HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2018-06-28 MinutesCity of Miami
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Meeting Minutes
Thursday, June 28, 2018
9:00 AM
Planning and Zoning
City Hall
City Commission
Francis Suarez, Mayor
Keon Hardemon, Chair
Ken Russell, Vice Chair
Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner, District One
Joe Carollo, Commissioner, District Three
Manolo Reyes, Commissioner, District Four
Emilio T. Gonzalez, City Manager
Victoria Mendez, City Attorney
Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk
City Commission Meeting Minutes June 28, 2018
9:00 AM INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Present. Chair Hardemon, Vice Chair Russell, Commissioner Gort, Commissioner Carollo
and Commissioner Reyes.
On the 28th day of June, 2018, 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 Vice Chair Russell at 9:09 a.m.,
recessed at 12:12 p.m., reconvened at 2:12 p.m., and adjourned at 6:50 p.m.
Note for the Record. Commissioner Reyes entered the Commission chambers at 9:16 a.m.,
Commissioner Carollo entered the Commission chambers at 9:52 a.m., and Chair
Hardemon entered the Commission chambers at 11:05 a.m.
ALSO PRESENT.
Emilio T. Gonzalez, Ph.D., City Manager
Victoria Mendez, City Attorney
Todd B. Hannon, City Clerk
Vice Chair Russell: Welcome to the June 28, 2018 meeting of the City of Miami City
Commission in these historic chambers. The members of the City Commission are Wifredo
"Willy" Gort, Joe Carollo, Manolo Reyes; Ken Russell, Vice Chair; and Keon Hardemon,
Chairman. Also on the dais are Emilio Gonzalez, City Manager; Victoria Mendez, the City
Attorney; and Todd Hannon, City Clerk. The meeting will be opened with a prayer by
Commissioner Gort and the pledge of allegiance by our Mayor Suarez. All rise, please.
Invocation and pledge of allegiance delivered.
PART A - NON -PLANNING AND ZONING ITEM(S)
PR - PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
PR.1 PROTOCOL ITEM
4383
Honoree
Presenter
Protocol Item
Fernando Casamayor
City Manager Emilio Gonzalez
Salute
Luciana Gonzalez
Mayor
Salute
LRESULT: PRESENTED
1) Mayor Suarez and Commissioners paid tribute to Mr. Fernando Casamayor,
Assistant City Manager for the City of Miami. He was recognized for his
commitment and dedication to promoting efficiency and accountability. He
formerly served as Chief Financial Officer and currently oversees the
Department of Real Estate and Asset Management (DREAM), Neighborhood
Enhancement Team (NET), Code Compliance, and Solid Waste Department.
Under his leadership, the City of Miami has received multiple bond upgrades,
excellent records in financial reporting and budgeting, as well as improvements
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in transparency, community involvement, procurement processing, and
employee wellness programs. Mr. Casamayor spent 26 years working for
Miami -Dade County, serving as an assistant tax collector and special projects
administrator with the Tax Collector's Office, as well as a budget analyst with
the Office of Strategic Business Management. Mr. Casamayor was named 2018
Public Administrator of the Year by the American Society for Public
Administration South Florida. Elected Leadership of the City of Miami paused
in their deliberations of governance in order to honor and commend Fernando
Casamayor for his years of public service and for serving the residents of the
community with distinction, honor, and dignity.
2) Mayor Suarez and Commissioners paid tribute to Ms. Luciana Gonzalez,
Assistant Director of the Planning Department. She was saluted for her
commitment to public service and dedication to serving the City of Miami for IS
years. Ms. Gonzalez has held a variety of vital roles. In April 2003, she
commenced her career with the City as a Marketing Coordinator in the
Economic Development Department, before quickly rising to the position of
Special Projects Coordinator in the Planning Department, followed by a
promotion to Assistant to the Director. She eventually earned her way to
becoming Assistant Director of the Planning Department, where she has been
instrumental in the successful implementation of Miami 21, including executing
dozens of community outreach initiatives aimed at the project's success and to
reinforce Miami's status as a world class city. Ms. Gonzalez has also dedicated
countless hours to educating future real estate professionals about Miami 21,
while managing administrative operations, recruiting talented individuals, and
overseeing a fiscally responsible budget for the department. Elected leadership
of the City of Miami paused in their deliberations of governance in order to
honor and commend Luciana Gonzalez for an esteemed career with the City of
Miami and to wish her good luck and much continued success in her retirement.
Vice Chair Russell: We'll now make the presentations and proclamations.
Presentations and proclamations made.
AM - APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE FOLLOWING MEETINGS:
AM.1 City Commission - Planning and Zoning - Apr 26, 2018 9:00 AM
MOTION TO:
Approve
RESULT:
APPROVED
MOVER:
Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER:
Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner
AYES:
Russell, Gort, Reyes
ABSENT:
Hardemon, Carollo
Vice Chair Russell: Could I get a motion approving the minutes of the following
meeting, please?
Commissioner Reyes: Move it.
Vice Chair Russell: It's been moved.
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Commissioner Gort: Second.
Vice Chair Russell: Seconded by Commissioner Gort. Any discussion? All in favor,
say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Motion passes.
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR REGULAR ITEM(S)
Vice Chair Russell: All right. We are going to move to the public comments section
of the meeting. Anyone who'd like to speak today on any of the items that we are
addressing is very welcome. You have two minutes apiece. You'll hear a little sound
when you get down to 30 seconds. That's about time to start wrapping it up, please.
If you would please state your name and the item on which you're speaking; and if
you could address it, either by the subject matter, or its agenda item, we'll
understand so we can look really quickly while you speak, and know what you're
addressing. You can state your name, please. You do not have to state your address.
But anyone who would like to speak on any item today, please approach either of the
two lecterns so we could get through it relatively quickly and efficiently. I'll let
anyone who wants to speak. This is not on the Planning & Zoning agenda; only on
the morning's agenda; that would be the consent agenda, the PH (public hearing)
agenda, the SRs (second readings) and the FRs first readings), and the REs
(resolutions).
Sherman Rattner: Good morning, Commissioner. I think this is PZ. 11, so I'm not
sure --
Vice Chair Russell: You'll have to wait till after 2 o 'clock for that item.
Mr. Rattner: Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: That's PZ. 11. Actually, there is an item on the regular agenda
referring to transfer of residential density, which is item -- help me out.
Commissioner Gort: Isn't that the --?
Vice Chair Russell: No. This is -- I'm looking at the wrong plasma.
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): I believe it's FR. 1.
Vice Chair Russell: Here it is. FR.]. You could speak to FR.]. It's the same
subject.
Mr. Rattner: My name is Sherman Rattner. I'm the president of 1809 Brickell
Tenants Association. It's a 270 -unit affordable senior housing project. It was built
in 1967. It was affordable housing for the last 50 years. Come September 1, 2019,
about 400 seniors are going to be out on the street as a result of a 2014 sale -- I'd
call it a giveaway -- by the Teachers Union to a developer, under the pretense that it
was going to be preserved as affordable housing. It was a travesty that that sale was
allowed to happen; that HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development)
approved it; that the City and the State, and the County did nothing to prevent it. It
will be a worse tragedy if it is allowed to happen. How does that relate to the issue
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at hand? Your proposal to give density bonus -- a substantial density bonus to --for
preservation, historic preservation -- why not go the rest of the way? Why aren't we
giving large density bonuses -- whatever it takes; 50 percent, 100 percent, 200
percent? There are ways to preserve not only historic properties, but in the same
context, to preserve places such as 1809 Brickell Avenue; some people know it as
Stanley Axelrod Tower. If we can preserve historic properties, why can't we
preserve 1809 Brickell Avenue? There are thousands of units in the same situation
as us. To give this away, to allow this to be lost is basically signing the death
certificate, not only for historical properties, but also for thousands of other senior
affordable housing. I don't think anybody wants to do it. Why isn't that part of that
measure, to use those same devices -- and by the way, we have three other measures
we're proposing that we believe will protect us, and would welcome the opportunity
to discuss those with you. We talked about it briefly; zoning reversions that could be
used for historical preservation, as well, and other measures. Thank you very much.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Mr. Rattner. Just a quick question so I understand
what you're asking. So in the TDD (Transfer of Development Density) measure,
we're basically taking density that's not used on historic structures and allowing
areas near transit areas to increase their density --
Mr. Rattner: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: --from that. And your suggestion is to include affordability --
Mr. Rattner: Exactly.
Vice Chair Russell: -- in that equation.
Mr. Rattner: Exactly; and to raise the amount to whatever amount it takes of density
bonus so that developers will be sufficiently incentivized that they will retain the
existing affordable housing and also want to build more affordable housing.
Vice Chair Russell: When this item comes up, I will certainly bring an amendment
that addresses that. Thank you.
Mr. Rattner: Thank you very much.
Vice Chair Russell: Sir, you are recognized to speak.
Scott Silver: Yes. Scott Silver, as pro Bono counsel for Dade Heritage Trust, here to
speak on FR.2. We have people here from the Dade Heritage Trust, which has been
instrumental in preservation -- Freedom Tower, Miami Circle, other historic
heritage sites in Miami. First of all, we endorse the waiver of the appeal fee. We
agree that it should be easy, inexpensive for somebody to appeal. However, this
ordinance is attempting to turn historic preservation ordinances, as they are enacted
nationwide, on its head. To allow a homeowner to opt out vio -- there is an
unconstitutionality issue involved here, but this ordinance, this provision itself would
be unconstitutional under the State Constitution. The County Charter, under 9.02 --
9.04 -- provides the municipalities that the County Charter takes precedence. You
may have a HEP Board. You can have Historic Environmental Preservation, but it -
- they cannot enact any provision that is less restrictive than the County ordinance.
You can provide for more restrictive. In essence, what you're doing by introducing
this is creating a -- is create -- introducing an ordinance that would, in effect, be
illegal. You cannot allow for an opt -out. We will show through the other speakers
that this is against local and national policy, and even more impactful is it's a
solution seeking a problem. We went back and interviewed. You'll hear prior
preservation officers, and it's not really the problem that you may think it is. State
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law grants these municipal powers, but the County Historic Ordinance takes
precedence, and it's the creature that actually formed our Historic Preservation City
Ordinance. The law is crystal clear that you can -- the City may not enact more
restrictive rule -- may enact more restrictive rules, but not less restrictive. In order
to allow somebody to opt out, what you're doing is you're violating the basic
principle of due process, which is once they are designated, they have an appellate
right, which we're saying, waive the fee. If they're designated, even if they don't
appeal at that point, if they ask for a certificate of appropriateness, they can appeal
that, as well. So there's a remedy already in place. So I think that I understand your
intentions, Mr. Reyes, on this, but I think a waiver of the appellate fee would grant
them the easy pathway for due process. But in order to -- if, in essence, we said that
they could opt out, that's simply not the way that historic preservation takes place,
and it would violate -- be violative [sic] of the County Charter. If you pass it, it
would be a knowingly illegal ordinance, and I don't think that that's the intention --
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Mr. Silver.
Mr. Silver: -- or the desire here.
Commissioner Reyes: Can I ask --?
Vice Chair Russell: Of course, Commissioner Reyes.
Commissioner Reyes: You're saying that by passing this ordinance that we're going
to be -- I mean, against the County and State law?
Mr. Silver: Yes. The County -- under the County Charter, they can actually revoke
your HEP Board. They can take back jurisdiction to the County, so we would lose
jurisdiction over trees, heritage sites, historic preservation. They can actually -- if
you don't comply with their provisions.
Commissioner Reyes: And this ordinance, the only thing that I intend to do -- I
mean, the intention of this ordinance is to stop the frenzy by which the Historic
Preservation Board is acting that is declaring historic anything that they see, and
that thematic concept that anything that looks like historic is going to be declared
historic. I think that I'm not -- this has nothing to do, because -- I mean, to stop
declaring buildings that they merit being historic declared historic, and they should
be assigned the title of historic.
Mr. Silver: So --
Commissioner Reyes: But this by no means wants to, I mean, eliminate historic
preservation in the City of Miami. What it intends to eliminate is what I call an
abuse of power, an overreach; that is has been the norm for the past years or so.
Mr. Silver: I understand the intention. If that's the desire, then you allow for an
easy, inexpensive -- or even a free appeal. And --
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. --
Mr. Silver: -- well, see, the frenzy doesn't exist, and the next speakers will address
that.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Mr. Min, could you address the item? Because the
City Attorney has signed off as our legislation is true to form and correctness. Is
there any inconsistency between us and the County, and the National Historic
Preservation Standards?
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Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): We are comfortable with the legislation, as
drafted. The gentleman is correct that there are some County issues, and if there is
no legislation, or if the City does not enact a HEP process, then the County would
come in, but we are comfortable as the ordinance is drafted.
Vice Chair Russell: So you do not believe that creating a mechanism by which a
potentially designated site does not get to the HEP Board broadens or weakens our
ordinance, compared to what is put before the County?
Mr. Min: The requirement is there has to be a HEP process, whether that's through
the HEP Board or the City Commission --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Mr. Min: -- or either HEP process that is --
Vice Chair Russell: And so, this process is still a process --
Commissioner Reyes: It's still a process in which you get to the HEP Board.
Mr. Silver: Well, he's provided a mechanism --
Commissioner Reyes: You see, and you have to be --provided information that you
are going to be declared, and it gives you -- doesn't mean that when it comes here --
gives you the opportunity to appeal to the Commission, which is -- we are the
legislative body.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Commissioner Reyes: If that -- it is -- it should be -- if it merits to be.
Vice Chair Russell: Got it. We'll take it up during the item. Thank you. Next
speaker.
Jason Abitbol: Morning, everyone. Thank you for having me. My name is Jason
Abitbol. I am a commercial real estate broker and licensed attorney living in Miami.
I'm here today as a concerned citizen. I'm here to discuss Item DI.6 for motorized
scooters. I was injured very badly on one, actually, a LimeBike scooter, and I
wanted to kind of tell my story to -- in the hopes of making our streets a little bit
safer for other people like me. As I said, I'm a licensed attorney. I consider myself a
somewhat intelligent person, and the warning signs, in my opinion, when I got on the
scooter the night that I fell, were very adequate; that, mixed with some of the -- I
guess some of the existing road conditions on Biscayne Boulevard; specifically, the
yellow patches on the sidewalk. I'm not sure if you know what I'm talking about, but
the -- I believe they're for handicap purposes.
Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Mr. Abitbol: I believe that the wheel on my scooter was so thin that it actually got
caught when I was traveling through that yellow section of the sidewalk; threw me
off, and I fell to the point where I fractured and dislocated my ankle, and had to go
in for emergency surgery the same day. I was very lucky that the doctor was able to
fuse my bones back together so that he could save my leg, but it was a very traumatic
experience, and I want to make sure that I'm doing whatever I can to make my streets
a little bit safer. So I'm not really sure -- it's my first time at a Commission hearing.
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I'm hoping that you guys have some questions for me. Like I said, I'm really just
here to help and make things a little bit better, if I can.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Are you looking for recommendations to improve
the notification or awareness of the danger of the item before someone gets on? And
then I -- it sounds like you're also looking to see that we start to address our streets
and sidewalks to make sure that if we're going to allow these vehicles that we have a
safe pathway or make it as least dangerous as possible. Obviously, these are -- as a
Moped or a skateboard, or anything -- these aren't, you know, the -- there is a
danger involved. But you -- what -- your point is that from a legal point of view, it
should be very, very -- made very, very clear before anyone is able to ride one that
they know what they're getting into; is that what you're saying?
Mr. Abitbol: Yes, sir; that's exactly what I'm saying. Me, myself, I live on 19th and
Biscayne, where there's a big park in front of my building, and I consistently see
young people, people with kids putting their kids together with them on these
scooters, riding around, and it makes me very nervous, because I know the extent of
my injuries.
Vice Chair Russell: I've seen it, too.
Mr. Abitbol: And the last thing I would want is a little child to suffer what I suffered.
So the other thing that you mentioned is definitely a concern of mine, as well. It
seems that the design of the scooter -- and again, I'm no expert -- but it seems that
the design of the scooter was not made compatible or not thought through well
enough for the streets of Miami, because, specifically, the thing that I tripped over or
what I was caught on and set me flying is all over the place, and it serves a very
useful purpose for Miami --citizens of Miami. But I noticed that another company
called Bird had much wider and thicker tires that provided a little bit more stability;
might have gone over the bump that I hit with a little bit more ease --
Vice Chair Russell: Interesting.
Mr. Abitbol: -- not sent me flying. So, definitely, the regulations for these
companies as to what they can design and put out on our streets is a concern of
mine.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Mr. City Attorney, could you research prior to this
discussion item the helmet laws for children in the State of Florida, please, just so we
could have that at hand when we discuss the item? Because even though these
companies are not allowing children, we do see people -- adults allowing children to
ride in front of them, and I'd like to know what legal recourse we have or our police
have when they see this taking place.
Mr. Min: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Thank you very much for your concern.
Mr. Abitbol: Thank you for your time.
Vice Chair Russell: Next.
Christine Rupp: Good morning.
Vice Chair Russell: Good morning.
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Ms. Rupp: Christine Rupp, Dade Heritage Trust, 190 Southeast 12th Terrace,
Miami 33131. I'm here to speak on FR. 2, the amendment to Chapter 23 to allow for
a claim of economic hardship on a property before it is historically designated. In
preparing for the presentation today, Dade Heritage Trust reached out to experts,
national experts in historic preservation practices and policies, the National Trust
for Historic Preservation, and the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions,
for their assistance in addressing the concerns of the City of Miami Commission
regarding economic hardship claims, as outlined in Chapter 23. And the City's
current Historic Preservation Ordinance, Chapter 23, has been found to be legally
sound with regard to economic hardship claims. More importantly, the proposed
amendment of allowing the plea of economic hardship prior to or during the
designation process would contradict all accepted preservation ordinances and
practices nationwide. And I'd like to submit for the record case law regarding
historic preservation, economic hardship, for review by the City Attorney.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. I noticed the Clerk paused your time while you
delivered that, so you still have --
Ms. Rupp: Okay, good.
Vice Chair Russell: -- a minute remaining.
Ms. Rupp: Thanks. Standard practice in historic preservation ordinances require
that preservation boards do not consider economic hardship claims before or even
during the designation process. Economic impact is only speculative until a
property is deemed historic, and the historic property owner makes a specific
proposal to amend that property. In order to help educate the City of Miami
residents with actual facts, DHT -- Dade Heritage Trust -- would be happy to spend
time with you and our legal experts to inform your staff about historic preservation
and how it benefits our community. Saving architectural symbols of our
communities and country's diverse cultural heritage is very American and very legal,
and makes very good economic sense. Look at the positive financial benefits of
preservation and redevelopment in the City of Miami. The MiMo (Miami Modern)
District, the tourism draw of Calle Ocho in Little Havana, a national treasure, and
the increased and steady property values of the several historic districts in the City
of Miami. Laws and court rulings have held that historic designation alone does not
make an economic hardship; and therefore, the Commission should uphold such
legal precedent by voting against this proposed amendment to Chapter 23. Thank
you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Next speaker, please.
Matthew Rotolante: Yes. Thank you. My name is Mat Rotolante. I live at 2394
Tequesta Lane. I'm here to speak about the Item PH.2, which would be the
abandoning -- abandonment of the alley behind our house in our -- on our block.
I've been living in the house since 2005. When we originally bought the house, we
were told the house had, you know, 7,300 square feet on the lot, and then we found
out that it had the alley in the back, so we were -- ended up with a 6,500 square foot
lot. And we'd like to, you know, speak in favor of supporting the abandonment of the
alley. We feel it would be a great thing for the neighborhood. I don't think there's
any reason to have the alley there, you know, and I think it would add, you know,
probably $50,000 to the -- everybody's -- you know -- net worth -- you know --
because right now, if you're able to sell the property, you can't sell it with the alley
there. So for younger families like myself, we would really benefit by having that
happen. I appreciate it. Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Morning.
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Bruce Ehrenhaft: Good morning, Vice Chair Russell and fellow Commissioners.
I'm Bruce Ehrenhaft, a board member at Dade Heritage Trust, 190 Southeast 12th
Terrace, here regarding Item FR.2, amendment to Chapter 23. Regarding the claim
of economic hardship for properties that are not designated, it should be noted an
economic hardship claim process already exists in the current City of Miami
Historic Preservation Ordinance. In spite of reference in language of the proposed
amendment that historic designation causes economic hardship, please note the
following facts: Dade Heritage Trust contacted current and previous HP (Historic
Preservation) Officers for the City and for Miami -Dade County to understand how
many people had pled economic hardship due to historic designation, and we found
the following: Present City HP staff know of no current economic hardship appeals.
Miami's prior HP Officer, Meghan Schmidt, said to her knowledge, there were no
such appeals during her tenure. Meghan McLaughlin, Miami's HP Off cer before
Ms. Schmidt, knows of two or three hardship cases, but they were only for special
certificates of appropriateness, such as window replacement, so the owners of those
historic structures were allowed some latitude regarding window choices. Finally,
Miami -Dade County's current Chief HP Officer, Sarah Cote, stated, "The only time
this has come up in the five years I've been here was with the designation of the Bay
Harbor Continental. Interestingly, both sides claimed economic hardship; those
who wanted to sell to the developer, and those who did not. Also, interestingly, when
our ordinance was adopted with revised language in November 2016, one important
revision added clarity to the economic hardship section. The County Attorney's
Office found that procedurally, it was not proper to claim hardship at the time of
designation since designation does not cause a hardship or taking. Instead, a
hardship case can be claimed if an owner has a certificate of appropriateness that
has been denied. Our language now specifically prohibits claiming undue economic
hardship at the time of designation, " unquote. In summary, Chapter 23, your City's
HP Ordinance, already offers economic hardship remedies to its residents. And the
statistics show with over 140 individually designated structures in 11 historic
districts that historic designation does not create undue economic hardship for
building owners and residents. Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Albert Gomez: Good morning. Albert Gomez, 3566 Vista Court. I'm here to speak
on FR.1, FR.2, and DI.6. Before that, I just want to say I'm very proud to be able to
celebrate Fred Korematsu Day in Miami, and I just want to thank you guys for doing
that. It makes me feel proud to be a citizen of Miami, so I appreciate that. Soon
FR.], I like that idea. I think that transfer of density is critical. An opportunity not
used is not an opportunity. We should take advantage of a lot of the
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) opportunities that we don't take advantage of in the City. That
goes to FR.2. Manolo -- Commissioner Reyes, I understand the economic easement -
- or the hardship that you're talking to. One thing I would say is that I've had an
experience myself with the Miami Bridge. We found archeological sites there when
we were doing the Leadership Miami Course. And we wanted to put a basketball
court, but when we found the archeological dig there, we couldn't do it. And, yeah,
we could have said -- But you know what? That was a value for the kids. We turned
it into an education program on archeological sites and things of that nature.
There's always an upside that you can do this. I understand on a personal side that
easement has to be given, but realistically, there's a lot of choices for the resident to
-- basically, they -- I think they need a reference guide.
Commissioner Reyes: Chairman?
Mr. Gomez: If they use a design guideline or a reference guide, or a toolkit that we
could offer them, that could help. And on the DL 6 comment, I think there's a lot of
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transit organizations here that could help in supporting validating the technologies
available, and I also think that -- I've seen police officers let people do things in front
of them that were wrong. I think you need a citation guideline; a little more robust,
so that they understand how to basically regulate it on the field; and maybe even
some officers, maybe train up some of those community officers to certify -- or pass
citations when you see them doing something wrong.
Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chair? Mr. Chair?
Vice Chair Russell: Yes, of course, Commissioner.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah. I -- once again, I want to clarify this, and maybe this
have to be written a little bit more clear. This doesn't mean that when you are
declared and you are in the process of being declared historic, the property is being
declared historic that you can say, "Okay, this is" -- "causes a hardship, economic
hardship." It doesn't -- nothing to do. What -- the way that it should have been
written is that anybody that it is being -- I mean, any property that is being declared,
the owner should be notified that they have an appeal process available, if they want
to, and they could appeal that; and also, if there is economic hardship, because I
know of many cases that many persons -- I mean, people, they have not been able to
appeal to the Commission about the designation of their property, because it is very
costly. And what I want to do is I want to waive -- I mean, provide the means for
those persons that they don't have the means to come to -- in front of the
Commission, because they cannot hire an attorney, they cannot pay for the fees to
come in front of the Commission to be able to come to the Commission. And it
doesn't -- has nothing to do with any findings of historic value or designating
historic value buildings. It is to give the residents and the people a mechanism for
them to request that their property shouldn't be, and to prove their case; that's what I
want. I want to protect -- this is only to protect property values that the -- in my
opinion and in many people's opinion, have been taken away arbitrarily by the
designation of a historic building. That's the only thing that we want to do. But this
is not -- will not preclude a site when we find -- I mean, it's a cemetery or that is
buildings that are -- like you did, and they was found in the river, that to be declared
historic, and properly so, has nothing to do with it. It is the right of the individual to
appeal when the property is designated. Now, if the -- if it meets all the criteria and
it meets everything and it comes in front of the Commission, and we decide, yes, it
meets the criteria, it could be declared historic, fantastic. That's the only thing that
we're doing. We're trying to provide the means for everybody to come in front of the
Commission and state their case. And those persons -- when it states here, that says
hardship, economic hardship, that addresses the persons, because there are many,
many people, particularly elders, that they living in homes that been -- they were
built in the '50s. And they come and they say, "This is a thematic," that -- no, I
mean, nothing about thematic designation, and this is going to be declared historic,
that that individual, if that individual does not have the means, doesn't have the
money could come in front of us without any fees, without any cost, and appeal the
process. Doesn't mean that we are going to do away with historic preservation.
What it means is that everybody will have the right to protect their property; that's it.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Commissioner. And Commissioners, if we could try
to save the discussion for when the item comes, simply just to ask any questions so
that -- or give direction -- so that we have the tools when that item comes up; and
that way, we'll just keep it moving, keep the meeting --
Commissioner Reyes: Sir, I just answered. He was -- he addressed me by name.
Vice Chair Russell: I understand.
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Commissioner Reyes: And, I mean, what I did, I answered, and I tried to explain
this. Maybe it is not explicit -- as explicit as I wanted it to be, but what I just said is
the -- what -- this is the intention of this ordinance: to provide property owners with
the right to appeal.
Vice Chair Russell: Understood. And I'm guilty, as well, because I'd love to engage
with each resident as we come up. But if we could, just keep it to questions to clarify
what their point is, any direction to the Administration; then we'll take up full
discussion and debate on the item when it's on the agenda.
Mr. Gomez: Thank you very much for letting me speak.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
Luis Infante: Good morning. My name is Luis Infante. Dear Commissioners, on
behalf of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Cubano, a former Cuban political organization, with
37 years in this community, I'm asking you to support the resolution to be present by
Commissioner Joe Carollo. It is a project of monument to be erect across the street
of La Casa de Preso to honor the memories of those men and women that from early
day clashed the Communist regime in Cuba. We consider this a compromise that
will leave a legacy of a force of the Cuban people fighting for their freedom. This
generation here (UNINTELLIGIBLE) has contribute much to the community, and
because of the passage of years, it's already disappearing. Once again, I request
your support for the resolution of the Commissioner Joe Carollo. Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chair?
Vice Chair Russell: Of course.
Commissioner Reyes: Madam City Attorney, I want to co-sponsor that item.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Noted. Thank you very much. Next speaker, please.
Edmond Nader: Good morning, everyone. My name is Edmond Nader. I reside at
2369 Overbrook Street. I'm here to show my support for the PH.2 initiative that a
few of my neighbors have brought before you. I've been a resident there since 2005.
You just heard from Matt Rotolante, who is one of our neighbors, as well, and I think
we all face the same thing. There's an alley behind our residence that has --
everyone has a fence up, everyone is taking advantage of it already, and I think the
natural thing to do is just to vacate that alley and give it back to all the residents.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
Mr. Nader: Thank you.
Ashley Snow: Hi. I'm Ashley Snow, and I'm representing the local nonprofit,
Rebuilding Together Miami -Dade, and I'm here to talk about RE. 13, the resolution
allocating funds to preserve affordable home ownership and housing in Miami. So
what we do at our organization is we specifically preserve affordable single-family
homes. We have seen tremendous results. We've worked with so many awesome
homeowners. Most recently, we've been working with Commissioner Ken Russell in
the West Grove neighborhood. When we initially started talking with Ken Russell
about working in the Grove, we had a list of 68 homeowners that were interested in
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services, just in the West Grove neighborhood alone. That was literally just from
word of mouth. We've never gone door to door in the neighborhood, anything like
that, so there -- you can see just right there, that's a significant need; 68 people, 68
households. In the West Grove, we see a lot of multi -generational homes. So when
you see these, you know, low-income rental units that go up that sound like a great
idea in theory, a lot of them are one -bedrooms. Those are not accommodating multi-
generational families. So preserving these affordable single-family structures are
just -- they're so important for so many reasons: One, it keeps the family, you know,
together; two, it's preserving, you know, the historical context of that neighborhood.
It's keeping long-term residents who have been feeding into that neighborhood, the
businesses there, the little barbershop on the corner. It's keeping those local
businesses alive. There's just so many positive things. It's also more cost-effective
than a new build. So anyway, I'm just here to rally behind it; say that I've had great
experiences working not only with Commissioner Ken Russell, but County
Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, as well, and other local Commissioners. We'd
love to continue working with you guys in the future should this, you know, go into
effect, so.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much. Mr. Diederich.
JB Diederich: Good morning, Commissioner Russell and Commissioners. I just
wanted to thank first Commissioner Manolo Reyes for making an effort to at least
give us a little break in our appeal process for this historic designation. I also
wanted to bring something up to the Dade Heritage Trust, and that is that West
Grove is not the MiMo District, where --a place that is rich in finances. We're fairly
poor in the West Grove. And wooden houses are not as easy to maintain as the solid
concrete buildings. So therefore, keeping them in great shape is something very
expensive, as I've experienced already since I've been trying to save my two
duplexes. I also wanted to ask Commissioner Russell directly -- he's talked about all
kinds of incentives. I know that the MiMo District got a lot of incentives as they
were -- before they were designated historic. And for the record, I would just like to
know what incentives we are going to be receiving. When will we be receiving? I
would like a date, and I want to know exactly what they are worth, because at this
point, we are facing a reduction in the size of properties or buildings that we can
build on our lots, and we are facing historic designation, which will limit the value of
our homes to the house that sits upon them; not to the actual land that sits below
them. And that is a very serious thing. Once again, maintaining wooden buildings is
expensive, and I don't think that five, 10 years from now, as Coral Gables has
experienced, it'll be easy to maintain them when perhaps you have moved on to --
perhaps run for President or the Senate. But at this point, I think that you should
take us into consideration. There are provisions to give us hardship out, and those
should be considered. And you also told me that if you made this voluntary to some
degree that we would get zero opt -ins. But I think that by now, with the work that
you guys have done, you have quite a few people who are in favor of doing this, and
perhaps you should be able to split between us; you know, those who do not want to
be included, and those who do want to be included. The other thing I wanted to offer
is my homes, my duplexes, I will never demolish them, but I don't want to be historic.
If ever I need to demolish them, I will gift you the house and you can take it away
and place it in public land. You can put it wherever you want. I'm offering this to
you. Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. So you're in favor of FR.2. And to answer your
question, if we are successful in passing RE. 13 today, the allocation of the Miami
Forever Bond, there's $2 million right there towards single-family home renovation,
which is not earmarked for historic, but can help anyone with a single-family home.
Thank you.
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Mr. Diederich: When will I see some of that money --
Vice Chair Russell: Well, we'll see how --
Mr. Diederich: -- if I'm declared historic?
Vice Chair Russell: -- it goes today. Thank you, Mr. Diederich.
Mr. Diederich: Thank you, gentlemen.
Jorge Lastayo: Good morning. My name is Jorge Lastayo. I'm the owner of 2380
in Tequesta Lane, and I'm in favor of closing the alley in the rear, which basically,
nobody -- everybody's using it, and nobody's paying tax on it. And I think it will be
an asset for us to pick up those extra 10 feet, which it represents at least 500 square
feet for most of us; if not for other people, a little bit more. And the alley is closed
all together; it has no use. And it will have use to some developers now coming in
for giving them a little bit -- 10 feet in the rear, so it will help them in the rear
setback. So I support that.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
Mr. Lastayo: Thank you.
Robin Porter: Robin Porter, 122 Northeast 43rd Street. I'm here as a private
citizen, and also representing Buena Vista East Historical Neighborhood
Association, as the President. Regarding CA.4 and RE. 1, which is the opening of a
new railroad crossing at Northeast 42nd Street, our first issue is that Capital Works
failed to notice anyone in the vicinity. They referenced a closing up at 71st and 73rd
Street on Miami Court, and at the meeting, I was told by another neighbor that
attended there was no mention of the 42nd Street closing. We're requesting that both
those items be postponed until some sort of public hearing or public meeting can be
heard with residents in Buena Vista East, and also Brentwood, which is a block
wide, right next to the railroad tracks. We're both going to be impacted by any sort
of trajic if that is open, and we request to be included in discussions and design of
anything if that goes forward. And on top of that, apparently, the study utilized -- to
say this was a good idea -- was put forth by the Design District, which, obviously,
has a commercial interest because of the property that they own just next to that and
just south of it. Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. And if you wouldn't mind meeting with City
Administration, they'll make sure that you're looped in.
Ms. Porter: Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Samuel Latimore: Good morning. My name is Sam Latimore. I'm the President of
the Charles Hadley Neighborhood Association. I live at 937 Northwest 55th Street
in Miami. I'm here in support of RE.4, 4211, the Liberty City Community
Revitalation [sic] Trust. We are requesting that you approve and adopt a
supplemental budget of the Liberty City Community Revitalization Trust in the
amount of $929,000, for the fiscal year commencing October 1, 2017 to September
30. When we got the initial appropriation, we were expecting about 400 applicants.
Since that time, we have got over 900 people applying for jobs that we were not able
to accommodate them with. And so, there are a number of people, young children,
you know, teenagers that were not able to get a job this summer, because the funds
were not there. So we're asking you to preapprove the supplement so we could reach
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out to those youngsters who were -- we were not able to hire, and afford them the
opportunity to work this summer. Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
Maria Longo: Good morning. My name is Maria Cristina Longo, and I presently
own several properties on the West Grove. And currently, my partners and I have a
contract to purchase a duplex lot with a small house that is in the historic designated
list. We support the FR.2 initiative. I commend the Planning Department for their
vision, their creativity, and the effort put forth to preserve and enhance the character
of the Grove, including the West Grove. I'm in favor of the designation of the
historic properties as long as the new revised Code provides the necessary incentives
or bonuses to incentivize the buildout of affordable housing. For example, in the
proposed -- in our -- the law that we have the contract, in the proposed draft right
now, the duplex lots for historic properties can only rent the ancillary historic unit if
the owner lives on the property or if the property is homestead. This is very difficult
to achieve with duplexes, if not impossible, because duplexes, unlike single-family
homes, are built by investors as income-producing properties. Investors seldom live
at the property. Additionally, the properties are usually owned by companies and
not by individuals. Moreover, duplexes always have distinct addresses while single-
family homes with ancillary units only have one address. I have already spoken to
Jeremy in Planning regarding this, and I also suggest, like the gentleman that spoke
before me regarding the incentives, that I've had a little bit of a hard time navigating
through the draft to understand what are those incentives. So in other words, I
support the initiative as long as the incentives are clear and that it's thoughtfully
done. Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Sir.
Juan Figueroa: Good morning. My name is Juan Figueroa. I'm a homeowner at
2384 Tequesta Lane. I've been a homeowner for 29 years now. The alleyway behind
my property has always been closed, and I promote that you guys go ahead and do it
officially, and pass it back to us.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
Mr. Figueroa: Thanks.
Tamme Flood: Hi. My name is Tamme Flood. I live at 928 Northwest 9th Court in
Spring Garden Historic District. I'm appearing as a resident. I'm speaking on two
items. PZ.9, there is an appeal to the HEP (Historic & Environmental Preservation
Board) Board for the Spring Garden Civic -- Spring Garden Neighborhood Kayak
Launch.
Vice Chair Russell: Ma'am, we can only address that after 2 p.m.
Ms. Flood: Oh, okay.
Vice Chair Russell: I'm sorry.
Ms. Flood: The second one, FR. 2.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Ms. Flood: I live in a historic district. If it weren't for historic designation, our
whole neighborhood would be bulldozed to the ground. And it's like we need to
make sure that you protect us. Whatever the best way is, please protect us. Little
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Havana right now does not have historic designation. Every time you pass through
that area, there's a new block that's bulldozed. If South Beach had not had Barbara
Kapp Pittman chaining herself to bulldozers and demanding that those buildings be
restored, they would be gone, and we would have no South Beach. So I really, really
-- whatever achieves this directive of preserving our historic heritage in Miami
really needs to be done. And thank you for any help you can do with that.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
Vivian Perkins: Good morning.
Vice Chair Russell: Good morning.
Ms. Perkins: My name's Vivian Perkins. I live at 1150 Northwest 59th Street,
Miami, Florida. I'm here on RE. 4, too; 44211, Liberty City Trust. Thank you for
putting our children to work, and thank you for this resolution. Please vote for it. It
will keep our neighborhood safe, our children safe, and vote with each other to keep
all of our communities safe. Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Sir.
Michael Castro: Good morning. Michael Castro, 3746 Washington Avenue. I'm
here to address the Item FR. 2, and I'm in complete support of that item. I'm one of
the homeowners whose property is under this potential historic designation. Most of
these homeowners have no substantial knowledge of the process of historic
designation; and also, they lack the resources and financial inclination to combat
any efforts made. The process -- I think the fact that these homeowners have no
substantial knowledge is -- makes it a little clear that they are being taken advantage
of. The case law cited earlier has no merit, as this is a relatively new multi property
designation. So you can't use old case law for new procedures. These homes are
wooden homes that have been neglected for some time. These aren't coral homes in
Coral Gables that have been well managed, well taken care of. And any effort
waiving --just simply waiving these fees to combat it is -- I consider a malicious act.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Zbignieu Jarosz: Good morning. Zeb Jarosz, 2335 Overbrook.
Vice Chair Russell: Can't hear you, I'm sorry; if you could put the mike a little
closer.
Mr. Jarosz: Okay. I'm sorry.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Mr. Jarosz: Better now?
Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Mr. Jarosz: Okay. 2335 Overbrook. I'm in support of alley closing. There is a
dilemma with the rights to the property. I, as the owner -- the last 10 feet, which is
technically the alley and technically belongs to the City of Miami is overgrown by
holly, which is invasive. I cannot remove it. I cannot get a permit for it. As a matter
of fact, I tried to remove it. I got $250 fine. So something has to be decided. Either
the City, if it's the rightful owner of the property -- or the right-of-ways [sic] --
maintains the property; or, as the owners, we acquire the rights to the property,
maintain it; and, to your benefit, pay taxes for the added property, which is about 10
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percent adding -- the property is about hundred feet deep. If you add another 10
feet, that's 10 percent of the value of the properties; nice money coming your way.
Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
Frank Pichel: Good morning, Commissioners, Madam Attorney, Assistant City
Manager. Frank Pichel, a member of Code Enforcement Board and Nuisance
Abatement Board. I have offices at 757 Northwest 27th Avenue in Miami. I had the
unpleasant duty to report a hazardous [sic] that was brought to my attention last
week at Commissioner Gort's office, and it has to deal with the marina right behind
City Hall. On Saturday, I went out there. Even though I'm not a Code Enforcement
Officer, I am a concerned citizen, and I had the ability to walk the piers, and I found
it to be in a hazardous condition situation. I observed exposed wires; the fire hoses
are missing the nozzles; some of the extinguishers are expired; there's no ladders. If
you fall in the water on certain piers, there are no ladders to be able to crawl back
up to safety. I walked the wooden piers to get to the boats, and they're wobbling to
the point that if you shake it too hard, they're just going to crumble into the water.
I'd probably have other boaters that reside back here today, but with a short notice,
only one came, but they would be glad to come and speak to you on a later date.
Also, I don't know what is going on with the plan to restore the marina, but we have
about 100, 120 slips that are not there anymore because of the hurricane. I
understand it was a statewide disaster, and I deal in the insurance business, so I
know how things can move slowly. However, the only thing that really concerned me
is -- well, was the response that we gave our tenants and our residents, because these
people are paying about a thousand dollars a month for those piers, the uses of it.
And now we have about 120 slips that are gone. That's like a hundred thousand
dollars a year -- a month that the City is losing.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, sir. I don't believe this is an item on the agenda
today, if I'm not mistaken.
Mr. Pichel: No. Is this public comment though?
Vice Chair Russell: It -- but only on items that we're addressing today on the
agenda. This is an issue in my district, and I am absolutely happy to address it with
you and the Real Estate and Asset Management Department, as well as the marina,
and we'll make a plan. Thank you very much.
Mr. Pichel: I appreciate it. Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
Linda Williams: Good morning.
Vice Chair Russell: Good morning.
Ms. Williams: I'm Linda Williams. My homestead property is at 3523 Charles
Avenue, here in Coconut Grove. I'm Vice Chair of the Coconut Grove Village
Council, Vice President of Coconut Grove Village West Homeowners and Tenants
Association. While I hold positions on various community organizations, I present to
you today as a lifelong resident of Coconut Grove Village West, 64 years. I'm here
to support the resolution for the $2 million for affordable housing, especially as it
addresses the needs for -- towards single-family home rehabilitation in District 2;
and hopefully, direct a large portion of those funds to Village West. I'm presently
engaged with the City of Miami following a major damage to my home after
Hurricane Irma, and this program helped me and my family to rebuild my home,
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rather than have to sell it and move from Miami. These funds would greatly help
longstanding residents like myself upgrade their homes, allowing them to remain
here; their home, Village West. Our community is greatly overdeveloped with new
construction of increased homes [sic] and/or rental prices that adds to gentrification
of Village West community. These funds would greatly assist our seniors who own
their homes with improvements that would otherwise cause extreme economic
hardship. Thank you.
Luis Perez: Morning. My name is Luis Perez, and I actually reside in Model City.
And I'm here on behalf of what I believe is a good cause to speak about; RE. 4, the
supplement to -- of $929,000 to the Liberty City Trust. My personal experience, I
actually was able to get a internship here. I work with Commissioner Keon
Hardemon -- Chairman -- and I do know that the majority of my friends did want to
get a job, also, and I was one of the very lucky few that was selected here to get an
internship. And I do believe that everyone does deserve a shot to get an early chance
at working and gaining work experience; understanding what it takes to face the real
world. And I also want to talk about a certain experience that I had working here at
the office; that I received a call of a Miss from -- I apologize, I don't remember her
name, specifically. But she did call and she was very determined to give these
children a opportunity to work. But from my understanding, those -- every intern
program, everything already started, and it was a very difficult process to get these
kids a job. So I just wanted to speak about that so we can have everyone around my
age group a chance to work at some point.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Mr. Perez: Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Good morning.
Barbara Mills: Good morning. My name is Barbara Mills. I am a resident and
business owner in West Grove. I'm here to speak on FR.2 and RE. 13. I am 150
percent supportive of FR.2, with preservations in West Grove. And I feel that this
FR first reading) -- the RE. 13 would help the West Grove community; not only the
residents itself, but also as business owners, because it would help us to get -- stand
on our feet. We're not looking just for you all to just continuously give us fish, but
teach us how to fish. We want that. That's something that we need in West Grove.
West Grove consists of quite a few -- not just young, middle age, but elderly, the
veterans. You have a list that goes across the board that we desperately are asking
you all to reach out and help us. Preservation would help us, believe me.
Preservation would help us. It's been -- Coral -- someone said about Coral Gables.
It's been designated, okay? And it's -- you look at a "before" and a "after, " a few
mistakes were along the line, but they are happy. If you can ride Coral Gables on --
even on Grand Avenue, this Rebuilding Together -- A home was rebuilt on Grand --
I think that's Jefferson or Washington -- that house, if you saw what it looked like
before and see what it looks like now -- major difference. Even I walk by and smile.
I live on Florida Avenue. Rebuilding Together did a house on Plaza and Florida. I
smile now when I walk by and see the difference that that house -- and it didn't cost
them anything. I have commended Jeremy and that staff for the job that they have
done. They have done an excellent job, as far as I'm concerned. I have -- attend all
of those meetings and I have voiced my opinion and I have asked questions, and got
answers. I even went and bought a shirt -- I also do screen printing embroidery;
throw that out there -- that says, "I can explain it to you, but I can't help you to
understand it. " I'll wear it one day. However, this RE. 13 and other incentives
offered for people who could not afford -- Now I am born and raised in Coconut
Grove. My family was one of the originators of the Rolle -- R -O -L -L -E --family.
And these wooden houses, they call them shotgun. I have never heard anyone to say,
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"I'm going to my shotgun house." They say, "I'm going home"; that's a home for
them. Now there's no reason why people could not have spent $S for a piece of
board to fix up these houses throughout the years -- these investors or homeowners -
- that would keep those houses up to par. Right now, there are a few in shambles,
but they can be restored, and Restoring Together, I feel would do an excellent job --
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Mrs. Mills.
Ms. Mills: -- they have done -- as they have.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Ms. Mills: Thank you for listening.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much. Ms. Tapanes.
Melissa Tapanes-Llahues: Good morning. Melissa Tapanes-Llahues; law offices at
200 South Biscayne Boulevard, Miami. First, I'd like to thank the Commission for
RE.I5. I've --as many of you know, my late grandfather was apolitical prisoner for
over 20 years in Cuba, and I gain a lot of courage through his story, and I think that
it inspires me to be an attorney today, representing property owners before this
Commission. I'd like to speak in favor of FR.]. Specifically, I've proposed some
additional language; just making sure that the ordinance is -- takes account for
properties that are already under construction, because this process of this
ordinance has been ongoing for a couple of years. I'm also in favor of
Commissioner Russell's RE. 13. I think that $2 million from the Miami Forever
Bonds goes a long -- is a worthy first step to deal with the issue of preserving West
Grove, and providing incentives. With that said, on FR. 2, I'd like to correct the
record on something the pro bono counsel for the Dade Heritage Trust mentioned;
specifically, Miami -Dade County Code; specifically, Section 16(A)3.14(A) does not
prohibit an opt -out. What it does is not allow for municipalities to prohibit
preservation of otherwise historic structures based on consent. That's different from
what the ordinance is proposing today; as well as that Sub -Section "B" specifically
allows municipalities to allow for economic hardship in their provision of their
municipal codes. So I just wanted to make that just slight correction to the record.
Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Ms. Tapanes-Llahues: Have a great day.
Vice Chair Russell: Good morning.
Theresa Gaitor: Good morning. My name is Theresa Gaitor. I reside in Coconut
Grove, West Grove. I am a resident at 3963 Washington Avenue, in front of the City
of Miami Fire College. My house, to me, is known as "The Little House on the
Prairie." As you enter off Grand Avenue to come into Coconut Grove -- my home is
a shotgun home. My home -- I'm soon to be 60, and I was raised in that home. My
home has been refurbished by you all, and I just want to stand here to tell everyone
on the board thank you for considering helping me keep my home up to par. I'm very
interested in the homes of everyone in Coconut Grove that are shotgun homes, and
those that are not, and I am promoting the RA. 13 [sic], and the FR.2. And thank you
all, everyone, for the assistance of helping me keep my home -- shotgun home --
together. I'm going home.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
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Ms. Gaitor: Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: We actually met before the hurricane, didn't we?
Ms. Gaitor: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: Yes. I was worried your home was going to blow away, and it
didn't.
Ms. Gaitor: It didn't.
Renita Samuels Dixon: Good morning. My name is Renita Samuels Dixon. I'm the
President of the Coconut Grove Miami -Bahamas Culture Preservation Fund. I'm
here to speak in support of the RE. 13, affordable housing dollars. But I'm also a
little concerned, because we did meet -- your office representatives, you -- on the
22nd of this month. And at that meeting -- it was very clear. I asked for the wood
frame homeowners to be at that meeting, as well as those that were heir to those
same type of properties. And I asked for the list that was generated at that meeting -
- the attendance roster. I'm still waiting for that list. I've requested it many times
from your office. Secondly, I also requested a list of all properties -- vacant
properties -- in West Coconut Grove that was owned by the City. I've asked for that
list over a month ago, and I'm still waiting for it. The reason why I asked for the list
was to determine whether or not we could move those wood frame homes to those
locations. It was evident from the meeting that the residents that came -- the ethnic
mix, they looked like me; their ages were seniors; and the educational level -- we
know that some had at least a high school education. But they do not understand the
financial aspects of what's going on here. Their concern was, and I quote, "How
could I get money to finance repairs and improvements?" We did discuss the TDD
and TDR (Transfer Development Rights) component a little, but you had to leave;
and therefore, we couldn't get to the root of the problem, which is the value of the
land. What I've done is, I've done a little research that I asked for your office to do,
which was to provide a list of all of the 18 homeowners and what the current values
are for the land and the buildings, separately. I also did research on the homes that
are in Coral Gables that are designated as historic. Their property values decreased
significantly. For example, one home's market value -- and this is an investor's
property -- to $181,000. 181,000. A homeowner in that same district, their market
value is $193,000. So if you come back to West Grove, right now, the market values
are at least 250,000. So what we're doing is we're trampling on the rights of these
homeowners who do not understand the financial impact of being designated
historic. I am glad that you have deferred the vote on -- or the discussion on D1.5 so
that we can further discuss this. Lastly, I don't think the plan for designation was
thought out. There are homes that -- up to 1968 -- should fall under some thematic
thrust, because initially, you had individuals who came over, lived in wood frame
homes, and then the education progressed; so did the incomes, and so did the type of
home. So we have teachers, we have individuals who are doctors; we also have
someone that went up into space. So these are all homes that have some thematic
process behind them that we did not look at.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Ms. Samuels Dixon: And in the process of not looking at that, we have devalued all
of West Coconut Grove.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
Ms. Samuels Dixon: So I would like to talk to you about this at a later time. But my
primary concern is that the -- property values. And these homeowners do not realize
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City Commission Meeting Minutes June 28, 2018
how it impacts them. They're only looking at the money that they can get to rebuild
their homes. Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. My staff will get the list together for you of the
values of the existing homes under potential designation. And the City
Administration, if they could have Real Estate/Asset Management do an analysis of
any vacant properties that are City -owned in the NCD -2, and please send that to my
oj5rice. Thank you.
Unidentified Speaker: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Russell: Next speaker, please.
Ms. Samuels Dixon: All right. Thank you very much.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Ms. Samuels Dixon: Just looking for just compensation.
Jacqueline Rose: My name is Jacqueline Rose. I own two properties in Coconut
Grove; one, I've owned for 35 years. The one I'm here to talk about, I bought in
2017, on Frow Avenue. I agree with everything she said; and in addition, I want to
tell you some thoughts about it. This is America. We have property rights that
should not be taken away from us frivolously because of somebody not liking the fact
-- That your home is maybe a small home, or a big home, it doesn't matter. If you
own a lot, you should have the right to build whatever the law says. When I bought
that lot, I was allowed to build 4, 000 square feet. It's not 50 years ago; it's 2017. By
telling us that you're now going to take away that 4, 000 square feet and make at
2,500, that is going to reduce our value a lot more than she thought, because I had a
contract to sell my lot for 350,000; it's only 50 -by -100; that was because we could
build a 4, 000 -square -foot house. If you take 40 percent of the amount of land away
from me to be built, I will lose 40 percent, which is more than she thought, because
she thought it was 250, it would go down a little bit. It's going to go down 40
percent. You don't ---- I don't believe in America, you have the right to do that to
me. How would you feel if you have a home and they told you to take 40 percent of it
and cut it off and throw it away, demolish it? That's basically what you're doing to
someone like me. And the people in West Grove are going to need all the money they
can get when they go to sell. You're going to take 40 percent of their land value
away from them.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
Ms. Rose: I have a couple more things. If this is only because you think that the lots
in West Grove should be not allowed to build 4, 000 square feet, what about the rest
of -- I mean, how can you do that? This is America. My husband fought in World
War II, and he fought for America. We have an -- we have rights. If you buy a
property and it is zoned for something and a certain size lot is permitted, you should
not take the rights away, and I don't think that the law permits you to do that.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Ms. Rose: Please consider that seriously, and think about if you were in our shoes.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Next speaker, please. Good morning, sir.
Williams Armbrister: Praise the Lord Jesus, because He is worthy to be praised.
And if you agree, you can say, "amen. " My name is Williams Alfred Armbrister, Sr.
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I live at 3260 Thomas Avenue, here in Coconut Grove. First, to address this RE. 13,
I'll have to reserve a position on that until it's determined what of the $2 million will
actually be used to provide for some of the necessary assistance in our community.
