Health, Environment, Politics and Government
June 27, 2022 Leave a comment
Anti-democratic
Anti-voting rights
Insurrectionist
Coup attempts
Pro-domestic terrorists
Anti-books and anti-education
Anti-science
Anti-vaccine
Anti-climate change
Anti-birth control
Anti-gay marriage
Pro-guns and mass murders
Racist–Anti-black; Anti-brown; Ant-immigration
Anti-trans
Anti-poor
Anti-health-for-all
Anti-LGBTQ
Christian nationalists
July 22, 2021 Leave a comment
Parking in Coral Gables has long been a concern for many. The lack of parking in downtown leads many residents to avoid the area and frequent stores and restaurants outside of Coral Gables. However, the City’s parking woes are not limited to downtown. Most concerning to residents, the City is working actively to take spaces away from residential neighborhoods to accommodate the needs of developers and businesses. Additionally concerning for neighboring residents is that the City is making changes without notifying residents or resident input. The issue was brought up at the last Parking Advisory Board and most recently at the City Commission meeting on July 13th.
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These days when the City is seeking to increase transparency, the process seems like a no-brainer. To date, no such process has been created. Residents in the area have expressed their hope that the Parking Advisory Board will take a harder look at these processes and ordinances and how they are executed by staff. Continuing with the goal of transparency, staff should work in concert with City Boards made up of citizen-volunteers so that there is complete transparency and consideration for all residents.
Street Parking: City Taking From Residents, To Help Developers And Friends, Without Notification Or Input From Residents – Gables Insider
DOCTORS HOSPITAL VALET PARKING
New valet parking at Doctors Hospital to be sold by the City will remove a dense green protective environmental barrier between the hospital and the neighbors, all to reorganize and build more parking spaces and more “efficient” parking.
The sale and the reorganized parking space will lead to the destruction in the views and quiet space of neighbors along the canal and the big loss in environmental and community benefits (by noise, lighting, traffic, unsightly view of hospital buildings, loss in property values, loss of wildlife habitat).
June 27, 2021 Leave a comment
A dense green buffer (shown here in part on the Coral Gables Canal near the University of Miami, abutting the Doctors Hospital parking leased from the City of Coral Gables) provides significant community, environmental and ambient benefits to residents and homeowners in the City of Coral Gables.
The many community benefits of the green area:
June 27, 2021 Leave a comment
The green barrier is very dense and cuts off the view of Doctors Hospital to the neighbors. It also reduces noise and adds to the local wildlife that are typical in this area.
Since Doctors Hospital has implemented some aggressive pruning of the barrier there has been an important increase in light contamination to the neighbors.
May 23, 2021 Leave a comment
These 2008 images show the Coral Gables-owned municipal parking lot #24 that was leased to Doctors Hospital since the late 1980’s. The lease contract requires that the hospital maintain the landscaping, which should hide the view of the building and sustain a green buffer in the neighborhood. Here in 2008 there was neither.
This is suggestive of what the valet parking lot may look like in the future if not carefully managed and overseen by the City of Coral Gables.
November 13, 2020 1 Comment
Enjoying this beautiful visitor to our neighborhood in this time of COVID staying at home.
This is a view of essential micro-environments for wildlife near the Doctors Hospital valet parking lot here in Coral Gables, FL.
October 12, 2020 Leave a comment
The dense green buffer on the parking lot at Doctors Hospital is a place on the canal for feeding and rest for manatees that seek out warmer and quieter waters during the winter. Many manatees and their calves are seen there during the months and feeding directly off the plants that grow out over the water along the edge of the canal in Coral Gables. This is clear and important environmental benefit for many wildlife along this quiet narrow stretch of the canal that deserves serious permanent protection.
See Miami-Dade County protection guidelines cited below:
Manatees and cold weather manatees live in Miami-Dade County year-round, but during the winter, large numbers of manatees move south or to springs and heated discharges from power plants. Manatees suffer from the cold when water temperatures fall below 68 degrees. They may become ill or die if they are unable to find refuge in warmer waters over a prolonged period. In Miami-Dade, canals and rivers that are influenced by warmer groundwater flows provide refuge for cold-stressed manatees. It is important that manatees be able to reach these shelters and rest in them with little or no disturbance from human activities. The best way to help manatees in cold weather is to avoid disturbing them, watch for signs of stress or injury and notify the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission of any manatee in distress.
