City Commission - Regular Meeting

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Please take your seats. The meeting is about to begin. Remember to speak into the microphone as this meeting is being recorded for public record. Please stand by. We are going on air in 5 4 3 2 1.

Good morning. Good morning and welcome to the March 25th, 2026 uh meeting of the public safety and neighborhood qual quality of life committee. I'm Alex Fernandez. I'm the chair of the committee. I'm joined by our vice chair, Commissioner Laura Dominguez. Thank you everyone who is joining us in the audience. I'm going to pass it over to uh staff to read the public comments into the sec into the record.

Good morning. Today's meeting will be a hybrid meeting with members of the committee being physically present at the commission chambers. Members of the public who wish to attend the meeting or provide public comment in person may appear at the commission chambers. Members of the public who want to participate or provide comment virtually during the meeting may join with the Zoom app or dialing 13126266799. And those are the only notes we have for today.

Thank you. We're then going to open up the public opportunity to be heard our citizens forum that that we've instituted at the public safety committee. Members of the public wishing to speak are welcome to approach uh the podium. You'll be afforded two minutes to speak. I ask you to please state your name for for the record and address the deis. Don't address any commissioner or committee member individually. And with that, uh if you're on Zoom, uh you can raise your your hand on Zoom. And if you're in the audience, please feel free to approach the podium. Please approach approach the podium when your items called. I just didn't know. Good morning. Yes. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. There's an item on your agenda today.

Yes. A small plumbed bird bath for Bell Isle. This is my two-minute comment. Um at the finance committee ear meeting earlier this month, Minkas remarked that this small project would quote impact thousands of people unquote and that she'd need to check with the residents association on Bell. Okay. I'm just going to ask you for a favor. Keep the comments directed to the DAS. We don't mention we don't mention commissioners by name.

Objection from board members. Okay. I'm sorry. So, thank you. Okay. So to gauge support for the bird bath um the Bell Isle residence association they had a scandal last year and received um 1.2 million from a developer for a zoning change at the standard hotel um and increase F. Um since then its leadership has resigned and they were dragged before the ethics commission. I spent 12 years on the bureau board on Bell Isle when it was under the leadership of Herb Frank and Scott Divenderfer 10 as the secretary. In the early 90s, I was on the pack to reszone the north half of El Bell Isle. I've served on with Barbara Biso on the Venetian causeway. I worked on Sai Galbber's campaign. I've taken the leadership academy. I know Bell Isle very well. I've lived there 40 years. I went to the residence after the finance committee meeting 16 days ago. They strongly support the bird bath. In the 16 days, I've easily gathered gathered 125 signatures and support. The only person who would not sign it is the new head of the Bell Ale residents association. Um he did not object but he did wouldn't sign the petition. Um they've never had a community meeting. They have no website. There's no way to contact them. So I question whether these unelected individuals could be spokespeople for Bell Isle. Um please vote to approve the Little Bird Bath. And thank you John Reebar uh for a parks department. Bell Ale is ideally suited for this due to our lack of feral cats. I don't want it in another park. Um, we condo dwellers want the same things that people with houses can have. The community gardens, the bird feeders, the bird baths. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Any other members of the public wishing to speak in person? Uh, please approach the podium. My my name is My name is Theo Karen Salis. I'm chair of the Miami Dade Commission on Disability Issues and I also speak as someone who personally depends on accessible parking. I'm asking I'm asking this committee and the administration to step up enforcement and adopt a zero tolerance approach um to disabled parking abuse. Disabled parking abuse in Miami Beach is real, recurring, and and too often tolerated. Recently at Flamingo Park, an event crew parked a roughly 20 foot box truck in a marked disabled parking space and blocked the access aisle while unloading for a city event. They had no valid disabled placard. Yet, police chose not to issue a ticket. That should never happen. A disabled parking space is not a loading zone or a convenience space. A police sergeant's claim that someone was unloading or about to leave does not make the violation lawful. I have also searched for disabled street parking on Alton Road between 10th and 11th streets as well as around 1200 Michigan and those spaces are often occupied by vehicles with no placards. Placard fraud is real. Two years ago, Miami Beach police called me to testify in a case involving a woman who sold upward of 500 disabled parking placards. If a visible disabled parking violation during a publicly announced high impact

enforcement period does not result in a citation, the message is that these laws are optional, but they're not optional for disabled people. Accessible parking is a civil rights issue. I urge this committee and the administration to adopt a zero tolerance approach. Ticket vehicles with no placard, move them out. And when a placard is being used fraudulently, issue the criminal citation the law allows. Thank you.

Thank you, sir. And thank you for your advocacy. And we'll work on an item to bring forward to committee to work on this. I asked the administration and our city attorney's office to help me draft an item to refer so we can uh address this issue and potentially a referral to the inspector general's office. Thank you so much. I see Julian Kerr on Zoom with his hand raised. Julian, good morning. Uh please unmute yourself. You have two minutes to speak.

Good morning, Julian. I think we lost Julian. Rachel Seagull. Uh, good morning, Rachel. You're uh, please unmute yourself. You have two minutes to speak. Okay, I can't wait. Good morning.

Hi. Good morning. My name is Rachel Seagull and I have an eight pound dog and I really uh go to the park. We used to go to the park and a bunch of us with small dogs that weigh around 10 lb, 12 lb would get together and play because even though there's a dog park not too far away, there are large dogs there and our little dogs are not allowed to play. Well, they're allowed to play, but they can't play because these big dogs are dominating the park. What we're asking for is not to just be allowed at the park at any time. We're asking to just be given some time in the morning when there is no one there between like 7 and 9 in the morning so that our little guys have the same rights as the big dogs, which is to go out and play as much as they want. Uh so there is a CL small dog park um

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C4L dog park um being being discussed today at committee and we really would like to there's a whole bunch of us and I have a bunch of signatures of people who feel the same way just let our dogs free. They have the right even though they're little. They have just as much right as the 100 pound dogs that are running freely in the dog park. And when I first moved here, there was a period there was a small area that was uh leash free in the green in what we call the green. So, I would really appreciate if you guys would look at that and think of the little little dogs that have just as much right to play and run as the big dogs. Thank you.

Thank you, Rachel. And just for the record, Rachel was speaking about item number eight on the agenda. Any other members of the public in attending in person wishing to speak? Seeing none, I'm going to go back to Zoom. Mitch Novik, good morning. Uh, please unmute yourself. You have two minutes to speak. Good morning, Mitch Novik. I'm for Bird Baths, a little dog park and a big dog park or parks. Uh, Washington Avenue. I was expecting a substantive conversation yesterday. Seems like you guys are kicking the can down the road or up the road. It's uh it's in a depable state and it's really embarrassing. I I traverse uh Washington Avenue several times a day. You guys got to really focus in on giving incentives for that street to be redeveloped. Once that street should get redeveloped, it's going to filter off to Collins and Ocean Drive in the Flamingo Park area and uh prosperity will once again emerge. Thank you.

Thank you. And for the record, uh Mitch was referring to an item of the land use committee of which I am no longer the chair, so I am not able to control when the items are called in that committee. Uh Alyssa, uh you have your hand raised on Zoom. Good morning. You have two minutes to speak. Hi. Um, Alisa Berg, I'm just seconding um Rachel Seagull's um comment on the small dog park and just wanted to clarify that we're looking for off leash time on the grassy area on either side of Smith and Molinsky, not in the dog park itself. And um um anyway, we're asking for, you know, like maybe early early time in the morning to be able to be off leash and I just am here to support that.

Thank you and thank you for your participation. Please approach the podium.

Good morning. Hopefully I'll get a 30 second compliment. Um, but 7 years ago, I came up here and encouraged our city to deploy our local fitness and and sports instructors for the month of March and it's paying off. It's the events are doing so wonderfully and we're rebranding this city. It's super inspiring. I've lived here for nine years. Sorry, Kevin Krueger. Um, I lived here for nine years and it's such an inspiring city. We're the fountain of youth. We're heading towards blue zone. Um, the police first responders have been amazing, of course, as they always have. And I think the community's really bonded well with them and just compliments to the city and our residents and all the the super producers doing these wonderful sports and fitness activations. Thank you, Kevin, and thank you for being such such a passionate advocate for for our city and a visionary as well. Uh, Julian Kerr, good morning. You have your hand raised on Zoom. Please unmute yourself. You have two minutes to speak. and we're going to rec.

Good morning, chair. Good morning, chair and members of the committee. My name is Julian Kerr and I'm here on behalf of the arts coalition. We want to begin by thanking you for your time and for your work that you do for the city. Over the past weeks, we have organized as a commission as a coalition and have been actively engaging with the commissioners, city staff, and stakeholders such as the Lincoln Road B. and we want to thank you for taking the time uh to meet with us. Each member on this committee right now has taken the time to meet with us and we really appreciate that. We're here today as partners committed in helping strengthen and modernize the art vendor program. Our goal is simple, to help Miami Beach develop an art program that reflects the quality, structure, and cultural significance expected of a worldclass international art city. While we're still waiting for referral from the commission, we ask that this committee support placing the art vendor program on a future agenda so we can begin to collaborate and have a comprehensive review process of the ordinance. Thank you so much. Thank you, Julian. Any other members of the public wishing to speak?

Good morning. Please approach the podium. Please state your name for the record. You'll have two minutes to speak.

Greetings, everyone. Um, my name is Brenda Jordan. I'm a beach resident for over 30 years and I'm part of the artist um coalition and I thank you for listening to us. I thank everyone who's involved in helping us because as you know we host Art Basle which is one of the biggest um arts events in the whole of the United States and our program should reflect the beauty the presence of the artists here on the beach and with the ordinance that was put together it was without any artist's input. So, I respectfully ask everyone to change this ordinance where it reflects um artists input, commission input because we see a side that the city doesn't see because we're actually working in the trenches. So, I want this program to be a viable artist program for everyone, for this city that reflects the beauty and the diverse culture of our city. So, I thank you for your help and I ask that you we guide each other that it's beneficial for the city, you know, and beneficial for us and reflects our international community. So, thank you so much.

