THE SOUTHERNMOST NEWSPAPER solareNOVEMBER 17,199s4 hill NUMBER 41 VOLUME 18 Power Plant Gets A Warning From The EPA ByPamDoto ment that has been documented but the test results carried by a steady western wind, it makes nearby show there is a potential," said Gus Rios, environ- residents sick to their stomachs. he Environmental Protection Agency has mental specialist for the EPA. But the smell isn't the primary environmental issued a warning to City Electric after water Last year, the EPA issued a five-year permit to concern; the toxicity is. T discharged from its plant on Stock Island City Electric that allows the plant to pump water When the water is released from the plant, the killed fish and shrimp during a laboratory experi- from 250 feet beneath the surface. The water is used sulfides are diluted into the canal, diminishing their ment. to cool steam which propels electric turbines and effect, Rios said. The test, conducted on Sept. 18, is being disputed generates power. After the turbines are cooled, the As the water is pumped from the ground, the sul- by City Electric officials who say more investigation ground water is released into a canal at the plant. fide changes from a gas to a liquid. Hydrogen sulfide is needed before the plant changes its procedures. The problem is that the water contains hydrogen is a natural composition in the Keys ecology, pro- But the EPA wants the problem corrected now. sulfides, which emit a well-known rotten egg smell "There hasn't been any damage to the environ- around the island. The odor is so pungent that, if Continued on page 6 The Life And Death Of DuaneRath Organizers Get Gay activist, Ready To Rumba Key West See related story page 15 philanthropist, ByPamDoto international hen Donna Windle came to Key West last year and volunteered for Reef bon viviant W Relief's Cayo Carnival, the entire town opened up to her. murdered She met people from all over the island, not just tourists on vacation. at 53. "I was just amazed at the number of people that came," she said. Now, Windle works as a project coordinator for the organization and is again helping pull together this year's event. Story page 7 It's a party that attracts those who make Key West their home, from retail workers to the peo- ple who ring up your groceries each week. For many, the event is their chance to have fun while Continued on page 7 By Jorges Morales inside Building Restraints Out The Window The Truman Annex residence where Rath and Hurdman lived See page 3 Pholo: Nance SpiGvak McGinn when in Key West. PAGE 2 solares hill NOVEMBER 1 7, 1994 NOVEMBER 17, 1994 solares hill PAGE 3 editor's notes Mow That We've who have applied for a vested rights determina- tion route (36 hours and we're all safe). This storm Controlled Growth tion. Planner Ted Strader denied four applica- was 40 mph, centered 200 miles away and not yet kay, buckos, we're going back to the plan- tions, but affirmed that four other applicants did pushing a tidal surge when it closed the highway. IF IT'S NOT IN THE ning trenches here to see if we can take in fact have vested rights through judicial order. The City Commission, Oh God, 1 POWER PLANT GETS WARNING stock of exactly where we are. Those are the 533 unit Fairways project (see The City Commission O Real Estate page), Ocean Walk 216 units, Las We went to the city commission meeting FROM THE EPA Remember in 1990 we agreed with the State Tuesday night and are proud to announce that PAM DOTO Department of Community Affairs we would limit Salinas 216 units, Village of Key West Resort at growth to 1092 additional residential units Norman's Island 60 units. That's 1189 new units your commissioners took a basic 45 minute agen- through the year 2002, or about 91 new units per with vested rights, and everyone of them over the da and changed it into a full two and a half hour Ml year in town. (The county has a separate alloca- 1092 limit. The last units under the wire were chore. Time flies when each commissioner feels NEWSPAPER probably La Brisa's 60. compelled to say each random thought which tion.) This came together as part of the compre- 1 FINAL TOUCHES ON LOCAL hensive plan and was known as the Building Strader sent Solana Village's 164 units, Logun's occurs to them four times. CELEBRATION Permit Allocation and Vested Rights Ordinance. 