As a group, residents are probably accustomed to land use lawyers and their associates giving spin on how our comp plan is flawed and the need to “fix bad law.”

 I am told that the Islamorada Comprehensive Plan was put together 20 years ago after hundreds and hundreds of residents participated in the effort. Their effort resulted in  a well-constructed long-term “comprehensive” plan based on our Village Mission statement which emphasizes protecting, planning and preserving.    

None the less about four hours into the Village Council meeting on December 9th, new mayor, Don Horton, provided a fascinating land use lesson. A lesson extremely slanted in a clearly pro-development direction. 

It has been clear, for the last year, that the majority of the council, which we elected last November, believe that “property rights” apply only to applicants seeking added land use rights.

Forget the property rights of neighboring property owners and those who would be impacted by increased density, noise and potential environmental degradation. 

Forget the overall detriment to the Islamorada community as a whole, like the increases in traffic and infrastructure requirements facing us as an island community.

So the lesson Mayor Horton proclaimed:

When the Village created their own zoning and future land use maps back decades ago, following incorporation, they made “mistakes we need to fix.”

Yes, we have all heard this refrain from land use attorneys and businesses on behalf of their paying clients over the last several years.

We disagree with this premise.

We incorporated this Village to be able to make our own decisions about land use, taxes, and infrastructure. 

From 1998-2003, the Village had about 18 public meetings to create a Comp Plan, often standing room only, with residents pouring over maps and text to assure that our new Village Comprehensive Plan, Land Development Regulations and land use maps did exactly what the community wanted.

Primary goals were established. They still stand tall on the wall of the Village meeting room – our mission as a community. 

The Village Mission:

·       To Protect the Residents' Right to Quiet Enjoyment of Life

·       To Plan for Enhancing Our Village Character

·       To Preserve Our Community; Its People, Natural Resources, and Pride

·       To Provide Basic Services to Support our Quality of Life

This is our litmus test. No mention of improving the bank revenues of property owners, developers and their attorneys.

Back decades ago, the village land use decisions were made in a crowded room with loads of people demanding what is best for all residents and our environment.

Sadly, only a handful of residents now attend Village Council meetings.

Tuesday night with two members of the public present (one being a land use attorney representing the applicants), Mayor Horton and three others voted with virtually no discussion to “fix mistakes” made 20 years ago.  Those “mistakes” were decided by a huge consensus of residents in order to preserve things like important high-quality hammocks. 

And the Village knew back then by changing some zoning, they would create nonconforming uses. They thoughtfully established regulations back then to allow the nonconforming uses, that resulted from map changes, to legally continue. 

But Horton says those map changes were “mistakes”. We say, not mistakes, but carefully decided land use decisions to match our goals and mission as a community.

Tuesday the “mistakes” that the Village Council aimed to fix were to change Conservation zoning to Mix Use Commercial zoning. 

For 20 years this community has loved these nonconformities, a tennis club on Lower Matecumbe and a riding stable on Upper Matecumbe. 

We think both uses that were in question last Tuesday are just great. They existed long before Islamorada incorporated… and continued with no objections. 

Why now, 20 years after the 18 public meetings with packed rooms of our residents (and founders) is it necessary to change land use maps from conservation to mixed use commercial?

We understand that the Islamorada Foundation now has a contract on the Lower Matecumbe Tennis Club property to continue the same type recreational use.

We cheer and support that.

We also understand, at the present time, there is no plan to eliminate the riding stables on Upper Matecumbe.

Both properties are in the middle of amazing high-quality tropical hammocks that the residents of the Village, 20 years ago, felt were absolutely worth saving for generations to come. The community and council worked diligently back then believing it was worth taking special precautions to protect these environmental treasures.  A conservation zoning classification was chosen to do that – while providing provisions so our much-loved existing uses could remain forever. 

We are saddened to think that this council thinks those early diligent residents made “significant mistakes” that need to be fixed now.

We strongly oppose the premise that only 3 votes can change the core of our environmental principles. 

We think that 20 years ago our residents showed amazing vision. Don’t let that vision become clouded.

It’s obvious, that elections have consequences.

Tom Raffanello