of Planning and Zoning already has recommended that county commissioners deny the boundary change, saying there is plenty of room to build within the UDB and that the project is contrary to county policy encouraging infill and urban redevelopment.

Lennar, one of the nation's largest home builders, and its partners contend that Parkland is an example of smart planning, with schools and offices within walking distance of homes and eco-friendly construction.

Among those partnering with Lennar on the project are Century Homebuilders President Sergio Pino, commercial builder Edward Easton, lobbying firm chief and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Chairman Rodney Barreto, Sedano's supermarket President Agustin Herran and U.S. Century Bank Chairman Ramon Rasco.
If approved, the project would be the biggest change to the UDB for a residential project in two decades. The developers hope to start delivering homes in 2014, after the credit crunch has eased and the current outsized inventory of unsold homes in Miami-Dade has shrunk.

Help Hold The Line

Over the next few weeks, Lennar will once again endeavor to acquire an exemption to the Urban Development Boundary (UDB) to allow for the development of Parkland 2014. This mini-city is to be built west of Country Walk and in violation of the county's current Comprehensive Development Master Plan (CDMP).

This project shares a reciprocal relationship with proposed high school HHH1. If constructed prior to the approval of Parkland 2012, the proximity of the new facility (and the requisite area improvements) would serve to buttress Lennar's claims that their residents could be accommodated by local county infrastructure. If Parkland 2014 is approved, the anticipated influx of new residents will almost surely demand construction of the new high school at its current location. Unfortunately, new residents will likely be accommodated to the detriment of students in our present community.

The very threat of Parkland 2012 underscores the importance of demanding that Miami-Dade Schools comply with then UDB and locate a new facility at a site in accordance with the CDMP.

Residents interested in upcoming hearings on Parkland 2012 are invited to attend one or all of the following upcoming forums:

West Kendall Community Council (11)
Date: November 2, 2008
Time: 6:30 P.M.
Location: Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School Auditorium
Address: 15735 SW 144 ST

Hearing of the Planning Advisory Board (PAB)
Date: November 19, 2008
Time: 9:30 A.M.
Location: County Commission Chamber
Address: 111 NW 1st ST

Board of County Commissioners Hearing
Date: December 18, 2008
Time: 9:30 A.M.
Location: County Commission Chamber
Address: 111 NW 1st ST

The Herald Gets It Right-- Again

OUR OPINION: COMMISSION SHOULD RESCIND VOTES TO MOVE URBAN BOUNDARY

Posted on Tue, Aug. 26, 2008

In a year when Miami-Dade County must trim crucial services because of budget shortfalls and changes in state law that cut property taxes, the County Commission should tighten the belt, too.

One of the more aggravating expenditures is defending the county against legal challenges. While some legal costs are necessary, others are not. One example of the latter is when the commission approves something that it knows will bring credible opposition. Such is the case with the votes to move the Urban Development Boundary for construction of commercial enterprises.

The commission voted to expand the UDB even though its own planning staff recommended against it, saying there is plenty of room for development inside the UDB. The state Department of Community Affairs also frowned on UDB expansion and gave the projects a thumbs-down. That may prompt opponents to file a legal challenge.

Commissioner Katy Sorenson wants the commission to rescind its votes to move the UDB at this time, averting a costly court challenge. Commissioner Natacha Seijas, as Governmental Operations and Environmental Committee chairwoman, has final say over whether this proposal procedurally moves forward. In fairness, though Ms. Seijas voted to move the UDB, she should give the entire commission a chance to decide on the plan.

Do commissioners want to commit public dollars to defend a plan that encroaches on the Everglades -- all on behalf of private businesses that want to do the encroaching? That's a poor use of public funds.

Tuesday, August 26, is Election Day

If you're headed to the polls, it pays to remember which candidates have best supported your vision of the future and have best safeguarded your quality of life. Remember which members of the County Commission have compromised smart growth and saddled us with unnecessary sprawl. Remember which School Board members have lent a sympathetic ear, while others sit idly by. Remember new voices, like that of Don Kearns, that seek to right the wrongs of the past with a more rational approach. Get to the polls today-- its might just save your tomorrow!

For more information on the election click here.

For a look at the sample ballot, click here.

Eye on September 10th...

