(WSVN) - The Redlands in South Miami-Dade is famous for its fertile fields, but last year, 7News exposed dozens of big rigs illegally parking there. Now we’ve learned there are even more trucks disturbing the peace. The Nightteam’s Kevin Ozebek reports.
It seems like they’re everywhere. Semi trucks driving in and out of the Redlands, illegally parked by the dozens on private properties zoned for homes and farmland.
Michael Waneck, Redlands resident: “This just needs to stop. This is absolutely unacceptable for this area.”
Michael Waneck owns a small lychee farm in the Redlands. He and his neighbors say the truck invasion is out of control.
Michael Waneck: “They start off with a few trucks. The coast is clear — three, four, five, now the whole thing is full of trucks.”
Last year, 7News showed you two Redlands properties cited and fined by Miami-Dade County for illegal truck and RV parking.
Michael Waneck: “I don’t know why it’s taking so much effort to make people to enforce code.”
One of those properties is now in compliance, but this one still has a fleet of semis parked on the lot, and the list of problem properties has only grown with some 20 owners cited by code enforcement.
Richard Perez, Redlands resident: “You’re talking about thousands of trucks tearing up the roads, putting the citizenry here at risk.”
Video from the 7News drone cam shows this property on Southwest 204th Street with some 70 trucks parked next to pristine farmland.
Peter Neubauer, Redlands resident: “Especially at night, it’s unbearable. It’s not just the noise, but it’s the vibration. I can’t work on my computer. It’s just awful.”
Kevin Ozebek: “Are you the owner of the property?”
The owner wasn’t there, so we called him to ask about the almost $12,000 lien the county has placed on his property.
Kevin Ozebek: “Hi, this is Kevin Ozebek…”
He didn’t want to answer our questions.
This property on Southwest 176th Street was also fined.
Kevin Ozebek: “Hi sir, do you own this property?”
He wasn’t the owner but one of the truck drivers. He says he’s told to park here and then leaves.
Since we were there, the owner of the property paid the fine and had most of the trucks removed. Frustrated residents say if only everyone would comply.
Agustin Saavedra, Redlands resident: “To them, it might not be anything, but to us it’s destroying the way we live.”
Michael and his neighbors recently met with Miami-Dade officials to voice their concerns. 7News wasn’t allowed in, but Commissioner Dennis Moss says they’re working on the problem.
Commissioner Dennis Moss, Miami-Dade District 9: “We have legal remedies, but it’s a process. It takes time It’s not something that’s going to happen overnight.
Residents say they’ll be waiting and watching, hoping the days of big rigs disturbing the peace are numbered.
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