Welcome to the City of Miami Beach Commission Chambers. We're glad to have you with us today. If you require ADA assistance or accommodations, please notify the city clerk or any staff member and we will be happy to assist you.
We'd now like to introduce our city of Miami Beach elected officials and leadership. Mayor Steven Miner, City Commissioners Monica Mateo Selenas, Laura Dominguez, Alex J. Fernandez, Tanya K. Bot,
David Suarez, Joseph Magazine, city manager Eric Carpenter, city attorney Ricardo J. Dico, city clerk, Rafael E. Granado. As a courtesy to everyone present, please silence all cell phones and
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Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Heat. Hey, Heat. Please take your seats. The meeting is
about to begin. Remember to speak into the microphone as this meeting is being recorded for public record. Please stand by. We are going on air in 5 4 3 2 1. >> Good morning and welcome to the
commission meeting of February 5th, 2026. I'll turn to our city clerk, Raphael Granado, to give us any pertinent instructions. Thank you, mayor. The city commission is physically present in the commission chambers at Miami Beach City Hall, 1700 Convention Center Drive, third floor.
Members of the public are invited to attend either in person or virtually. If you're joining us virtually, here's how you you can participate. You can log in by using the Zoom app or visit zoom. us on your browser. You can also phone in at 3052241968.
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Uh mayor, we have one announcement regarding the beachfront management plan ad hoc advisory committee. The city of Miami Beach announces an upcoming public meeting of the beachfront management plan and ad hoc advisory committee. This meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 10th from 2 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at city
hall, 1700 Convention Center Drive in the city manager conference room or on the fourth floor. On the fourth floor, members of the public are welcome to attend in person or log in via Zoom at and the webinar ID is 84509-27624.
again 84509-27624. The public can also call 305224-1968 or toll-free 888-475-4499. Again, the webinar ID is 845009-27624. The purpose of this meeting is to review and provide input on the city's updated
beachfront management plan. The plan outlines property uses, management activities, concession operations, special event permits, requirements, dune management strategies, and other key initiatives to ensure the sustainable management of our beachfront. The draft the draft plan will be available 30 days prior to the
meeting for public review. We encourage all interested residents and stakeholders to participate in this important discussion. you. For more information, please call 3056737084 or to learn more about this item, please visit report and informationational item
two in today's agenda. Thank you, Mayor. >> Thank you so much. We I'd like to call up Rabbi David Weberman. Uh Rabbi Weberman comes from a very beautiful and prominent family, rabbitical family, pillars of the Miami Beach community, and I'm
honored that you're here today. >> Thank you, Mayor. Good morning. Let us offer a brief moment of prayer and reflection asking for divine guidance as we begin today's meeting. Our father in heaven, the mayor and commissioners are gathered here today to hear the concerns
of Miami Beach residents and to make decisions for the welfare of our city. Inspire them to draw upon their intelligence, education, and experience, and to act with fairness, wisdom, and integrity. Guide the administration to
implement these decisions professionally and efficiently as petitioners present differing views and interests. Grant that those who requests are approved show appreciation
and that those whose requests are denied accept the outcome with dignity and grace. We pray for the tranquility in Washington that all parties be guided toward mutual respect, responsibility, and unity for
the good of our nation. Bring an end to the violence in troubled areas around the world and grant your blessing of peace to all humanity. May your divine light shine upon our city, our county, and our state. And may God bless the
United States of America. Amen. >> Amen. >> Thank you, Rabbi Weberman. I see the former mayor of Bal Harbor, Gabe Groceman, here. I'd like to ask him to come up and start us off with the pledges pledge of allegiance. To the flag of the United States of
America for it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Want to acknowledge my colleagues here today. Thank you. Uh we uh we did not
have a meeting in January. We'll have several meetings in February. looking forward to working with all of you. And we will now start the uh STnic Hour. >> Yes, Mayor. Uh anyone who wishes to speak, could could you please, if you're able, queue up so I know where you are.
Uh approach the podium when you're called given the number of individuals that are in line. We're going to start with one minute. And uh who is first? >> Go ahead, please. Oh, Miss Diamond, please. >> Good morning to all of you on the day.
Yes, >> I was the first in line. >> I signed first. >> You have to stand in line. >> You go first. >> Exactly. >> She was first in line. Ma'am, can you have a seat? >> But they're getting a signup sheet today.
>> We had a sign up sheet. I saw >> Hi, mayor and commissioners. My name is Brenda Jordan. I've been a resident of Miami Beach for 30 years and I'm very disappointed in how I'm being treated as an artist. As we just
made the pledge of allegiance with liberty and justice for all. As an artist, I've been bullied by this commission because I wasn't able to any artist
weren't able to be involved in the setting up of this program, the artist vendor program. people who have no credentials in the art, no background of anything, um, putting this program together. I've asked all of you for
meetings to rectify and find out what's going on. This program was set up with and the law was passed without the sunshine law being honored. We did not get a chance to look at the the
ordinance before it was set up. >> That's not fair. Another thing is that none of you have, especially the mayor, you are the head of this commission and you have not given me a chance to come to your office and speak my truth. It's
unfair, unconscionable. We're being bullied into paying more money with no um no input, without any honoring what we go through as artists. None of you have come to my table. None of you. I
have a video of what I have to go through to set up all my raw materials, all the things. >> You have my commitment. We'll schedule a time to meet. >> This has been years. >> I know. >> We've talked. >> Next, please go ahead. Approach the
podium. >> Good morning. My name is Raquel Pacheco, Miami Beach resident and local activist. On January 12th at around 2 p.m., two armed officers knocked on my door because of a Facebook comment I made on the mayor's page.
Think about that for a second. A comment on Facebook and the response was to send law enforcement to my home. What happened next was explosive. I shared the video with friends and colleagues and within hours the media had it. The story didn't just circulate, it
detonated. It went national and then global. People across the political spectrum, Republicans, Democrats, and independents were united in their reaction, disbelief, outrage, and a deep sense of alarm over what happened in our city. My life changed instantly. For
nearly 3 weeks, I've been flooded with media inquiries every single day. And to this day, the world is talking about Miami Beach. The world is talking about what happened to me. And yet, not one of you has had one word to say about this incident. Not one of you has stood up to
affirm the First Amendment rights of the residents you represent. >> Nothing but silence when the moment demanded courage. I request a few more seconds. Please >> just wrap it up, please. Thank you. >> So, let me be clear. I can You can disagree with me. You can criticize me. You can mock me. You insult me and try
to tear down my character. That is your right protected by the US Constitution. But what you cannot do, what no government official can ever do is weaponize the police to intimidate a citizen for speaking. That crosses a line so bright, so fundamental the entire world recognize it instantly. The shame this brings upon our city and upon
the values our country is supposed to represent is immeasurable. And I stand here today with one hope. That this moment becomes the line in the sand. That this abuse of power ends at my doorstep. And no Miami Beach resident should ever experience what I did. Because if government can silence one voice, you can silence all voices.
>> Next, please. >> Um, good morning everyone. My name is Claudia Jagged. I'm here on behalf of the Lincoln Road bid in support of item R5D. Um, this ordinance helps strengthen Lincoln Road as a premier pedestrian destination by allowing controlled
indoor entertainment that enhancers enhances the visitor experience. It supports business activity, attracts quality restaurants, and does so while protecting neighborhood quality of life. We see this as a win-win. Um, I have I'm not sure if you all saw the support
letter signed by Li Stern, our president. I can leave a copy. Um, the second item, which I don't know if where we landed on this, is in regards to spring break. The Lincoln Road bid asked that all parking garages and surface
lots remain open during spring break with the closure of Draxil and Meridian. Keeping parking accessible is critical to supporting Lincoln Road businesses as the corridor continues working towards its major comeback. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Next, please.
>> Mr. Mayor, would it be possible? We had >> Yes, I she was number one who >> and I had asked our city manager too. >> Thank you. Good morning to all of you on the day as I am Wendy Joseph Rug, secretary to the
board at Bell Plaza Condominium and a proud member of the bureau board of Bell Oil Residents Association. I'm here to talk about an what I call an unsung hero, the South Beach Care Center. They are a phenomen. And I know
many people don't know about it and I've spoken to people and they tell me they never heard of it. It's on First and Collins Avenue. It is a wonderful rehab place. My husband is there now. And if he has a chance to survive, it will be
at this place. And I want to give a shout out to all the nurses and the administrator Barry and all the aids that are helping keeping him alive and the other residents there. It is really a wonderful rehab center. And I want to
commend Commissioner Fernandez for coming to visit Gary the other day and thank you for listening to me. Just >> know about this place and spread the word. It is a wonderful, wonderful care
center with absolutely competent, compassionate care and that's what people need that are there for in addition to the doctors. >> Thank you so much. Next, please. >> My name is Pamela Mayer and I'm a
longtime resident of Miami Beach. I'm here today. Um I'm the vice chair of the Miami Beach Commission for Women. Dr. Lynette Long is out of the country. We're asking for the $10,000 allotment for the women's conference be used
instead for four events the Commission for Women is hosting. The following the mural honoring Marjgerie Stoneman Douglas. Our annual 10 exemplary women event featuring large posters on Ocean Walk between 8th and
9inth Street, a reception in MDL and public invited to the unveiling of the posters. The Florida Historical Marker honoring Josephine Baker who sang at the Copa City Club and refused if there
wasn't an integrated audience. A marker is already in place in Tallahassee and currently in production. and a fall panel discussion on timely women's issues due to limited funds, sunshine law restrictions and etc. We
need that allotment. One second. These two event these four events will be occurring in less than a month they begin. So we really need I have a sense of urgency. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next, please. >> Hi, I have this time at 2 minutes and 15
seconds. Uh, ladies and gentlemen, I request, my name is Monica Tracy, um, 1983 Beach Residence. Ladies and gentlemen, I request that you move forward on exploration for a small bird bath in Bell Ale Park. For 5 years, I've been feeding the birds there daily from
the first bird feeder in a public park in Miami Beach. Kids use that play area, see the birds nearby the feeder each day, and hopefully it impresses them that we live alongside nature and they may grow up and help us heal our environment. I also volunteer at Pelican Harbor and I see the deva de devastation
we wreak on our urban wildlife. They struggle to survive and reproduce. Developers and the city both plant decorative plants that have no food value. In addition to the seed feeder, I keep a second feeder filled with beef fat that their little bodies need. They eat a lot of the sew it in the winter.
Our wildlife also need clean water. Drought is becoming more common here. I'm sure you've all seen bird birds drinking sewage water with filth in it. Some squirrels have returned to the park and they need water too with other small mammals. Dogs have a drinking fountain,
plastic bag dispensers, and two huge fenced areas to run. You can think of this project as just another drinking fountain. >> Thank you. >> Next, please. >> Go ahead, please. Good morning.
My name is Paul Thomas and I am here as a patient advocate in support of the item regarding the ADAP program defunding. I would like to ask the support of the city of Miami Beach Commission, mayor, and city manager in advocating for the
state to restore the funds to the ADAPT program. Zip code 33139 has the highest incidence of HIV in the state of Florida. These are life-saving medications which are being taken from our friends, neighbors, and loved ones.
I would also like to ask the city of Miami Beach to communicate with any federal regulatory agencies which have the ability to assist in the accounting to join in assisting the state department of health with finding the funds for the program. Finally, I would
like to point out the undue strain that this will put on the rest of the health care system. If people lose access to their healthare healthcare insurance in a couple of weeks, >> the Okay, one second. The health insurance is also helping them manage
their heart disease, kidney disease, and cancer treatment. >> We have to address this immediately. Thank you very much. >> Next, please. Go ahead, sir. >> Good morning. My name is Miles Davis. I serve as director of advocacy and
communications for SAVE. We're South Florida's leading and one of the largest advocacy and civic organizations in the state. I'm here today to speak in support of item R70 sponsored by Commissioner Tanya Bot and item C7 AY sponsored by Commissioner Alex Fernandez
and Mayor Steven Miner. We know when FDOT removed the rainbow brick pavers from Miami Beach. This was never just about pavement. It was always about power. Whether the state could decide which communities are allowed to be visible in public space. That removal came with overreach, intimidation, and
harassment. And it sent a chilling message to our residents. Save alongside our coalition partners stepped up to defend more than brick pavers. We defended local control, dignity, and the right of Miami Beach to reflect its values. We are showing up again today with safe members here in person and on
Zoom because this still matters. This is also why item R70 matters. Installing these salvaged brick pavers at Lumis Park makes clear that intimidation does not get the final word and that Miami Beach will not erase its LGBTQ plus community or its history. >> Thank you.
Next, please. >> My name is Senz Flax. I've been a resident in Miami Beach for 26 years. I live at 1500 Ocean Drive. I'm just here to um speak um against the
pedestrianization of Ocean Drive. I'm here to um make a a polite request that uh that you bring Ocean Drive back to two-way street parking
and make it vibrant again. I mean, when the street was a two-way, it was the most vibrant Ocean Drive or street in the world. And we need to stop, you know, playing the games one way, two ways, you close two blocks, you want to
close the entire street and that will just not just make traffic worse, but you're going to end up with Ocean Drive closed, making traffic worse and 10 other ailiary streets that are going to all be dead end without any turnaround.
So, thank you. >> Thank you so much. Next, please. >> Yes. Good morning. My name is Roberto. I emailed you, each of you. I as a property owner on Washington Avenue for more than 50 years. I hope that you had the opportunity to drive by and see the
condition of the avenue. You know, the school that we have bisher is under capacity and it goes to 8th grade. That means that we don't have students to fill it up. I hope that you guys do the right thing. I think it is the best for this for this street. Uh and I hope that
uh put all the difference aside and hope to vote for what is good for district. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next please. >> Steve Bubba Cohen. What biased political activist Raquel Pacheo
attempted to frame as a questionable first amendment issue was in reality a situation that carried the potential to incite violence by anti-semit anti-semites, anarchists, and mentally unstable offers did not arrive at your
house with guns drawn. They didn't place you in handcuffs. Anyone who actually watched the video clearly saw the Miami Beach Police Department acted calmly, politely, and professionally in questioning her about
whether she authorized the incendiary and potentially dangerous comments against Mayor Miner. Mayor Miner, an Orthodox Jew, she claimed consistently calls for the death of all Palestinians, is not only
false, but it's reckless and it's dangerous, especially in today's volatile climate by manipulating. No, 2 minutes is what's supposed to be here. I I was part of the group that got the Snutnik hour. I knew Dr. Snutnik. I'm
friends with both of his sons. and you arbitrarily changed the rules to one minute. I I had a a twominut speech here and I'm going to give my two-minut speech and if you want to detain me then detain me because I'm going to finish my
speech and I hope everyone on the deis has enough common sense to let me continue. Please. >> Okay. Governor Josh Shapiro in Pennsylvania had his house set on fire with Molotov
cocktails. The person attempted to kill him because does this sound familiar? Late the attacker later stated because of perceived injustice towards the people of Palestine. Does that sound familiar, Miss Poacheo, to what you
said? >> Thank you, Mr. >> No, I think it does. Okay. In today's volatile environment, I congratulate >> the commission. I congratulate Mayor Miner. I congratulate Chief Jones. And
most of all, I congratulate the Miami Beach Police Department for the way they acted professionally, courtesy, with courtesy. And thank you, sir. and in addressing that issue. >> Next, please. Next.
>> Good morning. My name is Janet Figura. I'm one of the artist vendors that's here in the city of Miami Beach. As you all know, you've seen me here before. We are trying to change this ordinance that's going on right now, which is very biased and is keeping us from working, making a living. I feel that it should
be revoked and put back the old way and we should be able to work. I am a taxpayer. I am a citizen of the United States. I am Puerto Rican. So, I want to know since the time I've been here so many times over. This is my last time
coming here asking politely, respectfully of all of you to revoke this old ordinance and put it back for I could be able to work due to this olderness. My stress level went so high that I had to make a loan. I I had
landed in the hospital because of this. This is not fair to me. It's not fair to any of these people that are a part of this program for years. I've been in this program 10 years. It's time to do things right by these people.
>> Thank you. Next, please. >> Otherwise, I will look for legal counsel. I will sue you personally and I will have to sue the city of Miami Beach. Take your >> Hi, good morning. My name is Elena Gomez. I'm also artist vendor of the
Miami Beach program and I would like to say that the ordinance that the new ordinance appears to restrict what non-resident artists may sell relative to residents. We question both the logic and legality on this distinction. Artic
expression does not lose value based on residence residency. Miami Beach cultural violity vitality depends on excellence, diversity and opponents, not geographic exclusion. Miami Beach artists are not adversaries
of the city. We are partners in its identity and economy. We stand ready to collaborate in solution that honor free expression, economic reality and the shared pol public real. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Next, please
>> David Wallock, I concur. One minute is not enough time to present anything to you people and that's an embarrassment. uh in regards to I didn't get to um I want to thank you for having that uh meeting the other day regarding spring break. Spring break is an essential but
I didn't get to uh uh let you know that March itself this year is different in the sense of Lady Gaga is performing in Miami second week. the tourniquet that we put on uh MacArthur Causeway. You need to look at
that because when that concert breaks, a lot of great people, that is not going to be a bad crowd. A lot of great people are going to be coming to the beach and that should be an a time where we don't have them sitting for two hours trying to get across the causeway. The third
week, our team of police need to remain vigilant. We don't have anything that's really going to be something that really changes. And the third week traditionally is the worst week we have. >> Thank you, sir. >> Our fourth week is ultra. Ultra is a
great crowd. Traditionally, no problems. And again, relieve the tourniquet on MacArthur Causeway at the end of the Ultra uh con um uh conference so that they can get to the beach. Thank you. And I also consider it a huge
embarrassment to this city that armed police, which I respect amazingly, are here at the podium, person after person. That that should be on the news. That's an embarrassment to you all.
>> Next, please. Commissioner. >> Um, I'm sorry. Uh, Mr. Mayor, commissioners, my name is Shapiro Sam Feldman.
I have been a resident of Miami Beach since 1968 and I am a veteran. Um, I went into the military because I
promised to live the life of never again. My parents are survivors of the Holocaust and that is a very
very sensitive issue for me. So when two police officers show up at anybody's door for having written an article that's non-threatening.
I consider that fascism >> and that is textbook fascism >> and I think that all of you should be ashamed and all of you should be apologetic including the police chief. >> Thank you sir.
>> Thank you. >> Next please. Good morning, Mr. Mayor, City Commission, Police Chief Jones. My name is Jose Avalon. I'm a property owner here in Miami Beach. A proud property owner in Miami Beach. Um, I'm a Jew. I'm an Israeli American and I'm a I'm part
of a bererieved family that just lost I lost my cousin to a terrorist attack in Judea and Samaria. two armed terrorists who were also police officers of the Palestinian Authority. Miss Pacheco, my
cousin was loading up his groceries in back of his car and the two cowards jumped him from the back and stabbed him continuously until he lost his life by fighting them. I want to mention his name here so everybody knows. His name
is Shalev Zeon. Same last name as mine. remember that name. He fought them. He fought them hard. And by doing so, he prevented the loss of lives of other um shoppers that were there at that supermarket. I want to say a couple of things. As a bereaveved
family, I would like to get an extension of of at least a minute like the other person did. I would like to say if Miss Pacheco really cared about the rights of the LGBT like she wrote in the post, she should condemn Hamas for not allowing
LGBT to exist anywhere in Gaza. A woman does not have rights in Gaza. A woman cannot even run to political office just like the distinguished uh commissioners that we have here that are ladies. >> Thank you, sir. >> Also, a woman cannot I'm almost done. 3 seconds. A woman cannot even walk or
travel anywhere inside Gaza without a chaperon being her father or her husband. That is the community that she is defending. >> Thank you. >> Next, please be happy to debate you anytime.
>> Mayor, Mr. Mayor, >> good morning. >> Mr. Mayor. >> Hi, my name is Troy Wright, executive director of the Washington Avenue. >> Mr. Come here. I would just >> choice. Well, >> I would just like to request we're putting our officers in a difficult position asking them to stop people
after a minute. If we could restore the two minutes so that everyone has a fair amount of time to speak without having our officers them and decide do they individually decide to give them a few extra seconds or not. Commissioner, since since you're not the mayor, you
may not get the complaints I have. I get numerous complaints from residents that we are using we are taking away from the city business. There are many ways to reach us. The we we have emails, texts, voicemails and we are giving everybody I am not turning a single person down. By the way there are many municipalities
even nearby they once the 30 minutes hit they shut it off. I am not doing that. I'm letting every person who wants to speak to speak, but we have city business and I am getting complaints from people that we're spending too much time um it's important. It's important, but we
also like you could look around other municipalities. I'm giving everybody the opportunity, but we have to get to the business of the people and that's that's what we're here for. >> This is the business. >> Yes. And everyone is getting to speak. I am not turning anyone away. Good morning.
My name is Troy Wright, director of Washington Avenue. Um, we spoke yesterday at the spring break meeting and we let our voice be heard and we appreciate that. Um, we have a few concerns regarding the resident item that's coming up later. Not a lot, but I'm here because I want to honor an
amazing person. His name was Angel Diaz. If you ever had the opportunity to go to Max Club Deuce, the oldest bar in the state of Florida, right here off of Washington, between Washington and Collins, you undoubtedly saw Angel over the last 15 or 20 years. An amazing man.
So, I want to take my last 30 seconds of silence just for Angel because he was such an amazing person and a pillar of this community. You can cut it off when you need to to the next person, but thank you. Just a few minutes of silence would be amazing. Thank you.
Thank you, sir. Next, please. >> This is the business of the city. Public comment is the business of the city. People prepared two minutes of comment. They should be allowed their two minutes of comment, not this arbitrary First Amendment violation because it's a
new year, a new national embarrassment, another abuse of power, another First Amendment violation by you, Mr. Mayor. This unconstitutional misuse of law enforcement resources must must stop. It's bad for morale and it leads to more lawsuits. Commissioners, you have the
power. This is what you were elected to do. Please pass policies that defend the Constitution and stop the weaponization of government against residents who dare disagree with the mayor and fix your broken public record system that allows the subject of a request to cover up our
records potentially in violation of state law. Each one of you has the same vote on this day as the mayor does. And you arguably have a bigger mandate. Why? Because every single one of you, with one exception, sorry Joe, was elected with a far greater margin than the mayor
was. Look no further than last night's state of the city. Attendance was pathetic. Just a few county commissioners, one Miami city commissioner, not a single mayor. I'd like the same courtesy that other people received, please. That's all. I'm almost done. Just a few county commissioners,
one Miami city commissioner, not a single other mayor came to your state of the city. You didn't even have a quorum of Miami Beach commissioners. Nobody wants to be seen with you. You're an embarrassment. One day people will say your name and children will spin
groggers. >> Thank you. Happy New Year. >> Next, please. >> I'll just say Mr. Cohen, actually the the there was not a available seat literally in the house last night. It was a great crowd in a great state of the city. So, thank you and thank you for coming.
>> Next, please. >> Good morning, mayor and commissioners, residents, and neighbors. I think it's time that we tone this down. This is not good for our city. Today
has to work for the people, the residents, not one cause. This is what's bringing this whole back and forth, including myself. Everybody's divided. I'm divided.
I'm torn. I can't sleep at night. This is just very shameful going to that um this an item in the uh agenda R7M if I'm not mistaken might bring the same exact problem that is happening now a bust of
a foreign national general from South America into our Normandy fountain next to the American flag. This is going to bring an outrage just as like it's happening now. Why? Different causes. >> Excuse me.
>> Different causes. We just have to let's have the American flag that represents unity for all of us. We all Americans. We should all abide by that. And thank you. >> Mayor, there's no one else in the audience. We're going to go to Zoom. Mr.
Carr, please unmute yourself. Tim Carr. >> Good morning, everyone. This is Tim Carr. Shelby West Neighborhood Association. I just wanted to comment on a couple of quick items. R5A stop the pause. This is a great initiative, but I'd also ask that you include in the
discussion that residents are involved way before you get to the 60% complete completion phase design so that you can have the most productive project as possible. And regarding R5B and R5C that you'll be discussing today, uh with
respect of the live local housing mandates from Tallahassee, this is a great proactive approach by the city to really focus on meeting residential housing needs. So again, we look forward to your input and the planning board's input and residents input on a very productive discussion on this matter as
well. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Carr. Our next caller is Johan Moore. Mr. Moore, please unmute yourself. Good morning. Johan Moore, 717 Jefferson Avenue from Meridian Court Community. We
oppose items R5B and R5C. Uh we ask that you defer them. We do not as a neighborhood accept such height and we would ask that you not attempt to jam another project down our throats as you did with the fire station. We also
support the item by I believe it's commissioners Dominguez and Fernandez to require that commissioners submit items in advance and not at the last minute. The mayor at one point in time, I believe he might have been commissioner at the time, in fact submitted an item
during the lunch break a number of years ago. Uh we also um as an organization support Raquel Pacco and the first amendment. I would argue that uh it is in fact the mayor
and his Zionist agenda in support of a foreign regime who is anti-mitting. >> Thank you very much. >> Our next caller is Judith Michael. Please unmute yourself. >> I'm Judith Smeiggel Park neighborhood of
Miami Beach. As Rachel Pacheo described, there are very not okay actions taken by the Miami Beach mayor and the police after a social media media post that was critical of him, not criminal.
Regardless of how you feel about Gaza and Israel, his speech was not criminal. This is a very wrong message that people need to watch what they say and the way they say it. And I believe that this city, if if the leadership would speak
up, this city has potential to reaffirm the democratic values cuz right now we're not we're seeing anti-democratic behavior and values. I feel terrible that the chief of police Jones was compromised because the mayor's his
boss. The mayor said after he acted. I know the mayor, the commissioners and community ma'am part of our community. >> Our next speaker is Sharon. Sharon, state your name and go ahead please.
>> Hi, this is Sharon Weiss, 23381st Street. I have two short comments. The first is that I strenuously object to my tax dollars being used to threaten, harass, and intimidate uh fellow citizens, residents. This is a violation of our first amendment. There's a reason
why the first amendment is the first amendment. It is the most important part of our constitution. Next comment is that I'm not sure if you guys were aware, but the state of Florida shut down our beach up here last month for over a week at 73rd Street um due to high levels of fecal bacteria. This is
the second time the state has come in and shut our waterways down in uh the last 6 months. And it is unacceptable. I do not understand why we are talking about one item other than fixing our sewage pipes. Keep the poop out of our waters. It is a fundamental human right
to have clean water. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next caller is Rachel Seagull. >> Rachel, unmute yourself, please. >> Yes. Hi. Uh, I am calling because I have an 8 lb dog and there is no place for my
dog to play, which is I know it sounds silly. However, there's a big dog park and they have huge dogs there and they would my dog cannot play and I'm asking to have an off leash like they do in Central Park until 9 between 7 and 9 in
the morning in the green in in South Point Park right by where Smith and Winsky is. There is no one there when we're there at 7 to 9 and we have been harassed by the rangers when our dogs
come out and play. So please uh there's C4L which commissioner Selenus is uh proposing today. I am in support of it and many many people in the park are as well.
>> Thank you so much. Our next caller is David Simon. >> Yes. Hello. >> David from West End Avenue. Like many of us, I also read the article on the Young Israel Bethl website and the published
police report in the Miami Herald saying Miami Beach politics hit a new low this year with one of the commissioners stealing political signs and replacing them with signs of the candidate he is endorsing. I mean, this guy caught
red-handed by the police, throwing signs over fences, and then driving the getaway car with family members being arrested. How is this commissioner able to continue on this board and get any respect from the public or fellow
commissioners? We need commissioners that have the ability to act like they are older than an 11year-old. Miami Beach deserves political representatives that will attract visitors and residents, not detract.
>> Thank you so much. Our next caller is Wayne. State your name, please, and unmute yourself. >> Uh, good morning. Um, I just wanted to uh bring up this isn't one thoughtful project. I strongly oppose massive
heightened far increases for Washington Avenue and Lincoln Road. It's miles of our city being upzoned all at once with almost no limits. That's not planning. That's a giveaway. Miami Beach works because it's human scale and unique. Unfeded zoning destroys exactly
what makes this place valuable. And let's be honest about what's happening right now. The vacancies we we see now aren't market failure. They're intentional neglect. Buildings sit empty. Maintenance is deferred. Leases aren't signed. And if you approve huge
height increases today, it gets worse because once owners expect 150 or 200 foot towers, why why why rent? Why rent space or fix anything? The profit is in waiting, not investing. So they wait the
car dies. Small businesses disappear. That's not revitalization. That's speculation. >> Thank you, sir. >> Other cities. Nope. other cities improve what they >> Our next caller is Marina Bren. Marina, please unmute yourself.
>> Uh good morning, commission. Uh thank you very much. Uh my name is Marina um advocacy manager at Safe and former North Beach Miami uh resident. I'm speaking in favor of agenda item R70, Commissioner Tanya Ba's proposal to move forward with the rainbow installation at
Lumis Park and agenda item uh C7 AY brought forward by Commissioner Alex Fernandez to support Ryan White HIV program um in response to Florida's ADAP funding puts. Um, I'm here to urge your
support for uh R70, a permanent rainbow installation, because it would send a clear message that LGBTQ people are welcome, valued, and protected in Miami Beach. Public affirmation from our local government matters and it equals safety
for some of us. Regarding C7AY, the Ryan White HIV program. Um, starting March 1st, the Florida Department of Health is cutting the AIDS drug assistance program, ADAPP, reducing income eligibility.
>> Thank you. Our next caller is Charlie. Please unmute yourself. >> Hi, I'm Charlie. I'm a resident and a voter and a property owner in South Beach for 20 years. I'm just calling to give make three quick points against the zoning and height increases for
proposed. Uh one, I think the dis is uh politically astute enough to know that the entire neighborhood or the mo overwhelming majority of the neighborhood does not want this. This just serves developer interests and you guys know that. Two, new development will not fill storefronts. If you look
at the Good Time Hotel, all of their storefronts have been vacant since this construction. Homeless people sleep in the vestibules. That is a fallacy and it's just a trick that developers play. Look at the storefronts right now of that new development. It is not uh they're not filled. They're all vacant. And three, if this was valuable, it
would happen south of Fifth as well. It's not happening south of Fifth as well because you all know why it's not happening south fifth as well. It's because no one wants this. It's just the South of Fifth neighborhood has better money, I guess. So, you don't do this kind of stuff to that neighborhood. You only do it to our neighborhood just like
the fire department. I'm a little tired of our neighborhood. Thank you, sir. >> Like poop of the city. >> Thank you. Our next caller is David Ston. Mr. Ston, go ahead, please. >> Hi, my name is David Ston, 30 plus year
resident of Miami Beach. I'm here today to advocate for R70, the restoration of a rainbow on Ocean Drive, brought by Commissioner Bot and Commissioner Matteo Selenus, and to
advocate for C7AY by FH Commissioner Fernandez and Mayor Miner. Also, one of the earlier callers spoke about the stop the pause item. I think that is vital for our government to function properly. Thank you. That's
it. >> Thank you so much. Our next caller is Daniel. Daniel, state your name. Unmute yourself, please. >> Yes. Hi, this is Daniel Seraldo. I am a proud resident of Miami Beach. It's really hard to see residents looking so
sad today at the commission being rushed with just one minute sutnic, then having a cityf funed police officer come on the screen to move them along. Talk about terrible optics. I've never seen a commission meeting like this and I never
agree with David Wallik, but I agree with him today. Two minutes sutnik hour. I want to ask the members of the public who are listening. It is clear that we're being censored big time. Please email me at dgc223@gmail.com
any issues of waste, fraud or abuse since at the moment we have wall flowersowers who are not doing anything to ensure trust in our commission. Thank you and I'll be back. >> Next caller is Bruce. Bruce, please
state your name. >> Uh Bruce Seagull, resident on South Point Drive. I speak in support of item C4L. I had reached out to the mayor's office. Uh I was asked to get support of Safna. We got support of Safna. And I want to thank Commissioner Matteo
Selenus for taking it upon itself to uh for proposed item C4L. We have a very small dog and it's not safe for 8 pound dog to play in off leash with 100 pound dogs and having the separate area in South Point Park for the little dogs
from 7 to 9 as an earlier caller mentioned. Uh, I would be great and there's a lot of people with little dogs who we know are supporting that. Thank you. And thank you again, Commissioner Matteo Selenus. >> Thank you. Our next caller is Spencer
Roberts. Go ahead, please. Mr. Roberts, please unmute yourself. >> Hi. Can you hear me? >> Yes, sir. >> Thank you. Hi, my name is Spencer Roberts. I am just calling to thank you for your unanimous support and sponsorship of Commissioner Dominguez
item R5M, prohibitions on shark fishing gear on the public beach. I just want to highlight the urgency of this issue. Uh there have been several instances of this since our last meeting including protected species and I want to ask that uh we get it on the uh we I know there's
a lot of business to get to today but that we call the item at its hearing time 10:15 and I'll be there to see it through and uh I think we're all on the same page so let's take it across the finish line. Thank you. >> PJ, can you call the next caller?
State your name, please. Unmute yourself. >> DJ, let's go to Matthew Morgan. >> Hi, good morning. Uh, my name is Matthew. I represent the owners of 825 Washington Avenue, also known as the Clinton Hotel. Um, I'm here to speak in
support of the Washington Avenue residential plan, agenda items 5B and 5 C. We think the proposal offers a thoughtful corridorwide strategy to reinvigorate a key part of the city by encouraging permanent housing and walkable vibrant streets. Unlike peace
mill spot zonings, the plan takes a comprehensive forward-looking approach that provides clarity and fairness to all stakeholders. It incentivizes long-term investment while preserving design integrity and aligns with the city's goals for affordability, mobility, and sustainability. We urge
the commission to move forward and adopt this well- balanced framework. Thank you. >> Thank you, sir. Our next caller is Sarah Deos Reyes. >> Hi, good morning. This is Sarah Deos Reyes. I am I'm calling for support for C4E
um to add the Astro to the Maurice gift park u and enable for um since the area is getting um it's getting all messed up with the current grass. So, thank you, Alex, for doing that. Thank you so much. We have no other
callers in Zoom and I see no other callers on the day uh in the chamber. Mr. Mayor, >> Commissioner Suarez, thank you. I' I'd uh like a point of privilege to talk about what has happened over the last couple of weeks uh in Miami Beach. Um
and I want to share something that should concern all of us. Um, recently in Miami Beach, the Veno nightclub, individuals tied to extremist anti-semitic movements played the song Hile Hitler
in the club and posted it online. And PJ, I I know we can't play the the sound, but I I want to give you guys a little taste of what what we've seen. Um, we have
what appears to be a uh neo-Nazi fraternity, okay, which has rolled out their version of DEI apparently in in our nightclub.
It features a gay Mexican, a half black guy, and an Arab. Unfortunately, this isn't satire. This isn't some edgy joke. This is the glorification
of a genocidal regime in a space where Jewish res residents should feel safe. And it didn't happen out of nowhere. It happened in a climate where anti-semitic rhetoric is getting normalized.
Which brings me to the next part. In recent weeks, a local controversy got national attention. Today, I'm providing context. Most of the coverage got ignored. We have seen repeated public statements
from this individual that mirrors themes used by anti-semitic extremist as shown in that video. PJ, put up the comparison side, please. I want to show you a couple tweets and
show how exactly they're very similar. The Zionist propaganda machine is fullon putting our tax dollars to work. And on the right, we have that same individual who is in a nightclub singing Hile Hitler, saying Zionist controls
CBS. This is all part of Israel's propaganda campaign. Let's go to the next one. Next slide. We have a government that's completely beholden to Israel. And on the right, we have a guy saying,
"Okay, but Israel controls America." And I want everyone to see the comparisons. You have a crazy person on the left and you have a crazy person on the right. Both are political.
Okay? And what do they have in common? They all hate Jews. Next slide, please. You have even Candace Owens, who we all know is crazy. It's the same thing. Everyone has the
same talking points that hates Jews. Next slide. You have even more comparisons. Israel and Miami Beach. and they saying that there's some sort of conspiracy that there's technology
that somehow Israel is controlling our government. The comparison is it's undoubtedly clear. Next, you even have the Ayatollah of Iran
saying the same talking points. You can close the presentation. the parallels to figures like dopey Nick Fuentes and crazy Candace Owens,
Vyatollah of Iran. It's clear. And let's be honest, it's open season on public officials. We've seen threats and violence on both sides. Charlie Kirk, Governor Shapiro,
Elon Omar, it doesn't matter. It happens on the left. It happens on the right. Rhetoric fuels this environment. And when Jews are portrayed as enemies, oppressors, or villains,
that has consequences, which is why the next video matters. PJ Two Israeli embassy staffers gunned down in what the FBI says was a targeted attack. >> To Brooklyn tonight where on this third night of Hanukkah, cops are
investigating two possible anti-semitic attacks. I was doing >> when police say he was shot in the shoulder. Neighbors say he was going to his synagogue. >> Let go.
Lemon's graves, snatched her phone, threw it to the ground, hit her, and spat on her. Report quotes the suspect is saying, "Move, you dirty Jew." The woman was walking off 77th Street in Miami. >> What's your sense on Palestine, George? You look Israeli like a You got a lot of to talk. Talk it
right now. Then they pound on the doors, threatening 11 Jewish students who have sought sanctuary, locking themselves inside. >> 11 people are dead after a shooting during a Jewish holiday celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach. For the first
night of Hanukkah, police are investigating the mass shooting as a terrorist attack. >> Should Zionist, aka Nazis, white supremacist, should they live? >> Murder can't be justified. Yeah. >> Yeah.
>> Open your window, dummy. >> The night your governor's mansion uh was firebombed in a politically motivated anti-semitic attack just hours after your Passover seder, 22 people were in the house at the time, including your family.
>> Fire inside the Alman Hamas Synagogue in Conway. There is a developing hostage situation at a synagogue near Fort Worth, Texas. >> Anti-semitism in America, haunting Jewish communities from coast to coast. >> More than 100 graves damaged or overturned the Jewish cemetery in
Philadelphia. >> A swanty enters, discovering a scene of unimaginable horror. 11 people, three women, and eight men dead. >> And this centuries old form of hate is sharply rising. >> These incidents are
These incidents are real. Assault, vandalism, harassment, Jews targeted in public for being Jewish. Rhetoric normalizes hate. Hate escal escalates to violence.
And I really want to give an opportunity to the police chief to come up here. I got a few questions for you, chief. Chief, I I got a procedural question for you. Okay. When rhetoric escalates into
inflammatory accusations that could incite unrest, your department evaluates that public safety risk. Am I correct? >> That is correct. Wayne Jones, Police Chief, Miami Beach Police Department Commissioner. That is correct. That's part of our charge.
>> Okay. Now, given the national controversy that this has happened, if you could do it all over again, would you do anything different >> in terms of how we handled the response to the posted statement?
>> Correct. >> Short answer is no. >> Short answer is no. >> Correct. So, in your opinion, in your professional opinion, >> you handle everything the right way. >> Absolutely. >> And you would do it again. >> Absolutely. The investigators that uh
responded to Mr. PCO's home, this is what they do, risk assessment all the time. They're very good at what they do. >> How often how how often does this happen where you see something like this and people get a welfare check?
>> Uh, happens regularly. In fact, the incident that occurred is commonly referred to in police work as a knock and talk. It's done thousands of times, thousands of times in this country on a daily basis. And given this political climate of
violence, especially on elected officials, do you think it's out of the ordinary to do a knock and talk when people purposely spread false information under these circumstances? Absolutely not. And commissioner, I'd like to share
something with you. 2025, Capitol Police responded to 15,000 15,000 concerns against members of Congress and
their family. 15,000. That represented a whopping 58% increase from the year before. much of their response is done exactly the way we did. It starts with knock and talk.
>> So this isn't out of the ordinary either at the local level, county level, or federal level? >> Not at all. >> Okay. You have anything else you'd like to share, chief, now that you have the floor? >> Absolutely. No, the Miami Beach Police
Department is not in the business of policing free speech. We're not. In fact, we're in the business of protecting free speech. But when something's brought to our attention, something we believe may be insightful to others to act to violence,
we have an obligation to react to that. The goal and intent of investigators to respond to Mr. Czecher's house was not to not to take away her free speech, but quite frankly have a frank conversation with her, consensual conversation with her. Ask
her, you posted this information, has anyone reacted to you personally, directly? Has anyone indicated they wanted to cause harm to the mayor and or his family? And if the answer was no, that
would have been the end of it. Would you agree that there's a lot of crazy people in the world that could read Macho's post and say, "You know what? If he's killing Palestinians, I need to take justice in my own hands.
>> There is a lot of people who are unstable in this world." >> And I can surely tell you there's a lot of unstable people in Miami Beach >> and I'm responsible for them. >> Yeah, >> I'm the one responsible for their stability. Chief, if you can, would you say that there's a lot of crazy people in in
>> uh we do deal with people all the time on a daily basis um in mental uh emotional crisis. Uh often time reaction to that is to to baker them, get them the help they need. Um but yeah, we deal with quite a bit of folks with um emotion, mental issues.
>> I appreciate it. Thank you for keeping us all safe. I know it's not an easy >> before the chief steps away ma may I ask one question and I'm going to break the golden rule of politics of asking a question I don't know the answer to um one of the reasons why I haven't made
any comments on this is because we're not allowed to talk to each other um sunshine rule so I don't know what happened and I'm going to ask you a question that I haven't asked the mayor I haven't asked you I haven't talked to any of my colleagues about and I'm going
to keep it very simple, right? I don't want to say a yes or no answer, but let's just keep it simple and brief. >> Sure. >> Did the mayor direct order ask you or any of your staff to send police
officers to Miss Pacheco's house? >> The answer is no. >> Thank you. >> So, I'd like to Mr. I just finish. Um if you want to ask >> I just wanted to ask a couple of questions. Sure. I I you have implored me for a long time. >> Very long time.
>> Very. And you can enhance what you're saying that >> the security of me, my family. Uh really all of us. It's not just me. It's not just it's not just me also. It's our entire city and potentially the Jewish community.
Um, you've implored me that if I if I see something, I should send it to you, which I do. >> Yep. >> Um, which I did in this case. >> Yes. >> Tell us what happened then after uh >> after I sent you. >> In this particular case, um, Mr. Mayor,
I use it as an opportunity to urge you, like I've done countless times, to increase the use of your protection detail. That's exactly why they're there. In fact, we've had instances where people send you notes to your home that we've investigated. That's not been
publicized because um it was not recorded and placed on social media. The interaction police officers has had as a result of result of that and because of the ongoing concerns I've had about your safety because of the public and and unwing stance you've taken in support of
Israel. I I've asked you for a very long time, let's provide you the safety and security that I think you need to protect you from the crazies that may exist out there um and may want to wish you hung. >> And and Commissioner Magazine just asked
the question, did I have any conversations with you about sending someone to M PCO's house either discussing it, requesting it, asking for it, or even know about it before you did it? >> You did not. Um, and could you just tell us the thought process you had? I mean, what
what was it about the post itself that led to your concern? >> Mr. Mayor, I think I mentioned this to you. The post in and of itself um is protected speech. I mean, in and of itself, there is no crime committed, right? My my concern was one line in
that post, the fact that it mentioned that you had called for the death of all Palestinians, which is untrue. But more importantly, I was concerned that a crazy or two may use that to cause you violence or violence your family. And so
that was the impetus of my direct have a conversation. >> I don't know if that was your thought process, but my thought process was potentially the Jewish community. >> Yep. When I read it, >> continue. I'm sorry. >> But that that was that was my thought process and that's why uh my investigators visited this home.
>> Mr. Mayor, >> Commissioner Fernandez, >> thank you. Um, you know, it's it's a very difficult situation. Recently, I saw a post by the American Jewish Committee, um, which had a very sobering
reminder that portraying Jewish individuals as evil. is actually an old anti-semitic practice that has been used throughout history to justify hatred, to justify violence uh towards Jewish
people. And it's the kind of imagery and rhetoric that it it it's vile, it's divisive, it has no place in in in the public discourse. Um I don't like what happened. I don't like seeing images of
police officers knocking on our residents doors. Um but but we you we have to make sure that that language doesn't provoke that doesn't divide and we also have to make sure that that this
type of language that we don't help fuel the flame. You know we have a two-fold responsibility. We have a two-fold responsibility to stand firmly with our Jewish community, to call out anti-semitism,
um to to to to be aware of these patterns in history and these practices in history that have been used to paint good Jewish people as evil to justify the hate and the violence towards them,
which is real. Um and we also have a responsibility uh to ensure that our public institutions, our public resources respond in a way that are measured, in a way that are constitutional
um in a in a way where we don't reward bad messages, hateful messages, vile messages, divisive messages with a larger platform than what they deserve. They don't they don't they
don't deserve um national attention. They don't deserve um I feel the time of day that we're giving it right now, you know. Um but but it has to be called out. You know, comments that are used to portray
Jewish people as evil have to be called out. They need to be handled appropriately because we know we know. And it's the same thing with Hispanics. When they paint Hispanics or immigrants as rapists or as other types of
criminals, when they paint LGBTQ individuals as as pedophiles, it is a practice that is done to justify the evil that follows.
And that is that is what is so sad about all of this. and and we've rewarded it unfortunately with with national attention, but it has to be called out. It is wrong. It is hateful. It is divisive. Our community deserves better. I hope these voices don't continue to
get amplified. I know that as I go through my committee appointments today, as as I cast my vote today on committee appointments, I am not going to be voting for individuals uh who are who are who are using their platforms to promote hate division in our community
because we need to come back to a place that's in the middle and a place in a place that's unified where we protect each other where we support each other where we realize that whether we're immigrants, whether we're LGBTQ, whether we're Jewish or Christian or Muslim. We
are one community. We need to end the division. And I think it really it starts with all of us up here. And we we may not agree with with with comments, but we need to we need to coexist and we
can't tolerate messages that that at the end of the day, while may not be intended to promote uh violence. We need to protect our community from the violence that could potentially be inside. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. >> Thank you, Commissioner Fernandez.
>> I appreciate your comments, Commissioner Bot. Um, you know, our first job up here is public safety. Uh, we can agree or disagree on zoning or opening hours of businesses or anything else, but at the end of the
day, it's public safety for our residents, our elected officials, our visitors. Um, when Von Dome I mean I I don't know. Has anybody here ever been to an event where
you ask the DJ to play a song and they look at you and they're like, "No." I have. Um, could be a bar mitzvah. It could be a nightclub. They didn't exercise judgment. And that's their right to have stupid views that they
amplify. What's not their right is to put the city potentially into a dangerous position. And when I commented on the vonome um lapse of judgment, it wasn't a first amendment violation. It was the
idea that these three hateful individuals with large platforms who are alleged sex traffickers and rapists and avowed proud anti-semmites to be generous. I think that's the short
version of their list of indignities. Thought that this was cool. in a nightclub on a Saturday night drinking, partying. They could have. This didn't happen. But what would have stopped anything from going from this group of idiots in a
nightclub to jinning themselves up and taking to the streets and saying death to Jews along Washington Avenue and getting people to um to join in. That then becomes a public safety issue. So free speech is absolutely sacrosanked in
my view. You can have the greatest opinions in the world. You can have the most hideous opinions in the world. When it rises to um a possibility of a public safety issue, um that's a different conversation. You
still have the right to make the comments. Absolutely. And I stand behind that a thousand%. We also have the right to ask some questions. I think and I I I would like this to be um a turning point
and a teachable moment. I think the problem lies when there are no immediate responses to very valid questions because I think conversation diffuses a lot of the concerns. You may not still
agree with the decisions made but you can at least understand the decision-making process and we didn't have that. I will take us back to the O cinema debacle from last year. We had a very robust public conversation in this chamber. We had people queued up. It was
I don't remember how long, but it was certainly more than a minute um per person and and we went very much longer than our allotted 30 minutes for STNic hour. And it was a a cathartic I I feel my my impression was that it was an important community conversation. All
kinds of opinions were heard. There was um emotion up and down but at the end of that we came to a better place and that didn't happen here and I I urge us all where
if we are put in situations where there are questions asked that we answer them transparently and quickly and with full disclosure because there is nothing to hide when protecting public safety. you are completely at your absolute
constitutionally granted rights. Um, you have every constitutionally granted right to say what you want to say. I have no issue with that. But if you're whether you're sitting on the deis or you're sitting at home, you need to be
able to answer for what you say. We all get hate mail and we all get vilified on on um on social media. I mean, if any of us were private citizens, we'd have slander cases left, right, and center. You know, that we would win. I have I've
gotten threats, nothing like the mayor has. I've gotten threats. I mean, we've talked about it and um it's we should all feel safe. We should all feel safe to exercise our first amendment right to say how what we feel.
