neighborhood
associations
our community..."
CHECK OUT BOB KELLY'S LETTER
TO THE EDITOR BELOW, AND
THE PETITION BELOW THAT!
WHY SHOULD THE "VILLAGE" GET
ALL THE TRAFFIC, WHEN THE
"SECOND HOME OWNERS" IN
THE ANNEX GET NONE OF IT?
IT SIMPLY ISN'T FAIR!
Here is are in 2007, Clayton Lopez is the Commissioner for District VI
now, and the legal machinations still continue.
For a recent editorial, not on Truman Annex (which allow short term
rentals universally now), but on the transient rental issue,
CLICK HERE
In less than three weeks, the Key West City Commission will vote on the external aspects of the
Conceptual Master Plan for the Truman Waterfront
property. If commissioners vote to approve the plan as it now stands, it will, in the opinions of two
City engineers, "cause severe traffic problems in the area", "be a safety risk to residents of the
area", "be detrimental to the quality of life and safety of residents of the Bahama Village
community as a whole", and "could result in the overall degradation of a historical residential
community".
Commissioner Carmen Turner, the Commissioner for the District that includesBahama Village, has
promised the community that she will bring an alternative plan, one that reflects the consensus of
the community, to
the Commission as a replacement for the flawed plan that is scheduled to
come before them on September 6.
We in the community are concerned that the existing plan, or something
close to it, is going to be approved on grounds that it is the only traffic
plan that is viable -- because of restrictions imposed by the Commission
itself on past occasions. The present plan, for example, removes a large
amount of inbound traffic from Southard Street, between Truman Annex and the Shipyard
Condominiums. This restriction rises from an agreement that the City entered into with TAMPOA,
the Truman Annex Master Property Owners Association, in 2000. That agreement, entered into
under a threat from TAMPOA to interfere with the City's acquisition of the Truman
Waterfront, gives TAMPOA the power to specify which streets in Bahama Village MUST
b used for access to the Park, and the way in which they must be used.
Commissioners in 2000 succumbed to the TAMPOA threats despite the fact
that the Navy retains a permanent easement across Southard Street, and that
Southard Street has been the historic and natural entrance to the
property ever since the Navy took the property from Bahama Village many years ago.
Some residents of the neighborhoods affected by an anticipated 5,000 vehicle
trips per day entering and exiting the park have drawn up alternative plans,
alternative even to the "official" alternative plan, drawn up by City staff.
At a community workshop organized by Commissioner Turner, residents
expressed near unanimity for an action by either the City, or by residents
themselves, to take back Southard Street by negotiation with TAMPOA or,
failing that, by eminent domain. This would be a linchpin for other changes
to the plan that will lessen the impact on Bahama Village's narrow
streetsand on the Village as a whole.
We residents are gearing up for the September 6 meeting. We are enlisting
support from residents of the entire City of Key West to our cause, and hope
for a large turnout to help us convince the City that the best of interests
of all citizens are served by a plan other than the one slated for approval.
Robert Kelly
927 Thomas Street
Key West
(305) 942-6849
The Key West City Commission is scheduled to vote to approve a resolution at
its meeting on September 7 that “could cause severe traffic problems in [this] area,
would be a safety risk to the residents of [this] area, would be detrimental to the
quality of life and safety of the residents of Bahama Village community as a whole,
and could result in the overall degradation of a historical residential community.”*
* City staff study, John Jones and Roland Flowers
REMINDER: It’s important that as many Bahama Village residents as possible
attend the Commission meeting to show Commissioners that the plan as it is
now is not acceptable to our community. The Commission meeting begins at
6:00 PM. Mark your calendar now and plan to be there.
For more information, contact Bob Kelly, 305-942-6849 or by e-mail at
kwshoes@spamcop.net, or David Mayne, 305-294-0159 or hansoman11@aol.com.
Optional: Telephone # ____________________
e-Mail _______________________
If you provide a telephone number and/or e-mail, we’ll remind you a day or so in
advance of the meeting.
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Petition
We residents of Bahama Village, District VI, and other citizens of Key West, petition
the
Key West City Commission to reject the traffic plan for the Truman Waterfront Park
prepared by their consultants.
We insist that the Commission adopt a plan that won’t put huge numbers of vehicles
onto our narrow streets, endangering our children and disrupting our lives.
Signed: ____________________________
Address: ____________________________
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DIFFERENT HERE!"
Here's your new short-term
rental neighbor, for example!
