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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOMNI CRA 2024-11-21 MinutesCity of Miami 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com Omni C R A Meeting Minutes Thursday, November 21, 2024 9:30 AM (OR THEREAFTER) City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Damian Pardo, Chair, District Two Joe Carollo, Vice Chair, District Three Miguel Angel Gabela, Board Member, District One Manolo Reyes, Board Member, District Four Christine King, Board Member, District Five OMNI CRA OFFICE ADDRESS: 1401 N. Miami Avenue, 2"d Floor Miami, FL 33136 Phone: (305) 679-6868 www.miamicra.com OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 21, 2024 CALL TO ORDER Present: Chair Pardo, Vice Chair Carollo, Commissioner Gabela, Commissioner Reyes and Commissioner King On the 21st day of November 2024, the Board of Commissioners of the OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Miami met in regular session at Miami City Hall located at 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida. The meeting was called to order by Chair Pardo at 12:32 p.m., and was adjourned at 12:42 p.m. ALSO PRESENT: Isiaa Jones, Executive Director, CRA Kevin Jones, Deputy City Attorney Domini Gibbs-Sorey, Assistant City Attorney Todd B. Hannon, Clerk of the Board APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE FOLLOWING MEETING(S): 1. OMNI COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY - REGULAR MEETING - SEP 7, 2024 10:30 AM MOTION TO: Approve RESULT: APPROVED MOVER: Christine King, Board Member, District Five SECONDER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Board Member, District One AYES: Pardo, Carollo, Gabela, Reyes, King Chair Pardo: Good afternoon, everyone. I'm calling to order the November 21st, 2024 Omni CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) meeting. Is there a motion to approve the minutes from September 7, 2024 Omni CRA meeting? Board Member King: Motion. Board Member Gabela: Second. Chair Pardo: All those in favor? The Board Members (Collectively): Aye. OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 1 Printed on 3/4/2025 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 21, 2024 OMNI CRA RESOLUTION(S) 1. OMNI CRA RESOLUTION 16970 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("CRA"), AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A TERMINATION OF LEASE AGREEMENT AND RELEASE OF ALL CLAIMS, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE GENERAL COUNSEL, BETWEEN THE CRA AND 1401 GROUP, LLC ("LESSEE"), FOR THE USE OF APPROXIMATELY 5,400 SQUARE FEET OF PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1401 NORTH MIAMI AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA ("PROPERTY") FOR A RESTAURANT AND ENTERTAINMENT FACILITY, WITH TERMS AS SET FORTH IN THE TERMINATION AGREEMENT, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED HEREIN; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO ALLOCATE AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED TWO MILLION ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($2,100,000.00) AS PAYMENT FOR BUILD -OUT AND IMPROVEMENTS AT THE PROPERTY UNDERTAKEN BY LESSEE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE. ENACTMENT NUMBER: CRA-R-24-0069 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Manolo Reyes, Board Member, District Four SECONDER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Board Member, District One LAYES: Pardo, Carollo, Gabela, Reyes, King Chair Pardo: Madam Executive Director, please briefly read the agenda item, Resolution Number 1, into the record. Isiaa Jones (Executive Director): Good morning, Commissioners. Item Number 1 is a termination of a lease agreement and a release of all claims in a form acceptable to the general counsel between the Omni CRA and 1401 Group, LLC (Limited Liability Company). And this is the Firehouse restaurant that is on the ground floor of our office building. Chair Pardo: Thank you. The public comment period is now open for Resolution Number 1. Board Member Gabela: I got a --1 got a little -- and I'm going to be careful how 1 maneuver. Okay, but 1 just -- Chair Pardo: Should I --? Let me -- Board Member Gabela: Oh, I'm sorry. Chair Pardo: No, no. No worries. Public comment period is still open. Is there anyone wishing to comment? Seeing no further public comment on Resolution Number 1, the public comment period is now closed. Discussion, Commissioner Gabela. Board Member Gabela: Okay, continuing. Chair Pardo: Apologize. OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 2 Printed on 3/4/2025 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 21, 2024 Board Member Gabela: So, yeah. So, it just boggles me, like you guys know, the history that's been going on with this. It boggles me because -- I'm not going to mention the gentleman's name, but it's come to my attention that there's a gentleman, somebody in question here, when they made this deal, that this gentleman had a problem in Mexico, okay? And then had another problem in Spain, and then comes over here and this happens. And that bothers me, you know. And I'm for to get this done, like I expressed to you guys when you came to me, you know, and I'm in agreement to get this done and over with. But it bothers me that stuff like this goes on, okay, where we don't vet people and we do this kind of situation, you know, we get into this kind of situation where, you know -- and 1 heard what Kevin Jones and so -- but you know, I'm reluctantly going along, okay, to get this thing over and done with. But the way this came about in the last, 1 believe, eight or nine years, we shouldn't be doing business like this, you know. This is a disaster. This is a complete, you know, an utter disaster where, you know, for accountability, for the fiduciary duty we have here in this commission. And I'll leave it at that. Thank you. Chair Pardo: Commissioner Reyes? Board Member Reyes: Yes. I totally agree with (INAUDIBLE). We have -- we really know how to pick them, not only this case. See what happened in Watson Island. And we have been picking people that we have not vetted. And it's the same thing when we hire some -- people that come from other