And we should also feel safe that things that get said don't light a an unintended match. And that is the that is the balance of living in a free democracy. You know, people can march through the center of town saying hateful things.
There will be a police presence to make sure it doesn't become a public safety issue. So, I would urge us, I hope we don't get into a situation like this again, but should we ever get into a situation like this again, I would urge whoever is involved to have forthright,
direct, open communication in rapid in quick order, answer the question, questions that are asked, provide the documentation, and air it air it out and and move on. And by the way, Commissioner Bot, I agree 100% what you
just said, but obviously since in this case I was not the one who made the decision, uh it was this was a police matter handled by the police department. Um, Commissioner uh Matias Elenus. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. I also want to
just say that anti-semitism has no place in Miami Beach and we have a very large Jewish population here. This is their home and they deserve to be safe and feel safe just as our LGBTQIA community deserves to feel safe here too. This is their home. They deserve that safety and
frankly all of us deserve to feel safe in our homes where we live, where we raise our children, where we go to school, where we go to church or temple. I wasn't aware of anything that had happened here. Um I'm not on Facebook and I won't be on Facebook. It's a toxic
mess of negativity and I just I don't want to participate in that. I you know I'm sorry that I didn't wish you a happy birthday on Facebook. Um but I I will not be going on Facebook. So people can and will say many many things about me on Facebook and I'm just I'm not going
to read it or react. Um it's just not my deal. But but bottom line is is that we all deserve to feel safe here. all of our communities. And you know, Chief, I respect you and your department and what you need to do and investigate and whatever procedures you have. I respect
that. I'm not going to get in the way. Um, and I thank you for doing, you know, what you felt was best. Um, and you know, again, I just want to reiterate that that we all deserve to feel safe here. and um and I will I will I will
always, you know, elevate public safety to to number one. So, thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Dominguez. >> Thank you, Mayor. Uh well, I agree with what's been said on the day is there is no place for anti-semitism in our city
or for hate of any kind. The climate lately has really been escalated. It's uh shocking to me to read my email and see uh some of the messages I get from residents and what they feel is appropriate to say to another human
being. Um it's it's quite shocking. Uh but you take it in stride and um I agree with Commissioner Fernandez who mentioned um the Hispanics and the things that have been happening with ICE
and also the LGBTQ community who has really come under fire uh with the state and it's unacceptable. and thank you for the job that you're doing keeping our residents safe and leading our city uh with uh the police department and um
let's see if the climate uh starts to settle down and change because right now even the last few days reading emails that were sent to me I I I think back I'm like what makes someone think that it's okay to send that to someone else?
Um, so we all need to take a step back and take a deep breath. >> Thank you. >> Thank Thank you all. I I I I I'm actually very emotional right now. >> Mostly because of what I've heard from
this day. This is I'm hoping a a real moment for us. This has been a difficult moment. It's been a difficult moment for Jewish people in general uh since October 7th. Um I don't want to speak for others, I
always say, but 2, three years ago, the thought of America not being the greatest country ever for Jewish people outside of the state of Israel wasn't a thought on almost every Jewish person's mind. It is on every I don't want to speak I don't
speak for every I mean 99%. It is on every Jewish person's mind to live like that. And I know we're not the only group, but that right now is the issue of the day. So to hear the comments and the coming together is very meaningful to me. It is anti-semitism 101 to
portray Jews as trying to commit violence against others. It's blood liable. It goes through thousands of years of Jewish history. That's how it starts. The blood liel against Christians. They're all lies. They're all false. to accuse me of saying something so horrific that I've clearly never even remotely said. Uh, I support
Israel. I'm proud of it. But I've also said that the tragic loss of life from any innocent civilians is tragic. Except I blame Hamas, not Israel. That's the difference. But I have said and I will go to bat for
any person, any group in our city. Actually, recently there was uh an individual from our LGBTQ community who had received some threatening remarks, disparaging remarks. Commissioner Fernandez had come out and and
publicized it. And then I came out with a Facebook post because that person had reached out to me. I don't know if he reached out to me first. I don't know all the details, but he wrote to me in an email. This member of the LGBTQ community, he said, "Thank you, mayor. You could read my post. You were the first one to act. you're the first one to respond and you took immediate
action. Didn't matter. And I even told him when he said it to me, I said, I treat this no differently than I treat an anti-semitic attack. Everyone in our city deserves to feel safe. Everyone. And I will go to bat for any person, any
group. And I'm not just saying it. I did it. And this hopefully will come together. This is an incredibly safe city. It's a diverse city. We're a welcoming city. We are get ratings from all different demographic
groups as being the highest level of scores that they do is Miami Beach. And I think today we really learned a lesson why that is. It's the seven of us sitting up here. It's the seven of us up here that come together when there's a
threat made or perceived threat or potential for the incitement of violence against any group. We act fast and we act quickly and we condemn it. And it doesn't matter if it comes from the far left. It doesn't matter if it comes from the far right. And that's what your
presentation, Commissioner Suarez, showed. You're seeing the same rhetoric. In this case, we're talking about anti-semitism against Jews. It's the same rhetoric is coming from both sides. By the way, Tucker Carlson reached out to me after the Venom incident. I didn't
I didn't go on that show because I don't want to give a platform for somebody who is spreading hate and lies against the Jewish people. I'm not going to do it. We have we have we have to we have to stick together. And that's why I say I'm emotional because today I see seven of
us. This is leadership. This is leadership. And that's why Miami Beach is one of the greatest cities in the world. And we're going to continue that way. And I have full confidence in our city. Thank you everyone. Thank you chief.
>> Now we're going to get to the important business of the day. And I think one of the more important items on the agenda is spring break. So we're going to go to C R7V. >> I'm sorry, Mayor. Can we do the consent and the poll items? At least I got so
excited talking about spring break. >> I have to make the announcements. Thank you, mayor. Sorry about that. Uh just for the record and for the public to be aware, the following items have been separated from the consent agenda. Commissioner Dominguez is separating C7U.
>> Commissioner Fernandez is separating the following items. C4 A, C4H, C7E, C7 Z, C7 A. Again, I'm going to repeat the items. Commissioner Fernandez is
separating C4 A, C4H, C7E, C7 Z, C7 A Z. Commissioner Suarez is separating the following two items, C7S
and C7 AS. Again, C7S and C7 AS. Mayor, we need to set the agenda. Uh, pursuant to section 2.14 subsection 7, we need approval of the uh, five simons
approval to add the following items to the agenda from Commissioner Fernandez. It's C7X paint lifeguard stand and patriotic theme. C7 A approved Galleria exhibit MB ocean rescue 100 years. C7 AF
expressing hope for peaceful transition to democracy in Venezuela. C7 AW enforcement against unlawful Cuba related commerce. If we have a motion to approve all to add all those items to the agenda, please. >> I'll move it. >> I'll second. >> All in favor, please say I. >> I.
>> Anyone opposed? >> No. Item carries. 70. Items are added to the uh agenda, consent agenda. I'll do a motion to set the to adopt the consent agenda excluding those who were
>> Yes, sir. So, consent agenda. I have a motion by Commissioner Fernandez, seconded by >> Commissioner Magazine. All in favor of the consent agenda, approving the consent agenda excluding the uh separated items, please say I. >> I. I. >> Opposed? Hearing none. The consent
agenda is approved. 70. R7V. >> R7V is authorize administration to deviate from measures set in resol 2025 33783 spring break R7B. >> Thank you. And I'll turn it over to uh
this is actually uh Eric Carpenter, city manager's item. Just I'll tee it up. Um, I think we have a lot to be proud for the last two years. The the measures we have taken as a collective body, as a commission, but also obviously our city administration, our police department, working together with our state law
enforcement partners and our county partners uh and local um sister uh neighboring cities, police departments. We have a lot to be proud for, but as as is natural, we look to potentially look to improve things. And what's interesting is sometimes the narrative
gets set that, you know, businesses were against all the measures. Uh I think nothing could be further from the truth. There are select businesses and they're they're here and they're vocal that are against uh some of these measures, but by and large I've heard nothing but positives. and our resort tax numbers
and our our hotel occupancy rates and hotel room rates uh which are uh through the roof um actually show that we've uh we've done a lot to protect not only our residents and our businesses. But let's make no mistake. Before the measures we
took two years ago as a body, we had murders on our street, a level of chaos that is unacceptable. Stampedes, people's lives were put in danger. And we took measures that saved people's lives. That is an absolute fact. And
that is what we here to do. Save people's lives and obviously have a open, welcoming city, which we've done. You see families coming down Ocean Drive in strollers, people rollerblading, people enjoying our city, going out for dinner, sitting outside, and that was not the case in past spring breaks
before the last two years. So, I'm very proud of the measures we've taken, but today is a good time to discuss and I know there was a discussion yesterday about potential uh steps we could take to um to to to improve certain things, but ultimately I can tell you I'm just saying right now for the most part I am
going to be inclined to with with certain exceptions to keep the measures we uh we have taken that have been so successful. Eric, >> so thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, we have heard all of the commission loud and clear
that we don't want to backslide on safety, but we do want to pivot slightly from what we've been doing in the past few years to make it a little more balanced approach. Um, and so we do have
a comprehensive plan. Um I have challenged all of the departments to try to find um where the right location is for us to be heading into March 2026. Um, it's important that we highlight
that there was a resolution 2025 33783 sponsored by the mayor and commissioner Fernandez um to uh allocate resources to specific 16 specific items
uh that were related to spring break 2026. Um, if I could just one second roll through those items to remind everybody. Um, adopt and execute a heightened law enforcement staffing plan including
Alpha Bravo staffing from Thursday through Sunday on the second and third weekends in March. Um we are going to have enhanced staffing um all throughout the month of March, but particularly on those second and third weekends, the
12th through the 15th and the uh 20th through the 22nd. Um those are the two weekends with historically we've had challenges that bookend St. Patrick's Day. Um, we are going to have Alpha
Bravo staffing of our police department, outside agencies, and we are going to have um significant police resources on the ground as we've heard pretty consistently from everyone that they want to continue to see. Um, we are
going to, as enumerated in the second item, vigorously enforce the open container law. Um item number three uh was originally to close public beaches on the first, second, and third weekends
at 6:00 p.m. Um we are here today asking for a little bit of flexibility on that because we've programmed the beach um just off of Lumis Park with some very high quality events. We're going to be
bringing in um future proof. We're going to be bringing in Wat Palooa. We're going to be bringing the Adidas AX program. Um and we want to have some flexibility in this item. So, that is one of the things we'd like to discuss and get uh a vote on today if possible.
Item number four, uh if necessary, suspension of sidewalk cafe operations on Ocean Drive. This is already an if necessary and is discretionary. I don't believe that that will be necessary. Um, but certainly we will make those
decisions based on what we're seeing on the ground in real time. Number five, enforce the city's noise ordinance as we do 365 days a year. Um, number six, increase code enforcement, parking enforcement, and fire staffing.
We will absolutely be doing that throughout the month of March. Um, number seven, continue to explore the implementation of a secured perimeter on Ocean Drive or portions thereof. Uh, we will have secured perimeter areas in the
activations on the beach. Um, and we will continue to explore that. Um, number eight, continue to explore the implementation of midnight curfews as deemed necessary by the city manager. Um, obviously that would be a worst case
scenario and we would have had to have really had things go terribly wrong for us to have to implement that, but that is still something that is a tool in the toolbox should it be necessary. Uh, implement a robust marketing and
communications campaign. Um, we have already put together a robust campaign. We'd like to uh talk that through today and show that to you. Number 10, work closely with Uber and Lyft and other rid share apps to communicate restrictions.
We are working with Uber and Lyft to make sure that they understand that traffic will be heavy. Um, and we are going to be trying to identify pickup and drop off points so that they're not a part of the problem. Um, number 11,
close all city-owned and city operated parking lots and garages in the art deco cultural district between 5th and 15th Streets Thursday 6:00 p.m. through Monday 6:00 a.m. for the second and third weekends of March. Because of the
activations that we have on the beach, we will be asking for some flexibility on this. Um, I don't think that we are going to need to close those garages. Um, but I do think that we want to keep in place the high impact measures that
will allow us to increase the pricing up to the $100, which is item number 12. Um, number 13, restrict on street parking on Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue, and Washington Avenue. This is the item that results in the barricades that I
think everybody has at one point or another voiced to me their concerns. Um, we are asking for the ability to have the flexibility on that to make decisions in individual areas, not blocking parking on Washington Avenue,
Ocean Drive, or Collins Avenue unless there are specific locations that will be um that are problematic that we need to address in real time. Uh, number 14, work with the county to explore the closure of the Venetian
Causeway. Um, we have gotten the ability to lock down the bridges for extended periods with the county, but they have not agreed to the closures and create special event zone or zones. Uh, we will be doing that. That will be part of our
comprehensive plan and explore all alternative modes of transportation to reduce traffic congestion. that is an ongoing process um that certainly will be helped by the new um trolley contract and the new water taxi that we've
implemented. So happy to dig into any of the details further. We had a very robust and constructive conversation yesterday at the uh neighborhood sunshine meeting and I welcome any feedback from the commission and committee. The department directors are
here to answer any specific questions. Mr. Sorry, I heard Commissioner Fernandez first and Commissioner Bot. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, I I think what we need to look at is a calibrated and flexible spring break uh operational
plan. Um, one that keeps public safety as our priority. I think public safety is all of our priority, especially uh with spring break. It a plan that preserves the tools we've developed and we've adopted over the past year. but
apply some with precision based on the real-time conditions of what's happening in our city at the at the moment. Um, so I just, you know, I think it's very important for us to understand. I don't think anything of what the city manager is saying is about undoing um the spring
break strategy that we've had over the past few years. They've been incredibly successful. Um, it's a framework. It's a safety framework that works. Um the question is how to apply it in a way that's intelligent, that's proportional,
that doesn't hurt our businesses, that doesn't hurt our residents quality of life, that keeps us being a welcoming community. So first with sidewalk cafes, uh Mr. Manager, I support keeping sidewalk cafes open unless and until conditions uh would require otherwise.
Uh I believe, you know, these these are permanent businesses. um they count with this sidewalk space. Um and the people who come from other parts of the country, they want to be able to sit outside, have a meal outside, enjoy our
weather. It's why they're here during during uh the the month of March. So, any idea of automatically shutting them down, I think would would send the wrong uh signal and penalize u business owners who otherwise are not doing anything
anything wrong in in the city. So, what I do support is you maintaining the full discretion together with our chief of police to be able to make targeted decisions to shut them down if conditions deteriorate. So, I completely support you in your in in keeping the
sidewalk cafes open. Second, the barricades along Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue, and Washington Avenue uh sends a very uninviting uh message. is a I believe it's a very it's a very aggressive visual. Uh so I
support uh rolling removing scaling back uh barricades where feasible. Now, yesterday we were discussing that uh while we want to generally remove or see the removal and the scaling back of these barricades, there might be certain
hot spots where you may want to be able to consider keeping them like the 900 block of Collus Avenue that Mitch mentioned or the 700 uh block of Washington where we know based on what the chief told us based on data uh and
history these are hotspots of our city where it might be prudent and wise to keep those barricades there, but not imposing them by default as a policy along all of Washington Avenue, along all of Collins and Ocean Drive. Uh we shouldn't normalize a lockdown posture
when a managed open condition uh can work safely. Uh third, as it relates to uh the parking and garage topic that you brought up, Mr. manager. Um, last year we shut down the garages. I
think we had the $100 parking rate. I absolutely support given the amount of activities that we have coming into the city, the health and wellness activities that are coming in. Future proof that I believe is is coming back. These these are good tourists that want to enjoy our
city, that want to respect our city, that want to support our economy. I support keeping our garages open and allowing flexibility on the parking rate as you see appropriate. Uh giving you that flexibility. If you need if you feel that the market is saying that the
parking rate should be $30, we will do it $30. And if you feel that you need to raise it to $100 to control to control the amount of vehicles coming into our area and all that, well, that is under uh your your your discretion from from
from my perspective. Um I also believe that opening up the garages, it prevents the illegal parking situation that Commissioner Magazine uh so eloquently mentioned yesterday. uh when the garages are closed, when on street parking is completely unavailable in areas like
Washington Avenue, what happens then is that people go into the residential zones and they start to illegally park in the in the residential zones. So, I believe opening uh opening up our garages and our parking um it reduces
that illegal parking activity. Um, as it relates to the beach closing time and beach access, again, we have events that are coming up. To me, it doesn't make sense to close the beach at 6:00 p.m. when you have events that might need for
the beach to be open later. So, rather than imposing uh closing time, I'm completely supportive of giving you, Mr. manager giving the police chief uh support and flexibility of the uh of of the closing time. Uh I believe also one
of the things that has been brought up over over the years is access points access points to the beach uh over the years has been limited to two locations. I've received feedback from residents
who have concerns that it limits the access to the sand too much. When you have only two locations, you kind of create congestion and unintended crowding at these access points and then um people go to other areas. They'll go
south of Fifth, they'll go north of 15th where there are those access points. So, we could figure out a way where in addition to keeping the beach open later, you could have more access points so that we avoid that unintended consequence is something I would be
supportive of. and we've heard from uh from from our businesses um about the LPR readers uh and traffic controls. I think we're all supportive of having DUI checkpoints and L and LPR
readers uh as people enter the city. And I think it's also great messaging. Um but what I would want to make sure is maybe, you know, moving it a little bit later. I believe usually we start around 900 p.m. Maybe we can push it back to
1000 p.m. Um, you know, so that people who are coming into our city to go enjoy dinner, they don't get stuck in that traffic. It's such an important tool. I think it's an important tool to have. Uh but I think we've also heard from our business
community and from our residents people who have been stuck in that traffic and the unintended consequences um of that. Uh I think ultimately what this you know brings together is not undoing the measures keeping them in the
toolbox. Keeping in the toolbox if you need to close the beach at 6 p.m. you can. If you need to close the sidewalk cafes you can. If you need to put up barricades, you can. If you need to do a $100 parking, you can. It's all in your toolbox. But it's not going to be the
policy, you know, from day one. Is there in case of an emergency and an as needed basis. That's what I would support. And thank you for attending yesterday's meeting and for listening to the discussion. >> Commissioner But and then actually I
want to say a few things. So, um I want to thank uh Commissioner Fernandez in his new role for convening the meeting yesterday to have this conversation. Um something I had had on the agenda for months and it we didn't reach it. Um and
I it wasn't that I was hoping to spill the state secrets about what our plans were, but it was to have the kind of robust conversation it took. I mean, we we talked about it for two and a half hours. So, you know, we we fleshed out, hashed out a lot of um the nuance of
what we wanted to see yesterday, and you know, that's what my desire had been months ago when I put it on on the agenda. So, I'm I'm glad that happened. Um for anybody who might not have seen it, I encourage you to go back and and watch. It was really constructive. A lot
of uh good ideas back and forth. Um, Commissioner Fernandez has hit on a bunch of things that I was going to mention, but um, a couple of other things. Just to confirm, um, Mr. Manager, the sidewalk cafes will be open during the day by default.
>> Confirmed. >> Okay. Wanted to clarify that. That is a big deal. Um, Lady Gaga is playing on Friday the 13th. It's a one night only event. It's a makeup for um, the night that she had to cancel last year. We need to plan proactively because even if
a a fraction of those um concert goers come over to the beach, um you know, we need to find out when that show is letting up, we need to make sure that our MacArthur Causeway is clear and not backed up. Um, you know, I don't want our police to be less vigilant, but
perhaps we can delay um LPRs and um DUI stops until after that concert lets out and give it a little breathing room. Um, I will defer to the experts, the police department, public safety, um, to figure
out how to manage that push and pull. Um the beach access both in terms of when it is closing um and how people can get onto beaches needs to be rethought to
have only two um is counterproductive and um I understand it gives more control but I think we can manage that in a different way and it is um it also makes the beachgoing experience less pleasant because you have all the
visitors bunched into these spaces versus spreading across the entire length of our beach. Um, and more importantly, you know, the weather is beautiful. Knock on wood. Um, and there are plenty of people who don't want to be on the beach at the height of um the heat and and strength of the sun who
like to go at the end of the day with their young family or, you know, whatever and we should make that available to them. So I really, you know, I I am supportive of having the measures in place in case, you know, kind of a break glass if needed
situation. But we we had to we had to throw the circuit breaker for two years. We had to disrupt and re-educate about what behavior is acceptable here in Miami Beach. But we
also want people to come back to Miami Beach and treat our city with the care and respect and affection that it deserves. Um, don't do things here that you wouldn't do at home. Um, we live here. People have staked their entire
lives to build a business here and we welcome you to be a part of it. um whether you're coming across the causeway or coming from around the world and just have a little consideration for your fellow human and and um proceed accordingly.
>> Thank you, Commissioner Bot. Just if I I'm going to weigh in just big picture where I'm thinking. So, I I like I agree with some of the ideas to ease some of the restrictions. The barricades is probably the biggest one for me. My concern about, and don't take this
personally, Eric, my concern about leaving too much flexibility. I feel like that was part of the problem that we had in the past because our commission came together and gave some strict restrictions that you, those
preceded you, our police chief really followed through um incredibly. I think it makes it difficult when there's this amorphous moving goalpost depending on the situation. So, I'd like to for us maybe to do some of those easing if if we deem necessary, but I think we should
be clear-cut and what they are. Um, barricades is a perfect example if it's parking. I is is something on the table and I've heard this from from businesses. Is there is there a way to implement like a voucher program like
where businesses actually whatever the business is that they have x amount of vouchers that they can use a a QR code for their this way you know a person is is I'm I'm stopping because we have a parking dire you can introduce yourself
parking director when McDonald parking director so short answer yes sir it the the challenge is uh the breadth of reaching out. So for example, even in
our current system uh we hope to begin installation of our new system within the next few days. Uh it will be fully completed within the garages uh before spring break arrives. Uh obviously our technological capabilities will be leaps and bounds above where we're at right
now. However, with be with it being the very first few weeks, um we will be able to do everything we do now with some added benefits. So whether we're talking about uh uh both on street and in parking lots using the apps or whether we're talking about garages, we have
that ability to give out vouchers. the challenges, the outreach to every single business, uh who gets what because obviously we have uh uh we've talked with the uh Lette Argante, our our uh CD director. We had a meeting with the
anchor uh institutions regarding this exact item on what could we do to ensure that these individuals that are coming for this particular event have parking. We have that ability. It's just at that point come down comes down to who gets what and when. Um so that's that's the
difficult part but yes the technological capabilities are going to be there. >> Okay. Um thank you. I'll also mention so talking about the causeways and again I'm I'm I'm giving just my thoughts so everyone knows where I stand. So on the causeways what's
interesting because I spent a lot of time actually on uh the MacArthur and the Julia Tuttle during last spring break. Actually, I was out there at one point where the officers um had to confiscate guns, illegal weapons from a from a vehicle. So, and and there were
also social media posts that the police highlighted about some serious ammunition that our police took off the roads um due to these DUI uh checks uh and drugs. So, the problem is serious. What's interesting is and u my
recollection is several years ago probably three four five years ago there were weights up to 4 hours I remember residents used to reach out the longest complaint I got and I'm sure maybe somebody can come up with a different the longest complaint I got this last year was 45 minutes so I think our
police and and in coordination with us from policy is we've done a better job about doing the police work they need to do but also not having uh extreme weight times. So uh again, it's all the balancing act because it's real the guns
we took off the roads that could have been in Miami Beach and obviously it's all unknown to uh to what extent if any of those uh weapons would have been used. But we do know that prior to two years ago, some of those weapons were used in our streets and we had gangstyle
shootings that we certainly want to make sure we continue to prevent. >> Commissioner Dominguez, >> thank you. Um Uh, mayor, I hear you, but I also think that before 2024, um, the audience was COVID, postcoid, it was completely
different. And with the activations that we've done from 2024 to now, it's, um, improved dramatically and um, so I understand your concerns, but I personally feel comfortable with making
some changes and and pivoting. Uh, one of my colleagues mentioned that month, the month of March is uh, beautiful weather and I said this yesterday, but a lot of our businesses rely on March uh, to get them through July, August, September, which are really, really
tough months in our city. So, some of the things that I would support that have already been mentioned are the DUI and closing to one lane. If that absolutely needs to get done, it should start later so that people that are coming over to have dinner in our
restaurants can do so without waiting and missing their reservations. Uh sidewalk cafes to remain open. No barricades except for the hotspots that were mentioned um 7th, 9inth, Collins and uh Washington area. Uh we have
beautiful programming that's coming to our city and there will be people that will be looking for parking and the barricade look is not a good one. So to get rid of that is great. Keeping the garage and lots open on Lincoln Road. The businesses last year really suffered
and this year they on top of everything they also have construction. So it's a really tough time and um we need to help them any way that we can. So, um, one of the things you mentioned, uh, Mr. Manager, was that the
city had worked with the county on the bridges? Um, that's really the Coast Guard. Is the Coast Guard also in the loop? >> The Coast Guard is the one that controls the bridges going up and down. The county is the one that we've reached out to in the past to see if there was any
possibility of closing the causeway to only residents. Um, and the few times that we've had those conversations with the county, they've been resistant. >> Okay. And let's see what else we had
here. Um, I saw the uh marketing campaign on social media last night. Um, I think it's fun and uh really excited about it. Uh so great job uh to the communications
team and GMCVB uh for getting that done. Um and those were my comments. >> Commissioner Magazine. Thank you, Commissioner Dominguez. Commissioner Magazine. >> Appreciate it, Mr. Mayor. Appreciate it, Commissioner Fernandez for your leadership in public safety. Uh the
committee yesterday that had a great collaborative discussion. I think when we talk about changing uh or keeping any of these measures, it's important to reflect on where we were, where we're trying to be, and why we took some of these measures. It was four years ago where unfortunately CNN was doing a live
broadcast on Sunday morning for Ocean Drive, our beloved postcard. And why were they doing that? There were shop owners cleaning blood with a hose after the second night of a public execution on our streets. Right? So, that is what is at stake. But where we're coming
from, the owner of the Betsy just shared with me over the weekend, he got contacted by CNBC for the second year in a row for them to set up a live broadcast production from our beloved beautiful Ocean Drive to do a full day of programming on the largest financial
network in the entire world. Right? So that's where we were and that's where we've come. In addition to the events that have been mentioned and to talk about the progress and where we're at in a different stage I have on the agenda today I've been working with two multinational international brands that
want to do an activation that they're rolling out in six cities globally including Monaco Sanrope cities like that they are going to do or want our approval to do on Ocean Drive in the middle of March and those international brands are Prada and National
Geographic. Right. So those that's the type of caliber of branding and clientele that we can now be proud we're bringing to Miami Beach in the middle of March, which years ago would have been unfathomable about why we took some of
the measures that we did. One of the goals was a lot of the problems stem from not really people that would come here and stay in our hotels, but would drive in from quasi surrounding areas, party in their cars. Those are the ones that were able to bring weapons. you're usually not bringing it on the plane and
that's where all of the trouble, the overwhelming majority of trouble largely stem from. So, I do think that it's important to still be vigilant about keeping measures like that and really limiting the amount of people that are driving in from surrounding areas and partying in their cars and bringing
those problematic atmospheres. So, I think we want to address some of that. Um, we also want a very good vibrant crowd, but in years past, we also don't want to be overwhelmed. So when we talk about some of our uh traffic or parking, I think it should be with that goal of
threading the needle of having a very robust public crowd, but uh preventing us from being overwhelmed. Ways to do that are talking about opening the garages, but some type of pricing mechanism and control. It's not $3 an hour where anybody could come. Uh but
there is some sort of cost control there. and also really have a robust discussion on whether we should be allowing uh street parking in our commercial corridors, whether we continue not allowing parking along Washington Avenue. We free that up a little bit, but if we do so, obviously
we need diligent enforcement where people aren't partying out of their cars. Uh the barricades just cannot remain. It just uh echoing the comments from some of my colleagues, it just sets a very negative tone. It tenses people up. It's just not the image that we want to project. That is not CNBC coming
here. That is not National Geographic and Prada coming here. We are better as a city and we expect better even in those problematic hotspot areas along Washington Avenue. If we do need to control uh on street parking, I wonder if we could do it in more aesthetically pleasing and welcoming ways. Everybody
loves our firefighters. Loves them. Maybe even putting them on calendars. Um but perhaps we have fire trucks that are out there instead of barricades. Something like that. something that is interactive and welcoming to the community but still serves as a public safety mechanism. Uh for the license
plate readers, um I agree with you, Commissioner Fernandez, about pushing it back. I do believe, Mr. City Manager, they started being implemented 6 p.m. in years past. I >> I think over time it's gotten later and later. Uh I don't know if we ever
started that early, but certainly 7:00. Um maybe six. Uh but last year we originally planned to be eight. I think by the end of March last year we were at 9:00 when we were implementing. >> And I think you know the the later push
back time is uh is reasonable. I I may have to recuse from that because full disclosure I'm a I'm a little monster. I'm a Gaga fan. I hope to be going over to that concert. So not sure if I'm able to vote on that regard. But you know I do think that we have to recognize that. Um, and then one thing that we haven't
talked about, but I think would be great to enfor uh to implement is some sort of evening wellness activations along Ocean Drive. Uh, I know lighting is often an issue, but it would be great to see evening volleyball games in our volleyball courts, evening pickle ball
games in our pickle ball courts. So, we want a vibrant, lively ocean drive. Uh, the word my friend David Wallock uses oxygen, right? We want to keep that oxygen but do so in a way that's conducive to really elevating the nature of our city. I think uh evening wellness
uh plotties activations things like that along Ocean Drive. It goes handinhand with the brand that we're going to be rolling out for our marketing campaign. So those are some of my thoughts. Uh really appreciate some of the um things that have been mentioned here. And just two more points. I I do uh
wholeheartedly agree with more beach access points and when we talk about um wanting to maintain that semblance of order that we've worked so so hard for and doesn't just impact March but it
impacts our brand for 52 weeks per year. uh while I am comfortable providing these accommodations uh that we talked about because we are in a very different place uh it also should come with knowing where that line is. So while we want to be as welcoming as possible, I
also want to ensure we're having strict strict enforcement and zero tolerance for public drinking, drug use in public, loud music, and speeding. So really doubling and tripling down on our traffic enforcement. Uh, and because I don't want to push that bottleneck of
trouble into our residential areas, I also suggest going alpha bravo with our parking enforcement, really doubling down in our residential areas because I know where some of that problem came in was not so much on Washington Avenue where the enforcement is very robust,
but when the um those visitor those visitors got routed into our residential areas like Flamingo Park. Uh so thank you for leading the discussion uh Commissioner Fernandez, Mr. Mayor for your leadership uh city staff really you're the ones that have have worked so
hard in the in uh oftentimes in the background but you helped us get to where we are. >> Uh Commissioner Matteo Selenus and then Commissioner Bach. >> Thank you. Thank you Mr. Mayor. So I agree with everyone and the remarks that have been mentioned up here. I also um
think we do not need the barricades on Washington or Collins. Let's allow people to park and let's allow people to park and go into our businesses in the area. I also agree with opening up the beach access points so it doesn't um kind of cluster in one area coming in and going out. Um and I also agree with
the license plate readers starting later in the evening so folks can come over here if they have an 8 9:00 p.m. dinner. They're not caught in a bunch of traffic. I will say though that I want to suggest that if we are going to do license plate readers that they we actually have them and maybe we already do, Chief, I don't know. um but have
them going actually um westbound on Fifth Street instead of coming in because you do get folks that like to drink on the beach and then leave while they're in neighbor and sometimes people come in Uber or they'll have a designated driver. Um and I think that would also alleviate some of the when we
get the revving car engines off of Fifth Street that um you know upset people so much late at night. that might be a good tactic, but again, I'm not the police chief, so I'm going to allow you to, you know, decide on that just as a suggestion. Um, and lastly, I just want to reiterate that please, uh, parking
will whenever we look at, uh, garages and enforcement and and all of that to please always remember the fifth street garage at Fifth and Alton, the public's garage there, because folks have figured out that that garage is the first two hours free. So whereas they might go
closer into the entertainment district to park and pay 20, $30, $40, they get two hours free um at Fifth Street garage, which causes a lot of chaos because it's right there at the entrance and the exit of our city. So with that, um I think those are my thoughts. And have you chief, have you considered
doing a LPR or excuse me, DUI checkpoint leaving the city on Fifth Street as opposed to coming in? >> Sure. DI checkpoint. Yes, we can do that leaving the city, but the LPR detail, I think it would be sort of counterintuitive to do it um on the way out as opposed to way in. Uh we
confiscate a lot of weapons uh folks uh coming through the LPR on the way into the city. We confiscate um >> I'm sorry, I misspoke. The DUI checkpoints because people drink on the beach and then they leave >> and that's you know sometimes they might have a >> drunk driver.
>> We can certainly do that. Yes, >> Chief. While you're here, I know I'm sorry, Commissioner Bob, but the license plate readers, what's your thoughts on pushing the back and what's the significance of that? License plate readers is obviously a techn technological tool which needs followup
from officers, but what's your thoughts on moving it back? Any concerns? >> Uh, so like I'm concerned >> like the manager mentioned, we've actually pushed it back year after year after year. In fact, even last year, we had a a start time um that we attended to start it and because of complaints
from business community, mostly from restauranteers uh claiming that their guests weren't able to get to the restaurants to honor their um reservation time. We actually pushed it back even further. >> Can you be specific? >> Uh when you say push it back, what
>> Well, I think last year we started at 10:00. We started setting up at 9 and the actual implementation start at 10:00 because of concerns from our business community and so we've been very very flexible and immunable to pushing it back um each year. >> Can you explain what it means to push back the license plate readers? What is
what does that mean in in practice? >> So the start time is actually later um >> can you be very specific what what tell tell us the technology that's being used and what what you're pushing back. >> Yeah. Okay. So, the LPR license plate reader or ALPR license plate readers um
is a system of cameras that read tags, license plates coming into the city at a rapid rapid speed. Uh process those tags and give us information, for example, whether or not the owner of the vehicle has a has a suspended driver's license, whether or not the owner of the vehicle
is wanted uh for whatever reason. uh giving us probable cause to stop that vehicle and do an investigation. Sometimes it leads to arrest oftentimes leads to taking weapons, seizing weapons out of cars and all sorts of other things as well. >> Okay. So now, thank you for that. Now in
practice, what does it mean pushing it back? >> Pushing it back means starting later in the evening. Uh may what may have it may have a negative impact on the volume of cars we're able to process and push through the the LPR system. Um but um we
can certainly uh push it back. >> Does that mean for example at six o'clock u the LPR is not actually active and would not trigger if there was a car someone wanted for murder for example? >> Not active in the manner um that we we
use in terms of narrowing traffic coming into the city um slowing it down considerably. Not active in that manner. We do have other means of um running license license plates. >> Just a follow-up question on that. Mr. Mayor, if I may, so we have license
plate readers coming into the into the city on a permanent basis. Is that correct? >> That's correct. So, so even though the lane reduction, so what we're talking about is the deployment of the lane reduction and and rather than starting that lane reduction where you pretty
much only have one lane, I think it is coming into the city saying, "Okay, push that back uh you know, by an hour or so, whatever time you all determined to to be appropriate." That doesn't mean, and I guess building upon the mayor's point
in question, we still have the permanently fixed a fixed LPR reader that if someone is wanted and it gets identified by that tag, our police department, the Arctic, the real-time
intelligence center would get notified. >> Yes. Uh >> and that's 24 hours a day. >> That's correct. So, so, so regardless of the lane reduction getting reduced, the technology will still be be used and the alert, the notification would still
happen if a dangerous person is coming into the city. >> That's correct. >> Okay. Thank you for the clarification, >> Commissioner Bach. >> Um, this is a small detail, but PJ, could you please put up the slide? >> Use it while you got it. Um,
>> we should do it. >> The um, we can do better than this when we're closing our beaches. We are a worldclass city. Um, we need to do better than this. It's an embarrassment. And so, I don't know whose jurisdiction this falls in. Um, I know it's
expeditious to print something off on your printer and put it into a sleeve and zip tie it to the fence, but let's up our game a little bit. >> Well, let's up our game a lot. We don't need permanent installations, but come on. >> Okay, Chief, that wasn't specifically
directed to you. You happen to be standing at the podium, but between Melissa and whoever's putting together the the beach closures, make it beautiful and and uh not disarm, not uh unwelcoming. Thank you, >> Mr. Mayor. Commissioner Suarez, thank
you, Mr. Mayor. I'll just be brief. Eric, uh, city manager, given all the proposals that you've put forward with the chief, do you feel that the measures you've taken in place are going to keep
our city safe during this spring break? >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I just want to add if I can, >> Commissioner Fernandez. Um, as Commissioner Magazine mentioned something that was important,
um, which is the parting we've seen in the past out of the cars that are parked. So, it's important to open the garages um, and to encourage people to use garages um, on the on street parking. I believe the on- street parking is
important especially for locals. I remember last year, you know, and the and you all remind me. I was saying you could throw a bowling ball, roll a bowling ball down Washington Avenue. Um, and so, you know, I was trying to go and
support some of some of the local businesses. I wasn't able to park because of of the barricades. Um, and for us as commissioners, we have access to garages and all that. and even just getting around it was difficult even when you're a commissioner even when you have access to parking and all that it
was nearly impossible and so while while I agree we don't want that unruly activity on the streets we do want to have parking avail I think we should have parking available on the streets but we need as enforcement we need to
make sure that we are enforcing uh that we don't have loud music coming out of these cars that we don't have open containers people tailgating out of these cars that we don't have people selling drugs out of out of these cars. That's what I think we need to make
sure. So, you know, from my perspective, reopen the on street parking so that people can go to the businesses and support the businesses, but but you know, very uh focused enforcements on
those vehicles to make sure that they're not engaging in illegal and dangerous activity. And that's how I think we find that balance. And Commissioner Magazine, I don't know if you would uh agree uh with that. That would address you know some of the concerns you had mentioned.
>> Yeah. You good with it? >> Yes sir. >> This is why you are strong in leadership and policy. >> Eric. >> So all of the things that we've discussed today are currently within my discretion with the exception of the
three that we requested as part of the agenda item. The only thing that I would ask based on the discussion today is that the agenda item be modified slightly so that we're talking about removing the barricades in the parking
areas number 13 from Washington, Collins, and Ocean as opposed to just Washington, which was what the administration has put forward. R7V. >> I support that. >> Could you repeat that?
>> R7V, >> just what you proposed there. Oh, so yes, the the agenda item R sevenV is asking for the administration to have some flexibility on the beach closure times, the um closing of the parking
lots and garages in the Art Deco Cultural District from Thursday 6 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Monday on the second and third weekends and restricting on street parking on Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue, and Washington. >> Yeah. One thing I would like to ask you
to consider to possibly add is parking enforcement had been one of our sharpest tools before and if we're going to allow parking in the garages which I think I we all collectively agree with and then also along select uh corridors we still
want to maintain that complete discipline and diligence in the residential areas. So consider having our uh parking enforcement staff do alpha bravo like the rest of our first responders. happy to do that. And also uh I want to reiterate that we will have the
neighborhood protections in place for both Flamingo Park and South of Fifth. >> So I just want to make sure I I understand. So the motion that we have before us um or is is there or I'll move I'll move
R7V as amended. I just want to make sure that Mr. Manager, >> I just want to make sure. So, with the item before us, your item, and if we amend it, it's going to address uh keeping sidewalk cafes open and giving
you discretion. I >> I already have that discretion and I had shared with you my intentions and I don't plan to deviate from that unless something goes wrong. >> Okay. And as part of the adoption of this item, an amended version of it, we would be removing barricades from Ocean
Collins in Washington. >> Correct. and keeping them in certain hot spot areas that that you all are like 9inth and Collins or the 700 block of Ocean Drive. I mean the seven block of Washington Avenue. >> So yeah, we'll have to we'll have to
wordsmith that a little bit, >> right? But that's at your discretion. You know, you with the chief identify those areas but not have blanket barricading throughout. Okay. >> Correct. garages open with flexible rates that for you to adjust depending
on the need. >> Restoring the parking on the street of Washington Avenue with enhanced enforcement to ensure Okay. The beach not closing at 6 p.m. as a matter of policy. >> Correct. >> And exploring more more openings for the
beach. >> Yes. >> Okay. But you maintain the flexibility that if you need to close at 6 p.m. you can do that. >> Yes. >> Okay. and then uh a later time for the start of the lane reductions for the LPR reader.
>> So that's not dictated in the resolution, >> but as an amended motion, we it includes that. >> I'm happy to include that. >> Okay. So, so, so I make that motion that that we adopt R7V as amended to include
these ite. >> So, right now the direction that is given to me is only the lots and garages along Washington Collins between 5th and 15th. I think we should we should consider as Commissioner Dominguez
mentioned reopening uh the garages on Lincoln Road and >> I think that was already contemplated in the resolution that was passed last >> I just want to make sure that it's clear that you have clear direct I don't want you to leave with unambiguous direction >> I appreciate that very much >> ambiguous
>> and 41st Street uh unambiguous >> Sunset Harbor and 41st Street are are both off the table. All right. So, R7V moved as amended. >> Can we go through Can we go through the amendments again? >> Sure. >> I I have some
I have some concerns about it. Um, the amendments that are required to effectuate all of the things that we just talked about are giving me the flexibility to extend the
beach closures beyond 6 p.m. They are giving me the flexibility to open and operate lots and garages
at high impact parking rates up to $100 within the Arco district. So, let me let me let me step in right there. So, right now as we're sitting here, you have the flexibility. Do we know what you're going to do? Do you know what you're going to do? So, I can
tell you that my intention right now is to start at $40 and go up from there based on what the results are and how many people are showing up. You know, my concern I mean, this is this is the practicalities of how our city
government runs. When you have flexibility and you have seven of us and when things are happening in real time, I mean, think about this. This is like this is like the NFL. things are coming at you fast and strong and you better make
quick decisions. But you got seven of us and we got a lot of pressure. We got businesses telling us, "Hey, you need to open this." You got residents saying, "I don't feel safe." And it's coming out and then we're throwing it at you to try to take all of what we're saying in real time, of course, while then directing
our police department, others. I I just have concerns about and it's not you per se. I just there these are real-time decisions and I think one of the successes we made was not having all that flexibility was saying this is what we think is appropriate and implemented it and you know what you did you did it
to perfection and our police department did it to perfection I I just I'm very concerned about having all this flexibility because when things come fast when you get sort of that famous line from Mike Tyson when you get punched in the face things go ary >> Mr. Mr. I
>> Yeah, I I get you. Um I think we need to trust our when it comes to this, I feel we need to trust our city manager. We need to trust our chief of police who have done an incredible job managing uh this. There's things that some things I I may not may not like on certain
issues, which I'm very clear to you about, Eric. Um this is not one of them. And I believe that those emergency style restrictions that we adopted were never meant to be permanent policies. We can't say we're having a successful month of
March only based on safety. We need to have a successful month of March based on safety and people being able to enjoy our city and being able to conduct business in a in in a in a proper way in our city. Um, so I don't I I feel
comfortable giving Eric this this flexibility because the promise to the businesses was a number of year at least my commitment to the business community a number of years ago was thank you for coming forward with these recommendations because a lot of the recommendations came from them as you
mentioned Mr. Mr. mayor. Um, but it was with a commitment that it wouldn't be permanent. That it wouldn't be permanent. That once we started turning the page that we, you know, start reconsidering, you know, issues relating to, you know, blanket closures of entire
streets, blanket closures of parking, blanket proposals about curfews, uh, the barricade grids and the automatic shutdowns of certain areas of our city like the beaches and and all that. Those who are crisis tools and they belong in
the toolbox. They absolutely belong in the toolbox. But this is why we delegate to you the trust to be our city manager to make emergency decisions as may be needed. Closure of sidewalk cafes, closures of the beach, closure of of
garages, moving up LPRs, uh curfew if if necessary. This is what we trust you for. Um and we're giving him the tools. you know, he can implement these these tools without making it the blanket policy. >> Let me ask this question. Um, actually,
if you mind, Commissioner Suarez, let me ask you a question because a couple years ago, I had worked on a plan and Commissioner Fernandez, you and I had co-primed uh sort of the outline of what we implemented and Commissioner Suarez, you came up with the idea about the parking, if that's my recollection at
least. What's your thoughts on sort of rolling that back at this point? >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, I'm not a public safety expert, okay? I'm um just a regular guy who lives in Miami Beach. I think I have to
take the advice from the chief and the city manager. And if they feel like they need the flexibility for um to to move the parking rates up to $100 uh at this point, I mean, who am I to
argue that? I think um I think there's been certainly a large sentiment from the community that we want to, you know, open up Miami Beach. Um and that's why I I simply asked our city
manager, do you think the measures in place are going to protect us and keep us safe for this spring break? And he just said yes. Um, I you know I I think it's we have good dialogue, but at the end of the day
really, you know, we're not professionals. We're just lay people and, you know, Eric and and the chief are experienced government officials and if they feel like this is going to keep us safe, you know, who am I to argue with that? Um,
so, you know, those are my thoughts. I I think we've done a very successful job transitioning march from a party all you can
day and night for spring break to now a fitness destination. We have high rocks coming, athletics, water palooa, we have blue zones coming. Um it's it's going to be completely
transformed. Um, and it's in my opinion, I think it's okay to sort of take a pivot and start to change the sort of uh dynamic of of of our march. And like I
said, if the if if our the people that we hire to tell us what's best as far as public safety and event planning think that this is appropriate, I'm okay with that. >> Mr. Premier, >> just a follow up on that.
