City Council - Regular Meeting

Thank you again for your patience. We took another little recess, so now we're going to start the official Hialeah City Council meeting of September 8th, and I will call this meeting to order at 7.53 p.m. Madam Clerk, please call the roll. Mr. Zogby? Here.

We're going to go directly, since we had an invocation and a pledge of allegiance, we'll go directly to the meeting guidelines. Madam Clerk, please.

Thank you. Item 6A is a presentation for, well, I'll let you, Councilwoman Janine Perez, take over.

It is with great pleasure that we recognize Feeding South Florida today and proclaim the month of September as Hunger Action Month in the city of Hialeah. Feeding South Florida does incredible work providing food and essential resources to children, seniors, and families throughout our community. Thank you, Feeding South Florida, for your continued commitment to our community and it's truly an honor to recognize you today. If you can come up. Mayor, you want to say anything?

Good evening. Name and address. Thank you.

You want to go down? You want to go down? Okay. Come on up to the stage here. We're going to go meet you, if that's okay.

So we'll transition to the next presentation. Diapers, Miami Diaper Bank. Do you want to come up?

Next item is comments and questions. Let me just make an announcement, please.

Comments and questions in a general sense. If you are here for a zoning item, and I'm telling you early enough so that you'll know. If you're here for a zoning item that happens to be on first reading. We want you not to talk about it in comments and questions. And obviously you can't talk about it during the item itself. So please, if anybody has comments or questions, but not related to any zoning items that we won't be able to hear public comments today. Okay. Anyone listed, registered to speak? No, sir. Comments and questions? I love them sandals. You want to speak, Eric? I do, if you don'

Thank you, sir. Duly noted. And with that, to remind us, what time is the 9-11 this Friday? Ceremony is at, somebody help me. 10 a.m. 10 a.m., the fire station just to the east of us, right? 10 a.m., we're going to have this Friday, September 11th, a memorial, as we do every year, At the fire station, fire station one, just east of this building, the corner of West 5 and 1st. All are invited, 10 a.m. Friday. All right, thank you. Any other comments and questions? Any, Madam Clerk, any announcement or amendments, corrections to the agenda? No, sir. Thank you. No board appointments, right? Nothi

Nine. Okay. So we're moving to the consent agenda. Is there anybody in the audience or no one online, I see, or on the dais that would like to pull any of the items of consent agenda? Otherwise, pleasure of the council on the entire consent agenda? Yes, sir? Item C. Councilman Gonzalez would like to pull item C of the consent agenda. Anything else, sir? Otherwise, motion. Motion for the remainder of the consent from Councilman William Marrero. Second from Councilwoman Jaylene Perez. Please call the roll.

So motion for this one? Okay. We have a motion for item C from Councilman Gonzalez. We have a second for item C from Councilwoman Jaylene Perez. Please call the roll.

Thank you. I guess we're ready to move on to admin, administrative items, right? And please, Madam Clerk, read item 11.8.

Very good. Item 11A is on second reading, open for public discussion, if any. Otherwise, pleasure of the council. 11A. Second. Was the first from? Okay. Councilman Luis Gonzalez motioned for 11A, and we have second from Councilwoman Jaylene Perez. Please call the roll.

Okay, 11, administrative item 11B is on first reading, not open for public discussion. We do have the lobbyist here with us in case anyone has any questions. Otherwise, pleasure of the council.

Marcella, can you help me? They went away. Is this, I can't open it, but is this, is this what we heard from the town hall mayor that they wanted an amendment of the territory?

But one of the issues that we heard from the town hall mayor was the issue with the terrace and what they're allowed to have in their green space in their backyard. Is that something we could amend to include in this to that specific area?

But is there a pattern book that's attached to this ordinance?

For the project. So none of the bylaws or the bylines that are here pertain to outdoor structures? Correct. Is there anything here? Because I see like front yard, side streets, rear parking, but I don't see anything that has to do with...

