SB1570 will end a 15 year old requirement that billboard companies pay for state owned trees destroyed along our roadways. The bill also reduces the current requirement to surrender TWO nonconforming billboard permits for each new billboard view zone created by chopping down our publicly owned trees on our right of way.
Billboard Regulations; Revises requirements for an application for a permit to remove, cut, or trim trees or vegetation around a sign. Requires that the application include a vegetation management plan, a mitigation contribution to a trust fund, or a combination of both. Requires the Department of Transportation to provide notice to the sign owner of beautification projects or vegetation planting. Creates the tourist-oriented commerce signs pilot program. Exempts commercial signs that meet certain criteria from permit requirements, etc.
It passed in committee 3 to 2.
People line up for free boat rides down the river.
Cara Capp of Clean Water Action shows off her booth.
Horacio Stuart Aguirre, Head of the Miami River Commission.
The function was crowded at lunchtime.
Here is our own President, Fran Bohnsack pictures at the Miami River Marine Group exhibition.
Fort Dallas in Lummus Park…across the street from the festivities — approximate age 1840′s, used as barracks and then slave quarters.
FPL wanted to put wind turbines near its St. Lucie reactors. The neighbors stopped the project, more content to live near the nuclear reactors than the tall wind turbines.
The New York Times reported that two groups have filed suit in New York to remove a bike path:
But some supporters of high-profile green projects like these say the problem is just plain old Nimbyism — the opposition by residents to a local development of the sort that they otherwise tend to support.
“It’s really pretty innocuous — it’s a bike lane, for goodness’ sake — their resistance has been incredibly frustrating,” said Walter Hook, executive director of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy in Manhattan and an expert on sustainable transport. He lives in Brooklyn and uses the Prospect Park West bike lane to get around.
I wanted to give UEL members advance notice of next Monday night’s Listen305 radio show on 880 AM.
At 7 pm, Norman Braman and Maurice Ferré will join my guest host Obdulio Piedra and myself, for a discussion on reform and recalls in Miami-Dade.
Email me, or post your questions at Listen305.com. And please do listen and call in on Monday night at 7.
Thanks,
(Albert Harum-Alvarez is a longtime UEL Board Member.)
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Albert Harum-Alvarez
Phillip and Patricia Frost have given $35 million to the Science Museum to help pay for the new home of the museum in Bicentennial Park.
Dr. Frost said he and his wife hope the new museum will help propel Miami’s prospects as a center of science, in particular in the growing field of bio-tech, by encouraging local kids’ interest in the subject.
The Urban Environment League Board has been at odds over the museums in the park. Some in the group are against placing buildings in parks as they eat up much needed park space for the community. Board Member, Dr. Gregory Bush has been vocal with his opposition to the two museums in the park.
Another County Commissioner Bruno Barreiro said this weekend:
…he’s seeking a special meeting Thursday to take another look at charter reform. Barreiro said he would like to remove all six proposals from the ballot and start over, with the aim of having a charter review committee make recommendations and then have the proposals voted on in the presidential primary in January, when a larger turnout is expected. Such a plan risks reform being killed by waiting so long before the public votes. Barreiro has yet to circulate a memo formally requesting the special session.
We have debated and had charter task force hearings for almost a year in 2007-2008. The question is do we need more time? The ones remaining on the ballot, are positive and should remain, the lobbying ban falls short but it is a good start:
REMOVE:
Doesn’t go far enough:
1. Set 12-year term limits for county commissioners and ban outside employment in exchange for boosting commissioner salaries to $92,097 a year.
Voters want the Strong Mayor:
4. Eliminate the strong-mayor form of government created in 2007.
KEEP:
2. Make voter ballot initiatives easier by eliminating a requirement that signatures be notarized.
3. Allow the Charter Review Task Force to bring proposals approved by two thirds of the panel directly to voters.
5. Ban elected officials from lobbying at County Hall for two years after leaving office
6. Put the Inspector General’s Office in the county charter, in a bid to help insulate it from commission meddling.
Monday, March 28 · 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Location,880 AM Radio, 880TheBiz.com, Listen305.com
“There are none so blind as those who will not see.” —Jonathan Swift
Mr. Swift must have met the Miami-Dade County Commission. Never to be outdone, the Commission was even more tone-deaf, more arrogant and more childish yesterday than ousted Mayor Alvarez and Commissioner Seijas were during their recall elections earlier this month.