>> Commissioner Fernandez, I asked I have a question for the chief, but >> but but just to follow up, you know, and I and I just want to highlight um Commissioner Commissioner Suarez's response because you've been so consistent. Your first discussion on this day is uh our first spring break
discussion a number of years ago, you asked the same exact question of the city manager. Then the following year, you asked the same exact question of the city manager. Do you believe that this is what you need to keep our city safe? And and you supported that. Uh and so I
just want to highlight um your consistency in trusting uh we speak a lot actually a lot of times when we compliment our police, we speak about police discretion. We trust police with discretion. Uh, and I and I trust um uh
Chief Jones with uh with that level of police discretion that a chief should be trusted with. >> I'll add Commissioner Fernandez that predating Commissioner Suarez. I think every because I've been on this DES now six years uh first as commissioner mayor
which I think I noted I think I'm the longest standing member which is hard to believe but um I think every year somebody asked our city manager at the time and our police chief at the time are you comfortable with these measures? Yes. And obviously it didn't go well. So I I'm sure that's the uh but I but I
hear your point Commissioner Fernandez. Um, I'll ask you the same question I guess Commissioner Suarez asked Comm uh the city manager. Is and please tell us is there anything that you're uncomfortable with these roll backs. Is there something a tool that you think you need to ensure the safety of our
residents and visitors in our city? >> A thanks a question >> and I'll and I'll add the safety of the officers as well. >> Certainly a thanks for asking the question. Um, Mr. Mayor, the answer is no. I'm not uncomfortable with it. In fact, I am looking forward to this this
year spring break uh for this real reason. Uh the activation of the sporting events that's happening. Uh one of the things in police work, positive activation of space actually reduces crime. Classic example of that is the CV CFP we just went through the the um
football game, right? A lot of people into in the city, tens of thousands more people than usual. Crime numbers went down. I anticipate and expect Krenums to go down this March because of the activations we're having. So very comfortable with the flexibility being given to the city manager to make
decisions in real time and we have enough resources in place on the ground. Not only the police officer will be working off of Bravo on the two highest uh weekends, but also all the support we're getting from outside agencies coming here to help us as they have in the past. So we have resources to make
the pivot uh in real time if we so have to. Okay, thank you. Uh, who has to speak? >> Commissioner Matio Selenas. >> So, I anticipate that March is going to be a great month because of these activations that we have, the sporting events and
future proof great conferences. And I think that the thing that when we talk about releasing um relaxing some of the measures is that the beach is different now. People don't party on the beach. After the Colin Harris concert, every everybody left. Everybody left. They hopped in their cars and they went to
Winwood. So, I think we've grown up a bit and in large part I credit that to our marketing campaign. We are leaning into the wellness activations. We are leaning into being less of a party city. People aren't drinking anymore. Young people, old people. Some blame OAMPic. Who knows why? But people don't drink
like they used to. Alcohol sales are down throughout the country. So, I'm comfortable relaxing these measures because I don't anticipate having parties and drinking in cars and streets to the level that we had it four 3 four years ago because parties have changed,
habits have changed, Miami Beach has changed. And again, Melissa and and GMCVB, great job on the marketing campaigns that we've done. We have made it loud and clear to anyone that wants to come here, that's not what we we're about anymore. We are very much health
and wellness and I will be participating in these events and I do challenge my colleagues if you want to um take me up on that offer. I think we should all participate in these events that are happening and I I really feel comfortable with all these measures because we've done it correctly so many
years now. Um and and if I may, Melissa, can can we run the uh new campaign that just launched yesterday? Is that okay? I'd love to watch that again. Okay. And this is exactly why I'm comfortable with these measures because I I just we're we're different now. We're different. Everything is
different about spring break now. And I I'm really looking forward to what what this year is going to bring. All right. >> So, good morning. Well, PJ cues that up. Um, we obviously had a very public breakup two years ago. Gave a reality check. Um, and this year we're really
flexing about being the health and wellness capital. So, I hope uh what's that? I see what you did there. >> Yes, thank you. Um, so with that, hopefully PJ, it's ready to go. >> March, Miami Beach will continue its beach restrictions, DUI checkpoints, and parking limitations. In other news, a
man has woken up after 10 years. The first thing he wants to do with his new lease on life, party like it's 2016. Excuse me, sir. There's no drinking in public. >> Green juice. >> Green juice. >> Oh, good. He's breathing. Why don't you
come play with us? Cool. Heat. Heat. I could live here for another 10 years. Great job, Melissa and team and everyone that uh brought that together. And I want to thank you also for having our actual Miami Beach police officers in that video. Um that they weren't actors,
they were real and I appreciate that. So, and also uh Raven, that was shout out Raven for being in that. That was that was great. And I believe I understood that uh the run club, the Miami Beach Run Club were the runners that run past the the guy. Um so so great job. I mean, it just really
was we're we're changing. We're growing up and I think we're going to be in a good spot this year. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> So we had Mr. Mayor, we had a motion as
amended. Um Mr. manager, I trust you with the execution of spring break. I trust the chief. Uh if something goes wrong, you know, we're here to back you. And in fact, I I trust you and the chief so much, I'll put my name as a
co-sponsor of R7V of your program because we're all in this together. If things go well, we're all together. if something happens because it's a dangerous society out there because the state changed laws that allow people to bring in weapons pretty much anywhere or
we're here to back you but we also need to back our community our businesses uh and those who want to enjoy and prosper in our city. So I move the item as amended. >> I I pro I promise Mitch Novik he's been asking to say something.
>> Thank you Mr. Mayor. Mitch Novik, Sherbrook Hotel, Ninth in Collins, which is no longer a hot spot. Uh I am not in support of barricades uh or any uh the green ballards or anything that impedes
traffic in our urban urban traffic grid, especially along Ocean Drive. The barricades should just be at the Flamingo Park entrances on the west side of Washington Avenue. Thank you, Mr. Thank you. Okay. I believe we had a motion and a
second. >> Yes, sir. I have a motion by Commissioner Fernandez as amended. Seconded by Commissioner Suarez. >> Let's call the vote. >> Yes, sir. Uh all in favor of R 7V as amended, please say I. >> I. >> Anyone opposed?
None. The items approved 70. We're listing Commissioner Fernandez as a sponsor. >> Okay. Thank you everyone. Good good discussion. Uh R5A. >> Yes sir.
R5A is an orders of the mayor city commission of city man amending chapter two of the may city code entitled administration by amending article three entitled agencies boards and committees by amending division one entitled generally by amending section 2-22 thereof entitled general general requirements to amend the term limit provision applicable to members of city
agencies boards and committees and providing for repealers of ability clarification and an effective date. I've moved my item >> second. >> Is a public hearing. May I Anyone in the audience requesting to speak? I see
none. None in Zoom. >> Oh, we have a motion in a second. Call a vote. >> Commissioner Bot, this is an R5A. >> Yes. >> Commissioner Magazine, >> yes. >> Commissioner Fernandez, >> yes. Commissioner Dominguez, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Matel Selenus, >> yes.
>> Commissioner Suarez, >> Mayor Miner, >> yes. Motion carries. The item is approved. That was R5A. >> Oops. I'd like uh we are honored to have with us our tax collector, Dariel Fernandez, with us today. I gave you a nice shout
out last night at the state of city. Thanks for joining as well. And uh you've been a a great friend to Miami Beach and and a great partner. And I know you have some updates. So, thanks for being with us. >> Yes. I just wanted to um uh thank you for the opportunity to speak with all of
you today to to this morning. Uh my name is Dario Fernandez. I'm a county tax collector. I'm here today in support of item C78 sponsored by Commissioner Alex Fernandez. This item create more coordination related to compliance with federal Cuban sanctions and reinforce
the importance of proper authorization for businesses operating under the federal sanction programs. For more than 65 years, the Cuban communist and socialist dictatorship has approached the people of Cuba sported repression and continue operating with financial
support and special agreements from other nations. No community understand that reality better than ours. And that is why sanctions, enforcement, and accountability measures. I want to thank you uh thank uh Commissioner Al Fernandez and the city of Miami Beach
Commission for considering this item. My office remful compliance and serve the public pro with professionalism. Thank you for the opportunity to speak and thank you for your consideration. God bless Miami um day county. God bless Miami Beach and
God bless the United States of America. I have another good news for all of you in just three week. I know that is the good news that all of you waiting for. So in uh three weeks and March fiveth uh we're going to uh opening the new
office of the tax collector for the first time ever here in Miami Beach. So all of you all invite to come and celebrate this important milestone with uh you know with the office of the tax collector of course with Miami Beach. >> Dario, why don't you explain to all of our residents what what that means? What
services are you going to provide? First, I wanted to say thank you to to the uh city manager. Thank you, Commissioner Alex Fernandez. Thank you, mayor. And thank you to all of you for supporting this. I think for the first time the uh people Miami uh beach or wanted to have their own office. What
does mean for all of them that now you don't needed to go into uh downtown Miami to do to open your business. Now you have the opportunity to come into our office and you know apply for the local business tax. Also, you're going to have the opportunity to renew your
car registration, renew your ID, getting a new driver license in uh Miami Beach. If you need to have any license like a, you know, uh fishing and hunting license, uh if you need to pay your property taxes, if you have any question, if you need help with your
property taxes, we're going to be there. Uh so, we're going to have like a 13 14 uh windows. Um our amazing thing is uh you know waiting for for that day and ready to to serve the people of Mamibish. >> Thank you, >> Mr. Mayor. Commissioner Fernandez. Thank
you. Uh and I just want to go back to the resolution that's that's before us uh supporting your initiative, Mr. tax collector supporting the county's resolution sponsored by Commissioner Natalie Orbis
Million uh calling for stronger oversight of the regulations of commerce with communist Cuba and directing for better coordination and enforcement at the local level because we are the community with the largest Cuban exile
community in the United States. uh and for many families in our community, including my own, your family, Dariel, the family of so many of her of our her colleagues here, Commissioner Dominguez, whose family are exiles, the families of
so many who have placed their trust on us. The reality of the communist Cuban regime is tied to exile. >> Yes. is tied to loss of freedom, loss of
property, loss of rights, the denial of democratic rights, the loss of free and open elections, the arrest of uh of of opponents of of the government, the execution, the murderous execution of
people that that that they disagree with. And that's why this this initiative Dariel Fernandez that you have put forward is so important because it's grounded on something very ba basic. It's compliance with existing law at the federal level, at the state
level, uh at the county level. There are already laws uh and sanctions governing transactions and business activities involving involving Cuba and uh and other sanctioned foreign governments. It's not just Cuba. there's other uh
sanctioned uh governments and our here our role here um we're not creating foreign policy. What we're doing is uh is ensuring that where laws already exist, that they're actually being followed and supporting your efforts.
And when you identify a business that is engaging illegally with a enemy of this country like Cuba is, >> that we go after their operations and that we shut them down and that we tell
them that they have no place in our community. Follow the law. >> Yes. support democracy, run your business, but follow the laws of this country, and let's not be supporting regimes that have destroyed families, killed people, uh, and and
arrested arrested and imprisoned their opponents. So, thank you, Dariel, for bringing this forward. >> Thank you all of you for always putting people first in Miami Day County and here in Miami Beach. Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Fernandez. Thank you, Dariel. Oh, Commissioner Magazine. >> Uh, m Mr. tax collector sounds like a
nickname, but it's uh your commitment uh not just in Miami Beach, but I I follow you closely um to the county is just incredible. You seem to be everywhere at all times, at all places. So, I'm familiar you've uh done a similar initiative around the county. I thank you for that, Commissioner Fernandez.
Thank you for making sure that this is uh front and center in Miami Beach. I'd like to be added as a co-sponsor to this. Um my daughter's mother uh grew up in a communist uh regime in in Poland and she was a young girl uh and she saw her father kidnapped out of their home
never to return. Uh so this hits near and dear to my family and while Poland is uh turned the corner, I couldn't imagine having that tie to my family if they were still living in a regime like it was the mid1 1980s. Um so thank you for what you're doing. this is supportive of of the people uh that
deserve freedom and need it. And thank you for Commissioner Fernandez for the leadership here. >> Thank you. And Mr. Mayor, I'd be remiss not to thank all of you uh also for on consent uh approving our our resolution expressing hope for the peaceful
transition to democracy in Venezuela. >> Amen. Amen. in Venezuela where they finally have captured and arrested yet another murderous dictator who repressed rights uh who executed people. Um and
it's so tied also to what's going on in in Cuba. So I want to thank all of you uh for standing in unity with our Venezuelan community because at the end of the day, what unites all of this is oppression. >> Yes. people who have been oppressed by
their government and we're standing in unity with them. Thank you all for your support of these two items. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. God bless you all. >> Thank you, D. Thank you. >> Come anytime, Dario. >> Good. Uh and I'm looking forward to
March 5th. >> Ah, I'm sure that was intentional. >> Yes. you think of everything. R5D >> R5D is a temporary uh it's an ordinance of the mayor and city commission of city of Miami Beach, Florida amending the code of the city of Miami Beach are part B entitled land development regulations
by amending chapter 2 thereof entitled administration and review procedures article 5 entitled reasonzonings and and development approval section 2.5.2 entitled conditional use by amending section 2.5.2.1 2.1 entitled purpose to provide for exceptions from conditional use regulations for certain neighborhood
impact establishments in the designated commercial districts and provide for administrative review and enforcement and providing for codification repealer servability and an effective date. R5D is a second reading public hearing. It is uh requires 57 vote. That's R5D. >> Commissioner Fernandez and co-sponsored
by Commissioner Bot. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh this is a proposal um that establishes a pilot program intended to incentivize the reactivation of uh vacant storefronts. When we speak uh to people throughout
our community, you know, our residents speak so nostalgically about the old Miami Beach that where they often recall live music, places where they could go uh have dinner, have coffee, have brunch, listen to some live music. And
actually in fact um when I when I talk to a lot of residents they think of places like Van Dykes okay and a beloved establishment like that that people reminisce about if Van Dyes wanted to come back to our city today it wouldn't
be able it wouldn't be allowed to open as of right uh in in our city because our zoning code our laws don't allow it. Um and and and so that became clear that we need to do something. We need to
correct. Uh we need to correct to be the community that our residents want us to be. A community where not only they can go out and dine but have fun, have bring back joy uh to some of these corridors so that our families and our residents
and our visitors can enjoy them. Uh it disestablishes a um a temporary period until December 31st uh during during which uh businesses can apply to the administration uh to have
live entertainment in areas like Lincoln Road uh from from Collins to to Alton Road or other areas of our city like Washington Avenue where we see high amounts of of vacancy without having to go through the conditional use process.
process. It has an expiration date. If there are unintended consequences, we we don't have to extend it, but if we see success, we can always uh extend the um the duration of the ordinance. Uh Mr. Director, I don't know if there's anything you want to add that might be
pertinent. >> Um no, Commissioner, you covered everything. >> With that, I moved the item. >> Tom, can you go through some I followed the planning board meeting from afar. I was in and out and they had some things.
So, can you talk about what this includes and what this covers? >> Sure. It basically, as um Commissioner Fernandez indicated, it creates a temporary set of regulations through the end of this year, which could be extended by the commission that would
allow for um alcoholic beverage establishments, restaurants that have indoor entertainment to forego having to get conditional use approval for indoor entertainment. There are some guard rails to make sure that um
establishments that are too big would still have to go through the process. But within these um identified areas of the city, Washington Avenue, Lincoln Road, uh Collins Avenue, 71st Street, and 41st Street, they would be allowed
to simply come in for their CU and BTR without having to go through the lengthy uh certificate of use permit process. I I love this. Um I want to be added as a co-sponsor. Uh I haven't done my
homework with staff about some of this. Um is there and if it's no, it's no. Would you be in any way amendable to hearing this in two weeks at the February? And I'm I'm going to be totally supportive. uh I want to better understand some of
the nuances or if Tom if you'd be able to just go a bit more in depth maybe I can get comfortable here. >> Basically I'll I'll basically go through the eligibility criteria. Yeah. This would apply to businesses um within an existing building um which has a
certificate of occupancy that was issued before January 1st of 2025. And the reason we have this is because what we don't want is somebody that has an existing cup to vacate that CUP and then try to come in. >> Um so there there's a safeguard there and they they in order to be eligible
they would have to meet that. Um the um there would be no outdoor entertainment and no adult entertainment. So this would not apply to outdoor entertainment or adult entertainment >> or rooftop >> or rooftop. It would not apply to any open air or rooftop facility. The
maximum occupancy could not exceed 750 persons. So, as I said before, this is not intended to be for very large venues, but for those that are smaller to more moderate. So, basically, right now, if your restaurant without
entertainment has an occupancy of say 350 or 400, you have to go get a cup. Under this, you would not have to get a CUP. you could open up but that occupancy could not exceed 750 persons. Similarly, if you have indoor entertainment right now, if your
occupancy exceeds 200, you have to go get a cup. This would give you some flexibility but not over 750 persons. So, it wouldn't be the bigger. >> And to add clarity, if I may, Commissioner, if you if you yield, uh Mr. Director, what safeguards do we have
in the event someone abuses this? Let's say um they go in uh they get an administrative approval to have live entertainment. Will we have the ability or the administration have the ability to revoke that privilege and then say, you know, you got to go then through the
conditional use process? There's a provision, we already have a provision in the code in sections uh 102-381 through 102-385 that give the administration the authority to revoke a BTR based upon that criteria. And so that would apply
here. So, so and and I just want to confirm with our chief, deputy, city attorney, and I love that title because when I say chief, deputy, city attorney, it usually gives them enough time to walk from their seat to the podium. Um, with the adoption of of this
ordinance, if someone is found to be a nuisance, to be abusing this, to be creating uh noise, we would be able to take away uh the right that this is giving them and send them. Then if they want to continue, they would have to go through the conditional use process. the
if if the if the establishment violated for example if there were habitual conduct in violation of city state or federal law or if there material misrepresentations if there were um gambling prostitution there are specific >> noise they violate our noise ordinance
>> I mean habitual violations of the noise ordinance could be part of the reason to to shut a business down for this >> I just want to make sure I want to make sure it's in the toolbox >> and then and then they would then rather than having this privilege to help good businesses, you know, be able to fill up
vacant storefronts, they would have to go then through the conditional use process where they would have to show operational plans and, you know, meet a whole different other number of requirements. And that's obviously is a much lengthier process. >> That's right. >> Okay. Excellent. I I appreciate that.
And one question I have, given that this program sunsets, if somebody gets a cup and they have no violations, it's not as if that cup sunsets at the end of the program. They maintain that until they maintain it. >> Okay. Excellent. And given that we're
concentrated here in our commercial corridors, right, it's not as if this isn't Sunset Harbor or South of Fifth or uh even along West Avenue or Bell Isle areas that we've intentionally uh kind of restricted, I hate using that
word, but restricted some of our entertainment options given this is really concentrating our commercial corridors, really not a budding uh residential areas. What is the um intent of excluding kind of open air or any
type of rooftop activation. In uh in our experience, open air and rooftop can create a type of nuisance that has a much bigger impact on both neighboring residential areas as well as potentially
neighboring commercial areas. And that's why under the code, regardless of what your occupational content is, all rooftop and all open air entertainment establishments have to get a cup. >> So if you're even just a restaurant, right, that let's say there was the new
restaurant on Lincoln Road, uh, Oro or Aura, right? And it's inside, but they they have that like ma type vibe where they have outdoor entertainment. It's not a nightclub on a roof. Um, >> they wouldn't be able to fall in under this. Not the outdoor portion, though.
>> And they also already have a conditional use permit. >> I I I know them, but I'm just saying uh a similar example, right? They they seem like both those entities like great operators. Uh it's not a nightclub on the rooftop. Uh is there accommodation
for that or under this program or that we could consider even? >> What's challenging with outdoor entertainment is the way that we define entertainment is a performance. And so under the code administratively, we really can't pick and choose what type of entertainment you have or how loud it
is. It's just a performance. It's entertainment. As part of the cup process, the planning board can regulate that. So using NEA as an example, they can regulate to make sure that any entertainment they have is going to be ambient level, that there's going to be certain hours of operation, there's
certain guard rails that are part of the cup that would be challenging for us to do administratively. indoors. It's not the same type of challenge because it's fully enclosed and it's not going to >> interior entertainment that they have.
Isn't it just uh outdoor dining? >> I believe that they either have a DJ or some limited ambian entertainment. >> So even ambient music would be considered entertainment >> if it's performed. Yes.
>> Perform. Okay. by like a DJ DJ or a three-piece or a solo singer. All of that falls under the definition of entertainment. >> And I guess I'd see Sarah and Marilyn like appear behind me if I go. Should we always consider a DJ's live entertainment? >> Yes.
>> Okay. >> So, I have a question. >> Thank you, Commissioner. This is when we talk about peeling back some of the red tape, this is front and center with that. >> And you've been front and center of pushing that bill back. >> You You know the process, Mr. Wall. You don't have to raise your hand from the middle of the crowd. Come up to the
podium. >> Well, I'd like to ask >> Joe, would you like to be a sponsor of the ordinance? >> I'm happy to have you as co-prime. >> Perfect. >> Because you've really been very vocal about about rolling back bureaucracy. >> So, I have a question about um obviously
I'm supporting this. I'm a co-sponsor. um what is the mechanism if somebody uh gets this administratively and then turns out to be a bad actor? I mean if you've got a cup get hauled before the planning board and that potentially gets revoked. So can you illuminate that
please? >> Yes. It it would basically be if they began to get violations um they could potentially be subject to section 102-381 through 102-386 particularly if they become um habitual
violations because these do not include outdoor entertainment. Even if they were to get indoor entertainment violations, there's less of a chance that it'll become a long-term nuisance. But should it become a long-term nuisance, the
provisions of that section of the city code could potentially be affectuated and they could potentially lose their BTR. >> So what's the mechanism for triggering that? Who's watching? Who's monitoring that? >> Uh our enforcement uh proceedings are complaint driven. So if neighbors uh
file complaints and code enforcement begins to issue violations, we would be notified and then we would have to keep a tally of those. Um, also as you're aware, because this has a sunset provision, I'm sure at the end of the year, we'll be able to provide a report
on who may have opened up using these revised procedures, and we can see whether or not any violations were issued, how it's working, whether or not it needs to be tweaked and potentially extended. If it looks like it's creating problems, the commission may just decide
to let it sunset and um not implement it anymore. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And I want to echo if I may, Madam Vice Mayor, something that I mentioned to the Lincoln Road bid and thank you to the Lincoln Road bid for expressing its support of this ordinance, but something that I mentioned to those property
owners is that since it does have an expiration date, the intent of this is to encourage property owners to fill up their storefronts while this policy exists because it's not a given that it will continue. So, while you have this
opportunity to bring a venue up to 750 people and have live entertainment without having to go through the rigorous process of uh of a of a conditional use permit, you know, fill up your your your empty storefronts
because you have no guarantee that next year um this policy is going to continue. And I mentioned to the business owners, one of the things that I'm going to be looking at is has it been used Because if they haven't used this, if this policy doesn't yield them
filling up their storefronts and retail spaces remain empty, then I'm not going to sponsor uh or or support a continuation of of the pilot. It really it really is about reactivating
uh our our corridors that need help. >> Commissioner Bond, I don't like you as a co-sponsor. Would you be a co-prime? You're my planning board sister >> and I can be a good sister. >> You are. >> Yeah, you can be a co-prime too.
>> Co-prank for me too. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Mr. May I make a just an in, you know, just to give some context uh for you all just to give you a scale size
750 people is not a small a small show. Mangoes is 800. That's mangoes. I was thinking this kind of a thing would be for jazz clubs and that kind of live cool stuff that we used to have on Washington Avenue. But
750 people with a DJ. Remember, it's indoors. There's not going to be anything about volume. It'll be kicking if it's a DJ. And indoors, it won't affect the street. But
I just want to be careful and and at to keep the guard rails on this kind of a thing because these uh at 750 people, it can be uh something that can get put us
back into the category of trouble that we had before on Washington in certain instances that we we all reeled from and reacted to and it's years later. But I
just want you to understand the scale of something that's 750 people. Thank you. if if I could just because I just on that Tom or Nick um sorry >> as it relates to the 750 people and I
and I really value David's perspective because he is an expert in this in this industry differentiation mangoes is mangoes and an an out is an an open area an outdoor area or is it an indoor establishment all indoor
>> mangoes is primarily indoors and I believe that their entertainment component, and David can correct me if I'm wrong, is indoors. They do have a very sizable outdoor sidewalk dining area, but I believe that most of their uh entertainment is indoors. And also, it's important, but I I thought based on
our 2 a.m. conversations uh that Mangoes was an open air uh establishment. I >> I know that Mangoes recently obtained approval from the HPB to enclose the inside courtyard, >> but that has that happened yet? But I think the courtyard, well, David could probably speak better to to his
timeline. I'm not sure, but but I think the courtyard portions of the courtyard are outdoor. >> Okay. Yeah. So, um, and then I'm asking my questions. Thank you, David. Um, and so then does this apply to nightclubs or
we're talking about restaurants? What are we talking about? >> It does not apply to nightclubs. We have a specific provision where if entertainment is proposed, it can only be for a restaurant or a supper club. So, this was not intended to foster standalone nightclubs, but instead to
foster restaurants or restaurant supper clubs. >> Okay. So, like what was the name of that place that was on Washington and like 15th? Um, David, you don't remember? >> Exchange. >> Exchange. Exchange or even like Vendome, a place like Vendome that's been on the
news. A place like Venom wouldn't be able to open with something like this. >> No, they you would have to be uh you would either have to meet the definition of restaurant or restaurant supper club. >> Okay. All right. So, I just uh David, does that address your concern? >> That's a big difference.
>> Okay. I just want to make sure because I I don't want people that don't understand the technicalities of this to get concerned and think we're bringing back places like Exchange or Vendome. That's not what this ordinance does. to the contrary keeps things indoors and
we're talking about places like restaurants where they where people can go and eat in strictly commercial corridors away from areas where we have neighborhood vision plans like Sunset Harbor and West Avenue and South of Fifth where we prohibit uh this type of entertainment.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. >> Uh Mitch, let let me just Commissioner Mattail Selenus uh speak and then Mitch Novik. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um I love this legislation. And I think this is great and I appreciate uh Mr. Wallik's point about 750. I think that um if the
legislation reads up to 750 and I think that you'd have to have one heck of a marketing team to get 750 people in a startup uh that want a party in Miami Beach and b um you know that want to come to a new business. It it takes a while to grow that crowd. And so I think
that um you know 750 is nothing to be worried about at this moment. But thank you for this legislation. >> Mitch Novik, uh Mango's neighbor. I agree with uh Mr. Wallik. Uh reason I'm standing here is something Tom said.
Open air entertainment is a nuisance. Uh especially along the 1000 or 1,000 block of Ocean Drive. Uh when those businesses exploit the public realm with blasting music or noise, that's that is what
fuels the carnival circus atmosphere, >> whatever it is. I forgot. I haven't said it in a while. Carnival like circus that we're so familiar with. Thank you, >> Troy. >> Hi, Troy. Wright, Washington Avenue.
Thank you, Alex. Um, Commissioner Fernandez, we will definitely encourage Washington Avenue businesses to participate. This is something that is needed and I think we will encourage and do as much as we can to support this. Thank you, >> Mr. Mayor. Thank you. >> This is Troy. Troy,
>> is there any other uh bid representative here? I see Lincoln Road bid. If Anna, if if Claudia could approach the podium, is is any other bid present here? Just for the record, Amy Mayhew from 41st Street is on Zoom. Okay. I And if if I
just want the two of you and the other ones that are participating virtually to know, okay, >> the intent here is for your b for your property owners to use this to fill vacant space. Our city needs the support
of the private industry. The city on its own cannot rely on positive activations of special events and great events. and my colleagues have brought forward the best positive activation is of the free market of commerce coming in and filling
our open spaces is why I've sponsored this ordinance. We need your property owners to cooperate and if they do not use this ordinance and if I do not see see spaces being filled up, I will not sponsor it continuation at the sunset of
this ordinance. And I need you to please relay that to your property owners because we need to activate our commercial corridors. The incentives will be there. You have a government that's willing to cooperate. But that means the property owners need to cooperate but with what they control,
their rents. All these policies mean nothing. We can throw them out the window if property owners do not cooperate with the rent. So, while policies like this exist, please try to encourage them to be flexible with the rents, to be flexible
with their demands because there's only so much that legislating can do. At some point, it comes to them and if they don't cooperate, then I'm not going to continue it. >> Mr. Well, we will reach out as much as possible to It's not going to be easy obviously, but we will definitely reach
out Washington Avenue as much as possible and I will contact as many property owners as possible in the spaces that could be used in this to encourage the entertainment. So, you will get that commitment from us >> link road bit as well.
>> Thank you, Commissioner Bach and Commissioner Mateo Selenas. So, you know, we had um this little unoccupied space up in North Beach and it has become into it has become possibly the single most successful business up in North Beach, which is La Pupel, which is
a live uh cabaret enclosed. Um shows get sold out within minutes of tickets being released. It is live entertainment. It's local entertainment. It's awesome. um they had a popup show at a an open an unused venue on Lincoln Road and it was
sold out and it was spectacular. And so that is the kind of thing we're looking for for residents who are chiming in saying you're bringing in terrible operators and you're you know you're encou encouraging club culture. We want live music back in the city because we
all love live music. We don't want people, you know, we don't want chaos, but I believe I think we all are united in the belief that we as a city have evolved and are continuing to evolve and value different things. So, we are going
to rely on good operators coming forward and we won't tolerate bad operators trying to pull a fast one. Um, you know, like another business in North Beach who claimed to be a cabaret and was nothing of the sort. Um, I will also say, and this is a tangential comment, but I will
also say I've heard now of two businesses, two longtime established businesses who are being forced out because of egregious rent raises. Um, the Panther Coffee and Sunset Harbor that I would venture every single person in this room has gone to at least once.
Um, got their rent jacked by $15,000 a month, which is egregious. and the new tenants were in there measuring for drapes before they had even, you know, made a final decision. Um, and now Cheeseburger Baby on Washington Avenue. Troy, I don't know if you I don't know
where you went, but uh, there you are. Um, uh, you know, I'm about to reach out to you not on the day to talk about that, but you know, this is a business that's been around for decades. It has been awarded proclamations, and so this is absurd. We cannot have landlords
price gouging um rents whether you are talking about a space that is sitting empty and vacant and bringing down the quality of life for the block that it's upon it's on or you know trying to gouge rents out of people who are you know
good operators. We had another one in North Beach. Um, uh, Muchachos. Uh, you know, they they had they'd been around for three or four years and all of a sudden their rent was through the roof and that's I mean, you can only charge so much money for food.
So, um, another conversation for another time, but that's looming on the horizon. >> Commissioner Matteo Selenus. Mitch, just to alleviate your concerns, it says in the uh legislation, no outdoor entertainment and no adult entertainment is permitted.
>> Okay. And also, no portion shall be located on the top floor of a building, so it won't be the outdoor entertainment. Okay. >> Okay. Good. Want to make sure you uh >> Thanks. >> Okay. Thank you. Ready to call a vote? >> And and just just quickly, Mr. Mayor, uh just one confirmation popup uh
establishments uh because we have our expanded popup legislation. Um, would they be able would pop-ups be able to use this? >> There's nothing prohibiting a um a business operating under a pop-up permit
now from from applying under this program. >> Okay. And a a building that has received a CO before January 206 or 25,
>> it would be this. The application is limited to an existing building which has a CO that was issued on or before January January 1st, 2025. >> Let me ask you something. When a business goes in, let's say a space has been empty
and it's about to be filled, do they, let's say it's been empty for 10 years, I don't know, a space has been empty for 10 years and they're going to go in and fill it. Do they need to apply for a certificate of occupancy? only if they
um are changing um attributes that would require it. But in an example like that, we would interpret that to be a building that was issued to CEO because it's you're interpreting it to be what? >> We would interpret that to be a building that was issued to CO prior to January
1. It's not a tenant space or a particular use. It's the building. So in that particular instance, the building years old, >> but not the individual unit. Exactly. >> Okay. So, let's say an individual unit currently has an open permit and or
that's and they haven't for that individual unit received a CO or even a TCO. Um, but they find a tenant that is willing to complete the work and get a CO for that space, they would be able to qualify for this.
>> Correct. As long as the building was issued the CEO prior to that. >> I appreciate the clarification on the record. Thank you. Thank you. With that, I move the item. >> Second. >> Let's call the vote. It is a public hearing and I have three individuals requesting to speak online. First speaker is Sarah de los Reyes. Please
unmute yourself. >> Hi everybody. Sarah de los Reyes Harbor Neighborhood Association. Um I've been listening. Thank you, Alex, for clarifying the fact that if the neighborhood has an ordinance that there's no entertainment that they're now going to be able they they can
actually open up uh a place but no entertainment in it. Uh so I was happy that you actually enforce that and yes a DJ is entertainment Mr. Magazine and we have that issue right now with Harbor House. He has DJs up there. I haven't gone up there to actually see it, but
the neighborhood has called me and said that they do have DJ DJ in that area from time to time and that's entertainment. And I know he wanted a piano. So, I'm just want to make sure that in our neighborhood because we keep it so non-entertainment and open until
2:00 a.m. and everybody's happy about it that it continues to be that way. Thank you very much. >> Thank you so much. Our next public speaker is Amy Mayhew. Good morning, commissioners. Amy Mayhew with the 41st Street Business Improvement District. Just want to
express our gratitude to commissioners bot and Fernandez for supporting sponsoring this item. Um, and then also for the reasons that Commissioner Fernandez, you expressed into helping re-engage vacant spaces. We're extremely excited to see that be a potential
opportunity for them, but also as a lifeline for even one of our own existing gems, um, Cafe Avanti. Hopefully, we'll be able to see them soon be able to take this up as an op option that helps uh really bring vibrancy to the street and see that encouragement moving forward with
vacancies. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Our next public speaker is Johan Moore. Please go ahead. >> Yes. Good morning. Uh I believe it's still morning. Uh while the the neighbors I think are enthusiastic about having empty spaces filled, I just want
to want to back back up and back stop the comments. Um concerning noise, um I understand this is meant for indoors. Um I'm hoping that customary uh uh noise uh limits in terms of how far it shall not
be audible um will be strictly enforced um certainly after a first warning uh for these businesses. Thank you very much. Thank you, sir. This concludes our public hearing. >> Thank you. Let's call a vote. >> One that wants to prime is all of our
legislation. Anyone that wants to prime is welcome. >> I have a motion by Commissioner Fernandez, seconded by Commissioner Suarez. I have listed as co-prime sponsors, Commissioners Magazine, Bot, and Dominguez. Uh, start roll call. Commissioner Fernandez. >> Yes. >> Vice Mayor Matelenz.
>> Yes. And I'd like to prime as well. >> Give me one sec. Yes, ma'am. Commissioner Suarez, >> yes. >> Mangz, >> yes. >> Commissioner Bot, >> yes. >> I heard a yes. Uh, Commissioner Magazine, >> yes. >> Mayor Miner,
>> yes. >> Motion carries. This was item R5D. The item is approved. >> Thank you, colleagues. >> Thank you, Commissioner Fernandez. RG. R5G is an orders of the mayor and city commissioner of the city of Miami Beach, Florida, amending chapter 14 of the code of the city of Miami Beach entitled
building regulations by amending article one entitled in general by amending division two entitled permit fees by amending section 1465 thereof entitled mechanical permits to limit the number of temporary tenants use permit renewals allowed for elevators and further amending appendix 8 to the city code entitled fee schedule to revise and
increase fees charged for the temporary tenant use permit renewals for elevators and providing for repealer servability clarification and effective date. This is a second reading public hearing. It's item R5G. Commissioner Dominguez. >> Thank you. This item was brought to me by public works because there were uh
loopholes making infinite uh extensions and work not getting done. I'll let uh public works director John Norris uh expand. >> Good morning. John Norris, public works director. This is a situation where there were uh temporary use per
temporary use renewals being given over and over to elevators while they were in the process of being brought up to code essentially. So what we're doing is taking this loophole away. It will allow
for up to three temporary use renewals. The first one will be $162 and then after that they'll increase to $2,090. That way we give them ample time to get
whatever issues exist fixed to get their uh permanent uh certificate. So >> I'll move the item. >> Please list me as a co-sponsor. This is Greg Policy Commissioner.
Call the vote. >> Sir, >> you're strong. >> It is a public hearing. I see no one in Zoom, no one in the audience requesting to speak. I have a motion by Commissioner Dominguez, seconded by Commissioner Fernandez, co-sponsored by Commissioner Fernandez and Commissioner Magazine. It is item R5G. Vice Mayor
Matel Selenas, >> yes. >> Commissioner Suarez is out. Commissioner Magazine, >> yes. >> Commissioner Fernandez, >> yes. Commissioner Dominguez, >> yes. >> Commissioner Bot, >> yes. >> Mayor Miner, >> yes.
>> Motion carries. The item is approved. >> R5H. R5H is an ordinance of the mayor of city commissioner of the city of Miami Beach, Florida amending chapter 70 of the code of city of Miami Beach entitled miscellaneous offenses by amending article two entitled public places by amending division 2 entitled bicycling skateboarding roller skating line
skating motorized means of transportation electric bicycling mopeds motorcycle motorized vehicles and motorized scooters by creating section 70-73 to be entitled safe operation of personal delivery devices and mobile carriers to impose additional local safety requirements consistent with state law and providing for repeal of
ability clarification and effective date. This is a second reading public hearing. It is item R5H. Commissioner Bot. >> Yeah. So, we are preempted by the state. Um, which is ironic because this is the state that passed the home rule laws and
yet we are preempted time and time again on doing what we think is right for our community. And we have these delivery robots where in some cases they are not causing a problem, but in many cases they are. We have very old, very narrow
sidewalks that have overgrown bushes and lots of different uses and um people stop. >> No. Um sorry, we're not supposed to have fun up here. Um,
you know, we we have narrow sidewalks that were designed 100 years ago plus that did not contemplate bicycles and um delivery robots and people with strollers and ADA mobility devices and
yet we are being forced to accept these onto our streets. So, this is um making the best of an unfortunate situation and I'll let staff to come up and um talk about the the changes that we've made. I don't know if Rob is here to >> last.
>> Rick is is Rick is Rob available to >> Rob is right there. >> Oh, >> and I could have done it. >> Somehow I can't see right in front of me today. I'm blind as a bat. Um but separate from this and this was passed on consent was an item to do a survey of
the sidewalks in our city to better understand um whether or not they pose an actual hazard in some places and we will take that up separately when we have actual data points. Um and at that time I will come back with uh you know
photographs of um standoffs and um tipped over machines and people trying to figure out which way to go and um you know near misses in traffic and actual collisions. So um but in the meanwhile we're going to try and make this as as
safe as we can for our pedestrians who should take precedence over corporate profit. And um with that, I'll turn it over to Rob. >> Good morning, commissioners. Rob Rosenald with the city attorney's office. I'm sorry I got caught outside, so I didn't hear your introductory uh comments, so I'm sorry if I repeat any
of them, but we are governed under state law uh as to how we can regulate these delivery robots. They are allowed to operate on the sidewalks in the crosswalks. There are state imposed rules about how they're operated, and we incorporate a lot of those into our ordinance. And even if we don't, they
are required under state law. Uh the breadth of what we are allowed to op uh to regulate is safety regulations uh within the sphere of allowing them on all of all of our or on our sidewalks
and on our streets. Uh the original version of this, which still has uh many of the same provisions, uh required a permitting scheme. It requires uh safety devices to make them more visible. It regulates the speed of the devices uh
and so forth. on second reading after uh Commissioner Rosen Gonzalez completed her term of service and Commissioner Bot picked this up as a sponsor uh she has added uh additional uh uh regulations which are allowed
under the statute uh to include that they might they cannot uh display commercial advertisements. Uh the speed was set at 8 mph. Uh the time that they could remain stationary on the sidewalk was uh
changed to 30 minutes. And let's see uh and there is a new regulation that no uh robot may operate on any of the city's beachwalks or baywalks. And uh and there's a six-month grace period for the
operators to come into compliance. >> And excuse me if I may jump in. So the Baywalk and Beachwalk is actually a separate ordinance that will be heard next or whenever it's called. Um and I believe the other change was may not exceed a speed of 8 miles. Previously we
had six. >> So >> miles per hour. >> So I want to um thank Commissioner Magazine for bringing the item on the beachwalk um as a in case this gets hung up someplace, but it is in this language. So hopefully it it's not going
to get hung up. So we'll just with your permission. >> Yes. >> Roll it in. No pun intended, but roll it in together >> within 6 mph speedo. >> Correct. >> This is second reading. So you are you're you're voting. This is the
version to pass the actual uh resol ordinance if you chose to do so. >> Commissioner Dominguez, um I have some questions. I think we all received um an email from uh the organization uh serve robotics. So I
just want to go through some of them because I have questions on it. >> Correct. >> Their first uh comment was that the per device fee was not reasonably related to our city's stated regulatory objectives. The ordinance grounds its regulatory authority on public safety,
predictability, visibility, and active monitoring. All of which are imposed on an operator level, not an individual device level. and the fee structure should bear a national rational relationship to the government interest.
A pro uh per robot charge functions as a revenue mechanism rather than a safetybased regulatory tool. So why is it per robot as opposed to organization? >> Well, that's a policy decision that you all can make. Either scheme would be
legally defensible. A per robot scheme is rationally related to our ability to regulate and keep safe however many they send us. And so if there are 10 bots, we we have to do less enforcement. If there
are 150 bots, we have to do more and it costs more. Uh if you wanted to, you could charge a lot more than $100 per bot. Or if you wanted to, you could charge by the organization. There's there's a many different rational bases
to uh reimburse the city for the cost of keeping these things safe. This is the one that uh that was written into that that I wrote into the ordinance and that I think is the most rational, but it's a policy decision that uh you can make.
The other comment was that the state has already determined that 10 miles per hour is the safe standard and Florida law explicitly allows personal delivery devices to operate at a speed of up to 10 miles per hour.
>> We are allowed to regulate the safety of the uh bots. There's nothing that says that we can't set our own speed and we have at least this legislation proposes to have a slightly lower uh speed limit.
I will say that the original first reading version was six miles per hour. Uh and after speaking with uh Serve Robotics, it was raised at their request to eight and they said my understanding was that that was their suggestion and
they were >> but that was just I'm sorry to interrupt but that was um eight to cross the street not on the sidewalks. >> Uh that I think it was just generally. >> Okay. I I I was under the impression it was eight to get across the street so
that they weren't going to be um potentially hit by a car, which would be unsafe for everybody. I'm not super in favor of of raising it. And I definitely don't want to go up to 10 anywhere because I don't know if anyone's ever been hit by a bike going
10 miles an hour or anything else, but feels pretty lousy. So, you know, the this is a commercial enterprise. Um, I have no concerns that they are going to make a lot of money and good on them. Like that's great. I have no problem with with companies making money, but um
they also have to pay for the the cost of doing business. And um a per unit cost of doing business is a viable way to to manage this. As Rob pointed out, the more units there are, the more issues we're going to have. Um, you know, when back in the day when there
were taxis, regular old yellow taxis, each taxi cab had a medallion. And so, you know, that's just how things work. >> I I got a question, Mr. Mayor. >> Are they online to talk more about what the email does?
>> Yes. Uh, we have one rep. C. >> Can I just ask a follow? >> I just want to ask a follow. So, is it 8 mph crossing a street or is it 8 mph? >> The the ordinance as written and would be passed on second reading is 8 m hour
period in the crosswalks and on the sidewalk. >> Okay. Cuz I I share Commissioner Dominguez's concern if if they're in the middle of the street and they can't get out in time because I know I personally know that some of our crosswalks are not functioning properly and the timing is it's not adequate. There may not be
enough time to to cross certain roads. Um, and I certainly don't want to see an accident from one of these delivery robots getting going too slow. This the speeds, uh, if you wanted to have a different speed limit for the crosswalks and the streets, you could certainly do
that right here today. Uh, and if you wanted to make it 6 miles an hour on the sidewalks and eight in the crosswalks or eight on the streets and 10 on the uh, sidewalks or something different, uh, you could do that. The way it is written
is it's uniform. eight miles everywhere. >> And so let's say these one of these robots do hit a pedestrian are who's liable? I mean, is the city in any which way possible liable if there is an accident? because we passed it either 8
mph or 10 mph six like but no as long as we have a rational basis for the choice that we made and I think that we have a very legally defensible >> R and apparently the state has made that decision that 10 miles hour is okay so
if we if we go a little bit below that then we should be >> right >> covered our there is no real I anybody can sue us for anything and we get sued all the time for things that aren't really realistic But we don't have any actual liability for something just
because we regulate it. It this would be just like if you got hit by a taxi cab or an Uber or any other uh delivery mechanism. >> Yeah. But here this is a little different cuz we're setting a speed limit on a sidewalk. So right,
>> you know, it's it's not like it's not like the state where they have or the county that sets certain speed limits. >> Um but I get it. Okay, cool. I'm okay with eight. It's whatever you guys want. So, you let me know and we'll >> And the speed limit doesn't apply to a bicycle or an e- scooter. They can do
whatever they want. Where these robots are more regulated. They have cameras. They stop uh for pedestrians. Is it public comment? Can we hear from the operator? >> Well, before we do that, if I may, >> Commissioner Bot. >> So, um I agree, Commissioner Dominguez.
It's very frustrating that we don't currently have a mechanism to regulate e devices and bicycle speeds. It is something that I've spent the last two years working on. We're finally seeing some movement in Tallahassee. Uh we're working with our um county commissioner Lopez and and hopefully soon that will
become something that we can manage better as well because we have seen talk to any of the police officers here, talk to Julio Blanco who was hit by an offending um uh ebiker and was you know broke his elbow. Um, I have friends who are emergency room doctors and if they
could share the photographs without violating HIPPA, it would curl all of our hair. It is really dangerous. It isn't being addressed um at the state or federal level yet, and that needs to happen. That being said, that doesn't mean that we should just accept a
willy-nilly approach to yet another impediment for pedestrians work walking on the sidewalks. Um, I would be very happy to amend this here on the Deas to um 10 miles an hour to get across uh crosswalks to get them out of the lane
of traffic and 6 miles an hour on sidewalks to ensure there are no or to try to ensure there are no accidents with people minding their own business walking where people are supposed to walk. >> Call the vote. >> It is a public hearing. >> Yeah, let's I want to hear from the >> It is a public hearing. Is there anyone
in the audience requesting to speak on this item? Seeing none, we're going to go to Zoom. The first speaker is Yadiel Diaz from Serve Robotics. >> Good morning. Uh my name is Yadiel Diaz with Serve Robotics located at 7:30 Broadway Street, Redwood City,
California, speaking on R5H. I appreciate the city's work on this item. We also share the same goals of keeping the sidewalk safe, accessible, and comfortable for everyone while allowing for this new technology to operate responsibly. At Serve, we work with our delivery partners, Uber Eats and Door
Dash, to provide robot deliveries for small restaurants within Miami Beach. As of today, February 5th, we deliver for over 161 restaurants in Miami Beach. So, I just wanted to make sure to get that on the record. Uh, with that shared goal in mind, we have a few suggestions. um
as were shared in an email last night. First on the per robot permit fee, um we operate whether we operate 20 robots or we operate 30 robots or we operate five robots, um I've heard arguments about the um enforcement cost for the city to
be more or to be less. Which is why in the initial first reading item, we suggested a uh per organization fee, but obviously much larger than what a presumably per robot fee of 20 robots would be. Um, which would entail um not
having to switch back and forth between what you are charging for operators uh per robot on the 8 mile cap. The amendment that was made by Commissioner Bot is acceptable to us. We really appreciate uh the consideration of the commissioners on that crosswalk speed.
That's honestly one of the biggest concerns we have because uh lowering the crosswalk speed may actually limit the robot's ability to safely cross very busy intersections, especially since they're are not not timed the same. The one thing that hasn't been brought up yet is the that was brought up by Rob,
but hasn't been brought up yet is the ban on advertising. Uh we feel that a total ban raises fairness and constitutional concerns on first amendment grounds. There may be more targeted and contentneutral ways to address this. Some other cities like um Chicago have put in place a review
period for advertising that make sure that there's no obscene or pornographic items as part of what is intended to be reviewed um and added to these robots for advertising versus a flatout ban. So, we believe that small adjustments would help the ordinance to better achieve its goals. We support the
ordinance. We think u most of it is common sense and I'll be on also to answer any questions. I thank you for your time and you'll continue to work to improve our communities. >> Our next public speaker is Carl Hansen. >> Thank you. Um I'm Carl Hansen. I I head
government and community relations for Coco, the the pink sidewalk delivery robots uh out in Miami Beach as well. Um uh we we we also uh strongly support the uh 10 m per hour, 6 mph split um as as
serve just um suggested and think that's a a good balance for for the lower speeds on the sidewalks and and and the speed necessary to get um across uh the the crosswalks. Um we the I think main point of concern we have here is with
the advertising prohibition. Um this wasn't part of the initial discussion and uh kind of came in here at the end. Um it we absolutely support the city exploring and discussing what would go into um regulating advertising on personal delivery robots. Um but we we
think it merits more time and and would really appreciate if that was like pulled for a separate discussion so that we could meet um and talk talk through the advantages of this similar to um bike share programs and buses. Uh operating these devices out in public is
very expensive. The ads help us keep prices low for local business. Um, if we're hit with new fees to operate and lose the ability to subsidize the cost of delivery uh from the advertising, that's going to be very hard on our merchants, very hard on our customers.
