I write at the urging of many friends and neighbors who, like me, strongly oppose the proposed changes to the ordinance which currently bans the overnight parking of pick up trucks in Coral Gables neighborhoods. The recent actions and statements of the city leadership concerning this issue are ill-considered responses to a few loud voices — mostly the owners of pick-up trucks. The last valid citizen survey that was conducted showed an overwhelming majority of our citizens opposed to allowing such trucks to become part of the residential landscape. The changes suggested to the “pick-up” law will be impossible to enforce without an “army” of regulators deciding which vehicles meet the new standards and which don’t, tracking down the trucks with uncovered beds versus those with tarps over the opening, and measuring the length and width of the vehicles. Proponents of the repeal always point to photographs of the smallest trucks manufactured; but look around and take note of the general height and wheel base size of many of the trucks transiting our city. One, two or three of those large, loud machines constantly present in one of the cozy (but crowded) neighborhoods of the North Gables could easily ruin the residential atmosphere (and, thus, diminish the value of their property). The reason that the City won its lengthy court battle to continue enforcing the historic ban was that the ordinance was clear and unambiguous, it was applied uniformly and, importantly, it was not a civil rights issue but a quality-of-life issue properly within the regulatory authority of a municipality. Now the truck-owner that could not win in court seems to be favored over the majority of residents. I am a person who believes in representative democracy, but when public servants wish to consider a significant change to the fabric of our community, they should want to know what the majority thinks. This is an issue ripe for a straw ballot and that is what the Commission should fashion for the April 2013 city elections. That way, candidates seeking our votes can be judged, in part, by their position on this matter. Until then, the law should be enforced.Don Slesnick, Coral Gables The writer is the former mayor of Coral Gables.
Coral Gables
Coral Gables