A council majority reversed course on its selection of a firm to help guide Islamorada’s future.
2001 was the last time the village adopted a comprehensive plan, which provides the residential and business community, as well as the village council, staff and other advisory boards a tool to guide the decision-making and development in the decades to come. Since the early 2000s, the village has experienced more growth, increased traffic congestion, no more building permits for market rate housing and a workforce housing shortage. In addition, the original plan never addressed resiliency and sustainability.
With council approval, the village issued a request for proposals on May 29 to seek professional consulting services to update the comprehensive plan. Five firms responded with a proposal before the deadline. An evaluation committee appointed by Village Manager Rob Cole evaluated and ranked the five proposals. The five-person council ultimately decided to invite the firms to give their pitches.
On Sept. 12, four firms visited the Founders Park Community Center to present their plans to council members. A roughly three-hour meeting concluded with the council voting 4-1 to select Calvin, Giordano & Associates as the firm to lead the comprehensive plan update process. Based out of Miami, the firm’s cost proposal came in at $151,630. The firm has completed comprehensive plans, land development codes and other plans for cities including Miami, Weston, Lauderhill, Pompano Beach and Ann Maria Island.
Vice Mayor Sharon Mahoney, councilwoman Elizabeth Jolin and councilmen Henry Rosenthal and Mark Gregg voted “yes.” Mayor Buddy Pinder, who voted “no,” thought the council needed more time to digest the information before voting.
“Seriously, this is a big decision,” Pinder stated as council members prepared to vote during the Sept. 12 meeting. Pinder proposed the council vote for a firm before a Sept. 17 budget hearing.
Five days later, a special meeting was called to readdress the firm selection. The request for the Sept. 17 special meeting was brought forth by Gregg, who explained to fellow council members that he misunderstood one firm’s statement about reducing their fee.
“To me that was a negative factor, a misunderstanding on my part and influenced how I felt about things,” Gregg said, adding he contacted Cole and the village attorney, John Quick, to request a reconsideration and possible re-vote. Two other council members agreed to the special meeting for reconsideration on Sept. 17.
Gregg said he liked Able City East’s unconventional approach to the comprehensive plan process. Pinder and Mahoney sided with Gregg’s motion to approve the firm based out of Miami.
“I said all along I was on the fence (between Able City and Calvin, Giordano & Associates). I will be sitting up here for two more years. … I liked Able City East as well,” Mahoney said.
Able City East was founded by Jason King, a former Monroe County planner who helped develop the Liveable CommuniKeys Plan and establish the historic district in Tavernier. A planner for more than 20 years, King established the new business in 2024.
“We plan island communities. We specialize in island communities,” King told council members at the Sept. 12 meeting.
Jolin and Rosenthal opposed the firm switch. Jolin shared concerns regarding some of the subcontractors based out of Texas that Able City East would be using in the process.
“As you read in his proposal, he references the work done across the country, and some internationally … very little in Florida,” Jolin said. “I want to choose planners that are very familiar with our coastal community. I don’t feel comfortable choosing a group that is populated by contractors whose main body of work is out of Texas.”
Rosenthal said it was a mistake for council members to base their decision on the presentation as opposed to the content. Rosenthal said Calvin, Giordano & Associates has a “superb background.”
Able City East won’t only lead the comprehensive planning process, but will also take on the rewriting of the village’s land development code. King told council members he’s eager to address the village’s workforce housing crisis.
“Our architects, we can design and draw it,” he said.
Abel City East’s cost originally came in at $225,000. King said he would reduce his cost to $112,000 with no reduction in services.
