When you see someone doing something wrong, I mean REALLY wrong, are you willing to take a stand and become involved for justice? Are you willing to do so, even if you know from past experiences the wrong most likely won't be "righted," that your efforts will be met with resistance, finger-pointing, stone-walling, cover-ups, or worse?
I do not like conflict. Not at all. I do not do well with it, and I don't invite it. Yet, conflict seems to find these happy vegans. Let me tell you what is going on here on our beautiful Long Beach.
There is someone who seems hell bent on destruction of environment, in order to "beautify" their property. Isn't it interesting that one buys a property for this unbelievable location, then sets out to do whatever they can to change it?
A property on Long Beach was purchased a few years ago by a prominent developer who promptly set out to re-develop the property. We learned that lots of things were done at the property without permits, instead something called "after the fact" permits were granted (better to seek forgiveness than ask permission down here?) During one holiday weekend a few years ago, while the property was owned by that developer, we witnessed with our own eyes dozens of concrete trucks back up onto the flats in the Atlantic Ocean and pour load after load of cement onto the hard bottom flats of the ocean. After that, we watched as a large rock wall was built accommodating said property owner's "extension" into the ocean, and then again as even more trucks back filled the fresh concrete with sand. Whoop-te-do, said homeowner then had lots more "beach front property." Did I mention this all occurred on a holiday weekend, when no code enforcement was around? Did I mention that despite reports to Feds, State & local authorities, the only remediation for said offenses were a modification of the rock wall wherein 1 layer of the boulders were removed. They got away with it, yes they did, with it with another one of those "after the fact permits."
There's a saying down here that goes "better to ask forgiveness then ask permission" when it comes to permitting.
The developer sold the property. The new owner seems to have a similar mindset as the last owner, as during last summer's endangered sea turtle nesting season, on this stretch of beach called Long Beach where endangered and threatened sea turtles come to nest, located within the National Key Deer Refuge, within the Coupon Bight Aquatic Preserve, lying within the confines of a National Marine Sanctuary, an illegal rip rap wall was extended onto said already illegal rock wall. Yup, our same county biologist approved an extension of the wall EXACTLY where an endangered sea turtle had crawled up the beach in a nesting attempt shortly before the illegal extension of the wall had begun. Wow. An endangered species had come onto that exact site to nest, yet a biologist employed by the county I reside in saw fit to give the blessing to an after the fact permit for an illegal rip rap wall. Odd, I thought endangered and threatened species had some protection extending to their habitat. Do you think its as weird as I do that we have endangered species nesting on this beach, yet shoreline hardening projects are still going on at the places they're trying to nest, making it impossible for them to nest?
My mind wonders again... "better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission."
Guess what. Over the last few days, we are bearing witness to more unbelievable activity at the same property. Now, a pier is being installed. Perpendicular to the already illegal after the fact permitted rock wall. This is happening during sea turtle nesting season, which are threatened AND endangered species. The scaffolding for said construction is being left out night after night after night, which we have been told is illegal. The scaffolding has been set directly over growing mangroves in the ocean, another protected plant. We have filed reports with FWC, Monroe County (amazingly, code enforcement didn't even return Mr. Happy Vegan's phone call on this issue yet a full day, going on TWO days since his phone call was made), DEP, Growth Management, and any other department, and law enforcement agency there is.
The work continues. Its like a hot potato, many agree there seems to be a problem, yet no one takes responsibility to stop the madness. An "investigation" is ongoing. That is what we're being told. However, the code enforcement department has not as my fingers hit these keys, returned our phone call. This is what we deal with here in the Keys.
Again little voices speak to me saying "better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission."
I am privileged to live where I do, on one of the most environmentally sensitive islands of the entire Florida Keys chain. Yet, there are weak links in the chain of protection for our planet, from local, to State to Federal governments. True story: when I moved here, our County set out to determine that our business sign, which had been in the same place it had been for 20 plus years, was a threat to the environment and we had to move it 10 feet. We moved it. We did what we were told. However, we sit here and have watched heavy machinery cross county owned property, born witness to mangroves being mowed down, cement being poured into the ocean, and now more machinery driving poles and soon to set pilings in the Atlantic Ocean, adjacent to a documented endangered sea turtle nesting beach. This is legal? This is permitted? This, our County Biologist, has determined is not a detriment to the environment?
We knew when we started the formal complaint process it would likely result in "business as usual." But, both of us happy vegans here agreed that we HAD to get involved anyway, can't just sit by and idly do nothing.
We are not doing this for us. Mr. Happy Vegan and I, well we realize we're "temporary." The future belongs not to us, but to the next generations. We are doing this for the next children, the next endangered sea turtle who tries to swim up the beach, for the next fish who will die as a concrete is poured into a sleeve for a piling. We're fighting folks, but justice may not be served.
