Sometimes it seems we go so long in between meetings - we forget about the busy lives of those we elected!  Here are just a couple hints about the whereabouts of a couple members of Council.

Vice Mayor Sharon Mahoney finally had time between meetings to get her leg repaired. We hope recovery goes well.  Perhaps the Seven Mile Bridge race will be in her future!

Councilmember Anna Richards threw out the first pitch at the Coral Shores baseball game Monday, threwing a strike to get the Canes off to a great start as they won an exciting game 3-1 with pitcher Riley O’Berry going the distance.

Last Stand welcomed Councilmember Steve Friedman as their newest board member. Steve is a dedicated and experienced advocate for the lifeblood of the Florida Keys: the waters. Last Stand is lucky to have Steve on their board. Click here to read how Steve got to be such an advocate for our waters.

The rest couldn't be posted because of the size for some reason? Please see the newsletter archives for more!

It does not take long to figure out that in Islamorada there are two clearly defined entities. These two sides are on a collision course.

This week’s concern:

“They paved paradise to put up a parking lot”

Common good:The very heart of the legal concept of the common good isn't a single law, but an idea woven into government regulations, constantly asking the question: “What is best for the community as a whole?”

It is apparent the “common good” policy is not working properly in Islamorada and some in the community get special favors.

A year ago, property owners at Anglers Reef Condos on Windley Key asked the Village to provide overflow parking spaces on Village owned right of way in front of their 52-unit condo.

Over 75% of the units have vacation rental licenses, which certainly adds to their parking problems… that they want the Village to fix. 

There are numerous parking problems in Islamorada. The scenic Village is not so scenic anymore with continual overflow parking everywhere.  Why has the Council singled out Anglers Reef to provide special help? 

At a recent meeting, the Village Council, declared fixing Angler Reef parking as the “top priority” for the Planning Department. It is now ahead of the Comp Plan and a list of other, now forgotten “priorities.”

Publicly spinning the priority “wheel” doesn’t solve a single problem.

Jennifer DeBoisbriand, Village Planning Director, told council from a planning perspective, parking throughout the Village should be addressed together as part of the Comp Plan review. We think this is logical. That review should be top priority.

The property owners at Anglers Reef, through their HOA attorney, Ty Harris, offered to pay, an estimated $500,000 for the parking project. Village Attorney, John Quick, warned that this could create legal complications because of the tax-free status of the Village. And that the parking couldn’t be restricted to “Anglers Reef Only.”

The Council members responded - who else would use the proposed parking?  How about the mobile home park adjoining Anglers Reef with 48 homes squeezed onto a property about 1/3 the size of Anglers Reef. Aren’t they equally entitled?

Furthermore, this creates a precedent that will be tested and eventually abused.

At the June 2025 Council Meeting, former Village Engineer, Robert Mather, presented recommendations based on legal requirements and safety issues. He indicated parallel parking is the safest parking design and follows legal requirements. He explained requirements as to clear sight triangles, no backing onto a road, etc. 

DeBoisbriand added that while many local businesses back onto roads, those are existing conditions that can’t be changed. For a new project, all requirements like the no backing requirement must be enforced to minimize future hazards.

Recommendations and warnings from Mather and DeBoisbriand were ignored. The Council directed Mather to change the plan to angled parking. And voted to eliminate the “no backing” safety restriction in Village regulations.

Next: Once the sketch with the angled parking was completed, a Town Hall meeting was to be scheduled to present the plan to the community. None yet, 9 months later?

Special treatment: Is Anglers Reef getting other special concessions?    

According to “Cityview“ on the Village website, on Jan 16, the Building Department received a permit application for 11 parking spaces in the right of way with the Village as property owner. Who filed the permit?

On Feb 12, the Village Planning Department received a site plan for the Village owned Right of Way, from the homeowners, listing Anglers Reef as owner. 

From the site plan review by Planning: “Parking plan pursuant to License & Use Agreement between Village of Islamorada and Anglers Reef POA.”  What license agreement?  This appears headed for the Hall of Bad decisions. File it next to the Founders Park baseball field fiasco.

Also noted in the review for Anglers Reef  “Application fees and deposit waived per Village Manager.”  Why?  What entitles them to reduced costs? 

 

People ask why is there division in the Village?Look at the decisions made by Village authorities, often demonstrating blatant favoritism.

Are Village taxpayers on the hook for the costly improvements and staff time?

Will this application face the same scrutiny other applicants face? I wouldn’t bet on it. And will we ever know why Anglers Reef is treated a bit better than many applicants facing the Village.  This whole project stinks to high heaven.

