West
Neighborhood
Associations
working together
to protect our homes
and neighborhoods,
and to improve our
community
during the last year (2004).
Historic site built in early part of century
By Alyson Matley
Tight budgets have forced the Monroe County School District to try to
unload a piece of Key West history, but preservationists are making
sure the old Harris School on Southard Street is not lost to progress.
The Keys' first public high school has been added to the list of
projects approved for preservation through the state's premier
land-acquisition program, Florida Forever.
Named for schools superintendent and former Confederate soldier Jepha
V. Harris, the school opened its doors in 1909. The spacious school
had 19 classrooms and an auditorium.
Although the high-school population has long outgrown the structure,
it has remained in the hands of the School District. It has housed a
variety of human services and educational facilities.
The School Board decided last year to sell the building, which sits
on about an acre and a half in tree-covered Old Town. It cost $42,900
to build back in the early 1900s, says county Historian Tom Hambright.
Last year, it was appraised at just more than $4 million.
Harris School is now one of nine projects listed for Florida Forever
acquisition, meaning it is in a narrow competition for the $300
million allocated annually through this program. It is also the only
historic structure on the list; the other eight projects consist of
undeveloped land that needs to be protected from development.
"Our natural resources attract millions of visitors to Florida each
year," Deputy Secretary of Land and Recreation Bob Ballard said in a
written statement. "By protecting these natural treasures, we are
preserving them for future generations and ensuring that eco-tourism
continues to have a positive impact on Florida's economy."
The acquisition may dovetail with plans of the Rodel Charitable
Foundation. The nonprofit group has been looking at the structure for an artist
school and colony.
The foundation's local representative, Ann Henderson, has proposed the idea of
state ownership of the historic building. Studio Key West would be a facility to
nurture
writers and artists.
BELIEVE IT?
THE HARRIS SCHOOL--
RODEL DEAL IS AS DEAD
AS A DUCK TOUR.
WHEN THE FULL STORY
EMERGES,
AND IT WILL,
IT WON'T BE A PRETTY
PICTURE.
WE'LL PRINT THE TRUTH
HERE, WHEN IT
BECOMES EVIDENT.
On January 19, the citizens task force released a roadmap for
creating a Comprehensive Resident/Visitor Plan. In addition to the
three areas of emphasis widely held to be necessary for a successful
resort community: quality of residential living, quality of visitor
experience, and quality of the physical environment, they've added
marketing strategy and transportation.
We hope to get an outline of the roadmap posted on this site as soon
as it is available, and we plan to keep our members informed as to
new developments in this plan. We invite all members to post their
comments on the plan, and the progress made so far.
I'm personally convinced that the emergence of neighborhood
groups
(as well as he efforts of L.O.T. and Last Stand, S.U.D.S. and others)
had a great deal to do with the renewed efforts to achieve a
reasonable balance of interests on our small island.
Let's hope that we can see it through to a successful conclusion.
AN INADVERTENT "TIPPING O' TH' HAND?"
We still see this mentality parroted in the "Citizen's Voice."
Chamber chief reveals aversion to tackling tourism dilemmas
In a recent commentary we expressed mild surprise upon learning that
the Key West Chamber of Commerce chose not endorse the "road map" of
recommendations presented by the Ad Hoc Planning Committee created by
Mayor Jimmy Weekley.
In its report, the committee explicitly acknowledges that tourism is
the city's economic base now and for the foreseeable future and
listed as Goal Number One a need to preserve and enhance the
uniqueness of Key West as a place for residents to live and visitors
to enjoy.
The director of the chamber as well as other representatives of the
business community served on the committee.
The Ad Hoc Planning Committee also urged the city commission to take
the next logical step and assume responsibility for developing a
comprehensive, long-range plan.
This past week the chamber has come clean in signaling its emphatic
disdain for the whole idea.
In an e-mail to its membership, Michael L. Browning, the chamber's
president, whimsically chronicled the trajectory of Key West's
economy from Navy-base based (1940-1970s) to "devastation" (1975)
to "turnaround," thanks to tourism (1977).
He summed up his reaction to the Ad Hoc Planning Committee this
way: "Residents of Key West who do not make their income from tourist related
activities -- all seven of them -- storm city hall with a petition written on a cocktail
napkin demanding eradication of tourism."
How statesmanlike.
