HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2026-01-08 MinutesCity of Miami
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, January 08, 2026
9:00 AM
City Commission Meeting
City Hall
City Commission
Eileen T. Higgins, Mayor
Christine King, Chair, District Five
Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner, District One
Damian Pardo, Commissioner, District Two
Rolando Escalona, Commissioner, District Three
Ralph "Rafael" Rosado, Commissioner, District Four
Arthur Noriega, V, City Manager
George K. Wysong III, City Attorney
Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
9:00 AM INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Present: Chairwoman King, Commissioner Gabela, Commissioner Pardo, Commissioner
Escalona and Commissioner Rosado
On the 8th day of January 2026, the City Commission of the City of Miami, Florida, met at
its regular meeting place in City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, in regular
session. The Commission Meeting was called to order by Chairwoman King at 9:07 a.m.
and adjourned at 11:49 a.m.
Note for the Record: Commissioner Rosado entered the Commission chambers at 9:17 a.m.,
and Commissioner Gabela entered the Commission chambers at 9:25 a.m.
ALSO PRESENT:
Arthur Noriega, V, City Manager
George K. Wysong III, City Attorney
Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk
Chair King: Good morning, everyone. Welcome to the City of Miami Commission meeting for
January 8th, 2026, the first Commission meeting of the year and the first Commission meeting
with our new mayor, Madam Higgins. I have three colleagues here so I can get started. I
understand we don't have any proclamations or recognitions this morning, so we are just
going to jump into prayer. We have Elder Washington this morning that's going to bless us
with prayer. Good morning, Elder Washington.
Invocation delivered.
Chair King: Thank you. I'm going to ask my newest colleague, Commissioner Escalona, to
lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Pledge of Allegiance delivered.
Chair King: Thank you.
PR - PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
ORDER OF THE DAY
Chair King: Mr. City Attorney, I believe you have a statement.
George Wysong (City Attorney): Yes, Madam Chair, thank you. Detailed information about the
processes, order of business, rules of procedure, and scheduling or rescheduling of City
Commission meetings can be found in Chapter 2, Article 2 of the City Code, a copy of which is
available online at www.municode.com. Any person who is a lobbyist pursuant to Chapter 2,
Article 6 of the City Code must register with the City Clerk and comply with the related City
requirements for lobbyists before appearing before the City Commission. A person may not
lobby a City official, board member, or staff member until registering. A copy of the code
section about lobbyists is available in the City Clerk's Office or online at www.municode.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 the City Code section is available at the Office of the City Clerk or online at
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
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 Commission that have not been provided
seven days before the meeting as part of the agenda material 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 and 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. The meeting of the
Miami City Commission is a limited public forum. Any person may be heard by the City
Commission through the Chair for not more than two minutes on any proposition before the
City Commission unless modified by the Chair. Public comment will begin at approximately
9:15 a.m. and remain open until public comment is closed by the chairperson. Any person
making offensive remarks or becomes unruly in the Commission chambers will be barred from
further attending City Commission meetings and may be subject to arrest. No clapping,
applauding, heckling, or verbal outbursts in support or opposition to a speaker or his or her
remarks shall be permitted. No signs or placards shall be allowed in the Commission
Chambers. Persons exiting the Commission Chambers shall do so quietly. 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/meetinginstructions for detailed instructions
on how to provide public comments using the online public comment form. The comments
submitted through the comment form have been and will be distributed to the elected officials,
their staff and City administration throughout the day so that the elected officials may
consider the comments prior to taking any action. Additionally, the online comment form will
remain open during the meeting to accept comments and distribute to the elected officials, their
staff and City administration up until the chairperson closes public comment. Public comment
may also be provided here live at City Hall located at 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami,
Florida, 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 a later date before the
City Commission takes action on such proposition. When addressing the City Commission, the
member of the public must first state their name, their address, and what item to 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's support, opposition, or neutrality on the items and
topics to be discussed at this City Commission meeting, in compliance with Section
286.01144(c) of the Florida Statutes. The public has been given the opportunity to provide
public comment during the meeting and within reasonable proximity and time before the
meeting. Please note, Commissioners have generally been briefed by City staff and the City
Attorney's Office on items on the agenda today. Anyone wishing a verbatim record of an item
considered at this meeting may request it at the Office of Communications or view it online at
www.miamigov.com. For Planning and Zoning items, PZ items, shall proceed according to
Section 7.1.4 of the Miami 21 Zoning Ordinance. Parties for any PZ items, including any
applicant, appellant, appellee, City staff and any person recognized by the decision -making
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 be physically present here at
City Hall and sworn in by oath or affirmation by the City Clerk. The members of the City
Commission shall disclose any ex parte communications to remove the presumption of
prejudice pursuant to Florida Statute Section 286.0115 and Section 7.1.4.5 of the Miami 21
Zoning Ordinance. The order of presentation shall he as set forth in Miami 21 and the City
Code. Staff will briefly present each item to be heard. The applicant will present its application
or request to the City Commission. If the applicant agrees with the staff recommendation, the
City Commission may proceed to its deliberation and decision. The applicant may also waive
the right to an evidentiary hearing on the record. For appeals, the appellant will present its
appeal to the City Commission, followed by the appellee. Staff will be allowed to make any
recommendation they may have. Please silence all cell phones and other noise -making devices.
And lastly, this meeting can be viewed live on Miami TV, the City's Facebook page, the City's
Twitter page, the City's YouTube channel, and Comcast Channel 77. The broadcast will have
closed captioning. Thank you, Madam Chair.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
Chair King: Thank you, Mr. City Attorney. Mr. City Clerk, would you please read your
statement?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Thank you, Chair. The 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: The members of City staff or any other
individuals required to be sworn in 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 for Planning and Zoning items and/or quasi-judicial items.
Commissioners, are you comfortable with all the notice provisions set forth in these uniform
rules and procedures we established for this meeting?
Chair King: Yes.
Mr. Hannon: Thank you, Chair. And Chair, may I administer the oath for the Planning and
Zoning items?
Chair King: Please.
Mr. Hannon: Thank you, Chair. Good morning ladies and gentlemen. If you'll be speaking on
any of today's Planning and Zoning items, those are the PZ items, may I please have you stand
and raise your right hand?
The City Clerk administered oath required under City Code Section 62-1 to those persons
giving testimony on zoning items.
Mr. Hannon: Thank you, Chair.
Chair King: Thank you. Mr. Manager, are there any items on this agenda that you would like
to withdraw or defer?
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): Good morning, Madam Chair, Commissioners, City Attorney,
Clerk. At this time the Administration would like to defer and/or withdraw the following items:
CA.9, to be deferred to February 26th; PH.9, to be withdrawn; FR.2, to be deferred to the
January 22nd meeting; PZ.1, to be indefinitely deferred; PZ.2, to be indefinitely deferred; and
PZ.3, to be deferred to the February 12th meeting.
Chair King: Thank you. I'm going to ask my colleagues if f they would like to withdraw and/or
defer any items from the agenda. Commissioner Pardo?
Commissioner Pardo: No.
Chair King: Commissioner Escalona?
Commissioner Escalona: No.
Chair King: Commissioner Rosado?
Commissioner Rosado: Good morning.
Chair King: Good morning.
Commissioner Rosado: Yes, I would like to withdraw PH 8, PH 10, and PH.11.
Chair King: Okay.
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Mr. Hannon: Chair, Mr. City Attorney, would it be okay if -- and Commissioner Rosado --
would it be okay if we show PH.8 and PH.10 as just discussed?
Commissioner Rosado: I'm sorry, Todd. Could you say that again?
Mr. Hannon: Is it okay if we show PH8 and PH10 simply as discussed and not withdrawn?
It's more from a procedural matter.
Commissioner Rosado: What's the difference?
Mr. Hannon: Withdrawing an item for us means that you're withdrawing it, essentially
removing it from the agenda as if it never happened. And so I would prefer that if we could just
show it as discussed, that'll allow us to retain the enactment number that's currently assigned
to that file. Thank you, Commissioner.
Chair King: Okay. Mr. Manager; would you go over the items again with the additions from
Commissioner Rosado?
Mr. Noriega: Okay, so CA.9, to be deferred to February 26th; PH8, to be withdrawn or be
heard, discussed; PH 9, to be withdrawn; PH 10 to be discussed; and PH 11 to be withdrawn;
FR.2 to be deferred to January 22nd; PZ.1 to be indefinitely deferred; PZ.2, to be indefinitely
deferred; and PZ.3, to be deferred to the February 12th meeting.
Chair King: Gentlemen, may 1 have a motion to pass the agenda?
Commissioner Pardo: So moved.
Commissioner Escalona: Move. Aye.
Chair King: I have a motion.
Mr. Hannon: Chair, rnv apologies briefly. I just want to place on the record that Chair King
will be sponsoring PH3, Commissioner Escalona will be co -sponsoring SR.6, and for
indefinitely deferred items, I just need to read a statement. Pursuant to Section 62-22 of the
City Code, an indefinitely deferred action initiated by the City will cost the City mail, noticing,
advertising, and posting of properties as applicable. Thank you, Chair.
Chair King: Thank you.
Commissioner Rosado: Madam Chair?
Chair King: Yes.
Commissioner Rosado: If there are items that we're going to be pulling for discussion, we're
not doing that just yet?
Chair King: No.
Commissioner Rosado: No? Okay.
Chair King: Not until after public comment.
Commissioner Rosado: Okay.
[Later...]
Chair King: Madam Mayor I'd like to deviate from our schedule of -- and see if there's
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anything that you would like to say as this is your first Commission meeting before I start
going through the agenda.
Mayor Higgins: Well, good morning. Thanks for having me. It's great to be here with all of
you today as we embark upon 2026 in service of the residents of the city of Miami and it's an
honor to work with all of you, and I look very much forward to collaborating with you on your
priorities for your districts because all districts are unique and quirky and fabulous in their
own -- own way. And 1 hope to be a sounding board and be able to help you with your
priorities. And importantly, as I've promised the voters, 1 will be working with the
administration to look for ways to make sure city services are delivered in a more rapid
manner, especially as we heard today around issues of permitting, and also to begin to
transform the way our services feel to our residents so that they feel as if they are treated as
customers when they call or contact our city. So, it's a real pleasure to be here today. For me,
I also am hoping you'll consider very seriously the appointment of Mr. Reyes as the next city
manager. I've had the wonderful opportunity to work with him, see his leadership in action
over the past few years, and I'm happy to answer any questions about that. Thank you, Madam
Chair.
Chair King: Thank you.
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ALL ITEM(S)
DISCUSSION ITEM
18765 PUBLIC COMMENTS SUBMITTED ONLINE BY MEMBERS OF THE
Office of the City PUBLIC FOR THE JANUARY 8, 2026, CITY COMMISSION MEETING
Clerk
RESULT: PRESENTED
Chair King: Okay. At this time, I am going to begin public comment. Those of you that
would like to speak on any item that is before us this morning, please come to the
lectern five at a time so we don't block the exits. Good morning, Ms. Stewart.
Cecilia Stewart: Hi, good morning.
Chair King: Happy New Year. How are you?
Ms. Stewart: This way? Okay. Cecilia Stewart --
Chair King: Hold on, Ms. Stewart. Ladies and gentlemen, if you can line up five at a
time, five at a time, so that we are not blocking the exits. Go ahead, Ms. Stewart. I'm
sorry.
Ms. Stewart: Yes. Cecilia Stewart, 1899 Northwest 1st Court, Miami. I stand on the
shoulders of my mentor, the late Enid Curtis Pinkney in support of the Virginia Key
Beach Museum Project. The Virginia Key Beach Museum Project will bring to Miami
a long-lasting history of education, civic participation, and many years of cultural
and historical endeavors to our environment and relations. The museum project is
significant because of its association with one of Miami's oldest communities. It is
important to commemorate the past. The museum will serve to illustrate and celebrate
the stories, heritage, and culture of the African -American community. Thank you.
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Chair King: Thank you. Are there any other speakers on behalf of the Virginia Key
Beach Trust?
Unidentified Speaker: Yes.
Chair King: The meeting is after 12. That's not on the City of Miami Commission. I
didn 't interrupt Ms. Stewart, but the public comment for that is more appropriate or
appropriate during the Virginia Key Beach Trust meeting. Oh, I'm sorry, it's both. We
have both, so go ahead. Okay, good morning.
Renee Pesci: Good morning. Renee Pesci, 1637 Southwest 8th Street, 33135. Good
morning, Mayor and Commissioners. 1 serve as the executive director of the Arts and
Business Council of Miami, and I also live in the Little Havana area and work there
as well. So, 1 see firsthand the impact that cultural institutions have on the
neighborhood every day. I'm here today to support the negotiation of operational
stewardship to the Tower Theater to Miami Dade College, with clear public
safeguards in place. The Tower Theater is not only a historic landmark, it's an
economic driver for Little Havana. The arts and culture venues generate foot traffic
for local restaurants, retailers, and small businesses. They support jobs and
strengthen the neighborhood and vitality. When the Tower Theater is consistently
programmed and well managed, that economic activity is felt directly on our streets.
Miami Dade College brings operational capacity and educational expertise needed to
ensure year-round activation. That stability matters. Consistent operation
programming increases attendance, attracts more visitors, attracts more locals, which
we need, supports adjacent businesses, and creates a workforce and pathways for
students, film, media, creative industries. At the same time though, it's essential that
the Tower Theater remain a public facing cultural asset. This transition must preserve
the community access, local storytelling, multilingual programming, and the
opportunities for Miami -based artists and cultural organizations. With a clear
operating agreement, public reporting, and community advisory body, this includes
Little Havana stakeholders, those values can be protected. With the right safeguards,
this transfer is not a loss of a public aspect. It's actually an investment in the
economic resilience, the cultural vitality, and the long-term sustainability of Little
Havana. So, thank you for your leadership and your continued commitment to the
Miami arts, culture, and local economy.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Phillip Seidenberg: Good morning, Commissioners. My name is Philip Seidenberg. I
operate a bike taxi company, a pedicab company in different cities around the state.
We operated during Art Fest and had a substantial request for our services to be
operating in Miami. Chapter --
Chair King: What item -- what item are you speaking on?
Mr. Seidenberg: Sorry, I'm speaking on issues I'm having with navigating Chapter 57
of the City Code, which is the pedicab ordinance.
Chair King: Okay, that item is not before us on the agenda. If you could step away
from the lectern, I'll have someone from administration speak to you about that.
Mr. Seidenberg: That would be very helpful. Thank you vefy much.
Chair King: Thank you. Anyone from the Manager's office? Good morning.
Adam Brinson: Good morning. My name is Adam Brinson, 95 Merrick Way, and I'm.
representing Junior Achievement of Greater Miami in support of item number PH4.
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At Junior Achievement, we are proud to partner with the Miami -Dade County Public
Schools in the areas of financial literacy, working career readiness, and
entrepreneurship. We thank the mayor, the chair, the City Commission, and the City
leadership for their partnership. We acknowledge the City of Miami's long-standing
commitment and recognize Mayor Eileen Higgins for her continuing to advance this
work from her time at the City Commission until her mayoral leadership today. This
work matters because financial education is most effective when it's paired with real
world tools. The savings accounts that the students receive, that allows the students to
apply what they learn through experience. Our role is to strengthen the connection
between learning and action. The City of Miami's partnership ensures education is
reinforced by allowing access to all students. Item PH.4 supports deeper integration
of education and practice as students prepare for the future. Thank you for your time.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Stanley Young: Good morning, Chairwoman. Good morning, Mayor. Good morning,
Commissioners. My name is Chaplain Stanley Young of Freedom Prison and Jail
Ministry, 500 Northwest 2nd Avenue. I am one of the ones that you probably won't
see as much in government because I walk the streets of Miami. I walk the streets
every week talking to those who are living on the sidewalk, those who are living in the
corners of the city who don't have a bed to sleep in that we all got up out of, people
who really, really need your help. I see we got a lot of new faces, and I thank God for
those new faces that we're going to have some new directions. I think you guys did a
fabulous. job in 2025 for the Human Service Department. To me, humans comes first.
We come first, before the dogs, before, you know, any other thing that's out there. And
there are people ask me every day, how can I get into the shelters? And I try my best
to call around to try to find a bed for them to sleep in. But the shelters are full. The
shelters are full because there's no affordable houses for the ones who's going
through the shelters to come out and give them -- get them an apartment on their own.
You understand the problem. I understand the problem. Let's continue to work to
alleviate this problem where everybody could have a bed to sleep in. I think everybody
deserve a bed to sleep in. And that's my goal. That's my passion. I don 't get paid to
do what I do. I've been doing it for 36 years. I enjoy doing what I do. I'm just here to
serve. I'm just here to serve. That's what a minister does. He just serves. Thank you.
God bless.
Chair King: Thank you.
Mr. Young: And Happy New Year.
Chair King: Happy New Year. Good morning.
Elvis Cruz: Good morning, Commissioners. Elvis Cruz, 631 Northeast 57th Street.
First of all, congratulations to the newly -elected officials. I'm not allowed to mention
you by name, but you know who you are. Regarding double density in Edgewater, I
have good news. You do not have to give developers double density to get funding as
there are at least four sources for resilience money already in place. The Miami
Forever Bond, impact fees, FIND (Florida Inland Navigation District) grants, and
storm water utility fees. And RE.13 on today's agenda proposes another bond, even
though the news has reported that only 16 percent of the money in the Forever Bond
earmarked for resilience has been spent. So, the money is already in place. You do not
need to give double density. Yes, RTZ (Rapid Transit Zone) and Live Local do allow
bonus density and that's a big problem. Miami's existing zoning laws already allow
eight times more housing units than were counted in the 2010 census. RTZ and Live
Local will badly affect our quality of life and strain our infrastructure. The City
should be working to amend or repeal those laws instead of using bad, harmful
legislation as a precedent to support more bad, harmful legislation. Here's the FDOT
City of Miami
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(Florida Department of Transportation) map. This is 20 years old. This is a level of
service map. You'll notice Biscayne Boulevard is in red because it is failing. It is
beyond capacity. It has not gotten any better in those 20 years. If anyone within the
sound of my voice thinks doubling density in Edgewater is a good idea, I challenge
you to drive north along Biscayne Boulevard from downtown to 36th Street this
afternoon at 5 o'clock. Thank you, commissioner that I'm not allowed to name, for
PH8. Watson Island should stay a public park. I appreciate your efforts.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Kevin Cass: Hello, good morning. My name is Kevin Cass. I'm coming here for the
Tower Theater. Mafia or monopoly? Those are the first words that come to my mind
standing here. During many electoral campaigns, the people of this city heard a very
clear message. They need to avoid a concentration of power to prevent the
monopolization of public spaces, to break away from dynasties and the truly open
opportunities for the community. That message creates trust. It creates hope. So, I ask
you, how does it make sense to hand over the Tower Theater to a single entity for 20
years? The Tower Theater has functioned as an active cultural platform with constant
programming, job creation, and real participation from local artists and independent
companies. This is not an opinion. It's documented. The numbers and records exist. I
had the honor to reopen the Tower Theater in July 2023 after the very public and
painful conflict between Miami Dade College and the City. And yes, it was reopening,
but it was not easy. The theater was handed over in a terrible condition. Systems were
destroyed. Things did not work. There was even cement pouring into the air-
conditioning units. Electrical cables were ripped out of control rooms. This was not
neglect, it was retaliation. A crude and shameless mafia response when a dark
business model was coming to an end. For years, that theater sat there producing
barely three minimal events a year. Once it reopened, everything changed. The
activity never stopped. Eventually, La Ruta Teatral took over management, led by
Manuel Mendoza, the man that you see here is a real Quijote de la Mancha del Teatro
in Miami. He creates, he connects, he proposes, he does not stand still when it comes
to culture in Miami. So, I ask you directly, why do you keep losing theatrical space in
the city? Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Zelalem Adefris: Good morning. I'm Zelalem Adefris. I'm the CEO (Chief Executive
Officer) of Catalyst Miami, and I'm here to speak on item PH.4 in support of the
Future Bound Miami Children's Savings Account Program. Just want to acknowledge
Madam Mayor. It's such an exciting day. Madam Mayor was our champion at the
county for this program, and the City of Miami Commission and former Mayor Suarez
also have championed the program over the last six years. Our students are now --
our oldest students are now in middle school, and we just really appreciate your
continued support and collaboration in helping the program grow and become even
more impactful. So just thank you all so, so much.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Carl Bey: Good morning. I thought I would be the first, but apparently I have to stand
in line to welcome the new mayor. Congratulations and thank you. We are here to
identify in alignment with PH.4, with Junior Achievement. I'm here to actually
announce two new initiatives. One is called Copper City, which will be located on
Northwest 2nd Avenue, walking distance from the Design District. It's a brand-new
addition to the area known as Little Haiti and now Buena Vista. So, we're here to
identify some of the mayor's working staff to help with economic development. So
hopefully that person will raise their hand so we'll have the opportunity to make those
appointments. So, the initiatives are going to be both Copper City, which is a facility,
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which is an international business consulate. There are 82 consulates in Miami -Dade
County. They don't walk together, they don't talk together, they don't dine together.
We have an opportunity now to put those consulates together in the same room for a
variety of events to build business and to increase our local economy. Last but not
least is the oncoming of an initiative called Heritage Yacht Academy. I'm here to
announce, because I've been here many times, we finally have the signature for the
affiliate agreement that's moving forward. We're actually moving in today to the D.A.
Dorsey Technical College. So that's ongoing. And that's in training for young people,
the young fellow who spoke earlier to talk about the Junior Achievement Program. So,
we're working in alignment with training young people so they can support the
marine and maritime industry, which is a backbone of this local economy. So, 1 want
to, again, thank you for your support, for all the allies that are assembled here today,
both the existing and the new. And last but not least, access to capital is critical for
local economic growth. So, the Forever Bond and the Miami Forever Bond, we're
taking a very close look at. We're looking and asking for your assistance for access to
that capital. So, I'll be brief with my comments and thank you very much. Enjoy the
day.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): And Chair, my apologies, if I could have the speaker's
name for the record? Sir?
Chair King: Mr. Bey?
Mr. Bey: Sony, sorry. Carl Bey, 5150 Northwest 2nd Avenue, Miami, Florida 33127.
Mr. Hannon: Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Sharon Frazier -Stephens: Good morning, Honorable Chair. My name is Sharon
Frazier -Stephens. I live at 6516 Northwest 12th Avenue in the development of Liberty
Square. Greetings to you, Madam Chair, Honorable Chair, Commissioners.
Congratulations to you, Madam Mayor. I come here once again with a heavy heart
about my community, Liberty City, especially Liberty Square where I reside. I support
agenda item H.4 [sic]. As you may know, some of you on the dais, I am the
educational chairwoman for the Model City CAC (Community Advisory Committee).
We had our last meeting December the 9th. We haven't had none yet, and we
discussed about the closings of a lot of our schools in the Miami Northwestern feeder
pattern. Liberty Square has escalated in speeding in our neighborhood. About four
times, I almost got ran down on the west side of the wall of Liberty Square. I live
facing the wall, the historic wall, me and my two Yorkies. Yeah, I called the police
several times. I sit on the wall and I watch. I watch the speeding go up and down 12th
Avenue by Holmes Elementary. We have three schools really in that neighborhood.
