Dear Mayor Rasco and Members of the Key Biscayne Village Council,
I am writing to respectfully urge the Council to reject the proposed rezoning and development at 303 Galen Drive.
A 14-story building would be an extraordinary departure from the scale of the surrounding Garden District and could establish a precedent with permanent implications for the character and future development of Key Biscayne. A decision of this magnitude should not be made without a thorough and genuinely informed public process.
Most importantly, residents need adequate time and information to understand what is being proposed and what its consequences may be. This includes reviewing the plans and zoning changes and understanding the potential effects on traffic, infrastructure, parking, neighborhood character, and future development on the island.
There is a fundamental difference between allowing residents to speak and allowing residents to meaningfully participate in the decision-making process. A three-minute comment at a single meeting is not a meaningful substitute for adequate public review of a project of this scale.
I therefore strongly urge the Council not to rush this decision. The Village should provide residents with sufficient time to review the proposal, ask questions, evaluate the relevant impacts and engage with the developer and Village staff before any vote is taken.
Once this precedent is established, it cannot easily be undone. The burden should therefore be on demonstrating that such a significant change is appropriate, not on asking residents to evaluate it under a compressed timeline.
If the proposal is appropriate for Key Biscayne, it should withstand thorough public scrutiny and careful consideration.
I respectfully ask you to reject the rezoning or, at minimum, defer the vote until the community has had a genuine opportunity to understand and evaluate the proposal.
Thank you for your consideration and service to our community.
Sincerely,
Carmen Chiriboga