More Development Means More Traffic. Calusa Golf Course

Residents of Calusa have asked that we forward the following information to our residents.

For the last several years, our community has seen the result of the over development within our neighborhood.  The number one complaint we receive from our community members & residents is regarding the traffic on 122nd Ave and Killian Parkway (SW 104th St) and all traffic related issues that come with the increased population density which our streets were not meant to handle.  Recently we were made aware of plans to redevelop the Calusa Golf course into a proposed 550 home development.  That would mean that for each home of the size they plan to build, 3 to 4 cars/vehicles would inevitably come with it.  That would mean that there is a potential of up to 2,200 additional cars on the roads impacting your commute to work or school if you need to go through Killian or 122nd Ave.  If you plan to take Kendall Drive, it would also be worse off.  Of course if the covenant is released, there is nothing saying that the proposed number of homes to be built won't increase.

So how could this happen or how could it even be allowed? The owners of the golf course which makes up 168 acres of green space are petitioning the Miami Dade County Zoning Commission to release the covenant that prevents any development from occurring on that land and would then allow the owners to build homes upon it.  Also, it seems that this drama has evidently been going on for quite some time, with the owners last legal bid to build upon the land rejected by the courts. That however has not deterred plans for redevelopment.  What's more, there are some commissioners that may vote to approve the release of the covenant claiming that it would make some kind of dent in the affordable housing crisis in Miami Dade county.  With estimates of homes to be built ranging from 2,000 to 3,000 square feet on quarter acres lots, that assertion is disingenuous at best.  Homes that size will certainly not be affordable.

What can be done about it? A petition drive is being planed today, March 7th and March 8th from 12pm to 5 PM in front of the pavilion found across the street from the Regal Theater.  (Click Here) You can find more information by going to https://www.savecalusa.org. There is also an open group discussion about the topic on Nextdoor here: https://nextdoor.com/g/5k7mfajzf. We would also encourage our residents that really want to put a stop to this crazy over development of our community by attending the next commission meeting tentatively scheduled for March 19th at 9:30 AM at the Commission Chambers, Stephen P. Clark Center, 111 NW 1 Street, 2nd Floor.  Getting there is easy if you park your car at the Dadeland North Metrorail station and then get off at Government Center building.  Once there, you go to the first floor and sign in to receive a pass, then go to the second floor.  We encourage you to register to speak on the commission floor if you want express your traffic related frustrations to the commission and any new development that would exacerbate it.

Miami Dade County Upcoming Meetings & Documents related to this issues can be found here: https://energov.miamidade.gov/EnerGov_Prod/selfservice/MiamiDadeProd#/plan/413b9631-7ce7-4b27-8f2e-c60209e7ef86?tab=meetings