1. UEL Board of Directors: 2006-2007
The Urban Forum
NOTICE:
Nancy Liebman Sage Hoffman Enid Pinkney
The UEL accepts articles/letters
Ernest Martin Maria Ines Castro Gabrielle Redfern from its members and members of
Kay Hancock Apfel Bruce Hamerstrom Alberto Ruder the public. These articles/letters do
Ed Barberio Ruth Jacobs Denis Russ not always reflect the views of the Newsletter of The Urban Environment League
Kevin Doran Leroy Jones Maria Salvador Members of the UEL, or its Board, Website: www.uel.org
Gregory Bush James Jude Paul Schwiep or the views of the UEL Advisors. Issue No. 21 Email: uelmiami@bellsouth.net April 2007
Colgate Darden Richard Korman Fortuna Smukler To submit articles/letters, contact:
John DeLeon Santiago Leon David Turner
Robert Flanders Susan Luck John Van Leer uelmiami@bellsouth.net
Dan McCrea The editor takes full responsibility
for botching articles during cuts. Dear Members and Supporters of the Urban Environment League,
URBAN ENVIRONMENT LEAGUE OF GREATER MIAMI MEMBERSHIP & RENEWAL APPLICATION
This is to inform you that I will be resigning as President of the
NAME________________________________________________________________________________________________ Urban Environment League effective at the completion of the
ADDRESS____________________________________CITY___________________ST.______ZIP______________________ Annual Meeting on May 16, 2007.
DAY PHONE____________________EVE. PHONE__________________________FAX_____________________________ After examining my life obligations for next year and my plan for
an extended stay in East Hampton until after Thanksgiving, I feel it
E-MAIL___________________________ OCCUP._________________INTEREST__________________________________
will be better for me to step down from my UEL obligations.
Signature__________________________________Date______________ (All fees are tax deductible.) I have been putting off this decision for awhile. But as the time
Students: $15
came closer, I realized my obligations to my family and other recent
Membership $35 Preferred Mem. $50 Board Members and Sponsors of UEL $100 Donations:
endeavors in which I have become involved required greater prior-
ity. I know I am making the right decision. I realize it would not
fair to the board for me to be away from Miami for this extended
Urban Environment period of time, or for me to try from afar to juggle the work required
League of to be the president of the organization.
Ernie Martin, as vice president, always does a fine job in my
Greater Miami absence. He knows the routines and all of the issues to manage the
organization until an election is held.
945 Pennsylvania Avenue 2007 Annual Meeting and Orchid Awards I have enjoyed the five years I have served as president of UEL. It
Suite 100 Presentation - May 16th - 6 p.m. was a magnificent education about life in Miami Dade County. I
Miami Beach, FL 33139 American Legion Hall -See Center-fold have many cherished memories of all we have accomplished together.
I will always be available to answer questions and offer guidance.
Phone: 305 532-7227
Fax: 305 532-8727
UEL Dinner May 15th Best wishes for a long-lasting future of the UEL. I look forward
uelmiami@bellsouth.net Are There Any Solutions To to seeing all of you at the Annual Meeting of the UEL on May 16, at
Website: www.uel.org Our Transportation and Traffic Problems? the American Legion Hall at 6450 NE 7th Avenue.
To receive information Sincerely,
on upcoming UEL events Nancy Liebman
such as dinners, forums
and conferences send
your email address to:
UELmiami@bellsouth.net 12 1

2. Historical Hialeah Park Timeline 1946: Winston Churchill attends
The Urban Environment League Dinner Forums races at Hialeah.
Are held at: The Historic Miami River Inn 1977: Seattle Slew (future Triple
118 SW South River Drive
6:00 PM – Wine Reception
Save Crown winner) wins Flamingo
Stakes. Seattle Slew didn’t make his
first start as a three-year-old until
6:45 PM – Dinner, Followed by Program
Hialeah March 9, 1977, when he won an al-
lowance race by nine lengths at Hi-
Limited Seating, RSVP a must: aleah in track record time for seven
Miami River Inn:
305-325-0045
Park furlongs.