Manatee Protection – Miami-Dade County
October 11, 2020 Leave a comment
This is the existing night time light contamination from Doctors Hospital, penetrating through the city-owned valet parking lot and penetrating through a very dense green buffer along the Coral Gables Waterway. The alternation, removal and installation of new landscaping may very significantly increase light contamination to the neighbors. Also, it is not known at this date if the city will allow for additional lighting on the future expanded parking lot after it is sold to Baptist Health, as planned.
September 15, 2020 Leave a comment
This photo shows that the Doctors Hospital buildings are completely out of view of the neighbors; and many neighbors have renovated their houses over the years to favor this natural untouched view of the canal.
It is projected that the hospital will eliminate appreciable green areas, thereby, increasing noise, light pollution, views of parked cars and traffic, buildings with lighting, street lighting, disturbing wildlife, decreasing property values….
September 14, 2020 Leave a comment
The City of Coral Gables recognizes that sustainability must be a key focus of the City’s policies and services, with targeted investments in energy, water and waste efficiency. Creating this sustainable city requires a commitment of leadership and coordination across the organization. Whereas, the City will consider the environmental impacts of its operations, and develop creative and practical solutions that will minimize our ecological footprint. We will integrate sustainability in the places residents and employees live, work and play, and provide the guidance and resources for our businesses and citizens. The City is committed to strategic and comprehensive sustainability planning throughout all departments and divisions. We will design, build and maintain our facilities, parks and streets to the highest of standards that promote efficiency and safety for our residents, visitors and employees. We will integrate technology to monitor and track our environmental investments, and will review our performance and cost savings. We will support businesses and organizations that are aligned with our mission, and foster relationships and opportunities with key institutions. By advancing these local sustainability initiatives, we will improve the environmental, social and economic health of Coral Gables.
City of Coral Gables – Environmental Initiatives
August 28, 2020 Leave a comment
The City of Coral Gables is negotiating the sale of a green area environment and the Doctors Hospital valet parking lot.
In this green buffer environment there resides wildlife including feeding manatees, an occasional alligator, ducks, turtles, herons, fish, among others. Boaters visit the canal that ends at the Pisano Ave Bridge by the University of Miami.
Some typical wildlife residents and visitors to the area for feeding, reproduction and rest are as follows:
August 28, 2020 Leave a comment
A dense green buffer (shown here in part on the Coral Gables Canal near the University of Miami, abutting the Doctors Hospital parking leased from the City of Coral Gables) provides significant community, environmental and ambient benefits to residents and homeowners in the City of Coral Gables.
The many community benefits of the green area:
The City of Coral Gables is negotiating the sale of the parking lot land to Baptist Health (Doctors Hospital). This could lead to a reduction in the green environmental buffer for the local residents and visual invasion of Doctors Hospital into the quiet neighborhood.
It is hoped that the City of Coral Gables will fortify the residents by setting clear limits on future land use. Otherwise, this raises questions about the sale of the property.
The city should prohibit the construction of structures (buildings, walls..) of any kind on the land and guarantee the future maintenance and sustainability of landscaping just as dense and beneficial as the existing green buffer. A mechanism to regularly review the maintenance and sustainability of the green area should be considered.
August 18, 2020 Leave a comment
This is a satellite view of the Doctors Hospital (Baptist Health) parking lot leased from the City of Coral Gables showing the lot and the green barrier between the lot and the neighborhood streets (Granada, Carillo, Pisano).
The City of Coral Gables plans the sale of the parking lot and the green area to Baptist Health for an estimated $3.0 million.
The green buffer hides views of the Doctors Hospital building, traffic and parked cars from the area residents and supplies numerous environmental benefits.
It is worrying that Doctors Hospital will re-landscape the area with the subsequent loss of the environment and local property values.
The City of Coral Gables should require that no buildings or other construction (walls) be allowed on the property and that the green buffer be fully retained or significantly improved.
If the City of Coral Gables cannot ensure the permanency of the dense green buffer then the land sale may be questioned.
