City Commission - Regular Meeting

Good morning. Good morning. We're getting settled for some... Good morning. Good morning. We're getting settled. Thanks. Well, good morning, everyone. Welcome to almost the end of July. I hope between maybe some summer celebrations and summer camps and that you're enjoying the summer. This morning, as we begin this commission meeting, we have a number of important recognitions. First, we are going, do we have, is Commissioner Gabella in the house? We're missing our, I know Commissioner Gabella wants to be here for this particular one, but Eddie, can I start with the songs? Is that an option? We can go backwards on our agenda? Delightful. Eddie, is that OK? Taylor? All right. So we have a couple of presentations this morning. And so we're going to start off in a different order. Because I know Commissioner Gabella wants to be here for one. But this is pretty exciting. We have a bunch of young people who have competed very capably to write songs about the city of Miami. This has been what's called the Elevated Tracks 305 Miami Anthem Contest. Come in the middle. And... So this is a partnership. It's a partnership with the UM Frost School of Music. That's very impressive about all that. Of course, our friends from Guitars Over Guns, who seem to perform absolutely everywhere in every school. And Young Musicians Unite. And they have done a global call called Elevated Tracks 305 to find the rhythm of our city. So today, we have the two winners. Obviously, we have our Young winner. There she is. And we have our adult winner. I think you can tell by the size. Which one is which? But DVV12 with Roomba is the winner of the adult song. And then Soleil River Nation. And how old are you, Soleil?

I'm 12 years old. Oh, my gosh.

And you're already writing music?

How long have you been writing music?

I've been writing music my entire life, but my first ever released song was when I was nine years old. Wow.

And so when did you start?

I started making music like five years ago, like during COVID, and here we are now.

Okay, so every now and then it's another COVID silver lining. There weren't many, but this was one. So I think we should hear a little bit of each song. So which one do we want to start with, Taylor? Roomba. Roomba.

I came to enjoy, with B12 the room won't stop. I came to enjoy, the heat tonight won't go away.

All right, so tell us, where can we find this Roomba?

You can find Roomba on Elevated Tracks 305 YouTube playlist and every platform as well.

All right, you got that? Elevated 305. All right, and so now we're moving on to... Miami on my tongue.

Miami on my tongue. Let's go. Snow on my skin, sand in my shoes. Lip gloss tasting like mango ice on the cruise. Mmm. Uber at 2, windows are down. Here doing whatever it wants. I'm running this town. Oh. All right.

So, Soleil, fantastic. And where can we find this? In the same spot?

Yes, you can find it on Elevate Tracks 305 YouTube account and also on all streaming platforms.

All streaming platforms, everybody. We've got a lot of talent here in the 305. Congratulations. Do you want us to take an official picture? What are our photographers? Yes, I see we've got some big cameras down there.

All right.

Which camera are we looking at?

Oh, she's a professional. All right, is everybody happy? Photographers, everybody happy? No, you're not, okay. All right, well, thank you all for bringing the rhythm of the summer in the city to us in City Hall. All right. All right. So now we go from music to entrepreneurship. We also have a proclamation for Miss Angelina Diaz. This is a woman who started her own business, but We all talk about microloans, and this was something that really just made a difference and enabled you to start your business. And now she's, I'll let her tell the story and Commissioner Gabella, but she's now kind of a FIFA rock star here in the city of Miami, and we're very proud of you. Commissioner Gabella, let me turn this over to you.

Yeah, I know. She's become famous in the coffee world, Right? And we want to acknowledge her and congratulate her at such a young age doing this kind of thing. So congratulations. Yeah. And should I read?

Hello, everyone. So how I started, the school taught me how to make coffee, I would say, when I was 13 years old. And... you know, the more I learned, um, helping them do events and stuff like that kind of opened a new world for me. And when there was a student, uh, Leandro, he went to an event and won the coffee car and he started doing it and he ended up not wanting to do it. And that's when the opportunity opened for me and he asked me, if I wanted to rent it from him. And of course I was like, I was a little scared because I've never like had my own business because that was just a scary thought for me. But the more I thought about it and the more Ms. Ioana, my job coach told me that she believed in me and then she thought that I can do it. I was just, I was like, okay, fine. And so I asked my sister, And my sister, she didn't have the money then. And she was like, if you think that this will work, I was like, yes. And she borrowed money from a friend and she handed it to me. And that's when I... Paid the rent, the first month's rent, and I opened with the most basic things. And thanks to the teachers also supporting me, they bought my coffee, and it just started from there. It was just crazy.

So I don't know. I'm hearing you do have one word of advice for budding entrepreneurs. I heard a lot about believe in yourself. What's your one word? Believe in yourself. Colleagues, anyone else?

I think it's wonderful that you are an example for everybody because it is scary to start your own business and everybody is not in your corner supporting you and you have to shut out the noise and just continue to say I can do this, I can do this and your hard work pays off so today you will inspire someone and so Please be proud of that, not just your accomplishments and girl power.

All right, picture time. Come in, photographers. Boss us around. Tell us where we need to be to look good. All right, we gotta ask one more question. Where can we find your coffee?

At my school, East DeSouza, South Florida.

All right, at school, very good. Congratulations. So we've started the day with a little music and a little coffee, which is very celebratory and very indicative, I guess, or symbolic of our city. But another thing that is core to our city's operations is our Miami Police Department. And there is a division in that department that works on internet crimes against children. And that is hard work. These are the sorts of things that you and I might, when we look at on social media or read about in the newspaper, cringe and not even want to be, we can't even read or listen to the kinds of things that go on to lure children into very dangerous situations. Today, we are honoring Miami Police Department. Hello, Chief. Today we're honoring, let's see, you guys come on by, then I'll explain it all.

Congrats. You're welcome. Good morning. Good morning, good morning, thank you very much.

Thanks for doing this. Important but horrible. Thank you. How are ya? So, Look at you. Everybody's coming up.

Buenos dias. Split it up, yeah. Morning, good morning, good morning.

Come in. Get in the middle. Don't be shy. Don't be shy. So anywhere. This is your home. You can be anywhere you want. But... Very recently, this team and many of the members of this team are not here today because they can't be, because they do a lot of this work undercover. But we wanted to thank them for one of the largest undercover operations that resulted in the arrest of 15 perpetrators who were committing crimes against children. And yeah. And I remember the day they were about to go out at night to make the arrests, and I was in the room where this work was done. And the dedication and the concentration with which they take on what is incredibly emotionally challenging work to protect our kids is really inspiring. And I know you have some of the hardest jobs in the police department, so it is honor today to thank you for that work even though for some members of your team we cannot thank them publicly so go back to HQ give them a hug on behalf of the mayor and a big thank you we honor you and our community is better off for your work let me turn what happened I'm missing Commissioner Gabella where oh there you are let me let me turn this over to you

I'm just so very proud of you guys. We all are, of what you do day in and day out, the sacrifices your families make. So really, we appreciate what you do for us. Thank you very much from the bottom of our hearts. Thank you very much.

There's not much that I can say with respect to thank you. I can't imagine the atrocities that you see and We always support you. We support you. You do the work that nobody else wants to do. You see things that you can't unsee, which is why I'm a big support of mental health. But thank you for having the courage to do this kind of work. It's particularly hard when you have children of your own as well. So thank you.

I just want to say that your work, even though it's unseen, it is seen by many of our residents. And you are very much appreciated. Every time a story comes out in the news that's actually appalling, they know that there are very good, solid people behind there doing hard work. So thank you very much for your service and work.

Well, I have been a police supporter since I came into the city of Miami. So I just want to thank you for the hard work that you do. And even though may not be seen, we want you to know that we know what you're doing, and we are grateful to have you in the city of Miami. Thank you.

This has to be one of the toughest policing assignments anybody could take on. So you have, from the bottom of my heart, our tremendous gratitude.

Thank you, Mayor. You know, these two specialized units that work hand in hand are Internet Crime Against Children's folks and our special investigation section. They handle some of the most sensitive case loads that you can ever have in this assignment, as The leadership here, team, you have some command staff. I mean, we talk about this amongst ourselves many times that we're so grateful that we have these folks that are behind the scenes protecting the most vulnerable population in our community. So as a police chief is important, but even more important as a father of a 10 and a 16-year-old, I know the critical work that they do. This operation was over four days long. working with the state attorney's office and a host of other local law enforcement agencies. And actually, that arrest number went up to 30. It was 30 individuals that were arrested in our community. We posed as undercover operatives on chat lines and over other mediums to be able to reach out. And this knows no boundaries, knows no jurisdictions, and these folks go above and beyond to keep our community safe. So thank you, Mayor, for highlighting their good work. All the elected officials as well that provide us the resources to be able to continue protecting the most vulnerable asset, like I said. So God bless you, and may God keep you safe.

We need to squish in.

Thank you gentlemen.

Friends and residents and colleagues on the dais, today marks a day of transition for us. Many of you were very involved in listening to discussions during the mayoral campaign about should the mayor participate in commission meetings, He or she lead commission meetings. And today I will start presiding over the commission meetings. But we have to thank Christine King, who has been one of the longest serving chair, well, the only chairwoman of the city commission and one of the longest serving chairs of our city commission in our city's Next week we turn 130, so in our nearly 130 year anniversary. So Commissioner King, we wanted to present you with a crystal gavel to commemorate your five years of service. And thank you. You served during some ups and downs and topsy turvy moments of conflict, moments of transition. moments of COVID, moments of rebirth for the city. And we are forever grateful for you leading our city through those times because your time on the dais was tough, very tough. And you did it with grace and you did it with courage. And I am very, very grateful to you. Thank you. Thank you.

And can I just say something? And one of the gentlemen that made it a little bit tough for her is still standing here. But I want to congratulate you for the tough times that you put up with us. So thank you very much. You have been a true leader. And I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

I was not your problem. So... But I have to say, you handled everything with grace and challenges incredibly well. And you're just so valued here. And... You're going to keep doing what you're doing, so thank you.

Just imagine controlling the four of us. And imagine how it was before. Listen, since I got into the city of Miami, I learned so much from you. So thank you for all the advices. Thank you for doing what you did. You did a fantastic job. We're very grateful that you're here with us.

We are indeed a tough little bunch. This has been a really wonderful year, though, where I think we've gotten a lot of good work done. And much of it is because of your leadership up here keeping the conversation and the debate going in a way that is productive and that ultimately benefits the city. I'm very proud to get to serve with you. Thank you, Commissioner.

I want to thank everybody. As you know, I am the longest serving chair for the history of the city of Miami and the first woman. And I can tell you that when I was tapped to be chair, I was terrified. My commission looked a lot different and I had just gotten elected. I wasn't sure how I'm moving forward as a public servant, much less having to be chair of the commission. Um, but my mom says, How will you ever get to learn how to do something if you don't do it? And you can't allow fear to hold you back. And so I jumped in, and it's just instinctual. Be kind. Listen. Everybody's not always going to agree with each other, but that doesn't mean that we can't move forward. And yes, there were difficult times, and yes, Commissioner Gabela scared my mom to death once. But it's a journey and it has allowed me to grow as a person. And every day that we are able to serve is a good day. Every day that we wake up and we can be of service to our community is a good day. And I look forward to what the next chapter will be for me and Not one day did I ever not love you guys, past and present, because I know at the end of the day, you all are here because you want to do the best for your community. So thank you. Thank you to the city of Miami for allowing me the opportunity to really be of service. And thank you, Madam Mayor. Madam Mayor?

Yeah, good morning. Yep. No, we, well, hi, everybody. Now that we're done with the presentations, we're moving on to our order of business, and we are fortunate enough to have two pastors who are going to pray for us and with us today. So, Pastor Barbara Savo from 433 Church, and then we will have Reverend... Dennis Jackson, a longtime friend of the city of Miami after you.

Welcome.

Please, we are ready to receive your blessing.

And we please stand to reverence the presence of God. Father, we thank you this morning. We thank you for being an amazing father. We thank you for covering us. Well, we don't even know you're covering us, Father. And Father, for the leaders in this room, Father, we ask them to cast their crown today and give you full control, full access to their mind, their body, and their spirit. And Father, we thank you for being an amazing God. And we thank you for always thinking of us first before we think of you. Amen.

Let us pray. Our Father in Heaven, we thank you for this day and for the privilege of gathering together in service to the people of the City of Miami. We recognize that every position of leadership carries both responsibility and accountability, and we acknowledge our need for your wisdom and guidance. Today we pray for our mayor, the members of this city commission, the city manager, department directors, first responders, and every public servant entrusted with the care of this great city. Grant them wisdom to make sound decisions, courage to do what is right, integrity to lead with honor, and compassion to serve every resident with fairness and respect. Lord bless the city of Miami. Continue to strengthen our neighborhoods, protect our families, encourage our businesses, and give hope to our young people. Watch over those who protect and serve our community each day and surround them with your grace and protection. Your word declares, if any of you lack wisdom, let him acts of God that give it to all men liberally. James 1 and 5. Today, we ask for that wisdom. May it guide every conversation, every vote, every decision made in this chamber. Help us to remember that while we may hold different opinions, we all share a common responsibility to seek the welfare of this city and the well-being of its people. Let mutual respect prevail, let truth be spoken with grace, and let unity be found even in the midst of differing perspectives. May this meeting be conducted with order, purpose, and a sincere desire to leave the City of Miami stronger than we found it. May the work accomplished here today benefit not only this generation, but those yet to come we ask these blessings in your holy name in jesus name i pray amen thank you very much commissioner rosado would you lead us in the

All right. Good morning, everyone. Good morning. Well, welcome to the City of Miami Commission meeting for July 23rd. The procedures for public comment will be explained by the city attorney shortly, as well as for planning and zoning and quasi-judicial items by the city clerk. show all commissioners present, including city manager James Reyes, city attorney George Weisong, city clerk Todd Hannon, and myself. Mr. City Attorney, would you read your statement and procedure?

Yes, thank you, Madam Mayor. George Weisong, City Attorney, City of Miami. 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.munico.com. Any person who is a lobbyist pursuant to Chapter 2, Article 6 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 lobbyists is available in the city clerk's office or online at www.municode.com. Any person making a presentation, formal request, or petition to the city commission concerning real property must make the disclosures required by the city code in writing. A copy of the city code section is available at the office of the city clerk or online at www.municode.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 2-33 f and g 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.miamigov.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 a.m. and remain open until public comment is closed by the presiding officer. Any person making offensive remarks or becomes unruly in the city 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. Members of the public wishing to address the body may do so by submitting written comments via the online comment form. Please visit www.miamigov.com meeting 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 elected officials, their staff, and city administration up until the presiding officer closes public comment. Public comment may also be provided here live at City Hall located at 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, subject to any and all city rules as they 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 in auxiliary aids or auxiliary aids in services for this meeting may notify the City Clerk. 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 of the Florida Statutes. The public has been given the opportunity to provide public comment during the meeting within reasonable proximity and time before the meeting. Please note, Commissioners have generally been briefed by City staff and City Attorney's Office on items on the agenda today. Anyone wishing a verbatim record of an item considered at this meeting may request it at the Office of Communications or view it online at www.miamigov.com. For planning and zoning items, PZ items shall proceed according to Section 7.1.4 of the Miami 21 Zoning Ordinance. Parties for any PZ items, including any applicant, appellant, appellee, city staff, and any person recognized by the decision-making body as a qualified intervener, as well as the applicant's representatives and any experts testifying on behalf of the applicant, appellant, or appellee, may be physically present at City Hall to be sworn in by oath of affirmation by the city clerk. the members of the city commission shall disclose any ex parte communications to remove the presumption of prejudice pursuant to florida statute section 286.0 115 and section 7.1.4.5 of the miami 21 zoning ordinance the order of presentation shall be set forth in miami 21 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 waive the right to an evidentiary hearing on the record. For appeals, the appellant will present its appeal to the City Commission, followed by the appellee. Staff will be allowed to make any recommendation they may have. Please silence all cell phones and other noise-making devices. This meeting can be 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 Mayor.

Mr. City Clerk.

Thank you, Chair. The procedures for individuals who will be providing testimony will be 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 will 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 the notice provisions set forth in these uniform rules and procedures we have established for this meeting? Chair, may I administer the oath for the planning and zoning items?

Yes, please.

Thank you. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. If you'd 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.

All right. Mr. City Manager, do you have anything that you would like to withdraw or defer?

Sure. Good morning, Madam Mayor, Commissioners. At this time, the administration would like to defer or withdraw the following items. FR6 to be withdrawn. FR6 to be withdrawn. PZ1 to be deferred to the September 10th meeting. PZ1 to be deferred to the September 10th meeting. PZ6 to be indefinitely deferred. PZ6 indefinitely deferred. And PZ7 to be indefinitely deferred. PZ7 to be indefinitely deferred. And that concludes all the items.

Okay, colleagues, any other withdrawals, deferrals? Okay, with that, Mr. Clerk, do we set the agenda? Yes. You always have something.

My apologies. Before you request a motion for the items that are going to be withdrawn, deferred, and definitely deferred, there's a few things that I need to read into the record. Mayor Higgins will be co-sponsoring PH6 and SR3. Commissioner Pardo will be co-sponsoring PZ-5. Commissioner Escalona will be co-sponsoring FR-2. Commissioner Rosado will be co-sponsoring PH-5. Commissioner King will be co-sponsoring PH-5 and RE-12. I just need to read a brief statement regarding indefinitely deferred PZ items. Pursuant to Section 62-22 of the City Code, And indefinitely deferred action initiated by the city will cost the city mail noticing, advertising, and posting of properties as applicable. And, Chair, if you'd like to request a motion for the withdrawals, deferrals, and indefinite deferrals.

So moved. Okay. I have a motion. I have a second. All in favor?

Aye.

Agenda is set. Thank you. Time for reasonable opportunity to be heard in public hearings. Yes, Mr. Clerk? All right, anyone that would like to be heard, please line up on both podiums. And oh, I see Mayor Lago. Vince, would you like to be recognized to speak? Yeah, sneak up. We'll let Mr. Cruz cook his computer up. Will you go over to the other podium? Thanks. Okay, there you are. Thank you, Mayor. Good to see you.

