Resolution 167-2004
RESOLUTION NO. 167 - 2004
A RESOLUTION OF THE MONROE COUNTY BOARD OF
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS EXPRESSING CONCERNS
ABOUT A LARGE-SCALE MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT,
PROPOSED BY ATLANTIC CIVIL, INC., REFERRED TO
AS THE FLORIDA CITY DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL
IMPACT (DRI), AND DIRECTING COUNTY
PRESENTATIVES TO THE SOUTH FLORIDA REGIONAL
PLANNING COUNCIL AND STAFF TO COMMUNICATE
THE COUNTY'S CONCERNS IN THE DEVELOPMENT
REVIEW PROCESS AND OPPOSE ANY ELEMENT OR
PHASE OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT WILL
NEGATIVELY IMPACT THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND
WELFARE OF MONROE COUNTY CITIZENS OR WILL
HAVE A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON THE
ENVIRONMENT AND ECONOMIC BASE OF MONROE
COUNTY.
WHEREAS, Atlantic Civil, Inc. proposes to develop 1,465 acres of a 3,187 acre tract
located approximately at the junction of Card Sound Road, U.S. I and the Florida's Turnpike in
south Miami-Dade County, hereinafter called the "Florida City DRI"; and,
WHEREAS, the proposed Florida City DRI development consists of 6,000 dwelling
units, 300,000 square feet of retail, 90,000 square feet of office, an 1,800 seat theater, 240 hotel
rooms, a Kindergarten to 8th grade school, a high school, and 60 acres of parks to be developed
over a ten-year period; and,
WHEREAS, the proposed development requires approval as a Development of Regional
Impact under Chapter 380, Florida Statutes; and,
WHEREAS, the subject parcel requires amendments of the Miami-Dade County
Comprehensive Development Master Plan Future Land Use Map (FLUM) and, the 2005 Urban
Development Boundary (UDB), as it is located outside the 2005 Urban Development Boundary;
and,
WHEREAS, a significant amount of vacant, developable land already exists with
existing or programmed infrastructure and public services within the existing UDB north of the
subject development to easily accommodate the demand for tens of thousands of new dwellings
and large scale commercial, office, and other non-residential development in South Miami-Dade
without having to expand the existing UDB further towards the Florida Keys and
environmentally sensitive lands; and,
WHEREAS, an expansion of the UDB will only further encourage urban sprawl and
leap-frog development, and the additional loss of valuable, irreplaceable agriculture lands and
open space in Southwest Miami-Dade County; and,
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WHEREAS, the expansion of the 2005 Urban Development Boundary will lead to
further requests to expand the Urban Development Boundary (UDB) in Southwest Miami-Dade
County to the further detriment of Monroe County and the fragile Everglades, Florida Bay,
Biscayne Bay, and Florida Keys ecosystem; and,
WHEREAS, the proposed development, which is all located within the 100-year flood
plain, has potential adverse impacts for the full implementation of the Everglades Restoration
Plan as it may well change the existing flood water holding capacity of the area, and the historic
drainage and flow patterns of surface water to the Everglades, Florida Bay, and Biscayne Bay;
and,
WHEREAS, stormwater from such development could lead to increased stormwater
pollution loading into Florida Bay and the Everglades, further degrading the quality of water
surrounding the Florida Keys which is vital for sustaining the commercial fishing and tourism
economy of the Florida Keys; and,
WHEREAS, the proposed development is in a location approximate to the Florida Keys
Aqueduct Authority's well fields that provide Monroe County with its primary source of
drinking water and may have potential detrimental impacts on the yield capacity of this well
system, which is already severely constrained; and,
WHEREAS, the proposed development will place increased permanent and transient
population within easy access to Monroe County that will further add to the number of "weekend
and day-trippers" to the Florida Keys further overwhelming the capacity of the County's
infrastructure and services; and,
WHEREAS, the project is located within an area recommended in the Miami-Dade
Hurricane Evacuation Plan for evacuation during a Category 2 or greater hurricane; and,
WHEREAS, the proposed development will utilize SW 360th St. to create a main exit
point at the critical junction of Highway 1 and Card Sound Rd, which is the sole hurricane
evacuation route from the Florida Keys; and,
WHEREAS, the loading of additional evacuation traffic from this proposed development
at this critical road junction may detrimentally place the safety of the persons living and visiting
the Florida Keys at much greater risk by increasing hurricane evacuation times and the
possibility of life-threatening traffic jams during evacuation; and,
WHEREAS, future development in the Florida Keys is directly tied to the time necessary
to evacuate the Florida Keys, as evacuation is mandatory for residents and visitors for any
Category 3 or greater hurricane; and,
WHEREAS, under the current Hurricane Evacuation Model, the Florida Keys are
already over the 24 hour standard that is required by the State of Florida and the County' s Year
