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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmittal-Public Comments Submitted Online for the May 14, 2026 City Commission MeetingOrd li ti C.rlf:'rrsWf : Public Comment motero©mia migov.com lI u..n II Il realll: V biriru laVarro aWa:Wirnr Vane Cond ssa e Maji Ram os 333 NE 24th Street Miam i, FL 3313 7 Agend a Illl:nnnru Viia s inruinrur:rurll Good morning Commissioners, I want to express my support for RE.15 and the creation of the Miami Tree Ordinance Advisory Committee. This is an important and necessary step for the future of our city. As residents continue to experience the impacts of rapid urban development, it has become increasingly dear that Miami needs stronger oversight, long- term planning, and consistent community involvement when it comes to tree canopy RE. 15 preservation and green space protections. Neighborhoods like Edgewater are already #1923 feeling the effects of reduced vegetation, increased heat, flooding concerns, and the 0 gradual loss of the natural environment that contributes so heavily to quality of life. Trees Establi are not simply decorative elements — they are critical infrastructure for shade, stormwater sh - mitigation, air quality, walkabitity, and public health. For that reason, I strongly believe this May The committee should not be treated as a short-term or symbolic initiative. It should be 14 Miami structured as a long-term advisory body with ongoing oversight responsibilities and 2026 Tree meaningful community participation. The decisions made regarding Miami's tree f:Y`.G „n Ordina protections today wilt directly shape the livability of our neighborhoods for decades to nni nce come. As a member of the Biscayne Neighborhoods Association, I also believe that IMO:1II Adviso representation from the BNA should be included as part of this committee or advisory ry process. Organizations like ours work closely with residents who experience firsthand the Comm impact of overdevelopment, loss of canopy, infrastructure strain, and environmental ittee changes occurring across our urban core. Community stakeholders must have a seat at the table alongside planners, developers, environmental experts, and city officials. The people Living in these neighborhoods bring valuable perspective and accountability to the conversation. I encourage the Commission to ensure this committee has the structure, transparency, and long-term purpose necessary to truly protect Miami's urban canopy for future generations. Thank you. Vanessa Conde Agenda Item RE.4 — Public Comment Maji Ramos 555 NE 56 ST Miami, FL 33137 Good morning Mayor Eileen Higgins and Commissioners, My name is Maji Ramos. I'm a Miami native, second -generation Realtor, and I've been a Miami Realtor since 1993. I also serve as the Morningside Resiliency Ambassador and founder of Maji Synergy, a resiliency RE. 4 advocacy initiative focused on building a smarter, more resilient Miami. I strongly support #1918 investments in critical public infrastructure and public safety facilities throughout our city 3 especially the police & fire departments. As Miami continues to grow and heat up, I 555 Public respectfully ask the Commission to also recognize mature tree canopy as an important NE Safety part of Miami's long term resilience infrastructure tied to heat mitigation, stormwater 56 ST GOB management, neighborhood livability, and economic competitiveness. From a real estate Bond perspective, buyers increasingly value shaded, walkable, heavily canopied neighborhoods Refere because they provide greater comfort, beauty, and long-term livability. Small replacement ndum trees are not functionally equivalent to mature canopy trees that have taken decades to establish and provide significantly greater cooling and environmental benefits. I believe preserving and strengthening Miami's urban canopy wilt become increasingly important to protecting the city's desirability, quality of life, and long-term property values. Thank you for your consideration. Maji Ramos May 14 2026 7:P7a into VIID"II"' 19314 Submittal -Public Comments Submitted Online for the May 14, 2026 City Commission Meeting ill irs^r!sll su ngrrinia tl llinn ll iriru aWa:Wirrr Viis (—ore irirur;rinill ratleatl a [rein raaltle RE. 15 #1923 Dear Mayor Higgins and Miami City Council Commissioners, Miami desperately needs 1750 0 more trees, not fewer. Our city already struggles with extreme heat, limited shade, Establi flooding, and overdevelopment. Mature trees are critical for cooling neighborhoods, N sh - improving air quality, supporting wildlife and pollinators, reducing flooding, and making May Bays hore The Miami more livable for residents. Watching developers remove hundreds -of -years -old trees 14 Lia Simc Drive, Miami for more luxury buildings and concrete is heartbreaking and horrific. Once these trees are 2026 ina Tree gone, they cannot simply be replaced with small saplings and considered equal We are :Tarr Miam Ordina losing irreplaceable parts of Miami's ecosystem and character. Please prioritize stronger nro i FL 3313 nce protections for mature trees, expand urban canopy requirements, and hold developers Vtlll:1ll Adviso accountable for preserving existing green space whenever possible. Miami's future 2 ry depends on balancing growth with environmental preservation. Thank you for your time Comm and consideration. ittee Maji Ram os 555 NE 56 ST Good afternoon Mayor Eileen Higgins and Commissioners, My name is Maji Ramos. I'm a Miami native, second -generation Realtor, and I've worked in Miami real estate since 1993. I also serve as a Morningside Resiliency Ambassador and founder of Maji Synergy, a resiliency advocacy initiative focused on building a smarter, more resilient Miami. I support the creation of the Tree Ordinance Advisory Committee and respectfully ask that this committee prioritize transparency, meaningful public engagement, and stronger protections RE. 15 for Miami's mature tree canopy. Miami's tree canopy is no longer simply an environmental #1923 issue. It is an economic, public health, infrastructure, and long-term property value issue. 