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[Music] [Music] When is it? May 22nd, 2025. I'm so excited to see all of you here. Love your advocacy. We are going to start our meeting with some proclamations, some
recognitions. The first one being We want to do this one last. We have a stack right here. I'm going to turn the mic over to my colleague. I'm joined by my colleagues, Commissioner Partardo and Commissioner Gabella today and we are
going to get rolling. Good morning everyone. Good morning. It is our our real pleasure today to recognize GSA Fleet Service Department. They ranked Woo! They ranked a big round of
applause. They ranked 95th out of 100 fleets with a very prestigious NAFA Institute and Expo award. That is the North America's largest fleet management conference and it took place in Long Beach, California. So, I'm just going to
read briefly some excerpts from uh from their proclamation. The city of Miami is proud to announce that it has been recognized as one of the top fleets in the Americas, earning the 95th spot on the 2025 top 100 fleets list as the prestigious NAFA Institute and Expo,
North America's largest fleet management conference. This award highlights outstanding performance, efficiency, innovation, and leadership in public fleet operations. It reflects the dedication of our fleet division team whose hard work ensures that our vehicles remain reliable, sustainable,
and cost-effective for the residents we serve. This esteemed recognition is a testament to the city of Miami's unwavering commitment to operational excellence and responsible stewardship of public resources. In an era where efficient and sustainable practices are paramount, our fleet division has
demonstrated exceptional foresight and execution in managing a diverse array of vehicles crucial to delivering essential city services from public safety and sanitation to infrastructure maintenance and emergency response. The reliability of our fleet directly impacts the
quality of life for all Miamiians. Please join me in recognizing the GSA fleet. Thank you so much. [Applause] Thank you so so much. Thank you. Um, this is new. This
is an honor. Um, GSA has never publicly in this manner. So, thank you, commissioner, been recognized like this. So, I'm a little, which is rare for me, lost for words. Um, but honestly, it's a testament um to the men and women that I represent and it's testament to the
spirit of the city, right? even when there's financial difficulties or we can't always get everything that we need, these men and women behind the curtains are the ones that make it happen every single day with a commitment to every single one of our constituents. So, thank you for recognizing the amazing team that I have
and I couldn't be prouder to represent them here today. So, thank you so much. Thank you all. They really do an amazing job. They are on tour in district 5 upgrading park
facilities. We are going to have a new community center at the Little Haiti Soccer Park. We have a new facility at the Upper East Side um district office and they are working lightning speed.
They started with the Little Haiti Soccer Park earlier this year and they are going to finish ahead of time so we can have our summer program there. They're renovating an office in Overtown which will be the new code enforcement
office. It's going to be fantastic with state-of-the-art stuff and I'm going to share that office with them. That office they have not had love in I don't know since they started here with the city which is one of my biggest complaints
that we don't we don't um upgrade our facilities. We don't maintain our facilities. We wait till they're falling down. But that was yesterday and this is today and we're doing an amazing job and her team is amazing and it has been a pleasure to get to know you my tenure
here with the city. Thank you. It is so deserved. Your team they are amazing. I just want to say for for me this is special because I was once upon a time a mechanic myself with with these hands. uh and and it's just I took a tour of
your facilities and I you know you you run a magnificent operation and you do all this for us your mechanics and yourself. So thank you very much for the it's an honor and a privilege for me to participate along with the the commissioners and to give you this. Thank you very much. Thank you so much.
Yeah. Without these I had the pleasure of attending an amazing festival in Virginia Key, the first of its kind. And when we were part of that, it was such a beautiful thing and I think it did so much for our city that we really wanted to honor them
today. This proclamation is for Hava Miami. And May is Asian-American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, AAPI. It's a time to honor and uplift the rich cultural contributions of the AAPI communities around the country and here
at home with Hava Miami. It is a Polynesian cultural festival, Tahesian. I had the pleasure once of having been to Tahiti. It was an amazing festival. Hava is a word meaning celebration of life. It embodies a spirit of resilience, joy, and cultural union.
Hava Miami marks a significant milestone as the first cultural festival in the city of Miami of its kind and the first ancestral games ever held on the US continent. Honoring a proud heritage through language, sport, music, and
dance. This event gathered Polynesian delegates, vendors, over 100 athletes, and a thousand attendees in Virginia Key. It transformed the island into a living celebration of Polynesian identity and shared traditions and creating a unique space for intergeneral
intergenerational learning and community building. This landmark gathering served not only as a joy a joyful festival but as a platform for cultural exchange, education and empowerment of both local and foreign exhibitors, reinforcing the importance of preserving indigenous
languages, values, and heritage in a modern world that often threatens their survival. So join me in recognizing Hava Miami and Monica Diaz, Andre Sosa, their team. If you could come up here, we would love to recognize you.
Oh, sorry. Thank you so much. Good morning, everybody. Um, my name is Maria Lazabala. I'm here on behalf of Monica Diaz and Andre Sosa. They I they sent a quick message. They are at their son's kindergarten ceremony this morning,
unfortunately. But, um, yes, fortunately. Unfortunately, dear Mayor Suarez and honorable members of the city commission, we are deeply honored and grateful to receive this meaningful proclamation recognizing the Hava Miami Festival. This acknowledgement is not
only a tribute to our celebration of Polynesian culture, but also a testament to the city of Miami's commitment to honoring diversity, community, and cultural exchange. While we regret that we are unable to attend the presentation in person due to a special milestone, please know how much this recognition
means to the both of us, our delegates in French Polynesia and Hawaii, and to everyone involved in organizing this historic event. We have a big vision for this festival, one that crosses cultures and boundaries to promote global unity,
connecting people to the land, the sea, and to each other. With Miami as our stage, we are proud to build bridges through tradition, sport, art, and shared human experience. We also wanted to extend our heartfelt thanks to Commissioner Partardo for his support
and shared love for Tahesian culture. His enthusiasm has been instrumental in bringing greater visibility and appreciation to this rich heritage. Thank you again for your continued support in making this vision a reality. We look forward to spreading the mana in Miami for years to come. Maduru Roa
which means thank you very much in Tahesian with deep appreciation Monica Diaz and Andre Sza. [Applause] I had the pleasure on Earth Day to go to Echo Plant Earth Legacy Garden
Initiative in the Greater St. Paul am church and there I discovered Tiara Armstrong a muralist who was taking public transportation sacrificing everything she had to get there to create these murals. I want to read a
little bit of her proclamation. Tiara Armstrong is a Miami based painter and muralist has deep and lasting impact on the cultural landscape of Miami. Her work serves as a testament to the power of art to embrace heritage and build bridges by celebrating and uplifting underrepresented communities. Miss
Armstrong recently partnered with the Echo Plant Earth Legacy Garden Initiative to complete the mural at Greater St. Paul AM in Little Bahamas. She'll create more murals throughout Coconut Grove as the program expands. She has also contributed to the beautifification and enrichment by
creating murals in Little Haiti, Winwood, works for our Basil Formula 1, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Tiara Armstrong has devoted her artistic career to representing communities of color in the United States, Mexico, and
England. Using her work to explore themes of the human experience blended with the divine, she has collaborated with international brands such as Nike, Puma, and Christiey's auction house. We are thrilled to recognize
Tiara Armstrong and her work in the city of Miami. Hi, thank you guys so much for this honor. I am so driven by telling the stories of people that don't always get to see themselves reflected. And I think you guys in the city of Miami have so
many wonderful, beautiful, and colorful personalities here. And it fills my heart with so much joy when I'm able to show reflection back to them. My whole day, week, year is made when someone ride past my work and they say, "Oh my god, I feel like I'm on that wall or I
see myself in this depiction that you've done." And so, um, I just want to thank you guys so much for giving me this opportunity and and honor and, um, I hope to continue doing more. Her work is really amazing. She has
several murals over town and the Southeast Overtown Park West CRA has supported her in her work and her work is absolutely amazing. If you haven't seen it, go check it out. Go to her. What's her Instagram? It's Tiara T I E R
R A Armstrong. So you guys can see her work cuz it is awesome and I'm a proud supporter. That mural that you did overtown is just it just makes me smile when I pass by. It really does. It makes
me smile. So congratulations and you're as beautiful as your work. [Applause] Thank you very much. Our next honore is someone that we have
all grown to love and care for. This is a tremendous celebration. We are celebrating a lifelong years of work as our city attorney, Mr. John Greco. Would you please come and everybody come with
him? I'm going to read this because it is very special when someone gets gets to work here and retire. So, I'm going to read it so you'll know all of the amazing things that he has done and given to the city of Miami. Whereas,
John A. Greco joined the office of the city attorney for the city of Miami on June 16th, 2008 and during his nearly two decade tenure practiced in both state and federal courts across all dimensions of municipal law, including
but not limited to constitutional land use and zoning, tort, labor and employment, civil rights, election, environmental and code enforcement law. And whereas John A. Greco held key
leadership positions within the city of within the office of the city attorney, serving with distinction as interim city attorney, chief deputy city attorney, deputy city attorney, and division chief of appeals and litigation, where he
consistently demonstrated exceptional legal acumen, professionalism, and unwavering dedication to public service. I attest to that. And whereas his work led to critical legal victories in numerous precedent setting appellet and
trial court cases, significantly protecting and advancing the legal interests of the city and its residents, including published opinions in landmark cases such as Katon versus City of Miami, Flava Works, Inc. versus city of
Miami, Amnesty International v Battle, Levy V. Orso and Perry v. City of Miami. And whereas John A. Greco received the Florida's bars highest legal recommendation with both board
certification in appellet practice in 2016 and board certification in city, county, and local government law in 2023. an accomplishment that reflects the highest standards of competence and professional professionalism in the
legal field which is absolutely true. That's not easy to get. We are all not able. And whereas in addition to his litigation work, he authored several influ influential scholarly articles that have shaped the development of
general and municipal law and lectured extensively in areas such as appellet law, constitutional rights, zoning and land use, and governmental legal practices. And whereas prior to his service with the city, John A. Greco
contributed to the legal field as an assistant school board attorney for Miami Dade County Public Schools in private practice and through prestigious clerkships with the Florida Second District Court of Appeal and the US District Court for the Middle District
of Florida. And whereas his steadfast his steadfast commitment to justice, depth of legal knowledge, and tireless public service leave behind a legacy that will continue to benefit the city of Miami and its legal institutions for
generations to come. And I'm including this whereas he is a good human being. Now, therefore, be it proclaimed that the city of Miami recognizes and honors
John A. Greco for his outstanding contributions to the community, his unwavering commitment to justice, and his enduring legacy of service. and good friend good friend we are going
to miss you and your guidance wow first of all um I want to say this is uh there's a lot of people I have to thank because um I have had so much love and support on this journey u first of all thank you so much for the proclamation and the the wonderful words
I I'm just um they're climp you know Um, I I have to say it's been a true honor to represent the city of Miami for the last 17 years and it's been a privilege to handle the these difficult and
significant cases um for the one of the largest and most dynamic cities in this country. It's, you know, to do so alongside this dedicated group of uh talented and
amazing uh public servants in both my office of the city attorney and the city administration, also the clerk's office has been a dream come true for me. my OCO my OCA family um thank you so
much for everything um that we've done together on this on this journey. I I could thank each and every one of you individually, but you know how much you mean to me. I do want to say I do have to single out one person though, my
assistant Kenya Jones uh for the last decade. Um, I don't know if she's here or listening, but Kenya, you are the most amazing person and thank you so much for your support, but most importantly for your
friendship. I I I need to acknowledge the people we've lost um because they were so important to me. Uh Shirley Smith, Carrie McNelte, Mario Perez, and Manola Reyes. I will never forget them ever.
For anyone that knows me knows that my my family is my my reason for being and I could not have I could not have made it this far without their love and support. I want to uh especially express my gratitude to my my wife's family that
adopted me 33 years ago. My sister-in-law uh Hella is here uh to honor me. and we lost my mother-in-law in 2019, Elder Gonzalez, but she's never left and she was she was
a mother to me. Um, Hella, thank you so much for your love and especially the love that you've shown to my son Nicholas. My son Nick, you're our pride and joy. Um, thank you for your support and
love. Uh Nick is working now and which is a blessing. He will watch this later and um he just got married and so no I have a daughter and uh Leah and they are a
[Applause] blessing. My my wife Mimi. Okay, everyone knows my world revolves around her. You are my sun, my moon, my stars. You are
everything to me. You are my soulmate. You are my best friend. You are my partner in every way imaginable. Every day I cherish you more and more. Um I am excited about this new chapter that we're going to walk together. Um
amoreio, thank you. Let's George He did he did that to me on purpose. How do I follow that? Um jeez. Um so if you thought the proclamation was long, it was actually three pages longer because he has done so much and meant so much to
the city attorney's office and to all the uh plaintiffs out there. Sorry. Sorry. We we we s Mr. John Greco on you. Um, this is a bittersweet moment for me. I say bittersweet because I am
self-aware of my selfishness. I wish I could have John with me every single day and um, I will be missing him tremendously. Um when I took this job, I took it with a confidence knowing that I had John with me and um he he had said
that he was going to be here till January passed and he was gracious enough to stay this long. And um I'm truly grateful to your help, your support, and um and we are, you know, you you hear colloquially people say, "Hey team, you know, we always talk
about we're the team, but we're more like a family." And um we're we'll be missing you, but we'll be the sweet part of it is we will be cherishing every travel experience that you have and and we wish you the best and and um all the
best, sir. And and the nation of family, I would like the city attorney office to come on up and and uh spend this moment with your your what would pisano with the come on up, please.
This way. [Applause] And at this time we are going to start our meeting with prayer. Today we are honored to have Minister Cheryl Coleman from
Friendship Missionary Baptist Church to lead us in prayer today. Amen. Amen. We greet you on this blessed morning that God has given us and the love of God, the joy of Jesus, and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, which is
my faith tradition. We also honor that there are many traditions of faith that are here. And so I ask you as I'm praying aloud, if you'll join me in your hearts and in your minds as we seek God's blessings over this time and this meeting on today. Gracious and most loving God, we first and foremost come
before you with humble adoration and submission unto you, the only wise God. Father, we first and foremost thank you for the gift of life and time and for supplying each and every one of us with what we need on today by faith. We thank you, Father, for this place in which you
have allowed us to gather. We thank you right now, God, for a leadership that understands and believes in the power of prayer. We thank you, Lord God, that it is an honor to serve. And so we pray for our servants, lifting up our mayor and our commissioners. And I pray in Jesus' name. We thank you right now as we pray
for blessings to be upon them, wisdom to be upon them right now, Lord God, that they would make decisions right now that we the people would live peaceably in the land. We thank you that no one could lead alone. It takes the people. And so I pray for every soul under the sound of my voice that your blessings would rest
upon. I pray father that as we bring forth the agenda God that you would bless the work of the hands Lord God that we would do it in faith that we would do it Lord God in togetherness that we would do it in such a way Lord God that our city and our community Lord God our families our homes and our
businesses would be blessed. And so we thank you once again and we ask Lord God let your Lord God blessings rest upon this place, every servant and every person. And we give you God all the honor, all the glory and all the praise. And I pray and seal the prayer and I do it in the matchless name of Jesus Christ
our Lord and our Savior and sealing it with a great hallelujah and amen. Amen. Thank you. Thank you. Amen. Amen. What a way to begin our meeting. Commissioner Gabella, would you join us with the
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which we stand, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Thank you.
