Last Wednesday, after 18 months, the residents of Islamorada were presented with the Comp Plan draft, such as it is, by contractor, Able City East, with Jason King, spokesman.
It was first suggested that last week’s workshop might be the ONLY Comprehensive Plan Workshop for the public.
As a frame of reference, our current (original) Comp plan had 18 public workshops back 25 years ago, heavily attended by the residents, sometimes standing room only. They tell me the entire Village was engaged back then.
After waiting 18 months for this first public draft, we now seem to be in a desperate hurry to pass a plan that will serve as our ground rules, our “Constitution” for the coming decades.
Critical Importance of Public Participation: Does the community understand the critical importance of this process and this plan? Has the public just surrendered to those in power, or (as the village manager suggests) are residents so happy with what is happening here they don’t feel a need to participate?
I strongly reject the latter.
Comprehensive Plans are the backbone of any community planning effort:
Most important: The best and most successful Comprehensive Plans are those that have the support of the broader community.
At the workshop last Wednesday, 30 people sat in the audience as Jason King, of Able City East, the consultant responsible for amending our 20+ year old Comp Plan, presented the new 242 page document.
That is a lot to digest.
Here goes… “BLUEPRINT FOR BALANCE”
The 30 people in the audience included 4 members of council, along with approximately 5 staff members and 20 residents. Think about that - 7000 people live in Islamorada. 20 out of 7000 showed up to participate in the decisions that will guide the future of the community for years to come, not even close to 1% attendance.
Ten residents asked questions and/or provided ideas. King suggested nearly all of the ideas presented by residents warranted additions to the draft document.
Sounds like a work in its infancy, no?
And he indicated changes will be incorporated and a second workshop will be scheduled once updates are made.
Of those residents presenting an idea:
4 were concerned about hurricane evacuation and/or traffic,
3 commented about affordable housing,
1 questioned the process and public involvement;
1 questioned why existing sub-area policies were missing in the new comp plan – including the critical policy needed to protect the eagles’ nest on Lower Matecumbe.
A significant number of those residents attending were there because they are concerned about an affordable housing project in their neighborhood.
The controversial and unexplainable “Machado” property give away.
At the conclusion of the questions and answers, those attending were invited to talk to Able City East representatives to discuss specific policies, objectives, and maps on the boards lining the community center walls… using sticky notes to add suggestions.
No sticky notes were added before the community center emptied and the workshop ended. No suggestions?
My opinion – the Village has promises to keep regarding this process. Get busy Village!
The 2025 Legislature’s SB180 freezes local governments’ ability to adopt stronger development rules before October 2027.
I wonder if the current council would even considered stronger rules?
If we want to make the plan stronger, then we should spend the next year making it better! If we are hamstrung until October 2027, we should consider extending the process or adding rules that will be effective October 2027.
Doesn’t that make solid, business sense?
It is inescapable that the public draft of the “new” Comp Plan needs significant editing.
It has typographical mistakes and simple errors that should have been corrected by staff review – errors in Village names and locations.
A 242-page document without normal coding standards (underlining added text and crossing through deleted text) is virtually impossible to review and identify what has been amended.
How can we go through this approval process without any corresponding LDR changes? The Comp Plan and Village regulations must be in synch when the Comp Plan is finalized and placed in use.
There are dozens of studies, plans and other documents referenced in this draft.
Our new Comp Plan we will need to utilize current studies, not decades old studies that are out of date and overcome by events.
Affordable/workforce housing – before we establish goals we need to determine what Islamorada really needs. Is it one bedroom rental units or more Habitat type family dwellings? We support the latter.
As a marine oriented community, protecting working waterfront is critical as much of the access to the water from marinas and other locations are becoming privatized with access limited.
There are 11 major elements in the Comp Plan -Land Use, Traffic, Housing, etc.
We believe each element demands at least one individual workshop.
If you have not paid attention to Village issues, you need to start caring and get involved. This is our community and we have an obligation to make it the best it can be for generations to come.
If you do not participate, others who may have less noble motives may shape our future.
You can control our destiny. Please get involved! When you participate, you honor the value of this special community.
The future is a blank canvas; let’s paint it with a shared vision. The Comp Plan will become the story of our future; tell it with pride. Get involved—Islamorada’s future is resting on it.
Tom