0 As our city continues to heat up, mature canopy trees are becoming increasingly tied to Establi desirability, shade, waLkabitity, neighborhood character, and overall quality of life. Today's sh - buyers, insurers, lenders, and residents increasingly evaluate neighborhoods through the May The lens of long-term livability and resilience. Small replacement trees are not functionally 14 Miami equivalent to large mature canopy trees that have taken decades to establish. Mature 2026 Tree canopy provides significantly greater cooling benefits, stormwater absorption, and :89a Ordina neighborhood comfort at a scale newly planted trees cannot replicate for many years. nno nce From a real estate and long-term economic perspective, I believe heavily canopied Adviso neighborhoods wilt increasingly command a premium because people naturally gravitate ry toward cooler, more Livable environments. Trees should therefore be viewed not as Comm cosmetic Landscaping, but as essential infrastructure tied directly to heat mitigation, ittee stormwater management, public health, Miami's desirability, and Long term economic competitiveness. For this committee to be effective and credible, I respectfully ask for: 1. The appointment of qualified urban forestry experts, including Chris BareLoto and Ian Wogan; 2. A mission focused on strengthening protections within Chapter 17 and advancing Miami's canopy goals; 3. meaningful public workshops across the community; 4. FuLt public transparency regarding historical, current, and future tree removal permit data. Thank you. Maji Ramos Sam Wilso 2627 RE. 15 Good morning public servants, I'm here today as a Miami native and D2 resident who is May anth n s #1923 feeling something very simple: Miami is getting hotter —and we're Losing the very things 14 a baysh 0 that make it Livable. Not in theory. Not in a report. In real Life. You can feel it when you 2026 ore Establi walk down the street and there's no shade. You can feel it waiting at a bus stop that used 0f„n sh - to be covered by a canopy of trees. You can feel it when your neighborhood just feels... nno The harsher than it used to. And then you Look around and realize— the trees are IMO'.:1ll Miami disappearing. Across Miami, we're seeing Large, mature trees —many in the public right -of - Tree way —being removed because they supposedly "conflict with construction." But here's the Ordina question that keeps coming up: Why does the tree always have to Lose? Why is the nce solution always removal instead of redesign? At the same time, residents are being told to Adviso trust a process that doesn't feel trustworthy— with arborist reports that don't always Line up ry with what people are seeing on the ground, and decisions happening without dear notice Comm or transparency. And while all of this is happening, the rules that are supposed to guide ittee development— Like the minimum tree requirements in Miami 21—don't seem to be consistently followed. So for many of us, this doesn't feel Like a planning process. It feels Like we're Losing ground —Literally and figuratively. And that matters, because trees are not just aesthetic. They are what make Miami bearable in the summer. They are what help manage flooding during storms. They are what make neighborhoods feel healthy, safe, and humane. Without them, we are Left with more heat, more runoff, and fewer ill irs^r!sll su ngrrinia tl earn' learn' aWa:Wirrr Viis s s iriruirirur;rurill: ratleatl a [rein raaltle Chris toph er Eliza beth Baral oto Balbi n Bran sgrov e 3752 Kumq uat protections. So yes —form this Committee. But please understand what the community is asking: Not more delay. Not more discussion while removals continue. Not a slow drift toward weaker protections. We are asking for something very basic: Follow the rules that already exist. Make sure tree removal decisions are transparent and weft -justified. Make sure the experts involved are independent and credible. And make sure the public can actually see and trust the process. Because right now, trust is wearing thin. This isn't about being against development. It's about asking for better decisions —ones that don't leave our city hotter, harsher, and harder to live in. At the end of the day, we all want a Miami that thrives. And that's not going to happen if we keep chipping away at the very canopy that protects us. Or to put it simply— If we don't start making better choices now, we're all going to be left out here... without a branch to stand on. Thank you. RE. 15 #1923 0 Establi sh - May The I support RE 15 but request revisions. Please consider adding language: 1. to require 14 Miami commission vote on committee recommendations for revisions to Ch17 2. to delete 2026 Tree language on the sunset of committee activities, and rather add expanded regular duties to ):51a Ordina periodically (c. @ 3mos) review use of Tree Trust Fund and advise on future uses. lin nce lII)II Adviso ry Comm ittee RE. 15 #1923 0 Establi sh - 4071 The Wood Miami ridge Tree Road Ordina nce Adviso ry Comm ittee I think everyone is incredibly frustrated right now for multiple reasons. But one thing that we have to hold sacred, is our HOME in our community. There's no denying that Miami has exploded in multiple ways. But that explosion without proper environmental and other impact studies only puts more stress in our city, white destroying our environment our way of Life, every single thing that made our tittle corner of this world