"Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody."  —Jane Jacobs, "The Death and Life of Great American Cities"

In a recent article, Neisen Kasdin, managing partner of Akerman LLP's Miami office, argued that the opposition to special area plans (SAPs) was "largely driven by community activists who oppose change because they like things the way they are and want to preserve their positions of power in the community. They generate opposition by preying upon people's fear of progress, often without regard to the true long-term interests of the community."

Nothing could be further from the truth—the opposition to SAPs has been galvanized across a broad spectrum of opponents who have watched this planning tool turned against our most vulnerable communities by developers. That outrage resulted in the City of Miami Planning Zoning & Appeals Board voting unanimously last year to recommend to city commissioners that SAPs be abolished from the Miami 21 zoning code.