NEIGHBORHOOD BENEFITS OF A DENSE GREEN BARRIER

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:

  • Provide wildlife habitat (birds, fish, reptiles, manatees…) diversity
  • Traffic calming and noise mitigation
  • Impeding views of car traffic, valet parking, buses and ambulances
  • Impeding view of Doctors Hospital buildings
  • Mitigate Doctors Hospital lighting
  • Wind and temperature mitigation in storms and hurricanes
  • CO2 capture
  • Favor canal users’ recreational boating and fishing
  • Bolster local property values

Wide View of Green Barrier Doctors Hospital

Doctors Hospital Green Barrier

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.

Doctors Hospital: No Green Barrier in 2008

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.

Doctors Hospital 2008