All right. Shout out to full moon. The brother council meeting for Tuesday, February 24th, 2026 is called to order at 7:03 p.m. We're going to have a moment of silent meditation followed by the pledge of allegiance. Algiance to the flag
to the stand. One nation, indivisible, liberty, justice for all. village manager Janice Jacobe village clerk and I'm assuming attorney Geller is running late you have a quum >> all right thank you very much I have a
motion to approve the agenda so moved moved by council person winters second by council say I >> I appate Uh next is building welfare. This is a time where um anyone from the audience would come up and talk about anything at
all. minutes and your name and But I just wanted to bring up a few red flags about the soulful church. Number one, 3D printing. They made a big deal about it, but apparently what contractors like most is
it's fast and it's cheap. It's also new. How many high schools or any schools for that matter and built in Florida using 3D printing? None. Zero. How many have been built in the United
States? Zero. Europe? Zero. In fact, there's only two in the entire world. The point is that this is very much an experiment in construction. They're using Elportal as a beta site,
testing ground for a new and unproven unproven construction method. So, we're basically going to be a guinea pig for a billionaire with a not very successful track record. Number two, sewer. Elportal has been
talking about installing a sewer system for what, 15 years. Now, they're going to wave a magic wand and it'll suddenly appear. Are they going to assume 100% of the cost, guarantee that nothing comes from the village, the county, or the state?
Do we have an engineering report or confirmation from WASDI that this is even feasible? Where is the pumping station? First, they were going to go north. Then they were going south. Then they figured out a way to install a
sewer system without tearing up the road. If you remember the North Miami Bridge project supposed to take a year, took four years. I spoke to the broker who sold the
Raider church to the former owners, the sanctuary. They said they spent months trying to figure out the sewer connection. And in the end, they decided it was too expensive, too timely, and and going to
be too difficult. I don't know what's changed. And finally, I wanted to say something about live local. At the last town hall meeting, we all saw the rendering that Jeff Davis presented of his version of Live Local.
It looked like the Death Star from Star Wars. Only thing missing was Darth Vader. Neither he nor Lauren are attorneys, much less land use attorneys. A few of us residents have hired a land use
attorney. Amanda Hand. She's been practicing for 20 years. She's a former assistant city attorney for Miami, responsible for all planning, zoning, building related matters. She's Florida bar, board certified in city, county,
and local government law. And she said, and I quote, "Every Miami developer, when they don't get what they want, threatens live local." We were told repeatedly that this is a binary choice,
that it's the school or live local misinformation. There are a lot of things that could be built on that site. They just choose not to. They also choose not to move it to Little Farm.
But back to live local. What is so wrong with live local? Are we now as a community against affordable housing? got another minute. Live local is just affordable housing with a streamline approval process. It only requires about 40% of the
apartments to be incomerestricted. And in Miami, that threshold is pretty generous. In fact, a single person can make up to $105,000 a year and still be eligible for a discounted apartment. This is not section 8. This is middle inome teachers, nurses, first
responders. Are they not welcome in Elportal? Now, the site is zone Z4, so it's up to three stories. Maybe they get to six, but that is not a given considering it's surrounded on three sides by single
family zoning. And finally, you have to offer on-site parking, which will further reduce the envelope. Most important, it pays property taxes. The 10-year tax abatement that Jeff
Davis mentioned is more misinformation. Even the Kavista, which also qualified recently for affordable housing tax reduction, pays $1.1 million in taxes. And of that, we receive $400,000 a year and it goes up every year.
It's a lot better than the $100,000 they're offering. And all this with a no 8- foot wall, no police, no traffic bottlenecks, no off-site parking. So, if they want to
build live local, let's see an actual plan because they must have put something together besides a Death Star. In the end, let's not be bumrushed into making an irreversible mistake.
Thank you. Timbosity, 149 Northeast 89th Street. Uh, so I spent a little bit of time going through the street plan that was on the agenda for the walkthrough um tonight and I thought there were some really interesting ideas in there. But
my ask for the the council, the mayor, I think that we should discuss um more amongst ourselves is I I just I don't think it's necessarily ripe right now to be spending much time or energy on that. Um and and if there's money involved as
well from a consulting or design standpoint until we're able to draw out what the plan is for uh everything that's coming to our community that's going to drastically change the character of the community. Um we've we've heard potentially proposed up to
2,000 apartment units on Little Farm. Uh whether at the Raider Church site, whether it's a school or whether it's a live local project. Um traffic around that site will will change one way or the other. And so I I think one of the
the big things that I just urge from the council is since we know there's one stakeholder behind a lot of what is being proposed or we know is in a pipeline and on the come um that we are
able to look at a holistic traffic plan um and a holistic community environmental impact because I I think we would hurt ourselves uh if we start spending money, time, resources uh on nice to haves without taking those
impacts into account. Um and potentially if if there are things that come to the council, there are abatement issues that might need to be paid for anyway uh from the the developers with the properties on the comp. And so, uh, again, I'm glad
that we're paying attention to beautifying our streets, to reducing environmental impact, to figuring out flooding mitigation, um, issues, uh, to increasing safety on our streets. I think all of us have asked for that and I think it's all incredibly important.
Uh, but I just want to make sure that we are spending the time uh to make sure that we're taking everything that's looking to change our community in a in a huge huge way uh into account when we're doing these things. Thank you.
>> Thank you very much. >> Hello, Francisco 137 Northeast 89 Street. This is the my first time doing this. and uh the I receive a chat information uh regarding to the parking lot and the
between 89 and 90 that was my first concern of about this not have much idea about the church and the on the school development but I'm here right now because I was talking the the other day with
some of our neighbors Uh I it's very important to know if you as a local government officials from the portal and we need to have the big picture from you
the big picture from the developers because in the the past two meetings and one of the developers says we are try to do a parking lot on the 89 and 90 and uh in at some point decide what we decide
not to go for to the parking lot. So that that simple. So I don't trust because we need to write it down and besides that we need to understand what will be happen with the properties that they get it supposed to be a parking
lot. It is not parking lot. What what's going to be uh the school will be here in the portal. The people says it's going to be at 300 students, right? 300 students and probably a 30 people from
the staff, school staff. That means it's going to be a 350 cars in addition to their regular traffic in the in the in the area, right? So what will be happen with that 350 cars? Because sometimes as you know when
there's something happen in I95 all the traffic is going to there Miami Avenue, Northeast 1 Avenue, north northeast 2nd Avenue. So I guess you have a plan. Um
then when the school has some like extracurricular activities like a festival, something like that on the weekends or during the the days, Thanksgiving, whatever it is, we need to add the 350 cars. We need it's going to
be probably 500 cars in the area because all the parents, friends, uh family is going to be then where these cars is going to be parking and the parking lot doesn't exist probably is going to be parking in our streets in
front of my house. And I don't know if you know that, but that's the real things that happen when you have a a school around. And the other part I think it's very important the as you as a government officials they need to
coordinate with the Miami shores with little Haiti with the Miami date because we understand the 87 street is part of the Miami date and uh now as you I don't
know you're driving around the 7 7:30 a.m. The traffic in 92nd Avenue from 89 through just passing probably 77 street is traffic a heavy traffic on the
mornings going on at the afternoons the traffic is heavy from the same streets because it's on the way back to the north. So for me or my request from you it is very important that you need to
know the big picture from the developers probably the developers they don't want to share the business because by the end it's a business model they don't want to share because it's very it's totally understandable but I believe that as a US a government
officials you will need to ask questions the other day they they said uh the demolition is not going to happened because it is any permit of the demolition in their portal. What happened? That was on the Miami day county and that these people says we
don't know demolish the the the church. What happened? The people getting offended because one day just awake they noticed that start the demolition and that we don't hear nothing from Elortal Village. At least not me. I don't
receive any notification, any news, nothing. When I just arrived here in Miami to like 20 years ago, I used to live in Bickl Key. As soon as uh the following week, just one week of living in Bickl Key, I received a notice from
my building notifying me that it's going to be a demolition inside the Brickle Key. So, you need to aware, you need to be prepared for everything. Here, we don't even hear nothing. So it's just we need to start working on the
communications because at least the communication is not that good. You're not communicate the Miami day doesn't communicate with you. I don't know you have communications with the Miami shorts regarding to the traffic and there's a lot of stuff that we need to know because we can think a lot of many
options but it's going to be wasting our time because if we don't have the big picture of the this cannot be happen it's cool what happened with the property it's going to be try to build a building yes no it's going to be a new offices it's going to be a retail I
don't know you guys need to know to share with us at least with me I very try to because I believe that as soon as that parking lot is going to be there, it's going to be a huge problem with me in my in my in my street and I have two little kids.
>> Thanks so much. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. Uh, I'm George Alvarez, 165 Northwest 88th Street in El Patrell. Um, I'm not sure if anybody's aware, but
there's a largecale development being proposed for uh the former Raider Church site at 205 Northeast 87th Street here in Alpertell. um because I'm growing more and more
familiar with the site plan every day. It's obviously it's a formidable site plan. Uh originally came in, I believe, at over 420 pages. Most of it was a traffic study. The more I look at the
traffic study, the more confounded I get. So unlike uh uh my my my my friend whose name I forget, I do think it pertinent to think about um the old idea of the Plus Serbia study and other
traffic considerations that were made in good faith over the years because there might have been a great deal of study that may contextualize any future development that happens at that site or any other. Um I think it's
highly relevant for some of the discussions that we're having tonight. Um although at the same time to uh put the cart before the horse uh to put the sharet before Lev would be uh a waste of time. So perhaps it is
good to refamiliarize ourselves with with ideas uh that were discussed in the placeria report. We paid for it. It was with good intention and it was I believe recalling a lot of the questions and and intentions that residents have
had throughout time especially residents around the uh main street corridor. So, um I'd also would uh call upon the council to ask our village manager
to ask the developers of the proposed soulful development to um provide us not only with a new traffic report but with other studies regarding to public safety,
flood mitigation, public safety a new traffic report, an environmental and historical analysis. The place at 205 Northeast 87th is a high probability zone for
Tecasta uh native artifacts and even remains. And in addition, and this is something that's not routinely called for in in developments as say traffic or public safety are, um I would like to see some
prognostication about property values, especially around that corridor. And I would extend that request to be put on deck for any development that happens in the old little farm. Um and in fact to
that I would add uh another request. I would suggest that the council also ask the village manager to start seeking other communities of smaller populations
or of under representation because these communities like ours are at great fiscal risk. If we have a lot of development and not enough tax base uh coming into our our
coffers, as you recall, we don't really have much in the way of reserves. We'd all like to change this. And I think um I think that no that severe tax abatements and religious exemptions is
probably not the ideal way because then the burden gets put on everybody else who who does not own a large apartment building uh or or uh religiously affiliated institution. So I hope you folks will consider that. I think it's
reasonable and I think it might answer some of the questions that seem to bottleneck much of the discussions about this project and development in general uh especially as regards to Northeast Second Avenue. So, thank you for your time. Hope you consider it.
>> Thank you very much, Michelle. Hello, Ashley Luchio. 27 Northeast 90th Street. Um, I just want to second what uh George and Tim and Greg uh eloquently said. Um,
I think that and Francisco as well. We ultimately need to see the larger plan, not just the larger plan like what is planned for Elportal, but the long-term plan as well, right? And I think that requires
we can't do it in a bubble. You know, it does require coordination with Miami Shores, with Little River, with the county, right? So, um, you know, I feel like it is a bit premature to be talking about changing
up our streets when we don't really know what's going to happen with our properties and our buildings. Um, I mean, you know, this this plan could change from a school to live local and then what is the traffic impact then, right? And that hasn't even been
studied. So, um, but to get on the on the roads topic, um, I was looking over the comprehensive plan, I I love what has been put together, especially for Northeast Second. I am not against um the road
diet and the median. I think it's beautiful. I think that's what we should be aspiring to have throughout our community. You know, separate bike lanes, walking lanes, all of that. I think it's really, really beautiful. Um, but again, I think it's just premature
to to look at doing this right now. Um, and one other thing I just want to add is that I live on Northeast 90th Street, which in one of those plans has it only going one direction, which would be towards North Miami Avenue, right?
That's a really big issue for us because we're blocked off on Northeast 91st. We're blocked off from from getting out of our neighborhood. basically we'll have only one way out and that's towards North Miami Avenue. We can't even circle
around like it's only one way out and it's a long it's like two blocks out before we can get out of the neighborhood. So that's just something to think about the impact of Miami Shores is closing off their streets to us and then us creating, you know, this
kind of labriant type of way to get around. It's it's going to be very very difficult. I I don't know the answer. I mean, we do need some traffic calming measures throughout the village, right? And Northeast Second is a big one, I
think. Um although it's tough because it's a main corridor, but um yeah, I don't know. I think I think we're just not ready to to look at this yet. And I know it's been on the table for a couple of years. I think this study was done a while ago, but we just
have we're in too much flux right now to to look at that. That's it. Thanks. >> Thank you very much. >> Daniel Roa, 16 Northeast 86 Street. Um so I just wanted to to discuss a little bit well our neighbors Greg everybody
has discussed the whole project with soulful I I think there's also an issue that we need to discuss is um as villagers I believe we have a bit of a trust issue and I I think there are ways that we can regain trust in our council members and our village and I think one
of those would be to have an open and clear disclosure of conflict of interest by any members of the council with respect to soulful or any other developments in the village. And and further than that, the disclosure, I think any members that
have such conflict of interest should be recused themselves from any discussions or votes pertaining to those developments. And that's basically what I had to say. Thank you. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Good evening, Denise White, 173
Northwest 88th Street. I'm scratching off my ticket so I too can be a billionaire one day. Um, to my council. We It's been a hot month, ain't it? But I tell you what, they had great
snacks. So, um, first I want to talk about my my my my Oh, I'm in love with this man right here, Mr. Herbal. Hey, Mr. Bone. So, I know some people is upset because they said they didn't like what you
said. Some people even said that maybe they scared. Now, understand this, like you've been on this council for years, right? And other people been on this council for years and you speak like that from I got here. You've been
speaking like that. That was the first time you ever used the fbomb. That was crazy. You was probably hot inside here. But usually you speak like that usually. And I don't remember anybody being afraid of you then. So I just want to say that I want to thank you. Uh not because of what you said or what you
didn't said. I don't care about that because special things are in everybody. And what you do do is vote no. Whenever there's there's there's questions in here and everybody's heart is all crazy, what you do do, if nothing
else. Oh, my most wonderful, beautiful, crazy brother. Oh, my baby. My baby is beautiful. I want you to know that you vote no when you're residents. Sometimes I be wondering what's going on up here and then all of a sudden here comes Urban and he says, "Hey, can we
can we taple that till 2027?" What did he say that? Y'all remember that? Y'all remember that? When somebody wanted 67 and he said, "No, no, no, no, no, no. Wait, let's make that 2027." I think they don't they're not in the mood for that. That was Urban who did that.
