City of Miami: Please let us participate in Redevelopment plan modifications as required by State law.

OPEN LETTER TO THE CITY OF MIAMI COMMISSION

Dear Commissioners,
Last week we attended the Special CRA meeting in order to comment on the utter lack of public participation in this plan. Even Commissioner Sarnoff, sitting commissioner for the OMNI area, stated on the record that after three years in office, the first time he had seen the new redevelopment plan was at the beginning of last week.
The item was deferred to the October CRA meeting and it was mentioned that a town hall meeting would be held to discuss the plan with the community. We thought the matter was done. You can imagine we were surprised to receive notice, less than 24 hours before this meeting, of the same item. We feel that this is unacceptable and does not constitute proper public notice and would like to put on the record that we formally contest the validity of this meeting.

F.S 163, which governs Community redevelopment, clearly states:

(2) The governing body shall hold a public hearing on a proposed modification of any community redevelopment plan after public notice thereof by publication in a newspaper having a general circulation in the area of operation of the agency.

On page two of the 2009 plan introduction, it states clearly that the last public meetings on this plan were held in April and May or 2005. Well, a lot has changed since then and the plan has obviously been updated – hence the title 2009 update.

This is supposedly a slightly modified version of the 2006 Zyscovich plan. Where are the changes vs this plan? What has changed? How is the community to evaluate a major change to the redevelopment plan with no public hearing or presentation?

I would like to read you an excerpt from page three of the 1986 Omni redevelopment plan:

A citizen’s advisory Committee was established to provide input to the master plan. This group includes representatives from the Omni neighborhood and provides a forum where interested citizens, civic leaders, and public officials join forces to address development issues and community concerns. During a series of workshops, held over a six-month period, a draft downtown policy plan has been formulated.

This was the process back in 1986. Why, in 2009, are we being asked to approve a plan released only days ago which has had absolutely no public participation and community input? This potential violation of State law should be taken seriously by the City.

And let’s look at the plan itself:

Much has been made of the fact that even though things like giving $11.5 Million of public funds to the Miami Herald, $18 million of redevelopment money to fund the boondoggle streetcar project, and $4.5 Million to build parking for the PAC are in the plan – and not supported by the community and even the district Commissioner – they are not set in stone.

Why even approve such a plan against the wishes of public officials and stakeholders? If there was a 20 foot tall stature of Manny Diaz in the plan that will never get built, would you approve it today?

F.S 163 requires that Community Redevelopment Plans:

(c) Provide for the development of affordable housing in the area, or state the reasons for not addressing in the plan the development of affordable housing in the area.

Why is there no affordable housing component in the plan?

Where is the revitalization component of the plan? Why are we not rehabbing existing housing rather than constructing more big developments to forcibly gentrify the neighborhood?

Is this new plan consistent with the neighborhood comprehensive plan? Where is the study showing this?

Where is the impact study showing the differential impact on the community from this new plan compared to the 1986 plan? The four page impact commentary with standard disclaimers in the back of the plan hardly constitutes a proper impact study.

These are just some of the questions that have come up in the past few days and I think it shows that this plan and its implementation have some serious procedural and legal issues.

Commissioners, this is not a game. These rushed decisions affect our lives and the future of our community. Forcing through the redevelopment plans and the bond issuance without properly involving the community is a mistake, and may be a violation of Florida law. With this time of budget crisis and unfunded liabilities, the City should be extremely careful about not following the correct legal procedures to avoid any additional liabilities.

Please allow us the respect and dignity of properly evaluating this plan and to allow the community to comment and have input as to the future of their neighborhood. We urge you to defer this item until the correct legal procedures, including public hearings and a comment period, are followed.