Last week the Urban Environment League (along with a consortium of other community and environmental groups) hosted a design charrette for Virginia Key. The intention was to allow interested citizens to offer changes and suggestions to the City’s proposed master plan. Some of the community recommendations can be found here.Many critics of the City’s plan argue that it doesn’t do enough to protect and enhance the natural character of Virginia Key. The City’s previous masterplan (prepared by landscape architecture firm EDSA) was rejected at each public meeting it was presented at, and faced widespread community criticism for allowing too much development on public land. While the revised plan reflects a reduction in development, community residents still feel it does not go far enough in protecting (and rehabilitating) the natural resources of the island.
This from the UEL blog:
The morning underscored what citizen activism can achieve when done in a way that is both cooperative and constructive. Despite various points of view there was a unanimous view heard in the hall that the exercise was useful – if it finds listeners among city and county commissioners and other public officials – few of whom showed up.
The City’s revised plan (which has not taken into account this round of citizen involvement) is being presented before the Waterfront Advisory Board Monday, October 5 at 6:30 p.m. Miami City Hall. Please look over the City’s proposal, found here, and let the board know what you think.
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