Sometimes when we don't know what's going on up here, it's Urban. Oh, my city manager. Oh, Urban did that, too. Understand that. Sometimes there's no reason up here, but Urban is listening to us. Now, he might not always get it right, and everybody nobody gets it
right every time. But I will say the majority of the time that I've been here, he votes shorter in our favor. So, you my hero. You my man. I don't care
what nobody say about you. You my man. You You want some chocolate? Let me know. Right. Oh, it's getting hot up in here. Oh, some people just, you know, I feel like my hot flash is coming on. So, um, second of all, it's been a
real hot week. I want to thank, um, the council members who did come to listen to the town hall meeting because they know how passionate our residents are. Oh, my residents were passionate. Some people was like, "Get out. We don't like you." Ah, right. But um like everybody
else, I urge you to listen to us. And let's say you say to yourself, "Well, this I think this is the best for us." And I know y'all don't agree, but I think y'all will agree in two years or three years or whatever. Oh, you better make sure you bring us some stuff.
If you going to make it so that this church is here, cuz that's what you think your little soul think it should be, you better go study. I was on chat cheap the other day. I think he is a very great useful tool and he was explaining to me that if that school and
that place right there comes over they have the power to change the culture. Oh, it gave me some ideas of my own change my culture somewhere else but you know it would give them the power to change the culture here right now. We are multicultural.
The buzz went off y'all. We are multicultural and I think our big thing is we want to stay multicultural but okay maybe we can't no big deal okay cool things change people evolve evolution happens all the time in small
cities and again I am not one to say people cannot move in once they have paid for their property never my people did that that's just where my heart is but if you are going to say yes to whatever is coming down the Oh, oh, you
better make sure you study and you make sure that you got our little village the best deal. Those people, they were crying. They were like, "Oh, we can't give no more." And you said, "We need more. One more last thing." Cuz I'm scared that you might vote
against us. So if you do, make sure you get all there is to get from them people to make sure our little village at least for a little while stays the way it is. Now if we put live local there, we're not sure
what we going to get. And because it's from the state, they get to do they don't get they don't have to ask us for everything like they have to ask us for everything about this church right here. That's what my little chat said. I don't know. the Gella he gonna tell y'all but that they don't have to ask us if they
do live local they don't have to ask us for the little things about how how many stories no the state gets to tell them that we know our state sometimes he lookie you feel me don't care about little Elport town so that is something that we need to take into but if we do
have little local we will always be multicultural because there'll be a whole bunch of different people up in that building so we will at least keep our multiculturalism So as we move forward on these decisions and these yeses and these nos, we have to understand what is it that we want.
We could tell them no, no, no. And they could bulldoze us and these people could say yes. And then where we at? We also need to have a plan B, a contingency plan just in case billions of dollars beats thousands and millions of dollars
because I know some of y'all got some money. Anyway, that's just my little two cents. I I ain't nobody up in here. I'm just a little resident. Amen. Hallelujah. >> Joanie Hector, 260 Northeast 88th Street. There's a lot of things that people have been saying that make a
tremendous amount of sense. I agree with you. We need to get whatever we can out of them. But one thing I want you to ask yourself because I feel like certain people's attitudes might have changed when they took the parking situation away from 89th 90th Street and Second
Avenue. I live right next door and I want you to ask yourself, what do you want being right next door to where you live? Because it's not pleasant to think about some of this stuff. That's it. Thank you. Oh, one other thing I noticed
on the agenda the very first paragraph that talked about getting rid of people that are destructive and heckling. Thank you very much for that. I thought that was a great idea. >> Thank you very much. >> Pamela Mills, 166 Northeast 90th Street.
So as uh we you know make together and discuss what we think is good for uh the village and what's going to come down. I've noticed that from 87th to 90th on Northeast 2nd on the
west side, everything is for sale practically now. What used to be homes are empty. The cottages are empty. Uh there's a building for rent that's empty. So, there's very little from
87th, I don't know if you've all noticed, to 90th that hasn't either been bought or probably will be bought, including all the apartment buildings. Um, so you just need to walk up and down
Northeast Second to know that something's going to happen. But that's the problem is that we don't know what's going to happen. It's obvious because things are either sold or for sale or empty, vacated
that, but we don't know what the plan is. Um, we're always playing catchup and I don't understand like why we aren't informed. And not only that, if there's going to be buildings, why why can't we see them?
The worst thing that could happen is they're going to be like square boxes with glass. They aren't going to even look like they're amalgamated into Alportal. Don't we want it to at least assimilate these things? Do they have to look like they came from Aventura or And
no offense to Aventura if anybody lives there, but um you know the charm of our village is that they're old homes. They're Spanish art deco. Some of them I know mine is 1938.
So, whatever the plan is, if anybody's ever seen it, wouldn't it be nice for it to at least look like it belongs, right? Do we not only are we changing, is it going to change our lives fundamentally in traffic and everything else, but does it have to look bad, too?
Does it have to look like it's a brand new building in a in a village that has great character? So my question is is at least let us know like can do we even have a say on what it's going to look like? And then another thing I got to
thinking about is you're you have all the power, right? You have the voice. You have the votes. Why can't we vote? It's affecting us. We're the majority. You're definitely the minority council. Yet you're making fundamental decisions
on all of this that we don't even have a say. We come up here and we beg. We plead. I mean, but at the at the end of the day, we really don't have a voice, do we? I mean, I think it would be great if there was some sort of amendment or something. The buzzer went off. Where we
would could actually have a say, a real say. And that's all I have to say. >> Yeah, that's Timbosity, 149 Northeast 89th Street. Again, um, one of the things that might be helpful for, uh, attorney Geller to comment on, um, we
spent some time talking about this and hearing some expert opinion on this, uh, today in in a small group, is that, um, live local, even though a lot of the decision-making power goes to the, uh, the state and the statute there, that we would have potentially still rights over
facade. um that there are things around setbacks uh environmental potential impact and things that we can manage and do around that. So I I thought that you made a great point and I think that's really important to all of us is that things that come here are within the the
look and the feel and part of the environment and the fabric here in Elportal. And so I I I would like to not only hear about things like, you know, even if live local projects pop up, do we actually have that oversade, but also I'd like to hear more about who's fighting for us, like who is what what
are we doing to make sure that with all of these things that continually come up that are our concerns is what are we doing to to make sure that whatever the outcome here is that it is in line with with residents. So, what the mayor, the council member, what the city attorney,
what everyone is doing uh to fight for our interests um to get to that that that best possible outcome. Thank you. Thank you. >> Uh good evening. My name is Warner Dreer, 486 Northeast 8, uh7th Street. Um, I've approached a couple of the
council members, uh, including the mayor as well. Uh, just want to hear a little bit more who's negotiating the offer list. Um, I keep hearing somebody's actually, um, sort of leading or spearheading the way. Um, I brought my
concerns to the mayor, right, that we probably need some external partners out there to help us negotiate. I know from a law perspective, I think our attorney, you make sure that it's only um lawbinding. Uh, so I just want
to make sure we have some external party out there who can help us negotiate, you know, this big uh task. And I would appreciate if we could hear a little bit more from it. Um I brought it up on the first um meeting we had with Zoflow,
right? The uh actual uh >> Yeah, the planning is only and also the uh the uh town >> town hall. Yes. So thanks for that. Alexander Basa, 120 Northwest 36 Street. Uh, first of all, I want to thank um,
Council Member Urban, who met with us and a few of the of our neighbors to discuss uh, what is crucial for um, the identity of our village, which are the trees and nature preservation. Um, so we
can look more like like Miami Shores and and Coral Gables. And um I was thinking why do they have such a strong um why can we have what they have? You know
that that the tranquility the peace of mind that we're going to have those trees and it's because they have a very strong sonic um >> code and they know who they are. they don't feel like they are a bargain town
where they should be thankful that any developer can come and do whatever they want. So I am asking you council members uh to stand up for us not to let uh what son
what happens in Sony isles that next thing they knew the whole town was completely chained and you know didn't keep any of the character. The other thing that I wanted to talk about is um property taxes. So, I know a lot of ne a
lot of the neighbors keep um saying, "Oh, we're going to repave the the 88 street. We're going to have sewer on second, but what about the rest of the the neighbors in in Elportal who also pay taxes?
The property taxes for with all the exceptions that all these developers are will not pay are supposed to cover for what we all need. We all need, you know, pave house uh streets. We all need sewer.
So that's why I'm asking you no exceptions because we cannot afford it. We have a lot a lot of a def a big deficit in our budget and the last people that we should be giving exceptions and taxes are big developers.
I don't know in what world does exist that we're paying for that as if we're at this countdown. So, thank you. Jean 199 Northwest 87th Street. This is a small thing but I think that it makes
sense to because we have big issues but we have to take care of small things too. So I would like to speak about the importance of swelles in our public infrastructure. As you know, swells are those spaces between the boundary of our private property and the street
pavement. And although adjacent homeowners maintain them, they are public space and part of our shared infrastructure. So swells are much more than strips of grass, they are critical components of our storm water and environmental system. They absorb rain
water, reduce flooding, protect water quality, and support our uh urban tree canopy, which is especially important in flat foodprone areas like ours. To have them and to maintain them makes a huge difference from other neighborhoods in
Miami. In El Portal, which proudly defines itself as a bird sanctuary, uh these green spaces are even more meaningful. H they provide habitat shade and ecological continuity throughout our village. So I would also like to note
that this council has been very careful and sometimes really strict when evaluating uh private development proposals even when those project proposals comply uh rigorously with existing codes and regulation. And my
concern is that we may not be giving the same level of attention to protecting and improving our public public spaces, particularly our swelles. If you walk through the village, you will see swailes without greenery, swells used for parking, and in some cases even
worse, swells that have been completely paved. So I respectfully ask the council to prioritize the protection and enhancement of this critical infrastructure, keeping SWS green, preventing parking on them, enforcing code and regulation where necessary, and
expanding our tree canopy by planting additional trees not in some but in all the soils that don't have any. I think that if we as a village truly value our identity as a bird sanctuary, our public
spaces should reflect that commitment. Thank you. Thank you. >> Hey everyone. Uh Adam Old 140 Northeast 86 Street. Sorry if I'm repeating anything anyone said. I got here a little late. Um
I I I support also the street plan that Serbia's spent maybe 10 years developing um it's it's very important for the city to um maintain our walkable character.
One of the things when I moved here couple decades ago, you know, I I I got here and I said, "Oh, this is cool. I can walk on the street with my kids." The streets have changed a little bit since then. Northeast Second is like a
lot faster than it used to be. They repaved it, made it wider. Um, the bridge was widened. Um, I I I don't know, some of you may have gotten my WhatsApp. Like I I really think we need to look at Northeast Second. We need to
look at making it narrower and easier for our kids to cross. Like my kids went to school in Miami Shores Elementary. It's like a short walk away. Like, but I would didn't let him walk because it's scary as hell crossing that street. Like
cars are flipped on their roof all the time. It's just nuts. And like I know we want the police to like be there to, you know, save us from ourselves, but like that's not their job. They have better stuff to do. And and like people speed
because it feels like a highway, right? Like people aren't speeding through Miami Shores downtown. They're driving slow. People don't speed on 87th as bad because the trees are close. So like I think we should really like think about
getting the trees closer to the cars, slowing the cars down. It's like, you know, urban planning thing um we should do. Anyway, that also in terms of like taxes and development, um
you know, I think when people buy a property, the property value goes up and then there's a um period of time during which they can appeal that property value. I don't know if there's any like big pieces of property in the village that have sold recently, but I would
hope that the village doesn't repeat the mistakes it made years ago when we failed to challenge those appeals in court. So, um that's my take. Thank you very much.
Good evening. Serial Emanuel, 172 Northwest 87 Street. Um so we've heard a lot of people uh about the project that is the hot topic of El Portal right now uh with this
school uh planning to come in the community. Um there's a lot obviously to uh to to put into consideration for this project but um uh as the council has a
lot to uh say in this decision and uh also to listen to uh the community with everything that was discussed during the presentations of the the developers. I want to remind uh the councils that a
lot of uh of members are uh obliged to uh to do by the code of Elort and right behind me there's a a lady that came here and she has a a roof falling apart and
she came to you uh it's on the videos and she asked for an exemption because she cannot afford to replace with tile and she can to do shingles and as of today the roof is still in in
pieces because uh she is not allowed to do it any other way that it it is right. Um so that's what she came in front but uh my point is that uh we all live in Elportal. with all part of the
community. So it's important that everyone that comes to the community um must respect the rules of uh Elortal and uh that's that's that's being that's one point. Uh the other thing uh with the
the presentation that we had with the developers, they came with a very low offers of uh um uh moneywise and police officers and and things like this. And I think uh in the interest of uh the
community whatever they they they can provide and whatever way this project will go. Uh uh today we we just don't know. We just know that they have a lot of money and we can probably squeeze a lot more than what they're offering now because it's a negotiation. So I don't
know what's going to be the uh the final uh decision but in between today and whatever it is we can still work and uh ask a lot more for the community uh because a lot of uh uh
point that were brought is of course the uh uh the fact that it's a uh exempt uh the school is an exempt program so that would be less tax and uh the budget of Elortal comes from the property taxes.
So it's important that uh we can get a replacement of the lack of funding that we'll get from this project if it goes all the way and and compensate fully even more than what they would pay uh as
a regular uh property tax contributing. So we'll see where we go. I know it's too early to say, but I would like the council in the decision to keep this in mind that it has to be fair to all the um people of Elportal in the decisions
and that the economic uh uh budget that we're dealing with is also very important to all of us because it's funded with our tax and and that has to be uh compensated in a way if we go this
this way. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. Um, so since it came up so many times, the school topic, even though I don't think it was in the agenda tonight, um, one thing I wanted to address is we talked about property taxes, property values.
