Save Calusa

501(C)(3) non-profit run 100% by volunteers advocating to protect 168 acres of green space & wildlife habitat from a 550 🏠 development. Founder @AmandaCPrieto

[Save Calusa @savecalusa]

The Calusa Rookery is being setup to fail.

Sign petition: https://t.co/JqqvkNCWgm

#SaveCalusa

[Save Calusa @savecalusa]

@newschica @AliciaMArellano Weren’t McGhee and Oliver absent? So they didn’t have enough to override veto? Perhaps another deferral of convenient timing?

[Phil Ehr @PhilEhr]

A partial win for the birds, but this development still shouldn’t be happening.

@tropicalaudubon fought hard and secured meaningful protections for the active Calusa Bird Rookery today — a permanent 330-foot buffer, enhanced habitat and foraging areas, strict nesting season restrictions, boating/fishing bans in key lakes, and ongoing monitoring access.

Still, an 8-7 vote is way too close, and turning a golf course into more development in West Kendall — even with safeguards — is the wrong direction for our wetlands, wildlife, and future.

These Tricolored Herons and wading birds deserve the full site protected, not just a hardened buffer zone while concrete moves in around them.

Protecting the places our kids and grandkids will inherit is political. We’ll keep showing up — for stronger conservation, not just better mitigation.
The birds got breathing room today. The fight for better land-use decisions continues. Thank you @savecalusa for your fight. I see you and I’m here with you.

[Linda Robertson @lrobertsonmiami]

Calusa homeowners put up heroic 7-yr fight in this shameful saga of a broken covenant, a degraded golf course & neighbors bribed into surrendering. Commissioners could’ve voted No but approve 524 houses. Rookery survives. @savecalusa @davidjwinker @MiamiDadeBCC @newschica

[Save Calusa @savecalusa]

“Save Calusa returns to the Miami-Dade County Commission on Thursday, & commissioners now face the responsibility residents say belongs squarely to them: balancing development pressure with environmental protection and quality of life. Commissioners do not have to approve this.”

[Elaine de Valle @newschica]

The @savecalusa development application is back before the #MiamiDade commission tomorrow. @GLHOMES shaved a total of 26 homes f/ the original plan. Still wants to build 524 homes there. Neighbors say way too much. Meanwhile, the birds keep living their best lives. https://t.co/gSz4ZcdtFn

[Linda Robertson @lrobertsonmiami]

Save Calusa from overdevelopment: county commission vote Thurs. This dramatic neighbor-vs.-neighbor-vs.-developer fight over what should happen to an old golf course that grew into a nature oasis & rookery will go down in history, folks. @MiamiDadeBCC @newschica @miamiherald

[Save Calusa @savecalusa]

This is an absolutely wild amount of political contributions related to a single development proposal #SaveCalusa

[Dani Rivera @MiamiSeda]

🧵1/3 Here's the updated contributions from GL Homes to the @MiamiDadeBCC & @MayorDaniella. 252 contributions using approx 56 different names totaling $593.5K. $388.5K (65.5%) to current & $47K (7.9%) to those who resigned in 2025.

[Dani Rivera @MiamiSeda]

And it's a full set!
GL Homes gave $10K to @commvickillopez ($5K to campaign, $5K to her associated PC) on 2/20, right around the last time this was in front of the @MiamiDadeBCC. This means they have donated to every current Miami-Dade commissioner & @MayorDaniella. Links in 🧵

[Save Calusa @savecalusa]

@doug_hanks @MayorDaniella Shouldn’t the push here be for better transit to west dade? You can’t have it both ways. You can’t keep developing out west, not improve transit, then say oh we can’t have a gov facility there because of lack of transit/parking?

[Peter R. Ehrlich, Jr @peterehrlich1]

@jamestorres @UELofMiami @MiamiWaterkpr @AndrewOtazo #RespectNature @savecalusa

[Save Calusa @savecalusa]

@CBoomerVazquez @gableschamber Congrats!!! Well deserved!

[Save Calusa @savecalusa]

Community input is critical! I look forward to hearing directly from residents and continuing the discussion of what is best for our community, residents and wildlife!

[Elaine de Valle @newschica]

This is tomorrow and I have been told that the developer is CONFIRMED to go. So it could get fun. Last chance for residents to make their case for the #Calusa development. @savecalusa #kendall https://t.co/BpLEdG73fO

[Save Calusa @savecalusa]

KFHA will be holding a Public Forum for what could be your final thoughts on how you feel about what is getting ready to happen in our Community and your thoughts on what it will mean to you as a resident of Calusa, Kendall and West Kendall.

[Save Calusa @savecalusa]

@CBoomerVazquez Public input matters!! If residents hadn’t documented the Calusa Rookery and brought it to the BCC during the zoning process, the developer would have razed it to build more houses. We deserve a chance to be part of local decisions.

[Save Calusa @savecalusa]

@JaneBuffington @CBoomerVazquez The difference is this would make it even easier for them to ignore residents…. At least now it is a legal requirement that we have a chance to speak on the record.

[Save Calusa @savecalusa]

Public comment matters, and so does the process. Special thanks to Chairman @CommishArod for his leadership, patience and fairness at the 2/19/26 Calusa Zoning Hearing.

[Save Calusa @savecalusa]

It is not over yet, but this is an important step forward. #SaveCalusa

[Save Calusa @savecalusa]

I was right 4 years ago:
- enviro study was wrong
- tricolored heron were nesting
- rare rookery on the property
- notice was insufficient

I’m right again now.

This proposed plan is still not good enough. #SaveCalusa

[Elaine de Valle @newschica]

She didn't defer because of what the residents complained about or the old traffic study or the WRONG info on the FWC permit application. @RaquelRegalado deferred the #Calusa development because she can count votes. https://t.co/YuIerEYeGb

[Save Calusa @savecalusa]

This is not how zoning decisions should be made or influenced.

Developers should really have to disclose this on the record before a vote is held…

I wonder how much more will come in 2026 Q1!
@doug_hanks @newschica @hatzelvela @davidjwinker

[Dani Rivera @MiamiSeda]

🧵1/5 GL Homes is still trying to rezone Calusa. Since 2012, GL Homes has given at least $558K to county level politics, with $420.5K to the current/recently resigned commissioners & mayor. They made 223 contributions using 58 different names averaging $2,387 per contribution.

[Save Calusa @savecalusa]

@doug_hanks @MayorDaniella Employees that are being paid to be there?

[Save Calusa @savecalusa]

Calusa hearing deferred! Don’t go downtown Jan 22! I will post when we have a new date. #SaveCalusa