Letter: Mayor was right to remove resident who ‘disrupted’ meeting

The May 31 Neighbors article Resident sends village intent-to-sue letter was written with no reference to view the archive tape of the Palmetto Bay Village Council meeting, where a speaker disrupted the meeting after he was given his full uninterrupted time to express his views on the proposed Neighborhood Protection ordinance and moratorium.

At the end of the speaker’s presentation, it can be seen clearly on the meeting tape that a proper procedural Point of Information was directed by me to the chair of the meeting to clarify for the benefit of the council and the audience, a misstatement by the speaker that the proposed ordinance being debated would affect pending development orders.

My Point of Information asked for confirmation that the proposed ordinance would apply only to future development orders or applications. Mayor Shelley Stanczyk was chair responded and confirmed my Point of Information. No comments from me or anyone else on the dais were directed to the speaker, however the speaker started shouting from the seating area, prohibiting other residents in chambers who were lined up to address the council, pro or con, on the item. The mayor, after reminding the speaker he had his full time to speak and to please restrain himself, then ordered the speaker out of chambers after he continued disrupt the meeting and speak out of order.

The council follows procedures for decorum, and the time, place and manner of speaking before the council is uniformly enforced. I invite anyone to go to the Village web site at www.palmettobay-fl.gov and visit Village Clerk’s Agenda and Meeting page to view the May 21 special meeting tape, to determine whether you are going to believe someone else’s ears or your own eyes.

Brian W. Pariser, Vice Mayor, Palmetto Bay

City wrong to OK Gables Gateway

Gables Gateway, at 4585 Ponce De Leon Blvd. in Coral Gables, is the wrong project in the wrong place. This humongous 10-story, five acre, oversized, out-of-place project is an embarrassment to our city. Whatever happened to responsible growth? Whatever happened to upholding the zoning codes? Whatever happened to protecting our neighborhoods and the quality of life for our community?

It is the consensus of opinion that this huge monstrosity is completely out of scale for this area. It blocks morning sunshine. Instead, of seeing the beautiful skyline, we overlook a concrete jungle dwarfing neighborhood homes. Buildings should harmonize with their neighborhoods. I live within 1,500 feet of these structures. I have lived in my neighborhood since 1973.

Since, the 1960’s this entire area had been zoned low-rise density. The reason was to protect the neighborhood. But, in 2006 this area was rezoned for mixed-use high-rise density. This action taken was clearly an over-reach of government. May I suggest that in the future, when there are earthshaking, life altering decisions to be made, they should be taken to a referendum? Let the people who are directly affected have a voice to what is going to happen in their city. In this case, five people made the decision to make changes that have negatively affected an entire environment.

Our choice of being in our neighborhood is not an accident by birth. We are here because we have a vision of living in peace and tranquility without the threat of loss of property value and a diminished quality of life. We are here because our predecessors had the same hope and vision and have fought hard to preserve the promise inherent in our zoning code. No home or neighborhood is immune.

Shirley Maroon, Coral Gables

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John Doe, Doral
Coral Gables