Many thanks to all who attended our open forum on HHH1 this past week. Many good ideas were exchanged. Special thanks to Don Kearns for his attendance, advice and support. As noted during the meeting, all are encouraged to attend the upcoming school board meeting to voice their concerns regarding the proposed location of the school. Here are the details:

Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2009

Place: 1450 NE 2nd Avenue

Miami, FL 33132

As always, we won't know if HHH1 is a formal agenda item or not until one week prior to the meeting. If it is, then we will need to be there at 1:00 p.m. Otherwise, we will need to be present for the public comment portion beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Anyone wishing to speak before the board MUST SUBMIT A COMPLETED BOARD SPEAKER FORM NO LATER THAN MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8th. We'll see you there!

An Open Forum at Dodge City...

An open forum has been announced for
King’s Grant and King’s Grove residents
to discuss proposed high school HHH-1.

Thursday, August 21, 7 pm
16330 SW 147th Ave
a.k.a. “Dodge City”

Many residents hope the location of the school will be changed and would like to discuss alternative sites. State Rep. Juan Zapata and Ana Rivas-Logan have joined us in these talks and understand our concerns, which include:

• UDB violations set a bad precedent.
• Emergency support and vehicle access for the school and community are inadequate.
• Roads are inadequate for expected traffic.

We hope you will take time to join us to provide
insight on the project.

Comments Before the Board...

Here are my comments to the Miami Dade School Board during their Wednesday, June 13 meeting. Again, many thanks to those that took the time to present themselves before the board on this important issue!

Good evening, Board Members. Last week, each of you received via certified mail copies signatures gathered from individuals in our community asking for the relocation of proposed high school HHH1. As you look through those petitions, I would ask that you consider what stands behind each signature. Please think about the families each signature represents. Please think about the homes and property each signature represents. An entire community stands to be heavily impacted by this ill-advised project, and they reach out to you tonight for resolution.

Two months ago, I stood before you and tried to bring light to the lack of public process that has plagued this project since its inception. Over the past two months, this deficiency has manifested itself ever more clearly.

• For nearly two and a half years, the Facilities Planning Office worked to acquire and design this project and made no honest effort to inform or involve the host community.
• Without the benefit of public input, they now propose to impact our neighborhoods with increased traffic, noise, lighting and truancy.
• Most troubling, they quietly secured what could have been a highly contentious exemption to the county’s CDMP without the benefit of public scrutiny. In violation of accepted smart-growth policies, the proposed school now sits within a half mile of the UDB, and would serve to entice and justify continued westward development.
  

Because the community was not involved in the early stages of this project, we now find ourselves saddled with a project that our community does not want, the county does not recommend, and has resulted in the seizure of private property through the use of eminent domain.

At my last appearance, Dr. Holloway, you questioned the manner in which the Facilities Planning office had proceeded with regards to this project. You were right to do so. I would encourage, and expect, all of you to continue this line of questioning, and determine for yourselves whether or not this office made a reasonable and honest effort to involve the host community that would be so heavily impacted.

This issue goes beyond a single school. It is about fundamental principles in public administration. It is important that you take this opportunity to demand better and acknowledge the need for community engagement with regards to $68 million public works projects. If this is the sacrificial lamb upon which this lesson must be learned, then so be it—WE MUST RELOCATE HHH1! In light of the severe operational cuts this board has just approved, we fully support the need for a review of the 5-year capital plan, as noted by Ms. Greer and Ms. Rivas-Logan. We would also welcome a motion by the board tonight that directs the Facilities Planning staff to immediately begin finding an alternate location for HHH1, and to do so with full transparency and in collaboration with the host community.

THREE CHEERS...

... for our many residents who made the effort to head downtown for last Wednesday's meeting. It was a looooong night but well worth the time spent! Thanks to all of you for making yourselves heard!

... for Evelyn Greer for recognizing that there are, in fact, viable alternatives for HHH1 that don't necessitate constructing huge schools in the middle of established residential communities. And bravo to her for wisely recommending a review of the 5-year capital plan in light of recent trends in enrollment, population, and the construction of charter schools.

... for Ana Rivas-Logan for her commitment to withhold support for any further capital outlays until such a review of the 5-year plan is made. And kudos to her for reminding the Facilities Planning staff that this is not the first time they've heard backlash from a community because of their disregard for the local residents. Its time for the Facilities Planning department to heed her call for better community involvement from the start!

Upcoming School Board Meeting

The Miami-Dade School Board will be hosting their monthly meeting this Wednesday, June 18.

Proposed high school HHH1 does not appear as a formal agenda item to be considered. Nontheless, individuals are welcome to bring any issue before the board during the public comment session beginning at 6:30 p.m.

Anyone wishing to speak before the board, must submit a Board Speaker Form by 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Simply print the form and fax it to the number indicated. Be advised that the board is still grappling with the operations budget, and it is likely that this meeting well extend well into the evening.

