Wellington has proven to be a quite well-planned community, but as we near buildout, developers seem intent upon despoiling some of our conservation areas and our preserves. A quick perusal of my dictionary cites permanence as part of “preserve” and “conservation,” but tell that to developers. Two recent tricks have been or are being used to thwart the preservation aspect.
One was a developer’s attempt to rezone areas within our pristine Equestrian Preserve Area to remove areas on paper only, to allow a hotel and commercialization, but not removing areas literally (in reality). If this sounds wrong, unethical or morally challenging, it is because it is.
Now we have another developer who wants to make a deal with the South Florida Water Management District to pave over our conservation areas, and in return, they will open another area (tit for tat) elsewhere. Hmmm, how does that help Wellington by paving over flora/fauna to be placed far away and out of sight. Does it enhance our mall site with natural beauty or does it add brick/mortar in place of greenery.
Do we really need yet another strip of dense apartment buildings? Do we need another restaurant and the paving of natural beauty for more parking lots?
Our mall is already a labyrinth of streets and buildings. Let’s try to maintain just the wee bit of conservation areas already planned and provided, and besides, what does conservation/preserve area mean, if not some degree of permanence.
Hey, it is a fact, if we planted billions of trees world wide, these natural filters would stop global warming by filtering out the pollution — probably the easiest and simplest solution globally.
It is my hope that Wellington’s Planning, Zoning & Adjustment Board and the Wellington Village Council would consider the little greenery at the mall and not be complicit in paving it over. We don’t need to make the same mistakes so many other communities have. We can be better and greener. It shouldn’t be about money and development only.
George P. Unger, Wellington
We need more green! The earth needs it. The horses need it!