We sincerely hope the city commission will not be intimidated by
Browning's arrogant, dismissive, disrespectful attempt at humor.
From where we sit, the issues confronting Key West are real. Traffic
congestion. Noise. Parking. Enforcement of ordinances, regulations
and codes. Adequate housing at affordable prices. Historic
preservation. Water quality. A looming shortage of potable water.
Soon, we may be exporting the garbage we generate, thereby adding
even more 18-wheelers to an overburdened and increasingly dangerous
U.S. 1.
There are reasonable solutions to all of these problems. Ignoring
them is not an option. We earnestly believe our citizens have a right
to expect the city commission to pay some attention and face up to
its obligations.
In the end the greatest risk is that the foundation of our economy,
the tourists, will be the first to flee the scene. They come here by
choice. They want to enjoy our lifestyle and the many wonderful
attractions we offer. Isn't that the same thing our citizens want?
If the leadership of the Chamber of Commerce doesn't get it we have
not the least doubt the voters will.
Last Fall a large number of landlords renting short-term without
licenses, and in areas not zoned, were cited by the City of Key West.
They all signed Letters of Compliance stating they would stop this
illegal activity.
Guess what? They're back at it. The Shipyard Condominium is loaded
with them, and they've started renting on a daily basis.
The people that rent these units are a blight on the City and must be
stopped. They rent to anyone with a buck, at lower prices than the
legal units in town. They do not pay taxes, which causes your taxes
to go up. They are removing units that could be purchased, or rented,by working
people.
--Bill Estes
And there are still a few who have faith in city staffers to solve this problem....
We'll see, when we see the final disposition of the new operation in the 1300 block of
Olivia Street.......
As you know, our present transient rental problem began with the
Truman Annex company over ten years ago. Allowing absentee owners to
rent out their units, even when they were originally designated
as "affordable," was a great way for a developer to sell condominium
units during a recession.
Unfortunately the practice was lucrative enough that it spread
throughout the city, and threatened to change the nature of our
neighborhoods, as well as to compete with legitimate lodging
establishments.
We have come a long way in the last seven years in alerting people to
the fact that once something goes "commercial," it is extremely
difficult, if not impossible, to change it back to residential use.
For better or worse, housing prices have now risen to the level where
the extra revenue an owner would gain by operating a transient
operation in now irrelevant, given the overall cost.
Those of us who have worked to maintain good zoning in Key West have
always thought that the ultimate dispostion of the Shipyard problem
would be an indication of the direction that the rest of the city
would go, whether it would ultimately be upscale or honky-tonk. Given
the choice, I definitely vote for upscale.
Where do we go from here? We need to keep the pressure on the city to
resolve the problem. We need to encourage motivated individuals to use
the Transient Rental Enforcement Ordinance. We need individuals to
stand for office, and we need to support neighborhood candidates.
The worst-case scenario for us would be that illegal transient
operations be "grandfathered in" adjacent to, behind, or across the
street from regular residences. Make no mistake about it: there are
still those who feel that commercial conversion of most of the city
south of First Street is an admirable goal, and they are continuing
to work toward that goal. For anyone who doubts that this can and
will happen, I would submit that all we have to do to find out
is....nothing.
Best regards,
John Mertz
FOLLOW UP: AND NOW WE ARE REALIZING
THAT THIS "BUSINESS AS USUAL" ETHIC HAS
SET THE STAGE FOR THE FINAL FLIGHT OF THE
MIDDLE CLASS OUT OF KEY WEST.
NO YOUNG FAMILIES CAN MOVE HERE. NO
DOCTOR OF DENTIST WANTS TO OPEN A
PRACTICE HERE.
YOU HAVE TO GO TO MIAMI TO SHOP.
YOU CAN NO LONGER GET BASIC ESSENTIAL
SERVICES HERE.
"THANKS FOR NOTHING, FEARLESS LEADERS"
hiring an out-of-town group of "experts"!
I suppose the danger is that those who haven't been here for the last
twenty years will say, "What's the problem?"
Institute suggests selling waterfront land to fund needs
BY TIMOTHY O'HARA
keysnews.com
KEY WEST — Consultants recommended Wednesday that the city sell a
large chunk of Truman Waterfront for high-priced condominiums in
order to raise millions for community projects there or at other
locations in the city.
The 33 acres of former Navy property, conveyed to the city last year,
has been a source of debate for years as to its best use. Parks and
an assisted-living center are two top goals.