>> Sorry, just one name and address for the record. >> Oh, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Uh, Nick Schmidt, uh, 255 Northeast 89th Street. Um, so one concern that I have is we talked about school but not about the alternative. Um, so the alternative that
was proposed was a lift local. So I'm very concerned about our property values if that alternative comes to play. And then also my understanding is that this development group is now the largest land owner, single land owner of Alpertal. So I would hope that we could
as a community keep an open line of communication because if we fall out of favors I'm very worried about the downstream effects of a live local. What does that mean? There's talks about that can override local regulations. So does
that also have a downstream effect in terms of expansion projects etc what they can plan? So uh that is a big concern to mine and then also I think they have denied it but there is some affiliation apparently with the other
project which is the little farm. So also that we keep good favors there because when we're talking about revenue I see much more potential for that project and so that's just what I wanted to put out there for your consideration
and thank you very much. Thank you. Velvet Connelly, 355 Northeast 87th Street. Um, so I know it seems like we're talking about a lot of stuff that wasn't on the agenda, so I'm just going to bring up um a few other things. I mean, as I came a little late, so I apologize if if you guys already had
discussed some things that I wasn't aware ofvious. Um, obviously as far as the school, I've expressed it a lot of times. I'll just say it again that um I am very uncomfortable with the level of negotiation that has taken place up until this point as far as what I've
heard are the items that were asking for um in the development agreement. I would like to see larger items secured for the village um versus a long list of small things. That's just my opinion. That's what I would like to see for the
village. I would like to see us come away with, like I said, a community center, something along the lines of a major amenity developed in our community that's not just, you know, random funds that may or may
not ultimately get paid, may or may not be used according to the way the community wants to see it. Um, and that I don't know that we have like a guarantee over the length of time the way that it's being discussed. Um, I brought this up to you guys already, so
just saying it again. Um, also uncomfortable with how this has been handled on the council. I know this is a nonpartisan council. It's supposed to be. Everybody here, as far as I understand, is supposed to represent all
of El Pall, not just people that we agree with or disagree with. And what I saw happening around this project is that if you didn't like it seemed like the council people who were for it would meet with the people who were for it, the people that were against it, meet with the people who's against it, but
then we couldn't get any cross meetings, right? We couldn't meet cuz I know I reached out to you about like your stance on the school and you did tell me that you were opposed to it, but when I asked if you could explain to me and I'm I'm not meaning to put you on the spot. I'm just saying I I really was genuinely
interested in just understanding what the other side, you know, just to be educated. Um, and I just generally see that that kind of is a stance that people take. Um, I've had the same thing happen with Darien Martin on things that she didn't agree about that it was like,
well, then we can't talk about it. And I'm just not really sure where that fits in a community. Um, I'm interested in hearing all sides of an issue and I shouldn't have to be in agreement with somebody to be able to have a conversation with them, especially if they're a representative of me and my
village. Um, so I was concerned about that and I'm concerned that I don't know what number meeting this is that we only have three people um at our council that are showing up to these meetings and I'm also more concerned as a community.
Um, I I I don't know what the right channels are for accountability. I'm not sure if that's lies with the council um or you know with with the uh village management staff, but I'm also concerned as a community that we haven't demanded
more. We've come out, we've tried to hold the developers accountable, but every time there's something that we need to hold our own officials accountable for, I don't see the community band together and demand a higher level of representation. And I
think that that makes it hard for everyone to take our village seriously, especially developers, right? When it's like our own council members don't take our village seriously. Um, so I'm not sure what the proper channels are. If people are elected and then they don't
show up, they should step down. That's my opinion. Um, but you know, to create this this continuous habitual just not showing up, nobody even says anything to us about
it. There's not even an explanation given. Like, I'm just not clear what's happening. Um, sorry. Oh, yeah. So, I'm just I'm not clear what's happening. I don't know what the answer is, but I do just want to surface it as a resident that if I can take time
out of my day to come to these meetings, the people that we elected should absolutely be here at the meetings. If they can't be here, there should be a reasonable explanation why they're not here. And if it continues to happen, they should step down. That's my school of thought about that. Um
and um and I would just say um ju just the last thing that I also am just hearing from the community um about you know our community being preserved. I'm going to say it again. I've said it
a lot of times. I come to all of these meetings. We always talk about spending money. I never hear any meetings being put on the agenda about how this village is going to make money. And the only way that we can really preserve our village in the way that we can control things is
if the village starts to own some of the sites. The church was for sale for a long time. Why didn't the village buy it? There are other sites that are available right now that if we want to make sure that people are not coming in and doing what they want, then we have to buy those sites. We have to own and
control them. And so the village then has to have ways that they make revenue to be able to be in position when those kind of opportunities come up. And if we're not discussing those things, if we're not making a way for those things, we are not going to have control over how our community is shaped. So,
how you doing? Uh, Scott Cobri, 400 Northeast 85th Street. How's everybody doing? Um, so I wanted to address specifically live local. Um, and just my experience that happened over a year ago
when we were doing the launch situation. Um, and I was at told at that time by the developers and several of our council members that complete inaccurate information that they could build as high as they want. That's what I was
being told by everybody, by the developers, by our council that they could be build as high as they want. There was no restriction on it, etc. I understand there might have been some confusion or misunderstanding of it at the time. Uh it's been a year since then. Um obviously I think that a lot of
um one one of our council members uh sent me an email afterwards explaining why uh they voted yes on it because of the live local threat, right? And so understandable that we're nervous about that as a community. Um, but I think we
sort of seem to unanimously want to protect ourselves against that threat and be able to control what happens in our community as much as possible instead of on a state level. Um, and so it's now over a year later and it seems
like now that we're having this huge potential development come here with, you know, the little farm and the school, uh, how do we still not have an understanding of what the live local
threat actually is? And can we get a clear understanding who who in our community is supposed to provide us this understanding? I would expect that maybe the the law firm that that our our our community hires can potentially get us
some some clarity on this so we understand this is what live local means to Elportal. Um and this is what the threat is. And so when we have this, we don't all as a community have to be trying to pay our own attorneys, figure this out on our own and talk to chat
GPT. We have we have council in this in this city. So in this village. So so you know hopefully we could please try to get um some clarity on that and work together as a community. We have a wonderful new manager. Um, and hopefully
we can work together to to get this figured out and so that we know where we stand and can negotiate properly with with the developers that are coming. >> Thank you. Alexander Basa, 120 Northwest 86 Street. One way that we should be able to
protect ourselves uh is through our code through the charade uh that from what I understand it has not been updated is uh overdue to be updated for you know like more than three years. Um so yes uh we
need to hold accountable everyone who's responsible to uh make sure that we are prepare prepared because yes development is coming developing will happen is um you know is growth and that's that's how
it you know life is but we have to have a stronger um code that actually provides to give us answers uh to establish what the parameters are. Many people are saying,
"Oh, we don't want bars." Well, we're not not gonna have a bar here. That's that is I mean, it's a fact. We can't have a bar if we don't have a sewer and we we cannot have a bar in front in front of a of of a a school now. Is is
the way it is. So there's a a a lot of misinformation that just happens because we don't have the information the the the code and the the uh frame that we need. So I'm asking Mr. Geller or whoever needs to you know u move forward
uh you know so we can put together a comprehensive uh plan to be prepared for all this development. Thank you. >> Thank you. Hello, Thomas Pullium, 205 Northeast 86 Street. Um, want to start off with a
really positive note. Um, love the work that's been done at Sherwood Forest Park. If you guys have seen it, has new sod rocks. Um, it's actually looking, even though it's winter, it's super cold tonight, looking more alive than I've seen it in four years. So, whoever is
responsible for that, thank you so much. I hope it continues to be um upkept and um whatnot. So, thank you for that. Very excited to see that change. Um, now I have several comments regarding the soulful proposal. Um, a lot of them have
been discussed um, already, but I'm pretty organized and and quick here. Um, so I want to start out just by saying I live within a few hundred feet of the proposed school. So, I received a letter in the mail uh when this came to the first PNZ meeting, however many months
that was, and I've been involved in every meeting, including both town halls that have taken place since then, um to try and understand the intricacies of what is being proposed, what the impact might be, um and frankly where I stand on it. Um
so, as we know, what's being asked here for here is really significant. the developers requesting special exemptions to our code and zoning changes that encroach directly on residential single family homes, some of whom are my immediate backyard neighbors. So that's
not uh a small ask in terms of the the impact in the area. Um I reached out to the school spokesperson Lauren with a written list of questions covering traffic design um community impact operations and projected enrollment. uh
at the last town hall on Thursday, she said that she would follow up um with answers to that. She also admitted that she doesn't have all of the answers because she is only representing the development, doesn't have insight on the actual operations of the school and all of these other items that would be super
useful to know from an unproven school that's seeking Elportal as its launch bed and test ground. So transparency really matters here. Um, so,
uh, since the town hall, uh, she has responded requesting an in-person meeting with me, which I thought was very odd. Um, and I responded to her that I would prefer, um, any, you know, answers to the questions provided in writing and available to the public. And
I also copied um our clerk, our attorney, all of our council members, our manager on those threads as well. Um so I'm optimistic that hopefully they'll come back and give us more details on the school that um they really want to
put here in our backyard. Next, uh, since the Raider church was bulldozed, seemingly out of nowhere, um, a lot of WhatsApp WhatsApp groups have popped up and formed within the community since that since uh, the church started to be bulldozed. Um, I'm
active in them. Um, and was asked by a community member to uh, circulate a community wish list of improvements that came out of the town halls. Um, I want to be transparent with this council. I'd like to hand that list off. I think that should be done by the village manager or
someone actually within the village government. Um and uh they really should be taking ownership, capturing and organizing those resident priorities and flag whether um any of them are should be carried forward to developer agreements
um if it might be more appropriate vehicle to address some of those wish list items. Of course, we've also asked about um the attorney's involvement in those negotiations, who is actually negotiating on the villages behalf. So, again, just from the the Pon residents,
we have some thought starters just that we've been gathering because we haven't seen any um action or know where that's coming from within the village at this point. Um also, what we have on that wish list is just a few of the most vocal uh residents. It doesn't capture,
you know, 1% of the population here. So, it's just a very small fraction of that. Um, the bigger point though is that most of the items that are on that wish list aren't school specific sweeteners. They're things the village should be planning and budgeting for regardless.
The school conversation has just brought them to the surface. Um, so if we actually could capture the voices of the voters, the residents, uh, to build a strategic plan around that, that would be really amazing for the village to take on. Um, I'd like to see this
village set a concrete target. So, by 2036 or sooner, we should have a plan to fully resurface all streets, complete septic to sewer conversions, implement the storm water infrastructure plan, underground our utilities, add more parks, all all while maintaining healthy
reserves. That's a 10-year vision. We should name it. We should own it. We should figure out if that's the right vision. We should have a strategic plan to actually get us there. Um, and I would like to request the village council to ask the manager to
take this on to build a strategic plan for 10 years and report back within a reasonable time that also considers the urgency of this matter. I'd also like to ask the council direct the village resources to validate uh
that uh with planning and zoning staff. So the cordino group what size of live local development could be um could be put in that location as was threatened by soulful at the Thursday town hall. So
we need a village point of view on what actually can go there. Is it four stories? Is it six stories? What are the setbacks? to Scott's point about the facade and what um optionality we have there. Uh last thing, I know this village holds
the line on its code. No exceptions vary by the book. I respect that and I expect that to apply here. That was the case when I came before the village asking for a variance uh for a wall that I constructed. In that same spirit, currently I also have a public records
request pending uh with the PNZ staff. My question is straightforward. How does an 8-ft wall at the school property line um comply with Z4 setback guidelines and with the general character of this neighborhood? >> Thank you. >> Thank you.
Janelle Regz 8825 and 8835 Northeast 2nd Avenue. Had no intention of talking, but what's your name? Tom. >> Yes. >> Hi. >> You just struck a chord with me that was so heavy on my heart. Transparency.
So, I own the business directly next to the church. It's called Janelle's Naked Face Med Spa. And the girl also reached out to me very oddly. Somehow, she got my personal cell phone number. And I explained to her my
issues with the school. And you guys might not share my same issue, but transparency is what hit with me. We all need to be transparent. So, my employees park
right next to the med spa. Four of them on the swell. I went through a lot to get my like my parking lot poured to have my four parking spaces. The zoning and the codes
are so strict here. And I was never against them. I removed every tree. I did everything they asked me. Relocated the birds, whatever they wanted. And now if you guys seriously want to have any downtown there or a business there, I if
my employees parked there on my four parking spaces, then I no longer have a business. And I walked down that street today and took a video. It was two and a half minutes just to just the last time
maybe I'm ever going to the remaining part of the church. And I used to park in that parking lot. We all did. But the point is the transparency because when Lauren called me, I told
her my issue and she said, "Maybe we can make two spots for you right there, right?" You know, in front of the oak tree. And she sent me the pictures of how it is. And I thought, "Wow, this would be great.
And it would be great because then my employees could park there. But the point is that I need to be transparent, you know, if she's doing that for me and then I'm going to welcome the school. I don't know who am I helping. I'm I'm so
confused about all of this. And I I don't know if it's true and it's valid. And I'm just when Tom said that, it just hit me hard because whatever they're saying or whatever they're promising or I don't know. And so I would like that
from my council members just whoever somebody help us to understand what is going on. Anyone else for good and welfare? Okay, good and welfare going once. Good and welfare going twice. Right. So, we're going to close the
public comment section. We're going to go back to the agenda. Um, so there were a few questions uh that were asked just now. Um, one was about negotiations. I sent them my list that a lot of you guys have. They've never
negotiated with me um since I sent them that list. So I don't know if they've been in touch with the manager or not. Not sure. Um, but they haven't negotiated with me um really on that list. So, so as far as I know, negotiations had haven't began in that
respect. That's what I would say. Um, as far as there was a comment about um a small comment about uh the the woman's uh roof, Miss Geette. Um we we not only
passed to help her out with her roof, uh Council Person Winters uh personally went and found the roof material for her. So, I don't know what the hold up is with that. I don't know what's going on. And Council President Urban actually paid for it himself. Um, that all
covered the cost that needed to be paid for this. I don't know what happened. Uh, there's a lot of things going on as far as let's be clear, administrative fees. I not >> paid for the covered I covered admin. I
covered administrative fees out of my discretionary. You did a great thing, Council Person. Council person Winters found the roof material for her for free. >> Yeah. Donated what I could. >> Okay. Um, there was a lot that brought up with the Live Local Act. Uh, just so
you know, uh, there's a there there are experts being brought in about that. Okay. Being spoken to and being brought in about that, the Live Local Act. There was also a question about um do we have the representation that we need from our side? Um we do have attorney
Geller, but I will say that I've also been looking at you know land use experts and urban development experts that can fight for our side um who are you know more more senior expertise when it comes to that. And thank you for those of you guys out there who've been
talking about that. I appreciate What other questions am I missing? Um I know there were a lot of comments that were said. I'm just trying to look for the questions to answer those questions. >> I think the biggest one wasn't uh was about disclosures of any uh yeah conflict of interest.
>> Well, that I'll let you guys get to that. But there was also uh questions about um like kind of what we know transparency. They've told us what they've told you guys. They haven't given me any extra information. So, I haven't seen any site
plans for that live local thing that they showed. Um, our planning and zoning department, I reached out to them. Um, they haven't gotten any site plans for that live local thing. So, that live local thing that they showed was just them showing that live local thing. They haven't submitted anything to our building department. They haven't
submitted anything to our planning and zoning department. They haven't shown me anything when it comes to that live local thing. So, I think that's something they're using to scare us, but I don't even know if they have the plans for it. So, um, so, so that's what that is. As far as what else is there? Um,
oh, the demolition. The way I found about the demolition was I had a couple residents that were in here. They reached out to me was like, "Mayor, did you know they're demolishing the church?" And if you guys I don't know how many of you guys saw my statement about that, but that's the reason why I released
that statement um to the media and to the public was because they didn't give me a heads up. You know, I don't know if they gave the clerk or the manager or the attorney a heads up, but they didn't give me a heads up at all.