The Unexpurgated Version...

Many thanks to editors at the Miami Herald, who saw fit to publish this recent letter with regards to Miami-Dade Schools and the HHH1 project. The letter originally contained two additional paragraphs, which are included in the unabridged version below...

Miami-Dade Schools Needs A Civics Lesson

With a stealth normally reserved for military maneuvers, the Facilities Planning staff of Miami-Dade Public Schools began work on a clandestine operation in February 2006. Dubbed “HHH1”, the project aimed to wedge a potentially controversial 2,000 student high school in the middle of a quiet, rural subdivision.

Under a cloak of darkness, the department quietly labored to find suitable acreage, draft site designs, and invoke the use of eminent domain to condemn the requisite property—all without alerting nearby communities nor seeking public input.

So efficient was this campaign, residents only learned of the project two years later, when bulldozers appeared this past April to begin clearing a nearby forty-acre farm. The former agricultural field is now secured behind a chain link fence with signage that advises would-be trespassers to avoid stepping foot on Miami-Dade School’s newest conquest.

The need for such discretion is certainly understandable. Only last month, the chambers of the Miami-Dade County Commission became a pivotal battleground between builders seeking continued westward development and those advocating sensible growth.

At issue were several proposed exemptions to allow for development west of the Urban Development Boundary (UDB), in violation of policies set forth in the county’s Comprehensive Development Master Plan (CDMP). Such proposals inevitably raise the ire of many, who correctly view such transgressions as blatant kowtows to influential development interests. Because the proposed location for HHH1 also violates the UDB, Miami-Dade Schools certainly had reason to keep their actions to themselves.

The county’s growth plan sets forth policies regarding allowed development both east and west of the line and clearly stipulates that high schools are not to be built within one mile of the UDB. The rationale is simple: improvements in infrastructure and public services in close proximity to the boundary provide incentive and enticement for continued western development.

The boundaries of HHH1, as well as the signalization, roads and lighting that will accompany the project, lie wholly within this designated buffer. Operational transparency and public comment would have certainly exposed such concerns, so strategists in the Facilities Planning Office had little recourse but to avoid the limelight.

Requisite public notification was buried in minuscule classified advertisements in area newspapers or published boldly in obscure local periodicals. Zoning notifications were nonexistent. Community groups and leaders were not contacted.

Though recently propagandized as a “community benefit”, Miami-Dade Schools clearly failed to acknowledge that residents are the ones best equipped to decide what might truly benefit their community.

To the contrary, evidence continues to mount that the Facilities Planning Office breeds little regard for those in the path of their perverse “manifest destiny”. Administrative Director Fernando Albuerne proclaimed proudly at a recent public hearing on the project that his office was under no obligation to notify the public of their activities. Following a meeting of the Miami-Dade School Board in April, Planning Officer Ana Rijo-Conde insisted little interest on the part of the public resulted from the apathy and indifference of the community, not her failure to publicize the project. And a recent letter from Chief Facilities Officer Jaime Torrens underscores the department’s prevailing attitude that the office is free to flout policies set forth by the county in response to Florida statute. Such attitudes smack of a department lacking sufficient oversight and clearly of the opinion that they remain well above the law.

The shadowy practices of this sorely misguided public agency have now left us at a most unfortunate impasse. The Facilities Planning Gestapo has been allowed to wrest private property from owners through the heinous use of eminent domain.

Considerable time and money have been spent designing a project that the local community has vocally opposed. Most importantly, the project would literally pave the way for massive growth to the west through its violation of the UDB, a proposition in no one’s best interest.
Lennar continues to seek an exemption to the CDMP to construct Parkland, a community boasting over 6,000 homes on nearly 1,000 acres just one and a half miles north of the proposed site for HHH1. Last month, County Commissioners approved a similar exemption for the construction of a new Lowes largely on a promise from the home improvement giant that a new high school would be built. At its present location, HHH1 would serve as a shiny new enticement to approve Lennar’s outrageous request.

Facilities Planning has drawn a line in the sand, behind which they’ve entrenched themselves in their commitment to seize whatever property they wish, steamroll whatever projects they see fit, and perform the bare minimum in the name of public engagement.

On the other side of that line, stand those individuals who demand accountability from their publicly funded agencies and call for adherence to sensible growth policies. To that end, HHH1 must be moved from its proposed location to an alternate site in strict consultation with the communities it is meant to serve.