Thank you, Brenda. And just for the record, uh I believe our vice mayor, Monica Matel Selenas, had sponsored a referral at commission. Um I think it's still pending to be heard at commission so that then the item can be heard here at at the committee level. Thank you so much for Please. Good morning. Welcome.

Good morning. My name is Janet Figura. I'm also one of the artist vendors that is left out because of the ordinance. Um, I live out of Miami Beach, but even though I live out of Miami Beach, I've been an artist vendor here for 10 years. And I have managed to help a lot of our tourists when they come in and they ask us questions like, "Where's the trolley, where's the bus, where's the stores, where's the the ocean drive, anything that they come up and ask us, even the bathroom, they they ask us all these questions." and I have made it my business to be informed about your city for the 10 years that I've been here. And I have managed to be able to give them information, making the people feel comfortable and happy that there's someone out there to answer a question when they need it. Even if we artist vendors and we're looking at our stuff and making our stuff sometimes on site, we still stop what we're doing and take out the time to talk to these people and give them direction. And it's also the people are very happy about it because they say thank you, you took out the time to let us know and give us direction. So it's very important that this programs stays in our city because it's economic growth will help also the city itself. People like the idea of being able to say, "Uh, ma'am, could you please direct me to the Lincoln Road Mall?" And I said, "It's two blocks down." Or, "Ma'am, where is um the the the city hall?" or where is um the Apple store, where is Ocean Drive, all of these because we have this knowledge that we've been around this city for so long because our our spots are in so many different locations, we are able to

pick up all this information. We absorbed all this information and we could pass it forward and we do this for free. We don't ask any money from the city to do this. Well, thank you so much and thank you for participating in today's meeting. Thank you. Um, any other members of the public wishing to speak on items on the agenda or not on the agenda? Seeing none approaching the podium in person and no one with their hands raised on Zoom, I'm going to close the public opportunity uh to be heard. And with that, I'm going to move on to our reports and updates. I'm going to suggest that we adopt uh these uh reports and updates unless Commissioner um Dominguez unless there's an update that you want to separate for discussion.

Um number two, I do want to hear the vehicular noise, the car noise. Um no, I mean I mean the uh on the reports and updates on the agenda. Oh, I was in old business. Sorry. Let's see. important updates. Um, I met with Barbara, let me see, I met with Barbara Hulani on Monday and I'm working with uh facilities and other departments. So, we can defer that uh for next month. um the convention center hotel. I mean my understanding is that the topping office is in July of this year and

it remains on track for completion on late 2027. Yeah. Um I mean the guy is here. I I hate to have him be here. Well, I want to run an efficient meeting and so and so if we are fine with the reports provided by staff, we can simply make a motion to I want to hear about the pedestrian bridge. Okay. So with that, we'll make a motion. Will uh would you proer a motion to adopt reports number one and two? Um is that is that fine? Yes. All right. So we can show that done by acclamation. And with that, let's go to report number three.

Good morning. I'm Maria Cerna with the Office of Capital Improvements. Um we're here to provide a um a brief uh to tell you where we are with FPNL on the pedestrian bridge. Yes.

Sure. My name is Ariel Gutian. I'm the division director for CIP. Um we have met with uh FPNL recently in the last couple weeks, especially this week, and they are scheduled to commence their trace. They're going to be running a tracer wire within the feeder line to have a better location to get a better better location of the the feeder location. So, uh they're going to be running that sometime either today or tomorrow. They're going to be performing that work. At the same time, they have already gotten their FDOT permit. um they're working on their dewatering permit with DURM and they're expected to be giving us an MOT permit uh for for possible uh closures at in the future when they do the exploratory digging after they receive their permitting.

So that's the So the FDLT permit is for the bridge structure itself or it says for for for the work the exploratory digging that they're doing now for the exploratory digging. Okay. So, just to be clear on the record, the FDOT permit that was received is for the exploratory digging, not ne uh but the FDOT permit for the for the structure itself is still under review. That is correct. Okay, that is correct. Just just just for clarity. Um and we're waiting on DURM to approve the dewatering permit. The dewatering permit. That is correct.

Okay. Have we been been in touch with anyone at Durm at the county uh to have an estimate as to how long uh this process could could go on for in the review and issuance of permit? The FPNL is working with the contractor to piggyback on their on their uh their permit or dewatering permit that they currently have. So, they're trying to modify that permit uh with the contractor. So, um they've been in contact with them. Have they I don't know if they we don't we will have to find out, but I'm I know they've been in contact with the contractor to uh to modify their permit with DURM. So, I will have to find out for you. So, we don't know how long this permit review because the concern is that at times with DURM.

Mhm. You know, like most regulatory agencies, these reviews can take a prolonged period of time, right? Uh, and so, you know, I'm just wondering, you know, do we have any idea of how long this review could go on for? That that FPL has been handling that directly with Florida Civil, which is the watering contractor. We haven't been engaged in that process because it is FPL's process, but I can get I can get that that response to you and send it to you. We'll find out. That'd be great. It's a modification, so it's not a full permit, so it should be less, but I I can't speak for Durham.

Okay. Commissioner Dominguez. That gives me the update that I'm looking for because um I wanted to ensure that FPL was uh coming through because initially there was push back. Yeah, we had a Yes, they're continuing to have a meetings with us uh with staff. Uh we had one last uh yesterday. So we continue to have um continue conversations with them.

Have they as is there anyone from their senior team? uh because I I know we had concerns uh Commissioner Dominguez, you know, raised your concerns at committee last meeting um about the delays. Um has has FPL assigned anyone to focus on this to make sure that they understand the severity and the importance of this project? Yes, they have. They have their their transmission engineer uh who's in charge of of of of this activity to make sure you know to find the feeder lines. So yes, they have assigned a a senior engineer a senior engineer to this to this task. Okay, Alice, good morning. Good morning.

I see you approaching the podium. You're welcome to speak. Um no, just we're we're working with FPNL and and they they devised this plan for an exploration. Um but just be aware that that exploration is about 150 ft away from the place where the foundations have to go in. Um, so it's it's going to give them some information as to their whether it's a single line or multiple lines. Um, but but at they're going to excavate at a depth of maybe 20 ft and it's 150 ft away. So it's still not going to be completely clear where the lines are at at the place where the foundations need to be built.

Okay, great. Thank you. With that, uh, we'll we'll set the report and we'll hear these three reports again next month. Thank you. Thank you. Um, uh, Stephanie, let's call item number one. Item number one is discuss directing the city administration to develop a program to implement an annual flat fee resident parking permit for on street parking and lot parking in non-residential zones. This item was sponsored by Commissioner Fernandez.

Thank you, uh, Stephanie. Good morning. Uh this is an item I placed on the agenda uh to to propose an initiative to develop a program for an annual flat fee uh resident parking program from for on street and lot parking and non-residential zones. Uh and this is you know program that I want to propose for for for the convenience of our residents. I know that over time perhaps there has been some misinformation or some misunderstanding on the intent of of the program and the framework and I'd like to ask uh PJ if you have the presentation um about on on this item so we can present this. Um, so you know, this is a simple idea to improve the the experience that every Miami Beach uh resident uh has as they go about their their daily activities, their errands, taking their kids to school, you know, going to the coffee shop, getting their hair done. Uh it's about making everyday life in Miami Beach a little bit easier uh for for our residents in a way that is thoughtful and balanced and uh fiscally responsible. PJ we can go to the next slide. Um so right now in most cases uh residents can actually find parking um pretty easily. That's not the primary issue. The issue is what happens after our residents find parking. And today, um, using that space, that public parking space requires our residents to open an app, to they don't have an account to create the account. They have an account to log into the account to remember their password to start the session to put in their credit card

information and to manage that parking session as you know they're getting their nails done and their nails are wet and then there you see them you know trying to you know figure it out how to extend or sometimes my best my best example I'm going to roast on my aid Carara say hi Cara Carara going going to do her her workouts in the morning with two or three bags and a jetty in her hand and a big set of keys. Uh, and it's impossible for you to be able to pull out your phone. Uh, that's you too, Stephanie. Um, so this may seem small, but it adds inconvenience to the everyday life of of our residents. If we could go to the next slide, PJ. Um, and that inconvenience, you know, shows up in real ways. As I was mentioning, you know, people are carrying their grocery, they're managing their kids. Uh, they're getting caught up in the rain. Uh, and they're still needing to stop and pull out their phone and interact with the parking sessions. It's not necessarily intuitive. Um, and um, and it's not necessarily seamless. is not how residents how it's not the best experience that we could give residents. It's an okay experience. It works in a lot of places, but I think we always want to be leading in making our city and our public services more convenient for the residents and the taxpayers of our city who we serve. And we can go to the next slide. And so, you know, it doesn't stop once once you've parked. Residents are constantly thinking about the clock on their app, needing to check their phones, extending uh the parking sess session or interrupt what they're doing, whether it's a coffee meeting or whether it's getting a haircut or whether, you

know, is you know doing an activity with their with their kids. Um it's they're rushing to avoid getting a ticket and at that point the system isn't necessarily serving the residents. Um, the system is serving the system and and the residents are serving the system at that point where residents need to interrupt what they're doing on a daily basis to stay on top of of an app. And we can go to the next slide. And here are my everyday moments that I'm using as as an example. And and in each one of them, we're asking residents to stop what they're doing, not because they've done something wrong, but because the system uh the bureaucracy requires them to have constant management. So whether you're the mom, you know, with your kids and a bunch of bags, uh, trying to get through your daily life, or whether you're just some guy doing yoga on the beach, and now you need to interrupt your zen, uh, to open up your, uh, your your phone and extend your parking session, or whether you're someone getting your nails done in in a in a salon and your nails are wet and you're having to, you know, fumble around with your phone and tap the screen with your wet nails. you know this is what we're trying to uh fix. We can go to the next slide. So the core issue is that these are public parking spaces and they should be simple. They should be intuitive and more importantly residents uh are not asking for more parking spaces. They're asking for better experience using uh the spaces that we have. And that means less friction, more convenience, less parking tickets, less toes. That is what our residents are asking for. And we can go to the next slide.