Thena Crowder, which is a ESE (Exceptional Student Education) school, special
needs, Holmes Elementary, and our MLK (Martin Luther King) is closed. Many --
some of us says, when you see something, say something. One question I want to ask
real quick, where is Mary Hill? That young lady was on the billboard in the back in
the 60s. She's now 95 years old and is still living in Little Haiti. Why is her picture
been taken down? Because I remember as a young girl going to Virginia Key Beach,
when you make that left turn on the right-hand side, Ms. Mary Hill is bending down
over there for them. Please find Ms. Mary Hill, find Ms. Mary Hill and make her part
of the equation of the Virginia Key Trust. I thank you so much, Madam Chair, and
your patience, and I thank you so much, Madam Mayor, because I know you'll make
it happen.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
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Jeffrey Dorfman: Good morning. My name is Dr. Jeff Dorfman. 1 live at 2020 North
Bayshore Drive in Edgewater. I'm on the hoard and treasurer of Biscayne
Neighborhoods Association. And I'd like to say that this is an historic day in the City
of Miami. I'm very pleased to see all of these people here and congratulations on a
new commissioner and a new mayor. I am speaking on behalf of the commissioner's
desire for RE.9 and RE.10 in terms of the City's purchase of some real estate for more
park space. And I would also like to support the mayor's nomination of Mr. James
Reyes as a new city manager. I thank you very much. I look forward to working with
all of you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Elissa Margulies: Good morning. My name is Elissa Margulies. I live on Rice Street
in Centre Grove. It can be very daunting to come and stand in front of all of you while
truing to articulate exactly what we want to say in two minutes or less, especially
when we see your heads down, preoccupied, bored. For this reason, I want to thank
my commissioner for showing respect with his head up always, and hopefully,
listening. Today, I'm going to give a perspective of SR.7 and PZ.5 from outside the
City Hall bubble. The issues, coastal flooding, storm water drainage, climate change
impacts, rents too high in hotspots where everyone wants to live. The City of Miami
solutions have developers pay a one-time $35, 000 per unit private jet carbon footprint
fee, which allows them to double the density of high rises up to 100 percent unless
they have a coupon for income -restricted affordable housing or pledge to go above
and beyond the standard infrastructure requirements, then these coupons can be
redeemed for a discount. I ask, if the situation along the coastline is so dire, then why
not remediate in advance of moving additional people into harm's way? First solve
the traffic gridlock, make provisions for the increase in sewage and garbage, plant
some trees, and then increase the density. The Planning Department's idea to lower
rents is to build more units, a lot more units. Using that logic, can someone please
explain Brickell? A better solution would be to double the density in areas outside the
hotspots where land is less expensive away from the coastline. This would also reduce
the strain on our infrastructure. Finally, the Watson Island valuation. D2 (District 2)
has a subject matter expert named Kim Hogan, who with nothing to gain financially,
sent each of you an email explaining why the Watson Island deal valuation is a bad
deal for the City and its citizens. Please read it. Talk to her. Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Jacqui Colyer: Good morning. How are you? My name is Jacqui Colyer. I am a
hundred year resident of the City of Miami and I'm just really so glad to see and I
welcome all of the -- I welcome the mayor. I welcome the new commissioners. I'm so
glad to see y 'all. It's been a long time coming. But at any rate, I'm not here about
welcoming. I'm here about the fact that our east -- oh, can I give you address? You
need that? I gave that to you? Okay, good. All right. I'm here about RE.7, which is
about Virginia Key Advisory, -- about the Virginia Key Beach Park. One of the things
that is in the charter is that the Virginia Key Advisory Board is supposed to be
informed when there are changes to be made to Virginia Key Beach. Somehow, and I
know that it's just from old things, so I'm hoping that in the new time, new year, that
you guys are going to remember that you have to come and at least talk to us. We
meet every -- whatever it is, every other month. And it's not hard to get in touch with
us. So, if you could give me some clarification or at least some type of agreement that
you're going to contact us, that you're going to have us a part of the decisions that
are being made about Virginia Key, I'd appreciate it. Jacqui Colyer, welcome new
folks, old folks. Thank you. Bye-bye. Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
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Aillette Rodriguez -Diaz: Good morning, my name is Aillette Rodriguez -Diaz,
representing Miami -Dade County Public Schools, 1450 Northeast 2nd Avenue, my
suite is 776, Miami, Florida 33132. I'm here to speak in support of PH.4. We truly
appreciate and thank the mayor, chair, Commission, and City leadership for the
ongoing support of Miami -Dade County Public Schools. This initiative makes sense
because schools is where students and families have universal access and access to
learning. And the school -based implementation of Future Bound ensures that families
can have access to savings accounts and financial education early and consistently.
The integration with schools reinforces early saving habits and long-term planning
Jrostudents in kindergarten as they transition through elementary school, middle
school, and beyond. So, item PH.4 supports the continued alignment between the
program and the school's districts academic and readiness priorities, ensuring that
the sustained partnerships allows this work to continue to reach more families and
more students. So, we thank you for your support.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Daniela Bascope: Hi, good morning. My name is Daniela Bascope. I'm a Latin
actress and someone who strongly believes in management models that are born from
dialogue, not from imposition. We all know that Miami Dade College is a large
institution with a solid structure and many valuable programs. We respect that. No
one here denies that. But when we are talking about a public good like Tower
Theater, the question should not be who's bigger, but who has the best plan. The
Tower is a public space, a space that belongs to the city and to its cultural
community. What if its future were decided in a more civic, more accessible way
through a public bid or an open call where different proposals could be presented,
evaluated, and compared with transparency? Ruta Teatral and Manuel Mendoza
would definitely be an incredible proposal. Why? Well, do you know what this man
has done for the community? He has been the one who invited everyone to the table,
the one who has called all the groups to come together, to produce, to share the
space, to build collectively. And many times in the cultural world, isolated efforts end
up creating division and as a result the desired goal is not achieved. But today at the
Tower there is a strong project in place, a project that is active right now, working
and already serving the community. Let us not forget that. To care for this space is
also to care for what is already working for the city and its people. God bless you.
Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Erin Sicker: Good morning. My name is Erin Sicker, and I am the CEO of the Miami -
Dade County Public Schools Foundation, 1450 Northeast 2nd Avenue, 33132. I am
here in support of PH.4. We want to thank the mayor, the chair, the City Commission,
and the administration for their leadership and trust. We recognize the City of
Miami's leadership over time and acknowledge Mayor Eileen Higgins for advancing
the work, both during her tenure on the County Commission and now as mayor. This
work is important because the program has reached scale and now requires long-
term stewardship, stability, and accountability. Families are actively engaging with
savings and financial education, which signals trust in the system that has been built.
Our role is to provide fiscal management and operational continuity so partners can
focus on outcomes rather than infrastructure. The City of Miami has been a critical
member of this team, helping ensure confidence in the program's future. Item PH.4
allows the partnership to mature while preserving momentum and integrity. Thank
you for your support.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
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Solange Rivero: Hi, good morning. My name is Solange Rivero, and I'm from District
3. This is my commissioner, which I'm very proud of you. I'm here talking about the
Tower Theater. We need the Tower Theater to place because we have -- last year we
had 248 spectaculars. So, what we need to do now is -- I understand that Miami Dade
College need to have something but Miami Dade College has a lot of spaces all over
Miami -Dade. The Tower Theater is a very challenging place because we don 't have --
we don 't have parking space, but -- thank you, my love -- but we have -- we have a
place. Manuel Mendoza is the Ruta Teatral. We make a lot of places, we have
concerts, we have theater, we have theater for kids. It was very challenging. Now that
we have the new commissionary [sic], when 1 vote for him, one of the things he said,
we're going to have more plays, we're going to have more theater, we're going to
have more art. And this Calle Ocho is a very important thing. It's an iconic Calle
Ocho. So, what I ask you really humbly, is to keep the Tower Theater to the places so
we can go and enjoy the plays. And also, for example, we have 45 -- 43,600 people
attended last year in less than, I don't know, less than a year because we start like in
February. So, what my question is, why they're going to give it to Miami Dade
College instead of keeping what we're doing right now? That's the only thing I ask. I
love you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Tyler O'Neal: Good morning. My name is Tyler O'Neal. I'm representing United Way
Miami, and we are too in support of item PH.4. We thank the mayor; the chair, and
the City Commission, and the City administration for their leadership. We recognize
the City of Miami's leadership on this initiative, which is Future Bound Miami's
Children's Savings Account, and acknowledge Mayor Eileen Higgins for supporting
this work across her roles at the County and the City. This initiative matters because
it provides families with a clear entry port to long-term stability. Savings and
financial education offer practical tools families can act on immediately. Our role at
the United Way is to help connect that entry point to broader pathways of opportunity.
The City of Miami's leadership has been critical in aligning partners around that
pathway. Item PH.4 allows this coordinated work to continue and to deepen. Thank
you all.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
William Valdes: Good morning. My name is William Valdes, and I'm here to talk
about a reflection regarding the change in administration at the Tower Theater. This
is a brief message, but a deeply important one. Cultural spaces do not thrive simply,
because they have a building, a contract, or a new administration framework. They
thrive when they have soul, coherence, and a living authentic relationship with the
community that inhabits them. Art does not emerge from bureaucracy. It is born from
the people who creates, produce, rehearse, fail, learn, and try again. From the teams
who sustain long-term artistic processes and from the programming guided by the
artistic vision, this Ruta Teatral does not exclusively by administrative criteria. A
theater is not a neutral space; it's a living organism. When a cultural institution loses
its soul, it becomes predictable, distant, and over time, it empties out like others
managed by Miami Dade College, even when it is efficiently managed. The cultural
history of many cities has shown us this reality again and again. Today, the Tower
Theater represents something truly valuable for the community and the actors in
Miami. It is a space with identity, with a diversity of voices, and with a strong, active
community that recognizes as its own. That sense of belonging content be decreed. It
cannot be transferred automatically. It is built slowly, intentionally, and with care.
That is why we speak -- when we speak about the future of cultural spaces in Miami,
the central question should not be only who is going to administer them, but how the
spirit that makes them meaningful is preserved. Yes, culture requires management,
but above all, it requires vision, listening, and coherence. If we truly want a
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sustainable cultural spaces, we cannot design them solely from a structure and policy.
We must design them from the cultural life that already exists within them. As an
actor here in Mianii who has worked in the City of Miami for over 20 years, I have
witnessed firsthand how changes in administration can deeply impact artistic
ecosystems like microteatro, micro theater. I have seen how shifts in leadership can
either nurture a culture or slowly erode it.
Chair King: Thank you.
Mr. Valdes: Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Rick Madan: Good morning, Commissioners. My name is Rick Madan, a resident of
District 2 in Edgewater. First, I want to congratulate our new mayor and our new
District 3 Commissioner. Mayor, we look forward to your leadership, and
Commissioners, we look to the five of you to champion the future of our city.
Regarding RE.8, 9, and 10, we support moving elections to even -numbered years to
boost turnout. We also strongly urge you to take the park acquisition strategy being
used today in District 4 and apply it to Edgewater. We are growing fast and are
critically underserved by green space. On SR.7, we favor moving forward with this,
but with a firm message. Ten years ago, the tax revenue Edgewater generated was a
fraction of what it is today. Now, we are one of the City's primary economic engines.
To ensure that revenue continues to grow, the City must prioritize our infrastructure.
While we support the Resilience Trust Fund because it keeps developer dollars in our
neighborhoods, rather than losing them to the general fund, the City cannot wait for
this fund to kick in before acting. We need the mayor and the Commission to begin
planning and budgeting dollars for Edgewater's drainage, traffic, and baywalk now.
We cannot allow one of the City's most productive tax bases to suffer due to poor
planning or delayed investment. Double density only works if the infrastructure is
already, moving to meet it. Please, don't just take the tax dollars; invest back into the
neighborhood that generates them. And on RE.11, please approve James Reyes as our
new city manager. Thank you. Happy New Year.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Sam Hanna: Good morning. Good morning, Mayor and Commissioners. My name is
Sam Hanna, and I'm the property owner at 222 Northeast 27th Street in Edgewater.
I'm speaking in support of agenda item PZ.5. As a property owner, I value clarity and
predictability in how Miami 21 is interpreted. This ordinance helps remove
uncertainty around density that's already contemplated in the future land use map
while tying it to public benefit through the trust fund. This is a practical step that
helps responsible property owner plans, helps the City manage growth, and helps
housing move forward where infrastructure already exists. Thank you for your time.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Alexander Carlos: Good morning. Thank you all for giving me the chance to speak
here. This is what democracy is all about. So, my name is Alexander Carlos. I'm with
the Alexander News Show, media journalist/talk show host. And first of all, Mr.
Escalona, congratulations. And congratulations to the mayor for being elected as
well, Mrs. Higgins. So, these are questions. What -- let's talk about the Metro Project
that's going to happen in Downtown Miami. How much involvement does the City of
Miami -- how much involvement will they have with that project? I know it's also run
by the County. And how much involvement will Mayor Higgins have with that project,
the metro project?
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Chair King: Sir, what item are you speaking on?
Mr. Carlos: It's the Metroplex.
Chair King: Item on the agenda.
Mr. Carlos: Oh, I don't know but --
Chair King: So, public comments are limited to items that are being (INAUDIBLE) --
Mr. Carlos: Oh, okay. I'm sorry. I didn't know.
Chair King: Yes.
Mr. Carlos: Okay, well, I'm just going to mention that. And the Metro Project, how
much involvement will Ms. -- Mayor Higgins have? And will the police chief Mr.
Morales, be fired?
Chair King: Su; sir, items that appear --
Mr. Carlos: Oh, okay.
Chair King: -- before us on the agenda.
Mr. Carlos: And well, Mr. James Reyes, I hope he does a good job. I'm going to give
him a chance to do a good job. But yeah, 1 want to know Mrs. Higgins' involvement
with the Metro Project. Thank you for giving me the chance to speak.
Chair King: Thank you.
Mr. Carlos: And good luck to Mr. James Reyes.
Chair King: Thank you. Thank you for your advocacy.
Manuel Mendoza: Hello.
Chair King: Good morning.
Mr. Mendoza: Good morning. My name is Manuel Mendoza. I am cultural and
producer and the director of Ruta Teatral. Thank you for the space. I'm not here to
talk about the theater (UNINTELLIGIBLE) or about the past. I'm here to talk about
the real present of the Tower Theater. During 2025. the Tower Theater worked as an
active and living cultural ecosystem. There were 204 performances, more than 43,600
people attended, and more than 300 artists and entertainment professionals were
employed. This did not happen by accident. It happened because of a structured
programming, constant artistic correction, and (FOREIGN LANGUAGE) than eight
cultural organizations, and more than 12 independent producers have worked
together in this space. This is not only a place where shows happen. This is a place
where people work. Today, there are artists (FOREIGN LANGUAGE). Casts are
already formed. (FOREIGN LANGUAGE) and the 2026 programming is ready, is
already in progress. (FOREIGN LANGUAGE). This is not a future idea. This is
ongoing work with real people and real families who depend on this continuity. The
Tower Theater has (FOREIGN LANGUAGE) Ruta Kids for Children, Programming
for Older Adults, and World Theater Day Miami with free theater for the public.
(FOREIGN LANGUAGE).
Chair King: Thank you.
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Mr. Mendoza: We are not confront.
Chair King: Thank you.
Mr. Mendoza: We are -- (FOREIGN LANGUAGE).
Chair King: Thank you. (FOREIGN LANGUAGE).
Applause.
Chair King: We don't have clapping in the chambers. Thank you. Good morning.
Marcos Loureiro: Good morning. My name is Marcos Loureiro, 600 Northeast 27th
Street. First of all, Happy New Year. I'm very happy to have two new members here,
the city mayor and District 3, and the fresh air. I've been coming here for two years.
This is the first time I see a city mayor sitting in this chamber, which is awesome. And
I really like it starting at 9 o 'clock as we did today. So, hopefully, we can keep going.
I'm here to strongly support RE.11, James Reyes. He has extensive experience
managing large organizations, fiscal discipline, so I hope you guys support him. The
other one I want to support is RE.9 and RE.10, even though it's not related to
Edgewater. 1 think it's a good model that we can use moving forward, especially
working on the baywalk. And the last but not least, R -- SR.7, the Resilience Trust
Fund. 1 participated in multiple sessions, and most recently on Tuesday with Kathryn
Angleton. That was only details, but the idea of retaining funds into Edgewater where
we have issues with infrastructure for me sounds important. Thank you very much.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Chris Moreno: Good morning. My name is Chris Moreno, and I'm representing
Catalyst Miami, and I'm here to proudly support item PH.4. I want to thank the
mayor, the chair, the City Commission, and City administration for leadership and
your partnership with this endeavor. We recognize that leadership across
administrations, and I want to acknowledge Mayor Higgins for championing this
initiative as a County Commissioner and continuing that leadership now as a city
mayor. The Future Bound Miami initiative is important because it was intentionally
designed as a system, not just a short-term program. Catalyst's role has been helped
in designing, coordinating, and strengthening that system across multiple private and
public partnerships. The City of Miami's leadership anchored this work in the
beginning from 2018, 2019, and today. Item PH4 supports a thoughtful transition,
and that allows the system to evolve while staying intact. This ensures that progress
continues to compound rather than reset. So, thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Unidentified Speaker: Good morning. My name is (UNINTELLIGIBLE), community
activist in the City of Miami, and I'rn here to talk a little bit about the Tower Theater.
Before you ladies and gentlemen make a decision on the Tower Theater, I strongly
suggest, I challenge you to educate yourself in what has happened in the theater in the
past. In the past, there's a lot of history behind there and this city, and I am sick and
tired of seeing the city giving away our iconic places to public entity because of
selfness [sic]. Many of you launch your campaigns on transparency, Mayor. Do you
launch on transparency? And there's a lot of things that are not have brought to light.
I urge the City of Miami to educate yourself. Go into the deep heart of Miami. The
people that are here, just like the lady from Key -- Key Biscayne that she was talking
about, you know, right there, that's an iconic beach. They make decisions without the
citizens, without the residents' consent, without talking to us, the citizens, the one that
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pay the taxes, the one that come to it. Have a meeting with us, with the community.
Have a meeting with us. We are the ones that know what is going on, okay? And do 1
sound excited? Yes, 1 am. Because I'm very passionate about the City of Miami. And 1
challenge you to see when Miami Dade College took the reins back in the days and
the first time, okay, they put in all the stuff, all the City was there. When they were
given -- taking it away, they took all of the equipment and everything with them and
they left a strip for the City to have to invest more money in it. And I don't want any
vested interest because of politicians to go ahead and make these changes. Educate
yourself, help the City of Miami residents. Go in there. I challenge you guys. I plead
to you guys to please educate yourselves because that's what it's all about, about the
residents --
Chair King: Thank you.
Unidentified Speaker: -- and citizens of the City of Miami.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Albert Gomez: Good morning. Albert Gomez, District 2. Good morning. Albert
Gomez, District 2. Welcome, new commissioners. Welcome, Madam Mayor.
Congratulations. I'm here as a taxpayer, homeowner, and business owner asking you
to slow the city down long enough to honor voter intent, infrastructure reality, and
basic public trust. First, the deferred item on Watson Island, it should be
reconsidered. That's the only way for us to adjust this. Deferring is just going to kick
the can, and you can bring it up actually later on today. So, I would appreciate it if
you can actually consider it, reconsider it. That way we can make adjustments, and
we can get fair market value. Secondly, citywide double density. You know, I have a
nice, detailed description here, but you know, from the Sea Level Rise Committee that
I sat on, knowing the intricacies of resiliency, putting more density into an area that's
highly threatened and vulnerable without increasing impact fees before you do the
double density action is just fraught. It's so fraught. So, you got to vote no on this. I
mean, it's just -- it's so clear. Third, the fees and debt. Basically, you got to vote no on
SR.5, SR.1, SR.2, and defer RE.3 -- 13 until it's something that we can work with.
Fourth, elections. Extending terms, guys. There's an even year before your elections
end. Why don't you bring it in a year? That way you're not just taking a year and
taking my vote away. A year is a year. Take it out of your own term. Do it the right
way. And then the city manager, I appreciate -- I want to build trust. I want to build
trust. I think a national process is the way to do that, not an appointment. I want to
give James and you an option. And one thing, thank you for standing up to the federal
situation.
Chair King: Thank you.
Mr. Gomez: Ms. Good, we're praying for you.
Chair King: Thank -- thank you. Good morning.
Marion Brown: Good morning to everyone. Marion Brown, 120300 Northwest 17th
Avenue. First and foremost, Virginia Key, we were speaking about that. The young
lady that Ms. Frazier was speaking about, Mary Hill, she'd been around before this
beach was even designed. The Navy designed this beach based on her
recommendation because there was no blacks that was allowed on the beach at that
time. I'm six generations. My footprint is six generations of this soil. My family go all
the way back to the 1600s. If I count my mom, I'm seven generations. I have seen a lot
of things change and been changed right here in this community. One thing that I
really see and I don't appreciate, when I was a young boy growing up and I saw my
grandparents, the best thing that they said that happened when we were separate,
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when we were separate, everything was equal. If we can separate this thing because
what's happening now, everybody's getting voted and they coming in. They running in
and they getting voted on the black votes. They hooray and hurrah and woosha [sic]
for the black votes. Now once they get in there, they forget about the black people.
Now it's all about everybody else from another country, from another land, from
wherever they come from. We are the footprint soldiers. 99 .9 percent of the things
that were designed, created, the funk, the style, the system was done by us. This is our
footprint. And everybody else that came to this soil and they want to create and they
want to take this soil. The City and the County have more Hispanics in they [sic]
operation than blacks. And I see where the mayor, she hired. I know it could have
been somebody out there that was black could have been hired for that management
position. But no, she went to the County and pulled somebody and brought them over
here. No one here recognize black peoples anymore. We are getting pushed, pushed,
separated and divided and pushed out of our territory.
Chair King: Thank you.
Mr. Brown: Enough is enough. I thank you for letting me speak. So, it got to come to a
change. You have to stop. Thank you all.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Said Mendoza: Good morning. My name is Said Mendoza, and I'm here today to
support today's administration of Tower Theater. I'm an actor and as an actor, I
know firsthand how challenging it is to make theater in the City. Making theater today
means surviving in an entertainment world that has completely changed. Audiences
have changed. Platforms have changed. Habits have changed. And yet we continue to
raise productions, rehearse, create and believe because theater is not just
entertainment. It is identity, it's mental health, and for many, it's salvation. The
Tower Theater has been possible over the past two years because theater have artists
behind it, because it has a technical director who knows theater from inside out,
someone who understands lights, sound, staging, timing, and who has been the quiet
heartbeat of this space that matters deeply. Theater cannot be managed from an
administrative perspective alone. They need to be lead [sic] by artists, because who
can engage with bureaucracy? Yes, but who also bring creative vision capable of
generating ideas, ongoing projects, and real movement? Creative engines like Ruta
Teatral, Tiranube, PAFF (Primer Acto Florida Foundation), Improvisto, and El
Nuevo Teatro are living proof that meaningful work is happening here. Today, theater
is almost a luxury item, but it's also reinvention, community, and refuge. How
beautiful it would be for the Tower to become a true meeting place, having a coffee or
a glass of wine before or after a show, walking into a vibrant lobby with rotating
exhibitions each week because -- people gathering and connecting through art. The
management of the Tower must be financially secure, yes, but it must also be
supported by strong artists and creative leadership. Otherwise, we risk turning in just
another theater like -- without programming. Thank you so much for this space.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Ron Book: Good morning, Madam Chair. For the record, Ron Book, Chairman,
Mianii -Dade County Homeless Trust, 111 Northwest First Street, 27th Floor, Miami,
Florida. Madam Mayor, thank you. Madam Chair, Commissioners, Mr. Manager, Mr.
Manager designate. I'm here on behalf of the trust on item CA.3, CA.4, and CA5. All
of these are items that relate to our providing the City, our partners in what we do,
with funds without a requirement of any match by you. Number one, it's a staff
augmentation of $135,000, which is CA.3. That was a collaborative discussion that
took place between the Trust and Mr. Gilbert on a recent hire that we believe will go
a long way to helping us do a better job from the City standpoint in coordinating with
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the trust. CA.4 is the item which is $500,000, up from $340,000, to help households
with ID needs. And then item CA.5 is the item that provides additional funding -- 1
think it's $37,500 in additional funding -- for the HMIS (Homeless Management
Information System) system, all of which are significant improvements. I do want to
turn to the Mayor, I do want to turn to Mr. Reyes and say the following, which I think
all of you are aware. And to the new Commissioner Escalona, I would say there has
never been a time, not in 35 years, where the relationship the partnership between the
Miami -Dade County Homeless Trust and the City of Miami was any stronger. It's
never been more coordinated. It's never worked more efficiently,. I believe that all of
us know that there is an end in sight. And if I could get some indulgence for just 30
seconds.
Chair King: Thank you, thank you.
Mr. Book: Bottom line, at the end of the day, the partnership is working. And all of
this goes to this demonstration from us of additional funds.
Chair King: Thank you.
Mr. Book: Thank vou.
Chair King: Good morning.
Queca Gordillo: Good morning. My name is Queca -- sorry, Queca Gordillo. I was
born in Spain, in Madrid, and today I speak not only as an actress and creator here in
Miami, the United States of America, but also on behalf of the cultural nonprofit
Primer Acto Florida Foundation and many local artists who have found in the Tower
Theater, led by Ruta Teatral and Manu Mendoza, something very rare in the city, a
place, a theater where we feel we belong. The Tower Theater is not the success of a
single organization. It's the collective achievement of many, small theater and cultural
companies in Miami, who, with hard work, collaboration, and mutual support, have
turned this space into a true cultural heart of the city. Oh, my God, I'm not going to
read this anymore. You know, Manu gave you all the facts, all the figures. You know,
the 27th Article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says that everybody
has the right to enjoy the cultural life of their community. And what Ruta Teatral and
Manu Mendoza have done in the Tower Theater is that it's a place where we all, all
the independent and small or medium local cultural organizations, we feel we belong.
We work together, we do all our efforts together, and I think -- I mean, what I'm
going to ask is I think you should take a second -- a second thought about the
management, and I think you should respect all the programming for 2026, all the
contracts, all the things that are already programmed, the people that are working
there. And I don't know. I mean, I think you should think about it. You have to respect
all the assets and all the hard work that has been done in the last years in the Tower
Theater. I really beg you. It's a place where we belong.
Chair King: Thank you.
Ms. Gordillo: Thank you very much.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Denise Galvez Turros: Good morning. Happy New Year. I come -- I'm not only -- my
name is Denise Galvez. I'm not only a resident of Little Havana. I'm also a business
owner on 8th Street and 13th Avenue. I'm also the interim director of Viernes
Culturales. And I want to just give you all a little perspective that goes way back
beyond the history of 2025 that they're all repeating. The Tower Theater was closed
from 1984 to 2002 until Miami Dade College stepped up, spent the money restoring it
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
and equipping it, and it opened and it never shuttered until 2022 when our previous
commissioner took it away from us. 1 was one of only five people here fighting to keep
it in the hands of Miami Dade College. They are a public institution. They have the
means, they have the wherewithal, and they have always worked with us. Okay,
Viernes Culturales, for those of you who don't know, has been around for 25 years.