Good morning, Madam Mayor, thank you for allowing me the privilege to speak. I have a 10 o'clock swearing in for new police officers in the city, beautiful. So I appreciate you allowing me the honor just to speak for 30 seconds. But before I do that, just a personal point of privilege. Commissioner King, you epitomize elegance and grace. As chairwoman for five years, it was a true master class to watch you work. So I want to congratulate you on your five years of service and your continued service to this community. Thank you for teaching me a lot. Moving forward very briefly, I'm here to support Commissioner Rosado's item R16. The item, again, is what I've come here multiple times to discuss, is about human trafficking. I ask my colleagues on the commission to please work with the mayor, work with staff, and work with your incredible police officers who are here to work together with other municipalities to address the issue of human trafficking. It is not going away. I was the elected official in Miami-Dade County, in the state of Florida. that outlawed hourly motels and I was personally and professionally targeted by a lot of these motel owners which are in the city of Miami and in the city of Coral Gables and we signed a joint enforcement task force between the city of Miami and the city of Coral Gables to eradicate this issue both in the city and the city of Miami. So I ask you to please support R16 because everything that we do to support our police officers to address human trafficking, as a father of a 15 and 11 year old daughter, I've seen this personally as I've gone undercover with our police officers on 12 separate occasions. Human trafficking is alive and well in our community. And we need to do everything in our power to support the police officers who we did this morning, and we thank them for their hard work. Thank you, Commissioner Rosado. I am beyond grateful for R16. And as a supporting member of Glory House, which is doing God's work in our community, I've been with them for almost ten years now. I ask people to get to know Glory House. They're doing exceptional work transitioning women off the streets and into the real world after years and years of trauma. So God bless you. I apologize for taking over a minute, but thank you for allowing me to be here and speak. Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Good morning. My name is David Peary. I'm the executive director of the Florida Coalition of Advanced Racial Equity. We're here today to speak out in strong opposition to SR4. This is the proposal to eliminate the 24-hour waiting period that, or excuse me, the 24-hour warning and waiting period prior to police arresting the homeless for sleeping in public spaces and by the way that's the only place where the homeless can sleep given the deficit of shelter beds and the lack of affordable housing we're in a homelessness on crisis right now and SR4 would do nothing to solve it actually would do the exact opposite there's a fiscally irresponsible And I would say a very dangerous proposal to simply flood our corrections system with people whose only crime is being poor, whose only crime is that they've got no place else to stay. Now, this comes at a particularly bad time. This proposal comes at a particularly bad time for the city of Miami because we have two potentially game-changing institutions that are coming online that may increase shelter beds and increase housing. We have Judge Leifman's mental health facility that's coming online. They'll provide some very productive options for people suffering from mental illness, which, by the way, are not the majority of the homeless. The majority of the homeless have stabilizing mental illness. We also have the Better Way facility, that's coming on board. It's called a navigation center. Now this can be a game changer as a low barrier shelter. They'll be much more attractive for the homeless to stay. So we urge the city commission to please reject this proposal. It will do nothing to solve homelessness. In fact, it'll increase homelessness. Saddle people with a criminal record, which makes it harder to get a job. It makes it harder to get an apartment. There is nothing to be gained by this. And I'm accompanied by several other folks here who will make the same argument. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Cruz.

Elvis Cruz, 631 Northeast 57th Street. RE7, more money for Curtis Rogers? At Alice Wainwright Park, they blocked the beautiful view of the bay from atop the silver bluff by planting silver table palms. They installed landscaping the city is incapable of maintaining, many small plants and a bed of mulch. Here it is at the ribbon cutting, but city workers don't pick weeds, they use weed eaters, so now the plants are gone. The city tried this in Morningside Park in 2009, where it only lasted a few months. Ida Curtis told the City Commission that for Morningside, quote, we are not doing any work to the Loop Road, even though her plans showed 850 feet of the Loop Road would be demolished and rebuilt without the elegant landscape median that reflected the Morningside Historic District, despite the overwhelming vote at a community meeting to keep the Loop Road intact. Their design was supposed to alleviate flooding, but instead it caused the worst flooding Morningside Park has ever had. After negligent staff saltwater poisoning in the park, Curtis Rogers found several trees were recovering, yet they still had them cut down, including a legacy specimen tree saying it was a fire hazard when it certainly was not. We used to have open green space along the bay for recreation and special events like this wedding. Now they're over-planted with sable palms and far less useful. At a meeting last month, Ida Curtis said she'd been working on the project for six years, but she had not yet decided what surface material to use on the bay walk. That should have been decided before contracts were signed and construction began, so now there's a six-week delay. Here's the 55th terrace seawall before, with very pretty grass. Now it's one big trip hazard. Kids are going to love throwing all those loose rocks into the bay, making the trip hazard even worse. After all those undeniable, unforced errors, I urge you to not hire Curtis Rogers anymore. Thank you.

Good morning, Madam Mayor and Commissioners. My name is Camilo Mejia, and I'm the Senior Policy and Advocacy Director at Catalyst Miami. here, as my colleagues said, to urge you to vote no on Ordinance 19457. I am a combat war veteran of the Iraq War, and many of us come home with post-traumatic stress disorder, moral injury, really, really bad situation. We wake up in a nightmare scenario that we cannot tell apart from reality. Many of us are homeless. 30 of us commit suicide every single day. Are you going to really put people from my population in the same shelter as a child. We have 10,000 school children in Miami-Dade County public schools, 10,000. That is children who live in a car, at a friend's house on a couch, at a cheap hotel, or at a shelter. You do not want to mix those two populations. It's not as simple as having available beds. It's a lot more complicated than that. And I'm just throwing one scenario at you. of many potentially tragic scenarios. Who are you going to hold accountable when tragedy strikes? Not the police officer, not the shelter, not the perpetrator, not the victim, but yourselves, if you vote yes on this. The ordinance would not create a single bed, a single unit of housing, a real path off the street. It also makes a bad situation even worse. This is a really, really, really bad judgment call. This is a potential tragedy happening. Do right by the city. Do right by houseless people. Do right by all of us and vote no on this item, please. Thank you.

Elena Kasparis, 1155 Brickell Bay Drive. I'll be speaking against passing PH3 regarding the future of the Jackson Cottage, which I actually live across the street from. And in doing so, I will be reading a special message from the great-granddaughter of Marion William Brickell, retired lawyer Beatrice Brickell. Only this week did I learn that Miami commissioners are expected to vote on a complex real estate transaction involving the Citadel Group. I believe the transaction is rushed without proper open debate. We, myself and the board of directors from the Mary Brickle Foundation, think that the most appropriate site for the Jackson Cottage would be Mary Brickle Park. a place rich in heritage with ample space, our historic mausoleum on the National Register, and thousands of visitors. Because time and distance add not only to the cost, but to the fragile nature of moving a 100-year-plus building, now for the second time, Mary Brickell Park is the ideal relocation site. It is less than a quarter of a mile from its current location, and it has a reverter clause to protect from future movement. There are very few historical sites left in Brickell. It is imperative that the Jackson home not disappear from Brickell. I understand that a deal has been made with a site of choice without any involvement or public comment on this process. Even though Mary Brickell was donated in 1922, on two occasions over the last 40 years, we were able to defend the park when we believe the rehoming of the Dr. Jackson Cottage is the challenge of today, and all of this is best done within a public open forum. We are open to that path, especially if the park was not looked into from the get-go. Dr. James Jackson opened his practice in Miami in 1917, and he was truly a doctor for all and kindred spirit of Mary Bulmer Brickell. He served all his patients without distinction, people of color, the poor, those who could not pay. This was the foundation that helped make Miami the magic welcoming city it is today and a place that I call home. Respectfully submitted, Beatrice A. Brickell, great granddaughter of William and Mary Brickell.

Good morning, commissioners. Good morning, mayor. Good morning, staff. Chaplain Stanley Young, Freedom Prison and Jail Ministry, 500 Northwest 2nd Avenue, Today presents me a very awkward and a very indifferent, the first time I'm standing at this podium out of three years I stand here to oppose something. I've never opposed anything that came out of this diocese until today, until I read RE4. It's nothing about criminalizing homelessness. That's all it's about. Miami should not be criminalizing homeless people for being homeless. Homelessness is not a crime. Being on someone's private property is not a crime until that owner says so. I have talked with numerous homeless people. in the city of Miami who told me they have been harassed by the police officers. And I like to think that's not true. But I have spoken with Commander Williams. He promised me, he told me that no, just last night, that they are not arresting homeless people until they commit a crime. So that comfort my heart. that you are not criminalizing homelessness in the city of Miami. The city of Miami got all the shelters, a good 90% of the shelters, the beds that the homeless people need. We need to continue to And you have been building more property. You have been reaching out to these people who are disadvantaged than we are to have a bed to sleep in, a shower to take a bath, and other things that we have, just a refrigerator and a stove to do our food. Thank you. And I thank you that you would do the right thing and kill this bill.

Ms. Robb? Good morning, Mayor. Good morning.

Commissioners, Chris Robb, Executive Director, Dade Heritage Trust, 190 Southeast 12th Terrace, Miami, 33131. Always a pleasure to be here, see all of you. I'm speaking today to encourage you to pass item PH3. We support it as an organization, board of directors, staff, we're all in this together. The approval of the item will ensure a long term preservation plan for the historic Jackson office. which has served as DHT's headquarters since 1978. We've been there a bit. In addition, as a result of the approval of this item, DHT will own the Jackson Medical Office and the land on which it sits, establishing a permanent, wholly owned headquarters, something we've never had. We are thrilled. to have found a long term solution to preserve our 121 year old historic headquarters building, which was actually moved to its current location in 1917. It should be known that Dr. Jackson never practiced medicine in this current location. It was turned into a residence once it was moved to that location. and then turned over to Dade Heritage Trust in 1978. So we are grateful to Ken Griffin for his generosity and the opportunity to establish DHT on its own property for the very first time in our history, ensuring we continue our stewardship and community engagement well into the future. We're thrilled to have the pleasure to be working with an engaged, informed group of professionals with knowledge and vision how we take this forward and ensure DHT's presence in Miami. So thank you very much for your consideration.

Good morning, Debbie Dolson, 4205 Lenox Drive, Coconut Grove. what she said. I am here to support PH3. I remember when this was an agenda item years ago, and there was a proposal to turn this property into a dog park. And at that time, I was very happy to see the commissioners protect the lease for Dade Heritage Trust and allowed them to remain. I think that this is a win for historic preservation in Miami. I think it is a win for Dade Heritage Trust, and I look forward to welcoming Dade Heritage Trust, hopefully, to Coconut Grove, historic Coconut Grove, where it belongs. Thank you.

Good morning, Chairman Higgins, Mayor and Commissioners. My name is Alejandro Martinez and I'm a District 3 resident. I want to express my support for the proposed sidewalk safety protection structures. In neighborhoods like Brickell, where construction is constant and thousands of people walk every day, protecting pedestrians should always be a priority. I believe this is a positive step toward making our sidewalks safer. I also appreciate the conversation around the proposed hydration station pilot. With the summer heat and so many people walking, biking, and using transit, increasing access to drinking water is a worthwhile goal like in Europe. As this pilot moves forward, I simply encourage the city to ensure that any installations complement the pedestrian experience by maintaining clear, accessible sidewalks and thoughtfully selecting locations that minimize impact to walkability. Thank you for your service and for your continued commitment to making Miami a safer and more walkable city. Thank you.

Morning, John Dolson, 4205 Lenox Drive, Coconut Grove. We dodged a bullet today. And I also want to congratulate you for your years of service in teaching us to do this instead of shouting, although sometimes we do that anyway. We dodged a bullet. If you approve PH3, which we support, Dane Harry's Trust deserves a permanent home. I was in this room a number of years ago when Commissioner Caroyal proposed getting rid of it and making it a dog park. I can't think of a worse use for a conservation organization than being a dog park. That's kind of a bad deal. Anyway, we support it. Glad you're working out a deal to get it moved and give them a permanent home. They deserve it. They do a lot for community. Thank you very much.

Michael J. Langley, Executive Director, Florida Justice Institute, 40 Northwest 3rd Street, Suite 200. I again rise in staunch opposition of the proposed ordinance SR4. Last time I appeared before you, I called this both a moral stance and an economic imperative. Let's dive deeper into the economics, shall we? Just this week, there are a slew of articles published citing Miami's affordability crisis. Bloomberg wrote that South Florida's consumer price index has jumped 36%. since 2019, outpacing every metro area except Tampa over that span. As Fortune put it, to cover the mortgage of a typical Miami house, its estimated buyers will need an annual income of between $160,000 to $215,000, which put the dream out of reach for 80% to 85% of Americans. Again, quoting directly from the article, in Miami-Dade County, homes priced below $400,000 made up just 2% of active single-family listings as of early 2025, according to the Miami Association of Realtors, and only 14% of renters could actually afford to buy a single-family home or condo. Renters need to earn $43.56 in District 1, $58.95 in District 2, $46.83 in District 4, and in District 3, $61.54. So residents must earn a whopping $51.46 per hour between those districts to afford the average two-bedroom market rate unit, according to the National Low-Income Housing Coalition. How can you expect the average person to do that when everything costs over three times more? Let alone our neighbors experiencing homelessness. So this isn't intended to be personal, but I need you to understand how profoundly unproductive and ineffective this approach is. Time to use evidence over ideology to solve problems. Thank you.

Good morning, my name is Peter Rubino, 10725 Southwest 73rd Court. I ask that you pass resolutions SR7 and PZ4. I represent friends of Ludlam Trail. Ludlam Trail is a linear park starting at Dadeland North Station, running straight through the heart of Miami up to the airport. One day it's going to be an iconic linear park in the heart of our city. Ludlam Trail is happening. Two days ago, the county approved funding for design and project management. This is the city's chance to ensure trail development is properly funded and adheres to the highest design standards to enable a world-class trail. I want to thank Commissioner Rosado for his leadership on bringing resolutions SR7 and PZ4 that create a path for developers near the greenway to pay for the greenways. The Planning and Zoning Appeals Board already voted 8-0 in favor. Both items passed unanimously in their June 3rd meetings. That kind of consensus is rare and reflects the strong technical and community foundation behind this legislation. The Commission should follow that lead. PZ4 establishes mandatory clear design standards for every new greenway segment. Transparency and accountability are built in. The resolution requires the City to publish an annual corridor-level report showing how much money was collected near each greenway and how it was spent. That keeps these funds from disappearing into the general budget and gives residents a way to hold accountable. Friends of Ludlam Trail will be watching and keeping all parties accountable. We urge the Commission to pass Resolutions SR7 and PZ4. Thank you.

Good morning, Madam Mayor and Commissioners. My name is Amalia Noll, 3058 Southwest 19th Terrace, and I will be speaking on RE16. This summer, I've been interning in Commissioner Ralph Rosado's office, studying policy and legislation under Deputy Chief of Staff Christian Molina. Early on, my internship came with a real assignment. Dig into an issue our community is facing, look at what the city has already done about it, and propose something new that continued to move the needle. That research led me to human trafficking and the city's human trafficking task force, which has been in place since 2021. I identified a chance to build on it, keeping the task force front and center as a city priority, tightening coordination with the state attorney's office and other agencies, and adding a dedicated task force coordinator to give the effort some staying power. That project, which began as internship homework, is now RE16 on your agenda today. Along the way, I found out that turning an idea into law isn't just about having a good idea. It takes digging into existing policy, working with different offices, and figuring out how to translate a concept into something the city can realistically carry out. I want to thank Commissioner Rosado and his team for the chance to do this work, and especially for trusting a student to provide input on something that could genuinely help people in our community. There is one piece of this process I have yet to experience, and that's why I'm here this morning. My internship was actually set to wrap up before now, but I asked to stay on longer because as I have learned from Commissioner Rosado, we need to see our work through to the end. I wanted to be in the room when this finally reached the Commission and to help push it across the finish line. So I'm asking you, respectfully, to support RE16 with a yes vote. This isn't just a policy position for me. It's personal. As a young woman, I'm part of the age group most often targeted by traffickers. I also grew up knowing someone who opened up to me about how deeply trafficking can reshape a person's life. That taught me this isn't some far-off problem. It's real, and the harm it causes is lasting. I hope you'll join me in supporting this. Thank you so much.

Well, that's the definition of an internship, I think. Congratulations.

Good morning. Go ahead. Good morning, commissioners. My name is Deborah Stander, and I live at 830 Northeast 74th Street in District 5. I'm also a retired certified paralegal with many years of experience working in the legal field. I'm here today because the proposed amendment to the restrictive covenant for the Adela II MIMO Bay project, agenda item PZ8, includes a $1 million cash payment described as a public benefit to be paid directly to Commissioner King's District 5 office. Miami 21 already provides a clear, regulated and transparent mechanism for receiving and administering public benefit contributions. That mechanism includes defined custody, accounting, expenditure, auditing and public oversight requirements. It exists to protect public assets and to ensure that public benefit funds are handled lawfully and transparently. The arrangement proposed in the restrictive covenant bypasses that framework entirely. Under Chapter 119 Florida Statutes, the public has a legal right to know how public funds are received held, accounted for, and spent. And Chapter 112 Florida statutes requires that public officers handle funds and benefits only through established legal frameworks to ensure transparency and prevent misuse of public position. Before approving this covenant, commissioners, and this payment, which is included in the covenant, the commission must identify the specific legal authority that governs its receipt and expenditure. And I'm asking that that legal authority be made a part of the official record of this hearing today. A payment of this size, labeled as a public benefit, must be safeguarded through a clear legal structure. For these reasons, I respectfully request that when this item comes before you, you pull it for discussion.

Ma'am, ma'am. I will. Ma'am, ma'am. As staff. Sergeants, thank you. Everybody gets two minutes. We appreciate you.

Good morning, Madam Mayor and Commissioners. My name is Shana Strauss. I'm a student at the University of Pennsylvania. I live at 111515 Sam Ramos Avenue, and I'm here to talk about RE16. This summer, I've had the privilege of serving as a legislator intern in the office of Commissioner Ralph Rosado, under the mentorship of Deputy Chief of Staff Christian Molina. First, I want to thank Commissioner Rosado for giving me first-hand insight into how local government turns community needs into effective solutions. When he learned of my interest in legislative drafting, he didn't tell me how policy is made. He gave me the opportunity to be part of the process. Human trafficking is a crime that's hidden in plain sight, yet behind that invisibility are real victims whose lives are forever changed. I began to research prior legislation and learned that the city of Miami had already established a human trafficking task force in 2021. However, I saw an opportunity to strengthen it. Leading to the creation of RE16, the agenda item before you today, which will improve coordination with the state attorney's office and other partner agencies and create a dedicated task force coordinator to ensure that combating human trafficking remains a permanent priority rather than a passing concern. Through this internship, I learned what it truly takes to turn a good idea into legislation, researching existing policy, coordinating across multiple offices, understanding the successes and failures of past legislation, and navigating a tight budget. Through all these hurdles, I can assure you that this RE16 is practical and capable of creating real and meaningful change. With RE16, I believe Miami can be the model for other cities leading the way on combating human trafficking. The last step of seeing this policy through is today. I want to thank Commissioner Rosado for allowing me to be part of the legislative process, an experience that reinforced my desire to pursue a career in public service and motivated me to extend my internship so I can see this resolution today.

Thank you. Thank you.

Ms. Burton? Good morning, Madam Mayor, Mr. Manager, and all commissioners. My name is Trulie Burton, and I represent the Builders Association Association. of South Florida with address at 111 North S 183rd Street in the City of Miami Gardens. I'm here to express BASF support for not one, but two items, SR1 substitute and SR2. You'll hear those items later on in your agenda. As to SR1 substitute, I want to thank the City Manager's Office, especially Deputy Director Ace Marrero and Director Juvenal Santana. They were flexible with their time. their expertise and hearing our concerns they've incorporated updated statutes and very important case law that govern capital improvements that the builders have to pay for that that the city also needs but also it makes the builders requirements more predictable which makes costs of housing a drop less expensive so that goes to the housing affordability piece as to sr2 It's a process streamlining issue that would eliminate the previous requirement for literally two duplicate traffic studies. Why that happened, I remember, but it's not important for this conversation. Meantime, it increased delays, and it was the same identical information for the same applicant. Meantime, and it provided no new information. So we are happy today to support both SR1 substitute and on SR2, and again, trending toward reducing housing affordability. I am submitting our copy of the letter that you all received to the clerk. Thank you. Thank you. Go ahead.