So, so here's my proposal. Um, my proposal is to create an optional $150 annual resident parking permit. Residents can park for up to two hours in public parking spaces without needing to open up an app, without needing to start a session, without needing to manage their time. They simply pull up, they park, and they go. This is about restoring the simplicity to something residents use every single day. The same way we give the same privilege we give us as elected officials that we just we have a parking decal that we can just pull up into any parking space and we can park and go and the same uh the same privilege we give to bureaucrats uh that that that that they can just park and go. extending that same convenience to the residents who we serve, but having them pay the the annual resident permit uh fee at the beginning of of the year. We can go to the next slide

and so I'm sorry there was a public opportunity to be heard and yeah, please ma'am we thank you. So this is a targeted and a controlled pilot. It applies in nonresidential zones. It m it it it would apply for two hours so that we maintain uh turnover. It operates uh it would operate citywide during during a pilot period including during high demand periods. And in other words, um we're not necessarily changing the fundamentals of a system because we're still providing for a turnover um while we improve how residents interact with the system. If we could go to the next slide and so now this is the important part because obviously we have a responsibility to the finances of our city. So this must be financially responsible. And today our parking system generates approximately $20 million annually. Of those $20 million annually that our parking enterprise generates, more than 90% of that revenue comes from nonresidents. So that's very important. 90% of it comes from non-residents from visitors. While residents uh despite representing about 20% of the transactions generate only about 6 to 7% of the revenue. And what this tells us is that residents are frequent users of the system which is a good thing but they are not necessarily the primary revenue drivers of our parking system. So the system, our parking system is overwhelmingly funded

by visitor demand by the people who come to our city to spend money in in our city. And so it makes sense. It makes sense that the visitors who come to spend money in our city are the ones who are the primary revenue drivers of our um of our enterprise fund. And that gives us the ability to focus adjustments where revenues are generated while protecting the overall stability of the system and improving the resident experience. And we can go to the next slide. And so taking a closer look at the numbers, approximately 18 to 19 million of our parking revenue is generated by non residents. And so what I what I'm proposing is looking at a possibility of doing a modest adjustments for non residents for the visitors who are coming to our city to spend money adjusting it from four to $5 dollar representing a 25% adjustment applied to the primary revenue base and even after accounting you know for behavioral changes if we can go back to the previous slide PJ. Okay. Um it even after accounting uh for for uh for behavioral changes, you know, assuming people because of the change of the parking rate, they stay slightly shorter or there's a drop in demand. Uh we could conservatively expect additional revenues in the range of approximately $2 to $3 million annually with this slight adjustment in the nonresident uh parking rate. Under more favorable conditions, you know, we could maybe expect uh numbers could

approach up to $4 million. Um and you know even in these more conservative scenarios the system remains financially stable and would actually generate money uh for for for the enterprise fund. At the same time, the annual permit would create a predictable and a stable contribution for residents. Residents who would pay this this uh annual fee replacing was a fragmented peruse transaction fee to an annual stable fee that residents could pay at the beginning of the year. So I want to make it very clear you know what I'm proposing here for the convenience of our residents is not something that that is reducing revenue is actually improving how revenue is generated in a way that is more rational more conscious of the convenience of our residents is more balanced and more aligned with how residents actually use the system and most importantly you know this will be uh validated through a pilot program before we make it to a permanent program. And we can go to the next slide. And so, um, when we're talking about, you know, potentially raising the rates, uh, for for for non-residents, you know, we're not stepping outside of the of the market here. When we see our neighbor directly to the north, a municipality like Surfside, Surfside is already charging $5 an hour for non-residents. So, so this is not an outlier is an alignment uh with with already a practice that you know our neighbor on the barrier island directly to the north is already doing. So, we're simply applying that reality in a way that

benefits the residents who we serve and who have placed their trust in us. And we can go to the next slide, PJ. So this creates, I believe, a more balanced system where visitors um continue to um help manage demand through pricing. Uh which is appropriate in a high high destination, high demand destination like ours. Uh here in Miami Beach, uh residents got simplicity and predictability and convenience. And the city, the city, why is this good for the city? Well, the city and the enterprise fund, the parking enterprise fund maintains both revenues and operational efficiency. It's a better alignment of who uses the the system and how the system is ultimately funded. And if we can go to the last slide. And so, you know, at the end of the day, uh, we're not giving anything away. We're not creating free parking, but we are improving a system that residents interact with every single day. Uh, we're making government work a little bit better, a little bit smarter, a little bit more human. Uh, for our residents is simpler, it's fairer, and it's financially, I believe, responsible. And I look forward to working with our staff, with my colleagues uh to refine this as uh as hopefully we implement a pilot program and deliver something meaningful for for our residents. And uh and with that um I want to uh thank the parking director for for entertaining this idea and I pass it to you for your feedback. Uh Will McDonald, director of parking, city mine beach. Uh commissioner, I appreciate uh the partnership that you've shown with the administration on this particular topic. Um I I I will say

I'm glad that you understand and and I and I know that sometimes I'm I I'm very passionate about uh managing the curb and managing demand through pricing. Um it's it's not something that is very well I will say considered within the municipality realm. Um, being a resident myself, um, I think that Miami Beach goes above and beyond for residents and I will always continue to to strive and advocate for that. Um, however, I also, you know, have the soft spot for looking at the system. Um, as a as a whole, um, I I appreciate the opportunity to pilot this. Um I know there's that saying that sometimes pilots never go away but um what I can um commit we if possible I would prefer to keep it on the streets. Um we can have some discussions later. Um I I understand uh we would need just a little bit of time to ramp this up to better out uh uh come back to the committee or the commission to lay out how we would run the program. there would have to be some operational details, some technological solutions that we would have to solve behind the scenes. Um um but we can do our best to make this happen and I appreciate the uh the thought process behind maintaining an A+ credit rating because should the city decide to move forward with any bonds for new parking garages, it will allow us to build those parking garages in a much more financially efficient manner.

And and thank you, Will. If we were to consider, you know, again, my priority and I think the priority of all of us as elected officials is of course the convenience of our of our residents, of course, the financial well-being of the enterprise fund is clearly very important. Um, but if we were to create this this pilot program, create uh this this uh annual park and go resident pass where they can just pay once at the beginning of the year and park at their convenience for up to two hours at uh at you know legal nonresidential uh pay for parking spaces. um if we were to increase the nonresident parking rate from $4 to $5 will what would what what will be the impact of that to the system?

So there will be so obviously it would it would raise revenue but um I I want to make it very clear that uh one of the reasons I left the private side to come to government is because I am not purely revenue focused. I believe in an ecosystem. And so the goal of this would be hopefully some of those individuals um that previously would say, "Hey, I'm going to go park on the curb." Uh would change their minds and go into a garage. Uh because the ultimate goal is us working hand with our transportation department during truly high impact times. On the day-to-day basis, it's not really that big of a deal. People are still probably going to choose the curb because if you're coming to Miami Beach, parking for three hours, $3 is not going to change that habit. Uh but during high demand periods um we hope to reduce traffic congestion from circling for those non-residents. Um so therefore if they say hey I can go to this garage for I'm going to be at my beach for six hours for an event rate of 16 or $20. Um versus 30 you know $40 at a higher event rate then that's what I'm going to do. So there will be the double benefit of there going to be some people that say I'll pay the curb no matter what. And there'll be other people that change habits because of pricing. um you know like a lot of Americans are having to do today um and they will go ahead and choose to move to off- streetet facilities which we absolutely love.

Yeah. And and one of the enlightening things for me which I didn't realize is that you know in the revenues when we look at the on street parking revenues uh those $20 million only you know six to 7% of it is is is resident generated and uh and so you're talking about less than $2 million is resident generated. And so if we if we look at the other 18% the other yeah the other um 18 million I'm sorry and you know raise that by by by a quarter you know from $4 to $5 you know being able to generate uh $4 million potentially in a very conservative way. We're actually making more money than what the resident portion of of the enterprise fund contributes, which I would imagine is good for for the for the health and the rating of the system.

It is. And and one of the things that I'd like to uh uh really focus on when I you know, it's still been less than a year, which I cannot believe. Uh when I initially interviewed with the manager um the comment that stuck with me is that we're a world-class city and we need worldclass facilities and you know kind of putting it you got to make that happen and um we are you know obviously the the new system that just went in that we're still kind of uh tweaking. We still got to put a few more cameras in certain places. The garages was kind of the first shoe to drop. Um you know I love the absolute the wrap that came out on Garage 7. So there's a lot of places in our system where um we we don't make for example I use our own city hall garage. Uh that garage does not exist to be a revenue maker. Um that garage exists to serve uh the employees that come to work at city hall and the residents that that come to do business and meet with their electeds or meet with department officials etc. Um so we utilize money. We take you know money that's made here and put it over here to subsidize those operations. And so my goal is going to be, you know, during my entire career here is to continually improve the system, continually to have well-painted curbs, clean garages, well-painted garages. Um, and so that revenue will always be helpful to ensure that when um I'll never lose the site, that parking is the first and last impression that somebody gets when they visit, whether it be a restaurant, a hotel, etc.

