Category Archives: Our Future

How Did “All Aboard Florida” Go So Wrong?

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How did “All Aboard Florida” go so wrong? I have gone from being excited about the return of passenger train travel on the Treasure Coast to one unhappy resident. How could they possibly have turned off so many people in such a short period of time with such a great idea? I have to say that feat was not easy.

There will always be a small minority who dislike change no matter what is proposed. Then, you have the people who are against something because they have either a prejudice or their facts are wrong. I am neither of these. The saga of “All Aboard Florida” is wrong because the company is not being honest about their true intentions to the people of the Treasure Coast.  Passenger trains are just the rouse being used to be able to borrow $1.5 billion or more from the federal government to lay a new track bed in anticipation of increased freight traffic. Will FECI double track through Stuart? Are they going to close our Florida Street crossing? These and other questions have yet to be answered.

I keep hearing that the railroad was here first, and that is absolutely true. Without it, Stuart possibly would not be Stuart today. Yes, railroads have enormous rights but then shouldn’t these rights granted in the 19th century adjust to the realities of 21st century Florida? We are currently the third most populous state in the nation. When the railroad was built, there were very few people on the Treasure Coast. While Stuart prides itself on its “old Florida charm,” we live in the 21st century. Today’s population cannot be held hostage to a 19th century reality.

The property rights of the railroad are important, but neither can you destroy the property rights of the people who have come here in the intervening 125 years. For the past 50 years, the railroad has operated as a sleepy little freight line with a limited amount of trains mostly travelling at night.  In the intervening years, Florida’s population has gone from less than 5 million to over 19 million with Martin County’s population growing from 17,000 to 148,000.  What was once acceptable can no longer be tolerated. There is no absolute right for anyone or any corporation. Our government should be there for the protection of the vast majority not a minority of one railroad.

Stuart’s Centennial

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Stuart’s Centennial Celebration is building toward a climax during the week of May 3rd through May 10th.  As the Centennial Chair for the city, we have planned that week to be when we celebrate with a gala, proclamations, time capsules, speeches, a parade and a free festival in Memorial Park. So far this year, we have celebrated our past with pageants, lectures and shows. The week of May 3rd through 10th will be the week we celebrate our present. But we should also think about our future.

Where will the city be in a decade or two or a hundred years from now? What should our aspirations and goals be and how do we put in place the policies and programs to achieve them? A city is organic that does evolve on its own with or without conscience guidance by its inhabitants. The evolution that occurs can result in a Stuart much as it looked in the 1970s. Our citizens became complacent and allowed outside forces to shape its destiny. Downtown almost became extinct.

We only began to emerge and foster the identity that we have today beginning with our own Jeffersonian period of the 1980s. I believe that Stuart is once again poised at a cross roads. Do we affirmatively shape our destiny or do we do nothing and allow outside forces to do so? These outside forces are not necessarily developers with grandiose plans. That is an easy threat or opportunity to control. No…the forces that will emerge to influence our community will be because of changes in technology, demographics, and life style.

History is meaningful to our community. It does help explain how we evolved. But the Stuart of 1914 is not the Stuart of 1925 or 1960 or even 2000. Look how much has changed even in the past decade. We should remember the past, but live in the present and plan for the future. Stuart, as any place, must serve the residents that are here and be attractive so that new people and businesses want to locate and be here. As we celebrate our birthday we need to think about our future.

Small government and local control

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Do the political parties possess a philosophy any longer? Except in a flash of rhetorical oration, I don’t think they really do. Once elected and in control, whether Republican or Democrat, they do the bidding of the people filling their campaign coffers. One prime example is the Florida legislature.

I thought Republicans were for small government and local control.  And, I thought that meant the more than could be decided by the people and through their county and municipal elected bodies the better. Laws are best passed by those that are closest to the citizens they represent. For some reason, this principle of Republican thought has not guided our so-called Republican legislators.

