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 last week - all in an effort to shape the future of the 8-year-old village.

Council members at a March 15 meeting 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 March 17, 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 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.

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.

Some village residents 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.

Editorial Checks

Annexation and zoning debate is the primary historical relevance, not a parking-only story. Proposals, hypothetical tax proceeds and zoning concerns are attributed reporting, not established outcomes. Verify meeting minutes and subsequent boundary decisions separately. Preserve residents’ dissent alongside the mayor’s position.