City Council - Regular Meeting

Wednesday, October 23rd, 2024. The time is now 10.08 a.m. And this is our regular council meeting for October.

Present. Mayor Hapcorn. Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance led by Councilman Pinedo.

Okay, we will now have the invocation by Rabbi Brashevisky.

Amen, thank you, Rabbi. Okay, we will now move on to the agenda order of business, starting with the city manager's office.

Okay. Council? Through the Mayor? Yes. Councilman Porras? Yes.

I have two laid-down items. There are two proclamations. One is from the Miami-Dade County Office of Community Advocacy. They would like the city to proclaim National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. That's one. And then the other one is from the Dade County Federal Credit Union, who's also requesting a proclamation. And motion to accept is a laid-down item.

Okay, we have a motion and a second for the lay-down items. Madam Clerk, I'm going to call the roll on that.

Okay, anything else? Anyone else? Okay, I would like to pull items six I, J, K, and L. I will be pulling items six I, J, K, and L. For discussion, Mayor? Yes. All right, if there's nothing else I need them. Nothing for you. Okay, we will now open up the public comments portion of this meeting. Public comments is now open. If anyone would like to speak on anything on this agenda or join me into this council now would be the opportunity. Mr. Juan Carlos Esquivel, welcome. Name and address of the record, please.

Thank you, please see the clerk just to fill out a card. Thank you very much. Anyone else would like to speak during public comments? Now would be the opportunity, I have no comment cards at this time. Okay, being none, public comments is now closed, and I need a motion on the consent agenda once the clerk reads the items that we will be approving in.

Yes, ma'am. I have a motion to approve by Vice Mayor Puig Corbett, second by Councilman Pineda. All in favor say aye. Aye. Show the consent agenda passed. I now need a motion on the minutes. Nope, no minutes on this one, ma'am. Oh, that's right, there's no minutes on this one.

Okay, we'll move on into the discussion items.

Thank you, Mayor. The reason of bringing forward this resolution, as you know, we have been actually going to recognize Vice Mayor Corbett for starting a conversation when we were discussing the issues and the concerns when we talk about the scooters in our city. So I think it's appropriate for us to keep moving, being proactive, and And this occasion is urging the Florida State Legislature to amend the Florida statute 316.2128 and 316.2065 that address the micromobility devices. Micromobility devices include, as you know, not only the scooters and bicycles that can reach speeds that exceed 25

Thank you, Councilman. Any comments? Okay, need a motion.

Motion to approve by Vice Mayor Puig Corbett, second by Councilman Pinedo. If there's no other comments. Just a quick comment.

I want to thank our city attorney for helping drafting this resolution.

Thank you, Councilman. I just want to make a brief comment. I think this is excellent. Just this morning, I got a text from a parent who was very startled because someone went right in front of them and they almost hit them. So I think that there absolutely has to be some more reinforcement. So I think that this is a great resolution to extend to the state and through our lobbyists to hopefully see some improvements to the legislation. So I think it's absolutely appropriate. Thank you very much, Madam Clerk.

Thank you, Mayor. As we all recall after the Council discussion on that took place this year in February, 2024. I had the chance to meet with the city attorney and city manager in effort to determine the city's ability to present a legal resource to the constituents in Lake Drive Street. This proposal is prompted by the persistent issues of flooding in that area, even during minor rainfall, which further compounds challenges on 79th Street. Furthermore, the current state of Lake Drive Street It's really, really deteriorated throughout the years, and it has been like that for the past 20 plus y

I have a question. My understanding, this is a private road.

And I know that the last workshop that we had, that we have a discussion that government should not be, it's illegal, I mean, what it was told to us, for us to intervene on any private road. I just wanted to have clarification when it comes to that, because it's not just... This road have issues the street, but there are other areas to in the in our city But my understanding on the last workshop by the building department is said that it's not it's illegal to interfere when it comes to private roads if there's no agreement between the municipality and that in private

Okay, I would like to explore a little bit more about that because I know that there are other entities that are also private roads that they're through the city that they're going through a very hard time when there's rain or hurricane or any natural. And I would like then for them also to know about this and they will have the option too to be able to have this opportunity.

So I know we've had a lot of discussions on this. We've had workshops. I know Public Works has done a really great job in explaining how some of these different things work. And so what would be right now the next steps according to this now that we have sort of an update from what it sounds like? We were considering speaking with the residents in that area to see if they would be willing to take on essentially something that looks like a taxing district right and and then we obviously if they if they're in agreement then bring it back to us and then we can sort of figure out what how we can d

Just to finish, so it sounds like the next step is to reach out to the HOA and get in touch with them, right? Is that what's going to happen right now?

