City Commission - Regular Meeting

Projects and expand affordable housing opportunities within the Omni district. In addition, Commission meeting for April 9th, 2026. I apologize that we're getting started a little bit late. We had some technical difficulties with our system, but we're going to get going right now. We're going to start the meeting with some presentations that we have. for folks. We are recognizing staff who participated in our Fit City Challenge and they came out on top. Fit City was started a couple of years ago by myself and former mayor because we believe A fit city is a city that serves our community well. And it's a lot of fun. We kick it off with a 5K. And throughout the month, we have these various challenges. Who loses the most weight? Who hydrates every day at eight glasses of water? Who gets their cholesterol checked? Who gets their blood pressure checked? All kinds of things like that. just so that we are a healthy fit city and we get prizes. And this is another way of telling our staff thank you. You know I never use that, right? Just in case. So let me show you what she gave me. I have never in all the years that I've chaired the meeting used this ever. So our first recognition is Ms. Medina. Are you in the house? I think this is the one that she put. Okay, here we go. Mr.? How do you pronounce your first name? Jasmany. Jasmany. Oh, Mr. Jasmany. Please come forward.

I'm going to call everybody.

Paula? Paula, are you here? Okay. Paula Mazur. Walker, first name starts with an A. Aneris. I don't want to mess up anyone's name. Okay, this one. Lilia. Here, maybe. What's her, how do you pronounce that? Liba. Yeah. Paula. Paula, Paula, Paula. Paula. Just many. Paula. And there is. Lever. Bueno, bueno, bueno. Are you here? Pronounce the first name. First name. Dimey Bueno. Is he here? Not yet. Michelle Valdez. And Maria. Last one is Maria. It would be Delgado, but I-L-L-O is at the end. Sí. Estudiar espanol, but muy difícil. Michelle? OK. Maria? OK. Would any one of you like to talk about your experience with the Fit City Challenge?

Go ahead.

He's not shy.

Well, it was very rewarding to have the opportunity to do this with my peers. And it feels good to have won and that this is here to motivate us to be healthier.

Yeah, it really makes me feel motivated to keep going, keep exercising, being out there. And it's super healthy, you know, it's a healthy competition.

It's a great way to kick off the year with the health challenges and to participate in something that the city brings forward to help us be fitter and healthier.

And we have a new mayor who is just as healthy. She did the Miami half marathon. Come on. And a city that exercises together stays together. When you're healthy, you have less folks calling out sick. And this wasn't just about physical health. It was about our mental health as well, our spiritual health. So thank you, guys. We had fun competitions between the police and the fire department and communications, and all of the departments came out. So thank you, guys, for participating. Thank you for being the stars of this, and we look forward to doing it again next year. Maybe we can do it. at the half-year mark because we kind of give up our New Year's resolutions, goals for health, and it just keeps us all motivated. So thank you. Thank you. Oh, wait a minute. Come, let's get a picture. Under the seal. Under the seal. This time we are going to have Pastor Garth Dotton of Tabernacle Seventh Day Adventist Church to lead us in prayer. Good morning.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I'm going to invite us at this time if we can just bow our heads for prayer. Heavenly Father, we come before you today with gratitude and humility. recognizing that all wisdom, authority, and leadership ultimately come from you. We thank you for our city, for its people, its diversity, its opportunities, and even the challenges that call us to grow stronger together. Thank you for our city officials who serve faithfully and selflessly. Grant each one wisdom beyond their own understanding. Give clarity in moments of complexity. Give courage when decisions are difficult. Help each leader, O God, not to lead for personal gain, but for the good of all, seeking justice, practicing integrity, and walking in humility. Lord, give each leader listening hearts that hear not only the loudest voices, but also the quiet cries of those who may feel unseen, and even unheard. Let compassion guide policies and fairness shape those decisions. We pray for protection over our leaders, their families, and over our city and over our great country of the United States. Strengthen our leaders when they feel overwhelmed and the weight of responsibility is upon them. Remind each one that their work makes a positive impact. May each one serve with purpose and a renewed vision. Bless our city with peace. Let it be a place where people care for one another and differences are celebrated and respected. May everything done on this agenda today reflect a commitment to do what is right, what is just, what brings life and hope to each and every person in this city. Keep our leaders, O God. Bless them. bless their families, and bless each and everyone who's here present. This we pray in your name. Amen. Amen.

Thank you. Thank you so much. Commissioner Rosado, would you say the Pledge of Allegiance for us, please?

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. Mr. City Attorney, would you please read your statement for the record?

Yes, Madam Chair. Thank you. George Wysong, City Attorney, City of Miami. Detailed information about the processes, order of business, rules of procedure, and scheduling or rescheduling of City Commission meetings can be found in Chapter 2, Article 2 of the City Code, a copy of which is available online at www.municode.com. Mr. Secretary. Any person who is a lobbyist pursuant to Chapter 2, Article 6 of the City Code must register with the City Clerk and comply with the related city requirements for lobbyists before appearing before the City Commission. A person may not lobby a city official, board member, or staff member until registering. A copy of the code section about lobbyists is available in the City Clerk's Office or online at www.minicode.com. Any person making a presentation, formal request, or petition to the City Commission concerning real property must make the disclosures required by the City Code in writing. A copy of the City Code section is available at the Office of the City Clerk or online at www.munico.com. The City of Miami requires that anyone requesting action by the City Commission must disclose before the hearing any consideration provided or committed to anyone for agreement to support or withhold objection to the requested action pursuant to City Code Section 2-8. Any documents offered to the City Commission that have not been provided seven days before this meeting as part of the agenda materials will be entered into the record at the City Commission's discretion. And according to a section 2-33F and G of the city code, the agenda and the material for each item on the agenda is available during business hours at the city clerk's office and online 24 hours a day at www.miamigov.com. The meeting of the Miami City Commission is a limited public forum. Any person may be heard by the city commission through the chair for not more than two minutes on any proposition before the city commission unless modified by the chair. Public comment will begin at approximately 9.35 a.m. and remain open until public comment is closed by the chairperson. Any person making offensive remarks or who becomes unruly in the city commission chambers will be barred from further attending city commission meetings and may be subject to arrest. No clapping, applauding, heckling, or verbal outbursts in support or opposition to a speaker or his or her remarks shall be permitted. No signs or placards shall be allowed in the commission chambers. Persons exiting the Commission Chambers shall do so quietly. Members of the public wishing to address the body may do so by submitting written comments via the online comment form. Please visit www.miamigov.com forward slash meeting instructions for detailed instructions on how to provide public comment using the online public comment form. The comments submitted through the comment form have and will be distributed to the elected officials, their staff, and city administrations throughout the day so that the elected officials may consider the comments prior to taking any action. Additionally, the online comment form will remain open during the meeting to accept comments and distribute to the elected officials, their staff, and the city administration up until The chairperson closes public comment. Public comment may also be provided here live at City Hall, located at 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, subject to any and all city rules as they may be amended. If the proposition is being considered or rescheduled, the opportunity to be heard may be at such later date before the City Commission takes action on such proposition. When addressing the City Commission, the member of the public must first state their name, their address, and what item will be spoken about. Any person with a disability requiring assistance, auxiliary aids, and services for this meeting may notify the city clerk. The city has provided different public comment methods to indicate, among other things, the public support, opposition, or neutrality on the items and topics to be discussed at the city commission meeting in compliance with Section 286.0114-4C Florida statutes. The public has been given the opportunity to provide public comment during the meeting and within reasonable proximity and time before the meeting. Please note, commissioners have generally been briefed by staff and the City Attorney's Office on items on the agenda today. Anyone wishing a verbatim record of an item considered at this meeting may request it at the Office of Communications or view it online at www.miamigov.com. For PZ items today, PZ items shall proceed according to Section 7.1.4 of the Miami 21 Zoning Ordinance. Parties for any PZ items, including any applicant, appellant, appellee, city staff, and any person recognized by the decision-making body as qualified intervener, as well as the applicant's representatives and any experts testifying on behalf of the applicant, appellant, or appellee may be present. physically at City Hall to be sworn in by oath or affirmation by the City Clerk. The members of the City Commission shall disclose any ex parte communications to remove the presumption of prejudice pursuant to Florida Statute Section 286.0115 and Section 7.1.4.5 of the Miami 21 Zoning Ordinance. The order of presentation shall be set forth in Miami 21 and in the City Code. Staff will briefly present each item to be heard. The applicant will present its application or request to the City Commission. If the applicant agrees with the staff recommendation, the City Commission may proceed to its deliberation and decision. The applicant may also waive the right to an evidentiary hearing on the record. For appeals, the appellant will present its appeal to the City Commission, followed by the appellee. Staff will be allowed to make any recommendations they may have. Please silence all cell phones and other noise-making devices. Lastly, this meeting can be viewed live on Miami TV, the City's Facebook page, the City's Twitter page, the City's YouTube channel, and the Comcast Channel 77. The broadcast will also have closed captioning. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. City Attorney. Mr. City Clerk, would you please read your statement?