March 26, 1977: Seattle Slew won
the Flamingo Stakes by four lengths
E-mail: Miamihotel@aol.com in the third fastest time in stakes his-
tory. In 1977, Seattle Slew became
TUESDAY, MAY 15 1921: James H. Bright and Glenn consists of a clubhouse, an adminis- the first undefeated winner of the
H. Curtiss donate land for commu- trative building, a paddock area, and Triple Crown and was named Horse
Are There Any Solutions To Our Transportation and Traffic Problems?
nity use and help to acquire land and twenty-one stables. Near the track, a of the Year. The following year, Slew
Speakers: Miami Dade County Commissioner Carlos A. Gimenez and Bernardo Benes, one of the founding
building funds for the construction fronton for jai-alai is constructed, the would firmly establish himself as one
members of the County’s MOVN (Meeting our Vehicular Needs) Initiative. We have invited a Board Member
of public buildings and facilities, in- first in the Miami area. An amuse- of the greatest champions of the 20th
of the County’s Citizens Independent Transportation Trust. century by winning against 1978
cluding a racetrack. ment park with a roller coaster and a
All dinners begin with a wine reception at 6PM and dinner at 6:45 followed by the speakers and a lively discussion. Open 1925 (Jan. 15): Hialeah Race Track dance hall is also developed. Triple Crown winner Affirmed and
to the public, admission is $25 for UEL Members and $30 for non-members. Reservations are required. A limited number opens to 17,000 spectators, offering 1935 (Jan. 19): Seabiscuit makes England’s top horse, Excellor
of seats are available at no charge for the 7:30 discussion session only. the most complete recreational com- his racing debut at Hialeah Race 1979: (Mar. 2) Hialeah Race Track
Topics and speakers can change without notice. plex in South Florida at the time. It Track. listed on the National Register of His-
toric Places.
Eight is Enough! Editorial Cartoon: According to Reporer Susan
Is the County throwing the baby out with the bath water? Are they Stabley of the South Florida Business
A PAC called “Eight is Enough” dismissing the smart growth principles contained in the Journal, the “Recommendations in
was formed to put a very important $3,000,000 Watershed Study which has been going on for years? the controversial South Miami-
question before the people of the Dade Watershed Study, which
County: included a plan to freeze an urban
Whether voters want to impose development boundary until 2025,
term limits - of eight years - on their were killed in a County Commis-
County Commission. sion Subcommittee April 10.”
Ed Ludovici, Chairman of Eight County commissioners Jose
is Enough said: “Unfortunately, the Diaz, Audrey Edmonson, Carlos
incumbent commissioners have an Gimenez and Dorrin Rolle
ever increasing stranglehold on elec- unanimously approved a resolu-
tions making it all but impossible for tion by subcommittee Chair-
credible challengers to win.” woman Natacha Seijas that the
The last time a sitting Commis- study and its recommendations
sioner was unseated was in 1994. were “not satisfactory or appropri-
The County Mayor is term lim- ate for approval.”
ited. Most City Commissioners and Stabley reported that Seijas’ call
Mayors are term limited including to kill the watershed study follows
There are still twelve to fifteen thousand additional units expected to be com- the City of Miami, North Miami and the failure of its main advisory
pleted in the City of Miami’s downtown. Miami Beach. committee to reach a consensus on
As you can see, the cranes are still a part of the downtown landscape. A future What do you think readers? the 68 recommendations. It may
of unsold units during the real estate slowdown is a concern. - N. Lee go before the Commission May 8.
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3. Urban Environment League Focus 2007-2008 Thirsty? Where are we Virginia Key And The Public Process
going to get the water by Nancy Liebman
UEL will sponsor a series of forums, tours and workshops on cur-
rent issues regarding master planning, preserving parks, open space for Lennar’s Parkland? The UEL, as one of the many interested to believe that the city’s vision of Virginia Key
and waterfront access, transportation, affordable housing, 2004 Gen- stakeholders non-profit public interest groups, includes development. The public will never accept
eral Obligation Bond enhancements, urban design, smart growth, and Lennar has filed a Development attended a “stakeholders” meeting. We were such a plan. Too much public land in the City of
maintaining community character. at the South Florida Regional Plan- encouraged that at last there would be a public Miami has been gobbled up by private developers.
ning Council: It is called Parkland. process for Virginia Key. Unfortunately, with the Those days are finished. Virginia Key must remain a
UEL will continue to build its membership base and forge collabo- It has close to 7,000 homes slated previous City of Miami manager, there was a public island.