Is it the majority or is it like, is there a number? I think it's 61. 50 plus one. 50 plus one, okay.

So, anyone else? So I actually, and I wanna thank Councilman Pinedo for being on top of this and bringing it up again. We've been there quite a bit and I've talked to many of the residents there and that same issue was expressed, that it's not just the people who live there, but rather the property owners. So there is a process for making sure we get to them. But I think that for a long time, this area has been a huge concern. And while there may be other areas in the city, that may have similar problems. I don't think any is as exacerbated as this one. So I think it's time for us to move forw

Yeah, I have a concern with this. I know that when the original ordinance that was discussed a couple months ago was passed, there was some confusion on the hours. I WANT TO KNOW IF THAT WAS CLARIFIED ON THE ORDINANCE. DID WE GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE MINUTE? RIGHT NOW IT'S LAST CALL 2.30 BUT THEY CAN STAY OPEN UNTIL 3.30. OKAY. I HAVE MY RESERVATIONS ABOUT THIS. SO MY QUESTION TO LORENZO, CAN WE TAKE UP THE ITEMS ALL TOGETHER OR SHOULD WE TAKE THEM ALL ONE BY ONE? I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT AND I WANT TO

And we can vote on all of them together or do you want us to take them up individually? Okay, all right. I'll just make my comments for all of them. I personally have an issue with this. I think the way the ordinance was passed and the way it was passed has to be fixed. And so I won't be supportive of the extended hours at this time, but. There's a motion to approve. Motion to approve by Vice Mayor Puig Corbett. Second by Councilman Cabral for item I. Adam Clerk.

Next item. No. No. We have to take them up individually. He said. Sorry.

Okay, I incorporate the same comments from item I into this item. Is there a motion? Motion to approve by Vice Mayor Puig Corbett, second by Councilwoman Cabral. Madam Clerk.

Motion to approve by Vice Mayor Puig Corbett. Second by Councilman Cabral.

Yes. Councilman Cabral? Yes. Councilman Porras?

Okay, I incorporate my same comments from Item I into this as well. Is there a motion? Motion to approve by Vice Mayor Puig-Corvey. Second. Second by Councilwoman Cabral.

Thank you. In 2003, the city of Doral was incorporated, making significant milestone in our community history. This achievement was made possible through the extraordinary effort of numerous contributions of key individuals, including Mr. Oscar P. Corvey. His dedication and hard work lay the foundation for what has become a vibrant and growing city. Over the years, Mr. Oscar P. Corvey has continued to support the development of Doral. enhancing the quality of life for all residents. The original request for submitting highlights the ongoing commitment of Oscar Puig to our city has been his con

Motion to approve. Motion to approve by Councilman, I mean Councilman Porras. Second. Second by Councilman Pinero. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Okay, I wanna let Councilman know he can come back in. Mayor's report. Okay. Thank you very much. All right, so this is our second meeting in October. I just want to remind everyone to please stay involved. Make sure you sign the petition that's online for the removal of the waste to energy facility. And we will be staying up to date on whether the November 6th meeting at the VCC commission meeting will happen. And we invite everyone to join us for that. I want to encourage people to go out and vote, to have your voices heard. Early voting is taking place now. I want to congratulate the new po

I just want to say, because I haven't had the opportunity, that I'm going to miss you so much. I mean, it's been four wonderful years, even though I know that there's some times that we have not agreed on certain things. But we have been able to sit down, have a conversation, and have an open discussion here in the dais. And for everything that you have done, because I know you from before, even though not as close as has been this last four years, even though I have a closer relationship before with Deidre, your wife, And I want to wish you the best. And I feel honored that having the opportu

All right. We'll move on now to council comments. Yep, we started already, but it's okay.

Well, I just want to congratulate Vice Mayor Pui Corve again for his service. Thank you for your dedication, your commitment, and I'm sure we're going to be seeing you around, and you're going to stay very active, and this is the beginning of a new chapter of life for you, and many blessings to you and your family, and thank you for your service, and it was an honor to serve with you. And also thank you to everybody that's wished me a happy birthday. 25 looks good.

Thank you, Mayor. Well, let me start saying happy birthday, Councilwoman Porras. Vice Mayor, well, we had a conversation about a couple of weeks ago about the state and I promised you something. I'm going to keep it in mind for next year. I promised Vice Mayor Oscar Puig that he will be on my VIP list on the 4th of July event.