Thank you, Chair King. The procedures for individuals who will be providing testimony will be sworn in for planning and zoning items, and any quasi-judicial items on today's City Commission agenda will be as follows. Members of City staff or any other individuals who are required to be sworn in who are currently present at City Hall will be sworn in by me, the City Clerk, immediately after I finish explaining these procedures. Those individuals who are appearing remotely may be sworn in now or at any time prior to the individual providing testimony for planning and zoning items and or quasi-judicial items. Commissioners, are you comfortable with all the notice provisions set forth in these uniform rules and procedures we have established for this meeting?

Yes.

Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Commissioners. Chair, may I administer the oath?

Yes, please.

Thank you, Chair. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. If you will be speaking on any of today's planning and zoning items, those are the PZ items, may I please have you stand and raise your right hand?

Todd, I'm getting some feedback from the audience that they can't hear you. Really? Yeah, they said they can't hear.

My apologies, Chair. I'll speak closer to the microphone.

Better?

Better?

Do you solemnly swear or affirm that the testimony you're about to give at today's hearing is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and your response is? Yes. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. Mr. City Manager. Do you have any items that will be deferred or withdrawn from this agenda?

Good morning, Madam Chair, Madam Mayor, Commissioners. At this time, the administration would like to defer and or withdraw the following items. SR1 to be withdrawn, RE4 deferred until April 23rd, and BC2 deferred until April 23rd. That completes our items.

Can you repeat that again? I'm sorry.

Absolutely. SR1 to be withdrawn. RE4 deferred until April 23rd. BC2 deferred until April 23rd. Thank you.

Mr. City Attorney, I believe we have a pocket item.

Chair, I have the pocket item in my position.

Would you please read the title for the record?

Thank you. It pertains to a pocket item board appointment by Commissioner Escalona, and basically it's a resolution of the Miami City Commission appointing a certain individual as a member of the Code Enforcement Board for a term as designated herein. The appointee's name is Moshi Malka, and obviously being nominated by Commissioner Rolando Escalona to the District 3 seat on the Code Enforcement Board. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. Gentlemen, are there any items that you would like to have withdrawn or deferred from this agenda?

No. No, Madam Chair, I just have some co-sponsors that I want to, I can do that later.

Our city clerk is going to do that. Okay. May I have a motion to set the agenda?

Motion. Move.

I have a motion and a second. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Aye. Motion, the agenda is set, and at this time, anyone who wishes to speak for public comment, please step forward five at a time. Good morning.

Hi, good morning. My name is Ulises Arias, and I live at 7171 Southwest 5 Terrace, and I'm here to speak regarding the Lublin Trail development. Good morning, honorable mayor and distinguished members of the commission. My name is Ulises Arias and I'm a real estate broker in the city of Miami. I race today in strong support of the Lublin Trail. I'm very familiar with the property. It's a Dade County Public School property. I live about five, six blocks from there. It used to be a transportation terminal. As a matter of fact, I'm very surprised why they haven't been sited because the buildings are kind of falling apart and it's the property that looks the worst in the area. Miami-Dade County faces a persistent teacher shortage largely driven by the high cost of living in Miami-Dade County compared to the salary that they receive. Affordable, well-located housing will play a large role in retaining and obtaining new teachers for Dade County Public Schools. The location is excellent, in my view, because it sits right next to two important corridors, three blocks away from 826, about four blocks away from 836. So it's very helpful for any teachers or staff from Miami-Dade County Public Schools to move around the county, and they'll be very well located. So I urge all of you to vote in support. This is a great initiative. Thank you.

Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning, Mayor Higgins, Chair King, Commissioner Zorasa, Stuart Aguirrez, Chair of the Miami River Commission. Before you for four items real quickly, thanking Commissioner Gabela for strong sponsorship of the Allapattah CRA. The Miami River Commission strongly supports the creation of the Allapattah CRA, the Miami District. is the Miami River District is in Allapattah, and it's probably the largest portion. So we strongly support the Allapattah CRA. Commissioner Pardo, I know that you've worked closely with Commissioner Gabela. He's expressed your appreciation for that. So thank you very much, gentlemen. Commissioner Gabella, Mayor Higgins, we thank you also for your efforts to clean up Wagner-Seybold Creek. That is the most polluted body of water in the state of Florida. And I'd like to mention strongly that that pollution does not originate in the Miami River. It is solely uniquely to this particular tributary, and it originates largely from the area around 20th Street. Mostly human pollution. So we strongly support the little machines, the little vacuum cleaners that will be in the water. They in no way replace the large scavenger 45, 50-foot boats. Those do a wonderful, heroic job, but they cannot go into the shallow waters and the narrow waters of Seabold. Commissioner Pardo, we strongly support the funding for Fort Dallas Park for the Ford Workers House. That is a historic in the city of Miami, and thank you for that. Willie Gort is something that did not come up before the River Commissioner. But Vice Chair Murley, Brett Bobo, and I strongly support the creation of the Willie Gord Way. Many people remember Willie Gord as a commissioner. Few people know that he was also mayor.

Thank you. Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning, commissioners, mayor, city attorney. My name is Chaplain Stanley Young, 500 Northwest 2nd Avenue here in Miami. I always enjoy coming down here, sharing with you guys concerning the issue that I see on a weekly basis on the streets of Miami. And that's really the plight of those who are coming out of our prisons and jails. Mayor, I've called your office several times to try to get a meeting and sat down with you and the city manager to really go over what you are doing and what really needs to be done in this particular area. But I'll speak it on a pH item. pH 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. I'd love to see what you're doing concerning housing. You're moving... Greatly, Chair Warman, I want to say thank you for the first-time homes buyer. It's really, really helping those ones who are getting into that home that they really need. But we still need to continue to push. We still need to develop homes. People need to live in. People need to habitate in, because I meet homeless people everywhere. weak on the streets who need a place to stay, an affordable house to live in. So I'm here to encourage each and every one of you, continue to press forward. Sir, Mr. Roswell, I want to meet with you. I want to talk with you concerning this particular subject. I understand it's a passion of yours. And I just hear this to share my heart. I'm not here complaining. I'm not here to pull nobody down. I'm here to lift us up. You know, when I pull you down, I go down too. So let's continue to work on housing. Thank you. God bless. May you have a wonderful day.

Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning. Elvis Cruz, 631 Northeast 57th Street. For item PZ1, it's important to know the big picture on citywide density. In 2016, the planning department calculated Miami's maximum density potential, and they found the city was already zoned to allow the construction of eight times more housing units than were counted in the 2010 census. So we were already zoned to enable eight times that population. That factor of eight was before adding subsequent special area plans, before adding or transferring bonus density for affordable housing like this item today, before adding bonus floors to transit-oriented developments or via transfer of development rights, which can then by transfer of development density, before any live local act buildings, before ADUs, before adding rapid transit zoning, before adding transit station neighborhood developments, before adding Commissioner Pardo's 48-story high-rise condos on Watson Island, before all the upzonings that have happened since 2016, before adding Commissioner Pardo's doubling of density in Edgewater, before adding any other height and density bonuses that have been invented since then. There have been several. It's hard to keep track. We don't have the infrastructure to handle all that density. It's not just about traffic. There's also potable water supply, sewage treatment capacity, garbage disposal capacity, per capita park space, and hurricane evacuation time. Miami 21 and the comp plan speak of protecting neighborhood character and scale. At a minimum, you should exclude historic districts and NCDs from this legislation. Please, stop the insanity. Please vote no on anything that increases height or density. In closing, I'd like to ask everyone here who is in opposition to PZ1, please raise your hands and be recognized.

Please, no clapping. No clapping if you want to.

Madam Chair, one thing. I know there's a policy not to mention a commissioner's name specifically, so they're not weaponized politically from the outside. And I think that that should be followed if that's the policy.

Why is that not a freedom of speech issue?

Thank you. For everybody. It's That's a sticky, they say it, they catch me off guard, I've said it, and for me, I don't care if they say my name or not. And I try, I try to get it through, but you know.

For the record, I don't care either, but if there's a policy, then there's a policy.

Good morning.

Good morning, Madam Chair, commissioners, mayor, and city manager. Terrell Fritz, Director of the Flagler Bid, but speaking today as a homesteaded resident at 111 East Flagler Street in downtown Miami on the DI4 issue. We continually hear that residents contribute 58% of the DDA budget, but most of that contribution comes from non-homesteaded units, investment properties, rentals, and second homes that function as commercial real estate. Homestead residents contribute under 9% of the DDA budget, and the per unit cost, often less than $100 per unit, is minimal. This is not a double tax. It's a modest contribution towards cleanliness, safety, and public realm improvements that drive property values and livability. Most importantly, downtown Miami should not be viewed as competing districts, Brickell versus downtown versus Edgewater. We have an identity issue. The word downtown is used to mean both the historic Flagler core and downtown Miami as a whole. Yet anyone flying into MIA can quickly see where downtown Miami is. It's a dense, unmistakable skyline. Flagler is not, it's a part of downtown, but it is not the entirety. Downtown Miami should be understood instead as a mosaic of neighborhoods, Brickell Village, Brickell Key, West Brickell, the Flagler mixed-use neighborhood, Miami Central, Miami World Center, the Arts and Entertainment District, and Edgewater, each at different points in the development cycle, but all interdependent. There will be moments when stronger neighborhoods support those still emerging or those that have seen better days. But the DDA is the only mechanism we have to address the downtown as a whole. The question is not whether residents are overpaying. It's how we ensure that this modest contribution continues to deliver real value to downtown Miami. I'm going to now invite you all to join us this weekend for Heritage Days on Flagler to celebrate 130 years since Henry Flagler brought the FEC into downtown Miami. Thank you.

Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Henrietta Schwarz, and I live at 2627 South Bayshore Drive. Thank you all for being here and listening to us because residents take their time to come here and speak to you, and wanna speak to your faces, not to, while you're looking at your screens or your phones or talking to others. You started the meeting with a great thing which was complimenting people on health. Health and wellness of this city is so important and you're giving a proclamation today for it. Yet we are seeing our parks disappear. I am in favor of RE8. I support Commissioner Pardo on that initiative and I hope you will too. on PZ1. Let's get to the gorillas in the room. Because, as you notice, there are many people here on PZ1. And they are looking to you, Madam Mayor. to offer something to the residents because 25 of us showed up to a PSAB meeting where this was deferred. 36 of us showed up to the PSAB meeting that was canceled because it was held on Passover. Wow, that's not an important holiday for anybody. And now here we are. asking you to reconsider because this is not a holistic amendment. And everybody knows it because given a little chink in the mail, the developers go bananas. And then you tell us you can't do anything because you're gonna be sued. Well, we know differently. You have the power. You are sitting here. You are our representatives. And the residents are here begging you to reconsider an amendment that is going to dramatically change the face of historic and NCDs. Thank you for listening to me.

Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning. Debbie Dolson, 4205 Lenox Drive, Coconut Grove. I'd first like to speak about RE8, the allocation of funds. I'm very much in favor of this because we all know that West Grove needs affordable housing. And the residents are increasingly unable to find that there. Over almost 60 years that I've lived here, I have seen so many changes in West Grove. And I've worked at, I've volunteered at the Coconut Grove Crisis Food Pantry for over 10 years and have met person after person after person that needs a roof over their heads that they can afford. We can help at our food pantry with food, but we cannot help with affordable housing, but that is something that you can do. So I hope that all of you will consider this and approve the funds allocated for affordable housing. Park improvements and playground equipment in District 2. How can you say no to the kids? My sister, my own children, and now my grandchildren are playing in the same park, the neighborhood park close to where we live. That's three generations. And it's our responsibility to keep those parks safe, have good equipment, and maintenance for the future, for the next generation. PZ1, the transfer of development density, you're going to hear a lot from a lot of people. I'd just like to say that this may be good for District 5. I understand that, and I think that's fine, but not citywide. Not for the NCDs, which explicitly target controlled density. One size does not fit all, so please exclude historic districts and NCDs from PZ1. Thank you.

Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning, commissioners. I'm not going to jump in right now on PZ1. I was one of the gorillas that was there at these meetings. If it was deferred at PZAB, which I used to be the vice chair of, I think you should wait until PZAB hears it before taking it up. But I'll leave others to that. I wanted to thank Commissioner Pardo for paying attention as he has to the West Grove and trying to get money to do that. But it really layers into my more important messages. I think this commission and the city are really making a mistake putting all, and I know Christine King, this is dear to your heart. concentrating on providing roofs over people's heads, which is important. We have a housing crisis. But high-rises are not the only way we should go. You should bring Liz Plater-Zyberk back here again. She has lots of ways we can increase our density without just building high-rises. I built two dozen homes in the West Grove back in the 90s and early 2000 when land, admittedly, was cheap. Maybe you can't do single-family homes, but eyes on the street, people walking their dogs, kids, they don't really exist so much in high-rises. There's a place for high-rises, but not in our neighborhoods, which are growing extinct. So I'd like to leave you with that. One last thing, with regarding to RE4, which has been deferred. Thank you, Mayor, for doing exactly what you said you were gonna do, and I will just leave you with this. To reduce the burden on you commissioners, I really think we need nine commission districts. It's going to come before you because there's a ballot initiative that's going to be coming up. And I'd like you to think about neighborhoods and how you each could represent the neighborhoods where you can concentrate your efforts and be more responsive to the people. The city lays out perfectly in nine districts, according to the Voting Rights Act. And if you will just really take a hard look at that, I think you'll be happier, your citizens will be happier. Let's go to nine districts. Let the people vote on this. Thank you very much.

Thank you. And thank you, Mayor. Good morning.

John Dolson, 4205 Lenox Drive, Coconut Grove. I want to say really strongly support the allocation of funds for, it's an RE8 for Village West. A lot of good stuff has happened this year. Varick Pool's about to open up. There's a lot of really good stuff going there. Keep it up. That's the right thing to do. In terms of PZ1 transfer development density, we really need to protect our NCDs. One size does not fit all. And we've got to do something about the density increase. So I'd say no. Also, since you didn't show up, P&Z didn't show up, and the public didn't have a chance to comment on it, at the very least, let the public have a meeting with P&Z before you vote on this thing. And one last thing. I want to echo something that Andy just said. I am thrilled to be looking at you guys in this commission, which is a relatively new commission. We swapped a bunch of people out. Some bad actors are gone. We've got a new mayor. I'm really thrilled with what we've got up on the dais. Now, I want nine of you, not five of you. We have 100,000 people per commissioner that you represent. I'd prefer to have it down there at 35 or 40, like a national average. We're at the bottom eight of 100 cities. Give me a chance to walk your district and really get to know people. So anyway, keep up the good work, and let's get more of you with the Stronger Miami Commission.

Thank you, good morning.

Good morning, I'm Reynolds Martin at 3325 Percival Avenue in Coconut Grove. I'm here on behalf of St. James Baptist Church, Homeowners and Tenants Association of West Grove and Grove Rights and Community Equity where I serve as the president. And I want to thank you for commissioning all that you're doing in Coconut Grove. We certainly need the help. We've been displaced. You know how much we've been displaced in that area. And the money that's being proposed for affordable housing is phenomenal. And we appreciate the effort that you're making in our community, as well as trying to protect our parks. I grew up in Coconut Grove, and I'd like to see some things improved there, especially in the parks where our kids spend a lot of their time. We oppose the, what is it, the SR1. Not SR1, I'm sorry, PH1. And I think that Miami 21 protects the NCDs. We need the protection. Please consider what's happening with us in Coconut Grove. Like I said, one size does not fit all. We need protection in District 2, and we would appreciate your consideration of not passing this if it negatively impacts us in that district. Thank you.

Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning. My name is Kyle Hazelwood. I reside at 1424 Northeast Miami Place, and I'm here to speak on DI4 and REA. As a young downtown resident, the rapid redevelopment and revitalization of my neighborhood is very inspiring to me. A robust urban core signals a thriving metropolis. This is why the DDA is so important to our neighborhood. Having an organization that's charged with stimulating small business growth, ensuring our streets are kept clean and free of graffiti, and attracting businesses to our neighborhood that would otherwise take their business elsewhere, ensures that during this pivotal moment for downtown, smaller players are not left behind. If the DDA did not reinvest this money into our neighborhood, what would our neighborhood look like? How many businesses that we enjoy would not be there? How many storefronts would still be boarded up while new towers rise? If you have a million dollar property, you pay around $450 a year to the DDA. That's $37.50 a month, which is around what I pay for Netflix and Hulu, and those companies definitely don't beautify my neighborhood. Investing in downtown should be a top priority for our city. This sentiment is also why I support the allocation of funds from the Public Benefit Trust Fund for affordable housing and park improvement within District 2. In my view, it is only fair that funds collected within our district be reinvested into our public spaces. With more and more development occurring in our district and more people moving to our neighbourhood, it will only become more crucial that we invest in maintaining our parks and affordable housing. Additionally, people come from all over the county to enjoy our parks, so it's important that we combat wear and tear and invest in maintaining them. Thank you.

Thank you. Good morning. Good morning, Madam Chair, Commissioners, Madam Mayor, Town Manager. My name is Ailet Rodriguez-Diaz, Administrative Director with Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Our address is 1450 Northeast 2nd Avenue. My suite is 776 Miami, Florida 33132. On behalf of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, we are here in support of item RE13. This item advances affordable and workforce housing prioritizing our teachers and the Miami-Dade County Public Schools workforce, while allowing for onsite educational space to support our students and the community. This item also reflects strong alignment between the city and the school district, including our shared goals of housing stability, educational opportunities, and building a sustainable workforce pipeline We appreciate the partnership and look forward to moving this work forward together. Thank you.

Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Marlene Irvin. I live at 3066 Washington Street in North Coconut Grove. Good morning to all of you and Mayor. I'd like to speak on RE8. I support this investment in affordable housing and parks in District 2. Directing development-related public benefits to affordable housing and park improvements is a very constructive use of those dollars, especially when it helps neighborhoods' stability and quality of life. So thank you. To go unnamed. Thank you. Second, on PZ1, please do not move forward with this expansion without evidence that the current program is working and without a clear understanding of the cumulative impacts of development as outlined by Elvis. If this item advances, NCDs and historic districts must be expressly carved out. And if added density is being granted in the name of affordable housing, then affordable or workforce housing should be required as part of this proposal. On the changing of the mayor's election, it's too narrow and risks creating more confusion. This is not real reform. The broader, stronger Miami petition supports a more comprehensive approach. Even year elections for both the mayor and the commission, expanding representation from five to nine districts, and fair redistricting rules that keep neighborhoods whole and prevent partisan manipulation. 20,000 signatures have already been submitted and are being verified to get this on the ballot. So why don't we look towards that? Thank you very much. Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning, Madam Chair. Council members, good morning, or commissioners, Madam Mayor, sounds good to say that, Mr. Manager. Good morning, State Representative Alex Rizzo, District 112, 601 West 43rd Place in Hialeah, Florida. Thank you for allowing me over Flagler without many problems. I have the great honor of representing a large portion of the city of Miami, and I'm here to speak on our E-13 affordable housing and workforce housing. I am in support in general of this item. I think that Miami is poised right now to show the rest of the state and the rest of the nation what we can do when we start using land to help ease one of the worst situations that we have, and it's a housing crisis. So not just the number of units, but the affordability of units. And it's making people leave Miami-Dade County, as you know. And so even though Florida is growing, South Florida is growing in different sections and different areas. And so I think that obviously the final details and working with the school board need to be hashed out. But I think that with this, you can do so many things with this one agenda and you can lead. And Miami-Dade and City of Miami can lead. in so many places. County of Hillsborough is starting to close schools. Broward County is closing schools. Miami-Dade County is now starting to talk about what they do with land and the number of schools that have to be part of a contraction. But it's a reimagining. of what the school system can do with its municipalities. So I urge you to move quickly. Obviously, look at the details and work with the school board, but I think that working hand in hand, that this can be something that is laudable for the rest of the country. Thank you very much.

Thank you, and thank you for your service. Good morning.

Good morning, Madam Chair. My name is Antonio Devine. I live at 328 Southwest 71st Avenue, Miami, Florida, 33144. And probably I am one of the nails that, through history, bother a lot this city, because I tend to fight for the citizens' right. I'm here to speak about ER 13. the apartments or low-income housing for teachers, which I support because I feel teachers is a profession that is forgotten. They are underpaid. They don't have enough to pay sometimes the housing here, and they have to live very far to get. I live one block away from where that's going to be built, and that land, is totally abandoned for years. I've been complaining to different mayors for the years to fix it, but nothing has been done. So I do support the building, but my fear is, as now, is that for the longest time, the neighbors been asking to put some kind of speed bumps or something to stop the traffic around there. And I just can't imagine the amount of traffic and the speed that we're going to have once those apartments are built. I mean, there are 425 units. We are a small neighborhood. I've been living there since 1977, and I've seen how the neighborhood has deteriorated. I see Coconut Grove going fantastic, looking beautiful, and just now, Commissioner Rosado, I've seen that they're planting trees, fixing at least the sidewalks. Thank you. So please, put your heart and make the right choice.

Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning, Madam Chair, Madam Mayor, commissioners. My name is Carolyn Donaldson. I am the Vice Chair for Grace, Road Rights, and Community Equity, Inc. I'm here to convey that Grace strongly supports Agenda Item RE8, which allocates $15 million for affordable housing and park improvements in District 2, as proposed by Commissioner Damian Pardo. These funds were generated from development within the district and should be invested back into our communities and supporting housing in Little Bahamas and enhancing the quality of life for families, seniors, and for children throughout the neighborhoods. However, as it relates to PZ1, We must be clear, Grace cannot support this item as presented. Under Miami 21, neighborhood conservation districts, NCDs are essential protections that preserve the character and the cultural identity of the Grove. And so we would like to guard against overdevelopment and displacement. These NCDs must be explicitly carved out of this legislation. Absent that protection and the satisfactory redraft, we're obligated to withhold our support. We're not opposed to the development. but it must be responsible, must be balanced, and it must protect existing residents. Development should not come at the cost of displacement. Good morning.

Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning. Good morning, Chair, board members, Mayor. Thank you so much for your time. My name is Janine Pickens. I am an Overtown resident and small business owner. I previously submitted a one page proposal requesting the establishment of a small business micro grant pilot program. And I provided clarification to staff on February 13th, 2026. I want to reiterate for the record that this is not an application for an existing grant cycle. but a request for board direction to establish a consistent and transparent framework for Overtown-based small businesses. As the board considers multiple grant awards and development-related funding today, I am requesting that the existing Overtown-based Small businesses be intentionally included in these opportunities moving forward.

I respectfully request staff review and guidance on next step. Thank you.

I had to read to make sure I stay within time, okay? Thank you so much for your time and have a great day. Thank you.

Good morning.

Good morning, everyone. Paris Wallace, 2678 Tigertail. Thank you so much for being here today. I'm here to speak on two things quickly. The first is RE8, which I support. I think it's much needed funds and very well stewarded by our commissioner and D2. Secondly, I'd like to talk about PZ1. Like everyone has said, I'm also opposed. I think NCDs should be carved out. But I really think it goes to a broader issue. When everyone here raises their hands because they have to come and speak on these issues, I think it's because there's no master plan. We don't know what we're building towards. We know what the problems are. We don't know what we're building towards. And the leadership that I see around the dais today can definitely figure this out. So as opposed to having plans that make us all show up upset, tell us where we're going in the next 10 years, the next 25 years. Tell us the plan, how we're going to get there on affordability, infrastructure, what the city is going to look like, and so we can come up and support you. and say, yes, we are for this plan. And when a proposal like this comes up, you can say, hey, here's the master plan. Here's how it fits within this master plan. Here's why it makes sense. Here's why we want your support. And we will come and we will help you do that work. But as long as we have a disjointed, unclear future, it's very hard for us as a city to be able to understand where we're going and to support the wonderful leaders who we put on the dais to be able to represent and build these plans. So thank you so much for your time, and hopefully you'll reconsider and send this back to PSAB, and the PSAB meeting will happen, and so the residents will actually get their say on this. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning, Madam Chair, members of the Commission, Mayor, and City Manager, who's pulling off a suit I could never pull off. My name is Joseph Salzberg, 333 Southeast 2nd Avenue Suite 3200 in beautiful downtown Miami, Florida, 33131. Many of you know that I've had the honor of representing the DDA for nearly a decade as external counsel, mostly focused on soliciting and garnering health and human services as well as infrastructure funds. I've had the opportunity to work under four separate chairs, mostly working with Chairman Reyes, may he rest in peace, and his staff, and then most recently with Chairman Rosado, who's really hit the ground running I got up today because I wanted to talk about my family's personal story to the DDA and not, and downtown Miami, not so much my professional capacity. In 1968, my grandfather, who came from Cuba and New York, immigrated to Miami and with four other Jewish Cuban retailer families, three others, purchased 144 East Flagler. Part of my family still owns that building today. They were not real estate folks. They were retailers. 1968, they came here one year after the DDA was created. My father and my grandfather, my uncle over the next 40 years had up to seven stores in downtown Miami. A-Sports, Planet Reebok, Nike Shop. And I will tell you as somebody who grew up in Westchester but spent all his time in downtown working in those stores, The DDA over those 40 years was an incredible partner. Really was. Is the DDA perfect? No, no organization is. But I want to say that over the last 40 years, my family has thrived, now not so much in retail, with the DDA as partnership. We got to employ over that time a lot of folks that lived in the area. I want to share that story. I remain available to speak with any of you. But the DDA's work is important to our urban core. Is there refinement that can happen? Absolutely. But please don't abandon the work that they're doing. Thank you all for your time.

Thank you. Good morning. Good morning, Madam Chair, Madam Mayor, and Commissioners. Liliana Collazo, 201 South Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 2600, Miami, Florida, 33131. I would like to read into the record a letter that was transmitted to the Honorable Mayor and members of the City Commission from Joseph S. Geller. School Board Member District 3 from the Miami-Dade Public Schools. Dear Mayor and Commissioners, I write to you in my capacity as a member of the Miami-Dade County Public School Board representing District 3, which includes the Brickell community. As you engage in ongoing discussions regarding the role and future of the Miami Downtown Development Authority, I respectfully offer my strong support for the agency and its continued work in the urban core. I have seen firsthand the meaningful and sustained impact the DDA has had on public education in downtown Miami, particularly at Southside Preparatory Academy, a school located in Brickell that serves families from across the broader downtown area. The DDA has consistently demonstrated that it is more than an economic development entity. It is a community partner. Through initiatives such as food drives, toy giveaways, and direct engagement with families, the DDA has provided critical support that helps ensure students are able to succeed both inside and outside the classroom. Most significantly, the DDA has played an active role in advancing the expansion of Southside Preparatory Academy. Through staff time, advocacy, and sustained engagement, the DDA helped support efforts to bring forward a new school facility in an area that has long needed additional public school capacity. Equally important was its role in championing an innovative concept, integrating affordable workforce housing for teachers within the school itself. This forward thinking approach strengthens our schools and helps address broader challenges facing our educators and our city. Even in more recent efforts, the DDA continues to create opportunities for our students. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning, Madam Chair, Commissioners, Mayor Higgins, happy to see you all. My name is Camilo Mejia. I am the Senior Director of Catalyst Miami. We are at 3250 Southwest 3rd Avenue. We are a member of the Public Land for Public Good Coalition, and I'm here to speak on DI1. and basically just to make the same arguments that we have been making for years. And now that this item has come up again, we really support the district commissioner's goal of building affordable housing in the project, but we feel that meaningful community participation is going to be vital for any project. We believe that community members should also have a seat at the selection board, and we think that Community participation leading up to even a community benefits agreement should be the norm, not only for this project, but for all use of public land by the city. And while we're at that, I'd also like to say that we support RE13. Needless to say, we have an affordable housing crisis, and helping our teachers remain in our community should be a priority for everyone. So please vote yes. Thank you.

