You may recall last year when the Village of Pinecrest filed a lawsuit to stop construction of a project known as Dadeland Junction. At 390 feet, the office- apartment-shopping-entertainment center violated the county's 300-foot maximum height zoning allowance for the area.

The proposed Kendall Drive site for the project is located just outside Pinecrest, across from Dadeland, and is the home of the Williamson Cadillac auto dealership.

However, the reality is that the property is just a stone's throw from the Village and the sheer mass of the project, in conjunction with its 20-plus theaters and lack of parking, concerned many north Pinecrest residents determined to avoid the pratfalls of South Miami's Sunset Place.

Sharing these concerns, the Pinecrest Village council unanimously agreed with the distressed residents about the impact on our community and filed for an injunction against the builder.

As a result of the lawsuit, a settlement was finalized at this month's council meeting. The developer agreed to reduce the height of the building to 314 feet, restrict lighting, reduce office and apartment space, install an additional $100,000 in landscaping and pay the Village's legal fees.
 
VILLAGE HALL
Because of Florida's Government in the Sunshine law -- elected officials are prohibited from discussing public business at any venue other than one publicly advertised -- this month's council meeting was the first opportunity for council members to discuss the mayor's idea of a land swap with the county that would locate the new Village Hall on So. Dixie Highway.

The council fully supported the idea and now awaits a decision from the county on the viability of the concept that would exchange two acres on 104 street currently under consideration as a site for Village Hall, for two acres on So. Dixie at 112 street, currently the location

of Kendall Wayside Park. If the county approves the deal, Mayor Greer's brilliant idea will please the many residents who strongly objected to building Village Hall at the 104 street site, many of whom are among the 100 area residents who signed a petition delivered to Village Hall supporting a park on the two acres the Village has acquired.

However brilliant and logical the "swap" idea may seem, there are legal issues that first must be resolved. The county charter precludes the use of public land for municipal buildings. A sale or lease of such land would require a vote of all precincts located within one mile of the site. However, a swap of equal size lots in close proximity, may negate the requirement of a vote.
 
DESIGN POSSIBILITY
There also was discussion of design possibilities for converting Wayside Park into a Village Hall.
One of the possibilities would incorporate the existing pond as a focal point of the new building. This would save the $390,000 cost of filling the pond.

It was suggested that the town hall be built in an "L" shape, with the length of the building stretching along So. Dixie Highway, a deck spanning the pond and the remainder of the building perched over and along the side of the pond. On the north side of the property, an underground garage would be constructed to house municipal vehicles.

If the county approves the concept of the property swap, this could be an all-around winner for Pinecrest.
 
I can be reached at 305-666-7969 or via fax, 305-666-8487.