Item F-3 of Tuesday’s (November 10th) Commission Agenda has a long diatribe of changes on second reading to the City’s zoning code. As previously mentioned on Gables Insider, the City has been considering changing the code to benefit developers who wish to replicate Brickell on Miracle Mile, which has prompted a resident petition.
An item that is seemingly written to confuse residents, appears to make radical changes to everything from Architecture, to Landscape, to even Parking. Whether this is to address the developer’s dream Brickell Mile, remains unknown.
The item has prompted community outcry over the attempt to pass sweeping changes, without much explanation to residents on what is being considered by the Commission.
Coral Gables resident, Jackson Rip Holmes, who has been a longtime advocate on all things Miracle Mile, sent out a text message today to residents informing them of his concerns, in particular with the potential parking changes proposed for Miracle Mile.
In a call with Gables Insider, Holmes shared, “This mayor has wanted to make coral gables downtown Miami with high rise buildings since the 1990s. If he succeeds, we are no longer going to be a suburb. Residents who want to raise their kids safe, will move away to suburbs like Pinecrest, Kendale Lakes and Cutler Bay and we will go down the way of downtown Miami.”
The Commission meeting will begin at 9:00AM on Tuesday, November 11th.
My wife and I, as well as our children and their respective families, are long time residents of Coral Gables.
I am vehemently opposed to the proposed Miracle Mile Zoning changes as well as the new Multi Family zoning districts being proposed for the Ponce corridor from Miracle Mile to Bird Road. We already have way more than enough high rises in our City.
If said proposals pass, our City will soon thereafter cease being the suburban, family oriented “City Beautiful” that it is and is deservedly known as here and abroad. Moreover, our property values will likely suffer.
I strongly urge our City Commissioners to vote NO to said proposals. Let’s not convert our City Beautiful into another congested metropolis !!
I have been a Gables resident and business owner for over 30 years. What is happening in the Gables is SHAMEFUL. Buildings keep going on and there is less and less parking for business owners everywhere. Our business in Biltmore Way has suffered from the parking situation. There is 0 concern for the business owners in Coral Gables. They have been paying taxes for years and nothing gets done to make parking for their business patrons. They continue to promise parking garages and where are they???? It is time to build more parking in the Gables and STOP making it look like NY. The reason people moved to the Gables in the first place was because they did not have the busy and congested living as in other parts of the city. They are destroying Merrick’s visions.
I’d pay close attention to the parking plan, in particular–where will the garage(s) be built, when will they be built (hopefully before the increased demand arrives) and with what source of dedicated funding. And beware ‘optimistic’ assumptions about how many of the new residents/workers/customers won’t have cars…
Commissioner Keon ran on no more concrete canyons and instituting pension reform in the runaway unfunded pension deficit. She has done the opposite and needs to go. Valdes Fauli terms out so he must have some real goodies coming to get all of this insanity passed before he leaves. Sign Maria Cruz’s petition and send emails to the commission. We may still lose our beautiful city but we at least need to make the effort. They are killing the goose that laid the golden egg.
Hold the line, Vince Lago, Fors and Mena.
Thank you Vice Mayor Lago for requesting a virtual public workshop to take place prior to the next Miracle Mile and Crafts Section Sunshine Meeting, which is currently scheduled for November 30th. It is critical that the leaders WE elected listen to their constituents. I am appalled that this is even being considered when all Gables marketing (and often our leaders themselves) touts our small-town feel and our commitment to honoring the legacy of George Merrick and team, who created a very livable City Beautiful. How do these two approaches jibe? They do not. What makes developers so special? The almighty dollar? It is shameful. Once our historic buildings are altered or obliterated, we might as well rename the City “Anywhere, USA.” It certainly won’t look anything like Merrick’s Vision of “The Eden Isle.” I refer to one of the poems in his 1921 book “Song of the Wind on a Southern Shore.” Perhaps our mayor, city manager and several of our commissioners should read that poetry book as well as Arva Moore Park’s “George Merrick: Son of the South Wind.” They should be reminded of and be grateful for the jewel of a city in which they live.
No to high rise development on Miracle Mile. Traffic and congestion will be horrific and as on Brickell it will be an unpleasant destination. No more City Beautiful just wall to wall concrete from ground to sky.
Hello,
To drastically change the profile of Miracle Mile destroys the heart and soul of Coral Gables. There is already enough construction underway in the central Gables and many of the retail spaces along Miracle Mile are empty. The zoning proposal is written in such a way that only the developers and their cronies can understand. More building and no parking – such a Holiday gift from the Commission.
last time there was a similar vote, the Mayor and other Commissioners said that there would be thoughtful development. Another empty promise? CG should try to avoid becoming another Florida city of strip malls and congestion.
Lets make sure that those who vote to replicate Brickell in Miracle Mile are not reelected.
We need to keep Coral Gables a City you want to live in!
No to high rises in Coral Gables! Our roads and infrastructure are already stressed as is. It’s not just about tall buildings, it’s about the roads that would need to be built or redesigned to accommodate more residents.
Precisely because we are in 2020, high rises are not the way to go. Families are running out of high density buildings and looking for individual homes!
No to high rises.
Although most of the concerns expressed understandably relate to potential changes on Miracle Mile, lets not forget that some of the proposed new Multi Family zoning districts could also dramatically impact portions of the residential neighborhoods as well. Such as, the Ponce corridor from Miracle Mile to Bird Road. Developers having been pushing for this for a long time and residents have been strongly opposed to it.
Remember the “tin flowers” on Segovia that we paid a Million Dollars for???
I personally gathered about a third of the almost 5000 signatures on that petition.
The result—Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
Let’s all agree at 5 floors buildings maximum and still maintain the integrity of Miracle Mile
Valdes-Fauli and Keon are leading the charge. Hoping the the young guys hold the line!
No to high rises I have lived in gables for 47 years and I love the way it is, he can move to downtown if he like it that much but not coral gables .
Downtown CG is considered Urban or city living & development is a right, were are in the year 2020 not 1925.
Lets keep it the suburb it is….we moved here, because it isnt like Miami downtown with high rises….lets keep Coral Gables special
We have only been here 3 months and love it just the way it is…no highrises PLEASE
This is a commission that desires to ram every controversial issue down our throats via zoom meetings. What an easy way to avoid having to face us residents. Sneaky sneaky. Shame on you.