The Times

THE TIMES

the local community newspaper for all South Dade John T. Watters, President & Publisher William von Maurer, Editor Robert M. Slane, Advertising Manager Subscription: $3.00 year by mail anywhere

Workable Plan Needed

The City of Coral Gables came to the end of a long road last week, when the City Commission agreed that a plan for the future development of the city is needed. After years of trying to work within the basic framework laid out by the founders and playing it largely by ear, the Commission decided the situation had become intolerable. It was the question of high rise buildings that brought the matter to a head. The impasse, which resulted from inability of the Commission, its various advisory boards and the public to agree on where and how these buildings should be constructed, cannot be broken without expert advice. That advice must come from some individual or firm familiar with overall growth problems. This generally is what the Commission has agreed to do — hire consultants to work with the city in formulating a plan of future development. Still smarting from public criticism, some members of the Commission now realize that the plan must win public acceptance before it can be successfully implemented. Therefore, the overriding idea for the plan must be right to begin with or the people will destroy it when it is unveiled at future public hearings. This is the sad and expensive lesson many community leaders throughout the nation have learned. For example — a plan dedicated to the eventual industrialization of Coral Gables is doomed before its start. The people of this community have spoken up time and time again about their wish to keep Coral Gables a “City of Beautiful Homes” — a residential community. It would therefore seem foolish to try to develop it along other lines. One might at this point jump to the conclusion that no plan is needed if it's as simple as that — just follow the present zoning requirements. But it isn't simple as that — too many loopholes exist in existing ordinances. It is, for instance, still unresolved despite the recent adoption of a “high rise” ordinance what areas are suitable for this use. A popular idea that building high rise apartments wherever resistance to them is light provides an easy answer but seems inadequate to us. If areas presently zoned for apartment use are suitable for “skyscraper” buildings, how high should be the limit? How much land should be required? What should the setbacks be? How much parking space should be required? And last, but not least, how would the recreational and other needs of these people be met and congestion avoided? These are the questions that a professional can help answer. The downtown area of Coral Gables presents a special problem. There seems to be little opposition to the construction of high rise buildings in this area. But there must be some feasible limit to the number of stories and the parking problem must be met. A property owner or builder must be placed in a position of knowing what he may do in advance without having to go through a lot of expense and uncertainty and subject himself to public criticism for his efforts. The question of development of fringe areas — LeJeune Rd., South Dixie Hwy., Red Rd., Tamiami Trail and Douglas Rd. must be settled for any foreseeable time. And let us not forget the underdeveloped areas to the south along Biscayne Bay. What is the best usage there? Finally, should the city attempt to straighten out its crazy-quilt boundaries by annexation? An overall plan, based upon the idea that Coral Gables is basically a residential community, properly considering the need for economic growth of the downtown area and aimed at preventing congestion, will meet with general approval. A workable plan for the future development of the city is a community challenge and one that will call for the cooperation of many individuals and groups.

Finally Soaking In!

Remember The Times

25 Years Ago Coral Gables Mayor Roscoe Brunstetter swept away rumors that the city was going to sell its bus company to the Dunn Bus Company... Word spread through the Gables that president Franklin D. Roosevelt was coming here in a week or two for a brief stay... Attorney Otis B. Sutton of Coral Gables announced he would run for Justice of the Peace... Gableites were buzzing over the news that prominent aviatrix Amelia Earhart was going to visit the area. 10 Years Ago Drawings were released on the proposed football stadium for Coral Gables High School... John W. G. Fritz was South Miami's newly elected mayor... Ground was broken for the new Gables' bus terminal, but trouble loomed over the future site of the riding ring, which was displaced by the station... The new directors for the South Miami Chamber of Commerce were George R. Brewer, Mary W. Dorn, Don R. Sutcher, A. G. Gresham Jr. and James L. Yarborough. 1 Year Ago Leading Gables businessmen met with city commissioners to map out ways to give the city's economy a shot in the arm... George B. Hardie Jr. was appointed city attorney and Joe Kline filled the post of councilman in South Miami, after winning the seat from Jack Block at the polls... Residents along Riviera Dr. and S. Dixie Hwy. began to grumble as final plans were made for constructing the new Gables fire station.