Thank you, good morning.

Good morning, Chairwoman King, Madam Mayor, members of the commission. I'm Euless Cleckley, I'm CEO of The Underline, and I'm here to speak in support of RE13. The Underline, we all know, is a 10 mile transportation corridor that connects communities. Within our quarter, we have approximately 114,000 residents and 24 schools that we help serve. But we also understand the importance of affordable housing and workforce housing. And having that access to transportation quarters from a regional perspective is very critical to the success of the city of Miami and Miami-Dade County as a whole. So this particular project, referencing RE 13, not only supports teachers but also supports our community. Workforce housing is good policy to help support and help fund and essentially allows the ease of recruiting highly qualified educators to come and actually live and work in Miami-Dade County. So the Ludlam Trail is a regional spine very similar to the underline. And these four blocks that are being proposed to be built really provides an advancement in regional connectivity and helps us move forward with the Miami Loop, which creates additional regional connectivity from a mobility, safety, and accessibility standpoint. So using the public trust funds makes sense, it's good policy, and it really helps to build out community serving infrastructure. So we support this item, we support our teachers here in the city of Miami, and we support connectivity. And we're asking you to vote yes on RE13. Thank you.

Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning, Mayor. Good morning, Chairwoman and Commissioners. My name is Angelo Ramusco, and I serve as a legislative aide for County Commissioner Natalyn Leon-Urbis. I'm here today on her behalf to express support on resolution number 13, sponsored by Commissioner Rosado. So this $4.8 million allocation is a direct investment in affordable and work for housing. That is something that our families urgently need. It's focused on real results, more housing opportunities, and better infrastructure for your community. So we appreciate Commissioner Rosado's leadership on this, and we respectfully ask for your favorable support on this resolution. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Geneva Claus and I live at 355 Southwest 26th Street. I'm here with PAC today and I'm here in support of RE13. We definitely support the item for more affordable and workforce housing. We just want to add our caveat that a lot of affordable and workforce housing doesn't necessarily reflect the salaries that people are making in Miami-Dade County. We know that the calculations that when they're done countywide or citywide, they get skewed up by the very wealthy. So for example, an average teacher salary is $51,000 a year in Miami-Dade County. That's a little bit below 60% AMI as it's calculated right now. That salary income is less for custodians, for maintenance workers, pursued service workers that all are employed by Miami Dade Public Schools. So we just want to make sure that the income charts and AMIs are actually reflective of the people that we're supposed to be housing in this facility. We know that Thousands of people are leaving Miami-Dade County, city of Miami, every year because they can't afford to live here, so we absolutely need affordable housing. We definitely support the building of affordable and workforce housing. We just ask that it's actually representative of our workforce. For example, 120% AMI, the market rate can be charged $2,600 when the average studio apartment is $2,100. So workforce housing that we're subsidizing with our public dollars is actually more expensive than just market rate apartments. So we just need to make sure that it's actually reflective in helping our community. I also want to, while I'm here, support the GSA lot to actually create affordable housing and public benefits on public land. It's a really rare opportunity that we get something that we can actually include the residents of that area in the process and create benefits for them.

Thank you.

Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning. My name is Andre Barnes, the director of the Miami Police Athletic League. I just wanted to say, first of all, thank you to the commissioners and to the mayor for all the support that you've given to our over 1,100 kids that we serve throughout the city of Miami. All of the programs that we have include athletics, mentoring, and academic support for the youth in the city of Miami throughout all districts. and we want to be able to continue to support those youth as we continue to try to help, especially those underserved communities that we have. I also want to say thank you for your support with PH3 as we did the CDBG grant and granting us those funds to help support our youth. Those funds will go towards increasing the amount of girls that we serve, so we have a couple of new girl programs that we're starting, as well as our mentorship programs, specifically our Explorers who have done so well. We have over 70 police Explorers as well as our academic support that we have with our stem programming which we currently have at edison park in little haiti but we want to expand to the south end so we want to continue to say thank you to those kids and to the community and we want to continue to just hope that you bless us with your support as we continue in 2026 and beyond so thank you very much thank you thank good morning

Good morning, Mayor, city commissioners, my name is Robert Crapsy and I live at 3229 Mary Street. I had to take off work to be here today. I don't want to be here today, but I know exactly what happens when you allow loopholes like PZ1 to pierce our neighborhoods. The last time an ordinance like this was in front of the Miami Commission, a loophole promising transit oriented benefits was put in place without any public notice or comment. Because of that, the planned five story development right behind my single family home, a project called The Well, was allowed to morph into a 123 foot tall concrete behemoth. Now I get to watch that tower rise over my bedroom. It will be filled with multi-million dollar condos and a massive parking garage. The transit benefit was a complete fiction, meant to pad the profits of developers, while my community is the one paying the price. So it is evident that I do have to pay attention to these. I have to miss work and stand in this room because if I don't, my home and my neighborhood will continue to pay the price. And that brings us to why we are here today. Zoning codes exist for one primary reason, predictability. When a family buys a home in Miami, they do so trusting the rules of their neighborhood. Neighborhood conservation districts aren't just arbitrary lines on a map. They are a promise made by the city. This new TDD amendment breaks that promise. We all recognize the need for affordable housing, but pasting that label on a policy doesn't change what the text actually does. This amendment acts as a backdoor for hyperdensity. It allows a developer to purchase air rights and dump a massive, out-of-scale luxury project directly into our protected neighborhoods without adding a single affordable unit on site. The fact is that this amendment bypassed the PSAB and landed on your agenda It tells us everything that we need to know. Legislation that is actually good for a community doesn't need to hide from public scrutiny. Look at the room today, not one person has been in support of this ordinance. Thank you. One second, if you pass this amendment without protections, you are sending a clear message. You are declaring that no neighborhood in Miami is safe and that local zoning can be overridden by the highest bidder at the expense of its residents, the people who actually vote.

Thank you.

Good morning.

Good morning. Good morning, Mayor, Chairwoman, and Commissioners. My name is Katia Santos, 2150 Coral Way, Miami, Florida, 33145. I am the Executive Director of Transit Alliance Miami. We are the city's foremost advocacy organization for quality transit, and I am here in support of RE13. It is a critical piece for connecting Miamians to more opportunity by addressing two of our three of our biggest challenges and issues of the decade, affordability and traffic. The investment proposed in this item of more than 400 affordable housing units for Miami's teachers and the building out of four blocks of the Lutlum Trail is exactly the type of investment that our residents need in this moment. Housing and transportation are eating up our residents' paychecks and the solution also has to tackle both. That is why we believe that RE13 would be a smart use of the Public Benefits Trust Fund, as the project scope is practical and attainable. It ensures that the people that keep our schools running can live in our city, and it creates an impact that goes beyond this project into the citywide investment. Plus, it creates an opportunity for those that live in the new development and in the neighborhood to access new local businesses that will be created in the retail space and the development, safely on foot or by bike by building out the Loveland Trail a little bit more to get more exercise and to access greener spaces all in one project. Folks today have mentioned quite a few reasons why this project is a smart one. I'll add another one. There is a 10, every 10 minutes, a bus runs by on West Flagler that connects people that will live in this development and in the neighborhood all the way from FIU to downtown, all without ever needing to access a car. Finally, I do want to also mention, speak on the discussion item one, and just mention once again, community members know what they need. And if there's an opportunity for then to be at that table in how public land is used, that is critical. Thank you so much for your time.

Thank you. Good morning.

Thank you.

Good morning, commissioners.

My name is Melody Torrens. I reside at 2080 Northwest 13th Street, Miami, Florida. And I'm here in support of RE13. And I'm also a member of PACT. I'm also a mom of a teacher. who up until recently taught government and economics in Dade County and loves teaching. He's a passionate teacher, highly rated teacher. Taught kids not just about our government, but also about our local government. He asked every one of his students to find out what district they lived in, who their representatives were, and come back and talk to them about it, find out who their representatives are. Unfortunately, at the end of the school year last year, my son couldn't afford to live in Miami unless he lived at home with me. So he moved to Portland, Oregon. He's making more money. Cost of living is less. He loves Miami. He regretted the move. But we need to build housing so that we don't lose more teachers that care about our kids. So this RE13 is really an important project, and I highly support it, and hope you'll move on. Secondly, I just wanted to thank my commissioner, Gabella, for the Alapata CRA. Highly support it, hope we can get this going. Thank you very much.

Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning. My name is Jose Segarra-Bey. My address is 515 Southwest 63rd Court. I would like to take a brief moment to thank the lady that just spoke, as I am grateful for having great teachers that actually, I gave a very difficult time and I apologize to all of them, but they still managed to teach me. Today I am here to state my full support of re13 i accidentally happen to live pretty much next to the proposed area which is on west flagler 70th avenue which also is going to be included i believe is going to be the formation of four blocks of the ludlum trail the area this project will bring a positive impact to our area it will bring positive residents teachers specifically plus the impact fees that the project generates, get that also reinvested into the area. We need much investing. There's many things to address. I'm in full support of it. I think it's great. And our teachers desperately need it. Given the work they do and perform and what they are paid, It is appalling that they need the resources. If we can't pay them better incomes or salaries, then we need to provide housing and we need to provide other resources so they can have a life of dignity, given the impact, the positive impact teachers have on our lives. They touch everyone's lives. Thank you. I'm in full support of RE13. I can't wait to see it built. God bless.

Thank you.

Good morning. Hi, good morning. My name is Jamila Stevens and I reside at 3181 Hibiscus Street, Miami, Florida, 33133. I'm representing the executive board of the Coconut Grove Homeowners and Tenants Association, also known as HOTA, and currently hold the office of second vice president. I hereby declare that Hoda's Executive Board is in support of agenda item number RE8, which an allocation of 15 million is requested for affordable housing and park improvements in District 2, as proposed by District 2 Commissioner Damian Pardo. I further declare that HOTA's Executive Board cannot at this juncture support agenda item PZ1, in which approval of a revised version of the City of Miami's Affordable and Attainable Mid-Income Transfer Development Density Program is sought. On PSAB's March 18th meeting, there was a mention of community outreach being conducted. The last meeting was canceled, so I'm not quite sure what proof we have of that. Miami 21 contains Neighborhood Conservation District, NCD, overlay that protect coconut grove from overdevelopment and to preserve its character. Therefore, unless NCDs are removed from the legislation as presented herein, and as a satisfactory redraft is preferred, we are obligated to withhold our support.

Thank you. Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. Madam Mayor, Chairwoman King, Commissioners, Chris Rupp, Dade Heritage Trust, 190 Southeast 12th Terrace. I'm here to speak in favor of the DDA as a cultural organization. The DDA encourages networking with other arts and cultural organizations around the downtown area. We also operate as the Brickell Area Visitor Center with appropriate funding from the DDA. We're able to welcome visitors locally, nationally, and of course internationally to our neighborhood. And we provide information on transit, on arts activities, and more, all about downtown. So they really provide us great opportunities, great networking opportunities with other arts and cultural organizations. It's a very meaningful program for the DDA and for cultural organizations in general. Also, Commissioner Pardo, your item about parks improvements and affordable housing in your district, fabulous. And I want you to know, all of you, that Dade Heritage Trust is a partner in parks and affordable housing. We have a beautiful program called Historic Places, Green Spaces, where we take K-12 students into city parks that have historic resources. Recently, we received a grant and put in some of our own funding to put a new roof on the oldest residence in Miami, the Wagner Homestead in Lummis Park. It's lovely. And previous to Mayor Higgins joining the city of Miami, she was our champion for something called the Preservation of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing, a wonderful initiative that preserves affordable housing and existing structures, preserves the green space, restores these lovely structures that add to the community aesthetic And the community fabric and preserving neighborhoods is really what we're all about, obviously. So there's ways to do affordable housing without towers, and it's meaningful for the neighborhood. So thank you for your great work. Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning. Elisa Margulies, 3333 Rice Street in Center Grove. I'm here for PZ1, RE8, and RE12. Commissioners and Mayor, not all legislation has to be one size fits all. especially in a city as diverse and complex as Miami. What works in one neighborhood is not automatically a good fit for another. In the case of PZ1, the residents of the Grove NCDs did not ask for this. In fact, we are here respectfully asking to be excluded from it. No one here denies that Miami needs more affordable housing, and in areas that can absorb additional density, we support making that easier to achieve. However, residents of the conservation districts are already paying the price of overdevelopment. We live with sidewalks that are routinely closed for up to two years during construction. Traffic is not just a daily inconvenience, it's soul crushing. And with an easily achievable low threshold to transfer density, the potential for exploitation will be too tempting for certain developers. Ask yourselves, in the NCDs, who exactly does stand to benefit? Is it the luxury condo with 380 plus parking spaces that already stretches the credibility of its transit zone designation? Or properties along 27th Avenue east of US 1 where additional density won't solve an affordability crisis? but it will result in more gridlock. Adding more density without first fixing the inadequate public transportation system and infrastructure gaps will not solve the NCD problems, it will only magnify them. Regarding RE8, this not only benefits our West Grove family, but will help to increase much needed green space. Please support this initiative. And finally, thank you Commissioner Rosado for sponsoring RE12. It judiciously benefits our seniors and is grounded in community needs. To the city manager, who's not here, so I say to you, Mayor, please, as you consider implementing new programs, I urge you to put in strong guardrails. You have to protect our seniors. Thank you.

Thank you. Good morning. Good morning. My name is Maria Margieva. I am LADD Miami Circus Arts Center Program Director, and I'm head coach. I'm here to support Miami DDA for performing arts development, our programs. DDA boosts arts program in downtown Miami through their grants. We are applying every year and this help us to create and deliver youth programs, training in dance, circus, for kids of all abilities, and it also activates public spaces in downtown Miami where we deliver all final products. So it is very important to support Miami DDA as family-friendly events around Miami. Okay, thank you.

Thank you.

Good morning. Good morning.

Good morning. Mayor, commissioners, my name is Jeff Taylor. I live here in Coconut Grove, 2801 Florida Avenue. I've got two items. I'll be quite quick. So first, I wanted to express my support for RE8 to help fund the land acquisition affordable housing and parks projects in D2. Thank you, Commissioner Pardo, for you and your team's work on that. Secondly, my ask is to please exclude neighborhood conservation districts from PZ1, as you've heard from many of our neighbors here in this room. We support reasonable development. We simply ask that areas like the Grove be excluded because of already challenges with overdevelopment. So please exclude the NCDs from PZ1, thank you.

Thank you, good morning.

commissioners madam mayor mark burns executive director of the coconut grove business improvement district with offices at 3250 mary street i'm here uh one of my board hello better i'm here uh for one of my board members mr monte trainer he was unable to attend and he he prepared a written statement in support of re8 that he wanted me to read uh into the record if that's all right madam chair thank you Dear Honorable Mayor and Commissioners, I am writing to express my strong support for the proposed resolution authorizing allocation of $15 million from the Public Benefits Trust Fund to the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and Parks and Open Spaces Trust Fund. As a longtime resident of Coconut Grove and the City of Miami, I have witnessed firsthand both the growth and the challenges our community continues to face. This investment represents a thoughtful and necessary step towards ensuring that Miami remains a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable city for residents of all backgrounds. The allocation of funds toward affordable housing is critical. As housing costs continue to rise, many longstanding residents, essential workers, and families are increasingly at risk of displacement. Supporting the development and preservation of affordable housing within our neighborhoods helps maintain the cultural fabric and economic diversity that define Miami. Equally important is the investment in parks and open spaces. These areas are vital to the health, well-being, and quality of life for our residents. Expanding and enhancing green spaces not only provides recreational opportunities, but also contributes to environmental resilience and community connectivity. This balanced approach, supporting both housing affordability and accessible public spaces, demonstrates a forward-thinking commitment to equitable development and long-term planning. I respectfully urge the City Commission to approve this resolution and continue prioritizing initiatives that strengthen our neighborhoods and support the people who call Miami home. Thank you for your leadership and dedication to our community. Monty Treanor, thank you.

Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning, thank you all for being here. I'm Monica Bellison, and me, like several of my friends and neighbors here, live in Park Grove, and I'm not going to speak, don't worry about that. I'm just going to bring a petition that has been signed by many of us in Park Grove, and it's a petition opposing the expansion of density transfer program in Coconut Grove. It has been signed by many of us, many, many, and it also includes a description of why the opposition to this program. Who should I give it to?

Thank you very much. Thank you.

Good morning. Good morning, Madam Chairwoman, Madam Mayor, Honorable Commissioners. My name is Melissa Tapinez with offices at 200 South Biscayne Boulevard, Miami. I'm here before you today as a board member of the Downtown Development Authority, and most importantly, the chairwoman of the DDA's Urbanism Committee. I wanted to just take a moment to give a little bit of historical context on the DDA on one particular issue, and that is the DDA's role as the area-wide developer of the downtown DRI. The downtown DRI consists of 927 acres that, by state law, as the Growth Management Act appeared in 1985, was downtown. This includes Brickell, the Central Business District, as well as the Arts and Entertainment. For 40 years, the DDA has served as a developer of this area-wide development. And it's really important to note that we've been very successful, specifically in the development of the Brickell area. With that said, we have significant remaining credits as part of our DRI specifically over 5,300 residential units yet to construct, as well as almost 2,700 hotel units yet to destruct. These developments are in the future of the DDA, and this is separate and apart from the other services that many of the members of the DDA have presented to you all in the past. So we wanna keep in mind that the DDA's work, it continues, It's part of state law, and any type of future role discussion needs to really incorporate our role as developer of this area, providing infrastructure, resiliency methods, and advocacy before our state, regional, and county governments. Thank you.

