HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2015-04-09 MinutesCity of Miami
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
CPI
47,INCUR: CHAU:
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, April 9, 2015
9:00 AM
REGULAR
City Hall Commission Chambers
City Commission
Tomas Regalado, Mayor
Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Chair
Keon Hardemon, Vice Chair
Marc David Sarnoff, Commissioner District Two
Frank Carollo, Commissioner District Three
Francis Suarez, Commissioner District Four
Daniel J. Alfonso, City Manager
Victoria Mendez, City Attorney
Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
CONTENTS
PR - PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
AM - APPROVING MINUTES
MV - MAYORAL VETOES
CA - CONSENT AGENDA
PH - PUBLIC HEARINGS
SR - SECOND READING ORDINANCES
FR - FIRST READING ORDINANCES
RE - RESOLUTIONS
BC - BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
DI - DISCUSSION ITEMS
PART B
PZ - PLANNING AND ZONING ITEM(S)
MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS' ITEMS
M - MAYOR'S ITEMS
D1 - DISTRICT 1 ITEMS
D2 - DISTRICT 2 ITEMS
D3 - DISTRICT 3 ITEMS
D4 - DISTRICT 4 ITEMS
D5 - DISTRICT 5 ITEMS
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
9:00 A.M. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Present: Chair Gort, Commissioner Sarnoff, Commissioner Suarez and Vice Chair Hardemon
Absent: Commissioner Carollo
On the 9th clay ofApril 2015, the City Commission of the City of Miami, Florida, met at its
regular meeting place in City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, in regular
session. The Commission Meeting was called to order by Chair Gort at 9:02 a.m., recessed at
12:00 p.m., reconvened at 3: 04 p.m., and adjourned at 4: 07 p.m.
Note for the Record: Vice Chair Hardemon entered the Commission chamber at 9: 06 a.m.,
Commissioner Sarnoff entered the Commission chamber at 9:08 a.m., and Commissioner Suarez
entered the Commission chamber at 9:15 a.m.
ALSO PRESENT:
Victoria Mendez, City Attorney
Daniel J. Alfonso, City Manager
Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk
Chair Gort: Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the City of Miami meeting ofApril the
9th at the Commission -- historic Commission chambers. On the dais with me are the --
Commissioner Frank Carollo, unfortunately, is not going to be able to be in today. He's sick, so
he's not going to be in today -- Francis Suarez, Marc Suarez, Vice Chairman Keon Hardemon;
myself, Chairperson, Wifredo "Willy" Gort. Also on the dais the City Manager, Alfonso --
Daniel Alfonso, and he looks a little different today; City Clerk Todd Hannon and City Attorney
Victoria Mendez. At this time, I would like you to please stand so we can have our invocation.
Invocation and pledge of allegiance delivered.
PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
PR.1
15-00446
PRESENTATION
Honoree
Rebecca "Butterfly"
Vaughns
Bertrand E. Boyd, II
Patrick "Mecca Grimo"
Marcelin
Angie Bell
Miami Police Department
World Autism Week
National Community
Presenter
Commissioner
Hardemon
Protocol Item
Salute
Commissioner Salute
Hardemon
Commissioner Salute
Hardemon
Commissioner Salute
Hardemon
Mayor and
Commissioners
Mayor and
Commissioners
Special
Presentation
Proclamation
Mayor and Proclamation
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
Development Week Commissioners
Mitzy Y. Crosdale Commissioner Certificarion of
Suarez Appreciation
Elio Diaz Commissioner Certification of
Suarez Appreciation
Bryan Pena Chair Gort Salute
15-00446 Protocol Item.pdf
PRESENTED
1) Vice Chair Hardemon presented a Salute to Rebecca Butterfly'Vaughns and Bertrand E. Boyd,
II, for National Poetry Month paying tribute to their artistic genius and outstanding
contributions to the elevation of creative expression in South Florida; furthermore recognizing
their role as valuable contributors to the Overtown community and honoring their fine poetic
works and contributions to cross-cultural harmony through poetry.
2) Vice Chair Hardemon presented a Salute to Patrick "Mecca Grimo'Marcelin and Angie Bell
for National Poetry Month paying tribute to her artistic genius and outstanding contributions to
the elevation of creative expression in South Florida; furthermore recognizing her role as a
valuable contributor to the Little Haiti community and honoring the fine poetic works and
contribution to cross-cultural harmony through poetry.
3) Mayor Regalado and the Miami City Commission presented a Special Award to the following
officers in the Miami Police Department, Major Martinez, Sergeant Nazur, Officers Carter,
Cueto and Herrera, for the certification of the Commission on Accreditation for Law
Enforcement Agencies (CALAE), an international accreditation which involved onsite review of
the Police Department's policies every three years.
4) Mayor Regalado and the Miami City Commission proclaimed April 2, 2015, as World Autism
Awareness Day, recognizing that Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability in the
United States, affecting more than three million people regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or
socioeconomic background; therefore the City of Miami is honored to take part in the annual
observance of World Autism Awareness Day in the hope that it will lead to a better
understanding of the disorder.
5) Mayor Regalado and the Miami City Commission proclaimed the week of April 6-11, 2015, as
National Community Development Week as designated by the National Community Development
Association to celebrate the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and the
HOME Investment Partnerships Program; furthermore recognizing that our community has
received a total of approximately $26.3 million in CDBG funds and $15.39 million in HOME
funds; these programs have made tremendous contributions to the viability of the housing stock,
infrastructure, public services and economic vitality of our community.
6) Commissioner Suarez presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Mitzy Crosdale, honoring her
as an Operations Consultant of the Metro Miami Customer Service Center for Comcast;
moreover recognizing her commitment and enthusiasm for providing exceptional and exemplary
customer service to our residents and businesses.
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
7) Commissioner Suarez presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Elio Diaz, thanking him for
his diligence, hard work and follow-up in the execution of his duties as a Technical Engineer
Assistant in the Department of Public Works; honoring his wonderful commitment to civic
responsibility and communal welfare by a City employee who is a source of inspiration and a
wellspring of goodwill, representing the kind of vision and service that makes Miami a great
place in which to live and work.
Chair Gort: Okay, we're going to wait a few minutes, see if we get the other Commissioners in
here; we need three for a quorum. We have a few proclamations we want to present, but we want
to have the rest of the Commissioners in here.
Commissioner Suarez: Good morning.
Chair Gort: While we're waiting, let me read something that I read in the paper. There was an
article in the Miami Herald Tuesday that really moved me. It's the story of a brave individual
that fought the odds and won. Eric Compton is a Miamian that I feel deserves recognition for his
unwavering efforts to succeed. This is a guy that, as a child, had a heart transplant. He never
lost hope. He endured another heart transplant after suffering a massive heart attack and
literally kept on swinging. Mr. Compton is a professional golfer, and this week, he's playing at
the Masters, and I'm honored that he's from our great City of Miami. And another local member
that trained him and coached him, Charlie De Lucca, and they come out from the Mel Reese Golf
Course of the City of Miami. This is a story that can really be an instrument for young people
never to give up. We always have to continue.
Presentations made.
APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE FOLLOWING MEETINGS:
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, to APPROVE
PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
MAYORAL VETOES
Chair Gort: Do we have minutes to be approved?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Yes, sir. I have for Commission consideration and approval the
regular meeting minutes of March 12, 2015.
Chair Gort: Do I have a motion?
Commissioner Suarez: So moved.
Chair Gort: Been moved by Commissioner Suarez. Do we have a second?
Commissioner Sarnoff Second.
Chair Gort: Second by Commissioner Sarnoff. Any further discussion? Being none, all in
favor, state it by saying "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
END OF APPROVING MINUTES
NO MAYORAL VETOES
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
ORDER OF THE DAY
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): So we can start with CA.3 if you prefer, Chair; CA.3.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): CA.3 is --
Chair Gort: Wait a minute. Before we go on, is there any Mayor veto?
Mr. Hannon: No, sir, there are no mayoral vetoes.
Chair Gort: Madam Attorney, would you go over the procedures.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Good morning. We will now begin the regular meeting. I will
state the procedures to be followed during this meeting. Any person who is a lobbyist must
register with the City Clerk before appearing before the City Commission. A copy of the Code
section about lobbyists is available in the City Clerk's Office. The material for each item on the
agenda is available during business hours at the City Clerk's Office and online 24 hours a day at
wwwmiamigov.com [sic]. Any person may be heard by the City Commission through the Chair
for not more than two minutes on any proposition before the City Commission unless modified by
the Chair. If the proposition is being continued or rescheduled, the opportunity to be heard may
be at such later date before the City Commission takes action on such proposition. Anyone
wishing to appeal any decision made by the City Commission for any matter considered at this
meeting may need a verbatim record of the item. A video of this meeting may be requested at the
Office of Communications or viewed online at wwwmiamigov.com [sic]. No cell phones or other
noise -making devices are permitted in chambers; please silence those devices now. No clapping,
applauding, heckling or verbal outburst in support or opposition to a speaker or his remarks or
her remarks shall be permitted. Any person making offensive remarks or who becomes unruly in
the Commission chambers will be barred from further attending Commission meetings and may
be subject to arrest. No signs or placards shall be allowed in the Commission chambers. Any
person with a disability requiring assistance, auxiliary aids and services for this meeting may
notifir the City Clerk. The lunch recess will begin at the conclusion of deliberation of the agenda
item being considered at noon. The meeting will either end at the conclusion of deliberation of
the agenda item being considered at 10 p.m. or at the conclusion of the regularly scheduled
agenda, whichever occurs first. Please note, Commissioners have generally been briefed by City
staff and the City Attorney on items on the agenda today. At this time, the Administration will
announce which items, if any, are being either withdrawn, deferred or substituted. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Mr. Manager, you're recognized.
Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): Good morning, Mr. Chair, Commissioners. We would like to
pull from the consent agenda item CA.4. We would like to defer to 4/23 -- that would be to April
23 -- items PH.3, RE.6, FR.1 and PZ.3. And we would like to withdraw items PZ.1, PZ.2 and
D1.5.
Chair Gort: DI. --
Mr. Alfonso: DI.5. Sorry.
Chair Gort: I'm sorry; slowly, one more time.
Mr. Alfonso: Okay. We would like to pull from the consent agenda item CA.4 or CA-4. We
would like to defer to April 23 items PH.3 and RE.6, as well as FR.1 and PZ.3; withdraw items
PZ.1, PZ.2 and DI.5 or DI-5.
Chair Gort: Thank you, Mr. Manager. Does anyone in the -- any other Commissioner would
like to pull any item? At this time, I'd like to pull for a public hearing CA.3 and CA.5. Mr.
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
Clerk, do we have any Mayor's veto?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Excuse me, Chair. Do you want to go ahead and take a motion
on PH 3, RE.6, FR.1 and D --?
Commissioner Sarnoff So move.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Been moved by Commissioner Sarnoff.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Second by Commissioner Suarez. Any discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it
by saying "aye.'
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Ms. Mendez: Mr. Clerk, then the PZ (Planning & Zoning) items, we'll address at 5 -- the
afternoon.
Mr. Hannon: At 2 o'clock.
Chair Gort: In the afternoon --
Mr. Hannon: Yes, ma'am.
Chair Gort: -- at 2 o'clock. The only reason we announced the PZ that are going to be
withdrawn, so those people cannot sit here all day long and then not -- don't have that hearing.
Okay.
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
CONSENT AGENDA
CA.1 RESOLUTION
15-00302
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
Procurement FURNISHING AND INSTALLATION OF AUTO GLASS AND ELECTRIC AND
MANUAL WINDOW REGULATORS, FROM AFFORDABLE AUTO & TRUCK
GLASS, INC. D/B/A AFFORDABLE AUTO GLASS, ON A CITYWIDE, AS
NEEDED CONTRACTUAL BASIS, PURSUANT TO SECTION 18-111 OF THE
CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, UTILIZING THE
COMPETITIVELY BID AND EXISTING CONTRACT OF MIAMI-DADE
COUNTY, FLORIDA ("COUNTY"), BID CONTRACT NO. 5515-3/15,
EFFECTIVE THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2015, SUBJECT TO ANY
RENEWALS, EXTENSIONS, AND/OR REPLACEMENT CONTRACTS BY THE
COUNTY; WITH FUNDS ALLOCATED FROM THE VARIOUS SOURCES OF
FUNDS FROM THE USER DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES, SUBJECT TO
THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE TIME
OF NEED.
15-00302 Summary Form.pdf
15-00302 Back -Up Documents - MDC Contract.pdf
15-00302 Back -Up from Law Dept.pdf
15-00302 Legislation.pdf
This Matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0158
CA.2 RESOLUTION
15-00308
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
Procurement PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF OFFICE TRAILERS, FROM VARIOUS
VENDORS, ON A CITYWIDE, AS NEEDED CONTRACTUAL BASIS,
PURSUANT TO SECTION 18-111 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, UTILIZING THE COMPETITIVELY BID AND
EXISTING CONTRACT OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA ("COUNTY"),
BID CONTRACT NO. 9013-1/19, EFFECTIVE THROUGH JUNE 30, 2019,
SUBJECT TO ANY EXTENSIONS AND/OR REPLACEMENT CONTRACTS BY
THE COUNTY; WITH FUNDS ALLOCATED FROM THE VARIOUS SOURCES
OF FUNDS FROM THE USER DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES, SUBJECT
TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE
TIME OF NEED.
15-00308 Summary Form.pdf
15-00308 Back -Up Document - MDC Contract.pdf
15-00308 Back -Up from Law Dept.pdf
15-00308 Legislation.pdf
This Matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
CA.3
15-00330
Office of the City
Attorney
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0159
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
EXPENDITURE OF ATTORNEY'S FEES AND COSTS FOR THE
ENGAGEMENT OF THE LAW OFFICES OF MARRERO & WYDLER FOR THE
REPRESENTATION OF JEFFREY LOCKE IN THE CASE OF DAVID
SCHLESINGER VS. THE CITY OF MIAMI, ETAL., PENDING IN THE UNITED
STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA,
CASE NO. 15-CV-20751-ALTONAGA; WITH FUNDS ALLOCATED FROM THE
NON -DEPARTMENTAL ACCOUNT NUMBER
00001.980000.531010.0000.00000.
15-00330 Memo - Office of the City Attorney.pdf
15-00330 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Vice Chair Hardemon, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff and Hardemon
Absent: 2 - Commissioner(s) Carollo and Suarez
R-15-0161
Chair Gort: CA.3.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. CA.3 is the City Attorney's Office
request to be able to engage outside counsel in the representation of the case of Schlesinger
versus City of Miami. At this time, the City Attorney's Office has a conflict, which we need to
request outside counsel for assistance with, because Jeffrey Locke is also a plaintiff in a case
against the City. Therefore, we need representation for Mr. Locke, as he is a part of this case
wherein the City has been sued, and it's basically because we have a conflict, and that's why we
need the --
Chair Gort: You're recognized, sir. Yes, sir. Sony, I had --
Mariano Cruz: Yes.
Chair Gort: -- Commissioner Javier Suarez on the phone and I had to talk to him.
Mr. Cruz: Mariano Cruz.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Mr. Cruz: 1227 Northwest 26th Street. I am not a lawyer; I am an electrical engineer and
entomologist. I got to study harder to become that than to study lawyer, because lawyers, they
read the newspaper there, and the magazine and they become lawyers. But to become an
engineer, you got to study hard, hard; you cannot be a bohemian. You got to study hard, and
that's what I did. But I read the papers, and, you know, the County just paid -- they agreed to
pay $9.9 million to Marjan Mazza and to the Federal Transportation Administration. And I am
glad to see that the City Attorney, they working hard for us. I'm telling you, what I see here, I see
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
that, because if we got to pay $9.9 million -- you know how American Civil Liberty works?
Because I remember, if you get a dollar for the plaintiff, we can charge legal fee. How do you
think Don De Leon, and Stuart Simon and all these people made their money? And you know
that; you know $1 for the plaintiff you charge legal fees, and that's the way it is. And I am glad
to see the City Attorney, that we're fighting this, because we can't afford to pay not 9.9 million,
not even hundred thousand dollars to pay for that, and I congratulate the City Attorney Office for
doing what they doing there. And, you know, I follow the agenda, I follow the papers and I see.
I don't have to be an attorney. I got -- I study harder, harder to become an engineer and
entomologist. Thank you very much.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Cruz: Thank you, thank you.
Ms. Mendez: Thank you, Mr. Cruz.
Chair Gort: Did you get his email?
Commissioner Sarnoff.. I want to congratulate you on --
Chair Gort: You got his email?
Ms. Mendez: I've been sending him information, and I hope he's getting it.
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) you guys win in court. Okay, great. Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff.. I just want to know when she got her engineer's degree.
Chair Gort: Anyone else? Anyone else in CA.3? Seeing none, hearing none, close the public
hearings. Do I have a motion?
Commissioner Sarnoff.. So move.
Chair Gort: Moved by Commissioner Sarnoff.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Second.
Chair Gort: Second, Vice Chairman Hardemon. Any further discussion? Being none, all in
favor, state it by saying "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
CA.4 RESOLUTION
15-00326
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ACCEPTING THE BID
Fire -Rescue RECEIVED ON JANUARY 26, 2015, PURSUANT TO INVITATION FOR BID
NO. 476327, FROM MINERVA BUNKER GEAR CLEANERS, FOR BUNKER
GEAR INSPECTION, CLEANING, AND REPAIR SERVICES, ON AN AS
NEEDED CONTRACTUAL BASIS, FOR AN INITIAL CONTRACT PERIOD OF
THREE (3) YEARS WITH THE OPTION TO RENEW FOR TWO (2)
ADDITIONAL ONE (1) YEAR PERIODS, WITH FUNDS ALLOCATED FROM
THE VARIOUS SOURCES OF FUNDS OF THE END -USER DEPARTMENT,
SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL
AT THE TIME OF NEED.
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15-00326 Summary Form.pdf
15-00326 Bid Tabulation.pdf
15-00326 Invitation For Bid.pdf
15-00326 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0162
Chair Gort: CA.5.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, CA.4.
Chair Gort: I'm sorry; CA.4. That's all right, he already gave a speech. Thank you.
Annie Perez: Yes. Good morning, Commissioners. Annie Perez, director of Procurement. CA.4
is a resolution --
Chair Gort: That's all right. The --
Ms. Perez: Okay.
Chair Gort: -- person who requested to be heard, he said it's fine.
Ms. Perez: Okay.
Chair Gort: He already gave a speech.
Ms. Perez: Okay.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff So move, Mr. Chair.
Chair Gort: Been moved by Commissioner Sarnoff.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Is it -- just to be clear --
Chair Gort: Yes.
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- are we speaking of CA.5 or CA.4? We withdrew CA.4, correct?
Ms. Mendez: CA.4.
Ms. Perez: CA.4.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): And excuse me, Chair. There is a scrivener's error --
Ms. Mendez: Right.
Mr. Hannon: -- that needs to be placed on the record.
Chair Gort: Right.
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Ms. Perez: Yes. The item, as it reads, says, `five years, with option to renew for two additional
one-year periods." It should be, "three years, with two additional one-year periods." Thank
you.
Chair Gort: Okay, do I have a motion with amendment?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Second.
Commissioner Sarnoff. So move as amended, Mr. Chair.
Chair Gort: It's moved and second as amended.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
CA.5 RESOLUTION
15-00329
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Attorney ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE TO PAY
ACOSTA TRACTORS, INC., THE TOTAL SUM OF $300,000.00, WITHOUT
ADMISSION OF LIABILITY, IN FULL AND COMPLETE SETTLEMENT OF ANY
AND ALL CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY"), IN THE CASE OF
ACOSTA TRACTORS, INC. V. THE CITY OF MIAMI, PENDING IN THE
CIRCUIT COURT IN AND FOR MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, CASE NO. 14-07603
CA40, UPON THE DISMISSAL OF THE CITY WITH PREJUDICE, ADOPTING
THE PARTIES' MEDIATED SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, AND AUTHORIZING
THE CITY ATTORNEY TO TAKE ANY AND ALL ACTIONS TO PRESERVE THE
CITY'S RIGHT TO INDEMNITY AGAINST THIRD PARTIES; WITH
SETTLEMENT FUNDS ALLOCATED FROM ACCOUNT NO.
50001.301001.545013.
15-00329 Memo - Office of the City Attorney.pdf
15-00329 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0163
Chair Gort: That's the consent, all right.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): And then we do need to move on to CA.5, since we pulled it from
the consent agenda.
Commissioner Suarez: We did; CA.5?
Mr. Hannon: Yes, sir. I believe Mr. Cruz wanted to speak on the item, but he's good to go now.
Chair Gort: Yeah. He said he already --
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
Mariano Cruz: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Gort: Okay, thank you.
Mr. Cruz: You know, I got to use my time. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Listen to me, listen.
Chair Gort: No, no, wait a minute. You have to go to the mike if you --
Mr. Cruz: Yeah. (UNINTELLIGIBLE). So I am going to sing him "Las Mayanitas." (Singing
in Spanish).
Commissioner Suarez: Mariano?
Mr. Cruz: It's his birthday.
Chair Gort: Mariano, I understand it's -- we already -- we all sang --
Mr. Cruz: Happy birthday.
Chair Gort: Okay. Thank you. We already gave him a happy birthday. Thank you. Do I have a
motion?
Commissioner Sarnoff. So move.
Commissioner Suarez: So moved.
Chair Gort: Been moved by -- this will be CA.5, correct?
Mr. Hannon: CA.5, yes, sir.
Chair Gort: Okay. It's been moved by Commissioner Suarez. There's a second?
Commissioner Sarnoff. Second.
Chair Gort: By Commissioner Sarnoff. Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it
by saying "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
CA.6 RESOLUTION
15-00156
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
Attorney PAYMENT OF ATTORNEY'S FEES AND COSTS, IN THE AMOUNT OF
$117,002.40, TO RONALD J. COHEN, ESQ., OF RICE, PUGATCH,
ROBINSON, P.A., AS REIMBURSEMENT FOR LEGAL FEES IN THE CASE
OF SHANIKAA. GRAVES, AS PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
ESTATE OF TRAVIS MCNEIL, AND ON BEHALF OF THE ESTATE OF TRAVIS
MCNEILAND THE SURVIVORS OF THE ESTATE, T.M. AND K.J.P. V. CITY
OF MIAMI, A MUNICIPALITY OF THE STATE OF FLORIDAAND REYNALDO
GOYOS V. UNITED STATES OFAMERICA, CASE NO. 13-22501 IN THE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
FLORIDA; WITH FUNDS ALLOCATED FROM ACCOUNT NO.
50001.301001.545010.0000.00000.
15-00156 Memo - Office of the City Attorney.pdf
15-00156 Memo - Budget Sign-Off.pdf
15-00156 Legislation.pdf
This Matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0160
Adopted the Consent Agenda
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, including all the
preceding items marked as having been adopted on the Consent Agenda. The motion
carried by the following vote:
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
END OF CONSENT AGENDA
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, if you'd like to move on to the consent agenda, you've
pulled CA.3, CA.4 --
Commissioner Suarez: Do you want me to move -- what about the minutes?
Mr. Hannon: We'll get to that. Because we have so much going on with the consent agenda, we
might as well address it right now.
Chair Gort: All right.
Mr. Hannon: So right now, we have CA.3, 4 and 5 that were pulled from the consent agenda;
however, if you want to take a vote on the remaining items on the consent agenda --
Chair Gort: Do I have a motion?
Commissioner Suarez: I move the remaining items --
Chair Gort: Moved by --
Commissioner Suarez: -- 1, 2 and 5.
Chair Gort: -- Suarez. Is there a second?
Commissioner Sarnoff. Second.
Chair Gort: Second by Commissioner Sarnoff. Any further discussion? Being none, all in
favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
PH.1 RESOLUTION
City of Miami Page 14 Printed on 5/7/2015
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
15-00303
Department of Real
Estate and Asset
Management
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), DECLARING SURPLUS AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE A QUIT CLAIM DEED, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE
ATTACHED FORM, CONVEYING, AT NO COST, TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, 139 SQUARE FEET OF CITY OF
MIAMI-OWNED LAND, LOCATED AT 1338 NORTHWEST 2 AVENUE, MIAMI,
FLORIDA ("PROPERTY"), AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN
EXHIBIT "A," ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED; FURTHER AUTHORIZING
THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, IN
A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, TO CONSUMMATE SUCH
CONVEYANCE, WHICH TERMS MAY BE AMENDED BY THE CITY
MANAGER AS MAY BE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO MEET THE BEST
INTEREST OF THE CITY.
15-00303 Summary Form.pdf
15-00303 Notice to the Public.pdf
15-00303 Legislation.pdf
15-00303 Exhibit A.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0164
Chair Gort: PH.1 was pulled; am I correct? You didn't pull PH.1 ?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): No, sir. It's --
Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): No.
Mr. Hannon: -- it was PH.3 that was pulled.
Chair Gort: PH.3.
Mr. Alfonso: No, we are doing PH.1.
Chair Gort: PH 1.
Mark Burns: Morning, Commissioners. Mark Burns, Lease Manager with the Department of
Real Estate & Asset Management. PH.1 is a resolution for the conveyance of 139 square foot of
City -owned CLUC-90 (County Land Usage Code) property, located at 1338 Northwest 2nd
Avenue to Florida Department of Transportation. This is to be used for the 1-395 Expansion
Project.
Commissioner Suarez: So moved.
Chair Gort: Thank you. It's a public hearing. It's a motion by Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Second.
Chair Gort: Is there a second? Second by Commissioner Sarnoff. It's a public hearing. Is
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
anyone in the public would like to address PH.1 ? Seeing none, hearing none, close the public
hearing. Discussion?
Vice Chair Hardemon: I have a quick question.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: At what point did they identify this piece of property as the property they
want to take for the expansion?
Mr. Burns: I was not involved at that point. I'd have to get you that information; I'm not sure.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Do you anticipate any other parcels of property that FDOT (Florida
Department of Transportation) wants to build the (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?
Mr. Burns: I do not.
Vice Chair Hardemon: No? Okay, no further questions. No further questions.
Chair Gort: Further? There was a motion and a second, right?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Yeah.
Chair Gort: And all in favor, state it by saying "aye.'
