MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Miami Beach city leaders and residents spoke out Tuesday morning against Florida Senate Bill 208 and House Bill 399 one day before state leaders could vote to pass it.
“Tallahassee is not the zoning board of Miami Beach,” said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner.
The legislation would essentially bypass municipal governments and allow the state to approve or deny development projects. In this case, that would be a waterpark at Miami Beach’s historic Fontainebleau hotel.
“Decisions that affect Miami Beach should be made in Miami Beach,” said Alicia Casanova with the Mid-Beach Neighborhood Association. “If an idea cannot make it through the normal committee process, it has no business being slipped into an unrelated bill at the last minute like this one did.”
Miami Beach residents previously spoke out at the city’s Historic Preservation Board meeting on Feb. 10, opposing the plan by the Fontainebleau Miami Beach to install as many as 11 water slides, including one that’s 120 feet tall.
Residents’ concerns included environmental impact, noise and traffic on Collins Avenue.
“To be able to drive to the doctor’s, where it usually takes five minutes, and it shouldn’t take 45 minutes,” said Miami Beach resident Marsha Schwartz.
Casanova called the legislation a special interest handout.
“This is a shortcut, elected legislators should not reward rule-bending and shortcuts,” she said.
The overarching issue has implications that reach beyond the borders of the beach.
“It’s not just about Miami Beach,” said Meg Lousteau with the Miami Design Preservation League. “It’s about local communities being able to control their own destiny.”
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