rations with community partners and neighborhood associations, and for about 960 acres bounded by SW closed door policy. Various public developments, As the Virginia Key plan unfolds, UEL will
will encourage public participation in government activities. 136 Street on the North, SW 162 including Virginia Key and Bicentennial Park continue to advocate for the restoration of the
UEL will engage local, county and state agencies about growth man- Avenue on the East and SW 152 were being designed by consultants without Marine Stadium with its unique architecture and its
agement laws. Street on the South, and SW 177 public input. Successful cities thrive when there historic use. Not many cities can claim an entertain-
Avenue on the West. is a shared trust between the city officials and the ment venue at the water’s edge. The stadium is a
UEL will continue to motivate government to create incentives for There has been a very important citizens. valuable asset that can once
affordable, workforce housing and encourage developers to identify change in the South Florida Water Since Manager Pete again be enjoyed by tourists
creative methods to prevent neighborhood gentrification. Management District’s water alloca- Hernandez took over, a and residents. We challenge
UEL will present Honor Awards for significant achievement in ar- tions for new developments. Devel- small crack in the door the city to make a greater
opments needing additional water has opened. So far effort to find modern tech-
eas compatible with the League’s Core Values.
supplies will now be required to seek there has been one nology to restore the stadium.
UEL will continue its monthly Dinner and Discussion Series with sources that are not dependent on the public meeting for We encourage the city to
current and provocative issues of concern to the community. Everglades for recharge. Bicentennial Park, and examine the Seaquarium’s
UEL will expand it website and newsletter, THE URBAN FORUM, Continued building in Florida is another for Virginia insensitive structures and
to explore local and regional issues. now directly linked to availability of Key. That is not fences blocking the open
drinking water. The new rule, accord- enough. UEL will space on the water front. If
UEL will continue to be an integral part of the campaign designed ing to the South Florida Business Jour- continue to encourage the city is to invest public
to stop the expansion of the Urban Development Boundary Line and nal, in conjunction with state legis- the elected body and funds to clean up Virginia
protect the Everglades. lation passed in 2005, requires future the manager to hold Key, all tenants of the Key
UEL will be involved and encourage public participation in Miami development must be coordinated frequent open meetings must be held to the same
with water supply, similar to other for all public dollar standards.
and Miami Dade County’s Master Plan strategies for zoning, urban
concurrency laws that consider the projects to listen to One of the biggest dilem-
design, parks, pedestrian amenities and transportation. mas for the Virginia Key
impact of growth on schools and citizen comments with
UEL will strive to increase public participation in government and streets. an open mind for master plan is the lack of clear
to advocate for better understanding of local history, historic preserva- In order to do a very large devel- innovative ideas. record keeping. The consultant is having difficulties
tion, and cohesive community planning. opment, known as a Development of Many good suggestions were expressed at the determining the zoning and the city, county and
Regional Impact (DRI), the devel- Bicentennial meeting, including creating less state ownership of the land. It seems the Key’s
UEL will collaborate with a coalition of affected parties to ensure
oper has to tell the State where the formal gardens, adding some active recreational recordkeeping has been as shabby as the island’s
public participation in the development plans for Virginia Key and a facilities, deleting some of the concrete walkways maintenance.
drinking water is coming from.
world-class Bicentennial Park. We will continue to promote commu- The water is not coming from the and the restaurant, utilizing the boat slip for Above all, the UEL urges that the Key not become
nity awareness about the significance a quality integrated downtown South Florida Water Management boats and working with the county to include another lackluster conglomerate of tacky little
water-front park and a restored Virginia Key will have on residents, District. Parcel B into the plans. commercial areas reminiscent of ill-planned water-
tourists and the business community throughout Miami Dade County. If County Commissioners ap- Virginia Key is not as far along in the planning front tourist traps. We realize the city will need funds
UEL will monitor the hotel development on Watson Island to as- prove moving the Urban Develop- process. The consultant has wisely begun to build and maintain Virginia Key. Let’s aim for a
ment Boundary for Lennar on this meeting with “stakeholder” groups. However, we higher goal of public/private partnerships that do
sure the project adheres to the permitted guidelines as approved by the
DRI, will all residents will have to were shocked to learn he would be meeting with not sacrifice the Key to commercial development.
City of Miami. “developer stakeholders”. Surely, that is a When there is truly a transparent public process, the
subsidize the unfunded infrastructure
UEL will maintain a strong advocacy position for keeping public for this development (i.e. desalination mistake. How can developers be “stakeholders” community will surely avoid that sort of disaster on
lands for the public. plant, etc.)? - Nancy Lee when Virginia Key is public land? This leads us its valuable public island.