AndFR.1, FR.2, the historical preservation, it's good if it is determined and it reads
in the manner which permits homesteaded properties to be apart of this; to agree to
it, if there is going to be some financial assistance available to help them maintain
the historical characteris -- character of their property. And every other property
that is deemed homestead -- deemed historical, they don't have the option to opt out.
They should not have the option to opt out, because we want a -- this is -- we've been
used --for the last 50 years, we've been used as a slot machine, this community. And
when the City of Miami first tried to take over Coconut Grove in -- 1923, I believe it
was -- there weren't enough voters, registered voters in Coconut Grove, and that's
because black Americans didn't have the right to vote. We had the right to fight
shoulder to shoulder with white America, from the Indian Wars until now, but we are
not deserving of the same protection which everyone is provided when they come
into our country. We built this country, and we are deserving of the protections
that's afforded to every American. And with this NCD -2, there should be no changes
to the NCD -2 or the -- it should not be used until there can be education granted into
what the NCD (Neighborhood Conservation District) is actually saying.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. We're not addressing NCD -2.
Mr. Armbrister: Oh, okay, okay. But that's apart of the problem right there. So as
far as the historical designation, there should be some funding available to assist the
homesteaded properties, but not the properties for profit They should be -- maintain
their properties, just as I have to maintain mine. IfI hada hole in my wall --
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Mr. Armbrister: -- if I had a messed up roof, I'd be fined for not maintaining my
property. And if you bought this property to be used as profit, and not to live in, you
have no historical knowledge or feeling of what the impact is to remove all of these
properties.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Mr. Armbrister.
Mr. Armbrister: Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Time is up. Thank you.
Mr. Armbrister: Thank you.
Ben Fernandez: Thank you. Mr. Chairman, members of the board, Ben Fernandez,
200 South Biscayne Boulevard, speaking here today as a resident of the City of
Miami on FR.2. I'd like to thank Commissioner Reyes for bringing that ordinance to
the Commission. We have sent some proposed additional language and suggestions
in relation to this as a first reading item, and we'd like to work with the Commission
on it. One of the suggestions is to have it apply to all residentially -zoned properties,
single-family properties; not just homesteaded properties. The Florida Statute on
private property rights doesn't limit the effect to homesteaded properties, and we
believe that that should be the model for this process. In addition, we think that a
settlement agreement is something that is important, and should be incorporated into
the appeal by a property owner that has an economic hardship claim, and that is a
model that is followed by many municipalities in Dade County --particularly Coral
Gables --and we think that that's a good model for you to follow. We've suggested
some language there.
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Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Mr. Fernandez: Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: You're not retained by anyone on this issue?
Mr. Fernandez: No, I'm not.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
Mr. Fernandez: Thank you.
Clarice Cooper: Good morning, gentlemen. My name is Clarice Cooper. I reside
at 3735 Oak Avenue in Coconut Grove. I'm here to speak specifically to Item RE.2 --
RE.5 -- I'm sorry -- RE. 13, because it keeps changing; RE. 13.
Vice Chair Russell: Sorry.
Ms. Cooper: That's okay.
Vice Chair Russell: Yes. That's the --
Ms. Cooper: I thought it was a discussion item. Okay. Our Commissioner in
District 2, Ken Russell, who's also the Vice Chairman of this panel, he's proposing
for the $2 million allocation from the Miami Forever Bond for affordable housing in
Village West, in Coconut Grove. As President of the Coconut Grove Village West
Homeowners and Tenants Association, myself and our entire executive board
concurs with any measure that's was going to -- would promote sustaining,
maintaining, construction and rehabilitation of houses in the -- any housing
residences in Village West. Thankyou.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
Ms. Cooper: Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Any further comment?
Brenda Betancourt: Good morning. Brenda Betancourt, 1436 Southwest 6th Street.
I just have questions for FR.], and actually, SR. 13 [sic]. But this designation about
historic designation for houses are just to help developers to get higher buildings in
our community, or it's actually to help the owners of the property? That's something
that we are kind of concerned; to see if it's -- the purpose of the historic designation
is just for those use, and not just to actually help the residents, who actually are the
ones to need the help. In reference of the Resolution 15, I'm in full support; and
hopefully, we'll be able to keep helping all of those who have fight for democracy,
and not just in United States, but outside United States, that we have so many -- not
just Cubans -- Venezuelans, Nicaraguans -- who have and are in need of our help.
And just a brief comment to Francis is -- our Mayor is not here, but I just would like
to know if now he has become the voice of the Democrat Party, going to Texas,
expressing so many concerns about children [sic]. If we have so many children
[sic] in this community -- black, white, Hispanic -- that need our help, I would like to
hear his voice and understand how come our Mayor is not in the City of Miami
helping the homeless kid, helping the need -- children that are in need, but he goes
and fly all the way to Texas to have a media frenzy all over the place.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
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Ms. Betancourt: Thank you.
Odalys Castro: Odalys Castro, 2871 Northwest 6th Street. I'm here to support the
amendment of Manolo Reyes, FR.2. And I'm here to bring out my point in how this
is affecting me, the historical preservation. I'm going through severe financial
difficulties due to this mandated historic preservation. I'm not able to sell. I have no
401(k), no savings, because I invest it all in that house, okay? And lost my job three
months ago. I worked for the Village South at Biscayne Boulevard for 10 years. I
have no job right now, okay? All of this is causing me a lot of stress -- stress and
anxiety. I have serious health issues, and I can't control my stress due to this
situation; therefore, an increase in my medical bills. And I have no insurance,
because I have no job, okay? Everything is coming out of pocket. And this thing is
affecting me real seriously.
Vice Chair Russell: You have historic designation on your home?
Ms. Castro: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Ms. Castro: Yeah, yeah. This house was supposed to help me with my financial
retirement. It's not much, you know, the retirement right now. Mandated historic
they mandated because of -- they mandated historic preservation. That's not one --
it's forcing me out of -- what else I want? My financial situation have taken me to
more medical bills, and I don't know what to do, because I can't do nothing with my
house due to this situation.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much, ma'am.
Ms. Castro: Thank you.
Commissioner Reyes: Question.
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman?
Commissioner Reyes: Did you ask to be historic? The house was declared historic
just out of the blue sky, or what?
Ms. Castro: What?
Commissioner Reyes: How did your home was declared historic?
Ms. Castro: I find out like by the letters. Letters. That's it.
Commissioner Reyes: Did -- you didn't have any recourse to appeal?
Ms. Castro: No.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman?
Vice Chair Russell: If there's no -- Yes, Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: I'd like to -- for you to recognize the Senator, Daphne
Campbell.
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Vice Chair Russell: Yes. We do have State Senator Daphne Campbell here with us
today, who has asked to address the public right after public comment. If you'd like
to speak now, if you're in a hurry, we definitely have time for you. So, please, we're
at your discretion.
State Senator Daphne Campbell: That's fine.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Anthony Dawkins: Good morning. Senator, I'll be happy to yield to you, and you
can take the floor, and I'll go after you.
Senator Campbell: Go ahead, go ahead.
Mr. Dawkins: Good morning. Pastor Dawkins, Project Hope Outreach Ministries.
I am a resident of Coconut Grove. I'm here to support the item with Commissioner
Russell in reference to preserving historical -- in the West Grove. But I don't just
want to speak about just reserving [sic] that. I think you need to understand that you
need to reserve [sic] a community of people. I watched my mother in the Liberty
City projects. All the projects that have went up, I've watched the elderly people. I
watched how folks were displaced. I watched how communities were destroyed, and
monies have been misused for efforts that don't make sense. So I'm not just talking
about the fact that these homes are important to the community. I'm talking about
the community is important to these homes. I'm talking about the families. I'm
talking about people who need to be -- stay there. So I support the item to reserve
[sic] those homes. The monies that you needed -- I don't think it's enough money to
really talk about money. I think you're asking for very little. I think this amount that
you're asking for should be granted immediately, Commissioners. This is not an
issue of people asking for money to do something unreasonable with. Commissioner
Russell, I've seen your work. I've seen you continue to hustle and be a part of the
community, and relate to the people. But I think what's more important now is that
you need to reserve [sic] families and community. When you look from Douglas;
when you look from 32nd Avenue, on the other side of the West Grove, the east side,
it looks very, very, very pleasant. And when you go down to the west side -- it's just
not fair. It's just not -- it looks unpresentable. Its -- and you're doing everything
that you can, and we need to support you; we will be behind you. But I can tell you
this: Continue to ask, continue to get more, and continue to stand your ground. We
will work with you, we will support you --
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Mr. Dawkins: -- to reserve [sic] communities; not just the houses, but the entire
community.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much. Is there any further public comment?
MLYM M Eykel ZUILYl NkC07�'1
NO MAYORAL VETOES
(Pursuant to Section 4(g)(5) of the Charter of Miami, Florida, Item(s) vetoed by the Mayor shall be placed by the
City Clerk as the first substantive item(s) for City Commission consideration.)
Vice Chair Russell: Are there any mayoral vetoes?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, there are no mayoral vetoes.
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City Commission Meeting Minutes June 28, 2018
ORDER OF THE DAY
Vice Chair Russell: All right.
END OF MAYORAL VETOES
Vice Chair Russell: We will now begin the regular meeting. The City Attorney will
state the procedures to be followed during this meeting.
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): Thank you, Vice Chairman. Any person who
is a lobbyist, including all paid persons or firms retained by a principal to advocate
for a particular decision by the City Commission, must register with the City Clerk
and comply with related City requirements for lobbyists before appearing before the
City Commission. A person may not lobby a City official, board member, or staff
member until registering. A copy of the Code section about lobbyists is available in
the City Clerk's Ojfice or online at 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
this Code section is available in the City Clerk's Office or online at municode.com.
The material for each item on the agenda today is available during business hours or
at the City Clerk's Office and online 24 hours a day at miamigov.com. Any person
may be heard by the City Commission through the Chair for not more than two
minutes on any proposition before the City Commission, unless modified by the
Chair. If the proposition is being continued or rescheduled, the opportunity to be
heard may be at such later date before the City Commission takes action on such
proposition. The Chairman will advise the public when the public may have the
opportunity to address the City Commission during the public comment period.
When addressing the City Commission, the member of the public may first state his
or her name, his or her address, and what item will be spoken about. A copy of the
agenda item titles will be available at the City Clerk's Ojjice and at the podium for
ease of reference. Anyone wishing to appeal any decision made by the City
Commission for any matter considered at this meeting may need a verbatim record
of the item. A video of this meeting may be requested at the Office of
Communications or viewed online at miamigov.com. No cell phones or other noise -
making devices are permitted in the Commission chambers; please silence those
devices now. No clapping, applauding, heckling, or verbal outburst in support or
opposition to a speaker or his or her remarks shall be permitted. Any person making
offensive remarks or who becomes unruly in the Commission chambers will be
barred from further attending Commission meetings and may be subject to arrest.
No signs or placards shall be allowed in Commission chambers. Any person with a
disability requiring assistance, auxiliary aids and services for this meeting may
notes the City Clerk. The lunch recess will begin at the conclusion of the
deliberation of the agenda item being considered at noon. The meeting will end
either at the conclusion of the deliberation of the agenda item being considered at 10
p.m. or at the conclusion of the regularly scheduled agenda, whichever occurs first.
Please note, Commissioners have generally been briefed by City staff and the City
Attorney on the items on the agenda today. At this time, the Administration will
announce which items, if any, are being either withdrawn, deferred, or substituted.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. City Manager.
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Nzerie Ihekwaba (Chief of Operations/Assistant City Manager): Good morning, Mr.
Chair, Mr. Vice Chair, Commissioners, Madam City Attorney, Mr. Clerk. At this
time, the Administration would like to defer or withdraw the following items: To be
indefinitely deferred, SR. 1; to be deferred to the second meeting in July, July 26,
SR. 7.
Commissioner Gort: SR. 7?
Vice Chair Russell: SR. 7.
Mr. Ihekwaba: Yes, 7.
Vice Chair Russell: That's the Firefighter Relief and Pension Fund.
Mr. Ihekwaba: That's the only things we have.
Commissioner Gort: Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: That's it?
Mr. Ihekwaba: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: Do any of the Commissioners have any items that they wish to
defer or continue?
Commissioner Gort: I would like to discuss CA. S.
Vice Chair Russell: You'd like to discuss --?
Commissioner Gort: CA.S.
Vice Chair Russell: CA.S. So you'd like thatpulled --
Commissioner Gort: Consent agenda.
Vice Chair Russell: --from the consent agenda for discussion?
Commissioner Gort: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: Understood. Commissioner Reyes, anything to continue, defer,
or pull from the consent agenda?
Commissioner Reyes: (INAUDIBLE).
Vice Chair Russell: I would like to have CA.S, which is parklets. I'm looking to
actually defer that item to July 26. This is a very well-intentioned item, but it's
looking -- it's not fully baked yet.
Commissioner Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Russell: But obviously, rather than defer, what we can do is take it for
discussion --
Commissioner Gort: Perfect.
Vice Chair Russell: -- and then --
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City Commission Meeting Minutes June 28, 2018
Commissioner Gort: No, we can just make the motion to --
Vice Chair Russell: Move it to the 26th?
Commissioner Gort: -- move it to July 26.
Vice Chair Russell: Okay, yeah, because it's looking really good. A lot of activists
who are interested in this project had recommendations that they'd like to see help
make it more successful; and so, we figured a month of them working with my office,
anyone else who's interested, as well as the Administration, can get it right. So that's
-- we'll be looking to defer item CA.5 to July 26. That's the second meeting in July.
DI.S. This is a discussion item; an update on the thematic preservation concept. It
is a discussion item for today. I would like to defer that item to July 12, and the
reason being, basically, the City, as the applicant on this item, needs to be informed
before it goes to the HEP (Historic & Environmental Preservation Board) Board.
Originally, it's on the July 3 agenda of the HEP Board, but I have spoken with the
chairman. That agenda is very packed. This is a very big item. They're going to be
looking to make a special meeting just for this issue on July 16. So I'd like us to take
this up at July 12. There's a lot of people who wanted to speak that weren't able to
come today, as well, so we will not be taking discussion item or public comment on
DI.S today. Is there anything else to add? All right. So is there a motion to --
Commissioner Gort: Move it.
Vice Chair Russell: -- accept the Order of the Day? It's been moved; seconded by
the Chair. All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Motion passes.
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141eQ9101►69A►kreCe7A►197_1
The following item(s) was Adopted on the Consent Agenda
RESULT:
ADOPTED
MOVER:
Wifredo Gort, Commissioner
SECONDER:
Ken Russell, Vice Chair
AYES:
Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT:
Hardemon
CA.1
RESOLUTION
4192
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Department of Real
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
Estate and Asset
EXECUTE A LEASE AGREEMENT, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE
Management
ATTACHED FORM, BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") AND
THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA FOR
THE CITY'S USE OF APPROXIMATELY 7,734 SQUARE FEET OF
OFFICE SPACE AT THE LINDSEY HOPKINS TECHNICAL
COLLEGE LOCATED AT 750 NORTHWEST 20TH STREET, MIAMI,
FLORIDA ("PREMISES"), AT AN ANNUAL RENT OF ONE DOLLAR
($1.00) PLUS A DAILY RATE OF ONE -THOUSAND EIGHT
HUNDRED EIGHT DOLLARS AND NINETY-SEVEN CENTS
($1.808.97) FOR THIRTEEN (13) DAYS TOTALING
APPROXIMATELY TWENTY THREE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED
SIXTEEN DOLLARS AND SIXTY ONE CENTS ($23,516.61) FOR
UTILITIES, CUSTODIAL AND JANITORIAL STAFF, AND
SERVICES AND SECURITY STAFF FOR THE OPERATION OF
THE PREMISES DURING THE ADDITIONAL DAYS WHEN
SCHOOL WOULD OTHERWISE BE CLOSED.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0257
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item CA.], please see "End of
Consent Agenda. "
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CA.2
RESOLUTION
4193
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
Office of Grants
AUTHORIZING AN INCREASE IN THE CONTRACT CAPACITY
Administration
BEYOND THE CITY MANAGER APPROVED FIFTY THOUSAND
Public Works
DOLLARS ($50,000.00) FOR THE PROVISION OF MEAL
SERVICES FOR THE FAMILIES FIRST PARENTING PROGRAM,
AS MANDATED BY THE CHILDREN'S TRUST FAMILIES FIRST
PROGRAM, PURSUANT TO INVITATION FOR BID ("IFB") 534382,
BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI AND THE ILS GROUP, LLC D/B/A
CLASSIC CATERERS ("CLASSIC CATERERS"), AUTHORIZED
PURSUANT TO THE CITY MANAGER'S APPROVAL ON
DECEMBER 15, 2015, ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM THE
CHILDREN'S TRUST GRANT, SUBJECT TO BUDGETARY
APPROVAL AT THE TIME OF NEED; FURTHER AUTHORIZING
THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ALL
OTHER DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS,
RENEWALS, AND EXTENSIONS, SUBJECT TO ALLOCATIONS,
APPROPRIATIONS AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL HAVING BEEN
PREVIOUSLY MADE, AND IN 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, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO
THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE
REGULATIONS, AS MAY BE NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0258
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item CA.2, please see "End of
Consent Agenda. "
CA.3
RESOLUTION
4197
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Department of
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
Resilience and
EXECUTE A PERPETUAL AERIAL EASEMENT AGREEMENT, IN
Public Works
SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, WITH FLORIDA EAST
COAST RAILWAY, L.L.C., A FLORIDA LIMITED LIABILITY
COMPANY ("FEC"), FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, INSTALLATION,
INSPECTION, MAINTENANCE, AND USE OF AN ELEVATED
PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE FOR NORTHWEST 17 STREET, MIAMI,
FLORIDA, ABOVE A PORTION OF THE EXISTING RAILWAY
CORRIDOR OWNED BY FEC.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0259
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item CA. 3, please see "End of
Consent Agenda. "
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CAA
RESOLUTION
4198
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ELIMINATE
Department of
APPROXIMATELY TWO HUNDRED (200) FEET OF RAILROAD
Resilience and
CROSSING AT THE NORTHEAST MIAMI COURT RAILROAD
Public Works
CROSSING, LOCATED BETWEEN NORTHEAST 71 STREET AND
NORTHEAST 73 STREET, AND THE NORTHEAST 36 STREET
RAILROAD CROSSING, LOCATED ALONG NORTHEAST 2
AVENUE, PURSUANT TO FLORIDA EAST COAST RAILROAD
("FECR") REQUIREMENTS FOR IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING A
NEW RAILROAD CROSSING AT NORTHEAST 42 STREET,
CONNECTING NORTHEAST 2 AVENUE TO EAST DIXIE
HIGHWAY.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0260
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item CA.4, please see "Public
Comment Period for Regular Item (s) " and "End of Consent Agenda. "
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CA.5
RESOLUTION - Item Pulled from Consent
4200
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Department of
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ESTABLISHING A ONE (1)
Resilience and
YEAR PILOT PROGRAM FOR PARKLETS ("PILOT") TO BE
Public Works
ADMINISTERED BY THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") DEPARTMENT
AYES:
OF RESILIENCE AND PUBLIC WORKS ("DEPARTMENT");
ABSENT:
ESTABLISHING CRITERIA FOR PERMITTED LOCATIONS,
GENERAL PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS, FABRICATION, AND
CONSTRUCTION AND INSTALLATION STANDARDS;
PROVIDING FOR AN APPLICATION FEE; ESTABLISHING A
PROCESS FOR THE EVALUATION AND REVIEW OF
APPLICATIONS; REQUIRING EXECUTION OF A PARKLET
PERMIT AS A CONDITION PRECEDENT TO CONSTRUCTION,
INSTALLATION, AND OPERATION OF A PARKLET;
DELEGATING AUTHORITY FOR EXECUTION OF PARKLET
PERMITS TO THE CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE;
ESTABLISHING A MAXIMUM NUMBER OF FIVE (5) PARKLETS
UNDER THE PILOT, SUBJECT TO THE AUTHORITY OF THE
CITY MANAGER OR DESIGNEE FOR AUTHORIZATION OF AN
ADDITIONAL FIVE (5) PARKLETS, UPON GOOD CAUSE
SHOWN BY THE DEPARTMENT; ESTABLISHING SUCH OTHER
TERMS AND CONDITIONS PURSUANT TO THE PARKLET
REVOCABLE LICENSE AS DEEMED NECESSARY; PROVIDING
FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
Note for the Record. Item CA. S was continued to the July 26, 2018, Planning and
Zoning Commission Meeting.
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item CA. S, please see "Order of the
Day. "
CA.6 RESOLUTION
4342 A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
Office of the City AUTHORIZING THE CITY CLERK TO REPUBLISH THE CODE OF
Clerk THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), IN
ITS ENTIRETY; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY CLERK TO
WORK WITH THE MUNICIPAL CODE CORPORATION TO
REPUBLISH THE CITY CODE IN ITS ENTIRETY.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0261
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item CA.6, please see "End of
Consent Agenda. "
Citv ofMiarni Page 31 Printed on 0812812018
MOTION TO:
Continue
RESULT:
CONTINUED
MOVER:
Wifredo "Willy" Gort, Commissioner
SECONDER:
Ken Russell, Vice Chair
AYES:
Russell, Gort, Reyes
ABSENT:
Hardemon, Carollo
Note for the Record. Item CA. S was continued to the July 26, 2018, Planning and
Zoning Commission Meeting.
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item CA. S, please see "Order of the
Day. "
CA.6 RESOLUTION
4342 A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
Office of the City AUTHORIZING THE CITY CLERK TO REPUBLISH THE CODE OF
Clerk THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), IN
ITS ENTIRETY; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY CLERK TO
WORK WITH THE MUNICIPAL CODE CORPORATION TO
REPUBLISH THE CITY CODE IN ITS ENTIRETY.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0261
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item CA.6, please see "End of
Consent Agenda. "
Citv ofMiarni Page 31 Printed on 0812812018
City Commission Meeting Minutes June 28, 2018
CA.7
RESOLUTION
3972
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
Office of the City
AUTHORIZING THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE TO PAY TERRE
LARSEN THE TOTAL SUM OF $52,000.00, WITHOUT ADMISSION
Attorney
OF LIABILITY, IN FULL AND COMPLETE SETTLEMENT OF ANY
AND ALL CLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY OF MIAMI, ITS OFFICERS,
AGENTS, AND EMPLOYEES IN THE CASE OF TERRE LARSEN V.
CITY OF MIAMI, ET AL., PENDING IN THE CIRCUIT COURT IN
AND FOR MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, CASE NO. 15-027535 CA 01
(11), UPON THE EXECUTION OF A GENERAL RELEASE OF ALL
CLAIMS AND DEMANDS AND A DISMISSAL OF THE DEFENDANT
WITH PREJUDICE; ALLOCATING SETTLEMENT FUNDS FROM
ACCOUNT NO. 50001.301001.545013.0000.00000.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0262
This matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item CA. 7, please see "End of
Consent Agenda. "
;101 oZe] &@I*P►&9 ; I ki1111 rile] N1►117e1
Vice Chair Russell: We'll move our attention to the consent agenda, please.
Actually, let's --
Commissioner Gort: Move.
Vice Chair Russell: -- yes. Let's see. We've -- we have deferred Item CA. 5, so we
are taking up CAs (consent agendas) 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7. It's been moved by
Commissioner Gort. Is there a second?
Later...
Vice Chair Russell: We're on the CA (consent agenda) agenda. There's been a
motion; second by the Chair; CA. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7. Is there any further discussion?
Commissioner Carollo: If you'd give me a second just to go through it again, please.
Vice Chair Russell: It's all of the CA agenda --
Commissioner Carollo: Right.
Vice Chair Russell: -- except for 5.
Commissioner Carollo: 5 was deferred or withdrawn?
Vice Chair Russell: It is deferred until July 26.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. There's a motion?
Vice Chair Russell: Yes; and a second.
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Commissioner Reyes: And a second.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. All right. Hold on, hold on, hold on. Yeah.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. All in favor, say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Any opposed? Motion passes. That's CAs.I, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7.
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00:0144[44:I;r_1N1►[*9
PHA
RESOLUTION
4168
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Department of Real
ATTACHMENT(S), BY A FOUR-FIFTHS (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE
Estate and Asset
VOTE, PURSUANT TO SECTION 29-B(C) OF THE CHARTER OF
Management
THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, AUTHORIZING
THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A QUITCLAIM DEED ("DEED"),
IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, CONVEYING TWO
(2) CORNER PORTIONS OF THE EXISTING SIDEWALK LOCATED
WITHIN CITY -OWNED PROPERTY KNOWN AS LUMMUS PARK,
ALONG THE CORRIDOR OF STATE ROAD 925 A/K/A
NORTHWEST 3RD COURT AND FURTHER IDENTIFIED AS A
PORTION OF FOLIO NUMBER 01-0109-030-2010 ("PROPERTY"),
AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A" OF THE
DEED, TO THE STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION, AN AGENCY AND INSTRUMENTALITY OF
THE STATE OF FLORIDA, CONTAINING A REVERTER
PROVISION AND WITH TERMS MORE PARTICULARLY
DESCRIBED IN SAID DEED; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE ANY AND ALL OTHER DOCUMENTS
AND AMENDMENTS, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, AS DEEMED NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0263
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Ken Russell, Vice Chair
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Public hearing is closed as I understand?
Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Commissioner Gort: Yes.
Chair Hardemon: Let's move through some business. The Chair would like to
entertain a motion to approve the public hearing -- it's only a few, right? 1, 2 -- one
second.
Vice Chair Russell: PH 3 was already moved and approved.
Chair Hardemon: Right.
Vice Chair Russell: So we have I and 2. I'll make the motion.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. The Vice Chairman moved to approve the PH (public
hearing) agenda; PH.1 and PH 2. All in favor of the motion, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Motion is approved.
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Commissioner Reyes: That's good
Chair Hardemon: Yeah.
PH.2
RESOLUTION
4199
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION PURSUANT
Department of
TO SECTION 55-16 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
Resilience and
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), CLOSING, VACATING,
Public Works
AND ABANDONING A PRIVATE ALLEY LOCATED BETWEEN
SOUTHWEST 27 LANE AND SOUTHWEST 28 STREET AND FROM
SOUTHWEST 23 AVENUE TO SOUTHWEST 24 AVENUE,
DEDICATED BY THE PLAT OF SILVER BLUFF ESTATES,
SECTION C, AS RECORDED IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PLAT
BOOK 10, PAGE 65, FOR THE PERPETUAL USE AND
ENJOYMENT OF THE OWNER(S) OF THE RESPECTIVE LOTS
ADJACENT THERETO, SUBJECT TO THE USE OF SAID ALLEY BY
THE CITY OF MIAMI (`CITY") OR A PUBLIC SERVICE
CORPORATION FOR UTILITY INSTALLATIONS, OPERATION,
MAINTENANCE, AND REPAIR; RESERVING ALL RIGHTS AS A
UTILITY EASEMENT.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0264
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Ken Russell, Vice Chair
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item PH.2, please see Item PH.]
and "Public Comment Period for Regular Item (s). "
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PH.3
RESOLUTION
4289
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Commissioners
ATTACHMENT(S), BY A FOUR-FIFTHS (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE
and Mayor
VOTE, AFTER AN ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARING, RATIFYING,
AYES:
APPROVING, AND CONFIRMING THE CITY MANAGER'S
ABSENT:
DETERMINATIONS, FINDINGS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS,
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS ATTACHMENT "A,"
PURSUANT TO SECTION 18-182 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE") WAIVING THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR SAID PROCEDURES; RESCINDING
RESOLUTION NO. R-17-0275 ADOPTED JUNE 8, 2017, WHICH
PREVIOUSLY AUTHORIZED A SALE OF THE PROPERTIES
FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE CIVIC CENTER AND WAGNER
SQUARE LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 1455 NORTHWEST 17
STREET WITH THE FOLIOS 01-3135-087-0010 AND 01-3135-087-
0012, MIAMI, FLORIDA, CONTAINING AN APPROXIMATE TOTAL
LOT AREA OF 42,309 SQUARE FEET, AS LEGALLY DESCRIBED
IN EXHIBIT "A," ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED
(COLLECTIVELY, "PROPERTIES"); AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO INSTEAD NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE A GRANT
OF PRIVATE PERMANENT EASEMENT ("AGREEMENT"), IN A
FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, BETWEEN THE
CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") AND THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT
OF VETERAN AFFAIRS ("VA") TO GRANT A PRIVATE
PERMANENT EASEMENT TO THE VA, WITH RESTRICTIONS AND
REVERSIONS, FOR THE PROPERTIES WITH PAYMENT BY THE
VA TO THE CITY OF A TOTAL USE FEE PAYMENT OF THREE
MILLION SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($3,600,000.00)
("USE FEE PAYMENT") FOR USE BY THE VA OF THE
PROPERTIES EXCLUSIVELY FOR VA GOVERNMENTAL
PURPOSES; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY AND ALL OTHER NECESSARY
DOCUMENTS, EXTENSIONS, MODIFICATIONS, RENEWALS, AND
AMENDMENTS, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, TO ACCOMPLISH AND TO EVIDENCE THE
FOREGOING, AS MAY BE REQUIRED FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF
THIS RESOLUTION AND AT NO COSTS TO THE CITY.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0256
MOTION TO:
Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT:
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER:
Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner
SECONDER:
Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES:
Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT:
Hardemon
Vice Chair Russell: I believe we have a time -certain item at 10 a.m. for PH 3. I
apologize for our tardiness. Who's presenting PH 3?
Commissioner Gort: PH3.
Loyman Marin: Hi. Good morning, Mr. Chairman --
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Vice Chair Russell: Yes. You're recognized.
Mr. Marin: -- City officials and people from the community. My name is Loyman
Marin. I am the Chief Operating Officer at the Miami VA (Veterans Administration)
Healthcare System, and I'm here to represent the veterans, the 57, 000 veterans that
we serve from the community. And the item that we have today to discuss is the
purchase of the land that we need for parking for the veterans. So to give you a
history of where we stand, we serve about 57,000 veterans in the community. We do
about 800,000 visits a year. Our parking gap that we have in the hospital is about
400 parking spots that are needed for our veterans. The number one complaint that
we receive for veterans is not about the healthcare that we provide; it's not about the
access that we have; it's about parking. They don't come to our hospital, because we
don't have the adequate parking space. If you approve this item on the agenda
today, you will help us to reduce the 400 parking gap by about 112 parking spots,
and I think that's something that the veterans deserve. We need to take care of them.
When they joined the military -- So if you have any questions, I'm here to answer
any questions or --
Commissioner Gort: Thank you. This is something that I moved a long time ago;
that it was passed and approved by the City of Miami. It's the sales of the lot where
they can create an additional parking lot. At the same time, the reason it had to
come back is they had to make some changes in the contract that are required by the
Federal Government. That's what's here today. Would you like to read it?
Fernando Casamayor (Chief Financial Officer/Assistant City Manager): Actually,
Commissioners, I just want to make sure that it's clear that this does satisfy the
original intent for the item that was passed last year --
Commissioner Gort: Right.
Mr. Casamayor: -- giving the land for $3.6 million for the use, and as a result of the
Federal Government's rules and regulations, we had to amend it to do it this way.
So give me a moment to get to the item. I'll be more than happy to read it.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): We don't have to read the item. It's the Veterans
Affairs --
Commissioner Gort: Move it.
Ms. Mendez: --item --
Vice Chair Russell: Thankyou. There's been a motion to approve PH3.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Vice Chair Russell: Is there a second? It has been seconded. Any further
discussion on the dais?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): And Chair, there is an exhibit that needs to be
amended, so it'll be adopted with modifications.
Vice Chair Russell: Is that with amendment? What are the --?
Ms. Mendez: Thank you.
Commissioner Gort: With the amendments.
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Vice Chair Russell: The amendments are clarified?
Commissioner Gort: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: Okay. There's been a motion and a second. Any further
discussion? All in favor, say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Any opposed? Motion passes; PH. 3.
Commissioner Gort: Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much. So we were running a little late there.
Later...
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Chair, I ask you if you could indulge me in asking one
question on Page 3 that we just passed.
Vice Chair Russell: PH.3. Yes, Commissioner.
Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Assistant City Manager, in PH.3, the 3.6 million that
we're supposed to be getting, a one-time deal, did you have this planned into this
fiscal year's budget?
Fernando Casamayor (Chief Financial Officer/Assistant City Manager): It was not
planned for this fiscal year's budget, but it was intended for last year's fiscal year
budget, because the item was approved and passed by Commission in '17.
Commissioner Carollo: Right. But you're not going to get it in this fiscal year's
budget that's passing, so it'll be coming into the next. Are you going to take it off
from the books of this fiscal year so you could not put it into the next? Because,
obviously, you have a hole this year.
Mr. Casamayor: We'll properly recognize the revenue when it comes in, and it -- we
are taking into account all of our projections. And I know Chris will give you an
update later on today regarding our budget projections.
Commissioner Carollo: That's important --
Mr. Casamayor: Absolutely.
Commissioner Carollo: -- because every million is going to count this time around.
Mr. Casamayor: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Gort: Commissioner, my understanding was there was the --
Commissioner Carollo: Okay, thank you.
Commissioner Gort: -- I believe $1.2 million was committed to a housing facility
that exists on the Barcelona Condominium, which is a condominium that people own
it, and it's the one that had the problem with the China drywalls and all kinds of
stuff, so we had to dedicate "A" amount for that.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. And once it comes.
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Commissioner Gort: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Commissioner Gort: When it comes.
Commissioner Carollo: So that's 1.2 so --
Commissioner Gort: They're waiting for it.
Commissioner Carollo: --1.4. So you still got 2.2 left.
Commissioner Gort: But my problem -- my understanding is this is CDBG
(Community Development Block Grant) funds, so it has to go into the CDBG, which
can be used --
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, yeah.
Commissioner Gort: --for housing and so on.
Commissioner Carollo: Right. I just -- we could offset some other things with it.
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: That's why I'm asking. Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, gentlemen.
END OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
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M:�9Elsie] ►1I7NmrilIII ►[eye]NCIki/_1►[@]*I
SRA
ORDINANCE Second Reading
2099
TO BE INDEFINITELY DEFERRED
Department of
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Planning
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE XI/DIVISION
2/SECTION 2-892 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), ENTITLED
"ADMINISTRATION/BOARDS, COMMITTEES,
COMMISSIONS/GENERALLY/'SUNSET' REVIEW OF BOARDS",
TO PROVIDE FOR SUNSET REVIEW OF THE ART IN PUBLIC
PLACES BOARD; AND AMENDING CHAPTER 62/ARTICLE XVI OF
THE CITY CODE, ENTITLED "PLANNING AND ZONING/ART IN
PUBLIC PLACES," TO PROVIDE FOR PUBLIC ART
REQUIREMENTS FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE
EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Indefinitely Defer
RESULT: INDEFINITELY DEFERRED
MOVER: Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Vice Chair
AYES: Russell, Gort, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon, Carollo
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item SR.], please see "Order of the
Day. "
SR.2 ORDINANCE Second Reading
3674 AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Office of the City CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE II OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
Attorney FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, ENTITLED "ADMINISTRATION/MAYOR
AND CITY COMMISSION," BY UPDATING LANGUAGE TO
COMPLY WITH CURRENT LEGAL STANDARDS AND
PRACTICES; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 13769
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: Madam City Attorney, read into the record SR. 2.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
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Commissioner Gort: Move it.
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved and seconded.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Excuse me, Chair.
Chair Hardemon: Yeah, you're recognized.
Mr. Hannon: Chair, I'm sorry. I would like to request a friendly amendment to
Section 2-33, Sub -Section "E, "for it to read: "All resolutions and ordinances, except
land use changes, zoning changes, board appointments, and the acknowledgement of
election results shall be reviewed by the Office of Management & Budget for any
fiscal impact prior to placement on any agenda. "
Chair Hardemon: Read it again, please.
Mr. Hannon: So I would like for the amendment to read: "All resolutions and
ordinance, except land use changes, zoning changes, board appointments, and the
acknowledgement of election results shall be reviewed by the Office of Management
& Budget for any fiscal impact prior to placement on any agenda. "
Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Mr. Clerk, to be clear, what is it that you're
adding; just the election results, correct?
Mr. Hannon: Board appointments and the acknowledgement of election results.
Ms. Mendez: Okay; just so that they knew what was a change. Thank you.
Commissioner Gort: Accepted.
Chair Hardemon: Mover and seconder accept. All in favor of the motion, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Against? Motion passes.
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SR.3
ORDINANCE Second Reading
3701
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Office of the City
CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE III OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
Attorney
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), ENTITLED
"ADMINISTRATION/OFFICERS,"
BY RENUMBERING AND
UPDATING LANGUAGE CONCERNING THE CITY MANAGER,
CITY ATTORNEY, INDEPENDENT AUDITOR GENERAL, AND
CITY CLERK TO COMPLY WITH CURRENT LEGAL STANDARDS
AND PRACTICES; ESTABLISHING A NEW SECTION 2-65 OF THE
CITY CODE, ENTITLED "PUBLIC RECORDS"; DELETING IN ITS
ENTIRETY CHAPTER 2/ARTICLE III/SECTION 2-89 OF THE CITY
CODE, ENTITLED "ADMINISTRATION/OFFICERS/SEVERANCE
PAY FOR EXECUTIVE EMPLOYEES"; DELETING IN ITS
ENTIRETY SECTION 2-143 OF THE CITY CODE, ENTITLED "CITY
ARCHIVES AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM";
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 13770
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: SR. 3. Read it into the record.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Chair Hardemon: Is there a motion to approve?
Commissioner Gort: Move it.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved; seconded by the Chair. Any
discussion? Hearing none, all in favor of the motion, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Against? Motion passes.
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SRA ORDINANCE Second Reading
3424 AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Commissioners CHAPTER 35/ARTICLE V OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
and Mayor FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), ENTITLED "COCONUT
GROVE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT, DESIGN
DISTRICT AND WYNWOOD PARKING IMPROVEMENT TRUST
FUNDS;" CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 13771
MOTION TO:
Adopt
RESULT:
ADOPTED
MOVER:
Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner
SECONDER:
Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES:
Hardemon, Gort, Carollo
ABSENT:
Russell, Reyes
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Yes, Chairman. An ordinance of the Miami --
Chair Hardemon: Wait, wait, wait.
Ms. Mendez: SR.2?
Chair Hardemon: No. Read SR.4 into the record.
Ms. Mendez: SR. 4?
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Chair Hardemon: Is there a motion to approve?
Commissioner Gort: Move it.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved; seconded by the Chair. Any further
discussion? Hearing none, all in favor say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion passes on SR. 4.
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SR.5
ORDINANCE Second Reading
4115
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
MOVER:
CHAPTER 18, ARTICLE III, SECTION 18-115 OF THE CODE OF
Commissioners
THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, ENTITLED
and Mayor
"FINANCE/CITY OF MIAMI PROCUREMENT
ABSENT:
ORDINANCE/ACCEPTANCE OF DONATIONS," TO STRIKE THE
PHRASE "GOODS AND SERVICES" FROM THE LANGUAGE OF
THE SECTION AND TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF
DONATIONS THAT MAY BE ACCEPTED BY THE CITY MANAGER
TO FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS ($50,000.00); CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 13772
MOTION TO:
Adopt
RESULT:
ADOPTED
MOVER:
Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner
SECONDER:
Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES:
Hardemon, Gort, Carollo
ABSENT:
Russell, Reyes
Chair Hardemon: SR.5. Would you please read it into the record.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Commissioner Gort: Move it.
Commissioner Carollo: Second.
Chair Hardemon: Properly moved and seconded Any further discussion? Hearing
none, all in favor say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion passes.
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SR.6
ORDINANCE Second Reading
4143
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 18/ARTICLE III/SECTION 18-72 OF THE CODE OF THE
Commissioners
CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, ENTITLED FINANCE/CITY OF MIAMI
and Mayor
PROCUREMENT ORDINANCE/APPLICATION AND
EXCLUSIONS," BY AMENDING SECTION 18-72(B) TO EXCLUDE
FROM THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI
PROCUREMENT ORDINANCE MATCHING FUND GRANTS TO
THE CITY AND RELATED ADVERTISING, PROVIDING FOR
CERTAIN CONTRACTUAL AND LEGAL LIMITATIONS FOR THIS
EXEMPTION AS ARE PROVIDED HEREIN; PROVIDING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE
EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: 13773
MOTION TO
RESULT:
MOVER:
SECONDER
AYES:
ABSENT:
Adopt
ADOPTED
Joe Carollo, Commissioner
Keon Hardemon, Chair
Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo
Reyes
Chair Hardemon: SR. 6. Please read it into the record.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Chair Hardemon: All in favor -- well, is there a motion to approve?
Commissioner Carollo: So moved.
Chair Hardemon: Seconded by the Chair. All in favor of the motion, say "aye. If
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: SR. 6 has been approved.
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SR.7
ORDINANCE Second Reading
3910
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Miami Firefighters'
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING THE MIAMI FIRE FIGHTERS'
Relief and Pension
RELIEF AND PENSION FUND ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO
Fund
ORDINANCE NO. 6432 ADOPTED SEPTEMBER 2, 1959, AS
ABSENT:
SUBSEQUENTLY AMENDED, TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH
Note for the Record. Item SR.7 was continued to the July 26, 2018, Planning and
APPLICABLE CHANGES REQUIRED BY THE UNITED STATES
Meeting.
INTERNAL REVENUE CODE, AS AMENDED, AS PROVIDED IN
EXHIBIT "A", ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE
EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO:
Continue
RESULT:
CONTINUED
MOVER:
Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner
SECONDER:
Ken Russell, Vice Chair
AYES:
Russell, Gort, Reyes
ABSENT:
Hardemon, Carollo
Note for the Record. Item SR.7 was continued to the July 26, 2018, Planning and
Zoning Commission
Meeting.
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item SR. 7, please see "Order of the
Day. "
END OF SECOND READING ORDINANCES
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FRA
ORDINANCE First Reading
3374
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
CHAPTER 23 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA,
Commissioners
AS AMENDED, ENTITLED "HISTORIC PRESERVATION," TO
and Mayor
ALLOW FOR THE TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT DENSITY
FROM HISTORIC RESOURCE SENDING SITES TO CERTAIN
RECEIVING SITES LOCATED WITHIN TRANSIT ORIENTED
DEVELOPMENT AREAS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading with Modification(s)
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Ken Russell, Vice Chair
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For additional minutes referencing Item FR.], please see
"Public Comment Period for Regular Item(s). "
Chair Hardemon: Madam City Attorney, can you read into the record FR.1 ?
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Vice Chair Russell: I'll move it.
Commissioner Gort: Second.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: For discussion.
Commissioner Reyes: You see, I have some amendments. I know this have been
moved, and now it's up for discussion now. I have a friendly amendment that I don't
know if you had received it. You have my friendly amendments? Yeah. You said, "I
received it." Well --
Commissioner Gort: Yeah, I received it.
Commissioner Reyes: Let me enumerate them. Okay, I'm going to enumerate them.
Commissioner Carollo: What friendly amendments? I haven't even received not
friendly amendments.
Commissioner Reyes: You haven't received anything friendly lately, man. Okay. All
right. You see, that I'm -- I want to amend this, that the receiving sites can only be
TS and higher when they are inside the neighborhood. You see, this is -- I'm trying
to protect single-family homes within that radius, you see; trying to protect single-
family homes, because if you throw a radius of three quarter of a mile around, there
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is going to pick -- I mean, it's going to include some sites that are in single-family
homes areas, and we have to protect our neighborhoods. We have to protect our
family, okay? We must also discourage the loss of green space, if any green space
within the transit -oriented development area is rezoned. I would like to see this,
okay? It is not -- green space are not eligible for this program, okay, that -- our
parks and all other, you see. If you have a park within that radius, you cannot
change it and -- I mean, and use it, okay? And also, I want also to take this
opportunity and ask that those people that they are benefiting from double density,
they should also benefit our residents and they will encourage them either to in --
have -- go inclusive or contribute to a fund that is destined to build affordable -- real
affordable housing. And those are my amendments. And I know that -- I'm going to
ask the sponsors, see if you can.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Just to clam so I understand, if I may, Mr.
Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: Go ahead.
Vice Chair Russell: Receiving is T5 or up. If the Planning Department could help
me understand what this would disqualify. Within the current draft, what is allowed,
and what would this change?
Francisco Garcia: Thank you. Francisco Garcia, Planning Director. Mindful of
the fact that single-family residential areas and duplex residential areas needed to
be protected, those areas have not been eligible previously for the acceptance of any
transfer of density. I believe what Commissioner Reyes is suggesting is that T4, the
next transect up, also not be eligible for the transfer of density.
Vice Chair Russell: So if -- but if -- under the current draft, anything T3 or abutting
T3 is not eligible to start.
Mr. Garcia: That is correct.
Vice Chair Russell: So let's say there's a T4 property that's not abutting T3.
Mr. Garcia: Right.
Vice Chair Russell: Right now, under the current draft, it would be eligible for
additional density, and it would not be abutting T3, so theoretically, you could argue
it's not going to affect single-family home; but then in this -- with the amendment, the
T4s would be taken out.
Mr. Garcia: That's correct.
Commissioner Reyes: And that's precisely what I want. I don't want to be using T4s,
also, which is -- and T3s, even if they are not abutting each other.
Vice Chair Russell: T4s are very interesting, unused --
Commissioner Reyes: It is, it is, but they should --
Vice Chair Russell: -- an unused transect.
Commissioner Reyes: -- come before us, and they could request it.
Vice Chair Russell: For the density.
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Commissioner Reyes: For the density.
Vice Chair Russell: Because that's what they were lacking in this.
Commissioner Reyes: But not automatically.
Vice Chair Russell: Right.
Commissioner Reyes: I don't want it to happen automatically. So they should come,
and we -- in case -- those are special cases, what you're saying.
Vice Chair Russell: I would love further analysis between first and second, but I'll
accept the amendment, for sure.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Commissioner Reyes: Also, that, I mean, the radius -- I mean, the distance from -- is
three quarter of a mile, right?
Mr. Garcia: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Reyes: Well, I am --
Mr. Garcia: Half a mile, just to be clear on the record; halfa mile.
Commissioner Reyes: Half a mile?
Mr. Garcia: Is the radius, as it exists presently.
Commissioner Gort: Talking about five blocks.
Commissioner Reyes: I thought that it was three quarter miles on main highways, on
main streets.
Mr. Garcia: Transportation -oriented development areas are at a radius of one half
a mile from the Metrorail Station or the Metromover Station --
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Mr. Garcia: --presently.
Commissioner Reyes: I -- well, I thought that I heard that it was going to be --
Vice Chair Russell: It's one of the proposals, is three quarters, yeah.
Commissioner Reyes: One of the proposals is -- the proposal is -- I don't have
anything against three quarter of a mile as long as they are main highways, you see,
in main thoroughfares; not in side streets and all of that.
Vice Chair Russell: Got it. I had also a proposed amendment within this, because I
think that the circle radius issue, as the crow flies, is not an accurate way to
determine where density is appropriate or not, because let's say a receiving site -- or
a transit is on the river, for example. That radius goes beyond the river, and those
people are not within walking distance of that transit zone.
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Mr. Garcia: That's correct.
Vice Chair Russell: So I think a much smarter -- and I know Jeremy was working on
this -- or you -- or the department was working on a more specific look at the
arteries that could become those transit connectors, and it doesn't necessarily have
to be on our traditional rail. You know, we need to be creative here and think what's
going to get -- where are people going to easily be able to flow to those transit spots,
and encourage the density there. I do agree with the concept of not abutting T3, not
encouraging density that's going to, you know, creep into single-family
neighborhoods. But I am open to expanding that -- I'll call it a radius. But I want to
find a smarter way to track that radius, so between first and second, I'd like to study
that a little closer. I know you're already working on it. I'd like to see how that
works and (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Reyes: I do agree with you, Commissioner Russell, and I think that
we have to be creative, so we don't get into the neighborhoods and could be affecting
the integrity of the neighborhoods.
Vice Chair Russell: And then, as far as your amendment with regard to
affordability, I really like this. And one of the people that came to speak publicly
about this asked, "Why doesn't this address that issue?" And I think it really could. I
don't know what the formula would be yet, but let's work on this between first and
second, where any additional density that's purchased, that there be some sort of
inclusionary concept within that, because this is bonus density we weren't expecting.
There's no reason it couldn't help solve some of the problems of the City at the same
time, and be a good example. Whether there's an off-site option, as well, I'm
welcome to study it, but it should be more painful than the on-site option, if that
makes sense.
Mr. Garcia: It does.
Vice Chair Russell: I think that's all I've got.
Chair Hardemon: All right. So --
Commissioner Reyes: That's all I need.
Chair Hardemon: -- basically, there was a motion on the floor. There were some
friendly amendments that were made that were accepted by the mover and the
seconder. Madam City --
Vice Chair Russell: One other amendment. I'm sorry. I apologize. I -- first -- it
comes with a question. There is not full clarity in the draft, to me, as to whether
there is a cut-off timeline for when someone can apply for this and receive -- and
purchase the TDDs (Transfer Development Densities).
Mr. Garcia: As drafted, it is prospective only.
Vice Chair Russell: So it's -- as drafted, it says you must present a building
application.
Mr. Garcia: That is correct, sir.
Vice Chair Russell: But does -- it doesn't clearly say you can't present a previous
building application, or if somebody had already done one on it.
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Mr. Garcia: If the -- it were the intent of the Commission to include some projects
that have recently been approved within a specified period of time, there would have
to be an amendment to capture that.
Vice Chair Russell: Got it. So what I'd be looking to offer is an amendment that --
because my philosophy -- and when I first looked at this, I was open to saying, "Hey,
if this generates a bag of cash for the person who had that historic designation to
help them with their situation there, that was fine. " But I recognize tying it to the
actual improvements is very important and very good. What about people that
before this was in place had been spending well above and beyond TORS (Transfer
Development Rights) or whatever they've been expending for historic preservation?
Why shouldn't this be able to help their situation, as well? So I'd be looking for an
amendment, looking back five years. Anything that -- I'd like an analysis of what
that would bring into it. If it's too much, though, that it floods the market and it
reduces the value of them, I don't want to do it. But if it looks like it's something that
will help people that have been investing in historic preservation, I'd be open to it.
Mr. Garcia: Very well.
Commissioner Reyes: So -- and I think that it is -- your amendment to that, you're
saying that -- what are -- can you clam your amendment?
Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: You want to promote historic preservation? That's what you
want to do?
Vice Chair Russell: Well --
Commissioner Reyes: You see, and you know that this is a slippery slope there,
because—
Vice Chair Russell: -- I want to help people that have expended on historic
preservation.
Commissioner Reyes: -- you know, what I don't want to is that some developer will
come and buy a building that could be declared historic in any of the areas that they
are not for development, you see; let's say in Little Havana, Liberty City, or in some
other places and -- that has some historic value, and it is on a -- let's say on a T6 -- it
has a T6 designation. Somebody will come buy it, or get somebody to buy it, buy the
additional density, leave the building like that, and nothing can be done to the
building, and that area cannot be developed. That is very dangerous.
Vice Chair Russell: That's not what this would allow.
Commissioner Reyes: I don't want -- that's --
Vice Chair Russell: I don't want that, either. I don't want that, either.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. I don't want that.
Vice Chair Russell: I'm with you.
Commissioner Reyes: And I don't know if the ordinance, you see, addresses that
very well.
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Vice Chair Russell: I want to make sure between first and second that we don't
create --
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: -- an unex -- unintended incentive to do exactly what
Commissioner Reyes is talking about, so --
Commissioner Reyes: You're right.
Vice Chair Russell: -- I'm satisfied at this point.
Chair Hardemon: All right. So then Madam City Attorney, you'll be tasked with
capturing what was discussed on the record --
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Yes, Chair.
Chair Hardemon: -- between first and second reading. Seeing no further
discussion, all in agreeance with FR. 1, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion passes.
Mr. Garcia: Thank you.