At this time, Mr. City Attorney, would you please read your statement for the record? Yes, Madam Chair. Thank you, George Weissong, City Attorney. Detailed information about the processes, order of business, rules of procedure, and scheduling or rescheduling of city commission meetings
can be found in chapter 2, article 2 of the city code, a copy of which is available online at www.municode.com. Any person who is a lobbyist pursuant to chapter 2, article six of the city code must register with the city clerk and comply with related city requirements for lobbyists before
appearing before the city commission. A person may not lobby a city official, board member, or staff member until registering. A copy of the code section about lobbies is available in the city clerk's office or online at www.mmunicico.com. Any person making a presentation, formal request, or
petition to the city commission concerning real property must make the disclosures required by the city code in writing. A copy of the city code section is available at the offices of the city clerk or online at www.mmunicicoode.com. The city of Miami requires that anyone requesting action
by the city commission must disclose before the hearing any consideration provided or committed to anyone for agreement to support or withhold objection to the requested action pursuant to city code section 2-8. Any documents offered to the city commission that have not been provided seven days before the meeting as part of the agenda
materials will be entered into the record at the city commission's discretion. In accordance with section 2-33FNG of the city code, the agenda and the material for each item on the agenda is available during business hours at the city clerk's office and online 24 hours a day at
www.mmiami.com. The meeting of the Miami city commission is a limited public forum. Any person may be heard by the city commission through the chair for not more than two minutes on any proposition before the city commission unless modified by the chair. Public comment will begin at approximately 9:00
a.m. and remain open until public comment is closed by the chairperson. Any person making offensive remarks or becomes unruly in the commission chambers will be barred from further attending city commission meetings and may be subject to arrest. No clapping, applauding, heckling, or verbal outbursts in support or opposition to a
speaker or his or her remarks shall be permitted. No signs or placards shall be allowed in the commission chambers. Persons exiting the commission chambers shall do so quietly. Please members of the public wishing to address the body may do so by submitting written comments via the online comment form. Please
visit www.mmiami.com/meing instructions. For detailed instructions on how to provide public comment using the online public comment form. The comments submitted through the comment form have been and will be distributed to the elected officials, their staff and city administration throughout the day so that the elected officials may consider
the comments prior to taking any action. Additionally, the online comment form will remain open during the meeting to accept comments and distribute to the elected officials, their staff, and the city administration up until the chairperson closes public comment. Public comment may also be provided here live at city hall, 3500 pan-American
drive, subject to any and all city rules as they be may be amended. If the proposition is being continued or rescheduled, the opportunity to be heard may be at such later date before the city commission takes action on such proposition. When addressing the city commission, the member of the public must first state their name, their
address, and the item to be spoken about. Any person with a disability requiring assistance, auxiliary aids, and services for this meeting may notify the city clerk's office. The city has provided different public comment methods to indicate among other things the public support opposition or neutrality on the items and topics to be
discussed at the city commission meeting in compliance with section 286.0114 parenthesis 4 parentheses C Florida statutes. The public has been given the opportunity to provide public comment during the meeting and within reasonable proximity and time before the meeting. Please note commissioners have generally been briefed by city staff and
the city attorney's office on items on the agenda today. Anyone wishing a verbatim record of the of an item considered at this meeting may request it at the office of communications or view it online at www.mmyggov.com. For planning and zoning items, PZY items shall proceed according
to section 7.1.4 of the Miami21 zoning ordinance. parties for any PZ items, including any applicant, appellant, appeal, city staff, and any person recognized by the decision-making body as a qualified intervenor, as well as the applicant's representatives, and any experts testifying on behalf of the
applicant, appellent, or appeal may be physically present at city hall to be sworn in by oath or affirmation by the city clerk. The members of the city commission shall disclose any exparte communications to remove the presumption of pres prejudice pursuant to Florida statute section
286.0115 and section 7.1.4. 4.5 of the Miami 21 zoning ordinance. The order of presentation shall be as set forth in Miami 21 and the and in the city code. Staff will briefly present each item to be heard. The applicant will present its application or request to the city commission. If the applicant agrees with
the staff recommendation, the city commission may proceed to its deliberation and decision. The applicant may also wave the right to an evidentary hearing on the record for appeals and the appellant will present its appeal to the city commission followed by the appeal. Staff will be allowed to make any recommendation they may have. Please
silence all cell phones and other noise making devices. Uh, this meeting can be li viewed live on Miami TV, the city's Facebook page, the city's Twitter page, the city's YouTube channel, and Comcast channel 77. The broadcast will also have closed captioning. Thank you, Madam
Chair. Thank you, Mr. City Attorney. Mr. City Clerk, would you please read your statement? Thank you, chair. The procedures for individuals who providing testimony is sworn in for planning and zoning items and any quasi judicial items on today's city commission agenda will be as
follows. The members of city staff or any other individuals required to be sworn in who are currently present at city hall be sworn in by me the city clerk immediately after I finish explaining these procedures. Those individuals who are appearing remotely may be sworn in now or at any time prior to the individual providing testimony for planning and zoning items and or
quasi judicial items. Commissioners, are you comfortable with all notice provisions set forth in these uniform rules and procedures we have established for this meeting? Yes. Thank you. Thank you, chair. And chair, may I administer the oath for the planning and zoning items? Please. Thank you, chair. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. If you will be speaking on any of today's
planning and zoning items, those are the PZ items. May I please have you stand and raise your right hand? Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony you're about to give at today's hearing is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth? And your response is Thank you, Chair.
Thank you, Mr. City Clerk. At this time, Mr. Manager, will you please um advise if there are any items on this agenda that will be withdrawn and or deferred? Morning, Madame Chair, commissioners,
city, Mr. City Attorney, Mr. City Clerk. At this time, the administration would like to defer and withdraw the following items. PH9 to be deferred to the June 12th meeting. PZ1 to be indefinitely deferred. PZ1 PZ2
to be indefinitely deferred and PZ3 to be indefinitely deferred. That concludes the items. Gentlemen, do you have any items on this agenda that you would like to
have withdrawn and or deferred? I have a pocket item that I would like to add. I'm sorry. What' you say? I have a pocket item. What's your pocket item? What is my pocket item? Uhhuh. Cuz we tr
Is it a discuss? Is it the one that I got? Is it a discussion um pertaining to this that I want to settle this without um making a big hoopla here today? The clerk didn't hear you. I'm trying to because I got an email from your staff
requesting a pocket item. I don't Is that the same one? Because I said it should be a discussion item. So that you can just bring that as a discussion item. Okay. Gentlemen, any other items that you wish to withdraw or defer? Commissioner Coro, not at this time.
Commissioner Partardo, may I have a motion to set the agenda? I have a motion. I have a second. All in favor? And chair, my apologies. Um, Mayor Suarez, uh, just during the order of the day, Mayor Suarez does have a resolution regarding a a TP waiver for a reserve
padel Miami special event. Maybe before we get to the public comment period, the city attorney can read that title into the record. Mr. City Attorney, can you read that for the record? Yes, Madam Chair. Um, a resolution of the Miami City Commission waving the 10-day per organization per year special event
maximum waiver for events on the public property pursuant to chapter 52 article 1 of the code of the city of Miami, Florida is amended titled special events special events permit to allow for the reserve padell Miami special event which is held at 1000 MacArthur Causeway to continue from May 22nd, 2025 through
December 31st, 2025. Thank you. I'm sorry. What is that that he was reading? Uh that's a um pocket item from the mayor to basically wave the time limitation for the Padell event on uh Watson
Island. Okay. This uh one event, right? Yes, sir. Only for that one time? No. So, they have um they have set up a paddle facility there and this would allow them to continue events through the end of the year, December 31st, 2025. Okay. So what is the waiver for?
Um they're only allowed um per the code 10 days per organization. Um and so they have reached their maximum limit. So without this they would have to stop running the padell event. Uh do you know or does the district 2 commissioner know
if there has been any complaints and noise uh there at all on this item? No, there haven't. And the reason it's coming to us is because we changed the regs to make this process more transparent. So now all of these things are having to come to commission this
ordinary. That's fine. Mr. City Clerk, I understand you have a statement. Yes. Thank you. Um regarding PC12 and 3 pursuant to section 62-22 of the city code and definitely deferred action initiated by the city will cost the city mail noticing, advertising, and
posting of property set applicable. Thank you, chair. Thank you. At this time, I'm going to open the floor for public comment. If there's anyone that wish to make a comment, please come to the lectern five at a time so that we don't block the exit. Thank you for your understanding. Good
morning. Good morning, commissioners. Step out. Got to do my radio program real quick a little bit. So, my name is Christina Palomo. I reside at 244 Biscane Boulevard. I'm a downtown resident and former president of the downtown Neighbors Alliance. I'm here to speak for item
D14, the downtown development authority item. So, when I look at my trim notice, which shows the taxes I pay towards the DDA, it's about 20 $220 per year. And for that amount, I get the following tangible benefits that I enjoy while
living downtown. Live music, markets, and activations at Flaggler Street. I ride the freebie when it's too hot to walk. Street janitorial services, trash pickup daily, enhanced security cameras, downtown ambassadors, arts and
entertainment, grants, funding and programming for residents, permit clinic assisting residents and local businesses to navigate the nightmare of city permitting, grants to assist with improving store facads, etc. This is for
$18 a month. I pay more for streaming services. On the other hand, $3,200, the lion share of my city of Miami taxes, goes to the municipal general fund, which includes police, public works, code enforcement, etc. In
other words, the agencies that are actually tasked with handling some of downtown's biggest challenges like crime, graffiti, cleanliness, and upkeep of buildings. So if the things we are all so upset about as downtowners are
issues that main mainly belong under the other city agency's purview and we are paying more per month for those than what we actually pay DDA per year then why are we here discussing an exit from paying taxes into DDA? I will tell you
why. It is misdirected outrage fueled by a campaign full of exaggeration and misinformation that has been waged by our own downtown neighborhood advocacy organization, the DNA. Thank you. Thank you. That's it. That's it. Well, please,
I ask the commission to continue to support the DDA and the efforts to keep enhancing our footprint. and I encourage every downtown resident here today to reach out to DDA and take full advantage of the many benefits there for you through their program. Thank you. Thank you for your advocacy. Good morning,
Elvis. Good morning, Commissioner. Thank you. Elvis Cruz, 631 Northeast 57 Street. My main issue today is RE4, the tree issue. Specifically, we have to pay close to
$2,000 to appeal a tree that the city wants to cut down. We have two trees in Morningside that the city wants to cut down for no valid reason. I've not been able to get an arborist report out of the city. So, I had to commission my own arborist report and I've sent your
office a copy of that. Just so you know, the arborist report was sent to the civic association. Ah, but not to me. Okay. Through through the chair, I want to decorum and um Thank you. Go ahead, Elvis. Okay. So, continuing right along
uh to appeal a tree uh decision again, $2,000. There's two trees, so we have to pay close to $4,000 out of our own pocket just to be able to appear in front of the HEP board. It's it's insanity. So, I I would ask you perhaps commissioner, you can consider a pocket
item to do away with appeal fees and just to save trees. Next item, ADUs. Please do not take away single family zoning throughout the city of Miami, which is what the ADUs would do. Number three, I'm honored that we have
greatness in our midst. Olympic gold medalist Gerald Tinker is in the house. Mr. Tinker, I enjoyed watching you in the Olympics win that gold medal. you're going to be honored later today. I'm on your side. And uh lastly, the uh PZ11.
Please protect Coconut Grove by not allowing those three bonus floors. There's a lot of people here in favor of PZ11. Some of them are microphone shy. I would ask everybody here who's in favor of PZ11 to please stand and be recognized. Raise your
hand. Thank you. And lastly, yes, please do not let the DDA tax the homeowners in downtown. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Partardo. I would prefer if when the item comes up, you make the comments because then if we engage
everybody that makes the comment, then we'll be here forever. Just the civic association has the information. Okay. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Thelma Radic. My address is
1211 Northwest 51 Terrace, Miami, Florida. And I do live in the area of Miami, the city of Miami. My complaint is I have
been discriminated by Miss Thelma, you have to speak on an item that is before us on the agenda. This isn't the forum to make a complaint. If you would like to continue um have someone from the
city attorney's office speak to you, but you have to speak on an item that is before us on the agenda. Okay. Okay. Would you like me to get the city attorney to come and speak with you? Yeah. Yes. Mr. City attorney, can you have an attorney speak with Miss Thelma?
Okay. Thank you, Miss Thma. Thank you for coming. Okay. Okay. Good seeing you. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Reynold Martin. I'm of 3325 Pville Avenue. I'm here representing the Coconut Grove Village West Homeowners
and Tenants Association. I am a I am a a class member of Gerald Tinker who's who's here in the audience among other classmates and other people from Coconut Grove and the team that Gerald played with at Carl Gables High School. I'm here to support the co-desation of
Charles Terrace as Gerald Tinker Terrace. It's a long time coming. Thanks a lot, Commissioner. You you've helped us bring this before the city and and it's an honor and a privilege to be here to speak on behalf of Gerald. Gerald is a native son of Coconut Grove who was
raised on Charles terrace, attended and ran track and played varsity football at the old George Washington Carver Junior Senior High School and then at Carl Gables High from where he graduated in 1969 along with a number of
us. His caring and jovial demeanor led him to develop lasting friendships which I personally can attest to. Gerald is a great friend. We've known each other for a long time. We played football together, basketball together, done everything but run track with Gerald. Mr. Tinker excelled in track and
football. First at Memphis State University and then at Kent State, transferring and representing the United States in 1972 summer Olympics where he got a gold medal with his cousin Larry Black in the 4x100 meters. In the years
following the Olympics, Gerald played pro football as a wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons and the Green Bay Packers. He was also employed in the corporate sector and devoted many hours volunteering in the community. It is with great pride that I appear before
you requesting that this lasting tribute be bestowed upon a gifted athlete and a model and deserving citizen whose accomplishments on and off the track and field will serve as an inspiration to many. I thank you. And I do have a resolution from the homeowner
association. Thank you. Thank you. We love doing that kind of stuff. We just honored Nat Moore with a co-designation in my district and myself and Commissioner Gabella attended and we were so excited to be there. It was a wonderful, wonderful time. I look forward to his. Good morning, ma'am.
