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Battle Brewing Over Proposed Boat Warehouse At Matheson Hammock

CORAL GABLES (CBSMiami) – There's a major battle brewing over Matheson Hammock Park in Coral Gables where developers want to build a controversial 5-story boat warehouse.

According to Save Our Matheson Hammock Park, Miami-Dade County has awarded a private company the right to build the 62-thousand square foot warehouse.

Opponents, who include Bruce C. Matheson, grandson of the park's namesake William Matheson and head of the family trust, say the project will increase noise pollution, cause traffic congestion on Old Cutler Road and damage the sensitive ecosystem.

A similar plan was rejected by the City of Coral Gables in 2009 but resurfaced when Marc Buoniconti and developer Aqua Marine Partners (AMP) presented warehouse designs to Coral Gables officials. The three chief backers of the development are Buoniconti, Coral Gables architect Richard Heisenbottle, and lobbyist Dusty Melton, according to the Miami New Times.

Save Our Matheson Hammock says the boat warehouse can't be built without the approval of the City of Coral Gables. The group has organized an online petition in an effort to fight the construction.

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