South Dade is worth saving, commissioners

The Miami Herald’s excellent coverage of

South Florida’s water woes should be required reading for Miami-Dade commissioners, especially those who ignorantly and arrogantly support moving the Urban Development Boundary (UBD) of the county’s master plan (CDMP).

After Hurricane Andrew ravaged the area, greedy real-estate investors and speculators sought to acquire and exploit South Dade’s dwindling agricultural property. This muchneeded farmland has so far been protected.

Last year, commissioners were asked to move the UDB to allow a group of potential owners to build an unspecified number of unneeded warehouses for some uncommitted tenants, who would then somehow provide 11,000 jobs for Homestead residents.

Commissioners must recognize the impact of the proposed changes upon the quality and depletion of South Dade’s available drinking water.

The commission refused to listen to environmentalists’ explanations to maintain hurricane protection provided by mangroves, the effect upon clean water, Everglades restoration and even the Air Force’s request for more information as to the effect on Homestead Air Base.

Only three commissioners had the integrity, intelligence and courage to withhold their votes to approve the application. As a result, the proposal was sent to the state, which routinely rubber-stamps a county’s decision. In this case, the state returned the proposal without approval. The commission will hear a revised application on May 19.

Will more commission members take this opportunity to demonstrate intelligence and integrity this time around?