HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmittal-Horacio Stuart AguirreRemarks by Horacio Stuart Aguirre
Before the City of Miami Commission
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Re: Miami River / Appeals by city to DCA.
Good morning Chairman Sarnoff and
commissioners. My name is Horacio Stuart
Aguirre, residing at 1910 NW 13th Street, Miami.
I stand before you as a resident homeowner in
the City of Miami and as President of the
Durham Park Neighborhood Association.
Durham Park is a SFR community on the banks
of the Miami River and the Miami River South
Fork Canal.
The Miami River is a 5.5 mile long working river
with eleven miles of waterfront property, much of
which generates much needed local jobs that
typically pay wages above the County average.
SUBMITTED J'TO THE
PUBLIC RECORD FOR
ITEMbi4. 0N3-lHo .
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The river facilitates international trade and
exports from Miami and South Florida, helping
our balance of trade.
The matter before you today, item DI-4, is
significant as it brings to an end a longostanding
war between the City of Miami and prior,
mayor and commissioners against the residents
and maritime industry stakeholders on the river.
The City of Miami's adopted Comprehensive
Plan includes language regarding the "Port of
Miami River",
Although the City of Miami's Planning Advisory
Board, South Florida Regional Planning Council
and the Miami River Commission, to name a few
such illustrious bodies, all recommended
keeping the designation of "Port of Miami River"
in the Comp Plan, the previous majority of the
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City Commission asked the Florida Department
of Community Affairs for the permission to
delete the reference to "Port of Miami River"
from the City's adopted Comp Plan.
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The State of Florida wisely denied the request,
and directed the City of Miami to keep the "Port
of Miami River" designation in their adopted
Comp Plan.
Since then, for the past several years, the City of
Miami has wasted untold dollars funding a legal
campaign to challenge the Department of
Community Affairs' ruling and wasted huge
sums in human resources, unsuccessfully
appealing to overturn the State's denial. The
City of Miami was wrong on this the first time
some years ago and remains wrong today.
The time has come for appeals to end and for
the city to concentrate'other matters.
I therefore petition you to move a resolution
instructing the administration to cease these
expensive and futile efforts and to repeal it's
appeals to the DCA.
Your resolution to abandon these expensive and
hurtful appeals would be consistent with your
prior recent decision to abandon three similar
site -specific appeals on Miami River cases
which the city had lost in the 3rd DCA.
;05
commend Mayor Regalado for fostering this
initiative and for his years of support for the
stakeholders on the river along with Chairman
Sarnoff and commend Comm. Gort for a ,Ms:
oriented vision for the river. Thank you for your
consideration and attention.
Submitted Into the pe
record in connection with
item ?LT. • on -10
Priscilla A. Thompson
City Clerk