Resolution 240-1994
RESOLUTION NO. 240 -1994
A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMM~-;~
SIONERS OF MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, FINDING~N~
EXISTING EMERGENCY REGARDING THE ~~
OCCUPANCY OF THE PROPERTY OCCUPIED BY HO~R
DE TRANSITO PARA LOS REFUGIADOS CUBANOS, I~~.:<
AND KNOWN AS 5611 MACDONALD AVENUE , ST~F: c.~
ISLAND, AND WAIVING CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS A,-NIE'
AUTHORIZING EXPEDITED PERMITS. ." "
Y
.......
-,.,
~ -
fT\
0
~ 0,'
0
'-oJ X
-
A)
a ;""'ll
G
- 0
0 Xl
00 ',"'
WHEREAS, HOGAR DE TRANSITO PARA LOS REFUGIADOS CUBANOS, INC.
("the Transit Home") was established to provide assistance to the
refugees fleeing the oppressive regime in C\lba;
WHEREAS, the Transit Home was situated in Miami but was
destroyed in 1992 by Hurricane Andrew;
WHEREAS, the Transit Home was relocated in Monroe County due
to the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew and the need to help
refugees arriving in Monroe CO\lnty;
WHEREAS, a local church group headed by Arturo Cobo and
Carlos Solis filled this void and added to it the humanitarian
aid and comfort desperately needed by these people;
WHEREAS, the Transit Home relocated to certain property
located at 5611 MacDonald Avenue,. Stock Island ("the Property");
WHEREAS, thousands of dollars worth of emergency work has
taken place without benefit of permits to accommodate the
refugees;
WHEREAS, said work cannot be permitted by the Monroe County
Building Department;
WHEREAS, the zoning does not allow for the use of said
property as a transit center for Cuban refugees;
WHEREAS, the Monroe County Code Enforcement Department is
required to enforce the codes of Monroe County;
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commiss ioners has previously
approved interim use of the Transit Center in light of the
present situation in Cuba and the continued flow of refugees to
Monroe County;
WHEREAS,
the Transit
Home has
for its
available
endeavored to find
needs; however, such
due to the shortage
an
an
of
alternative
alternative
site suitable
is not readily
available property;
WHEREAS, the Transit Home has requested of the U.S. Navy the
use of Building No. 48 at Trumbo Point Annex which has recently
been vacated by PHMRON and VAQ 33;
WHEREAS, the Department of the Navy responded negatively;
WHEREAS, the Transit Home has sought the lease or use of
other property on Stock Island without success;
WHEREAS, the Transit Home is the only processing center for
the people arriving in the Florida Keys from Cuba by raft or
boat;
WHEREAS, the immigration and foreign policy of the United
States have left Monroe County with no choice except to permit
the Transit Home to continue to operate;
WHEREAS, the services provided by the Transit Home are
indispensable to Monroe County due to the current emergency; now,
therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF
MONROE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that the current emergency resulting from
the influx of Cuban refugees is recognized and declared.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the enforcement of the various
applicable sections of the Monroe County Code against the Transit
Home is hereby tolled because of the Transit Home present
necessity as a functioning aid to the Cuban immigration policy of
the United States. The tolling provided in this Resolution will
continue only for as long as that necessity continues.
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of County Commissioners of
Monroe County, Florida, at a regular meeting of the Board held
on the 16th day of
August
, 1994.
Mayor London
Mayor Pro Tern Cheal
Commissioner Freeman
Commissioner Harvey
Commissioner Reich
yes
-
yes
yes
yes
yes
(SEAL)
ATTEST: DANNY L. KOLHAGE, CLERK
BY~p~y~~
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF MONROE OUNTY, FLORIDA
a~rman
By