What went on at the tree meeting

The meeting took place about the SW 27th Avenue tree massacre yesterday afternoon, downtown at the offices of Commissioner Xavier Suarez, the only political figure who seems to be concerned about the issue, other than Michelle Niemeyer, chair of the Coconut Grove Village Council, who lead the charge in stopping the massacre.

People from all levels of the county showed up, no one from the City showed up, which says a lot, and folks from Tree Watch and Tree Man Trust showed up, a few nosey neighbors who were asked not to show up, showed up, the usual clowns suspects. I did not show up, because I was asked not to, so I got this report from a few people who were at the meeting.

The group went over the plans for the project. One amazing thing is that the large trees that were knocked down at the vigil site, were not destroyed, as was originally stated, to make room for the boats entering the Seminole Boat Ramp, now the explanation is that they needed to make room for the bike path that is being installed. I don't buy that simply because a bike path on that side of S. Bayshore was not part of this particular project and secondly, they could have meandered the bike path around the trees. Makes no sense to go green with bike paths yet, knock down every tree in the bike path's way to make room for the said path. Stupid thinking. Insane thinking.

The two phases of the project will be in two permitted parts and the county will not proceed with phase two until there is a total understanding by the citizens of what is to be going on. And as of now, there is no permit for any tree cutting for the rest of phase I and for phase II, the city took that away from the county and the county needs to apply for new permits, as if from scratch, but it's sort of a bit of closing the barn door after the animals got out. Some work will go on this week at the areas that have already been affected, so as not to have any project delay costs, but no other tree cutting or destruction will be permitted.

The only trees left that have not been touched by the county, but may need to be are a few mahoganies near the Shell gas station on 27th and US1 and some palm trees, which are slated for relocation (the palms, not the mahoganies).

A public meeting will be set up within the next couple of weeks where citizens will have their say. We'll let you know when and where that will be when it is announced.

One very interesting concept is that the county is "threatening" to remove the traffic circle that was part of the project near Tigertail and SW 27th Avenue, they say if a light is put in, it will save trees, especially the large tree that is shown in the photo above. There is already a light there and everyone agreed that a traffic light would be best, rather than the circle.

Michelle, speaking for the Village Council, asked that the area of the massacre, especially the trees on S. Bayshore near the Expo Center be replaced with something "great" as mitigation. Something that will be incredible, that will make a statement.

Basically, it seems as if the county is stuck in the middle of the citizens and the city and the city seems to be at total fault here. First for not sending out the proper notices about the tree cutting, which is the law, and secondly by not being more involved in the project. True, it is a county road that is being transformed, but it is in the boundaries of the City of Miami.

It took Santiago Villegas and Liliana Dones of Tree Watch to get this noticed and Michelle Niemeyer to get the right thing done. They should be commended for being so involved and caring about Coconut Grove, as for other city officials, it's a matter of progress, and they should be ashamed of themselves, especially those who claim to love trees and the lush village atmosphere, but only talk the talk and turn their back on the issues when it is time to protect the tree canopy. Hypocrites they are.

I am so disillusioned by our so-called leaders about this and other projects that I think it is time that changes are made around here. Big changes. The arrogance, law breaking, money grubbing and rudeness have to be stopped. We need to change the Grove and the City of Miami back to a civil place. Right now they are not.

I have not met one citizen who is in favor of these so-called beautification projects (other than the handful who are told to be, or else). These ludicrous projects are thrown down our throats. Do the elected politicians realize that the citizens call the shots around here and not the other way around? Do the elected politicians realize they can be out on their asses any time by recall or simply by being voted out of office? Arrogant bastards. We know it's all about money, because if it was a cheap, simple project, it would not be fought for so hard, but when millions are at stake, it's all about that and not about what the tax payers, the ones who pay the bills, want. Shame.