With the removal of County Commissioner Natacha Seijas and County Mayor Carlos Alvarez, we will be having an election to fill these 2 seats on May 24th.
Less talked about, County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez will be running for Mayor. He will have to resign very soon to run and that will open up his Brickell/Coral Gables/Coconut Grove/Key Biscayne seat. We have many UEL Members from this district. We need good people to run for office, maybe you could be the next County Commissioner! You can enlarge the map with your mouse to see if you live in District 7.
The Urban Environment League wishes Subrata Basu well in the Peace Corps. He has played a role on UEL issues having to do with the UDB line for many years. He was the Assitant Planning Director in the County’s Planning Department before he retired recently. Andres Viglucci reported:
Basu has championed the creation of denser, pedestrian-friendly centers inside the county’s urban boundary to improve quality of life and promote efficient use of land, while reducing pressure for building outside in the agricultural Redland.
But that’s a balance he says we have yet to achieve. Basu criticizes both those who promote unneeded development in agricultural areas and those who oppose every urban densification project.
“You can’t say no to both. But you cannot come up with a reasonable balance unless we can sit down and discuss it,’’ he said.
Though never afraid to speak his mind, Basu carried a soft stick as a planner and regulator, say residents and architects with whom he worked in the Gables, where he served as city architect for 15 years.
Subrata regularly attended UEL events and he is known to most of the UEL Board of Directors. His move to Belize will be their gain and our loss.
Planning News- Zoning to Protect Mom & Pops on the Upper West Side February 3, 2012Joseph Berger reports on New York City's efforts to protect local retailers with new zoning in Manhattan's Upper West Side, where the proliferation of chain stores, banks, and pharmacies have caused consternation. read more […]Jonathan Nettler
- America's Third World Infrastructure February 3, 2012Alex Marshall investigates the reasons why America's infrastructure resembles a third world country's, and decides that we have our arcane budgeting processes to blame. read more […]Jonathan Nettler
- Dancing on the Grave of Redevelopment February 3, 2012The redevelopment postmortem continues with a look at five projects that demonstrate the ways in which the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles (CRA/LA) strayed from its core mission. read more […]Jonathan Nettler
- Successful DC Bikeshare Program Heading for the Suburbs February 3, 2012The runaway success of Washington D.C.'s bikeshare program, in less than two years of operation, has it poised to expand to the city's suburbs this year. read more […]Jonathan Nettler
- Urban Revitalization: Baby Steps or the Magic Bullet? February 3, 2012Writer Tara Sturm explores the merits of incremental urbanism on revitalization efforts with the help of L.A. architect Alan Pullman, highlighting grassroots, community-driven economic development. read more […]
- Mapping Energy Consumption, Block-by-Block February 3, 2012A new interactive map produced by researchers at Columbia University reveals the energy use of nearly every building in New York City. Besides being an interesting curiosity, the map is a crucial first step in improving energy efficiency. read more […]Jonathan Nettler
- Exclusive: Abrupt Changing of the Guard at Vancouver Planning Department February 2, 2012In a surprise move this week, Vancouver's city council abruptly relieved its high-profile Planning Director, Brent Toderian, of his duties, after six years on the job. Planetizen has spoken with the former director about what transpired. read more […]Jonathan Nettler
- Indy's Unique Plan to Leverage the Super Bowl February 2, 2012As Super Bowl week comes to a close, Emily Badger reports on the host city's efforts to use the event as a catalyst for substantive change throughout the city. read more […]Jonathan Nettler
- Comprehensive Coverage of the End of Redevelopment in California February 2, 2012With no last minute pardons granted, yesterday marked the official dissolution date for California's 400-plus redevelopment agencies. Curbed LA has gathered the essential readings to guide you through the 'developments' at the state and local levels. read more […]Jonathan Nettler
- Mayor Outlines "Plan B" To Push Through Transit Improvements in L.A. February 2, 2012Deputy Mayor for Transportation Borja Leon provides insight into the Mayor's plans for ramping up implementation of Measure R funded projects if the Federal Government fails to back his America Fast Forward program. read more […]Jonathan Nettler
- Zoning to Protect Mom & Pops on the Upper West Side February 3, 2012