Um, our goal is to help get cars uh off the street, help reduce the parking impact. We absolutely want to do that safely. Um, we think it's smart to to have rules in this space and we uh look forward to working with you on this. um but would hope we would have some time to discuss an advertising policy that
made sense for for all parties. Really appreciate your time and thank you again. >> Thank you. Next caller is Johan Moore. >> Please go ahead. >> Good afternoon. Uh I'll speak as as John Q pedestrian here with a couple of
observations. Um, first I will uh swear that I saw uh one of the robots dash across an intersection on the crosswalk while the light was red. Uh the other uh concern from the community is that where
corner curb cuts are at too steep an angle. I have witnessed a robot uh stop sufficiently far back from the intersection so that it could see the crosswalk light but in that position it
blocked the sidewalk. Uh anyone with a wheelchair, I caution the city about an ADA compliance uh lawsuit. Uh I've said some of this before. Uh please keep that in mind. uh an elderly person, someone using a cane, uh someone with a schleer
with groceries or uh laundry in it, uh someone with a baby carriage, uh it starts to get a little difficult and I wonder if the commission can give some thought to how to address that. either simply by making all the crosswalk lights automatic again as I believe they
all were during the pandemic or more complicatedly uh for the delivery robot uh developers to add a garage door opener like feature uh to enable the robots to in fact request uh a crosswalk
light uh so that they can cross. I would submit a possible metric to you uh to compare accident rates of delivery bikes, let alone motorized delivery bikes and robots. And I have to say that I suspect that the robots might be
safer, but the the speed limit is key. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Our next caller is Bruce. Bruce, please state your name. Unmute yourself. >> Hi, Bruce Seagull. I'm a pedestrian also. And I'll point out that we walk at
typically a mile and 20 minutes. You do the math, that's 3 m an hour. We've never had a problem crossing the street, even Fifth Street. There are people older who walk a lot slower. So to hear people need 8 or 10 miles per hour for a
robot when pedestrians do 3 miles an hour or slower if they're not running across the street, that number is offthe-wall crazy if you think about it. And that's all I have to add. >> Thank you, sir. >> Thank you. >> Next caller uh is call in user 7. State
your name, please. >> Hi. Uh good afternoon, mayor and commissioners. My name is Matthew Banana, and I want to thank the sponsors and those who have worked on this piece of legislation. Uh because speed regulation is sound policy, and I'm
supportive of those aspects. Uh on on Maya Beach, the sidewalks are varying widths. They're from relative relatively wide 8 feet to in some places under three under three feet. And my beach is an urban area. Crossing the street, uh I
agree with some of the other people here that sometimes these bots have issues. And once I was even walking with my daughters on Alton Road and it had a message asking to please push the button for the bot. I didn't see it, but my daughter went and pushed it forward and then it said thank you, which I thought
was kind of cute, but it highlights the issue of accessibility. Lastly, I want to clarify that the city does have the ability to regulate speeds of bicycles, ebikes, and micromobility on pathways such as the beachwalk. And it's a best practice and one of the tools available
to keep people safe, to keep everyone safe on those pathways. And it's a policy that should be considered now to manage safe access for everyone. Thank you so much. >> Thank you. Our next caller is Wayne. Wayne, please state your name.
>> Hi, this is Wayne South the 5th. Um, I have no issue with the technology except that as a society, we should make it harder for these companies to uh take over jobs for like Uber drivers and and
delivery services because ultimately homeless populations will increase as a result because jobs that are for uh that level of education and and and immigrants will disappear. Um, so I'm
sad for the society, but you know, technology will move forward without us or with us, and we can't be uh we can't be a wall against it. Thank you. >> Thank you. There are no other requests to speak. >> I need a motion.
>> I'll move it >> as amended. >> Second. >> It was pretty quick. >> I'm sorry. Okay. I'm sorry. Go ahead. No worries. I wasn't prepared to speak, but um >> your name, please. >> Uh Kevin Krueger, uh nine-year Miami Beach resident, and I just figured I'd
add to some of what what I heard on on Zoom, which I appreciate, but it's a sidewalk, not a side role. And if I understand, bicycles and others are not permitted. we kind of use them, but uh I'm a people person. So, resounding some
of those uh sentiments, I'd rather see pedestrians um out there instead of robots. You know, technology is great, but I do believe that is taking away jobs and giving it to corporations in other states. Um the public safety is an
elected officials first foremost role and then usually it's job creation, the economy stupid, etc., etc. And I do feel like we're losing jobs for those that uh might be uh need the flexible delivery jobs or maybe it's entry level and now
they can afford their rent, but we're giving away to robots that are uh nameless, faceless in spite of the cute names and smiley faces and advertising that go on it. So those are just a couple of points. As a a pedestrian
myself, I find them incredibly annoying. Um, and uh, and you know, I I don't know. I probably I don't have all the macroeconomics or the legalities of it, but I feel like it's a little Orwellian. I'd like to see us do the right thing
for our beautiful beach town. >> As Commissioner Bod mentioned, some a lot of this we're preemptive. We're trying to work within the framework that we have. >> Oh, sorry. >> I was just say exactly that. Uh, Kevin, I wholeheartedly agree with you. I don't personally particularly like these uh
whatsoever. I do think that they unnecessarily clog our sidewalks, but we are preempted by the state. So, we're trying to put some uh guard rails around here. >> So, we have a motion as amended. >> I'll second. >> We have a second. Let's call the vote. I have a motion by Commissioner Suarez,
seconded by Commissioner Bot as amended. Two amendments, 10 mile per hours in the crosswalk, 6 miles per hour on the sidewalks. Commissioner Bot, >> yes. Commissioner Dominguez, >> yes. >> Commissioner Suarez, >> yes. >> Commissioner Magazine, >> yes. >> Commissioner Fernandez, >> yes. May >> Vice Mayor Matoselenz,
>> yes. >> Mayor Miner, >> yes. Motion carries. Item is approved. That was item R5H. Let's take a break for lunch. I see a lot of nods. Uh, let's reconvene at 1:15 and we'll start with the Sutnik time.
Please take your seats. The meeting is about to begin. Remember to speak into the microphone as this meeting is being recorded for public record. >> Please stand by. We are going on air in 3.
>> Listen to a tape. Okay, welcome back to the uh >> welcome back to our afternoon session of our commission meeting. We'll begin with the uh open form if anyone wants to be heard. >> Ralph, take it away. Yes, sir. Anyone who wishes to speak, please approach the
podium. Again, if anyone wishes to speak, please approach the podium. Seeing nobody on the podium, I'm going to go. >> Yeah. >> State your name. Glenn Hall,
uh, 5748 Pine Drive, president of Lagos Pinery HOA, also chair, still chair of the Mame Beach Black Affairs Advisory. I think um, Commissioner Bot has
some a proclamation, but I wanted to just to say happy Black History Month. You can clap everybody. bringing some joy to this out there every morning. So, um, of
course, every year we like to highlight that to reaffirm the city's commitment to that. Um, also too, we like to highlight all of the events that are being put on by the city. Um, we have the soundscape simus series. We have the
soul beach food festival that's coming up for Saturday. Black History Night celebration on the February 3rd 13th, sorry, that we're going to be honoring Officer Art Martino um who was, you know, a very great man
and touched families and children all over the city. So, um that's going to be a big a big deal there. And if you haven't gone, it's just amazing amazing event for all families. And you get to see a lot of the culture, especially the behem culture they have, the John Cano bands and everything else. And it's
magnificent. And also we have um that we started last year, the Miami Beach Botanical Garden Groove, which is an also amazing event um that uh basically highlights another genre of black culture of house music, which is which is fantastic. And as you know, um the
black culture and black, you know, vibe on Miami Beach is 365 24/7. So, that's not just for February. So, of course, we've already had the um South Beach Jazz Fest in January. um Martin Luther King Day, the art duck weekend events,
5,000 role models that a lot of you guys attended, and also the ABFF is coming, Black Business Month in August. >> Thank you, Mr. Hall. >> We have annual lovers love, etc., etc., etc. So, just let you know. >> So, >> so yeah, thank you for teeing that up so
nicely. I'm sorry. Um, I just wanted to make sure that um, in case somehow you're under a rock that um, which I don't think anybody else anybody is here. Um, but that our um, we are as a city acknowledging and celebrating our collective shared black history. Um, we
are a city that has had a very complicated genesis of being radically anti-semitic and um, racist for many, many years. And over the last 40 years, I think we've made great strides to overcome that. and not without some bumps in the road, but definitely um
with a a purposeful mission to make this a welcoming, inclusive, open-minded place for everybody. And so um whereas Black History Month is observed nationally each February to honor the achievements, resilience, and cultural contributions of black Americans throughout our nation's history. And
this n this annual observation began in 1926 through the efforts of Dr. Carter G. Woodson. It's grown into a month-long celebration. many of the celebration celebratory um events you heard Glenn articulate of the pivotal role the black Americans have played in shaping the
United States and the city of Miami Beach recognizes that the stories and accomplishments of black leaders, innovators, and everyday citizens have enriched our community and advanced the cause of justice equal and equality and will continue to do so. Progress has
been made. The city however acknowledges that continued work is needed to eliminate barriers and ensure equal opportunity for all residents. The mayor and the city commission remain committed to fostering an inclusive city that celebrates diversity and honors the contributions of black Americans in the
arts, sciences, education, public service, and so much more. The city encourages residents and visitors to participate in programs and events during February that highlight black history and promote dialogue on equity and inclusion. And if you don't know where to find all these great events,
you can go to the city's Facebook page. Um, city of Miami Beach government has multiple postings. You can go to the website. Um, there numerous wonderful events throughout the month and throughout the city. And so therefore, um, be it be duly resolved by the mayor
and the city commission of the city of Miami Beach, Florida, that the mayor and city commission hereby commemorate February 2026 as National Black History Month and reaffirm the city's commitment to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. And so,
>> thank you. And so um the reason why it was important to do this today formally was because last year because of scheduling snafuss we couldn't recognize formally we had all the programming and it was amazing but we couldn't formally recognize that February was the um was
our uh commemoration of Black History Month until the middle or end of March I think. So I wanted to make sure we got it on the record so everybody knows. So, thank you colleagues. Thank you, Glenn. And thank you to the Black Affairs Advisory Committee. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you, Glenn. And I can I can
actually say that Glenn shortly before I got up to give my remarks at the state of the city uh mentioned, "Hey, maybe you can mention Black History Month." So, I made a I made an on the-fly uh change to the spe I gave you the point out. So, thanks for all you do for us.
>> Thank you. Welcome. >> Thanks. >> Is there anyone else in the audience? >> Good afternoon. My name is Franciscoca Medina. I'm a Miami Beach uh resident and I would like to implore you uh to
extend the lease of the current home of the Miami Design and Preservation League. Uh it's uh in my opinion it's uh integral uh what the preservation league uh does
in regards to tours education also uh preservation uh which is known for worldwide worldwide and uh it's also a magnet. You see that every day tourists uh that come of
course to Ocean Drive, they flock to the welcome center. And uh we have right now, fortunately, I'm a volunteer tour guide. We have uh an average of of six
60 uh tour guides. And uh uh the the interest in uh in in in this is is big. And I would uh yeah also ask that you that moving towards the future that there's
more education about that in our city because the more students residents know about the this history uh the the better it is the more they've uh associate uh uh with that. So, uh,
with that m maybe, uh, historic preservation month is, uh, possible in the future, but in the meantime, please leave the home of the Miami Design and Preservation League where it is and
where it does so much good for all of us uh, and for our image. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. Thank you for your attention. >> Seeing no one else requesting to speak, I'm going to go to Zoom. Karen, please go ahead.
>> Thank you very much. Can you hear me now? >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. I'm Karen Rukus. I'm the treasurer at Lennox Towers at 1039th Street. I am um speaking to you today regarding Commissioner Fernandez proposal to allocate the 11.8 million
surplus, which could be more by now, exclusively to homesteaders and tenant relief. Both homesteaders and nonhomesteaders contribute financially to the municipal tax fund, whereas tenants do not directly contribute to this revenue stream at all. Commissioner
Fernandez has stated his intention to return the surplus to the community in a fair way. In the interest of fairness, it is essential that each taxpayer receives a reimbursement proportional to their individual contributions. So, for
example, if a taxpayer is paid $2,500 a year, they should receive half the reimbursement of a taxpayer who contributes $5,000 a year. In summary, refunds should be distributed solely to those who've contributed to the fund with amounts reflecting their respective
contributions. It should also be noted that nonhomesteaders typically contribute three times as much as homesteaders in their taxes. Um, I want to just comment that um, almost all of our board of directors
are non-homesteaders and yet we uh, contribute 12 months of the year in working on uh, the board as well. Um, many of us can't rent our place out because we're not allowed to do short-term rentals. So, they're left empty. And when things are left empty at
your building, it helps the homesteaders save money because no one's spending the water, the gas, the electricity, um the wear and tear on the elevator, the wear and tear in the laundry machines, etc. So, in closing, I would just like to say that I I'd like uh the council to
reconsider their position on this refund or even perhaps uh distributing the refund in a way that >> Thank you so much. uh you know back to the community that everyone could enjoy. Thank you. >> Our next caller is Wayne. Wayne, please unmute yourself.
>> Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Um I just want to state from the earlier session that one minute is, you know, it it makes the the caller um or the person in the room feel uncomfortable speaking
because they're rushed. And uh I would say that I get more out of the discussion from the residents than I do from most of the conversation of the deis and I've listened to every meeting in the last uh 5 years. Um so I I hope
you change that policy please. Um, additionally, um, uh, I want to talk about Black History Month because I firmly believe in affirmative action and, uh, equality. And, uh, since the 60s, we've made great strides in
reducing poverty among, uh, and lack of education among the African-American community. And policies of the last couple years have changed that. and and that gap is going to widen further uh rather than shrink because of policy. Uh
lastly, I want to talk about uh the policy that we're about to put in place from what I'm understanding that like it's almost a done deal and I cannot believe it is to extend um Washington Avenue and Lincoln Road to 150 to 200 ft
in height uh like a wall. Um and that uh the land owners want that and they they've left places vacant and un unkempt because they want to force the issue on the city. And that's been a policy of theirs for a decade or more.
And instead of uh enticing them with 200t buildings, we should be enticing them with incentives to update their existing structures and to and to fill those those vacant storefronts. And what this is going to do isn't it's going to
it's going to remove every business in Miami Beach from those districts because they won't renew their leases because they're going to tear it down and it's going to create a ghetto situation in the center of our city with walls 200 ft
tall high which is going to damage the city irreparably forever. I wish I hope that you vote no on this and think about it more effectively. Thank you. >> Our next caller, >> next caller is Sharon.
>> Hi, Sharon Weiss, 23381st Street. Uh I'm calling again for two items, R75. Um I'm in support of um having a committee to address the water issue. Um, I know I spoke about it this morning. Uh, the condition of our
waterways is deplorable and, uh, something needs to be done. I certainly hope that this committee will have teeth to actually make something happen instead of a bunch of people sitting around blobiating and, uh, listening to themselves talk. The next item I wanted to talk about is C4N. I realize that was
on the consent agenda. I may have missed uh, missed that. Uh, but it's a mascot for the city and I would like to respectfully suggest as the mascot to be a poop emoji. That would be accurate. Thank you. >> Next caller is Johan Moore.
>> Uh, much thanks to Wayne Roberts. Um, but I will reserve my comments on uh items R5B and R5C for when you finally call it. Um, I believe that any return of excess tax money to individual
residents/taxpayers can only be regressive, but I'll only say that no matter how you choose to direct it, you would best direct it toward the most vulnerable. My support for renewing MDPL's lease, it is one of
the three or four premier cultural institutions in South Beach. And I will make the economic argument that tourists who are inexurably drawn only uh to Ocean Drive who come upon it are through its tours and its information sleuthed
back uh generally in a respectful manner given that they're there then to see the architecture uh toward Washington Avenue into our neighborhood and even on into the less touristed uh establishments of a commercial nature on Alton Road and
West Avenue. Thank you. >> Thank you. Our next caller is Inz. Inz, please go ahead. State your name. >> Okay. Hello. Yes. My name is Enz Flax. You all hear me? >> Yes. Go ahead, please. >> Okay. I I just want to follow up on some
of the discussion this morning about demonizing groups, demonizing, you know, people for their ethnicity or background that I like everybody to also include are ICE agents. They are law enforcement
and they're being demonized and that needs to stop. Demonizing Republican, demonizing Trump, all of it needs to stop. We need to be a civil society and we can all have civil discussions and we
just need to emphasize uh to all uh at you know civily towards each other with respect and and that um and that there's room for everybody as long as there is respect. So respect for everyone. Thank
you for all your service and for your all your work that you do for the community. >> Thank you, Mayor. >> Mr. Mayor, >> I just want the record to reflect that I
don't know which NES just spoke, but if it's the one who I think it is, it's someone who has written on social media calling Democrats demon rats. And when we're talking about not demonizing people, it's across the board. And so we need to acknowledge it at all fronts.
And so since she brought up specifically the word demon, I found it interesting giving the term that's been used. >> So that's why Commissioner Vice Mayor Mateo Selena said she doesn't on Facebook, so she doesn't get to see these uh these things. Um is that any
other callers? That concludes. Let's call R5J R5J is an ordinance to the mayor city commission of city of Miami Beach Florida amending chapter 70 of the code of the city of Miami Beach Florida entitled miscellaneous offenses by amending article one entitled in general by creating section 70-1.2
two thereof entitled evidencing prejudice while committing offense minimum penalty to establish a minimum mandatory penalty for persons who while committing a criminal or municipal ordinance violation evidence prejudice based upon the race color ancestry ethnicity religion sexual orientation
national origin homeless status or advanced age of the victim and providing for repealer servability clarification and effective date this is a second reading public hearing it is item R5J >> yes second reading thank you to my co-sponsors commissioner bot and commissioner magazine. What this does is
takes our municipal offenses and if there is a hate crime involved, as our city clerk just read, um then there's a um minimum of a 30-day uh sentence, a jail sentence. This is consistent with state law and ask
somebody to move the item since I can. >> I'll move it. >> I'll second call the vote. Hold up for a second. It is a public hearing and I have Johan Moore requesting to speak. >> Just I want to speak. >> Good afternoon again. I'm only troubled
by the absence of inclusion of the category of what political position or ideology. And I'm going to be totally evenhanded. No one should be beat up in public because they're a Zionist. No one should be beat up in public or in private because they're an anarchist or
because they're a socialist. Is that not a glaring uh uh lacuna in this otherwise uh I think well-intentioned uh uh item despite uh associations it might unfortunately have with its sponsor. Thank you. >> Thank you. There's no one else in Zoom.
>> Can I speak? >> Go ahead, ma'am. >> I wonder Jamie and I uh on this item can someone specify exactly what is sustained? I don't understand it. What are you voting on?
>> Anybody knows? >> What's the question? >> R 50 R5J. What is it exactly? What are you voting on? >> Rick. >> Sure. Um this is a hate crime ordinance
uh which is adopted um same same language as the state law and what it does is it provides for a minimum sentence of 30 days in jail unless the judge determines that it's not in the best interest of the community when a crime is motivated by hate based on the
specified uh characteristics in the ordinance which include um race, political affiliation, religion, um and so on. >> Okay. So, you're voting on something that's general. So, if somebody calls me
a crippled lady, uh I could press charges. Um I'm going to ask Mark Fishman to come up because he was the one who worked on the ordinance. >> Good afternoon, everybody. Thank you. Uh well, I guess to to to respond to that
question, uh no, just calling someone, you know, albeit, you know, very unkind, a crippled uh lady or crippled old lady, uh while unkind would not be a crime or a criminal offense in and of itself. So, there would be no criminal charge. And if there's no criminal charge, you couldn't have it charged as a hate crime
under here where the minimum 30 days that the city attorney spoke of would be applicable because again, there's no arrest and no charge because no crime was committed. >> If somebody calls me a black woman, I'm an afroame Would that apply? >> No. >> Well, if if there's a crime being
committed separate and apart from being called up, so if somebody beats you up and says, >> "Yes, >> you're a black woman, so I am going to beat you up." Then then yes, this ordinance would apply, >> but it has to the name has to come out.
So if I call some I say something to someone, we have division here regarding religions and so forth and so on. If I have to Uh, do I have to wait, I'm talking to him. He's allowing me to talk.
Thank you. >> I just want to get this straight cuz I think it should be equal. Then there's a time up not talk. I mean, he's telling me something. You guys are listening, which is like the right answer.
>> Go ahead with what you want to say, Wanda. >> Okay. I just want to you know this is a very sensitive item. Okay. So >> we going through very hard times Miami Beach with
divisions for number of reasons. I just want to make it I just want to make myself clear of what is the ordinance. Is it calling somebody a Muslim? Is calling some me a Catholic?
If somebody says you're a Catholic, ugly Catholic, would that consider be a hate crime? If somebody calls somebody uh uh terrorist Muslim or a Jew, I I want to know what it is that we that you're
voting on because it's supposed to be equal to everybody. Every religion, every color, every woman, every disabled, every everything. >> I mean, let me cl it is it is equal and actually there's there's a number of categories listed here. There has to be a crime committed. There are statutes of
crimes. Mark Fishman gave an example. Somebody be beat up. It has to be the commission of a crime. If if then the court determines that that crime was motivated by hate. It could be a number of ways they determine that. Sometimes it is saying the some of the terminology you use. Sometimes there are other ways.
Maybe they find something on their persons or what have you. But if they're crime was motivated by hate, that's when this statute kicks in. It's similar to the state. The problem is here we had an absence. We have our own municipal offenses that are unique to Miami Beach. They're similar to state offenses, but
there are offenses and we didn't have anything that had a penalty if the crime was committed by hate. So, we're doing something that's very that's that's already in the statutes in the state, but we couldn't do it because we didn't have that ability. All we're doing is now cleaning up our statutes and saying
if you commit a crime and the court can prove that it was motivated by hate, that's when the mandatory jail sentence come in. And there's a number of categories included in here that really covers everybody. >> All right. Thank you. >> You're welcome. Thank you. >> Could I just say something semi-related,
Mr. Mayor? Um, and it goes to what uh Commissioner uh Monica said, Matteo Selenus. I'd like Commissioner Monica. Um, >> Vice Mayor. >> Yeah, Vice Mayor Monica. And one of what you said, you know, Miami Beach's going through tough times. Um,
I often feel as if there's two different worlds. There's the real world and the social media world and and you tune into this social media and it is toxic. It really is. And in fact, I've tried tuning it out as much as possible without uh being sure that I, you know,
don't uh avoid anything that's necessary, especially for the job. But when I go, if I wasn't here, I'd be getting ready to go pick my daughter up from school in two hours. And it is this beautiful community of parents of all
race, color, gay parents, everything. And it is a beautiful community. Truly, people respect each other, love each other. When I go to the supermarket,
I talk to friends, I talk to strangers. And what's so unique about Miami Beach is very few of us have to live here, right? We choose to live here and there's so much toxicity that's brought online. Not giving life advice up here, but it
it's sometimes intentionally designed to do so. And if you let it, you keep feeding into it, it's going to change the way you think and the way you even perceive this beautiful place which we live. when if you take your face out of the phone.
We're all up here because we want to impact change and make our city better. But we live in a pretty pretty special place, a pretty amazing place. That doesn't mean there's not so much work to be done. But if you
don't buy into the social media, I have friends and community members of every single religion and race and color and belief and and sex. We live in an amazing place. And while there's plenty
of work to be done, um I I wouldn't agree with there's so much hatred and division. There's oneoffs that get amplified, but there's the social media world and then there's the real world that we all live in when you go out there. And I just encourage people to
really dissect what's real and what's being fabricated online. So, thank you, Wanda. And you'll always have an open door with me. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Magazine. That was wow, that was beautifully said. I I share the sentiment. I think we all do. >> Say one more thing. I, you know, I try to reach out to every single one of you
at some point to speak. Um, no, not not mentioning names, but some people refuse to answer me. Some people deliberately block me. I know that's an ethics violation. I want to I want to do the
best I could. I love Miami Beach. I I I have respect for every single one of you. what happens in in social media. This is the only way we could express because we don't hear from most not all because I I you know I I'm
able to talk to you or a couple other people but it it is a frustration that we don't like what's going on and nobody's hearing us. We feel that the base is doing whatever they want. Forget about the forget about the residents. We don't mean anything. And you know what?
You're there because We voted you in. I'm looking for peace. This is destroying me, my person. Even me. I'm I'm not a debated person. I'm a very religious person. But I have to stand for what I know and I believe is wrong. And the only way we're going to start is
from the bay is engaging with us. Everything will be okay. >> Yeah. Let's do let's do that together. >> We don't engage. This is problem. >> Yeah. and just echo your sentiments uh Commissioner Magazine. I and I think we all are. I'm told all the time, every
day, multiple times a day that uh from our residents that they're so grateful they live in our Miami Beach. Of course, there's always things to be to do better and make it better and that's why all our residents and us are working toward that goal. But residents telling me there's not a place in the world they'd rather live. They feel safer. They feel
comfortable. And then sometimes specific groups across the spectrum tell me as a whatever fill in the group there's no other place I'd rather be in Miami Beach because we are a safe haven for everyone and we're going to continue to be and that's why our ratings amongst these
different uh categories that get rated by national groups are always um uh we're we're at the top of the charts. But that happens bec there that doesn't happen by accident. There's a reason why this city is such a safe haven. First of all, it's because of all of you, because
of our residents that are incredible and don't tolerate a level are very tolerant and don't tolerate a level of hate. And it happens. Of course, there's going to be one-offs. There's not a city in the world that doesn't have situations come up. We're made of a very diverse
opinions pe of people. But I also saw this morning how the seven of us are reflecting the residents and being tolerant and we're not going to accept hate. We are not ever going to accept hate in this city. And we put our foot down this morning in a big way and we
showed it. Well, thank you to our residents, our businesses, our commission. We may disagree on certain policies, but when it comes to being a safe, accepting, welcoming city, there's no negotiation. >> Mr. Mayor,
>> Commissioner Fernandez, >> you know, one of the things that I love about being a Miami Beach city commissioner is a diversity that we get to represent. I love representing just the broad spectrum of people that make
up the beautiful melting pot of this community. Whether it be the Jewish community, whether it be uh you know the Episcopalian community uh over o over over at the church at All Souls or
whether it be the black community uh and working with with Glendon or our LGBTQ community or or or women and the women's commission or different uh Hispanic groups or different or other uh groups.
It's really what I love about Miami Beach is our diversity, representing that diversity and fighting for that diversity and speaking up when the different groups of our community
are being are being targeted. I feel like sometimes what people want to see is, you know, that passion across the board. um you know the passion that that we have they I think some people want to just make sure that you know we are
equally you know passionate with all different groups in protecting all all different groups and I think we are I think we are I think this commission has displayed that uh and I think they have that expectation of us um you know to passionately fight against anti-semitism
to passionately fight uh against racism all types of of discrimination, discrimination uh against Hispanics, discrimination against the LGBTQ community, but to do it vocally and to do it for all groups with the same
passion that we would do it for one group. And I think and and I think that that is what I hear a lot of time from the community and that's why they feel safe in Miami Beach because they know if they are targeted they know they can count on their elected leadership to have their back to speak up to fight for
them and to always fight ensure with their safety with the same level of passion. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. >> Thank you, Commissioner Fernandez. And that's exactly what this legislation does. It ensures that if someone of all
these different diverse backgrounds that's mentioned in here is targeted and a crime is committed against them because of their beliefs, their lifestyle, whatever it is that's listed here, that that will be prosecuted to the full extent of the
law. I'll call the vote. >> Yes, sir. Mayor, I didn't catch you made the motion. I know you did not. >> I did. Commissioner Bot and I have seconded by Commissioner Fernandez is an I co-sponsored by Commissioner Fernandez
>> and Matteos Selenus too. >> Got it. So, uh, motion by Commissioner B, seconded by Commissioner Fernandez, co-sponsored by Commissioner Fernandez, and Vice Mayor Monica Mate Selenas. Roll call. Commissioner Fernandez, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Matt Selenz,
>> yes. >> Commissioner Suarez, >> yes. Commissioner Magazine, >> yes. >> Commissioner Bot, >> yes. >> Commissioner Dominguez, >> yes. Mayor >> Miner, >> yes. >> Item passes. The item is approved. That was R5J. R5 L5 L is an art of the mayor city commission
city of Miami Beach Florida amending ordinance 2024-4682 to extend the sunset date of the discounted fees for timely files reertification reports and associated building permit fees from December 31 2025 to December 31 2026 and providing for repealer servability codification an
effective date. This is a second reading public hearing. It is item R5L. Commissioner Suarez, >> take it away, Vince. >> Uh, this is consistent with what was previously passed. This is a mere extension and there's no objections or anything to add.
>> I'll move it. >> The second was Commissioner Maggazine. Did I hear? >> Was like a tie, but yeah, you're okay with that. >> It is a public hearing. I see no one on Zoom. No one in the audience requesting to speak. Motion by Commissioner Suarez. Seconded by Commissioner Magazine. Commissioner Dominguez,
>> yes. >> Commissioner Magazine, >> yes. >> Commissioner Suarez, >> yes. >> Commissioner Bach, >> yes. >> Commissioner Fernandez is out. Vice Mayor Matteline. >> Yes. >> Mayor Miner. >> Yes. >> Motion carries. The item is approved.
That was R5 L. >> R5M. R5M is an order to the mayor, city commission, city of Miami Beach supported by amending chapter 10 entitled animals by creating section 1021 entitled shorebased shark fishing prohibited definitions penalties to provide definition prohibition and penalties and providing for repeater
servability clarification and an effective date. This is a second reading public hearing. It is item R5M >> Commissioner Dominguez with uh full commission uh co-sponsor. I was going to say that. Uh, so that I move the item. >> Second. >> And if there's public comment, Spencer,
did you want to come up and say something? >> Okay. >> We can call the vote. >> It is a public hearing. I see no one on Zoom. No one in the audience requesting to speak. May I call the role? >> Yes. >> I have a motion by Commissioner uh Dominguez, seconded by Commissioner
Suarez. Commissioner Fernandez is out. Commissioner Dominguez. >> Yes. Commissioner Magazine, >> yes. >> Commissioner Suarez, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Tesselinas, >> yes. >> Commissioner Bot, >> yes. >> Mayor Miner, >> yes. >> Motion carries. That was item R5M.
>> R5N. All right. Five. N is the mayor, city commission, city of Miami Beach, Florida, amending chapter 62 of the code entitled human relations by amending article two entitle discrimination by amending division three entitle regulations by creating section 62-93 thereof entitled service animals by adopting regulations pertaining to
service animals and providing for severability clarification and an effective date. This is a second reading public hearing. It is item R5N. Commissioner Dominguez co-sponsored by Commissioner Bot and Vice Mayor Matteo Selenus. So, a friend of the animal welfare committee had uh recommended
that this be put forward so that the city could adopt the state statute for uh no discrimination against people with service animals. And I'll move the item. >> Second. >> Second. >> It is a public hearing. I see no one in Zoom. No one in the audience requesting
to speak. >> Call a vote. >> Commissioner, a motion by Commissioner Dominguez, seconded by Commissioner Suarez. Commissioner Dominguez, >> yes. >> Commissioner Magazine, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Mel Selenas, >> yes. Commissioner Bach, >> yes. >> Commissioner Fernandez is absent. Commissioner Suarez, >> yes.
>> Mayor Miner, >> yes. >> Motion carries. The item is approved. That was item R5N. Let's go to R9 AC. >> R9 AC. R9 AC is discuss action new management
agreement with MDPL or city's procurement process. >> Eric, >> so Mr. Mayor, um I just wanted to highlight that um after the administration put this item on the agenda, we were contacted by the office
of the inspector general mentioning that he has a pending uh investigation going on and he anticipated being able to issue a report on that sometime in the next or or release a
draft report sometime in the next 30 days. Um, I just wanted to put that on the record because I didn't want anybody to be voting on this understanding that we were contacted that there might be some um outstanding items that need to
be resolved. >> Yeah. And I appreciate that. And I I thought it was worthy of calling because there's been quite a bit of attention to this. We've gotten a lot of emails. Uh, so I didn't just want to not call it. So, um, we'll make the determination. >> Mayor, >> Commissioner Suarez. >> Yeah. You know, now that we're on this
topic, I think the last time we discussed this, you know, at least the committee, we wanted to see what changes were made at MDPL as it relates to lobbying, um, fees,
um, being collected from developers, um, and maybe changes to your bylaws, uh, to really prevent what was, you know, egregious, abusive behavior from your previous director. Um, and I'd also
like to call up the inspector general to share a few thoughts >> because he reached out to me personally and said, "Hey, I I don't think this is a uh a good idea to vote on until we get some clarification." So, and I want I
would like Joe to come up and speak because we we did get a deluge of emails in support of extending this contract for three years. And I I don't understand why there was a call to action email sent to your membership
knowing that there is a pending inspector general report. Um and and that puts obviously us in in a very precarious situation. So um if we could just get some answers, Joe and
Roger, that that'd be great. Um that way it's a little bit more smooth sailing once this item does get called. or again after the report is released. >> Good afternoon, commissioners and mayor. Uh Joseph Senoro, Inspector General, is there a specific question you wanted me
to address? I mean, I think probably you all know >> I I got a question for you. >> Oh, go ahead. Go ahead. >> Would it be appropriate now to vote on this item? >> Excuse me. >> Would it be appropriate today to vote on this item? And why? >> You know, we don't have a position on the on the item itself,
>> but as you know, we we have had a a a fairly lengthy investigation going on >> since last summer and which is almost complete. Um and uh you know we have we've loo and and I think without getting into details I'm not going to discuss details but I think everybody
knows there have been some problems in the way the operation has has uh has been carried out in the past and there are some serious problems and we've identified them and uh and we will be putting out a report that will explain everything. Um, I think that however you
go on this, I mean, I think to that there's going to have needs to be some restructuring and some changes made in the in the way uh this thing goes forward. And I think before you can before you really can can solve that or or reach the right uh the right
conclusion, you need to have, you know, as much information as possible. And I think the the information that will come out of this uh uh we have an audit and investigation gone through a lot of financial issues um would be would be helpful um and going forward and again
we we don't take a position on the actual issue before you but I think it would behoove you to uh to have that information before you uh before you made a decision on how to go forward with u you know with this issue. >> And so let me follow up with Roger. So Roger you're the chair of the
organization. Why was there a call to action letter sent out knowing full well that this has been going on since last summer? >> You know, because that puts us in a a precarious situation and it makes makes the res it makes it seem like we're
trying to delay this >> when you know we're just waiting for a a report to come out that highlights some concerns >> because we've gotten so many requests from members who have heard about this. What can we do? And we've done this before. Whenever there's an important issue, we let them know what's going on.
And this is how you can contact people. It wasn't to sway. It was just to show support. Uh because sometimes they feel that we're not supported. >> I'm sorry. >> Some sometimes the members feel that we're not the MDPL is not supported. So
they want us to know what what can they do? >> What do you mean not supported? >> That that they that our building is in jeopardy. Our lease is in jeopardy and and they they legitimately just want to help. >> Okay. Do do you did you notify your
members that you are under an investigation from the inspector general >> office? >> I don't believe we did. No. >> Okay. Well, that's a problem, right? Because, you know, you guys are under a a very long, you know, since last summer
investigation. >> Um, we have a pending report from what I understand. it it keeps on getting delayed because the office of the inspector general keeps on finding new information that raises more and more serious questions.
Um, so you know, I I think if you guys really want to be in good faith, at least with me, I mean, I certainly wouldn't appreciate call to actions to your membership, having them try to get us to vote on an
item that really should needs a little bit more clarity, especially from one of our charter officers. >> I uh I I believe that that's our prerogative to uh do it. We're not doing anything illegally illegal or wrong. We just feel that we're being overly we're
suffering for sins of somebody who hasn't been there for like a year almost. >> You're suffering what? >> We're suffering from sins from pe from people who have not been there for well over a year. We have a new executive director. We have a new chair. We we've
made all these changes. And the problem is with the IG's office is we don't have access to a lot of this information that they're asking for. uh everything was left in total disarray. So we're doing the best we can and it
seems like it it's a really difficult situation for us. So sure if our members say what what what can they do to help I say you know contact you you probably saw the note that we sent out on social >> but you understand our concern right or at least my concern where it seems like
you guys are putting the cart before the horse and you know he's our inspector general is telling us >> hey it's really not a good idea to vote on this until >> you know you get some more clarity on things that I found and then we're getting pressure from residents and members of your organization saying you
need a vote on this. You know, it's important to us. And so, you know, obviously there's a disconnect and I mean, I certainly don't, you know, appreciate it. Um, it seems like we're getting strong armed into this when in reality we should be able to have, you know, full transparency on what's going
on because, you know, let's be honest, some of the issues that he's finding I found and there's a reason why >> you have a new director, >> right? And um you're I know you're new on the job and I'm sure you're going to
do a great job. Um but you know there's been serious concerns over the last decade uh that really has metastasized and you know fortunately for the previous director it was like a house of cards and now it has all fallen down. It has
to the point now where the ethics commission has um is basically found probable cause for um for finding your previous director uh in violation of our city lobbying code and
that's going to happen I believe next week and we'll see where that goes. So, um I would appreciate it if you can update your members and tell them, hey, the reason why this wasn't called and and why the commission didn't vote was
because there's a pending investigation. >> Okay. I I think Meg wanted to >> sorry >> make a comment. >> Good afternoon everyone. I've met I think all of you. My name is Meg Lustau. I'm the new executive director of the Miami Vine Preservation League. Very proud to be that in that position. Um,
my first day was November 17th, so it hasn't been that long, although it does feel like a bit longer. Um, to address your comment, Commissioner Suarez, um, we sent out the email to our members because the vote was today and that's what we knew and we wanted to show all of you the community support that our
organization has. And I think you heard from some of the callers and from someone at the Sutnik hour about the value that MDPL provides to the city through our almost 50 years of advocacy and protecting what makes Miami Beach so special and so unique. Um I take your comments to heart. I've taken all the
comments to heart from the inspector general's office. Um I don't know if we want to go over everything right now, but we are currently in talks with um a uh group called Charity CPA to do um governance, internal controls and operational review. So I I just want to
assure everybody on this commission that we know that things were not done properly and I am not someone who is going to stand for that. Neither is Roger. And um even if there weren't this external pressure, I would be insisting on making these changes as would Roger. So, I know that I haven't been here long
enough to really have the kind of trust that you build up over time, but I'm happy to meet with you individually and discuss any of our operations with you. Thank you, >> Mr. Mayor. >> Commissioner Bot. Oh, I'm sorry. I promised Commissioner Dominguez and Commissioner Bot. >> Oh, just real quick. Um,
>> Commissioner Magazine. >> So, I'm very supportive of Miami Design Preservation League and everything that the organization has done in our city for decades. um you are art deco and it's because of NBDPL that um our postcard exists and that's uh pretty
exciting. I'm a longtime member of MDPL and I'm proud to attend uh your events at the location. I too received a call from the inspector general and the interpretation I received was let's hold off right now on the contract because
there could be tweaks that we'd want to add or that the city would want to add in there. Um, so I think that's where this was coming. But, um, as an organization, you should feel proud of everything that you've done for Miami
Beach. It's been terrific, and I respect both of you, and I look forward to getting past the Inspector General report and continuing the relationship because what you guys advocate for is incredible. Thank you so much.
>> So, um, I have a couple thoughts. First of all, the agenda was published last week and we got the call from the IG. I don't remember if it was yesterday or two days ago, but it wasn't more than two days ago. And so it's um I know it's a very complicated audit
and I know that Roger and Meg and team have been trying to create um recreate information that has been lost or buried or destroyed by prior um the prior director. I I find it really troubling
that there is a a seems to be a a desire to punish an organization that is so central to who Miami Beach is for the um the sins of its former executive director. Um
it was it has been very complicated and um there were problems all along that some of us tried to fix and clearly were not able to get nearly where we needed to be. But that doesn't change that the fundamental mission of of NDPL
um is critical to the city, not just for Ocean Drive, um which as Commissioner Dominguez pointed out would not be existing in its current state were it not for Ocean Drive, but also for Myo up in North Beach and the Neo Mediterranean single family homes throughout Mid
Beach. Um you know, I've talked to Meg about the direction that she is hoping to bring the organization into. um much more education and outreach and um community building which has been sorely lacking um in under the prior
directorship. You know when when um we we currently have an excellent police department. Um there have been years where we have had less than excellent police departments and we have had to deal with it. That
didn't mean that we blew up the police department and we kicked them out of their home. It means it meant that we had to make sure that the proper direction and guidelines and operational procedures were put into place while they continue their work. And that's
what I want to see happen here to um I mean either you're going to advocate to blow up MDPL completely because it doesn't matter which I think is exactly what folks in Tallahassee would love to see. um or you support the organization and want to help bring it into the new
direction with the information from the IG in its current home because to say that you support the organization but they can do just fine um in a fourth floor office off of Lincoln Road is an
insult. Um it is a it is a uh center of learning. It is a community center. Um it is a jewel in the crown of Ocean Drive. Um people wander in all the time. Um it is right in front of the the um uh ocean rescue uh and right next to the
clock so it's prime position and that's how we start educating or that's one of the ways that we can reach out to visitors who might not know about Ocean Drive. So um I am very supportive of ensuring that all of the feedback and the lessons learned and the systems that
need to be put into place will be put into place contractually with KPIs and metrics and if it means monthly meetings or quarterly meetings like you know you guys are cleaning up a mess that you were handed that to me does not mean though that you
blow up the organization and kick it out of its location because in doing So it doing even just just moving it out of that location blows up the organization and I am not in favor of that and I you know I find it amusing to hear that um
how dare you um let people know that there's a vote today when my colleagues we've all sat on the deis and sent out um notes to people um or let residents know when they say hey this is an issue that's important to me what can I do we say you can write you can call, you can
come to the meeting, you can listen to Zoom, you can speak up. I mean, some of the colleagues who are seemingly concerned about this have done this on items that had otherwise been decided and were done and have ended up in in attempted reversals. So, I think it's um
it's pretty rich to to hear that that's something that is problematic. your your res your your membership should know there's an IG report because it's going to be complicated and there are going to be serious changes and they should understand and be excited about the improvements that will come as a result.
So I I don't disagree that that they should know. Um I am a little frustrated that you know when pressed we weren't given a a firm date of when this report will be done. I I don't think it should have come to this point. If this were a concern um Joe that you had that this
shouldn't be heard before um before the report were were uh was going to be issued then I think that should have been communicated to the administration so this could have been deferred or or you know instead of having these lastm minute dramatics and theatrics I think
it's really counterproductive. I think different sides will use it to spin their narrative and instead of letting the truth proceed and move forward together. So I I'm I'm pretty frustrated at this entire situation. >> Commissioner Magazine,
>> Roger, truly want to applaud you. I think you and George uh stepping in from the previous director have really just set a different tone and culture for the organization. Meg, I I look forward to you stepping into those shoes and uh
writing the ship even more, but truly I I can't applaud you and your work enough, Roger. Um just the collaborative tone you've said. We talked a lot up here today in other aspects about culture and tone and um
you you've really led with a collaborative effort. I thank you for that and it's helped me change my perception of the organization because I do think for a long time it was clouded by one individual and I painted with a broad brush. So I appreciate the pivot
that you've helped uh a truly cherished organization uh take. In fact uh your outreach work because I was sitting there I say oh I got an email from my mom. Oh item XYZ save uh the MDPL center. I think we all got it. Yeah. So,
um, >> Mr. Punch violation, >> Mr. Inspector General, uh, if you could clarify, I I get that you can't elaborate on too much with the pending report, but is this into
an individual? If it is a single individual, who are they? Is it multiple individuals? Is it into the organization? Um, that helps kind of clarify things. >> It's there's not an easy answer to that question. I mean there are individuals who did certain things but there are
structural issues within the organization that we think you know contributed in large part to you know to individuals doing certain things. So I mean in general so I mean I think that's that's important to understand we're we're not targeting any the this
organization we're we're looking at a problem that's a serious one. This is a serious uh uh you know serious uh um issue before the before the commission and I have had conversations in the past with you know some of you we have we don't talk about these things publicly
you know generally speaking but um I think you know and and I I have not really interacted with the current uh uh current director here but but she has been interacted with my staff. I've gotten very good reports about the the the cooperation of the current the
current staff. I will say this began before the current staff was there and we had some serious problems getting getting cooperation and getting information. That delayed things for quite a while. Um and uh that was unfortunate, but I think we've gotten to
the point we've finally have gotten everything we needed to get. Um, and uh, it's going to take a little while to to put it all together in a in a coherent report, but um, I think it's important that you have the information that we're going to provide. >> Thank you. And and given what you said,
uh, that there are some changes you're going to be coming forward with to the organization and I think the city commission should be a part of that and I think uh, it's just simple business and leverage, right? like uh we we want that out there and not committing for
three years before we work together collaboratively and I think you have all of our commitments that once we find out where some of these shortcomings were that we work together to change those and I don't want this to be uh rushed you know if we're getting a report in a
month a month and a half I also want time to uh work with the organization to implement some of these changes before locking up a long-term term lease. Uh I'm not suggesting we we put out another RFQ. Keep you in place, right? But let's
defer this perhaps for Azie. When is the lease actually up? >> They currently have an extension. The lease expired in December. They have an extension through June 30th of 2026. So maybe what I would uh propose and this
is just one person. I'll just kind of get the ball rolling and see where it lands from there. Uh vote to extend that by three months. Right. That'll give us time to get your report, digest the report, work with your organization as
we work towards some of those changes, and allow us time then to lock you into pending all those things going well into your longer term lease. >> Mr. Mayor. >> Yeah. First, uh, Commissioner Vice Mayor Matteo Selenus, then Commissioner Fernandez.
>> So, I was once in your shoes. I stood before the podium as the former board chair of the Miami Beach Community Development Corporation. And similar to MDPL, we had some issues with our former executive director and I came on after that after that person had since resigned. And I was a new board member,
we changed our whole board. We changed our new uh administration. We changed the executive director. We did everything that we thought we could in order to save that organization and to turn the ship around, so to speak. And after months of battling with the city and the county about about funding and
about the direction of the organization, we ended up relinquishing the portfolio of affordable housing to the county. Right or wrong, it happened. Um, that organization did not survive. And ironically, your former executive director attacked me during my campaign
for trying to save that organization by claiming that I was responsible, which I wasn't. But if I sat up here and did to you guys what was done to me when I tried to save a nonprofit that really meant well and did a lot of good in this town, I'd be no better. And that's not
my intention and that's not what I intend to do today or ever. Frankly, MDPL is a very important organization. You've worked hard for this town. You've worked hard for this community. You've helped preserve the buildings. There have been some practices that have not
been, you know, kosher, so to speak. Um, and we and I do want to meet with you, Meg. I I think that you're phenomenal and you're a fantastic hireer and you're going to do great at MGPL and Roger, you've fought very hard, too. I do want to meet with you to see what changes you
have implemented in your bylaws and in, you know, your practices and your disclosure statements, lobbying, all of the things which I'm happy to set up with you, Meg. Um, so I would second, you know, because I haven't read the report, I would second Commissioner Magazine's motion to defer this item and to extend your contract, but I uh I do
think that you guys are phenomenal organization and I do support you. Thank you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Fernandez. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Just a question that I have for the city attorney. Um, and I don't know the answer to this question, and similar to Commissioner Magazine, I
don't like asking questions I don't have the answer to. Um, as it relates to management agreements and contracts that we have, can we do we have a termination clause? >> We we typically do have a termination for convenience clause in our agreements.
