The Coral Gables Times

2 THE CORAL GABLES TIMES Thursday, August 3, 1961

PARKING LOT EXPERIMENT; STORY PAGE 1

Rovin Still Stymied On Building Apts. In Hammock Oaks

Hammock Oaks Harbour developer Sol Rovin still can't get a go ahead from the Zoning Board for the apartments he wants to erect in his development near Fairchild Tropical Garden. He was told by the board Monday it wants to spend time in further investigation and study. Rovin wants to erect two-story apartment buildings (garden type) in his subdivision. He said a Dade County requirement for a 300-foot land buffer before any lakes can be dug rules out the residences he had planned. He told the board that the subject property, Block 4 of Hammock Oaks Harbour Section 2, is approximately a mile east of Old Cutler Road and that property owners who previously objected to the proposal live in Snapper Creek estates which is approximately two miles away. The only property owner directly affected, Rovin says, would be Fairchild Garden.

Area Civic Clubs Pledge $925 to Help Stadium

Coral Gables and Southwest civic club representatives have pledged an additional $925 to help the Gables stadium through the fall football season. Representatives pledged their clubs for the following amounts: Coral Gables Kiwanis, $100; Khoury League, $325; South Miami Kiwanis, $100; Gables Rotary, $100; Palmetto Boosters, $100; Suniland Lions, $100; Coral Gables Civitan, $100. This is in addition to $8,000 recently granted by the Dade County Board of Commissioners. Ira Willard, president of Coral Gables Stadium Corp., said this week he is "delighted" with the response shown by the area organizations. The corporation is a non-profit affair composed of interested citizens who attend to the running of the stadium. They serve without pay. Willard and a group of about 20 men met last week to raise the additional monies. The $8,000 from the county is considered enough to repay hurricanes damages and other old bills. The extra $925 should cover needs of this season, Willard said. Some 20 high school football games are scheduled at the field this fall. Teams from Christopher Columbus, Southwest, Palmetto and Gables High Schools use the stadium, which is located at 76th Avenue and Coral Way. In time — the next two or three years perhaps — the county is expected to build and operate a new facility further west. Meantime, the Coral Gables stadium will have to keep operating if area people want to see high school football games.

Le Jeune Paving Is Due In 2 Weeks, Troup Says

(Continued from page 1) way, which has been blocked off completely in recent weeks to facilitate and expedite lowering of the road approximately five feet, will be reopened to traffic within two weeks, Murray predicted. Asphalt will be laid on the west side of LeJeune between Bird Road and Miracle Mile within the next two weeks and from Miracle Mile to Tamiami Trail in approximately six weeks. Two-way traffic will then shift to the west side of LeJeune, and the last phase of the project — completion of the east side — will begin.

Millage Goes Up But Taxes (For Most) Go Down; How?

2,300 Rise While 7,000 Take Drop

BY MAURICE LABELLE Times Reporter How can millage go up and taxes go down? This is a fact puzzling many Gableites these days as they try to understand how approximately 7,000 homeowners are due for tax decreases and about 2,300 increases after millage was increased from 17.69 per $1,000 assessed valuation to 19. This seeming contradiction resulted from the fact that the City Commission shifted millage assessed for payment of debts (4.7) to cost of operating, leaving a balance of only 1.79 mills for debt service. This resulted in a reduction of millage of 4.7 to those owning homestead property up to $5,000 valuation and an increase of 1.31 mills on all property valued above $5,000. Obviously, this shifted the tax burden from the lower cost dwellings to the higher priced dwellings, business, commercial and industrial property. Another one-half mill was shifted from debt service to the special benefit (storm damage), making a total of one mill assessed for that purpose. The Commission further added 1.31 mills to the operating millage section, making a total of 16.21 for operating, 1.79 for debt service and 1 mill for special benefit. But why was all this done? And why was it done in this way. The city had been living off money in the bank — capital funds not expended during World War II — for years, but this year was year of reckoning. The money ran out. So, although the City finally paid off a large chunk of debt incurred following the land crash, something had to be done to replace a net loss in available funds. The City Commission had little choice. It was a choice of increasing millage or cutting down services. The latter route was followed. Debt service charges may be applied for the first cent of valuation, but, since operating millages may be applied only on valuations above the $5,000 homestead exemption, the burden naturally fell on higher priced homes, commercial, industrial and business property.

Life Around the Gables

OLD HOMES have their charm, but there is something special about a new home. Here's one for Dr. and Mrs. J. R. Chandler, who now live at 6011 Maynada St. Looking over the Chandler's new home at Coral Way and Alhambra Circle is general contractor Grant J. Ostlund and his 20-month old son, Grant Jr.

Goodby, Houston Texans DO Leave Texas! Dr. Mazow 'Sees' Way Here

Dr. Bernard Mazow is in love — in love with a city. And her name is Coral Gables. "I have never seen a place —or dreamed of a place— that can beat Coral Gables. It's almost idyllic. The optometrist recalled why he and his wife, Mary Louise, picked the Gables and moved into their 630 Santurce Ave. home in May. In the last three years, Dr. Mazow traveled a dozen times from Houston to Florida to address the Florida Optometric Association. He fell in love with this state. "And we toured the state," he said. "We went up and down the west coast, up and down the central part and up and down the east coast . . . "We looked into living in Coral Gables . . . and Coral Gables had something that none of the rest had." "First of all, it's a city for a family. We have one child (Barbara) who is two. And we felt the Gables had a lot to offer her. "We investigated the schools," he said, "and found them top notch. And there are plenty of places for her to play." Dr. Mazow spoke highly of the bus service, the roads and our nearness to beaches, such as Tahiti and Matheson Hammock. "And the friendliness of the people. I've never seen anything like it. "People go out of their way to help us, at the bank and at the real estate office. Way beyond what people could be expected to do. "Go into a store and ask for something," said Dr. Mazow. 'I'm sorry, we don't have it, but wait a minute,' he quoted an imaginary store owner. " 'Let me call so and so,' the doctor went on, quoting the merchant. 'Yes! He has it.' - "This is my impression," Dr. Mazow said frankly. "They try to see you get just what you want . . . not a substitute." And by coincidence, Mrs. Mazow discovered she and her neighbor are former schoolmates from Greensboro, N.C. Things have gone well for Dr. Mazow. He's in love with a city. But what did he first think of our winding streets so easy to get lost on? "Same thing I think now! It's a challenge!"

DR. BERNARD MAZOW

10 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK

Two teenage couples were apprehended necking in the abandoned Herman house on Avenue Malaga which has caused Gables police and officials to renew efforts to determine the rightful heir of the property, in order to put an end to the nuisance caused by the property . . . Robert Young of 1217 N. Greenway Dr., foiled an attempted burglary at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Philip Young of 1212 Alhambra Cir.

ONE YEAR AGO THIS WEEK

Eugene A. Smith, Public Works director has announced his resignation to take a position in a private concern . . . Miss Martha Huey has been named the new children's librarian at the Coral Gables Public Library.