Miami-Dade County Commission votes 8-3 to override Mayor Levine Cava veto over urban boundary project
MIAMI -- Miami-Dade County Commissioners on Tuesday voted to override a veto by Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, which will allow for construction work to begin outside the current Urban Development Boundary, or UDB.
The commission's 8-3 vote came after the veto on Nov. 9 by the mayor, who expressed her dismay at the commission's move.
"I am very disappointed that the county commission chose the short-term financial gain of a few over the long-term health and wellbeing of our environment and economy," she said in a written statement. "Moving the urban development boundary without a proven need to do so threatens all the work we have already done to build a world-class, better connected, more resilient Miami-Dade."
Under the terms of county charter, two-thirds of commission members must vote to override a mayoral veto.
According to the Miami Herald, Commissioners Sally Heyman, Danielle Cohen Higgins and Eileen Higgins sided with the mayor while Commissioners Jose "Pepe" Diaz, Oliver Gilbert, Keon Hardemon, Jean Monestime, Kionne McGhee, Raquel Regalado, Rebeca Sosa, and Javier Souto.voted to override the mayor. Rene Garcia was not present for the vote, the Herald reported.
The South Dade Logistics and Technology District is a proposed 380-acre mix of warehouses and other commercial businesses that would be located south of the Florida Turnpike and north of SW 268th Street.
The proposed new district had been opposed by environmental groups and farming advocates.
The county's own planning staff had also expressed opposition to the project, saying the county had enough industrial land available without moving the boundary, the Herald reported previously.
But developers had said the project would bring over 7,000 new jobs to the southern sector of the county.
The group said in a written statement that it was pleased with the council's move.
"We are very pleased that a super majority of Miami-Dade County Commissioners voted to override the Mayor's veto today," a spokesperson said. "Approval of our application means the South Dade Logistics and Technology District is one step closer to bringing thousands of good-paying jobs to the fastest-growing community in all of Miami-Dade County. In addition to being great for the economy, the District will also deliver environmental benefits to the area by cleaning up its contaminated site, ensuring it will no longer contribute to the pollution of Biscayne Bay, and donating over 600 acres of sensitive environmental land to Miami-Dade County for preservation."
