Kristine deHaseth comes by her love of Florida naturally; she’s a Florida native who grew up on Key Biscayne. While she’s lived on both sides of the bridge in Delray, gulf Stream and ocean Ridge, she’s never far from her beloved beach, where she enjoys shell seeking and paddleboarding. She is one of the founding organizers of the Florida Coalition for Preservation, and has served as executive director for the past eight years. the Coalition is funded 100 percent by individual donations from citizens who support its mission of promoting responsible growth while preserving the character and quality of life of the barrier island and coastal communities.
What do you think makes Delray unique?
I love that each area in Delray has a unique character. Residents feel strongly about preserving their neighborhood’s uniqueness. And when coalesced, the various citizens groups support each other and get involved when important city issues arise.
What’s your favorite thing to do in Delray?
Go to city commission meetings until midnight. Seriously, if we could combine these meetings with taste-testings from the wonderful restaurants on the Avenue, we’d have a winner.
Do you have a dream project you’d like to create in Delray?
The dream project has already begun! We are in full support of the Beach Area Master plan initiated by the Beach property owners Association. The multifaceted plan is needed to ensure that our beaches are periodically renourished, and that we have sustainable healthy dunes. This is a “forever” project to maintain our shoreline as the city’s most valuable asset.
How do you think the coalition makes Delray a better place? What’s the role you see for the coalition in Delray’s future?
We work very hard at staying informed about development projects, issues that impact our beaches and other things that may affect the quality of life for residents, neighbors and visitors alike. Providing timely, evenhanded communication is of great value [and keeps] citizens informed and educated. As a coalition, we coalesce the many public interest groups and encourage their involvement, which makes Delray a better place.