So, they just started doing that. If I would have known, then I would have definitely told you guys. Not only that, I would have tried to at least, you know, stop it or slow it down to say, let's have a town hall to let the residents know, maybe we can have, you
know, if it was something that they felt was inevitable, I would have said, well, let's do something like, can we do like a walkthrough of the church? Can we like have a meeting on the church grounds? Because, you know, we're all used to seeing it for so many decades that can we at least say goodbye to the church
before you guys do this? But I woke up, you know, that's what I would have said, but but I woke up to a, you know, a couple residents in here that contacted me and was like, "Mayor, do you know that they're demolishing the church right now?" And that's how I found out. So, they
didn't tell me anything. So, it just goes to show, and I'll just say this, um, you know, I usually try to keep just things on a factual level, but in my opinion, I would just say it just goes to show that, um,
they don't really care about our community or being good neighbors, you know, in that respect. Uh, Council Person Urban, Council Person Winters. >> So, can you hear me? There we go. So, the first thing I like to do is thank
everyone for their wonderful, wonderful attitudes tonight. It's been a beautiful meeting. Everyone's been really kind to each other. It's been a great decorum, and I love to see this. I want to see this keep going at every meeting. Be respectful of each other and everyone's opinions. Um, uh, I'm telling everyone this because
there has been some divisions in our neighborhood recently. Um, neighbors ostracizing other neighbors, people kicked out of WhatsApp groups, people having issues, and instead being able to talk through the issues, they just push them away. And we want to make sure that we treat everyone with respect. Whatever
their opinion is, everyone's opinion matters. Um, so I heard uh Tom mention the Mr. William mentioned the the WhatsApp group that has grown very large and they they you were told you were
asked to put together the wish list. Uh did you know that my wife started that group? So there's a lot of people inside the group now and everyone's trying to be respectful of each other and I think that's extremely important and I've looked at your your list. I've gone on
the Google Drive and I created a list to give you myself so you could put it on there and have my my wish list as well because it's not on public record. Uh so I want to say something um about who is negotiating. So everyone who comes here
every time they talk at the council meetings or the planning zonings you guys have been to NE negotiating. Now, I've met with the soulful representatives a few times, and when they meet with me, this is what they tell me. Council person Wyinners, you're the only elected official that
has answered my emails or answer my phone calls or made time to meet with me. I said, well, I do that for everyone. If you guys don't know, last week I I met with hundreds of residents. I went to multiple meetings at different houses to hear what everyone had to say. I think everyone has a voice here and
they we as a council have the responsibility to represent everyone in the village. So in the end hopefully we'll all come up with whatever is best for Elportal whether it's without soulful or with soulful. The the main thing is that we need to be united here
and we need to be united together to make sure that we all enjoy the city and love what we have here. Um, I did want to say that um, there is no conflict of interest. I do not have anything to do with them. They
do not buy from me. I do not work with them. I I've only seen the few times that they came and and talked to me about this stuff, but it's only because I'm the only one answering phone calls. I would say ask all your representatives here to answer phone calls, answer emails. A lot of you can vouch for me
when I say I try my best to get to the emails or phone calls whenever I can and I really want to make sure your voice is heard. Um, and regarding the demolition of the church, Warner, are you here? He's the one that called me and told me
it was happening after you actually woke me up that morning and and told me it was happening. I was not informed ahead ahead of time and um I I think it's a shame that it was done in the way it was done. So
yes, >> I drove out to the site personally. I met with the chief of of police personally and tried to find out if there was a way to stop it. >> Me to say that again. Can you come to the mic or no? >> Yeah, you're gonna have to bring it to
the mic. >> I can't hear him. on the record 486 Northeast 87 Street. Uh I did reach out to both the mayor and to council person Winters right be prior the first day that I did see the
demolition. I did request both of you to please reach out to the developer and just on a voluntary basis uh have the uh the the developer stop the devel uh the demolition till we had the two um
meetings that with the community. And that was my request to you, Council Person Winters. You did respond with all the u uh pictures of the site of the permits, >> but my request was never answered. >> Did we reach out to the developer and
request, hey guys, >> was at the site when I was in looking at the permit and Mr. Geller can attest. I also called him to find out if there was any way to delay it as well. We have to do everything within the legal bounds and I cannot force them to stop something because then we are liable for lawsuits.
>> Correct. That's why I said it's a voluntary request. That would not be a legal binding. So I it was very clear a voluntary request. >> I request. >> So and that was never come back to me and said from your behalf, hey Warner, I reached out to uh attorney Geller uh
from my perspective. There's nothing we can do. To be fair, he did wake me up in the morning and I answered it half asleep. So, I don't remember that part of it, but I did ask him to stop. >> But just to be fair with the audience here, it was 11:00 in the >> My business is open from 11 to 8. I go
to bed at 3:00 in the morning. So, 11:00, that's my morning. I was just waking up or you woke me up. I'm not trying to avoid anything and I'm trying my do do my best here, but I can't remember everything you told me on the phone that morning.
>> I need a copy. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you. I appreciate >> Council Person Winters, uh, continue. um if you if you have engagement with the residents um keep them try to answer the questions that or to respond to what they
>> so um a lot of the residents in here I have spoken with and if you've not spoken with me please email please phone call um there's a few emails I didn't get to on Friday and Saturday but I'm trying to get to everyone's emails because I've really have dozens and
dozens and dozens of them and I know a lot of you have copied the manager and the clerk and it's I'm trying my best to give everyone full amount of credit and not just like writing it off in a short um response. Um anyways, I think the main thing is
I'm very thankful that everyone is so respectful today and I want to see it continue going forward. Thank you. >> Thank you very much, Council. >> Yes. So, um so a few months ago, uh I met with uh
Lauren who is the project manager or at least was at the time. Um I had two meetings with her and then uh the gentleman Jeff came into the picture. I had one meeting with him. Um I met with uh Lauren and a couple of residents who
were in favor of the project. I've talked to other residents who are not in favor of the project. I am on the record for three meetings straight, I believe, uh essentially uh voting no on the project overall. And I'll just
succinctly tell you the top three reasons why I am at that position. Uh the first is simply the uh request for exemption for use of the property as a school. So that all by itself essentially goes
against the sharet that was laid out 10 years ago which although it is outdated that is something that was added and something as a long-term plan. I come from the bar business, restaurants 25 years. Um, so I'm well aware of what is
involved in this discussion of you either get a school or a bar. That's not actually what I see for Second Avenue to be perfectly honest. Uh, the lady who got up and spoke, the owner of the spa, that's actually what I see as the future of businesses on on the corridor is
high-end serviceoriented businesses. So I worked in restaurants for a long time and now I work in retail sales business to business and um retail is forever changed forever changed forever changed forever changed. So I survived a second
round of layoffs recently. Um I will be rewarded with extra work which will actually feel good after the past 14 months of feeling like last March my wife was asking me if I still had a job um because of the lack of need for me to
physically go see my clients um because in retail the business has been non-existent since the beginning of January last year. And so uh so as I look at what's going to be here in the
future on Second Avenue, one thing that is unavoidable is new money coming into the area. I mean, uh, there's already over, I mean, conservative estimate a trillion dollars held by developers just waiting for the
collapse of the economy so they can buy materials cheaper, businesses cheaper, industry's cheaper, land cheaper. All right, so that's coming. So, new money coming in and and significant development. Significant development. I've been saying this for three years.
The council needs to be prepared to say no to people who've never heard the word no before. And so, um, so my first concern is simply the request of an exemption. Um, that all by itself has me at a no because it goes
against what we're trying to accomplish on Second Avenue. And we can accomplish a thriving business district uh district with tax receipts through what is already essentially being demanded in the now. And as as uh these things shift
uh high-end serviceoriented businesses like a spa, like a salon, like uh I see a jewelry store, uh high-end fashion is already uh showing up. These types of businesses are really what's going to be here as this entire region that we're
in, the high ground. Okay, so that's uh the area west of the FBC BM. Okay, that's 12 foot of protection right there. Uh all the way to the hard barrier of 95. So that includes a lot of unincorporated Dade and there's going to
be competition for uh those properties between uh Miami Shores and ourselves and the city of Miami in the very near future now that uh rents are squeezing out some of the lowest income people which are frequently associated with some of the higher crime rates. That is
a subject for a different day. So that's my number one reason for being at a no on this. Number two is the parking lots. I have significant problems with that as
a unimaginative, uncreative solution. Uh I just cannot get around the lack of imagination in turning those two properties across the street into parking lots. It's indicative of a lack
of examination of what the village actually needs as a developer coming in with one of the largest and most iconic uh lots of land that we have. And then for me the third uh there are more but for me the top three these are things I
cannot get past. And excuse me the third is actually well it's a combination of things but For me, it is the wall. So, this is how I put it to both representatives from the developer. I said, I'm sure it's
going to be beautiful. I've seen the the renderings in the plan. The school itself is going to be a iconic kind of property. It's going to be absolutely beautiful, but no residents ever going to see it because it's going to be behind a wall. So, we discussed the
wall. Don't worry, the wall is going to look aesthetic. We're going to put greenery. It's the walls going to look beautiful, right? But the experience for the residents with a property that's walled off to that degree is going to be that that
property disappears. It's going to be out of sight, out of mind. And so an iconic cornerstone property that should be like the resident said, I mean I I wasn't on the council, but we had the village had an opportunity to get that property for $800,000 like 11 12 years
ago, 10 years ago. It's been time keeps ticking fast. I'm not sure exactly when that was, but it did go up for sale for $800,000 about a decade ago. And so, and so to have that property never be visited by residents again is is a hard
is a hard pill to swallow. And so, uh, those are my top three reasons for not being able to get to a yes on this project. And then overarching in all of this is that there really is nothing beyond verbiage offered to us from the developer yet. So there really isn't a
lot of things to discuss yet because we really haven't been presented with something that is sincerely in writing yet. So I would like to see the village in the future have a coordinated team made up of the attorney, the manager, and the mayor who are in a position to
receive a development team as they come into our village and begin negotiating for what they want. I would like to see us have that team in place and ready to sit down and advocate for the future of Elortal according to the sheret that is
designed with resident input. So I I just want to clarify one thing. Um, Adam Old told us a few week few months ago about the code does not allow a parking lot to stand alone. Uh, I did share that with them again and they did
pull out and they're not going to put the parking lots where those two buildings are. So, we actually have a solution for that. Uh, that doesn't mean there's a solution parking, but there's a solution for not having those buildings torn down to make parking lots. Thank you, Adam. >> Thank you very much. Moving on, consent.
Do I have a motion to approve consent? >> Motion to approve. Move. Council person, second by council person winters. Madam cler, this is a roll call cons. >> Roll call. Council person Winters. >> Yes. >> Um, council person bomb. >> Yes. >> Mayor Nickerson. Yes. Motion passes three to none.
>> Thank you very much. Okay. So, for the agenda item, this was brought up a few a few individuals brought this up. Um, so I'll just go through this and then I'll kind of punt it over to Council Person Winter. So, the reason why we have this agenda item on here, the five-year road plan, proposed one-way street
components, uh, northeast uh, Second Avenue road diet. This is not because we're looking to implement this. This is something that manager Lou, it it was a conceptual plan. It was never funded. It was never
submitted to the county. It was never usually usually plans have to go from design to engineering to construction. It never even went to the design phase. And so, and I'm not saying it's this council person winters, but I'm just kind of giving you guys a background.
So, what happened was was that Council Person Winters last month said, "I don't like this plan. I want to resend this plan." So, like kind of like, you know, trash it basically. So, I said, "Okay." Hey, I said, well, you
know, I'll I'll contact Serbia. I'll get the actual plan. I'll put it on the agenda for you, Council Person Winters, next month. I'll put the plan out to the public when we put out the, you know, the uh the agenda. I'll have the clerk put it out. So, that's what we did. So, we're here because Council Person
Winters really wants to get rid of the plan. That's why it's on the agenda. I would just say this. I so I understand what council person Winters is is saying I guess from his point of view he doesn't like the plan. I think
that this is what I think. I think that we should because it's it's there and like I said it it's a con conceptual plan you guys. So I think there's no harm no foul to just keep in our files
and that way if we ever want to even look at doing any streets one way or something we have like something to even look at even if there's two or three ideas we can get from it. It's already done and so I think it doesn't hurt us to just keep it in our files. You know
we've never submitted to the county. We've never did anything with it. I didn't see any submission to the county. we submit to the county. Uh, Mr. Manager when I reached out to the county, they don't they don't have it. So, so what I'm
saying is like that that plan doesn't bind us in any way. Um, that's just my opinion, but I'll open it up for Council Person Winters. Um, so you can say this piece. >> All right. So, I'm going to have to find the information. I have it for you,
though. All right. So, for those of you who don't know, this uh plan was uh voted for in October of 2024. And this conceptual plan shows that you're going to be taking u most of the streets here into one-way streets.
There'll be a few two-ways. Um it also shows the road diet which was in the manager report for the last uh year and a half. Uh it was according to one of the manager report was submitted to the city. Um, there is an issue with this plan. And for those of you who care
about traffic and speeders, this this is about you. We have 85, 86, 88, and 90 going from west to east. 87 streets going back and forth. This means when people want to drive to their houses on this east side, they have to drive down
87th Avenue going to Fourth Avenue Road. Once they go to Fourth Avenue route, they got to take a left or right to go down to the streets and come backwards towards their homes. Now, what does this mean? Well, you have now the entire streets of this entire side of the neighborhoods driving down 87th Street towards a train track that gets 55
trains a day. These 55 trains a day are stopping people going across that train track. So, right now you have a good little line going out here. Imagine every single person who lives here, wants to go to their house, get stopped at that train track. Now imagine that train track stops people, but there's a
big building over here and people are going over there. Now it's even longer. Now this con this conceptual plan also has two lanes on Second Avenue. This means when people are turning onto 87th, if 87's backed up now, these two lanes
means everyone on on Second Avenue is going to get stopped because they're waiting to turn right or left onto 87th Street. This is going to be a huge mess. Now, if we want to have any kind of cafe or little shops down on uh Second
Avenue, you need to be able to have deliveries. Now, what happens if you have two lanes, one going north, one going south, and the Cisco truck shows up and stops right in the middle of the road and starts unloading. Now, everyone has to drive around that truck into oncoming traffic to go around it. Now,
imagine the kids crossing the street. Imagine people, imagine the amount of wrecks will happen. Now, going from four lanes to two lanes is a disaster. And I know from experience, if you guys don't know, I have a little property by the Citadel. It's over on 82nd Street. Um,
and when it changes from two to four lanes, people cross through 82nd Terrace. And when they cross through it, they they go as fast as they can so they can avoid those two to four lane change. I've had four cars drive into the property, two
into the house in one and a half years. This is because of a narrowing from two to four, four to two. So, not only are we looking at dangerous possibilities that can happen in Porttowal, but we're also talking about more traffic, people getting frustrated, driving every way
they can to get around it. And of course, the 55 trains a day do not help us. And who knows, Bright Line get might get more popular and there might end up being more trains. We don't know. But right now, the purpose of us reviewing this is not to just get rid of it, but
we need to find an alternative because I think we all want to keep El Patel safe and beautiful. And I do not believe that this plan is the way that's going to be safe and beautiful for us. I'm I'm going to let you jump in. Um but
I guess and then while I let you jump in, then we'll come to you. I guess my point is though is that I understand your passion. I understand what you're saying. Even if the plan is is not good, we're not binded to it, you guys. Like
it's conceptual plan. It's not funded. It's not at the design phase, not at the engineering phase, not at construction phase. So even if we just throw it in the Albertal files, it's like we we can never look at it again if we
don't want to. If we if we want to come up and do like oneway streets or something one time or a road diet on Northeast Second or something like that, if you guys want to, we can start another design plan, you know what I mean? So, but so it's no, it doesn't hurt us to at least have it to even if
we want to reference it. Yeah, we paid for it also, but but it doesn't hurt us to at least have it. Even if we want to reference it in the future, I just think it doesn't hurt us just to have it. I don't think we have to officially trash it. That's the only that's that's just where I stand. But um I'll come to council person era and then we'll go to
the audience. I'll open it up and we'll come back to you council person. >> Yeah, without being redundant just a little background on what this plan is. So it's called the resilient streets plan. Um so the purpose of this is to essentially uh uh use data and planning
to establish what the most highest ideal outcome of what the future of the neighborhood looks like. had like if we're going to tear up the streets and do uh septic to sewer, tear up the streets and finish the storm
water mitigation plan. So the idea is that when those streets get torn up and replaced, we have a plan in place of how to without redoing the streets later at that time put in what we want, how we want, right?
