And a parent and an Islamorada resident and taxpayer.

Why does Islamorada government continue to punish Lower Mat?

Many Islamorada canals were dredged in the 1950s–60s without adequate tidal exchange.

A canal restoration effort by the Village on Lower Matecumbe has demonstrated immediate, dramatic improvements in water quality at four locations with new culverts connecting dead-end canals to improve circulation.

A fifth location is a part of that culvert project.

It is the most important part.

It was planned and engineered to provide a culvert under U.S. One at MM74 connecting the oceanside and bayside canal systems.

The mayor of Islamorada announced in a video last week that the project connecting ocean and bay waters was done.

That is not true! It is a disaster.

Marine experts have been gushing with enthusiasm about the remarkable results we will experience when this culvert under U.S. One is completed.

We are anxious to see the results. We have received extraordinary grants to make this happen.

But in the interim, the contractor hired by the Village at nearly $9 million, seems to have created a huge problem. (See the photos later in the newsletter)

We deserve to know who is responsible for overseeing this contract.

How have we allowed this absolute disaster to go on for nearly a year along our “Scenic Highway” through Islamorada?

The bike path/Heritage Trail has been completely destroyed.

No public acknowledgement of the status or “I’m sorry” to the folks impacted by the Village or the contractor.

The Heritage Trail is part of the Florida State Park System. From their website – “90 miles of multi-use trails link the Keys, offering visitors a spectacular way to experience the islands.”

Not so spectacular now – in fact not even usable.

For Lower Matecumbe residents is was their way to bike, walk, or jog to Annes Beach, the Channel Two Fishing Bridge, and points north on the island.

There are subdivisions and condos with nearly a 1000 homes within a mile of this section of the bike path. Residents are unable to use this section of bike path.

An occasional photo op of politicians is printed in the local papers when grants are awarded to fix the problems – but residents’ complaints with the reality of the situation, seem to fall on deaf ears with no photo op or media coverage.

Is Lower Matecumbe the forgotten island?

One trip past that totally disgusting stretch of right of way should cause great embarrassment to those entrusted to remedy and oversee this situation.

We get regular reports from FKAA with apologies for their comparatively minor disruptions along U.S. One.

No such reports from the Village or the contractor.  When do the folks near MM74 get an apology?

They are due more than just an apology.

They need their bike path and quality of life restored.

They deserve some answers.

Tom

Millage rate for property taxes and the budget for Oct 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027 were approved September 28 after this final budget hearing was rescheduled twice.  The recommended millage rate of 2.7231 in the agenda would have been a 10.00% increase above the rollback rate of 2.4756.   However, at the last minute, Council voted unanimously to reduce the millage rate from the recommended 2.7231 mills to 2.65 mills, still an unannounced 7.04% tax increase.   The confusion came when the Council had to approve a budget that matched the amended millage. Ever since the original budget workshops at the beginning of August, the majority of the council had seemed adamant that the 10% increase was necessary to continue providing the services the residents expect.   Any millage rate above the rollback would require a super majority vote - at least 4 positive votes.   The council approved a budget, not available to the council or public, corresponding to the 2.65 millage rate, promising to review and amend the budget as soon as feasible.   In the confusion, did the Council meet all of the strict notice requirements for Budget Hearings?

was presented to the community last Wed, Sep 30. It was explained that there are no plans for additional public workshops.  The 253-page plan presented is considered the “final draft.” The next step is approval by the LPA and then on to the Village Council for final approval following two public hearings.

Able City East Partner, Jason King, stated that the public participation thus far for Islamorada has exceeded the typical community involvement in most municipalities where they have worked. He did indicate that they would continue to provide corrections and improvements suggested prior to the final public hearings. Able City will also provide a list of the LDRs that must be amended, added or deleted to assure the Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Regulations remain in cinque. There are eleven different elements in the plan, including future land use, housing, conservation, property rights, etc.   The draft of the new plan is available on the Village website: click here.  We suggest every resident should look through the policies in the amended plan and submit suggestions if you see things that concern you.

Keystar, the construction company hired by the School Board to do $3.8 million in baseball field upgrades at Founders Park, provided engraved shovels as Islamorada officials, Monroe County School Board members and Coral Shores High School coaches and staff broke ground Oct. 1, at Founders Park.