Senate Bill 1464 and House Bill 703 want to take away local control in land and water use. Then the big developers and farm interest need not bother with our county and city commissions. These so called Republican legislators want to give their friends in high places the ability to achieve what they can’t achieve locally. This is not the Republican way or philosophy.

This is not a matter of whether you are pro- or anti-development. This goes to the very essence of the power of the people through their local commissions to control their destiny. It is not only the complete opposite of Republicanism, it is undemocratic. If these bills pass and the governor signs them, then what is the point of electing (or even being) a Republican?

Joe Negron has said he will not vote for these bills. Representatives Harrell and Magyar must follow suit, along with Governor Scott, and reject this legislation. This pre-emption of local control of its own destiny is kowtowing to special interest. I, for one, will hold these legislators and governor accountable in November. If former Governor Chris is all things evil because of his lack of philosophy, then are these people any better?

E-MAIL SENT TO FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION RE FECI

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As a resident of Stuart, Florida, I am writing to state that the proposed “high speed” passenger train service between Miami and Orlando will seriously affect our quality of life on the Treasure Coast without any discernible benefit to us. The tracks bisect our community (as they do many others), and with 32 trains a day, will create a significant challenge for us when going from one side of town to the other.

At the same time, the railroad bridge which crosses the Saint Lucie River in Stuart will need to remain in the up position for most of the day. This will seriously hamper boating which is a key industry to our community and region. Because of this, property values for me and others who are on the “wrong” side of the bridge will lessen causing further erosion to our real estate tax base.

I am a proponent of rail service.  The disruptions I have outlined could be mitigated with a stop in Stuart. This would allow our citizens to take advantage of fast rail service to either Miami or Orlando without the inconvenience of driving to those destinations. With a stop in Stuart, visitors from other parts of Florida and tourists from all over the world could come to Stuart to shop in our stores, dine in our restaurants and take advantage of our beautiful waterfront.

I understand that FECI’s goal is to go from Miami to Orlando in three hours. However, FECI has already acknowledged that the trains must slow down considerably as they pass through Stuart because of the bridge and track configuration. A stop would take an additional 2 to 3 minutes, and they would only need to stop if there were passengers embarking or disembarking from the train.

As a corporate citizen, FECI, should help all our communities not just a few big cities. If they do not voluntarily elect to exercise good citizenship, then it is the government’s responsibility to insure that the vast majority of the citizens are not harmed by the action of any one citizen.

THOUGHTS ON COLORADO, DEVELOPMENT AND THE SALES TAX

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I was reading my earlier posts, and there is one instance where I really was wrong, and that was the Colorado Avenue upgrade. While I am still not a fan of traffic circles, I think that the narrowing to two lanes, pedestrian crossings and center median have contributed much to the revitalization of the entire street from Federal Highway to Confusion Corner. Now, with the planned addition of public art to the avenue, this will really be a great introduction to downtown.

When the current sales tax initiative was first brought up, I supported a more limited ½ cent for a three- to five-year duration.  I now believe it should be a full cent for ten years. The county and city infrastructure is crumbling before our eyes. Without a prolonged and targetted income stream to address these problems, planning and implementation will not happen. Because of the uncertainty of future funds, only projects for the favored few will be done instead of projects for all of our benefit.  With the right language in the statute, we can make sure that the proceeds won’t be used for another Splash Park.

Here are a few things I did get right. The idea of a Customs and Immigration facility at the “county” airport should be, once and for all time, scrapped. The same oligarchy that is always crying against expansive and expensive government wants to have the tax payers pick up the bill for their convenience. Besides the separation of powers in our constitution which clearly leaves this function to the federal government, we do not need to vote ourselves one more unfunded mandate to pay.

The BDB still needs to be weaned from the taxpayer’s treasury. There is no earthly reason to continue to support an organization that business people themselves won’t support with their own funds. Business will organically develop when they believe that Martin County and its cities have expedited permitting processes, good schools and is a great place to live. The worst thing we can do is subsidize any business entity with the promise of jobs or tax revenue at some future date. It is the same crony capitalism that we deplore in Putin’s Russia.

