The
Coastal Policy Bulletin
Dr Steffen W. Schmidt,
Ph.D.
Under Construction
pardon the mess!
F L O R I D A
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News Stories NYTimes on the Everglades - Excellent! Great Programs Articles Picture of the Month Submit your best coastal picture and win a prize! Click here and attach picture. Sources |
Announcements
New Web Based Policy Class
The Policy and Politics of Coastal Areas, Political Science 542x . This new graduate gourse will be offered entirely on the Web for the first time in the Summer of 2002.
Abstract#43
Did You know That ?
"Estimated disaster losses in the United States range from $10 billion to $50 billion annually, with an average cost from a single major disaster around $500 million. One of the primary factors contributing to the rise in disaster losses is the steady increase in the population of high-risk areas, such as coastal areas. The population in coastal counties represents more than 54% of the total U.S. population, but occupies only 26% of the total land area. Coastal areas are particularly vulnerable to the effects of natural hazards." NOAA report, 2002
Up-Coming Coastal Events
Turks and Caicos (T&C). We are pleased to tell you about the International Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) 3-5 graduate credit field trip to Turks and Caico's in the Caribbean which is being planned for the near future. This trip will give students the opportunity to stay on the Island of Grand Turk, Captal of the T&C for one week. You will be able to interview local business, environmental, and governmental leaders as part of your field experience. You will study : The moribund salt flats, conservation efforts, reef experiences (snorkeling but scuba diving lessons will also be available including basic certification), the plight of the tourism industry, and the future of small islands.
Bonaire. We will also have an ICZM study trip (3-5 graduate credits in ICZM or non credit certificate of participation) to Bonaire, Netherland Antilles. Bonaire is one of the most beautiful wall reefs in the Caribbean with many boat or shore dive opportinities. We will also look at the solar salt plant, slave huts, the wild south shore and its litter problems, desert like areas of the North of the Island, and explore the marine preserve policies. While in Bonaire we will be briefed by environmentalists involved with the extensive Bonaire Marine sanctuary.
Roatan, Honduras. We will be participating and supporting the annual "migration" to this beautiful dive spot for reflection, rest and study. Ask for more information.
e-mail me for more information.
High Rise Mania in Miami
Art Deco District Traffic
Sunset on Biscayne Bay
All photographs above are (c) Steffen Schmidt,
2002
Article
of the Month
Condo
Canyon in South Florida
(c) Schmidt, 2002
South Florida has become an urban area. Driving along the Art Deco areas of South Beach in Miami Beach you can't see the beach! All up highway A1A the small funky motels, homes, and low rise shps are coming down. In their place
"High Rises for High Rollers" is the headline of the story about profound changes coming to Sunny Isles Beach, north of Miami Beach Florida by Barbara DeLollis (bdelollis@herald.com). This case study represents an excellent example of the supply and demand paradigm that shapes coastal policy in the United States and around the world.
"The $35 oceanfront room is fast becoming a distant memory in Sunny Isles Beach. The Thunderbird, Golden Nugget, Driftwood, Blue Seas and other vintage motels lining Collins Avenue are all slated for demotion over the next few years to make room for what could become South Florida's next condo canyon. These days, oceanfront land is simply too valuable to house cheap motels," according to DeLollis.
The value of oceanfront property is driven by the central statistic of coastal policy - Americans love the seashore and choose to live and vacation on the beach in unprecedented numbers. Over 50% of Americans now live in Coastal regions. As the huge (70+ million) Baby Boom generation I would venture that tens of millions more will want to live full time or part time along the seashore, especially in warmer climates such as South Florida.
DeLollis reports that some owners and managers of the old, "funky" motels are unhappy about the changes coming to this area.
" 'We were forced to sell out. We don't want to,' " said F. W. "Bob" Lucas, who has owned the Suez Oceanfront Resort for 33 years and has run it with his son Robert for 20. 'But the powers that be downtown do not want this to be a resort-motel destination for the regular middle class anymore. They're trying to get just the high-rollers.' "
These changes are driven by the new economics of South Florida - warm weather, beaches, cheap air fares, more money in people's pockets, lot's of Latin Americans and Europeans (even newly affluent Russians, Czechs, Poles, etc.) buying apartments and condos.
Many of the newcomers, local developers, and city leaders hate the old, sometimes somewhat "ratty" motels and small apartment houses. But they love the "beautiful", huge, new, shiny condos.
The definition of "beautiful" is, of course subjective. For many observers the huge condo buildings are an aesthetic blight. They block all view of the beaches and the ocean. More and more they are gated real estate with fences and guard-houses. Since the occupants of these towers are normally "part time" residents (they have other , often permanent, homes elsewhere) and since the area is a storm risk, Hurricane shields are now common. These are monochrome metal covers that are placed over windows and balconies of units when the owners are away. They give some buildings a decidedly bleak look - much like abandoned storefronts and homes covered by plywood."
