City sued over zoning change

Developer wants to build commercial towers adjacent to Greynolds Park in North Miami Beach

NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – A man living in North Miami Beach sued the city after its council approved a zoning change that would allow a developer to build commercial towers adjacent to Greynolds Park.

"It must be consistent with and in scale with the established neighborhood," added Charles Baron, who filed the lawsuit.

The historic park at 17530 W. Dixie Highway opened in 1936.

"In 100 years, I want somebody to be able to say I brought my children here and my grandchildren and to be the same as you see it here," said Bill Campbell, a member of "Save Greynolds Park."

Miami-Dade County Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Department wrote a letter opposing the city's zoning change.

The mayor and city council members declined interviews regarding the vote Friday. According to minutes from the city council meeting, the developer said the project would bring 200 jobs and $770,000 to the city.

"For us in northeast Dade to have this kind of experience, if we can't have it here, we have to go a long way," said Baron.

A response to the lawsuit is expected next week.