Urban Land Institute representatives were brought in for a three-day
review to help the city figure out how to fund those goals. A number
of groups donated portions of the institute's $20,000 fee.
The representatives, who are considered experts in land-use planning
and donate their time to the institute, said first the city should
build a marina at the Truman Waterfront. The area adjoins the Outer
Mole Pier still owned by the Navy but used by the city for cruise
ship docking. The marina would be used to generate money and interest
for commercial business and passive recreation.
The idea of putting pricey condominiums on the piece of prime
waterfront property is not sitting well with Key West Commissioner
Harry Bethel.
"That's the last thing we need out there," Bethel said. "I don't know
where [the Urban Land Institute representatives] are coming from. I
don't like the way this is smelling."
ANOTHER BIGHT!
Solares Hill ran an article based on some observations by Nelson
Read, who has been an advocate for good zoning and neighborhood
values for many years. I think it is good "food for thought."
("Who Are We," Mark Howell, Solares Hill, February 27,2004)
" When I hear Mayor Weekley say he wants to strike a balance between
tourists and residents in Key West," said Nelson Read, "all I hear is
tourism." Three years ago, Read, a retired attorney, brought to the
attention of county commissioners a report calculating that half of
all personal income in Monroe County came from residents' "transfer
payments"-- pensions, retirement pay, dividends and interest oninvestments, and
social security.
The report, co-funded by the Tourist Development Council in 1996,
pointed out that "special attention is required in order to avoid
overestimating the contribution of tourists." In response to Read's
alert, the county mayor at the time, Shirley Freeman, wrote: "You are
absolutely right that 50%+ of our economy is in transfer payments.
People come here to live and bring their money with them. Isn't this
better than tourists who stay even a whole week? I will use every
opportunity to say this."
What is not apparent from the Monroe County statistics is the
situation in the front lines. Although every resident now feels the
pressure - we get ear infections from the sea, so we don't swim
anymore, or we visit the reef after 10 years and we weep - it is at
the interface between residents and mass-tourism that the pressure
becomes compaction.
This year's projected arrival of 1,000,000 passengers downtown from
525 cruise ships will surely produce the Stonehenge effect, wherein
something very old is besieged and overcome by the new. Only 10
years ago it was possible to visit the mysterious stones in Britain
and view then as the ancients did. But mass-tourism now means that
car parks, tunnels, restricted walkways, info-wands and dioramas have
entirely overwhelmed the scene.
In Key West, concluded Read, "we govern with tourism in mind, so we
are governed by tourism. And those who live here are just given lip
service."
Isn't it time to strike a balance? I have lived here for thirty-five
years, and I think we have created a monster which could devour us.
I'll be interested in what others think about this. John M
Short-term thinking is sinking Florida Keys
It is one of the great ironies of modern times in the Florida Keys
that, just when life here should be at its best, it is actually the
most unpleasant. Traffic is unbearable, crowds are unnavigable, noise
is beyond endurance. And if we notice these conditions, why should we
expect our visitors — aka our economic lifeblood — to miss them?
We are in the strange position of being the victims of our own
success. In the 1970s, when the Navy closed most of its operations in
the Keys, the community pinned its economic hopes on tourism. In
order to support and encourage the nascent industry, citizens of the
Keys approved creation of an extra 3-percent tax on lodging. Most of
the proceeds are used to advertise the Keys; the rest goes to promote
special events and support capital projects with tourism benefits
(such as beaches and museums). The industry has grown so much that
the county collected $12.3 million in lodging taxes in the past
fiscal year. More than half of that is collected in Key West.
The Tourist Development Council, which advises the county on how to
spend this bed tax money, is not the only group promoting the Keys as
a vacation destination. Private enterprises from hotels to dive shops
contribute untold millions in their own advertising. Over the past
decade, the city of Key West has aggressively marketed itself as a
cruise ship port of call, an effort that resulted in nearly 1 million
passengers visiting here by cruise ship in 2003.
The question that is asked constantly at lunch counters, bank lines,
bar stools and of course in the venerable Citizen's Voice — though
rarely in the halls of power — is what is our goal? Are we trying to
grow until, as the old saying goes, the island sinks? Do we want as
many people as we can cram onto our islands, via every form of
transportation available?