2010 Comprehensive Plan; and,
WHEREAS, increasing the evacuation times for the Florida Keys resulting from the
impacts of this development may even further limit the development of the Florida Keys in a
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manner that detrimentally impacts the Florida Keys economy and the capabilities of the County
and its municipal governments to acquire environmentally sensitive lands, provide needed work
force housing, and generate sufficient revenues to fund wastewater improvements to meet the
stringent 2010 wastewater treatment standards mandated by the State; and,
WHEREAS, the Monroe County Board of Commissioners is further concerned that
such an adverse impact may jeopardize the ability of the County to fully meet the commitments
of the partnership that the County recently entered into with the State of Florida to revise Rule
28.20, Florida Administrative Code governing the Florida Keys Areas of State Critical Concern;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, THAT:
Section 1: The intensity and location of development proposed under the Florida City DR! may
have significant adverse primary impacts on the Florida Keys in terms of hurricane evacuation,
potable water supply, the Everglades Restoration Program, and Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay
water quality. Potential secondary adverse impacts on the County resulting from the
development will be an increase in the numbers of day and weekend trippers to primarily the
Upper and Middle Keys further overwhelming the already constrained capacity of the County's
infrastructure and services.
Section 2: The project will only further encourage and induce additional urban sprawl in South
Miami-Dade by expanding the Urban Development Boundaries eventually leading to the
elimination of the last acres of open space and agricultural lands remaining in South Miami Dade
County and placing even further unnecessary strains on the viability of the Everglades and
Florida Bay ecosystem.
Section 3: If approved as proposed, the project and similar large-scale developments already
occurring unimpeded in South Miami-Dade County may well threaten the County's long-term
ability for sustainable development in terms of providing economic and housing opportunities for
residents without compromising the biodiversity of the natural environment and continued ability
of the natural and man-made systems to sustain livable communities in the Florida Keys for
future generations. In the short-term it threatens to limit the County's ability to follow through
on commitments made to the Governor and Cabinet and Florida Department of Community
Affairs to address wastewater, affordable housing, and acquisition of significant upland habitat
Issues.
Section 4: The County's representatives to the South Florida Regional Planning Council are
directed to represent the County's concerns before that body concerning the proposed Florida
City DR! and before other state and local governing and advisory bodies as appropriate. With
the assistance of County staff, the representatives are also directed to report back to the Board
with status reports and recommendations on any further Board action on this proposed
development.
Section 5: The County Administrator is directed to instruct staff to continue to monitor the DR!
review and approval process for this project, including reviewing and providing input on the
final DR! application and supporting amendments to the Miami-Dade County Comprehensive
Development Master Plan Future Land Use Map and 2005 Urban Development Boundary; and
prepare recommendations, as appropriate, for the Board's consideration to be submitted to the
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State of Florida, South Florida Regional Planning Council, Miami-Dade County, or other
appropriate governing or advisory body.
Section 6: Monroe County will oppose, and direct its staff to oppose, any element or phase of
the proposed development that it is shown to have a deleterious and negative impact, either
directly or indirectly, on the health, safety, and welfare of its residents and on the environment
and tourism economic base of the Florida Keys.
Section 7: The County Administrator is requested to send an executed copy of this resolution to
the Florida Department of Community Affairs, South Florida Regional Planning Council, and
Miami-Dade County Commission requesting that the County's concerns and issues identified by
this resolution be fully addressed by the applicant in its project assessment for the DRI and
application for amendments to the Miami-Dade County Comprehensive Development Master
Plan Future Land Use Map and 2005 Urban Development Boundary.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of Monroe County, Florida,
at a regular meeting of said Board held on the 21 st day of April, 2004.
Mayor Murray E. Nelson
Mayor Pro Tern David P.
Commissioner George Neugent
Commissioner Dixie Spehar
Commissioner Charles "Sonny" McCoy
absent
yes
yes
yes
yes
(Seal)
Attest:
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA
BY:~
Mayor Pro Tern
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