We host the Little Havana Walking Tour from the Tower Theater for 25 years,
religiously, rain or shine. Dr. Paul George does not miss out. It was devastating to
see that place closed for so many years waiting for somebody to rent it and do
something with it. There was never any regular programming. It was inconsistent.
And more importantly, forget about what's happening in the inside. It was always
nieant to be a film theater. It's equipped to be a film theater. Regardless of that, what
1 care more about is who has the means to preserve and restore the property, the
physical property, the marquee that was closed for many years. Miami Dade College
is willing to restore that marquee. It's a historical asset of the community. I would
love to see it return to Miami Dade College. Thank you so much.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Truly Burton: Good morning, Madam Chair. Good morning, everybody. My, name is
Truly Burton. I represent the Builders Association of South Florida as their executive
vice president. Congratulations to our newly -elected mayor and our newly -elected
commissioner, Mr. Escalona. It's a pleasure to be here in front of you. I'm here to
speak on items SR.1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 on behalf of the Builders Association. I sent you all
a letter about that yesterday. We consider yourselves our partners in streamlining the
plan review process and making improvements so that people don't complain that,
geez, it takes two years to get a permit in the City. At December 9th, on December
9th, that was the first reading. We conditionally supported the fee increase provided
our letter, which had five or six points, was we saw improvements. That's just a month
ago. That is not enough time to have the City make these improvements, whether
they're tweaks to computers, hiring an administrator to review covenants, which is a
basic legal issue that would take six months, because a city attorney would have to
look at that. But a trained administrator, as one example, would do the right thing
here. As your partner, I wish we could be supportive of the fee increases. I know
everyone's got budgets. They need their money. But at this point in time, unless we see
the improvements, we would ask for a judicious six-month deferral so that your staff
can really work on these improvements and we can come back together as your
partners in this. Thank you very much.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Rob Piper: Yeah, good morning. Happy New Year to you all. Madam Mayor,
congratulations. Board of Commissioners, thank you. Mr. Escalona, congratulations.
My name is Rob Piper. I reside at 1401 Southwest 17th Terrace. I'm here to speak on
RE.8. Just to ask, if you can't answer directly, I understand, because there's a lot
about this process that I myself am still learning. I just have to ask, why? Even your
elections are in fact a good thing, but why move the 2031 election all the way to
2032? Can't it just be moved from, say, 2031 to 2030 or 2029 to 2028? Why -- is it an
administrative thing, an administrative issue to add that extra year to make five-year
terms? Why can 't it just be reduced down to three years? Is it a question of getting all
the ducks in the row? Again, I'm asking because I don't know. I don't know why it has
to be an extra year when my instincts tell me that the overwhelmingly amount of
Miami residents would like to see this get done in a timely manner, like say maybe
move it to 2028, or if that's too fast, possibly 2030. I just would like to know why it
has to -- it has to -- it has to wait till 2032. I'm asking. Okay, but thank you very much
and happy new year.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
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Maria Cottin: Good morning and Happy New Year to you all. My name is Maria
Cristina Cottin, and I'm here to speak on behalf of the current administration at
Tower Theater. While we don't put in doubt that it was phenomenal that Miami Dade
College opened a theater that was closed, it was great, it was fantastic for us all
artists. We don't put in doubt that our city of Miami is a city that is a model of
diversity and inclusion. We pride ourselves in having a community that comes from
everywhere in the world, and the Tower Theater is a current true example of that
statement. Miami -Dade started the ball rolling -- Miami Dade College, I mean,
started the ball rolling, but now it's in the hands of artists that truly care about this
theater, they care about its future. For the last few years, the Tower has managed to
flourish by creating constant jobs and opportunity for small and large artists. It is a
home that values its people and their creativity, and it is not about holding grudges.
This is about the Tower belonging to its city. This is about the Tower belonging with
the artists and the audience, who enjoy the variety of programming. It belongs to
everyone. It is a haven and a model of teamwork and inclusion, a true example to us
all. Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Suzanne Battle: Good morning. I would like to say hello to all the commissioners.
Congratulations to Eileen Higgins. Rolando Escalona, congratulations. My name is
Suzy Battle. I'm the owner and founder of Azucar Ice Cream in the heart of Little
Havana. The person who sees the Tower Theater more than me is no one because it is
in front of me, it's nay only view. I will say to all the artists that are here, there are five
other live performance venues in Little Havana. Five. So, that being said, since the
Tower Theater is turning 100 years old this year, it is a beauty, it is magnificent. I
have been privileged to be in front of it for 15 years. So, that being said, I would like
to take back the Tower Theater, give it to the hands of Miami Dade College, who
understand how to run a theater of which it was supposed to be a theater always.
When I started, there were people that would go to the theater in jackets, in beautiful
dresses. Let's bring it back to that. The last administration took it away and started
something that I'm not understanding, because if there were so many, people there,
why is it always closed? I go across the street, I try to open the doors, it's closed.
(COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD)
Ms. Battle: It's closed.
Chair King: Please, please, please.
Ms. Battle: I see it every day.
Chair King: Okay, okay.
Unidentified Speaker: Boo, boo.
(COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD)
Ms. Battle: It does not matter. I'm telling you; I look at it every day, it's my only view.
It should be with people that understand how to run it, how to clean it, how to put it
together, and how to do the programming. Thank you so much.
Chair King: Thank you.
(COMMENTS MADE OFF THE RECORD)
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Chair King: Good morning.
Katrina Morris: Good morning. Katrina Morris, District 2. I would ask you all to
please withdraw SR.7 and PZ.5. Essentially, this item acts like a subsidy for
developers of luxury high-rises in Edgewater and Watson Island. So, basically, we're
supposed to allow in T4, T5, and T6 extra density that is already available in Miami
21, but the developers don't want -- so we're off -- so confusing. The developers are
supposed to pay in to a resiliency fund for buildings, luxury high-rises, with a median
sale price way more than the rest of Miami, okay? They overbuilt in a high -risk zone,
and now they want the rest of Miami to have double density without -- they'll give a
15 percent discount if you allow for 2 percent at a certain affordability. It's like the
chicanery that goes on to get the developers what they want without us noticing is
getting really frustrating. And we are paying for the amenities of these luxury high-
rises. If they -- if they want to build luxury high-rises in a high -risk zone, they need to
pay for the infrastructure. The people building need to pay for the infrastructure. Why
are we paving for their amenities? Why? Why? That's it.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Joel Rodriguez: Good morning. Joel Rodriguez, 235 Northeast 25th Street.
Congratulations, Madam Mayor, and congratulations to your new position. So, I'm
here to speak on SR.7 and PZ.5. This new ordinance will promote more affordable
ownership instead of high -density, multifamily rentals that will be created through
other legislation that the state and the county has provided. This gives the power back
to the city and allows the dollars that come into Edgewater to stay in Edgewater. This
is not an ordinance that impacts the entire city as was earlier stated. This is focused
specifically in the district of Edgewater. We've been providing funding for citywide
improvements because of our taxing district. The money that comes in Edgewater
should stay in Edgewater. So, I strongly support this item, and I ask that the
Commission approve it. Thank you very much.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Xiani Cox: Good morning. Xiani Cox, District 3. New year, same corruption, same
mafia, same Miami circus. So, I'm here to speak on a wide range of issues, but you
know, there are a few that I saw on the agenda, including the moving of the city
elections to even years. You know, we can talk about moving the elections to even
years, but first we need to clean the corruption in City Hall before we can talk about
moving the elections to even years. And I don't think we should be extending a term. I
think the commissioners and the mayor should have to take away their own year in
order to move the election to even years, because I think it can help boost turnout, but
we need to do it in a way where the voters can decide, and it's not done in a
backroom deal. Also, regarding Watson Island, please don't give that away. And
Tower Theater, you know, stop giving away the valuables, Olympia Theater. All the --
all those public lands are just being given away. And in regards to the new city
manager being appointed, I just think we need -- you know, we don't need another
insider in City Hall because the mayor promised and the mayor campaigned on being
anti -corruption. But you can't be anti -corruption if' you're going to appoint a Miami -
Dade County insider who was appointed -- who was given a title just so he could
boost his resume for sheriff. So, I think we need a city manager that's going to come
into the City and that's going to clean out and root out all the corruption. And we just
need the mafia and the corruption to stop. So, I hope you guys don't nominate him as
city manager and that you guys pick somebody who is more qualified, in my opinion,
and who is not an uber consultant. Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
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Armando Rodriguez: Good morning. My name is Armando Rodriguez. 1 have been a
member of the Neighborhood Association of Edgewater since 1987, and 1 have been
an activist in that area since the 1980s. Edgewater has been neglected for many
years, and this is the first project that benefit Edgewater. I have been a property
owner in Edgewater for 46 years. I have been in this place, with Dorothy Quintana,
that used to be the mayor of Wynwood, as she was called, and with Ann -Marie Adker,
that was known by the name of the mayor of Overtown, fighting when they wanted to
put Camillus House in Miami Avenue on 19th Street and when they want to put a
container park where today is Midtown. When I get with Rosario Kennedy and those
equipments to destroy crack houses, many, many years, 1 am not a newcomer, I am a
new face for most of you here. This project will help us to improve the flooding
situation in Edgewater. The first meeting I attended for the building of the baywalk
was in the 1970s. And please approve 5R7 [sic] and PZ.5. This will allow the City to
have a baywalk. This project will allow the young people to buy properties in the City
of Miami at a reasonable price. This is a fantastic project. I have been involved in this
project with Father Menendez for more than a year.
Chair King: Thank you.
Mr. Rodriguez: So, please, I expect you to approve it. Thank you very much.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Jessica Fernandez: Good morning, Madam Chairwoman. Congratulations, Madam
Mayor, Commissioner Escalona. Welcome, all, to the dais. Jessica Fernandez on
behalf of Crown Castle. I'm here to speak in favor of PZ.4. I want to thank
Commissioner Rosado for his leadership in bringing this others towers ordinance on
the agenda today. And I really think that the changes are going to be really'
meaningful and to help further technology infrastructure investments. I also want to
give a special shout out to Assistant Planning Director Graham Jones for his
excellent collaboration and communication. I really appreciate the changes made and
hope you guys have a great day.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Sandra Gonzalez: Good morning. My name is Sandra Gonzalez. I live in 3320
Southwest 16 Terrace. I am here -- Commissioners, first of all, happy new year to all
of you. I'm here to support the proposal to the acquisition of the piece of land to
create a community park in Coral Gate. Commissioners, we live in a year -- an era of
isolation. The problem -- we live in an epidemic of isolation. Modern society and
modern life has broken us in -- in pieces where we don't have any places to connect.
The social media, the cell phones, the way of life has taken each day more and more
away from each other. I can't think of a better way to spend our taxpayers' money as
creating a venue and a place for people to connect. Sports and entertainment and --
and recreation is the best way for people to connect with each other. If you look in
England, for example, they have instituted a Ministry of Loneliness, because we live
in an era of loneliness. People have no way to connect with each other. And you guys
can embellish the city. You guys have done beautiful things to do beautiful places to
embellish the city. But I think the connection between our community, our citizens,
our residents, is utmost important. We have nothing with a beautiful city where people
have no places and no venues and no vehicles for connection, so I am here to strongly
support the purchase of this and the development and a -- of a place and activities
where people can connect. Thank you, for your attention, Commissioners.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
Gabriel Perez: Good morning. My name is Gabriel Perez. I am a theater artist. 1 had
the pleasure of studying theater at FIU (Florida International University). I just
graduated in 2022, and as someone who has been kick-starting an acting career here
in the city, I have been able to work with numerous theaters, numerous companies,
and in this matter, I believe that companies like Ruta Teatral have the city's best
interests for the culture of the city, for artists trying to work in the city, for artists
trying to make something of themselves, not trying to leave, but trying to invest in this
beautiful city. Manuel Mendoza, 1 agree with a lot of his points, and 1 think that
independent companies are the future of the culture of the city growing. Thank you so
much.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Billy Corben: Good morning and Happy New Year. Billy Corben on item CA.11 and
RE.11. Congratulations Madam Mayor and the new commissioner on your historic
election victories, and Madam Chair for starting on time-ish this meeting today.
Public comment feels it's like two hours early. As you consider some important items
today, including whether or not to reappoint City Attorney George Wysong and hire a
new city manager with a starting salary of $475.000 plus benefits, I'd like to remind
you that change is not new people doing the same things. Change is doing something
different. It cannot be a new era in the City of Miami without a full accounting of the
waste, fraud, and abuse of the last eight years. Without that, it's just a cover-up,
whether you intend it or not. Only through accountability can we get the closure
required to truly move forward. How can we herald a new era in Miami government
without George Wysong finally telling us the total amount of tax dollars spent on Joe
Carollo's corruption defense? You've been asking for years, Commissioner. And why
has the City Attorney's Office failed to take any action to collect the tens of millions of
dollars Carollo owes taxpayers? Remember, a federal civil jury, after sitting for a
month listening to dozens of witnesses, looking through hundreds of pages of
evidence, including mostly internal city documents, they found, the jury, that Joe
Carollo did not act alone. He weaponized government to violate the constitutional
rights of business owners, along with many people who are still here in this
government. How can we move on without an independent investigation that you 've
never done? We have an inspector general now. He's making over $300,000 a year.
What's he up to? It's time to part ways with City Attorney George Wysong and
Assistant City Attorneys Kevin Jones and Rachel Dooley. Only in government could
people that incompetent and unethical make over a million dollars a year combined.
And Wysong only wanted the job because nobody else wanted it. Nobody else applied
because nobody wanted to work here at the City of Miami. If it's truly a new era, with
the amount of money you're paving people, maybe you can get some new, better
talent. Thank you.
Chair King: Thank you.
Maria Carla Chicuen: Good morning, Commissioners, community members.
Congratulations to newly appointed Madam Mayor and Commissioner Escalona. I
am here speaking on behalf of Miami Dade College, where I am proud to serve as
Executive Director of Cultural Affairs. Miami Dade College is grateful to the City of
Miami for considering the college once again as a potential steward and manager of
the historic Tower Theater. For more than 20 years, Miami Dade College operated
the Tower Theater as a vibrant, cultural, and educational space, serving Little
Havana, Calle Ocho, and the greater Miami community. During that time, the college
invested significant resources in the preservation, maintenance, and activation of the
theater, welcoming more than 1.2 million visitors, and generating meaningful cultural
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
and economic impact for the surrounding neighborhood. Miami Dade College has a
long-standing commitment to the arts, film, and community engagement, including
through the Miami Film Festival, the Miami Book Fair, Live Arts Miami, our Museum
of Art and Design, the Cubic Center, and the year-round programming at our
campuses. That commitment has always been rooted in access, education, and
partnership with the communities we serve. If given the opportunity to once again
operate the Tower Theater, Miami Dade College looks forward to working in
collaboration with the City of Miami, community leaders, local organizations, artists,
and residents to ensure that the theater remains an active, inclusive, and welcoming
cultural space. Any future programming and operations would be developed
thoughtfully and in alignment with the City's goals for historic preservation, public
access, and community use. Thank you very much.
Chair King: Thank you.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, my apologies, may 1 have the speaker 's name
for the record? Ma'am?
Chair King: Ma'am, your name please ?
Ms. Chicuen: Maria Carla Chicuen.
Chair King: Thank you. Good morning.
Ximena Iribaraew: Hi. My name is Ximena Iribaraew. My address is 34038 [sic]
Southwest 8th Street, Miami, 33135. I have a non-profit organization. The name is
Hand2Hand Team, and we have a small company, the name is The Open Comedy,
and I have a -- I help to speak, everyone that I have to say.
Ms. Iribareaw (as translated by official Spanish interpreter, Irene Orces): I am from
Hand2Hand Team, a non-profit that promotes the theater community inclusion for
Hispanics and special needs groups. We were the first organization that presented
The Tempest, a play by William Shakespeare after the Miami -Dade College era
ended. That play brought all kinds of fami1v members to come together to the theater
in an amazing and amusing way. We think that it 's indispensable for Miami's cultural
growth that there be a place that connects community with culture. I visited the tower
in its early times when no one even knew that it existed. Today, everyone knows about
it, and everyone attends it regularly.
Ms. Iribareaw: Okay. Thank you very much. The -- I have to say in my bad English
that I think it's -- it's -- this tower, in Miami, nobody know where is -- where, where,
where. Now, Miami know about the tower. Miami know the tower is there, and we
have to be there -- to -- that Miami have more cultural movement.
Chair King: Thank you. Is there anyone else that would like to speak? Seeing none,
public comment period is now closed.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
AM - APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE FOLLOWING MEETINGS:
MV - MAYORAL VETO(ES)
There were no mayoral vetoes associated with legislation that is subject to veto by the Mayor.
END OF MAYORAL VETO(ES)
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
CA.1
18624
Department of Fire -
Rescue
CA - CONSENT AGENDA
The following item(s) was Adopted on the Consent Agenda
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Ralph "Rafael" Rosado, Commissioner
SECONDER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado, Gabela
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION PURSUANT
TO SECTION 18-112 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, ("CITY CODE"), APPROVING A
CONTRACT WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST OF MIAMI-DADE
COUNTY, FLORIDA, AN AGENCY AND INSTRUMENTALITY OF
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ("PUBLIC ENTITY") FOR THE PROVISION
OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH SERVICES ("SERVICES") FOR A
TERM OF THREE (3) YEARS IN AN ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF
EIGHT HUNDRED SIXTY THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS
($860,000.00) ANNUALLY; ALLOCATING FUNDS FOR THIS
PURPOSE FROM ACCOUNT NO.
00001.184021.531020.0000.00000 FROM THE FIRE -RESCUE
DEPARTMENT'S OPERATING BUDGET, OR OTHER LEGALLY
AVAILABLE FUNDING SOURCES, SUBJECT TO THE
AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE
TIME OF NEED; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, WITH PUBLIC ENTITY
FOR THE SERVICES, CONSISTENT WITH THE TERMS SET
FORTH HEREIN; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER
TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING
AMENDMENTS, RENEWALS, AND EXTENSIONS, ALL IN FORMS
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND SUBJECT TO ALL
ALLOCATIONS, APPROPRIATIONS, AND PRIOR BUDGETARY
APPROVALS, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE
PROVISIONS OF THE CITY CODE, INCLUDING, THE CITY OF
MIAMI'S PROCUREMENT ORDINANCE, ANTI -DEFICIENCY ACT,
AND FINANCIAL INTEGRITY PRINCIPLES, ALL AS SET FORTH IN
CHAPTER 18 OF THE CITY CODE, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH
ALL APPLICABLE LAWS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS, AS MAY
BE DEEMED NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE; PROVIDING
FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0001
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Chair King: Gentlemen, are there any items on the consent agenda that you would
like to pull for discussion?
Commissioner Pardo: No.
Commissioner Escalona: No.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
Chair King: Okay. May 1 have a motion to pass --?
Commissioner Rosado: So moved.
Chair King: Let me -- let me get it out.
Commissioner Pardo: Second.
Chair King: Let me get it out. May 1 have a motion --
Commissioner Gabela: Competition.
Chair King: -- to pass CA.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, I believe you mentioned CA.9.
Chair King: I'm sorry, CA.9 was deferred. I have a motion and a second. Ali in
favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Motion carries unanimously.
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
CA.2
18628
Department of Fire -
Rescue
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
EXECUTE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT FOR THE PROVISION
OF MEDICAL DIRECTION SERVICES FOR THE DEPARTMENT
OF FIRE -RESCUE ("FIRE"), WITH THE PUBLIC HEALTH TRUST
OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, AN AGENCY AND
INSTRUMENTALITY OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ("HEALTH
TRUST") FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE (5) YEARS WITH ONE (1)
OPTION TO RENEW FOR ONE ADDITIONAL TWO (2) YEAR
PERIOD; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM FIRE ACCOUNT CODE
00001.181000.531000.0000.00000, SUBJECT TO THE
AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE
TIME OF NEED; 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 APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF THE CODE
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"),
INCLUDING, THE CITY OF MIAMI'S PROCUREMENT
ORDINANCE, ANTI -DEFICIENCY ACT, AND FINANCIAL
INTEGRITY PRINCIPLES, ALL AS SET FORTH IN CHAPTER 18
OF THE CITY CODE, ALL IN A FORM 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-26-0002
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.2, please see Item
Number CA.1.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
CA.3 RESOLUTION
18594
Department of
Human Services
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL REVENUE
PROJECT TITLED "OUTREACH SALARY MATCH PROGRAM PC-
2526-STAFF-3" AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS, IN AN AMOUNT
NOT TO EXCEED ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-FIVE THOUSAND
($135,000.00), CONSISTING OF A GRANT FROM THE MIAMI-
DADE COUNTY THROUGH THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
HOMELESS TRUST ("COUNTY") FOR A TWELVE (12) MONTH
PERIOD, WITH NO CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") MATCHING FUNDS
REQUIRED, TO SUPPORT THE OUTREACH STAFF SALARIES
AND FRINGE BENEFITS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY)
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES ("DEPARTMENT")
HOMELESS SERVICES DIVISION; AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH THE
COUNTY FOR SAID PURPOSE, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE
ATTACHED FORM, CONDITIONED UPON THE AVAILABILITY OF
THE CITY RESOURCES THAT MAY BE REQUIRED TO
IMPLEMENT THE ACCEPTANCE OF AND COMPLIANCE WITH
THE GRANT; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
EXECUTE UP TWO (2) ADDITIONAL ONE-YEAR RENEWALS TO
THE AGREEMENT AND DOCUMENTS NECESSARY, ALL IN A
FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, IN
FURTHERANCE OF THE GRANT.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0003
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.3, please see
"Public Comments for aliltem(s)" and Item Number CA.1.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
CA.4 RESOLUTION
18596
Department of
Human Services
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL REVENUE
PROJECT TITLED "MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT (MOA)
PROGRAM PC-2526-MOA" AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS, IN AN
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED OF FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
DOLLARS ($500,000.00), CONSISTING OF A GRANT FROM
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY THROUGH THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
HOMELESS TRUST ("COUNTY") WITH NO CITY OF MIAMI
("CITY") MATCHING FUNDS REQUIRED, TO PROVIDE
EXTENDED OUTREACH, AND HOUSING SERVICES TO
HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS REFERRED THROUGH MIAMI-DADE
COUNTY JUDICIAL AND HEALTH SYSTEMS; AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A GRANT AGREEMENT WITH
THE COUNTY FOR SAID PURPOSE, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE
ATTACHED FORM ("AGREEMENT"), CONDITIONED UPON THE
AVAILABILITY OF THE CITY RESOURCES THAT MAY BE
REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE ACCEPTANCE OF AND
COMPLIANCE WITH SAID GRANT AWARD; FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE UP TWO (2)
ADDITIONAL ONE-YEAR RENEWALS TO THE AGREEMENT AND
OTHER DOCUMENTS NECESSARY, ALL IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, IN FURTHERANCE OF
THE GRANT.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0004
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.4, please see
"Public Comments for aliltem(s)" and Item Number CA.1.
City of Miami Page 30 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
CA.5 RESOLUTION
18627
Department of
Human Services
CA.6
18639
Office of the City
Attorney
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL REVENUE
PROJECT TITLED "HMIS STAFFING PROGRAM PC-2526-STAFF-
1, AND IDENTIFICATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM PC-2526-ID-1"
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED
THIRTY SEVEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED SIXTY SIX
DOLLARS ($37,166.00), CONSISTING OF A GRANT FROM MIAMI-
DADE COUNTY THROUGH THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
HOMELESS TRUST ("COUNTY"), WITH NO CITY OF MIAMI
("CITY") MATCHING FUNDS REQUIRED, TO ASSIST HOMELESS
INDIVIDUALS WITH THE REPLACEMENT OF LOST
IDENTIFICATIONS AND STAFFING FOR THE HOMELESS
MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM ("HMIS"); AUTHORIZING
THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A GRANT AGREEMENT
WITH THE COUNTY FOR SAID PURPOSE, IN SUBSTANTIALLY
THE ATTACHED FORM, CONDITIONED UPON THE
AVAILABILITY OF THE CITY RESOURCES THAT MAY BE
REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE ACCEPTANCE OF AND
COMPLIANCE WITH SAID GRANT; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE UP TO TWO (2) ADDITIONAL
ONE-YEAR RENEWALS AND ALL AMENDMENTS TO THE
AGREEMENT OR DOCUMENTS NECESSARY, ALL IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, IN FURTHERANCE OF
THE GRANT.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0005
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.5, please see
"Public Comments for aliltem(s)" and Item Number CA.1.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE TO PAY ZACHARY
BLUE, WITHOUT ADMISSION OF LIABILITY, THE TOTAL SUM OF
THIRTY-FIVE THOUSAND ($35,000.00) IN FULL AND COMPLETE
SETTLEMENT OF ANY AND ALL CLAIMS AND DEMANDS,
INCLUDING ALL CLAIMS FOR ATTORNEYS' FEES, AGAINST THE
CITY OF MIAMI AND ITS OFFICERS, AGENTS, AND EMPLOYEES
(COLLECTIVELY, "CITY") IN THE CASE STYLED ZACHARY BLUE
VS. CITY OF MIAMI ET AL., PENDING IN THE CIRCUIT COURT
FOR THE ELEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR MIAMI-
DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, CASE NO.: 2021-001704-CA 01, UPON
THE EXECUTION OF A GENERAL RELEASE OF ALL CLAIMS
AND DEMANDS BROUGHT FOR NEGLIGENCE PENDING IN
STATE COURT AND A DISMISSAL OF THE CITY WITH
PREJUDICE; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM ACCOUNT NO.