>> So, so you know, assuming we adopt this today and there there are issues that don't get solved and I think Roger is a credible and a very credible um leader in our community. He has the highest of
ethics. You've been a public servant. I think you've even worked in the White House. >> And now you're the chair of NDPL. Um Meg has a very tremendous and illustrous background in cultural organizations. And we're fortunate that now you've only
been on the job for only two months. >> Almost three months. Almost three months. Um, you know, prayers can move mountains, but I'm not sure you can really change the direction of an entire organization in just three months.
You know, I think I think it's it's difficult to make decisions about the future of of an organization if you you really don't know what you're going to be able to do in the long term. and we've seen that case time and over
again. Um, and so for as long as we have a termination clause in our contract, for as long as we know that if the asurances that were made for transparency, for reform, for separation of fundraising from advocacy, if those
commitments are not met that we can reconsider the contract, we can cancel the contract if we if if if we need to, uh, for as long as we have and we retain that right. I'm fine moving forward because I do trust this this leadership
chair Roger Goldblad Meg who just came in as as the executive director. I think we need to show them trust in their ability to turn this around and get them a deadline. Hey, listen. If what I would do is, you know, move to approve this,
but hey, if by the end of the year, you haven't implemented these changes, you know, you could end up in a difficult situation here where we may have to exercise some of our rights under under under the contract. That's
right. >> And and so I'm saying this as someone, you know, who sponsored the red flag ordinance, Mr. inspector general and the inspector general called me to give me a red flag about about this item. Um,
but you know this is you've been there since what? 1993 >> at at the building since when have you been managing the facility? >> Years. >> 30 years. >> 30 years. >> 30 years. And so, you know,
uncomfortable moving for the approval for as long as we've retained the rights uh to terminate if the changes that we hope to see are not done. >> I'll move the item. >> I have one question, but I'll second it. Um Eric or Azie, I'm not sure. Um
generally, how long does it take to negotiate and complete a contract from time of commission giving you direction? I would imagine it takes more than just a few weeks. >> It would take a few months to negotiate a contract, get it betted out, and then
come back to we we have to go through the finance committee because it will be a new agreement and then from the finance committee then come back to commission. >> So while we're literally while we're negotiating the contract, the IG report will be returned to us and we will have
in real time in our hands the issues that need to be written into the contract. So, it's quite probable that before we even get to the final contract, um it will be written to ensure that the um well, to be generous, the missteps of the past cannot be
repeated going forward. Um there is also a tremendous and I want to give credit to this um and and make sure that everyone hears this. In years past, in many years past, not just the immediate past, but long before I was involved,
there was a real um sense of secrecy about the MDPL. And I I don't know where that came from. I wasn't involved. I suspect it was because they might have felt under attack by people who are trying to undermine them at every turn. I don't
know. But that that was a culture that permeated and it was really frustrating. I can tell you as a former board member when we tried to open the doors and get more people involved or have different kinds of conversations on issues um it
invite more people to the table. It wasn't always welcome and I I can tell you the observation from the outside looking in and from talking to folks who are involved now that is such a dramatic 180°ree change for the better. And I
will tell you guys, you know, you're hearing up here very clearly that you're that the advocacy the advocacy and the work of the organization is vital to the city and and and valued and it's now, you know, no pressure, but I'm just
saying the future of the organization is on your collective shoulders and your board members and your employees need to hear that as well. And you need to set the board up in a manner that when the board asks questions, they actually get answers. I cannot tell you the number of
times when I was on a board was on the board and I asked for information about X or Y or wanted to expand an outreach effort or something was told, don't you worry about it. We've got it. Don't you don't need to know about it. It's fine. And so that is, you know, that is a
fundamental change that I see happening already and needs to continue moving into transparency and and accessibility for everybody. So, um I will second you, um your motion, uh Commissioner Fernandez, with the very clear
understanding that as we go through the negotiation of the contract and as the IG makes his report known and as we collectively work together to safeguard the future of the work that this organization does
that all eyes from around the city and all over the state will be on you guys collectively to ensure that we get what we need collectively. We all get what we need and that's accountability, transparency, and responsibility in addition to the advocacy.
>> And just to clarify, I want to just clarify that my motion is to direct staff to negotiate the new management agreement. Uh that would be my motion. >> I would just say that there is a motion on the floor though. >> I'd like to say a few words.
Joe, >> do you think we should move forward with this? >> You I don't take a position on the issue before you. My my suggestion was that I think putting myself in your position. I would want to know as much as I I could about before I you know we made a
decision going forward. That was a that was my suggestion and is that is my suggestion. Um I although I have no problem with I mean I had no problem with you know extending it on the temporary basis that it has been or even longer than that. Uh you know because I I mean obviously they're there and they
should they should stay there until some something else happen. So um >> I mean I certainly don't feel comfortable moving forward on negotiating when our own inspector general is telling us that you know he has some serious concerns with
fundamentals within the organization. what what if he comes forward with suggestions on on how that's changed and and they say no and kind of we kind of lose our negotiating power um for for the better of MDPL hopefully.
So you know I would cautiously request that you know we just extend it for another 3 months after July. I don't think we should be making any more, you know, I don't think we should be moving forward or directing staff to negotiate until we really get the full
picture of what's going on because, you know, there may be a suggestion that they're not comfortable with. you know, for example, accepting quote unquote donations from developers. You know, if that's not a that's a red line for me, >> if they continue to want to accept
donations from from developers that have >> over the last decade have really eroded our our own zoning laws in Tallahassee. I don't think that's a good idea. I mean, I want to >> I want to make sure that certainly don't reward bad behavior. And again, I know
that a lot of this stems from >> one individual. >> Um, but that one individual was allowed to continue to to terrorize um not only the community, but he he
degraded the the organization. And so, um, you know, respectfully, Commissioner, I'd like to just extend it for three more months past July. I don't see the harm in that. Uh it seems like there's already votes, but I think we want to at least give the public perception that, you know, we listen to
our inspector general and and and some suggestions that he has for for how we govern ourselves. >> Okay. First of all, I'd like to say we changed our bylaws six months ago and I sent you and every other commissioner a copy. The IG's office got it as well. We
we changed the donation policy. We changed the running for office policy. >> What is the donation policy? No, no, no developer. Uh we will not accept donations for more than $5,000 uh from any developer. And if another a
developer ends up doing business with the city, we return the money, whatever donation they give. >> See, I don't I personally don't think you should be taking any money from developers. I think that it raises a serious conflict of interest. I mean, the fact that you're here telling me
that, I mean, most of your donations for developers was $5,000, and I don't really see the difference between now and then. >> Okay, let me let me just finish because you're you're never going to be happy with what we do, I'm afraid. We're
trying as hard as we can. I came in, there were no records. Nothing was organized. It was impossible. We couldn't even change the voicemail on our phone. It still had Daniel's voice giving wrong information, wrong tours,
whatever. It's impossible uh wait even that even I have a chance. I I want to just say like even to that point, >> you know, you're asking us to give away one of our most prized possessions on
the beach and and and sign a contract for a long term and then for you're telling me for the last 5 10 years you didn't have any records ready at the at the at the ready. No, no. I mean, there there are records, >> but you know, you I've also heard quotes
like, "Wouldn't it be nice to change our building into a restoration hardware, which is kind of silly, but >> what?" >> No, that there were rumors people want to do this, they want to do that. Our our building is sacred. Our our cause is sacred. I am the most honest person I
know, most ethical person. I worked in DC for 40 years. I understand ethics very well. I know most of you personally. That's the best example. >> I know. I know. I thought about that after I said it actually. But I know most of you personally. I I I think you
know me. I I I'm not going anywhere. I mean, there were many times, you know, it would be easy to just drop out when you when you see what we were left with. We looked really hard to find the perfect executive director. Uh, you know, we started out in the local area,
then Florida, then the US, and then the world. And we we found Magg. She is the opposite of our previous executive director. She has organized the office. We no longer have any of the former staff working our office anymore.
>> Roger. I I I don't doubt she's doing I don't I listen I don't doubt that she's going to do a phenomenal job. >> But let's be honest and let's let's be honest with each other. The reason why you do have a new director is because I raised serious concerns the way the way
MDPL conducts itself, >> raises its money, takes positions on matter before the city and our planning boards, our historic preservation boards, and how that times with some donations. And I think that's going to come out in the inspector general's
report if I had to guess. I'm I don't feel comfortable moving forward without having the full exact picture because I did a public records request >> for all the donations. And lo and behold, from what I understand,
that wasn't that wasn't fulfilled properly. From what I understand, there's been subpoenas to banks that show a lot more money than what was described to me or or what was given to me and me presented to the public. So
look, if if there are six of my colleagues that want to sign on the dotted line or start negotiations, meanwhile, there's an inspector general telling us that there are he has serious concerns, structural concerns, not just with one individual, but the way this
organization's run, I certainly would that would give me pause, you know, uh on how to negotiate a a a deal or a contract. So, you know, look, um, respectfully, I I'm certainly not going
to be okay with that. You know, if if you know, if I know that there's been conflicts of interest for the last 5, 10 years and your previous director was allowed to continue to do this without any sort of oversight,
you know, what kind of message are we sending to the city that we're going to be able to just continue about it and not and and pretend it didn't have it? Well, just because we hired a new director. So look, I think it's prudent and good governance to at least
see what this report says. Um and then we can make a decision after what you know, especially what magazine suggested. It gives us Commissioner Magazine has suggested with um of reaching out to your organization once
we have it and then it'll give us I think better negotiating power as a commission to get what's best for the city of Miami Beach. >> M we have a motion on the table.
>> Um well I think Commissioner Magazine had a motion. I was going to propose an amendment to my motion, but I think procedurally >> he has my my my motion is out of order because uh Commissioner Magazine had a motion that was seconded. >> And to clarify my motion, which I
believe Commissioner Matteo Selenus um seconded was extend. So Azie, if you could clarify, the lease was extended and now terminates when? >> June 30th of 2026. >> June 30th. Uh, I don't want to have to
get this report and then hopefully negotiate with a gun to our heads or to your head. So, I would like to extend that extension by three months, which will extend to September of 2026. >> August is off.
>> August is off. >> Um, okay. I mean, hopefully though we we have this uh beforehand and we get this done. Um, but
extend the lease through September 2026. That gives us time to get the report, digest it, work with MDPL, if necessary, implement the right structural changes going forward. You have my commitment. Roger, Meg, and the rest of the
organization. Mom, you two. Um, I want to see you remain in this building. I want to see a new and revised MDPL, the organization that we're all proud of that has done that great work perhaps without the rottness at the top, right?
And I'm confident we could do that. And if we can, you have my commitment. I want to see you remain in that building. This just gives us the time uh to do so. Uh Mr. Mayor, >> Commissioner Fernandez. >> So, Mr. magazine. I'll be supportive of your
motion if we can give them until the end of the year. >> Sure. >> Uh Meg is a new executive director. Um she's only been there three months. She can't change an organization over time and I think you know dealing coming into
a new role dealing with art deco weekend uh dealing with the legislature which you've been dealing with dealing with an inspector general request and all that. It's it's owners. It's it's a lot to do in a short period of time. So if uh if
we could uh Commissioner Magazine, >> thank you. If we could extend this to the end of the year, that way we give them the opportunity to make those shifts. We respect the work that the inspector general is doing. There's a
reason that the office exists. Um, you know, I think it'll be the most prudent approach. >> That's fine with me. >> Hey, call the vote. >> May I say just one quick thing? I'm sorry. Um, first of all, you have my personal assurance that we will comply
and respond and react to and learn from the results of this inspector general report. It's an opportunity for us to look at things that we weren't doing properly to make those changes. And as I mentioned, we're also working with a firm that's going to do an operational and governance analysis of our operations. Um, I just wanted to also
say that next Art Deco weekend will be our 50th. That'll be over MLK weekend in 2027. We're already starting to prepare for that. And although Barbara Beer Capman, our founder, technically founded us in 1976, we were incorporated in 1977. So, we're already starting to plan
now for 2027 to be our 50th anniversary year. And we very much look forward to being around and being in our building for that year. and I appreciate all the comments. We we've taken everyone's comment to heart. Um we know we have a lot of repair work to do. We commit to
working with each and every one of you with the off the inspector general and to being the best organization that we can be. Thanks >> me. If if I may, just one of the things that re recurrently that for me is very important, the firewall between
development and fundraising and advocacy. That firewall needs to exist. I have led advocacy organizations particularly in the French Quarter um and that is something that I feel very strongly about that there has to be clear separation advocacy has to be its
own thing it has to be totally independent otherwise it doesn't really matter >> thank you Meg >> um Meg now that I have you know one of the issues that we have was there's no transparency would you be willing to subject
at least part of your organization to the sunshine laws similar to what we have to go through in in terms of if you're going to have a meeting on on an item, I'd like it to be noticed. I'd like it there be minutes taken.
>> Mean an advocacy matter or >> it could be advocacy. It could be fundraising. um you know because you're going to be working in our government building >> and you're going to be getting a heavy subsidy and I think and I'm generally okay with that but I want to make sure
that there's full transparency because some of the issues that I've heard from your own members who used to be on the executive board that there really is no transparency and I would like there to be writing that there your members are
subject to the sunshine law. I would really want to consult with an attorney about the implications of that. I'm not sure as a we are a private nonprofit organization that does have a management agreement with the city. So, we're quasi public in that way, but the independence of our advocacy efforts especially may
often be at odds with something that the city board is recommending. So, I'm not sure how that would work and I would really want to consult with an attorney before making even a commitment about that. >> And that's something that we can talk about over the next year. >> Happy to do so. >> Great. Call the vote.
>> So this is on the extension till December 31st. It's item R9 AC. I have a motion by Commissioner Magazine, seconded by Vice Mayor Matelenos. All in favor, please say I. I. >> I. >> Anybody opposed? >> Hearing none. The item is approved. R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R Rac.
Would that be a reso needed Rick? >> Yes. >> So this will be an after the fact reszo. Okay. >> Thank you. Call C7S. >> C7 S is approve amendment one to agreement
with LSF municipal trolley system. C7S was separated from the consent agenda by Commissioner Suarez. C7S. Commissioner Suarez. >> Thank you. So, can you go over some of the finances, Jose, on this? Um,
so the public is aware. >> Sure. Sure. I'd be happy to. Good afternoon, Mr. Mayor, commissioners. Jose Gonzalez, transportation and mobility director. So, this this item before you is a resolution that approves
uh an increase to the hourly rate of our trolley service during what we call the transition period. The transition period is that time uh under the new contract under our new trolley uh contract
whereby we're still using the current trolley vehicles until the new vehicles are delivered and placed into service. That is a transition period. What this item does is it accounts for uh higher
costs in terms of maintenance in uh insuranceances, repairs, just inflation over the past almost six years. It's been about six years since there's been any type of rate increase. Um >> with regard to our current service,
>> what's the inflation been in the last six years? >> I'm sorry. >> What has been the inflation the last six years? It's calculated it's been about 25%. And what this item does is based on um monthsl long negotiations with the
vendor we've settled on a 15% increase to the current hourly rates which we feel is fair and reasonable considering >> correct me if I'm wrong. I don't think the the national inflation rate has gone up by 25%. the CPI the calculated CPI
has uh was calculated to be about 25% since 20 uh let's see 2020 I believe was when the yes since 2020. >> Okay. But this you just when did you
just said that the contract started in 23 >> this would apply to the current vehicles >> and if you recall that contract is about a decade it's about a decade old. >> So so we'll annualize what is this amount to in terms of dollars.
>> So for this fiscal year the net fiscal impact is approximately $950,000. For a full 12-month period it's approximately 1.4 4 million in addition to >> is that going to be
would that apply to year 27 fiscal year 27? >> This increase would apply immediately as soon as as it's approved and would only be in effect during the transition period. Once the new vehicles come in and are placed in service, then this
rate would no longer apply and a new rate would apply. Would it be higher? >> It would be higher. Yes. >> It would be higher than this. >> It would be higher than this. >> By how much? >> So, >> so the new rate would be 12419
per hour. And uh with this if this item is approved the rate for the current vehicles would be8742 per hour for our highf flooror vehicles
high floor trolleys and $10069 for our low floor trolleys. And then after that, >> so these these rates that I just uh stated would be in effect until the transition period expires and then once
it expires and the new vehicles are in the 12419 hourly rate would go into effect. >> Yeah. I just want to cautious my colleagues that you know with the last I think it was the last meeting we passed the roll back rate and you know if this is going to be an additional $1.4 4
million that's going to come out of our our budget. We really have it's going to have to come from somewhere else. We're going to have to take somewhere money from somewhere else and put it to this. So, um you know, I just I want to caution everyone that you know when when
when something needs more money so and we're we're going to stay committed to the roll back rate, it's going to have to come from somewhere else. And a million dollars is a lot of money and it's it's going to have to be cut from somewhere. So, um
I just want to make sure that everyone's aware of that. Commissioner Magazine. >> Uh Jose, don't mean to keep uh beating this horse, but since our budget meeting uh nearly eight months ago, I I think we highlighted we were preparing for a
large hole or gap in our transportation funding. And we talked about um creative ways to raise revenue. We've talked about advertising. This is completely anecdotal. Uh, but I've been paying increasing notice and
the amount of buses and trolleys we have that are completely unwrapped or completely unadvertised. One, talk about the rates that we're getting, but the fact they're not even being utilized. And we have perhaps our biggest event schedule in Miami Beach's
history occurring right now, right? We're in the middle of it. We had the College Football National Championship game. We have, of course, our uh prized events like our Basil that recur every year. We have a new revamped spring break. We have the World Cup coming up.
We have G20 in a year. I am really having a hard time believing. I mean, we just heard they want to advertise on little robots, right? Little robot delivery things that we can't find better advertising for our
trolleys as a way to plug some of that. Um, I appreciate you highlighting this, Commissioner Suarez. I don't know if we're left with many options. Uh, but but it's going to have to come from somewhere, right? And, uh, we've been sounding that alarm for a transportation
contract uh, for a year. And I I really want to challenge you um, with two things, Jose. If the trolleys are stored overnight at an offsite yard, is that correct? >> That's correct. Then can we get a letter
to commission uh by midweek next week? So you could choose to do it this evening. Your staff could do it over the weekend. Uh how many trolleys we have and how many are wrapped currently with advertising.
And then also I really need you and your team to come up with more creative ways for which we can raise money to plug some of that because we want to have a robust transportation system. Um so let's work collaboratively about how we can bridge some of those funding gaps.
>> Absolutely, Commissioner. And one of the things we're doing is we're looking at our entire operating budget and seeing opportunities where we can either cut service, reduce service, or you know streamline services or eliminate services in some in some cases. And
we're having those discussions as part of our as the the city's budget process. >> And certainly, you know, let's look internally administratively as well. Sounds silly, but if there's just that typical government bloat, subscriptions, administrative functions, and things
like that, uh when we start to cut a billion dollar budget, it shouldn't start with our resident or communityf facing services. We should always reflect within how we can become more efficient, how we can save internally
before we ever start touching things that hit our residents and our community. Mr. Mayor, >> Commissioner Mate, Vice Mayor Matteo Selenus. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, so I have an
item on this agenda. It's a discussion item because I didn't I really didn't want to clog up the committees further. I just wanted to have this discussion but it's item R9J and I you know I've asked the mayor he to call it later. Um but it is about doing creative having creative um proposals to generate
revenue and one of them is naming rights. So once we have that discussion you know I'd like to explore maybe that's a way that we can offset some of these costs that we're we're going to be spending on and so that way we don't cut so much into resident services. And I
still want to encourage you, Jose. Um, and I just remembered this, so forgive me, but um, I I feel like the trolley service is actually quite utilized, and I'd like to see, you know, some numbers, recent numbers this year of last year.
Um, and whenever that can be done, um, but we'll talk about that. So, we'll talk about that offline. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> I'll move the item. You >> have a second. >> Second. >> We have a second from the vice mayor. >> Approving it.
>> I have a motion and a second. I have a motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Vice Mayor Matel Selenus on C7s. All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Anyone opposed? Hearing none. The item is approved. 70. >> Thank you. >> R7 Y.
R7 Y is a proof settlement agreement with SUNTX Marina Investors. Amendment five to lease agreement. >> It's my item. I want to give a nice shout out to um our police department, our code enforcement. There's a lot of
steps taken here to the big picture to clean up uh kind of the some of the chaos we were having at the marina. give a shout out to Sofna, South Fifth Neighborhood Association, who uh was very active in reaching out to all of us up here and we took legislative steps, but of course uh with the enforcement
tool. So, good job all around. And now we'll get to this item regarding the settlement. Good afternoon, Mayor, Commissioners Azie Dominguez, uh division director of asset management for the city of Miami Beach. Uh so uh
R7Y uh is reviewing the OIG um report or the OIG audit on the marina. There were several items that were identified in the OIG audit which uh SUNTX Marina did respond to. Uh over the last few months,
city staff had the opportunity to meet and discuss these items with SUNTX and uh we have reached a settlement agreement with them uh which we wanted to present today for review, discussion and approval. Uh there are a couple of items on the OIG report which actually
were already settled um or or taken care of, cleared up. Uh some of those include the BTRs that were not in place. The the marina and its uh slip owners have their BTRs in place. There was a sales sales tax discrepancy
uh on behalf of the city that was overbuild to Suntex Marina and that credit has been issued. The uh the agreement or the settlement that we have come to terms with with Sunex Marina uh include the following items. Uh the
marina has agreed to provide the city with a thousand square feet of office space in their upland property. Those thousand square feet can be used by either police, code, or ocean rescue. Uh that has a value of $50,000 a year with an increment or an escalation of 3% per
year for the life of the uh the term of the current agreement with the marina. In addition, uh the city currently has one boat slip that they house uh I I believe it's ocean rescue houses a boat there. The marina will provide the city
with two additional 45 ft boat slips. This has a value of $84,000 a year plus escalations for the term of the agreement. Currently, the marina agreement allows the city to gain revenue of 2 cents per
gallon on fuel. The marina has agreed to increase the 2 cents per gallon to 6 cents per gallon. That's a estimated annual revenue of $56,000 per year um in the first year. In addition to that, we will amend the definition of gross
receipts as stated for the upland property operating expense reimbursements to the marina which was identified in the OG report. The operating expenses are basically out-of- pocket expenses by the landlord that are built back to the upland tenants. And
unfortunately, the current agreement does not specify that that is not considered revenue or profit center for the marina. It's a reimbursement for their out-of- pocket expenses. So that definition or that verbiage is going to be cleared up in the agreement. Uh we're
also going to be making revisions to the verbiage on parking revenue where 35% of gross revenue collected less any bad debt will be uh will be going to the
city. And in addition, and lastly, Sunex Marina has agreed to contribute $240,000 to the city towards the marine patrol dock improvement project over in Maurice Gibb Park. This has a total value for the term of the lease of over $9 million
and a present value of about $4.6 million. Mr. Mayor, >> Commissioner Suarez. >> Um, since the inspector general was the one who had some issues with this, I'd like to make sure we have your blessing on this, Joe. Um, another thing that I
wanted to make sure that it's clear, you know, I' I've had many residents come with me over the last couple years, say, "Hey, look, we're trying to get a slip at the Miami Beach Marina, and the wait's two years." Um, I think there
should be a policy that if you're a Miami Beach resident, you get ahead of the line for whatever boat slip or size that you're asking for. Um, since it is our marina. Um, is that
something that you can work into this deal? >> Uh, yeah. I do believe that Miami Beach residents already have first dibs at the slips. So, I need to check on that again, Commissioner. And if not, >> I'd like to see the language in that.
>> It's not a language in the agreement. So, we can definitely work it into agreement. I think it's a policy that the marina currently upholds. So, I'll double check that and work it into the >> What's to say they remove that policy? I'd like to make sure part of this um negotiation and and current agreement.
So with all take it away, Joe. >> All right. Uh Joseph Sanorino, Inspector General, uh mayor and commissioners. Um first of all, the OIG did does not play any role in the in the negotiations. That's the city administration's role to
to they had our information. they had our report and they engaged in negotiations from what and I we've gone I've gone over the you know the u the settlement and spoken to them and and as we went through the that process I did I was in touch with people in the
administration I'm you know I it's I can I can conclude that there was a very good faith negotiation by the city um and they did get some significant u uh some significant convention uh you know concessions by the by the by the marina
and and the value of them I think is significant and um and substantial. Um the unfortunate thing of course is I and I pointed this out, we put it out in the report because of the lack of oversight during the course of the of the marina's operations, it did put the city in a
difficult position, I think in terms of negotiations. So, um that's something I'm hopeful is going to be corrected going forward. Um, I was uh particularly impressed that they were able to get an increase in the uh in the gasoline uh um because that that's that's been that's embedded in the contract and there's no
way that that the city could change that, but they did get a concession raising it from 2 cents to 6 cents and and that was of of some significance and I thought that was uh impressive. I thought so on the whole >> I would say it's a you know it it from
what we can tell it was it was a good negotiation and uh we certainly think the administration did well with it. >> Okay. So right does this our vote does this finalize an agreement that you have before us? >> No we have not um finished the draft of the agreement. We were waiting to
present get some direction or approval and then we can move forward. >> If if I may jump in. So the resolution is drafted does approve the essential terms of the agreement and does not require coming back to commission for
approval of the settlement. So if that's something commissioner that you would like, you would need to amend the the reszo >> to include >> to to present the new the revised amended agreement for review to commission >> the amendment to the lease. And there's a representative here from Sentex who
has no issue with putting our residents to the front of the line and inserting some language into the contract. >> So that it would have to come back for us to approve >> if it is the commission's will. >> I have a question about that. >> Commissioner Fernandez.
>> So right now we have about 40 charters. >> They're there are some tax has about 40 charters. Is that accurate? >> I believe they're down to 30 charters. >> 30 correct. >> Okay. And so with this amendment, which I think is great, it's this is a public
marina. It should be the preference and the first use should be for the residents and the taxpayers who own this public marina should be for the use of the community. I think it's horrible when we have residents and they want to
be able to have a boat and they got to go to Miami or to other parts. So the preference should be for our residents with the proposal that Commissioner Suarez has has mentioned. Once a commercial dock becomes available
because someone left one of those 30 commercial docks, then the preference would be the priority would be a resident before it going out to another charter. >> That is correct. >> 100%. >> You want to come up? >> Correct. Michael,
>> it goes >> firefighter Greeko. >> Not yet. Don't jinx it. Um, good afternoon everybody. Michael Grio on behalf of Sunex. >> I'm pretty sure, don't hold me to it, but I know that historically what we've been doing over the last couple of years is when a when a charter gives up their
slip that we're converting it to private. And then right now the marina has approximately 15% of the private slips are Miami Beach residents. And we already have a policy in place where we give first right of refusal to Miami
Beach residents before we send it out to market. >> Um there is a significant waiting list. So all that we would be doing with this minor amendment would be codifying a policy we already have. >> Yeah, we'd like to tie that into >> That's fine. We talked about I >> first right of refuse and I think that that is it makes sense.
>> Yeah, that's fine >> for for for any slip. So include someone if someone is moving on you know it doesn't matter >> any private slip that becomes available will a preference will be provided >> wet slip dry slip. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> That's it.
>> He spoke to you but I didn't. >> Yeah. >> I don't like catching people by surprise like that. That's good. >> So it'll have to So I would like to propose I'd like to move this as amended for it to come back to us with an updated agreement.
>> Okay. Let's call a vote. I need a second. >> Second. >> I have a motion. >> Motion as amended by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by the mayor. All in favor of C7s as amended, please say I. >> I. >> Anyone opposed? >> Hearing none, C7s is approved as
amended. >> C7s R C7S R7 Y R7 Y >> R seven Y >> R5S. There's another marine item. >> Huh? >> Two more marine items. >> Oh,
>> Y. I'm sorry. We're doing now. >> She just write it down. >> R5S is a Norse of the mayor and city commission of the city of Miami Beach, Florida. Amending chapter 90 of the code of the city of Miami Beach uh entitled solid waste by amending article three entitled collection and
disposal by amending division two entitle collection by amending section 90-97 thereof entitled garbage collection services to modify the threshold number of units in multif family residences for purpose of determining whether solid waste must be collected and disposed by a single family waste contractor or a franchise
waste contractor and by amending article four entitled private waste contractors by amending division four entitled specialty cont special specialty contractors by amending the subdivision two entitle rolloff portable waste container contractors by amending section 90-278 thereof entitled fees and
requirements penalties for non-payment to modify the threshold number of units in a multif family residence applicable to a potential exemption from obtaining a sight specific construction and demolition collection permit and the payment of construction and demolition collection fees upon compliance with certain criteria for consistency with
the amendments to section 90-97 and providing for repealer ability clarification and effective dates This is a first reading. It is item R5S. >> Madame Vice Mayor, Mr. Mayor, >> Commissioner Fernandez. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, so right now
residents or in units in buildings of 9 to 16 units kind of find themselves in this difficult expensive situation where they're usually too small to negotiate a
favorable contract with private waste haulers. um buildings let fewer than nine units, those up to eight units, they're part of our residential um our our residential garbage
collection. But the moment you go beyond nine units, you have to negotiate uh your own contract and you're they're usually too small for favorable contracts with these with these private waste haulers. um which means that they
pay um more for for for service. Uh this would put this ordinance would put those units 9 to 16 unit apartment buildings uh condominium buildings as part of the
uh residential uh waste collection u program. And Mr. director. Um, correct me if I'm wrong. This is going to yield significant savings uh for the major for a great majority of these buildings. Is that correct? >> Yes, sir. John Norris, public works
director. That is correct. Based on our analysis, the vast majority of customers would see a significant decrease in their monthly cost for solid waste. >> And we saw some samplings of some numbers. Some some buildings might be
getting up to $1,900 uh in savings. A lot of them over for sure over $1,000 in savings on a on a monthly uh basis. And when you're talking about these small buildings,
$1,000, $1,900 on a monthly basis. Those are real big numbers and significant savings that we can pass along to to to our residents. Mr. Director, would it be possible to allow owners of these uh
multifamily structures, whether they be apartment buildings or condominiums, to opt into the program on an annual basis? From an administrative standpoint, I don't see an issue. The only question that I would have would be the legal
side of it, especially as we negotiate this into the waste connections residential contract. Typically when solid waste contracts are negotiated it involves a finite number of units and that's updated annually from the tax
roles typically. So that would be my only concern but administratively I think we could do that. What would be great is between first and second rating if we could find a way uh in which in which these 9 to 16 uh unit apartment
buildings uh if they want to opt out and have their own individual contract that they opt out but if we don't hear from them they're just part of our uh residential program. We help these oftentimes these are self-managed um associations.
Uh they don't have professional management. They don't have brokers. Often times, um, these are mom and pop landlords who are insophisticated or buildings that are passed on from generation to generation. We can help it make it easier for them and hopefully
save costs that get passed down to the tenants. Uh, when we were talking about the dividend, uh, about the return of of the surplus, there was a lot of discussion. Well, what are you going to do for tenants? What are we what are we going to do for people who are at
homesteaded? Well, this is one of the things that we can do. finding ways where in our structure of how we operate our services, we can identify not a one-time dividend check, but actually a continuing and recurring saving on a
monthly basis that hopefully these condominium associations will pass that saving on to their condo owners uh by means of their of their fees or better yet the landlords passing on that savings down to their tenants.
So with that, I move the item. >> Commissioner Dominguez. >> Yeah, I had a similar um amendment that I would like to make. So between first and second reading, if we can make sure that all multif family residences between 9 and 16 units
would be able to apply annually to have the waste collected by the single family waste contractor. >> Happy to email it to you. >> No, that that that's fine. We can certainly do that. just work on the language. >> What I want to make sure is that through
the mayor is that again them some of these being buildings that are self-managed people who you know have other jobs and all that and this is not their full-time job that if they don't you know opt out that they're automatically part of the residential
program that's going to save them money. If I may ask for clarification, is the idea that multif family residential units between 9 and 16 would have to opt in or would have to opt out of the current of the new
>> opt in opt in. >> Well, my intent is for them to opt out. >> Okay. Well, >> so that so that if if so that so that if they don't and and I'll I'll you know, whatever you think is best. But what I want I want the default to be that we're
going to help these these tenants, these condo owners save money by having their buildings automatically be part of the residential waste agreement. But if the buildings choose not to because they want to negotiate their own contract that then they opt out. But the default
I wanted to be to be able to help them save money and automatically be part of this residential waste agreement. Commissioner Fernandez, may I ask a question? >> Yes, of course. >> If they opt out initially, can we just put it on them to contact us if they want to opt in in the future so we're
not doing an annual >> Yeah, I'm fine with that. >> Is that okay? >> Yeah, of course. >> Okay. >> And happy to work with you, the city administration. Happy to have a sunshine meeting with Commissioner Dominguez uh so that we can iron out terms. But any opportunity that we have to save people, I mean, thank you for putting together
that list. It was really very impressive the amount of money we'll be able to save our residents. >> Welcome. >> Great. Thank you. So with that, I move the item >> second. Call vote. It is a public hearing and I have Mr. Johan Moore
requesting to speak. Go ahead, sir. >> Good afternoon again. Uh I cannot emphasize how important this piece of legislation can be for Palumingo Park neighborhood. my own uh building, not
condo. The condo covers two lots. My own uh building has eight units, six of which are rather small. What that means is that an average lot that has two floors uh and is a contributing building
in my neighborhood will be covered. Uh and that applies to the great majority of contributing buildings in the historic district. Thank you. >> Thank you. here. Is there anyone else in the audience who wishes to speak? If not, Mr. Seraldo, you're up on item R5S.
>> Yes. Hi, this is Daniel Seraldo. And you know, I did have my hand up and I sent emails when I was being mentioned on the prior item and nobody responded. Um, but just briefly, I want to say that any investigation should be allowed to continue and then allegations should be
made. It was very alarming to see uh commissioners making allegations about me and MDPL without any evidence. And uh we'll deal with that in another venue. Uh but thank you for letting me speak. Bye. >> Anyone else? Seeing none, public
hearing. >> Thank you, Mitch Beerman. on behalf of waste connections with uh offices of 2800 ponds and coral gables. I just wanted to point out that you also have an item R90 on your agenda which is discussion item on waste that might be
um relevant to the discussion you're having now. Thank you. >> Thank you. Mitch, >> another Mitch Novik, I was dozing off. How is this going to impact me? I uh own a 9-unit building in the Flamingo Park neighborhood.
This should impact you favorably. >> Okay. And how how will that work? >> So, we'll have to look at the individual building, see what you're currently paying, and show you what you would pay under the residential plan. We have done an exercise where we've taken a sampling
of buildings throughout the city and shown the savings based on that sampling. >> Okay. >> So, what we're happy to sit down with you or waste connections be happy to sit down with you and figure that out. >> Great. It is waste connections at the moment. Thank you. and Mitch and if for whatever reason you are in one of the
odd situations where you're not seeing a savings uh or or if putting you into the residential program affects a larger contract that you may have with other properties that's why you know we would be contemplating giving you the opportunity to opt out
>> so that then you can negotiate your own because there might be individual landlords like yourself you might have this small building you might have another small building >> that is that the case. But >> exactly. And so this could give you that flexibility if you so choose, stay in what we're offering to you as part of
the residential and get savings or if it's better for you, you can opt out from that. >> Just looking for savings. Thank you. >> There you go. >> Thank you, Commissioner Monica Enson, on behalf of James Kavanagh. Thank you for that amendment. We really appreciate that. Um, representing a a single single
building owner is one thing, but when you have an owner that has multiple buildings throughout the city that are individually owned by separate entities, the city's not aware of that, right? You look it up and you see one entity and you think they're they're having a great deal, you're reducing the price for one
building. But when this individual has a number of buildings throughout the city that they negotiate broader contracts, it may impact them negatively if they cannot negotiate for all of their structures and all of their buildings at once. So, we really appreciate the ability to allow these owners to opt in
or opt out, whatever the city attorney uh deems best for the city. But as long as they have the ability to make their own choices as it relates to their buildings, we appreciate. Does through the mayor, >> Commissioner Suarez, does this opt in
and opt out only apply to the next tier of of uh condominiums? For example, right now it's 1 to four. Correct. >> It is 2 to eight. Well, one to eight units would go on the residential contract. With this, it would be 9 to 16
would be added. >> Right. So, what if there's someone under um >> under eight or under four? Does this does this apply to >> What if I own a forplex and a 12-unit building? Uh would I be if now I own a a
forplex, would I be able to opt my forplex out of the residential contract to be able to negotiate a better deal with, I don't know, 24 unit building that I have? I think if we change this ordinance to include two through 16
and put some language in there to allow them to opt out, but currently this only addresses 9 to 16, >> we we can modify the ordinance the way that the body wishes to do so. So, if the body wants to allow anything over one unit to opt out, currently, as you
know, 2 to 8 is automatically part of the uh single waist hauler contract. So, it's up to you all. >> Maybe maybe we could have a sunshine meeting to talk about that with the city attorney, with the public works director to see, you know, how would that work. I
don't know if the contract right now, if our residential waste agreement currently requires us to keep uh one through eight units uh as part of that contract. I, you know, I don't know. I don't I don't know that we can make that
decision here right now. Let's work on that between first and second already. Commissioner, I'd like to have a sunshine meeting with you. >> I move the item. >> Second as amended or proposed to be amended. >> And there's no one else requesting to speak. May I call the role? >> Yes.
>> This is as amendment. Amended. Motion by Commissioner Fernandez, seconded by Commissioner Suarez. Commissioner Bot, >> yes. >> Commissioner Dominguez, >> yes. >> Commissioner Fernandez, >> yes. >> Vice Mayor Matelin, >> yes. Commissioner Magazine, >> yes. >> Commissioner Suarez, >> yes. >> Mayor Miner, >> yes.
>> Motion carries. Item R5S is uh approved for first reading as amended. Second reading, public hearing is scheduled for February 25th. That was item R5S. Let's call R90. Related item. >> R90 is discussed waste hauler hybrid option for residential commercial waste
collection. R90. >> So, Mr. Mayor, thank you for calling this companion item. Um the bless you. Uh the most impactful portion of this was the item that we just heard as first
reading of the ordinance. Um and that will basically pave the way for us to move forward with an RFQ for the new franchise agreements. um if would be amendable of this commission if
we could get that direction so that we can start preparing that and then the RFQ would come back to you at a future meeting >> Rick I'm sorry I missed something I had stepped out may you repeat the question sure so R90
is a discussion on the um commercial waste hybrid option which is the taking the 9 to6 units putting them into the residential contract and then moving forward with the RFQ for the um the
waste hauler franchise agreements. Um since we've moved forward with the 9-6 option, I was only asking if we could continue to move forward with the remainder of the waist hauler solution. Yes, you can.
>> Okay, fair enough. We'll bring it back next month or the following. >> That's all you need? >> That's all I need? >> Sure. >> When I arrived here in 88, I believe there was seven waste haulers. Uh, and now we're down to two. I It would be
great if you can consider just one more. So, it doesn't seem like uh there's a monopoly. Thank you. >> So that's that's the intention of moving forward with this is so right now the ordinance caps it at five, but you're correct. We currently only have two and
we want to have a few more. >> That would be great. Thank you. >> We good. Okay. Let's call um we have two sunte two marina related items. Let's just close
the loop. These should be quick. R9W and R9X. >> And Mr. Mayor, there's also >> R9W is discussed update of Miami Beach Marina lease agreement audited by Inspector General. R9X discuss commercial vessel pickup drop off at Marina uh Miami Beach Marina
>> and and Ralph there's R9M2. >> R9M discuss take action update of municipal prosecution. M I'm sorry. >> M is in Mary. >> Sorry. Discuss take action enhance measures to remediate charter vessel issues at Miami Beach Marina. All right. So, as to R9W,
we that's already addressed. That's that's duplicative. And then R9X, which is the pickup and drop off. I know Mr. Mayor, you and I spoke about this. I spoke with uh Commissioner Suarez as well. Just for the the the rest of the commission,
again, Michael Grio on behalf of SUNTX, the commercial vehicle pickup and drop off has been a concern, especially the return uh when the when they return to the slips. So what Suntex has already agreed and what we've already been doing over the last couple of months is in
docks JK and H which are the southernmost docks that have charter vessels and they're the ones that are adjacent to the yach club and to the morano at Portoino. What we do is we require those charter vessels upon their return to go to the fuel dock as opposed
to returning to their individual boat slips. So this way they go to the fuel dock, they go straight over to 300 Alton which is the Monty what what is lovingly called the Monty's building and then they are picked up by vehicles there and we already have the vehicle drop off at
drop off and pickup at 300 Alton. So we've already taken those remedial measures at the direction of the mayor. >> Great. So, we want to make sure those were those were addressed and if there's any other issues that the commission may have, then we're here to address them.
>> And for Mr. Clerk, this item that we're discussing right now is R9X. >> Okay. Beautiful. >> Uh, Mr. Mr. Mayor, were there any other concerns on the operations that there there was three items and that's why we were >> shuffling back and forth because the
three some some of the items were already addressed with the >> correct >> uh the R seven item that we presented earlier. I think that we've cleared all of them up. Uh I know that there was another possible pending discussion on the Uber and Lift drop offs and that has been cleared up as of three or four
months ago. Um and everything there's been no more complaints from residents um especially from the yach club. All of that is uh has been um per the BTR address which is 300 Alton Road. That's the official drop off. >> Yeah. And that's why I started off the first item thanking our commission and
and our whole team because the complaints we were getting were were fast and furious and we're getting videos and that has completely subsided completely. So um obviously hopefully it stays that way. If not, we'll uh we'll spring back into action. >> We'll continue to stay on top of that. >> Thank you. >> Okay.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. >> Thank you, Commissioner. >> It's called R5P. R5P is an orders of the mayor, city commissioner of the city of Miami Beach, Florida, amending chapter 70 of the city code entitled miscellaneous offenses by amending article two entitled public faces by amending division three
entitled alcoholic beverages by amending section 70-87 entitled consumption service sale and possession of open containers and alcoholic beverages on or in public places. Warning signs required by amending and setting forth exceptions to the prohibition of unconsuming, serving, selling or possessing an open
container of an alcohol alcoholic beverage on or in any public place and by amending and clarifying the responsibilities of alcoholic beverage establishments and and persons or entities authorized by the city to sell alcohol beverage on or in any public place. regarding the prohibition on allowing any person to take an alcoholic
beverage from the license premises or authorized area and protecting the repealer servability and effective an effective date. This is the first reading public hearing. It is item R5P. >> Commissioner Magazine. >> Thank you for this, Mr. Mayor. Uh, you know, we've spent so much time talking
today how we've pivoted away from the anything goes party crowd uh from the crime and chaos that uh had plagued our city in years past and how we're focusing on health, wellness in an elevated environment. Miami Beach, I think we're uh perfectly capable of
walking and chewing gum at the same time. Uh this I view as an amenity to our residents, our tourism. uh this is providing in very limited specific areas that are specified and Mr. Manager is there uh city staff here to present or is that through you?
>> So I can handle this item. Um if >> I'll go on I just uh referring to you for questions. Um so this will be in a limited area uh where alcohol is served by our beach concessions. Um it will be well regulated. Uh there will be a lot of uh protocols in place. We discussed
the training that the concessionaire employees would need to uh maintain well achieve and then maintain. Uh and also it's a revenue uh ri uh raising opportunity for our city. We talked earlier today how we could have a million dollar funding gap just from
that transportation item. When we look at uh what's happening in Tallahassee, we're looking at an unprecedented strain that we can't even begin to fathom the effects that that will have on our budget if there's some type of uh elimination, removal, or alteration of
homesteaded taxes. So, this is a way for our city to generate revenue. Uh we've been very budget focused. Because of that discipline, we're sending back $500 checks to residents, right? How great is that? For the first time in 20 years, we're sending back $500 to every
homesteaded resident. And we talked about creative ways to raise uh revenue. And like I said, because we are in a much different place right now than we were 5 years ago, this really provides us a great opportunity to continue elevating that
beach experience in a limited number of ways. We see this across the board in some of the most uh high-end sophisticated markets in the world. uh in Europe in San Drop along the beaches in uh the south of France, the south of Italy. Um so like I said, despite
pivoting away from the uh where we were years ago on spring break and focusing on health and wellness, we can walk and chew gum at the same time, allow an elevated experience that's in a limited number of locations uh for alcohol consumption on the beaches that is well
regulated, wellmaintained, and bringing in a significant amount of money and revenue for our city. Move the item. >> I'll move the item. >> Second. >> Call the vote. >> It is a public hearing. I see no one in Zoom. No one in the audience requesting to speak. I have a motion by
Commissioner Magazine, seconded by Vice Mayor Mateo Selenas. If there's no discussion, I will call the role. Commissioner Dominguez. >> Yes. >> Okay, got it. Commissioner Bach, >> yes. >> Commissioner Suarez is a yes. Vice Mayor Matel Selenas,
>> yes. >> Commissioner Magazine, >> yes. >> Commissioner Fernandez, >> no. >> Mayor Miner, >> yes. >> Motion carries. Second reading. Public hearing is scheduled for February 25th. >> Call R7 O. Yes.
>> I'm sorry, mayor, I couldn't hear. >> Sorry. R70. R70 is fun rainbow crosswalk at Lumis Park. R70. >> So this is a simplement of the rainbow crosswalk that was torn
up at the request the mandate of our state government government. Easy for me to say. Um the artists and architects and landscape um architects who were involved in its original
creation donated their services proono to the city to come up with a um a very understated way to honor the crosswalk um by flipping it almost um exactly into the park in Lumis Park. Um it's not
going to add more paving per se to the the sidewalk. Um it is going to replace existing pavement with these pavers and there'd be grass in between. Um there are potential plans for a um uh an
extension of this initial um um layout, but we have the pavers. It is um not just literally a crosswalk, but the the shape of the crosswalk will be should have I should have thought to um bring the image. That would have made life much easier. Um the the crosswalk will
be extended so it's a true full rainbow. Um the corners will be made up of the actual broken pavers. Um we happily have quite a number of the pavers that were um palletized once they were removed. So we don't have to create more pavers. We also have pavers left over. It is a
small cost to to do this. It's basically our staff to um to pull the permits and do the installation. And this is a hot topic for a couple of reasons. One is that um you know I was there the evening that the um pavers were ripped out and
the number of people who stopped by and were emotional and distraught. Tourists were saying we may never come back to Miami Beach. This is such a um devaluing of who we are as a community. And um I
would say that that we is obviously the LGBTQ community, but it's all of us. It's the entirety of the Miami Beach community. I mean, the the reason why it was done in the colors it was done originally was to pay respect to Leonard
Horowitz, who was instrumental in helping revive the art deco neighborhood with his color palette. Um, it is symbolic for so many people for so many different reasons. And it is critical that we get this approved here and now so that the city administration can move
forward and have it be in place in advance of our April Pride Month so that we can celebrate and um reclaim our our proud um advocacy for all of the communities who make Miami Beach home.
With that, I'll move it. >> Mr. Mayor, >> Commissioner Fernandez. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. >> With all my heart, I want to thank Commissioner Bod uh for sponsoring this resolution. Commissioner Mat Selenas for co-sponsoring
uh this item uh because preserving the legacy, reinstalling our rainbow crosswalk using these salvaged pavers. Um it's about visibility. It's about dignity. It's, as you mentioned, it's
about recognizing how emotional this was and sending a message to our LGBTQ community and to the world about who we are. But what makes this especially meaningful is that this effort is being
advanced by straight allies on this commission. It's easy for for me as an openly gay man to sponsor this, but it means so much more. And the message is so much stronger when it's you, our straight allies, who come together uh to
demonstrate kindness, to demonstrate support, uh to demonstrate your alle allegiance. So, thank you so much uh on be on behalf of our community for doing this. I fully support your efforts and
um and when colleagues who themselves are not members of the LGBTQ community step forward to carry messages like this, it truly does send a powerful signal and message. So, thank you, Commissioner Bon, >> Commissioner Magazine.
