HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmittal-Public Comments Submitted Online for the September 24, 2020 Virtual City Commission MeetingCommission Report
Commission Meeting Public Comment - September 24th, 2020
September 23, 2020 4:00 PM MDT
Public Comment
motero@miamigov.com
First Last Street Agenda
Public Comment
Name Name Address Item
RE. 1
6355
Amend
City's
Health
The citizens of the community want to see more bike paths installed on main
Concepci 438 NE Plan -
streets. We want a safe, alternative, enviornmentally conscious mode of
Christine
on 72nd St Add
transportation. Please help us get marked green bike paths all along the City of
Planning,
Miami.
Zoning,
and
Appeals
Board
September 22, 2020 RE: City Commission Meeting September 24, 2020. Agenda
Item RE7 Honorable Commissioners and Mayor, I am writing to you in support of
Agenda Item RE7, specifically, the proposed resolution 7906 for the elimination of
septic systems and connection to sewer. As I know you are all aware, we
experienced an unprecedented fish kill and algal bloom last month in Biscayne Bay.
This comes on the heels of news that we've lost over 90% of our seagrass meadows
in portions of the Bay over the past several years. No one should be shocked by this
news. Scientists have been warning us for over 50 years that if we continue business
as usual this was going to happen. The City of Miami must now act boldly to adopt
significant financial commitments to do what is necessary for the community and
our environment. Passing this resolution will motivate other municipalities and the
RE. 7
10155
County to commence similar programs. Septic tanks simply do not work in South
7906
Collins
Florida due to our high-water table, porous limestone substrate, geographic
Refundin
Avenue,
proximity to water resources, and high -density urban environment. This is issue is
Aaron Stauber Unit 9-
compounded and made worse by sea -level rise. Failing septic tanks also pose a
Eliminati
1810 Bal
public health threat and can expose people to harmful contaminants and pathogens
on of
Harbour,
commonly found in sewage. I support this resolution calling for state and federal
FL 33154 Septic
funding BUT we cannot delay the City of Miami's OWN investment in this
Systems
infrastructure. task this Commission to prioritize septic to sewer conversion for
properties in the City that can be connected through the investment of City financial
resources, such as in the area of Bayhomes Drive in Coconut Grove. The City should
also consider using resilience funding to address septics which is a sea -level rise
issue. The City must take urgent action and cannot wait for federal or state funding
to trickle in before addressing this pressing pollution problem. The City of Miami, its
residents and the environment are at risk. Make no mistake. The seagrass die offs,
fish kills and algal blooms are a clarion call to all of us that we have failed to act
responsibly to the environment we inhabit. It is time for you to act in the best
interests of your constituents. Thank you! Aaron Stauber 10155 Collins Avenue, Unit
1810 Bal Harbour, FL 33154 astauber@rugbyrealty.com 201-274-4773
7943 Submittal -Public Comments Submitted Online for the September 24, 2020 Virtual City
Commission Meeting
First Last Street
Name Name Address
Karla Reyes 600 NE
34th St
333 NE
Fabian De La 24th
Espriella
Street
240 nw
Claudia Gold 25th
street,
#822
7231
Belle
Theresa Pinto Meade
Blvd
33138
Agenda
Public Comment
Item
RE. 4
7664
I support to dissolution of the Miami 21 Task Force. The formation of this task force
Rescind
has been flawed from the start and has excluded actual community members. If
Resolutio
there is any update to the Miami 21 Task Force, it must be through a truly equitable
n No. R-
process that involves community members and leaders from its start. It must also
20-0015
center the communities most impacted by Miami's zoning codes like Little Haiti,
- Miami
21 Overtown, Allapattah and West Coconut Grove. It is critical that we center the
members of these communities and provide space for them within the review
Report
Ad Hoc Process as they have been directly impacted by current regulations. It is critical if we
wish to city both our City and our residents thrive.
Task
Forcei
RE. 3
7871
Extensio
n of I support the extension of the Scooter Pilot Program as it widens the range of
Motorize options for people to get around, especially in the City's most urbanized area,
d encouraging people to use other modes for short trips.
Scooter
Pilot
Program
RE. 3
7871 Hi, I'm a resident of Wynwood. I would like to use a bike for my primary mode of
transportation. Until we have protected separated bike lanes, I don't feel safe doing
Extensio
n of so here in Miami today. The cost of building and maintaining bike lanes is negligible
compared with the cost of maintaining roads and highways for cars. Building safe
Motorize
d bike infrastructure will actually save millions of dollars in the next decade. Residents
of Miami should be able to bike or walk anywhere we need to go within 15 minutes
Scooter
so that we have the freedom and choice to avoid spending thousands of dollars per
Pilot
Program
years on a private car. Building good bike lanes is the first step in that direction.