We certainly don't need more jobs, especially jobs at service-sector
wages. Monroe County has Florida's lowest unemployment rate. Combined
with the state's highest cost of living, this is a double whammy,
leaving us without places for our current overstressed workforce to
live.
And there's the toll this level of tourism is taking on our product,
which also happens to be our home. This was raised most recently in
the dismal rating Key West received in a survey of well-informed
travel experts, compiled by National Geographic Traveler magazine.
It's not the first time the Keys have gotten bad publicity, pointing
out that the product we are selling is not the same thing we are
actually offering to visitors. The warning signals are audible and
getting louder that we are heedlessly throwing away the great legacy
we have been gifted by nature and the islands' previous inhabitants.
It's as if we inherited a fabulously fertile piece of land — but
instead of farming, chose instead to strip-mine it for a short-term
payout.
For longtime residents, these annual debates have become part of the
unique calendar of the Keys, just like sunburned college students in
March, Hemingway look-alikes in July and drunken exhibitionists in
late October. But longtime residents also cannot deny the unpleasant
truths in our increasing chorus of bad reviews. We are squandering
what should be a great renewable resource in the interest of short-
term gain for a few.
important for the neighborhood groups
in the coming year? (Vote for five.)
o Outcome of the Mayor's Tourist Management Plan
o Solving the Affordable Housing Dilemma
o Revising the Adult Entertainment Ordinance
o Realistically Capping the Number of Cruise Ship Arrivals
o Finding a fair way to deal with the homeles people
o Improving the traffic and parking situation in Old Town
o Keeping taxes at a reasonable level
o Getting neighborhood representation on HARC and appointive boards
o Promoting "Balance" as a desirable goal in the Public Mind
o Preventing the spread of Transient Rentals into neighborhoods
o Working to get a popular referendum on the Ballot
o Inviting politicans and candidates to address neighborhood groups
o Getting legal transient rentals out of nonconforming zones
o Preventing cruise ships from pollting our beaches
o Another Issue (Let Us Know!)
can find a way to have some
influence over the city. The
Hilton gets $20,000.00
everytime a cruise ship
docks there. This does not
include all the recreational
activitiesand services they
sell to them. It is
unfortunate that only a few
benefit and yet it changes
the quality of life for most.
protested cruise ships
If possible, I would like any business
owners who protested on
Thursday [March 11] against cruise
ships to mail me their
businesses' names, as I guess they
don't want or need tourism
dollars. I would like to tell all my
family and friends not to give
those businesses any of our dirty
money. ... My family and I like
and need tourism to live and stay on
this island.
I certainly won't be eating or
recommending Elliot Baron's Mangia
Mangia restaurant. If he wants to
destroy my quality of life, then I
will not support his.
Gregory Curry
Key West
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I wonder if any of us would care to
write a letter to the editor
making a plea for Balance? And
pointing out the fact that Tourism is
not the problem--overcrowding is. And
the fact that we want to
emphasize quality over quantity, to the
benefit of everyone.
I read the above as part of a well
organized campaign to create an
adversarial scenario in the public mind:
that anyone who dares speak
of "quality of life" is somehow out to
rob all the hard working
citizens of Key West.
This scenario has served the "I want it
all" gang well in the past.
Isn't it time we started calling b.s. on
their tactics? If the word
gets out that we are little more than an
overpriced, overrated,
overcrowded tourist trap, we're all
going to lose.
It's time for sensible people to demand
Balance--not the fun and
games of the past.
Just a thought,
JM
Wheeler predicted an "affordable housing" crisis within just a few
years. Hotels and restaurants will see their employees priced out of
housing. This is one of the reasons the city (planning board) has passed an
ordinance allowing "SRO's" or single room occupancy boarding type
arrangements in certain zones. If people become unhappy with the level
of "service" here, the whole tourist industry could go down.
Affordable housing in some form is essential to the continued success of
Key West as a tourist resort. He sees no direct connection with
the high price of real estate. He thinks people will still want
second homes here, and will be willing to pay a lot to have them.
ACCOMMODATE THE OLD WITHOUT
DESTROYING IT AND PAVING IT OVER,
"SOUTH FLORIDA" STYLE?
Committee (which is now officially up and running in its early
stages). We thought we should get some opinions on the wording before
we started to use it. What we'll probably do is use a condensed
version for a series of media ads, to get started. We're hoping to
have an official logo (now being designed by a volunteer) and a new
website (also to be designed by some of our members). You can help by
letting us know if there is anything else we ought to mention, or if
there is something that we don't need to put in there. We've also
posted a full copy in the "Files" section for future reference.