But we are working on that then to be submitted. Yes. Okay. All right. Thank you. Motion.

We have a motion from Councilwoman Monica Perez.

Okay. I thought you had done the first motion, right?

That's right. So we have a second from? Rodriguez. You want to take this one over? Second from Councilman Louis Rodriguez. Why are you confusing me? I'm an old man here. Okay, please call the roll.

Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Item C. Madam Clerk, please.

Item 11C is on first reading, not open for public discussion, but did you have any questions, Councilman Gonzalez, for the attorney, perhaps?

Yeah. So with grandfather in, I guess... Those that legally, based on the law that passed in 2024, they would have to, I guess, file an application coming from the city. Are we also limiting boat owners to have one boat per household? Madam Attorney? Mm-hmm.

But we are grandfathering somebody who's lawful in the first place. Is that what we're doing?

But they were illegal in the first place. Is that the only... cost or application that they would have to incur. Last time we discussed here, we were talking about even... No, no, no.

Well, I'm not entirely happy about it, even the law on 24, living in one boat per household, because some people have the space.

These are townhouses we're talking about. We're not discussing the limits on residential boats.

It's not, I know. No. But that was what was passed in 24.

So we're only going to grandfather those. The one boat, yeah. And that it's in townhomes or multifamilies, duplexes?

Yeah, that doesn't change. I'm not happy about the one vote that was passed in 24. But if we're going to grandfather some people in here, it's going to help them right now. But I'm not okay with that 24 ordinance that was passed back then. But I guess I'll support this based on that.

Motion from Luis Gonzalez for... Ordinance 11C, second from William Marrero for 11C. Please call the roll.

So this would also grandfather them into single families and townhomes. So everybody with a single family would have to pay $150 to have a house?

I think the only change was one boat per household or the townhomes, multifamily or duplexes was the change in 24, if I remember looking it up correctly. The setbacks were there already.

Multifamily and condos were not in that. They were always prohibited. We made no changes there. The only change we made prohibiting it was in the townhouses. Basically, the home we did is limited to one boat.

But you said the only change was in the townhomes, that you approved it was in the townhomes. You just said that.

We created a prohibition on January 29th of 24 for townhomes, which didn't exist before.

But I just said the setbacks, I believe, were the same before.

Yeah, in the single family, yes. Yeah, that didn't change. All right. So all we're doing today is redressing those people who lost a privilege they had before January 29th of 2024. We're restoring them in any townhouse.

But the setbacks in a townhome even before that were three feet even before the sidewalk as well.

The setback was still the same in townhouse before.

They're going to park theirs... Most of them would park in the front of the property.

Well, depending on the size, 23 or less, you could have had it in the front with a setback of three feet before the sidewalk. And what happened in 24, you guys said, nope. Some of you guys, not all of you guys.

Okay. All right. So this is only for the townhomes, okay? What would the people who would feel the difference now? And okay, so we have two motions. Can we call the roll on it?

Thank you. Item 11D is on first reading, not open for public discussion, but certainly open for our discussion or our pleasure. Motion. 11D. We have a motion from Councilman Luis Rodriguez on 11D and a second from Councilman William Marrero. Please call the roll.

Item 11E is on first reading. Open only to our discussion on the dais. Any questions? Otherwise, pleasure of the council on 11E. Motion from Councilman Jalene Perez.

Second from Councilman Luis Rodriguez. Please call the roll.

Thank you. Item 12, unfinished business. Unfinished business. New business, item 13. No business. Okay. Yeah. Okay. We're going to move to zoning, but before we move on to zoning, let's take another break, but this time it's solid. So it's going to be, it's 834, six minute break, 840, just to call it even. So we are taking a break at 834 PM to... Call to order again at 840. a 2026 back to order at 840pm. Thank you. Okay, so we're at zoning. So Madam Clerk,

Thank you all. Okay, moving on to zoning 15A, Madam Clerk, final resolution, final decision.

and start my video. Sorry, I was having technical difficulty. All right, 17, I'm sorry, 15A is a final decision, resolution. Questions from the council? Motion from Councilman Luis Gonzalez. Second, did you say? Yes, second. Okay, second from Councilman Luis Rodriguez. Please call the roll.

