Hi my name is Amanda Prieto and I live in Calusa, West Kendall, Miami-Dade. We are raising funds for a legal appeal and to continue advocating for the protection of 168 acres of green space, a multi-species rookery, and wildlife habitat. I have been advocating with a group of neighbors, to save our community from a large scale GL Homes 550 home development.

 

 

 

 

There are 168 acres of land that is designated parks and recreation in the heart of our community that was intended to be protected until 2067 under a land use covenant. The covenant was released in 2020 after a minority of homeowners entered into a financial settlement with the owner/developer. Money, power and lobbyists influenced a change in zoning, to the detriment of our community and resident quality of life.

 

Residents are concerned about the wildlife that call Calusa home. We were able to document the nesting of the State Threatened tri-colored heron, and have FWC add it to their map of imperiled wading bird colonies nesting in the Calusa Rookery. There is high activity of the endangered Florida bonneted bat, and we are not confident in the environmental studies submitted by the applicant. We want US FWS to provide consultation, and ensure proper methodology and protocols are followed to protect wildlife on the property.

On November 17th, 2021 resident concerns were dismissed at the Miami-Dade County zoning public hearing, when commissioners voted 10-2 (with one absent) to approve the large-scale development without USFWS or FWC consultation. 

On December 23rd, 2021 we formalized our group by forming a non-profit Save Calusa Inc. and filed litigation to reverse the zoning approval, and to hold tree/building permits until wildlife studies are complete. We are a registered 501(C)(3) non-profit run 100% by caring community volunteers.

Our case took 3 years and went all the way to the Florida Supreme Court! WE WON!! This used the first $9,000 of our gofundme legal fund, so we have updated our goal to raise 20,000.

This reversed the zoning approval, but in 2025 the developer submitted a new plan, for 540 homes and doesn’t have sufficient protections proposed for the Calusa Rookery.

Our fight is NOT over! We will continue our advocacy to preserve our wildlife habitat and community!

For more information on our advocacy, please go to www.savecalusa.org

 

Thank you!

 

Amanda Prieto

Calusa Community Advocate

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