Thank you. Good morning. Good morning.

Good morning, my name's Cliff Losh, I live at 2011 South Bayshore Drive. And I also represent the South Bayshore Condo Association, which has about 3,000 members, a handful of which are here. I'm here to support RE8, which is excellent policy, and we are happy that our commissioner proposed it. I'm here to oppose PZ1. All the arguments have been made, I'll barely summarize them. This isn't part of, somebody said earlier, it's not part of any coherent policy at all. And labeling it as having anything to do with affordable housing is, as was pointed out earlier, just inaccurate. The only thing it would do would be to allow transfer from high density areas to what should be a protected area like an NCD to build very high cost housing. So it wouldn't achieve in any way the supposed effect of affordable housing. NCDs were created for a reason, to conserve the communities that were there, the ambiance that's there, and to be consistent with the infrastructure in place to support the housing. The higher density in Coconut Grove has already had some pretty deleterious effects, as somebody pointed out. You can't really walk on the sidewalks most of the time because they're closed for construction. The roads are really badly clogged now. It's not the right place for higher density housing, period. And certainly it doesn't provide in the slightest any affordable housing. So it's hard to see why there's any policy reason to support this whatsoever. It's been pretty clear there's not a single resident or any of your voters in favor of this. So the question has to be, why is it even on the agenda? Why would anybody pass this and make it law? Thank you very much.

Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning, Chairwoman. My name is James Torres, president of Downtown Neighbors Alliance, here speaking on DI4. On March 26th, this commission saw exactly what downtown and local residents have been dealing for years. Commissioner Escalona called for a sunshine meeting to ask the basic question about the Downtown Development Authority. Commissioner Miguel Gavella attended. Miami-Dade County Commissioner Vicky Lopez showed up as well. And what did the DDA do? Nothing. No one from this hostage agency even bothered to show up. No explanation, no accountability, just silence. This tells you everything that you need to know. If this is how the DDA treats elected officials asking questions in public, imagine how they treat downtown residents. We have been ignored, brushed aside, retaliated. Just this week, the DDA retaliated against our own organization when we asked the agency that we very much so fund the double taxation to share in an Easter event. They declined. This message was simple. If you ask, you are criticized. If you get there, they're going to shut you down. This is not how a public agency behaves. This is how an unaccountable racket behaves. So since there are so many unanswered questions at the Sunshine meeting, I would like to offer a few more. Isn't it true that nearly half of the DDA staff makes over $100,000 a year? Isn't it true that the DDA spends over $700,000 on a luxury office space, parking, furniture, and related office expenses? Isn't it true that the DDA spends roughly $3.5 million a year on salary and benefits? Isn't it true that just in the 18 months, the DDA handed out over 3.2 in corporate giveaway checks? Isn't it true that the DDA gave $450,000 to FC Barcelona, $100,000 to UFC, $175,000 to college football? Isn't it true that the CEO of this taxpayer-funded agency makes nearly $265,000, which is more than the governor of Florida and California? So the question is very simple. How much longer are downtown and Brickell families expected to keep paying this hostage tax to fund an outdated, bloated tax agency and these issues. Thank you. Appreciate you.

Good morning.

Good morning. Good morning, Madam Mayor, Madam Chairwoman, Commissioners. It's a real honor to be here, and I'll be very brief. I'm here in strong support of RE13. Thank you, Commissioner Rosado, for sponsoring this. My name is Julio Robina. I'm the former mayor of South Miami and the former state rep. I'm very proud to say the ones who started the London Trail Project back in 2001, when we were able to, for those activists out there, you're able to stop government at times when things are not right, and we were able to stop a corridor, and today it's becoming a beautiful corridor, and I'm extremely proud to say that the London Trail Apartments for Teachers is a must. It's long overdue. I'm a product of Dade County public school systems, and let me tell you, housing has gotten horrible for teachers, especially with the salaries paid this day. Also, I'll end with this. I have to speak about this. As the former lawmaker who wrote all pretty much the rewrites of laws for condominiums and homeowner associations in Florida, I want to remind everybody that December 31st of this year, you must be in compliance with the state statute that says you have done the structural integrity report for all these condos, old and new, that are three floors or higher, and you must fund your reserves. If not, there will be an avalanche of letters and probably fines and so forth moving forward. Everyone needs to comply. I'm very happy to say that I'm working with Ralph, with Commissioner Rosado, Commissioner Gabella, and willing to tell you if you've got any constituents that want to know what this is about, because everyone's procrastinating and thinking this is not going to happen, Half of Miami's got my phone number. I'm sure a lot of you do. Have them call me. I'll be glad to help them. And again, thank you, and thank you for what you all do, and have a great morning.

Thank you. Good morning.

Good morning, Madam Chair. Billy Corbin. My time's up already. Billy Corbin on CA5. You guys play, and the taxpayers pay, and we just want to stop the games. Last year I was here, I told you, don't cancel or postpone the election. It's unfair. It's unethical. And it turns out, it was also unconstitutional. Judge after judge, court after court told you that. And you kept spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on outside counsel to lose, to lose, and to lose. And now you're going to pay $150,000 to Emilio Gonzalez to pay his attorneys who rightfully sued the city and won. And there's no accountability for it at all whatsoever. Why do we even have outside counsel? You have a law firm with 29 lawyers right here in the city attorney's office. The reason is because it's a hustle and it's an entire cottage industry of lawyers who get paid millions of dollars to lose lawsuits on behalf of the taxpayers. And they're incentivized to do it. They're incentivized to drag it out. They're incentivized to file frivolous appeals so they get paid more money. And there's no accountability. You guys voted to spend $400,000 in taxpayer money to settle a lawsuit against the police chief for sexual discrimination, gender discrimination, racial discrimination. And he still has a job. There's no accountability. I suggest a policy of disincentivizing. How about a resolution that when you lose a lawsuit or an appeal, you dock the pay of the city attorney and his deputies? I bet you'll start getting a lot better legal advice then. Or how about a resolution that the commissioner, Damian Pardo, who masterminded this unconstitutional scheme, how about he pays out of his personal or his PAC? He pays Emilio Gonzalez's fees. Commissioner Rosado, Commissioner Kim, you want to chip in too. You guys also voted for this scheme. Finally, I want to thank you, Commissioner or Chairwoman, for your new moderate take on the unreasonable decision. ban on the public saying the names of public officials in public meetings. I appreciate that. Sometimes you get complimented, sometimes you get, you know, criticized, but I think the flexibility is important, and I appreciate it. And shame on you, sir, for trying to censor us and silence us today.

Thank you.

Okay? You're living proof that the system, you don't change the system, the system changes you.

Good morning.

Good morning, Mayor, Commissioners, Mr. Manager. My name is Christian Molina, 3058 Southwest 19 Terrace. I'm here to read a letter on behalf of former County Commissioner Rebecca Sosa in support of RE13. Dear Mayors and members of the Miami City Commission, as a former Miami-Dade County Commissioner and a lifelong educator, I am proud to offer my strong support for Commissioner Rosado's proposal to invest in teacher housing and advance the Ludlum Trail, two priorities that have defined much of my public service. Before my time in elected office, I served as an educator in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. That experience has never left me. I've seen firsthand the sacrifices our educators make, and I have long believed that if we expect excellence in our classrooms, we must ensure stability in our teachers' lives. Too many of our teachers are being priced out of the very communities they serve. This proposal recognizes a simple truth. When teachers can afford to live here, our schools are stronger, our neighborhoods are more stable, and our entire county benefits. This is not just housing, it is an investment in the future of public education across Miami-Dade. I'm equally encouraged to see continued progress on the Ludlum Trail, a project that I've proudly supported for many years. During my tenure at the county, I worked to help move this vision forward because I understood its potential to transform how our communities connect with one another. The Ludlam Trail is more than a path. It is a corridor of opportunity, promoting mobility, health, and environmental sustainability while linking multiple municipalities together. Completing these critical segments brings us closer to realizing a truly interconnected Miami-Dade County. This proposal reflects the kind of regional thinking I have always advocated for. Our challenges, whether in education, housing, or infrastructure, do not stop at municipal boundaries. Our solutions must be just as expansive. By supporting this item, you are supporting our teachers, advancing a long-envisioned regional asset, and investing in a stronger, more connected future for all. I commend Commissioner Rosado for his leadership and respectfully urge your support. Sincerely, former Commissioner Rebecca Sosa.

Thank you. Is there anyone else here who would like to speak on behalf of any item on this agenda? Seeing none, public comment period is now closed. Gentlemen, may I have a motion to approve the minutes, the commission minutes for February 12, 26, February 26, 2026, and March 12, 2026. So moved.

