On December 14, 2023, Robert S. Gold, representing Last Stand, stressed Hurricane Evacuation Planning should prioritize public safety and environmental protection, echoing concerns voiced at the BOCC meeting. He urged inclusion of Key West in evacuation models with a 24-hour limit due to the increasing threat of rapidly intensifying storms. Gold called for reconsidering evacuation time limits considering evolving weather patterns and environmental capacity amidst infrastructure challenges and vacation rental expansion. He urged Key West's leaders to advocate for these concerns at county and state levels while prioritizing safety and containing development. Last Stand is eager to collaborate on this vital issue.

Keys Last Stand urges the BOCC and the KWCC to pay attention to the alarming trend of tropical storms rapidly intensifying into major hurricanes, as detailed in the provided articles. With climate change exacerbating these risks, coastal communities like ours face heightened vulnerabilities. In response, Keys Last Stand implores elected officials to maintain the Phase 2 evacuation time at 24 hours and include The City of Key West in evacuation models, considering its significant population.

On December 12, 2023, Roger McVeigh, Treasurer of Last Stand, attended the BOCC meeting, stating that Last Stand acknowledges the BOCC's prompt attention to the concerns and audit findings regarding financial controls at the Tourist Development Council (TDC). He said continued BOCC engagement is crucial, given the significant tax dollars involved. Last Stand urges the BOCC to heed recent public feedback on the TDC, recognizing it as an opportunity for reflection, evaluation, and constructive reforms.

Keys Last Stand commends the City of Marathon for its transition from shallow injection wells to deep sewage wells, addressing concerns regarding wastewater's impact on surface waters and marine life in the Florida Keys. Last Stand urges prompt action to safeguard nearshore waters and marine habitats, emphasizing the significance of responsible sewage disposal and environmental preservation.

In October, Last Stand strongly opposed the Major Conditional Use Permit requested by Little Palm Dolphin Resort Development LLC for constructing a 38-unit resort with 8 employee dwelling units on Little Torch property. They argued that the project contradicts the Monroe County 2030 Comprehensive Plan and the Lower Keys Livable CommuniKeys Plan, as it does not align with the area's low-density character. Last Stand highlighted concerns about public safety, property values, and residents' quality of life. They emphasized that the proposed project exceeds density limits, exacerbates traffic issues, lacks community support, and strains existing infrastructure. Last Stand urged the Planning Commissioners to deny the permit based on its inconsistency with the community plans and failure to meet required standards.

In August, Last Stand raised a procedural concern regarding the Major Conditional Use (MCU) permit for Little Palm Dolphin Resort. At the August 2, 2023 Community Meeting, staff indicated the next step would be before the Planning Commission on September 27, omitting the usual step before the Development Review Committee (DRC). Last Stand sought clarification on this deviation from past procedures and requests information on the next steps for the MCU request. They emphasized the importance of public input in adhering to the Year 2030 Comprehensive Land Use Plan, Land Development Code, and Livable Communi-Keys Plans, expressing concern over the apparent procedural omission.

Adverse water quality event in the Lower Keys. What happened to Lower Keys Water Quality this summer? Lower Keys residents sounded alarm bells this summer, asking, “what’s happening with our nearshore and canal waters?” Last Stand investigated.