Holding The Line On Miami-Dade's Urban Development Boundary

"Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez vetoed a series of projects planned for the county's western reaches Wednesday, effectively killing the deals in a vital test of where the county would draw the development line.

The veto represents a major victory for opponents of further growth in Florida's most populous county.

And, significantly, the veto is likely to hold. The county commissioners supporting development outside the invisible boundary typically off-limits to new projects don't appear to have enough votes to override Alvarez.

The mayor's message was direct: Expanding the so-called Urban Development Boundary would mean longer drives to work and trouble for police, fire and services.

'If Miami-Dade moves outside the UDB, it will affect our delivery of services and strain already taxed resources,' Alvarez wrote. 'Police and fire rescue services would be spread over a greater area, resulting in longer response times due to greater distances and road congestion.'"