Citizens Not Serfs is writing to reiterate the importance of ensuring that Christine Hurley, the prospective appointee to the county Growth Management Division director position, is publicly committed to supporting the Keys' designation as an Area of Critical State Concern and equally committed to permanent prohibition of all new structures taller than 35 feet.</p><p>This designation benefits the Keys significantly and an overwhelming majority of the population supports living within an Area of Critical State Concern.</p><p>A March 2006 poll conducted by Lake Research demonstrated that 82 percent of likely Republican, Democrat and independent Monroe County voters were opposed to the construction of high-rise condos and hotels, and were equally opposed to rescinding the 1974 Area of Critical Stat Concern designation. The designation is the primary reason the Keys are devoid of the wall-to-wall high-rise condos and hotels that blight southeast and west Florida.</p><p>On May 15, 2007, Islamorada citizens validated the scientific poll and overwhelmingly verified the import of maintaining this aspect of the Keys environment by voting to permanently encode a 35-foot building height restriction in their charter.</p><p>Florida Keys residents demand assurance that the Growth Management director understands the massive opposition to the planning and construction of high-rise condos and hotels in the Florida Keys. They need to know that Ms. Hurley is publicly committed to rejecting any and all attempts to plan or construct high-rise condos and hotels. Similarly, Ms. Hurley must commit to defending against any attempts to change the County's Area of Critical State Concern designation.</p><p>Furthermore, it is imperative that the potential director appreciates the burdens that the Federal Emergency Management Agency's pilot inspection program for illegal downstairs enclosures and subsequent county regulations have placed on the people of Monroe County. Ms. Hurley must be willing and able to find ways to mitigate the community's suffering while remaining in the National Flood Insurance Program.</p><p>Citizens Not Serfs is hopeful that County Administrator Roman Gastesi, the County Commission and Ms. Hurley will be mindful of the issues raised.</p><p>Christen Spake</p><p>John November</p><p>Summerland Key