Good morning, Madam Mayor, members of the commission, Nicholas Rodriguez, 200 South Biscayne Boulevard, representing Mamo Bay Apartments 2. We're here in support of item PZ9. It's the proposed down zoning of the property in accordance with the covenant that we proffered with that rezoning that was approved. We are submitting a letter for the record. Simply confirming that we are in support of that down zoning because it is our agreed upon a commitment with the community and with the commission that we agreed upon in 2024 when that rezoning was passed. Thank you very much. I'll submit the letter for the record and thank you for your time.

Good morning. I'm Becky Broper-Matcov, a past executive director of Dade Heritage Trust for 18 years. and a member of the Villagers for 30 years. And I am speaking on behalf of the Villagers today with a statement from the organization, which is Miami's oldest historic preservation organization. In 1972, Villager members Dolly McIntyre and Sally Jude founded the Dade Heritage Trust, and therefore the Villagers have a vested interest in the future of the property of this building. In addition to serving as the Dade Heritage Trust headquarters and official visitor center, this small wooden house has been the heart of historic preservation for over 100 years. It has stood at this same location, resisting the advance of predatory developers. This 1905 cottage is a rare surviving example of Miami's earliest beginnings. Its presence remains a symbol of historic Miami, and it is now owned by you, the public. As advocates for historic preservation, we request transparency regarding the long-term plans of the prospective owner. DHT just yesterday announced it has an agreement with the developer to relocate the building to a more sustainable site in Coconut Grove, which the organization will own. This appears to be an excellent deal for Dade Heritage Trust, but the public is still entitled to hear details of how this plan will ensure the building's structural safety prior to and during the relocation process.

Thank you.

Appreciate it. So please defer this until more detail. Thank you, ma'am. Appreciate it.

Good morning, Madam Mayor, Commissioners, City Manager. I think I saw him leave. My name is Jorge Richardson, 3131 Northeast First Avenue. I'm the founder and CEO of Hope Hydration, and I'm here today in support of PH5. I don't have to tell you all this, but heat is the deadliest weather in America. Unlike other cities around the country, Miami doesn't deal with the heat for three, four, five weeks at a time. We live in it year-round. And when I think about heat, I think about the worker in Miami, the kid walking back from school that needs water. And they're walking and it's hot, and they have really two options right now. They can either buy a bottle of water or they can go without. That's why we started Hope Hydration, because we wanted to bring free water to the people. Water's a human right. When we started Hope, we actually started in an apartment not too far from here. We kept hearing Paris. Have you seen Paris? Have you heard about Paris? They have this free water fountain network. There's free water everywhere. And so paying homage to the people who led before us and built it, we learned a lot. And we said, this is going to be our mission. We're going to take what people have done in Paris and in other cities, but we're going to bring free water within a five-minute walk to every major city around the world. Now let's talk about Miami. Miami is a leader. Miami is a city that was built on a swamp. Miami has turned into this gateway for the entire Americas. Miami is the first major city to be founded by a woman. We lead. And so today I ask you all to be a leader again with PH5. One, so that we can continue being a leader. I ask you all to lead so that that school kid and those workers can have free water. And then finally, I ask you to lead because in ten years, my dream is that the next crazy water entrepreneur is hearing Miami, Miami, Miami. Have you heard about Miami? They got free water everywhere and it didn't cost the city a cent. Thank you.

Hi, my name is and I'm here to speak. in support of RE11 Ruth Shack, renaming Ruth Shack way. And thank you to Commissioner Pardo for suggesting this. Ruth Shack is an icon to this community. And for those of you who don't know her, she not only worked for years and years to champion every community, every group in this city, from women's rights to the rights of the LGBT community to the rights of the poor. And she created so many organizations that we now take for granted. I just can't think of a better person for the future citizens of this community to see her name in lights on the street to say who was Ruth Shack and to thank her for everything that she did to build this community. So I hope that you will support this resolution. Thank you.

Good morning, Henrietta Schwarz, 2627 South Bayshore Drive. Today's agenda contains two different items, but they share something in common, secrets and loopholes. For PH3, Dr. Jackson's Cottage, residents have been left with more questions than answers. Public trust depends on transparency. Yet too much about this transaction has remained behind closed doors. When the public is left to speculate, confidence in government suffers. The second is for SR3, the proposed pedestrian shed ordinance and its impractical exception. If a developer can simply claim it is impractical to provide a pedestrian path during construction, then the public's safety and accessibility become negotiable. To quote Chris Lunding, a far better approach would have been to limit exceptions to circumstances where a shed over a sidewalk would create a dangerous or hazardous condition that endangers life or property, copying the exception from the city's own noise ordinance. Commissioners and esteemed Mayor, please fix this loophole. Secrets erode trust, loopholes erode accountability. The people walking our sidewalks are not an inconvenience to be worked around. They are residents, seniors, children, and people with disabilities trying to move safely through their own neighborhoods. Today, you have an opportunity to reject both secrecy and unnecessary loopholes. And remember that every exception you create today becomes a precedent someone else will rely on tomorrow. Please put the public's trust and the public's safety ahead of convenience. Please follow the process for public notice. Thank you, and thank you, Commissioner King, for all your work as a chair.

Good morning. Richard Milstein, 98 Southeast 7th Street. Mayor, commissioners, and Chairwoman Emeritus, thank you very much. And in particular, Chairman, excuse me, Commissioner Pardo, for bringing Resolution RE11 to co-designate the Ruth Shack Way. Let me add just a few words to what has already been submitted. So it's stated today, Ruth Shack is an icon. She lives in 94 years, but those 94 years will live on in history in Miami-Dade County. Let me tell you a little bit about and add to some of the things that have been said. Ruth transformed Miami-Dade County in a myriad of ways. We'll start with the beginning, when Time Magazine declared Miami Paradise Lost in 1986. and proposed that Miami was a wasteland in many ways. Ruth said, no, we're a paradise found. She then proposed and worked with Christo to wrap the islands of Miami in the area in pink, and we became a cultural, international cultural center of Miami. She and her husband Richard helped found Art Miami, and that has now become Art Basel and Art Week. and the cultural community has benefited from that without knowing. She was elected as county commissioner for three terms. She proposed the first ordinance in 1976 to award equal rights and to all residents of Miami-Dade County, including those of the LGBT community, and which became a final ordinance about 20 years later in 1998. She sponsored the first ordinance for historic preservation in Miami-Dade County. She chaired the Dade Community Foundation, which is now named Miami Foundation.

Mr. Milstein, thank you. Thank you. Probably takes three hours to go through everything that... Thank you. That's what I was going to say, Mayor.

Thank you all for taking care and doing this.

So two minutes is a hard time period to describe, Ms. Schack. But thank you.

Go ahead, please. Good morning, Madam Mayor and Commissioners. My name is Mariana, 4250 Biscayne Boulevard. I am here today in support of Hope Hydration's pilot program, PH5. In a city as hot as Miami, access to clean drinking water shouldn't be a luxury. It should be something that's available to everyone. Whether someone is walking to work, exercising, or simply spending time outdoors, staying hydrated is essential for health and safety. By providing free refillable water stations, our city would be reducing plastic waste and creating a cleaner, more sustainable community. I'm also proud that Hope Hydration is a local Miami company bringing an innovative solution to the city. Supporting local innovation while improving public health and protecting our environment is exactly the kind of forward thinking Miami should embrace. I ask you to support this pilot program and vote yes to PH5. Let's show that Miami is a city that cares about its people, supports local businesses, and is committed to building a healthier and more sustainable future. Thank you.

Good morning, Commissioners, Madam Mayor. My name is Owen. I live at 488 Northeast 18th Street. I live in Edgewater, and I'm advocating for PH5. have more access to free, cold, filtered water, especially where I live, near Margaret Pace Park. As we all know, Miami is hot, especially this time of year. Myself and many others walk our dogs through this park many times a day. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to have access to cold, clean, free water for both the city and our communities. Living where I do, I see two things every day. First, new buildings are going up everywhere. You probably see this around Miami left and right. Second, I see plastic waste, primarily bottles piled up along the banks of the bay. The reality is these are likely connected. In the Miami heat, it's no surprise that people reach for a cold bottle of water. But that shouldn't mean having to buy a plastic bottle every time you leave your house. Margaret Pace Park is one of Edgewater's greatest assets. And as a growing community filled with young families, pet owners, and active residents, it's imperative we invest in our water infrastructure. Right now, the easiest option for people is to buy cold plastic bottles. Let's change that. Let's make the sustainable choice the easy choice. Let's continue to put Miami ahead of the curve when it comes to innovation and to green initiatives. Let's say yes to provide free and accessible drinking water. Thank you.

Good morning, my name is Betty Lara and address is 6701 Sunset Drive. Commissioner Rosado, I'm so grateful that you've invited me here. It's really an honor to speak on Resolution 16. I have been serving survivors of human trafficking for 14 years in Miami. We have a non-residential and residential program. It is imperative that we would have a task force and police officers dedicated to this as these survivors get raped, possibly five times a day. And when they call the police, it is an emergency. They need to help right away. Thank you for doing this. And we certainly need it. Sex trafficking in Miami is not going away, is actually increasing. So anything that we can do to make our city better and to set these women free, I really appreciate it. God bless you.

Good morning, commissioners, mayor. My name is Mariela Lopez-Delbert, 661 Northeast 68th Street. I would like to thank the commissioner for all these years for her service, being a shared woman, being very fair and just and very professional. I will continue. Okay, I'm here to talk about PZA MIMO Adela Bay. And as my other neighbor stated before, Chapter 19 really does say that we have to have transparency when we are going to allocate this kind of money at such a big amount, which is $1 million. We need to establish the public service. The donation must serve a broader document to public service such as public park integration, city wide water, and public access roadway. If it's private entity donation only benefits a private property of a specific HOA, the city cannot legally act as a pass through of clearing house. The city finance department must isolate the donation into restricted agency fund or dedicated trust agency account. It must never enter the general fund The logistic separation guarantees that if the project runs over budget, the city cannot automatically pull from the taxpayer-funded revenue to stream the bridge of gap. So I respectfully also ask that when you hear this item later today, you put it in for full discussion and ask staff to identify the specific legal authority that permits this alternative payment mechanism and explain what rules will govern the custody, accounting, expenditure, auditing, and public oversight for these funds so it remains transparent and fair when it is distributed. Thank you.

Good morning. My name is Victor Williams, 66, West Flagler Street, Miami, Florida 33130. I am the Vice Chair of the Miami-Dade Human Trafficking Coalition and the founder and CEO of Cuesta Freedom, which is an anti-human trafficking organization based here in Miami. I'm here to support Commissioner Rosado's Resolution 16. Anytime we're talking about human trafficking as education, we do not know enough. At minimum, it would be nice if everybody knew the basics of human trafficking, which are the elements of force, fraud, or coercion. If we all know the elements of human trafficking, we can then see it and address it as we go. Human trafficking is the results of a lot of things that have already gone wrong in somebody's life. These are the things that we should be addressing, family issues, issues like trauma. Unresolved trauma creates vulnerability to become a victim or a predator of this crime. But the solution is this. The solution is all of us. The solution is everybody in this room can do something about human trafficking. Basically, just educating yourself. The more we know, the better we do. I'll leave with this. We talk about human trafficking, we talk a lot about sex trafficking, but labor trafficking is 60 to 70% of all trafficking. And what does that mean to everybody in this room? If you own a cell phone, you have the ability to buy food, you have the ability to buy clothes. We all have a minimum of 40 to 60 slaves working for us. So thank you, sir, for this resolution. Continue to educate ourselves so we can do better at this horrible crime. Thank you.

Good morning, Commission and Mayor. My name is Bill Matisse, and I live at 770 Northeast 69th Street. I've been a proud resident of City of Miami since that time. I've had the opportunity to work with Commissioner King regarding the matter concerning Legion Park. I'm here today to discuss that. I'm here to help represent Legion Park as a friend of Legion Park, i've helped start the first green market with our commissioner sarnoff a few years ago and i've continued to watch over legion park and try to wish the best and work the best for legion park and i'm here today to discuss the million dollar uh fee that is going to be paid by adela that somehow at the end of the first 500 000 was was gained by the access of the neighborhood groups, Palm Grove, Bayside residents, and so forth. At the very end, Commissioner King stuck in the request of another $500,000 on behalf of this situation that was going on with Adela II. And I would kindly request that that second portion of this money, $500,000, be set aside to also include specifically Legion Park. is not here obviously to represent itself and that's why we're here as friends of legion park to represent and that's why i'm speaking today is to try to look at that extra money that was gained at the last moment on behalf of legion park on with the request of commissioner king and be used for specific purposes of legion park thank you

Good morning, Commissioners. My name is Trey Santorin. I live at 223 Sedonia Avenue in Coral Gables. In 2025, I was lucky to receive a grant from the National Alliance on Homelessness to study Florida's statewide camping ban. We collected more than 600 surveys, 430 of them from unsheltered people, half of those to almost 220 in Miami. That means that we surveyed almost a fifth of the unsheltered population of Miami-Dade, and I wanted to share some statistics about this in regards to SR4, sorry. Not saying that. So the arrest rate that we found was 32%. So 32% of the unsheltered population has already been arrested. For those with serious mental illness, it was 47%, so almost half. Said a different way, the odds of being arrested for those experiencing serious mental illness symptoms was 2.5 to one. The median number of arrests for those who was arrested was three. So most people were arrested multiple times. A number of people were arrested more than 20 times. 34% of unsheltered people described having belongings destroyed by the police. 60% of the time, that included IDs. Another 42% of the time, medications. Another 20% of the time, that included work-related items. Most importantly, 90% of people who were arrested said that they returned directly to the streets, 90%. When they were released, only 18% were offered any kind of assistance, usually a pamphlet or information. The human cost of this proposal is high, but I want to point out as well that the financial cost is even higher. The Department of Corrections in Miami-Dade cites $30,000 a year per inmate at Miami-Dade County Jails. But Judge Steven Leifman this year, in an interview in NBC6, cited a number of 325 when you include mental health and medical services, meaning it can be more than $100,000 a year. I will also point out to the commission or remind them about the lawsuits and settlements that they paid out in 2024 for $350,000. Thank you very much.

We appreciate all the information. Thank you.

Good morning. My name is Francesco Duverly. I'm the CEO at Survivors Pathway and the chairman of the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Council of Greater Miami. I'm here supporting SA16, and thank you, Commissioner Rosado, for this invitation. So human trafficking, Miami is ranking number three in the nation in cases of human trafficking, and we're number one in the state of Florida in cases of human trafficking, which is a really horrible number. For 16 years, we've been working, serving victims of human trafficking, and we have seen how devastating this crime is for vulnerable communities. And especially today, we continue seeing these crimes very tragic amount of people coming to Survivor's Pathway, being victims of human trafficking. But more than that, we need to understand the complexities of it. That's why having a task force is so important. Because this crime is not just human trafficking, it's all the consequences that comes along with it. For instance, just one example. HIV, we in Miami, here in Miami, we're the number one city, county, leading the numbers of new infections of HIV. In my medical program at Survivors Pathway, we are seeing the correlation among those victims of human trafficking and the infection of HIV. So by stopping this crime, we also affecting other type of social issues and medical issues as we have. So thank you Commissioner Rosado for this initiative.

Hello, my name is Casey Paquette, 951 Brickell Avenue. I'm a Brickell resident. I'm also an avocational historian to talk about PH3. Initially, I was going to come in and just voice my opinion about where context matters around historic assets in Miami. There's not many left. However, I think the decision seems to already be made, and I think people have already discussed the process not being all that transparent, or it could be better. However, I would like to advocate. I would like to advocate as this city commission is approached on a deal similar to this for the next historic asset in Miami, in particular in Brickell, which has very few left. I want you to remember that Brickell at one time had a very interesting history that people really do care about. As somebody who writes full-time on South Florida history and researches and shares it, I hear from a lot of people that are very discouraged about really progress. I understand progress happens, but I would hopefully advocate that the next time a historic asset is looked at as something to be moved, I do want to point out that they're just not hot potatoes. They actually mean something in the space that they're in. The second thing I'd like to advocate for is the tree canopy right around Dade Heritage Trust. So I realize that after this deal is consummated that it's going to be between DHT and Ken Griffin to decide what happens to the building, but the tree canopy there is probably the only dense tree space that's on that block and as that gets redeveloped, I hope you hold the developer accountable for making sure there is tree canopy, we need it, and also to move those trees as it's being redeveloped. There's plenty of places trees can go and Lord knows we can use more shade cover. So thank you for giving me an opportunity to speak.

Hello, thank you for having me here today. My name is Lindsay Kane at 333 Northeast 24th Street. I would like to quickly say I oppose SR 24 as we need a more humane approach to homelessness. In regard to item PH3, I appreciate the conservation effort, but would like to support more in public engagement in the issue. I'm similarly fighting to save a historic site in Brickell and hope similar conservation efforts can be made and I appreciate the attention Commissioner Escalona's office has given the matter. It would be alarming for a foreign development group to destroy a historic archaeological site representing the indigenous history of Brickell, effectively erasing it. All over the city, there is litigation of residents versus developers, and I truly ask myself, why does it have to be this way? In Edgewater, our community is suffering from a loss of a tree cut by developers without a permit. Stop work orders are supposed to be issued in this case, but once again, developers are given unbridled grace. A community cafe was removed, now we're surrounded by constant construction. This week, we residents had to fight to figure out how to save animals cruelly left behind and locked in a construction zone after their habitat was destroyed. This Tuesday, I was at a hearing where this room was completely filled with citizens trying to save over 100 trees, and the city attorney and board of members made a last-minute determination that certain groups didn't have standing, which the code was so confusing that the first hour was spent trying to understand it. However, the city gladly accepted the filing fees from citizens and now will not return it. We are all aggrieved parties when it comes to the removal of trees, especially the granted removal of 100-year-old oaks, which are supposed to be protected. Citizens shouldn't have to pay to do the job of environmental preservation, which should fall on city officials per the city charter. Wanting to honour history and the environment is not resistance to change. Progress and legacy should and can exist side by side, as it does in many other cities. Additionally, development should come in phases. Currently, the city is in such a rush that so much so, no matter what neighborhood you're in, you're at risk of living in an active construction zone. To the mayor, residents are asking for a direct response about the aggressive... Thank you very much.

Hi, good morning, everyone. Folks, just when I say thank you, everybody here gets two minutes, so it's just kind of a nice way of saying two minutes are up. Thank you. Morning, Abby. Go ahead.

Good morning, everyone. My name is Abby. I'm a District 2 resident. Thank you all for this agenda. It's very tremendous. It's full, and that's why I'm here today. I'd like to start by expressing my support for SR3, the proposed sidewalk safety protection structure. I've lived in the urban core since I was 21 years old, and I've experienced our sidewalks as a young professional, and more recently as a mom pushing our strollers. So please vote yes to SR3. Speaking of strollers, SR 4. Our sidewalks should be safe and clean, accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities. and parents pushing our strollers. At the same time, we should continue connecting and supporting those who are experiencing homelessness. Allowing unhoused neighbors to remain on the streets indefinitely, it's not mercy, and it's not the standard of care that they deserve. True compassion is helping people move towards stability, not allowing them to remain in crisis. We must do something. Not doing nothing is not okay. Now, PH5. I appreciate the discussion of the proposed hydration pilot station. Miami's extremely hot, our kids are always outdoors, and we should do something to create hydration stations like they do in Europe. I would just ask that you all would consider it, making it beautiful and not ugly. I'd also like to mention RE. to RE2, the Miami DDA discussion. It's something that our community continues to talk about transparency, and we'd like to have the long-term best interests of our city. On PZ3, we would like to have more information on that. I think having open and transparent discussion and more details is helpful for our entire community. When it comes to RE16, Christie House is an amazing program that works with survivors of sex trafficking, something I would encourage everyone to look into. Again, thank you for your service and leadership and everything you do. Thank you.