I'm going to keep that promise. But it has been a pleasure to serve next to you for the last two years. And as I always said, despite any political difference, you always kept it like that, just politics. And never personal, and I appreciate that. And that speak a lot about you, your family, and you have served this community as everybody that voted for you four years ago were expecting. So I say thank you for serving our city. And since this is the last meeting of the year, and certainly I'm not going to, I'll be seeing you guys again soon. I just want to say thanks to the staff. It has been

Yes. As we're currently in the early voting period, I just want to remind everybody that from October 21st to November 3rd, I strongly encourage everyone to take advantage of this time to vote early and avoid the lines on November 5th, even though if you want, if you prefer, you can vote on November 5th. But please just be involved. Your vote matters, and it shapes the future of the community. Also, just a quick reminder that we won't be having any council meeting for the next two months, with the exception of one in December to validate the election results. So if you have any concerns or nee

Okay, we move on to the city manager's report.

Thank you, Mr. City Manager. City Attorney's report.

Okay, thank you. Is that all? Yes? That's it. Okay.

Okay, that's it. We need... We need to recess the meeting. Is there anything else? Motion to recess. Vice Mayor Puig Corbett.

I don't know who's going to do it now. All in favor say aye. We'll see you back here at 6 o'clock. Back everyone. Once again, this is our evening session of our second meeting for October, October 23rd, 2024. The time is now 6.23 p.m. We're going to take back up our 6 p.m. evening session. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Mayor Hapkorn. Please rise for the Pledge of Allegiance led by Councilman Porras.

Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.

and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, agenda order of business. Anything being added or taken off from this meeting? Yes.

Mayor, we'd like to present a latent item. It's a proclamation for ELDERLY FINANCIAL EXPLOTATION AWARENESS DATE, OCTOBER 30TH. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST TO MY COLLEAGUES TO APPROVE THIS PROCLAMATION. NEW SPEAKER.

ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE A LAYDOWN ITEM BY COUNCILMAN PINEDO. WE NEED A MOTION. Motion to approve by Vice Mayor Pui-Corvey. Second. Second by Councilman Cabral. Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Yes. Mayor Fraga. Yes. Motion passes. All right. Thank you very much. Anything else for the agenda order of business? Nothing else? Okay. We'll move on to public comments. The public comments portion of this meeting is now open. Anyone who would like to speak on an item on this agenda or anything driven to this council now would be the opportunity. I have no comment cards, being none. Public comments is now closed. And we'll move on to presentations.

Okay, Councilman Benito, I believe that this is your item.

Thank you, Mayor. The American Association of Caregiving Youth is the only organization in the U.S. dedicated solely to addressing caregiving youth issues. It is the pioneer in advance towards understanding the needs of caregiving youth while facilitating identification, support, and advocacy initiative. Today we have Dr. Connie Siscosti. There we go, sorry. Here with us, she is the president and founder of the American Association of Caregiving Youth And I would like for her to come forward and start her presentation. I thought that was, when I heard about it and read about everything that yo

Thank you for the presentation. I know you mentioned very interesting numbers. Not only, you said 16.4% of high schoolers and 23.6% of middle schoolers.

Well, I just want to thank you for the presentation. Thank you for what you guys do as an organization. I know part of Your presentation of what you would like to request to us is for the city government center building lights to be changed to green from November 2nd through November 8th, correct? That's right.

And also, through the mayor, if I can have Angelica to say a few words as well, because I know she has been involved when it comes to this issue as well.

Thank you, Councilman. There's no other comments?

I think that this is a great program and I think we need to be supporting more often. I know that When I was on the school board, we met with the school district, and it was really tough to get them to get on board with providing more services. But I think that we need to take it back up and provide data and information and contact points for resources for these students so that they know that there are organizations and help available to them. A lot of them, I think, just live silently without many people knowing that they're really the caretakers in their homes. I'm 100% in, you know, that a

Do we need concerns for the plan to be changed or...?

Yeah, I think there's consensus for that. And do you need anything else?

No, that will do. OK, good. We're starting the conversation now.

Yep, absolutely. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, we'll move on to our public hearing presentations.

All right, thank you very much will have public works or. Yes, are we going to have a presentation from. No, Public Works? OK. Let me open up for public hearing very quickly, and then we will hear from them. Anyone that would like to speak on this item at this time, please approach the podium. We're opening up 24-5929. Being none, we'll close the public hearing, and we'll hear from Public Works or from the applicant.

Thank you very much. Motion to approve by Vice Mayor Puig Corbett, second by Councilman Pinedo. There's no other comments or conversation. I don't know if the applicant has anything to say.

All right, Madam Clerk, please call the roll. I just would like to re-excuse myself. I mean, I've been working for the University of Miami for the past 17 years, so... Okay. Okay.

