Miami Gardens Homeowners File Lawsuit To Stop Formula 1 Racing
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A group of Miami Gardens homeowners has filed a lawsuit against Hard Rock Stadium and the Formula 1 Group to prevent the race from taking place.
The lawsuit follows Wednesday's Miami-Dade County Commission 6-6 vote against new zoning regulations that may have stopped plans to host Formula 1 Grand Prix racing in Miami Gardens.
Neighbors allege that noise levels that will be generated by the race would violate Miami-Dade County and City of Miami Gardens noise ordinances.
"There is no expert in the acoustical field who would say that decibel levels between 70 and 90 are reasonable for a residential neighborhood," explains Attorney Sam Dubbin, who represents former County Commissioner Betty Ferguson and twelve other residents from the three homeowners associations filing the lawsuit.
"There is another part that will come later as a part of this lawsuit that will include environmental injustice. Because when you look at this race and what it will do to our community, it's going to have a significant impact," stated Barbara Jordan, District 1 Commissioner for Miami-Dade County.
The amendment to the Code of Miami-Dade County voted down Wednesday would have removed "auto races" from the list of permitted automotive uses in the Stadium Zoning District.
"It is important for us to let our young people know that we are standing up, not just for us, but for them, for their community," says Commissioner Ferguson. "We need to also remember, when we go to the polls to vote, who to vote for and who to vote against. The power of the people is greater than the people in power."
