Neighbors sue to stop mowing, spraying and cutting of trees
In an obvious attempt to skewer the results of mandated environmental studies to verify the existence of threatened and endangered wildlife, the owners and developers of the old, abandoned Calusa Golf Course — which has become a natural preserve in the midst of suburbia — have cut down trees, mowed the lawn and sprayed for weeds or bugs.
What’s the hurry with all the activity all of a sudden?
Well, February is the start of nesting season for the protected Florida birds that live, feed and nest in what the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission has already confirmed is a rookery for the endangered tri-colored heron. The approval last year from the county to turn the 170 acres into 550 homes hinges on required tests to ensure development doesn’t threaten the endangered Florida bonneted bat, which has been spotted on the property, and the birds that feed and nest there. Those tests start in March.
Read related: Calusa veto never came but Miami-Dade’s Alcaldesa promises ‘protections’
And it helps the developer if they can scare away or kill some birds before anyone starts counting them.
They are also doing this even though they are still in court over the planned development. The Save Calusa group of neighbors filed suit in December, challenging the rezoning from park space to high density residential, claiming that the county failed to give proper notice — because the item was deferred from one meeting to another — and that the golf course owner failed to protect the threatened animals. The owners and the county were required to file a response to the lawsuit on Jan. 23 but sought an extension.
They are just stalling so they can do as much damage as possible before the wildlife tests are done.
Save Calusa had to file an emergency motion Thursday asking a judge to immediately stop any more disruptive activity. “We are asking the court to tell them to knock it off,” said attorney David Winker.
You know, because the county sure isn’t doing anything.
“It’s unfortunate that residents have to spend their time and effort policing this developer, because none of this would be necessary if the county would just enforce its own rules,” Winker told Ladra.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava promised there would be protections when she failed to veto the commission’s approval of the rezoning. And developers didn’t wait long to test her will.
In two weeks, developers had big equipment out there tearing trees out of the ground. DERM staff inspected the site and explained that the owner was doing a “limited removal of Brazilian pepper, an invasive exotic, to access areas for environmental testing like soil sampling — testing required by the permitting process.”
Video taken by neighbors show there are birds that are clearly confused and upset, flying and walking around the debris as if they lost something.
Read related: Tree removal at Calusa causes concern for promised wildlife protections
The property owner was fined $500 on Dec. 16 for removing a large, healthy black olive. But these are the same speculators who paid $20 million or so in a secret settlement to get out of the covenant that would have kept the land a golf course. A $500 fine no es nada.
Neighbors have gotten other activities on video. They’ve posted photos and videos online of lawnmowers driving some white egrets crazy, workers hauling a boat to the lake — maybe to poison the birds food source — and spraying for weeds. They alert county officials who just give one excuse after another.
“The activity shown in this video is regular, ongoing routine maintenance on the lake and shoreline to control aquatic vegetation growth in and around the lake,” the Miami-Dade Department of Environmental Resource Management said in a statement Thursday afternoon.
Are they stupid or complicit? Ongoing routine maintenance?!?
This golf course has sat abandoned and there has been zero maintenance — demolition through neglect, actually — for more than 10 years. Why do they need to mow the lawn and spray for weeds if they’re just going to tear it all apart to build 550 homes?
Read related: Miami-Dade Commission votes to kill Calusa preserve for Kendall developer
“DERM has continued to closely monitor the site and conducts weekly site visits as part of the county’s commitment to enhanced monitoring and oversight of this project,” the statement said.
Well, apparently, the owner and developers of the property have found a way around that close monitoring. Pft.
On Thursday, the Save Calusa organization and Amanda Prieto, who represents the hundreds of neighbors who oppose the development, sued the county and the developers asking a judge to stop any “further actions to drive away wildlife.”
“Nesting is about to begin,” Prieto told Ladra. “We want to make sure its as peaceful as possible.”
Calusa developers try to scare away wildlife before county mandated study added by Ladra on
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[…] Commission approved the project. Save Calusa Inc. (not to be confused with the Trust) sued. While developers did what they could to scare the wildlife away with tractors and spraying and clearing, the case climbed all the way to the Florida Supreme Court, […]
[…] Read related: Calusa developers try to scare away wildlife before county mandated study […]
[…] Read related: Calusa developers try to scare away wildlife before county mandated study […]
I would be interested if anyone who has emailed Mayor Cava has ever received a reply other then the automated reply .