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FR.2
ORDINANCE First Reading
4151
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Commissioners
CHAPTER 23 OF THE CITY CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
and Mayor
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED ("CITY CODE"), ENTITLED "HISTORIC
AYES:
PRESERVATION," TO AMEND SECTION 23-4 OF THE CITY
CODE, ENTITLED "DESIGNATION OF HISTORIC RESOURCES,
HISTORIC DISTRICTS, AND ARCHEOLOGICAL SITES AND
ZONES," TO PROVIDE A PROCEDURE FOR AN OWNER OF A
SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIALLY ZONED HOMESTEAD
PROPERTY TO ALLEGE AND PROVE THAT HISTORIC
DESIGNATION WOULD CAUSE THE OWNER UNREASONABLE
OR UNDUE ECONOMIC HARDSHIP, PROVIDING CRITERIA,
PROVIDING FOR A DIRECT APPEAL TO THE CITY COMMISSION,
PROVIDING FOR A WAIVER OF APPELLATE FEES AND COSTS
IN THIS INSTANCE; FURTHER AMENDING CHAPTER
62/ARTICLE VII OF THE CITY CODE, ENTITLED "PLANNING AND
ZONING/HISTORIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION
BOARD," BY AMENDING SECTION 62-28 OF THE CITY CODE,
ENTITLED "FUNCTIONS, POWERS AND DUTIES, GENERALLY,"
AND SECTION 62-27, ENTITLED "MEMBERSHIP AND
QUALIFICATIONS OF THE BOARD," TO PROVIDE THAT ALL
BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE ELECTORS OF THE CITY, TO
PROVIDE THEY ARE SUBJECT TO STATE, COUNTY AND CITY
ETHICS CODES, AND TO FURTHER PROVIDE THAT THEY WILL
NOT BE TRANSACTING BUSINESS WITH THE CITY DURING THE
TIME OF BOARD MEMBERSHIP; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO:
Pass on First Reading with Modification(s)
RESULT:
PASSED ON FIRST READING WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER:
Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER:
Ken Russell, Vice Chair
AYES:
Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For additional minutes referencing Item FR.2, please see
"Public Comment Period for Regular Item (s) " and Public Comment Period for
Planning and Zoning Item (s). "
Chair Hardemon: FR.2. Can you please read it into the record, Madam City
Attorney?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): FR.2.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Chair Hardemon: That's FR.2?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Ms. Mendez: Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: And this ordinance, I want everybody -- to make it perfectly
clear, it is not the intention to stop or eliminate historic preservation -- designation
of historic preservation. "at I wanted to do with this ordinance is to provide
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people that they have been selected -- or their property has been selected as historic
-- the opportunity to come before us, before the City Commission and state their
case, you see. I don't want them to be -- I mean, to know about the property being
designated, as that lady that was here, that she was being -- was designated as
historical, and she found out in a letter, and then she couldn't do anything about it.
I'm providing people with the opportunity to come and state the cases, and I think
that there is -- we have -- we need more language to really clarify this, if this is in
some sort of way that I think some people are miss -- I mean, they are confused. And
I would like to keep on discussing this, you see. I spoke with Madam City Attorney,
and I want to clarify well -- very well -- this language. And there are certain other
things that we want to be -- to include it here, you see. And when I refer to that it is -
- creates people that they are -- I would say that they are not capable of paying, you
see, like this lady that didn't have a job; like this lady that was sick. And you know
that any appeal before the City of Miami requires cost. And there's a lot of people
that they don't come here because they don't have the money for appealing, you see,
whatever decision the City has made. And what I want to provide is those residents -
- or those people, owners that they see that -- they consider that they have reason for
appealing that they will not incur costs; that they could come before us, because
that's what we're here to do; we're here to serve. And they will come before the City
of Miami, and all the fees will be waived. Now, those that they don't have economic
hardship, could come and pay the fees and all of that. And basically, that's what this
ordinance is.
Commissioner Gort: Exactly.
Chair Hardemon: So I'll take that as a motion.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Chair Hardemon: Is there a second to the motion?
Vice Chair Russell: I'll second it.
Chair Hardemon: Seconded by the Vice Chairman.
Commissioner Reyes: Thankyou.
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized, Vice Chairman.
Vice Chair Russell: For discussion, please. And thank you, Commissioner Reyes,
for our sunshine meeting on this issue.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Vice Chair Russell: I -- you know, you and I do bump heads on a couple things
philosophically, but I really -- I believe in the honor of what you are doing here, and
I understand. We shook hands in that meeting on the concept of not charging our
residents for appeals when they -- when there's -- if it's about an issue of economic
hardship; and so, I absolutely agree with that. I've been studying the ordinance, the
amendment specifically, though, and I have just a potential amendment here,
because I really feel that Paragraph 8 is in the wrong place. It's underneath Sub -
Section "B, " called "Criteria Exceptions, " which is talking about when you cannot --
exceptions that you could not otherwise designate; cemeteries, birthplaces, graves,
historical figures, et cetera. It says, "Shall not be considered eligible; however, such
properties will qualify if they are integral parts of districts that do meet the criteria,
if they follow" -- "within the following categories. " And then, it lists the several -- a
list of exceptions of those that could be designated. And then, your amendment
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comes in as Number 8, with the economic hardship as -- it's sort of reversing what
the above part of the clause is. I'm in favor of the ability to appeal, but I think it's in
the wrong place in the ordinance, and I would look to delete Section 8, but I'm all
onboard with you for the appeals by the owner, free of charge, in its right place.
Ms. Mendez: Right. Based on that -- and it was a good catch -- we're putting it as
"D,"so we will amend that between first and second.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. And before -- at this reading and the second
reading, there are -- we're going to review and make it more -- make it clear, you see
Vice Chair Russell: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: -- that anybody that reads it does -- that there is no confusion
on it --
Vice Chair Russell: And --
Commissioner Reyes: -- anybody.
Vice Chair Russell: -- I still have some heartache, some issue with regard to taking
this -- putting this on the hands of the Preservation Officer, whose specialty has not
to do with, you know, financial hardship; and also noted that the criteria for
hardship has nothing to do with the person's average median income, or their
financial ability to pay.
Commissioner Reyes: That's something that we going to address --
Vice Chair Russell: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: -- between first and second reading, and that I spoke with the
Attorney, City Attorney.
Vice Chair Russell: Got it.
Commissioner Reyes: You see, my intention -- and I'm saying it again -- is that
arbitrarily, if somebody comes and they said that this is -- I mean, without -- I mean,
because they believe that follows the criteria, and people -- then their hands will be
tied, and their property rights are being violated; that's what I want to avoid,
understand.
Ms. Mendez: So in order to make the amendments, what we are going to do is make
all these amendments and bring it back for first reading again in the first meeting of
July, so July 12; and then, we'll have second reading when it was normally
scheduled on July 28, just so that everybody has a chance to --
Vice Chair Russell: So we're deferring the item?
Commissioner Reyes: No; continuing.
Vice Chair Russell: Okay. Thank you.
Commissioner Reyes: For this -- this discussion is going to be continued.
Vice Chair Russell: So this is going to be continued?
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Commissioner Carollo: Right.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): We're just moving it to July 12. We'll defer the item
to July 12.
Ms. Mendez: We're going to make certain --
Chair Hardemon: Wait a minute. Before we do procedure stuff, let me recognize
Commissioner Gort. Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: No, the one thing I want to mention is that people do have the
ability to come in and argue against having -- because there's certain criterias [sic]
that's setup for you to bean historic --be named as an historic site. But at the same
time, there's no economic in there. And I heard people make presentation. They
talked about how the historic sites have improved, yes; have improved in MiMo
(Miami Modern), in northeast, where they got beautiful home and they have people
with a lot of funds. But when you go into Little Havana, you go into Allapattah and
these places where you declare one home out of one neighborhood as a historic, it's
very difficult for the people to comply with. I recall -- and there's always an
incentive. I recall when -- the Miami Circle. I don't know if you all remember the
Miami Circle, right next to the river over here; that they could not build their
building. The State paid $24 million for maintaining that circle.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Gort: So there was an economic impact. And I think this is
something that people ought to be able to come back, and if they do have an
economic impact, then they should be able to remove it.
Commissioner Reyes: And now that -- I'm going to take this opportunity,
Commissioner Gort, to -- I'm going to go further into what you were expressing. You
see, I don't want people to believe that because your home and your -- the certain
areas declared historic that property values is going to increase. You see, property
values increase because of demand, because of the location, because of the prop --
you cannot compare the houses on the northeast -- in Morningside, those beautiful
old homes that people wanted to leave there. And if it's declared historic or -- in
some areas of Coral Gables that they have beautiful homes, you see, you declare
them historic and they very seldom need any repair. Now, if you go, as he said, you
go to Little Havana and because of that wood frame thematic and all those things,
every single home would be -- I mean could be declared historic. The same thing
would happen in Liberty City. And then what happens? You're condemning the
people, that they cannot do anything to their homes. I think that historic declaration
and historic preservation is very good when it applies, and there is some history at
the time behind the properties. And I want to give everybody the opportunity to do
that.
Chair Hardemon: I want to be clear on whether or not we want -- Do you want to
pass this item, and then come back at second reading where you have changes?
Commissioner Reyes: No. We going to pass it today, and then we going to make it -
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: -- and then we come back.
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Ms. Mendez: All right. So then because the amendments have been stated on the
record, we'll pass it today on first reading, then -- and we will --
Commissioner Reyes: You come --
Ms. Mendez: -- hear it for second when it's scheduled on July 28 [sic]. We won't
come back on the 12th then.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. That's exact --
Chair Hardemon: Commissioner Carollo.
Ms. Mendez: And it'll give us amount of time -- the appropriate amount of time to
make the changes.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. And second reading will be when; on the 20th
[sic], right?
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: Commissioner Carollo.
Commissioner Carollo: Let me go on the record and be very clear. In Little
Havana, the main thing you have historic in all these buildings are the rats and
roaches. Having said that, let me compliment my colleague, Commissioner Reyes,
with --for bringing something that I think is very important, is needed. When you're
the owner of your own home, that's something that I think is sacred, and government
has to respect very differently than any other kind of ownership that's out there.
What I'd like to see change on this ordinance -- and I'll approve it on first reading.
I'll vote for it, but I'd like to see it changed in the second reading. It says: For an
owner of a single-family in a residential zoned homestead properly to allege and
prove that historic designation would cause the owner unreasonable or undue
economic hardship. Look --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, that's --
Commissioner Carollo: -- the part that I'd like to take out is "to prove. "
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: I think that if --
Commissioner Reyes: I just said that.
Commissioner Carollo: -- they allege that it's going to cause them economic
hardship, that should be sufficient.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: I don't think we have a right to force upon individual
homeowners that their homes have to be made historic, and --
Commissioner Reyes: I just said that.
Commissioner Carollo: -- that 'prove" is what I'd like to take out.
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Commissioner Reyes: And I accept it.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: As the seconder of the motion, I just want to clarify how the
process would work with the Historic Preservation Officer, as drafted, if that change
takes place. So if they don't have to prove, yet they allege, that still leaves it in the
hands of the Preservation Officer, though, to make a decision; am I correct?
Commissioner Carollo: No. They could appeal and come to the Commission, and
we make the decision.
Vice Chair Russell: Right. But alleging alone -- well, under the way it's drafted, if
I'm not mistaken, they're allege -- whether it's "allege" or 'prove," what they bring,
those documents goes to the Preservation Officer, analysis by the Community and
Economic Development Department. But they render a decision prior to HEP
(Historic & Environmental Preservation Board) Board that will potentially allow
that person out of the process; is that correct? If -- but that decision rests with the
Preservation Officer, even if it's alleged, but not proved. They are bringing the
documents. They are alleging --
Commissioner Reyes: As long as we have -- the owner has the -- I mean, the owner
is informed -- that's another thing -- that we must inform the owner of the property
that is going to be declared historic. They must be informed that they have recourses
to appeal, you see; that they have the -- that they can appeal the decision of the HEP
Board.
Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: And with or without cost, if they don't have the money.
Vice Chair Russell: I'll -- seconder accepts the amendment, as well.
Chair Hardemon: It has been properly moved and seconded, with amendments. Any
further discussion on the issue? Hearing none, all in favor of the motion, say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Motion approved.
Commissioner Reyes: Thankyou.
Chair Hardemon: I'd like to switch gears a little bit.
Commissioner Reyes: I would like to --
Chair Hardemon: Let me just do this.
Commissioner Reyes: I'm sorry.
Chair Hardemon: Mr. Clerk -- I want him to swear in the individuals, and I want to
get the public comment out of the way for the Planning & Zoning.
Commissioner Carollo: Sure.
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Commissioner Reyes: Can I --? Before we do that and we get involved into that, I
would like to make a motion to reconsider the budget of CRA (Community
Redevelopment Agency).
Commissioner Gort: CRA budget.
Commissioner Carollo: Can I ask the Clerk if he could include me as a sponsor in
FR.2, please?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Thank you.
Commissioner Reyes: Thankyou, Commissioner.
Vice Chair Russell: I'll second that motion.
END OF FIRST READING ORDINANCES
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I N � N ; &1011 tit1101kiR?
RE.1
RESOLUTION
4169
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Office of Capital
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
Improvements
EXECUTE A JOINT PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, WITH MIAMI-DADE
COUNTY ("COUNTY') FOR ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS ALONG
NORTHEAST 42ND STREET BETWEEN NORTHEAST 4TH
AVENUE AND FEDERAL HIGHWAY, OFFICE OF CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT NO. 40-B173901; PROVIDING FOR
THE ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF ONE
MILLION FOUR HUNDRED ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS
($1,401,000.00) FROM THE COUNTY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION
OF A NEW ROADWAY ACROSS THE EXISTING RAILROAD
CROSSING TO ALLOW FOR VEHICULAR TRAFFIC AND OTHER
ROADWAY ENHANCEMENTS, INCLUDING TRAFFIC SIGNALS,
STREET LIGHTING, SIDEWALKS, RAMPS, CURB AND GUTTER,
DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS, AND MODIFICATION TO THE
EXISTING ON -STREET PARKING, WITH FUNDS TO BE
APPROPRIATED BY SEPARATE RESOLUTION.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0265
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item RE.], please see Public
Comment Period for Regular Item (s) " and "End of Resolutions. "
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RE.2
RESOLUTION
4205
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Department of
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING THE PROPOSAL RECEIVED
Planning
JUNE 26, 2017, PURSUANT TO REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS
("RFQ") NO. 16-17-003, FROM CIVITAS, INC., TO PROVIDE
PROFESSIONAL URBAN DESIGN, LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE
AND ENGINEERING SERVICES, ON A PHASED BASIS, FOR A
FLEX PARK AT VIRGINIA KEY, FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI
PLANNING DEPARTMENT; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM
VIRGINIA KEY PARK ENHANCEMENTS PROJECT NO. 40-
B17354, SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND
BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE TIME OF NEED; AUTHORIZING
THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE NEGOTIATED
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT ("PSA"), IN
SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, AND EXECUTE ANY
SUBSEQUENT PROJECT PHASES, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO
THE CITY ATTORNEY; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ALL OTHER
DOCUMENTS, INCLUDING ANY AMENDMENTS, RENEWALS,
AND EXTENSIONS TO THE PSA, SUBJECT TO ALLOCATIONS,
APPROPRIATIONS, AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL HAVING
BEEN PREVIOUSLY MADE, AND IN 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, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, AND IN COMPLIANCE
WITH APPLICABLE REGULATIONS, AS MAY BE NECESSARY
FOR SAID PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0266
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item RE.2, please see "End of
Resolutions. "
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RE.3
RESOLUTION
4320
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ALLOCATING
Liberty City
FUNDS FROM THE MAYOR'S AND DISTRICT 4
Commissioners
COMMISSIONERS SHARE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI'S ("CITY")
and Mayor
ANTI -POVERTY INITIATIVE GRANT FUNDS TOTALING AN
AMOUNT OF FIFTY-TWO THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED NINETY-
TWO DOLLARS AND EIGHTY-THREE CENTS ($52,492.83), TO
THE ENTITIES LISTED HEREIN; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY AND ALL
NECESSARY AGREEMENTS, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE
CITY ATTORNEY, FOR SAID PURPOSES.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0267
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item RE.3, please see "End of
Resolutions. "
REA
RESOLUTION
4211
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Liberty City
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE
Community
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET OF THE LIBERTY CITY COMMUNITY
Revitalization Trust
REVITALIZATION TRUST, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS
EXHIBIT "C," IN THE AMOUNT OF NINE HUNDRED TWENTY-
NINE THOUSAND DOLLARS ($929,000.00) FOR THE FISCAL
YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2017 AND ENDING
SEPTEMBER 30, 2018.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0268
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item RE.4, please see "Public
Comment Period for Regular Item (s) " and "End of Resolutions. "
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RE.5
RESOLUTION
4096
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
OMNI Community
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING AND ADOPTING THE AMENDED
Redevelopment
TAX INCREMENT FUND BUDGET OF THE OMNI
Agency
REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT
NAYS:
AGENCY ("OMNI CRA"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS
EXHIBIT "A," FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER
1, 2017, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2018, AS APPROVED BY
THE OMNI CRA'S BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
=1ill /_CfaIIT, l=1►kiill 01IT, 11=1:M:aU-1i1Ytf-I
MOTION TO:
Adopt
RESULT:
FAILED
MOVER:
Ken Russell, Vice Chair
SECONDER:
Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES:
Hardemon, Russell
NAYS:
Gort, Carollo, Reyes
RE.5
RESOLUTION
4096
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
OMNI Community
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING AND ADOPTING THE AMENDED
Redevelopment
TAX INCREMENT FUND BUDGET OF THE OMNI
Agency
REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT
NAYS:
AGENCY ("OMNI CRA"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS
EXHIBIT "A," FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER
1, 2017, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2018, AS APPROVED BY
THE OMNI CRA'S BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
=1�/_CGAIiyil=1Zk9Z.11i41-1=I;M;aU-1101�E;?
MOTION TO:
Reconsider
RESULT:
RECONSIDERED
MOVER:
Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER:
Ken Russell, Vice Chair
AYES:
Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
NAYS:
Hardemon
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RE.5
RESOLUTION
4096
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
OMNI Community
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING AND ADOPTING THE AMENDED
Redevelopment
TAX INCREMENT FUND BUDGET OF THE OMNI
Agency
REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT
NAYS:
AGENCY ("OMNI CRA"), ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS
ABSENT:
EXHIBIT "A," FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER
1, 2017, AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2018, AS APPROVED BY
THE OMNI CRA'S BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS.
=1 Ll I_CS I ►Ti l =1 ► k i i 01 IT, 11=1:M :a U-1 i11Ytf •?
MOTION TO:
Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT:
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER:
Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
SECONDER:
Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissionei
AYES:
Russell, Gort, Reyes
NAYS:
Carollo
ABSENT:
Hardemon
Chair Hardemon: I have a question. The -- were there changes made to the Omni
CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) budget to note that continuing obligation?
Vice Chair Russell: The Executive Director and his staff are here to address. I saw
them.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Which item, Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: RE.S.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. That was going to be my question, too, Chair, just --
Isiaa Jones: Good morning, Commission. Isiaa Jones, from the Omni CRA, Chief
Legal Officer.
Chair Hardemon: Right. So the question that I have for you -- and welcome -- is at
our last meeting, there was a lot of conversation about a $2 million, I believe,
ongoing obligation that the Omni CRA had, subject to some future negotiations. And
so, there is an issue that Commissioner Carollo brought up regarding whether or not
it was reflected in the budget that there was an obligation. And so, we wanted to
ensure that it was reflected in the budget so that we could all stand behind moving
the budget forward. And so, what -- my question is, has it been properly reflected in
the budget so that we can move this item forward?
Ms. Jones: At this moment, Chairman, it has not been, and the reason for that is
because it's an amendment we have to make at the CRA Board.
Chair Hardemon: That's right. Did we schedule a meeting for this afternoon?
Vice Chair Russell: What we're looking at with this one is the fact that it's not
included, because if it were included, we need to shut down many of the programs
that we are current -- we have currently underway, including single-family home
renovations, of which half a million dollars are -- have already been spent, and
another half a million dollars will have to be unallocated if we do this.
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Chair Hardemon: Mr. Vice Chairman, I will say this -- and, you know, I spoke to the
Executive Director, and I showed him where he could actually put those dollars,
where he could reflect it in the budget, and where it wouldn't interrupt any of the
programs that you have until it is that you want to actually -- until the item is settled,
and then you can properly reflect it back to the way that you wanted it to be
reflected. But it's there, and -- I mean, the only way that I can share it with you is up
here on this dais, but -- Now, I --
Ms. Jones: Commissioner, if I may make a few comments? This is a perceived
obligation. The Omni CRA in 2007 --
Chair Hardemon: Listen, listen, wait, wait, wait.
Ms. Jones: No, I --
Chair Hardemon: I want you to understand this: Let's not make any arguments
about a perceived or a non perceived obligation.
Ms. Jones: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: The fact of the matter is this --
Ms. Jones: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: -- you have board members that believe that there is an
obligation that must be met. And then, for us to move forward, we want to note it.
It's not as big of a deal as you all are making it.
Ms. Jones: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: And I will tell you this, just to say it: In your budget, there are
items that do not have resolutions.
Ms. Jones: There are only two items that do not have a resolution, and I'd be happy
to go through it with you.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. I'm looking at -- I'm on Page 5 of 7, right?
Ms. Jones: Page 5 or 7?
Chair Hardemon: Okay, at the end of the budget, so if you go just to the end of the
budget.
Ms. Jones: And those are those two items; the open space initiative --
Chair Hardemon: No, just listen tome.
Ms. Jones: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: Okay? So you see Number 19, right?
Ms. Jones: Number 19, the bank rehabilitation project?
Chair Hardemon: Okay. What does that say next to it? It's infrastructure?
Ms. Jones: It's infrastructure.
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Chair Hardemon: And then, there's a -- what? NR.
Ms. Jones: But -- however, Commissioner, remember that the Omni CRA went out
and got a loan to purchase the bank building. That money is set aside for the
renovation --
Chair Hardemon: I understand.
Ms. Jones: -- and rehabilitation of that bank building.
Chair Hardemon: Listen, but listen what I'm saying to you. It says, "NR. " The one
above it, streetscape, "NR. " That's 500, 000. 17, "NR, " 400, 000.
Ms. Jones: No. And --
Chair Hardemon: 16 --
Ms. Jones: -- I'm sorry, Commissioner. I have to correct you on that one. Number
17, there is a resolution for that that was passed at a previous board meeting.
Chair Hardemon: It doesn't say it on the --
Ms. Jones: It's just not updated.
Chair Hardemon: -- it doesn't say it on this document. This is the document that
we're supposed to be going by today to know whether or not there are resolutions.
And so, my point is as you continue to move up, there are a number of items that do
not have them.
Ms. Jones: But they have been approved by the CRA Board, and I have the
resolution numbers right here with me to reflect that. There are only two items on
the budget that are not encumbered; that is the open space initiative and the
streetscape improvement projects; approximately $1.2 million. We -- I am proposing
that this amendment -- amended budget pass, because, one, in January, the Omni
CRA Board voted to de -obligate these funds, and to remove the obligation; two, I
would make the recommendation for the proposed budget for the new fiscal year for
this $2 million to be set aside to be reserved. But if the Omni CRA Board voted in
January --
Chair Hardemon: I want to give you an example.
Ms. Jones: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: Let me show you an example, right? I own a business.
Ms. Jones: Yes.
Chair Hardemon: And on my business, there is a board. And that business took a
loan from Chase Financial Bank. And then, that board said, "You know, I don't
think we should be obligated to Chase Financial Bank anymore. " And so, the board
says, "We're going to take a vote." And we vote, and we say, "We don't have an
obligation." And then -- and so, instead of carrying that obligation on our books,
showing that I have a debt to be paid, the board says, "Our position is we don't have
an obligation, so we have the capacity to do 'X " "Y," 7," that we want to do." And
so, when the regulator asks me, "Well, do you have any debt obligations?" and I say,
"no, " Chase is going to say, "No, you do have a debt obligation. "
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Ms. Jones: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: You know? And so, to me, it's one of those things where I
understand what the board may have done.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: The CRA did not, on a whim, decide not to pay an obligation.
We have a legal interpretation, as well as a policy decision, that the debt was not
owed.
Chair Hardemon: Well, who is the legal --?
Vice Chair Russell: That's what I believe that the Executive Director is going to
share. And furthermore, it's this board that sits as the Omni CRA that has approved
this budget.
Chair Hardemon: Yeah, I understand that, and I -- and for -- I'm telling you this:
The only thing that I have that's holding me up about the issue is that I know that
there are other entities involved, and those other entities may have an objection to
what we're stating, the fact that there is an obligation, and that's the only problem.
And so, you know, I think we've been having lots of discussion about whether or not
it's a two-way obligation between the CRA and the City, but the agreement is signed
by multiple parties.
Commissioner Carollo: The County.
Chair Hardemon: And -- you know -- the County, and also the Southeast
Overtown/Park West CRA. So, for instance, I mean, there are obligations that are
within the Southeast Overtown/Park West CRA that I would have loved to de -
obligate, right? And so, the thing is, is that what makes this obligation so different
that all of the entities don't have to weigh in on the agreement?
Ms. Jones: Okay. If I may, Chairman --
Vice Chair Russell: If I may?
Ms. Jones: Vice Chairman.
Vice Chair Russell: And before we get into legal arguments of whether it's owed or
not owed, because that's not what -- I don't believe that's what we're here for today.
If I'm not mistaken, the City -- the two questions that were raised in the last meeting
about this budget; one by Commissioner Carollo of whether or not the State law
demands that we show a liability in a budget, and -- so that the thing is correct,
legally. And Commissioner Reyes asked did we disclose the liability at the time of
going out for loans. The question -- to answer Commissioner Carollo is that it's not
necessary to show this line item in the budget. And furthermore, the City, in its own
practice of budgeting, when there is potential disagreement pending litigation, they
do not line item liabilities in our budget; perhaps on a balance sheet, but in the
budget, if it's not intended to be spent, we do not line item for the item. And then, to
Commissioner Reyes point about the --
Commissioner Reyes: It was included?
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Vice Chair Russell: Yes, it was disclosed appropriately before we went out for any
loans, so we are in full compliance. This is completely legal. I'm simply looking for
the support of this board to carryforward the work we're trying to do at the CRA.
Chair Hardemon: No, I -- you know, it's not about the bank loan. I completely
understand how everything was --
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: -- disclosed. It was the obligation --
Commissioner Carollo: The bank loan is not an issue.
Chair Hardemon: -- it was the -- it's the requirement of the State. And I'm looking
at what was put before us, and I'm assuming by the Executive Director. This is a
memo from Julie Bru. I mean, Julie Bru, she predates even my arrival here. It says,
"September 7, 2012, " and the question on this is -- well, the statement on the City
Attorney memorandum says that, You have asked whether the Omni Redevelopment
District Community Redevelopment Agency has any continuing financial obligations
with respect to the Museum Project" -- "Museum Park Project. For the reasons set
forth below, your question is answered in the negative. " And then, there is another
document, and this looks like the Museum Park -- it's a different document, but, "'C,'
Museum Park, in the amount necessary to fund $68 million for capital improvements
to the park component of the project to be funded by the Omni CRA, completed by
the City, by no later than January 2012, and an annual contribution to the Parks
Capital Expenditure Fund for $2 million, payable on the date of substantial
completion of the park component of the project through 2030. " Now, when I read
this and I read the memo, they call this thing the Museum Park Project, so there's
obviously something that was supposed to have been done, like some sort of project.
And then, when it talks about in Letter "C, " Museum Park, it says, "Amount
necessary to fund the $68 million for capital improvements to the park component of
the project." So here it is again; there's a project and a park component; $68
million improvement for that park component, and it must be completed by no later
than January 2012. But the comma, "and" is the part that is -- that troubles me.
Comma, "and, " to me, separates the $68 million from an annual contribution to the
Parks Capital Expenditure Fund of $2 million, payable commencing on the date of
substantial completion of the park component of the project. So my question is this:
What was the park component of the project?
Ms. Jones: Commissioner, members of the board, the park component of the project
was a $68 million project; an elaborate park, land stage park. Now, this park
contributed of a number of things -- different things: An underground parking,
water fountains; an elaborate park to support the museums. Now, this park that was
promised in that agreement was never built. Today I drove past the park on my way
here, and it's not -- it's not --
Chair Hardemon: So we never spent $68 million?
Ms. Jones: We never spent $68 million. We --
Chair Hardemon: So we never had a substantial completion of the park.
Ms. Jones: Not based on this contractual agreement that we have right here.
Chair Hardemon: So --
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Commissioner Reyes: Question, question: I mean, it's my understanding -- I am not
an attorney and -- but my -- the way that I see this is if the park was not completed --
and it hasn't been completed -- that frees you from the obligation to pay $2 million. I
think that's true.
Ms. Jones: I agree, Commissioner.
Commissioner Reyes: I think that is true, and if that -- I mean, if we're going to
follow the law -- I mean, the letter of the commitment, you see, and it was not
completed, you see, and you shouldn't be carrying it as a liability.
Ms. Jones: We should not.
Commissioner Carollo: Well --
Commissioner Reyes: I mean, that's my opinion.
Commissioner Carollo: -- can --
Commissioner Reyes: But if it is completed -- if it had been completed, then you owe
$6 million to the City.
Ms. Jones: So, Commissioner --
Commissioner Reyes: You see? I mean, that -- I want to define that, because it's
hurting you -- or it could hurt you, and I don't want to --you to be hurt.
Ms. Jones: We understand.
Chair Hardemon: Look, and I want to know -- and I don't know if the City has a new
position on this. I want to make it very clear. I want to be -- I want it to be very
plain. If $68 million for capital improvements to the park component of the project
was completed --
Vice Chair Russell: By January 2012.
Chair Hardemon: -- by no later than January 2012 or -- But that's also different,
because if there was substantial completion of the park component, I want to know if
there was any -- ever -- at a time a substantial completion of the park, because I read
those statements kind of separate of themselves. If there was a substantial
completion of the park component; substantial completion --
Commissioner Carollo: If --
Chair Hardemon: --of the park component that was done.
Commissioner Carollo: Can I --
Chair Hardemon: Sure.
Commissioner Carollo: -- have the floor? Thank you. Obviously, I wasn't around
when this deal was entered into by the multiple parties. At the same time, I wasn't
here when improvements started being made to that park. But I will submit the
following to the Commission: One, I believe that what was read here on the date of
2012 is really referring to completion by the museums; not the park component,
because if it was referring to the park components, where was the City of Miami or
the Trust going to find $68 million? It didn't have it; we all knew that. So then, what
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would have been entered into was a fraudulent component of that contract. And I
don't think any of the parties --
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: -- were trying to commit fraud. We all know that Bayfront
Park Trust is a trust. It does not have bonding capacity; only the City of Miami
does. And that park did not generate anywhere near the funding necessary to put up
$68 million at one time. Now, having said that, the fact that the Omni CRA last
fiscal year paid for the first time $2 million, that, in itself, is prima facie evidence in
any court of law that you were admitting that you owed the 2 million per year. And
furthermore, we just can't decide by ourselves, well, this is what we're going to do;
this is how we're interpreting that aspect of the contract, and we don't have a
liability anymore, we don't owe any money anymore, because it's a four party deal --
City of Miami, the County, both CRAB -- and before anything could be binding, all
parties, by law, have to be in agreement. And I would further submit that if that
were to happen, you're going to open up a can of worms on so many other things
that I don't think that many people are going to be all excited when it's done, in fact.
But you knew your interpretation -- I'm not saying it's the correct one. I think I've
made -- my point was, well, if $68 million wasn't spent by 2012, we don't owe any
money. Then, why that in the fiscal year '16/17 budget, which is four years after
that, did you pay $2 million? Well, you paid it because you knew that you owed it;
otherwise, you would not have paid it. The contention that I was making, Chair --
and you were speaking to the City Attorney, so I don't know if you heard it all -- is
that everyone knows that a trust, like the Bayfront Park Trust, does not have bonding
capacity; only the City does. Neither the Trust nor the City of Miami had $68
million that it could throw out to build that park and then get reimbursed 2 million at
a time for the next 30 years. So what -- that paragraph that you read is really telling
me that the 2012 deadline was for the museums to have been finished. The
component of the park was a different aspect, as I read it; otherwise, from day one,
that aspect and that portion of the contract was entered into, it would have been
fraudulent, because we all knew there was no money to come up with $68 million up
front.
Chair Hardemon: Look, there's a number of different things that's troubling about
this. First, I will say that this memo is dated September 2012. Subsequent to that,
our current City Attorney issued an opinion in 2016 --
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: -- saying that there was -- that the CRA did have a debt
obligation to pay.
Commissioner Carollo: Of course.
Chair Hardemon: So you have two different opinions there. Third, Part "C" of
Museum Park, it doesn't say that they have to fund $68 million for capital
improvements. It says, "An amount necessary to fund $68 million for capital
improvements to the park component of the project. " I'll be the first to say that this
thing -- this global agreement was poorly written.
Commissioner Carollo: I agree.
Chair Hardemon: And the language -- there's a number of --
Commissioner Carollo: I personally would never have approved.
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Chair Hardemon: -- different documents on parts of this that even in the Southeast
Overtown/CRA, there were -- that we don't agree with the County and their
interpretation of it. But this part says that, "An amount necessary to fund $68
million for capital improvements to the park component of the project. " Now, what
is that amount? Is it $1 million? Is that an amount necessary to fund the $68 million
for capital improvements? Is it $2 million? Is it $3 million? Is it four, five, six? We
don't know. It just says, "An amount necessary to fund $68 million for capital
improvements to the park component of the project." Then it says, "to be funded by
the Omni CRA, completed by the City, by no later than January 2012 --" comma,
"and an annual contribution to the Parks Capital Expenditure Fund of $2 million,
payable commencing upon" -- "commencing on the date of substantial completion of
the park component of the project." What is the park component of the project
through 2030? I mean --
Commissioner Carollo: Well, that's the --
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman?
Commissioner Carollo: -- but see, that's the key; the park component of the project.
This is why I'm submitting that when they're talking about that deadline in January
2012, it's talking about the museum side --
Vice Chair Russell: No.
Commissioner Carollo: -- not the park component.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: I'll recognize you, and I want to say, like -- let me see -- the park
component of the project. And then, the CRA makes a $2 million payment. You
know, it's just --
Vice Chair Russell: It should be --
Ms. Jones: Commissioner, I --
Vice Chair Russell: Please, if I may. It should also be noted that the -- that
completion no later than January 2012, which didn't happen -- substantial
completion of the park didn't happen -- payable commencing on the date of
substantial completion of the park. Since January 2012, the City has not gone after
the CRA for these funds.
Chair Hardemon: Let me ask you a question. I wasn't sitting -- well --
Vice Chair Russell: Because the --
Chair Hardemon: -- at the time, we weren't sitting, you know, as the City
Commission. You know, try not to sic the City on the CRA. That's not -- I wouldn't
want that. But where is the rest of this document, this Part "C"? Can I see the
entirety of this document?
Ms. Jones: I have a copy of this document --
Chair Hardemon: Because --
Ms. Jones: -- and I also have --
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Chair Hardemon: -- let me see it.
Ms. Jones: -- a second memo --
Chair Hardemon: And I want ask you --
Ms. Jones: --that the CRA received from Holland and Knight Attorney --
Chair Hardemon: I know that. Listen --
Ms. Jones: -- and opinions, different opinions.
Chair Hardemon: It's an opinion by an attorney. Its an opinion by an attorney.
You create an opinion and another one creates an opinion.
Ms. Jones: And another one.
Chair Hardemon: You --
Commissioner Carollo: And I just made one here.
Chair Hardemon: -- I mean, you know, it's -- opinions -- they say opinions are like -
- everybody has one.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: I think we know where that goes, right? Let me see it, please,
because I want to -- and I want to -- and I ask you, you know, how much is an
amount necessary to fund the $68 million for capital improvements to the park
component?
Ms. Mendez: Chairman, and you make an excellent point, and that is why there is
outside counsel for the City and counsel for the CRA, because if you're able to agree
on a settlement amount that could potentially create the 68 million, you may resolve
this issue. The other thing is that, unfortunately, there have been demand letters
subsequent to these memos, because the Administration is of the opinion that these
monies are owed. So instead of hashing this out here, I suggest that we do what we
had talked about, which is the Vice Chairman has discussed that you need to decide
what you want to do moving forward, as this board, or as the CRA Board; and also,
we have counsels, outside counsels that could maybe discuss this and come to an
agreement that maybe resolve the issue. But right now, hashing this out as to which
opinion rules, I don't think is the best way.
Vice Chair Russell: I have a question for Mr. Rose or the City Administration.
When there is pending litigation on a difference of opinion about a line item budget,
do you include -- does the City include it in its budget? Is it necessary to include a
line item of a potential liability that's under pending litigation in a budget? Because
if we can pass this budget and do our work, especially considering that three of the
Commissioners here that, as CRA Board members, scrutinized this budget, approved
this budget, and passed it at the CRA. Can we move forward with the work of the
CRA, let this fight take its place, and at the end of the day, we'll hopefully have a
settlement or a decision? But at the moment, if we decide to stall or kill this budget,
we might as well close the doors of the CRA.
Commissioner Carollo: But Commissioner, that's not a straightforward question to
the Administration.
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Vice Chair Russell: It is.
Commissioner Carollo: You're not comparing apples to apples, oranges to oranges.
We're talking about a legal, binding contract, which is very different what you've
asked the Administration and --
Vice Chair Russell: And there's difference of opinion of whether it is owed under
that contract.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but -- well, again, we're talking about two different
things; whether it's owed, and the legality of the contract.
Vice Chair Russell: Correct.
Commissioner Carollo: We're getting, I think, here into an area, like the City
Attorney said, that is really not part of the discussion that -- what we're looking at.
The bottom line is, then, to have a budget that has to be balanced. By State law, you
have to balance it. And what I am saying is that -- as the Chair, I think, has pointed
out -- this is a global agreement. The only way you could change, no matter how
strongly you feel on any item there -- whether it's legal or not, whether time passed
or not -- the only way that it could be changed is through a global agreement with all
the parties; otherwise, you're bound by the contract, and that's what I'm saying.
Since we're bound by the contract, because we haven't met with all the parties to
come to an agreement, then that $2 million -- and frankly, monies that were owed
from a couple of years before, because you only paid year '16/17, that has to be
placed in the books so you could balance the budget. Now, the Chair gave -- the last
meeting, and he brought it up again -- some pretty -- you know -- good ways of
trying to go about this. You guys don't want to listen to him.
Vice Chair Russell: By defending projects that we are planning to --
Commissioner Carollo: But you're talking about projects that a lot of that amount is
going to be years away. You're not going to be spending that money right now, and
this is what he's saying, but you guys don't want to listen.
Ms. Jones: Commissioner Carollo, just to make the factual representation that we
have here, in order for the City to collect on that, that would be a breach of contract,
because we did not get the value of what we had bargained for. The park was not
substantially completed based on the master plan --
Commissioner Carollo: Well, that's the --
Ms. Jones: -- and that would be a breach, if not obligated.
Commissioner Carollo: --opinion that you've given. But --
Vice Chair Russell: Did we build a --T
Commissioner Carollo: -- nothing but legal grounds that --
Vice Chair Russell: We didn't build a parking garage.
Commissioner Carollo: -- until the -- all the global partners agree to that, you're
bound by it. And again --
Ms. Jones: And the City of Miami, as well.
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Commissioner Carollo: -- let me bring out what I said before. I submit to all of you
here that that aspect in the 2012 was for the component of the museum side.
Vice Chair Russell: No way.
Commissioner Carollo: Otherwise -- look, let's not kid ourselves. Everybody that
signed that knew that Bayfront Park didn't have $68 million or anywhere near that.
It had no bonding capacity; therefore, it would have been the City of Miami that had
to step in. And the City certainly didn't have $68 million to put into there. So what
we were doing then; committing fraud?
Vice Chair Russell: No, no.
Commissioner Carollo: Putting something --
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Carollo, you --
Commissioner Carollo: -- in the contract that was not true? I doubt it.
Jason Walker (Executive Director, Omni Community Redevelopment Agency):
Commissioner --
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman?
Mr. Walker: --if I --
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Carollo, you are simply wrong in this case. The
component -- the park component is not the museums. It says, "Capital
improvements to the park component of the project to be funded by the CRA, and
completed by the City, no later than January 2012, and payable commencing on the
date of substantial completion of the park component" --
Commissioner Carollo: We're --
Vice Chair Russell: -- which includes an underground garage --
Commissioner Carollo: -- we're --
Vice Chair Russell: -- which is tens of millions of dollars, which was never done, so
the money is not owed.
Commissioner Carollo: -- we're not going to -- we're going to -- we're not going to
reach --
Vice Chair Russell: We --
Commissioner Carollo: -- agreement on that here, but what I think we have to keep
our eye on is the question here: Are we legally bound to put this so we could
balance our budgets? In the books, we're legally bound to put that? I submit to you
that we are, because --
Chair Hardemon: And that's --
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Commissioner Carollo: -- unless all the parties are in agreement, you're bound by
it.
Chair Hardemon: -- the -- before you go -- that's the part that I just don't
understand why you all are banging your head against this wall. The bottom line is
that no one wants to hurt the CRA's budget. No one is expecting you -- We're not
even asking for the money. No one is even saying, "You know what? Omni CRA,
give me the money"; that's not what's happening.
Commissioner Carollo: Yep.
Chair Hardemon: The only thing that was stated was that it needs to be reflected.
Just -- that's what the -- Commissioner Carollo brought up, and what he believes is
going to make our vote a legal vote, right? So my thing is this: When I offered the
recommendations, it's not -- you know, that -- we didn't say it has to be a resolution
where this money is now being diverted to another issue. It's just a matter that you
have items that don't have resolutions, which means that this Commission -- or that
board -- didn't vote to have those things as they are; and so, you just change it so
that for now, it meets the legal muster. And then, whatever agreement that you need
to extinguish the $2 million obligation, you do it. And that's the part that -- I just
don't understand why you all are fighting so hard about this. You're going to fight
your way to a "no" vote.
Mr. Walker: Well, we're trying to fight for people to have their homes fixed up in
Overtown.
Chair Hardemon: Man, (expletive).
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman?
Mr. Walker: That's what we're doing.
Vice Chair Russell: All right.
Mr. Walker: But, to Mr. Carollo -- Commissioner Carollo -- to your point -- and I
think it's important -- when you asked how were we going to pay for it, there's -- and
we can't read the minds of the people that wrote this agreement, but when it was
passed -- and I brought this up at the last meeting -- our under -- What we think
happened was -- our understanding was when the expansion happened to include the
tunnel, it was supposed to also include Watson -- the whole of Watson Island.
Commissioner Carollo: Jason, look, I don't want to keep getting onto what it means,
what it doesn't mean; we're not going to agree in that. What we're here on is on
approving a budget. I cannot vote for something that I believe that way that it is, it's
in violation of State laws. The bottom line is that if you would change some of what
is placed in your budget, a lot of what you're going to be spending on rehabilitation
or what have you of homes, it's not all going to be in this fiscal year or next fiscal
year; it's going to be into the future. All you have to do is change that. We would be
in compliance with State law, and not in violation of it, and you would have a 5-0
vote here.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Executive Director --
Commissioner Carollo: But --
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Vice Chair Russell: -- if you were to do what the Chairman has requested, what
would that -- how would that affect the budget? Is it true that the way he is asking
for it to be included would not affect our operations?
Mr. Walker: No. There is a -- it would affect it. I mean, and that's as simple as that.
We -- I went to Commissioner -- Chairman Hardemon's office at the last meeting,
and we went through the budget. There is a clerical mistake on the -- in -- on the
non -resolutions. Where it says, "non -resolutions, " we actually do have a resolution.
But you're right. I'm not fighting for me --
Vice Chair Russell: I would like to make a motion.
Chair Hardemon: The first thing is this: There's a motion on the floor already that
includes --
Vice Chair Russell: It dies for second.
Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: There was no second.
Chair Hardemon: All right. I didn't announce that it died for a second. I thought I
was just waiting on it, attempting to do it. But I will say this: If you've given us
documents for us to consider to move your budget forward that are not factually
correct, you should make amendments to those documents, because if that is wrong,
then what else is wrong? And the only thing we can depend on is what we read.
When I prepare -- I'm reading from a page that has bits of information. It tells me
something, and then I make a decision from there. But for us bringing up this issue,
we would not have been told that there were resolutions for items that said there
were no resolutions. So now, I don't know if the items that say there are resolutions
are actual resolutions; or the items that say "no resolutions" actually have
resolutions. I'm confused. I know nothing about this --
Mr. Walker: Some of them passed --
Chair Hardemon: Let me finish.
Mr. Walker: -- at the same meeting.
Chair Hardemon: Let me finish.
Mr. Walker: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: So I don't know, right? And so, that's the first thing. And the
second thing -- and I want to make this very clear, as I did when I met with you -- is
that if you have an item that does not have a resolution, you don't have the capacity,
you don't have the ability to spend dollars, especially on hundreds of thousands of
dollars of an allocation without a resolution. So if you don't have a resolution, you
don't have the spending capacity. If you don't have the spending capacity, then it
does not affect your budget, because you don't have the ability to do it.
Mr. Walker: But it -- okay. So agree to everything you said. But when we put it in
the budget in the line item, we start working towards that project, and there are only
probably two that are without resolution. There are only two without resolution.
We're working on those projects. They may not have come to the point where we're
ready to bring the resolution back, because we haven't reached that point yet, but
we're working with the County and with the City on road improvement projects
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within the Omni area; that's something we're working on. When we get to the point
where we're ready to bring the resolution, we'll bring the resolution once the work is
done. But I hear what you're saying.
Chair Hardemon: You don't --
Mr. Walker: Guess what? We'll go back to the CRA Board in July, because -- by
the way --
Chair Hardemon: We asked for you to --
Mr. Walker: -- we were not expected to have --
Chair Hardemon: -- I -- we asked for you to do it today.
Mr. Walker: No, no, no.
Chair Hardemon: I thought that we were going to have a meeting today.
Mr. Walker: No. I'm sorry, sir. We were not expecting --
Chair Hardemon: To make the amendments --
Mr. Walker: -- to come back today.
Chair Hardemon: -- and then to pass it. That was what we talked about before, was
about --
Mr. Walker: No. We were -- no. We were coming back in July. We were supposed
to come back July 12.
Chair Hardemon: Yes, Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: Let me ask one question. My understanding, Commissioner
Reyes been asking if you recognize as a liability when you ask for a loan --
Mr. Walker: Yes.
Commissioner Gort: --you recognize that liability, right?
Mr. Walker: Yes. And we emailed all those documents out --
Commissioner Gort: And in getting a loan, you recognize the liability of $2 million?
Mr. Walker: Yes.
Commissioner Gort: Thank you.
Mr. Walker: And we emailed you those documents.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman, I'd like to make a motion.
Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner --
Chair Hardemon: Let's hear what the motion is.
Commissioner Carollo: --you've made one heck of a point in that.
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Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Chair Hardemon: What is your motion?
Vice Chair Russell: I don't expect consensus here. This is a different board than
when this was put into motion. I do hope for the support of those who have
supported it throughout. But my earlier motion did not pass -- or it died for lack of
second. I would like to make a motion on RE. 13. I believe there are three votes here
that do believe that the budget is sound; that it is legal; that all notifications have
been given.
Chair Hardemon: 5; you mean S.
Vice Chair Russell: I'm sorry?
Chair Hardemon: You mean 5.
Vice Chair Russell: I'm sorry, yes. Thank you. RE.5. I'd like to make the motion on
RE. 5, please.
Commissioner Reyes: RE.S.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved. Is there a second to RE. 5?
Commissioner Reyes: May I suggest -- The City Attorney, she suggested that we
allow -- because I think that we have to solve this problem once and for all. Is it a
liability, or it's not a liability? You see, and I agree with our City Attorney and --
that we allow all the parties involved to agree into making a decision, you see. And I
asked how long will it take, and she said, "couple of weeks." Would that affect
negatively --?
Vice Chair Russell: Absolutely. And we could pass a resolution right now of this
City Commission authorizing the Administration to open the global agreement and
ask for an amendment of all parties relieving the CRA of this clause, this liability.
We could do that.
Commissioner Reyes: Relieving it or --
Vice Chair Russell: De -obligating it.
Commissioner Reyes: -- obligating it.
Vice Chair Russell: De -obligating it. And --
Commissioner Reyes: No, no, no; obligating or de -obligating.
Vice Chair Russell: Right. But --
Commissioner Reyes: You see.
Vice Chair Russell: -- well, currently, the City's position is that it's owed; the CRA's
position is that it is not. If this body takes the policy decision to ask for and align
with the CRA, and then go to the County and other parties in the agreement and say,
"The City and the CRA would like out of this obligation, because we believe the
obligations have not been met. The debt is not owed." Then we would all be in line,
and the City would back -- the Administration would back off of going for the money.
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Commissioner Reyes: But can we pass a resolution now and saying that we accept
this budget, subject to meeting of the parties; and whatever decision they make, it
have to be corrected?
Commissioner Carollo: The problem with that, Commissioner, is that State law says
you got to pass a balanced budget.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, you are right.
Commissioner Carollo: And you can't do that till --just like next month, we can't
pass a citywide budget based upon wishful thinking for something to happen.
Commissioner Gort: You can't.
Vice Chair Russell: I never got an answer from Mr. Rose as to whether a balance --
a budget is balanced if a line item is not shown for an item under pending litigation,
a potential liability. I would like to know that answer.
Commissioner Carollo: This is more than pending litigation. This is a sound,
binding contract.
Vice Chair Russell: Of which one party believes there is no obligation, and that it
was not met contractually by the City.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, this is starting to remind me of our position with the
unions, and look where it got us; starting to remind me of our position with
Flagstone, and look where that got us.
Chair Hardemon: Look, this thing I'm looking at -- I don't know if this doc -- I can't
say whether -- I'm looking at a document, the same document that had the -- no
resolutions. And it's just -- it's difficult for me, because I don't know which does and
does not have resolutions now. But I know that on this document that I'm reading,
there are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight documents that say they -- or
items that say they had no resolutions -- that total more than 6 million, 6.4 million,
7.2 million, 8 -- or 7.7 million, 7.8, 7.9 -- I mean, more than 8 million -- more -- it's
close to $9 million worth of things that don't have resolutions, and that's the part
about it. I'm telling you right now, I want to do this --
Vice Chair Russell: But we can't make the change.
Chair Hardemon: That's --
Ms. Jones: Can I make a recommendation?
Vice Chair Russell: I'm willing to keep going.
Ms. Jones: We will amend the budget to put in the items that have the resolution;
however, we'll go back and make this recommendation and come back with the line
items that have resolutions. For example, the bank building that we're restoring, we
sent out an RFP (Request for Proposals) through the City of Miami's Procurement
Office to do the renovations on that bank building.
Chair Hardemon: But you do realize that --
Ms. Jones: We'll amend it to fix all the items that do not have a resolution, and we
could do that.
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Mr. Walker: And Commissioner, I just want to be clear -- and the Clerk can kind of
clear this up for us. We watched the last meeting three times, and there were two
times that we were supposed to come back. Commissioner Reyes said that he didn't
want us to come back until the outside Auditor General came back with his report.
Commissioner Carollo said -- and you, Chairman -- said not to come back until the
first or second meeting in July. We looked at the agenda for this meeting, and we
realized that the item had been punted to the very next meeting.
Vice Chair Russell: No 'punted." I had made a motion to defer the item to this
meeting.
Mr. Walker: You did.
Vice Chair Russell: That was my motion; it was accepted and voted on. We were
taking it up here to pass this budget.
Mr. Walker: Pass it back over --
Vice Chair Russell: And it was your job between then and now to meet with each of
these Commissioners and satisfy their concerns with regard to whether this budget is
legal and sound and balanced by State law, and whether obligations had been met
with regard to liabilities. If there are three people here who believe that's happened,
I would like to get a vote and pass this budget so we can do the work of the CRA.
Commissioner Carollo: Jason, maybe you needed to have looked at the minutes a
fourth time.
Vice Chair Russell: I just need to know from this Commission if there is a will to
pass this budget, because we have work to do.
Commissioner Carollo: I --
Vice Chair Russell: We have work to do, and I don't know what's going on here.
Commissioner Carollo: -- will not vote for a budget that's against State law, that's
in violation of the law.
Vice Chair Russell: It's not.
Commissioner Carollo: For instance, the loan that you got, what year was that?
Mr. Walker: 2018.
Commissioner Carollo: 2018. And was that signed by you in 2018?
Mr. Walker: It's signed by all five of you, and that was in 2018.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Now, I don't remember signing that, but, you know, I
Ms. Jones: I have copies of --
Commissioner Carollo: -- could have, yeah.
Ms. Jones: --the document.
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Commissioner Carollo: But the bottom line is this: That here, in 2016, you gave $2
million; that shows that if you didn't know it, why did you give it? And now, in 2018,
you're admitting, under the penalty of perjury, in a loan that you do have a liability.