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4. Visiting Abacoa, Florida Atlantic University Jupiter Campus, and the Commissioner Katy Sorenson, tried to initiate a resolution in Committee to outline a plan for membership of the
Florida Public Officials Design Institute Charter Review Task Force (similar to one proposed by Dan Paul’s years ago). Since this is OUR Charter, the
people’s, Sorenson tried to make sure everyone was represented. Her Resolution was not approved. Here is what she
by Denis Russ, UEL Program Vice President thought the Charter Review Task Force membership should be (the Commission will probably appoint members
The UEL Program Committee organized an laboratory for public officials how to shape projects since they didn’t like this effort):
extraordinary Bus Trip to the Jupiter Campus of within their communities in consultation with
Florida Atlantic University and the Abacoa Town consulting design professionals. David Barth —
Center. Our special host for the day was the who specializes in community visioning and parks
Florida Public Officials Design Institute and our and open space planning — challenged our group
mission was to further explore and understand the to adopt the Miami-Dade County parks planning
special contributions of the Smart Growth, Livable initiative as a unique opportunity for forming a
Communities and New Urbanism movements as shared vision in our community. Developer Tim
we seek to build a shared vision for the future of Hernandez described the opportunities and
our own community. challenges that he faced in residen-
Eleven yeas following the tial and commercial development
Abacoa Groundbreaking, its clear in Abacoa and in surrounding
to see the substantial accomplish- communities.
ments in developing a commu- Carla Coleman, the Executive
nity around the concepts and Director of our regional council of
principles of traditional neigh- the Urban Land Institute, and
borhood development — Julia Trevarthen, of the South
residential neighborhoods in Florida Regional Planning Coun-
close proximity to the town cil, accompanied us on the bus
center and business district, the and helped introduce the program
spring training facility of two in the morning and then summa-
major baseball teams, meandering greenways and rized the learning experience in the afternoon.
wetland preserves, FAU’s newest campus and They provided an extraordinary resource for the
honors college and now the planned entry of day.
Scripp’s Research Institute. There are lessons as This program was the fifth in series of bus trips
well to glean and understand as we move toward and workshops that have explored the region. The
the next generation of new urbanism communities. UEL Program Committee has hosted programs
Following lunch at the FAU dining hall, Anteha that explored Everglades National Park at Shark
Gianniotes described the work of the Treasure Valley, the Urban Development Boundary,
Coast Regional Planning Council which has Redland Agricultural Community, affordable
facilitated planning charrettes for government housing in South Dade, Biscayne National Park,
jurisdictions and communities throughout Florida the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment
to help chart their futures. Area in Broward County and this last visit to Palm
Marie York, Director of the Beach County with the
Design Institute, and former An Urban objective of using the
President of the Florida Environment lessons learned in these
Chapter of the American League programs as we seek to
Bus develop a shared vision for
Planning Institute shared with Tour
us the mission and history of the future of our own
this program providing a community.
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5. Will Virginia Key Become Another Watson Island?
by Greg Bush
On February 6, more than 150 for public comments and which Turner Tech produced a short video
people gathered at UM’s Rosenstiel includes a variety of streaming vid- production that championed sav-
School on Virginia Key to listen to eos, pictures and documents. It can ing the Marine Stadium while mod-
a variety of speakers comment on be accessed at website at the end erator Greg Bush of the UEL and
Miami’s Master Plan process for the of this article. UM’s Institute for Public History
1,000 acre island that lies between Miami City Manager Pete said that a preliminary report had
Miami and Key Biscayne. County Hernandez assured the audience showed that the stadium could be
officials, including Vivian that their voices would be heard. considered structurally sound and
Rodriguez of the Parks Dept and Other speakers illustrated the could revived for arelatively small
Gary Milano of Derm, spoke amount of money.
about the County’s interests in Attention was also
the island and the natural areas. placed on the North
Organized by the Urban Envi- Point area of the
ronment League and UM’s In- islandwhere prelimi-
stitute for Public History, the nary ideas of the city
meeting followed a dinner that have called for the
honored both environmental possibility of hotels.
