Community leaders from the West Grove met with Miami District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo last week to discuss the Coconut Grove Playhouse and win his support for the neighborhood protections they are seeking. Playhouse neighbors fear the playhouse revival plan backed by Miami-Dade County will push unwanted traffic and commercial activity into their quiet residential community.
To move forward with their plan, county officials need the City Commission to approve the project. Members of Preserve the West Grove and three other organizations want Pardo and his fellow commissioners to withhold that support until the county agrees to sign a community benefits agreement (CBA) that addresses their concerns.
Read more: Playhouse Neighbors Strive to be Heard by the County
“At the meeting, he (Pardo) stated that he was very open to hearing the community’s concerns, and hoped to find a resolution before the issue returned to commission,” Anthony Vinciguerra, a board member of Preserve the West Grove, wrote in an email.
“However, at the meeting on Wednesday he was very hesitant to commit to any concrete support for a CBA or otherwise,” Vinciguerra added.
Pardo and his fellow commissioners are scheduled to hold a “sunshine” meeting to discuss the playhouse on Monday, June 22 at 6 p.m. Community leaders are urging residents to attend the City Hall meeting to press their concerns.
“We believe quality-of-life issues are at stake,” Reynold Martin, chairman of GRACE (Grove Rights and Community Equity) said over the weekend.
