Spotlight 67-250110 Bluff Trees

Threatened natural features draw the focused attention of citizens, and community leaders reassess their relationships in this Friday’s Spotlight.

Damage to protected historic stone formation raises board’s ire.
Tree law changes mobilize both citizens and elected officials.
West Grove leaders question absence of district staff.
Prominent West Grove educator passes.
Revisting Virginia Key.

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City Board Clears Plan to Restore Protected Silver Blu ff

Developer David Martin will not face administrative fines over widespread damage to the Silver Bluff at his Coconut Grove property.

By Izzy Kapnick

The Silver Bluff, which runs for 46 feet within the Martin Property, was reduced in size by workers to match a nearby retaining wall. (Photo from City of Miami)

Miami’s historic preservation board has approved prominent developer David Martin’s plan to restore an iconic limestone formation partially demolished by workers during a botched construction job outside his Coconut Grove mansion.

Martin’s proposal to rebuild a stretch of the Silver Bluff at his 3001 Brickell Avenue property received a green light from Miami’s Historic and Environmental Preservation (HEP) Board this week, during a meeting that featured a lengthy apology from Martin and a rebuke from one board member who called the damage to the bluff “insane.”

Though the ire was palpable, the board noted it lacked the authority to issue fines against Martin in the matter.

In contrast to penalties for unpermitted tree removal, Miami’s city code does not lay out administrative fines for removal of protected environmental features such as the Silver Bluff. The resulting gap in the board’s authority has prompted calls for reform from preservation advocates as the restoration work moves forward.

Martin, whose Coconut Grove-based Terra Group has been a leading player in the Grove’s high-end makeover in recent years, publicly addressed the damage for the first time during the meeting.

Residents, Officials to Meet Tuesday to Discuss Changes in Tree Laws

As opposition mounts, a public meeting will bring together city staff, elected officials and the public to air concerns over proposed amendments to the city code.

By David Villano

Opponents of proposed changes to the City of Miami’s tree protection laws assemble before marching in last Sunday’s King Mango Strut Parade.

With the city commission scheduled to vote on changes to Miami’s tree protection laws later this month, members of the public are invited to City Hall next week to share their views on the controversial proposal.

The so-called sunshine meeting – which allows elected officials to discuss official business without violating the state’s government transparency laws – will be held Tuesday January 14 at 12:00 p.m. in the commission chambers at City Hall.

Miami District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo, who represents Coconut Grove, requested the meeting.

The proposed changes to the city’s tree protection laws have been widely condemned by environmental organizations and civic groups, arguing they would severely weaken existing laws by removing many permitting requirements for tree removal and by loosening controls over a city fund earmarked for tree plantings.

West Grove Leaders Question Pardo’s Absence

Miami District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo and staff were missing in action at last week’s Ministerial Alliance meeting. Community leaders question why.

By Don Finefrock

The Ministerial Alliance meets monthly at Greater St. Paul A.M.E. Church on Thomas Avenue to discuss issues of concern in the West Grove. (Don Finefrock for the Spotlight)

Miami District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo and his staff have stopped attending the community meetings organized by West Grove organizations like the Coconut Grove Ministerial Alliance, and neighborhood leaders say the move seems punitive.

Pardo and his staff were advised by the City Attorney’s office not to attend the meetings after the organizations filed an unfair housing complaint against the City of Miami and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) decided to investigate.

HUD officials opened their investigation in July 2024, a year after the Ministerial Alliance and two other organizations filed the complaint. The complaint accuses the city of adopting planning and zoning policies that led to the mass eviction and displacement of hundreds of Black residents on Grand Avenue in the West Grove.

“It was a directive from the City Attorney’s office, because they are in litigation,” for district staff not to attend the meetings, a District 2 spokeswoman told the Spotlight.

Community leaders question that rationale, however, noting that former District 2 commissioners and staff frequently attended Ministerial Alliance meetings in the past despite active litigation between neighborhood groups and the city over other issues.

Obituary: Jereline Blacknell Ewing

An educator and an advocate for youth, Ewing was 90 years old.

Jereline Blacknell Ewing, a distinguished educator whose career spanned continents and inspired countless colleagues and students, died peacefully on December 17 at her home in Coconut Grove. She was 90.

Continue Rea ding…

Where We’ll Be

Virginia Key Outing

The week’s cooler weather is a great excuse to check out some outdoor spaces that have changed perhaps since you were last out. Just a short hike or bike ride from Alice Wainwright Park towards Key Biscayne, you’ll find the north side of Hobe Island has been rebuilt after a long project to recover from Hurricane Irma and rebuild resilient infrastructure. It’s a favorite spot to watch the lights of Brickell across the water during an early evening picnic. Quite romantic.

Further along the Rickenbacker Causeway, the south side of Virginia Key provides easy access to a long, shallow beach often used by athletes in training and families chilling. Food vendors scattered through the parking areas make sure that you don’t go hungry or thirsty too long. A special treat is a dog-friendly beach found on the eastern end of the beach area nearest Miami Seaquarium.

Crossing to the north side of the road and in the far right corner of the immense parking lot, you’ll find one of the entrances to the new Miami Marine Stadium Basin Trail. This mile-and-a-half long walking/biking trail outlines the perimeter of the basin. The Miami Rowing Club is a good place to start your outing.

Old-timers that go looking for Virginia Key’s former landmark insider hang-out place, Jimbo’s, may be surprised to stumble upon Lamar Lake Boat Dock in the same general area. Today instead of a bocci ball court and a cold beer, you’ll be able to rent a kayak or borrow a picnic table. A little farther up the road will bring you to Virginia Key North Point Trails. Mountain bike trails surrounded by Biscayne Bay and beaches? Strange but true and if you ride them, you’ll have bragging rights when you rendezvous with your friends at The Wetlab for a beer and sunset. Their low-key vibe dances to the regulations of U-Miami, so call ahead to make sure they’re open.

Save Me a Seat

The Crandons come to the Barnacle’s Moonlight Concert Friday, 1/10. Gates open at 6:00 p.m. Music starts at 7:00 p.m. As always, perfect for romantic picnics. (The moon will be high and cool. Perfect cuddling weather.) Advanced tickets are available.

The Three Kings Parade through Little Havana will start at noon, Sunday 1/12 at SW 8^th Street (Calle Ocho) and 27^th Avenue and head east to 17^th Avenue. Floats, holiday music and talented performances are the signature attractions of this Miami tradition. Free.

With the return of the school year, comes recital season at U-Miami’s Frost School of Music. These usually-free concerts showcase the best and brightest of U-Miami’s rising talents as they start their professional careers. Performances throughout the weeks are described in their online calendar here.