Oh, and hopefully that's a long career in the city because you're doing a great job. Commissioner Dominguez, you have any questions? I do. Yes, I do. Um, so this sounds like a great initiative for the residents. Um, I think the price is right. It's less than $3 a week if you were to u look at that and it's a great convenience and if sorry this was a long presentation so if you already said it my apologies. Um, this would apply to meters only or to the city lots and the garages as well. So it would not apply to garages because that is a different technology. I think there's some some conversation that still needs to be had regarding lots and meters and we can have that. Um

I would like us to consider lots uh as well if during the wonderful thing about a pilot program is that we can always make adjustments. Um I have more questions. Yeah, we can always make adjustments. I would like us to consider on street parking and lots clearly not include the garages. What I would do is the people who already pay that $70 a month fee in the garages, allow them because we have about what a 100 residents that use the garage and just under 180

just under 100. So we have just under 100 residents that already pay $70 a month to park in the garage, extend to them the courtesy of being able to participate in this pilot program. And um I don't know if I'd be a fan of raising the price of uh the parking to $5 if is that only for meters or is that for meters lots and garages? No. So that would only be for meters. our LS and garages are still looking. The reason why I um cringe a little with that is um

while growing up people loved coming to the beach and some of our uh closest customers are just over the bridge in the county and they've stopped coming here the last 10 years because everything is so difficult, so expensive. I would like comparison of not just Surfside uh but other municipalities. I quickly Googled um Coral Gables and their city lots are $4, their garages are $350 and their street parking is 350. So that's a dramatic change from here. While Surfside is similar to us in that they're a barrier island as well. They're very different from us um hotels, who visits them and all of that. So, I'd love more examples of of things, but I do appreciate that the rate increase would only be for the meters so that if somebody's coming from uh another municipality in the county, they still can get a reasonable rate at $4 per hour in a lot or a city garage. And I and I want to one of the things and I uh in general in it's best practices in in parking to have your on street be I'll say significantly higher and when I talk about significantly um I'm not talking you know like something insane during normal times but for example our lots and garages are only $2 an hour. So if for example we said, "Hey, we're going to go to lots and garages and on street at $4 an hour," no one would ever choose a garage or parking lot. So having for the for not only the health of the system but having that price disparity difference between off- streetet and on street parking is critical um to not only the health of the fund but also to traffic congestion because the minute that on street becomes as convenient or as cheap as off streetet um you now create a system where I will circle 18 times to find that one where I don't have to walk two

blocks. And I think to that point uh and you raised very good points, Commissioner Dominguez um and they're and they're they're very wellreceived um to the point that if we consider on non non residents on the visitors to raising only uh the on street parking rate and keeping the garages the same. It drives now the visitors to use the more affordable, the less expensive parking which is the garages while keeping the on street parking available for the residents who want to be able to, you know, run into the coffee shop, who want to be able to run into the barber shop, who want to be able to run into Fresh Market or wherever else. you know, it drives it drives the the uh the the other consumers into the garage uh because that's where the more the less expensive parking is at and and hopefully keeping the curb more available for our residents to be able to go about their daily activities.

So, oh my apologies. And how do we monitor that somebody stays there for two hours at a meter?

Uh so that depends. So for example in lots we are starting to deploy camera systems. Right before I arrived the commission had uh started a pilot with pave mobility to place cameras at the entrance and exits of every single lot. So we are able to electronically measure the minute somebody enters the minute that somebody leaves. um parking is going to advocate for not only an extension of that pilot but also an expansion uh because um it it really allows us to take those PES parking enforcement specialists out of just checking plates inside of a random lot and going out and solving quality of life issues i.e. the delivery challenges that are going you know to continue in Miami Beach um until we get all of delivery companies on board. uh it allows us to redeploy those assets for more quality of life rather than just did you pay at a random parking lot, you know, on the beach or in this zone or in that zone.

So, a parking enforcement specialist will monitor if somebody's at a spot for two hours.

Correct. So, um on street um so we are I am advocating which I will be bringing very soon as well um for the expansion of license mounted vehicle mounted license plate recognition. Right now, the city only has uh three vehicles that are fully operational. Um, and my my anticipation is we need 15. Um, and so the great thing about this technology, one, it's widely used, that's been widely used at every stop that I've had in my career, and it'll allow um our parking enforcement specialists to simply, for example, drive down Collins and they will be scanning every single plate. technology. If it, for example, this particular permit is, hey, we understand that's a uh two-hour resident, it will what we call time grab it. It will time mark it um in that zone. And uh then we will know if for example another PES drives by two and a half hours from now, the vehicle's still there. They'll be able to handle the situation depending on how

That's a great way to monitor and make sure that uh people aren't staying there for a week. Right. Correct. Correct. Um, great job, Commissioner Fernandez. Um, I'm supportive of this item. Let me know what needs to happen next. And so, it's And let me ask you, we also have certain areas in our city where we already have, like, for example, I know like Flamingo Drive. Flamingo Drive, I know we have in that residential area a limit of I believe it's two hours uh parking. So, we are already uh enforcing two-hour parking throughout different areas of our city. Correct. Time marking does exist. Uh essentially all of South of Fifth um is a 2-hour unpaid um non-resident limit. Um and so that time marking absolutely does take place and

and we're enforcing that. I would imagine

we are and I can promise you if any vehicle sits there for very long um our parking dispatch will get a call from a resident or business owner. So, so I'd like to make a motion um uh to send this back to to committee with a 12-month uh pilot program uh commencing at the start of the fiscal year. So, we have time to to to work on the implementation. So, let's say um a um a pilot program that commences October 1st of this year that would conclude uh on September 30th. And under the pilot, you know, residents will be permitted to park uh for up to two hours on street and on lots um in non-residential zones um and to have a review and an evaluation of the data collected to determine the feasibility of the program here at the public safety committee in April of next year. um so that we can see what changes we would have to make uh to to the program um you know sending it back to commission. I would propose a $150 uh annual fee because the whole idea is to is to make it accessible and consider um including those who are already the less than 100 residents that are already paying the $70 for parking in in the garage to include them um as part of of the pilot program. I leave it up to you, Will, if you want to add, you know, a fee so that if they choose to, you know, join this program, you know, you can determine that. Uh, so if if that's uh good with you, uh, Commissioner Dominguez, I can't make the motion, but if you if you'd be willing, I'll move it.

You move it and I'll second it. Are there members of the public wishing to speak on this item? I know you had a comment. I'm sorry. Please, if comments are made from the podium, Mr. Chairman, while she's walking up, the motion was for spaces and lots but not garages. Is that That's correct. I just wanted to ask a question. Is that inclusive of what people are paying for residential parking already or is that a separate

separate? So, so there are zones in the city uh where where where residents park for their zones and this would be separate. This is not this is not for the residential zones. These are uh for for the commercial areas of our city where you have on street uh pay by phone parking.

Okay. Good. Yes, one of one of the clarifications if I could uh first um I think uh one of the things that we've been able to do during the spring break uh and we're going to have some amazing data to show how um our whole goal for the on street pricing for example during the high demand period during spring break was to try to move individuals that were visiting into our garages which our garages were the most economical parking um that could be found during those high impact days in spring break. And what we have found is that we had less transactions on the curb compared to 2023. So we could maintain those curb space for residents who still pay the dollar an hour as well as um any individuals with placards. Um because obviously individuals with mobility issues, you know, while you have a space in a garage, um it doesn't make it convenient. So I'm absolutely excited to uh share that information and that study. And I just wanted to get some clarification with the implementation of the pilot. Would we be able to commence the increase at the same time?

Uh yeah. Okay. Yeah, that would be my proposal. Uh let's work on the items so that so that when it goes to commission, we're all on the same page. Yes. I'm sorry. Please approach. He knows me.

Um I seen him when he first started. We got into it. No parking. But um I always tell people go to the parking lot and he's starting to realize why it's better for them to go to the parking lot because it causes less commotion especially for the truck drivers that they in and out because I was to be right in front of them and I used to tell people hit that parking lot. It's cheaper and you'll be better off. You don't want to get towed. So they they started to get into that idea. Yeah, let me go to the parking lot, you know. So, it is it does help and I think that you should have some type of maybe a picture app or something that when people visit here they could know where the parking lots are because they don't know.

Coming coming soon. All right. So, there was a motion a second. Seeing no other members of the public in person wishing to speak on this item and seeing none on Zoom with their hands raised, uh we'll send this back to the commission. Thank you, Will, uh for your for your collaboration on this. Um we we we learn how to work together on these things over time. We learn from each other. Uh and so I'm very excited about the committee's support for this item. Thank you, Commissioner Dominguez. Thanks.

Um I'm going to We have um members of the public here for item number six. I'm going to I like usually to follow the order of the agenda, but I know one of the members of the public had to leave. Um, and uh, if we could introduce item number six. Item number six is a discussion of feasibility of a long-term license agreement with the Untitled Art Fair. This item was sponsored by Commissioner Dominguez. Commissioner Dominguez, this is your item. You're welcome to present.

Thank you. So, Untitled has um been an art fair in our city for the last 14 years. Um they do set up on the beach. They are have been a great partner and they are looking to have a long-term agreement with us. The city has been hesitant because there is no um long-term agreement on a beach property and they worry about other folks wanting the same thing. But my argument here is that they're not a new entity. They're they have a proven track record and they've been uh a great partner and um the city gets a lot out of it both financially and um the economic impact to the area and there are representatives here to talk about untitled.

This is for me it's a no-brainer. If you want to move the item, I'm happy to second it. I'll move the item for a five-year agreement. Yes, I'll second that item. Are there members of the public wishing to comment on the item?