Explain Village officials! You work for us. You can try to heal the division with transparency and answers to our questions. Ball is in your court.

 

Tom Raffanello

Nighttime single-lane closures will take place on the Channel 5 Bridge Sunday, March 1 through Thursday, March 5, from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. the following morning.

has been issued by South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) for Miami-Dade and Monroe. SFWMD says there may not be enough water through the remainder of the dry season (which typically lasts until May) to meet demand and protect the aquifer from serious harm. Remember, the water source for Monroe County is the same aquifer that provides water to Miami-Dade.

According to the prominent Keys environmental organization, Last Stand, this water shortage is exactly why they have fought overdevelopment for nearly 40 years.

From Last Stand’s recent newsletter: The Keys have real, physical limits. Endless growth is not compatible with a fragile island chain that depends on a stressed regional water supply.  Even though official population estimates look stable, water, sewer, and solid waste data indicate there are more people in the Keys than ever before. A likely driver is the explosion of short-term rentals, which often house far more people than the outdated infrastructure planning assumptions of roughly two people per household. Overdevelopment, land use planning, and ROGO isn’t just a hurricane evacuation issue, or an environmental issue. It’s a question of whether we push the Keys so far past its breaking point that the taps run dry.

On Feb 18, the Charter Review committee decided to propose several items for the Council’s consideration regarding changes to the Village Charter..

• With a vote of 6-1, Susan Raffanello, dissenting, the committee decided to stick with 5 seats instead of recommending the top 5 vote getters get elected, as is done in Marathon.

• They also voted 6-1, Susan Raffanello, dissenting, to recommend going from 2-year terms for members of council to 3-year terms with a term limit of 3 terms. We understand if a member has already served one or two years of a term, they would only be eligible for 2 additional terms - not 9 years total.  It was not discussed whether this is a total of 3 terms total or 3 consecutive terms.  

• A vote to not stagger the terms failed 2-5.  

The members of the committee often referred to the preference of the residents they have talked to.  If you haven’t voiced your ideas to committee members, attend the meetings so your voice can be heard.

Everyone believes we need more affordability - living costs: housing, taxes, insurance, groceries.  Used to be the #1 priority in the Village. Getting there is the problem. We need help from the legislature, developers, the Village, the TDC.

Do we even know where to start? Do we even know what type of affordable/workforce housing would help the situation? What can we learn from the County - 9 months ago they acquired 12 one-bedroom deed restricted affordable housing units in Key Largo.  None have been rented. Many new projects are pending with hundreds of affordable deed restricted units proposed. Perhaps Habitat for Humanity is correct that in the Upper Keys the most needed housing is stand-alone 3 bedroom/2 bath family ownership opportunities. As a proponent of Habitat stated to us “These end up being essential permanent residents of the community who benefit from their proximity to their jobs, high quality schools and the opportunity to create and grow their equity while contributing to the vibrancy of the community.” Our proximity to the mainland makes it practical for many workers to commute.  The typical renters might rather live on the mainland due to the lower cost of living, availability of housing and proximity to a community of family and friends. Unfortunately, bringing our workforce from the mainland may increase our local traffic challenges. Affordable Housing Study: An up-to-date Housing Study is desperately needed! We cannot just guess about how to spend critical affordable housing funds. Or use 20-year-old data.  What do we really need? What decisions do we make as a Village that improve or hurt the goals. The Islamorada statistics are readily available and need analysis as to the best approach to improving affordability. Monroe County just approved an Affordable Housing Study. County Administrator Christine Hurley commented: “We are seeing a change of usage that we’ve never seen before in the County” District 5 County Commissioner, Holly Rascheim, an Islamorada resident, stated: “We are getting a little saturated up here.  We need to make sure we are putting affordable housing where it actually needs to go.” Does anyone else in Islamorada think we are “a little saturated?” Click Here to read a Free Press story about the Monroe County study.  Why was Marathon included but not Islamorada?

Village Manager, Ron Saunders, has indicated he will continue to provide a comp plan update in every council agenda until the process has been completed. It surely seems to be moving at a snails pace.

If you are interested in reviewing the initial draft from Able City East, it is public record.  We would be happy to email it to readers. We have also received comments from several staff members that have been sent to Able City. As we’ve stated several times… Village citizen committees can and should help. This impacts life in Islamorada for generations to come. We hope all committees will be provided the initial draft along with any planning staff suggestions so they can review sections related to their committee work. This is a complex document. Extensive work is needed. The public needs to be heavily involved. Do not underestimate the critical importance of the comprehensive plan and public involvement.

a spectacular total lunar eclipse where the darkest part of its shadow, completely covers the Moon. Because a totally eclipsed Moon is usually colored red, total lunar eclipses are also called Blood Moons.

