WCOM NEWS

9-19-04

Miramar residents upset over traffic

MIRAMAR--A planned community in western Miramar has several residents concerned about more traffic along an already clogged parkway.

Commissioners recently approved a 501-home development south of Miramar Parkway, more density than the residents had wanted.

When Angel Ortiz moved into his dream home in the Sunset Lakes development, he didn't realize it would take him a half-hour to drive the few miles to Interstate 75 each morning.

"It's not fair residents have to put up with so much traffic," Ortiz said. "The key is, if we are going to add more cars on the road let's take into consideration traffic issues."

According to city paperwork, the property originally was zoned for one house per 2.5 acres. But officials agreed to rezone the area to one unit per acre, which would mean more residents, more drivers and more cars.

"I don't think they should put more cars on the road until the road situation is taken care of," Ortiz said. "They need to solve the problem before they put more cars on the road," Ortiz said.

City officials say they are on a long waiting list for state dollars to pay for the much-needed road improvements. Until then, Mayor Lori Moseley said, charging a developer impact fees is one way to ease crowding on roadways.

"The only way local municipalities can get some of these roadway improvements is through developer dollars," she said. "We work very hard to make sure those dollars are spent on traffic issues that really need to be addressed."

Moseley said the city has required the developer to donate rights of way for Bass Creek Road and Southwest 172nd Avenue and an additional northbound lane on Southwest 172nd Avenue, from Miramar Parkway to Pembroke Road.

The development site -- which is south of Miramar Parkway, west of Southwest 172nd Avenue, north of the Miami-Dade County line and east of Southwest 184th Avenue -- is a rock pit owned by Ruben J. Lopez, Andrea C. Lopez and John C. Sessa.

Moseley said the activity of trucks going to and from the rock pit blow dust and dirt through the community and add traffic to the roads.

"It's not attractive to look at," she said.

"The optimum would not have been to get more houses, but getting additional houses will get some road improvements."

(source) Sun Sentinel (Lori Sykes) 9-19-04