Good morning, Madame Chair. Good morning, commissioners. My name is Amal Soul Kabani. I'm a registered voter of the city of Miami. I'm also an owner in downtown Miami for close to two decades now. I'm a past president of the
downtown neighborhood alliance and I'm a current board member, a resident of downtown Miami, current board member of the Miami Downtown Development Authority. I'm here to speak on item DI14. I've watched downtown transform
from a near ghost town into a vibrant hub, thanks largely to the Miami Downtown Development Authority. Are things perfect? Absolutely not. Is there room for improvement? Absolutely yes. But I urge you here today to please
protect downtown and protect our quality of life. People are impressionable. People rarely do their own research. They react to headlines. Sadly, bad actors are using deception and
sensialism to mislead residents and spin a false narrative that has dire consequences. What will we lose if this propaganda succeeds? Will residents be happy when
thousands of bags of trash pile up? Will residents be happy when there is no one on the street doing homeless outreach? When we have less police officers, more crime, more noise, and overall more blight in our
downtown. Please support the Downtown Development Authority. Thank you. Good morning. How are you? My name is Ryan Arn. I live at 2900 Northeast 7th Avenue there in Edgewater. I'm here to speak on the taxes from the
DBA. I don't want uh any more extra taxes. Um let the people vote on that, put it on the agenda. Let's have a real public conversation on that and give us the the choice after 50 plus years on this topic. Thank you. Thank you. Good
morning. Good morning. I'm Ambassador James Angleton. Um uh 1100 Bickl Bay Drive, Miami, Florida, and I'm here to speak about the DDA. I would like to enter into the record a element of the uh taken from the city code for you all to
read. I'm one of the uh original founding family members of the DDA. It was my father, Ted Harrison, Ted Hollow, bunch of some of the finest people in Miami who were owners of most of Park West downtown, developed a lot, owned a
lot of Biscane Boulevard, Ranch House, you name it. I've been here a long time. Madam Chairman and commissioners, um you have been handed uh directly from the city code. Um highlighted in yellow are the
duties they um and the mechanisms they they have entitled uh basically they have failed in many areas. I like what the DDA is about is departed really from its original mission statement. Um in
red is what the DDA does poorly. Um I think you I think you need a new leadership role uh model there. uh I'd like to see a new board also. I think you should also look at the uh finances
and then perhaps see a different group. The um the DDA does a lot of very good, but it could do a heck of a lot better. I'd even donate my time for one year to be the leader again and to help take it
forward. I'm a turnaround specialist and to this degree, I hope you all make the wise decisions. a lot of people here that are going to speak. You're going to hear some truths and maybe not so many. But I wish you all well. Thank you for what you're doing. And please take consideration as you hear this what's in
yellow and what's in red because I think it's a really good uh a really good item for you to use as a tool as your decision- making today. Thank you all for what you're doing. Thank you. Thank you for your advocacy. Good morning. Good morning, Madam Chair and Commissioners. Kristen Browy, 888
Biscane Boulevard. I had no idea I was part of some propaganda effort. Um, but the DDA would be a great business improvement district. It spends a small portion of its money actually making life better for the residents. A very
small portion. We met with a number of you last year when they were looking for a budget increase. Now they're looking for 19% more. Last year we came to you and said, "This is ridiculous." What did they do? They said, "You know what? this budget we requested, we can find a
million dollars to take out of it. And they did. And nonetheless, they had money to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to promote wrestling events, to pro to provide money to my favorite soccer team, Barca, but they don't need our money. They're the most they're the
richest soccer team in the world. They spend money on things that may do wonderful things for our businesses, but do very, very little for us. The appropriate thing to do, I believe, is to change this from an entity that taxes
the residents to a business improvement district because it does improve business. Absolutely. Let the business owners, if they want to pay for it, pay for it. But to impose this tax burden on city residents, some of whom, like me, are looking at retirement is just
inappropriate. and for them to be seeking a 19% tax increase in this environment seems absurd. Thank you. Thank you for your advocacy. Good morning. Good morning. Hello. My name is Deja Lighty and I reside at 41 SE Fifth
Street. I am here today to show my support for the Downtown Development Authority. As a dog owner and a single woman living in the Burkel area, I am frequently walking my dog and traveling by foot around downtown. I am constantly seeing Pull your mic down just a little
bit. Pull your mic down just a little bit. Sorry. I am constantly seeing people in DDA shirts cleaning up trash, pressure washing the sidewalks, removing graffiti, and being a presence in the streets. The ambassadors always make me
feel safe, especially in some of the abandoned parts of Flagger um that absent landlords seem to have neglected. I love the new dog spot at the First Street Metro Mover station and I also take the freebie uh circulator from time
to time uh when I need to get to a heat game especially with all the different services the DDA provides for free. They really make my quality of life better every day in downtown and Bickl. I wholeheartedly stand behind the DDA as
they are a crucial part of the revitalization of downtown. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning, Madam Chair, co-chair, and city commissioners. I'm Terrell Fritz, executive director of the Flaggler Business Improvement District and a
proud resident at 111 East Flaggler Street. In support of RE6 on behalf of the bid board of directors, we enthusiastically endorse extending the waiver for Julian Henry's Downtown Cup. This activation embodies our vision for
Flaggler Street, which is community-based, business supportive, and vibrant. But now, I'm going to change hats and speak on my own behalf as a resident. I've long supported the Downtown Neighbors Alliance. But DNA's
campaign to dismantle the Miami DDA risks harming those it claims to defend. The DDA's budget is a reinvestment in our community. clean streets, safety ambassadors, cultural events, and public projects like Flaggler Street and the
Baywalk. Fully 53%, which is not a small amount of budget funds quality of life, arts, culture, and urbanism initiatives which directly benefit residents. 17% backs small business grants and retail
activations. Even the controversial $725,000 in sports sponsorships, less than 4% of the budget, generate measurable media exposure and visitor spending. If residents want a greater
voice in the DDA, they deserve it. The place for that is the committees and the public budget process. And the DDA has just added a resident and business owners town hall in August when there is time to amend the budget. Constructive
debate, not reductive social media slogans, will make downtown Miami stronger. Instead, the NA's campaign is pitting neighbor against neighbor, resident against business, and at a time when DDA is under interim leadership.
I would urge Commissioner Coro to please withdraw or defer this item, this discussion item, and don't provide a platform for this harmful campaign. Thank you. We will not get to respond to that on the subject of the DDA. James
Torres and the DNA do not represent me. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Hi. Good morning. Um, Madame Chairwoman, commissioners, Mr. City Attorney, my name is Suzanne Amaduchi. I'm a resident Coconut Grove resident at 3510 Vista
Court. I am also a uh proud board member of the Miami Downtown Development Authority where I chair the business development committee. I volunteer my time and my talent for the good of the city. I just wanted to remind this commission that the purpose of the DDA is to grow, strengthen, and promote the
economic health and vitality of downtown Miami. And that is what we do every day. If you look at where the city has come in the past 20 years, I mean today I'm very proud to be attending the opening of Miami World Center. It was an impossibility. If everyone remembers, it
was the donut hole in the city that could never be developed. I personally don't believe in nevers. I believe in working together and finding solutions. I am happy today to see the huge turnout pro and against the DDA. Happy to work together. I've been listening to what people are saying. Many of these people
I've never seen at a Miami downtown DDA meeting. Never. Um, but that's that's okay. I've been listening to what they've been saying. The misinformation is shocking. But in order for solutions to happen, we need to deal with the facts. We need to be open-minded. And everyone
needs to roll up their sleeves, willing to work together to make this city a better place. And that is our goal. Absolutely. Can everything be improved? Absolutely. Okay. People have to work together and be open-minded. I ask that you please swiftly appoint a new chair. Unfortunately, uh, our chairman, Manola
Reyes, who cared very much about the people, passed away. If you could swiftly appoint a chair so we could get back to business and, um, help improve our city. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning, Madame Chair, commissioners, city manager. John Canel,
1000 Bickl Avenue, Miami, Florida, 33131. I'm here on agenda item D1, the annual reports. As the chairman of the code enforcement board and the nuisance abatement board, I am happy to announce that the board is serving the purpose
for which it was created. The board has been serving the community given Are you giving your report now? Yes, sir. Yes, chair. Okay. So, he doesn't have to wait until I understand. Go ahead. I I The board is definitely serving the community. Both boards are serving the
community's needs, giving everyone the opportunity to be heard and express their concerns. Um, at this time we don't see any other board either public or private which would better serve the function of the code enforcement
board. As to an ordinance creating the board, maybe uh there would be the suggestion to uh create an ordinance allowing uh extensions of time to be administratively uh decided by the chair. So that would allow people more time to be heard.
Um, the membership requirements should not be modified and I would recommend or suggest to the commissioners that when there's a vacancy, please fill it as soon as possible that we can keep hearing as many cases. We spend about 2
to four hours um three times a week. So, we want to make sure that everybody's getting their opportunity to hear have their violation heard. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. Happy Thursday. My name is Haime Casado. I am the president and CEO of Reto Health and
Performance. I am one of the proud grantees of the Miami DDA. And today I'm here to support them because of a big reason for me and it is they gave me the opportunity to establish my business here in the United States and in the city of Miami. I live in Brio. We open a
beautiful business in Bickl Avenue. We had the headquarters in Madrid, Spain a year and a half ago. I didn't speak English at all. I didn't know anyone here in the US. So we bring uh all the talent we have in our team from Europe, different part parts of Latin America,
US, Canada um to bring the technology and the research in the healthcare industry. So right now, thanks to the DA, we open uh here in Bickl because we were study in different markets like Chicago, New York. And we decide to open here because of the Miami DA. And why?
Because thanks to them, today we have one of the best preventive medicine doctors here in the world. We have the best professionals in the industries of healthcare, preventive medicine, longevity, wellness. So thanks to that we are studying and doing research with
the best universities here and with Miami day the college as well to research and prevent in cancer in heart diseases in pulmonary diseases. So thanks to that and thanks to the permit clinic as well of the Miami DA we were able to understand the market to understand the law and do everything
properly and hire the best talent and bring the best talent in the world here to the city of Miami. And thanks to that a lot and thanks to that of course um we bring more investors, more people, more entrepreneurs and more business people from another part of the world to keep
investing in this beautiful city. Thank you so much. Thank you. Good morning. Great rise of kings and queens. Um brother I gay uh 3520 Douglas Road. So I'm here representing all the troubled youth living in Miami that just look for
that best quality of life. Um I'm here to speak on RE RE2 which is the uh designation of uh Gerald Tinka A. Uh we definitely want to support him on that uh initiative. He's been a pioneer in our community and my community, the oldest black community in Miami Day
County for uh a long time. And then I also wanted to talk about the D14 um the DDA and the wasteful spending. Um I have nothing against anybody um that runs that. I'm just asking um we have our youth right here that's on boot camp,
that's on probation, that's just looking for that best quality of their life, that pathway to prosperity, and we keep continue to put these barriers up. So, encouraging dreamers was created for kids just like that and myself who lost their whole 20s that just want to change
the narrative. So, I'm asking if we going to waste some money, can you waste it spending it on all youth, giving us an opportunity to excel, to do what the city of Miami and the uh Miami Day County and the HUD strategic plan is, is to empower the next generation. So, we
could come with all the excuses that we want, but I ask that uh you represent and you empower and help me change the narrative with our youth. With that being said, we like to say our motto here at Encouraging Dreamers is we're washing away our youth past, give them a
wax and a shine for a brighter future. So, we use the car wash and bring them in, clean them off, give them a wax job, and send them back out there in the community and you won't even recognize them. Thank you for your time and we look forward hopefully to partnering with you guys and helping me elevate the
quality of life for all of our constituents. Like I said, when you see we got kids representing all y'all districts, so I don't know what else to say. We've been up here numerous time. Thank y'all and y'all have a blessed day. Thank you. No, no clapping. No clapping like this.
Like this. Good morning, commissioners. Hi, June Savage. So, I'd like to address the city attorney first and thank you for showing up. I don't know where Joe is today. He This is his agenda. He's here. Please, please do not address any of us personally. Thank you. What item
are you here to speak on? I'm here to speak on the DDA. Okay. So, I have a question for the city attorney to define miscellaneous on the tax roles for the people that do pay for the DDA. I would like him to maybe respond to that when I am done. Um, I would like to say that
the DDA was created the year that I was born. So, we need to revamp this. And I don't want to get rid of the DDA. What I'd like to do is to merge this. I'd like for the the heads of state to get together with the mayor and merge it with the greater Miami and beaches
visitor and convention bureau. That's what I'd like to see. Not get rid of the DDA jobs, but they to move over with them. Now, to just have the DDA as this small little entity of the city of Miami makes no sense. The we should we should do something on a
larger scale for the entire city, which would include, let's say, the Camila's house. putting a half a penny sales tax on, let's say, beverages and then use that money for the funding. I went to the DDA meetings. I went to the lieutenant that spoke. Now, I spoke to
someone of the DDA today. We can cut 4% right off the bat right there. No one's giving the mayor of the city of Miami credit for bringing all of the incredible events and things that are going on here. It's not just the DDA. Thank you. You still had 30 seconds, you
know. Oh, I do. Yes, it's the one. I I heard that buzz. No, the one buzz. I recall my 30 seconds. Okay. All right. So, besides having them merge, I I think I think that you guys should be conducting this business and not letting it come to something like this here
where it gets all excited. My t-shirt was not paid for by myself. I don't have a Visa card, so it's not some kind of a back campaign payment to get people here. These people are actually here on their own accord. But I think if you all move the DDA with the Greater Miami and
Beaches Convention Center because they need some revamping and create it through the entire city, I think that is a better idea than just getting rid of them. We'd save those jobs, too. Thank you. Good morning.