It is incumbent on the Miami-Dade School Board and Superintendent Rudy Crew to reign in this rogue department and impart to its officers a badly-needed lesson in public service.

Larry Perez

"Many questions and many issues..."

Reporter Yudy Piniero continues to cover developments on the HHH1 issue. Here is her latest story from the
Miami Herald.

Since Our Friday Night Gathering...

... I have received numerous e-mails from individuals looking for greater clarification on the project and our stance. To help satisfy these requests, I am posting a representative response to one such inquiry:

Thanks for your interest in this issue. The school is currently proposed to be built on 38 acres of former agricultural land that was seized by the school board last year through eminent domain. The parcel is located at the intersection of 152 avenue and 160 street. Though actual numbers cited vary, the school will accommodate anywhere from 2,000 to 2,800 students. Last March, the school board approved a roughly $260,000 preconstruction contract and the field has been cleared and fenced. The estimated $49 million construction contract has yet to be awarded. For over two years, this project has been in acquisition and development without the benefit of traditional public process.

As you might imagine, everyone would likely give you a different reason for opposing or supporting the school at its current location. For those of us pushing to have the site moved, the ultimate goal is to simply preserve the quality of life we’ve deliberately moved here to enjoy. As you’re aware, a new high school would bring about a bevy of localized impacts including noise, traffic, lighting and crime. This latter point has brought some controversy, primarily by a few who want to believe that teens opt to spend their idle time reading the bible and praying the rosary at home. Those of us who live in the real world recognize that every adolescent makes occasional errors in judgement, and clustering 2,000+ in one area increases that potential exponentially.

In the bigger picture, however, our strongest objection is that the school blatantly violates policies set forth in the county’s Comprehensive Development Master Plan (CDMP), which dictates what sort of activities are permitted both west and east of the Urban Development Boundary (UDB). This imaginary line was purposely established by the county’s planning board to help stymie reckless growth and promote sensible long-term planning for future growth. The CDMP clearly states that high schools should not be constructed within a 1-mile buffer of the line, under the premise that improved facilities and infrastructure so close to the line serve to enable and encourage growth to the west. The entire footprint of the HHH1 project lies wholly within this buffer, which in our area is demarcated by 157 avenue. These concerns would have likely come to light had there been an honest effort to involve the public in the process.

That is where the Lennar development comes into play. They have proposed building Parkland, a 6,000 unit mini-city with approximately 200,000 square feet of retail space on 1,000 acres just west of Country Walk. Those 6,000 units include a mix of single family homes, condos and rental properties. To build the project, they would require passage of an exemption to build west of the UDB. In April, over the objections of residents, community organizations and Mayor Alvarez, the Miami-Dade County Commission approved two such exemption requests. One was approved largely on the promise of a new high school for the area.

If built at its proposed location, HHH1 would serve as a similar justification to allow for rampant westward expansion in our area. This would inevitably detract from the quality of life we all enjoy in ways we can only image. Having lived in a somewhat rural area yourself, you might better understand the importance of open spaces and tranquility to good living. It’s a lesson planners in Miami-Dade County have had a hard time grasping.

Believe me, we all understand the importance of quality educational opportunities to our community. At its current location, however, we believe HHH1 would sacrifice far too much to constitute a benefit. It would do our community little good to build a school that, in short order, would be swarmed by new students from the west.

A Not-So-Quiet Day In The Park

A weekday visit to Ron Ehman Park provides a good glimpse into a future in the shadow of proposed high school HHH1. On any given weekday, the entire perimeter of this popular Miami-Dade County park is FILLED with vehicles from students attending nearby Killian High. There is insufficient parking at the school, and Park Manager Joe Fernandez revealed that some park staff must arrive every morning at 6:30 am to close the entry gate-- lest students take every available space from those looking to use the park. Our conversation was punctuated by strobes and sirens, as the school polluted the surrounding soundscape with a fire drill. And nearby, two students idled in the park at midday-- a not uncommon occurrence according to Fernandez. Many students are released early as part of the school's work program and will loiter in the park until a ride arrives. A more perfect confirmation of our collective concerns could not have been had!

What will HHH1 mean for our own Kings Grant and Chuck Pezholdt Parks? Neither facility is currently staffed, leaving no one to safeguard parking for the others looking to use the parks. Miami-Dade Schools does nothing to curb the imposition of their students on nearby public lands. Poor planning by Miami-Dade Schools all but guarantees your public spaces will become public parking lots...

School Board Meeting on Wednesday, May 21st...