Additional improvements, including dugouts, concession stand, and restrooms that would have brought the cost to $6.1 million, are expected to be done later. After months of delays, the field is scheduled to be ready in time for the January start of baseball season.

With permitting and weather issues, there is a definite urgency to assure the Coral Shores baseball team has a home field come baseball season. We were disappointed officials couldn’t find a time after school hours for the groundbreaking so the baseball team and more community members could attend!

Lower Matecumbe was the first location in the Florida Keys to have a bike path along the entire length of the island, paved in 1987. The pride of the island. It soon became the community park for the island where people walked, jogged and rode bikes, visiting with neighbors along the way. A lovely tree lined pathway.   And in fact it is a part of the Florida State Park: Overseas Heritage Trail.   On February 10, 2005 the Department of Transportation deeded the westernmost 50’ of the US One Right of Way on most of Lower Matecumbe to Islamorada, making the Village responsible for the portion where the bike path is located… ours to own, upgrade, maintain. For at least the last ten years the bike path has been in need of major repairs, especially true from MM73.5 to MM74.5.  And it gets continually worse as there is very little paved path left.

Photos from 2024 show regular flooding and missing pavement.   Elevating Bike Path: In July 2025, the Village received notification from the Department of Transportation that Islamorada was granted $200,000 from the Florida Legislature for the construction of bike path improvements. Terms of the grant required a construction contract by 2/1/2026 with construction completed by 6/30/2026. Now past.

Conflicting Projects: In April of 2025 the Village agreed to a $8,991,020 contract with LPS Contracting to install culverts under 5 roadways on Lower Matecumbe including a 48” culvert under U.S. One at MM74 to connect the dead-end canals to improve water flow and dramatically improve water quality.   Work began on the culvert projects in November 2025, utilizing the bike path  that was to be elevated, now a staging area for the culvert project.

The first work was for the U.S. 1 culvert, on both sides of U.S. One just south of Palm Dr - between two homes owned by the Florida Sea Base and across the lagoon from Iroquois Dr. While the other four culvert projects have been completed on the bayside side streets, the work started at the beginning, nearly a year ago, remains an unfinished construction site between two residential homes owned by the Sea Base.  Far from an orderly construction site.

In April of 2025 the Village agreed to a $8,991,020 contract with LPS Contracting to install culverts under 5 roadways on Lower Matecumbe including a 48” culvert under U.S. One at MM74 to connect the dead-end canals to improve water flow and dramatically improve water quality.   Work began on the culvert projects in November 2025, utilizing the bike path  that was to be elevated, now a staging area for the culvert project.

The first work was for the U.S. 1 culvert, on both sides of U.S. One just south of Palm Dr - between two homes owned by the Florida Sea Base and across the lagoon from Iroquois Dr. While the other four culvert projects have been completed on the bayside side streets, the work started at the beginning, nearly a year ago, remains an unfinished construction site between two residential homes owned by the Sea Base.  Far from an orderly construction site.

An unwelcomed mess at the front door of a Sea Base home for a year now.

Little work seems to have been done for months now as apparently the contractor, LPS, hired by the Village is not able to do the culvert under the highway as per their contract and has proposed hiring a subcontractor.  At whose expense? We have received documentation of payments to LPS of $5,870,321 for the culverts already installed.  But the easement allowing the work to proceed through Sea Base property has expired and the Sea Base appears reluctant to allow this contractor to continue work through their property.

What about the Lower Matecumbe Bike Path Restoration - residents are getting impatient with this portion of the Scenic Highway through the Village! The Heritage Trail and Islamorada’s “Park” has been out of commission for years now.  At least it should be neatly maintained if it must be a construction site.  The photos below were taken Oct 3, 2026 but are typical of earlier photos on file since the culvert project began.

Where is the coordination?  Will the $200,000 grant for elevating and restoring the bike path/Heritage Trail in the same area expire? The FKAA Water Line is next!  Will they need the bike path for staging?

perhaps a light schedule with less than 500 pages for the first time in months. Even stranger - 60% of the agenda is a 285-page report in the consent agenda - the Stormwater Master Plan.

