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Storm
plan slammed
By
Larry Kahn
lkahn@keynoter.com
The
chorus of those opposed to Monroe County incorporating into its land-use
plan a 24-hour hurricane evacuation window for the Keys keeps on
growing.
Already on record against the proposal, which goes to public hearing
before the County Commission at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Key Largo
library, is Last Stand, an activist environmental and civic group based
in Key West.
Far up the islands, the Tavernier Community Association has sent a
letter to county Planning Commission Chairman Lynn Mapes saying "this is
not a change to procedure, and there is zero safety benefit from this
paper shuffle."
This
week, the World Wildlife Fund went even further, using what could be
characterized as scare tactics in an e-mailed "action alert" by calling
it a "killer amendment" and citing the deadly 1935 Labor Day Hurricane,
saying that storm - more than 400 died in the Upper Keys - could be
repeated.
Most opponents say that by putting in writing the 24-hour evacuation,
the state would then free up building permits, since the rate-of-growth
ordinance that regulates building permit is tied to evacuation.
They say that's exactly what the 24-hour proposal is about - more
building, not safety.
The county proposal to change its land plan incorporates staged
evacuation - evacuation by each region of the Keys - as a key element.
But the Keys already have staged evacuation, though it is not written
into policy.
Most
officials recognize that 24-hour evacuation, though the goal, is not a
reality. Rather, at least 48 hours or more is generally recognized as
the minimum needed to clear these islands in case a storm threatens.
The current proposal basically says that if the tourists leave, the
residential population could leave in that 24-hour window.
However, opponents say that ignores the traffic once in Florida City,
where a bottleneck always is found when evacuations are ordered. |