This Wednesday, May 21, the Miami-Dade School Board will be holding their monthly meeting. The formal agenda does not currently reflect any actions pertaining to HHH1. Still, the Board will open the floor for public comment on a variety of issues beginning at 6:30 pm. It is important that as many people as possible attend in person to address the board with their concerns about HHH1. Over the past month, members of the Board, the Superintendent and the facilities planning staff have heard from residents regarding their opposition to the current placement of the project. Your presence at this Wednesday’s meeting will help solidify the message that we do not want to see HHH1 constructed at the proposed location.


Be advised that you MUST register in advance with Miami-Dade Schools to address the Board. The required form can be downloaded here. It is easiest to print out the form and fax it to the number indicated. This form must be received no later than Monday, May 19th AT 4:30 PM, so be sure to ACT QUICKLY!

The meeting will be held on the first floor of the Miami-Dade Schools Building at 1450 NE 2nd Avenue. The official meeting agenda can be found at the following URL:

http://www2.dadeschools.net/schoolboard/default.asp

Eye on Wednesday...

The Miami-Dade School Board should make the agenda for their May 21st meeting available by this Wednesday, May 13. The document will tell you whether or not HHH1 is a formal agenda item or not. If so, the item will be taken up sometime between 1:00 pm and 6:30 pm. If not, the Board will open the floor for any issues during the public comment session beginning at 6:30.

Follow this link to the Miami-Dade School Board Page for the latest on the meeting agenda and informtion on how to register to speak before the board.

Help Pound the Pavement...

We've heard from many individuals wishing to support the relocation of High School HHH1. Specifically, people have asked if they can help gather signatures in opposition to the project. In response, we are providing the following petition form for download. Print out a couple of copies, then take a walk around your block and ask your neighbors to help move the project site to a more acceptable location.

Click Here to Download the Petition Form

Just be sure to sign the top of the page to certify that you obtained the signatures.

Then contact us to remit the forms!

Rabin Gets it Right...

The proposed location for high school HHH1 lies wholly within a mile of Miami-Dade County's Urban Development Boundary (UDB). While much press has been generated lately regarding exemptions granted for development west of this boundary, it should also be recognized that there are similar limitations for what can be built to the east within a certain distance of the UDB. The county's Comprehensive Development Master Plan (CDMP) clearly states that high schools are not to be constructed within one mile of the line.

The reason? Building community facilities and expanding infrastructure within this buffer serve to promote further westward development. Housing such services on the edge of rural areas only provides greater incentive to convert presently vacant land to denser uses. This is particularly troubling, given that builder Lennar is actively seeking an exemption to construct a mixed-use development on nearly 1,000 acres between Southwest 162nd and 177th avenues, and 136th and 152nd streets.

Miami Herald reporter Charles Rabin spelled out the implications of this issue in his May 4th article, Glades Invasion Already Under Way. In recognizing the current siting of HHH1 will have much broader implications than a simple widening of local roads, we encourage the School Board to relocate the project site in favor of a location in accordance with the CDMP. Allowing this Pandora's Box to be opened will literally pave the way for greater sprawl to the west... literally!

April 30th Meeting Highlighted in Miami Herald

The recent public forum held at Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School on April 30th is covered in today's Miami Herald. Thanks to reporter Yudy Pineiro for her time and balanced coverage...

Click here for the full text of the article...

An Open Letter of Thanks to Facilities Planning...

The following letter was mailed and faxed to the offices of Fernando Albuerne and all other idicated contacts on May 3, 2008...

Dear Fernando,

I just wanted to send a quick letter to sincerely thank you, the regional superintendent, and the rest of the Miami-Dade Schools Facilities Planning staff for your participation in our recent public meeting on Wednesday, April 30th. We greatly appreciate your acceptance of our invitation to address the residents of our community with regards to proposed school HHH1. I would also like to thank Principal Ortiz for providing Jorge Mas Canosa Middle as a venue, and providing support for our gathering.