50001.301001.545011.0000.00000.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0006
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.6, please see Item
Number CA.1.
City of Miami Page 31 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
CA.7 RESOLUTION
18580
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
EXECUTE AN OFF -SYSTEM CONSTRUCTION AND
MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE
ATTACHED FORM, WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ("FDOT"), FOR
IMPROVEMENTS ON STATE ROAD 968 / SOUTHWEST 1
STREET AT THE INTERSECTION WITH SOUTHWEST 6 AVENUE,
MIAMI, FLORIDA, FOR GENERAL ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS
IN THIS CORRIDOR, INCLUDING IMPROVEMENTS ON ROADS
NOT ON THE STATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0007
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.7, please see Item
Number CA.1.
CA.8 RESOLUTION
18605
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING TEN (10) RIGHT-OF-WAY DEEDS
OF DEDICATION AS DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A," ATTACHED
AND INCORPORATED ("DEEDS"), FOR RIGHT-OF-WAY
PURPOSES; APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE
RECORDATION OF THE DEEDS IN THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA; FURTHER DIRECTING THE
CITY CLERK TO RETAIN A COPY OF THE DEEDS.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0008
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.8, please see Item
Number CA.1.
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
CA.9 RESOLUTION - Item Pulled from Conser'
18642
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
CA.10
18691
Office of the City
Clerk
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), PERMITTING ENCROACHMENTS, PURSUANT
TO SECTION 55-14(B) OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, IN CERTAIN CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") RIGHTS -OF -WAY
IN FURTHERANCE OF THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION'S ("FDOT") IMPROVEMENTS TO STATE
ROAD 836 ("SR 836") AND INTERSTATE 395 ("1-395") FROM
NORTHWEST 17 AVENUE TO BISCAYNE BAY; AUTHORIZING
THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE THE CONVEYANCE OF
FIFTEEN (15) EASEMENTS TO THE GREATER MIAMI
EXPRESSWAY AGENCY ("GMX") FOR SAID ENCROACHMENTS
AND ACCEPT TWO (2) EASEMENTS FROM GMX, IN THE AREAS
SUBSTANTIALLY DEPICTED HEREIN; AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO TAKE ALL ACTIONS NECESSARY TO
EFFECTUATE THE PURPOSE OF THIS RESOLUTION.
TO: Defer
RESULT: DEFERRED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ralph "Rafael" Rosado, Commissioner
AYES: King, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
ABSENT: Gabela
Note for the Record: Item CA.9 was deferred to the February 26, 2026, City
Commission Meeting.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.9, please see "Order of
the Day."
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
REAPPOINTING TODD B. HANNON AS THE CITY CLERK OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA WITH COMPENSATION AND
EMOLUMENTS TO REMAIN THE SAME.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0009
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number CA.10, please see Item
Number CA.1.
City of Miami Page 33 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
CA.11
18692
Office of the City
Attorney
RESOLUTION - Item Pulled from Conseil'
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
REAPPOINTING GEORGE K. WYSONG III AS CITY ATTORNEY
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, WITH COMPENSATION AND
EMOLUMENTS TO REMAIN THE SAME.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0010
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number CA.11,
please see "Public Comments for allItem(s)."
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): Madam Chair, you skipped -- you skipped 11.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Right.
Chair King: Oh, I'm -- that -- it was not intentional, I'm sorry. May 1 have a motion
forCA.11?
Commissioner Gabela: Motion.
Commissioner Pardo: Second.
Commissioner Rosado: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Motion carries unanimously. Congratulations, Mr. City Clerk, and
congratulations, Mr. City Attorney, on your reappointment.
George Wysong (City Attorney): Thank you, Madam Chair.
END OF CONSENT AGENDA
City of Miami Page 34 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
PH - PUBLIC HEARINGS
PH.1 RESOLUTION
18656
Department of
Housing and
Community
Development
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), BY A FOUR -FIFTHS (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE
VOTE, FOLLOWING AN ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARING,
RATIFYING AND APPROVING THE CITY MANAGER'S FINDING,
ATTACHED HERETO AS ATTACHMENT "B," THAT COMPETITIVE
NEGOTIATION METHODS AND PROCEDURES ARE NOT
PRACTICABLE OR ADVANTAGEOUS FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI
("CITY"), PURSUANT TO SECTION 29-B(A) OF THE CITY
CHARTER AND SECTION 18-182(C) OF THE CITY CODE;
WAIVING SUCH REQUIREMENTS; AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO TRANSFER, SUBJECT TO RESTRICTIONS AND
AUTOMATIC REVERTER PROVISIONS, THE CITY -OWNED
PARCEL LOCATED AT 1624 NW 1 COURT, MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
DESCRIBED IN ATTACHMENT "A," TO L'HEURE PRODUCTIONS,
INC., A FLORIDA NOT -FOR -PROFIT CORPORATION
("DEVELOPER"); APPROPRIATING ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-
FIVE THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($175,000.00) FROM THE
DISTRICT 5 COMMISSIONER'S SHARE OF FUNDS
APPORTIONED BETWEEN THE FIVE (5) COMMISSION
DISTRICTS PURSUANT TO THE ANTI -POVERTY INITIATIVE
FORMULA FOR THE COMMISSIONER OF EACH DISTRICT,
SUBJECT TO THE RECEIPT BY THE CITY MANAGER OF THE
APPROVAL OF THE PROJECT BY THE CITY'S HOUSING AND
COMMERCIAL LOAN COMMITTEE ("HCLC") ("HCLC APPROVAL"),
AND SUBJECT TO THE TERMS, CONDITIONS, AND
RESTRICTIONS CONTAINED HEREIN, AND IN THE HCLC
APPROVAL, AND COMPLIANCE WITH ALL TERMS AND
CONDITIONS SET FORTH THEREIN; SAID FUNDS TO BE USED
FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DUPLEX CONSISTING OF TWO
(2) TWO-STORY SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENCES AS AN
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT; FURTHER AUTHORIZING
THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ALL
NECESSARY AGREEMENTS AND DOCUMENTS, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, SUBJECT TO
COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE OF
FLORIDA ("STATE"), LOCAL, AND CITY LAWS, RULES, AND
REGULATIONS FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS AND
SUBJECT TO THE DEVELOPER FULFILLING ALL OF THE TERMS
AND CONDITIONS TO BE SET FORTH IN THE HCLC APPROVAL,
IN ORDER TO ALLOCATE THE CITY'S ARPA FUNDING TO THE
PROJECT AND TO EFFECTUATE THE TRANSFER.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0011
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
Chair King: Gentlemen, of the public hearing items, are there any of the items that
you would like to pull for discussion?
Commissioner Rosado: No.
Commissioner Pardo: No.
Commissioner Gabela: Can I just ask, I'm sorry because I was tardy. I --
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Gabela: -- I apologize, but can I just ask which ones were deferred?
Chair King: PH -- PH.8 will be shown as discussed.
Commissioner Gabela: Okay.
Chair King: PH.9 has been withdrawn.
Commissioner Gabela: Okay.
Chair King: PH10 will be shown as discussed.
Commissioner Gabela: Okay.
Chair King: And PH.11 has been withdrawn. PH.8 and PH.10 do not need to be voted
on, correct?
George Wysong (City Attorney): Yes, Madam Chair, that's correct.
Chair King: Okay --
Commissioner Gabela: Thank you.
Chair King: -- anyone wants to pull any items for discussion? Seeing none, let me get
them out. May I have a motion for P --
Commissioner Gabela: Motion.
Chair King: Let me get it out. Let me just put it on the record. PH.1, PH.2, PH.3, 4, 5,
6, 7 as amended, PH -- that's it. I have a motion. Mav I have a second?
Commissioner Escalona: Second.
Commissioner Rosado: Second.
Chair King: I have a motion and a second. All in favor?
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Items passes unanimously.
PH.2 RESOLUTION
18651
Department of
Housing and
Community
Development
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ALLOCATING ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM THE
DISTRICT 5 COMMISSIONER'S SHARE OF THE FUNDS
APPORTIONED BETWEEN THE FIVE (5) COMMISSION
DISTRICTS PURSUANT TO THE ANTI -POVERTY INITIATIVE
FORMULA FOR THE COMMISSIONER OF EACH DISTRICT IN A
TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED FIVE HUNDRED FIFTY
THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($550,000.00) FOR THE
DISTRICT SPONSORED "DISTRICT 5 SENIOR RENTAL
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ("PROGRAM") AS SPECIFIED IN
EXHIBIT "A," ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED; FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, SUBJECT
TO APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS OF ALL FEDERAL, STATE,
AND LOCAL LAWS, INCLUDING THE CHARTER OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, AND CODE OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, AS AMENDED, ALL IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, FOR SAID PURPOSE; THE USE, ALLOCATION, AND
APPROPRIATION OF THE FUNDS REFERENCED HEREIN ARE
SUBJECT TO ALL FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAWS THAT
REGULATE THE USE OF SUCH FUNDS AND THE RECEIPT OF
ALL NECESSARY APPROVALS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED
TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER
TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO ADJUST, AMEND, AND
APPROPRIATE THE CITY'S OPERATING BUDGET, FIVE-YEAR
FINANCIAL PLAN, STRATEGIC PLAN, MULTI -YEAR CAPITAL
PLAN, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS AS NECESSARY AND
APPLICABLE, PURSUANT TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS
RESOLUTION, AUTHORIZING, RATIFYING, APPROVING, AND
CONFIRMING CERTAIN NECESSARY ACTIONS BY THE CITY
MANAGER AND THE DESIGNATED CITY DEPARTMENTS TO
UPDATE THE RELEVANT FINANCIAL CONTROLS, PROJECTS
CLOSE-OUTS, ACCOUNTING ENTRIES, AND COMPUTER
SYSTEM IN CONNECTION HEREWITH.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0012
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PH.2, please see Item
Number PH.1.
City of Miami Page 37 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
PH.3
18633
Department of
Police
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), BY AN AFFIRMATIVE FOUR -FIFTHS (4/STHS)
VOTE PURSUANT TO SECTION 18-92 OF THE CODE OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"),
RATIFYING, CONFIRMING, AND APPROVING THE CITY
MANAGER'S WRITTEN FINDINGS, ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A", THAT ONLY ONE
REASONABLE SOURCE OF SUPPLY EXISTS FOR THE
PROVISION OF A GIS-RAPIDSOS HOSTED, NON -EMERGENCY,
AUTOMATION -ALARM CALL AUTOMATION, COMMUNICATOR -
VOICE, TEXT, & VIDEO INTELLIGENCE, AND SINGLE SIGN ON
(SSO) SOFTWARE ("SERVICES"); APPROVING THE AWARD OF A
CONTRACT TO RAPIDSOS, INC. ("CONTRACTOR") FOR THE
SERVICES FOR AN INITIAL TERM OF FIVE (5) YEARS AND
OPTION(S) TO RENEW ANNUALLY FOR ADDITIONAL ONE-YEAR
(1 YEAR) TERM(S), SUCH RENEWALS BEING CONTINGENT
UPON AN ANNUAL FINDING OF SOLE -SOURCE BY THE
PROCUREMENT DIRECTOR, IN AN TOTAL ESTIMATED AMOUNT
OF FIVE HUNDRED TWENTY-FOUR THOUSAND FOUR
HUNDRED SIXTEEN AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($524,416.00);
ALLOCATING FUNDS FOR THIS PURPOSE FROM ACCOUNT NO.
12000.190351.549000, OR OTHER LEGALLY AVAILABLE
FUNDING SOURCES, SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS
AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE TIME OF NEED;
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE A CONTRACT, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, WITH CONTRACTOR FOR THE SERVICES,
CONSISTENT WITH THE TERMS SET FORTH HEREIN; FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE ANY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING AMENDMENTS,
RENEWALS, AND EXTENSIONS, ALL IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO
THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND SUBJECT TO ALL ALLOCATIONS,
APPROPRIATIONS, AND PRIOR BUDGETARY APPROVALS, AND
IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF THE CITY
CODE, INCLUDING, THE CITY OF MIAMI'S PROCUREMENT
ORDINANCE, ANTI -DEFICIENCY ACT, AND FINANCIAL
INTEGRITY PRINCIPLES, ALL AS SET FORTH IN CHAPTER 18 OF
THE CITY CODE, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE
LAWS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS, AS MAY BE DEEMED
NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE; PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0013
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PH.3, please see
"Order of the Day" and Item Number PH.1.
City of Miami Page 38 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
PH.4 RESOLUTION
18423
Department of
Human Services
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), BY A FOUR -FIFTHS (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE
VOTE, AFTER AN ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARING, RATIFYING,
APPROVING, AND CONFIRMING THE CITY MANAGER'S
FINDINGS, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A,"
THAT COMPETITIVE NEGOTIATION METHODS AND
PROCEDURES ARE NOT PRACTICABLE OR ADVANTAGEOUS
FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY"); WAIVING THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR SAID PROCEDURES; ALLOCATING FUNDS
FROM THE CITY'S NDA ACCOUNT NO. 00001.980000.882000 IN
AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED ONE HUNDRED TWENTY
THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($120,000.00) ("FUNDS") TO
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION, INC., A
FLORIDA NOT FOR PROFIT CORPORATION ("FOUNDATION"),
FOR THE PROVISION OF FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND ASSET -
BASED RESOURCES TO CITY RESIDENTS FOR INCREASED
POST -SECONDARY EDUCATION, TECHNICAL SKILLS
ATTAINMENT, AND IMPROVED FUTURE WORKFORCE ACCESS
AND INCOME MOBILITY("PROGRAM"), AUTHORIZED PURSUANT
TO RESOLUTION NO. R-19-0051, WITH THE FOUNDATION
ASSUMING FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SET-UP,
ACCEPTANCE, AND MANAGEMENT OF THE FUNDS TO
CONTINUE THE FUTURE BOUND MIAMI CONSORTIUM
PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE ('CONSORTIUM") WHICH PROVIDES
CHILDREN'S SAVINGS ACCOUNTS ("CSA") TO KINDERGARTEN
STUDENTS ENTERING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS; FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, FOR SAID PURPOSE;
PROVIDING FOR THE INCORPORATION OF RECITALS AND AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0014
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PH.4, please see
"Public Comments for allltem(s)" and Item Number PH.1.
City of Miami Page 39 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
PH.5 RESOLUTION
18625
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING THE PLAT TITLED "VOLANTE
MIAMI," A REPLAT IN THE CITY OF MIAMI OF THE PROPERTY
DESCRIBED IN ATTACHMENT "1," SUBJECT TO SATISFACTION
OF ALL CONDITIONS REQUIRED BY THE PLAT AND STREET
COMMITTEE AS SET FORTH IN EXHIBIT "A," ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED, AND THE PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN
SECTION 55-8 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA,
AS AMENDED; ACCEPTING THE DEDICATIONS SHOWN ON THE
PLAT; AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER AND
CITY CLERK TO EXECUTE THE PLAT AND CAUSE THE
RECORDATION OF THE PLAT IN THE PUBLIC RECORDS OF
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0015
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PH.5, please see Item
Number PH.1.
City of Miami Page 40 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
PH.6 RESOLUTION
18622
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), BY A FOUR -FIFTHS (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE
VOTE, AFTER AN ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARING, RATIFYING,
CONFIRMING, AND APPROVING THE CITY MANAGER'S
RECOMMENDATION AND WRITTEN FINDINGS, ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED AS "EXHIBIT A," PURSUANT TO SECTION 18-
85(A) OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED ("CITY CODE"); WAIVING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
COMPETITIVE SEALED BIDDING METHODS AS NOT BEING
PRACTICABLE OR ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE CITY OF MIAMI
("CITY") TO ESTABLISH A CONTRACT FOR THE PROVISION OF
RESILIENCE DATA AND ENGAGEMENT SERVICES ("SERVICES")
BY ISEECHANGE, INC. ("ISC") FOR THE CITY'S DEPARTMENT OF
RESILIENCE AND PUBLIC WORKS ("RPW"), FOR A PERIOD OF
ONE (1) YEAR WITH THE OPTION TO RENEW FOR THREE (3)
ADDITIONAL ONE (1)-YEAR PERIODS, IN THE TOTAL
ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-THREE
THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($223,500.00);
ALLOCATING FUNDS FOR THIS PURPOSE FROM ACCOUNT
NOS. 00001.208000.531000.00000, 00001.201200.531000.00000,
OR OTHER LEGALLY AVAILABLE FUNDING SOURCES, SUBJECT
TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL
AT THE TIME OF NEED; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, WITH ISC FOR THE
SERVICES CONSISTENT WITH THE TERMS SET FORTH HEREIN;
FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE
AND EXECUTE ANY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING AMENDMENTS,
RENEWALS, AND EXTENSIONS, ALL IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO
THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND SUBJECT TO ALL ALLOCATIONS,
APPROPRIATIONS, AND PRIOR BUDGETARY APPROVALS, AND
IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE PROVISIONS OF THE CITY
CODE, INCLUDING, THE CITY OF MIAMI'S PROCUREMENT
ORDINANCE, ANTI -DEFICIENCY ACT, AND FINANCIAL
INTEGRITY PRINCIPLES, ALL AS SET FORTH IN CHAPTER 18 OF
THE CITY CODE, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE
LAWS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS, AS MAY BE DEEMED
NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE; PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0016
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PH.6, please see Item
Number PH.1.
City of Miami Page 41 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
PH.7 RESOLUTION
18663
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), PURSUANT TO SECTION 18-85(A) OF THE
CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY
CODE"), BY A FOUR -FIFTHS (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE VOTE,
AFTER AN ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARING, RATIFYING,
APPROVING, AND CONFIRMING THE CITY MANAGER'S
FINDINGS, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A,"
THAT COMPETITIVE NEGOTIATION METHODS AND
PROCEDURES ARE NOT PRACTICABLE OR ADVANTAGEOUS
FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") AND WAIVING THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR SAID PROCEDURES; AUTHORIZING
GRANT FUNDS FROM THE DISTRICT 1 COMMISSIONER'S
SHARE OF THE CITY'S ANTI -POVERTY INITIATIVE IN A TOTAL
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED ONE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED
THIRTEEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED TWENTY DOLLARS
($1,513,820.00) TO SUNSHINE FOR ALL, INC., A FLORIDA NOT
FOR PROFIT CORPORATION ("SUNSHINE FOR ALL"), IN
SUPPORT OF THE SENIOR MEALS PROGRAM AND THE
DISTRICT 1 RESOURCE CENTER PROGRAM (COLLECTIVELY
"PROGRAMS"); FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER
TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY AND ALL DOCUMENTS
NECESSARY, ALL IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, FOR SAID PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0017
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PH.7, please see Item
Number PH.1.
City of Miami Page 42 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
PH.8 RESOLUTION
18468
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), BY A FOUR -FIFTHS (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE
VOTE, PURSUANT TO SECTION 29-C OF THE CHARTER OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, WAIVING COMPETITIVE
BIDDING, AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT FOR PURCHASE
AND SALE ("AGREEMENT") WITH IG LUXURY LLC, A DELAWARE
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ("IG LUXURY"), A WHOLLY -OWNED
INDIRECT SUBSIDIARY OF BH3 IG DEVELOPER LLC, A
DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ("DEVELOPER"), FOR
THE SALE, UPON SATISFACTION OF CERTAIN CLOSING
CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN THE AGREEMENT, OF A PORTION
OF THAT CERTAIN PROPERTY LOCATED AT 888 MACARTHUR
CAUSEWAY, MIAMI, FLORIDA, FOLIO 01-3231-061-0010, SUCH
PORTION CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 3.2 ACRES AND
LEGALLY DESCRIBED IN THE AGREEMENT (THE "PROPERTY"),
FORA PURCHASE PRICE OF TWENTY-NINE MILLION DOLLARS
($29,000,000.00), FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PRIVATE
RESIDENTIAL AND HOTEL PROJECT ("PROJECT"); FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE A COMMUNITY PUBLIC BENEFITS AGREEMENT
("CBA") PURSUANT TO WHICH DEVELOPER OR ITS AFFILIATES
WILL PROVIDE CERTAIN COMMUNITY BENEFITS INCLUDING
PAYMENT TO THE CITY OF NINE MILLION DOLLARS
($9,000,000.00) FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, ALL SUBJECT TO THE
TERMS AND CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN THE CBA; FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE A PARTIAL RELEASE AND MODIFICATION OF THE
DEED RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN DEED NO. 19447 ("STATE
DEED") BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE STATE OF FLORIDA
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT TRUST FUND ("STATE"); FURTHER
AUTHORIZING APPROVAL OF PAYMENT BY CITY TO THE STATE
IN THE AMOUNT OF FOUR MILLION DOLLARS ($4,000,000.00) IN
EXCHANGE FOR THE STATE'S RELEASE AND MODIFICATION OF
RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN THE STATE DEED; FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A QUITCLAIM
DEED ("DEED") CONVEYING THE PROPERTY TO IG LUXURY, IN A
FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY; PROVIDING THAT
SUCH SALE AND CONVEYANCE BE SUBJECT TO APPROVAL BY
THE STATE THROUGH THE STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT
OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION; AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE OTHER ANCILLARY
DOCUMENTS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ESTOPPELS,
AMENDMENTS, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS REASONABLY
REQUIRED BY DEVELOPER, IG LUXURY OR THEIR LENDERS
REQUIRED TO EFFECTUATE THE SALE AND DEVELOPMENT OF
THE PROPERTY AS SET FORTH IN THE AGREEMENT AND THE
CBA, ALL IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-25-0526
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
LRESULT: DISCUSSED
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PH.8, please see
"Order of the Day" and "Public Comments for all Item(s)."
PH.9 RESOLUTION
18696
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
RECONSIDERING RESOLUTION NO. R-25-0526, WHICH
AUTHORIZED THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE A PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT
("AGREEMENT"), IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, WITH IG LUXURY LLC, A DELAWARE LIMITED
LIABILITY COMPANY ("IG LUXURY"), A WHOLLY -OWNED
INDIRECT SUBSIDIARY OF BH3 IG DEVELOPER LLC, A
DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ("DEVELOPER"), FOR
THE SALE, UPON SATISFACTION OF CERTAIN CLOSING
CONDITIONS SET FORTH IN THE AGREEMENT, OF A PORTION
OF THAT CERTAIN PROPERTY LOCATED AT 888 MACARTHUR
CAUSEWAY, MIAMI, FLORIDA, FOLIO 01-3231-061-0010, SUCH
PORTION CONTAINING APPROXIMATELY 3.2 ACRES, AND TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS,
INCLUDING AMENDMENTS AND MODIFICATIONS TO THE
AGREEMENT AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE SAID
AGREEMENT, ALL IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE LAWS,
RULES, AND REGULATIONS.
MOTION TO: Withdraw
RESULT: WITHDRAWN
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ralph "Rafael" Rosado, Commissioner
AYES: King, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
ABSENT: Gabela
Note for the Record: For minutes
"Order of the Day."
referencing Item Number PH.9, please see
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
PH.10 RESOLUTION
18183
Department of
Housing and
Community
Development
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
EXECUTE A SITE ACCESS AGREEMENT ("AGREEMENT"),
BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI AND 5215 FLAGLER STREET,
LLC, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ACCESSING CITY OF MIAMI
OWNED REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 5350 FLAGLER STREET,
MIAMI, FLORIDA, LEGALLY DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A," FOR
STAGING AND PARKING IN CONNECTION WITH THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT, LOCATED AT 5215 WEST
FLAGLER STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA ("FLAGLER VILLAS PHASE
ONE"), AS DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "B", FOR A PERIOD NOT TO
EXCEED THREE HUNDRED SIXTY FIVE (365) DAYS FROM THE
EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE AGREEMENT; FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE ANY AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS INCLUDING
AMENDMENTS, EXTENSIONS, AND RENEWALS, ALL IN FORMS
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, AS MAY BE
NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH
ALL APPLICABLE LAWS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS, FOR SAID
PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-25-0422
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PH.10, please see
"Order of the Day."
