No more schools, churches, expansions?

Grant Miller, Publisher

By Grant Miller….

Grant Miller, Publisher

As we all know, Palmetto Bay councilmember and mayoral candidate Shelley Stanczyk has spearheaded the campaign against the Palmer Trinity School expansion.

At the May 4 (and 5) public hearing on the school’s revised site plan, she arbitrarily capped the student population at 900, and then voted against her own amendment. Not surprisingly, the issue is now back in court and could cost the village well over $500,000.

In its most recent ruling regarding Palmer’s zoning, the Third District Court of Appeal ruled the village departed from the essential requirements of the law, resulting in a miscarriage of justice. This same court could now be assessing fines and penalties against the village, with serious financial implications.

Then Stanczyk led a campaign against a charter school that was going to rent space from Old Cutler Presbyterian Church. She was successful in orchestrating an email campaign that caused the Miami-Dade School Board to strike the item from its July 14 agenda, effectively delaying the implementation of this neighborhood school for at least another school year.

Bad for the school, and the church really needed the financial support from that rent.

Next on the list, Councilmember Stanczyk became aware of a large parcel of land for sale immediately adjacent to Westminster Christian School. She does not want Westminster to get involved in buying this piece of property for $8.8 million. What was her response? To propose an emergency moratorium on all development in the Village of Palmetto Bay, although I asked her and she denies that.

What schools or churches are next? Is Christ Fellowship the next one in line to be rejected because they ask for an expansion?

People move to Palmetto Bay because of the schools, parks and religious institutions. Stanczyk tried to pass an ordinance last year regarding churches, private schools and child care facilities which would severely reduce their size, hours of operation and even the size of their congregations. The village council ignored this egregious intrusion into the operation of some of the most important village assets.

Stanczyk and her vocal group are against any expansion of churches and schools. They may have the power, but that doesn’t make it right. Is this the direction in which the people of Palmetto Bay want to go?


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5 COMMENTS

  1. So we now know who the Millers are supporting. Living in Pinecrest they don’t care that their candidate, Peter England wants to raise taxes by virtue of his re-development plans for our residential areas and transforming them into Apartment complexes and hotels. Just to get elected he’s taking money from all the Palmer Trinity People so Palmer can count on his vote and his friends. The Millers don’t care about the people of Palmetto Bay , they live in Pinecrest.

  2. So here we go again. Grant Miller is trying to control Palmetto Bay like he does in every election. He didn't bother to say that he supports Palmer Trinity because his children attend school there. He supports night league play at Coral Reef Park and therefore supports candidates who promise to light the park for him. He also said this stuff about Stanczyk wasn't true. Grant stay out of Palmetto Bay. We don't want our Parks lighted that are in our front yard. We don't want more traffic and noise. And we sure don't want higher taxes because your candidate wants to use our tax dollars to improve his friends businesses and build apartment buildings and hotels with our tax dollars in our residential areas. We clearly have not spent too much to protect us from the likes of you and your interference. Go back to Pinecrest.

  3. Schools and Churches take land away from the tax rolls so that the burden must fall on the remaining property owners. I don’t live in Palmetto Bay but I can see why the Village doesn’t want any more land going for schools or churches. Churches and Non-profits use public services like everyone else. If there’s a fire, the fire department shows up and puts it out, if there’s a theft, the police show up. No more free rides for churches and non-profits. And schools must tighten their belt like everyone else and do with less. Schools have become palaces and the permanent school bureaucracy is breaking the back of tax payers.

  4. I believe that schools are an important part of educating this country. There is only so much land in this city and schools should have the right to take advantage of opportunties to expand and purchase land. Our children should come first. We were all children once…why deny the generation that will lead this world into the future?

  5. This silly, incompetent woman who cannot even run a second rate second hand store is arbitrarily voicing opinions that continue to cost our village $100k's is running for mayor??? Are you kidding me??? If I had known then what I know now I would NEVER have voted for incorporation for "The Village of Palmetto Bay". Sheesh…

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