Miami River groups notch win against developer

Miami River groups notch win against developer    An alliance of groups working to maintain marine-oriented use of land along the Miami River has won a major victory in a longstanding battle against residential development on the river.
   The Third District Court of Appeals Wednesday reversed a 2004 City of Miami land use amendment that would have changed the existing zoning of a riverfront parcel from Marine Industrial to Restricted Commercial. The city decision would have allowed the development of a 1,073-unit residential development known as Hurricane Cove. The site is at 18th Avenue and North River Drive, where the last self-help boatyard, also known as Hurricane Cove, is located.
   The proposed development had been opposed by an alliance that includes the Miami River Marine Group, tugboat company owner Capt. Beau Payne, and an organization known as the Durham Park Neighborhood Association.
   Fran Bohnsack, director of the Miami River Marine Group, called the decision a victory for supporters of a working Miami River.
   'We made every overture to the city to try to resolve this situation, but the frenzy of the condo boom meant that they were having none of it,' Bohnsack said. 'Perhaps now they will recognize the intrinsic value of the working river.'
   'This is a great day for the working river,' said Payne, whose company guides cargo ships along the river. 'This is nothing short of a David vs. Goliath victory. At every turn through the past few years we faced an army of attorneys with obstructionist tactics and seemingly bottomless bank accounts. Yet the determination of the river people persevered and was able to overcome their best case.'