9 transient units, Paradise Inn's 18 units and the I have nothing further to report from the meet- Housing Authority's request to the hearing offi- ing except this interesting sidelight. s PAM DOTO The ordinance also sets up a procedure for vest- ed rights issues—those are building rights grant- cer. Valerie Settles, destined to be the new city ed before the comprehensive plan was adopted — We've reached the wall. In four and a half years attorney, was presenting her letter of engagement IT'S NOT ON THE OTHER they are guaranteed building rights, if you can we have approved more than twice our full alloca- (what I do, what my firm does, what it'll cost you) prove to a special hearing officer that your rights tion of units for twelve years. to the commission when she got blind-sided by the 1 SLEEPING WITH THE ENEMY are legitimately vested. So what happens now? Nothing. Monroe County Bar Association. Turns out the local barristers thought the contract was "too open JORGES MORALES So here's where we stand? In the first four and Nice to know we've got a good grip on this a half years of our 12 year committment with the growth question. ended." It needed to be more restrictive, more pre- state, we have used all the 1092 units allocated Our Little Storm cise and it needed to stipulate that Ms. Settles' through April, 2002. There are two major pieces of news from that firm, Fowler, White & Forty Others, would leave a Actually, the city planners already count 216 pesky, pissant little storm: few scraps of city business lying on the floor for RADIO STATIONS! 1. The Power Stayed On. And more amazing, it the local gang. Ms. Settles said her firm had noth- 5 CITY LOOKS FOR ANSWERS TO more units at Ocean Walk and another 216 at Las STORM DRAIN PROBLEMS Salinas, and that puts us well over the 1092. The stayed on during the big September storm. ing but disdain for the crumbs, and that FW&FO Most Keys radio stations claiming to do local city is still ciphering on exactly how many over. No Imagine that, two in a row. We looked it up and would gladly leave them for the local price PAM DOTO more, though. Not another residential unit till that beats the old recored by, ...uh, two. Bully for gougers, although those were not exactly her news merely have one of their d j.'s read it 2002 in Key West. That's our contract with DCA. CES. They've had a tough year. words. Not bloody likely. Suppose you go in for a permit 2. With the storm 200 miles away and carrying The city will sort out the contract shortly and out of the paper, at GS-1 RADIO, we take for a single family home to be built on the lot winds of 40 mph, U.S. 1 flooded out and had to be our guess is it will then get the best lawyering it 19 RED BARN'S GROWING PAINS you've owned for 25 years. The city either gives closed. Seems waves from Lake Surprise, a pis- has ever had. But the road for Ms. Settles passes sant little lake too, were eroding the road bed. All through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. She JANE PHILLIPS you the permit or makes a good offer on your lot. our local news commitment seriously! OS-1 But that's not all. This week the city planner traffic was diverted to Card Sound Road. news director Bill Becker has been covering sent letters to eight developers or their agents Remember folks, this is our hurricane evacua- Continued on next page the issues and events in the Keys at 104.7 22 PRITAM SINGH ONTHE GREEN DAVID ETHRIDGE FM for almost 10 Voted Best Jeweler in Key West PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS THANKSGIVING years! Hear the dif- SINCE 1973 r f ference experience FEAST makes... 7:30 & Boston Chicken Mystery Word 8:30 in the morn- Pot Pie ing... Noon, RADIO Shop Where Fine Custom Work & 5 & 6 in the 1 THE FLORID. RADIO STATION the Locals Shop! Expert Jewelry Repair New England Clam & Corn Chowder or Fresh Garden Salad Fresh Roasred Turkey afternoon. Sunlion Jewelry is the Finest Store in Key West Tropical Fruir and Walnut Dressing EDITOR'S NOTES 3 where the Jewelry is Produced on the Premises Homemade Mashed Potatoes with Gibler Gravy COMMENTARY 10/11 Sweet Peas with PearlOnions • Cranberry Grand Marnier Relish solares hill is published weekly by Solares Hill Newspaper, Pumpkin Pie wirh Chanrilly Cream Inc. 330-B Julia Street, Key West, Florida 33040. CLASSIFIEDS 14 Goldsmith • Silversmith • Lapidary Phone: 305-294-3602. Fax: 305-294-1699. • Work directly with our in-house Artisan $16.95 CHILDREN $9.95 solares hill weekly REAL ESTATE MARKETPLACE 22 Or Select from our Regular Menu RICHARD FKENCH FRANK E.