Lobbyist hints at a bait and switch for a smaller project
It was, indeed, a “slam dunk” against Ponce Park Residences, as former Coral Gables Commissioner Wayne “Chip” Withers called the planning and zoning board meeting Wednesday night where seven members voted unanimously to deny zoning variances and land use change requests from Allen Morris to build a 16- or 17-story building on Ponce de Leon Boulevard.
Only a seven-story building is allowed there on the property as of right — but that is only if the developer gets full access to the Mediterranean bonus on which there is currently a moratorium while the city reviews it.. Without the bonus, anything built there can only go four stories.
Resident after resident came to City Hall Wednesday to speak against the project — a massive mixed-use building with 161 residential units, 18,000 square feet of retail space on the ground floor and 265 parking spaces.
They used sharp words to criticize Park Ponce Residences. It’s not just out of scale and incompatible with the neighborhood. It’s absurd. Disrespectful. Indecent. Grotesque.
Know more: Ponce Park Residences seeks Coral Gables P&Z nod for 16-story high-rise
“This is an indecent proposal,” said Eduardo Gonzalez Fernandez, a surgeon. “And anyone who votes for it is indecent. We really question who is getting money under the table. This is not reasonable.”
Mayra Joli, a former commission candidate — who is now, curiously, running for Miami mayor — yelled like always.
“Here we go again. You are only serving the people with the money,” Joli said, visibly frustrated and adding that the city has not heard the residents. She turned former commission candidates Alex Bucelo and Claudia Miro, the newest members of the planning board.
“Alex, Claudia, you know what these people don’t want,” she said.
The “gifting” of a piece of University Drive really set people off.
Several members of the planning board said they were offended by the remarks — particularly the “money under the table” — and noted that they hadn’t voted on the project yet. They also said that vacation of University Drive was not going to happen on their watch.
Both Bucelo and Miro came out strong on their first meeting, telling the lobbyist in no uncertain terms that the project was not going to fly.
The writing was on the wall early on. Ramon Trias, the city’s assistant director of planning, told the commission that staff had recommended denial because the project was not compatible with the area or consistent with the city’s comprehensive master plan. He said developers should follow the rules. Imagine that.
Know more: Coral Gables Commission oks zoning shift for Crafts Section, not Miracle Mile
The only thing staff recommended approval of was vacating the alley. But Trias backed away from that, because nobody wanted to do it without seeing a new project first.
In the end the board denied todo, which means it goes with the staff and board denial to the city commission.
But maybe not as is.
Allen Morris lobbyist Anthony De Yurre — son of former Miami Commissioner Victor De Yurre — hinted that commissioners may see a different project, even though the planning board wants them to start the process over again with a new project that addresses residents’ concerns. Several residents had complained that the community meetings were a charade.
Sue Kawalerski, a member of the traffic advisory board and president of the Coral Gables Neighbors Association, said she had met with Spencer Morris two weeks ago and Allen Morris surprised them. “We expected the project to have substantial changes,” she told the commission. “That’s why we took the time off to meet. And we were disappointed there were no changes.”
But now that they know they won’t get approved, now they can make changes?
Is this a bait and switch? Is Morris et al going to the commission with a 12-story building and no need to take a piece of University Drive and suddenly that’s going to sound reasonable? Like they listened to residents when, just maybe, that was the plan all along?
Commissioners should simply deny whatever project is brought before them. If it’s this project, it should be denied for all the reasons already stated. If it’s changed substantially — and it has to change substantially — then the commission should make Morris start over again and go back before the p&z board.
‘Slam dunk’ denial of Coral Gables massive high-rise at planning board added by Ladra on
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