I will continue to speak out and fight for the maintaining of our county’s Comp Plan. Sprawl happens when we allow the supposed benefit of building for building sake and the “they will come” mentality to overlook sound economic judgment. Within the Urban Service District, Stuart and the other municipalities are where new and repurposed development should be encouraged. At the same time, Martin County and Stuart need to come together in common cause. Stuart is not a step-child that needs the county’s permission to perform as a government. The commissions and their staffs, especially on the county side, need to operate for the good of all residents.

Now that development is heating up, we will once again face challenges to maintain the Martin County way of life and the “Old Florida” ambiance of Stuart. Developers will try to breach the four story height limit through seemingly innocuous means such as roof top entertainment. We need to toughen not only the granting of Special Permits but how often and how many can be given in any one year. Legitimate restaurants and other establishments that operate within the parameters and the spirit of the law should be encouraged. At the same time those that use a mechanism meant to foster one-time events (such as block parties) as their business model should be stopped from ruining an entire neighborhood’s tranquility.

Outdoor music venues need to erect soundproofing barriers around their areas and position their speakers differently to minimize sound being carried beyond the venue’s boundaries. There is no constitutional right to have music blaring to the detriment of others who live nearby. I want to encourage people coming Stuart to enjoy themselves, but there are responsibilities that businesses have to the community as a whole.

I also would like to see in Stuart a mandatory meeting by the Development Office between developer and the neighbors when any new projects come before the city. There are instances where the plan being presented is more advantageous in terms of density, parking and setbacks for the neighborhood than what the developer has “as right” to build.  If both sides are talking to each other there would be less chance that a good plan is misunderstood. A little advanced planning could go a long way to solving problems before the politics take over.

 

 

LETTER TO COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

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I believe that the following e-mail sent to the county commissioners expresses my opinions on the sales tax, new passenger trains and proposed customs house:

Dear Commissioner:

There are three issues I would like to address with you.

The first is “All Aboard Florida” owned by FECI a company of the Fortress Group which has real estate worth $62 billion under management presently. In 2002 the group had $2 billion. Obviously, there is much more to their operation than a railroad. FECI’s, Flagler Company describes itself on its web site this way:  Flagler is one of Florida’s oldest and largest full-service commercial real estate companies. The company owns, manages, leases, or has under development more than 7 million square feet of Class-A office and industrial space located in strategic markets throughout the state. Flagler also owns 2,500 acres of Florida land with entitlements in place for in excess of 14 million square feet of development. Additionally, Flagler provides world-class, third-party real estate services including brokerage, property management and asset management to a prestigious roster of corporate, private and institutional clients.With more than a century of experience specifically in Florida, a business model built on the concept of stability and innovation, and an integrated service line, Flagler is the strongest choice for any organization seeking a Florida partner in commercial real estate.

“All Aboard Florida” can be a loss leader for their parent for years in order to further and accomplish what I believe their real goal… real estate development. As Commissioner Scott stated yesterday at a Martin County Chamber event, railroads in this country are almost sovereign. A full scale battle against this behemoth is not winnable in my opinion. It may be much more to our advantage to work with the Coast Guard and our legislative delegates to minimize the impact of the trains and to continue to lobby for a stop in Stuart which is the most logical place on the Treasure Coast.

My second issue is the sales tax. As I stated at Tuesday’s commission meeting, I would like to see a 10-year one cent proposal. It needs to be tightly written so as to make sure that the proceeds are used for the intended uses only. You are right that past commissions used the money for favored projects such as building the outrageous water park.  At first, I supported a three-year limitation but upon further thought, it seems that will not allow enough time or resources to really make a difference to the infrastructure deficit. A shorter span may result in just “favored projects” being planned and completed which will leave most of the public seeing little benefit in voting once again to extend the tax three or five years hence.