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
PH.11
18583
Commissioners
and Mayor
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
RECONSIDERING RESOLUTION NO. R-25-0422, WHICH
AUTHORIZED THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE A SITE ACCESS AGREEMENT ("AGREEMENT"), IN A
FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, WITH 5215
FLAGLER STREET, LLC, FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED
THREE -HUNDRED SIXTY (365) DAYS FROM THE EFFECTIVE
DATE OF THE AGREEMENT, TO ACCESS THE PROPERTY FOR
STAGING AND PARKING, FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE
FLAGLER VILLAS PHASE ONE AND TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING
AMENDMENTS AND MODIFICATIONS TO THE AGREEMENT AS
MAY BE NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE SAID AGREEMENT, ALL
IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY AND IN
COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE LAWS, RULES, AND
REGULATIONS.
MOTION TO: Withdraw
RESULT: WITHDRAWN
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ralph "Rafael" Rosado, Commissioner
AYES: King, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
ABSENT: Gabela
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PH.11, please see
"Order of the Day."
END OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
RE.1
18581
Office of the City
Clerk
RE - RESOLUTIONS
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), OFFICIALLY ACKNOWLEDGING THE CITY
CLERK'S CERTIFICATION OF THE CANVASS AND
DECLARATION OF THE RESULTS, ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," OF THE CITY OF MIAMI RUN-
OFF ELECTION HELD ON DECEMBER 9, 2025, FOR THE
ELECTION OF MAYOR AND COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 3.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0018
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Chair King: Gentlemen, on the RE (Resolution) items, are there any items that you
would like to pull for discussion?
Commissioner Rosado: RE.5.
Chair King: RE.5.
Commissioner Pardo: RE.13.
Chair King: RE.5. RE.13.
Commissioner Rosado: I'm sorry, my apologies. I read RE.5, I meant to say RE.11.
My apologies.
Chair King: So not RE.5.
Commissioner Rosado: No.
Chair King: Okay. RE.11 and RE.13. Commissioner Rosado, correct?
Commissioner Rosado: Yes.
Chair King: Gentlemen, any other items that you would like to pull for discussion?
Mayor Higgins: Madam Chair? If I may ask you to take up RE.8 separately, I would
like to talk about the mayor's inclusion in that item. Thank you.
Chair King: Okay. So that will be pulled for discussion. Any others? No?
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
Commissioner Escalona: No.
Commissioner Gabela: Just one. Sorry. Again, I was tardy. I apologize to the
audience and my colleagues, but was there anything deferred from this list here, RE --
the REs?
Chair King: No.
Commissioner Gabela: No? Okay.
Chair King: No.
Commissioner Gabela: Thank you.
Chair King: Okay, let me get it out. May I have a motion for RE.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9,
10, 11 and 12?
Commissioner Escalona: 11 was pulled.
Commissioner Rosado: 11 was pulled.
Commissioner Escalona: 11 was pulled.
Chair King: Oh, I'm sorry, 11 was pulled, so not 11. And 12. Motion?
Commissioner Gabela: Motion.
Chair King: Second?
Commissioner Pardo: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Commissioner Rosado: Madam Chair, what happened with RE.13? Was that pulled
for discussion?
Chair King: That's pulled for discussion.
Commissioner Rosado: Oh, okay.
Chair King: You asked to pull that for discussion. So, the items that have been pulled
for discussion are RE.11 and RE.13.
Commissioner Escalona: And 8.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
RE.2
18607
Department of
Police
Commissioner Pardo: And 8.
Chair King: And 8. Okay, the others passes.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL REVENUE
PROJECT TITLED "FY 2025 COPS HIRING PROGRAM;"
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT A GRANT
AWARD FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE, OFFICE OF COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING
SERVICES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED THREE MILLION
DOLLARS ($3,000,000.00), WITH A REQUIRED LOCAL MATCH OF
SEVEN MILLION SIX HUNDRED FOURTEEN THOUSAND SIX
HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT DOLLARS ( $7,614,648.00), TOTALING
TEN MILLION, SIX HUNDRED FOURTEEN THOUSAND, SIX
HUNDRED FORTY-EIGHT DOLLARS ($10,614,648.00);
APPROPRIATING SAID FUNDS TO THE MIAMI POLICE
DEPARTMENT FOR THE HIRING OF TWENTY FOUR (24) NEW
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS; AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO
ACCEPT THE GRANT, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED
FORM; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
DESIGNATE THE CHIEF OF POLICE OR OTHER DESIGNEE TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY AND ALL OTHER NECESSARY
DOCUMENTS, ALL IN FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, TO IMPLEMENT THE ADMINISTRATION AND
COMPLIANCE WITH THE GRANT.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0019
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.2, please see Item
Number RE.1.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
RE.3 RESOLUTION
18626
Department of
Human Services
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL REVENUE
PROJECT TITLED "EMERGENCY HOTEL/MOTEL PROGRAM, PC-
2526-HTMT-1" AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS IN AN AMOUNT
NOT TO EXCEED OF TWO MILLION THREE HUNDRED TWENTY-
TWO THOUSAND AND SEVENTY-TWO DOLLARS
($2,322,072.00), CONSISTING OF A GRANT FROM MIAMI-DADE
COUNTY THROUGH THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY HOMELESS
TRUST ("COUNTY") FORA TWELVE (12) MONTH PERIOD, WITH
NO CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") MATCHING FUNDS REQUIRED, FOR
THE PROVISION OF TEMPORARY EMERGENCY HOTEL/MOTEL
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES ("GRANT");
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE GRANT
AGREEMENT("AGREEMENT") WITH THE COUNTY FOR SAID
PURPOSE, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM,
CONDITIONED UPON THE AVAILABILITY OF CITY RESOURCES
THAT MAY BE REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE ACCEPTANCE
OF AND COMPLIANCE WITH SAID GRANT; FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE UP TO TWO
(2) ADDITIONAL ONE (1) YEAR RENEWALS TO THE
AGREEMENT AND OTHER NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, ALL IN A
FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, IN
FURTHERANCE OF THE GRANT.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0020
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.3, please see Item
Number RE.1.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
RE.4 RESOLUTION
18662
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION PURSUANT
TO SECTION 18-112 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER
TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT,
IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, WITH MIAMI
DADE COLLEGE FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE TOWER
THEATER, LOCATED AT 1508 SOUTHWEST 8TH STREET,
MIAMI, FLORIDA, FOR A TERM OF NOT LESS THAN TWENTY
(20) YEARS, INCLUDING AUTOMATIC RENEWALS EVERY FIVE
(5) YEARS; PROVIDING THAT SUCH AGREEMENT SHALL BE
EXECUTED WITHIN FORTY-FIVE (45) DAYS OF PASSAGE;
FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE
ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE
LAW; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0021
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.4, please see
"Public Comments for all Item (s) " and Item Number RE.1.
RE.5 RESOLUTION
18698
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION SETTING
AND ESTABLISHING THE SALARY AND COMPENSATION FOR
MAYOR EILEEN T. HIGGINS WITH A MINIMUM SALARY OF
NINETY-SEVEN THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($97,000.00)
ANNUALLY.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0022
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.5, please see Item
Number RE.1.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
RE.6 RESOLUTION
18660
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ACCEPT, BUDGET,
ALLOCATE, AND APPROPRIATE FUNDS FROM OMNI
REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT
AGENCY ("OMNI CRA"), IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED ONE
HUNDRED THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($130,000.00)
("FUNDS"), PURSUANT TO THE OMNI CRA'S REDEVELOPMENT
PLAN, FOR COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE BUILDOUT AND
CONSTRUCTION OF THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY
IMPROVEMENTS TO INCLUDE EXISTING SIDEWALKS, CURBS
AND GUTTERS, STORMWATER, DRAINAGE AND PAVING FOR
THE AREA LOCATED ON THE WEST SIDE OF NORTH EAST
MIAMI PLACE BETWEEN NORTH EAST 14TH STREET AND
NORTH EAST 15TH STREET MIAMI FLORIDA, ("PROJECT"),
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING ("MOU")
BETWEEN THE OMNI CRA AND THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY"),
INCLUDING ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, ALL IN A
FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, TO
EFFECTUATE THE ACCEPTANCE AND ADMINISTRATION OF
SAID FUNDS PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0023
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.6, please see Item
Number RE.1.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
RE.7 RESOLUTION
18694
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA, AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, IN A
FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, BETWEEN THE
CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") AND THE VILLAGE OF KEY BISCAYNE
("VILLAGE") FOR THE JOINT PLANNING, DESIGN,
CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, AND USE OF A NEW
ATHLETIC FIELD LOCATED ON VIRGINIA KEY; FURTHER
DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROPRIATE AND
ALLOCATE FUNDING, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED ONE
HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($150,000.00), FOR THE
INITIAL CONSULTANT SERVICES RELATED TO PLANNING AND
DESIGN, FROM LEGALLY AVAILABLE FUNDING SOURCES,
SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND BUDGETARY
APPROVAL AT TIME OF NEED; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY AND ALL
RELATED DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING AMENDMENTS AND
EXTENSIONS, AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE
PURPOSES OF THIS RESOLUTION, SUBJECT TO PRIOR
ALLOCATION, APPROPRIATION, AND BUDGETARY
APPROVALS, AND COMPLIANCE WITH ALL APPLICABLE LAWS,
INCLUDING THE CITY'S PROCUREMENT ORDINANCE, THE
ANTI -DEFICIENCY ACT, AND FINANCIAL INTEGRITY
PRINCIPLES, AS SET FORTH IN CHAPTER 18 OF THE CITY
CODE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0024
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.7, please see
"Public Comments for all Item(s)" and Item Number RE.1.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
RE.8 RESOLUTION
18707
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DIRECTING
THE CITY ATTORNEY TO PREPARE AN AMENDMENT TO THE
CHARTER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED
("CHARTER"), FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE SPECIAL
ELECTION TO BE HELD CONCURRENTLY WITH THE PRIMARY
GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION ON AUGUST 18, 2026,
PROPOSING, UPON APPROVAL OF THE ELECTORATE,
AMENDING SECTION 4(B) OF THE CHARTER, TITLED "FORM OF
GOVERNMENT; NOMINATION AND ELECTION/ELECTION OF
MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION; TERMS OF OFFICE; RECALL,"
SECTION 7 OF THE CHARTER, TITLED "ELECTION OF CITY
COMMISSIONERS AND MAYOR," AND SECTION 12 OF THE
CHARTER, TITLED "FILLING VACANCIES FOR MAYOR AND
COMMISSION," TO CHANGE THE 2031 GENERAL ELECTION TO
2032, THEREBY MOVING ALL SUBSEQUENT YEARS FOR THE
GENERAL ELECTION AND RUN-OFF FROM ODD -NUMBERED
YEARS TO EVEN -NUMBERED YEARS SO THE DATES OF THE
GENERAL ELECTION ARE CONCURRENT WITH ANY
STATEWIDE OR COUNTYWIDE ELECTION; AMENDING THE
PERIOD FOR QUALIFICATION AND PROVIDING FOR THE
EXTENSION OF EXISTING TERMS OF OFFICE DUE TO SAID
CHANGE; FURTHER PROVIDING THAT UPON APPROVAL OF
THE ELECTORATE, THIS AMENDMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY
EFFECTIVE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0025
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ralph "Rafael" Rosado, Commissioner
AYES: King, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
NAYS: Gabela
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number RE.8, please
see "Public Comments for all htem(s)."
Chair King: Who pulled RE.8? Madam Mayor.
Mayor Higgins: Thank you, Madam Chair. I certainly believe, wholeheartedly, that
we need to move elections to even numbered years. What I would ask you to do is
separate into two ballot questions that the mayor's question is separate from the
commissioner's question. As I campaigned, I promised that I was willing to shorten
my first term to three years so that we could immediately move the election of the next
mayor citywide to 2028, and then I would align with this item with the 2032. So,
respectfully, I would like the sponsors of the motion to remove the reference to the
mayor, and then I would bring, if I'm able, George, we could just, you know, direct
two questions to be reserved, one for the mayor's next election to be 2028 and then
obviously four years later in 2032. And then we do have separate questions on the
ballot. And so that would be my request if that's okay with the two sponsors.
Commissioner Pardo: So obviously this item has been around a very long time. We've
been working on it for two years. There's been a lot of aspects regarding this. Legal
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
aspects. There were a lot of questions during public comment. Why are we taking
away a year? Why are we adding a year? Before, if we tried to do it -- first let me
start with why is this important. In odd years, we get 17 percent, maybe 20 percent of
people voting. In even years, we get 70 percent of people voting. Why does that
matter? People know there's an election. Our districts are small enough that we're
still knocking on doors. So, if we're knocking on doors and going to people and
talking to them, they realize there's an election, they're going to talk with us. It's
better engagement, there are better candidates, because people from other cities --
think about this a second, 28 municipalities are already on even years. I think it's just
the difference, four or five, and it may have changed recently, that are not. So, if you
want to run from another city, you have to leave your term halfway. A lot of people
don't want to do that. They want to complete their term and then move on. If we were
trying to take away a year from a sitting commissioner, that would have to -- the only
way we could do it if it was our existing term. I think it would be very hard to find a
commissioner that's going to agree to take away a year of their projects when they're
already, you know, doing stuff and take it away. So, we need three votes to get that
passed. And then the other issue was we don't want the voters to vote automatically
giving a commissioner a year. So, I'm going to use myself as an example. I come up
for re-election in 2027. If I get re-elected for four years in `27, that would put me at
'31. But the voters decide whether that extra year is going to go to that person or not.
They cannot vote, fbr that person. They can vote for someone different. But we are not
giving ourselves the extra year. So, we've kind of been through this many, many times.
This is ready to go. I want this to go to the voters. Madam Mayor, respectfully, if
there's another issue, because I understand you have a campaign promise and you
want to deliver on that promise, a second item can be introduced to make that
different, and the voters can decide. Ultimately, what we're doing here is we're
sending this to the voters and let the people decide.
Commissioner Rosado: Mr. Attorney, could you --
Chair King: Commissioner Rosado?
Commissioner Rosado: Thank you. Mr. Attorney, could you address the comments,
the questions about putting a question on that would shorten the upcoming terms. This
is an important request that a number of folks have made. I know that there are some
legal aspects that we should address. You know, I'd like to be very openly supportive
that I would serve a year less. I'm happy to do that if that question is viable.
Commissioner Escalona: Same here.
George Wysong (City Attorney): So I think that the first touchpoint is I would
anticipate there would be litigation if we were to take -- because you each ran for
office --
Commissioner Pardo: For four years.
Mr. Wysong: -- the voters gave you a four-year term. If you were to take your
currently garnered 'bur year term away, I think that could lead to problems and
potentially litigation, you know, to take away somebody's constitutionally guaranteed
right to represent office. Now, what you could do is, and that was the reason why I
believe Commissioner Pardo pushed this so far forward was to not impact people 's
current terms. Technically, you could, moving in the future, so long as you don 't
affect somebody's existing term, take away a year if you wanted to. And so that 's one
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option that exists. But my recommendation would be to push it out so that it does not
affect any of you. And to Commissioner Pardo 's point, there's two touch points for the
voters. So, this -- this resolution simply directs me to draft a question, bring it
forward, and then the nuts and bolts of that question will be presented back to the
commission. You will decide whether you want to move forward, move back, which
election, et cetera. But number two, that would go into -- the voters would vote for
that. But then that doesn't mean necessarily, like for example, District 1 will face an
election in 2027. So then -- or, I shouldn 't target District 1, any commissioner that's
District 1, District 2, District 4 are all up for election in '27. If the voters feel that this
was an inappropriate seizing of an extra year, then they -- they could vote against that
commissioner. But no matter how you slice it, when you move from the odd year to the
even year, somebody's either going to get an extra year or lose a year. And there's no
way around that. So, it is possible, but like 1 said, 1 would recommend doing it far
enough out so that nobody's current term is affected.
Commissioner Pardo: Thank you, and I'll also add to that that when we did do
polling around this, the outside people that did a lot of the polling, there wasn't -- that
one year extra plus or minus was not the big thing in any of the polling. It was all
about getting the participation of 70 percent of the electorate versus 14 to 20 percent
of the electorate.
Chair King: So, for -- for my community, and I would have gotten an extra year, my
constituents didn't beat me up about that, but we did get beaten up about giving us,
giving ourselves an extra year. But what I heard more than that was that why do we
want to change it to even number anyway? Because this municipal election would be
pushed so far down and we would be lost in the sea of the top elections versus in the
odd years our community can focus on us and not get lost in all the state elections and
all of the alike. For sure, whatever we do, it will go to the voters, because that is what
I heard most, in addition to being lost in the big elections during the even -numbered
years, that we should have given it to the voters. So, I would want us to be very
intentional about -- because for me it was never about gaining a year. That would
have hurt me, because why would I not get -- why would I not go forward with my
election in the moment and wait out a whole year? Because you don't know what
would happen a year from now. So -- and I wouldn't be opposed to giving up a year
either, because it was never trying to take something that we had not earned. And
that's what I heard. We voted for you for four years, not five. And the other thing was
that we'll get lost in the fray and everything becomes more expensive. Advertisement
becomes more expensive and our messaging would get lost because of such a big
election. So -- and the folks that vote are going to vote irrespective of whether it's an
odd number year or an even number year. The folks that care about the community
really are intentional about picking their electorate is -- they're going to vote, but I'm
in support of whatever as long as it goes to the voters. Commissioner Gabela?
Commissioner Gabela: Yeah, so this has been around -- my fear is that this is
misconstrued one more time. That's my fear, because it's a little bit complex and the
voter out there, it's a five minute -- you know, it's a little window where you can get
the message, but they're not going to go into the weeds necessarily to really know
what you're trying to do, which I think is in part a good thing. But then on the flip
side, you have, and I'm echoing your concern, and I have -- and I've said this before,
you know, the problem with this is that somebody like me, for example, that was an
underdog, okay, in an even year election, it'd be almost impossible .fbr me to get here
because I was not the establishment [sic] candidate back then, okay? And so I now
have to compete. You will have to compete, you know, everybody else with, with the
midterm, you know, elections and the presidential elections, that's going to cost a lot
more money in -- in TV ads, a consultant, everything else, because everything's
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buying for the same thing. So, what -- what we gain on one side, and I understand
where you're conning from, Commissioner Pardo, with all due respect, what you gain
with one side, more voter participation that we all want, you also lose it on the other
side. And for me, I really don't have the appetite to get, again, into that, you know, I
always said, I said, guys, this is going to be a problem, you know, when we did it, we
tried to do it the other way. That's why I wasn't part of that, okay? I think this will be
also another problem again because the voter will not, you know, understand it like
we do, maybe, okay. And that's znv concern, you know, and -- and if they vote for me
for four years, I expect to be there for four years. I'll be honest with you. And I don 't
want the year. 1 never wanted the year. Nobody 1 think here wanted the year. That was
a problem, you know. Those are my two cents and so 1 respectfully -- and it's not
against you, Commissioner Pardo, because I know you're trying to do a good thing.
But my problem was that, you know, that I don't want to get into again, to open that
that wound again, you know, where now here we go again. They're giving themselves
another year and this and that. So those are my two cents, and respectfully, that's why
I would keep myself and I would be a no vote on this. Thank you.
Chair King: Madam Mayor.
Mayor Higgins: Yes. I -- I mean, Mr. City Attorney, I hear you. I have consulted with
other elections attorney who have a completely different point of view. And let me be
very clear. people that voted for me knew loudly and clearly that I told them that I
would move this election for mayor to 2028. Because in order to get us on a cycle of
broad participation, particularly at the mayoral level, right, where you really want
the broadest number of residents to come in and just give you a sense of perspective.
As the county commissioner representing one-third of the city, I received 26,000 votes
in a presidential year. And by the way, 1 was an outsider; so in case you're
wondering, it's pretty easy to win as an outsider in a presidential year if you have the
right message and you work for the neighbors, you know, as you are well-equipped to
do, Commissioner Gabela. But I am now mayor of this city with only 22,000 votes.
And so, that's the difference between off -numbered years and even -numbered years.
So, you know, if we are to concur with our city attorney, which given that we're here
today, you know, you probably should, despite I having -- I've received different
advice. Either way, the item you're suggesting, Commissioner Pardo, would reduce
my overall, should I be reelected again, should the voters give me another term,
would reduce the overall amount of time I would spend to seven years. Which I
believe complies with the promise that I made on the campaign trail. But I would still
respectfully request that the mayor get its own line on the ballot so that I can
advocate for that and not have that all confused with the commissioners' terms,
because we do have differing points of view on that. So, I would ask Commissioner
Rosado and Commissioner Pardo as sponsors of this item, if you would please modify
this item to allow the city attorney to draft two separate questions, should it pass.
Thank you.
Commissioner Pardo: So, let me -- let me --
Chair King: Hold on, let inc give someone else a chance to speak.
Commissioner Pardo: Oh, I thought --
Chair King: If
Commissioner Rosado: I have no objections to that.
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Chair King: Okay. Commissioner?
Commissioner Pardo: My turn?
Chair King: Back to you.
Commissioner Pardo: Thank you. So, like Commissioner Gabela, I ran as the
underdog. I have been told by many, many people, you 're going to impact your own
race. You would not be able to win, you would -- the amount of media did not matter
in my race. My opponent had five times more money than I did. They bought all the
media, they had billboards, they had bus boards, they had everything. The only thing
that mattered in my race is that 1 went door to door to door six, seven times, and I
talked to people personally. The difference here is who's listening, 15 percent or 70
percent. I also went to the other municipalities that did this recently. I talked to the
Village of Key Biscayne. I talked to the City of North Miami. I talked to the City of
South Miami. They all told me, this has been great. We have had no issues. Our
candidates are still going door to door. This has been really fantastic. They didn 't
lose it in the ballot just because they had to go a little bit further down. They were
able to find us because they talked to us and they wanted us to vote. So, I'm going to
stick with the program here. and I'm going to call the question on this, because I think
we should pass this and get this to the voters. And if we want something different, we
can bring a second item.
Commissioner Gabela: Can Ijust respond real quick?
Commissioner Pardo: Yeah.
Commissioner Gabela: Real quick. You're correct, because here's the key. And like
the mayor was referring to, you know, everything's different. And your district is
different from mine. I have the highest concentration of senior citizen buildings where
they vote in masses and where the candidates canvass to get that vote. That costs a lot
of money. So, I understand your point of view that in D2 (District 2), it's a different
situation. In DI (District 1), ladies and gentlemen, it's a whole completely, you know,
different picture, okay? You have to have money to send that message out there. If you
don't, your chances are very nil that you're going to make it. I ran in 2015, 2019, and
then in 2023. It took me three times to get here. You know, I walked each campaign
nine or ten months. I knocked on probably 4,000, 5,000 doors probably two times,
okay? And it's very hard. So, while it might work for you guys, you know, for nay -- for
my district, I think you'd make it more impossible, again, I state this, you'd make it
more harder for an underdog to run that campaign in my district. I don 't know about
yours, and I hear what you're saying. So that's all Fin saying. Thank you.
Chair King: So, I'm agreeable to separate so that the mayor can have a separate
question. I think that's fair. Separate. She's willing to give up a year to keep her
promise. I don 't think it would be cumbersome or it's not unreasonable to ask that her
question is separate. The question about the mayor's term is separate and aligning.
So, I don't have an issue with amending this item to have two questions drafted for the
voters.
Commissioner Pardo: The issue is that I do have an issue with amending this item in
that way. That is going to require a lot of study and a lot of potential changes and go
perhaps in a completely different direction. I want this item that has been studied and
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worked with for two years to go to the voters the way it is. That's why I'm calling the
question.
Chair King: But I understand that this is just to give the City Attorney's Office --
Commissioner Pardo: Correct.
Chair King: -- to draft the question.
Commissioner Pardo: Correct.
Chair King: So, I'm not clear as to why it would be a hardship to draft two questions
versus one question. I don't think the request is unreasonable and --
Commissioner Pardo: I don't think the request is unreasonable. Maybe the city
attorney can comment on -- but I've been instructed that this is the way it is. And the
moment we start separating them, it changes the complexity of this item. And it's kind
of like starting significantly again in this aspect. That's why I want to move this
forward. And if there's a second item that is similar or a little bit different, then that's
fine. That can go to the voters, too. 1 mean, this is just corning back to us anyway, the
way it is.
Chair King: George?
Mr. Wysong: Yeah, so when you look at the charter, the charter sort of already
distinguishes between the mayor and their powers and duties and how they're elected
and the rest of the city commission. The only, -- so it is -- I would say it's a non -- it
would be a non -agenda item, but it would be possible if the sponsor wanted to allow
the amendment to just remove the mayor from the version. And mind you, this is -- this
is direction to come back with a question.
Commissioner Pardo: Well, there's no issue with removing the mayor from this
question.
Mr. Wysong: Okay. Yeah, that's -- that's essentially the question.
Commissioner Pardo: So, but we can go ahead and pass this with that -- the deletion
of the mayor in this question.
Mr. Wysong: Okay, and then --
Commissioner Pardo: I'm fine with that.
Mr. Wysong: And so what we'll do, essentially, Mr. Clerk, is one -- the other will be a
direction to prepare another question for the mayor, and we'll work with -- and that
would be for -- well, no. We could do it now, or if you want, we'll just bifurcate it,
take you out, and then you'll present an item at the next meeting with the details of the
dates and whatnot. So, essentially what this would be, just modifying this resolution to
bifurcate the mayor out of it, we'll move forward on this one, and then the mayor will
present something at the next meeting. We have until May 22nd, pursuant to the
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supervisor of elections instructions, to present questions. So, we have plenty of time to
do this. And I think that would work.