Hi, thank you, Mr. Chair, vice chair, uh, for the city administration. Uh, I'm Robin Rosenbomb. um here on behalf of Informa and here with my colleague Christopher Penellis. We have other members here as well that are here in support. We have Jeff Blossom who is also the original founder of the entitled Art Fair and Bob Goodman representing Art Basle um here to support and talk about the the fair's contribution. So um

you have a motion and a second. Yeah, we we appreciate uh the opportunity and thank you for for supporting this great fair and the long-term uh the long-term uh future on the city of Miami Beach.

I know we always say we want to be selective about the events that we support and all that. I think when we talk about being selective, this is one of those that not only uh it's great culturally, but the economic impact, the amount of of um of investment generated for the city, the annual hotel room stays uh and the jobs created during art week is significant. So when we say being selective, this is what we want when we say that we want to be a selective city. So, I think we can show this adopted by acclamation. There's no other members here to speak. All right. Thank you. Thank you, Commissioner Dominguez.

Um, colleagues, I'd like to call items uh 2, three, and four together. Stephanie, if you could introduce us.

I will read all items into the record. Item number two is the monthly updates on efficiency of enhanced enforcement related to excessive vehicular noise sponsored by Commissioner Dominguez. Item number three is discuss options to enhance enforcement of quality of life offenses such as excessive noise from the utilization of outdoor equipment and the smoking ban on the beaches sponsored by Commissioner B and Commissioner Fernandez. Item number four is discuss potential city policy mitigating early morning noise from non-emergency city vehicles sponsored by commissioner Suarez.

Thank you. And so I wanted to call these items together uh because they relate to one of the uh most consistent concerns we hear from our residents and that is noise and quality of life. um you know the they may appear to be separate items on the on the agenda but there are in fact there is a commonality to all of them. They each represent a different source of noise uh impacting our neighborhoods and more importantly an opportunity to respond in a coordinated and thoughtful way on how we handle this. And when you take a step back, um this really comes down to three categories. Uh the category in uh item number two that Commissioner Dominguez has sponsored is the vehicle noise. Uh where we've already taken great uh leadership uh through Commissioner Dominguez's role in this. Uh the data shows that enforcement is working particularly in key corridors like Fifth Street, 41st Street, 71st Street, Collins Avenue. You know, we're seeing increases in enforcement. Uh but we know that that's only the beginning and the the change of behavior. Then uh there's item number three that uh Commissioner Bod and I have sponsored uh regarding the noise from outdoor equipment and quality of life activities, leaf blowers, chainsaws. Um and here we're seeing high levels of compliance which tell us that the education, the proactive enforcement uh and the clear expectations on the public are making a difference. But we also need to remain vigilant and I think ensure consistency because we're still getting a lot of complaints about that. And then the uh the the the third item on the agenda, item number four uh that Commissioner

Suarez has brought forward uh about noise generated by our own uh city operations by public services uh particularly early morning activities like sanitation collection, the backup alarms that are beeping uh from trucks. This is where we have, I believe, us as a public entity, uh, us to lead by example with our vehicles and those who do work for the city. Um, you know, making sure that we are the ones that are leading by example. U, but I appreciate the operational adjustments already being being made and I think there's more we can continue to do. Um, so with that, I want to start off by recognizing Commissioner Dominguez. uh to to present on your item item number two related to the vehicle noise and where you see we need to be moving forward with this.

Thank you um commissioner. Uh so I've worked with MBPD and uh the residents. This initially came as um complaints in the south of Fifth neighborhood um and also on Alton Road and West Avenue and then a little bit in the condo corridor up on Collins in the 40s and 50s. And it's turned into the number one hot topic. Uh, I get so many complaints about uh the car noise and motorcycle noise and MBPD has met with residents and resident groups and increased enforcement. Uh, but we have to stay on top of it and I'd love to hear more from the uh, assistant chief.

Good morning. Uh,

good morning, Mr. Chair. Assistant Chief Daniel Morgll on behalf of Chief Jones of the Miami Beach Police Department. Thank you for uh, allowing me to be here and present on this item. Um, as the commissioner alluded to, uh, our officers are doing a tremendous job of being responsive to this, uh, community concern, this quality of life issue. Uh, I can give you the the numbers which are impressive. Uh, for all of 2025, we wrote 675 citations for noise related violations from vehicles. From September of 25 through the end of February, we've already written 674. And just in 2026, we've written 513 citations specifically for noise related violations. Uh the overwhelming majority of those citations have been written in and around that fifth street corridor. I want to say upwards of 400 of those 513 have been written uh specifically in that corridor. So we're we're happy to report that our officers are being responsive. They're focusing on this and we're taking advantage of the fact that uh crime is down to be able to focus more heavily on these quality of life issues.

Let me ask you something. So, we're seeing significant increasing increases in the citations over time, which is great. Uh it really I mean because we're getting so many complaints. So, I know our residents appreciate that. uh particularly the spike uh earlier this year we saw February of this year 213 uh citations uh according to the memo on vehicle noise violations. Are we seeing this translate into behavioral change in those corridors or are we seeing repeat offenders?

So last week at the commission meeting it was requested that we look deeper into the citations being issued and we're actually going through that process right now. So, I don't have the data to be able to report to you specifically on repeat offenders. That's something that I' I'd like the opportunity to bring back next month after we have the the chance to go deeper into the citations because we're actually issuing uh Florida uniform traffic citations for those statute violations as opposed to civil citations or anything like that. So, we need to take a little bit of a deeper dive just to see if there's uh repeat offenders there.

And so, and so to let's say that there were I would venture to say that there probably are repeat offenders. Um what are what is our enforcement authority, Rob? Is there anything stricter uh when it comes to repeat offenders on these issues? Is there anything through through municipal violations that we can do? Well, your enforcement choices are limited to uniform traffic citations. Uh you could do different types of code violations, but you would pick uh basically one or the other. You wouldn't do both.

Okay. And I would imagine of course the uniform traffic citation is is is is the best alternative. And do we have a heat map, a corridor specific breakdown that shows where the violations are most concentrated so that you know we can continue refining that deployment of resources? I know you said fifth fifth street corridor, but do do you have a more precise breakdown of of um of of where the violations are happening?

So the primary areas of focus were based on what the commission uh sent to us through the resolution. Um so that was specifically the Fifth Street corridor, the 41st Street corridor, Collins Avenue between 43rd to 63rd and then along the 63rd Street corridor. But I mean, but the violations, so we know that the commission uh asked you to target those areas, but of those areas, um is there is there a breakdown that shows where the violations are more concentrated? Yes. Most concentrated. So the the overwhelming majority is going to be in the area one in South Beach area.

And of the 513 citations issued this year, 397 have been specifically um on midnight shift. And in that South Beach area, a nice shift in South Beach. And have you uh I see that we have here, you know, Fifth Street, 41st Street, and Colin 7 corridor, 71st Street. Alton Road. Um have we are we looking at Alton Road at all or No, we're looking at the entire city. So this we But you just told me that the enforcement specifically in targeted in these three targeted areas. Um

those are the targeted areas, but they're not limited to those areas. if I if it so we're prioritizing this as an enforcement priority for the organization. So anywhere we encounter this officers are encouraged to take decisive action and enforce. Now the specific areas that we're concentrating on based on the resolution and policy guidance from the elected officials has been those specific areas that that I enumerated but it's not limited to just those areas. This is something that we've focused on and we've asked our our officers to focus on. So anywhere they encounter it, they're asked to take action. Okay. Commissioner Suarez,

um the city attorney answered my question, but so why can't we why can't we do two different different citations at the same time? Why can't we give a uniform traffic ticket and a another citation um a code violation, for example, or a civil municipal offense? It's I I suppose I'd have to look into that and get back to you, but it's not because you know, talk about repeat offenders. I think if they get two different tickets, they're going to be like, "Whoa, I never got this before." You know, they're getting which which means that it signals to them that we mean business when it comes to this. So, I think it would be

great if we can just layer on as much as we can to um

you know to these to to these cars that just continue to make noise. So I think for next month, you know, together with, you know, the information that the assistant chief is going to bring us on uh on repeat offenders, perhaps uh the city attorney could include in the memorandum information as to what you are alluding to, Commissioner Suarez, the layering of of violations, not just uniform traffic citations, but perhaps other types of uh of municipal enforcement that we could layer on to drive home that message. You come here, you know, you're not just going to get a slap in the hand. You're going to, you know, it's going to be bad.

What is the fine? Excuse me. Through the chair, what is the fine for on a uniform traffic ticket allowed loans?

I don't I don't know. Do you know that, Dan? I I'd have to look it up, but if my memory serves me properly, with the uniform traffic citation for this particular statute, the violator has the ability to make modifications to the vehicle, then go to court and show that they either remove the aftermarket exhaust system and then what normally happens is that the the tickets are dismissed. They're they're non-moving infractions. But are they what if I hired like a ticket clinic and I didn't want to deal with the muffler um modification fix? Are they able to do that? Yes.

So So I I can hire an attorney and then the attorney can just take it to court. No contest or Yes. And then they I don't actually have to fix my car in some cases. Yes, that that's correct. It would be up to the magistrate to to decide if that, you know, look, similar to what we did with spring break and the parking garages, not this year, but last year where we we made it $500, you know, I think if we just make a a code violation $500 or something to that similar and people see that and they're going to be like, "Wow, wow." You know, can can we do that?

We can look into it. I think that you can, but I would want to. And to build onto that, could we, for example, if someone is coming into our city with um with these adjusted mufflers and they're creating this problem, can we revoke parking privileges? Like for example, if this is a resident, you know, you you might give them a pass the first time and give them a violation. But if it's a resident that again they're being a repeat offender and uh with these adjusted mufflers and creating this noise, can we revoke uh you know their their zoned parking? If it's someone that doesn't live in the city, can we, you know, not allow them to use our our our parking, our street parking, because that's how then we can control these vehicles from coming into the city.

