Dick Norwalk
GL Homes and Miami-Dade County committed to protecting birds at Calusa golf course
In November 2021, Miami-Dade County commissioners approved GL Homes’ zoning application for a residential community on the site of the former 168-acre Calusa golf course by a 10-2 vote.
This private golf course never was publicly accessible and has been inactive since closing 10 years ago. The commission’s approval of 550 homes on vacant land within the Urban Development Boundary was an important win for a county that needs more housing.
As the zoning process unfolded last year, a tricolored heron nest was spotted on a .147-acre island on the property. This observation was notable because the heron is categorized as a state-threatened bird.
To determine the scope of threatened bird-nesting activity, our team agreed with the recommendation of the county’s Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) that the tree island be evaluated for bird activity during the 2022 nesting season. We also agreed to present a plan for DERM’s review if threatened bird nesting was observed.
County commissioners codified DERM’s condition in their approval, and Mayor Daniella Levine Cava re-affirmed the condition. Beyond addressing the county’s need for more housing, the embrace of this condition represented a win for any nesting birds, for concerned residents and for our team as environmental stewards. It provided a framework to ensure that appropriate measures would be taken if threatened birds were nesting.
We now are in the middle of the March-through-August nesting season, and evaluation is under way. Each month, wading-bird specialists and environmental experts join representatives of DERM and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) for scheduled inspections. DERM also performs unscheduled visits.
This group recently observed a tricolored heron nest where a chick hatched. Nearby residents and visitors also saw the nest. We will continue to monitor activity through August, consistent with our commitment.
Once monitoring concludes, experts will use data gathered to help our team present a plan for DERM’s review and approval to accommodate any threatened bird species. DERM will consider the data along with county regulations when evaluating the plan. The plan will be a win for all.
In the meantime, we continue to conduct county-authorized activities, such as lawn maintenance and the removal of invasive plants and species. While some have tried to characterize these routine activities as nefarious acts, they are part of our responsibility as landowners. In fact, we advise county staff before performing any work onsite and maintain a website, www. calusaprogress.com, that publicly documents our activities.
GL Homes has a 46-year history of protecting natural habitats while building communities. We will continue to uphold these obligations at the former Calusa golf course.
Dick Norwalk is executive vice president for GL Homes.