Lynn and myself,unpaid advocates for Amendment 4, never lied. Growth whores like Lyin Ryan did lie through their teeth. Politicians like Mike WHORE-a-dopalus, were well rewarded by their Developer masters with fat, juicy positions in the Florida legislature.
Katie and lynn and all the rest, thanks for what you did. Fl will be sorry for not letting the people vote on growth. Just keep on fighting for what's right.
That was the point of Amendment 4..it was to vote on development in your backyard that was not consistent to the comprehensive Plan. How do you make change through the system that is in place when it is the "system" that is corrupt? Amendment 4 would have changed all of that at least by the vote of the people.
P.S. I have news for ya--we will NEVER let it rest.
You are probably correct, that by nature, representative democracy is fraught with corruption. But what other form is not. True democracy is mob rule and, I believe in this case could and would be manipulated to YOUR disadvantage. As many people pointed out, a big developer could mount a campaign with big dollars to woo voters in his direction.
Just think if Dee had lots of money to throw around and got people to actually believe that the Snook Islands project was so that developers could put up condos on the islands. How many people want developers to erect high rise condos on Snook Islands?
While I agree the present system is not the best it can be, "4" would have been a disaster. Therefore, your well intentioned efforts in the future will also fail.
I'd be just as P-O'd as the rest of the people on Sunset Dr. if my representatives didn't listen to me. But they were kicked out at least partially because of it and the new bunch rescinded the issue. THAT is how representative democracy works! Now we have to deal with the fallout of both actions.
Not to defend Dee here but there was talk about filling in the Intracoastal and building condos on the fill many years back just like there are still some today who want to grab part of our golf-course and build. It is not a far fetched idea that she has dwelled upon.
OK... now we are getting somewhere. It is just this type of thing that should be discussed for the pro and con of "4". Can a dredge and fill project work? Why certainly. Ibis Isle and a lot of Palm Beach is dredged from the intracoastal for some greedy developer. If, as Dee insisted, a greedy developer wanted to dredge and fill to incorporate condos on the Snook Islands restoration project, our elected representatives from the city, county, State and Federal would have have their ears full. There would have been picketing in the street. I might have even erected a tri-pole hammock in front of city hall to protest myself!
The project would have died before it got to the planning stage.
Now, let's look at a "possible" scenario. The submerged property on the East side of the channel South of Lake Worth Bridge. The city has leased the underwater land to a guy for the last twenty something years for about $8k a year. He wants to build a condo complex on a series of islands which will have to be made.
Let's just say the opposition to his plan is substantial. I kind of like it. This is in our back yard, Palm Beach's back yard and the County's back yard as a whole. Who should vote Lynn?
It would have to get by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers which it won't. They have turned it down twice now due to navigational and environmental reasons.
So at this point, our system seems to be working. The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers are just one layer the greedy developer has to jump through. If, and it a big if, he get through that, there will be many more hurdles he will have to jump. The last one.... at this point.... would be to get permission from our city commission. "4" would add another layer onto that, right?
Who would get to vote? Palm Beach? Or just Lake Worth residents? The residents of the condos south of sloan's curve seem to think they should be involved in the decision making process on that property.
The greedy developer has to go through that hoop because he wants to build in the Intracoastal Waterway. Amendment 4 only kicks in when it is a land-use change. I have no idea what submerged land there is zoned. Do you? I'm sorry that I can't answer a hypothetical. This land will never be developed. It was designed to provide a protected route for boaters. Something has to be protected from "greedy" developers.
So did you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Wes. The difference, however, is that I did it for free. Lyin Ryan was paid $500,000.
ReplyDeleteLynn and myself,unpaid advocates for Amendment 4, never lied. Growth whores like Lyin Ryan did lie through their teeth. Politicians like Mike WHORE-a-dopalus, were well rewarded by their Developer masters with fat, juicy positions in the Florida legislature.
ReplyDeleteKatie and lynn and all the rest, thanks for what you did. Fl will be sorry for not letting the people vote on growth. Just keep on fighting for what's right.
ReplyDeleteLike you said Katie "you lost turd"
ReplyDeleteLet it rest. Let's concentrate on making changes to the system without "vote on everything"
That was the point of Amendment 4..it was to vote on development in your backyard that was not consistent to the comprehensive Plan. How do you make change through the system that is in place when it is the "system" that is corrupt? Amendment 4 would have changed all of that at least by the vote of the people.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I have news for ya--we will NEVER let it rest.
You are probably correct, that by nature, representative democracy is fraught with corruption. But what other form is not. True democracy is mob rule and, I believe in this case could and would be manipulated to YOUR disadvantage. As many people pointed out, a big developer could mount a campaign with big dollars to woo voters in his direction.
ReplyDeleteJust think if Dee had lots of money to throw around and got people to actually believe that the Snook Islands project was so that developers could put up condos on the islands. How many people want developers to erect high rise condos on Snook Islands?
While I agree the present system is not the best it can be, "4" would have been a disaster. Therefore, your well intentioned efforts in the future will also fail.
I'd be just as P-O'd as the rest of the people on Sunset Dr. if my representatives didn't listen to me. But they were kicked out at least partially because of it and the new bunch rescinded the issue. THAT is how representative democracy works! Now we have to deal with the fallout of both actions.
I LOVE this country!
Not to defend Dee here but there was talk about filling in the Intracoastal and building condos on the fill many years back just like there are still some today who want to grab part of our golf-course and build. It is not a far fetched idea that she has dwelled upon.
ReplyDeleteOK... now we are getting somewhere. It is just this type of thing that should be discussed for the pro and con of "4". Can a dredge and fill project work? Why certainly. Ibis Isle and a lot of Palm Beach is dredged from the intracoastal for some greedy developer. If, as Dee insisted, a greedy developer wanted to dredge and fill to incorporate condos on the Snook Islands restoration project, our elected representatives from the city, county, State and Federal would have have their ears full. There would have been picketing in the street. I might have even erected a tri-pole hammock in front of city hall to protest myself!
ReplyDeleteThe project would have died before it got to the planning stage.
Now, let's look at a "possible" scenario. The submerged property on the East side of the channel South of Lake Worth Bridge. The city has leased the underwater land to a guy for the last twenty something years for about $8k a year. He wants to build a condo complex on a series of islands which will have to be made.
Let's just say the opposition to his plan is substantial. I kind of like it. This is in our back yard, Palm Beach's back yard and the County's back yard as a whole. Who should vote Lynn?
It would have to get by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers which it won't. They have turned it down twice now due to navigational and environmental reasons.
ReplyDeleteSo at this point, our system seems to be working. The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers are just one layer the greedy developer has to jump through. If, and it a big if, he get through that, there will be many more hurdles he will have to jump. The last one.... at this point.... would be to get permission from our city commission. "4" would add another layer onto that, right?
ReplyDeleteWho would get to vote? Palm Beach? Or just Lake Worth residents? The residents of the condos south of sloan's curve seem to think they should be involved in the decision making process on that property.
The greedy developer has to go through that hoop because he wants to build in the Intracoastal Waterway. Amendment 4 only kicks in when it is a land-use change. I have no idea what submerged land there is zoned. Do you? I'm sorry that I can't answer a hypothetical. This land will never be developed. It was designed to provide a protected route for boaters. Something has to be protected from "greedy" developers.
ReplyDelete