Good afternoon, Thank you for your work in guiding our Miami community through
these times. I am writing in support of agenda item RE. 4. Specifically, I support the
dissolution of the Miami 21 Task Force. The formation of this Task Force has been
flawed from the start, excluding community voices vital to the planning process.
From the beginning, the membership of the Task Force was heavily weighted in
favor of developers and their lobbyists, with little representation from directly
impacted communities or persons, thus diminishing its capacity to fairly address
community concerns. Before the Task Force had their first meeting, three of the
eight members appointed were placed under review by local and state ethical boards
RE. 4 which questioned their conflicting interests. However, as the main force behind
7664 building and development in Miami, Miami 21 should be reviewed and re -imagined
Rescind to build equitable community resiliency in order to prepare and protect Miami
Resolutio communities from things like sea -level rise, COVID-19, and high heat days. Miami
n No. R- 21 must be re -focused on equitable community resiliency and mitigation efforts in
20-0015 this vein. The best way to do that is to place community voices and community
- Miami organizations at the center of the review process. Any review of Miami 21 must be
21 rooted in community input, especially those most vulnerable to displacement. Any
Report update and revision of Miami 21 must be done with a truly equitable process that
Ad Hoc centers those most impacted by such developments. Communities like West
Task Coconut Grove, Little Haiti, Overtown, and Allapattah that stand to be greatly
Forcei impacted by the use of the City of Miami's Zoning code, should have a meaningful
opportunity to input and comment. It is critical that we provide space, within the
review process, for those community members who have been directly impacted by
the current regulations and have been actively engaged in shaping the conversation
on Miami 21 for years. We have precedent for this in the Sea Level Rise Committee.
The task force, as currently composed, is duplicative. Bodies like PZAB already exist
to advise on these matters. Shaping this process around community input, including
from university partners who have studied the impact of Miami 21 on our
neighborhoods, will deliver the revisions that will allow both the City and its residents
to thrive. Thank you for considering my comments. Best, Theresa Pinto, J.D., M.S.
First Last Street
Agenda
Public Comment
Name Name Address
Item
PZ. 4
7718
HEPB
Dear committee, I saw my neighbor's project and I am in favor of this construction.
830 NW
Adrian Ribalta
Decision
The home will fit in nice with the neighborhood and is very similar to the previous
8 St Rd
Appeal -
house that was there. I give my approval.
713 NW
7StRd
Biscayne Bay is impacted by many non -point sources of pollution from dirty
stormwater runoff Stormwater from construction sites can be particularly dirty
because of debris, sedimentation, and industrial contamination This ordinance would
increase the City of Miami's response to pollution stemming from construction sites 1
RE. 7
am in favor of this action AND encourage the City to take further steps to address
815 NE
7906
stormwater pollution The City should conduct routine inspections and enforcement of
Refundin
70th
locations with stormwater permits to increase compliance with those permits The
Bianca Routt Street
g
City should also codify the requirements of the Stormwater Master Plan -- including
Eliminati
Miami, Fl
the Best Management Practices outlined in the plan for general operation and
on of
33138
maintenance as well as BMPs for design infrastructure and new projects The City
Septic
should increase the frequency of street sweeping, storm drain cleaning, and should
Systems
require grates on every storm drain I encourage the City to build out an education
campaign that includes storm drain stenciling, pet waste awareness, and other
simple measures to address stormwater pollution. Thank you for your leadership to
protect water quality and for the opportunity to comment.
I support agenda item RE. 4. Specifically, I support the dissolution of the Miami 21
RE. 4
Task Force. Any review of Miami 21 must be rooted in community input, especially
7664
those most vulnerable to displacement. The formation of this Task Force has been
Rescind
flawed from the start, excluded community voices vital to the planning process.
Resolutio
From the beginning, the membership of the Task Force was heavily weighted in
n No. R-
favor of developers and their lobbyists, with little representation from directly
2379 SW
Elizabeth Suarez
20-0015
impacted communities or persons, thus diminishing its capacity to fairly address
9th ST
- Miami
community concerns. Before the Task Force had their first meeting, three of the
21
eight members appointed - developer lawyers and lobbyists - were placed under
Report
review by local and state ethical boards which questioned their intersecting
Ad Hoc
interests... The sponsor, has stated that he wants this process to protect
Task
communities, the best way to do that is to place community voices at the center of
Forcei
the review process
End of Report