Hi. Good morning. Uh to say complian with the town, I'm just going to read my vote here. My name is John Ross. Um, I'm here to speak regarding item D14. As someone who has owned and operated a small business in downtown
Miami for over 20 years, I can say without hesitation that the Downtown Development Associ uh uh development authority has been one of the most important forces uh supporting our community in downtown. Their work has made a positive impact far beyond what
is visible on the outside. They're driving support where it matters the most through small grants, cultural programs, marketing initiatives, quality of life and much much more. Of course, the oneonone personal level assistance
we get provided by Wanda Mirna and others. Uh and by the way, they very often have to listen to our concerns regarding the day-to-day issues like the neverending uh Flaggler street reconstruction
project which by now seems to have been going on forever and we are in a rapidly changing uh urban uh environment and uh I think the DDA uh has done an essential has is
an essential partner for the city and that their success I believe is our success as well. Uh continuing to invest and and collaborate with them is probably one one of the smartest in the city can do to keep downtown moving in the right direction. That's my opinion
and I know a lot of my uh colleague big business owners believe the same ways also. I thank you for your time and your service. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Kyle Hazelwood. I reside I reside at 1424 Northeast
Miami Place and I'm here to speak on DI4. My partner Courtney and I are the founders of Magic City Flea and the organizers of Flaggler Street Market and the downtown Miami Holiday Village. And today I want to speak to my experience working with the DDA. The DA has been instrumental to our success. Being an open air flea market, we were exposed to
everything you can think of. And there have been many times where if not for the DDA ambassadors, something terrible could have happened. They put themselves directly in danger to ensure the safety of all of our patrons. I've seen it with my own eyes. And I would hate to even think about what could have happened had they not been there. Moreover, I think
the Holiday Village is a perfect example of the DDA in action. I would love to stand here and tell you what a brilliant idea I had, but the truth is the whole idea of the Holiday Village came from the DDA. We met with them and with their help, we brought the vision to life. The Holiday Village brought 75,000 people to Flaggo Street over a 6- week period and
caused a six-year high in sales for many businesses. People told us that they had not seen those numbers since before the pandemic. The DDA even made sure to cover the vending fee of all downtown businesses, which to me really just showed how much they care about the area that they serve. The DDA has been an incredible partner to us, and I would
hate to see a world where they are not involved in the development of downtown Miami. I don't want to see the tragedy of the commons play out downtown, and I don't think it's fair to blame the DDA for very complex issues that are far beyond one organization's ability to solve. Uplifting downtown will take collaboration from everyone in the community, especially the DDA. Thank
you. Thank you. Thank you for your advocacy. Good morning. Good morning. My mom's going to speak and then I'm going to translate for her. Perfect. Perfecto. Good morning. Good morning, Madam Chair and Commissioners. I understood every word
she said. Now, now I I won't this is going to get a little more advanced for me. Okay, good. Congratulations. Congratulations. abomination. for traffic.
Impossible. Foreomorch. Oh, no. I believe I I got like 80% of it, but we have a court reporter here and she needs the translation. Is that why you're making faces and throwing your hands up? I'll give it to you real quickly. Okay. She speaks in opposition, as I do, to
PH6. It's an abomination. My home is in the bullseye of the project, ground zero. I know my neighbors and our community as well as anyone else living in it. And I have spoken to very many about this proposal with the exception of only a handful. We are all completely
entirely opposed. Look at the map. It's a blizzard of 26 devices in our tiny neighborhood. 26 barriers to smooth traffic will which will make driving nearly impossible. Practically impossible. Practically impossible. Yes. Sorry. I personally would have to go
through the three, maybe four, some four devices every time I leave or return to my home. This is nuts. It's overkill. Please, in these tough economic times, do not waste taxpayer money on a project that almost everyone opposes. Oh, and by
the way, why are you denying me and my neighbors our right to vote on this, to say yes or no? Thank you. Please vote no against PH6, Madam Chair and Commissioners. Chair, my apologies. Um, would you mind placing your name on the record or stating your name on the record? My name is Dori Lisera and I
also live at 1443 Southwest 23rd Street. Gracias for my Spanish lesson today. Good morning. Oh, I'm sorry. It's his turn. Good morning. Good morning. Uh, my name is Nathaniel Burn and I'm representing Bright Line Trains at 350
Northwest 1st Avenue, Sweet 200. On behalf of Bright Line Trains, I'd like to submit this letter to the commission. You're speaking on what agenda item? Which? The Miami DDA Miami DDA On behalf of Bright Light and Trains, I'd like to submit this letter to the commission in support of the Miami DDA. Our company
and the guests we serve have witnessed firsthand how the Miami DDA's strategic initiatives have enhanced the appeal, accessibility, and economic vitality of the downtown area. This letter goes into greater detail and we'll submit for the record. Thank you. Thank you. Good
morning. Good morning, Madame Chair and commissioners. My name is Mabel Melton and I live at 2580 Tacca Drive. I too am here to speak in opposition to PH6. I have a financial interest in my mother's home and as a realtor, it is my professional conclusion that 26 traffic
impeding installations will significantly harm the property values of every dwelling in this small neighborhood. I direct your attention to this to the um to this item in your agenda. You are being asked to wave the required resident concurrence for this
project. We know from the expensive litigation over the road barriers the city deployed in the same neighborhood a few years ago that the county controls these roads. As we know that the county has an exception to allow these types of projects by municipal public hearing
instead of otherwise required voting by affected property owners. Know that you are being asked to do know that you are being asked to do here. shut down the residents right to vote. That is undemocratic. That's downright
unamerican. There is no emergency. There is absolutely no need for urgency. Why not listen to the residents whose quality of life will be harmed? Why not put this to a vote? Madame Chair and commissioners, as you can see,
As you can see this map, Madam Chair, I will point to my mother's home right there. It is in the bullseye. It's ground zero. These people had a hard time enough when the barriers were put up, had a hard time getting ambulances.
The majority of the folks that live in this neighborhood are senior citizens. They're not poor. They're not destitute. They've owned their homes all their lives. And along comes one person and decides that they want to change how people get in and out of their
neighborhood. For what? For what? I urge you. I urge you all to vote against this. Let the public speak and say their peace and then we can have a hearing. Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you for your
advocacy. Good morning. Good morning, Madam Chair and commissioners. Uh, I'm speaking on behalf of DI4. My name is Hillilman Sori. Uh, I'm a resident at 1200 Bickle Bay Drive and also a co-founder of The Source, which is located at 14 Northeast 1st Street in
downtown. Um, we're a downtown innovation hub working with aspiring local entrepreneurs and job seekers to create economic opportunity. The DDA was instrumental in our decision to locate our offices in downtown Miami, where we employ a diverse group of 10 in
technology, marketing, administrative, and training roles. The DDA has consistently supported our efforts to provide job skills for training events, individuals who might be upskilling or reskilling, and trying to adapt to technology changes in this technology
focused economy. Our team and our clients and our partners benefit from the assistance of the freebie down freebie as well as the downtown ambassadors as we tend to put in consistent late nights on a regular basis. The DEA has also supported our startup accelerator in an effort to
provide resources, access, space, and funding to over 60 local founders and entrepreneurs every year. Anyone who is downtown often can see the impact the DDA has had from Christmas on Flaggler through the Saturday market and the
consistent refurbishment of storefronts, remediation of graffiti, and consistent support of local small businesses. For Miami to be perceived as a world-class city, I believe that our downtown cannot be an afterthought. I think that it's critically important that the DDA
continues its mission to provide support to those without homes, cultural enrichment, attract businesses, and reduce crime. Thank you very much. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Cox and I live and I'm a resident of the city of Miami and I'm speaking ahead
of D14 because every time the DDA comes up the public is ignored. So I'm just here to explain what the DDA does and what's been going on. So it gives So what's been going on recently that I've been noticing is that the DDA that they gave $450,000 to FC Barcelona hands
$100,000 to the UCF and the rest where does that rest of that money goes $3.85 million on salaries and benefits 3.35 million on vague initiatives and nearly 2 mill $2 million on sponsorships and promotions and this board is mostly managed by business interests instead of
everyday residents of the city of Miami. So the public is basically completely shut out. What I would say the DDA's top three executives make over earn over $625,000 combined. The DD at least four marketing staffers make six figures and they still pay
$175,000 to outside PR firms. Meanwhile, working Miamiians are footing the bill. Let's call it what it is. It's a double taxation. Polling from the Downtown Neighbors Alliance says it all. 85% oppose the UFC giveaway. 84% oppose the DDA tax. 56% want the DDA dissolved.
even Bickl and downtown groups want out of this taxing district. And here's the kicker. 56% of the DDA's $13.5 million budget comes from the very residents now demanding an exit. Meanwhile, residents are left with filthy streets and rising condo fees. All while All while the DDA
keeps cashing in. The DDA is a taxpayerf funed scam fueled by corporate giveaways, sky-high salaries, and zero accountability. Please put this on the ballot and let the residents of downtown and Bickl vote on this. Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon. Good morning. Good morning. Wishful. Good morning.
Iris with offices at 333 Southeast Second Avenue. First, I'd also like to congratulate John Greco for his amazing service at the city of Miami. I had the privilege of working with him um from the outside and he is a true professional, a lawyer we would all strive to be like. So, um
congratulations to John and his family. I'm here today on behalf of HLP Coconut Grove on PZ11. We understand the the board's decision and the board's direction on this particular item and we have no opinion on such, but we did want to protect our
clients vested rights for the property at 33 South West 27th Avenue. We'll be putting a record uh letter into the record for such and um the board will proceed as they seem to. Thank you so much. Thank you. Good morning. Good
morning, Commissioner. My name is Dr. Jeff Dorfman. I live at 2020 North Beayshore Drive. I'm treasurer and director of Biscane Neighborhoods Association. We are a nonprofit that re represents 16,000 people in Edgewater and Midtown. I speak in favor of the
resolution CA3 supporting the Marine Patrol. I see Mr. Croy left this meeting. Sir, please do not direct comments to any one of us personally. Okay, I will not direct it to Mr. Corolla. Um, in the past some of my
comments have been disparaged after speaking here um by saying he's not from around here. So for someone who says to me that I'm not from around here, I'd like to know what do you say to the people of Miami who are also not from
around here. Why not tell Miami residents, Mr. Cory, if you plan to obey, sir. Sir, I'm sorry. Do not direct your comments directly to one of us. And how are your comments in support of Marine Patrol? I just want to know if he
plans to obey President Trump and deport Miami residents. Not on our agenda. You are in support of Marine Patrol. I am in support of Marine Patrol. I have I have a translator here who is here to translate my English words into Spanish.
Um, President Trump doesn't want that. Am I wrong? That's what he said. You mentioned President Trump. He said the United States's official language is English. Am I wrong, colleagues? So, do you intend to deny the civil rights of the
70% of Miami residents who speak Spanish? You said you support marine patrol. You have I do support marine patrol, but I also support civil rights. Why not translate every person that comes here their language into Spanish?
But why not if 70% of the people in the city speak the language? Thank you. Okay. Will will one support Thank you. Thank you. We don't want to deport Miami residents. Mr. Coro, where are you, sir? Good morning. Good morning. My name is
Lissa Mako. I am a proud Miami native. I live at 1424 Northeast Miami Place in downtown. I have been a Miami native as I mentioned and I've watched our city evolve not just in the skyline but in spirit and I'm here in support of the
DDA. And so what the DDA has done is more than just improve infrastructure, but it's helped cultivate a sense of place and pride. From cleaner, safer streets to thoughtful community activations and support of small businesses, they've helped shape Miami where people just don't visit, they
belong. I've personally witnessed the difference between families walking downtown at night, entrepreneurs opening doors in areas that were once overlooked, and artists bringing life to concrete walls. And that kind of growth doesn't happen without intention. It happens because people show up,
collaborate, and care. And that's what the DDA has consistently done. Uh, shout out to the freebie, which has been an incredible and accessible way to move around and stay connected. Uh, it's definitely not just a ride. It makes the downtown feel like a neighborhood. And I'd personally love to thank the DDA
because when I moved from the suburbs into the city, I was welcomed, felt like it was my home, and connected me within the community that I didn't know would have existed. And that's what Miami is really about. People who care, show up, and make space for another. So, let's continue to support the efforts that are
helping the city thrive together. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Elaine Black from the Liberty City Trust, 4800 Northwest 12th Avenue. I am here in support of resolution 1 to amend
the budget to allow the Liberty City Trust to have a youth employment program for the summer of 2025. It will provide employment for young people in the greater Liberty City area. I appreciate
your support. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Alexander Keravas. I am the owner of Mari Greek Beastro in downtown Miami. I'm here to speak on behalf of the support of the DDA, Miami DDA. I think they uh they have been very very
helpful. I've owned a business in downtown for over 10 years and the DDA support has been vital to our survival, the survival of a lot of small businesses in downtown amidst the chaos of Flaggler Street and other construction uh that's happening. I
don't think the DDA is giving any organization money or resources. I think they're investing it same way they're investing their time and resources into small businesses like us. the survival of small business like ourselves. I think improves and is vital to the
quality of life of our neighbors and of the residents. We depend on the neighbors and residents for us to be able to uh survive and make make through. So I think that we should all collaboratively collaboratively uh help the DDA, help the small
businesses and support them instead of trying to dissolve it and look for other ways to uh fix the problems. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Morning. My name is Derek Brown. I live in 2020 North Beayshore Drive. Um but my journey
started 16 years ago at 888 Biscane Boulevard and I um I I received a text message propaganda about devolving the uh DDA and it made me think back to when I came down here 16 years ago and it was practically embarrassing for a major
metropolitan city to have a downtown that looked like Miami did. It was somewhat scary to go outside at night and get a taxi. I'm I'm old enough to go pre-Uber and to go outside and get a taxi was was somewhat dangerous of just drug addicts or criminals that may be
walking around on Bisgane Boulevard just a block away from the stadium. How I've seen that transform with worldass restaurants, events that are now being brought in by the DDA that are being competed for with major cities like New York and Los Angeles, FC Barcelona being a great example. They're picking Miami
and they're picking downtown Miami because it's now an appealing place to do business. It's an appealing place to live. And I think it's a misguided conversation. It's a misguided judgment to not take into account how much the city and that district has transformed
even over the recent past 15 to 16 years. And to stop that work that is by no means done, but to stop it now would be a a horrible decision. Thank you. Thank you for your advocacy. Good morning.
Morning everyone. My name is uh Blonsky and I live on 111 East Flagler Street. So I have been downtown for like uh 7 years now and now I started working last year with the uh EDA. Before then I
didn't know much of the thing that they actually do. like me myself as a an ambassador like I started working there in November within a few months I really have a scope of all the things you do like me personally I've stopped two
fires one at Ross one by uh Maki as an ambassador late night uh midnight a few weeks ago I helped a young girl she was drunk lost her car everything we assist her even uh get on the phone, get the
mom, send an Uber. So, it's easy for everybody to just want the DDA gone because they really don't know a lot of the things that we do such as like keeping the street clean when the lights is actually off. We have to go see it,
walk there late at night, call it in. So people who want to just destroy things and sort of actually taking a look and see like how the DDA itself help the city. So I'm
really asking you guys to uh for your full support and helping us keep doing this work. Thank you. Thank you for your work. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Steven Gross. I'm a resident at 325 South Bispine Boulevard in downtown.
