Redland Rambles

I think some of my friends envy my visits to Redland. “Ahhh, farm country,” they sigh with nostalgia. “Take me with you the next time you go.” OK, I agree, then warn it’s not the way they remember it from, say, 20 years ago. Some landmarks, like Robert Is Here, are still thriving. Anderson’s Corners? Closed and falling down from neglect. U-pick stands? Almost all gone. Fields and fields of beans and tomatoes and potatoes? Most of them filled up with McMansions and occasionally entire neighborhoods. And now a soccer stadium is going to go up. Stadium??? In the countryside? Indeed, it may be coming soon. Practically a done deal. Just the road across from a bean field, sandwiched in between two farms. Did you say soccer stadium??!!

A gentleman named Bernardo Capuzano and his wife Maria bought 10 acres on Redland Road in 2006. The property was a plant nursery, but apparently that hasn’t been the main use this past year. Mr. C likes soccer, loves it so much that he hosts soccer games on his 10 acres. Neighbors have been hearing cheers and shouts from games, and the situation must have gotten unbearable because Team Metro came out a few times to inspect things. Two cases were opened based on anonymous complaints about “operating a soccer field without prior public hearing” and “construction without permits.” As for the construction, Team Metro found no violations, and that case was closed. (The county building department did find several violations.) But the soccer field case “remains open pending public hearing.” (Click here for a link to public documents on file regarding this case.)

site of proposed private soccer club

Instead of packing up soccer equipment, tilling the soccer field and planting beans and squash, Mr. C apparently decided to legitimize and push for a real soccer stadium. In fact, something even better than that! He wants to build a private recreational facility that includes one full-size soccer field with bleachers that seat 240 fans, three mini practice fields, plus buildings that house a gym, pool, stables and bathroom facilities. The grounds would also include a jogging path, plenty of parking and — get this — outdoor lighting. Can’t blame a man for having a dream, can you?

Only this is not going to be built in the city of Homestead, close to people who would enjoy such an amenity. This would be built on agricultural property surrounded by more agricultural property. We’re not talking about a proposed modest McMansion sporting 8 bedrooms and a stable (which, though still not the best use of farmland, is reasonably passive and low-impact). This would be a fairly active and noisy use of the property. The request for outdoor lighting indicates there would be games night and day. The bleachers that seat 240 people and accompanying number of parking spaces would imply there would be a significant increase in traffic.

Portion of the site plan for soccer club

The soccer club application has quietly zoomed though county channels gathering approvals from various departments. For example, in its infinite wisdom, the county EQCS (Environmental Quality Control Board) has decided to grant their zoning variance regarding water and sewage. Currently, the property has a well for drinking water, and a septic tank for sewage — sized for an average single family home, not 200+ people! Neither well or septic are designed to take the load of many people attending soccer games.

[Note: To download the EQCS document, go to the county web page, click on Search Official Records (link is on the left hand side in a light blue box), and search for document # 2009 R 613934 or the name Campuzano, Bernardo and the recording date of 08/25/2009. You can also download it here.]

Until the property can get water and sewer hookups from distant lines (which might never happen, since we are talking about farmland, not a property within city limits), EQCS has set the condition that Mr. C must serve bottled water at the soccer club. Until water and sewer line hookups, Mr. C could possibly get by with port-a-potties, but that’s not the best solution either. (Do you know what happens when a chemical toilet is not emptied or maintained regularly? It’s nasty!)

What makes this whole situation so dicey is the property fronts on canal C-103. If untreated sewage leaks into the canal and groundwater, it could very well contaminate your food. Downstream lie fields of green beans and yellow squash, farmed by a grower who provides for our CSA. He pumps irrigation water from a well on his field — and if that groundwater gets contaminated from soccer field sewage, our food gets contaminated. Remember the e.coli and spinach scare from a few years ago? Conceivably we could have our own similar disaster in the making.

Also, this bit of new development will make another hole in the fabric of the agricultural community in Redland. Yes, the UDB (Urban Development Boundary) is keeping mass development at bay, but one by one agricultural properties in Miami-Dade County are sold and converted to non-agricultural use. Today a soccer field, tomorrow a shopping plaza. (Look north to Broward County to see what the future will bring.)

So which will it be — beans or soccer? Are you upset yet? Go to the zoning hearing and be the voice for locavores and farmers alike. Sometimes eating local is a political act.

Hearing number: 08-162
Applicant name: Bernardo and Maria Campuzano
Location: 26820 SW 187 Ave.

Community Zoning Appeals Board 14
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009 at 6 pm

South Dade Government Center
10710 SW 211 St
Cutler Bay, FL 33189

http://www.miamidade.gov/communitycouncils/cc14_agendas.asp

Zoning notice for 26820 SW 187 Ave.