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
PH.2 RESOLUTION
15-00305
Department of Real A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Estate and Asset ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A
Management GRANT OF EASEMENT, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, TO
THE MIAMI-DADE WATER AND SEWER DEPARTMENT, A POLITICAL
SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, FORA PERPETUAL,
NON-EXCLUSIVE EASEMENT OF APPROXIMATELY ONE THOUSAND
EIGHT HUNDRED NINE (1,809) SQUARE FEET, TWELVE (12) FOOT WIDE,
OF CITY OF MIAMI OWNED PROPERTY LOCATED AT 5215 NORTHEAST 7
AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA (KNOWN AS MORNINGSIDE PARK), AS MORE
PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A," ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED, TO CONSTRUCT, INSTALL, OPERATE, AND MAINTAIN
WATER FACILITIES, WITH THE RIGHT TO RECONSTRUCT, IMPROVE,
CHANGE, AND REMOVE ALL OR ANY OF THE FACILITIES WITHIN THE
EASEMENT, WITH THE FULL RIGHT OF INGRESS THERETO AND EGRESS
THEREFROM; FURTHER CONTAINING A REVERTER PROVISION IF THE
EASEMENT IS ABANDONED OR DISCONTINUED.
15-00305 Summary Form.pdf
15-00305 Notice to the Public.pdf
15-00305 Legislation.pdf
15-00305 Exhibit A.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Vice Chair Hardemon, that this matter be
CONTINUED PASSED by the following vote.
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff and Hardemon
Absent: 2 - Commissioner(s) Carollo and Suarez
Note for the Record: Item PH.2 was continued to the May 14, 2015 Regular City Commission
Meeting.
Chair Gort: PH.2.
Mark Burns (Lease Manager, Department of Real Estate & Asset Management): PH.2 is a
resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a perpetual non-exclusive easement to
Miami -Dade Water & Sewer Department, consisting of 1,809 square foot at Morningside Park.
Commissioner Suarez: Move it.
Chair Gort: Thank you. It's been moved by Commissioner Suarez. Is there a second?
Commissioner Sarnoff Second.
Chair Gort: Second by Commissioner Sarnoff. It's a public hearing. Yes, sir, you're recognized.
Elvis Cruz: Elvis Cruz, 631 Northeast 57th Street. A minor point; hopefully, it's just a small
clerical error. In the agenda listing for this item, it lists the address of Morningside Park as
being 5215 Northeast 15 Ave. (Avenue). That may be incorrect. I believe that address would be
in Biscayne Bay. I don't know if you need to clam that prior to --
Commissioner Sarnoff You're right.
Mr. Cruz: -- doing what you're doing. Thank you.
Commissioner Suarez: My --
Chair Gort: Thank you, Mr. Cruz.
Commissioner Suarez: As amended to reflect the correct address of the park.
Chair Gort: The motion, as amended --
Commissioner Sarnoff Seconder accepts.
Chair Gort: Is any further discussion?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Just to --
Chair Gort: Is anyone in the public? Yes.
Ms. Mendez: I'm sorry, Chairman. Just to clam, if the address is incorrect, the exhibit -- I
need to make sure that the exhibit was correct, just for advertising purposes, and I'll find that out
shortly while you're having any public input.
Chair Gort: Okay. There's no more public input.
Commissioner Sarnoff Want to table it?
Commissioner Suarez: We can table it.
Chair Gort: Table it.
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
Later...
Chair Gort: RE.1.
Ms. Mendez: Chairman, if we could -- I'm sorry -- if we could just go back to two items that I
think -- one, we tabled, which was the Morningside Park item; if we can defer that item to -- I
don't know -- it would be 5/14. Apparently, there was an advertising issue on the actual ad,
which was a different address from even the one that was on our resolution, so just to be clear,
we wanted to re -advertise that, but I believe, then, it would have to come back on 5/14 again,
because the advertising for 4/23 has already been met.
Commissioner Sarnoff.. So move.
Chair Gort: Been moved by Commissioner Sarnoff.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Second.
Chair Gort: Second by Vice Chairman Hardemon. All in favor, state it by saying "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Ms. Mendez: Thank you.
PH.3 RESOLUTION
15-00395
Department of Public A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Works ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING THE PLAT ENTITLED "GARDEN PARK ON
THE BAY" ("PLAT"), A REPLAT IN THE CITY OF MIAMI OF THE PROPERTY
DESCRIBED IN "ATTACHMENT 1" ("PROPERTY"), SUBJECT TO THE
SATISFACTION OF ALL CONDITIONS REQUIRED BY THE PLATAND
STREET COMMITTEE AS SET FORTH IN "EXHIBIT A," ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED, THE RECORDATION OF A SPECIAL WARRANTY DEED,
AS DESCRIBED IN "ATTACHMENT2," ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED,
TO CONVEY THE PROPERTY PRIOR TO RECORDATION OF THE PLAT,
AND THE PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN SECTION 55-8 OF THE CODE OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED; ACCEPTING THE
DEDICATIONS SHOWN ON THE PLAT, WITH THE APPLICANT;
AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER AND CITY CLERK TO
EXECUTE THE PLAT; AND PROVIDING FOR THE RECORDATION OF THE
PLAT IN THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA.
15-00395 Summary Form.pdf
15-00395 Notice to the Public.pdf
15-00395 Back -Up Documents.pdf
15-00395 Legislation.pdf
15-00395 Attachment 1.pdf
15-00395 Exhibit A.pdf
15-00395 Attachment 2.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
SR.1
15-00011
Department of
Planning and Zoning
Commission Meeting.
END OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
SECOND READING ORDINANCES
ORDINANCE
Second Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
23 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED,
ENTITLED "HISTORIC PRESERVATION," MORE PARTICULARLY BY
AMENDING SECTION 23-4 BY REFINING THE PROCESS BY WHICH
PROPERTIES ARE NOMINATED TO BE EVALUATED FOR DESIGNATION;
SECTION 23-6 BY RESTRICTING CERTAIN USES IN THE MIAMI
MODERN/BISCAYNE HISTORIC DISTRICT; AND UPDATING THE
MULTIPLIER USED IN THE TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS
CALCULATION; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING
FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE
15-00011 Summary Form SR.pdf
15-00011 Legislation FR/SR.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter be
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
13512
Chair Gort: We go to second reading.
Alice Bravo: Good morning. Alice Bravo, Deputy City Manager. SR.1 is an ordinance of the
Miami City Commission, Chapter 23, entitled "Historic Preservation, " refining the process by
which properties are nominated to be validated for a designation; restricting certain uses; the
Miami Modern Biscayne Historic District; and updating the multiplier used in the transfer of
development rights calculations.
Commissioner Suarez: Move it.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Second
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Commissioner Suarez; second by Commissioner Sarnoff.
Commissioner Sarnoff. This -- where is the --?
Chair Gort: Where is the explanation?
Commissioner Sarnoff. Can I be heard, Mr. Chair?
Chair Gort: Sure, go ahead.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Mr. Garcia, we were going to take out the suggestion of T5 to give you
opportunity to bring that back at a future meeting. Has that been done?
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Francisco Garcia (Director, Planning & Zoning): There is --
Commissioner Sarnoff For purposes --
Mr. Garcia: I understand. For the record, Francisco Garcia, Planning & Zoning director.
There are no amendments being made at present for T5 or T4 increasing the development
capacity for transfer of development right purposes. That action, as noted previously, would
have to previously be heard by the Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board, so what we did is we
bifurcated that element of it. What remains in the ordinance --
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
Mr. Garcia: -- just for clarity's sake, is a restriction on the uses that can be implemented within
the MiMo (Miami Modern) Historic District. That, we feel -- it certainly was before you on first
reading -- and that, we feel, is well supported by the affected stakeholders and we'd like for you
to consider it for approval.
Chair Gort: Now, my understanding, this is going to apply throughout the whole City.
Mr. Garcia: Some parts of this amendment do --
Chair Gort: Some parts do.
Mr. Garcia: -- some don't.
Chair Gort: I understand; some are very exclusive for Biscayne Boulevard in that section there.
Mr. Garcia: That's correct.
Chair Gort: But this -- my question is: You have individual that have made -- bought a house or
been in a home for a while, and all of a sudden, somebody wants to declare them historical
without the owner's concern on that. What are the benefits for the owners? Because to maintain
an historic homes -- and we've done quite a few in the City of Miami at a very high cost -- what
is the benefit for the property owner?
Mr. Garcia: To have their residence designated historic?
Chair Gort: Right. Who's going to provide the funding to go ahead and --
Mr. Garcia: Right.
Chair Gort: -- fix those homes? Because they're kind of old and they --
Mr. Garcia: All right. So there are a few issues entailed by that question, and I'll try to answer
them as I can think of them. Single-family residential properties are rarely individually
designated; they are typically designated as part of a historic district.
Chair Gort: We had two Wednesday.
Mr. Garcia: I'm sorry?
Chair Gort: We had two Wednesday, but go ahead
Mr. Garcia: Fair -- that is correct. And I was about to get -- then it gets to the exception. When
they are of exceptional historic value -- right? -- then we think of it in terms of those properties
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really being a legacy structure to the City, and we then invoke at least the possibility to propose
the nomination of those structures.
Chair Gort: Right.
Mr. Garcia: There are tax exemptions available; there are funds available through the City,
State and Federal Government to help with the restoration of those structures. But to us, the
intent to preserve those significant structures is so high that we would like to retain the ability to
be able to designate them, and we'll certainly -- as we always do -- work with the property owner
to try to guide them as to how to better maintain it. And I want to take advantage of this
opportunity to also say -- and then I'll let you ask me more questions about this visive of interest
-- we have heard from neighborhood associations that are concerned about their neighborhoods
being designated historic against their wishes -- I can cite examples -- and we are ready to
present to you some language that we feel address those concerns, but I'm veering off the topic,
so I yield back to you, sir.
Chair Gort: Also, my understanding, Coral Gable has the -- in the Building Department
somewhere -- the -- being able to let people know when they're going to buy a property that that
property could be historical, and they should know. They should be informed, because I think if
someone comes here, make an investment, buys the property, looks for things that they would like
to do, and all of a sudden, they go to the Building Department, get certain permits, then other
permits says, "Wait a minute, you can't do it." So one tells you "yes" and then the other tells
you -- so we got to get our thing together.
Mr. Garcia: I agree and --
Chair Gort: We got to come up with some kind of resolution so the people, when they buy a
property, they're aware that this is a historical --
Mr. Garcia: I agree. The information -- I will tell you two things, Mr. Chairman. The
information is readily available, but we understand that not everyone has immediate access or
easy access to the internet or to other documents. The only other way we know to do it is to
actually have that recorded in the public records, and that's something that we will certainly
explore.
Chair Gort: Okay.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair --
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Commissioner Suarez: -- ifI may?
Chair Gort: Yes, sir, you're recognized.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you. Just quickly, as a real estate lawyer, I really sympathize with
the point that you just made. I think, you know, a lot of times, ifa -- if someone comes to talk to
me about a property, I'm very straightforward in my district. I tell them, "Do not expect there to
be any changes. Don't buy the property with the expectation that there's going to be a change."
If they want to take that risk, that's on them. But there have been circumstances where a buyer is
told "X, " they buy -- by the City, I'm saying -- and then when -- after they buy, they're told "Y."
You know, they're told something else. And I know that, unfortunately for them, they may not
have a cognizable legal claim against the City, because the City can change its mind, essentially,
without there being any sort of -- supposedly any sort of liability to the City. But you're
absolutely right, Mr. Chair. I think, you know, we should strive to create a transparent system so
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that property owners can buy property, knowing what the impact of the purchase is. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Any -- yes, sir.
Elvis Cruz: Thank you, Commissioner. Elvis Cruz, 631 Northeast 57th Street. Just to respond
to your concerns, Commissioner Gort, I live in the Morningside Historic District. It's been
historic for over 30 years. I can tell you, unequivocably [sic], Morningside, having been
designated a historic district, is the best thing that ever happened to my neighborhood. I
understand the concerns you raised; they come up quite often in this discussion. First of all,
historic preservation designation does not require a homeowner to do anything. What it means
is if a property owner does want to do something, it should be done in a manner that preserves
the historic integrity.
Chair Gort: I understand all that.
Mr. Cruz: Okay. As far as, "Where's the money come from? " again, it doesn't require you to do
anything. And "What is the benefit?" Huge benefit.
Chair Gort: I'm aware of that.
Mr. Cruz: Okay.
Chair Gort: I know Morningside. I walked it --
Mr. Cruz: Thank you.
Chair Gort: -- back in the '90s. I walked it and I think it's a beautiful neighborhood. When you
bought in there, knowing that it was a historical --
Mr. Cruz: Actually, no.
Chair Gort: -- facility [sic].
Mr. Cruz: I predate the historic district.
Chair Gort: Well, you predate it because you've been here a long time.
Mr. Cruz: '77, sir.
Chair Gort: But you went along with it, so.
Mr. Cruz: Yes.
Chair Gort: I'm talking about a person that goes into the neighborhood, buys a property, and all
of a sudden, one of the neighbors comes up and says, "Hey, we got to name" -- "create the
historic site for that house."
Mr. Cruz: Right. Again, they're looking -- whenever you go to have a baby, do you consider the
beauty of the baby, or do you consider the diaper? The diaper's a small portion of the big
picture. And there's so many positive benefits that come from it that I think they're missing the
big picture.
Chair Gort: No, no, I'm not missing the big pictures. I just meant the person that makes an
investment --
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Mr. Cruz: Right.
Chair Gort: -- and all of a sudden, then after he makes the investment, he goes and pulls the
permit, and then they tell him after it's been done, "No, you can't do it."
Mr. Cruz: You mean because they were not --
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
Mr. Cruz: -- informed up front --
Chair Gort: Yes.
Mr. Cruz: -- that it was historically designated?
Chair Gort: Right, right, right.
Mr. Cruz: Okay.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Mr. Cruz: I understand completely. That has come up --
Chair Gort: Different from Morningside.
Mr. Cruz: Yes. That has come up, and there needs to be a mechanism whereby the property
records show that it is a historic district, and that was being worked on during the Alexander
Adams administration of -- in the historic preservation section. And you're right; we did add a
couple more districts just the other day.
Commissioner Sarnoff I think Commissioner Gort's concern is the one -offs. How does a one-off
house get declared -- by the way, President Madero could do it under our existing Code; Fidel
Castro could do it; Putin could do it. Anyone in the world could turn around, write a letter and
start the process. His concern is there's nothing to indicate to anyone that you're in a district,
you're in a place, you're in a section, and the next thing he knows -- like supposing I was mad at
Commissioner Gort; supposing I knew he wanted to do some work on his house, andI wrote to
Planning director and said, `I'd like to declare Commissioner Gort's house historic." I've just
frozen him in time. Till that process unwinds, I've frozen him in time. That's his concern.
Chair Gort: Yeah.
Commissioner Suarez: Totally legitimate.
Chair Gort: That's it. You're going to address this issue we're discussing now?
Mr. Cruz: Yes, sir.
Chair Gort: Okay.
Mr. Cruz: Regarding the part in the legislation that would no longer allow a single citizen to --
not declare -- but propose legislation or propose designation, I should say. Let me remind
everybody -- and again, you're only looking at the bad possibilities -- St. Gauden's Road That
was one individual who saw that. And, yes, it did get frozen in time, but that was beneficial. So I
would ask you to not throw out the baby with the bathwater. And regarding the changes to the
TDR's (Transfer of Development Rights) in the MiMo District, I'm very disappointed that that got
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pulled out. Apparently, there's a procedural thing, because it didn't go through the --
Commissioner Sarnoff No, it's coming back.
Mr. Cruz: Okay.
Commissioner Sarnoff But we're just giving him the opportunity -- sorry. Is it all right?
Chair Gort: No, that's -- yes, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff We're just giving him the opportunity to go in front of the Morningside
Board again and make his proposal. It will come back.
Mr. Cruz: The Morningside or the PZAB (Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board)?
Commissioner Sarnoff I believe he's going to the Morningside Board one more time and then --
Mr. Garcia: And the MiMo, as well.
Commissioner Sarnoff Right. If he gets a favorable inclination from then, he wants to go
through a process different. We'll see how that turns out. It will come back to us, and it will
come back to us either with the language that was proposed, your amendment language; or it
will come back to us with the language that Francisco Garcia's proposing. I suspect it's going to
come back with your language.
Mr. Cruz: Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff Just my suspicion.
Mr. Cruz: Well, it wasn't my language, by the way; it was Lucia Dougherty's.
Commissioner Sarnoff Oh, it's Lucia Dougherty's. I think it was the first time I saw the two of
you talk.
Mr. Cruz: Yeah. We talk from time to time, and we actually agreed on this one.
Commissioner Sarnoff I saw you guys go to dinner, too.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff I don't want to out you on that.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Cruz: Thank you, sir. Lastly, you -- just if I may, about 10 seconds -- yes, you did increase
the amount of historic properties just the other day. I would strongly urge the City to consider
increasing the number of staff people in the historic preservation section, because they're
understaffed at the moment; they got a lot of work on their plate. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Any further discussion?
Mr. Garcia: If I may, because, again, we've heard over the last couple of weeks, between first
reading and second reading, from some neighborhood associations that are concerned about not
being duly involved in the designation process. So to give you an example -- and I had many
conversations with Belle Meade residents -- some representative of Belle Meade who said,
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"Look, in the past, the City has tried to designate our neighborhood historic, and there is a
mixed feeling about it within the neighborhood, " and I know this applies to other
neighborhoods, as well. So what I would like to do is to propose some language we have
drafted; it's very brief and I'll read it into the record --
Chair Gort: Sure.
Mr. Garcia: -- for your consideration, if I may. The additional language proposed would be
this: In Section 23-4, Sub -Section "C, "I will begin with the language that is already there,
which says: "The City Manager; resolution to the Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board;
resolution of the City Commission; the property owner; resolution of the County Historic
Preservation Board; resolution of any organization that has been registered 'not profit' in the
State of Florida for at least five years with a recognized interest in historic preservation, or the
Preservation Officer," period. Those are the entities that can properly request the designation.
And then it says right after that: "In" -- this is new language -- "those instances when a historic
district is being considered, the Preservation Office shall conduct outreach involving all relevant
homeowner associations and neighborhood associations ultimately ascertaining their level of
support by way of a resolution or vote. Said level of support shall be taken into consideration by
staff and members of the Historic & Environmental Preservation Board when evaluating any
proposed historic district designation, " full stop.
Commissioner Sarnoff Seconder accepts that --
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- if the maker accepts.
Chair Gort: The maker of the motion accepts the amendment?
Commissioner Suarez: I don't know who the maker -- who was the maker?
Chair Gort: Okay, I think it's someone else in the public that would like to -- Mr. Clerk?
Commissioner Suarez: Who was the maker? Was I the maker? Yes, yes, I accept it.
Chair Gort: Mr. Clerk, do we have a couple of speakers?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Yes, sir. I have two additional speakers signed up: Dolly
McIntyre and Seth Sklarey.
Chair Gort: Yes, ma'am.
Dolly McIntyre: Good morning, Commissioners. My name is Dolly McIntyre. I live at 409
Vizcaya Avenue in Coral Gables. The Board of Trustees of Dade Heritage Trust requests that the
Commission add neighborhood associations or a group of five citizens to those entities which
may nominate a site for historic designation. Citizens are feeling disenfranchised by the current
proposal; and we feel that these additions to the ordinance accomplish the desired goal of
avoiding frivolous nominations, but it doesn't cut out interested citizens in the process. Please
add neighborhood associations or a group of five citizens to those entities that may initiate the
designation process. They don't stop anything; they start it, but it doesn't stop the property
owner until action is taken by the City. Now, I've been involved in preservation for 50 years, and
in Miami, it's an uphill battle. I've been pushing up that hill for a long time, and I'm getting
tired Please don't make the hill any higher or steeper by making it harder to make places that
are special part of our heritage. Thank you.
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Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am. Next.
Seth Sklarey: Morning. Seth Sklarey, P.O. (post office) Box 332172, Coconut Grove, Florida.
One thing that deeply troubles me, I'm a very strong believer in equal protection of the law, and
what you're doing in this ordinance is to remove an individual from being able to propose a
historical designation. Now, if Fidel Castro, as Commissioner Sarnoff stated, wanted -- you
know, suggested that my house be designated as historic, it still has to go through a process, and
the process is a long process, and there are some safeguards within the process. But by removing
the ability of an individual to do -- to suggest it, I think is wrong. Number two: There are
property rights involved so that if a property is designated historic, it removes some of the things
that a property owner could do; it's a property right. And if you're doing that, I think that a
property owner should be compensated for the loss of value that results as -- from a historical
designation. It's something to think about. The other thing is, although a historical designation,
I would presume, would show up in a title search, you know, perhaps you can have a small
plaque if a house or an area is designated as historic; you know, "You're now entering the
Morningside Historic District, " or "This house was historic because it was," you know,
"architecturally significant because of this architect, " or something like that. It would just put
people on notice, and I think it would be a little fairer. So I respectfully request that you remove
the restriction on individuals, because when you give it to a homeowners group, you know,
sometimes, there's infighting; sometimes, there's -- they don't like a neighbor that -- they could
do all sorts of things, so it's a slippery slope. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir. We now close the public hearings. Any further discussion? All in
favor?
Mr. Hannon: Chair --
Commissioner Sarnoff. It's a --
Chair Gort: It's an ordinance.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- ordinance.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Mr. Hannon: Roll call on item SR.1.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on second reading, as amended, 4-0.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
SR.2 ORDINANCE Second Reading
15-00317
Department of AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
Procurement 42/ARTICLE IV/DIVISION 2 AND CHAPTER 42/ARTICLE IV/DIVISION 4 OF
THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, ENTITLED
"POLICE/TOWING AND IMMOBILIZATION OF MOTOR
VEHICLES/NONCONSENSUAL TOWING OF MOTOR VEHICLES FROM
PRIVATE PROPERTY," AND "POLICE/TOWING AND IMMOBILIZATION OF
MOTOR VEHICLES/POLICE TOWS AND DEPARTMENT OF OFF-STREET
PARKING TOWS" RESPECTIVELY, MORE PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING
SECTIONS 42-110 AND 42-119 IN ORDER TO ADOPT THE MAXIMUM
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
TOWING RATES AS ESTABLISHED BY MIAMI-DADE COUNTY FOR
RECOVERING, TOWING, REMOVING, AND STORING OF MOTOR
VEHICLES; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR
AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-00317 Summary Form SR.pdf
15-00317 Back -Up - MDC Towing Rates FR/SR.pdf
15-00317 Pre -Legislation FR/SR.pdf
15-00317 Legislation FR/SR.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
13513
Chair Gort: Okay, SR.2.
Annie Perez: Annie Perez, director of Procurement. SR.2 is an ordinance amending chapter --
Chair Gort: Hold it, hold it, hold on a minute. We did vote on it, right? We did vote?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Good to go, sir.
Chair Gort: Yeah. I mean, we voted on it.
Commissioner Sarnoff.. I thought you were going to bring up the finding to Marine Stadium for
Chair Gort: No, that's going to be a discussion item later.
Commissioner Sarnoff.. Okay. I misunderstood.
Chair Gort: That's DI1. Yes, ma'am.
Ms. Perez: Okay, yes. It's -- SR.2 is an ordinance of the Miami City Commission amending
Chapter 42, Article IV, Divisions 2 and 4. It is adopting the maximum towing rates as
established by Miami -Dade County for recovering, towing, removing and storing of motor
vehicles; containing a severability clause and providing for an immediate effective date.
Commissioner Suarez: So move.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Commissioner Suarez: Restating my comments on first reading.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Commissioner Suarez. Is there a second?
Commissioner Sarnoff.. Second.
Chair Gort: Second by Commissioner Sarnoff. Any further discussion? Being none, call the
question. It's an ordinance.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
Chair Gort: Thank you. Is anyone in the public would like to address this issue? Seeing none,
hearing none, close the public hearing. Call the question.
Mr. Hannon: Roll call on item SR.2.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passed on second reading, 4-0.
SR.3 ORDINANCE
15-00058
Second Reading
District2- AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
Commissioner Marc 37 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED,
David Sarnoff ENTITLED "OFFENSES -MISCELLANEOUS," MORE PARTICULARLY BY
ADDING A NEW SECTION TO PROHIBIT CAMPING ON PUBLIC PROPERTY;
PROVIDING FOR DEFINITIONS AND PENALTIES; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-00058 Legislation SR (V3).pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Vice Chair Hardemon, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff and Hardemon
Absent: 2 - Commissioner(s) Carollo and Suarez
Note for the Record: Item SR.3 was deferred to the September 10, 2015 Regular City
Commission Meeting.
Commissioner Sarnoff Mr. Chair, there's also a pending issue on SR.3, which was the camping
issue. I'm -- I'd like to make a motion to defer this for five months.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Second.
Chair Gort: Okay, there's a motion to defer by Commissioner Sarnoff second by Vice Chairman
Hardemon. Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
END OF SECOND READING ORDINANCES
FIRST READING ORDINANCES
FR.1 ORDINANCE First Reading
15-00309
Office of the City AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ABOLISHING THE
Clerk HOMELAND DEFENSE/NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT BOND
PROGRAM OVERSIGHT BOARD, BY REPEALING IN ITS ENTIRETY
CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE XI/DIVISION 14, ENTITLED
"ADMINISTRATION/BOARDS, COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS/HOMELAND
DEFENSE/NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT BOND PROGRAM
OVERSIGHT BOARD," SECTIONS 2-1201 THROUGH 2-1207, OF THE CODE
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), AND BY
AMENDING CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE XI/DIVISION 2, OF THE CITY CODE,
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
ENTITLED "ADMINISTRATION/BOARDS, COMMITTEES,
COMMISSIONS/STANDARDS FOR CREATION AND REVIEW OF BOARDS
GENERALLY," MORE PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING SECTIONS 2-887(b)
and 2-892(4)(g)(1) TO DELETE SAID BOARD; CONTAININGA
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-00309 Summary Form SR.pdf
15-00309 Pre -Legislation FR/SR.pdf
15-00309 Legislation FR/SR.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
Note for the Record: Item FR.1 was deferred to the April 23, 2015 Planning and Zoning City
Commission Meeting.
FR.2 ORDINANCE First Reading
15-00091
Department of Public AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
Works 54/ARTICLE I OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED, ENTITLED "STREETS AND SIDEWALKS/IN GENERAL", TO
ESTABLISH CERTAIN FEES RELATED TO THE LOCATION OF
CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AND STORAGE OF MATERIALS AND
SUPPLIES WITHIN A TEMPORARY OBSTRUCTION OR CLOSURE OF A
STREET OR SIDEWALK AREAAND TO INCLUDE A PROCEDURE AND FEE
TO PERMIT BANNERS OR WINDSCREENS CONTAINING CERTAIN
ADVERTISING ON TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION FENCES LOCATED IN
THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND
PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-00091 Summary Form SR.pdf
15-00091 Legislation SR (V2).pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter be
PASSED ON FIRST READING PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
Chair Gort: FR.1, my understanding it was pulled?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): That is correct, sir; it was deferred.
Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): Yes.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Yes.
Chair Gort: FR.2.