Lastly I want to address the Customs facility. I object to us as a county having anything to do with this for multiple reasons. First, no matter how a deal is structured (either with private entities or by using the airport fund), any shortfall for any reason will need to be made up by the county. It is ultimately the responsible party in this instance. Secondly, we have seen time and time again that no matter what assurances we receive from Washington as to how the facility is to be operated and that any local obligations will remain consistent, we all know that the federal government can rewrite the deal obligating us to spend funds for things never contemplated at any time. We may not even be able to close the facility at our discretion.

I don’t believe that we, as a county, should be maintaining and paying for a facility that clearly falls under federal authority. There is no ambiguity as to who will be in charge of enacting and enforcing regulations and laws pertaining to trade and immigration. It is a federal responsibility. For argument sake, even if we agree that it may be beneficial to a few of the county’s residents and businesses, it does not mean that it should be done. It has always amazed me that the biggest proponents for governmental subsidies, quotas and tax breaks are supposed conservative, free-market-oriented wealthy individuals and businesses. The free market is great unless they must operate within its parameters. This is one such instance where we should not allow the favored minority to trump the interest of the majority. 

OUR POLITICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FUTURE

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Last week, I was at a lecture given by Eve Samples of The Stuart News which highlighted the abysmal state of our rivers and the lagoon. Eve and her newspaper have done a great job of reporting and explaining this desecration. Her columns are very reminiscent of the columns and reporting on our rivers and lagoon done by the legendary Ernie Lyons in the same newspaper so many years ago. Then and now, the local press have certainly made us aware of the problems and some of the possible solutions.

But what have we done as residents, citizens and voters? A few of us have marched, contributed and joined organizations to stop this degradation. People such as Maggie Hurchella, Marty Baum, Donna Melzer and Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch are full time advocates and warriors in the fight. The vast majority of us have kept quiet on this subject that is so vital to our homes, economy and future. We have done nothing.

Most of us have opinions and are not shy about expressing them. We are Democrats or Republicans, Liberals or Conservatives, pro or anti everything from the blame of Benghazi to whether the Common Core is good or bad. Where do we stand on our rivers? This silence and lack of involvement by most of us has led to this despicable state. The actions of residents, politicians and businesses have caused and perpetuated the decline. We are the only ones that can stop it.

We have some great local environmental commissioners. In the audience at the Sample’s lecture were County Commissioners Ed Fielding and Sarah Heard and Stuart Mayor Troy McDonald and Stuart Commissioner Eula Clarke. Through their actions using grants and our tax dollars, both commissions have made the county and city leaders in showing the way in protecting our environment. This is not so with our state and federal office holders.

On July 31st of last year, I wrote a letter to the President regarding Lake Okeechobee and the discharges. At the end of January, I received a form letter back telling me that the President shares my concerns about the environment and that he is working hard to protect it. After 7 months, that is the best the White House can offer…the same response that would go to anyone who sends a letter with the word “environment” in the body.

Governor Scott did not even attend the Everglades conference that was held 3 doors from his residence earlier this year. It was great that the Florida Senate held hearings, but appropriations have not as yet been forthcoming to do one thing for our waterways. Our state house representatives mouth pieties but continue to vote for the same anti-environmental policies. Congressman Murphy hosted concerned citizens in Washington and had influential Democratic members such as Leader Pelosi address them, but the farm bill with its sugar quotas and subsidies was passed with their votes. Senator Nelson is with us in spirit while doing everything he can to further the interests of the very people who are the environment’s biggest polluters. Senator Rubio is too busy to be bothered with anything as pedestrian as his constituents’ concerns while running for President in 2016.

What all of our state and national politicians have in common is their abiding love of campaign contributions from the very industries that are the worst offenders. While mouthing platitudes to voters, they have not stopped taking that money.  When do you think the voters will learn to put aside party labels and actually elect those people who will work for us instead of the special interests? For too long, we have allowed others to divide us along artificial lines. We need to now, as residents and citizens, vote in our interest. If the lagoon and rivers actually, die what happens to we who live in Martin County? Our homes will be worth less. Our quality of life will be dissolute. Businesses will flee along with the tourists and snow birds. That is how important this issue is to all of us whether we fish or not, boat or not, live on the water or not.