Why has Sunny Isles Beach become the new condo Mecca? Because the community has land available, relatively low prices, no restrictions on the height of buildings, friendly local governments and people willing to sell out.
For local governments more development is attractive - it creates construction jobs, brings in extra revenue generated by large buildings and more expensive property taxes, produces increased demand for retail trade when the buildings are filled, and brings a higher class of resident to the neighborhoo. All of these are seen as winning propositions.
The condos range will range in price up to $4 million.
This "urbanization" of the coastal zone is one of the economic and environmental issues that we will be analyzing as we study the future of the beaches and near-shore ocean venues. Of course, as this case suggests, there are advocates for both versions of the seashore. Those wishing to live inb relatively safe and convenient condominiums will argue for the demand that has produced row after row of these complexes. Those who speak for the low-impact development fo small motels and houses make their case on the basis of aesthetics (the less crowded beach is more beautiful) and on the basis of lower imoact and damage on the coastal (beach) environment.
Thus, the issue of "condo canyons" is a classic case of "politics" - at least two sides in conflict over what's best.
Sources: The Herald, October 3, 2000, Barbara DeLollis, site inspections by me, and nterviews I conducted in South Florida in 2001-2002. Thanks to Nova Southeastern University Oceanographic Center for its support.
For the full Condo Canyon Case study register for the Coastal Policy Class.
The Old Tree
Flag of the Conch Republic
How good are you? Take the tropical fish quiz.
Coastal Personality Interview
The "Old Tree" in Key West.
They call me"The Old Tree" and I have been referred to as a "knobby warrior of Key West's cultural and political battles."
Thanks! I take that as a compliment. And I have, indeed seen a lot over the past centuries.
To me the Key's are one of the most exquisite metaphor's for coastal policy that we can find. Here they are - small, arid, lonely little odd shaped pearls lying south of Key Biscane. As he was running south and then jogging West the maker of coasts got a rip in his bag and they fell out falling temptingly close to each other but basically strung out.
As little islands they were not valuable or attractive, but as the means to an end - as natural pilings on which to rest the supports of the Flagler railroad, they became very interesting.
Key West is also the Southernmost point in the United States. That has a certain ring to it and also a practical use - it's a close port for goods coming to the US through the panama Canal. That's one way the railroad made it's forture - by grabbing goods off ships and shooting them to market via fast rail.
Of course, Key West was always useful to its inhabitants because it was to far for effective rule by the United States but close enought to the "action" in the Caribbean.
Ships laden with all matter of valuable goods came by. When they did we ambushed them, took the goods to shore and made a nifty living as land-based pirates. Most of the original Conch houses you see were constructed from salvaged lumber from the wrecks, lured to shallow reefs by inopportune bon fires at night which the captains mistook for lighthouses and safety.
The Spanish American War also brought us a rush of commerce and prosperity. Cuban refugees brought their skills at making great cigars and we soon had a thriving and prosperous new industry. Lots of great homes were built and I remember many a remarkable party with champagne flowing, caviar, "beautiful" people, and even the whiff of illegal weed! Come to think, things have not changed much!
The railroad fell into disrepair but a road now linked us to the mainland. Several military and coast guard bases made us a lively (and often noisy) community. In WW II we were an important supply and support venue. Pres. Harry Truman with his flowery "Hawaiian" shirts (re-named Truman Shirts) gave us lots of publicity, famous visitors and action.
Pappa Hemingway and his friends Sloppy Joe were lots of fun! They added an artistic and literary flair to the other images and soon we had painters, playrights, authors and others including the hoi-polloi coming down and buying homes or building. That's how we got Sloppy Joe's the best bar in town. I don't know who Hog's Breath bar and restaurant was named after. The Iguana Cafe and Jimmy Buffets Margaritaville are easier to figger out.
In 1982 we became the Conch Republic. This was a spontaneous and somewhat tounge-in-cheek revolution. The cause was a "blockade" of the Keys by the U.S. Border patrol. Mayor Dennis Wardlow "seceded" from the Union, declared war on the United States, but then surrendered and asked for Foreign Aid.
The rise of the idea of 'leisure" in the US, caused by great prosperity, warm weather, and the search for adventure brought a whole new bunch of people - tourists!
Tourists are ok too and we will survive them. But the huge cruise ships which dump thousands of people on our streets all at one time may be too much!
We are a coastal area - small, tight, vulnerable. I guess we are like all costal zones in that respect so we need to be careful not to wreck the good stuff we have. We really don't want to be South Beach!
Anyway, I hope y'all come to visit and stop by my corner. I'm the Old Tree.
But come one at a time!