Dear Readers,
We wanted to say thank you to everyone who wrote letters or attended
the January 11th EQCB meeting protesting the filling of coastal
wetlands in our community. Protecting our environment and controlling
development within our communities is crucial to our quality of life.
Preserving our wetlands from senseless destruction is not just a local
matter but one of national interest. In the October 2006 National
Geographic, an article
highlighted Cutler Cay as evidence of the negative impact development
is having on Biscayne National Park. With your continued help we can
keep this from happening again.
Your participation has made a difference.
We have completed just the first step in a very long process. The owner still has applications in with the Army Corps of Engineers and the South Florida Water Management District. This process may take months or years and the developers are counting on the public losing interest. We are dedicated to taking action on this property and three additional properties located on Cutler Bay coastal wetlands.
We ask you to continue the fight with us and hope that we can rely on you to take action when needed.
Warmest regards,
Beth Kibler
Old Cutler South
oldcutlersouth@gmail.com
Tom and Barbara Condon
www.cutlerbay.net
Amy Roda
liveablecutler@hotmail.com
HERE'S WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW
Please take the time to write a letter to the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE). In the past we created form letters and asked you to simply copy and paste them onto an email to the recipient. Unfortunately the ACE will not seriously consider form letters. Original letters are preferred in this situation. However, to make this as easy on you as possible we have come up with some points loosely grouped by subject. Please look at the list, pick one or two that you feel is most relevant and either rephrase it in your own words or copy and paste it into your email.
Letters can be addressed and headed as below:
ATTN: Leah.A.Oberlin@saj02.usace.army.mil,
Regulatory Project Manager USACE
In reference to Permit Application No. SAJ-2005-4653 Cutler Properties
LC:
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SOME POINTS FOR EMAIL LETTER
Code Of Federal Regulations (CFR)
Cutler Properties LC is proposing a high density multistory development
at this location and plans to unnecessarily fill 33 acres of coastal
wetlands that will certainly have negative impacts to both the adjacent
90 acres of wetlands and Biscayne National Park. The proposed
development is not water dependent and under Section 33 part 320 #32.4
of the Code of Federal Regulations the developer must justify why the
proposed project cannot be pursued elsewhere. The community is strongly
opposed to the unnecessary destruction of our much needed wetlands and
asks the corps to consider the CFR when reviewing the Cutler Properties
application.
Property Rights
Cutler Properties bought this 138 acre property just over three years
ago (October 2003), knowing that only 9 acres of it were available for
development without a variance. The property owners have the right to
build on the 9 acres of uplands, but destroying an additional 30 acres
of wetlands that could be restored is not in the best interest of our
environment, nor our community.
LEDPA
The project planned by Cutler Properties LC is not the least
environmentally damaging practicable alternative (LEDPA) for the
project's proposed mixed use and residential housing purposes. The
property purchased by Cutler Properties has only 9 acres of uplands yet
they propose 42 acres of development that would require the filling of
33 acres of coastal wetlands. This proposed project is not the LEDPA
and the applicant should not be granted a 404 permit.
Public Interest
Cutler Properties LC is proposing to fill 33 acres of Class I Coastal
Wetlands. In return they are only offering 3 acres of on-site
mitigation in just a 30ft buffer. The 90+ acres of high quality
wetlands adjacent to Biscayne National Park that they're offering to
give to the county cannot be developed under current laws and is
therefore irrelevant. Our community is losing 33 acres of wetlands How
is this in the public interest?
CERP
The Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) has been deemed a
National Issue of Overriding Importance in the interest of preserving
our water quality. This property is in the footprint of CERP. The
developer plans to destroy 33 acres of coastal wetlands in an area that
is critical to the aquifer and the bay. CERP needs to be implemented
and our threatened wetlands need to be restored. The national goal of
preserving our water supply is more important than the need for housing
in an already saturated market or the desire for profit by a few
individuals. The community relies on the corps to promote the full
implementation of CERP on what little is left of our coastal wetlands.
Conservation
As the population increases throughout South Florida it becomes
increasingly important to protect our natural resources. Our coast line
must not be sacrificed unnecessarily. It is in our collective best
interests to conserve this land and allow it to work for us as a filter
for water runoff, and as a sanctuary for birds, crabs and others who
call this piece of land home.
Conflict with the Watershed Study
Cutler Properties LC is proposing a plan that is in conflict with the
goals of the South Miami-Dade Watershed Study and Plan. The plan
establishes an open space/conservation zone (Zone C) "that ensures that
lands needed for the protection of Biscayne Bay are available for storm
water treatment, wetlands restoration (including the Biscayne Bay
Coastal Wetlands CERP Project) and open space (including agriculture)
as required." The importance of state and local decisions in the
regulatory process is recognized in Section 101(b) of the Clean Water
Act and in Section 202(b) of the Environmental Quality Improvement Act.
The Army Corps of Engineers is requested to respect local initiatives
to preserve land and water resources and consider the long term goals
of the community while reviewing Cutler Properties application to fill
our coastal wetlands.
Historical Properties
There is little green space in Cutler Bay along Old Cutler Road. This
is not in keeping with Old Cutler's Historic and Scenic designation.
Past development and commercial ventures have already hurt the scenic
value of this road.
Recreation
Lying just outside of Cutler Bay's town limits is Blackpoint Marina.
This marina serves as the launching point for recreational fishermen
and boating enthusiasts. As more and more of our shoreline is
sacrificed to development, we compromise the health of our bay and the
joy of communing with nature.
Thank you.