Monkette Organizes The Business Community

Monkette has been working closely with Councilman Scott Galvin in trying to keep those giant concret poles out of North Miami's residential neighborhoods. This is a long piece, but we received it via Email from Scott earlier today. PLEASE read it!

"North Miami FPL Route Longer than FEC Routes, Runs Past More Homes

"I decided to do a little first-hand research on the FPL tranmission line issue over the long holiday weekend. I drove the entire length of the chosen North Miami route, as well as two separate FEC routes. The results I found were surprising!

"It is now apparent that FPL is failing their customers, and their public duty, on two fronts. They refuse to study the costs of the FEC routes (which are both shorter), and it can now be shown that the North Miami route will impact more residential homes.

"Starting with the North Miami substation on NE 127 Street and 14 Avenue, here's what I found:

1) The North Miami Route - heading north on NE 14 Avenue, west along 135 Street, then south on NW 7 Avenue, ending at substation on NW 93 Street.
Total Length - 5.9 miles
Length Past Residences - 3.1 miles

2) FEC Route ("Miami Shores" route) - heading south on the FEC Railway, heading west along NE 95 Street, ending at substation on NW 93 Street.
Total Length - 3.6 miles
Length Past Residences - 2.8 miles

3) FEC Route ("El Portal" route) - heading south on the FEC Railway, heading west on NE 87 Street to NW 2 Avenue, then back to NW 93 Street station.
Total Length - 4.1 miles
Length Past Residences - 2.9 miles

"As you can see, FPL, which is charged by the Florida Legislature with providing the most cost-effective route for their transmission lines, has chosen the the longest route possible.

"Additionally, the route they've chosen also runs past the longest length of residential areas. In multiple letters to the city, FPL stated that they chose the North Miami route because the FEC routes were "adjacent" to too many homes.

"Despite that fact that FPL refuses to define "adjacent," it is clear that the North Miami route is still affecting more homes than the other possibilities.

"In fact, I gave FPL the benefit of the doubt when defining the areas that run through residential areas. The reality is that the FEC Railway tracks (including their right-of-way, in addition to adjoining streets), provide a couple-hundred feet of buffer to the nearby homes. Also, much of the Miami Shores route is along NE 95 Street, which is just as wide as 135 Street.

"Late last week, FPL sent the city a letter saying that they "would not be party to conducting a cost analysis" of any FEC route. They said they dismissed those routes because they are "adjacent" to too many homes. What a shame that homes in other areas seem to be more valuable in the eyes of FPL than those in North Miami!"

Let's give Scott and Monkette all the support they need on this one! Thanks.