Today he sent the following letter to City of Miami Commissioners describing more reasons why the project is ill advised.
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To: The City of Miami Commissioners
The City of Miami is sending the wrong message to the development community by promoting further expansion of Grove Harbor in a primary
flood zone where catastrophic flooding will take place in the next major storm.
As many US residents know, flood insurance rates increased astronomically on October 1st 2013 in some locations. It is probable that in the
coming 50 to 80 years of the proposed Grove Harbor lease, with new technology focusing flood insurance rates based on specific locations
and risks, that residential and commercial properties in these extreme flood zones will be priced out of the market and lead to abandonment of building on open waterfront. These locations include the proposed 4 new restaurants on the City's Coconut Grove waterfront and the Miami Parking Authority Garage and retail stores that are being built on filled bay bottom land to support the Grove Harbor project.
If the City of Miami should proceed with this ill advised project reducing open park land it is incumbent on the City to ensure that the
Lease has very specific wording about the lessee requirement to maintain Flood Insurance for the full value of the structure and contents to
allow it to rebuild and reopen within a set time frame or pay for the demolition and removal of all improvements, including the MPA parking
garage and retail stores that would no longer be needed. The closure of any of the venues to city residents, or lack of commercially acceptable
levels of service, for more that a set amount of time should trigger a termination of the lease and forfeiture of all improvements to the City.
Even though no structural damage was done to the Miami Marine Stadium it is still sitting empty after 21 years. Do we really want another ghost
to "Government Folly" in the center Grove? When the next catastrophic storm hits you will be remembered as the commissioners that backed and
voted to approve this project and then put it to voters for approval after failing to fully inform them of the risks.
flood zone where catastrophic flooding will take place in the next major storm.
As many US residents know, flood insurance rates increased astronomically on October 1st 2013 in some locations. It is probable that in the
coming 50 to 80 years of the proposed Grove Harbor lease, with new technology focusing flood insurance rates based on specific locations
and risks, that residential and commercial properties in these extreme flood zones will be priced out of the market and lead to abandonment of building on open waterfront. These locations include the proposed 4 new restaurants on the City's Coconut Grove waterfront and the Miami Parking Authority Garage and retail stores that are being built on filled bay bottom land to support the Grove Harbor project.
If the City of Miami should proceed with this ill advised project reducing open park land it is incumbent on the City to ensure that the
Lease has very specific wording about the lessee requirement to maintain Flood Insurance for the full value of the structure and contents to
allow it to rebuild and reopen within a set time frame or pay for the demolition and removal of all improvements, including the MPA parking
garage and retail stores that would no longer be needed. The closure of any of the venues to city residents, or lack of commercially acceptable
levels of service, for more that a set amount of time should trigger a termination of the lease and forfeiture of all improvements to the City.
Even though no structural damage was done to the Miami Marine Stadium it is still sitting empty after 21 years. Do we really want another ghost
to "Government Folly" in the center Grove? When the next catastrophic storm hits you will be remembered as the commissioners that backed and
voted to approve this project and then put it to voters for approval after failing to fully inform them of the risks.
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