I do hope you and the entire Facilities Planning staff found value in what transpired that evening. Since the inception of our talks only three weeks ago, we have consistently maintained that your office has failed to provide for proper public process with regards to this project. I would maintain that having engaged our community more than two years ago, in advance of your efforts, might have saved this project from several regrettable issues that now plague its continued development. Our meeting has, in my mind, thrown that reality into far greater relief. Myriad questions and concerns have emerged directly in response to your presentation that evening, including:

· The assertion that public notice published via classified advertisements or poorly circulated periodicals, ie. Miami Daily Business Review, is not sufficient for publicly funded projects that far exceed $50 million dollars in cost (the true value being withheld by your office) and require the controversial use of eminent domain

· The clear disregard for limitations set forth in the Miami-Dade County Comprehensive Master Development Plan (CDMP) regarding construction east of the Urban Development Boundary (EDU-2A), proper assessment of suitable infrastructure (EDU-2E) and consistency with present and projected surrounding land use (EDU-2F)

· A conspicuous failure to acknowledge the likely need for, and possibility of, future expansion on the site that would drive student numbers far above that which is currently projected. Such an expansion would not only threaten to undermine the mandatory acreage required for sizable facilities as stipulated in the 2007 State Guidelines for Educational Facilities, but would necessarily demand infrastructure beyond that currently allotted in the present plan.

I hope the overarching theme of the evening became crystal clear: while we acknowledge the need to comply with class size limits, this is simply the wrong location for a high school. The desire to be heard and have proper input in the process was clearly expressed very early on in our gathering, and I hope you now understand the need to involve communities early on in your process. Though in this matter your office has historically made little effort to do so, we nonetheless happily offer our assistance in locating a more appropriate location for this school going forward.

On a happier note, I was gratified to hear that the proposed school would boast a greenhouse and “agricultural component”. In the very near future, students might look upon such areas as their only reminder of what’s been lost to careless development.


cc: Dr. Wilbert “Tee” Holloway, District 1
cc: Dr. Solomon C. Stinson, District 2
cc: Dr. Martin Karp, District 3
cc: Ms. Perla Tavares Hantman, District 4
cc: Mr. Renier Diaz de la Portilla, District 5
cc: Agustin J. Barrera, District 6
cc: Ana Rivas-Logan, District 7
cc: Dr. Marta Perez, District 8
cc: Ms. Evelyn Langlieb Greer, District 9
cc: Rudy Crew, Miami-Dade Public Schools Superintendent
cc: Commissioner Dennis Moss, District 9

A Clear Message...

…was relayed on Wednesday night to Miami-Dade Schools Facilities Planning staff on hand for a public forum on HHH1. Residents, many of whom saw site plans for the first time that evening, expressed serious concerns regarding potential impacts from the proposed school. Though there was unanimous acknowledgement that a new school is needed, residents voiced their clear disdain for the surreptitious manner with which the project has been developed over the past two years, and expressed a clear desire to see the school moved to an alternate location.

Over two hundred residents gathered in the cafeteria at Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School to discuss the matter. Pointed issues were raised in the course of the meeting, including:

•The lack of transparency that has plagued this publicly funded project from its inception.

•The proposed project’s violations regarding proximity to the Urban Development Boundary (UDB), as stipulated in the Comprehensive Master Development Plan (CDMP).

•Uncertainties regarding future unilateral expansions beyond what is currently planned for the site.

•Numerous ways in which the project will inevitably compromise many of the values that initially brought residents to the area, and dramatically impact current infrastructure and traffic in an otherwise quiet residential community.

We would like to personally thank Miami-Dade Public Schools staff for accepting the invitation to address our residents. Most importantly, we would like to thank ALL the residents that took time out of their busy schedules to attend the event. While a lot of language was thrown around last night about a “benefit to the community”, it must be recognized that the community itself should decide what constitutes a benefit, and be considered an equal partner in site acquisition and planning.

MEETING TONIGHT!

All residents are reminded that we will be having our public meeting with representatives from Miami-Dade Facilities Planning tonight. Anyone interested in learning more about the project is welcome and encouraged to attend.

Time: 7:30 PM

Date: Wednesday, April 30

Place: Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School, 15735 SW 144 ST

Signs of Change

Over the past week and a half, the Citizens of Greater Stonewood have been doing exactly what Miami-Dade Schools should have been doing from the beginning-- talking to people. By hosting yard sales, casting e-mails and pounding the pavement, considerable interest has been cultivated in HHH1. And it seems regardless of the sample size, the consensus remains the same-- this is the WRONG location for a 2,000 student high school!

Over the past two days, residents have begun proudly displaying signs of opposition like the one pictured above. We will continue to call attention to this ill-advised project and look forward to hearing from residents who feel the same.

Miami Herald Highlights Concerns About HHH1...

This article appeared on Sunday, April 27 in the Neighbors Section of the Miami Herald. Kudos to Yudy Pineiro for covering the story...

Read the full text here!

An Open Letter to Ana Rivas-Logan, District 7

The following letter was mailed and faxed to the office of Ms. Rivas-Logan on Monday, April 21, 2008...