Eduardo Santamaria: Good morning, Commissioners. Ed Santamaria, director of Public
Works. FR.2 is an ordinance amending Chapter 54, Article I of the City Code to establish fees
related to the location of construction equipment and storage materials and supplies within
temporary obstruction or a closure of a street or sidewalk area, and to provide a procedure and
fee to permit banners and wind screens containing advertising of the adjacent development to be
affixed on temporary construction fences located in the public right-of-way.
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
Commissioner Suarez: So moved.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Commissioner Suarez. Is there a second?
Commissioner Sarnoff Second; discussion.
Chair Gort: Second by Commissioner Sarnoff. Discussion. You're recognized.
Commissioner Sarnoff We didn't have a chance to meet, but I want to make sure that with
regard to what is allowed to be put on the banner or the wind screen that it is merely for that site.
Mr. Santamaria: That's correct, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff Can't put a Pepsi up there; can't put --
Mr. Santamaria: Tequila, no.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- political advertisement; nothing other than "Come by at
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) hour, " or something like that.
Mr. Santamaria: That's correct, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): We may, between first and second reading, just to make sure
we clam the -- whether it's going to be called a banner or a wind screen only, just to be clear;
that might be a change between first and second. But, yes, this is only onsite advertising for the
construction site; move in no other type of advertising.
Chair Gort: Question.
Commissioner Sarnoff I want to make sure about that.
Chair Gort: When they pull a permit, you will set out certain criteria, because people pull
permits, close sidewalks, they don't provide safety-ness [sic] for the people walking within the
area and they block the area. A lot of the people in charge of that part are not really the best to
be informed. So I want to make sure that whenever they close the street or they close the
sidewalk, the procedures takes place that they have to provide some kind of safety for the
walking.
Mr. Santamaria: Commissioner, whenever there is a closure of the public right-of-way involving
a construction site, we have an approved (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that they must follow and other
requirements, and these sites get monitored on a regular basis to make sure that they're in
compliance.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Anyone in the public would like to address this issue? Seeing none,
hearing none, close the public hearings. Do we have a motion?
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, we have a motion.
Chair Gort: And a second?
Commissioner Suarez: Yep.
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Chair Gort: It's an ordinance.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Roll call on item FR.2.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on first reading, 4-0.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
FR.3 ORDINANCE
15-00356
First Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
23/ARTICLE I OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED, ENTITLED "HISTORIC PRESERVATION/HISTORIC
PRESERVATION" MORE PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING SECTION 23-6.4
ENTITLED "SIGNAGE," TO CLARIFY THE DEFINITION OF GATEWAY SIGN,
AND TO EXEMPT GATEWAY SIGNS FROM CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-00356 Legislation FR/SR.pdf
SPONSORS: HONORABLE MAYOR TOMAS REGALADO
COMMISSIONER FRANCIS SUAREZ
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Vice Chair Hardemon, that this matter be
PASSED ON FIRST READING PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
Chair Gort: FR.3.
Commissioner Suarez: Move it for discussion.
Chair Gort: Moved by Commissioner Suarez. Is there a second? Second by Vice Chairman
Hardemon.
Commissioner Suarez: Wow. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, just very briefly, this is something that has been discussed for
many, many months -- I would say even over a year -- and it's just an attempt to do two things:
Number one, and most importantly, mark the entranceways to some of the historic
neighborhoods in our City, which have already had historically some sort of a feature type
gateway sign; and secondly, to help small business owners who actually go through the process
of getting someone to do some sort of artistic representation, make, you know, a small amount of
money, a very small commercial component so that they can subsidize the sign and their small
business.
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Chair Gort: Okay. Mr. Mayor, you're recognized.
Mayor Tomas Regalado: Thank you very much. Mr. Chairman, I am a co-sponsor with
Commissioner Suarez of this item in your agenda, because I think it's important; not only what
Commissioner Suarez say, but also, because of past experiences. As a City Commission for
District 4 for many, many years, I try to do some kind of gateway for Coral Way. I remember
that I was always chastised by people that are saying, "Look, we cross 37th Avenue, and we have
beautiful Miracle Mile, and what I find when I go into Historic Coral Way, it's a huge advertising
of a pawnshop; not to diminish the importance of a pawnshop, but this is what you saw. Then
when we were able to have quality of life for each district, money for each district, I wanted to do
something. And at the time, there was a Blockbuster and Sears, and I sort of thought about
doing something that -- like an entrance, like a Coral Gables type, or like a Hialeah type, where
you enter Coral Way. Well, Sears didn't want to lose one or two parking spaces, and they
wouldn't give the space to do part of the gateway; and Blockbuster at the time didn't want to do
it. So now that we have a Chase Bank there, we have a very modest, very small --
Commissioner Suarez: That was difficult, 171 tell you.
Mayor Regalado: -- yeah, it is difficult. I wear glasses, and I have to put my glasses when I
drive through that. So when you have a historic business that has been for 40, 45 years in the
same place, serving the residents in good times and bad times; that, as Commissioner Suarez
says, figure out the way to get an artist to showcase that you're entering Little Havana, because,
by the way, the natural boundaries of Little Havana are known to be 27th Avenue; nobody knows
why, but that is why has been established.
Chair Gort: 171 tell you why in a little while.
Mayor Regalado: Yeah; the Latin quarters and all that, it is a historic district. So this has
nothing to do with murals, or billboards, or companies, or anything, because it's just -- showcase
a neighborhood and I think that Little Havana does deserve. Yes, in the future, if we have money
and possibility, should we do more grandiose gateways throughout the City? Of course. But I
think it's important that the Commission considers this way that is thinking outside the box to
showcase a very historic area of the City of Miami, so this is why I am in support, and I ask the
Commission to support this ordinance.
Chair Gort: Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Anyone else? Yes, Mr. Cruz; I'll speak after you.
Mariano Cruz: Sure. Mariano Cruz, 1227 Northwest 26th Street, a resident of the City of
Miami. I am not a taxpayer, but I am a resident, which is good. I don't have to pay taxes. All of
you -- yesterday, whenever I receive all my checks paid by you, thank you. Thank you, all of you,
for paying my money, my Federal money. But in this historical thing, I -- when I was in the
army, it was an integration inside the army by executive order by President Truman. When I was
there in South Carolina, in Fort Jackson, inside Fort Jackson, there was integration. Outside,
you got to whistle "Dixie" when you went in Columbia, because it was during integration. But
all this historical -- I don't like to become another ministry -- a secretary, a director, an assistant
director or whatever you got because I were working in property, historical, and we cannot even
touch it, because it cost us more money to rebuild it to the way it was than to raze the property
and build new. So I think in all this thing, you got to be realistic about what is good for the
community or what is not good for the community. But what they doing, I don't know exactly,
but where they going to do the historical thing? They going to take care of the property the way
-- because I remember the gas station on 16 and Flagler, when they went to renew, they got to
rebuild the bathroom, colored bathroom, and white people, and all that, because that was the
way it was; that was the way, historical. You think that's according to 2015? No, but that's it;
that's going to be historical. So I want to make sure that whatever is historical be "tam bien"
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
history, because, remember, the people that don't remember history, they come then to repeat the
mistake of the past. And we have had plenty of mistake.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Cruz: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Mr. Cruz: You didn't say that to Suarez. He doesn't even live in Miami.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir. Thank you.
Mr. Cruz: I'm going to run against you.
Chair Gort: Listen --
Mr. Cruz: You will see.
Chair Gort: No problem; you're welcome to.
Commissioner Suarez: I live in Miami.
Chair Gort: You're welcome to. Let me tell you a little story. Back in 1959, we had a business
in 16th Street, 1602 Southwest 8th Street, Gort Studios. Through the Chamber of Commerce, we
were nicknamed "Little Havana." And we thought, "What can we do here to create a tourist
attraction? " As you travel throughout the world -- when you go to San Francisco; you go to the
French Quarters; you go to New York; you go to Little Haiti; you go to Chinatown, and you got
all these different individuals. You travel throughout the country, you go to all this ethnic
tourism that takes place. Little Havana -- it took us a long time, but right now, if you go to
Southwest 8th Street, what is called "The Latin Quarter," you have anywhere from 10 to 15
buses in that area, full of tourist. Not only is it bring people to Miami, but also, it brings
economic development to certain neighborhood. And I know we're working on Overtown, we're
working Little Haiti, we have -- right now, we're working in Little Santo Domingo and
Allapattah, and try to create tourist attraction by using the different ethnic groups that we have
and residents through our area. I personal -- my understanding is -- and correct me ifI'm wrong
-- this is only to be utilized and they can only put the signs very little. So, Francisco, could you
go over and explain it? Because I don't want people to think that this is just another --
Francisco Garcia: So I believe your question -- for the record, Francisco Garcia, Planning &
Zoning director. And I believe your question, Mr. Chairman, is regarding the implementation --
Chair Gort: The implementation of it, yes.
Mr. Garcia: -- signage. So there is language in this ordinance that makes reference to areas of
cultural relevance, historic districts, et cetera. And I know the intent to the item is to have it
apply in those areas. What I've committed to all those who have asked is that we are happy to
hone in the language further to make sure that it does exactly that.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Mr. Garcia: Thank you, sir.
Chair Gort: Anyone else in the public? Seeing none, hearing none, close the public hearing.
Ordinance.
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The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): Roll call on item FR.3
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Ms. Ewan: The ordinance passes on first reading, 4-0.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): Mr. Chairman?
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Mr. Alfonso: Mr. Chairman, in order for us to have a little bit of time when this item comes
back, can we request that this not come back at the very next meeting, but in the second meeting
from now so that we can have a little bit of time to --?
Chair Gort: Sure.
Mr. Alfonso: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Is that an amendment to the motion?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): So the first meeting in May?
Mr. Alfonso: Correct.
Ms. Mendez: Thank you.
Ms. Ewan: That will be May 14.
Ms. Mendez: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Okay, thankyou.
END OF FIRST READING ORDINANCES
RESOLUTIONS
RE.1 RESOLUTION
15-00173
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ACCEPTING THE BID
Procurement RECEIVED DECEMBER 16, 2014, PURSUANT TO INVITATION FOR BID NO.
472330, FROM ENTERPRISE LEASING COMPANY OF FLORIDA, LLC, THE
SOLE RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER, FOR THE RENTAL OF
VEHICLES ON A CITYWIDE, AS NEEDED CONTRACTUAL BASIS, FOR AN
INITIAL CONTRACT PERIOD OF TWO (2) YEARS WITH THE OPTION TO
RENEW FOR TWO (2) ADDITIONAL ONE (1) YEAR PERIODS, ALLOCATING
FUNDS FROM THE VARIOUS SOURCES OF FUNDS FROM THE USER
DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES, SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF
FUNDS AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE TIME OF NEED;
AUTHORIZING ADDITIONAL SUPPLIERS TO THE CONTRACT AS DEEMED
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IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CITY OF MIAMI.
15-00173 Summary Form.pdf
15-00173 Bid Tabulation.pdf
15-00173 Corporate Detail.pdf
15-00173 Invitation For Bid.pdf
15-00173 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
DENIED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
A motion was made by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, and was
passed unanimously, with Commissioner Carollo absent, directing the City Manager to issue a
new Invitation for Bid (IFB) that includes language requiring companies that submit IFBs
containing self -insured retention (SIR) or self-insurance to include ratings from Moody's or Dun
& Bradstreet in the AA or higher range that is satisfactory to the City Manager, in addition to
requiring an A+ or better rating from the A.M. Best Company for third -party insurance
compaines; further requiring that the IFB require two locations in Miami -Dade County and one
location in Broward County, as well as clarifying within the IFB that companies can have some
form of SIR or self-insurance as well as third -party liability to satisfy the insurance requirements.
Chair Gort: Chair Gort: RE.2.
Annie Perez (Director, Procurement): RE.1.
Chair Gort: I'm sorry; RE.1.
Ms. Perez: Annie Perez, director of Procurement. RE.1 is a resolution accepting the bid
received from Enterprise Leasing Company of Florida, the sole responsive and responsible
bidder for the rental of vehicles on a citywide as -needed contractual basis for a contract period
of two years, with the option to renew for two additional one-year periods.
Commissioner Sarnoff So move.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. --
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Chairman --
Chair Gort: Yes.
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- in regards to this item, part of -- if you remember, this has been
continued a couple times at the request of myself, and part of the reason I've been deferring it is
to talk more so with the Administration about the procurement process regarding our rental cars.
And so here, there was one bidder that bid for this RFP (Request for Proposals) process, and I
know that, for instance, within the County, the County just sent out a similar bid, and they
received about three bids, as I remember, so it was increased competition. One of our goals in
procurement, of course, is always to increase the competition so we get the best price or at least
the best service. And so it brought me a little bit of concern that here, this time, when we issued
this RFP, we had one bidder. And so I began to question, well, what are some of the reasons that
we could have received one bid versus the County receiving, say, three? And some of the things
that I saw -- well, two, particularly -- was that in this contract or this RFP, they require -- there
was a requirement that there are two locations within Miami and two locations -- or Miami -Dade
County and two locations in Broward County. Now, that's different from how we've done it in the
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
past. In the past, we've had one location in Dade, one location in Broward. And the County,
more particularly with -- we were more stringent on our requirements for the locations than even
Miami -Dade County was with theirs. And, of course, Miami -Dade County actually touches the
Broward County line. And so another thing that I saw that caused me some pause was this issue
between -- with the insurance. There is something called "self -insured" and there's something
called, basically, a "third -party carrier of insurance." And so when you read the way that the
RFP is issued, it speaks to the fact that there is a requirement for insurance. Now, it also goes on
and says that they don't have to prove insurance until after the award, but this is a situation
where this company has already been with us. We have a current contract with this company.
And so what I saw was that the way that it's set up, the company actually is not self -- is not
insured by a third -party carrier, which is what the goal was from dollar one; is that it actually
had some form ofself-insurance in the beginning -- I believe for the first $2 million -- and then
thereafter, it has a third -party insurance carrier. And why is that important? It's important
because when you look at the way that the County issued their RFP, the County issued an RFP
process where they had one category for self -insured and one category for third party insurance.
And I believe that this same company applied for the self-insurance with the County and not
what they applied for here, which is the third -party insurance here with this contract. And so
what it made me wonder was, what about this process, what about all of those different scenarios
cause less people to apply? And I would think that if someone was told that you're required to
have third -party insurance and, in fact, this company issues -- well, an RFP, and they have some
form of third -party insurance, but is also self -insured. It's not clarified within the RFP whether
or not it will allow you to have some self-insurance and then third -party insurance. So these
type of things I believe is why we had so few responses, and I would like to see more responses,
and so there's ways that we can do that. We can either piggyback on what the County has done,
because they already have three responses, and this company is one of the companies that
responded within that RFP process; or we can issue our own RFP, once again, that actually --
that gives the requirements that we had last time when this company actually received this RFP
in the first place; and more specifically, so that we have a requirement that there's a facility in
Broward, a facility in Dade. One of the responses that I heard from Administration in regards to
why we want so many different locations within Broward and within Dade is because of the
Internal Affairs, and Internal Affairs, they have cars, and the Internal Affairs has cars; and, of
course, Internal Affairs investigators are police officers. They don't want those -- and I'm
quoting it correctly -- they don't want those cars to be burned by other police officers. And to
me, when I start -- when our Police Department, who spends months in training with officers,
and they're colleagues, and at some point, those colleagues go to -- transition to other parts
within the department, and one of those parts is the Internal Affairs Department. I don't think
that there is anyone within the Police Department that isn't aware of who works there; it's no
secret. This is not the men in black. Andl don't believe -- me, wholeheartedly -- that our Police
Department is as worried about undercover Internal Affairs officers as the criminals are. So I
don't necessarily see the -- that being a -- such a serious issue that we shouldn't require to, one,
piggyback; or to, two, issue another RFP.
Chair Gort: Let me ask a question of the Administration. One time we -- we've had problems
with the RFPs going out, and we requested that before an RFP would go out into the public, send
it to the Commission so we get a chance to look at it and --
Ms. Perez: Yes.
Chair Gort: -- see it so this would not come up in this case like this.
Ms. Perez: IfI may, this was not an RFP. This was an invitation for bid. So this was not an
RFP. And if I may, Vice Chair and Chairman, address a few things. On the County bid, the two
groups -- there were two groups. I have a copy of the bid, and I also spoke to my former
colleagues at the County. There were two groups. One is where the rental agency would provide
the insurance, and then the second group was where the County would pay for the insurance.
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I've clarified with them, it had nothing to do with self-insurance, so I just wanted to clarify that
point and I also wanted to clarify a few things within, you know, the locations. It's very -- you
know, we've talked to Police multiple times about that and --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. Chairman, may I ask a question?
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So with your clarification, then, when you're saying the County had two
groups where the County would provide the -- First of all, no matter what, even if you -- how can
I put it? The cost of the insurance is not -- is always going to be put back onto the entity that's
actually asking for the service. So when you say the County is going to provide the cost of
insurance, I mean, it's built into that. Even if you have a third -party insurance carrier, the cost
per -- for the rentals of those vehicles are put back into the contract. So explain to me, then,
what the significance is --
Ms. Perez: Well --
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- between those two.
Ms. Perez: The option one was the awarded bidder is responsible for all insurance. The -- and
then they list the insurance requirements. And option two, the County is responsible for
third -party liability and for first $100 of applicable physical damage losses.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay, so --
Ms. Perez: And the way that these --
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- stop you for a moment, then. So that second one is exactly what we
have here where we're responsible for third -- is there's third -party liability insurance; is that
correct?
Ms. Perez: I'll let my Risk director address the insurance issue requirements.
Ann -Marie Sharpe: Ann -Marie Sharpe, director of Risk Management. I'm sorry, your question
was?
Vice Chair Hardemon: If she can repeat the statement that she read, because we were trying to
clan fy --
Ms. Perez: Okay. So the County's requirements, option one was the awarded bidder's
responsible for all insurance.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And that's -- that would be called the "self -insured"?
Ms. Perez: No.
Vice Chair Hardemon: That's -- what is that one called?
Ms. Perez: That is that the --
Ms. Sharpe: If the bidder is responsible for all necessary insurance, it includes self-insurance,
but it's not solely self-insurance.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. So -- but "self -insured" is a part of that process; is a part of that
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cat --?
Ms. Sharpe: Absolutely. The self-insurance is accepted as insurance.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. And then can you read the second one, please?
Ms. Perez: Certainly. Option two, the County is responsible for third party liability and the first
$100 of applicable physical damage losses.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. And is that the third -party insurance?
Ms. Sharpe: Third -party liability is just -- is regular liability. So liability is always going to be
third party. But it's just -- that requirement is basically saying, "You don't have to have it; we'll
use ours," because the County's self -insured, I think. But even if they're not, it's basically saying,
"We will use our insurance; you don't have to have liability insurance."
Vice Chair Hardemon: And so the insurance is -- from that one, I believe the insurance starts --
it kicks in at 100 or -- what? -- $101, one --?
Ms. Sharpe: Right; that's for physical damage.
Commissioner Sarnoff Can I help you a little bit? All right. So let me try to help you along.
This is why whoever we hire should have, whether it's -- iif it's self-insurance retention, which is
called SIR, it should be a `AA" rated company for the SIR portion. Their third -party insurer
should be, you know, Forbes top 100 insurers. And the reason for that is if a police officer is in a
car accident, they're going to be getting workers' compensation, because they'll be at work. The
good news is if we have a vehicle that's insured, whether SIR or whether it's by third party, since
we are a self -funded workers' comp policy, if you will, we would get our money back from the
third -party insurer. That's a good deal for the City, and that's something that we should
structure. I think this is structured like this, but I'd like to have a direct answer to that.
Vice Chair Hardemon: But I will say, though, that Enterprise and the company that has the --
this -- that we're considering right now has SIR --
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- for the first -- I believe it's $2 million. But then, also, has the
third -party insurance. But the way that the bid went out -- and I apologize for saying "REP"
versus "bid" -- the way that the bid went out, it required third -party insurance. And so when I
asked about the SIR or the self-insurance, it was -- I was told that, "No, no, they have
insurance." But it just completely disregards the fact that there is an SIR factor in this bid.
Commissioner Sarnoff Very few -- I'm not aware of any scenario in the world where somebody
has no deductible. When you get to a sizable deductible, they usually call that "self- insured
retention, " SIR. As long as the company you're dealing with is either a traded company on the
stock exchange or has credentials that would satisfy you that it's double or `AAA" rated,
whether it's Moody's, whether it's Forbes or whatever rating agency you choose, that's -- in and
of itself it's what's called a "guarantee," a "corporate guarantee"; followed by in a
catastrophic incident. One of these police officers goes out there and takes four or five cars out,
and a lot of deaths, and a lot of injuries, then you want a third -party layer on top of that, which
is All State, State Farm, GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company). I'm just using
the popular names. There's much different insurance companies. But that's how -- why it
becomes a good deal for the City. If the officer is injured and it is a third person's fault, we're
paying him workmen's comp. And you know -- I'm sure you get briefed like me -- how much
workers' comp we pay. We could get that back from the vehicle, itself if, in fact, the officer was
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not at fault. So, you know, when he goes to sue the third person for the injury, the workers' comp
is a lien. That lien would be satisfied in the officer's lawsuit. We would be compensated 60, 70
cents on the dollar; not a bad deal for the citizens.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So for the third -party insurance.
Commissioner Sarnoff Whether it's SIR, third party, yes.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I mean that's my point. So the point is that here, with this bid, with the
requirements to have third -party insurance, this company, in fact, has an SIR built into it for the
first $2 million; it is not, from dollar one, third -party insurance, and so that's how I understand
the RF -- the bid to have been issued for third -party insurance. So then, when I look at why you
have responses that are greater in one entity, which is the County; and then why you have it less
in the other entity, which is the City; and then you have these very restrictions, it doesn't make
sense to me, and what it causes, to me, when I read it, is less competition.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well I --
Vice Chair Hardemon: I know she had some questions that she was dying to address.
Ms. Sharpe: I don't have a question I'm dying to address, except that we deem self-insurance
equitable to insurance.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Because the car company is, in fact, liable for -- well, the car company
has the ability to pay on any loss, yes. But within this bid, you issued it for what, regarding
insurance?
Ms. Sharpe: Insurance.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Right. And then this company has SIR; is that correct?
Ms. Sharpe: Right, which meets the insurance requirement.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Which meets Florida insurance requirements; is that what you mean?
Ms. Sharpe: Well --
Vice Chair Hardemon: But not necessarily this bid insurance requirements.
Ms. Sharpe: -- I guess I should add that while our requirements don't specifically exclude
self-insurance, it does not specifically include it. So it does not preclude someone who is
self -insured to respond, because we didn't say self-insurance is not accepted.
Vice Chair Hardemon: But you did say that third -party insurance is required?
Ms. Sharpe: We say insurance -- right. We list the insurance requirements --
Vice Chair Hardemon: And third -party insurance --
Ms. Sharpe: -- and say --
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- is the requirement?
Ms. Sharpe: Third -party insurance might not -- I don't think it's worded that way. It's --
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Vice Chair Hardemon: But you see how --
Ms. Sharpe: -- general liability, which is third -party coverage. If a -- if someone else has the
policy, it's deemed to be a third party. You don't have it yourself, so it's -- they're insuring you.
But the coverage covers a third party, meaning somebody else who might be affected.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Right. But even the way that it was presented, Mr. Chairman, when you
say, "Well, we don't specifically exclude it, but we don't" -- the way you --
Ms. Sharpe: Specifically include it?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Specifically include it. It's like --
Ms. Sharpe: Because we --
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- a law exam question, you know, just trying to figure out if it is or if it is
not, and that, particularly to me, is what causes less competition, is why you have one bidder,
and that the bidder is, in fact, the company that had the contract before. And so that's the most
troubling part for me. If we're trying to have a process that increases competition; a process that
gives us an opportunity to have the best price, the best service, then when you word things the
way that it is worded here, you reduce the likelihood of having that. And to me, when I see one
bidder, that is a sign that the likelihood was reduced; especially when you just had a bid to go
out in the County with -- not similar, but less restrictions and you have more people bidding for
that process, including this company.
Ms. Sharpe: I should add that self -insured entities respond to our RFPs all the time, right? So it
-- I don't know that anyone particularly deem it as, you know, not being applicable to the -- if
they're self -insured because you have to qualifir to be self -insured. So it's not that you wake up
one day and say, "I'm not going to carry insurance, " which not being insured is different from
being self -insured.
Chair Gort: Mr. Manager --
Commissioner Sarnoff Plus to be -- sorry, Mr. Chair -- to be allowed to be self- insured in the
State of Florida, you have to put a bond up.
Ms. Sharpe: Right. You have to apply to the State for self-insurance designation.
Commissioner Sarnoff Florida Statute 316 -- you should know this.
Ms. Sharpe: I -- yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff And you have to put $2 million bond up.
Ms. Sharpe: Right. So you have to qual to be a self -insured entity in the State of Florida, yes.
Chair Gort: Mr. Manager.
Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): Yeah. Commissioners, I just wanted to point out that we have
reviewed with our Legal Department the RFP process. We have been told that it met the
qualifications and requirements. Also, I wanted to point out that we had our Procurement
Department compare the rates that we did get from Enterprise to those that the County got on
their bid, and they are very competitive; some were a little higher, some there higher. The
insurance that we got, we think is a little better. So you want to talk about that, please?
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Ms. Perez: When we did the comparison, obviously, our rates, the rates that we requested
included the commercial insurance by the supplier. When the County awarded their contract,
they decided to go with the option that does not include commercial insurance by the supplier,
and, you know, the rates are very comparable. For example, you know, there's one rate that's
just a few dollars off. You know, there's -- they're very comparable when you compare them, and
ours include insurance, and, you know, technically, they decided to go with the County's
insurance, so.
Chair Gort: Let me ask you a question. My understanding, placed in this RFP or --
Ms. Perez: IFB (Invitation for Bid).
Chair Gort: Okay. What is it? The --
Ms. Perez: I -- Invitation for Bid.
Chair Gort: -- Invitation for Bid, okay. In the Invitation for Bid, you had a lot of conversation
with the Police Department. There were certain requirements that were asked by the Police
Department in which these people have to comply with.
Ms. Perez: Yes.
Chair Gort: Chief can you elaborate on this?
Chief Rodolfo Llanes: Good morning. Rodolfo Llanes, Chief of Police. It's crucial to our
operations to have multiple locations. We do have an anti -corruption squad that does fight
corruption in the Police Department, and we do need multiple locations to be able to switch out
cars where other officers and other members of the department are not exchanging their cars.