And I want to start off with a little story and an interaction I had with the MDDA. I'm speaking on behalf of the MDDA. I was uh getting on the Metro Mover one day out by the Venetian and on the while I was waiting for the train there was a person with a orange MDDA
shirt on and we struck up a conversation about homelessness and she told me a real heartfelt story that she was homeless and she decided to go to the shelter and the next day after she went to the shelter, cleaned up and got settled there was a job fair and she went down
to the job fair and there was a booth there for the MDDA and she got a job cleaning up the city and she started making money and she became a supervisor on that crew and now she has her own place and her own home and she's working
and she goes out every day to the homeless and she advocates to them that they can change your life too cuz she's done it and she that was all made possible by the MDDA. They do great things. In my religion we call a mitzvah something you should do good every day. The MDDA does good things every single
day. They create a lot of mitzvah. some of the stuff that I want to share with you. If we didn't have the MDD MDDDA, more than 4,500 bags of trash would not be collected a month. More than 1,125 interest of graffiti would not be removed. More than 22 blocks would not
be powerwashed. 650 hours additional patrol of offduty officers would cease. 21 security cameras and eight license plate readers in the central business district feeding into real-time crime center would go away. They do great stuff. the ambassadors downtown make
people feel comfortable more so than the police. Not that I'm knocking the police, but if you're lost or you don't know where you're going or there's a homeless person that's not making you feel comfortable, they're there and they give you secure walks and they make sure you get where you need to go. And people need to
remember that. As far as their business that they bring you to downtown, if there's people around here that don't understand business that we have to put money out to get people to come in, we're not the only city. Let's get rid of the DNA. We don't need the DNA. We need the MDDA. Thank you. Thank you very
much. Have a great day. Good morning. Uh good morning. My name is Frederick Gutley. I live at 2811 South Beayshore Drive. I'm here representing the South Beayshore Condominium um association.
Um, I'm speaking in opposition to RE5, which would uh increase the number of events allowed by the hanger next door. Um, when this area was originally
conceived of and developed, it was not to be a large-scale event area. It was to be a public park for residents with restaurants. Um this unlimited increase in the number of
events allowed without any checks or balances is not in the spirit of what this area in our view and I represent uh 1,400 units with that's 2,800 voters. Uh
what in our unanimous view this area is to be for. Um these events lead to noise, traffic, garbage, alcohol and drugs. Um, we have I'm in fact after this going
to go meet with the owners of the hangar and we will we have already been in discussions and we will arrive at reasonable um accommodations so that they will mitigate the adverse effects on our
community. So I would like that process and we have already exchanged ideas. they've been accommodating and we believe we will reach an agreement. We would like the commission to consider these
limitations and restrictions in their conditioning of any increase in events in this area in particular at the hangar. Um thank you. So that's thank
you. So I'd urge you to defer. Thank you. Good morning. Pardon me. The uh road of independence and liberty is uh aged my eyes a little bit. So I got to use my spectacles here. Good tomorrow, esteemed
commissioners and gathered citizens. I stand before thee not as a mere man of modern times but as a herald of liberty invoking the spirit of our forefathers who once declared
enough. For too long we the people of downtown Bickl had been shackled by the unjust yoke of double taxation. Our hard-earned coin hath been squandered on frivalities and grand
handouts to wealthy enterprises. Sir, while our streets suffer crime, homelessness, and neglect. Sir, we need your name for the record. And if you could I'm not sure what your name is today, but if you could also state for the record what item you're speaking on.
I think I know, but just for the Timan on DI4. Thank you. We do not labor and toil to see our community bled dry. We seek not charity but justice, the right to decide our own
fate, free from the taxing grip of the Downtown Development Authority, the DDA. Let it be known, we demand our independence. We shall not be their cash machine. Let the people
vote. Let them decide the future for our community. Put it in the ballot. Our call is simple. Liberty from waste, freedom from exploitation, and the power to govern our own destiny. Let us choose our path
forward. I bid you to heed our call. For the spirit of independence doth still burn bright within us. I thank thee. Thank you and thank you for your advocacy. Love it. Good morning. Part of
freedom of exploitation. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Amanda Alavastro representing Julia Henry's here to speak in favor of RE6 extending the waiver period for the
Downtown Cup event to June 18th. Since its launch on May 2nd, the Downtown Cup has proven to be more than just a temporary activation. It's a vibrant, inclusive, green space that fosters
play, connection, and community right on Flaggler's newly finished streetscape. It's a reminder that when we create intentional and accessible spaces, people show up. The extension will allow us to expand
our programming around free events for the community. On May 31st, we're hosting the UEFA Champions League final block party. This isn't just a watch party. It's an allday celebration on
Flaggler Street for all ages. When Flaggler Street is activated, businesses thrive. When it's not, activity becomes unpredictable. We must continue to give people a reason to discover downtown. Thank you for your support and
consideration. On another note, I want to express my full support for the Miami DDA. As both a resident at of downtown at 200 Biscane Boulevard Way as well as a representative of Julia and Henry's,
let me be clear, the DNA does not speak for me. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Fedrico Barolio. I'm a resident of the Imbriel
465 Bickl Avenue and I also have the privilege to and the pleasure to serve on the Bickl homeowners association executive committee. I would like to make some statements on behalf of the uh
DDA issue and uh to say that we are advocating the Bickl homeowner association is advocating that the city of Miami commission remove the Bickl neighborhood from the catchment area of the downtown development authority. As
you know after the tragedy of Surfside all condo owners are uh you know are facing increasing fees. Uh there is a condominium crisis. We are probably entering a
camouflage or recession and increase in taxes uh with no tangible quality of life services in return. and uh the DDA exorbitant salary expenditures are out of touch with the income levels of the vast majority of
city of Miami residents and uh brickal contribution to the city extends far beyond property value. It helps subsidize the city garbage collection and generate a significant portion of municipal
revenue. And I think that today yet Bickl is fundamentally different from downtown. The DDA original mission was to redevelop downtown, not Bickl. And in redeveloping downtown, I think they did
through the years a pretty good job. But Briel does not require the same marketing or developing efforts that downtown uh requires. It stands strong on its own. Thank you very much. Thank
you. Good morning. Good morning, Mr. Chairman. Uh good morning, commissioners. My name is Sandra Perez. I live at 244 Biscane Boulevard. Um I am here as a proud down uh resident of downtown. I'm here to speak on support of the DDA. I think the
prior speakers have discussed all the positive improvements the DDA has done. So, I don't want to go ahead and continue on the same path. What I want to do is instead uh use my time to state that I don't agree with Mr. Torres from the DNA. He doesn't speak for me. I
don't agree. I don't think he has a vision uh for the DD8. The DDA has done wonderful things. Um I live in the same community he lives in and unfortunately under his leadership certain things have downgraded in our community. um were
approving other items that are in conflict of interest. I just don't want to get into very details. However, um like I said, I don't it doesn't speak for me. I don't agree and cancelling anything to do with the DDA. The DDA has done wonderful things for downtown.
Actually, the improvements that I had seen in downtown had made me move my kids and myself from Miami Lakes to downtown. So I I I plead with the community to uh continue u you know the wonderful work of the DDA. Thank you.
Thank you. Good morning. Good morning commissioners. My name is Margarita Zuprin and I'm also a fellow downtowner. I want to take a moment to thank Commissioner Gavlla for his recent statement on social media. One part stood out to me in particular. Miami
deserves an honest, ethical, and effective government. demand better for our city. And I couldn't agree more. That's why I'm here today to echo that call for accountability and transparency by asking for your support in putting a very simple question on the ballot.
Should downtown residents and stakeholders have the opportunity to decide whether or not we want to continue being a part of the downtown development authority? We want a voice and more importantly, we want a choice. It's time to let the people of downtown
Miami decide what kind of representation um and leadership works best for our community. If we feel the DDA no longer reflects our priorities, we should have the democratic right to step away. That process starts with a vote. Nothing more
and nothing less. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for your advocacy. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Christopher Walker and I'm a resident of District 1 at 3109 Northwest 11th Street. I've come to speak in
regards to item RE817646. I've spent the last 20 years studying, working, and building a family to make Miami home. The city has undergone so many changes, many of them positive and others simply growing pains. Freeb is a homegrown Miami company that
has been operating and serving the community for over a decade. Many others here have uh that are supporting the DDA have mentioned freebie as one of the wonderful things that is funded. Freeb is synonymous with Miami.
I find it disconcerting that the city would give such an audacious slap in the face to a local business by awarding a no bid contract to a non-local company. I urge the council to shoot down this referendum and show its support for fair and equal competition by running an
RFP. I love my city and I know that wise and competent minds will understand the danger this precedent will set and the message the city council is sending to the Miami business community. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Good morning. Hi. Good
morning. My name is Abby A. I am a resident of district 2. I wear a lot of different hats, so I see a lot of different perspectives, and I'm speaking on DI4. First, I just want to say how great it is to see so many uh people out here.
I think it's time that we get a bigger chamber potentially. Hopefully, that's something that we can see in the future so that we can continue to engage all of our residents. And for today's topic, I just want to acknowledge that I have um attended a lot of the DDA events with my family on
the downtown side of the neighborhood and we always have a really good time. However, I do want to affirm our neighbors in Bickl who may sometimes not feel seen because those activations do not happen on the Bickl side, only on the downtown side. Uh a lot of the
neighbors have felt overlooked and are even asking to be removed from the catchment area. I do think that there is a lot of room for improvement and I hope that today's conversation um leads to greater clarity, better balance and commitment to serving all neighborhoods
and communities within their catchment area. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning, commissioners. My name is Danielle Villock and I'm here today as a Coconut Grove resident and homeowner speaking in strong support of passing PZ11 without amendment. In
addition to a current homeowner, I grew up in Coconut Grove. I went to school in Coconut Grove for 12 years, and I've seen Coconut Grove through its many phases and and iterations. The current phase of development in Coconut Grove leaves it in a dangerous balance of being overdeveloped and losing the
authenticity and the original character of the city of Miami's oldest neighborhood. Passing PZ11 without amendment is integral to preserving Coconut Grove. Allowing bonus height in these areas threatens to undermine the original intent of neighborhood
conservation district 3 and threatens the preservation of the heritage of this deer community to the city of Miami. The increased building height leads to higher density which in turn strains infrastructure, traffic, and public services. I know Coconut
Grove residents have repeatedly sent commission the commissioners photos of traffic backing up from the circle on 27th all the way almost to 32nd Avenue in the mornings. Even without this additional density, Coconut Grove experiences significant traffic
congestion and storm water m management issues. In addition to traffic from existing residents and schools, Google Maps and Ways regularly reroutes people from US1 through our back streets. these streets and this neighborhood district cannot handle additional
density. Thank you so much for your consideration. Thank you. Thank you for your advocacy. Good morning. Good morning, commissioners. My name is Aaron Bril and I'm a resident of 495 Bickl Avenue in Miami. I'm here today regarding agenda item DI4 because the Downtown Development Authority is
spending our tax dollars in ways that are completely out of touch with the real needs of our community. In just a few short months, the DDA has approved $100,000 to the UFC, $450,000 to FC Barcelona, another $175,000 to College Football Playoff
Championship in 2026. That's over $700,000 in public funds handed over to wealthy global brands while our neighborhoods are being neglected. Just take a look around Icon Bickl. We pay for services like city trash pickup, but
we don't receive them. Trash piles up. The streets are dirty. The area has become a magnet for homelessness with people forced to live in unsafe and unsanitary conditions. We have homeless people defecating on our Baywalk. And I have the photos to prove it. This isn't
just mismanagement. It's a clear case of misplaced priorities. And let me be clear. It is this isn't about eliminating the DDA at all. It's about the fact that the DDA can function without taxpayer money. The DDA can and
should without should operate without pulling from the pockets of residents who are already paying for the services that they're not receiving. We should be funding public safety, supporting local small businesses, and uplifting the community-based cultural programs
without writing blank checks for the global corporations. So today, I'm calling on the commission to please do the right thing. Please support a public referendum on the DDA. Let the people fund it. decide how it operates. We deserve a voice. We deserve real
investment in our neighborhoods and we are not going away. Thank you very much. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Paris Wallace. I'm a resident here in the Grove. Um I wanted to speak on two things today. First is the passage of PZ1 without any amendments.
This was a loophole that your predecessors allowed and I'm very proud that you are closing that loophole. Unfortunately, there's another giant loophole on the agenda today, which is PZ5. Essentially, PZ5 will allow the city to push forward projects for private developers and supersede rules
uh that have been set up for the protection of public safety and for the residents. I actually am the guy who went and watched the zoning board uh presentation by the city for this specific uh uh uh PZ1, excuse me, PZ5.
Uh and they said it was for three projects that they needed this ability. Uh one in Little River, one in West Grove, and one in Alipata. Unfortunately, the way this is written will give a loophole big enough to drive a Mac truck through to allow anyone
who's connected, anyone who any developers or uh other folks who have connections in the city for the city to move forward their development despite the rules of the city to be able to supersede the rules that every normal person plays by to allow them to get
ahead and do projects that otherwise wouldn't be permitted. So, I encourage you to send this back to the city to say and I I definitely support uh the projects in Little River, West Grove, and Alipata. Give them the ability to move those forward, but do not give the
blanket ability for the city to intervene on behalf of private land owners and developers. This may be uh you know the the meaning of this will disappear over time and in 3 months and in 3 years just like
PZ5 or excuse me PZ1 we're going to be back here closing this loophole after rich wealthy well-connected developers have snuck a freight train through. Thank you so much. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning madam chair and
commissioners. My name is Jeff. I also live here in Coconut Grove. So, the first time I spoke before this commission was two meetings ago, uh, which was my first time ever. And I am back today to reaffirm my strong support for PZ11, which excludes all properties in
the Grove under NCD3 from T5 bonus height. PZ11 received unanimous support from the planning, zoning, and appeals board. And this commission at its first reading also voted unanimously to support that. So, as you've heard from a
few neighbors here today, uh it also has overwhelming backing from the community and represents a great step for our neighborhood. So, I'll keep this short. I respectfully urge you to please support PZ11 without amendment and vote in favor
of final passage today. So, thank you again and thank you to Commissioner Partardo and his full team for their leadership on this. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Hi. How you doing? Good morning. Uh Katrina Morris, Coconut Grove resident and
homeowner. Um I am here to speak on RD4 um which um Chairman King, I uh you have sponsored, which I think is a good step forward, but we received an email that it was going to be deferred. The manager forgot to say that initially, so it ah
okay. Well, then I'm going to speak on it. Um I I think it's a great first step. Um we do need an assessment um for our overall tree canopy within the city of Miami to know where we're going before we start to figure out how to get
there. Um I think this should be taken slowly. Uh especially with something like PZ5 on the agenda. uh which would you know if there's a tree violation if somebody wants to move forward they can
get the approval a blanket approval and move forward with a tree violation in place. Um uh we would ask that we define what best practices are being used, what the criteria will be used to evaluate
them, which municipalities or models will serve as the basis for comparison and what environmental regulations will be included in this assessment um such as storm water drainage, swailes, landscaping code, recycling, composting,
herbicide, pesticide use, etc. So it I I love the idea of this. I think that it needs to be really robust and before it comes any any legislation comes before the city and the public um that it it go
through the process. Um I also uh advocate against PZ5 and I do advocate for PZ11. Um I would have included um NCD2 as well, but um that's
going to be 30 stories, you know. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning, commissioners. My name is Yadira Diaz and I'm a downtown Miami resident for the last three years. I'm also the founder of Gradable, a sustainability startup born right here
in Miami. I want to take a moment to recognize the impact the Miami DDA has had both personally and professionally. I take the freebie all the time and because of it, I know it's possible for me and others to live move to live and move easily in a city which matters and the fact that their Teslas help reduce
our carbon footprint, especially when 40% of Miami's emissions come from transportation. I see the DDA everywhere from small business pop-ups to health and wellness events, startup pitch competitions, and even sports activations like the one I recently saw
on Flaggler Street in collaboration with the MLS and Delta. I also want to acknowledge the downtown ambassadors. One walked me home at night purely out of kindness. Another helped me find a business I couldn't locate. And these small mo moments may seem minor, but
they make the city feel safe, human, and livable. Professionally, the DDA has been an incredible partner for my startup. When I learned that the city of Seattle was offering a $500 rebate for sustainability upgrades, I pitched a similar idea to the DDA, and they
doubled it. Thanks to their leadership, we launched a $1,000 rebate for coffee shops in their jurisdiction to implement programs like reusable cup systems and surplus food donations that will help organizations like Camila's House. Uh, this will also help with waste reduction, which is crucial as we face a
looming landfall crisis. And they didn't stop there. Um, I'm running out of time, but I've been listening to many comments shared today, and I just want to say I believe in fairness and transparency. No system is perfect, but based on my lived experience, the DDA has shown up, stepped up, stepped up, and made
meaningful progress possible. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. I'm Steve Kapalini. uh live in Coconut Grove on Florida. A here today representing the the board of centerve neighbors. uh
Center Grove Neighbors has uh 500 active participants and uh there are 7,000 more or less residents in this area and we uh we passed a resolution on the board of Central Neighbors to indicate strong support of PZ11
uh rescending T5 bonus height for NCD3. And we'd also like to commend our commissioner in district 2 for his leadership on this important legislation and going forward with the support of all the other commissioners. Thank you very much. Thank you. Good morning. Good
morning, Madam Commissioner uh and board. My name is Eddie Gloria. I'm the CEO of Camila's House and I'm here to speak on DI4. My address is 1603 Northwest 7th Avenue.