This eclipse was to be visible in Miami and  the Keys. beginning at 3:44 am  when the Earth's shadow  began covering the moon. The eclipse was over at 6:23 am.

Clocks will shift forward an hour on Sunday, March 8 at 2 a.m., which will become 3 a.m. and end Nov 1.

The spring time change is an annual ritual, loved by some, tolerated by others and debated almost every year.

It does not take long to figure out that in Islamorada there are two clearly defined entities. These two sides are on a collision course:

1. The people who prioritize protecting our environment and work to resist the prevailing propensity for over development and lack of budget discipline

2. The business community that appears to be more interested in unfettered tourism and development.

The polarization here between the two schools of thought is so stark that many residents have unfriendly social interactions, criticized for even being seen and speaking with people from opposing camps.

This is juvenile. This polarization has undermined our democratic process by making discussion, negotiation, and compromise difficult, if not impossible. Even the best ideas are ignored when coming from the wrong person or affiliation.

The Islamorada Community Alliance has become a focal point for those who seek to demonize opposing views. Again, juvenile and, I submit, not what residents voted for.

I pledge to continue to oppose programs and actions we deem detrimental to our residents and environment. We will not be deterred; speak to me at your own peril.

The unique environment of the Keys has long been the reason for our growth and financial success. Maybe the business community should thank the environmentalists for preserving their most important asset.

When someone expresses a view on a controversial issue and then encounters vigorous criticism, the result is often “self-censorship.”  People remain silent to avoid the vitriol and economic consequences they may suffer by speaking up.

At a recent council meeting there were only two members of the public in attendance for important public hearings - one was the attorney for a petitioner.

Islamorada is in the process of reviewing our Village Charter. This is our “Constitution” and is a critical undertaking. The committee, selected by the council, has now met twice. Once there was just one member of the public in attendance; four at the next meeting.

It took over 14 months to get this council to initiate the process, but now we are told there is no time to waste. Didn’t all the councilpersons run on this issue?

We asked the Village Manager, Ron Saunders: How can we get the public more engaged in the local government issues?

Saunders said, with his extensive legislative experience, that people typically get involved when they are angry.  When they are satisfied with what the elected officials are doing, they don’t need to participate.

He hopes that is the case in Islamorada currently - satisfaction with the government.

I think that is delusional, incorrect and poor reasoning.

Residents have been intimidated. The fear of reprisal hangs over our small village. Or perhaps it is the knowledge that the council isn’t going to listen anyway.

We have another theory.  The population of Islamorada has changed since the early days when there was standing room only for council meetings.  

We have 7000 residents. Many more part-time residents who do not get involved in Village politics to the degree those who live here year-round.

The cost of living in Islamorada has been going higher and higher. Unfortunately, it has never been quite like it is now. “Now the billionaires are replacing the millionaires.”

Maybe money does buy happiness. Remember when most homes here were 2 bedrooms, or less. A 3-bedroom home was a mansion.  Now the wealthy are building homes big enough to house the extended family and all of their friends without the need to share a bathroom.

A couple examples…

Consider the huge “resort” homes, permitted as single family, used as a vacation rental, with many bedroom suites, rented for a day, weekend, or week, as if a mini hotel… popular as a corporate retreat, wedding venue or family reunion destination.

Some rent at over $5,000 per night. Up the ante if a private chef is included. Many seem to ignore the Village rules... may not even bother with a vacation rental license. If they are caught, the fine is a small portion of the thousands that the rentals produce.

Toothless enforcement if, in fact, there is any meaningful enforcement at all.

One property owner had no trouble with a landscape mitigation fee to bulldoze a couple acres of high-quality hammock. Built a house, now listed for sale at over $20,000,000. The $100,000 in bulldozer mitigation was a small price to pay!

Challenging the government is only possible if you have deep pockets - very, very deep pockets. And that’s who is moving in.

My friend, these are some of the facts that discourage residents from participating:

• Fear of retribution or loss of friendships

• Happy with, or oblivious to, local government

• Government decisions don’t matter - pay the fee, when and if caught.

• I’m going fishing – or to the brewery where at least the bartender listens.

I applaud those who want to make a difference and continue to weigh in on our important quality of life issues. Keep at it.

Elections have consequences.

Tom Raffanello