HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2015-09-24 MinutesCity of Miami
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, September 24, 2015
9:00 AM
PLANNING AND ZONING
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 September 24, 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
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 September 24, 2015
9:00 A.M. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Present: Chair Gort, Commissioner Sarnoff, Commissioner Carollo, Commissioner Suarez and
Vice Chair Hardemon
On the 24th day of September 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 9:09 a.m., recessed at
11: 58 a.m., reconvened at 3: 06 p.m., and adjourned at 9:14 p.m.
Note for the Record: Commissioner Sarnoff entered the Commission chamber at 9:45 a.m.,
Commissioner Carollo entered the Commission chamber at 9:46 a.m., Vice Chair Hardemon
entered the Commission chamber at 9:48 a.m. and Commissioner Suarez entered the
Commission chamber at 9: 52 a. m.
ALSO PRESENT:
Victoria Mendez, City Attorney
Daniel J. Alfonso, City Manager
Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk
Chair Gort: The members of the City Commission, I have Frank Carollo, Francis Suarez, Marc
Sarnoff, Vice Chairman Keon Hardemon; and myself Chairperson Wifredo "Willy" Gort. Also,
we have City Manager Alfonso, Daniel Alfonso; City Clerk are Todd; and the City Attorney, we
have Victoria Mendez. At this time, I'll ask you to stand and we'll have our prayer and -- Mr.
Manager, will you do the pledge?
Invocation and pledge of allegiance delivered.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
PR.1
15-01234
PRESENTATION
Honoree
City of Miami Employees
25, 30, and 35 year
service milestone
University of Miami
School of Architecture
Buena Vista Residents
Presenter
Protocol Item
Mayor Regalado Service Award
and Commissioners
Mayor Regalado
Mayor Regalado
and Vice Chair
Hardemon
Recognition
Award
Certificate of
Appreciation
15-01234 Protocol List.pdf
15-01234-Submittal-Dean Rodolphe el -Khoury -University of Miami Proclamation Presentation.pdf
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
PRESENTED
1) City Manager Alfonso presented Service Awards to various City of Miami employees for their
25, 30 and 35 years of service milestone, commending them for their dedication and commitment
to the City of Miami; furthermore thanking them for their hard work and dedication as City
Employees.
2) Mayor Regalado presented a proclamation to Rodolphe el -Khoury, Dean of the School of
Architecture at the University of Miami honoring his exemplary work as an educator while
keeping the mission to strengthen the foundations of our community; furthermore recognizing the
importance of an enlightened sensibility in elevating the quality of life for our residents and
maintaining the aesthetic and intellectual well-being of our City.
3) Mayor Regalado presented the residents of Buena Vista with certificates of appreciation,
expressing gratitude for their participation in the First Annual Community Pride Day, an event
to encourage and promote pride in the Buena Vista West neighborhood.
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) certification to give out. Mr. Manager.
Presentations made.
APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE FOLLOWING MEETINGS:
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, to APPROVE
PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Suarez
MAYORAL VETOES
ORDER OF THE DAY
Chair Gort: Do we need -- minutes?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Yes, sir. I have for Commission consideration and approval the
Planning & Zoning Commission meeting minutes from July 23, 2015.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So moved.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Vice Chairman Hardemon.
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Gort: Second by Commissioner Carollo. Any further discussion? Being none, all in
favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
END OF APPROVING MINUTES
NO MAYORAL VETOES
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chain; there are no mayoral vetoes.
Chair Gort: Thank you, Manager. Ladies and gentlemen, we're going to be a little patient
today, we understand what the weather is like, so (UNINTELLIGIBLE) until the Commissioners
get here. In the meantime, Madam Attorney, will you go over the procedures?
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and good morning. I will now
state the procedures to be followed during this meeting. Any person who is a lobbyist, including
all (UNINTELLIGIBLE) persons or firms retained by a principal to advocate for a particular
decision by the City Commission, must register with the City Clerk and comply with related City
requirements for lobbyists before appearing before the City Commission. A person may not
lobby a City official, board member, or staff until registering. A copy of the Code section about
lobbyists is available in the City Clerk's Office. Any person making a presentation, formal
request, or petition to the City Commission concerning real property must make the disclosures
required by the City Code. A copy of this Code section is available in the City Clerk's Office.
The material for each item on the agenda is available during regular business hours at the City
Clerk's Office or 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 on 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 now. No clapping, applauding, heckling, or verbal outbursts
in support or opposition to a speaker or his 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 Commission chambers. Any person with a disability requiring assistance,
auxiliary aids and services for this meeting may notify the City Clerk. The lunch recess will
begin at the conclusion of deliberation of the agenda item being considered at noon. The
meeting will end either 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 the City staff and City Attorney on items on
the agenda today. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am. Mr. Manager.
Later...
Chair Gort: Okay, good morning. We have a quorum. Mr. Manager.
Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): Good morning, Mr. Chairman and Commissioners. I want to
point out that RE.1, the sculpture donations, are to be deferred to the October Commission
meeting at the request of the district Commissioner. RE.12, we were informed, was to be
deferred also, at the request of the District 4 Commissioner. Items SR.1 and RE.7 are companion
items.
Chair Gort: SR.1?
Mr. Alfonso: SR.1 and RE.7 are companion items, and we should -- we were requesting that they
be heard together --
Chair Gort: Okay.
Mr. Alfonso: -- as well as SR. 4 through 7, and PZ 3 through 6. So, PZ 3, 4, 5, and 6.
Chair Gort: SR.4, second reading.
Mr. Alfonso: SR.4, 5, 6, and 7 --
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Chair Gort: Together.
Mr. Alfonso: -- together with PZs.3, 4, 5, and 6.
Chair Gort: Then we'll have to do it in the afternoon?
Mr. Alfonso: Yes, we'll have to do those in the afternoon, Mr. Chairman. Those are related to
the Wynwood Neighborhood Revitalization District.
Chair Gort: Any other items?
Mr. Alfonso: PZ 7 -- and this will be read this afternoon when the PZ (Planning & Zoning)
agenda is read -- is to be continued and PZs. 8 and 11.
Chair Gort: PZ.8 and 11, what happens to them?
Mr. Alfonso: Are also to be continued.
Chair Gort: Okay. Make sure you put it outside so people can see it. Mr. --
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Excuse me, Chair. RE.1 and RE.2, you're deferring those, Mr.
Manager?
Mr. Alfonso: Yes.
Mr. Hannon: To what date?
Mr. Alfonso: Well, RE.1 is October 8; and Ludlam Trail, the Commissioner is here. I'm not sure
what date --
Commissioner Suarez: No, we're going to stick with that one, if you don't mind.
Mr. Alfonso: Oh, you guys want to hear it?
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, yeah.
Mr. Alfonso: Okay.
Chair Gort: RE.12, we going to hear it?
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah.
Chair Gort: Okay.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah. I think you had also some PZ items of mine that -- we've been
informing the community -- I think it's PZ 11, you were saying.
Mr. Alfonso: I apologize, Commissioner.
Commissioner Suarez: No, no. You had said PZ.11, which is -- and 10, which is in my district.
Mr. Alfonso: No. Commissioner, I was told that PZ 8 and PZ 11 will be continued.
Commissioner Suarez: Right, butt thinkPZ10 and 11 are companions, right?
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Mr. Alfonso: Oh, I apologize; 8 through 11.
Commissioner Suarez: Okay.
Mr. Alfonso: Eight, nine, ten, and eleven.
Commissioner Suarez: Great. Awesome. Okay, yeah, that's fine with me.
Chair Gort: Eight through eleven.
Commissioner Suarez: That's to be done at 2, though, right?
Mr. Hannon: Yes. The action will -- the continuance will be taken at 2 o'clock
Commissioner Suarez: Okay.
Chair Gort: Right.
Commissioner Carollo: However, can we repeat all the requests and continuance from the
beginning?
Mr. Alfonso: All right, here we go again. Continuances requested: RE. 1 will be deferred to
October, first meeting; RE.12 will be heard. PZs.7 will be continued to the next like meeting.
PZ B, 9, 10, and 11 will be also continued to the next like meeting.
Commissioner Carollo: Eight, nine, ten, and eleven?
Mr. Alfonso: Correct.
Commissioner Carollo: To the next like meeting, okay.
Commissioner Suarez: I think mine will be to the November meeting, but that's fine. I'll say that
at 2, anyways. Yeah. In other words --
Commissioner Carollo: I got it.
Chair Gort: Okay?
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah.
Mr. Alfonso: Got it?
Commissioner Carollo: So, realistically, it's justRE.1; and then at 2 o'clock, the PZ items will
be PZ 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11, but -- so the only item we're deferring from the general agenda is RE.1 ?
Mr. Alfonso: That is correct, Commissioner.
Chair Gort: Is there any other Commissioner would like to defer any item? Any other
Commissioner? Yes, sir.
Francisco Garcia (Director, Planning & Zoning): My apologies. For the record, Francisco
Garcia, Planning & Zoning director. I certainly don't want to confuse matters any further, but 1
have just received notice that the applicants for items PZ.8 and PZ 9 may be in the end wishing
to go forward this afternoon. So as of this moment in time, we do not know yet that they will
want to defer. My apologies.
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
Chair Gort: We'll find out at 2 o'clock.
Mr. Garcia: My apologies. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Okay, thank you. Mr. Clerk, do we have any Mayor's veto?
Mr. Hannon: Chair, is there a motion on the deferral for RE.1 ?
Chair Gort: Is there a motion?
Commissioner Sarnoff. So moved.
Commissioner Suarez: So moved.
Chair Gort: It's been moved. Is there a second?
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Second by Commissioner Suarez. Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor,
state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
CONSENT AGENDA
CA.1 RESOLUTION
15-01073
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ACCEPTING THE
Procurement ASSIGNMENT OF BID CONTRACT NO. 291252, FROM PRIMARY VENDOR
KRESSE & ASSOCIATES, LLC TO DIGITAL DEPO SERVICES, INC., FOR
COURT REPORTING SERVICES.
15-01073 Summary Form.pdf
15-01073 Pre-Legislation.pdf
15-01073 Bill of Sale.pdf
15-01073 Corporate Detail.pdf
15-01073 Legislation.pdf
This Matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
R-15-0400
CA.2 RESOLUTION
15-01130
Department of Police A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ESTABLISHING A NEW SPECIAL REVENUE PROJECT
ENTITLED: "FISCAL YEAR 2015 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE
ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM" ("JAG"), CONSISTING OF A GRANT
AWARD FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, OFFICE
OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS, BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE, IN THE
AMOUNT OF $335,313.00, TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR TECHNOLOGY
ACQUISITION AND EQUIPMENT IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS;
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE GRANT
AGREEMENT, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, AND ANY
OTHER DOCUMENTS, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY,
IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE ACCEPTANCE AND ADMINISTRATION OF
SAID GRANT AWARD.
15-01130 Summary Form.pdf
15-01130 Legislation.pdf
15-01130 Exhibit - Grant.pdf
This Matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
R-15-0401
CA.3 RESOLUTION
15-01184
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
Attorney EXPENDITURE OF ATTORNEYS' FEES AND COSTS FOR THE
ENGAGEMENT OF AKERMAN LLP, AS CONFLICT COUNSEL, FOR THE
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
REPRESENTATION OF OFFICER EDWIN GOMEZ IN THE CASE OF TERRY
AND TRENT PILLINGER VS. TRAVIS TABBITA, ET. AL., PENDING IN THE
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF
FLORIDA, CASE NO.: 15-22952-CIV-SCOLA/OTAZO-REY; ALLOCATING
FUNDS FROM ACCOUNT NUMBER 05001.301001.545010.0000.00000.
15-01184 Memo - Office of the City Attorney.pdf
15-01184 Legislation.pdf
This Matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
R-15-0402
CA.4 RESOLUTION
15-01161
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
Attorney DIRECTOR OF FINANCE TO PAY TO, AND ON BEHALF OF, ESTIME
CARVIL, SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS IMPOSED BY CHAPTER 440,
FLORIDA STATUTES, THE TOTAL SUM OF $33,750.00, INCLUDING $100.00
FOR A SEPARATE GENERAL RELEASE, IN FULL SETTLEMENT OF ALL
CLAIMS AND DATES OF ACCIDENT ALLEGED AGAINST THE CITY OF
MIAMI, ITS OFFICERS, AGENTS AND EMPLOYEES, WITHOUT ADMISSION
OF LIABILITY, UPON EXECUTING A SETTLEMENT, HOLD HARMLESS, AND
INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT AS WELL AS A GENERAL RELEASE OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI, ITS PRESENT AND FORMER OFFICERS, AGENTS,
AND EMPLOYEES, FROM ANY AND ALL CLAIMS AND DEMANDS;
ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM THE SELF-INSURANCE AND INSURANCE
TRUST FUND, INDEX CODE NO. 50001.301001.545010.0000.00000.
15-01161 Memo - Office of the City Attorney.pdf
15-01161 Memo - Budget Sign-Off.pdf
15-01161 Legislation.pdf
This Matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
R-15-0403
Adopted the Consent Agenda
Motion by Commissioner Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, including all the
preceding items marked as having been adopted on the Consent Agenda. The motion
carried by the following vote:
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
END OF CONSENT AGENDA
Chair Gort: CA (Consent Agenda). Do I have motion for consent agenda?
Commissioner Carollo: Move it.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
PH.1
15-01088
Department of
Community and
Economic
Development
Chair Gort: Been moved by Commissioner Carollo; second by Commissioner Suarez. Any
discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
ALLOCATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD STABILIZATION PROGRAM 3
PROGRAM INCOME FUNDS IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $2,208,771.00 BY
ALLOCATING $220,877.00 TO THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY &
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION AND
$1,987,894.00 FOR ELIGIBLE HOUSING ACTIVITIES CITYWIDE;
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY
DOCUMENTS, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, FOR
SAID PURPOSE.
15-01088 Summary Form.pdf
15-01088 Notice to the Public.pdf
15-01088 Pre-Legislation.pdf
15-01088 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo and Suarez
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Hardemon
R-15-0404
Chair Gort: PH (Public Hearing).
George Mensah: Good morning, Commissioners.
Chair Gort: PH.1. Yes, sir.
Mr. Mensah: My name is George Mensah, director of Community Development.
Commissioners, PH.1 is a resolution of the Miami City Commission, authorizing the allocation
of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program 3 program funds, total amount of approximately $2.2
million; allocating 220,877 to program develop -- program administration and approximately
$1.9 million for eligible housing activities citywide. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir. It's a public hearing.
Renita Holmes: Madam Holmes for the Women's Association Alliance Addressing Injustice and
Violent Epidemia [sic], as well as Women in Public Housing Education, Finance and
Development, Incorporated Always (UNINTELLIGIBLE) not in a threatening manner, but just
a matter of fact, recognizing my entitlement and those women that I am a class representative of
and just really serving entitlement as Section 3s, which I've seen the County adapted and City yet
to adapt, and specific local, Federal guidelines, which I believe we simulate the poverty
initiatives. It just goes over me. However, we would like you to be specific about that locality.
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As I say, there are those who have prepared themselves to go from poverty. I used to be in public
housing, 500-something dollars, raise my own business, not -for -profit and for profit. It's still
doing pretty good here; now 13 years later. It's my concern, however, that our lack of
mainstream services and partnership and MOUs (Memorandums of Understanding) and the
disparity of Africa American and inner-city, as well as some imminent groups and women that
take the right to represent themselves have been overlooked. I believe having to wait a month to
see anyone in Administration so that we can get attached maybe properties, Planning & Zoning.
I have a host and a list of experiences and documentation. Is it -- it's something in the way -- but
I'm more concerned that this City has lost poor renters dollars and may be why this hatch and
homeless shelters so full of them. I would like to ask what is the rule for Section 3 localities and
priorities on that, particularly since this City doesn't have the greatest reputation with Federal
HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) and spending CDBG (Community
Development Block Grant) monies; and that when poor women go to public meetings, they don't
get much input, as much as some of the guys get. And those that apply to cronyism, nepotism,
and egoism as well, but in reality, legally, is there any way for us to prioritize? Because if they
got good money for those (UNINTELLIGIBLE) continue education and businesses and they're
already there, can we take a better look at not being competitive with others and being stagnant?
Because this has been one of the greatest causes of poverty.
Chair Gort: 171 get the people to sit down with you and let you know (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Ms. Holmes: Actually, sir, I'd like to keep --
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Ms. Holmes: Mr. Chair, if I may? And I don't want to be rude, and I don't want to be treated
rudely.
Chair Gort: I don't --
Ms. Holmes: I'm just asking a question. Every --
Chair Gort: You've had your two minutes.
Ms. Holmes: Mr. Chair, every time you defer me from a sunshine answer or my rights to
participation, you send me over there, and I get nothing, so are you saying --
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Ms. Holmes?
Chair Gort: Yes.
Ms. Mendez: Ms. Holmes, remember what I read at the beginning, that it's subject to the time
that's given by the Chair. If you have any questions, you know that he's always very
accommodating and gives you the information, so --
Ms. Holmes: Actually, he's not. He says it -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE) getting a follow up, it doesn't.
That's why I'm visiting your office quite often.
Chair Gort: Ma'am.
Ms. Holmes: And Madam, it's okay, because no answer, no citizen participation on a CDBG
Federal funds is his decision.
Chair Gort: All right, thank you. Anyone else? Anyone else? Seeing none, hearing none, close
the public hearings. An ordinance. Do I have a --?
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PH.2
15-01087
Department of
Community and
Economic
Development
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): It's a resolution, sir.
Chair Gort: Resolution.
Commissioner Carollo: move it.
Chair Gort: Been moved by Commissioner Carollo.
Commissioner Suarez: Second. Quick discussion.
Chair Gort: Second by Commissioner Suarez. Discussion.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah. I just want to make sure -- I mean, I think I'm reading this
properly, but I want to make sure that this is not being specifically allocated right now. Is this
just the general acceptance?
Mr. Mensah: Yes. It's not being allocated. The allocation only goes to eligible housing
activities.
Commissioner Suarez: That's fine.
Mr. Mensah: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. 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), AUTHORIZING THE ALLOCATION OF COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT ("CDBG") PROGRAM INCOME FUNDS IN
THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $1,058,875.00 FROM THE WAGNER SQUARE, LLC
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT; ALLOCATING SAID FUNDS AS DESCRIBED IN
ATTACHMENT "A", ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED; AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, FOR SAID PURPOSE.
15-01087 Summary Form.pdf
15-01087 Notice to the Public.pdf
15-01087 Pre-Legislation.pdf
15-01087 Legislation.pdf
15-01087 Attachment 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, Carollo and Suarez
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Hardemon
R-15-0405
Chair Gort: PH.2.
George Mensah (Director, Community and Economic Development): Commissioner, PH.2 is a
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PH.3
15-01090
Office of Management
and Budget
resolution of the Miami City Commission, authorizing the allocation of CDBG (Community
Development Block Grant) program income funds, in total amount of approximately 1,058,000
from Wagner Square, LLC (limited Liability Corporation) settlement agreement; allocating said
funds to $1 million to the fire -rescue for fire equipment purchase and 58, 875 for community
development for program administration.
Commissioner Suarez: Move it.
Mr. Mensah: Commissioners, as you know, these funds (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Actually, we had
it from -- since 2012, and it's been very difficult to get any guidance from HUD (Department of
Housing and Urban Development) as to the -- which amounts become program income. We got
a guidance from HUD on June 23, 2015, and the guidance was written by Mr. Alan Hughes, and
Ms. Carey Whitehead, who is the attorney for HUD; was also involved providing us guidance.
So it's from this guidance that we are able to estimate and provide the amount here as program
income from the settlement.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir. Do I have a -- motion's been made. It's a public hearing. Is
anyone in the public would like to address this one issue?
Renita Holmes: May I?
Chair Gort: Yes, ma'am.
Ms. Holmes: Okay. Madam Holmes, local woman entitlement Section 3, according to 924.935
CFR, which we seem to be devoid of. Same question, and it may not be so specific. I think HUD
told us the last time we lost millions of dollars of poor people's dollars, which we're bonding to
replace; that we had specific guidelines where we signed in and had specific guidelines. The
City has never used specific guidelines, but it is proven that 1 have used those specific guidelines
to be a successful woman. Maybe, if more women could access that specific guideline and
knowledge thereof or maybe if we would sit down and talk about it and not be sequestered at the
microphone, we would have less litigation from Ms. Mendez, making the assumption that we're
getting. But if you wait 30 days and HUD wait 60 days, I don't know who's partnering to help us
get out of poverty. And so, I'm making this verbal complaint. I still say we are not going
according to the Federal guidelines. We're not going to SB-50. We are not doing citizen
participation, and we're not sticking to the consent degree [sic], or me as a former Federal
complainant on the same issue is being retaliated against, harassed and intimidated by process
or lack of due process, and I'll leave that at the courthouse. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am. Anyone else? Anyone else? Seeing none, hearing none,
second by Commissioner Sarnoff. All in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Mr. Mensah: Thank you.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), BY A FOUR -FIFTHS (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE VOTE,
PURSUANT TO SECTION 18-92 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, AFTER AN ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARING,
RATIFYING, APPROVING AND CONFIRMING THE CITY MANAGERS
FINDING OFASOLE SOURCE; WAIVING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
COMPETITIVE SEALED BIDDING PROCEDURES; ACCEPTING THE
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
EXECUTED SOFTWARE AGREEMENT AND ADDENDUM WITH OPENGOV,
INC., THE SOLE SOURCE PROVIDER OF A PROPRIETARY WEB -BASED
PLATFORM THAT OFFERS FINANCIAL TRANSPARENCY TO LOCAL AND
STATE GOVERNMENTS, SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND
BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE TIME OF NEED; FURTHER AUTHORIZING
THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY NECESSARY
AMENDMENTS AND MODIFICATIONS, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE
CITY ATTORNEY, FOR SAID PURPOSE, WITH RENEWALS BEING
SUBJECT TO CITY COMMISSION APPROVAL, AS STATED HEREIN.
15-01090 Summary Form.pdf
15-01090 Notice to the Public.pdf
15-01090 Legislation.pdf
15-01090 Exhibit.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
R-1 5-0406
Chair Gort: PH.3.
Christopher Rose (Director): Good morning, Commissioners. Chris Rose, Office of
Management & Budget. PH 3 is a four -fifths waiver to continue a contract with a vendor called
OpenGOV. They allow us to continue to put our budget and our actual expenditures of the City
out on the web for anyone to see, and I respectfully ask the four -fifths waiver be approved.
Commissioner Suarez: Move it.
Commissioner Carollo: Second. Discussion.
Chair Gort: Been moved by Commissioner Suarez; second by Commissioner Carollo.
Discussion. Yes, ma'am.
Renita Holmes: Again, thank you, Commissioner Suarez and Commissioner Carollo, and in
advance, Commissioner Hardemon. Since we presents [sic] a large and disparate amount of
impoverished individuals, having CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) monies and
money spent does not recover, and it has shown a pattern and a trend. I appeal to you that we
see where this money is going, seek the participation of those who have received it; see if there's
some redundancy in these groups that have not performed; determine if they are local and could
be better, more fit to help them continue with the poverty initiative. I am making this complaint,
and it's urgent to you, specifically Commissioners, that do have a majority of CDBG (Community
Development Block Grant) Poverty Initiative under the 924.935 CFR. Thank you so kindly.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Chairman.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am.
Ms. Mendez: I just wanted to -- I'm going to give Ms. Holmes the phone number to our attorney,
Jiji (phonetic) Soliman, that handles all the CD (Community Development) issues.
Chair Gort: Give it to her.
Ms. Mendez: I believe that we've reviewed this before, but --
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
Ms. Holmes: No, we have not, Madam --
Ms. Mendez: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Ms. Holmes: No, we have not.
Ms. Mendez: Okay. Well, just in case so that she --
Ms. Holmes: Can't let that be a matter of (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Gort: Ma'am, they're going to give it to you now.
Ms. Holmes: I can't lie. I can't lie.
Chair Gort: Okay.
Ms. Mendez: -- go over this issue with our office just to make sure that everything's fine.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Thank you.
Ms. Holmes: Thank you. Well, thank you.
Chair Gort: Any further discussion? Anyone else in the public would like to address this issue?
Seeing none, hearing none, we closely the public hearings. Any additional comments?
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. You know, the word "transparency" is, I
think, more and more loosely used. I have to admit, I think, Chris, for the first time we used this
together -- at least, it was my first time -- and I said, "Okay, let's see how much transparency
there really is." And the one thing I ask, "Okay, find me that in there." We couldn't find it. So
I'm going to approve this; however, I'm going to ask for a friendly amendment that after the first
year, that it comes back to this Commission for any approval of additional years.
Mr. Rose: Sure.
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Suarez: I would agree with that, and I would just ask the Commissioner -- it's
probably a good idea. You may have already told him in private; and if you did, that's fine. You
know, I just -- just for us to be transparent to say exactly what level of grandeurness [sic] that we
want to get to, because I agree with you. I think we should get as granular as possible, I think,
you know, I mean, and that's the real transparency.
Chair Gort: Okay, any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): As amended.
Chair Gort: As amended.
Commissioner Carollo: As amended
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PH.4 RESOLUTION
15-01052
Department of Police A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, BY A FOUR -FIFTHS
(4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE VOTE, AFTER AN ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARING,
RATIFYING, APPROVING AND CONFIRMING THE CITY MANAGER'S
RECOMMENDATIONS AND FINDINGS, PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 18-85
AND 18-86 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED, AUTHORIZING THE RETROACTIVE PAYMENT OF AN AMOUNT
NOT GREATER THAN $13,582.00 TO MICROCEPTION, INC., A SOLE
SOURCE PROVIDER, FOR THE PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF A
SEPARATE, STAND-ALONE VIDEOVERSIGHT INTERVIEW ROOM
RECORDING AND CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI
POLICE DEPARTMENT; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM THE LAW
ENFORCEMENT TRUST FUND, AWARD NUMBER 1019, PROJECT NUMBER
19-690002, ACCOUNT CODE NUMBER 12500.191602.664000.0000, WITH
SUCH EXPENDITURES HAVING BEEN APPROVED BY THE CHIEF OF
POLICE AS COMPLYING WITH THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE'S "GUIDE TO EQUITABLE SHARING FOR STATE AND LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES."
15-01052 Summary Form.pdf
15-01052 Notice to the Public.pdf
15-01052 Memo - City Manager's Approval.pdf
15-01052 Back -Up - Invoice.pdf
15-01052 Back -Up - Affidavit.pdf
15-01052 Pre-Legislation.pdf
15-01052 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
R-15-0407
Chair Gort: PH.4.
Christopher Rose (Director, Office ofManagement &Budget): Thank you, Commissioners.
Rodolfo Llanes: Good morning. Rodolfo Llanes, Chief of Police. It's a resolution by the
Commission by a four -fifths affirmative vote. Basically, what we're doing is asking for another
$13,500 to -- as a retroactive payment for some work that was done to our interview rooms. The
service had to be separated, and so there's an additional cost that we need to retroactively pay
the vendor. And this comes out of LETS (Law Enforcement Trust Fund).
Chair Gort: Okay.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Chief how many -- now, when you say interview rooms, these are the
interview rooms once someone is arrested, they're placed in the room so that the police can have
discussions with them, correct?
Chief Llanes: Correct. And those are video- and audiotaped. And unfortunately, we have video
-- we have interview rooms in different areas of the station, and our Special Investigations
section was actually lumped into the whole server, so we needed to separate them to a separate
server so that all investigators don't have access to what our Special Investigations section is
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
looking at, and so we had to separate all those servers and that's -- that was the -- incurred the
additional costs.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So, if there's a interview that's happening with someone who's suspected
of committing a crime, it should be conducted in those -- one of those rooms --
Chief Llanes: Yes.
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- which have recordings?
Chief Llanes: Yes.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Chair Gort: Any further discussion? Public hearing. Anyone in the public would like to
address this issue? Seeing none, hearing none, close the public hearing.
Vice Chair Hardemon: 171 move to pass it.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Vice Chairman Hardemon.
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Gort: Second by Commissioner Carollo. Any further discussion? Being none, all in
favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
END OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
SECOND READING ORDINANCES
SR.1 ORDINANCE Second Reading
15-01010
Department of AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
Finance 40/ARTICLE IV/DIVISION 2 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, ENTITLED "PERSONNEL/PENSION AND
RETIREMENT PLAN CITY/OF MIAMI FIREFIGHTERS' AND POLICE
OFFICERS' RETIREMENT TRUST", TO INCLUDE CHANGES AS REQUIRED
BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE, AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-01010 Summary Form SR.pdf
15-01010 Legislation FR/SR.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
13551
Chair Gort: Second reading.
Daniel 1 Alfonso (City Manager): Mr. Chairman, we will ask your indulgence. SR.1 and RE.7
will need to be heard together, so we'll go ahead and do that now, if you don't mind.
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Chair Gort: Okeydoke. Let's do it.
Jose Fernandez (Director): Good morning, Commissioners. Jose Fernandez, with the
Department of Finance. SR.1 is an ordinance of the Miami City Commission amending Chapter
40, Article 4, Division 2. This amendment is required in order to comply with the IRS (Internal
Revenue Service) changes to the tax law in order for the plan to continue to maintain its
eligibility as a qualified plan. RE.7 is a resolution that authorizes the Manager to acknowledge
an agreement between the IRS and the FIPO (Firefighters and Police Officers) Trust. The
resolution is not -- doesn't authorize the Manager to sign. It just acknowledges that there's an
agreement between the FIPO Trust and the IRS. Both of these are required, you know, like I
said in order for the plan to maintain its qualified status.
Mr. Alfonso: And RE.7 further authorizes the expenditure of $10, 000.
Mr. Fernandez: Correct.
Chair Gort: What was that again, RE.7?
Mr. Fernandez: RE.7 is a resolution which authorizes the Manager to acknowledge the
agreement between the IRS and the FIPO Trust.
Chair Gort: Okay. Do I have a motion?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): I wanted --
Commissioner Carollo: So moved.
Ms. Mendez: -- to clarify that the public hearing is for RE.7 and --
Commissioner Carollo: SR.1.
Mr. Fernandez: SR.1.
Ms. Mendez: -- SR.1.
Chair Gort: Correct.
Ms. Mendez: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Okay. Yes, ma'am, you're recognized.
Renita Holmes: I just want to take this opportunity to thank some of our police officers that have
somehow been able to -- local cops, some -- that have been able to circumvent all of this rules of
participation (UNINTELLIGIBLE) particularly, Mr. Barnat [sic], because when it comes to
being poor folks in poor areas, Pottinger case, loss of funds, bad services; when anyone can use
a police officer because he -- they're new to what policing is, and when we lose these retired
officers who have done so well and we get new ones, we can see the difference. So while I do
believe that we need this trust fund, I'd like to say, how about making sure we keep them around?
And if we can ask them to just come back; don't just retire. Because some of the new officers
drive little boys, poor boys, drive women, and they still do the same thing. I don't want to keep
paying officers who feel like they only want to do a good job if they -- but I want to keep officers
who have a great rapport, who have a great reputation, who have a level of maturity, and who
are sworn to protect irregardless of what they may and may don't. And when I see this being set
so hard for them, I'm wondering, what about our young officers? What makes them work so hard
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
and make them feel so unappreciated? I just want to leave that thought here. We put a lot of
money now into police trust funds, but we put very little to the ones here, and I heard that last
time, particularly Commissioner Hardemon, and place where poor people live. Let's see if we
could put that money a little evenly across, instead of those who retire, and that keeps getting
raped, like us. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am. Anyone else in the public who would like to address this issue?
Seeing none, hearing none, we close the public hearings.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, I have --
Chair Gort: Motion.
Commissioner Carollo: Move SR.1.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Moved by Commissioner Carollo; second by Commissioner Suarez.
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, 5-0.
SR.2 ORDINANCE Second Reading
15-01080
Office of the City AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION MAKING PROVISIONS
Clerk FOR EARLY VOTING IN THE CITY OF MIAMI, PURSUANT TO SECTION
100.3605, FLORIDA STATUTES, FOR THE GENERAL MUNICIPAL ELECTION
TO BE HELD ON NOVEMBER 3, 2015; DESIGNATING CERTAIN SITES AND
A SCHEDULE FOR EARLY VOTING; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-01080 Memo - Office of the City Clerk SR.pdf
15-01080 Legislation FR/SR.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
13552
Chair Gort: SR second -- SR.2.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Good morning, Commissioners. Before I read the title for SR.2 in
the record, I would like to request a floor amendment. Due to the fact that Commissioner Suarez
will be running unopposed for the District 4 seat, I would like to remove the Shenandoah Branch
Library from the list of early voting sites for the November 3, 2015 general municipal election.
Chair Gort: How much we save there?
Mr. Hannon: About $30, 000, sir.
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Chair Gort: Good.
Commissioner Sarnoff. I think that should go to him.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much, Suarez.
Chair Gort: Good job. I wish I --
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you, guys.
Chair Gort: -- could have done the same thing.
Commissioner Suarez: I could -- I'd like to think that a big part of the reason why I ran
unopposed is because of the work that we've done here together in the last six years, so I
appreciate your support and your help.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
Mr. Hannon: I'll now read the title into the record.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by City Clerk Todd Hannon.
Mr. Hannon: And we'll need to open up the public hearing.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Is anyone in the public would like to address this? Anyone in the
public? Seeing none, hearing none, close the public hearings. Do I have a motion?
Commissioner Carollo: Move it.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Moved by Commissioner Carollo; second by Commissioner Suarez. Thank you for
savings. Is any further discussion? It's an ordinance.
Mr. Hannon: Roll call on item SR.2.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Mr. Hannon: The item passes on second reading, 5-0.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
SR.3 ORDINANCE
15-00997
Second Reading
District2- AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION REPEALING IN ITS
Commissioner Marc ENTIRETY CHAPTER 62/ARTICLE XIII/DIVISION 7 OF THE CODE OF THE
DavidSarnoff CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, ENTITLED "PLANNING AND
ZONING/ ZONING APPROVAL FOR TEMPORARY USES AND
OCCUPANCIES; PERMIT REQUIRED/OMNI MEDIA TOWER REGULATIONS";
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-00997 Legislation FR/SR.pdf
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
13553
Chair Gort: SR.3.
Commissioner Sarnoff SR.3, Mr. Chair, is the removal of the Omni from the ability to have a
media tower. We've gone through this before. I would move this item.
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Gort: Been moved by Commissioner Sarnoff second by Commissioner Suarez. It's a
public hearing. Is anyone in the public would like to address this one issue?
Peter Ehrlich: Good morning --
Chair Gort: Good morning.
Mr. Ehrlich: -- Mr. Chair and Commissioners. Peter Ehrlich, 720 Northeast 69th Street. As a
first reading, we'd like to support the legislation, Commissioner Sarnoff s proposal.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): I believe it's second reading.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, he said (UNINTELLIGIBLE) first reading.
Mr. Ehrlich: Like first reading -- when we spoke at first reading.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah.
Mr. Ehrlich: This is -- at second reading, we'd like to continue to support the legislation to
delete "media tower" from Chapter 62. And also, as before, we'd like to request the
Commissioners to give direction to the City Attorney to take any and all steps necessary to stop
the proposed 633-foot tall LED (light emitting diodes) billboard tower proposed on Northwest
10th Street in Park West. Thank you very much.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Next.
Nathan Kurland. Nathan Kurland, 3132 Day Avenue, Coconut Grove. The one thing you can
say about Mr. Ehrlich and myself is that we are consistent in our message regarding visual
pollution. We'd like to thank Commissioner Sarnoff for that cathartic moment that is going to
rewind and make at least these media towers illegal in the City of Miami. Ralph Waldo Emerson
said that you could learn from experience; sometimes you learn what to do and sometimes you
learn what not to do, and often, it is better to learn what not to do. I fully support Commissioner
Sarnoffs resolution to rid Miami 21 of language regarding media towers. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Anyone else?
Renita Holmes: Special note. Madam Holmes, Wave of Women in Public Housing Education.
And many times that 1 have inquired, Mr. Chair, regarding environmental pollution, specific
data, the requirements that are needed in Planning & Zoning that 1 have yet to access through
un-sunshine meetings and so forth, and sometimes really feeling very silenced under SB-50 when
I ask that question. I'm just going to ask that -- or I should make a note: Here we're coming;
here we're going again. But recently, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) had a hearing -- Mr. Chair and
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SR.4
15-00806
Department of
Planning and Zoning
several other of our Commissioners who are directly affected by this -- that talked about how
disparate planning and zoning affects certain neighborhoods. I would damn near say that --
excuse me -- I would almost say that every planning and zoning initiative that comes back in
pieces from this media tower, even to the Wynwood expansion, to the other five things that are
attached to it, overwhelms poor folks who hardly get mainstream assistance, and agencies and
organizations like us who go out and sit aside and volunteer to break it down in Ebonics or --
and just use an organization like -- who run into obstinence [sic] at the doors, or one minute --
or one -hour meeting where we're discussing that as opposed to how other neighborhoods do it.
So, I'm asking you to take a look how the media tower -- the media tower representatives
compare to a poor women in a neighborhood who wants to have open and transparent
information unrequited -- to get away from that unrequited hands -in -the -face stuff that I'm
getting here today, because it is a State statute that goes along with that, and I haven't seen that
yet. Thank you, sir.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
Ms. Holmes: And oh, good job, guys. Your consistency is almost like that of a woman.
Chair Gort: Okay, anyone else in the public would like to address this one issue? Seeing none,
hearing none, it's an ordinance.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Well, I have one comment.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Vice Chair Hardemon: The -- I'm in support of this, the way that it's written, and the reason I am
is because when I think back to a former Commissioner that we had, that when he established the
Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) electronic signage or
billboard, if you will, he said at that time, "I don't want anyone to think that just because we
have this one, there should be another one. There shouldn't be another one. This should be
one -of -a -kind. " This should be something basically that reinvigorates that part of that
community, which was -- of course was Overtown, and at the time, that Commissioner was, of
course, the great Arthur Teele. And so, in that spirit -- because I've always believed that there
should be one; although, there is -- now wants to be none -- I support this ordinance.
Chair Gort: Thankyou. Any further discussion?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Madam City Attorney.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Mr. Hannon: Roll call on item SR.3.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on second reading, 5-0.
ORDINANCE
Second Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
2/ARTICLE XI/DIVISION 21 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, ENTITLED "ADMINISTRATION/BOARDS,
COMMITTEES, COMMISSIONS/WYNWOOD BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT
DISTRICT BOARD," MORE PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING POWERS AND
DUTIES OF THE WYNWOOD BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT BOARD
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
AND CREATING A NEW SECTION ENTITLED "WYNWOOD DESIGN
REVIEW COMMITTEE"; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-00806 Summary Form SR.pdf
15-00806 Back -Up from Law Dept FR/SR.pdf
15-00806 Legislation FR/SR.pdf
15-00806-Submittal-Cecilia Stewart -Resolution of the Overtown Advisory Board.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
SR.5
15-00807
Department of
Planning and Zoning
13554
Note for the Record: Please see Item PZ 6 for additional minutes referencing Item SR.4.
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): Next will be SR.4.
Chair Gort: Yes, correct.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I move to approve SR.4.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Been moved and second
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Barnaby Min.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Roll call on item SR.4.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on second reading, 5-0.
ORDINANCE
Second Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
10/ARTICLE VII OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED, ENTITLED "BUILDING/SECURITY SCREENS AND SHUTTERS,"
MORE PARTICULARLY BY ESTABLISHING CRITERIA APPLICABLE WITHIN
THE WYNWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION DISTRICT;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-00807 Summary Form SR.pdf
15-00807 Legislation FR/SR.pdf
15-00807-Submittal-Cecilia Stewart -Resolution of the Overtown Advisory Board.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
13555
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SR.6
15-00805
Department of
Planning and Zoning
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): Next will be SR.5.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Correct. I move to approve SR.5.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Barnaby Min.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Roll call on item SR.5.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on second reading, as amended, 5-0.
ORDINANCE
Second Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
35/ARTICLE V OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED, ENTITLED "MOTOR VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC/COCONUT
GROVE BUSINESS DISTRICT AND DESIGN DISTRICTS PARKING
IMPROVEMENT TRUST FUNDS," MORE PARTICULARLY BY CREATING A
NEW SECTION ENTITLED "THE WYNWOOD PARKING IMPROVEMENT
TRUST FUND"; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING
FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-00805 Summary Form SR.pdf
15-00805 Legislation SR (v2).pdf
15-00805-Submittal-Cecilia Stewart -Resolution of the Overtown Advisory Board.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
13556
Note for the Record: Please see Item PZ 6 for additional minutes referencing Item SR.6.
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): The next would be SR.6.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I move to approve SR.6.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Barnaby Min.
Mr. Min: Is the Commission okay with this being referred to as "the Wynwood Parking
Improvement Trust Fund"?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Yes.
The Ordinance was further read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Barnaby
Min.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Roll call on item SR.6.
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
SR.7
15-00809
Department of
Planning and Zoning
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on second reading, 5-0.
ORDINANCE
Second Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
62/ARTICLE XIV OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED, ENTITLED "PLANNING AND ZONING PUBLIC BENEFITS TRUST
FUND," MORE PARTICULARLY BY CREATING A NEW SECTION ENTITLED
"WYNWOOD PUBLIC BENEFITS TRUST FUND"; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-00809 Summary Form SR.pdf
15-00809 Legislation SR (v2).pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
CONTINUED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
Note for the Record: Item SR.7 was continued to the October 22, 2015, Planning and Zoning
Commission Meeting.
Note for the Record: Please see Item PZ 6 for additional minutes referencing Item SR.7.
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): The last item is SR.7.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I move to withdraw SR.7.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Moved and second
Francisco Garcia (Director, Office of Planning): IfI may, Commissioner, for your
consideration, very briefly. There are a number -- and I'll be brief about this, but just to clarify,
there are a number of provisions in this particular proposed amendment that generate
mechanisms to foster development within the Wynwood area, as redefined What I would like to
invite you to consider is a deferral of this item to work out the language so that the unintended
consequences are not contained within it, but some of the intended consequences remain,
because it will help the redevelopment of the Wynwood area.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Now, may I debate you on this for a sec?
Vice Chair Hardemon: You can, sure; you sure can.
Commissioner Sarnoff. So bringing the amount of pervasive changes to this particular area,
which I think is a real fostering to this area, it's a tough thing to do, and you certainly have
weathered a pretty good storm of I think, a lot of misperceptions and a lot of untrue facts, but I
would suggest to you, SR. 7 is something I wish I had done in the Grove, something I wish I had
done in other parts of Miami that I think will foster Wynwood being a very inclusionary zoning, a
very inclusive place to live. I would strongly urge you to think about it, because you have
weathered a very big storm; you've walked a lot of miles; you may be a little fatigued, and may
want to reconsider it, because I'm going to support this. It's something you should think about
very carefully; maybe now is not the time, but you should not throw it out just for today.
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
Commissioner Suarez: Can I chime in, too?
Chair Gort: Go right ahead.
Commissioner Suarez: I don't have an issue. I mean, obviously, I'll -- you know, I'll respect the
district Commissioner's wishes. I don't have an issue deferring it, at least for one meeting, for us
to sort of look through this and make sure that there're not unintended consequences, because
sometimes, we do throw out the baby with the bathwater. I understand the Commissioner's
concern, because affordable housing is such an acute need in so many neighborhoods, and so
the question I think he's struggling with -- or maybe not struggling with, but I think the question
he's asking himself is, if you designate it for a certain area, are you depriving another area,
potentially?
Commissioner Sarnoff.. All right --
Commissioner Suarez: I understand, I understand where you're going with it, and I understand
the Coconut Grove perspective that you just gave, and I kind of get that, too. So, look, I'll
respect his wishes on this. I do not have a problem with taking another couple weeks, if that's the
will of this Commission.
Vice Chair Hardemon: The one thing that I will say about this, Mr. Chairman, is that this SR. 7
does something that no other piece of legislation has done before in the City of Miami, and what
it essentially does is a couple of things: One, it designates a new trust fund; that trust fund to be
used within the boundaries of the Wynwood area, and there are listed items in which it can be
used upon, and so one of those items is affordable housing. I hear what you're saying, but I don't
believe that it will be used for affordable housing; it's my personal belief. And the other thing
that it does, it allows those -- it allows individuals who from within the BID (Business
Improvement District) to decide how those funds are expended, and that's the part where I think
-- where we find ourselves in our -- particularly when lawyers speak -- of a slippery slope,
because now, you've allowed a developer to create dollars that he has to pay, and certain fees;
and then, not only to designate those dollars as we typically do, for instance, for public benefit
through some type of trust, but to be able to be the one who votes on where those -- or eventually,
or could possibly be the one to say exactly where those dollars go, and where there is a need, as
what was demonstrated today for affordable housing, I just don't think that they'll go in the
direction that we, as district Commissioners who represent impoverished neighborhoods will
want them to go; and certainly, I don't want to give that authority to someone else. As I spoke of
earlier, there are compromises that could be made. For instance, I know today that very few
people give money to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, so one way that I can ensure that
dollars are given to particularly the Affordable Housing Trust Fund is by creating a partnership
with the BID, and saying that some dollars go there, and some dollars go to the Affordable
Housing Trust Fund. I described it earlier by saying you have a dollar; 50 cents goes one way,
50 cents goes the other. And that's something that I thought about that could work, and I think
that it serves both needs, and one of the reasons that I'm considering that, especially, is because
it would give us an opportunity to designate dollars directly to the Affordable Housing Trust
fund which, today, the developers actually have a choice, so I think that that makes a nice
compromise.
Commissioner Suarez: I'm with that.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And part of the reason that I may consider the deferral rather than a
withdrawal is because we are able to tackle the Affordable Housing Trust Fund directly with
dollars that we're saying will be used for that; and today, if I withdraw this, I won't have that
authority to do that.
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
Commissioner Suarez: I agree.
Chair Gort: We can tell the -- within the development, itself they can put affordable housing
within the development; set aside "X" amount of apartments for affordable housing makes it
even better. Yes, sir.
Commissioner Suarez: I think we should defer it.
Chair Gort: Just food for thought.
Commissioner Suarez: No, I like the idea. I just don't know the mechanism, but I think you're --
from a funding perspective, that makes a little more sense in terms of the way you're thinking
about maybe modifying the current public benefits, you know, portion, which is saying -- it's
almost like what you do with the CRA's (Community Redevelopment Agencies), where you can,
say, further set an extension; some of it will stay within the CRA, some it will not, but that's
something that's been done historically, so I like that idea. I think we would benefit, probably,
from another couple of weeks to consider it, so.
Chair Gort: Okay.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I understand. I know that in the next couple of weeks, I probably will be
doing a lot of traveling. The schedules -- all of our schedules are becoming very busy. I don't
think a couple of weeks is enough time to weather the storm that we would have to weather, and
inform the people that we need to inform, to educate them about this issue, so I think that aspect
may take a little bit more time.
Commissioner Suarez: That's fine.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And so with that being said I will withdraw my motion to withdraw, and
then I will -- and I will support a motion -- hopefully, you will also -- to defer it to a time that is
not in the next two weeks.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: It has been moved and second Any further discussion?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): So exactly what? We can move it to October 22, November 19,
December 10.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I'd say October 22; that's a couple days after my birthday, so, hopefully,
you all won't disappoint me.
Chair Gort: You're a Libra, too?
Vice Chair Hardemon: I am a Libra.
Commissioner Suarez: October 6.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Yeah, there it is.
Commissioner Suarez: I knew there was a reason why I like you so much.
Chair Gort: Okeydoke.
Steven Wernick: Mr. Chair, if I may?
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
SR.8
15-00876
District 4-
Commissioner
Francis Suarez
Chair Gort: You got it.
Mr. Wernick: If I may for just ten seconds? Steve Wernick, here on behalf of the BID; address at
1 Southeast 3rd Avenue. I think the deferral is very appropriate, and I just wanted to reiterate
that there's a lot of momentum here, and there's a lot of room to be creative here, and it's set up
in a way where there's a lot of public benefits that can be generated from this; civic spaces, open
spaces; obviously, Wynwood transitioning from a warehouse district, you know, there's a real
need for that, and as well as affordable and workforce housing, and I think there's a lot of
different mechanisms, and it's just a matter of revisiting it, so I appreciate that.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Chair Gort: Okay, any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
ORDINANCE
Second Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
2/ARTICLE XI OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED, ENTITLED "ADMINISTRATION/BOARDS, COMMITTEES,
COMMISSIONS," MORE PARTICULARLY BY ESTABLISHING THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEAUTIFICATION COMMITTEE TO SERVE IN AN ADVISORY
CAPACITY TO THE CITY OF MIAMI RELATING TO BEAUTIFICATION AND
LANDSCAPING PROJECTS CITYWIDE, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO
TREE PLANTINGS, MEDIAN MAINTENANCE, TRAFFIC CIRCLE
MAINTENANCE, AND OTHER SIMILAR PROJECTS; STATING THE
COMMITTEE'S PURPOSE, POWERS, DUTIES, COMPOSITION,
APPOINTMENT QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR
MEMBERSHIP; PROVIDING FOR OFFICERS, RULES OF PROCEDURE,
MEETINGS, QUORUM, LEGALAND STAFF SUPPORT, ASSIGNMENT OF
PERSONNEL, WAIVERS, AND PUBLIC NOTICE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-00876 Legislation SR (v2).pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
13557
Chair Gort: SR.4, or not; that we going to --
Daniel 1 Alfonso (City Manager): Yeah, 4, 5, 6, and 7 in the afternoon. We're SR.8 now,
Commissioner Suarez.
Chair Gort: SR.8.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): The beautification --
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Chair. We proposed at the last, I think,
Commission meeting the creation of the Beautification Committee, because I feel that one of the
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
things that the City needs is more citizens' participation in beautifying our city. We have a
beautiful city in many respects, but I think we can do better in terms of cleanliness, and we are
doing better, by the way, in terms of cleanliness, and the way that we maintain some of our
traffic circles. I think, since we brought on that private company onboard, we've certainly done
a much better job. But one of the things I've realized -- and I'm sure you all have experienced it
as well -- is to be successful at beautification has to be at a vet); granular level, at a vet);
neighborhood -specific level, at an individual home -by -individual home level, because a lot of
what we're doing is improving the public's fear, and we need help from our residents. So I just
want to make two additions to this committee, based on organizations that have reached out and
want to be a part of it. So I would add to Section 2-117(a) a sub 4, so 4 would be 6, so a sub 4,
and the 4 would be Citizens for a Better South Florida, which would have one -- could be one
person shall be appointed by Citizens for a Better South Florida, and the sub 5 would be the
Downtown Development Authority, which has expressed an interest in having a seat on the
Beautification Committee, and then 4 would be 6, obviously, because we've added two members.
It would still keep it as an odd number.
Chair Gort: What's going to be the total membership?
Commissioner Suarez: It'll be one by each Commissioner, one by the Mayor, one by the City
Manager, which would have been seven, so now it will be nine.
Chair Gort: Nine?
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah.
Ms. Mendez: Commissioner, then I apologize. In 1177, you're adding -- where is it that you're
making the change to?
Commissioner Suarez: Well, I guess it would have to be -- first under "A," under
"composition"; will have to change from seven to nine.
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
Commissioner Suarez: So that will be the first change. And then everything else would stay the
same, except after 3, you have a 4 that says Citizens for a Better South Florida. "In other words,
all the same language that allows for the appointment of a member. And then number 5 would
be all the same language that allows for the appointment of a member, but the Downtown
Development Authority.
Ms. Mendez: And who would be the -- because we have -- would it be at large, like the whole
Commission would appoint that one at large, the member of the Citizens for --?
Commissioner Suarez: No, no. It says here one person appointed by each -- the five City
Commissioners, one person by the Mayor, one by the City Manager, then one person appointed
by Citizens for a Better South Florida --
Ms. Mendez: Oh, I see.
Commissioner Suarez: -- and one person appointed by the DDA (Downtown Development
Authority).
Ms. Mendez: Okay. Thank you.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you.
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Chair Gort: Okay. Is that a motion?
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah.
Chair Gort: Okay. Is there a second?
Commissioner Carollo: Second. Discussion.
Chair Gort: Okay, discussion. It's a public hearing. Yes, ma'am, you're recognized.