Ms. Rivas-Logan,

Please accept our formal invitation to attend our upcoming meeting with Miami-Dade Schools regarding the development of high school HHH-1 at the intersection of southwest 160 Street and 152 Avenue. As you are aware, this meeting has been called by our group of concerned homeowners who feel this major project has been pursued without the benefit of public scrutiny. Due to our concerns regarding significant impacts to roads, traffic patterns, noise, property values and crime, we have requested that the school board present our residents with their plans for this new school on Wednesday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School, at 15735 SW 144 ST.

I greatly appreciate the opportunity afforded me to address the School Board last Wednesday. I hope my call for a temporary pause in preconstruction is quickly heeded as the site continues to see much activity even as I write his letter. I would like to also take this opportunity to remind you of your pledge at our first meeting to have your staff look into alternate locations for this school. All the residents eagerly await to hear the results of this investigation.

Again, please accept this letter as notice of our emphatic opposition to this project. We hope you will take seriously our concerns and be available to attend this upcoming gathering. Your presence would be most welcome.

Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions regarding this issue.

Sincerely,


Larry Perez
Citizens of Greater Stonewood

An Open Letter to Dr. Wilbert "Tee" Holloway, District 1...

The following letter was mailed to the office of Dr. Wilbert Holloway, District 1, on Monday April 21, 2008.



Dr. Holloway,

I just wanted to send a quick letter to sincerely thank you for the time I was afforded to speak before the board on Wednesday regarding the HHH1 project. I appreciate how receptive you and the rest of the board were regarding our concerns.

Dr. Holloway, you in particular seem to have understood that there are significant questions regarding the manner in which the Facilities Planning Office engages the communities in which they propose to develop new schools. This issue of “process” strikes at the very heart of our concerns and, despite assertions made by the Facilities Planning Department that night, we remain discontent with the quality of efforts made to involve our community in the process.

We are troubled by the potential for future impacts to our area in the form of traffic, noise, crime and property values related to HHH1. We fully intend to remain involved in the process going forward. I would respectfully ask that you and other members of the board continue to question the manner by which such site decisions are made, and continue to acknowledge the crucial role residents play in the proper planning of such an effort.

Finally, I would like to invite you and other members of the board to attend the meeting we have convened with the Facilities Planning Office on Wednesday, April 30 at 7:30 pm at Jorge Mas Canosa Elementary, 15735 SW 144 ST.

Warmest Regards,


Larry Perez
Citizens of Greater Stonewood

cc: Rudy Crew, Miami-Dade Public Schools Superintendent
cc: Ana Rivas-Logan, District 7

cc: Commissioner Dennis Moss, District

Dennis McCarty Sounds Off on HHH1...

Kudos to Mr. McCarty for his letter in the April 20th edition of the Miami Herald!

Read the full text here!

An Open Letter to Commissioner Moss...

The following letter has been transmitted to all three offices of Commissioner Moss via fax and U.S. mail...

Commissioner Moss,

Please accept our formal invitation to attend our upcoming meeting with Miami-Dade Schools regarding the development of high school HHH-1 at the intersection of southwest 160 Street and 152 Avenue. This meeting has been called by our group of concerned homeowners who feel this major project has been pursued without the benefit of public scrutiny. Due to our concerns regarding significant impacts to roads, traffic patterns, noise, property values and crime, we have requested that the school board present residents with their plans for this new school on Wednesday, April 30 at 7:30 p.m. at Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School, at 15735 SW 144 ST.

Over the past two weeks, several members of our organization have tried contacting you regarding this matter. Our efforts have been rebuffed by your staff, who assert that you will not intervene in school board matters. Be that as it may, we foresee significant impacts well beyond the footprint of the proposed project that do fall within the purview of the County Commission. Additionally, we are most troubled by the apparent lack of public input with which this project has been developed and are hopeful that members of the County Commission can help provide some oversight for what appears to be a rogue process.

Please accept this letter as notice of our emphatic opposition to this project. We hope you will take seriously these concerns and be available to attend this upcoming gathering. Your presence would be most welcome.

Please feel free to contact me should you have any questions regarding this issue.


Sincerely,

Larry Perez
Citizens of Greater Stonewood

cc: Rudy Crew, Miami-Dade Public Schools Superintendent
cc: Ana Rivas-Logan, District 7

Public Meeting Annouced Regarding HHH1

An upcoming public meeting has been announced regarding high school HHH1. This meeting will afford residents an opportunity to explore the details of the proposed project, ask questions and voice concerns. All interested individuals are encouraged to attend.