Make sure that Councilwoman gets all the correct paperwork to fill out for the, all right.

All right. Thank you very much. We're going to open up to public hearing. Public hearing is now open for item 24-5922. Anyone who would like to speak on this item, please approach the podium at this time. All right, being none, we'll close public comments, and now we'll hear from staff.

It was Lorenzo. Items B and D. Mr. City Attorney, are you okay with us taking up these two items together?

That's item B and D. D, okay. Second reading. Would you like for me to read that into the record as well? I need to take, go ahead and read it into the record and then we'll take expert take communication for item D. Yes. Madam Clerk.

Okay, before we go ahead and hear both items, I'm gonna open a public hearing again just in case for item 24-5897. Public hearing is now open. Seeing no public comments, we'll close the public hearing and now I'll take any ex parte communication for item 19D.

I've met with the applicant and that will not influence my decision.

I also met with the applicant and I want to change my decision.

Same, I met with the applicant and I want to change my decision.

Okay, thank you very much. I've also met with the applicant and it will not affect my decision. Okay, thank you very much. We will now hear from staff on item 19B and D together. Thank you.

Thank you, Michelle. Motion to approve. Motion to approve by Vice Mayor Puig Corvey. Second. Second by Councilwoman Cabral. Do we want to hear from the applicants? I think we do have a new item before us.

I think it's the first time that we do see the site plan, so if we could just go over that from the applicant's perspective for the benefit of the public.

And here it is just with labels for ease of reference.

All right, any other questions for the applicant? Yes, Councilman Pinedo.

Thank you. Well, first of all, I want to say thank you, Tracy, and the for taking the time in going over my concerns based on the last meeting. And I want to say, certainly, you understand my concerns. I was going over the master development agreement. I'm going to ask you to please keep in mind the conversation that we had about the trolley stops and where the ridership fomentation as was mentioned. But otherwise, I wanna thank you for taking the time and for everything that you have done for the city and that you still looking forward to help and support into the future, so.

Thank you. Any other, excuse me, any other comments or questions? Big none. Madam Clerk, I think we have a motion and a second.

Yeah, we're doing 19B. We have a motion by Vice Mayor Puig Corbett and a second by Councilwoman Cabral.

Madam Clerk, can you read it into the record? Sorry. Sure. I will.

Thank you very much. Thank you very much.

All right, I'm going to go ahead and open up to public hearing real quick open up item 24 dash 5, 9, 4, 3, anyone would like to speak at this time please approach the podium. Okay, being none, public comments is now closed, and this item is Vice Mayor Puig Corbis.

Motion to approve by Councilwoman Cabral. Second. Second by Councilwoman Porras. Okay, sounds good. Any other questions that we can move forward?

All right, opening up for public comments. Anyone who would like to speak on item 245905, please approach the podium at this time. Okay, being done, public comments is now closed. And this was Councilman Cabral's item.

Thank you. So as you may know, as you remember, we actually made some, there was some recommendations on the table and we were able to add those recommendations between first reading or during first reading. Mr. Attorney, if you would like to add any to, if you would like to make any comments regarding the changes in between first and second.

Second to approve by vice mayor quick or a second by Councilman covered, I'm sorry I'm not Councilman for us. Any other comments questions. And please call the roll.

Councilman Porras. Yes. Councilman Cabral.

Okay, we are opening up public hearing for this item anyone who would like to speak speak, please approach the podium says item 24 dash 5, 9, 2, 5. The comments now closed comes up you know this is your.

Thank you mayor. There has been no changes between first reading a second reading motion to approve.

Motion to approve by Vice Mayor Puig-Corvey. Second. Second by Councilman Porras. Any other comments, questions? Seeing none, Madam Clerk, please call the roll.

Yes. Motion passes. All right, thank you very much. That concludes all the items. We've exhausted the agenda. I need a motion to adjourn. Motion to adjourn. Motion to adjourn by Vice Mayor Puig-Corvey. Maybe not for the last time yet. I NEED A SECOND SECOND BY BEFORE YOU DO I JUST RECEIVED AN EMAIL WITH REGARDS TO ONE OF OUR LITIGATION MATTERS DURALL 10 VERSUS CITY OF DURALL SO I MAY NEED AN EXECUTIVE SESSION I JUST WON'T PUT THAT OUT THERE YOU DID IT IN A PUBLIC HEARING PERFECT GREAT OKAY WE'VE GOT A MOTION TO ADJOURN BY VICE MAYOR PREVIOUS SECOND BY COUNCILMAN PINERO ON FAVOR SAY AYE AYE THI

Oh, wait, wait, wait, wait. I saw something. I saw something there in the back. There you go.