Thank you. Claudia, was this a self-reported violation that they're correcting? Okay. No, but they're correcting it. That's good. All right. Thank you. All right, 16A.

Okay, 17, I'm sorry, 16A, land use amendment, is on second reading, open for public discussion. Stand by, Hugo. I know you've got two other items related to this after that, and if I have no objections, we'll do them right afterwards. So...

Okay. You want to wait till the second? This is, oh, okay. Okay. The second item for tonight, 17 C. Okay. All right. Does anybody want to speak on this one? The land use amendment on.

If nobody objects, we'll listen to the three related items.

You don't want to do it that way. Okay. We'll let you. Yeah. Yeah. So we don't.

I have to agree with what the applicant suggested. So thank you. Former president.

Do you want to, Bill, do you want to, so who do we hear from first? Are you specifically about the land use, right, Bill, is what you're going to talk about now?

You're welcome. Do we need a, yeah, we're going to need a translator here.

Un momentico, señora Acevedo. Gracias. Perdona. Are we going to need to translate for zoning? I'm going to read a statement. Yeah, we still have to. If she's going to speak in Spanish, we have to for the record. She's not? I'm going to read this. Because she just said, she just introduced herself. Okay.

This video is going to go over your three minutes, so we may have to yield some time. I'm sorry. Madam Attorney?

Yes. Yeah, it's a two minute video. Well, then we gotta yield some time from somebody else, because we got 33 seconds left. Bill, your client isn't helping himself, okay? I mean, you know, thank you. Go ahead. Oh, well, what's happening now?

Just give some narrative, if everybody can hear me.

But this is going to go away if this project happens.

Thank you, sir. We have another speaker on behalf of that. Go ahead, sir. Name and address for the record. You have three minutes.

That is it for the speakers in opposition. Mr. Arza, what say you, sir?

It's going to be gone as well. Yeah, this this the source of all those problems.

But I mean, the product, not the triangle.

Thank you. You were quick before you. Yes, sir. I lost Michael. Through the chair. Okay. The project, let's say where everything goes through, what's your timeline usually?

And the next question will be the hours of operation for this business.

Anyone else, any questions for Hugo or Bill?

I'm sorry. Well, maybe she needs clever. We did meet that. We did comply with the notification. Yes or no.

We have a motion from, unless, okay. Motion from Councilman William Marrero on 16A and a second from Councilman Luis Gonzalez. Please call the roll.

If nobody has any objection, we'll move on to 17C. Madam Clerk, could you read that into the record, please? Thank you.

Thank you. Item 17C is on second reading. We've heard from... Public comment in opposition. Motion to approve. And we have a motion to approve on 17C from Luis Gonzalez. Second from Councilman William Marrero. Please call the roll.

Thank you. We're moving to 17E. Madam Clerk.

Second reading, but public comments have been heard. Pleasure of the council on 17E. Motion from Councilman Luis Gonzalez. Second from Councilman William Marrero. Please call the roll. Mr. Zogby? Yes.

Thank you all. Have a good evening. Have a good night. Have a good night, Bill. Thank you all.

Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. Madam Clerk, item 17B, please.

Item 17B is on second reading, open for public discussion. First reading. 17B? Yes. Second reading.

Yes, we are. Oh, that's right. I was wondering why you got up. You're the lobbyist on this one, Frank. Did you know that? I have it. First reading. Sir, go ahead. Anybody have any questions for Frank? Go ahead.

Well said, Frank. We have a motion from Councilman Gonzalez. We have a second from William Marrero. Please call the roll. Yes. I'm sorry. Are you open for public hearing? No, not. This is on first reading. Yeah, yeah. Okay. Thank you.

