Tuesday, January 12th, 2016 I came home to find a flyer in my door from an anonymous source without any contact information on it. All in caps, some italicized and bold print asking me to attend the City of Plantation Council meeting Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 7:30 PM to disapprove the Strata project being developed directly across the street from my home.

See breakdown of the Propaganda Flyer:  Waste of Time & Money! I

It is truly a shame of the ignorance of the author of the flyer. Strongly inferring that the property should be left zoned as is “MEANING JOBS”. The ignorance coming from the fact that the property has had this zoning designation for over 3 decades and cannot attribute one person from the Plantation Park East community that has been employed by the Plantation Business Park (PBP) during that time.

During the last ten years I have seen the property deteriorate to the point where the swale area had no grass, trees and shrubbery were left dead or dying and the City of Plantation Code Enforcement did nothing until I had to attend City Council Meetings to be on the record to get the property owners to comply. Speaking with Police Chief Harrison who would respond that he would take care of it, did nothing until it was made on the record in either speaking at the City Council Meeting or conveying my concerns in an email to every city official.

The developer of the Strata project has jumped through hoops to try to satisfy all. The Director of City Planning and Zoning, Mr. Lawrence Leeds has made the subject of the property personal by commenting on things that have nothing to do with the issue before the council! From making a point of including a statement on the Consolidated Staff Report dated January 13, 2016, of how the developer has erected a fence with barbed wire on the property without a permit (Page 6, Zoning: Item 1). Even detailing that “The City Code does not permit barbed wire on fences facing a public right-of-way unless there is a persistent pattern of criminal activity.” Obviously a lack of communication or personal vendetta, because the developer has had one of his employees shot on the property and the amount of losses from theft considerable, from cameras to wiring to lighting stolen from the property. I would only assume justification of the fence but yet Mr. Leeds thought it was pertaining to the Zoning and Planning of the property.

There is a saying in racing which is called a Chinese Inspection, it is that the inspection process is delayed to the point rendering participant unable to continue.

Mr. Leeds seems to be an expert at this, by delaying the process the developer has lost his financing commitment for the project and now has the added expense of finding replacement funding and of course all the caveats he has included in his report has dramatically increased the cost of the project.

Mr. Leeds has made it very clear he believes he can get more tax money from the property as stated by him in the Planning and Zoning meeting back in November ’15. He should be censored for these actions.

My view is very clear; it’s time to try something else on the property that will improve not only the property but the Plantation Park East Community.

Come out and support the Strata project!