Showing posts with label Stephen Orr. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stephen Orr. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Mayor Cooper's 'water restriction' scare tactic -with no evidence; LA Times: Stephen Orr's 'Tomorrow's Garden' and modern, sustainable landscapes

Per the very interesting photo gallery that I saw today in the Los Angeles Times, which comes from Stephen Orr's new book, "Tomorrow's Garden: Design and Inspiration for a New Age of Sustainable Gardening," from Rodale Books

http://www.latimes.com/features/home/la-hm-stephen-orr-tomorrows-garden-photos,0,7985631.photogallery
http://www.rodaleinc.com/products/books/tomorrows-garden-design-and-inspiration-new-age-sustainable-gardening?sort=Date

personally, I'd love to see a lot more cacti around town, esp. over at HB City Hall and public parks and on the city-maintained median strips.


Especially given the big 'water scare' restrictions that Mayor Cooper is attempting to foist upon Hallandale Beach residents next Wednesday night, without any proof it's necessary.

The city admits in docs that I link to below that they have NOT had to issue even ONE citation the past two years, so where is the quantifiable proof that there's a valid reason to change the status quo, and enact an even stricter law?

In fact, where's the quantifiable proof that HB city govt. itself is actually using less water in its buildings in a rate that's at all commensurate with its citizens?

There is none
.

And do you recall what I shared with you here on February 19th, courtesy of Andy Reid of the Sun-Sentinel?
If not, re-read it, as there is a tremendous amount of facts there that underscore the ridiculous nature of this effort in HB.

Hallandale Beach wants to enact new water restrictions? Why?; SFSS: What restrictions? South Florida's year-round watering rules not being enforced
http://hallandalebeachblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/hallandale-beach-wants-to-enact-new.html

Is the goal of Mayor Cooper's effort to actually "save water," or is it to lay the groundwork to make money
NOW and in the future thru citations, especially given that the city itself is among the worst offenders?

Or, is the real goal here merely to burnish Mayor Cooper's personal and political reputation among HB citizens and the media after taking so many well-deserved solid hits the past few years, as well as to impress her pals on the
Florida League of Cities, using water usage as a cover?
Hmm-m...


Seems to me that absent any tangible proof that a new law is necessary, or that similarly-situated cities in Broward are initiating similar laws -
that are enforced- are we being used as guinea pigs solely for the mayor's benefit, not ours and our families?


Below this paid ad for next Wednesday's meeting, the
Second Reading, are links to the staff info for the First Reading of #3 below, which took place on March 2nd.

Published in Miami Herald on 4/9/2011

http://www.hallandalebeachfl.gov/files/2011-03-02/Staff%20Reports/00006447.htm

http://www.hallandalebeachfl.gov/files/2011-03-02/Item%207A/index.html

Here's another question that HB City Hall refuses to answer -what are the names of the parties in Hallandale Beach, business and private, who were the subject of the most complaints the past three years?

That's public information that I think we'd all like to know, since it will show in part whether this whole thing has been a sham from the beginning, given the lack of
actual enforcement of current rules, and how VERY LONG it's been since the city itself removed all those SFWMD signs that used to be everywhere in this city, esp. on city-maintained medians.

One day, they just removed them and they've never been seen again. Why?

The onus is clearly on them to make the case -with no evidence- not on us.


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Stephen Orr's blog: what were the skies like [reporting on gardens, horticulture, and botany]
http://www.whatweretheskieslike.com/