Camila House has been serving this city through many great programs and one of which is the DDA funded DET, the downtown enhancement team. That program has over the years served thousands of people who have come through and have
been able to transfer from our system into great jobs and into more stable housing. Just a back of the envelope estimate based on the number of people we've served, the program has a been able to save the city more than $10
million in the cost associated with these folks often going into ER or the justice systems and and other uh resources of the city. We love these great partnerships. We understand you have a
very difficult task. You have a lot of information that's been presented today. I don't envy your position and the decisions you have to make. I commend you for trying to listen and and being reasonable about that. And I hope that in more than anything reason prevails
here. Uh this program is is a critical piece to the community. We appreciate the funds and the support for that and ask that you consider and remember that in this process. We appreciate the partnership with the city of Miami. We often look to you uh to guide and and
help us make great decisions and this is another one of those great moments. So, thank you so much for you your partnership and your position on all of this. You're welcome. Thank you. Good seeing you. Good morning. Good morning. Can you all hear me? Perfect. How about now? Perfect. Good morning, chairwoman
and commissioners. My name is Melissa Samuel and I'm a lifelong resident of Coconut Grove. My grandmother has lived here since the 1970s and my family runs Fij Orchids which is a small business located in the heart of Coconut Grove. I'm here to speak on resolution 8 and to
urge you all to support a fair and transparent RFP process that gives local providers like freebie a chance to compete. Right now there's a resolution to award a contract to a county company without opening it up for public fitting. That's
deeply concerning, especially when we have already a proven local partner like Freeb that's been serving our community with dedication for years. Freeb isn't just a transportation service. They've supported small businesses, reduced traffic, created local jobs, and
provided reliable neighborhood focused service. Moving forward with a no bid contract for a non-local company ignores the value of a trusted provider who has who knows this community and has already invested in it. Cook Grove deserve
decisions that reflect transparency, fairness, and the voices of the people who live and work here. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Amina McNeill. I'm the executive director of the Martin Luther King Economic Development Corporation located
at 6114 Northwest 7th Avenue. And I am here um to ask for support of item PH8. With this grant, MLK EDC would be able to rever refurbish the space located at the residence of MLK building which is
on 62nd Street. And so support of this item will assist our organization in expanding the capacity and training of the kitchen incubator program. Currently, our participants have been learning and working on as how to grow their food based businesses with a focus
on catering. But with having a cafe, they can now shift that focus and get training and experience into how to run a restaurant business. Um, if you have had a chance to drive down 62nd Street, you'll see that it is going undergoing great transformation, but there are
limited options in terms of food, mainly fast food restaurants. So in addition to allowing this program to give a benefit to our participants with training, in return, our participants can then provide a benefit to the community by providing good food. And if you've had a
chance to have the food of our participants, it's fresh. It's not fast. It's it's superb. Um so again, we just ask for support. We thank the city of course for this past support we have received because the successes that we have had in this kitchen incubator
program have would not have been possible without the support of this honorable commission. Thank you. Thank you. By the way, I've had your food. It's very good. Good morning. Good morning, commissioners and chairwoman. Uh my name is Rolando Maserel. I live at 244
Biscane Boulevard and I'm here to speak on the DDA. I've been in downtown for almost 14 years. um at a time it's been mentioned when it was very desolate uh not necessarily always uh fun to walk around in and I've seen what the DDA and
really the city's done to to you know re you know re reinvent downtown um going back to the activations that we've heard about on Flaggler but before that you know when we took when they took over the the parking lot on Biscane which was something I was hoping would be
permanent but anyways um they they've been they've been just great for for for downtown, right? The ambassadors is a big shout out to them that's they've been spoken to. Uh there's a couple things that's just really concerning. You know, I agree with some of the complaints coming from the DNA. Um the
graffiti, the homelessness, right? I don't understand why it's all being pinned to uh the DBA. Um and on top of that, it's being done so in a really dishonest and you know, deceitful campaign of smear. Instead of working
with the DDA, they're going about it in a way to destruct it. And I don't even know what they want to do with it. I don't know if they've thought that through. What happens to downtown without the DDA? Who steps in? Are we expecting I don't know
magicians to step in. I'm not sure. Um, we can reform. We can look at it. That's all great. But the DDA needs to stay. And if it doesn't stay, it needs to be a plan. You can't just be looking for a future uh brochure or campaign brochure.
You know, this is much more important than that. This is the lives of a lot of people and an investment of a lot of people, both residents as well as businesses. So, thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you for your advocacy. Good morning. Good morning. Kristen
Lynch, 2678 Tiger Tale. I moved here in 2020 and I recently got activated uh into paying attention to local politics after crossing South Beayshore and it being terrifying. And it's a very slippery slope from that to watching
zoning board meetings and reading deep legislation and nerding out. And so I'm here today actually to urge you to oppose PZ5. Uh, PZ5 would allow the city of Miami to apply for development approvals on behalf of property owners with
outstanding code violations or unpaid leans. This change would set an incredibly dangerous precedent and essentially says that if you break the rules, don't worry. The city of Miami might step in and fix it for you. There's nothing to stop this from being
abused. What's to stop a developer from uh lobbying the city to push through a resoning or a variance on their behalf? What's to stop this from becoming a tool for political favoritism? Uh having watched the meeting uh from April 2nd, I
know that this was introduced to solve a specific issue, but we shouldn't open the door citywide just to fix a narrow planning challenge. That's like fixing a leaky faucet by flooding the entire house. There are better, more targeted solutions. This amendment weakens
accountability, invites abuse, and sends the wrong message. Please reject this change. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. I'm Michelle Hung, and I'm here representing the downtown media Oh, pardon. I'm here on uh for DI4. Um I'm here to represent the
Downtown Media Center. We are one of the only cultural organizations in downtown Miami. We are a creative co-working hub dedicated to film, storytelling, and community connection. Since our founding, the Miami Downtown Development Authority has been a consistent and
hands-on partner. They've helped us navigate permits, supported us and our community with safety guidance, and supported our programs. Their team regularly shows up attending our events, sharing them with their networks, and even serving as jurors for our creative showcases. They're not just advisers,
they're collaborators, and they're hands-on directly in our community. The DDA has been instrumental in uplifting both business and cultural downtown and culture downtown. Thanks to their efforts, over 40 artists and organizations have received funding through their creative collaborator grants. More than 700 residents and
businesses have been supported through the permit clinic. 18 new businesses have opened up or moved to downtown. And while some groups now initiatives downtown, we must be clear. Much of that progress wouldn't exist without the DDA's vision and groundwork. We're
concerned about a growing lack of continuity and vision from other groups who seem to overlook this fact. The DDA is a nonpartisan, proactive, and missiondriven. We fully support their continued leadership because they are vital to safety, culture, and economic well-being of downtown Miami. and
personal notes in the time that I've been in downtown Miami compared to 2022 to now in 2025 I've seen a dramatic increase in not just the livelihood of it was very I don't want to call it decrepit but you know it was not an ideal place
to walk alone especially as a woman and it was it didn't feel safe but now today I definitely can say with full force I'm pretty confident walking at night I mean let's say 80% confident but I think what the DDA has done has been Great. And I've seen the direct impacts of it in
real time. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning, Madam Chair, commissioners. My name is Claudia Mido, vice president at Freeb, headquartered right here in Miami at 371 Northeast 61st Street, 33137. Let me repeat that. We are local. We've served
the city for over 13 years, operating five services in the city of Miami, four of which are right here in District 2. We operate 22 of the 34 cities that make up Miami date county. We are not outsiders. We are embedded, experienced, and committed to this community. We are
here today because District 2 is attempting to use a piggyback contract to bypass a trusted local vendor, freebie, in favor of a company with no local presence, no track record here, inferior technology at a much higher cost. Let's be clear. The service being
brought back to Coconut Grove was created by Freebie, funded by the bid. We built it from the ground up and it became one of the most successful on demand transit services in the city. You don't scrap what works, you build on it. And for the record, if this is about getting it done quickly, Freeb also has
the same ability to offer piggyback with contracts competitively bid right here in Miami Date County. And District 2 was well aware. And by the way, that county approval that a district 2 received applies to the service, not the vendor. So the city could move forward just as quickly with freebie using that same
county approval. Even more important, freebie can deliver the same service for $100,000 less. That's $100,000 in taxpayer service. So why weren't we included or our calls returned? Why wasn't a better deal even explored?
Freeby's mission aligns perfectly with a bid. We don't just move people. We support local businesses. Our app features local merchants for free. Our team walks the streets, visits businesses, drives engagement. Circuit doesn't offer that and never has. And let's not forget riders. Putting two
overlapping services in the same area on two different apps creates unnecessary confusion. That's not better service. That's bad planning. This is more than a transit contract. It's about transparency, taxpayer value, and putting community first. Freeb is local. Freeb is proven. And freebie is ready.
Let us save you money. Let us compete. Thank you. Get them out. Where's my sergeant-at-arms? Why you guys, I've warned you. I've asked you. We are trying to keep the quorum. Please excuse yourself. Those
who have clapped, excuse yourself. I'm sorry. Good morning. Hi, good morning. My name is Mary Yasol and I've been a resident of Miami for the past eight years and it's has been a pleasure to build my own businesses here and help
provide many opportunities in the community. I have businesses from real estate to beauty and health centers and I am speaking today as a business owner in Miami. I understand the power of accessibility and visibility. That's why
freebie isn't just a ride share app. I believe that it is a strategic partner for local businesses like mine. Preview offers eco-friendly ondemand transportation that connects people directly to our doors. By making it easier for customers to explore
neighborhoods, visit shops, salons, and restaurants without the hassle of parking or driving. Freebie drives real foot traffic. It also aligns with the values of innovation and sustainability that define the future of
business. It's free for riders, electric powered and hyper local, making it an ideal platform for targeted marketing and authentic community engagement for businesses that care about growth, impact, and relevance in Miami's fast-paced market. Prey, I
believe, is very important and essential. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning, Chairwoman. I haven't seen you in the longest. I really like your Spanish can. Um, I'm here. My name is Ephraim Murio Jr. I'm
the co-founder of Laf Investments Group. I live in 600 Rick Key drive number 700 and I'm here uh to support freebie. Freebie is uh I use Freeb in B Harbor and I just can't believe that we're not giving the opportunity to Freebie to
actually be part of this trick too. and uh and parardo you have done a lot of things that are not good but this you have to do you have to get behind freebie sir sir sir do not address any of us okay directly please there's no reason why a company that has had
already 29 contracts in Miami day county not to be in my district I took the time from my very busy schedule to be here because the commissioner has not been able to sit down with free and give them the opportunity to uh to talk about
everything that they could do. Not only freebie is good for people that could uh write it, but also for the business that, you know, as a marketing expert, as a PR guy, it whenever you whenever you have a free lead, a free prospect that is going to be in that car and then he's going to see your business and then
that business is going to give you a a discount if you ride with freebie is unheard of that the commissioner does not support it. again. Sir, how many minutes do I have still? I'm sorry. How many minutes do I have? None. Okay, perfect. Thank you so much. Thank you,
Miss Ken. Nice seeing you. Nice to see you again. Hello, guys. My name is Francisco. Uh, this is in reference to item RE 817646. And I'm against this item. All right. as said commissioner without an RP request for a proposal trying to push
through a deal to bring an ondemand transportation service to Coconut Grove using an outside vendor. Uh this will cost residents more money. It isn't local and if that's not bad enough, they're using a piggyback contract from Hollywood is they're not
even in Miami date county. Let that sink in. All right. Freeb is a local on demand company has a strong track record in Coconut Grove. They success they successfully operated an an on demand service in the globe before the pandemic. Okay. And continue to to run a
well-received hybrid bus route service uh here in in the area as well. They are local, they are proven and they they deserve a fair shot, right? Um Commissioner Gabella made a great point in emergency meeting on Tuesday uh about the importance of of fair and open RFPs.