That's the most important part. There's also another component: our special investigations
section that conducts high level narcotics, same scenario. We need to have the flexibility of
having multiple locations that we can switch out cars. What's also important about that is
different inventory of cars. You really can't conduct a surveillance with four blue Kias; it's very
difficult to do that. So we need a flexibility of the inventory so that we can have different vehicles
on the street at the same time. So those -- that's a crucial element for operations that is needed.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. Chairman, and I completely agree with our Chief that we need
multiple locations. The question is: How many multiple locations are required? So, for
instance, if you require two in Miami -Dade County, fine. We're in Miami -Dade County. In
Broward County, do you require two or do you require one? So having locations in Broward and
Dade are good. Having two locations in Dade County makes sense for us, the City of Miami, but
having two locations in Broward does not. And this does not regard you, but when I look as to
what the bid required -- I'm looking at page 44 of 53 -- it says -- it reads, "Companies authorized
to do business in the State of Florida with the following qualifications shall issue all insurance
policies required above." And then it reads in bold, "The company must be rated no less than
"A" as to management and no less than "B" -- I'm sorry --
Commissioner Sarnoff Maybe we could table this and maybe they could brief you. And if we
don't want to pass on it today, we could do it next Commission, because it just seems like we're
tying up a lot of time. And why not table it, and you can maybe get some answers.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I mean, this is something that we've been discussing --
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
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Vice Chair Hardemon: -- and so that's why I didn't wish to table it again. I just wanted to kind
of get through this process today.
Mr. Alfonso: The contract expires in a couple of weeks. We've already gone -- I don't know -- a
couple of extensions in the past month. Does it allow for the contract to continue on a
month -to -month basis at the will of both parties? Yes, but it's up to the will of the Commission.
We would like to have this move on.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So basically, when I read this paragraph -- and I think if I'm reading this
correctly, it reads that, "The company must be rated no less than "A" as to management and no
less than class "B" as to the financial strength by the latest edition of 'The Best Insurance
Guide,' published by A.M. Bess Company, Oldwick, New Jersey or its equivalent. All policies
and all certificates of insurance are subject to review and verification by the Risk Management
prior to issuance of insurance approval." So I believe that this is the statement that re -- that's
regarding the type of insurance that's required for third -party insurance; is that correct? That's
the statement that requires the third -party insur -- the type of third -party insurance.
Ms. Perez: Yes.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Yes. And so if you are self -insured or if this is the requirement that's put
out -- correct? -- and you're told that you must have insurance, but you are, say, self -insured, you
don't necessarily have this.
Ms. Sharpe: If you're self -insured, no, you don't have the rating.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And that's my point.
Ms. Sharpe: The rating require -- the rating applies to carriers, but keep in mind that to be
self -insured, you have to be approved by the State. So there's an underlying understanding, I
guess, that you are financially stable enough to pay for the losses, basically. So you have to be
financially -- you have to prove financial responsibility.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And I mean, that's all that is -- we want all the companies that we do
business with to have some financial stability and be able to show that they are able to cover
their losses, and we've had bids in the past that had people who were self -insured, people who
had third -party insurance that had that. This time, when we issued this bid, we didn't have the
number of responses that are desirable, I would think, for increased competition and lower cost,
and so that's why my problem is. So we don't have to belabor the point, but what I would like,
Mr. Chairman, is one of two things, and we can discuss this. Either we discuss starting to
piggyback off of what the County has or issue another bid that is a little less restrictive; meaning
reducing maybe one location in Broward County and specifically claming that you can have
both self-insurance and -- or you have a formula that would include self-insurance and
third -party liability, because the way that this reads right now, it requires third -party liability,
and this company doesn't have just third -party liability. They have SIR and then they have
third -party liability that comes on after the two million dollar mark.
Chair Gort: It's got more insurance than it needed for to have -- I mean -- If the City -- I would
not like to piggyback on the County. I think we like to do our own if we have to, but how long
have we been going on this for now? Because my understanding, one of the reason we don't
have enough people competing is because of the requirement. My understanding is, I was told by
the Administration, by the Police Department that the rental car has got to have the ability to go
in within seconds and get another car right away; that they can do that at any time, 24 hours a
day is my understanding, seven days a week, and that's one of the restrictions that maybe some of
the other companies cannot comply with.
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Vice Chair Hardemon: I don't know if -- I don't know -- well, I will tell you this: All the
Enterprise facilities will not -- are not available to take cars and give cars to the City officers , so
there's still designated -- certain areas where they must go. And I will tell you that in -- because
I see a lot of police officers and I speak to a lot of police officers that a lot of police officers
aren't necessarily happy with the service that they're receiving with Enterprise, because of the
type of vehicles, and the number of miles that are on the vehicles, and the damage on the vehicles
and so there are a lot of other issues. But that's not my qualm today. My qualm is that we want
to make sure that they have enough facilities that they can transfer facilities -- I mean transfer
vehicles -- I think two in Dade, one in Broward is adequate -- and then also to clam the
language regarding the SIR, self-insurance and the third -party liability. This RFP, the way that I
read it, requires third -party liability from dollar one. This company does not have that. This
company has third -party liability above $2 million and SIR for the first 2 million. And so that is
a differentiating factor, to me, of why you may have more responses in other places and less
responses here in the City of Miami. And so what I would like is more responses. This contract
can be extended for 120 days?
Mr. Alfonso: Sure, no problem.
Vice Chair Hardemon: With no problem. The contract -- and so we don't have to worry
necessarily about that, but I think that the bid should go out with more clarification and with one
less restriction to increase the competition. Will it re -crease [sic] it? I don't know, but I think
that we're putting ourselves in a position where there's a significant possibility of it.
Chair Gort: Yes, ma'am.
Ms. Perez: Yes, if I may, just to address a few things. The County did have three bidders. One
was deemed nonresponsive, so at the end, they had two. The County some -- just a few things to
take into account. The County's volume is much more higher. With these contracts, because of
the turnaround and the need for cars on a constant basis, and, you know, police often get in
accidents and things like that, not a lot of companies are interested -- in my previous experience
-- in bidding on these types of contracts, so.
Chair Gort: My understanding is we can extend the existing contract for 120 days. Mr.
Manager, am I correct?
Mr. Alfonso: I believe that is in the language, sir.
Chair Gort: I think the language that they all would like to see, according to what I been
hearing from the Commissioner -- he can state it himself -- is the insurance, the insurance part,
and one location in Broward. He believes that if we eliminate that, we're going to have more
people bidding for it, so.
Mr. Alfonso: So is it the will of this Commission, then, to go and do it or -- I don't know.
Chair Gort: Well, right now --
Commissioner Sarnoff I'm here, I'm here.
Chair Gort: Oh, okay, he's here.
Mr. Alfonso: Is it another ITB? Is that extend the contract for the four months and do another
Invitation to Bid?
Chair Gort: Right.
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Mr. Alfonso: Is that what I'm hearing?
Chair Gort: That's what seems to be --
Vice Chair Hardemon: That's what I would like.
Chair Gort: Ours; not the piggyback on the County.
Vice Chair Hardemon: That's what I would like, because the Chairman says no piggybacking on
the County, and I'm okay with that, so that's what I would like. So that would be my motion.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Excuse me, Chair. There was a motion made by Commissioner
Sarnoff at 10:42. Would he like to withdraw his motion?
Vice Chair Hardemon: I don't believe it was seconded, though.
Mr. Hannon: No, sir, but it is on the floor.
Commissioner Sarnoff What's your motion?
Vice Chair Hardemon: No, it was a motion that you had --
Commissioner Sarnoff I thought that you just made it.
Vice Chair Hardemon: My motion was: One, to extend the contract that we currently have for
the 120 days that's allowable, and then, additionally to -- because we don't want to piggyback --
issue another Invitation to Bid where we have the multiple location requirements, two in Dade,
one in Broward; and where we've clarified that the -- there can be third -party insurance and that
it is also allowable to have some form ofself-insured, so if there's a formula with self-insurance
or -- plus third -party insurance or dollar one third party insurance, but whatever it is, it needs to
be clarified instead of the way that we have it in this bid.
Commissioner Sarnoff I'll second that with a proviso that they provide the SIR
(UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Hardemon: Now, the Moody's `AA" or better rated company, are we referring to the
third -party insurance?
Commissioner Sarnoff No.
Vice Chair Hardemon: We're talking to the --
Commissioner Sarnoff (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Hardemon: So the -- and excuse me in my ignorance of when you say the Moody's --
that Moody's part that you're describing, obviously, I don't know if that's ever been included in
one of our bids before for the insurance. I know it's not -- is it included in this one?
Commissioner Sarnoff No, but what I'm suggesting to you is -- I'll give you a better one than
Moody's -- Dunn & Bradstreet. Everybody gets a Dunn & Bradstreet report. So I just want to
ident that these people have the ability to pay over and above the Florida Statute requirement,
which, I think, off the top of my head, is $2 million, but it may not be. So what I want to make
sure is they can comply with their SIR if they choose to do so, and the third -party insurer should
be a -- really should be a `AA" or better rated company.
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Vice Chair Hardemon: I haven'tbeen briefed as to exactly what that means, and so I don't want
to then in this motion make something that's a little bit more restrictive for myself than what we
already have. So I know I've been -- so let's take this, I guess, one step at a time, right? As I was
told by our legal team, first, you need to reject this bid. So it would be a motion to not approve
of this bid as it is put forth. So can we tackle that first?
Chair Gort: Well, the maker of the motion has got to -- before he can take it out, he has to see
what he's going to vote for in the next or what's going to be in the next motion.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Well, then, how about this, then: I need to -- if you could, my dear
Commissioner, write down what -- that requirement, so I actually have an opportunity to look
and research it myself to know exactly what I'm getting myself into.
Chair Gort: Let's table this and come back in the afternoon.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And then we can do that.
Chair Gort: Right.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, somebody suggested that 20 minutes ago, but that's fine.
Vice Chair Hardemon: No, but you guys --
Commissioner Sarnoff I know, you're right, that's fair, that's fair.
Chair Gort: RE.2. Thank you.
Mr. Hannon: Chair, that requires a four -fifths; if we can move on to RE.3?
Chair Gort: RE.3. Where is Commissioner Suarez?
Ms. Mendez: To -- I'm sorry, which one requires the four -fifths? Not the rejecting the bid.
Vice Chair Hardemon: RE.2, RE.2.
Mr. Hannon: RE.2 requires the four -fifths.
Chair Gort: RE.2.
Ms. Mendez: Okay. I apologize.
Chair Gort: We didn't reject anything; we tabled RE.1
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
Chair Gort: RE.1 has been tabled to this afternoon.
Later...
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I wanted the District 2 Commissioner to know that I am perfectly fine
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with the language that you proposed in your request for RE.1, so that we could move forward
with that with no further discussion. So I know we needed to make it a motion -- well, we need
to, one, withdraw the motion; make the motion to --
Commissioner Sarnoff Right, so I withdraw my motion.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Right. And then 171--
Chair Gort: RE. 1, yes.
Vice Chair Hardemon: RE.1. And I move to decline RE.1.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): So you're rejecting the bid.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Ms. Mendez: Correct?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Ms. Mendez: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Invitation to bid. Okay, it's been moved; been second. Any further discussion?
Being none, all in favor, state it by saying Eye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And then my motion would be to issue another ITB (Invitation to Bic) to
include the language that Commissioner Sarnoffproposed: the Dun & Bradstreet orMoody's
satisfactory to the City Manager and third party insurance by an insurer; an "A" plus or better
by best insurance; and to have language that requires two locations within Miami -Dade County,
one location in Broward; and to clarify within the ITB that you can have some form, like this
applicant -- where you can have some form of SIR (Self Insured Retention), or self-insurance,
and third -party liability. It's all that we talked about.
Commissioner Sarnoff Second
Chair Gort: Been moved and second. Further discussion? All in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And one thing I forgot: To extend -- I don't know -- you probably don't
need our approval to extend for 120 days. Did you not?
Mr. Alfonso: Yeah, we'd have to. That's part of the contract.
Chair Gort: You have to.
Ms. Mendez: It's part of the original contract, so we'll be okay.
Chair Gort: Be back at 3.
Commissioner Sarnoff (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
RE.2
15-00304
Department of
Fire -Rescue
Chair Gort: There's boards and DI (discussion item), and I have a pocket item that I'd like to
hear it first when we come back.
Vice Chair Hardemon: To come back at 3? Three? Come back at 3?
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, BY A FOUR -FIFTHS
(4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE VOTE, RATIFYING, APPROVING, AND
CONFIRMING THE CITY MANAGER'S FINDING OF AN EMERGENCY;
WAIVING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPETITIVE SEALED BIDDING
METHODS PURSUANT TO SECTION 18-90 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, RETROACTIVELY AUTHORIZING THE
PROCUREMENT OF A MARINE UNIT FROM AMERICAN REDI-BILT, INC.
D/B/A CATAMARAN CRUISERS FOR USE BY THE CITY OF MIAMI
DEPARTMENT OF FIRE -RESCUE, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED
$138,161.00, WITH FUNDS ALLOCATED FROM ACCOUNT NO.
40-670241-05-1426-EQU I PM ENT-181000.
15-00304 Summary Form.pdf
15-00304 Memo - City Manager's Approval.pdf
15-00304 Back -Up from the Law Dept.pdf
15-00304 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0165
Chair Gort: Okay, four -fifths, RE.2.
Maurice Kemp: Good morning, Mr. Chairman, City Commission. Maurice Kemp, Fire Chief.
RE.2 is a resolution requesting the confirmation and retroactive authorization for the
procurement of a marine unit that will serve as a temporary fire station for the fire boat
personnel. This initiative, as you know, based on our briefings with your offices, will enable us
to reduce our reaction time in responding to emergencies in our fire boat.
Chair Gort: Thank you, Chief. Do I have a motion? Discussion?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Move it.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Vice Chairman Hardemon; second by Commissioner Suarez.
Discussion? Seeing none, hearing none, all in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Gort: Thank you, Chief.
Fire Chief Kemp: Thank you.
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RE.3
15-00355
OMNI Community
Redevelopment
Agency
RE.4
15-00367
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING AND ADOPTING THE AMENDED BUDGET
OF THE OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("OMNI CRA"), ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING
OCTOBER 1, 2014, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2015, AS APPROVED BY
THE OMNI CRA'S BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
15-00355 Summary Form.pdf
15-00355 Legislation.pdf
15-00355 Exhibit A.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Vice Chair Hardemon, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff and Hardemon
Absent: 2 - Commissioner(s) Carollo and Suarez
Midtown Community
Redevelopment
Agency
R-15-0166
Pieter A. Bockweg: Good morning, Commissioner. Pieter Bockweg, executive director of Omni
CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency). The item before you is accepting the budget that was
approved by the board in the last -- couple weeks ago.
Commissioner Sarnoff. So move.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Second.
Chair Gort: Been moved by Commissioner Sarnoff; second by Commissioner Hardemon. Any
-- Vice Chairman Hardemon. Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying
"aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING AND ADOPTING THE AMENDED BUDGET
OF THE MIDTOWN COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("MIDTOWN
CRA"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT"A," FOR THE FISCAL
YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2014, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30,
2015, AS APPROVED BY THE MIDTOWN CRA'S BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS.
15-00367 Summary Form.pdf
15-00367 Legislation.pdf
15-00367 Exhibit A.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff and Hardemon
Absent: 2 - Commissioner(s) Carollo and Suarez
R-15-0167
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Chair Gort: RE. 3.
Pieter A. Bockweg (Executive Director, Midtown Community Redevelopment Agency): RE.4 --
Chair Gort: RE.4.
Mr. Bockweg: -- Mr. Chair, is -- Pieter Bockweg, executive director of the Midtown CRA.
Again, this item is accepting the budget, the amended budget for Midtown that was approved a
couple weeks ago by the board.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Move it.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Vice Chairman Hardemon; second by Commissioner Sarnoff.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Thank you.
Chair Gort: All in favor, state it by saying "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Mr. Bockweg: Thank you.
RE.5 RESOLUTION
15-00434
District 4- A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION URGING GOVERNOR
Commissioner RICK SCOTTAND THE MEMBERS OF THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO
Francis Suarez AMEND THE PROVISIONS IN CHAPTER 339 OF THE FLORIDA STATUTES
TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF VOTING MEMBERS ON METROPOLITAN
PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS ("MPOS") OR, ALTERNATIVELY, TO MAKE
THE MIAMI-DADE MPO MORE EFFICIENT BY ANY OTHER EFFECTIVE
MEANS AS MAY BE PROPOSED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE MIAMI-DADE
MPO; ADDING THIS ISSUE TO THE CITY OF MIAMI'S LEGISLATIVE
PRIORITIES FOR 2015; DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMITA
COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE OFFICIALS STATED HEREIN.
15-00434 Legislation.pdf
15-00434 Back -Up Documents.pdf
15-00434-Submittal-Commissioner Suarez -Article Miami's Traffic.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff and Suarez
Absent: 2 - Commissioner(s) Carollo and Hardemon
R-15-0168
A motion was made by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, and was
passed unanimously, with Commissioner Carollo absent, directing the City Manager to provide a
status report at the April 23, 2015, City Commission meeting, on the proposal to build a Tri-Rail
station in Downtown Miami; further directing that the report include a chronology of actions and
events undertaken by the Administration to move this proposal forward.
Chair Gort: RE.5, sponsored by Commissioner Suarez.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I move it for discussion.
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
Chair Gort: It's been moved. Is there a second?
Commissioner Sarnoff Second
Chair Gort: Second by Commissioner Sarnoff.
Commissioner Sarnoff Do we want to get him out here? He's coming? You guys have that
radio of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Suarez, too?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): We might as well --
Chair Gort: We can discuss and --
Commissioner Sarnoff He's here.
Mr. Hannon: Commissioner Suarez is here.
Commissioner Suarez: I've been summoned. What would you like for me to participate in?
Vice Chair Hardemon: The MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) membership.
Commissioner Suarez: I'm sorry?
Vice Chair Hardemon: The MPO membership.
Commissioner Suarez: Yes, the MPO membership. Oh, you're talking about my agenda item.
Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah.
Commissioner Suarez: Oh, thank you; I appreciate that. Move it.
Vice Chair Hardemon: We did -- no, we moved it.
Chair Gort: It's been moved and second already. Discussion.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Chair. I thought I was being summoned for the
four -fifths one, but I am appropriately admonished. Thank you. Well, I want to thank all of you,
first of all, for moving it in my absence; and in particular, I want to thank my colleague on the
MPO, who is my colleague on the City Commission and my predecessor on the MPO, as well.
And I think he has seen, with equal frustration, and there are a variety of initiatives that this
Commission has tasked me with bringing to the MPO, the water taxis being one of them. And
one of the things I've realized is in my attempts to do that and things that you, this Commission
has unanimously passed, a frustrating inability to get the MPO to think cohesively and
coherently, mostly because of excessive parochialism. We have a 20-plus member board. So I
wrote a letter to the editor that was published by the Miami Herald, and that letter has been
incorporated into a City of Miami Beach resolution. The City of Miami Beach Mayor has taken
up that cause, ironically, who had a battle with me for the MPO vice chairmanship that
Commissioner Sarnoff was there by my side on, and we have actually mended fences, because
we've agreed on the substantive reform that's really needed for the benefit of the cities. So I
thank you for passing it, for moving it and seconding it, and we're going to attempt to fix it either
through the legislature, through legislative fiat or by the MPO creating some sort of structure
similar to what Jackson did in reducing their board.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Any further discussion? Yes, sir.
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Commissioner Sarnoff Mr. Chair, you know, the MPO should probably -- and its progeny and
what it will morph into, what it might not morph into, and I really have to give high marks to
Commissioner Suarez, because you have a board that's been broken for the better part of 20
years, and some would argue 30 years. And you have a community that may have had a size 7
shoe, and may have had a size 5 foot 20 years ago, but it's size foot is now a size 8, and it does
not fit inside the size 7 shoe. And you do not have an MPO board that sees this community on a
regional basis. Andl know there are those here that think it is not the City of Miami's business to
improve traffic, to improve the flow of people to and fro, wherever they're going, but we are, in
part, responsible for creating a city that I think we all want to create, which is a downtown urban
core that is dense, because -- and I'll say this very clearly and very precisely for the record. If
you care about the environment, if you care about your water resources, if you care about co2
emissions, if you care about the world, then you should act locally. The construction of vertical
services is the best way to preserve your resources, and I can just say to you -- and I'll yield in a
moment -- the best way to do that -- and we were at a Miami City Water & Sewage symposium,
Commissioner Carollo and I, and I asked specifically, very clearly, "What is the most efficient
way to deliver services?" and that is vertically. So we're building a vertical city, and nobody --
and we're creating the tax base for that vertical city; meaning we're creating acres in the sky,
Commissioner Gort, and those taxes are coming in, not just to us, but to the County, the School
Board, et cetera. And those taxes are not being spent where and how they should. So
Commissioner Suarez is right. This board needs a transformation. And the good analogy he
used is, of course, Jackson. And I'm going to yield to Commissioner Suarez since it's his motion,
but I'm also going to ask at the close of this, Commissioner Suarez, to join me in a motion for the
next Commission meeting to get a status report on where they are with Tri-Rail; meaning "they,"
being the Administration -- Mr. Alfonso, Ms. Bravo and the Mayor.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you. Andl will join you in that motion. Mr. Chair, ifI may.
Chair Gort: Listen, I have to tell you, we at the City of Miami has to worry about traffic more
than any other city, because we get affected constantly. I mean, yesterday, I had to go to a
meeting. I believe it was about 4:30. I was in downtown Miami. I had to go to the water park
on 37th Avenue. It took me I don't know how many lights, a half an hour when it used to take
about 10 minutes, because people are getting off the expressway. We need public transportation
and that's very important. Like you said, if we going vertical, we got to create the transportation
to go ahead and carry us through the City.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair, ifI may?
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Suarez: I just want to -- I put an article in front of you and I gave it to the Clerk.
It's very short, it's really -- with the picture, it's almost like one page. I'm taking a page out of
Commissioner Sarnoffs book. If you look at it, what's interesting about it, it says, obviously,
Miami's traffic has gotten worse in the past year; something I think we all know. But it's giving
some empirical data that you can look at and -- to actually just it. And what it does is, it's a
GPS (Global Positioning System) device company that actually tracks the amount of time,
because GPS' are pinging constantly, so they're not only giving you direction, they can also mark
the amount of time that we're on our roads. And what's interesting is that it says that our
congestion level last year was 27 percent; meaning that the average trip takes about 27 percent
longer than if there were no traffic. But on rush hour, the traffic congestion level is 60 percent;
meaning that a 30-minute trip actually takes 48 minutes, almost double the amount of time,
which is a significant increase from last year. So when you talk about, you know, what maybe
things like the impact of the increased tolls are on our MDX (Miami -Dade Expressway)
roadways, this is the kind of empirical data that lends strength to the continual arguments that
people are making that our roads are more congested. So here it is empirically proven through,
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
you know, these GPS electronic satellite systems. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying
aye.
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you.
Mr. Hannon: Now, Chair, there was an ore tenus motion. They might -- this -- the motion that
you just voted on was for RE.5.
Chair Gort: RE. 5.
Mr. Hannon: There was an ore tenus motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, and, sir, if you wouldn't
mind repeating that --
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Commissioner Sarnoff Repeating?
Mr. Hannon: Okay, we're good to go. The one about having the Administration come back with
a status report, I believe, at the next meeting, on Tri-Rail?
Commissioner Sarnoff Correct. And with all actions they've taken; all means and manners of
meetings they've had; and a chronology in telling us what they've done on a daily basis to move
the ball.
Chair Gort: Okay, there's a motion and a second.
Commissioner Suarez: Yes.
Chair Gort: Second.
Commissioner Suarez: And I would just add that I think, you know, the unanimous vote of this
Commission spoke volumes about what the will of this Commission was on this issue. The fact
that we were allocating funds was -- also spoke volumes; the fact that we had a May 22, 2014
resolution of the City Commission. So I think the board, the governing board of the City of
Miami has spoken very clearly on this issue that this needs to move forward, so that's what I'm
hoping to see, progress in moving forward
Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah. And I just question whether the governing body and the
Administration are on the same page.
Commissioner Suarez: They should be.
Chair Gort: Okay.
Commissioner Sarnoff We'll find out.
Chair Gort: There's a motion and a second. Further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state
it by saying "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Gort: Okay, four -fifths.
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RE.6
15-00365
Department of Real
Estate and Asset
Management
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT,
PURSUANT TO A SPECIAL WARRANTY DEED ("DEED"), IN
SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, THE DONATION OF A PARCEL OF
LAND LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 455 NORTHEAST 28 STREET, MIAMI,
FLORI DA, ADJACENT TO PRH NORTHEAST 28TH STREET LLC, A FLORI DA
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ("GRANTOR"), AS MORE PARTICULARLY
DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A" OF THE DEED, TO THE CITY OF MIAMI
("CITY"); WITH THE GRANTOR INCURRING ALL COSTS ASSOCIATED
WITH THE TRANSFER OF THE PROPERTY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED
TO THE SURVEY, ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT, DOCUMENTARY STAMP
TAXES, AS APPLICABLE, TITLE INSURANCE, AND CLOSING COSTS;
FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ANY OTHER
NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, IN ORDER TO EFFECTUATE SAID CONVEYANCE.
15-00365 Summary Form.pdf
15-00365 Back -Up Documents - Waiver.pdf
15-00365 Legislation.pdf
15-00365 Exhibit A.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
RE.7
14-01252
Office of Management
and Budget
Note for the Record: Item RE.6 was deferred to the April 23, 2015 Planning and Zoning City
Commission Meeting.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), IN COMPLIANCE WITH RESOLUTION NO. R-07-0586,
ADOPTED OCTOBER 11, 2007 ("BOND RESOLUTION"), AND THE TAX
COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE, DATED AS OF DECEMBER 5, 2007 ("TAX
COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE") FOR THE $80,000,000.00 CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORI DA SPECIAL OBLIGATION BONDS, SERIES 2007 (STREET AND
SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM) ("SERIES 2007 BONDS");
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER, THE CITY ATTORNEY, BOND
COUNSEL, DISCLOSURE COUNSEL, AND ALL OTHER NECESSARY
OFFICIALS, EMPLOYEES, AND AGENTS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY")
TO TAKE ALL ACTIONS REQUIRED IN CONNECTION WITH THIS
CONTINUING COMPLIANCE RESOLUTION; MAKING AMENDMENTS TO
PREVIOUS APPROPRIATIONS RELATING TO THE CAPITAL FUND, THE
DEBT SERVICE FUND, GENERAL FUND, AND SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS
BUDGETS FOR THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR 2015 AND THE PREVIOUS
FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2014 TO COMPLY WITH THE
BOND RESOLUTION AND THE TAX COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE FOR THE
SERIES 2007 BONDS; AND AMENDING THE CITY'S FISCAL YEAR
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
2014-2015 MULTI -YEAR CAPITAL PLAN ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 9, 2014
PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION NO. 14-0322, AS SUBSEQUENTLY AMENDED
("PLAN"), FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS PROJECTS ("PROJECTS") AND
APPROPRIATIONS TO THOSE PREVIOUSLY LISTED IN THE PLAN, AND
REVISING AND AMENDING CURRENT APPROPRIATIONS AMONG
PREVIOUSLY APPROVED PROJECTS; FURTHER APPROPRIATING
FUNDING FOR PROJECTS, ALL AS INDICATED IN CONSOLIDATED
EXHIBITSA AND B, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED; RATIFYING,
APPROVING, AND CONFIRMING CERTAIN NECESSARY ACTIONS BY THE
CITY MANAGER AND DESIGNATED CITY DEPARTMENTS IN ORDER TO
UPDATE THE RELEVANT FINANCIAL CONTROLS AND COMPUTER
SYSTEMS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.
