Santa's Runway

Season's Greetings everyone!

Dec 24 is the night we put out lights to help Santa find his way to our wonderful neighborhood. We will start building the luminaries at 4:30 pm and we usually have both 164th and 77th lit by 6:30 pm. The Albregts at 16420 SW 77th Ave, have graciously volunteered to host. If you haven't signed up for a task on the sign up sheet, please call 786-877-6489 to find out how you can help out. There will be drinks available for young and old - and it would be great if your family could bring a yummy holiday treat for everyone to share. Please come join us and be a part of a great neighborhood tradition!

Ho, Ho, Ho!

Vote in the Run-Off Election!! Campaign Forum Wednesday, Nov. 10th

Please Join Members of the Community

For a

Campaign Forum

With the Invited Run-Off Candidates for the

Village of Palmetto Bay

Candidates for Mayor:

Peter England and Shelley Stanczyk

Candidates for Council Seat One:

Patrick Fiore and Bev Gerald

Wednesday, November 10, 2010 from 7:00 to 8:30 pm at

The Palm Room (Third Floor)

18001 Old Cutler Road
Palmetto Bay, Florida 33158

For more information,

Contact Michael Kesti, (305)323-2903 / KestiM@aol.com

OCS Ladies Night Out

New Website for Palmetto Bay Candidate Information

Still undecided? Absolutely certain? Early voting starts this Monday the 18th and election day is November 2nd. Here's a new website that puts several sources for candidate information in one place. Video and news links available at palmettobay.us.

Many thanks to Mangowood Estates and Christ Fellowship Church for sponsoring a very informative mayoral forum on Oct. 5th. Thanks also go out to the technology savvy folks at the community website cutlerbay.net for helping to get the forum and candidate news links onto an easily accessible website. Help get the word out and please forward to all your Palmetto Bay contacts.

Be an "Educated Voter" this Election Day!

Beth Kibler

Old Cutler South

Halloween Haunt & Spook House

(click on image for album)

Mangowood Candidate Forum

Autumn Progressive Potluck

Support a New Local Business and OCS!

Thinking of Earth Week? Act Locally... Show support for Biscayne Bay restoration

Baynanza 2010 @Deering

You may not get a t-shirt because of the record number of registrants this year, but you can still participate by just walking up to Deering or to one of the 27 cleanup sites Saturday, April 17 before 9 a.m.

Biscayne Bay Public Meeting in Our Community

On April 21, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is hosting a public meeting at Deering Estate, 16701 SW 72 Ave. An open house will begin at 6:30 p.m., followed by the public meeting at 7. This is an opportunity to discuss concerns related to Biscayne Bay restoration, part of the larger Everglades restoration plan.

Palmetto Bay Kayaking Benefits Tropical Audubon Society
(click on image for album)

Saturday, April 24 As part of the Village of Palmetto Bay’s 3^rd Annual Earth Week Celebration, Laura Reynolds and a team of Tropical Audubon volunteers will lead several kayak trips from People’s Dock at the Deering Estate in Palmetto Bay, on Saturday, April 24. Up to four trips are planned; two for advanced kayakers and two for novices. Advanced groups will shove off at 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.; novice trips will take place at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. (following a lesson and safety discussion).

The Village is offsetting the cost of the event by providing a generous donation to the Tropical Audubon Society. As a result, this year’s registration fee has been reduced to just $10 per person, which covers the cost of a kayak rental and guided tour. (Annual membership to the TAS is available for an additional $10.) The first 50 to register will receive a promotional Earth Week Kayak Tour t-shirt, sponsored by Community Newspapers, Inc. Mileage is dependant on group experience and weather conditions. Each participant should bring their own water and snacks.

Trip space is limited. For reservations, please contact Beth Kibler via email (oldcutlersouth@gmail.com) or call 786-877-6489.

Deering Flow-way
(on the old Powers property next to Old Cutler South)
Groundbreaking

click on image to enlarge

The Ink is Dry! Community Action Stops Development and Saves Local Coastal Wetlands for Restoration Efforts

An agreement has been reached and papers signed. 129 acres at SW 184th & Old Cutler will be public hands because of grass roots community action. Tenacity throughout a 3 year long process at multiple levels of government is what it took to keep this last piece of coastal green from seemingly inevitable development. Heartfelt gratitude to all who contributed to this outcome!



March 11th, 2010
Locals traveled to the Seminole Reservation in Okeechobee and spoke once again to support acquisition and advocate for educational/recreational public access on the property. Fired by citizen action, Tropical Audubon as well as elected officials, government agencies and non-profit organizations spoke or wrote once again to highlight the public good that will be served by acquisition of the property.

