Dear Editor,
For years, I’ve watched the Islamorada Village Council meetings on TV and recently I’ve found myself yelling at my own TV. On June 8, I attended the meeting in-person to express my concerns. I do not feel heard. I was rushed to finish up as if I was a bother. So I have decided to send this to you in order to express three concerns.
No. 1 — WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR VILLAGE ADMINISTRATION?
It seems evident that the Village work environment is toxic. At the last meeting, Senior Planning Director, Dan Gulizio, publicly expressed that his integrity was being attacked and that he was being pressured in his planning and development position. The council (at that same meeting) then tasked him to advise them on how to clean up and improve the verbiage of the Islamorada Village Code of Ordinances. Dan is a respected and experienced planner who has the professional qualifications to carry out what was being asked of him by those who create policy – the Council. Instead of allowing him to do this work, the Village Manager took it upon himself to fire Mr. Gulizio.
I am upset that Dan was fired. I do not think we can find a more qualified man to do this job. Apparently, manager Mr. Yates did not alert all of the Council prior to taking this outrageous action and it came as a surprise to many of them.
Why can’t we keep qualified people on the Village staff? When a person lets it be known that he is being pressured in this workplace, that person would expect support from Human Resources – NOT to be fired.
No. 2 — WHERE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO PARK?
I am appalled that this council keeps issuing permits that do NOT include sufficient parking for the amount of people that these businesses will attract, i.e.: Crooked Palm, Marker 88, this Smugglers Cove development, Islamorada Brewery, Florida Keys Brewery, Square Grouper, Lazy Days, etc.
Patrons to business establishments should not be allowed to park on U.S. 1, the berm, or the bike path. There is not enough parking included in the permits for these new businesses, and that only adds to our illegal parking and traffic congestion.
Parking on a rented off-property area OR across the street (which is busy U.S. 1) is only a way to jump through a loophole that only helps the business owner to get a permit and make a lot of money. It brings danger on the road for Islamorada residents and visitors. I am frustrated with the number of permits being issued with so many code variances. This only benefits the business and NOT the residents.
No. 3 — CAN YOU IMAGINE THE UPCOMING BOTTLENECK AT SNAKE CREEK BRIDGE WITH THE NEWLY APPROVED MORADA COVE DEVELOPMENT?
This overdevelopment at the base of the Snake Creek bridge is going to be dangerous and further contribute to our Islamorada traffic nightmare. This permit was granted:
• Without a traffic study.
• With a massive waterfront building exceeding code allowances.
• Lack of adequate parking.
• No thought to the traffic ingress and egress at the base of the bridge.
This Council is stuffing 10 pounds of sugar in a 5 pound bag or, to be more clear, stuffing 5 restaurants in 1 building. That’s one “HUGE” building with several restaurants on one floor of the three-story building. Even I can see this is just another loophole so they can get away with building a monstrosity of a building. And then they say that (top and bottom floors) 2/3 of the square footage space will not be used. Well that’s hard to believe! Isn’t it? I thought the reason Islamorada incorporated was so our islands would not be overbuilt. Well I think our building is out of control and I see that evidence every day.
Everyone out there who’s watching the meetings at home, don’t just yell at your TV, let your voices be heard — make calls, send emails or come to a meeting and speak to your Council directly. They need to hear what you have to say.
Together we can make a difference.
Angie Lucas
Islamorada resident