Vice Chair Russell: No.
Commissioner Carollo: You know what? You're going to be on the short end of the
stick in any court of law if you're showing that.
Vice Chair Russell: Then I'll count you as a "no" vote, because in the sunshine
meeting with your brother, it's very clear why that 2 million was given. It was very
clearly stated that the -- we don't believe as a CRA that the liability was owed.
Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner, please --
Vice Chair Russell: So it's legal.
Commissioner Carollo: -- let me not go there on the deals that were made with the
predecessor in this chair, okay?
Vice Chair Russell: That's why the 2 million was paid.
Commissioner Carollo: Let me not go there. If you want me to, I'll go there; I'll
spill it all out.
Vice Chair Russell: I'm just going to make --
Commissioner Carollo: And let the chips fall where they may.
Vice Chair Russell: -- I'm just counting you as a "no" vote. I want to know if there
is the will of this Commission --
Commissioner Carollo: I think that was clear.
Vice Chair Russell: -- to pass the CRA budget.
Commissioner Reyes: Now, that -- Commissioner Russell, you had a question for the
Vice Chair Russell: I haven't got an answer yet. Thank you very much.
Commissioner Reyes: And I want to hear that answer. Is it legal?
Vice Chair Russell: Is our budget, under the City -- the way the City balances its
budget --
Commissioner Carollo: He's not an attorney.
Vice Chair Russell: -- if there's a liability -- a line item liability --
Commissioner Carollo: He's not an attorney.
Vice Chair Russell: -- that's under pending litigation, do we have to show it?
Christopher Rose (Director, Office of Management and Budget): The words in State
law are if it is -- If you have a reasonable expectation that the money comes in, then
you can budget that revenue; step one. So if it is settled law, then, yes; it goes in
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your budget. If it is unsettled law, it does not have to go in your budget, but it does
need to be footnoted. It needs to be clearly said somewhere --
Vice Chair Russell: Can we make a footnote?
Mr. Walker: It's already footnoted, it's footnoted everywhere.
Vice Chair Russell: It's footnoted.
Mr. Walker: Everywhere.
Vice Chair Russell: All right. Then why can't we pass this budget?
Chair Hardemon: No, no, no. Before we move forward, you said, "It's already
footnoted; it's footnoted everywhere." Where is it footnoted?
Mr. Walker: Not in the budget; in the auditor's statements and into the -- in the
application for the loan, which we sent all of you by email.
Commissioner Carollo: This is very different, with footnotes, and you danced
around the words there. We're talking about legality under the law. And I go back
that the only way that you could change it is by having the global agreement. Why is
everybody so afraid to call for a meeting of all the parties that signed this?
Mr. Walker: We're not.
Vice Chair Russell: I'm open to that resolution.
Mr. Walker: We're ready to do it.
Vice Chair Russell: We're just waiting for the right timing, because there's a lot
going on. It's a big agreement.
Commissioner Carollo: But you've had plenty of years. I don't know when the right
time is going to come.
Chair Hardemon: Look, I'll --you know --
Commissioner Carollo: I guess since the right person wasn't place as Executive
Director and I became Chairman of the Trust, you know, maybe the right time will
finally come now.
Chair Hardemon: Look, I'm not trying to settle the issue of whether or not there's an
obligation that's due. I just want to make sure that we fulfill whatever the State
requirements are. I don't think that the Omni CRA has been particularly supportive
of trying to get this thing passed. I think you're trying to force a square peg into a
round hole --
Vice Chair Russell: No, I'm not.
Chair Hardemon: -- not you, not you, not you. I'm talking to the Executive Director.
-- because there's no reason why we can -- if we found a easy way to get this thing
done, why -- we should have just used the easy way to get it done. Please don't
respond.
Mr. Walker: Because we have to have a meeting --
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Chair Hardemon: Don't respond.
Mr. Walker: -- of the Omni CRA --
Chair Hardemon: Don't respond.
Mr. Walker: -- Board.
Chair Hardemon: So, you know, considering -- I believe in the gentleman that just
spoke on this microphone, and he's one of the best budget people that we have. He's
always been honest and straightforward with me. And so, based on his
interpretation of things; that he believes that if -- as long as it footnoted or noted
where the -- it can be clearly seen and identified that there is a possible issue of the
$2 million, then I'll vote for this that way, but not because I believe there is or is not
an obligation; not because of anything that you said on this microphone, but simply
because if it comes down to that matter of interpretation, I feel comfortable with that.
But I'll tell you that most of the documents that we have, they're all in conflict. And
usually, you want to err on the side of caution. But I want to help this Chairman of
the South -- of the Omni CRA move his agenda forward, because I believe in what
he's doing. And so, I'm -- I'll support him because of what was said on the record
prior to that. And if it's incorrect, then, trust me, we will find out, right? And --
Commissioner Carollo: Let me --
Chair Hardemon: -- unless the City (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Rose: I want to make sure we understand. It's 2 million per year; it's not 2
million.
Chair Hardemon: No, I understand.
Mr. Rose: Fair enough.
Commissioner Carollo: Chris, if I may --
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: -- keep you up here for a minute. The -- there's an amount
that's owed for several years past. The only year that was paid was the year of '17.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Not '18. And I'm saying fiscal year '16/17.
Mr. Rose: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: I know why that was paid.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: There was a deal cut, and it's not the deal that he wants you
to believe was cut and was done. It was a deal for someone to have a waiver from
this body so that they could be an Executive Director. But that's another issue. The
bottom line is that we're talking legalities. If in the year 2018, like it's been
confirmed and stated here, they're acknowledging that in a loan document, they put
down that they had a liability there --there were no footnotes there. They put down
it was a liability, which they signed, under the penalty of perjury, that it was a
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liability. Please explain to me then how can you put a little footnote so that you
could claim you have a balanced budget.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir. So let's go back to substantial completion of the park, 2014. So
there have been four years, so two times four --
Commissioner Carollo: Well, yeah, yeah, but when you say "substantial
completion, " these are interpretations. I've given one opinion, they've given another,
and you have different attorneys, including our own City Attorney, that feels different
than they do, so that issue, I don't think it's valid for what the State law requires.
And the fact that -- how can you in the same year sign, under the penalty of perjury,
a statement that says that you have a liability; and now, you're going to put a budget
that says, "No, you don't"?
Mr. Rose: If it is in dispute, legal dispute.
Commissioner Carollo: But legal dispute is when you go into a court of law, when
documents are filed. This is still a binding document. Just because one party doesn't
want to pay, it doesn't mean it's in legal dispute until it goes to court. And it's like
the City of Miami here deciding that, all of a sudden, the contract that we had with
Flagstone, it was a binding contract. Nobody wanted to listen to our Attorney.
Nobody wanted to go to outside counsel. And we decided, hey, we don't have a
contract anymore. What happened with that one? So --
Chair Hardemon: Commissioner, I think we spent a significant amount of time
discussing this at the last meeting. We've spent now another -- we had another
opportunity to spend a significant amount of time talking about it. The Vice
Chairman, he made a motion. I'll second his motion, right? And I think we should
just go ahead and just take a vote on the matter. So -- because --
Mr. Walker: Right, because --
Commissioner Carollo: Can you just let him answer that last question that I've
asked?
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Mr. Rose: So in answer to the question, if it is in legal dispute, if there are --
Commissioner Carollo: But according to what they signed under oath, there's no
legal dispute. They signed under oath, there's a liability. Then a few months later,
now they're claiming that it's a legal dispute. So which is it? Did they commit a
perjury when they put they had a liability when they don't have one --
Chair Hardemon: That's beyond his --
Commissioner Carollo: -- or is there a problem now?
Chair Hardemon: -- pay grade.
Mr. Rose: I don't have my law degree yet, sir, but I can say in budgeting, in State
law, Chapter 125 and the other chapters that associate with it, if it is in legal dispute
-- if you don't have a reasonable expectation that the revenues will come in, then you
don't budget it.
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Commissioner Carollo: Now you're talking about revenues coming in. There's a big
difference between revenues coming in and what we're asked to do here, by State
law, in liabilities.
Chair Hardemon: Did the City of Miami budget --?
Commissioner Carollo: It's a liability.
Mr. Rose: The City of Miami has only budgeted the $2 million that have come in.
The City of Miami has not budgeted --
Chair Hardemon: Which obviously --
Mr. Rose: -- the other $6 million.
Chair Hardemon: -- that's future obligation.
Vice Chair Russell: Or in the past.
Mr. Rose: Backwards or forwards, right. And that is -- you need the authority to
pay. You don't necessarily need the authority to accept. But if the money comes in,
there is only one use that it can be used for, and it will go to Museum Park, as
managed by the Bayfront Park Trust. So it does us no good to budget it if there is no
reasonable expectation of it coming in.
Commissioner Reyes: Question.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Reyes: In the past budget, this past year's budget, the $2 million were
not counted in the City of Miami? I mean, you did not include it as a potential
revenue for -- either for the park or anything else?
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but that --
Commissioner Reyes: I'm just -- I'm -- there's --
Commissioner Carollo: -- that's flow-through revenue then.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, I know, I know, but it still is a revenue. That flow-
through is a pass-through to the Bayfront Park, too. Did you recognize that as a
revenue?
Mr. Rose: No, not the new 2 million; only the 2 million that we have accepted
already.
Commissioner Reyes: The 2 millions [sic] that were paid?
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. So --
Commissioner Carollo: But they're under no obligation -- the City of Miami is
under no obligation to acknowledge those --
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Commissioner Reyes: No. Just a question.
Commissioner Carollo: --liabilities --
Commissioner Reyes: Just a question, just a question.
Commissioner Carollo: -- only the payments that come in.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. That's the question. That's the question.
Commissioner Carollo: So --yeah.
Chair Hardemon: So, look, it's been properly moved and seconded. I don't want to
continue discussing this forever. I want to go ahead and get to a vote on this. All in
favor of the motion to accept the budget as presented, RE. 5, say "aye."
Vice Chair Russell: Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against?
Commissioner Carollo: Nay.
Commissioner Gort: Nay.
Commissioner Reyes: Nay.
Chair Hardemon: Motion fails.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair --
Chair Hardemon: The motion --
Mr. Hannon: for the record --
Commissioner Reyes: Now that --
Chair Hardemon: Why? Why? Why? The motion failed, because the "nay" -- there
were three "nays. "
Mr. Hannon: Yes. And can I get that on the record? I have Commissioner Carollo,
Commissioner Gort, and who was the third "nay"?
Commissioner Reyes: That was me.
Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner Reyes.
Chair Hardemon: There's three "nays. "
Mr. Hannon: Reyes. Understood. Thank you.
Later...
Commissioner Carollo: Can you bring it for the afternoon?
Commissioner Reyes: No, because I think it is hot now, and I think that
Commissioner Gort also wants to take part of this, because I don't want to hurt the
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CRA. Well, my motion is that the City Attorney gets the party together as soon as
they can so we can solve this once and for all.
Commissioner Gort: Look, it's very simple. I didn't get a chance to meet with the
Executive Director. I had meetings taking place, and he couldn't wait. But I think
that could have been fixed by making some changes in the existing budget, and still
doing the operation.
Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Commissioner Carollo: The Chair gave examples of how we could do it, but --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. Let's do it and bring it back, and then we resolve
it.
Vice Chair Russell: And they expressly said that we couldn't. And for the record, I
will state now that this budget has failed, over half a million dollars that the CRA
was going to spend on single-family home renovation in Commissioner Hardemon's
district will not happen; that he voted to approve at the CRA on a budget; that he
voted to approve at the CRA; and his threesome voted to approve the de -obligation
of the $28 million, as a CRA --
Commissioner Reyes: Commissioner --
Vice Chair Russell: -- that this group approved --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Vice Chair Russell: -- to spend $100 million on affordable housing in the CRA will
not happen now that we have not passed this budget.
Commissioner Reyes: It will happen.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Commissioner Reyes: Sir, sir, it will happen if we, by July 6, we bring all the
amendments and all of that and we take it, and we approve it; that there is no doubt.
It will happen, sir, and you have my word on it that I will support it as soon as -- if
they -- all the questions --
Vice Chair Russell: We're not going to settle the global agreement in enough time to
be able to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) these issues.
Commissioner Reyes: No, I'm saying with --
Commissioner Gort: We're not talking about the global agreement.
Commissioner Reyes: Whatever --
Ms. Mendez: What --
Commissioner Reyes: No, no, no, no.
Commissioner Gort: You need to make some changes in your budget, that's all.
Chair Hardemon: Listen.
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Commissioner Carollo: The --
Commissioner Reyes: No, just these footnotes and everything that is required.
Ms. Mendez: Right.
Commissioner Carollo: They --
Ms. Mendez: What Commissioner Reyes is saying, that it is suggested to the CRA to
please bring this back, this item, with the appropriate footnotes.
Commissioner Reyes: With the appropriate footnotes and everything.
Ms. Mendez: That's what he's saying.
Commissioner Reyes: And that's it.
Vice Chair Russell: We could have amend -- we amended the footnotes in this
moment. We were ready (UNINTELLIGIBLE) footnotes to go now.
Commissioner Reyes: You didn't do it.
Vice Chair Russell: If that's all you were waiting for, I would like to reconsider this
item --
Commissioner Carollo: If I may --
Vice Chair Russell: -- and put the footnotes in the budget.
Commissioner Carollo: -- there were statements here made by you, Commissioner
Russell, about the monies that are not going to be able to go for different areas in
Commissioner Hardemon's district, et cetera. The bottom line here is that if
individuals had acted responsibly, we would not be in this situation today. Those
monies should have never been allocated until this issue was resolved. How in the
world can you spend monies that you have obligated without resolving the issue? I
mean, you can't spend those dollars twice. So don't blame any of us here for what
you decided to do, what staff decided to do that was not the proper way of going
about it.
Chair Hardemon: Look, this meeting will be in recess until 2 o'clock.
Later...
Commissioner Reyes: I have a motion -- and I have a -- we have to reconsider --
Chair Hardemon: The first thing is that you have to vote on the motion to
reconsider.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right, that's right. Okay.
Chair Hardemon: So it's been properly moved.
Commissioner Reyes: I make a motion. It's second by the --
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved and seconded to reconsider RES. All in
favor of the motion to reconsider, say "aye. "
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Commissioner Gort: Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Aye.
Commissioner Carollo: Aye.
Commissioner Reyes: Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Nay.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Chair Hardemon: Motion passes.
Commissioner Reyes: I have received -- and I think that everybody has received --
the corrections that were made, and -- on the budget.
Chair Hardemon: I haven't received it.
Commissioner Reyes: You see, I didn't vote in favor of that, because I couldn't vote
for a budget that could be -- or that was not considered legal by the State. So I'm
going to ask -- Where is the Budget Director?
Commissioner Carollo: Could I see what you have there?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir; yes, sir; yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: I haven't gotten and neither has the Chair.
Vice Chair Russell: What is this?
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: Oh, the footnote language.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. Mr. Budget Director, sir? Stop gossiping, man.
Mr. Rose: Many bosses, sir.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay. I want to -- I want you to take a good look at all the
corrections, and I want you, in your professional opinion, to tell me, is this -- does
this pass the test of being a budget that is not violating any of the requirements set by
the State?
Chair Hardemon: No pressure, right?
Commissioner Reyes: No, no pressure, whatsoever. Yeah. Hey, listen, if you don't
believe it, do it. But I don't want it to go out, really; personally, I don't want it to go
on having heard some projects that they are being started.
Commissioner Carollo: And Chris, keep this in mind: Would you put your job on
the line if you were wrong in your answer?
Mr. Rose: Thank you, Commissioner.
Ms. Mendez: And just to give --
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Commissioner Reyes: No pressure; no pressure, whatsoever.
Ms. Mendez: --just to remind everyone that Chris is the City's Budget Director.
Commissioner Reyes: Don't feel pressure, Ms. --
Vice Chair Russell: Just for the record, I'd like to know what we're looking at,
specifically, though, before we start opining on it, because it hasn't been -- it just got
handed out.
Ms. Jones: We have followed the recommendation of the board to make the
amendments to the budget; making sure that the items that have "NR," they are
itemized, they are listed. And we've added the -- we will add the resolution numbers
to reflect that; and also, the footnote language that has been recommended, and
we're using this footnote language, if you'd like for me to read it into the record.
Commissioner Carollo: What happened to Chris?
Ms. Jones: Repeat that, sir.
Vice Chair Russell: He's coming. I just asked for her to explain what this is --
Commissioner Carollo: Oh, okay.
Vice Chair Russell: -- before Chris starts opining on it, because we haven't
expressed what it is.
Mr. Rose: May I have just a moment to look at it, Commissioners?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, go right ahead.
Chair Hardemon: The tough part for me is --
Commissioner Reyes: Go right ahead.
Chair Hardemon: -- that we've spent so much time doing this, and now we want to
move on to other things.
Commissioner Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) on the spot.
Chair Hardemon: Huh? Yeah, put Chris on the spot. But before you move on,
listen, under the accounting audit and professional services, there are a number of
"no resolution" items that are listed there, as well. That's not in this list. Did you all
make a change -- make -- Is that factually correct? Under auditing and --
accounting and audit professional services, the items that have no resolution that's
listed next to them, is that correct? Am I reading the document --?
Ms. Jones: And item --
Chair Hardemon: Okay. On your amended budget, Page --
Ms. Jones: Yes, sir.
Chair Hardemon: -- you have Page I and you have Page 2.
Ms. Jones: Okay.
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Chair Hardemon: Page 2 lists a number of items that have no resolution; is that
correct?
Ms. Jones: For administrative costs? Okay.
Chair Hardemon: It's under accounting -- it says, "Accounting Audit," and then
"Professional Services." And then, "Other Contractual Services." There's only one -
- there's only two items that have a resolution out of maybe -- I don't know -- 11 or
12.
Ms. Jones: Because we have not -- and I'll be happy to go through it, sir. We will
make the amendments. One of them is for the redevelopment plan, the budget that
we're coming back to the CRA Board for. The other, for contractual services, we are
hiring outside counsel. That has to be approved by the CRA Board. We have the
urban park. We have security for the park.
Chair Hardemon: I asked you -- My question is, is the document that I'm reading, is
it correct?
Ms. Jones: The old budget that you have received, sir, is not the actual one, but we
will make all of the amendments, as recommended by the board, to make sure the
items that have no resolution are updated.
Chair Hardemon: So between the last time that we saw this and this time that we
saw this, everyone knew that there were items on here that -- that this thing wasn't
correct, and it just was never corrected, and that's my thing about it. And I -- you
know -- I don't mind reconsidering this stuff now, but I think that you give Chris an
opportunity to do this. Let's not entertain any motions on it right now. Let's go to
public comment, let these people say what they need to say --
Commissioner Reyes: Sure, sure. And --
Chair Hardemon: -- and then come back.
Commissioner Reyes: -- after we finish this, I have another motion to -- another
directive to the City Attorney to go and reconsider the global agreement in its
entirety. So we have to reconsider and see if we can get out of some of the things
that --
Chair Hardemon: All right. Well, let's get some business taken care of first, okay?
All right.
Commissioner Carollo: And there's two different --
Commissioner Reyes: No, no, no, but that's -- I said, "afterwards. "
Commissioner Carollo: There's two different ones.
Commissioner Reyes: I just don't want you to be chewing on it.
Chair Hardemon: So it'll be clear, we have moved to reconsider the item and we're
just --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right, yes.
Chair Hardemon: -- not considering it at the moment.
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Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Later...
Vice Chair Russell: We're going to take our attention to the resolutions. There was
a motion and a vote approving the reconsideration of RE.S, the Omni CRA
(Community Redevelopment Agency) mid year amended budget. I believe staff is
here, and I believe they have met with some Commissioners to see if they can satisfy
some of the concerns. Is that what has happened?
Commissioner Gort: Nope.
Isiaa Jones (Chief Legal Officer, Midtown/Omni Community Redevelopment
Agency): Yes, Commissioner. We have made the recommendation to do the
amendments in regards to the no resolutions to update that to make that reflected,
and also to put the footnote, as suggested.
Vice Chair Russell: So there would be a footnote in the budget, recognizing that
there is an ongoing discussion, perhaps a dispute, between the City and the Agency
with regard to the $2 million. I see here that you also clarified which items have
been resolved at the board and which have not. So the non -resolved items that the
board has not voted on could be deallocated for now within the budget, which is
what Commissioner Hardemon was alluding to. Commissioner Reyes, you had --
Commissioner Reyes: I move for -- I mean, the -- there was a move -- I mean, for
approval, and I think that was second by --
Vice Chair Russell: Well, that vote completely lost. Your motion to reconsider --
Commissioner Reyes: My motion --
Vice Chair Russell: -- to reconsider the item did pass, so now we are reconsidering
it.
Commissioner Reyes: Now I'm moving for accepting the --
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much. I -- I'll open the floor for any discussion,
as well, since this is a new item, if anyone would like to speak on the item.
Commissioner Carollo: I do, but --
Vice Chair Russell: Just public comment first, please.
Commissioner Carollo: -- Vice Chairman Russell seconding that motion.
Vice Chair Russell: I'm sorry?
Commissioner Carollo: You're seconding the motion.
Vice Chair Russell: I have not yet. I'm offering for public comment.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but --
Commissioner Gort: I'll second.
Vice Chair Russell: It's been seconded by Commissioner Gort.
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Commissioner Carollo: Okay, for discussion. Chris?
Vice Chair Russell: Please? Is there anyone from the public --?
Commissioner Carollo: We missed --
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner --
Commissioner Carollo: --you, Chris; can you getup here?
Vice Chair Russell: --please, Commissioner, through the Chair. Is there anyone --
Commissioner Carollo: I am.
Vice Chair Russell: --from the public who would like to speak on this item? Seeing
none, I'll close public comment. Commissioner, you'd like to hear from --
Commissioner Carollo: Chris. Based upon what you have heard here today, from
the accounting point of view, from the budgeting point of view, on the bank loan
information, where the Omni CRA put down the liability on that money based upon
the statements that were made that, indeed, in the fiscal year '16/17, 2 million was
paid, do you feel that that money is owed and that contract is binding?
Christopher Rose (Director, Ojfce of Management & Budget): Yes, sir. The Omni
CRA -- until this is resolved, I would say the Omni CRA does owe the funds.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay, all right. Now, you also stated that you feel that with
the certain footnotes, it could get us by, and I respect that. I differ with that opinion,
because the difference between this -- this is not like the example you were given of
possible monies coming in; that you can't budget it if -- you know, this may be
coming, maybe not. But this is a legal contract that could only be broken, changed,
either through a court of law or through all the parties, and there are four parties
that were part of it; even though a fifth party, the Bayfront Trust, is affected, but that
party is part of the City. So with what I've heard here that just this year alone,
financial papers, under the penalty of perjury, were handed to a bank that clearly
stated that those were liabilities that were owed, when -- in fiscal year '16/17, and it
was done in year 2017 -- they do pay $2 million. I find it dijfcult to grasp how
anyone could think that by just putting a footnote, we're going to be providing a real
balanced budget, as the State law requires. And if that's so, then, my God, we could
do all kinds of stuff with our budget. In fact, I guess we've done it in the past; that's
why twice, the Securities and Exchange Commission has come down on us. We're
the only city in America that's been dragged to court, and we lost the court case, and
had to pay a hefty fine of at least a million dollars, not to mention what it cost in
attorney's fees.
Mr. Rose: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: For those reasons, I will be voting against this item. If it
could have been balanced the way the Chairman was asking originally, where we
didn't have to put all these items now, because they're not going to be spent into the
future, that was a different story. That would have been, I think, the responsible way
of doing it. But the way we're doing it, I don't think it's responsible, because we
never should have taken any additional projects, any additional expenses, without
having resolved this first.
Commissioner Reyes: Chris?
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Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Reyes: Do you feel comfortable with the -- what has been done?
Commissioner Gort: I guess so.
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Reyes: You feel comfortable. I mean, it fulfills all the requirements,
accounting requirements?
Mr. Rose: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay, and that's it.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: So would you put your job on the line with the State on
that?
Mr. Rose: I just did, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: All right.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
Commissioner Carollo: Remember those words.
Commissioner Gort: Call the question.
Vice Chair Russell: With no further discussion, all in favor of passing the budget of
the Omni CRA, say "aye. "
Commissioner Reyes: Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: All opposed?
Commissioner Carollo: Nay.
Commissioner Gort: Amendments.
Vice Chair Russell: With amendment of the footnotes, yes. Thank you.
Commissioner Reyes: With amendments.
Vice Chair Russell: Noted.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Motion passes, 3-1, as amended.
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Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much. We have the remainder of the RE
agenda, which is -- I don't believe we passed the other RE's. We had started to
before lunch and we did not, ifI'm not mistaken.
Commissioner Carollo: I think we did --
Vice Chair Russell: So --
Commissioner Carollo: -- except --
Commissioner Gort: I don't think we --
Mr. Hannon: The only --
Vice Chair Russell: I don't believe there was an actual vote. It was --
Mr. Hannon: -- remaining is RE.13.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, that's what --
Vice Chair Russell: So RE's I through 4, and 6 through --
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, everything (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Russell: -- were passed, except for RE.13.
Commissioner Carollo: 13.
Vice Chair Russell: Okay. So then RE. 13. And staff was going to help me with
something here. Administration was going to help me with a visual.
RE.6
RESOLUTION
4309
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
Commissioners
AUTHORIZING THE ALLOCATION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI'S
and Mayor
("CITY") ANTI -POVERTY INITIATIVE GRANT FUNDS FROM THE
AYES:
MAYOR'S SHARE, IN A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED FIVE -
THOUSAND DOLLARS ($5,000.00) TO CIRCLE OF
BROTHERHOOD, INC., A FLORIDA NOT FOR PROFIT
CORPORATION, FOR THE 2018 PEOPLE MATTER FEST;
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, FOR SAID PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0269
MOTION TO:
Adopt
RESULT:
ADOPTED
MOVER:
Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER:
Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES:
Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item RE. 6, please see "End of
Resolutions. "
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RE.7
RESOLUTION
4310
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
Commissioners
AUTHORIZING THE ALLOCATION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI'S
Commissioners
("CITY") ANTI -POVERTY INITIATIVE GRANT FUNDS FROM THE
and Mayor
MAYOR'S SHARE IN A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED FOUR
THOUSAND DOLLARS ($4,000.00) TO INTERNATIONAL
SOLIDARITY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, INC., A FLORIDA NOT FOR
PROFIT CORPORATION, FOR GENERAL PROGRAM FUNDING;
FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE
AND EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, IN A
FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, FOR SAID
PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0270
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item RE. 7, please see "End of
Resolutions. "
RE.8
RESOLUTION
4311
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
Commissioners
AUTHORIZING THE ALLOCATION OF GRANT FUNDS FROM THE
and Mayor
MAYOR'S SHARE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI'S (`CITY") ANTI-
POVERTY FUNDS IN A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED TWO
THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($2,500.00) TO LA
CASITA FOUNDATION CORP., A FLORIDA NOT FOR PROFIT
CORPORATION, FOR GENERAL OPERATING COSTS; FURTHER
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, FOR SAID PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0271
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item RE.8, please see "End of
Resolutions. "
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RE.9
RESOLUTION
4312
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
Commissioners
AUTHORIZING THE ALLOCATION OF CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY")
and Mayor
ANTI -POVERTY INITIATIVE GRANT FUNDS FROM THE MAYORS
SHARE, IN A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED FIVE -HUNDRED
DOLLARS ($500.00), TO LUMANA GLOBAL CORPORATION, A
FLORIDA PROFIT CORPORATION, FOR THE COMMUNITY
MEMORIAL EVENT; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY
DOCUMENTS, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, FOR SAID PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0272
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item RE.9, please see "End of
Resolutions. "
RE.10
RESOLUTION
4313
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
Commissioners
AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF MIAMI'S ("CITY") ANTI -POVERTY
and Mayor
INITIATIVE GRANT FUNDS FROM THE MAYORS SHARE IN A
TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS
($1,000.00) TO THE WOMAN'S CLUB OF COCONUT GROVE,
FLORIDA, A FLORIDA NOT FOR PROFIT CORPORATION, FOR
THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING INITIATIVE WORKSHOP;
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, FOR SAID PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0273
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item RE.10, please see "End of
Resolutions. "
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REA 1
RESOLUTION
4308
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
Commissioners
AUTHORIZING THE ALLOCATION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI'S
and Mayor
("CITY") ANTI -POVERTY INITIATIVE GRANT FUNDS FROM THE
DISTRICT 3 SHARE IN A TOTAL AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED FIVE
HUNDRED DOLLARS ($500.00) TO THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY
COMMUNITY ACTION AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT,
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SERVICES DIVISION, FOR ITS
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM IN THE ACCION/LITTLE HAVANA
COMMUNITY; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ANY AND ALL NECESSARY
DOCUMENTS, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, FOR SAID PURPOSE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0274
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item RE.]], please see "End of
Resolutions. "
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RE.12 RESOLUTION
4210
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
Finance FLORIDA ("CITY"), WITH ATTACHMENT(S), RESCINDING
RESOLUTION NO. R-16-0374 ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION
ON JULY 29, 2016 AND SUPPLEMENTING RESOLUTION NO. 07-
0586, ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 11, 2007,
RELATING TO THE ISSUANCE BY THE CITY FROM TIME TO TIME
OF CERTAIN SPECIAL OBLIGATION BONDS PAYABLE AS TO
PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST SOLELY FROM THE PROCEEDS OF
CERTAIN DESIGNATED REVENUES DESCRIBED IN RESOLUTION
NO. 07-0586 AND NOT DERIVED FROM AD VALOREM TAXES;
PROVIDING FOR THE ISSUANCE OF ONE OR MORE ADDITIONAL
SERIES OF SUCH SPECIAL OBLIGATION BONDS IN AN
AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT NOT EXCEEDING $130,000,000,
TO BE DESIGNATED CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA SPECIAL
OBLIGATION REFUNDING BONDS, SERIES 2018A (STREET AND
SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM) AND CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA TAXABLE SPECIAL OBLIGATION REVENUE AND
REFUNDING BONDS, SERIES 2018B (STREET AND SIDEWALK
IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM) (COLLECTIVELY, THE "SERIES 2018
BONDS"), FOR THE PRINCIPAL PURPOSE OF REFUNDING CERTAIN
OUTSTANDING OBLIGATIONS AND FINANCING CAPITAL
PROJECTS; PROVIDING THAT THE SERIES 2018 BONDS SHALL
NOT CONSTITUTE AN INDEBTEDNESS OF THE CITY WITHIN THE
MEANING OF ANY CONSTITUTIONAL OR STATUTORY PROVISION
OR LIMITATION, OR A PLEDGE OF THE CITY'S FULL FAITH AND
CREDIT, BUT SHALL BE PAYABLE AS TO PRINCIPAL AND
INTEREST SOLELY FROM THE PROCEEDS OF CERTAIN
DESIGNATED REVENUES DESCRIBED IN RESOLUTION NO. 07-0586
AND NOT DERIVED FROM AD VALOREM TAXES; DELEGATING TO
THE CITY MANAGER AUTHORITY TO DETERMINE THE TERMS OF
THE SERIES 2018 BONDS WITHIN PRESCRIBED PARAMETERS;
DESIGNATING A BOND REGISTRAR AND PAYING AGENT FOR THE
SERIES 2018 BONDS; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO
NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, BOND COUNSEL, THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER AND
THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, A PAYING AGENT AND BOND
REGISTRAR AGREEMENT; FINDING NECESSITY FOR A
NEGOTIATED SALE OF THE SERIES 2018 BONDS; AUTHORIZING
THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, BOND COUNSEL, THE
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, AND THE
FINANCIAL ADVISOR, A BOND PURCHASE CONTRACT;
APPROVING THE INITIAL DRAFT FORM OF AND AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO UPDATE, FINALIZE, AND DISTRIBUTE, IN A
FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, THE CHIEF
FINANCIAL OFFICER, THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, DISCLOSURE
COUNSEL, AND THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR, A PRELIMINARY
LIMITED OFFERING MEMORANDUM AND A FINAL LIMITED
OFFERING MEMORANDUM RELATING TO THE SERIES 2018
BONDS; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE FOR
AND OBTAIN CREDIT FACILITIES AND RESERVE ACCOUNT CREDIT
FACILITIES AND TO EXECUTE AGREEMENTS RELATING THERETO
WITH RESPECT TO THE SERIES 2018 BONDS; AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE, IN A FORM
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ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, THE CHIEF FINANCIAL
OFFICER, THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, BOND COUNSEL, AND
DISCLOSURE COUNSEL, A CONTINUING DISCLOSURE
AGREEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE SERIES 2018 BONDS;
DESIGNATING AN ESCROW AGENT; AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, THE CHIEF FINANCIAL
OFFICER, THE FINANCE DIRECTOR, THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR AND
BOND COUNSEL, AN ESCROW DEPOSIT AGREEMENT; MAKING
CERTAIN COVENANTS AND AGREEMENTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF
THE HOLDERS OF THE SERIES 2018 BONDS; AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER AND ALL OTHER CITY OFFICIALS TO DO ALL
THINGS DEEMED NECESSARY IN CONNECTION WITH THE
ISSUANCE, SALE AND DELIVERY OF THE SERIES 2018 BONDS, IN
CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, BOND COUNSEL,
DISCLOSURE COUNSEL, THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, THE
FINANCE DIRECTOR AND THE FINANCIAL ADVISOR; PROVIDING
FOR SEVERABILITY; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0277
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item RE. 12, please see "End of
Resolutions. "
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REA 3
RESOLUTION
4367
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ALLOCATING
Commissioners
FUNDS IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED TWO MILLION
DOLLARS ($2,000,000.00), FROM THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
and Mayor
CATEGORY OF A FUTURE SERIES OF MIAMI FOREVER TAX-
EXEMPT OR TAXABLE LIMITED AD VALOREM TAX BONDS
("MIAMI FOREVER BONDS"), SUBJECT TO: (A) COMPLIANCE
WITH THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA, THE
UNITED STATES INTERNAL REVENUE CODE, THE CHARTER OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, THE CODE OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, ANY AND ALL OTHER
FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAW REQUIREMENTS, AND ANY
REQUIRED BOND VALIDATION, (B) APPROVAL BY THE MIAMI
FOREVER BOND PROGRAM CITIZENS OVERSIGHT BOARD,
AND (C) ALL OTHER MATTERS AND ACTIONS NECESSARY, IN A
FORM ACCEPTABLE TO BOND COUNSEL, DISCLOSURE
COUNSEL, FINANCIAL ADVISORS, AND CITY ATTORNEY TO BE
USED WITHIN DISTRICT 2, TOWARD SINGLE FAMILY HOME
REHABILITATION FOR RESIDENTS AT ONE HUNDRED FORTY
PERCENT (140%) ADJUSTED MEDIAN INCOME OR BELOW,
WITH FUNDS TO BE APPROPRIATED BY SEPARATE
RESOLUTION(S).
MOTION TO: Indefinitely Defer
RESULT: INDEFINITELY DEFERRED
MOVER: Ken Russell, Vice Chair
SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
AYES: Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon
Note for the Record. For additional minutes referencing Item RE.13, please see
"Public Comment Period for Regular Item(s). "
Vice Chair Russell: With regard to RE. 13, I'm asking for the indulgence of this
board as we look at how we spend our bond. The bond was considered two years
ago; it failed The next year, it passed It passed at this board, and then it passed of
the voters, and that was in November of last year. Seven, eight months later now, we
have not allocated a dollar of this bond, but I don't understand why we have not been
brought the potential projects by this Administration that we could be using with this
bond Now, I'm putting out there a very simple and small one that I think we can all
agree on, because we -- I decided to choose something that all of its have been
involved in, and I've heard support for as a tenet of affordability. I really believe
that this bond is going to be spent in three major sections. We may be dividing it by
district, we may be doing it otherwise, but I'd like to get the ball rolling. One of the
tenets I'd like to use of this bond for the affordability section is purchasing land. I
believe that's a very efficient way that we can create affordability and control the
situation. Number two would be subsidizing shovel -ready projects. We've got some
that have already come to its that have a gap they need to fill, and that will be instant
affordability once those are built for rental. But one of the most important tenets of
affordability, which was talked about significantly at the CRA (Community
Redevelopment Agency) just this week between Commissioner Reyes and
Commissioner Hardemon, was how do we keep people that own single-family homes
in their single-family homes? And if they are within the affordable spectrum, if they
own those homes, but they are within -- under the workforce housing level or below,
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can we help them stay in those homes, either through energy eff ciency upgrades,
new roofs, life -safety, ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance? My office
has been trying to find creative ways to do this through the CRA. And thank you for
passing this budget, because that will allow us to complete a full million dollars this
year of renovations that we're doing in the CRA, very similar to some of these
before -and -after pictures that you're seeing on your screen. In the Coconut Grove,
we don't have the CRA yet, so I allocated 300, 000 of general -- CDBG (Community
Development Block Grant) funds. The strings attached and the red tape involved
with the CDBG funds, even though 60 homes were identified with needs and vetted
as perfectly applicable for these sorts of renovations, only nine of them were done on
our big home renovation day. These bond dollars can have -- can be used more
nimbly, and I do believe this is 2 percent of the $100 million bond that could go
towards single-family home renovation. I allocated it for District 2, because I did
not want to step on the toes of others in how they would spend it. If folks want to do
this citywide, I welcome it, but I think it's a very small percentage of our bond just to
kick-start and get the ball rolling to say, "This is something we can do now that will
help people stay in their homes. " I lookfor your support.
Commissioner Reyes: Sir, can I make a comment?
Vice Chair Russell: Of course.
Commissioner Reyes: You see, I understand that -- I know you mean well, and I
know your concerns, but I cannot support this, because I think that this bond -- we
have to have a Comprehensive Plan. We cannot start taking pieces. And I would
strongly recommend that we all work together and look at the needs, and do a
Comprehensive Plan. As an economist, I can tell you that if we start this pinata, you
see, I take 25, you take 10, we are not accom -- not going to accomplish -- What we
really want to accomplish is to spend those money where they are more effective, to
get the biggest bang for the buck. And I'm -- what I'm requesting from you is to give
us the opportunity that we all try to, working with staff, do a Comprehensive Plan,
and according to your needs, you see, the money will be assigned to your district or
your need. Mr. Gort -- I mean, Commissioner Gort will also express his need, so
will Hardemon, so would Carollo, so would I.
Vice Chair Russell: I --
Commissioner Reyes: And we should come together and be effective, use these finds
effective. Because --
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman?
Commissioner Reyes: -- one thing that -- what I don't want to -- I mean, what I don't
want to see is that this become a pinata, you see. This piece is mine. I jump and I
take 2 million, another 2 million. Let's do it the right way.
Vice Chair Russell: I wholeheartedly agree with you, Commissioner Reyes, but it's
been eight, nine months now. Where is the plan? It doesn't --
Commissioner Reyes: Well --
Vice Chair Russell: -- make sense to me --
Commissioner Reyes: -- hey --
Vice Chair Russell: -- that the Administration hasn't brought a plan.
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Commissioner Reyes: -- let's do it. Let's do it.
Commissioner Carollo: No, no, no, no. Look, this is not fair to the Administration,
you know. I don't want to be coming out having to be the one defending them, but we
got a new City Manager --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: -- that hasn't been here that long. He had to put his people
in place. We lost quite a few top management people. He's brought them in. You
have to get him the opportunity --
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: -- You don't throw $400 million, you know, like that.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Carollo: They have to sit down, idents and that's a huge task. On
top of that, we created a board to go through that. We have to respect the process.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: If we created a process, we have to be the first to respect
that process.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: Not to mention, Commissioner -- And look, at the
appropriate time, I will support that. I have no problem with it, philosophically, with
what you presented. I just think it's the very wrong time right now, and particularly,
when you're not going to get any money out of it right now.
Vice Chair Russell: It could be spent. It could be spent (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Commissioner Carollo: No, no.
Vice Chair Russell: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE) ready -- Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Carollo: No, you can't. See, you -- what I'm hearing then is you want
to take from Peter so that Paul could reimburse it later --
Commissioner Reyes: No.
Commissioner Carollo: -- and that's how we get in trouble.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Vice Chair Russell: Not at all.
Commissioner Carollo: Well.
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman, I have to tell you, the -- we all have the same
needs. West Grove's got the need. Little Havana has it.
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Commissioner Carollo: No. We --
Commissioner Gort: Flagami has it.
Commissioner Carollo: -- some of us have much greater needs.
Commissioner Gort: Grapeland has it. And I agree with you; to me, home
ownership is the most important thing it is. We have senior residents, owners, that
right now, they have problem with their home and they need financial help. Now, at
the same time, with this type of bond, you have to make the -- change some of the
regulations and the issues of the $5 million, or whatever -- whatever private
individual receives money from the bonds, we have to make sure you have --put a lot
of conditions to it and a lot of things to make sure -- because if not, it might become
a taxable instead of (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Russell: I'm glad for that. We're just earmarking it. But, yes, I do agree
with you.
Commissioner Gort: Okay. What we need to do -- I think you got the right step. I
think each one of us should talk to the Administration and think of our self fsic/, how
much should be dedicated to home improvement, how much should be dedicated to
new homes, how much should be dedicated to buying land. I think we can put the
program together. We can help the Administration.
Commissioner Reyes: We can have -- and give time to Administration -- you know,
the Administration should analyze the City of Miami, the needs that we have, and we
-- together with us, we can work and develop a Comprehensive Plan.
Commissioner Gort: Right.
Commissioner Reyes: Because one thing that really bothers me is that sometimes we
do things piecemeal. We want to help the City of Miami. We have -- help our
residents, but we have to be effective. And I agree with you; the most important -- I
mean, and I express it the other day, and I -- we have talked about this.
Commissioner Gort: Look --
Commissioner Reyes: It is home ownership, but we have to -- I mean, how else we
going to use it?
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: But let me tell you, when it comes to home ownership and
helping people, we have track record.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Gort: CDBG's (Community Development Block Grant) been doing it.
Vice Chair Russell: Yeah.
Commissioner Gort: CDBG knows the --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, yes.
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Commissioner Gort: -- needs that we have in our neighborhoods. I think they can
come up and let us know, and it'll be a lot faster to do it through us than CDBG,
because they have too many regulations.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Gort: So I think we can decide here and say, "We need to use this
much for home ownership throughout the City. "
Commissioner Reyes: And how we're going to do it, and that's it. We decide it and
that's it.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, you know --
Vice Chair Russell: That's what I was trying to do today, and I'd be open to making
it citywide, but the issue is that we have a crisis, and our Community Development
Department hasn't changed. It's the same that -- our folks, how long will they wait?
There will be projects that come along that are time -sensitive; for example, Frankie
Shannon Rolle Center. This is not a single-family home issue. Just walking away,
Commissioner?
Commissioner Carollo: No, no. I'm going to go over here. When you speak, I
listen, really.
Vice Chair Russell: This is very, very important. And for example, Frankie Shannon
Rolle, we granted an up -zoning that was conditional on them finding the subsidies
necessary, and they're applying, but they may not get them, and they're looking to us
to help fill that gap. That'll be another issue I will be bringing to this board to say,
"Does this board feel that's a good spend of this bond money?" And it may not be
able to wait for a Comprehensive Plan --
Commissioner Reyes: And --
Vice Chair Russell: -- six months from now.
Commissioner Reyes: -- I agree with you that we have -- it's a dire need, but what
we have to do, we cannot spend money that hasn't -- Bonds have not been sold yet,
you see. The bonds have not been sold yet. We have to sell the bonds and -- but
meanwhile -- while the bonds are being sold, let's define the needs.
Vice Chair Russell: I'd like to address that, because I believe the Administration has
a different plan with the bond spend.
Fernando Casamayor (Chief Financial Officer/Assistant City Manager): So we
don't necessarily have to issue a bond before we identify projects. In fact, I would
argue, you identify the projects and then you issue the bonds. In this particular case,
which is using public money on private land, and in particular, bond dollars on
private land, there are a significant amount of hurdles that we need to jump over and
obstacles that we need to go around in order to establish a program whereby the
single-family homeowner, who is going to be utilizing these funds, needs to
understand that there are going to be some restrictions to the use --
Commissioner Gort: A lot of restrictions.
Mr. Casamayor: -- some restrictions to their future potential use of their land,
whether by covenant or by lien; that, you know, we need to establish these rules and
these regulations for the program; that's one. Number two, we also need to figure
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out -- and we need guidance from the Commission to tell us how much of the $100
million is going to go to --possibly would go to revitalization of homes; how much of
it would go to new stock; how much of it would go to developer, you know, grants, or
developer incentives in order to build low-income or workforce housing. I -- we do
have a Comprehensive Housing Plan that we are putting in front of the Commission
on July 26. We're asking FIU (Florida International University) to come and do this
for us. I would ask that you give at least those professionals the opportunity to take
a look at our needs as a city in whole, and then take those -- what we get back from
that study and see what we can do to come up with a Comprehensive Plan. We can
still do certain projects as we go. For instance -- and I know this is strictly about
affordable housing -- there was $200 million set aside for sea level rise and flood
mitigation. There was 30 or $40 million set aside for street repairs, $7 million set
aside for public safety. There are projects that we can idents very, very soon that
we can come in front of the Commission and tell you, "Hey, these are some of the
things that we've identified as priorities, " and we can start getting some approvals
for projects. But particularly on the housing side, because it was really a $100
million kind of a general, "Hey, this is for low-income housing," I think we would
very much so welcome -- whether it's by workshop or sunshine meeting or whatever
you guys would think, we would very much welcome your guidance on how you
would like us to craft the plan for that.
Vice Chair Russell: So each of us -- we will see a plan by July 26?
Commissioner Carollo: No. It's impossible.
Mr. Casamayor: You will have --
Vice Chair Russell: Shouldn't be.
Mr. Casamayor: George, why don't you go up and give an update?
Commissioner Carollo: Look --
George Mensah: George Mensah, director of Community and Economic
Development. On July 26, the City Commission would approve FIU --for FIU to
undertake take the Comprehensive Housing Analysis of the City and provide us with
how -- not just the bonds, but how the City, in terms of any funds that come in, we
can use to help with affordability in the City. In terms of the plan for the 100
million, I think it's housing and economic development. So during the workshop,
what we can do is we can make proposal as to which strategies to use; one is the --
obviously, the home ownership component, the new rental housing component, new
housing for workforce, and then we also have the rehabilitation component, so.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. And one of the key components you must take into
consideration, because this is a citywide bond --
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: -- issuance, is that you have to idents the areas of the City
that have those needs --
Mr. Mensah: Exactly.
Commissioner Carollo: -- and how many people in those areas have the needs, so
we could know by district --
Mr. Mensah: Exactly.
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Commissioner Carollo: -- what the need is, and that's how the money needs to be
spent.
Mr. Mensah: That's exactly how the proposal is being written so that they will come
with neighborhoods -- exact neighborhoods, what the income levels are, what they
can afford. And so, that will make the determination on how to use those funds.
Commissioner Carollo: Now --
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: Let me tell you, a $100 million is not much.
Vice Chair Russell: I know.
Commissioner Gort: So we have to be very careful how we place it, because we
have to leverage --
Commissioner Carollo: You know well; you've been in the business. It's not much.
Commissioner Gort. -- it. And we can leverage it to become a billion dollar if we
leverage correct.
Mr. Mensah: I also --
Commissioner Reyes: Excuse me. That is one of the reasons that I don't want to
divvy it up, you see --
Commissioner Carollo: Well --
Commissioner Reyes: -- because we can use that money for leverages --
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Commissioner Reyes: -- and that's how we have to use it.
Vice Chair Russell: All right. I --
Commissioner Carollo: To --
Vice Chair Russell: Of course, I'm in favor of a Comprehensive Plan. I'm just very
frustrated that we don't have something before us. And to the process, the Oversight
Board does not dictate or choose the projects; we do, under recommendation from
the Administration. For lack of that, we can bring something to the board, as well.
Commissioner Carollo: Well then, we could put a motion to disband them if you
want.
Vice Chair Russell: No, no, no. They have a job. They have a role, but they are not
the ones who are selecting --
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: -- the projects.
Ms. Mendez: But they're --
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Commissioner Carollo: All right.
Ms. Mendez: -- advisory.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Ms. Mendez: It is clear, they're advisory. You do --
Commissioner Carollo: Of course, they're advisory.
Ms. Mendez: -- have ultimate, but -- right.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: But it's -- I'm hearing, before they even have their first
meeting, that, you know, they're not going to have much of a say. They're going to
advise, and we tell them already that they have to do.
Vice Chair Russell: They've had quorum for a while; why do they not -- have they
not had a meeting yet? I believe they're missing their City liaison or something like
that. Is that the case? So things are just moving slowly on this issue, and we have
crises.
Commissioner Carollo: Not as slowly as you think. And let me say this to the
Administration that I -- I think, Mr. Assistant City Manager, you explained this quite
elegant. Most civilized cities do follow that process that you said. Now, Miami has
an additional problem that no other city in America has, and that's why we have to
be super extra careful in every word -- every "T" that's crossed, every I" that's
dotted -- in that bond issuance, because twice already, we've been hit by the
Securities & Exchange Commission. The last time, we became the only city in
America that was taken to court, and we lost. We had to pay a million -dollar fine,
and I don't know how much in attorney's fees. So if we go back out there and they
find anything -- and believe me, if there's going to be a bond issuance that the
Securities & Exchange Commission is going to check --
Commissioner Gort: It's going to be looking at us.
Commissioner Carollo: -- it's going to be Miami's. If we go again and they find
anything there that's wrong, strike three, you're out. It's going to be major, what's
going to come our way; not to mention that the other side of that is the expenditures,
to make sure that we're spending it right, how we're monitoring it. That's another
major problem. So this is not what you think that --you know, it's not from one day
to the other. To do this responsible for the residents of Miami, it has to follow a
process.
Commissioner Reyes: Madam --
Vice Chair Russell: All right.
Commissioner Reyes: -- City Attorney, how many restrictions does GO (general
obligation) bonds have to be used with private? That's the problem. We have to take
into consideration all the restrictions that GO bonds have to -- when you are using it
with the private sector. I mean, that's something that we have to take into
consideration.
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Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Gentlemen, I sense the temperature here, but I will
tell you, I --
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Russell: -- we are lighting afire today. This has to happen, and we need
it soon, and we need it thorough; and according to Commissioner Carollo, we need
it legal. So let's get it all right and let's get it done soon. I will withdraw -- I will
defer this item indefinitely. I'll move to defer.
Commissioner Carollo: Well --
Vice Chair Russell: I'll pass the gavel in order to do so. It'll come back in six
months. Hopefully, by then we'll have a plan to which this will apply.
Commissioner Carollo: -- let me just say, Commissioner --
Vice Chair Russell: Is there a second?
Commissioner Carollo: -- be -- I'll second it -- careful when you light fires.
Sometimes you get burned when you light them.
Vice Chair Russell: All right. Is there any further discussion on this deferral --
indefinite deferral? I passed the gavel to make the motion.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): And Commission -- got it.
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Gort is the Chair --
Commissioner Gort: Okay. There's a motion. Is there a second?
Vice Chair Russell: -- and he seconded. All in favor, say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Any opposed?
Mr. Hannon: (INAUDIBLE) should be calling the question; he's the Chair right
now.
Vice Chair Russell:
I apologize. Yes, of course. I passed the gavel.
Commissioner Gort:
All in favor, state it by saying "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Commissioner Gort:
Nay? No. No "nays. "
Vice Chair Russell:
Oh, okay.
Commissioner Reyes: No "nay."
Commissioner Gort:
No "nays, " no "nays. if
Vice Chair Russell:
Thank you.
Commissioner Gort:
I said, "Nays? No."