Here it is:
Hometown!
The Key West Homeowners and Residents Political Action Committee
Home is where the heart is. It's where friends and family come
together
to worship, play ball, relax, discuss problems and mix together to
create a sense of who we are in the community we call our hometown.
Hometown! is a newly formed Political Action Committee seeking
membership from Key West homeowners and residents who feel the
time
has
come to bring back the values and traditions that made Key West such
a
special place. We recognize that the island's unique character is
being
slowly eroded by interests that benefit only a few individuals, and
feel we can do something to turn things around before it is too late.
Hometown! seeks to improve the quality of life for everyone who calls
Key West home by selecting and promoting candidates for political
office who share the same values as our members. We feel there is
nothing to be gained by complaining about what has happened to our
island. Instead, we want to do something to bring back a better way
of
life for our families and future generations. It won't happen
overnight, and it won't happen by setting one interest group
against another. It can only succeed if we get together now to discuss and
agree on the values that are important to our quality of life, and
unify ourselves behind politicians who will strive to achieve them.
The goal of Hometown! in the coming months is to identify,
endorse, and support
candidates for the three Commissioner seats and the Mayor's
office – all of which will be up for election in 2005. If we can
be
successful in this endeavor, Key West will take a new direction, led
by
a majority of new leaders who we have helped to elect through our
combined efforts.
Meaningful change can only take place by using the political process
to
reflect the wishes of the majority of voters. Hometown! intends to
effect peaceful and positive change in Key West by enlisting members
from every political ideology who are interested in what our hometown
can be, and not what it has become.
Page 2-
Membership: Open to all homeowners and residents of Key West and the
Lower Keys.
Cost: $10, or however much a better Key West means to you.
Participation: Those who can donate their time are needed to organize
discussion groups, distribute newsletters, register voters, and help
us
spread the word.
To sign up, send a check to Key West Homeowners and Residents
Political
Action Committee, P.O. Box 2537, Key West, FL. 33045-2537
www.hometownkeywest.com
Our friends in the Bight Neighborhood Group need our help. Many of
us are away, or will be away on the eighth of July, but we can all
direct e-mails or regular letters to the Planning Department, to be
read at the hearing. (Address, Box 1409, Key West, FL 33041-1409)
The height restrictions are a much debated, well-thought out part of
the City Charter. To ignore them now, or in the future, does a
disservice not only to
ourselves but to the future integrity of the planning process.
Dear Harry,
An informal poll of our neighborhood
members is showing us strongly in favor of
keeping things as they are with regard to the
BOA and Variances question, by a ratio of
about 10 to 1.
I personally don't feel that the issue even
justifies the cost of a referendum. (Now, if
y'all would like a pay raise, I'll be glad to
write the first Letter to the Editor).
Thanks & regards,
John Mertz
the Jabour's project, I am truly disgusted at the lack of protection
from development that HARC is providing Key West.
As homeowners, we spend our time and money to follow HARC
guidelines
anytime we replace a roof or window, install a pool or paint our
houses. I thought this was all done to ensure that the historic
character of our neighborhood is preserved.
The revised building plan for the Jabour's site was submitted to
HARC last night. The size, mass and nonconforming prison-like
structure that developers from Tampa want to build never met HARC
guidelines the first time it was submitted and it still doesn't. The
revisions don't matter. The plan is still for three huge "two-and-
one-half-story" buildings containing 32 three-bedroom condominiums
with transient licenses, lockout rooms (potentially 96 units) and a
parking garage. These big ugly buildings in no way conform to our
historic neighborhood.
At the meeting, Bill Rowan provided HARC with an architectural model
of the surrounding neighborhood with the revised version of the
project. Any 6-year-old could look at the model and find the
buildings that don't belong.
It was pointed out last night that when in doubt, HARC has the duty to
rule on the side of the community. The signatures of 609
residents objecting to the original plans were presented to HARC.
This proves there is real concern, doubt and objection being shown
by our community.
I hope HARC will take the opportunity at the next meeting to admit
they made a mistake ... it happens. It's not too late to stop this
monstrosity from being built at the Historic Key West Bight. Once
it's done, it's done: We will all have to live with their mistake.
Deborah Kennedy
Key West