Renita Holmes: Thank you. Again, Madam Holmes for the Women's Association Alliance
Addressing Injustice and Violent Epidemic, Women in Public Housing Education, Finance and
Development, and Our Homes Opportunities for the United Restoration. Being the first Section
3 in public housing to hire persons with disability and so forth and all those under the 924.935
CFR, I'm wondering, these questions -- and I would ask particularly those Commissioners who
have those districts where intense beautification slum and blight occur, particularly around
public housing, and according to the 924 Federal Code. Will women be included in the board as
well, because it's an industry that's primarily done by men? Most of the smaller jobs are done by
this group or that group, and, you know, I think it would really enhance it, because a lot of the
women have graduated from our green initiative funded by the County, and again, it's
connecting the dots. I think that would be great representation since a majority of those persons
-- and meeting with the boys at DDA, they've been really great. Some of my mentoring programs
that we can connect that dot, just a flag out there of connecting poverty initiatives and citywide;
and I want to thank you, because there are a lot of work -ready women, there are a lot of
work -ready fellows, there are a lot of work -ready people who are migrating through this state
and this county and this country who are ready and experienced, and I'd like that to be just as
impactful on those job opportunities where primarily DDA is 90 percent with 95 percent men.
Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am. Next.
Nathan Kurland Nathan Kurland, 3132 Day Avenue. I'd like to commend Commissioner Suarez
for what I believe to be an excellent ordinance for the City of Miami. Those of us who care about
scenic beauty are absolutely in favor of this. I just hope that one of the issues that this new
board will take up will be the reduction of the proliferation of LED (light emitting diodes)
billboards and mural signs on our building, including and not limited to the one on our MRC
(Miami Riverside Building) building. Thank you.
Commissioner Suarez: Fair.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Next.
Peter Ehrlich: Good morning again. Peter Ehrlich, 720 Northeast 69th Street. I also commend
Commissioner Suarez for bringing this up. The committee sounds like a wonderful idea. And
like Nathan Kurland, I'd like to suggest that, one, the charges might be to reduce the
proliferation of billboards, LED boards, particularly the extra -large billboards along our
highways and facing the residential neighborhoods.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you.
Mr. Ehrlich: Maybe that could be included Thank you very much.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you.
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Chair Gort: Anyone else in the public would like to address this issue? Seeing none, hearing
none, close the public hearings. Commissioner Carollo, you're recognized.
Commissioner Carollo: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Again, I voted for this on first reading, and
I'm in favor of it again. The only thing that, you know, I'm a little cautious with adding more --
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: -- organizations, because I'm sure there's other organizations that would
have liked to have participated, like probably MNU (Miami Neighborhoods United) and some of
the other organizations. So I've never heard of Citizens for a Better South Florida, and if I have,
I don't know much about them, so that's the only concern that I have. Because I'm sure other --
and keeping in mind -- and I know Commissioner Suarez believes this, because of the MPO
(Metropolitan Planning Organization), that if we make the actual committee too, too big, they
might be too big then, but that's the only concern that I raise, because of -- you know, I'm sure
that other organizations would love to, you know, participate in something like this.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir, you're recognized.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, I'll just say that I understand the Commissioner's concerns,
definitely on the bureaucratic side for sure. I think we addressed that in first reading. This is
one of those few boards where I think greater participation actually is one of those things that is
probably not a bad thing; because it's about having people express their voice. So, if other
organizations like MNU, or any other ones, really want to be a part of this, I think we should
consider making them a part of this, because I do believe that more participation in
beautification -- this is not -- what I think about the MPO is it has to be focused and there has to
be a focused vision, and right now that's not happening, and partially because of -- you know,
excess parochialism and a variety of other things, quorum issues. But certainly, in this case, I
think it would be helpful.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And I think one of the -- one way that we can solve that is by adding
MNU, and then giving one more seat that can be appointed by the membership of that body so
that body can decide another person to appoint or another organization to -- or, rather, another
person to appoint to that board.
Commissioner Suarez: Or -- I have no problem substituting MNU for Citizens for a Better South
Florida too, and then MNU can select whoever they want. I mean --
Vice Chair Hardemon: That's up to you.
Commissioner Suarez: That's fine with me. Or substitute MNU for a Citizens for a South
Florida and they can appoint whoever they want. They can appoint one of their members. They
can appoint somebody from that organization or any other -- there's a million organizations, like
you said that could want to participate.
Chair Gort: Let me tell you the thing that -- we have -- all have problems with getting our roads
and the streets repaired and so on because of the landscaping that takes place, and we know the
procedure they have to go through. I just want to make sure that this organization gets their --
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Commissioner Suarez: By the way, the person who created MNU is the same person who created
Citizens for a Better South Florida.
Commissioner Carollo: Well (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Gort: Let me finish. Excuse me.
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Gort: Excuse me. Let me finish. The procedures have to be one that will not stop any of
the City projects that we have enough problem alreacy to get them done. We make a decision in
here. We make the awards to do (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah.
Chair Gort: -- something, and it takes a year to get implemented from the time we make the
decision here, because of the process they have to go through. So I want to make sure they do
that. They have the process where they can get together without (UNINTELLIGIBLE) different
departments and deal with the landscaping and so on, and they bring the plans closer enough so
they can go ahead and select it. At the same time, I would like for them to analyze other
neighborhoods where they can bring the input, how can improve some of the same neighborhood
public right-of-ways [sic], because I think you're right; we got to take care of the public
right-of-way. That'll take care of the rest of the neighborhood.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, you're right.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Any further -- ordinance.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Ms. Mendez: As amended
Mr. Hannon: Roll call on item SR. 8.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on second reading, as amended, 5-0.
END OF SECOND READING ORDINANCES
FIRST READING ORDINANCES
FR.1 ORDINANCE
15-01238
City Manager's Office
First Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
40/ARTICLE IV/DIVISION 2 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, ENTITLED "PERSONNEL/PENSION AND
RETIREMENT PLAN/CITY OF MIAMI FIREFIGHTERS' AND POLICE
OFFICERS' RETIREMENT TRUST', MORE PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING
SECTION 40-191 ENTITLED "DEFINITIONS", TO AMEND THE DEFINITION
OF POLICE OFFICER AND SECTION 40-203 ENTITLED "BENEFITS" TO
CLARIFY CHANGES TO THE BENEFICIARIES; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE
DATE.
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
15-01238 Summary Form SR.pdf
15-01238 Legislation FR/SR.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Carollo, seconded by Vice Chair Hardemon, that this matter be
PASSED ON FIRST READING PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
Chair Gort: FR.1.
Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): Commissioner, if I may, FR.1 is an ordinance requesting, in
essence, the ability for retired police officers to come back to the City to work for elected officials
and retain their ability to draw a pension; that that is the primary function of that change in the
ordinance.
Chair Gort: Well, we already have that for some of the departments.
Mr. Alfonso: We have that ability currently for GESE (General Employees Sanitation
Employees) retired employees.
Chair Gort: Okay. Okeydoke. Do I have a motion?
Commissioner Carollo: Move it.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Commissioner Carollo. Is there a second?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Second.
Chair Gort: Second by Vice Chairman Hardemon. It's a public hearing. Yes, ma'am, you're
recognized.
Renita Holmes: Madam Holmes again for the public and mostly women in the public,
particularly women police officers, civil clerks, and okay, we'll include the guys too. What is
actually a definition? When I look at the function jobs, which I get a lot of assistance at time,
particularly the downtown location from a lot of evidence clerks or property or report given, I
look at the level of professionalism, authority of our civil employees, sworn oath; they're just
without a gun. They get public information. They're there to protect and serve. They take care
of evidence, and yet, when I look at the level of payment that we have for these employees and
the level of services that perform to help carry out the process -- I could make a citizen's arrest,
but I can't do the documentation of the evidence. I have to be careful how I provide reports.
That requires some insight as how we define them; and truly, if we define these women and these
men working hard at this level -- almost at poverty as much as I am and the rest of the citizens --
I'm concerned that they're not getting the same benefits as civil employees. I'm really concerned
about you. Thank you.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Ma'am, you're recognized.
Sepedeh Tofigh: Hi. Sepedeh Tofigh, counsel to Miami FIPO (Firefighters and Police Officers)
Trust. We did not actually put forward these revisions, but we look forward to working with the
City to fine tune any language to make sure that it's in accordance with Internal Revenue Service
Code and Treasury regulations. And we just remind the City that in accordance with Florida
Statute, an actuarial impact statement needs to be made and conducted before this passes, if it
passes on second reading.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you. You're recognized.
Javier Ortiz: Thank you, Commissioner. Lieutenant Javier Ortiz, president of Fraternal Order
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of Police, 710 Southwest 12 Avenue. Regarding FR.1, we're not necessarily against it. I
understand what Commissioner Carollo is attempting to do, and we're okay with that, but if it's
just about putting someone in an administrative position to work in a part-time status, I cannot
fathom why they are changing the definition of `police officer." That is something that is a
mandatory subject of bargaining, because under PERC (Public Employees Relations
Commission), we are the sole negotiator for that. It's something that if that does become an
issue, we're extremely close, in my humble opinion, of reaching a three-year agreement,
something that we haven't done in over 10 years with the City of Miami, and I would hate for
that all to be thrown away because of that change. And as the -- as Holland & Knight said the
representative, there are tax issues there, and, you know, we hope that this does not go forward,
especially now, until those issues can be worked out. Thank you.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: He said something that caught my ear: "The definition of police officer'
is changing."
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): I can address that. Unfortunately, since this is part of the
pension and retirement plan scope of the chapter, it talks about the beneficiaries and such, that
we need to explain which position would be impacted, and just saying that the police officer, as
defined as a full-time police officer, can come back once retired. If not, other definitions are --
it's difficult to say what you're trying to explain in the ordinance if you don't say who a police
officer is when he retires and then -- so it's a very simple definition change.
Mr. Alfonso: It is. Ijust want to point out for clarification that -- she's leave out an important
portion. This change of definition only applies to this section of the Code, which is the
beneficiaries issues in the pension portion.
Ms. Mendez: Right. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Alfonso: It has nothing to do with the labor portion of the Code.
Ms. Mendez: Right. That's very clear in Section 40-191. It's says "definitions," and then it
says, "Words and phrases as used in this division shall have the following meanings, " and then
the next is the definition of `police officer" for this particular section.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: And I don't want to muddy the water, but it's my understanding that the
only two people -- or two, I guess, categories that could retire from the Pension Board is a police
officer and a firefighter; correct? A police officer and a firefighter are the only two positions --
and I don't know if `position" is the right word, because it could be a lieutenant or so forth.
But, you know, a police officer, a sworn law enforcement officer and a firefighter are the only
two positions that can retire from FIPO, correct? I --
Chair Gort: Are the only members of the FIPO.
Commissioner Carollo: That's -- you know -- okay, so the Manager's waving ' Yes. "
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Mr. Alfonso: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So a retiree from FIPO would be someone -- a police officer that
retired from the City and is now receiving a pension from FIPO, correct? So I don't understand
why there's such a --
Mr. Alfonso: Because the Code, Commissioner, covers both police officers and firefighters
separately.
Commissioner Carollo: Right. So, the definition of `police officer" will be a police officer
retired from the City of Miami and is in the FIPO, so I'm not sure why the definition is an issue.
Ms. Mendez: In order to achieve what's being requested in this provision of the ordinance, you
have to define what it is that you're defining. You have to say who a police officer is, because if
you're thinking that police officers are temporary employees or part-time employees, it gets a
little muddy, so that's why you just have to say what a police officer is for purposes of this
definition only, and then you're able to say that these positions which retire can be re-employed
It's the cleanest and simplest way to do it without muddying any other definition in the Code.
Commissioner Carollo: Could it be stated in a way where someone who is in the FIPO Board or
in the FIPO -- I guess not in the FIPO Board; in the FIPO plan, or a member of the FIPO Board
that is receiving a pension? I mean, listen --
Ms. Mendez: We could do one of two things. We can leave it as it is for first reading and try and
find an amenable -- other amenable definitions for second reading, or we can pull it for now and
bring it back. I mean, unfortunately, these are -- because it has other implications, we have to be
as, you know, laser focused as we can with these type of changes.
Commissioner Carollo: And I agree. I just prefer that we do it between first and second reading,
and I don't want to comingle it with, I think, additional legislation that may be coming before us
that expands it more, but I -- you know, unless Mr. Ortiz has an issue with it -- I spoke to the
chair of the FIPO Board, and he thought that, you know, between first and second reading,
whatever issues could apply, we could, you know, all get together and see if we'll all reach a
consensus. I believe the FIPO attorney said that they're not necessarily opposed to it, so I think
it's, more than anything, to see if we can reach an agreement in going forward, but I think we
should move on and pass it on first reading.
Chair Gort: Right now, any retiree, except for police and fire, can be hired by any
Commissioner or the Mayor's office.
Commissioner Carollo: Right.
Chair Gort: They have that already.
Commissioner Carollo: And so, in essence, Commissioner Gort, what this does is the same
privilege that the GESE Board has; it's giving it to FIPO.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: So it's as simple as that.
Chair Gort: Any further discussion?
Commissioner Sarnoff. Mr. Chair.
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Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff. There was a statement made that you need to have an actuarial
statement.
Ms. Mendez: An actuarial impact statement before -- I believe before the ordinance goes into
effect or at least, you know, on the time of this, so we'll follow up with the Administration to find
out how we implement that.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Were you aware before bringing this for first reading that you're
required an actuarial statement?
Ms. Mendez: We were alerted that maybe that might be an issue, but nothing that could not be
addressed, if needed
Commissioner Sarnoff. So --
Ms. Mendez: There could be a dispute, you know. I mean, we're not --
Commissioner Sarnoff All right.
Ms. Mendez: -- necessarily there, but -- I mean, it's something that could be addressed. If it
needs to be fire (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Sarnoff So being that there are more than three lawyers in this room -- and I'm
sure there's more than three opinions -- your opinion is you may not need an actuarial statement;
to be prophylactically sure, though, you're going to give us an actuarial statement? It's strange
I'm not getting that from the attorney; I'm getting that from (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
Mr. Alfonso: Well, I think there's a dispute about whether you need one or not, but --
Ms. Mendez: Right, and that's the issue.
Mr. Alfonso: -- having said that, we are in negotiations with the firefighters, the IAFF
(International Association of Firefighters). Well, this is a way around that, sir, and it's very
likely that a new actuarial study will have to be done, given some of the possible agreements in
that contract, which then, in effect, will probably -- can be incorporated this ordinance. And the
actuarial reports are usually -- since they already have all the data, they can pretty -- spit them
out pretty quickly, because even the proposals that were being made, we were being given letters
by Knight -Hart (phonetic), which is their actuarial company, like from one day to the next, so
now we're really able -- the actuarial reporting agency.
Ms. Mendez: And I was less than articulate in answering that question. It was just -- if it's
needed, it will be filed If it's not needed, it won't. But this is another Administration perspective
to this, so that's why it turned --
Commissioner Carollo: That's my point.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Before a legislative item comes here, you approve it. And I surmise by
you approving this, you have determined that everything that could be needed is -- has been
performed And my question to you is did you do that?
Ms. Mendez: What I can answer is that before any legislative changes come into effect, anything
that needs to be done will be done. As you know, not always everything -- more on -- other
issues is deadlines and dates that certain things have to be done. With ordinances, sometimes
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you have a implementation period and a time period in order to address things. So if it needs to
be filed, it will be filed. If it does not need to be filed it won't be filed. So that's the best answer
I could give you.
Commissioner Sarnoff.. So you really haven't done the analysis is -- that's any answer.
Ms. Mendez: We have, and we have a difference of opinion, so we just need to --
Commissioner Sarnoff.. And you don't agree with their opinion.
Ms. Mendez: I --
Commissioner Sarnoff.. But --
Ms. Mendez: -- I'd rather --
Commissioner Sarnoff.. -- as a prophylactic measure, you can do the analysis so that that would
not be a procedural issue that somebody could approach or reproach, if you will.
Ms. Mendez: And I think that's what probably will be done. I just -- if it needs to be done, it will
be done. If it doesn't, it doesn't. Prophylactically, it could be, so we just have to address those
issues.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chair, real quick.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Ms. Mendez: I'm wiggling. Yes, I am wiggling.
Commissioner Sarnoff.. You're dangling. You're dangling on a --
Commissioner Carollo: IfI could just interject?
Chair Gort: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: In my time here, I have seen that at any time attorneys come up with
different arguments -- and that could be one of them that, after a fact or after -- they'd rather say,
"Hey, let us keep reading the books. Hey, by the way, they may have to do this and they may
not." So my experience has been that, you know, at any time, even at the ninth hour or right at
the end, another attorney comes up with some type of argument that, 'Hey, by the way, you may
have to do this." We dig this up and, you know, the thousand page of this book and so forth, so I
-- just due to the credit of the City of Miami.
Chair Gort: Commissioner Suarez, you're recognized.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you, Mr. Chair. Look, I think counsel and the FOP president have
made their concerns clear. I think, clearly, if there's any sort of tax implications or if there's
going to be any implications on the negotiations, that's a serious consideration, but it is first
reading. So, I think, you know, having put all those concerns on the record -- and I think we all
agree that they're legitimate and important concerns -- that we should not go forward with this
legislation on second reading until they're all resolved, I think we can all say that, and I think
everyone would be happy with that. I'd be willing to support it on first reading, subject to that,
you know, to those things being settled and clarified before second reading.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, absolutely. And Mr. Chairman.
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Chair Gort: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: And real quick, I guess I should -- how is it that Commissioner Sarnoff
says about the jaws and -- victory of the jaw --
Commissioner Sarnoff No. You don't snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but -- so I should just be quiet. But with that said --
Ms. Mendez: Victory from the jaws of defeat. No?
Commissioner Carollo: No.
Commissioner Sarnoff. No. You don't snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Ms. Mendez: Defeat from the jaws of victory.
Chair Gort: Guys, we got a long agenda.
Commissioner Sarnoff. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) gets it completely.
Commissioner Carollo: So I guess -- you know what? I'm going to adhere to that, but I look
forward to working with the FIPO Board attorney and City Manager, whoever, with regards to
those concerns, especially the IRS -- possible IRS implications, because you haven't stated any
IRS implications is possible. Okay, thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Mr. Ortiz: I just wanted to state for the record that this is a mandatory subject of bargaining,
because it does deal with our terms and conditions of employment. I disagree how, respectfully,
with the City when they say that pension has nothing to do with us. Pension is an article in our
contract. This is the first time this has been brought to our attention. This was never brought up
in any type of negotiations, and I don't know who can sit here and say that changing the
definition of `police officer" does not fall within the realms of the Fraternal Order Of police.
But if this is just about putting somebody administrative in a Commissioner's office, we're not
against it, but you're changing the definition of a police officer. And right now, if we did hire
part-time police officers, they would have to contribute to the pension. So there are a lot of
variables in this. This isn't just about, "Oh, we're changing a couple words." And when this was
first presented to the Commission, there was -- it was solely, "Oh, no, just a couple of changes
for administrative. " Nobody mentioned the fact that they were changing the definition of `police
officer." Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Yes, sir.
Freddy Delgado: Mr. Chair, Freddy Delgado, 2980 Northwest South River Drive, IAFF 587. I
just want to clarify. I heard that we're still in negotiations with the IAFF, and as of last
Wednesday, I thought we had a verbal agreement. And I heard something about an actuarial
study, and I just want some clarification on that, Mr. Manager.
Mr. Alfonso: All right. Remember that there is a benefit of X'dollars for going on 7 and 10
percent.
Mr. Delgado: Yes, sir.
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Mr. Alfonso: So we need that done so that we can pay the right amount, but we have an estimate
in the letter. That's all.
Mr. Delgado: Okay. Thank you.
Mr. Alfonso: All right, thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Any further discussion? Anyone else in the public? Seeing none,
hearing none, close the public hearings. There's a motion and a second
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Madam City Attorney.
Ms. Mendez: Yes. I wanted to ask one question. When is this being envisioned on coming back?
Because if this would be a date of October 8, I think that there are too many little issues that we
need to discuss. So when will we --?
Chair Gort: When you guys are ready to bring it back to us with all the information requested by
this Commission.
Ms. Mendez: So it would either be the second meeting in October or the one meeting in
November, so --
Chair Gort: That will be fine.
Ms. Mendez: The November or October?
Chair Gort: November will be fine.
Ms. Mendez: Okay, thank you.
Chair Gort: Okay?
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. City Clerk, before you begin, can we bring it back to the second
meeting of October? If we need more time, then we'll bring it to November, because November,
I'm just fearing it's going to be very convoluted, because there's only one meeting in November.
So, could we bring it back to the second meeting of October? If there is no agreement, or if we
need more time, then we could always defer it to November.
Commissioner Suarez: Guys, can I --
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Suarez: I just -- again, I'm a little concerned I don't want this to impact on
negotiations with the police officers. I know we're in the process of finalizing, hopefully, our
negotiations with our police officers, and I just don't want this to negatively impact that. So, I
don't know from a timing perspective -- I'm okay with the second meeting of October. I just -- if
we're not ready by then, I -- you know, let's bump it another meeting, and let's get the
negotiations completed so that this doesn't become an unhealthy distraction in that process.
Chair Gort: Got it. Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: City Clerk
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RE.1
15-00755
District 5 -
Commissioner Keon
Hardemon
RE.2
15-01093
Department of Real
Estate and Asset
Management
Mr. Hannon: Roll call on item FR.1.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on first reading, 5-0.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
END OF FIRST READING ORDINANCES
RESOLUTIONS
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT THE DONATION AND INSTALLATION OF TEN
(10) SCULPTURES FROM NINATORRES, AT AN ESTIMATED FAIR MARKET
VALUE OF $1,000,000.00, TO BE INSTALLED ALONG THE MIAMI RIVER
AND THE PUBLIC MIAMI RIVER GREENWAY/RIVERWALK; FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY
DOCUMENTS, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY FOR
THE ACCEPTANCE OF SAID DONATION.
15-00755 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
Note for the Record: Item RE.1 was deferred to the October 8, 2015, Regular Commission
Meeting.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), BY A FOUR -FIFTHS (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE VOTE,
RATIFYING, APPROVING, AND CONFIRMING THE CITY MANAGERS
EMERGENCY FINDING, THAT IT IS MOST ADVANTAGEOUS FOR THE CITY
OF MIAMI TO WAIVE COMPETITIVE SEALED BIDDING PROCEDURES
PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 18-90 AND 18-85 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED; AUTHORIZING THE
PROCUREMENT/LEASE OF A MARINE FORKLIFT TRUCK FROM THE
MANUFACTURER, WIGGINS LIFT TRUCK COMPANY, INC./TAYLOR
LEASING CORPORATION, D/B/A TAYLOR LEASING & RENTAL, FOR AN
INITIAL CONTRACT PERIOD OF TWELVE (12) MONTHS AT $5,819.00 PER
MONTH FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $69,828.00, WITH AN
OPTION TO RENEW FOR FOUR (4) ADDITIONAL ONE (1) YEAR PERIODS
AT $5,819.00 PER MONTH FORA TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED
$349,140.00, AND AN OPTION TO PURCHASE UNDER THE FULL PAYOUT
FINANCE OPTION, FOR A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $349,140.00,
FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF REAL ESTATE AND ASSET MANAGEMENT;
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A LEASE AGREEMENT,
IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, FOR SAID PURPOSE.
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15-01093 Summary Form.pdf
15-01093 Legislation.pdf
15-01093 Exhibit - Manager's Approval Memo.pdf
15-01093 Exhibit - Lease Agreement.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Suarez
R-15-0411
Direction by the City Commission to the City Manager to place this item on a City Commission
agenda one (1) year from now so that the City Commission can review the lease agreement for
further consideration before exercising the option to renew.
Chair Gort: RE. 1 was referral [sic]. RE.2.
Commissioner Carollo: Two.
Daniel Rotenberg: RE.2. Good morning. Daniel Rotenberg, director of Department of Real
Estate & Asset Management. RE.2 is a resolution, requiring a four fifths affirmative vote,
approving the City Manager's emergency finding for the City of Miami to waive competitive
sealed bidding processes -- procedures pursuant to Sections 18-90 and 18-85 of the City Code;
authorizing the procurement/lease of a marine forklift for Miami Marine Stadium. The one that's
currently at Miami Marine Stadium is 20 years or older and is falling apart. This is for a
five-year period; a one-year lease, with four one-year options. And we --
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Mr. Rotenberg: -- do have a free maintenance contract thrown in for year one.
Chair Gort: Okay. Any questions? Motion.
Commissioner Sarnoff. So move.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Commissioner Sarnoff.
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Gort: Second by Commissioner Carollo. Vice Chairman Hardemon, you're recognized.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Yes. The terms of the deal in regard to the one-year extension periods,
how did you end up getting that part of the deal worked out? Does that have anything to do with
the monthly fee that you're paying every single month?
Mr. Rotenberg: Yes. What we did was we took a payment -- the monthly payment is $5, 819;
annual payment is almost 70,000. After five years, we will own the forklift. So, if we decide not
to continue on at any time, if the service is not well, if the machines aren't operating, we could
terminate the contract. If we want to continue on at the end of five years, we will own a forklift.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And how many forklifts do you believe that we have within -- at the City?
Mr. Rotenberg: We have four, maybe five, all of which are very old. We are looking at each one.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So, then, purchasing one forklift is a significant thing to undertake within
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the City of Miami, purchasing one forklift versus --?
Mr. Rotenberg: Yes.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And so, the forklift that's currently at the Marine Stadium, is that a
forklift that's being used right now that's in need to be used right now?
Mr. Rotenberg: It needs to be used, but it is inoperable.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And how long has it been inoperable?
Mr. Rotenberg: Roughly, three, maybe four weeks.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So this is an emergency lease, because, of course, you need an operable
forklift at that venue. But what is the benefit of us moving forward for an additional four years
with this lease agreement that we're waiving the competitive bidding process for versus putting it
out for a bid for those next four years or each year?
Mr. Rotenberg: The machines are expensive. I don't believe we're going to get a better price,
even if we put it out to bid We did look at other forklift companies and other prices. This was
the best one that we can get. Even though it's an emergency funding, we did do a little bit of
competitive research. If we did go back out, we could cancel after a year, like I said; and if
something were to where we got better terms or better financial arrangements with another
group, we could do that.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So, Mr. Manager, in this situation, that we're looking at this forklift, do
you think that it's best to move forward after one year and put it for another -- a bid, or do you
think that we should continue to use it as it is in this document for additional four years, waiving
this competitive bidding process?
Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): Commissioner, first, I'm going to say that I would like Mr.
Rotenberg to also address the issue of the fact that the forklifts that we had were costing us a
significant amount of money in maintenance. And the forklift is absolutely necessary to operate
the marina, because you can't put the boats into the racks without the forklift, so that's why the
emergency nature of it; it was done. The nice thing about having the options is that at any
moment that the anniversary comes up, you can step out of the option. For example, we have an
RFP (Request for Proposals) going on for one of our marinas, and probably by the time it's all
said and done, it'll probably be close to a year; at which point, we can decide whether we can
move a forklift from one location to the other or continue to use this forklift and not renew -- and
renew or not renew, et cetera. So having that option, I think, gives us the flexibility a year from
now to determine whether at that point it's needed or not. But the act of having to do it on an
emergency basis, that was based on our inability to operate the marina without a forklift.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And I completely understand the need to do that now.
Mr. Alfonso: Right.
Vice Chair Hardemon: But my question is, after one year, there's not an emergency need, so for
us to continue to waive the competitive -- it's -- to me, it's a continual act of waiving the
competitive bidding process, because you didn't bid in the first year, and now you won't be
bidding in the second, third, fourth, or fifth year. And so that's the part that I'm talking about.
Mr. Alfonso: Okay.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So that's why I'm toying to figure out why is it best not to --
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Mr. Rotenberg: There are two issues with that. Just to continue what the City Manager said,
which is true, our annual budget was far exceeded. The one forklift in question, the repairs for
one year was in excess of $375, 000. If we go back to this company and we say to them, "Oh,
we're going to take one year out of the five years and we may not continue on upfront," they're
going to change the numbers on us, and they will be unfavorable to the City.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. --
Commissioner Sarnoff I (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Rotenberg: Sorry, Commissioner.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Maybe what you want to do is -- because I think it'll see an REP as well,
but why don't you -- why don't we consider approving this with a directive to the Manager to
look at the anniversary dates to see if there can be a more competitive nature --
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chair.
Commissioner Sarnoff. -- or whether it be warranted, but to change the terms of the agreement,
I think we would defeat our own purpose.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Right. And (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Chair Gort: He's got to floor; wait a minute. Go ahead.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And I'm sure you can see, as I was building my questions, that that's --
the facts I was trying to pull out of this were to see if one, changing the terms would affect the
price, and that's why I asked about that -- and then, two, how you go about where you're
continuously waiving the bidding process through years two, three, four, and five, so I completely
understand that. And putting the language that you just proposed on the record, I don't think
would do me any good, because I assume -- and I think it'll be a very good assumption -- that the
Manager would look at the end of year one whether it was beneficiary [sic] for him to continue
the relationship or to seek an REP. So, I think the reason I'm not proposing that is because I
think that you would do that anyway, because I believe that you are responsible enough with our
finances to make sure that that happens. And then the only other option would be to bring it
back before us, but I think by doing that, it would put that decision in our hands and not
necessarily that is something I want to do, either. But I just want the Administration to be aware
that when we make this type of ordinance or this resolution or -- when you put forth this
resolution, that it's not insignificant in the fact that there are only four, as I understand, that's
within the City of Miami's possession, and this is one of that four, so you're talking 25 percent of
the actual forklifts that we have, and so there should be some sort of competitive bidding process.
I understand the nature of this situation in this year, and why we found ourself in this position;
but if the other ones are costing us additional funds, then maybe we should be proactive and
think about putting out a bid for something like this moving forward instead of waiting till there 's
an issue that we need to put emergency ordinance on for.
Mr. Rotenberg: You're a hundred percent correct. I've been here one year, and this came to my
attention about a month, month and a half ago by looking at numbers. The numbers that we're
paying for the maintenance far exceeded the value, and we turned around and decided to take
action.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
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Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Commissioner Carollo, you're recognized.
Commissioner Carollo: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That's why I want to second the motion. I
asked for discussion, because Commissioner Sar -- I'm sorry -- Commissioner Hardemon's
concerns were concerns that 1 had, and I thought the best way would be for any additional years,
just like we did before, for it to come back to this Commission in order for us to give the approval
for an additional year. And at that time, or even beforehand, we could have those questions and
see exactly that the analysis was done, and it's beneficial for us to continue with this lease as
opposed to just -- because what happens is, Commissioner Hardemon, many times, if it doesn't
come back to this Commission, you'll never hear about it again, because in all fairness, so many
things are happening in this City at the same time that you just don't hear about it anymore, so
that's why, you know, sometimes I like to have on specific items, make sure that it was put in
legislation, that it does come back to this Commission for us to make sure that it doesn't get
forgotten with all the things that are happening. And again, I feel that with this legislation, it
should come back to this Commission for any additional years, at the least.
Commissioner Sarnoff. But in doing that --
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff. -- we could change the terms and conditions of the agreement, because
if I'm a guy -- if I'm the forklift company -- let's say I'm Harris, right, Harris Forklift -- I don't
even know if this is Harris or not -- and I know I have the one year certain but four year options,
and I put it in the political hands of us, because it is politics, then I'm going to change my
conditions and my terms, and I'm going to at least make sure my payments go up on the front
side versus the backside. So I don't know that in this circumstance, it is a wise move to do that.
You could test the water, but on the other hand, I think you guys know there'll be an RFP for
Virginia Key. I would think it would be here in the next year to 18 months. And you also bring
up a good point which we never learned: how old are the other three forklifts or the terms and
conditions for the other three forklifts? I don't know. By the way, I clearly don't know. And as
you would think, well, if you lease a fleet of forklifts, don't you get a lower price than one forklift.
Chair Gort: Couple of questions, and that's --
Commissioner Sarnoff: What you get --
Chair Gort: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE) thought. The -- this forklift is going to be used where?
Mr. Rotenberg: At Miami Marine Stadium.
Chair Gort: Marine Stadium. We have -- how many of these shipyards do we have?
Mr. Rotenberg: We have Dinner Key Marina. We have Bayside.
Chair Gort: Bayside.
Mr. Rotenberg: Bayside doesn't typically use the forklifts because there's no dry stacks.
Chair Gort: Right.
Mr. Rotenberg: So this would be used in one of the marina. There is an RFP out there; that is
correct. The one-year option we took specifically for the reason that if we're not satisfied after
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one year; or we don't need it, we get to cancel.
Chair Gort: Okay. I have to tell you, we just opened up the -- about a week ago, Apex Marine.
Came all the way down from Florida -- I mean, from Broward, and established they're settling
here, and as I know of people have come and talked to me (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in the Planning
Department. They talk in the Planning Department to pull a permit for additional marinas that
they going to take place in the river, so this is something that we might be able to take advantage
of it, because those companies are going to be coming down here and want to provide the sale.
Commissioner Sarnoff Is Apex the Merrill Stevens? Is that the old Merrill --?
Chair Gort: No, that's -- Merrill Stevens is working full-time, also. (UNINTELLIGIBLE). This
is an additional. This is the one on north -- Southwest South River Drive and about 21 st Avenue.
Commissioner Sarnoff And `formerly known as" or is this brand-new?
Chair Gort: No, no. It's formerly. It used to be one of the biggest one that we used to have done
here. I forget the name.
Commissioner Sarnoff At Jones Boatyard, right?
Chair Gort: Could be.
Commissioner Sarnoff Could be Jones Boatyard?
Chair Gort: Could be.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Chair Gort: It's a major one -- so we finally getting that -- those marines services back to
Miami, which is vety important. Okay.
Mr. Alfonso: Mr. Chairman, if may? I think we -- we don't have an objection to bringing it
back in a year.
Chair Gort: Yeah.
Mr. Alfonso: We have other forklifts that are vety ancient as well, which we will probably start
that RFP process anyways.
Chair Gort: Right.
Mr. Alfonso: And a year from now, that'll probably be something that we can look at; just
instead of three, we do four.
Chair Gort: Okay. Thank you. Any further discussion?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Well, I would support Commissioner Carollo in the bringing it back to
the Commission in a year. Much like you can review it in a year; just bring it back to us in a
year.
Mr. Alfonso: No problem.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): We can -- sir, for the Clerk's purposes, we could do one of two
ways: We can amend this reso saying it's coming back in a year; or we could do a directive, a
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
separate directive to bring it back in a year. Whatever is easier for --
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): It's the will of the Commission.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I think the directive would be better so we can --
Chair Gort: Yes.
Ms. Mendez: Follow up.
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- calm the concerns of our dear Commissioner in the second district.
Chair Gort: Okay. Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
RE.3 RESOLUTION
15-01121
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Clerk ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING THE CITY CLERK'S CERTIFICATION OF
THE WYNWOOD BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS ("WYNWOOD
BID") PETITION PROCESS FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE WYNWOOD BID
BOUNDARIES.
15-01121 Memo - Office of the City Clerk.pdf
15-01121 Legislation.pdf
15-01121 Exhibit - Cert & Declaration of Results.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Suarez
R-15-0412
Chair Gort: RE.3.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Good morning. RE.3 is a resolution of the Miami City
Commission, with attachment, accepting the City Clerk's certification of the Wynwood Business
Improvement District's petition process for the expansion of the Wynwood BID (Business
Improvement District) boundaries. For the record, the petition did not meet the threshold
required for the boundaries to be expanded, so the boundaries will be remain as they currently
are.
Chair Gort: Okay.
Commissioner Sarnoff So move.
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Gort: Been moved by Commissioner Sarnoff second by Commissioner Carollo. Any
discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
RE.4
15-01127
Department of
Finance
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING SELECTION OF SANTANDER BANK, N.A.
TO PROVIDE CAPITAL FOR LEASE PURCHASE OF POLICE AND FLEET
VEHICLES AND TO PAY FINANCING COSTS; AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A LEASE AGREEMENT, IN
SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, AND ANY AGREEMENTS AND
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED BY THE LEASE AGREEMENT PROVIDED THE
TERMS ARE CONSISTENT, AND IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, AND TO TAKE ALL ACTIONS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE
THE LEASE PURCHASE, SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND
BUDGET APPROVAL AT THE TIME OF NEED.
15-01127 Back -Up - RFP Summary.pdf
15-01127 Back -Up - RFP Memo.pdf
15-01127 Back -Up - RFP Response.pdf
15-01127 Legislation.pdf
15-01127 Exhibit -Agreement.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
R-15-0410
Chair Gort: RE.4.
Christopher Rose (Director): Good morning, Commissioners. Chris Rose, Office of
Management & Budget. In the proposed budget and with this item, the City is seeking to
implement a Vehicle Replacement Program through the Florida Sheriffs Association contracts.
We have in the proposed budget lease payments for 300 police fleet and 175 general fleet. This
contract, the Administration's recommending Santander Bank, for a five-year period, up to a
thousand vehicles, up to $32 million. Couple of important points: At the end of the lease, the
City will own the vehicles outright. The security for the lease, the City is not pledging a
particular security. The vehicles themselves are the security. And there's no requirement to
draw on a particular schedule, so the City can lock in the rate at the time of the draw and
purchase as many vehicles up to what is allowed in this contract. I'll take any questions you may
have.
Chair Gort: So you're talking a letter of credit that will maintain the same interest rate during
the five years?
Mr. Rose: Well, it's a variable rate, but it locks in at the time of the draw.
Chair Gort: Of the draw, yes. Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Question to the Administration.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
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Commissioner Carollo: So right now you have 300 -- or you're proposing 300 police vehicles.
Those are not all marked vehicles, correct?
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. They're not all marked vehicles. That is correct.
Commissioner Carollo: Do you have how many marked and how many unmarked?
Daniel 1 Alfonso (City Manager): Commissioner, the original number that I was told is about
200/100, but we're looking at that; 200 marked, 100 unmarked.
Commissioner Carollo: And then for general services or other non police, non -fire is 175?
Mr. Alfonso: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Let me ask you, with regards to -- and I asked this during our briefing.
What's the average age of the vehicles that you're going to replace? So what -- like in other
words, you're going to replace, from what it seems here, 475 vehicles. Those vehicles that are
being replaced, what is their age right now, understanding that there is seven years for police
vehicles and --
Mr. Alfonso: Well, that --
Commissioner Carollo: -- so forth? But the ones that you're preplacing right now, what is their
Mr. Alfonso: Commissioner, I'm toying to get the GSA (General Services Administration)
director up here, and he can take about the fleet and its age. I want to talk about that statement
that you just made, though, about the seven-year issue. In the current contract, that was
suspended And there is a specific number -- dollar amount that was agreed to in the last
contract for how much would be spent to purchase police cars, and that is currently the -- in the
current contract as of today. But I'll let Rick talk about the age of the fleet that we're looking at.
Ricardo Falero: Rick Falero, director of GSA. Right now, vehicles that are '08 and older, it's --
the fleet stands about 350 vehicles at the moment of marked police cars, not even counting
administrative vehicles or --
Commissioner Carollo: Okay, hold on. So, are we talking police cars or are we talking --?
Mr. Falero: Police cars.
Commissioner Carollo: So just police cars.
Mr. Falero: Marked police cars.
Commissioner Carollo: Marked police cars. So how many are there from --?
Mr. Falero: Right now, that are '08 and older, it stands about 350.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay, so, in essence -- and I'm sorry -- it's seven years where we have to
replace them by seven --?
Mr. Falero: Every seven years, right. So what we're trying to do is basically get rid of all the
vehicles that are seven years and older in police. Some of them may -- the ones that are in better
shape may remain as spares; the other ones would be deadline, and that is the purpose of it. It
does need it. We have spent a tremendous amount of money last year and part of this year
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replacing transmissions and (UNINTELLIGIBLE). It's been quite expensive to maintain all those
cars.
Commissioner Carollo: So, realistically, from what you're telling me -- again, I'm not seeing any
documentation. I mean, there's no way for me to like really, you know, see, hey, all these VIN
(Vehicle Identification Number) numbers are police vehicles and all that.
Mr. Falero: Right.
Commissioner Carollo: Because I just (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- in essence, what you're saying is
that with these 300, we're actually 50 PO (police officer) -- is it --
Mr. Falero: Well --
Commissioner Carollo: -- like to say are labor contract?
Mr. Falero: No. What happens is you -- with those, you have enough because a lot of those cars
that are left can become spares, so by (UNINTELLIGIBLE), we have everyone properly in their
cars and you're under contract. Those vehicles that are remaining would become spares, so
therefore, you're still -- you're going to be okay as far as the contract goes.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Talk to me about --
Mr. Alfonso: Again -- Commissioners, please. The issue of the contract is subject of negotiation
of police cars. There -- in the last police contract, there is that language about the seven years.
However, there's language that specifically says, "For this contract, we're only going to spend
"X" number of dollars in buying cars." So that -- you know, if we're going to talk about the
issues of labor negotiations, I don't think we're trying to get into them. What the director is
trying to answer is saying that the primary frontline cars, if we do this, will meet that definition.
Is that what understood, Mr. Director?
Mr. Falero: That's correct.
Commissioner Carollo: Listen, I'm not trying to get into labor negotiations. I'm trying to get
into the facts, okay? You're asking me to approve a lease that you're going to now use to acquire
300 police cars and you want to acquire 175 regular vehicles for, I guess -- I don't know what's
the correct terminology -- general services. So my initial question was what is the current stage
of those cars? I mean --
Mr. Falero: Okay.
Mr. Alfonso: The current stage right now is that --
Commissioner Carollo: The cars that we're going to replace.
Mr. Falero: The cars that are in Police -- like I said, a lot of the cars, those are tremendous -- a
big buy at one time that was done back in '08 when a lot of those cars came in. A lot of the cars
right now are better cars than the ones back then. We had a combination of Crown Victorias,
and we had a combination of Impalas. We have had issues with some of the models, and those
are the ones that have cost us a tremendous amount of money to maintain; that we needed, yes;
the same thing with the general fleet. The general fleet, it's -- it moved -- dire condition. A lot of
the vehicles are very old. We have a lot of vehicles are still that are over 10 years of age, 12, and
even 15 years of age. A lot of them, they just need to be replaced. It came to that time. There's a
lot of '04s, a lot of '03s, '02s. So, yes, we do need to change a lot of the general fleets. And the
police, obviously, well, we're at the stage where we have been -- we still have three 2003s left, we
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have seven 2005s left, and we have about 40 or so that are still '07s. Now, those cars are not
being used; only as spares, but those need to go away all together. And then the '08s that are in
good shape, but they are because we spend a lot of money of them -- would become -- and they
need a large spare fleet, because when you have that many vehicles, you still need a fleet of
spares of about 70, 75.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Director, define the word .pares."
Mr. Falero: A spare --
Commissioner Carollo: Does "spare" mean that when a police car goes for some engine work
or what happens --
Mr. Falero: When it's sent to --
Commissioner Carollo: -- this --
Mr. Falero: -- service, they take -- they give them a car.
Commissioner Carollo: They give them this spare?
Mr. Falero: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: So the spare actually patrols our streets?
Mr. Falero: The spare will patrol the street. That's why we're making sure that those cars --
they're not all the time out, but we make sure that the cars, again, will meet all the requirements,
and the cars are in good shape.
Commissioner Carollo: But they could be older than seven years, so they could be --
Mr. Falero: Most of the time we keep them -- because of the financial restraints we have, we
have a few. We're trying to do now is basically just have that are going to be around seven years.
Commissioner Carollo: And that's where I'm getting at. Because of the financial restraint that
we had -- well, I don't think we have the financial restraints now, so I'll make sure that one of our
priorities is to get our first responders the proper equipment that they need, the resources in
order to them to do their jobs. So the last thing I want is to have a police car that has his engine
open up in some -- you know, side of the street because it's broken down, and next thing you
know is, "Oh, but that was because it was a spare." So, if the car is being used to patrol our
streets, if it's used -- if it's being used for law enforcement purposes, I want to make sure that our
fleet is up to date and we provide the equipment and the resources to our first responders in
order for them to do their job.
Mr. Falero: I agree with you.
Commissioner Carollo: And I agree -- I remember the financial restraints. Remember, I was
here before you were here.
Mr. Falero: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: And I was here. And as a matter of fact, I chaired that meeting that we
all remember. I think Commissioner Sarnoff will probably tell you that was the longest minute
and a half or two minutes in his life, or at least, sitting in this dais. So I remember that time very
clearly, but here's the difference. We're not in those financial restraints anymore, and I think now
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this needs to be a priority, so that's why I want to make sure that we are -- if we do approve this
lease that we are identifying our total need.
Mr. Falero: Yes, we are. As a matter of fact, if I may for a minute, on the original paper that I
gave Budget when we were looking at this, we have sort of divided the buy; part of it now, part
about a year from now, because you can only digest so many vehicles at one time and go through
the process and equipment. So it is already -- the numbers already have -- and the lease amount
will cover to do the whole fleet altogether, I mean, that's needed to be replaced. After we get rid
of this particular hump, after that is minimal, the amount of vehicles that are needed to be
replaced, because the next batch are '09s and '10s, which is minimal, the amount of cars. So,
yes, we have this in two phases; and again, in order to be able to properly process everything,
unload all the cars that need to go, and be deadlined we split it up to make it a little bit more
easier to handle, and I think we'll be fine, because the vehicles that will be used as spares are
being thoroughly checked. They're the ones that are the best of what we have, we have put
transmissions, differentials, I mean, everything on the cars. There's not a car there that hasn't
been looked at, so I don't think that's going to be an issue for the eight or nine months that we're
talking about before we get the next batch of cars to finish replacing all the -- all those vehicles
that are remaining.
Mr. Alfonso: Commissioner -- Mr. Chairman, ifI may add?
Chair Gort: Yes.
Mr. Alfonso: Please note that this initial purchase is of 475 vehicles for 'X" number of dollars,
but this lease agreement that you're authorizing gives the Administration the ability to go all the
way up to $32 million, which is approximately a thousand vehicles. We just need to stagger that
in in terms of how we allocate that annual cost in combination with all of the other constraints
on the budget, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: We will still need to approve the budget for the leases on a yearly basis,
correct?
Mr. Alfonso: Correct, Commissioner. And then that is the point; that we're staggering this in,
and we will let you know exactly how that increase in vehicles will impact future budgets.
Commissioner Carollo: A couple more questions, and I appreciate the time, so, you know, thank
you, Commissioners. The non -marked units, what are their ages of the vehicles that you are
planning to replace?
Mr. Falero: Of those, we are looking to replace about 100.
Commissioner Carollo: Right. And --
Mr. Falero: Right.
Commissioner Carollo: -- what's the current state? How old are they? What year?
Mr. Falero: The majority -- the ones that we need to replace are '0Ss and '07s. We have
deadlined almost --
Commissioner Carollo: Oh -five and oh -seven?
Mr. Falero: Yeah. The '0Ss is a minimal amount. That's exactly, so we're -- we have -- we
already had -- some of them came in that we replaced. We had -- the '0Ss are not that many, but
again, yeah, we're in dire need of changing that, and we're addressing on both the buys -- on the
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second buy to finish all the old administrative cars also so that we have all of them up to date,
and the same thing with the marked police vehicles.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So what do we need to do to address all those vehicles? Because
I think some of this should have been addressed last year or before, because we have not been in
those financial restraints that we were -- that you mentioned as of before. So I want to make sure
that -- again, is public safety a priority or not? So I want to see how many vehicles and in what
state do we -- are we at in order to address it as soon as possible, to be honest with you.
Mr. Falero: Yeah. The '08s just came into effect this year, the one before, so that's why we're
addressing these to (UNINTELLIGIBLE), so we'll sit with them. Because when the buy
originally was done, you're not -- we replaced a lot of the '08s already, and the ones that are
coming will replace the older ones. The buy of the '08s have two different dates, so really, as far
as -- when you go by calendar date, you're not going to be in bad shape of having a lot of cars
out there that are outdated, because the dates justify them. So, you will have pretty much a clear
inventory by the time we get all the vehicles in, and no one's really going to be riding a real old
car. That -- those days are gone. Most of the '03s and '05s that are left are usually used as
decoys; they're not even used as spares. The police use them for different options. So it's not
anybody patrolling in an '03 or '05; maybe a few '07s, but like I said it's very minimal. Most of
them are used as decoys right now.
Commissioner Carollo: Understood And I think it's probably going to be my last question.
With the 175 for general services, how old are the vehicles that you are replacing?
Mr. Falero: Everything that we're looking to replace is '07 and older.
Commissioner Carollo: 'Oh -seven and older.
Mr. Falero: Basically, we're going to be looking '06 and '05s and back; some of the '07s,
depending on the condition. Almost everything is going to be based on 2001, 2002s, 2003s, '04s,
'OSs, that type. A lot of public recall trucks, a lot of parks, you know, vehicles that -- around and
they do need to be replaced.
Commissioner Carollo: And this is going to be 1.9 percent interest rate? I'm sorry --
Mr. Alfonso: Right. As of today, that was the rate as date of print, but the date -- the rate
changes daily. Two things, Commissioners: We're trying to get this as soon as possible, because
we anticipate rates will likely go up, number one. And number two, we'd like to get our order for
vehicles in to manufacturers as soon as possible, because we anticipate every other local
government's going to get approval for more vehicles. So it's first come, first served at the
factory, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: I don't have any other questions. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Okay. Thank you. Anyone else? Yes, sir.
Javier Ortiz: Thank you, Commissioner. Lieutenant Javier Ortiz, Fraternal Order of Police,
710 Southwest 12 Avenue. I want to start off with Mr. Falero. Mr. Falero, ever since you took
control of GSA, I've really gotten very few complaints from the police officers as far as the job
that they do; and a lot of times ,we overlook our civilians, so I just want to say thank you. Same
with Mr. John Babos; he does an excellent job in GSA. Regarding the comments that the
Manager made regarding the contracts, saying that this has been suspended, I respectfully
disagree with what he's saying. The contract stipulates how much money they were going to
spend. However, our understanding is, if there was vehicles that were past the seven-year
requirement, they would be replaced. This Miami -- this leasing option that has been brought to
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the Commission, I presented it to the Manager about two years ago when the Miami -Dade Police
Department brought it in at the time. It was something that he told me was not viable. Vehicles
are a mandatory subject of bargaining. It falls within our terms and conditions of employment.
As you know, Officer David Herring was the police officer that was killed in one of our cars, and
so I take -- you know, this is a big priority for us. And for you guys to make any type of
arrangement or agreement on police equipment and not having it go through the normal facets
of collective bargaining, I take it as offensive, because, you know, the Manager wants our
light -duty personnel in smaller cars, and it all has to do with emergency equipment and what
officers need on the street, and to be told that we -- we're going to buy 300 cars, but we have 350
expired is an issue. Based on what Commissioner Carollo's saying, we had our Crown Vics
(Victorian), which are 2008s; those expired last year, December of last year. And we had our
fleet of 2008 Impalas that just expired. We have vehicle -- we have officers that are in 2005s,
2007s; they're driving around on spares. They have no emergency equipment in them. They
don't have anything. They cannot run to emergency calls, and I hear it all day on the radios. So
I don't expect Mr. Falero to know that, because he handles the maintenance. So I ask that, you
know, if you want to talk about facts, fact: This has not been negotiated Fact: what has been
brought to our attention as far as how we're going to break the vehicles, you were asking how
many are going to be replaced for marked and unmarked. That's all subject to the terms and
conditions of our contract. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Mr. Chair.
Chair Gort: Yes. Go ahead.
Commissioner Sarnoff. And let me just kind of say, Commissioner Carollo, you did a great job
of discussing this. I think the only point Commissioner Carollo's making, which I think we all
agree, because I don't -- nobody said anything -- is that we expect our first responders to have
the equipment that they need up- -to date, based on whatever requirements, maybe not even our
contract requirements, maybe just plain old good practices; that we expect our police officers to
be in the most modern fleet that we can have. We expect our fire responders and our rescue
responders to be in equipment that is up to snuff. I think that's all we're saying. I think we're
saying the bad times are behind us; the better times are here, and we expect that, as our primary
responsibility, which is the safety and protection of the general public, that this contract
contemplate and implement those changes.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Mr. Alfonso: Yeah. Commissioners, Mr. Chairman, this lease agreement has nothing to do
specifically with the labor contract. This is a vehicle for how we acquire vehicles. In other
words, this is a conduit for how we acquire vehicles. That's all this is. The Commission has
given us the authority. If we end up doing less, more, negotiate "X, " "Y, " it is what it is. The
numbers that you see in front of you are based on estimate of 475 vehicles. We might -- in those
vehicles, like I said, we anticipated 200 marked and 100 unmarked but the estimates were done
with all patrol cars. One of the things that I'm asking for is to get Explorers for the FTOs (Field
Training Officers), for example, and the way I look at it, that might change the pricing slightly.
So all we're asking this Commission to approve is us to have the ability to lease the equipment
rather than buy it. If we have to go buy 300 vehicles for police right now, it's close to $9 million.
This way, you get to do it at about $2 million a year. So that's what I'm asking this Commission
to approve.
Chair Gort: Thank you. My understanding is, total of the $32 million, talking about 1,000
vehicles take place. Now, my understanding, one, you get vehicles in, you have to put -- it takes
how long to get it ready to go in the street?
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Mr. Alfonso: Well, as a matter of fact, it's interesting we are working with a couple of companies
to do that, and then I'll let Rick answer that as well, but I think it's a few weeks.
Mr. Falero: Rick Falero, director of GSA. When the vehicles get here, they're already equipped.
We --
Chair Gort: Go ahead.
Mr. Falero: -- normally order them. The -- when the factory ships the cars, they ship them right
to the individuals that are going to be putting the cars together, striping them, and putting all the
necessary safety equipment, and then we take delivery. Normally, it depends on when the order
goes in; it's about 120 days.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Mr. Chair.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Yeah. I heard you say something, and I don't know if you misspoke,
because it wasn't part of my briefing. I thought we could lock in a 1.9 percent today.
Mr. Alfonso: That's the current rate that existed as of this date, but --
Commissioner Sarnoff. Right.
Mr. Alfonso: -- the rates fluctuate daily. The day that we close, that will be the rate that clay.
Chair Gort: The rate at that day.
Commissioner Sarnoff. And my understanding is that the second responsible bidder wanted to
give us a variable rate.
Mr. Alfonso: Right. There was another responsive bidder who gave us a variable rate, meaning
that -- well, once we lock this rate in, it's locked in for the five-year duration of that tranche. The
other bidder had a two-year locked in and then reassess every two years.
Commissioner Sarnoff. So if we pass this today and, theoretically -- so you're saying, it's 1.9
percent today. If we pass this today, and the Mayor would be around and sign this, we would get
1.9 percent?
Mr. Alfonso: Well, we'll have to close the contract with the vendor. Then -- it's like closing a
house. The day of closing is the day that that's the rate that applies.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Just for the hay of it -- because I have no idea how long it takes -- how
long does it take you to close a contract with a vendor?
Mr. Alfonso: Well, Commissioner, given that the authorization is given today, we could probably
get it done pretty quickly, assuming the budget passes this evening.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Right. "Quickly" is the next seven days, the next --
Mr. Alfonso: The FA (financial advisory), what does it say?
Pete Varona: Tomorrow. I mean, I'm sure --
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Commissioner Sarnoff. I'm curious. I'm just curious. What is -- I don't know. This is the things
that I don't know. Is it December of this year? It is February of next year?
Mr. Varona: It could be a couple weeks.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): I would say 30 days or less.
Commissioner Sarnoff. I mean, you don't do it, so why would you say that?
Ms. Mendez: Because we help with the contracts and stuff (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Sarnoff. Do you look at the contract?
Mr. Alfonso: This was a RFP (Request for Proposals) already done, already evaluated --
Commissioner Sarnoff. Right. That's why --
Mr. Alfonso: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Sarnoff. I guess we, as Commissioners, are curious, like how long does that take?
Mr. Varona: Commission --
Commissioner Sarnoff. There looks like a young man that knows exactly what he's going to say.
Mr. Varona: My name is Pete Varona. I'm the financial advisor with PFM (Public Financial
Management) for the City. A typical closing, we could probably do it in two or three weeks; you
know, maybe about a month or so. That's the typical turnaround.
Commissioner Sarnoff. So within 30 days?
Mr. Varona: Exactly.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Okay.
Ms. Mendez: See, I knew. I could answer this one pretty directly.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Yeah. No, I would have thought "no way you could answer this one."
Chair Gort: Okay. Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman, real quick. Something the Manager said, that you're
thinking for the FTOs (field training officers), to give them SUVs (sports utility vehicles)?
Mr. Alfonso: Yes, Commissioner. Individually, as an operational issue, we're looking at the new
police cars that are being produced, and mostly are the Ford's Tauruses. Inside a police car, if
you look at the front, you have the computer stand with a laptop attached; officers wearing the
equipment, the gun belt, the -- et cetera, et cetera.
Commissioner Carollo: I've been there.
Mr. Alfonso: When you have an FTO and a trainee in the front seat of a car, along with all that
equipment. It is kind of cramped up there, so one of the things that we're looking at is assigning
FTOs the Explorers, police packages, which allow for more room upfront.
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Chair Gort: Okay.
Vice Chair Hardemon: How many FTOs are there?
Mr. Alfonso: Roughly, 60, sir.
Commissioner Suarez: A lot more now.
Commissioner Sarnoff.. How many?
Mr. Alfonso: Roughly 60. Is that -- Chief?
Unidentified Speaker: Sixty-eight.
Mr. Alfonso: Sixty-eight. I was close.
Chair Gort: Okay.
Mr. Ortiz: One last thing. Commissioner, again, these cars are going to come fully loaded.
They're not going to a vendor that falls under our terms and conditions of employment. This
deals with safety equipment that's going to be utilized by our police officers. By them putting
them in different types of vehicles, such as front -wheel drive vehicles, there's training issues that
need to be brought up, because most of the vehicles we drive now are rear -wheel drive. These
are the things that need to be discussed. By signing this deal and already coming with the cars
pre packaged when we don't even know how many cars we're going to negotiate in the contract,
when we have already taken the position, the official position that we have over 300 that are
expired, again, I think we're cutting ourselves short by doing that.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir. Any further discussion?
Commissioner Carollo: Yes, Mr. Chairman. I just want to verify it. So the FOP is against us
approving this --?
Mr. Ortiz: Yes, we are. Again, this is under the terms and conditions of employment. Let's go to
the bargaining table. I know he wants to act like that we have absolutely no power. This is a
labor issue. This is a safety issue. This is an equipment issue. And they're trying to jam this
down our throats. Let's go and meet, and let's talk about it, and let's reach an agreement.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. Chairman.
Commissioner Carollo: But --
Chair Gort: Yes.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Oh, I'm sorry. Go.
Commissioner Carollo: No. I just want to point out, the vehicles that we're thinking of
purchasing, is it a pretty done package already? Because it's --
Mr. Ortiz: It is.
Commissioner Carollo: Listen, my -- okay, the way I understand this, I think the reason why they
want to move this along is because of the interest rate. I think they see a variable interest rate,
and I think they want to move it along, but, you know, again, that's why we have discussion, to
make sure that, you know --
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Mr. Alfonso: Commissioner, two things: Not only the rates, because we do believe that the Feds
are going to raise the interest rates. That's number one. Number two, factory orders; and the
vehicles for patrol that we're trying to get are police packaged vehicles.
Mr. Varona: Exactly, yes.
Mr. Alfonso: These are approved by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, et cetera,
police contract. We're not going to buy --
Mr. Varona: Yeah, they're all police interceptors.
Commissioner Carollo: Understood
Mr. Ortiz: But it's all different equipment.
Chair Gort: Okay. Thank you.
Mr. Ortiz: Safety equipment.
Unidentified Speaker: Mr. Chair, can I --
Chair Gort: Okay. Yes, ma'am.
Renita Holmes: Yes. Madam Holmes. You know, I want to make sure that police car has -- very
comfortable in the backseat, but from that perspective. I don't know -- public safety and health is
a issue. You know, these days, you know. But just (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Mr. Alfonso: We cannot guarantee that they're comfortable in the backseat.
Ms. Holmes: Well, we really can't guarantee it's comfortable in front of a vehicle either, but the
military thing really gets me, the high drive and the big wheels. We're on flat land. I'm from
Miami. I'm from the hood, you know. I got to throw some `D's" on these things. But
nonetheless, my question is in regards to would this be the same -- I mean, I heard statements
about the safety for officers, and the safety for all personnel, and what defines an officer and an
official in regards to safety; how the vehicles are leased, and how they are purchased. And so
with that, my question is, are we militarizing -- and the front -wheel drive and double `Ds"?
Wow. That's a sexy conversation. Nonetheless, that's military. And paramilitary policing is a
question for me. It throws up a big thing, a big flag when I hear that, through the Chair, Javier.
Nonetheless, cameras included? Second, does that include public safety officers? Do they
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) cars (UNINTELLIGIBLE) labor issues? It's all about that. Nonetheless, is
this going to be indicative of how we will or will not purchase new vehicles when we get CRA
(Community Redevelopment Agency) new equipment? One million for six, new guns, and all
that. Is this commingled with the purchase of their vehicles as well? And lastly -- that ought to
be enough for now, because I think that factors in. We purchased recently vehicles several times
for new officers, six, and I'm comparing the cost of these. So can -- I would like to be in all
fairness to our PSAs (Public Service Aides), because they provide public service and they
deserve safety. And lastly, again, we're already on the camera issue, so if we're talking about the
inclusion of cameras in this, that's that equipment we need to have and maybe we can save some
money --
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am.
Ms. Holmes: Thank you. -- for the tax payer and the backseat riders.
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RE.5
15-01198
Office of Management
and Budget
Chair Gort: Right, right.
Ms. Holmes: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Uh-huh.
Joe Simmons: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Joe Simmons, Jr., president of Sanitation
Workers, AFSCME (American Federal, State, County, and Municipal Employees) Local 871.
We're very supportive of the police issues, the City of Miami replacing the aging policing fleet,
but I don't want you to forget the next half of this process, don't forget our 2.7 million allocation,
because we need that replacement for our garbage trucks. We have equipment that's in the
service for over 20 years, and we need to make sure that we collect the garbage and trash off the
streets, my residents, in a responsible and efficient manner. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff. Yeah. I just want to go on record, Mr. Chair. I was always curious why
the Chief of Police who's offered me a ride in his police car, and he said, Get in the back. "He's
got a Suburban (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Sarnoff. Oh, he's got --
Chair Gort: Any further discussion? Do I have a motion?
Commissioner Sarnoff. So moved.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Commissioner Sarnoff. Is there a second?
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Gort: Second by Commissioner Carollo. 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 AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO GIVE ALL PERMANENT FULL-TIME NON -BARGAINING
CITY OF MIAMI EMPLOYEES, WHO ARE ACTIVE AS OF SEPTEMBER 30,
2015, A ONE-TIME, NON -RECURRING, 2.5 PERCENT PAY SUPPLEMENT
BASED ON THE EMPLOYEES' BASE SALARY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR
ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2015.
15-01198 Summary Form.pdf
15-01198 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Carollo, seconded by Vice Chair Hardemon, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Suarez
R-15-0408
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
it? What we're trying to do is for our unclassified and managerial and confidential staff who, at
the beginning of the year, received a 2.4 percent increase, we're trying to give them a two and a
half percent nonrecurring pay supplement as -- for those employees that are here, effective
September 30, 2015.
Commissioner Carollo: From this year's budget?
Mr. Alfonso: Correct, from this year's budget.
Christopher Rose (Director, Office of Management & Budget): Yes, sir.
Mr. Alfonso: Nonrecurring one-time payment.
Commissioner Carollo: Move it.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Commissioner Carollo. Is there a second?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Second.
Chair Gort: Second by Vice Chairman Hardemon. Yes, ma'am, you're recognized.
Renita Holmes: Is that managerial staff?
Chair Gort: That's for all the --
Mr. Alfonso: That is all the unclassified, managerial, confidential staff, including secretarial
assistants to elected officials. There's a lot of departments that have all sorts of folks in this.
There's 200 and something employees.
Ms. Holmes: This is a first reading or is this (UNINTELLIGIBLE)? I mean, is this
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) thing for -- I just want to know.
Chair Gort: This is it, ma'am.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Ms. Holmes: This is it? So --
Chair Gort: Let her speak. Let her finish.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): It's a resolution. Just one (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Ms. Holmes: Just for managerial?
Chair Gort: Unclassified
Mr. Alfonso: It is for non -bargaining employees, correct.
Ms. Holmes: Are there any -- I mean -- I guess what I'm trying to figure out is the guy that
pushes the broom and all that. All of them aren't represented by you, are they? I think
everybody needs a raise, you know, and that's just my point as a taxpayer. I'm just concerned
about the selectiveness. And 9 times out of 10, when we talk about giving folks raises and
increasing the taxes, it's not always a free-for-all just because it sounds good We're all biting
the bullet, so to speak, new cars and everything else, but I'm thinking about the small girl, the
woman that does not have the managerial or -- that's not fair to me, you know, as a taxpayer,
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RE.6
15-01152
Department of
Planning and Zoning
because I see the PSAs (Public Service Aides); I see like, again, at the Police Department, those
folks that haven't had that much of an increase yet, and so I'm wondering if that's really fair.
Second, is this going to be the way that we set precedence about doing things when it comes to
making sure everybody has equal pay? Because that's a big issue. And I see a lot of women that
work really hard down at the City of Miami, and just because they don't have a degree, it could
be managerial. There are some of the positions that are managerial as well that have the
degrees, that fit the definition of managerial, that will get it just because they fit that definition
and meet that accreditation. So whether the guy is a small guy, the small woman, the woman not
making $15 an hour yet, or part time, when will they get theirs? Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Okay, any further discussion? All in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Mr. Alfonso: Thank you, Commissioners.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
TRANSFER OF DOWNTOWN MIAMI DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONAL
IMPACT MASTER PLAN RECOVERY FEES, IN A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO
EXCEED $375,875.00; ALLOCATING SAID FUNDS FROM FUND 10400,
PROJECT NO. 35-127002, TO THE MIAMI DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY, FOR THE COMPLETION OF DEVELOPMENT AND
PREPARATION OF THE INCREMENT III PROGRAM, AS APPROVED BY THE
CITY MANAGER.
15-01152 Summary Form.pdf
15-01152 Pre-Legislation.pdf
15-01152 DDA Resolution.pdf
15-01152 DDA PSA.pdf
15-01152 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Sarnoff
R-15-0417
Chair Gort: Let's go. RE.16.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): RE.6, sir.
Chair Gort: I'm sorry?
Mr. Hannon: RE.6.
Chair Gort: Six, you're right. Sixteen is the page. Sorry. RE.6.
Francisco Garcia (Director, Office of Planning & Zoning): Yes, sir. I will present from here
while the City Manager perhaps returns. It happens to be a Planning & Zoning item, and this is
a request for a transfer of funds to the Downtown Development Authority to pay for the studies
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
that they've engaged for Increment III of the Downtown DRI (Development of Regional Impact).
Commissioner Carollo: Move it.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Been moved and second Any discussion? It's a public hearing. Is anyone in the
public would like to address this issue?
Vice Chair Hardemon: You are not in the public, sir. Please step away from the lectern.
Commissioner Carollo: Are we doing a recess?
Unidentified Speaker: We're on RE.6.
Commissioner Carollo: RE.6.
Commissioner Suarez: Oh, we're still on RE.6? No?
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Gort: RE.6.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So there's no public comment.
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the public would like to address this? Close the public
hearing. All in favor, state it by saying "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
RE.7 RESOLUTION
15-01173
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
Finance CITY MANAGER TO ACKNOWLEDGE (A) A CLOSING AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY
INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE ("IRS") AND THE CITY OF MIAMI
FIREFIGHTERS' AND POLICE OFFICERS' RETIREMENT TRUST ("FIPO
TRUST") ON FINAL DETERMINATION COVERING SPECIFIC MATTERS AND
AN OPERATIONAL COMPLIANCE STATEMENT AGREEMENT
(COLLECTIVELY, "CLOSING AND OPERATIONAL COMPLIANCE
AGREEMENTS"), IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND
(B) PAYMENT BY THE FIPO TRUST FROM ITS FISCAL YEAR 2015-2016
BUDGET TO THE UNITED STATES TREASURY IN CONJUNCTION WITH
THE EXECUTION OF SAID CLOSING AND OPERATIONAL COMPLIANCE
AGREEMENTS, IN THE AMOUNT OF TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS
($10,000.00) IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE WORKER,
RETIREE, AND EMPLOYER RECOVERY ACT OF 2008 AND THE HEROES
EARNINGS ASSISTANCE AND RELIEF TAX ACT OF 2009.
15-01173 Summary Form.pdf
15-01173 Back -Up - DraftAgreement.pdf
15-01173 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
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RE.8
15-01180
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
R-15-0413
Note for the Record: Please see Item SR.1 for additional minutes referencing Item RE. 7.
Commissioner Carollo: Move RE.7.
Chair Gort: RE. 7 has been moved by --
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: RE. 7 has been moved by Commissioner Carollo; second by Commissioner Suarez.
Any discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
RESOLUTION
District 1- A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION URGING THE FLORIDA
Commissioner LEGISLATURE TO AMEND STATE STATUTES TO DIFFERENTIATE
Wifredo (Willy) Gort BETWEEN ASSISTED LIVING FACILITIES AND COMMUNITY RESIDENTIAL
HOMES THAT SERVE SENIOR CITIZENS AND THOSE FACILITIES THAT
SHOULD HAVE MORE RESOURCES AND PERSONNEL THAT SERVE
INDIVIDUALS WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, THE DEVELOPMENTALLY
DISABLED AND ANY OTHER VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS REQUIRING
MORE SPECIALIZED CARE AND REQUIRING STRICTER LICENSING FOR
THE LATTER; FURTHER URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO
REQUIRE THAT IF A FACILITY WISHES TO CHANGE FROM SERVING
SENIOR CITIZENS TO SERVING THOSE ABOVEMENTIONED VULNERABLE
INDIVIDUALS THAT IT MUST BE DEMONSTRATED THAT THE FACILITY
HAS THE PERSONNEL, EXPERTISE, AND RESOURCES TO DO SO;
FURTHER URGING THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE TO COMMISSION A
STUDY TO DETERMINE WHAT PERSONNEL, EXPERTISE, AND
RESOURCES SAID FACILITIES SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE IN
ORDER TO SERVE SAID VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS; DIRECTING THE
CITY CLERK TO TRANSMITA COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE
INDIVIDUALS AS STATED HEREIN.
15-01180 Legislation.pdf
15-01180-Submittal-Commissioner Gort-Map of Licensed Assisted Living Facilities Aid Group Hom
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
R-15-0414
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair, I have to be somewhere at 12 prompt, so I don't know if you
want to break now or you want to just keep going.
Chair Gort: 171 tell you what, I'd like to get one, which is -- Madam Attorney, can you read the
(UNINTELLIGIBLE)? It's a problem; I think we all have had it.
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Commissioner Suarez: Which one?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Yes, that should be RE.8.
Chair Gort: Eight.
Commissioner Suarez: Oh, yeah.
Ms. Mendez: And this is a resolution of the Miami City Commission, urging the Florida
Legislature to amend State statutes to differentiate between assisted living facilities and
community residential homes that serve senior citizens and those facilities that should have more
resources and personnel that serve individuals with mental health issues, the developmentally
disabled and any other vulnerable individuals requiring more specialized care and requiring
stricter licensing for the latter; further urging the Florida Legislature to require that if a facility
wishes to change from serving senior citizens to serving those above -mentioned vulnerable
individuals that it must be demonstrated that the facility has the personnel, expertise and
resources to do so; further urging the Florida Legislature to commission a study to determine
what personnel, expertise and resources said facilities should be required to have in order to
serve said vulnerable individuals; directing the City Clerk to transmit a copy of this resolution to
the individuals stated herein.
Chair Gort: Everybody has a map, okay. I'd like (UNINTELLIGIBLE) all ofALF (Adult Living
Facility) under one license. Most ALFs starts with intention serving the elderly, because they
receive higher compensation and the Medicare and Medicaid. Only after they fail to fill the beds
with Medicaid patient do they go after other population. These ALFs either equip to handle the
distant population the ALFs serves. In order to avoid this problem, licenses should be specified
to a population that they're serving. An operator should have to demonstrate that they have the
capacity and experience to serve those population. The problem that we have in a lot of those
ACLFs [sic] -- and you have a map in front of you. We have quite a few of them within the City
of Miami -- is they start as a ACLF [sic] for senior citizen; they get some vacancy, and they
bring anyone in without any supervision, and we have had that problem in couple of our
neighborhoods. And I think it's important that we send this message to Tallahassee.
Commissioner Suarez: Did you move it? Are you moving it?
Commissioner Carollo: So moved.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Moved and second Yes, ma'am.
Renita Holmes: Commissioner, on behalf of the Women's Association Alliance Addressing
Injustice and Violent Epidemia [sic], Women in Public Housing, Education, Finance and
Development, which fit most of those categories right now, those who go into mental health. But
I gave you a little word about what we're trying to resolve at the HAC (Homeless Assistance
Facility): elderly people sitting in chairs, not in wheelchairs; staff abusing them, abusing
children. I'm going to keep it real right here, because it's all the way up there. It's down. I was
hoping that that item would remain public, because I did notify a couple of you all that the public
is coming. However, I would like to have them discuss that with you and not necessarily does it
have to be public, although I've ran everywhere. Here's my concern: If we're going to be
selective about that in general, and what we're dealing with with Pottinger, and the increase of
women who have been traumatized by violence and displaced as a result of that, and elderly
women and veterans that are disabled, my population and me, I think that we should have more
public discussion or openness about what was the selective process before then. What are the
standards? I would say that you're good in urging the State. We went to the State at the next
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legislative session that's coming up (UNINTELLIGIBLE) dealt with, so I think you're really
ahead of yourself, Commissioner Hardemon, and that -- I mean, we're ahead of everybody else,
so to speak, on that, and thank you, because it really is a big issue right now. I'd like to see that
map. Thank you.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you.
Ms. Holmes: And thank you for initiating it.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Anyone else? Okay, all in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
RE.9 RESOLUTION
15-01153
District 2- A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Commissioner Marc ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN
David Sarnoff AGREEMENT, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, WITH CAMILLUS
HOUSE, INC., TO ESTABLISH THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") SHELTER
PROGRAM, INCLUDING THE PROVISION OF SEVENTY-FIVE (75) BEDS IN
CAMILLUS HOUSE, FOR THE NIGHTLY USE OF HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS,
ALONG WITH OTHER ASSOCIATED AND ACCOMPANYING HOMELESS
SERVICES AND CASE MANAGEMENT, FORA PERIOD OF ONE (1) YEAR,
SUBJECT TO SAID BEDS BEING EXCLUSIVELY DESIGNATED FOR THE
CITY'S HOMELESS, AND ATA TOTAL COST OF $700,000.00, WITH
CONDITIONS AS STATED HEREIN, PAYABLE IN TWELVE (12) MONTHLY
INSTALLMENTS.
15-01153 Legislation.pdf
15-01153 Exhibit -Agreement.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Sarnoff
R-15-0418
Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): RE.9, the Camillus House agreement.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Unidentified Speaker: Nine?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mm-hmm.
Mr. Alfonso: Commissioners, the -- RE.9 is the agreement that we have been working on with
Camillus House to allow for the beds -- 75 beds where we also entered into an agreement for
$700, 000, and the City will put up 350, 000, with the rest of the money coming from the DDA
(Downtown Development Authority), the Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA (Community
Redevelopment Agency) and the Omni CRA. This item, if it passes, it should pass contingent
upon this evening's budget. There are $90, 000 in City funds in tonight's budget to complete this
item.
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RE.10
15-01223
Department of Real
Estate and Asset
Management
Chair Gort: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: Move --
Chair Gort: Thank you. Is there a motion?
Commissioner Carollo: So moved.
Chair Gort: Been moved by Commissioner Carollo. Is there a second?
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Second by Commissioner Suarez. Discussion. Discussion. Is anyone in the public
would like to address this issue; anyone in the public? Seeing none, hearing none, we close the
public hearings. Any further discussion? Being -- all in favor, state it by saying "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A
LEASE AGREEMENT, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM,
BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FOR THE
CONTINUED USE OF THE NORTH DISTRICT POLICE STATION, LOCATED
AT 1000 NORTHWEST 62ND STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA 33127 (FOLIO #:
01-3114-012-0880).
15-01223 Summary Form.pdf
15-01223 Legislation.pdf
15-01223 Exhibit - Agreement.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Sarnoff
R-15-0419
Daniel J. Alfonso (City Manager): Okay, RE.10, Commissioners, is the North District Police
Station. We lease that facility from the County for a dollar a year. We're trying to enter a
ten-year agreement, so for $10, we will continue to operate that station for the next ten years.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Move it. Move it fast.
Chair Gort: Moved by Vice Chairman Hardemon.
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Gort: Second by Commissioner Carollo. Any discussion? Anyone in the public would
like to address this one issue? Seeing none, hearing none, we close the public hearing. All in
favor, state it by saying "aye."
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
RE.11 RESOLUTION
15-01158
Department of Public A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Works ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN
AERIAL EASEMENT ("EASEMENT"), IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED
FORM, WITH DT MIAMI, LLC FOR ALL ABOARD FLORIDA RAILROAD
TERMINAL ENCROACHMENTS OVER AND ACROSS THE CITY OF MIAMI
RIGHT-OF-WAYS KNOWN AS NORTHWEST 5TH STREET AND
NORTHWEST 6TH STREET BETWEEN NORTHWEST 1ST AVENUE AND
THE METRORAIL CORRIDOR, MIAMI, FLORIDA, IN CONNECTION WITH
DEVELOPMENT IN THE DOWNTOWN INTERMODAL CORRIDOR SUBZONE
PURSUANT TO SECTION 33C-9 OF THE CODE OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY,
FLORIDA; WAIVING CERTAIN USER FEES REQUIRED BY SECTION 55-14
OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, FOR THE RAILROAD
SYSTEM COMPONENTS OF THE ENCROACHMENTS OVER THE PUBLIC
RIGHT OF WAY; FURTHER, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO TAKE
ALL ACTIONS NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH THE GRANTING OF SAID
EASEMENT, AS STATED HEREIN.
15-01158 Summary Form.pdf
15-01158 Legislation.pdf
15-01158 Exhibit -Aerial Easement SUB.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Carollo and Suarez
Absent: 2 - Commissioner(s) Sarnoff and Hardemon
R-15-0420
Daniel 1 Alfonso (City Manager): RE.11.
Chair Gort: RE.11.
Mr. Alfonso: RE.11 is the aerial easements for the All Aboard Corridor. Eduardo, go ahead
Eduardo Santamaria (Director, Public Works): It's an easement -- authorizing conveyance of an
aerial easement for All Aboard Florida Railroad Terminal encroachments over and across City
right-of-way known as Northwest 5th Street and Northwest 6th Street, and waiving certain user
fees.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
Commissioner Suarez: Move it.
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Alfonso: We negotiate this with the corridor or anything, Commissioner?
Commissioner Suarez: Is that the Ludlum Trail?
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Chair Gort: Yeah.
Unidentified Speaker: Uh-huh.
Commissioner Suarez: That's the next item.
Chair Gort: Okay. Is there any -- is there a motion?
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, move it.
Mr. Santamaria: Mr. Chair, excuse me. I think that the All Aboard folks want to read something
into the record. Okay, I --
Chair Gort: Let me make sure we get a motion before --
Mr. Santamaria: Oh, sorry.
Commissioner Suarez: Move it.
Chair Gort: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE) it twice.
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Gort: It's been moved by Commissioner Suarez; second by Commissioner Carollo. You
want to make a statement?
Javier Avino: Yes. Javier Avino, with law office at 1450 Brickell Avenue, here on behalf of All
Aboard. I'll be extremely, extremely brief I know you have a long agenda still ahead of you.
We're making a friendly amendment to Section 2 of the easement. It's already been shared with
the City Clerk and the City Attorney. It's a clarifying statement, really, more than anything else.
It's just to clarify that the City retains all rights over and above the easement area, so it's really
just to make sure that it's very clear in the easement that all (UNINTELLIGIBLE) rights above
the three-dimensional easement area, as indicated in the legal description of the easement --
Commissioner Suarez: I amend --
Mr. Avino: -- are retained by the City.
Commissioner Suarez: -- my motion, obviously, to accept that language.
Chair Gort: Okay. The seconder, you accept?
Commissioner Carollo: Yes.
Chair Gort: Anyone in the public would like to address this one issue; anyone in the public?
Seeing none, hearing none, we close the public hearing.
Mr. Alfonso: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Mr. Alfonso: Sorry Before we take a roll, real quick, I wanted to point out that the waiving of
the fees has some value attached, and the only reason we'd like to call this into the record is so
that in the future, if we ever were called upon to do a matching contribution, we can use the fact
that we have waived this, along with other things that we have committed as a match, and the
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RE.12
15-01185
District 4-
Commissioner
Francis Suarez
estimated values are about $1.4 million.
Mr. Avino: Thank you.
Mr. Alfonso: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Okeydoke. Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying
"aye.
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): As amended.
Chair Gort: As amended. Thank you, sir.
Mr. Avino: Thank you.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE A GRANT OR PURCHASE AND SALE
AGREEMENT WITH THE FLORIDA EAST COAST RAILWAY COMPANY FOR
THE ACQUISITION OF THAT PORTION OF THE FORMER RAILROAD RIGHT
OF WAY BETWEEN WEST FLAGLER STREET AND SOUTHWEST 8TH
STREET LYING BETWEEN SOUTHWEST 69TH AVENUE AND SOUTHWEST
70TH AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, AT AN INITIAL CONTRIBUTION AMOUNT
NOT TO EXCEED ONE MILLION DOLLARS ($1,000,000.00) TO ASSIST IN
THE CREATION OF THE PROPOSED LUDLAM TRAIL; FURTHER
DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO PRESENT STATUS REPORT OF
THE SAME, OR AN AGREEMENT, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, AS APPLICABLE, TO THE CITY COMMISSION WITHIN NINETY
(90) DAYS OF THIS RESOLUTION.
15-01185 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Carollo and Suarez
Absent: 2 - Commissioner(s) Sarnoff and Hardemon
R-15-0421
Daniel 1 Alfonso (City Manager): Okay, RE.12 is the Ludlum Trail.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah. Thank you, Mr. Chair. So this is a very straightforward resolution
which sets aside funds that are designated for District 4 for park acquisition. Obviously, we
know that a million dollars is not going to be sufficient to purchase that stretch of property, but I
want to start the process of allocating it, and I want to start the process of negotiating with them.
I know that the County is doing an appraisal for the strip, and this is obviously something that's
very important to District 4 and to, really, all residents in the City of Miami, which is expanding
park space, which we've all tried to do, so I move it.
Chair Gort: My understanding is -- it's your motion. Is there a second?
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah.
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RE.13
15-01218
Office of Management
and Budget
Commissioner Carollo: Second. Discussion.
Chair Gort: For discussion. My understand is it's from Flagler to Southwest 8th Street.
Commissioner Suarez: Correct, right. It's a hundred feet.
Chair Gort: Can we go north of Flagler? Because the -- I think King High would really --
Commissioner Suarez: Robert King High is (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Gort: Robert King High Park, is that going to be included?
Commissioner Suarez: Oh, you mean the stretch?
Chair Gort: The stretch right behind the park.
Commissioner Suarez: Oh, that's County. Yeah, look, I think the idea is, yes, to -- yes. To
answer your question, yes.
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) behind the park (UNINTELLIGIBLE) and we're going to the
Commissioner Suarez: Correct. There's a variety of things that we're trying to accomplish. I
think we've asked the State for a matching contribution, as well, and so that's part of the idea
here, but definitely access to the water, because there's a little waterway there; it's a big
component, and there's a couple of other things that I don't want to talk about right now, but I'll
be bringing in the future that talk about expanding our park space in that area, so.
Chair Gort: Good. Okay, anyone in the public would like to address this issue? Seeing none,
hearing none, close the public hearings. All in favor, state it by saying "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ADDING CAPITAL PROJECTS AND ADDING
APPROPRIATIONS TO THOSE LISTED IN FISCAL YEAR 2014-2015
MULTI -YEAR CAPITAL PLAN PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION NO. 14-0322,
ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 9, 2015, AS SUBSEQUENTLY AMENDED BY
RESOLUTION NO. 14-0383, ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 29, 2014,
RESOLUTION NO. 14-0445, ADOPTED NOVEMBER 20, 2014, RESOLUTION
NO. 15-0012, ADOPTED JANUARY 8, 2015, RESOLUTION NO. 15-0048,
ADOPTED FEBRUARY 12, 2015, RESOLUTION NO. 15-0169, ADOPTED
APRIL 9, 2015 AND RESOLUTION NO. 15-0213, ADOPTED MAY 14, 2015,
RESOLUTION NO. 15-0278, ADOPTED JUNE 25, 2015, AND RESOLUTION
NO. 15-0327, ADOPTED JULY 23, 2015, AND REVISING CURRENT
APPROPRIATIONS AMONG APPROVED PROJECTS; FURTHER
APPROPRIATING FUNDING FOR THE ADDED PROJECTS; 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.
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DI.1
15-00726
City Commission
DI.2
15-01005
Department of
Finance
15-01218 Summary Form.pdf
15-01218 Legislation.pdf
15-01218 ExhibitA.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Carollo and Suarez
Absent: 2 - Commissioner(s) Sarnoff and Hardemon
R-15-0424
Daniel 1 Alfonso (City Manager): RE.13, Commissioners, we had an item to reallocate some
capital funds. Go ahead, Chris.
Christopher Rose (Director): Good afternoon, Commissioners. Chris Rose, Office of
Management & Budget. You can see in Exhibit "A," there are 17 items, moving money around
from existing projects to other existing projects. And on the second page are two new revenues
in the capital plan: one for the Marine Stadium from the NMMA (National Marine
Manufacturers Association) and the other one for (UNINTELLIGIBLE) park road improvements,
a general obligation bond grant from the County.
Chair Gort: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: Move it.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Been moved by Commissioner Carollo; second by Commissioner Suarez. Is anyone
in the public would like to address this one issue; anyone in the public? Seeing none, hearing
none, close the public hearings. All in favor, state it by saying "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Mr. Rose: Thank you, Commissioners.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
END OF RESOLUTIONS
DISCUSSION ITEMS
DISCUSSION ITEM
STATUS OF HIRING POLICE OFFICERS.
15-00726-Submittal-City Manager -Police Department Hiring and Staffing Update.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
DISCUSSION ITEM
QUARTERLY UPDATE OF NON -REIMBURSABLE GRANT EXPENDITURES
FOR THE QUARTER ENDING JUNE 30, 2015.
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DI.3
15-01091
Department of
Information
Technology
15-01005 Summary Form.pdf
15-01005 Memo - Unreimbursed Grant Expenditures.pdf
15-01005 Back -Up from Law Dept.pdf
NO ACTION TAKEN
DISCUSSION ITEM
PRESENTATION BY MINDS AND MACHINES REGARDING LAUNCH OF DOT
MIAMI.
15-01091 Summary Form.pdf
DISCUSSED
Chair Gort: Okay, can we take --
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair, ifI may?
Chair Gort: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: There's another discussion item. I don't have any on my blue page. I
don't know why mine didn't get rolled over, but Dot Miami, they were going to make a
presentation, the --
Daniel 1 Alfonso (City Manager): (UNINTELLIGIBLE) can make the presentation. I think the
folks from the corporation --
Commissioner Suarez: Have long since left. Okay.
Mr. Alfonso: I don't know if you want to have that without them.
Commissioner Suarez: We had a press conference and the whole thing, and I appreciate it, so,
you know, I don't think there's anything -- I don't think we need to redo that. I think we --
Mr. Alfonso: So do we carve it forward or do we just drop it?
Commissioner Suarez: No, no, I think we're good. I mean, we did a press conference, we
announced it. October 2 is the date. Everyone who wants to buy a Dot Miami domain name --
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) Dot Miami.
Chair Gort: We've been pushing for the last three years for this.
Mr. Alfonso: Right.
Commissioner Suarez: Eirefighters.miami, evevybody. Tomasregalado.miami; evetybody buy
(UNINTELLIGIBLE), please. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Right.
Commissioner Suarez: And then my bid for the(UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Gort: Can we take five?
Commissioner Suarez: Yes.
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Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, would you like to go ahead and adjourn the regular
meeting?
Chair Gort: Adjourn the regular meeting.
Commissioner Suarez: Adjourned.
Commissioner Carollo: Adjourned.
DI.4 DISCUSSION ITEM
15-01162
District 3- DISCUSSION REGARDING A TRANSPORTATION IMPACT FEE BENEFIT
Commissioner Frank DISTRICT WHICH BOUNDARY IS IDENTICAL TO THE BOUNDARY OF THE
Carollo CITY.
15-01162 E-Mail -Discussion Item.pdf
DISCUSSED
Chair Gort: That's it?
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: There is still the discussion items. I'll defer my discussion items, my
district discussion items. There is one that I want to discuss real quickly; it won't be long. It just
has been deferred and I just want to, you know, get the process started.
Chair Gort: Go right ahead.
Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. It is DI.4, and pretty much, what it is, is with all the new
high-rises being built all over the City, it is adding traffic congestion, and just like we have a
police impact fee, a fire impact fee, a park impact fee, I believe we should have and begin the
discussion to begin the process of having a transportation impact fee for high-rises that can be
used for transportation issues only, so this would be for transportation- related issues only, and
the money would go in a special revenue fund that may be called the Transportation Trust Fund,
or an additional funding mechanism for a Transportation Trust Fund, but the bottom line is that
it's an additional source of revenues to address transportation issues due to the growth of
population and development. And, yes, I understand that we need a study and approval from the
State, but I just want to bring back legislation and make sure that we start the process.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair, ifI may?
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, obviously, I agree with it. My discussion item at the last
Commission meeting was precisely the same thing. I thought his was a little bit different,
because his talks about a benefit district, and mine was strictly related to actually adding
potentially a category of final impact fee, but I'll let him explain that. I do also agree with what I
thought was the concept, which is that if we do add a category of impact fee, or if we expand the
impact fee formula, obviously, clearly, an impact is traffic; there's no doubt about it.
Commissioner Carollo: Yes.
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Commissioner Suarez: The question is -- and I agree with where I thought he was heading,
which was that it shouldn't be confined to a certain area, and I think that's where -- when you
said "an impact fee benefit district, " that, I thought was important, because what we see
happening with impact fees that are park related, for example, was there was an argument made,
and we sort of -- I don't want to say "gave in to it" -- but we sort of followed the logic legally
that the impact fee monies for parks had to be used -- we did Oh, yes, we did, trust me; we did
last year, and that's why, you know, districts like yours and mine did not get an equal percentage
of the impact fee park acquisition funds. We certainly did So (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- no, I'm
telling you we did, but -- oh, it was --
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Right, policy -wise. I'm just saying, legally, there is no problem
with it being used citywide. That's all I wanted to --
Commissioner Suarez: I'm not going to pull (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to have a discussion now. My
point is, I think he had a good point.
Commissioner Carollo: What I remember --
Commissioner Suarez: Yes. And I think he -- which is why I thought you were going in this
direction, because I think this is a very good direction to go, which is that if we're going to have
a category of impact fees, we need to make sure that somebody doesn't say now that there's
certain areas where it can be spent in, or has to be spent in versus others. I think it should be
citywide. Our trolley system is going to be citywide, you know. There's a variety of other things
that are transit -related that are going to be citywide, and I don't want someone to say, for
example, that impact fees that are generated downtown are not going to cause traffic in the
western part of the City, which is crazy.
Chair Gort: So -- it will. I mean --
Commissioner Suarez: Of course, it will.
Chair Gort: --(UNINTELLIGIBLE) back and forth.
Commissioner Suarez: Of course, it will.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Go ahead, yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: So let me start by saying that let's not lose track of the fact that the
transportation purview is within the County, so we're going --
Commissioner Suarez: True.
Commissioner Carollo: -- beyond --
Commissioner Suarez: True. I agree with that.
Commissioner Carollo: -- our purview, so let's start right there; however, you're right,
Commissioner Suarez, and we had long discussions. Believe it or not, the reason that I wrote it
that way is because I'm using language that is used in our Code right now for other
transportation -- I'm sorry -- for other impact fees.
Commissioner Suarez: Right.
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Commissioner Carollo: I'm actually using language that --
Commissioner Suarez: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) district.
Commissioner Carollo: -- and that's exactly how it's written in our Code, I mean, word for word,
using the City as the boundary, so that's how it's written for other impact fees, and I was toying
to mirror that to make sure that, you know, just like we have the police, the fire impact fees, the
parks, we also have this transportation impact fee, because the truth of the matter is that,
especially transportation, I mean, our city is the biggest city in the County, but it's really not all
that big when you, you know, consider transportation that, realistically, is a regional issue.
Commissioner Suarez: Sure.
Commissioner Carollo: So I want to make sure that all impact fees just on transportation that
can, once again, only be used for transportation be citywide.
Commissioner Suarez: Agreed. We're on the same page.
Commissioner Carollo: Trolley and -- trolley or --
Commissioner Suarez: We're on the same page.
Commissioner Carollo: -- matching funds for the future or so forth.
Chair Gort: Gentlemen --
Commissioner Carollo: And matching funds for transportation.
Commissioner Suarez: And just so we're clear, it's going to require a State law
(UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: Right, right, right. I'm aware of that. However --
Commissioner Suarez: No, no, I'm with you, I'm with you.
Commissioner Carollo: -- we need to start that process.
Chair Gort: We all agree. Gentlemen, if you recall, one of the things that I requested,
transportation is a County function.
Commissioner Carollo: Absolutely.
Chair Gort: What we're saying is we want to be part of the solution.
Commissioner Suarez: Exactly.
Chair Gort: We want to make sure we have funds like where -- whenever Tri-Rail came up that
we had anything like that, because we got to work as a team. It's got to be -- all of the cities got
to be involved the County has to be involved, and we got -- as I stated before, we got to be able
-- when it comes to the City of Miami, if we requested "X" matching fund for any grant, that
we'll have that money to be utilized. But I'd like to see -- and I asked our expert if he would
allow (UNINTELLIGIBLE) study how we can provide some kind of -- not subsidize -- but some
kind of feeding system to the existing transportation system that we have, which have to be
improved, especially now; if we're going to build lots without parking, they're going to need
public transportation.
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Commissioner Suarez: No. And listen, I think when you do things like that that are cutting edge
and new, it's always a -- there's always just a little bit of a "What comes first; the chicken or the
egg?" kind of argument, but I agree. I think everybody here is right, you know. I think we're all
looking at the same thing. And water taxis is a good idea, which I've -- you know, you've asked
me and I've been pushing as hard as I can. We had a sunshine meeting like a week ago with
Commissioner Barreiro, and that's moving forward, so I think we're all working together
cohesively to -- for the same purpose.
Chair Gort: Okay. Any further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it by saying "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): It's just a discussion item, sir.
Commissioner Suarez: Oh, true.
Ms. Mendez: Yes.
Chair Gort: Discussion.
Ms. Mendez: But I just wanted to ask was there a time frame you wanted a report out?
Commissioner Carollo: I would say the time frame is as soon as possible; within a reasonable
amount of time, but as soon as possible.
Commissioner Suarez: But I think it's important what he's saying, because if we're going to go to
the Legislature, the Legislature is already meeting in committee, so what I'm saying is I think we
should add this to the legislative priorities immediately, and then, you know, we start the process
of advocating for this, so, yes, immediately, because the Legislature starts in January; it's not in
March like --
Ms. Mendez: Right, committees are starting.
Commissioner Suarez: No, they're already going.
Ms. Mendez: Right. (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Gort: Okay, any -- So that's it?
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
END OF DISCUSSION ITEMS
PART B: PLANNING AND ZONING ITEMS
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): We will now begin the Planning & Zoning items. PZ
(Planning & Zoning) items shall proceed according to Section 7.1.4 of the Miami 21 Zoning
Code. Before any PZ item is heard, all those wishing to speak must be sworn in by the City
Clerk. Please note, Commissioners have been briefed by City staff and the City Attorney on
items on the agenda today. The members of the City Commission shall disclose any ex parte
communications to remove the presumption of prejudice pursuant to Florida Statute Section
286.015 and Section 7.1.4.5 of the Miami 21 Zoning Code. Staff will briefly present each item to
be heard. For applications requiring City Commission approval, the applicant will then present
its application or be (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to the City Commission. If the applicant agrees with
the staffs recommendation and no one from the public wishes to speak for or against the item,
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
the City Commission may proceed to its deliberation and decision. The applicant may also
waive the right to an evidentiary hearing on the record. For appeals, the appellant will present
its appeal to the City Commission, followed by the appellee. Staff will be allowed to make any
recommendation they may have and the public may speak as stated before. The order of
presentation shall be as described in the City Code and the Miami 21 Code. Members of the
public will be permitted to speak through the Chair for not more than two minutes each, unless
modified by the Chair. The City of Miami requires that anyone requesting any action by the City
Commission must disclose before the hearing anything provided to anyone for agreement to
support or withhold objection to the requested action pursuant to City Code Section 2-8. Any
documents offered to the City Commissioners that have not been provided seven days before the
meeting as part of the agenda materials will be entered into the record at the City Commission's
discretion. If any Commissioner thinks that documents supplied to the Commission less than
seven days before merit continuance, the item may be continued by the City Commission at its
discretion. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Mr. Clerk.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. If you will be speaking on
any, any of today's Planning & Zoning items, may I please have you stand and raise your right
hand?
The City Clerk administered the oath required under City Code Section 62-1 to those persons
giving testimony on zoning issues.
Mr. Hannon: Thank you, Chair.
Chair Gort: Thank you. As soon as we have two more Commissioners, we'll get going.
Later...
Chair Gort: Okay, what else do we have in -- let's finish with the PZ (Planning & Zoning). We
got a lot of people been waiting for a while.
Mr. Garcia: Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. I'll proceed with PZ.1.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: Did we do the deferrals already?
Mr. Hannon: Sir, it was actually read by the Planning director, but we didn't have quorum at
the time, so we would need to take a vote on the continuances.
Commissioner Suarez: So now --
Chair Gort: We will do the deferral again.
Mr. Garcia: Yes, sir, I'm happy to read the deferrals into the record. Item PZ2 is being
proposed to be deferred till October 8; item PZ. 7 is being proposed to be deferred to the
December meeting, and I'm not sure what the date is. I apologize. And perhaps the City Clerk
can tell me what the date is for the December meeting.
Mr. Hannon: My apologies. The date of the December meeting is December 10.
Mr. Garcia: Thank you, sir. So PZ 7 would be to December 10. PZ's 10 and 11 would be
deferred to November 19. I believe that's the correct date for the November meeting.
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PZ.1
15-00904ec
Mr. Hannon: Yes, sir.
Mr. Garcia: Thank you. And that's all I have.
Chair Gort: PZ 1.
Commissioner Suarez: I'll move the -- are you going to let him move the deferrals, Mr. Chair?
Chair Gort: Sorry. Yeah, we got to make a motion. It's been moved by Commissioner Suarez;
second by --
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Gort: -- Commissioner Carollo. 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), CLOSING, VACATING, ABANDONING AND
DISCONTINUING FOR PUBLIC USE A PLATTED UTILITY EASEMENT
APPROXIMATELY LOCATED BETWEEN NORTHEAST 2ND AVENUE AND
NORTHEAST 4TH AVENUE, AND BETWEEN NORTHEAST 42ND STREET
AND NORTHEAST 43RD STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA.
15-00904ec Fact Sheet.pdf
15-00904ecAnalysis, Maps PZAB Reso.pdf
15-00904ec Application & Supporting Docs.pdf
15-00904ec Legislation (v2).pdf
15-00904ec Exhibit.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately between NE 2nd Avenue and NE 4th Avenue and
between NE 42nd Street and NE 43rd Street [Commissioner Keon Hardemon -
District 5]
APPLICANT(S): Javier Fernandez, Esquire, on behalf of 4201 NE 2nd Avenue,
LLC
FINDING(S):
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval with
conditions.
PLAT & STREET COMMITTEE: Recommended approval on November 6,
2014, by a vote of 5 - O.
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Recommended approval on July
30, 2015, by a vote of 7-0.
PURPOSE: This will close, vacate, abandon, and discontinue for use the
platted utility easement.
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Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
R-15-0423
Chair Gort: PZ 1.
Francisco Garcia (Director, Planning & Zoning): Thank you, sir. Item PZ.1 is a proposed
easement closure. This is for an easement that is located between Northeast 2nd Avenue and
Northeast 4th Avenue, and between Northeast 42nd Street and Northeast 43rd Street, in the
Design District. This parcel was recently added to the Design District, and if you were to go to
the site presently, you would basically see an improved surface parking lot. It's a utility
easement, it's underground, and it serves no public purpose at this point in time. The closure of
the easement will allow for the redevelopment of the site, pursuant to the desires and wishes of
the Commission. It has been reviewed and recommended for approval by all the lower boards;
and we, as well, recommend approval.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Move to accept.
Chair Gort: Been moved by --
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: -- Vice Chairman Hardemon; second by Commissioner Suarez. Any discussion?
Being none, close the public hearing.
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): It's a resolution.
Chair Gort: Resolution. All in favor, state it by saying "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
PZ.2 RESOLUTION
15-01028ww
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), MAKING FINDINGS AND APPROVING ELIMINATING
PUBLIC ACCESS TO A PORTION OF BAYWALK WITHIN THE MIAMI BAY
CLUB PROJECT TO BE LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 601 NORTHEAST 39
STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA.
15-01028ww Fact Sheet.pdf
15-01028ww Analysis.pdf
15-01028ww Application & Supporting Docs.pdf
15-01028ww Legislation (v1).pdf
15-01028ww Exhibit.pdf
15-01028ww-Submittal-Iris Escarra-Support Letters.pdf
LOCATION: 601 NE 39 Street, Miami, Florida [Commissioner Marc D. Sarnoff -
District 2]
City of Miami Page 79 Printed on 10/20/2015
City Commission
Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
APPLICANT(S): Iris V. Escarra, Esquire, on behalf of Miami Bay Trust, LLC
FINDING(S):
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended denial.
PURPOSE: This will allow the elimination of public access to a portion of
baywalk within the Miami Bay Club project.
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
Note for the Record: Item PZ2 was deferred to the October 8, 2015, Regular Commission
Meeting.
PZ.3 ORDINANCE Second Reading
15-006781u
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
ORDINANCE NO. 10544, AS AMENDED, THE MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE
NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, PURSUANT TO AN
EXPEDITED STATE REVIEW PROCESS PURSUANT TO CHAPTER
163.3184(3), FLORIDA STATUTES, BY CHANGING THE FUTURE LAND USE
DESIGNATION OF THE ACREAGE DESCRIBED HEREIN OF REAL
PROPERTIES LOCATED BETWEEN INTERSTATE 95 ON THE WEST,
NORTHWEST 29TH STREET ON THE NORTH INCLUDING SPECIFIC
PARCELS FRONTING NORTHWEST29TH STREET ON THE NORTH,
NORTHWEST 20TH STREET ON THE SOUTH INCLUDING SPECIFIC
PARCELS FRONTING NORTHWEST20TH STREET ON THE SOUTH, AND
THE FEC CORRIDOR ON THE EAST, MIAMI FLORIDA, FROM "MEDIUM
DENSITY RESTRICTED COMMERCIAL" TO "MEDIUM DENSITY
MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL"; FROM "MEDIUM DENSITY RESTRICTED
COMMERCIAL", "RESTRICTED COMMERCIAL", "INDUSTRIAL", AND "LIGHT
INDUSTRIAL" TO "GENERAL COMMERCIAL"; AND FROM "INDUSTRIAL" TO
"LIGHT INDUSTRIAL", AS DEPICTED IN EXHIBIT "A", HEREBY ATTACHED
AND INCORPORATED; MAKING FINDINGS; DIRECTING TRANSMITTALS TO
AFFECTED AGENCIES; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-006781u SR Fact Sheet.pdf
15-00678Iu Analysis, Maps, Supporting Docs & PZAB Reso.pdf
15-006781u Legislation (v2).pdf
15-006781u Exhibit A.pdf
15-006781u-Submittal-Cecilia Stewart -Resolution of the Overtown Advisory Board.pdf
LOCATION: Wynwood NRD-1 Area; Generally bounded by 1-95 on the west,
North West 29th Street on the north including parcels fronting North West 29th
Street on the north between 1-95 and North West 5th Avenue and between
North West 2nd Avenue and North Miami Avenue, North West 20th Street on
the south including parcels fronting North West 20th Street on the south
between North West 1st Place and North Miami Avenue, and the FEC Corridor
on the east. [Commissioner Keon Hardemon - District 5] and [Commissioner
City of Miami Page 80 Printed on 10/20/2015
City Commission
Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
Marc Sarnoff - District 2]
APPLICANT(S): Daniel J. Alfonso, City Manager, on behalf of the City of
Miami.
FINDING(S):
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval. See
companion File ID: 15-00678zt2.
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Recommended approval on
June 17, 2015, by a vote of 9-0.
PURPOSE: This will amend selected properties of the 2020 Future Land Use
Map designations of the City's Comprehensive Plan from "Medium Density
Restricted Commercial" to "Medium Density Multifamily Residential"; from
"Medium Density Restricted Commercial", "Restricted Commercial", "Industrial",
and "Light Industrial" to "General Commercial"; and from "Industrial" to "Light
Industrial".
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
13560
Note for the Record: Please see Item PZ 6 for additional minutes referencing Item PZ.3.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I would also move PZ.4, in accordance with the discussions that we
had --
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): It should be PZ. 3, and would be the next item.
Vice Chair Hardemon: PZ 3.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Mr. Min: I have amended the title, so I will attempt to read the amended title, based on today's
discussion.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And remember, it's -- this is the one -- to be clear, this is the one that will
not be the Wynwood Neighborhood Revitalization District, but it will become the -- well, all of
them will be, also, but it's the Neighborhood Revitalization District 1.
Mr. Min: So PZ 3.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Barnaby Min.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): And Mr. City Attorney, that's as amended; correct?
Mr. Min: Yes, sir.
Mr. Hannon: Roll call on item PZ 3.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on second reading, as amended, 5-0.
PZ.4 ORDINANCE Second Reading
15-00678zt2
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING THE ZONING ATLAS OF ORDINANCE NO.
13114, NAMED THE MIAMI 21 CODE ("MIAMI 21 CODE"), BY CHANGING
THE ZONING CLASSIFICATION FROM "D2" INDUSTRIAL ZONE TO "D1"
WORK PLACE; FROM "D2" INDUSTRIAL ZONE TO "T5-O" URBAN CENTER
ZONE OPEN; FROM "D1" WORK PLACE TO "T5-O" URBAN CENTER ZONE
OPEN; FROM "T5-O" URBAN CENTER ZONE OPEN TO "T6-8-O" URBAN
CORE ZONE OPEN; FROM "D1" WORK PLACE TO "T6-8-O" URBAN CORE
ZONE OPEN; FROM "T4-L" GENERAL URBAN ZONE LIMITED TO "T5-O"
URBAN CENTER ZONE OPEN; FROM "T4-L" GENERAL URBAN ZONE
LIMITED TO "Cl" CIVIC INSTITUTION ZONE; FROM "T5-L" URBAN CENTER
ZONE LIMITED TO "T5-O" URBAN CENTER ZONE OPEN; FROM "T5-L"
URBAN CENTER ZONE LIMITED TO "T6-8-O" URBAN CORE ZONE OPEN,
FOR CERTAIN PARCELS OF APPROXIMATELY 204.87 ACRES, FOR THE
CREATION OF THE WYNWOOD NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION
DISTRICT ("NRD-1"), BOUNDED APPROXIMATELY BY INTERSTATE 95 ON
THE WEST, NORTHWEST 29TH STREET ON THE NORTH INCLUDING
SPECIFIC PARCELS FRONTING NORTHWEST29TH STREET ON THE
NORTH, NORTHWEST 20TH STREET ON THE SOUTH INCLUDING
SPECIFIC PARCELS FRONTING NORTHWEST20TH STREET ON THE
SOUTH, AND THE FLORIDA EAST COAST RAILWAY CORRIDOR ON THE
EAST, MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A", ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED, WITH NRD-1 MODIFYING THE TRANSECT ZONE
REGULATIONS THAT ARE APPLICABLE TO THE SUBJECT PARCELS, AS
DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT"B", ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED; FURTHER
AMENDING THE MIAMI 21 CODE BY ADDING "APPENDIX J: WYNWOOD
NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION DISTRICT (NRD-1)", CONTAINING THE
REGULATIONS SET FORTH THEREIN, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED;
MAKING FINDINGS OF FACT AND STATING CONCLUSIONS OF LAW;
PROVIDING FOR BINDING EFFECT; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-00678zt2 SR Fact Sheet.pdf
15-00678zt2Analysis, Maps & PZAB Reso.pdf
15-00678zt2 Legislation (v3).pdf
15-00678zt2 Exhibit A.pdf
15-00678zt2 Exhibit B.pdf
15-00678zt2-Submittal-Cecilia Stewart -Resolution of the Overtown Advisory Board.pdf
LOCATION: Wynwood NRD-1 Area; Generally bounded by 1-95 on the west,
NW 29th Street on the north including parcels fronting NW 29th Street on the
north between 1-95 and NW 5th Avenue and between NW 2nd Avenue and N
Miami Avenue, NW 20th Street on the south including parcels fronting NW 20th
Street on the south between NW 1st Place and N Miami Avenue, and the FEC
Corridor on the east. [Commissioner Keon Hardemon - District 5] and
[Commissioner Marc Sarnoff - District 2]
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
APPLICANT(S): Daniel J. Alfonso, City Manager, on behalf of the City of Miami
FINDING(S):
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval. See
companion File ID: 15-006781u.
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Recommended approval, with
modifications, on June 17, 2015, by a vote of 9-0.
PURPOSE: This will allow the Wynwood District to be transitioned from an
industrial district into a diverse, mixed -use, residential neighborhood.
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
13561
Note for the Record: Please see Item PZ 6 for additional minutes referencing Item PZ.4.
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): The next one will be PZ 4.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And I move that in the same spirit and conditions as the other items.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I'm not sure if that one requires the amendment, but --
Mr. Min: Yes, and I have an amended title.
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- amended title.
Mr. Min: Correct, and I will carefully and slowly read this in the record, in case there's any
mistakes. Was there a second?
Commissioner Suarez: Yes.
Chair Gort: Suarez second it.
Mr. Min: PZ4.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Barnaby Min.
Mr. Min: The exhibits will also be amended to be consistent with today's discussion.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Roll call on item PZ 4.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on second reading, as amended, 5-0.
PZ.5 ORDINANCE Second Reading
15-00678zt
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
ORDINANCE NO. 13114, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF
City of Miami Page 83 Printed on 10/20/2015
City Commission
Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
MIAMI, FLORIDA, BY 1)AMENDINGARTICLE 1, SECTION 1.2, ENTITLED
"DEFINITIONS OF TERMS", TO ADD AND MODIFY TERMS; AND 2)
AMENDING ARTICLE 3, SECTION 3.3.6, ENTITLED "ESTABLISHED
SETBACK AREAS"; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-00678zt SR Fact Sheet.pdf
15-00678zt PZAB Reso.pdf
15-00678zt Legislation (v2).pdf
15-00678zt-Submittal-Cecilia Stewart -Resolution of the Overtown Advisory Board.pdf
APPLICANT(S): Daniel J. Alfonso, City Manager, on behalf of the City of Miami
FINDING(S):
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval.
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Recommended approval on
June 17, 2015, by a vote of 9-0.
PURPOSE: This ordinance will 1) amend Article 1, Section 1.2 Entitled,
"Definition of Terms", to add and modify terms; and 2) amend Article 3, Section
3.3.6 entitled, "Established Setback Areas" of the Zoning Ordinance.
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
13562
Note for the Record: Please see Item PZ.6 for additional minutes referencing Item PZ.5.
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): The next item would be PZ 5.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I would like to move PZ (Planning & Zoning) item -- PZ 5 with the same
consideration; second, as made in PZ.6.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Barnaby Min.
Mr. Min: And for clarification, there should be no amendment on this item.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Thank you, Mr. City Attorney. Roll call on item PZ. 5.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on second reading, 5-0.
PZ.6 ORDINANCE Second Reading
15-00678zt1
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
ORDINANCE NO. 13114, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
MIAMI, FLORIDA, BY AMENDING ARTICLE 3, ADDING SECTION 3.12.3,
ENTITLED "NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION DISTRICTS (NRD)";
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-00678zt1 SR Fact Sheet.pdf
15-00678zt1 PZAB Reso.pdf
15-00678zt1 Legislation (v2).pdf
15-00678zt1-Submittal-Cecilia Stewart -Resolution of the Overtown Advisory Board.pdf
APPLICANT(S): Daniel J. Alfonso, City Manager, on behalf of the City of Miami
FINDING(S):
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval.
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Recommended approval on
June 17, 2015, by a vote of 9-0.
PURPOSE: This will amend Article 3, adding Section 3.12.3, entitled
"Neighborhood Revitalization Districts (NRD)", to the Zoning Ordinance.
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
13563
Mr. Garcia: (INAUDIBLE) and that happens to be a waterfront waiver for the Miami Bay Club
at 601 Northeast 39th Street. Item PZ 7, which is a proposal for a rezoning at 140 to 132
Northeast Miami Place, and one -- I'm sorry; I'll say that again -- 1432 Northeast Miami Place,
1415 to 1445 Northeast Miami Court, and 4755 and 67 Northeast 14 th Street. That is a rezoning
for those properties. That too will most likely be continued today. We will propose that it be
continued today.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. Francisco.
Mr. Garcia: Sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Can you say again what item that last one was that you want to
continue?
Mr. Garcia: Certainly, sir. I am referring to item PZ. 7, and item PZ 7 is a rezoning for
properties at 140, 132 Northeast Miami Place, 1415 to 1445 Northeast Miami Court, and 4757
and 67 Northeast 14 Street. Also, items PZ 10 and PZ 11, which are a land use and zoning
change proposal for properties at 3101, 3111, 3125, 3131, and 3145 West Flagler Street, those
two items, the land use and zoning change for those properties will also be proposed to be
continued, and I believe that completes the list.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Okay, we have quorum. The first item, Vice Chairman Hardemon,
we're going to listen to is all (UNINTELLIGIBLE), which are P. 6 -- PZ 6, PZ 5, PZ. 3, PZ. 4,
SR.4, SR.5, SR.6, and SR.7. We're going to open the public hearing for those items.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. Chairman.
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Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I particularly -- before we open up the public floor for hearing on these
items, is -- there's some confusion in the air. All right. And so I want to able to help explain a
lot of the items that are on the agenda so that everyone here, especially from the Overtown area
-- and it's good to see my Overtown residents here, so welcome. Welcome, welcome, welcome, all
right. Thank you for coming. Many times there are situations where we need residents here to
express things that are not being heard from -- well, heard from others -- other Commissioners
when your Commissioner is asking for something, or we need just the strength behind the
community to get us there, to take us the extra step to make sure that what we need for our
community is done. And many times we come because we don't understand what's going on at
that time and we need better clarification, and I believe today is one of those better clarification
days, because you should understand exactly what it is that you're here about. I was showing
one of yours and ours -- we call them the Overtown ambassadors -- I was showing him this
agenda book, and so in this agenda book, you have -- we're on items SR.4, 5, 6, and 7, and then
also PZ items 3, 4, 5, and 6. And so my first question is, did anybody get a copy?
Unidentified Speakers: No.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. So you didn't get a copy of items -- and I still -- there was one
person that raised his hand, and that's the pastor. Bishop Adams raised his hands, so he might
have received -- or you -- I know you always have your stuff, so --
Renita Holmes: No, but I have my affidavits. They had difficulty getting copies.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Understood So, what I'm saying to you is this. There's two types of
things that happen: You have, one, an agenda packet, and your agenda packet is going to have
evetything that is basically on the agenda for that clay. So I'll show you what an agenda packet
looks like. You see this thickness? Yeah, that's what -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that's what you're
holding. That's an agenda packet.
Unidentified Speaker: We were told that they didn't have enough copies to make it available.
Vice Chair Hardemon: They're available on -- here they are; they're available on the Internet.
You can see them online. You can pull it up. I usually have it on my IPad because I can't carry
this book with me everywhere I go, so I keep it on there. But this is an agenda packet. But
what's in the agenda packet are summaries, vety, vety brief summaries of what is in the actual
book, but you can imagine. This summarizes this, right? So if this summarizes this, you can
imagine how much information you're not receiving or not knowing when you get this. That's the
first thing. So the second thing is if you haven't read the big book and you haven't read the
briefing, you're really at the whim of whoever told you to be here or whatever someone told you
or what was in the air about the issues that are going on. And when you add the fact that in
Overtown, we have so many things that have happened to us that have been negative, the fear
that permeates through our community when there's a change happening that we think is
affecting us is real. And what I don't like to happen is for our fear, one, to be taken advantage
of and then two, I don't like for our fear to be used as a way of getting us to do things that,
really, you wouldn't normally do if you understood evetything that's happening. So what I want
to do -- so now that I've explained to you the packet, I want to explain to you -- typically, I want
to explain to you the items that we're going to be talking about, and I ask -- I mean, this is going
to take a little bit longer than what we normally take, and I ask my Commissioners to be patient
with me, and I'm asking you to be patient for a reason. I'm asking you to be patient because
there's two things can happen: We can open up the public hearing and everyone is going to
speak on what they think they know or they know, or what they've been told to say, what the
message is. Because, typically, when you have a group of people come together, you're
organized, and organization is good, because you have a message to deliver, right? So I want
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
you to listen to what the items are. You want to hear exactly what each item is from people --
how you were sworn to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. You know why
they do that to you? Do you know why they do that to you? In a court of law, do you know why
they do that to you? So, if you lie, they could put you in jail.
Unidentified Speaker: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Hardemon: That's my point, but it's okay. This is why you swear to tell the truth,
because it means that whatever matter you're dealing with is of such importance that if you
misstate the truth or if you're not honest, then someone's going to lose property rights, someone's
going to lose their freedom; something is going to happen, and so you need to be held
accountable for being dishonest in a place like this. That's why they ask you to do that. So it's
not just because they put your hand up and said, I'm here, I'm present. "No, no, no. It's more
than being present in the body. It's present in the mind, okay? So what I'm going to ask the
Administration to do -- and then I'm here with you to help explain things -- is to explain each
item so that you know exactly what it is that we're going to be voting on, and then you will know
how it is that it affects Overtown. And part of the reason that -- I know there was a meeting --
I'm not sure if everyone here was in attendance. I was out of town at the time-- that I have set up
and organize between the Overtown Oversight Board and the Wynwood BID (Business
Improvement District), and I wanted -- and I still want for those two communities to be able to
talk, because what I want you to see is that -- and I'm going to say this, so don't get mad at me
over there, you guys -- District 5 is on its way to being the hottest district in the City of Miami,
and the reason why is because people will leave from District 2, which is like downtown, they'll
come to Overtown, they'll experience the pool hall that we've renovated -- that we're renovating;
they will experience the Lyric Theater; they will experience the $1 million renovated Jackson
Soul Food; they'll experience -- I'm sorry; not Jackson -- there's $1 million renovated People's
Barbecue; they'll experience the new Jackson Soul Food bed and breakfast that's being
renovated; they'll experience the new, of course, housing that we have going on, the night life
that we'll have coming there when we have the supper club that's going to be on 2nd Avenue and
11 Street. And if you know 2nd Avenue and 11 th Street -- you know what it looks like, right?
Imagine a supper club there where you could have cigars and music and food, and that's what
it's going to be. The money is already guaranteed to you. You'll be able to experience many of
these new buildings and developments right there in Overtown. And when people leave from
Overtown, they can transition into Wynwood. And when they leave from Wynwood, they
transition into the Design District, which, of course, has Louis Vuitton and all the things that we
all wish and we can afford, I think (UNINTELLIGIBLE), you call them red bottoms, right? But
all these things. And when you transition from the Design District, you go over to Little Haiti --
and the reason I'm telling you this is because there is no other district in the City of Miami where
you can make those type of transitions and experience the differences in culture like that. But in
order for that to work, each of those communities have to be open to talk with each other and to
work things out so that we all experience the boom, and Overtown is developing quickly now to
become one of those communities. So when people -- when more people come, like they are in
Wynwood, they'll transition their way to Overtown. If you own a business in Overtown, you want
the type of traffic that they have in the Wynwood area; you want the traffic to come, and spend
money in your businesses. You might not want people on your streets. You might not want
people in front of your home, and that's different. But we're talking about the actual retail
development, commercial development of certain areas, and how it is that we make Overtown a
sustainable community for people to live, work and play in; not a place where people have to be
afraid to walk to 11th Street and 2ndAvenue. So what I'm going to ask is for -- starting with
SR.4, I would like the Administration to explain what SR.4 is. Once they explain what SR.4 is,
then if we need any further comment, we'll make that; and then SR.5, SR. 6, SR. 7, and then
explain how those items on the SRs (Second Readings) affect the community of Overtown. Can
we do that, please? Thank you.
Mr. Garcia: Happy to do so, sir. Would you like me to do that as part of the presentation
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
proper? In other words, should I commence with the items, or would you like that to be a
prelude to --?
Vice Chair Hardemon: A prelude, please.
Mr. Garcia: A prelude; happy to do so.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Well, what do you think, Mr. Chairman?
Mr. Garcia: Well, if you like, I can introduce the item, and then we can -- I can begin with what
you've prompted me to do, which is to explain the nature of each of the items.
Chair Gort: Be a lot easier if you go through with the items, and then they can answer
questions.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. All right, do the prelude first.
Mr. Garcia: Very well. So, proposed for consideration by the Commission today on second
reading are a number of ordinances, and what I would like to do first then is to go over each of
the items. I would like, first, to say -- and this is ministerial, but important to mention, I am
being told -- that ultimately, for the Commission to take action, action by the Commission would
have to be taken in the following order, and I'll say it once now and once when the Commission
is ready to take action. The order is, first, item PZ. 6 would be considered, then item PZ 5 -- and
171 explain in a moment each of those items, of course -- then item PZ 3, then item PZ 4; then
items SR.4, SR.5, SR. 6, and SR. 7. I'll read it once quickly: PZ. 6, PZ. 5, PZ 3, PZ 4, SR.4, SR.5,
SR.6, SR.7, and now 171 explain each of the items. The action before the Commission today
involves two concepts which complement one another but are not the same, and so that it is the
first thing that I want to make clear. You will hear a conversation about the Wynwood NRD.
NRD'.4ands for Neighborhood Revitalization District. And you will also hear about the
Wynwood BID. The BIM'tands for Business Improvement District. They are, again, companion
concepts, but they are not the same, and I'll describe each separately in a moment. First, to go
over the Planning & Zoning items. Item PZ 3 --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Can we do the other items first, because they may be easier to
understand the SRs first?
Mr. Garcia: Sure; happy to do that. And so the SR items, the second readings items -- that's
what SR'.�tands for -- are amendments to the City Code, and they are for the following purposes.
SR.4 is a proposal to establish a Wynwood Design Review Committee, and the purpose of that
committee would be to review the projects proposed for development in the Wynwood area to
ensure that they are in keeping with the character, with the scale, with the appearance of
Wynwood as intended by the master plan, as projected by the master plan. So it shows as
another set of eyes, so to speak, to really go over those applications and make sure that they do
the right thing for the area, and we find that it is best to have individuals from the community
review these items to make sure that we get it right. We in downtown and the City Administration
building may not be as familiar with the nuances and the details of the area as the area
stakeholders or individuals are, and so we benefit that -- from that extra review process. So SR.4
establishes the Wynwood Design Review Committee, and I'll mention it again when the item
comes up as the Wynwood Design Review Committee item.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So, for instance, if you live in Wynwood or you're a business owner in
Wynwood -- Wynwood, as we all know, used to be in -- well, it is -- for the most part, industrial,
so you had a lot of warehouses there. And there were a type of buildings and facades or the
outside, the way the building looks. There was a design look and flair to that community. And
so because Wynwood is changing, is being built upon, they're adding new buildings, they're
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adding new residential places and commercial properties, they want the look of Wynwood to
remain the way that it used to, and so, what they want to do is they want to take a few of the
people that are from that area or own property in that area and create a committee so that when
people come in that want to build buildings, that committee can say, !think you should do it this
way, because this is how our buildings used to look, and we want everything to look compatible
in this area, ', o they give advice to a board who, in turn, will give the advice to the City about
what buildings are being built and how those buildings will look. That's what that first one is
about. And my next question is does SR.4 affect Overtown?
Mr. Garcia: It does not, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Mr. Garcia: SR.5 is another amendment to the City Code, and this one sets forth regulations. It
puts in place regulations to address security screens and shutters. So right now, citywide, it is an
option, it is a possibility to place on any commercial frontage a completely opaque or obscure
protection device, shutter --
Vice Chair Hardemon: What do you mean by that?
Mr. Garcia: And so the item most frequently seen has to do with hurricane protection, right, or
security protection. So at the end of the day, a shutter is rolled down, and it is basically opaque;
you can't see through it. And what happens then is if you place one of those items after another
after another all the way down a street, then an image emerges of there being an unsafe
environment. There is no one inside those buildings looking out to make sure that the people on
the street are safe, and there is no way for the people on the street to look into the buildings to
see what is in there, so it creates an atmosphere of uncertainty. What we are proposing through
this ordinance in SR.5 is to put in place criteria, to put in place regulations that say that all of
those shutters or screens have to be, to a great extent, transparent. They can still exist. They can
still provide security for the businesses, for the buildings, but they have to be transparent to
allow for those on the street to see in and those in the building to see out. In that way, you create
a better ambience.
Vice Chair Hardemon: You understand, right? I think that was pretty clear. Does that affect
Overtown?
Mr. Garcia: It does not, sir, at present. And I meant to mention as well that this is already in
place in some other districts in the City, but that is not the case presently for Overtown, no, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Let's move on.
Mr. Garcia: Thank you. Item SR. 6, also an amendment to the City Code, and this creates a
Wynwood Parking Trust Fund. What is intended by this item is to allow more flexibility for
parking arrangements for those developments in the buildings in Wynwood, and what is
proposed is that parking not necessarily be provided on a property -by -property basis, so any
development that happens on one property does not have to provide the full amount of parking
onsite. Instead, it is intended to treat Wynwood, the area that we're going to be speaking about
today, as a shared parking district, and it would allow for individuals to pay in lieu of providing
parking onsite. The idea is that by creating a parking improvement trust fund, then there will be
funds to build some parking garages -- to subsidize the building of some parking garages; and
instead of having a little bit of parking on each given property, you can have parking garages
that take all the parking, and then you turn those drivers or passengers into pedestrians that can
walk up and down all the businesses and all establishments in the Wynwood area, and that
creates a more pedestrian -friendly environment.
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Vice Chair Hardemon: So there are parking trust funds in the Design District. As you know,
there's parking concerns in the Design District and also in Coconut Grove. Those parking
improvement trust fitnds basically -- so, as Francisco explained to you, each building -- each
new building that you build requires a certain number of parking spaces, and sometimes it's
cost -prohibitive, it cost too much to build the parking in that one building. And so by creating a
trust fund, instead of having to build the parking in that building, you pay into a fund, and that
fund is supposed to create parking solutions for the entire community. So you're adding more
parking to that area by creating a pot of money to be spent for everyone to have a general
parking areas -- to have general parking areas. Instead of as Francisco explained, three here,
four there, five here, you have one building that has a certain amount of parking. Does that
affect Overtown?
Mr. Garcia: It does not, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. And the great Arthur Teele, who talked about Overtown and its
need for parking, especially on 3rd Avenue, and in -- once he said that the reason that we don't
have a lot of business pedestrian traffic within the business district is because they don't have
anywhere to park. People feel unsafe parking on 11th Street and 2ndAvenue and walking over
to House of Wings on 3rd Avenue. They didn't feel safe. So we are also within the CRA
(Community Redevelopment Agency) -- and this is a side note, but on the CRA, looking into
creating more parking, because, of course, with the Lyric Theater coming, with all the new
buildings that's coming and all the entertainment that we want to have, we want people to have
places that they can park. So we will be doing something similar, most likely in the future, of
creating something -- parking solutions for the people that live and visit Overtown. But as far as
this item, it has nothing to do with Overtown. SR.7.
Mr. Garcia: Thank you, sir. Item SR.7 is another amendment to the City Code, and in this item,
a Wjmwood Public Benefits Trust is established. And the way that would work is as follows.
There is established in this ordinance, and in other ordinances that are part of this package, a
development capacity that is, by right -- meaning, a property owner is entitled to develop that
much amount of building, let's say, on their property -- but beyond that, there is an additional
amount of building that could be developed That additional amount would not be as of right. It
would require a contribution to a trust fund, a public benefits trust fitnd And the purpose of
establishing the trust fund is to say, whatever developers in Wynwood choose to participate in the
trust fund -- pay monies into the trust fund or provide benefits into the trust fitnd, it is desired
that, once again, the individuals in the area, the property owners in the area, the stakeholders in
the area have a say as to how those monies or how those contributions will be spent and what
use will be made with them. Once again, it is an effort to take those funds, perhaps, from direct
City control and be able to influence and inform the expenditure of those funds, and that
influence and those decisions will be made by local folks, people who are property owners and
stakeholders within the area.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Now, raise your hand if you heard about this one. Okay, we got a few.
Now, this one, I believe, affects Overtown. This one, I believe, is not good. It's what I believe,
right. And the reason I believe that is this: So public benefits trust fitnds -- there was a time
when there was just the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. And so, when people were making --
when they were building certain buildings, say, on Brickell, and they wanted to add a few more
floors or add more density, they would pay into a trust fund. And when you pay into that trust
fund it would give you certain benefits, and those benefits were to build larger, but the trust fitnd
that you were paying into were trust fitnds that would allow you to provide, say, for instance,
more affordable housing; or, if you look today, we have -- you could pay -- one of the things that
I led was adding areas that are CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) -eligible. So, for
instance, a park like Williams Park or a park like Gibson Park or Charles Hadley Park or the
soccer park in Little Haiti, those types of parks need dollars. It cost money to maintain those
parks. And so, if you paid into a trust fund that had -- that was meant to create or to invest
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dollars in parks in those types of areas, you would be able to get more versus if you paid into a
trust fund that built a park right next to your building. It is a way toying to attract dollars into
poor areas. Because what happens is this: Say -- I'm going to give you an example. If I'm
building a building on Brickell -- if you've gone next to these nice buildings, you see these
odd -looking green spaces. It may have stones or little seating area, had lights on it, and you
wonder, Well, what is that? "Well, it's a park. And so, they pay -- the developer will pay money
into the trust fund and that park that he's developing allows him to do more to his building,
right, add more development. But the thing about it is that that park, of course, complements his
building. And so the question is, if you give money to that small park, you're not giving money to
affordable housing. So because of certain incentives like that and others, the Affordable Housing
Trust fund is dwindling and probably has dwindled. I mean, do you know, Dr. Christian, if
there's a lot of money left in the Affordable Housing Trust Fund? Is there a lot of money left in
the Affordable Housing Trust Fund? Listen, listen, I'm making good points; listen to me. And
I'm saying this -- the reason that there's no money there is because developers have other
options. So to me, when I read this, this thing does two things: One, it diverts money that would
go typically to a trust fund that you could do for affordable housing, or whatever else they want
to put it into. And two, it does something that no other trust fund has done before: It allows the
people in an area where the develop -- where the trust fund is meant to benefit to decide how that
money is spent. And so the reason I say it affects you is because now, for instance, if the City
was going to decide how to use funds that would typically be paid into the Affordable Housing
Trust Fund, we would say, Well, let's put it in Allapattah; they need some affordable housing."
Right? Let's put it in Little Haiti; they need some affordable housing. "So we lose the ability to
do that because we don't get the funds; it's going back into that area. And so it's not directly that
you say, Oh, it affects Overtown, 'but it's more -- it's indirect. So that's an item that I'm going to
be asking my Commissioners to support me withdrawing from the table, because I don't believe
that it is something that is needed to, one, redevelop that area -- it would help that -- it would
help the Wynwood area, but it does so at the detriment of other areas, and that's what we do not
want. Now, there is some other ways that we can make it mutually beneficial where they can
have some benefits to the Wynwood area and also some benefits to the Affordable Housing Trust
Fund, because we need more dollars there, and no one's picking that. And so we may explore
that. And if you ask me, Well, Commissioner, what"-- Well, what type of-- {that does that look
like?'That means that if one dollar comes into this area, to the Wynwood Neighborhood
Revitalization District, or that trust fund, if it comes to that trust fund, then 50 cents of that must
go into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, so you're still reinvesting dollars into that area, but
some of the dollars are also going into Affordable Housing Trust Fund. But then again, you still
have to think about who's administering the dollars, and so we want to keep that control within
the City. So there's a lot of problems, as you can see, with that item for me. So I'll answer that
question for you. I believe -- it not just affects Overtown, but it affects all of our districts that
have affordable housing needs. So we'll move on from that one. And can you go to the PZs,
please?
Mr. Garcia: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So now we've gone over the regular agenda items, what we call the
second reading items. So these are the items that came on, you heard about, but you probably
didn't understand the detail -- weren't told the details of them. So there's no cookie monster in
those details or devil is -- besides SR.7, but, you know, that's what you have me here for, to fight
that for you. Can you go into PZs?
Mr. Garcia: Of course. Thank you, sir. I will now go to the Planning & Zoning items. These
will be amendments either to the future land use map of the City of Miami or to the zoning
ordinance of the City of Miami, and I'll tell you which each is. Item PZ 3 is a change to the
Comprehensive Plan and the land use map of the City of Miami, and the purpose of that
amendment proposal is to change what is presently mostly an industrial, light industrial land use
designation within the Wynwood area to a mixed use so you can have commercial, you can have
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office, you can have residential as well, so more of a mixed use type of development. And the
land use component of the Comprehensive Plan basically is the document through which the
State of Florida coordinates and regulates our ability to develop in the City ofMiami. So PZ3 is
an amendment to the Comprehensive Plan to allow the land in Wynwood, in the area that we're
talking about, to go from light industrial to mixed use commercial/residential office.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So, as we can understand I want you to understand that that is affecting
the Wynwood area so that they can change the way that Wynwood looks, so for instance, now, if
you go through the Wynwood area and not the part that -- well, the individual homes where --
which is east of -- what avenue would that be, 2nd Avenue? I believe 2nd Court or 2nd Avenue,
whatever that main vain is through Wynwood. If you look east of that, you see some commercial,
but north of 24th Street or so, you see houses, and you have some public housing there as well.
But west of it, you see more of the commercial areas. So they want to redesign that, reconfigure
that so that you can have mixed use things going on. So if you wanted to live in that area, you
can build a living unit, like they have built already in the Wynwood area. I can't afford to live
there, but maybe in the future, they'll build something that all of us can afford to live there also.
But it just gives you the ability to do that. In order to do that, you have to have the zoning
changed to allow for those types of buildings to be built. And so, does that affect Overtown?
Mr. Garcia: It does not, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. Can you go to the next one?
Mr. Garcia: Certainly. Item PZ.4 is an amendment to the zoning ordinance of the City of
Miami, and I will describe PZs.4 and -- no. Actually, let me do this. PZ.4, on its own, is an
amendment to the zoning ordinance, and the proposed change here is to the zoning atlas to
establish the local -- the City of Miami's zoning designation with the land use regulations, the
development regulations for the Wynwood area, and this is the one that establishes what we are
calling the Neighborhood Revitalization District. So, basically, all the rules and regulations that
will drive and give shape to the redevelopment of Wynwood are contained in this particular item.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Can you make that so I can understand it, please? Can you make that so
I can understand it?
Mr. Garcia: Yes. I'll certainly tty, sir. I'll try to be clear about it. Right now the regulations
that apply to Wynwood, that tell a property owner what they can do on their property are
basically geared toward having industrial uses, because historically, Wynwood -- this area in
Wynwood has been mostly industrial. So we are going to change those regulations so that
buildings can be built that are more along the lines of commercial, office, and residential. Those
regulations, those rules that have to be followed by developers from this point forward are
contained in this particular item.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Does it affect Overtown?
Mr. Garcia: No, it does not, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Renita Holmes: In a positive and a negative way.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Moving on to 5 and 6.
Mr. Garcia: Yes, sir. And then items 5 and 6 are the text amendments to do two things: To
define what the Neighborhood Revitalization District is and what rules and regulations
accompany that, and item PZ.6 basically introduces some new concepts, and I'll give you a
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couple of examples. For instance, right now there are no provisions in our zoning ordinance, in
our regulations for rooftop terraces as public open spaces. This introduces that concept. There
are no descriptions or provisions for micro units, and these regulations introduce those concepts.
So, basically, we're introducing a new set of uses, a new set of functions, a new set of
development types that do not exist presently so that they can actually be made use of here in
Wjmwood. And we think, frankly, that in some of these new concepts, we are admittedly treading
on new ground, but we think that there is the seed for very useful new development types for the
rest of the City of Miami as well, and this is a good testing ground for it. It certainly has the
support of the local community in terms of the Wynwood stakeholders, and we look forward to
possibly applying them elsewhere in the City of Miami in the future.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I mean, further indulge me for a moment. There was one other item that
was being heard, and this was the expansion of the BID, or the Business Improvement District,
which is your imaginary line of businesses that want to pay into a pot to provide more police
services, police officers, like security, off -duty police officers, cleaning the streets, and things like
that. So, in the Wynwood area, the reason that you see some more police officers in that area is
because they pay off -duty police officers to be there so that the patrons feel safe, et cetera. The
City does not pay for that; the BID does, which is a group of people, business owners that choose
to pay that tax to provide these additional services. The last time that we were here in the
Commission, there was an item about expanding that BID, because some other businesses
wanted to be a part of that; and the Wynwood, in their BID, they decided that, well, they wanted
-- well, some other businesses that were on the south end of 20th Street -- so, on the south side of
20th Street said, Well, we want to be a part of it also. "It makes no sense for across the street to
be clean and on this side it's not, or for across the street to have services and on this side, none.
And so to do that, they had to go to a vote, and businesses within that area has to decide whether
or not they want to be in -- a certain percentage of them. They did go to vote, and that vote
failed. So the BID, and its boundaries as it has been, is how it will be in the future. So that's the
next part. And so that's when you traditionally start to hear about the 20th Street and how 20th
Street affects everything. One thing, though, that I want to make sure that we're clear about --
and I want Francisco's attention on this -- is in items 3 and 4 -- you know, all of -- those who
have been around for a long time know the history of Overtown, and sometimes we disagree
about where Overtown on the north end ended, right? Was it 20th Street? Was it 22nd Street?
Was it 26th Street? These things we have never necessarily agreed on. But one thing that I think
most of the people from Overtown agreed on was that -- I believe on the north side of Overtown
-- Francisco, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this? Well, James, you grew up in Overtown. What is it,
22nd Street?
James McQueen: Twenty -Second.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Twenty -Second Street. And so you're talking from the expressway, I-95,
and you're going east on 22nd Street, where they used to have the barrier that divided Overtown
and Wynwood that is now gone. And then on the east side to --
Mr. McQueen: Second Avenue.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Help me out -- 2nd Avenue, and then they came further south to 20th
Street.
Unidentified Speaker: From 20th to the railroad tracks.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And then from 20th to the railroad track. That was a traditional
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Wynwood area. Now, in the proposed zoning change where we already discussed that some
things are going from industrial to commercial and mixed use, et cetera, is it not -- and I just
want to check -- that that zoning change will touch from 22nd down to 20th Street?
Mr. Garcia: Yes, sir. And what I think might be useful -- and I certainly have it on standby
whenever you're ready to see it, if you care to see it, is I think a couple of images that may help
make that point.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And we'll show this image to you. It basically looks like this.
Mr. Garcia: Right.
Vice Chair Hardemon: We'll show this to you on the television so you can see it, at some point.
Mr. Garcia: Right. And so, if the audiovisual office can activate it, I think you'll see it on the
screen in a moment. It's certainly showing on my screen.
Vice Chair Hardemon: That's not Overtown.
Mr. Garcia: That's --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Our streetscapes are not that wide. We have the buildings, but the
streetscapes just aren't that wide. I don't see any parking -- doesn't look pedestrian friendly
either.
Mr. Garcia: If I could ask for someone's assistance. It's certainly on my screen. I must relate
that it is protecting (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Hardemon: Whose laptop is that? That's someone's laptop.
Mr. Garcia: Right, so it's --
Vice Chair Hardemon: That's someone else's laptop.
Mr. Garcia: If you would kindly project on the screen, what is on my screen, then you will see it.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Give us a second. I know IT (Information Technology) is listening to us,
but --
Commissioner Suarez: That looks like over Madrid
Vice Chair Hardemon: I don't know. You're well -traveled; what is that?
Commissioner Suarez: Over Madrid. Madrid.
Commissioner Carollo: Madrid.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Over Madrid.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah.
Vice Chair Hardemon: It's in Madrid; Madrid in Spain.
Chair Gort: Spain.
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Commissioner Suarez: Spain.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Haven't made it to Spain yet. I had Spam, right. You fry -- you cut it real
thin, you fry it on the top of the pan, or you cut it up, put in some eggs --
Unidentified Speaker: Spam is good.
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- put cheese on it; make lettuce, tomato, and Spam burger.
Chair Gort: Made a great sandwich.
Vice Chair Hardemon: It made a great sandwich.
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Hardemon: Yes. If you didn't have Spam growing up -- I don't know -- you either not
telling the truth or just didn't have a happy childhood and there's a website that's dedicated --
believe me now, there's a web site dedicated to Spam, and you can see all the different Spam
menus. So right now, if you're still eating Spam, like many people do, go to this web site. Just
Google .$pam recipes'and you'll see hundreds of recipes on Spam, so just don't eat it one way.
You don't eat just mustard on it; you can do some other stuff with it.
Chair Gort: Is that it?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay, help, please.
Mr. Garcia: If I may, what I'd like to point out is -- and I think you were making reference to
this, Commissioner -- that this is the area -- and I'll tell you -- I'll give you the bearings of
course. In fact, why don'tI do that now? This -- and I hope you can see this. But this line going
from north to south is 1-95, right? And then all the way on the east side is the EEC (Florida East
Coast) tracks, the railroad tracks, diagonally, from north to south there. And then you will see
that this line on the south end happens to coincide with 20th Street, right? And as you can see,
there are some parcels that go south off 20th Street, as presently proposed, all the way on the
eastern side of it -- thank you, Commissioner -- and on the northern end you will see that that is
29th Street all the way along here, and there are properties on both sides of 29th Street, but all of
them fronting on 29th Street. Now, the distinction I wanted to make is that this is the area that is
being proposed for the land use change and for the zoning change. This is not the area that is
being proposed for the expansion of the Wynwood BID. That image would be the one I will show
you in a moment.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Doesn't show on TV.
Mr. Garcia: And as you can see, that is a different image, which has -- the blue line happens to
be the Wynwood boundaty, as originally proposed, and I believe there have been some
amendments too; I apologize. The blue boundaty happens to be the Southeast Overtown/Park
West CRA boundaty. You see it there. And basically, it -- on the north end is along 22nd Street,
as described and then it goes south along Northwest 1st Place and it dips down southbound.
And I believe, Commissioner, that there are representatives here of the Wynwood BID who are
willing to present to you -- because this is work in progress, as you know -- but the revised
proposed boundaries for the Wynwood BID are: The red line that you see there was, at one point
in time, the proposal. I believe that is no longer the case, and that's a conversation we can have
as well.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So, to put this in laymen's terms -- I think -- was it Dunbar? Dunbar is
included -- Dunbar -- if you look at the map the way it's presented, Dunbar is within that red
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line, so people, if you see it, you say, Well, wait a minute. You're getting rid of Dunbar. They're
getting rid of Dunbar. "That's what any normal person would believe, and they would be
mistaken, so it's just not true. Dunbar is not going anywhere. And so, understanding that people
felt that way, understanding that people, deservedly so, are mistrusting of certain elements of the
private industry and sometimes government, understanding that, we said, Well, what will make
people understand that Dunbar is not in that picture; Dunbar is not going anywhere; that this is
just the zoning, and Dunbar will still be the same? "And what we did was and what we're going
to do, because we have not done it yet, is to amend the boundary so it looks the way that
Francisco showed you the second time, where you see Dunbar is not even in it, so it's not up for
debate. You know, automatically, that this is not a property that's going to be hurt by that line.
Do we understand that? Is that clear? Is it clear? If it's not clear, say, it's not clear to me."
Unidentified Speakers: It's not clear to me.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. Say again.
Chair Gort: Not clear to them.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I'm going to try my best, and it is -- sometimes it's just -- it's a challenge,
because when you have to read this stuff, it's a challenge. So, basically, what we had before, that
it -- the lines showed that there was a zoning change to a certain area. That area where it
showed the zoning change wasn't necessarily changing the -- what was happening there, so
Dunbar will still maintain itself as a school there. I can't -- the City of Miami has no authority to
remove Dunbar. That's the school -- School Board, right? Dr. Dorothy Bendross Mindingall,
my former principal, would whip me today ifI did that. After all, a lot of our schools in our
community are going away, and it is not the City of Miami that's making this happen. So, for
instance, my alma mater, Charles R. Drew Elementary School and Charles R. Drew Middle, it's
not the same, is it? No. Edison Middle School, not the same, is it? Right. So what I'm saying to
you is none of those things that were changed was affected by -- well, none of us in the City of
Miami had anything to do with those changes, and today, we won't have anything to do with
Dunbar, any changes in Dunbar. It's not a function of city government. It's the function of the
School Board; a completely different meaning. And so to make you better understand that,
instead of trying to tell you that, show it to you, and things of that nature, we said, Well, I think
the best option would be to just change the line so that people can see that that line change that
does not include -- so now it doesn't include Dunbar -- not having that line to include Dunbar
means that you can clearly see that any of the zoning changes in that area will not affect the
school. All I can do is -- I only live in the present. I can't live in the future, right? Listen, stop,
stop, stop, stop. Now, we're not talking about contamination, we're not talking about
(UNINTELLIGIBLE). We're talking about the boundaries of the BID, so let's not make this
murky and not understandable. Let's stay on one issue, which is the issue that's before this
Commission. Nothing can be changed unless that single issue comes before this Commission,
and so right now, we're dealing with a single issue in front of this Commission. So we presented
all these items, and what I'm going to ask to do -- the Chairman to do is to open up the floor for
public hearing, now that you understand these things. At the public hearing, you can make
comments and you can ask questions that you won't get answered immediately when you finish
talking, but will be answered typically at the end of -- when everyone finishes so that everyone
has an understanding -- the same understanding of what's going on. But I wanted to be clear
with you so you understood exactly what it is that you were talking about. Now, I've been in
position where I came somewhere thinking one thing and was told information that was different
from what I thought, and being there, I said to -- I will have to rethink or re -- to look at the facts
again and then come up with another conclusion or, perhaps, the same conclusion, but it would
be irresponsible for me not to consider the new facts that I was given. So I say that to you to say
this: Whatever we share with you today, if you didn't read the short agenda and you didn't read
the big book, right, whatever was -- if you have something prepared for you, it can't be in there.
It can't be in there. So I'm asking my people from Overtown to take those facts that you just
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learned, take the fact that your Commissioner is explaining these things to you, and that I'm
always going to fight on your behalf even if I'm the losing vote -- and I've been that way many
times -- and consider that when you give your opinions, which we want to hear, but moreover,
think about it and apply it to your questions, because you, in your experience, may have better
information sometimes than even I have, and that better information will be able -- what we will
use to make better decisions here on the dais, okay? Thank you all very much. Mr. Chairman,
please.
Chair Gort: Thank you. We'll now open public hearing. Anyone in the public would like --
please, come forward.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And to be clear, the public hearing --
Chair Gort: Two minutes.
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- is on items PZ 3, 4, 5, and 6, and SR.4, 5, 6, and 7.
Chair Gort: Dr. Dunn, you're recognized.
Marvin Dunn: My name is Marvin Dunn. I came up here because I'm very concerned about
what's happening with Overtown, and I'm not sure that the explanation that I heard today quite
sets aside my concerns. Are you going to have 20th Street south -- the north end -- north side of
20th Street be a part of Wynwood? Is that what we're talking about?
Chair Gort: No.
Mr. Dunn: The north side of 20th Street remains Overtown?
Chair Gort: Correct.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Correct.
Mr. Dunn: That's what -- all right. And what about in the area north of 20th Street, 22nd, 23rd,
those houses up in that area, will those be in Wynwood or Overtown with this new proposal?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Exactly what we just discussed? With that line north -- I think that line is
22nd -- north of 22nd, the zoning changes, but the dedication of it being Overtown and Wynwood
does not change. The boundaries of Overtown do not change.
Mr. Dunn: All right, then let me just say this: I think probably most of the people in this room
know that, bit by bit, piece by piece, Overtown has been whittled down to almost nothing. And if
this continues, there will not be enough space to even have an Overtown. Right now Overtown is
threatened because it's so valuable as real estate --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Mr. Dunn: -- and the developers want to gobble it up, and we know that.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Mr. Dunn: And we're very much concerned that whatever kind of language you have up here
about the ordinances, not going to happen, we're concerned about what has happened in the
past, what continues to happen. Overtown is disappearing. I just don't understand why this
Commission is allowing some of these changes to threaten our community. Maybe I -- I just have
a PhD (Philosophiae Doctor), so I don't understand this stuff.
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Vice Chair Hardemon: I don't understand the PhDs either.
Mr. Dunn: All right. The main -- I'm very concerned about this. We've seen it before. A little
bit for the Miami Arena, a little bit for this, and then Overtown is just gone. So I'm asking you --
you're a young man. I've been up here when Father Gibson was here --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Mr. Dunn: -- and Mrs. Range was here; these things would not have happened We would not
have had to stand up and argue for Overtown being preserved, and not being gobbled up by
greedy developers from Wjmwood. We know where the money is. It's in Wjmwood. Now, the old
crouching down into Overtown is, sooner or later -- it's just going to be gone. We expect you to
defend us, Commissioner.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Absolutely, and I accept that responsibility, and I will always fight on the
behalf of my Overtown community. Anybody who knows me, knows that. And I will say to you,
the one thing -- and you know this -- about Commissioner Range, the one thing that she had that
made her as powerful as she was was that she was an independent business owner. She owned
land She owned property. And because she had the ability to pay her own bills, there was no
one in the City or no one in the private industry that could take that away from her, so she could
fight on the behalf of our people. And owning land is still essential to maintaining the properties
in the Overtown area. So I say that to my Overtown residents to say this: If we own land in
Overtown, keep it. The only way that someone takes the land that you own is if you sell it to
them, besides, of course, 1-95, situation like that. And so what's going to happen is this: If
you've been passed down property, like Ms. Stewart was, in the Overtown area, one day
someone's going to come to you and say, f will give you $1 million for your property. "On an
individual level is how Overtown is taken over, because individual property owners will sell their
land to someone else, if that's land that we own. But also understanding this, know the history,
know that Overtown wasn't -- all the land in the Overtown isn't owned by black folk.
Mr. Dunn: That's the problem.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Right. And so, if black folk own the property, because they're
traditionally in that neighborhood, then other folk -- people can't tell you what to do with that
property. And so, because you have a large rental population in Overtown, the best thing that
we could do, which is what we're doing, Dr. Dunn, is build housing that's affordable where
traditionally black and brown people can live to remain in that community, and that's why you
see new affordable housing going up in Overtown, that's why you see the redevelopment of the
Town Park, those communities, because we're putting money into the people that live there. So
hold on to your property.
Mr. Dunn: All right, I'll sit down in just a moment, but I just want to say, I think -- in our
reflection about Mrs. Range, Mrs. Range was a fighter, I think, not because she owned property.
I think she was born a fighter. And we just need to have some assurances from this Commission
that we're not going to let yet another episode of Overtown being gobbled up for the development
purposes. And I also just to say, we're watching this; and if y'all let that happen, history will
treat you very, very, very unkindly.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair.
Applause.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair.
Chair Gort: Yes.
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Commissioner Suarez: Please. Thank you. Mr. Dunn, it's good to see you. It's always
wonderful to see you. Good to see you. I think a lot of what Commissioner Hardemon is talking
about is already happening in Coconut Grove, for example. If you look at Coconut Grove as an
example, there's no NRD overlay in Coconut Grove, but I have friends that live there; some of
them are selling, some of them are not, no matter how much they offer them. And some of them
are passing it from one family member to another, from one generation to another. And I think,
as the Commissioner said, that's really the critical component here to restoring and remaining
faithful to our heritage. You see it in areas ofFlagami where -- you know, this City's becoming
more multicultural. It's not just a Cuban, you know, city. It's not an American city. It's not an
African -American city. It's becoming multicultural. And the areas that are sort of remaining a
certain culture are the areas that are deciding not to sell, even -- no matter what the price is, and
we're seeing that in the Grove. Darlene Jackson is a good example. Her son, P.J. went to Miami
High or he went to Carver with my cousin, and they're -- I mean, I -- listen, you could offer
Darlene a million and half dollars; she wouldn't sell for a tiny little wooden house, wood frame
house, by the way. No matter what, she won't sell. And I think that's the right thing. And I think
it's incumbent upon us -- Dr. Dunn, as you said, I think you're right, that we have a responsibility
to make sure that we can help the Darlene Jacksons, whether they be from Coconut Grove or
from Overtown, to try to find a way to preserve their property, to renew their property,
potentially develop it again as a home, particularly -- you know, one of the things I've told her is
-- you know, she lives in a wood frame house, and the floor of her house is actually falling apart.
I mean, there are holes literally in the floor. And so when you think about a Category 5
hurricane like you remember in 1992 with Hurricane Andrew -- my son is named Andrew, but not
after the hurricane; I promise you. -- you worry that families like that are in a very big danger
when there's a huge, you know, 150, 160, 170 mile per hour hurricane. So I'm hopeful that what
you're afraid of happening in Overtown doesn't happen either in Coconut Grove. We see it
happening. It is happening, but it isn't -- as you said, it's incumbent upon property owners to
say, You know, no matter what, we're not going to sell. "And it's incumbent upon the City to say,
you know, we just had NSP dollars. I know -- I gave to Commissioner Sarnoff HOME (Home
Investment Partnership Program) dollars for the Grove, and a big part of -- the objective is to try
to make sure that there is homeownership in the Grove. The County just did the Thelma Gibson
project. My father, as you know, just did the Thelma Gibson project. That's being completed
there on Grand. So you're right, we do have an obligation to do everything that we can in our
power to prevent our historic neighborhoods from dying out or from being bought out, and
certainly, that threat is there area in Overtown, definitely. I mean, I don't think you can argue
that it's not. I just think we have to work together. And I think, by the way, this NRD, which is
obviously for Wynwood, we should have a similar concept in Overtown, and it should be driven
by the neighbors, it should be driven by the residents so that they can protect their
neighborhoods, and I'd love for you to be a part of that conversation, because I think that, you
know, you -- listen, some of this stuff you need a PhD, but not a PhD in -- you need a PhD in this
stuff, because let me tell you, I'm a real estate attorney, and sometimes I have a hard time fully
comprehending all these things. So it's about having specific knowledge about this -- sort of
these processes and really getting your, you know -- you know, picking up your sleeves and
getting, you know, into this stuff. So I thank you so much for coming. It's always an honor when
you're here. And I just wanted to use that example of Coconut Grove, because I think it's
relevant to the discussion.
Chair Gort: He should be nominated for the beauty -- for beautiful (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- the
new board he mentioned.
Commissioner Suarez: The Beautification Committee?
Chair Gort: Beautification Committee. He did a lot of work there.
Commissioner Suarez: He did.
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Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Gibbs worked with him in that.
Commissioner Suarez: His stuff with the Urban Gardens is pioneering, and hopefully, we'll have
it back in Overtown.
Chair Gort: Yes, ma'am, you're recognized.
Enid Pinkney: Okay. You know, thank you, Commissioner Suarez --
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you.
Mrs. Pinkney: -- because, evidently, I don't understand this. Because it's my interpretation that
Wynwood -- it says -- when you was talking about location and when you see Wynwood here, I'm
thinking that they want the boundaries of Wynwood changed up to 20th Street. And, see, that's
how things get lost.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Yes, ma'am.
Ms. Pinkney: Now, I notice today -- I haven't heard Lemon City called at all. It's lost. That's
how we get our communities lost. And Lemon City is older than the City of Miami. It started in
1850. But what's happening, all we hear is Little Haiti. "We don't hear a word -- nobody saying
anything about Lemon City. We're losing our heritage and our history and our background of
who we are. We don't know who we are. My cousin in Exuma said, Enid you don't know who
you is. "And that's what's happening in the City of Miami. See, I went to Dunbar Elementary
School back in the '30s, from first through sixth grade, and I'm -- that was during the days of
segregation, so nobody but black people lived in that area during that time, and it went all the
way back to 23rd Street. So I don't want any portion of Overtown called Wynwood. No portion
of Overtown should be called Wynwood.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Yes, ma'am.
Ms. Pinkney: Is that clear?
Vice Chair Hardemon: That's done.
Ms. Pinkney: Overtown's boundaries need to continue to be what they were when I went to
Dunbar.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Yes, ma'am. Yes, ma'am.
Chair Gort: I need name and address.
Ms. Pinkney: Name, Enid Curtis Pinkney, 4990 Northwest 31 stAvenue.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am.
Ms. Pinkney: And I don't want to have to come back down here for this.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Yes, sir.
Reginald Munnings: Ladies -- gentlemen -- ladies and gentlemen of the Commission -- well, not
the Commission --
Renita Holmes: No, no. They were here since 12: 30. These people are going to get their kids.
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They were the first eight -- can she just speak, at least one mom speak in Overtown? Because I
know they -- they got a van. They got to catch the bus back to get their kids.
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Hardemon: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this gentleman will --
Commissioner Suarez: Your name, Jackie.
Jackie Bell: My name is Jackie Bell, 1600 Northwest 3rd Avenue. I know each one of you are
tired of seeing me here, but, Commissioner, I heard you say that the reason that the Clerk asked
us to raise our hand and tell the truth, because if we lie, we go to jail. Then most of you all up
there need to go to jail. My (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Vice Chair Hardemon: But there's a different rule for that. It's the open --
Ms. Bell: My reasons for that is Commissioner Gort, Commissioner Carollo, Commissioner
Suarez, all of you and your families have been involved with us for a very, very long time in
Overtown. I hear you reading the resolution of how Wynwood and its community want to be
developed according to its historical value. Well, if you read the resolutions that was passed by
this board 1982, 1979, the creation of the CRA, you will find that none of what this board voted
on for that community have taken place. When the Metrorail was wanting to come to this city,
the white community said No. "The Overtown community said, Yes. "It's in the Miami Herald that
the Overtown district said Yes. "We passed it. The promise to the black -owned property that we
have lost, okay, for where the CRA is now, the first eight blocks, an UMTA (Urban Mass Transit
Authority) grant was applied for, and they bought up the black property; and in those
resolutions, 50 percent equity participation were to come back to that community. Please tell me
if there's 50 percent black equity participation in that. It -- tell me that -- the historical nature of
that community in those resolutions say that that was how it supposed to be rebuilt. Tell me if
that is happening. My point is that we did not sell our land, okay; the land was taken from us
black property owners for 1-95 and the Metrorail and urban removal. And so today, I agree with
Wynwood, that they want their identity, and that identity started at Northwest 29th Street and
went north to 36th Street, because that is where the Puerto Rican community settled when the
industrial part of Overtown, which was where the factories came -- they came to the community
and to this board --
Chair Gort: Ma'am.
Ms. Bell: -- and they asked us -- I will -- they asked us if they could buy land and build, if they
would employ us. They are the only people who have told the truth.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am.
Ms. Bell: Everybody else have not told the truth. So, Commissioner, today, all I ask of you, who
is a lovely young man, born and reared in my community -- I am so proud of you, because you --
Chair Gort: Ma'am, I need you to conclude.
Ms. Bell: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Gort: We have other people who would like to speak.
Chair Gort: So thank you.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chairman.
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Ms. Bell: And listen and do what is right. Thank you.
Commissioner Suarez: These families have been waiting since noon. If they can --
Chair Gort: I know. I understand.
Ms. Holmes: Since you all -- before you all went to lunch, they've been waiting.
Chair Gort: Come on in.
Charlene Lafleur: I'm here as a single mom.
Ms. Holmes: And we have to take public transportation back.
Chair Gort: You have a --
Ms. Lafleur: Hello. My name is Charlene Lafleur. My address is1550 North Miami. I live at
Chapman. I'm one of the mothers who staying in the shelter. We live with mold. We living in
sickness. There's plenty of time we have come to you, and we went in every way which possible
that we need help there. They're not helping with any housing, because I tried They won't give
me housing, no matter how much I work, no matter how much I bust my butt. So I wanted to see
if y'all going to give me the opportunity and my people the opportunity and weigh the
opportunity and my family the opportunity to be able to get jobs in this community. Please, I'm
all for myself; and everybody here, we're asking, just please help us out, because we are out here
suffering. We need the help.
Chair Gort: I need you to --
Ms. Lafleur: We really do.
Chair Gort: Ma'am, I need your name.
Ms. Lafleur: I said my name is Charlene Lafleur.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Ms. Lafleur: And I live at the HAC (Homeless Assistance Center). I live in the shelter. I lost my
job, laid off. So, just like I said I need help.
Ms. Holmes: What about the land?
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am. Next.
Melaniece Vann: My name is Melaniece Vann, 1550 North Miami Avenue.
Chair Gort: Speak into the mike, please.
Ms. Vann: My name is Melaniece Vann, 1550 North Miami Avenue.
Chair Gort: The HAC.
Ms. Vann: I also live in the HAC with my two -- three -month -old son. There's contamination.
There's mold mildew, bedbug problems, and I had to take my son to the hospital of bedbug bites
because of that, and then I had not too long ago went to -- no jobs. They won't -- and plus, they
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won't give it to me, plus I had to quit my job from Broward because I couldn't afford to work
where I was and because I was living with my grandma, and my grandma kick me out the house.
And I also need jobs or housing so I could have roof over -- Huh? So I need public housing to
put a roof over me and my three -month -old son head, so I really need the help right now, and I
need the public benefits, and I don't got nowhere to buy my son Pampers, baby wipes, nor
clothes. So will they have more apartment over there? So would y'all help us or not?
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am.
Vice Chair Hardemon: If you live -- if you were living in the HAC, which I believe most of the
ladies that I met outside, you are, I want you to go and see Mr. Milton Vickers. Mr. Milton
Vickers, raise your hand. See him sitting over there at the far end? And he'll be able to help you
find housing, because I know at the HAC, they have a transition plan.
Ms. Lafleur: Nothing.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Hear me, hear me, hear me, hear me. I don't control the HAC. I'm
directing you to someone that I know within the City authority who can help find housing and
can help find employment. That's Mr. Milton Vickers. I want you to see Mr. Milton Vickers. Mr.
Milton Vickers, raise your hand again. That man will be able to help you, okay?
Reginald Charles Munnings: Okay. My name is Reginald Charles Munnings. I'm on the
Overtown Advisory Board. I'm also a community person. I'm in -- I live in the community. I've
been born and raised in the community. My concern for PZ.4 is that the boundaries should not
-- our zoning should not be changed. I would like our zoning to remain as it is, and if changed to
the point where we recover zoning that has been changed. My reason for this is that this is a
historic community. I know we don't have property that we own, but for the historicity [sic] of
the community and its length and what it has done to the City and what it means to the City,
needs to be preserved. And I think that our zoning should be used for development or
redevelopment for the community which it's in, and not for somebody else community to profit
from. And so I will say that if the purpose for doing this is to beautify or betterfy [sic] another
person's community or the City of Miami at large, let us not call it Wynwood if it encrouches
[sic] into another zone; let's call it Overtown as it is and --
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Munnings: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Yes, ma'am.
Cecilia Stewart: Cecilia Stewart, the Overtown Advisory Board. My address is 1899 Northwest
1st Court. The Overtown Advisory Board resolution recommends a denial of the creation of the
Wjmwood Business Revitalization District bound by 1-95 on the west, Northwest 29th Street on
the north, including special parcels fronting Northwest 29th Street on the north, and Northwest
20th Street on the south, including specific parcels fronting Northwest 20th Street on the south
and the Florida East Coal [sic] Railroad corridor on the east. And whereas the City of --
whereas the Overtown Community Oversight Board at its meeting on September 17, 2015,
passed a resolution to restore the original boundaries for Overtown on the north by Northwest
25th Street; on the south by Northwest 4th Street; on the east by Florida East Coal [sic]
Railroad; and on the west by Northwest 7th Avenue; and whereas, the OCOB (Overtown
Community Oversight Board) recommends there be no signs on Northwest 20th Street identifying
another district other than Overtown; and whereas, per the OCO -- per the Overtown
Community Oversight Board City Code Section 2-1056 functions requires submission to the
Overtown Advisory Board any information regarding activities, developments, and
improvements, including but not limited to eminent domain, or substantially impacting the
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residents of the Overtown area be submitted to the Overtown Advisory Board prior to
consideration of the City Commission. And now, therefore, be it resolved by the Overtown
Community Oversight Board of the City of Miami that this resolution shall become effective
immediately; signed by Chairman Irby McKnight. And I want to submit this to the City Clerk for
public records.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am. Next.
Ms. Holmes: I apologize, Commissioner, but when everyone took off running, these ladies was
on their way here, and they have to be back at a certain time. They have been schooled,
educated, and spoke. The first office we came is yours. Normally, when we have a meeting, a
PZ meeting, African -American women and mothers, let alone, the Overtown Task Force, or any
counsel, does not get PZ to come. If we have a meeting to inform and educate us about our
severable use rights, which gives anybody that comes to the PZ Board something that we cannot
afford, lawyers, and never have gotten (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to come here; we have no appeal.
But they need to speak, because there're abut -- or encroached by those industrial chemical
companies that have infiltrated us for over 30 years, and some of us here right now is sick. I
don't let her speak to that. Second, when we go to meet on something, Commissioner,
disparately, we are only given an attorney that tells us about something of the PZ Board that we
never even knew at that time. This is historical and unfair. Scodis (phonetic) recently had a
hearing, and the Supreme Court said, Any planning and zoning or development that occurs that
disparately affects poor, primarily African -American communities lately, or any discrimination
on housing, such as recently felt by the Fair Housing, then that is outlawed 'and this is outlawed
It takes away the commercial properties. It's abutment to a contaminated school that's been
there for 30 years that my mother, I, my sister, and my niece now have cancer, and we've been
there. We all worked there; lived right next to it, so does those women in public housing,
education and finance. I think it's unfair, and this is what separates us, those folks over there,
these folks up in here, they got the lawyers, the planning and zoning, and we don't. To me, that's
a unfair process. I believe, in closing, that if -- we don't have to be in such a hurry. We've been
down for a long time with these lies and this lying. How about we just do this: Do the housing --
I mean, do the State 183, 190, 163, because a property in a plat that large requires State
comprehensive planning, and we have not done it that way. And if not so, then I believe we need
to see the Scodis (phonetic), too, because enough is enough, and cancer kills. And you don't
have to kill this, but you can make it safe and healthy for those mothers. And one last question:
Can we put in the shutters and screens even if it happen? Can we have more appropriate
language? Can we get the truth about it? And where is the environmental impact, traffic
impact, and all that there that's required by the State law? Do you have a copy? I'd like to read
it, before I take my mommas back to that dirty land. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am. I need for you to state your name.
Ms. Holmes: My name is madam, and I am Madam Renita Holmes, goddaughter ofAthalie
Range, who told me, Property rights before human rights just ain't right."
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Ms. Holmes: Located at 35 --
Chair Gort: Yes, go ahead 35 -- go ahead.
Ms. Holmes: -- 350 Northwest 4th Street. My district is District 5 where we do things better, not
just do things. Thank you.
Chair Gort: All right, thank you. Next. Yes, sir.
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Joshua Smith: I'm Joshua Smith. I stay at the HAC, 1515 -- 1500 North Miami Ave. I'm going
to talk about the housing situation and how I've been treated by the Police Department, how I've
been dragged out by the staff, how my little brothers and little sisters have to live in conditions
that they shouldn't be living in, and I'm only 16. I'm not an adult yet. I'm not one of these big
men. I'm a small man still, but I don't want my brothers to be roll -- to be raised up in a
historical place that isn't overrun by the government and a safe environment for my little
brothers to stay in. And I just don't understand why you guys couldn't give -- can't get housing to
the little kids and not just for the big kids only. We just want to be safe. We don't want to be drug
around by the police anymore. We're tired of hiding in the shadows. It's time to come to the
light. We're not Dracula anymore; we're African -Americans. We ran and we born and we
brought music and we built this land. It's no reason for y'all to take it away from us.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Applause.
Vice Chair Hardemon: You better stop.
Ms. Holmes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) youth.
Vice Chair Hardemon: (UNINTELLIGIBLE), but --
Chair Gort: Yes, sir, you're recognized. Yes.
Unidentified Speaker: No. I'm letting this lady go.
Chair Gort: Oh.
Ms. Holmes: Just one more mom, and we're out of here in the van, okay? One more mom,
please?
Chair Gort: Go ahead, state your name and address.
Lashonda Ferguson: My name is Lashonda Ferguson. I was recently thrown out of the HAC --
1550 North Miami Ave. The property is public Wynwood, not public Overtown. We have to keep
our black community intact. We don't get public trust monies that's supposed to be used for
affordable housing, let alone we can't afford the housing that's already there, but you want to
tear down what we already have, and you want to have cigar clubs. Do we need to go smoke
cigars? We need safe harbors. I'm a victim of domestic violence. I need safe havens for me and
my children. Can Ms. Holmes have safe houses over there for us? Can we build up a center for
WAVE (Women Against Violent Epidemia) and jobs for our black people, for everyone, for the
mothers? All we get is 426 a month in cash assistance, but we don't -- not allowed to have a job
that pays good money. And what about the poison in the parks, the contamination in the
warehouses? What about the HAC, the mold and the mildew, how they dragged my son out
because we told the truth, because we went to the Commission? My daughter was hospitalized
for over a week. Her eyes were glued shut. Mold on the kids' feet. They had hand foot, and
mouth disease, but we can't even go in the park to have the kids play because it's contaminated
adjusting to Overtown. I stand up to cross out this Wynwood. We need to keep Overtown; and in
fact, we need to build more businesses that are going to help Overtown.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Thank you, ma'am.
Ms. Holmes: Thank you, mom. One more mom, one more mom.
Guirlande Pierre: I'm Guirlande Pierre. I'm from Little Haiti. I'm having a problem with the
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Police Department. I was raised here. And then a lot of things, I know what to do and I know
what not to do. And if I am -- and I understand you have to, you know, follow the law, but I -- if
I'm doing it, why the law not doing it by me? And I'm having a problem with that, because I'm
try -- I'm learning at the same time, and the problem I'm having, they went and kick me out of
my house illegally. I've been -- I was raised in that house. My mom just passed three years ago,
and I -- we were still living in the house, and I don't think it's fair for them to just throw us out
without no housing no nothing for you to do, no nothing. No affordable housing, no nothing.
They just throw you out the street with no paper from the law or nothing. I don't understand how
you could be showing and doing the right thing by the law when the law -- anything you do
wrong, they going to lock you in, and then the law not doing the right thing by you. I just want to
have the person -- the right person that could guide us if we doing the wrong thing, only we
could get punished, but what about the people in the law that's not doing the right thing?
Because they supposed to let me go in my house. I was told if I was not -- they not letting me
doing it. How soon --
Ms. Holmes: Gentrify,'that's the word.
Ms. Pierre: Justify?
Ms. Holmes: Gentrify'is the word.
Ms. Pierre: Just -- yes, is the word -- and then I don't know, because right now, it's very hard for
me. I have three kids, a 12-year-old, a eight -year -old, and a three -year -old, and I'm on the street
because of the police not doing the job. But who could I turn to? Who I need to see? And who's
going to help me? Because I have three kids on my own. I'm doing everything I could Nobody
could help me -- but whoever you turn to is running around in the hood, and I'm coming here to
get help, to get better things from the government, please.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Remember, those of you, and especially the young lady who just spoke,
to see Mr. Milton Vickers; he raised his hand So, Renita, I count on you to direct them there so
they could have the service they need. You got it today.
Ms. Holmes: We got an appointment to see him already, Commissioner.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay, good, great, great.
Ms. Holmes: Just one more lady, and then we're out of here. We'll see him on the way out.
Okay.
Unidentified Speaker: Me next.
Ms. Holmes: No, no. Let him go, Ms. --
Henry Brown: No. I want -- first of all, I appreciate everything that you said today, but I --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Identify yourself for the record.
Mr. Brown: My name is Henry Brown; address, 365 Northwest 8th Street.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I see you got a prop. Did you write that prop?
Mr. Brown: Yes. So I'm -- but -- I see we even been, like, sidetracked. You first said we want to
stay on one issue, but I see we on some other issues also, so I want to --
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Vice Chair Hardemon: Remember, the issue is what is here. What people have spoken about is
not the issue.
Mr. Brown: Okay.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And so, we have a lot of eloquent people that will speak, especially from
the Overtown community, and there's going to be lots --
Mr. Brown: Okay, so you (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Hear what I'm saying, there's going to be lots of (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
that's going to happen on the benefit -- for the benefit of all of us, because people speak very well
and say things that we all believe in, but it doesn't change what the issues are. The issues are
what's on paper. So what I'm asking you to do it at this point is to take your two minutes, or your
last one minute and thirty-one seconds -- two minutes and express yourself sir.
Mr. Brown: All right. I've already told my name, sir, and I only got a minute and thirty seconds,
so let me start now.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Two minutes.
Mr. Brown: This is Wjmwood. This is (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Overtown. This is Administration.
That's what's been happening. You use the word earlier, expansion, expand
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): Sorry; you need to speak in the microphone, sir.
Mr. Brown: If we allow Wynwood to continue to expand and expand and expand, because it
started off on 29th Street, and it was supposed to go north, but somehow, it went south, and
already we up -- we're crossing 20th Street to go to 19th Street, so this is what's going to happen
if we continue with this expansion. Then it won't be Overtown. And then we'll have to go into
Little Havana or Little Haiti, and it just be like that. It'll just be Wjmwood.
Vice Chair Hardemon: You're getting pretty good at this.
Mr. Brown: All right, so I'm -- Yeah, I'm --
Vice Chair Hardemon: That's like Physics II that you described That's pretty good. I haven't
seen that one before.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair.
Mr. Brown: Wait.
Vice Chair Hardemon: That beats the Carollo the penalty box, that one. Commissioner Suarez.
Commissioner Suarez: I just want to know where I can get one of those Overtown Advisory
T-Shirts.
Vice Chair Hardemon: You got to go see the pastor about that. See Bishop Adams
(UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Suarez: Can I order one of those, pastor?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Those are nice, right?
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Unidentified Speaker: Huh?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Maybe they printed -- did they print that at an Overtown business?
Where were those shirts printed?
Mr. Brown: There's this -- there's a gentleman in Overtown; he has a small business, and he
goes by the name of DY, but his name is Ira, and he's over there. If you'd like to order a T-shirt,
that's the gentleman over there.
Vice Chair Hardemon: That's YD.
Mr. Brown: He's making us ambassadors in Overtown.
Vice Chair Hardemon: First of all, I will say this: YD is the Overtown ambassador. So at first,
when I saw the T-shirts, I thought they were biting his style, but knowing that it's his business,
keep them putting shirts (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I need me one, too. I need a large.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, I'll take a --
Vice Chair Hardemon: I'll pay for mine. The bishop (UNINTELLIGIBLE) take a large --
Commissioner Suarez: I'll pay for mine, but can I get dry fit?
Vice Chair Hardemon: All right. Yes, ma'am.
Aliyoumi Ferguson: My name is Aliyoumi Ferguson. I'm homeless. And I'm here for affordable
housing and job, because we don't have any. So how does this zoning benefit me and my family?
How can I be sure that this is going to help me living in the HAC and not having nowhere to go
after the 60 days that they give you? Do they give you positive initiative or anything like that?
How does Wynwood changing Overtown affect us? What it's going to do for us? I just don't
understand it, and I want to know what it's going to do to help us as single black women raising
children here, because that's what's majority of Overtown, are black single women. We don't
want to raise drug dealers. We want our sons to be great men like you are sitting on the board.
So we want to know just because our color is not as more important than your color --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Hey, now, I'm black; same color.
Ms. Ferguson: So when is planning zoning --
Vice Chair Hardemon: From one black (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to another.
Ms. Ferguson: -- how it's going to help us? And why don't you ask us what to do with our
Overtown?
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am.
Ms. Ferguson: Thank you.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Renita, please, take her to go see --
Ms. Holmes: That's it.
Vice Chair Hardemon: But, no. Take her to go see --
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Chair Gort: Okay.
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- take her to see Mr. Vickers, please.
Ms. Holmes: Thank you for your accommodation, and thank you, Mr. Clerk.
Mr. Hannon: Thank you.
Vice Chair Hardemon: You want --
Deborah Roberts: Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Deborah Roberts. I'm a Overtown
resident, Town Park Plaza. And I thank you, Commissioner, for all your help during the
renovate low-income housing where we are. My concern about Wynwood and this district, the
boundaty, how they having -- they moving Dunbar into their boundary. That's my concern. My
concern is 20th Street from -- you only took the 25th Street on back. You understand? But you're
coming over here to say you're going to name that Wynwood boundaty? Listen, why won't you
keep it Overtown? If Wynwood wants to come in and be a part of Overtown, that's fine, but
please don't disrespect us and take our boundaries like this -- like we don't have no say-so, you
understand? I applaud them doing everything in they power to make Overtown a better place to
live in, which we do need. I applaud it. But don't make it to a certain extent that you say we are
not good enough past south, end at 20th Street, which they thought that Wynwood was within
29th Street and 20th Street. No. Wynwood always has been past 29th Street going north. What
about -- I'm talking about the low-income families, you know, single families. Did you ever think
about that -- all of those buildings up on 20th Street? That's what they trying to, you know, make
into things that -- we can't afford it. We really can't afford it, Commissioner. You understand?
The only thing we will benefit from that is more policemen, which we do need, and to clean up
the streets, and to clean the streets. You understand? They going to constantly just push us back
to say, Oh, this is our boundary; you cannot come across this way unless we harass you'or
whatever. And we like to walk freely to different places on 22nd Street, 23rd Street. You know,
we like -- be affordable in that area as well, because once they take over that boundaty, we can't
afford that no more.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am.
Ms. Roberts: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Next.
Brian Lemmerman: Good afternoon. My name is Brian Lemmerman. I'm a caretaker at Colony
One. It's a project that's located on 550 Northwest 22nd Street. We're one block north of
Dunbar Elementary School. We're creating a community center for both the Wynwood and
Overtown communities, and we're proud to say that we are proud residents of Overtown. And I
want to bring to everybody's attention that there's -- there is gentrification taking place all over
the City of Miami. Those of you who know about Little Havana, we had developers coming in
and they needed to build high-rises and they're calling it West Brickell.
Unidentified Speaker: Even you.
Mr. Lemmerman: We got an area called Little Haiti; used to be Lemon City; now it's being
called Little River. And we got Overtown, which I notice that the boundaty is moving around,
and everybody's confused as to exactly where it is, and now it's being called Wynwood. And
anywhere -- anything around Panther Coffee seems to be called Wynwood these days, and that
boundaty keeps expanding. So I want to make sure we keep the boundaries clear, and we don't
push people out of where they belong. That being said, it doesn't matter to us directly what
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happens in the zoning plan; we're going to be doing what we're going to be doing and providing
what we're providing as a service to the community. The problem that I have with the NRD-1
plan is that I work for the company that wrote the Miami 21 Zoning Code that this plan is based
on, and I didn't hear about this plan until this month. And so, if I didn't hear about this plan
until this month, I would argue that everybody here who happens to live right next to or within
the boundaries of where this is taking place also didn't hear about this. And my big problem
with this plan is that the community was not adequately engaged And through my experience in
planning, whenever the community is not adequately engaged in the planning process, people get
pushed out. Things happen within communities that are really messed up, and the project fails,
and what you end up happening -- what ends up happening is a bunch of rich white people come
in and speculate on the new real estate and nobody can afford to live there. And so what I would
press the Commission to do is to do two things: One, to re -hold public engagement sessions so
that people can adequately be involved in the process of this plan. And two -- I forgot what two
was. Two is to hold -- is to make sure that at least 30 percent attainable housing, not just
affordable housing, but attainable by members of the local community is very well integrated
within the new plan, because if we had these little separate tenement apartments, it's going to
look like what everybody knows as public housing, and it's going to be unhealthy, it's going to be
a dangerous feeling, and no one's going to want to be there.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Lemmerman: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Next.
Naome Richardson: My name is Naome Richardson. I live at 1975 Northwest 3rd Avenue. I
was living in my house for 33 years. I worked two jobs to pay for that house, and now, at the age
of eighty 80 years old, why do I have to worty about what these filthy -rich developers going to
try to make me move out of my house? All my -- I worked 59 years. At the age of 80, I should be
sitting back enjoying the fruits of my labor, but all 1 could get is letters, Your house, your house,
we want your house. "Then you all send me these certified mail and get me upset. I'm an old
woman. I'm 80 years old. Why can't I have peace after all these years of work? I hope you all
could do the right thing, because what goes around comes around.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Next.
James Hunt: Good evening, everybody. I was before you -- my name is James Hunt. I'm not a
resident of Overtown, but I'm a product of Overtown, which means, I was here since 1937; and
when I say Produce, 'the elementary school, the middle school, junior high, and senior high. All
of those schools that they named, I either attended or I was principal at most of them. My
concern about it is that I'd like the Mayor and the Commissioner Hardemon about the statement
about Dunbar. You're right; City of Miami Commission, Mayor of the County Commissioner has
jurisdiction over the School Board in terms of naming the schools and doing it, but it's the
impact that we're talking about. The impact is that once you start closing down houses and
putting in buildings, you have no little children to go to those schools, so you ultimately close
them down. I could be saying a lot, but I'd like to say to you: I think you have a five -board
members. I'm not that concerned about Commissioner Hardemon, but he's only one vote. My
plea to you is we need your vote to help Hardemon and those others who think like him help us
survive; we won't be able to. And I'll tell you one of the things that came up. Several years ago,
a person who was sitting right at -- where you're sitting now made a comment when they were
talking about putting a ramp off of 95 down at Booker T. Washington entrance. I'm going to
close it.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Mr. Hunt: And what happened was the State came in and said they were going to help us. It's
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sort of like having the Internal Revenue to call you and said, We're going to audit your books;
bring them all. We're here to help you. "Nobocy believes that. What we're saying to you, it's in
our community now; we need help. We don't form -- one person going to be able to do it. You
need a majority vote. We ask the rest of you, look deep in your hearts and see. Help us defend
ourselves before we don't exist anymore.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
Mr. Hunt: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Next.
Agnes Morton: Good afternoon, Commissioners. My name is Agnes Rowe Morton, 1454
Northwest 43rd Street. I was born and raised Overtown, and my family was displaced by
eminent domain in 1963. I'm speaking as an opponent of PZ.3 and 4. Overtown, which was
early -- was Colored Town -- was established before 1896 when the City of Miami Charter was
signed A third of the signers of that Charter were Bahamian and African -American men. They
were the early builders of the railroad and contributed to the early development of the City of
Miami. Historical Overtown is now being squeezed by downtown and Wynwood on the east;
west by the University of Miami and Allapattah. I'm concerned that these zoning changes are
chipping away at the boundaries of Overtown. When are we going to respect the history and
contributions that our ancestors made for this city by respecting the boundaries of this historic
community? Thankyou.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am. Yes, ma'am.
Unidentified Speaker: I am -- okay.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. Chairman, may I say something?
Shoshana Lincoln: May I speak?
Vice Chair Hardemon: No, not yet.
Chair Gort: Wait a minute.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Not yet. Okay, so, as you can see, we're working. We're always moving,
trying to figure things out. And so one of the things that I've been hearing, especially by --
especially that blowing -- the balloon thing that we saw that expanded the boundaries of
Wynwood -- the first thing is this: The -- what they've called the Wynwood Neighborhood
Revitalization District, right -- that's the word that's been going around -- and what we need is --
or what they need, rather, is they need a neighborhood revitalization district; doesn't necessarily
have to be called Wynwood, right. So what I'm saying to you is this: Moving forward, when this
thing comes be -- when we start to decide everything, what I'm going to do -- and I'm -- I hope
that my Commissioners support me -- we're going to change it from the Wynwood Neighborhood
Revitalization District to the Neighborhood Revitalization District 1, okay? That's the name of it.
Hear what I'm saying to you. What I'm saying to you.
Ms. Lincoln: I agree.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Hear what I'm saying to you. It's now called the Wynwood
Neighborhood Revitalization District. That's the first time -- that's the first thing. The second
thing is that when you look at this map -- when we talk about the different -- the maps -- may I
have a portable mike, please? When we're talking about the map, on the first map that we were
shown, it included Dunbar inside of that Neighborhood Revitalization District, if you remember,
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and what we were saying was that we're going to cut it so that it does not include Dunbar. So we
clearly understand that Dunbar is not affected by this overlay. I wanted to make it clear. And
the idea that I have -- that I hope that my Commissioner will support me with, because I only
have one vote, as was correctly stated -- is by making the southern boundaries of the
Neighborhood Revitalization District the northern boundaries of the Southeast Overtown/Park
West CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) boundaries, so it's named at the northern part
the Southeast Overtown/Park West, so we know that's the Overtown area. Now, when we do that,
understand -- I want you to understand this very, very clearly -- to do that, that means that this
line here on 20th Street will get cut away. Thank you. That makes things better. Okay, so this
line -- this boundary here will be done away with, because the line will come across this way.
Now, that's the simplest way to do it, but I caution you this -- and I'm asking of your permission
to let me take one step further to make Overtown better served by this change. Currently, on the
map -- can you show me the zoning map? Show me the proposed -- right, the NRD proposed --
no, the part that will show industrial. Is this it? Okay, this is it. You got to take it up, take it up,
take it up. I can't see the --
Chair Gort: They got (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Hardemon: Oh, you can -- can you flip it for me?
Mr. Garcia: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: We want to show you the orientation of the area, the exact same way that
you've been seeing so you're not confused. Okay, now go up. Okay, so currently right now, if
this -- this area right here is 20th Street. These parcels of land right here is industrial currently.
The proposal is to change it to general commercial. That's where all of this is red because it says
general commercial, 'and I'll let the expert explain the exact difference between commercial,
general commercial, and industrial. Please, Francisco.
Mr. Garcia: Yes, sir, and thank you for the opportunity. I think there is ample willingness to
strike the right balance, but whatl certainly want to convey is that the land south of 20th Street
is presently zoned for industrial uses. Now, I've heard some speakers' concerns about the effect
and the impact those industrial uses have on the community and all certain sites in the
community that are of particular concern. What we are proposing to do through this zoning
change, names notwithstanding, what we're proposing to do is to change that land from
industrial uses to mixed uses, which mean commercial, office, and residential. I frankly would
hate to see that change be lost because, professionally, I can recommend to you that that is going
to result in an enhancement to the community, not a detriment to the community. I emphasize,
notwithstanding who owns the land or what the land is called, leave that aside. That has no
bearing on this. The land use is the thing, and what we're proposing to do is to change it from
industrial to mixed use.
Vice Chair Hardemon: What type of uses would industrial use provide you?
Mr. Garcia: Industrial uses allow for manufacturing, distribution, warehousing, storage
facilities, et cetera; whereas, commercial or mixed use would allow for retail, office, and
residential.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So I say this especially for people like Ms. Stewart, because I think you
understand this battle, that on that southern part of 20th Street, which will be here, the
amendment that we will make by saying the southern boundary of the NRD-1 is the northern
boundaries of the Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA boundary. We will take the part that's
below 20th Street out of the picture, which means that it remains industrial, and people like Ms.
Stewart have been fighting for it not to be industrial so that it can become mixed use, residential,
office. It's -- that's where people want to live. You don't want to live next to what you see there
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now on the north side of 20th Street, which is a recycling facility, plant. I mean, you've all seen
that. So you know that. So what I'm asking -- and if you agree, just do your hands like this -- is
to allow this boundaty to become mixed use so that we can get rid of the industrial. You
understand? So basically, what I'm asking is this: We know that -- the first move I want to do is
this: The northern boundaty of Overtown, the CRA, is the southern boundary of the NRD-1,
which is the one we've been talking about, the top part. By doing that on 20th Street, just the
properties -- the commercial properties that abut 20th Street on the south side will remain
industrial. They will remain industrial. Meaning thatyou can is still have that facility thatyou
have that -- for the recycling can still -- that -- facilities like that can still be there. What I'm
saying is that I want to get rid of facilities like that in that space. So to do that, we have to
change the zoning to general commercial, which would allow for mixed use residential, office,
things of that nature, okay?
Unidentified Speaker: Only the soils remediated.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. Well, that doesn't have remediate -- that part doesn't have the
remediation. The Wynwood area will have to worty about remediation on those properties, but
on the southern side of 20th Street where we're talking about here, there's not a site, as I
understand, that has those types of ills on it. So I'm telling you exactly what I'm going to do. It
remains Overtown.
Unidentified Speaker: Can we have a study?
Mr. Hannon: Chair?
Vice Chair Hardemon: It remains Overtown.
Mr. Hannon: I just need to make sure all comments are made on the mike.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. It remains Overtown. The only difference is that it is no longer
industrial. It becomes mixed use. We agree -- can I get a Amen?
Unidentified Speakers: Amen.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you. That was -- that's hard, but thank you.
Ms. Lincoln: To the board and to the -- our audience from Overtown and also --
Vice Chair Hardemon: I need to use the restroom, so excuse me for one moment, okay?
Ms. Lincoln: What I have perceived here, we're having a demographical issue. Overtown
residents should understood [sic] that a black man have died to integrate these people, the
children to go to the same school with black and white. Now, if we're bringing in investors in
Overtown, we do need that, because we do not have African investors to come and help to bring
back the economy of Overtown. Knowing that the Commissioner have agreed to still retain the
name Overtown, I mean, for me, I think it's a nebulous statement for name changes that bodes ill
with our millennial. And to satisfy the audience here, I think that the Commissioner have done a
good thing to retain Overtown. But, folks, we have to understand that we do need those
investors. They have already declared better streets, safer street for the people in Overtown and,
perhaps, better housing too. And this is a national shame for all these African people who come
up here in the microphone claiming that they are homeless and they are kicked out from shelter,
so such a shame should be take into consideration to give these people more housing.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am. Next.
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Lavern Elie -Scott: Good afternoon. I am Lavern Elie -Scott. My mentor, (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
King, professionally known as Curley, was born and raised in the Overtown in a small section
known to many elderlies as -- seniors as Good Bread Alley. I remember all of the stories from
years of being around her about Good Bread Alley, the Sir John, the Night Beat, and all the
clubs and the rich heritage of how much the people really enjoyed Overtown, and we had
everything in our own community: the movie theaters, the clubs; the celebrities came out and
supported So people have a lot of heritage there. And we're asking for your support in keeping
Overtown Overtown, which I know he just said he would and I think it's a very beautiful thing.
The one thing that I find -- I understand that people have the right to sell the property that they
own, but one thing I find very disgusting is that when seniors that have worked all of their life
and bought their property, that their homes are getting taken through the gentrification process.
I think that's wrong. And nothing is more saddened than reading it or watching the stories and
the tapes of these people cvying because their homes are being taken. So I ask -- through the
gentrification process. So I ask that we be supported and find a way to help these seniors. Like
that 80-year-old lady that stood up here and talked about her home being taken that she worked
all of her life for, nobody should have to go through that.
Chair Gort: It shouldn't be taken.
Ms. Scott: Okay. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Yes, sir.
James Adams: My name is Bishop James Adams. I'm the senior pastor of the Historic Saint
John Institutional Church in Overtown. I want to say to my Commissioner, in his absence, and
to those of you who are on the dais, that I formerly do not support any extension of boundaries
that would encroach into Overtown for any circumstance. And my reasoning for that is two fold.
One is the process. Number one, I appreciate the painstaking undertaking that our
Commissioner did by laying this out and to explain it to the best of his ability, and I applaud him
for that, and there's nothing better than an understanding. However, in this process, that this
piece of legislation was crafted without first coming to the Overtown -- number one -- Oversight
Board; and number two, the active residents and shareholders there. It was an afterthought,
after that -- the Wynwood district came to us after they caught wind that Overtown was pissed off
by being stepped over. So on the basis of principle -- because, first of all, I don't think that it's
fair to us to have to jump on and support something that happens in this meeting when we should
have had ample time to look at all of the issues that are involved. That's number one. Number
two, as history has proven that once here in Miami -- this is what I'm hearing from the Overtown
people and people in Miami -- that if you give it an inch, they're going to take a mile. There's
been promises made. There's been things that have been said that haven't come to fruition, and
so naturally, the people are very skeptical about approving something. I will say that attended
the Overtown Oversight meeting. The Wynwood district people came in. They said that their
issue died. Andl asked this specific question: Is this a dead issue? And they said, No. We will
consider it again. "Now, I do see the reason in what our Commissioner was saying about the
boundaries. I don't think the answer is extending the boundary. I think the answer is giving a
special permission for that particular piece of property that is in Overtown, let it still be
Overtown, but let them also have the provision of what the Wynwood district association is. Let's
keep Overtown Overtown at all costs. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Irby McKnight: I'm Irby McKnight, 1600 --
Chair Gort: The only reason he was able to speak a little longer, because somebody gave up
their time to him. I just want to note that I'm following the rules. Excuse me. I just want to note
that I'm following the rules. Go ahead. Go ahead, sir.
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Mr. McKnight: Irby McKnight, 1600 Northwest 3rdAvenue, I'm the chairperson of the
Overtown Oversight Board. Mrs. Stewart, a board member, read earlier a resolution passed by
the board. I will not go over that again. But I will say this: When it comes to owning the land,
we did own it. The government had a tool called Irminent domain, 'and they used that tool, took
the land, and 30 years later, gave it to some other people. There's another experience of that in
Florida. The Army in Key West did the same thing. They took -- they used eminent domain, and
they built a base on property that was black -owned. When they decided to leave Key West, they
did not give the black community the property back, i.e., like when they used eminent domain in
Overtown and took properties from Isaiah King, Alex Nelson, Al Simmonet, William Sawyer,
Sarah Stewart, the Wanza (phonetic) family, and I can keep naming them, because I did know
these people. They gave the property -- the Army gave the property -- once the base left Key
West, they gave the property to the County. Well, when the City or the County used eminent
domain and turned the property over to the City, 25, 30 years later, the City gave the property to
some other people that had never been in Overtown before. So now we already have a history of
what can happen, and when it comes to the disappearing and the shrinking of the community,
where is West Dunbar? You know why you don't know? They took that from us, too, by telling us
that the School Board need to expand. And we're going to move Lindsey Hopkins over to 20th
Street and 7th Avenue. We had community meetings in Overtown, chaired by Ms. Athalie Range,
that asked that this not happen. We were told, Oh, no, don't worty about it. West Dunbar, it ain't
going no place. "There's not a young -- a school -age person in Overtown has ever heard the
name West Dunbar. "So don't tell us what won't happen. We are the victims. We know what will
happen. We already know this. And as far as the property on 20th Street, when I was the
chairperson of the Overtown Neighborhood Assembly for the Empowerment Zone, we made an
attempt -- someone came here wanting to build a high-rise on that property. That property is full
of perk. Perk is a chemical that laundries used years ago to clean clothes. It was a laundry
there. In the black community, the laundry did not have to dispose of the perk like they did on
Miami Beach. They just let it run into the soil on 20th Street and on 9th Street where those
laundries had been. Those properties are extremely contaminated with a very cosmogenic agent
that's still there in the ground. That's why we backed away from it. It would have cost too much
to clean it up. Now, I read -- someone sent me an e-mail that somebody just paid $16 million for
the property. I'm sure they'll be able to clean it up. And I am sure what they build there will not
allow the likes of these people to be there. And if you came from Overtown to support Overtown,
would you please stand? Because a lot of people spoke here today that had nothing to do with
Overtown. They ain't never lived in Overtown. So all of us who live there, who duck bullets,
who deal with drug addicts, who deal with unemployment, people stealing our plants off our
porch, our chairs off our porch, y'all stand. Thank you very much.
Chair Gort: Thank you. By the way, once again, somebody extended two minutes to him; that's
why we gave him more. Yes, sir.
Ira Walden: Good afternoon. My name Ira Walden. I'm a musician from Overtown. I want to
thank Keon for clarifying a lot of things that I was not aware of and that was misunderstood by
myself. I've been in Overtown all my life. I remember once upon a time, blacks were only
allowed in Overtown in a place you have destroyed right outside this City Hall, which is Coconut
Grove with so-called Irconomic developments. "However, we did not complain when they built --
we built our own homes. We created our own jobs. We supplied our own community with food
and education. I must say, we do need change and redevelopment in our community, but I'm
very disappointed that we are skeptical about what's about to happen, and people kind of fear
because they don't understand what's about to happen. But there was no debate when 1-95
highway was built through our community, decreasing our population in Overtown. Over the
course of years, from 29th Street to 20th Street, redevelopment has been happening on Overtown
property. Well, used to be. Art galleries and tourists, these the ones the source of revenue for
Overtown. Our community is not budded [sic] from this plan. I have yet to seen a black
business owner in this Wynwood development, but I'm glad to see that we coming together with
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different races: whites, black, Hispanics. This is a great thing; we able to compromise.
Overtown was a place provided for unfortunate people that couldn't afford to pay outrage house
-- outrage price condos, let alone provide for their families, working minimum wage jobs. We
are not included in a lot of this redevelopment that has been planned for over 30 years, so that's
why we're scared. Why wasn't these proposals presented to our community leaders without such
disrespect for mens (sic) and pinching them the way that the community is worried right now?
We do not agree with a lot of the Wynwood expansions over the past years. I probably wasn't
even born, but it happened before our eyes, and they tore down our black -own landmarks with
their own motive, not hesitating to waste some time to do more with our community. I don't see
them offering education and techniques to teach our children. I don't see them bringing in
afterschool programs to get our kids off the streets, so I don't see no compromising. They are
putting railroad signs and building new high-rises in our community without consulting with our
community or even placing affordable homes for Overtown residents. This is going to be a slight
chance, so that's the word. We demand revenue for any development in Overtown so that we can
better our education, provide jobs for Overtown people, and our history remain to be Overtown
and never be eraser, like my brother Pierre clarified. So everybody here in my Overtown
advising us these are not their problems, so our kids become statistics to this system that are not
built for us to surpass. We have to work within ourselves to better ourselves, and for that reason,
on my behalf and my Overtown ambassadors, time will not allow Wynwood to expand anymore.
Keep Overtown alive. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Yes.
Marquise Hardrick: Pastor Marquise Hardrick, Trinity CME church, 511 Northwest 4th Street.
I'm here on behalf of Historic Overtown, and I emphasize Historic. "We should not be in 2015 still
trying to clarify the boundaries of a historic community. I think we're very clear why we are
here, and that was really in regards to resolution RE.3, which dealt with the expansion. And so
when we went through the history lesson of all of the others, in actuality, that's what we are here
for. The issue is this: Commissioner Hardemon, I heard you say that the boundary was 22nd a
couple times on north end, but the problem is is that in here, they say it's the Wynwood NRD, the
north -- it goes from Northwest 20th Street, so an area -- we're talking about the boundaries in
the legal terms of the NRD, Wynwood NRD, it says 20th Street. That's a big problem. There is a
lot (UNINTELLIGIBLE). There is a lot in boundaries. I see the erosion of a historic community,
and not enough of healing in that same community, eroding with -- from Park West coming in
eventually, the eroding from on the north end with now Wynwood, and what will we have left?
What will we have left for our people? I'm done.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir. Yes, sir.
Andrian Madriz: Andrian Madriz, 1841 Northwest 1st Court, Miami, Florida 33136. I just have
a couple of questions, and anybody on the Commission is welcomed to answer them. They're not
rhetorical. There are a lot of planning and zoning changes that are on the agenda today. Do
any of you know if these changes will result in a net increase or a net decrease in the average
rent for Wynwood and Overtown?
Commissioner Suarez: No one knows that.
Vice Chair Hardemon: No.
Mr. Madriz: No one knows that question?
Commissioner Suarez: No. Only God knows that.
Mr. Madriz: Only God knows, okay. Let me ask you this.
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Commissioner Suarez: I hate to break it to you.
Mr. Madriz: In the past year, let's say, all the planning and zoning changes that have come
before this Commission, has the rent gone up or has it gone down?
Unidentified Speaker: Probably up.
Mr. Madriz: It's gone up.
Unidentified Speaker: Right.
Commissioner Suarez: Right.
Mr. Madriz: So, based on historical data, we can pretty much assume that since nothing has
really changed in terms of the planning and zoning that's going to be proposed, that the rent is
probably going to continue to go up, correct?
Commissioner Suarez: Not necessarily.
Chair Gort: Excuse me. Let him finish. Let him finish. We got still -- we got a big agenda to go
yet. Finish, please. Go ahead.
Mr. Madriz: No. I'm asking you.
Chair Gort: Fine. We don't know the answer. Go ahead.
Mr. Madriz: Okay. So, if the likelihood is that it's going to go up or, let's say something even
easier, the likelihood that people are proposing these changes because they want to make more
money, not less, okay, why don't we make it so that there are conditions for these planning and
zoning changes, like an increase in the amount of funding that we collect from these planning
and zoning changes in order to provide public housing, affordable housing, subsidized housing
for people oat30 percent of area median income? Why can't those conditions be placed on these
planning and zoning changes that are being proposed or on those businesses that want to make
advantage of those changes? That's what I'd like to know.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Mr. Madriz: That's a question.
Chair Gort: Thank you. You'll get the answer.
Commissioner Suarez: Can I chime in on a couple of things?
Chair Gort: Go ahead.
Commissioner Suarez: Just -- I'll just be quick. First of all, if a lot is empty, a zoning change is
not going to affect the rent on that lot, correct? So a building is yet to be built. So that's why I
say you can't answer the question specifically the way that it was posited Secondly, if a building
that's affordable housing is built there and if it's an ELI (extremely low income) building, as you
stated, it would have rent controls, and it would have rent controls for a long period of time. I
think what you're getting at is a point that I think we all agree with, which is the City and the
County and the State and everybody has to do a lot more in the context of ELI affordable
housing, which is that we need to provide more housing for, you know, extremely low income,
which is 30 percent AMI or below. Zoning changes can promote that to a certain extent. I've
promote -- proposed zoning changes that have tried to do that, but you also have to have it
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coupled with money, obviously, with subsidies. I think we should continue to go to the State for
its tax credit program, for example, to try to increase ELI funding, which there isn't like a
designated amount or pot of funds that go to ELI funding, and there needs to be. This zoning
ordinance will potentially create public benefit funds which can be used for affordable housing,
and we can designate them for extremely low-income housing. We can say -- you know, we can
use them for ELI, so I think --
Mr. Madriz: When was the last time that happened?
Commissioner Suarez: Well --
Chair Gort: Excuse me.
Commissioner Suarez: -- one of the -- well, no, he's got a legitimate --
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Suarez: Listen, it's a legitimate question. Ever since Miami 21 was enacted, we
have been getting short-changed with respect to public benefits funding, because of the concept
of TDRs, transfer of development rights, which is a good concept in and of itself. Unfortunately,
what's happening with a lot of this -- a lot of these potential up zones is that the private sector's
trading them versus the money coming in to our public benefits program. So the fact of the
matter is, we have to fix that, and I'm going to be proposing a way to fix it. We need to fix it, and
hopefully, you'll be there to support that proposal.
Mr. Madriz: I look forward to hearing it.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And Mr. Chairman, I would like to say that that conversation that just
happened is exactly what we talked about when we started this meeting --
Commissioner Suarez: Right.
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- when I talked about one of the items that I did not like because it took
money from the Affordable Housing Trust, so if you think back to when we first started that's
what this was about. And what's -- and that's why these conversations are difficult, because
when you say blatantly -- if you just say, you're not giving us affordable housing, for instance, or
this won't help affordable housing, it's a very powerful statement. And so, for you to really
understand what's happening, we have to sit back and explain it that way, and many times
people don't want to necessarily hear it that way, and even after explaining it, you might not
quite get it.
Commissioner Suarez: You asked for it.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And so it's very difficult to legislate responsibly with just three -word
statements that sound good to be put in the newspaper, and so that's why we just ask that you
follow along with us as best you can while we try to go over these very difficult issues. Thank
you. That's it.
Chair Gort: Thank you. For your information, I want you to know, that we have several
projects right now that going to have affordable housing and market -rate housing, which is the
way to do it also. Next. Yes, sir.
Lorna Shuford: Yes. Good evening, councilmen and everyone here in Overtown. A lot of you
may not know me. I'm Lorna Shuford with Little River Historical Culture EDC. We're a
community advocate. I do a lot of ground work and grass root, but I'm here today because I
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want to make sure that the historical aspect of the area is well in place and can see. Each piece
of the area that's being rechanged, rezoned, and updated removes a little bit of the history that
was so hard to retain and create. Am I correct at that?
Unidentified Speakers: Yes.
Ms. Shuford: Okay. I have to say three words, and if you're a businessman, if you're someone
that's in the area, this word may ring a bell to you, because it's a word that eventually deals with
the economic systems of the area. And the word -- some of you may know it -- is called location,
location, location. "What do you do about the location? You make sure that no matter what
happens at the end, that historical aspect of the area is in place. And I'm going to recommend
something here today, and the councilmen, you can bring it on onboard if you want. Any major
corporation that comes in has always a foundation behind it, because somehow, some way, they
have to do something with their funds so they don't pay that much taxes. Make sure that in your
community outreach, make sure that in your CRA, make sure that in your community advocacy,
communities, in your area that those companies that come in, those contractors, developers,
housing or whatever, that at least 1 percent of whatever they raise or make in the area goes back
to labor training, goes back to hiring people within that same area, and make sure that it is used
to make sure that the historical aspect of what they're taking is well in place and permanently
promoted. Thank you, and I appreciate your time.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am. Yes, sir.
Kaman Fulger: My name is Kaman Fulger. I own a company called Water Boy Water. Right
now I'm in the Overtown area. Mr. Keon; Mr. McQueen, my mentor; Ms. Lorna, and a couple of
more people that was in here. Basically, all I'm -- all I want to do and all I'm going to do and
what I'm going to continue doing is to provide jobs for the community. So I just came in just to
let everybody know that I will be one of the ones that actually shines and shows that what they're
doing is someone in that circle that will provide the kids jobs, show them training, you know,
teach them something a little bit, you know, better, and show them better. So when y'all see me,
y'all know if I'm in y'all community, I'm from Liberty City. I was born and raised in Miami. I
graduated from Miami Central. So just to let y'all know, I'm not into the politic thing. Only
thing 1 want to do is provide jobs for my black people in y 'all own community and with the help
of them, I'm doing that. So thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Yes, ma'am.
Mae Christian: I'm Dr. Mae Christian, 4824 Northwest 15th Court, Miami, Florida. I'm also on
the Overtown Oversight Board. I'm the author of what was called the Multipurpose Center," now
the Culmer Center. I work with the interim director for the County, Dewey Knight; been in
charge of salvaging Booker T. A lot of people don't even know that was a secret under CDC
(Community Development Corporation). I've seen eminent domain remove our businesses from
Overtown. We had major hotels. We were receiving tourist dollars. So don't think black people
didn't own things in Overtown. It was eminent domain and federalism. And I'm saying to you,
what happened to the return policy? There was a return policy that they was supposed to bring
these people back. We had home ownership. Mr. Sawyer, we had our first black judge, Judge
Thomas. I know the history because -- Father Gibson -- Reverend Gibson, Father Graham, and
Boise (phonetic) Waiters; we had Senator Turner. We had about seven or eight black folk that
were elected the late Representative Gwen Cherry. They raised me. And as a person that
wanted to do something -- right now the community can't even use the Culmer Center. The
Commissioner was there the night that we all got evicted, but it's a multipurpose center. It was
supposed to be for the community. So I'm saying we need to go back and get the original
boundaries, the original maps, the original charter, as well as the fact that we need our history
We need the promise that was given to us. We had a return policy. What happened to it? So
people keep -- you know, you could take a coat and make it with different colors and patches.
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This whole thing for Overtown has been amended and amended, it look like it's patched up, and
we need to come back together. As Jackie said .4'omebody lied. "And we need to -- I wish that we
could find a good constitutional lawyer, because we haven't been through due process, and our
constitutional rights have been very much violated in Overtown.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am. Next.
Berlinda Faye Dixon: High. Good afternoon. My name is --
Chair Gort: You give up your time?
Ms. Dixon: I -- we have others that gave up time. I let the Clerk aware. He's aware of
evetybody that spoke --
Chair Gort: Okay.
Ms. Dickson: Thank you. We're very organized, as you can see.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Ms. Dickson: Anyway, my name is Belinda Faye Dixon. I am an Overtown resident, okay, and I
want you guys to be aware that we are paying attention to what goes on. And, Commissioner, I
really applaud you. Thank you so much for taking the time, and thank you guys for allowing him
to take the time to break it down so that our people can have an understanding. Because one of
the things is that we haven't had the opportunity to have this understanding, okay. When you're
dealing with a population that -- not evetybody has a cell phone. They don't have cable TV; they
have air TV. And their minute -- their phone is a minute phone. Communication doesn't
necessarily get down to the grassroots level, and that's where we as activists, we try to let the
people know what's going on so that we can stand behind our Commissioner, so I applaud you
for that. You were talking about SR. 7. I'm completely behind you in what you were saying, that
there needs to be some implementation of giving back, okay. We don't want that scenario. Like
you said Oh, you build this big thing and then give a little park. " Oh, that's so cute. "No, we don't
want that. Additionally, with this rezoning, I'm in agreement that industrial use, okay, is not
good. It needs to change. But I am demanding remediation of the land and on any additional
lands that were previous companies, like what was heard before, dry cleaners and such with --
there were previous studies about perk. I'm asking that those -- like the one guy that just brought
the land for, what, 14 million or whatever. Yeah, that land needs to be accountable. That land
need to be studied okay, and tested before we go making a mixed use madness, okay, and we
have everybody full of cancer. So I'm asking for studies -- money for studies for this land; and if
we're going to rezone it, we need studies to make sure the soil is safe, because y'all wouldn't put
your kids playing there; I wouldn't put mine, so we're not having it. We pay attention. And y'all
want the land so bad, y'all can have it, but y'all got to fix it proper. That's where we stand. And
you're going to give something back to the community. So that's -- with that said, that's all I
have to say. Also, I would like for you to please fight for the Culmer Center, because as it stands
right now, as an Overtown resident, you cannot even sit there on the Culmer bench; the security
guard will escort you off the property, okay. You can't use it for a wedding or a get-together, and
that all needs to change. Okay.
Vice Chair Hardemon: You can always see our office about it. We know that the Culmer Center
is a County -owned facility, and so we can express our concerns to our County Commissioner
who controls that area and to be able to see what type of changes we can make with the Culmer
Center. Because Dr. Christian is right, that we have been evicted past 7 o'clock, so --
Ms. Dixon: Yes.
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Vice Chair Hardemon: So that's the first that I -- and I believe that if someone wants to
redevelop that property and there has been some type of uses that has contaminated the land,
they would most likely run into that DERM (Department of Environmental Resources
Management) issues, so they will have to remediate the land before -- -- would it be remediate or
mediate. One of the two -- but the land before they build something new there. So that will most
likely be done. Thank you.
Ms. Christian: I just wanted to add for the ownership and the property --
Chair Gort: Name and address.
Ms. Christian: -- the land was given to the community from Mayor Adams, who was over HUD
(Department of Housing and Urban Development). At that particular time, the City of Miami did
have -- they wasn't doing community projects. But that land doesn't belong to -- it doesn't belong
to the County. The County just jacked it. So I think that if it was up to me, I would say the City
owns it just as much of the County, because it was never given to the County officially. They
never had any deed, so we need to investigate that, too. Because I was part of the ownership.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am. Okay. Now close the public hearing.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So the public hearing's been closed.
Chair Gort: Let me add a little bit of something that just -- the growth of Miami -Dade County
has been to the detriment of the City of Miami. I know many of you suffered through the 1-95.
We had 112 that destroyed Allapattah, that whole area there. We had the 836, which I was a
victim. My family was taken over, the home. So the growth of Miami down at the -- Miami -Dade
County have been to the detriment of the City of Miami. So we need to understand that. Yes, sir.
Go ahead. It's all yours.
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): I'm sorry, Mr. Chair. Can I just clarify that the public
hearing we just had was for all the PZ items and SR items that were specified by yourself as well
as Mr. Garcia, and the public hearing has been closed for all those items at this time.
Chair Gort: Correct.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So I'm guessing at this moment, since we've heard all that, we will be
moving on, Mr. Chairman, to SR.4.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Is that right? Oh, I'm sorry; we're doing PZs first, right? It's PZs first.
Mr. Min: The first one is --
Vice Chair Hardemon: PZ.6, and I want to make clear -- and Barnaby, I need you to help me do
this, or Mr. City Attorney, please help me do this. For the items where we describe the northern
boundaries of the Overtown -- the Southeast Overtown/Park West community, the overlay -- the
historical overlay from the NRD-1 -- and you can articulate it better than I can, because I'm
trying to remember from the top of my head -- we do not want the aspects of the NRD-1 to fall
into the Overtown boundary, and so -- meaning that we will be changing -- along the zoning, it
will go from industrial to general commercial, but the NRD boundary will not extend into that
same area.
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Mr. Min: Correct. And what 1 also understood from the discussion and the desire of the
Commission is that west of Northwest 2nd Avenue, the southern boundary of the NRD-1 will be
equivalent to the northern boundaty of the Southeast Overtown/Park West Community
Redevelopment Agency.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Correct.
Mr. Min: To the east of Northwest 2nd Avenue, it'll be consistent with what is currently in
Exhibit A, '{vith the clarification that those properties south of Northwest 20th Street will only be
rezoned but will not have the NRD-1 regulations applied to them.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Correct.
Mr. Garcia: I'm sorry, Commissioner. If I may? Just for clarification sake. I believe what the
Deputy City Attorney mentioned was as a boundaty Northwest 2nd Avenue. I believe that to be
Northwest 1st Place, which is further to the east. Feel free to correct me if am wrong.
Vice Chair Hardemon: You are correct. This is 1st Place here, that line.
Mr. Garcia: Thank you.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So you mean east of 1st Place, that's correct.
Chair Gort: As amended. Are you making a motion?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Right. So --
Mr. Min: The first item would be PZ.6, and ifI could also clarify based on what was said earlier
concerning the concerns with the public benefits trust fund language. If that language -- well,
based on that concern, my suggestion is on PZ.6, on page 2 of the legislation, under Subsection
3.12.3, Subsection B, Subsection 6, which is the very last section on page 2, that it be clarified to
state that the NRD lhay'implement a public benefits program, since there may be -- there may not
be a public benefits program that this NRD-1 will be able to implement.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I'm going to do my best to fight -- their --
Mr. Min: And ifI may --
Vice Chair Hardemon: I understand.
Mr. Min: -- I say that because -- only because PZ.6 does not necessarily apply solely to the
NRD-1, but it is the enabling legislation for any future NRDs that may be created throughout the
City.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. The name will be permanently permissible then, right. So I would
move to pass it with the amendments that we've discusses, along with the public hearings.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: It's been moved and second.
Mr. Min: For PZ 6.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Barnaby Min.
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Mr. Hannon: Roll call on item PZ 6.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on second reading, as amended, 5-0.
PZ.7 ORDINANCE
14-00054zc
First Reading
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
"T6-24-0" URBAN CORE ZONE -OPEN TO "T6-36A-O" URBAN CORE
ZONE -OPEN, FOR THE PROPERTIES LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 1410,
1420, 1424, AND 1432 NORTHEAST MIAMI PLACE; 1415, 1421, 1425, 1433,
AND 1445 NORTHEAST MIAMI COURT; AND 47, 55, AND 67 NORTHEAST
14TH STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA; MAKING FINDINGS; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
14-00054zc FR Fact Sheet.pdf
14-00054zcAnalysis, Maps & PZAB Reso.pdf
14-00054zc Application & Supporting Documents.pdf
14-00054zc Legislation (v3).pdf
14-00054zc Exhibit.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 1410, 1420, 1424, and 1432 NE Miami Place;
1415, 1421, 1425, 1433, and 1445 NE Miami Court; and 47, 55, and 67 NE
14th Street [Commissioner Marc David Sarnoff - District 2]
APPLICANT(S): Iris Escarra, Esquire, on behalf of 14th Plaza Corporation
FINDING(S):
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended denial.
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Motion to approve with
conditions failed, by a vote of 3-5, on March 5, 2014; therefore, constituting a
recommendation of denial.
PURPOSE: This will change the above properties from "T6-24-0" to
"T6-36A-O". Item does not include a covenant.
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
Note for the Record: Item PZ.7 was deferred to the December 10, 2015, Planning and Zoning
Commission Meeting.
PZ.8 ORDINANCE First Reading
15-000571u
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
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
PROCEDURES SUBJECT TO §163.3187, FLORIDA STATUTES, BY
CHANGING THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF THE ACREAGE
DESCRIBED HEREIN OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY
2240 SOUTHWEST 13TH AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA LEGALLY DESCRIBED
IN EXHIBIT "A", HEREBY ATTACHED, FROM "DUPLEX RESIDENTIAL" TO
"LOW DENSITY RESTRICTED COMMERCIAL"; MAKING FINDINGS;
DIRECTING TRANSMITTALS TO AFFECTED AGENCIES; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-000571u SR Fact.pdf
15-00057Iu Analysis, Maps & PZAB Reso.pdf
15-000571u Application & Supporting Docs.pdf
15-000571u Legislation (v2).pdf
15-000571u Exhibit.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 2240 SW 13th Avenue [Commissioner Frank
Carollo - District 3]
APPLICANT(S): David J. Coviello, Esquire, on behalf of 1300 Coral Brickell,
LLC
FINDING(S):
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval. See
companion File ID: 15-00057zc.
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Motion to approve with
conditions failed, by a vote of 4-5, on May 20, 2015; therefore, constituting a
recommendation of denial.
PURPOSE: This will change the land use designation for the above property
from "Duplex Residential" to "Low Density Restricted Commercial".
Motion by Commissioner Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
PASSED ON FIRST READING PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
Chair Gort: Next.
Francisco Garcia (Director, Planning & Zoning): Next, sir, I have items PZ 8 and PZ 9. They
are respectively a land use change and a rezoning for a property at 2240 Southwest 13th Avenue.
This is before you on first reading, and the proposed change in terms of zoning would go from
T3-0, which is duplex zoning, presently in place, to T4-L, which is general urban transect zone,
limited. This item also includes a covenant which restricts the development ability on the site, as
proposed by the applicants. Without anything further, happy to answer any questions you may
have, and I'll defer to the applicant for presentation.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Alex Tachmes: Good evening, Mr. Chair. I'm Alex Tachmes, with the law firm of Shuns &
Bowen, 201 South Biscayne Boulevard. Good evening; good to see all of you again. We're here
tonight on an application by 1300 Coral Brickell, LLC (Limited Liability Company), and we're
joined by Americo Dagostini, who is the owner of the project; and also, by the way, a local
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resident of the South Miami Avenue area; Ralph Puig, our architect; Richard Garcia, our traffic
engineer; Rob Curtis, our land use consultant; and Kathleen Maurer, our -- my colleague, with
Shuns & Bowen. If you have a walking -- if there's a walking mike, it might make it easier. I'm
just going to put on a map to be able to show -- So we're submitting an application to rezone and
change the comp plan designation of a property roughly on the corner of Southwest 22nd
Terrace and Southwest 13th Avenue, and you can see from the map here. So you've got -- Coral
Way is the yellow line up here; you've got Southwest 13th Avenue here; and the subject property
we're seeking to rezone is in red. So our client owns three parcels. They own the two properties
on the corner of Southwest 13th and Coral Way; that's T6-8. We're not applying for any zoning
or comp plan change as to these properties. We are seeking to rezone this property from T3-0 to
T4-L. Now, what we're seeking to do is construct a 57-unit residential condominium with retail
on the ground floor. Currently, what you have here is a 60-year-old office building, which is in
rather dilapidated condition, and that would be demolished in order to make way for the
residential condominium with eight stories on Coral Way. Now, this property to the rear has
been a surface parking lot for about half a century; for about 42, 43 years. We found the
evidence in the City's records that clearly indicates the permitting that was obtained to pave that
lot in the early '70s. So all we're seeking to do is basically rezone to T4-L, which would allow us
to replace parking with parking. So all we're seeking to do is build a three-story parking
structure on this lot in order to be able to service the condominium that would be located to the
north; so, again, no zoning change to the properties on Coral Way; only to the rear parcel. Now,
you might ask yourself if we're rezoning the property to T4-L that that might bring in other uses
that might not work with the neighborhood, such as retail, or office, or other commercial uses.
So to address that, we're proffering a covenant, which is in the file, which makes it clear that
there will be no commercial uses of any kind on this rear parcel, except for the parking, which
will be a private parking garage to service the residential lot. You might also ask, well, if we're
changing the comp plan designation, will that increase the density of the property and be able to
put more units on that lot? Again, through our covenant, we're providing that we will not change
the density of what could be done here, so we can currently do three townhouse units, and that's
what we're going to do under this project. We're not increasing the density or intensity, even
though we're seeking the comp plan change. So the project will be located here; it'll be three
townhome liners on Southwest 22nd Terrace; and then, the parking structure, and the entrance
and exit will remain on Southwest 13th Avenue, which is the way it's always been for decades.
Now, as I mentioned, we proffered a covenant which would assure that there'll be no negative
effects, either from the standpoint of new use, or intensity, or a change in the physical character
of the area, and those are basically the three main issues that you would look at in a rezoning.
Are we bringing s new use to the area? The answer is, no. It's been parking for 50 years
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) 45. We're keeping it as parking. Are we changing the physical scale of the
area? Again, the answer is, no. We can currently do townhomes on that lot, and all we're
seeking to do is add one more story. You can do two stories. We're now seeking to do three,
that's it. And then lastly, are we increasing the intensity of what can be done on that site? And
again, through the covenant, the intensity is remaining the same. Now, the support of the
community is obviously important, and we're glad to say that we have, ready to turn into you
tonight, 60 letters of support from members of the community, and we're going to distribute that
now, so it's clear to the record that's six -zero, 60 letters in support, and I know that there's other
individuals who will be here, as well, to speak in favor. Now, one of the issues that we brought
out in a letter I submitted to you last week are the great economic benefits that this project will
bring. For starters, we're taking a 60-year-old office building, and knocking it down, and
replacing it with brand new construction. This is an area of Coral Way that, frankly, is a bit
dilapidated and tired looking. This will bring an infusion of new construction, investment, and
hopefully, serve as a catalyst for future construction in this area. The surface parking lot that
we're seeking to change is a rather unattractive asphalt lot that I understand also attracts
homeless and (UNINTELLIGIBLE)in the evenings; naturally, that would be changing with the
construction of the new property on that site. Then we had an economic study done by Andy
Dolkart, who's a well-known economist, and I think the results are pretty staggering. First, if we
do this project, the property taxes being generated by these properties will increase nine times.
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So we took the amount of property taxes that are being generated by these properties now,
factored in what we're going to be doing. It'll be nine fold increase in real estate taxes. Second,
we're scheduled to pay, if the project goes forward, $408, 000 in impact fees to the City of Miami.
Third, there'll be dozens of jobs created, both with regard to construction, and post -construction.
And lastly, there will be a general economic impact of a positive nature of approximately $2
million per year to the City of Miami; $2 million economic impact, favorable to the City of
Miami. Staff is recommending in favor of this application, and we appreciate the fact that staff
with their professional advice and analyses, have recommended in favor, and is happy with our
submission. Now, before I close and turn it over to a couple of our consultants to speak briefly, I
would like to address some concerns of other individuals who have expressed some objection,
and they have a few objections. I'd like to go over those with you quickly, but what I would say
in general is we should remember to focus on the specific application in front of the Commission.
The concerns of the individuals who are opposing the project generally are not focused on the
specific merits of this application, but rather on their dissatisfaction with more general issues
that have nothing to do with this project. So, for example, they will come up here and tell you
that traffic in this area is bad. Well, we all know traffic in South Florida is not good and I'm not
going to tell you that this somehow is going to eliminate traffic, but the question is: What is the
specific effect of this particular project on traffic? And you'll see that the impact is little or
nothing on the existing traffic situation. They also discuss other issues about, well, a building on
Coral Way would be too high, too much of a problem. Well, the building on Coral Way is T6-8;
it's as of right, so there shouldn't be a discussion about whether a building on Coral Way of eight
stories is appropriate or not; if you think it's not, there are mechanisms to downzone that street, if
that's what you want to do, but it's not the subject of this application, which is just focusing on
whether we should rezone a park -- an existing parking lot from parking to parking, and allow
this project to go forward. Let me touch on these issues really quickly. First, on the issue of
traffic, there will be no significant effect on traffic of any kind, for a very logical reason: We're
taking a 60-year-old office building that currently generates traffic; we're demolishing that and
replacing it with another building that generates basically the same traffic demand. That's in
our traffic study; Richard Garcia will testify to that. It's not a situation where it's a vacant lot,
we're putting up a 500-unit building, and there's going to be this dramatic change in traffic
patterns. Existing traffic pattern replaced with future traffic demand is basically the same.
Secondly, are we changing the character of the neighborhood by developing this project?
Remember the three points I raised before: "A," no new use is being brought to the
neighborhood. It's been a parking lot for half a century. Secondly, no increase in intensity; and
third, we're keeping it at three stories, so it's not going to change the physical character of the
area, either. There are some comments from neighbors that this is going to make the parking
situation worse in the area, and people may end up having to park on the side of the road. Well,
we are not seeking a variance for parking. We're meeting all the parking requirements under
Miami 21 for this project, which includes parking for residents, including parking for guests.
And then, if you'll notice on -- should be a board up here, as well -- that we're roughly within -- I
think it's about a half -mile distance of Metrorail. So in an effort to also incentivize people to use
cars less, we are within an area that is not too far from mass transit. Two other quick points:
The neighbors also bring up that they're concerned that entry into the covenant will not give
them adequate protection. Now, as you all know, a covenant is a common land use tool; it's a
legal and binding agreement; and on top of that, it cannot be changed unless you change it at a
public hearing. I've been doing zoning work for quite a long time, and the frequency with which
covenants are changed by a public body is extremely low. So when you record a covenant on a
piece of property, and it can only be changed by the City Commission at a public meeting,
extremely difficult to get rid of a covenant. So for all intents and purposes, it's a permanent
document that is not going to be changing. And then lastly, what we do -- we discussed this
briefly, as well -- there was a comment about building eight stories on Coral Way, and that it
won't be appropriate on Coral Way. Remember, this application is doing nothing with regard to
Coral Way. We're just seeking to rezone a rear parcel with T3-0 to T4-L in order to do our
parking structure. The T6-8 on Coral Way is not part of our application, and frankly, is not in
front of the Commission. Having said all that, I'd now like to have Rob Curtis from Miami's
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consultant speak briefly on Miami 21 and the comp plan, and how we comply; and then Richard
Garcia will also speak briefly on the traffic study he did, as I'm sure it'll come up with a couple
of comments.
Chair Gort: Mr. Attorney? Mr. Attorney?
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): Mr. Chair.
Chair Gort: I had these applicants -- they visited my office. I want to say here that no
discussion took place.
Mr. Min: Okay.
Chair Gort: Okay.
Mr. Min: And you just have to disclose, so if any opposing party or any party wants to have the
opportunity to ask questions on that issue, they have that opportunity now.
Mr. Tachmes: Yes. Just for the record, then, I would indicate, with regard to ex parte
discussions, we did have discussions with each of the Commissioners -- well, I will say we did
not have a discussion with Commissioner Carollo. We had a discussion with Commissioner
Sarnoff, and Commissioner Gort, and Commissioner Suarez, and we also met with the chief of
staff to Commissioner Hardemon, James McQueen; and the subject was to discuss the
application; any questions or comments they might have had
Mr. Min: And just for the record, for the same reasons expressed by Commissioner Gort, should
anyone have the request to ask any questions or clarify the issues that were discussed in ex parte,
they can do that at this time. Thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman, I'm sorry, but since I'm chairing -- I'm chairing now,
real quick, I know you reached out to all our office, but I think our office let you know that due to
the Jennings Rule, we did not want to participate in any discussions until we're here on the dais.
Mr. Tachmes: Understood
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Robert Curtis: Good evening, Mr. Chairman, Commissioners. My name is Rob Curtis, with --
my office is at 7520 Red Road
Mr. Min: Mr. Curtis, if you don't mind, just one second I just want to confirm for the record
that nobody's objecting, so there's no reason to continue the hearing at this time, based on the ex
parte communications. Thank you. Sony, Mr. Curtis.
Mr. Curtis: Again, I'm an urban planner, with offices at 7520 Red Road in South Miami. And
just as your professional staff has concluded, it's my opinion that this application is consistent
with the Miami 21, and the Miami Neighborhood Comprehensive Plan, and it's also consistent
with the neighborhood. The subject parcel has been a parking lot for the past 41 years, and its
supported uses have been in place for over 60 years. The proposed change will continue the
existing parking use, and with the access and egress at the same location, so there's no change of
that; in addition, it will also allow the three dwelling units, which are allowed at the 18 units per
acre, so it's consistent with the residential neighborhood, and compatible with that. The subject
parcel and associated sites are currently underutilized, and they're in need of redevelopment, and
that's something that both the comprehensive plan and Miami 21 look at; that's how Miami needs
to create its future; through infill and redevelopment. The properties to the north are T6; the
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parcel -- the properties to the east, the gas station and the retail, are also T6, so you have T6
right now up against T3. Our proposal is to have T4; that's consistent with the successional
zoning of Miami 21; the T3 to the next step up to the T4, and then to the T6 across the street.
The -- this furthers -- in addition, it furthers the guiding principles of Miami 21. As Mr. Tachmes
pointed out, we are within -- we're just outside of a quarter mile from the Vizcaya Metrorail
Station; we're within a half mile. Coral Way is -- also has the transit which moves along it.
Transit moves down to the Vizcaya. This is an area that the City has designated for
transit -oriented development, and this is the type of development that supports that. This will
bring -- it will allow for the pedestrians and the bicycles, also, with the type of density which is
being proposed. I'd just say, then, in conclusion, the use of the property will continue as from --
will go from parking to parking; it's consistent; access will remain the same; the three residential
units are allowed; and therefore, I find this consistent with Miami 21, the Miami Comprehensive
Neighborhood Plan, and the neighborhood. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: A quick question.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: So other than the three liner units, that parcel right there will only be
parking of three stories? Would any of the -- whatever you're thinking of building on Coral Way
encroach into that area?
Mr. Tachmes: Commissioner, I'm not sure I understand. The rear parcel, we're just doing
parking structure with three townhouse liners.
Commissioner Carollo: That is it; everything else that you're planning on putting on Coral Way,
you're planning on putting it as of right, and not encroaching into the parcel that you're seeking
the zoning change?
Mr. Tachmes: Correct. Now, on the Coral Way piece, we're putting residential condominium,
and retail on the ground floor. Some of the retail will wrap around to 13th Avenue, but it will not
extend onto that back piece, so the back piece -- Cathy, you want to put up the renderings?
Commissioner Carollo: And you're thinking of doing that as of right, so even if it goes around,
you still could do that as of right?
Mr. Tachmes: Yes. Everything we're doing on the parcels that front Coral Way are both being
done as of right. And we -- this isn't the site plan application, Commissioner, but this is a
general idea of what we'd be doing on the rear parcel and the townhomes that would be fronting
Southwest 22nd Terrace. This just gives you an idea. These are the homes down 22nd Terrace,
looking eastward; and then here is Southwest 13th Avenue, and you can just see the three stories
peeking out from the shrubbery that we'd have on that corner. But again, this is not a site plan
application, but it's generally the way it would look; they're all within three stories.
Commissioner, we will also be having an amenity deck on the -- pool on the roof of that
three-story structure, but we are setting that back 60 feet away from Southwest 22nd Terrace, so
that there's no issue with neighbors or whatnot, but that's basically it; a parking structure,
townhouse liner, amenity deck, and that's it. Now, Richard, would you like to pop up for a
minute? A quick comment from our traffic engineer, Richard Garcia.
Richard Garcia: Good evening, Commissioners. Richard Garcia; office at 8065 Northwest 98th
Street. We conducted a traffic study. Our study looked at comparing the trip -- generation of the
existing uses that are on the property and the proposed uses. We found that our project will not
have a material impact on traffic. The traffic generation of the existing use is basically the same
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as the proposed use. There were some like single -digit increase in trips. If you want the actual
totals, we have about 14 trips in the AMP (average mean performance), and ten trips in the PMP
(peak mean performance), because the actual net difference; however, our traffic study was very
conservative since this is a project with a small traffic generation. We didn't take any reductions
for transit uses. It's been mentioned that this is an area that can be -- benefit from transit. We
didn't take any reduction for pedestrians, bicycle usage; pass -by, since it's going to have some
retail use; some of this traffic's already on the road. We didn't take any internalization; or,
further, we did not use the person trip reduction, which is allowed here in the City. Our parking
structure is going to include parking for residents, their guests, and for retail. Lastly, our
project's within walking distance -- a quarter mile; it's about a quarter mile from the Vizcaya
Station, and this is like a TOD area, basically, transit -oriented development, so we would expect
there would be further traffic reduction, and we don't see that this project would have any
material difference on traffic in the area. And with that, I'll conclude.
Mr. Tachmes: Thank you, Richard Mr. Chair, that concludes our presentation. If we can
reserve about a minute for rebuttal, that would be great. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. This is a public hearing.
Luis Herrera: Good evening. My name is Luis Herrera, president of Vizcaya Homeowners
Association. I live in 1181 Southwest 22nd Terrace. First of all, I want you people check it out,
the 60 signatures that he give to you. I have 30 signatures, owners in that particular place,
around in the neighborhood. How come he going to have 60 and I have 30? We have to check it
out who it is, like you said, you swear (UNINTELLIGIBLE). I want you to check it out. I want to
give you this for the record, plus the signatures we taking before when it coming to the Planning
Advisory Board, and the Planning Advisory Board deny this change in zoning. So in this
particular place, there is T3, it's residential. Let me show you right here. It's all these trees over
here, they want to knock it down. They want to knock it down, all the trees where we
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) there. And now, a few minutes ago, you forget about your people, since
something for the neighborhood. And anybody asking to saving the neighborhood, and we
asking all you, saving the neighborhood. This particular building here, they gave it the chance
to change the zoning, the board, he asking for. Look at what he did, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). So
they destroy the neighborhood, the character of the neighborhood. So we (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
want to support it, the neighborhood like a residential, like it is. Now, two, three weeks ago, we
had the same situation in U.S.] and 30 Road. Yeah, 30 Road and U.S.], we got almost the same
situation right here, okay? And Mr. Carollo say, "We have to listen to the neighbors." And we
have to listen to the neighbors, and we want to you people support the neighborhood, because
this zone change and he never mention -- he mention before in top of the parking lot, he going to
put some swimming pool. So you got this little house next to the swimming pool, all the noise
and everything in there, and then you going to have some people, they come to the
neighborhood, there is real estate and we going to support this gentleman, because that's the real
estate he want to in the back. They have two property, the same owner. Probably he want to buy
the property of this lady, it's real estate, and he selling over there, too. So please, understand the
neighborhoods. We want the neighborhood continue like a residential. He mention he going to
put two townhouses in the back; 57 unit and two houses in the back, you don't got enough
parking lot to do what he supposed to do. We want to maintain it the way it is; neighborhood.
Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Next.
Anita Thorhaug: Yes. Thank you. My name is Dr. Anita Thorhaug, and I live at 1359 --
Unidentified Speaker: Wait, wait.
Ms. Thorhaug: I'm sorry?
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Unidentified Speaker: Wait for the Commissioner.
Chair Gort: Go ahead.
Ms. Thorhaug: I ask the --
Chair Gort: Go ahead, yeah.
Ms. Thorhaug: -- Commissioner Gort, and he said ` jyes. "
Chair Gort: Yeah.
Ms. Thorhaug: Yes.
Chair Gort: Go ahead.
Ms. Thorhaug: At 1359 Southwest 22nd Terrace, and I'm representing my nextdoor neighbor,
Juan Carlos Mensio (phonetic), too. We are three down --
Chair Gort: You've got to speak into the mike. You have to speak into the mike. Ma'am, ma'am
'll give you a mike.
Chair Gort: Ma'am --
Commissioner Suarez: 'll give you a microphone.
Chair Gort: -- you got to speak into the mike.
Ms. Thorhaug: We are three down from the project, and I have these things to say: We endorse
this completely. There are many homeless people who come and make the sanitation -- because
there are no bathrooms there -- very bad, and make the safety, especially if you're walking your
dogs at night, children are coming back at evening, older people are walking around. And this
has been a problem I've owned since 1992, and the homeless people in the parking lot of that
building have been a particular problem on this block. And the second is that I think the series
of older buildings -- and we would like to participate in this wonderful thing happening to the
corridor of Coral Way that's happened from 14th Avenue all the way to 20 -- 37th Avenue, which
are these sparkling new buildings; which revibes [sic] with outdoor restaurants, and more
people, and more people in the neighborhood. This is a multifamily and duplex neighborhood.
In fact, there's nothing but townhouses going up across the street from me; that's exactly what's
happening, townhouses are being built all over the neighborhood. And it's only two blocks, as
you see from there this particular 22nd Terrace; it's just two blocks long. And at one end is the
triangle that's commercial; and at the other end, a long row of townhouses that have been made,
so townhouses, in fact, are exactly what's happening in this neighborhood. Everything on the
north side of 22nd Terrace is all either multifamily or townhouses, except for those two houses.
Everything else in the block, except for those two houses, is multifamily, sir.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am.
Ms. Thorhaug: So I endorse this completely, and so does my neighbor.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
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Commissioner Carollo: And, ma'am, and your address for the record again, please?
Ms. Thorhaug: Excuse me?
Commissioner Carollo: Your address.
Chair Gort: Your address again.
Ms. Thorhaug: 1359 Southwest 22nd Terrace.
Commissioner Carollo: Thank you.
Ms. Thorhaug: And Juan Carlos Mensio (phonetic) is 1349 Southwest 22nd, and we're three
down from the red parking lot. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am. Yes, ma'am.
Beba Mann: Good evening. My name is Beba Mann; 1665 Southwest 21 st Street -- 23rd Street.
First, I wanted to congratulate Commissioner Suarez for an unopposed race; that means a lot for
the leadership, so thank you. I am the president of Silver Bluff Homeowners Association, which,
as Commissioner Carollo knows, falls into District 3. I'm actually three blocks away from this
project. Now, the lady that just spoke is a realtor that lives on Southwest 22nd Terrace; and
there may be other people that speak tonight, and I would like to know what is their financial
interest in this project; have they been hired to sell units; have they been hired to represent the
project; have they been hired to do some of the decorations, or landscaping? What is the
purpose of their support and financial gain of this project? I -- also, I agree with Mr. --
Commissioner Suarez: Herrera.
Ms. Mann: -- Herrera. I'm sorry; a senior moment. That there are 60 signatures that they
collected, and I know that they were collecting it in the neighborhood, and nobody signed So I
don't know where they came from, because the ones that we are putting into the record are
immediately on Southwest 22nd Terrace, and we didn't go up or around; we just went in that
area. So just to get back in track, and I'm sorry I went off a little bit; I'm going to have to take
off my glasses so I can see my notes. I think you are familiar with the PZAB (Planning, Zoning
& Appeals Board) item, that went before them on March 18 and was continued It went before
them on April 15; it was deferred. It went before them on May 20, and they denied it twice,
because they tried to find a way to make it work, and it didn't. It was a denial twice. They had
proposed for 61 units when they spoke; now, it's 58, I believe.
Unidentified Speaker: Fifty-seven.
Ms. Mann: Now, he's trying to make this particular land use as the only item that you need to
listen to; however, if you read the covenant and if you read all the paperwork that they are
proposing here, this is tied to the project, and I'm going to explain to you why it is wrong to
approve this project, this particular land use change. I have my granddaughters here; they're
going to be holding it -- oh, there we go. Okay. Right now, as of right, which is what the
attorney is saying, this is what they can build They go right here. They go up two stories; they
have to step back; they go up three stories -- it's okay (UNINTELLIGIBLE -- they have to go up
three stories and step back; and then they go up three more stories, and they set back. This is
what they're allowed to build by right. The moment the land behind them -- this is by right when
they're abutting a T3, which is what they're abutting right now. The moment they abut a T4, this
by -right project becomes this by -right project. So this is on steroids now. In other words, the
back of this building is going to be one, two, three, four, five stories up behind the residents in
the area, and as you know, the footprint on the first floor can be a two-story. So this would be a
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huge monster behind a neighborhood that, when you look at the picture, is two blocks in
directions: two blocks west; two blocks south; two blocks north; it's tiny. It would be eaten alive
by a project like this. Now, I understand that the zoning on this section of Coral Way between
17th Avenue and 12th Avenue is to a T6-8. I would like to see this Commission follow the Miami
21 plan that we, the residents, fought so hard to make sure that we were protected and put into
place, and this is what Miami 21 came up with, okay? So let's say for argument's sake that you
want to say, "Okay, there's a parking lot there, it's a surface parking lot. Let's give them a new
parking lot." They need to build this by right if they're saying that this change of land use has
nothing to do with what they can build on Coral Way, because at the end of the day, that's
exactly what they're looking for; to get the 61 units, the 58 units, which they cannot do if they
don't rezone the back. Now, I have a question which I would like for this Commission --
Commissioner Carollo: Ms. Mann.
Ms. Mann: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: I'm sorry Mr. Chairman, I'm sorry (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Gort: Yes, go ahead.
Commissioner Carollo: Ms. Mann, I have a question. Are you saying that if they agree to build
what they can right now, as of right --?
Ms. Mann: They couldn't, because -- at that height.
Commissioner Carollo: Listen. Listen to my question.
Ms. Mann: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: You're saying that if they -- if we give them the zoning change, that then
they actually could increase what they could build, but my question is, if they build exactly what
they can build now as of right, without a zoning change, then you don't oppose having that type
of parking structure?
Ms. Mann: Well, they can't do that. By -- as of right, their right changes the moment --
Commissioner Carollo: Right, their right changes, but what I'm saying is, even if their right
changes and they propose a covenant not to have it changed, to keep the building the same way
as what they could build as of right now, would you then be okay with a parking structure?
Ms. Mann: No, because they're going to have a problem, because their parking structure is three
stories, and as of right, with a T6-8, it can only be two stories out, and then it goes in, so that
means that they would have to decrease their parking -- yes, sir -- and they would have to
decrease the parking by one story if it were going to match what they can do by right. That --
what I'm showing you here is from Miami 21; I'm not making this up.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Planning Director, can you chime in? I'm not sure exactly who's
correct or not, because I'm seeing counsel here nodding his head, so I just want to -- I just want
clarity. I want the facts. I want to know what can and cannot be done.
Mr. Garcia: Certainly. And what I'm going to tty to do is I'm going to tty to place an image
here. It will show the very same graphic that Ms. Mann was showing a moment ago; that's it.
And what she's alluding to -- correctly -- is that at present, there is an abutting condition where
the zoning on Coral Way is T6-8 and the zoning on the parcel behind is T3-0. Because that is the
case, then this is a diagram on the bottom right-hand corner that shows those two abutting
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conditions and how they can be managed. And what she's referring to -- Ms. Mann -- is that the
T6-8 parcel by right can go up only two stories, and then it has to step back 25 feet away from
the property line for stories three, four and five, and then step back further.
Commissioner Carollo: I understood that part.
Mr. Garcia: Yeah. And so I think what she's saying in response to your question about them
being able to develop as of right T6-8, what they can do today is that they will be restricted in
T6-8 to do only two stories, closer to the property line, and if the parking structure they're
proposing to build is three stories, there would be a lack of coherence between the two-story
podium on the T6-8 side and a three -stove parking structure. I understand your comments to be
-- well, I don't want to interpret your comments; you can certainly speak to those -- but that's the
misalignment that I think Ms. Mann is trying to describe.
Commissioner Carollo: Is that right?
Ms. Mann: That's correct. That's correct. They -- once they abut a T4, they can mushroom.
(UNINTELLIGIBLE). Now, if you say to them, "Okay, we will give you this, but you have to
maintain what you would have been able to build had you not received the T4 designation in the
back, " they cannot have a three-story parking lot, because it would not match what is allowed as
of right.
Commissioner Carollo: So (UNINTELLIGIBLE) anyway, so that was my original question.
Mr. Tachmes: Can I respond to it?
Commissioner Carollo: Sure.
Mr. Tachmes: Honestly, Commissioner, I didn't quite understand Mr. Garcia's explanation. We
-- the idea would be we would construct an 80-unit building on the property on Coral Way. A
unity of title would connect it to the parking lot to the rear. It would be T4. We would limit it to
three stories, and would connect to the residential building to the north; very simple.
Ms. Mann: But how can you do that if you're only allowed to go up two stories?
Chair Gort: Listen, listen, please wait. Excuse me, ma'am.
Ms. Mann: I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Chair Gort: Let's follow the procedures.
Ms. Mann: I apologize.
Chair Gort: Go ahead.
Mr. Tachmes: I understand her concerns.
Commissioner Carollo: You know, I thought that what she was saying is what you just
mentioned but apparently not, because she feels that it is incompatible, because you can only go
two stories for the first section of the rear property, and the parking lot will be three stories, so --
Mr. Tachmes: With a unity of title, that wouldn't apply. I'd defer to Francisco.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Garcia?
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Mr. Garcia: Let me -- if I may ask a question of the applicant to make sure that 1 can reconcile
the two points of view, and it may be simple to do. I would ask you the following: To phrase it
the other way around, is it your proposal that the building on the T6-8-zoned part of the site rise
to three stories or to five stories before hitting that 25-foot setback?
Chair Gort: Five.
Mr. Tachmes: Let me let our architect respond.
Ralph Puig: Ralph Puig, architect; 13505 Southwest 99th Place, Miami. The parking structure,
which is the connector between the proposed T4-L and the T6-80 [sic] will be 40 feet high, which
is a three -stove structure; that's the connector. None of the allowed T6-8 condominiums will be
intervening inside T4-L; matter of fact, that structure will be more than 70 feet -- almost a
hundred feet away from the T4-L zone, so I don't really understand the issue of how -- I mean, we
need the parking. Let's put it this way: We need the parking for the condominium. We need that
space to have the -- it's 53 units. Let's put it this -- it's 54 units on the condo and three units on
the townhouse units, so it's not 60 or 61, so forth. In order for us to do the condominium with 54
units, we need the parking requirements, which are three stories, 40 foot high parking structure
that would be not seen from the street, because we have a liner, which are the townhouses; that's
what we're asking for. Now, the building that's there right now, if we would actually, by right,
build the townhome units, the office building becomes obsolete. Why? We will never meet the
parking requirement for that office building, so we're trying to get a solution through the actual
problem that exists right now on that site; that's the design.
Chair Gort: Well, especially what I want to do --
Ms. Mann: Mr. Chairman, can I just continue my presentation?
Chair Gort: Yes, go ahead.
Ms. Mann: Thank you. Okay. At the end of the day, this is all about making what is on Coral
Way, the T6-8, fit what they want to get as far as their profits. This is about profits versus quality
of life. Again, in order for them to get that parking lot, which is the whole basis of the connector,
which will make the T6-8 a little fatter on Coral Way, he's talking about 40 stories. Have you
seen what 40 stories is behind your back yard? Ana Gelabert, when she was Planning director,
came to my house and saw one of these McMansions, which was 25 feet in my back yard, and
because of the way it's cut, it's five feet from my back yard. It is insanely big when you have it in
the back yard. Now, imagine 40 stories, just looking in your back yard; it's massive. Miami 21
designed this to protect the residents, to protect our homes. This is our biggest and only
investment. This is where we put our money. This is where our children were raised.
Commissioner Carollo, this is your district; you live in this area.
Commissioner Carollo: I know it very well.
Ms. Mann: And you know it very well, and you know exactly how small this neighborhood is.
Now, Coral Way is a historical road. It is a beautiful road. You, as the keepers of Miami, right
now should make Coral Way one of the most beautiful and quaint roads in the City. It doesn't
have to be a condominium canyon. The T6-8 is designed so that it's quaint, not that it's massive,
so I really hope that you consider this application on the basis of a denial, because we have
worked very hard with PZAB's to get to this point.
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am.
Ms. Mann: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Anyone else?
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Grace Solares: Hi. Grace Solares, 50 Southwest 30th Road I totally support the opposition of
the neighbors to this application. It's more or less like the one that had came before you about a
couple of months ago, change from T3 to T4 in a residential area. Not only do I support the
neighbors who have actually spoken here today; this is for the neighbors that have signed, 60 or
90 of them in opposition, asking you to please deny this application, so I support that denial.
Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Anyone else?
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: It's my understanding that 60 signed in support and about 30 signed
opposing. I haven't seen the ones that signed for opposing yet. I think they were given to the
Clerk, butt haven't seen them yet, butt will.
Chair Gort: Next.
Maria Sol Romseo: Good evening. My name is Maria Sol (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Ilive at 2262
Southwest 16th Avenue. Thank you very much. And I move -- I purchased my home in 2008 and
I been fortunate to see the way the neighborhood has been changing. I really support the project
because during this period and these years, I have seen the revamp of the area. There's new
houses, new families, 'specially young families with children moving into the area, making this
new houses and new constructions their home. So particularly, what the structure that we see
today, I cannot walk around there, because at night, even though it's a private parking lot, in
turns to be like a gathering place where you are really afraid to walk by, so for me, I totally
approve this project, because I think it's going to bring like a lot of value to the area, so the new
constructions are giving the new vibe that this area really needs, 'specially for the little small
business that we have on Coral Way that needs to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) all the community, and
there's more people coming and coming, so by the way, I as well am here representing my
neighbor, Ana Gordon, 2264 16th Avenue. You could see the papers and the signatures. Thank
you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Next.
Mr. Tachmes: Mr. Chair, this is --
Ms. Mann: Mr. Chairman, could you ask whether --
Chair Gort: The address is here; we'll check it.
Ms. Mann: No, no, no, not the addresses, but if they're working for the developer or they're
working for the applicant.
Mr. Tachmes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). She got (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to speak.
Chair Gort: Excuse me, I'm conducting the meeting, all right? Please settle down, relax; we'll
go through the whole process. Everybody will get a chance to speak, everybody will get a
chance to ask questions, and everybody will get a chance to answer questions, okay? Thank you.
Next.
Albio Castillo: My name is Al --
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Chair Gort: Yes, ma'am.
Mr. Castillo: Yes, sir? Sorry, sir.
Chair Gort: No problem.
Mr. Castillo: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Yes, ma'am.
Migdalia Pena: Hi. My name is Migdalia Pena. I live in my current address, 2150 Southwest
16th Avenue, and I agree with this project, because I get informed that they going to construct
apartment building in this area, and this is an old building, and going to build
(UNINTELLIGIBLE), and then it's -- there is a public area with -- that are located offices in this
place, and I think -- I saw the project, and I -- it look beautiful for the Coral Way area, and
building those apartment there is going to be less traffic and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) going to be
the area of sorrow, more sorrow. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thankyou, ma'am. Anyone else? Yes, sir.
Mr. Castillo: My name is Albio Castillo. I live in 2235 Southwest 16th Terrace. The problem
that I see in some areas is the parking, that it will intrude somewhat to the neighbors. And also,
I believe that Coral Way is heavily traffic. I have a problem walking. I'd like to know if he lives
in that neighborhood, trying to cross Coral Way. I believe he doesn't live there because trying to
cross Coral Way, you're putting your life in danger. So that's my problem I see. And also, I'd
like to know, is the parking, have they done a traffic stuck, because it's going to interfere with
Coral Way.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Castillo: You're welcome.
Chair Gort: Next.
Luis Morales: My name is Luis Morales. I live at 1143 Southwest 22nd Terrace. Some years
ago when Miami 21 started its first steps, I went to several meetings (UNINTELLIGIBLE), and
the people who present the plan said there was a silver bullet, that everything was in there, that
nothing else have to be discussed (UNINTELLIGIBLE) was there, so I don't
(UNINTELLIGIBLE)understand why, if everything is in there and this is not allowed by the
Miami 21, we are even discussing this now, because we spend a lot of money and a lot of time on
this plan instead of fixing the wonderful, but we (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- we cannot Fix it because
it's happening -- change so much that it's impossible to be fix. And now, we are changing the
new one after spending so much time and so much money. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thankyou, sir. Next. Anyone else?
Emilio Sanchez: Hi. My name is Emilio Sanchez; 1331 Southwest 22nd Terrace. I just want to
ask you to give us the same consideration, the same attention you gave the Overtown community.
We want to keep our neighborhood; we want to keep our style of life, so we hope that you will
bring the right decision on this issue. Thankyou.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir. Next.
David Rodriguez (as translated by Maribel Alonso, official Spanish Interpreter): Good
afternoon.
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Chair Gort: You got to speak in the mic.
Mr. Rodriguez (as translated by Maribel Alonso, official Spanish Interpreter): My name is
David Rodriguez. I live at 2400 Southwest 27th Avenue. Yes, I'm here to support the project. I
would like to see the area becoming more modern, as it has been lately on 27th Avenue and on
Coral Way, and this building is located in that area. Considering that this building is so very
quite old, it's going to become more modern and it's going to be renewed, so I do support the
project.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
Mr. Rodriguez: Thank you very much.
Chair Gort: Next.
Nora Tenny: My name is Nora Tenny, and I was listening to the -- your also patient involvement
with the Overtown issues, and those were big issues, and I hope that -- because we're a little
area, and because my house is right next to this project that they're proposing, it's important to
us just as much, and to me, personally. I don't think that any of us, whether you are out in 27th
Avenue or if you -- that's pretty far away from this project, but I think all of us would love to have
renewed buildings; we'd love to have new construction, modern; we want to get rid of the
homeless issues, of course, but we love the idea and we are for that; I am personally for that. I
think we all bought our homes in this area already thinking about processes for the future that
way. However, even the townhomes that are being built on our blocks are two floors, and that's
the limit of townhomes. We would not be opposed to having them build a townhouse next to my
house that's two floors, as well. It would go along with the way the neighborhood is right now.
But three floors, that's going a little bit more, and it would be out of character for our blocks,
even though it's small. It's a small item to request them to go from three floor townhouse to
two floor townhouse. We're -- I'm in favor of that, that's fine. Like I said it's a beautiful project.
They proposed this to us, they showed us. There's an issue of the gas fumes when you have more
parking on elevated floors abutting to our house, my personal home, as well. They projected to
me, personally, that they would consider even having a small playground area for children,
trying to entice me to favor this. And I say this -- that's wonderful, but that's not what they are
really behind their thinking. We don't disagree. There is obviously problems with the traffic;
however, if you live there, you know that already, the traffic can go two blocks of a lineup of cars
along the 3rdAvenue Corridor to getting to to U.S.1, and there will be a lot more cars there,
because now you're all talking (UNINTELLIGIBLE) buildings, you know that they're going to be
there all day and all night while the businesspeople are there only during the day, and that
parking that is usually very empty, a lot of empty people -- I don't know what -- they're not using
all the offices, but I know there's going to be a big change regarding that.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
Ms. Tenny: So I want to thank you for, you know, considering this -- (Comments in Spanish). It
is my home. I'm right next to it. I'm just picturing this three floor parking or -- right next to a lot
of gas fumes coming right into that corner. Thank you very much.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
Ms. Tenny: Appreciate it.
Chair Gort: Next.
Mr. Tachmes: Excuse me, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to cross-examine the witness with a couple of
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questions. If you'd like, I could do it at the end.
Chair Gort: Yeah, why don't you do it at the end?
Mr. Tachmes: Okay.
Chair Gort: You want to cross-examine her now?
Mr. Tachmes: Sony, sir?
Chair Gort: You want to cross-examine her now?
Mr. Tachmes: Yes.
Chair Gort: Maria.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: The only thing is I don't think the witness is an attorney, so if we're
going to start cross-examining, I am then going to also ask what --
Chair Gort: Let the attorneys --
Commissioner Carollo: -- someone did ask, and I would ask then that everyone that spoke in
favor disclose if they are working somewhere with your company or if they're receiving some type
of financial gain from being here, or if this is actually built, would they -- are they potentially
going to get some financial gain? In other words, if a realtor -- one of these persons is a realtor
and came and spoke in favor of it, stuff like that. And I just want it to be fair. You know, I've
been quiet about it, but you are very well law -- attorney, and I don't think she's an attorney, so I
kind of feel, you know, hesitant. I want the facts to be out there, but --
Mr. Tachmes: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: -- I want it to be both ways.
Mr. Tachmes: I'm not aware of anyone who's spoken on our behalf who has a financial interest
in the project.
Chair Gort: All right, thank you. Ask your question.
Mr. Tachmes: Oh, except for our architect.
Commissioner Carollo: No, I don't mean your professional --
Mr. Tachmes: I just want to ask a couple of questions of Ms. Tenny. Ms. Tenny, is it true that we
had discussions with you to purchase your home on behalf of our client?
Ms. Tenny: Yes, you did
Mr. Tachmes: And isn't it true that we had an agreement at a certain price, so then you asked for
a million dollars for your home?
Ms. Tenny: No, that is not true.
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Mr. Tachmes: You're under oath.
Ms. Tenny: That is not true. I swear, because that was original -- originally, but we said, no; we
decided not to sell at all, not even if you gave me five million. I said to you, we're not, because I
want to keep my home. There's no place else to go.
Mr. Tachmes: Right. But there was a discussion where a million dollars for your house came
up, did it not?
Ms. Tenny: You wanted to offer much less, like 500, 000.
Mr. Tachmes: That's true. You didn't speak to my partner and ask for a million dollars for your
home, even if you changed your mind later?
Ms. Tenny: No, no, that was not originally the case.
Chair Gort: She answered your question.
Mr. Tachmes: All right. Thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: She answered your question.
Chair Gort: Next. Go ahead.
Cesar Amaya (as translated by Maribel Alonso, official Spanish Interpreter): Good afternoon.
My name is Cesar Amaya. I live at 1292 Southwest 21 st Terrace. It is well-known to everyone
that housing has been going -- expanding vertically. Urban development, in particular in cities
like Miami, has been growing now with this need more than anything. I believe there are many
people here who may be against the project, and they wouldn't dare to go there after the sunset,
because the lighting is no good, and there are many people -- many problems in the area this
problem would -- this project would take care of. For people like us, who are trying to look for a
better place to live, because we are tenants, we are paying rent, and we were living far away in
different places, and we are looking for the welfare of our children, because there is a very good
school over there, the K-8 Coral Way.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
Mr. Amaya (as translated by Maribel Alonso, official Spanish Interpreter): I believe that we
need to have good housing, and this is a very interesting project, and it would change Coral
Way. People say that it is a beautiful area right now, and it's not, because it is a great area, and
it is depending completely on the businesses in the area, and When they close stores, it's very bad
and it's sad.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: IfI may. Could he give his address for the record?
Mr. Amaya (as translated by Maribel Alonso, official Spanish Interpreter): 1292 Southwest 21st
Terrace. I live the building exactly right across the street from where I live; it is right in front of
me. And I really hope that you take into consideration the opinion of people like me, who are
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trying to get a better quality of life.
Commissioner Carollo: And just out of curiosity, has he been offered a unit there or anything
like that in -- a reduced rate or anything, just out of curiosity? Which isn't necessarily a bad
thing, by the way, so I just -- I'm just curious.
Mr. Amaya (as translated by Maribel Alonso, official Spanish Interpreter): Not at all. I heard
about the project --
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, and just real quick, let him know that it doesn't mean that it's
necessarily bad. I mean, you know, I don't want to say "affordable housing," but, you know, it's
a way of helping out residents for that area, but --
Mr. Amaya (as translated by Maribel Alonso, official Spanish Interpreter): No. I wish that --
today, there are so many people are here from both sides, that those, like me, who are here today
giving our opinion would take it into consideration in the future when they build the project.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
Commissioner Carollo: Thankyou.
Chair Gort: Yes, next.
Carlos Ferraro: Hi. My name is Carlos Ferraro. I live in 1339 Southwest 22nd Terrace, which
is two houses away from the project, and -- yeah, right next to this house. We bought that house
about a year and a half ago. We like the neighborhood, you know. We love the character of the
houses; they are houses from 1936. So we really love how they are, how they're built. We like
our neighbors. My kid goes to Coral Way Elementary. Sometimes, we walk, and we actually go
by that building, which is awful, terrible, you know. When we heard about the project, we liked
it. We embrace the fact that they can tear that building down and build something different and
make it better for our neighborhood. However, we are concerned on the fact that, you know, to
have a massive building just behind our house, you know, going out to our back yard and having
this, you know, monster in front, and we've seen it in 17th Street with (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- you
know, Coral Way, where the Marathon --
Unidentified Speaker: Twenty-sixth Road.
Mr. Ferraro: Twenty-sixth Road, yeah, where Marathon Gas Station is, so we really -- we are
not opposing the project; I don't think any of our neighbors are. We like it. We -- obviously, we
also made an investment. We don't want to sell our house tomorrow. We like -- we would like to
live there for a little bit longer, and obviously, have our house get a better value. But we don't
think that's going to happen if we have a massive building just behind us. How can I sell my
house if you know, we have -- I don't know how many people just looking over us? So we -- and
as a previous neighbor said, if they can build it as it is now, we are for it. We are for changes,
for getting a better neighborhood. We -- you know, we love it there, but not just like this. Well,
that's it.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
Mr. Ferraro: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thankyou, sir. Anyone else?
Lizbet Gomez (as translated by Maribel Alonso, official Spanish Interpreter): Good afternoon.
My name is Lizbet Gomez, and I live at 1782 Southwest 21 st Terrace; Zip Code, 33145. I am
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here today for this hearing because I would like the project to be approved. I like it very much.
It is a beautiful project, and I have been living in this area for a long time, and I would also like
to have the option to purchase. And another reason why I support this project is because of
safety, because of the safety that this project is going to bring to the neighborhood. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Next.
Jose Gonzales (as translated by Maribel Alonso, official Spanish Interpreter):
(UNINTELLIGIBLE)
Ms. Mann: He's been living at that address for 22 years.
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): Ms. Mann, we have a translator.
Ms. Mann: Oh, great. Excellent. Thank you.
Chair Gort: You were doing good.
Mr. Gonzales (as translated by Maribel Alonso, official Spanish Interpreter): I've been living
there for 22 years. I -- evety night, I go by that place that the other gentleman said that you
cannot go by there at night, because it's not enough lighting. Igo by that place evety night. All
those people who spoke before, they are not owners, and they do not live in the area, and they do
not live in the area, of course not. If that project is beneficial or detrimental to the
neighborhood, they're not going to be benefited or they're not going to suffer anything. We -- the
owners are the ones who are going to be affected. If you accept, if you approve to change the
zoning in that piece of land, then they're going to purchase the next lot, and they are going to do
the same thing. They're going to change the zoning now, and this is going to be a domino effect.
They have tried to harm that neighborhood in many different locations; first, on 32nd; and now,
they want to change something that is like a duplex; they want to make it like a parking lot, and
they want to make different changes there. Perhaps some of you live in the area and you know
very well what I'm talking about. I believe it is time for us to protect our houses and our
properties, which is the only thing that we own.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir.
Mr. Gonzales: Thank you very much.
Chair Gort: Anyone else? Anyone else? No. Close the public hearings. You got a few minutes
for rebuttal.
Mr. Tachmes: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman and Commissioners, let me just be
brief. And hopefully, I can try to refocus what the issues are; looks like there's been a lot of
discussion; it's kind of gone all over the map. Just to reiterate the issues involved, the
individuals who claim that they don't want to live next to a tall building on Coral Way, we're not
changing the zoning on Coral Way. They purchased a home knowing it abuts T6-8. We'd be fully
within our rights to build a T6-8 building of eight stories, so for someone to complain that they
don't want a building looming over next to them, we're not making any changes; that's in the
Code right now. Second issue, as I mentioned before, the only change we're making is to the
rear parcel to go from a two-story maximum, which is what we can do now, to three stories, and
we're simply putting a parking structure where there's been parking for about half a century.
With regard to the comments of Ms. Mann about the setbacks, we're going to be doing a unity of
title; we're going to be doing a three-story parking garage and connecting it to the buildings on
Coral Way. Whatever the Code is we're going to comply with. As I said we're not making any
changes to the Coral Way zoning. We're not requesting any changes to the Coral Way zoning.
And then lastly, I would just say, you know, let's try and understand that there are zoning criteria
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for a rezoning and a comp plan change. We presented a traffic study indicating there's no
negative impact. You have the evidence from your Planning staff which says that this is
something they would support, given the covenant we're supporting. There's tons of evidence
indicating that this is a rezoning of the comp plan that should be granted; frankly, no competent
substantial evidence saying to the contrary. I'd respectfully request an approval. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir. We'll now close the public hearings. Commissioner.
Commissioner Carollo: I think we have one.
Mr. Herrera: Can I say one thing? We don't believe it in (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Gort: Okay, thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Okay, so we got a good dose from both
sides. As, I think, Mr. Herrera said, that we need to look at these signatures to see what's what,
because it seems that we've got quite a few signatures on both sides, and I would probably want
the opportunity to see exactly what there is. I will tell you this: I do share some of the residents'
concerns, and it's not just about the T6-8; it is about the three-story parking garage. I will tell
you, I think at least that gentleman right there -- I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name -- and I think
a few others that live right there in the areas did mention that they don't necessarily oppose the
project, but they're just, you know, concerned. So I am -- and it's a good thing that this is two
readings, so I will be willing to approve on first reading; however, however, let me be very clear,
that does not mean that there's an automatic "yes" for second reading. I think you should meet
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Commissioner Carollo: -- with the residents to see if there could be some type of compromise. I
ask the residents to be reasonable, and see if there could be a compromise; either way, it's going
to come back to this Commission, so we will be hearing it again. And like I said, please do not
interpret passing it on first reading that I am for this and we will pass it on second reading. I
think it just allows an opportunity for both parties to meet. It gives me an opportunity, like Mr.
Herrera said, to really see who signed what, and who believes what, and I think it's the most
prudent way to move forward; not to mention that it's 7 o'clock, and we still have other items;
not to mention that we still haven't even started our second budget hearing, so with that said, I
make a motion to approve PZ.8 on first reading.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: There's a motion and a second Any further discussion?
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Barnaby Min.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Roll call on item PZ.8.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Clerk, before you read roll call, Mr. Garcia, when do you foresee
this coming back to this Commission?
Mr. Garcia: Sir, I would suggest, pursuant to your earlier motion, that they be given some time
to meet with any --
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Commissioner Carollo: Exactly.
Mr. Garcia: -- of the stakeholders, and so, perhaps in the October meeting.
Commissioner Carollo: We're in the second -- in the second meeting of October or in November.
I would prefer --
Mr. Garcia: Whichever you (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: -- November.
Chair Gort: November.
Commissioner Carollo: I would prefer November, okay? Thank you.
Mr. Hannon: Roll call on item PZ.8. Commissioner Sarnoff?
Commissioner Sarnoff. Yes.
Mr. Hannon: Vice Chair Hardemon?
Vice Chair Hardemon: For.
Mr. Hannon: Commissioner Suarez?
Commissioner Suarez: Yes, but let me just make a quick explanation. First, I have to make a
Jennings disclosure. The party did come and visit with me in my office. I want to say, though,
one thing, and it sort of echoes what Commissioner Carollo said. It was not mentioned to me at
that meeting that a unity of title was needed to get a higher volume on the second --
Chair Gort: First.
Commissioner Suarez: Right, on the front lot. In other words, let me just rephrase that, and I
don't think anything was misstated. I don't want to give that impression either. The front lot's a
T6-8, but what did strike me as new news was that T6-8 without a unity is different than T6-8
with a unity, and so I just want to clarify that; that was never mentioned in the meeting. I'm not
saying that that was -- I think you should leave it at that; it wasn't mentioned So it wasn't
mentioned that that was a T6-8 on the front lot, and it was mentioned, you know, that simply,
what they wanted was a T4 with a restrictive covenant in terms of the height that would restrict it
to the third -- you know, to the three floors, so that was all accurate; that just -- that additional
piece of this information was not shared at the time, and I just, you know, want to make that
clear for the record. Thank you. So, yeah; yes, on first, with the same caveats as Commissioner
Carollo.
Mr. Hannon: Commissioner Carollo?
Commissioner Carollo: Yes.
Mr. Hannon: Chair Gort?
Chair Gort: Let me explain something, which I think is very important. A lot of good points
have been brought by the neighbors in there. Those are your neighbors. Those are the people
you have to work with. There is a difference when you have a unity of title. You can go up five
floors before -- when you set back. If you don't have a unity of title, you're only allowed to go
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two floors, and that's it; then you got to go setback for the other third floor, so there is a
difference. So my understanding is you better sit down with the neighbors. There are a lot of
problems within that area, within the parking lot; maybe you can come up with an idea that can
please everyone. I've seen that taken place in the past. Thank you. Yes.
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on first reading, 5-0.
PZ.9 ORDINANCE First Reading
15-00057zc
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
T3-O "SUB -URBAN TRANSECT ZONE OPEN" TO T4-L "GENERAL URBAN
CENTER TRANSECT ZONE LIMITED", FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT
APPROXIMATELY 2240 SOUTHWEST 13TH AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA,
LEGALLY DESCRIBED IN "EXHIBIT A", HEREBY ATTACHED; MAKING
FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-00057zc SR Fact Sheet.pdf
15-00057zcAnalysis, Maps & PZAB.pdf
15-00057zc Application & Supporting Docs.pdf
15-00057zc Legislation (v2).pdf
15-00057zc Exhibit.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 2240 SW 13th Avenue [Commissioner Frank
Carollo - District 3]
APPLICANT(S): David J. Coviello, Esquire, on behalf of 1300 Coral Brickell,
LLC
FINDING(S):
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval. Item
includes a covenant. See companion File ID 15-000571u.
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Two individual motions to
recommend approval failed on May 20, 2015, by two separate votes of 4-5;
therefore, constituting a recommendation of denial.
PURPOSE: This will allow a change in the zoning classification for the above
property from T3-O to T4-L.
Motion by Commissioner Carollo, seconded by Commissioner Suarez, that this matter be
PASSED ON FIRST READING PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
Commissioner Carollo: PZ.9.
Unidentified Speaker: You're going to do the companion?
Chair Gort: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
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Commissioner Suarez: Yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: PZ 9. Move PZ 9.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Been moved and second
Commissioner Carollo: Open up a public hearing, please.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): The public hearing was actually held for PZ. 8 and 9.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Chair Gort: Right, yes.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Barnaby Min.
Mr. Hannon: Roll call on item PZ9.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on first reading, 5-0.
PZ.10 ORDINANCE First Reading
15-00061 Iu
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 §163.3187, FLORIDA STATUTES, BY
CHANGING THE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF THE ACREAGE
DESCRIBED HEREIN OF REAL PROPERTIES LOCATED AT
APPROXIMATELY 3101, 3111, 3125, 3131, AND 3145 WEST FLAGLER
STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA, FROM "MEDIUM DENSITY RESTRICTED
COMMERCIAL" TO "RESTRICTED COMMERCIAL"; MAKING FINDINGS;
DIRECTING TRANSMITTALS TO AFFECTED AGENCIES; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-000611u Analysis, Maps & PZAB Reso.pdf
15-000611u Application & Supporting Docs.pdf
15-000611u Legislation (v2).pdf
15-000611u Exhibit.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 3101, 3111, 3125, 3131, AND 3145 W Flagler
Street [Commissioner Francis Suarez - District 4]
APPLICANT(S): Gilberto Pastoriza, Esquire, on behalf of Coinco Investment
Company, Inc.
FINDING(S):
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended denial. See
companion File ID: 15-00061zc.
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Recommended denial on July
15, 2015, by a vote of 7-0.
PURPOSE: This will change the land use designation for the above properties
from "Medium Density Restricted Commercial" to "Restricted Commercial'.
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
Note for the Record: Item PZ 10 was deferred to the November 19, 2015, Planning and Zoning
Commission Meeting.
PZ.11 ORDINANCE First Reading
15-00061zc
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENTS,
AMENDING THE ZONING ATLAS OF ORDINANCE NO. 13114, AS
AMENDED, BY CHANGING THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT OF THE ZONING
CLASSIFICATION FROM T5-L "URBAN CENTER TRANSECT ZONE LIMITED"
TO T6-8-L "URBAN CORE TRANSECT ZONE LIMITED", FOR THE
PROPERTIES LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 3101, 3111, 3125, 3131, AND
3145 WEST FLAGLER STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA; MAKING FINDINGS;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
15-00061zcAnalysis, Maps & PZAB Reso.pdf
15-00061zcApplication & Supporting Docs.pdf
15-00061zc Legislation (v2).pdf
15-00061zc Exhibit.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 3101,3111,3125,3131,3145 W Flagler Street
[Commissioner Francis Suarez - District 4]
APPLICANT(S): Gilberto Pastoriza, Esquire, on behalf of Coinco Investment
Company, Inc.
FINDING(S):
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended denial. Item
includes a covenant. See companion File ID 15-000611u.
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Recommended denial on July
15, 2015, by a vote of 7-0.
PURPOSE: This will allow a zoning designation change for the above
properties from T5-L to T6-8-L.
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, that this matter be
DEFERRED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
Note for the Record: Item PZ.11 was deferred to the November 19, 2015, Planning and Zoning
Commission Meeting.
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PZ.12 ORDINANCE Second Reading
14-01304zt1
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
ORDINANCE NO. 13114, AS AMENDED, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, BY AMENDING ARTICLE 7 "PROCEDURES AND
NONCONFORMITIES" TO CLARIFY LANGUAGE ON TIME EXTENSIONS OF
NONCONFORMING USES; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
14-01304zt1 SR Fact Sheet.pdf
14-01304zt1 PZAB Reso.pdf
14-01304zt1 Legislation (v2).pdf
APPLICANT(S): Daniel J. Alfonso, City Manager, on behalf of the City of Miami
FINDING(S):
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval.
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Recommended approval on
March 24, 2015, by a vote of 8-0.
PURPOSE: This will amend Article 7, Section 7.2.6 "Nonconforming Uses" of
the Miami 21 Code to emphasize the intent of the Code by introducing language
to clarify that the time extension on nonconforming uses is measured from the
time that the Use became nonconforming.
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
13566
Chair Gort: What's next?
Francisco Garcia (Director, Planning & Zoning): Yes, sir, I believe the next item is PZ.12. Item
PZ.12 is before you, Commissioners, on second reading. It is an amendment -- a proposed
amendment to Miami 21, the Zoning Ordinance, pertaining to nonconforming uses; qualifying
that nonconforming uses become nonconforming on the date in which the regulations changed,
and that is also the date when the 20-year sunsetting clause begins to toll. Miami 21 did not
have any effect on that toll period; that is already the case. This is simply clarifying language.
We're recommending approval, as did your lower boards.
Chair Gort: Nonconforming. This is for 20 years.
Mr. Garcia: Yes, sir.
Chair Gort: After 20 years, it's out.
Mr. Garcia: That is the presumption. There are certain mechanisms that allow some of those --
some of the nonconforming uses to be extended but those are rare exceptions, and they do come
to you before that happens.
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Vice Chair Hardemon: So move.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: Been moved by Vice Chairman Hardemon; second by Commissioner Suarez.
Anyone in the public would like to address this one issue? Anyone in the public? Seeing none,
hearing none, we'll close the public hearings.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Barnaby Min.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Roll call on item PZ 12.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on second reading, 4-0.
PZ.13 ORDINANCE First Reading
14-01 076zt1
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH ATTACHMENTS,
AMENDING ARTICLE 1 "DEFINITIONS" AND ARTICLE 4 , TABLE 4,
DENSITY, INTENSITY AND PARKING, "STANDARDS & TABLES", OF
ORDINANCE NO. 13114, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, KNOWN AS THE MIAMI 21 CODE, TO UPDATE THE DEFINITION
FOR TRANSIT CORRIDOR AND TO MODIFY STANDARDS FOR PARKING
REDUCTIONS APPLICABLE IN TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT,
TRANSIT CORRIDOR AREAS AND STRUCTURES OF 10,000 SQUARE FEET
OR LESS AS HEREIN DESCRIBED, RESPECTIVELY; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
14-01076zt1 SR Fact Sheet.pdf
14-01076zt1 PZAB Reso & Supporting Docs.pdf
14-01076zt1 Legislation (v3).pdf
14-01076zt1 Exhibit A.pdf
14-01076zt1 Exhibit B.pdf
APPLICANT(S): Daniel J. Alfonso, City Manager, on behalf of the City of Miami
FINDING(S):
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval.
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Recommended approval with
modifications on July 30, 2015, by a vote of 6-1.
PURPOSE: This will modify the definition of "Transit Corridor" to better reflect
services provided by Miami -Dade County Transit and the City of Miami Trolley;
and revise the standards for parking reductions within Transit Oriented
Development (TOD) and Transit Corridor areas as well as add parking
reductions for any new structure with a floor area of 10,000 square feet or less,
while continuing to protect residential neighborhoods.
Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Vice Chair Hardemon, that this matter be
PASSED ON FIRST READING PASSED by the following vote.
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Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo and Suarez
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Hardemon
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair, PZ.13 is an item that I sponsored. I respectfully move it. It
was brought to this Commission in the form of a discussion item previously. It does basically two
things: It allows for transit -oriented development by waiver to go in all "T" levels, essentially,
except for T3, obviously, from 30 percent to 50 percent by process of waiver, and by payment
into a Transportation Trust Fund. The second thing it does is it allows for small buildings with
lots of 10, 000 square feet or less to get a hundred percent waiver. So we discussed this on -- we
had a discussion item; we brought this before the Commission. The exhibit that's attached shows
pretty much how it operates, so I would respectfully request that we pass it on first reading and if
anyone has comments, questions, or concerns that we address them between the first and second.
We have a ton of speakers in support, and we've gotten a ton of letters in support. I don't know
from a time perspective whether it makes sense to go through all that, but, you know, I'd like to at
least get it passed on first; if there's any comments, questions, or concerns that they be
expressed, and we can work on them between first and second.
Vice Chair Hardemon: 171 second it.
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Been moved and second
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, the only thing is this is an important legislation, and I don't want
to, just because, you know, we have a lot on our plate, and we still haven't even started the
budget, you know, run through all this. I mean, this is important. I think there -- I have a lot of
questions. I'm not -- I think in the PZAB (Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board), some of the
legislation may have changed with regard to actual distance from a quarter of a mile, half a mile
to now a transit corridor, so I --
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that legislation in the discussion item, as
well.
Commissioner Carollo: -- you know, I have many questions with this, and as a PZ (Planning &
Zoning) item, I -- for the most part, I don't, you know, break, or do meetings with Jennings
disclosures and so forth. I just go with Jennings Rule, so, you know, I think that, you know, we
should have a healthy discussion on this, but I'm seeing from my colleagues that 1 don't think the
appetite is there for a discussion on this.
Commissioner Suarez: No, look, I --
Chair Gort: My thought is I don't have any problem in passing it in first reading, but as --
remember, when we discussed it, we talked about the Planning Department was going to look at
it, and he was going to come back with some suggestion, because I can tell you, maybe you guys
don't have any problem in your district. My district, parking is one of the major problems that I
have. I mean, people are parking all over the neighborhoods, people are parking all over the
place, and if you can commit that the people that go by there or go there that they 're not going to
have cars, I don't have any problem.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah. Let me just --
Commissioner Carollo: And by the way, you know, that's the concern --
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Commissioner Suarez: Right.
Commissioner Carollo: -- andl think raised it, the spillover --
Commissioner Suarez: Right.
Commissioner Carollo: -- the spillover into the neighborhoods where, you know, all of the
off-street parking is taken up by people that don't -- that live there, but they don't have a parking
space.
Commissioner Suarez: So let me see if I can potentially reconcile this. I'd like to get it passed on
first; we did it earlier today on a variety of different items. I understand that there are some
concerns, and you've expressed them.
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Suarez: That's fine, and I'm respectful of that. So I'm also respectful of the time
that all these people have been here, and the effort that's gone into this legislation, because it's --
this has been over a year -long process. Just let me finish. So if you will indulge me to pass it on
first, I will ask that second be in late October, and I will schedule a sunshine meeting to discuss
the concerns that are relative to your area.
Chair Gort: My concerns are going to be with the Planning Department. Planning Department
is going to come back to me and let me know how it's going to affect my neighborhood and my
district, because I can tell you, I got to talk to the Manager. We have many problems within my
district.
Commissioner Suarez: Right.
Chair Gort: I don't know about you guys, but in my district, I have a lot of problems; people
parking on the sidewalk, people parking all over the place, and before, remember, people used to
have maybe one or two cars per household. Today, we have three and four cars per household,
so this is something we need to go -- where is it going to go?
Commissioner Suarez: Right.
Chair Gort: Maybe there's places where they can go and it will not affect, but I want to get that
from the Planning Department.
Commissioner Suarez: I understand, and just to be clear that the small building parking
exemption is exempt if it's within 500 feet of a T3, so this will not be in a T3, first of all, so it
won't be in a residential neighborhood to begin with; nor will it be within 500 feet of a
residential neighborhood, so I just want to clarify that, and to the extent that there are residential
parking issues in your district, they really shouldn't be impacted by this; although, you know, I
think it merits further discussion; let's put it that way.
Commissioner Carollo: And, Commissioner Suarez, I mean, what really would like is -- all
these people that did come, I would like to hear them speak, and I know it's not going to be
popular with my colleagues, but I would like to hear them speak. I mean --
Commissioner Suarez: I have no problem.
Commissioner Carollo: -- a lot of them are from Little Havana, so I would like the discussion to,
you know, allow them, yes.
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Commissioner Suarez: I have no problem with that.
Chair Gort: It's up to you guys. I can stay here --
Commissioner Suarez: I'm good I'm good with that, yeah.
Vice Chair Hardemon: It's up to the public whether or not they want to speak.
Commissioner Suarez: Yeah, yeah. I mean, they have been waiting for many hours.
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) waiting here, I think you should let them speak.
Commissioner Suarez: So --
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) right now.
Commissioner Carollo: But --
Commissioner Suarez: Come on up. Let's go.
Chair Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) right now.
(UNINTELLIGIBLE COMMENTS)
Commissioner Suarez: Listen --
Chair Gort: Go ahead right now.
Commissioner Suarez: -- I hear you. What do you want me to do? I'd love to just take a vote
and they can speak after the vote, but, you know -- would you like to call a vote and we'll -- they
can speak after the vote? I mean, that's fine with me, but --
Chair Gort: I don't have any problem.
Vice Chair Hardemon: The public floor -- as the public -- the floor is open for public comment.
Ma'am, you're recognized.
Anneliese Morales: Yes. Anneliese Morales, 337 Southwest 23rd Road; and I also do business
on Calle Ocho, 1643 Southwest 8th Street; and (UNINTELLIGIBLE), which is 1500 Block. I --
my profession -- I have no financial gain from this. I do walking tours throughout the
neighborhood; and I brought this from my colleague, Bill Fuller of the Barlington Group, who
also supports this. This is an actual example of why we support the parking exemption. One is
-- number one, the fact that we will have more interactive streetscape; and also, our greatest
concern on behalf of the Little Havana Merchant Alliance is the fact that we have a lot of
historical buildings that don't have parking existing, so actually, adding the parking is going to
create more chaos than what we already have. Another concern is a lot of these parking spaces,
the way that they're designed, according to Miami 21, are really being used by homeless people
to defecate, and it's not at all accommodating cars; it's accommodating people, and therefore,
we should give them a safe haven to live in.
Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Nice to see you again.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much. Sir, you're recognized.
Jorge Damian de la Paz: Good evening. My name is Jorge Damian de la Paz. I'm with the
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Miami Coalition for the Homeless; 140 West Flagler Street, Miami, Florida, 33130. We believe
this exemption will encourage the development of much -needed affordable infill housing.
According to the Schumberg Center, roughly one in three renters in the City of Miami is spending
more than half of their household income on housing cost. This leaves these households with
limited resources to afford other essentials, and makes them increasingly vulnerable to becoming
homeless. High parking minimums can increase the cost of construction, raise rents, and
constrain the development of affordable housing. This is confirmed by the City's draft 2015 to
2020 Analysis of Impediments Report. This report identifies the scarcity of viable vacant parcels
as a factor of limiting housing choice in the City of Miami by restricting the construction of new,
smaller, multifamily rental developments. Furthermore, this report recommends a parking
reduction as a viable strategy to maximize these underutilized lots and bring additional
affordable housing units to the market. This exemption (UNINTELLIGIBLE) more affordable,
walkable, transit -oriented housing options for low-income households, millennials, and the
elderly. We also ask you to consider depositing a portion of any funds collected by this
exemption into the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Through new funding streams
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) and smart zoning changes of this parking exemption, we'll be able to more
fully address affordable housing needs. Thank you all for your time.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much. Sir, you are recognized.
Jose Fernandez: Hi. Jose Fernandez, 518 North Flagler. I've been involved in real estate for
almost 40 years; did a lot of work in South Beach, and bought my first building in Little Havana
in '94, and for the last 20 years, I've been working very hard in the community with local people,
trying to get the neighborhood to grow and be better, like we did in South Beach, and I hate to
say that 20 years later, East Little Havana is probably worse than it was 20 years ago in many
ways; dilapidated buildings. We're acquiring approximately 16 lots a year to the demolition of
existing houses in the East Little Havana neighborhood, and we are barely building maybe eight
to ten new projects a year in the Little Havana neighborhood, which means we are becoming a
big area of vacant land, similar to what Overtown has been now for many years, and other areas
that are known to be slums, so what I -- the reason I'm supporting this is because I think that this
is a chance to kick-start development on very small lots that would have very limited impact on
the actual neighborhood, and the -- whatever parking restriction -- whatever parking limitations
we might have. In South Beach, we were easily able to solve them with parking permits for the
residents, and that's worked very well for the residents there; it's not as good for the visitors who
come to South Beach and can't find parking. They have to pay the 20, $30 pop to park their
cars, but for the residents, we have parking in South Beach. We can park basically in front of
our house because of the residential permits, so that's a very viable alternative to resolving that
issue. A six -unit building isn't going to make a big difference, whether it has parking or not.
Thank you very much.
Mara Hudson: Good evening. My name is Mara Hudson. I was born and raised in Miami, and
I currently live in Coconut Grove, but in my early 20s, I lived in many American cities -- New
York, Boston, San Francisco -- and I've seen that all the great cities have excellent transit
systems, and that's what attracts people to these cities. If we ever want Miami to be a really truly
great city, we need to encourage public transit. By requiring parking in every single building,
this incentivizes driving. Currently, I don't own a car. I live in a four-story apartment building,
and my rent requires me to pay for a parking space, but I don't own a car; I only use public
transit, so I'm in favor of this. I'm not a developer; I'm just a graduate student. I think Miami
needs to be a walkable community.
Vice Chair Hardemon: What school are you at?
Ms. Hudson: FIU (Florida International University).
Commissioner Suarez: Don't hold it against her.
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Vice Chair Hardemon: It would have been better if you said the University of Miami.
Commissioner Suarez: Don't hold it against her. I went to FIU, okay?
Vice Chair Hardemon: It would have been better if you said University of Miami.
Chair Gort: I went to FIU, too; that's a good school.
Vice Chair Hardemon: University of Miami.
Chair Gort: Next.
Carlos Fausto Miranda: Good evening, gentlemen. Carlos Fausto Miranda, 690 Southwest 1st
Place, Miami, Florida. Mixed use, mixed income, medium density, walkable, that's the vision
that we should have for our neighborhoods, for our communities in the urban core. Neighbors
are economically, socially, and culturally vibrant and they are capable of sustaining locally
grown, diverse businesses. Gentlemen, this amendment, amongst other things, opens the
pathway for us to start developing something we need in our community; in particular, in
Allapattah, and in Little Havana, which is high -quality lower- and middle -income housing,
which we're having a serious issue with in our City, and we shouldn't just have to rely on
subsidies, or things of that nature to develop. It also allows us to pave the path to building
communities that permit for the future of a carless urban lifestyle. We need to build wonderful
communities. This is the vision that this generation desires, and, I believe, a vision that future
generations would admire that we passed, so I support it. Thank you very much.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Next. Don't be shy, come on.
Commissioner Sarnoff It's good; I like that.
Raymond Fort: My name is Raymond Fort. I live in Coconut Grove, 2801 Florida Avenue,
33133. I'm an architect, and I've done several studies on small lots that simply cannot be
developed because of the parking requirement, and it's an impediment on the future of the City.
The lots are empty lots that are just too small to put a parking garage. If you know, most parking
garages require large sites, and, you know, many people who small lots that you simply just can't
fit it, so with this ordinance, you'd be able to build small buildings and create more walkable
streetscapes, which would get cars off the road, and it would allow more businesses and more
people to live in a more compact area; thus, further not needing a car, and that's why I support
it. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Miguel Soliman: Good evening, Mr. Chairman, Commissioners, ladies and gentlemen. My
name is Miguel Soliman. I reside at 1436 Southwest 6th Street. I'm also a business owner in the
City of Miami. I'm a contractor and I'm a developer, and a lot of people say that this will
encourage development of this nature, and I'm here to tell you that I personally would develop
this product, because I see a need for this product. I see an apartment that we're going to be
able to rent at a lower rent level because we're not going to have the expense of having to build a
parking garage, so we are going to be able to rent that unit cheaper. I also see a lot of old
1920s, 1900 buildings in 50-foot lots with 30 units on them with no parking. Now, we are
proposing to take that building, that same lot, and now, being able to give the owner of that lot
the opportunity to put 10,000 square feet -- they could put 12 to 15 units on there, and all of a
sudden, you're going to have a building full of rats, full of -- an old building that's falling
apartment, with 30 residents that have 30 cars, and you're going to lower it down to 12 to 15
residents with 12 to 15 cars, so to address, Mr. Chairman, your comment, this may bring down
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the amount of vehicles that would be in an area, and it would encourage, I believe, the
development, as I stated myself of these smaller lots.
Chair Gort: And the rent would be lower.
Mr. Soliman: And the rents would be lower.
Chair Gort: Good. Okay.
Mr. Soliman: Definitely.
Chair Gort: That makes sense.
Mr. Soliman: And I'm very much in favor of this project.
Chair Gort: That's great; now that, I like, yeah.
Mr. Soliman: That, we all like.
Chair Gort: Yeah.
Mr. Soliman: And that we all need, so I --
Chair Gort: That I would like.
Mr. Soliman: -- encourage this project, and I'm in favor of it. Thank you very much.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir. Next.
Geoffrey Bash: Good evening. My name is Geoffrey Bash. I -- my homestead property where I
live is 448 Northeast 39th Street. The neighborhood is known as Magnolia Park. It's bound by
the Bay Point wall to the north; Biscayne Bay to the east; 37th Street to the south and Federal
Highway to the west. This neighborhood is five minutes walking distance to the growing Design
District and the Midtown neighborhoods. I'm here to support the parking exemption. And what
I'd like to explain to you, Commissioner Sarnoff and Commissioner Carollo, I know I have
personally walked this neighborhood with me so you know, firsthand that the neighborhood is
made up of many, many vacant lots, and we have all kinds of activities there. We have not had a
new project completed in Magnolia Park in more than 60 years; however, we do have two on the
horizon. They're an example or a result of assemblage of lots, and when this happens, you end
up with a much, much larger building, bringing many more cars, and the undesirable effect of
parking garages. There are many people who walk to work in the Design District and the
Midtown area, and this parking exemption would allow those of us smaller property owners to
develop our properties, and you're going to have (UNINTELLIGIBLE) these vacant lots be
developed you will end up with much smaller neighborhood friendly places, and so I ask for
your support, and pass this proposal. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Next.
Andrew Frey: Mr. Chair, Commissioners, Andrew Frey, 4001 Park Avenue, City of Miami
resident. We're all wearing buttons -- most of us -- that say, `I'm a small building, " and that's to
represent that there are as many reasons to support this as there are people coming up. You have
letters of support in your package from groups as diverse as the Association of Builders and
Contractors and -- to Miami Coalition for the Homeless to the Health Foundation of Miami, and
when a range of folks like that gets on the same side of an issue -- it's actually more diverse
support than I've ever seen for a zoning initiative, so that tells me that it's important. I do believe
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it's important, and my focus is, as you heard throughout the day, is attracting investment without
causing displacement. You have hundreds, thousands of small lot owners throughout the City
that literally cannot build anything on their lots. Take the example of an eight -unit development
that requires 12 parking spaces, plus ten percent guests, so that's 14 parking spaces; plus a
22-foot-wide drive -out on a 50-foot-wide lot, so that's upwards of 7,000 square feet of surface
parking on a 5,000 square foot lot without even putting a building on your lot, and so these lots
are basically undevelopable. This would unlock the value of those small properties for the small
property owners; make wonderful and textual, fine-grained urban neighborhoods, and I think
that's to be encouraged. I do want to hand out a few things. This talks about the cost of parking
and what it adds to rent; and then, there's a couple of articles talking about how Minneapolis
just eliminated required parking; and Fayetteville, Arkansas, just eliminated required parking, so
couple of examples. And I just want to note that City of Miami Beach already has a required
parking exemption for buildings up to 9,000 square feet; and Coral Gables has a required
parking exemption for buildings up to 1.45 FAR (Floor/Area Ratio), so this is not a weird, you
know -- it's -- I understand it's unique, but it's not unheard of so thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Yes, ma'am.
Brenda Betancourt: Thanks. Good evening to all.
Commissioner Carollo: Give one to the City Clerk.
Ms. Betancourt: My name is Brenda Betancourt, and I reside at 1436 Southwest 6th Street. I'm
supporting these new changes (UNINTELLIGIBLE) because all the empty lots that we have in
Little Havana. We have them all around, and unfortunately, we have receive all the homeless
from other areas; that they have encroached to Little Havana, and it's terrible to see people
sleeping in the sidewalk and not be able to help them. Unfortunate, the situation of having these
empty lots increase this problem. I have children, which they are all here with me, because I
have to get them to school, and because I want to be present and I want you guys to understand
that this is important to clean our area. We need support. We need our Commissioner, Frank
Carollo, to please make sure that this is present when we need him. When we call to make sure
that they understand the needs of the residents, because if they don't take care of the residents,
who are they going to take care? Everybody else is important. The tourist is important, but the
residents who are paying the taxes (UNINTELLIGIBLE). So we hope that everybody support it
because we need to get these empty lots to be anything else than just one hole for the homeless.
Unfortunately, we have in Little Havana. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Albio Castillo: This is a rare -- yes, my name is Albio Castillo. I live in 2235 Southwest 16th
Terrace. This is a rarity for me because I normally do not talk on zoning issue, but in reference
to a gentleman that says about those houses, those houses are rock houses, and if he wants to, he
could do 15 rather than 16 and try to save the rock houses because they've been here since 1910;
very rarely, but the ones from 1920 to 1930 are the most. On a small lot, you could do some
parking, but it has to conform to how many car -- I mean, the buildings, you could do a duplex
and have four or three parkings, let's say. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir.
Bill Fuller: Hi. Bill Fuller, 1637 Southwest 8th Street, Miami, Florida, 33135. This was
previously shown to you, but I'm going to put it back here on the floor, because it was my --
thank you. Small-scale buildings are the foundation of great neighborhoods. Before you is an
example of a rendering of a building that can be developed on a 5,000 square foot lot under the
new proposed legislation; and additionally, a handful of buildings that already exist in Little
Havana. In Little Havana, we already have small-scale buildings without parking. The people
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that live in these buildings don't need parking; and more importantly, they don't want parking.
They are dependent on public transportation, bikes and walking. These people enjoy their way
of life; in many cases, they live, work and play in the neighborhood. We have businesses that
thrive without parking, too. Consider the Goodwill on 8th Street that has 23,000 square feet,
without parking; the second highest -grossing store in South Florida. With the resurgence of
downtown and Brickell, we will have new retailers, hotels, restaurants, and bars to our east. The
workforce of these developments will come largely from Little Havana. These folks will not be
paying to park their cars in Brickell City Centre while they work. They will not have cars, nor
the burden of gas, nor the burden of insurance; no need to park. Small-scale buildings will
provide vital infill development to a neighborhood that can benefit greatly from its value. Vacant
and abandoned small lots will become active with residences and businesses. Residential units
will become more affordable for our seniors, our university students, and the younger generation
that will not rely on cars for their transportation. The quality of life for our residents will
improve in an environment that encourages small-scale -- small neighborhood interaction
amongst its residences and its businesses. I ask you to vote in favor of this initiative so that we
can unlock the creativity of our developers, our architects, and our residents, and work together
to develop a great small-scale neighborhood. Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Anyone else? Seeing none, hearing none, close the public hearing.
Commissioner Suarez: Mr. Chair, ifI may?
Chair Gort: Yes.
Commissioner Suarez: Again, I'd urge the Commission, at least support this on first reading, in
consideration of the fact that we've been working on this legislation for a long time now. Many
members of the public came and waited for many hours. There would have even been more
members, I think, had this agenda item been heard earlier. You know, we have already parking
reduction districts in Wynwood, Coconut Grove, and the Design District, as mentioned earlier
here today. What this does is it allows for a developer of a small lot not to have to aggregate it
to another series of lots.
Chair Gort: Commissioner, you have my vote on the record.
Commissioner Suarez: Okay, call the question; speech isn't required. Call the question.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Barnaby Min.)
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Roll call on item PZ 13. Commissioner Sarnoff?
Commissioner Sarnoff.: You know, I candidly didn't know what I was going to do when I got up
here for this, and this certainly provides an affordable way, without government investment,
which government can be a hedge for two, three percent, and this could maybe help ten, 15, 20
percent of the people. I think it's a big leap of faith. The 10,000 square foot units concern me,
but I'm going to support this on first reading.
Mr. Hannon: Commissioner Carollo?
Commissioner Carollo: Yes, on first reading.
Mr. Hannon: Commissioner Suarez?
Commissioner Suarez: Yes.
Mr. Hannon: Chair Gort?
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Chair Gort: Yes.
Mr. Hannon: The ordinance passes on first reading, 4-0.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Okay, let's take a five-minute break and we'll go into the --
Commissioner Suarez: Thank you, guys.
PZ.14 RESOLUTION
15-00405wta
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), REVERSING THE PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS
BOARD'S DECISION REGARDING WARRANTAPPLICATION NO. 2014-0059,
ISSUED BY THE PLANNING AND ZONING DIRECTOR ON MARCH 13, 2015
TO ALLOW A PUBLIC STORAGE FACILITY ON THE PROPERTY LOCATED
AT APPROXIMATELY 5609 NORTHEAST 2 AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA.
15-00405wta Fact Sheet.pdf
15-00405wta Appeal Letter to City Commission.pdf
15-00405wta Analysis, Maps & PZAB Reso.pdf
15-00405wta Appeal Letter to PZAB.pdf
15-00405wta Application & Supporting Docs.pdf
15-00405wta Legislation (v2).pdf
15-00405wta Legislation (v3).pdf
15-00405wta Exhibit.pdf
15-00405wta-Submittal-Ines Prieguez-Banner Storage Presentation.pdf
15-00405wta-Submittal-Chris Zangrilli-Letter to Planning and Zoning Director.pdf
15-00405wta-Submittal-Chris Zangrilli-Emails to Planing and Zoning Director and Department.pdf
15-00405wta-Submittal-Chris Zangrilli-City of Miami Legislation_Ordinance.pdf
15-00405wta-Submittal-Chris Zangrilli-Article 4, Table 2.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 5609 NE 2nd Avenue [Commissioner Keon
Hardemon - District 5]
WARRANTAPPLICANT(S): Ines Marrero-Priegues, Esquire, on behalf of
Banner Storage Properties
APPELLANT(S) TO PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Sandra
Simioni and Joseph Pierre, abutting property owners
APPELLANT(S) TO CITY COMMISSION: Ines Marrero-Priegues, Esquire, on
behalf of Banner Storage Group, LLC.
FINDINGS:
PLANNING AND ZONING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval, with
conditions, of Warrant No. 2014-0059 issued on March 13, 2015.
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD: Granted the appeal and denied
Warrant No. 2014-0059 on June 3, 2015, by a vote of 7-4.
PURPOSE: The appeal seeks to reverse the decision of the Planning, Zoning
and Appeals Board.
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Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Sarnoff
R-15-0425
Francisco Garcia (Director, Planning & Zoning): Sir, there is one Planning & Zoning item left.
Chair Gort: PZ 14?
Mr. Garcia: Yes, sir.
Chair Gort: Okay.
Mr. Garcia: Thank you, sir; I'll be quick. Item PZ.14 is an appeal of a warrant for a property at
5609 Northeast 2nd Avenue. This is a resolution, and there's also an appeal hearing before you
on a de novo basis. This is the result of an appeal of a warrant issued by the Planning & Zoning
Department to the Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board. The Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board,
on June 3 heard the matter and overturned the warrant issued by a vote of 7-4, and it is now
before you on appeal once again. We, as the issuing department, are asking you to uphold our
findings. It is a warrant issued with conditions. I'm happy to explain further as needed. 171
defer to the applicant.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Now -- and this is in reference to the parties that are involved with this,
so the appellee and also the appellant. This, to me, is a legal matter, and I say that because we
are dealing with a warrant, an appeal to that warrant, a PZAB (Planning, Zoning & Appeals
Board) decision, and now this is up for the appeal from the PZAB decision, and I will tell you
that here we are with an issue that, to me, when I read through Miami 21 and the law that
applies, to be clear, unless there's something that I have not heard, so I will tell you, I'm looking
for: Did the City err, Planning director err when he granted this warrant to this facility? And I
ask you to, when you present your evidence, if there isn't a -- well, those who, one, did he err;
and the others, did he not err in that process? Because as I read through the legislation, as I
read through the application, and as I read through the initial appeal that put it before the
Planning and Zoning & Appeals Board, I see things that, to me, need to add up to that. As I
understand it, the law that we're looking at is Section 7.1.24, the warrant, review and appeal
process, particularly, section -- and I wrote this down as I was sitting here -- C3. It tells us that
the approvals shall be granted when the applicant -- well, the applicant should -- complies with
the -- all applicable regulations. It also says that conditional -- and now I'm reading from my
I -Pad -- approvals shall be issued when the application require conditions in order to be found in
compliance with all applicable regulations. Then it goes and says: Denials of applications shall
be issued if after conditions and safeguards have been considered, the application still fails to
comply with all applicable regulations; and the decision of the director shall include an
explanation of the Code requirements for an appeal (UNINTELLIGIBLE) this
(UNINTELLIGIBLE), and shall be provided to the NET (Neighbor Enhancement Team) Officer
who shall -- five days distribute -- within five days shall distribute the warrant to the official
representative of all registered neighborhood and homeowner associations with NET. And that's
all "blab," but most importantly, the director shall include the citations through the legal
authority for any deniable warrant. Here, there is no denial; here, there is a grant; initially,
there was a grant of this warrant, and with the grant of that warrant, it must be according to
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what Miami 21 has stated the law is, and when I looked to Article 6, Table 13, our supplemental
regulations, it says: A public storage facility is allowed by warrant and subject to the following
additional requirements. Those requirements are: The maximum size of any individual storage
rental space shall be 400 square feet; controlled access and adequate security surveillance shall
be provided throughout the facility; any boat or vehicle storage in this facility shall not exceed
an overall length of 25 feet and shall be stored within the completely enclosed
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) structure; and hours of operation shall be limited to 5 to 11 p.m. And I'll
allow you to present the evidence of what the warrant requirements were when you granted it,
Mr. Director, the warrant; however, the part that I'm struggling with, that I have not received
yet, that 1 would love to hear evidence upon today because of de novo standard is what is
indicated in a appeal of that initial -- an appeal of that initial grant of warrant, and I will read it
for you, so you're very clear about where I am. There were -- there's actually more than one, but
they both read similarly. One is an appeal from Joseph Pierre, and the appeal reads: "For the
reasons set forth in my letter dated January 15, 2015, please accept this letter as my formal
appeal of the approval of warrant 20140059 for the construction of a self -storage facility at
5609 Northeast 2nd Avenue. I am an abutting property owner, and my check for 126 to file this
appeal is enclosed" So I understand why we have the appeal, but I don't know what we are
appealing about, because there was no letter that's attached to my file; so then, that evidence
would need to be presented today before us, so I understand exactly what it is that is being
appealed. Other evidence that will come in about how it conforms to the community and such, I
believe through the warrant process is also examined under Article 4, Table 12, looking at the
building and conforming to the community, et cetera, et cetera, so all -- the evidence is what I'm
interested in, and I need you to present that, because I'm telling you exactly what I'm looking for;
whether or not the City planner -- I mean the City Planning director erred in this whole process,
and I'm looking for substantially competent evidence to prove just that. And in this situation, I'm
dealing with the law, because I believe it's within the law that we, as a city, are going to be safe,
and I'm not going to allow any of our emotions or my emotions, no matter how close I am to the
parties -- I won't say the party of appeal, but to the parties that are affected by this -- to affect my
decision. Is that clear?
Ines Marrero-Priegues: Crystal --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay, thank you.
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: -- to quote a movie. For the record --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Who's presenting for --
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: -- my name is Ines Marrero. I am the attorney for the applicant below,
the appellant before this Commission. Our approval by the City was appealed by two parties to
the PZAB. The PZAB approved the appeal and overturned the director's approval, so to be
specific, the question that you've raised regarding the basis for finding that the director erred is
precisely the basis for our appeal. We concur that there is insufficient -- in fact, there is no
evidence to support overturning the decision of the director to issue the warrant, so we represent
the developer, the party that wants to put this project in Little Haiti/Lemon City. We filed an
application with the City; we filed all the requirements; we had numerous meetings; and our
permit was issued; and some parties, for reasons that are still not clear to us, have appealed it;
and the Zoning Board, notwithstanding the fact that there is, in our opinion, no substantial
competent evidence, approved their appeal and denied our permit, and we're here appealing that
decision.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay, thank you very much. And Mr. Planning Director, you are the
individual that signed as the director, granting the warrant in this case, so can you please inform
the Board what standard did you use to grant this warrant that was before us today ?
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Mr. Garcia: I am glad to, sir. First and foremost, of course, any development in the City of
Miami has to comply fully with all the applicable regulations in the Zoning Ordinance and City
Code, so the first thing that is done -- and this is the Zoning Office (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of the
review --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Before I move forward, is there someone here representing the -- Mr.
Pierre or whomever was the -- can you please stand? I want to know, is there a lawyer here
representing --?
Unidentified Speaker: No.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. So I will tell you this: Mr. Garcia is going to present -- he's
presenting evidence now as to what he did to consider when he granted the warrant. If you are
going to make your case that he erred, please be prepared to cross-examine him on any questions
or statements that you wish, because through that cross-examination, and perhaps the presenting
of your own testimony, I'm going to be able to help make my decision from the facts that are
being presented today, okay? So I want you to just be aware of that. Thank you. Please.
Mr. Garcia: Thank you. So it is essentially a two-step process. First and foremost, the proposed
structure and the proposed use must comply with all the applicable regulations both from the
Zoning Ordinance and the City Code, and this one does. It so happens that because public
storage facilities are considered a use which, if implemented in an excessive manner, can have
adverse impacts, there is then an additional review required for these uses, and
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) special uses in the Zoning Ordinance, which is the warrant permit process.
The warrant permit process then invokes a table of criteria which are contained on Article 4,
Table 12, and these criteria are intended to guide us, the Planning & Zoning Department, in our
review of the application to ensure that the manner in which the use is implemented does not
have any of those adverse impacts or --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. Director, the planning -- the Article 4, Table 12, that's been provided
to the Commissioners for their consideration, correct?
Mr. Garcia: That is correct, sir. And so we have conducted the review and have found the
proposed development of this public storage facility to comply with all the applicable criteria on
Article 4, Section 12, as well as all of the requirements that would apply otherwise; and in doing
so, we must then find and approve the warrant. In this particular case, the approval took place
with conditions; and those conditions, because certain elements of the proposal were not
contained in the plans as presented to us, and therefore, are not a part of the record, those
conditions then capture precisely some of the items that you highlighted earlier that are
contained in Article 6 to ensure that prior to issuance of a building permit those other concerns
are properly addressed. They are clearly specified, clearly set forth. We are of the opinion that
they can be met satisfactorily by the applicant, and we will ensure through the building permit
process they are complied with. Those are the conditions that are attached to the warrant; but
for that, all the other concerns have been properly addressed. I can be more specific. I'm happy
to answer any questions.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. Any questions from the dais; and if not, any questions from the --
I don't want to call it the opposition, but at this point, you would be the appellee, unless we
change some things. You have a question? Does anyone have a question for the Planning
director as to what he just put forth?
Sandra Simioni: Mr. Chairman -- I mean, sorry -- Mr. Vice Chairman.
Vice Chair Hardemon: That's fine.
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Ms. Simioni: I would like to ask Chris to be (UNINTELLIGIBLE) with all the little, you know,
difficult terms here, providing how it was -- if the Code was applied here, Miami 21.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay, can you --
Ms. Simioni: Because --
Vice Chair Hardemon: One, can you tell me who you are, and where you're from?
Ms. Simioni: Oh, sorry, (UNINTELLIGIBLE). My name is Sandra Simioni, and I am the owner
of 5555 Northeast 2nd Avenue. I am the abutting property right to where this corporation wants
to build the storage facility. I will be directly affected together with Mr. Joseph here.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And the individual that you want to ask questions to the Planning
director, who is he? Can he --?
Ms. Simioni: He is -- he also has business in the area, and he's really -- you know, he is very
knowledgeable of the terms, and I would like him to help me.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Chris Zangrilli: Thank you, Sandra. My name is Chris Zangrilli. I own District Realty
Advisors, at 6200 Northeast 2nd Avenue. I also have a master's in urban planning. I'm not
going to say I'm as well versed as some members of the staff, butt did used to work for the City
of Miami Planning Department some five or six years ago. Regarding your question,
specifically, he says that all the items in Article 4, Table 12 were met; the conditions for
compliance. I have highlighted four or five here that think are blatantly made incorrectly.
Now, that's a matter of opinion. If your planner or -- I mean, some of these, if you just read them
and you look at this project, you can't possibly argue that that condition was met.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So, at this point, if you have -- what I'd like for you to do -- this is
cross-examination at this point. So if there is a point that you wish to bring out of Mr. -- the
Planning director, use this time to bring that fact out of the Planning director, okay? Other than
that, then you have an opportunity to give your testimony as to what you believe, and allow us to
weigh both testimonies.
Mr. Zangrilli: Okay. My first question would be for Article 4, Table 12, Section 7, Ambient
Standards. Number 3 says: To protect the residential areas from excessive noise, fumes, odors,
commercial vehicle intrusion, traffic conflicts, and spillover effects of light. You say, yes, it's
applicable; and you say, yes, that it complies. I beg to differ to that. It doesn't even come close
to complying in this specific case, and I'd ask for an explanation, because there's a T3 literally
less than a hundred feet from this five -story storage facility, and this storage facility sits on a
17 foot wide street, where the ingress and egress will be. Now, I don't know about you guys, but
getting box trucks in and out of an ingress and egress on a 17 foot street is a very difficult
proposition. I mean, a driveway's got to be 22 feet.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Sir, I'm trying to help you through this, because what you're doing,
you're putting your own testimony up, when you're supposed to be getting testimony from him, so
I'm going to give you a little leeway, understanding that --
Mr. Zangrilli: I'm not a lawyer.
Vice Chair Hardemon: But what -- I get it; I understand completely. But at this point, if you
have a question as to if under Section 7, Ambient Standards, Part 3, if it is in compliance, you
can ask him directly to explain what he considered in that --
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Mr. Zangrilli: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) explain your answer on Section 7, Number 3.
Mr. Garcia: Let me suggest to the Board that, as perhaps it was currently introduced by the
appellant, some of these issues are the subject of the exercise of one's best ability to review the
plans provided, and express whether or not the criteria have been addressed. So if questions
were to be accepted from the appellants, which put the Planning & Zoning Department in a
position to justify every single design component, you can easily see how this would be a back
and forth in a statement of opinion. I would suggest to you, and I would ask the Deputy City
Attorney for confirmation, that the standard is the following: The zoning designation of the
property sets forth the development capacity. It sets forth what the massing is, what the
development capacity is, what the floor/lot ratio is, and it accepts -- and we must presume that
the development proposed, so long as it's compliant with those regulations, is acceptable, right?
So our standard is not to challenge necessarily the application from every standpoint. Our
challenge is to first find it compliant, which means that if the structure, to give you an example,
is five stories in height, we do not need to make a finding that five stories is acceptable; that is a
by -right component of the application. So if you were to ask me, do I think five stories are
appropriate, my response would be: Five stories are allowed by right by the zoning designation,
the height is allowed by the zoning designation, the floor/lot ratio is allowed by the zoning
designation, the square footage is allowed by the zoning designation, compliance of parking
requirements and ingress and regress requirements all are allowed by right by the zoning
designation. If the project complies with all of those items, we must find -- we, the Planning &
Zoning Department -- must find that the project is, in fact, in compliance. It is only as pertains
to those aspects of the proposal that might have the potential adverse effect that we must then
apply these criteria. I wanted to make that clear, first and foremost.
Vice Chair Hardemon: All right. Before you move on, Mr. Assistant City Attorney, the question
that 1 have for you is, here we are with Article 4, Table 12. It has different design review criteria
that the reviewing committee must review: building disposition, building configuration, building
function, and density, parking standards, landscape standards, sign standards. I believe the next
one might be ambient standards. Must each one of these enumerated sections be in compliance
for an application to be approved or a warrant to be approved?
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): No. These are simply factors that are to be considered by
the Board -- the Commission. So to answer your question directly, it does not have to be a
unanimous "yes" with all the different factors. There could be some "no's" throughout; and
again, as you've properly stated before, if there are conditions that can be imposed in order to
address those "no's, " then the Board can grant the warrant with those conditions to address
those concerns.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And I'm saying this so that the parties realize that there's something I just
wanted to be clear about, because here, you've identified a number of different things; maybe
about four different items that are different sections of the review criteria, and so if for instance,
each one of these were not in compliance, and you -- they were required to be in compliance for
there to be a grant of a warrant, I believe we would be moved; if it is not testimony from you as
to how you can make this better would be something to be considered for, for instance, if there
was a grant of the warrant, subject to some conditions. So maybe if you -- this wouldn't be
within your cross-examination, but in your delivery of testimony, if you choose to testify and give
some facts for us to consider, you would suggest, because you worked for the Planning
Department before, how the conditions can be implemented to better service a
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) of a warrant if a warrant is to be granted. Do you understand?
Mr. Zangrilli: I do understand that, but I don't think that's the only criteria here in question.