educator Mabel Miller and This land overlooks
former City Commissioner Fisher Island and is
Athalie Range, two women who also a potential park
were instrumental in preserving for a city that has the Abacoa bus trip - candid photos
the public land on the island. least amount of park
Miami Commissioner Marc space per capita of
The Children’s Museum on Watson Island
Sarnoff noted with clear irrita- anyhigh density city
tion that the as yet unscheduled in the nation. The au-
public hearings for the Master Plan complex land uses and interests in- dience saw images of the area- now
for Virginia Key would be held af- volved. Superintendent Mark Lewis closed off to the public- and the po-
ter preliminary drawings were ren- of the Biscayne National Park noted tentially beautiful park that could
dered by the city of Miami’s con- that the National Park Service is in- be created in that space.
sultants, EDSA. The audience was terested in having a northern foot- After the speakers made their
informed that the Urban Environ- hold in Miami for park patrons. presentations, the public spoke out
ment League was establishing a Jimbo Luzner of Jimbos place spoke at the end of the meeting showing
“parallel public process” to that of about the unique atmosphere of his overwhelmingly that they were pas-
the city in order to insure wide- establishment. Juan Fernandez of sionately interested in preserving
spread public involvement in the the City Parks Dept, Mabel Miller the natural areas of the island and
process –something that had not as and Gary Milano all spoke about having more input in the future
yet taken place more than a year af- the unique natural features of the planning process.
ter the contract with EDSA was island that they have helped restore www.floridacommunitystudies.org/
signed. A website has been set up over the years. Students from vk.
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6. Urban Environment League 2007 Annual Meeting and
Orchid Awards Presentation
May 16th - 6 p.m.
American Legion Hall 6450 NE 7th Avenue, Miami
(East of Biscayne Blvd.)
All UEL Members and Non-Members are free to join us for the Orchid Awards Presentation. We also will be
Holding the Election of our Board of Directors - Cocktails are Available and Hors d’ oeuvres will be Served
Orchid Award Recipients:
1. Oak Plaza And The Miami Design District 4. Sasaki’s Coconut Grove Waterfront Planning 7. Coastal Communities Traffic Study
Craig Robins - Dacra Development Miami Design District Process Joseph Corradino, The Corradino Group
Khoury And Vogt, Architects Sasaki Associates, Inc Mark Dawson, Principal Mayors From The Following Cities: Golden Beach, Sunny Isles,
Cure Penabad Studio, Architects Michelle Niemeyer, Chairperson Waterfront Working Aventura, Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor Islands, Surfside, North Bay
Elizabeth Plater Zyberk, Architects Committee Village and Miami Beach.
John Keenen, Architects Gary Hecht, Chairperson, Coconut Grove Village
Council 8. The Miami Herald’s Series “House Of Lies”
2. City Of Miami Virginia Key Nature Trail/Restoration Efforts T. Spencer Crowley, Chair City Of Miami Waterfront Debbie Cenziper, Lead Reporter Miami Herald
Ernest Burkeen, Director Of City of Miami Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Larry Lebowitz, Miami Herald Reporter
Juan Fernandez, City Of Miami Park Naturalist Susannah Nesmith, Miami Herald Reporter
Gary Milano, County DERM 5. Upper East Side Preservation Coalition Tim Henderson, Miami Herald Reporter
Jack Spirk Monika Leal, Miami Herald Reporter
3. Save Hialeah Park Ginger Vela Michael Sallah, Miami Herald Investigations Editor
Honorable Mayor Julio Robiana, City of Hialeah Hal Marshall
Alex Fuentes Glenn Amoruso 9. Umoja Village
Milly Herrera Jerry Bell Max Rameau
Center for Pan-African Development and
6. Lourdes Solera, Community Activisism. Take Back the Land
10. The Miami Workers Center and Scott Carver Projects
Gihan Perera
Slate for the Board of Directiors - 2007-2008
Nancy Liebman John DeLeon James Jude Paul Schwiep Kevin Doran Erika Brigham
Ernie Martin Robert Flanders Susan Luck David Turner Gabrielle Redfern Patricia A. Harris
Kay Hancock Apfel Sage Hoffman Enid Pinkney John Van Leer Leroy Jones Judith Hancock Sandoval
Richard Korman Maria Ines Castro Alberto Ruder Santiago Leon Nadjda Mishkovsky Jeff Bradley
Gregory Bush Ruth Jacobs Denis Russ Colgate Darden Alex Fuentes Frances M. Bohnsack
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