I would need to look into that as well. Okay. So, if you could include that in your analysis for next month and include it in the memo that's put in the agenda so we can all be properly briefed, that would be great. Uh, and I would uh appreciate uh that. in in addition to the repeat offenders and a heat map. It'll be great to see a heat map uh so that we get this enhanced data uh through through through through the sponsor. That's good with you. Are we talking about just number? Yeah. Well, we're Yeah, on number two. Yeah, you're good with that. Okay, great. Awesome. All right. Anything else uh on this item, Deputy Chief? As Sir, we'll be ready next month. Thank you.

All right. Great. Thank you. So, with that, um I'm going to, you know, go into item number three that Commissioner Bod and I uh sponsored uh regarding the noise, the excessive noise um from from from outdoor equipment. I like to see, you know, future reporting evolve from citation counts to outcomes. you know, are repeat uh violations being reduced by corridors? Are we are these residents who are engaging in these in these offenses? Are these landscapers and I do you have any of this information?

So, good morning, Mr. Chair and members of the committee. Hern and Cardina for code compliance. So, um as you can see from the statistics, we had over 1300 inspections through February 28th, about 23 violations. But on Monday, March 23rd, Governor Dantis signed the Florida Farm Bill, which now preempts municipalities and counties from enacting any laws that restrict gas powered lawn equipment, and from uh having any type of um differentiations to distinguish what that is, such as the gas powered chainsaws or the gas powered leaf blowers. And the effective date for that is July 1st.

Okay. So what alternatives uh Rob do have have you been able to review that bill?

I have. Yes. And the bill allows us uh as we as we've discussed to urge uh users to stay away from the gas powered ones and go and to stick with the quieter electric power ones. But unfortunately we have been preempted from mandating that. And so like for example condominium associations and commercial properties that they have uh big contracts at times you know we can urge them we can ask them hey listen you have these big landscaping companies that come in and do work you know we can ask them to consider doing that.

Yeah you can you can urge anything you want. You could also, I mean, have incentives if you wanted. Uh, I don't know to what extent how valuable the ability to have electric rather than gas, but you could offer some money to uh companies who are willing to uh use the one that you want or something along a similar vein. So, you can urge and you can incentivize. Uh,

so so let me ask you this. Um, based on the data that you have, Hernand, um, where are the violations coming from? Are these residents? Are these commercial properties? Are these condominiums? Are these multif family buildings? What what intelligence do you have about that? It's mostly residential. Yeah. I'm sorry. It's mostly residential. It's mostly residential. Okay. Do we have a breakdown of those numbers? No, I can get that for you. Okay. Uh, yeah, we could include that on the on the memo for for next month. Uh that would be that would be helpful. Poly have any other comments on this item.

We can't prohibit We can't prohibit gasper. Can we can we regulate the size? For example, doesn't have to be like a super max power size. I don't know if it's done by CC's. Uh no, the bill completely preempts us from regulating gas powered uh equipment like this. Let me let me let me ask a question. Are we primarily when we've been issuing these violations, are they complaint driven or is was this our proactive enforcement identifying these violations and areas we know that the issues persist? It's been both.

Okay. But what's the breakdown? I mean that's very superficial. So give me I need substance. Well, substantively, all of our code violations, including, um, gas powered equipment, um, we're at about 88% proactive. Um, and then the balance would be complaint driven. So, I would have to look at the breakdown for just this gas leak blower and gas. Yeah, I think I think that that would be helpful in in knowing what uh what our what our approach uh would be moving moving forward. Very good. Okay. All right. Well, thank you Tallahassee for the preemption. I know that was

that was that was Commissioner the late Commissioner Swellian's uh item. Okay, Commissioner Suarez, we have your item item number four on the agenda about uh city generated noise.

Yes. Um, in fact, you know, I get I get probably an email or a text message or a call from a couple North Beach residents that um every morning here he's beep beep beep and it's either from city vehicles backing up or just sitting in place. Um, and I mean it's probably a nightmare for him waking up like that. Um, and I wanted to see if staff has the ability to, you know, somehow mitigate that noise. I know a lot of it's uh technically a safety feature, but uh through the chair, I'd like to see what staff has recommended to really mitigate that constant beeping sound from any of our vehicles.

Okay. Good morning. Rodney Nolles, the assistant director for the public works department. Um in the initial uh referral there were like four items that were listed um as suggestions that staff can look into to address the situation. Uh we immediately jumped on the two that we can turn around almost instantaneously which were behavioral and procedural changes. Um there's no dollar amount associated to that. And that would be uh changing the scheduling when we're uh servicing uh particularly residential neighborhoods so that we're not out before 8:00 a.m. which is when the noise ordinance on weekdays uh goes into effect. So we're starting later and that um the drivers understand that we're feasible. Um no backups, no reverse. You're making U-turns as often as possible to cut down on that noise. Um that way we're starting to address the situation, seeing if we have any uh additional complaints come in where we can um get those lowhanging fruit and if that's not making much of a dent in the complaints that we're receiving um then transition to the ones that um have dollar amounts associated to that. Um but instead of um making it about a dollar issue, we just decided to move on that and change as much as we could internally. And you said there was other the that's just one of four.

Oh, that was two. The uh scheduling and the uh procedural um internally for when staff are driving city vehicles and operating those just being mindful of um trying to Sorry, go ahead. I mean that's good and all, but what happens you know in two three years when there's turnover and change and you know that policy somehow just gets forgotten. What's more of a physical thing that we can do to our vehicles to to change that noise?

Okay. Um, regarding the uh procedural changes, we can memorialize those in the form of SOPs. um with regard to physical changes to the vehicles themselves. Uh that's something that I'd like to collaborate with um fleet management and risk management, just make sure that um yes, we're addressing the noise issue, but we're making sure that the general public um is as safe as possible because that's the main motivation for doing it in the first place, just to protect people and and pets and that we're being the best stewards we can.

Understood. Um okay, so you don't have anything. Is it possible? Can we remove the beeping sound from the I know this is sounds ridiculous but you know to to people this is you know big concern. Um but can we legally remove the beeping sound from the reverse of some of our vehicles?

Legally we can remove them. Um I instead of a wholesale removal u my suggestion would be uh similar to how OSHA has certain requirements regarding vehicles with a rear obstruction. Um it is highly recommended that uh there is a backup alarm that we look at our fleet internally and just see which vehicles have um a smaller uh wheelbase where if we remove those and we don't have any kind of rear obstructions that we're being as safe as possible but the larger vehicles it remains. So it' be sort of a hybrid approach as opposed to a wholesale just remove them altogether.

Okay. maybe the vehicles that are more prone to be in residential areas in the morning specifically and and that's a conversation I'm more than happy to have with um my colleagues but there's nothing that um to answer your question more directly um directly mandates that it is a requirement it's just us being uh proactive trying to be safe so through the chair let me ask the city attorney again you know I asked Rodney said we can can we remove the beeping sound from the our vehicles when they reverse.

Well, the city isn't governed by OSHA, but we do try and follow the their guidance and other government agency's guidance. I can imagine and I I don't see risk management here, but I would highly anticipate that they would strongly object to removing those from our vehicles. Um there would be potential liability if uh one of those one of those vehicles would back up and and potentially hurt somebody and we didn't have that on there because it is industry standard uh to have those. Question on that because I've seen police cars that don't have that. Yeah.

And and I would imagine that's the biggest fleet that we have in the city. I I don't think it's I'm not an expert on fleet management, but my my observations have been that trucks and vans and things of that nature uh always have uh a backup beep. I was driving a Gator uh this weekend monitoring spring break and every time I be backed up it it beeped all over the place. But that makes sense because a gator,

you know, a gator, you know, you might take a gator down a more pedestrianized area that you usually shouldn't be taking a vehicle. The problem that we have is that we're seeing the traffic of vehicles, street vehicles on the beachwalk, on uh on the sands, and those type of vehicles should have the should have the beeps, the ones that are on the beachwalk and on the sand. But we should be limiting the types of vehicles in those areas to be like what you mentioned, like a gator or a golf cart. uh to the we don't want vehicles in those areas but the to the extent that there will be a vehicle in those areas it should be uh a vehicle like what you're mentioning a gator or or a golf cart but but for the rest of the fleet that that is that is just in regular traffic I think what we should be looking at is you know those are normal vehicles just just like any other vehicle that I use my personal vehicle to conduct official city business to go to meetings and that type of stuff. I don't have a beep on my car.

Right. And I I the way I understand the original discussion item that uh Commissioner Suarez brought was early morning pickups. Uh it sounded like garbage trucks is what they're talking about. Uh uh it could be garbage trucks, it could be, you know, green space. It could be building department, you know, it could be it's across the board. Public works. Yeah. It's just I would anticipate that they're big trucks. Um I I I could be wrong, but

we I I'll tell you our office has an SUV. The office of the mayor and commission uh has a fleet uh vehicle uh that is uh that's shared by all the offices that has a horrendous beeping sound uh when you back up. And I don't understand why a regular just a regular SUV that is no different than any other SUV uh has to be retrofitted with this horrendous beeping sound that it it just creates more noise pollution than what our city needs.

Well, I think what you need is a discussion and perhaps some sort of study from uh the risk management department. We are self-insured, so we do we we pay all of our claims out of the general out of the taxpayers funds. Um, and if we have beeps on something now, how many But how many claims have there been from backing up I I couldn't tell you, but I would imagine that around the country and around the world there are the city of Miami Beach.