Good morning, Madam Mayor, Commissioners. My name is Miriam Zahra. I'm a resident at 7440 North Kendall Drive. While I may not be a resident of the city of Miami, I do spend most of my time in downtown Miami in Coconut Grove, where I love supporting local businesses, experiencing everything that just makes the city so vibrant. I am here today in support of the Hope Hydration Station pilot program. This program is a simple idea with a powerful impact. In a city like Miami, where the heat and humidity are part of our everyday lives, staying hydrated is not just about comfort. It's essentially about staying healthy, safe, and a part of our well-being. Beyond hydration, this initiative is about creating a culture of kindness. It shows that Miami is a city that cares for its people and invests in its actions that make a big difference. It's a practical, innovative partnership that expands access to clean, accessible drinking water without placing a financial burden on the city. By making hydration more accessible, we're not just meeting an immediate need, we're helping building healthier and safer communities. Sometimes the smallest investments have the greatest impact, and a simple drink of clean water can really help someone stay healthy, continue their day safely, and truly show that the city cares about them. With that being said, thank you for your time, and I respectfully ask for your support of the Hope Hydration Station program. Thank you.

Good morning, I'm Michelle Swift. I'm the Movement Building Coordinator for a nonprofit organization that helps the SUD population in Miami. I want to start off with a quote. The moral test of a government is how the government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children. those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly, and those who are in the shadow of life, the sick, the needy, and the handicapped. I'm against making homelessness illegal, and it says that the goal is not to arrest anybody, but the resources are being provided, I want to believe that, but organization participants call the Homeless Trust Hotline and sit on for hours. They get wait-listed for shelter beds, even with peer support intervention. And the phrase, we are providing the resources, rings hollow when resources are gutted in real time. Camilla's House, one of our country's largest homeless service providers, entered this fiscal year with at least one program having zero funding. The Trump administration budget proposes cutting HUD by 44%, which would eliminate $3.7 billion in continuum of care programs that directly fund Miami Dade's Homeless Trust and could put over 4,000 disabled residents at risk of losing housing. So when the county says we're providing resources, those resources are being pulled out from under us. Meanwhile, SAMHSA, the agency responsible for addiction and mental health services, has been gutted, staff cut by more than half, harm reduction programs formally ended, $2 billion in grants were terminated, and then partially reversed after backlash. For people experiencing homelessness who are struggling with substance abuse, the lifeline is fraying. And Section 504 and ADA protections, the legal framework that ensures disabled people can access shelter, service, and community-based living are under legal and regulatory attack. Florida is literally one of the states weakening them. You cannot simultaneously say go to the shelter while shelters have wait lists. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Joseph Madera, Silver Court Trailer Park, 3170 Southwest 8th Street. I'm here because we are facing displacement. Marquis, powerful developer, wants to shut us down. We need your support. We need your help. How is that to be achieved? That when the developer comes here with his plans, you that have the power side with us that you will not approve his plans unless he helps us. We need your help. We have a legal case, but that's not enough. What can you do for us? Think about that. How can you support us in Silver Court Trailer Park? From $200 And 20 trailers, a vast amount took a meager, a miserable package. Is this what is to become of us? You have the power. You can side with us. The pastor gave a beautiful prayer. But Jesus also said, if you're not with us, you're against us. Be with us. When they come here to ask for their permits, their plans, whatever they need to do when they appear before you, vote no, say no. Demand from them to give us people, the remaining residents at Silver Court, something more than Camilla's house, something more than the homeless trust. Is that it? I'm willing to end up homeless. Thank you very much. I appreciate it.

Commissioner Rosado, this item's not on the agenda, but it's okay with me if we hear a few people out, as long as it's okay with you. Okay, thank you. Please, go ahead.

Hello, Mayor Higgins, Commissioner Rosado, how are you? My name is Carlos Macias. I'm also speaking on the issue. I'm a veteran, a member of DSA. I live in the city. I don't necessarily live in Silver Court, but I'm there with them. We are here. The related point is homelessness. It's the camping ban. The reality is that a lot of these people that live in civil corps might end up homeless. And Miami is now rated as a city with the highest like the highest cost of living, or at least as far as rent goes. That's a pretty powerful headline, and I don't think that headline is gonna go away with a homeless ban. I think that under every system of government, we have a duty, like the lady before said, we have a duty to nurture the young and take care of our elderly. It is in the social contract that we provide the means to do so. It's the reason we provide roads, firefighters, and other social services. If we as a city, as a society, refuse to acknowledge the very obvious role that housing plays on our capacity to contribute to society, then we must at the very least act when opportunists attempt to unhouse literally hundreds of our fellow men, like it has happened in Sweetwater, like it's happening now in Silver Court. We have heard, we will have heard, and we will hear more people speak to the morality of the situation. The war against homeless hit especially close to me when I first came from Cuba. I'm going to try to make this quick. When I first came from Cuba, I was living in a trailer park. It was difficult. I was barely making enough money to pay the rent, and I was not making enough money.

Thank you very much for coming. Appreciate all your insights.

Good morning. My name is James Cromer. I'm a resident and owner at 900 Biscayne. I've lived in Miami for the last 10 years. And for the last 25 years, I've been working with local agencies in Broward at the city, county, and MPO level. And for the last four years, my focus has been roadway safety. Also, let me say hello to the mayor. Commissioners, thank you, and thank you for your sponsorship. I want to speak on item SR3, this thing with pedestrian safety and access during construction. And I've been working for the last four years focusing on roadway safety. And as you all may be aware, Florida and South Florida are among the worst places in the nation for bicyclists and pedestrian safety. And so there are many things that we can do and many angles we can touch on. I do want to hit on the idea of the cost of death and serious injury on our roadways. There are statistics for the state of Florida that a death results in an economic cost to our society of $10 million. And a serious injury is almost a million dollars. And so as we consider providing space for pedestrians and bicyclists around construction zones, keep in mind that there may be a cost to the developer, but there's a greater cost to society when these death and serious injuries occur. At the local level, I did work in city permitting, and I know sometimes the city staff wants to do good work and sometimes needs the tool to do it. So I think this ordinance provides the tool that will require pedestrian access through construction zones and give our staff the ability to make the requirements to make our roadways safer. So I thank you for your support and speak in favor of item SR3.

Good morning, my name is Awilda Suriel.

I am a resident and home owner and a homeowner association member of Silver Trail Court Park. We're in a fighting battle with the park property owners so that we will not be thrown out of the premises. We're asking you to vote against the 194-57 ordinance. It is inhumane. After September 30th, we will probably be victims of this ordinance. I came to this great country 14 years ago, alone with my children. I have worked very hard to build our lives together and give them a good education. I was able to buy my trailer with my savings because I didn't qualify to buy a home due to my low income. Today, my children are grown. The oldest is in college. She's going to school with awarded scholarships. And the younger ones are still going to school. On March 11th, we got an eviction letter. We will be evicted. We can't afford the expensive rents out there. We're asking Commissioner Rosado to vote against the ordinance and we invite him to our meetings and to revisit the streets of the community that bring him childhood memories. Thank you for the opportunity to be here and talk about our situation.

Good morning, all. My name is Rochelle Vargas. I live at 2012 Southwest 24th, and I'm here on behalf of Transit Alliance Miami to support PZ4. I'm happy it passed unanimously in June, and I'm here again today to continue showing support. Until now, a new development next to a trail had no obligation to build it. PZ4 changes that. When a property next to a greenway is developed, it will have to build the adjacent trail segment. Developers near Greenway can also earn bonus building height by constructing trail segments or paying into that trail's corridor. Another reason we support PZ4 is it also keeps money local. Fees collected near Greenway used to be spendable anywhere in the city. Now they stay in the corridor where they were raised. This covers greenways across the city, including the Underline, the Commodore Trail, the Miami River Greenway, and the Heritage Trail. PZ4 also sets design standards for every new segment, minimum 14 foot paths, canopy trees, lighting, seating, bike racks, and ADA compliant crossings. The same quality applies across the whole network. About 58% of the Miami Loop is already built, and most of the land it needs is already publicly owned. When it's finished, it will connect neighborhoods to parks, museums, transit, and the coast, opening up safe ways to get around for the many Miamians who don't or can't drive. What a dream, a dream that can and will become reality. With PZ4, each new project will help bring the Miami Loop closer to completion. Thank you for your continued support of PZ4.

Good morning, is my name .

My address is 3170 Southwest 8th Street. Good morning also to the children who are here today and to the city police. I am a resident and homeowner association member of Silver Court Trailer Park. We're in the process of fighting against the property owners of the trailer park. We're being thrown out on the streets. We're asking that you vote against this ordinance 194257. It's inhumane that after September 30th, we will be a victim of this ordinance. We're asking Commissioner Rosado to be against this ordinance, and we also ask him to go to one of our meetings. The first two meetings that we had with the commissioner did not result in positive outcomes. We're asking for police security during the day and night because we're vulnerable to delinquency and we have an elderly population. We're hardworking and low-income people. The eviction notice was given to us from one day to the next. We weren't ready, neither mentally nor emotionally, for those of us who have lived at this trailer park for over 50 years. One of our residents was severely affected by the news and passed away the following day. Commissioner Rosado, please remember that you told us that your grandparents once lived at this park and you would visit them. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Good morning, Mr. Torres.

Thank you. Good morning, Commissioners, Mayor. My name is James Torres, President of Downtown Neighbors Alliance on RE2. Today, you're asking downtown residents to keep paying the DDA hostage tax. Let's call it what it is. Downtown residents are the only individuals in Miami who pay an extra tax to fund separate bureaucracies. Then after paying millions every year, we have to come here and beg for public safety. After last month's brutal attack on a downtown residence, we simply made a request of $2 million to go to police officers. That's just 7.8% of the DDA's $25.5 million budget for fiscal year 2027. And what do we get? Not a clear answer, not a commitment, not a dedicated line item. Instead, the money is still buried under enhancement services, sanitation, security, and lighting. While we're stalled on drones, license plate readers, cameras, and editorial boards by the DDA boss Rosado, downtown residents aren't asking for another gadget. We're asking for every neighborhood what we deserve, which is police officers walking the beat, bike patrols, and visible police presence to prevent crime before it happens. If you're going to keep forcing downtown residents to pay the DDA hostage tax, then at least you can show us exactly where the $2 million in this budget is going to be allocated for. Enough of the buzzwords, enough of the excuses. Put police officers on the streets for everybody. On item PH5, this is really a water fountain dressed up as a billboard. We don't want any more advertisement. If you're going to go to London or Paris, look at the fountains. That's how they should be set up. But instead, we're asking for more billboards. FR5, the community is a hard no as it relates to the fencing billboards that you guys want to put. We've talked about this a thousand times. We're asking for the D2 commissioner to support this and anyone else that really want to step up to the plate. Thank you.

Thank you. Appreciate it. Mr. Piper.

Good morning, Madam Mayor, Commissioners. I'm Rob Piper, a candidate for Miami-Dade County Commission District 5. I live at 1401 Southwest 17 Terrace. And I'm here to speak out against SR 4, because you could put bacon, lettuce, and tomato on a poop sandwich, but that doesn't make it a BLT. And even with the modifications, this ordinance is still a poop sandwich. And it shouldn't come as any surprise that just about every homeless advocacy organization has come out against this ordinance, this SR-4. Well, all but one, as I understand it. And I hear all the talk about how this ordinance is compassionate and so much has been done to be compassionate. We've added shelter beds, we've done this, we've done that. But if that's the case, if all these items are in place, why is there a need to bring the arrest piece into it, the law enforcement piece into it? So I would urge you, please do the actual compassionate thing and vote to withdraw this ordinance. Thank you.

Good morning, Madam Mayor. Good morning, Commissioners. My name is Amanda Deseta with a business address of 19 West Flagler Street, Miami, 33130. And I am here today to speak in support of the Cottage Housing Amendment. I think too often when we talk about affordable housing, we talk about large-scale development, which can take years to come online, and we often forget to look around and see the small. So this amendment would allow for faster production of infill housing to help alleviate the affordability crisis we are facing. The amendment would also allow for thoughtful preservation of neighborhood context, as well as create small houses that would sit well on the lot and create a walkable, pleasant, and more welcoming neighborhood landscape. With rising costs of land, this amendment presents an alternative to overbuilding, overcrowding, and reduced green space. As an active developer who is building large-scale affordable units as well as small-scale infill units, I would welcome the ability to build cottages in the city of Miami for affordable housing.

Thank you. Good morning, Commissioners, Madam Mayor, City Manager. My name is Jeanette Paulino and I'm at 3635 Northeast First Avenue. I'm here on behalf of Hope Hydration to voice my support for the pilot initiative to provide hydro stations across the city. Now, I'm a Miami native and I've lived in many and worked in many different cities around the world. And what I've learned from the cities that are leading the future are three things. They think long term. They embrace partnerships with the public and private sector that are innovative and different. And they provide solutions that address multiple problems and challenges simultaneously for the community and the environment. Now these last few weeks I've been spending a lot of time in different city properties and parks to see where we can house some of these hydro stations. And I went to one of the parks the other day to test out the water. Some of the outdoor water fountains dispense extremely hot water. I actually was very curious and I took a thermometer and I measured the temperature of that water. 97 degrees Fahrenheit. 97. That's what some of our folks are drinking. And so these hydro stations have the opportunity to provide cold filtered water and make that better. They also have the opportunity to address some of the city goals, beat heat resilience by providing hydration and keeping people cool. They also are supporting the initiative to reduce plastic waste by encouraging people to use the refillable water bottles. And this is going to generate revenue for the city through responsible brand partnerships. And I know everyone in this room would like for this not to cost the taxpayer anything, and it doesn't. So with that being said, I'd love to thank especially Commissioner Rosado, Commissioner King, and Gabela for co-sponsoring this initiative. You all have the power to vote yes and make Miami healthier, more resilient, and forward-thinking. Thank you.

Thank you. Good morning, everyone. My name is Victoria, and I live at 3170 Southwest 8th Street. I'm part of the Silver Court team here today. I'm opposed to the SR-4. As we can see, it's not doing anything, putting people in prison, but every little thing, they'll come out, they're still homeless. They go in and out. Right now, we're facing a position that we may be the next people homeless. I've been living at that trailer park for 25 years. The best stability I ever had. And although we have had some talks with Commissioner Rosado, we're still far away from getting what we really need. When they bought the trailer park in 2021, why, they did not notify us that they were going to sell. People continued to buy for large amounts of money. $100,000, $60,000, plus the ones that were there already had invested to fix their places. Why did they not notify us then? They come out of California with their high life and their deep pockets to step on the people here that don't have the same amount of money power. Very unfair. Please vote no, assholes.

Hi there, I'm Ashley Lucio, Northeast 90th Street in El Portal. And I came here today originally to oppose PH3. And after hearing Chris Rupp speak and others in favor of it in the fact that it grants a permanent site for the Dade Heritage Trust. I think that's a great thing for them. So I'm a bit on the fence now. And I just want to read my original statement for your consideration. And maybe what I'm asking is for a broader public hearing about this and consideration of delaying it in favor of ensuring that if this building is relocated, it can be done so in a way that does not damage it. and we don't lose kind of the historical or environmental fabric, that small footprint that now exists in Brickell. So I'll read my original statement and try to stay under two minutes, or I will. Okay, so Dade Heritage Trust and the former office of Dr. James Jackson, Miami's first position is a role model for historians and preservationists throughout our city. And this peaceful and beautiful little cottage, set off to the side of chaotic Brickell, is a monument to the success of their efforts. To see it moved would be a significant marker that local preservationists have lost the war against development over what remains of our most historic spaces and the original Miami. And we desperately need this not to happen right now, because we're being overtaken by developers who only see progress as concrete, glass, and displacement. They say history rhymes, and here we are, again, where Miami officials, just like Joe Carollo, are weighing relocation of an historical treasure in favor of development. The Miami Circle, a Tequesta ruin, which is the oldest permanent settlement on the East Coast, was almost lost to a tower had it not been purchased by the state, thanks to the initial injunction filed.

Ma'am, no. Sorry. No, no. Thank you. It's hard. You were reading your two minutes, but It was actually very nice for all of you that are here at Public Comment to hear that not only are we listening, but your neighbors are listening too. And sometimes it does open our minds a little bit. So thanks so much for being here and sharing that with us, actually. It was very insightful. Thank you. Okay, go ahead.

Hi, my name is Mariana Ochoa. I am a neighbor of the Silver Court residence, and Ralph Rosado, you are my commissioner. Good morning to the commissioners and Major Higgins. I'm here today to ask you to vote no on SR4, which would make it easier to arrest people for simply not having a place to sleep. To arrest people without even issuing a warning first is beyond harmful, unbelievably inhumane, and needlessly expensive for this city. I'm also here in support of the residents of Silver Court Trailer Park, who are seeking to meet with their commissioner, Commissioner Rosado, face to face at Silver Court, where we meet Wednesdays and Sundays. In March, Silver Court residents received a surprise eviction and were told that they had to be out by September. Since then, residents have joined together to fight displacement. They have an HOA. I've had the pleasure of speaking to the residents and hearing their stories. We're missing you, Rosado, because I, as a neighbor to the community, I'm there every Wednesday and Sunday. I haven't seen you, but I know you've been invited multiple times. Families have grown up in this trailer park and homeowners are being offered $10,000 to leave the trailer park and their community when we are all well aware of the rising housing costs in this city. Their trailers are cemented to the ground. They rent the land. And so when they leave the land, they have to leave their trailers that they have spent their life savings on. There's people that have been there for over 20 years. There's a 90-year-old resident there who lives on her own.

Homeowners are fighting for more time.

Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate you being here.

Good morning, commissioners. Good morning. My name is Antonio Perez. I'm a member of DSA, and I'm standing in solidarity with Silver Court Residents United. We're here to petition the city against Ordinance 19457 SR4. As it currently stands, Miami's one of the most expensive housing markets in the country. One that doesn't need to be that way, might I add. And people can't afford rent, sometimes with two jobs, let alone even one. you Everyday prices rise and more and more families are priced out of their homes that they've had for years, sometimes decades. This in combination with poor social safety nets and social infrastructure results in many in the city being unhoused and this ordinance would further criminalize not having anywhere to sleep. The ordinance eliminates the current 24 hour written warning, the bare minimum to allow a person breathing room to get connected with social workers and shelters or find a place to stay in general. before being punished by law enforcement, replacing with an undefined quote-unquote reasonable amount of time, which can literally mean anything depending on the officer. Additionally, it eliminates the officer's discretion to hand out fines or arrests and instead makes it mandatory. That discretion is what allows an officer to choose whether they approach the situation as helping someone who needs that help versus just closing another case. All of a sudden, police encounters become a lot more volatile and unpredictable. And that's not to anyone in the public's benefit. resident or officer alike, not for our safety or for the taxpayer's wallet. The ordinance does nothing to solve the actual person's unhoused situation, and if anything, simply exacerbates it by putting more financial and physical strain for simply existing. Therefore, we struggle to find a clearer example of a more fiscally and morally irresponsible legislation, and we call on the city of Miami to reject Ordinance 19457. Thank you.