The South Florida Water Management District Governing Board:
-voted unanimously to authorize the settlement deal
-approved acquisition of 129.88 acres
-acted to access funds from the Save Our Everglades Trust Fund
-approved wetland restoration costs

This action demonstrates commitment to CERP/Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands and to the long term health and well being of our residents and to fragile coastal habitats. BBCW aims to:
-restore wetlands
-improve natural fresh water flows to Biscayne Bay
-reduce salinity in the Bay
-rebuild coastal estuaries
-protect Biscayne National Park
-protect our water supply
-sustain the economic viability of the bay

Celebration planned for Saturday, March 27th at Tropical Audubon's Moonlight Concert.
Doc Thomas House, 5530 Sunset Dr., South Miami, 7pm. (305) 667-7337
Let's pop a few corks and raise a glass in toast to this hard won community victory!

Egg Hunt Sunday, March 21st

-click on poster to enlarge-

Progressive Potluck March 12th

-click on poster to see event pictures-

Deering Flowway Restoration Project Funded - 2 Acre Recreational/Educational Wetland Planned for Land Adjacent to OCS

click on image to enlarge map

Click here to view the SFWMD Press Release

.

Update: Governing Board Votes Unanimously to Settle Lawsuit and Acquire Local Coastal Land for BBCW

Locals in West Palm, expecting no deal, a permit denial or yet another deferral, were shocked when yesterday after three years the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board, voted to accept a settlement that was in negotiation just minutes before. The board voted unanimously to settle with the property owner and acquire 122 acres for 24.5 million contingent upon paperwork satisfaction within the next month. This action represents a significant investment in Phase II of the Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands Project and a commitment to protect our neighboring national parks, local coastal resources, water supply and the economic viability of our area.

Every action large and small that Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay residents took to advocate for our area counted. It's just sinking in. No celebrations planned until the ink is dry. Updates to follow...

2010 OCS BLOCK PARTY

Click on image for details.

Update: Jan. 14th South Florida Water Management District Governing Board Meeting

After two closed-door attorney-client sessions and a lot of hallway negotiations it all ended with another deferral, extending this three year process to allow for yet more negotiation with the seller of the property. On the other hand, it also seemed to be the case that the board's patience is running out over these ongoing extensions and their rationales. Next meeting Feb. 10th in West Palm Beach.

The number of persons who personally attended the hearing to speak surprised the Board members and others associated with the process, especially after three years. Board members commented on the overwhelming number of email they each received in just a three day period. Thanks to all who took action to send a clear message to the board about how important Biscayne Bay and our coastal wetlands are to our area. Special thanks to those who took off work and and drove to Key Biscayne to participate!

Our communities were supported by numerous elected officials, government agencies and non-profit organizations. In attendance to speak in favor of the resolution, and thereby reflecting your concerns, were:

Miami-Dade Commissioner Katy Sorensen
Mayor Eugene Flynn, Palmetto Bay
Mayor Paul Vrooman, Cutler Bay
Vice Mayor Ed MacDougall, Cutler Bay
Councilman Tim Meerbott, Cutler Bay
Department of the Interior
Biscayne National Park
Tropical Audubon Society
National Parks Conservation Association
Clean Water Action
Florida Audubon Society

Hopefully a resolution will be reached soon. Update next month.

Act Now to Preserve Coastal Wetlands

400 More Houses on Coastal Wetlands OR Protection of Biscayne Bay And Everglades Restoration?

Exactly 3 years ago OCS helped organize residents of Cutler Bay and Palmetto Bay to stop over-development along Old Cutler. The hundreds of locals that wrote and attended meetings stopped development of this property at the county level. Now the same development application is before our state water board this Thursday in Key Biscayne.

Both the developer and the South Florida Water Management District are hoping our community has forgotten...

You can help preserve 122 ACRES and the last piece of green between Biscayne Bay and Old Cutler Road:

#1 - Email the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board members NOW. Emails must be received by the board members before Wednesday!!! Letters must focus on environmental issues as this board makes decisions based only on environmental criteria. In a simple one or two line email, tell the board you expect them to:

• vote YES on Discussion Agenda #26, Resolution 2010-111.
  
• settle the lawsuit with Cutler Properties
• acquire 122 acres of coastal wetlands to enable Bay and Everglades restoration

Email: ebuermann@sfwmd.gov, jmontgom@sfwmd.gov, jcollins@sfwmd.gov, mcollins@sfwmd.gov, cdauray@sfwmd.gov, sestenoz@sfwmd.gov, kpowers@sfwmd.gov, prooney@sfwmd.gov

IMPORTANT: Please cc the clerk and OCS to make sure your email makes it into the record: jmcgorty@sfwmd.gov, oldcutlersouth@gmail.com

#2 - Attend the Governing Board meeting Thursday. This is it. We need folks to show up at this meeting to let the State Water Board know that they have to represent Miami Dade, make decisions that protect our neighboring national parks and our local coastal resources. Miami Dade has been short a representative for years so your action at this time can make or break outcomes for these wetlands! Locals are taking off work and hope you will too. Luckily the meeting is here in Dade Co. at the Key Biscayne Village Chambers on 88 West McIntyre Street. The meeting starts at 9am but the item will likely be heard after lunch.

Questions? Review history of this development application on cutlerbay.net, livablecutler or contact Beth Kibler at oldcutlersouth@gmail.com/ 786-877-6489.

Please forward this information to your contacts to help get the word out!