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RE.14
RESOLUTION
4385
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
Commissioners
REQUESTING, DECLARING NO OBJECTION, AND SUPPORTING
and Mayor
THE CODESIGNATION BY MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ("COUNTY") OF
and Mayor
SOUTHWEST 17TH AVENUE (A COUNTY ROAD) BETWEEN
UNITED STATES ROUTE 1/US 1 AND SOUTH BAYSHORE DRIVE,
MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS "J.L. PLUMMER AVENUE"; FURTHER
DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS
RESOLUTION TO THE OFFICIALS STATED HEREIN.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0279
MOTION TO: Adopt
RESULT: ADOPTED
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item RE.14, please see "End of
Resolutions. "
RE.15
RESOLUTION
4390
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
AUTHORIZING THE PLACEMENT OF MARKER DESIGNATIONS
Commissioners
PURSUANT TO SECTION 54-136(1) OF THE CODE OF THE CITY
and Mayor
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, IN THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-
WAY LOCATED AT THE TRAFFIC SEPARATOR ON SOUTHWEST
13TH AVENUE, ALSO KNOWN AS CUBAN MEMORIAL
BOULEVARD, BETWEEN SOUTHWEST 11TH STREET AND
SOUTHWEST 12TH STREET AND ADJACENT TO THE
PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1140 SOUTHWEST 13TH AVENUE,
MIAMI, FLORIDA, TO COMMEMORATE THE CUBAN MEN AND
WOMEN THAT FOUGHT THE GUERILLA WAR AGAINST
CASTRO'S COMMUNIST DICTATORSHIP BETWEEN 1960 AND
1966, SUBJECT TO ALL APPLICABLE PERMITTING
REQUIREMENTS.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0280
MOTION TO: Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT: ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item RE. 1 S, please see "Public
Comment Period for Regular Item (s) " and "End of Resolutions. "
END OF RESOLUTIONS
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Chair Hardemon: Let's try to, if we can, go through some resolutions, because the
other ones will be read into the record. Is there any discussion about any resolution
that's on the agenda? That's the RE (resolution) agenda.
Commissioner Carollo: RE?
Chair Hardemon: RE.1 through 15.
Commissioner Gort: What is it?
Vice Chair Russell: I would like to co-sponsor RE. 14, the co -designation of J.L.
Plummer Avenue.
Commissioner Carollo: I would like to also sponsor that.
Commissioner Reyes: I'll co-sponsor that, also.
Chair Hardemon: Sounds like it'll be a unanimous co-sponsorship.
Vice Chair Russell: Yeah. I'll be --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes; not a bad idea, unanimous.
Vice Chair Russell: -- and I'll be glad to move the RE agenda.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved.
Commissioner Carollo: Didn't we have a ordinance or resolution that we only were
going to be naming streets if the people died?
Nzerie Ihekwaba (Chief of Operations/Assistant City Manager): Mr. Chair?
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized.
Mr. Ihekwaba: I believe Commissioner Manolo Reyes expressed interest to co-
sponsor RE. 15.
Vice Chair Russell: 14?
Mr. Ihekwaba: 15.
Vice Chair Russell: Oh, 15.
Mr. Ihekwaba: And as well as 14; 14 and 15.
Chair Hardemon: It'll be noted for the record.
Commissioner Carollo: RE. 15 and--?
Mr. Ihekwaba: And also, RE. 14.
Commissioner Carollo: RE. Okay, let me look at that. 14 and 15?
Mr. Ihekwaba: Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
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Commissioner Carollo: All right.
Commissioner Gort: I'd like to be in 15, also.
Commissioner Carollo: Well --
Commissioner Gort: RE. 15.
Commissioner Carollo: --14, it's --
Chair Hardemon: Also noted for the record, Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Reyes: For the record, I already requested Willy Gort to be a co-
sponsor of that.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. I think you guys forgot to put me there, also.
Chair Hardemon: Which one is that, sir?
Commissioner Carollo: 14; which I asked that before, but --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: -- and --
Chair Hardemon: It'll be noted for the record, RE. 14 co-sponsorship.
Commissioner Gort: By the way, the reason I brought up the J.L. Plummer, knowing
that he served for many years here as a member of the City Commission, but at the
same time, his brother was Senator, and his father was also very active way back.
It's one of the pilgrim families of the City of Miami.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Carollo: Well -- and you could keep going for another hour in --
Commissioner Gort: I know.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Carollo: -- all of the things that J.L. accomplished.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: He served with myself and Commissioner Gort, and we're
both very proud to have served with him.
Commissioner Reyes: And I worked on -- when he was a Commissioner, I was an
employee of the City of Miami, so I knew him very well.
Commissioner Carollo: Chair, and he was a great --
Commissioner Gort: "Mia-muh " group. I remember as he said.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. RE. 15, I think Commissioner Gort wanted to --
Commissioner Gort: Yes.
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Commissioner Carollo: -- also be a sponsor of that.
Commissioner Reyes: And myself.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Chair, in RE.15, while we have the address of
Southwest 13th Avenue, between 11th and 12th Street --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: -- I'd like to make a change to this resolution that it would
be that address and/or on 13th Avenue, the first space that we have behind the
Brigade 2506 Torch of Friendship. There's a smaller monument there for a
wonderful man that was a great tango dancer, and I'm thinking maybe of putting that
right behind another one that we have there, because this one here that we're
approving today is extremely close to the heart of the Cuban American community
and others in Miami, and I think it would be more important to see if we could put
this one --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: -- right upfront, if we can. I don't know how we go about it
with the other monument. I'll gladly pay the amount to move it right behind it, and
it'll still be very visible, but if we could have an "and/or" on those two locations,
then.
Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chair?
Chair Hardemon: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Reyes: I want to add to -- I do agree with Commissioner Carollo. I
think this is a very important part of our history; that people should know that since
day one, there was opposition to the Communist regime, and there were fighters,
freedom fighters that they called gorillas, but freedom fighters from one end of the
island to the other. I mean, it was not only a particular place; there were thousands
and thousands of men and women that took to the -- I mean, they took up arms, and
they fought in very, very -- I mean, they were fiercely persecuted and totally
abandoned, because no country, including the United States, supported them or sent
any help, and these people were fighting with weapons that they took from the
enemy. I mean, this is a very important part of our history. And I want to add that if
we going to have this monument, and now that we have the representatives here, and
Commissioner Carollo, I would want to add that -- I mean, in addition to having this
monument, we should have a plaque, you see, a plaque on a stand that will -- I mean,
it will address or will tell the history of the people that fought so bravely. And many
of them, they were cut and shot on site. And all the -- they spent over 30 -some years
in jail, in prison, and they were tortured, and all that. And I would like for a plaque,
to include in that monument some -- an explanation of what that monument
represents, and the amount of men and women, because there were women freedom
fighters, also, you see, so people that come and visit would know why that monument
is there.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: I would like to proudly co-sponsor RE. 15, as well. And thank
you; thank the fellow Commissioners for that.
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Commissioner Reyes: Thank you, Commissioner Russell.
Later...
Commissioner Reyes: Now, now that that passed --
Chair Hardemon: No. Let's do this: Is there a motion to approve the rest of the RE
agenda; RE -- so that's everything except RE. 5?
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: No. I need RE.15 -- excuse me -- RE.13 to be withdrawn
from that so we could discuss it.
Chair Hardemon: So you want to do everything except RE. 13?
Commissioner Carollo: Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: And of course, we did RE. 5, so that's not in question.
Chair Hardemon: Correct.
Commissioner Reyes: I have a motion that I want to make in reference to this
budget.
Commissioner Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Hardemon: So I'll say the motion is made by Commissioner Carollo --
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: -- to approve --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Chair Hardemon: -- the rest of the RE agenda, except RE. 13.
Commissioner Carollo: Correct.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Seconded by the Chair. Any further discussion on that?
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): And Chair, just for the record, RE.12 and RE.15 will
be amended.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: Okay; it's noted. Any further discussion? Hearing none, all in
favor of the motion, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Motion passes. RE. 1, 2, 3, 4 --
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BU -BUDGET
BU.1 BUDGET DISCUSSION ITEM
3242 MONTHLY REPORT
Office of I. SECTION 2-497 OF THE CITY CODE OF ORDINANCES
Management and (RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE DIRECTOR OF MANAGEMENT AND
Budget BUDGET)
II. SECTION 18-502 (CITY'S ANTI -DEFICIENCY ACT)
III. SECTION 18-542 (FINANCIAL INTEGRITY PRINCIPLES)
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Vice Chair Russell: And is there a last item you would like to speak about,
Commissioner? I mean --
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Yes, BU. 1.
Vice Chair Russell: -- Mr. Rose?
Christopher Rose (Director, Office of Management & Budget): Not yet.
Vice Chair Russell: I almost got us out of here. We've got one last item.
Mr. Rose: BU.1 is the monthly budget update. You received it last night. You'll see
Vice Chair Russell: To end on a high note.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Rose: So you will see that all the data is there. There's also some explanations
of restricted funds that you can read behind it. The surplus that we're looking at is a
budget surplus of 32 million in the general fund and a deficit of 4.8 in the internal
service fund. If all that holds true, the fund balance would go up $2.9 million. I'll be
happy to take any questions you have at this time.
Vice Chair Russell: No further questions? Thank you very much, Mr. Rose.
Mr. Rose: Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Hearing no other issues, we have cleared our agenda. Do we
have an executive session today? Is there --?
Unidentified Speaker: It was called off.
Vice Chair Russell: They called it off. The Management called it off. All right. We
had an executive session scheduled today. What is the status of that, please?
Because as Commissioners, we are tired, but willing to take care of our employees
and work through this.
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Unidentified Speaker: Right. We decided, in an abundance of caution, to cancel it.
We have our attorneys; both of them that represent us had to leave early today, so
we decided to just cancel this, and we will reschedule for another date.
END OF BUDGET
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91a911;�d11:9[07►IIII IALyI1.1
D1.1 DISCUSSION ITEM
4026 DISCUSSION REGARDING A PRESENTATION BY THE
City Manager's CHAIRPERSON OF THE FOLLOWING BOARD/COMMITTEE
Office CONCERNING THEIR ANNUAL REPORT: -MIAMI SPORTS AND
EXHIBITION AUTHORITY
RESULT: DISCUSSED I
Chair Hardemon: All right.
Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chair, I have a discussion item.
Chair Hardemon: Before we -- discussion item? I know we have RE 5, right? And
then --
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, RE.S
Chair Hardemon: -- we have RE. 13.
Commissioner Reyes: And we have to --finally, we got to vote on it, right?
Chair Hardemon: So --
Commissioner Reyes: Where is the --?
Chair Hardemon: I'll let Chris get an opportunity to come back, as well. So --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Chair Hardemon: -- we can bring our attention back to RES.
Commissioner Carollo: RE.S.
Commissioner Gort: You got the --
Commissioner Reyes: RE.S is the budget.
Commissioner Gort: -- Omni --
Commissioner Carollo: Hold on.
Commissioner Reyes: There was a question for --
Isiaa Jones: I believe we're waiting on Chris Rose. Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: Chris is still researching.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes. He's praying now. Please, Lord. Please, Lord.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, is there anything else that's left that we could do while
Chris gets here?
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Commissioner Reyes: Chris? I mean, he's in no hurry.
Commissioner Carollo: I think he's heading to the Mayor's OjTce to hide there. I
see him up there.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Mayor Francis Suarez: Want me to do DL 1 ?
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Don't let him in.
Mayor Suarez: Want me to do DL 1, which is the annual report for Miami Sports &
Exhibition Authority?
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Mayor Suarez: I could do that quickly.
Commissioner Carollo: Do you have anything else besides that, Mr. Mayor?
Mayor Suarez: I'm sorry?
Commissioner Carollo: Do you have anything else besides DLI ?
Mayor Suarez: No. I think everything else has been --
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Mayor Suarez: Oh, there's a discussion item on scooters, I think, as well, that I
wanted to discuss, but --
Commissioner Carollo: All right.
Mayor Suarez: So the Miami Sports & Exhibition Authority, I've been -- I'm the de
facto Chairman since being elected in November. This is last year's annual report.
Obviously, I wasn't a member of MSEA (Miami Sports & Exhibition Authority), and I
wasn't the Chairman of MSEA, so we've submitted an annual report based on that
fact. I just want to state clearly for the record that this Commission, and myself
included -- I've been, you know, supportive of the efforts to determine whether we
should continue to have MSEA, and I think we've all discussed that openly. And I
will be communicating to the board members, with the permission of this
Commission, that that is something that we are analyzing, and that we will make a
determination at some point in the future as to whether or not MSEA is going to
remain in existence, or whether this Commission will abolish MSEA. But other than
that, the, sort of, report speaks for itself. The accomplishments have to do with some
grants that are -- that have been given by MSEA, that were given, you know, before I
was the Chairman. There have been some more grants given this -- in one meeting
that we've had. Other than that, there's not much more else to report.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much, Mr. Mayor.
Commissioner Reyes: Now we have (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Russell: Do you have any questions?
Commissioner Reyes: No. I'll be waiting for your report and --
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Mayor Suarez: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: Whatever happened to the --
Mayor Suarez: Audit?
Commissioner Reyes: Audit.
Commissioner Carollo: -- audit that --?
Mayor Suarez: It's still ongoing. We have not received the final copy. Once we do,
we'll circulate it to the Commissioners, and that will obviously be part of the
determination as to whether or not -- Fair?
Commissioner Carollo: All right.
Mayor Suarez: Okay. Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
D1.2 DISCUSSION ITEM
4157 A PRESENTATION BY THE CITY'S EXTERNAL AUDITORS, RSM
Department of US LLP, TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY'S
Finance 2017 COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT (CAFR),
SINGLE AUDIT, AND MANAGEMENT LETTER.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Vice Chair Russell: I'd like to draw our attention at the request of the
Administration to Item DI.2, please, as we have some consultants here that we would
not like to keep waiting on the clock. This is a presentation; the Comprehensive
Annual Financial Report.
Munriah Daniel: Yes. Good morning, Commissioners. Munriah Daniel, Assistant
Director of Finance. I'd like to introduce our City's external auditors, RSM. The
partner here, Donovan Maginley, will make their presentation on the annual
financial audit, the single audit, and the Management Letter, in accordance with the
City's Financial Integrity Principles.
Donovan Maginley: Thank you. Good morning, Vice Mayor -- Vice Chair -- I'm
sorry -- Commissioners and Mr. Mayor. I thought he was around. My name is
Donovan Maginley, with RSM. We are the auditors for the City. As part of our
arrangement, we performed an audit of the City's financial statements for the year
ended September 30, 2017; and hopefully, in your package, you have the results of
that audit, which includes the Annual Financial Report, along with what we call our
Management Letter; a report on the single audit, along with a communication
package that we are required to do, so -- as part of our professional standards. I
will briefly go through some of those requirements, and if you can indulge me to just
briefly address some key takeaways that we noted during the audit in the financial
statements. First and foremost, we issued an opinion. Our Report was considered a
Non -Modified Report, which is a clean opinion on the City's financial statements, as
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of September 30, 2017, which is also included in the CAFR (Comprehensive Annual
Financial Report). As part of the financial statements, what we noted during the
audit, some -- again, the key takeaways, the City's net pension liability -- that's
highlighted in the financial statements -- is approximately $913 million; that's due to
the pension funds in the aggregate. A little bit --focusing on the general fund, which
is the main operating fund of the City, during the year they had a change in fund
balance, which -- for purposes of commercial accounting -- net income of
approximately $28.6 million. This results -- which leads down to the fund balance of
the City -- has reported approximately $160 million of fund balance, of which 72.8
million is deemed restricted, and 59.8 million is deemed to be what we call
unassigned and available for the discretion of Management to be used. Leading a
little bit more in terms of your other reports that we issued: We issued a single
audit, which is the Compliance Report on the City's expenditures for Federal and
State funding during the year. We noted one finding as it relates to the State
compliance, which is incorporated in the document. Inclusive in that is
Management's response as it relates to how they're going to address it. Please note
that in terms of the severity of findings, we did not think this to be a significant
finding, but one that still needed to be reported to Management and to this body.
Leading to our Management Letter; our Management Letter, which is the document
which houses any conditions that we note or any rooms of improvement or best
practices: During the current year, we have issued that report, which represents any
findings that we noted. During the current year, we noted no new findings.
However, in our follow-up of prior year's findings, there are still items that we noted
there that still needs corrections, or things need to be addressed. Similar to the
single audit, these -- Management has responded in terms of how they're going to
mitigate and address these findings. Just as a quick notation, we don't audit the
responses of Management, but as our duty, we'll follow up in subsequent audits to
make sure that they have addressed the finding, and if they have not, it would be
reported again to this body. As part of our -- audit -wise, I want to report to you that
we had full access to Management. We were not impeded or influenced by anything
that --by anyone or anything. We felt that we had full cooperation as it relates for
us to execute the audit, and we have no disagreements in the application of any
accounting or auditing procedures, and we felt this was a very good audit, and clean
audit compared to previous years. And with that, I will turn over to any questions
that you may have.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. You had brought up in my briefing a specific item
that you felt was important enough to bring out specifically with regard to pension.
Is that something you'd like to stress to the entire board, please?
Mr. Maginley: Certainly. So in -- approximately about three or so years ago, the
accounting standards made a change to governmental reporting that mandated that
pension liabilities be reported in financial statements, and since then, the City has
complied with that provision. This year -- again, it's highlighted in the financial
statements -- and the number, as I mentioned before, is approximately $913 million
that is obligated to fund the pension -- the respective pension funds that the City
participates in, and this is as of September 30, 2017. Obviously, that number has
changed. That number is predicated on an actuarial assumption, an accrual
calculation, which is an estimate, but one that's done by a professional. And as part
of our audit, our actuaries actually review the work that they do, and assess the
assumptions that they do, have been incorporated in the production or the -- you
know, the -- you had a production of this number. We felt it was reasonable. One
thing I would say is that, as I mentioned in the briefing, a lot of our municipalities
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are in the same ratio or in the same boat, for the most part, in terms of their funding
nature. Obviously, the City being the largest in the State, the number is somewhat
magnified.
Vice Chair Russell: So nearly $1 billion --
Mr. Maginley: Billion dollars.
Vice Chair Russell: -- of pension liabilities for the City of Miami at the moment.
Thank you.
Mr. Maginley: That's correct.
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized.
Commissioner Gort: My understanding, at one time, it used to be $1.2 billion. Some
payments have been made. I'm going way back, about four or five years, so --
Mr. Maginley: Right.
Commissioner Gort: -- payments have been made. At this time, there's a plan that
the Administration has to pay that liability.
Mr. Maginley: Well, so the two -- there are two things that affect that: obviously,
the contributions, but also the performance of the assets that are in the plan.
Commissioner Gort: Right.
Mr. Maginley: So those -- that may have contributed to the decline if you -- if your
memory serves you right. I assume -- again, we don't know -- but I think
Management, obviously, you know, in the continuation in terms of their budget, want
to continue the required minimum -- at least the minimum funding requirements.
And it is, I would assume, the Management's hope that the assets perform or out-
perform --
Commissioner Gort: Right.
Mr. Maginley: -- that it has done in the previous years.
Commissioner Gort: Thank you.
Mr. Maginley: Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: Any other questions? Seeing no further questions, thank you very
much.
Mr. Maginley: Thank you.
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D1.3
4369
Commissioners
and Mayor
DISCUSSION ITEM
DISCUSSION REGARDING CHARTER AMENDMENT.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Vice Chair Russell: We have two remaining discussion items, 3 and 4. I believe
that's Commissioner Reyes.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: 3 and 4?
Commissioner Reyes: 3 and 4.
Commissioner Carollo: Just 3 and 4 in the --?
Vice Chair Russell: And then --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: -- the RE's (resolutions). We have all of the RE's.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right. That's the Manolo Reyes. I think it is 3 --
Discussion Item 3.
Commissioner Carollo: Oh, okay. Yeah.
Commissioner Gort: The budget.
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Mayor, please don't leave. Francis, please, don't leave.
Mayor Francis Suarez: No, I'm not.
Commissioner Reyes: This has to do with you.
Mayor Suarez: Sure. Which is this?
Commissioner Reyes: You see, we all know that there is a petition going on --
Mayor Suarez: Thankyou.
Commissioner Reyes: -- for -- the Mayor is collecting signatures to place on a
ballot.
Commissioner Carollo: It's the committee.
Commissioner Reyes: Oh, okay, committee, quote/unquote. Committee is collecting
signatures to place on a ballot a different type of government -- I mean, a reform to
the type of government that will be, according to what we read, a strong Mayor. I --
as a member of this legislative body, I said -- I started thinking, I said, "Either like it
or not, either face it or not, we cannot hide our head in the sand; it's going to
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happen, and I don't want us to be left out without participating and providing our
input. " And what I have done is -- and I ask for your -- I mean -- excuse my -- me for
taking this initiative, and I took the liberty of developing some sort of -- I mean, this
is going to be just like -- I'm presenting to all of you this -- this is going to be
something that we can work from in case that we decide that we should go forward
and change the type of government that we have now; use this as a template, where
all of us, all of us -- I'm giving you this; we could discuss it, add, or delete from it.
And I am presenting this as a template, and I want copy to you, Mr. Mayor, and I
would like to discuss this, because if we agree on it, it is very simple, and it is based
on division of power, where the Commission retains its power and the Mayor obtain
new powers, you see. It is based on the type of government that we have, and it was
developed at the national level.
Commissioner Carollo: We're not going to discuss this today?
Commissioner Reyes: No, no, no, no, no. You're going to take this home.
Everybody's going to take this home. You are --
Mayor Suarez: I'll be quick.
Commissioner Reyes: -- going to read it, and if you want to use it as a template, I
think that it will be -- I mean, it will be very healthy for our government if we all
come together into an agreement. And if we're going to present something to the
voters, it comes from the body, you see. It comes -- it's an agreement, and we are -- I
mean, we are all part of that.
Mayor Suarez: Mr. Chair?
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Commissioner Reyes: I don't know if you understand what my concern is.
Vice Chair Russell: I do. We haven't studied it yet, but --
Commissioner Reyes: And why I have took this liberty to present this. It's a
template, and it's very specific. I worked on it. And please, we have to have a
meeting in which we will be able to discuss this; could be next meeting. And if we
want to present it -- I mean, agree on it. If we agree on it, and it has to -- it's going
to go to November ballot, it has to be approved before the 20 -- at the 26th meeting.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Commissioner. Mr. Mayor.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Mayor Suarez: Thank you. I'll be very brief. I just want to thank you,
Commissioner, and I want to thank all of you. You know, we've had multiple
conversations about this. You know, you and I have talked about this multiple times.
We've gone through and sort of --
Commissioner Reyes: We have argued and all of that. We yell at each other.
Mayor Suarez: And we -- it's been healthy. But I appreciate this. This is very
similar to the draft that I put forth in 2011, 2016. It's modeled on the County's
version. And this is, you know, a draft that I find to be a very positive, you know,
accomplishment of what the goal was initially, which was, essentially, a change of
system of government. And obviously, it will go to the voters, and the voters will be
the ultimate arbiter of whether or not they decide they want to do this or not do it.
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DIA
4370
Commissioners
and Mayor
Commissioner Reyes: And it will go to the voters if we --
Mayor Suarez: Of course.
Commissioner Reyes: -- decide -- I mean -- and we are comfortable, and we think
that we should change. I mean, that's why I'm bringing it, because I want
everybody's opinion.
Mayor Suarez: And I got this on Friday, and I've tried to spend -- you know, we've
talked about this. I've spent as much time as I can.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Mayor Suarez: I have a couple questions on it myself. We can all talk about it
before, hopefully.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Are there any further discussion or questions on
DL3?
Commissioner Carollo: On what now?
Vice Chair Russell: This item. Is there -- anyone else like to discuss it?
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Do we now hold hands and sing Barney's theme song
or what?
Commissioner Reyes: No. Later on, we're going to hold hands.
Mayor Suarez: Commissioner, if we put it on the ballot, yes, we can do that. I will
do it with you. I'll do it with you. I'll do it with you.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for you, Joe, that (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
DISCUSSION ITEM
DISCUSSION REGARDING DIRECTIVES TO THE CITY MANAGER.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Commissioner Reyes: Don't forget; we got to vote.
Vice Chair Russell: We do. We're missing a couple of Commissioners. Let's do
D1.4, your discussion item, on the directives of the City Manager.
Commissioner Reyes: I'm going to --
Commissioner Carollo: Where's that Item 4 in here?
Commissioner Reyes: Item 4 --
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Commissioner Carollo: What page?
Commissioner Reyes: -- that's discussion regarding directives to the City Manager.
I am going to --
Commissioner Carollo: What page?
Commissioner Reyes: What page is --? On page 31.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. I'll get there.
Commissioner Reyes: I have a list of directives that I am compiling, and the -- part
of -- I mean, some of his staff, they came to me and said they wanted to deal with
them. But the point is that I have -- there's bunch of directives that we have given,
even -- and one that really come -- I mean, irks me a lot -- and not to say another
word -- is that the first month that we were here, we voted for -- to establish Housing
Authority, didn't we?
Commissioner Carollo: We did, but Commissioner, if I may ask you this: Instead of
going into this, I think that to make this end up a lot better for the City, it's almost
good that this has happened, because, if you remember, what we had asked for and
what we got --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, I do.
Commissioner Carollo: -- it was a night -and -day difference in that --
Commissioner Reyes: No, no, no.
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Now, I've been working a lot on this,
and my missing link that I was having a problem with, I think I resolved it, because
what I'm looking for is not to create more rental units. I want people to be able to
buy their own apartments, paying, you know, this low monthly amounts so that they
don't have to throw their money out the door in paying rent. The problem has been
with a lot of the banks nowadays, they want the 20 percent down payment, and they -
- you know, there's no way that most of the people that really need it can afford that.
So I figured out a way that we could overcome that, and I'd like the opportunity to sit
with the Manager, go over it with him. Maybe we could even have a sunshine
meeting and discuss it further --
Commissioner Reyes: Well -- yes. But --
Commissioner Carollo: -- and then come back with something solid. And I'm going
to give you my whole plan then on how we're going to be able to get the money to
build. The Mayor and I have been having some discussions. I've taken him to places
where we could get additional land that we need to. We have other places that we
have land already, so I think we're going to have sufficient properties to start
building in. The question is, where do we get the money for construction? And this
is why we cannot afford to build a permits; that you have your money tie up for 30
years. If you have condos, you're going to be having a revolving door that you build.
The minute someone qualifies and gets the keys to their new home, the bank gives
you the money, and you go out and build some more, but we have to agree to certain
things. That's why that hundred million dollars that we have on the bond issue is so
important, because that could get us 20 percent of the way or more or less of what
we need citywide, because, frankly, what I'm looking for is at least $500 million,
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which you're talking about half of our general fund if we were to put it out ourselves
like that, and I also have some ideas on how we could go about that.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Commissioner, but if we don't have the organization, we
don't have the department or the Housing Authority, whatever it is, and we don't -- I
mean, pacified [sic], what is the rule, and we don't determine how we're going to do
it, and we don't organize, we have nothing.
Commissioner Carollo: You're absolutely correct, and this is part of what I intend to
bring back. Besides the Housing Authority, which is a sound way -- and, frankly,
that's what I would prefer, rather than having a department for it -- there are other
ways and other entities that we could create that --
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman?
Commissioner Carollo: -- can accomplish this.
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: I think, in the meantime, I'm working with a group of
individuals, and I think I'll be able to get some funding from outside of here; they're
willing to do a joint venture for affordable housing.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Gort: I'm working with DREAM (Department of Real Estate and
Asset Management), and we have been able to locate some of the houses. We also be
working with the Miami -Dade County and the State, and there's a lot of things that
we can do. I'm beginning to do it, and hopefully, I can bring a plan together --
Commissioner Reyes: Last -- Okay.
Commissioner Gort: -- within a month, ifpossible.
Commissioner Reyes: I think that we should have a sunshine meeting and a work -- I
mean, know what we got before -- sunshine meeting and determine what is going --
and I'm going to -- I mean, this is because of my -- that -- discussion item, that it was
directives to the --
Commissioner Gort: If I may, sir?
Commissioner Reyes: -- City Manager. Please. -- to the City -- that was one of the
directives and one of the problems that I had. There was all -- I have about 24 other
complaints that I will want to sit with the City Manager and try to get them straight,
because one thing that I don't want -- and I think that it goes for every one of us --
that when we give a directive, you see, that that directive is fulfilled. It's not like
you're going -- "Oh, yes, we're going to do it," and then four months comes by,
nothing happens.
Commissioner Carollo: Commissioner, I know how you feel --
Commissioner Reyes: You see? And --
Commissioner Carollo: -- because I've experienced some of that in the area of Code
enforcement, but look, I don't think this is the day to take out a two-by-four. The
Manager, you know, in all frankness, has had some personal issues to deal with, with
his wife being sick, and I don't think it's appropriate today.
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Commissioner Reyes: But it could not be the Manager. I want the Manager to be
aware, also; maybe he pass it down to some of his assistant or whatever --
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Commissioner.
Commissioner Reyes: -- that it has not been fulfilled, but the thing is -- and I know
that he has had some problems; nothing against directly to him. It is that when this
body, anybody -- I mean -- and we vote on a directive, it must be complied with.
That's what I'm trying to say. If not, we can -- I mean, we have -- there have to be
consequences.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Commissioner.
Commissioner Carollo: Your point is well -taken.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Manager.
Commissioner Carollo: This is well -taken.
Emilio T. Gonzalez (City Manager): Thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: Comes the end of July, you know, I'll give you the two-by-
four, you know, if need be, but not tonight, please.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much. And that completes our discussion items.
D1.5 DISCUSSION ITEM
4384 DISCUSSION REGARDING THE MULTIPLE DESIGNATION OF
Department of PROPERTIES LOCATED IN THE WEST COCONUT GROVE
Planning NEIGHBORHOOD.
MOTION TO:
Defer
RESULT:
DEFERRED
MOVER:
Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner
SECONDER:
Ken Russell, Vice Chair
AYES:
Russell, Gort, Reyes
ABSENT:
Hardemon, Carollo
Note for the Record. Item DI.S was deferred to the July 12, 2018, Regular
Commission Meeting.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item DI.S, please see "Order of the
Day" and "Public Comment Period for Regular Item(s). "
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D1.6 DISCUSSION ITEM
4345 DISCUSSION REGARDING MOTORIZED SCOOTERS.
Commissioners
and Mayor
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Note for the Record. For additional minutes referencing Item DI.6, please see
"Public Comment Period for Regular Item(s). "
Vice Chair Russell: Did you want to, while you're here, discuss DI. 6?
Mayor Francis Suarez: I'm sorry?
Vice Chair Russell: DI. 6 --
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Vice Chair Russell: -- the scooters?
Mayor Suarez: Sure. So, you know, as Mayor, I feel obligated to chime in on this
issue. Obviously, the scooters have already sort of begun in the City, and we sent
recently a cease and desist letter, because it was our analysis that there needed to be
enabling legislation passed by the City Commission before they could legally operate
on our right-of-ways [sic]. I personally am a big fan of the electric scooters. I think,
from a transportation perspective, one of the things that I've done as the Vice Chair
of the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) is try to find transportation
solutions in a very hot environment like ours for people to get to and from mass
transit. It's a last mile/first mile solution. In the very limited time that they were
operating, my understanding is that tens of thousands ofpeople use them. Certainly,
we have to regulate that use, because they do use our public right-of-way, and we
have to make sure that they do it carefully. We have to make sure that it doesn't
create liability for the City. But I do feel that it is something that could enhance the
City's ability to move its residents. I think it was enthusiastically embraced by the
residents that used it in the time that it was being used, and I think we can serve as a
national model, honestly, particularly for areas of the United States and of the world
that happen to be hot. It's the only way to get around, you know, multiple miles
without sort of sweating in the City. So I'll be looking to work with this Commission
to bring forth an enabling ordinance that will take into account some of the concerns
that have been expressed by some of the Commissioners, and obviously protect our
public rights-of-way.
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: The main reason I brought it up -- I'm not against it. I think
it's very good. And people that want to use it, they should use it, but I think there
should be a certain limit to it. I know some 14 -year-old used it, and a 14 -year-old on
that type of vehicle, it could be dangerous. We had someone here today who had an
accident, and he was talking about it. And what really gets me is that people who
uses the City of Miami for experiment --
Mayor Suarez: Right.
Commissioner Gort: -- and they ignore, and we are laughed at, because they're not
complying with any ordinance. They just working out of the -- like some of the
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bicycles that are coming up now. We had Citibank, which it was a bicycle that we
accepted by the City Commission. We put certain conditions to it, and I think it
could be a revenue for the City also. So that's the only thing I ask, that we get an
ordinance to make sure that we don't have any liability. Like a gentleman that fell
down today, I don't know what he's going to do, but he said the reason he fell down,
because the way we build and the way that we (UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- befell down
and he had to go to surgery right away that afternoon.
Mayor Suarez: Got it.
Commissioner Gort: So --
Mayor Suarez: Thankyou.
Commissioner Gort: -- I'm all for it. I think -- I don't have any problem with that.
Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chair? Mr. Chair?
Vice Chair Russell: Yes, Commissioner Reyes.
Commissioner Reyes: I have my concerns with it --
Mayor Suarez: Sure.
Commissioner Reyes: --particularly in neighborhoods. I expressed that publicly. I
don't know -- today, there was a radio station that call me in the morning, and they
asked my opinion. You know the way I am; I speak up my mind.
Mayor Suarez: Sure.
Commissioner Reyes: And I told them that I was very concerned about these --
Mayor Suarez: Type of transportation.
Commissioner Reyes: -- scooters --
Mayor Suarez: Yeah.
Commissioner Reyes: -- being used in streets -- I mean, in our sidewalks;
particularly in our neighborhoods, and we have very narrow sidewalks. We have a
lot of people that use those sidewalks. And I cannot fathom a person going 16 miles
an hour in -- on a scooter on a sidewalk. I mean, if a person just comes into the
sidewalk, they cannot stop. And if you want to test that, get your car, go 60 miles an
hour, and hit a pole, and you're going to see how hard it's going to be hit. You see,
this could kill or it could, I mean, really hurt an individual. Another -- this is food
for your thought, that another concern that I have, it is how much it will cost to
regulate, and to make sure that the ordinance that is going to be put in place that it
is complied by the owners of the scooters? Because if we are going -- as I ask a
question that says that "Who's going to regulate them?" I said, "The police ojficer. "
And then we have to request a huge number of extra police officers so they can be
regulating, and I'm telling you this because no matter how much we talk and we
write on regulations that shouldn't be, I have seen, even in the City of Miami -- as a
matter of fact, on 22nd -- on Southwest 7th Street, between 22nd and 23rd Avenue, I
have seen land bikes parked on the sidewalk, and people -- and that's a very busy
street -- people that were walking, they have to get off the street -- I mean, off the
sidewalk and go into the streets; that they are endangering their life.
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Mayor Suarez: Got you.
Commissioner Reyes: You see, we have to be very careful what we're doing. I know
that it sound -- it is very chic, very modern. You see all these use in Europe; we're
not in Europe. You see, we are in Miami, and we have to be very pragmatic, very
pragmatic. And the population that we have in Miami is very complex. We have a
bunch of people that they are -- can't -- don't move as fast to get out of the way of
this vehicle that it is riding on -- I mean, according to what I read, they could ride
them on sidewalks, a sidewalk that is not even three feet.
Mayor Suarez: Right.
Commissioner Reyes: You see? Imagine, if a lady is --just turn the corner, and she
has a baby in a stroller, and here comes this guy, 175 miles -- pounder -- at 60 miles
an hour. It's faster than a defensive back hitting a receiver, because it goes faster
than that. And I'm very concerned about it, very concerned about it.
Mayor Suarez: Yeah.
Commissioner Reyes: And also, liability, potential liability, and all of that. So we
have to be very careful how we adopt that.
Commissioner Carollo: Here's what I'd like to see that you put into an ordinance:
First of all, we need -- whether it's a small department -- one or two people to
regulate this and be on top of it.
Commissioner Reyes: For the whole City?
Commissioner Carollo: Well, whatever it takes. I don't know. It might be more.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: But whatever the Administration feels that we need to
regulate this well, and most likely, it should be in the police, but I don't want to see
full-time police officers --
Commissioner Reyes: I know.
Commissioner Carollo: -- handling this. They need to be fighting crime. They all --
I don't know how many companies are out there, two or more, but they need to pay a
price that will go towards the regulation of this.
Mayor Suarez: Sure.
Commissioner Carollo: I mean, I think that's fair.
Mayor Suarez: Yeah, I do too.
Chair Hardemon: What is it?
Commissioner Reyes: Regulation plus revenues, you see.
Mayor Suarez: I'm sorry?
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Commissioner Reyes: Regulation plus revenues for the City.
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Mayor Suarez: Sure.
Commissioner Carollo: Secondly, they're the ones that want to do business here.
We haven't asked them to come. We need from many of these firms hold harmless --
Mayor Suarez: Sure.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: -- that they will have to pay our attorneys, and they need to
put a bond upfront, right off the bat; at least a million dollars, if not more, of a bond,
per incident, that they need to have out there to cover us, because what if they leave?
What if they go broke? I don't want to get into that. I want to see a bond so we know
we're secure, if there's incidents that we're stuck with afterwards. Last, but not least,
I don't know what we have done to look at other cities that have had them, those that
have them now, and those that had them and got rid of them. I believe this whole
concept started in New York City. They have outlawed it. I want to know why?
What happened there?
Mayor Suarez: Yeah. And I would say, in the time that I've been discussing this
ordinance internally, the -- I have to commend the City Attorney's Office. They've
really done a pretty exhaustive, sort of national search of legislation to determine
what's the best sort of practice. But I think all the comments that were made, the
comments, we'll definitely take that into account. In terms of New York, you know,
they obviously have a very comprehensive mass transit system, number one, which
we don't. And number two, they also have much more density on the sidewalks than
what we have. And so, I think in our -- I think what the Commissioner said is right,
but I also look at the other side of the coin in terms of an opportunity to feed our
trolley system. So, you know, I think there's two sides to the story.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Lastly, the only other comment I'd like to make is that
we should look at this with a limited amount of time. It'll be a pilot program,
citywide, to see how it works out for us, and then we revisit it six months later,
whatever the time is. It shouldn't be more than a year, obviously.
Mayor Suarez: Right.
Commissioner Carollo: But we should revisit it, if it passes, and see how it went.
My concern is very similar to what Commissioner Reyes mentioned. I look at one of
the major problems that I have in District 3, and it's bicycles on the sidewalk --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: -- and they're actually hurting people. They knocked a
tourist down a couple of weeks ago with a bicycle going through there. And these
guys, they go quickly with it. They don't care. The old guy that sells the peanuts
there, with a City license that he pays -- so I respect him very much -- he showed me
his hand. He got hit by one of these guys with bicycles. So I'm concerned with that.
Even though it's not as big as a bicycle, they go as fast, if not faster, than a bicycle.
And I don't see anybody regulating, ticketing, going after these guys that are riding
bicycles in the sidewalk, so I don't want to be in a situation that this happens, that
they're being extremely careless, and we have no one to take action.
Chair Hardemon: I don't know. I mean, I'm not one that's been impressed with
these scooters, partly because it reminds me, first, of -- I guess you will call it
"LimeBike" -- `LimeBikes, " because the LimeBikes end up everywhere. They just --
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Commissioner Reyes: Everywhere.
Chair Hardemon: -- you find them in swales. You find them on sidewalks.
Commissioner Carollo: Everywhere.
Chair Hardemon: So what I've been running into with these scooters is, I found
them in the right-of-ways [sic], in the middle of the sidewalk; so, of course, I think
about, you know, people who have to pass by on wheelchairs, et cetera; they can't
necessarily get by them. I was just in another city. I was in another city, and I saw
the same sort of scooters; they were in the -- on the public sidewalk. You know, I
don't really buy as much of it as they're quality options for people to use to get to, for
instance, other sorts of transit or to get around in cities easier. I mean, they're a
scooter. They're scooters.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, that's the bottom line.
Chair Hardemon: I mean --
Commissioner Carollo: You can paint it --
Chair Hardemon: -- a bike --
Commissioner Carollo: -- any way you want to, but it's a scooter.
Chair Hardemon: -- yeah. A bike, I could see.
Commissioner Reyes: Call them whatever you want.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: But -- and so -- look -- so, you know, I'm not excited, and I'm not
excited about it necessarily -- for instance, the City bikes that we have, we have
designated spots for them. I think they're --it's really organized the way that it is. It
doesn't cause any sort of visual disturbance to the majority of the city blocks that it's
on. You can get on them. You travel -- most people know how to ride bikes; they
ride bikes. Even if it's for -- if you're getting it from point A " to point `B, " or if it's
for leisure. I think the scooters just sound a bit more of a -- they appear to require a
little bit more skill --
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Hardemon: -- and we don't have -- and then, if -- to make it visually
acceptable, then the only thing I could see is you're saying, "Let's create a
designated area for the scooters, " but, you know, I don't know if that's necessary
when you already have bikes.
Commissioner Carollo: Then the other point being --
Chair Hardemon: So it's like, we have one; why do we need the other?
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. The other point being is --
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman?
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Commissioner Carollo: -- like I've seen in my district already, they know they can't
go as fast, even if they wanted to, in the sidewalks, so they're taking them to the
streets.
Chair Hardemon: Right. And then, look -- and I'll get -- I'll come to you, Mr. Vice
Chairman. And scooters are compact, so I feel like people --you know, people have
scooters, they can own scooters, and choose to take them with them wherever they
like. Mr. Vice Chairman.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. I will be sponsoring this legislation, and working
and taking everyone's consideration, but I believe the Mayor's taking a lead on it;
I'm certainly an advocate. I anecdotally have met my first person who is actually
considering getting rid of their car, now that we would have this in place, and they
tried it for the first time on a whim from their home in the North Grove, and they
work in the Center Grove; it's about a mile away, more or less, and they just went on
the app to see if there was one nearby, and there was one 200 yards away. He
walked to it. He rode it to work down Bayshore Drive, and he's actually considering
it, if this becomes a regular use of transportation. It's not for everybody, but this
happened to be a 50 -year-old businessman. And, you know, there are safety issue.
So I would also like to make sure that our legislation takes into account not just the
commercial versions of these, but also the recreational, because people do buy them
and own them on their own, and children do own them. And so, I'd like us to
regulate that, as that does fall under the State statute, as well, and we will be seeing
that. I would recommend that we bifurcate the bicycle issue --
Mayor Suarez: Totally agree.
Vice Chair Russell: -- and make this all about the scooters, because we have a
bicycle partner in the Citi Bike situation. And the difference between bikes and
scooters when they get scattered and dumped, they don't have to be picked up. The
scooters have to be picked up every night to be charged. And so, there is an
organized pickup system so they don't just get left in a park for days and days; the
bikes, however, are different. So those are just some of the things. The usage cap is
very important to me, so they can't just litter everywhere. They can only put out a
percentage of what is being used every day, and I think that shows we're only
encouraging what people want to use from it. So those are just some of the things;
there's many others, but I do look forward to it, and I think it can make a difference
in Miami.
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman?
Mayor Suarez: I do, too.
Commissioner Gort: I want to make sure that I get copy, not at the end. I want to be
part of the information be given to us.
Rafael Suarez -Rivas (Senior Assistant City Attorney): Yes. Thank you. It was my
impression that all the elected officials, as the Mayor mentioned, have the proposed
ordinance, but we'll certainly run off a copy for you right now, Commissioner Gort,
and you can discuss it today or you can set a time in the future where you might want
to consider this on first reading, and various comments have been made by the
ojficials.
Mayor Suarez: Mr. Chair?
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Commissioner Carollo: Mr. Mayor, I don't think you want to bring this up today.
(UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Gort: I haven't seen anything.
Mr. Suarez -Rivas: No. Right. No, no. This is just a discussion item. I'm just
mentioning it --
Commissioner Gort: All right.
Mr. Suarez -Rivas: --for the future.
Commissioner Carollo: Its only a discussion item, right?
Mr. Suarez -Rivas: That's all.
Mayor Suarez: Yeah. This is a discussion item?
Mr. Suarez -Rivas: No, no. We'll run off a copy.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Mayor Suarez: Yeah, yeah. My understanding was that the City Attorney circulated
a draft last night.
Mr. Suarez -Rivas: Yes. That was -- but we -- I'll -- we'll get -- make a copy for
Commissioner Gort --
Mayor Suarez: No, no, that's fine.
Mr. Suarez -Rivas: -- now in case he didn't -- right.
Mayor Suarez: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that --
Mr. Suarez -Rivas: Yes.
Mayor Suarez: -- she circulated a draft --
Mr. Suarez -Rivas: Yes, yes.
Mayor Suarez: -- to everyone --
Mr. Suarez -Rivas: Yes.
Mayor Suarez: -- not just -- Okay.
Mr. Suarez -Rivas: Yes, I certainly believe so; may not have seen it.
Commissioner Carollo: I (UNINTELLIGIBLE), because I'm not counting the votes
up here right now, so I think that's why (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mayor Suarez: I hear you. Listen, I --
Vice Chair Russell: Its got a ways to go.
Mayor Suarez: I've been up there long enough to figure that part out.
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Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mayor Suarez: But I -- look, I've take -- you know, I understand your concerns and
your comments; I think they're all reasonable. I do -- I am a big believer in this. I've
seen in the short time that they've been operating in the areas and in the places that
I've seen them to be extremely positive, but I do think, just like with everything else
that's new, it needs regulation. And so, I think that's the spirit that I'm hoping to
hear from all of you, and hopefully, we can get something -- to do something that I
think is innovative and that I think could serve as a model of innova -- transportation
innovation in the US (United States), and hopefully, we can do it in a responsible
fashion. Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Mr. Mayor.
END OF DISCUSSION ITEMS
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PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR PLANNING AND ZONING ITEM(S)
Chair Hardemon: I'll open the floor now for public comment. If you're a member of
the public and you want to speak on any of the Planning & Zoning agenda items,
now is your opportunity to be heard. So if you are a member of the public, approach
one of the two lecterns. State your first name, your last name; you may state your
address, and then what item it is that you're speaking about. Once again, this is the
public comment section of this afternoon agenda. If you want to speak on any of the
Planning & Zoning items as a member of the public, state your first name and your
last name; you may state your address, and what item it is that you're speaking
about. You're recognized, sir.
Sherman Rattner: Hello. My name is Sherman Rattner. I'm the President of 1809
Brickell Avenue Tenants Association, and sort of a continuation of FI [sic] and
PZ. 11, and the conversions between preserving affordable housing and preserving
historic properties seems to be many of the same issues going on, and I would hope
perhaps you would consider as amendments including affordable housing --
including multi family affordable housing in the same kind of incentive programs
that you're discussing for historic housing, and why it should not be part of that
same bill, since many of those same issues apply. One of the things that we're using
that might be useful, if it's in -- if it's something you want to do, then it's kind of a
carrot and a stick, and I -- hearing that young lady speaking about the impact it had
on her life, and that makes me think of Bert Harris Act. But there's a lot of
provisions and a way to deal with that, using the carrot and the stick, where you can
discourage people from not doing something you don't want done, and encourage
them to do something you do want done. So as an example, as a means of saving our
affordable housing, which will expire in 2019 -- and I think this applies to the
historic preservation -- I know there's a group that's planning a citizens' initiative
that will incorporate zoning reversions. Essentially, it's a two-pronged approach,
basically. If they do not continue in one path, keeping the affordable housing or
incorporating it into some future development, then they revert back to the original
zoning that existed -- in our particular case, back to 1965. On the other hand, if they
incorporate the existing affordable housing or if we're talking about historic
preservation, then you give them immense bonuses on what they can do with their
market rate housing and affordable housing preservation; and in the same way, you
would apply that to historic housing. So there are ways of dealing with this. I know
in our situation, we don't have a lot of time, so I hope you will consider
incorporating some of these ideas. I can go into more detail with each of your
separately, if you would care to meet with me, on how we can preserve 1809 Brickell
Avenue and the thousands of other affordable housing projects that are going to be
lost --
Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much, sir.
Mr. Rattner: -- in the same way that historic housing is going to be lost if we don't
act now. Thank you.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much, sir. Ma'am, you're recognized.
Tamme Flood: Hi. My name is Tamme Flood. I live at 928 Northwest 9th Court.
I'm speaking on PZ.9, which is an appeal that's coming before you by Becky and
Skeet (phonetic) Long -- Becky Long and Skeet (phonetic) Perry. I'm a resident of
Spring Garden, and I went to the Commission -- to the hearing on the HEP (Historic
& Environmental Preservation Board) Board. There was a lot of misinformation
given, and I just wanted to clarify. You have -- you should have 12 pages in the
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application for the HEP. Do you have the 12 pages in your full packet; do you
know?
Chair Hardemon: I don't know. We have to -- I have to look and -- we have to find
it.
Ms. Flood: I just want to make sure that you guys have seen, because there -- The
Class I Permit for -- first of all, I have a copy of the Class I Permit in there for the
County. It states that it's a new seawall. But in the resolution that is for today, you
say that you're repairing the seawall. So that's already a discrepancy. Originally,
when I came before this Commission in March the 9th -- there's two grants through
FIND (Florida Inland Navigation District); one for the big park, one for the little
park. And what we were saying is instead of launching people in the kayak launch
into the Miami River, which we feel like is a death launch, put them in the little park,
which is on the Seybold Canal. That was really the main reason for all of this. It's
not that we're opposing kayakers. We love kayakers. My daughter is going to speak.
She's a kayaker. But the Miami River is the wrong place to do this. The members of
our neighborhood --from the Spring Garden Civic Association, you have a letter of
support. They're afraid that we're going to lose the FIND Grant if we don't take the
sea -- the kayak launch. The FIND Grant already has the seawall money in it. And
as I understand from CIP (Capital Improvements Program), that money's been
allocated; it's $500,000, just from the City. The whole project is $1.5 million to
repair a seawall. That doesn't make any sense. And you're going to cut into a park.
500 square feet is going to be taken off the tip of that park. You're going to discover
artifacts that have -- in that 12 pages, I have the archeological zones. We're red;
we're a high red probability of archeological artifacts. They're going to stop the
project. It's going to take us forever to get the seawall repaired. So we're just
asking -- and Becky will make a presentation -- that you reconsider the whole thing.
In the interest of economics, I mean, it makes no sense to spend $1.5 million when
you could spend a hundred thousand, and you can put that money somewhere else in
the City. Thank you.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much, ma'am. Hello.
Daimara Perez: Hi. My name is Daimara Perez. I am the owner and CEO (Chief
Executive Officer) of American Investment Group. It's a real estate company. And
I've done business for a while in the area of downtown and Brickell. I'm here to
speak for PZ.2, Arts Luxury, and I'm here to ask you to consider approving this
project. As a real estate broker in this area, I am really concerned, because there's a
shortage of rental units, especially of larger apartments. You know, there are
several that are one -bedrooms. They're very, very small, and they're very costly.
And there are many young families that are looking to move to this area, especially
because they work in the metropolitan area; and, as we all know, traffic is terrible,
so. And there's -- there are very few apartments that are, you know, two bedrooms
or more. So I think that this project will be great to satisfy those tenants that are
currently looking. Also, let's say that the tenants not necessarily have a family, but
they want to live in the area, again, because they work around. They could find
roommates and they could still make arrangements to be able to afford. In a one -
bedroom apartment or a studio, it's really hard to do that. So I really believe that by
increasing the size of the units, it will greatly improve, obviously, my ability to make
business and the ability of potential tenants to live in the area. Also, this area has
been, let's say, revitalized. So obviously, new people living here will help the
businesses around and the overall economy of the City. Again, I really appreciate
that you guys take my testimony into consideration, and I look forward to you guys
approving this. Thank you.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much.
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George Cabrera: Good afternoon. My name is George Cabrera, and I'm at 690
Southwest 1st Court, and I'm here for PZ.2, for the Arts Project. I am the President
of Cabrera Consulting Group, but the former President of one of the oldest
organizations here in South Florida, Aspira, Florida. And our organization was -- is
very close -- was very close by to the Arts Project. And as an educator, and as a
former President servicing this community, I'm here to urge you to please consider
this project. This is very important for the community. This whole live, work, and
play initiative is very important for the families. The larger unit that is being built is
much necessary for a lot of the young families that we service. So I'm here today
before you to please consider this project. Thank you.
Arva Jain: Arva Jain, 720 Northeast 69th Street, Miami 33138. I'm here to speak on
behalf of FR.2, a very positive public benefits legislation. I want to thank
Commissioner Carollo and Commissioner Russell for championing this legislation. I
want to share with you all that the first project -- or the project that I hope gets the
first benefit from this legislation is actually an affordable housing project that is in
Commissioner Hardemon's district, the Chairman's district in Little Haiti. It is a -- it
is designated with a 30 year covenant. And through the designation, because the
designa -- because of the new legislation, it requires all monies that are benefited
from the sales of TDRs (transfer development rights) and TODs (transfer
development densities) be reinvested into the properties, which is really important,
which was Commissioner Reyes' comment that that is built into the legislation as an
important improvement; that these are monies that will now be used to produce, I
think, exceptional affordable housing. I sit on the Commission of Miami
Preservation, with George Manesh (phonetic) and Mr. Lieu (phonetic) and Homes
for All. We had a meeting earlier this week, and one of the discussions was, "How
do we come up with funding? Where's the gap funding for affordable housing?"
with a focus on NOAH, Natural Occurring Affordable Housing, which tends -- which
sometimes falls into culturally historic neighborhoods. So again, where, by choice,
people choose to take advantage of this tool, it could be a source of gap funding. I
know that I'm using it. I know that it was discussed at length in the meeting for these
buildings that are, you know, multiplex buildings, so I think this is an important
public benefits tool. Chairman, I'm in your district. You have -- it's the home of
Palm Grove. It's home of MiMo (Miami Modern). You've seen how incentives can
work; and so, I appreciate your support on this legislation. And again, very -- a lot
of work by Planning & Zoning, and a lot of other people in this room. And thank
you for, I think, what's going to be a very valuable tool and incentive for affordable
housing and the encouragement of historic preservation. Thank you.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much. Ma'am, you're recognized.