Good morning, Commissioners, Mayor. My name is Daniel Mendoza, 2419 Northwest 11th Street, 21D. I'm here with DSA and the Silver Court residents, and I'm here to speak out against SR4. We can start with the obvious cruelty of jailing a person who is so poor they have to sleep in makeshift housing in one of the rainiest, most humid, and hottest cities in the United States. This cruelty will create further distrust between the unhoused and policed. As first responders, police who arrive to a medical emergency for an unhoused person may end up neglecting that person's ailment and instead incarcerate them for the crime of existing. This ordinance is not only cruel and immoral, but it is simply bad policy. According to the Seattle School of Law, each jailed unhoused person costs the taxpayer $80,000 a year. Incarceration does not end homelessness. It actually increases the likelihood of homelessness. which in turn increases rates of recidivism. With average rents in Miami exceeding $3,000 a month in the midst of a cost of living crisis, many housed people are one accident, one missed paycheck, or one divorce away from homelessness. Are we really so eager to jail our veterans, grandparents, parents, and children for their poverty? I encourage the commission to consider programs such as Housing First that have shown to reduce homelessness in ways that are not only humane, but also save money. A 2009 study by the American Medical Association found that Housing First policies saved 2.5K per person per year more compared to traditional city shelters. Los Angeles saved $80,000 a year by permanently housing just four chronically unhoused people. In conclusion, this SR does not solve homelessness. It is expensive, and we pay for it with our tax money, the lives of the unhoused, and the goodwill of our city. As the governing body of this city, you have a responsibility to take care of its people not to punish them for the ways the city has already failed them. Throwing them in jail does not meet that responsibility. It evades it. Love thy neighbor. Vote no on SR4. Thank you.

Thank you very much. Good morning, Commissioner, Mayor Higgins. My name is Satin Fai. I'm also a candidate in House District 109. I'm your neighbor. I live at 1476 Northwest 57th Street, Miami, Florida, 33142. I'm asking that you vote no on SR4 as an inhumane response to homelessness. And the city of Miami should not rely on criminalization displacement as a substitute for real solutions. Communities like Liberty Square, now unfortunately parks like Silver Court, my comrades back here from DSA, are at risk of being displaced. Rising housing costs, limited access to living wage jobs, with approximately 56% of Miami-Dade households living below the ALICE, which is asset limited, income constrained, and employed, Many families are only one emergency away from homelessness. The city should invest in affordable, supportive housing, rental assistance, mental health services, along with advocating for living wage jobs. Not punishing people simply because they have nowhere else to go is inhumane, and I am asking that you please vote no on SR4. Thank you.

Good morning, Major. My name is Aliette Leyva. I'm a retired employee of the City of Miami. I came six months ago looking for your help through your staff, also with Commissioner Rosado's staff and Code Enforcement Supervisor Ricardo Francois' staff, and I was rejected. I was trying to avoid this land eviction that we're facing at Silvercore Trailer Park. I also reached out to Commission of Ethics and Florida State Attorney General because of this city of Miami rejection. A city where I grew up, also foster care programs within the city of Miami. So I love my city. And I've been 20 years living in this trailer park also while working for the city of Miami and I didn't know that we were going to be facing this today. And I came out looking for help to my city and I was rejected. So I'm asking you to please give us some kind of help in this, you know, I'm nervous, land eviction. And to stop the homeless arresting. We don't even have NROs. Mr. Rosado promised to give us NROs at night. And there's no supervision. I appreciate your help. Thank you so much. And the only person that helped me was Chief Raul Ramos from the Building Department. He knows me personally. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you so much.

Commissioner Higgins, excuse me, I apologize. Mayor Higgins. Too long, too long, young lady. Mayor Higgins, former chair Christine King, and commissioners Horacio Stewart Aguirre here today as chairman of the Miami River Commission, a state agency tasked with the oversight of the Miami River. We're here in support of various items, PC4 and SR7. The River Commission strongly recommends including the Miami River Greenway in the open space trust fund subject to the following three conditions. First of all, that you increase the cost for a developer to buy the additional height. Second, that funds collected from developments from subject properties be used specifically for the adjacent greenways where the money will be used to the area's benefit that is most affected. And thirdly, that the available incentives in no way displace or disrupt marine industrial uses. With respect to RE7, the River Commission strongly supports Commissioner Calona's efforts to improve Jose Marti Park, one of the most important parks on the banks of the Miami River on the South Shore, highly used, highly enjoyed, and much supported by the adjacent community. With respect to PH6, River Commission supports Commissioner Gabela's efforts to create the Allapattah CRA. Commissioner, we truly believe that the creation of an Allapattah CRA would greatly enhance the River District. We support outdoor dining with no reduction to the river walk and we request that that continue to require a warrant. To all of you, thank you for your support.

Good morning, honorable commissioners, Mr. City Attorney, Mr. Manager, and Madam Mayor. My name is Lewis Marshall, Vice President of the Miami Association of Firefighters, Local 587, located at 2980 Northwest South River Drive. I'm here to read a statement on behalf of our President, Alex Cardenas, who is out of town and unable to join us today to speak on RE12. His statement reads as follows. Honorable Commissioners, RE12 underscores the gravity of our current situation. The resolution would greatly assist the department in returning our dilapidated stations into workplaces that can further facilitate the ability of our firefighters and paramedics to continue carrying out our mission. I cannot stress that point enough. RE12 shows the brave men and women of our fire department that the city acknowledges the need to swiftly act and efficiently to address the effects of deferred maintenance so that our members can focus on saving lives and protecting property while giving them respectable and appropriate working conditions to operate from. I would like to personally thank Commissioner Pardo for sponsoring this resolution and Commissioner King for co-sponsoring. As I've mentioned before, let's put away the band-aids and patches and approve the real solution to this ever-growing problem. The need was yesterday, but the moment to act is today. We cannot risk allowing these subpar working conditions to persist. Commissioners, I strongly urge your full support and unanimous consent on RE-12. It's a win-win for the citizens and our firefighter paramedics, Just like our citizens deserve nothing but the gold standard when it comes to expecting top notch emergency response.

Thank you very much, appreciate it.

Good morning, Madam Mayor and Commissioners. Thank you for the opportunity. My name is Francois Yias with offices at 333 Northeast 23rd Street, and I'm here on behalf of New Tradition Media, an independent out-of-home advertising company and a Blackstone portfolio company. When I addressed the Commission in January, I referenced item FR5. I raised concerns regarding the policy design enforcement and long-term impact of advertising on construction fencing. Those concerns remain important, particularly the need for appropriate design standards, maintenance requirements, and effective oversight. Today, however, I'm not asking the Commission to reject the pilot program. I'm asking that it be structured fairly and that all qualified companies be allowed to participate. Item FR5 designates Del Mastro as the only eligible operator, even though construction, fencing, advertising is either unique nor proprietary. It is a part of the broader portfolio of services offered by New Tradition and other experienced out-of-home advertising companies. Many of these companies are already in partner with the city through its mural program, billboard settlements and other outdoor advertising activities. They understand the Miami market and have established experience in advertising sales, permitting, installation, maintenance, regulatory compliance and working with national and local advertisers. If the City wants this pilot to succeed, generate meaningful revenue and maintain appropriate standards, it should welcome participations from all qualified operators. Competition will provide the City with stronger financial terms, greater accountability and access to a broader advertising base. I respectfully ask this Commission to amend this item by establishing a transparent qualification process open to every company that satisfies the City's objective standards. Thank you.

Good morning. Good morning. My name is Emily .

You want to move the mic down a little?

Sorry.

Oh, no. Now we hear you well. All right.

Good morning, my name is Emily Valladares and my address is 2727 Northwest 17th Towers. Homeowners are fighting for more time and more money to have an opportunity to make it in their city. I'm here to ask Commissioner Rosando to meet with families of Silver Court and support their incredible fight from displacement. Residents have invested their life savings in their homes, and they know that what they're being offered will not allow them to successfully move on with dignity. If this ordinance goes through, residents of Silver Court are displaced. They are in danger of being arrested for not having a place to sleep. I've lived here all my life. I was born and raised here in Miami.

I watched people in retirement work very hard and still lose their homes. I don't want to watch my grandparents' aunts and uncles lose their place here in Miami, because I don't have the power to help them. But you do, so please. I don't want to watch my elderly be homeless.

Thank you for coming.

Hello, my name is Grimsley Mackove, 6335 Southwest 110th Street. I'm speaking on behalf of the villagers regarding page three. We believe that rushing the sale with less than seven days notice does not allow for adequate time for meaningful discussion or community input. Such a compressed timeline should raise serious concerns about the integrity of the process. We request the City of Miami Commission to postpone this item until after a thorough public hearing that allows the opportunity to understand more details about the plans for this community treasure. Thank you.

Good morning, commissioners. My name is Adila Skier, 4343 West Flagler Street. I'm with the ACLU of Florida speaking on RE3. Appreciate the commission's recognition that keeping cities safe requires a holistic community approach. Unfortunately, the reality is that is not possible so long as the city has a 287G agreement with ICE. Commissioner King, thank you so much for bringing forward that discussion item last month. It was really appreciated, as well as Mayor Higgins, Commissioner Pardo, Commissioner King, your continued opposition to this agreement. And Commissioner Escalona, it was really appreciated how you talked about how this issue has affected you and your family. And Commissioner named it perfectly when he stated the fear that this agreement has created in our communities. I just wanted to raise, since there were questions last month about whether the city could lawfully exit this agreement, it is totally within the city's rights to do so. State law does not require cities to enter these agreements, nor does it preclude cities from exiting these agreements. And we can cite those statutes. We really hope to meet with each and every one of you to discuss the city's options for exiting this agreement. and appreciate your time. As we've seen across the country, ICE is acting lawlessly and endangering and ending human lives. So this truly is an issue of public safety. Thank you.

Come on. Line up closer to the podium, folks, so I know who's in line versus who's just standing up.

Thank you. Go ahead. Good morning, everyone. I was trying to... SR4, where does it say that we're going to arrest people and be hostile to people? We have a problem with our sidewalks and our parks. We don't want signage. We don't want construction blocking our sidewalks. Downtown's having a problem with homeless. The Grove has homeless. Ms. King's district has homeless. We need to do something about it. I don't see anywhere where we're talking about arresting people. When I read the ordinance, it talks about teaching people skills and having them learn how to do things. We have restaurants closing all over the city and the county because it's slow season. These issues are hurting businesses. I don't see anything wrong with PH3 and Dade Heritage Trust being on board with moving that house. It's unusual for them to be so willing to work with us so quickly, so I don't have a problem with that. RE16, the task force, we do have a problem, a serious problem. And I don't know how many of you all are aware of this, and thank you for bringing up the 287G. January 18, 2025, I live on the last block of Coconut Grove. Coral Gables Police had detained a van that had the windows cardboarded over with 12 Chinese immigrants who were brought here illegally, who were coming up the ramp in a gated neighborhood on Old Cutler. Ten days later, they got another van. And by the way, City of Miami police were not called in. I was blocked in my neighborhood. I contacted Chief Morales. Chief Morales was out of town. They never contacted City of Miami. It was Miami-Dade County, it was Homeland Security, and it was Coral Gables Police.

City of Miami police were not even engaged in any of this.

This went on twice at the end of my street. Thank you very much. Thank you.

We also missed your name and address for the record.

I'm sorry, Kathy Parks-Juarez, 4035 Battersea Road, Miami 33133. Thank you. Appreciate it.

Mr. Trainer, I see you there. Are you here for public comment? Would you like to speak on one of the items, Monty?

We do.

Commissioner, we thought we had more time later when the item was going to be discussed.

This item, all of the items, it's a public comment on all items now, so each speaker has two minutes.

But we're FR5, can we speak at that time? No, we're taking all comments on all items. All right, Madam Mayor. Thank you, and everyone has two, you have two minutes, thank you. Madam Mayor, Commissioners, Rosario Kennedy, with offices at 2645 South Basher Drive, here today on the graffiti abatement program. For the past nine years, we've worked thoroughly through countless meetings and legal issues. We started at the county where we had to create a pathway for the city to opt out of the county sign code. Once that ordinance was approved by the Board of County Commissioners, then we came back to the city and worked with the then commission at the time. We actually worked through two administrations, Mayors Fregalado and Suarez, to get this approved. Because the program was conceived and developed by a client over the past nine years, we respectfully request that it be implemented as a one-year pilot program so that we can demonstrate its value and then let the results speak for themselves. We are here today... Hold on a second. One second, because I'm not... We are here today proposing a one-year pilot program that can make a meaningful difference in the appearance, safety, and vibrancy of our city. It is called the Graffiti Abatement Program, or GAP. Because the program was conceived, we're asking for the two, for the... pilot program. The goal of the graffiti abatement program is simple. It helps eliminate graffiti on construction fences. It improves the appearance of neighborhoods and addresses the safety concerns that come with neglected construction sites. Let's face it, we all recognize that construction fences are necessary to our city's growth. Unfortunately, they often become unsightly canvases for graffiti. They accumulate trash and distract from the character and pride of our neighborhoods. Unless they're properly maintained, they create an environment that invites vandalism and illegal dumping. Thank you.

And if the commission has questions during the item, should they decide on first reading? Yes.

We'll call you back up. Thank you. With us is Monty Treanor, who drove through downtown with me one day and asked me to get involved in the program. Wonderful.

Thanks, Monty. We're happy to see you. All right. Let's go ahead here. Go ahead.

Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking, I would like to say a few words to the audience and especially to the commission and our new commissioners. Nice to see you, Rolando. Ralph, nice to see you. It's nice. I haven't had a chance to speak to the new commission yet, but it's nice and it's always nice to see our chairman and all our commissioners that we have that have done so much for the city. But let me tell you, I just left a rehab center and I came down here to speak. And to see what I've seen in the city, I think it's a blight. where the new construction is going on and everything is going, all over the city, where there's construction, there's all this blight. And I wish there's something we could do about it. And I know there is. There's a pilot program going on that Rosario Kennedy has started, and I think it's got started. And if we can get it going, it would be nice. It would be a pleasant surprise if I could come back out and no more blight. But anyway, we have some blight. There's pictures for you. And I don't want to be too much, but it's a terrible sight. And all the stuff that's going on downtown, I'd like to see it cleaned up a little bit And welcome, welcome to the, welcome to the Diaz. I think you guys are gonna make a nice, it's gonna be a nice creation for us. And I wanna show you the pictures. Who wrote, was that you? Christine, was that you? Did you man, did you man? He heard the bell, he heard the buzzer. Who heard the buzzer?

It's our clerk. We have to blame you, Todd.

Listen, you promised me never again a buzzer. No, I would not. It wasn't me. Was it you? Todd.

Monty, it is great to see you and Commissioner Kenney here today. I'm so glad you're out of rehab, too.

And thank you and welcome. Nice to have you. And they're going to have a little picture taken here. Excellent.

All right. Do we want to go to this podium? And do you want to speak? You've been standing patiently. Go ahead, please. Sorry. Thank you for your patience.

No problem. Good morning, Madam Mayor, Mr. City Manager and Commissioners. My name is Christina Henico. I'm the co-founder and COO of Hope Hydration. But before any of that, I am a resident of Miami and I am a committed citizen who believes that access to free, clean drinking water is a human right. We live in one of the hottest cities in America. Every summer gets hotter. Every year we talk about more resilience, public health, and climate adaptation. But sometimes the best solutions are the simplest ones. Free water, not bottled water, not another expense for families, just clean drinking water where people need it most. What makes Hope different is that we're not using taxpayer dollars to fund it. Our advertising model allows us to provide this public service at no cost to the city, while creating a new way to communicate with residents and visitors. We've heard concerns that no one wants more billboards. Neither do we. We didn't build an advertising company. We built a public hydration network that uses advertising to pay for itself and to reinvest revenue share into the community. Every advertisement helps provide another refill, another person drinking free water in this community. That's the model. As someone who has spent the last several years building this company here locally in Miami, I truly believe our city has an opportunity to lead. Not just by preparing for hot summers, but making sure every resident, every worker, every visitor has access to free drinking water. Let's set the standard for what a resilient, forward-thinking city looks like. I respectfully ask for your support and for the opportunity to take a meaningful step forward towards a future with free drinking water across Miami. Thank you.

All right. I see you've got a lot of boards. I see three people. Do you want to present for all three? or everyone's gonna do two minutes, but I'll give you a little extra time. Okay, I'm just saying if one person wants to.

Sorry, we just need to make sure that every comment you make is on the microphone.

I'm so sorry. Yeah. Okay. Good morning, Madam Mayor, honorable commissioners. Name and address for the record, please. Thanks. Dawn Del Mastro-Crumah, 1717 North Bayshore Drive. Thank you for allowing us to speak today. I stand before you with both a professional commitment and a personal one. Our company believes that every great city is remembered not only for its skyline, but for its beauty and its public spaces. Buildings define a city, but parks, streetscapes, gathering spaces, and thoughtfully designed outdoor environments define the experience of living here. We are a company that believes in community. We believe in beautification. Most important, we believe that every resident deserves to feel proud of the neighborhood they call home. This project is deeply personal for me. Miami, especially Edgewater, formerly known as the Omni, has been my second home for nearly 40 years. When we first moved to this neighborhood, we could only stay within the confines of our building and the adjacent hotel because the neighborhood was unsafe. When we first had an apartment here, I went for a run in the park next to our building. My father told me he was horrified and said, you cannot go there. Just run over the Venetian Causeway. That dangerous park is now the amazing Margaret Pace Park. Edgewater has become a thriving, beautiful, upscale, desirable neighborhood to live. Thank you, Commissioner Pardo, for your continued support. However, with all this amazing growth comes a lot of construction and unsightly construction sites. Ten years ago, my father, who sadly passed from COVID in the very, very beginning, went to Rosario with an idea that helps make not only our neighborhood, but all of Miami beautiful and safe while Miami is building these amazing buildings. As you can see from these photos, These construction sites look awful, and more important, they are unsafe and have been issues for decades. Anyone can enter these dangerous sites. As you're aware, people already entered where those giant arches are and graffitied them. They do not yet reflect the quality, beauty, and pride this neighborhood deserves. Today, I have the privilege of continuing something my father began. His vision inspired me through my life, completing this work. Thank you. Thank you. Appreciate it.

Good morning, Madam Mayor and Honorable Commissioners. My name is Chris Carr. My address is 1770 North Bayshore Drive in Miami. I am the Chief Operating Officer for Del Master Outdoor. I know one of the issues and questions that have come up about this GAP program is the sole proprietorship for the one-year term. is to make this process in one year, which is a very limited time to operate and for the city to be able to evaluate this program for what we believe will be a win-win, not only for the city but the community in which the construction sites, as you know, for decades has been an issue with the city of Miami from a safety perspective, from a visual blight perspective, and from the cleanliness or the lack of cleanliness that has been able to be maintained by the city. A single operator for this one year provides the city with a very intimate, controlled measure of the success and the concerns that may happen during this year.

So the program can be tweaked and then opened up to whatever competitors, qualified competitors that there are.

that want to participate in this program. As previously stated, we have been working with the county, with multiple mayors and commissioners over the past nine-plus years. We have committed a tremendous amount of resource for this, and I would ask the question for any of our competitors who are out there, where were you? What were you doing? We invested the time, the effort, the determination to get this program to work with the city, administrators, as well as elected officials to come up with an ordinance that works. Thank you.

