Key West Mayor Teri Johnston joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5FM this morning to talk about what’s been going on in the city.
Father John Baker was recognized recently.
Johnston said, “Father John is just a treasure for the city of Key West and he has been in front of us a number of times to give the invocation both at the nine o’clock session and at the five o’clock session. Father John retired at the end of March, we gave him a proclamation and we proclaimed April 11, 2024 as Father John Baker Day in the city of Key West. So hats off to Father Baker, and thank you so, so much for all your contributions for our community.”
There were some presentations last Thursday.
Johnston said, “We do presentations, one, based on the request from sitting city commissioners. We do them, second of all, to keep our community informed as to what’s going on and the type of actions that we’re taking, the type of testing that we’re doing in order to protect our very sensitive island. But Thursday night we had a great presentation. The USS Aries which is a hydrofoil boat has a lot of history here in city of Key West and they are requesting that they be docked next to the Ingham and they also become a destination for boarding the ship and viewing the ship and we think that probably they will complement the Ingham greatly and bring down a new set of visitors and interest to our vessels here in the city of Key West.”
A coral disease update was also heard.
Johnston said, “That was fascinating because I think we all thought it was doom and gloom with coral bleaching this this past summer. But actually, we’ve got some regrowth there. So some really positive things and I think the city of Key West committed to continuing to support Dr. Crosby in his efforts to rejuvenate our coral.”
Dr. Patrick Rice from the College of the Florida Keys also presented on the water quality.
Johnston said, “We are working hand in hand with Dr. Rice on monitoring water quality around the city of Key West. So we got an update on that and we will be continuing to work with Dr. Rice on this important issue. Then we had a terrific presentation by our Director of Planning and she gave us an overview of just exactly what the planning department is responsible for. It was an incredible, very informative presentation. Really hats off to that department for doing the Yeoman’s part of this very difficult job of handling all the land and the uses of our land on a two by four island with some of the most expensive, desirable land on the Eastern Seaboard. So they do an incredible job there, but great, great presentations.”
Police Chief Sean Brandenburg has also been involved with the Fantasy Fest zone.
Johnston said, “Many people are interested in Fantasy Fest. They’re interested in a change of direction, moving it back towards a creative event, creative costuming event. Every year, we want to talk about that Fantasy Fest zone. The Fantasy Fest zone goes from Front Street to Truman, it’s nine blocks. I did have an opportunity to talk to the chief and say, what’s your opinion on this? the chief would like to keep that zone because he feels that it’s an opportune time in order to control the events and the occurrences that happen during Fantasy Fest and he feels that it’s a very important feature of that event. So he also would like to bring some food trucks down. He said, as you provide food to people who have been perhaps over served, it creates a much better outcome for us for the city of Key West. So we are looking at some improvements there to make sure that it remains a fun event, a safe event that everyone can have a good time and continue to move that back towards a creatively costumed type of event for the city Key West.”
What would be the alternative to the zone?
Johnston said, “It’s really not having it at all and the chief truly believes that it is a benefit to us. Then I had a conversation with him and asked, well, how many arrests do we have outside of the Fantasy Fest zone? He said, well, it’s interesting, because we had an arrest just a few weeks ago of somebody who decided to unclothe themselves in the middle of our community, not related to Fantasy Fest. Nudity is not allowed anywhere in the state of Florida and I think that’s what we’ve got to remember. My mantra has always been, come in, have a nice time in Key West, but respect us, respect our community, respect the families that live here, respect the people that that make this a fun community for you to visit every year. That’s really what it boils down to is if you wouldn’t do it in your own hometown, don’t do it here.”
The Fantasy Fest zone has been approved.
LDR amendments were also postponed, but for good reason.
Johnston said, “So many times and maybe some that warrant it, the public thinks that we’re kicking the can down the road when we don’t want to make a decision. But sometimes, decisions are brought forward and text amendments are brought forward that have not included all of the people that they need to include. A text amendment for our planning department really impacts a lot of people, when you’re talking about lot coverage. When you’re talking about things of that nature. You’re also talking about stormwater. If you build on more of your lot, you’re shedding off more of the water that’s coming on your lot. Now, who’s taking that water? Is it coming out into our streets? Is it overburdening our stormwater system? Is it going on your neighbor’s property? So those are things that we want to have everybody’s input, and particularly our utilities department and our adaptation and sustainability team, along with a heavy input by our planning department. So several of the items that were brought forward didn’t have enough input from the people that really understand the unintended consequences of these text amendments. So we delayed them by a month. Those departments are meeting cooperatively in order to come to the very best text amendment we can, that does not have unintended consequences on the neighbors in this community as a whole.”
A Zoom meeting tonight should be interesting.
Johnston said, “Last Stand is meeting in Marathon and they were talking about the possibility of additional units being issued here in in Monroe County and also the environmental impacts of those. So if you haven’t had a chance to get on their website, get signed up. The Zoom meeting is tonight at four o’clock and I’m sure it will be a very interesting one. Last Stand represents our environmental protection. We are in an area of critical state concern. We’re an environmentally sensitive island. We’re in the middle of the National Marine Sanctuary and this is a group that looks at everything that could impact that both negatively and positively. They will come and speak at meetings. They will make our public aware of issues that are going on right now. But they really are a defender of our environment in the Florida Keys.”