You know, it's not a perfect world. So, you know, uh it's all budget limited, right? And right now our budget is zero. But just like the storm water mitigation, we have the plans, we have the engineering done, we don't have a budget. Just like the septic to sewer, we have the plans, we have the engineering done, we don't have the
budget. Right? Similar with the resilient streets, we have the plan, we don't have the budget. So I just want to establish what the resilient streets plan is. And so it's essentially conceptual just as the mayor's outlining. It's it's not anything hardened that we're locked into or
saying we're doing this that or the other. So firstly, the purpose behind reshuffleling of streets to be one way or not, the primary goal of that is to confuse outsider traffic to to dissuade them from using our neighborhood streets
as cutthroughs to confuse them and make it difficult and unwelcome. Right? And so the idea, the final outcome of this would be that it would also be an ideal, you know, uh that we would eliminate the concerns of, you know, having to for
emergency vehicles as well as residents, everybody involved. Uh, under no circumstance would we want to trap or leave only one uh alternative for any homeowners within the village. So, that already would be a non-starter and we would have to find another path because
that would be, you know, a non-negotiable uh uh unwelcome outcome, right? So, so the way you see it on the map in terms of which ones are one way and that that is all completely and 100% gray area up for discussion and yet to
be determined. So the concept simply is let's try and make it so it's unfriendly to pass through traffic and navigable for local traffic. Um now the swailes another benefit essentially of making some streets one way is that you reduce
the asphalt coverage. Okay. So uh By eliminating some footage of asphalt coverage, you allow for more green space, swailes to be even further extended. Um, and the concept would be that sidewalks would be accomplished through hard pack, which would be ADA
compliant, um, but yet permeable and able to assist with flood mitigation, water retention for trees and things to this effect. So, the swale concept is called bioailes. The idea is that you work with the terrain, you work with native vegetation to accomplish flood
mitigation, uh storm water mitigation, right? As well as beautifying uh as well as storm resistant um as well as uh uh accommodating pedestrian uh traffic, right? Both wheeled and uh on foot. And
then uh finally within all of that um uh is essentially just an overarching uh reminder of uh beautifification, native
uh so native plants uh you know uh uh pollinating plants, things like this. So so low maintenance, right? So you don't have to employ public works to be constantly maintaining these. uh in the concept I'm sure you guys have heard here in Miami date county of blue
ways and greenways this is essentially a greenway concept uh to be implemented within the village of Elportal it is ambitious it is high-minded it is expensive uh but it is uh it is essentially an outline right now we have
a it's a very good outline but just as the mayor is saying this is not a this isn't wet clay and not yet fired to stone, I I will say. Okay. So, we can smudge it back over and and remake it how we want it before we get to the
point of implementing anything like this. So, so those are the goals of the resilient street plan, and then what it looks like, final product, how we get there, how we fund it. Now, we have uh the devil in the details. >> Want to open it up to the public.
>> Oh, sorry about that. before you speak. >> Adam Old 140 Northeast 86th Street. So, um, back in 2012, um, Claudia Hessels, who lived in Sherwood Forest, was walking her baby
with a baby carriage and almost got hit by a speeding car and went on a mission to slow down this the traffic in Sherwood Forest. Her idea was that she should block we should block off the entrance in the a couple of the
entrances to Sherwood Forest and leave like a very limited number. That didn't happen ever, but she got a petition. She talked to a state senator. I was just looking through the emails uh tonight. And ultimately what came out of that was
um she convinced me to run for office and what came out of that was the cheret process which very clearly um the village hundreds of residents like way more people than you've seen in this
whole ordeal that we've been going through here came out sat for a week with the county's planners and the city's planners and we decided like what do we want? like what do we want on Northeast Second? And what we didn't want is what we have now, right? We
didn't want a high-speed multi-lane throughway for county arterial drivers. What we wanted was a lot closer to what they have in Miami Shores. And Miami Shores didn't used to have that either. Miami Shores used to have what El Portal
has now, which is four lanes of traffic, high-speed roadway, people couldn't cross. Businesses were crummy and didn't exist there. They had a hard time. They had one brave council person that said, "Look, let's let's try it
differently. Let's let's get the Chamber of Commerce involved. Let's let's let's get the businesses involved. Let's let's put parking on the street so people can park. Let's narrow the street. Let's make it so kids can walk from, you know, the Brockway library to Puravida, right?
So, I know that my my kids do that after school when they went used to go to the library when they were in fourth grade, right? And I felt comfortable letting them do that. I wouldn't let them do that down here in Elportal. So that's that's what the community wants
and that's what's enshrined in our zoning code and it's what's enshrined in our sharet and it's what's been worked on for the past decade by placeria in this um in this plan now I like I
there's always like people are afraid they're like oh my god we're going to have to do so much more we're going to drive so far and we're going to wait so long like I figured about like if you ra lowered the speed limit in this village to 15 miles an hour, the amount of time
you'd have to spend if you drove all the way from the west side all the way to Little Farm, it's like 30 extra seconds of your day, right? So like forget the fear and uncertainty. It's not happening. Miami Shores has the same
train issues. Nobody cares. There's no backups. It's like it's it's totally fine. Drivers will deal with it. We all drive. We all deal with it. The thing that people get mad about and sorry for going over, but the thing that people
hate is when you're going from a fast street to a slow street like what happens right here. If our streets are all slow, it's all good. People drive slow. People are happy. I'm not mad when I'm coming through Miami Shores. I'm like, "Hey, this is cool." Like there's
like businesses. people are out like people are standing on the corner and talking to their neighbors. It's great. Um, so all of this like fear and uncertainty, don't listen to it. Every single bike lane that gets put in in New
York City is going to like cause the property values to fall and chaos and all. This never happens. People always love it when it's there. People love Sherwood Forest, the little streets that are narrower than the county would allow if we were doing them today, right? Like
if we redid your street, we'd have to redo it 20 ft wide because there's two lanes. Nobody wants that. We want like quiet, small, closed, you know, cool streets. Anyway, thank you.
>> Lynette PCEL, 451 Northeast 88 Street. I'm almost forgot what I was thinking about. But anyway, I'm right piggybacking on the on the mayor. I feel the same way because if you've been here 40 years ago, um El was like a little
small uh place of family, you know, that's what it based upon. Everybody knew each other. We all we had things going on. Um, we did uh senior citizens uh uh like we had little parties inside,
you know, entertain and all that stuff. It was great because everybody knew each other. All the neighbors, everybody was friendly and everything. I feel the same way that when you what they're with when it comes to traffic, everybody dodges 79th Street and they found a pathway through here. And I feel that we do have
oneway streets, it would make a big difference because it would defer other people to go different ways. that want they will want to come rushing through here because they're trying to get where they're going at the last minute. And we do have this is a family residential area and you do have children that walk
to school. You have uh children I mean parents that are uh pushing their children in strollers and with all that fast traffic. It's bad for us for what I'm for for me because it's taking it a resident and turn it into a corporation
with all these different cars and trucks, the big cement trucks, all that's coming through here and tearing up our uh our streets. And you see it all the time. Even the buses come flying through the residential streets. Not just 87th, 88th, 89th, they're flying
through. They don't even care. And they're bus drivers and they should know better. So, I feel too that uh if we turn it into some of these streets at least one way, it would defer them to go somewhere else instead of go back down to 79th Street. Nobody's afraid of of of
this place, you know, of of it being catching up with the new, you know what I'm saying? Evolving. Nobody's afraid of being evolved, but let's do evolve into a resident like we had before. >> Thank you. Uh Scott Cobri, uh 4 400 Northeast 85th
Street. Um so I just wanted to I guess understand so basically is on the the agenda tonight to either like trash it and not use it ever be able to refer to it again. >> No, basically we can alter it. We can see what works best for us because we
know what's better for our city than Serbia does. >> Okay. Got it. So Okay. Um so on that note, I just wanted to like obviously >> to to your point um about the uh about the um the trucks pulling over, you
know, I think that's great, but I'm just curious because I'm looking at the uh the plan here. So like there is basically a median, right? So there's obviously the different elements that I think we have to all figure out like whether it's through a sharet process or whatever. What's the most important? Um
you know there's there's a median with green infra infrastructure. There's the the two the two lanes. It looks like there's parking lanes, right? So like would in those parking lanes potentially areas that have loading zones for trucks
would be able to maybe be cross utilized with the parking lanes. Of course, a bike lane I think is extremely important. I have a bike. I try to ride up to Miami Shores because that's where some of the shops are and whatnot. And um and it's it's really not a safe
drive. there's a tiny little sidewalk and you know you have to drive on on the street. Um and yeah, I mean there's in here if we are in indeed um moving toward what we're talking about in the sharet in this plan um you know with cafes and restaurants and boutiques and
stuff like wide sidewalks that are incorporated here are extremely important as well. So, you know, I think that that like we have to figure out exactly what what's important to the whole village um and then move forward with that. But I also wanted to mention
how, you know, from the school perspective, how does this how does the potential school in, you know, impact us being able to execute on a similar vision to this to this? Even if it changes a little bit, how does it impact
that um and what's in the sheret as well? So that's that's all. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Timbosity, 149 Northeast 89th Street. So I I would be in favor of keeping this as a a working document that is clearly
caveed on on record um that needs a lot more information and a lot more revision. I do think there's some great things to work off of um especially with the green spaces, storm water management, swailes, all that, but I think there's always there's so much that's
coming down the pipe as I said before in terms of new people living here, new people commuting in here. and the flow of traffic is is really important and needs to um take that into account because I think since this has been done more and more people rely on Google maps
and on ways to avoid traffic and so depending on where the oneways are put and depending on where all the new sources of traffic are it could actually create a hugely negative impact on some of these streets um where you're going
to run into the the same or maybe even worse safety issues, but definitely much worse issues in terms of flow of traffic, number of cars, and noise coming down those streets. Like if, for example, um we had the only one way to
get from Miami Northeast, North Miami A to Second A and the school goes in, then everyone coming off of 95 is going to rip through 89th Street. Same getting back out, going back out onto the highway at a school. Um, if there's
2,000 units that do come into Little Farm, 87th is going to complete become completely impassible, that corridor of Biscane is going to be completely impassible. We know, unfortunately, we're probably not going to get any sort of public transportation stop with the
light rail up there. And so then, where are people looking to cut through? Where are they're going to punch in ways Google Maps and say, "Okay, take me around the traffic. Where does then that traffic go?" And I think that just all needs to be looked at holistically based on all the development coming down um
coming down the pipeline here. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good evening. I'm Ian McKenzie. Um 8950 Northeast 4th Avenue. Good evening, Mr. Mayor and council members, audience. Um I'd like to first point out uh several things regarding the the corridors here.
Um 40 years ago, Miami was a small city. It's grown substantially since then. Downtown, the condos, all the buildings, everything. Um one thing no one's talking about is hurricanes, emergency uh evacuation, and um uh radioactivity
meltdown from Turkey Point, which is always a possibility, and and an aging uh nuclear plant, which is supposed to be decommissioned sometime in the future, but we don't know yet. But um Are these problems? Uh, the FDOT has
designated I95, Northwest 7th Avenue, Northeast 2nd Avenue, North Miami Avenue, and US1 as um, hurricane evacuation routes from downtown. Okay. Um, if I becomes uh, incapacitated for
some reason or wreck or something like that during the evacuation process, everybody has to take these other areas. The more we shrink these corridors, the worse it's going to be for everybody in an emergency. You may be on foot. Um, I just want everybody to realize that and
put that in the back of your mind before you, uh, you know, or just to sort of marinate that, uh, thought process. Um, it's really important that we do that. Um, I know that there's some areas that have reduced their size. Some of them
have left parking on the side. So, it could be expanded technically with a police order saying no parking along and then you have two more lanes, you know, uh access um both ways. So, um just I I think you know if there's something that's in a file or folder like that,
you can always file it away, but if you need to do a motion or something like that to not act on it for a period of time, you can always reinvent it and re-examine it. they'll probably uh time will pass and you'll have to reexamine it again. Anyhow, so that's just my suggestion. My two cents was Thank you.
>> Thank you, >> Alexander Basa. Uh 120 North 36 Street. Um I just wanted to a support the ideas of you know alternative ways to reduce it without being like a physical barrier
like the bicycle I think it's a great idea you know parking on both sides a great idea and you know but keep it flexible and the second question the second thing is uh I wanted to ask about the documents from plot Serbia I believe that you were working on getting them um
you know so I just wanted to ask >> I get them all I worry. >> Okay. Thank you. >> You wear your helmet. >> I'm about to knock my head off. Um Denise White, 173 Northwest 88 Street. I'm sitting in the back and I'm
listening to us decide whether we gonna have the street or not the street or whatever. And then I'm like, don't we have to figure out whether we got a school or not a school or little farm or not a little farm? Because the man is right. When Little Farm comes in, some
streets got to be opened up because that's a lot of people. What? 2,000 people? That's 2,000 people. So, how do we decide on what's going to happen to a street before we don't even know? We I think really we need to have our own
town hall meet and sit down and decide what it is collectively we want. Because if Little Farm is here with 2,400 people now, I'm all for keeping the streets all cute and nice. I love Sherwood Forest and how you got to drive through and
stop some time and move over, you know, and 88 Street is really, really, really, really quaint and stuff. I do understand evolution. We've been talking about it the whole time, right? But how do we decide on what we're going to do with a street or two or what have you when we
don't even know what's going to happen yet? That's really confusing. That's number one. I think we got to put that on pause. Number two, I spoke to Lauren, too, since we confessing. I spoke to Lauren, too. Dag it. I spoke to Lauren
three times. She was really sweet. Nice lady. You know, person just a person. She's a nice lady. I spoke to her three times. But there were people who had access to them long before we had access to them.