We appreciate it.

Thank you very much. I really appreciate your time and effort. Thank you for your vote.

Is that everyone on this item, or we have one more speaker? I can't see with the sign, so. No, you can leave them up. I just, go ahead.

Okay, we're signing it right now.

Jennifer Del Mastro.

Jennifer Del Mastro, 1717 North Bayshore Drive, Miami, Florida 33132. Thank you guys for allowing us to speak. I come in very quickly just to add, as my sister Dawn had spoken before, please mind the emotions, okay? We have the privilege of continuing something Our father began 10 years ago. We were with him every step of the way. So what an honor and a privilege as a family it would be to take his vision and bring it to life. He thought of this a long time ago. His vision inspired us throughout our lives. Completing his work would mean more than any other project we've been on. It would be the fulfillment of a dream that began long before many of these buildings existed. We respectfully ask that you approval of Del Mastro Outdoor to be the sole company to test this idea to make Miami look beautiful while it continues to grow in the most desirable city to live. Thank you very much for considering our family. I apologize about my emotions, but anyone who knows Adele Mastro, I'm the one that cries the most in the family. Anyway, thank you for your time.

Thank you for coming. All right.

I have one last public speaker. All right, welcome. Good morning, Madam Mayor, City Commission. My name is Annabel Urrea. I am here as a municipal partner, not as a resident. I am from Miami-Dade County Mayor's Office, Daniela Levine Cava's office. Just wanted to introduce myself as your new IG liaison. Your previous one, Leite Vidal, was promoted, so they have assigned to me this beautiful city. So just wanted to introduce myself, put the name behind the emails that you will be receiving, and if you have any questions or need anything with the county or our mayor, I'm your girl. Thank you very much. Well, thank you for coming.

This is the first, this is a nice in-person introduction. We appreciate you, and congratulations to Daniel.

All right, I don't see any more speakers, so public comment is closed. All right, colleagues, I guess we'll try to do the thing.

Madam Mayor, I did have a few minutes that I wanted to be able to just use a point of personal privilege to discuss an item that is for the public benefit.

What item is that?

It is about canopy and tree, basically.

Okay, we'll do that. I'll put that on the list. One of the things I was thinking we should do first is RE11, the designation of the street for Ruth Shack. I think she probably deserves to have a separate vote, given her long history in this city. And if it's possible, I would love to co-sponsor that item. I'm not sure if others are interested in that, too. I really appreciate you bringing that, Commissioner Pardo.

Sure, well, as the sponsor of the item, obviously I have a few words that I'd like to share.

I figured you would, so go ahead.

A lot of people spoke about Ruth Shack and what she's done for the arts, for culture, how Christos Islands were wrapped at a moment where the city was paradise lost. She made it paradise found. What she's done with Art Miami, Art Basel. I'm not going to talk about any of that. I'm going to talk about myself. When I was a very young man... Pretty insecure and very worried because I was openly gay. And it was a moment in Miami where HIV was killing a lot of people. Nobody knew why HIV was killing a lot of people. And here was this woman who, on TV, on camera, in the community, stood up in a very unique way, very courageous way, People spit at her. Her kids were threatened. That was the climate in this community at that time. But as a young person, to be able to see that meant so much because it meant that there was some kind of space for me. And over time, I was able to work with her. We did one of the first fundraisers with an organization called Network. We raised about $90,000 in those times, which is probably 1980. I don't even know how far back, but it was a long time ago. And Ruth, and the reason I wanted to say my personal story is because I am just one of thousands of people that she touched in that way. And I am convinced that in our community, there are so many underserved people, there are so many minorities and so many separated people, especially in today's world, that someone who fought hard to bring them together, to start small nonprofits that listen to people, that really made a difference in Miami, I am convinced that this city would not be this city without Ruth Shack. And so I find it incredibly fitting that we're naming a street that wraps around the old Southeast Financial Center because those were her offices for decades, where she sat as the president of the Dade Community Foundation Today it's called the Miami Foundation, and where they gave out tons of grants to all of these small nonprofits that made a difference for every, every part of this community. So obviously from a personal level, it's somebody that I can, you know, there's not enough words I could possibly say to what she meant to me. But also keep in mind how many thousands of people are in Miami that she impacted the same way.

I take that that's a motion for RE11.

Do I have a second? Commissioner Pardo, I'd like to second it. I'd also like to be added as a co-sponsor. The Miami Foundation is an organization that's been very special to me, and I'm happy to support you on this.

Thank you.

Mr. Clerk?

Yes, thank you. Commissioner King would also like to be shown as a co-sponsor for RE11.

Okay, delightful, perfect. Colleagues, any other comments? If that, let's all in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. So Ruth Jack having her own street passed unanimously. Thank you for bringing that.

Madam Mayor?

Yes, Commissioner Rosado.

Could I take a moment of personal privilege as well? I would love to address the Silver Court residents that are here.

Okay, quickly and then we'll set.

I have one.

Yeah, we have the two of that. And from your perspective, since folks are here, I think we will absolutely do that. Colleagues, you know, we're coming up on noon. My thought is we continue trying to get through a few of the items. Do you agree? So, okay. All right. So why don't we start with Commissioner Pardo since he asked first, then we'll go to you, Commissioner Rosado. Commissioner Pardo, you again.

It's really quick. First of all, I want to thank everybody that has been engaged on tree and canopy issues. I think it's fantastic. We had a full house here for the HEP board meeting. There's a lot of feedback and a lot of people engaged. And the more eyes on anything, I think the better it is for us as a community. Even so, I want to explain to people some of the context of things that are happening because I've never seen this really happening before so far in my term in office. So Alex, if you can put on the, there you go. So this is a new organization that popped up, Miami Canopy Watch. This is their comment. BS, you sound like Donald Trump now. Everyone knows you ordered the falsification of those permits to cut down your own neighbor's 100-year-old oak tree for destructive sidewalks. We have the records. It's on our page. Your district has the most tree removals by far than any other. This is an incredibly serious, legal, false allegation. And I just want residents to understand that we are here in our office. We are passionate about trees. Our staff in the city is passionate about trees. We are here for you. We want you to come to us, talk to us, and let us show you what we do, how we do it, and the information and what the facts are. If you can go to the next one. Here is an image before and after Pardo paved paradise. This is a doctored image. You can see on the right hand side, and then if you go to the next slide, the area that we pointed out, what was just taken out to make a convenient argument in the moment. And I'm going to go to the next one and I'll make those points on the next slide. And this was put, which is not great to put these on trees, you're harming the tree when you do this. But this was put in Edgewater, and it says, save Edgewater. Call Damien Pardo. Developers, Mellow Group, and our commissioner, Damien Pardo, are destroying Edgewater. Demand a community meeting to end the overdevelopment. And it gives you all of this stuff with a QR code so that you can give money to be able to support this movement currently that we're looking to play out here. It's important to understand that as a commissioner, Not any commissioner and not the mayor. I've never seen a tree permit. I don't give any direction when it comes to trees. There's nothing. We are separated by charter from the city manager. The city manager and the administration run the city. We are here to represent you. We are here to interact with you and we are here to set policy that helps govern what happens in administration. That's a very, very important distinction. When somebody is pointing to someone, it likely has nothing to do with the actual thing you care about, which is tree and canopy. And then if you can go to the next one. So here, I guess this is the GoFundMe where that QR code takes people and it says, thank you for the recent donations. We have successfully filed the appeal for Margaret Pace Park. Continue to share future removals. There are no appeals. for Margaret Pace Park. There is nothing to file. So I want people to be careful, to be cautious, to have eyes wide open, and to please contact our office. Thank you for your time. Thank you, Mayor.

All right. Thank you, Commissioner. And you and I have spent many a day, a hot day, under trees and sometimes planting trees together. So I can attest to your commitment to greening folks. Commissioner Rosado, a few of your residents were here today.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. I think the folks in Silver Court know that it is a place that is important to me essentially my entire life. My grandmother and my step-grandfather lived in Silver Court throughout the 70s and the 1980s. I had several relatives that lived there, in fact. I grew up playing hide-and-go-seek there. When we learned some months back that the developer was going to sell the property, we told him immediately two things. Number one, you need to give the folks that live there more time than you are required to, and you need to give them more money. Our state standards for these things, they're not nearly as high as they should be. So I do know that they have given more time and more money, but we recognize that it's not enough. When we received a copy of the eviction notice on the same day that you all received it, because we found out when you found out, we immediately did two things, right? We organized two housing resource fairs at Coral Gate Park, which is walking distance from Silver Court, We had there, with the support of Mayor Higgins and Mayor Levine-Cava at the county level and a number of nonprofits, we organized a fair to explain to everybody, here are the city, the county, and the nonprofit resources available to everybody in the trailer park. We then went door to door and personally invited everybody. Doesn't mean everybody was home, but we made sure that every household received a notification for both of the events that we had, which were pretty well attended. We have gone trailer to trailer a number of times since then to make sure that anybody who wasn't at the meeting received the same information that we have. Because of that, we have helped a number of families to relocate, and so we know that today, 84% of the trailer park has relocated. So we understand how unaffordable Miami is, and we are here to do whatever we can. I have said it on the record multiple times, and I've said it on the news, and I'm going to say it. until everything is resolved. But not one person or one household residing in Silver Court that is willing to accept relocation assistance will end up on the street. It doesn't matter what agenda item is on this agenda or any other agenda. If anybody in Silver Court wants assistance, we are here to help. We are going to be bringing the developers who live across the country to the table to meet with you all as well within the next few weeks. They have agreed to that. We're locking in a date. We want them to hear from you personally. But as I sit here, no one in Silver Court will end up homeless.

Thank you, Commissioner. All right, colleagues.

Madam Chair, may I? Yes. Okay. So I reserve the right to do what Pardo just did when I feel that something is falsehood, like there's a lot of falsehoods out there. All right. Let me finish, ma'am, please. I reserve the right to do the same thing that he's doing. It's not going to be today, but it might be next commission meeting or the other. So I just want to put that on the record. Thank you.

Yes. I think what I will do next time is when anyone feels they need to defend themselves, we'll do it at the end of the meeting, colleagues. So just to be clear, we'll do it at the end, not at the beginning. All right. Consent agenda. Let's try to move as quickly through what is simple to do. CA 1, 2, and 3. Does anyone want to bifurcate any of those? All right, I'll entertain a motion. Motion. Mr. Clerk.

And my apologies for the interruption. For the record, CA2 will be amended pursuant to a substitution memo dated July 21st, 2026. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. And also, colleagues, as it's written today, it doesn't include our new ordinance on minimizing single-use plastics, but the administration assured me that it will by the time it's signed. Okay, motion on all the consent items as amended.

So move.

Second.

Second.

All in favor say aye. Aye.

Aye.

Show those passed. Public hearing items, we can take all items except for PH6, which must be heard after the Allopata CRA meeting.

I'd like to pull PH3.

PH3. All right, we'll pull PH.

And I'd like to pull PH5.

PH5. So we have the date heritage trust, the hope hydration would be pulled, and then the Allopata CRA has to, we have to wait on that. All right, so I will accept a motion on PH1, PH2, PH4.

So moved. Second.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed? So those passed unanimously. I think if it's okay with you all, I'll just march the agenda on the things that we have consent on, and then we'll go back. This way, if folks are here just for one item, they'll get those out of the way. All right, we'll move to resolutions. Are there items you would like to bifurcate on our resolutions list?

I'd like RE4.

RE4.

RE12.

RE12.

And RE14.

RE14.

Which I guess goes with 15.

Probably 15 we may need to bifurcate as well. Yeah. Any others, colleagues?

Can you give me a minute?

Of course, yeah.

Did somebody pull RE12?

RE12 has been pulled, yes.

Has it pulled? Okay.

Anyone else?

I believe District 3 wanted to have a substitution of RE17. And basically, RE17 relates to District 4. RE3 wanted to add themselves to your resolution. And the sponsor as well.

Is that clear to everyone?

OK. All right, so colleagues from the resolutions, the ones that I show as polled, RE4, RE12, RE14, and its companion, RE15. Is that it? All right, I'll entertain a message on the remaining items. Do you have any amendments or substitutions, Mr. Clerk?

Thank you, Chair. I believe in addition to the amendment that the City Attorney stated, for RE17, it needs to be amended pursuant to a substitution memo dated July 15, 2026.

Okay, we will take a motion with that amendment.

So moved.

Second. All right, all in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed? Show those items passed. All right, if with your permission, we'll do the same thing on second readings. Are there any of the second readings that people would like to bifurcate?

SR3. SR3. Anything else?

SR4. Okay, SR4. Colleagues, anything else? All right, I will entertain. Okay, I forgot to let you do your job, George. There you go. Let's read SR1, SR2. SR 5, SR 6, and SR 7, and we'll do the others when we come back to them.

Okay. SR 1, second reading ordinance, an ordinance of the Miami City Commission amending Chapter 54, Article 2, Section 54-56 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended city code titled Street and Sidewalks Construction, Excavation, and Repair, Construction, Reconstruction, or Repair of Street Improvements Required when Adjacent Property is improved by construction of $100,000 or more in value or exceeding 1,000 square feet and floor area restriction. to provide for the increase of the construction value threshold that triggers required street improvements, reducing the maximum percentage of required right-of-way improvement costs for property owners, and requiring compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA, and life safety requirements prior to the issuance of certificates of occupancy containing a severability clause and providing for an effective date. SR 2, second reading ordinance and ordinance of the Miami City Commission amending Chapter 62, Article 1, Section 62-2.1 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida as amended titled Planning and Zoning in General Independent Traffic and Environmental Impact Studies by updating traffic statement and traffic impact study requirements containing a severability clause providing for an effective date. SR 5. An ordinance of the Miami City Commission amending Chapter 2, Article 11, Division 2 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida is amended City Code titled Administration Boards, Committees, Commission Standards for Creation and Review of Boards Generally, more specifically by amending Section 2-885 titled Terms of Office, Term Limit Waiver to provide that a board member who has completed eight consecutive years may be permitted to serve additional regular terms upon a unanimous vote of the members of the City Commission containing a severability clause and providing for in a... An immediate effective date. SR 6, in ordinance of the Miami City Commission, amending Chapter 38, Article 1 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended, titled Parks and Recreation in General, by creating Section 38-43, titled Naming of Shenandoah Dog Park, to provide for the naming of the property consisting of approximately 10,710 square feet located at 2293 North... Southwest 17 Terrace, Miami, Florida as Shenandoah Dog Park. Further directing the city manager to take any and all action necessary to effectuate the naming of the park containing a severability clause and providing for an immediate effective date. Then we have SR7. SR 7, an ordinance of the Miami City Commission amending Chapter 62, Article 12 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended city code titled Planning and Zoning Parks and Open Space Trust Fund to clarify the public benefits, contribution, and expenditure process for properties near a greenway containing a severability clause and providing for an effective date. That concludes the second reading.

Thank you. Mr. Clerk, do you have any clarifications or amendments?

Thank you, Chair. SR 7 will be amended pursuant to a substitution memo dated July 17, 2026. Thank you, Chair. Thank you.

All right, so the ones that have not been bifurcated, SR 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7 as amended, entertain a motion. Motion. Move.

Second.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Any opposed? Show those carrying unanimously. Okay, get ready to read again, George. We'll do the first reading. Does anyone want to bifurcate any of the first reading items? FR 5. FR 5. Anyone else? All right, Mr. Attorney, if you could read FR 1 through 4 into the record, please.

Thank you, Madam Mayor. FR 1, first reading ordinance in order to the... In ordinance of the Miami City Commission, amending Chapter 23, Article 1 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, is amended, titled Historic Preservation by amending Section 23-6.1, titled Waivers, Exceptions, and Exclusions for Locally Designated Historic Resources to provide for an exception to permit event venues in historically designated structures containing a severability clause providing for an effective date. FR2, an ordinance of the Miami City Commission amending Chapter 19, Section 19-2.1 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended, titled Fire Safety Permit Required, Issuance Fees, Annual Renewal, Revocation and Penalties, Use of Fees to Create Subsection G to Require the Electronic Submission of Fire Protection and Life Safety System Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance Reports Through a Web-Based System, including a third-party system designated by the city containing a severability clause and providing for an immediate effective date. An ordinance of the Miami City Commission amending Chapter 20 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended, titled Flood Damage Prevention, providing guidelines and timelines for recertification of existing drainage systems, amending related fee provisions, provided that applicable fees shall be set by resolution, establishing reporting criteria for compliance and aligning drainage recertification requirements with the City of Miami's building recertification program, containing a severability clause and providing for an effective date. FR 4, an ordinance of the Miami City Commission, amending Chapter 54, Article 5 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended, titled Base Building Lines, to include an encroachment on the 9th Street Mall, containing a severability clause and providing for an immediate effective date. That concludes the FR.

All right. Mr. Clark, over to you. Any changes, amendments, or?

At the moment, no. There will just be an amendment for FR 5 once it's addressed. Okay.

All right. So, colleagues? Any comments or I'll entertain a motion.

I'm sorry, I have one comment for FR4. I'd like to exempt D5 from this legislation because there are so many historical areas in District 5 that I wouldn't want an unintended consequence of just a blanket legislation for historically designated structures if we could exempt D5 from this legislation, FR1.

I would add District 2.

FR1.

FR1. Okay.

No, I'm sorry. That is FR4.

You said FR1. Okay. Yeah, you mentioned FR4. So, FR1. I'm just going to count that one as pulled. And let's, we'll do, so, FR1 and FR5 are both for discussion later. Let's take a motion on FR2, 3, and 4.

So moved.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

Okay, show those passed. I want to march through the things that we can get done so if folks have items and they can go home. We'll go forward to the planning and zoning items. Colleagues, any of these would you like to bifurcate for further discussion?

PZ 8 and 9. All right.

PZ8 and 9 have been bifurcated. Others?

I'd just like to co-sponsor PZ5 if I'm not already on there. Absolutely. Thank you.

Any other changes? Mr. Clerk, do you have any changes for us on the items that have not been bifurcated? No.

Only for PZ8 and 9, so we're good to go right now.

Okay, I'll entertain a motion on all of those. Oh, Mr. City Attorney.

Some of these are ordinances, yes.

Okay, would you read the ones that need to be read, please?