I hope that him and the rest of you guys stick with that. All right. As a city of Miami resident, I strongly urge the commission to reject his no big deal and instead open it up to a transparent, competitive RFP. Okay. Uh that way it ensures the most innovative, cost-effective service uh for our
community. Thank you guys for listening. Thank you. Thank you for your advocacy. Good morning. Hello, madam chair and commissioners. Thank you for the opportunity to speak this morning. My name is Miguel Mandez and my address is 760 Northeast 85th Street. I'm a city of Miami resident who's here in strong support of our local transit provider
freebie while being concerned about resolution REA. As an avid user of the service since 2019 throughout the city of Miami, I chose to reach out on my own in favor of freebie to find out why they were being excluded. The response I got from District 2 representatives was a bit concerning. In the words of the community liaison Javier Gonzalez, he
called the no bid process transparent and balanced when it's blatantly neither. From my understanding, no RFP was issued, no competitive process was held, and no qualified local providers are given a fair shot. Out of the respect for the Miami community, I hope you'll vote no on item R8 and open this
contract up to a bid process. I'd also like to express my full support for the Miami DDA and everything they have done for the downtown Miami community. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Thank you for your advocacy. Good morning. Good morning. Hello, commissioners. My name is Brandon Fernandez and I'm a proud
Coconut Grove resident at 3001 Southwest 27th Avenue. I'm speaking here today in strong opposition to RE8 which aims to award a no bid contract to a non-local transit provider with zero footprint or proven track record here in our county of Miami Dade. Though I may also stand
here as a supporter of the homegrown and local operator and freebie. My primary concern is for my fellow residents in the Grove community and throughout District 2. More often than not, it is the taxpayers who lose whenever a closed door arrangement is made for a public service contract. I think we all can
agree on that. Many of us in the Grove voted and supported our commissioner because his office promised a transparent promise transparency, fairness, and a commitment to ethical leadership. I myself was one of those people. However, this no big deal the district 2 office has arranged behind
closed doors goes very much against those principles and has left many of us in the grove many of us in the grove community confused and disappointed. My only hope is that if this resolution RD8 were not to pass, we may finally have a competitive and transparent procurement
process for transit services in my neighborhood. To the entirety of the commission, I respectfully request that you vote against this no bid microtransit deal in favor of an open RFP. You also have an opportunity to support an open and fair process and ensure that my Coconut Grove community
gets the best microtransit deal possible. Again, I strongly strongly implore you all to stand against this no bid arrangement for Coconut Grove and vote against RE8. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning, commissioners. How are you all?
Desiree Duza. Uh I've come on D I 4. I just want to speak on behalf of the residents. As you can tell in the room, sorry, excuse my back everybody. As you can tell in
the room that most people here were all corporate. DDA helps. They do what they have to. We as residents, we need separation. I believe they can support their themselves
without taxation on us. So that's all I'm here to say. No propaganda. I belong to the DNA. I have my own voice. I have my own values. I respect everybody in the room. However,
we fight for the residents and they fight for the businesses. So that's all I've come here to say and thanks for your time. Thank you. Thank you for your advocacy. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Estamari Delristo.
Good morning. Can you hear me? Yeah. Okay. Good morning. My name is Estella and I'm a proud resident of the city of Miami as well as a tenure employee for freebie. I began my career as a driver ambassador in nearby Coral Gables and
have proudly served rides and riders in other municipalities nearby such as Kiscane and Pinerest. I'm here today to express my frustration with the commission on behalf of the fellow freebie driver ambassadors who are also
proudly serve this city and county. The fact that my hometown is considering awarding a no bid contract to a non-local company is a slap in the face to 250 plus staff members who live here work here and are present years
presently years building up the community to trust freebie as a transit service. I strongly urge you to reject this no bid contract and give us a chance to once again serve our community of coconut grove. Thank you. Have a good
good morning. Good morning, commissioners. My name is Lucy Fster and I am here as a proud resident of District 2 and Coconut Grove and as a professional who deeply is invested in my local community. I live here. I work here. I also play
here. And like many others, I deeply care about the decisions that are being made to affect our neighborhood. Freeb isn't just a transportation service. It's a part of what makes Coconut Grove feel like a village. Since 2018, Freeb
has been a consistent asset for our community. They help keep local economy moving and make it easier for people to support neighborhood businesses and they play a major role in helping many of them survive during different times. To
this day, freebie continues to operate in Coconut Grove, showing up for the community, not just through a service, but through partnership and engagement. As the executive director of the Way Forward Foundation, previously known as the Woody Foundation, our mission is to enhance the quality of life for people
living with paralysis. And I've seen this commitment from Freebie firsthand. They have been a generous donor of ours and a dedicated partner, consistently stepping up to make a difference in the local community in the work that we do.
What I'm asking for is simple, a process that is full and uh fair and to be allowed for them to submit an RFP. Let this local company have a chance to compete. Freeb is Coconut Grove. Let's make sure we support the people and the
businesses that have already supported us. Thank you for your time. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning, commissioners. How are you? Uh I am Logan Mloud. I'm VP of national business development for
Circuit. So, I'm here to speak on RE8. I'm going to keep it simple and I'm just going to talk facts. The facts are this was an open process and transparent. We submitted a proposal. So did Freeb Coconut Grove bid specifically
Mark Burns assessed it. Members of the city assessed it, weighed it and chose us overall as the best solution. Not just from a cost perspective, but from an innovation and overall impact from a mobility perspective. Yes, you don't
know us, but we are not an outsider. We've been in business for over 13 years. We have over 250 vehicles live nationally, seven states in the District of Columbia and then also all over
Broward and Palm Beach County, also downtown Orlando. This is not our first rodeo. We have proven ourselves and we have won this business fair and square. Now, I understand that you all came here and supported the local business and I'm
all for that. Respect. Really, respect. So what I ask though is that there's a believe a line between concern and fear. And I'm seeing a little bit of fear here. And if they operate 22 cities and
we're just saying one location, what's the fear of us coming in and competing, right? That's what this country was built on is competition. So allow us to come in here, show what we can do, show the residents in the community what we can do, and I promise you, you will be
pleasantly surprised. I appreciate your time. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Ivon Berios and I'm here to speak on item DI4. I am the chief operating officer, chief
financial officer, and board treasurer, very proud of it, of the Miami Downtown Development Authority of the City of Miami. I serve alongside a board of residents, business owners from the DDA district. And I also want to add to the record some additional letters of
support, our annual report, and also facts. So, so the city commissioners have a copy of them. In my role, I see a lot of the vital services and I see the need and the and how the Miami DDA provides the
residents, business owners, and visitors daily. The largest portion of our budget is dedicated to quality of life. More than 53% of it. This is our current budget as next year's budget is still in the works. We also have the downtown
enhanced team that forever for people that do not know is a second chance program that we have more than 60 individuals having an opportunity of being seen and work for the city. We also focus in the cleaning beautifification. We also provide
offduties police officers for Bickl and downtown and security camera network which we are expanding into Bickham and al alongside Baywalk. We support organizations that address homelessness and we have the downtown ambassadors who
help thousands of individuals and businesses monthly. In addition, we provide grants for businesses, arts and culture institutions, and community events, all with the goal of making our district a livable and welcoming neighborhood. These are services
provided by the Miami DDA and that will cease if the scope of the agency were to change. The impact to residents and business owners, visitors will be devastating. No doubt on that. I respectfully ask that you consider the impact on downtown Miami's quality of
life without the support of the Miami DDA. Thank you all. Thank you. Good morning. Thank you, Commissioners, for giving us this time. This is Chaplain Stanley Young of Freedom Prison and Jail Ministry, uh, 500 Northwest 2nd Avenue
here in Miami. I am speaking on PH1, PH2, and PH3, the community housing uh development that HUD set up many years ago to help those who needed
housing, who needed a place to stay. I'm here to advocate for uh those that are coming out of our prisons and jails. uh as you have uh known that I have been you know singing the same song for the last 2 years that they need your
support. They need your help. They need you to help give them that new uh direction, that new uh start in life that they uh so desperately need. I walk the streets of Miami and I share with
them and try to direct them, try to assist them in any and every way that I can. I need your support to support them to do what uh they need in your community. They need housing. Uh there's
no uh housing even in our uh shelters and even our treatment centers because they're full. They're full because there's no affordable housing that is in the community that they really need who are in the shelters need to get out of
the shelters to help those who are living on the streets. So, you are doing a great job. You uh I keep seeing the uh Department of Housing and Community Development anytimes that pop up, I I'm
very much for it. uh the CDBG uh grants that you use to help assist those who are trying to assist those who need uh housing, who need uh uh grants. Uh I really thank you uh
commissioners uh staff and all those that work to serve uh our community. Uh I thank you. God bless. Thank you. Thank you. Go ahead. No, Mr. Todd. I would like you to swear me in because when you
swear everybody, it was for PC item. This is for his pocket item. I want you to swear me in. Ma'am, love you first. Um, we don't have any pocket items before us right now and we're only talking about the items that are on the
agenda. Actually, there is a pocket item. No. Yeah, you said yes. It's a discussion item. Okay. I'm talking about that, but you don't have to be given information. You don't have to be sworn in for the discussion. Okay. Okay. My name is Mariela Gabella,
1701 Northwest South River Drive. And I'm probably going to cry, but I'm going to stay to the end. Number one, I want him address my kids. Do not address any of us personally. He's
messing with our with my livelihood now. Okay. He's been messing with my livelihood since 2023. Okay. He's had a person outside my house watching me night and day. He has the sergeant around him over there take photos of me
and watch me day and night. I'm the wife of a elected official and that guy over there is always watching me and his employees are always taking photos of me and watching me. This is not a communist country. He's he thinks that I'm going
to be here. Mari Lugo and Sean in 2019. I was sitting in their car because this is the way he runs the city said that they had a photo playing with a photo back and forth because he sent a gentleman to a to a mall to take photos
of a guy that they wanted to blackmail and say to his wife that he was gay. I was sitting in that car and I'm that's why I tell you to swear me in because I'm saying the truth right here. That's how he functions. You all have a a you
have a date, expiration date with him. And the day you do, and by the way, his chief of staff, anything that he does, if he has coming to my property to take photos, I have grandkids, one and three year old, and if I catch him doing
anything that they're taking, they were in the middle of the campaign. They were across the street from the park. That is, no, you're not supposed to be there. They were there watching us 247 following us to restaurant following everywhere paid by him his pack. Okay.
And by the way, Maril Lugo told me that she has shown as the president of the union cuz he's of color and he's stupid. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I donate my time to Mariela. She walked out. Thank you.
Thank you. Good morning. That's my wife. So you all know that's my my wife know that's what she's talking about. There's an item here that she's talking about because we've been harassed now since 2023 by Commissioner Feder. That's what she's talking about.
Just want to make that clear. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning madame chairwoman commissioners. Gary Wrestler with offices at 169 East Flaggler Street. I'm a board member of the Miami DDA and chair of its quality of life committee.
You've heard some confusing messaging this morning. Double taxation, $13 million paid by residents, 90% increase on taxes, waste, and overspending. But what if I told you those claims aren't just misleading, they're deliberate
distortions. First, there is no double taxation. The enhanced services provided by the DDA are found nowhere else in the city. If the Miami DDA were to cease operations, the services provided by the agency would stop immediately and not be assumed by another entity. There's no
city of Miami coming to rescue downtown Miami. That means in just one month, more than 4,500 bags of trash would not be collected. 650 hours of additional patrol by offduty officers would cease. 21 security cameras and eight license
plate readers in the central business district feeding into the real-time crime center would go offline. Second, residents do not pay $13 million to the DDA annually. That number is closer to 7.5 million, a meaningful number. And what do residents
get in return? More than $7.2 million in quality of life initiatives that touch the streets. That includes the downtown enhancement team, enhanced security services with the city of Miami police, the downtown ambassadors, and dozens of grants to organizations dedicated to
helping address homelessness like Lotus House and Arana. Another 6% or close to 1.2 million are invested in cultural grants and public events. Much needed funding to 40 plus cultural institutions, artists, and family events on the street in downtown Miami. In addition, business
incentive grants have helped 18 businesses move or open into downtown Miami. In the last year, the permit clinic has helped more than 700 businesses and residents maneuver through the complicated permitting process. In 2010, there were 30,000 residents in downtown Miami. Thank you.
Today, that number is 130. This afternoon, you will hear from one. I beg of you to please cons reconsider and support the downtown development authority. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. Um, my name is Kent Callo.
I'm a business owner in South Florida. I'm also the kid that went to seven elementary schools because my parents moved every year and I was poor and I had nothing. And I'm here today for one reason. Opportunity. Fair
opportunity. Our procurement process at the state level, the county level, the city level is flawed. We give preference to organizations that may have had an local impact in Jacksonville, Tallahassee, Naples, and all of a sudden, every city in Florida can
piggyback on these agreements. Everyone, regardless of what's best for Miami, what's best for Coconut Grove and Coral Gables. We need to open up our procurement process for fair bidding for all organizations. We can't give preference to companies that have gotten
a contract because they knew somebody because it was best maybe for Naples. We're not Naples. We're not Hollywood. We're not Broward. We're the city of Miami. We have to do what's best for the city of Miami and we have to open up procurement. I support open competitive
bidding and I think freebies should be given a chance to bet on this contract. That's it. Thank you. Good morning. Maryanne Kuranski, can you hear me? Maryannne Kuransky, resident of Coconut Grove.
Can you hear me now? Okay. Maryann Kuransky, resident of Coconut Grove, speaking on PZ11, PZ5, RH5, PH5, and R4. Um, it's my first time speaking here today.
Um, I'm in favor of PZ11, which repeals the inclusion of Coconut Grove in T5 bonus height, writing a past wrong. In addition against RH5, um, increasing events at the hangar, against PH5, bringing the circuit to the
Grove with an extraneous micro transport when we already have the freebie that people are happy with, against PZ5, creating a loophole. Um, allowing permit issuances were there outstanding violations. And uh with respect to RE4 requesting
that best practices be revised to specify uh best practices to grow the canopy uh the tree canopy. All of these items have one theme in common when it comes to Coconut Grove. Coconut Grove's unique character and livability um is under
attack and in danger. The Grove is a residential area with great schools, civic institutions, and a great place to raise a family. Increasing density, events, tourism, and traffic erodess these qualities. Uh, many examples of what happens to neighborhoods that go
down this road. Residents, mom and pop businesses, and civic institutions that serve them get driven out. Property values collapse. I urge the commission to consider these items when considering all this. Thank you.
