EVERYBODY LOVES SURFSIDE
March 17, 2020
Welcome to the 2020 election archive
There's a lot to see here.
So, take your time, look around, the history of the entire 2020 Surfside election is here.
I hope you enjoy this site and take a moment to drop me a line.
About Charles W. Burkett
Personal:
I was born (St. Francis Hospital which is now Aqua, on 63rd Street) and raised in Miami Beach.
I moved to Surfside in 1996 to take advantage of the unparalleled lifestyle and have lived here, in the same home, ever since.
Julia and I are the proud parents of William Michael Burkett.
I enjoy skiing, diving, flying, boating & ...good food :)
Education:
Pre-school: The Cushman School, Miami
Grammar: St. Patrick's School, Miami Beach
High: Archbishop Curley High School, Miami
College: University of Miami, BS, Finance
Work:
After I graduated from College, I used my savings from working as a construction site laborer to buy my first property in 1983. It was a home in Miami Beach that I renovated, with help from friends I hired, and then leased. I then purchased my first building in Miami Beach's budding Art Deco District with the remainder of my savings. I renovated that building, was able to get a loan on the equity I created in the property, and bought my next property.
I did this over and over throughout the 80's, 90's and early 2000's.
I subsequently went on to expand on a national basis into an additional seven States.
I currently operate a national management and investment company, which I own 100% of, which oversees those investments.
For the record, with the exception of my home in Surfside, I do not own any property or have any financial interests in Town. My family did own property in Surfside's commercial district, but it was sold in the 80's.
Civic:
When I lived in Miami Beach, I was:
A board member and chairman of the Miami Beach Housing Authority for nine years.
A board member of the Nuisance Abatement Board,
Member of the Code Enforcement Board,
Member of the Community Development Block Grant Board,
A Police Academy member,
A board member of the Miami Beach Chamber,
The President of the North Beach Development Corporation,
A board member of my neighborhood association, the Lagorce-Pinetree Homeowners assoc.,
I have also participated in many blue ribbon & ad hoc committees in Miami Beach over my 35 years living there.
Surfside Civic:
In 2004, I ran for Mayor of Surfside and lost my first election by only a handful of votes.
In 2006, I was elected Mayor of Surfside.
In 2008, I was re-elected Mayor of Surfside.
In 2020, I was re-elected Mayor of Surfside.
I'm proud of my record of service in Surfside, and it is outlined throughout this website.
As Mayor, I won't allow Surfside's way of life to be sold.
MAYOR BURKETT WILL NEVER CATER TO DEVELOPMENT INTERESTS AND CATER ONLY TO RESIDENTS ...because that's what he always did!
When I left as Surfside’s Mayor only ten years ago in 2010, it was expected that Daniel Dietch, who took my place as the next Mayor, would be a competent and prudent caretaker of our Town.
I left our town with low taxes, low density buildings, a vibrant and growing downtown, quiet and uncrowded beaches, friendly Town meetings, an accessible and responsive Town administration and a bright future for Surfside’s growing population of families who wanted and appreciated all of that.
Today, after only 10 years of Daniel Dietch’s leadership, Surfside, and its “last of its kind” oasis type lifestyle, is being demolished and sold out to developers and political insiders.
The final straw came in late 2018 when a secret deal was exposed to give ALL of our municipal government land (what Surfsiders know as their Town Center) to developers by way of a 99 year lease. This bombshell set in motion a grass roots effort and mobilized a dedicated group of residents, of which I was proud to be a member, who fought hard and long to stop a scheme that Mayor Daniel Dietch and his Commission had conceived and promoted in total darkness - even going so far as to attempt to justify that secrecy by telling residents it was against the law for elected officials to reveal what they were doing!
Revealing to Surfside residents how Mayor Daniel Dietch is systematically destroying our unique paradise and setting the Town of Surfside on a straight path to become like Sunny Isles, or Miami Beach, is my goal and it begs one simple question, and is what this entire campaign will be all about.
That simple question;
Do we want every square inch of our Town built out to its maximum capacity, with our peaceful, private way of life sacrificed on the altar of more condos, more hotels, more tourists for more tax revenue, as is being done now!
or,
Do we want to keep Surfside small, secluded, cozy and safe?
While residents think about their answer to the question above, my job will be to give residents the facts, and a choice;
Stay on the high intensity development path that Daniel Dietch has put us on for the last 10 years?
or,
Follow the path I believe in, and which I believe most residents want, the one that maintains Surfside as it’s always been; a small, wonderful seaside oasis, with a quality of life unparalleled, one that Surfside’s families treasure.
There is a clear difference between Burkett & Dietch
Former Mayor Dietch Zoning Code
Former Mayor Dietch Zoning Code
Former Mayor Dietch Zoning Code
A massive, out of place, parking garage located in the residential district. This garage allows for more units to be built on the ocean, but dumps the parking next to our homes.
Former Mayor Dietch Zoning Code
Former Mayor Dietch Zoning Code
Former Mayor Dietch Zoning Code
New Bay Drive homes built under the new Mayor Dietch Zoning Code.
Former Mayor Dietch Zoning Code
Former Mayor Dietch Zoning Code
Over built, over sized hotels and condo projects on Collins Avenue dwarf Surfside homes.
Mayor Burkett's zoning code gave us this home.
Former Mayor Burkett supported the code that gave us this home.
Mayor Burkett's zoning code gave us this new "rightsized" oceanfront building
Mayor Burkett's zoning code gave us this new "rightsized" oceanfront building
Former Mayor Burkett supported the zoning code that gave us this low rise ocean-front building.
Charles Burkett's Promise: Superior Quality of Life for residents
vs.
Daniel Dietch's Promise: Continue turning Surfside into Sunny Isles
My promise to residents is that we will go back to the basics
(I delivered these promises last time I was Surfside Mayor)
Low taxes
Parks programs
More police patrols
Open and inviting Commission meetings...
(where residents can speak and not be rudely cut off by elected officials & elected officials will answer residents questions, not tell them they can't do it at meetings, which is ridiculous)
Renovation of our parks - NOW
Eliminate all night Town meetings. Schedule meetings so residents can conveniently attend.
Revert back to the zoning code that kept Surfside small, uncrowded and cozy.
Renovate and restore our beach facilities
Return free downtown parking to residents
Oppose all efforts to extend the terms of elected officials, or increase their pay
Please also follow me below on my Facebook and Twitter pages. Your comments are welcome!
Please also sign up below, I can't win without your help.
I'm on Facebook at: CharlesBurkettforSurfsideMayor
&
I'm on Twitter at: @BurkettCampaign
Former Mayor Dietch brought the Town of Surfside a multitude of
over built, over sized hotels & condominium projects
on Collins Avenue, which dwarf Surfside homes.
Mayor Dietch Zoning Code
Mayor Dietch Zoning Code
Mayor Dietch Zoning Code
Former Mayor Dietch's new zoning code gave us this strange parking garage on Collins Avenue, which allows developers to build MORE units on the ocean and dump their parking into the residential district.
Mayor Dietch Zoning Code
Mayor Dietch Zoning Code
Mayor Dietch Zoning Code
Former Mayor Dietch's new zoning code allows developers to build bigger buildings on smaller lots.