HERE'S WHAT A COUPLE IN THE MEADOWS FOUND WHEN
THEY RETURNED TO KEY WEST THIS FALL
(Originally published Fall 2004.)
May 2008 Update.

Below is a story describing what happened to couple who no longer live here, but who had an
unpleasant experience relating to variances (or, in this case lack thereof) in their neighborhood.
They were told that the outside investors were granted a "staff variance," apparently an extra-legal
deal granted behind closed doors. The general consensus of KWNA contributors had been that the
variance authority should be in the hands of elected officials. In that way some degree of public
responsibility is maintained. Now (June 2008) the Commission is turning that authority (admittedly
a time-consuming responsibility for the Commission) over to an appointed Planning Board. Some
homeowners have expressed concern over this change. Others say the fact that there will be seven
members, each appointed by a Commissioner, will maintain a degree of public accountability. Has
anyone seen the ordinance? Is there any small print that should concern homeowners?  And does it
pass the "Three Pronged Test"?    

Comments and opinions are encouraged.
Investors, who apparently don't
intend to live there, began a large
addition on house that was
uncomfortably close to our
neighbor's house.
For some reason, the City did not
require a Variance, even though
the improvements were within the
"setback." In the past, other
neighbors were required to get
variances, even for minor
changes.
The investors made no effort, as
a courtesy, to let the neighbors
located a mere 18 inches away
know of their plans, made no
attempt to offer to minimize
construction noise, parking
problems, and, in fact, have
only said, "Talk to my lawyer."
Click on this picture and the two
below for a closer look.
JUST INCHES AWAY
The sad facts are that, because the project was
allowed to start, and because uncaring bureaucrats
downtown have little incentive to protect adjoining
owners, there is little our neighbors can do. Most
of the construction will be done by the time they
leave for the summer....
Would you treat your neighbors 18 inches away
in this manner?
SCAFFOLD OVER THEIR KITCHEN ROOF
A COURTESY CALL WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE
OF COURSE YOU WOULDN'T! AND NEITHER WOULD WE!
Among other things, few of us would be so discourteous. Most of us appreciate our neighborhoods, and
value good relations with people beside whom we actually plan to live. Frankly, most of us don't hold such
behavior to be consistent with  commonly held Judeo-Christian principles and American citizenship.
Outside developers and city bureaucrats apparently see the idea of Common Courtesy as an impediment
to what they see as "progress."
LATEST UPDATE!
THEY'VE GIVEN UP AND PUT THEIR HOUSE ON THE MARKET!
UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS A SCENARIO THAT IS BEING REPEATED
ALL OVER THE "HISTORIC DISTRICT."
(MOST PEOPLE WON'T TALK ABOUT IT TILL AFTER THEY'VE SOLD, FOR OBVIOUS REASONS.)
CITY GOVERNMENT SEEMS TO BE CONTROLLED BY A CYNICAL
POLITICAL MACHINE MORE INTERESTED IN "CHURNING" PROPERTIES
THAN MAINTAINING STABILITY. THE RATIONALE IS "REAL ESTATE
PRICES HAVE GONE UP, SO 'CASH OUT' AND LEAVE, LOSERS."
WHAT CAN WE DO TO PROTECT OUR PROPERTIES?

THERE ISN'T MUCH THAT WE CAN DO EXCEPT TRY TO WORK WITH THE
COMMISSIONERS WHO SUPPORT US.

WE CAN TRY TO EXPLAIN THAT THERE ARE STILL A GREAT MANY PEOPLE WHO
LIVE IN OLD TOWN AND WHO DON'T WANT TO BE DISPLACED BY TOURIST
ACCOMMODATIONS.

IT WILL BE BETTER FOR KEY WEST TO RETAIN SOME SEMBLANCE OF THE
RESIDENTIAL CHARACTER OF OLD TOWN.
SOME RECENT HISTORY
KEY WEST NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS
Public Service Announcements
We have been hearing something disturbing on the grapevine. A large number of property
owners who live within 300 feet of properties whose owners have applied for variances have
NOT received notification of the impending hearings from the city planning department, as
required by law.

What is worse are reports that city staff is routinely blaming the lack of notice on the US
Postal Service. Sure, we've all lost things in the mail once or twice, but have we lost hundreds
of letters in the last few months?

The real problem is that a lot of people travel during the summer months or are otherwise
occupied out-of-town. Hence, posting an 11 x 14 inch card in front of the subject property
and running a small ad in the legal section of a newspaper are not sufficient notices. Nor can
budgetary concerns be used as an excuse for not sending out individual notices to nearby
owners. The application fee should be sufficient to cover the postage and mailing expenses.
And mailing of notices to every owner within a 300' radius is specifically required by statute.

Neglecting to mail out notices, as required by law, is unfair to both the nearby property
owners, and to the applicant as well. Without proper notice (and proof thereof) any citizen
ought to be able to challenge the validity of any variance on procedural grounds.

We certainly hope that the powers-that-be take note of this situation, and give assurance to
the taxpaying public that the correct procedures will be followed. Failure to send out these
notices as required by law creates an impression of impropriety that may be difficult to
reverse. And that's the last thing that anybody needs at this time.