I I I there's no way I could tell you that. I would just I would venture to say there's probably zero, you know, from from backing up on a city vehicle. I mean, look, I maybe we just kind of lower the volume down so that you don't have to hear it three blocks away. But where is facilities? John through the chair. So, um, these vehicles, um, do you have an issue with removing the beeping sound? Do you think it's going to be a safety risk or is this something that we can do away with?

I would, um, sir, I would need to do some research because I believe this is risk related, maybe even some other regulations. I'm just not prepared to give you a professional opinion off the cuff next month. I I don't Well, I could definitely reduce research by next month. I just It's a little frustrating because this is on the agenda. This is a a committee meeting

and you guys should be prepared. I mean obviously this is one thing that this is an option that I explored that I'd like to just remove this beeping sign. The fact that you guys don't know if you can remove it or not because of risk. This is something that you guys should have planned for. Well, I'll tell you as far as I am changing the procedures of this committee is right now items get placed on the agenda with your name on it and with my name on it and with the vice chair's name on it

and we don't get to see the items before they get placed on the agenda, but they carry our names on it. And I'm going to be changing the procedures of this committee, how I do the agenda, so that uh after the city manager signs off on on the item, it doesn't mean that your item now makes it onto the agenda because the city manager signed up on it. No, this is your item. You are the elected official. It should only make it onto the agenda once you as the elected official has seen how your item has been crafted and that you're okay with it. because what ends up happening is that we end up with items that might be incomplete, doesn't have the information that you're looking for. So, just so you know, just to address that, I there's a memo we're working on with the city attorney that hopefully we'll be putting out later this week on how I'm going to be handling the agenda because you should see this memo and know, okay, is this complete enough what you're looking for?

Okay. Yeah, I did get I I work with other departments. OSHA is also involved in in these these backup alarms. Okay. Yeah. Look, I mean, this is, you know, if I if I heard this early in the morning and it was outside my house, I'd be very upset. Understood. So, so would you, right? So would anyone else, you know, who who's driving the vehicles. So, let's let's make it uh let's see what solutions we can come up with. Absolutely. Thanks. You're welcome. So Rodney on Bell Isle, I hear the the beeping every morning at 7:30. Um and um sucks.

I think they're going to the pump station and backing into that on Island Avenue East. Um but it is before 8:00 and it's Monday through Friday. Um, so for commercial vehicles, I know that there's OSHA rules on why you need to have the beeping. If they have a camera, wouldn't that be enough?

Um, I don't think the camera is enough to supersede that. Um, the cameras are great when they do work, but it doesn't take much to obstruct a camera. Um, be it bad weather or even debris. Um, so I think that's why uh the cameras are nice, but they're supplemental and not seen as the primary uh means for safety. and some of the vendors that provide services to the city have their own internal SOPs that kind of dictate to their staff that um when they do their walkarounds with their vehicles that that's one of the things that's functioning before they um start their route. I see. Thanks. You're welcome.

All right. So, we're going to continue this item. We're going to continue the three items till next month. Staff has feedback from all of us as it relates. By the way, I'm going to just make another comment on item number three on if I could have staff's attention.

Sorry. Um, as it relates to item number three, uh, about excessive noise, uh, for outdoor equipment, if we could look, I know that we have now the state pre preeemption on the on the gas equipment, but perhaps, you know, perhaps we can look at just general equipment, general landscaping equipment, and how far you can hear the noise. So, you know, because at the end of the day, whether it understand why the policy was made about gas because because of the issues relating to the environmental impacts that gas equipments have. But the other issue is also the noise and the impact that it has on quality of life. So with these uh landscaping equipments um if we could study the possibility of regulating them based on distance that is being heard uh you shouldn't be hearing uh someone's uh leaf blower five houses away you know you shouldn't be hearing it 100t away I mean I think I think that that technology is there where there are sufficient options for people to use technology that doesn't generate that excessive amount of noise. And if Mr. Attorney, you could look at that uh discuss it and see if we can incorporate a briefing of that within the memo uh for for the next meeting, I'd appreciate it.

Sure. Thank you. All right. Thank you. So with that, we can show these items continue to next month. Uh let's call item number five. Item number five is discuss take action regarding identifying a suitable and appropriate location to replant oak trees that will be removed during construction on First Street. This item was sponsored by Commissioner Dominguez. Commissioner Dominguez, you're welcome to present your item. Thank you. This is an item I picked up from uh Commissioner Rosen Gonzalez. And Rodney, I'll let you uh talk about the item.

Sure. Um good morning again. Rodney Nolles, assistant director for public works department. And the item before you is uh concerning the uh construction uh that's going to happen on First Street and what's going to happen with the existing oaks that are there. Um an assess an assessment was done by certified arborist in which all of the oaks have been evaluated and um their condition has been officially recorded. Staff is evaluating what's happening with um the oaks depend on depending on their health and the logistics and costs for um evaluating three options. Uh, one option being um removal of all of the oaks, temporarily transplanting them to uh donor site where they um established, maintained, and then transplant planted back to the site once construction is um about to end. Uh when the landscaping is going in, the second option would be um to transplant the oaks to another site permanently and install uh brand new trees um as large as we can possibly get them. and staff is estimating about um 8 in diameter with about 14 or 16 foot overall height um as a second option and the third being a combination of both where the healthiest specimens are brought back to the site to First Street. And wherever the u other oaks that aren't uh surviving and doing as well, they're replaced with brand new oaks um the largest size that we can possibly get. Right now we have a consultant KCI that is doing a cost estimate for us for all three options. Um that cost estimate is due back to us by midappril. So far we've been exchanging correspondence with the consultant. They had some follow-up questions because there's things that they wanted to eliminate some presumptions uh from their estimate and um we provided that information. So um I apologize that we did not receive it as of uh today but it's due back to us by

midappril. Does the commission or the city and consultant make a decision on one of the three options? Uh, it would be the commission. All right. So, is it okay to move it to commission? Will we have it by uh the next commission meeting or maybe in May? We should have it in May. Okay. So, I move it to the May commission meeting. Okay. Thank you. All right. And and let me just ask a question because we have the um we have the survey that's going on now. Uh there's a shade survey that I believe goes through March 31st. Yes.

Okay. How could that could we use these trees uh to help provide shade in areas where residents are are asking for shade as you know and according to the recommendations we might get from this survey? Sure. Good morning, Commissioner. Amy Nolles, chief resilience officer. Bless you. Um, so essentially our throw some shade campaign is open till March 31st and I think that type of approach could be utilized for this situation. It's probably going to come down to timing. Um, I'm sorry, could you repeat that?

Sure. So, our throw some shade campaign is open until March 31st. It is a a really exciting approach where we want people to tell us where they'd like to see trees on the swale in front of their homes. Something like this could be done for First Street. I think it depends on timing. Uh, it depends on construction. It depends on you know when the trees could be properly root pruned and relocated and uh would have to be you know areas would have to be prepared to receive those trees but something similar you know could be employed. When do we anticipate um first street starting or these trees being removed?

I don't have the date right now. Uh but the root pruning would have to happen about uh three months prior to the removal. Okay. We're here we're talking about first street. We should know staff when when is first street starting I I believe that would be the engineering team. Um

guys, I I just needs I just need the administration to understand we are here. You have three commissioners here having a committee meeting about First Street, about relocation of trees on First Street, knowing when this project starts, something very basic that we should have an answer for. Mr. Chair, Commissioner Suarez.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Um, also in this report, will it also give, and by the way, I'm in favor of keeping the trees because it's really hard to get beautiful trees mature enough. Um, but I also want to know what the likelihood of successes, right? Did they give a c did they give a probability of success uh for for each tree? Um, or do they do that as a whole? They don't offer a probability because there are several factors that go into it. Of course, the health and age of the tree and the conditions which um for in this case they're going to be relocated to a second site, maintained and then brought back. So, how are they being maintained in between that? Um how um

do you guys have a do you do you guys have an idea of where that donor site might be? There are several sites that we identified around the city. Um the golf course has uh given up a couple sites that they that we can use. Um and there a couple areas around the city that like the west lot that's an option. Um we've definitely looked into that. Uh the only challenge with the west lots of course is logistics of transplanting of transporting large trees throughout the city. It can be done and that's one of our sites also. Yeah. I mean if you're going to go to the golf course I mean just that's an extra 10 minutes to get to North Beach during the day.

Sure. What I would like to see is, you know, the golf, not everyone uses the golf course. Yeah. U so it'll be great to see what this survey tells us of where residents want trees. I would be very concerned about transplanting them and then retransplanting them back to furs because I just think, you know, that I don't know that they would survive being transplanted twice in a very short period of time.

Correct. Um, if you had to say, um, and perhaps the capital team might be more familiar with this given the amount of beautiful projects the team has done. How much would one of these mature trees cost? We would go to market to buy one of these mature trees. I would imagine, you know, there must be I hear some of these rest of that 10,000 10,000. I believe you you will be in thousands. Thousands when when you're talking about a a big tree. it. Yeah. So, so, so, so these are,

you know, not just trees. They're beautiful investments that we have. You know, that we should try to save them to the extent that we can. I think transplanting them twice, you probably are going to see a significant loss of trees. If you plant them and then a few years later you move them again, just a shock absolutely

on the trees. But, but but now you have these beautiful grown mature trees. um if we could consider putting them in the residential areas where people have been asking for shade. And I just sometimes we'll go in and we'll put twigs that eventually grow uh as David Martinez would say the Charlie Brown trees um that eventually grow into something bigger. But here you already have them. You know, it would be nice to consider where where we could place them. I support Commissioner Domigus' motion to send this back to to the commission so that you all can come to us with good ideas of with good ideas. Exactly.