14-01252 Summary Form.pdf
14-01252 Pre-Legislation.pdf
14-01252-Submittal-City Manager -Additional Background Information.pdf
14-01252 Legislation.pdf
14-01252 ExhibitA.pdf
14-01252 Exhibit B.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Vice Chair Hardemon, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0169
Chair Gort: RE.6.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, that was deferred.
Chair Gort: Deferred, okay, RE. 6.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Mr. Chair --
Chair Gort: RE.7.
Christopher Rose (Director): Good morning, Commissioners. Chris Rose, Office of
Management & Budget. RE.7 is a rather complex reso that has a very simple outcome. It brings
us into compliance with the 2007 streets and sidewalks bonds. We've briefed each of the
Commissioners' offices. It has a three -step process, moving all of our expenses to the oldest
bond money first, and then moving money around such that there is no net change, no projects
are defunded, but it brings us into compliance for that bond.
Commissioner Suarez: Move it for discussion.
Chair Gort: Thank you. It's been moved by Commissioner Suarez --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Second.
Chair Gort: -- second by Vice Chairman Hardemon. You're recognized, Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: I would just like to say that Robin Jackson was shaking her head jfes'bs
you were reading that.
Mr. Rose: Thank you, Commissioner. And if I may, Mr. Chair? There was an email sent out
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
yesterday around 11 a.m. that I'd like to bring -- just place in the record with the Clerk's Office.
It has background information; outside bond counsel stating that what the City is proposing here
is accomplishing what we wanted to accomplish, and it's fully legal. IfI may?
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Mr. Rose: Thankyou, Commissioner.
Commissioner Sarnoff. So we can rely upon advice of counsel?
Chair Gort: Bond counsel.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Good defense.
Chair Gort: Bond counselor and our own counsel. Any further discussion? Okay, all in favor,
state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Mr. Rose: Thankyou, Commissioners.
RE.8 RESOLUTION
15-00328
SEOPW Community A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Redevelopment ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING AND ADOPTING THE AMENDED BUDGET
Agency OF THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("SEOPW CRA"), ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING
OCTOBER 1, 2014, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2015 ("AMENDED
BUDGET), AS APPROVED BY THE SEOPW CRA'S BOARD OF
COMMISSIONERS, INCLUDING AN AMENDMENT TO THE
APPROPRIATIONS RELATING TO DEBT SERVICE FUND REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2015, ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "B."
15-00328 Memo - SEOPW CRA.pdf
15-00328 Back -Up I nterlocal Cooperation Agrmt.pdf
15-00328 Legislation.pdf
15-00328 Exhibit A.pdf
15-00328 Exhibit B.pdf
15-00328 Exhibit - Back-Up.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0170
Chair Gort: RE.8.
Vice Chair Hardemon: RE.8 is the Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA (Community
Redevelopment Agency) amended budget, and I'd like to move it for acceptance.
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Commissioner Sarnoff. Second.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by --
Commissioner Suarez: What number is it?
Chair Gort: -- Vice Chairman Hardemon; second by Commissioner Sarnoff. Any further
discussion?
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Being none, all in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
RE.9 RESOLUTION
15-00408
District 1- A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION WAIVING THE
Commissioner PROHIBITIONS IN SECTION 2-11.1 OF THE CODE OF MIAMI-DADE
Wifredo (Willy) Gort COUNTY, AND APPROVING ACCEPTANCE OF THE PAYMENT OF TRAVEL
EXPENSES BY CAMARA DE COMERCIO LATINA DE LOS ESTADOS
UNIDOS, INC., FORA BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MISSION TO POLAND,
WHICH MISSION IS FOR THE USE AND BENEFIT OF THE CITY OF MIAMI
("CITY"); AUTHORIZING COMMISSIONER WIFREDO (WILLY) GORT TO
REPRESENT THE CITY IN THIS BUSINESS ENDEAVOR; DIRECTING THE
CITY CLERK TO TRANSMITA COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE
MIAMI-DADE COMMISSION ON ETHICS.
15-00408 Back-up from Law Dept..pdf
15-00408 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0171
Chair Gort: RE.9.
Commissioner Sarnoff. So move, Mr. Chair.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: It's been moved and second. Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state
it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Gort: RE.10.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Tell me how Game of Thrones is when you get there.
Chair Gort: Beg your pardon?
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RE.10
15-00404
Department of Capital
Improvement
Programs/Transportat
ion
Commissioner Sarnoff. Just -- they film Game of Thrones right around there.
Commissioner Suarez: I love that show, by the way. It's a good show.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE
FIRST ADDENDUM TO THE REVOCABLE LICENSE AGREEMENT
("AMENDMENT"), BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") AND NATIONAL
MARINE MANUFACTURER'S ASSOCIATION INC. ("LICENSEE"), IN
SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, AMENDING SECTION 21,
IMPROVEMENTS, ALTERATIONS, ADDITIONS, OR REPLACEMENTS, OF
THE REVOCABLE LICENSE ("LICENSE"), TO INCORPORATE THE ADDING
OF ELECTRIC UTILITIES ("UTILITY WORK") TO THE PROPERTY, AS MORE
PARTICULARLY DEFINED IN THE LICENSE; FURTHER INCORPORATING
THE SCOPE OF WORK, WHICH IS ESTIMATED AT $3,306,000.00 WHICH IS
TO BE FUNDED EQUALLY BY LICENSEE AND THE CITY; PROVIDING FOR
THE CITY'S CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS THE COST OF THE UTILITY WORK
TO BE ALLOCATED FROM CAPITAL PROJECT, B-40668, MARINE STADIUM
PARK DEVELOPMENT; FURTHER REAFFIRMING THAT THE CITY'S
AGGREGATE CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS THE COST OF
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE PROPERTY SHALL NOT EXCEED $16,000,000.00;
PROVIDING FOR ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS MORE
PARTICULARLY SET FORTH IN THE AMENDMENT, IN A MANNER
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY MANAGER, AND SUBJECT TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S APPROVAL.
15-00404 Summary Form.pdf
15-00404 Pre-Legislation.pdf
15-00404 Legislation.pdf
15-00404 Exhibit A.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0172
Chair Gort: RE.10.
Mark Spanioli: Good morning, Commissioners. Mark Spanioli, director of Capital
Improvements & Transportation. RE.10 is an addendum to the revocable license agreement with
the Boat Show folks for the Marine Stadium Flex Park. This addendum incorporates a couple of
things. One is the payments by the Boat Show folks, in an amount of about $1.65 million, to
cover the additional electrical feeders that would be required for the floating dock portion of the
show, and it also incorporates a section that increases the time required, the setup time for them
to start as early as November 30.
Chair Gort: Okay.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Mr. Chair, I'd like to --
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Chair Gort: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- make a motion to deny.
Chair Gort: Motion to deny.
Commissioner Sarnoff I do, and I'd like to be heard, if possible.
Chair Gort: Sure.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And if I may, can you explain some reasons why --
Commissioner Sarnoff I --
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- so first, and then make the motion so I can --?
Commissioner Sarnoff I -- that's fine. So if you all will recall my comments concerning this
particular use of the place with regard to the boating show, my questions to you in December 14
-- December of 2014 -- I apologize, Mr. Chair -- were pretty clear, which is, "What is this park
going to look like the 10 days that the Boat Show wouldn't load in and load out? " And candidly,
let me be truthful. The head of Capital Improvements, along with the Deputy Manager, were
very clear, and I think they believed it at the time, that the load-in/load-out of this would be 30
days, so theoretically, we would have a park use for the better part of 11 months, if you will. And
the park that was shown to me -- is there any way I can get that up? Can you please put this up
on the screen, Communications? Are they on their coffee break or their lunch break? Well, Mr.
Chair, this is what was shown to me for what the park would look like. In the process -- and any
time Communications comes up, that'd be fine.
Mr. Spanioli: We can provide them on the boards here. We'll bring them over.
Commissioner Sarnoff Do you have them?
Mr. Spanioli: Yeah, we do have them.
Commissioner Sarnoff Perfect. Any -- just for the heck of it, when Igo to budgeting this year,
can I find out what the Communications' budget is? Because, obviously, we either need to
increase it or make a change.
Commissioner Suarez: It's not small.
Commissioner Sarnoff But, you know, maybe I'm in that box that Commissioner Carollo used to
be in. So this park was attractive to me, and I think it should be attractive to all of us. And let
me be candid with everyone. While this is in District 2, this is certainly a citywide issue. Now
I've come to learn that for 220 days -- 240 days, they'll have use of that park, but for 160 days --
I know that doesn't add up, Commissioner Suarez -- for four months, the first year, it will be for
the Boat Show to load in and for the Boat Show to load out, which means you'll have heavy
equipment; it means you'll have what appears to be the artificial turf rolled up. You will not have
use of a park facility, and I think that's not just incrementalism; that's a huge cavernous change
from 30 days to 160 days load-in/load-out. Now, to be candid with you, the Administration says
they think they can improve on the four months, getting it down to three months. That still is not
where I want to be. As the Commissioner of the district and having my input with this
Commission, I don't think we should have load -in and load -outs in excess of three months.
Commissioner Suarez: Can I --
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Commissioner Sarnoff So this is where I'm getting off the bus and being very, very clear. While
I could have tolerated an intense use of this by the Boat Show for a very short time to create the
funding mechanism for what I think is a great recreational opportunity for the adolescents and
kids of Miami to play, as well as the adults, I no longer think this is the true vision of this
Administration. Because to have something torn up, rolled up for in excess of three months,
that's a quarter of a year at least and a third of the year at most.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Suarez: I have maybe questions, comments, concerns; I don't know how to
express it. Is -- when the capital improvements are done, is that what it will look like?
Alice Bravo (Chief of Infrastructure): Alice Bravo, Deputy Manager. Yes. What you're seeing
here are after the improvements are built and the artificial turf is rolled out.
Commissioner Suarez: So the staging will go on top of that?
Ms. Bravo: Well, what we would do is roll up the artificial turf --
Commissioner Suarez: Right.
Ms. Bravo: -- to start erecting the --
Commissioner Suarez: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Ms. Bravo: -- temporary structures. And ifI may, the agreement that we're amending provides
73 days of setup time for the show.
Commissioner Suarez: Okay.
Ms. Bravo: And basically --
Commissioner Suarez: That's a little more than two months.
Ms. Bravo: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah.
Ms. Bravo: So --
Commissioner Suarez: Two and a half.
Ms. Bravo: -- this first year we're basically running all our construction up through the setup
time for the show; and this is the first time that we're doing this setup, so we wanted to make sure
that there's ample time to work out the kinks of it; and then the following year, we'll probably
need less time.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair, can I ask a couple --
Chair Gort: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: -- of follow-up questions? So, according to your -- according to this
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agreement, the setup time is 73 days?
Ms. Bravo: We would start November 30.
Commissioner Suarez: But it's 73 days, approximately? Okay. So there's slightly over two
months. I guess my question is this -- because here -- I -- you know, I followed what's going on
with Key Biscayne, obviously, tried to follow it as closely as possible. And obviously, I think
their main concern -- and it may be slightly different from Commissioner Sarnoffs. I'm not
saying that it's the same.
Commissioner Sarnoff I don't think it is --
Commissioner Suarez: Their main concern is the intensity of the use, and the traffic that that
would engender, if you will. To me, a larger setup would actually be better for them in a way,
because it would prevent us from leasing it to someone else that would continue -- the traffic
issue that they have, but I understand where you're coming from, which is different. Your
concern is a little different. You want it to be -- yours is a use issue, you know, in terms of you
know, this -- and for me, here's where I sit, okay, and maybe hope that this can be helpful. When
we voted on the Boat Show, I think you kind of pinched your nose a little bit, in fairness to you,
and said, "Let's do this for a year, and let's see how it works out. I'm not going to commit
beyond a year." And I think we all were ready -- and I'll be honest with you. I was ready to
jump all in, you know, 20 years, 15, 50 years, whatever, because I was looking at it more from a
financial perspective of trying to defease [sic] the debt or whatever capital -- you know, just
making it economically a good idea, so I -- you kind of -- it's kind of like the -- Commissioner
Hardemon on the crime -- you know, the police staffing issue and trying to look at it in a different
way. You made me look at it from a different perspective. You know, I think -- I understand
where you're going with this, but this would, I think, derail the whole thing. I mean, this will --
this -- and I'm not saying that you're trying to do that, but my -- and even for Key Biscayne, I
think we should at least give it one opportunity. You know what I mean? Let's see how it plays
out. If you don't like it, I'm with you. You know I've stood with you when there's been a line full
of people here that have not wanted to do what you want to do.
Commissioner Sarnoff And we should call it Suarez Park."
Commissioner Suarez: Well, I'll tell you this. It's -- you know, it was the right thing to do, and I
think you're seeing, you know -- and there was a, "Well, let's do it one year. And then we said --
one year turned into two years; two years turned into three years, but every single year I was
willing to blow that bomb up, you know. So I think we're in a similar situation here. I
understand where you're going with this. You know, it's beautiful, and it's beautiful to think that
we now have active -- we have brought online previously dormant -- which we did also with
Museum Park -- park space and parkland. I would just say, let's give it one year, an
opportunity; maybe there's efficiencies that are created for year two, which is, I think, what Ms.
Bravo seems to be indicating. The 73 days is a little bit less than what you were led to believe.
Ms. Bravo: And --
Commissioner Sarnoff Well --
Ms. Bravo: -- could I add one thing to ameliorate Commissioner's concerns? In talking to the
provider that'll set up the temporary structures, basically, the first structures that would start
November 30 are the ones on the west side of the Marine Stadium, which is always to be a
parking lot. And then it would be phased in, the ones on the turf parking area, and then finally
the ones at the field. So November 30, you wouldn't lose the fields. That would probably be late
December.
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Commissioner Sarnoff But I want to be clear with Commissioner Suarez, because I don't want
them to think I go rogue when I get up here. I had a briefing with you this morning, very brief I
had a briefing with Mark Spanioli much longer. I was told three, possibly four months, and I
was told it's a million square feet of, I believe, tents; and it's just going to take a long time to set
up a million square feet of tents, which --
Ms. Bravo: But with this phasing. We would start on the parking lot first --
Commissioner Sarnoff Oh, I --
Ms. Bravo: -- leaving the fields for last, so --
Commissioner Sarnoff Here's --
Ms. Bravo: -- you get an extra month without impacting the fields. So it's 73 days for the
parking area, but it's actually less time, 40-something for the area with the fields.
Commissioner Sarnoff So -- and I -- what I would ask is point me to where it says "73 days."
Commissioner Suarez: Let's memorialize it, I think, is what he's trying to say. Memorialize it in
the agreement.
Ms. Bravo: Page 2 of 5.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay, so page 2 of 5 says they shall have not more than 73 days for load
in the event and load out?
Ms. Bravo: Seventy-three days before the event for (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay. And then --
Ms. Bravo: And that would be phased --
Commissioner Sarnoff -- in the event --
Ms. Bravo: -- to impact the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Commissioner Sarnoff Wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait, wait.
Ms. Bravo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) as least as possible.
Chair Gort: Wait a minute.
Commissioner Sarnoff All I --
Chair Gort: One at a time, please.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- care about is from the time you roll up the carpet to the time you roll
back the carpet.
Ms. Bravo: And that's what I'm explaining. The carpet roll -up would not start at 73 days,
because we would start in the western parking lot first, so that area would be 30 days later,
perhaps, so.
Commissioner Sarnoff "Perhaps." I love the -- you know, the adjective -- no, I guess it's called
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like an adverb, isn't it, "perhaps"?
Chair Gort: "Perhaps." "Perhaps " is what makes the difference.
Commissioner Suarez: Condition.
Ms. Bravo: Well, this first year --
Commissioner Sarnoff I --
Ms. Bravo: -- because we're going straight from construction to set up, we wouldn't be rolling
anything up.
Commissioner Sarnoff But --
Ms. Bravo: But this year is where we're developing the timeline because we're having that
experience for the first time.
Commissioner Sarnoff Let's even assume it's 100 days. Let's assume it's 100 days. That is three
months where you're going to have no use of a park.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, ifI may?
Chair Gort: Wait. Are you finished?
Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah, yeah.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Suarez: No. I think we're talking about two different things, if I'm not mistaken,
because I'm listening to what you're saying. It seems like you're saying that the staging totally
will take a certain number of time, but the field will be inactive for a shorter period of time, so --
and I think his concern -- by the way, understandable, from a Commissioner who's lost a couple
of parks, have been inactive, you know, due to contamination, and one of which really benefits
my district and has fields as well. Maybe we can amend the agreement to say that the fields will
only be out of operation, if you will, for whatever you think is a reasonable amount of time to get
that done so that he's not focused on the aggregate number and he's focused more on the field
inactivity number, which I think is a legitimate concern. I think it's beautiful. It's -- I want to
limit the amount of time that that's not useable as well.
Ms. Bravo: Correct. So what we would propose --
Commissioner Suarez: Forty-five days? Do you think that would be enough?
Ms. Bravo: How about 73 days for the overall setup, as it's written here --
Commissioner Suarez: Right.
Ms. Bravo: -- and then the area with the fields, restricting that to 53 days?
Commissioner Suarez: Okay. I mean, is he okay? I mean, it's up to him.
Chair Gort: Let me ask you a question. The contract says "73 days, " right? Then you say
you're going to start at the parking lot.
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Ms. Bravo: Right.
Chair Gort: And how long is that going to take?
Ms. Bravo: Well, that --
Chair Gort: Thirty days?
Ms. Bravo: That's the area we would go in first.
Chair Gort: Right. How long do you think --?
Ms. Bravo: But once they're up, they're up, so it's --
Chair Gort: I understand. How long do you think it will take?
Ms. Bravo: I would say that area would take two to three weeks to set up. There's a unique
curve structure in that area.
Chair Gort: Thirty days, knowing the process. Thirty days. Take 30 days from 73, it means the
field is going to be occupied for how long? Sixty -some days; is that what you're trying to tell us?
Ms. Bravo: Trying to propose for the fields 53 days, so --
Commissioner Suarez: I think she's trying to give herself a little bit of wiggle room, because it's
the first time she's done it.
Ms. Bravo: This first year, we're not going to have the artificial turf in place. We're going
straight from construction to show setup, so we're not impacting anything this first year. We
want to make sure we do it right, that we're not, you know -- this is being done for the first time,
so since there is no impact this first year, there's really -- setting these dates this first year doesn't
impact any use of any field, so that's -- it's preferable to have the right amount of time, work out
the kinks --
Commissioner Suarez: Yes.
Ms. Bravo: -- and then we can set a tighter timeline for next year's show --
Commissioner Suarez: That's -- I mean, that's fine with me, but --
Ms. Bravo: -- once we have that experience under our belt.
Chair Gort: My second question is --
Commissioner Suarez: That makes sense.
Chair Gort: -- this is not in existence at this time?
Ms. Bravo: Correct. Right now, that's all asphalt.
Chair Gort: The field.
Ms. Bravo: That's all asphalt right now, and we're about to start --
Chair Gort: Which means --
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Ms. Bravo: -- heavy construction.
Chair Gort: -- part of the process in allowing this to take place, the field's going to be created.
Ms. Bravo: Well, what we're installing there will be like an asphalt base that will be used for the
temporary structures; and then once those temporary structures are removed, we'll lay out the
artificial turf and it's a system that is rolled up. It takes about a day to roll it up. We have a
sample here that we can show of the system. So this is used in all types of stadiums where they
roll it up, they have an event, they roll it back out, and that's how they can use --
Chair Gort: Maybe we can start using that in the swales. Can cars go over it?
Ms. Bravo: So this first year, we would be having our construction, then the show setup. And
after the show setup, we'd lay out the artificial turf so it would be March of next year. So this
first year, we're not impacting any recreational time.
Chair Gort: You ever thought of using that in the swales?
Mr. Spanioli: I mean, we have, yes. Yeah.
Ms. Bravo: It would have to be traffic -worthy. So what we're asking for is this time; for this first
year, let's learn what the timeline is, and then we can have a more constrained timeline for the
second show once we have this experience, and then that's when the fields would be in use, and
so that's when this really matters.
Commissioner Sarnoff And let me ask you -- is it all right, Mr. Chair?
Chair Gort: Yes, go ahead sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff What happens when somebody wants to put the tulip show in there or
some other show in there? Then we roll it up again and --
Ms. Bravo: Well, those are agreements that would have to come before the City Commission for
approval.
Commissioner Sarnoff I understand that. But there again, it's taking away a park use.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, I understand it's this Commission that can determine it, but I've
seen this Commission determine some things that I wasn't onboard with, so. You know, I
appreciate everything you're doing, Commissioner Suarez, I really do. For my money, and I
guess it is, in some part, our money, you should be able to dismantle and put this back together
again in 30 days, just this section, because you should be able to move your material to the east
side of the park for proper removal. I just think -- I think maybe we're putting that size nine shoe
-- you know, a size nine foot in a size seven shoe. I think it's cramped.
Commissioner Suarez: Can I just respond to that?
Chair Gort: Commissioner Suarez, you're recognized.
Commissioner Suarez: Two quick points. One, I kind of agree with what you're saying. You
know, I think that where there's a will, there's a way; and certainly, staging in 30 days, I think, is
doable. I mean, I don't -- I'm not an expert; I have no idea. But I presume that'll just mean they
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have to increase the volume of trucks that come in to set up --
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, think --
Commissioner Suarez: -- for a shorter period of time.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- about Ultra.
Commissioner Suarez: Right.
Commissioner Sarnoff They could stage that in and out -- very heavy use, very large-scale
tents, and they're able to do it in less than 10 days.
Commissioner Suarez: Okay. I -- again, I'm not an expert. I think it can be done. But I think
you touch on a larger point as well, and it's part of what -- and I have a discussion item that is
on the next meeting, but I think the -- we've been asked to push it one more meeting, because the
broader conversation is -- and this does affect the litigation as well, which is what is our vision
for this, you know, in terms of park, you know, uses, all that stuff? And I think that is a
discussion that, for whatever reason, just stopped. You know, after the whole fiasco with the
Friends and all that stuff and we moved on this, it was like we were so happy that we got this
going, and then we just like, "Okay, well" -- that's -- that was my point in bringing that
discussion item. So I think we do need to have that conversation.
Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): I would --
Vice Chair Hardemon: I have a question. In regards to 40 -- 53 days, 30 days, we're trying to
set a time limit for this year and then moving forward. That's what this contract would set the
time limit for.
Ms. Bravo: Well, right now it amends the license agreement, and the license agreement has no
term. It's basically revocable at any time by the City.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Because my question then becomes if the concern is the use of the park
space or the field space, but there is no field space to be used today, is there any way -- and I
don't know, because -- I mean, this is something that's very close to our District 2 Commissioner.
But do you set a certain time limit for this one and then put language as for every -- a year
moving forward? Does that help satisfy the problem?
Ms. Bravo: Well, we could do that, and add here 73 days before commencement of the show to
take place, February of 2016, and this would be brought back for further amendment for the
following show to accept that time --
Vice Chair Hardemon: That's for -- discussion on that one.
Ms. Bravo: -- for the 2017 show.
Commissioner Suarez: Make sense.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I don't know. I mean, it's for discussion of -- with the Commissioners.
Commissioner Sarnoff I -- you know -- I understand what you all are trying to do. I think the
vision of this Commission might be different than the vision of the District 2 Commissioner, and I
understand that. We've had that parting of the ways. I'm sure you've had it in situations with
you. I may not join you guys on this. I implore you to keep a very tight leash on this show,
because there are a lot of people -- a lot of pretty smart people who question what we're doing;
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and if it works out, you guys will seem brilliant. And if it doesn't work out, we'll just seem like
the City of Miami.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So what were the restrictions that you would require be?
Commissioner Sarnoff I -- that they be -- that -- so the -- for this particular license year, she
has a point, which is "I don't know have a load -in period because I don't have a built park."
What I would say is that the section you see for the soccer stadium, that they be off the premise
within 30 days.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Move it.
Commissioner Suarez: Let's go. Second. You know, and I'll say this -- and I'm going to support
it and we're going to --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Well, we'll have to agree to it anyway.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, yeah, we're going to pass it. The only -- and guess doesn't matter
because we won't really know this year. We'll know if we keep doing this, by the way, because
again, you make a good point. The point is we're not sure we want to keep doing this, for a lot of
good reasons, but that's a decision we're going to have to make at some point, and we're going to
re -discuss this and go through that. But they're going to have to do it within 30 days. Now, the
concern I have -- and you can come back to this Commission, if you want, while you're doing it
-- will it inadvertently make things worse for Key Biscayne? That's the concern that I have.
Because if you're loading in the same amount -- if you're doing the same amount of work and
you're just compressing the time frame, all you're doing is doing it for longer hours in a given
day. You get what I'm saying?
Commissioner Sarnoff Or --
Commissioner Suarez: Simple mathematics.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- you can use a barge --
Commissioner Suarez: Well, I --
Commissioner Sarnoff -- and barge it -- there are a lot of ways --
Commissioner Suarez: Okay.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- to get in and out of there.
Commissioner Suarez: I have no idea.
Commissioner Sarnoff Right. And I agree, because it could be an unintended consequence.
Commissioner Suarez: That's what I'm worried about.
Commissioner Sarnoff I don't deny that. And as Alice would say, "Then give me the chance to
show you how to do it." Look, the one thing I've learned in my nine years of being here, if you
don't keep a tight leash on people here, you have no idea where the dog's going to run. All I'm
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suggesting to you is that if you don't think you can break this down in 30 days, probably
shouldn't be doing it.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Commissioner --
Ms. Bravo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Ms. Mendez: I'm sorry; ifI may?
Ms. Bravo: Based on --
Ms. Mendez: The original agreement --
Commissioner Sarnoff No. I'm --
Chair Gort: Wait. Hold it, hold it, hold it. One at a time, please.
Vice Chair Hardemon: With my --
Chair Gort: Commissioner, are you finished, Commissioner Sarnoff?
Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah. Again, I'm saying that the soccer field should be functional 30
days after the last day of the Boat Show.
Ms. Bravo: And that's what we have here, 28 days that everything will be cleared out --
Commissioner Sarnoff Can you read it to me? Can you read it to me?
Ms. Bravo: Okay. This section of the agreement is also being modified to permit the licensee
access to the property, remove and take down equipment up to 28 days after the final date of the
show.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay, but that doesn't say a functioning soccer field within 30 days.
Ms. Bravo: We can add that, and that's our onus to lay out the field. That's fine. We could agree
to that.
Commissioner Sarnoff So then, in the 31st day -- and I want this record to be clear --
Ms. Bravo: The field will be ready for play.
Commissioner Sarnoff Wait, wait, wait, wait. And if it is not, there would be -- and I want to
hear you say this -- a breach of a license agreement.
Commissioner Suarez: And I'll --
Commissioner Sarnoff Wait, wait, wait. Let her say it.
Chair Gort: Say -- wait. One person, please.
Ms. Bravo: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Commissioner Suarez: Can I -- she can't buy the (UNINTELLIGIBLE), but can I just -- because
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I think you said something, and I want to make sure that what you're trying to say is what you
said.
Commissioner Sarnoff Go ahead.
Commissioner Suarez: The field will not be inactive for more than 30 days.
Ms. Bravo: After the last day of the show.
Chair Gort: After the last day of the show.
Commissioner Suarez: That's not what he's trying to get at, I don't think.
Commissioner Sarnoff But I'm getting to this -- just this year -- right, because -- correct me if --
is this coming back -- wait, wait, wait. Is this coming back to the Commission next -- 2015 --
'16?
Ms. Bravo: So I'm saying that that would be the proper amendment to this; to say that we're
providing these days for the show to be held in 2016, and that we would come back to the
Commission with a new set of dates for 2017 and subsequent shows with that experience under
our belt.
Commissioner Sarnoff So what I'm doing is buying this year's license agreement of ensuring the
soccer parks are functional on the 31st day?
Ms. Bravo: After the end of the show, yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff After the end of the show. And then, is there any way then that
somebody could inadvertently -- you know how things are inadvertently done in the City -- just
continue that license agreement without bringing it back to the Commission?
Ms. Bravo: No, because they would need the additional time.
Commissioner Sarnoff No. Do you under --?
Chair Gort: What was the answer? I'm sorry.
Ms. Bravo: Well, we would have to bring it back after the 2016 show to amend for the new set of
time for the 2017 show --
Commissioner Sarnoff But what mechanism --
Ms. Bravo: because it reverts back --
Commissioner Sarnoff Wait, wait.
Ms. Bravo: -- to the original amendment.
Commissioner Sarnoff What mechanism brings it back? I want to hear the mechanics of it.
Ms. Mendez: Commissioner, just a few things. This has to come back before you because the
date encompassed here is just the 2016 period. So this has to come back before you in that
regard.
Commissioner Sarnoff Doesn't have a rollover provision; doesn't have any mechanism where
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
the landlord doesn't take any action; that it's just considered to be a holdover scenario.
Ms. Mendez: No. We -- the way -- remember, the way that we originally discussed this, it was
going to be for next year with -- you know, with both parties trying to work together to make it a
longer period of time in the future; the five-year period that we had talked about.
Commissioner Sarnoff So I'm hearing the City Attorney tell me with great assurance that
sometime in 2016 --
Ms. Mendez: This will be before you again, okay.
Commissioner Sarnoff Won't be before me, but it'll be for a Commission. Okay.
Ms. Mendez: The body.
Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah, the body, okay.
Ms. Mendez: Yes. And then the other thing that I just wanted to point out -- because I know you
were talking about this 30-day period. Remember, the original document that we signed had to
do with - we talked about 14 days after and 21 days before, so that's a little bit bigger than a
30-day period so --
Commissioner Sarnoff Fourteen days after and 21 days before is what?
Ms. Mendez: For --
Ms. Bravo: That's what was in the original license --
Commissioner Suarez: Five days.
Ms. Bravo: -- and that's what we're modifying here --
Ms. Mendez: Right. We're modifying --
Ms. Bravo: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Ms. Mendez: -- it to the 73 days, but I know -- I was hearing that you were talking about the 30
days. Just remember that there is a provision already that was discussed, which would be
coming in, I believe, 21 days before and then --
Ms. Bravo: But that's what we're modifying.
Ms. Mendez: I understand. But they wanted to make it even tighter, and it cannot be tighter
than the original document, is what I'm saying.
Ms. Bravo: And we're --
Unidentified Speaker: No.
Ms. Bravo: -- talking about these dates, so it's not as tight as the original.
Ms. Mendez: Okay. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't a total time frame.
Ms. Bravo: Okay.
City of Miami Page 69 Printed on 5/7/2015
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
Commissioner Sarnoff Y'all getting this?
Vice Chair Hardemon: No, I don't. Mr. Chairman, that's why I want to clar5 then how that
affects the motion that I made that --
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- Commissioner Suarez --
Ms. Mendez: I just --
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- modified.
Ms. Mendez: I understood that the motion you were making is that everything needed to be done
within 30 days, coming in and coming out.
Unidentified Speaker: No.
Ms. Bravo: No.
Commissioner Suarez: No, no.
Ms. Bravo: No, no, no.
Ms. Mendez: Okay, so what is the motion that you are making?
Ms. Bravo: Could I --
Commissioner Suarez: The field has to be --
Ms. Bravo: Could I clam it?
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, yeah.
Ms. Bravo: All right.
Chair Gort: Yes, go ahead.
Ms. Bravo: So we're going to have the 73 days before commencement of the show for the 2016
show, and we'll have the takedown of the equipment 28 days after final day of the shows [sic],
with the new soccer fields in place 31 days after the end of the show; and we'll do that for the
2016 show, and this will be brought back for further amendment for the 2017 show once we have
the experience and perhaps can curtail the time a little more.
Commissioner Sarnoff And I hope my Commissioner, who I know will be up here, Suarez, will
look in extreme detail for the amount of downtime the soccer field will have for the 2017 show.
Commissioner Suarez: And I hope that the Administration communicates to the vendor that it's
the expressed will of this Commission that everything be -- that the soccer field not be inactive
for more than 30 days.
Commissioner Hardemon: And I adopt the language that was stated by our Deputy City
Manager.
Commissioner Suarez: Figure it out.
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
BC.1
15-00409
Ms. Bravo: Okay.
Chair Gort: Okay.
Ms. Bravo: Okay.
Chair Gort: And I promise I'll follow it, too.
Commissioner Sarnoff Thank you. You'll be here -- the three of you will be here and it -- do not
allow incrementalism to happen, because we get incrementalized all the time.
Chair Gort: Okay.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. --
Chair Gort: You want to go over the motion?
Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): Mr. Chairman. Just real quick, Mr. Chairman. I want to
also clam something. This is a depiction of soccer fields, you know, but if we draw lines
differently or have some other kind of game, as long as there's green space, are we okay with
that?
Commissioner Suarez: Could be flag football.
Mr. Alfonso: All right, thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah, yeah.
Mr. Alfonso: Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff Could also be -- somebody came up asking for --
Chair Gort: A multi -use field.
Commissioner Sarnoff Somebody asked for rugby, too, so --
Commissioner Suarez: That'll be interesting.
Vice Chair Hardemon: That's really intense usage.
Chair Gort: Okay, any further discussion? There's a maker and a second. All in favor, state it
by saying aye."
"
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Mr. Hannon: As amended.
END OF RESOLUTIONS
BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
RESOLUTION
City of Miami Page 71 Printed on 5/7/2015
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE ARTS AND
ENTERTAINMENT COUNCIL FOR A TERM AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Marie Vickles Vice Chair Keon Hardemon
15-00409 Arts CCMemo.pdf
15-00409 Arts Current_Board_Members.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0174
Chair Gort: Okay, we have BCs (Boards and Committees).
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): Yes. Good afternoon, Commissioners. BC.1, Arts &
Entertainment Council, Vice Chair Hardemon will be reappointing Marie Vickles.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Move it.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: There's a motion. Is there a second?
Commissioner Suarez: Second
Chair Gort: Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BC.2 RESOLUTION
14-00964
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE AUDIT ADVISORY
COMMITTEE FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
14-00964 Audit CCMemo.pdf
14-00964 Audit Current_Board_Members.pdf
NOMINATED BY:
Vice Chair Keon Hardemon
Commissioner Marc David Sarnoff
Commissioner Francis Suarez
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
BC.3
15-00410
Office of the City
Clerk
NO ACTION TAKEN
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A
CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE BAYFRONT PARK
MANAGEMENT TRUST FOR A TERM AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Marie Louissaint Vice Chair Keon Hardemon
15-00410 Bayfront CCMemo.pdf
15-00410 Bayfront Current_Board_Members.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0175
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): BC.3, Bayfront Park Management Trust, Vice Chair
Hardemon will be reappointing Marie Louissaint.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Move it.
Chair Gort: It's been moved --
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: -- and second. Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying
aye.
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BC.4 RESOLUTION
15-00289
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE CHARTER REVIEW AND
REFORM COMMITTEE FORATERMAS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Frank Carollo
15-00289 Charter Review CCMemo.pdf
15-00289 Charter Review Current_Board_Members.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
City of Miami Page 73 Printed on 5/7/2015
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
BC.5
15-00411
RESOLUTION
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION WAIVING THE
Clerk ATTENDANCE BY FOUR -FIFTHS AFFIRMATIVE VOTE, AS IT RELATES
TO WILLIAM W. RILEY, JR AS A MEMBER OF THE CIVIL SERVICE
BOARD.
15-00411 Civil Service CCMemo.pdf
15-00411 Civil Service Current_Board_Members.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Vice Chair Hardemon, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0176
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): BC.5, Civil Service Board. This is a resolution waiving
the attendance of William Riley, Jr. as a member of the Civil Service Board by a four -fifths
affirmative vote.
Chair Gort: Do I have a motion?
Commissioner Suarez: Move it.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Second.
Chair Gort: Been moved, Commissioner Suarez; second by Vice Chairman Hardemon. Any
further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BC.6 RESOLUTION
14-00967
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION CONFIRMING THE
Clerk APPOINTMENT OF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE
CIVILIAN INVESTIGATIVE PANEL FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED
HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
NOMINATED BY:
Civilian Investigative Panel
Civilian Investigative Panel
Civilian Investigative Panel
Civilian Investigative Panel
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
BC.7
15-00412
14-00967 CIP CCMemo.pdf
14-00967 CIP Current_Board_Members.pdf
14-00967 CIP Memo and Resumes.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
RESOLUTION
Office ofthe City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT
BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
(Alternate Member)
(Alternate Member)
15-00412 CEB CCMemo.pdf
15-00412 CEB Current_Board_Members.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
BC.8 RESOLUTION
15-00413
NOMINATED BY:
Commission -At -Large
Commission -At -Large
Commission -At -Large
Office ofthe City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY
RELATIONS BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
15-00413 CRB CCMemo.pdf
15-00413 CRB Current_Board_Members.pdf
15-00413 CRB Memo and Resumes.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
BC.9 RESOLUTION
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Tomas Regalado
Chair Wifredo (Willy) Gort
Vice Chair Keon Hardemon
Vice Chair Keon Hardemon
Commissioner Marc David Sarnoff
Commissioner Marc David Sarnoff
City of Miami Page 75 Printed on 5/7/2015
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
15-00414
Office ofthe City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION ON THE
STATUS OF WOMEN FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
NOMINATED BY:
Chair Wifredo (Willy) Gort
Chair Wifredo (Willy) Gort
Vice Chair Keon Hardemon
Vice Chair Keon Hardemon
Commissioner Marc David Sarnoff
Commissioner Marc David Sarnoff
Commissioner Frank Carollo
Commissioner Frank Carollo
15-00414 CSW CCMemo.pdf
15-00414 CSW Current_Board_Members.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
BC.10 RESOLUTION
15-00291
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE EDUCATION ADVISORY
BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
BC.11
15-00415
APPOINTEES:
(Ex-Officio Non Voting Member)
(Ex-Officio Non Voting Youth Member)
15-00291 EAB CCMemo.pdf
15-00291 EAB Current_Board_Members.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
RESOLUTION
NOMINATED BY:
City Manager Daniel J. Alfonso
City Manager Daniel J. Alfonso
Office ofthe City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
Clerk INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ADVISORY
BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
City of Miami Page 76 Printed on 5/7/2015
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
BC.12
15-00422
Office of the City
Clerk
APPOINTEES:
NOMINATED BY:
Chair Wifredo (Willy) Gort
Chair Wifredo (Willy) Gort
Vice Chair Keon Hardemon
Vice Chair Keon Hardemon
Commissioner Marc David Sarnoff
Commissioner Marc David Sarnoff
Commissioner Frank Carollo
Commissioner Frank Carollo
IAFF
FOP
15-00415 EOAB CCMemo.pdf
15-00415 EOAB Current_Board_Members.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION WAIVING THE
EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS BY A FOUR -FIFTHS AFFIRMATIVE VOTE,
AS IT RELATES TO EDILFA PEREZ AS A MEMBER OF THE EQUAL
OPPORTUNITY ADVISORY BOARD.
15-00422 EOAB CCMemo.pdf
15-00422 EOAB Current_Board_Members.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0177
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): BC.12, Equal Opportunity Advisory Board. This is a
resolution waiving the employment requirements by a four -fifths vote for Edilfa Perez.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Move it.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Second.
Chair Gort: Been moved by Vice Chairman Hardemon. Is there a second?
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
City of Miami Page 77 Printed on 5/7/2015
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
Chair Gort: Second by Commissioner Suarez. Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor,
state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BC.13 RESOLUTION
15-00416
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AAPPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
FOR ATERM AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Elsa Pelaez-Lopez Commissioner Francis Suarez
15-00416 Finance CCMemo.pdf
15-00416 Finance Current_Board_Members.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Vice Chair Hardemon, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0178
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): BC.13, Finance Committee. Commissioner Suarez will
be appointing Elsa Pelaez-Lopez.
Commissioner Suarez: Move it.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Second.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Commissioner Suarez; second by Vice Chairman Hardemon.
Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BC.14 RESOLUTION
15-00417
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE HISTORIC AND
ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION BOARD FOR A TERM AS
DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE/CATEGORY: NOMINATED BY:
Timothy Barber Vice Chair Keon Hardemon
(Citizen - Category 7)
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
15-00417 HEP CCMemo.pdf
15-00417 HEP Current_Board_Members.pdf
15-00417 HEP Applications.pdf
15-00417 HEP Application Summary.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0179
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): BC.14, Historic & Environmental Preservation Board.
Vice Chair Hardemon will be reappointing Timothy Barber.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Move it.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Vice Chairman Hardemon. Is there a second?
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Commissioner Suarez second it. Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor,
state it by saying Ewe."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BC.15 RESOLUTION
15-00418
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE MAYOR'S
INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
15-00418 MIC CCMemo.pdf
15-00418 MIC Current_Board_Members.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
BC.16 RESOLUTION
15-00419
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Marc David Sarnoff
Commissioner Frank Carollo
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE MIAMI SPORTS AND
EXHIBITION AUTHORITY FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES: NOMINATED BY:
Chair Wifredo (Willy) Gort Chair Wifredo (Willy) Gort
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
Davie Madison Vice Chair Keon Hardemon
15-00419 MSEACCMemo.pdf
15-00419 MSEA Current_Board_Members.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0180
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): BC.16, Miami Sports & Exhibition Authority. Chair
Gort will be reappointing himself to the board; Vice Chair Hardemon will be reappointing Davie
Madison.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Move it.
Chair Gort: Move it by Commission -- by Vice Chairman Hardemon; second by Commissioner
Suarez. Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying ilye.
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BC.17 RESOLUTION
15-00420
Office ofthe City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL ASAMEMBER OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION
ADVISORY BOARD FOR ATERM AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Marc David Sarnoff
15-00420 PRAB CCMemo.pdf
15-00420 PRAB Current_Board_Members.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
BC.18 RESOLUTION
14-00982
Office ofthe City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE PLANNING, ZONING AND
APPEALS BOARD FORATERMAS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Ernest Martin Vice Chair Keon Hardemon
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
14-00982 PZAB CCMemo.pdf
14-00982 PZAB Current_Board_Members.pdf
14-00982 PZAB Applications.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0181
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): BC.18, Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board. Vice Chair
Hardemon will be reappointing Ernest Martin.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Move it.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Vice Chairman Hardemon; second by Commissioner Suarez.
Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BC.19 RESOLUTION
15-00439
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE SEA LEVEL RISE
COMMITTEE FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES: NOMINATED BY:
Wayne Pathman Commissioner Frank Carollo
Pete Gomez City Manager Daniel J. Alfonso
15-00439 Sea Level Rise CCMemo.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0182
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): BC.19, Sea Level Rise Committee. Commissioner
Carollo will be appointing Wayne Pathman; City Manager Daniel Alfonso will be appointing
Emergency Manager Pete Gomez.
Chair Gort: I understand my appointment, you waiting for the resume?
Ms. Ewan: That is correct.
Chair Gort: Okay, thank you.
City of Miami Page 81 Printed on 5/7/2015
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
Commissioner Suarez: Move it.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Commissioner Suarez; second by Commissioner Sarnoff. Any
further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
BC.20 RESOLUTION
15-00297
Office ofthe City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT
REVIEW BOARD (UDRB) FOR ATERM AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Neil Hall Vice Chair Keon Hardemon
15-00297 UDRB CCMemo.pdf
15-00297 UDRB Current_Board_Members.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
R-15-0183
Nicole N. Ewan (Assistant City Clerk): BC.20, Urban Development Review Board. Vice Chair
Hardemon will be reappointing Neil Hall.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Move it.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Moved by Vice Chairman Hardemon; second by Commissioner Suarez. Any further
discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Ms. Ewan: Thank you, Commissioners. That concludes the boards.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
BC.21 RESOLUTION
14-00867
Office ofthe City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE VIRGINIA KEY BEACH
PARK TRUST FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES: NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Marc David Sarnoff
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
Commissioner Frank Carollo
14-00867 VKBPT CCMemo.pdf
14-00867 VKBPT Current_Board_Members.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
BC.22 RESOLUTION
15-00421
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING
Clerk CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE WATERFRONT
ADVISORY BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
DI.1
15-00312
City Commission
APPOINTEES:
15-00421 WAB CCMemo.pdf
15-00421 WAB Current_Board_Members.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
DISCUSSION ITEM
NOMINATED BY:
Vice Chair Keon Hardemon
Vice Chair Keon Hardemon
Commissioner Marc David Sarnoff
Commissioner Marc David Sarnoff
Commissioner Frank Carollo
Commissioner Frank Carollo
DISCUSSION ITEMS
STATUS OF HIRING POLICE OFFICERS.
15-00312-Submittal-City Manager -Police Department Hiring and Staffing Update.pdf
15-00312-Submittal-Commissioner Sarnoff-Article-The Atlantic -More Police, Managed More Effect
Cri me. pdf
DISCUSSED
Commissioner Suarez: Do we do the deferrals for PZs (Planning & Zonings) or
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) ?
Chair Gort: Discussion item. DI.1.
Rodolfo Llanes (Chief of Police): Good afternoon, Commissioners. Rodolfo Llanes, Chief of
Police. Since the last Commission meeting, we've hired 4 officers; 24 hired year-to-date; 2
awaiting medical clearance. This week we will orient 400 new applicants from the new list, and
the memo was submitted.
City of Miami Page 83 Printed on 5/7/2015
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
Commissioner Sarnoff Chief these numbers now in April -- and I guess it's just your April
through March numbers. Do these reflect the new numbers from the list from last time, from the
memo that you sent out?
ChiefLlanes: Yes, these have been updated numbers.
Commissioner Sarnoff Could -- would you -- I got you. I was going to say, could you give us
an update of all your previous ones, but I guess, theoretically, all you do is look at your memo
updated every month, right? Okay. So from now on, we're going to get the new updates?
ChiefLlanes: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay. Are you -- I don't know if you read, or you watch or you follow
the Brennan Center for Justice, which is the NYU (New York University) School of Law. Do you
follow that?
Chief Llanes: I do. I've been asked to participate.
Commissioner Sarnoff To participate?
Chief Llanes: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff That's a -- it's a very respected -- very respectful school. Did you
happen to read their law review article?
Chief Llanes: I have not yet.
Commissioner Sarnoff And -- so I want to make you aware of the fact that the Atlantic, which I
think is a -- is that -- that's a pretty conservative magazine, right? Todd, is that liberal or
conservative?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): I would say it's in between; not conservative, not overly liberal,
like Mother Jones, but --
Commissioner Suarez: That's what the Clerk would say, lh between'kind of --
Commissioner Sarnoff "In between, " all right. Well --
Commissioner Suarez: Switzerland.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- there you go. Fair in balance, as they say.
Commissioner Suarez: Switzerland. I'm going to go over to Switzerland.
Commissioner Sarnoff There you go. So I just want to bring to your attention that in February
of this year, the Atlantic did a very nice piece on "more police manage more effectively" -- and
it says -- "really can reduce crime." And I'd just ask you to read it at -- some people will be
named in there that I think you know -- John Timoney, Bill Bratton. I think you're kind of a fan
of one of them. And they're a real advocate that more police can lower crime by as much as 10
to 20 percent. I hope you would agree with their findings; I don't know if you do. I'll ask you to
read it so for the next time you could say --
Commissioner Suarez: Can you send it to us as well, too? I'd like to read it too.
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Commissioner Sarnoff Oh, sure, I'll get you a copy. It's not long either. And they're going to
do a follow-up, as well. So I'm just curious whether you agree with what's being said there,
disagree, or couldn't comment. But I'd give you the opportunity to read it.
Chief Llanes: After I read the article, I will more than gladly comment on it.
Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah, I'm sure you would. You're not a bashful guy.
Chair Gort: The article is --
Commissioner Suarez: That's good; good idea.
Chair Gort: -- more police officers and manage more effective.
Commissioner Sarnoff Correct.
Chair Gort: Okay, so it's a component of the two: More police officers and manage more
effective, okay.
Commissioner Sarnoff And this is where I think Mr. Ortiz might like. It always talks about the
use of computers and having computers for every police officer to use.
Sergeant Javier Ortiz: Thank you, judge.
Chair Gort: Is that it?
Commissioner Sarnoff That's it.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Sergeant Ortiz: Sergeant Javier Ortiz, president of the Miami Fraternal Order of Police.
Regarding hiring cops, I'm respectfully asking for this Commission to put together a shade
meeting and go over the offer or the initial offer that has been made by the City of Miami's
Administration. I would really like to expedite our negotiations in which we are able to actually
come to a reasonable offer on both sides. You know, when we put an offer together, it's just
customary that both sides put a lot of things in there that -- just a lot of fluff and we waste a lot
of time doing that. The other thing is -- and some people feel that this isn't much of an issue, the
fact that we just went to the Supreme Court this past week. But I will say that when the City has
over 100 million in reserves and about 37 million in surplus that it's time to restore our benefits.
And I do agree with Commissioner Sarnoff when it comes to the fact that we need to be
adequately prepared. We want to have educated police officers, as well as, you know, effective
managers, but the only way you can do that is by hiring the best. And, you know, the Chief of
Police has been put in a very compromising position, because there's so much that you can do
with staffing, and so one of the latest things that's being done is a complete restructure of where
we're going to be putting officers, but it's really just a shell game, because if you have five
officers, you only have five officers; and whether you put three in one zone or two in another,
you're not going to be able to make more police officers , unfortunately. And that's why, last
week, when there was that whole bickering on the radio, which I sent to all of you, of two police
sergeants struggling to get police officers, there really isn't any zone integrity, and I don't blame
the Administration as far as police; we just aren't able to hire adequate police officers. Thank
you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Okay, DI.2.
Chief Banes: Can I say something before we go on?
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DI.2
15-00321
City Commission
DI.3
15-00440
Chair Gort: Sure, I'm sorry. Go ahead.
Chief Banes: And, you know, the restructuring of patrol resources is about effective
management of the resources that you have. And although the president of the union is a future
manager of police resources, I think we'll -- my comment is that I think the plan will work to
effectively reorganize and deploy our resources in the most efficient manner, to my belief and it
may or may not work, but I'm going to try it. And so -- and effective management being one of
the two prongs of that, that's the -- what we're going to do.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir. Thank you. Any further discussion or --?
DISCUSSION ITEM
STATUS REPORT DETAILING HOUSE NIGHTCLUB'S COMPLIANCE WITH
THEIR 4:00 AM LAST CALL AND 5:00 AM HARD CLOSE RESTRICTIONS, IN
ADDITION TO ANY CODE OR NOISE VIOLATIONS.
DISCUSSED
Chair Gort: DI2, status report on House Nightclub.
Esther Farmer (Overtown NET Commander): Good afternoon.
Commissioner Sarnoff Colonel.
Commander Farmer: With regards to the City of Miami Police Department --
Chair Gort: Excuse me.
Commander Farmer: Okay.
Chair Gort: And you are?
Commander Farmer: Oh, Commander Esther Farmer. I'm the Overtown NET (Neighborhood
Enhancement Team) Commander.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Commander Farmer: With regards to the City of Miami Police Department and our status report
is that as of November 2, 2014, we have not had any complaints of loud music. We continue on
every Friday and Saturday to monitor the situation at Club House and have not received any
complaints from any complainants regarding loud music.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Commander Farmer: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am.
DISCUSSION ITEM
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District 2-
Commissioner Marc
David Sarnoff
DISCUSSION REGARDING US1 TRAFFIC SIGNALIZATION.
15-00440 Presentation.pdf
DISCUSSED
Chair Gort: DI 3.
Commissioner Sarnoff Oh, thank you, Mr. Chair. Now, I finally have Carlos Cruz- Casas here.
We'll see how IT (Information Technology) treats you. I have their budget in front of me, and I
have some Whiteout right now, and I am starting to whiteout as we speak. All right. So let me
just introduce -- Mr. Chair, I suspect each Commissioner uses certain streets, but especially US
1; happens to be the street that I use predominantly, and I don't know how you've been feeling --
although, I do know, because we had this conversation last time. It seems like there's traffic
where there has never been traffic before, because traffic signalization does not seem to be
coordinated as it had been before. Before the Miami Herald Op -Ed, I spoke to Carlos
Cruz-Casas, our head of Transportation, and asked him to start looking into why traffic
signalization had changed, and he actually said there had been a significant change in the way
the County started traffic signalization -- I think you said the latter part of 2012 with a new
system, and then, to and behold, the Miami Herald actually does an op-ed on it, confirming what
Carlos had to say. So I just want to let him speak. I'm not here to bash the County. As
Commissioner Carollo --
Chair Gort: Let's have one meeting, please. Hello, can we have one meeting?