>> I think this just uh really piggybacks on our comments this morning of being the most welcoming, inclusive uh community in South Florida, in the United States. I think that's something we're all proud of. So, I'll move your item. I'll uh I'll co-sponsor that. Thank you. >> I second it
>> and I'll co-sponsor as well. >> Let's call the vote. >> I have a motion by Commissioner Magazine, seconded by Commissioner Bot. All in favor of the item R70, please say I. >> I. >> Anyone opposed? >> Hearing none. The item's approved 70. I
heard co-sponsor >> I'd like to co-sponsor too. >> So, co co-sponsorship request by Commissioner Dominguez. I believe I heard Fernandez and I heard one more. Who was it? A magazine co-sponsor.
Thank you. That's R70. R7X. R7X is prek scholarship program increase. R7X. This is being sponsored by Commissioner Suarez and I. >> Commissioner, >> I'll join as well.
>> Me three. >> Okay. This should be an easy one. >> Just for anybody watching, you want to explain it, Commissioner Suarez? You want me to give a brief? >> You go for it. >> So, this is a program we implemented several years ago. The state of Florida has a VPK program for prek students,
scholar uh scholarships for uh students who are going to non-public public schools. Doesn't have it's it's open to any private school. And we have uh individuals in Miami Beach from a really a broad spectrum of individuals who who apply for and gain from this. We were
the only city and I believe we still are the only city in the state of Florida that offers this program in addition to what the state offers. It's a $3,000 scholarship. Last year we closed the loop the the shortfall. This year we had not during the budget process. So we had
192 people who were awarded the 3,000. We had 37 individuals who were weight listed. This would close that shortfall of 111,000. So, everyone who applied and is eligible would receive the funding. It's a great program. Uh, so looks like
we have a full almost full co-sponsorship. So, thank you. >> How about just a quick question, how do we get the word out about this program? Good afternoon. I'm Leslie Rosenfeld, chief education and performance officer.
So, we're actually in our fourth year. We have currently uh 29 um prek provider partners and we work uh throughout the year to ensure that every resident is informed that this opportunity exists. We work with our existing partners.
We've wor we work with the um uh early learning coalition and the state's department of uh children and families to ensure that the information is uh all over the community so that our community is aware and then anyone contemplating a move to Miami Beach who may be eligible
is aware as well. It's very consistent with our theme of uh of of promoting people to stay here and to to move here in a in a great place where we offer first class education. Um and this is uh just another tool that we we offer and I
think it's uh it's been very well received and uh by Miami Beach community. >> Get a motion, please. >> And and St. Patrick's has a prek program. >> Yes, they do. >> Okay. because I think of the list that that you shared with me, I didn't see
St. Patrick's as one of the schools. >> They are currently not a partner. However, the application to be a partner is available and open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and we encourage any
eligible prek provider to enroll and partner with >> want to make sure. Let's work together as I want to engage with St. Patrick's. They have a very big school here in Miami Beach and it just it stood out to me uh a lot of wonderful school even
schools outside of Miami Beach. Yes. >> Um you know are benefiting from this. I would want to make sure that the students of our PK program here in St. Patrick's are also able to participate in this program. We might need to >> We've met with um Father Sid and and uh
leadership at the school. We invite them every year to join us as do families that apply and win our scholarship and would like to use it at St. Patrick's. So, um, St. Patrick's as well as any other prek provider are, um, welcome to partner with us. >> So, do you know why St. Patrick's hasn't
applied? >> We invite them every year. We encourage their partnership as do members of their, um, of the uh, of their >> So, let's let's just work together to proactively. let's work together and reaching out, letting them know, hey, listen, the programs here, we've noticed
that you haven't applied because in order for parents and families to benefit from it, you need to be a part of it. So, let's if you don't if if if the body wouldn't mind, uh I'd like to work with the administration in proactively doing that outreach. Those are a lot of families, a lot of Catholic
families agree >> here in Miami Beach that we want to make sure that they are afforded the same opportunity to participate in this program. So maybe we just need to walk them through the process or educate the school a little bit better on how to qualify. >> No, I'm glad you're I'm glad you're highlighting that, Commissioner
Fernandez. Um I I remember it was several years ago. It wasn't St. Patrick's. I don't remember the school, but I remember there was a school that was invited and they and and I recall hearing a reason why they didn't want to participate. Is there any I don't know if that applies to St. Patrick's. Is there a reason why
a school wouldn't want to participate? I think that the school site administration there's there's been different reasons throughout the years when a family because the families ultimately choose uh where they want to send their children and so if the school that they are selecting doesn't want to
participate. Sometimes it is uh a staffing issue. Uh they already have other programs in place. uh they may not want to um be involved uh with the process we have in place for reimbursement. There's there's been
different reasons over the years. Uh some of our families have been quite persuasive in um convincing the schools that they would like their children to attend to join us. Uh that's the reason we are up to 29. So um we certainly can reach to uh St. Patrick's uh and any
other school that parents are seeking um access to for our scholarship. >> Let's work together. Let's work out together. Reaching out to >> maybe St. Patrick's be number 30. >> Maybe. There you go. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Need a motion, please.
>> I'll move it. >> Motion by Commissioner Fernandez, seconded by Commissioner Bot on R7X. All in favor, please say I. >> I. I. >> Anyone opposed? No. Uh the item is approved. 70. And just for the record, I heard Commissioner Bot, Fernandez, and Dominguez requesting to co-sponsor the
item >> as magazine. >> No. So, the vice mayor as well. Okay. So, everyone is co-sponsoring the item. Perfect. >> Excellent. >> Let's call R5E and R5F together. R5E
R5 E is an ordinance order to the mayor city commission of city of Miami Beach Florida amending the city of Miami Beach year 20 240 comprehensive plan pursuant to the expedited state review process set forth in section 163.3184 subsection 3 Florida statutes by amending goal RU1 entitled resilient land use development
objective RLU 1.1 entitled establishment of future land use categories policy 1.1.7 entitled highdensity multif family residential potential RM3 to establish a 5,000 square foot floor area ratio F bonus for the RM land use category for ocean front properties within the FINA
overlay district that contain a contributing historic structure and providing for inclusion in the comprehensive plan transmitter repealer of aability and an effective date that is item R5D it is a second reading public hearing it companion item R5F is an ordinance of the mayor city commission of the city of Miami Beach
Florida amending the code of the city of Miami Beach sub part B entitled land development regulations by amending chapter 7 entitled Zoning districts and regulations article 3 entitled overlay district sub subsection 7.3.5 entitle fina district overlay to provide a 5,000 square foot floor area ratio bonus for
oceanfront properties that are 65,000 square ft or larger and contain a contributing historic structure and providing for applicability repeater servability clarification and an effective date. This is item R5F. It is a second reading public hearing. The item requires six vote. I think I heard a motion from
Commissioner Fernandez with a second from Commissioner Dominguez. >> Commissioner Magazine. >> Uh sometimes I I don't think we really uh promote the amazing things that are going on in the city and this area here. Uh this will be the American Riviera in
several years, right? We have some of the most prized properties in the entire world, including the Sherbrook. Okay. um along this area. One to get Mitch's not of approval. Uh but truly we have the Shore
Club being renovated. We have new owners of the Delano moving that project forward. We have uh um the SLS that's under renovation right now. And we have the Fina, which has just been such a tremendous asset to our city. The Aman,
the Bulgary, Kasa Chipriani. This will be one of the most prized coveted areas in the entire world. And I think it's, you know, appropriate to embrace that, to celebrate that. And while we have the project sponsor here, my question to you is what's the update?
When can this get done? When can we expect uh these projects to really start filling in, activating our ecosystem, activating our economy, and being our uh kind of crown jewel. >> Thanks, Commissioner Magazine, and thanks to the fellow commissioners. Uh the mayor, we um are very excited to
progress. if you've been by the site um at 3425 Collins Avenue um is well under construction um and uh we plan to open the hotel by the end of 2027 um and open the residences in the summer of 2027 um so we are getting closer and closer now I could say it's actually next year uh
which is hard to believe um but uh the progress we just poured the eighth floor of the residences on Monday in fact so we'll top out this summer >> for the record if you can say your name >> sorry Mayel Patel with OKO Group um and uh which is developing the Aman on hotel and residences uh 3425 Collins Avenue.
Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Exciting. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Do we have a motion from Commissioner Fernandez, second from Commissioner Dominguez? >> It is a public hearing. I see no one in Zoom and no one in the audience requesting to you. Or do I? >> Let's call a vote.
>> Mr. Novik is >> Mitch. Mitch Novik want to commend the development team for the uh very impressive uh job they're doing. Just the question regarding the language, the project has already been approved.
Why a 5,000? Uh what whatever it is, uh why why why a bonus? What am I missing? It's it's not a bonus. It's interior space as if I may through the mayor. It's interior space that exists that is being
repurposed as usable space, but it's not adding volume or square footage to the building. Mr. Director, is that correct? That's correct. >> Okay. >> So, since you're making it into usable space and it's no longer >> it's not going to count uh it's going to count against F.
>> Exactly. >> Got it. Thank you. >> See, I see no one else in Zoom. Oh, actually I see Daniel Saldo. Please go ahead, sir. >> Mr. Saldo, go ahead. >> Yes. Hi, Daniel Saldo, resident of Miami Beach. Uh just want to put on the record
that our city charter had a referendum requirement that would have put this vote uh to the voters and that was removed by the state in 2023 HB41. And so it's very unfortunate because
once again, control of zoning should stay with the voters, should not be with commissioners, should not be with the developers, and we must gain back that referendum ability because we're seeing more and more. I heard the Raleigh also has an F increase proposed. So, let's
take back our city. Thank you. >> I see no one else, sir. >> Let's call a vote. This is both on item R5E and R5F. Vice Mayor Mattel Selenas, >> yes. >> Commissioner Suarez, >> yes. >> Commissioner Bot,
>> yes. >> Commissioner Magazine, >> yes. >> Commissioner Fernandez, >> yes. >> Commissioner Dominguez, >> yes. >> Mayor Miner, >> yes. >> Motion carries. Both items are approved. We'll call R5B and R5 C together.
R5B is an ordinance the mayor city commission of city by beach Florida amending amending the city of Miami by beach year 20 240 comprehensive plan pursuant to the expedited state review process of section 163.3184 subsection 3 Florida statutes by amending the resilient land use and development
element goal RLU1 entitled land use objective RLU 1.1 entitled establishment of future land use categories at table RLU 1.1 to conform to table RLU 1.1 with the amended floor area ratio F regulations for each respective future
land use category by amending policy RLU 1.1.6 6 entitled medium density multif family residential RM2 policy RLU 1.1.9 entitled medium intensity commercial CD2 policy RLU 1.110 entitle high me
highintensity commercial CD3 and policy RLU 1.128 entitled general mixeduse commercial performance standard CPS2 to provide F and density incentives to inc en encourage the development of non-transate residential uses and the conversion of existing transient uses to
to non-transient residential uses for applicable properties located on Washington Avenue by amending objective RLU 1.2 entitled land use regulations to amend policy 1.2.8 Eight entitled residential use incentives to amend the minimum standards for obtaining the F and density incentives set forth in this
ordinance providing for qualification repealer servability transmitt and an effective date. That was item R5B is a first reading public hearing. Its companion item is R5C which is an ordinance to the mayor and city commission of the city of Miami Beach amending the Miami Beach resiliency code by amending chapter one entitled general
provisions article two entitled definitions with section 1.2.1 2.1 entitled general definitions by amending the definition of floor area and creating the definition for microobility station by amending chapter 5 entitled off streetet parking article two entitled vehicle parking bicycle parking
and off streetet loading requirements at section 5.2.4 Four, entitled vehicle off off streetet parking requirements by amending the parking requirements for parking tier 2 by amending chapter 7 entitled zoning districts and regulations article one entitled general to all zoning districts by amending section 7.1.11 entitled residential use
incentives to establish residential use incentives specific to properties fronting Washington Avenue from fifth street to 17th street by amending article 2 entitled district regulation section 2 section 7.2.5 entitle RM2 residential multif family medium intensity at subsection 7.2.5 2.5
entitled Mid Beach Residential Use incentive RM2 to establish residential use incentives specific to properties and applicable RM2 zoning districts by front fronting Washington Avenue from 6th Street to 7th Street by amending section 7.2.11 entitled CD2 commercial medium intensity district at subsection
7.21.5 211.5 entitled Washington Avenue CD2 to modify existing development regulations specific to properties fronting Washington Avenue and to create a residential incentive area specific to Washington Avenue by amending section 7.2.12 entitle CD3 commercial highintensity district recreating
section 7.2.12.5 entitled Washington Avenue residential incentive area CD3 to create a residential incentive area specific to Washington Avenue by amending section 7.2.15 2.15 entitled Performance Standard District PS. That's subsection 7.215.3 entitled commercial performance standard
district CPS to create a residential incentive area specific to Washington Avenue and provide for codification repeal of ability on effective date. This is a first reading public hearing. This item requires 67 vote. That was R5C. >> Commissioner Suarez and co-sponsored by Commissioner Magazine.
>> That was the longest. That must have been the longest. >> We should put that clock on you. >> Yeah. Good job, Ralph. >> Uh, colleagues, before I walk through this presentation, you know, I want to take a step back
and, uh, and talk about what we're really trying to do here. The status quo in Washington undeniably is a downward trajectory. You know, we've tried surf surface level fixes like landscaping, lighting, tree
wrapping. Um, those help, but they do not change the fundamentals. Today, we still see vacant storefronts, foreclosures, homelessness, nuisance businesses, and an overconentration of adultoriented
uses and smoke shops. In a roughly onem stretch, there are more than 35 vacant or neglected storefronts. That is not a thriving corridor. And the hard truth is no one goes to Washington Avenue as a resident. That
should concern every one of us. The last time the city meaningfully updated its comprehensive zoning and urban planning approach for this corridor was 1989. I was 5 years old.
Cities do not stand still for decades and somehow improve. They either adapt or they decline. At the same time, we need to be honest about a much bigger issue. Great cities around the world embraced mixeduse urban
planning. People live above shops. Streets are active day and night. Neighborhoods are designed for live, work, and play, not just for cars and not just for tourists. Miami Beach has not kept up when it
comes to housing for people. young professionals, families, seniors, and the workforce that keeps this city running. Nearly 90% of our city staff do not live in Miami Beach with many more commuting more than an hour each way
just to get to work. That is not by choice. It is because that is where the housing they can afford is located. When cities fail to build attainable housing, people are pushed farther and farther out. Commutes get longer,
traffic gets worse, and development pressure moves outward. That is why growth ends up near the Everglades. Not because it makes sense, but because housing closer to jobs has been blocked. That is also why the state passed the
Live Local Act. When cities do not allow enough housing, the state steps in and overrides local zoning authority. that may increase housing somewhere but comes at the cost of local control and
environmental protection. Urban scholar Richard Florida said it best. The real crisis in America cities is the forgotten middle. People who earn too much to qualify for affordable housing but not enough to afford market
rate housing. This proposal chooses a better path. It is commissiondriven urban planning, not developerdriven spot zoning. It brings residents back to Washington Avenue, supports businesses
year round, improves safety through activity, reduces long commutes, and builds housing where infrastructure already exists. So the question is simple. Is Washington Avenue a corridor we are
proud of today? And if the answer is no, are we willing to lead? This is our re this is our opportunity to reimagine Washington Avenue as one of the greatest streets in Miami Beach. A p a place people live, walk, work, and belong. A
street built for residents, not just visitors. That is the vision behind this presentation. And PJ, if you could please put it up. Okay, go to the next slide, please. So, I wanted to, believe it or not, there was a resident and a business owner who sent me most of the images and he took
the time to go through all the vacant storefronts and neglected businesses on Washington Avenue. And I want to just go the current state of affairs on this corridor. As you everyone knows, we still have Club Madonna there. We have
pornographic store, litany of smoke shops, uh tourist traps and that is what is that is what's prevalent in on Washington. You go to the next slide and you can keep going through the
slides, PJ. I just want to get it. I just want to have everyone see that these are all vacant storefronts on Washington Avenue. You can keep going, PJ. Unfortunately, it's very long
because this corridor has been neglected for almost a decade. Go to slide 15 when you can. BJ, so what is the problem? The problem today is Washington Avenue has lots of
hotels and lots of retail. Very few people actually live there full-time. When tourists leave, the street goes quiet. Empty streets equals struggling businesses and safety issues. The state steps in when cities don't build enough
attainable housing. And like I said, Miami Beach hasn't delivered a major attainable housing initiative since 1989. Next slide. So, I had our planning director do an analysis of the last
uh 10 years on what has been constructed in Miami Beach. Believe it or not, it's almost 2 to one where there's double the amount of hotels
and then residential units. And of the 749 residential units, only 30 only 229 have a a unit size between 650 square ft
to 1,000. Only 100 less than 650 ft with the majority being over a,000 square ft and interestingly enough most of them is coming from five park. Okay, next slide please.
So what is mixeduse? Mixed use very simple shops and restaurants on the ground floor apartment condos above people live where they shop and eat. You know this is how real neighborhoods are built. It's very simple to look at South Fifth with the Cosmopolitan
as a prime example. In fact, the Cosmopolitan gave birth to a billion dollar company which is Pure Vita that happened on the ground floor and it is I believe a global company now worth a billion
dollars. Started as a mixeduse uh business. Next slide. More residents equals more eyes on the street. Safer streets day and night. businesses gets customers year round,
not seasonal. And higher quality retail replaces lowquality uses as what we see right now in Washington Avenue. We've seen this work in Miami Beach, like I said. Next slide. It's worked at Sunset Harbor, south of Fifth. Those are
improved because people live there. Same idea here, just much lower scale. Single-use zoning is a thing of the past. You can ask our director here. You can ask any urban planning
uh professional. Mixed use is what makes a city thrive. Next slide. So, I want to go over some of the some of the details and I'll have Tom take it away soon. Right now, you can build to
75 ft for transient use, but you can only build to 50 ft if you want to build residential. I want to invert that. I want to say I would like to have 50 ft max for hotel
use and 75 ft max for residential and there would be an extra height provision as an incentive if the residential is carf free. This encourages attainable housing for the forgotten middle. No more transient hotels.
Okay, keep going. There is a provision for the north end of Washington Avenue and I'll have a representative from Paul Sehouse who owns the property there of why they would like to have a 75 ft bonus height for their property.
Uh but for the majority of Washington Avenue, it would only be a 25 ft bonus height uh if certain incentives are met. And that is going to uh be further explained by our planning director. Next slide.
Who's this for? Like I said, this is for the forgotten middle, young professionals, families, people that actually work in the city of Miami Beach. We have over 2,000 employees, people who want to live in Miami Beach without needing a car. It creates a real
live work entire ecosystem. Next slide. So now I'm interested to hear what my colleagues have to say, but if you look at Google Maps
around 4:30, 5:00, you see a lot of people leaving Miami Beach. It's on 41st Street. It's on the Macarthur. And why is that? That's because people are leaving their jobs and they're going home.
The idea that I have here is that I want to make I want to incentivize housing that doesn't require parking. And it may seem counterintuitive that you want to have more density for people that actually
live here, but the more parking spaces you build means more cars that are going to live on Miami Beach. And we're trying and my with this proposal, I'm trying to change that change that. We have plenty of public transit options within Miami
Beach. We have the trolleys, which we just signed an extension for, bikes, microobility. You can pretty much walk almost anywhere in South Beach in 30 minutes. Also, it's a lot less expensive
for market rate housing when there is no parking space available. Next slide. So, built-in safeguards. Um, this is going to be for non-transient residential. No hotel conversions, no short-term rentals. Uh, that will be
baked into the covenant. The minimum lot size for preventing overbuilding. Incentives are temporary. And this is important because uh this gives the landlords who are thinking about
um building attainable housing a a 7-year or right now it's 6 years um time period to take this. So it it removes the speculation on their property. We're not going to be over inflating their value automatically by passing this.
It's it's you have to act on this immediately or the the ordinance expires uh and the city stays in control. So, next slide, please. So, we got some built-in uh neighborhood
protections. Okay, we have the setbacks still apply. Um the buildings must fit the surrounding context. Historic preservation board review is required. Um, you know, we have right now an incentive for hotels on Washington
Avenue and the two that come to mind is the Good Time Hotel and the Moxy and both are struggling right now, especially the Good Time Hotel. And in fact, if you look at the Good Time Hotel, I believe 90% of the retail space
below is unoccupied. uh and they're going through some serious financial struggles where their only revenue stream really is a rooftop uh entertainment. So
we we want to change or I would like to change the uh the incentive from residential from transient to residential. Next slide please. Unlike the state of Florida coming down and telling us what we need to do for
for zoning, we set the rules. There's no special zoning. There's no spot zoning for particular developers. This is real urban planning. It's high level policy written by us and the developers follow the rules and they
don't write them. Okay. Uh next slide. Better than a state preeemption. The Live Local Act overrides local zoning authority. Then the city blocks attainable housing. As we all know, live local is a
one-sizefits-all. This plan delivers attainable housing through the city policy, not state override. This is for one of our most struggling corridors. Infill housing reduces urban sprawl and protects Miami date countyy's wetlands and farmland by building where infrastructure already exists.
Next slide. Now, I believe it or not, I actually didn't reach out to any of these organizations. They uh were nice enough to support the this initiative, including the um MBU, so be safe, ADNA,
the Washington bid. It was unanimously recommended by the planning board, and it's supported by the city administration. Okay, the final takeaways. Last slide, please, PJ. We want to plan first, build second, no
spot zoning, no developer giveaways, housing where it belongs. We set the rules and it's for neighborhoods, not speculation. Um, so Tom, you could you could take down the slide. EJ, thanks. So Tom, take
us a little through the history of this proposal. um and maybe mention as the planning director for the city of Miami Beach for 30 years why you're supporting this.
>> Um I've been with the city for over 30 years but only the planning director for 12. >> Okay. Um the when um when Commissioner Suarez approached me about this almost two years ago and I remember it distinctly because I was at a national planning
conference in Minneapolis and we had a lengthy conversation about Washington Avenue and one of the things that is promoted at length nationally in terms of urban planning is mixed use is particularly in urban areas introducing residential in a way that can be used
without vehicles uh utilizing transit it. And so one of the things that I had mentioned to Commissioner Suarez was that um Washington Avenue has never been approached um comprehensively in terms
of incentivizing residential. Um even though there has been a very small residential bonus of 0.5 in place since 1989, nobody has been serious about building residential. In fact, um almost
12 years ago in 2017 in 2015 when there was a task force uh regarding Washington Avenue, staff had recommended that incentives also be provided for residential and the task force disagreed at the time because they wanted to see hotels. They thought Washington Avenue
was better suited for commercial. Our argument at that time was that if you add residential, you'll have more people 24/7 that can utilize spaces morning, midday, and in the evening. And the only way to really do that is to have an
infusion of residential. So you >> so Tom, you recommended at the time that there be more of an incentive for residential and this task force uh decided not to do that and incentivize more hotel development. Correct.
>> Correct. >> You know, and I think it's important that we play this video uh from that period. And PJ, if you could play that that video uh to give a little context to the history. >> Okay. So uh Daniel. >> Yes. Thank you, Mr. Vice Mayor. Daniel
Seraldo, Miami Design Preservation League. We were very involved in the master plan uh for Washington Avenue participating it seemed like a very long time uh to get the consensus uh after Mr. Ziscovich was hired to review all
the possibilities on that street. And at the time the understanding from that master plan was not to encourage residential on Washington because of the concern that it might um you know have an impact on the entertainment district.
So seeing that there was a workshop and now there's a talk of co-living um you know it's kind of a new idea that may have some unintended impacts. And the other thing as far as a height increase is um since that also wasn't in the
master plan, it was a height increase just for hotels to encourage new hotels and we're seeing a lot of investment and if you go down Washington Avenue, there's a lot some very good beefy projects going on. But um you know maybe between first and second the HPB could
look at it. Maybe we could get some more like massings, you know, because I know a lot of time was spent during the master plan to try to get the consensus and I I just don't know, you know, I think it'd be good to have more information maybe before a second
reading. Thank you, >> Tom. I don't know if you have some comments. >> You could put it down on PJ. So, I want everyone that's watching to know that this idea is a failed idea. It it it has failed miserably.
Yeah. Washington Avenue up until recently when three of us got elected commission and the mayor got elected to the mayor was riddled with gunshots almost on all the high impact weekends. There would literally wash off blood
from the streets. It w it was chaos. And um even to this day, we've done everything we've can we could to beautify Washington Avenue. I mean, if you go down there, the streets
are generally clean. Uh the trees are wrapped in these beautiful light little ornaments. Um the landscaping is perfect, but you still have a bunch of vacant storefronts. You still have a lot of
homelessness. You still have unfortunately you have businesses dealing with homeless people buying and selling stolen bikes. Okay. You have you have a place where like I said residents do not visit
Washington Avenue unfortunately. So Tom, sorry to to cut you off. I think I left you off where um you know there was your recommendation from staff about 10 years ago was for more residential.
You were overridden for more transient use and we are where we are today with a failed corridor because of that idea. So if you could please continue. >> Sure. So, one of the things that I had suggested um to Commissioner Suarez was
that um there needs to be a more tangible incentive for um residential and that is a lot more than just a small F increase or a little bit of height, but that it should be something that is
more substantive but very strategic. So, not just a um straight up increase in F like we did in town center that you can do whatever you want with, but something that had guard rails attached to it that would ensure that anybody taking care uh
taking advantage of that incentive would be building non-transient residential that would better serve the area. The other thing um I pointed out was that because Washington Avenue is a defined commercial corridor with established transit, in terms of bus lines, in terms
of the ability to take uh micromobility, the micromobility network, our Charlie network that even though we did not have a dedicated uh regional transit system on either a fixed rail or a dedicated lane, that I believe that there was enough people
that would be willing to use transit that would not need a car that you could structure such an incentive around the idea of not having cars so that the increase in intensity would not further
stress or already constrain roadways. Um, basically this incentive would be for people who are more inherently urban dwellers. A person who has a vehicle or a couple that has two vehicles that use the car every day, this really wouldn't
be suited for them. this would be suited for the type of person where either they don't have a vehicle, a vehicle is optional um and they can utilize transit. And so the incentives were developed and predicated um based upon
that theory. Um it's also important to point out that the um in terms of the aesthetics the F although an an F of up to 4.0 know is proposed the maximum height including the bonus of 100 ft is
fairly constrained particularly in terms of a large commercial corridor. There are massing studies that are attached to this proposal that show what these different options could look like. And because there is going to be a very
rigorous historic preservation process attached to each application which again allows us to retain control. Um these types of buildings even though they may be taller will uh have movement will have articulation and the HP board will
be able to um ensure that. Um, basically in short, what this does is this attempts to increase the number of full-time residents uh along the Washington Avenue corridor that don't utilize vehicles, that would be utilizing transit, that would be
utilizing micromobility in a way that would allow the corridor to eventually flourish with uh daytime as well as nighttime uses and more neighborhood uses. Um, in terms of the specifics of the proposal, um, as mentioned
previously, this is, uh, an F increase that would be specific to non-transient residential uses above the first level. If somebody wanted to do something different like hotel or an office building, the F increase would not apply to them. This is solely to incentivize
non-transient residential uses. There would be a minimum micromobility component within the interior of the structure at the first floor to ensure that um there was u micromobility opportunities for the residents of the building. In order to get the height
bonus, they would have to have more of an area network type of micromobility option that would allow residents of the larger area uh to utilize that. Um the minimum unit size or or the minimum lot
size for an eligible project is at least 13,000 square ft. The reason for this is to ensure that someone doesn't take a very small lot and create a couple of luxury units and then they get the F increase even though it's non-transium. This is really meant to promote the
aggregation of lots. Um, and that's also an important component because as you're well aware, Washington Avenue is a corridor that is not a blank canvas. It's a corridor that consists of existing properties. It's substantially
built out and there's a um a lot of different property owners. Aggregating properties for the purpose of purposes of this type of development can sometimes be challenging. This would provide a further incentive. Um, there's also a requirement that any
non-conforming uses within the property be discontinued. So, if there's a non-conforming nightclub, if there's a non-conforming type of nuisance use that is no longer permitted, all of that would have to be discontinued as part of
the incentive to build the residential. And that would ensure that what is at the first level would be the type of neighborhood uses that we are seeking. Um the height bonus uh to go from uh currently the the maximum height for
residential is 50 ft. Um the code change would allow you to go to 75, but to take advantage of the 25 ft bonus for a maximum of 100 ft. Then you would need to agree to prohibit any off- streetet parking. And the reason for that is
because what we did not want to see is the height being used for one level or two levels of parking structure. We'd rather have that be used for the actual residential units. If you're not taking advantage of the iPhone, you could
provide up to 20% of the required parking that would be allowed under parking district number one. So you could put a limited amount of parking, but if you want the extra height, that extra height really should be for residential units. Um the project would
also have to exceed the micromobility requirements and per and and uh participate in a public micromobility network. Um and then lastly, um this does have a sunset provision which is important because one of the things that
um this commission would want to do is one incentivize this. So by uh including a time frame, this isn't something where a property owner can say, "Hey, I've got all these development rights. I'm just going to sit on it for the next 10 years." No, there's a fixed amount of
time that you have to use this. Also, it acts as a safety valve. Um, and in that case, if in three or four years the commission doesn't like what it sees, if people end up taking advantage of this, the commission can just let it sunset
and that would not run a foul of any um state preemptions. Um, that's everything I have. Um, anything right now, if they wanted to do a live local on Washington Avenue, what is the height that could be? >> So, that's a good point. If somebody,
and we have had inquiries about live local projects on Washington Avenue, um under a live local project, somebody could do up to a 6.375 F. They would be able to provide the parking on site. And
more importantly, the maximum height would be between 300 ft and 500 ft depending on where they are located. Basically, if the parcel is within a mile of Alton Gateway where Five Park is, they can go up to 500 ft. All the other properties would be within a mile
of the convention center hotel site, which is 300 ft. And under state preeemptions, um, we would have no control over that, and there would be no public hearing on that. They could just submit an application that would have to be approved administratively. >> Okay. Thank you, Tom. So, you know, the
only other thing that I want to really iron out so that it's in the full public transparency is where Paul Seas's building is because I understand that he also has a private application in case this this comprehensive zoning
plan doesn't go through. Um, and I want to hear from his representative, why why do you need the 75 extra feet in in in height as far as to to to develop this property? Cuz look, it's not it's
not a an equity firm that owns this property. Uh, it's Ambassador Seas. He's owned it for 30 years. He he bought it when no one else wanted to invest in Miami Beach. and he took a risk uh and believed in
our city and you know when I talked to stakeholders in our city I listened um and and that's why I included you but I would like you Cecilia to explain why you need these extra enhancements. >> Yeah. Good afternoon Mayor Commissioner
Cecilia to Acreman LLP. I represent Ambassador Paul Seas along with Nissan Casten. We've been working with Ambassador Seahas for approximately two and a half years in order to redevelop that corner of 16 and Washington Avenue. He's looked at this property and devel
redeveloping this property multiple times. There has been approvals in the past for a buy project and simply it just does not pencil out. we would have to go through a very luxury product in order to redevelop that that corner and that's not what the city wants and that's not what ambassador pulse has
wants to develop at this point with the by right um F and height that is afforded to this parcel we can achieve a reasonable density CD3 has the highest density in the city you can develop 150 dwelling units per acre but we just
don't have sufficient F or height to get even close to that so with the incentives that are provided in this legis legislation and in our private application, should this one not move forward, which allow us a 3.25 F and 150 ft of height, we're able to achieve a
210 unit um development, which is 210 apartments in the heart of Lincoln Road and Washington Avenue, which is much needed residential housing. This project has actually already been presented to the planning board. We have a CUP approval for this project. We presented to the historic preservation board. They
have some comments on the design that we're working on addressing so we can go back to the historic preservation board. But we have a a real project that's ready to re to hit the ground. It has 210 units. It's much needed housing and what is effectively Miami's downtown. Um
we have letters of support from the Washington Avenue bid, from the Lincoln Road bid, and we're eager to move forward, but without that additional F and that additional height, it we just can't do a project. Now, colleagues, I also want to bring to your attention uh an item I it was part of the
legislation. It was removed. I think partly because uh our previous commissioner Rosen Gonzalez um made a point about it. I wanted to put a Tom I wanted to put, I believe, a 1200 square
foot cap on unit size. We have a minimum. We don't we we removed the maximum. And I wanted to see how my colleagues felt about this. But you know, right now when we talk about government housing, it's usually based
centered around AMI. And like I said in my presentation, you know, there is a forgotten middle where people don't necessarily don't make enough to not qualify for government housing, but not enough for market rate
housing. And I think some of the tools that we could use as legislators up here is to define what we want as a city. And so, do we want to put it to do we want to pave way for more 2,000 3,000 square
foot units or do we want to say on average this is the unit size that we would like to see similar to the Fidian uh the Cosmopolitan, the Courts, the Waverly, uh the Flamingo.
They're they're those it seems that those type of developments they're not being built anymore. It's either government housing based on AMI or ultra luxury at 3,000 plus a square foot uh rate. And so this sort of gives
the ability for developers to say, "Hey, you're not going to make a boatload of money, okay? but you'll make some good money. And this is a a sandbox that we're creating that you guys can play in and
work in instead of them defining the rules. So, look, um I want to think long term. I want to see my I would I certainly would want to see Washington Avenue different than where it is today in the next 30 years. I don't own any
property on Washington Avenue. I have no skin in this game. I think that this is just good legislation for the future of Miami Beach. It is a struggling neighborhood. The old idea that, you know, hotels on Washington Avenue were
going to somehow bring it to life is a failed idea. And I want to put ideas forward that are proven and true and supported by our our our city staff and scholars, urban
planning scholars around the world. So look, uh, guys, if if if this is not something that that, you know, I I would hope that the majority is not comfortable with, I I understand, but I want to make a good faith effort to to really revitalize a a corridor that has
really struggled in the last couple decades. >> Uh, Commissioner Fernandez, or I mean, if Tom wants to clarify something, >> I just wanted to clarify one thing. Um, Commissioner Suire is correct. We did initially start with a maximum unit
size. Somehow it was removed. The administration thinks that's a very good idea. And the planning board actually also recommended a maximum unit size of 13 ft. >> 13. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Mr. Mayor, Commissioner Fernandez.
>> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So, you know, I I agree we need to revitalize Washington Avenue. Um, my concern is that even with a sunset date, this legislation would immediately reward bad property owners and and Commissioner, you showed many of
the pictures of those empty storefronts. Um, storefronts that are well-maintained, storefronts with businesses that that don't represent the caliber and the quality of businesses that we would want to have here. And we would be immediately rewarding uh these
uh these bad property owners in my opinion with valuable upzoning the moment that this passes. Uh the market value would be created at second reading. When we when when we pass this the entitlements would be usable at second reading once this is passed. The
land value would happen. Um and Mr. Planning Director correct me if I'm wrong. Uh the requirement is that you need to have a building permit but but if you so if you don't have a building permit the upzoning you lose the upzoning but the moment you have a
building permit you have the right you have that entitlement. >> That's correct. >> And how difficult is it to keep a building permit open? I don't want to speak for the building official, but I believe once you have a building permit, you just need to call for an inspection
every six months and then you can maintain that building permit or submit a change or, you know, there's procedural ways and we've seen it. I mean, over the your 30 years here at Miami Beach, I mean, is that a common practice that people It is a common practice that people do. So, so the
market value, the entitlement, uh the van, the land value is being created now since a provision a few years from now, it doesn't undo the immediate grant of development rights uh
given today and owners who have neglected properties who have affected our city um contributed to the decline of this corridor. would still receive some very valuable upzoning benefits.
The same benefits that a good property owner would get without first demonstrating any performance, any investment, any any public benefit. I do support redevelopment. I support adding residents. I support revitalizing
Washington Avenue. I like the idea of incentives. And I think it's it all it's it's all how we go about granting granting these these in these invest these incentives. Um my concern is that this is a blanket upzoning at a scale
that is too intense and too infrastructure intense too intense on our infrastructure uh to be good for us right now. And I just, you know, the impact analysis that we have on our agenda makes clear what
this legislation actually does. Uh because it's not a modest adjustment. We're talking about increases of F. That is up to like 100% increase in F 2.0 to uh 4.0 with a density of 175
units per acre. Tom, is that correct? >> That's correct. >> All right. Across the entire area. Okay. So, it's not tied to a specific project that we're saying, okay, you know, this specific project, you know, they're addressing infrastructure
impacts or addressing a number of other impacts to the city. Um, you know, this is just blanket, you know, across the city. >> Well, across the corridor, >> that area, correct? Yes. >> All right. So, let me ask you this. With
1250 West, how many units did we approve with 1250 West? I think it was around between 50 and 60 units. It was it was pretty limited. >> Okay. 50 or 60 units. And with the Duville, how many units did we approve
with the Duville? >> Uh the Doville I think was 80 residential units um and 100 hotel units or the inverted but it it was they were very big units and the density was very low. >> Okay. So we're talking about So in
total, how many units did we create in total between the two projects that we approved? >> A couple hundred at the most. >> A couple hundred. Okay. According to the impact analysis, this this upzoning legislation, how many additional
residential units would come out of this upzoning legislation? So when we did a um an impact analysis for the area which is required because it's a large area we had to take into account the entirety of
the area and the assumption on the impact analysis was that every single parcel would be developed and built out. Um the likelihood of that is pretty remote, but in the event that every
single eligible parcel was built out, there's a potential increase of 2400 residential units. 2462, >> 2,462 residential units. >> Yes. >> Okay. So, >> if every parcel was built out,
>> so with the two separate applications that we approved, it was maybe about a couple of hundred units. And even there we were concerned about infrastructure impacts. We were seeking public benefits from from from the applicants. In this
case, we're talking about 2,400 new additional residential units that could be created with this zoning. Okay. And do we know what what's the impact on our on our sanitary sewer system? Um
because you know with 2,400 units I must imagine there has to be some sort of impact. In the analysis there's a potential increase of 9 861,700 gallons of sanitary sewer and 987,216
gallons of potable water. And that is for that is if every single parcel was built out to the max. Okay. So, so, and we have to assume that you have to assume that if you're granting people benefits that they're going to use the benefits. And so, we're talking about
over 800 thou nearly 900,000 gallons per day of additional sanitary sewer transmission demand. Uh, this same impact analysis says that it is likely that upgrades will be needed in proximity to future development sites.
Now, Mr. Attorney, let me ask you this. You know, when we have individual applications, we're able to negotiate public benefits. I'm I'm sorry. There's people speaking in the audience and it's distracting me.
It's my it's my distraction. I'm sorry. Um Mr. Mr. attorney. When we do um individual sites like 1250 West, we're able to negotiate with individual we can
direct the administration to negotiate with individual property owners for public benefits to address situations like sewer or other impacts that we may need to to address. Is that correct? >> When we do that through a development agreement, that is correct.
>> Okay. Now, what how how is SAD impacted or affected the moment we have as of right zoning like this? Mr. Mr. Manager, uh, is this something that you're still going to be able to do the moment someone comes in and says, I want to
take advantage of 4.0 F instead of 2.0 know F will you still be able to have that leverage of negotiating these public benefits to address the infrastructure impacts that we know they're going to happen? >> So most likely no we wouldn't have the ability to negotiate individual
development agreements with the properties because they would be as of right. >> Okay. And so and so that's that's a concern that I have. It's a significant concern because you know these aren't speculative numbers. they come directly
um from the analysis that we requested uh from staff regarding this legislation. Um it you know and and it tells us you know something that we shouldn't ignore. tells us that water and sewer uh
transmission infrastructure will need upgrades in the proximity of development sites and we won't be able to negotiate uh benefits for that. From a governance standpoint,
it reminds me a little bit of TCC up in North Beach. you know, we had this blanket policy, uh, this blanket upzoning policy and the moment you grant that upzoning, it's impossible to put the genie back in
the bottle and the property owner is entitled to it and then you have to deal uh with with the impacts. I would take a different approach. Same end goal but different approach. Let's identify
corridors like Washington Avenue where we want to see reinvestment and let's signal that we want to see that reinvestment there without losing our leverage and without upzoning and
increasing the value of properties artificially for these property owners. Let's look at corridors like this and say, okay, if you're seeking to redevelop your property up to a certain
amount of F and let's say it's at 4.0 F, you'll have a more streamlined process. Rather than a 67th vote, you'll have a 57th vote. That way we can still consider casebycase applications and we
still keep the leverage that our city administration would need in order to be able to negotiate public benefits that we wouldn't be able to negotiate the moment this becomes as of rights uh zoning and the moment that
they get that that that building permit. That's that would be my suggestion. So that that way the city maintains leverage. We signal to to to to the industry that hey listen this is where we want to drive development and we can
help you do that through streamlined process rather than going through the six-month F process going through a more expedited process rather than requiring a higher threshold to get it approved. you know, require a smaller threshold. That way, we take a more measured
approach and we don't overdevelop an area of the city. And this is in South Beach. And my understanding, um, Tom, correct me if I'm if I'm wrong. We have about 13 million square feet of unused F in South Beach. There there was an
intensity study. Well, it's it's being completed, but it was about that much. Yes. about. So we have I mean I mean and just think about that unused F that exists in South Beach 13 million
square feet of unused F. And here we would be doing blanket upzoning that will on top of that create even more F 2400 new residential units for 6,100
additional people that even though we're going to say you can't have parking, we know Miami is a card driven culture. You know, people go back and forth between Miami Beach and their jobs in in other in other places. People are going to need parking and most importantly we're
going to have to look at our at the capacity of our sanitary sewer system and I think we should take a more measured approach with something like that. That way we approve it where the market tells us they have an interest without artificially
uh creating an increase in the property value that then can be speculatively used by developers just to transfer property but really not do anything with it. Um, >> you could magazine.
>> Commissioner Magazine. >> I think a reimagination of Washington Avenue is the most consequential thing that we can do for our city. I don't care about any other legislation that I've had in the
past two years or what I envision going forward that can possibly be more impactful in so many different facets than this. And hitting on some of the points that my colleague said, singleuse
commercial corridors are living in when the zoning was created for it in the 1980s. It it is just it's not a way modern cities function anymore. We all talk about housing affordability. Every single one of us
puts them on the cute flyers. What have we done? What have we done? We talked about it on the planning board. Tanya Commissioner Bot. Right. Six years ago, my daughter's mom's moved out of the city and she can't even live in the same city your daughter goes to school
because we have done nothing for housing affordability. The best and really only thing that we can do is providing infill housing in non-luxury areas, right? We'll never have
attainable housing on the water, right? We'll never have attainable house. So, that's why we need to concentrate on non-luxury infill areas. Tom, I got this analysis from you uh couple months ago and and I haven't refreshed it, but
we've added in the past 12 years thousands thousands of hotel rooms. Okay? Thousands of hotel rooms. We all are jumping up and down to add an 800 room convention center hotel. We all put
on our silly little hats and throw shovel on and we're so excited. And that's great. It is great, right? But when we look at nonwaterfront residential housing that's been added in the past 12 years citywide, do you know
how many units? Under 200. Under 200. Now wonder Tallahassee came and took those decisions out of our hands. You know why? We deserved it. We deserved it in a state within a country
that's facing a housing shortage. A housing shortage. In 12 years, our cities collectively added 200 units that aren't on the waterfront. That's disgraceful, right? And we can change that, right? Through
comprehensive urban planning. All the details of no setbacks and park, I I don't know about that, right? Not I'm not going to beat that to death on first reading. But what I do know is we can reimagine collectively together, right? From the ground up, not from some
developer coming and saying, "I've gotten this parcel of land. Allow me to do this. I've sat here and I've watched that happen in our city for the past 10 years. I'm done with it. I I don't want to approve single applications anymore." Right? I want to build a city. I want to
build a community, right, where our kids can grow up. Do you know Fine Bird Fisher? They're losing students. And didn't they just lose some sort of accreditation certification because they've lost so many students? Yeah.
>> Title One. They've lost Title One because despite Florida adding all these residents, Miami Beach is seeing a population exodus in large part because some of our most vulnerable residents have nowhere to live, right? God bless that I I I got my house when I did in
2021 or else I wouldn't be able to live here. Maybe some people would prefer that. That's the point. But um uh this can be a comprehensive solution. I'm not co-signing on the details because I want to work with you on those. Um, my
biggest fear is the changes really are around the fringes when we're talking about it. We've had the hotel overlay district for what uh 12 years. It's result in two projects, right? And Tom, actually when Live Local was passed, we
actually downzoned a large part of our city. Correct. We had made some modifications to height limits and setback requirements in 2023. >> And the reason why we did that, what would have been the point of downzoning
if everybody took advantage of the maximum height and maximum density? Well, they didn't, right? That's the point. So while this in some sort of perfect world or imperfect world would result in 2400 units, the chance of that
time are zero. Not remote, zero. Okay. The hotel incentives that were provided in 2016 were much more substantial than this. And this resulted in two projects. And in fact, we tried getting so cute around the edges. Setbacks here, you do
all this. What did it result in? It resulted in trying to squeeze a project into uh financial viability where they could only have 150 square foot hotel rooms. They have to have open air entertainment pool parties just to make
that project worked. And guess what? It's still not working, right? Because the mortgage is actually in foreclosure. And that's going to really look bad. If we think Washington Avenue needs to be reimagined now, imagine if one of those hotels goes out of business because right now the the mortgage is on for
closure. So we can take so many tools in our toolkit and solve so many problems right does anybody ever walk on first in Washington eat a pure vita and look at the cosmopolitan where there's families there there's young professionals
uh Gerald and Trish there authors there prizes of our community and go wow look at that overdevelopment no it's a beautiful beautiful project and that's what a community is right it's that's that's what creates a And this is where we're going to live in
different worlds, right? There's going to be the Facebook social media world versus the real world. We're going to get slammed for this on social, oh, look at that. So, I don't even know who any of the property owners on Washington Avenue are. Okay, that's what's make this this challenging is there's nobody
we can go to and say, does this project work? Does it not? So, we're kind of taking a flyer here and hoping that we can build a community, a corridor from the ground up. This is going to reduce the traffic in our city. That's why we
have traffic on Alton Road on Washington Avenue because people need to drive to get there. They need to drive to do their errands right here. This is a walkable downtown type of community. It's going to help housing affordability. That is the number one thing that we all talk about whether
you're Republican, Democrat, nonpartisan, you don't care about politics. We all know our city needs that. Our residents need that. And it's time we put our money where our mouth is with that because we haven't over the past 15 years. And that's where Tallahassee has really come in and
removed that from our ability. So if we want to go up to Tallahassee, which I plan to do this uh session with a straight face and say live local does not is not the pathway forward. It is not the pathway forward. We want our own
control. then we need to make true bonafide efforts to say, "Please don't do this because we're going to do that." And if we don't actually start putting our money where our mouth is, we talk a lot, but we never act on it, then Tallahassee is not going to ever return
that confidence in local municipalities and especially Miami Beach that we're going to be a partner in helping solve this housing crisis. So, while I'm not co-signing the the details exactly what this is looking like, I'm going to uh move forward on this uh as a conceptual
idea, hopefully work with staff, hear my other colleagues uh thoughts that we can incorporate this because I'm just going to cosign on the conception. When you start putting seven cooks in the kitchen, that's where kind of you overengineer projects to death.