Commissioner Gort: You know, this mike over here is not bad. You guys can --
Katie Flood: My name is Katie Flood. I live at 928 Northwest 9th Court, in Spring
Garden Historic District, and I want to address Item PZ.9; particularly, the kayak
launch at Pointe Park. I am a kayak owner and a boat owner. I use the Miami River
to get in and out with my 40 foot sailboat all the time. And in all my years of living
near the River, I have never in my life wanted to use a kayak in such an active and
dangerous waterway where cargo ships, with limited maneuverability, are passing
by, you know, six times a day. And I think that the last thing you would want, you
know, as our elected officials, is to put us in danger by actively placing us in their
path. You're also endangering local boaters when you do this, not just, you know,
kayakers and small watercraft. I think it's pretty reckless to put them in our way, to
put them in the way of cargo ships. You know, you're kind of creating an enormous
liability for yourselves. I know that the Florida Department of Transportation
recently published studies for the marine industrial capacity of the river, and they
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have plans to double its freight traffic for this year alone, so there's kind of a conflict
of interest there. You're trying to increase the freight capacity, the cargo capacity of
your river, but you're also trying to put small watercraft in their way. So I would
greatly urge you to reconsider this entire project. Thank you.
Krassi Ivanov: Good afternoon. My name is Krassi Ivanov. I'm residing at 870
Northwest 11th Street. It's apart of Spring Garden. I'm here for the past 30 years,
and I was waiting to see some improvements. They're on the way. They're there --
18 years ago, I went to the Miami Rowing Club Board, and asked them to create and
open some door (UNINTELLIGIBLE) kayak (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to make this a
little bit different, thinking about the European way in London (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
far away from that, but there's a time we can see that the improvements, they are
there. Long time ago, the president of the Rowing Club was laughing, and said,
"When somebody fell on the river and on the canal, they're going to stuck there
forever. This is not the case now. The river is cleaner. The canal is
(UNINTELLIGIBLE). The waterways, they're a little bit different. I don't think
money spent into this project, they are in the wrong place. Canoe kayak recreation
you can do in the inside waterway, where there's not wakes. There are places, just
like rivers, canals, and special stadiums, like we have behind the Rusty Pelican.
Getting into this project, I think we're going to shut two things in one. We have the
recreational possibility, and we have some type of possibility to bring some activities
that they were going to create additional traffic, that never going to create
additional boating, and it's going to be much quiet in the environment that's going to
join them. And I think for this project, any penny that the City is going to spend is
going to be in addition to -- that's what you're doing already with improving the
rivers and the waterways. Please go ahead and support this issue. Thank you for
your time.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much, sir. Sir, you're recognized.
Giuseppe Mantica: Good afternoon. My name is Giuseppe Mantica, 2350
Southwest 27th Avenue. I'm herein support of Item PZ.2 for two reasons: One, for
the developer behind the item, and the reason why it's being asked for. The
developer is J. Milton. It's one of the most reputable developers in Miami -Dade
County. The family behind it is also constantly giving back to the community. The
company's business model is "Build to Keep," not "Build to Sell," as many of the
developers do, and this is important, because it shows how rooted they are in the
community. The developer also owns approximately 10,000 units, which mostly are
located in the Miami -Dade County area, which I believe makes them one of the top
payers of real estate taxes in the County; I think around $9 million in 2017 alone just
in real estate taxes. The company also employs around 500 people. Those are
temporary jobs. We also like to consider, please, the -- those are permanent jobs.
Also consider the temporary jobs that each of their projects generate for the City.
Because of the previously mentioned, I urge the Commissioners to facilitate the
multi -million -dollar investment that the developer will carry, which will benefit the
City. In regards to the project, why is this being requested? I think that what -- the
reason why they are requesting is because it's -- the change in the zoning will allow
them to build bigger units, not necessarily more units. And let me tell you, as a
person who has earned less than $50,000 a year, the solution is roommates. That's
the solution. To be able to share a unit is what makes it affordable, is what makes it
attainable. So please support this decision so that we can have roommate friendly
units in that area. Thank you so much.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you, sir.
Linda Alger: Good afternoon. Linda Alger, 2784 Southwest 29th Avenue, 33133. I
want to speak on Item PZ. 11 and 12, I believe, which are companion items to the FR
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first reading) item that was heard earlier. And I want to point out, when you
brought up T4s, the Coconut Grove Metrorail Station, the land adjacent to it was
rezoned a long time ago, and a lot of it was rezoned T4. So while that land is not on
a major corridor, it actually sits off of US 1, between 27th Lane and 28th Lane.
Those properties were rezoned T4. They currently back up to public storage
companies; and the current project that's being built, the Casa Grove Project, which
is a 12 -story building, which is, I think, up to their fourth floor now. So I just want to
make sure that in a true transit -oriented zone that those T4s are not taken off the
table for receiving sites for the TDDs. Thank you.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you, ma'am. Sir.
Tucker Gibbs: Good afternoon. My name is Tucker Gibbs. I'm representing Parc
Lofts Condominium Association, and I'd like to request intervener status for today's
meeting and for the next meeting, as well, second reading.
Chair Hardemon: Its not the time.
Mr. Gibbs: Pardon me?
Chair Hardemon: Not at this time right now.
Mr. Gibbs: Not at this time? So --
Chair Hardemon: When the item comes up, whatever the item is, then we'll discuss
it.
Mr. Gibbs: I just want to be sure that, at that time, my clients can at least speak to
the issue.
Chair Hardemon: What is -- which item is it?
Mr. Gibbs: Item PZ.2.
Chair Hardemon: PZ.2. Yeah, when we get there, we'll discuss it.
Mr. Gibbs: Okay. Thank you.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. You're recognized.
Luis Mata: Luis Mata, 5085 Northwest 7th Street, Unit 1001, Miami, Florida 33126.
Good afternoon, Chairman and Commissioners. Thank you for the service that you
provide our city. And I'm here in support of PZ. 2, and it's for three simple reasons,
some of which you've heard. The first one is need, and I think that for all of us in the
community that drive by that area and see it from the highway on the ground, it's
basically vacant. It's barren. We have folks come in from out of town and ask us,
"What's going on there? You guys going to build a soccer stadium or something
there?" The answer is, "No, nothing's going up there. Nothing has been going up
therefor some time. " So there clearly is a need in the area. There's also a need for
income and take revenue in our city to continue to do great things, so developing
there will bring us tremendous tax revenue and property tax revenue. The second
reason for developing -- or for supporting this item is the solid developer, and as
previously mentioned, the Miltons are committed to our community; have been for
decades. And choosing to support a developer to continue the legacy left by their
father, it allows us to continue to grow our city and to provide needed households for
decades to come. Beyond that, I'd really approve and want your desire, but there's
one last thing. And I'm serving on boards; you worry about making a decision that's
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going to make an impact and change what has been done previously. Well,
previously, similar requests have been made, and previously, they've been approved
five times. So that should provide some comfort, as it did to the PZAB (Planning,
Zoning & Appeals Board) Board in passing this, and to you all, as well, that this has
been done before; it should be done again with a solid developer to fill the need.
Thank you, folks.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you, sir. Sir.
Yariel Diaz: Good afternoon, Chairman and Commissioners. My name is Yariel
Diaz, 1857 Northwest 24th Street, Allapattah. I'm here in support of PZ. L As
Allapattah continues to gentry, we support projects like PZ.1 that will bring more
affordable housing to lower- and middle-income residents of Allapattah. Thankyou.
Chair Hardemon: Sir, you're recognized.
Sonless Martin: Good afternoon, Chair, Vice Chair, Commission. Sonless Martin,
14050 Northeast 6th Avenue, Apartment 310, North Miami, Florida 33161. I'm, too,
in support of PZ.2. I think it's a great project. I have pretty much similar sayings,
like everyone else. He's a reputable developer. I think it's great for the City. I just
think this is a all-around win-win for everyone. Thank you.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you.
Richard Veber: Good afternoon, gentlemen. I'm Richard Veber. I live at 723
Northwest 9th Avenue. I'm here to speak against the appeal of the HEP Board
decision for the replacement of the seawall at Spring Garden Pointe Park. I've got
some photos I'd like passed; just small sample. The seawall will have -- be paid for
by buying funds, and they -- the City has already spent, I believe, a couple of
hundred thousand dollars in preparation for getting this funding available to have
this project done. The seawall, in my opinion, is a liability to the City. I mean, as it
is right now. There is a dip in the land there, afoot, where I think it's undermining
the seawalls even, and I think it's a risk, a legal liability for the City. So I want to be
-- voice my opposition to this appeal, and want to show --you to have this.
Chair Hardemon: Make sure you give one of those to the Clerk.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you, sir. Now, is -- the dog is telling us exactly where the
seawall is in this picture?
Mr. Veber: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Hardemon: The dog telling us that this is the seawall?
Mr. Veber: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Hardemon: Okay, Okay, got it. Thank you, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Is that dog, or --
Chair Hardemon: I thought that it was a tail, but that's a paw. That's a paw. You're
recognized, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Almost thought it was (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
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Chair Hardemon: You're recognized.
Charles Greenfield: Am I recognized?
Chair Hardemon: Yes, sir.
Mr. Greenfield: Thank you. I'm Charles Greenfield. My family has been in Spring
Garden since the 1920s, so we've been there a long time. I am also against the
appeal. I think it's important that the Pointe Park maintain its openness to the
general public. I think it's very, very important. The fact that there will be a kayak
approach or a roadway into the canal area, I think, is very important. And more
importantly, as a taxpayer, I'm thrilled that there are other sources, private sources
that are going to be part of this project. I'm a little tired of always being a taxpayer
that pays. It's nice to know that this is going to be a joint project between private
and government funding, so that, to me, is terrific. Another point I'd like to make is,
we use the park all the time, and I think it's important that people come to our
neighborhood, see an open park like that. A lot of people like kayaks, explore the
river. The Miami River at that point is -- has a sharp turn where the Fifth Street
Bridge is, so all the freighters have to, obviously, slow down. So I think there is a
minimal danger to kayakers. In addition, kayakers can do a 360 -degree turn very
easily, as opposed to a jet skier or someone else who I think is in more danger than a
kayaker. So I would say, please think of our park. And thank you, City Commission,
for that consideration to maintain our park and open it to people.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you, sir. Ma'am, you're recognized.
Brenda Betancourt: Good afternoon. Brenda Betancourt, 1436 Southwest 6th
Street. Just have questions for -- some of those items are going to be up -zoning,
especially the one in 8th Street and, actually, 9th Avenue, Northwest and 1st. They
are being -- up -zoning from 7 --for T5 to T6. Are -- we are getting any benefit?
Chair Hardemon: Is that PZ.5 and 6?
Ms. Betancourt: PZ.S, yes.
Chair Hardemon: PZ. S and 6 were deferred.
Ms. Betancourt: That's it? That's why you are --? Okay. Questions for the PZ that
have the problem with the utility connections. Are we working in any kind of way to
get those private owner who have FPL (Florida Power Light) going through their
property to be able to remove them? Because I see that unless it is a project -- a
specific project is the one -- it gets, you know, the attention of the City, but as the
City, we have many different business owners, private owner who have FPL going
through your backyard, and nothing you can do about it. If anything that the City is
planning on trying to help those owners who don't want those transmitters behind
our backyard to protect us? That, to me, is the only thing I got to say. And if --
hopefully, that all this up -zoning that we are doing are going to be a little bit more
continued with Miami 21. You know, Miami 21 is nothing that -- what we approve
than what we've done now. We have done more changes to Miami 21 to change
everything that we approve, than we're actually doing Miami 21. So if we're going
to do more changes, are you going to -- as the City, going to plan to --for example,
7th Street, to be up -zoned, according with what the market is, that is going to be as a
transit zone? Now we having, you know, all these businesses and owners who are --
lost the property in Flagler and 1st; now is new development, who bought it cheaper,
and now they're doing great stuff for the future of our City, but are we planning
actually in improving the whole thing for everybody who actually still own it,
property, in those areas? Because that will be fair [sic/ for those who be there 30
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years ago and now they have to sell because they're broke, because of construction.
I think the City should try to think about those that still there and help those, as well,
not just the big developers to come.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you. Seeing no further comments, I'm going to close
public comment at this time.
PART B: PZ - PLANNING AND ZONING ITEM(S)
The following item(s) shall not be considered before 2:00 PM
PZ ORDER OF THE DAY
Chair Hardemon: All right. So let's swear everyone in and try to get some public
comment and get people out of here.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. If you'll be
speaking on any of today's Planning & Zoning items -- any of today's Planning &
Zoning 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 Hardemon: Thank you very much.
Barnaby Min (Deputy City Attorney): PZ (Planning & Zoning) items shall proceed
according to Section 7.1.4 of the Miami 21 Zoning Code. Before any PZ item is
heard, all those wishing to speak must be sworn in by the City Clerk. Please note,
Commissioners have been briefed by City staff and the City Attorney on items on the
agenda today. The members of the City Commission shall disclose any ex parte
communications, to remove the presumption of prejudice, pursuant to Florida
Statute Section 286.011(5) and Section 7.1.4.5 of the Miami 21 Zoning Code. Any
person may be heard by the City Commission through the Chair for not more than
two minutes on any proposition before the City Commission, unless modified by the
Chair. If the proposition is being continued or rescheduled, the opportunity to be
heard may be at such later date before the City Commission takes action on such
proposition. The Chairman will advise the public when the public may have the
opportunity to address the City Commission during the public comment period.
When addressing the City Commission, the member of the public may first state his
or her name, his or her address, and what item will be spoken about. A copy of the
agenda item titles will be available at the City Clerk's Office and at the podium for
your ease of reference. Staff will then briefly present each item to be heard. For
applications requiring City Commission approval, the applicant will then 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. The
order of presentation shall be as set forth in Miami 21 and in the City Code,
providing the appellant shall present first For appeals, the appellant will present its
appeal to the City Commission, followed by the appellee. Staff will be allowed to
make any recommendations they may have. All persons testifying must be sworn in.
The City of Miami requires that anyone requesting action by the City Commission
must disclose before the hearing anything provided to anyone for agreement to
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support or withhold objection to the requested action, pursuant to Section 2-8 of the
City Code. Any documents offered to the City Commissioners that have not been
provided seven days before the meeting as part of the agenda materials will be
entered into the record at the City Commission's direction -- discretion. If any
Commissioner thinks that documents supplied to the Commission less than seven
days before merit a continuance, the item may be continued by the City Commission.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Commissioner Gort: Will those that wish to testify, please come forward?
Chair Hardemon: Well, before --
Commissioner Gort: Sorry.
Chair Hardemon: Are there any items that need to be continued, deferred, or
withdrawn?
Francisco Garcia (Director, Planning): Yes, sir.
Chair Hardemon: Can you tell us what they are, please? And tell us what the action
is first.
Mr. Garcia: At present and for consideration for either continuance, deferral, or
other action are the items that follow: PZ. 10 was published as an item to be
deferred indefinitely. It is a companion item to one you've heard previously in the
regular agenda. In addition to that, in conversations with the applicants for Items
PZ.5 and PZ. 6, I have expressed my reluctance to go forward with these items at this
time. I believe they are here to represent their own interests, and I would propose to
the Commission that, at the very least, these items be deferred to the hearing of July
12, and I'm speaking about Items PZ.5 and PZ. 6.
Chair Hardemon: Is the applicant here for PZ.S and PZ.6? How you doing, sir?
Announce yourself for the record.
William Riley: Mr. Chairman, for the record, my name is Bill Riley; offices located
at 600 Brickell Avenue, here on behalf of the applicant for PZ Item S and 6.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Do you have any objection to the requested deferral by the
staff?
Mr. Riley: We understand that there are some questions that staff has, and they want
to evaluate those questions with us. We have a meeting with them next week. We'd
like to proceed today, if it's the will of the Commission, only on first reading. But if
it's the will of the Commission to be continued, I'd just ask for the Commission to
continue it to the July 12 meeting to allow us to continue to the next step.
Chair Hardemon: So this is land use and it's a zoning change, PZ.5 and PZ. 6. You
know, we just find that very hard-pressed. If you have a -- if you have staff saying,
"Hey, they need more time, " we would assume that you do need more time. But, you
know, I don't think we want to put too many things on that 12th agenda, because I
think it's going to be kind of fiery.
Mr. Riley: And that's my only concern, Mr. Chairman, is that because --
Commissioner Carollo: Put it on the 26th, then.
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Mr. Riley: -- it's first reading, we believe we can answer all the questions with staff
before second reading. And at second reading, if we don't meet those commitments,
then second reading would have to be deferred.
Chair Hardemon: Well, I'll tell you, I'm not one of those people that likes to --we do
well on first reading and then second reading we -- because say I'm not here on
second reading, and I hated you on first reading, but you got by on first reading.
Mr. Riley: Understood.
Chair Hardemon: Now you get by on second reading. So I'm just not one of those
that -- I don't agree to that whole philosophy.
Mr. Riley: Understood.
Chair Hardemon: But other Commissioners may.
Mr. Riley: If we could be deferred to July 12th? I know that's a big agenda, but we
would appreciate it if that's something the Commission might consider.
Chair Hardemon: Where is that? That's your district? (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: It is a big agenda, but we could do it just a week and a half
later. The 26th I think we'd meet?
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): The next one is the 26th.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. And that shouldn't be as bad; even though I'd like to
bring up to my colleagues that there is an item that I believe is going to take hours
on the 12th, if we do a special meeting for it, and that's the Melreese property, and
potential professional soccer.
Chair Hardemon: How many -- are there any Planning & Zoning items on the 12th?
Are there any Planning & Zoning items that are being scheduled for the 12th?
Mr. Garcia: We have three Planning & Zoning items at present.
Chair Hardemon: For the 12th?
Mr. Garcia: Yes, sir.
Chair Hardemon: And by that time, you'd have already had your meeting with the
City.
Mr. Riley: Yes, Mr. Chairman.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, if you think you could fit it in the meeting, but I would
suggest that if we do that -- this is going to be a full, full meeting. We're going to be
here until the a.m. (ante meridiem) -- that we consider changing the meeting on the
12th to just a little before or a little after.
Chair Hardemon: At least one of the issues.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, because that's going to take hours.
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Chair Hardemon: No, I'm -- I think you're correct as far as doing it, but, look, if you
want it for the 12th, and, you know, Commissioner Carollo agrees to move it for the
12th -- it's a couple of items --
Commissioner Carollo: I have no objections in putting it in the 12th. But just
remember, we might be here for a long, long time, so bring coffee.
Chair Hardemon: All right. Are there any other continuances, deferrals, or
withdrawals.
Mr. Garcia: The one we just discussed, sir, and the indefinite deferral of Item
PZ.10.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Is there a motion to approve the indefinite deferral and
then the deferral to 7/12 for PZ.S and PZ.6? Oh, and indefinite --
Commissioner Carollo: They're -- I think it's a motion. We just got reminded by the
City Attorney of another key item that we have that day.
Chair Hardemon: Right.
Commissioner Carollo: So --
Chair Hardemon: We'll see what we can do.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. That's the motion. For any reason, Bill, we run into
a little problem, we'll send -- you know -- a little pigeon with a notice.
Chair Hardemon: It'll be -- it's --
Mr. Riley: I appreciate the consideration, first of all.
Chair Hardemon: -- ultimately, it ends up being your time, so, you know.
Mr. Riley: Understood, Commissioner.
Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Mr. Riley: Understood. I really appreciate the Commission's courtesy.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. There's a motion.
Chair Hardemon: Been properly moved. Second it?
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair Hardemon: All in favor, say "aye. if
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. That motion carries.
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PZ.1
ORDINANCE First Reading
3188
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING THE ZONING ATLAS OF ORDINANCE
Department of
NO. 13114, AS AMENDED, BY CHANGING THE ZONING
Planning
CLASSIFICATION FROM 75-1_," URBAN CENTER -LIMITED, TO 76-
8-0," URBAN CORE -OPEN, OF THE APPROXIMATE .60 ACRES OF
REAL PROPERTIES LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 1392
NORTHWEST 36 STREET, AND 1385 AND 1373 NORTHWEST 35
STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED
IN "EXHIBIT A"; MAKING FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING
MOVER: Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner
SECONDER: Ken Russell, Vice Chair
AYES: Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Hardemon
Note for the Record. For additional minutes referencing Item PZ.1, please see
"Public Comment Period for Planning and Zoning Item(s). "
Chair Hardemon: Let's open up Item PZ.1.
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: Yes. You're recognized.
Commissioner Gort: I have to do a Jennings disclosure.
Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Commissioner Gort: For PZ.1, I met with Attorney Melissa Tapanes Llahues on
June 18, 2008 [sic]. We discussed the project, especially related to the zoning
change. The discussion did not predispose me on any decision at this time. My
decision's already based on the written record and the testimony presented in the
public hearing today. On PZ.2, I met with Mr. Joseph Milton on June 26, 2018. We
discussed this project, especially as related to the zoning changes. The discussion
did not predispose me to any decision of this item. My decision's only based on the
written records and the testimony presented in here tonight -- today.
Chair Hardemon: Can you read PZ 1 into the record, please?
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Chair Hardemon: Is there an applicant?
Commissioner Gort: Is the applicant here?
Chair Hardemon: Ms. Tapanes.
Melissa Tapanes-Llahues: No staff report?
Chair Hardemon: You want them to go first?
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Ms. Tapanes-Llahues: That's absolutely fine with me. Good afternoon, Chairman,
Honorable Commissioners. My name is Melissa Tapanes, withlaw offices at 200
South Biscayne Boulevard, Miami. I'm here representing Allapattah Ventures, LLC
(Limited Liability Company). Joining me this afternoon is Victor Balestas, as well as
Jake Morrow, with Allapattah Ventures, LLC, as well as my colleague, Maritza
Haro. We're here today to discuss 1.34 acres of land that you have before you in our
presentation, which the applicant owns. It's at the southeast corner of Northwest
36th Street, a major section line road, and Northwest 14th Avenue; only two blocks
away from the Allapattah Metrorail Station. The purpose of this application is
simply to make one congruent site for purposes of redevelopment. A portion of the
property, which is the subject of this application, is zoned T5 -L, and we wish to
extend the existing T6-8 zoning district to the entire 1.21 acres of land. The goal is
simply to increase the permissible density of the property by 30 to 40 units to develop
an efficient affordable housing project, consisting of approximately 210 units. The
exact unit count will be based on the unit mix and affordable housing credits that
we're applying for. We're here to respectfully request your approval of the rezoning,
as well as your acceptance of the proffered covenant; consistent with the goals,
objectives, and policies of the Miami Neighborhood Comprehensive Plan, Miami 21,
as well as the will of this Commission to increase urban infill development and the
provision of affordable housing close to transit -oriented infrastructure. So just to
give you a little bit of background, this slide before you is a exhibit of Ordinance
11000. Miami 21 down -zoned the southern portion of this property from C2 to the
T5 -L. That's very important, because it made the T5 -L zoning district inconsistent
with the -- Miami's Comprehensive Plan, which has a general commercial
designation. The City did not take into account the existing uses or the unified
ownership of the property. Today, the property is utilized with what we know as auto
-- used auto sales, towing companies, tire, and it's abutting the T3 zoning district.
These are just some pictures of the property. So this is the project site. We were
before the Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board on October 2017; we deferred,
because we were just in time to apply for affordable housing tax credit points. And
what we did was we thought that if we were able to fund the project through the
affordable housing credit applications, basically, the rezoning would not be
required. So, as you know, these applications are very competitive. What we did
was we submitted a full application. It was deemed acceptable. It received a
maximum number ofpoints. It also received lottery ball number one. Unfortunately,
the project was ultimately disqualified, because it did not meet the threshold for
efficiency. What that means is, simply, we did not have enough units to make this
project an efficient, affordable housing project to make it worthy of tax credits. So
the application before you is simply to implement the general commercial land use in
a way that is consistent with your Comprehensive Plan through T6-8 zoning to
provide for affordable housing within two blocks of a Metrorail station. What we did
was, to protect the T3 zoning district in response to staff recommendations and what
we knew to be concerns in our discussions with Allapattah residents, including the
Allapattah Neighborhood Association, we committed to townhouses along Northwest
35th Street; no vehicular access onto Northwest 35th Street, except for the parking of
these townhouses; and we also committed to build affordable housing, or attainable
housing in order to move this project forward in a way that we internalize the
transition, as well as provide for the buffer from the T3 single family to this site. So
this project is not only providing all affordable housing, but also, very notably,
townhouse affordable housing units, which are in quite a bit of demand. We should
mention that this is a reduction in daily trips from the current zoning district, which
is, obviously, a positive to transportation in the area, as well as the utilization of
transit -oriented projects, such as, you know, the Allapattah Station that is only two
blocks away. So our application sets forth the goals, objectives, and policies that
we're consistent with. We're here to respectfully request your approval.
Pedestrianism and transit is very important to this Commission; again, less than two
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blocks from the Allapattah Metro Station, half a mile from the Allapattah Branch
Library, one mile from the Miami's Health District --just two stops via the Metrorail
--four miles from the County's largest employer at Miami International Airport. In
our humble opinion, this is an ideal location to bring affordable housing to this City,
and it is consistent with the Comprehensive Neighborhood Development Plan. We're
here available for any questions that you may have. And we respectfully, again,
request your approval of this rezoning, as well as the proffered covenant.
Commissioner Gort: You have the covenant. You want to go over the covenant?
Ms. Tapanes-Llahues: Yes. We definitely have additional copies. This is the same
covenant that is in your packet.
Commissioner Gort: Will you go over it?
Ms. Tapanes-Llahues: Oh, yes, absolutely.
Commissioner Gort: We have it in our package.
Ms. Tapanes-Llahues: Yes, absolutely.
Commissioner Reyes: While she is looking for the -- and reading, I want to disclose
that I -- provisions of Miami 21 and Florida law, I, as a City Commissioner, am
disclosing that I spoke to Melissa Tapanes on March 18 in regards to PZ. 1, and a
representative of the development during this quasi-judicial hearing, and the subject
of our meeting was -- This procedure complies with FS (Florida Statutes) 286.0015.
Ms. Tapanes-Llahues: Thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: I'd like to also put on the record that I spoke to Melissa
Tapanes with -- The young man that I met with, was --
Ms. Tapanes-Llahues: Jake Morrow.
Commissioner Carollo: -- is that the developer?
Ms. Tapanes-Llahues: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: And that I also met with the developer of the project. And
few times have I been impressed by -- and particularly somebody young -- in doing
developments like this. He knew what he was talking about in true affordable
housing, and not something when we get here that's not affordable housing. But
even more so, what impressed me was that when we started talking numbers, the
numbers that he gave me, based on the square foot of the units and what he was
going to charge, was right on target in what affordable housing truly is. So I was
very impressed with that.
Ms. Tapanes-Llahues: Thank you, Commissioners. To answer Commissioner Gort's
question, so this covenant has been approved by the City Attorney's Office for
correctness of form. Section 2 of the covenant provides that the project is intended
to be developed as a phased project, together with the parcels that are not apart of
this application, which are already zoned T6-8, abutting the Northwest 36h Street
Corridor. Primarily, vehicular access to the project shall not be provided on
Northwest 35th Street, so long as the properties to the south are zoned T3 or below.
The only exception are for the townhouses that will be provided on Northwest 35th
Street. The property shall incorporate townhouses along Northwest 35th Street
frontage in order to buffer the residential neighborhoods to the south. It also
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includes Subsection "D," which is that the project will be developed as either
affordable housing or attainable mixed -income housing development as defined in
Miami 21. In the event that it is not developed as affordable housing, the property
shall be developed according to the T5 zoning transect regulations. Subsection "E"
discuss the fact that in the event that between 2017 and 2022 -- that's five years --
that the applicant will commit to submit at least five low-income housing credit State
apartment incentive loan, sale, or tax-exempt bond financing applications. And if
the applications do not result in financing allocation by these entities, the project
may be developed according to the T6-8 transect regulations.
Commissioner Gort: Okay. Thank you. After hearing all the issues that we
discussed and -- We need so much -- we talk so much about the affordable housing
being closed to the transportation -- public transportation. This is one of the
projects, and there's going to be many more. One of the things I'm going to ask
Francisco, to please, the Planning Department look at this whole area, because this
whole area has changed quite a bit. For those reasons, I'll move it.
Vice Chair Russell: I'll second it.
Ms. Tapanes-Llahues: Thank you, Commissioners.
Vice Chair Russell: I guess I'm the Chair at the moment. Chair seconds. Let's open
for further discussion. Anything? I have a question on the covenant, because I'm
very in support of this item, and I was originally introduced to the team that is -- the
applicant, as they're also involved in a affordable housing situation that they
purchased. Recognizing the potential crisis that is happening there, I believe this is
the first, if I'm not mistaken, affordable housing project they're getting into as a
company, and I believe they're doing it in response to seeing the need, the need that's
in the City, and so, I applaud that. For them to have hired the right people to really,
you know, study our Code very carefully and find the best potential ways to maximize
the affordability is great. The funding source, obviously, remains to be determined,
and it looks like, primarily, we're looking at income housing tax credits, low-income
housing tax credits, which, as you said, is a lottery system; obviously, our general
obligation bond. And if -- this is in Commissioner Gort's district, but I would be very
supportive of an expenditure of that, if it complements the low-income housing tax
credits. All that being said, here's my only concern. On -- in the covenant, on
paragraph `D, " it says, "The project shall be developed as either affordable or
attainable mixed -income housing. " And in that same sentence, it says, In the event
it is not developed attainable or affordable housing. " So those two things are kind
of in contradiction. So when you say, "shall, " it means, this is going to be --
Ms. Tapanes-Llahues: Right.
Vice Chair Russell: -- affordable. But then it seems that we're giving them an out
right into the next paragraph, "E, " that says, If they give five applications to the
low-income housing tax credits and they don't get them, they get to keep the up -
zoning, but they don't have to do affordable, " and that's a little bit of a concern to
me, because I don't know that that has enough teeth for us to say, you know, `All
best efforts were made to find outside funding. " And maybe it's a lower level of
affordability. We did this on another project where we offered an up -zoning, and
there were kind of two tiers. If they get the certain subsidies, they have to do `X"
affordability. If they don't get them, they have to do `X" affor' -- because we are
giving an up -zoning here.
Ms. Tapanes-Llahues: Absolutely.
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Vice Chair Russell: And there's a value to that, in which they should be able to find
some affordability inherent to the additional volume and density that they're
acquiring. So I don't want to do anything that completely lets them off the hook of
affordability, so I'd like the staff to look at that between first and second. I don't
have a specific amendment to it at this moment, but I'm certainly in favor of this and
will support the Commissioner on this item.
Commissioner Gort: You can place a ratio of affordable housing units if they don't
get the funding. That's my problem. That could be part of the second reading.
Ms. Tapanes-Llahues: Right. One thing that we can say is that the five applications
is basically a million -dollar commitment to go forward through the cycles, and it's a
five-year basic moratorium on the site. We're willing to work with you on language
that is acceptable. As far as making the project affordable within the threshold, we
can easily commit to workforce housing within this property as an alternative, if
that's something that would address your concern. We wanted to be transparent and
respectful of the process. We're happy to work with you between first and second.
Commissioner Gort: All right. Let me -- there's a great need in that area for
housing. And let me tell you, we had -- one of the residents in the area, she had a
fire in their house, and they had to look for a location -- temporary location for three
months, and she was not able to find it, and it was very expensive. And she tells me,
one of the reasons -- one of the things that's happening in our neighborhood, a lot of
the people buy these properties, and they use it for Airbnb -- all right? -- within the
residential area.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Gort: And that makes the rental of the homes very, very expensive,
so.
Commissioner Reyes: I --
Vice Chair Russell: Francisco --
Commissioner Gort: I just wanted to put that out.
Vice Chair Russell: I'm sorry. Commissioner --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: -- Reyes and then the director.
Commissioner Reyes: I agree with this project. And when we met -- and
Commissioner Gort hit it right on the tail. There is -- this -- if it is an area that
needs affordable housing, it's Allapattah, and more development, also. And I will
approve -- I mean, I approve of this project, and I will support it.
Ms. Tapanes-Llahues: Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Director.
Francisco Garcia (Director, Planning): Thank you for the opportunity. I would first
like to say that we certainly agree with the intent of the project and that it aligns very
nicely with many of the City's policies, particularly as pertains to affordable
housing, and we certainly will work with the applicant to support their efforts going
forward. I would be remiss if I didn't point out that our greatest concern and the
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reason why our recommendation was ultimately denial, as you see on the record and
as I've discussed with you in briefings, is that the up -zoning of the T5 component of
this parcel to T6 would bring T6 zoning to immediately abut a T3 -O-zoned area, and
that, as you know, is a condition that we'd like to avoid whenever feasible. What I'd
like to do, with your permission, is also to pursue with the applicant -- and as I
understand in the covenant, there are already provisions to having the southern
portion of the site developed as townhomes --
Commissioner Gort: Right.
Mr. Garcia: -- mindful of the fact that there is an abutting condition they need to
reconcile somehow. What I'd love to be able to do is to try to work out a means
whereby there is a strip of land of some depth that is left at T5, if at all possible,
because that gives assurances that that buffer will continue in perpetuity. That said,
we certainly have no objections to anything that has been stated on the record.
Commissioner Reyes: That was my concern when we met. And by having those
townhomes as buffers, I think that addresses my concerns between -- having T3s that
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- that's -- will be like a border.
Ms. Tapanes-Llahues: So in response to the director's comments, T6-8-0 abuts T3
all throughout the City. This is just an excerpt of this area in particular, and that's
just a part of what happens in the City of Miami. So what Miami 21 really
encourages is compatibility, and that's what the townhome buffer does. The issue
with that, we do require the density for the T6-8, and that's the purpose of this
application. Its simply for density purposes. But we'll continue to work with the
department to ensure that there is that internalized transition and buffer within the
site. And thank you for your comments, Mr. Garcia.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Commissioner Gort: Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: It's been moved and seconded. Is there any further comment?
Commissioner Carollo: Call the roll.
Vice Chair Russell: All right. Do we need to read this into the record, or we're
ready to go? We'll do a roll call, please.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): It's been read already.
Vice Chair Russell: All right. Roll call, please.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Roll call on Item PZ. 1.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Mr. Hannon: The motion passes on first reading, 4-0.
Ms. Tapanes-Llahues: Thank you very much.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Ms. Mendez: And as amended, with a covenant. A covenant was --
Mr. Hannon: Oh, okay. I --
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Ms. Mendez: Thank you.
Mr. Hannon: Covenant that was submitted into the record?
Ms. Mendez: Submitted, yes.
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Vice Chair Russell: That's in there already.
Mr. Hannon: And it's in the agenda.
Ms. Mendez: It's already in there?
Vice Chair Russell: Yeah. That's not an amendment. It's in the backup --
Ms. Mendez: Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: --already.
Ms. Mendez: Thank you.
PZ.2
ORDINANCE First Reading
4188
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Department of
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING THE ZONING ATLAS OF ORDINANCE
Planning
NO. 13114, AS AMENDED, BY CHANGING THE ZONING
CLASSIFICATION OF THE PROPERTIES LOCATED AT
APPROXIMATELY 45 NORTHEAST 16 STREET, 64, 52, 48, 42, AND
38 NORTHEAST 17 STREET, 1635 AND 1643 NORTHEAST MIAMI
COURT, AND 1602, 1610, 1616, 1642, 1632, 1624 NORTHEAST
MIAMI PLACE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, MORE PARTICULARLY
DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A," FROM 76 -24 -A -O," URBAN CORE
TRANSECT ZONE - A - OPEN, TO 76-24-13-0," URBAN CORE
TRANSECT ZONE - B - OPEN; MAKING FINDINGS; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE
DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. A motion was made by Commissioner Carollo, seconded by
Commissioner Reyes, and was passed unanimously, to deny intervener status to
Parc Lofts Condominium, pursuant to Section 7.1.4.3(d) of Miami 21, for Item
PZ.2.
Note for the Record. For additional minutes referencing Item PZ.2, please see
"Public Comment Period for Planning and Zoning Item(s). "
Vice Chair Russell: PZ. 2.
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Tucker Gibbs: Before you get started, Mr. Vice Chairman --
Vice Chair Russell: Yes. Mr. Gibbs.
Mr. Gibbs: -- Yes. I had asked before and then I was told this was the time for me to
ask for our intervention for Parc Lofts Condominium Association.
Vice Chair Russell: Yes. And do you have other people here that you're
representing?
Mr. Gibbs: I have the property manager, who is here.
Vice Chair Russell: The property manager.
Mr. Gibbs: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: And did they speak at public comment or they're -- they
reserved their time for now? Is that --?
Mr. Gibbs: Their time for now, but I will say that --
Vice Chair Russell: If they're intervener, obviously, they go through the whole
process as an intervener.
Mr. Gibbs: Right.
Vice Chair Russell: If not, we'll give them public comment time, but --
Mr. Gibbs: Our issue here is, I have a comment to make, but I need to be an
intervener, because I need that status for second reading, as well. So I'm asking for
the intervener status right now, and I will make a brief statement, and reserve my
comments, if necessary -- I'll explain that, if necessary --for second reading.
Vice Chair Russell: Got it. So if you could limit right now to an explanation of why
you believe you should be an intervener. Before you do, Commissioner Gort, please.
Commissioner Gort: No, no. I just want to hear from our departments, and I want
to hear from other lawyers that we have sitting here, and --
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Right. He's just going to make a brief statement
on the record as to why he believes he's an intervener. Based on what I've reviewed,
he's an abutting property owner --
Chair Hardemon: Is it abutting -- is he abutting property owner or abutting
property own -- is it property manager, is what you just described?
Mr. Gibbs: So a condominium has common elements. Common elements are owned
and controlled by the condominium association, and that is my basis for standing.
Vice Chair Russell: Common elements.
Mr. Gibbs: It's approved in courts. I represent condominiums in courts all the time.
Iris Escarra: If I may, I --
Mr. Gibbs: If you have a property interest, and they do. They have a -- they own
that common element -- those common elements.
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Ms. Mendez: So he was going to state for the record the reasons why, and then we
can make our determination, but based on case law in the past, people who have
lived across the street from a property have been allowed to intervene, but I would
rather he make his arguments, and then the board can decide.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: Could you explain to me what's the difference between the --
what he's requesting, to be an intervene -- or being someone in opposition?
Ms. Mendez: Right. So it's -- basically, as an intervener, he has interests that are
usually more significant than the public at large. So sometimes the public comes in
and they oppose a particular project, and what have you, but they don't have an
interest in the case as an intervener does. It has a higher status. Pursuant to our
Code, it was drafted that way and --
Commissioner Gort: I mean, stuff that's being built next to me and Igo as the --
Ms. Mendez: Well, it depends how --
Commissioner Gort: -- to speak against it, I'm not going to be affected. I'm not an
interven --
Ms. Mendez: Right. So --
Commissioner Gort: -- I can be an intervener, also.
Ms. Mendez: You can be an intervener, yes. But some people just decide to oppose
a particular project by just saying their comments on the record and sitting down;
others, like Mr. Gibbs' clients, like to participate much more fully. They could ask
questions. They can -- so it's just a higher status.
Ms. Escarra: Chair, if I may ask for your indulgence? We are objecting to the
intervener status, so if I can have a few minutes after Mr. Gibbs speaks?
Chair Hardemon: Sure.
Ms. Escarra: Thank you.
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized.
Mr. Gibbs: Okay. My name is Tucker Gibbs, law offices at 3835 Utopia Court, in
Coconut Grove, and I'm here representing Parc Lofts Condominium Association,
which is located at 1749 Northeast Miami Court. My client is seeking intervener
status, because as a neighbor immediately across 17th Street, he will -- it will be
impacted by the project to a greater degree than the general public at large. That is
the requirement for standing in court. It's not a requirement for standing here, but
that is the standing requirement that's generally acceptable. My -- that court case
says, you look at the proximity to the piece of property, you look at whether the
person got noticed, you also look at their interest. So I'm going to tell you, my client
is within the 500 feet notice area, because they're right across the street. My client
attended, and representatives testified before the Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board
hearing on this application. And my client has an interest that is greater, because
my client is going to be impacted by this rezoning. The rezoning allows for a -- and
your staff report shows that your rezoning -- the rezoning would allow a greater
amount of square footage by the tune of over 200 percent more; that impacts my
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clients. Having said all of that -- Well, I'll say that if I get intervener status; if I
don't, I'll go on. But for those reasons and those set forth in my letter to the City
Attorney, which I presented to her this morning, I request intervener status for my
clients.
Chair Hardemon: I have a question for you. So it's a greater square footage, but
are there a greater number of units?
Mr. Gibbs: Not a greater number of units. Volumetrically, it's a bigger building,
because of the additional square footage. It has an issue of -- they -- my clients have
issues with the size of the building, the physical size of the building looming over
theirs. Theirs is a very small -- it's a relatively small building, because when they
were built, that was what was allowed there. Now they have these coming in. And in
addition, your City staff has recommended denial on this. This isn't somebody just
raising their hand and saying, I object, because I don't like it. " This is much more
complex. Now having said all that, my clients have met with Mr. Milton and his
attorney. I've been in contact with her, as well, and we're seeking to settle this
matter. I'm here today essentially to establish my clients'standing. If we don't come
to a settlement, we'll be back at second reading. I don't plan on putting on a case in
chief here. I plan on presenting our position very briefly and moving on, letting them
make their presentation. We have time between first and second reading to come to
a settlement agreement or not.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Hardemon: Vice Chairman.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. I'm sorry I'm not familiar with the "common
elements" argument toward intervener status. Could you explain how you have
common elements that grant you intervener status?
Mr. Gibbs: Condominiums -- when you buy a condominium, you buy your unit, your
four walls, but there are common elements; the lobby, walkways. The outside areas
of many condominiums are common elements. The condominium association
controls those elements, pursuant to a declaration of condominium that is recorded
in the public records. My clients seek intervener status based on their property
interests. I will tell you that I've argued this in court. I haven't even argued it. I've
asserted this in court. No court has ever denied standing for a condominium
association. You can just look at the dockets of cases on appeal.
Vice Chair Russell: So you share a walkway, a lobby, a something, because --
Mr. Gibbs: That's right.
Vice Chair Russell: -- us I see you're across the street. I'm not --
Mr. Gibbs: When you buy your unit --
Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Mr. Gibbs: -- you own a proportional share of the swimming pool, you own a
proportional share of the walkways --
Vice Chair Russell: Right.
Mr. Gibbs: -- of the hallways, of -- those are referred to as common elements or
limited common elements.
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Vice Chair Russell: But you don't share those with the applicant?
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Mr. Gibbs: Oh, no, no, no. The applicant is the property owner across the street,
but for me to have standing, my interest has to be affected by their project.
Vice Chair Russell: Ah, the common elements of your clients are affected --
Mr. Gibbs: Exactly.
Vice Chair Russell: -- not that you have common elements in --
Mr. Gibbs: Right, right.
Vice Chair Russell: I thought you were implying that you share something with them
that gives you intervener status.
Mr. Gibbs: No. I apologize if that was the --
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you for clarifying.
Mr. Gibbs: Yeah. No, that's not the case.
Chair Hardemon: Ms. Escarra.
Ms. Escarra: Thank you. Good afternoon. Iris Escarra and Carlos Diaz, offices at
333 Southeast 2nd Avenue. As Mr. Gibbs stated, there is case law that establishes
what is and isn't an intervener status that the City Attorney's Office has used as
guidance before. It's a four prong test. It is not one element. It is four prongs. The
proximity to the property being zoned, I give that to Mr. Gibbs; he's across the street
from us. There's no argument there with regards to the proximity. There is an
argument with the next three elements that you need. So in Renard versus Dade
County, 261 So.2d 832, Florida Supreme Court, 1972, it said, you have to have
proximity to the property being rezoned, character of the neighborhood, type of
change, and notice"; although notice is not considered a controlling factor. In the
case of F & R Builders versus Durant, the Court held that a notice sent to property
owners by an appeal board concerning an application for a special exception did not
afford the property owner standing to bring the proceeding for common element
[sic] certiorari challenging approval. So even though he is within the notice, it is
something that they look at, but it is not a factor alone that can give him standing.
The type of change being sought. The type of change being sought and the character
of the neighborhood. The area is already zoned T6-24. The only change that we are
seeking is from `A" to "B. " So the character of the neighborhood already has the
principal designation of T6-24. So typically, character of the neighborhood elements
go to when you're an industrial and you go into business or you're a residential and
you go into business. Those major factors change the character of a neighborhood
that, therefore, someone should be able to have standing if they're completely
changing the character. We're not changing the character. It's simply going from
"A" to "B. " That character already exists. Furthermore, with regards to the third
element, dealing with the type of change being sought. Here, the type of change
being sought with the T6-24 `A" to "B" -- again, the two elements that have the
same lot coverage, the same height, the same density, the same open space, same
characteristics; only difference is more square footage. Therefore, out of the four
elements, Mr. Gibbs is only eligible for one of the four elements. The other three
elements, I argue that he fails to meet that criteria.
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Chair Hardemon: So --
Mr. Gibbs: Response? Oh
Chair Hardemon: -- I want you to name what gives you intervener status again.
And I'll tell you, from what you stated, what I'm having an issue with.
Mr. Gibbs: Okay. I'm going to -- and that'll be in my response. I'll explain it in
context of Ms. Escarra's response.
Chair Hardemon: But you should know that I'm going to interrupt you, because I
want to talk about one part of it, but go ahead.
Mr. Gibbs: Okay. I won't deal with proximity; we've established that. Character of
neighborhood. Your Planning Department, in their staff recommendation, talks
about the character of the neighborhood, and they see this rezoning as an intrusion
of higher intensity that will provide options above and beyond the zoning
requirements in the proposed development, and they will say that it applies for -- it
provides for larger residential unit sizes and amenities and a garage that will pull it
away from the possibility to provide a mixed -income development, providing for
affordable residential units as City Code req -- City goals require. So what they're
saying is, "We're the same as 'B'. " Well, they're not the same as `B. " This -- the
"B" allows them for, as I said, over 200 percent in square footage, which means,
volumetrically, a larger, more intense building, according to your staff report.
Chair Hardemon: It appears that the staff report, from what you just read, just says
that it -- having a larger square footage makes it more or less affordable. That's one
of the goals, to have more affordability.
Mr. Gibbs: It's more intense. The staff report specifically says, more -- an intrusion
of higher intensity --
Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Mr. Gibbs: -- in this transitional area.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. It says what?
Mr. Gibbs: So what --
Chair Hardemon: Continue.
Mr. Gibbs: Yes. And then I -- as I said before, that will provide options -- that's one
thing it will do -- above and beyond the zoning requirements of the proposed
development. It is different. What that statement is saying is, "This is different." My
clients live across the street, and they're affected by that difference, because their
property is less intense by a greater degree. Therefore, the impact on you, as a
resident somewhere else, or me, as a resident somewhere else, I don't -- they don't --
I don't share that. They don't share that with me. And it has to be -- it's supposed to
be shared --supposed to be different than the public at large. The fact that they're
across the street; the fact that this is a more intense project; the fact that the City
staff, your professional staff, who doesn't represent me and my -- as an attorney --
and my clients and their issue, they're saying the same thing. This is different. And
they say that the boundaries where the subject properties are located do not show
evidence of being illogically drawn in relation to the existing conditions, which
means this is something that -- the `B" is different. It is -- three acres in the entire
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City is zoned this category; just three acres. And so, what we're trying to say is,
"Wait a minute. This has impact on us. " And I will tell you, that impact is greater
by virtue of the fact that it's closer to it and by virtue of the fact that the evidence in
the record, which is this staff report, says --
Chair Hardemon: Well, what is --
Mr. Gibbs: -- that it's more intense.
Chair Hardemon: -- the impact? What is the impact that you're saying is greater to
you than it is to anyone else?
Mr. Gibbs: The impact is the size of the building. The (UNINTELLIGIBLE) of the
building. The --
Chair Hardemon: When you say --
Mr. Gibbs: It's a massive building that comes -- My clients have a smaller building.
They walk out their front door --
Chair Hardemon: Butyou're going to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) --
Mr. Gibbs: -- and they're going to see this thing looming over them.
Chair Hardemon: The thing about it is this: Your clients could have built -- what? -
- up to how many floors?
Mr. Gibbs: My ch -- I have --
Chair Hardemon: With this zoning, they could build how many, how tall?
Mr. Gibbs: I don't know how -- my clients --
Ms. Escarra: 48.
Chair Hardemon: Excuse me?
Ms. Escarra: 48.
Chair Hardemon: Right. And how many floors is the building now?
Mr. Gibbs: My floors, I think it's six floors.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. So --
Mr. Gibbs: That's --
Chair Hardemon: But -- so the fact of the matter is that whatever your -- this area is
zoned for, that's what we're considering. It's going from one zoning to the next. I
don't care if you build a one-story building. If you build a one-story building in a
T6-24 area, then you've made a mistake. I understand that this was built at a
different time --
Mr. Gibbs: Before --
Chair Hardemon: I understand that.
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Mr. Gibbs: --Miami 21.
Chair Hardemon: But -- no, I understand that, but now this is what it is zoned. So
my point to you is that, you know, we're -- this is -- we're talking zoning now. And
so, with the zoning, no matter what size your building is, you can't look at a six -story
building, and then have something zoned T6-24, where you could build 48 stories,
and say, "Their building is too tall. "
Mr. Gibbs: I'm not saying it's too tall.
Chair Hardemon: So let me say this.
Mr. Gibbs: You're saying that -- you're -- I'm not saying that.
Chair Hardemon: Right. So that's why --
Mr. Gibbs: I'm saying it's volumetrically larger, bulkier. That's what it is.
Chair Hardemon: I'm trying to understand what is the difference -- I want --
because I want to make perfectly clear -- hear what I'm saying -- when you say that it
is "volumetrically different, " I want to understand what that looks like. Maybe the
Planning Director can give me some assistance with that.
Mr. Garcia: I'm happy to, sir. The sole difference, practically, between T6 -24A and
T6 -24B is the FLR, the floor/lot ratio. It is true that T6 -24B has a -- almost double --
actually, a little bit more than double the amount of floor/lot ratio than T64 -- T6 -
24A. That said -- and I need to emphasize this, because we will cover this later -- it
is the intent, pursuant to ordinances passed by the City Commission, that this entire
area that is presently T6 -24A will soon be rezoned to T6 -24B, conferring the same
privileges to all the property owners in the area, one. Two, as pertains to the form
or the massing, or the bulkiness, as I think Mr. Gibbs has alluded to, they are
indistinguishable from one another. They both have the same height. They both
have the same setbacks. It is true that T6 -24B has more development capacity in
terms of square feet by right than T6 -24A. That really is the sole difference.
Chair Hardemon: So how is it they can have more development capacity, but then
still make up the same footprint, as you described?
Mr. Garcia: So, the shell is the same. The area with -- the form of the building is
exactly the same. The amount of space you can fill in with the building is the same.
It so happens that in T6 -24A, you have less square feet to build within that shape,
which means -- and I think it's been said before -- that likely, the unit sizes are going
to be comparatively smaller. That really boils down to that.
Chair Hardemon: So, for instance, if I have 100 units in a building --
Mr. Garcia: The density remains exactly the same, the number of units.
Chair Hardemon: It's just that they're larger units?
Mr. Garcia: Potentially, yes. And that, again, is -- again, as illustrated by the fact
that the property he represents is a six -story building. That's ultimately up to the
developer.
Chair Hardemon: Right.
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Mr. Garcia: The developer, though, under T6 -24B, has more square footage to
develop with.
Chair Hardemon: So this is my question to you: You stated that -- I just want to be
clear. I wanted to find something where it reads it. To have intervener status, you
have to be what again?
Mr. Gibbs: A difference -- you have to have an interest, an interest that is different
than the general public at large.
Chair Hardemon: Was there another statement? I believe there's something else
that (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Gibbs: You can quote it in there better than I can, Iris.
