In January 2022, developers submitted a devastating proposal for the Tuscana Planned Development—an invasive project that threatens the heart of the Shingle Creek Wetlands, the biodiverse headwaters of the Everglades. This proposal aims to replace hundreds of acres of critical wetlands with high-density commercial buildings and condos, endangering the fragile ecosystem, worsening emergency flooding, and jeopardizing our natural water purification systems.

From the start, our community has stood strong. At every public meeting, more than 100 passionate advocates have shown up to defend Shingle Creek, sending a clear message: We will not allow reckless development to destroy our wetlands. Our years of advocacy have pushed back against these destructive plans, proving that when we unite, we can make a difference.

Shingle Creek is a Class I essential wetland, one of the most sensitive and ecologically significant areas in Florida. This region is already extremely prone to flooding, serving as a natural buffer that absorbs stormwater and prevents catastrophic overflow into nearby communities. Paving over these wetlands with impervious surfaces would disrupt the entire basin’s hydrology, forcing water to backflow out of the wetlands and into surrounding neighborhoods. By destroying this critical floodplain, the proposed development would exacerbate extreme flooding, leaving residents to bear the consequences—rising insurance rates, devastating property damage, and skyrocketing post-storm recovery costs paid by taxpayers. The long-term financial and environmental toll would be irreversible, harming not just the local ecosystem but also the livelihoods of those who depend on a functioning, resilient watershed.