Included in the plan are lists of dozens of areas within the Village that do not currently meet an acceptable stormwater level of service and another list of areas that are expected to be below the standard within 15 years.   Does your street flood? Is your street on either list? The plan states the Village has a lack of specific flooding LOS guidance defined in the Village’s Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Regulations, so the inundation results for the Village was guided by an approach adopted by Hillsborough County. Shouldn’t we make certain our new Comp Plan/LDRs address this adequately since coastal flooding is critical to our area, perhaps the only area in Florida impacted by storms from both Ocean and Gulf. Lower Matecumbe - Again? Residents of this island need more transparency!When discussing hotspot priorities for capital improvements in the stormwater master plan: “No projects were proposed on Lower Matecumbe Key as the Aqueduct Authority will be conducting project work there over the next 10 years.” What Lower Matecumbe projects are going to disrupt the island for the next 10 years? Was that a misprint? This Stormwater Master Plan is deserving of more than just a vote with no discussion as part of the consent agenda. Below are the priority Projects:

And a parent and an Islamorada resident and taxpayer.

The Comprehensive Plan of Islamorada is our roadmap, our bible.

The current update has been in the works since May of 2024.

That is almost two and a half years ago! To put this in perspective, consider the fact that it took the Founders of our Nation FIVE MONTHS to write and approve the US Constitution.

A purpose was to CLOSE the loopholes that have been abused by the growth supporters and their acolytes.

And the state requires Islamorada to have an updated Comp Plan……… The existing Comp Plan was approved well over 20 years ago following at least 18 room-packed public meetings to iron out every detail.

Planners and attorneys working for developers managed to find plenty of loopholes over the years bypassing the intent of comp plan limits approved over 25 years ago.

It appears we have been in no hurry to close any loopholes..

Council?

Now the only motivation to update our existing plan now seems to be the state requirement to do so.

Will we close the loopholes? Or will we just open more?

How strong is the process to UPDATE the comp plan? How involved is the public this time around? Will the state provide much oversight?

In the proposed plan by Able City East – far down in the document (page 236 of 253) we find these words:

• Public participation is at the heart of the Islamorada Comprehensive Plan. The Comprehensive Plan update seeks to guide growth, resilience, and quality of life in Islamorada, and public input ensures that the Plan aligns with the needs and values of the Village.

We all agree that planning in public creates transparency, builds trust, and ensures that the strategies developed are representative of the community.

I bet if you asked 5 residents, 10 or even 100, what comp plan policies and strategies are being updated, added or changed in this new version of our plan for the future of the special community they love, you would get a blank stare from all of them.

The prior council approved Able City East’s contract on October 10, 2024. Their timeline – completion in 12 months. (We are way over) The contracted price - $112,000. (A real bargain)

We can’t blame Able City for delays. Their effort began immediately after the contract was signed.

A week of public opportunities followed in March with Charrette Week, March 24-28. Who remembers that?

Since that week there seems to have been limited public opportunity for input while the staff had months and months of review time.

A draft was finally presented to the public – April 29, 2026 – a full year after the public charrette week.

And now, the Village posted an invitation to attend the Presentation of the Final Draft of the new Comprehensive Plan this Wednesday, Sep 30 at 5:30 PM with the words:

• SINCE LAST TIME WE MET:

  Over 300 comments from over 40 members of the public have been incorporated. Thank you!”

According to the draft itself “The final phase involved formal review and approval. After community review and official hearings, the updated Comprehensive Plan was adopted in 2026.”

Am I the only one who thinks we are far from having an acceptable Comprehensive Plan for review and approval. The public needs to be encouraged to participate. It is a very complex and critical “blueprint” for the future direction of our community.

My fear is that we have written a new plan, not amended the existing one, which contained loopholes.

We need to go through the “changes” paragraph by paragraph – page by page. We need a list of the old and the new policies so our residents understand what this plan means to the future of Islamorada.

We need to update the Land Development Regulations (LDRs) so they will be in cinque with the new comp plan. New data reports are needed instead of the old now meaningless reports from 2001, 2007 we see over and over again at public hearings.  

While this process continues, planners, attorneys and developers speed up their pursuit of existing loopholes.

We should have suspended decisions on building applications until we have enacted the new plan and LDRs. But let’s do it now.

Gutsy move? Maybe, but a move residents would likely support.

Tom

Send an email to the Village Clerk and ask her to distribute to all members of the Council, Village Manager, and/or specific members of the team at the Village …..clerk@islamorada.fl.us