Sometimes it's best government just get out of the way, right? when we try and be too much a and really try and fine-tune this, we get on a point where nothing ever gets done. And I think that's really where we're at. So, while I love some of the ideas Commissioner Fernandez has, I love some of the ideas
Commissioner Suarez has, I'll work with you one off to see if there's any highlevel modifications that I think this needs. But uh if I had to say, you know, the one vision that could really change the things that we all talk about for Miami Beach that we want to move our
city in in one direction or the other, I I think it's this. It's the most substantial thing that I hope I take on during my time in the days. So, thank you to my colleagues for your uh for your vision on this, for working together collaboratively. Um
and excited to see where this goes. Commissioner Suarez, >> before I before I talk to some of the points that were raises, I'd really like to hear some more of my colleagues. >> Commissioner Bot, you know, you you have
an item on this agenda for a study for, you know, affordable housing in North Beach. You know, this is this speaks right to the heart of affordability in Miami Beach. I'd really love your input on this. >> Yeah, it's not for a study about affordable housing. it's a totally
different item. So, I was initially very supportive of this concept um and I share my colleagues um concern about the lack of housing for the missing middle. I think where I um got concerned am
concerned is um that it is an enormous swath um going up to 100 ft as opposed to 75 ft which I was much more comfortable with. Um, I don't
I'm I mean, everybody knows I'm all about micromobility and trying to incentivize that, but the reality is that um we need to I I think going from all to nothing is unrealistic. I have
I've always been a vocal opponent of TDRs. I don't think we have the um the self-control as a community to do that the right way. And so, I'm not a fan. And you know, I I have been living in
North Beach since 2016, and I saw what happened when we upzzoned. Um, where we went from an agreed, I think it was 8 to 12 stories to 22 stories for the most egregious example, um, with no
developer benefits or development agreement benefits rather. um where you know I had to have a bit of a hissy fit to get us all to agree to do a um an aqua infrastructure study and I've just
learned this past week that um that the first findings not all the findings are in but that the first findings are that yeah in fact we need to upgrade our our water lines in significant capacity. Um we have 1439 new units between
residential units and co-living units in in North Beach and that was done as of right with no community benefits negotiated. Those developers are not working towards um improving parks or
water quality or infrastructure. Nobody is dealing with the horrific traffic. And so I am conceptually on board with this concept, but I don't I'm not comfortable with the details the way they are now. Um I would like to find a
way to limit and I know you know Commissioner Fernandez said you need to assume for sake of argument that everybody who is eligible for this um upzoning will take advantage. In reality, we know that doesn't happen. I
would like to make sure it doesn't happen. I would like to say not more than three projects, let's say, until we know. And this was what I said about town center. Um, you know, with the micro units, I'm like, yeah, they c they could be amazing. They could be great for a certain sub-segment of the
population. So, let's try a building. How about if we try a building near Mount Si or, you know, someplace where we've got a an a population center um of people who would enjoy living that way. And that obviously didn't fly. So now we
have 13 new buildings in an 8 by6 block area with close to you know 1,450 units coming on. So I as everybody knows we this is something I also feel very strongly about. Um but I think in its
current iteration it has changed a lot since we first started talking about it two years ago. I think it is too broad and too tall. And um I'm not maybe I'm missing it, but I I didn't see in here that the planning board um recommendations were incorporated in the
current um iteration. And so I want to support something that addresses the housing for the missing middle. It is a huge issue. Um, but I I think the way this is currently is too
broad, too draconian, and doesn't give us enough limitations and not limitations, enough control over what what happens. >> So, uh, okay. Um, you know, I'm really happy that
Commissioner Magazine brought up Tallahassee, okay? Because this actually came up in Tallahassee last year. PJ, if you could play the video, please. >> Alex Fernandez. I serve as a commissioner in the city of Miami Beach. I appreciate the opportunity to speak
today regarding HB943. And first, I want to thank Representative Vicky Lopez for meeting with us yesterday and for her willingness to hear our concerns and to work with us through those concerns. While we have serious reservations about certain provisions in the bill, I'm
grateful for the respectful dialogue and the opportunity to provide input in Miami Beach. We're deeply committed to creating housing for the missing middle, those increasingly being priced out of our community. And we've taken thoughtful a thoughtful local approach
to this challenge. One of my colleagues is advancing legislation to allow increased heights for nonluxury housing along more than one mile of Washington Avenue, one of our major commercial corridors. I'm sponsoring zoning
legislation to bring attainable housing to our iconic and historic Lincoln Road. These local initiatives eliminate outdated parking mandates. They increase unit counts and expand housing opportunity for those in the in the missing middle, those who don't qualify
for workforce, but who are being priced out of our communities. And those are our nurses, our teachers, our professionals who are being pushed out. And together, these housing policies we're advancing locally could result in over 3600
new residential units, all within floor area ratio and height limits that respect the scale and the character of Miami Beach. And that's why we're concerned about the bill's preeemption of local height and F standards as well
as provisions that eliminate supermajority voting thresholds for height and F changes. And the reason why we're concerned with with that is that that will directly impact our historic
districts, our art deco collection of buildings. >> Bring it in. I'm sorry. Your pastime. >> Thank you. Well, those are low-scale uh districts that could potentially be replaced with buildings up to 500 ft tall, and that's a significant change.
So, we support more housing, but it must be done responsibly in the context that fits our community. Again, Representative Lopez, thank you so much for your willingness to to work with us. We look forward to providing constructive feedback and we understand this is just the beginning of the
process. Thank you, Madam Chair. >> Thank you. So, you know, Commissioner Fernandez, that was last year. >> Okay. Um, >> yes, sir. >> You came as a representative of the city of Miami Beach and you spoke in front of state legislators
and you advocated for this exact piece of legislation. >> That's not >> for the for the Excuse me. Let me finish. >> But that's not excuse me. Let me finish, please. with the intent to stop live local from happening in
Miami Beach and take away our local control. And now, for some reason, that has changed. Everything you said up there was amazing. It made perfect sense. It
struck a chord of why we don't need live local anymore in Miami Beach or why someone in Tallahassee can write our zoning code. We should be able to write our zoning code. But we have to meet them halfway. If we're not willing to
meet them halfway by something that's been in the works for almost 2 years, this isn't this isn't zoning that I came up with. This came from to you know our our zoning director our planning director Tom Mooney he came up with this
whole concept of how can we incentivize the residential development that Miami Beach wants that we want to see. Now, I understand if we're not going to we're no longer going to be have management or
development agreements with developers that want to build double the height from 150 ft to 350 ft. To be honest, that's not real urban planning. That's how we end up with five
park. That's how we end up with the Satai. That's why when you look at our coastline, you see these odd buildings out of character. It's because over time you have developers that have
successfully gotten through to a commission and get what they want in a spot zone. I don't want to hear I don't want to have any more developers come to us with this great idea of what they're going to do
and how it's going to help the community when in reality they're just making them look as much money as possible. This gives us the ability to say, "Hey, we've already passed a comprehensive plan for
housing. We don't need you to come here and tell us what you expect and what you want to do to to make money. We're going to be able to incentivize the type of development and housing that we define, not they define.
And yes, sure, we're not going to be uh entrenched in in development agreements with with with developers that in reality can literally purchase every single lobbyist
on Miami Beach and lobby us till kingdom come and and get and get extraordinary uh development rights. I think this is real urban planning. We're deciding the future of of of a corridor. And I think that's the right approach, not peace
meal. I don't want to see a 500 foot building on Washington Avenue. I don't want to see a 300 foot building on Washington Avenue. I don't want to see a a a 20story building on Washington Avenue. I want something that's consistent. When you walk down,
everything makes sense. And until we recognize that fact, you're going to end up with more five parks. And so, look, at the end of the day, you know, I'm really hoping that we could put politics aside and we can do what's
best for the city. You know, I uh I also want to bring up the concern of of infrastructure and John, if you're there uh or Vince, you know, if there is John, if you can come up, if there is a
project and they exceed a certain amount of gallons uh that the infrastructure capacity can't handle, what do they have to do? They have to I'm assuming they have to >> Well, they're not going to be issued a permit if or we don't have the capacity
to build or to take their flow. >> I'm assuming they're going to have to upgrade their our infrastructure. >> We would have to enter into agreement to upgrade it. >> Okay. >> Yes, sir. >> And so what by doing that, what does that do to our infrastructure?
>> Well, it makes it better, but they're not going to be able to they're not going to pay for the entire upgrade. So, we're going to have to upgrade our system and through an agreement have contributions through a developer. Does get a little more complicated
because we really have a gravity system, gravity sanitary sewer system in parts of the city that needs to be made larger and upgraded. So, >> okay. And so, Vince, well, thank you for showing up. If there is a development on Washington Avenue that does need to
upgrade the system, how how would that work and what would the permit process look like? The when my time as a developer, it was common and a condition that any additional impact to the system. the developer owned it, had to do it, had to
install it, uh, and had to put a bond uh, for the maintenance period until it could be conveyed to Miami date water and sewer, the municipality. So, that is the traditional model that was in unincorporated day county while I was still developing.
Excuse me, I'm catching my breath. But that was the the model uh that they used for for many years. There's other models that came out with the uh is it the CDD tax issue where the municipality will put it
out to bid and then back charge and it would be like an additional tax. That model uh the county has kind of walked away from because it leads an additional burden like an extra fee from taxes and association dues. But again, those are
other avenues that you could use to improve infrastructure and things of that nature. >> Thank you. And so, there was another point I think Commissioner Bob brought up. It's that uh brought up TCC and how detrimental that was. And I think one of
the biggest issues that the TCC was is that they have transient use. You're allowed to these all these I think 12 or 13 developments going up, you're allowed to have Airbnbs in them. This particular legislation strictly
prohibits that. Um, and also it only limits to an height incentive of 25 ft. Now, look, if you were to tell me that that is in congruent with with what you think, I'm certainly open to removing the 25 ft height incentive. I'm not
married to it. Um, and that there was a comment that this is too broad. This is urban planning. Urban planning isn't going by parcel to parcel and deciding what's what how it's going to look over decades. I don't think that's
the right approach. Like I said, the planning, our zoning code hasn't changed since I was 5 years old in 1989. I think it's outdated. I think we need to to to to adapt to the times.
I don't see I if there right now it's incentivized for hotels. I don't see I don't see there a uh a a mad rush to build more hotels on Washington Avenue. In fact, nothing wants to be built on Washington Avenue. What's on Washington
Avenue is crumbling. So, uh look, you know, I mean, we're going to Tallahassee. We're saying one thing, but when it comes down to it, we do another. And before you know it, we're going to just have more live local
because I can tell you one thing, state legislators are looking at this meeting right here and they're saying, "Ha, look at that. They're going there. They're coming to us. They're telling us one thing, but they're doing another. We need to do we need to go above and beyond what's already on live local. At
least if we pass something here, we have an argument to make to them saying that we have the ability to control our own zoning for the better. It's going to be tailored to what we need,
not what someone in Tallahassee thinks. >> Mr. Mayor, >> uh, Commissioner Fernandez and Vice Mayor. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So you mentioned that I advocated for this in Tallahassee. I didn't advocate
for this policy. I mentioned the policy the policy that is being uh brought for forward and um and I'm happy that I did. I'm happy that I did because we were able to secure certain certain exceptions because they see that we are having this conversation. They see that
we are discussing policy. Um the process is very important. You heard what I said at the at the end. Responsibly in the context that fits. Those were my words towards the end of
my comments. Responsibly in the context that fits. We lose that we lose that responsible responsible approach and the context when we do blanket policy
that doesn't allow us to consider nearby buildings setbacks, height issues, infrastructure issues. not just the infrastructure of that one building and the immediate uh infrastructure in front
of it but the downstream uh impact that it's going to have. And that's why I'm saying we can consider zoning policy. We can consider this very same zoning policy without adopting it. Um,
Commissioner Suarez, earlier today you brought legislation about the UDB if well, you know, we could do something similar with with the UDB. The UDB has an urban expansion area, which I assume you're familiar with. and and in that urban expansion area that's designated
for ex for for development outside of of of the UDB developers know that if there were to be any development is within the UEA we could do something similar here you have your capped F but if you go beyond
that capped F up to 4.0 0 F you don't have to go through the six-month process. You don't have to get uh six votes. You can do five votes so that we make it easier and we keep for our city manager, for our city attorney the
leverage that the public needs in order to negotiate with each one of these developments the public benefits that are needed to deal with the impacts. So I think I think this policy yes we
all want and I think you're hearing it from from everyone in this day. We all want to see redevelopment in Washington Avenue. We all want to see housing. What we don't want to see is a broad policy
that creates as of right zoning for property owners who I believe have purposefully purposefully abandoned their properties to force us to do policies like this because I believe is what's happened.
People have purposefully abandoned their properties to corner the city, to push the city into adopting policy like this that artificially increases their property value. That the moment that
this passes, they can flip this property to a developer. that that developer can then get an approval and and a building permit that can then be flipped again and kept open beyond the sunset of this
of this of this ordinance. So, so my my my uh my suggestion here is the approach rather than doing it as of right doing it in such a way where you're saying we're going to facilitate you to
get this zoning so that we can still retain the individual review of each project before we end up with 100 foot buildings up and down Washington Avenue. I also have a question because
you you know talking about Tallahassee we have SB 180 and you know one of the good things from this bill from this ordinance would be if we could actually take away the incentive uh from hotel development but Mr. Attorney can we
really can we really take away I mean this is proposing taking away from hotels but does SB 180 allow us to do that? Um, actually this ordinance was drafted before SB180, so I don't think that was contemplated at the time, but you raised
a good point. I think the the downzoning or the Yeah, the down zoning for hotels uh may need to be taken out until SP80 is corrected. So I mean so I think we can have this conversation of facilitating this zoning and I think we
can help that zoning happen where the market interest would be at without saying that you have to jump through the hurdle of of a six seventh vote without having to put people through a six-month
process. streamlining it so that we make it more realistic and more feasible for people to achieve without creating this as of right uh zoning that people will have.
It's just the approach. >> Vice Mayor Melas. >> Thank you, Mayor Tom. I have a question. This area um that's proposed, how many property owners are in this area? Is it a bunch of small ones or are there some
that own blocks and blocks or >> It's primarily smaller property owners. Some of the lots maybe a little bit larger. Um but by and large it's a numerous multiple property owners. >> And how many would you estimate are in this area?
>> Pro at least a few hundred if not a lot more. and they have they've been made aware of this legisl I mean they're they know that this is potentially going to happen to their
>> Yeah the pro this process started uh almost two years ago with the first referral and um it was discussed at the land use committee um it was then um referred to the planning board where the planning board held a hearing there was
a community outreach meeting and then they had their transmitt meeting and so a number of property owners on Washington Avenue participated. Property owners on Washington Avenue have asked us about this and are following the legislation. So, um we're confident that
um a number of the property owners are aware of this >> and they did any of them mention anything about why they haven't wanted to upgrade or redevelop their properties prior to this legislation? Are they, you know, have they expressed anything?
>> The property owners that we've spoken to that have shown interest in this are interested in doing non-transient residential, but they have told us that the current 2.0 just doesn't provide enough intensity for them to move forward with that. Um, and it varies by
property owner. Some property owners have had the property in the family for decades. other property owners like what they currently have. Um the way this that this particular legislation is drafted, it's drafted so that it
presents an opportunity for a limited period of time for property owners to take a hard look at this and decide whether or not they would want to take advantage of it. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Commissioner. >> Commissioner Dominguez and Commissioner Magazine.
Um, I like this collaborative discussion and I don't want to put words in anybody's mouth, but I think collectively we can all envision some sort of re-imagination of Washington Avenue. So, I hope we
don't throw the baby out with the bathwater here and we can incorporate the ideas from all of us and the community and things like that. Now, the best way to go about that, I'm not sure. Perhaps it's pausing this here. If it's not going to get support, perhaps it's
moving it ahead on first reading and actually having a a more informal kind of brainstorming sun sunshine session. Sorry. Um, but I hope we don't throw the baby out with bathwater if we
all agree to some how important some sort of reimagination of this corridor, uh, the surrounding area is. So, I hope that we can at least say, okay, well, I don't agree with this
100%, so we get nothing. Because that's what's happened for the past 40 years. my thoughts on why Washington Avenue looks the way it does and and why haven't property owners upgraded yet and are they doing this for just sit on the properties make it so
disgusting that we have to offer up zoning that's not what I see and why do I think that because nobody's come to us and said hey this is what we need and we're implementing it right we're actually our hardest job is going out and trying to find people that'll take
advantage of this right And why these properties haven't been upgraded is because we have this archaic zoning from the 1980s. I was actually a little older than five, but not not much. Um, >> both you stop rubbing.
>> Uh, and this singleuse commercial district, it doesn't have the price elasticity to maintain their properties. People could go and put tens of thousands,
hundreds of thousands, millions of dollars into a singlestory building on 15th in Washington. But is that really going to improve their sales, their pricing, and the environment that they're in? No. That's why you see minimum upkeep, minimum maintenance,
minimum investment, because guess what? No matter how beautiful your store looks, you're still only going to be able to smell sell smoke and vapes for so much money. There's only so much price elasticity. So why the reason
there haven't been those upgrades and keeping up with the times is because of such overly restrictive zoning that the city has actually applied to this corridor. because at one point in time we just wanted it a singleuse commercial
corridor with maybe some hotel or things like that but even those hotel heights are rather uh in today's building code you know 50 trying to build anything 50 feet 75 ft is next to impossible right it's just not going to happen so what I
would urge and again I don't want to put words in anybody's mouth because if you're just happy with the way Washington Avenue is I I vehemently disagree but uh we're all entitled to our own opinions. So that that's fine. And maybe I'm misreading the situation,
but if we do conceptually agree with a new direction for this city, so many things. We're up here, we're talking about new messaging for spring break, new identity for our city, not being a party town, but health and wellness,
focus on economic development. Well, we can also pivot on urban planning. And we don't need to perfectly align together today what exactly that is, but let's at least align with agreeing that we're going to move forward with this reimagination and finding a way over the
course of the next month or two months to come up with a pathway forward and what that ultimate product is. And I I think that's perhaps moving this along or at least not killing this idea as a whole. >> So, uh, Mr. Mayor, >> Commissioner Suarez,
>> was it me? Oh, I'm sorry, >> Commissioner Dominguez. >> Thank you. >> So, there's no question that Washington Avenue needs revitalization. The way this legislation is written is a developer giveaway. It's increasing the
property values. And I think it's being a little dramatic to say we're throwing out the baby with the bath water if we don't approve this today. Um, let's reimagine it. Let's get it right. Uh, if it needs to be rewritten, let's do it. But approving something as dangerous as
this item on first reading is irresponsible. It's not right for our city. I look at what's happening in North Beach, and this was like four commissions ago that made decisions that we're now living through because they passed things through that at the time they thought were going to be
beneficial, and um, they're really not. Um somebody I'm not sure who said that um oh then we're just going to get live local on Washington Avenue. That's not true cuz there's been a bunch of live local applications that have
been submitted. Only one has been approved because there's criteria that needs to uh exist in order for live local to get approved. So it's not a blanket that there's going to be live local up and and down um that area. Commissioner
Fernandez was spot on when he said we're rewarding uh bad operators by increasing their values and uh it's just let's get this right. Washington Avenue does need to get revitalized, but a sweeping blanket.
We've gotten a lot of communications about this from businesses and residents. Uh, one that just comes to mind now, um, is somebody saying how the hotels that were there, uh, that were approved, the Moxy and the
Good Time, and they were, uh, multi-use, all of the stores underneath are vacant. If you look south the fifth, the multi-use buildings that have been created that have living on top and uh, offices or uh, commercial stores
underneath, they're all vacant. Uh, and who's to say that a future commission, if we approve this with no parking, is not going to change it all to hotel when they can't get residents in Miami to get rid of their cars. So, let's get this right so that we are not hurting our
city later. Uh, it's good uh to look at Washington Avenue. It's critical because that area is the worst I've seen it in a very long time, maybe ever. But, uh, giving blanket giveaways, it's it's irresponsible.
>> Commissioner Suarez, >> um, I just I there's some land owners uh on the phone that I think we should give some public comment to. Um, and I'm ready to bring this in for a landing. So, we we have other business to get to. >> Before we ask uh before we hear from
them, can I So, if that's not the path, Commissioner Dominguez, what is, right? If it's not this, then what is that process? Because we've sat on this and discussed it at length. >> Commissioner Fernand just gave an option and I think it's brilliant. That's
>> that that's what I'm trying to get at. No need for the back and forth. I'm genuinely asking if not this. You're saying okay, not this. If not this, then what I am saying is uh I would second what Commissioner Fernandez has given
because it gives us protections and we're not rubber stamping um increases in property values for bad business owners, bad property owners who have let their places go to uh hell. Well, but let me let if I could just
jump in there because the idea is to create a special zoning process uh where you got this great idea that Commissioner Suarez has because we do need housing. Uh but and and and it's been my consistent concern when we've
had conversations about this at land use is that you're getting over a mile and we're upzzoning that entire mile rather than finding more narrow spaces or nodes of development where you may want to
facilitate and and encourage it. Now you know we don't know where the market is. We don't know where the market wants to develop. We can tell the market, hey, listen, you know, for as long as you're within this height, if it's 100 ft and 4.0 F within this area, we'll make it
easy for you to get your approval, you know, rather than the sixmonth process. Uh we could do like what like what the FAA did. the fina we have in our in our LDRs the expedited small scale um uh
process uh which is much quicker um rather than a six seventh vote you can do a five a 57th vote you're almost like preapproving you're almost preapproving this area for this for this development without granting the value and the
rights immediately it gives the city the ability to review these projects objects individually and the administration to negotiate benefits for the public. And Mr. Attorney, I don't know, is there would you have any concerns with this? I
know I I started working or having this discussion with the city attorney. I haven't uh spoken with Nick, but uh Rick, do you have any concerns with that type of framework that kind of gets the policy that Commissioner Suarez is is
proposing it, but implementing it? um through process rather than through as of right. >> Yeah. And I discussed with Nick, so I'll I'll defer to him, but but I think we need to look at this closely and figure out how to do it in a in a manner that is within the confines of the law.
>> I was just uh discussing with the planning director and I think what you're getting at is something like a a warrant process. Um I would just caution the commission that that we can't adopt changes to our code or approve projects
on the condition that you know that uh that certain consideration be provided. So I think we could establish what I would recommend is if we were to go that path, we would establish objective criteria like uh like we have in many of these incentive ordinances that a project would have to meet in order to be eligible for that. But we can get the
zoning that Commissioner Suarez is proposing for attainable housing and make the approval process easier for it while still retaining our ability to be able to vote on and consider these projects on a case-by case basis rather
than making them as of right. >> And and if we the way the way I think we could do that would be through like a warrant type process >> because that way it's a balance. That way we're creating the zoning, we're facilitating the zoning, but we're not just giving it up. We are we're we're
keeping some leverage for the public's benefit on the city end. >> I >> Commissioner Bot, >> I I really like this approach because I think we all share the desire to create more affordable housing. As as we've all already said, I think the fear comes
into losing control over what goes where because we've seen it happen and it's it ain't pretty. Um, I also am afraid, not afraid, but I'm I'm leerary of approving anything until we know the disposition of of Senate Bill 180. Um, because to
move forward with this as it is now, um, and not be able to remove the disincentivization of hotel use is problematic. So, um, I mean, the session is going to be over pretty soon. We should know where this is. It's going to take us some time to figure out how to
incorporate the goals that I think we share with the process that gives us a little bit more control. Um and and so you know maybe we instead of passing this at first reading, we have a sunshine meeting um to hash out some of
the these ideas that have been shared today and then come back after the session is over and we can you know have this reworked to get to where we're trying to be incorporating the feedback that we're sharing here
>> and knowing where the state is on on um on SA 180. I you know >> mission I know you want to you mentioned earlier about public comment >> yeah look if if the fear is 100 ft or the 25 extra
bonus I'm okay with removing that like right now it's 75 ft for hotels 50 ft for residential I'm okay with just flipping that to say 75 ft for residential and removing any sort of bonus and I don't see what the
difference between that legislation is then as opposed to offering residential. I mean, I think we all agree that we need more attainable housing on the beach and we we campaign
on that. We do it in our slogans. We put it on social media. We put it on flyers. But here's an opportunity to actually promote more attainable housing with the height restriction that we have. And I'm certainly open to just removing the 25
ft uh bonus. And you know, I I think, you know, Commissioner Fernandez in Tallahassee, you said, you know, you were ecstatic about building 3,600 units. That's more than what the planning director just said. I don't see what the issue is.
>> Well, I didn't use the word excited. >> Well, it seemed Okay. Well, all right. Well, >> I was paid is paid. But listen, I I I get it. I'm just saying I'm simply saying every every year we talk about affordable housing, attainable housing,
what we can do about it. And now, you know, it seems that a lot of my colleagues want to throw up a lot of these big government hurdles into getting that done when in reality there could be a bunch of hotels right now on Washington Avenue at 75 ft. They don't
want to do that because it just doesn't work. If we want actual attainable housing to be built in Miami Beach, let's not get let's not have government get in the way of that. We should be fostering that through legislation. I don't think we need to put as many
hurdles and uh objections in in the process. So look, I mean again, I don't see anyone else really bringing forward a solution. I think uh getting
in the way and doing a warrant process is really it's not gonna I mean do you really think a developer is going to want to go through that or he'd rather just do a live local where he doesn't have to go through that and he can go much taller. So look I I I think this is
just good legislation. I I really like to hear what the public has to say. Um and let's just finally bring us in for a landing. >> Commissioner Fernandez. >> Thank you. And so it's, you know, when we talk about live local and since you're referencing live local, you know, our advocacy in Live Local has all been
about retaining local decision making for the community, for the planning department, for for the governing body elected by the people who represent the people. It's all been about local decision making and and and we lose that
in a way with this because we're giving as of rights development rights. We're giving as of right zoning. So we lose a level of decision making that we have right now just how we lose it with live local.
And what I'm suggesting is we can get this same concept that you have but facilitate it. Let's remove obstacles. Let's remove um I mean I'm saying it's a six-month process. Is it a six-month process for the F uh increase?
>> Well, currently it's looks like it's more >> it's more when you factor in the three meetings of planning board, three meetings at commission. The zoning cycle is every six months, but it's typically longer. >> So, we can remove that. We can remove that that process and do a more
expedited process. We can consider doing away with a 67th vote and do what we normally do with a normal LDR, which is a 57th vote. So, we signal, okay, in this corridor, this is where we want to see increase. And for as long as you
stay within this height, whether it be 100 ft or 75 ft. And for as long as you don't request more than this amount of F, we'll cut the bureaucracy. We'll cut the process, the time that you'll spend, and we'll reduce the amount of votes so
that the city administration can ultimately participate in this in this process. so that ultimately we can listen to our community and the neighbors who are going to be affected by this. But we're it would be a big cut
of red tape. It would facilitate it. And it achieves both objectives. It advances your goals but while still keeping protections for for for the surrounding residents. And that's ultimately why we fight for decision-making. Why was I in Tallahassee? Why did I mention this?
because I didn't want our community to lose its voice on these projects, which is what Live Local does. And the moment we pass as of right zoning, we lose the community's input on these approvals. >> Commissioner Magazine.
>> Yeah, sure. I'm not dogmatic about this, right? My my true goal is just we have some really rundown commercial corridors that I think can really benefit our city by being reimagined. I don't care who the sponsor is. I I don't care what
committee they travel through or things like that. So, I like your idea as well. I like Commissioner Suarez. I like yours. I like come up to a similar end goal. What is the vessel for getting there, Commissioner Fernandez? Because I'm I'm happy to entertain that as well.
I just don't want to put out these grandiose ideas and uh not know the direction it'll take to get there. So, I I'm happy to um have some sort of blend, incorporate yours, incorporate some of your ideas. I just want to know how we're going to get there. Is is it a new
bill? Is it uh talk to me about the process >> and and if if I can also expand on Commissioner Fernandez. So, your idea is and and I I guess you don't want it all happening
all at once, right? Um, you don't want every single property to take advantage of those and I can understand that. Um, >> I don't like the blanket up zoning of the entire area, which is what I've been mentioning all along.
>> But what I'm But right now, you can do that for a hotel. >> Yeah. So, >> you and I weren't here when that was passed. And in fact, we >> Well, I understand that, but hold on. Let me just >> We sunseted legislation on that. and we repealed micro units and and other
legislation that affected Washington Avenue because we wanted to roll that back. >> But right now it still is law like that you can build to 75 ft for a hotel right now. So you don't have this mad rush to have a bunch of hotels on Washington
Avenue. You know I to say that every single property is going to be in a mad rush to build a residential. I you know I don't know but I'm certainly okay between a first and
second reading to explore the idea of you know a stop gap for the commission to approve. The idea as Tom explained was so that the historic preservation can be that that board of of approvals
as a stop gap. Um but you know I think we can work on that between first and second reading. I don't again if I'm willing to just say, you know, let's move away with this 25 ft bonus. What else is there? What what other sticking points are there? >> So, but remember this is this is in the
in the art deco historic district. So, any project here still has to go to the historic preservation board for approval. What we're talking here is is about the intensity, the zoning that that that is being created. And just for
clarification, Nick, doesn't the hotel uh bonus, doesn't that expire? Doesn't that have a sunset provision? >> The parking does >> for Washington. >> Yeah.
>> Yeah. The parking provision um had an expiration, a sunset of 2027. Um I'll double check the the the smaller size hotel units and the height. I don't think that that had a sunset. And recently a new hotel got approved on
Washington Avenue that goes from Washington to Collins >> 15th Street. Yeah, the hat. >> Right. So it is it is it it is happening. Um but you know I guess my point here is that
we don't want to we don't want to give this up as of right. >> But they have as of right right now for hotels. Wouldn't you rather have it the other way around? and and and hopefully that sunsets because I >> but it's not sunsetting. It's just it's not
>> but they're they're not getting the >> B by the way with this legislation you're going to you're going to deincentivize hotel use. >> Well, you can't undo the the the hotel use. It's preempted by >> We can we can when I mean deincentivize the hotel use, you go from 75 ft to 50 ft.
>> Mr. Mayor, I'd appreciate if we could get a door installed here because I can't I'm sorry. Yeah, I can't with the charter with the charter behind us if maybe we can. >> Mr. Mayor, can we just go to public comment, please? And >> can I wait one second? One second.
>> I think >> Okay. Are you finished with Commissioner France? >> Yeah, I mean it's it's it's about the approach. It ultimately is about about the approach. All these things, yes, they still go through HPB. Um but they
don't get the zoning as of right. Uh and so and so that's the difference and I and I think we're best served when we retain some of that. >> So can I ask? >> Yeah, we're gonna Commissioner Bot then uh we'll take public comment.
>> Um Tom, see what is the maximum is there a maximum lot aggregation here? >> No, there's no maximum lot aggregation. >> So what's the maximum size of a project? >> A whole block. Could we create a maximum lot
aggregation potentially? >> You could if you wanted to. >> Um do we didn't we just pass legislation December or at least talked about it um about property owners who are bad actors who have violations not being allowed to
apply. Where is that in the legislative process? So that was adopted, but that only applies to individual applications that are asking for zoning incentives. This is not an individual application. This is for a modification to the land
development regulations. >> Right. Well, so but I I think that's kind of part of what the reservation is to um to give this kind of blanket zoning. So that that's a a thing we should put a pin in and come back to as well. Um is there um this idea of you
know you could pull a permit and then you have in per perpetuity to just not do the project or sell it and resell it like so for me if we could if we could flip 50 to 75 and get rid of the 100
foot max if we could limit the permit rollovers once maybe twice but not in perpetuity. get rid of the TDRs, which I hate and I said on the record, Joe. Um, maximum of three to five projects. I'm
not sure what the right number would be, but I'd hate to see the entire mile all of a sudden be upzzoned because I think that that limits part of the charm of our skyline is that it's variegated. And and um, you know, I think we want to
keep some of that charm. And so, you know, we've talked for years about um about incentivizing owners to redevelop existing property. So, we'd like to I think that might be a conversation point. Um I think we need to talk about
if you've been a really crappy property owner historically, um you don't get to I don't I don't know how we'd fix this because ultimately we want those people to go away and better actors to come in. But um I we need to
think about how how we address that because that's a problem. We don't want to reward that behavior. And I think we should look at maximum lot aggregation because I think maybe a full block is not the desired effect. And I forget where the comments came about mixeduse retail on the ground floor versus um
being uh productive versus not. I think that's really a a devil's in the details kind of thing because you walk through Boston or Chicago or New York City and there are vibrant thriving neighborhoods full of retail on the first floor. It's a question of um building retail spaces
that people want to use. So like the project that's being contemplated for NI where it's smaller retail instead of bigger or it's more modern or you know whatever. I I think there's a way to address that. Um, and I I don't think it is by definition terrible. I think I
mean I've I've talked to people in the industry who knowingly have built less than ideal retail spaces because they don't really care if it's vacant or or rented out. That's not where they're making their money. So, I think that needs to be something that gets contemplated in this as well that the
retail space can't be a throwaway. it has to be carefully crafted um you know with parameters carefully crafted so that it can't be staying vacant for in perpetuity. So I think I think we're all kind of close. I just don't think we're
there yet. >> And Mr. Mayor, I just if if I can, if I can. Um, you know, and Commissioner Suarez, um, as mentioned by by Commissioner Bod, we have the legislation about rewarding bad property
owners with with zoning. And you know what we legislated is, you know, whether through a private application or a referral, you have to be in good standing with the city
before you know before you get any any of these privileges, zoning privileges, priv privileges that are extremely valuable in our city. And what that means is, you know, you don't have open code violations. You pay outstanding uh
fees. We address safety issues. Uh and we address other things specifically because of concerns that you raised and you co-sponsored that ordinance with me or you sponsored it with me specifically because we had concerns about rewarding
bad property owners with valuable zoning. And we lose that ability. And Nick, correct me if I'm wrong. Do we lose that ability to implement this ordinance if we create
this act of rights zoning? >> The the way that ordinance is drafted is you have to be in good standing before you file a private application uh to amend LDRs. So >> could an applicant for an as of right project have open violations?
>> Yes, probably. But they're not amending the LDRs when when they're doing something that's as of right. >> The LDRs have been amended for them. >> And so it prohibits us from implementing the ordinance that you and I crafted that you and I sponsored to prevent our
city from rewarding bad property owners with valuable zoning. And so I think there's a there's a happy medium to be found here. one that advances your goals, but one that also protects policies that we've already passed and preserves rights for the city and and
our residence. I suggest that we refer this to the land back to the land use committee so that so that we can work on this on a way that is productive. Uh not that this discussion is not productive because it really actually has been incredibly insightful. Um but so that we
can fine-tune this a little bit more. Public comment. >> Public comment. >> Thank you. Our first caller has initials DR. >> Yep. Can everyone hear me? >> Yes. Please state your name. Go ahead. >> Hi there. My name is David Ryenberg. I
am a business owner on 15th in Washington and a property owner on 13th. And I just bought my first apartment on 13th in Pennsylvania. So about a block away from Washington. I first want to thank um Commissioner Suarez for bringing this issue uh to
light and proposing legislation. I think that um not only is it very common sense legislation, it's it's just something that is incredibly long overdue. I'm actually making this phone call or
I'm taking the Zoom meeting. I'm right in front of Cheeseburger Baby in front of a lot that's about to be demolished for a hotel going up. Um, so I just think that's a pertinent detail to add. Um, I'm looking at a tattoo shop, a
smoke shop, Club Madonna right in front of me, and then three vacant restaurants to my left, and the Axel Hotel right behind me. Um, that just went out of business. So, I'm just giving context that I I really urge every commissioner
that might not be living in South Beach. I know we have people from North Beach or Mid Beach to just after the commission meeting today, please start on Lincoln Road, take a walk down to Fifth Street on Washington, and understand that I don't think that this
should be have endless meetings and legislation about something that really is should be a public emergency. Um I I think there is a sense of urgency and I understand they need to do it right. Um as Commissioner Suarez said right now hotels currently do have um that height
benefit that residential does not. I think that every commissioner here has platformed and I've voted for a majority of you all um because of the residents first approach. So, I think giving residential buildings, especially without cars, permission to build the
same height as hotels, is just >> a fantastic policy >> and and I thank Commissioner Suarez for for bringing that to the table. I really think it's >> Our next caller is Wayne. >> Thank you very much. Um, first and foremost, I want to thank all
of you. you actually had a decent conversation and uh the fact that there was push back forced David to bring it down to 75 from I thought it was 150. That's the way he originally presented his comments. Uh if it's 100, so be it.
Uh 75 sounds a lot better than than 150 or 100. Um but it the fact remains that um that corridor if you go to Los Alles Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale there is no
additional F but yet every storefront is filled every storefront is is wellmaintained. It's it's like a picture postcard. And why we can't make that on Washington Avenue is a result of some very bad land owners and some very bad politicians.
And um the fact remains that that I don't have a problem with like certain build certain spots, you know, maybe 20% of Washington Avenue, maybe certainly that ambassador on 16th Street and and Washington. uh that spot is is is
perfect for for a larger uh size property ofund 100 ft whatever he's reasonably asking for. But to to make a wall to put every business out of business and and I walk Washington Avenue. I am one of the
residents and I see I see hundreds of people out there every night that I go. Uh I go to Tony's. Tony's is a fabulous restaurant. I best best Asian restaurant uh sushi restaurant in in Miami Beach and I think most of you have been there.
Um uh the Queen uh you could look at like stellar businesses that that are full especially Tony's that are successful and we need more of those those sort of establishments. We should
be investing. We should Can I Can I continue? >> We have please. Can I continue for 30 seconds? Go >> ahead, please. >> So, we also like we have um we have the opportunity to to invest in the
properties that by by enabling certain land owners to go to 100 ft or 75 ft preferably and using some of the tax revenue to help uh the the building owners to like update their buildings that that they need they need
assistance. They needed incentives, but it's not incentives for height and F. And by the way, wait, I got one more question. I got one more remark. >> And And we're not talking about We're not talking about like cheap uh uh inexpensive property. We're talking
about building out new construction. >> Let's go now to Omar Park View. >> Hi, good afternoon. Um, Omar Jimenez, 1659 Washington Avenue. Um, I just I've never really understood why Washington has been allowed to become what it is
today. Uh, this is not about rewarding good or bad property owners. This is about creating good leg legislation that rewards the community and residents that elected you to service. We have a serious attainable housing crisis in Miami Beach. Unless you have an extra
million dollars laying around to drop on luxury condos built for investors that don't even live here. When my family first opened our business on Washington over 20 almost 21 years ago, opening a business north of Lincoln Road was almost like an assured failure. It was
ridden with crime. Um then the new world was built. The convention center was renovated. Over the past number of years, our building was also fully renovated. And today, north of Lincoln and Washington is much different than what it was 20 years ago. But most
importantly, we enjoy regular business from the residential properties on James Avenue and the residential neighborhood just north of our business on Washington and James. Right now, walking down Washington Avenue is like taking a chance with your life at night and sometimes even during
the day, too. Businesses are not surviving. I speak regularly with business owners on the street. One of them is closing just after 6 months in business. Another one is having issues selling their longtime established restaurant on Washington and has had to reduce the price dramatically and
advertising it over 6 months. By introducing full-time residential, many of these issues would be resolved. Introducing full-time residents ensures that caring members are part of this community that help shape the future of this struggling street that come down
from their condos and frequent the businesses and take pride in their neighborhood. This is not just about any street in Miami Beach we're talking about here. This is about one of our main streets and arteries. If Miami Beach is serious about providing workforce or attainable type housing
without projects like the >> Thank you. Our next caller is Daniel Seraldo. >> Yes, thank you, Daniel Seraldo. And thank you to the sponsor for a video of me from 2019. For those who don't know, I was the longest serving executive
director of Miami Design Preservation League. And unfortunately, I'm not able to uh show my video here due to commission restrictions. Um, as far as this current proposal, I don't know where it came from. I don't know why it is here. I saw a list of groups
supporting it, but I don't see what is MDPL's position on it. I don't see what is Flamingo Park's position on it. And I'm a little bit concerned that it's due to the attacks by Commissioner Suarez on the MDPL and on myself. Is this all part
of his attempt to destroy the art deco historic district? This is not urban planning. I also wanted to mention that Commissioner Magazine uh was concerned about the Collins Park apartments that people were displaced. I'd like him to
please go to the Detroit Apartments on Washington Avenue and count how many units and how many of our residents who are living in housing right now would be displaced by this. And finally, I would like to mention that the owner of one of the Washington Avenue properties who
spoke this morning gave 25,000 each to the two Suarez endorsed candidates, both of whom lost. So, their property should be excluded from this. Thank you. >> Our next caller is Anza's iPhone.
>> I just want like to make some recommendation. uh uh real estate is my expertise and I think on the Washington Avenue uh the idea of creating a housing for affordable housing for middle class family
is is very challenging anywhere in Miami Beach because of the cost of the land and the cost of the construction. So, I think what you need to do is figure out what could be built and at what price. Because if you cannot deliver an apartment, two-bedroom spacious
apartment at least,500 square ft to 2500 square ft cuz that's what a family will need minimum, you know, to be able to have a decent uh life. And if you cannot build something for, you know, half a
million to 750,000 with the land that you have, with the height that you have, then you're not going to, you know, whatever you try to do there is going to be a failure. So I think you got to go back to because most middle class family cannot afford more than that. So you
have to go and say, okay, what is a family can afford to pay to to buy this apartment or to rent this apartment? And I think you should go from that point and see what you could build and if it's if it's feasible. And that's how you should look at your feasibility. Uh
because you know I've been volunteering in the affordable housing uh committee for this past year and and I have some ideas how to uh build more parking spaces and workforce housing. And workforce housing is is very uh uh
achievable anywhere. I mean my idea was we have more than 60 parking lots in Miami Beach alone. Take some of those parking lot, those are lot. Those are not just garage and build 8 to 12 story where you have the first four floors be
parking and the uh the rest of the floors, you know, whatever a floor Morris or five floor Morris be a for be be a workforce housing uh uh and that you know will uh uh create and and and
have those available only for people who already have jobs here full-time. But with the >> Thank you so much. Our next caller is Sarah. Sarah, please state your name. >> Hi Sarah de los Reyes. As a res as a resident opinion, I think you need to
have like a vision of what is going to be the people living there like you were saying, but you also need the vision of what's going to be underneath it in the commercial. Like in Sunset Harbor, we had a vision, but one conglomerate owns most of the most of the commercial here.
and the property value, the property rents, the lease are so high that a lot of them have to close because it's not enough. They don't make enough rent to pay for the lease. So, you need to have make sure you have a supermarket. Make sure you have a couple of places that people get up in the morning, go have
breakfast, that people can go have a sandwich. You need to have that type of commercial on the bottom to have your residential on top that able to enjoy the area. We have a lot of restaurants, but we have a lot of health places in Santa Harbor. And the good thing about the health places, they get monthly
monthly fee and they're able to pay their lease versus like a restaurant like um like the the one that just closed next to the 18 sunset. It was $50,000 a month lease. How much food that he had to he still feel had to sell
in order to make $50,000 a month? And the price went up. So you have to you have to develop it or have the vision put the vision of how it's going to be on top and how it's going to be on the bottom. So people will be walking around there and they don't have to drive anymore. We don't drive anymore which we love. We have three supermarkets. But so
I'm just giving you that hint that that's very important for people who are here and affordable per places to go eat not like super expensive. You pay $150, 200, you have to bring the family like family type of places to go and get rid of the smoke
places. I agree. Thank you. >> Thank you. Next caller is Jane Crup. >> Uh good evening everyone. I think it's the evening. Jane Crop, 1390 Ocean Drive. Um I'm a designer, work with a lot of architects and city planners.
coming from New York where I moved in 1974 to the Soho area which was called Hell's Hundred Acres. And what happened? Why is it now uh getting over $500,000 a
month rent from high-end luxury stores is because people moved in there and lived there and put in their sweat equity. And we had terrible landlords. We had very bad property owners. And what happened was people moved in, took
some risks and those properties became valuable organically. It's called and and I feel like this discussion is all about the weeds and not about what the bigger issue is, which is called gentrification. Gentrification. You guys don't have to invent the wheel. You just need to read
and study and learn how other cities have gentrified their burntout neighborhoods because that's what Washington Avenue is. it has no value because the people the property owners there don't value it. So let them flip to new owners to professional developers. That's what happened in
Soho. We went to Albany. I was very active for 45 years and we got resident live work um joint living working legalized which was revolutionary. That's the whole start of you know live work. So it's called gentrification.
You have to figure out as a government what the vision is for Washington Avenue if you want to do nothing which is sounds like what you're going to do because you can't agree about the weeds of the problem where the vision is gentrification. How do you bring up real estate value? The government doesn't do
that. It's an organic economic uh development that happens by certain people taking risks. You're not going to get a wall of highrises. You're going to get a few developers that are going to come in and start the ball rolling and then it becomes an organic process. You don't need the government. Thank you.
>> Our next caller is Charlie. Please state your name. >> Hey, it's Charlie uh Fischer. I called earlier. I just wanted to reiterate or speak to two points. The first point is just like a previous caller said, uh we don't need tall buildings to have nice
buildings. Los Olas is an example. I'm regularly on Miracle Mile and Coral Way. All twostory buildings. It's super luxury. So, so let's just drop the fallacy of like we need height increases in order to have nice things. That's not true. The second thing is you guys are
all very smart political people. You know that the overwhelming majority of this neighborhood does not want these height increases. That these are being pushed by developer interests. And we know that you know that. So, we know that you're aware of our position, right? A lot of you, all of you campaigned on uh uh representing
resident interests over developers. Well, now's your chance to put uh actions where your mouth was. I saw all the campaign literature. You all talked about putting our needs over developers. Well, today's the vote that will decide if you were serious about that or if that was just an empty campaign promise. Thank you so much.
>> Thank you. Next caller is Mark Needle. >> Hello. Um, I uh missed a lot of the conversation. I just found this was going on. But uh uh I wanted to say that I've spoken with uh uh Scott Needleman u
about the Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association. Uh and and it's really a shame that the we do not did not know in time to have a position uh to be able to be part of this conversation as a neighborhood association. We are the
successful affordable uh relatively affordable housing neighborhood that is right alongside uh Washington Avenue. And uh the the resident right to know ordinance says that the city should use good faith to ensure that we as res the neighbor the affected neighborhood
association have an opportunity to uh impact this uh direction here. So I'd ask you to continue this. It sounds like there's some some good ideas in here. some questionable ideas in here and I really feel like the neighborhood should
have an opportunity to weigh in and that somebody should make a motion to continue this matter so that we can give you some informed uh direction. >> Thank you. Our next caller is Johan Moore. >> Good evening uh commissioners. uh as a
member of the now I believe nine uh member uh Flamingo Park neighborhood association land use subcommittee I would join in Mark's request that you in fact not vote on this tonight but rather
postpone this until the 25th in order for Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association uh to have the possibility to develop its position uh uh and and endorse or modify the subcommittee's
recommendations at our monthly meeting next Monday uh an in-person meeting. Uh I will change hats from that membership of the subcommittee to make personal comments. Uh I was heartened to hear the
acknowledgment of the problem of warehousing typically of uh residential units especially in other cities not so much apparently in ours here. Uh though Airbnbing is a form of warehousing. Um but uh I believe there's also been a
reluctance to do anything about that. Uh possibly there may not be a tool you have to deal with that. I was less heartened, but I acknowledge uh Commissioner Bots's uh uh concerns about TDRs. Uh the uh problem with that is
that the 13 million square ft of F in South Beach that is unused, much of that cannot be used. So, it's essentially locked up value that in the absence of a TDR uh a transfer of development rights
uh scheme or proposal um cannot be used to support renovation, restoration, resilience of those contributing buildings. Uh I want to suggest that uh a right sizing of this project might be
arrived at by working backwards from what it is that the city >> Thank you sir. Nick there's no city attorney >> deputy city chief attorney. >> There is no TDRs in this program. Correct. >> No not in the draft that's before you.
No. >> Okay. I think there was talk about it at the planning board and yeah I never proposed that. So, just want to make sure that we're all aware that there are this legislation has no TDRs. >> That's correct. >> Our next caller is Lori Bakum.
