MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Residents of a southwest Miami-Dade neighborhood are fighting to keep their quiet block from major development, but their commissioners keep delaying things.
That has the residents unhappy and wondering what else may be going on.
“Something is fishy, something does not smell right,” said resident Hugh Pringle.
Developers have been trying to bring an assisted living facility to their dead-end street that has only single-family homes, where some people have lived for generations.
Some of those residents are using words like “incompetent” and “corrupt” to describe their perception of the process.
“There is speculation that everyone is in bed together,” said resident Ashley Ravelo.
The decision on the proposed project was deferred last month when too few commissioners showed up to a meeting.
“We’ve been back here three or four times and now we’re going to have to come back yet again,” said resident Augusto Lopez.
That’s because the decision was again deferred on Tuesday after a vote fell short of the majority necessary to reach a decision.
“They didn’t get the votes they needed. What further contemplation is necessary?” wondered Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins.
She questioned the developers for lobbying to build an ALF instead of the townhomes they agreed to build with commissioners, and the community, back in 2015.
The commissioners who voted yes spoke of a need for senior care and more density in a growing county.
“We need to make sure that we have as much housing available for them,” said Commissioner Rene Garcia.
Added Commissioner Eileen Higgins: “Every single human being in the world wants to say, ‘please don’t put anything new near me.’”
Neighbors fear the deferrals will continue until the developer gets the “yes” votes they need.
A representative for the developers offered a downzone, but all issues have now been deferred to next month’s meeting.