Update from Coalition Against Causeway Chaos

News on Watson Island Project

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Watson Island Update 2/20/15

This is the first in a series of regular updates as citizens in Miami Beach and Miami battle the proposed Watson Island Flagstone Project. This monster, planted right in the middle of the MacArthur Causeway will strangle traffic, negatively impact residents, workers and visitors who travel between Miami Beach and Miami.

That’s why we call it The Watson Island Strangler.

The solution? Start over! This project has been in the works for 14 years --long before the massive increase in development and traffic of recent years. The current project must be stopped and the voters must have a new opportunity to decide what should be built on Watson Island’s remaining 24 acres of public, waterfront land.

The FIRST STEP TO STOP this huge project is in the Courts. A lawsuit containing five distinct complaints has been filed by concerned citizens against the City of Miami for its illegal actions in approving this project. Three of the complaints involve violations of the City Charter, one involves the City’s serious misrepresentation of facts, and one on the failure to commence construction on the schedule approved by Miami voters.

Summary of Legal Issues

The SECOND STEP TO STOP The Watson Island Strangler is also now underway:

The mobilization of Home Owners Associations and the Business Community
A “Follow The Dollar” Investigative Taskforce”
The enlistment of volunteers for neighborhood organizing and research

Here’s How You Can Help.
Each of us must do our part:

Sign up to receive alerts and updates by clicking here.
Make a Contribution by clicking here.
Spread the word to your friends and neighbors by forwarding this Causeway Chaos Update.

Caring Citizens in Action

Current Update

Miami Beach commissioners and mayor join the battle. Before a packed crowd, opposed to the outsized project on Watson Island, Mayor Levine and the Miami Beach Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a new, comprehensive traffic study. (The study conducted by the City of Miami failed to examine the impact of traffic on Hibiscus, Star, Palm and the Terminal Islands not to mention the MacArthur and Fifth Street Intersections). The Commission and Mayor also directed the City Attorney to explore all options, including legal remedies available to Miami Beach.

See Channel 10's coverage of that meeting by clicking here.

Representatives of our Coalition Against Causeway Chaos have begun briefing homeowner, business and civic associations starting with Belle Isle and 1000 Venetian Way, the Advocacy and Real Estate Councils of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce and at a debate on Watson Island held by the Urban Environmental League. If your homeowners, civic or business association would like a briefing, please contact us at info@cacc.org

Our legal battle against wrongdoing by the City of Miami continues. We just posted a victory forcing the city to release Public Records. After reviewing thousands of pages of documents we have now discovered why the City has attempted to hide its misbehavior and why it wants to shut out the public. We'll be revealing a shocking revelation shortly.

The next court appearance will be on March 5th where we're arguing against the City of Miami's claim that citizens don't have standing to sue on the Watson Island Project. You can find the detail on the lengths to which the City will go to thwart its citizens by clicking here.

Volunteers Needed

Attorneys and law students to develop additional public records requests on new issues and to gather even more evidence of a pattern of anti-public deceit.
Researchers for projects on risks of traffic gridlock, abuse of public lands, environmental and public safety impacts.
Activists for media, organizing and monitoring governmental and Commission meetings.

Please email us at Info@causewaychaos.org

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