We saw an injustice and got involved. It costs us our money, it costs us our time. But, we got involved. My main motivation when I see something "wrong" is a simple quote that rings constantly through my head... "all that is needed for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing."
I do not like conflict. Not at all. I do not do well with it, and I don't invite it. Yet, conflict seems to find these happy vegans. Let me tell you what is going on here on our beautiful Long Beach.
There is someone who seems hell bent on destruction of environment, in order to "beautify" their property. Isn't it interesting that one buys a property for this unbelievable location, then sets out to do whatever they can to change it?
A property on Long Beach was purchased a few years ago by a prominent developer who promptly set out to re-develop the property. We learned that lots of things were done at the property without permits, instead something called "after the fact" permits were granted (better to seek forgiveness than ask permission down here?) During one holiday weekend a few years ago, while the property was owned by that developer, we witnessed with our own eyes dozens of concrete trucks back up onto the flats in the Atlantic Ocean and pour load after load of cement onto the hard bottom flats of the ocean. After that, we watched as a large rock wall was built accommodating said property owner's "extension" into the ocean, and then again as even more trucks back filled the fresh concrete with sand. Whoop-te-do, said homeowner then had lots more "beach front property." Did I mention this all occurred on a holiday weekend, when no code enforcement was around? Did I mention that despite reports to Feds, State & local authorities, the only remediation for said offenses were a modification of the rock wall wherein 1 layer of the boulders were removed. They got away with it, yes they did, with it with another one of those "after the fact permits."
There's a saying down here that goes "better to ask forgiveness then ask permission" when it comes to permitting.
The developer sold the property. The new owner seems to have a similar mindset as the last owner, as during last summer's endangered sea turtle nesting season, on this stretch of beach called Long Beach where endangered and threatened sea turtles come to nest, located within the National Key Deer Refuge, within the Coupon Bight Aquatic Preserve, lying within the confines of a National Marine Sanctuary, an illegal rip rap wall was extended onto said already illegal rock wall. Yup, our same county biologist approved an extension of the wall EXACTLY where an endangered sea turtle had crawled up the beach in a nesting attempt shortly before the illegal extension of the wall had begun. Wow. An endangered species had come onto that exact site to nest, yet a biologist employed by the county I reside in saw fit to give the blessing to an after the fact permit for an illegal rip rap wall. Odd, I thought endangered and threatened species had some protection extending to their habitat. Do you think its as weird as I do that we have endangered species nesting on this beach, yet shoreline hardening projects are still going on at the places they're trying to nest, making it impossible for them to nest?
My mind wonders again... "better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission."
Guess what. Over the last few days, we are bearing witness to more unbelievable activity at the same property. Now, a pier is being installed. Perpendicular to the already illegal after the fact permitted rock wall. This is happening during sea turtle nesting season, which are threatened AND endangered species. The scaffolding for said construction is being left out night after night after night, which we have been told is illegal. The scaffolding has been set directly over growing mangroves in the ocean, another protected plant. We have filed reports with FWC, Monroe County (amazingly, code enforcement didn't even return Mr. Happy Vegan's phone call on this issue yet a full day, going on TWO days since his phone call was made), DEP, Growth Management, and any other department, and law enforcement agency there is.
The work continues. Its like a hot potato, many agree there seems to be a problem, yet no one takes responsibility to stop the madness. An "investigation" is ongoing. That is what we're being told. However, the code enforcement department has not as my fingers hit these keys, returned our phone call. This is what we deal with here in the Keys.
Again little voices speak to me saying "better to ask forgiveness than to ask permission."
I am privileged to live where I do, on one of the most environmentally sensitive islands of the entire Florida Keys chain. Yet, there are weak links in the chain of protection for our planet, from local, to State to Federal governments. True story: when I moved here, our County set out to determine that our business sign, which had been in the same place it had been for 20 plus years, was a threat to the environment and we had to move it 10 feet. We moved it. We did what we were told. However, we sit here and have watched heavy machinery cross county owned property, born witness to mangroves being mowed down, cement being poured into the ocean, and now more machinery driving poles and soon to set pilings in the Atlantic Ocean, adjacent to a documented endangered sea turtle nesting beach. This is legal? This is permitted? This, our County Biologist, has determined is not a detriment to the environment?
We knew when we started the formal complaint process it would likely result in "business as usual." But, both of us happy vegans here agreed that we HAD to get involved anyway, can't just sit by and idly do nothing.
We are not doing this for us. Mr. Happy Vegan and I, well we realize we're "temporary." The future belongs not to us, but to the next generations. We are doing this for the next children, the next endangered sea turtle who tries to swim up the beach, for the next fish who will die as a concrete is poured into a sleeve for a piling. We're fighting folks, but justice may not be served.
We saw an injustice and got involved. It costs us our money, it costs us our time. But, we got involved. My main motivation when I see something "wrong" is a simple quote that rings constantly through my head... "all that is needed for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing."
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