| Last Stand's
Neighborhood Information Forum - Status of the Truman Waterfront
is coming up April 8 -- at NOAA's Eco-Discovery Center at the Truman
Waterfront. The Forum begins at 5:30 PM. More information
containing background on the Truman Waterfront is in the following
editorial, from the March 18 Key West Citizen: |
Forum on waterfront can help clear the air
Editorial
It's been six years since the Navy conveyed the 33-acre Truman
Waterfront property to Key West. Unfortunately visible progress
on the site has been the equivalent to watching a tortoise race.
Last Stand, the local nonprofit organization whose mission is to
promote, preserve, and protect our quality of life and natural
environment, is sponsoring a Neighborhood Information Forum of
the status of the waterfront.
Planned panelists include: Norma Jean Sawyer, director of the
Bahama Conch Community Land Trust; Bookie Henriquez, chairman of
the Florida Keys Assisted Care Coalition; Doug Bradshaw, Key
West's Local Redevelopment Authority manager; and Mayor Morgan
McPherson. We also understand that a representative from the
Navy will be invited.
This is the second Truman Waterfront forum sponsored by Last
Stand, the first being more than five years ago.
The need for this forum reflects the lack of information
regarding progress on site development and the fact that
information now floating around is layered with speculation,
rumors and misinformation.
We won't be surprised if this forum extends late into the night
or requires an immediate sequel. The questions about Truman
Waterfront use, arguably the most important land acquisition for
Key West in decades, are numerous and varied.
One that immediately comes to mind is: Where is the updated
master plan? The city's Web site plan is dated 2005. Without a
publicly vetted plan, it's troubling that the city recently
requested and received proposals for development of a marina on
6.4 acres of the site.
By our calculation, 20 acres -- or 60 percent -- of this land
has already been earmarked for development, easements, marina,
streets or parking; thus already negating the original concept
of 60 percent "parkland or green space." How did this occur?
In 2007, a voter referendum allowed the city to enter
negotiations with the Florida Keys Assisted Care Coalition to
lease -- for 99 years at a dollar a year -- 4 acres of the
waterfront to build up to 140 residential units, 95 for
independent living, and the rest for people needing assisted
living.
That same year, a second voter referendum allowed the city to
enter negotiations with The Bahama Conch Community Land Trust to
lease -- for 99 years at a dollar a year -- another 6.6 acres to
develop 60 to 70 units of work-force housing, retail space,
artist studios and a youth complex.
Without a clear master plan to refer to, is it possible that
voters unwittingly voted for concrete and buildings over green
space?
Further, it is unclear how the marina, combined with two
$1-a-year leases for the voter-approved projects, can generate
enough revenue for the city to offset the maintenance and
management of the parkland. This redevelopment was to generate
sufficient income so the park would not be a tax burden to the
taxpayer.
It also is unclear whether the Florida Keys Assisted Care
Coalition or the Bahama Conch Community Land Trust can
demonstrate the economic viability of their plans. And, if they
can't, at what point does the city reclaim the land?
Since the property's conveyance, the mayor's chair and every
City Commission seat has a new occupant; that makes the Naval
Properties Local Redevelopment Authority, a commission
responsibility overseeing the Truman Waterfront, completely new,
as well. The city manager, planning director and attorney also
are all new. And a Truman Waterfront Advisory Board to guide the
development was recently established.
We can't help but wonder how the new advisory board will impact
progress and the master plan -- or lack thereof. Based on its
advice, could the commission push the reset button?
We commend Last Stand for taking on the task of trying to seek a
transparent flow of information from the city, and urge all
interested parties to attend the forum at 5:30 p.m. April 8 at
the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center on the Truman Waterfront.
We further suggest that wagers on this tortoise race be kept to
a minimum.
-- The Citizen
Published Wednesday, March 18, 2009 |
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