Agenda Item 2A Vote Put On Hold

For decades, Miami-Dade has protected a boundary line to stop urban sprawl into the Everglades, called the “Urban Development Boundary” (UDB). This is one of our best tools to protect the Everglades, our drinking water, and Biscayne Bay from urbanization. Yet, this boundary is constantly under threat. The County manages its growth according to the goals and priorities set in the Comprehensive Development Master Plan (CDMP), which closely impacts the UDB based on how the demands of a growing population are balanced with affordable housing, public transportation, and the environment. 

In a meeting held on February 10, 2022, the County Infrastructure, Operations, and Innovation Committee (CIOIC) was set to consider an amendment to the CDMP. This amendment, attached to the meeting agenda as “Item 2A,” would require Miami-Dade to offer a minimum 10-year land supply for single-family residential housing. Over 680 advocates wrote to the CIOIC opposing the resolution because it would almost certainly lead to moving the UDB and placing our valuable ecosystems and drinking water at risk. 

Leading up to the meeting, a Miami Herald article publicized the meeting. Behind the scenes, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava issued a memo against Item 2A, and Chairman Diaz responded in a countering memo sent back to her office. When the February 10 meeting was called to order, Chairman Diaz and the committee deferred the CIOIC vote on Item 2A to a future date to be determined. We hope that Mayor Levine Cava and Chairman Diaz can work together to find a solution to our housing crisis without sacrificing the Everglades or the important buffer areas and farmlands just outside the UDB. 

While we are disappointed that Item 2A has not yet been voted down, we are using this opportunity to continue to spread the word about this threat to the UDB and the future of Biscayne Bay, the Everglades, and our community.

We urge you to join us in taking advantage of this additional time to make sure the voice of our community is heard. Please scroll down to let our commissioners know that you want them to vote NO on Agenda Item 2A!