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Kings Bay resident recalls 1994 annexation and creation of two waterfront parks
Summary
A Kings Bay resident told a public meeting that the South Coral Gables neighborhood annexed to the city in 1994, planted hundreds of trees, and developed two waterfront parks — Kings Bay Waterfront Plaza and Park and James H. Smith Park — to strengthen community identity and access to Biscayne Bay.
A resident of the Kings Bay neighborhood in South Coral Gables told a public meeting that the community voted to annex to Coral Gables in 1994 and later developed two waterfront parks to create a stronger neighborhood identity and shoreline access.
The resident said Kings Bay was founded by pilot Ben Cooper with investors including James Knight, whom the resident identified as treasurer and president of the neighborhood association. "The original covenants that Mr. Cooper set out was every house would be unique, and there would be no garages in the front of the homes," the resident said, describing restrictions dating to the 1950s.
The resident described the community center as the Kings Bay Turning Basin and noted local ties to Biscayne Bay and Chapman Field. "Much of the turning basin that was quarried out became the ball diamonds at Chapman Field," the resident said. The speaker said Kings Bay is aligned with the Old Cutler corridor and nearby landmarks including Fairchild and Madison Hammock.
On annexation, the resident said the neighborhood initially "didn't have a sense of identity" and identified a lack of tree canopy. As a result, residents secured "several 100 trees, many of them live oaks," and pursued park development. The resident said HOK Architects produced a plan that transformed scrub land into Kings Bay Waterfront Plaza and Park, a linear waterfront space of about 27,000 square feet where neighbors gather for sunsets and family time. The speaker said the second park, James H. Smith Park, is about 20,000 square feet and was named for a community leader who led the annexation push in 1994.
The resident framed the parks as consistent with developer George Merrick's vision for neighborhood gathering places. "I think my friend, Jim Smith, would be happy, and James H. Smith Park would make him very proud," the resident said.
No formal action or vote on these topics is recorded in the provided transcript excerpts; the remarks were presented as historical context and local perspective during the meeting.
