Residents Say They Don't Want To Live Near Industrial Park

Is it a wise move to build a new housing development near a busy airport? Well, the West Kendall Community Council evidently believes so... as the council failed to listen Thursday to warnings from the Miami-Dade County Aviation Department that building homes next to Miami's Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport was dangerous.

The Miami Herald reports council members may have been swayed by the 250 nearby residents who showed up at the meeting, calling for the area in question to be used for the Century Homebuilders development... instead of for industrial use.

One of the primary reasons industrial areas are typically located near airports -- and not new homes -- is safety... an issue one airport official said may be lost on both residents and councilmembers.

"Safety is our biggest concern, not noise, but safety," Miami International Airport Deputy Operations Director Bruce Drum told the council. "I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't say airplanes do crash."

In response, attorneys for Century told the meeting that building homes near the busy airport is perfectly safe... as there hasn't been an accident on the site in the last 28 years.

Neighborhood groups say the issue comes down to one of aesthetics. "Nobody wants to come out of their home and see an industrial park," said homeowner Robert Lopez.

"We would much rather have this kind of project there than industrial," said Julio Forte, president of the Venezia Lakes homeowners association, to the council.

FMI: www.miami-airport.com/html/kendall_tamiami.html