Commissioner Pardo: That works for me. So, we vote on this then. Ready.
Chair King: With the -- as amended --
Commissioner Rosado: As amended.
Chair King: -- to exclude the mayor.
Commissioner Pardo: Yep.
Chair King: Do I have a motion?
Commissioner Pardo: Motion.
Commissioner Rosado: Second.
Chair King: I have a motion and a second. All in favor?
Commissioner Pardo: Aye.
Commissioner Escalona: Aye.
Commissioner Gabela: No.
Chair King: Aye.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): 4-1 with Commissioner Gabela voting no, as amended.
Mayor Higgins: Thank you, Madam Chair.
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RE.9 RESOLUTION
18697
Commissioners
and Mayor
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION,
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE A PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT
("AGREEMENT"), IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") AND THE
ESTATE OF JOSE ANTONIO REGO, FOR THE ACQUISITION OF
REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1121 SOUTHWEST 36 AVENUE,
MIAMI, FLORIDA, IDENTIFIED BY FOLIO NUMBER 01-4109-027-
0550 ("PROPERTY"), FOR A PURCHASE PRICE OF SIX
HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($600,000.00); FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING
AMENDMENTS AND MODIFICATIONS TO SAID AGREEMENT, IN
FORMS ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, AS MAY BE
NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE SAID ACQUISITION; FUNDING
FOR THE ACQUISITION SHALL NOT EXCEED SIX HUNDRED
FIFTY EIGHT THOUSAND DOLLARS ($658,000.00) WITH FUNDS
BEING ALLOCATED, APPROPRIATED, AND AWARDED FROM
DISTRICT 4 PARK ENHANCEMENTS AND EXPANSION CAPITAL
PROJECT, 40-6243516,TO COVER THE COST OF SAID
ACQUISITION, INCLUSIVE OF THE COST OF SURVEYS,
ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS, TITLE INSURANCE, SECURING
THE PROPERTY, DEMOLITION, PROJECT SIGNAGE AND ALL
RELATED CLOSING COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID
ACQUISITION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND
CONDITIONS OF THE AGREEMENT; FURTHER AUTHORIZING
AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO PREPARE AND
SUBMIT ONE OR MORE APPLICATIONS FOR A FUTURE LAND
USE MAP AMENDMENT AND REZONING AS NECESSARY TO
DESIGNATE THE PROPERTY AS "PARKS AND RECREATION"
ON THE CITY'S ADOPTED FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF THE
MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN AND "CS"
TRANSECT ZONE ON THE CITY'S ADOPTED ZONING ATLAS OF
THE MIAMI 21 ZONING CODE, UPON ACQUISITION BY THE
CITY.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0026
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.9, please see
"Public Comments for all Item(s)" and Item Number RE.1.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
RE.10
18699
Commissioners
and Mayor
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION,
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE A PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT
("AGREEMENT"), IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") AND DELIA
BELZ, AS TRUSTEE OF THE DELIA BELZ REVOCABLE TRUST
AGREEMENT, DATED JANUARY 22, 2020 ("SELLER"), FOR THE
ACQUISITION OF REAL PROPERTY IDENTIFIED AS FOLIO
NUMBER 01-4109-029-0580, LOCATED AT 3577 SOUTHWEST 17
STREET AND 3579 SW 17 STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA
("PROPERTY"), FOR A PURCHASE PRICE OF ONE MILLION
THREE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS
($1,325,000.00); FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER
TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS,
INCLUDING AMENDMENTS AND MODIFICATIONS TO SAID
AGREEMENT, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE SAID
ACQUISITION; FUNDING FOR THE ACQUISITION SHALL NOT
EXCEED ONE MILLION FOUR HUNDRED FIVE THOUSAND
DOLLARS ($1,405,000.00) WITH FUNDS BEING ALLOCATED,
APPROPRIATED, AND AWARDED FROM DISTRICT 4 PARK
ENHANCEMENTS AND EXPANSION CAPITAL PROJECT, 40-
B243516, TO COVER THE COST OF SAID ACQUISITION,
INCLUSIVE OF THE COST OF SURVEYS, ENVIRONMENTAL
REPORTS, TITLE INSURANCE, SECURING THE PROPERTY,
DEMOLITION, PROJECT SIGNAGE AND ALL RELATED CLOSING
COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ACQUISITION, IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE
AGREEMENT; FURTHER AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE
CITY MANAGER TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT ONE OR MORE
APPLICATIONS FOR A FUTURE LAND USE MAP AMENDMENT
AND REZONING AS NECESSARY TO DESIGNATE TO "PARKS
AND RECREATION" ON THE CITY'S ADOPTED FUTURE LAND
USE MAP ("FLUM") OF THE MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE
NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN ("MCNP") AND "CS" TRANSECT ZONE
ON THE CITY'S ADOPTED ZONING ATLAS ("ZONING ATLAS") OF
THE MIAMI 21 ZONING CODE (ORDINANCE NO. 13114 OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED) ("MIAMI 21 CODE"),
UPON THE ACQUISITION BY THE CITY.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0027
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.10, please see Item
Number RE.1.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
RE.11
18729
Commissioners
and Mayor
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING MAYOR EILEEN T. HIGGINS'
APPOINTMENT OF MR. JAMES REYES AS THE CITY MANAGER
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, EFFECTIVE JANUARY 12,
2026, WITH THE SALARY AND BENEFITS AS DETAILED IN
EXHIBIT "A," ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0028
MOTION TO: Adopted with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona
NAYS: Rosado
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number RE.11,
please see "Public Comments for allItem(s)."
Chair King: The next item that was pulled for discussion is the appointment of Mr.
James Reyes as the city manager. Commissioner Rosado?
Commissioner Rosado: Yes. Yeah, I did pull the item. Could Mr. Reyes -- I think we
should give him the opportunity to introduce himself and then I have some questions
and comments.
James Reyes: Good morning, everyone. Good morning, Madam Mayor,
Commissioners. First and foremost, James Reyes, candidate for city manager of the
City of Miami. Madam Mayor, thank you so much for entrusting me with this honor.
Art, I'd like to thank you for your service for more than four years in that capacity.
We know the sacrifices that you've made, and we appreciate your service to the City
of Miami and leaving us in a better place than you found it. So much appreciated.
Commissioner, I'm ready for any questions that you might have.
Commissioner Rosado: I think probably the general audience would love to know a
little bit more about you so you can introduce yourself a little more.
Mr. Reyes: Sure, absolutely. So, currently, hopefully, till tomorrow, I am the Chief of
Public Safety of Miami -Dade County, overseeing Corrections, Fire Rescue, Medical
Exarniner's Office, Department of Emergency Management, Animal Rescue, and also
Community Services. It's been an honor of a lifetime to serve Miami -Dade County,
the county that received me and my family with open arms when my dad, who was a
political prisoner, brought us here in 1979. I was raised in Miami -Dade County.
Grandma lived right across the street from the Orange Bowl, so I have very great
memories of playing in between the cars as she parked them to make a little
supplemental income and great memories there, great memories being raised fishing
commercially out of the Miami River. I truly believe the city of Miami has truly, truly
had an impact in my life, who I am today, and has shaped the candidate for this
position that you have here before you. But it also reminds me, as I think of those
experiences, the fact that it was the working class, to a certain degree even the middle
class, that built the city of Miami and that continue to contribute and maintain the
services that we provide to our residents and our visitors today. And you have my
word that my priority will be to re-establish a focus and an increased level of service
to our residents in the city of Miami, all of our residents in the city of Miami. And that
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is my commitment to you all, as is ensuring that your vision for your district is
reflected in the day-to-day operations of the City of Miami. I will tell you that to the
men and women that work for the City of Miami, they will be a priority. Building
morale, establishing high effective -- highly efficient teams is what I've done over my
25-year career. I take great pride in investing in our staff. I will be meeting with our
staff,' asking what resources they need to better serve this community, because we
have a high level, and a high level of expectation in terms of how they should be
serving our residents, but they have a high level, and deservingly so, of what
resources and what kind of leadership we should be providing in order to make sure
that we provide them with all the tools necessary to better serve our community, and
I'm committed to that.
Chair King: Commissioner Rosado?
Commissioner Rosado: I have some comments, but I know some of my colleagues do
as well.
Commissioner Pardo: No, I just had a comment/question. When we met, I was really -
- for us, obviously, and for our offices, one of the big issues is continuity of services,
especially when there's a transition. So, I guess the fear for us becomes, wow, the
people that are working great, our residents are all like, everything's smooth, things
are being done. Now if there's a missing piece, you know, what starts becoming what
can happen to us and then indirectly to the residents. 1 was impressed by your
previous experiences and being able to manage those situations. And 1 thought you
could comment on that a little bit so the residents could learn more about that,
because --
Mr. Reyes: Sure. Thank you, Commissioner --
Commissioner Pardo: -- this is obviously a really pivotal time for our city.
Mr. Reyes: Absolutely. And I know there's a lot of concerned employees and leaders
within our community. And obviously, it's not the first time I take over a -- an
organization, and I'm expected to change culture or change how we deliver service.
But one of the things that is consistent in my leadership style is that I take great pride
in working with the talent that exists within the organization. So, in no previous
change have I shown up 5 or 10 deep, as we say in Hialeah, back in the day. So that's
not the case here. The talent here at City of Miami is second to none. I truly believe it.
I live it. I've experienced it. But with that said, I do look to bring a different type of
leadership in my capacity as city manager that prioritizes service to our residents and
our community. And the mention of, Madam Mayor, to refer to them as customers,
well, customer service is something that we're going to focus on, because our
residents deserve no less.
Commissioner Pardo: Yeah, I thought what you said about the ability to bring change
Mr. Reyes: Of course.
Commissioner Pardo: -- in that environment was key.
Mr. Reyes: Of course.
Commissioner Pardo: And I think Madam Mayor has spoken a lot to that point as
well, as far as your qualifications.
Mr. Reyes: Thank you.
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Commissioner Escalona: 1 would like to --
Chair King: Commissioner Escalona?
Commissioner Escalona: -- make a point. Yes. So, it is my understanding that you
won 't take out health insurance, right?
Mr. Reyes: No.
Commissioner Escalona: So, we're saving them like $40, 000.
Mr. Reyes: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Escalona: $42,000. And the administration will be removing COLA
(Cost of Living Adjustment) as well?
Mr. Reyes: I am -- I have discussed that with Madam Mayor, and Commissioner, I'm
willing to concede that COLA if that means I could get to work on Monday.
Commissioner Escalona: I do believe that the salary expectation is very high. Not
because of you, it's just the position in general. I believe the salary is very high.
Mr. Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Escalona: But that's something that we can discuss later on.
Mr. Reyes: Thank you.
Commissioner Rosado: I do. I have a number of comments. So, we had a pretty good
interview earlier in the week. I appreciate you taking the time to come in.
Mr. Reyes: Thank you, Commissioner.
Commissioner Rosado: I have some concerns, and we've discussed some of them. And
I want to be very frank about this. My understanding is that, given the size of our city,
there was going to be a national search, and it seems like that -- that wasn't done.
And obviously, that's not at your request, per se. But that concerns me, that there was
a change in the way that this was going to be done. Additionally, I've done, you know,
obviously my research, and I know you're a well -regarded professional in the public
safety field. That being said, and I come to this as somebody who was previously a
manager, who 's seen a number of managers selected in different cities in our
community and different processes put in place, and -- and I have some things that do
worry me. You are a subject matter expert in your field, which is law enforcement.
That is an important 15 to 20 percent of municipal operations, but we have another
80 percent that is building, planning, zoning, code enforcement, housing, parks,
economic development, community development, human services, finance, where you
don't have exactly the same level of depth as somebody who's coming in to be a city
manager of the largest city in the county. So, it gives me pause. Additionally, on the
salary level. Our current manager makes a little bit over half a million dollars. You 'd
be coming in about 10 percent less than that at 475,000. But when he started, he
started at 310. So, we're talking about starting you essentially sort of at the -- near
the top, without giving a tremendous room to grow, and you haven't been a manager
somewhere else. So that combination of factors concerns me. So, I don't doubt that
you could potentially be a very good manager, but I'm not comfortable supporting a
motion to that extent at this moment.
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Mr. Reyes: Understood.
Commissioner Rosado: 1'd actually like to make a motion, and this has been done in a
number of places, and oftentimes it has worked out well. I'd like to make a motion to
make you interim manager for six months so that we revisit this item again and make
you a permanent manager at the first meeting in July. And if between now and the
first meeting in July, you 've proven that even though you are going outside your
comfort zone in terms of additional subject matters related to municipal operations, if
you show us that you can shine, I will make the motion at that point to make you
permanent manager. I'll be the first one to say it. But today, 1 cannot vote for a
permanent manager position. So, again, my motion stands to make you interim
manager for the next six months.
Commissioner Gabela: Can I chime in here?
Chair King: Commissioner Gabela?
Commissioner Gabela: Okay, so I'm the last one. So, look, number one, I don 't have
to ask him any questions, because I already did yesterday. We had a very good
meeting. I was very impressed by what you said.
Mr. Reyes: Thank you.
Commissioner Gabela: You crossed out all my I's and T's. I was very impressed
because 1 come from the business sector. When you referred to our constituents, our
residents, as clients, customers, I like that. You know, I don't want to hamper you by -
- I don't want to hamper him by calling him interim. After all, if at the end of six
months or a year, we, you know, we got a problem, it takes three of us to remove him.
So --
Commissioner Pardo: You're always interim.
Commissioner Gabela: Exactly. I don't want to hamper him.
Mr. Reyes: I'm interim on day one.
Commissioner Gabela: I don't want to hamper you, sir --
Mr. Reyes: Thank you.
Commissioner Gabela: because I want you to do a good job.
Mr. Reyes: Thank you.
Commissioner Gabela: It's in all of our interests. I (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- I
somewhat went through that. When I became chairman of Bayfront Trust, and I
wouldn't want anybody else to go through that. Number two, at the end of the day, it 's
the mayor's pick, like I told her, you know, and if we don't like you, at some point we
have to like somebody because she is mayor and it is her pick. So, I am willing to
make a motion to appoint you --
Mr. Reyes: Thank you.
Commissioner Gabela: -- and one more thing, remember, Commissioner Rosado, with
all due respect, when Art started, it's about eight years ago, there's been a little bit of
inflation, you know --
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Commissioner Pardo: Growth. A lot of growth.
Commissioner Gabela: -- from 310 to -- right, so --
Chair King: So, hold on --
Commissioner Gabela: -- I'd like to make a motion to --
Chair King: Okay, before you make that 'notion, we have a motion, do I -- from
Commissioner Rosado to appoint the manager, interim. Do I have a second?
Commissioner Pardo: Second. Oh, no, I'm sorry. No. I was talking about -- I actually
wanted to say something, but never mind.
Chair King: Okay. So, I have a motion on the floor to make the -- make Mr. Reyes
interim manager for six months. Do I have a second? Motion dies for lack of second.
Now --
Commissioner Gabela: Motion to -- motion to make the --
Commissioner Escalona: Yeah, call the question, please.
Chair King: So, 1 have a motion to appoint --
Commissioner Pardo: Second.
Chair King: I have a motion and a second. All in favor?
Commissioner Pardo: Aye.
Commissioner Escalona: Ave.
Commissioner Gabela: Aye.
Chair King: Aye. Motion carries --
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): That's as amended, 4 --
Chair King: As amended.
Mr. Hannon: -- 4-1, with Commissioner Rosado voting no.
Chair King: Yes, as amended.
Commissioner Gabela: And can I say just one more thing?
Chair King: Congratulations. Yes, Commissioner Gabela.
Commissioner Gabela: Congratulations. And I'd like to say thank you, Art. We had
our ups and downs when we started, but at the end of the day, I think you did come
through. So, I want to thank you for the service that you put in, okay?
Commissioner Pardo: I also wanted to say, I think, you know, our mayor won with 60
percent of the vote, and I think, you know, she deserves the benefit of the doubt, even
if there's a lot of uncertainty, which I don't have those. And even though you may not
be an engineer and you may not be an architect and you may not be whatever, all the
other things that you're going to be managing, I did --
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Chair King: A lawyer.
Commissioner Pardo: Right. I did -- you did communicate very well that you're a
talented person --
Mr. Reyes: Thank you.
Commissioner Escalona: Yeah.
Commissioner Pardo: -- with communicating and managing people. And we're very
much excited about that.
Mr. Reyes: Thank you.
Commissioner Pardo: And Art, I will also thank you for all the work you have done
for us. You have been instrumental. And, you know, you did a good job for us.
Arthur Noriega (City Manager): Well --
Mr. Reyes: Thank you.
Mr. Noriega: -- can 1 say something sort of --
Chair King: Absolutely.
Mr. Noriega: -- as a point of order? It's funny because Commissioner Gabela said, I
think he said six years or eight years. It feels like 20. I'm just going to put it out there.
These are dog years when you get into it. And I had a long conversation with Mr.
Reyes about what the expectations are coming in. And I told him, you know, he 's more
than likely going to have the benefit of probably, I think, a pretty good working group
as an elected body, right? Which I came in in the middle of pretty much, you know,
guerrilla warfare almost from the beginning. So, you know, it's -- it'll be a pleasure to
see that progress for me on the outside. I got to tell you, I -- I'm very excited for him
and what he brings to the table. He's going to realize, and he said it a couple times,
there are some really good people that work at the city, without having to be sort of in
combat or therapy mode as much, right? I think you 're going to get an opportunity to
really focus on those things that you've talked about. You know, I'm proud of the
legacy that I've left here, I generally am, and the people that I've had an opportunity
to work with. You 're going to be able to build on that. I've told you from the
beginning, whatever you need from me as a resource, I'm here for you. I said the
same thing to the mayor, and that applies to everybody here. You know, I'm not
leaving town. I'm not going anywhere. I will be around. But, you know, my heart is
always here. I spent 27, 28 years of public service just in the City of Miami. So, I'm
very proud of that and I'm always here for you.
Mr. Reyes: Thank you.
Mr. Noriega: So, whatever you need, I'm a phone call away.
Mr. Reyes: Thank you. Thank you all. I appreciate you very much.
Commissioner Pardo: Congratulations.
Chair King: Congratulations again.
Applause.
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RE.12
18730
City Manager's
Office
Commissioner Rosado: Madam Chair? Madam Chair?
Chair King: Yes?
Commissioner Rosado: If I can add one more thing. Mr. Reyes, I am happy for you to
hopefully prove me wrong, and I very much look forward to working with you.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE A MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT ("MOA"), IN A
FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, BETWEEN THE
CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA ("CITY") AND THE VIRGINIA KEY
BEACH PARK TRUST ("TRUST") WHEREIN THE CITY WILL
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT THE VIRGINIA KEY BEACH MUSEUM
PROJECT ("PROJECT") AND, UPON TRANSFER OF THE
PROJECT TO THE TRUST FOR OPERATIONS AND
MAINTENANCE, PROVIDE ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO COVER
SHORTFALLS IN OPERATIONAL COSTS FOR A PERIOD OF TEN
(10) FISCAL YEARS FOLLOWING SAID TRANSFER IN AN
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED ONE MILLION SEVEN HUNDRED
THOUSAND AND 00/100 DOLLARS ($1,700,000.00) PER FISCAL
YEAR; FUNDS FOR THIS PURPOSE ARE TO BE ALLOCATED
FROM LEGALLY AVAILABLE FUNDING SOURCES, SUBJECT TO
AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE
TIME OF NEED; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER
TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING
AMENDMENTS, RENEWALS, AND EXTENSIONS, ALL IN FORMS
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND SUBJECT TO ALL
ALLOCATIONS, APPROPRIATIONS, PRIOR BUDGETARY
APPROVALS, IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE PROVISIONS
OF THE CITY CODE, INCLUDING, THE CITY OF MIAMI'S
PROCUREMENT ORDINANCE, ANTI -DEFICIENCY ACT, AND
FINANCIAL INTEGRITY PRINCIPLES, ALL AS SET FORTH IN
CHAPTER 18 OF THE CITY CODE, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH
ALL APPLICABLE LAWS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS, AS MAY
BE DEEMED NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE; PROVIDING
FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0029
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number RE.12, please see
"Public Comments for all Item(s)" and Item Number RE.1.
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RE.13
18731
Commissioners
and Mayor
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DIRECTING
THE CITY MANAGER TO ANALYZE AND ESTABLISH THE CITY
OF MIAMI'S ("CITY") CAPITAL PROJECT FUNDING NEEDS,
PRIORITIES, AND BONDING CAPACITY; FURTHER DIRECTING
THE CITY MANAGER TO PREPARE A RESOLUTION
SUBMITTING A REFERENDUM QUESTION TO THE MIAMI-DADE
COUNTY SUPERVISOR OF ELECTIONS FOR THE AUGUST 18,
2026 PRIMARY ELECTION AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A
GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE
CITY COMMISSION AT THE APRIL 9, 2026, CITY COMMISSION
MEETING.
MOTION TO: Indefinitely Defer
RESULT: INDEFINITELY DEFERRED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number RE.13,
please see "Public Comments for all ltem(s)."
Chair King: And having said that, RE.13, Commissioner Rosado, 1 believe you pulled
that as well?
Commissioner Rosado: I did. My understanding is that there's a presentation possible
Commissioner Pardo: Yes. Yeah, I can give a --
Commissioner Rosado: -- with regard to bond funding.
Commissioner Pardo: Yeah, I can give a little bit of background. And actually this
came up a little bit in our public comments as well. This is another one of those items
that we've been working on for about a year and a half. And really it has to do with
being able to leverage our capacity, our existing bonding capacity, and make
investments in our city. I think infrastructure was somewhere in the range of 280
million. You know, you had folks from Edgewater, Downtown, Brickell. All of these
places are dire in terms of the infrastructure needs along the Miami River. There's
just a lot of city needs coming to infrastructure. Then there's also Miami Forever
Bond projects that because of the time involved and inflation, are now -- we're not
able to meet those projects anymore. The cost is now much higher. So, what I had
asked staff to do is to make a presentation on our bonding capacity and our needs,
and then for us to be able to discuss this, you know, over this time as what would be
appropriate that we can send to the voters jrothe voters to decide a juture bonding
issue for us to take care of a lot of these issues. It's also important because we're
probably going to have a reduction in our budget, maybe 10, 15 percent based on
whatever may or may not happen in the state or anywhere else with taxes. So, we
should consider like what happens if there are some shortfalls and then what happens
-- what can we fund and what should we prioritize. So, with that I'll turn it over to
you.
Erica Paschal -Darling (Chief Financial Officer): Thank you. Good morning, Madam
Chair and the City Commission. Erica Paschal -Darling, Chief Financial Officer. In
preparation for RE.13, the administration did an analysis. We first identified our
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current capital needs, which totaled approximately $994 million. Part of that is $127
million that we have not issued to date for the previously approved Miami Forever
Bonds.
Commissioner Pardo: And Ms. Paschal, I just wanted to add on that line item,
because some people -- some people think that that means that we haven't used that
money. These are actually projects in process, and we haven't issued the bonds to
save interest expense.
Ms. Paschal: Right. Correct, it's very important that when we issue our bonds, that
we are issuing for projects that are on Ready, Set, Go. Essentially, because you don't
want to bring that cash inhouse and allow it to collect interest, because that will
cause IRS (Internal Revenue Services) implications. We also identified 331 million in
current projects that have shortfalls. There is a need in the fire stations at about 182
million, and the police stations, north and south, are -- they are requiring
recertification and new roofing, so that we estimated at about 3 million. And of
course, the discussion regarding our new public safety building, we're estimating at a
cost of 350 million. A little further detail, the unissued portion of the $127 million is
essentially all of our affordable housing projects. The shortfalls under the current
MFB (Miami Forever Bond) projects, most of that are parks and sea level rise and
flood prevention. During our analysis, it was important to determine what our actual
capacity is currently. Currently, our debt millage rate is capped at 0.5935. Will it give
us the ability to bond out 602 million?
Commissioner Pardo: Because we're currently at 0.29?
Ms. Paschal: That's the debt millage rate for the current issue --
Commissioner Pardo: Right.
Ms. Paschal: -- but we are capped --
Commissioner Pardo: Right.
Ms. Paschal: -- at 0.59.
Commissioner Pardo: And the voters have already approved the 0.59?
Ms. Paschal: Yes, that was done in 2019?
Commissioner Pardo: Right. So, the 600 million, more or less, is what we could do
within the existing cap?
Ms. Paschal: Correct. If we increase it to 0.7917, we would have the capacity to issue
debt for all of our current needs that have been identified.
Commissioner Gabela: And what would that mean -- what would that mean for the
taxpayer? How much more for the taxpayer, let's say, the ones without homestead?
Ms. Paschal: When we did the initial analysis, and I'd have to send that to you
separately, it was about an extra hundred dollars in the taxes?
Commissioner Pardo: A year.
Ms. Paschal: Yes.