February 14, 2020 2 Comments
A very recent resolution of the City Commission:
RESOLUTION NO. 2020-
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA, DECLARING A CLIMATE EMERGENCY, AND URGING THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE FOR RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES AND PROPER STEWARDSHIP OF THE ENVIRONMENT
This is the description of City of Coral Gables sustainability and environmental initiatives:
The City of Coral Gables recognizes that sustainability must be a key focus of the City’s policies and services, with targeted investments in energy, water and waste efficiency. Creating this sustainable city requires a commitment of leadership and coordination across the organization. Whereas, the City will consider the environmental impacts of its operations, and develop creative and practical solutions that will minimize our ecological footprint. We will integrate sustainability in the places residents and employees live, work and play, and provide the guidance and resources for our businesses and citizens.
https://www.coralgables.com/sustainability
Green Goals in the City of Coral Gables:
The City of Coral Gables will take measurable steps towards becoming a “sustainable” community by providing a healthy setting for residents, workers, property owners and visitors and increase awareness of green development practices and ways to have a significant impact on the City’s environment including the following: protecting the quality of air, water, land and other natural resources; conserving native vegetation, fish, wildlife and worldwide ecosystems; minimize the carbon footprint; and reduce greenhouse emissions.
https://evogov.s3.amazonaws.com/media/91/media/165649.pdf
February 6, 2020 Leave a comment
In recent years the City of Coral Gables has introduced a number of valuable sustainable development and environmentally relevant policies and programs. Recently, the City Commission has approved a statement of its concerns for mitigating climate change effects. There is a strong concern for the protection of green areas, preparation for sea level rises and ensuring sound environmental principles in all programs and projects.
March 18, 2023 Leave a comment
This Coral Gables election is not just a contest between like-minded candidates who want to protect and improve the City Beautiful. It’s a referendum on Mayor Vince Lago, who ran unopposed and has campaigned for his two handpicked pocket votes.If Lago gets his way, and Ivette Arango O’Doski and Alex Bucelo are elected, he will have the three votes to do anything he wants for the next two years. No doubt about it, they will be rubber stampers. Not that he needs them. Commissioners Rhonda Anderson and Kirk Menendez have been very amenable. There is nobody to challenge the mayor on the dais.
For independence in Coral Gables, vote Melissa Castro and Ariel Fernandez – Political Cortadito
March 15, 2023 Leave a comment
“It shows desperation,” Fernandez said. “Alex had commited to not going negative. We had a handshake and we were going to stick to the issues. “Our differences are striking when it comes to the issues.”
Coral Gables race gets ugly with separate texts for blue and red voters – Political Cortadito
March 8, 2023 Leave a comment
Over the past decade, a liberal faction within America’s colleges and universities, corporate America and the media has promoted goals of diversity, equity and inclusion, endorsed regulations restricting “harmful speech,” encouraged the ostracization of dissenters and sought to grant enhanced status to the previously marginalized.
Now, in reaction, come the governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, his allies in the state legislature and Republican politicians across America with a blunt-force counteragenda that uses the coercive power of government to impose its own speech code and ideology on education, including higher education, as well as on private businesses.
In this, DeSantis and his emulators are demonstrating that the hard right is willing not only to jettison the conservative principle of restrained government but also to endanger the accreditation of a state system of higher education — a crucial pillar of economic growth — in order to promulgate their own repressive version of permissible language in America’s universities and colleges, which have traditionally been bastions of academic freedom.
Opinion | ‘The Death Knell for Higher Education in Florida’ – The New York Times
March 8, 2023 Leave a comment
FLORIDA REPUBLICANS’ ATTACKS ON ‘FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS
PROPOSED BILLS:
HB 991 Defamation/ Libel bill
SB 1316 Blogger Registration bill
Ban on Diversity & Equity programs at public universities
Expansion of “Don’t Say Gay” to pre K- 8th grade/ banning preferred pronouns in school
SIGNED INTO LAW:
End Disney self-governing status (2023)
“Don’t Say Gay” (2022)
Stop W.O.K.E Act (2022)
Restrictions on School Library materials (2022)
Social Media “Big Tech” Censorship (2022)
Prohibited protests outside private
residences (2022) “Anti-Riot” law (2021)
source: msnbc
March 7, 2023 Leave a comment
Two years ago, a GOP Florida lawmaker wanted to discourage students from pursuing liberal arts degrees to promote more lucrative careers. It didn’t pan out, but there was far more to come:University of Florida professors were told they couldn’t testify in a federal court case. Lawmakers pushed through a bill to undercut tenure protections. Universities had to show, financially, whether their programs promoted critical race theory, a precursor for eliminating certain courses. The DeSantis administration overhauled an entire public university, New College of Florida, into a conservative-leaning institution.Those actions and several more have accelerated to a “draconian” and “hostile takeover” of Florida’s higher education system that could chill free speech on college campuses, according to the university community.
FL university system under siege as state lawmakers convene for 2023 legislative session – Florida Phoenix
June 27, 2022 Leave a comment
THE SUPREME COURT
Totally unrepresentative of the American people at large.
Coral Gables Watch 