KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. — The fate of a major piece of Virginia Key will soon be in the hands of Miami voters. A referendum on the November ballot could transform nearly 28 acres of waterfront.

But environmentalists warn the impact could extend far beyond the marina, into an already fragile Biscayne Bay.

“The environmental impact of doing these projects, the way they’re being proposed right now, is very concerning to me,” said Charles Munroe, a Friends of Biscayne Bay board member.

Munroe is a descendant of Biscayne Bay conservation pioneer Ralph Munroe.

“My great grandfather came down here in the 1870s,” Munroe said.

Munroe is now among a growing chorus of environmental voices worried about what’s next for this beloved stretch of the watershed, home to the Miami Rowing Club, the Save Our Sisters breast cancer survivor dragon boat team and countless others who come to passively recreate here.

“I think we need to protect our natural resources, especially Biscayne Bay. It’s a treasure and part of what makes Miami so special,” Munroe said.

This November, City of Miami voters will decide the fate of nearly 28 acres on Virginia Key.

“We have a family that’s here since 1983 running this marina. Why would we change operators?” said Laura Reynolds, policy adviser for Friends of Biscayne Bay.

At issue is Referendum 3 — whether to approve a new long-term lease allowing developers RCI Group and Dallas-based Suntex Marinas to take over the space and move forward with an ambitious $80 million redevelopment of the Rickenbacker and Marine Stadium marinas, adding restaurants, retail and public parking with increased dry storage and 202 wet slips.

“The scope of this marina is going to expand the physical footprint of the marina significantly to accommodate really, really, really large yachts, mega yachts,” said Dave Doebler, an environmental activist.

“They’re going to actually end up extending this almost out to that sign,” Doebler said.

And it’s not that deep.

Biscayne Bay is a naturally shallow estuary. Accommodating larger yachts here would require dredging — a lot of dredging.

“And so you’re talking about, you know, manatees. You’re talking about seagrass. You’re talking about silting over areas, and if you combine that with all of the other things that are proposed, it’s over the top for Virginia Key,” Reynolds said.

Virginia Key is already facing significant change — from the restoration and reactivation of Miami Marine Stadium, to a proposed mooring field that would place 195 concrete anchors in the basin, plus plans to redevelop the former Miami Seaquarium site, including a massive new marina.

Environmentalists say the concern isn’t just about expanding and redeveloping this marina; it’s about the cumulative impact of all the development being proposed across Virginia Key, and whether an already fragile Biscayne Bay can possibly withstand the added pressure of what could be coming.

“It’s overwhelming. It’s very overwhelming. They came all together at the same time,” said Maria Eugenia Rodriguez, a Key Biscayne resident.

“Traffic, construction, the bay, the nature, the cumulative impact on all our resources. What makes Virginia Key unique,” Rodriguez said.

“And Biscayne Bay can only take so much, so if we keep throwing things at it, Mother Nature at some point is gonna, she’s gonna give up. We don’t want that to happen because the people that want those boats, they want this,” said Capt. Chris Adams, a fishing guide.

The developers declined an on-camera interview but say the project would bring environmental improvements, including living seawalls, new green space and a Florida Clean Marina designation.

But Reynolds calls it greenwashing. She also takes issue with the ballot language and says the developers’ “Save Virginia Key” campaign adds to voter confusion.

“Save Virginia Key. I mean, that’s just misleading to voters. Voters really need to understand that we don’t need a new marina to save Virginia Key,” Reynolds said.

And with mail-in ballots going out next week, voters will soon have their say on a decision that could reshape this part of Virginia Key for generations. For longtime Miami families like the Mathesons, the stakes are deeply personal.

“The voters have to be real conscious of what they’re giving up if they allow all of this stuff to go through,” said Bruce Matheson, president of Friends of Biscayne Bay.

“I think that any development that happens on Virginia Key, the benefit to the average citizen should be the primary goal,” Matheson said.

Copyright 2026 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.