PZ1 is a resolution. PZ2, second reading ordinance. An ordinance of the Miami City Commission with attachments amending ordinance number 10544 is amended the future land use map of the Miami Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan pursuant to small-scale amendment procedures subject to section 15. 163.3187 Florida statutes by changing the future land use designation from single-family residential to major institutional public facilities, transportation, and utilities of the acreage described herein of real property at 770 Northwest 41 Avenue, Miami, Florida, as more particularly described in the attached and incorporated Exhibit A, making findings containing a severability clause and providing for an effective date. PZ3, second reading ordinance, an ordinance of the Miami City Commission with attachments amending the zoning atlas of ordinance number 13114, the zoning code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended Miami 21 code by changing the zoning classification from T3R, Suburban Transact Zone Restricted, to CI, Civic Institution Transact Zone, for the property generally located at 770 Northwest 41 Avenue, Miami, Florida, as more particularly described in the attached and incorporated Exhibit A, making findings, containing a severability clause, and providing for an effective date. SR, I'm sorry, PZ4, an ordinance of the Miami City Commission amending ordinance number 13114, the zoning ordinance of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended in Miami 21 code, specifically by amending Article 1, titled Definitions, to introduce new definitions and clarify definitions related to greenways by amending Article 3, titled General to Zones, specifically by amending Section 3.14 to introduce a greenway public benefits program to allow development benefits for eligible sites within a half mile of a greenway and by adding section 3.20 titled greenway standards to establish criterion regulations for developments fronting a greenway and by amending article 4 titled standards and tables to clarify the greenway civic space type making making findings containing a severability clause and providing for an effective date PZ 5, an ordinance of the Miami City Commission, amending ordinance number 13114, the zoning ordinance of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended Miami 21 Code, by amending Article 1 of the Miami 21 Code, titled Definitions, to introduce a definition for cottage housing, and to update the definition of lot coverage, and by amending Article 5, Section 5.3 of the Miami 21 Code, titled Suburban Transact Zones T3, to allow for a new housing typology within T3, o transect zones and on t3 non-conforming lots and to update the porticos and porches regulations making findings containing a severability clause and providing for an effective date pz six was indefinitely deferred pz7 was indefinitely deferred that leaves us with pz10 First reading ordinance, an ordinance of the Miami City Commission, amending ordinance number 13114, the zoning ordinance of the city of Miami, Florida, as amended, Miami 21 code, by amending article six, titled supplemental regulations, specifically section 6.1, titled intent and exclusions, table 13, to modify the permitting process for food service establishments and to clarify the permitting process for alcohol service establishments and by amending Section 6.3, titled Commercial Uses, to clarify and update outdoor dining regulations and to allow outdoor dining by right in specified locations and when scale and design criteria are met, making findings containing a severability clause and providing for an effective date. That concludes the PZ items.

All right. Mr. City Clerk, any comments? amendments substitutions comments on those not um not at the moment no man okay all right we'll take a motion on those pz items accepting pz8 and pz9 so moved second all in favor say aye aye show those items passed unanimously um i think we have one other item mr clerk that uh the Boards and Committees, Miami Tree Ordinance Advisory Committee. You want to read that for us?

Thank you, Chair. BC1, Miami Tree Ordinance Advisory Committee. Commissioner King would like to appoint Aaron DeMaio to the at-large seat designated for a member of the Climate Resilience Committee.

Motion. Second. All in favor say aye.

Aye.

So that unanimously passed. Okay. We have just about eight or nine items to get started. Do we want to power through or?

Madam Mayor, can we come from the PZ items and work our way back to the top?

All right, so let us, and then here's one of the things I would like to do. I'd like to do your PZ items, and then, Commissioner Gabella, if you could prepare to do the Allapatter CRA right after that, because we cannot do PH6 until that meeting is over. And the other CRAs, we don't have any items on this agenda that are contingent.

Just one more question. Just after the PZ items. Just one more question. I thought that everybody be handed one of these. The commissioners and the mayor.

I'm sorry, sir.

Everybody be handed one of these. Agenda. Agenda.

An agenda? Yeah, I can certainly provide an agenda. Yes, sir.

Okay, so you let me know when you're ready, but we've got to get that one done or we can't get through the commission agenda. All right, Commissioner King, over to you for PZ8 and 9. Mr. City Attorney, do you want to read those in since we didn't read those in? I think one of them has to be read in, correct?

Yes, please, Madam Mayor. I believe... PZ8 is a resolution. PZ9 is an ordinance. PZ9, first reading ordinance, an ordinance of the Miami City Commission with attachments amending the zoning atlas of ordinance number 13114. The zoning ordinance of the City of Miami, Florida is amended Miami 21 code by changing the zoning classification from T68L, Urban Core Transit Zone Limited, to T50, Urban Core Transit Zone Open for the properties generally located at 625, 645, 675, 685, 650-640-630 and 626 Northeast 64 Terrace and 629-635-645-655-669 and 685 Northeast 64th Street. And the east portion of 610 Northeast 64 Terrace, Miami, Florida, more particularly described in Exhibit A, attached and incorporated, making findings containing a severability clause and providing for an effective date. Thank you.

All right, Commissioner King. Okay, so I just want for administration, the city attorney's office, to put on the record where this community benefit of a million dollars will be deposited. Make sure that my neighbors know it will not end up in a general fund. It will park itself in a District 5 account. which could live beyond me, depending on when we get to distributing. And for the record, allocating these funds is predicated on community meetings for the community and the different areas that may be adversely impacted by this development. The community decides, not the District Five commissioner in a vacuum. So I wanna make sure that they are assured that this money is going into a pot for District 5, specific for this project to address issues that will stem from this development.

That is correct, Madam Chair. The money is just basically being placed in a bucket for the District 5. In order to spend that money, you'll have to come back to the City Commission for approval for any use of that funds. They'll be treated like any other funds that the City has. So, yeah, there is not a special account for the District 5. It's just a place to put the money so that then they can be appropriately spent for public benefit.

I just wanted to make that clear on the record so that the community understands that this money is specific for this project and the money is parked in a District 5 account, that it will not be sent to general funds or used for any other purpose than what is intended in the covenant. And that was it. I just wanted to get that on the record.

All right. I will entertain a motion. Motion. Okay. On PZ7 and PZ8. I'm sorry, PZ8 and PZ9. Chair. Mr. Clerk.

My apologies. I do apologize for the interruption. So for PZ8, PZ8 will be amended pursuant to a substitution memo dated July 17, 2026. For PZ9, it will be amended to add PSAB information in the body of the legislation.

All right. Moved as amended by Commissioner King. Second. Second by Commissioner Escalon. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? So those passed unanimously. Commissioner Gabella, are you ready if we recess to do the Allapattas CRA?

I am, thank you.

Okay, show this meeting recessed for just a few minutes. And Commissioner Gabella, let's open the Allapattas CRA. I know you have a little tape changing, sorry.

Thank you. Thank you, Mayor.

We can stretch our legs for a minute. What's the tape?

I haven't heard that. What you have is a script.

Yes, sir.

Mayor Higgins, we're good to go.

All right, we have a new tape. So we are reconvening today's commission meeting. I think we are starting back at the top of the public hearing items. PH3 was bifurcated. Commissioner Pardo, that's the Dade Heritage Trust site. Would you like to take the lead on that?

I would. I just want to respond to some issues the residents had brought up. Some folks thought that the amount was... low or not correct, but there is an appraisal behind that and there was that's followed all the rules we use to establish the value. There was also a lot of public comment about not being sufficient engagement and not really being a public process. Totally agree with that. We have talked about this with Dade Heritage Trust and they have assured that they will have a public engagement process around this whole thing. Also, remember that there's a headboard meeting. So this has to go before the headboard, which is another public hearing, and everyone will have an opportunity to engage at the headboard as well. Those are all the comments I wanted to give.

Thank you for working on this. You and I collaborated on that when I was still at the commission. And if you don't mind, I might also want to put some comments on the record because there were some misleading newspaper articles But I remember you and I talking, it was March of 2025, because I was going over to visit with the board of Dade Heritage Trust. And we delivered that message together that whatever Dade Heritage Trust wanted to do with that site, if they wanted to stay there, they were going to have a county and a city that supported that. And if they thought there was another path for them to preserve this piece of history, this amazing building, and more robustly build, visitorship to their headquarters we would be supportive of that but that they were always going to be in the driver's seat and I think all of our residents know that Dade Heritage Trust is one of the most transparent organizations about what they do with our treasured buildings and resources here and so happy to hear of all the public input that will be coming In the future. Thank you for supporting that. So we have a motion from Commissioner Pardo.

Can I just say something on the record? Yes, Commissioner Gabella. It is in my district at the end of the day. And I just want to concur with what you guys just said. I was shown the documents. I asked the questions. And I believe that Mr. Griffith has always been a good corporate citizen and is a man of his word. So I feel comfortable in voting with you guys for this. Thank you very much.

Other comments, colleagues? Mr. City Clerk.

Thank you, Chair. PH3 will be amended pursuant to a substitution memo dated July 17, 2026.

All right. Show that item moved by Commissioner Pardo as amended. Seconded by, I can no longer remember, the second Commissioner King. All in favor, say aye. Aye. Show that item passed unanimously. Congratulations. All right. PH5, our Hope Hydration Commissioner.

I vote.

I think Commissioner King, you, but we can have any discussion that's needed.

I pulled it. I'm also a sponsor of this. I'm a big proponent for our parks and our kids. My concern is the advertisements and the fees that we are going to get for the advertisements. Staff did do, as I requested, all of the fees for each district park will remain in that district for that park. But I do believe that we could do a little better with the advertising fees. It is advertising, and that's a huge source of revenue. So I would like to negotiate a bit more with the fees. I think the administration could do a little better, but I am completely in support of this pilot program bringing fresh cold water and i don't know if everyone got that that it's going to be cold filtered clean water for our communities and for me who i use a brita filter bottle um reusable bottle i travel with it out of the country and i fill it up with when i'm out of the country bottled water and even have that filtered so i am so in support of it but i do think that administration can tweak this a bit with respect to the advertisements and the fees that the city would get.

I agree. Mr. City Manager, would you or Resiliency Officer have done all the work on this? Want to comment?

Sure. So, Commissioner, obviously, this gives me the opportunity to further negotiate the contract. So I'm more than willing to work with your office as well as I've spoken to D2 and some of the concerns in terms of placement and where you all would like to see these across your districts. So moving forward, I look forward to working with both your office to make sure that the expectation is met in the language that we're going to be negotiating with Hope and also as it relates to the locations of said dispensers. We all work together collaboratively to make sure that your needs are met.

Would you please include my office also?

Folks. Commissioner King, you have the floor.

I just want to make sure in passing this you still have an opportunity to negotiate the fees. I don't want to pass it And then the contract is as it is. My colleague here feels the same way. So I want to make sure on the record that we have an opportunity to negotiate the fees that we would get from the advertisement.

That is correct.

Okay. I'll make the motion. Oh, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Okay. We'll go to you, Commissioner Cabela. Then we'll go to Commissioner Pardo. Thank you.

Okay, so I you know when when this came to me, I was a bit surprised that everybody here, you know went along with it because i've been hearing the people are. you know, the advertisement, and this is the voodoo man, you know what I mean? But, you know, this, everybody seems to be, this is strange. We're living in a strange world. I don't know. I don't know what's going on here, you know? I haven't spoken yet. But I'm going along with it. I'm going to go along with it because of the benefits that I think that it will provide to our citizens. However, I also share your concern, Madam Chair, and you're concerned, Commissioner Pardo, that I think the fees can be negotiated maybe on a scale that on the first year is this, on the second year as successful as this, and something like that, that we can get something a little bit more for the residents in lieu of the advertising dollars that they are going to make. And we want to be fair With you guys also. So that's my piece. Thank you. I also agree that we should defer, by the way.

Commissioner Pardo.

Yeah, my main issue was being able to have control over location and site because it is visual pollution. In a park, it depends with placement and site and how that whole issue works. So as long as it's flexible with our district and we can choose to do it or not, or to do it here or not there, that's really what we're asking for. Of course, we're in favor of nice, cold, filtered water, not only for us, but dogs, you know, dog parks, all of the things. It's a great idea. I want to commend the founders and the people that have put this forward. It's exciting that you're coming here with great ideas. And I think you're right. As your great idea takes off in this pilot, other people are going to be coming to Miami. So thank you for that. And that's it. That's all I wanted on the record.

Excellent. To the city attorney. It's clear that Commissioner Pardo wants to have a little bit of yes, no, maybe so on the locations that are recommended. Do we need to put a caveat in here? Or do we just need a gentleman's agreement with hope that you will make sure that Commissioner Pardo is happy? Please say that loudly and into the microphone.

On the record. I'm on the record. I'm Jorge Richardson. I'm the founder, CEO of Hope Hydration. This is the kind of discussion we've always dreamed of. We don't want to put water in places that people aren't going to use and people don't want it. It's led from the ground up. Okay. So that's a yes. On the record, that's a yes. Thank you.

Okay. All right. So we have a motion for the item. We know the manager is going to negotiate. He's put that on the record. We know you're going to work with Commissioner Pardo and others. Is there a second?

We're deferring, right? That's what we said. No? Nobody wants to defer this? Before we negotiate? No, I'd like to negotiate. That's me.

I'd like to negotiate and then come back.

Commissioner, this is a pilot program.

That's where I'm at. I vote yes if you're going to come back and all these things. If not, I'm voting no today. That's my thing. It doesn't matter if somebody comes along or not. That's where I'm at.

This item is a pilot program. Even if we negotiate a lot more for an extra percentage point, whether it's 5%, 10%, we're still talking in year one very, very low dollars. I think it is worth moving this forward in the summer to get these things open because we will be able to negotiate the full agreement should we like it and like how it looks and like how it physically works as well.

Maybe we will, and I'm probably going to like it. So let's do it real quick. Motion to defer. There's nobody with me. It dies, and you guys make the motion to move. Motion to defer. No motion. No motion dies. Now we can take the other vote.

Okay. Motion to defer.

I didn't hear that you had a motion.

Okay, so the motion to defer...

I don't take issue with deferring it. If he's not ready, I believe that administration has satisfied that they will negotiate everything that you want to do, but it's whatever the body wants.

How long is the pilot program for? Is it a year?

It's one year, if we like it, and we renew and we decide to expand. If we defer, we are deferring until September 9th, so we would delay starting this about two months.

And I would rather, given that we're in the summer and it's so incredibly hot, I'd love for us to be able to provide free water sooner rather than later. But I hope we keep this sentiment in mind when we get to another pilot program later in the agenda. because what we're basically saying is that this isn't a permanent yes, this is a let's test the waters yes, literally, test the waters, and we could come back and amend the terms. So I'll support moving this forward at this time.

Okay, is there a motion? Mr. Clark.

To approve the item? My pleasure. To approve the item? I thought there was a motion. So Commissioner Gabela had made a motion at 1248 p.m. to defer PH5, but there was no second. So then that motion is going to die for a second, and now a new motion can be entertained.

I move to move the item with the understanding that additional negotiations will take place and that the manager will speak to each of us about placements in our districts.

Is there a second?

Okay.

All in favor say aye.

Aye.

No.

Show that item passed four to one with Mr. Cavallo.

And Chair, just for the regular fee, as is. As is.

As is with all the comments on the record, noting that those will become part of the long-term agreement. Thank you. All right, PH6, we can now take up, I believe... Mr. Clerk, since we've had the Allopata CRA meeting, which is the approval of the CRA redevelopment, do I have a moment?

That is correct, Chair. So moved. Second.

All right.

Madam Chair, just for the record, Steve Carr as well.

Just a second. Mr. Clerk.

Thank you. So PH6 is going to be amended. to add an Allopata CRA meeting date and Allopata CRA resolution number to the body of the legislation. Additionally, submittal of backup documents into the record consisting of the letters and certified mail receipts associated with the letters that were sent to the taxing authorities, which is what Mr. Carswell is going to state on the record right now.

All right, Mr. Carswell, welcome. It's an exciting day for the Allopata CRA.

Good afternoon, commissioners, Madam Chair, Keith Carswell. Supplemental information, this is just notices to the tax authorities that went out in support of the process for the Allopata CRA. So this is just supplemental information, and I think the council says that it's not substantive. Correct.

Motion.

Second. Second.

All in favor say aye.

Aye. Aye.

Show that item passed unanimously.

As amended? As amended.

Okay. RE4, I believe, is the next one, Mr. Clerk, that we have yet to do.

That is correct, Chair.

Great. Colleagues, when I arrived here, one of the first things I did was actually go out to our sanitation facilities and met with Dale and and learned that four out of every ten of our sanitation trucks are broken and unusable every day because our fleet is so old. We also have aging police vehicles. We have aging fire vehicles. And I asked myself the question, you know, all municipalities have to save money, but how can we be in a predicament where our vehicles are so much older than anyone else's And the manager and I began discussions on what were alternative ways of financing other than purchasing. And how do you do that and do what we had done in the county and what other big counties in Florida have done and also other large buying groups. And I just want to thank Erica and Barbie because, as you know, they're two busy ladies doing all kinds of stuff for us. took on the task of analyzing very quickly what were some alternative ways that we could make sure that we are dealing with our aging fleet, begin to improve standards, reduce, in the case of sanitation, if we improve our sanitation vehicles, we reduce overtime because we're not having to wait on trucks. And so I'm very grateful to particularly Eric and Barbie for all the work they've done on this. Mr. City Manager, do you want to say anything? I believe, Commissioner Pardo, you've pulled this item?

Yes, I did.

Yeah. Okay. So we'll start with you, if you don't mind.

No, not at all. Can we have the appropriate staff person that can answer? Hi. Good afternoon. Some... I wanted to understand, this is $150 million obligation, and it went before the Finance Committee. So there's a couple of things I'm interested in. The relationship with the Finance Committee, and this would be helpful for people to understand that this falls under the non-ad valorem bucket of what we can issue as debt. There are two kinds of buckets, the ad valorem, which taxpayers, their costs increase, and then there's non-ad valorem, which is not handled in the same way. So how did it work with the finance committee in this specific case?

Good afternoon, Erica Paschal Darling, CFO. Any debt that the city embarks upon, it has to be presented and reviewed by the finance committee prior to bringing it to the commission.

But the $450 million bond was not.

We would bring the $450 million if we get approved, first and foremost. If we get approved and then when we reach the time that we're going to actually go out and sell, we would get proposals back and they would review the bond structure.

The issue I have is that in the debt management policy of the city, which you correctly stated, it should go before issuance because otherwise it kind of defeats the purpose of having advisors advise us as a commission on the best practice. So, you know, that's kind of like one big thing. The other big thing is the capacity that we have. How much capacity do we have on the non-Ad Valorem bucket? Meaning we're using 150 now. If we went up to our full capacity, how much more could we use?

I believe the analysis showed maybe 250 million after the 150. Another 250. Yes.

So potentially, we could have taken that from the 450 that we're putting on the taxpayer, and we could have financed that in this bucket of non-ad valorem. Correct? Potentially, yes. Potentially. And that's kind of what I'm gearing toward. I think that this should have absolutely gone to the Finance Committee. I'm in the world of finance. Finance is very specific, very difficult. If that's what you're in, if that's what you studied, if that's what you got your master's in, it's a different story. But for a regular resident or a commissioner or anyone to try to understand this in the same way and vote on it without it first having gone to the Finance Committee is really not the best practice for transparency or fiscal responsibility. And I hear those words a lot lately, but that's not what we're doing. And so it concerns me. And while I support this item, I agree that we have, I think you guys did a very good job in separating this into tranches. I think that really we should reconsider this item, actually, as a bond, as a commission, and take it back until it does go to the Finance Committee, until we do public engagement, until we have the kind of process that gives confidence. That's why people don't have confidence. us or in the city because something that's in our policy it's in our Finance Committee legislation as well every debt issuance is going to go to the Finance Committee and we haven't done any of that

Through the chair, let me get this straight, because there were guidelines and rules put in place when we passed the $450 million bond, supposedly, that we're going to ask the voter. And it was strictly said, and I think that's what we agreed to, that the money can only be used for the police headquarters and the repairing of the fire stations, right? Am I missing something here that now we're taking the $150 million? Can somebody explain to me what I'm hearing?

Perhaps our finance chair could talk about what this is. This is a different way of buying vehicles. We can purchase the vehicles and own them forever, in which case they age. No, no, I know that. I know that. And it's how we finance. But these are totally different sources.

