Quick! YES, YES, YES!!!!

On Aug 28 Vote YES on #240 

1. Democracy relies on the trust the people place on their elected leaders: the opinions of the majority or in this case, supermajority, is a more democratic alternative to the unanimous vote. Democracy does not work on the basis of 100% agreement.

2. Our downtown needs help. The Shops at Sunset Place, is the unique and one of a kind large parcel in our downtown by the South Miami Metrorail Station. The taller portions of the revitalized Sunset Place are along US1, our urban boulevard. New residents and inhabitants will bring much needed people to support our downtown businesses, and would help with the momentum boosting our city merchants and restaurants., This change, if implemented, will not effect residential areas; South Miami must not pass up on this opportunity

3. But it is not just up to the Shops to carry 100% of the burden for re-energizing our struggling downtown. Here are other ways the City can demonstrate it supports our downtown:

•  Allow portions of our downtown streets to open to pedestrian only traffic at certain times of the week (during the weekend, etc.), allowing businesses to spill onto the sidewalks and streets in a convivial way.

• Our current shuttle has a limited route, and there is no predicting its whereabouts. An expanded route and an app to determine its location will help. Open electric vehicles like the Downtowner with its on-demand free shuttle for South Miami residents will also assist residents to visit our downtown. We can encourage walking and biking to downtown; it’s easy to walk to destinations 15 mins or less away ("Walk 10,000 steps a day for wellness"). It’s easy to bike to destinations 1-2 miles away. Sometimes we forget that South Miami is only 3 square miles!

• Make it easy for small properties to add much needed urban, transit-served apartments, studio apartments, and additional office space. Relax parking requirements in the smaller parcels, or even allow the market to determine how much parking, if at all, to provide. That way, the City can reward property owners, future residents, and future office workers that desire to live a car-optional lifestyle.

4. Let’s ignite the spark and give the love and support for our city’s healthy downtown on August 28th! Voting YES on #240 is the path forward!

--The South Miami Neighbors board

South Miami Community Conversation on Climate Change

What would it look like?  What would it take?

Join us for a South Miami Community 

Conversation on Climate Change

Monday, March 6, 2017

Tea & Poets, Shops at Sunset, South Miami

Stop in between 6:00 - 9:00 PM

Speakers, Exhibits, Conversation Tables

Link to Facebook Event page  or call Gray Read 305 205 4814

Sponsors:  South Miami City Commission

FIU College of Communication, Architecture + the Arts

Ludlam Trail Charrette Follow-up Presentations April 23 and 29

This Thursday and next Wednesday, Miami-Dade County Commissioners Sosa and Suarez are convening follow-up meetings to discuss the Ludlam Trail Charrette with their constituents. Both meetings begin at 6pm.

Come speak up in favor of the Ludlam Trail

Friends of the Ludlam Trail, the grass roots organization working toward turning the old FEC right of way into a beautiful linear park stretching from Dadeland to Miami International Airport, has let us know about an attempt by the railroad's parent company to change the zoning on the right of way to allow for residential development. This would all but eliminate the possibility of creating a new park.

Friends of the Ludlam Trail encourages South Miami residents to attend the three upcoming Community Council hearings to learn more about FECI’s proposal for mixed-use development with a trail component within the Ludlam Trail corridor:

·         Kendall Community Council: (12): Tuesday, September 23, 2014; 6 p.m.Kendall Village Center Civic Pavilion8625 SW 124 Ave.Miami, FL 33183

·         North Central Community Council (8): Monday, September 29, 2014; 6 p.m.MLK Plaza,2525 NW 62 St.Miami, FL 33147

·         Westchester Community Council (10): Tuesday, September 30, 2014, 6 p.m.Ruben Dario Middle School350 NW 97 Ave.Miami, FL 33172

MDC Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) Planning department advertises in the Miami-Herald Neighbors section and also sends out postcards or notice cards in the mail ½ mile from the subject corridor. While the meeting public hearing locations are not close to the Ludlam corridor it is still within Community Council boundaries.   Those residents who would be affected the most near the Ludlam Trail corridor are especially encouraged to attend these hearings.

Time is running out

Join us in Planting Trees Along Miller Road

Please mark your calendars for our upcoming Tree planting project at 9 am on Saturday July 13. We will be planting 23 Cassia bakeriana trees (w/ beautiful pink flowers in spring) and 13 large Live Oak Trees along Miller Road between 58th and 59th Avenues.  The large trees will be installed by a contractor but we would appreciate your help to install the smaller trees. Even if you aren't healthy enough to dig holes we would love to have you there just to show your support.  This project is a collaboration between Miami Dade County, TREEmendous Miami, the South Miami Green Task Force and members of South Miami Neighbors. Hopefully this will be the first of many projects.  If you have any projects in mind where you would like to see more Trees, understory plants and the birds and butterflies that accompany them, please let us know and we can work on them together.  A reminder will be posted before the planting with any additional details.