I emailed her twice because as ridiculous as some here might find this the white / yellow street divider lines in most of Miami are so faded they are gone or barely visible.
Coral Gables might be different but either way as someone who works at night I would prefer streets with actual divider lines , lol.
If you go further north in the state this is unheard of and here not only is basic city maintenance ignored which includes huge tree branches over electrical wires but instead unnecessary huge money projects happen.
I emailed Mayor Gimenez about it and stated this is a safety issue and though he emailed me back that it would be looked at nothing was done .
Mayor Cava no reply and emails have been specific , pics and polite .
I don’t see the Alcaldesa stepping up to stop big interests from trampling over the little guy. She is all smoke and mirrors.
On another note since this is about nature due to planting sunflowers in pots in my yard I have seen hummingbirds , I mention this if anyone likes these unique tiny birds .
Have been here 6 years now and never saw them before the sunflowers .
” Weak Mayor. Residents and tourists need a Mayor who will stand up to bullies. We need a Mayor who will fight to protect parks and nature.”
Agree with you but ‘ No Fan ‘ often makes the point that it is not that cut and dry .
This happened in Nov . I think Cava is in same situation with the assorted Commissioners .
Special Forces in Afghanistan called CIA ” The Shadow Men ” and they said it with disdain , disgust but it is the Shadow Men who often run things and I see these Cosa Nostra Commissioners as just that .
I was NOT Special Forces .
Cava is in same situation as Pigatt was as far as she is not actually in charge , well that is my opinion but yes would like to see throw a political punch at the Commissioners now and then.
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‘I Could Not Stop The Corruption’: Opa-Locka Mayor Matthew Pigatt Resigns During Commission Meeting”
November 10, 2021 at 11:50 pm
His resignation was not on Wednesday’s agenda, surely catching those in attendance off guard.
Pigatt standing up from his seat said he thought he could help fix a system that was broken from within but found that he was wrong.
“I am not resigning because the job is too big. I am resigning because I am in the wrong position to effect real change in my city – and in cities just like this throughout America,” Pigatt said.
“The forces of corruption are too strong for one person to reform. The reformers within the government are outnumbered by those who want to compromise, maintain the status quo and promote themselves over the people,” he said, adding, “however, the people outnumber the government. The people can hold this government accountable.”
. This developer didn’t do anything illegal in exploited existing loopholes, they are developers.Of course they’re rigging it, that’s what developers do best- unethical heartless and conniving but it’s up to the county to protect its citizens BEFORE the vote and that’s the process
The issue is the community voting for variances covenants and deed restrictions which allows one side to literally buy votes . While there’s always under the table deals this was ridiculous I’m not sure DERM, or Mayor Cava should take the heat for the few greedy backstabbing neighbors that live in Colusa and sold out the whole association.
Weak Mayor. Residents and tourists need a Mayor who will stand up to bullies. We need a Mayor who will fight to protect parks and nature.
Thank you for the local reporting you’re doing, which we so desperately need in Dade County. Who says local journalism is dead!
This is terrible!
Mayor Cava has been an embarrassment as the first ‘Women’ Mayor. Weak, Coward, Fake…..She gave the green light to the contactors of the fallen FIU bridge for the MIA Airport project, gave the green light to demolish the surfside building with pets inside etc etc…..and now this.
And 100% the developers are coming at night time to do their dirty work too and they will continue to go during day or night even if the judge tells them to stop… watch.
Look at this , Mel Reese ,Now Calusa and Them Doral Trump ? Think NO PARKS !
It must be a slow day for ruining wildlife. As of 9am, no sabotage of wildlife has been detected – yet.
Daniela Cava AKA Mayor Cava has shown she is a huge coward. She refuses to speak up to protect parks, animals, birds and nature. Sure she does a few photo ops BUT her actions speak louder than words. Cava should act to save Calusa AND Cava should act to save 130+/- acres of Melreese Park from being destroyed by speculators.
Hoping this new suit puts a halt to the intrusion. La Alcaldeza needs to step up and keep her word. Unfortunately, we have seen many times that this County works only for those with special interests who will provide them with the most $$$$$ regardless of the damage they do to our environment and our wildlife.