We need to become single issue voters in this respect. Our mantra should be you have one term to accomplish some measurable improvement to our environment. This issue is that important to all of us that we cannot allow our representatives to tell us one thing and then take political payoffs to ignore our interest. I have heard that you need to choose when voting the lesser of the evils. Evil is still evil and in this case it will be deadly to the ordinary everyday citizen of Martin County.

Our City Hall and it’s future.

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This was sent to my fellow committee members regarding City Hall after our last meeting on Feb 14, 2014:.

 

What this committee has been tasked with accomplishing is more than the fate of City Hall. It is actually to define the future of downtown and the essence of Stuart. Everyone from my fellow committee members to city staff, our elected commission and the general public sincerely want what is best for our home. It will not be our motivations that may make our individual conclusions differ. We are celebrating our 100th anniversary as a city. While the past is ever present, we must concern ourselves with our future direction.

Here is what we can all agree upon. First that access to the water and the keeping and enhancing of the park behind our current site for all our citizens is essential. Second, we want to maintain the architectural character and feel of our downtown area. This would limit the size and height of any new or remodeled structures for this site. The “Old Florida” small town charm is a nonnegotiable trait that should not be lost.

Since our last meeting, I have spoken with Jacque Lewis of the Martin County Hotel Association, Mike Braid, and Steve Vitalli . I have also spoken with a couple of other hotel people that I know as well as my own experience with the industry. If we keep in mind my above statement regarding our agreed upon traits, then I received the same answer from all, that a hotel is neither economically or physically possible on the city hall site. Perhaps there is someone who would want to do the project but it would be irresponsible to make such a recommendation without a bona-fide and thoroughly vetted developer-operator.

It is my belief that we are lacking several critical components in making a determination of this magnitude today. First we still do not know what FECI intends to do with the parking along their right away. Without a long term parking commitment (at an affordable price) anything decided would probably be sent back to the drawing boards. If we believe that we don’t have enough parking now and are looking to build a parking garage, how many more spaces would we need and where should we locate those spaces?

There is also a question as to whether we will eventually have an “All Aboard Florida” train station or stop. Does the parent company, which is essentially in the hospitality, residential and office development business, want to invest here. If so, can a mutually acceptable project for both them and a vast majority of Stuart residents be achievable. We also need to consider the best path of solidifying the great strides we have made in our core downtown while continuing the synergy between the core and Ocean, East Ocean, Colorado and East Stuart.

The other missing element in this exercise is how do we, as a community, fund moving city hall or even keeping it and doing any sort of rehabilitation. While it is nice for us to dream and pontificate about a future direction, it would  be totally irresponsible of us to recommend a “shiny new city hall by the Saint Lucie” without taking into account the actuality of paying for that vision.

Our gem, which is the city, is too precious to allow development of each parcel in isolation. We should ask the Planning and Development Department to be allowed to do what their name implies. We should not be asking for one more consultant’s report or one more un-vetted pipe dream such as “Salt Life”.

The time needed is more than a few hours over two days to make this recommendation. All components of downtown development must be looked at in totality so that an organic future can be imagined, embraced, encouraged and realized by the people of our city. For the past thirty years, we have had exercise upon exercise regarding this. It is now time for us to allow a more “nuts and bolts” approach to how we achieve these goals.

This committee should continue this discussion gathering more facts and information. There should be ongoing workshops with the various city departments but especially Planning and Development, the City Manager and Budget Director to formulate our next steps. As a Sunshine Committee, all our meetings are open to the public and public comment should be encouraged. This should be looked at as a beginning and not an ending.

One of Shakespeare’s most fascinating works is the “The Tempest”. In it, he explores the concepts of illusion and reality. What “is” and “is not”. Prospero, one of the characters, metaphorically tries to explain that what a couple has just witnessed is not reality. The buildings and palaces and city are not real but merely the product of a well-staged entertainment — that of life itself.

“Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve,
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,

Leave not a rack behind.