There is one property next to it that is still a kennel. You're kidding. Okay, great. Thank you, Frankie. Okay, now we can go to 17B, right? Yes? Yes. I think we're done with, yes. Okay, 17B.

Hmm. Mr. Gombardi? Good evening. Good evening, sir. Did you want to... This is on second reading. We can take public comments, too. Do we have any? Does anyone have any questions? No? Okay. We have a motion for 17B from... Luis Rodriguez. And we have a second from Councilman Luis Gonzalez. Please call the roll.

We know that. Thank you, sir. Thank you for reminding us. Thank you. Okay. I think we're moving on to 17D, right? That's right. Okay.

Yes. I'm sorry. Wait a minute. Public participation, nobody. Go ahead.

I don't know if he needs to, does he need to do that? No. No, let's not, let's not get into that at this point. Yeah. Okay.

So we have a, thank you. We have a motion to table from Councilman William Marrero.

We have a second from Councilman Luis Rodriguez to table the item till September 22nd.

Okay, so pleasure of the council on this?

Can you tell me a little bit about this company that's coming? What's the name?

Oh, either one. So just give me some of the background information.

And some of the retail space, it's going to be around the little pockets. They're going to have like a little cafe, you said, right?

Thank you. Claudia, can I ask you a question? The contribution that the applicant wants to make to the High Line, do we have like a designated nonprofit account that's meant for these kind of funds that we could just put away until we have collected suffice money from those participants that are through that mile of the High Line to then eventually develop that project?

For the Highline. Currently, I don't know if you would, but I'm going to ask either way. Do we currently have a balanced number of how much is in that account for the Highline currently?

But you don't know off the top of your head, like what's the balance previously?

But we achieved that by us transferring our money, our general fund money into that for capital projects? It came from impact fees. From impact fees. Okay. So what's like an average that we got? Do you know?

Okay, but no applicant has ever really donated to this at all?

Okay. I would be interested in seeing who those players are, who those applicants are, if you don't mind sending me a list of those. And just because we're asking for... They're asking for a variance due to our code, the way it was written, right? Because we are the mistake. We had written office slash retail. So therefore, the word office is an assumption to the lease that was given.

All right. Thank you, Claudia. I appreciate it. I motion to approve.

We have a motion to approve on D. Second. We have a second to approve on D. Please call the roll.

Thank you. This is on first reading, not open for public discussion. But certainly, OK. Is it one house? What's the size of this lot? We want to put a duplex on a 3,500 square foot lot?

Oh, these are two folios. Yeah, it's two lots. OK, got you. Uh, okay.

We have a motion from, thank you. Oh, go ahead.

You're next to each other on West 24th Street.

If I may through the chair? Yes, ma'am. But there's no other duplex within the radius? They're all single family homes or the church, right?

Yeah. Okay. So this is... Where's the rec room here? No.

Our rec room is in the... Isn't like the virtual, isn't the virtual rec room there? I thought it was there where this, where the duplex is. No, I guess it's here. Am I 545 Seminola? Is that it?

Go across the street. It's a duplex. It's a duplex. And then you keep going and then there's a single family. Okay. That's where I want to do the other duplex.

Got it. Got it. I understand. Thank you.

Yes. Okay. From Councilman Luis Gonzalez. Second from Councilman Luis Rodriguez. Please call the roll.

Thank you. Thank you, Chair. Item 17G, Madam Clerk, please.

Item G is on first reading, 17G, not open for public discussion, but certainly open for questions from the dais. um claudia question that's the only uh variants they want the uh setback the site west side site setback that's correct okay and then they're legalizing an addition yeah okay and that but that's the only thing they need to legalize and i just that's correct Yeah, okay. Like two feet. All right. Motion to... Anybody have any questions? We have a motion from Councilman Gonzalez. Luis Gonzalez, we have a second from Councilman Luis Rodriguez. Please call the roll.

Thank you. If no one else has any comments, I will adjourn the meeting, the council meeting of September 8th, 2026 at 9.57 p.m.