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On Dec. 4th the County Commission voted to approve the boat house location
at the back of the North parking lot.
SFFB requested to have the vote postponed to a latter session, based on our
summary of issues (pdf). At this point, we must consider this a done deal, although it is unlikely that construction will begin before 2014.
We will however be following up on the promised extension of the naturist beach area at the south end.
plan presented at public hearing August 20, 2012 (captions added)
for more information see: www.miamidade.gov/parks/haulover-park-general-plan.asp
Public hearing August 20th:
The Parks & Recreation Department has posted the following PDF documents online:
Summary of Main Issues and Actions/Responses: August 20, 2012
Public Open House Meeting Comments and Responses to Specific Questions: August 20, 2012
Boat Storage Complex in North Beach Parking
A report by Richard Mason:
On August 20, 2012 a presentation and public comment meeting was held by Miami-Dade County Park Department and County Commissioner Sally Heyman at the Sunny Isles Beach Community Center. The purpose was to present the latest General Plan for Haulover Beach Park. A few dozen naturists that frequent the clothing-optional beach attended and many strongly voiced their opinions.
Of the several projects and developments planned for Haulover Beach Park, all of which will impact the availability of beach parking spaces, the one that will have largest negative impact on your ability to park reasonably close to the clothing optional section of beach is the planned Boat Storage and Retail Complex housing 508 boats and commercial retail space in the North Beach Parking Lot. Next will be the increase in dedicated parking spaces for boat trailers. This will push clothing-optional beach parking further south to Parking Lot No. 1, even further away.
If walking nearly a ½ mile to reach the area of Lifeguard Towers 15 & 16 does not concern you, and then read no further. The issues are as follows:
- The impact of the Boat Storage Complex will be that you will have to compete for parking in the North Lot with an estimated 120 boat owners, plus their guests, as well as employees of Westrec Marinas, boat service trucks and customers to the Complex retail store(s).
- Miami-Dade County signed an agreement with Westrec Marina without a Public Hearing as required by Chapter 7 of the Miami-Dade County Charter.
- The Miami-Dade County Park Department did not inform the stakeholders of the naturist beach as required by the County’s Citizens Bill of Rights.
- The County continues to treat naturist beach visitors with blatent disrespect and as second class citizens. That is unacceptable. What will be their next action to harm our beach availability or legal nude use?
What can you do about it? To make change in our democracy, we need to participate. If Parks is not willing to change the location, South Florida Free Beaches strategy is to have the Mayor of Miami-Dade County and the Board of County Commissioners review the ill-conceived and “sneaky” actions of the Park Department to change the location and honor our request for the Boat Storage Complex to be moved back to its original site next to the existing boat storage rack as planned in the 2001 Master Plan.
This is no ordinary Boat Storage & Retail Center Complex
at 656 ft. long, 165 ft. wide by 83 ft. tall.
For our Action Plan to be effective, both local residents and tourists alike who enjoy our special clothing-optional beach must act and speak out. That means you! In the future you will be called upon to contact Miami-Dade elected officials. ° KEEP INFORMED, STAY ALERT & TELL YOUR FRIENDS We must communicate in the most efficient and least costly manner. Please sign up for email newsletter with “Haulover Updates” and “Haulover Alerts” through our web site at: www.sffb.com - or - on beach at our white canopy most weekends, across from Lifeguard Stand 15. There will be an “Action Request” page on our web site with complete instructions if required. ° WRITE LETTERS by fax or e-mail, however postal delivery has the most impact with officials. ° ATTEND PUBLIC HEARINGS Numbers count!
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South Florida Free Beaches and B.E.A.C.H.E.S. Foundation:
- oppose contruction of the 656 ft. long x 165 ft. deep x 83 ft. high boat storage house in the presently proposed location,
- recommend the relocation of the boat storage house to the original location proposed in the 2001 Haulover Master Development Plan,
south of the 2012 proposed location,
- advocate for the priority provision of a new Handicapped parking lot east of A1A as proposed in the 2001 development plan as
the best alternative to make Haulover ADA compliant for beach users with disabilities,
- welcome the redesign of the pedestrian underpass tunnels under A1A to provide ADA-compliant ramps in place of the stairs
as an additional enhancement to ADA access.
Additional Haulover ADA access info on B.E.A.C.H.E.S. website
County officials
to contact:
Mayor Carlos Gimenez,
Miami-Dade County,
111 NW 1st Street, 29th Floor,
Miami, FL 33128
mayor@miamidade.gov
Joe Martinez,
Chairman, County Commissioners,
111 NW 1st Street, 2nd Floor,
Miami, Florida 33128
District11@miamidade.gov
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