places. We don 't vet them. We must vet every investor that come to the City of Miami and we will really need to do it, a thorough investigation of their finances, their ability or capability of doing the business and paying for what they promise they going to be pay. And if they have -- if they have previous, previous lawsuit for not complying or not being able to do what they were going to do. I totally agree we must do something about that. And I'm asking you guys that are now in charge of the CRA, before you grant any funds or any project to anybody, please do a thorough vetting process because we really know how to pick them. And we're always in trouble because of that, you see. And thank you. Thank you, Gabela, for bringing that up. Board Member Gabela: You're welcome, sir. Chair Pardo: Commissioner Carollo, did you want to say something? Vice Chair Carollo: I do. I know that this is something that was inherited from the past. I was briefed. 1 have no alternative but to believe what 1 was told when 1 was briefed. 1 have no other basis to go on. And that's the reason that I'm going to be voting on this, from what I've been told. But this is a rotten deal. And now having said that, and I'm glad and I appreciate that you gave me a personal rundown on this because if it just would have been sprung on me here, 1 would have had to have voted no. 1 mean, didn't know anything about it. Yesterday, or should I say -- yeah, yesterday, at 3:35 p.m., I got an email from the Omni CRA, at 3:35 p.m. An email from the Omni CRA; Subject: Today, Margaret Pace Park Master Plan Updates Meeting at 6 p.m. Now, most people like us have their days planned. They don't -- there's no way that in two and a half hours' time -- less than two and a half hours' time, we're going to be able to adjust our previous commitments to rush from somewhere. I would hope that in the future, as vice chairman of the Omni CRA, the people that work there will inform me in a timely basis. Ms. Jones: Yes, Commissioner, we will. Vice Chair Carollo: And last but not least, I'm a little confused why the Omni CRA is sending this out. Are we looking to spend money there in the whatever master plan comes into the future or not? OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 3 Printed on 3/4/2025 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 21, 2024 Ms. Jones: For the Margaret Pace Park -- Vice Chair Carollo: Yes. Ms. Jones: -- based on discussions that I've had with the City of Miami Parks Department, not at this current moment. In the past, the CRA has contributed to the park before. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. So, why was the Omni CRA then involved in this community workshop on Pace Park if we're not putting any monies into it? Ms. Jones: So, Commissioner -- Vice Chair Carollo: I'm just curious on it. Ms. Jones: Curious, okay. So, the Miami Women 's Club was a CRA project: It was a joint project between the CRA and the Miami Women 's Club. And we are authorized to have six community meetings at the Women's Club. Anything having to do with planning and community meetings within the boundaries of the CRA are things that the CRA can support. And if, you know, we wanted to see if we could get more feedback from the community about what they would like to see, not just at the park, but also other areas, and it was a perfect opportunity for us to have an information session and gather information from the residents to see what they would like to see. So, we did a survey of the people that came into the room. We asked questions -- Vice Chair Carollo: Very good. Ms. Jones: -- and we interacted, so it was an opportunity for us to -- Vice Chair Carollo: Very good. Ms. Jones: -- get information as well. Vice Chair Carollo: And the Women's Club, the address that you so stated, it's not in Overtown, correct? Ms. Jones: No, it's not in Overtown, but it is within the boundaries of the Omni CRA. Vice Chair Carollo: Of course. It's right by the water. Ms. Jones: By the water. Vice Chair Carollo: Yes, I know very well where it's at. Now, how many blocks is Margaret Pace Park approximately from the beginning of Maurice Ferre Park? Ms. Jones: I am not entirely sure. That would be a question for the City of Miami Parks Department. But I'm not entirely sure. It's not too far, though. Vice Chair Carollo: Exactly. Ms. Jones: Both within the Omni CRA. Vice Chair Carollo: It -- well, they -- yeah, they're both within the Omni CRA, but I just wanted to see if you would recollect -- the Parks Director, do you know how many blocks Margaret Pace Park is from the beginning of Ferre Park? OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 4 Printed on 3/4/2025 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes November 21, 2024 ADJOURNMENT Chris Evans (Director, Parks and Recreation): No, sir. 1 can get you that information. I know it's in between, you know -- the 395 project, it starts on 17th. Vice Chair Carollo: It's just a few blocks. Mr. Evans: Right. Vice Chair Carollo: Certainly, no more than five blocks, if that. If you got a better count than I do, Commissioner Pardo, please, by any means -- Chair Pardo: No, but -- Vice Chair Carollo: -- speak up. Chair Pardo: -- do we have a motion for Resolution Number I? Vice Chair Carollo: Well, I'll make a motion for it. Absolutely. Chair Pardo: Is there a second? Vice Chair Carollo: I said I would. Board Member Gabela: Second. Vice Chair Carollo: But the point that I'm making is that this master plan that's being discussed there in Margaret Pace Park, this is truly a community park, a neighborhood park. This is a neighborhood park. It's a neighborhood park that the people across from Ferre Park have in their neighborhoods. That's part of their neighborhood. That's their neighborhood park. That's all that I have to say on that. Thank you. Chair Pardo: We have a motion. We have a second. All those in favor? The Board Members (Collectively): Aye. Board Member King: Motion carries unanimously. Chair Pardo: Thank you. Thank you, everyone, Jrobeing here today. This meeting is now adjourned. Board Member King: Thank you. The meeting adjourned at 12:42 p.m. OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 5 Printed on 3/4/2025