Date: April 30,2008

Time: 7:30 PM

Location: Jorge Mas Canosa Middle School

15735 SW 144 ST

Miami, FL 33196

This will be your opportunity to learn more about potential impacts to our roads, traffic patterns, soundscapes and overall quality of life. All interested individuals are encouraged to attend.

PLEASE HELP RAISE AWARENESS IN YOUR COMMUNITY BY DOWNLOADING AND CIRCULATING OUR FLYER.

Larry Perez Appears Before Miami-Dade School Board

Larry Perez appeared before the Miami-Dade School Board today and made a formal request to the board to stop all preconstruction activities at the HHH1 site until public scoping sessions could be completed. The full audio of his remarks can be heard below.

File Size: 7MB

Format: .wav

Following Larry's remarks, Dr. Wilbert Holloway (District 1) saw fit to ask pointed questions of facilitly planning staff present regarding whether or not a formal process is used with the public regarding the siting and planning of schools. Though adamant that such a process was followed, it was repeatedly stated that the limited amount of contact they've offered to our community far exceeds the norm on other projects. Doesn't sound like much public input is sought elsewhere...

Here's Who To Contact

Everyone is encouraged to make their feelings known about this project. There are many people you can call, write, fax and e-mail to get your opinions out. Here's an introductory list to get you started...

Commissioner Dennis Moss, District 9
Stephen P. Clark Center
111 N.W. 1st Street, Suite 320
Miami, Florida 33128
Phone: 305-375-4832
Fax: 305-372-6011
E-mail: DennisMoss@miamidade.gov

Ana Rivas-Logan, Miami-Dade School Board, District 7

1450 NE 2 Avenue, Suite 700

Miami, FL 33132

Phone: 305-995-1334

Fax: 305-995-2895

E-mail: alogan@dadeschools.net

Jaime G. Torrens, Chief Facilities Officer
Miami-Dade County Public Schools Facilities Planning

1450 NE 2nd Avenue, Room 300
Miami, FL 33132
Phone: (305) 995-1401
Fax: (305) 995-1489

E-mail: OfficeofSchoolFacilities@dadeschools.net

Fernando Albuerne, Administrative Director

Miami-Dade County Public Schools Facilities Planning

1450 NE 2nd Avenue, Room 529

Miami, FL 33132

Phone: 305-995-7286

Fax: 305-995-4760

E-mail: albuernef@dadeschools.net

Stonewood Homeowners Association Meets with School Board Representatives

At the request of the Stonewood Homeowner's Association, District 7 Board Member Ana Rivas Logan met breifly tonight with concerned residents to discuss the development of HHH1. Accompanying Ms. Logan at the information session was project architect Alejandro Silva, Administrative Director of Facilities and Planning Fernando Albuerne and Region 6 Director of Operations Alex Martinez. The gathering provided a cursory opportunity for residents to review preliminary designs for the school.

The meeting was well-attended by approximately 25 area residents who clearly expressed unanimous opposition to the project. Apparently to the surprise of Logan, residents cited numerous concerns ranging from increased traffic, congestion, truancy, lighting, and depressed property values. There was considerable discussion regarding the availability of alternate locations, especially given the option to use eminent domain such as was exercised to acquire the current site.

Before her departure, Logan echoed back to the room what she was hearing: the residents oppose the current plan for HHH1! Just prior to taking flight, she promised the room that her staff would investigate the feasibility of moving the project site elsewhere. As of tonight, Logan clearly received the wishes of the immediate community and only time will tell what she does with it...

Meet Your New Neighbor...

Miami-Dade Public Schools is moving forward with the construction of a new senior high school at the intersection of SW 160 Street and 152 Avenue that will comprise 150, 460 square feet and house approximately 2,000 students. The school has currently been dubbed "HHH-1".

Like most residents of the Kings Grant area, we have only this week found out about this project following the clearing of nearly 40 acres of former agricultural land. The area is now fenced and sports cryptic Miami-Dade Schools signs.

The project is apparently being implemented with absolutely NO dialogue with the residents. There was no public scoping on the project, no zoning hearing, and certainly no effort to engage any of the members of our community. This is particularly troubling given the impact such a project is expected to have on the quiet, low-traffic nature of our residential area. After only a brief period of investigation, it is clear that Miami-Dade Schools has shown little regard for the former owner of the property (which was condemned using eminent domain), and shows a similar interest in railroading the construction of HHH-1 without regard for local residents.

This blog has been started as a means of keeping interested parties informed and providing opportunities to make your voices heard.