HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmittal-John Snyder-Remarks and Memo to CommissionersRemarks: Dr. John Snyder
President South Grove Neighborhood Association
Addressing Miami City Commission January 24, 2019
Submitted into the public
record for item(s) PZ.9 .
on 01/2411019 , City Clerk
A neighborhood Conservation District is intended to preserve unique and distinctive neighborhoods. Coconut
Grove is such a neighborhood and has had two NCDs since 2005, NCD-3's zoning started out as 10 pages,
One and one half pages of definitions and procedures, four and one half pages which dealt solely with single
family district regulations and four pages which dealt with limits on retain. The NCD code has always been
silent on duplex and multifamily zoning allowing Miami-21 code to apply. The existing single family district code
is written in plain language so that residents can understand it, one table. This proposal strikes every word of
that code and replaces it with more than 20 pages of regulations maps, tables, and diagrams which bear no
resemblance to existing code, It would change the zoning from T3R to T3L eliminating the singde family district
entirely. It is primarily, focused on commercial mixed use property which it up zones while circumventing use
of that term, it converts duplex property to quadraplex. It eliminates in its entirety the single family district and
its intent, which reads: " miami-21 A.3.3.6 he single tantily residential district is intended to protect the lo\N, density
residential and dominant tree Citnop) characteristics Of COCOnlit GrOVe and prevent the intrusion of additiown density.,
uses, and height, ". Indeed it is hard to imagine any proposal further removed from being directed toward those
ends.
The proposal before this commission sets forth sweeping regulations which constitute a brand new NCD, not
an amendment, Miami-21 art 3.12,2,c sets forth the procedures required for designation, section 3 and 4 have
not been performed, We oppose circumvention of the clear intent of Miami's zoning code by calling this an
amendment when it is dearly something else. Section 4 of the designation procedure requires evidence
that fifty-one (51) percent of the owners within the proposed boundary support the initiation of the NCD
rezoning. Please show us that evidence.
The planning department has thwarted actual significant public input. They started with an agenda. The
repeated refusals by the planning department, to allow the various neighborhood associations to participate in
a meaningful way in shaping this proposed amendment has effectively denied public input. They have
selectively incorporated suggestions made by the many groups of citizens in such a way that they achieved the
results they initially set out to achieve, Many residents are not even aware of this proposed and would object to
it if it was written in plain language and it could be compared to the present NCD provisions, The Planning
department has not allowed this comparison. Publishing the dates of workshops and hearings are not
sufficient for such an important change in zoning.
A neighborhood Conservation District is intended to preserve unique and distinctive neighborhoods. The
Planning Departments Failure to enforce the existing code (. Respond to the Neighborhood context and
Transco. /ono will not be remedied by this degislafion, Taken as a whole, the proposed tegislation does not
accomplish that goal, We request that the commission not approve this proposal and direct the Planning
Department to exercise the requirements of Design Review to ensure that plans be consistent with
neighborhood norms in regard to size, height and mass of construction as well as greenspace
•.-16 S,[
Memo to: City Commissioners
Re PZ.9 file #3001 January 24, 2019
From: Dr. John Snyder, President South Grove Neighborhood Association
Re. first reading of PZ,9 file #3001
Submitted into the public
record for item(s) PZ.9 .
on 01/24/2019 , City Clerk
The claimed Community input has been suppressed, discouraged and ignored. The evidence
below documents only a small part or the efforts resident homeowners have undertaken to have
meaningful input into this proposal. ostensibly meant to -improve- existing MD-3 and NCD-2 codes
it would actually eliminate existing NCI) 2 and NCI) 3 codes entirely and substitute a code with
less COMER VATION than the existing Miami-21 code fear NON- CONSERVATION areas.
It started after the neighborhood began insisting that the provisions of NCI)-3 A.3.6 be enforced
•Expressed Intent "The single family residential district is intended to protect the Low
density residenti;i1 and dominant tree canopy characteristics of Coconut Groxe
and prevent the intrusion of additional densitx, uses, and height:'
• Critical Language NCD-3 A3,6.g. I Single fannly sites shall remain single family sites
excepth warrant. l'his kinguage yei . clear io residents ',And to the 1 1"h circuit appeak"
court. the),, used the ‘N'Ord Ob% isMS, but ir additional clarit. is needed. ruerel adding from the
11_000 code ( ()aside/04nm, inakini4 Npecini 'hymn (nos\ a svarrant ) e.ie(er ia/ions
-The purpose of the special permit (read NN"arrant) shall he to enSure conformity ()Jibe
application ;vitt: the expressed intent of this dislricf (Ord ,Vo, (A' 6 3 I , 3-28-91: ()i if,
I 2-167 2, 12-18-03i
Representatives or "NI. "D-2 supported our efforts and joined in insisting that provisions in their NCD-
2 code be enforced.
• e-mails re suppressed connnunity input
W:id:shop 1 0/ Ell 1 ik 0D: ?(0l
11111s,, ;Jacque:164e
I
Ci()od afternoon l.,(1.r.„ Snyder-.
Stall' will:11ot be able to meet with yo11. prior to the Saturday meeting on October 14, 201'.
in response to your voicemail about presenting information:, at this time the agenda is set by the City and time will notbe
provide time for any outside presentations.
There will he ,directional sign(s) indica.ting the location ()tthe ,multiparpose roona, :which is inside the building.
Thank you.„
Jacqueline
RE,: Miorkhop feet 1/27/18 File 11): 266 I
Ellis, Jacqueline tau 22. 201 8, 9:25 AM
Good afternoon Mr. SnyderIhe agenda is set and there ‘vill run be provided tiple for ()inside presentations, FloweVer, Mere will he trine fOr public
continent and response alter C.ity presentations.
Regards., Jacqueline
(see reverse side),
King v. City of -Coral Gables, 363 So.2(1389 in 192 (Fla. 3d DCA l978)„ Flolladay v., City of -Coral
Gables, 182 So. 2d 92 - 1la: Dist. Court of Appeals, 3rd Dist, 980
▪ C
...it), Input red
Submitted into the public
record for item(s) PZ.9
on 01/24/2019 , City Clerk
Minutes March 5th community organizations meet ing
John Snyder <savethegrove16@g -Lail:x(3:i> Mon, Mar 12, 2018, 10:59 A,„tvi
Attached are the Minutes of last Monday's March 5th Meeting (Summarized Below)
Summary: Meeting of 6 neighborhood associations with City Planning 3 items resolved:
• Participants vere asked if their membership would favor or not favor the 15(....)
units density by raising hands: t„,,,Jnanittlausly, NO'IT IN Fay(ir
• l'hey \were then asked about how th.eir membership vvou d feel about the rental
units in. backyards: ,Majority NOT IN .Favor
They were asked if ii favor Or riot in thvor of et, bining NCD-2 .and
Inanimously N(1..)T in Favor,
City Planning Reply, Mr. (auger, deputy planning director stated certain proposed.
changes in the amendment would remain 1)VSPITE opposition:
• Increased density M. 1 4 and 15 zoned areas but to a lesser maximum, (majority of
sites in proposal t 150/acre)
• the Lot diminishment (splitting) map (eliminating critical language and intent)
• (7()I-nbinfin .N( :1)-2 and NCID-_
In summary: he consensus opinion, by the six neighborhood groups, was that there
is no reason for the massive transfer of property rights from the current residents
of Coconut Grove to the limited class of developers who have purchased property,
with the speculative motive of making it uch more valuable to them, by changing
existing code, up -zoning Coconut (,rove so that it may he developed to a much
greater density and intensity.