Commissioner Pardo: And there are different levels. So, we're going to make sure you
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guys are going to send it to everybody.
Ms. Paschal: Correct.
Chair King: Commissioner Pardo, can we let her get through the --
Commissioner Pardo: Sure.
Chair King: Okay.
Ms. Paschal: So once the voters approve, the bond issuance process takes
approximately six months. The planning, we would evaluate the projects, we would
engage our bond counsel, financial advisors and underwriters, come up with a
preliminary plan for financing, whether it be competitive, negotiated, or private
placement. If applicable, we'd have to go through a credit rating process. We would
also have to go before our finance committee for approval, and then bring back the
restructuring deal before the commission for approval as well. Once all of that is
done, then we could execute the closing, receive our funds, and spend down our
proceeds. That is all. It was very brief Are there any questions?
Chair King: Gentlemen? Any questions?
Commissioner Pardo: Questions? Well, I was trying to avoid you having to go back in
your slides --
Ms. Paschal: That's fine.
Commissioner Pardo: -- but do you mind? So, in the -- in the .79, when we do the .59,
that would go to the voters to even claim the existing capacity?
Ms. Paschal: Correct.
Commissioner Pardo: And then --
Ms. Paschal: Everything would have to go before the voters.
Commissioner Pardo: Everything?
Ms. Paschal: Yes.
Commissioner Pardo: So even if we're using this capacity, we go back to the voters?
Ms. Paschal: It would have to be identified in a referendum.
Commissioner Pardo: Right. Right, and the .79 would be both --
Ms. Paschal: As well.
Commissioner Pardo: -- the cap and the new. Thank you very much.
Commissioner Gabela: And what would you consider .79, you know, when you guys
tell us that, you know, kept as last year, you know.
Ms. Paschal: Repeat that question.
Commissioner Gabela: The fancy language that we use.
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Ms. Paschal: Repeat the question, I couldn't hear you.
Commissioner Gabela: So, on the point -- on the 0.79, what would that, the language,
you know, how every year the budget and, you know, say, well, we're keeping it the
same, we're not keeping it the same.
Ms. Paschal: I would have to defer to the city attorney's office. I'm not quite sure how
it would be -- how it would be written due to the limited space and limited words.
Xavi Alban (Assistant City Attorney): So, the ballot question would reference usually
the "not to exceed amount that we'll be issuing" and additional, specifically say with
a -- we can pull the language from Miami Forever Bond and for the Homeland
Defense Bonds, but we specifically reference that this is the max debt millage rate that
we'll be charging for this series and for all the other series as well -- and for all the
other previous issuances as well.
Chair King: I think that while I do believe that we need to do another bond issuance,
before we start drafting any questions to go to the voters, we need to do an analysis of
what this will actually cost our residents, because this bond isn't the only thing that
we need to consider. We need to consider how our sanitation fees have not increased
in over, I don't know, 20, 30 years. So, while you may believe, oh, it's just $100, and
the word gust" does not belong in any sentence when it includes our residents having
to pay extra taxes, but you add maybe a bond, you add sanitation fees that rightfully
so need to be increased because they haven't been for over 20 plus years and on and
on and on. So, before I vote for this, I would like to know what else is in the pike
coming down that will affect our residents with their taxes. Because every year,
there's an escrow shortage on homes because of interest, insurance rates escalating,
escalating, and everybody has an escrow shortage, and that increases then potentially
our fees that we're going to be charging. So, I think this is premature to start talking
about sending something to the voters before we know what we absolutely will be
asking our voters, our residents, our seniors to incur in additional taxes for the city.
Commissioner Pardo?
Commissioner Pardo: Yeah, I know that the information is out there. I don't think all
the offices have seen it, but this is just a direction. This isn't making anything specific
happen. This is just telling the city manager, work on this. That's the only thing this is
doing. So, every office will have the opportunity.
Chair King: No, I understand what you're saying, but what I'm saying is I need them
to focus on our residents and what the city administration is going to come to us and
say, we want you to support. We want you to shop this to the residents of Miami about
how their sanitation is going to improve.
Commissioner Pardo: So you would rather defer this?
Chair King: Yes.
Commissioner Pardo: I'm okay --
Commissioner Escalona: And we should.
Chair King: Yes.
Commissioner Pardo: I'm okay.
Chair King: Yes.
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Commissioner Pardo: I'm okay. Let's defer it.
Commissioner Gabela: Yeah, I'd rather defer too.
Commissioner Pardo: All right. We're done.
Chair King: Okay. Okay, so I --
Commissioner Pardo: Motion.
Chair King: -- may 1 have a motion to defer RE.13?
Commissioner Pardo: So moved.
Commissioner Escalona: Move.
Commissioner Gabela: Second.
Commissioner Rosado: Is there a specific date to which it's going to be deferred?
Chair King: We can defer it indefinitely so then we can bring it back --
Commissioner Pardo: Yeah --
Chair King: -- at any time.
Commissioner Pardo: -- I'll bring it back when everybody feels --
Chair King: Right. So, indefinitely. I have a motion and a second. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Motion carries.
END OF RESOLUTIONS
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SR - SECOND READING ORDINANCES
SR.1 ORDINANCE Second Reading
17980 AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Department of CHAPTER 62/ARTICLE XIV OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF
Planning MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED
"PLANNING AND ZONING/PUBLIC BENEFITS TRUST FUND,"
MORE PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING SECTION 62-642 OF THE
CITY CODE, TITLED "ESTABLISHED," TO INCLUDE AN
ADMINISTRATIVE COST, CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14429
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona
ABSENT: Rosado
SR.1 ORDINANCE Second Reading
17980 AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Department of CHAPTER 62/ARTICLE XIV OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF
Planning MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED
"PLANNING AND ZONING/PUBLIC BENEFITS TRUST FUND,"
MORE PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING SECTION 62-642 OF THE
CITY CODE, TITLED "ESTABLISHED," TO INCLUDE AN
ADMINISTRATIVE COST, CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14429
MOTION TO: Reconsider
RESULT: RECONSIDERED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
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SR.1 ORDINANCE Second Reading
17980 AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Department of CHAPTER 62/ARTICLE XIV OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF
Planning MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED
"PLANNING AND ZONING/PUBLIC BENEFITS TRUST FUND,"
MORE PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING SECTION 62-642 OF THE
CITY CODE, TITLED "ESTABLISHED," TO INCLUDE AN
ADMINISTRATIVE COST, CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14429
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note, for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Item Number SR.1, please
see "Public Comments for all Item(s). "
Chair King: And now, Mr. City Attorney, would you please read the titles into the
record for the SR, Second Reading, ordinances?
George Wysong (City Attorney): Yes, Madam Chair, thank you. SR.1, second reading
ordinance.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Mr. Wysong: SR.2.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Mr. Wysong: SR.3.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Mr. Wysong: SR.4.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Mr. Wysong.: SR.5 is a long one.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Mr. Wysong: SR.6.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Mr. Wysong: SR.7.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Mr. Wysong: And lastly, SR.8.
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The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Mr. Wysong: SR.8 will be amended to remove the word Glenn Royal, so it will be the
naming of Superhero Park, and it will convert SR.B to a first reading ordinance.
Chair King: Thank you, Mr. City Attorney. Mr. City Clerk?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): And my apologies, Chair. Just for the record, SR.7 will
be amended pursuant to a substitution memo dated January 6, 2026.
Chair King: Yes, and 1'd like to start, moving forward, when we have these
substitution memos as amended, if we read them out loud, because I had an issue with
one of the items, the second read -- this same item, SR.2, because as amended
included some -- it included Watson Island, la la la, and 1 said, hey, wait a minute, I
wasn't aware of that, and it was a floor amendment, so it must have been just like our
city clerk said, as amended, substitution item, but it's not read, and we're doing it
right here. I had an issue with Watson Island being in this item, then I was told, well,
they can't take advantage of it, they're not allowed to do so, why is it in there? And
then it was a whole circular conversation. And the point I'm making is when we make
these substitutions on the floor, if you can read it so we know what the substitution is,
as does the community, it would be better instead of this blanket as substitution item
as amended. And 1 want to make sure that this, for my community, understands that
this item does not include District 5 in any way. 1 believe administration should shake
their head on the record and say it out loud.
Sevanne Steiner (Assistant Director, Planning): Yes, ma'am. On SR.7,
and the Venetian Islands have been amended and are not included.
areas in District 5 that are included.
Chair King: Thank you. Okay. So, gentlemen, are there any items
reading that you would like to pull for discussion?
Commissioner Pardo: Nope.
Chair King: Nope.
Commissioner Escalona: No.
Watson Island
There are no
in the second
Chair King: Nope. Okay. SR.5, we're updating and establishing the new fees. I think
this is what our new manager is speaking of. Here, we're going to update or increase
our fees before we increase our service. I have a problem with that. However, I
understand that, you know, I just want to see progress with it. We're increasing our
fees. I'm going to vote in favor of it with some hesitancy because you shouldn't get an
increase before we see improvement with services provided and we know that these
fees and it's cutting down time and la la la la la, but I'm going to go with that. So,
having said that, and no one else has issues --
Commissioner Gabela: Yeah --
Commissioner Pardo: I had --
Commissioner Gabela: -- let me just say one thing to that --
Chair King: Okay.
Commissioner Gabela: -- on the record that I don't look like I'm asleep at the wheel
here representing my district, okay, but I also share the same view. When they told me
City of Miami
Page 77 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
about this, 1 had my -- my concerns, right? And so, I share the same view as -- as you
do. So, 1 want it noted that we're going to give --
Commissioner Pardo: So, I -- I mean, I, just wanted to add, because I also, you know,
made note of that, and I also know the dire needs for stormwater and the stormwater
master plan that are so underfunded, but that fee hasn't changed since 1998.
Chair King: I understand.
Commissioner Pardo: Right.
Chair King: My residents don't care about that.
Commissioner Pardo: No, I get that, but that $7.50 fee or that $7 fee in other cities
like Miami Beach is a $300 fee. Yes.
Chair King: I understand -- and that's -- you are driving my point home about the
bond.
Commissioner Pardo: Perfect.
Chair King: Our fees have not changed --
Commissioner Pardo: That's it.
Chair King: -- in years, decades --
Commissioner Pardo: Yeah.
Chair King: -- and administration needs to do an analysis of that, because the
increases won't just be what's happening here. The increases could potentially affect
their taxes.
Commissioner Pardo: A hundred percent.
Chair King: So, before we start to say, hey, we want to put this bond out and it's
going to be "only" doesn't belong in the same sentence, or `just" doesn't belong in
the same sentence, when you're adding money that will increase our taxes, we have to
be thoughtful about what we're doing. And that is driving my point home.
Commissioner Gabela: And I want to add one more thing in our defense, really. The
problem we have here is that they've been kicking this can down the road --
Commissioner Pardo: Since 1998.
Commissioner Gabela: -- and we're the ones that ended up with it, right?
Commissioner Escalona: Yeah.
Commissioner Gabela: And now we're going to -- so I just want to put that on record.
And this is what's happened also with solid waste, where I talk about the 360 and
380. We never did it because nobody wanted to do it, you know, and at some point,
something's got to give. And this is the situation that we find ourselves in in reality.
Chair King: So, okay. Let me get them out. May I have a motion for SR.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6,
7 as amended, and SR.8?
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
Mr. Hannon: And SR.8 as amended.
Chair King: As amended.
Commissioner Pardo: So moved.
Chair King: I have a motion.
Commissioner Escalona: Second.
Chair King: Second. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Passes.
[Later...]
Chair King: When they come back -- Commissioner Rosado, we're voting on -- did
you vote on the SR (Second Reading) items?
Commissioner Rosado: No.
Chair King: Okay. Got to let us know when you're stepping away. What's your vote
for SR.1 through 8?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, then we would need to reconsider.
Chair King: Oh, gosh. Okay, let's reconsider.
Mr. Hannon: Just a moment. So, then we would need a motion to reconsider.
Chair King: May I have a motion --
Commissioner Gabela: Motion to reconsider.
Chair King: I have a motion --
Mr. Hannon: SR.1 through SR.8.
Commissioner Pardo: Second.
Chair King: I have a motion and a --
Commissioner Pardo: Second.
Chair King: -- second. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: May I have -- so I have a motion to reconsider, it passed. May I have a
motion to pass SR.1 through SR.8?
Commissioner Pardo: So moved.
Commissioner Gabela: Second.
City of Miami
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Motion carries.
Mr. Hannon: And Chair, for the record, with SR. 7 and SR.8 as amended.
Chair King: Yes. All right.
SR.2 ORDINANCE Second Reading
17964 AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Office of Zoning CHAPTER 62/ARTICLE II OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED (CITY CODE"), TITLED PLANNING AND
ZONING/COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING," MORE PARTICULARLY
BY AMENDING SECTION 62-12 OF THE CITY CODE, TITLED
"FEE FOR INSPECTIONS AND EXAMINATIONS OF PLANS FOR
COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE CITY ZONING
ORDINANCE," TO UPDATE THE ZONING PLAN REVIEWS FEE;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14430
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona
ABSENT: Rosado
City of Miami Page 80 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
SR.2 ORDINANCE Second Reading
17964 AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Office of Zoning CHAPTER 62/ARTICLE II OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED "PLANNING AND
ZONING/COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING," MORE PARTICULARLY
BY AMENDING SECTION 62-12 OF THE CITY CODE, TITLED
"FEE FOR INSPECTIONS AND EXAMINATIONS OF PLANS FOR
COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE CITY ZONING
ORDINANCE," TO UPDATE THE ZONING PLAN REVIEWS FEE;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14430
MOTION TO: Reconsider
RESULT: RECONSIDERED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
SR.2 ORDINANCE Second Reading
17964 AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Office of Zoning CHAPTER 62/ARTICLE II OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED (CITY CODE"), TITLED "PLANNING AND
ZONING/COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING," MORE PARTICULARLY
BY AMENDING SECTION 62-12 OF THE CITY CODE, TITLED
"FEE FOR INSPECTIONS AND EXAMINATIONS OF PLANS FOR
COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE CITY ZONING
ORDINANCE," TO UPDATE THE ZONING PLAN REVIEWS FEE;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14430
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number SR.2, please see
"Public Comments for allltem(s)" and Item Number SRI.
City of Miami Page 81 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
SR.3 ORDINANCE Second Reading
17962 AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Office of Zoning CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE IV/DIVISION 2 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED
"ADMINISTRATION/DEPARTMENTS/PLANNING, BUILDING AND
ZONING DEPARTMENT," MORE PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING
SECTION 2-207 OF THE CITY CODE, TITLED "ZONING
CERTIFICATE OF USE REQUIRED; ANNUAL RE -INSPECTION OF
BUILDINGS AND PREMISES; FEES FOR INSPECTIONS AND
ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES," TO UPDATE THE INSPECTION
AND SERVICE FEES FOR ZONING CERTIFICATES; MAKING
FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14431
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona
ABSENT: Rosado
SR.3 ORDINANCE Second Reading
17962 AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Office of Zoning CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE IV/DIVISION 2 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED
"ADMINISTRATION/DEPARTMENTS/PLANNING, BUILDING AND
ZONING DEPARTMENT," MORE PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING
SECTION 2-207 OF THE CITY CODE, TITLED "ZONING
CERTIFICATE OF USE REQUIRED; ANNUAL RE -INSPECTION OF
BUILDINGS AND PREMISES; FEES FOR INSPECTIONS AND
ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES," TO UPDATE THE INSPECTION
AND SERVICE FEES FOR ZONING CERTIFICATES; MAKING
FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14431
MOTION TO: Reconsider
RESULT: RECONSIDERED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
City of Miami Page 82 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
SR.3 ORDINANCE Second Reading
17962 AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Office of Zoning CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE IV/DIVISION 2 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED
"ADMINISTRATION/DEPARTMENTS/PLANNING, BUILDING AND
ZONING DEPARTMENT," MORE PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING
SECTION 2-207 OF THE CITY CODE, TITLED "ZONING
CERTIFICATE OF USE REQUIRED; ANNUAL RE -INSPECTION OF
BUILDINGS AND PREMISES; FEES FOR INSPECTIONS AND
ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATES," TO UPDATE THE INSPECTION
AND SERVICE FEES FOR ZONING CERTIFICATES; MAKING
FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14431
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number SR.3, please see
"Public Comments for allltem(s)" and Item Number SR.1.
SR.4 ORDINANCE Second Reading
18275
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 18/ARTICLE VIII OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED
"FINANCE/STORMWATER UTILITIES," BY AMENDING SECTION
18-294, TITLED "SCHEDULE OF RATES," TO SET THE
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT RATES; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE
EFFECTIVE DATE
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14432
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona
ABSENT: Rosado
City of Miami Page 83 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
SR.4 ORDINANCE Second Reading
18275
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 18/ARTICLE VIII OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED
"FINANCE/STORMWATER UTILITIES," BY AMENDING SECTION
18-294, TITLED "SCHEDULE OF RATES," TO SET THE
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT RATES; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE
EFFECTIVE DATE
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14432
MOTION TO: Reconsider
RESULT: RECONSIDERED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
SR.4 ORDINANCE Second Reading
18275
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 18/ARTICLE VIII OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED
"FINANCE/STORMWATER UTILITIES," BY AMENDING SECTION
18-294, TITLED "SCHEDULE OF RATES," TO SET THE
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT RATES; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE
EFFECTIVE DATE
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14432
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number SR.4, please see
"Public Comments for all Item(s)" and Item Number SR.1.
City of Miami Page 84 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
SR.5 ORDINANCE Second Reading
18066
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
AMENDING CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE IV/DIVISION 4/SECTION 2-
268 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED
"ADMINISTRATION/DEPARTMENTS/RESILIENCE AND PUBLIC
WORKS DEPARTMENT/FEE FOR PREPARATION OF
DOCUMENTS CONTAINING COVENANTS TO RUN WITH THE
LAND, RIGHT-OF-WAY DEDICATION DEEDS, QUITCLAIM
DEEDS, WAIVER OF FEE; FEE FOR PREPARATION OF
DOCUMENTS ALLOWING THE USE OF PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-
WAY BY PRIVATE ENTITIES; RECORDING FEE"; CHAPTER
2/ARTICLE IV/DIVISION 4/SECTION 2-269 OF THE CITY CODE,
TITLED "ADMINISTRATION/DEPARTMENTS/RESILIENCE AND
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT/CHECKING AND RECORDING
PLATS AND ALLEY CLOSURES OR VACATIONS —FEE
SCHEDULE; WAIVER OF FEE"; CHAPTER 2/ ARTICLE
IV/DIVISION 4/SECTION 2-272 OF THE CITY CODE, TITLED
"ADMINISTRATION/DEPARTMENTS/RESILIENCE AND PUBLIC
WORKS DEPARTMENT/PLAN REVIEW FEE"; AMENDING
CHAPTER 54/ARTICLE I/SECTION 54-3 OF THE CITY CODE,
TITLED "STREETS AND SIDEWALKS/IN GENERAL/PERMIT
REQUIRED FOR WORK THAT OBSTRUCTS OR CLOSES A
STREET, SIDEWALK, OR IMPEDES TRAFFIC; FEES; WAIVER
OF FEES"; AND CHAPTER 54/ARTICLE I/SECTION 54-8 OF
THE CITY CODE, TITLED "STREETS AND SIDEWALKS/IN
GENERAL/USING STREET OR SIDEWALK FOR DISPLAY
PURPOSES, EXCEPTIONS; PERMIT AND FEE," ALL TO
ADJUST TO CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS. FURTHER
AMENDING CHAPTER 54/ARTICLE II/SECTION 54-43 OF THE
CITY CODE, TITLED "STREETS AND SIDEWALKS/
CONSTRUCTION, EXCAVATION, AND REPAIR/PERMIT FEES
FOR RIGHT-OF-WAY OR STREET EXCAVATION, SIDEWALK
REPAIR, PAVING OR RESURFACING OF ROADWAY,
PARKWAY OR SHOULDER AREA, BUILDING LINE AND GRADE
SURVEY, SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION SURVEY, DRIVEWAY
CONSTRUCTION, UTILITY PLACEMENT; UNDERGROUND
UTILITY SERVICE CONNECTION EXCAVATION,
GROUNDWATER MONITORING WELLS; PERMIT RENEWAL;
AFTER -THE -FACT PERMIT, AND INSPECTION/
REINSPECTION FEES; WAIVER OF FEES," TO PROVIDE FOR
THE PROCESSING AND REVIEW OF RIGHT OF WAY
CLOSURE PERMIT EXTENSIONS BY THE DEPARTMENT,
CHAPTER 54/ARTICLE VI/SECTION 54-224 OF THE CITY
CODE, TITLED "STREETS AND SIDEWALKS/SIDEWALK AND
STREET CAFES/ FEES AND SECURITY DEPOSIT," TO ADJUST
TO CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS; FURTHER AMENDING
CHAPTER 55/SECTION 55-14 OF THE CITY CODE, TITLED
"SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS/ ENCROACHMENTS ONTO,
INTO, BELOW, AND/OR ABOVE RIGHTS -OF -WAY, PUBLIC
EASEMENTS, PRIVATE EASEMENTS, OR EMERGENCY
ACCESS EASEMENTS; EXCEPTIONS" TO ADJUST CERTAIN
FEES RELATED TO THE PROCESSING AND RECORDATION
OF PLATS, FOR THE PROCESSING AND REVIEW OF RIGHT
OF WAY PERMITS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS CONDUCTED
BY THE DEPARTMENT OF RESILIENCE AND PUBLIC WORKS
City of Miami Page 85 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
AND PROVIDING FOR NEW DEPARTMENT FEES RELATED TO
COVENANTS IN LIEU OF UNITY OF TITLE, RIGHT OF WAY
PERMIT EXTENSIONS, RE -INSPECTION FEES AND
ENCROACHMENTS ONTO, INTO, BELOW, AND/OR ABOVE A
PRIVATE EASEMENT; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14433
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona
ABSENT: Rosado
City of Miami Page 86 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
SR.5 ORDINANCE Second Reading
18066
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
AMENDING CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE IV/DIVISION 4/SECTION 2-
268 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED
"ADMINISTRATION/DEPARTMENTS/RESILIENCE AND PUBLIC
WORKS DEPARTMENT/FEE FOR PREPARATION OF
DOCUMENTS CONTAINING COVENANTS TO RUN WITH THE
LAND, RIGHT-OF-WAY DEDICATION DEEDS, QUITCLAIM
DEEDS, WAIVER OF FEE; FEE FOR PREPARATION OF
DOCUMENTS ALLOWING THE USE OF PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-
WAY BY PRIVATE ENTITIES; RECORDING FEE"; CHAPTER
2/ARTICLE IV/DIVISION 4/SECTION 2-269 OF THE CITY CODE,
TITLED "ADMINISTRATION/DEPARTMENTS/RESILIENCE AND
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT/CHECKING AND RECORDING
PLATS AND ALLEY CLOSURES OR VACATIONS —FEE
SCHEDULE; WAIVER OF FEE"; CHAPTER 2/ ARTICLE
IV/DIVISION 4/SECTION 2-272 OF THE CITY CODE, TITLED
"ADMINISTRATION/DEPARTMENTS/RESILIENCE AND PUBLIC
WORKS DEPARTMENT/PLAN REVIEW FEE"; AMENDING
CHAPTER 54/ARTICLE I/SECTION 54-3 OF THE CITY CODE,
TITLED "STREETS AND SIDEWALKS/IN GENERAL/PERMIT
REQUIRED FOR WORK THAT OBSTRUCTS OR CLOSES A
STREET, SIDEWALK, OR IMPEDES TRAFFIC; FEES; WAIVER
OF FEES"; AND CHAPTER 54/ARTICLE I/SECTION 54-8 OF
THE CITY CODE, TITLED "STREETS AND SIDEWALKS/IN
GENERAL/USING STREET OR SIDEWALK FOR DISPLAY
PURPOSES, EXCEPTIONS; PERMIT AND FEE," ALL TO
ADJUST TO CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS. FURTHER
AMENDING CHAPTER 54/ARTICLE II/SECTION 54-43 OF THE
CITY CODE, TITLED "STREETS AND SIDEWALKS/
CONSTRUCTION, EXCAVATION, AND REPAIR/PERMIT FEES
FOR RIGHT-OF-WAY OR STREET EXCAVATION, SIDEWALK
REPAIR, PAVING OR RESURFACING OF ROADWAY,
PARKWAY OR SHOULDER AREA, BUILDING LINE AND GRADE
SURVEY, SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION SURVEY, DRIVEWAY
CONSTRUCTION, UTILITY PLACEMENT; UNDERGROUND
UTILITY SERVICE CONNECTION EXCAVATION,
GROUNDWATER MONITORING WELLS; PERMIT RENEWAL;
AFTER -THE -FACT PERMIT, AND INSPECTION/
REINSPECTION FEES; WAIVER OF FEES," TO PROVIDE FOR
THE PROCESSING AND REVIEW OF RIGHT OF WAY
CLOSURE PERMIT EXTENSIONS BY THE DEPARTMENT,
CHAPTER 54/ARTICLE VI/SECTION 54-224 OF THE CITY
CODE, TITLED "STREETS AND SIDEWALKS/SIDEWALK AND
STREET CAFES/ FEES AND SECURITY DEPOSIT," TO ADJUST
TO CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS; FURTHER AMENDING
CHAPTER 55/SECTION 55-14 OF THE CITY CODE, TITLED
"SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS/ ENCROACHMENTS ONTO,
INTO, BELOW, AND/OR ABOVE RIGHTS -OF -WAY, PUBLIC
EASEMENTS, PRIVATE EASEMENTS, OR EMERGENCY
ACCESS EASEMENTS; EXCEPTIONS" TO ADJUST CERTAIN
FEES RELATED TO THE PROCESSING AND RECORDATION
OF PLATS, FOR THE PROCESSING AND REVIEW OF RIGHT
OF WAY PERMITS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS CONDUCTED
BY THE DEPARTMENT OF RESILIENCE AND PUBLIC WORKS
City of Miami Page 87 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
AND PROVIDING FOR NEW DEPARTMENT FEES RELATED TO
COVENANTS IN LIEU OF UNITY OF TITLE, RIGHT OF WAY
PERMIT EXTENSIONS, RE -INSPECTION FEES AND
ENCROACHMENTS ONTO, INTO, BELOW, AND/OR ABOVE A
PRIVATE EASEMENT; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14433
MOTION TO: Reconsider
RESULT: RECONSIDERED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
City of Miami Page 88 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
SR.5 ORDINANCE Second Reading
18066
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
AMENDING CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE IV/DIVISION 4/SECTION 2-
268 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED
"ADMINISTRATION/DEPARTMENTS/RESILIENCE AND PUBLIC
WORKS DEPARTMENT/FEE FOR PREPARATION OF
DOCUMENTS CONTAINING COVENANTS TO RUN WITH THE
LAND, RIGHT-OF-WAY DEDICATION DEEDS, QUITCLAIM
DEEDS, WAIVER OF FEE; FEE FOR PREPARATION OF
DOCUMENTS ALLOWING THE USE OF PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-
WAY BY PRIVATE ENTITIES; RECORDING FEE"; CHAPTER
2/ARTICLE IV/DIVISION 4/SECTION 2-269 OF THE CITY CODE,
TITLED "ADMINISTRATION/DEPARTMENTS/RESILIENCE AND
PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT/CHECKING AND RECORDING
PLATS AND ALLEY CLOSURES OR VACATIONS —FEE
SCHEDULE; WAIVER OF FEE"; CHAPTER 2/ ARTICLE
IV/DIVISION 4/SECTION 2-272 OF THE CITY CODE, TITLED
"ADMINISTRATION/DEPARTMENTS/RESILIENCE AND PUBLIC
WORKS DEPARTMENT/PLAN REVIEW FEE"; AMENDING
CHAPTER 54/ARTICLE I/SECTION 54-3 OF THE CITY CODE,
TITLED "STREETS AND SIDEWALKS/IN GENERAL/PERMIT
REQUIRED FOR WORK THAT OBSTRUCTS OR CLOSES A
STREET, SIDEWALK, OR IMPEDES TRAFFIC; FEES; WAIVER
OF FEES"; AND CHAPTER 54/ARTICLE I/SECTION 54-8 OF
THE CITY CODE, TITLED "STREETS AND SIDEWALKS/IN
GENERAL/USING STREET OR SIDEWALK FOR DISPLAY
PURPOSES, EXCEPTIONS; PERMIT AND FEE," ALL TO
ADJUST TO CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS. FURTHER
AMENDING CHAPTER 54/ARTICLE II/SECTION 54-43 OF THE
CITY CODE, TITLED "STREETS AND SIDEWALKS/
CONSTRUCTION, EXCAVATION, AND REPAIR/PERMIT FEES
FOR RIGHT-OF-WAY OR STREET EXCAVATION, SIDEWALK
REPAIR, PAVING OR RESURFACING OF ROADWAY,
PARKWAY OR SHOULDER AREA, BUILDING LINE AND GRADE
SURVEY, SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION SURVEY, DRIVEWAY
CONSTRUCTION, UTILITY PLACEMENT; UNDERGROUND
UTILITY SERVICE CONNECTION EXCAVATION,
GROUNDWATER MONITORING WELLS; PERMIT RENEWAL;
AFTER -THE -FACT PERMIT, AND INSPECTION/
REINSPECTION FEES; WAIVER OF FEES," TO PROVIDE FOR
THE PROCESSING AND REVIEW OF RIGHT OF WAY
CLOSURE PERMIT EXTENSIONS BY THE DEPARTMENT,
CHAPTER 54/ARTICLE VI/SECTION 54-224 OF THE CITY
CODE, TITLED "STREETS AND SIDEWALKS/SIDEWALK AND
STREET CAFES/ FEES AND SECURITY DEPOSIT," TO ADJUST
TO CURRENT MARKET CONDITIONS; FURTHER AMENDING
CHAPTER 55/SECTION 55-14 OF THE CITY CODE, TITLED
"SUBDIVISION REGULATIONS/ ENCROACHMENTS ONTO,
INTO, BELOW, AND/OR ABOVE RIGHTS -OF -WAY, PUBLIC
EASEMENTS, PRIVATE EASEMENTS, OR EMERGENCY
ACCESS EASEMENTS; EXCEPTIONS" TO ADJUST CERTAIN
FEES RELATED TO THE PROCESSING AND RECORDATION
OF PLATS, FOR THE PROCESSING AND REVIEW OF RIGHT
OF WAY PERMITS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS CONDUCTED
BY THE DEPARTMENT OF RESILIENCE AND PUBLIC WORKS
City of Miami Page 89 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
AND PROVIDING FOR NEW DEPARTMENT FEES RELATED TO
COVENANTS IN LIEU OF UNITY OF TITLE, RIGHT OF WAY
PERMIT EXTENSIONS, RE -INSPECTION FEES AND
ENCROACHMENTS ONTO, INTO, BELOW, AND/OR ABOVE A
PRIVATE EASEMENT; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14433
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number SR.5, please see
"Public Comments for all ltem(s) " and Item Number SR.1.