PROFILE of the week

When you can't find Dr. Walter W. Sackett Jr., in his office and you can't find him at one of the local hospitals, try looking for him around his home. Chances are that you'll see him puttering around the garden or taking a dip in his pool, depending upon the mood he happens to be in. Born in Bridgeport, Conn., Nov. 20, 1905, Dr. Sackett attended Bridgeport High School and Harvard University before coming to the University of Miami. He received his AB from Miami in 1932, then attended the University of Alabama Medical School for two years and received his M.D. degree from Rush Medical College in Chicago in 1938. He returned to Miami in 1941 to begin his private practice after interning at St. Luke's Hospital, St. Louis, and doing his residency at Charity Hospital, Natchez, Miss. Last month he was elected to the UM Board of Trustees as president of the General Alumni Association. In 1957, he was honored by the UM Student Body Government Association as outstanding alumnus of the year, and has been a leader in UM alumni work for many years. Dr. Sackett is a past president of the Dade County Medical Association and a director of the American Cancer Society. He is a founder member of the Florida Academy of General Practice and has been a delegate from this organization to the American Academy of General Practice. Last year he was elected to the board of directors of the A.A.G.P. Another thing that takes up some of his time is writing. He has had several articles published on baby feeding which have received national professional recognition as well as in the lay press, such as Time and Newsweek magazines. He and his wife, Mary, live at 3911 Crawford Ave., Coconut Grove, with their three children, Walter, 8, Monica Ann, 10, and his stepson, Charles A. Dunn. Charles is a 23-year-old junior at the University of Miami Medical School. Bn Bridgeport, Conn. M. Mary Ch. Monica Ann, Walter III, Charles A. Dunn Bus. Medical Doctor Ed Harvard Univ. of Miami, Univ. of Alabama Medical School, Rush Medical College

South Miami Roundup

By EDWIN KNIGHT KNIGHT SOUTH MIAMI received nationwide recognition last week. It was chosen to be the first city in the country to have a community-wide credit union, South Miami's young, ambitious and efficient city manager, C. B. Petry, can take the bows for this. IT WAS PETRY who hatched the idea and passed the suggestion on to authorities in Washington as one means of "Operation Bootstrap," the plan by which Americans help their country by helping themselves. The plan has been put in the hands of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. IF THE CREDIT UNION works in South Miami it may be tried in hundreds of other cities. The benefit is there. Merchants, residents, employes of small retail shops and the Chamber of Commerce can be helped by the plan which will get underway in a week or two. CREDIT UNIONS USUALLY are formed in a company, a church, a labor union or other organizations. The idea is simple. It is a federal savings and loan association on a smaller scale. Through a common bond, members of these organizations form a credit union by buying shares in the organization. Shares usually are worth $5. PURPOSE OF the credit union is to promote thrift among members and to accumulate a fund from these savings to make needed loans to members at reasonable interest rates. It is a corporation chartered and supervised by the Federal Government through the Bureau of Federal Credit Unions. South Miami's is the first credit union to be tried on a community-wide level. A common bond had to be designated. So it was decided that the Chamber of Commerce could also be helped if potential members were first members or associate members of the South Miami District Chamber of Commerce. The fee for an associate member is $5 a year. SOUTH MIAMI'S merchants are helped by their employes being able to join a credit union. South Miami business is stimulated by the credit union because of the borrowing potential and the thrift incentive. The residents are aided by having a credit union they would not otherwise be able to join. MEMBERSHIP IN THE cooperative is not limited to South Miamians. Anyone who becomes an associate member of the Chamber may join the credit union. The dividend rate usually is between four and five percent. The interest rate on borrowed money usually is 1 percent on the unpaid balance per month. * * * SOUTH MIAMI COUNCIL last week passed up an opportunity for the city to have a seven-story hotel in the heart of the business district. By a unanimous vote, the city fathers turned down the mammoth structure because no parking was provided. The Council overrode the city's advisory Planning and Zoning Board in taking its stand. WHETHER THE COUNCIL'S action will have a negative effect on the city's future business activity is debatable. Certainly the Council should have discussed more openly the positive effects of the proposed hotel even without the parkin WE ARE WELL aware of the city's zoning code which specifies that one parking space must be provided for every two hotel rooms. We also are well aware that parking is the life blood of any business. But South Miami Council has made numerous exceptions to its zoning code. We feel that this is a case where such an exception is called for. WITHIN A RADIUS of two blocks of the site for the proposed hotel there are at least city-metered lots that could be used by hotel patrons. Frequently these lots are nearly vacant. Would it not be better to have the hotel patrons use the city-metered lots and stimulate business activity than to turn thumbs down on the hotel altogether? HOTELS ARE A GREAT ASSET to any city. They bring visitors and permanent residents to a business area who would not otherwise visit a city. South Miami businessmen already are in competition with surrounding shopping centers. And the biggest shopping center of all, Dadeland, at South Dixie Highway and North Kendall Dr., is still to be built. BUT THESE SHOPPING centers, a boon to the permanent residents, do not have hotels. A seven-story hotel in South Miami's business district would add prestige to the city, ease the tax burden on the residents and bring many outsiders to South Miami. Parking is essential to most enterprises. But hotels have shown they can carry their own weight without offstreet parking. * * * SLUGS ARE useful little gadgets. They are little round discs resembling nickles, dimes or quarters. They often are used in cigaret or candy machines or parking meters in place of government issued coins. Last week a new use was made of these slugs in South Miami. A NEGRO WALKED up to a cashier in First Bank and Trust Co. of South Miami and presented 20 rolls of quarters. He was seeking to exchange the rolls for $200 in currency. The rolls were stacked with slugs, with quarters on each end. THE TELLER INFORMED the man he must show where the money came from. The Negro chose the name of a prominent Coral Gables restaurant, wrote this name on the rolls and again presented the rolls to the teller. The teller was opening one of the rolls when the man lit out of the bank. He said he had to put some money in a meter. But he hasn't bee seen since.