People that had access to them long before we had access to them. They speak of being guided not to speak to us before before she says stuff like that. Well, somebody
somebody told us that we shouldn't speak to you guys right now. They told us to wait. Somebody. But yet everybody right now says that. >> No, I I talked to her, but I didn't say nothing. I talked to her. I didn't say
nothing. I talked to her. I didn't say nothing. Okay. So then why are we so mad? I just don't know why we so then we got y'all. If our council is all on our side, why were we scared? And why were we yelling at that lady? She not gonna
build nothing. Our council just told us they they not even with them people. They don't they don't They said they don't know them people. That's what they said. Even though we know somebody was talking to those people way before they was talking to
us. We didn't meet Lauren until the other day. And then two months later, our church got a hole in it. Who was talking to Lauren? Who was advising Lauren? What to Who the Who? Oh, there go the buzzer. Anyway, this is just
questions I have to ask and I don't understand how we going to decide on any streets when we ain't even decided on who going to live here. >> Hi, Ian McKenzie again, 8950 Northeast 4th Avenue. I just forgot to point out to to address the um issue about um
speeding and so forth. Uh that's a revenue source for the village and I know every morning I see policemen out there catching speeders on Northeast 2nd Avenue and they're doing a good job and so I'm glad I'm not getting a ticket but because I'm crossing the other way but
going down um you know they are catching people that's a revenue source for the for us. If you know Biscane Park you don't dare speed through there. They're going to whole you whole you go one thing and I know that because I know this area for over 40 years and you
don't speed in Biscane Park. Well then we can enforce it more if so you know people do you have a question? Sure. >> No I don't think it goes only thing it's like ultimately
it only goes to police. Oh too bad. Well, that offsets money that we have to pay for the overall budget. You know, if the re comes up short there, we have to support them. I hate to tell you that with our taxes. So, it all goes into one pot in the in the end when you have to
balance the budget. So, uh it does help us actually indirectly. Thank you. Thank you. >> Just thought I'd come back again. um every ticket the village used to write we used to lose money on because a
certain number of those are um challenged in court and we have to pay overtime for the police to go down there. So overall, writing tickets is not a revenue generator for the city. And also, even if it were, why are you going to put my kids lives on the line
so people can speed through on a fast street and you can write a ticket for them in one out of 10 cases? That's That's not acceptable. We cannot do it like that. We need We need a street that is safe for children to
cross. Period. That's it. Evacuation. You're talking about Turkey Point. You think people are going to come up through Little Haiti and when they get to Elportal, the three blocks here is going to like make it or break it on on like whether we're living or dying from
radiation poisoning. Ian, come on, man. Like I'm sorry, but like I had to say something. >> Velvet Connelly, 355 Northeast 87th Street. Um I agree that um I think this should be tabled until after there is a
clear understanding of what is going to happen with the school. Um it seems like making decisions about the streets before we understand what traffic will come into the community either through the school or the little farm
development which both of those have the ability to be transformative to what happens in our village on a daily basis especially as with the school in particular two times a day right so it seems to me like it might be a little
premature Um it seemed to me like it might be a little premature to make that decision about the streets. Um because depending on what happens with the school and with Little Farm, you might decide that you want to see something else happen uh to try to mitigate the traffic that comes
from those developments. So I would definitely agree uh with Denise's sentiment on that. I would also just like to second what the gentleman said before um Ian about um you know I think there's a lot of misunderstanding around
what actually generates revenue in our village and what cost us money um and so I think there there's just more education that we need as the public to really understand how our city runs, how our government works so we can be more civically engaged um in that process
because I was actually very surprised to learn that uh tickets are not a revenue generating source in the village and I learned that recently. Um and to the same point like you said earlier uh I'm sorry I don't know your name sir but about the swelles that's something I think we have to
really consider right now the swailes is a problem when we say you can't park on the swale because we don't have parking for even our guests in our homes right and so there's a lot there's a lack of parking available in our village period that's why a lot of people park on the swailes and then if we're talking about
bringing you know 2,000 more people into the village and then traffic up and down the street from the school. You know, that is something for us to consider um is how much that we can restrict those things. And I'm not saying that not to do it. I'm just saying like I think we
have to decide what's happening with those projects and then know what we can do in our village to be realistic about what type of traffic might be coming through our village every day. >> Thank you. Daniel Roa, 60 Northeast 86 Street. Um,
I just uh I I'm very appreciative of uh Council Person uh Anders Orbum uh for explaining to us what really this study is. Uh I I am very appreciative of the study itself. I've been living here since 2012. I used to only I used to
have my dog and we walk all over the city all over the village Miami shores and we would have to cross these streets and we never felt I never felt safe walking across northeast second and now I have an eight-year-old and through her eight years of life crossing at northeast second has been a a life
harrowing event for her and her bicycle when I had to cross with a stroller and never felt safe. Uh I don't think we can discount the effort and the resources that were input into this study, but as it was explained by our
council members, this is supposed to be aspirational and and guidance and it it can be amended and can be changed depending on what the village needs. Uh I think that it's wise to have a plan for resiliency with respect to drainage and these the the sidewalks the the blue
and green swelles all the stuff we need because even if if we are planning for a increase in traffic we are putting ourselves in danger when we try to walk around these streets when we don't have these things. So, at some point we do
have to have a plan because if we wait until later, it's going to be really late to do anything. Uh, so I think it's really good that this plan's done. I really appreciate it. I I agree with a lot of it. I think that we cannot have a thriving downtown with with the
northeast second the way it is because people just fly through here. Nobody's going to stop by if they're flying through our our town. Nobody's going to stop and use our businesses. They're flying straight through. There's a reason why Miami Shores did what they did. There's a reason why the citadel is actually doing really well with also narrow streets. There's two bottlenecks
right before and after us. Either way, I do not think that actually slowing down traffic in the portal will really affect how traffic works there. I'm I'm highly affected by whenever there's traffic on North Miami and Northeast Second, they live between those two. Whenever there's
traffic on on 80 because of 82nd or on either street, people start crossing through our streets and it seems like even though we ask for enforcement, it's never enough. And people don't behave you want them because you punish them or because you give them tickets, they be
you have to guide behavior like uh through nudging. Like you have to nudge people to behave the way you want them to because they don't respond to to threats. They don't respond to punishment. they actually they actually it's a lot easier to do the nudges like
this that he kind of alludes to and uh I just want to I support it. I'm very grateful for it and again I understand it's not a decision of what we're going to do with the streets. It's aspirational. Thank you. >> Hi Ian Mackenzie 8950 Northeast 4th Avenue. Um I'd like to say that uh
there's also the possibility of putting in traffic lights. You can reduce the speed limit. you can put uh do a new study for FDOT so they can determine whether the um uh traffic is substantial enough. They can look at the safety issues, the traffic calming issues and
so forth. Look, we just put in a traffic circle to calm the students or traffic around the schools and so forth. So, um there are different methods of looking at it too including uh programs that they go into the schools where they educate the students. University of Miami like I said once before has a walk
safe program which they do teach people and they do analyze data on traffics. I used to work at Ryder Trauma Center. So I do know we do have studies that we've done shows the incidents of where people are getting hit where pedestrians are being hit and so forth. So they do look
at that stuff. So um you know those are all tools that are available. So I suggest the council you know you can always you know further update the plan too. Thank you. Bye. Hi, Ashley Luchio, 127 Northeast 90th Street. Um, I am asking that you keep
the study. I think it's, like I said before, really, really great. Um, and we're obviously not in a place financially as a community to be throwing away studies that we've done, I mean, and reinventing the wheel each
time, right? we need to rely on the studies that we've already conducted and use those as as part of our framework. I mean, yeah, they might need to evolve a bit, but I think that it's worth so much more to build from something that exists
than to just throw it away and have to come up with something later. Um, I did say earlier that this plan is a bit premature, right? But I think knowing that what's coming here potentially uh we do need to kind of
urgently do some things to to calm our traffic and to reduce noise, all of that, right? So, you know, I think we need to consider things like crosswalks on Northeast Second Avenue. There's none between 87th and 95th, right? Or 94th.
um crosswalks, things like can we do a roundabout at 87th and second? I would love it. I think it would be great. No stop lightss. Just send them in a circle. It's how we do it in Europe. You just send them in a circle and they'll figure it out, right?
Well, hopefully not $750,000 worth of roundabout. But, um, the other thing is is we need to really consider the impact of the closures of the streets in Miami Shores and how it's impacted us, you know, not just on our infrastructure,
drainage, all of that stuff. Um, blocking us in, creating new routes for people to cut through from 95, etc. Right. So, is that potentially something that we could look at is coordinating with the
shores to open their streets up again? Maybe it's even I don't know, a lawsuit. I don't know. I don't know. Just saying. Um, yeah. So, there's that. And also, um, oh
gosh, I lost my train of thought. Yeah, I can't remember what I was going to say. There was another big point I wanted to make, but I've totally blinked. Um, but yeah, >> just come on back over when you >> Okay, thank you. >> Alexandra Basa, 120 Northwest 36 Street. I just wanted to reiterate a little bit
on the parking idea. I think uh if we see like the overall you know how people want to use their streets, how we want to use northeast second, we want you know to promote businesses. Uh so
parking on on both sides will be great to for the future of new businesses coming. Um I also like you know if we want to avoid people to have to park on the swelles and forced to remove trees.
So that's would be a great idea. I was trying to, you know, film the other day the demolition of the school. I was trying to pull aside. Didn't find a place to park. So I got end up getting attacking parking ticket by police just
for slowing down back to the school. So thank you. >> Thank you. Hi, 199 Northwest 87th Street. Uh, well, in terms of of uh the two way
streets or oneway streets, I think that is going to be discussed further in another date because I'm sure that we're not going to decide anything now. I think that in the corridors of the avenues northeast is a good idea to reduce the lanes and put parking there. I agree with that. But what really
concerns me is to increase the parking space in the streets in a portal because we have to remember that this is public parking. So anybody can come to your place and park just in front of your house. And uh and I really think that in
terms of character of the city, it will change a lot. Now you go through your streets and you can see greenery, you see um plants and trees or whatever. And what we are talking that we you're going to see a line of cars parked on one side or both sides of the street if we talk
about different streets. Another thing that regarding the one um way or two ways of the streets is that we have to think about the balance of the traffic in the city. So I understand that it would be nice and it would be beautiful to have some kind of residential area
that nobody can cross with their car but it means that all this traffic is going to go to another street in this case for example 87th and some residents live in 87th so we don't want to have all this traffic that you are taking out of other streets in our street so we have to
think about this balance of all uh the different street so I definitely about the parking what I would say is that we don't want to um encourage and to engage people to come with cars and to increase the number of cars of our city and I
think that to put available free parking there is a risk and more if you are thinking about some projects for example the school that they don't have parking so you are providing a lot of free parking for these kind of projects that they are going to use our streets and
our public space that is space for all to use for parking. So, >> thank you. >> Thanks. >> Say your name, address, put it right before. >> Okay. So, the other thing I wanted to talk about is um I've been meeting with a few residents.
>> Oh, okay. Ashley Luchia, 127 Northeast 90th Street. I've been meeting with several residents from uh Northeast 89th and 90th. Um so, are two blocks west of Northeast 2. um as we're planning to
actually meet with Jeff Davis um with with our own wish list and um absolutely not list as well. Um, and one thing that came up kind of unanimously with all of us was, and and
it's kind of ironic because I was like, well, let's get Miami Shores to open their streets, but at the same time, it also came up for us that maybe we close our streets on the west side. So, you know, if we can't um do things like this
really magnificent um um conceptual study, what can we do in the meantime that's maybe a bit more cost-effective and and will eliminate some of that um it's really the cutting through, right? It's it's that. So, you know, that's
another option to consider and it's something that we are going to be raising as well as a as a little neighborhood. >> Have an answer for that. once we finish public comment on >> Velvet Connelly 355 Northeast 87th Street. Just as a point of clarification when I was saying about the parking, I
thank you so much for being clear that yes, because you're right that right now the swells uh you know being public could then open it up for just random people to park there. And I definitely was not advocating for that at all. I was saying that um I know that's been an
issue in the past especially like with residents in Sherwood Forest and I think on 87th Street as well where I've had guests in my own home that had to park on the swale and then we would risk being given a ticket and I know there was some residents who had been given tickets for parking on their own swale.
So, that's what I was trying to uh speak to of just like, you know, that obviously being an issue for some residents about the amount of parking that we have in our own driveways and front yards. Um, but definitely not advocating for random people to park on
our soils. Um, but I do agree um as far as like the study is concerned. I just want to be clear about that too. Like I have not read the study, but any study that we've spent money on, I definitely would not advocate for just throwing it away. Um, but I would love to understand
what potential there is for anything that has been thought through concerning our village to now take into consideration the new things that have come online and how that might change some of the suggestions if at all. I'm
just asking um because it seems like probably from the time when that study was done, the idea of what Elport was and what it would become might have been very different than what situation we're in today. So, I would just love to know what consideration could be given for
the direction things are going now and how that they might view those same questions that they were looking at in the study. Hello, I'm Juliana Kolinger, 8650 Northeast Miami Court. I was looking at this um this plan of the one-way streets
and I'm really grateful that you guys looked at it and it's been done and I know that um this these things might be necessary for us as we try to reduce the the um the volume of the cars and the the speeding and the traffic and all that. But right now, as I look at this,
I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to get to school. And these are the things that we worry about as parents every single day. Um, how are we going to make it for our children to um to be where they need to be? And I was wondering if 86th Street here as you
turn left, which you can't on Northeast on Northeast Ma on um Northeast Miami Avenue. On Miami Avenue, you can't make a left there on 86th. And I need to go south. So what that makes me is make me makes makes me go north and not only
north to come around one block, but to go up to where traffic becomes even more intense. So I know this is an overall picture for everyone, but I really would like for you guys to take a really close look at this and see how it affects everybody
going north and going south in the peak hours of our of our days. because right now with this plan, I can't get out of my house to take my kids to school. Um and and that for me is is definitely a no, something to consider very closely.
Um and then granted with the other school coming in, if they do come in, we would have to redo and look at this everything anyway. So, um just for your consideration, I agree with everyone who says that they maybe this is not time to continue this anyway. Um so but just
those were my thoughts um for this um regarding the parking um from what I understand someone said that that we that anybody can park in our swell. Well, actually they can't. Um, and that has been an issue for me because, um, our streets are so narrow. We actually
want people to park. I mean, my guests, I need them to park there sometimes because they don't fit anywhere else. And I've had to make them come in all the way almost to my wall just because I want to avoid them coming in and being on the swell. Um, so, um, those are
obviously considerations for me to to take a look at this. being respectful of course of everybody else's as well. Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Thomas Pium 205 Northeast 86 Street. Um so I was at I don't know if it was one
or two workshops but whatever Pleria facilitated to get to that information. Um my question is when I look at the report it looks like they've only assembled like what the villagers what our thoughts and suggestions are. I don't see that they
have actually taken the step of like pressure testing it validating it with evidence with these traffic patterns and whatnot people are talking about. Um and that's aside from um future development that may be coming in and impacting us.