>> Lori, please unmute yourself. >> Hello, Lori Baka. Miami Beach resident since 1992. Um, I didn't plan to speak on this issue, but I do want to, um, say a few words. Um many years ago as a
longtime resident and real estate broker of historic properties in Miami Beach, I send a recommendation into the commission about opening up the upper levels of existing Washington Avenue
properties to live work zoning. And the only commissioner at that time and this will give you a timeline of the date uh that responded was Joy Malikoff who also supported that but there just was no will at that time to change to any residential zoning. So I don't have an
opinion on whether this current proposal is the best or not. But I do believe that getting people living on Washington Avenue is very important. And I would like the commission to and the city
government to consider ways that live work opportunities can also be incentivized because I do believe to bring in not just families but also young professionals that have exited Miami Beach over the last 20 years and
especially the last 10 are entrepreneurs and designers and artists that we want to bring back. And I believe if you can find a way to incentivize that it will be very helpful. Thank you. >> Our next caller is Adam Shedro.
Mr. Shedro, go ahead. Please unmute yourself. Okay. There's no other callers. Is there anyone in the audience? >> Welcome Troy. Hi. You know, I feel like this is Christmas in February.
For a long time, we have been asking and talked about changes on Washington Avenue. Someone pay attention. And I'm happy that this group is paying attention to Washington Avenue. Thank you very much. Now, do we agree with everything that has been put out there?
Absolutely not. And I'm happy that at least we're getting input, getting different interpretations, and we hope that something comes out of this. Now, if you were to look at this from the perspective of the property owners, they look at this a little different than you do on why they have not done
certain things out of certain fears and certain hesitations, but they do want to do something. They do want to see a change on Washington Avenue. And the more that they can be involved in those decisions, I think that the easier this process will be. So
as we move forward, whatever it takes, Washington Avenue, we want to be involved. Just sitting there during this cycle, my phone lit up, speaking of Christmas, like a Christmas tree from property owners, they have different questions, at least five or six
different questions on what will this actually how will this affect Washington Avenue? Has anyone done a financial analysis on this? What questions that were asked about sewage? You name it, all of it has come out. So whatever direction that is decided, first I thank
you. I commend you for even taking this on. You're brave enough to do it. We support change. We need help on Washington Avenue as most of you have heard me say many times before. If it's residents, let's do it. Um if it's incentives in other ways, let's do those as well. But Washington here to support.
We want change. Thank you. >> That concludes uh public comment period. >> So to make Mr. Mayor, >> Commissioner Fernandez, I heard first and then Commissioner Suarez pretty uh let's bring it home. Yeah, I just wanted to just suggest, you know, there's a lot of good ideas. There's a lot of good in
this policy. I think there's a path forward. I think we should talk and land use. You know, one of the callers mentioned, you know, TDRs, you know, because we do have those 13 million square feet of unused F that let's say
and we we currently have a TDR study that we're doing, Tom, is that correct? That we were advancing through the land use committee. Uh what's the status of that TDR study? >> Correct. The consultant that we retain is finishing that up and we're expecting it to be ready uh no later than the end of February. is, you know, there's
different things that we can look at. We can look at, you know, transferring existing F into Washington Avenue in a way that reinvests in historic buildings and and helps our our historic buildings. We can
look at um lowering the threshold, the voting threshold, saying if you go up to for as long as you don't exceed 4.0 O F in your request will approve it through a 57 vote or through an expedited process. From everything that I've heard
on the days, it seems like that could be something that the body could be agreeable to. If we send it to land use, we can iron this out so that we can hopefully pass something that developers can use to bring residents into the area.
>> I'd like to refer this to land use. >> I have a second. >> I'm sorry. Where? Okay. >> Okay. So, I have a referral to land use by Commissioner uh Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Bot. All in favor of referring both R5B and R5C to land use,
please say I. >> I. >> Any oppose? The two items are referred to land use, R5B and R5C. >> That's that Tom, does that go to the next? >> You um you can certainly have it placed on the next available land use committee. >> Please do that. Thank you. So, at the
next land use meeting, >> let's do uh the boards and committees. >> Everyone has a blue paper >> R9B. >> So, let me know if you if you can't find yours and you also have small pads and
pencils for you to vote if necessary. >> Mr. Mr. Mayor, that's me. Just a point of um point of privilege, I would like to make a comment about one of the
well actually two of the nominees for um one of the boards. It's the human rights committee. >> Do you want to get to it when we're there? >> Are we going to get I can go. >> I can go in order. We can go to whatever
you >> Let's just go to the human rights committee now that that's possible. >> Get it out of the way. >> Let's go. Let's go in order of >> Sure. >> and then when we get through it. So, did everyone find their blue paper? If not, I have an extra couple of extra ones. Okay. So, we're going to go in order for
the first one is the ad hoc city lighting plan advisory committee. I believe >> we have one vacant seat, one nominee. May we do so by acclamation? Yes. >> Yes. >> I know in the past we've done wherever there's not >> that's what I'm trying to do. Yeah. So
that's the first one. Backlation Jacob Inttor. >> Okay. >> The second one is requires a vote. This is the ad hoc city sanitation advisory committee. You have two nominees, Jocelyn Mahon and Billy Mallister. This is for the one vacant seat available for
the city as a as large at large. Uh just for the record, Mr. Macauer has not completed the application as of yesterday. So you don't have anything to read on that. >> I'll move the appointment of Joselyn Mahome.
>> Second. >> Can we do that by acclamation 70? >> Yes. >> Affordable housing committee. You the mayor nominated the vice mayor to be the the city representative, the commission representative. She accepts. We could do this one by acclamation.
>> So, >> I accept. >> So, congratulations, Vice Mayor. >> On the >> I'm sorry, I have a question. Um, if somebody doesn't get appointed to a board that he or she is interested in,
but has also expressed interest in affordable housing, can we come back and nominate them while we're all here together? >> Yes. As long as that person meets the minimum qualification for whatever position, what I could do is I could put that person in and if it doesn't match, then I could come back next meeting. >> Okay.
>> So for we're there at affordable housing. >> Uh there has been a withdrawal of anes flax. >> So with that you have six seats are available and you have five nominees. If you wish to do it, you
could appoint everyone by acclamation. So moved. We are now on page three and we're at the animal welfare committee. So Catz has nominated Lisa Samuel as their rep. We could do that by acclamation. So moved. Everyone agrees. Art and
public spaces requires a vote. So just for the record, Steve Burke is a nominee. He's a current member. Monica Ulitz is a new nominee. Deera Lazo is a current member. and
Marcela Nolla is also a nominee. So your two reappoints would be Steve Burke and Lazo, but you can vote up to three individuals. So if you wish to vote down >> Yes, please. So you can vote up to three individuals.
So Burke, Ulitz, Lazo, Aella. Sure. Okay. Shuffling. Uh so Commissioner Bot is voting for Burke Lazo
and Nolla. Commissioner Suarez is voting for Burke and Nolla. Commissioner Fernandez is voting for Burke. >> Nolla
>> and Lazo. Commissioner Dominguez is voting for Burke, Ulitz, and Lazo. Vice Mayor Monica, I don't recognize her signature, so it's the first time I see it. Uh, Commissioner Vice Mayor Monica
Matselinus is voting for Burke. Okay. Uh, Lazo and Marcela Nolla. Mayor Miner is voting for Steven Burke. Monica Ulitz and Lazo
and Commissioner Magazine Burke Lazo Nolla. Kayla, can you tell us what the votes are, please? Steven Burke has seven votes. Derelia Lasso has six votes and Marcela Nolla has five votes.
>> So those are the three top vote getters and are appointed. Next category on page four, Black Affairs Committee, one nominee, one seat, Valerie Crawford for reappointment. May we do that by acclamation? >> Yes. So moved board of adjustment James
Silvers is can be done by acclamation. It is a reappoint. >> So moved. >> Uh general general business category Janet Silverman is a reappointment. One nominee one seat. >> So moved.
>> Reclamation. This one we need for budget advisory committee. We need uh we need a vote. We have two individuals. David Borg and former commissioner Whitehorn. This is for the CPA seat. On this one, I want to make a clarification. There was a third nominee that I cannot place
because they haven't done the application. So, I couldn't place that person. So, they're as of this moment, they're they're not nominated for this category. So, we have David Borg and Commissioner Whitehorn. an application.
>> Do it. So, Vice Mayor Monica Mat Selenas votes for White Horn. Commissioner Suarez for Berg. >> Borg. >> I'm sorry. >> Borg. >> Borg. Borg. Okay. Sorry. Uh,
Commissioner Bot for Commissioner Whitehorn. Commissioner Magazine for Whitehorn. Miner for Borg, Commissioner Dominguez for White Horn, and Commissioner Fernandez for Commissioner Whitehorn with a heart at
the end for his former boss. Commissioner Whitehorn is appointed. We're now going to page five. Convention Center Advisory Board. The Palm View resident has been nominated by Palm
View. It is Dylan Fillian. Can we do that acclamation? >> Moved. >> So acclamation appointed the convention center uh rep as the exofficial member of the management company is Freddy Peterson. May we do that by acclamation?
>> So moved >> for cultural arts on page five. There's uh five nominees, six seats. We could do all that by acclamation. >> Acclamation. >> Cultural arts council is done by acclamation. Design review board. We have Andresa.
uh one seat, one uh nominee. We could do that by acclamation. >> So moved. >> Appointed uh for the resident at large category. We need a vote on that. We have two nominees, Nathan Beckerman and Jessica Mitch. Uh this is for the one
vacancy seat available for the three consecutive years of residency required design review board. Beckerman Mindage. Mayor Miner for Mr. Beckerman. Commissioner Suarez for Mr. Beckerman.
Commissioner Magazine Mitch. Miss Mitch. Commissioner Fernandez. Miss Mitch. Commissioner Dominguez. Miss Mitch. Vice Mayor Monica Matselin. Miss Mitch. And Commissioner Bot. Miss Mitch. Miss Mitch is appointed.
>> Raphael. Um, I had a really great conversation with Nathan uh yesterday or the day before and one of his um uh choices for a a board was the affordable housing >> committee and I suggested if he were not
to prevail today for this seat, would he be interested in that seat? And he said he would. So, I'd like to nominate him. >> I'll second that >> for that. So we could do that by acclamation if you wish because we have more seats than we have nominees. So Mr. Beckerman will be appointed to
affordable housing assuming that he meets one of the criterias of the open seats. I think he does, but I'll check just in case. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Uh we are now on page seven. Uh the water management seat on the design review board is Miss Leuen. Uh we can do
that by acclamation. It's a reappoint. So moved. The general obligation bond oversight committee. We could do all these by acclamation if you so wish. Kate Mosley for for the resident uh two seats are available for Mid Beach, Mr. Coslo, Mr. Kesler and the resident from
the north beach is one seat available, Mr. Smith. We can do all those by acclamation if you wish on page seven. So moved. We're on page eight. Again, we could do all these by acclamation where with Mr. Bruce Halpern still in the general obligation bond for the one seat is
available is cultural facilities. We could do that by acclamation please moved uh health advisory committee all these could be done by acclamation uh uh nursing profession Susan Gatser Snider and uh Dr. Jacobs
these are one reappoint of Dr. Jacob, that can be done by acclamation. >> So moved. >> Thank you. Uh historic preservation board for the one seat at large. Mr. Brereslin is the only nominee and it's a reappoint. Can we do that by acclamation? >> So moved.
>> We are now in the architect position. Miss Kamar, Miss Kargo is uh requested to be reappointed and has me for the water management seat. We could do those two by acclamation if you wish. Yes,
>> we're now on the human rights committee. There are seven vacant seats and we have >> I'd like to speak on that. >> Commissioner Suare Commissioner Suarez. >> Thank you. Um, you know, I want to clearly state my objection to Amanda Knap's appointment as chair of the human
rights committee or to her appointment and why I believe she should not be confirmed for the sake of the committee's effectiveness, credibility, and its working relationship with staff. You know, I want to be very clear. This is not about ideology or disagreement. It's about temperament, professionalism,
and whether someone is suited to chair a committee whose mission is human rights. In my own experience, Miss Knap has public publicly referred to me as a puppet commissioner. That alone reflects a level of hostility and disrespect that is incompatible with
a leadership role meant to foster dialogue, inclusion, and mutual respect. Beyond that, I've heard directly from our city manager, Eric Carpenter, who has confirmed that he and others have described Miss Knap's interactions with staff as combative, abrasive, including
instances where co-workers are berated to the point of tears, both internally and during public board meetings. The chair of the human rights committee must be someone who can deescalate conflict, work constructively with staff, and bring people together across
differences. Whatever one thinks of Miss Knap's passion or advocacy, this pattern of behavior raises serious concerns about her ability to lead in that capacity. For this committee's credibility and the well-being of our staff members for
those reasons, I urge my colleagues to carefully reconsider these concerns and vote against this confirmation. In fact, I'd like to read into the record uh an email that I have from Lauren Hernandez to Mara, our HR director. Hi Mara,
please note that Maruriel Thomas came into my office visibly upset in tears and clearly frustrated following a human rights committee meeting. She explained that Amanda had spoken to her in an extremely rude and disrespectful manner in front of the entire committee. Muriel
was so upset by the interaction that she felt compelled to report it to me, noting that the behavior was inappropriate and unprofessional. According to Marielle, the exchange was so concerning that one of the committee members had to stop in and tell Amanda not to speak to her in that way. And PJ,
I'd like you to show a video of u of Amanda. >> One way we can fight that, and it's not going to be by appealing to morality, any of these lunatics who are up there just very willing to be subservient to honestly a group of excuse me, freaking
>> they wanted us to be silent. our own local government commissioner wanted us to be silent. >> There's only one way we can >> Yeah, you could you could stop it. Now, guys, or I think Commissioner Fernandez,
I think at the beginning of the of the the meeting, you said as I go through my committee appointments today, as I cast my vote on committee appointments, I'm not going to be voting for individuals who are using their platforms to promote hate and division in our community. I took
>> I'm not supporting Miss Knaps for this committee. >> Thank you for Thank you for stating that because that these same comments is what would have applied with to Miss Flax and PJ. I don't know if you have the image of that I that that I emailed you. Uh
this is Thank you because our board and committee appointments need to be about the good of the city. There's national politics, partisan politics. that division, let that stay somewhere else. Here we need to be unifying. And
it's the same reason why I wasn't going to support Flax, who wrote, "Demonrats are the party of Satan." You know, there there there it is in Flax. She had been nominated to serve uh on the affordable housing advisory committee. I think
Commissioner Sars by you. >> And as soon as I saw that, >> yeah, >> I removed it. I was literally the moment you said that, I went over to Raphael. I said, Rafael, remove >> people like that should not be serving in these committees. When you're saying that Democrats are demon rats in the
party of Satan, you're talking to every single Democrat in this city. That that's what they are. And the same thing with on the opposite side. Um, you know, we cannot tolerate this divisiveness in our community anymore.
We need to come back together. And these boards and committees are one of those places where neighbors can work together even when they're of opposite parties. They can find common ground on water issues, on parks issues, on transportation issues that are
nonpartisan, and then bring us together. So yeah, I agree with you. >> Through the mayor, I I request we ask Commissioner Bot to remove your nomination of Amanda. Um, you know, I it's I I agree that we need to come to the middle. Um, I'm I
would also put into the record physician heal thyself. Um, you are also an agent of division. How much money did you spend against somebody who you weren't even running against? >> I don't know what that applies to this item. Commissioner,
>> I'm saying what's good for the goose is good for >> I'm not calling anyone a derogatory term. I mean, I think Excuse me. I'm speaking. You're asking a question. I'm I'm simply answering. I never would I would never call another commissioner a puppet And if I ever if I ever
appointed someone who would have talked to you that way or or commissioner Dominguez or anyone up here, I would have immediately removed my appointment immediately. And that's exactly what I did with Anes Flax today. I didn't wait a second and I did the right thing
because I know that people like that should not be representing our city. So, it's a very simple yes or no. >> Can I finish my comments, please? Thank you so much. I was not answering your question yet. I was pointing out that there should be no
double standard for people who are elected into office versus people who are appointed into committees. I did not know about that comment. I will. >> You were there. >> I was there in the back talking to other people. I made very different comments. >> Purposely left you out of the video out
of respect for your office. >> So, you can show what I said because what I said was not about that. What I said very clearly, and feel free to show it, not the edited version that you have on YouTube floating around. What I said very clearly, and Brandon was there filming, I said very clearly, you are a
citizen of this country. You are permitted to use your voice to express your dissatisfaction to the government. And if that is a comfortable if that is a statement that you're not comfortable with, that's a that's a you problem. My comment was as we are making our
committees better, I would suggest we do the same with our colleagues and I think it's surprising given the last five months. I will withdraw my nomination. I do not believe she was being nominated or she was going to be the the chair. Uh
I will commend her for her work that I know she's passionate about, but I don't think that that kind of rhetoric is uh appropriate and certainly making staff cry is not appropriate. So I'm removing. >> Thank you. >> So for human rights, we have Mr. Burns,
Mr. Martinez, and Miss Rogers. They could all be done by acclamation. >> So moved. We're now on page 10. Uh, next generation council reappoint of Mr. Koserak can be done by acclamation. So moved. Uh, and the Mr. Miss Lant from
the Miami Beach Chambers rep can be done by uh acclamation. >> So moved. >> The Normandy Shores Local Government Neighborhood Improvement has nominated reappoint of Miss Nagler as their rep. We do that by nomin by acclamation.
>> Yes. We're now on page 11. This is the North Beach Community Redevelopment Agency. We have three seats. You can vote up to three individuals. I'm going to say their names. It's uh Igor Diadraovvic. This uh Samuel Laton who is the current
member. So that would be a reappointment if you wish to do that. Manning Salazar is the current member. So that would be a reappoint. Laura Vetia. So those are your nominees. Igor, Samuel, Manning, and Laura. You
could vote up to >> three individuals. >> I have a comment about this, Mr. Mayor. >> Commissioner Suarez. >> Um, I want to be very clear. Again, this is not personal and it's not about questioning anyone's integrity. It's
about common sense government and public trust. The North Beach CRA isn't a isn't a symbolic board. It controls redevelopment policy and public money, and it is expected to play a role in housing, including affordable housing
and workforce housing. Appointing the co-owner of a property managed firm creates a built-in conflict of interest because CRA decisions that lead to more housing units and higher density also creates more properties that need to be managed.
That's not hypothetical. That's how business works. And because housing comes up again and again, this isn't something that can just be fixed with an occasion occasional recusal. And to be clear, this is not about qualifications. Many people are qualified. The question
is whether someone's private business interests align too closely with the decisions the board is expected to make. The perception problem gets worse when you look at the family's business connections. Her brother and business partner previously served on the CRA on
planning bodies and work closely with major developers shaping North Beach projects like the TCC that we just discussed. Who >> are you referring to? >> Laura Vatia. From the outside, it looks like the same small circle of people influencing
redevelopment decisions year after year, even if the names on the stage changes. And we should be honest about about the market reality. One company has already holds a near monopoly in North Beach property management and that company is
Urban Resource. Whether or not anything is improper ever happens, the public will reasonably question whose interests are really being served. Our job is to avoid putting the city in that position. to protect the credibility of the CRA and maintain public confidence. I can't
support this appointment and believe we should choose someone whose private livelihood isn't is clearly separate from the development and property management in North Beach. So, um I think that is a super I think that's a
big conflict of interest. We just had an opening on the human rights council. I think if you know if Miss Laurila wants to serve a city board I think that's we just had an opening but right now I think in good conscious I certainly
can't um put someone who has clearly a conflict of interest um on the decision-m of the North Beach CRA. >> Mr. Mayor, >> Commissioner Fernandez, >> Mr. Attorney, what is the authority of
the North Beach CRA? Do they have decision-making authority or are they plainly advisory? >> They're they're advisory. >> They're advisory. And so even even this body, which is the governing body of of
the uh North Beach CRA, we are the board of directors. So they're advisory to us. We're the board of directors. The main purpose of a community redevelopment agency is to administer funds, tax increments that come into into the fund.
We may want to do that, but it's all subject to a budget. Is that correct? >> That is correct. >> And is that budget approved by by by the North Beach CRA advisory board? >> No, it's approved by the county and by the board of the CRA. >> So the CRA, which is all of us, the
board of the CRA, and then it's the county that all right. So, so this individual really doesn't have, you know, they're advisory just like any other stakeholder does like Flores and and community resonance
and all that. Um, but they really don't have any real decision making authority over over the CRA. >> Their role is advisory nature. They make recommendations through motions. Is is it any different than like when we appoint, you know, real estate
developers to to to certain categories on the planning board or or the BOA or anything like that? >> Well, the the truth of any ethics question is it's always going to be a fact factually determined um answer. So,
I can see what you're driving at and yes, there is similarities, but I wouldn't be able to answer specifically because it's all going to be fact- driven. I get what you're saying, Commissioner Suarez, but I it's an advisory committee and we are the ones that ultimately make decisions. There's
been times we haven't agreed with their recommendations and we haven't deceptive them. And when it comes to issues of ultimately dollars and cents, it's approved by us and then it has to be approved by the board of county commissioners. Um,
>> correct. So yeah, look, I I don't see, you know, I get where you're coming from and I and and I respect it, but you know, she's also a resident. Um, she's been a longtime stakeholder. Um, and they deserve they deserve, you know,
respect. I don't like to call them out this way in public. You know, they they she's been serving there. Uh, I think she's been serving there, hasn't she? >> Um, no, maybe her brother did. But, uh, they're also a very philanthropic family. Um, they help pay for many
things in the North Beach Fountain area and, um, long-term residents. And are there bylaws saying that it it's uh, preventing her from serving because it's a conflict of interest or it's just an opinion?
>> Well, if if we wanted to request that she request an opinion from the Commission on Ethics, that would be something that that could be. >> But there's no bylaws is what I'm saying. I I I do not see an immediate conflict, but I'm not the arbiter of conflicts of interest. >> But but but let me ask you a question.
Aren't there other business owners that are also from the North Beach area that are part of the CRA? Yes, absolutely. >> So why would we make one business owner go through a different process that any other business >> because it's a type of business. It's the type of business that they that that she has. I mean she has >> the conflict I missed. What was the
conflict between the her type of business and >> property management? >> Okay. So, you know, the North Beach CR 10% of the budget has to go to affordable housing. And I just look, I've been very cautious of conflicts of
interest as as soon as I got into this role. And I think the the more far removed away from we are whether it's advisory, non-advisory, I think it just puts us in a better position for public trust. That's all. Look, >> and I think we all are. I think I I think it's not just you. You know, we
all are very very very mindful of avoiding conflict of interest, but that's like saying a florist can't be there because more development will drive more, you know, husbands to go buy flowers for their wives home at night. No, it's not a stretch. Respectfully,
that's a stretch. When you have a monopoly on property management, >> I mean that it is different. I mean, it's not a flower shop. It's it's >> Let's call it a >> So, you can put up to three individuals. The one thing I just want to mention is that that if she ever wanted to do business with the city, then she would
need to seek an opinion from the assets commission. >> That's with any business, not just a property management. >> Correct. >> Repeat the names or >> we have to pick three. a bunch of them at the end.
Uh so I have mayor nominates or votes for Igor Desandov, Samuel Leone and Laura Vatia. Commissioner Suarez votes for Igor.
Commissioner Fernandez votes for Laton, Salazar, and Vetia. Commissioner Dominguez votes for Leon, Salazar, and Vetia. Commissioner Vice Mayor Monica Matel Selenas votes for Leon, Salazar, and
Vetia. Commissioner Bot votes for Leon, Salazar, and Vetia. Commissioner Vagazine votes for Eigor. Sam Leon and Manning Salazar.
Kayla, can you call the vote, please? >> Members are Salon with six votes, Manny Salazard with uh five votes, and Lara Betia with five votes. So because these individuals got more than the required
for those requiring the waiver, they got more than the required 57s vote. So that the waiverss are also taking place. So we are now going to do we're on page 12 and we're going to do Roina uh Rosco Enio for the business owner category.
She's the only nominee. So if we could do that acclamation. >> My favorite florist. Yes. So moved. Thank you. Uh for the real estate industry professional, we have Mr. Eisenberg and that is also can be done by acclamation, please.
>> So moved for the parks and recreation board. Uh two vacant seats are available, youth recreational program, and you have two nominees. Can we do that by acclamation? >> Yeah, Ralph, actually one of my nominees, I think she's already serving on that board, maybe just under a different title. Is that correct?
>> These are the atlarge categories. So you probably have your direct is what you're thinking of. These are at large and they were vacant. >> But Elizabeth Alper Williams, I see that she's already been appointed to another position by Commissioner Fernandez
>> on the parks and wreck, right? >> I guess. >> Thanks, bro. >> We could we could do two ways. We could either move her here and the commissioner has a new seat or we could >> No, we can't keep her my seat and that way
>> so we'll verify that. But so if that if that's the case then uh Gordon Boilski could be appointed by acclamation. >> So moved. >> And we will bring that vacant seat back for the next meeting. Uh Gail Durham for
the soccer position. That's a reappointment. So moved. The personnel board. These could be done by acclamation. These are both reappoints. >> Moved. the planning board Jonathan Frerieden can be done by acclamation.
>> So moved. >> We're now on page 14. We have Elizabeth Laton. Uh the education position. It's a reappoint. If we could do that by acclamation. >> So moved. >> Now we have the one seat available. This requires a vote. We have Mr. Cement, Mr.
Gardner, and Miss Silverman. >> I I'd like to move the reappoint of Yale Cement. Second. >> Would you like to do that by acclamation then? >> Yes. >> All in favor say I. >> I.
>> So 70. Mr. Sam is reappointed. >> We could do on page 15. Everything in that she can be done by acclamation. We have the attorney license to practice in the state of Florida. Mr. Alias could be done by acclamation. It's a reappoint >> for the senior affairs committee. the
reappoint of Miss Diaz Rodriguez for for Rebecca Towers can be done by acclamation. So moved for the transportation parking uh committee uh Chris Glode uh is a South Beach neighborhood representative nominee. We could do that by acclamation if you so
wish. So moved. Peter Mats is a reappoint for the North Beach Neighborhood Association. than pending is when he uh when he signs his paperwork. If he is appointed, he just has to tell us which North Beach Association membership he still continues, but it is a reappoint.
>> Moved acclamation. Thank you. We're now on page 16. We can This is the BCA. George Gonzalez has been nominated for the hotel industry or our or at large seat. There's only one nominee in that category. It could be done by acclamation.
>> So moved. We have now the two three seats are available for the atlarge category. We have Lette Garcia, Adrien Gonzalez, Corey Rice is the current member. So that would be a reappoint if you if you so wish.
Christopher Rollins and Cesy Velasco. So you have Garcia, Gonzalez, Rice, Rollins, and Velasco. You could vote up to three. Oh, find myself in a pickle here. >> Likewise.
>> Oh, I didn't realize I overcommitted myself. Uh >> oh. This for the at large. >> Yes, sir. >> And how many were we picking? >> Up to three. Oh, I see your pickle mark.
>> Oh, yeah. It's ridiculous. know. Oh my god, this is You still waiting, Chris? Oh. So, Commissioner Magazine votes for Cassie Velasco. Uh, Cassie Velasco,
Adrien Gonzalez, and Chris Rollins. Mayor Miner votes for Chris Rollins, Cassie Velasquez, and Corey Rice. Commissioner Suarez votes for Rollins. Corey Rice and Adrien Gonzalez.
Commissioner Dominguez votes for Cassie Velasco, Chris Rollins, Lette Garcia. West Mayor Monica Matelinz votes for Lette Garcia, Christopher Rollins, and Cassie Velasco.
Commissioner Fernandez votes for Adrien Gonzalez, Cesi Velasco, and Lette Garcia. Commissioner Bot votes for Rollins, Velasco, and Garcia. Kayla
>> are um Lisa Garcia with four votes, Chris Rollins with six votes, and Sassy Velasco with six votes. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. >> If I may, >> Commissioner Fernandez. >> Thank you. I just want to publicly
apologize to Corey Rice and Christopher Rollins, especially Christopher who I know personally. Um, I had committed to support them and I realized here on the day is that I overcommitted myself and I wasn't able to support them and I like sticking to my word when I tell someone that I'm going to support them with
something. Um, and so I don't want them to be surprised that I didn't vote for them. I I apologize publicly that I wasn't able to support them. And on the last page on page 17, these are just confirmation of direct
appointments. Uh >> say if we could do that but all by acclamation. >> Yeah. >> So everything on page 17 by acclamation. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Kell. So, we're done with boards and committees. >> Yes, sir.
>> Let's call R seven losing my voice. R 7A and R sevenB. R7A. >> R7A is a public hearing. Adopt second amendment to fiscal year 2026 operating budget. R7B public hearing. Adopt second amendment to fiscal year 2026 capital
budget. 7 A and B. >> Second. >> Yes. >> Call the RO. >> So, the motion by I'm sorry moved. Commissioner second. Okay, got it. All in favor? I >> please say I. >> Uh, Mayor Miner is a yes and
commissioner bot is a yes. So, these are R 7A and B. Just for the record, this is a public hearing. There's no one on Zoom. No one in the audience requesting to speak. R 7A, R7B. So, the item is approved. 70 items. >> Thanks.
>> Thank you. Call R7AB. R7AB, Clean Miami Beach Water Waiver for Collins Park organizations Eco Fest event R7AB. So move >> second motion by Commissioner Fernandez, seconded by uh Commissioner Suarez. R
7AB by acclamation 70. >> Yes. So no one is opposed. Uh I will confirm that vote with Commissioner Bot when she steps back in. So that was R7AB.
C7E C7E appoint John Reebar director of parts facilities fleet and beaches department separated by Commissioner Fernandez. >> Commissioner Fernandez. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. And um the reason why I separated this and let me just go
to the item here quickly with this item. We are >> Mr. Manager, explain to me your restructuring of department. >> Yes, Commissioner. That's correct. Um what we've done in this particular case
is we have combined the parks department with um the facilities and fleet department and created the department of parks facilities fleet and beaches. Okay. Now so
when we create departments departments are created by the commission. and they're created by the commission through ordinance. And then based on those units and those departments that are created by
ordinance of the city commission is that then we pass a budget and and there's and there's directors. Um we haven't amended our work chart. We haven't passed an ordinance saying we no longer
want to have uh fleet department. We no longer want to have a facilities department. We want to consolidate this all into one department. I would want to see what are the cost savings. What are the unintended consequences to our parks department because if there is one
department that I do not get complaints about and boy do we get complaints about different stuff. But the one department we don't get complaints about is the parks department. It runs it it runs you
know I believe flawlessly. People appreciate the services and I don't want to jeopardize that. It is the authority of the city commission. It is the jurisdiction of the city commission to create departments and do that type of
of restructuring through ordinance and then it's your prerogative to appoint a director. But we haven't created this department. And so at a time when we are uh analyzing cost savings and all that
before we we do this and potentially I don't I want to get assurances that we're not going to hurt the functionality of the parks department by putting one director in charge of a mega department. I mean we're in essence pretty much
making John unofficially kind of like an ACM. uh even though it's not an assistant manager position with this size of a portfolio, it's almost like an ACM. So I would want to make sure that I understand well what are the budget
implications? Are there going to be savings? And I want to make sure that this expanded and added scope doesn't jeopardize doesn't jeopardize um the services that the parks department is delivering which again I
believe is second to none and people absolutely love. >> So that's my concern with this is procedural. You know we we the city commission creates departments, consolidates departments and is done by ordinance so that we can see what is its impact.
>> Understood commissioner and my intention was to bring a cleanup ordinance in the next few months to adjust that. Um this is something that I believe is extremely helpful to our organizational structure today. um which is why I reached out to
all of you and um ultimately I do agree with you that the parks department is running extremely well and I think that has a lot to do with John's leadership of that department which is why I think that he has earned the opportunity to take on these additional
responsibilities and show us that he's capable of doing more than what we're currently asking him. Okay, >> like to move the item second. Motion by sorry. >> Motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Fernandez.
All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Item is approved. BCA. >> I'd actually like to do a motion to reconsider on one of the board votes. If you can uh explain what I told you, Ralph. >> Yes, sir. So, for the visitors and
conventions authority board, uh, Mayor Miner voted for Corey Rice and he I believe is that your me you I'm assuming you meant to vote for Mr. Gonzalez. Is that correct? >> I don't want to say I I I I meant to,
but I'd like to change my vote. So if that's the case, that would mean that there's a tie vote for Lette Garcia and Adrien Gonzalez, which would require a new vote alto together to break the tie >> on just those two individuals.
>> Just those two individuals. >> I'd like to nominate Adrien Gonzalez. >> But first is to re reconsider the item. Correct. So >> I made a motion. So I need second take the So the all in favor of reconsidering
the item, please say I. >> I. >> Anyone opposed? >> One opposed, >> two opposed. >> Can we debate the motion just for a second? >> Sure. >> Because I just and I understand I I'll tell you what my concern is besides
liking both people, which is the worst part of being in this. Mr. attorney. Once we appoint individuals to a position, my understanding has been that an individual cannot be removed unless it's for due cost and and there's a
hearing and all that process. >> I I believe that because there's a motion to reconsider, this would be an opportunity, but I see Nick coming up, so he's going to correct me perhaps. >> I think that the commission's motion to appoint the member to the committee is subject to reconsideration at the same
meeting. Okay. All right. So, we're not putting oursel in uh in a pickle as I used earlier. The same committee. >> Sounds right. >> Okay. >> Motion second. >> The motion by I'm going to go with Mayor
Miner seconded and Commissioner uh Suarez made the motion because the mayor cannot make it. So, to reconsider the VCA votes. Uh all in favor? >> I. >> I. Who's opposed? Please. >> No one's opposed. So the vote is 70 to
reconsider. Would you like to then vote for both Miss Lette Garcia and Adrien Gonzalez >> on your ballots? >> All of us. >> Yeah. >> Can we do show hands? >> We could do that. So all for Lette Garcia.
I count one, two, three, four. And for Adrien Gonzalez, one, two, three. So Miss Garcia is the appointee. motion meeting. >> Uh yeah, we make it make it a short
extension. >> Motion for a short extension. >> Yes, sir. So, a motion by Commissioner Magazine and seconded by Commissioner uh Suarez to extend the meeting. All in favor, please say I. >> I.
>> Meeting is extended. Um C 7A this is uh is an activation that I've >> Mike >> C7BA is approved Prada X National Geographic C beyond low impact
activation that was an addendum item >> this maybe if you want to give a 30 second overview and then we'll move this. This is uh I've been working with the event activators and the brands. Very very proud to announce um >> I'd like to move the item. >> Yep. >> Second. >> Um
I'll announce it on Facebook. Thank you. >> So C7BA, I have a motion by Commissioner Suarez, seconded by Commissioner Fernandez. All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Anyone opposed? Hearing none. C7BA is approved. C7B
C7B is fiscal year 2026 budget amendment to >> second. >> Hold on. >> I know but it was an a addendum BB >> BC. I'm sorry. >> I thought I heard BB. >> Mayor, which item are you doing now? >> BB. >> BB. Okay.
>> That was already approved. >> Okay. How so? >> I think they got it. Okay. So, it wasn't an addendum. You're correct. So B7B have been approved already in the consent. You want to do BC mayor or no? >> That's the uh
>> uh yeah I have it here that okay BC C7BC >> C7BC support the preservation of Miami date urban development boundary >> so we don't develop on >> I'll second but I just want to make a comment like if if I may >> please. Um I I support the urban
development boundary line. Uh and it certainly is important to protect our water resources. Um my concern with this is that this is outside of our jurisdiction, outside of our of our decision making. And the same
way we tell Tallahassee, we don't want you to tell us what to do with our zoning. In the same way we tell the county, we don't want you to tell us what to do with our zoning, especially with RTZ's and all that. This, we're telling the county what to
do with their zoning in areas of of Miami date county. I don't know if Have you been by that area, Commissioner Suarez? And I mean, you've seen there's there's a school there's a school busy yard there. There's radio antennas there. there's a target that that is
going to be constructed there at the corner of 8th Street and 137th Avenue. I only know that because I grew up on 139th Avenue west from here and so I go by there very frequently when I visit my parents. >> You know, affordable housing,
>> it's we tell other governments we don't want them making decisions about our zoning, >> but we're telling another government >> Yeah. >> what to do with their zoning. I don't disagree with you. The uh the um the the veto of Mayor Cava should be upheld. Um
I'm just concerned are we going to get any sort of push back on other initiatives that we're trying to advance with the county where we're going to need their cooperation on. So that's my only concern with this. I support the
position. I don't want to see uh these these areas developed more. They're beautiful green areas. Um, for except for the part where there is warehouses, there is a storage facility and all that. Um, but if we're saying we don't
want the county influencing our zoning, >> we shouldn't be stepping on their territory. It's outside of our jurisdiction. >> Second. >> I'll second motion and second. We have a motion by Commissioner Sor,
seconded by Commissioner Fernandez to approve C7 BC. All in favor, please say I. I. >> Anyone opposed? Hearing none. C7BC is approved. >> C7 A C7 Acept donations from Barry Sterlick
Foundation 26 Programming for Seniors. C7 A was separated by Commissioner Fernandez. >> Mr. Mr. Manager, did we ever get any information on how the grant has been used in the past? This I had asked for that information
during my briefing. >> Uh good evening, Tamika Stewart, budget director. So, yes, it's the first time was last year we received a grant and it was $20,000 and more than 20,000 was spent on senior services last year. >> Okay. By the city or by the office of
the mayor and commission. The funds were appropriated in the mayor and commissioner's office. >> Okay. >> Their budget. >> And And how were the funds used? Was this for specific events? >> There were uh several senior events that were listed as expenditures over 20,000.
>> Okay. All right. I mean, I fully support this. I think it's great that Barry Sternick is uh is supporting our our community. I just want to make sure that when we approve this that when this funding is being used for senior events that it's clear uh that it's coming from
Barry Sternick that is approved by the office of the mayor and commission uh not just one elected official but you know through the support of the Barry Stern Foundation and by the office of the mayor and and commission. Um in the past I've seen invitations for certain
events that only have one elected official's name. So I just want to make sure that it's inclusive >> and not for promo items like hats or shirts. >> I don't think that that happens. >> I don't think so. >> So that was it. >> Okay. So we can move
>> it's it's a it's a reszo. So >> I need a motion. Okay. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion by Commissioner Fernandez, seconded by Mayor Miner. All in favor of C7 A, please say I. I. >> Anyone opposed? C7 A hearing none. C7 A is approved.
R9E R9E is referral to the finance committee installed bird bath water feature at Bell Isle Park that had been separated at the last meeting. >> I had separated that item just to do a dual referral to neighborhoods so that
the uh resident association of Bell Isle could also be included in the conversation. Okay. Is that a motion, Commissioner? >> Yes. >> So, a dual referral. >> Yes. >> Second. >> Seconding. >> Second. >> Seconded by uh Vice Mayor Monica
Matelina. So, this will be a referral to finance and to public safety. All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> The item is duly referred >> to a couple of items that were pulled from consent that that were just referrals. C4A. C4A is a referral to committee of the
whole annual performance evaluation for city manager. C4A separated by Commissioner Fernandez. >> Commissioner Fernandez. >> Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Um, the reason why I pulled this is because of the timing. The contract stipulates
um that the city manager shall be evaluated by the commission uh within 45 days before following his anniversary date of July 24th, which would put us the earlier earliest that would be would
be early June. Um so I'm just trying to figure out how did this item end up on the on the agenda. It's outside of what the contract calls for. the contract costs were 45 days from the time of the anniversary and we're a few months ahead
of that. So why why is this happening or why are we proposing to do this this month? >> So commissioner this actually would have been considered as part of the committee of the whole in September or October of 2025.
Um, I put it forward now um because I was remiss in not including it in October of 2025. >> I understand. Um, and I listen I there's there's a few things that I've
enumerated publicly that I want us to see us work on. Um, you know, a number a number of issues including permitting. Uh permitting is one of the things that that that I've asked you to and all of us, we've asked you to take a look at. I
feel more comfortable doing this in June at that time. Um just so that we can give you time to advance on some of these goals than at least that I've given you. Um, and so I I would feel more comfortable, you know, just
following what the contract says, waiting to those 45 days prior to the anniversary date and then in the future just sticking to that uh so that so that we don't find ourselves midcycles or, you know, right before spring break while we're still implementing things having to do with permitting uh and
dealing, you know, with other issues that we're dealing with. I'd rather give you time to meet some goals that we've asked of you. >> What What was the reason it was put on? I was asked which if we should put it on on the 5th or the 25th. What was the rationale? >> So the only reason that I put it on is because I'm contractually obligated to
put something on the agenda for you all to give me an evaluation on an annual basis. >> But it's within 45 days before following the the anniversary. I know we missed that last year, but you know, I would feel more comfortable doing it in in
June. >> Okay. I was I don't feel strongly about it, but I kind of wanted to do it. I think it's good to give feedback. >> Commissioner Dominguez, >> um my question was just answered. Thank you.
>> So, we basically we missed the timeline for last year. Is that what you're saying? >> That's what the city manager is saying. So, that would be so Mr. What are your thoughts? Just other than >> I I think it's good to for us to get
together in a room and because we can't really we can't talk about it outside of sunshine. So, I think it's I think we should have a discussion about our chartered offices and see what the thoughts are for each of us and since it's been so long
and we could do it both times, by the way. This one makes up for last year and then we do it in July. I don't see anything wrong with that. Well, what I wouldn't want and I don't know if I'll just say this, you know, I don't know if there were any bonuses being that were going to be contemplated now or or
anything like that right now. You know, I don't >> if there's money involved, let's not do it. >> I'm kidding. >> Well, no. Well, that's that's exactly where I'm at right now. >> I see. >> Yeah. I mean, if we're if we're going to talk about, you know, evaluation things that we want to see improved,
performance measures and that type of stuff, you know, I'm fine discussing that February 25th. Uh, usually the mayor takes a lead on this, so I'll follow your lead on this. Um, usually, actually, I think in the past, items like these have been sponsored by the mayor. I was surprised to see this on
the agenda without without a sponsor. Um, I rather see these things come through the mayor. I don't like things like this being selfinitiated by I guess who put this on the agenda. HR. >> I I actually put it on the agenda. It
had been done in two different ways. It was done by the mayor prior to uh the most recent evaluation of the other charter officers which were put forward by the city attorney and the city clerk. Actually, I I assumed that I was
sponsoring it because I was asked which date I wanted to put it on, but I >> Okay. Well, well, then it's Listen, I'll follow your lead on it. You are the mayor. Um, and usually this is something that that we give certain level of deference to the mayor on
>> and I'll I'll follow your lead on it. If you think that right now is the appropriate time to do it, I'll follow your lead and I'll second that. >> Well, Monica, I mean, Commissioner Matas Selenus has a lot to say about it since I became commissioner. Um, well actually that's what I want to say. I've only been commissioner for about five minutes. So Eric, I don't know if I can
give you an appropriate evaluation. So I would actually like more time, but I understand that we have a lot coming up with spring break and you would like some feedback before all our all our focus goes to spring break. So I'm a little bit torn here, too. Um, but maybe we do April, I don't know, or March. I
mean, I don't know. I'm kind of torn. I think everyone's pretty I mean the April date would align with the the anniversary for the other charter officers that were reviewed last April and they specifically asked me if I wanted to be in on that last year and
I told them I wasn't within the 45 days of my anniversary date. Um and so I politely declined. >> I think you know someone mentioned I don't know if it was you Mr. Mayor or Mr. manager and let's have a discussion
February 25th and then we can then just revert to what the contract says and within 45 days uh you know so that we catch up from last year we can do something February 25th but we still meet the contractual obligation of the contract for this year which is within
45 days we'll have a second evaluation um >> I like it >> at that time which falls like somewhere between the beginning of June and the and sometime in in August because it gives you 45 days before and follow 45
days following the anniversary. >> So you have two evaluations. You're getting more of us. >> Sounds good. >> Okay. Set. >> Don't be so excited. >> So, uh, it's a it's what we're going to do is we're going to refer it to the committee of the hall in February 25th and then another one around the June
meeting. Is that what it is? Is that what I heard? June. >> Well, in in accordance with what the contract stipulates. >> Okay. So we'll leave it just for February 25th as a moment. >> February 25th and then you know the sacment based on what the contract stipulates. >> So do I have a motion or can we do this by acclamation the referral
>> acclamation? >> So 70 item is referred to the committee of the whole C4A >> R 7P R 7P install bus of General Don Jose Saming at Normandy Fountain Plaza.
Second, >> Commissioner Fernandez, Commissioner Suarez, all in favor of R7P, please say I. >> Anyone opposed? Hearing none. R7P is approved. >> And Mr. Mayor, I'd be remiss not to thank Gustavo Brian from the Hispanic
Affairs Committee who not only led this effort in the Hispanic Affairs Committee, but put money out of his own pocket to uh to get the bust commissioned and to have it donated to the city. So, thank you so much, Gustavo. >> Yes, thank you.
>> Very kind of you. >> Thank you, Commissioner Fernandez. Uh, C4H, C4H is referral to finance, feasibility of mounted horse police patrol. C4H was separated by Commissioner Fernandez.
>> Uh, yeah, the feasibility of a mounted horse police patrol. Gosh, I pulled a lot of items this um so you know when we're talking about creating or conducting a comprehensive analysis um about something that is so tied um to
to our police department to to to law enforcement. We're talking about you know outlining potential benefits and drawbacks and concerns on patrol and its operational effectiveness and public safety considerations. Um, I think it's only respectful to the public safety
committee that we also refer this to the public safety committee. I was actually quite surprised when I saw a public safety item and usually these things would go to the public safety committee being referred to the finance committee. Um, >> I actually agree with you.
>> Thank you. Because I felt like maybe it was on purpose. >> No, no, no, no. Uh, it was because of the u but no, I agree with her. I mean I know that I mean if he wants to speak the chief I know is in support but I'm I'm perfectly fine with that. I think it makes sense. >> Is it a dual referral?
>> Dual referral FK and uh public safety. >> Second have motion show by acclamation uh 70 refer to both public safety neighborhood quality of life and finance. That's C48. C4U
C4U referral to public safety naturally occurring affordable housing pilot program by Commissioner Bont. That was an addendum item. C4U it >> move everybody's here. I've been here all day
and very quickly it's just a way to incentivize redevelopment affordable housing rather than building new. >> I'll second. >> Second. We have a motion by Commissioner Bot, seconded by Commissioner Fernandez. C4U. All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> And would like to recognize
really getting incrementally more involved. You don't have to say anything, but >> no. It's great. And you had to sit here all day for not even two seconds of glory. But but the important thing is we're moving it along. And the CRA was super excited about it. is super excited about it because as we all know by um by
law 10% of CRA revenues have to go for affordable housing and this is a way to develop uh infill housing incentivize redevelopment um without knocking things down. So good on you. >> C4V C4V is a referral to finance draft
agreement installation of turf space in park on Sunset Island 2. C4V. >> I Commissioner Magazine made a motion. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Commissioner Fernandez, but I second. >> Okay. He he actually seconded. Okay, we
got it. Oh, acclamation, please. 70. Is that okay? >> No referral. Uh C4V is referred. >> I think our time has run out. Yes, Mr. Mayor. >> I just I just want to thank you and the and and our colleagues for supporting uh
the funding for the Ryan White HIV AIDS program. We have the the Miami Beach Community Health Clinic has over 1,000 HIV positive patients that would be affected by this. this in Miami Day
County, we have 35,000 HIV positive uh in individuals who would suffer from not getting their medications if this funding is taken away. So, I want to thank you, Mr. Mayor, and and commissioners like Matelina, Commissioner Dominguez, Commissioner
Bon, and Commissioner Magazine for supporting this >> and thank you, Commissioner Fernandez, and thank you for the opportunity to co-prime with you on that. >> Thank you. Meeting adjourned. And just for the record, the item R50 is open and continue to March 18.
R5 is it was initially listed as February 25, an ordinance to the mayor. Chapter 2, residents right to know item.