Unidentified Speaker: Yes.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff As Commissioner --
Chair Gort: Go ahead.
Commissioner Sarnoff I'm sorry. As Commissioner Carollo had said, I'm not here to bash the
County. I'm merely here possibly to pass a resolution asking them to expedite synchronization,
but before we get into the resolution, I'd like Carlos to explain to us exactly what he's found and
what is going on so that we can make a cogent motion.
Carlos Cruz-Casas: Well, thank you, Commissioner. Carlos Cruz, Transportation manager for
the City of Miami. I put together a short presentation on US 1, the corridor, the existing
condition, and what's going on with the signalization system US 1. As you know, US 1 is our one
and only main arterial that connects all this urban center on the south side of Miami from
Kendall, Dadeland, South Miami, UM (University of Miami), Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, and
Brickell. The volume into US 1 had changed slightly in the last couple years, but the big change
has been the rebalance of the traffic flows on -- during the day, having a midday being one of the
peak now. Not only that, US 1, as you can see in this section that we have in here, the geometry
and the geography of the -- this corridor is a diagonal corridor that connects and intersect with
major venues and major streets that create a lot of interruptions throughout. This section goes
from LeJeune all the way to the Rickenbacker. It's about four miles and has more than 12
signals. That is a lot of interruption in the traffic flow for a major arterial. When we look at the
specific intersection, we're looking right now at US 1 and 27 Avenue. This intersection often sees
queues exceeding a quarter mile, and it has three lanes in each direction along US 1. There's
some restrictions that we have right now in terms of the turn movements. And DOT (Department
of Transportation) and the sunguide.info website have these updated images, and that's what you
see here in your top left. And it's excessive queuing along US 1 going northbound both and
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southbound. We see more than 87,000 vehicles along this intersection and more than 69,000
vehicles in one hour in one direction. This is a chart. This represent what we going -- we have
going on right now. This is a three-day count, using -- counting every vehicle in -- for every 15
minutes for a 24-hour period. And what you see there in the graph is that we only have a
demarcation of one peak hour, which is the northbound traffic in the morning, which is a big
discrepancy between the southbound traffic in the morning. However, throughout the day, now
we have volumes going both north and south. And -- but I believe you mentioned before, we're
growing vertically in different locations; and actually, we have residents in downtown Miami
that is going to work somewhere else. So there are times where we have Miami to be just a place
of coming to commute and send them back home in the afternoon is no longer the case, so we
have a lot of conflicts going on throughout the day. I'm a numbers guy; I wanted to show it in
the graphic form, as well. If you focus on the right columns that we have over here, the numbers
in red are the ones that are shown in the discrepancy or a directional ratio that is greater than
40/60, 40 to 60 percent; 40 percent going in one direction, 60 percent in the other -- start telling
us the true about a true directional commuting pattern. We don't have that in US 1 anymore. It
is right now only four hours for the day having that conditions [sic]. So, as we talk, this is a
condition on US 1. What the County has done. The County has a state-of-the-art system. It is
called the Advanced Traffic Management System. It was the transition from the old traffic
signalization program. They started the migration in 2005, and they didn't end the migration
until 2012. One of the things are going on in the system right now, and it's kind of not helping, is
that all the transition happen where a lot of drastic changes in traffic flow happen. The
recession, the boom, and all that happen during transitions are now to adapt to that traffic flow
that we have existing right now. It was hard for them. The current system, as I mentioned, is a
state-of-the-art system. There's only one big flaw have right now, and it is the information that
gets. Right now we have -- imagine us trying to buy the new iPhone and only for making phone
calls and texts; we're not doing more with that, and that's what happen in here. They have a
Advance Traffic Management Signal that can do a lot more, only receiving static information
from the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) detectors at some locations at the intersection. This is basically
what's going on and what's impacting the services in the system. The ATMS (Advance Traffic
Management Signal) and all the information they gathered through the years have allowed them
to do some preset timing plans. This is where they use through -- every single day in order to
manage traffic. They can manage traffic remotely but only using the preset time and plans
they've gotten from the information available. That's what you see, and this is information
available online for every single signal they have, which is more than 2,800 signals in the
County. In timing plans, they work great when you have predictable traffic and getting them
through, but when you have a unpredictable traffic demands and big variables throughout the
day, it's hard for them to find a plan that will address that on the spot.
Commissioner Sarnoff Does that mean that there is no way to improve it? Is that --?
Mr. Cruz-Casas: No. It is, it is, andl believe the County is working on that, and it's the next
step what the nation is moving forward -- towards to. What they need is good information, good
real time information, and that's becoming with the new technology of new detectors, using
Bluetooth, magnets, using radars, and that's where we need to jump in. This is information.
Yes, Alice.
Alice Bravo (Deputy City Manager/Chief of Infrastructure): And in speaking to the County,
they're working on two pilot projects with FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation).
Chair Gort: And you are?
Ms. Bravo: Alice Bravo, Deputy City Manager.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
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Ms. Bravo: Thank you. So they're working with FDOT on two pilot intersections where they're
going to have camera, detection systems, and points further back from the intersection. So, as
Carlos is saying, be able to detect, you know, if one queue is a quarter of a mile long versus on
the other side that's only a few hundred feet. The current detection system doesn't differentiate
between those, so it doesn't know to reallocate green time to the leg that has the longer queue.
So we need the system. The system is smart. We need to feed it the right data to make it more
efficient.
Chair Gort: Let me ask a question. Who's going to feed the data? Because yesterday, I had to
go from downtown, as I explained to the -- up to the park on 37th Avenue and Northwest and
14th Street, taking Flagler Street. I stopped at 22nd Avenue; it took me about 20 minutes to get
to 27th Avenue. I think I had to go through maybe seven traffic lights before I could come
across. And if you go to 8th Street, if you go to 17th Avenue, 27th Avenue, and 7th Avenue, all
those corridor -- and meetings that we've had with them trying to keep the traffic out of the
neighborhoods, they tell us, "Well, we use that as part of our arterial placement for the" --
"getting the" --
Ms. Bravo: They're working on technology for detection, basically to detect how far back the
vehicles are stacked at a signal. There's a lot of smart data out there, and there are many apps
that, for example, track users by their cell phone and their location, and based on that, they
gauge travel time and where cars are stacking up. So all that data is out there. It's a matter of
collecting it, harnessing it, and feeding it to this computer system, and then it could calibrate the
signal timing to make it as efficient as possible, and get that nice flow where you could leave
downtown down US 1 and have signal progression all the way to Kendall.
Chair Gort: And they don't have enough personnel to collect all the data necessary throughout
the City of Miami, because I can show you. I mean --
Ms. Bravo: The best data is on our cell phones.
Mr. Cruz-Casas: Exactly. And the other thing that we have going on is they have one traffic
control center in the County. It's a room about this size with a lot of screens going on, which is
the entire County. And they're looking at incidents throughout the County to start seeing what
needs to be addressed in the moment. That leads, as well, to lack of resources to look into how
we're going to address the specific corridor throughout the day with that many corridors . I can
imagine an emergency in other portion of the County would trump just typical congestion that's
going on through the day. But --
Commissioner Sarnoff Are -- so you're saying the County is not devoting adequate resources,
whether it's financial, personnel or a combination of the two, to traffic movement in Dade
County?
Mr. Cruz-Casas: I believe they have the resources to cover the County, but I'm not sure right
now where all the congestions that we have countywide, that we have all the resources that we
need for Miami -- the City of Miami itself.
Commissioner Sarnoff So now here's what I'm hearing you to say. They have the adequate
resources countywide, but they're not devoting adequate resources to the City of Miami?
Mr. Cruz-Casas: And --
Commissioner Sarnoff Did anybody hear that differently?
Chair Gort: I can tell you that.
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Commissioner Suarez: I heard (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Hardemon: It sounds to me as if the County has unincorporated Dade -- they're
giving the money to unincorporated areas but not to the incorporated area of the City of Miami.
That's what it sounded like to me; maybe a little worse than what you heard.
Commissioner Sarnoff No. I felt like you just said, "No; County has adequate resources, but
those resources are not being deployed to the City of Miami."
Mr. Cruz-Casas: The County has their own traffic control center, which is they have the entire
County looking -- the entire County. I'm not sure if the size of the County is well served by the
traffic control center. Yes.
Ms. Bravo: And ifI could expand on what Carlos is saying, perhaps. They're focusing on traffic
countywide and major movements. They don't have the capacity to stay focused on a special
event area and try to manage that traffic. So, you know, that type of microscopic analysis would
require (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Gort: But let me ask you a question. Most of the traffic that goes through the City of
Miami is going to the suburbs.
Ms. Bravo: Well --
Chair Gort: I mean, they're going north; they're going south and west.
Commissioner Sarnoff If we were to cut out the City of Miami as a funder of the County, what
percentage would we be cutting out? I think -- I'll bet Danny Alfonso knows that.
Ms. Bravo: A funder of gas tax that goes to Public Works of the County?
Commissioner Sarnoff Just all taxes in general, just so that we would get attention in Dade.
Are we 10 percent of the County budget, 20 percent of the County budget, 30 percent of the
County budget?
Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): We're definitely more than 10 percent. In property tax alone,
we're about 37 billion of 210 billion.
Ms. Bravo: Fifteen percent.
Mr. Alfonso: Yeah, so we're about 15 percent of the property tax.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Okay, and of impact fees?
Mr. Alfonso: The impact fees are really hard to say, because it depends on how much
development is going in one area or another, et cetera. But we -- suffice it to say that we're a
significant portion.
Commissioner Sarnoff And there's nobody in our -- there's nobody comparable to us, right?
Mr. Alfonso: No. We are the biggest city in the core.
Chair Gort: Central city, also.
Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah, the land mass city, right.
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Mr. Alfonso: UMSA (Unincorporated Municipal Services Area) is about half the County.
Ms. Bravo: Unincorporated --
Mr. Alfonso: -- in land mass and population.
Chair Gort: Population.
Commissioner Sarnoff Wait, wait. We are half --
Mr. Alfonso: No, no, no. UMSA, unincorporated --
Commissioner Sarnoff I'm sorry.
Mr. Alfonso: -- is a million residents and it's about half the land mass.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Mr. Cruz-Casas: So, what was next, both Alice Bravo and myself will be meeting with the
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) Administration in the County, Traffic Signals Design Division and Public
Works Department in order to start looking for what are the alternative and what type of options
we can do to at least bring some of these pilot projects to the City of Miami. There's new
technology out there that will be able to look at all of the corridors and be able to make
decisions on the fly without having to have somebody paying attention to your screens. And
there's some pilot projects, as Alice mentioned. Our idea is to -- maybe we can start getting
some of those pilots into City of Miami where we need it the most, which right now US 1, it seems
to be one of the corridors that need it the most, and we have a whole list of other corridors in
areas that need improvements.
Commissioner Sarnoff Is it all right, Mr. Chair?
Chair Gort: Sure.
Mr. Cruz-Casas: Sure.
Commissioner Sarnoff Is there ever a thought -- and I'm -- having looked at your data very
briefly, I'm sort of arguing against myself. But has there ever been a thought to deploying one
more lane for counterflow traffic; meaning, take one of the southbound lanes when people are
heading northbound and devote it to northbound, or -- and the opposite at -- you know, during
the rush hour home, so to speak? Would -- has anybody ever thought to do something along a
counterflow, which they do in New York, which they do in Boston, which they do in Philadelphia,
which they do in -- I don't know if they do that in Atlanta, but --
Mr. Cruz-Casas: Not along US 1.
Ms. Bravo: I believe that was studied maybe a decade or two ago. There's better technology
now, better equipment. Perhaps, the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) can ask FDOT
to analyze that again.
Commissioner Sarnoff Don't we have a reso that's coming up?
Chair Gort: That's been discussed --
Commissioner Sarnoff Can we incorporate that in the reso?
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Mr. Cruz-Casas: Sure.
Ms. Bravo: Did it go to print yet?
Mr. Cruz-Casas: It went for distribution, yeah.
Ms. Bravo: To modify.
Mr. Alfonso: Commissioners, I'm not a traffic engineer, but I'm picturing in my mind US 1,
which has a median with left -turn lanes. To counterflow one lane of traffic on the other side, it
would -- I think it would be chaotic. How do you make a left turn when traffic is oncoming on
the center lane? I mean, that's going to be very interesting, but maybe the engineers can figure it
out.
Chair Gort: You can still do it.
Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah. I --
Ms. Bravo: An option is to remove the left turn lanes, and then force people to make a right and
go around.
Commissioner Suarez: Right, right, right.
Chair Gort: Right, right, right.
Unidentified Speaker: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) know how right, right, right can
(UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Ms. Bravo: Two wrongs don't make a right, but three rights make a left.
Commissioner Sarnoff I don't -- is there anything we can do to help promote moving along?
Ms. Bravo: I think what you're looking at today is a result of a system that's just bursting at the
seams. So having all this data, all this efficiency maybe improves travel times 5 or 10 percent,
and maybe that efficiency is consumed with two or three more years of growth. All the solutions
are transit based.
Chair Gort: Mr. Manager.
Mr. Alfonso: Yes. I would say, you know, transit -based ideas are the solution for US 1. I was
thinking like in New York, you pay $6 to go into Manhattan. Maybe we put a $6 toll before you
come into downtown Miami and US 1, and people would park on Dadeland South a lot more and
get on the train coming south.
Ms. Bravo: I know a few years ago, New York City proposed something called "Cordon
Pricing, " which exists in London and some other cities internationally. And basically, you just
find concentric circles around the downtown, and every time you cross one of those circles, you
pay a toll. So, the closer you get to downtown and the closer during rush hour, the higher the
toll is, and that would be supported with a mass transit system for those who can't afford to pay
the tolls.
Chair Gort: There's only one problem: You can apply that in New York; Miami, it's very
dfficult.
Ms. Bravo: Well, New York City --
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Chair Gort: I can tell you --
Ms. Bravo: -- couldn't get it through Albany at the legislative level.
Chair Gort: Now, my question is we're looking -- analyzing how we can keep the traffic off our
neighborhoods, and we're trying to get an agreement with the County. Where are we with that
agreement?
Ms. Bravo: That agreement, that I know of we finally resolved the technical details with staff, so
it should be going to the County Commission shortly.
Mark Spanioli (Director, Capital Improvements & Transportation): Good afternoon,
Commissioners. Actually, that agreement, we did hash out the last little details it had, and
apparently, Alina Hudak can sign it on behalf of the Commission, so we should have it in about a
week or so.
Chair Gort: So all it need is signatures --
Mr. Spanioli: Correct.
Chair Gort: -- on her?
Mr. Spanioli: Correct.
Chair Gort: Okay, thanks. Thank you.
Mr. Spanioli: You're welcome.
Chair Gort: Any other questions? Thank you, sir. That was a great presentation.
Mr. Cruz-Casas: You're welcome.
Commissioner Sarnoff Thank you.
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) we understand the problem and the solution is long range.
DI.4 DISCUSSION ITEM
15-00190
City Manager's Office DISCUSSION REGARDING FUNDING SOURCES FOR MARINE STADIUM
IMPROVEMENTS.
15-00190 Memo - City Manager.pdf
DISCUSSED
Chair Gort: Mr. Mayor, you're recognized. And Commissioner Xavier Suarez, it's a pleasure to
have you with us here, as well.
Mayor Tomas Regalado: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good morning, Commissioners. Good
morning again. Just as a little background, on 2004, the voters of Miami -Dade County approved
the issuance of GOB (General Obligation Bond) bonds in line items, and those line items, some
of the money was used for museum; some for public house; some from roads; and there were
money allocated for historical buildings. Those are $10 million that were voted by the residents
of Miami -Dade County for historic buildings. Several years ago, I went to the City -- to the
County Commission, along with Miami -Dade Heritage Trust and then a group that later become
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the Friends of the Marine Stadium, for an allocation of $3 million in historical preservation
bond money from the County for the Marine Stadium renovation. The County Commission at the
time gave the City certain time to come back with the details of the governance, and economic
report and the plans for the renovation of the Marine Stadium. That deadline, as a matter of
fact, is on this month. That is why several days ago, I wrote a letter to the County Commission
member for District 7, which encompass Key Biscayne, the Marine Stadium, Brickell, Little
Havana; former Mayor of Miami, Javier Suarez, and now County Commissioner for District 7.
Mayor Suarez has been a supporter of the renovation of the Miami Marine Stadium even before
he became member of the Commission, and when he became member of the Commission, he has
been at the forefront of the renovation of the Miami Marine Stadium. In that letter, I request
from Commissioner Suarez an extension, because, as you know, the City Commission has to go
through the process of approvings [sic] the governance and all the details that will move forward
the renovation of the Marine Stadium. In that letter, also it was stated that the $3 million
allocated by the County Commission on District 7 are not part of the money that is being used
for the Flex Park, which is part of the master plan of Virginia Key and the Miami Marine
Stadium. Commissioner Suarez has, as always, responded in a favorable way, and he's here
today to address the City Commission in regards to this request; and, of course, on his mission
for the Miami Marine Stadium, which is in his district of the County Commission. So --
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Mayor Regalado: -- it is my pleasure to introduce the former Mayor of the City of Miami, and
County Commissioner for District 7, Xavier Suarez.
Xavier Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Mayor and Mr. Chairman. As you can see, I got the memo on
how to dress here. I'm wearing the same -- I think pretty close to the same exact suit as the
Mayor.
Chair Gort: We didn't get a copy.
County Commissioner Suarez: And to you, Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you, because how
expeditiously you've handled my request to be heard. I wish that we would sometime reciprocate
over in the County. Sometimes I see the Mayor or Alice Bravo. Mr. Manager, I want to tell you
that Alice spends so much time over there that I think we're going to have to pay half of her
salary. I'm sure you --
Commissioner Suarez: We'll take it.
County Commissioner Suarez: I want to congratulate the Commission for its actions in regards
to the Tri-Rail extension to downtown; the two respective heads of the CRA's (Community
Redevelopment Agencies) for your efforts and leadership in making that happen. I know you're
going to be looking at the figures a little bit more carefully, and I'm going to share my own
investigation of that, because, as we all know, the County is part of any formula -involved CRA
funding. I want to thank Commissioner Suarez for letting me park my car behind his. As I was
approaching -- and I thought I had parked it in the right spot -- and a very friendly, but
nevertheless very resolute sergeant -at -arms with a big smile informed me that I had parked it in
the wrong place. I thought you had a white car; now, it turns out you have a black car. I think I
had parked behind one of the Mayor's cars; I'm not sure; and that's, of course, Ray Carvil, who
we know for many years. As stated by Mayor Regalado, Mr. Chairman and Members of the
Commission -- oh, one last caveat or additional announcement: Commissioner Sarnoff, you'll be
happy to know that in regards to the playhouse and in regards to the Marine Stadium, I have one
additional authority, which I'm chairman of a committee that's now referred to as Economic
Prosperity Committee, functions previously handled by Cultural Affairs and Parks had been
separated, and you'll be happy to know that I now have a little bit more jurisdiction over cultural
affairs, because that's put under my committee as opposed to parks. So when we try to get the
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playhouse finally going after all these years of effort, you'll have that additional support from my
side of the ledger. On this issue, the Mayor responded very quickly; four -month extension.
That's entirely logical and feasible, but I would appreciate the Commission passing a resolution
or a motion rating the Mayor's letter, because I know you have legislative authority on that.
The second part of the assurances that I seek, I think, are self-evident; it's mostly included in the
Mayor's letter, and it has to do with the fact that the financing of the restoration of the Marine
Stadium would not come from sources having to do with International Boat Show or anything
else. In fact, I understand from the Mayor's letter that it's expected to be some kind of general
obligation or capital reserves and private funding. And on the private funding side, as you work
on this formula, count on my support. Commissioner Sarnoff, if you have, or Mayor, any of you
have any meetings with any, you know, donors and you want to keep them private, we can
certainly do that and add our assurances that our three million will be available. So that's really
all I request from you today, is a resolution or a motion that ratifies the Mayor's letter. If you
can express some -- on the record some clarification that we're not going to be relying on
funding to be derived from any kind of revenue bond from the boat show or anything like that,
that would be very helpful, too.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir. It's a pleasure to have you back here. The -- my understanding,
he's asking for a resolution that -- supporting the letter from the Mayor requesting an extension
of four month to --
Commissioner Sarnoff Has anybody -- I haven't seen the letter; not that I'm -- have you read it?
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, I've read it.
Commissioner Sarnoff You're okay with it?
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, I'm fine with it.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Commissioner Suarez: So moved.
Commissioner Sarnoff Second
Chair Gort: Been moved by the -- Commissioner Suarez, Miami's Commissioner and second by
Commissioner Sarnoff. Any further discussion? We had -- we have it later on. You want to
speak on this in specific? Because we have an item on this. No, no, I'm talking about the --
Unidentified Speaker: I'm sorry.
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Any further discussion? All in favor, state it by saying
aye.
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
County Commissioner Suarez: Thank you. And I --
Chair Gort: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
County Commissioner Suarez: -- did mean to make sure that all of you had in your official email
boxes a copy of my request for this hearing and the letter from the Mayor, which, by the way,
was given to me within -- I think our meeting was a Saturday, and you had it to me on a Monday.
I appreciate that expeditiousness.
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Mayor Regalado: It was on Sunday.
County Commissioner Suarez: That's right.
Chair Gort: Thank you, Commissioner; appreciate it.
Later...
Chair Gort: DI.4.
Christopher Rose (Director): Good afternoon, Commissioners. I can look this way. Chris Rose,
Office of Management & Budget. DI.4 is the discussion item on alternatives for funding the Flex
Park surrounding the Marine Stadium. The Administration still maintains that the best way to do
this is to have a financing, whether a bond or a loan, on non- ad valorem revenues in the general
fund and fund the $16 million that way. We have a few alternatives there. None of them are
terribly palatable, but they are options to be reviewed.
Chair Gort: But we're going to continue to have the private sector to try to fundraise and so on?
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. There is the Flex Park, and there is the stadium, itself. This one -- this
particular discussion item was just on the Flex Park, the 16 million that had been set aside to
work on the Flex Park, and that's what we're -- that's what we addressed in this memo, sir.
Chair Gort: Okay. Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. Chairman. Would there be any other funding that will be included in
that bond for other projects or other things?
Mr. Rose: There are -- you know, we brought this idea to the Commission regarding the $10.1
million for remediation. There are -- I won't call them economies of scale, but there are
advantages to putting financings together, so we will very likely put those two together. If there's
any other opportunities to put them -- a refinancing of an existing or something like that, we
would bring them together. The larger you can make a bond, generally, the better off you do
with the interest rate, but time will tell, Commissioner.
Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): But did I understand the question that in the 16 million is for
Flex Park?
Chair Gort: Flex Park.
Mr. Alfonso: That's it.
Chair Gort: My understanding.
Mr. Alfonso: There's no other piece in there.
Mr. Rose: Yes. I'm sorry.
Vice Chair Hardemon: That's -- I mean, that's a good point, but also, I didn't know whether or
not the bond will be larger than 16 million. I thought -- I understand --
Mr. Alfonso: Not for that purpose.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Not for that purpose.
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Mr. Alfonso: We have a previously approved bond of $10.1 for the remediation. Our intent is to
issue them at the same time so that we get larger proposers, but the 16 million is for that park;
no other projects.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff So does that become a $26.1 million bond?
Mr. Alfonso: That is correct.
Commissioner Sarnoff Right. So it's one bond.
Mr. Alfonso: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay, I got you.
Mr. Alfonso: But we got it in two different approvals.
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
Mr. Alfonso: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
Chair Gort: We want to put them together; you can get a better price and so on. Yes, okay.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff But do you ever bond for less than 50 million as a municipality? You
do? No, I know you can, but based on the economies of scales and efficiencies, do you really
bond for less than 50 million?
Mr. Alfonso: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Because you have some fixed -- you always have some fixed costs.
Mr. Alfonso: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff You want to stick with that jses. ?
Mr. Alfonso: Yes. We're doing it. I mean -- and the thing is --
Commissioner Sarnoff (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Alfonso: Commissioner, no, I know what you're saying. You have fixed costs, you got to pay
it; yes, I understand. And if you take a $100, 000 mortgage and you pay the closing costs, it
appears that it's larger. Some of those costs are larger, but some of them are percentage based.
They're points on the entire loan.
Commissioner Sarnoff But when it comes to bonding -- and I'm not telling you your business.
Mr. Alfonso: No, I know. Some of the costs that are fixed are going to make it a little more
expensive --
Commissioner Sarnoff It could be --
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Mr. Alfonso: -- to take a smaller loan.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- hundreds, if not millions, of dollars; hundreds of thousands.
Mr. Alfonso: Okay, yeah. I was going to say the entire loan is not hundreds of millions.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Right, hundreds of thousands.
Mr. Alfonso: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff So sometimes there may be an advantage --
Mr. Alfonso: To go bigger.
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
Mr. Alfonso: Yes, I understand In this case, we're up to 26. We haven't issued anything yet, you
know. With the new budget year, new things might come. Who knows?
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Mr. Alfonso: And since we're not really at a crunch to borrow the money just yet --
Commissioner Sarnoff I got you.
Mr. Alfonso: -- we're moving forward
Chair Gort: Thank you. Yes, sir, you're --
Don Worth: Hi. I'm Don Worth, resident at 1390 Ocean Drive, in Miami Beach. I'm sorry;
when I saw the item yesterday, I thought it referred to Marine Stadium funding, as well. Would I
be able to speak for about two minutes on that issue, as well?
Commissioner Sarnoff Could you let him, Mr. Chair?
Chair Gort: If -- you're welcomed to, yeah.
Commissioner Sarnoff He's been here all day.
Mr. Worth: Okay, thank you. I'll be short and quick. First of all, I'm really pleased that the
Commission and Administration has kind of picked up the ball on this whole thing. Long term,
the advice I'd like to suggest to you is that in terms of the stadium, itself, as much as I like to see
funding set aside, the key issue is going to be the operator. You need an operator with a real
plan, willing long term to guarantee the expenses, hopefully pay us some rent and program it.
And without that, frankly, what we're going to have is an empty building. The failure of our
group, Friends of Miami Marine Stadium, we thought we had an operator partner; we didn't.