Ms. Escarra: Its -- and this is in Renard. It says, "In determining the sufficiency of
parties' interest to give standing, factors such as proximity of his property to the
property to be zoned or rezoned, the character of the neighborhood, including the
existence of common restrictive covenants and set -back requirements, and the type of
changes proposed. The fact that a person is among those entitled to receive notice
under the ordinance is a factor to be considered on the question of standing of [sic]
challenge proposed. However, since the notice requirements the many zoning
throughout the State vary greatly, notice requirements are not controlling on the
question of who has standing. "
Chair Hardemon: So the part -- what I'm trying to understand is that you have to
have an interest that is greater than, say, the community, the general -- the public at
large.
Mr. Gibbs: Right.
Chair Hardemon: So what I want to understand is, if the number of units is not
changing, the amount of intensity is not changing, just simply -- the building
structure is not changing. You can build what you can build, the height, et cetera. If
only the square footage of each individual unit that is inside of that building is
changing, how was that a negative effect, and how does your applicant then have --?
Mr. Gibbs: I don't want to sound trite, but if you have three bed -room -- more three-
bedroom build -- three-bedroom units, you have maybe more cars. We don't know
that, because this is a rezoning. I can't say how many cars, because they -- all you're
doing is rezoning the property. You're giving them to right to ask. What I'm saying
is, my -- and we're getting into the merits of this. What I'm trying to say is, my
clients, by virtue of the fact that they live there, they have an interest in it, they
appeared in front of board, their interest is different than somebody from Coconut
Grove, or somebody from Flagami. Their interest is different. And I will tell you, in
the past, this very board, with you as Chairman, when I appeared here on Virginia
Street -- and I sat down with the City Attorney's Office -- the issue with the City
Attorney's Office was, "We can recommend if you can show us that you're within the
distance, within the 500 feet notice distance. " So what did was, I brought my Wad
up and I showed --
Chair Hardemon: But maybe there was something else that was already -- There
are other factors to it, clearly. We depended on Renard in the past. There are other
factors. So maybe if someone agreed with the other factors, and so the only
outstanding factor would have been this, and they would have heavily considered
that.
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Mr. Gibbs: Ifyou're at --
Chair Hardemon: We've done neighbors who are three houses down, no; one house
down, yes. So --
Mr. Gibbs: That's okay. If you're adding --
Chair Hardemon: -- Mr. Vice Chairman --
Mr. Gibbs: -- almost -- if you're adding double, almost half a million square feet
that's allowed, as of right, not with the bonuses -- a half a million square feet,
according to your staff report, and you're telling me that you're not more intense,
okay. And I grant you, you can approve this, but I got a funny feeling a Court's
going to look at that and they may have some other issues to say.
Ms. Escarra: Chair, if I may add something to the record?
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Ms. Escarra: Yeah. We have no problem if they want to speak as part of the public
portion of the item. I did want to put Chabau versus Dade County, 385 So.2d 129,
Florida, Third DCA (District Court ofAppeals) 1980, opined, the Court stated, "The
association representing an individual property owner in their opposition to
developer's request for zoning variances was not an aggrieved party within the
meaning of Dade County Code, and therefore lacks standing to appeal the Zoning
Board's decision on the variances. "
Mr. Gibbs: That case is not applicable here.
Ms. Escarra: Here was an important factor -- I'm not done. An important factor in
that case was that the County Code did not have the criteria within it. Here, the City
Code does -- has an intervener, but the criteria that is followed is case law. So the
Code -- we're in a similar situation as we were in this case. And to add to the
character of the neighborhood, there are five other rezonings of T6 -24B in the
immediate area of this property.
Commissioner Reyes: Excuse me. That was going to be my question. As I see, next
to it we have canvass, right? That's a huge building that is -- I mean, that was not
opposition to it.
Ms. Escarra: Correct.
Commissioner Reyes: They have canvass right over there.
Ms. Escarra: Correct.
Commissioner Reyes: And if you keep on going, I can see a lot of T6-24Bs. I mean,
all of them has been --
Ms. Escarra: Correct.
Commissioner Reyes: -- sold. I mean, if you're going to oppose this, you will --
you're going to have a lot of trouble, because you're going to have to be opposing
everybody there, you see, because that's the way that it was -- that -- the zoning was
changed to -- I mean, to 26 --
Ms. Escarra: Correct. Those five have already been rezoned, and the City is --
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Commissioner Reyes: Absolutely.
Ms. Escarra: -- in the process of rezoning the whole area.
Commissioner Reyes: And they're going to be built, and the only -- Another
problem that I -- I mean, another thing that I have heard is, you have an opposition
on the size of the apartments. As a matter of fact, in my opinion, my humble opinion,
that makes -- what makes it appealing, because nowadays, we have this -- it is the
new wave of micro units, and micro units, and I have stated right here on this dais
that it is not considering that there's going to be families in the future that's going to
be -- those -- even those people that they're going to live in a micro unit, they're
going to get married, and they're going to have children, and they're going to need
this type of units, units that they have two and three bedrooms. I think that by
building more of those will make it more affordable, because if we build less and less
of them, it is a matter -- I mean, it is a function of supply and demand. There is less
supply of large units; more demand, and the price goes up. I mean, it's very simple
math -- I mean, economic theory. And I don't know, but -- Mr. Gibbs, I have one
thing that I want to convince myself is that why this building specific, when we have
two other buildings across the street from you, and there's a bunch of buildings that
they have been zoned the same way, and one of them has been built canvass, which is
a monstrosity.
Chair Hardemon: But the thing about it is this: I don't want you to get too far into
why these other ones you did not, but I will say this: That "in determining the
sufficiency of a party's interest to give standing" -- I'm reading from Renard -- "to
challenge action of zoning authorities, factors such as proximity of his or her
property to be zoned or rezoned" -- that's one of them -- "character of the
neighborhood" -- that's two of them -- "including the existence of common
restrictive covenants and set -back requirements, and the type of change proposed
are considerations. " So all those things are things to be considered, right? And
what the Commissioner described, though, by saying all these other T6-24Bs is the
character of the neighborhood.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Chair Hardemon: And so, this character of the neighborhood, when you have these
sorts of buildings that are already there, you have these sorts of designations that
are already there, the same general setback requirements, all these things are the
same, except for larger development capacity -- well, greater square footage per
unit. Those are the things that makes me -- make me feel like that you don't have an
interest that is greater than the general public, because nothing's -- when I consider
all these things to be together, just because you're 500 feet close --you're within 500
feet and you got some notice, there's not much that's really different. If this thing
was going from a six -story building to a 24 -story building by way of zoning, then I
could probably see things your way. You know, you're going from a --this sort of
height to other form of height because of the zoning, that makes good sense, but it's
not doing that here. You're already within the sort of zoning. You're changing from
A" to `B. " Changing from A" to `B" allows you to do `XYZ, " and that has
happened one, two, three, four -- on five other sites that are very close to the site
that's being considered right now. So the character of the neighborhood is really
that.
Commissioner Reyes: The character of the neighborhood, right there.
Mr. Gibbs: Well, if the character -- the character of the neighborhood is defined by
different things. The rezoning is a rezoning that happened. Rezoning applications
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that Ms. Escarra has talked about do not talk about the character, because those
haven't happened before. So the -- and the question of my client's standing, based on
case law that deals with a homeowners association, does not deal with a
condominium association and a condominium association standing. That case has
absolutely no bearing on this at all. And the City hasn't rezoned a lot of those
properties that had been asked for, but Igo back to the real reason. The real reason
is, this applicant is getting a half a million square feet under this rezoning that he
didn't get -- he didn't have before. That's what he's getting. And so, the question that
my clients have is that is more intense. I don't care what anybody says. Whether it's
500,000 square feet of three bedrooms, two bedrooms or one bedrooms, that's a lot
more building that's allowed.
Chair Hardemon: Your client --
Mr. Gibbs: And that in itself --
Chair Hardemon: -- will your client ever rebuild his building?
Mr. Gibbs: Pardon me?
Chair Hardemon: Will your client ever rebuild his building?
Mr. Gibbs: My client is a condominium association, and they have -- How many
members do you have?
Chair Hardemon: It's very difficult.
Mr. Gibbs: How many?
Chair Hardemon: It's very difficult to --
Mr. Gibbs: 72?
Chair Hardemon: It's very difficult --
Mr. Gibbs: It's almost impossible. So my clients are stuck, and again, that goes to
their --
Chair Hardemon: But see, that's the --
Mr. Gibbs: -- standing, because they are --
Chair Hardemon: Yeah, but that makes me feel like it's all about spite. That makes
me feel --
Mr. Gibbs: Spite? My clients have -- you -- my clients have been talking to -- and
I've been talking to Iris, and we're pretty doggone -- I don't even want to get there --
But the fact is, I came here to ask for standing on the off chance that we would have
a second reading, where we would be in opposition. I didn't expect it to be a half an
hour --
Chair Hardemon: That's what happens when people come asking for standing. We
actually think about --
Mr. Gibbs: Hey, I get it. I've done it before. I understand, I understand.
Chair Hardemon: What do you think, Mr. Vice Chair?
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Commissioner Carollo: Chair?
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you for asking.
Commissioner Reyes: I'm ready to vote.
Vice Chair Russell: I actually -- I'm listening very closely, and I don't know it has to
do with us making judgment on how much impact they have, but whether or not they
have standing to complain or not about that impact. Do they -- are they affected
more than me living in the Grove? I would say, `Absolutely, yes. " I would say, how
much and by what? That has yet to be determined as the application goes forward.
You may be very well right that they are not very affected, but are they affected more
than someone two miles away? Absolutely, in my mind. And do they meet the
distance requirement? Absolutely. But I don't -- as will remain to be seen whether
or not their standing actually has an effect on the application itself. So far, the
temperature here is not so much, but there are a lot of facts we don't know, but we
would never know if they -- if their standing's not granted. So I'm open.
Ms. Escarra: If I may?
Chair Hardemon: Is -- you know, before --
Commissioner Gort: Make your motion.
Chair Hardemon: This thing said, the type of change proposed -- Go ahead. You
want to say something?
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Thank you. I -- you know, I just vote here, so I just
wanted a minute.
Mr. Gibbs: Well, a very important one.
Ms. Escarra: It would actually be two votes. This is just to see if he could speak
during the item.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. I --
Ms. Escarra: Then we actually have to hear the item.
Ms. Mendez: So just to remind everyone, the importance of the intervener status is
because -- if he wants to question staff, if he wants to question witnesses, if he wants
to ask questions, he can; more so than the public that just speaks two minutes. So
that's why Mr. Gibbs is so adamant.
Commissioner Carollo: I perfectly understand that, and I appreciate it. To both
attorneys and others, can I speak now?
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: Thank you. Before I speak, I want to divulge, according to
the law, that I did speak briefly with Luis Mata and the developer of the property,
Mr. Milton. Did I meet with you to speak to you about this? No. It was another
matter. Remind me, whatever it was later on. But having said that, Tucker, you kind
of pooh poohed one -- not both -- of her case of laws that she cited. Do you have
any case law that you want to cite?
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Mr. Gibbs: Off the top of my ahead beyond Renard, no, I don't.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Mr. Gibbs: I mean, I -- no.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chairman?
Ms. Escarra: I -- if I --
Vice Chair Russell: What I really believe, this is about standing or not standing; is
about protection of our decision as it goes forward on a potential appeal. If
someone comes back and says our decision was wrong, and they did not have the
ability to make themselves heard, our decision could be overturned. Am I wrong
there? And so, it's really not about how much he's affected, but whether he should
be in the room to discuss it, and that's just looking at wanting to make sure that we
cover ourselves and that our decision is sound. Same thing on the flip side. If we
allowed someone to intervene that shouldn't be intervening and they change our
decision, that would obviously give grounds on a later decision to --
Ms. Escarra: If I may, Commissioner Russell. He still has the ability to speak and
put it -- his information on the record. He could still have standing to appeal later
on as speaking as part of the public comment. He just -- I'm -- I -- he hasn't met all
the four criteria in Renard, which is the one case he's citing, which is the case I'm
citing, to be able to speak during the item. So he will have standing on appeal,
should he decide to take it that far, if he speaks as part of the public component and
not during the item.
Vice Chair Russell: Madam City Attorney, Iris has mentioned that we need to meet
all four criteria; is that correct? Or is it we must consider all four of these criteria
in making a decision, but it's pretty open-ended?
Ms. Mendez: As -- I don't necessarily think that they need to meet all four criteria. 1
think that they just need to prove that they have a definite interest that exceeds the
general interest in the community, and then all the other factors that the Chairman
put on the record having to do with the distance, characteristics; all those things
come into play. And then he gave a nice synopsis of when you put it all together,
then this Commission makes their decision based on all that.
Vice Chair Russell: Got it.
Commissioner Carollo: If I may ask Tucker a question. Tucker, one of the key
elements that you brought out that, you know, kind of struck me was that you have a
six -story building and they're going to build a 48 -story building, so that's going to
block their sun, their view, their sky. I don't know what else it could block. Was that
one of the elements you brought out?
Mr. Gibbs: I said that they have a six -story building, and they will have a building
next to it that looms over it in volume.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Mr. Gibbs: And that's --
Commissioner Carollo: And volume which is --
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Mr. Gibbs: -- and I can't -- I won't make the argument --
Commissioner Carollo: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Gibbs: I know where you're going, I think. I will not -- as an attorney and as a
member of the Florida Bar who knows my case law, I will not make the argument
that my clients' views are something that can argue.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Mr. Gibbs: So I don't argue that.
Commissioner Carollo: All right. The --
Mr. Gibbs: I can't.
Commissioner Carollo: -- volume in height, even if they don't get to build one more
inch, is still going to be humongous in significance next to a six -story building. I
mean, I'm going to give you an example. My mother's house, which is in Manolo's
district -- and that reminds me that she wants to complain to him about something
that was done without her getting notification, and I'm wondering if it was done so
that he and I would get into a fight, but, you know -- She has got -- is duplex zoned,
but she's got a single-family home, and next door to it -- I don't know how it was
done -- they built seven stories on the side. That is tall. It really has an effect,
because she's two lots away from that. And then in front, about a quarter of a block,
they built 20 stories. Even if I would have half the mass of those two buildings, it
still would be huge. So if you're zoned for 48, but the problem was -- and here's
where I think the problem really lies -- that this building was built way before Miami
21 came into play; that they could have the mass, the height, this here; and
obviously, anything beyond six stories that's going to be built there in the same mass
that they have is going to be a bother to them.
Mr. Gibbs: 2006 was when the project -- when our building was built, and our
building was built that way because I believe that was -- was that allowed? Was
anything bigger than that allowed at that site?
Mr. Garcia: My research indicates that the zoning at the time was Cl, which would
have allowed a greater height than that.
Mr. Gibbs: But that was one of the first buildings built in that area, was it not? I'm
sorry; I didn't mean to cross-examine you.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Well, the bottom line, I think, that -- you know,
whenever it was built or not, I think what I had stated, it still stands. And this is
where I really see the problem; that no matter what is going to be built there, your
client is going to feel that he's going to be affected, and he's going to, you know, be
against it. The problem is that the whole neighborhood has changed. If you were
telling me, "Well, that's the only building there, " but it's not. Look at all around.
Commissioner Gort: You can sell the air rights.
Mr. Gibbs: If that's the case, why not wait till this is -- rezoning happens? Why not
give the people who live in the neighborhood the opportunity to speak on the
rezoning as a whole? Because right now, what just happened -- according to Iris,
what has happened is these five sites -- you're saying there are five sites that had
been rezoned already.
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Ms. Escarra: Already.
Mr. Gibbs: That those five sites had been zoned piece by piece, and now the City is
saying, "Okay, we're going to do everything. "
Commissioner Carollo: That --
Mr. Gibbs: So when --
Commissioner Carollo: -- sounds logical, and I agree with you on principle, but
that's not the way the City usually goes about it.
Mr. Gibbs: Don't say it that way.
Commissioner Carollo: I -- well -- but that's the truth. I'm dealing with this in
another issue in my district, and I feel for the man, because he's one individual that,
you know, he's not going to want to flip. It's his property. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) it.
And one of my concerns was, "Well, why are we doing this at one time?" And it's
because that's the nature of the beast, but you have that already. Now you want to
stop them and make him wait all this time, and I don't think it's right. I think the --
look, wherever this goes, up or down, it should be heard already, and that's my
opinion. I feel for your clients, because, as I described, I've seen my mother's
property. You know, I see it on a weekly basis, but, you know, that's not their fault.
Chair Hardemon: So is there a motion regarding the intervener status that anyone
wants to make?
Commissioner Carollo: I'm going to make a motion to deny it, based on everything
that I stated, based on case law that I heard and -- with the exception of one of the
two case laws that counselor objected to, because he said he was the homeowners,
not a condo association; and even though there are difference, I don't think, for this
particular matter, there's that great of a difference on it. I will make a motion to
deny his request.
Commissioner Reyes: Whose request? Make -- Mr. Tucker?
Chair Hardemon: Is there a second to that motion?
Commissioner Reyes: I second it.
Vice Chair Russell: Discussion.
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized.
Vice Chair Russell: I'm okay on this one either way. I just want our decision to be
safe; that the decision we make is very sound; that we've considered all the facts.
We've approved several of these already, and some before this Commission -- was
this Commission and the prior Commission, we approved some, because the
intention was, even in my first year in office, to create a T6-2413for this entire area,
and it's taken so long that several projects have tried to move ahead with the -- you
know, forecasting what our intention is to do anyway. So, I don't know how much
it's -- the intervening is going to affect or not affect in everything we've discussed up
here. I just want to make sure, if they're supposed to be at the table that they're at
the table, because in the past, if someone's across the street, it pretty much triggered
the intervener status for -- And Francisco's description is actually the first time I've
ever heard that T6 -24B doesn't actually change the shape of the building. I had --
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Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: -- you know, I --
Commissioner Reyes: And -- Mr. Chair, and I -- if -- I feel for the -- your client,
because -- but the thing is, the reality is that when you -- they -- that building was
built, that was prior to Miami 21, you see.
Vice Chair Russell: But I hadn't finished. My question was just to the City Attorney.
Commissioner Reyes: Oh.
Vice Chair Russell: In your opinion, based on the criteria that we're considering,
are we safe in saying that there shouldn't -- this is not a qualified intervener?
Chair Hardemon: And I want to -- before she says something, the difference,
though, in our intervening statuses in the past is that we've been in like T3 areas.
These were homes, like single-family homes, and they wanted to build --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Chair Hardemon: -- a parking garage --
Vice Chair Russell: A parking garage.
Chair Hardemon: -- or things like -- like other things --
Vice Chair Russell: Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: --
that were different that changed the character --
Vice Chair Russell:
Right.
Chair Hardemon: --
true -- of the neighborhood, so --
Vice Chair Russell:
But a 40 -story in front of six stories is the equivalent of a
parking garage --
Chair Hardemon: No, no.
Vice Chair Russell:
-- in front of a single-family home, right?
Chair Hardemon: But, look -- no, you're saying, a 40 -story, but they share the same
-- they -- T6-24 --
Vice Chair Russell:
Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: -- A " or `B, " but -- so they build a six -story building, but if they
were to build it today, they'd build a 40 -story building.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: That's the difference.
Commissioner Reyes: That's the --
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Commissioner Carollo: They could still build it.
Vice Chair Russell: That is true, but -- to me, that doesn't speak to whether or not
they're an intervener, that's all; you know, how much it affects them or not, but I'm
open to this as long as we're legally sound in it. I'm open to this not being --
Commissioner Carollo: I'm with you on that. I'm glad you're learning to be legally
sound before we vote, so --
Commissioner Reyes: Call the question.
Commissioner Carollo: -- I 'm joining you on that one.
Ms. Mendez: At the end of the day, the Chairman, I think, did the analysis as to why,
if you vote as to not granting the intervener status, as to the reasons why, and you've
given reasons. You don't feel that the interest is more than the general public. You
don't feel that there are certain characteristic of the change in the neighborhood that
would grant this type of status to them. Your reasons have --and you've articulated
several reasons, so -- reason enough to make your decision.
Commissioner Reyes: As I was saying before, it was -- I mean, construction of your
clients' building was before Miami 21. Miami 21 --
Vice Chair Russell: Doesn't matter.
Commissioner Reyes: -- came around and changed everything.
Commissioner Carollo: 2010, I believe.
Commissioner Reyes: 2010, right? 2009, 2010.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Commissioner Reyes: And then the whole area was so different, and it was allowed
by that new law, you see, by new zoning law for those parcels there to become -- to
build as high as it is. So, I mean, I know how you must feel, you see. The building is
such a big building just across the street from you, but, see -- I mean, I -- every time
that I get out of my house, I see that -- I'm looking at a seven -story building that was
built after Miami 21, you see, right on 8th Street and 53rd Avenue --
Chair Hardemon: Seeing --
Commissioner Reyes: -- but that's the nature of the beast, you see. I'm sorry, but --
all of them -- I mean, there are five, six that are considered T6 -24A, if we include the
one that right at the bottom of -- you see.
Ms. Escarra: We'd be number six.
Chair Hardemon: So --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Chair Hardemon: -- seeing no further discussion, all in favor of the motion, say
"aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
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Chair Hardemon: All against? That motion carries.
Commissioner Carollo: Oh, we're missing somebody?
Chair Hardemon: So intervener status is denied.
Mr. Gibbs: Mr. Chairman, can I ask a question? Because we were denied, we didn't
speak at the public hearing --
Chair Hardemon: Right.
Mr. Gibbs: -- do we have an opportunity?
Chair Hardemon: You didn't give a two -minute public comment statement.
Mr. Gibbs: I can give you a two-second public comment. How 'bout that? And my
two-second public comment is -- and I just want to make sure I get it straight, so let
me -- my comment here. My clients object to the application and support your City
Planning Department's staff recommendation for denial. It increases the square
footage, base allowable square footage from 50 -- 519,000 square feet to a million
point one -- almost a million -- a million point one thousand square feet -- a million
point one square feet; excuse me. And according to the Planning Department, that's
228 percent increase in square footage, and so we urge this denial. However, I
would like you all to understand something. I'd like you all to understand something.
My clients have been meeting with the other side. We've met with Mr. Milton. It's
been a very cordial back and forth with issues that we have with their -- with the
project. They have been very forthcoming with us. They've been very open about
things they can do and things they can't do to mitigate the intensity of their building,
is my words. And so, that's why I wanted to have intervener status, just in the off
chance that we did not come to an agreement. That's all.
Commissioner Reyes: I understand.
Commissioner Gort: How many seconds was that?
Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much, sir.
Commissioner Gort: How many seconds?
Mr. Gibbs: Was less than two minutes. That was less than two minutes, come on.
Commissioner Reyes: It was five minutes (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Hardemon: Ms. Escarra.
Ms. Escarra: Hi. Good afternoon. Iris Escarra, 333 Southeast 2nd Avenue. I'll try
to be brief, because I -- a lot of you already know our application. We're located in
the increased density -- residential increased area of the City of Miami
Comprehensive Plan. We're located within the Miami downtown DDA (Downtown
Development Authority). We're also located in the Urban Central Business District.
We're also located within walking distance of two existing Metrorail Stations. So,
from a connectivity and from a master plan perspective, this area has been
designated in order to come and build density and build units. In addition to that,
the Omni CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) plan, which was adopted many
moons ago, actually has an encouragement to require 10 percent affordable and
workforce housing units. So as a master plan perspective, this is something that the
area has been working on for a long time in order to encourage that sort of mixed
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integrated affordability within one building. Secondly, the Comprehensive Plan says
that general commercial sites, which we're not amending, allows up to 37 times the
net lot area for -- regards to FLR. With that said --
Commissioner Carollo: Iris?
Ms. Escarra: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: Can I -- Chair, if I can get a point of privilege, and
interrupt Iris just for one minute on something unrelated to that, but she's got a map
there that I've been meaning for some time trying to, in a public forum, bring
forward. Commissioner Russell, at the end, on the water -- no. Right there. At the
end of the water, that area there, that's right next to Margaret Pace Park. I -- yeah,
that water area there right on the top. No. Yeah. No, on top, on top, where his
finger is.
Chair Hardemon: Oh.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, right there.
Commissioner Gort: That's it.
Commissioner Carollo: That is constantly full of seaweed.
Commissioner Reyes: Oh, yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: It looks really bad all the time.
Vice Chair Russell: I have a Constituent Services Department, if you'd like to
contact them?
Commissioner Carollo: Well, you have a good one; that I'm sure.
Chair Hardemon: You're pointing past it.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, I am. You know what?
Ms. Escarra: It's (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: She -- I'll take her finger better than (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Ms. Escarra: I'll be Vanna White. I could be your Vanna White. This area right
here.
Commissioner Carollo: Don't charge your client for these five minutes, okay? Send
me the bill. But that area there, I -- you know, we have to find out if we have the
rights to it; I believe we might, but we need to. If we fill that in, it would -- you could
expand that park so much more, and I know you want parkland, and you can make
that area so much better for all the residents around there. And, you know, in the
next bunch of big money that we get the next fiscal year for park impact fees, I'll be
willing to support you so we could fill that in, if we can, and I would have to have
staff research if we own all that. You would have much better use of it than anything
that's there. And I just wanted to bring it out to you so you could give it some
thought into the future.
Vice Chair Russell: Noted.
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Chair Hardemon: Then those people who just built that apartment right there, then
they wouldn't have a waterfront apartment.
Commissioner Carollo: Of course, they would. They still would have
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) project.
Vice Chair Russell: Might have intervener status.
Commissioner Carollo: They would have nothing in front of them.
Chair Hardemon: They probably would have intervener status.
Commissioner Carollo: Nothing in front of them. And what they have now is mud
and seaweed, and it really looks bad. And you could clean it today, and in a week,
it'll be the same way, if not a day.
Chair Hardemon: Okay, Ms. Escarra.
Ms. Escarra: Yep. With that said, the area has already designated this area to
really and truly encourage redevelopment. It's located within the Omni CRA, as
well. With that, I wanted to call up the client, Joe Milton, who I'm representing on
this, for him to tell you a little bit about the area, his vision for the area, and the
investment that he is making in the redevelopment of this project.
Joseph Milton: Honorable Chairman and Commissioners, it's an honor to be here.
It's actually very nostalgic for me to be here, because of the many times I spent here
with my father, being part of the growth of the City as we expanded multifamily
housing throughout it. My vision for the Arts and Entertainment District is very
similar to Broadway and the Art and Entertainment Districts of New York. It has to
be very pedestrian friendly. The situation with these micro units, as they call them,
these units that are 350, 400 square feet, that's -- doesn't work. I mean, the reality
is, the one -bedroom should be around 700 square foot as a minimum; the -- a studio
can be in the 600 square foot; two-bedroom, a thousand square foot or near it; and
three bedrooms, 1,200 square feet. Those are real sizes for people to live and enjoy
their dwelling. Regarding the use of the young professional, young professionals do
get married. Before they get married, they have roommates. I have a young
professional that's a daughter, and she has a roommate. Her boyfriend has a
roommate; they're not living together yet.
Chair Hardemon: Better make that very clear on the record.
Mr. Milton: They're not room -mating with each other.
Chair Hardemon: Better make that statement.
Mr. Milton: How about that? So -- But it is a growing trend. There's -- that's
probably the most social moment we have in today's generation.
Commissioner Carollo: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Milton: You know what? I don't even want to know. I'm going to be honest
about it.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Milton: No, I don't want to know. But it is -- I do see something that -- you
know, you want this district to be developed, and it has a lot of exciting things in it,
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especially with the Arsht Center. That's one of the things that attracted me to this
area. As an Arts and Entertainment District, this made a lot of sense for me. And I
think the density -- I mean, your -- right now, we could build 851 units; that's not
what we're looking for to maximize our density. I don't think it's the right product
for the area. That would be a much more intense development in regards to its use,
especially on the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) traffic. We're going to build -- our intent
right now is to build only about 540 units, which is about 60 percent of the allowed
density. Like I talked to -- and the reason is to build bigger units. We think it's a
healthier product for the area. One of the things that always does excite me is to run
job creation, economic growth, and I only do it when I come to this Commission. So
you guys test me every time, and I'm always excited to come out with the results. A
job site of this size will employ direct construction for two years to 30 months, 500
direct jobs, 240 indirect jobs, and have an economic infusion into our economy, our
local economy, of 135 million. The -- we'd also do the management; that we
currently manage all 10, 000 units that we own in Miami and Dade County. And as a
management company, we're going to have people in the office who'll run the
administration that's on location; the Engineering Department, the courtesy guards,
valet, housekeepers. That will compose of a staff of about 65 full-time jobs, plus
another 21 indirect jobs that includes support from our staff and other suppliers to
the location, for a total of 86 full-time jobs once this comes online. Our real estate
tax impact, which is always important, because we always need more funds for the
City to do the great things it does, the City of Miami will have over $2 million in real
estate tax -- closer to $2.1 million in real estate tax impact. Once it comes online,
Dade County will also benefit at the point of 3 million, and the State of Florida at the
point of 196, 000. And that concludes my presentation. Thank you.
Ms. Escarra: And lastly, I'd like to put that the Planning, Zoning & Appeals Board
recommended approval of this application as proposed. In the backup, you will see
that there is a covenant wherein we are consistent with the other five applications
regarding workforce housing within the building. We've committed to 14 percent of
the units if rental and 10 percent of the units if condo, which is consistent with the
other approvals, as well as the text change that's working its way through to the
PZAB on July 9. With that said, that concludes our presentation. We're available.
We have our architects here; we can make a longer presentation, but I think the -- in
honor of the board's time, I'm -- I can conclude my presentation at this point.
Commissioner Carollo: Chair.
Chair Hardemon: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: If I could ask the --
Chair Hardemon: Staff.
Commissioner Carollo: -- Planning Director a question. The actual units that you
could build there now is how many?
Mr. Garcia: The density provided is 500 units per acre.
Ms. Escarra: 851 for a block.
Mr. Garcia: Correct. I believe what has been stated on the record is that the intent
is to build a lesser number of units.
Commissioner Carollo: I understand. So it's 851 --
Ms. Escarra: Um-hm.
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Commissioner Carollo: -- and you're building 500 and --
Ms. Escarra: 40.
Commissioner Carollo: -- 40. That's a big difference. I mean, I'd rather have units
that are real livable units in the size that I heard here that would give it additional
density for that than have smaller units that you're going to have another 300 and
change more; and this is right, according to the present Code that we have?
Mr. Garcia: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. In the uplifting in the request that they're making,
can they build any additional units at all? Still the same?
Mr. Garcia: No. No, sir.
Commissioner Carollo: Just the density.
Mr. Garcia: The density remains the same. Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: All right. I just wanted to get that on the record and make
sure that I understood what I heard. Thank you.
Mr. Garcia: That's correct.
Commissioner Carollo: Chair, unless there's any further questions right now, I'll
make a motion for approval on first reading.
Commissioner Reyes: I will second it.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved and seconded. Any further discussion?
Ms. Mendez: I haven't read this item -- this title into --
Chair Hardemon: You haven't read it.
Ms. Mendez: An ordinance --
Vice Chair Russell: Mr. Chair?
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized for discussion, Mr. Vice Chairman.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much. This is very similar to several
construction projects that we have approved in this area in the Omni CRA, and I
think it's what's coming. It's -- this is a blank slate for us to develop a new
community in the area. It is the hub that is centered around our free transit system
of the Metromover. It's -- this is a great opportunity for us. I just wanted to make
sure we have the covenant in place with the 14 percent of affordability that will be
included on site.
Ms. Escarra: Correct. That's if rental, and 10 percent if condo.
Vice Chair Russell: Correct. Got it. Yes, I'm in favor.
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Commissioner Carollo: The only big, big problem that I have with this is I want to
know why the County gets 3 million in property taxes and we get 2.1.
Ms. Escarra: We got to call the Budget Director back out.
Chair Hardemon: All in favor of the motion, say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Against? Motion carries.
Ms. Escarra: If I may ask the board for one more indulgence on this application: If
it could come back for second reading on July 12?
Chair Hardemon: Not going to happen. Not going to happen. July 12 is a very
busy day. We just added two items to it. It's something that we don't have to do; it's
not going to happen.
Commissioner Carollo: Would it kill you if we do it on the 26th?
Ms. Escarra: That's fine. Thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. Thank you.
PZ.3
ORDINANCE First Reading
1675
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Department of
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 10544, AS
Planning
AMENDED, THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF THE MIAMI
COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, PURSUANT TO SMALL
SCALE AMENDMENT PROCEDURES SUBJECT TO SECTION
163.3187, FLORIDA STATUTES, BY CHANGING THE FUTURE LAND
USE DESIGNATION OF 1.05± ACRES OF REAL PROPERTIES AT
APPROXIMATELY 2124, 2126, AND 2130-2132 SOUTHWEST 7
STREET AND 2109 SOUTHWEST 8 STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA FROM
"MEDIUM DENSITY MULTIFAMILY RESIDENTIAL" TO "RESTRICTED
COMMERCIAL"; MAKING FINDINGS; DIRECTING TRANSMITTALS
TO AFFECTED AGENCIES; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE;
AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Russell
Chair Hardemon: Can you read PZ 3 into the record, please? Madam City
Attorney, can you read PZ 3 into the record? Is that a --
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): PZ 3.
Chair Hardemon: -- ordinance?
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Ms. Mendez: Which item; PZ.3?
Chair Hardemon: Yes. Is that an ordinance?
Commissioner Carollo: Did I (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?
Ms. Mendez: Yes, it's an ordinance.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized, ma'am.
Ines Marrero: Yes. Hi. Good afternoon. For the record, my name is Ines Marrero.
I'm attorney with offices at 701 Brickell Avenue, on behalf of the applicant. I'm
joined this afternoon by Elias Akar. He is the sole owner of 8th and 27th -- 22nd
LLC (Limited Liability Company), and I can't believe we're actually presenting. This
application has been pending for over two years, when we had our outreach at the
Little Havana NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) Office. It was -- we had to
defer it because of Hurricane Matthew. I don't think I even remember Hurricane
Matthew. It was in 2016. So the application before you, I will -- seeks the rezoning
of four lots on 7th Street, Southwest 7th Street, between 21st Avenue and 22nd
Avenue. This is the south side of Southwest 7th Street. When I first met with Mr.
Akar, this application made so much sense, because Southwest 7th Avenue -- the
south side is one of the most underutilized corridors of the City. When we think of
the principal corridors of the City, we think of 27th Avenue, 22nd Avenue, Flagler,
1st Street, every main street -- Coral Way. On the back, you have residential. So
there's always a little bit of pushback when we're trying to up -zone and create
density along those corridors, because we abut single-family residential or
established neighborhoods. The south side of Southwest 7th Street abuts the north
side of Southwest 8th Street. I will put an aerial up so you can see the property. So
by way of reference, the application -- and it's hard to orient yourself, because we
always think of 8th Street as being south, but this is Southwest 7th, Southwest 8th;
this is 22nd Avenue, 21st Avenue. This is --there's a small theater here. There's an
Auto Part [sic] Zone. There's a bank, and this is the drive-thru for the bank. So we
filed the application, and we submitted all the backup, how we're consistent with the
land use policies, and we had a recommendation of denial from staff. They felt that
while this may be something appropriate, they wanted to study the whole corridor.
So we move forward. We were heard by the Planning & Zoning Board, and your
Planning & Zoning Board approved our request. They thought that it's appropriate;
that this area needs some kind of jumpstart. There's something to -- needed to bring
things up and improve the area. We looked at the staff report, and I was surprised
that the objection from staff related to the fact that this would bring an intrusion of
commercial uses when, in fact, T4 -L allows commercial uses. We could have a fast-
food restaurant. We could have a bank. We could have a Walgreens. We could
have any of these. The only thing that we're gaining by up -zoning it to TS was height
and density. By the way, 22 units is what's being picked up. So when the item was
initially scheduled before the Commission, the item was indefinitely deferred, so that
the staff could study the appropriateness of rezoning this area. And I understand
that staff had an opportunity to look at it, and they concur. Generally -- I don't want
to speak for your Planning Director, but they generally concurred that this segment
should be up -zoned. It should be looked at. It's appropriate to up -zone it. However,
they feel that at this point, it's still premature to rezone just our property. If it was
being rezoned in conjunction with the whole corridor, it would be okay, but because
we're here first and filed our zoning applications and went through all this trouble,
we are -- no, they can't formally recommend approval.
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Chair Hardemon: Staff?
Ms. Marrero: So we've had the opportunity to meet with the Commissioner of the
district, and we understand the concerns in the area with affordable housing. We
can't really commit to make the project affordable. We're just going to do 22 units.
That's what -- the density that's being picked up. However, we have proffered a
voluntary proffer, a contribution to District 3 of -- we'll do -- we're proffering a
contribution of $200,000 to the City, preferably earmarked for District 3, but if not,
as you see fit for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, if one is created. In addition to
that, we are also proffering contribution of $185, 000 to the Arts and Entertainment
projects in District 3, and those will be due -- we will be making those payments
shortly after the approval of the application. We feel that that's something that we
can do to enhance what's happening along 8th Street and contribute to the projects
that add to the character of 8th Street and want people to visit, and be part of the
whole Little Havana area. With that, that pretty much concludes our presentation.
We had submitted a draft to the City Attorney's Office; they've commented. But the
terms of the proffers were a little different, so we would be working closely to amend
that and bring that to this Commission for second reading, if we have the pleasure --
the fortune of your support today, with all of those contributions formally spelled
out.
Chair Hardemon: Thankyou very much. Commissioner.
Ms. Marrero: One final comment. In all those meetings --
Commissioner Gort: Chairman?
Mr. Marrero: -- all the times that we were -- we did outreach to meetings, meetings
at the NET Office, mailed notices, the Planning & Zoning Board, and all the times
we've been deferred, there hasn't been a single person who had been in opposition to
this proposal.
Chair Hardemon: Well, here they come now. No, I was just joking.
Ms. Marrero: No, they're not, believe me.
Chair Hardemon: Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: The -- what you marked there in green, is that the property?
Because I -- there's an alley in there also, right?
Ms. Marrero: There is an alley. We would maintain the alley. So we -- we're not
looking to re plat the property. We also own the properties on 8th Street, but that's
not --
Commissioner Gort: Okay.
Ms. Marrero: -- part of what's being rezoned.
Commissioner Gort: So --
Ms. Marrero: But the properties that are being rezoned is what's marked in green,
yes.
Commissioner Carollo: Does that alley go all the way to 22nd Avenue or not?
Ms. Marrero: Does not.
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Commissioner Gort: No.
Commissioner Carollo: Then --
Commissioner Gort: It breaks up.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. That alley, we should vacate it and -- doesn't make
sense leaving it there.
Commissioner Gort: That's why I brought it up.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. I'm glad you did. I didn't realize it. That's a good
observation. Before Igo on, let me state for the record that I met with Ms. Marrero,
I met with the developer, so that's on the record, so I could comply with State law.
This is an extremely unique and important project to start developing that part of
22nd towards 17th, and at the same time, from 22nd to 27th. It's -- you know, if you
look in the same width that that property has, they own the property facing 8th
Street; that's why it's an important parcel. It covers from 71h Street, really, to 8th
Street in the two parcels they have. Just to the left, a few hundred feet that you don't
see from there, we approved two huge towers way before I was here. I think they
waited for me to leave the end of 2001 to get it approved, and then it got flipped, and
somebody else built it, and then whoever built it flipped it again now to whoever's
managing it, and they're about 14, 15 stories tall. Now, in front of 81h Street -- and I
know it's -- that's not before us now in this item -- how high can you go there with
our present zoning, in stories?
Ms. Marrero: By right, you can do eight stories; with a bonus, you could go up to
12.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, which is part of what Miami 21 has; it's upside down,
but you should have that in the back and then in the front of 8th Street, but that's the
way it is. In the back, the one that you're asking us for, how high can you go? Five?
Ms. Marrero: Five stories.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. And the other one that I just mentioned, it's 14, 15
stories. They're only going to increase by 22 apartments, and I would venture to say
that there is high or higher than anyone since I've been here in what they proffered
forgetting additional permits. If we will get that and a little more for every project
that comes here, we would have a lot of money for building accessible homes.
They're offering 17, 500 for a unit, so.
Chair Hardemon: So let us -- let's go with the motion so we can approve it.
Commissioner Carollo: I will make a motion for approval.
Commissioner Reyes: I second.
Chair Hardemon: Been properly moved and seconded for approving PZ.3. Seeing
no further comment, it's already been --previously read into the record, correct? I
believe so. So all in favor of the motion, say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against?
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PZA
ORDINANCE First Reading
1676
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Department of
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING THE ZONING ATLAS OF ORDINANCE
Planning
NO. 13114, AS AMENDED, BY CHANGING THE ZONING
"74-L",
CLASSIFICATION FROM GENERAL URBAN TRANSECT
ZONE -LIMITED, TO "75-0", URBAN CENTER TRANSECT ZONE -
OPEN, FOR THE PROPERTIES LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY
2124, 2126 AND 2130-2132 SOUTHWEST 7 STREET AND 2109
SOUTHWEST 8 STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA; MAKING FINDINGS;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING
MOVER: Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT: Russell
Chair Mardemon: And then, Madam City Attorney, read into the record PZ.4.
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): Yes, the accompanying PZ. 4.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Ms. Mendez: Also with a proffered covenant and proffers. Thank you.
Chair Mardemon: Okay.
Francisco Garcia (Director, Planning): And if I may, I'd like to insert briefly a
comment. I'd like to receive the latest version of what I understand is a revised
covenant.
Commissioner Carollo: Right.
Mr. Garcia: But we don't -- I don't have that on my files. If I can ask the applicant
to please share that with me.
Commissioner Carollo: I have one more question of you, Francisco. By vacating --
I don't know how long it is or how wide it is; I can't really tell from here, but by
vacating that alleyway that we don't need and certainly don't want to maintain, and
they own both sides of the property, how much more would they be able to build, do
you think, on both sides? Do they get an extra apartment or two or --?
Mr. Garcia: I've taken note, and I'm happy to look into that very briefly,
Commissioner. We would first --
Commissioner Carollo: I just want to know for second reading, so that I take that
into account.
Mr. Garcia: I must mention that the alleyway runs past their property and onto
other properties, as well.
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Commissioner Carollo: Well, we vacate it for whoever it is, if we're not using it.
There's no need for it.
Mr. Garcia: Agreed. The aerial photograph shows that it doesn't seem to be
utilized for any public benefit. If that's the case, we'll certainly explore the
possibility of vacating it.
Commissioner Carollo: Great. If you could let us know, and then, if it runs into the
other properties, it runs through the whole, you know, area that they own. So figure
out, since you've got to split it to both sides -- the front is taller, the back is shorter,-
what
horter,what would they get in addition in the front; what would they get in addition --
additional units in the back.
Commissioner Reyes: Mr. Chairman, that was my question. You see, the property
that's facing 8th Street, that is where all the theaters are, right?
Ines Marrero: Yes, that's correct.
Commissioner Reyes: That's where all the theaters are. Is that alley used for
garbage? You see, what -- all the garbage is -- I mean, they have those big garbage
collectors, and they come in the garbage trucks --
Ms. Marrero: Yes. I don't -- I believe the answer's "no. "
Commissioner Reyes: -- you see. I don't know if they're used for that, but --
Commissioner Carollo: Well, he'll find out.
Commissioner Reyes: -- you see.
Commissioner Carollo: And I'm going to --
Commissioner Reyes: And find out --
Commissioner Carollo: -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE) look at it.
Commissioner Reyes: -- why they -- That's right. That's right.
Chair Hardemon: So the Chair would like to entertain a motion to approve Item
PZ. 4, 7, and 8.
Commissioner Carollo: That's a motion. Its a companion item.
Commissioner Reyes: Second.
Chair Hardemon: Well, 4, 7, and 8. 7 and 8 are two different items, but they're
resolutions.
Commissioner Carollo: Excuse me. 4 --
Chair Hardemon: 4, which is this item that we're on.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Ms. Mendez: Just 3 and 4.
Chair Hardemon: 7 and 8 are two different items. One is --
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Commissioner Reyes: 7 and 8.
Chair Hardemon: -- closing the alley --
Commissioner Carollo: 7 was deferred --
Chair Hardemon: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: -- and 8 was deferred, right? Yeah, yeah. 7 and 8 were --
Chair Hardemon: No. 7 and 8 are still on.
Ms. Mendez: 7 and 8 have nothing to do with 4.
Commissioner Carollo: No, no, no. They don't.
Ms. Mendez: Oh, okay. I haven't -- okay.
Commissioner Carollo: They don't. Yeah, you're right.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). No.
Commissioner Carollo: No.
Chair Hardemon: They have nothing to do with it, but they're easy -- I mean, to just
knock out and then move on to the next item.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay.
Commissioner Carollo: Well --
Commissioner Gort: 5 and 6 were deferred.
Commissioner Reyes: 5 and 6 were deferred.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, but we --
Chair Hardemon: Why is everyone so confused?
Commissioner Carollo: -- got -- These are ordinance, so they got to read them all.
Chair Hardemon: Well, 4 has been read into the record.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Ms. Mendez: Yes.
Chair Hardemon: 7 is not an ordinance. 8 is not an ordinance.
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Correct, but the motion and the second should really
be just for PZ. 4, since --
Chair Hardemon: Why?
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Mr. Hannon: -- this is an ordinance that we've always handled with its own motion
and a second. And then, if you want to take 7 and 8 together, since they're
resolutions --
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Is there a motion to approve 4?
Commissioner Reyes: 4.
Commissioner Carollo: 5 and 6 is deferred.
Chair Hardemon: Correct.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay, 7 and 8.
Chair Hardemon: So it's -- I'll take that as an approval of the motion by
Commissioner Carollo; seconded by Commissioner Reyes on 4. Any further
discussion? Hearing none, all in favor; say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: Motion passes.
Ms. Marrero: Thank you very much.
PZ.5
ORDINANCE First Reading
4196
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Department of
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 10544, AS
Planning
AMENDED, THE FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF THE MIAMI
COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, PURSUANT TO SMALL
SCALE AMENDMENT PROCEDURES SUBJECT TO SECTION
163.3187, FLORIDA STATUTES, BY CHANGING THE FUTURE LAND
USE DESIGNATION FROM "MEDIUM DENSITY RESTRICTED
COMMERCIAL" TO "RESTRICTED COMMERCIAL" OF THE
ACREAGE DESCRIBED HEREIN OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT
824, 826, 834, 842, 852, 860, 868, AND 876 NORTHWEST 1 STREET
AND 29 NORTHWEST 9 AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS MORE
PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A"; MAKING FINDINGS;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Defer
RESULT: DEFERRED
MOVER: Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. Item PZ.5 was deferred to the July 12, 2018, Regular
Commission Meeting.
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item PZ.5, please see "PZ Order of
the Day" and
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"Public Comment Period for Planning and Zoning Item (s). "
PZ.6
ORDINANCE First Reading
4201
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Department of
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING THE ZONING ATLAS OF ORDINANCE
Planning
NO. 13114, AS AMENDED, BY CHANGING THE ZONING
AYES:
CLASSIFICATION FROM 75-0," URBAN CENTER TRANSECT -
ABSENT:
OPEN, TO 76-8-0," URBAN CORE TRANSECT - OPEN, FOR THE
PROPERTIES LOCATED AT 824, 826, 834, 842, 852, 860, 868, AND
876 NORTHWEST 1 STREET AND 29 NORTHWEST 9 AVENUE,
MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN
EXHIBIT "A"; MAKING FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Defer
RESULT: DEFERRED
MOVER: Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. Item PZ.6 was deferred to the July 12, 2018, Regular
Commission Meeting.
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item PZ. 6, please see "PZ Order of
the Day" and Public Comment Period for Planning and Zoning Item(s). "
PZ.7 RESOLUTION
4191 A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Department of ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING THE CLOSING, VACATING,
Planning ABANDONING, AND DISCONTINUING OF A UTILITY EASEMENT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 55-15 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, APPROXIMATELY LOCATED
BETWEEN NORTHWEST 7 STREET AND THE MIAMI RIVER, ON
THE EAST SIDE OF NORTHWEST 11 AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A"; MAKING
FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
=1►/_ClaIIT, l=1hkiill 01IT, 11=1:M:aiMlly*&
MOTION TO:
Adopt
RESULT:
ADOPTED
MOVER:
Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER:
Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES:
Hardemon, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT:
Russell
Chair Hardemon: Is there --?
Commissioner Carollo: Thank you.
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Chair Hardemon: Chair would like to entertain a motion to approve 7, which is in
your district, Commissioner --
Commissioner Carollo: Yes, it is.
Chair Hardemon: -- and then 8.
Commissioner Carollo: I will make a motion --
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): 7 and 8.
Commissioner Carollo: -- to approve 7. Can we do them both together?
Chair Hardemon: Yes, 7 and 8.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay, 7 and 8.
Chair Hardemon: Okay. So moved; seconded by the Chair. All in favor of the
motion, say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion carries.
PZ.8
RESOLUTION
4206
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Department of
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING THE CLOSING, VACATING,
Planning
ABANDONING, AND DISCONTINUING FOR USE AN ALLEY
AYES:
GENERALLY LOCATED SOUTH OF NORTHWEST 26 STREET,
ABSENT:
WEST OF NORTHWEST 2 AVENUE, NORTH OF NORTHWEST 25
STREET, AND EAST OF NORTHWEST 3 AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA,
AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "A," PURSUANT
TO SECTION 55-15 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS AMENDED; MAKING FINDINGS; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE
DATE.
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0276
MOTION TO:
Adopt
RESULT:
ADOPTED
MOVER:
Joe Carollo, Commissioner
SECONDER:
Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES:
Hardemon, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
ABSENT:
Russell
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing Item PZ.8, please see Item PZ. 7.
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PZ.9
RESOLUTION
4203
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Department of
ATTACHMENT(S), GRANTING OR DENYING THE APPEAL FILED BY
Planning
ISAAC M. PERRY III AND REBECCA LONG, AS LISTED ON THE
AYES:
APPEAL LETTER FOR 601 NORTHWEST 7 STREET ROAD
("APPELLANTS") AND THEREBY REVERSING, AFFIRMING, OR
MODIFYING THE DECISION OF THE MIAMI HISTORIC AND
ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION BOARD'S APPROVAL WITH
CONDITIONS, PURSUANT TO SECTION 23-6.2 OF THE CODE OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, FOR A SPECIAL
CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR ALTERATIONS AND
REPAIRS TO THE EXISTING SEAWALL AND THE CONSTRUCTION
OF A NEW KAYAK LAUNCH RAMP FOR A NON-CONTRIBUTING
PROPERTY LOCATED WITHIN THE SPRING GARDEN HISTORIC
DISTRICT AT APPROXIMATELY 601 NORTHWEST 7 STREET ROAD,
MIAMI, FLORIDA, WITH THE FOLIO NUMBER 01-3135-027-1330,
ALSO KNOWN AS "SPRING GARDEN POINT PARK."
ENACTMENT NUMBER: R-18-0281
MOTION TO:
Adopt with Modification(s)
RESULT:
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER:
Ken Russell, Vice Chair
SECONDER:
Keon Hardemon, Chair
AYES:
Hardemon, Russell, Gort
NAYS: Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item PZ.9, please see "Public
Comment Period for Planning and Zoning Item(s). "
Chair Hardemon: Okay, let's move on now to PZ.9; that's the HEP (Historic &
Environmental Preservation) Board decision. All right, the -- is there an applicant?
Is the applicant here? I'm sorry; it will be the appellant and the appellee.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Hardemon: Is the appellant here?
Iris Escarra: Thank you, and have a wonderful afternoon.
Chair Hardemon: Anybody here for PZ.9?
Commissioner Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?
Chair Hardemon: Mr. Garcia, so the appellee will be its, the City?
Francisco Garcia (Director, Planning): The appellants are appealing on this item a
-- an approval in the form of a special certificate of appropriateness by the Historic
& Environmental Preservation Board. They, I imagine, will set forth their concerns
and how they are impacted by the approval of the project proposed; and we, the
City, who are the applicants for the project, would like to present to you the merit for
your consideration of going for ward with the project.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
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Rebecca Long: Hello. I am Becky Long, at 600 Northwest North River Drive, and I
want to take as little of your time as possible. This item got appealed from the
Historic Board because my husband and I failed to present the seawall to the
Historic Board. And so, I'm here today to make up for that and try to explain to you
the hidden treasure that we have in the seawall in Pointe Park.
Chair Hardemon: Ma'am, can you use this microphone, so that when you speak --
oh, you have one. Great, -just in case you step away from the lectern.
