
Grove Isle Club’s magical views on to Biscayne Bay
Grove Isle Update — Key Points:
- The Residents of Grove Isle have initiated legal action to prevent closure of the Grove Isle Club. This legal initiative is to protect the rights of ALL residents against the shuttering of the Club.
- We envision that upon the Club’s closure, and in the absence of a demolition permit, the club will be allowed to decay causing many health and safety issues on the island
- The grandfathering rights that currently allow the Club to operate on the island will be lost if the Club is closed for longer than 180 days. The developer has failed to address how a replacement club would then obtain the City’s permission to operate.
- Residents of Grove Isle are protected by the legal documents that established Grove Isle in its current form.
- We have also learned from a number of residents that they have been approached by agents of the developer. He is again working to Divide and Conquer the island reportedly in the hope to resurrect the 18 story tower plan.
Grove Isle Update — The Detail:
With the Developer’s decision to first close parking access and now to permanently close the Grove Isle Club, including its hotel, restaurant, pool, spa and related amenities, residents of the Grove Isle Condominium Association have initiated legal action to prevent closure of the Club. This legal initiative is to protect the rights of ALL residents against the shuttering of the Club. We envision that upon closure, in the absence of a demolition permit that has not been issued by the City, the structure of the Club—surrounded by a chain link fence– will be allowed to decay. The grounds will not be tended. Not only will this property become an eyesore, health and safety issues are likely to arise if the Club building is abandoned for a prolonged period of time.
GROVE ISLE EMERGENCY COMPLAINT
As residents of Grove Isle, we are protected by the legal documents that established Grove Isle in its current form. These documents committed the Club to provide amenities to all of the condominium owners and residents. This commitment now belongs to the Developer per these legal documents, as recorded by the City and signed by the City of Miami.
The Club is a for-profit commercial operation currently serving both Grove Isle Condominium Association members as well as members from off-island. The Grove Isle Condominium Association, a non-profit organization, is a corporation independent of the Club. Under Miami 21—the current zoning law—the Club could not be built on Grove Isle today because Grove Isle is zoned T5-R, and is limited to residential use. However, because the Club has been in existence for decades before Miami 21 became law, it can exist in its current form in its current location. It is grandfathered to continue its operation. But if it is closed for more than 180 days or if there is attempt to move it to another location on the island, it will lose its grandfather status. This is the urgency for prevention of closure of the Club. Furthermore, there is no approval for a new club, and zoning restrictions will prevent such construction.
We have also learned from a number of residents that they have been approached by agents of the developer. The strategy is to Divide and Conquer. The claim is that residents of Bldg 1 and 2 stand to gain from this development but a vocal group in Bldg 3 are interfering with building plans, and that this new development, particularly the 18 story tower, will be great for Grove Isle. In the meantime, the developer is going to keep punishing the island residents for blocking his development until they submit. Of course, no mention has been made of the three year construction time line, the movement of demolition debris and construction materials necessary to build the equivalent of one of the existing Grove Isle buildings, the environmental damage, the decreased property valuations and the anti-development sentiment expressed at the recent candidate forum by all residents. And the legal barriers have been reinterpreted as supporting the rights of development (if this were the case, development would have started two years ago!)
The continued action of the Board of Directors of the Grove Isle Condominium Association in preventing this development is greatly appreciated by all residents.