Gables Accountability Project

Coral Gables abandons gas station plan in front of school in victory for residents
The City of Coral Gables for the first time committed not to building a gas station in front of GW Carver Elementary School as part of ongoing litigation brought by residents standing up for community input as part of the development process.
In a court appearance Wednesday, attorneys for the City agreed to stipulate that a 2020 legal opinion allowing a gas station on an empty lot initially designated for affordable housing was no longer valid.
But the 2017 legal settlement that allows the City to bypass its own rules requiring public notice and input and instead approve major site plans administratively remains in effect. As a result, another similarly detrimental project could go forward without resident input even if a gas station is no longer allowed due to changes in the zoning code restricting commercial usages on the 1.7-acre parcel.
At the hearing, Judge Thomas Rebull rejected the City’s attempts to have the lawsuit declared moot because of WAWA’s decision to abandon the project.
Instead, he gave the Gables Accountability Project, a Florida non-profit made up of area residents, 30 days to modify their complaint to focus squarely on the 2017 legal settlement. Plaintiffs will show that disruptions arising from that legal opinion — such as the removal of several mature Oak trees, unwanted driveways on historic Grand Ave. and plans to relocate a crosswalk in front of school — continue to hurt the community and need to be addressed.
Rebull presided over the case for the first time since inheriting the 2021 lawsuit from Judge Michael Hanzman. Before retiring, Hanzman called the City’s actions “blatantly illegal” and ordered it to respond within 10 days to the complaint — something it has so far failed to do

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Front page of the Miami Herald

Cancel the meatball sandwiches.

Wawa, opposed by elementary school parents and some neighbors, has terminated its lease to build a gas station and convenience store on a prime piece of Coral Gables real estate at U.S. 1 and Grand Avenue.

Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/coral-gables/article264802794.html =cpy.

WAWA Scraps Gas Station Near Little Carver

Sometimes, the little guys and gals win.

This week, we received notice that WAWA quietly walked away from its plans to build a gas station on the empty lot in front of Carver Elementary. The surprise reversal came in response to a lawsuit filed last year by the Gables Accountability Project (GAP), a group of Carver parents and community residents who sued the City of Coral Gables, WAWA and the site’s developer for approving a gas station without any public input.

In a parallel lawsuit, WAWA in February sued the developer, the Bahamian Village, to recover a $525,000 bond after giving notice it didn’t want to go forward with the project. The Bahamian Village initially refused and litigation ensued. Finally, on June 29, Miami Dade Circuit Court Judge Michael Hanzman signed off on a settlement by which the two parties agreed that the lease was formally terminated, as of March 30.

This is a major victory for the grassroots community organizing against some deep-pocketed, politically connected business interests. It means there won’t be a six-pump gas station and convenience store less than 300 feet from Carver classrooms.

However, the hard work isn’t done.

GAP’s lawsuit is still pending and more important than ever: Its aim was never just to put the brakes on a gas station but uphold the public’s right to have a say on important land use decisions.

The decision to develop a WAWA was the result of an earlier 2017 legal settlement that gave the City of Coral Gables authority to sign off administratively on modifications to the site plan, thus skirting public input—something Judge Hanzman said was “blatantly illegal.” Originally designated to be affordable housing, plans for the 1.7-acre property have been repeatedly altered over two decades of failed proposals.

As we move forward, GAP will redouble its support for other members of the community in finding the best use of land, one that honors the West Grove’s rich, threatened history as one of Miami’s oldest Black neighborhoods.

Cancel the meatball sandwiches.

Wawa, opposed by elementary school parents and some neighbors, has terminated its lease to build a gas station and convenience store on a prime piece of Coral Gables real estate at U.S. 1 and Grand Avenue.

Read more at:

Wawa backs out in Coral Gables. After long battle, what’s next for prime site? Cancel the meatball sandwiches.

Florida parents fight construction of a gas station across the street from G. W. Carver Elementary School — and win.

Florida - Moms Clean Air Force Moms are on the ground in California to protect clean air for our children. We host events and empower residents to keep our families healthy.

City To Seek Stay In Wawa Case And Will Attempt To Settle, Following Judge's Ruling Of "Blatantly Illegal" Actions Following a humiliating loss in Court last week, the City of Coral Gables is seeking to reach a settlement with the Gables Accountability Project (GAP) in the l

Miami-Dade judge slams Coral Gables on WaWa’s secret approval process – Political Cortadito Share on Facebook Follow on Facebook Add to Google+ Connect on Linked in Subscribe by Email Print This Post TweetSumo Tweet City commission could give attorneys new direction A Miami-Dade judge last week refused to dismiss a case against the city of Coral Gables, saying the attorney and administrati...

“I guess you’re not hearing me because I’m not buying that it was a minor amendment,” Judge Michael Hanzman said to the City's counsel. “I’m not buying what you’re selling. This does not look like a site plan modification. It looks like a change of use from a restaurant to a gas station. Nothing about this is minor to me. Seems disingenuous for the city to say now that it was minor.

“Land use decisions can have a dramatic impact on the health and well-being of a community,” he added.

Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/coral-gables/article257099747.html =cpy.