MIAMI — There was a show of political force, conservation and unity outside the Stephen P. Clark Government Center in downtown Miami on Tuesday.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava urged county commissioners to uphold her veto, blocking their vote to approve Kelly Tractor’s petition to build a new headquarters outside the county’s Urban Development Boundary.
“We’ve had half a dozen opinion pieces written by people who support the veto,” said Levine Cava. “I think that these things matter. When the commissioners see the level of concern in the public, hopefully that causes them to reconsider.”
The UDB was established in 1983 to protect sensitive wetlands, agriculture and the Everglades from development.
With their vote, the board of commissioners granted the heavy equipment dealer the right to build on 246 acres west of Sweetwater, where the Dolphin Expressway ends off of Northwest 137th Avenue, on land that includes wetlands that are supposed to be protected.
“Our infrastructure only works if we have enough greenspace, enough open space to trap and store water,” said Miami Waterkeeper Executive Director Rachel Silverstein. “And every time we’re paving over wetlands, we’re removing more of our resiliency”
Also there, advocating for commissioners to reverse course on their decision were several environmental groups, including the Everglades Foundation and Miami Waterkeeper, who warned of the dangerous precedent this would set if Kelly Tractor is granted the right to develop the land.
Chris Kelly, Kelly Tractor’s CEO, pushed back, saying it needs the land to expand to meet a growing demand as its heavy machinery is used to build critical infrastructure.
The controversial vote will go back before county commissioners on Wednesday.
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