Save Coral Gate: Revise the Live Local Act

Dear Neighbors of Coral Gate, Silver Bluff, Little Gables, Shenandoah, and Coral Gables:

Our neighborhoods are facing a critical threat. A developer is proposing a 1,000+ unit residential project along with 44,000 square feet of office and retail space at 3655 SW 22nd St (Sears Property), using the Live Local Act to bypass local zoning laws. This massive development could fundamentally change the character, safety, and infrastructure of Coral Gate and neighboring communities if we don’t act now.

What is the Live Local Act?
The Live Local Act is a Florida law intended to address the housing crisis by allowing developers to bypass certain local zoning laws if a project includes affordable housing. While this goal is important, the Act also provides tax incentives for developers, such as property tax exemptions, making it financially attractive for them to push large-scale projects that are out of sync with local community needs. The Act also allows the project density to increase dramatically—from 150 units per acre to 1,000 units per acre, all without any public hearings or community input.

Approvals for these projects would be administrative and almost automatic, leaving neighborhoods like ours with no voice in the process. The Act allows developers to build to the height of the tallest buildings and the density of the densest areas within a 1-mile radius, ignoring the character and infrastructure limitations of the surrounding community.

In Coral Gate, this means that the proposed project could lead to high-rise buildings and densities similar to Brickell—an area with entirely different needs and infrastructure. This threatens to disrupt the balance and charm of Coral Gate, a neighborhood that was designed to be a peaceful, walkable community when it was first established in 1948.

How This Affects Us
This development will have serious and lasting consequences for Coral Gate and surrounding neighborhoods, including Silver Bluff, Little Gables, and Shenandoah, as well as our neighbors in Coral Gables. Here’s why we’re concerned:

• Traffic & Safety: The development would drastically increase traffic in Coral Gate and surrounding neighborhoods, with direct access to our quiet residential streets. This poses a safety risk to pedestrians, cyclists, and families, who rely on our neighborhood’s calm and limited traffic flow.
  
  
• Strain on Schools & Infrastructure: Our local schools are already near capacity. A sudden influx of residents would overcrowd classrooms and overwhelm the water, sewer, and utility systems that Coral Gate depends on. Public services like sanitation and street maintenance could also be strained to the point of failure.
  
  
• Impact on Emergency Services: The proximity to Coral Gables means that emergency services, such as fire, police, and paramedics, may be stretched thin if this development goes forward. Response times in both Coral Gate and Coral Gables could be negatively affected, endangering lives in critical moments.

Why is Now the Time to Act?

The developers have already provided preliminary drawings, and while the timeline for construction is unclear, it’s important that we take action now. We need to advocate for our neighborhood and neighboring communities at the next public hearing to make sure our voices are heard and protect the future of Coral Gate. This is our opportunity to ensure that the development is done responsibly, in a way that aligns with the needs of our community.

Our Goal: Responsible Development That Benefits Everyone
We believe in growth and affordable housing, but it must be done in a way that respects the existing zoning laws, infrastructure capacity, and character of our neighborhood. We are advocating for an amendment to the Live Local Act that protects Neighborhood Conservation Districts (NCDs) like Coral Gate.

Coral Gate is NCD-1, a designation meant to preserve its historic architecture, green spaces, and walkable streets. We’re not asking for development to stop, but for it to work within the guidelines that will protect what makes our neighborhood unique, while still helping the local economy and providing affordable housing.

Take Action: Sign the Petition
We need your support to urge our local and state leaders to amend the Live Local Act to protect NCD neighborhoods like Coral Gate. Let’s ensure that development benefits the community, without overwhelming it.

Sign this petition to demand that our voices be heard and to protect the future of Coral Gate and surrounding neighborhoods. Together, we can work toward a solution that creates growth while preserving the character and livability of our community.

For more info, you can reach out to us at: 

Ralph Rosado (305) 588-4364‬ / ralph@ralphrosado.com and savecoralgate@gmail.com

or follow us on instagram: @savecoralgate  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preliminary Drawings of 1,000+ lease units + 44,000sqft of office/retail: