HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2022-04-14 MinutesCity of Miami
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, April 14, 2022
9:00 AM
City Commission Meeting
City Hall
City Commission
Francis X. Suarez, Mayor
Christine King, Chair, District Five
Joe Carollo, Vice Chair, District Three
Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Commissioner, District One
Ken Russell, Commissioner, District Two
Manolo Reyes, Commissioner, District Four
Arthur Noriega, V, City Manager
Victoria Mendez, City Attorney
Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
9:00 AM INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Present: Chairwoman King, Vice Chair Carollo, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla,
Commissioner Russell and Commissioner Reyes
On the 14th day of April 2022, 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. Chairwoman King opened the meeting at 8:54 a.m., for presentations and
proclamations only. Upon conclusion of presentations and proclamations, the Commission
Meeting was called to order by Chairwoman King at 9:23 a.m., recessed at 11:21 a.m.,
reconvened at 2:11 p.m., and adjourned at 3:31 p.m.
ALSO PRESENT:
Arthur Noriega, V, City Manager
Victoria Mendez, City Attorney
Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk
Chair King: We are now going to begin with an invocation from Pastor Strange of the Mount
Calvary Church in Liberty City. Please, Pastor, come forward, honor us with a prayer to begin
our meeting.
Invocation delivered.
Chair King: Thank you. And it's your anniversary, right, Pastor?
Pastor Strange: Yes, ma'am.
Chair King: What anniversary is that?
Pastor Strange: Fifteenth.
Chair King: Fifteenth anniversary serving our community.
Applause.
Pastor Strange: Yes.
Chair King: Thank you so much for honoring us. Thank you. Commissioner, would you honor
us with the Pledge of Allegiance.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course. Please stand. Commissioner Reyes, good? Thank
you, Pastor.
Pledge of allegiance delivered.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.
Chair King: Thank you.
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PR - PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
PR.1
11792
PROTOCOL ITEM
Honoree
Presenter
Protocol Item
Marie Lourdes Saintlime
Mayor Suarez
Certificate of Merit
National Community Development Week
Mayor Suarez
Proclamation
Rosalina Barrial
Mayor Suarez
Certificate of Merit
Luis Pla
Mayor Suarez
Commendation
RESULT:
PRESENTED
1) Mayor Suarez and Commissioners presented a Certificate of Merit to Ms. Marie
Lourdes Saintlime. Ms. Saintlime is the proud owner of Joyce Beauty Salon,
longest standing Beauty Salon in Little Haiti. Marie immigrated from Haiti during
the 1970's. She entered the United States with one goal in mind: to live the
American Dream. The American Dream to her was to have a family, own a
business, and to be an exemplary citizen. She successfully completed all her
requirements. In 1990, she opened the doors to Joyce Beauty Salon. The Beauty
Salon would not only service customers but be of service to the community. In
1992, she started the tradition of "Gratis Tuesday" washing hair for the elderly
for free. She has also volunteered countless hours at St. Paul Episcopal Church in
the City of Miami. Marie also enjoys cooking meals and giving away plates of
food to the homeless. She lives by the Golden Rule of "Do unto others as you
would have them do unto you. " Elected Officials paused in their deliberations to
pay tribute and recognize her great efforts and achievements while thanking her
for elevating the quality of life in the City of Miami.
2) Mayor Suarez and Commissioners presented a Proclamation to the City of Miami
Community Development Department in recognition of National Community
Development Week. The week of April 11-15, 2022, has been designated as
National Community Development Week to celebrate the Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. CDBG Program provides annual
funding and flexibility to local communities to provide decent, safe, and
affordable housing, a suitable living environment, and economic opportunities to
low -and moderate -income people. The City of Miami has received a total of
$16, 656, 377 in CDBG funds and has funded a variety of projects that have
directly benefited our citizens and neighborhoods and received an additional
$8,053,347 in supplemental CDBG-CV funds under the CARES Act in 2020 to
address COVID-related efforts. Elected Officials paused in their deliberations to
honor and commend the City of Miami's Community Development Department
and its employees for their invaluable contributions to our community and
thereby proclaimed the week of April 11-15, 2022, as "National Community
Development Week" in the City ofMiami.
3) Mayor Suarez and Commissioners presented a Certificate of Merit to Ms.
Rosalina Barrial. Ms. Barrial is an educator and the founder of Sunflowers
Academy located in the City of Miami Little Haiti area. Ms. Barrial helps to
provide a meaningful education. She was born in Cuba and completed her studies
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in early childhood education. She later arrived in Miami after escaping the
dictatorial regime in Cuba. Shortly after she learned English and revalidated her
education certification and in 1995, she founded the school. Her efforts,
achievements, and commitment to the students in the City of Miami is invaluable.
Elected Officials paused in their deliberations to pay tribute and recognize her
great efforts and achievements while thanking her for elevating the quality of life
in the City of Miami.
4) Mayor Suarez and Commissioners presented a Commendation to retired City of
Miami Police Officer, Mr. Luis Pla. Mr. Pla served in the Army and the City of
Miami Police department for 24 years and has demonstrated his continued
commitment to public service. In November 2021, he teamed up with the City of
Miami Police Department and conducted a beautification project for Ms. Teresita
Canalejo's home. Ms. Canalejo is the mother of a fallen police officer Mr.
Oswaldo Canalejo. On May 2021, Mr. Pla took a redesigning and rehabilitating
project for the grounds of Fairlawn Elementary School with the assistance of
faculty and students. Elected Officials paused in their deliberations to pay tribute,
commend and recognize his great efforts and achievements and celebrated Police
Officer Brotherhood, while thanking him for elevating the quality of life in the
City of Miami.
ORDER OF THE DAY
Chair King: -- Chambers for the City of Miami. We are going to begin with our
Proclamation/Presentations. Lets get started. I have Commissioner Manolo Reyes
with us today and Commissioner Ken Russell as well as Commissioner Alex Diaz de
la Portilla. We're going to get started with our recognitions. is there someone from
the Mayor's Office here? No. We have several presentations today, so which one are
we going to start with?
Presentations made.
Chair King: Now let's get this party started. I am calling the meeting to order. It is
now 9..27. Madam City Attorney, would you please read into the record your
statement.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Thank you, Madam Chair. Any person who is a
lobbyist pursuant to Chapter 2, Article 6 of the Code of the City of Miami must
register with the City Clerk and comply with the related City requirements. for
lobbyists before appearing before the City Commission. Any person may not lobby a
City official, board member, or staff member until registering. A copy of the Code
section about lobbyists is available at the City Clerk's' Office or online at
ivwwmunicode.com. 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 in writing. A copy of this Code section is available at the Office of the
City Clerk or online at www.municode.com. The City of Miami requires that anyone
requesting action by the City Commission must disclose, before the hearing, any
consideration provided or committed 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 will be entered into the record at the City Commission's
discretion. In accordance with Section 2-330 and (g) of the City Code, the agenda
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and the material for each item on the agenda is available during business hours at the
City Clerk's Office and online, 24 hours a day, at www.miamigov.com. Any person
may he heard by the City Commission through the Chair for not more than two
minutes on any proposition before the City Commission takes action unless modified
by the Chair. Public comment will begin at approximately 9:30 and remain open until
the public comment is closed by the Chair. Members of the public wishing to address
the body may do so by submitting written comments via the online comment form.
Please visit www.miamigov.com/meeting instructions for detailed instructions on how
to provide public comment using the online public comment form. The comments
submitted through the comment form have been and will be distributed to the elected
officials and City Administration throughout the day so that the elected officials can
consider the comments prior to taking any action. Additionally, the online comment
Arm will remain open during the meeting to accept comments and distribute up until
the Chair closes public comment. Public comment may also be provided at City Hall
located at 3500 Pan American Drive, subject to any and all City rules, as they may be
amended. 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. When addressing the City Commission, the member of the public must
first state his or her name, his or her address, and what item will be spoken about.
Any person with a disability requiring assistance, auxiliary aids and services for this
meeting may notify the City Clerk. The City has provided different public comment
methods to indicate, among other things, the public support, opposition or neutrality
on items and topics to be discussed at the City Commission meeting in compliance
with Florida Statute 286.0114 (4)(c), Florida Statutes. The public has been given the
opportunity to provide public comment during the meeting and within reasonable
proximity in time before the meeting. Please note, Commissioners have been generally
briefed by City staff and the City Attorney on items on the agenda today. Anyone -- the
meeting may also be -- if anyone needs a verbatim video of this meeting, it may be
requested at the Office of Communications or viewed online at www.miamigov.com.
PZ (Planning and Zoning) items shall proceed according to 7.1.4 of the Miami 21
Zoning Ordinance as modified by Emergency Ordinance Numbers 13903 and 13914.
Parties for any PZ items, including the applicant, appellant, appellee, and City staff
may be recognized by the body as a qualified intervener, as well as the applicant's
representatives and any experts testifying on behalf of the applicant, appellant, or
appellee, may either be physically present at City Hall or be sworn by oath or
affirmation by the City Clerk or may appear virtually and make arrangements to be
sworn in by oath or affirmation in person at their location by an individual duly
qualified to perform each duty. Members of the general public who are not parts of
the action pending before the City Commission are not required to be sworn by oath
or affirmation. The members of the City Commission may disclose any
communications pursuant to Florida Statute Section 286.0115 and Section 7.1.4 of the
Miami 21 Zoning Ordinance. Staff may present each item to be heard. For applicants
requiring City Commission approval, the applicant will present its application or
request to City Commission. If the applicant agrees with the staff recommendation,
the City Commission inay proceed to deliberation and decision. The order of
presentation shall be as set forth in Miami 21 and the City Code. For appeals, the
appellant will present its appeal to the City Commission, followed by appellee. Staff
will be allowed to snake any recommendation. Access to the meeting can be viewed on
Miami TV, at miamigov.com, the City's Facebook page, the City's Twitter page, the
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City's YouTube channel, and Comcast Channel 77. The broadcast will also have
closed captioning. Thankyou.
Chair King: Thank you, Madam City Attorney. Mr. City Clerk.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Thank you, Chair. Procedures for individuals who will
be providing testimony to be sworn in for Planning and Zoning items and any quasi-
judicial items on today's City Commission agenda will be as follows: Members of City
staff or any other individuals required to be sworn in and who are currently present at
City Hall will be sworn in by me, the City Clerk, immediately after I finish explaining
these procedures. Those individuals who are appearing remotely, may be sworn in
now or at any time prior to the individual providing testimony fin- Planning and
Zoning items and/or quasi-judicial items. Pursuant to Emergency Ordinance Number
13903, those individuals appearing remotely may be sworn in at their location by an
individual qualified to administer the oath. After you're sworn in, please be sure to
complete, sign, and notarize the affidavit provided to you by the CityAttorney's
Office. Each individual who will provide testimony must be sworn in and execute an
affidavit. Please email a scanned version of the signed affidavit to the City Clerk at
thannon@miamigov.com prior to providing testimony on the Planning and Zoning
item and/or quasi-judicial item. The affidavit shall be included in the record for the
relevant item for which you will be providing testimony. Commissioners, are you
comfortable with all the notice provisions set forth in these Uniform Rules of
Procedures we have established for this meeting?
Commissioner Russell: Yes.
Mr. Hannon: Chair, may I administer the oath of the Planning and Zoning item?
Chair King: Please.
Mr. Hannon: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Good morning, ladies and
gentlemen. If you will be speaking on the Planning and Zoning item for today's City
Commission agenda, maybe you please stand and raise your right hand.
The City Clerk administered the oath required under City Code 62-1 to those persons
giving testimony on zoning items.
Mr. Hannon: Thankyou, Chair.
Chair King: Thank you, Mr. City Clerk. Mr. City Manager, at this time do you have
any items that you'd like to withdraw or defer?
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): Good morning, Ms. Chairwoman, Commissioners,
Madam City Attorney and Mr. City Clerk. At this time the Administration would like
to defer and/or withdraw the following items: CA.5 to be withdrawn; RE.2 to be
withdrawn; RE.5 to be deferred to the May 12th meeting; and EM.1 to be withdrawn.
And that concludes the items.
Chair King: Thank you. Commissioner Russell, do you have anything? Commissioner
Reyes? Do we have any pocket items?
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(COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD)
Chair King: Okay.
Mr. Hannon: Chair, while we're waiting, just for the record, for item PH.3,
Commissioner Russell and Commissioner Reyes would both like to be shown as co-
sponsors for PH.3. And for RE.3 Commissioner Reyes would like to be shown as a co-
sponsor.
Chair King: Good morning, Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: Good morning.
Chair King: How are you? Do you have any items that you would like to withdraw or
defer?
Vice Chair Carollo: No, I do not.
Chair King: Okay, we are -- while -- Commissioner Reyes is working something out,
we are withdrawing -- did he just hand it to you? You have the list?
Vice Chair Carollo: Yes, I have it.
Chair King: Okay.
Ms. Mendez: We're checking a funding source.
Chair King: Okay. Are we still waiting, or should we proceed?
Ms. Mendez: Do you have a pocket item, Commissioner Carollo? If you wanted to
mention it.
Vice Chair Carollo: No, I don't think Pm going to do it today. I think I'm going to put
it in the regular agenda when we meet again. While it does have the flavor of an
emergency, I think it could wait, and --
Chair King: Mr. Manager, CA.5 you're deferring?
Mr. Noriega: No, it's a withdrawal.
Chair King: It's a withdrawal. Okay, so --
Vice Chair Carollo: Which C is being deferred?
Chair King: CA.5.
Mr. Noriega: CA.5.
Chair King: Withdrawn.
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Mr. Noriega: Not deferred --
Chair King: Withdrawn.
Mr. Noriega: -- it's being withdrawn.
Vice Chair Carollo: Oh, it's withdrawn.
Mr. Noriega: Yes.
Chair King: Okay. So do I have a motion to --
Vice Chair Carollo: I'm sorry, Chair.
Chair King: Go ahead.
Vice Chair Carollo: But when you say withdrawn, are you bringing it back?
Mr. Noriega: No, withdrawn means it's withdrawn. It would have to be rescheduled
for --
Vice Chair Carollo: 1 understand. I just thought 1 heard something until the next
meeting. Maybe I'm not hearing --
Mr. Noriega: No, the only one that's -- that's deferred for a future meeting of the ones
we --
Vice Chair Carollo: Right.
Mr. Noriega: -- we addressed was RE.5. That was the only one that's going to a future
meeting.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. So then RE.5 -- no, no, excuse me -- RE, there's one that
goes along with --
Mr. Noriega: That's EMI.
Chair King: EM.1.
Mr. Noriega: Yes, EM. 1, that's also withdrawn.
Chair King: That's being withdrawn.
Vice Chair Carollo: Which one is it, EM.1 ?
Mr. Noriega: EMI, that's also withdrawn.
Vice Chair Carollo: All right.
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Chair King: Do I have a motion?
Commissioner Russell: So moved.
Chair King: Second?
Vice Chair Carollo: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Motion carries.
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ALL ITEM(S)
11843 DISCUSSION ITEM
City Commission
PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED ONLINE BY MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC FOR THE APRIL 14, 2022, CITY COMMISSION MEETING.
RESULT: PRESENTED
Chair King: Now, may I have a motion to move CA.1, 2, 3, and 4?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair?
Chair King: Yes?
Mr. Hannon: We had our public comment for SR.2. Would you like to open the public
comment for all items so then we can move on to the consent agenda and other items
on the agenda?
Chair King: Yes, let's open up public comments. Anyone here for public comment?
Good morning.
Laura Stieghorst: Good morning. My name is Laura Stieghorst, I am a citizen of the
City of Miami and I'm here to encourage the Commissioners to vote yes on FR.2, which
would add two youth voting members to the Climate Resilience Committee. As my
peers will express, the climate crisis is youth led -- the climate movement is youth led.
We are the first generation to learn about climate change in school and know that the
consequences will directly affect us. We can no longer kick the can down the road. I
also know that there are some of you in the audience that in the back of your mind are
thinking that we are hopeless. You hear the same news that we do. There are major
changes that need to be made and change is slow. You hope that the worse effects will
not happen within your lifetime. But here's the thing, the climate crisis is a self -
prophecy. If you won't empower us to make change, we will take our solutions
elsewhere. If we don't see our solutions being encourage in this city, how can you
expect us to buy homes here and sign 30 year mortgages? How can you expect us to
build businesses and build our headquarters in a city that might be under water in our
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lifetime? if we are not empowered to build a future in this city, we cannot be the future
of this city. The youth, we are innovators, we are driven, and we are passionate. Our
leaders, you have experience and expertise and power. Our future depends on a
partnership between our generations and incentives for youth to develop solutions. I'll
use myself as an example. Less than a year ago Elon Musk announced that he would
fund a one hundred million carbon capture technology competition with a category --
Chair King: Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning.
Grady Muhammad: Good morning. Grady Muhammad, President of JFernande Real
Estate Leasing. PH.2, transfer the million dollars from Camillus House Community
Development. I'm in favor of it because unfortunately, Commissioner Reyes, Camillus
House is not doing what they're supposed to do with the funds that we're giving them.
And we're giving them a lot of money. And it's unfortunate, a gentleman called just
yesterday, and Camillus House told him they've got to wait four to six weeks. If a
person is homeless and a person is needing of help, why would they have to wait four
to six weeks when we're giving them all of these funds from the CARES (Coronavirus
Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act, Community Development., Emergency Shelter
Grant? So, I'm definitely in favor of taking these funds back from Camillus House and
giving those funds to Community Development, and George Mensah, thank you.
Chair King: Good morning.
Kvra Ellis: Good morning. I'm here to speak on FR.2. My name is Kyra Ellis and I
attended the last Commissioner [sic] meeting held in May. And I wanted to attend this
meeting today to reiterate the importance of adding two youth voting seats to the
Climate Resilience Committee. As you can see once again, around the room, there are
young people as well as adults who are allies for this -- for this item agenda [sic] in
support of this effort. Unfortunately, not as many young people were able to attend
today as it is no longer spring break, and they are back in class. However, I am still
pleased to say that there are lots of young people around Miami making great strides
to climate solutions around our city. Ambitious and innovative young people are
crucial to solving the current and future issues that Miami is facing, which is why we
are asking for your support at adding two youth voting seats to the Climate Resilience
Committee. I am a City of Miami resident and I live in District 3. The young people you
saw on March 24th and the ones you see today are not asking you to -- are not here
asking you to put them on the committee, we are simply asking you all -- for all to
involve the youth of Miami in the decision making process. As mentioned in the last
meeting, this is a position that you all have the power to appoint, and I know whichever
person is appointed will speak for our generation and bring a fresh perspective to this
committee. Once again, please vote yes for this resolution. Thank you so much.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Sarahi Perez: Good morning. Hello, everyone. Today I'll be speaking on FR.2. My
name is Sarahi Perez, and I am a resident of the City of Miami living at 2523
Northwest 9th Street, located in District 1 of Miami. First of all, I would like to thank
you all for considering the addition of two voting youth seats to the Climate Resilience
Committee. In the place of those who couldn't be here with me today, I will speak on
what we all strongly believe. We've said it before and we will say it again, our
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generation is currently and will continue to be the most impacted by the climate crisis.
We, as a unit, believe that it is time to let us have a say in making decisions about our
jutures. This is why we are asking for your support in adding two voting youth seats for
those ranging from ages 18 through 25 to the Climate Resilience Committee. The youth
can help provide beneficial perspectives and changes for our community through this
committee, making the key to creating a more sustainable future for Miami as a whole.
Once again, we, the youth of Miami, ask for you all to please vote yes on this
resolution so that we can join hand -in -hand and combat the climate crisis that affects
us all. Thank you.
Chair King: Good morning.
Elvis Cruz: Good morning. Madam Chair, 1 have a constituent that's going to be giving
me her two minutes, Ms. Barbara Lang, so 1'll need a total of four, although I probably
won't need that much. Thank you. Commissioners --
Vice Chair Carollo: Where's Barbara?
Mr. Cruz: I'm sorry?
Vice Chair Carollo: Where's Barbara?
Barbara Lang: Right here.
Vice Chair Carollo: Hey, Barbara, how are you? Nice seeing you.
(COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD)
Mr. Cruz: Item SR.1, the Baywalk Ordinance, has 13 drawings that show seawalls
placed along the shoreline to protect the land from flooding and erosion. But the City's
plan for Morningside Park puts the seawall 23 to 77 feet inland. You can see here the
shoreline, and this is where the seawall would go, 23 to 77 feet inland. They would also
excavate and dig down the shoreline to the high tide level to create a mangrove
incubating swamp. Mangrove seeds would float in, sprout, and grow a wall of
mangroves blocking the view, collecting litter, and breeding mosquitos. The plan
clearly shows mangroves. Commissioner de la Portilla noted how difficult it is to get
permits to remove mangroves, and staff agreed. Even if you can get permits, we don't
need to create another maintenance problem. The plan would also install large areas
of three foot tall marsh grass along the bay, where the public could not walk, lay a
picnic blanket, or play. This makes no sense. Here's Morningside's bay front now, a
beautiful place where the public enjoys picnic tables at the water's edge, where they
take family portraits, they hold religious services, they even have wedding ceremonies.
And they can lay a picnic blanket on this wonderful public benefit that should be
protected and preserved, not ruined by a mangrove swamp and marsh grass. All of
these pictures took place on the waterfront land that would be taken by the City's plan.
The environmental problems in Biscayne Bay are caused by pollution from the Little
River. The shoreline of Morningside Park has nothing to do with that nor would it
alleviate it. By coincidence, there were stories in yesterday's newspaper quoting
scientists about the misconceptions that mangroves can stop storm surge. If you have a
narrow mangrove -- urban mangrove planter, it doesn't cut it. Three meters of
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mangrove does nothing, it's a token for the look. If you want to dissipate waves you
need at least 100 meters. The red line here shows how far 100 meters of mangroves
would extend into Morningside Park. Here is how far 100 meters of mangroves would
extend into Peacock Park. In both cases, we would lose an enormous amount of park
land. Another scientist said even one mile of mangroves, `I don't think it will
significantly decrease the surge. " People from any neighborhood should be able to
enjoy, wide open bay views. There are so few viewing spots left in Miami, but there are
already 17 nature preserves along the bay, 17. We should also preserve bayfront
recreation fbr the public. There are better places for mangroves, like along the Julia
Tuttle Causeway. Morningside Park should have the seawall at the bay, like the
Baywalk Ordinance shows. Could one of you, please, make a motion to place the
proposed seawall in Morningside Park along the shoreline, not inland. Pallot Park's
shoreline used to look just like Morningside's, with grass, mangroves and rocks, then
you installed a seawall along that shoreline. Morningside Park should have the same,
and not lose precious waterfront recreational open space. Please, make a motion to
place the seawall along the shoreline in Morningside Park, not inland. Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Nicole Gazo: Good morning. How are you all? Hello.
Vice Chair Carollo: Hi.
Ms. Gazo: Nicole Gazo, 2103 Coral Way. And I just want to say thank you all for
showing up today. I hope you all are doing well. The point of the matter is, I'm
touching upon the addition of two youth members to the Climate Resilience Committee,
and I just want to let you all know that. The first point want to make is, I know that
you brought it up last time, when we talk about climate change it's a very abstract
matter. It sounds like something that's not affecting us. It's like why do you kids keep
coming and bothering us? I don't see it affecting us, so get over it. I get that. But at the
end of the day, we are dealing with the impacts of not switching to renewables because
that's why we are so vulnerable to countries like Russia, countries that have high
abundance of oil, because we don't have energy independence. We refuse to generate
our own renewable energy, create our own economic grid based on our own energy
and our own energy independence. That why other counties don't have us, you know,
like literally by the balls. And that's what's happening. It's that we're giving our
vulnerability and our money to countries because we refuse to switch to energy sources
that are not only unlimited, but renewable. And my point is, we youth understand the
urgency of switching to renewables and that's why we want to be on the council. One of
our youth members, somebody that just came up, actually came up with a device that's
going to capture carbon from our oceans to protect Biscayne Bay. These are things
that professional engineers and scientists are doing. This is a recent college grad and
Miami native. So, we're capable of coming up with the very innovations that are going
to protect our city, protect our bay, and keep us long-lasting. Like I said --
Chair King: Thank you. Thank you.
Ms. Gazo: -- energy independence, it's more than just saving the world.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
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James Torres: Good morning, Commissioners. James Torres, President of the DNA
(Downtown Neighbors Alliance). We wanted to find out what is going on with DI.3. It's
a discussion item, but there's not much more information as it relates to the scooter
program. As everyone knows, the DNA has been actively trying to figure out where
we're at on that. And there's a lot of deferrals, discussions, and nothing'' really
bringing out to the table. So, we're kindly asking to see where we're at on that item, to
see how we can kind of champion our message as well with the rest of the Commission
on this. Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. At this point, seeing no one else for public comment the public
comment period is now closed.
AM - APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE FOLLOWING MEETINGS:
MV - MAYORAL VETO(ES)
NO MAYORAL VETOES
There were no mayoral vetoes associated with legislation that is subject to veto by the Mayor.
END OF MAYORAL VETO(ES)
City of Miami
Page 12 Printed on 06/04/2024
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
CA - CONSENT AGENDA
The following item(s) was Adopted on the Consent Agenda
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
CA.1 RESOLUTION
11545
Department of
Procurement
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
AUTHORIZING THE ACCESSING OF THE CITY OF FORT
LAUDERDALE'S ("FORT LAUDERDALE") REQUEST FOR
PROPOSALS CONTRACT NO. RFP-12307-795 FOR HOLIDAY
LIGHTING AND DECORATION SERVICES, ON AN AS NEEDED
BASIS CITYWIDE, PURSUANT TO SECTION 18-111 OF THE
CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY
CODE"), WITH THE SOUTH FLORIDA LIGHTING TEAM, LLC
D/B/A MIAMI CHRISTMAS LIGHTS, A FLORIDA LIMITED
LIABILITY COMPANY, WHICH WAS COMPETITIVELY SOLICITED
FOR AN INITIAL TERM OF TWO (2) YEARS WITH THE OPTION
TO RENEW FOR THREE (3) ADDITIONAL ONE (1) YEAR
PERIODS AND IS EFFECTIVE THROUGH OCTOBER 1, 2022,
SUBJECT TO ANY RENEWALS, EXTENSIONS, AND/OR
REPLACEMENT CONTRACTS BY FORT LAUDERDALE;
ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM THE VARIOUS SOURCES OF
FUNDS FROM CITY OF MIAMI USER DEPARTMENTS AND
AGENCIES, SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND
BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE TIME OF NEED; AUTHORIZING
THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A
SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT WITH MIAMI CHRISTMAS
LIGHTS, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY,
FOR SAID PURPOSE; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY AND ALL
DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS, RENEWALS,
AND EXTENSIONS, SUBJECT TO ALL ALLOCATIONS,
APPROPRIATIONS, PRIOR BUDGETARY APPROVALS,
COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF THE
CITY CODE, INCLUDING THE CITY'S PROCUREMENT
ORDINANCE, ANTI -DEFICIENCY ACT, AND FINANCIAL
INTEGRITY PRINCIPLES, ALL AS SET FORTH IN CHAPTER 18
OF THE CITY CODE, IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE
LAWS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS, AS MAY BE DEEMED
NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0134
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.1, please see "End
of Consent Agenda."
City of Miami
Page 13 Printed on 06/04/2024
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
CA.2 RESOLUTION
11633
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), VACATING, DISCONTINUING, AND
ABANDONING A PORTION OF THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF
NORTHWEST 28TH STREET BETWEEN NORTHWEST 2 AVENUE
AND NORTHWEST 3 AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS MORE
PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A," ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED, CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 1,068
SQUARE FEET; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER
TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A QUIT CLAIM DEED, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, PURSUANT TO
SECTION 255.22, FLORIDA STATUTES, IN FAVOR OF 2775
MANDARINE, LLC, A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY,
THE SUCCESSOR -IN -INTEREST OF THE ORIGINAL DEDICATOR.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0135
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.2, please see "End
of Consent Agenda."
CA.3 RESOLUTION
11672
Department of Risk
Management
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE TO PAY TO AND
ON BEHALF OF ROY LEMUS, SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS
IMPOSED BY CHAPTER 440, FLORIDA STATUTES, THE TOTAL
SUM OF $300,000.00, 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
(COLLECTIVELY "CITY"), WITHOUT ADMISSION OF LIABILITY,
UPON EXECUTING A SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, HOLD
HARMLESS, AND INDEMNIFICATION AGREEMENT AS WELL AS
A GENERAL RELEASE OF THE CITY FROM ANY AND ALL
CLAIMS AND DEMANDS; ALLOCATING FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT
OF $299,900.00 FROM ACCOUNT NO.
50001.301001.524000.0000.00000 AND FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT
OF $100.00, FOR THE SEPARATE GENERAL RELEASE, FROM
ACCOUNT NO. 00001.980000.531010.0000.00000.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0136
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.3, please see "End
of Consent Agenda."
City of Miami
Page 14 Printed on 06/04/2024
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
CA.4
11724
Office of the City
Attorney
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE TO PAY SAILE
HERRERA AND JAVIER HERRERA, SR., WITHOUT ADMISSION
OF LIABILITY, THE TOTAL SUM OF ONE HUNDRED FORTY-NINE
THOUSAND DOLLARS ($149,000.00) IN FULL AND COMPLETE
SETTLEMENT OF ANY AND ALL CLAIMS AND DEMANDS,
INCLUDING ALL CLAIMS FOR ATTORNEYS' FEES, AGAINST THE
CITY OF MIAMI IN THE CASE OF SAILE HERRERA, AS NATURAL
GUARDIAN AND MOTHER OF JAVIER HERRERA, JR., AND
JAVIER HERRERA, SR. VS. CITY OF MIAMI PENDING IN THE
MIAMI-DADE CIRCUIT COURT, CASE NO. 19-33681 CA 02, UPON
THE EXECUTION OF A GENERAL RELEASE OF ALL CLAIMS
AND DEMANDS, AND A DISMISSAL OF THE DEFENDANT WITH
PREJUDICE; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM ACCOUNT NO.
50001.301001.545010.0000.00000.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0137
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.4, please see "End
of Consent Agenda."
City of Miami
Page 15 Printed on 06/04/2024
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
CA.5 RESOLUTION - Item Pulled from Conseil'
11783
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION MITIGATING
THE CODE ENFORCEMENT LIEN RECORDED APRIL 7, 2015
FOR CASE NUMBER CE2014000541 ON PROPERTY ADDRESS
3485 NORTHWEST 17 AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, AFTER A
HEARING AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 2-817 OF THE CODE OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED; AUTHORIZING
THE AMOUNT APPROVED AS FULL AND FINAL SETTLEMENT;
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE TO
EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY, ALL IN
FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, FOR THE
PURPOSES STATED HEREIN.
MOTION TO:
RESULT:
MOVER:
SECONDER:
AYES:
ABSENT:
Withdraw
WITHDRAWN
Ken Russell, Commissioner
Joe Carollo, Commissioner
King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
Diaz de la Portilla
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.5, please see
"Order of the Day."
END OF CONSENT AGENDA
Chair King: Gentlemen, may I have a motion to take CA.1, 2, 3, and 4?
Vice Chair Carollo: Excuse me. Take what? CAs (Consent Agenda)?
Chair King: CA.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yes.
Chair King: 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Vice Chair Carollo: Move.
Commissioner Russell: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Motion carries.
PH - PUBLIC HEARINGS
City of Miami
Page 16 Printed on 06/04/2024
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
PH.1 RESOLUTION
11421
Department of
Housing and
Community
Development
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ALLOCATING PROGRAM INCOME FROM
HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM FUNDS
GENERATED FROM FEBRUARY 1, 2021 TO OCTOBER 31, 2021
IN THE AMOUNT OF $106,028.49 AND AN ADDITIONAL AMOUNT
OF $888,496.63 OF RECAPTURED FUNDS, FOR A TOTAL
AMOUNT OF $994,525.12, AS SPECIFIED IN EXHIBIT "A,"
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED; AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY AND ALL
NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, ALL IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO
THE CITY ATTORNEY, FOR SAID PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0138
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Chair King: We have now PH.1, 2, and 3. Do I have a motion to pass?
Vice Chair Carollo: So moved.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Thank you.
City of Miami
Page 17 Printed on 06/04/2024
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
PH.2 RESOLUTION
11603
Department of
Housing and
Community
Development
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING TRANSFERRING EMERGENCY
SOLUTION GRANT FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $810,000.00
FROM CAMILLUS HOUSE, INC., A FLORIDA NOT FOR PROFIT
CORPORATION, TO THE CITY OF MIAMI'S DEPARTMENT OF
HUMAN SERVICES AS SPECIFIED IN EXHIBIT "A," ATTACHED
AND INCORPORATED, TO COVER THE COSTS OF
HOTEL/MOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND
FAMILIES EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS; FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, ALL IN
FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, FOR SAID
PURPOSE, SUBJECT TO ALL FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL
LAWS THAT REGULATE THE USE OF SUCH FUNDS.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0139
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PH.2, please see
"Public Comments for all ltem(s) " and Item Number PH 1.
City of Miami
Page 18 Printed on 06/04/2024
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
PH.3
11621
Department of
Building
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 ("CITY CODE"), AFTER
AN ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARING, RATIFYING, APPROVING
AND CONFIRMING THE CITY MANAGER'S FINDING OF A SOLE
SOURCE, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A", AND
WAIVING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPETITIVE SEALED
BIDDING METHODS FOR THE PROVISION OF A BUILDING
BENCHMARKING AND PERFORMANCE SOFTWARE SOLUTION
FROM TOUCHSTONE IQ LLC, A FOREIGN LIMITED LIABILITY
COMPANY AUTHORIZED TO CONDUCT BUSINESS IN FLORIDA,
FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI'S BUILDING DEPARTMENT
("BUILDING") FOR AN INITIAL PERIOD OF FOUR (4) YEARS WITH
AN OPTION TO RENEW FOR TWO (2) ADDITIONAL TWO (2) YEAR
PERIODS ON AN AS NEEDED CONTRACTUAL BASIS;
ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM BUILDING'S GENERAL FUNDS OR
SUCH OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDING, SUBJECT TO THE
AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE
TIME OF NEED; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
AGREEMENT WITH TOUCHSTONE, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO
THE CITY ATTORNEY, FOR SAID PURPOSE; FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ANY
AMENDMENTS, RENEWALS, AND EXTENSIONS, SUBJECT TO
ALL ALLOCATIONS, APPROPRIATIONS, PRIOR BUDGETARY
APPROVALS, COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE PROVISIONS
OF THE CITY CODE, INCLUDING THE CITY'S PROCUREMENT
ORDINANCE, ANTI -DEFICIENCY ACT, AND FINANCIAL
INTEGRITY PRINCIPLES, ALL AS SET FORTH IN CHAPTER 18 OF
THE CITY CODE, IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE LAWS,
RULES, AND REGULATIONS, AS MAY BE DEEMED NECESSARY
FOR SAID PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0140
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PH.3, please see Item
Number PH.1.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PH.3, please see
"Order of the Day."
END OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
City of Miami
Page 19 Printed on 06/04/2024
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
RE.1 RESOLUTION
11601
Office of Capital
Improvements
RE - RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING AMENDMENT NO. 1
("AMENDMENT") TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
AGREEMENTS ("AGREEMENTS") WITH THE ENGINEERING
FIRMS OF A & P CONSULTING TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERS
CORP., CALVIN, GIORDANO & ASSOCIATES, INC., CONSOR
ENGINEERS, LLC, EAC CONSULTING, INC., PINNACLE
CONSULTING ENTERPRISES, INC., AND R.J. BEHAR &
COMPANY, INC., ALL FLORIDA REGISTERED COMPANIES
(COLLECTIVELY, "CONSULTANTS"), FOR THE PROVISION OF
ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING AND INSPECTION
SERVICES SOLICITED UNDER REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
NO. 18-19-012 AND INCREASING THE CAPACITY OF THE
AGREEMENTS WITH THE CONSULTANTS BY A NOT -TO -
EXCEED AMOUNT OF FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS
($500,000.00), THEREBY INCREASING THE TOTAL CAPACITY OF
EACH AGREEMENT FROM THE CURRENT NOT -TO -EXCEED
AMOUNT OF FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS
($500,000.00) TO THE AMENDED NOT -TO -EXCEED AMOUNT OF
ONE MILLION DOLLARS ($1,000,000.00); ALLOCATING FUNDS
FROM THE APPROPRIATE CITY OF MIAMI'S OFFICE OF
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS' PROJECTS AND DEPARTMENTAL
BUDGETS, SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND
BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE TIME OF NEED; AUTHORIZING
THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE THE
AMENDMENT TO THE AGREEMENTS WITH THE
CONSULTANTS, IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, FOR SAID PURPOSES; FURTHER AUTHORIZING
THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY AND
ALL DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS,
RENEWALS, AND EXTENSIONS, SUBJECT TO ALL
ALLOCATIONS, APPROPRIATIONS, PRIOR BUDGETARY
APPROVALS, COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE
PROVISIONS OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA,
AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), INCLUDING THE CITY'S
PROCUREMENT ORDINANCE, ANTI -DEFICIENCY ACT, AND
FINANCIAL INTEGRITY PRINCIPLES, ALL AS SET FORTH IN
CHAPTER 18 OF THE CITY CODE, IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO
THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL
APPLICABLE LAWS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS, AS MAY BE
DEEMED NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0141
City of Miami Page 20 Printed on 06/04/2024
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Chair King: We are now going to take up RE.1, 3, and 4.
Commissioner Reyes: So moved.
Chair King: Second?
Commissioner Russell: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Motion carries.
City of Miami Page 21 Printed on 06/04/2024
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
RE.2 RESOLUTION
11012 MAY BE WITHDRAWN
City Manager's A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPROVING
Office AND AUTHORIZING THE WAIVER OF INDEMNIFICATION WITH
KING & SPALDING, LLP, A FOREIGN LIMITED LIABILITY
PARTNERSHIP AUTHORIZED TO CONDUCT BUSINESS IN THE
STATE OF FLORIDA ("K&S"), FOR THE PROVISION OF FEDERAL
LOBBYING SERVICES FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") AS
APPROVED BY RESOLUTION NO. R-21-0191 ADOPTED ON MAY
13, 2021; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE
AND EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE CITY AND K&S, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO
THE CITY ATTORNEY; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY AND ALL OTHER
DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS, RENEWALS,
AND EXTENSIONS, SUBJECT TO ALL ALLOCATIONS,
APPROPRIATIONS, PRIOR BUDGETARY APPROVALS,
COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF THE
CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY
CODE"), INCLUDING THE CITY'S PROCUREMENT ORDINANCE,
ANTI -DEFICIENCY ACT, AND FINANCIAL INTEGRITY
PRINCIPLES, ALL AS SET FORTH IN CHAPTER 18 OF THE CITY
CODE, IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND
IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE LAWS, RULES, AND
REGULATIONS, AS MAY BE DEEMED NECESSARY FOR SAID
PURPOSE.
MOTION TO: Withdraw
RESULT: WITHDRAWN
MOVER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.2, please see
"Order of the Day."
City of Miami Page 22 Printed on 06/04/2024
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
RE.3 RESOLUTION
11781
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
ACCEPT FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION ("FDOT"), A CONVEYANCE AT NO COST TO
THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY"), OF A PARCEL OF LAND
CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY EIGHT THOUSAND ONE
HUNDRED FIFTY-NINE (8,159) SQUARE FEET, AS LEGALLY
DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A", ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED
("PARCEL 6347"), ALSO KNOWN AS PLAZA DE LA CUBANIDAD,
FOR A PUBLIC PURPOSE BY QUITCLAIM DEED, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY; FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE ALL
NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING AMENDMENTS AND
MODIFICATIONS TO SAID DOCUMENTS, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, AS MAY BE
NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE SAID PUBLIC PURPOSE
CONVEYANCE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0142
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.3, please see
"Order of the Day" and Item Number RE.1.
City of Miami Page 23 Printed on 06/04/2024
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
RE.4 RESOLUTION
11793
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DIRECTING
THE CITY MANAGER TO PRESENT TO THE CITY COMMISSION,
IN THE NEXT NINETY (90) DAYS, A WRITTEN PLAN, INCLUDING
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSES, ESTIMATED COSTS,
POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES, AND TIMELINES, TO INSTALL
LIGHTNING WARNING SYSTEMS IN ALL CITY PARKS,
EXCLUDING MINI PARKS; FURTHER DIRECTING THE CITY
MANAGER TO TAKE ANY AND ALL ACTIONS NECESSARY TO
INSTALL LIGHTNING WARNING SYSTEMS, INCLUDING
PURSUING ANY FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES; PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0143
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.4, please see Item
Number RE.1.
City of Miami Page 24 Printed on 06/04/2024
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
RE.5 RESOLUTION
11789
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A LEASE AGREEMENT ("LEASE")
BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") AND MARTIN LUTHER
KING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, A FLORIDA
NOT FOR PROFIT CORPORATION ("LESSOR"), FOR THE CITY'S
USE OF APPROXIMATELY SIX THOUSAND, THREE HUNDRED
FIFTY-FIVE (6,355) SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE SPACE
("PREMISES") FOR AN INITIAL PERIOD OF FOUR (4) YEARS
WITH ONE (1) FOUR (4) YEAR OPTION TO RENEW, PLUS A
MONTH TO MONTH CARRY OVER PROVISION, FOR THE
PURPOSE OF PROVIDING SPACE FOR A DISTRICT OFFICE FOR
CITY COMMISSION DISTRICT 5 WITH A MONTHLY RENT OF
NINE THOUSAND, FIVE HUNDRED THIRTY-TWO DOLLARS AND
FIFTY CENTS ($9,532.50) ($18.00 PER SQUARE FOOT), WITH AN
OPTION FOR THE LESSOR TO INCREASE THE INITIAL RENTAL
RATE A MAXIMUM OF THREE PERCENT (3%) ANNUALLY
DURING THE TERM OF THE LEASE, WITH ADDITIONAL TERMS
AND CONDITIONS INCLUDED IN THE LESSOR'S LETTER OF
INTENT TO BE NEGOTIATED, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED
AS EXHIBIT "A;" FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER
TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY AND ALL OTHER
NECESSARY AGREEMENTS, DOCUMENTS, MODIFICATIONS,
AND AMENDMENTS, ALL IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, FOR SAID PURPOSE; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM
THE DISTRICT 5 COMMISSIONER'S BUDGET WITH TERMS AND
CONDITIONS TO BE MORE SPECIFICALLY SET FORTH IN SAID
LEASE.
MOTION TO: Continue
RESULT: CONTINUED
MOVER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Note for the Record: Item RE.5 was continued to the May 12, 2022, City
Commission Meeting.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.5, please see
"Order of the Day."
City of Miami Page 25 Printed on 06/04/2024
City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
RE.6 RESOLUTION
11795
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
TERMINATING FOR CONVENIENCE THE REVOCABLE LICENSE
AGREEMENT ("RLA") WITH EVENT ENTERTAINMENT GROUP,
INC. ("EEG") FOR THE ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL ("ULTRA") AT
BAYFRONT PARK ("SITE"); FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE
BAYFRONT PARK MANAGEMENT TRUST ("TRUST") EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A REVOCABLE
LICENSE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TRUST AND EEG, IN A
FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, FOR THE
PRESENTATION OF ULTRA AT BAYFRONT PARK; FURTHER
WAIVING THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 38-113 OF THE
CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0146
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes
Chair King: Oh, 1 missed one.1'm sorry. RE.6, do 1 have a motion to pass RE.6?
Vice Chair Carollo: Moved.
Commissioner Reyes: I would like to --
Chair King: Discuss?
Commissioner Reyes: -- discuss that.
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: I have some questions about it.
Chair King: Go right ahead, Commissioner.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes. From what I -- I remember, you see, we had an agreement
that you made, that agreement with Ultra.
Vice Chair Carollo: Two million dollars.
Commissioner Reyes: Two million dollars, that is fine. I also asked that how those --
that million dollars was going to be distributed, and I was informed this morning that
it was going to be distributed -- that everything was going to go to, you know,
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) I don't agree with that.
Commissioner Russell: I can't hear him, Madam Chair.
Chair King: Commissioner.
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
Commissioner Reyes: Hold on a second.
Chair King: Commissioner, you need to speak into the mike. Commissioner Russell
can't hear you.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Okay. I think that it should be -- the Trust should receive,
just as we did with the Virginia Key, because of being at Virginia Key, that million
dollars was -- was granted to Virginia Key. I think that what's good for the goose is
good for the gander. That the Bayfront Park Trust should receive a million dollars out
of that proceeding. That's my opinion. Also, I believe that since we had an agreement,
1 think that you made that agreement, that it was going to be licensed for two years at
two million dollars, I don't -- I don't agree with revoking the license. 1 think that after
the third -- after the second year in '23, we should go into new negotiations. And when
we talk about negotiations, and according to this, Commissioner Carollo, I -- I know
that there is not a better negotiator in this dais than you. But I think that if we -- you
are the sole negotiator, that will open the door for other chairs that are -- are in
charge of any of the venues, that they will like to be the sole negotiators. I don't mind
them being -- and you being a negotiator, and as a matter of fact 1 want you to be a
negotiator, but also work in tandem with the City Manager, you see, work in tandem
with the City Manager. And that is -- that's -- those are my objections. If you -- if you
allow me, 1 would like to make those amendments.
Vice Chair Carollo: No, sir.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: What I'd like to do, Madam Chair, is leave this for the afternoon.
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) we have Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla. I wanted a full
commission. So, if could discuss. Look, this is not quite, Commissioner, the way you
painted it, as me, or whoever the Chairman would be being the sole negotiator. This
has got to do with fairness and doing things in the same way for everyone. Let me
begin by explaining what my intentions are. My intentions are to bring this contract
back like it always was, like every other contract is, within the Trust. Otherwise, why
do you need a Trust? Why do you need a CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency)?
Why do you need a DDA (Downtown Development Authority)? Does the City of
Miami tell you how you have to do contracts and the City's going to negotiate it, and
handle it, and keep money in the DDA? Do they do that with the Omni CRA? Or do
they do that with the Southeast Overtown CRA, or many of our other agencies? No. It
doesn't. This happened because there was a group that had tremendous political
influence and they took something out of the norm. All that I am saying here, and
unfortunately the only way that we can put this back to the norm is by using the
language we had here. But I told the latest attorneys that they've hired to talk to me,
and I say latest because throughout the years there's been a whole army, that I'd be
very happy to walk out here at noontime and announce that we're going to bring to
the Trust, at the very next meeting, a motion to extend the contract. Not irrevocable,
but if they want, in a four year contract. And then the Commission would have to
approve it. Because anything more than one year with us there, you have to approve.
So, this is not about wanting to throw Ultra out or playing any games with Ultra or
anything else. This is being done for two reasons and two reasons only. One is to have
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a process that if the Trust is supposed to he handling everything there and we're doing
all the work, because the City, outside of the off duty that's paid, doesn't handle any of
that work, it's the Trust people that handle it. But this contract, like every other
contract, now, and in the past history of the Trust, will he handled by the Trust. And I
don't mind, like I said, extending this for additional time which is going to benefit
them. I mean this is a benefit that they don't even have in this here. And I'm doing that
so that we can get this headache out of our heads once and for all, and not go through
this, you know, bologna every year. 1 do have to say that for the first time, the noise
complaints were to a minimum. Secondly, the time that they took to get out of Bayfront
Park was the quickest they've ever done it. So, it's fantastic. So again, this is not about
messing with Ultra or anything other. The secondary reason is that if my god, we
were the ones that negotiated this contract, it is the Trust that's handling everything,
our people that are working it, those dollars should go to the Trust. There's a lot of
expenses now. And I think you all are witness that the only chairman that this Trust
has ever had, that when we had surpluses that we didn't think we needed, I said give
three million back to the City of Miami. Because I truly think that's the way that it
should be.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Vice Chair Carollo: 1 truly think that's the way that it should be. And you always will
have my agreement that if we have extra monies that are not needed to maintain
Bayfront Park or Ferre Park, because what we get from the CRA is not for
maintenance, it's only to do new projects.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: That that money would come back.
Commissioner Reyes: Hold on a second. That is -- that's very important. That is very
important. But, Mr. Carollo, you and I won't be here forever, and we have to put that
in writing, that if there is any additional money it is surplus. And you can place a limit
on the surplus, you see, but the rest -- I mean if there is a surplus beyond so much,
that those funds will come back to the City of Miami, I agree with that.
Vice Chair Carollo: I have no problem with that.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: I wish that the DDA would do it, too.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, but the DDA is different. Hold on a second. You
mentioned the DDA twice, and let me -- and I don't want to get into a back and forth,
but you're wrong about the DDA. The DDA does not receive funds from the City, the
DDA receives funds from -- it's an additional tax that is paid.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah, but neither does Bayfront Park. Bayfront Park --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right, but --
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Vice Chair Carollo: -- is the only Trust --
Commissioner Reyes: -- we don't have --
Vice Chair Carollo: -- that generates the funds.
Commissioner Reyes: But it is --
Vice Chair Carollo: And 1 will tell you, never before has it generated so much money.
In fact, when 1 came onboard, Ultra was only paying them --
Commissioner Reyes: Eight hundred thousand.
Vice Chair Carollo: No, it was less, seven hundred thousand and change.
Commissioner Reyes: Seven hundred thousand. And everything went to the DDA.
Vice Chair Carollo: And I'm the one that became the bad guy because I negotiated it
to two million dollars.
Commissioner Reyes: No, you were -- you were the good guy --
Chair King: Gentlemen.
Commissioner Reyes: -- who negotiated a good --
Chair King: Gentlemen, let me see if our colleagues have anything to say.
Commissioner Reyes: No, let me -- let me finish this, please. At the time we all agreed,
and we agree here, that we have to increase the fee. And we all worked at increasing
the fee, you see? And then you were the one that brought it home when you met with
them and for two years and all of that when they went, and it was that fiasco on
Virginia Key. And they came back, and you made the deal. Okay, now, if it is -- I
mean I have nothing against you keeping that -- I mean having all the funds going
from Ultra to Bayfront Park as long as -- as any surplus from the park because we
have parks, you see, we do have parks that they need a lot of work. And everybody
here has parks that need a lot of work. And what I'm trying to do is trying to spread
the wealth, you see, spread it up and on to other parks. And when I -- when I referred
myself to that sole negotiator, it is because you are not going to be here forever. And
we will then provide, you see, a reason, or will provide a way for other chairman to
be sole negotiators. You know, like for example --
Vice Chair Carollo: But, Commissioner, why are you so concerned with --
Commissioner Reyes: About the future? Yes, I am.
Vice Chair Carollo: No, no, no, no, no, not the future. The sole negotiator in this
when every other contract that we have, and, frankly, we're going to have some
contracts that are going to be paying us, you know, a lot of money. We have some that
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paid, you know, reasonable dollars. And we've negotiated those. In the whole history
of the park, that's always been the case. There's a board that decides, --
Chair King: Gentlemen.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- so it's not the Chairman alone that negotiates. There's a board
that decides.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair King: Gentlemen. Gentlemen. Commissioner.
Vice Chair Carollo: Now I don't know why Ultra is so important that it's --
Commissioner Reyes: No, it's not Ultra, it's everybody.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- got to be done differently --
Commissioner Reyes: No.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- than anybody else that's ever been dealt with in a contract in
the history of Bayfront Park Trust.
Chair King: Commissioner -- Commissioner Reyes, please, let me allow colleagues.
We shouldn't be having a back and forth between --
Commissioner Reyes: No, but just one (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Chair King: No. No. No, no more, because you've had --
Commissioner Reyes: Because I'm not referring only to Ultra --
Chair King: Wait. We'll get back to you.
Commissioner Reyes: -- every single --
Chair King: Well get back to you.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair King: Gentlemen, do you have anything to comment on? Commissioner? On
this -- on this item.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I do but not yet.
Chair King: What do you mean not yet?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Not yet.
Commissioner Russell: You want to go in order?
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'll pass my turn to Commissioner Russell.
Chair King: Commissioner Russell.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's his District, I think.
Commissioner Russell: Thank you.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah.
Commissioner Russell: I'm really happy to finally be in a place where 1 can vote in
favor of. Ultra and their agreements when they come back. It's been a long struggle
between everything, residents, noise, lights, hours, park access, and this has been the
best one we've ever had. In fact, my office only received one noise complaint, and
believe it or not, that complaint was that it wasn't loud enough from one of their
customers. But I did not hear from any residents, and that has never happened in the
history of Ultra. Even when it was on Virginia Key. I got complaints from residents.
And so, they fully complied with everything, from the environmental, to the noise to
the light, and so I am proud and happy to be able to support them coming back.
Whether short term or long term, whatever is legally allowed, I want them to be a part
of the city, as a revenue to us and as an amenity for the city. It feels good to be able to
say that. I've --1've stood with the residents all the way until now to make sure that
they had their voice and leverage, and they did well. My concerns are this, I want to
make sure that the settlement that was reached between the residents and Ultra could
not be affected by this move.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Commissioner Russell: I want to make sure that what they fought for stays intact. I do
believe the City has a place at the table, financially, I don't know what that number is.
Commissioner Reyes had mentioned a million, you know, split it evenly. I'm open to
full discussions. Whether the -- whether the agreement sits with the City or the Trust I
think can be worked out. But my other worry is that there's a gap. If we cancel them,
the message to the world is they don't have an agreement. If it's too be transferred, I'd
love to see it overlap, or a transfer of -this agreement to the Bayfront Park Trust, but 1
don't want to send the message that they've been canceled. Because that -- it could be
read that way unless the press conference you're looking to have were to happen in
concert with the transfer.
Vice Chair Carollo: We could have it right now. The minute we're done, at 12 noon.
And I told them that. I prefer to extend this contract, whether it's 'bur years, which is
the timeframe that I gave them, I'll even consider five, but four. It's a -- it's a good
number, I think. The only reasons that we're bringing this forward are for those
reasons. Look, it is not right that we're taking one contract out of scores of contracts,
and we all know why this happened, and it's the City that's deciding on that contract.
Otherwise, why do you have a Trust for? And like I said, this is not done with any of
the other boards. So, Bayfront Park Trust Board is going to be punished because it's
the only board that instead of taking and asking from the City, has given to the City.
Look, we have expenses that are coming into Bayfront Park that we don't know the
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amount that they're going to be. We're studying. The fountain, it's one that I'm having
meetings next week to try to get some additional help and ascertain what is it really
going to cost us and which way do we have to go. The actual structure that we have,
I've gotten some reports that we got some possible serious problems there. And if
there are those problems, we need to take care of that quickly. I want to hire more
people for the maintenance of that park, so that park could look as good as it can,
because it's not only the central park for the City of Miami, it's the central park for all
ofMiami-Dade County. And then on top of that, we have the obligation on Ferre
Park. Ferre Park brings very little revenue. In fact, if it weren't for the hundreds of
thousands of dollars that Bayfront Park generates on the other side and puts into
Ferre Park, the City would have to come in like it does with some other trusts and put
monies into it. So as long as we have funds that are truly surplus and we can decide
every how many years we're going to look to see what is really surplus and then see
how much the City should get, its fine. That's my philosophy. I think that every trust,
every organization the City has, should be willing, any surplus monies that it's not
using, to give to the general fund of the City of Miami so that we could alleviate some
of the tax burden, hopefully, that our residents have to pay. Or if not, we could
provide better services, whether it be through more police, more fire rescue, parks,
like Commissioner Reyes said, and better them, I'm in agreement with that. A hundred
percent.
Commissioner Russell: Briefly, Madam Chair?
Chair King: Commissioner.
Commissioner Russell: Thank you. I absolutely agree, Commissioner, that the Trust
was, for whatever reason, not at the table in this agreement. It does not lay out
specifically what the Trust will receive, everything's going to the general fund, and
that's not correct. I believe it should be identified and laid out. But also, vice versa, if
we were to do it the other way, it should be clear what the City will receive. Because
Bayfront Park Trust and Ferre Park, there's an endless amount, there's never a world
where it could be considered surplus because the needs are so great. We could make
the park as amazing as we like.
Vice Chair Carollo: Ken, yes and no. I think with what you all are going to see, that
in the very near future we're going to be bringing in in revenue, that we're going to
make sure that we're going to get some surplus. But right now, I don't know, I can't
give you an exact figure of monies that we've got to spend in Bayfront Park that we
cannot use, you know, CRA money from the Omni for anything there. The
maintenance we have to generate ourselves there. So that's part of the problem with
those dollars.
Chair King: Commissioner DLP (Diaz de la Portilla), you don't have anything?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Not yet.
Commissioner Reyes: Madam Chair?
Chair King: When are you going to have something to say?
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, when 1 tell you I have something.
Chair King: Okay, but I'm just trying to wrap it up. Well let me say -- let -- let me say
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I want to hear you first, Madam Chair.
(COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD)
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I was born at night, but 1 wasn't born last night.
Chair King: 1 had the opportunity to attend the Ultra Music Festival and I had a
wonderf d time. And I'm glad to hear that there were few if any complaints. And how
they took care of the park and got out of the park in record time, it was an amazing
experience. I loved it. And to have it hosted here in the city of Miami I think is superb.
And that we should do everything that we can to continue having the event in our
home here in Miami. I'm glad that the residents are onboard, you didn't have
complaints, and I'd like to see it continue. So, I'm hoping that we could take a vote
now or do we need to bake out anything else? Is there a friendly amendment?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, we --
Chair King: Oh, now you want to say something?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course, because you said something, so now it's
my turn, right?
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: I don't want to vote against it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you, Madam Chair.
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I think the issue, and I agree with you with the
need or the desire to have Ultra here in our hometown, I think the debate here is
about who's going to negotiate the deal, which Trust, or which entity is going to
negotiate the deal.
Vice Chair Carollo: It's been negotiated.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, the future deal.
Commissioner Reyes: No, no --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The future deal where you're talking about four
years and maybe five or whatever. So that's a future deal. The issue -- I have no
problem -- I think Commissioner Carollo is a pretty good negotiator --
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Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- and I have no problem with him negotiating a
good deal for our city. At the end of the day every deal, including future deals that
we're going to be dealing with, some controversial, some less controversial, it's really
important that Miami get the best deal possible. So why not allow the entity or the
venue, where the venue's located, where the venue is, to negotiate it. It has to come
back to this Commission anyway, right? At the end of the day, does it?
Vice Chair Carollo: Once we put the 'bur years that 1 offer them it will come back to
the Commission.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Then so there's -- I don't have a problem with that.
Now as long as there's consistency in thinking, right, that every other entity,
Downtown Development Authority, the Omni CRA, the Coconut Grove CRA, the
Overtown CRA, the chairman of those entities and the people that are the ones that
take the lead on those issues. We have that all the time in government. There are
committees and there are chairmen of committees, and they take the lead on those
issues. At the end of the day the entire body has to vote for it.
Commissioner Russell: It does not.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, well, but it will, if we vote for it to happen
that way. It does not maybe the way it's written right now, but it can be. We can say
we want it to happen this way. Because that's the way it works. We have to have -- we
can't have, you know, too many cooks in the kitchen sometimes is a bad thing, right?
Sometimes it's better just to negotiate it and come to us and say, hey, this is what we
like. Instead of what we're getting now we're getting more money from Ultra. I've
always believed since I got here that Ultra is not paving us enough. That doesn't
devalue, for lack of a better expression, devalue the value of the event, it simply says
that we should be getting more money for the City of Miami.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I think that applies across the board for a
whole bunch of things that we're doing. From Formula 1 to you negotiated a deal,
Commissioner Carollo, earlier today or during the course of last week where, you
know, they wanted to put the signs and you said not 25 but 50. We'll negotiate a deal
with the Omni CRA that -- that gives more to the City in terms of regional percentage.
There'll be probably a deal that we're going to talk about maybe on the 28th -- maybe
in 2028, I don't know, about Miami Freedom Park where we're going to ask more
from them if we're going to have a deal with them. So, along the way all these deals
with the City of Miami, we have to start acting like businesspeople not like
governments anymore. And if you negotiate it, you come back with a better deal, then
we'll say okay. So, I have no problem with supporting this issue because I think it puts
it in the right place for the conversation that can be had to get to a good place. And
you're right, they need certainty -- one of them is sitting right there -- they need
certainty. A four year deal is a better deal for them than a one year deal. They need
certainty. But that certainty comes with a price. If:vou want to play in Miami for the
next. fbur years then you've got to pay the price, right, to play in Miami. Because it is
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a venue that the entire world is looking at, and the entire world that admires and
wants to come here. You have it in other parts of the world but Miami is Miami. That's
why you've had it for 22 years, I've also had -- 21, 22 years. I had the opportunity, I
also saw you there, Commissioner King, Chairwoman King, it was a great event. It's
not what people think or what the optics were before, it's under control. Our Police
Department did a great job. The ingress, egress were fantastic. The number of
complaints, you're correct, and so it's something that works. And we all need to get
there. But Miami needs to make money, because Miami has to start acting like a
business and not like a government. So, 1'll support it, but you come back to us like
you told me with Omni CRA remember, you come back to us with a good, a real --
with a better deal, and we're good to go.
Vice Chair Carollo: Let me say this, Pin a nian of my word. Back in the beginning of
2020 when we told them we were cancelling Ultra, remember this is the first major
event we were cancelling, I -- remember, this was the first major event we were
cancelling --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, I remember.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- and the pandemic really hadn't hit. I mean now we could all
look back and say we did the right thing, but at that time, you know, it was tough and
go. A lot of people were criticising us for cancelling Ultra, for cancelling Calle Ocho,
the Carnival Miami, and you know, they became good partners. Because of that I told
them, and I gave them my word, that I would go along with two years.
Commissioner Reyes: That's what I'm saying.
Vice Chair Carollo: And at that amount. So, for the next one that they're going to
have I'm not going to change any amounts. Then for the additional three years we'll
include a reasonable, not a deal breaker but a reasonable, increase. You know, I don't
know what the percentage should be. In the end, you guys can decide up here because
it's a long term contract. We could only decide contracts for one year.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct.
Commissioner Reyes: Madam Chair?
Vice Chair Carollo: So, if you think that you could get more, hey, that's great, you
know, that's more money for the City. So, I, again, don't mind so that there's no
misconception from anybody that we're cancelling Ultra, that we go out there and
hold a press conference today, we could hold one there tomorrow, we're announcing
that with the consent of the City Commission, I am bringing at the next meeting to the
Bayfi^ont Park Trust a contract Ibr four years for Ultra.
Commissioner Reyes: Madam Chair?
Vice Chair Carollo: So --z
Chair King: Hold on a second.
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Commissioner Reyes: Madam Chair?
Chair King: Hold on a second.
Vice Chair Carollo: Please. Madam Chair, I understand. It could be worked out in
different ways. So, please, I don't want you to --
Commissioner Reyes: Madam Chair, that's --
Chair King: Hold on a second. Hold on. Mr. City Clerk, can you now start the clock?
Because everyone has had an opportunity to speak. Could you put it to five minutes,
so we'll have a wrap-up of this discussion. And Commissioner Reyes will start it. Go
ahead, Commissioner Reyes, you have five minutes.
Mr. Hannon: Chair, just so that Pm clear, each Commissioner will get five minutes
and they will not be interrupted during those five minutes?
Chair King: Right. If any other Commissioner, if anyone would like to continue to
speak on this item, we're going to go with five minutes now. Because everyone has
had an opportunity to speak and share their thoughts. Set the clock. Commissioner
Reyes?
Commissioner Reyes: Madam Chair, one of the things -- one of the -- I mean,
disagreements that I had is that it read it terminates for convenience the current
revocable license. I'm glad that you stuck to your word, and we are not terminating
that deal.
Vice Chair Carollo: No, we're not.
Commissioner Reyes: That deal. Now, on the third year, that's what I said, on '23,
now we will -- and then you as the Chair and the Trust, but the only thing that I
wanted to do is have somebody from the Administration there, I mean just maybe will
help you, okay --
Vice Chair Carollo: I always welcome any --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. And that's what I was truing to do.
Vice Chair Carollo: But you --
Chair King: Commissioner. Vice Chair, just let him have his five minutes.
Commissioner Reyes: You see, I -- I agree -- I agree that we keep Ultra next year and
then we renegotiate. Because that was the promise that was made. Also, we have to
define what are we going to do with the proceeds from Ultra. Everything is going to
go for the -- for the park, I mean for Bayfront Park, or there's going to be part of it
that is going to go to a fund --
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, the --
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Commissioner Reyes: -- to improve all parks?
Vice Chair Carollo: Well --
Commissioner Reyes: That's the question.
Chair King: Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, the proceeds --
Chair King: Are you finished, Commissioner Reyes?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Chair King: You're finished. Okay, Vice Chair•, go right ahead. You have five minutes.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, the proceeds like always, Commissioner will stay fully
within Bayfront Park Trust just like all the other proceeds. And then we could agree
at some other point in time that we could revisit every X amount of years Bayfront
Park Trust, see what real surplus are there, and then that money could come to the
general fund to be used for whatever the City wants. But, you know, this is not the
time to, you know, put constraints, handcuffs, on the Trust. There's really no need for
that. And if you need for parks in your area, and 1 know you've got a big park now,
ten acres, but it's in pretty good shape so I don't think you need much there.
Commissioner Reyes: No, no.
Vice Chair Carollo: So that's why we have different funds, impact fees, many other
things. And you've done well on the impact fees. I have too.
Commissioner Reyes: You have too.
Vice Chair Carollo: So, you know, why are we going to put constraints on those
dollars? And we don't put it on anything else.
Commissioner Reyes: Just add, --
Chair King: Commissioner Reyes.
Commissioner Reyes: -- that we will --
Chair King: Commissioner Reyes. Commissioner Reyes, please. Please. You had your
chance. Our Vice Chair is speaking.
Vice Chair Carollo: I'm done. The only thing that I would like to add to this, the City
Attorney has included here, further, well let me read the --
Chair King: Go ahead.
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Vice Chair Carollo: Resolution of the Miami City Commission terminating for
convenience the revocable license agreement, and unfortunately that's the word in the
contract that we've got to use, with Event Entertainment Group, Inc., for the Ultra
Music Festival at Bayfront Park, further authorizing the Bayfront Park Management
Trust, Executive Director to negotiate and execute a revocable license agreement, or,
a contract I would add, between the Trust and the EEG, Event Entertainment Group,
in a form acceptable to the City Attorney for the presentation of Ultra at Bayfront
Park, further waiving the requirement of section so -and -so-and-so. And 1 would add
that it is the intention of Bayfront Park Trust to extend this for four years, whereas, it
will immediately be brought to the City Commission once that's done for approval
now.
Chair King: Madam City Attorney?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): As drafted right now it's supposed to come back. As
this item is drafted, it's supposed to come back to the Commission. So, if you're going
to amend that, if you're going to further delegate it, then you need to make that clear.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah, well it's going to come back. But first of all, it will be voted
upon by the Trust, then it comes back to the Commission for a final approval.
Chair King: Commissioner Russell?
Vice Chair Carollo: And the --
Chair King: I'm sorry.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. The City Attorney is stuck in semantics, legal semantics.
Chair King: Commissioner Russell?
Commissioner Russell: Thank you. Madam Chair, I just have one question for the City
Attorney. Would this action today have any effect on the settlement between the Trust
and the residents?
Ms. Mendez: We have not been made privy to whatever their settlement is, so they
need to deal with that. That's not our area.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, can I --
Commissioner Russell: So, we're not a party to the settlement.
Ms. Mendez: We're not.
Commissioner Russell: So, it shouldn't have an effect.
Ms. Mendez: We don't even have a copy of it.
Commissioner Russell: It shouldn't have an effect.
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Vice Chair Carollo: Can -- to he safer, and I'm glad you brought that up, I forgot in
the midst of all the discussions, a finrther amendment that the Trust will include in any
revocable license agreement or contract the amendment that were reached upon by
the Event Entertainment Group and whatever the neighbors are, the group of the
neighbors are called, in such agreement will be incorporated into this new
irrevocable trust or contract. Thank you.
Ms. Mendez: I -- I think it should say that they will comply with whatever their
settlement was.
Commissioner Russell: Right.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Ms. Mendez: We're not parties to it, we don't know what it is, we don't have -- we
don't even have a copy of it. So, to incorporate by reference something that we have
no idea, that's their issue.
Commissioner Reyes: It is a secret.
Ms. Mendez: Like they need to deal with that. We are not a party to that.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, well, you're really saying the same thing, that they will
comply with that agreement.
Ms. Mendez: They need to comply.
Vice Chair Carollo: I'm satisfied with that because that's saying the same thing, just
quicker.
Chair King: Okay. Commissioner, would you like to say anything?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No.
Chair King: Okay. Are we ready to take a vote on this matter?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Before that 1 want to ask a simple question.
Commissioner Russell: Is there a mover and a second?
Chair King: We had a motion. Did we -- I don 't think we had a second? Do we have a
second?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I will second the motion.
Chair King: We have a second. One more. Go ahead.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, I want to make sure that this vote will not affect the
agreement that we had for 2022 -- no, 2023 -- the two years --
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Chair King: That are remaining?
Commissioner Reyes: -- that were committed, remember?
Ms. Mendez: We don't have --
Commissioner Reyes: We will have --
Ms. Mendez: We don't have an agreement with them to give them two years.
Commissioner Reyes: No, no, the permit, the license that was -- when the deal was
made -- when the deal was made, and it was made by Commissioner -- he was the one
that brought that deal. It was two years at that amount, right?
Ms. Mendez: We never --
Vice Chair Carollo: We should say one year. If you like I'll put a further amendment,
if the seconder were to agree, that the amount for 2023 will be the same amount as it
was in 2022.
Commissioner Reyes: That's it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: As a minimum.
Commissioner Reyes: Well as a minimum extends too much.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, as a minimum meaning, no, 2023 as a
minimum, the amount could be a minimum. You may be able to negotiate a better deal
for 2023.
Vice Chair Carollo: Beyond, beyond that.
Chair King: Beyond that, okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Beyond that, yeah, '24.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay, '24, that's what I wanted to do.
Chair King: I think this cake is baked.
Commissioner Russell: The amendments aren't captured yet, I don't believe.
Chair King: Can you put on the record, Victoria, the amendments that were made?
Commissioner Russell: I mean the mover and seconder hasn't agreed to the
amendments.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I have agreed to the amendments, but we haven't
heard a repeat for clarification purposes so that we're sure.
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Commissioner Russell: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well now that's clarified to you, so go ahead,
Madam Attorney.
Ms. Mendez: It's terminating the RLA (Revocable License Agreement) and authorizing
the Bayfront Park Trust to create an RLA, a Revocable License Agreement, or a
contract or a use agreement which I believe is what we've had in the past.
Chair King: Wait. We are -- are we terminating?
Commissioner Reyes: No.
Ms. Mendez: What you're doing right now is terminating, yes.
Commissioner Reyes: No, that's not what we were saying. We are saving --
Ms. Mendez: That's what this item says.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What the item says is it's terminating an existing
agreement between the City of Miami and EEG and --
Ms. Mendez: Right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- now creating a new agreement between Bayfront
Trust and EEG.
Ms. Mendez: Right.
Vice Chair Carollo: It's going to be for four years.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, you have to terminate one before you enact
another.
Vice Chair Carollo: That will be a four year contract.
Chair King: Okay, so it's a simultaneous thing that --
Commissioner Reyes: But -- but --
Chair King: Hold on. Hold on. So, we're terminating from the City of Miami and
transferring to Bayfront?
Vice Chair Carollo: No. Nope. Bayfront Park then will go ahead and approve the
contract --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's already in existence.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- that's already in existence.
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Chair King: That currently exists.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And you've committed to approving that contract
for next year.
Commissioner Reyes: For next year.
Vice Chair Carollo: Exactly.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: And that contract would stay the same in cost for next year.
Commissioner Reyes: For next year.
Vice Chair Carollo: The only difference will be that we'll talk to them --
Commissioner Reyes: Negotiations.
Vice Chair Carollo --1 don't know what this contract says, 1 don't remember. Is there
an uptake in this contract? Ray, would you know?
Chair King: Could you come forward, please?
Vice Chair Carollo: What is the uptake every year in the contract?
Raymond Martinez: I believe it's three percent.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, that's a fair amount.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, that's fine.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. So, I think we could stay within those bounds, at three
percent.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay, that's fair.
Vice Chair Carollo: The only thing is, and I'll put it in the record, and we talked
about that, and this is why, by the City getting involved, sometimes it messes things up
more, there was a contradiction in one part of the contract with the other that didn't
make it two million dollars, that in one party gave the impression, thank God the
other one cleared it up, and of course Ultra wanted the one that favored towards
them, that Live Nation, it was the City that had to pay for the two hundred thousand
plus dollars, a quarter of a million that Live Nation wanted for that. So, it wouldn't
have been a two million dollar contract. But that got resolved. The other one is a
minor one that's, you know, between us, that for the first time the area in front of
Columbus statue where we all park, where the office are at, we lost the parking. So,
our employees were having to pay to park at Bayside and we could not even hold the
monthly meeting there, we had to hold it somewhere else. So that little area, they
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understand, and it was never part of that. So that's minor. Outside of that, everything
else is the same.
Chair King: Okay.
Ms. Mendez: So --
Chair King: Go ahead, Madam City Attorney.
Ms. Mendez: All right, so what is here before you and all the things you're saying,
there's a lot of contradictions so I need to clarify this. And I'm sorry, but 1 just need
to. Right now, it is terminating this RLA and then authorizing the Executive Director
of Bayfront Park Trust to negotiate an RLA or a contract or a use agreement.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That is -- that is identical in nature to the existing
one. Right?
Commissioner Reyes: For next year.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes.
Ms. Mendez: As to terms. Because it can't be --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: As the terms that's identical in nature to the
existing one.
Vice Chair Carollo: As to the financial terms.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right, the financial terms.
Ms. Mendez: Financial terms, okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right.
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's a technicality, so make sure nothing changes.
Ms. Mendez: Okay. Then the second thing is this item before you does not have it -- it
does not have it fully coming back for approval, I believe.
Vice Chair Carollo: It will.
Ms. Mendez: So, if you want it to come backfor approval, if it's in here --
Vice Chair Carollo: No, no, no, no. What was said here was that it would come back
for approval by this body --
Commissioner Reyes: By this body.
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Vice Chair Carollo: -- once it's approved by the Trust.
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: And it has to. Except when you had other chairman [sic] there
that made contracts for five years and they were never brought here before, nobody
had any objections or didn't know.
Ms. Mendez: Okay, so this is why I have to -- this is why I have to clarify this, because
you're -- you're somewhat directing the Executive Director over there to do a multi-
year contract. That definitely has to come back if that happens.
Chair King: But that's what he said.
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
Chair King: He said it's going to come back to this body.
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, but is that for final approval or can we add or delete or
modify?
Vice Chair Carollo: Of course, I mean if it comes back --
Commissioner Reyes: We can mod fi.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well do whatever we want.
Chair King: Right.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well do whatever we want.
Chair King: So now. I have one concern. In terminating the current contract, could
we put a timeframe that the Bayfront Trust will act so it's --
Vice Chair Carollo: At the very next meeting.
Chair King: -- at the very next meeting which is within 30 days?
Vice Chair Carollo: I believe so.
Chair King: Okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: If not I'll call a special meeting.
Chair King: Okay. So, within 30 days, the Bayfront Trust will take action and bring it
back to this body so as to not be out of contract for too long.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right, right.
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Chair King: So, within 30 days and if not, there'll be a special meeting.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Or within 30 days meaning that it comes to this
body within 30 days or is it that you meet within 30 days?
Chair King: Bring it back to the body within 30 days or can you take --
Vice Chair Carollo: When -- when -- when do we meet again?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The 28th and then obviously that's 14 days.
Vice Chair Carollo: The 28th of --
Chair King: April.
Vice Chair Carollo: April.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And then we have the next one.
Vice Chair Carollo: You need in May, the first meeting in May.
Chair King: First meeting in May.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: May what?
Vice Chair Carollo: What date? What date?
Chair King: So, but within 30 days the Bayfront Trust will take action.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yes.
Chair King: So, in a sense we will be back in contract within 30 days.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yep. Yep.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: May 20th, no, May 12th.
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: One last question.
Chair King: Co ahead, Commissioner Reyes.
Commissioner Reyes: When that contract comes in, you see, that contract will --
Chair King: We can't hear you. Todd is getting up.
Commissioner Reyes: When that contract comes in, you see I'm concerned with what
Commissioner Russell said, that we cannot pull the rug out of Ultra, right now. I want
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to make sure that when that contract comes in, it is stated -- it states that for 2023,
they -- we have the same agreement. And then they will be able --
Vice Chair Carollo: We just stated that, the City --
Commissioner Reyes: No, but the jiall contract. I mean if they don't agree in another
contract, at least -- at least we will have a contract for next year.
Vice Chair Carollo: Commissioner, this is coming back to you in 30 days.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Okay, okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: Remember, you're negotiating for us not for them.
Commissioner Reyes: I am. No, no, I want you to remember that all the time, not
when we get to --
Vice Chair Carollo: I do.
Chair King: Okay, okay.
Ms. Mendez: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair King: Madam City Attorney.
Vice Chair Carollo: You watch me at Freedom Park.
Chair King: Madam City Attorney.
Vice Chair Carollo: You watch me at Freedom Park,
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair King: Go ahead.
Ms. Mendez:: I believe what Commissioner Reyes is bringing up is that we have a tight
window with which we terminate fully.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Ms. Mendez: I think it's like a small window. So, if you're all -- you all need to
understand that we may not be able to terminate for next year if it takes longer to
come back.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Chair King: But he just said it will come back within 30 days.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah.
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Ms. Mendez: Right. It may not -- we may be outside of it anyway. But it doesn't
matter, it's semantics. I just needed to address that.
Vice Chair Carollo: City Attorney --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, if it doesn't matter than why are you bringing it
up?
Vice Chair Carollo: We are not reinventing the wheel here.
Ms. Mendez: Because you're sending it over to get it approved to bring it back, but 1
need you to understand that if all things go awry in your negotiations you're going to
have --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Carollo: City Attorney, we're --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Why would they go awry?
Vice Chair Carollo: -- not reinventing the wheel, we're taking the same contract --
Commissioner Diazde la Portilla: Right. Why would they go awry? He's already
agreed.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Chair King: Right. Exactly. They said they're going to approve the contract as it is
with the same terms, the same financial --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: With a different entity.
Chair King: -- with a different entity.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right.
Chair King: And they're going to do it within 30 days.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes.
Chair King: And if not, there will be a special meeting.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, I'll second that.
Chair King: Second. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Commissioner Russell: As amended.
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Chair King: As amended.
Commissioner Reyes: As amended.
Chair King: Motion carries unanimously.
Vice Chair Carollo: Ray, let me know when you want your press conference so that
the Chairman and I and others can be there.
Mr. Martinez: Okay, we'll get with you. Thank you. Thank you to City of Miami and to
the Bayfront Park Trust and Commissioner Carollo. We look forward to continuing
our partnership and producing a worldwide, you know, event that's, you know, special
to Miami and obviously special to the region.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And make sure you invite all of us to the press
conference, please.
Mr. Martinez: Absolutely.
Vice Chair Carollo: Contact me a little later, after lunch, so I can give you the date
that we'll have the meeting in.
Mr. Martinez: Okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: And then we could all sit down with the Executive Director, our
Assistant City Attorney, and maybe our City Attorney and, you know, go on anything
else -- just remember the parking, we need parking.
Mr. Martinez: Thank you. Thank you again, sir.
Vice Chair Carollo: All right, thank you.
Chair King: Thank you.
Vice Chair Carollo: Have a good day.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
END OF RESOLUTION
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EM - EMERGENCY ORDINANCE
EM.1 ORDINANCE Emergency Ordinance
11794
Commissioners
and Mayor
(4/5THS VOTE) AN EMERGENCY ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI
CITY COMMISSION, BY A FOUR -FIFTHS (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE
VOTE, AMENDING CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE X/SECTION 2-817 OF
THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED,
TITLED "ADMINISTRATION/CODE
ENFORCEMENT/ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS, FINES; LIENS," TO
AMEND AND PROVIDE FOR DIRECT MITIGATION BEFORE THE
CITY COMMISSION; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE;
AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Withdraw
RESULT: WITHDRAWN
MOVER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number EM.1, please see
"Order of the Day."
END OF EMERGENCY ORDINANCE
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SR - SECOND READING ORDINANCES
SR.1 ORDINANCE Second Reading
11445
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 38 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA,
AS AMENDED, TITLED "PARKS AND RECREATION," MORE
PARTICULARLY BY ADDING ARTICLE VII, TITLED "MIAMI
BAYWALK GREENWAY ALONG BISCAYNE BAY," TO ESTABLISH
THE MIAMI BAYWALK GREENWAY ALONG BISCAYNE BAY;
DESCRIBING BOUNDARIES; PROVIDING ENFORCEMENT;
PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14059
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
SECONDER: Christine King, Commissioner
AYES: King, Russell, Reyes
NAYS: Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla
Note for the Record: For directive referencing Item SR.1, please see Item NA.1.
SR.1 ORDINANCE Second Reading
11445
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 38 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA,
AS AMENDED, TITLED "PARKS AND RECREATION," MORE
PARTICULARLY BY ADDING ARTICLE VII, TITLED "MIAMI
BAYWALK GREENWAY ALONG BISCAYNE BAY," TO ESTABLISH
THE MIAMI BAYWALK GREENWAY ALONG BISCAYNE BAY;
DESCRIBING BOUNDARIES; PROVIDING ENFORCEMENT;
PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14059
MOTION TO: Reconsider
RESULT: RECONSIDERED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes
Note for the Record: For directive referencing Item SR.1, please see Item NA.1.
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SR.1 ORDINANCE Second Reading
11445
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 38 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA,
AS AMENDED, TITLED "PARKS AND RECREATION," MORE
PARTICULARLY BY ADDING ARTICLE VII, TITLED "MIAMI
BAYWALK GREENWAY ALONG BISCAYNE BAY," TO ESTABLISH
THE MIAMI BAYWALK GREENWAY ALONG BISCAYNE BAY;
DESCRIBING BOUNDARIES; PROVIDING ENFORCEMENT;
PROVIDING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14059
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Russell, Reyes
NAYS: Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla
Note for the Record: For directive referencing Item SR.1, please see Item NA.1.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number SR.1, please see
"Public Comments for all Item(s)."
Chair King: We are now on our second reading items. Mr. City Attorney, can you
read SR.1 into the record, please?
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the Deputy City Attorney.
Chair King: Do I have a motion on this item?
Commissioner Russell: So moved.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Madam Chair, can we do this after lunch?
Chair King: Is there going to be an after lunch?
Commissioner Russell: I think we're going to be done before lunch.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, can we do it a little bit later then, because I
need to have a few conversations before --
Chair King: Let's go through first readings then. If that's okay with my colleagues.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
[Later...]
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Chair King: Okay. All right, so that brings us to either SR.1 or DI.4. Which one would
you like to take? We have -- it's 11:20.
Vice Chair Carollo: What, a break and come hack earlier from lunch?
Chair King: If that is the will of --
Commissioner Russell: It's up to the body. It's really just the last item, right?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, it's --
Chair King: DI.4 and SR.2 -- SR. I, those are the last two items. We have nothing else.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I think SR.1 is going to spark some conversation,
so --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I do happen to have (Foreign Language)
today.
Chair King: What is that?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You don't know what (Foreign Language) is?
Chair King: I know what arroz, it's rice --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's rice and seafood.
Chair King: Oh, I didn't know, I know (Foreign Language). I know (Foreign
Language).
Vice Chair Carollo: It's like paella.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's paella but with seafood and no chicken. So
(Foreign Language).
Vice Chair Carollo: And I'm sure there are some others that I'm sure you have tried.
Chair King: Okay. Okay, so if it's the will of the body we will recess until -- it's 11: 30
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 1:30?
Chair King: Until 1: 30 gives you enough time?
Commissioner Russell: For lunch? Yeah. Oh, to get nay boys?
Chair King: To pick up your babies.
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Commissioner Russell: They'll be here.
Chair King: Okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: 1:45?
Chair King: 1:45? Let's just round it up to 2:00 then.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, 2:00 works.
Chair King: Okay, we are going to be in recess until 2 o'clock. See you soon.
[Later..]
Chair King: Good afternoon, everyone. I am calling to order now the City of Miami
Commission meeting for April 14, 2022. We have a quorum. Let's get back to City
business, why don't we? The next item before us is SR (Second Reading) -- what did
you say? SR.2 or I?
Commissioner Russell: 1.
Chair King: SR.1. Madam City Clerk, can you read SR.1 into the record? I mean,
Madam City Attorney.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair?
Commissioner Reyes: Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): SR.1.
Mr. Hannon: Chair?
Commissioner Reyes: (INAUDIBLE).
Chair King: No, it can't 2-1. Oh, it can. Oh, yes.
Commissioner Reyes: (INAUDIBLE).
Chair King: Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: (INAUDIBLE).
Chair King: Well, we don't need a full Commission because it doesn't require a fbur-
fi,fths vote and we all agreed that recess was --
Commissioner Reyes: (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Russell: Commissioner, need some medical marijuana?
Commissioner Reyes: (INAUDIBLE).
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Chair King: That's right. Okay.
Mr. Hannon: And Chair, just for the record, the title was read into the record at
10: 41 a.m. and it was moved by Commissioner Russell at 10:42 a.m., but without a
second.
Chair King: Well.
Commissioner Russell: Commissioner Carollo is here.
Chair King: We have to have a sense of humor. Good afternoon?
Vice Chair Carollo: How are you?
Chair King: I am well. We have a quorum now and now we have a fourth. And here
we go.
Commissioner Russell: Oh, it's a miracle. It's a miracle.
Commissioner Reyes: (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Russell: Are you feeling better, Commissioner?
Vice Chair Carollo: I heard you guys were missing me.
Chair King: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And me too, I think.
Chair King: Yes. You just missed some great comedy though. You just missed some
great comedy.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We saw it. I saw it.
Chair King: You saw it? Okay. So, we will now take up SR.1. It was already read into
the record. Do I have a second? Mr. City Clerk, did I have a second?
Vice Chair Carollo: I'll give you a second.
Chair King: Second?
Vice Chair Carollo: For the purpose of --
Chair King: Discussion.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- discussion so that I can put an amendment.
Chair King: Okay. Well --
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Vice Chair Carollo: And --
Chair King: Well, let's hear your amendment. Let's go with your -- let's get some --
let's get some rules right now. We're going to give each person, each Commissioner
ten minutes --
Vice Chair Carollo: I don't need ten. Just be --
Chair King: But somebody else might. Commissioner Manolo Reyes might need ten
minutes. So, we're going to give each of us ten minutes for discussion and then if we
need a second round of discussion we'll hold that to five minutes.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay.
Chair King: Okay?
Vice Chair Carollo: That will be fine.
Chair King: We're going to hear Vice Chair's proposed amendment if that's okay
with the body? Perfect.
Vice Chair Carollo: The proposed amendment is that a seawall should be along the
shoreline, not inland by Morningside Park for two reasons. One, 1 don't want
additional land in the park to be lost. Two, once you put mangroves in you can't take
them out and it's going to block the whole view of the park in that area from the
water. Three, that small amount of mangroves it's not going to make any difference
whether we have it there or not. And there are other ways that we could do examples
of living seawalls there. That's the only amendment that I'd like to make if the maker
would accept it and I would vote for this.
Chair King: Is --
Commissioner Russell: Thank you, Commissioner -- Chairman, if I could answer? So,
I can definitely make the commitment that not one mangrove will be planted in the
county -- in the City Parks Plan. However, what they are planning for the water's
edge is a very natural baywalk that goes and meanders. Not the classic big concrete
baywalk, but in order to create the storm resilience they -- they want to have this sort
of marsh look down at the water's edge, and this is the Parks Director, if she could
come, it's really her plan that's been vetted with the community. So -- but I can
commit to you not one mangrove will be planted in this plan.
Vice Chair Carollo: Good. Are we going to be losing park land --
Commissioner Russell: No.
Vice Chair Carollo: -- to this new concept?
Commissioner Russell: In fact that -- that land near the water will be accessible.
There's going to be a pathway going -- there's going to be the main baywalk above
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and then there's going to be a pathway down below, but this allows, or storm surge
mitigation, but no mangroves.
Chair King: Elvis, we're not taking public comments. We -- public comment period
has already closed.
Elvis Cruz: If a Commissioner wishes to ask me a question, I'm available.
Chair King: Okay. Thank you. Are we waiting for the Parks Director?
Commissioner Russell: So as an amendment 1 will absolutely guarantee not one
mangrove will be planted in the Morningside Waterfront Plan. And it is part of the
bay -- it is technically part of the baywalk, but our parks have flexibility within their
plan so they don't have to follow all the baywalk guidelines.
Vice Chair Carollo: I made my amendment. You 're accepting it.
Chair King: Are you accepting it?
Vice Chair Carollo: 1 really have no --
Commissioner Russell: The seawall portion I can't speak to because I need -- help
from the engineering -- we have half a million dollar grant from The Nature
Conservancy based on the construction of this waterfront. So, if Barbie from Parks
here she can help.
(COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD)
Commissioner Russell: Yeah. I want to be helpful and see a natural shoreline there.
Vice Chair Carollo: So, what we'll say is there will be no mangroves.
Commissioner Russell: Correct.
Vice Chair Carollo: I'd like to get in there that the seawall should be along the
shoreline, which I think you're saying the same thing, and not taking inland land. But
that's the part I think --
Chair King: Commissioner?
Vice Chair Carollo: -- you're not sure of
Chair King: Todd is complaining he can't hear you.
Vice Chair Carollo: What you can't hear me?
Mr. Hannon: No sir.
Chair King: We're going to --
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Vice Chair Carollo: And if1 speak too loud Reyes says I'm screaming at him.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Chair King: We're going to get a new system. Mr. Manager, when is the new system
coming?
(COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD)
Commissioner Reyes: Same time as the chairs.
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): I'll get back to you on that one.
Chair King: And the status of our chairs?
Mr. Noriega: Two different proposals.
Chair King: When are our chairs arriving?
Mr. Noriega: The mockup of the chairs should be here actually at any moment for you
to test out.
Commissioner Reyes: I've been hearing this for a while.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): But we don't need a new system as we need an
extender.
Chair King: No, we need a new system, Madam City Attorney.
Commissioner Reyes: Tell her, tell her, tell her.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, we need chairs.
Chair King: No. Well definitely. The chairs are --
Mr. Noriega: The mockup should be here --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's what 1 was telling --
Chair King: Well, we're going to get -- the chairs that I selected are amazing.
Vice Chair Carollo: Barbie, the question is on the seawall --
Commissioner Russell: Morningside.
Barbara Hernandez (Director, Parks and Recreation): Morning --
Vice Chair Carollo: That you're planning along the shoreline in --
Chair King: There's no seawall planned.
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Vice Chair Carollo: -- in front of Morningside Park, are you going to be coming
inland taking additional land from the park?
Ms. Hernandez: So, what's being proposed fin- the shoreline at Morningside Park is
it's just a -- it's a resilient shoreline. So, it's not a seawall.
Vice Chair Carollo: All right. No mangroves?
Ms. Hernandez: We are not planting any additional mangroves.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay.
Chair King: But they're also not doing a seawall.
Ms. Hernandez: Yeah.
Chair King: Commissioner Carollo has presented an amendment that would require a
seawall for Morningside, and he wants to know if that is feasible, if it can be done?
Commissioner Russell's question to Parks, can we have a seawall?
Commissioner Reyes: On the shoreline --
Chair King: I know it's not proposed, but can we have one?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course you can.
Chair King: But Commissioner Russell is asking --
Commissioner Reyes: Excuse nee, on the shoreline --
Commissioner Russell: No, there is no seawall proposed in the plan at all.
Chair King: Right.
Mr. Noriega: Yeah, I don't know that that's what he's saying.
Chair King: Isn't that what you're saying Commissioner --
Mr. Noriega: What I -- no, what I think he wants to make sure is that whatever
shoreline that we create does not take away from the current parkland area of the
park.
Commissioner Russell: Park.
Mr. Noriega: He wants to make sure that it's along the actual shoreline we have now.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Ms. Hernandez: Yeah, absolutely.
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Mr. Noriega: Which is exactly what's proposed.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No.
Vice Chair Carollo: What I want to make sure that we're not creating -- I want to
make sure we're not creating marshlands that are going to be a natural for
mangroves to then pop up there. Whether we plant them or the natural cycle of other
mangroves somewhere else and then by what we've done, seedlings from mangroves
can start growing there. And then you're going to have an area that the residents are
not going to be able to enjoy, while all the other areas around could look at the water,
the residents in the park that go there won't be able to see the water.
Ms. Hernandez: I understand that. And currently right now it's pretty bad out there
with the -- the mangroves out there right now, as a matter offact behind the pool
facility, you can't even see the water. Those are -- so one of the ideas is to request a
permit to relocate some of the mangroves so that you can create a view of the water.
Because right now the shoreline is pretty bad with what has occurred with the
mangroves, along with the pond inside of Morningside, that there's a lot of
mangroves that have grown there and there's no flow currently right now to the bay.
So, the permit is also going to request to relocate those mangroves.
Vice Chair Carollo: (INAUDIBLE) ifI can share with my remaining time?
Chair King: Please.
Vice Chair Carollo: IfI could ask Elvis Cruz to come up?
Chair King: Mr. Cruz?
Vice Chair Carollo: Mr. Cruz, you've heard what I've said.
Mr. Cruz: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Carollo: And you have heard from the Park Director. What -- I mean, you
live in the area, you're an activist there. What can you tell us based on what the Park
Director has explained to us and what I'm inquiring on?
Mr. Cruz: Yes, sir. If I can get the technician to put me online, you can see what I'm --
you could see the big picture. Okay. Here it comes. Okay. Can you see it on your
screens?
Chair King: No, it's all black.
Vice Chair Carollo: Now we do.
Mr. Cruz: Okay. So right here on the right side of the shoreline, that's the existing
shoreline of the park today and the plan would install the seawall, which you see on
the left, it would install it anywhere from 23 to 77 feet inland from the bay. Right next
to the bay, they would excavate the existing ground down in order to create this
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wetland here where the plan itself has drawn mangroves. So, they may not be planting
mangroves, but they are creating a scenario where mangrove seeds, as you well said,
would float in. This level right here by the way is the average high tide. So they would
be taking the level of the ground down to the average high tide. Mangrove seedlings
would come in and they would sprout spontaneously the way they do and they would
grow and eventually block the view. Here's the seawall set far inland. So the request
is that the seawall be placed at the shoreline like they do in every other park in Miami
so that you would have something like this where you have the seawall at the
shoreline, and then right next to it we could continue to have this beautiful
recreational area of picnic tables, a walking path, bench, et cetera and not lose that
to what is currently proposed as I've just shown you. Again, they're not going to plant
mangroves, they don't have to. They'll grow themselves and they will grow and block
the view.
Vice Chair Carollo: But I thought I heard -- I thought I heard Commissioner Russell
say that we were not going to have a seawall.
Ms. Hernandez: That's a bulkhead, that's not a seawall. There's a difference.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. It is a difference, yes.
Ms. Hernandez: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But what's the difference?
Ms. Hernandez: So, a seawall is a wall, it just has -- you know, then you go a little bit
down to the wall to the water. The bulkhead is just something separating so that we
don't lose the rest of the -- like the -- erosion doesn't occur. Erosion.
Chair King: Commissioner Reyes? Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Is there a debate between -- you want a living
shoreline; he's arguing for a seawall. Two very different things, right?
Commissioner Russell: The -- the communi
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I just want -- I want to be clear. Forget the
community. I'm asking what you are proposing.
Commissioner Russell: I can't.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, the community is -- we already had the
conversation of the community being divided.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's why we had the debate about Morningside
Park, where the pool goes, where the living shoreline, seawall -- so don't represent
the community when you know the community's divided. Represent your opinion. You
want a living shoreline and Commissioner Carollo's talking about a seawall, right?
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That's a difference. One could bring about mangrove growth, blocking the view, and
other -- the other one will not because it's basically concrete, right? So, you can't
have -- you can have a living shoreline. By definition, a living shoreline allows for
growth of different -- right? Am I -- tell me where I'm wrong because I'm not an
expert on this stuff. So, at the end of the day that's the debate for this particular thing,
right?
Commissioner Russell: I'll be clear, I do not want a seawall and the community does
not want a seawall.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well -- no, the community --
Commissioner Russell: The Morningside Civic Association --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's not true. That's not true.
Commissioner Russell: -- completely came here in mass, in force, and the community
that does not want a seawall is basically Elvis and a handful. But the vast, vast
majority --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That does not want a living shoreline, you mean?
The community does not want a living shoreline.
Commissioner Russell: They don't want mangroves blocking. They don't want the
doomsday scenario that Elvis has painted.
Commissioner Reyes: That's --
Commissioner Russell: And that's not what the City is proposing. And that's why it's
not a binary choice between a mangrove wall and a seawall. Those aren't the two
choices.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What's the third choice then?
Commissioner Russell: The actual really well thought out plan developed by our City
Administration, The Nature Conservancy. It's not my plan. This is what was brought
to us. It's not meant to foster mangroves. That's not the goal. That's not -- and if it
does. we'd like to make sure it doesn't.
Ms. Hernandez: It doesn't.
Commissioner Russell: Even our Parks Director is saying it's bad out there. We
agree. The Chairwoman has been with me at nearly all of those community meetings
and for us to just reverse and put a seawall out there would really pull the rug on the
community and what we've proposed. Now Elvis had a pretty good win here with
regard to the swimming pool, et cetera. I think that Morningside has such a natural
shoreline now that to put a seawall would ruin it. In Alice Wainwright Park if we
could have had natural shoreline we would have, but we had a seawall there, so we
just shored it up. In Jimbo's on Virginia Key if we could have done the natural
shoreline we would have, but we had a seawall, so we just shored it up. But here we
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have a natural shoreline that we'd like to keep. It has rip rap, we're not going to
encourage the growth. But this will create a very natural bayfront meandering walk,
which will be absolutely beautifid versus just splashing waves hitting a wall. This is
going to be a very natural park. It's going to look natural, but not mangroves. So,
using the mangrove fear tactic to say we're going to have a wall of mangroves is
doing a disservice to what the Administration and The Nature Conservancy helped us
come up with.
Commissioner Reyes: Madam?
Mr. Cruz: Commissioner?
Chair King: Hold on, Elvis. Hold on.
Commissioner Reyes: I think that --
Chair King: Commissioner Reyes?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes. 1 think that we are going on a tangent here because what
we are --
Chair King: Hold on, Commissioner Reyes. City Clerk, you guys have instruction, and
1 don't see my time.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair King: Go right ahead, Commissioner Reyes.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. I mean, is that ten minutes cumulative? I mean, I can use
two, three, and four or is it one shot?
Chair King: No, you're going to have ten minutes and then if we need to discuss again
then you'll have five.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair King: So, yeah.
Commissioner Reyes: What I'm going to say doesn't take that long. What I'm saying
is that we are going on a tangent. What we are discussing now in SR.1, which is the
inclusion of the boardwalk or the codifying -- the -- that baywalk as park. And that is
what Mr. Russell is proposing, and my objection to it is that that could be used as a --
and I believe it is intention or use the whole baywalk -- I mean, to comply with the no -
net loss, and I have an amendment that says that that baywalk greenway shall not
count towards the no -net loss provision for parkland in the comprehensive plan. Nor,
nor can they draw from the parks impact fee for repairs.
Chair King: So, are you introducing an amendment as well?
Commissioner Reyes: I am introducing that --
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Chair King: An amendment as well?
Commissioner Reyes: -- that amendment as well. And I think that what we are
discussing now should be discussed when we discuss the park, you see. And -- and I
agree that we shouldn't be having -- I mean, that the -- the seawall I agree with that
shouldn 't be --
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: -- so high. But what I want is --
Chair King: But hold on one second. Let's -- let's -- we have an amendment -- a
proposed amendment on the floor. Let's deal with that. Are we accepting that
amendment, or no?
Commissioner Russell: I'd like to ask a couple more questions of the Administration,
please. Director, is this graphic that Elvis Cruz is putting up is that your graphic?
Ms. Hernandez: That's just an example. That's not precisely what will be out there,
and I did explain this to Mr. Cruz at the last workshop that he was at. It was actually
with District 5, the master plan workshop. He approached me afterwards and I
explained to him that this is just an example what it could look like. He asked about
the second row of mangroves, and I said, no, that's not -- it's just showing an example
of what could possibly be there, but that's not necessarily what is there yet. We're still
working on design conceptuals with OCI (Office of Capital Improvement) and with
The Nature Conservancy on what exactly will be on there.
Commissioner Russell: Got it.
Ms. Hernandez: So, we're not -- we cannot show exact. We're not there yet
Commissioner Russell: So, here's nzy issue with this. Elvis had his day in court with
this. Took the fight vigorously. He brought his handful of residents and the
Morningside Civic Association came out in mass. The vast majority were in favor of
the City's plan, what they have created, and we voted and approved that plan. This,
what Elvis is now trying to do, undermines that plan and puts a seawall where we
have a natural shoreline. So, I'd like to stick with the plan that we have, for
Morningside that has been approved by this Commission, involving the movement of
the pool, involving the shoreline. It's not a seawall. What he's brought is a complete
fabrication that there's a seawall inland and that we're consuming park land for
marshes and it's not true. What's inland -- because the wording in this graphic is not
ours, where it says seawall. That's not you.
Ms. Hernandez: No. No.
Commissioner Russell: So, he's basically doctored this image for his purpose to
create the guise that we're moving a seawall inland and losing park space. That's a
misdirection, Elvis.
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Mr. Cruz: That's incorrect what you're saying, sir.
Commissioner Russell: Please. You don 't have the floor. It's a misdirection and the
Chairwoman has been --
Chair King: You don't, Elvis.
Commissioner Russell: -- at every one of these meetings and we've now approved the
master plan for that park. And so, 1 definitely can accept an amendment that no
mangroves be planted, nor any infrastructure planted to encourage mangroves. That
I'm completely fine with. But to put a seawall out at the end would ruin that park. It
would actually berm up the entire edge out there versus having the natural grade that
we have now and want. And I think that -- I think that you've done a disservice to your
community by giving misinformation to this Commission.
Chair King: So --
Commissioner Russell: So I --
Chair King: Okay. Commissioner Russell, okay.
Commissioner Russell: As it's worded --
Chair King: Hold on.
Commissioner Russell: -- I'd like to work on the amendment with Commissioner
Carollo to achieve what he's trying to preserve, which is the sightlines without
mangroves, and I agree with him. We all agree with him.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Russell: We're not trying to sneak mangroves in there. So, if we can
come to an agreed amendment that doesn't involve a big seawall at the shoreline,
that's our goal that we find a new version, a 2.0 of mitigating storm surge that's not
just a big piece of concrete.
Chair King: Commissioner Carollo?
Vice Chair Carollo: This was very similar to the original plan that OCI had presented
to us for Jose Marti Park that we batted down for many of the same reasons that
we're talking about here. Look, what I want to preserve is the view from the park,
forward, just like every other area has, and mangroves, with the State, are a serious
issue. If we're creating something purposely where when these mangroves start
sprouting and the seeds are taken by the currents everywhere and they're getting
stuck here because this is artificially made precisely for that, it's going to be a very
short time, within a few years, before we got all kinds of mangroves growing there
and the view is going to be affected. And I think all of our residents deserve to have
their parks with a view. Either that, or if the world's going to come to an end and
we've got to put mangroves everywhere, then let's put mangroves everywhere in front
of every building that we've got in Miami, but not just one park. Whether we use the
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shoreline or -- excuse me, whether we use a seawall or a similar method to a seawall,
concrete bulkhead, 1 don't care as long as we're not having something that is so far
back and is going to be a magnet for mangroves. Because who's going to be out there
cleaning that up to make sure the mangroves don 't start growing? Do we have any
plans for that? No, like everything else in the city. And you're going to have
mangroves growing there and then in a few years that's going to be full of mangroves
and it's going to affect your sight view and then we can't take them out and we're
stuck with it.
Commissioner Russell: Madam Chair?
Chair King: Commissioner.
Commissioner Russell: Could I recommend that we bifurcate the two items? Because
we have a bit of a notice issue having already voted on an approved the Morningside
Park's master plan with the community here and they all showed up to advocate what
they believed in, and I'm open to opening that back up if we need to readdress that.
But that's actually separate to the connectivity of the entire baywalk. The main thrust
of this legislation is to allow us to work with private properties and public properties
to finish and connect the missing pieces. Morningside Park will never connect to any
other piece of the baywalk because it is locked by T-3 on both sides, right? So, it's
never going to connect anywhere. It's an island to itself that we can treat completely
differently. If we wanted to do all mangroves, no mangroves, seawall, no seawall. But
I think the community should be involved in that decision as they were. And I'm
flexible on that. If we need to change it, it's the will of this body. But what I'm asking
is that we move forward on the ordinance of the baywalk, especially as it pertains to
Downtown, Edgewater, and Brickell, which are the pieces we're trying to connect at
this point. So, I'd be glad to make an amendment saying there will be no mangrove
plantings and direct the Administration to make sure that infrastructure does not
encourage mangrove to take hold and root, but I can't pull the rug on the community
and just throw a seawall in a master plan that was agreed and worked on in
community charrettes for months.
Chair King: I don't think that we could put that forward because it's not rightfully in
front of us right now. We don't have any item before us for the Morningside Park. So,
I don't think we could take up what you just said Commissioner Russell. Madam City
Attorney, can you weigh in on that?
Ms. Mendez: Right. So, I -- and I'm sorry because sometimes I don't know my
geographical bearings --
Commissioner Russell: I didn't mean today.
Chair King: Oh, you didn't mean today. Okay.
Ms. Mendez: So, I --
Commissioner Russell: At another meeting with notice.
Chair King: Okay.
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Ms. Mendez: So, I thought that somehow this connected to Morningside.
Chair King: No, no, no, it does not. It does not. It does not.
Ms. Mendez: Okay. So right now -- and I also thought the Commissioner was saying
that he just doesn't want mangroves on any of this baywalk area. So, if we could at
least -- is that one of your --1 know you were talking about Morningside also, but at
least for this revision, is that also one of the things that you wanted to make sure that
if we perfect these baywalks, that we're not planting mangroves to cover the baywalk?
And that could be in this ordinance if you so choose.
Vice Chair Carollo: That, and then if we have any system that's anything close to
what we're being showed here, then the City Parks Department has to hire a private
contractor, if need be, so that on a monthly basis we're cleaning those areas.
Ms. Hernandez: That's correct.
Vice Chair Carollo: And floating seeds of mangroves don't start growing there. Those
we could clean up, can't we?
Ms. Hernandez: Yep. Yes, we would need to -- we're working on that right now with
our shorelines with the river and the baywalk. We have a private company. We're
truing to add more clean up.
Vice Chair Carollo: And if we want, we can bring them to the South Grove. You know,
they could grow on the shorelines there.
Ms. Hernandez: I'm sorry?
Vice Chair Carollo: We could bring them to South Grove, and they could grow in the
shorelines over there.
Chair King: Okay. Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you. Barbie?
Vice Chair Carollo: They'll be real happy too.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Barbie?
Ms. Hernandez: Yes, sir?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Explain to me what Commissioner Russell's trying
to do here? Why is it not all related? Why is the baywalk and the riverwalk -- why is
he talking only about a specific area where he wants a baywalk or maybe he's
proposing that it should be done there? Why isn't it there -- a comprehensive plan
that anything that's a walk in front of water, including a riverwalk, which is my
district, Commissioner Carollo's District, Commissioner King's District, why is the
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conversation only on specific segments that a particular Commissioner wants in this
greenway debate that we're having?
Ms. Hernandez: Are you speaking in regards to Morningside and The Nature
Conservancy grant?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, I'm talking about all our coastal land. Why
isn 't there a comprehensive master plan that talks about all the connectivity that we
need to have between all these waterfront areas?
Chair King: 1 think that's appropriately a question for the City Manager.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, she's Parks, okay, so City Manager, whoever
can answer?
Ms. Hernandez: Sorry.
Commissioner Russell: I'm the sponsor. I voted. I can tell you.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, okay -- well 1 'm not having a debate with
you. Let me talk to the City Manager. Then I'll get to you in a minute, don't worry.
Mr. Noriega: So, I'm going to restate the question so we can properly answer it. The
question is why is this legislation just limited to a specific piece of geography,
correct?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct.
Mr. Noriega: Why doesn't is apply --
Chair King: We can't hear you.
Mr. Noriega: Why doesn't it apply --
Chair King: That's why you have to give me new mics.
Mr. Noriega: Why doesn't it apply to all of the areas that would have, you know,
waterfront activation, right?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Sure.
Mr. Noriega: So anywhere you could put a sidewalk. Yeah, so, Commissioner would
probably be the best one to answer that question as to why.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Hi, Zerry.
Nzeribe Ihekwaba (Deputy City Manager): Good afternoon.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Good afternoon. How are you?
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Mr. Ihekwaba: Afternoon, Commissioner. Zerry Ihekwaba, Deputy City Manager.
Miami 21 has specific guidelines on waterfront standards for riverwalk and for
baywalk. I believe this legislation is specific to baywalk If it's the will of the
Commission to authorize a similar item for riverwalk, that can be considered. But the
item you have before you this afternoon is baywalk only.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But we can amend it, right?
Mr. Ihekwaba: If it's the will of the body.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course. It's always at the will of the body. So,
the question becomes -- no, don't leave yet, to Commissioner Russell, why is it that
you're only talking -- and the same thing happens when talking about the Underline,
why is it you only talk about areas that you care about and not the rest of the City may
care about. Maybe the riverwalk is something that we care about, and we want to
have a conversation about coastal people being able to walk by waterways and
recreate and do what they do. Why is it that you mention specific parts, not even all
the parts, specific parts of waterfront property?
Commissioner Russell: Yep. So, what we're working on here is it's called greenway
legislation.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, I know what it's called.
Commissioner Russell: And the Miami River Commission already has its greenway
established, and so, this meets the Miami River Greenway. They already have their
own -- the Miami River Commission has created their own initiative rules master plan
under a greenway that's already established that ends at the mouth of the river. So,
this would actually complete what they've already started. So, it's not meant to ignore
the river, it's meant to complement the river.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Madam?
Chair King: Go ahead.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The Miami River Commission has no legislative
authority, whatsoever. They can come up with plans. We're the ones that pass
legislation. Why can't you amend this to also include rive,front property or even
adopt the Miami River Commission's -- what they're recommending? Because you
know they have authority, right, to pass anything? They can't say, hey, we recommend
you build this along, you know, the Miami river and all of a sudden, it's going to
happen.
Commissioner Russell: Fair, yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Only this Commission can do this.
Commissioner Russell: Yep.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can do that. So, the question becomes why only
that area and why not -- and again, it comes to the very important point, why don't we
go -- and it includes your district, Madam Chairwoman, why don't we include areas
that are not where the wealthy people live?
Commissioner Russell: So, this legislation does actually include beyond Downtown
and it actually includes parts of Coconut Grove, parts --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The wealthy people.
Commissioner Russell: No, no, I'm sorry, parts of District 5 as well. This legislation
actually affects the northern area. The part that I'm concentrating on is the part that 1
serve, and it's taken many years to get it this far. That's the part I'm advocating for. I
wouldn't dream to advocate in your districts what you should do with your shoreline.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But why not? But --
Commissioner Russell: Because that -- I would like to defer to the Commissioners to
expand this legislation beyond, amend it later, but to create one comprehensive piece
will take us years to do because there's different pieces of the river and the bay that
have very different geographies, demographics, needs, access needs, some want kayak
launches, some would never want a kayak launch. And so, this is the part I know that I
have consensus on right now for this piece.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can you tell me what part it is then?
Commissioner Russell: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Commissioner Russell: And here's where the Administration, maybe the Planning
Department -- is anyone from the Planning Department --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, you're advocating for it, so it's not --
Commissioner Russell: Absolutely, but there's pieces throughout. Where it doesn't
apply is if there's single family home on the water, right? So, it doesn't apply to them.
But it does apply to private and public property on the water anything above the
intensity of single family home.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well educate me. Zerry, maybe you can educate
me. Tell me specifically in layman's terms what areas? Where does it apply?
Mr. Ihekwaba: Commissioner, are you asking about the baywalk or riverwalk?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm asking where Commissioner Russell is
proposing.
Commissioner Russell: My ordinance.
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Mr. Ihekwaba: It's the baywalk.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, baywalk. Yes, of course.
Mr. Ihekwaba: So, it's along Biscayne Bay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: From where to where?
Mr. Ihekwaba: I believe it's from the mouth of the river all the way to the north
boundary of the City limits.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. All along Biscayne Bay?
Mr. Ihekwaba: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: All the bayfrontproperty?
Mr. Ihekwaba: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. And?
Commissioner Russell: To the --
Mr. Ihekwaba: So, to the north end boundary of the City.
Commissioner Russell: And the south.
Mr. Ihekwaba: So, there are missing segments --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, 70 or 82nd wherever --
Mr. Ihekwaba: I think it's 82nd, 87th.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 87th?
Mr. Ihekwaba: Northeast 87th.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: From the mouth to 87th?
Mr. Ihekwaba: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, and where else?
Mr. Ihekwaba: That's what it is, the bay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's all it is?
Mr. Ihekwaba: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, it's basically Biscayne Boulevard?
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Mr. Ihekwaba: Well on the shoreline, east of Biscayne Boulevard. East of it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: West of Biscayne Boulevard.
Mr. Ihekwaba: No, east.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm sorry, I'm sorry. East of Biscayne Boulevard.
Mr. Ihekwaba: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So just moving up.
Mr. Ihekwaba: Moving all the way to the City boundary on the Northeast 87th.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So City boundary. And how many feet and width is
it?
Mr. Ihekwaba: Miami 21 has a guideline as to the width --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Give me a number. Give me a number.
Mr. Ihekwaba: If1--
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 10 feet, 12 feet, 15 feet.
Mr. Ihekwaba: No, no, it's more than that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. How much?
Mr. Ihekwaba: I think it's 25 feet.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: 25 feet?
Mr. Ihekwaba: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, 25 feet of ban front land.
Mr. Ihekwaba: Land.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Dedicated to a baywalk?
Mr. Ihekwaba: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. How much of that's already developed?
How much baywalk do we already have between the mouth of the river and 87th
Street?
Mr. Ihekwaba: We do have a map and we're working with the --
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Just tell me a number. Do we have 10 percent of it,
20 percent, 30 percent?
Mr. Ihekwaba: You mean the missing segments?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I told you in layman's terms.
Mr. Ihekwaba: Okay. In the missing segments --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
Mr. Ihekwaba: -- as been identified, if I'm not mistaken there could be about between
six to ten properties missing.
Commissioner Russell: Correct, correct.
Mr. Ihekwaba: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Where are they?
Mr. Ihekwaba: Where the bavwalk has not been constructed yet.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Mr. Ihekwaba: So, what we're trying to do is reach out to the property owners and
find a way that we can go into some kind of joint development agreement by them
giving us easements.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But I'm not understanding. I'm trying to
understand.
Mr. Ihekwaba: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You have not reached out to the property owners.
You say how many --
Mr. Ihekwaba: No, no. We have a consultant reaching out to them.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. All right. How many feet are we talking
about in all those six properties -- you said six properties?
Mr. Ihekwaba: Yeah, but it's -- depends subject to their property limits.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's 25 feet.
Mr. Ihekwaba: Inland.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Hold on. Hold on. But this bayfront could be 100
feet, that's 120, that's 180, that's 40.
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Mr. Ihekwaba: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What's the total?
Mr. Ihekwaba: Oh, Commissioner, I need to check the record to give an answer.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, we should know that, right? Because, I mean,
this legislation only proposes baywalk for a specific area of Miami. An area that no
matter who the District Commissioner is, it's part of all Miami.
Commissioner Russell: Yep.
Mr. Ihekwaba: Yeah.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's important to us, right? So, I want to know
why that piece of property, or those pieces of property are more important than the
riverfronts and Coconut Grove for example, you represent also. I want to know what
properties you're talking about with this legislation. You're talking about six
properties you said?
Mr. Ihekwaba: I said between six to ten properties if1'm not mistaken.
Commissioner Diazde la Portilla: Okay. Because I want a specific number before I
vote on this.
Mr. Ihekwaba: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I want to know how many feet of shoreline you're
including, and I want to know what properties you're talking about.
Mr. Ihekwaba: Okay. We can get you that report.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Not six to ten. Okay?
Mr. Ihekwaba: We can get you that report. But keep in mind there are some of these
properties that you will not be able to develop into a baywalk because of the existing
features. Either they have their building footprint already situated on that or those
areas.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Sony, Madam Chair. I'm just getting confused
here.
Chair King: Right. Well --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And it's important for me to clarify this.
Chair King: I understand. I understand. Here's my issue.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm within ten minutes.
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Chair King: We have kicked this can for several weeks now. I want you to have a level
of comfort, but these are the questions that should be properly asked with staff so that
we're -- because if what we need to do is make some -- we keep -- we had it this,
we're going to put it to this -- we're going to put it to this, we're going to put it to this.
This is what it is, this is what it was proposed. So, either we're going to change it or
we're not going to change it. I want you to feel comfortable, but let's get it all out
now.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, that's what I'm trying to do.
Chair King: So that we can --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And the way we do it is publicly because, yeah, we
can have a whole bunch of backroom meetings --
Chair King: Now I'm not suggesting that --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But we're not doing backroom meetings.
Chair King: No, I'm --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: This is an important debate, so --
Chair King: I'm not suggesting backroom meetings. But this kind of information that
you're asking, and the staff doesn't have it readily at hand --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But why doesn't --
Chair King: How many --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But why doesn't the staff have it readily at hand?
It's a proposed legislation --
Chair King: You'd have to ask the Manager about that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: They should know how many feet they're doing
and what's feasible, what's not feasible, what can be done, what cannot be done. And
it's a simple question that should be answered -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE) off the top of
your head.
Mr. Ihekwaba: No.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No? Okay.
Mr. Ihekwaba: We do have the reports. We can forward the reports to you,
Commissioner.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Don't forward the reports. You should know. This
legislation's been kicked down the road as you say and he's been talking about it for,
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he said the other day seven years, somebody should know. It's 280 feet of land
between the mouth of the river and 87th Street.
Mr. Ihekwaba: If you give me a few minutes, I'll pull it up and --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I want to know, please. Thank you.
Commissioner Russell: Madam Chair? The two members of the Planning Department
that had all that information have left the City recently. So, they had been working on
this, all the missing pieces mapped, linear feet, everything. How many properties, who
the property owners are.
Chair King: We're going to -- we're going to do what is in the best interest of the
City.
Mr. Noriega: We can get access to that information.
Commissioner Reyes: But --
Commissioner Russell: But beyond that, I'd like to address the Commissioner's main
question about why they are not other places. So, the Baywalk Ordinance does affect
the entire City, including the river, and we're not amending that. That has its
requirements, that's in the Charter, that tells people when they have to give their
piece. This is a -- an amendment to our Parks section of our Code. Not the Zoning
Code, but the Parks Section allowing for a green.way along the waters -- the bay -- not
the river part, but the baywalk part so that we can finish those missing pieces sooner.
That's my goal. I know that 1 can negotiate with those stakeholders, and we can -- but
this doesn 't expend money, create any of those rules of how much and where and
what, it just gives us the framework through which we can finish it. Right now, we
can't. Right now, it took us two years to negotiate one piece with the Presbyterian
Church. And the goal here is that we can now complete it. But it doesn't amend the
Baywalk Ordinance which already exists for the entire river and does have a
requirement for everybody to do their part. We just don't know when it's allowed to
happen.
Chair King: Commissioner Reyes? City Clerk, can you put the five minute timer on
please.
Commissioner Reyes: Why every time I'm going to tell you put me on the clock.
Chair King: No. Okay, wait.
Commissioner Reyes: You have anything on me?
Chair King: No, no, no. Let me put it --
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla --
Chair King: No, I'm going to put it on his as well.
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Commissioner Reyes: He -- he --
Chair King: I'm going to put it on everybody.
Commissioner Reyes: He gave us the, I mean, Constitution, I mean --
Chair King: I'm going to put --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The Constitution is coming now.
Commissioner Reyes: 1 mean, I don't know, you don't like me?
Chair King: I --1 adore you.
Commissioner Reyes: Me too.
Chair King: I adore you.
Commissioner Reyes: I adore you too. No, but what 1 'm saying is this discussion --
and I agree that everything that should be come out in the open because 1 don't think
that there is 21 feet or anything like that. It's a lot narrower, and that is one of my --
my objections to get this -- I mean, be part of our parks. 1 mean, we create a park.
Because if we do that, what we are doing, and I believe that there's an ulterior motive
here, that it is to include this as part of the no -net loss that it is required when you
lose any part of the parks. I think that this is a way for Mr. Russell to justify his vote.
That's why I am proposing this amendment, that no park --
Chair King: Oh, wait. We haven't heard your amendment yet.
Commissioner Reyes: No, no --
Chair King: Because we --
Commissioner Reyes: But -- I did propose an amendment --
Chair King: Right, right, let me.
Commissioner Reyes: -- and it was not accepted.
Chair King: Right. You're going to be allowed to propose your amendment. Where
are we with the amendment that Commissioner Carollo put forth? Is that gone?
That's gone?
Commissioner Russell: To mandate a seawall, I can 't agree to it. But to mitigate
mangroves, I absolutely could agree.
Chair King: Okay. Okay, Commissioner. So, no seawall, yes you can have --
Vice Chair Carollo: I'm going to -- pull my second back right now.
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Chair King: You're going to pull your second?
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah, I'm going to pull my second back.
Chair King: Okay. So, we --
Vice Chair Carollo: I've got to think about his.
Chair King: Okay. So now, Mr. City Clerk?
Vice Chair Carollo: I need to be assured that I'm not going to end up in a few years
with mangroves there.
Chair King: Okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: And then when people can't see the water from the park, they'll
be mentioning my name along with a few others.
Chair King: Okay. So, Mr. City Clerk, Vice Chair has pulled his second. So, we have
a first. Will anybody else second?
Commissioner Russell: Just a moment, Madam Chair?
Chair King: I feel deja vu.
[Later...]
Chair King: So right now -- right now --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We want -- there's no second.
Chair King: There --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We want --
Chair King: That's what I'm about to say. There's no second. So can I --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I may want to second that.
Chair King: No --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I may want to second that.
Chair King: You may? Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But I need to ask something.
Chair King: Go ahead.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I want to link everything. I want to link it all.
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Chair King: Today?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah.
Chair King: I don't think we rightfully can.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: With amendments we can. Absolutely. We can --
Chair King: Can we?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- require a seawall at Morningside --
Chair King: Madam --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We can require a seawall at Morningside. Okay.
We can.
Ms. Mendez: Okay. So that item --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: If he says the mouth of the river to 87th Street --
Chair King: Let -- well let's --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's the seawall.
Chair King: Let me get -- let me get a legal opinion here. Madam City Attorney, can
we link all of the items today in this legislation?
Ms. Mendez: So, the Morningside Park item was done already, like what a week or
two ago?
Chair King: A Commission meeting or two ago.
Ms. Mendez: Right. So, you would essentially be bringing up a pocket item to --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No. It's an amendment. It's an amendment to an
area that Zerry has described as a baywalk between the mouth of the river and 87th
Street. Inside the mouth of the river and 87th Street is the seawall, or the shoreline in
Morningside Park. So why -- it's germane to what we're talking about. It's germane
to what we're talking about. We can reverse -- we can do something two weeks ago
and do something else today. I don't know if you agree with that.
Ms. Mendez: Then I -- I don't remember when was the last item brought up. Does
anybody remember when Morningside came up --
Mr. Noriega: Well --
Ms. Mendez: -- because then it would have to be a motion to reconsider and that's --
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No.
Ms. Mendez: -- normally done at the same -- at the next meeting.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: If this legislation deals with seawall -- baywalk in
front of Biscayne Bay between the mouth of the river and 87th Street, we can address
every piece of land that's under our jurisdiction between the mouth of the river and
87th Street. Period.
Vice Chair Carollo: (INAUDIBLE).
Ms. Mendez: 1 don't have a map. You would have to ask --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, I know, you're geographically challenged. I
know.
Vice Chair Carollo: (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So is my mom by the way.
Ms. Mendez: I'm geographically challenged.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But, Zerry, is that correct?
Vice Chair Carollo: (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Is Morningside Park within these boundaries that
you described?
Mr. Ihekwaba: Commissioner, we told you Morningside is within the City of Miami,
and it lies between the mouth of the river and the City boundary on the northeast.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes.
Mr. Ihekwaba: So, it lies within the --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. So that's a baywalk.
Mr. Ihekwaba: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's what a baywalk is, right?
Mr. Ihekwaba: Yeah. So --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: A baywalk is a walk by the bay. And that means
that Morningside Park is included in that. No matter what master plan they have for
Morningside, the legislation that deals with a baywalk along Biscayne Bay from the
mouth of the river to 87th Street --
Vice Chair Carollo: (INAUDIBLE).
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- the end of the City, has to include that area
that's inside of it. And if it -- that's completely germane to the conversation we're
having and tell me how it's not.
Mr. Ihekwaba: Commissioner, I don't have an opinion on that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's not an opinion. It's not an opinion. How is --
Mr. Ihekwaba: You asked me --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: How is Morningside Park not between the mouth
of the river and 87th Street on Biscayne -- east of Biscayne Boulevard? How is not?
Geographically moved it now?
Mr. Ihekwaba: It is within.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Mr. Ihekwaba: Okay. So, Commissioner, just for clarification on the record, I
mentioned earlier that there were about ten -- approximately ten missing segments on
the baywalk. I'm looking at the report from CBRE, there are actually approximately
26 missing connections.
Mr. Noriega: Well, but clarify that because only 14 --
Mr. Ihekwaba: Only 14 is available --
Mr. Noriega: -- is available. The other --
Mr. Ihekwaba: --for development or improvement.
Mr. Noriega: Yeah. The other 12 are --
Mr. Ihekwaba: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Noriega: You can't do anything with because they have an existing infrastructure
built on it that you can't just come in and modify, like pools and, you know, to high
rise residential buildings as an example. So, there's 14 properties we're talking
about.
Mr. Ihekwaba: There is 14 approximately that is open.
Commissioner Russell: That includes the river.
Mr. Ihekwaba: That is available.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, it does not include the river.
Commissioner Russell: It does include the river.
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Mr. Ihekwaba: No, no, it doesn't include the river.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That does not include the river.
Mr. Ihekwaba: The river has 58 missing connections and 25 is available.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Right. So, it does not include the river at all. You
have not done anything for the Miami River. What you do is for Biscayne Boulevard.
Mr. Ihekwaba: Yeah. So, it's only 14 available for --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The 14, how many feet?
Mr. Ihekwaba: The report doesn 't -- it only lists the properties themselves. The
addresses. So, we're giving -- we're making a copy for each elected official to have.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Did you -- just add it up how many feet?
Mr. Noriega: We don't have that.
Mr. Ihekwaba: We don't have that information.
Mr. Noriega: We'd have to go back and do some work.
Mr. Ihekwaba: Additional research.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay.
Mr. Noriega: Because the report we have just lists it by property.
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I can't second it. We can't have a say in what the
baywalk is going to look like -- if we don't have the ability, or Commissioner Russell
doesn't want us to amend what he wants to do then I cannot second it. So, there's no
second.
Commissioner Russell: Commissioner?
Chair King: Commissioner Russell, we --
Commissioner Russell: So, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla here's a proposal. How
about we do include the entire river greenway in this legislation so that we can --
because this legislation does not deal with what goes there, how you build it, what it
looks like, what trees, what color, nothing. All this does is give us the framework to
negotiate ivith private property owners along the way. And so -- and to consider it
part of our -- so that Parks can work with them, the Administration can work with
them. So, I am open to including the river 100 percent and that will get the river
moving faster too if there's missing pieces in the river. I'm happy for that.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But if we go -- wait. I'm sorry, Madam Chair? If
we go into the notion that we want Morningside, as Commissioner Carollo said, that
he wanted Morningside Park included in this conversation within the framework --
because it's expanding it to the Miami River greenway that's a different piece of
legislation. That's something that I would have to file, Commissioner Carollo may file
because we both -- and Commission King may file --
Commissioner Russell: Agreed.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- because we represent the Miami River.
Commissioner Russell: 1 misunderstood. I thought that's what you wanted included
here?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, no. I can't because it's not germane. But
what is germane is what falls between the mouth of the river and 87th Street. And
that's Morningside Park. That's what falls in the middle. If Commissioner Carollo 's
publicly stated that he wants a seawall there, then let's --1 will support a seawall
there.
Mr. Noriega: But that's not what he said.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Why not? Why not?
Mr. Noriega: Can I add something? Some element of discussion here, Madam Chair,
ifI may? So, two points I'd like to clarify. I'll let Commissioner Carollo certainly
speak for himself. He never said that 1 heard that he wanted a seawall. What he says
he does not want to see mangroves anywhere along the parkway.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What did you say Commissioner Carollo?
Mr. Noriega: His issue was mangroves.
Vice Chair Carollo: (INAUDIBLE).
Mr. Noriega: Am I correct?
Vice Chair Carollo: (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: A living shoreline by definition --
Commissioner Reyes: A living shoreline.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: All kind of things -- that's why it's called a living
shoreline. All kinds of things grow on it. That's why it's a living shoreline, not a dead
shoreline. So, what happens is mangroves grow on it, seedlings spread, all kinds of
things happen. And when things grow, they grow, and they grow, and they block
views. So, it's a living shoreline.
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Mr. Noriega: They can actually grow along a seawall as well, by the way.
Chair King: Okay. So --
Mr. Noriega: So, I mean, they can. But I'm just --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It 's harder when you pour concrete. Trust me.
Mr. Noriega: -- trying to get to the root of the problem.
Chair King: Okay. Mr. Manager, Mr. Manager. So that -- so that 1 have clarity, guys,
where are we now? We are -- I don't have a second. I don't have a second.
Commissioner Russell: It could be you.
Chair King: You've put -- it will be me. You've pulled your --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: But you need a third. That's a problem.
Chair King: That's the problem. You've pulled yours, second. You're not going to
second it if we can't add --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can we address, Madam Chair?
Chair King: And then I have to deal with Commissioner Reyes, and I don't want him
to think that don't like him. I'm just trying to get rid of -- I'm trying to get rid of the
first so we can get to your amendment.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: If we add a seawall to Morningside Park, I can
support this issue.
Chair King: And I think I heard two here if we add a seawall you'll support, and you
support? No, no, no. You don't support.
Commissioner Reyes: Wait a minute.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, in other words, Madam Chair --
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- if you want your third vote or you want your
third vote, give me the seawall. Or give Joe Carollo a seawall. If you want it.
Commissioner Reyes: The thing --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And other things that we can discuss later we're
going to want to.
Commissioner Reyes: Wait.
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Commissioner Russell: It's an unrelated issue.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, that's not related.
Commissioner Russell: And Commissioner Elvis Presley seems to have control of this
dais.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no. No, nobody has control of this dais.
Chair King: Commissioner Russell don't do that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The one who doesn't have control is you. If you
want your little greenway thing --
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- we get a seawall.
Commissioner Russell: Why would I undermine the entire work of the Morningside
Civic Association with our Administration --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Then don't. Then don't. Then you don't have your
votes.
Commissioner Russell: -- with The Nature Conservancy. I wouldn't. I wouldn't.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Then you don't have your votes.
Chair King: Okay, in I'm second, SR.2. I don't even remember the number of it.
Commissioner Russell: SR.1.
Chair King: SR.1. I'm going to be the second for SR.1. Now let's hear from
Commissioner Reyes because he has an amendment. And, Commissioner Reyes, I'm
sorry.
Commissioner Reyes: Listen, I want to -- I mean, unless I have an opportunity to rebut
what Commissioner Russell said, that by passing this legislation, he would be able to
finish the seawall where that's totally untrue.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's untrue.
Commissioner Reyes: And that's total misinformation.
Commissioner Russell: Why?
Commissioner Reyes: Because by passing this legislation that we have here SR.1,
does not provide for additional funds, does not provide for the agreement with all
those 18 or 16. What it does is that creates every single part of that seawall which is a
sidewalk, it is going to be named park. It's going to be part of our park inventory, you
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see. It has to be included. And even --1 mean, even by their own admission, that also
is also including some private property that they have not been designated by the
owners to build a seawall there, you see. My question is the same and I said that my
amendment is that no -- this -- no portion of the whole portion of this seawall if
declared park could be used for no -net loss, which I think should be declared a park,
and we should not place it on the Parks Department, it should be placed under
Resilience if that's where it comes when it comes to -- I mean, if we got to fix it, you
shouldn 't get money from park impact fees. Which by doing so, is taking money from
you, from him, from me, and from everybody else that has a park here, you see. Your
desperation to pass this thing makes me think that is an ulterior motive, sir, you see.
Because this something that is not natural. It is -- it is unnatural to be so desperate to
pass a piece of legislation that does not have no bearing on completing the project or
anything. It is just pass it and then we will include it in -- as park to replace the no -net
loss. That is my opinion, and I have an amendment that would preclude that and also
would preclude that wall -- I mean, that sidewalk to be repaired using parks impact
fees that are so much needed by our parks that this should go into Resilience or into
Public Works.
Chair King: Let's -- read -- let's have the City Attorney read your amendment into the
record.
Ms. Mendez: So, the two amendments pretty much because there are two issues that
he's proffering is that the baywalk greenway shall not count towards no -net loss
provisions for parklands in the comprehensive plan and that park impact fees will not
be used for the baywalk park -- bavwalk greenway.
Chair King: Commissioner Russell?
Commissioner Russell: Thank you. Commissioner Reyes, you're saying if I agree to
those two things you'll vote yes on this ordinance?
Commissioner Reyes: If -- I mean, if you agree on those two, why not? But I want
everybody here to be -- to be -- I want everybody to be clear of what's going on. I
don't want -- for example, Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla still is not clear about it.
There is a lot of questions that he asked, and I think they should be answered, you see.
When either one of us -- it is -- does not have a clear idea of what it is being voted for
I think that deserve the courtesy of giving them time and the information that will help
make up his mind and vote what his conscience dictate, you see. Without information
we cannot do that. And he's been asking for information, and I think rightfully so, you
see.
Commissioner Russell: So, if the mover and seconder agree to your amendment,
you'll vote yes today?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Russell: Agreed. Deal.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
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Commissioner Russell: Let's vote.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. A vote.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Motion passes.
Ms. Mendez: With those four amendments, right?
Mr. Hannon: So just a moment. There was two amendments that the City Attorney
read.
Ms. Mendez: Right. And then there were --
Mr. Hannon: And there's the mangroves.
Ms. Mendez: There was no mangroves.
Commissioner Russell: No, no, I will not accept that.
Mr. Hannon: You're not accepting that?
Ms. Mendez: You're not accepting the no mangroves on the baywalk?
Chair King: No, he --
Commissioner Reyes: Wait, wait, wait, wait. You're not accepting the no mangroves?
Commissioner Russell: Well, he withdrew his second, so there's no amendment.
Commissioner Reyes: Well, he made an amendment.
Commissioner Russell: This ordinance has nothing to do with mangroves. We have a
design guideline for the baywalk that we can amend to eliminate.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Carollo: (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Russell: So, if you'd like another amendment --
Vice Chair Carollo: Then you're going to get mangroves in the end.
Commissioner Russell: This has nothing to do with Morningside Park.
Commissioner Reyes: Well, I --
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Chair King: Well --
Commissioner Reyes: -- reconsider my vote then. If it is like that -- I thought that
everybody here was going to be happy.
Ms. Mendez: We just want to clarify the amendment.
Commissioner Reyes: No.
Commissioner Russell: Okay. We need to bring an amendment to the baywalk
guidelines, the design guidelines because they do have living shorelines, mangroves,
et cetera in there. But this ordinance has nothing to do with mangroves and what gets
planted. This simply has to do with a greenway.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, then how come you were willing to put no mangroves
before if it had nothing to do with it.
Commissioner Russell: To get your vote.
Vice Chair Carollo: Oh. You were pulling a Yamamoto on me. Okay.
Commissioner Russell: No, because it was actually hold. If you want it, it will hold.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay.
Commissioner Russell: But clearly --
Vice Chair Carollo: To get my vote, all right.
Commissioner Russell: Absolutely.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Commissioner Russell: I don't intend to -- we were already not going to plant
mangroves in Morningside Park. The master plan does not have any mangroves. He is
misleading you.
Vice Chair Carollo: No, you were going to let them, come naturally, you know.
Commissioner Russell: No, we don't want them.
Vice Chair Carollo: With the current so they could grow.
Commissioner Russell: The neighborhood does not want them. I don't want them.
Chair King: Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.
Commissioner Reyes: Let --
Chair King: Wait. Hold on a second. Where are we now?
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Commissioner Russell: We voted.
Chair King: We had a vote. It passed three to two.
Commissioner Reyes: I'm reconsidering my vote.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He reconsidered.
Chair King: He's -- okay.
Commissioner Reyes: Because --
Chair King: Hold on a second.
Commissioner Russell: What would you like?
Chair King: Hold on. You know I'm new at this.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'll second that reconsideration.
Chair King: Hold on. You know, Mr. City Clerk, procedurally where are we? Can
Commissioner Reyes reconsider his vote?
Mr. Hannon: It's really the will of the body. Yes, you did vote, but I was trying to
clarify at the same time before we completed the vote what the amendments were. So,
if you would like to reconsider, we can certainly do that from a procedural standpoint
Commissioner Russell: Well --
Chair King: No, I was clear on what --
Commissioner Russell: If Commissioner Reyes thought he was voting on something
else. I'd like to hear if his amendment is something different. Because if you would
like to include mangroves in your amendment for your vote, I will consider it. I think
it's superfluous, it's not necessary. It's not necessary. It doesn't have anything to do
with this, but if it's what you want and it makes you happy, I will give you no
mangroves.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. I -- I -- I'm also was considering the -- what
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla and what --
Commissioner Russell: Then I think we're done. Because what we had here was a
very big win for the no -net loss concerns that you have. That's a very big concession
on my side. I'm willing to do that with you for your vote today.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. But the thing is, the thing is --
Commissioner Russell: If you want to add more and more and then take --
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Commissioner Reyes: No, add more and more, no. We have -- I have my colleagues
here that they were very much --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He's reconsidering it.
Commissioner Reyes: -- in favor, as I was, that the seawall be on the shoreline.
Commissioner Russell: No. This has nothing to do with Morningside seawall.
Commissioner Reyes: 1 mean, I do agree with it. I do agree with and that's what Diaz
de la Portilla agreed on it and that's what -- I mean, because 1 saw it. If --if 'the -- the
seawall is on the shoreline, you have all that berm that you can build --
Chair King: Commissioner Reyes? Commissioner Reyes? Okay. So --
Commissioner Reyes: I thought that we were voting on all of that.
Chair King.. Okay. So --
Commissioner Russell: Commissioner Reyes, I --
Chair King: So that --
Commissioner Russell: -- I asked for a different item to be brought back regarding the
Morningside master plan to deal with exactly that.
Chair King: So here we go. Here we go, guys.
Commissioner Russell: Because I will not accept an amendment today --
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Russell: -- putting a seawall at the shoreline after all the process we've
gone through has eliminated a seawall in that plan. We don't want a seawall.
Chair King: Okay. Here we go. Here we go. Understood. So, here --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Calm down.
Chair King: May I have a motion for reconsideration --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I move to reconsider.
Commissioner Reyes: I second.
Chair King: Okay. Now we have a motion and a second for reconsideration. So now
we're going to reconsider this issue again.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: To vote on it.
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Chair King: To vote on it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: To vote on the reconsideration first.
Chair King: Okay. Oh, we have to vote?
Mr. Hannon: Yeah.
Chair King: Okay. All in favor of reconsideration?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Motion carries unanimously.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair King: Now we are going to --
Mr. Hannon: Everything's back in play.
Chair King: Everything's back in play.
Mr. Hannon: So make your amendments so we can capture everything before the vote
is taken.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay.
Chair King: Okay. So, let's go. Commissioner -- Vice Chair?
Vice Chair Carollo: One -- one minor little thing that I've been wondering throughout
this whole conversation. Mr. Manager, sorry to bother you and your esteemed
assistant managers.
Mr. Noriega: Never a bother.
Vice Chair Carollo: Where's the money' coming for all this addition that we've been
talking about here in baywalk?
Mr. Noriega: What's The Conservancy? Oh, for the actual baywalk itself?
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Commissioner Russell: No, not Morningside.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, everything being discussed here. Where's the money
coming from? You mean after all this talk --
Commissioner Reyes: You don't know.
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Vice Chair Carollo: -- you guys don't know where the money's coming from?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And how much is it?
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, I know there's at five million that's out there?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah.
Mr. Noriega: Yeah, there's not -- yeah, five million is out there, correct, as part of the
Miami Freedom Park deal, but there's isn't another identified funding source.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. But here's the problem that I have. When that five million
was brought up I remember before we made the initial vote in this, 1 remember Mr.
Russell saving that, you know, I have a big part in the Miami River in my district that,
you know, that's going to be for everybody. And now I'm seeing that the five million is
going to be going all to his district.
Commissioner Russell: (INAUDIBLE).
Vice Chair Carollo: Now if that's the case, it's fine, but then the other 20 million
needs to be broken down in --
Commissioner Diazde la Portilla: Four districts. Four districts.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, at least three districts.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: At least three. I was waiting for you to say that, not
me.
Vice Chair Carollo: It could be four districts.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You know what I mean.
Vice Chair Carollo: But he got his money already.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yep, right.
Vice Chair Carollo: Tried to pull a fast one, huh? I'm not one of those little kids
watching the yo-yo.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair King: What is the will of this body?
Vice Chair Carollo: You stepped out, you're out.
Chair King: What is the will of the body today?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You know, there's a debate. I have a question for
you, Madam Chair.
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Chair King: Go right ahead.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Listen. Let's be open. People watch this and let's
just be open. If in fact, his drive, Commissioner Russell's drive is to affect no -net loss,
and if he wants to do things for his district, that's all fine. But let's be honest about it.
Let's be open about it and everybody can vote the way they want to vote based on
what they think. I happen to -- look, I happen to think with some significant tweaks
that -- probably tweaks is the wrong word, some significant changes that the Miami
Freedom Park is a good idea for Miami. The district 1 represent, and I think it's good
for the district I represent. So, you know, let's just be open about what we're doing
here. This back and forth to me is why people are cynical about politics. 1 mean, this
is back and forth, number one. And number two, and it's underhanded. If don't do
this, I won 't do that. That's wrong. That undermines the confidence that people have
in our system. Let's just be open about it.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah, but --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Wait. I'm almost done.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: If -- if you want this to come today and you want
to get your druthers and whatever you want and get what you want before something
else happens, that's not going to happen because everybody here wants something for
their districts. So instead of just being open about it, say, you know what, this is what
I want for my district 1 represent. Everybody wants something. I think, maybe I'm
wrong, that because the district I represent that the majority of the money that's
invested in community benefits should be in the district I represent in Grapeland,
right? Not in Baywalk, not in Edgewater. That's so far away. You can't get -- if you
go anymore you sink. It should be the area that's being directly impacted. So,
Grapeland and that area surrounding Miami Freedom Park should benefit the most.
But you think it's a good idea for you to ask for five million dollars for a baywalk that
you represented as riverwalk, baywalk, because riverwalk also includes
Commissioner Carollo's district, that's going to probably, you know, a little bit here,
a little bit there. That's not what you're doing. What you're doing is your taking five
million dollars, which is not the total cost, that's five million dollars to the people that
want to develop Miami Freedom Park, that's what you 're doing. They cannot give us
an answer as to how much it's going to cost to do this legacy thing that you label a
legacy issue last Commission meeting. So, five million dollars for you and for your
district, not for you, for your district. You're fighting for your district. Respect the fact
that we're fighting for ours. That's all.
Commissioner Russell: Is anything wrong with that?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No --
(MULTIPLE PARTIES SPEAKING IN UNISON)
Commissioner Reyes: Madam --
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Commissioner Russell: Madam Chair, 1 need to respond though.
Chair King: Hold on, hold on.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The problem is -- I'm almost done.
Chair King: Hold on.
Commissioner Russell: Madam Chair, 1 need to respond.
Commissioner Reyes: Hold on a second, hold on a second.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: The problem is you need to have three votes and
you don 't. Because you're taking it all for yourself. And politics is about giving and
taking, it's not about taking. That's the issue here.
Commissioner Reyes: Hold on a second.
Chair King: Hold on, hold on.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You're hiding it --
Chair King: Hold on.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And you're hiding it behind, oh it's for baywalk,
river walk.
Commissioner Russell: No, no.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It's not riverwalk. You're not covering one foot of
river walk. You're covering the most expensive real estate in Miami in front of the
water for your district.
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And that's wrong.
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Please?
Chair King: Wait. Hold on, Commissioner. Hold on.
Commissioner Reyes: Please.
Chair King: Commissioner Reyes, Commissioner Reyes, hold on. I promise I'm going
to get to you.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
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Chair King: Commissioner Russell would like to respond quickly. Two minutes. Two
minutes. Let him respond because you would want to respond to what was just said.
Commissioner Reyes: No. But want to make a proposal. That's what I --
Chair King: Okay. That's going to be great.
Commissioner Russell: Just a moment.
Chair King: But he just wants to --
Commissioner Reyes: 1 want to make a proposal then that's it.
Chair King: Let him respond. Let him respond.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. I want him to make a motion.
Chair King: Two minutes. Two minutes. Two minutes, Commissioner Russell.
Commissioner Russell: Thank you. I appreciate the time. 1 do not appreciate a tax on
my character or being called underhanded.
Vice Chair Carollo: Oh, God.
Commissioner Russell: We all -- you're going to call me underhanded, that implies
that I'm lying to this dais, that llied when we voted earlier and that's not right. Now
to say that we all fight for our districts, we do, and we should. The fact that I'm truing
to get things done in my district, I should. But what you're asking from me is not
something for the rest of the City, it's to undermine another project in my district
against the will of the residents that we've already voted on and I can't do that.
Commissioner Reyes: Madam --
Commissioner Russell: My character says we voted on that, so I won't give a seawall
where it was. So, what do you want to know that you don 't feel I'm being straight
about? Because the five million dollars can be spent anywhere on the baywalk and the
riverwalk. That was in that deal. That's done. Now what I'm working on through this
legislation is simply so that we can work on the baywalk, right?
Commissioner Reyes: Madam?
Commissioner Russell: And connect.
Commissioner Reyes: Madam?
Commissioner Russell: But that five million is not restricted. That was part of what
got Joe's vote on that five million was that it could be used in the river as well.
There's nothing underhanded going on here at all. But I am absolutely unhappy with
where Freedom Park is on it's no -net loss policy right now.
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Commissioner Reyes: Madam?
Commissioner Russell: Please -- I have not said that before, but I'm saying it right
now.
Chair King: Let him -- he's got 48 seconds.
Commissioner Russell: I'm trying everything I can to create new active and open
space in our City before 1 leave, and this is the biggest thing that I can leave behind.
Commissioner Reyes: Madam?
Commissioner Russell: To be willing to give up the no -net loss policy is huge.
Commissioner Reyes: Make the motion.
Commissioner Russell: And you had it.
Commissioner Reyes: Make the motion. Make the motion. 1 want you to make the
motion as you did before and also what I want you to do what -- a proposal also to
bring the Morningside Park, bring it again so we could argue. Make the motion.
Commissioner Russell: But then we don't need to reconsider.
Commissioner Reyes: Make the motion.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: It was already reconsidered.
Commissioner Reyes: Make the motion to pass this and with the amendment that it's
not going to be used for no -net loss and not going to use the -- my amendment. The
amendment.
Commissioner Russell: All right. I'd like to move SR.1 --
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Commissioner Russell: -- including the two amendments brought earlier by
Commissioner Reyes regarding no -net loss and impact fees.
Commissioner Reyes: Impact fees.
Vice Chair Carollo: (INAUDIBLE) --
Commissioner Reyes: I -- that would --
Commissioner Russell: Would you like mangroves included in your --
Commissioner Reyes: Mangroves included.
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Commissioner Russell: Yes, and no mangroves.
Commissioner Reyes: I second that motion.
Chair King: All in favor?
Commissioner Reyes: Aye.
Commissioner Russell: Aye.
Chair King: Aye.
Vice Chair Carollo: Nay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Nay.
Commissioner Reyes: That's it.
Chair King.• Motion passes.
Mr. Hannon: For the record, motion passes 3-2 with Commissioner Carollo and
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla voting no, as amended.
Ms. Mendez: Right. And I wanted to clarify, nothing addressing Morningside,
correct? It's no mangroves everywhere along the baywalk, correct?
Vice Chair Carollo: Including Morningside. Including Morningside.
Commissioner Russell: True.
Vice Chair Carollo: That's what the motion said.
Commissioner Russell: It's part of the baywalk, so yes.
Ms. Mendez: Okay. Fine.
Vice Chair Carollo: I mean, we weren't talking about any other site as much as we
did Morningside.
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
Chair King: We have --
Vice Chair Carollo: But I'm glad, at least, thatl, you know, got the quail out of the
bushes here. And it was clear that we didn't have any money whatsoever for any of
this except the five million that I remember very distinctly, and if you could, Mr.
Clerk, you should have minutes of that meeting way back then when we approved to
go to a referendum, the Freedom Park Item. Let's go over that and see what said Mr.
Russell then about the five million dollars and the baywalk and Downtown Miami and
connect it with the river and everything and what he says now. But, you know, if
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you're going to get so huffy and puffy, you know, you being questioned and
challenged --
Commissioner Russell: No, I think --
Vice Chair Carollo: By the way, I've just got a quick question for you. Have you
found a place to rent that you could have more than one toilet? You can 't answer that
one, can you?
Chair King: We have one item left. It's DI.4.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He was not happy with you right now. You saw it?
Vice Chair Carollo: No, because he can 't answer it. He knows what's going on. He
can't answer it.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: He has a new bathroom, right?
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SR.2 ORDINANCE Second Reading
11748
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION,
AUTHORIZING DEVIATIONS FROM THE STANDARDS FOR
"TEMPORARY BANNERS" SET FORTH IN CHAPTER 62/ARTICLE
XIII/DIVISION 8 OF THE CODE OF CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED, TITLED "PLANNING AND ZONING/PLANNING AND
ZONING APPROVAL FOR TEMPORARY USES AND
OCCUPANCIES; PERMIT REQUIRED/TEMPORARY BANNERS,"
FOR SUCH PERMITS ISSUED WITHIN A PORTION OF THE
CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT FOR DISPLAY IN CONNECTION
WITH THE MIAMI FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX BETWEEN APRIL 15,
2022, AND MAY 15, 2022; ESTABLISHING TERMS AND
CONDITIONS IN ORDER TO REGULATE THE ACTIVITIES FOR
TEMPORARY BANNERS; PROVIDING FOR A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE
DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14058
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Chair King: At this time if my colleagues don't mind, 1'd like to take SR.2 out of order.
Commissioner Russell: I'll move the item, Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: Which is this one?
Chair King: SR.2 is the item --
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah, I don't -- I don't mind taking it out of order.
Chair King: Okay. So, do I have a motion?
Commissioner Russell: So moved.
Vice Chair Carollo: Is it okay, Commissioner?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): I'm sorry, who's the mover?
Vice Chair Carollo: Motion.
Chair King: Commissioner Russell.
Vice Chair Carollo: Second.
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Chair King: Vice Chair is the second. Can we open it up for public comment, please?
Is anyone here to speak on SR.2?
Barry Rush: Good morning, Commissioners, my name is Barry Rush and I'm here to
answer any questions, if anyone has them, on SR.2.
Vice Chair Carollo: 1 do, Barry, and thank you for being here today. My
understanding is that the City's take has been worked out now so it can be 50,000 per
month, per location?
Mr. Rush: Yes, as you know or understand, the signs will be up for only a two -week
period, and it will be $50, 000 per permit. And we anticipate having two permits for
the FI race.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, it's only two weeks, though? I thought it was more, Barry.
Mr. Rush: No, it's just a two -week period that we're going to be up.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, so we're doing real good then.
Mr. Rush: I think so.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah, at 50,000.
Mr. Rush: I think so.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Well, thank you very much for being fair. That's what I
like.
Mr. Rush: I think it's really cool for the city, too, when you have an event like this to
have those -- to display something like this. I think this makes the city look really
vibrant and alive. And maybe there will be other opportunities for other events being
held at the park.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you, and bottom line, to my colleagues, when I asked for
this to be deferred, the offer on the table was 25,000 per sign. It's been worked out
now so it could be 50,000 per sign. So, I think we can move forward with this.
Mr. Rush: Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Is there anyone else here to speak on SR.2?
Seeing none, public comment is closed for SR.2. All in favor?
Mr. Hannon: Chair?
Chair King: Oh.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
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Chair King: Thank you. Are we ready to vote? All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively).: Aye.
Chair King: Motion carries.
END OF SECOND READING ORDINANCES
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FR - FIRST READING ORDINANCES
FR.1 ORDINANCE First Reading
11334 AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION PURSUANT
RESOLUTION NO. R-18-0440 ADOPTED ON OCTOBER 11, 2018
City Manager's
Office AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE INTERNATIONAL
ASSOCIATION OF FIRE FIGHTERS, AFL-CIO, LOCAL 587 ("IAFF")
TO RESOLVE THE UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE PETITION FILED
BY IAFF IN THE CASE STYLED MIAMI ASSOCIATION OF
FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 587, IAFF V. CITY OF MIAMI, CASE NO.:
BP-2018-001 (CR-2018-001 AND CA-2010-124) AND RESOLUTION
NO. R-18-0489 ADOPTED ON OCTOBER 25, 2018 AUTHORIZING
THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENT WITH THE WALTER E. HEADLEY, JR., MIAMI
LODGE #20, FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE, INC. ("FOP") TO
RESOLVE THE UNFAIR LABOR PRACTICE PETITION FILED BY
FOP, LODGE #20, CASE NO.: CA-2010-119 AND BP-2017-013
(CR-2017-001) AMENDING CHAPTER 40/ARTICLE IV/DIVISION 3
OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED
("CITY CODE"), TITLED "PERSONNEL/PENSION AND
RETIREMENT PLAN/CITY OF MIAMI FIRE AND POLICE
EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT TRUST;" MORE PARTICULARLY BY
AMENDING SECTIONS 40-191, 40-203, AND 40-210, TITLED
"DEFINITIONS," "BENEFITS," AND "GENERAL CONDITIONS," TO
AMEND THE DEFINITION OF COMPENSATION PROVIDING FOR
THE RULE OF "64" OR "68" AND AN INCREASE IN BENEFITS;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING AN
IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING
MOVER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Reyes
Chair King: Okay. Do I have a motion for FR (First Reading) -- may I have a motion
for FR.1, FR.2, and FR.3?
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, FR.1 --
Commissioner Reyes: I move it.
Chair King: You move it?
John Greco (Deputy City Attorney): We need to -- Madam Chair, I need to read the --
Chair King: Yes, okay. Can you read all three of them into the record?
Mr. Greco: Yes. FR.1.
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The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the Deputy City Attorney.
Mr. Greco: FR.2.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the Deputy City Attorney.
Mr. Greco: FR.3.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the Deputy City Attorney.
Chair King: May I have a motion to pass FR.1, 2, and 3?
Commissioner Russell: So moved. Moved.
Chair King: Do 1 have a second for FR.1, 2, and 3?
Vice Chair Carollo: Hold on. IfI could pull, so I could vote for two of the others,
FR.2, and then we'll take that right up.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, let's pull FR.2. I agree.
[Later...]
Chair King: Okay. So, do 1 have a motion for FR.1 and FR.3?
Commissioner Russell: Move.
Commissioner Dias de la Portilla: So moved.
Vice Chair Carollo: Second.
Commissioner Dias de la Portilla: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Okay.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, FR.1 and --
Chair King: For discussion -- I'm sorry?
Vice Chair Carollo: FR.1 and --
Chair King: And FR.3 passed, yes.
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FR.2 ORDINANCE First Reading
11746
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE XI/DIVISION 18/SECTION 2-1272 OF THE
CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, TITLED
"ADMINISTRATION/BOARDS, COMMITTEES,
COMMISSIONS/CLIMATE RESILIENCE
COMMITTEE/COMPOSITION; APPOINTMENT AND TERMS OF
OFFICE OF MEMBERS; FILLING OF VACANCIES," TO INCREASE
THE NUMBER OF VOTING MEMBERS OF THE CLIMATE
RESILIENCE COMMITTEE FROM NINE (9) TO ELEVEN (11)
MEMBERS WITH THE ADDITION OF TWO (2) MEMBERS BEING
CITY OF MIAMI RESIDENTS FROM THE YOUTH POPULATION OF
EIGHTEEN TO TWENTY-FIVE (18 — 25) YEARS OLD WITH A
STRONG INTEREST AND BACKGROUND OR EDUCATION IN
CLIMATE RESILIENCE TO BE APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading with Modification(s)
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Reyes
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number FR.2, please
see "Public Comments for all Item(s)" and Item Number FR.1.
Chair King: So, FR.2 is now up for discussion. Vice Chair? Go ahead.
Commissioner Russell: FR.2.
Vice Chair Carollo: We're voting now, right, on FR.1 and FR.3?
Chair King: Yeah, we already did.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. So, FR.2.
Chair King: Yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: I would vote in favor of including --
Chair King: You've got to turn your mics.
Vice Chair Carollo: I would vote in favor of including someone younger, than the age
bracket that has been proposed, within the nine people that we have. I'm just not in
favor of increasing it by two others, bringing it to eleven. So that's my position.
Commissioner Russell: I'll move it and I'll accept that amendment.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: To increase it to 11?
Chair King: No. To include the --
Vice Chair Carollo: Nine.
Chair Kiong: -- nine -- in the nine, a youth member, two youth members.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So you want to leave it at nine? Okay.
Commissioner Russell: Madam Chair?
Vice Chair Carollo: One youth member within the nine.
Commissioner Russell: Just a question for the Clerk. So, ifI understand correctly, of
the nine members two are not currently required to be from a certain background at
any rate. So, it could easily be those two. Because the others are all very specific,
engineer, you know, architect, that sort of thing, and 18 to 25 might be tough. But I
believe we have two seats, they're currently filled, so 1'd like this to --1 don't know
how we do this so that we don't actually boot someone off the board right now.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Well, no. Two seats that are currently -- ifI may,
two seats that are currently filled, one is my appointment that I haven't made yet.
Commissioner Russell: Oh, okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, I have a right to pick my person.
Commissioner Russell: That would be one of the 18 to 25?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Correct. Well, no, no, no.
Commissioner Russell: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) chooses.
Chair King: It could be --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, no, it could be anyone that I choose. Right?
Because I haven't appointed anyone.
Commissioner Russell: So that would be another amendment then. The Mayor --
Mayor's no longer necessarily specifically --
Chair King: Well, I have an appointment, right?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: We both do.
Chair King: Okay, mine will be a youth.
Vice Chair Carollo: And I would like to include in that amendment that one will be a
male, one will be a female.
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Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And no transgender? Okay, so male and female.
We got it.
Chair King: Okay. My person will be a youth.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Mine probably will be too --
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: -- but I have the right to pick who 1 want.
Commissioner Russell: Mr. Clerk, sorry.
Chair King: Right. Yes?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): So, there are nine members on the Climate Resilience
Committee.
Chair King: Yes.
Mr. Hannon: Six out of the nine need to have a particular designation.
Chair King: Yes.
Mr. Hannon: So, you have three that are open, so if we could go back over the
amendments I just want to be clear as to the -- the age that you're looking for as well
as the gender. So, there are three that essentially do not need a designation.
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Russell: So, the intent is that 18 to 25 be the bracket we're looking for,
that two of the seats anywhere amongst the nine could be from that 18 to 25, but
mandatorily, two of them must be. So, it doesn't have to be within the three
unclassified -- classified's not the right word --
Mr. Hannon: I understand what you're saying.
Commissioner Russell: And so, any one of us, including the Mayor's appointment or
any one of our board appointments, could technically be the 18 to 25 seat, it just
happens to be what's available now and happens to be the Commissioners'. So, it
won't necessarily be mandatorily chosen by the Mayor. Is that clear? Because the
current ordinance states that it's two additional seats chosen by the Mayor. Instead,
Commissioner Carollo's amendment would be that it's within the nine, within the body
of nine. So, the rest of the process stays exactly the same.
Chair King: Mr. City Clerk?
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Mr. Hannon: So once this ordinance passes on second reading and we do not, of the
nine members, have someone who's 18 through 25, how do we approach that?
Commissioner Russell: We have openings?
Mr. Hannon: There are, yes.
Chair King: Yes. Butt have already said my appointment will be 18 to 25.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, my appointment will be whoever 1 choose.
Because I'm replacing somebody who's not 18 to 25. Like every other Commissioner
has chosen who they wanted, right?
Vice Chair Carollo: No, I have not.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, you have not, butt have.
Vice Chair Carollo: No, I have not, but I'm fair to the guy that I've got there, and I've
been kind.
Mr. Hannon: There are currently members who are serving that already have these
designations, so we would need to discuss, if you're going to appoint someone outside
of the designation currently for that board member serving District 1, how we would
approach that.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, well who is serving in District I? What
designation? I think it's not -- doesn't have any, butt could be wrong. So, clam.
Mr. Hannon: The person that's currently serving -- give me one second --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Without a name, just what designation.
Mr. Hannon: Without a name, it's under the Economics category.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Which is what?
Mr. Hannon: Say again, sir?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Which is what? Economic what?
Mr. Hannon: It's general, in general, there's no --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Anything that's economic.
Mr. Hannon: Correct, economics.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Okay, which is everything. Right?
Mr. Hannon: Yes. I'm just making sure we're all on the same page.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, okay, we're on the same page. Economics
means almost anything.
Mr. Hannon: Very broad, yes, sir.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, sir. Okay. So, it could be anybody of any age
with the experience necessary to serve, right, that 1 can name, correct?
Mr. Hannon: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: That's what 1 need to know. Okay. I agree with
what you're doing.
Chair King: Okay. Commissioner Russell, are you okay? Are we ready to vote?
Vice Chair Carollo: Moved.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Second.
Mr. Hannon: So, again, the amendment is eleven members --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Nine.
Chair King: No, it's nine.
Mr. Hannon: Okay, nine. No, I just want to make sure. 9 members and then 2 of the 9
need to be 18 through 25. That's it.
Chair King: Yes. Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: With the Chairwoman already got one, so one
down, one to go.
Mr. Hannon: Understood.
Chair King: Right. Okay, going once, going twice, all in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Mr. Hannon: And, Chair, the seconder was?
Commissioner Russell: Commissioner Carollo.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Carollo was the second.
Chair King: Motion passes unanimously.
[Later...]
(COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD)
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Chair King: Okay, the City Clerk wants to clarify that Commissioner Russell is aware
that the youth member has to come from the City of Miami, has to be a resident. I told
you he knew that.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Commissioner Russell: It's in the -- that's in the --
Vice Chair Carollo: It's there, yeah.
Chair King: It was in the last time.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): It wasn't clear to me, and I have to make sure.
Chair King: Okay. Okay, so it's clear to everybody that that youth member has to be a
resident of the City of Miami.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yes.
Mr. Hannon: The two seats from the 18 to 25 age group have to be City of Miami
residents.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Mr. Hannon: Understood.
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Russell: Do you need a reconsideration or an amendment or anything
like that?
Vice Chair Carollo: Nope, just clarification.
Mr. Hannon: No, no, it was just clarification. So now seven can fall under the other
categories of live, work, whatever, but the other two have to be City of Mianzi
residents.
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Russell: Whoever the youth are, must be.
Mr. Hannon: Yes.
Commissioner Russell: They may actually be a youth engineer or a youth economist.
Mr. Hannon: Understood.
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Commissioner Russell: But they have to be --
Mr. Hannon: A City ofMiami resident.
Commissioner Russell: Correct.
FR.3 ORDINANCE First Reading
11784
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 18/ARTICLE III OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("PROCUREMENT CODE"), TITLED
"FINANCE/CITY OF MIAMI PROCUREMENT ORDINANCE", MORE
PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING PROCUREMENT CODE
SECTION 18-72, TITLED "APPLICATION AND EXCLUSIONS",
SECTION 18-73, TITLED "DEFINITIONS", AND SECTION 18-116,
TITLED "PERSONS RETAINED AS EXPERT CONSULTANTS", TO
ADD THE WORDS "OR FIRMS"; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE
DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING
MOVER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de la Portilla, Reyes
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number FR.3, please see Item
Number FR.1.
END OF FIRST READING ORDINANCES
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DI - DISCUSSION ITEMS
DI.1 DISCUSSION ITEM
11660 A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE ANNUAL REPORT FOR
PLANNING, ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD.
City Manager's
Office
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Chair King: So, again, back to the Annual Board Report, PZAB (Planning, Zoning
and Appeals Board), DI.1.
Arthur Porosoff.' Good day, Commission. I'm here, Arthur Porosoff, on behalf of the
Planning and Zoning Board. Chair Garavaglia asked me to come by and share the
report, which I believe you guys have a copy of and wanted to find out if you guys
would like for me to read it or if have any questions regarding the report.
Chair King: I don't have any questions. Do any of you?
Vice Chair Carollo: Whatever you would like, Chair.
Chair King: Do you have a question, Commissioner? Commissioner Reyes?
Chair King: Do I have a motion to accept the report?
Mr. Hannon: Chair, no motion is necessary. It's just a discussion item.
Chair King: Oh, we're just accepting it, okay. All right, thank you, thank you for
corning. Thank you for your good work.
Mr. Porosoff: Fair enough, fair enough. I would like to make one -- one -- one
comment. Can I?
Chair King: Please.
Mr. Porosoff: Fair enough. So, I guess this is regarding some of the City
Commission's restrictions regarding, you know, the Board. And it was really just one
item that I just kind of wanted to outline and it had to do, it's the City Commission
restriction in 2021, the Commission kind of restricted the ability of the PZAB to defer
items for more than six months. And one particular item I thought was quite important
was, you know, if there's an SAP (Special Area Plan) that comes before the Board,
you know, I think, you know, six months is kind of a short time. So, f you guys want to
take a look at that and push that through to make that a year, I think that would be a
little bit better. They don't come up very often, so when they do I think it's more of an
item that really impacts the community, so take a look at that and see if at some point
you guys want to make a change on that restriction. That's just something I thought
would be valuable. That's it. Thank you very much.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you.
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DI.2 DISCUSSION ITEM
11463
Code Compliance
Task Force
A DISCUSSION ITEM REGARDING THE CODE COMPLIANCE
TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS FINAL REPORT.
MOTION TO: Defer
RESULT: DEFERRED
MOVER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Note for the Record: Item DL2 was deferred to the April 28, 2022, City Commission
Meeting.
Chair King: Okay, lets take up DI.1, Annual Board Report, PZAB (Planning, Zoning
and Appeals Board).
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Madam Chair, 1 need to step out for five minutes. 1
want DI.3 deferred.
Vice Chair Carollo: Which one?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: DI 3.
Chair King: DL3.
Vice Chair Carollo: D1.3?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, sir, the motorized scooter program, deferred.
Chair King: Okay, will do.
Vice Chair Carollo: That's going to be deferred?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay.
Chair King: Okay. Okay.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla, I'm sorry, you
mentioned that DI.2 was going to be deferred? Do you have a particular date? Is it
the second meeting in April or the first meeting in May?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: April 28th.
Mr. Hannon: Apri128th. Understood.
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Chair King: Okay, so before we take the report, 1 would like to defer D1.2 and D1.3.
May I have a motion for that?
Commissioner Russell: So moved.
Chair King: Second?
Vice Chair Carollo: DI --
Chair King: 2 and 3.
Vice Chair Carollo: 2 and 3, okay.
Chair King: Are you going to do your DI4, or do you want to defer that?
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, I'd like to see if -- are we planning on coming back after
lunch?
Chair King: If we have to, yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay, so then leave that for later.
Chair King: Okay. All right. So, I have a motion --
Commissioner Reyes: What about DI2?
Vice Chair Carollo: What's the matter, Ken?
Commissioner Russell: I think we're done before lunch. Our Chair is doing an
amazing job. This is going to break a record.
Chair King: So, we have a motion and a second to defer --
Vice Chair Carollo: It does help to have a female chairing.
Chair King: We have a motion and a second to defer DI.2 and DI.3.
Commissioner Russell: Move.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Mr. Hannon: And that's to April 28th.
Chair King: DI2 goes to April 28th and -- both of them -- yes, both of them to April
28th. All in favor?
Mr. Hannon: And I'm sorry, the mover was Commissioner Russell, seconded by --
Commissioner Reyes: Me.
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Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Motion carries.
DI.3 DISCUSSION ITEM
9171
Commissioners
and Mayor
A DISCUSSION REGARDING THE RECONSIDERATION OF THE
MOTORIZED SCOOTER PROGRAM.
MOTION TO: Defer
RESULT: DEFERRED
MOVER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Note for the Record: Item DI.3 was deferred to the April 28, 2022, City Commission
Meeting.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number DL3, please see
"Public Comments for allltem(s)" and Item Number DL2.
DI.4 DISCUSSION ITEM
11688 A DISCUSSION ITEM.
Commissioners
and Mayor
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, I can't offer him a good deal on my property in the Grove
anymore because it's no longer in his district. But, you know, some people were
saying that he wanted to move into Bay Heights, it's why he didn't want Bay Heights
included and that's why De Grandy had to move it over. I don't know.
Chair King: Commissioner?
Vice Chair Carollo: But will say this, that don't appreciate but they're wasting
their time in trying to come at me from the rear again on this whole redistricting. Boy
are they off completely. On D4 (District 4) (UNINTELLIGIBLE) I'm not going to get
into the rights or wrong or the things that we cannot control as to what is going on in
our southern border. That's the Federal government's prerogative and the State of
Texas to some degree can exercise their laws and will there. But what I want to bring
before you today is that in the last year or so we have had two million people, more or
less, it's an estimate, it could be more, that have come through the southern border
from 158 countries. We have no idea who's come in and the problem that I'm having
is that as I walk through Little Havana, different parts of our city, I'm finding more
and more and more people on a weekly basis that have recently come from Texas, that
they had just crossed our southern border. This is having a tremendous impact in our
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city, not to mention that we have a crisis. Even the Mayor of Dade County has
declared it, in housing here, in affordable housing. Secondly, all the different service
that they're going to require, including schooling for kids, but for the most part, what
I'm seeing are single males that are coming. Now besides the service that I just
mentioned, you got additional police services, fire, medics, so on and so forth. This is
going to have a tremendous impact, financially, in the City of Miami. And this is
something that we have not created. It's not anything that we could do about it, but
we're going to have to pay for it and 1 don 't think anyone can deny that we are one of
the major, major gateway cities that many of the people that are crossing the border
are going to end up coming to. The Governor of Texas sent a bus load to Washington,
D.C. They said they volunteered to go. The minute they got off you had six Venezuelan
nationals that said they wanted to come to Miami. Believe it or not, just in the last two
months, almost 10,000 Ukrainians have crossed over. These are not Central
Americans, these are not Mexicans, these are Ukrainians. The whole world has heard
that we don 't -- we don 't have a border anymore, that you just pay the coyotes, and
you get through and that's fine, you're home free.
END OF DISCUSSION ITEMS
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BC.1
8938
Office of the City
Clerk
BC - BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP LOAN
PROGRAM TASK FORCE FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Christine King
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BC.2
11553
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT COUNCIL FOR
TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
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BC.3
6672
Office of the City
Clerk
BC.4
11719
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE AUDIT ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR TERMS
AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Christine King
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE BAYFRONT PARK MANAGEMENT TRUST FOR
TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Christine King
City of Miami
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11096
Office of the City
Clerk
BC.6
11098
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION CONFIRMING THE
APPOINTMENT OF A CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE CIVILIAN
INVESTIGATIVE PANEL FOR A TERM AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Gabriel Paez Civilian Investigative Panel
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE COMMITTEE FOR
TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Christine King
Commission -At -Large
City of Miami
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BC.7
6958
Office of the City
Clerk
BC.8
10778
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE CODE COMPLIANCE TASK FORCE FOR
TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Christine King
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE CODE ENFORCEMENT BOARD FOR TERMS
AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
(Alternate Member)
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Christine King
Commission -At -Large
Commission -At -Large
City of Miami
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8804
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
AND QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Christine King
Commission -At -Large
Commission -At -Large
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
BC.10
11435
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD FOR TERMS
AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Christine King
Commissioner Christine King
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
BC.11
5976
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY ADVISORY BOARD
FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Christine King
Commissioner Christine King
IAFF
FOP
AFSCME 1907
AFSCME 871
City of Miami
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BC.12
11271
Office of the City
Clerk
BC.13
7963
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR TERMS AS
DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Christine King
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE HEALTH FACILITIES AUTHORITY BOARD FOR
TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Christine King
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
BC.14
11755
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A CERTAIN
INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE HISTORIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL
PRESERVATION BOARD FOR A TERM AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE/CATEGORY: NOMINATED BY:
Hugh Ryan
(Historian/Architectural Historian -
Category 3)
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0144
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Ken Russell, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Chair King: Okay. Which brings us back -- can we go through the Boards, Mr. City
Attorney? Do we have any Board appointments?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Good morning, Chair. There are two Board
appointments, BC.14, Historic and Environmental Preservation Board, Vice Chair
Carollo will be reappointing Hugh Ryan.
Commissioner Russell: So moved.
Chair King: Second.
Vice Chair Carollo: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectivelv): Aye.
City of Miami
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BC.15
8267
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER,
QUEER ("LGBTQ") ADVISORY BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commission -At -Large
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
BC.16
11720
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION CONFIRMING A CERTAIN
INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE LITTLE HAITI REVITALIZATION TRUST FOR A
TERM AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE:
Alisa Cepeda
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0145
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER: Christine King, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Reyes
ABSENT: Diaz de la Portilla
NOMINATED BY:
City Manager Arthur Noriega, V
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): BC.16, Little Haiti Revitalization Trust, City Manager
would like to reappoint Alisa Cepeda.
Commissioner Russell: So moved.
Commissioner Reyes: Move it.
Chair King: Second. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: So moved.
Mr. Hannon: That concludes the Boards and Committees. Thank you, Chair.
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Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE
COMPETITIVENESS FOR TERMS AS
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
MAYOR'S COUNCIL ON GLOBAL
DESIGNATED HEREIN.
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Christine King
Commission -At -Large
Commission -At -Large
City of Miami
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BC.18
8805
Office of the City
Clerk
BC.19
7261
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE MIAMI FOREVER BOND PROGRAM CITIZENS'
OVERSIGHT BOARD FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Christine King
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A CERTAIN
INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE MIAMI RIVER COMMISSION FOR A TERM AS
DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
Commission -At -Large
City of Miami
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BC.20
9270
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE MIAMI TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL FOR TERMS
AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Christine King
Commission -At -Large
Commission -At -Large
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
BC.21
3693
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE STARS OF CALLE OCHO WALK OF FAME
COMMITTEE FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Mayor Francis Suarez
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commission -At -Large
Commission -At -Large
Commission -At -Large
City of Miami
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BC.22
11273
Office of the City
Clerk
BC.23
9549
Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE URBAN DEVELOPMENT REVIEW BOARD
(UDRB) FOR TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Christine King
Commissioner Christine King
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING A CERTAIN
INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE VIRGINIA KEY ADVISORY BOARD FOR A TERM
AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
Commissioner Ken Russell
City of Miami
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Office of the City
Clerk
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION APPOINTING CERTAIN
INDIVIDUALS AS MEMBERS OF THE VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK TRUST FOR
TERMS AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEES:
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
END OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
NOMINATED BY:
Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla
Commissioner Ken Russell
Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Manolo Reyes
Commissioner Christine King
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes April 14, 2022
PZ.1
8718
Office of Zoning
PART B: PZ - PLANNING AND ZONING ITEM(S)
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
GRANTING/DENYING THE APPEAL FILED BY THE CITY OF MIAMI'S
ZONING DEPARTMENT AFFIRMING/REVERSING THE PLANNING
ZONING AND APPEALS BOARD'S DECISION AS SET FORTH IN
RESOLUTION NO. PZAB-R-21-009 REVERSING THE ZONING
ADMINISTRATOR'S DENIAL OF A CERTIFICATE OF USE
PURSUANT TO SECTION 2-211 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, TITLED "DENIAL OR REVOCATION
OF CERTIFICATE OF USE", AND SECTION 7.1.2.1 OF ORDINANCE
NO. 13114, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, TITLED "PERMITTED USES", FOR THE
PROPERTY LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 90 NORTHEAST 11
STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA ("PROPERTY"), AND
AFFIRMING/REVERSING THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR'S DENIAL
OF THE CERTIFICATE OF USE FOR A CANNABIS DISPENSARY
AND/OR CLINIC FOR THE PROPERTY; MAKING FINDINGS;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Continue
RESULT: CONTINUED
MOVER: Alex Diaz de Ia Portilla, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Russell, Diaz de Ia Portilla, Reyes
Note for the Record: Item PZ.1 was continued to the May 12, 2022, City
Commission Meeting.
Chair King: Gentlemen, would you now like to take up SR.1 or would you like to move
to the PZ (Planning and Zoning) item?
Commissioner Reyes: SR.1 it is -- oh, sorry. SR.1, it is the -- the --
Vice Chair Carollo: I think we should have a full commission on that.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right, that's what I was --
Chair King: Okay. So, let's take up the PZ item.
Commissioner Reyes: The PZ item.
Chair King: Good morning.
Daniel Goldberg: Good morning. Daniel Goldberg, Zoning Administrator. PZ.1 is the
denial of the issuance of a certificate of use at 90 Northeast 11 th Street,, for the -- for
a medical marijuana dispensary. Just a little bit of background, this CU (Certificate
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of Use) was denied March 31, 2019. It was appealed to the Planning, Zoning and
Appeals Board, which heard the appeal, and adjudicated, and reversed the decision of
the zoning administrator on February 17, 2021, by a 7-4 vote. (INAUDIBLE).
Commissioner Russell: I believe his mic is off.
Vice Chair Carollo: We can't hear you.
Chair King: Oh, I'm sorry.
Mr. Goldberg: No, it's on, I'm sorry, it was just an adjustment.
Vice Chair Carollo: Did you say it was approved or denied?
Mr. Goldberg: It was initially denied, and the applicant appealed the Planning,
Zoning and Appeals Board, which reversed the decision of the zoning administrator
and required the issuance of the CU. That decision was appealed to this body.
Vice Chair Carollo: Who's the zoning administrator?
Mr. Goldberg: At the time -- the zoning administrator is myself but at the time of
initial denial it was Joe Ruiz. And at the time of appeal to this body, it was the interim
which was Tamara Frost.
Vice Chair Carollo: Okay.
Mr. Goldberg: The basis for the denial is that Miami 21 contains a provision, Section
2.2.2, which provides that in the event of a conflict with a more restrictive law or
regulation or one imposing a higher standard, that that law or regulation controls.
Miami 21 is silent as to medical marijuana dispensaries. State law requires that they
be treated the same as a pharmacy, which under our zoning ordinance is a general
commercial use, allowed in many places in the city. The conflict arises from the fact
that notwithstanding State law which permits medical marijuana dispensaries in
certain instances, federal law, particularly the Controlled Substances Act and the
DEA (Drug Enforcement Agency) through its rule -making authority, prohibits the sale
or dispensing of any Schedule 1 drug, which marijuana is classified as at this time. I
am available for any questions you may have.
Commissioner Reyes: I -- that means that --
Chair King: Commissioner Reyes, would you like to be recognized?
Commissioner Reyes: I would like to be recognized. Thank you, Madam. You know,
sometimes I am --
Chair King: I understand, but you're --
Commissioner Reyes: -- my passion takes over me.
Chair King: -- you're out of order for my -. I go to my Vice Chair first --
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Commissioner Reyes: Okay, okay, okay, okay.
Chair King: -- and then Igo --
Commissioner Reyes: I forgot that.
Chair King: Yes.
Vice Chair Carollo You can go ahead.
Chair King: Go right ahead, Commissioner Reyes.
Commissioner Reyes: No, I -- my position about it has not changed, about dispensers.
I agree with federal law, which is if it is -- if it is medical, it's being treated as a
medicine, it has to go through the same procedure as any other -- it has to be
dispensed through pharmacies, and with a doctor's prescription. And I have seen
those, I would say that they are some certificates, that you can find in -- in the
internet. And you can go and buy it. I mean if voting -- I mean, if I moved to reverse
the decision of PZAB that means that they are not going to be able to have this.
Mr. Goldberg: That's correct. If you reverse their decision, it would be denied.
Commissioner Reyes: I move to reverse the decision.
Vice Chair Carollo: I second it.
Derick Vollrath: If may be heard?
Vice Chair Carollo: No.
Mr. Vollrath: I'm here on behalf of MRC-44.
Chair King: You're speaking on behalf of who?
Mr. Vollrath: MRC-44, the applicant, and the FLE.
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Russell: Madam Chair, is he sworn in?
Chair King: Pardon?
Commissioner Russell: Were you sworn in this morning?
Mr. Vollrath: I was not. I'm happy to be sworn in now. I was not aware of whether --
this is my first appearance before City Council.
Chair King: Mr. City Clerk.
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The City Clerk administered the oath required under City Code Section 62-1 to those
persons giving testimony on zoning items.
Mr. Vollrath: I do.
Mr. Hannon: Thank you, Chair.
Mr. Vollrath: Thank you. I would like to point out that we are here on the City's
appeal of the granting by the Board of Appeals and the Zoning Department's -- their
granting of our certificate of use. So, it has not been denied. It is the City that is
appealing the granting of the certificate. I also want to point out that the issuance of a
certificate of use is not discretionary. That if the proposed use complies with the
Zoning 21 regulations, the City is required to issue it. And here 1 don't believe there's
any disagreement that the property is located in Transect Zone T6, 60-AO, which
allows the greatest variety of uses including and a -- including for the selling of
pharmaceuticals for immediate purchase and removal by the consumer. What's held
this up as the City observes is that the City takes the position that the issuance for the
certificate of use would violate federal law. And as you, ladies and gentlemen, are
certainly aware, this has been pending for some time. And while it's been pending
there's been litigation on this issue. And in fact, the federal court, a federal judge, has
decided that there is no preemption issue, that federal law does not conflict with the
state law on this issue. And to your observation, Mr. Reyes or Commissioner Reyes,
there are actually special laws in Florida that were passed to give effect to the
constitutional amendment that permitted medical marijuana. And that's Florida
Statute 381.986, which sets up a special regime for the regulation of medical
marijuana treatment facilities including dispensaries. And it gives the City three
options. The City may ban medical marijuana dispensaries in their entirety; it may
regulate them by ordinance as pharmacies, or it may do nothing. In which case may
impose no restrictions. And so respectfully I don't believe the City is correct to say
that these are regulated like pharmacies because the City has not availed itself of that
option under the statute. And so, it's under that third option that there are no
restrictions. And thus, Florida law does not prohibit any further restriction other than
the generally applicable Miami Zoning 21 regulations. And accordingly, an issuance
of a certificate of use is required.
Chair King: Commissioner Russell?
Commissioner Russell: Thank you. And I just want to get clarification on the motion,
please, because we're hearing an appeal and so we either have to grant or deny the
appeal. And my understanding is to -- the appeal is of the Administration to us, and so
if we grant the appeal, we are basically denying the applicant and denying PZAB. If
we deny the appeal, we're standing with PZAB and with the applicant. So, I just
wanted to get clarification on what your motion is.
Commissioner Reyes: Madam City Attorney, if we deny the appeal what happens?
Ms. Mendez: If you deny the appeal, then they get their certificate of use for a
marijuana dispensary. If you grant the appeal, then you reverse the PZAB decision,
and they do not get it.
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Commissioner Reyes: Well, I move to grant the appeal.
Commissioner Russell: I figured that, but I just wanted --
Commissioner Reyes: Thank you very much, but you know how I feel. And we're still
in court with that, Madam City Attorney?
Ms. Mendez: Correct. 1 disagree a little with the -- counsel's description of what
happened at the federal court level. Also, I wanted the body to know that they do not
have an active marijuana dispensary license either. So, to the extent that that may
also be an issue fbr further litigation, that is also an issue.
Mr. Vollrath: May 1 continue, Madam Chair?
Chair King: Commissioner Russell?
Commissioner Russell: Yes, so to my best understanding in studying both our Code,
state law, and the federal situation, there's over a thousand cities across the country
that have approved medical marijuana. Our request for a federal deck action which
we discussed here on the dais several months ago led to this going before a federal
judge. And my understanding of his ruling was that the City didn't do its job, that the
City must take a position and we didn't, so he wasn't going to either and he sent it
back down. My understanding of the state law is that we have the ability as a body to
set policy in the negative. If we want to ban and prohibit dispensaries, we can make
that ordinance. But for lack of doing so the default, under state law, is a yes and it's
allowed. So, for my part this application seems to be okay, and I feel like our
Administration is being very careful with us and waiting for direction and this will be
our first day to sort of make that choice, make that direction. So, I would not be in
favor or the motion that's being made at this time.
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: Are you still --
Chair King: Commissioner Reyes, I can't hear you.
Commissioner Reyes: You still second the motion?
Chair King: You second the motion to?
Vice Chair Carollo: Yes, for discussion.
Chair King: For discussion.
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah.
Chair King: Okay, so the motion on the table now is whether we are going to grant
the appeal or deny the appeal.
Commissioner Russell: The motion is to grant the appeal.
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Chair King: The motion is to grant the appeal which would be in favor of the --
Commissioner Russell: Administration.
Chair King: -- Administration, if we grant the appeal.
Commissioner Russell: Right.
Chair King: If we deny the appeal, it's in favor of the applicant.
Commissioner Russell: Right.
Chair King: Are we ready to take a vote on this?
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, I want to further discuss this.
Chair King: Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Go ahead, Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, this is what some call the Cheech and Chong Ordinance.
The gentleman here made a very lively observation on what he thinks a federal judge
stated. The City Attorney differs. Unfortunately, you're not our City Attorney, she is,
so you get trumped over her decision. But I'd like to see what the Chair would have to
say on. this.
Chair King: Well, I believe the City Attorneys Office as well as my colleagues are not
on the right side of this. As Commissioner Russell said, medical marijuana is legal in
several states now. It's going to happen; it is going to happen here sooner than later.
The federal government is going to legalize the use of medical marijuana as well,
sooner than later. The Florida State Legislature passed legislation making medical
marijuana legal in the State of Florida. You can go to other municipalities and use a
dispensary, so I'm not clear what the hesitation is here in the City of Miami. I think
medical marijuana in its proper use is a benefit for many of the residents in the City of
Miami, or will be, particularly for our elderly, community. So, I just think we're on the
wrong side of this. And it will happen. It will happen.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well just an observation, a statement that's got nothing to do with
my vote on this because I'm voting what -- and each of us will vote on what we think
the law is, but I remember when I played football and I was the same height as I am
now except I was a lot more solid in my 215 pounds back than I am at a much higher
weight today.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What's that weight?
Vice Chair Carollo: Enough to carry myself I remember some of my friends on the
team, big boys, 6'4 ", about 250, another was 6'5 ", inaybe 255, 260, and they would
double team me. And I'd be knocking these guys all over the place. And you wonder
why? Well, it wasn't that was that strong, I was but not enough for two big guys like
that, bigger than me, but these guys spent their whole time, you know, back in the day
when it wasn't called medical marijuana. Now back when I was in high school
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medical -- well marijuana, excuse me, was much weaker than it is today. Today the --
it can be 20, 30 times more potent than what we had then. And I remember, 1
remember that. I just think that our governments shouldn't be so hypocritical and, you
know, instead of using this terminology of medical when the truth is that the majority
of the people that are going to use it, not for a medical reason. Because they want to
get high, they want to feel good. That's fine. But I would feel more comfortable if we
just take the medical and just do like they do in some other countries. I'm just
concerned as an individual with people that are driving out there. You don't know any
more what someone's on when they get behind a wheel, when they're driving erratic,
when they get into an accident. And, you know, what is our police doing to test for a
lot of this. I know it's coming out DUI, under the influence, but under the influence of
what? So, anyways, these are just observations on my own.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Madam Chair?
Chair King: Please.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Can we defer this matter for April 28th?
Chair King: If it's the will of the body. I'm ready to vote on it, but if it's the will of the
body --
Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah, I'd be willing to defer; it's no problem.
Commissioner Reyes: Madam Chair, I -- it's not going to change my position. And I
agree with Commissioner Carollo when you call this medical. Medical marijuana --
and there are more than a thousand cities, it could be 200,000, whatever it is, but it is
a free for all. They even make gummies that have been accessible to children. So, I
don't have anything to any type of medicine that could help a person that is ill. But
that should be distributed with -- I mean through a pharmacy, with a medical doctor
prescription. What we have now is a free for all. I have friends that have been to
Colorado and everybody's smoking on the street, you see. You go into one of these
dispensers, you can get gummies and a bunch of things that they have that they are --
that get you high.
Vice Chair Carollo: And they'll give you the handicap, too.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Vice Chair Carollo: The medical handicap.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, the medical handicap, too, to do it: You see, this is what I
don't want here.
Chair King: Okay, let's -- let's --
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, what 1 want to do, what 1 would recommend, is
that we defer it to the first meeting in May.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Let me think about this. I'm sort of in the middle,
right? I understand the medicinal marijuana does help a lot of people with specific
conditions, like glaucoma and other things of that nature, and pain, but the problem is
that it's so broadly defined in Florida that almost anybody can get a prescription.
Commissioner Reyes: That's a big problem.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And I don't want a proliferation of medical
marijuana dispensaries throughout the City of Miami. But there are medical
marijuana dispensaries around the City ofMiami. Somebody can cross the street and
do it. So, it's not a question of it's not available, they do it in Miami Beach, they can
do it by the airport, they do it in South Miami. So that's not the issue. But there should
be some regulations in our city that limits the amount of these dispensaries, number
one. And, number two, according to our City Attorney, she says that we have to
follow, and I read the State Statutes, she's correct, how pharmacies are regulated. But
if you know how pharmacies are regulated, what happens is there's a pharmacy on
every corner, a CVS and a Walgreen's across the street. And it takes me back to a
debate that we had about the lotto back in the 1990's about where you could sell lotto
tickets. First, they wanted to limit it and then all of sudden they're on every corner.
Commissioner Reyes: Free for all.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: And we know that lotto tickets prey on poor people
and, you know, take people's salaries away. This is much more serious issue, it's a
medical issue in some cases, it's an addiction issue in other. So, I think it needs to be
debated. So, what I want is just to have a conversation with perhaps our City Attorney
and come up with some midpoint where we have some dispensaries that people who
really need it with a true medical prescription can access the medicine they need, but
not have a proliferation of these dispensaries throughout the city. That's why I want a
deferral. What I'm asking for is -- I'll make a motion to defer it to the first week of
May --
Vice Chair Carollo: I withdraw my second.
Commissioner Reyes: I withdraw my --
Chair King: So, if it's the will of the body, would everyone like to defer this item to the
first meeting in May?
Vice Chair Carollo: Yes.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, ma'am.
Mr. Vollrath: May I be heard briefly?
Chair King: Go right ahead.
Mr. Vollrath: Sure. Commissioner Diaz de la Porche -- Portiche --
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Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: No, it's Diaz de la Portilla.
Mr. Vollrath: I'm sorry?
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Diaz de la Portilla.
Mr. Vollrath: Diaz de la Portilla. I apologize.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, yeah.
Mr. Vollrath: The issues that you're talking about and the debate that you would like
to -- that you're talking about having, has in a way -- in fact it has already been
decided by the Florida Legislature.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm aware of that.
Mr. Vollrath: Okay.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I'm aware of that.
Mr. Vollrath: And it doesn't give the opportunity to -- to pass ordinances that -- that
do anything other than regulate them as pharmacies are regulated.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: I read the statute.
Mr. Vollrath: Certainly.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: There is some flex -- some wiggle room in that
statute. There is some wiggle room; I read the statute. I happen to be a Florida
Legislator for 16 years, so I happen to know a little bit about that world.
Chair King: Sir.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: So, I read it. And so, the point is well taken, but not
really. We're going to defer the item, I think.
Mr. Vollrath: Thank you for your consideration.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: You're welcome.
Vice Chair Carollo: I second the motion for deferral.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: The motion is deferred to the first meeting in May.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
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Mr. Vollrath: Thank you.
END OF PLANNING AND ZONING ITEM(S)
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FL - FUTURE LEGISLATION
FL.1 ORDINANCE
11722
Department of
Parks and
Recreation and
Office of Capital
Improvements
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENTS, AMENDING CHAPTER 50/ARTICLE II/DIVISION I
OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED,
TITLED "OPERATION OF VESSELS/GENERALLY", BY AMENDING
SECTION 50-1 TO ADD A DEFINITION FOR LAMAR LAKE AND
CREATING SECTION 50-44, TITLED "LAMAR LAKE/JIMBO'S
LAGOON IDLE SPEED/NO WAKE ZONE", TO ESTABLISH A
VESSEL IDLE SPEED/NO WAKE ZONE ("ZONE") IN THE WATERS
OF LAMAR LAKE, ALSO KNOWN AS JIMBO'S LAGOON;
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO UNDERTAKE AND
EXECUTE THE NECESSARY APPLICATIONS WITH AGENCIES
OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND THE
UNITED STATES TO ESTABLISH THE PROPOSED ZONE;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
END OF FUTURE LEGISLATION
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NA.1
11842
City Commission
NA.2
11841
City Commission
NA - NON -AGENDA ITEM(S)
DIRECTIVE
DIRECTION BY COMMISSIONER RUSSELL TO THE CITY
MANAGER TO BRING BACK AN ITEM REGARDING THE
MORNINGSIDE PARK MASTER PLAN AND ITS SHORELINE FOR
THE APRIL 28, 2022 CITY COMMISSION MEETING.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Commissioner Russell: Mr. Manager, could you bring back an item regarding
Morningside Park master plan? We've already voted on it, but Commissioner Carollo
has brought up serious concerns about mangroves. I'd like it addressed. So, a
properly noticed item, a discussion item, Jrothe next City Commission meeting on
Morningside Park master plan with regard to shoreline.
Mr. Noriega: You want to do it the next meeting?
Commissioner Russell: Yes, please. Because these are separate issues, realiv. They're
not related to each other.
Chair King: They are.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
REQUESTING PRESIDENT JOSEPH R. BIDEN, JR., SENATORS
RICK SCOTT AND MARCO RUBIO, AND REPRESENTATIVES
CARLOS GIMENEZ, MARIA ELVIRA SALAZAR, AND MARIO DIAZ-
BALART TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE CITY TO
PROVIDE FOR A RAPIDLY GROWING COMMUNITY; DIRECTING
THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION
TO THE OFFICIALS NAMED HEREIN.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-22-0147
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: King, Carollo, Diaz de la Portilla, Reyes
ABSENT: Russell
Vice Chair Carollo: So, I'm asking this body to approve a resolution to President
Biden, to our two U.S. senators, and our congressional delegation here to provide the
City of Miami with funding to be able to provide for the thousands of people that are
coming into our community as a whole because of Washington's decisions. This has
nothing to do, again, with anything else on that border, just that we're being affected
tremendously and are going to be affected even more so by this crisis, and
Washington needs to step up and pay for it. We're not going to be able to do it on our
own. Not in the scope that it's corning and. from what is expected is going to be
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coming in the next month and a half or so. Any -- anybody wants to put in their two
cents or do we just want to vote for it?
Chair King: Well, he's asking us to have the City send a letter urging them to take
action against what's happening.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, no, urging Washington to help us pay --
Chair King: Help financially. Financial support.
Vice Chair Carollo: Financially. To send us money to help us pay for the thousands of
people that are coming to our community that we, by ourselves, cannot care for.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: What's the language of the resolution?
Vice Chair Carollo: The language is a non partisan tone. It's a request to the
President, and the Administration, with copies sent to our two U.S. senators, and our
congressional delegation, that Miami needs financial help to address a crisis that we
have nothing to do with, in to the thousands of people that have crossed the southern
border and have come into a community, that need housing in a City and County that
the County Mayor has declared that it has a housing crisis, which it does, in a
community that our services are tapped out, so that we can provide assistance to all
these new people that are coming based on Washington 's policies.
Commissioner Reyes: I second that. And Madam Chair, through the Chair?
Chair King: Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: I want to add, and I was talking to Jose right now. I had
information from a person that works in I think human services that thousands and
thousands of Cubans have come through the agency. And he said, I don't want to
misquote, but she said from what I understood about 10,000 was only last month.
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, the last five months, Commissioner --
Commissioner Reyes: It surpasses the (Foreign Language).
Vice Chair Carollo: Well, it's 47,000 that they think --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. They think, that's right.
Vice Chair Carollo: Because there are many that have gotten through and no one's
counted.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: In Florida?
Vice Chair Carollo: No, through the southern district.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Oh, the southern border. Okay.
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ADJOURNMENT
Vice Chair Carollo: Southern border. But you know that the vast majority of those are
going to end up in Miami.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Of course.
Commissioner Reyes: I'm talking about those 10,000 --
Vice Chair Carollo: Just Cubans alone.
Commissioner Reyes: They were processed here according to what I heard. Ten
thousand last month were processed here in Miami. Some of them are going to Las
Vegas or to Tampa, but the rest will remain here. That is the demand for housing and
demand forservices, like Commissioner Carollo.
Commissioner Diaz de la Portilla: Sure.
Chair King: Yes. So --
Commissioner Reyes: So, we need -- we need assistance.
Chair King: Okay. 1 agree. Let me open it for public comment because this is a new
item. Anyone here wishing to speak on this issue? Seeing none, public comment
period is closed. 1 have a motion and a second. All in favor.
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Motion carries. And that will conclude the City of Miami Commission
meeting for April 14, 2022.
Commissioner Reyes: Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you, everyone. And everyone, have a good Friday.
Vice Chair Carollo: Thank you.
Chair King: Be safe. Mr. Clerk -- and Happy Easter.
Vice Chair Carollo: What is the deadline again for someone that's running for, federal
office to have to resign?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): June 3rd, sir.
Vice Chair Carollo: June 3rd, okay. Thank you.
The meeting adjourned at 3:31 p.m.
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