Um, so I I love that we're actually having one of the first conversations at a regular meeting about um advancing the village infrastructure because that very rarely happens. Um, from where I sit um
the next step is to actually get um and I would think Plurbia is already on the hook for this. I don't know if they've delivered this or not, but for them to actually pressure test the concepts that the village came up with and report back on what actually would be the most
feasible considering all these various circumstances. Thank you. Thanks, George Alvarez, 165 Northwest 88th Street. Um, thank you for the opportunity to speak in about to speak about this issue. Um,
I have no doubt that the Plus Serbia report was well intended and well thought out. uh I see no reason to scrap it entirely yet. At the same time, I think Council Person Winter's uh points were were cogent as well. What the truth is, however, we don't know yet. And that
goes to what uh Mr. Poland just said that that these things need to be stress tested considering the likely future infrastructure and development opportunities. So there's only going to be so much that
we're allowed to do with arterial roads, with J roads and with county roads or FDOT roads or priorities. And as we know, mandates from Tallahassee are are now like a a new seagull who sweeps in
and and steals your French fry on the beach, right? So what we can do is we can look because all everybody is suggesting different things based on the fact that
we're going to get too much damn traffic in Alpertell. I'm all in favor of anything that keeps a neighborhood looking and feeling like a neighborhood. Ostensibly, it may be two-way streets. It may be one-way
streets. Uh the one-way streets, the argument about um not needing to reassphalt them as often, protection of our swailes for flood mitigation. Those are excellent points that do need
to be weighed against the other needs of uh of of people who need to uh go to work and and and get home. But where we can really truly control things is as we look at future buffers. So when we look
at little farm and it's it's not 2,400 people, it's a maximum of 2,400 units, which you know, if you've got 10 people per unit, I'm joking. Or am I? I don't know. We
don't know. because we can't look into the future. We cannot look into the future. So, so our rolling up our sleeves and digging deep into the urban planning of
Little Farm, that's something that we can control, right? That's where we can speak to our county commissioners, our brothers and sisters in the uh city of Miami commission as well because they'll be affected right across the street. So, that's the type of stuff that we get to
ask now. What does Little Farm look like? How is traffic mitigated? Are they going to be flushing traffic right onto 87th Street so that uh
uh our our roundabout here uh is is never allowing anybody to go around about it. So, this is the future thinking. there's only going to be so much that we can do in terms of the state of Florida, Miami Dade County, and also in terms of just
reality. So, I would suggest that it's not just looking at directions, directional traffic, one ways, two ways. It's not just looking at any singular element, but we have to be willing, and I would encourage you guys to do this. The mayor and I talked about this
briefly. I I know that there's bigger things A simple thing would be prohibiting the reparseling of properties. So for example, let's say a very very
wealthy person comes to Elretel and buys a whole bunch of properties near each other and eventually starts to fill in those gaps and they are contiguous andor even adjacent and they say you know what we would like to do Mr. Mayor Mr. and
Mrs. council people, we'd like to take these four lots, these six lots, these nine lots. We'd like to make them one parcel. What could that possibly be for? So, that was the game plan in Windwood.
Remember, you used to go to the bar, not you. I I I I I see Council Person uh Winters and Herb at the bar ahead of uh ahead of Mayor Nickerson. Um, and I will join them with all due respect. Uh, Mayor
Nickerson used to go to the wood, used to go to Gramps, used to park in front of somebody's house, used to park outside of a sidewalk, used to walk to the bar, and then, you know, even before before
or after the apps came, you were you could park there. All those little houses are gone. So, that's the playbook. So, one thing that this council could be doing now is making I'm not no draconian anti-propy rights baloney
sensible stuff because if the entire block between 87th and 88th, between Northeast 2nd and Northeast 3 is one big building, whether it's live local or or live high on the hog. It's not Eltel
anymore. It's not a neighborhood anymore and there's five times as many cars. And that can happen not just within one full block. That can happen as it's now happening west of El Patrell around 93rd
94th Street Northwest 4th Avenue. They bought two lots. two lots which they're building into allegedly uh I believe it's 10 town homes where two single family homes used to be. Now
it might look cool and it might they might sell for $2 million each. Although right now I the the grass is about 4t high. So I I have a feeling there's a pause on the project. But that's what we're looking at if we don't prevent it
now. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. >> Is there anyone else for public comment? All right. Seeing hearing none closing public comment back to the council. Okay. Before I I need to go to council person. Council person bomb. Before
that, so um unfortunately we can't close the street. So when um six years ago when Mayor Lavine Kava got into office, they put she put a moratorum on closing streets because she said the reason why they originally closed way back in the days was more of a separatism type of reason and she didn't want that anymore.
So right now there's a moratorum. So right now there's a moratorum on um any any municipality closing streets off right now. So that's so that's how that goes. Um since it's your item, I'm let you close it out. Let me go to Council Person really quick. Yeah, just 30 seconds. So,
um, just so you as residents are aware of what my two cents is on this, um, uh, so as far as the one-way streets go, when I first heard of this concept from Plus Serbia some years ago, I envisioned it as a need for say, I don't know,
three to five sections of oneway street uh, strategically located. I do not I do not envision a neighborhood full of one-way streets. U, I think that just a few surgical uh applications of one way, not even necessarily, you know, even
like one block at a time in some circumstances. Uh we could accomplish what we're trying to accomplish with that. And I definitely uh you know, computing power would be matched with data would be something that might be curious to look at, you know, accomplishing a final
product on that. Aside from that, the road diet on Northeast Second Avenue, what I would like to see as a lowcost effective implementation would be to take the lanes, the one lane north, the one lane south that are adjacent to the sidewalk
and the curb and create uh uh fluid uh like a drop off lane. So it would be accessible to jitneys, to buses. uh you could strategically put lined loading uh dock spaces with certain hour
restrictions just ahead of where the bus stops are so that a bus could accomplish its stop successfully and still be able to pull out even if there were a delivery vehicle in front of it. Um, so I see I see those lanes as being essentially uh uh available to accommodate fluid traffic like ride
share like Uber and Lift drop off points for example would be there. Um as opposed to say like fixed parking, right? So in my mind, you still keep your median at the turn lane. Uh you still have uh the ability to turn it
into four lanes under something like an evacuation order. I do not take that lightly, by the way, because uh the neighborhood that was most impacted in New Orleans uh that was outright flooded, the images you see of the water to the rooftops, one of the neighborhoods that was most
significantly impacted that way was uh built inside of a sistern that was like 150 acres that they built 30 years ago before Katrina uh to accommodate something exactly like Katrina. And then two decades go by and they never needed
it, never used it. And guess what happened? Developers convinced the council to say, "Hey, let us build a housing development inside the storm water retention system 150 acres large because clearly we don't
need it." And then Katrina hits and that entire subdivision was under like 20 feet of water as it was designed to be. So, so I do not take that lightly. I I hope that we would never need an evacuation route, but the way I see a
road diet would be something that could be flexible, could be fluid and used in different ways at different times as you would need it. >> Thank you very much, Council President Winters. >> All right. So, there's a lot of to answer to over here with everyone's comments. So the the first thing is if
you read the first paragraph that this is page five here the beginning it says straight serve as crucial arteries and as we all know arteries in our own body they need to be not blocked they not need to be constricted right now by creating constrictions we're going to
create more crazy traffic and it this isn't something I'm just making up you go around Miami find the streets that are been narrowed and you can see it the way people drive I talked with the mayor of Miami Shores when they narrowed it down to three lanes with the middle lane. He says it's very difficult to
cross the street now in Miami Shores. I know we're trying to copy them, but their own council is worried a little bit about that and we need to have crosswalks which should happen. But but I want to maintain that I'm not against
this. I'm against unsafe Elportal and a lot of this leads to that. In this case, this plan was already submitted to the city. Uh the city the the county the county the county road is northeast
second and in July 2023 in the manager report she announced that she gave the road diet to them. So at any moment it could be now. It could be 20 years from now. They can implement it and suddenly we have two lanes. And once we have
those two lanes, again, if we have those 55 trains and everyone's going down 87th and spilling out onto Northeast Second, then everyone's going to be stopped there and people are going around it. They're be it's be unsafe and safety is our number one concern here. Um the
oneway doesn't also either stop swailes from being destroyed. What's going to happen is Amazon, UPS, FedEx are going to stop on that one-way street and then everyone's going to drive around them and still ruin the swailes. This isn't protecting us. And of course, people are going to drive around them and there might be a pedestrian right there. This
is again, we're creating unsafe situations. Um, if you look at this entire thing, there's a lot of filler and fluff. In fact, they even use some of the same slides from multiple pages. Like page 37 and 39 are the exact same
pages. And we we paid a lot of money for this report. Uh so and they also have North Miami going down to two lanes as well on page 46. Um so and it's not just for planning purposes as I'm hearing
over from the other elected officials. So planning is not neutral. Um once a plan's approved, it becomes an official policy reference. It guides staff behavior. It guides grant applications. It guides outside agency coordination. it it guides the consultant scopes. So
if we plan towards the wrong outcome, it's going to be counterproductive as it's guiding everything else in the city. We already have enough issues in this little government without giving them a guideline that's not going to work for us. Now again, I am not against having beautiful sidewalks with bike
lanes and swelles. I want to keep all that. I'm against having one-way streets because one-way streets lead to people driving in different directions and causing congestion. I'm against two lanes. Now, as council president said, you could put maybe some kind of loading
unloading um but honestly, I think that there shouldn't be no center median. There should be a left or right left hand or right-hand turn lane from the center. So of course if there is an issue or someone needs breaks down or they have to put somewhere there's right there as a place to put people. Now if
you guys seen this here this is the this is the project. This is the one from 2013. Okay. in
this sharet. It actually shows not only all of the uh buildings demolished, by the way, they're all directly against the sidewalk. So, if we're going to have a future Elortal that is business corridor, um all these
buildings are going to be up against the sidewalk. So, you're going to need to make sure there's obviously that the space for the cars to park, but the sharet doesn't show the cars parking on in front of it. The sharet has them parking behind it. Every place that's a
storefront has a parking lot behind it, not on the road. So, as we clog the arteries and we make the roads more scary to get around, has anyone turned from 95th Street onto to Northeast Second and there's a truck right there unloading front of Starbucks? You're
like, "Oh, I got to swerve around it." Now, imagine there's nowhere to imagine there is no place to swerve because that truck's right there unloading or loading or FedEx because FedEx doesn't choose when the drop off times are or pickup times are. This is
important. This conceptual plan, this is okay. So, the plan that assumes one-way streets preloads traffic concentration. It ignores emergency response patterns. It normalizes disruptions as acceptable.
So, a plan that relies on minimal public input, faculty assumptions, comparisons to cities with different road geometries, we're we're going to create a disaster. And again, I'm not trying to get rid of this. I want to have a bike lane. I want to have beautiful swailes. I want to have a gorgeous inner part of
the city. But we're planning without the ground of truth is bad. So we should start with what exists, account for real traffic behavior. As Mr. Polium said, we should test it and see if this actually works. This would reflect how residents
actually live. And so when we participate, when participation is extremely low, which the original one when they did over here and they passed it, there wasn't a full audience like it is today. So I'm so thankful that a lot of Raise your hand if you this is the first time you've seen this this last
month. Okay, so about half of you. No, not the sharet. We're talking about the the streets conceptual master plan. Um, so if a plan is counterproductive, why would we use it as a foundation for
future decisions? Planning is supposed to reduce risk. What are we playing towards outcomes that increase congestion, reduce access, and concentrate traffic? So, I'm not sure if I would get a second motion to change some of this because I've heard
some people want us to table it. Um, but in in my personal opinion right now, I believe that the one-way streets are going to be a disaster. And if we're going to do two lanes, there needs to be a center lane for emergency center lane for people to turn at. We got to make
sure we don't create congestion as all these people drive down towards this train and it's suddenly backed up onto Northeast 2 and then we're sitting on Northeast Second way to take left or right. So this has nothing to do with the school.
This was something that the mayor can tell you I've been thinking about before I've been ran for office. It's it's something I I cared about. Um >> I would move to ask the manager to have a ready to present to the council at the
next general council meeting in March uh to update us on what if any plan has been officially received from either the city or the county so that we would be able to make a decision about how to
proceed from that point. Not against that. Um, council person, I just want to reiterate you guys one more time that this was done by then manager Aloo. This was done years ago. This was done as a conceptual
plan. For something to go in, you have to go through a design phase, an engineering phase, and there's a construction phase. This conceptual plan, we don't even have the funding for a design phase.
This is something that manager Aloo did a couple of years ago or a few years ago. They started it and it's just something that if we want to change it or adjust it and you know and you know I have nothing against you council person winters but that wasn't what was spoken
about last month. You wanted to rescend it. >> I asked for discussion impossible motion but I didn't get the possible motion. So I wasn't able >> proper motion was to resend. >> I didn't make a motion though. But your but last month the appropriate motion was to resend it. >> It wasn't to keep it and and and alter
it. It was to rescend it. >> The motion was never made and I'm speaking today of how I believe it should go forward. So if if if you think it should be rescended, I can listen to your >> No, no. You thought you wanted to rescend it. That's the reason why it was
first brought up because you didn't like the plan. You wanted to resend the which is which is fine. I'm glad that now we're at the point to where we can keep it and alter it. that's much better than rescending it. So, as I as I seek a second, I'm not I'm not going to reward my motion. My mo I I I keep my motion on
the table as as stated. Um just the purpose of the motion is to accommodate some of the many comments that were made by residents tonight revolving around trust issues between the residents and the council. So, that's that's the first and foremost reasoning behind uh my
motion. And the second is simply so that we might in march begin to all proceed from the same point together towards a uh outcome that we all are looking for. So those are my two overarching reasons
behind the motion as stated and and I don't disagree with you council person. The only thing that I would say you all is is that nothing should even be moved on this right now. It's been there for years.
It's been in our files for years until we figure out the pressing issues of live local and how we're going to protect ourselves against that. Not only from the property coming in from future properties, the the question of what exactly are we
doing with the school? The question of if we deny the school, what exactly is going in there? I understand. Yes, we can walk and shoot them at the same time. We can look at this, but this is not the pre the pressing issue. You know, this is something that is a
conceptual concept of a plan. >> I completely agree with you. >> And so, so I'm not against I'm not against what you're saying, but but let's just, you know, let's keep our eyes on the prize as far as our like we're up against the the time clock. you all like we need to move on certain
things to protect our community and protect the village that we have. So I understand what you're saying counc not against you. I I appreciate you council person winter saying that you want to keep it and alter it. That that sounds great to me. Also council person
urban repeat your motion again for the record and then we'll see if we get a >> So a third reason just to accomplish um uh placing this appropriately in our list of priorities as we receive a report next month. My motion is to ask the manager to prepare a uh a brief, a
report to present to the council at the next general council meeting in March regarding what if anything has been officially presented to either the city or the county, but specifically the county
that would obligate us to anything within the resilient streets plan. >> We have a motion. Do we have a second? So planning isn't neutral. Once a plan is approved, it guides every decision that follows. So I will second the
motion with an amendment that they if we're going to have the manager bring this and give it to us that we have this item on the agenda again in case we need to make a motion. >> Say your amendment to one was time for the record. >> Just have this item on the agenda again
with adding on to his motion. But if if the motion is for the manager to bring back the information on this item, the item's on the agenda now. >> Well, I honestly it could be the manager's convenience report, but so that's why I'm not sure. If you're going to put on the agenda, that's fine.
