Developer agrees to clean up Florida City construction debris after Miami-Dade County order
There are new developments in a CBS News Miami investigation. Last month, CBS News Miami reported on homeowners in a gated Florida City community concerned that a neighboring development project was damaging their land.
CBS News Miami investigated and learned that Miami-Dade County issued the developer a 30-day notice to undo the damage.
Association leadership at Gateway Estates Park Condo said Thursday morning's meeting to resolve the dispute was productive, with a clear plan for removing the spillover construction debris.
"We explained to them exactly what we felt was disturbed in their construction process," said Mark Wasser, a homeowner and member of the association's board.
Homeowners report damage from construction project
Last month, CBS News Miami investigated claims that a neighboring construction project dug past the property line to build a retaining wall, damaging Wasser's home and other properties.
"This was all developed," said Donald Purnell in February. "It was all my tropical jungle, what I used to call it. Totally lost if I didn't have your help."
Purnell, who has owned his home in Florida City for over two decades, showed us the damage he believed the years-long construction project had caused.
"The first time I saw it, it broke my heart," Purnell said.
Our investigation found pink stakes labeled "PL," marking the builder's property line. Stones and rubble were also discovered several feet from the retaining wall. Drone footage and visits to neighboring yards revealed similar issues.
County orders developer to restore land
A week after the story aired, Miami-Dade County Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER) sent an inspector to the community on March 6 and issued a field notice of non-compliance to the developer.
The county says Brookfield Kolter Land Partners acknowledged and signed the notice.
CBS News Miami reached out to Kolter Land regarding the findings and alleged damages resulting from the development project.
In response, they wrote, "We remain committed to working with the county and the neighboring property owners to resolve any issues that may exist."
The county told us its inspector saw "construction fill—clean soil and rocks—encroaching into Gateway Estates' property." Officials confirmed that the permit for the developer "did not authorize any work beyond the retaining wall."
RER stated that the notice requires Kolter Land to clean up the construction spillover and restore the land to its original grade and elevation within 30 days.
Plan in place to repair damage
"I asked for, in essence, an architectural plan detailing what their intentions are, from the plants to the fence, in addition to, of course, the sod and cleaning up any construction debris," Wasser said.
Wasser said Kolter Land agreed, including cleaning up any damaged trees. CBS News Miami reached out to confirm what Wasser told us but have not yet heard back.
"The focus that you put on this on behalf of our homeowners—I think it was definitely instrumental in getting this to a happy conclusion," Wasser said.
Wasser said that finalizing the terms will take a week or so. The hope is to clear all this rubble out, put up a fence, and add plants and grass in the damaged areas.
