Tuesday News

• Commissioner Sarnoff realizes that being green makes green:

“A recent report by the Earthday Network ranked Miami 71 out of 72 major American cities based on environmental policies, the benefits of taking part in a Container Deposit Program, both financially and environmentally are too great to ignore,” says Commissioner Sarnoff. “The City currently spends more than $4 million dollars per year to clean storm drains which are full of bottles and cans, this would dramatically reduce that cost.”

• Ricky Williams may be pondering retirement - I hope he stays in Miami. I’ve always liked Ricky, especially since a 2008 interview where he extolled the virtues of walkable urbanism:

Well when I was living in Toronto I was living downtown and I could walk pretty much anywhere. There was a nice homeopathic shop on the boulevard I used to walk to and that was nice. Right where I lived there was a lot good restaurants. There was a good Tai food place. Across the street was a little corner store where people were really nice. And our neighbors became really close friends. So kind of just miss the community feel and all the great people that I got to meet that lived around where I got to live.

• Gables Parking study shows oversupply: Commissioner Sarnoff (who has become known for his anti-urban demand for more parking) should read through this recently issued report that shows that downtown Coral Gables, known as one of the most vibrant and economically healthy places in town, has an oversupply of parking. Wonder why? Duh…everyone is walking around.
• Kudos to Commissioner Francis Suarez, who has been on the rise as an ally in advocating for transit, cycling  and smart growth. He recently attended Bike Miami Days, and has been a proponent of the new bike lanes on SW 16th street, between 32nd and 37 Avenues (next to the ugly new wall), as reported at the March BPAC committee. He also recently held an event to distribute free transit passes to seniors (thanks to the PTP), and has been very active in engaging remaining issues related to Miami 21 implementation. Other Commissioners - who shall not be named - could take a lesson from Commissioner Suarez, and his green awakening.