Miami Herald
Posted May. 17, 2005

Building push has all signs of a war

The biggest push in many years to break through Miami-Dade's urban development boundary has begun as developers and the city of Hialeah have formally applied to move the line.

BY MATTHEW HAGGMAN AND TERE FIGUERAS NEGRETE

mhaggman@herald.com

Developers and one municipality are mounting the biggest push in 15 years to shift Miami-Dade County's development boundary closer to the Everglades.

The moves, which were expected as developers have aggressively assembled land parcels outside the development zone, are set to unleash a political battle royal.

Big-name developers, environmentalists, neighborhood groups, lobbyists, business leaders and elected officials -- ranging from small-town mayors to the governor of Florida -- all may jump in.

''This is going to be a bloody war,'' said Miami Lakes Councilman Michael Pizzi, whose city opposes boundary changes.

The debate over the urban development boundary has competing factions: those who think of it as an immovable line that preserves the Everglades and prevents suburban sprawl, spoiled water and crowded schools; and the opposing camp, which sees a flexible line that should bend with a burgeoning population that needs affordable housing.

Developers who applied to move the line include Shoma Homes, D.R. Horton and Pedro Adrian. Lowe's Home Centers, whose bid to move the line was rejected two years ago, is again seeking approval.

The city of Hialeah also filed an application to move the line which, if successful, would pave the way for developer Armando Codina to build an industrial site on the Peerless Dade Landfill. Earlier this month, Codina signed a contract to purchase the dump.

A total of 10 applications have been filed to move the urban development boundary line.

The re-examination of Miami-Dade's urban limits begins in April of every odd year, when the Planning & Zoning Department accepts applications. The roughly yearlong process ends in a Miami-Dade County Commission vote, which requires a two-thirds majority.

The line runs along the western and southern portions of the county. Development outside the boundary is limited to one dwelling per five acres.

''If we don't do it now, land will be gobbled up by five-acre mansions and it will have an impact on what happens inside the line,'' said Joseph Goldstein, a lawyer for D.R. Horton.

Meanwhile, applications for two much-discussed projects outside the boundary line have yet to be filed. Papers for Lennar Corp.'s Atlantic Civil project, the 981-acre development the Miami-based home-building giant wants to build near Florida City, have not been filed. Nor has Lennar, along with partner Edward W. Easton, formally lodged an application for its 823-acre parcel in western Miami-Dade County.

But the two projects are so big that under Florida law each are considered ''developments of regional impact,'' which the county can consider at any time -- not just the biennial window.

Opponents' ''Hold the Line'' campaign has attracted a diverse assemblage, including Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez, activists from Little Haiti, and homeowners from East Kendall and Coral Gables.

''This is an issue that people identify with,'' said Jamie Furgang of Audubon of Florida, one of more than 50 groups that have signed on.

Gov. Jeb Bush, while not joining the campaign, has questioned the wisdom of moving the line, citing ``grave concerns.''

Central to the debate is whether the county has enough land for future homes and businesses.

Miami-Dade's Department of Planning and Zoning predicts the county has enough land to suit its needs until at least 2020.

Attorney Miguel Diaz de la Portilla said the county's stock of housing will actually be gone by 2011, citing a study he commissioned for a client.

''They are using data that is four years out of date,'' said Diaz de la Portilla, who represents developers seeking to build on 72 acres in South Miami-Dade.

Commissioner Dennis Moss, whose district encompasses a huge swath of South Dade, has requested a study that would include experts outside of county hall.

Commissioners are also awaiting the results of the $3 million South Miami-Dade Watershed Study, which includes land outside the UDB.

''This is an old fight,'' said Commissioner Katy Sorenson, who has long spoken out against any move of the urban development boundary. ``But it's one worth fighting.''