Dear Editor:
There’s a reason why, even though Miami City’s laws and regulations stipulate policies, we have processes to audit their fulfillment. There are 2 issues that concern me.
1- Is the City actually collecting fines for tree removal by developers?
For example- Where can we see the remediation ( in payment or replacement) for the 33 trees removed from the Linden Lane site mentioned in your 12/9/24 article. Access to this information will allow citizens to be sure that no one is getting away with circumventing the law. We do this now with warrants & waivers.
2- Is the money collected for trees or the commitment to replace trees in actually being carried out? Last year’s CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA -AUDIT REPORT (9/30/23) of 229 pages only mention the Tree Fund once. On page 80.
“Summary of interfund transfers” $4.5 million from Planning Tree Trust Fund contributions to city-wide
capital projects and $0.3 million contribution from Departmental Improvement Initiative to various parks and public facilities projects.
I would like to see the detail of this “…city-wide capital projects” to be sure that the millions were spent on trees and not a non-environmental project or into the pocket of a City employee.
At the 12/6/24 meeting Building Department Assistant Director Jose Regalado promised to send The Spotlight this financial Data. I look forward to seeing it.
Glenn Patron
