Editor’s note: This letter was sent to Mayor Joe Rasco and the Village Council and shared with Islander News for publication.
I am writing as a resident of Sunrise Drive in the Garden District. I am not in favor of the proposed new project nor the proposed zoning changes and neither should you.
Each of you was voted into council as a steward of the island’s residents and our community, not the interests of developers, even if he happens to be a very nice neighbor.
The proposed project does not fit within the current Village of Key Biscayne zoning guidelines, guidelines specifically designed to protect the island, and specifically the Garden District in this circumstance, from the possible increased density and intensity of redevelopment. Our Master Plan and zoning restrictions predicted the inevitable pressure from developers. The hopeful developers of 303 Galen would like to increase density by asking to build 50 units when RM30 restricts them to build 34. They are also asking for a dramatic increase in intensity through the FAR, which as guidelines are currently written, allows them to build 19,800sf as opposed to their requested change to the FAR from .4 to 2.0, which would allow for close to100,000sf on that property, as evidenced by their proposed design of 150′ high, 14 story, 50+/- unit building.
It has been a goal of this Village since incorporation to reduce density. The Village Council needs to be firm regarding this issue.
Kind regards,
Scott Hardie