SR.6 ORDINANCE Second Reading
18404
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 49 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA,
AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED "SANITARY SEWERS,
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND SEWAGE
DISPOSAL," TO PROHIBIT PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS FROM
CONNECTING ANY MAN-MADE CONVEYANCE, DISCHARGE
PIPE, OR EXCAVATED TRAIL TO THE CITY'S STORMWATER
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND TO PROHIBIT PRIVATE
PROPERTY OWNERS FROM DISCHARGING WASTEWATER,
HUMAN WASTE, AND NON -POTABLE FLUIDS INTO THE
STORMWATER SYSTEM OR THE CITY'S RIGHT-OF-WAY;
PROVIDING FOR ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14434
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona
ABSENT: Rosado
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
SR.6 ORDINANCE Second Reading
18404
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 49 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA,
AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED "SANITARY SEWERS,
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND SEWAGE
DISPOSAL," TO PROHIBIT PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS FROM
CONNECTING ANY MAN-MADE CONVEYANCE, DISCHARGE
PIPE, OR EXCAVATED TRAIL TO THE CITY'S STORMWATER
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND TO PROHIBIT PRIVATE
PROPERTY OWNERS FROM DISCHARGING WASTEWATER,
HUMAN WASTE, AND NON -POTABLE FLUIDS INTO THE
STORMWATER SYSTEM OR THE CITY'S RIGHT-OF-WAY;
PROVIDING FOR ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14434
MOTION TO: Reconsider
RESULT: RECONSIDERED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
SR.6 ORDINANCE Second Reading
18404
Department of
Resilience and
Public Works
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 49 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA,
AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), TITLED "SANITARY SEWERS,
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND SEWAGE
DISPOSAL," TO PROHIBIT PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNERS FROM
CONNECTING ANY MAN-MADE CONVEYANCE, DISCHARGE
PIPE, OR EXCAVATED TRAIL TO THE CITY'S STORMWATER
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND TO PROHIBIT PRIVATE
PROPERTY OWNERS FROM DISCHARGING WASTEWATER,
HUMAN WASTE, AND NON -POTABLE FLUIDS INTO THE
STORMWATER SYSTEM OR THE CITY'S RIGHT-OF-WAY;
PROVIDING FOR ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14434
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number SR.6, please see "Order
of the Day" and Item Number SR.1.
City of Miami Page 91 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
SR.7 ORDINANCE Second Reading
18452
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING CHAPTER 62 OF THE CODE OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"),
TITLED "PLANNING AND ZONING," TO CREATE A NEW ARTICLE
XX, TITLED "RESILIENCE TRUST FUND," THEREBY
ESTABLISHING LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS THAT
IMPLEMENT DOUBLING OF DENSITY ALLOWED FOR ALL
APPLICABLE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATIONS PURSUANT
TO THE INTERPRETATION OF THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF
THE MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN; MAKING
FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14435
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona
ABSENT: Rosado
SR.7 ORDINANCE Second Reading
18452
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING CHAPTER 62 OF THE CODE OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"),
TITLED "PLANNING AND ZONING," TO CREATE A NEW ARTICLE
XX, TITLED "RESILIENCE TRUST FUND," THEREBY
ESTABLISHING LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS THAT
IMPLEMENT DOUBLING OF DENSITY ALLOWED FOR ALL
APPLICABLE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATIONS PURSUANT
TO THE INTERPRETATION OF THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF
THE MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN; MAKING
FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14435
MOTION TO: Reconsider
RESULT: RECONSIDERED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
City of Miami Page 92 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
SR.7 ORDINANCE Second Reading
18452
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING CHAPTER 62 OF THE CODE OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"),
TITLED "PLANNING AND ZONING," TO CREATE A NEW ARTICLE
XX, TITLED "RESILIENCE TRUST FUND," THEREBY
ESTABLISHING LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS THAT
IMPLEMENT DOUBLING OF DENSITY ALLOWED FOR ALL
APPLICABLE FUTURE LAND USE DESIGNATIONS PURSUANT
TO THE INTERPRETATION OF THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF
THE MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN; MAKING
FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14435
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number SR.7, please see
"Public Comments for allltem(s)" and Item Number SR.1.
SR.8 ORDINANCE First Reading
18601
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 38/ARTICLE I OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, TITLED "PARKS AND RECREATION/IN
GENERAL," BY CREATING SECTION 38-40, TITLED "NAMING OF
GLEN ROYAL SUPERHERO PARK," TO PROVIDE FOR THE
NAMING OF THE PROPERTY CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY
14,200 SQUARE FEET LOCATED AT 235 NORTHWEST 26
AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA AS "SUPERHERO PARK"; FURTHER
DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO TAKE ANY AND ALL
ACTIONS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE NAMING OF THE
PARK; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING
FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Back to First Reading with Modification(s)
RESULT: BACK TO FIRST READING WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona
ABSENT: Rosado
City of Miami Page 93 Printed on 03/03/2026
City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
SR.8 ORDINANCE First Reading
18601
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 38/ARTICLE I OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, TITLED "PARKS AND RECREATION/IN
GENERAL," BY CREATING SECTION 38-40, TITLED "NAMING OF
GLEN ROYAL SUPERHERO PARK," TO PROVIDE FOR THE
NAMING OF THE PROPERTY CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY
14,200 SQUARE FEET LOCATED AT 235 NORTHWEST 26
AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDAAS "SUPERHERO PARK"; FURTHER
DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO TAKE ANY AND ALL
ACTIONS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE NAMING OF THE
PARK; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING
FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Reconsider
RESULT: RECONSIDERED
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
SR.8 ORDINANCE First Reading
18601
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 38/ARTICLE I OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, TITLED "PARKS AND RECREATION/IN
GENERAL," BY CREATING SECTION 38-40, TITLED "NAMING OF
GLEN ROYAL SUPERHERO PARK," TO PROVIDE FOR THE
NAMING OF THE PROPERTY CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY
14,200 SQUARE FEET LOCATED AT 235 NORTHWEST 26
AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDAAS "SUPERHERO PARK"; FURTHER
DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO TAKE ANY AND ALL
ACTIONS NECESSARY TO EFFECTUATE THE NAMING OF THE
PARK; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING
FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Back to First Reading with Modification(s)
RESULT: BACK TO FIRST READING WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number SR.8, please see Item
Number SR.1.
END OF SECOND READING ORDINANCES
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
FR - FIRST READING ORDINANCES
FR.1 ORDINANCE First Reading
18693
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 55/ SECTION 55-10 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, AS AMENDED, ENTITLED "SUBDIVISION
REGULATIONS/BUILDING PERMITS; ISSUANCE;
RESTRICTIONS; EXCEPTIONS," TO EXEMPT THE
CONSTRUCTION OF A CARPORT, COVERED ENTRY,
DRIVEWAY, PATIO, OR POOL FROM CHAPTER 55-10
REQUIREMENTS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Chair King: Mr. City Attorney, would you please read the, first reading ordinances for
consideration?
George Wysong (City Attorney): Yes, Madam Chair. First reading ordinance is FR 1.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Mr. Wysong: FR.2 was deferred. FR.3.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Mr. Wysong: That concludes the first reading.
Chair King: Thank you. Gentlemen, any of the first reading items, FR.1 or FR.2,
would you like to pull for discussion?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Sorry, Chair, just for the record, FR.1 and FR.3.
Chair King: FR.1 and FR.3, I'm sorry. No?
Commissioner Escalona: No.
Chair King: May I have a motion?
Commissioner Gabela: Motion.
Chair King: I have a motion.
Commissioner Pardo: Second.
Chair King: And a second. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
Chair King: Commissioner Rosado has stepped away from -- we'll ask him for his
vote when he comes back.
Mr. Hannon: You want to table this?
Chair King: No, not necessarily, but, you know, he's here. He has to vote, yes or no.
Mr. Hannon: He's not on the dais.
Chair King: Doesn't matter. According -- according to my ethics training that I just
had, unless he has left the meeting, he needs to vote. George?
Mr. Wysong: Well, 1 would say he is not present, so therefore -- that's one of the ways
-- you cannot abstain from voting, but if you're not present for whatever reason, it's
okay to reflect as not present.
Chair King: Okay, I don't know if you guys took the same training that 1 took, but it
said --
Mr. Wysong: It's not supposed to be intentional.
Chair King: -- you can't walk away and not vote.
Mr. Wysong: Oh, problem solved.
Commissioner Pardo: There he is. He's back.
[Later...]
Chair King: May I have a motion to pass FR.1 and FR.3?
Commissioner Gabela: Motion.
Commissioner Escalona: Move.
Chair King: I have a motion and a second. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Passes unanimously.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
FR.2 ORDINANCE First Reading
18706
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION RENAMING
CERTAIN CITY OF MIAMI OWNED REAL PROPERTY
CONSISTING OF APPROXIMATELY 8,219 SQUARE FEET,
LOCATED AT 1 SOUTHWEST SOUTH RIVER DRIVE, MIAMI,
FLORIDA, CURRENTLY KNOWN AS "SIMON BOLIVAR PARK," AS
"FISHERMAN'S PARK"; AMENDING CHAPTER 38/ARTICLE I OF
THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED
("CITY CODE"), TITLED "PARKS AND RECREATION/IN
GENERAL," BY AMENDING SECTION 38-30 OF THE CITY CODE,
CURRENTLY TITLED "NAMING OF SIMON BOLIVAR PARK" TO
RENAME THE PROPERTY DESIGNATED THEREIN AS
"FISHERMAN'S PARK"; FURTHER DIRECTING THE CITY
MANAGER TO TAKE ANY AND ALL ACTIONS NECESSARY TO
EFFECTUATE THE RENAMING OF THE PARK; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE
DATE.
MOTION TO: Defer
RESULT: DEFERRED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ralph "Rafael" Rosado, Commissioner
AYES: King, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
ABSENT: Gabela
Note for the Record: Item FR.2 was deferred to the January 22, 2026, City
Commission Meeting.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number FR.2, please see
"Order of the Day" and Item Number FR.1.
FR.3 ORDINANCE First Reading
18442
Commissioners
and Mayor
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
AMENDING CHAPTER 10/ARTICLE VI/SECTION 10-101,
TITLED "BUILDINGS / UNSAFE STRUCTURES / UNSAFE
STRUCTURES AND UNSAFE STRUCTURES PANEL," MORE
PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING SECTION 10-101(M),
TITLED "POST -HEARING EXTENSION OF TIME; AMNESTY
PROGRAM," TO CONVERT THE EXISTING COMMERCIAL
PROPERTY AMNESTY PILOT PROGRAM TO A
PERMANENT PROGRAM; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE
DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING
MOVER: Miguel Angel Gabela, Commissioner
SECONDER: Rolando Escalona, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number FR.3, please see Item
Number FR. 1.
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
END OF FIRST READING ORDINANCES
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
BC.1
18664
Office of the City
Clerk
BC - BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION CONFIRMING THE
APPOINTMENT OF A CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AS A MEMBER OF THE DOWNTOWN
DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (DDA) FOR A TERM AS DESIGNATED HEREIN.
APPOINTEE: NOMINATED BY:
Vicki Lopez
(Unexpired Term
Ending 8/31/2026)
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-26-0030
Miami -Dade Board of County Commissioners
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ralph "Rafael" Rosado, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Chair King: May I have a motion to pass BC. 1?
Commissioner Pardo: So moved.
Commissioner Rosado: Second.
Chair King: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Passes unanimously.
END OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
PZ.1
14120
Department of
Planning
PART B: PZ - PLANNING AND ZONING ITEM(S)
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
GRANTING/DENYING THE APPEAL FILED BY 970 N.W. 8TH STREET
ROAD, LLC, ("APPELLANT") AND
REVERSING/AFFIRMING/MODIFYING THE DECISION OF THE MIAMI
HISTORIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION BOARD'S
DENIAL, PURSUANT TO SECTION 23-6.2(B)(4) OF THE CODE OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, OF THE
APPELLANT'S APPLICATION FOR A SPECIAL CERTIFICATE OF
APPROPRIATENESS TO PERMIT DEMOLITION OF TWO (2)
CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURES, LOCATED APPROXIMATELY AT
812 NORTHWEST 8 STREET ROAD AND 830 NORTHWEST 8
STREET ROAD, MIAMI, FLORIDA, 33136, WITHIN THE SPRING
GARDEN HISTORIC DISTRICT; WITH FOLIO NUMBERS 01-3135-
027-1080 AND 01-3135-027-1070.
MOTION TO: Indefinitely Defer
RESULT: INDEFINITELY DEFERRED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ralph "Rafael" Rosado, Commissioner
AYES: King, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
ABSENT: Gabela
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PZ.1, please see "Order
of the Day."
City of Miami
Page 100 Printed on 03/03/2026
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
PZ.2
18132
Department of
Planning
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING, PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 55,
SECTION 55-15 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA
AS AMENDED, TO VACATE AND CLOSE TWO (2) PUBLIC ALLEYS:
1.) A FIFTEEN FOOT (15') WIDE ALLEY THAT RUNS NORTH AND
SOUTH; AND 2.) A SIXTEEN FOOT (16') WIDE ALLY THAT RUNS
FROM THE PROPERTY LINE FOR APPROXIMATELY 150.03 FEET
BOTH GENERALLY LOCATED AT THE WEST SIDE OF NORTH
MIAMI AVENUE BETWEEN NORTHWEST 34 TERRACE AND
NORTHWEST 35 STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA ("ALLEY VACATION"),
AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A," ATTACHED
AND INCORPORATED; MAKING FINDINGS; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE
DATE.
MOTION TO: Indefinitely Defer
RESULT: INDEFINITELY DEFERRED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ralph "Rafael" Rosado, Commissioner
AYES: King, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
ABSENT: Gabela
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PZ.2, please see "Order
ofthe Day."
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
PZ.3
18133
Department of
Planning
PZ.4
18258
Commissioners
and Mayor - PZ
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AN EXCEPTION WITH CONDITIONS
TO ALLOW AN UP TO ONE HUNDRED PERCENT (100%) PARKING
REDUCTION IN THE TOTAL NUMBER OF REQUIRED PARKING
SPACES FOR A STRUCTURE WITH A FLOOR AREA OF TEN
THOUSAND (10,000) SQUARE FEET OR LESS LOCATED WITHIN A
TRANSIT CORRIDOR AREA PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 4, TABLE 4
(T4) AND ARTICLE 7, SECTION 7.1.2.6, OF ORDINANCE NO. 13114,
THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED, FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION GENERALLY LOCATED AT
506 SOUTHWEST 8 AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS MORE
PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN THE ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED EXHIBIT "A"; MAKING FINDINGS; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE
DATE.
MOTION TO: Defer
RESULT: DEFERRED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ralph "Rafael" Rosado, Commissioner
AYES: King, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
ABSENT: Gabela
Note for the Record: Item PZ.3 was deferred to the February 12, 2026, City
Commission Meeting.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PZ.3, please see
"Order of the Day."
ORDINANCE Second Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
ORDINANCE NO. 13114, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("MIAMI 21 CODE"), BY
AMENDING ARTICLE 1, TITLED "DEFINITIONS," TO CLARIFY
DEFINITIONS RELATING TO PERSONAL WIRELESS SERVICE
FACILITIES ("PWSF") AND ARTICLE 6, TITLED "SUPPLEMENTAL
REGULATIONS," TO STREAMLINE PWSF ENTITLEMENT
PROCESSES AND UPDATE ASSOCIATED DESIGN CRITERIA;
MAKING FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14436
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ralph "Rafael" Rosado, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Chair King: George, would you please read the title into the record for the Planning
and Zoning items, PZ.4 and 5?
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
George Wysong (City Attorney): Yes, Madam Chair. PZ.4, second reading ordinance.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Mr. Wysong: PZ.5, second reading ordinance.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Mr. Wysong: That concludes the PZ (Planning and Zoning) items.
Chair King: Gentlemen, would you like -- ?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): And before the motion is made, for the record, PZ.4
will be amended pursuant to a substitution memo dated January 6, 2026.
Chair King: And that substitution memo would be what? That's what we just
discussed.
Commissioner Pardo: It's the same, yeah.
Sevanne Steiner (Assistant Director, Planning): Yes, ma'am. Sevanne Steiner,
Assistant Director of Planning. The substitution memo incorporates feedback that we
received from the industry to better meet Florida state law and industry standards for
constructing new wireless facilities.
Chair King: Thank you. Gentlemen, would you like to pull any of the items for
discussion? May I have a motion?
Commissioner Pardo: So moved.
Commissioner Rosado: So moved.
Commissioner Gabela: Second.
Chair King: I have a motion and a second. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair King: Motion carries unanimously. Thank you, guys.
Mr. Hannon: With PZ.4 as amended.
Chair King: With PZ.4 as amended. This shall conclude the City of Miami
Commission meeting for January 8, 2026.
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
PZ.5 ORDINANCE Second Reading
18388
Commissioners
and Mayor - PZ
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
ORDINANCE NO. 13114, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("MIAMI 21 CODE"),
SPECIFICALLY BY AMENDING ARTICLE 4, TABLE 4, TITLED
"DENSITY, INTENSITY AND PARKING (T4)", "DENSITY, INTENSITY
AND PARKING (T5)," AND "DENSITY, INTENSITY AND PARKING
(T6)," TO IMPLEMENT THE DOUBLING OF DENSITY ALLOWED
UNDER THE INTERPRETATION OF THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP
OF THE MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN; MAKING
FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 14437
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Damian Pardo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ralph "Rafael" Rosado, Commissioner
AYES: King, Gabela, Pardo, Escalona, Rosado
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item Number PZ.5, please see
"Public Comments for allltem(s)" and Item Number PZ.4.
END OF PLANNING AND ZONING ITEM(S)
City of Miami
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Meeting Minutes January 8, 2026
FL - FUTURE LEGISLATION
FL.1 ORDINANCE
18531
Department of
Human Services
ADJOURNMENT
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE XI/DIVISION 2/SECTION 2-887 OF THE
CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY
CODE") TITLED "QUORUM REQUIREMENTS; EXCEPTIONS,"
MORE PARTICULARLY BY INCLUDING THE LGBTQ ADVISORY
BOARD ON THE LIST IN SECTION 2-887(8) OF CITY BOARDS
SUBJECT TO QUORUM REQUIREMENTS PROVIDED FOR
ELSEWHERE IN THE CITY CODE; FURTHER AMENDING
CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE XI/DIVISION 25/SECTION 2-1352 OF THE
CITY CODE TITLED "MEETINGS; QUORUM AND VOTING;
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS; PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY;
RULES OF PROCEDURE; MINUTES; ASSIGNMENT OF STAFF;
LEGAL COUNSEL; AND NOTICES AND FILING OF RECORDS,"
MORE PARTICULARLY BY AMENDING THE LGBTQ ADVISORY
BOARD'S QUORUM AND VOTING REQUIREMENTS DETAILED IN
SECTION 2-1352 (b) OF THE CITY CODE.
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
END OF FUTURE LEGISLATION
The meeting adjourned at 11:49 a.m.
City of Miami
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