Council discusses plans for future

PINECREST

Pinecrest residents and council members, at separate meetings, jotted down a few ideas about what they would like to see for the village’s future.

By Yudy Pineiro | [email protected]

The Pinecrest Village Council is considering annexing surrounding areas of unincorporated Miami-Dade County and adding a trolley or park-and-ride system to ease clogged roads.

Council members and residents tossed around those ideas and others at two meetings during the week - all in an effort to shape the future of the 8-year-old village.

It’s an especially crucial task for the two newly elected council members and the mayor, who hope to build on the successes of the first council.

Council members at a meeting Tuesday expressed concerns over a proposed Miami-Dade County law that would require municipalities to turn over to the county some of the taxes they collect from annexed commercial, business or industrial areas.

The council voted to oppose it. They said they may want to add to the city’s tax base by annexing commercial land.

So far, village officials have looked into annexing the land where Toys R Us is located, just north of the Pinecrest boundary at 8325 S. Dixie Hwy. and south of South Miami city limits.

That property alone would bring up to $44,000 in taxes for the village, officials said.

During a separate workshop Thursday, Pinecrest Mayor Gary Matzner suggested the village should also consider annexing other land, such as the shopping plaza just north of Toys R Us.

But before the council moves ahead, Matzner said he wants the community to have a say.

“This is why we’re here: to listen,” he told the 30-plus residents at the “visioning workshop.”

Most of the residents applauded Matzner.

Not as popular, however, was his idea to annex land west of South Dixie Highway - possibly even the Falls area, which has struggled for years to incorporate. Many Pinecrest residents think the village boundaries should not cross the highway, which offers less pricey homes and property.

“My main reason is to control zoning,” Matzner told them.

Pinecrest’s strict zoning codes have kept developers from building high-rises or multistory buildings. But Matzner fears that with no control over the land across the street, developers may do just that - build up and shade the village.

In addition to annexation, easing traffic was also a hot topic at the two meetings.

Matzner suggested adding a trolley to transport kids to and from school in the village.

Nan Markowitz, executive director of the Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust, questioned whether parents would support a trolley.

“Let’s do a reality check here,” she said. “How many parents are going to let their kids take a trolley to go to school in the morning?”

Markowitz told the Council they could use the $500,000 they receive yearly from the half-penny transportation surtax to help alleviate traffic congestion. The tax was passed by the county in 2002.

South Miami and Coral Gables use the money to run trolleys.

Some village residents, however, said they would rather have a park-and-ride system - a spot where people park their cars and get bused to the local Metrorail or bus stop.

The Council plans to form committees to study the ideas that were discussed.

Smart Box: In Other Action

In separate meetings during the week, the Pinecrest Village Council also:

• Passed a resolution urging the Miami-Dade County Commission to oppose any extension of the urban development boundary line.
• Contracted Bob Hilson and Co. to reroof several buildings suffering from age and leaks at Pinecrest Gardens, 11100 Red Rd., for nearly $115,000.
• Agreed not to bury overhead utility lines after hearing from FPL and residents.
• Agreed to consider adding lighting to the area off Red Road Linear Park, located east of Red Road between Southwest 88th and 111th streets.
• Agreed to consider adding water lines to an area in the middle of the village that now uses wells.
• Agreed to consider cutting an opening in a median off South Dixie Highway near Southwest 126th Street to permit cars going southbound to turn directly into Village Hall and police officers to turn left into the southbound lanes from there.
• Agreed to study adding a skateboard park on about seven acres at Flagler Grove Park, 7551 SW 104 St.
• Agreed to revisit plans to improve Veterans Wayside Park, located off South Dixie Highway and Southwest 112th Street. The plans include adding a dog park and veterans memorial, closing through traffic from Southwest 110th Street and widening Southwest 79th Avenue.
• Agreed to hold a special meeting to tweak plans to improve Pinecrest Gardens.
• Agreed to consider hiring a firm that would apply for grants on the village’s behalf.

Editorial Checks

Keep council actions, agreements to consider, and eventual completed work distinct. Obtain March15/17 council and workshop records to corroborate the relative weekdays, contract, resolution and park proposals. Preserve the residents’ annexation opposition and Markowitz’s transport criticism. The sidebar names Flagler Grove Park, not the former Parrot Jungle site; do not conflate the locations. The printed eight-year description is retained despite the 1996 incorporation anniversary preceding this publication.