special.. I'm sure you've heard from multiple folks the importance of Tree canopy. And I'm sure you're aware of other countries who are taking away some of the concrete islands and making green islands mitigating temperatures and flooding as weLL. But the real issue here is the Lack of Leadership Miami has. PoLt most people And you would get a vast amount who think our city officials are corrupt and at every opportunity sett off to developers. Why is it that The general feeling ? There has to be some truth there. So I ask each and everyone of you who represents us to please take a moment and pause. We don't need to rush development, we don't need to rush cutting down that tree, but we do need to think how do we protect what we have so we don't Lose it forever. Perhaps we could work on public transportation ? Making me actually go somewhere ? For example, why don't we have public transportation to hard rock stadium ? Is it because they just went to pocket the Parking ? ALL of these things add up in a representative of the people sitting in Office today. We elected you to represent us, not corporate, not developers, but us. Please Let your Legacy be one of conservation and protect protection and doing the right thing Not the person who sold off our parks, cut off our trees, gave us horrible traffic, made housing unaffordable, Polluted our Bay, and sold the soul of our city, And our homes. May 14 2026 err eretlair Vane Cond 333 RE. 4 I want to begin by saying that I support investing in our public safety infrastructure. Our May ssa a NE #1918 police officers, firefighters, and first responders deserve facilities that are safe, modern, 14 24th 3 functionaL, and reflective of the critical work they do every day for the residents of Miami. 2026 Street Public As someone who has spoken publicly before about the condition of some of these 8:71.58 Safety facilities, I understand the importance of ensuring that the people who protect our Miam GOB community have the tools and environments they need to perform their jobs effectively. III)II i FL Bond That said, because this proposal represents a very significant financial commitment — up 3313 Refere to $450 million funded through property taxes — I would respectfully ask that the City 7 ndum provide a much dearer and more detailed plan of action outlining exactly how these funds wilt be allocated. Residents deserve transparency regarding: Which facilities are being prioritized Which stations or headquarters wilt be repaired versus rebuilt What geographic areas wilt directly benefit What timelines are anticipated How much funding is allocated to each specific project And how the City intends to ensure accountability throughout the PIlirs^r!sll su ngrrinia tl earn' learn' aWa:Wirrr Viis s s iriruirirur;rurill: ratleatl a [rein raaltle Luna Luna process For neighborhoods like Edgewater, where density and population continue to increase rapidly, understanding how these investments will improve emergency response coverage and public safety services is especially important. I believe voters are more likely to support investments of this scale when there is a dear roadmap, measurable outcomes, and public accountability attached to the funding request. As this moves toward the August 2026 ballot, I encourage the City to provide residents with detailed information so taxpayers can make informed decisions with confidence and clarity. Thank you.Vanessa Conde RE. 4 #1918 3 May 3345 In our state, 287(g) policies turn police into immigration agents, making everyday life 14 Public Paz SW dangerous for our beloved communities. End the City of Miami's 287(g) agreement. It is 2026 Safety a 4th GOB cruel and a threat to public safety. Our communities, especially immigrant families, IJ„rr u) Street deserve safety, not fear. Bond Refere VIII:)Il ndum RE. 15 #1923 0 Regarding RE.15, I urge the Commission to install Chris Bartolo onto the new Tree Establi Ordinance Advisory Committee and explicitly revise the mission statement to prioritize sh - strengthening tree protections within Chapter 17, especially as our tree canopy falls welt May 3345 The behind the 30% target. To ensure genuine public input, the process must include no fewer 13 Paz SW Miami than five independent community workshops where outcomes are delivered directly to the 2026 a 4th Tree committee agenda, ensuring community recommendations are included in the final report 1.0:4T Street Ordina independent of committee input. Finally, we demand greater transparency. Historical tree Pre nce removal permit data should not rely on sporadic social media posts but instead require MI1I1)II Adviso opening the API on the GIS-enabled digital plat and permitting system, allowing both the ry public and the City to accurately understand the real impacts of tree removals. Comm ittee Jas Garci min a a pri l dojni a 455 ne 24 street miam i fl 3313 7 1800 n baysh ore drive ORDE R OF THE DAY RE. 15 #1923 0 Establi sh - The Miami Tree Ordina nce Adviso ry Comm ittee Save the trees in Miami! Our canopy is important for everyone's health and the economy of the city. No one wilt want to visit or live miami if it is burning hot because we are removing large trees everywhere Stop allowing the miami trees to be taken down. We deserve an appeals process, free appeals, and less concrete. Do better on preserving our trees and stop chopping without a permit. May 14 2026 n VI I: )'I" May 14 2026 re M IC) llaall l..r zll: itl:reetlI Again¢ tl arrro latlarro Actltlire I u.ullarik ( (Airiruirirur;rrill a Illlerru RE. 15 #1923 0 Establi Balbi sh - The 4071 Eliza Miami Bran Wood beth Tree sgrov ridge Ordina e nce Adviso ry Comm ittee PR - PRES 501 ENTAT Shirt Ricc NE IONS ey ardi 31st AND St PROC LAMAT IONS N/A N/A End of Report May 14 2026 11.1t„r nru May 13 2026 nru r ll',1"Ir