Ms. Long: Thank you very much. What we have in Pointe Park is 300 feet of a
seawall that was built a hundred years ago. And my husband is the one who knows
the most about this, and he has taught me, as best he can, what to present; and so,
now I'm going to try to present his information to you, and he's watching, so we all
have to do as good as we can to understand. This seawall was built a hundred years
ago, before they had plywood, and they weren't using steel in seawalls in South
Florida. So the seawall was built with planks of wood, no plywood or steel, and that
means they had to use a very special type of construction, which is called a gravity
seawall. " Gravity seawalls are built in a special way, and this shows the front of --
we're looking at a cross-section of it, so the front of the seawall is here, standing
straight. After a hundred years, it is still standing so straight and proud. The thing
that speed up on the seawall, which everyone talks about, is the cap on the top, the
concrete cap way up here on the land. It's cracked and junked and ripped up, and
definitely needs repair. But the first that our neighborhood heard of this -- it came
barreling through without any notice to neighbors. It caught us unaware, and it was
on such a fast track that we did not present the seawall to the Historic Board as we
should have. I talked about kayaks and the safety issue of launching into the Federal
shipping lane at the Historic Board, and my husband was unable to get there; and
so, they were unable to hear what they should have heard that evening, which was
about the historic seawall. So today, I'm going to try to let go of the kayaks and
speak to you about the seawall and what it really involves. I was concerned about
the kayaks initially, because I'm a teacher, and I took my teenagers on tons of field
trips. And when I first heard about the kayak launch, I thought, "Well, it surely" --
"in the little part of the park and goes into the canal, that would be safe." However,
when we saw the plans, the kayaks are getting launched straight into the river, and
the river in this area is very narrow and turning to go through the bridge, so the big
traffic that's coming down the river is moving right up along the park. The tugs,
giant tugs, their props are seven feet high, so it really churns up the river, and that is
all the way up on the rocks of the park so that it can turn to go through the bridge.
So for that reason -- because we have Norseman Boat Yard, the Seybold Canal -- it's
really a big intersection of big traffic, and kayaks have no engine. It's hard to get
out of the way if you're in a kayak, and so, we thought that was inappropriate. So as
a teacher, I became very concerned about the safety, because I knew my students, the
minute they don't have me, they'll be using that kayak ramp down into the big
current. As it goes out the river, it is big flow right through that bridge, and the
kayaker is going to immediately get tangled into the fender system, so that's very
dangerous. And so, that was my big concern. The night we were at the Historic
Board, my husband was unable to appear, for health reasons, and so, they never got
to hear (UNINTELLIGIBLE) antique seawall. So that's why I'm here today, and try
to explain to you how this goes. The City, when they went before the County for the
Class I permit, they were asked about research, and the City man said, "Well, we did
not put a diver in the water. " We asked over and over for an engineering report,
and they did not produce one. So it was -- this was getting rushed along without the
proper research. And so, that's why we're here, to try to rectify that problem. A
word about my husband. His grandfather came to Coconut Grove in the 1800s. He
walked down the State of Florida with an ox and a bride, and he settled in Coconut
Grove, and he built five little wooden houses in Coconut Grove, and then he worked
at the Barnacle. He was part of jacking the Barnacle up, so we have it today. So my
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husband is an old guy, and he was born into that early culture of Miami. And so, he
heard all that -- the stories of those earliest days, and I think, for that reason, this
seawall is a very important issue for him. And so, what I would like to say is, you
don't need a diver to look at this seawall, because at low tide, the wall is completely
revealed, so no diver is needed. At low tide, we're all the way down here with the
water, so the entire wall is revealed. I have a photograph of it here, which I'll try to
show you closer. The main thing is, you can see on this photograph a line where the
planks of wood were used to build it. At low tide, they created this with planks of
wood; no sea -- no plywood and no steel. So this was quite an accomplishment, at
low tide, to create a wall that's --
Commissioner Reyes: What kind of wood?
Ms. Long: -- still standing today.
Commissioner Reyes: What kind of wood?
Ms. Long: Well, back in --
Commissioner Gort: They had to use Dade County Pine at that time.
Commissioner Reyes: Dade County.
Ms. Long: Maybe they used Dade County Pine, okay. So we think the wall is worth
saving, and my husband has submitted a plan -- I'll show you --for how to repair it.
So here we are. We can see the whole wall at low tide. A hundred years ago, the
tide was even lower, so they were able to construct this seawall. Now, one of the
important things is who built the seawall. They deserve some respect. The
Bahamians built this seawall. They built the little houses in the Grove that you all
are wrestling with right now, how to save them, and yet, homeowner rights. It's a
big complicated issue. But here, we have an example of the technology they brought
from the Bahamas and helped us with here in the early days of Miami. And this is
the gravity seawall. They built these in the Bahamas, and they came here and built
this for us. So it may be tough to hold the little wooden houses in the Grove. The
ones his grandfather built, they're gone. But 300 feet of seawall in the shape of a
pyramid -- it's a pyramid -- it's still standing strong today. So here, we can look at
how we might repair it for a fraction of the cost. So what we would do is apply
judiciously what you call "batter pile. " And batter pile is square -- six-inch square
steel column that would be driven down into the earth, all the way down, and then
it's filled with concrete. You would weld a tie rod. You would do those about every
six feet, and then put a tie rod in. Its welded to the metal here, and it comes back
upland, and it's anchored into the ground, and then fill comes on top of those ties.
So those would be put up against the wall to try to holster it and give it support.
Then you could form boxes out of wood on top of the cap that's there and put a new
tall cap on top of the existing wall. So then, we would have a tall cap. The top of it
would serve as a sidewalk, walking down the canal, and we would have fill on top of
the tie rods with sod, and this could all be repaired at a fraction of the cost ofputting
in 300 feet of sheet pile that will then bury the gravity seawall forever. It hides it
away forever. And our proposal is not to keep people out of the park. That's not
what we're about. We live with the park. We open the gates everyday. We welcome
people to the park. We'd like a sign in the park explaining about the gravity seawall
built by the Bahamian craftsmen and honor their effort, and let's keep it going for
another hundred years. So we think this repair of the wall could be done from
maybe a hundred thousand, not a million plus. So we spent the money for this
appeal so that you could study this and, perhaps, save a million. So we spent almost
a thousand so that a million of public money could be spent elsewhere, where a
seawall is really needed. Remember, sheet pile that you might drive in front of this
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seawall and bury it forever, that sheet pile rots out in 40 years. It's rusted.
However, this wall is standing fine. It needs to be pressure -cleaned and repaired.
There are two major cracks, but even with the cracks, nothing is leaning toward the
canal. It's actually leaning back toward the park. So there's no wall falling into the
canal at all. And we would like to celebrate our pyramid. We have 300 feet of
pyramid. If we celebrate the pyramid, repair it, put a sign in the park showing this
construction, and giving tribute to the people who brought their technology from the
Bahamas and created it. Now, a couple weeks ago we saw Morningside Park
flooded; it needs a seawall. Here, we're trying to spend a million dollars to cover up
a seawall that's serving beautifully. It needs some gentle repair, but that million
could go help the Morningside Park not be flooded. Where they need seawall, they
don't have it. We have a seawall, and right now, while I'm talking, it's holding up
Pointe Park. There's nothing collapsing. The only beat up part is the capon the top.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you.
Ms. Long: And here, my husband has outlined much easier to create a new tall cap
on the wall than to build a cap on all of that sheet pile.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much.
Ms. Long: The sheet pile is very irregular, and it's very expensive to build the form
to pour the concrete, if you go that route. So we were here to appeal to you to save
the million, and celebrate the effort made by these people a hundred years ago. Let's
display the effort made a hundred years ago, and celebrate our own 300 foot
pyramid. That's about 300 tons of concrete.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much, ma'am. I want to allow the Planning
Department to make a comment regarding the issue, because I would assume that
you're apart of the --you represent the City in this appeal. You're recognized.
Francisco Garcia (Director, Planning): Yes, sir. What I would like to do then is to
introduce Robert Weinreb, who is the project manager, so that he can describe to
you more in detail exactly what the City proposes to do to preserve the seawall and
also preserve the interest of the residents who use the park, as well.
Chair Hardemon: Be brief, sir. Be brief.
Vice Chair Russell: Manolo, did you want to designate this wall as historic?
Commissioner Reyes: If --
Vice Chair Russell: I'm kidding, I'm kidding, I'm kidding.
Commissioner Reyes: Let me tell you, yes.
Chair Hardemon: No, no, no. Let's stop.
Vice Chair Russell: I'm kidding.
Commissioner Reyes: Let me tell you something.
Chair Hardemon: Stop.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes --
Chair Hardemon: It's 5:15.
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Commissioner Reyes: -- I will designate it historic, because it had history behind it.
It has history. No other places that they don't have history. Yes, ma'am, that's a
historic wall.
Ms. Long: To celebrate the people who were able to build it.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: Yeah.
Ms. Long: Whereas the sheet pile really hides it away and entombs it, and it's really
fine.
Chair Hardemon: Sir, you're recognized.
Robert Weinreb (Project Manager, Capital Improvements Program): Thank you.
Bob Weinreb, with the City of Miami. Now, just to review, this project is 297 feet --
linear feet of seawall, which is along the Seybold Canal. And I have a few photos
just briefly showing the cap. This is more of the cap going down. Now, this photo
shows that the bottom of the seawall has failed in many areas, allowing the upland
material to filter back into the Seybold Canal. Our marine engineering firm, Moffatt
& Nichols [sic], surveyed the seawall; and instead of spending a lot of money,
determined, along with the Miami River Commission and the dredging crew that just
completed the dredging, that the seawall was in failure.
Vice Chair Russell: Was in what?
Mr. Weinreb: And our project, which started -- Excuse me?
Vice Chair Russell: I couldn't hear you. "Failure, "you said?
Mr. Weinreb: Is in a state of failure.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Mr. Weinreb: And our project, which started in 2015, was a grant from the Florida
Inland Navigation District. The total cost of the design and permitting was 150,000;
and the FIND, Florida Inland Navigation District, gave the City $75,000, or half of
the cost. It was determined that the seawall needed to be replaced, and the idea of
the plans -- and we have Army Corps of Engineers and Florida Department of
Environmental Protection approve plans to put a new seawall, seaward of the
existing seawall, 18 inches higher to protect the upland. So the old seawall would
still remain in place; it's just -- it's passed its useful life. So the plan is for a
replacement in front of the existing seawall, and we have all of the permits, and went
to the Department of Environmental Resource Management of Miami -Dade County.
They reviewed the plans and felt that this was the proper approach, and they had
asked the Board of County Commissioners to approve the Class I permit. And
Commissioner Barreiro, when he was still a Commissioner, asked about whether
there was commercial use of a neighborhood park, and asked that there be no
commercial use in the park. We reviewed the deed, and there is a deed restriction
with the State about commercial use. And there was also a question of dockage, and
DERM (Department of Environmental Resource Management) said that it was too
shallow and that dockage of motorized vessels would not be permitted, and this was
a site for non -motorized uses. Sally Heyman -- Commissioner Heyman asked if it
had gone before the Historic Preservation Board. And we presented it to the
Historic Preservation Board, and they voted nine to nothing in favor of the project
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moving forward. And because it's in a historic district, they had a responsibility to
look at that.
Chair Hardemon: Okay.
Mr. Weinreb: So from our own consultants, from our own Department of Capital
Improvements, who inspected the wall years ago; from the Miami River Commission,
who recommended that the seawall had problems 13 years ago, we've tried to move
forward. We've now obtained last year, with the help of the City Commission, a
$552,000 grant from the Florida Inland Navigation District to help pay for about
half the cost of the new seawall and the kayak launch.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much. Let me do this: I noticed you had a
visceral reaction, so I want to give you an opportunity -- I'm sorry. I wanted to give
you an opportunity just to reply very briefly to what was stated on the record,
because I saw that you had a reaction to it.
Ms. Long: Well, my reaction is, everyone wants to say the seawall is failing, but,
really, it's a strong seawall. It's not falling into the canal anywhere. And you can
see in this picture -- you can see by looking here, this footprint has sunk into the mud
for a hundred years. So nothing is really coming out big time under the wall. It's
eroded on the top of the park. It, of course, needs to be filled in from the park side.
There is holes and big erosion, but that's not leaking out the bottom. When you look
at this picture, you can see that the bottom is kind of sealed up; you see where it had
sunk into the mud, so we don't have the park leaving underneath the seawall. So the
damaged area is the top cap, which we could fix in a simple way and -- I got
distracted. Signal --
Chair Hardemon: Bad camera angle. They tried to embarrass me. I have a
question for you: What did you teach?
Ms. Long: High school.
Chair Hardemon: Where at?
Ms. Long: High school.
Chair Hardemon: Where at?
Ms. Long: Oh, Carol City High, Drew Middle School.
Ms. Long: When did you teach at Drew Middle School?
Ms. Long: Oh, honey, I'm old,• it was long ago. My most interesting assignment was
teaching delinquents, and I only had 10, and they were always equally divided,
white, black, Hispanic; equal, so nobody has a lock on delinquency. But what did all
those boys, 13 to 17, have in common? Not one of them could read. So I taught
them how to read, and the way I did it was to take them on field trips all over Miami.
Then we'd come back; they would dictate a story about the trip that I would write
down, and we would use that text to teach them to read, because you couldn't use a
first -grade book. And so, I had a wonderful time teaching, but that's over now, and
now I'm trying to present all the technical stuff that my husband knows very well.
Chair Hardemon: Well, I'll tell you, your husband should be very proud of you.
Commissioner Gort: You did a good job.
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Chair Hardemon: And you presented very well. You were very clear. You --
Commissioner Reyes: Fantastic.
Chair Hardemon: -- I mean, you explained things in ways that --
Commissioner Reyes: A public teacher can do.
Chair Hardemon: -- some attorneys don't do it. Right? It was very plain.
Ms. Long: Well, thank you.
Chair Hardemon: And many times, that's just how things have to be for someone to
understand it. All right, so I know you were an amazing teacher, because with
something that your husband dictated to you, you were able to explain very clearly.
And so, I just want to -- I want to say that. So just thank you for being here today.
Ms. Long: Well -- thank you -- he created these drawings. He has built big
buildings, and he has built sailboats that can cross the ocean. So -- and he was a US
(United States) Army certified diver, so he knows water, currents, constructing
things. He created these pictures. He would be happy to consult on this repair pro
Bono. He's just wanting to retain some features that are from those early days of
Miami, and he thinks there should be respect for the Bahamians that knew how to do
it --
Chair Hardemon: Right.
Ms. Long: -- and they came here and created this structure, which is not collapsing.
Chair Hardemon: No. So, you know -- so thank you very much for your time with
that. You know, unfortunately, I would ask for my board members to deny the
appeal, but that -- it's not because of you. And so --
Ms. Long: You have no respect for the seawall?
Chair Hardemon: I love the seawall. It keeps the sea at bay.
Ms. Long: It's a shame to bury it away forever by sheet pile that's going to rust out
in 40 years. So why can't we use that money for that seawall in a place in Miami
where it's really needed?
Chair Hardemon: We're going to find some money to spend it where we need it, I
guarantee you that.
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: Commissioner Gort.
Commissioner Gort: My understanding is, you're going to build a concrete wall in
front of the existing wall; is that correct? It's not going to be demolished; it's going
be retained, and all you got to do is make sure that it's fortified.
Mr. Weinreb: That is correct, Commissioner Gort
Vice Chair Russell: Would be nice to have an educational plaque there for people to
understand the history of the construction of the Bahamian construction.
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Chair Hardemon: I thought about that. I think that's something that we can do. It
has to be -- it doesn't have to be done here --
Vice Chair Russell: Do (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Hardemon: -- at this time.
Ms. Long: If you bury it away --
Commissioner Gort: I think she's requesting to have a sign there giving the history -
Vice Chair Russell: Yep.
Commissioner Gort: -- of how that wall was built, and I think that
(UNINTELLIGIBLE). And by the way, I'm sure you were an excellent teacher, and
you continue to be a good teacher; you're teaching us today.
Ms. Long: Oh, I'm not very good ifl can't win you over now.
Chair Hardemon: No, no. Now, teaching and making an argument and having
things vote in your favor is --
Ms. Long: But the point is --
Chair Hardemon: -- completely different.
Ms. Long: -- 300 feet of solid seawall will bury it; no one will ever even know it's
there. Why would we cover it up and hide it when we can do a delicate repair?
Every six feet, put in a batter pile. That's different than 300 solid feet of sheet pile
that's going to rust out in 40 years. So it really is a -- not a good way to spend a
million dollars. We never could grip an engineering report. We never saw an
engineering report on this. We would like a certified engineer to issue a report on
the condition of the wall. The City has never provided that. Would any of you spend
a million on a seawall on your own property without an engineering survey?
Chair Hardemon: I wish I had million dollars --
Commissioner Gort: Yeah.
Chair Hardemon: -- and a seawall --
Commissioner Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) where I can spend (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Hardemon: -- and a property on the water to spend (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Carollo: Well, you --
Ms. Long: But we have a city, and we're careful with our money.
Commissioner Carollo: Well, look, you have presented a fabulous argument, and
you've done it very eloquently. Don't think that you're out yet. You know, the ball
game's still going. You did catch my curiosity on something beyond the wall, and,
boy, the history explained there is really something. But those delinquents that you
taught, have you seen them anywhere in Miami?
Ms. Long: They're walking around Miami (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
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Commissioner Carollo: Well --
Ms. Long: We need to put a --
Commissioner Carollo: Any in 8th Street that are doing business there?
Chair Hardemon: Ah, man.
Commissioner Reyes: You see anyone around (UNINTELLIGIBLE), any of them?
Chair Hardemon: So the Chairman would like a motion, please.
Vice Chair Russell: It's out of my nature, because I certainly love the romantic story
of this, and I am one for preservation, but I do have to trust in the engineers and the
Capital Improvements Department of our City.
Ms. Long: We've never seen an engineering report.
Vice Chair Russell: So I will make the motion.
Chair Hardemon: It's been properly moved; seconded by the Chair.
Commissioner Gort: Second.
Commissioner Carollo: Is there an engineering report?
Commissioner Reyes: Is there an engineering report?
Mr. Weinreb: When we started the design and permitting, Commissioner Carollo,
our engineering firm took a survey of the wall and said that it needed to be replaced.
This is --
Ms. Long: Which is incorrect.
Commissioner Carollo: Did they say why, though?
Mr. Weinreb: -- Moffatt & Nichols, a national engineering firm. And our Capital
Improvements Department, several years before that, reviewed the wall from the
water and said that it needed to be replaced.
Ms. Long: That's not true.
Mr. Weinreb: And the Miami River Commission also said the same thing. When
they did the dredging -- recently, where they completed the dredging and cleanup of
the Seybold Canal, the dredging company was afraid to go near the seawall, because
of the condition.
Ms. Long: That is not true, either.
Mr. Weinreb: So --
Commissioner Carollo: What --
Mr. Weinreb: -- I don't like that -- these are facts that I'm giving you --
Commissioner Carollo: Well --
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Mr. Weinreb: -- not -- I'm not making something up here.
Commissioner Carollo: Well --
Mr. Weinreb: I'm on the record.
Commissioner Carollo: -- but you 're --
Mr. Weinreb: This is factual.
Commissioner Carollo: You're -- the only fact that you're giving me is the
recommendation; not necessarily the fact that it has to be torn down.
Mr. Weinreb: Well, if you look at the last picture I just put up, I think it shows
between the undermining of the equipment -- of the upland, and this is part of the
seawall with -- There is no question that this is not something that is fixable --
Commissioner Carollo: Well, look --
Mr. Weinreb: -- with some minor repair.
Commissioner Carollo: Could I --
Mr. Weinreb: And also, their repair seems to block the seawall, anyway.
Commissioner Carollo: -- at least have the opportunity --? I like this, because I --
she's convinced me, what she said, but I want to see if what you're being told is
correct. I'd like the opportunity to defer this so I could go --
Chair Hardemon: I don't want --
Commissioner Carollo: -- out there and see this --
Chair Hardemon: I don't want to defer.
Commissioner Carollo: -- myself.
Chair Hardemon: I don't want to defer it. This -- you know --
Ms. Long: We have never seen an engineering report. All the neighbors have been
asking for one. We were never able to get one.
Chair Hardemon: This is a --
Daeja Donoghue: Not one existd. There is not one -- there is not -- no engineering -
Commissioner Gort: I'm sorry; name and address.
Chair Hardemon: You know you're not on the record right now, right?
Ms. Donoghue: Daeja Donoghue --
Chair Hardemon: One second.
Ms. Donoghue: -- a neighbor.
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Chair Hardemon: So this came up -- there was a fight when the money was first
approved from FIND, when we sat here in the City and we approved this. This is a
completely different now argument regarding the whole thing. First, there was no
kayak launches from the area. Now it's this, which is what's frustrating the repair of
this wall. It's clear that this is a safety issue for -- this wall needs repairing, and I
trust in our CIP (Capital Improvements Program) Department to ensure that the
City of Miami's making repairs. That's something that is going to be significant and
will do what it's supposed to do for not only the people who live adjoining that area,
but for anyone who's visiting this park. And so, you know, I don't need the -- I don't -
- I'm not a CIP professional, but this is very plain to me. And so, you know, I don't
need to have afield trip to see the space; I've been there before and never actually
taken this point of view on it, but I could see why this wall needs repairing. So there
is a motion, there is a second, and I'd just like to take a vote on it, and let us move
through the rest of this agenda.
Ms. Long: They did -- may I add one other thing?
Chair Hardemon: I will let you add one more thing.
Ms. Long: Once the -- our neighbors went and -- at the County level and they --
Sally -- Commissioner Sally Heyman said, I was kayaker. I think this needs to be
checked closer. " And so, they did hold one meeting by the canal for the neighbors
for the first time. So my husband went to that meeting to present this, and his first
question to CIP and the people that were there was, `Do you know how old the wall
is? And the answer from CIP was, It may be as old as 40 years old. " So then my
husband said, `Do you know what kind of seawall it is?" And he was shouted down
by all the people saying, `It's broken. Its falling. Its crushed. " He was shouted
down.
Chair Hardemon: By other residents?
Ms. Long: And so, he just came home. He said, "Okay, " and he came home. And
so, because of that is why we had to file this appeal, because we failed to get this
part in front of the historic people and -- So they didn't even know how old the wall
was. They don't know that it's a pyramid. On the Nile, the pyramids are standing a
thousand years, and you want to spend a million dollars to cover it up when it's
doing the work.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you, ma'am.
Ms. Long: It's doing the job.
Chair Hardemon: Thank you very much, ma'am. Seeing no further discussion by
the board members, all in favor of the motion, say "aye. "
Commissioner Gort: Aye.
Commissioner Reyes: Aye.
Vice Chair Russell: Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against?
Commissioner Carollo: Nay.
Chair Hardemon: Motion passes.
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Rafael Suarez -Rivas (Senior Assistant City Attorney): Appeal denied. Thankyou.
Ms. Long: So we are wasting public money.
PZ.10 ORDINANCE Second Reading
1909 TO BE DEFERRED
Department of AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Planning ORDINANCE NO. 13114, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, SPECIFICALLY BY AMENDING
ARTICLE 1, SECTION 1.5, ENTITLED "DEFINITIONS OF ART IN
PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM"; ARTICLE 3, SECTION 3.17, ENTITLED
"PUBLIC ART REQUIREMENTS"; AND ARTICLE 11, ENTITLED "ART
IN PUBLIC PLACES PROGRAM," TO PROVIDE FOR PUBLIC ART
REQUIREMENTS FOR PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN IMMEDIATE
EFFECTIVE DATE.
MOTION TO: Indefinitely Defer
RESULT: INDEFINITELY DEFERRED
MOVER: Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner
SECONDER: Manolo Reyes, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For minutes referencing Item PZ.10, please see "PZ Order
of the Day. "
PZ.11 ORDINANCE First Reading
3698 AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Department of ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 10544, AS
AMENDED, THE MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN
Planning OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, ("MCNP") BY ADDING A POLICY
TO THE FUTURE LAND USE ELEMENT OF THE MCNP TO
ACCOMMODATE A RESIDENTIAL DENSITY INCREASE WITHIN
TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT AREAS UP TO FIFTY
PERCENT (50%) WHEN NEW DEVELOPMENT TRANSFERS
UNUSED DENSITY FROM A CONTRIBUTING HISTORICALLY
DESIGNATED SITE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading with Modification(s)
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Ken Russell, Vice Chair
SECONDER: Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For additional minutes referencing Item PZ.11, please see
"Public Comment Period for Planning and Zoning Item (s). "
Chair Hardemon: Is -- PZ. 11, was that an item to be deferred or --? No. PZ. 11 is
an active item, right?
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Vice Chair Russell: It's a companion.
Chair Hardemon: Right. Can we read PZ. 11 into the record, please?
Rafael Suarez -Rivas (Senior Assistant City Attorney): PZ. 11.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Senior Assistant City
Attorney Rafael Suarez -Rivas.
Commissioner Carollo: What item is this?
Chair Hardemon: PZ.11.
Vice Chair Russell: I'll move it with the same amendments on the companion.
Commissioner Carollo: Hold on for a second, please.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes. Mr. Chair, this is the one that I was referring to when I -
- and I made the amendment that the -- three fourth of a mile will be only on major
arterial roads, you see, so we can -- don't go into side streets. It's going to be like
27th or US 1, or something like that. Okay? That's my only amendment.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. So we have three-quarters of a mile.
Commissioner Reyes: Yeah, (UNINTELLIGIBLE), only in arterial roads. This is my
amendment here.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Commissioner Reyes: Its a friendly amendment to it.
Vice Chair Russell: This was companion to FR.1 and --
Mr. Suarez -Rivas: FR.].
Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: And so, all amendments made on that previous should apply to
this, as well.
Mr. Suarez -Rivas: Per the amendments that you made to FR --
Vice Chair Russell: 1.
Mr. Suarez -Rivas: -- 1.
Vice Chair Russell: And that's the same as what you said --
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Vice Chair Russell: Nothing different.
Commissioner Reyes: That's -- besides what I said. I didn't -- I included all of them
at the time, but this is a friendly amendment only on arterial roads.
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Mr. Suarez -Rivas: So the amendments that were read into the record for FR.1 are
being re -adopted and re -alleged with this ordinance? That's your motion, or that's
whatyou're --?
Vice Chair Russell: Yes, yes.
Mr. Suarez -Rivas: Okay.
Vice Chair Russell: And just to put on the record, we are open to expanding the
distance, but -- rather than using a radius to look at a more comprehensive method -
Commissioner Reyes: Yes.
Vice Chair Russell: -- that will go further. So I made the motion.
Commissioner Gort: Second.
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Chair Hardemon: All right, it's been properly moved and seconded.
Commissioner Reyes: Second, but -- I mean, it's been second, but you accept the
amendment of three-fourths?
Vice Chair Russell: Hundred percent.
Commissioner Reyes: I mean, only arterial road, right?
Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Commissioner Reyes: Okay, thank you. Thank you, sir.
Chair Hardemon: All right. Seeing no further discussion, all in favor of the motion,
say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion passes.
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PZA2
ORDINANCE First Reading
3110
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
Department of
ORDINANCE NO. 13114, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
Planning
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, MORE SPECIFICALLY BY
"LOTS
AMENDING ARTICLE 3, SECTION 3.3, ENTITLED AND
FRONTAGES," ARTICLE 4, DIAGRAM 9, ENTITLED "RESIDENTIAL
DENSITY INCREASE AREAS," AND ARTICLE 4, DIAGRAM 11,
ENTITLED "TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT," TO PROVIDE OR
TO ALLOW FOR THE TRANSFER OF RESIDENTIAL DENSITY FROM
HISTORICALLY DESIGNATED SITES TO PROPERTIES WITHIN
TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT ZONES; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE
DATE.
MOTION TO: Pass on First Reading with Modification(s)
RESULT: PASSED ON FIRST READING WITH MODIFICATION(S)
MOVER: Ken Russell, Vice Chair
SECONDER: Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Commissioner
AYES: Hardemon, Russell, Gort, Carollo, Reyes
Note for the Record. For additional minutes referencing Item PZ.12, please see
"Public Comment Period for Planning and Zoning Item(s). "
Chair Hardemon: PZ 12, can you please read into the record?
Rafael Suarez -Rivas (Senior Assistant City Attorney): PZ. 12.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Senior Assistant City
Attorney Rafael Suarez -Rivas.
Francisco Garcia (Director, Planning): And for your consideration, this is the one
where we would incorporate your previous comments that we should protect T3 -
zoned areas.
Vice Chair Russell: I'll make the motion.
Commissioner Carollo: If I may bring something up as an amendment to it. The
City, I believe, should charge an administrative fee similar to the TDR ('Transfer of
Development Rights) Program that's out there. Currently, the TDR Program
charges five cents, as I understand it, per square foot of transfer, while the average
transfer today on the private market is around $4 a square foot. So we need to add a
proposal to add a percentage to that that should go to affordable housing within the
City.
Commissioner Reyes: May I add? I don't know if Commissioner Carollo is -- read
my mind, because -- let me tell you, this is -- we didn't talk about this; don't you think
that is a sunshine violation or anything, but I had the same comments over here, and
I do, I mean, back him up, whatever he's saying, and exactly in the same words.
Friendly amend -- City should charge an administrative fee similar to TDR Program.
It is fair. We are going to incur costs by doing those transferring; therefore, the City
should be paid for it.
Vice Chair Russell: I'll accept the amendment, and would like an analysis of what
that might be and how it would affect everything. Thank you.
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Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. And what I would like -- This is on first reading
we're doing it, correct, or --? This is first reading?
Mr. Suarez Rivas: This is first reading.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. We could put the five cents, which is nowhere near
enough for the meantime, just on first reading.
Commissioner Reyes: And later on.
Commissioner Carollo: And when we bring it back at second, I'd like the
Administration to discuss with each of us individually what that amount should be; if
you could look at it --
Commissioner Reyes: Yep.
Commissioner Carollo: -- and come up with a reasonable amount.
Mr. Garcia: We shall do.
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman?
Chair Hardemon: Yes. You're recognized.
Commissioner Gort: Question: My understanding, to have any value, the air rights
has got to be at least TS?
Mr. Garcia: The incumbent we've incorporated and we will be looking at more
closely is a device whereby we protect the single-family (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Commissioner Gort: No, no, I understand. But I mean, we transferring the right
without any cost or any benefit to the individual?
Mr. Garcia: There must be improvements made to the exporting site, and the density
can only be imported to properties zoned presently T4 and above, and there is a note
to look at whether T4 is appropriate or not to preserve T3s.
Commissioner Gort: But this is not going to be like a regular air right, where you
sell and you pay according to the market rate? In other words --
Mr. Garcia: The -- Right. The value --
Commissioner Gort: -- the recipient -- the person that is giving their right away
should be receiving some benefits, economic benefits.
Mr. Garcia: That is correct. That, however, is a private transaction. What we do
have the ability to control, to some extent, is tying it to the improvement of the
exporting site, and that we have done.
Commissioner Gort. The value will be -- any density would be very high. That's
what -- the air rights will only have the value?
Mr. Garcia: Those -- the market that exists for the exportation of development
capacity --
Commissioner Gort: Right.
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Mr. Garcia: --will still exist.
Commissioner Gort: Right.
Mr. Garcia: And now there is an additional ability to export density, as well, so both
square feet and units.
Commissioner Gort: All right.
Chair Hardemon: Seeing no further discussion, all in favor of the motion, say
"aye. "
Todd B. Hannon (City Clerk): Chair, who was the seconder?
Chair Hardemon: Who, what?
Mr. Hannon: Seconder?
Commissioner Gort: I did.
Mr. Hannon: Thank you, Commissioner Gort. And we have just -- as amended,
correct?
Vice Chair Russell: Yes.
Mr. Hannon: Thank you.
Chair Hardemon: All in favor, say "aye. "
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Hardemon: All against? Motion passes.
END OF PLANNING AND ZONING ITEM(S)
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6aJi/e\Yo7:7e1kiUZ4197JiIJi11;..1107►1;I:&3i111;1Ji69
CITYWIDE
HONORABLE MAYOR FRANCIS SUAREZ
AkiUZelWN11iTh13]4111;1Ji6*1
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34017619:71"ril
COMMISSIONER, DISTRICT ONE WIFREDO (WILLY) GORT
END OF DISTRICT 1 ITEMS
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IYAN17619:110 W
VICE CHAIR KEN RUSSELL
END OF DISTRICT 2 ITEMS
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COMMISSIONER, DISTRICT THREE JOE CAROLLO
END OF DISTRICT 3 ITEMS
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COMMISSIONER, DISTRICT FOUR MANOLO REYES
END OF DISTRICT 4 ITEMS
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31IN17619:7["IN
CHAIR KEON HARDEMON
END OF DISTRICT 5 ITEMS
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FLA
ORDINANCE
4204
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION TO AMEND
ORDINANCE NO. 13114, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY
Commissioners
OF MIAMI, MORE SPECIFICALLY BY AMENDING APPENDIX J:
and Mayor- PZ
NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION DISTRICTS, SECTION 3.1
ENTITLED "OFF-STREET PARKING AND LOADING STANDARDS"
AND SECTION 5.1 ENTITLED "URBAN CENTER TRANSECT
ZONE", MODIFYING STANDARDS FOR SMALL SCALE
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND APPLICABLE PARKING
RELAXATIONS WITHIN THE NRD-1 BOUNDARIES; MAKING
FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
END OF FUTURE LEGISLATION
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NA - NON -AGENDA ITEM(S)
NAA DISCUSSION ITEM
4451 2018 LEGISATIVE SESSION UPDATE BY STATE SENATOR
Office of the City DAPHNE CAMPBELL.
Cierk
FRESULT: DISCUSSED
Vice Chair Russell: I would certainly like to welcome the Honorable Daphne
Campbell, please, for -- to address this dais.
State Senator Daphne Campbell: Thank you. Good morning, Vice Chairman. I
don't see the Mayor, but I saw him upstairs. The Chairman had told -- they told me
he's coming at 10:30. I didn't see him, as well. And all the Commissioners --
Commissioner Gort; Commissioner Reyes, how you doing?
Commissioner Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Senator Campbell: Congrats. So I didn't see you. So my name is Daphne Campbell.
I'm Senator for District 38, and District 38 is a part of the City of Miami. I do
represent 15 cities. I'm not going to mention all, but I'm here to give you a little
update of what happened in Tallahassee for last session; and present you, as well, a
resolution I filed on behalf of the City, who just -- a resolution recognizing the City
of Miami on this occasion of the 122nd anniversary of its incorporation. So last
session -- session started on January, and we finished March 11; extended a little
bit. I do have a booklet -- I don't know if you everybody has one -- and I will bring it
for everyone here; if you guys could pass it around, and give it to them, and with the
State budget, as well, because if you're a taxpayer, you should know what is going on
in Tallahassee; how much money the budget was. The budget was $89.7 billion --
$88.7 billion -- I'm sorry; with reserves, 3.3 billions [sic]. And we have a lot of
reserve in Tallahassee right now. And I'm going to tell you, City of Miami did give
me two projects. One of them never made it at all into the budget, and one did made
it, with a lot of effort, working very, very hard -- the Biscayne Green -- but
Government Scott vetoed it. So, you know, I cannot stop Governor Scott when he's --
you know -- when he has plan to veto whatever he wants to veto. But I will let you
know what happened in Tallahassee, because of Parkland issues, everybody knows
what's going on after the shooting, and we -- the -- both chambers working very hard
to take care of the issues; give them $400 million; put 100 million for mental health;
7 million for -- 50 for the school. Sothis is --you know -- it was a lot of chaos, you
know; a chaotic moment in Tallahassee on both chambers. But I could tell you, last
year, I did work very hard and bring big money to the City. You remember, you
know, I did bring a check. You remember that, Vice Chairman? $700, 000 I did give
to the Mayor. We did apply for it, but this year, we didn't get anything. But with that
said, I have to say thank you to you all for support. Thank you for the work you do.
And we're going to continue working together. Vice Chairman, if you don't mind,
can you read the resolution for me? And I will present a copy to each one of you.
It's on the last --page 31 of the booklet. You have it, right? Last page.
Vice Chair Russell: The legislative update part?
Senator Campbell: The legislative update, correct. If you could read that for me, I
would appreciate it --
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Vice Chair Russell: Gladly.
Senator Campbell: --and I will present a copy to each one of you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Senator. A Florida Senate resolution by Senator
Campbell: "A resolution recognizing the City of Miami on the occasion of the 122nd
anniversary of its incorporation. Whereas, before the Spanish claimed the land
along the Miami River in the 1500s, it was a Tequesta Indian settlement, named for a
word in their language, meaning 'big water'; and whereas, when the Spanish
established a mission on the river's north bank in the late I500s, the Tequestas were
targeted for conversion to Christianity, and subsequently perished after contracting
smallpox and other European -introduced diseases; and whereas, a wave of Native
Americans migrated to South Florida in the 1700s, including the Cimarron, or 'wild
man,' in Spanish, later known as the 'Seminole Tribe'; and whereas, after Florida
was purchased from Spain and became part of the United States in 1819, three major
wars were waged by the Seminoles against the government, its longest settlement of
the Miami area by white pioneers; and whereas, in the 1840s, Plantation Owner
William English established the Village of Miami on the south bank of the Miami
River; and wealthy widow, Julia Tuttle established a large citrus plantation on the
north side of the river; and Julia Tuttle, along with William and Mary Brickell,
persuaded Railroad Magnet Henry Flagler to extend his railroad line to Miami; and
the City of Miami was incorporated in 1896, boasting 444 residents, infrastructure,
and a resort hotel, financed by Flagler; and Miami became an instant tourist
attraction and retreat for the rich and famous, earning the nickname, "The Magic
City, " and prompting several real estate booms; and during one of these real estate
booms, John Collins and Carl Fisher transformed Miami Beach into a tourist haven;
and Miami rebounded after a devastating hurricane in 1926, and blossomed in the
post -hurricane development years; Miami today is still evolving as an international
port and tourist destination, and is a gateway for global industries establishing
footholds in the United States; whereas, the City of Miami is led by Mayor Francis
Suarez, City Manager Emilio Gonzalez, Chair Keon Hardemon, Vice Chair Ken
Russell and Commissioners Wifredo Gort, Frank Carollo, and Manolo Reyes; now
therefore, be it resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida" -- I believe the timing
of this was in a previous Administration --
Senator Campbell: No. We did it this year.
Vice Chair Russell: Then we need to amend it for Joe Carollo --
Senator Campbell: Correct.
Vice Chair Russell: -- and Manolo Reyes -- "now therefore, be it resolved by the
Senate of the State of Florida that the City of Miami is recognized on the occasion of
the 122nd anniversary of its incorporation. " Thank you. Thank you very much for
that.
Senator Campbell: All right. Give him a hand, please?
(Applause)
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Senator Campbell: And thank you, Mayor. I'm glad you're here. And I'm going to
give a copy to each one of you to put in your ojfice. Marie, where are you?
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Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. And just a note to update the City Manager's name,
as well as Commissioner Carollo.
Senator Campbell: All right.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you so much.
Senator Campbell: Correct, correct. Thank you very, very much, and may God
bless you. This is a token of my appreciation --
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Senator Campbell: -- and a token from my heart.
Mayor Francis Suarez: Mr. Chair --
Senator Campbell: Thank you, Mayor, for everything you do.
Mayor Suarez: -- I just want to thank the Senator for this beautiful recognition, and
for all the things that she does. We have a great bipartisan group of Senators and
Representatives that work hard every year to help the City of Miami. And she's
always thinking of us, and always has us in mind. And every year, she's successful in
achieving certain things for the City. So we thank her for her work.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you, Senator.
Senator Campbell: Thank you. Mayor, stay right there. Vice Chairman?
Vice Chair Russell: Oh, you'd like us --?
Senator Campbell: Yes, Commissioners. Where is the Chairman?
Commissioner Gort: He's in --
Senator Campbell: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Russell: My apologies. We have a 10 a.m. time certain item that we'll
take up immediately following this issue. Thank you.
NA.2 DISCUSSION ITEM
4452 COMMISSIONER GORT REQUESTED A MOMENT OF SILENCE
Office of the City IN MEMORIAM OF FORMER CITY OF MIAMI COMMISSIONER
Cierk ARMANDO LACASA.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Vice Chair Russell: Commissioner Gort, you're recognized.
Commissioner Gort: Mr. Chairman, I would like to take a minute of silence to
recognize the passing away of one of our former Commissioners. Armando Lacasa
passed away yesterday.
Vice Chair Russell: A moment of silence, please.
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Commissioner Gort: Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
NA.3
DISCUSSION ITEM
4453
DISCUSSION BY COMMISSIONER CAROLLO REGARDING
ITEMS ON THE JULY 12, 2018 REGULAR CITY COMMISSION
Office of the City
AGENDA AND SCHEDULING OF A SPECIAL MEETING TO
Cierk
DISCUSS INTERNATIONAL LINKS MELREESE COUNTRY CLUB
AND ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL, IF NEEDED.
LRESULT: DISCUSSED
Chair Hardemon: Okay. Now, we're complete with our PZ (Planning & Zoning)
agenda. Let's move back to our regular agenda.
Vice Chair Russell: What's left?
Chair Hardemon: We only have a few items left.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes. I have --
Commissioner Carollo: Can I bring up a pocket item, if you may call it that way?
The Mayor's here, and I think he would understand that.
Vice Chair Russell: I can't hear.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay. We have a huge agenda for the 12th, and one of the
things that I suspect is going to take numerous hours is going to be Melreese, and I
don't want to be here until 2 in the morning, and I don't want to be rushing to
something that is so important for the City. If we could choose, either right before or
right after, a special Commission meeting that we could deal with Melreese in itself,
and maybe Ultra, if you want to? That's also an item that I think the City Attorney is
going to be ready for the contract. You know, we could do Melreese first; Ultra
second. Or you can leave Ultra, you know, on the 12th, but, you know, one or the
other has got to be moved, and I think Melreese going to be the one that will take the
most time.
Mayor Francis Suarez: Mr. Chair?
Chair Hardemon: You're recognized, Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Suarez: Let me talk it over, if you don't mind --
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Mayor Suarez: -- with the Beckham Group individuals just to make sure. I know
that they're, from a scheduling perspective --
Commissioner Carollo: Well, yeah, you got a point that -- I understand that, but --
Mayor Suarez: I think that they had asked the Chair for a time certain of that date --
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Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Mayor Suarez: -- and I think the Chair had granted it, if I'm not mistaken, through
the Manager. So that, I think, has been established for, I think, 2 p.m., on the 12th.
But if you want a special meeting on the Ultra matter, I'd leave it to your discretion
as a Commission; or if you want me to call it, I'll be more than happy to call it.
Commissioner Carollo: I think, Mayor, we need to take some of these --
Mayor Suarez: I understand what you're saying.
Commissioner Carollo: -- big timing items out of that agenda --
Mayor Suarez: Yep.
Commissioner Carollo: -- because we don't do ourselves any service or the public if
we're tired, if we're rushing through things quickly, and we're notpaying attention.
Mayor Suarez: Yeah. I've been there. I know.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah.
Mayor Suarez: Yeah.
Commissioner Carollo: So --
Mayor Suarez: Let's talk about it, if you don't mind, Commissioner, and we'll figure
it out.
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah. Well, you can always call a special meeting.
Mayor Suarez: Yes.
Commissioner Carollo: So let's make the calls.
Mayor Suarez: Sounds good.
Commissioner Carollo: Thank you.
Mayor Suarez: Thank you.
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NAA
DISCUSSION ITEM
4454
INVITATION BY COMMISSIONER CAROLLO TO ALL CITY
Office of the City
RESIDENTS AND CITY EMPLOYEES TO VARIOUS 4TH OF JULY
Clerk
EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY. COMMISSIONER CAROLLO
AND MAYOR SUAREZ WILL BE HOSTING THE FIRST 4TH OF
JULY EVENT AT JOSE MARTI PARK; COMMISSIONER CAROLLO
AND VICE CHAIR RUSSELL WILL BE HOSTING THE BAYFRONT
PARK'S ANNUAL 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION AND THE FIFTH
ANNUAL 4TH OF JULY PICNIC AND FIREWORKS CELEBRATION
WILL BE HELD AT REGATTA PARK.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Commissioner Carollo: Before the Mayor goes --
Commissioner Reyes: Don't -- we have --
Vice Chair Russell: We have DI 4, as well, or no?
Commissioner Carollo: Yeah, I know, but --
Commissioner Reyes: Huh?
Commissioner Carollo: No, but --
Vice Chair Russell: DI. 4? DI 4 is the --
Commissioner Reyes: DI. 4, that was --
Commissioner Carollo: But before he goes --
Mayor Suarez: I think Commissioner --
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, yes, yes. Go right ahead.
Commissioner Carollo: I'd like to invite all the residents of Miami and all the City
employees -- the Mayor and I are going to be having the first ever Fourth of July
fireworks, and there will be hamburgers and hot dogs; maybe even paella, if, you
know, nobody's going to complain --
Commissioner Reyes: Jose Marti Park?
Commissioner Carollo: -- atJose Marti Park.
Commissioner Reyes: Stay away from the paellas, man.
Commissioner Carollo: It'll be -- none of you guys running for office could come --
between 6 and 9 p.m.; the fireworks will start at 9 p.m. And Commissioner Russell
and I would also like to invite all the residents of Miami and all our employees to
Bayfront Park that's also having fireworks at 9 p.m. That's a traditional place.
Commissioner Reyes: Yes, yes.
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Commissioner Carollo: However, I don't think you're going to be able to catch both,
because they're both going up, more or less, at 9 p.m., at the same time.
Vice Chair Russell: There's a third at Regatta Park, as well, that's going to be in
Coconut Grove BID (Business Improvement District).
Commissioner Reyes: Regatta Park.
Commissioner Carollo: That's right, yeah.
Mayor Suarez: Yeah. But I just want to say -- and I want to thank the
Commissioner, because it's the first time ever -- I mean, Regatta Park and Bayfront
Park are sort of signature parks.
Commissioner Reyes: That's right.
Mayor Suarez: But this is in the heart of Little Havana, and I think that's
particularly significant --
Commissioner Carollo: It is.
Mayor Suarez: -- because maybe these are the people that couldn't get to or
wouldn't be able to get to or feel intimidated going to --
Commissioner Carollo: Absolutely.
Mayor Suarez: -- some of these other places, and I think --
Commissioner Carollo: Absolutely.
Mayor Suarez: -- it's special that we're doing this in a place where the residents can
come and enjoy it, so thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: And I appreciate --
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you.
Commissioner Carollo: -- your help and cooperation of your staffs.
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NA.5 ATTORNEY-CLIENT SESSION
4455 UNDER THE PARAMETERS OF SECTION 286.011(8), FLORIDA
Office of the City STATUTES, A PRIVATE ATTORNEY-CLIENT SESSION WILL BE
Cierk CONDUCTED AT THE JULY 12, 2018 MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
MEETING. THE PERSON CHAIRING THE COMMISSION
MEETING WILL ANNOUNCE THE COMMENCEMENT OF AN
ATTORNEY-CLIENT SESSION, CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC, FOR
PURPOSES OF DISCUSSING THE PENDING LITIGATION IN THE
CASE OF 346 NW 29TH STREET, LLC, ET AL., V. CITY OF MIAMI,
ET AL., CASE NO. 13-037260 CA 01, PENDING BEFORE THE
CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 11TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY TO WHICH THE CITY IS PRESENTLY A
PARTY. THE SUBJECT OF THE MEETING WILL BE CONFINED
TO SETTLEMENT NEGOTIATIONS OR STRATEGY SESSIONS
RELATED TO LITIGATION EXPENDITURES. THIS PRIVATE
MEETING WILL BEGIN AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 A.M. (OR AS
SOON THEREAFTER AS THE COMMISSIONERS' SCHEDULES
PERMIT) AND CONCLUDE APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR LATER.
THE SESSION WILL BE ATTENDED BY THE MEMBERS OF THE
CITY COMMISSION, WHICH INCLUDE CHAIRMAN KEON
HARDEMON, VICE-CHAIRMAN KEN RUSSELL, AND
COMMISSIONERS WIFREDO "WILLY" GORT, JOE CAROLLO,
AND MANOLO REYES; EMILIO T. GONZALEZ; CITY ATTORNEY
VICTORIA MENDEZ; DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEYS JOHN A.
GRECO AND BARNABY L. MIN; DIVISION CHIEF FOR GENERAL
LITIGATION CHRISTOPHER A. GREEN; SENIOR ASSISTANT
CITY ATTORNEY HENRY J. HUNNEFELD; AND ASSISTANT CITY
ATTORNEY KERRI L. MCNULTY. A CERTIFIED COURT
REPORTER WILL BE PRESENT TO ENSURE THAT THE
SESSION IS FULLY TRANSCRIBED AND THE TRANSCRIPT WILL
BE MADE PUBLIC UPON THE CONCLUSION OF THE ABOVE-
CITED, ONGOING LITIGATION. AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE
ATTORNEY-CLIENT SESSION, THE REGULAR CITY OF MIAMI
COMMISSION MEETING WILL BE REOPENED AND THE PERSON
CHAIRING THE CITY OF MIAMI COMMISSION MEETING WILL
ANNOUNCE THE TERMINATION OF THE ATTORNEY-CLIENT
SESSION.
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Victoria Mendez (City Attorney): In the meantime, Vice Chairman, could I read a
script into the record while you get whatever audiovisual?
Vice Chair Russell: With regard to?
Ms. Mendez: I have to read something on the record; I'm requesting a shade
meeting.
Vice Chair Russell: Yes, of course.
Commissioner Carollo: Okay.
Ms. Mendez: Mr. Chairman and members of the Commission, pursuant to
provisions of Section 286.0118, Florida Statutes, I'm requesting that at the City
Commission meeting of July 12, an attorney-client session, closed to the public, be
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Office of the City
Cierk
ADJOURNMENT
held for purposes of discussing the pending litigation in the case of 346 Northwest
29th Street, LLC (Limited Liability Company), et al., versus City of Miami, Case
Number 13-03 7260 CA -01, before the Circuit Court of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit,
in and for Miami -Dade County, to which the City is presently a party. The subject of
the meeting will be confined to settlement negotiations or strategy sessions related to
the litigation expenditures. This private meeting will begin at approximately 10 a.m.
or as soon as thereafter, as the Commissioners' schedules permit, and conclude
approximately one hour later. The session will be attended by members of the City
Commission, which include Chairman Keon Hardemon, Vice Chairman Ken Russell,
Commissioners Wifredo "Willy" Gort, Joe Carollo, and Manolo Reyes; the City
Manager, Emilio Gonzdlez; myself, the City Attorney, Victoria Mendez; Deputy City
Attorneys John Greco, Barnaby Min; Division Chief for General Litigation
Christopher Green; Senior Assistant City Attorney Henry Hunnefeld; Assistant City
Attorney Kerri McNulty. A certified court reporter will be present to ensure the
session is fully transcribed, and the transcript will be made public upon the
conclusion of the litigation. At the conclusion of the attorney-client session, the City
Commission meeting will be reopened, and the person chairing the City Commission
meeting will announce the termination of the attorney-client session. Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you very much.
DISCUSSION ITEM
APPEARANCE BY AFSCME LOCAL 1907 PRESIDENT SEAN MOY
REGARDING THE URGENCY OF ADDRESSING THE NEW
BARGAINING AGREEMENT FOR GENERAL EMPLOYEES.
RESULT:
DISCUSSED
Vice Chair Russell: Okay. Before I hit the gavel, there's a couple representatives of
our AFSCME (American Federal, State, County, and Municipal Employees) Union
that had -- wanted to say something. Two minutes, please.
Sean Moy: Sean, of Miami General Employees, Local 1907. Just wanted to --
again, an urgency on our agreement; negotiated since last year in January, and it's
been taking a lot of time. We're very frustrated and just want to get this issue
resolved. We understand that we have negotiations early July; it's been pushed
back, July 25. We had an offer on the table. We hope this Administration respect
the offer that's been offered to us. We don't feel we're going to take anything less.
We feel there's been some restoration of some benefits for some other labor unions,
and as general employees, we just want what's fair and what's been presented to us.
Vice Chair Russell: It's well -noted. I'd hope we have taken it -- would have taken it
up today, and I'm sorry that we didn't, but we'll work to do so very soon.
Mr. Moy: Thank you.
Vice Chair Russell: Thank you. Meeting adjourned. Thank you very much.
The meeting adjourned at 6: 50 p.m.
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