You saw what happened. I'm aware of significant interests, I think, in operations; actually, the
best stuff I've seen in seven years, but it's really time for it to show itself, and I'd suggest to the
City -- I know you've been crazy busy with the Boat Show. The sooner you can get out an RFP
(Request for Proposals) for an operator, the better. It can be very, very simple. I'm very
concerned that the folks who have expressed interest will spend their time now looking at other
opportunities, as well. I think once you get an operator, all of the difficult issues you've been
looking at will become a lot simpler. An operator will help to find the architecture that you need
to do to make it right; also, the governing structure, even the financing. IfI understood it
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properly, in four months, you have to go back to the County, assuming you get the extension to
deliver a business plan. That's going to be very hard for you to do. If you were fortunate enough
to have finished your operating -- operator selection at that point, you'd find it would be much
easier to have that third party working with you; same for State funding. And I'll tell you, there'll
be other funding opportunities opening up. I know that Friends of Miami Marine Stadium had
some discussions that went very, very far on naming rights, but frankly, we needed a professional
partner to do that, and you'll also find it'll ease your discussions with the Village of Key
Biscayne. I've been to some of those meetings, and I've also met with some of the key players
over there, and I think the issue is the Village has actually endorsed the restoration of the Marine
Stadium. They're concerned about the impact of traffic on these major events. As a practical
matter, I think you've actually done a very good job. As I understand it, this is really going to be
the first green parking plan. If I want to go to the Boat Show from Miami Beach, I'm really
going to have to take a bus or a water taxi, and I think it's going to be a great model. But I think
you will find, if you get the operator -- I know; give me 30 seconds.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Worth: -- you'll find the negotiations with Key Biscayne much easier. They eventually could
be a partner in recreational ball fields. The National Trust wants to back this project. They're
bringing their board here in October, Gloria Estefan. I'll help you in any way I can. It's a great
legacy project for all of you. Please move --
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Mr. Worth: -- quickly on the RFP for the operator. Thanks.
Chair Gort: Thank you. My understanding, last time we were here, we instructed the
Administration to do that, and they are -- been working on that for a while, so thank you.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: Just would like to say that my colleague to the extreme left, who served --
what, this is your ninth year now? You're finishing it up. And I think -- and, you know, I've told
you this before, and we've talked about this before. You know, you've had a great run, and you
have achieved a tremendous amount in those nine years. You have really set the bar very high,
not only for your own district, but for all of us in terms of a legacy. And I think this really is it. I
mean, this is it. This is the one thing that you've got a good amount of time between now and
that day to make this happen, and I just want you to know that I am with you every step of this
way to make this happen, because this would be it. I mean, I don't know what else could have
been done in that time to make your district more whole and more complete than what it is.
Obviously, there are some projects that are going to be coming in the future, and those are things
that, you know, are outside of your control. But in terms of the public perspective, I don't -- you
know, and I've listened to Don and had many conversations with him, and one of the reasons
why I wanted this discussion item two weeks from now is to keep the momentum going and the
inertia going. I don't know that the operators, per se, is the best route, but I certainly don't think
I have all the answers. But at the end of the day, what I think is needed here is persistence and a
champion, because that -- we have the means within this government with our Manager and with
our team that we have here to get this done, I have zero doubt with this Commission, with, you
know, zero doubt that we can do it between now and November; that the plan can be put into
place so that the wheels are in motion between then -- now and then. So, I kind of issue that as a
challenge to you.
Commissioner Sarnoff Mr. Chair.
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Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff I've always believed the key to the kingdom be -- you know, but for a
nail, the kingdom was lost -- is the operator, because neither Suarez, nor Sarnoff nor Gort know
a thing about creating Marine Stadium, and we don't know what it's going to take. So why not
put it out to RFP; get the brightest and the best; put a selection committee together. We can all
haggle over whether they were the right people or the wrong people, because that's what we do
here. And then we can put it to Commission vote, and we can make a determination. But we're
moving forward And to some degree, Mr. Chair, to our credit; to some degree, to the
consternation of others, because it doesn't seem like comprehensive plan, and until the operator
gets there, it will only become a comprehensive plan. Today, with my vote, because Suarez
convinced me because I trust him, and I trust you, Mr. Chair, you know, I voted for something I
didn't expect to vote for. I expected to say, "You know what? This is no longer a park. It's an
event space." You know, a rose is a rose if by any other color. So I -- you now told me today,
"No, Commissioner, it is not event space. It truly is a park. We're asking you to believe us and
say the Boat Show is that event and that's predominantly all it's going to be." I knew there was a
little wiggle room there; I understand that. But we also, in doing so, put a lot of tents in front of
Marine Stadium, either purposefully, not purposefully, or for the time being, and I don't know
what an operator would or would not say to one month, two months, or three months of having
stuff -- I'm going to say piled, or comprised of or put next to Marine Stadium, might say, Now do
you expect me to operate this?'So I think it's time that we get to the RFP immediately.
Chair Gort: If I recall, the last time we were here, we understood that the park was the most
important thing at that time, but the Administration was going to be working and coming up with
a plan for the RFP and so on. So if you can put us up to date, we appreciate it.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Yes, ma'am.
Alice Bravo (Deputy City Manager/Chief of Infrastructure): And at the May 14 discussion item,
we're going to put together all the information we've researched with regard to governing
structures, et cetera, and we should have a very good RFP in hand by that time.
Commissioner Suarez: Perfect.
Chair Gort: Because my understanding, you also been working with the -- some of the people
that have committed to provide funds before you continue to work with them, is my
understanding.
Ms. Bravo: Correct. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is still actively involved and
wants to continue through the whole process.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Any other questions? Do you need a decision from us today on this
item you presented? No? Okay. So you're going to structure something and come back?
Mr. Alfonso: Well, Commissioners, remember, the Commission had directed us to come back if
there was any other options on the financing, but it's already been approved, so we've explained
that our preference is to continue the way we're going. So no different direction, and we'll move
on.
Chair Gort: Great.
Mr. Alfonso: Thank you.
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(DI.4)
15-00190a
Chair Gort: Okeydoke.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), SUPPORTING CITY OF MIAMI MAYOR TOMAS P.
REGALADO'S LETTER TO MIAMI-DADE COUNTY DISTRICT 7
COMMISSIONER XAVIER L. SUAREZ, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED,
REQUESTING A FOUR (4) MONTH EXTENSION FOR THE FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT OF A PLAN FOR A PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP
TOWARDS THE RESTORATION OF MIAMI MARINE STADIUM; DIRECTING
THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT THIS RESOLUTION TO THE OFFICIALS
CONTAINED HEREIN.
15-00190a - Letter from Mayor Regalado - Extension Request.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
DI.5
15-00447
City Manager's Office
R-15-0173
DISCUSSION ITEM
DISCUSSION REGARDING THE IMPACT OF HOUSE BILL 915 AND SENATE
BILL 1232.
15-00447 Summary Form.pdf
15-00447 House Bill 915.pdf
15-00447 Senate Bill 1232.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
WITHDRAWN PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Carollo
END OF DISCUSSION ITEMS
PART B: PLANNING AND ZONING ITEM(S)
Chair Gort: DI.5.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): That was withdrawn, sir.
Chair Gort: Okay.
Commissioner Suarez: It's just the PZ (Planning & Zoning) items, right?
Chair Gort: Planning & Zoning. I understand --
Francisco Garcia: Yes, sir. Thank you. For the record, Francisco Garcia, Planning & Zoning
director. There are three items in the Planning & Zoning agenda, of which the first two are to be
withdrawn. I'll read the affected address for the record. It is a land use change, that was PZ.1,
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
and a zoning change for a property at 180 Northeast 50th Street. Those two items, the land use
change and the zoning change, are being withdrawn. We've received a letter to that effect from
the applicant. They are here as well, should you want to ask them any questions. But we think it
is certainly worth supporting to withdraw those items. And item PZ.3, as mentioned earlier, is
asking for a continuance to April 23. That is submitted to you for consideration. And I'm sorry;
I should have said that is a request for a waiver of a waterfront setback at a property at 444
Brickell Avenue.
Chair Gort: Okay, thank you. Mr. Clerk.
Mr. Hannon: Yes, sir. We just need a motion for the withdrawals and deferral.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So move.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Vice Chairman Hardemon --
Commissioner Sarnoff. Second.
Chair Gort: -- second by Commissioner Sarnoff. Any discussion? Being none, all in favor, state
it by saying aye.
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Gort: That's it? No pocket item? Nothing else?
Commissioner Suarez: That's it.
Chair Gort: We're done. Do I have a motion to adjourn?
Commissioner Sarnoff. So move.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
PZ.1 ORDINANCE
13-00865Iu
First Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 10544, AS AMENDED, THE
FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF THE MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE
NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, PURSUANT TO SMALL SCALE AMENDMENT
PROCEDURES SUBJECT TO SECTION 163.3187, FLORIDA STATUTES, BY
CHANGING THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF THE ACREAGE
DESCRIBED HEREIN OF REAL PROPERTIES AT APPROXIMATELY 180
NORTHEAST 50TH STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA, FROM "MEDIUM DENSITY
MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL" TO "MEDIUM DENSITY RESTRICTED
COMMERCIAL"; MAKING FINDINGS; DIRECTING TRANSMITTALS TO
AFFECTED AGENCIES; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
13-008651u FR Fact Sheet.pdf
13-00865Iu Analysis, Maps & PZAB Reso.pdf
13-008651u Application and Supporting Docs.pdf
13-008651u-Submittal-Director of Planning and Zoning-Withdrawl Email.pdf
13-008651u Legislation (v3).pdf
13-008651u Exhibit A.pdf
City of Miami Page 102 Printed on 5/7/2015
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
LOCATION: Approximately 180 NE 50th Street [Commissioner Keon
Hardemon - District 5]
APPLICANT(S): Ben Fernandez, Esquire, on behalf of Douglas Gardens
Holding Corp.
FINDING(S):
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended denial.
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Recommended approval to City
Commission on October 16, 2013 by a vote of 5-2. See companion File ID
13-00865zc.
PURPOSE: This will change the above properties from "Medium Density
Multifamily Residential" to "Medium Density Restricted Commercial".
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter be
WITHDRAWN PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff and Hardemon
Absent: 2 - Commissioner(s) Carollo and Suarez
PZ.2 ORDINANCE First Reading
13-00865zc
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING THE ZONING ATLAS OF ORDINANCE NO.
13114, AS AMENDED, BY CHANGING THE ZONING CLASSIFICATION FROM
"T4-R" GENERAL URBAN ZONE -RESTRICTED TO "T4-L" GENERAL URBAN
ZONE -LIMITED, FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 180
NORTHEAST 50TH STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA; MAKING FINDINGS;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
13-00865zc FR Fact Sheet.pdf
13-00865zc Analysis, Maps and PZAB Reso.pdf
13-00865zc Application and Supporting Docs.pdf
13-00865zc-Submittal-Director of Planning and Zoning-Withdrawl Email.pdf
13-00865zc Legislation (v3).pdf
13-00865zc Exhibit A.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 180 NE 50th Street [Commissioner Keon
Hardemon - District 5]
APPLICANT(S): Ben Fernandez, Esquire, on behalf of Douglas Gardens
Holding Corp.
FINDING(S):
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended denial.
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Recommended approval with
modifications to City Commission on October 16, 2013 by a vote of 6-1.* See
companion File ID 13-008651u.
*See supporting documentation.
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
PURPOSE: This will change the above property from "T4-R" to "T4-L". Item
includes a covenant.
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter be
WITHDRAWN PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff and Hardemon
Absent: 2 - Commissioner(s) Carollo and Suarez
PZ.3 RESOLUTION
15-00001 ww
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), MAKING FINDINGS AND APPROVING WITH
CONDITIONS A REDUCTION OF THE WATERFRONT SETBACK
REQUIREMENTS PURSUANT TO SECTION 3(MM)(III) OF THE CHARTER
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, REQUESTING A WAIVER
PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 7, SECTION 7.1.2.5(a)(28) OF THE MIAMI 21
ZONING CODE, REQUESTING AN ADDITIONAL TEN PERCENT (10%) FOR
BUILDING LENGTH FOR PART OF THE PROJECT, AND REQUESTING A
WAIVER PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 4, TABLE 4, TO ALLOW A PARKING
REDUCTION OF UP TO THIRTY PERCENT (30%) FOR THE ONE BRICKELL
PROJECT TO BE LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 444 BRICKELL AVENUE
AND 77 SOUTHEAST 5 STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA.
15-00001ww Fact Sheet.pdf
15-00001wwAnalysis and Recommendation.pdf
15-00001ww Application and Supporting Documents.pdf
15-00001ww Legislation (v3).pdf
15-00001ww Exhibit.pdf
15-00001ww-Submittal-Bernardo Fort Brescia -One Brickell Presentation.pdf
15-00001ww-Submittal-Brett Bibeau-Miami River Commission Recommendations.pdf
15-00001ww-Submittal-Michael Gongora-Brickell on the River Master Association, inc. board of dir
LOCATION: 444 Brickell Avenue and 77 Southeast 5 Street, Miami, Florida
[Commissioner Marc D. Sarnoff - District 2]
APPLICANT(S): Iris V. Escarra, Esquire, on behalf of 444 Brickell Partners
LLC TRS 444 Brickell Land Trust
FINDING(S):
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval, subject to
conditions.
PURPOSE: This will allow the construction of a new waterfront building along
the Miami River for the One Brickell project.
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff and Hardemon
Absent: 2 - Commissioner(s) Carollo and Suarez
Note for the Record: Item PZ.3 was deferred to the April 23, 2015 Planning and Zoning City
Commission Meeting.
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
D3.1
14-01093
END OF PLANNING AND ZONING ITEMS
MAYOR AND COMMISSIONERS' ITEMS
CITYWIDE
HONORABLE MAYOR TOMAS REGALADO
END OF CITYWIDE ITEMS
DISTRICT 1
CHAIR WIFREDO (WILLY) GORT
END OF DISTRICT 1
DISTRICT 2
COMMISSIONER MARC DAVID SARNOFF
END OF DISTRICT 2
DISTRICT 3
COMMISSIONER FRANK CAROLLO
DISCUSSION ITEM
UPDATE REGARDING DISCUSSION ON IMPROVING THE CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (C.I.P) PROCESS.
14-01093 CITP Baseline Proj. Schedules.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
END OF DISTRICT 3
DISTRICT 4
COMMISSIONER FRANCIS SUAREZ
END OF DISTRICT 4
DISTRICT 5
VICE CHAIR KEON HARDEMON
END OF DISTRICT 5
NON AGENDA ITEM(S)
NA.1 DISCUSSION ITEM
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Meeting Minutes April 9, 2015
15-00433
DISCUSSION BY CHAIR GORT REGARDING A VACANT AND ABANDONED
PROPERTY LOCATED AT 676 NORTHWEST 32ND STREET.
15-00433-Submittal-Commissioner Gort-Presentation-Abandoned Home.pdf
DISCUSSED
Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): Three -oh -five, sir. Three -oh -five, sir.
Chair Gort: We're supposed to be back.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Three o'clock.
Chair Gort: Okay. We need one more and we get going. All right, we have quorum. Former
Commissioner at Miami Beach, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), welcome to the City of Miami. It's a
pleasure to have you with us. I like your new look; people didn't recognize you here. As I told
you, when I come back, it's something I want to address. It's a pocket item, which is a problem
with abandoned homes, and I'm going to show some samples. An abandoned home where it
creates decreased value -- market value of the neighborhoods, increases tax delinquency,
increased use of city service by Code Enforcement, maintenance, boarding up, and demolition.
And it sure reduces the quality of life. I'm going to show you a picture that we took of one of
those homes that we been going at it for the last six month, which is at 676 Northwest 32nd
Street. Here's what it looks like. Hello? No, go back to the first. This what it looks like, and
you'll be surprised who owns this property. Finally, we have Law working on this; we have Code
Enforcement; we got the NROs (Neighborhood Resource Officers); and we were able to do
something. At least we were able to clean the place up a little bit. And I'll let Law go into the
details what they doing on this property. And as I read it, the research -- show the one that's
been clean up. And this is what happens. Code Enforcement -- go back to the one before. Code
Enforcement does its job. Goes there, places a post it -- post it; let them know they're in
violation, but it stands there for month, and there's not much power that we have. I mean, I know
the Law Department's working on it, so this is something we really need to do and try to expedite
this, because this really ruins neighborhoods. We got our NET (Neighborhood Enhancement
Team) Office together with the Code Enforcement; they were able to clean up the place a little
bit. And we went to the office of the property appraiser, and this is owned by the Wells Fargo
Bank; that we were supposed to have a great relationship with them, they supposed to be
working with us, and they're the owner of that property. My understanding is, I received a mail
from Min; when we try to do something about it, we -- they went to court and we had an
injunction and stopped us from taking any action necessary. And unfortunate, most of this
property takes place the neighborhoods where we trying to improve the quality of life. And we
were able to resolve this (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the same as we resolve -- I show a letter from
(UNINTELLIGIBLE), the -- they going to take action on the other complaints that we've been
having. They're going to be doing something, thanks to team work. That's why team work is so
important. That's why I keep talking about the NET Office, the way they used to be, and the way
we should go back to the NET Office the way it is. When you have the Code Enforcement, NROs,
and the administrator, NET administrator working as a team, we accomplish a lot, and that's
why we been able to do on these things. So I just wanted to bring this and show it to you all,
because I think this is very important, to continue to do this type of work. It's team work that
takes [sic] things to get done. An sometimes when we cannot do it administratively, we, as
elected official, can make phone calls, and we can write letters to the right people, like we did
from (UNINTELLIGIBLE), and we got it resolve. Thank you all for allowing me to present this.
Thank you.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair?
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
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Commissioner Suarez: Can I speak on your item, or are you satisfied with the City's response on
it?
Chair Gort: I think it was satisfies [sic]. They all working as a team, which is very important.
A lot of times where you cannot accomplish through Code Enforcement, the policemen being
there and the NET administrator being there helps, and the firefighters also helps, the Fire
Department. Working as a team, you'd be surprised how much we can accomplish. Now, some
of you were not here when the NET was originally in 19 -- in the '90s, and the NET was a great
instrument, not only to maintain the quality of life in the neighborhood -- because they're there
constantly, so they know what's going on. But at the same time, for the police, it was very good,
because the NRO was the best intelligence that they can be given to the police officer.
Commissioner Suarez: Can I just say one thing?
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Suarez: As a real estate lawyer, I've worked with the City Attorney before she was
a City Attorney on this issue, and we've had a tremendous amount of success collecting money
from property owners, but situations like the one you're describing, that one is a tough one,
because it's not bad enough to be declared unsafe, but it's right there, and it's obviously in a very
bad condition. What I've urged the City Attorney to do in my district -- and I would suggest that
you do the same thing in yours -- is regardless of whether we collect -- whether the lien has a
priority or not -- because there's two kinds of liens: There's the ones that we -- improve the
property, and then the ones that are just Code Enforcement liens. We should be filing foreclosure
on those properties. That property, we should have already filed a foreclosure on. And
regardless of whether or not we get paid or do not get paid, we need to push as aggressively as
possible to get the property out of the state that it's in. And for me, a lawsuit is what, $500,
maybe $1,000 that it cost us? Five hundred dollars? Somewhere between 500 and a thousand
with filing fees and service and all that stuff. So we're talking about spending $500 to move it
and to get the bank to move. We're suing Wells Fargo -- we, the City of Miami, are suing Wells
Fargo precisely for this reason, because they loan money on less advantageous terms to
minorities and then the properties came into this condition, and that has caused a harm to our
residents, so.
Chair Gort: By the way, I don't want this to be implemented in my district. I want this to be
implemented throughout the City, because I think we all being affected.
Commissioner Suarez: Oh, absolutely.
Chair Gort: We understand the -- what do you call them? The people that walk -- go into the
homes and -- the squatters. The squatters a problem throughout the whole City of Miami, so it's
not within my district, but this is the way it should be applied to all the NET neighborhoods.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): This -- Commissioner Suarez, just to your point so that you
know that this case already was -- we filed an injunction on this case, and it is set for hearing
April 20.
Commissioner Suarez: Injunction of what?
Ms. Mendez: And hopefully -- hmm?
Commissioner Suarez: What are you enjoining them from doing?
Ms. Mendez: Well, basically, this was one of the cases where we were able to get an unsafe
structure order and demolish. They've enjoined us from demolishing, but we should be able to
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prevail, hopefully, on the merits on April 20 based on the fact that they didn't file a timely --
Commissioner Suarez: So you're trying to --
Ms. Mendez: -- appeal.
Commissioner Suarez: -- you're trying to --
Ms. Mendez: We're trying to demolish it.
Commissioner Suarez: -- demo the house. That's good -- that's great. Fantastic.
Commissioner Sarnoff Do you mind?
Chair Gort: Sure. Go ahead.
Commissioner Sarnoff How did they get a restraining order against you? Was it without any
presentation of facts?
Ms. Mendez: Well, what they do is they get the temporary. So --
Commissioner Sarnoff They get TRO (Temporary Restraining Order).
Ms. Mendez: -- a court -- Right.
Commissioner Sarnoff They get TRO.
Ms. Mendez: Right. And we have the --
Commissioner Sarnoff Which then they're going to convert to a PRO (Permanent Restraining
Order).
Ms. Mendez: At the hearing.
Commissioner Sarnoff So they, correct me if I'm wrong, have to make a representation to the
court indicating that the City is wrong.
Ms. Mendez: Correct. But on this one, we are just going to be able to -- on the merits, the fact
that the Fry case, which is that Third DCA (District Court of Appeals) decision that we've used a
lot in your district to be able to demolish properties, they didn't file a timely appeal or their -- for
their injunction, so we're able to be able --
Commissioner Sarnoff Wait, wait.
Ms. Mendez: -- to get rid of this case, period.
Commissioner Sarnoff Look, I'm going to be like a lay person. So I'm Judge Sarnoff, and they
come to me with what evidence to show that they're in compliance? What do they say to the
judge?
Ms. Mendez: Well, basically --
Commissioner Sarnoff I have a beautiful home right here; I've been taking good care of it, -
Commissioner Gort's all wrong; Commissioner Suarez doesn't know what he's talking about;
here's a picture of my home. Look at the roof; it's in perfect condition. Because that's what
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Judge Sarnoff would require.
Ms. Mendez: Right. Judge Sarnoff would, but most judges on the bench, unfortunately, are not
willing to demolish a house or let us demolish a house right away. So what happened in this
case is they file -- Wells Fargo filed a complaint for injunction. We filed a motion to dismiss
saying that, you know, they're not entitled to this injunction. And we've been able to secure a
hearing for April 20 in order to then have this hearing on our motion to dismiss to be able to say,
"Listen, they didn't file a timely appeal, and they didn't do everything that they needed to do so
we get to demolish based on the Fry case.
Commissioner Sarnoff All right. You just said they failed to exhaust their administrative
remedies.
Ms. Mendez: Correct. We -- the easy way to get this resolved ASAP (as soon as possible).
Commissioner Sarnoff But correct me if Pm wrong -- so now even better than Johnny and Jane
Come Lately. You have a banking institution the size of Wells Fargo coming in front of a judge
and saying, What the City is saying is wrong. "Did they file an affidavit to that effect?
Ms. Mendez: In this particular, they -- because it was set for hearing -- I mean, in my experience
-- and you remember that I used to do this all the time. The minute that we started going to court
to be able to demolish something, a judge will not set it on their five-minute motion calendar.
They won't hear anything. They're basically going to say, "Listen, I want certain facts. We'll set
this for hearing, " and they won't do much to --
Commissioner Sarnoff So --
Ms. Mendez: -- grant it on the --
Commissioner Sarnoff Right. So Judge Sarnoff granted a temporary restraining order without
requiring them to post a bond, correct? -
Ms. Mendez: I don't think a bond is posted on this, no.
Commissioner Sarnoff Which is against the law. And Victoria Mendez -- and this is a big bank
that certainly could have damages brought against it for the failure to use the proper procedures.
You're in front of Judge Sarnoff, who's obviously a lousy judge. And I think it's important for you
to demonstrate to the court that --
Ms. Mendez: They used bad faith by not filing certain things, and we will --
Commissioner Sarnoff And by the way, that may be a part of a record he may want on his
appeal against Wells Fargo, because it does sort of facilitate his argument.
Ms. Mendez: On some of the -- all these cases that have these types of circumstances are going
to be used in the cases that we have against our banks, because these are all the resources that
we expend through this whole process.
Commissioner Suarez: They're the damages.
Ms. Mendez: Right. They're basically all those things, and we -- you know, whether it's our
attorneys time, our staff time, and you know, Code Enforcement going out there, the Police time,
the Solid Waste time, all those things, and that's why we have the original case against the banks.
Chair Gort: My question is, once we place a violation by the Code Enforcement, automatically
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we start fining the individuals if they don't comply with X'hmount of days? Because I mean, that
place -- you saw the picture, what it looks like.
Ms. Mendez: Right. The -- there's usually two different things that happen. Depending on the
case that's initiated, whether -- if it's an unsafe structures case, like this case is, this is a special
assessment. I know that this case in particular, I believe, has certain Code Enforcement cases as
well. The Code Enforcement cases, we cannot foreclose on those, but we can foreclose on the
unsafe structure ones. If this case -- if we wouldn't be on the defense in trying to dismiss the
case, we would be on the offense, like Commissioner Suarez suggested that we've done in other
cases, which is taking the case to court and saying -- and foreclosing on the counts and enjoining
them as well, saying that they needed to do certain things, and if not, this nuisance needs to be
abated. So we're -- it depends in what posture we end up, if they go to court first or we do. But
at the end of the day, we try and get the same results, which is either knock down the property or
force them -- or foreclose the property, depending on if they are able to achieve compliance
before them or not, or pay us off.
Commissioner Sarnoff Who's the judge in this particular case?
Ms. Mendez: In this particular case --
Commissioner Sarnoff I know it's not Judge Sarnoff.
Chair Gort: I'll tell you, you make a good judge. I think you should look into it.
Commissioner Sarnoff You wouldn't want to be in front of me. First we'd hang you and then
we'd try you.
Chair Gort: You'll be good.
Commissioner Sarnoff Imagine Keon coming in front of me?
Ms. Mendez: I'm trying to get the court case number, to look it up.
Commissioner Sarnoff All right. I just -- before the end of the day, I think the citizens have
heard this particular argument should be able to hear the judge, his name, so that when --
Ms. Mendez: I'll --
Commissioner Sarnoff -- the judge comes up --
Ms. Mendez: Okay, that's important.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- for election, they'll know who the judge is.
Ms. Mendez: Judge Bronwyn Miller.
Commissioner Sarnoff Ouch; I know Bronwyn. Better fix it, Bronwyn.
Chair Gort: Well, thank you, and let's continue to do this, because Suarez and this type of homes
is beginning -- absentee owners is beginning to be a major problem.
Ms. Mendez: And we --
Chair Gort: Just people walking away from their properties. That's --
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ADJOURNMENT
Ms. Mendez: We've been able to be successful in some of the squatter cases, and we are ramping
up on that as well, and I think little by little, the message is getting out that the City is serious on
compliance of these properties, and that it really is not tolerating any type of squatter situation
as well.
Chair Gort: Well, thank you. I want to thank you all.
The meeting adjourned at 4: 07 p.m.
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