>> Okay. Well, the mayor sets the agenda, so I'll put it on the agenda. >> Okay. >> All right. Um, we have a second for the motion. Can I have a a a vote? >> Roll call. Council person Winters. >> Yes. >> Council Person, >> yes. Mayor Nickerson. >> Yes. >> Motion passes three to zero.
>> Thank you guys very much. Um you guys see or uh Manager Roseman, do you have a report for us today? >> Good evening everyone. Um I'm sorry my my report was supposed to be much longer but as you can see there
are lots of issues that I have been processing and addressing. Um and there's a transitional period uh that I ask you to to give me u a little bit of time latitude uh to be able to implement
those things. I have gotten uh feedback from some of you and some of the um council members that there are people who have tried to reach out to me and I have not responded. My apologies. my um
transitional period and being able to um have the equipment in the office operational has been quite challenging. Um but I can assure you that uh giving myself until um February 28th um to have
everything operational. Um I have been attending meetings. I have been uh interacting with some of you and some of the residents. Um I am very very happy to announce that thanks to um our very
very able um village clerk the the hotlap has been as operational again. Um so um we hope that we can have nice hot weather so that the children can enjoy
the uh the um toys and the water. Uh we will proceed to work on the uh bathroom and the uh in the park so that everyone can use them and they don't have to make their way back here to be able to use uh the restroom. Um
we have been going through a very tedious process of making sure that we can prioritize all the things that are you know left to be done here and I am I can tell you that I'm not getting much
sleep at night because in the mornings I get up and it's like I realize that there's still some things that I have yet to do. Um, but I am very very committed to seeing through all of those tasks and the challenges before me and
um by the time that I bring back this report um I will have been able to clear the deck so to speak. >> Thank you very much. Um you guys see my report there. Um reach out to me if you ever have any questions or comments about anything. >> Hi Mayor, may I >> go ahead. Go ahead.
>> I actually wanted to address uh Mr. Pium about his comment about Sherwood. Um actually I did get a in the short term lived that I was doing the manager's job which is a very difficult job indeed. Um I had Mr. Winters reached out to me
about that it was leaking and there was a water leak. And then um shortly after that I went to the site to see what exactly it was because I like to see it for myself. I I just don't want to send staff or send someone out there. I want to see for myself and follow through. So
when I went there, I called the mayor and the mayor came out with me too and I told him cuz much to my surprise it seemed very sad that area where a park should be like lively and Sherwood is known for that for having the trees for being lively. So him and I were like and
I told him I don't like how this looks. It it made me sad and I saw a senior lady who comes and they actually stroll her in a wheelchair and I'm like she's sitting there and I guess that they bring her there for her to see beauty. Therefore, I found myself not finding
beauty at all. The leak was fixed and I the mayor had addressed he told me that for years you have been complaining about not complaining but it's normal. There was a massive leak. the leak is no longer there and we are going to work on that part because I was not satisfied at
all. I don't have to go by it. I don't have to I live by it and I felt like we can do better and we're going to do better. I mean, I'm not in that position anymore, but I'm still working with Mr. Rulesman in order to bring It's not part of my job, but I I work here. I feel
like I've been here so long. I'm a part of the community, too. And when I drive around, I want the people to feel good because that's, you know, another reason why you also live in this community because you want to feel good about it and you want to come and you want to, you know, be proud. But when you said
that, I was very happy. We actually looked at each other because I was like, you know what, it's noticeable. It's a small change, but it's noticeable and we're gonna definitely make it. I we've talked about I want some color in there, lively. Like, you want to feel happy.
>> Yeah. I want to say thank you to to Clerk Jacobe. We've teamed up on so many different things. Um and and even even today with fixing the water, um you know, the the the individual who got the part to fix the water, uh Miss Morales, uh she reached out to me. I'm downtown
in a chamber of commerce meeting. I send out a text like, "Hey, she'll be there 3 3:30. Please be there to help her with the" and we got it fixed. So, um so there's a lot, but I mean, we've been here for so long working together, her and I. And so we get so much accomplished together. So I really
appreciate that. Thank you guys very much. And like I said, my reports there, um, Attorney Yellow, do we have any attorney reports? I >> actually do have a couple things, Mayor. Um, unusually, uh, our one lawsuit, Cobric versus the Village of Alpatau, is proceeding. We've had some action on it.
It's moving forward. But, uh, I really, you know, sitting here, I'm sorry of the people who spoke about issues have have left already. Um, you know, we're not a potted plant over here. I've been here a long time, too. And two things jumped out at me, uh, from what I heard
tonight. One was something that, uh, Denise White said when she said about how we need to figure out where the village is going. Um, like Adam Old, I was here when that sh was done and it was a great
thing, you know, it was really good. But people talk about it like you know it was it's the ten commandments and it was handed down from on high. That was a reflection that that chet was done not 10 years ago. It was done in 2012. It's
almost I mean it's 14 years. That's a very long time ago and is somebody who's been here most of those years. Elertal is not the same Alpert that it was when that chet was done. It's just it's changed and and not just
El Patel, Miami Shores has changed. City of Miami has changed. Everything around this village has changed and there is some loss of control to the state. We'll talk about that in a
moment. But honestly, for what can be controlled, I'd like to suggest, and I don't make suggestions all I'm here to to tell you how to do what you decide to do. But after listening to this tonight,
it's time for another sharet. It's overdue. By the time it's up and running and you get the final then results, it'll be 15 years since that last chet was done. A lot of new people live in this village
that didn't live here when that chet was done. And it's time to take a couple of steps back. It's a big undertaking, but you have you have, if you don't mind my saying, great staff and our fabulous
clerk who did double duty and this wonderful manager who's back who knows so much. I'm ready to pitch in on it and to listen to the council discuss back and forth. I mean at great
length I might add but with a lot of passion about this. This village deserves a new sharet. It deserves a new look at what people Yes ma'am. I honestly to answer you, I think it
needs a whole new process. But that doesn't mean that you disregard the history of your village. That's part of the history. It is a foundation that you can build from. But for all the people in this room that weren't here, that
never had word one in that chette, your voices need to be heard, too. And no, nobody's going to close their eyes. That's that's a foundation. Any good planner that really is going to conduct a a It doesn't have to be a week long.
Again, as as Mr. Old Town then councilman old remembers it. Well, I mean, we could certainly get some support for doing it from people who want to invest money because, you know, with the focus about the school,
that's great. Okay. And with the focus about, you know, uh the streets and the traffic, but you've just got two buildings now that are going, one's online, one's pending that are coming.
When that chet was done, you had a broken down disgusting trailer park that I went into court and shut down because no one did, you know, it was it was some controversy because people did live there cheaply, but it
was unfit for human habitation. And this village went to court and and we shut it down. Now you have something out there. And if you're going to plan anything
to the degree we still can, and I'll talk again in one minute, you better do it fast. You better do it and get something about what you want to see before someone comes in with a completed
plan and says, "This is what I'm doing. This is what I invested in." So, I urge you, mayor, council, and like I said, I don't do that much, but it's time to begin looking at that. As I said, I've
been through them. I was through that one. It's not the only one I ever did. We did one in North Bay Village back when I was the mayor over there. I'm happy to work with this clerk and this manager and any of you and any citizens that you can engage, but it's time. It's
time. Number two, I just want to say a word about live local. I spent eight years in the state legislature. I was up there. I watched as these things were were approaching. And live
local itself was 23. I left in 22. But this this current Tallahassee fever for having the state tell every municipality in in in the state how to
do what to do, when to do, why to it's it's disgraceful. I listen to so many people here talk about what you want, what you'd like to see. There's people live in a little village like this. It's a choice. You
choose not to live in the city of Miami. It's a few blocks away, but you choose to live here. When I was mayor of North Bay Village, a lot of people asked us, "Well, why didn't we just become part of Miami Beach, which is one island, one island, more three islands really, just
right across from Normandy?" You have your own police department that you can rely on. You have your own arrangements that you make for sanitation. There are reasons people choose this and I listen to so many people talking
tonight very passionately and I I had to say I wished your voices were heard in Tallahassee to tell people
up there in that government. I used to tell them that they thought they walked into that building and all of a sudden they got a lot smarter. Well, let me tell you, they are not smarter than your city c town village council members who
sit here. They're not. Government is best when it's closest to the people. I wish that there had been away those voices. And by the way, you still have the ability to reach out
not just to the legislators who represent you. The speaker of the house is from Date County. I don't know how many people in this room have reached out to that speaker, have called his office, have emailed or him or written
him and made these voices heard. You need to be heard. It's a shame what they're doing. Live local has been changed every year. What does Live Local allow? It's a point in time. It's a little hard sometimes, honestly, to get
your arms around it because they they adopted it in 23, but they changed it in 24. They made massive changes in 25 in the law. We don't just look at statutes
law in this country because of English common law. This is more than I ever talk about with you people with there's such passion here tonight. I cannot ignore it. The law is defined by case law in this
country and case law has to arise because somebody sues and there is a decision and really and it goes to appeal and the law is so new. There are very few cases that really
define it. That's why we have these arguments about whether plusia can even complete the code amendments that they delivered or something by handwritten to the mayor. I still didn't figure that
one out there to the manager that they delivered hand because well the law prohibits that. I don't I don't agree with that. There are some things you can't do, but there are some that you can. The swelles issue
could be addressed, I believe, under the law as it exists. But they changed it again. And you know what? They're going to change it again this year. So if you're trying to say what does it allow right now, anybody who gives you an absolute answer is not telling you the
complete truth because they're gonna they're they're working on it again. There are things that look the purpose of making sure that there is more affordable housing is a laudable
purpose. It's needed. My god, we need that desperately. But to say that that means that there is no local control at all, that they can come in and force things in height, in
density, in in all kinds of things to afford to encourage affordable housing. It's wrong. We have to live with it. But what's done this year may yet change it. And it's very dependent. It it varies because
it's dependent on what else is located within certain distances from us. You know, what Miami shores or the city of Miami does affect what live local will allow. So, you know, that's something, by the way, mayor, we'll have you should
talk about separately. My firm is probably one of the leading uh land use and zoning firms in this city. And you know, we're I know mostly people see me here, but my firm is 250
lawyers. We're in 10 states and we have some of the most noted, recognized land use, and zoning experts that work in South Florida. >> That's good. We're going to lean on you, Attorney Gillers, >> and and we're going to be there. I I just want to let the community know.
I want to shout out one more thing that Councilman Herb said about your charter officers lined up here working as a team to help with negotiations. As a lawyer, I make it my business not
to try to overstep my role. We're not any of us here, the manager to some degree, but we're not decision makers. That's why you council members who take
the time, who go to people's houses, who knock on doors, who sit in living rooms, that's why they're the policy makers. I don't I know I'm not a policy maker. I'm a tool. I'm here to effectuate what they
want. And what they want is what you want. And that's why every meeting this mayor makes so sure to listen to people honestly getting up
three, four, five times sometimes so that everything is heard. That's why Councilman Arbomb, Councilman Winters, the mayor, and by the way, the two that are not here tonight
make it their business to listen to you. But the last time we had a big development, we changed the documents. We worked it over. But no, we don't make
basic decisions, but with guidance, we are prepared and have gone toe-to-toe with these developers. I just want you to know, you see things that happen when
it ends up at yes. What you don't see is the times we've said no. You don't see the times that that somebody tried to push this village around and we didn't allow it. The times
people tried to get shortcuts and we said no, it's written and we're going to follow what's here. So you see end product sometimes. But I want you to know we fight or this village we get our
marching orders, but we fight and we'll continue to do so. So know that we can come back after this session and the legislative session and talk more about live local. And I'm sorry to say so
much. It's not normally what I do, but so many people asked what's going on, what can the attorney do, who's representing, who's I felt I felt I had to say something about that, mayor. I felt I just had to let people know
what's going on because it's not always what it looks like. And that concludes my report. >> Thank you very much. Before I ask for a motion to adjurnn, Council want to say something. >> I just wanted to mention something on what you said. Uh thank you for the speech. Um this uh unlike the conceptual
master plan um the sharet was not a resolution. The form I have it still calls it a draft and there was a purpose for the for it. Right. So our sharet's purpose was for our 2017
formbbased code which we used the sharet to actually be the foundation for that formbbased code. So again everything needs a purpose. Just throwing it out there. Thank you. >> Thank you very much. Do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Mayor, wait before I'm so sorry. I I meant to mention this is kind of
important. Um the meeting today has been live. We're test trying it. That's why I didn't put it out there. So because it has to be closed caption. So for the next two meetings, we're um testing it. So now you can see it from home live. So as soon as this ends, it should be able to be uploaded automatically.
No, no. I've um asked other municipalities and you need a whole team for that. I'm sorry. What? Yes, but on CO it was zoomed. We're not in COVID times and the and the um the at the
removed COVID, right? Removed that. So, we were back live. So, Governor DeSantis um after CO was over he he he requested that all municipalities have to go back to inerson meetings um and then some municipalities went to the hybrid model
which is what we're trying out tonight. >> Yeah. Some so so because what happens is and when she when she talks about um staff so other municipalities that do it they do like a webinar type of thing like what we're kind of doing. I think
There's only one municipality I think maybe or two that does it to where someone monitors all the um the comments as they're coming in and then kind of reads them to the council and then so you need more staff for that
>> that has staff >> for the clerk's office. >> That's for that. what some what what what's what I know a couple municipalities what they do is um but this wouldn't benefit you all any because you guys kind of start getting
your ideas and your questions in real time but what other municipalities do prior to the meeting you have to submit your questions to the clerk by like 5:00 pm or something like that the day of the meeting and that's it that's the cut off time but after that no questions can be
submitted so that's something with what some like it's here that they keep repeating or coming in. That's it. One comment and it's done. >> Yeah, that's it. >> I asked Miami Shores because I think that um that's our closest municipality which has live not Biscane Park does not. And she has she's had a deputy and
she's never she told me you need more resource than that cuz remember we have to our biggest thing is that we have to have the minutes for it and you guys have to state for the record your address all that all that would come through. So co like I said it was a
special time and things there was a lot of exceptions that were done that local government doesn't do anymore after the Santi passed that law and bringing it back. >> We'll continue to improve events. >> So this is a big step actually to bringing it back.
>> Do do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> Moved by council person uh council person. Second by council person winches. All in favor say I. I. >> All oppose say nay. Hearing none. The regular council meeting for Tuesday, February 24th, 2026 is adjourned at
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