There -- the City Commission passed legislation creating a Cultural Arts & Entertainment
District between 54th and 63rd Street back in 2008. It's only eight blocks, and for the fact that
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that's not considered at all in the granting of a public storage facility warrant on a retail high
street, I find that dubious. How can you not consider the use when you have a district created
for the sole purpose of creating cultural arts and entertainment? A public storage facility
couldn't be farther from the purpose of that district, so to just blatantly say that you can't
consider that, I think is incorrect; and saying that only what's in this table, which I think I've
pointed out, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) wrong, is the only criteria here, I think you have to factor in
the neighborhood, the context; that's why it's a warrant, that's why these aren't allowed by right.
They're subject to much more criticism and critique. You can't -- I mean, there's been 14
warrants applied for for storage facilities since January 1, 2014, and they've all been granted
and these aren't by rights. I mean, that would be D1 and D2. I mean, you can by right build a
storage facility, but now, anybody that comes in looking to build a public storage facility on T5
and T6, you're setting a precedent that that's going to be allowed by warrant --
Ms. Simioni: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Hardemon: Now, I will -- counselor, I will say that I'm looking at what the standard
is, and the standard says that 7.1.24, by warrant; and there's a review process through this, and
through that review process, as I understand the law that's given to be from Miami 21, that these
approvals shall be granted if the application complies with all applicable regulations. And so,
then it goes into condition of regulations and what happens if there's a denial. So when you say
-- when I read, "shall be granted, " to me, "shall" is a right if these conditions are met; and I
have yet to read any conditions that require consideration of a historical overlay. So my
question would then be: Is there anything within -- and this will be answered by the Planning
director or the Assistant City Attorney -- are there any ordinances or any part of the Code that
says that for a warrant, as in this situation, you must review or you must approve it
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) consider it against a historical or entertainment district overlay?
Mr. Garcia: No, there isn't, sir; specifically, to address your question. And may I expand on
that answer?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Please.
Mr. Garcia: Thank you. I would certainly -- and I appreciate your recitation of the ordinance,
because it is exactly on point. The presumption is that the application will be granted. And in
response partially to Mr. Zangrilli's comment, if -- or, rather, upon finding that the particular
application, once it's been properly reviewed, and modified and revised and once we feel that
all the reasonable concerns of abutting property owners or nearby stakeholders have been
addressed, it is our charge then to have to approve that warrant application. So you will find
that as many warrant applications come, in particular for public storage facilities, as many
come, they will all likely be approved; not immediately, of course, and there will be many
iterations in many instances, but our charge is to ensure that the appropriate conditions apply,
the appropriate design takes place to mitigate against those potential adverse impacts. Once we
find that, once we're satisfied that is the case, then it will be approved; it shall be approved; it
should be approved. The one additional thing I will say is if the abutting property owners or
nearby affected stakeholders have particular issues that they feel have not properly been
addressed -- and that might be, in this case, the height of five stories has been approved, and we
would propose to you as the Board sitting, you know, as finders of fact here, that this has not
been sufficiently addressed and they present to you evidence that, in fact, there is an adverse
impact that is being potentially felt by the site, it is then your position to be able to add
conditions or revise conditions to be able to address that; not necessarily to overturn, but to
enhance the findings made or the conditions made to be able to address proportionately the
impacts suffered.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay.
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Mr. Zangrilli: Now, may I rebut that real quick?
Vice Chair Hardemon: I will say this: If you have a question as to -- because, remember --
Mr. Zangrilli: Exactly, what he just said
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- if you want to put on evidence, you'll have the opportunity to do that,
but I wanted to make sure that you understand this is cross-examination, so if there's something
you want him to clarify, or if you want to bring out a point from him, you will certainly be
allowed to do that now.
Mr. Zangrilli: You mentioned reasonable concerns of the neighboring property owners. We
made numerous requests to speak to the Planning Department prior to the formal approval of
this warrant; numerous requests, and he's handing out all the letters we sent in to the Planning
Department to sit down with you guys, showing you our arguments of why we think this is
incorrect. All the emails that we sent, none of which were responded to; we were never given the
audience. The only chance we had was to appeal this and go in front of PZAB. So how can we
possibly make our case here? I mean, we just throw our hands up, and are victim to the
Planning Department. We tried to make our concerns noted, and we were ignored.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Mr. Zangrilli: So how do we address that?
Mr. Garcia: I will say, briefly, that you are in the correct place to make those claims. I think
they are -- you have a sympathetic audience, and they're willing to hear whatever concerns or
impacts you may be suffering.
Mr. Zangrilli: Okay.
Vice Chair Hardemon: All right.
Mr. Zangrilli: To follow that up, I handed out the Article 4, Table 12, with a few of them
highlighted. I asked that -- specifically, the first one I asked about, I don't believe that that's in
compliance. I (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Vice Chair Hardemon: So what I'm going to do is I'm going to --
Mr. Zangrilli: And I have more evidence for you.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Right. I'm going to allow you to -- because we have to see if you still
want to put a case on towards this, or that the Planning director did not err; that's what we're
trying to decide right now. So 1'll allow you, during the time when you want to show that he did
err, to present the evidence that you wish, but at this point, I'm going to stop the
cross-examination, because I don't think -- it's getting outside of the scope, and you're putting on
evidence, rather than pulling it from him, and so at this point, was there any further evidence
that the Planning director wanted to put on the record?
Mr. Garcia: No. Simply to state again for the record, and very briefly, that we have found and
stand by the fact that the proposed development complies with all of the applicable rules and
regulations as contained in Zoning Ordinance, Miami 21, and the City Code; and that all the
criteria in Article 4, Table 12, all the applicable criteria have been, in fact, complied with.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And one question for you: The appeal to the Planning, Zoning &
Appeals Board, and the subsequent decision that the PZAB made, whose appeal was heard?
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Mr. Garcia: The appellant's appeal.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Right. But I know that there was -- are they joint appeals? Is it one
appeal, or was it two separate appeals, and one was granted and one was not?
Mr. Garcia: They were heard jointly, I believe.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. And then -- so that would be for -- and the two names are, once
again, Joseph Pierre, correct --
Mr. Garcia: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- and Argentine Investments?
Mr. Zangrilli: Sandra Simioni; yes, she spoke.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So your Investments. And is Joseph Pierre here?
Ms. Simioni: Yes.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay, and Joseph Pierre is there. Thank you very much. All right. And
so at this point, what I'm going to do is I'm -- for the appellants to the PZAB decision, is there
any testimony that you want to put forth, or any evidence that you want to put forth on the record
to be considered?
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: Yes. For the record, we are here on behalf of the appellant again, and
while we have a court reporter, I will say that I am -- I appreciate your handling of the matter
and setting up all of the procedural steps in getting them to set forth the case. There's two very
important points that I feel are necessary; one of them is there's design criteria associated in this
district. The reference to Little Haiti/Lemon City is significant, because the Code has guidelines,
design guidelines that apply to properties in this area, and the guidelines are two requirements --
and I have a PowerPoint presentation, but I won't go through it; however, I do want you to look
at the rendering of the other project, because it's quite lovely, and we spent a lot of time working
with staff to come up with this design. I'm going to scroll very quickly to the criteria, because it's
very straightforward; there's two, there's two specific guidelines. Number one: The building
shall be designed with a Caribbean climate in mind and complementing the Caribbean French
Creole design facades reminiscent of the Haitian culture, and the community's desired
appearance -- the community's desired appearance. And number two: Chain link fencing shall
not be placed in the first (UNINTELLIGIBLE) adjacent to the Northeast 2nd Avenue unless it is
of a temporary nature. We don't have chain link fence. This design was --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Counselor, and where did you take those standards from?
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: From the design guidelines that the Planning Department has for the
Little Haiti/Lemon City.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And the Planning Department, where -- that document that she referred
to in this presentation, where is that language from that you placed in that document?
Mr. Garcia: That language, sir, is appended to Miami 21, the Zoning Ordinance.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay, thank you very much.
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: And the warrant does make a specific finding that the project meets
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those design guidelines. The other item that I feel is important to state for the record, because it
has been stated before by the appellant's people, and they continue to make reference is the --
Vice Chair Hardemon: One second, counselor. Malloty, I'm going to ask you -- because you
two are two -- on separate sides of the issue -- not to approach the dais and pass out information.
I don't want to get things confused, and when we receive things, I want to be clear about what
I'm receiving before you bring it to me, because the record can't see that you gave me something,
so I want the record to properly reflect that you -- we received a document with something in it.
Mallory Kauderer: You received the legislations for the Art & Entertainment District.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay, I understand.
Mr. Marrero-Priegues: Thank you; that's exactly what I was going to refer to right now. There
have been many references to the Lemon City/Little Haiti French Cultural Arts & Entertainment
District. It is Chapter 4 of your City Code. It is the section of your City Code that regulates
alcoholic beverages. What that section of the Code did was create an Entertainment District that
-- and I'll read the intent of the Code as set forth in Section 4.11(M), Sub 1: The intent of the
district is to allow 20 establishments, which may include nightclubs, supper clubs, restaurants,
coffee shops and bar uses, to benefit from close proximity to one another within the district. To
this end, the distance requirements within these -- within said district shall be eliminated or
modified as described above for a maximum of 20 such establishments within the boundaries
specified below. What this district did -- and it's no different than other districts in the City --
there's one Maty Brickell; there's one in the Orange Bowl; there's one -- it's called the Orange
Bowl, but it's Marlins Park; there's -- in other areas, in Wynwood -- is basically to eliminate the
distance requirement between liquor uses to allow for, say, a bar or a nightclub to be closer to
another bar and nightclub; that's all this district was intended to use. And furthermore, I will
proffer that there are other districts in the City where warrants have been approved for
self -storage facilities. One was approved at 20 -- for a self -storage facility at 2190 Southwest
8th Street, and that's in the Calle Ocho, in the Southwest 8th Street Corridor Cultural Specialty
District; there's two downtown in the Central Business District; and we approved one in the
Coral Way Historic Transportation Corridor. That was not an Entertainment District, but it is a
Historic Transportation Corridor. So there is precedent for this being done before. One thing --
it's a red herring -- one thing has nothing to do with the other. It does not prohibit this use.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Thank you, counselor. I mean, this is pretty important
information, because now, your argument, sir, has been in -- and what's your last name again?
Mr. Zangrilli: Zangrilli.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Zangrilli?
Mr. Zangrilli: Right.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So your argument was that the historic -- I'm sorry, I want to be clear
about what the language is -- the French -- the Lemon City/Little Haiti French Creole Cultural
Arts & Entertainment District. The way that the language was presented to me when you were
talking earlier, to me, it sounded as if you were introducing that as it must be considered against
that because of the type of community that it was; that this type of district doesn't allow or
wouldn't be compatible with that, and so the evidence that was provided to me by -- well,
someone on -- if I were on your side of the table, so representing the appellee, and then the
appellant pointed out just now -- and I'm sure you heard -- that this language in this ordinance
only refers to liquor licenses, and reducing the number, or the space, or the distance between
each establishment that could have a liquor license. So how do you present that this legislation,
this ordinance affects the -- what should be considered in granting the warrant?
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Mr. Zangrilli: Because that ignores the previous portion of the legislation that reads: Whereas
the City of Miami has previously approved exemptions for certain distance separation
requirements to promote cultural resources by creating specialty districts, which has helped
foster economic growth in those districts. And then it continues to read: It is in the best interest
of the City of Miami to create the Lemon City/Little Haiti French Creole Cultural Arts &
Entertainment District, just as the City of Miami benefited from the creation of other specialty
districts. It also says: The exemptions from certain distance requirements for a limited number
of establishments serving alcoholic beverages in the Lemon City/Little Haiti French Creole will
enhance and promote the area. So there's more to it than just alleviating distance requirements
on liquor laws, and if you look at the legislation created -- which I don't have in front of me --
creating specialty districts, in the beginning, it talks about creating cultural hubs and artistic
hubs. It's not just liquor licenses; that's just the actual nuts and bolts of creating the district, is
you lift those, so it's not just distance requirements for alcohol; there's other reasons that they
create these.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. Counselor, is there anything else that you want to present?
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: Yes. I would just like to add three important things for the record
regarding the project. One of them is as part of our discussions with the appellees below, the
appellants below as -- when we first deferred the item from the PZAB to meet with them and try
to address their concerns, we increased the retail space fronting Northwest [sic] 2nd Avenue.
The original project had a gallery, an art gallery, and it was a concern of the stakeholders that
there be more retail, and we increased, and we are committed and we'd like the warrant to be
revised to reflect that the project now includes 1,300 square feet of retail at the ground floor. In
addition, this project is going to provide five off -- on -street parking spaces, and it's going to
have a project that has frontage along 2nd Court, and therefore, that area is also going to be
improved. And lastly, we have had many conversations with community -based organizations in
the area, and we have committed to offer them storage and meeting space at no cost for their
meetings and for their needs.
Mr. Zangrilli: May I ask about the evidence again?
Vice Chair Hardemon: One second. I just want to be clear about what's just been offered,
because what the appellant has just offered for this Board to consider is that you will accept
conditions with this warrant granted, if it is granted, to increase your meeting space from about
666 square feet to 1,300 square feet.
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: Well, the 660 feet -- 666 feet are still available by the office for the
self-service building, but that use does not (UNINTELLIGIBLE) parking. The reason we are
limited on the amount of retail space that we can provide is because if we add more retail space,
then we'll need more parking, and then we'll need a parking variance.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So the retail space that you're now --
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: It still needs parking, and it's 1,300.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Square feet.
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: Square feet, correct.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Provide street parking --?
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: And there's on -street parking as part of this project.
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Vice Chair Hardemon: And did you say the number of parking?
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: Five.
Mr. Zangrilli: Five.
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: I'm sorry, five.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Five. And then you said storage and meeting space at no cost for a CBO
(community -based organization) from the community?
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: That's correct.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. Is there any other thing you want to add for the record?
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: That's it. Thank you.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Is there something you wanted to say to what she just said?
Mr. Zangrilli: No, not to that.
Vice Chair Hardemon: All right. So at this point, what I'm going to ask you to do now is it's
your opportunity to present evidence as to -- so basically, what you've been doing before, I want
to just give you the true opportunity to present evidence as to why you think that the Planning
director erred in this matter, and why we should uphold the Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board's
decision.
Mr. Zangrilli: Okay. Back to Article 4, Table 12, which is the criteria that was applied I believe
Section 1, Building Disposition, Number 4: Create transitions, and height, and mass with
abutting properties in transect zones. The abutting properties are all one store. Less than 100
feet to the east is T3, so there is absolutely zero transition in height and mass to those things, and
they said, yes, it's in compliance, and I find that to be dubious.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Go on.
Mr. Zangrilli: Number 5, Section 2: Promote pedestrian interaction. If you look at the actual
plans of this, I want to say 60 -- it's got three frontages, and two of them are entirely
non pedestrian friendly; one is the ingress/egress for the parking garage area where you drive
the trucks in and then you unload your storage; and the rear, along Northeast 1st Court --
Northeast 2nd Court, that's just a blank wall, the entire length of the street, so I really don't see
how there's any interaction for anyone walking on the street there. Both of those frontages are
entirely non friendly, and the only little bit you have is the office to rent storage spaces along
Northeast 2nd Avenue, and a small token retail center.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Counselor representing the appellant, the sidewalk area that's indicated
on your plans, how wide are the sidewalks? Do you know how wide the sidewalks are currently
and how wide they'll be once these improvements will be made, or anyone who can answer that
question because, I mean, these plans were submitted.
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: Your Planning director --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Put it right there, yeah.
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the plans with you.
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Mr. Garcia: Yes, sir, I'm happy to address that. The sidewalks along Northeast 2nd Court are
proposed at 6 feet 6 inches, and there's abundant landscaping enhancing the appearance of that
particular frontage. The sidewalks along Northeast 56th Street go a little bit wider; although the
dimension is not provided in these plans. One might expect that they would be -- oh, I'm sorry, it
is provided in the plans; also 6 feet 6 inches; also with landscaping. I would emphasize for the
record that --
Vice Chair Hardemon: So that would be 6 feet 6 inches, and then from there, you have
landscaping, additionally.
Mr. Garcia: That is correct, sir. I did want to highlight, because this was a point of contention
earlier, that access to the facility is provided on Northeast 56th Street; that is, of course,
required, so -- and it is designed and configured in a manner that we think is satisfactory. And
lastly, the third frontage along Northeast 2nd Avenue has a sidewalk provided of also 6 feet 6
inches; once again, with landscaping; and, because Northeast 2nd Avenue is a primary frontage,
and certainly, the primavy street in the area, that frontage has been enhanced with habitable
space, so there is an active facade fronting Northeast 2nd Avenue.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Do you know what the current sidewalk measurements are there, or if it
is a sidewalk there?
Mr. Garcia: I will check quickly to see whether there is a survey attached to the plans that I
have here.
Unidentified Speaker: I believe there is one.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I'm hearing testimony from --
Mr. Zangrilli: I don't think there's really a sidewalk there.
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- there is no sidewalk there?
Ms. Simioni: There.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Oh, very small?
Ms. Simioni: It is. Yes, there is.
Mr. Zangrilli: Oh, small.
Mr. Garcia: I don't have a survey in my package, sir; I apologize. Perhaps the appellant does.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And I've heard two different statements. Mr. Zangrilli says that there is
no sidewalk; and then I've heard testimony from the other young lady, and your name is -- what's
your name again, ma'am?
Ms. Simioni: Sandra Simioni.
Vice Chair Hardemon: How do you pronounce --?
Ms. Simioni: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Sandra Simioni.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Simioni.
Ms. Simioni: For (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Investments.
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Vice Chair Hardemon: Right. And you said that there is a sidewalk there.
Ms. Simioni: Yes, there is a sidewalk, and also --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Although you don't have anything in front of you to show you what the
exact measurements are --
Ms. Simioni: I know; I don't have it. I don't have -- that would be --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Right, but --
Ms. Simioni: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE). And the interesting part is that, you know, Planning didn't
Vice Chair Hardemon: Before you move forward, I want to make sure that I'm done with Mr.
Zangrilli, because he's the witness that's testifying right now --
Ms. Simioni: Sure.
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- so I want to make sure we complete that.
Ms. Simioni: Okay.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Is there anything else you wanted to add to the record?
Mr. Zangrilli: Yes. Section 3, Number 1, says: Respond to the neighborhood context and
transect zone. I really do not believe that this responds to the neighborhood context, being that
it's a Cultural Arts & Entertainment District; it's got a T3 right behind it; it's a public storage
facility, right on retail high street. I'd like to know how they can say that this project does
respond to the neighborhood context; and not the design of the building. I'm talking about the
actual function of the building, as it says in the heading; not the design; the function as a public
storage facility responds to the context of the neighborhood.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Is there -- would you like to make a response to what you believe, the
building function ?
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: The building function is a commercial use. Commercial uses are
allowed in T5. The whole transect, every other properties on both sides of Northeast 2nd Avenue
are zoned T5-0, which allow for five -stove structures and they all allow for self -storage facilities,
subject to the warrant. Immediately to the east, there are two lots zoned T5-0, so the contention
that we are next to residential is not correct. This property, first of all, does not abut any
property that is zoned T3. It is surrounded by T5 on three sides, and T5-0 and T5-R on the east
side, so there is appropriate context with all of the surroundings. And "surrounding" means not
only what's existing, but what can be built, because all those properties could be developed as --
at a five -story height, and we should not be penalized for developing this property at its entitled
development just because the other sides have not been built up to five stories.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. Planning Director, I want to qualify her statement that the properties
around it are not residential, and they're T5, and I can't remember the exact -- but what are the
abutting properties, and how are they zoned?
Mr. Garcia: Yes, that is correct. I can confirm for the record that the property to the east abuts
a zoning of T5-0; to the west, T5-0; to the north, T5-0; to the south, T5-0, so this particular
property, the subject property is completely within a context of T5-0 development. It is
appropriate to say that, presently, many of those parcels are either underdeveloped or
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undeveloped, but it is also true to say that the zoning designation does allow for exactly the kind
of massing and scale they are proposing.
Vice Chair Hardemon: All right. Mr. Zangrilli, can you please continue?
Mr. Zangrilli: The T5 to the east is one lot that's 50 feet. I just want to put that on the record, so
it's one lot, and then it's T3.
Mr. Garcia: I'm sorry, I must correct that; I apologize. Actually, it is two lots, and the
approximate depth is about 100 feet. I just wanted to take that out of the record.
Mr. Zangrilli: That's what we were saying; it's 100 feet to T3, so it's very close.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Mr. Zangrilli: And if you think that responds to the mass and the transition, that's obviously
open to opinion and interpretation, but we don't believe so. And I'll bring you back to my
original one, Section 7, Number 3: Protect the residential areas from excessive noise, fumes,
odors, commercial vehicle intrusion, traffic conflicts, and the spillover effect of light. Again,
being that close to a T3, with a street where your ingress and egress is 17 feet wide -- we have a
photograph of it -- I don't see how that's in compliance. That runs counter to protecting our
residential area by putting a commercial use such as this right next to a T3.
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: May I ask, Mr. Zangrilli -- and I know he can't speak for both
appellants, but I know that he is very familiar with the properties. Can you see the photograph?
And I can give you a copy of that.
Mr. Zangrilli: Yes. Thank you.
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: Is that Mr. Pierre's property?
Mr. Zangrilli: The pink building? Yes.
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: And the -- those are pictures of the back of Mr. Pierre's property with
two storage containers. Is it your opinion that that is compatible with regulation uses?
Mr. Zangrilli: I don't --
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: It is?
Mr. Zangrilli: -- think that's relevant to what's going on here.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Wait. One thing: Before you go into what's in -- I understand that you
say that that is the property. Can you tell us when this picture was taken, so we know?
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: That picture was taken before the Planning & Zoning Board back in
July.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. Do you know who took these photos?
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: I took the pictures.
Vice Chair Hardemon: You took the pictures yourself?
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: Yes.
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Vice Chair Hardemon: And you arm that that is the condition that the properties were in at the
time that you took the --
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- photo in July?
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. I need you to answer her questions directly then.
Mr. Zangrilli: I don't know.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Can you repeat the question for the record?
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: The question is whether the condition -- the existing conditions on the
appellant's property are compatible and consistent with being next to a residential area.
Mr. Zangrilli: I don't know.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. And just for the record, I want you to refer to which picture that
you're referring to so that it's clear within the record exactly what --?
Mr. Zangrilli: I don't believe this is relevant at all.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay. I understand Thank you. I'm going to overrule that objection,
but I want to know for the record exactly what picture this is that you're referring to.
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: Yes. There are three pictures of Mr. Pierre's property; one of them is the
building that has frontage along North 2nd Avenue -- Northeast 2nd Avenue, and there are two
pictures of the side of the property, and I'm referring to the pictures that are of the side of the
property.
Mr. Zangrilli: That's not a permanent structure; it's a temporary condition. It's not a permanent
structure. It can be moved at any time. It's not like putting up a five -story building that can't be
reused as anything except a storage facility.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much. Is there -- are there any other things that you
want to put on the record, sir?
Mr. Zangrilli: I think I've put them on the record; that's good for me.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much. Is there any other questions you have for him?
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: That's it. Thank you.
Vice Chair Hardemon: No? Is -- from the appellees, those who won the PZAB, the one who --
those -- of the parties who won the PZAB decision, is there anyone who wants to put something
on the record? I will give those from the community an opportunity to respond, but if you are not
a party to these -- to this cause, I do not want to hear from you right now. Is there anyone else
that would like to make or would like to say something from -- who is a party of the appeal?
Okay. Hearing no more from the parties of the appeal, what I'd like to ask is for each side,
whoever is a party to the appeal -- each person who is a party to the appeal to make their final
arguments, if you will, as to why there is an error or the City Planning director did err or why
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they did not err, and I'll start with the appellants.
Ms. Marrero-Priegues: Yes. Again, we concur with the decision of the director. We worked for
many months to come up with the design that met the criteria for this district; that -- design a
building that spoke to the community; that we are in Little Haiti, and that this building is an
enhancement to Northeast 2nd Avenue. We meet every criteria. This is a legal use. This is a
legal height. This is as -of -right height FAR, and there is no basis to deny this warrant.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much. The parties from the appellee, final argument.
Ms. Simioni: Chairman, the structure is, as you said, the component of the use of the district
when it was designed (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Sorry It was an Arts & Entertainment District. I
really fail to see how this new structure would actually bring anything to the district, so as you
also saw in the designation of the Miami 21, it says that it has to add to the district, and I am
really -- I am -- I really tried hard to see how this would add to the area. You see, when it was
designated -- I bought this property in 2006. I -- it was designated in 2008. I said, well, that's
nice, you know, butt didn't really understand very much what it meant until all the changes were
taking place, little by little. You started seeing people walking in Northeast 2nd; something
really vety rare, where you could get mugged. I got mugged twice. And you know what? Now, I
drive by, and I see bunches of tourists walking on Northeast 2nd They're not coming to see any
storage facade. They're coming to see arts, culture, food, and this is what's happening in little
district there, and I don't see how this is going to help, really, and I tried hard; besides the other
five-foot case mentioned here, the fact that the street where they want to do the egress and the
ingress and the egress of the building is 17 feet. I don't know if you can -- I have a picture to
show you. Essentially, two cars, it's vety hard to go through, so it's going to affect me, which I'm
directly on the other side of 56th. And the approval of the warrant -- there was a warrant to be
given to approve them to build that; it wasn't the right to build directly. It had to be reviewed.
I'm sorry, but Planning didn't see the 17 feet of the street that is going to be a problem.
Northeast 2nd Court is 15 feet. And so, there are many issues with this that maybe doesn't have
exactly to do with the height, or the other things that she mentioned; it has to do with the best use
that can be given to that property. It's not going to bring anything to Little Haiti, to the district
that we are creating there, and there are places that are actually for and that would receive a
storage facility, and they are close by. You are welcome to buy a property around there and
build your own facility there, and have storage, but why on these eight blocks of the district?
We're trying to build something here. We're trying to attract tourists. We're trying to attract
activity, night life. And we already have Church's; we have Fuddruckers; we have
(UNINTELLIGIBLE), the restaurant that is in (UNINTELLIGIBLE). We need help, as the other
presenters before said, to support the neighborhood, and this is not going to support the
neighborhood. This is not bringing anything to the neighborhood. Imagine that at night, you
see people coming in and out of (UNINTELLIGIBLE), coming in and out of Church's, but what
are they going to see at night at the storage facility? Closed doors, that's all. Thank you.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much.
Chair Gort: Let me ask a question. Francisco, what is the use permitted in that zoning area; the
different use permitted?
Mr. Garcia: Right. The zoning designation is T5-0, and as a consequence of that, the full
catalog of commercial, office, and residential uses are allowed; it is a mixed use zoning
designation.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So at this point -- thank you for both of your closing arguments. I'm
going to open the floor for public comment. Each person will have two minutes to address the
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Board; and once you've done that, then we're going to close the public hearing, and the Board is
going to talk amongst ourselves as we decide how we should move forward with this issue.
You're recognized, sir.
Mallory Kauderer: My name is Mallory Kauderer, the office address of 300 Northeast 71 st
Street. I'm president of the Downtown Little Haiti Stakeholders. I'm also chairman of the Little
River Business District Board. And I own properties on most of the blocks in Little Haiti,
including two properties catty -corner, across the street from this property, and properties as
close as one block to the south and one block to the north. I was surprised, after having had a
relationship with the City of Miami for a number of years, to be completely ignored by the
Planning & Zoning Department of neighborhood input which went on for a number of months.
It included letter -writing; it included emails, meaning our communication to them; it included
visits to the Planning & Zoning Department, attempting to have an audience, and not one of any
of the emails, letters or efforts to speak with them about this one application were met with a
response; that came from me, that came from other property owners; that came from business
owners; that came from association officers, which included Northeast 2nd Avenue Partnership,
where I'm also a board member, and all the other names that I've stated. I don't think that's
acceptable. I don't believe that the Planning director has properly considered this application. I
think he erred in many ways in his interpretation of the Code, and I disagree wholeheartedly with
his conclusions, and the conclusions of the staff. And I am -- and we are, as individual
organizations, bitterly disappointed in the response that we received in our requests to have an
audience, and it won't be forgotten for a very long time if this is not approved -- if this is not
considered. I understand your legal argument a little bit.
Vice Chair Hardemon: I'm not making any argument.
Mr. Kauderer: Well, you did
Vice Chair Hardemon: No.
Mr. Kauderer: You did.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Everyone makes their argument.
Mr. Kauderer: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Hardemon: Understand this --
Mr. Kauderer: I don't believe that's correct interpretation. I don't believe --
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- I don't make any legal arguments.
Mr. Kauderer: Okay.
Vice Chair Hardemon: The arguments are being made by the appellant and the appellee, and
what I'm doing is going to consider what the legal arguments are, and how it applies to the law,
as we see it, and so the things that affect -- the facts that will affect the law is what I'm concerned
about here.
Mr. Kauderer: Okay, okay. I don't agree with your interpretation of that. I don't think this is
simply an argument to be debated on the Code, and we need to present legal arguments to that. I
believe it's far more reaching than that. I like Francisco. I respect Francisco. I think he does a
great job in his role. I don't think that this was one of his better moments. And I do understand
the situation with warrants being approved throughout the City for parking -- sorry -- storage
facilities. I noticed only in the last few days that there have been 13 or 14 approved by warrant.
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I don't know how many have been approved, not by warrant; looks like we have a battle of the
storage companies going on, and they're jumping into the breach and competing for market
share. I -- we have one -- an application just going up in the Little River District; across the
street, on 69th Street (UNINTELLIGIBLE) one floor storage facility. I see another one
happening on 79th; another one happening on 80th. Those are more in keeping with a industrial
zone; closer to industrial zone. They're not in the middle of an Arts & Entertainment District,
and blood sweat and tears of voters and taxpayers who would like to see their community grow
in a way that fits the street and fits their investments and their efforts. Thank you very much. I
hope the Commission considers what I've said and upholds the Planning Board's decision, which
is the board charged by the City to make such choices, and I would hope that you would go
along with their thoughtful interpretation and their decision.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much, sir. Mr. Planning Director, I'm looking at -- well,
I'm -- my question to you is: For applications such as this, that are required to have warrants,
what is the requirement for a public hearing or your interaction with the public?
Mr. Garcia: Right. So the very nature of what -- the fact that it requires a special review to
mitigate against potential adverse impacts means that we must engage meaningfully,
substantively with affected stakeholders to try to listen to their concerns and to try to address
them as appropriate. For that purpose, the warrant process, itself includes a required
notification to potentially impacted property owners, and there is a period of time allotted these
individuals to interact with us in the Planning & Zoning Department, inform us of the fact that
they've received a notification and that they would like to review the documents that have been
presented and interact with the department to provide their feedback prior to the warrant being
issued You have heard, and I'm here to reinstate, that a very protracted back -and -forth dialogue
process took place as part of this application. This was certainly in excess of six months back
and forth, discussing the merits of the proposal, and we are here to tell you that numerous
iterations for this particular project were presented, and finally, we landed upon one that we
thought actually met all the standards. There was a significant refinement and improvement to
the proposal prior to the final approval being issued. Even then, the final approval was issued
with the conditions that you see on the record today, so we -- I feel very comfortable presenting
to you that those requirements were fully met. To the statements that have been made pertaining
to the department's inability or unavailability to actually meet with the applicants, we've
retrieved some of the correspondence that has gone back and forth which makes specific
reference -- and this is back and forth between the Planning & Zoning Department and some
affected stakeholders, some of which are here today, indicating that, in fact, those meetings were
scheduled and actually did take place. Again, I understand fully, and I am sympathetic to the
fact that, to some extent, there can never be enough meetings, and there can never be enough
feedback, but at some point in time, we do have a burden to issue the permits when we feel the
standards have been met.
Mr. Kauderer: That's not true --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Okay, this is --
Mr. Kauderer: -- with all due respect, Francisco. We had one --
Vice Chair Hardemon: Sir, sir --
Mr. Kauderer: -- meeting that you gave us prior to --
Vice Chair Hardemon: -- sir --
Mr. Kauderer: Okay.
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Vice Chair Hardemon: Start the timer. One second, please.
Joann Milord: Good evening. My name is Joann Milord.
Vice Chair Hardemon: One second, Joann, please. All right, you're recognized; go ahead
Ms. Milord: Okay, good evening. My name is Joann Milord. I'm the executive director of
Northeast Second Avenue Partnership. We're a nonprofit in Little Haiti, dedicated to preserving
and revitalizing, especially what we consider to be downtown Little Haiti, which is the same as
the Entertainment & Cultural District. We do cultural events. We provide technical assistance to
the small businesses, and we do beautification projects. Our board is -- consists of community
leaders, small business owners, and other stakeholders in the community. We are here because
our position is that we oppose approving the warrant for this facility. We believe that the
Cultural & Entertainment District that was established back in 2008 is consistent with the
investment of the City of Miami when they built the Little Haiti Cultural Center, the Little Haiti
Soccer Park, and most recently, the renovation of the Caribbean Marketplace. The City
understands and has been consistent with its effort for the neighborhood of what we consider to
be downtown Little Haiti, and so we are here today to let you guys know that we're concerned
that the economic development that's happening in Little Haiti will be affected We're here today
to let you know that we've had cultural businesses, and galleries, and artists that have moved
into Little Haiti, because they feel that they are not able to afford rent in other areas. This is
what we need in our Little Haiti District to continue the economic development and flourish to
the Little Haiti that we want to be, so I hope that this -- all this information is taken into
consideration today. And also, as far as the counsel stated as far as other community -based
organizations that have been offered storage, I'm interested in knowing which community
organizations they've spoken to, because I did receive a card from counsel prior to this warrant
being approved, and there was no follow-up and no follow-through from the neighborhood
stakeholders. Thank you.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much. I'm waiting from a -- before you speak, sir -- I'm
reading from a document. This is not evidence to be considered, because it was not presented in
evidence, but I have an email chain of this email -- mostly, it has been -- they're mostly emails
from Mr. Mallory Kauderer; also, Mr. Zangrilli, and as to various people, but particularly the
last one from Mr. Kauderer was sent on January 27, 2015, where he's writing to yourself Mr.
Garcia, also Mr. Rafael Rodriguez and Mr. Derrick Cook of the City of Miami. Here, in 1/27, he
is complaining that he's not getting response from the City. Now, the warrant decision was made
in -- was made on 3/13/2015, and so, obviously, there's some time in between these emails and
the decision, so my question to you, Mr. Planning Director, is: Between these emails and the
time you made your warrant decision, had you had any contact with Mr. Kauderer or anyone
from the community?
Mr. Garcia: I personally, no, sir, but members of the Planning & Zoning Department certainly
have.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much. Sir, you're recognized.
Joseph Pierre: Good evening. My name is Joseph Pierre. I'm the owner of the property located
at 5625 Northeast 2nd Avenue. I also business owner of Reflection Funeral Home and Reflection
Insurance Agency, so actually, to me, it is not good idea to build the five -story building for my
little building. Now, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) going to close my building, and my little building not
going to be able to be seen, so I don't think it's a good idea to build that kind of business, you
know, there. And I don't think it's going to bring too much to the community, so we are looking
for something that can create a job to the community, and also make something that, you know,
make my business go up, so I don't think that's going to do anything positive for my business.
This is my work.
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Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you vety much, sir. Is there any other person who would like to
speak on the public hearing? Seeing no other public hearings [sic], we're going to close the
floor at this time, and now is the time for us to talk. And one thing I wanted to say in this case is
that, I mean, to me, it's vety clear from reading Miami 21 that the decision to issue a warrant in
this type of case is based on Section 7.1.2.4, the warrant review and approval process, and
there's certain criteria that is laid out there that if these criteria is met, then these approvals shall
be given. And it seems from the granting of the initial warrant, that the Planning director did
agree that those conditions were met, and then the approval was given. As we can see, it was
appealed to the PZAB; and PZAB, we're not privy to that information, nor should we be, because
we're looking at this case de novo, at the facts that were presented here today. So considering
the facts that were presented here today, I asked myself many different questions, and one is,
first, did the City planner err? And so throughout all the testimony that was given, I'm looking
for information to show that it did err. The most moving information to show that there could
have been an error, if there was an error, was the his -- the overlay of the Entertainment District,
and that's some information I was presented by Mr. Zangrilli, and I appreciate him presenting
that information, because that gave me something to tassel -- tussle with. Then Mr. Kauderer
presented the legislation into the record that showed exactly what the -- what I just referred to,
but what is correctly referred to as the Lemon City/Little Haiti French Creole Cultural Arts &
Entertainment District is. And as you -- as we saw, counsel from the appellant demonstrated,
and it was not rebutted, that this legislation, what it actually did was reduced the distance
requirements for liquor licenses in that area; however, Mr. Zangrilli did point out that there were
some aims, I guess, if you will, in the "whereas" clauses that talked about different things that
would be included within the Entertainment District, such as cultural art institutions, museums,
galleries, black box theater, nightclubs, studios, and alternative art spaces; all in which, as it
says, and warrants the inclusion of distance exemptions for a limited number of establishments
serving alcoholic beverages. So what I see in that is that here is an area where you can have
entertainment; and because you would have entertainment, we want the nightclub to be able to
have -- to be able to serve liquor. We want the galleries to be able to serve liquor. We want the
museums and everyone there to be able to serve liquor, so we must relax those requirements.
And in the relaxing of those requirements, you have more establishments in this small area that
can serve liquor; similarly, that's what you have in Wynwood or in other areas within the City of
Miami. What it does not do, from what I read and from what was presented was that it does not
remove the allowance for a storage unit to be built in that area on a property that is abutted by
other properties, especially that have the same type of zoning designation. Personally, I think
that Little Haiti is next, in as far as becoming the next Arts & Entertainment District in the City
of Miami. Right now, currently, you have Wjmwood, and I believe with some of the restaurants
that are -- and the clubs that are there in Little Haiti, it's naturally progressing to that community
first. To me, it creates the question of: Where do we want our district to go? And, certainly, I
want my district to go in that way, so I share the sentiments of everyone who came to present on
behalf of the community, because those of you who have presented on behalf of the community --
not in this issue, because I did not speak to anyone on this issue, because I did not want any
Jennings disclosure problems -- but here, with the issues that you present -- I mean, we've gone
to different countries together; we've shared meals together; we've shared drinks together --
there's those of you that have supported me in my campaign and in other things, and so I take
what you say with a vety heavy heart in trying to figure out what the law is behind this, and so I
agree with what those types of things provide to the community, but the one thing that I must
consider are the property rights of the people who purchased this property, and so I don't believe
that the City of Miami is within its jurisdiction to disallow someone a use, or to deny a warrant,
based off of things that are not lawfully within our power. If for instance, there was something
in the law that says if the community around it does not want it, then we have a right to deny the
warrant, that's a completely different issue. It becomes an issue of property rights versus what
the community wants, and it's easier to digest; very hard, I think, for a property owner, because
it seems somewhat arbitrary, and I could understand that, but that's what the law would allow.
Here, the law does not allow -- I believe the law does not allow this Board to deny someone, just
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based off of the fact that it's not a use that we want in that area, and I think that if we deny in
that fashion, then we are taking away a property right that, surely, someone would fight for, and
we don't have the authority to do, and I just want to be able to follow the law, to allow people
who invest within my community the opportunity to do what it is that the law allowed them to do,
and not to be dissuaded from investing within our communities, because we have hostile or
differing opinions; and that could be in Little Haiti; in Overtown, as we just saw; it can be in any
of my cultural communities where there is a history of investment that is not like the investment
or the existing property uses there, and so that's the balance I have to strike when I consider this.
Now, I appreciate the fact that, without asking, the property owners -- where they do not have to
-- have extended more retail space, up to 1,300 square feet or 13 -- and I won't say "up to" --
1,300 square feet of retail space to add to the bottom -- I'm assuming that's the bottom floor of
the structure -- to add to the character of that neighborhood; additional street parking, to add to
the parking that's available in that neighborhood; and then storage and meeting space at no cost
to a CBO in that neighborhood, and I'm hoping that that CBO, whomever it is, will be someone
that is of the Little Haiti community; that's my hope, and it can certainly probably be reflected
within the warrant, if it is granted. And so, with all that information, I do not believe that there
was substantial competent evidence that was presented to show that the Planning director erred
in his granting his application; and so with that, I will say that I would move that we reverse the
decision of the Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board, because there was substantial evidence that
the Planning director did not err, and enforce the decision to issue the warrant that the Planning
director issued in the first place. That's my motion.
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Gort: There's a motion, second.
Vice Chair Hardemon: And I would love to hear any other discussions from the -- my Board
Members, if you have something to say.
Chair Gort: Any further discussion?
Commissioner Carollo: Yes, Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: I concur with my colleague. I think, you know, they made a very strong
argument; however, if you follow the rule of law, I don't see where, you know, our Planning
director erred. And when I say "a very strong argument, " I mean, you know, with regards to
what they want for the area, and the vision that they have, and so forth; however, we can't go by
our heart and that's all. We have to go by the rule of law, and I think in the rule of law, we could
really see if they really did follow, even though I would even argue that maybe some of it is based
on the Planning director's opinion, but in his opinion, he did follow, you know, all the steps, and
the applicant followed all the steps. Therefore, I believe that he did not err, and I concur with
Commissioner Hardemon's sentiments.
Chair Gort: Any further discussion? I think you heard the -- they have 13 -- the bottom floor
there is going to be commercial. I think you heard it from the community, so utilize that
commercial to the best. Any further discussion?
Mr. Min: It's a resolution.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Mr. Min: It's a resolution.
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D3.1
15-00912
D3.2
15-00913
Chair Gort: A resolution. All in favor, state it by saying "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Gort: Thank you.
Mr. Min: Mr. Chair, that concludes the PZ agenda. We still have the regular agenda, as well as
the budget hearing.
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
CITY BEAUTIFICATION.
15-00912 E-Mail - Discussion Item.pdf
DEFERRED
Note for the Record: Item D3.1 was deferred to the October 8, 2015, Regular Commission
Meeting.
DISCUSSION ITEM
ALLOWING RESIDENTS TO PAY THE CITY WITH CREDIT CARDS.
15-00913 E-Mail - Discussion Item.pdf
DEFERRED
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
NON AGENDA ITEM(S)
NA.1
15-01261
Note for the Record: Item D3.2 was deferred to the October 8, 2015, Regular Commission
Meeting.
END OF DISTRICT 3
DISTRICT 4
COMMISSIONER FRANCIS SUAREZ
END OF DISTRICT 4
DISTRICT 5
RESOLUTION
VICE CHAIR KEON HARDEMON
END OF DISTRICT 5
District 1- A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION BY A FOUR -FIFTHS
Commissioner (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE VOTE, ALLOCATING GRANT FUNDS FROM THE
Wifredo (Willy) Gort DISTRICT 1 SHARE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI'S ANTI -POVERTY INITIATIVE
PROGRAM, ACCOUNT NO. 00001.98000.882000.0000.00000, IN A TOTAL
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $203,094.00, FOR AN EDUCATION
SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OPERATED BY THE MIAMI
BAYSIDE FOUNDATION; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE
ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE
PROGRAM, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
15-01261-Submittal-Kathleen Murphy -Miami Bayside Foundation Sholarship Program.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
R-15-0426
Chair Gort: Okay, there's an item that I'd like to bring up, if you'll allow me for a minute. It's a
pocket item that I have an idea the way I'm going to utilize the funds that I have for
empowerment for -- Could you read it?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): I can read it, Chair. A resolution of the Miami City
Commission, by a four -fifths affirmative vote, allocating grant funds from District 1 share of the
City of Miami's Antipoverty Initiative Program, account number -- very long account number --
in a total amount not to exceed $203, 094, for an Education Scholarship Assistance Program,
operated by Miami Bayside Foundation; authorizing the City Manager to execute any and all
documents necessary to effectuate the program in a form acceptable to the City Attorney's Office.
Thank you.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So moved.
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Been moved Vice Chairman Hardemon; second by Commissioner
Carollo. I really appreciate it. The reason I'm using this, I think one of the best things we can
do, make sure those kids that come out of high school, if they like to go to college, they can go
ahead and go to college, and we would have -- there's ways for them to do that. And same thing,
we're going to have -- not evetybody wants to go to college. Not evetybody wants to go
university. We're going to have technical school also where they're going to be teaching certain
operation. Okay. Yes, ma'am.
Renita Holmes: Madam Holmes, a local district, 2 and 5 -- 3 -- I'm sorry. I'm just a little bit
concerned because I want to thank you all for making -- what a wonderful move. In the recent
observations in which I have a report for you, Commissioner -- that's why I was trying to beat
you down -- we have had women and mothers that are working, you know, without bus passes,
without daycare; although we have 18 million or 7 million surplus, that are living in the HAC, in
the Homeless Assistance Center. They are not allowed to study. Very intelligent women, by the
way, who did a sit-in down at the County, but unfortunately, last night I had to get a working
mom who's in school that was evicted, that's a diabetic, that's eight months pregnant; still going
to school and working, and with a one year old sitting in McDonalds because she showed up two
hours late, but how 'bout if I give you 13? I'll leave it right there. They'll be here to tell their
story about how they've been wanting to do things. They've written a book, which I have for you,
which I was trying to get to you on time, but I'm one of those same persons and mothers with
disability, who have a business mind, although I'm impoverished. But when we have programs
and direct referrals from agencies that have women that are about to make it, where they have
bad attitudes of staff, I would hope that Bayside Foundation, Chapman Partnership, Salvation
Army, who has an abundant [sic], a very strong and determined women have first dibs on those
scholarships, because some of them are working, and that same young lady was about to move in
an apartment for months. What a waste. But I would ask that you would make sure that we
relate somehow those scholarships go directly to those who are already in the midst of success,
who are about to reach that achievement; and that we remove, depending upon staff, who may
need some scholarships, or at least some more education. Thank you so kindly.
Chair Gort: Yes, ma'am. I'd like to recognize the Bayside Foundation, if they could come
forward and explain a little bit about the program.
Nathan Kurland. Nathan Kurland, 3132 Day Avenue. Commissioners, this is a very happy day
for the Miami Bayside Foundation. We have -- feel great gratitude to Commissioner Willy Gort
for this amazing program that we know will help bring people into good educational opportunity
and then will lead them on to a good -paying job so they could be productive citizens in the City
of Miami. I'd like to turn the dais over to our executive director, Kathleen Murphy.
Kathleen Murphy: Thank you. Good morning. Kathleen Murphy, executive director of Miami
Bayside Foundation. In the last five years, we have awarded 507 scholarships, for a total of
$475,500. We have scholarship endowments at various institutions totaling more than $1.6
million at various institutions. The Foundation is thankful to the City of Miami, and particularly
Commissioner Gort, for the opportunity to improve the lives of so many young people. Miami
Bayside Foundation, Commissioner Willy Gort Scholarship Program, was created to residents of
District 1 that have a demonstrated need, and are first-time college students planning to attend
George T. Baker Aviation Technical College, Lindsay Hopkins Technical College, and Miami
Dade College. We have chosen programs at these colleges that had the highest job placement
rates: all 3 at George T. Baker, 14 at Lindsay Hopkins, and 17 at Miami Dade College. They
are listed in the applications that we have. I just handed to you. We're all working closely with
the principals of technical colleges and all the financial aid officers. We are in conversations
with the Miami -- with the school system and the CAP (Career Advisory Program) advisors at
Booker T. Washington, Jackson, and Miami Senior High Schools. Those high schools are the
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
ones closest to District 1. We're also talking to various veteran organizations. They all have the
application in hand, and they're all going to be talking to all the constituents and passing around
the information. The application is posted on our website now. We're going to be promoting this
through the community, through the media, and other channels. Once again, thank you very
much for this opportunity.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
Ms. Murphy: I also would like to introduce Pam Weller --
Chair Gort: Sure.
Ms. Murphy: -- and Jane Herron, who are board members.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
Ms. Murphy: Thank you.
Unidentified Speaker: And (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Ewan.
Unidentified Speaker: Yes.
Ms. Murphy: Board members.
Chair Gort: Thankyou very much.
Unidentified Speaker: Thank you.
Chair Gort: You guys are doing a good job.
Mr. Kurland: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you. Okay.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, would you like to take a vote on that motion?
Chair Gort: Yes. All in favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Gort: Thankyou.
NA.2 RESOLUTION
15-01262
Honorable Mayor A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ISSUING A
Tomas Regalado FIREWORKS DISPLAY WAIVER PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 19-7 OF THE
CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, ENTITLED
"MANUFACTURE, SALE, TIME OF DISPLAY AND DISCHARGE OF
FIREWORKS", FOR THE SPANISH BROADCASTING SYSTEM'S GRAND
SLAM PARTY LATINO TO BE HELD AT MARLINS PARK BEGINNING AT 7:00
P.M. ON DECEMBER 5, 2015, AND ENDING AT 1:00 A.M. ON DECEMBER 6,
2015.
Motion by Commissioner Carollo, seconded by Vice Chair Hardemon, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Sarnoff, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
R-15-0427
Mayor Tomas Regalado: Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes, sir, you're recognized.
Mayor Regalado: Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. This is a pocket item related to an
event at the Marlins Park on December 5. On December 5, there's going to be the biggest
concert ever held in the City of Miami. Over 20 international stars will be at Marlins Park on a
concert that is sponsored by the Spanish Broadcasting System. It's called Grand Slam Party
Latino, to be held at the park, beginning at 7 p.m. on December 5 and ending at 1 a.m. at the
latest -- they say before -- on December 6, 2015. Because the special event needs the approval of
the City Commission, we're bringing this pocket item. The reason that it's not in the agenda is
because the promoters were asked by the Marlins organization to have this approval so they can
move forward with the contract, so I am presenting to you this resolution.
Chair Gort: Thank you, sir. Is there a motion?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Second.
Commissioner Carollo: Move it.
Chair Gort: Been moved by Commissioner Carollo. Is there a second?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Second.
Chair Gort: Second by Vice Chairman Hardemon. Any further discussion? Being none, all in
favor, state it by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Mayor Regalado: Thank you.
Chair Gort: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
NA.3 RESOLUTION
15-01274
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION REMOVING
Clerk NYKEAH COHEN AND SAMANTHA PRESTON AS MEMBERS OF THE
LIBERTY CITY COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION TRUST.
Motion by Vice Chair Hardemon, seconded by Commissioner Carollo, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner(s) Gort, Carollo, Suarez and Hardemon
Absent: 1 - Commissioner(s) Sarnoff
R-15-0409
Vice Chair Hardemon: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes.
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
NA.4
15-01276
Vice Chair Hardemon: I know this -- the next item that comes up usually invites a little bit of
conversation, and before we do that, what I'd like to do is -- I had an item that is a non -agenda
item that is very, very quick, and it was basically to remove two individuals -- or I will be moving
one, and I believe the Manager has another one -- from the Liberty City Trust so that we can
make further appointments in the future. And so, what I'm asking is to be heard right now in
removing of -- myself would be Nykeah Cohen; and then the Manager, I believe, he has
Samantha Preston, and so we have to approve that at this board.
Commissioner Carollo: That's the motion, right?
Vice Chair Hardemon: That is the motion.
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Gort: Okay. I'm sorry; I didn't get the motion.
Vice Chair Hardemon: So the motion is to remove Nykeah Cohen and Samantha Preston from
the Liberty City Trust Board.
Commissioner Suarez: Second.
Chair Gort: It's been moved and second. Further discussion? Being none, all in favor, state it
by saying aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Hardemon: Thank you.
DISCUSSION ITEM
PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 286.011(8) FLORIDA
STATUTES, AN ATTORNEY CLIENT SESSION, CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC,
WAS REQUESTED AND SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER 8, 2015, FOR THE
PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING THE PENDING LITIGATION IN THE CASE OF:
VILLAGE OF KEY BISCAYNE VS. CITY OF MIAMI, CASE NO. 15-02997 CA
09 PENDING IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE ELEVENTH JUDICIAL
CIRCUIT.
DISCUSSED
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Chairman.
Chair Gort: Yes.
Ms. Mendez: May I please read a request for an attorney/client session for October 8? Could I
read the little script before we break?
Chair Gort: For (UNINTELLIGIBLE), read it.
Ms. Mendez: Mr. Chairman and members of the Commission, pursuant to the provisions of
Section 286.011(8) Florida Statutes, I am requesting that at the next City Commission meeting of
October 8, 2015, an attorney/client session, closed to the public, for purposes of discussing the
pending litigation in the case of Village of Key Biscayne versus the City of Miami, Case Number
15-02997-CA-09, pending in the Circuit Court for the Eleventh Judicial Circuit. The subject of
the meeting will be confined to settlement negotiations or strategy sessions related to litigation
expenditures. Thank you.
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Meeting Minutes September 24, 2015
ADJOURNMENT
Chair Gort: Thank you, ma'am. Come back at 3? Come back at 3?
Vice Chair Hardemon: Yeah.
Commissioner Sarnoff.. Sure.
Chair Gort: All right. Thank you all. See you at 3 o'clock.
The meeting adjourned at 9:14 p.m.
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