Good morning. Um, good morning to everyone in their respective places. Um, my name is Chef Jamie Wooden Whisby and I'm here in support of item PH8. Um, I am here as a small business owner in district 5 and a member of the
MLK EDC Kitchen In incubator program. I am here as a live witness to attest to the amazing things MLK EDC is doing for members of the community like myself. I have been a part of the MLK EDC Kitchen Incubator since its inception about seven years ago. And since my time
there, I have been afforded the opportunity to withstand the tough trials and tribulations as a small business owner with extreme foundational support and backing by MLKEDC. When other businesses failed even during the pandemic, I was blessed to withstand and remain in business because I didn't have to pay
astronomical commercial rental fees like all other colleagues I know who failed. I have experienced financial growth and therefore I have been able to now be a first-time homeowner and investment property owner in the very hood I grew up in, Liberty City. I'm a very first
multi I now own my very first multi-unit, a duplex, in the same neighborhood I grew up in and now showing my children what generational wealth looks like. I'm a product of Liberty City Housing Projects, also known as the Pork and Beans. And now I'm able to even hire members of the
community all because of the financial growth I've experienced while being a part of the MLK EDC Kitchen Incubator. So that's my time. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Good afternoon. Good morning. Can you hear me? Um I'm
going to speak on DI4. My name is Vanessa Condi and I'm a resident and a board member in a community in Edgewater and I appreciate the opportunity to speak with you today. Um, I was invited to and attended a DDA board meeting which helped to better understand the
organization's work and explore whether there's a future role for all of Edgewater because only a sliver of it contributes right now in its broader plans. While I was glad to observe the process, I left with some open uh questions about how our neighborhood uh could ultimately fit in the picture. The
meeting highlighted the scale and scope of the DDA's current projects, much of which appear to focus on the downtown core. So, it left me wondering whether future expansion into the growing and financially booming Edgewater neighborhood is being considered. And I may be premature with this statement,
but I'm a strategist by trade, so I tend to think ahead. I've heard a mix of perspectives from constituents in other parts of the city, some of who question the return on their DDA contributions and others who value the organizational organization's role in shaping the urban experience. I'm not here to take sides,
but rather to ask if all of Edgewater is eventually brought into the fold, what would that mean for our community? And most importantly, will we have a seat at the decision-making table? So, I respectfully ask, is there any consideration being given to expanding the DDA's reach, the DDA's reach into
our area, Edgewater? How will residents be informed and engaged along the way? because unless you are involved like I am um or uh are have are impacted directly by the DDA a lot of people don't know about the DDA and what they do and if inclusion means a tax
contribution would the community have the opportunity to weigh in perhaps through a formal process or ballot initiative that's it thank you for your time and your continued leadership in ensuring all of Miami's neighborhoods have a voice in shaping the city's future thank you thank you good Good
morning. Good afternoon. You're right. Good afternoon. It's been a long comment period, right? Um this morning. So, good morning. My name is Risa Fernandez. I'm at 992 Northwest Fifth Street in Little
Havana. Um I come here as a resident on some of the items in reference to the tree canopy assessment, the coconut grove um um height, um the DDA, the freebies, all this comes together in a
very shocking um light to me as someone that was born and raised in this neighborhood in this city. Um to me this is incredible that we have um the wife of an elected
official, we have our city government in a very big turmoil um in 2025. I think that um these type of problems really shed a very ugly light in our city and the investments and the people that have
worked very hard um to continue to support this city and its functions. I think it's us as leaders, you have to really shape up. Um because if you guys were a 500 Fortune company, you guys would all probably be fired here. Um and
the crisis that we are potentially coming, I don't hear anybody talking about this. The county is um expected to have a $430 million shortfall coming soon to a city and a county. That's what's supposed to be
important to us. We should be having budget hearings, really thinking about ways to save and cut um the waste, right? Um because as everyone here fights for their own neighborhoods and more money through DDA, when Little
Havana and some of the residents asked for a improvement district, we were shut down. and Little Havana faces enormous pressure from downtown, from the Grove, from Bickl um with homelessness. So,
should we expand the DDA to Little Havana as well? Thank you. Because I can show you pictures, I can bring you. Thank you. So, I hope that you guys really like put your hats on and let's get to work. Thank you. Good. Good afternoon.
Good afternoon. Now, I'm Keith Lynch. I live at 3156 Southwest 27th Avenue. I'm here on my own behalf on behalf of the Glass House Condominium Association. Uh I'm here to support uh PC11, the repeal of the bonus height
restriction. Uh this is something that really doesn't seem consistent at all with Coconut Grove. And I think it's important to highlight the repeal is only relevant to Coconut Grove. It's not the entire ordinance. Clearly, there are places in the city where there's
density, transit, other goals, trying to get cars off the road where it's suitable, but in Coconut Grove, it's not. And it threatens the character of the neighborhood. Obviously, high-rise is or mid-rise is on beayshore and has been historically, but this encroachment
into the uh more northern and western parts of the city will basically lead to the entire change of the character of Coconut Grove. Something that Miami is famous for, something that Miami should cherish, something that we should all
seek to preserve. Urban planning and uh new urbanism all respects history. And if we don't respect the history of this area, we will lose it. Thank you very much. Thank you. Good afternoon. Good afternoon. My name is Raphael Sosa. I'm a resident
of 1400 Northwest uh River Drive. I'm opposed to RE8. Um they opened the bid contract with that circle was referring to um referring specifically to them was two years ago. So, we're going back and still, you know, I don't know, going on
a 2-year contract versus something that's happening now. Doesn't make sense. Um, was ultimately awarded that contract because they were already local, which is the same thing that we're asking for. I happen to be the regional performance manager for the area. I run Okconrove directly. as long
as I mean as well as many other areas in the central um Miami region district one being one of them we have already established partnerships we have I don't I would say love from the residents doesn't make sense to go with somebody outside I
don't know what the uh I don't know speculations are on commission side and but either way on my side on the viewpoint from many people here just to sum it up. Clearly, it's a better option. It makes sense. It's known. It's
local. It's It's just It just makes sense. If it makes sense, it makes dollars. And that's what it's all about. Keeping the city alive, keeping everybody, you know, to where they need to go. We service people for free to go to doctor's offices and many places. And
we're really I would say I'm the happiest I've ever been working for a company that I've been in my 25 year career. So that goes to say a lot. And I've worked with giant corporations and there's nothing better than freebie. So that's all I want to
say. Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon. Yeah. Good afternoon. Brenda Bancor 1436 subway 6 street. It's too many things going on today but um for the PHC which is um the closing of the
street in a pluff area. Uh we went through this before so I hope the commissioner Joe Caro reconsider and think about the neighborhood and as as as it is you can't change the entire laws the entire regulation in one neighborhood just for one person. that
we already went through this in Little Havana when um the vendors were banished from Little Havana because one person so let's please hope the commissioner car consider um re um which is the
canopy why all these um entities or people who's working about the canopy doesn't go against FPL I see how FPL treat our trees And I don't see any of of them complaining in
FPL and saying, "Hey FPL, I need you to preserve our canopies." So why a person who owns a property who needs to do something because the tree is damaging their property cannot actually do something for the tree that belongs in
the property of them. So I I understand I love trees but if you want to fight fight with the FPL too since you are such in love with the trees and you don't want to cut a leaf. So it's just too many things in this DDA and freebie.
I just going to say this commissioner are you going to keep defending entities and not the residents? Simple fact. Everybody who's staying in this podium has been
benefit or work for downtown development authority. I am not even part of the downtown anymore. I used to live there for short period of time. But you borders are not those entities. So just think about it. Thank
you. I see. Good morning. Hi there. Afternoon. And I mean Sue McConnell uh RE8 and of course it's freebie. Uh we've been working on this for four years. Uh went to our
commissioner. We thought we were squared away on it. Uh we need it desperately with the playhouse going down for about a year. Uh we don't know what we're going to do. The people that work for the city don't face the problems that we face because most of them have decals or
placards and they can park wherever they want to. we're the ones that really suffer full-time. Um, mixing these two companies together, I think, is terribly confusing because they're not going to know whether they should call Freeb or
call this, I'll call it the C company. Um, it's I think it's bad for the um neighborhood. It's going to be sad for um visitors. They'll they'll get completely confused. We have um freebie
in um let's see Pinerest Kiscane and the Gables. Uh they've done very well there. They've done very well with us and I don't understand what the object is to move them. Um and I
understand that this new company is more expensive than ours. So if it is, we could take that money and buy a couple more uh freebies. So please consider that you know that this is
my my strong point right. Thank you. Thank you. Good afternoon. Good afternoon madam chair commissioners. Miguel Simang 1436 Southwest 6th Street. I'm in support of
item CA1. I'd like to commend our city manager and our police chief for looking at ways to save uh money from our budget and evaluating uh this this situation that
may possibly bring savings to our budgets. I'd also like to take advantage while we're addressing the police department. Uh, and I'd like to make a suggestion, an
idea, share an idea with our chief of police as far as the scooter situation that we have. Uh, scooters are violating everyone's right, cutting through traffic. It's horrendous what we're going through. And although our police
chief has taken action, I'd like to suggest that he post similar to how we put uh speed traps and stop and and police officers looking at stops. If you go to a bridge, when that bridge comes down at any time during the city, you're
going to see 10, 12, 15 scooters cut right through traffic and go to the front of the line waiting for the bridge to go up. Right there, they're violating. That's a real easy way to get the these scooter uh these scooters out
of our uh out of our traffic and and the situation, the hazardous situation. So, I'd like to share that idea with our police chief and hope that uh that he finds it reasonable to uh deal with the situation in that manner. Also, I'd like to support
RE9, Commissioner King. Um, you serve a district that is that is very difficult and is in great need and I believe that we should
support you. Thank you. In renovating the buildings and support Thank you. your proposal. Thank you. And uh my last item No, no. Thank you. R that's it. You buzz. Thank you.
Good afternoon. I'm just waiting for this thing to plug on, I guess. JV, hurry up. Good afternoon. My name is Z Sultton, vice president of the Downtown Neighborhood Alliance and a resident of the Paramount Building in downtown. And
I'm here to speak on agenda item DI4. We're here today because thousands of downtown residents are experiencing something deeply unamerican, taxation without representation. The DDA collects over 58% of its annual budget from
residential uh property taxes. Yet residents have almost no voice on its board and have very little to show for it. We're taxed like stakeholders but treated like outsiders. This goes against the very foundation of this country. Our nation was built on the principle that taxation
must come with representation. And it was one of the core reasons why we fought in the American Revolution. Over the past year, we've uncovered a pattern of troubling spending, lavish executive perks, hundreds of thousands in grants to billion dollar corporations like UFC and FC Barcelona that would most likely come
to Miami anyways, and almost no tangible benefit for the people funding it, the residents. So, we asked the public, "What do you think?" We surveyed 850 voters across downtown Bickl and Edgewater, and 85% opposed the UFC
grant. 58% said the DDA had no positive impact. And most importantly, 56% supported even dissolving the DDA. If you look at the perspectives shared here today, many of the voices supporting the DDA come from a business background. And as a business owner myself, I empathize with that. But that's exactly where the
heart of this issue lies. The DDA is fundamentally structured to support businesses. And if it is delivering value to them, then businesses should bear the cost, not the residents. Residents want out and they deserve at least a right to choose. That is why we are asking the
commission to place a question on the November ballot. Should residents be removed from the DBA's taxing district? Leslie, thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Good afternoon. Good afternoon, Commissioner. My name is James Torres, president of the Downtown Neighbors Alliance. I'm
here because the DDA has been double taxing Bickl and downtown. Now, I want to set the record straight on one thing. If the DDA separates itself from the residents, they are still able to function. Morningside will still have its trash picked up. Alipata will still
have his trash picked up. And the same thing in Overtown. Let's be very clear. We spend nearly $8 million. We pay nearly $8 million of the DDA's 13.5 annual budget, almost 60%. Yet, no downtown residents sits on
that board. Let's be very clear. No downtown resident sits on that board. Meanwhile, our tax dollars are being handed out to billion dollar corporations, $100,000 to UFC, $450,000 to FC Barcelona, 175,000 to college
football. That is nearly $750,000 that also goes to marketing and PR contracts. And what does that get us? Rising crime, crumbling streets, homelessness, graffiti throughout the downtown corridor and Bickl. All while
condo crisis is in full in effect. To our district 2 commissioner, you were elected to represent all repres I'll redirect. Sir, I'll redirect. Representative for district 2, you're turning your back on the community.
We've reached out to you several times. We do need your help to follow up on this issue. The rest of the commission, you have a decision to make here today. Commissioner Gavilla, there was a young lady here today that quoted you in your address any I'll redirect before my time expires. Chairwoman,
at the end of the day, there was a social post today where you came out and talking about taxes. That is the same thing that we're asking that this board steps up to the plate and helps the residents. They can still function on a budget without 58% of the taxpayer money
that is going to this agency. I urge you and encourage you to please step forward and help this community like you're trying to do at the Bayfront Park area. Thank you. Commissioner King, help us. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Is there anyone else here who would like
to speak? for public comments. Ma'am, please come forward. My name is Rose Fountain. I live in Coconut Grove and uh I am thinking of what is occurring with the freebies and I just have one comment and
that is please do not trash our freebies. Thank you. Seeing no one else here for public comment. Public comment period is now closed. Thank you all for your advocacy and your
thoughtfulness. Um gentlemen, it is almost 12:30. I am going to take the temperature of this commission. How would you like to proceed? I will not be here for the
afternoon session. Um, can I can I suggest uh I have an important discussion item that has to do with all of us and I'd like to take that up now. No sir. No, we we have one a
pocket item that is timesensitive and I would like not to just get to discussion items. I'd like to move through the agenda if we possibly can and take the discussion. So, you're going to leave mine for for last? No. No sir. I'm not going to leave yours for last. I will take it up. But you're not going to be
here. You said you're not going to be here. But I don't have to be here. There's three of you, which makes it No, no, no. I need your vote on this because I've been I've been targeted by the city of Miami code enforcement department. You're the city manager because of doing my job on Bayfront Trust and Commissioner Gyo is harassing me. He
wants he wants my house to be investigated when I have done No ma'am. No, ma'am. I know what's going on here. So, I tell you what that I'm I'm leaving. If I if I don't do this, I'm leaving right now. This is ridiculous that you don't want it. I didn't ask that we would not take it up. I said we would take it up. Yeah, but when you
leave, I need your vote. I need your vote. Commissioner, I need your vote. I have a commitment. Okay, then let me then let's take care of this. We have other work to be done and we go in order. We will go in order as we always
do. The mayor presented something today at the last minute and you took it every time. I always end up in the same thing. Mine's just time sensitive. You know why? Because the code enforcement is coming after me for doing my job and pay for commission. Ma'am, that's what's going on here and if that's if that's
your position because I'm not going to take the discussion items out of order. If that's your position and you leave, we won't have any more commission meeting if that's what you want. This is a resolution. No, it's a discussion item. Again, if we can have
some training on the agenda process and how this commission should work with protocols, I would appreciate that because I don't want it to seem as if I'm being unfair. You're being unfair because I am being unfair. I am being
harassed. I am being harassed and I want to save the the city of Miami. This is this is if you if you allow me, please. This commission meeting is now in recess. Thank you for your advocacy. The I will not be here. My my commissioners are here. It's three. They
have a quorum. They can Okay. So then the commission meeting has now resumed. The the commission the commission. Thank you. The commission has recessed. Thank you. Why don't you quit? The commission meeting is over. Thank you.
Quit whining. [Music] [Music] [Music]
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Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat.
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