| A personal note from two of JIF’s founders Jupiter Island Resident: The goal of Jupiter Island Forever, and the reason we joined in its grassroots founding, is to ensure that our Town government is acting in a transparent, accountable and democratic manner—and that the Town considers balancing the natural beauty of our unique home with the desires of residents who wish to develop on the Island. We believe, with good-faith input from across the Island, compromise is possible so that our Island home remains the treasure we all cherish. That is the focus of JIF and that will continue to be its focus going forward. But we wanted to take a moment to address current developments in the pending litigation in which we personally are involved, because its ultimate results will be important to JIF’s mission. A heartfelt thanks to all of you who have supported the efforts to preserve the pristine dunes on our Island and encouraged the Town to reverse the effects of Ordinance 376, which created the ability to apply for new development on undisturbed dunes by moving the Waterfront Setback line. The Notice lawsuit maintains that the Town did not fulfill the statutory requirements for giving adequate notice to Island residents when it passed Ordinance 376. In this initial phase of the legal process, Martin County Circuit Court Judge Sweet ruled in favor of the Town. As Town officials have recognized previously, this matter will not be finally decided until all appeals have been heard by the courts. Importantly, no appellate court in Florida has ever held that a town complies with its statutory notice obligations in the way Jupiter Island attempted to here. Instead, Florida appellate courts have repeatedly ruled that our state’s notice statute must be “strictly” followed, and there is no question that our Town failed to do so here. Our success on this appeal would make Ordinance 376 “void from the beginning,” which would mean that the 2000 Waterfront setback line that preserved these dunes would once again apply. This would provide a reset and allow for an inclusive community-wide discussion on how best to approach future development, with the realities of dune erosion and the threats of major hurricanes in mind. Thus, we have high hopes for the appeal. We believe this cause is important to our community and we must persist. We have dedicated an incredible amount of time and resources because we care deeply about preserving our Island environment and about the democratic process. JIF was formed out of a large coalition of Island residents. JIF will continue long after the legal wrangling has concluded and the dust has settled. JIF’s purpose from the beginning has been to inform residents about important items that may impact all of us, particularly those related to the environment and preservation of our beloved Island. JIF intends to hold workshops, host speakers and attempt to facilitate civil discussion when there are differing points of view. Along the way, JIF will do its best to present the facts, address misinformation and propose answers to important questions. If you have not already done so, please use the “Become a Member” button below to join Jupiter Island Forever so we can keep you informed.BECOME A MEMBERThanks again for your support and for caring about the long-term welfare of the Island. Sincerely, David and Dena Testa Founding Members Jupiter Island Forever |