We are such stuff, As dreams are made on;”

Stuart Main Street has been given and accepted a task. I believe we should continue the work.
 

 

LETTER TO SENATOR NEGRON ON THE PATRONIS BILL

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Dear Senator Negron:

As a constituent of yours, a Republican, resident of Martin County and the City of Stuart; I urge you to vote no on the Patronis bill. This is patently a way to wrestle local control and place it in the hands of those who would just as soon see our state turned into one big subdivision or sugar plantation.

No one who calls themselves a Republican or believes in limited government could support this bill with a clean conscience. The best government is one that is closest to the people. Nothing can be closer to us than our local governmental entities. This will have a huge impact on not only our quality of life but also that of our children. It is imperative that you stand with the majority of your constituents and vote no.

Florida state government is at a cross roads. Does it continue to suborn the wishes and rights of everyday citizens in order to satisfy the special interests or do our elected officials stand with us. I believe the status quo can no longer be accepted. The people will demand that those asking for our vote at the very least side with us on such vital questions as local control and the quality of our waters. Those of the elected class that mouth the right words but vote against our interest will pay dearly at the ballot box.

 

Thank you.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE LEAVE OUR GUARD DOWN….

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Donna Melzer who serves as the voice of good government in Martin County e-mailed the following to many of us. This is an example of what can happen when we let our guard down for just an instant. I have written my legislators, please do the same:

“A Bill was filed in Tallahassee this week described as “bill to kill local planning and environmental protection.”  

Without our Comp Plan protections, what happens to our  Martin County Difference?
Tallahassee going to trump Home Rule – our river protections?
Just one line proposes to prohibit Comp Plan Amendments that Martin County residents overwhelming supported.
The Bill proposes to STOP Our Requiring 4 votes for critical changes,
—  making it easier to weaken our river protections,

    —  making it easier to end our four (4) story building height,

—  making it easier to gut our urban boundary – cost us our conservative fiscal planning…

 

Developers Hobe Grove, Lake Point and King Ranch are challenging the stronger protections.  These Developers likely support this Tallahassee proposal.  Developers want to stop the super-majority requirement — would not allow the strong protections of our “quality of life,” of our rivers.

 

Fla. Rep. Patronis’ Bill is Attached.  An EXAMPLE of the problems:  

 

Line 78 – this is a blatant attempt to revoke the authority some local governments have used to require “super majority” votes on certain issues, including land use/comp planning;  whatever else this is, it is an intrusion into local home rule authority – I am aware of only 3 local governments that have adopted a super majority vote.

 

Lines 90-92 – this is a flagrant effort to also limit home rule authority by saying that if a comp plan amendment is adopted on Ag lands where other uses are allowed, then that amendment cannot be rescinded if the site continues “primarily” for bona fide ag purposes.   Under chapter 193.461, F.S. – any comp plan or comp plan amendment can be rescinded, revised, repealed, etc. under current law.  This would carve out a protected class status for certain Ag and allow violation of spraw.    Is this about King Ranch project in Martin County? 

    King Ranch’s AgTEC Industrial Park project west of Palm City in Agricultural areas.  Urban sprawl violations were “fixed” by a requirement to get utilities from Port St. Lucie within 5 years. The project was described as  a “peninsula of Port St. Lucie urban into Martin County.”  

Port St. Lucie has been saying No Utilities available — and King Ranch’s 5 year time is running out of – as they agreed – land use reverts to ag.     

 

Lines 172-178 – Okays 50 year permits and 30 year permits involving our water supply.  

Reminds you of Big Sugar 30-year leases Tallahassee approved last year?

 

Spread the word.  Contact any and all Florida Legislators. 

      Tell them Please VOTE NO!  NO!  to the Patronis Bill:

 

        Treasure Coast delegation:

Senator Joe Negron:  NEGRON.JOE.WEB@flsenate.gov

   Rep Gayle Harrell:      GHarrell@gayleharrell.com

Rep. Larry Lee:            Larry.Lee@myfloridahouse.gov“