Last week the State of Florida rejected the Tavernier Overlay District, keeping developers from building the unnecessary Publix in the previous CEMEX plant property. The State cited that this development exceeded the standards applicable to the Tavernier community, and were inconsistent under the Monroe County Comprehensive Plan, that our commissioners themselves enacted, to protect an area of critical concern.

At this month's BOCC meeting, CEMEX Construction proposed a Small Map Amendment, which would allow them to obtain the 86 building permits necessary for their workforce housing units, but not require them to follow the rules of the existing Comprehensive Plan

The Monroe BOCC Commission voted in favor of the Tavernier Overlay District, allowing a plan to build an enormous and unnecessary Publix to move forward. They voted AGAINST the recommendation of the staff who conducted professional studies and AGAINST the wishes of nearly all residents who took time out of their day to speak.