Yeah, they're different sources. The $150 million, you would not go out and issue bonds just because of the average life of the vehicles that we're purchasing. Bond deals are usually 25 to 30 years.

Well, no, she's correct. It's five years, so they finance it that way. But she also said there's another $250 million available for long-term financing where you can.

No, no, but we made it simple. We said that that- Okay, colleagues. Wait a minute, wait a minute.

We're not going to, okay. We're going to talk one at a time. Commissioner Gabala, or Commissioner Pardo, you finished. It sounded like you were finished and passed on. Okay, so Commissioner Gabala, you have the floor. If anyone else raised the floor, you raise your hand, and then I'll let you know.

In layman terms, very simple. We said that the $450 million bond, which we approved to go in front of the voter, was only going to be used for the police headquarters, okay, and the fire stations to build some of them and repair them, whatever you want to call it, right? But it was never going to go for anything else, okay? Is that still the case? Yes. Why are we talking about the $150 million? in the bond. Can somebody explain that to me?

The $150 million is strictly for light and heavy fleet vehicles.

Got it. But that's not the question I'm answering. Okay. Let's make it simple. The $150 million this year has nothing to do with that $450 million in the bond, correct?

Correct. Correct. No, but it does have one thing to do. It's using up our capacity.

Folks. Folks. Everybody's going to get to talk. Mostly as much as they want, okay?

I'll take notes.

Right? So we are all gonna get our opinions out, but we're not just gonna randomly interrupt any of our colleagues.

So, Commissioner Pardo. Well, Madam Chair, we're having a conversation. That's what we're having. I mean, I don't think we have to be so harsh with each other. We're just having a conversation.

Commissioner Gabella, do you yield the floor to Commissioner Pardo? I do. All right, Commissioner Pardo, go ahead. Thank you, Mayor. You're welcome.

So, the issue here is debt issuance, right? The 150 is short-term debt. lease arrangements, et cetera. The 450 is long-term, but 250 of the 450 could have been issued in this manner as long-term debt without increasing taxpayer taxes. And the issue I have is when you read the ballot language that voters are going to have, the voters have been given, in my opinion, what's a false choice. You have to increase your taxes to feel safe. If I read the questions, It says, to enhance citywide public safety by improving critically deteriorating facilities for firefighters and paramedics through renovations, modernization, and new construction, and by building a modern, mission-ready public safety headquarters for police and first responders, shall the City of Miami issue $450 million in general obligation bonds within maximum lawful interest rates payable from an ad valorem taxes with no increase to the current capital projects debt millage rate of 0.5935 and an independent annual audit. But this doesn't say we're increasing taxes. And that's the bigger issue I have. If we could have done this in a way that doesn't increase taxes and it hasn't been explored, it begs the opinion of the finance committee. Why don't we allow the finance committee, the people who know about this, to give us a recommendation about what is the best way to handle it? That's really where I was going.

All right, any more discussion on this item? Do I have a motion on the fleet items, RE4? Mr. Clerk.

I still fail to see what we're all thinking. I still feel see why we're mixing things up. We're muddying the waters.

Why are we doing that? For now, I think, Commissioner Gabala, we've finished the discussion. And so now we're just looking at the fleet purchases, which will save us $3.5 million over our alternative next year. So if someone would like to make a motion, I would entertain a motion.

So moved.

Second. There's a motion. Second. All in favor say aye. Aye.

Aye.

Any opposed?

So I am going to go reluctantly along, okay? And I still hold by what I voted on, that the 450, let me make it clear in layman's terms, is not going to be used for anything other than the police headquarters and the fire. The fire, that's it. It's not going to be used for vehicles, not going to be used for anything. However you want to, right? Okay.

100%. So show that item passed unanimously with one reluctant yes.

Thank you, Commissioner.

Commissioner King, I know you need to... head out shortly there I think there are items did you you pulled fr5 I hate to skip around but are there items that you want to take fr5 I felt like you'll have to read that if you don't mind to the city attorney please

FR5, first reading ordinance, an ordinance of the Miami City Commission amending Chapter 62, Article 13, Division 7 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended, entitled Planning and Zoning Approval for Temporary Uses and Occupancies Permit Required Reserve, more particularly by amending Division 7 to be titled Temporary Off-Site Commercial Advertising on Construction Fencing to allow a pilot program for off-site commercial advertising signage on a temporary basis for certain situated... construction site fencing within the City of Miami Urban Core containing a severability clause and providing for an effective date.

All right, Commissioner King.

For me, my issue, I'd like to exempt D5 from this legislation. I will address this legislation separately for the Southeast Overtown Park West CRA area, but as a whole, I'd like to exempt District 5. I have too many historic neighborhoods, the design district and the like that I would not like this blanket legislation to apply to District 5.

And I feel the same way for District 2. They should just come up the way they normally come up. The public can engage and that's a better process for us.

Okay. Any other comments? And then Commissioner Gabela.

Yes, ma'am. So originally, when I heard of this, I'm for it, by the way. The only problem that I have is the exclusion, that they have exclusivity for one year. Because others have come to my office explaining, expressing their concerns. And then one side says, well, we spent a lot of time on this and resources developing this. And the other side came and says, no, that's not true. That was done in 2011, 2010 before. You know, so who do I believe, right, at the end of the day? You know, so I would like to do it, but you've got to include everybody. And if you want to give them a little, you know, a lesser fee or something of that nature, that's okay with me, but you can't. I just don't feel right doing anti-competition for one year. You know, I think it should be, you know, whoever wants to do it, they can do it. Maybe they get something a little bit more than the others because of the time that they put into it. But by the way, I'm in the middle. You guys said one thing to me. The other side says something else. I'm in the middle here, you know. So that's all I'm saying. I don't have a problem with it. I think it's a good idea in the sense that, you know, you see when there's construction going on, you see all these, you know, meshing, green meshing, and then they break. And then there's graffiti on them. So I think it's a great idea, honestly speaking, right? And it's safe because it's, you know, it's made out of a, you've got a very solid support for that, you know, for what you're doing. So I think that all in all, my only issue is just that. That's my only issue. Commissioner. Through the chair.

Yes, commissioner.

Could it be okay, would you, would any of you entertain this if we modify it?

Well, I mean, yes, Commissioner Pardo.

What I would add is that because, especially in the areas of our district where you have a lot of development, the urban core, Edgewater, downtown, Brickell, people are done. They already had the enormous billboard at PAM, the other billboards on the street. They don't want more advertising, period. When they're walking on a sidewalk or they're walking in a public space, that's not what they want. So our thinking was like, well, let's allow the other folks who feel comfortable to do this and that gives us the opportunity to watch and to try to bring our folks along if they like it if they don't like it our district isn't going to do it through the share but don't you think that that looks better that you know when you have the mesh and they put all the graffiti don't you believe this looks better than all the graffiti on the mesh i personally think it does but that's not what the residents that i'm speaking with Tell me. They tell me they're just tired. They don't want to see a car. They don't want to see a... They're done with that experience.

You know, and I can understand that because you have different residents, for example, that I do in different neighborhoods. But, you know, what I'm mostly concerned about is the safety also, the safety component of this. When one of these messes, and we've seen it before, that they have a hole where somebody tried to get in, this is a safe way to keep people out, to keep people safe, You know, and I really don't see a problem with it, but I respect your point of view and the chairwoman's point of view.

Chairwoman King. Sorry.

Commissioner King.

No, it's fine. I apologize. No, don't apologize at all. No pun intended.

So, Commissioner. So, that's where we're at.

So, Commissioner Gabela, this is your item. Two of your colleagues would like to be exempted out so we could make that modification.

That's fine with me if the other commissioners are willing to go with it. I would like, Commissioner Gabela, do you believe we can, would you be okay if we defer this to the next meeting so I can go a little bit deeper? I don't have a problem. I want to support it, but I need to go a little bit deeper.

No, you guys got to be comfortable. You guys have to be comfortable with what you're doing.

I want to support it, but I need just to go a little bit deeper into a couple of details.

Okay.

So motion to defer.

Motion to defer. Next meeting. And it'll be the first meeting in September?

Yes, September 10th.

September 10th.

Okay.

All right. Show that item deferred. Commissioner King, was there anything else of priority to you before we? I think FR1, there were two. Oh, okay. Mr. Manager.

Okay, after the input from D5 and D2, we're going to go ahead and withdraw the item. So, Todd, can we show FR1 being withdrawn, please?

We just need a motion.

Motion.

Is it FR1 or FR5? FR1.

FR5 we deferred.

We're on FR1, right? FR1. Yeah.

Oh, okay. Show this. Right, because I want to exempt D5 and Commissioner Pardo wants to exempt. Yeah. Okay, so withdraw.

And does that mean it's withdrawn, withdrawn, or it just shows up every six months?

It is withdrawn, withdrawn.

It's withdrawn. Permanent withdrawn.

So I deferred, but what am I motioning for? Withdrawn? Okay, withdrawal. Motion to withdraw.

Motion.

Second. Second.

All right. All in favor?

Aye. Aye.

Show that item withdrawn. Okay, let's go back to RE12. Commissioner, we've gotten all the things that are, I'm happy to go out of priority.

I think Commissioner Pardo pulled RE12.

Okay, but the other things are okay if we just go in order for you?

If we can take SR4. Okay. I'm a no vote on that.

All right, SR4, we'll take SR4. Colleagues, any other comments other than Mr. King's?

Can we talk?

Yeah, let the city attorney will read SR4.

We'll go ahead and read it into the record. SR4, second reading ordinance and ordinance of the Miami City Commission amending Chapter 37 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida as amended City Code titled Offenses Miscellaneous, more particularly by amending Section 37-16 of the City Code titled Encampments on Public Property Prohibited, providing for revised procedures of enforcement of violations containing a severability clause and providing for an effective date.

Okay. Colleagues, any other discussion? Commissioner Cabela.

Yes, ma'am. Thank you. So I think Commissioner Cabela, I think, has the right idea. I think, because there is a, this is a problem in the neighborhood. It's, you know, safety, air safety also, by the way, not only, you know, versus, you know, the liabilities, you know, involved in this, right? You know, and I think he revised it. This has been revised from the last time. Yes. You know, but I understand some of my colleagues have concerns, but I'm going to go for this, you know what I mean, as long as we don't get into any more, you know, liabilities other than what we need.

And through the chair, I would like to clarify that a lot of people came here today and expressed their concern. And we understand that. But what they said was not accurate. We're not taking anybody to jail. Mr. Attorney, can you explain what this does in simple terms?

All right, the first thing I want to mention is there was a previously existing prohibition on encampments already in the city code. So this is nothing new. What is essentially changing here is the requirement for a law enforcement officer to provide a written notice. The former code would say a written warning required by subsection may be accompanied by written information. So now, this was amended to, or is being amended to remove the written warning, but you added at the last meeting a section that says, prior to the enforcement of the provisions in subsection C1aC above, A police officer shall issue a verbal warning to a person maintaining an encampment in violation of this section to inform that a failure to comply with the city's prohibition against encampments may result in the person's arrest and provide a reasonable amount of time for the person to abate his or her encampment. But also included in this ordinance is the fact that notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing herein shall be construed to prevent or otherwise prohibit a police officer from arresting a person in violation of the section who is ineligible for shelter placement. There's a requirement in the code that the officer must first ascertain whether there's a shelter space available. So if there is no shelter space available, then the officer does not take action.

So what you're telling me right now, if I understood you correctly, is that if there is no shelter, police officers cannot arrest anybody, the person, right?

Correct.

Okay. May I, through the chair, that's why I stressed the last time that we had this conversation was that we need to find the funding to make sure that we have the beds so then the officer is not put in that situation, right? And that's what I think now. I don't know if we addressed that issue. I think I asked, when we had the last year, the crisis with the Camillus House, that they had raised the bed price on us, and then all of a sudden we went out for a couple of months, I believe, or more than a couple of months without some of the beds, right? But then I think I asked last time, they had re-resolved that situation. And I think the answer was yes. Is that correct that we resolved that situation? Yes. So now we do have the beds, right? The officers want Gilbert.

Well, before he speaks, I just want to say, in the actual ordinance, it says an arrest may not be made if the police officer has verified that a shelter, bed, or other available government assistance that would result in immediate housing is not available. That's in the ordinance. Madam Mayor.

David Gilbert, Director, Human Services. Mr. Chair. Yes, we have a shelter that's getting ready to come up at the end of the month with an additional 80 beds. The navigation settlement is in unincorporated Miami-Dade.

By the way, just because you're here, did we ever go back to the numbers that we had in contract with Camilla's House? By the end of the year, we'll be equal. Okay, thank you.

Through the chair, George, after the officer gives a verbal warning, you said reasonable warning.

time what what is that define that for me um it's difficult to define the word reasonable as you know um but like for example um the ordinances and provide a reasonable amount of time for the person to abate his or her encampment so i guess it would depend on the amount of stuff they have because if you only have a few items a reasonable amount of time to move um would be to collect those items but if you had a lot of items or or things like that it could be more difficult I just also wanted to mention... George. Yes.

Sorry. All right. Can you give me some kind of parameter? Because how are the officers going to know what is reasonable? I give you a verbal notice and 10 minutes later, is that reasonable? Is it 24 hours? What is reasonable?

Well, so what we're talking about is the encounter, right? So it would be a verbal warning. The officer walks up to a person who's in camping, blocking the sidewalk. and says, all right, there's a shelter space available. Do you want the shelter space? The person says, no, I don't want the shelter space. Then the officer says, all right, you need to remove yourself, and then gives them a reasonable time from that moment to remove themselves. It's not a 24-hour period. It's as quickly as they can remove themselves from the sidewalk and remove the obstruction at that time. Now, what I was going to add was the policies of the Miami Police Department indicate that the officers and or the green shirts cannot just throw a person's property away. They have to go through the stuff that the person has to determine if there's things like eyeglasses or important documents, medication, cell phones and stuff like that. So that would build into the reasonable amount of time to ascertain that none of their personal items would be thrown out upon their evacuation of the space.

And officers are required to have body camera on when they are interacting with somebody, right?

Correct. They wear the body camera and I don't, yes, I'll leave it at that.

So what step are we saving to, because I imagine the whole key here is to have a balance where You can't have them there forever. You've got to maintain the safety of your community, so do you, so do I, all of us up here. But we also have to guarantee their safety, the human beings. So that's what I want to know. And she's right, because I still don't have the answer, by the way. Are you saying what's the difference? Exactly.

The difference here, like I said earlier, is the old ordinance or the current ordinance says the officer must provide a written warning. Okay, so that's it?

Now he can do it verbally and he doesn't have to produce the document. That's the step that we're making it easier for the officer. Correct. Okay, all right. I'm willing to go along with that. Motion to move? Wait, I do have something to say.

No, it's okay. First of all, I know all of the intentions and I know all the work that has been done behind this, and I have almost confidence in the body cams and the police force and a lot of the people doing this work. But for me, there is this slippery slope that I'm not comfortable with. Full respect, I'm not. But in my case, I'm going to be on the no side for this.

There's a lot of sensitivity around this, and I can appreciate both perspectives. Would we consider doing this as a pilot, perhaps, and bring it back in a few months and gauge where we are on this? I mean, the devil's in the details with regards to implementation.

I'm okay with that. But, you know, I want to be honest about something as well. You know what's not fair either? We don't represent one community. We represent the city of Miami. And you know what's not fair? That I have a business. I don't. For instance, that I have a business that you pass by Flagrant 12, and that looks horrible. And you have 20 people sleeping outside a business, and we are getting calls every single day because they don't leave. That is not fair. That is not fair to the businesses. that is not fair to the presidents. That I have a lady calling my office because she's afraid to pass by Flagrant 12. That is not fair. And we, especially you, Commissioner Pardo, you have that issue in that town a lot. You as well, Commissioner Pardo. No, I've been talking about this since I got here. You're correct. We have to understand that we represent a whole community. I agree. Not only one. 24 hours warning. What happens is they move from here to here, from here That is not fair. And we cannot arrest a person if we do not have the beds. I wanted to get that very clear out there. You, Commissioner Pardo, in your district, you saw what happened the other day with the lady, right? Yeah, of course. I just want to get it out there.

And I'm very grateful that the mental health center is actually opening because that's what that was about. But what I'm concerned about here is Please make the connection for me of your example where they're sleeping outside the business. What would happen?

Well, right now, George, to my knowledge, a police officer can go right now to that business and say, sir, you have to move, right? We offer you shelter. If they want to go to shelter, the police officer will take that person to shelter. Is that right?

I didn't hear Commissioner Pardo's question.

His example of where there are a lot of unhoused people in front of a business, and they're all in the street, and the owners don't feel safe, and it is a reality in, I think, all of our districts. What does this change for that situation? What's different from what we're doing now to just... you know, getting rid of that warning paper?

Essentially, nothing is really changing other than the requirement for a written warning. I also wanted to point out that under the existing ordinance, the officers had to provide, when they gave a written warning to the person, they had to provide a reasonable time for the person to pick up their belongings and comply with the prohibition. So they previously had a reasonable time standard. They currently have a reasonable time standard. The thing I was uncomfortable answering about your question was when the officer encounters a person on the public right-of-way, they can take action. If it's on private property, then oftentimes we need authority from the property owner to say, please have that person removed. Officers won't necessarily go onto private property and remove people absent a... a person asking for assistance or something like that. So we respect private property.

Can I just add, you know, last year or the year before, so the key is, number one, so the only difference is that, you know, the officer doesn't have to hand out the document, the paper. That's the stuff that we're saving here. But I'd like to say that last year, if I remember correctly, or the year before, I gave the Salvation Army, I can't remember how much it was, 70 or 80 grand or 100 grand. So the key here is for us, to be able to negotiate with these people to have beds. Because if they don't have beds, then the officer is forced into that situation, which we don't want to put them in because look what we're doing. So I'm with you, Commissioner Corona. When I ran for office, one of my first things is to assure the public safety. And I've got that corridor of Seventh Avenue where I absorb a lot of everybody else's problem. So I am fully on board with you on this. I would like to make a motion, Aziz. Second. Second.

All right, we have a motion and a second. Any more discussion, colleagues? All right, let's move to a vote. All in favor say aye. Aye. Any opposed? No.

No.

Show two no's. You have them? Okay, thank you very much. Why don't we finish with the second reading items? That way you won't have to remember and I won't have to remember that we have one more to read.

SR3. SR3. Thank you, Madam Mayor. SR3, second reading ordinance. In ordinance of the Miami City Commission, amending Chapter 54, Article 1 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended City Code titled Streets and Sidewalks in General, more particularly by amending Section 54-1 of the City Code titled Definitions and Section 54-3 of the City Code titled Permit Required for Work that Obstructs or Closes a Street. sidewalk or impedes traffic fees waiver of fees to require sidewalk safety and temporary pedestrian Protection structures containing a severability clause and providing an effective date.

Thank you

All right. I can't remember who put that. Commissioner Pardo, give us your thoughts.

Actually, what I'd like to do is have administration answer. We received feedback from residents as to our modifications and our substitution. And why were we adding a general contractor? And the whole kind of narrative was us being about pro-development. And I think it really lost what you were trying to do in that item. So I'd like you if you could speak to that.

Good afternoon, Madam Mayor, Manager, Commissioners, which area in particular, Commissioner, would you like me to address?