The Miami Herald

HOUSING

Posted on, Feb. 24, 2006

Shoma Homes abandons UDB project

Shoma Homes pulled its bid to build a housing development outside of Miami-Dade's contested Urban Development Boundary.

BY DOUGLAS HANKS III
dhanks@MiamiHerald.com

Shoma Homes withdrew its application Thursday to build a subdivision in the fringes of Miami-Dade County, saying it saw little hope of persuading political leaders to alter the Urban Development Boundary.

The withdrawal marks the first retreat by one of nine projects seeking permission this year to build outside the current UDB zone, plans that sparked a fierce battle with environmentalists and anti-sprawl activists.

State regulators this week cited water supply worries in urging local leaders to reject all nine projects, the latest in a string of setbacks for developers.
''The handwriting's been on the wall for a couple months now,'' Shoma attorney Stanley Price said. "It's silly to waste additional time and effort on something that's not going to happen.''

Miami-Dade reviews UDB extensions every two years, so Shoma may resubmit its application in 2007. Price said the Miami-based company needed more time to create a transportation plan for its proposed development and for the county to complete a key study of the region's watershed.

Price said the prospects also weren't good for the other eight projects awaiting an April vote by the county commission on moving the UDB boundary.

''I think they have a total uphill climb to get this approval,'' Price said. "The commission is going to have to make some pretty tough decisions if they're going to grant any of these approvals.''

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez, who opposes moving the UDB line, said he hoped other developers would follow Shoma's lead and pull their proposals.
''This was the responsible thing to do,'' Alvarez said.

Cynthia Guerra, executive director of the Tropical Audubon Society, hailed Shoma's withdrawal as a surprising boost for the ''hold-the-line'' movement.

''I'm delighted,'' she said. "It seems as though they recognized we have some serious issues and problems we need to tackle.''

The nine projects, all filed during the 2004 UDB review process, comprise office parks, shopping centers and residential communities on the western and southern fringes of Miami-Dade County.

DANGER IN THE GLADES

Environmentalists and slow-growth proponents argue the projects would endanger the Everglades, strain the county's water supply and result in more suburban gridlock. Developers and their supporters contend the developments would bring affordable housing to a county straining under soaring real estate prices.
Following negative recommendations from local regulators regarding water supply concerns, the Florida Department of Community Affairs issued a sharp warning against approving the projects.

The agency, which reviews land-use changes statewide, said the county needed to show it had enough drinking water, schools and roads to support the proposed projects.

Price, the Shoma lawyer, said Shoma mostly decided to withdraw its project weeks before the DCA report's release.

Price said the company knew it could not provide the transportation plan County Commission Chairman Joe Martinez said he would require for final approval of the Shoma project.

COMMISSIONERS VOTE

Martinez, joined by a bare majority of the commission, voted in December to forward the nine projects to state regulators for review. The final decision rests with the county commission, which is expected to vote on the nine projects in April.

WE NEED A PLAN

In a statement, Shoma President Masoud Shojaee urged Miami-Dade to create a blueprint for growth.

''The need for long-term planning has never been more evident than with the existing conditions occurring in Miami-Dade County,'' Shojaee said. "It is unfortunate that the Master Plan process has become such a divisive procedure in Miami-Dade County.''

Andrew Dolkart, a consultant working with most of the developers seeking to build outside the UDB zone, said he expected the other builders to stick with their applications.

''I wouldn't read anything into Shoma,'' he said.

Miami Herald Staff Writer Tere Figueras Negrete contributed to this report.