There's one off topic. Um, speaking of of trees, you know, the Southshore Community Center is going to get demolished. There's a couple actually beautiful palm trees there and I think there's also a shade tree. I know this is at a committee meeting, but um perhaps I don't know between a couple of us that we can also relocate them somewhere because I mean it's really it's really mature and beautiful. It would be a shame to just It is it was our intent to uh relocate those trees. Okay, good. Yes. Where are you going to so where? I'm not sure right now where if we have identified um you know the place where we are going to relocate them, but we will. Okay. But let's find areas where people live, where the residents live,

where they're telling us, you know, that they've been promised trees for years and they haven't gone because whatever because of budgets and delayed projects and all that. This is our opportunity to go into those areas. Our public spaces like the west lots or parks or golf courses, they're always going to have trees, but I think close to where the people live, I think would be a beautiful thing to do. Yeah. And I think the program uh that uh Amy was talking about, I think that will be a great way of identifying areas. Yeah, Michelle, we don't have an exact start date, but it's scheduled to start in early 27.

Early 27. So, we got to have So, so, so the timing is important because we got to start doing the pruning and everything relatively in the next, you know, six months, I would imagine. Yeah.

Okay. Commissioner Dominguez, thank you so much for picking up this item. I think anything that we can do to save mature trees is so important. And separately, you know, we're working with the city attorney's office on a mature tree preservation ordinance. Um I have concerns of areas throughout our city where where over time mature trees that are healthy have been slated to be cut down and we should be preserving these trees even if they're not natives. even if they're not natives, if they've been here for a long time and they've stood the test of time, um we should be doing everything that we can to save them. So, thank you for your leadership, Commissioner. All right. Um with that, um by acclamation, show that sent back to commission. Item number six, we heard already that was the item related to untitled artfare. Uh let's go to item number seven. Item number seven is discuss temporary wayf finding signage during construction activities of the 41st street improvement project. This item was sponsored by commissioner Fernandez. So yesterday uh we had a presentation at the land use committee. Yes.

Uh re related to the 41st street improvement projects um and talk about an incredible opportunity to revitalize the corridor um to to to bring economic revitalization to to the area and bring back businesses. My fear is during the construction phase, local businesses may experience reduced visibility, reduced accessibility. And so, yeah, I want to know from from from our staff, you what can we do to mitigate these impacts? What what opportunities exist to install temporary temporary way finding that direct residents or visitors to businesses and keep destinations within, you know, within the project area. Absolutely. Thank you, Commissioner. Maria Cerna, uh, CIP assistant director. So, in recent city construction projects where um we have a direct impact, you know, with um with the adjacent commercial properties, we have implemented a few strategies. Um we have created um some uh mesh screenings with project renderings and information that we have installed around our construction fence. The panels do include information about businesses being open um and we guide the pedestrians safely around the work areas. We have also um created some banners which we installed on the light poles to show also that businesses are open as it was discussed yesterday on the 41st uh street improvements. The work is imp uh we are going to be implementing

it on a blockby-block sequence and we were intended to use a very very similar uh strategy on 41st and um since the the work is going to be moving, we were planning to reuse those panels um of course subject to the approval. We are coordinating with the bid with the blue ribbon panel with our communications team and of course it will be subject to approval by FDOT.

Have we shared with them u these the proposed designs for these uh light pole banners um or the um the windcreens on the fences? I don't believe we have shown uh specifically the um the renderings but we will. Okay. I would love to um to refer this uh to the um to the mayor's 41st Street Blue Ribbon Committee and to the bid. Perhaps we can go there, share this item with them, get their feedback, and then we can bring it back to commission to uh to the committee. Absolutely, we can do that.

All right. So, let's do that. Let's let's uh let's go present to to these two committees, get their feedback so that we can make sure that from the start we understand uh you know how we can best help them so they continue cooperating with us during the construction phase. Absolutely, we can do that. And we understand that construction always bring inconveniences and the capital improvements uh office has been so courteous in fostering better communication between those affected by these projects

and the project teams uh so we can fix a lot of these challenges. And so I'm just very grateful to the entire team. I think that enhanced level of communication makes everything go so much smoother. So yes, thank you. Absolutely. For I know for our residents, it means a lot. Thank you. So the motion is to encourage the administration to continue their discussions with the bid and the uh 41st Street committee and come back. I don't think they've they've shared this yet with them. So let's let's go and present and then we'll bring it back and tell you what the feedback was from the uh right from the blue. I'd love to join you when you go. Absolutely. We'll let you. So So let my office know please. Absolutely. If you will. Okay. Yeah. All right.

Okay. Great. Thank you. With that, um I'm sorry. Are there uh do you guys have any comments on that? Item number eight. Item number eight is to discuss the potential creation of an early morning off leash hours for small dogs at South Point Park. This item was sponsored by Commissioner Monica Mateo Selenas. I know Vice Mayor Selenas was under the weather this morning. I don't know if she's on Zoom and we're happy to recognize uh the vice mayor if she's on Zoom and wish us to to to speak on her item. Uh but I see we have John Rebar here. So John, if you want to present the item.

Sure. Um good morning. So this item you heard during the sub comments this morning, some callers on this. This is a request of um residents that use South Point Park for a little history. We do have an off leash area there. It's not a traditional dog park and with fencing. It is just an area that's identified during certain hours for off leash for both large and small dogs. There's a request to create a second area for small dogs only between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. daily. Um only for small dogs and that is to be located near Smith and Winsky. Just for those who are watching, where exactly is in front of Smith and Winsky?

Um J to to the west of it. Yeah. And just I'm assuming just east of that walk path. Yes. Yes. So you you would be walking east from the off leash area before you get to that's where we normally have it when the dog park when the traditional dog park is under construction. Correct. And I think that's how they came up with that that location because when we resawed the dog area we they move over there. So this is um it's a policy decision. It was really comes down to enforcement. If we were to identify this as an off leash area, um then I believe Rangers and Code would would allow during that time through the chair. Yes.

Um yeah, I I'm I'm in favor of I like it. Um might bring my dogs there all the time. Uh I just want to make sure, you know, we just passed an ordinance that increases the fines for off leash. So what happens if the dog kind of, you know, gets off on the sidewalk? Is it technically in violation or it it's a slippery slope when you have these areas that aren't fenced in like traditional dog parks. That's a contained area. These are these are are off leash areas that really puts the owner into having to control his or her path. Um because it it can go much further than just the sidewalk. Yeah.

Okay. So, we have two uh options for implementation on the agenda. There's option A, uh, which is a signage only strategy that costs $300, John. Yeah. And that includes installation of signage designating the early morning, uh, off leash area. Uh, and that can be implemented in within one month. And so I would recommend that we start off with that um with option A while we implement option B which includes you know uh other other elements you know the the signage the benches the concrete pads the waste the bag dispensers which are important landscaping uh improvements so that it's landscaping that's tolerant uh to the impacts of of of the dogs and that takes From what it says here, 8 to 12 months to implement.

Yes. And we would need funding for that. The first one we do with operating funds, it's a few hundred.

Okay. And what and but for the second part, option B is estimated at 15,000. That's what the item says. So, so what I would recommend to to to the committee is that let's send back a positive recommendation to the commission uh implementing option A while they implement option B so that at least we get some signage up which is nominal in cost while we try to figure out how to implement the second part. Just for clarification is it is it option B? There's no funding in our current budget. So I believe that would become part of the FY27 budget process if that's what you want to recommen. Yeah, that's fine. Okay,

that's fine. But in the meantime, we're starting with option A, which is very nominal, Commissioner Suarez. I I think also you should also have a dog dispenser and and trash can there. I mean, I we we could handle the dog the the Yes. Not just the sign, but I think the bag dispenser under operating funds. Yes. The bag dispensers usually include the trash can, don't they? Yes. Okay. Doesn't have to include, but you often see them go handy. They always should if we're giving them a dispenser for the bag. The only reason that they don't sometimes is if it's next to a large um trash can. Okay, that makes sense. All right, Commissioner Dominguez, any comments on this item?

I I had when I had the item for expanding the dog poop stations, I learned a lot about dog poop stations. I want to thank uh Vice Mayor Matil Selenas for for taking this up because again these are simple things just like the parking item earlier but there are simple solutions for the convenience and the quality of life of our residents are small things that we can use our offices and our positions for to improve just the daily quality of life of our residents. So to the vice mayor, I I I know you can't be here because you're not feeling well, but thank you for this item. I hope you feel better.

So the motion that was approved is to send it back to the city commission with a positive recommendation on op option A and to consider option B as part of the FY27 budget process. Correct. Got it. Yes. Thank you, John. Thank you. And our last item for today is item number nine. Item number nine is discuss the installation of a plumbed bird bath water feature at Bell Ale Park. This item was sponsored by Commissioner Suarez. All right, Commissioner Suarez, this is your item. You're welcome to introduce the item

and I'm going to ask if it could be deferred and I'll tell you why. I reached out to the Bell Ale Residents Association to make sure that they were aware. Um, I spoke with Nikki and with Gary Rug's death, the board is restructuring and they're bringing on a new president and they weren't uh ready yet to dive into this because there's restructuring and in mourning. I mean, that's that's reasonable. Commissioner Suarez, are you fine deferring this so they can participate? Yeah, that's fine. Okay. I didn't know Gary Rug died. Was that I didn't know Mr. Rug died. What? I didn't know Gary Rug passed away. Oh yeah, his health declined a lot over the past year. Yeah, it was awful.

He was under a lot of stress over the past year. So, when were you defer this to? May. Okay. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. And our thoughts are with Wendy Ruggage. She they they both have been such caring and loving people in in our city and uh and I it's really heartbreaking that Gary passed away. All right, with that uh thank you staff uh for your hard work for uh for for your collaboration and to the members of the public who participated. This meeting is a journ