Second.

I have a motion.

Second. Second.

I have a motion and a second. All in favor? Aye.

Aye.

Gentlemen, are there any items from the CA agenda that you would like to pull for discussion?

No.

None?

No.

May I have a motion for CA1, CA2, CA3 that will be amended, CA4, and CA5, and our city clerk is going to tell us about the amendment?

Thank you, Chair. CA3 will be amended pursuant to a substitution memo dated April 8, 2026. Thank you.

All in favor?

Aye. Chair, I didn't catch the mover and seconder. My apologies. So moved. Second. And that would be unanimous. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. Gentlemen, of the PH items, are there any items that you would like to pull for discussion?

Just have a commentary on PH 10.

On PH 10?

PH 10.

Okay. Anyone else?

No.

No? Okay, Commissioner Pardo, if you'd like to.

Just on PH10, I just wanted to highlight the importance of that item, because it will lower emissions downtown, it'll be connecting the port electrically, and there won't be any diesel being used anymore, so that should make a nice difference in the quality of the air for downtown residents. Thank you.

May I have a motion for PH1, PH2, PH3 to be amended, PH4? PH 5, PH 6, PH 7, PH 8, PH 9, PH 10, PH 11, PH 12, PH 13 to be amended and PH-14.

Excuse me, PH-13 to be amended in what form?

I can respond to that, Madam Chair. PH-13, the map which is attached to the legislation had a typo on the street. It was 137. So that's just been corrected.

Madam Chair, if I could just confirm, I want it to be added as a co-sponsor of PH-13.

Our city clerk is going to do that. He's going to address the items that will be amended and also speak to co-sponsorship. Thank you.

And, Chair, I'll briefly reference PH3. PH3 will be amended, the third whereas clause, to change the amount from $162,896.61 to $162,000.

And PH10? PH13, I'm sorry.

Yes, and I believe the city attorney explained the amendment for PH13.

Okay, may I have a motion? So moved. I have a motion and a second. All in favor? Aye. Items passes. Gentlemen, are there any items on the RE agenda that you would like to pull for discussion?

No. I do want to just make a brief comment on the one that has to do with the public benefits trust.

RE8?

RE8. I'd also like to comment on RE8.

Okay, RE8 and RE13. I'd like to pull RE8 and RE13.

RE13.

It's also public benefits.

Madam Chair, I wanted to mention RE11 should be tabled because it's contingent upon the adoption of SR4. But we're going to, SR4 had an issue with it, so we're going to revert that to first reading. So I would respectfully request that RE11 be deferred to April 23rd.

May I have a motion? Motion. I have a motion and a second to defer RE11 to April 23rd. All in favor?

Aye.

Motion carries. Okay. May I have a motion for RE1, RE2, RE3 to be amended, RE4, 5, 6, and 7, RE9, RE 10, RE 12, RE 14, 15, and 16.

Chair, my apologies. I believe you referenced RE 4 in the block vote. RE 4 was deferred.

Oh, I'm sorry. RE 4 was deferred, so not RE 4. May I have a motion?

And, Chair, just briefly, RE 3 will be amended pursuant to a substitution memo dated April 6, 2026.

I have a motion. Second. I have a motion and a second. All in favor? Aye. Motion carries. Commissioner Gabella, you wanted to discuss RE8?

Right. I briefly just want to say that there's three commissioners and they're asking $21 million for three. And I understand this is a first come, first serve. That's the way it is. No problem. However, my portion is $1,369,934. The problem is that between the three competitors that are now asking for 21 mil, you know, there's a shortage for my end at 542, 550. So can I ask somebody, some of you guys, you know, to chip in so I can make up for my 542?

So also, I'd like to— And I don't want to take away from what you guys are doing. I'd like to weigh in on this, one, because if we pass RE8, there's no money left. for RE13. And this fund is intended for affordable housing, parks, and the like. We all have issues in our community. I don't believe the way this fund was set up is equitable for the entirety of the city of Miami. It was not intended to do so. And with The allocation to date, we have district two has received almost 18 million of the money. District three has received almost 13 million of the fund. I have received seven, almost 6 million and commissioner Gabela has received 1 million.

I got $1 million. Yes, you did.

You got $1.3 million. With the remainder of the money, each of our districts have needs from this benefit. I have a park in my district that is going to be closed because the playground equipment is so outdated and unsafe. that they're closing the park with no funding in sight, with a hope to receive funding in October during the budget cycle. Two months before school is out, summer recess, my parks are going to be closed. And I have several parks in the district. Also, affordable housing for teachers is important. I am a champion for affordable housing and not just apartments. I'm building housing for first-time homeowners, for low to moderate income families like teachers, and I'm utilizing vacant lots in District 5 to do so. I appreciate that affordable housing looks different for everyone, but it is unequitable how this money has been spent. And it is unfair because I was told by staff I had to identify a project. So I identified a project. Then I was told by staff, no, you just had to ask for it. The uncertainty of how you would obtain this money, because if you had told me that, no, you just have to ask for the money, I would have asked for all of it. But I did what I was told, and I identified a project. And I cannot in good conscience vote for your item, Commissioner Pardo, although it is needed, but there are parks throughout the city of Miami and there are commissioners who have not there's no money for d4 none and he's asking for four million dollars if we grant your request there's no money for him and also this should have this pot of money and let me just read from it It is important to note that just because a project contributed into the fund is located in a certain district, it does not mean those funds shall be used within that district. It's not because one district includes you receive the money into this fund from one district more than other districts, that that district should get the lion's share of the money. It's not fair. And in today's prayer, the pastor talked about compassion. and serving the entirety of the city of Miami and I would like staff to figure out a way that this is more equitable for everyone. Perhaps use the calculation that we use for CDBG dollars where it's based on need in the district or just divvy up what's left and make everyone whole where we all get about the same amount of money. It seems like almost 18 million is the threshold here. I don't know that staff can bring us all up to that, but whatever is left, let's make this more equitable for all of the districts, because it's just not fair. Commissioner Pardo?

Well, first of all, I want to say I have compassion and I understand there are needs across all of our districts. I want to make that very clear. We have allocations in our budget that address many of those needs and many other pockets of money. This specific pot of money is about T6 and above developments that are contributing a public benefit into this fund. T6 and above developments primarily occur in District 2. When you talk about District 2, it is under so much stress for development. It doesn't matter where you go. People can't get to their buildings. The traffic is unbearable. You know, the thought is, oh, well, District 2, it has these condos, and the quality of life in District 2, the entire district, whether it's Coconut Grove, you open the paper, people want to move to the Grove. People want to move to Miami. Where are they moving?

District 2.

The residents in District 2 are fed up. They are dealing with undue pressure. You saw it at the ultra meeting. You know, half marathons that blow the horn every morning. People get woken up at 6. Construction noise, they're woken up at 2. They're woken up at 4. So that's not equitable. That's just not equitable. Everyone wants to travel and come through all these places. And these developments are asking for concessions. They're asking for setbacks. They're asking for variances. And the public benefit money that's originating from that development is going into that pot of money. We have designated very concrete projects for that money. That's why we're here taking it. And by the way, we're not taking what we contribute. There's more left that comes from District 2. So we're not taking the full amount. We're just asking for our fair share that not only has been appropriated, we have been talking about this with residents for eight months. We've been talking about the playgrounds, talking about buying property in the Grove. I mean, these are identified specific things, not just something where we decided, hey, let's come in and try to take some money at all. We've been extremely courteous, responsible, and respectful. We understand the needs are citywide, and we support all of our district's in that effort, but we're here at the table because we're ready and we shouldn't be held back.

Commissioner Gabela.

Yeah, so my response to that is I understand fully, and by the way, what you meant was that the allotment, that my district was allotted the 1.3 is what you meant, because when you said, we gave you the money, so wait a minute. No, no, no, no. No, I got you. That was me. My bad. But no, here's the thing. While I understand that Your residents put up with this, and the money is generated there. The other problem, the other side of this is that her district and my district, my district, for example, I have the Camillus House on Seventh Avenue. I have the health system, which is a revolving door of people that get arrested, the homelessness situation, and all of that. And then on top of that, the GSA site has been, in my district, which is an eyesore, for years. So while you guys generate the money, but by the same token, you guys don't have all this stuff in your neck of the woods. What do you guys do? For years, people, not you, but people have been dumping into Alapata. So you've got to take that part of the equation also because you guys that I know about, you know, you don't have this kind of problem that I'm talking about. You see what I'm saying? So while I understand that you guys generate the funds, you know what I mean? You know, it's not exactly, you know, and I agree with the chairwoman. You know, I don't want to hamper you. I don't want to hamper your, you know, what you got going on, because I think we all need to help each other, right, as colleagues that we are, you know? and I'm all for that, but, you know, I think it's just a bit much, and I will vote for it, but I hope in your heart you can find what the chairwoman is saying, and she's correct, you know what I mean? And what I'm telling you is that, you know, it's not, you know, when you speak about it that way, it makes sense, but then the other equation is that we have problems in our district that we're dumped upon, okay, and I don't see it as an equitable solution. However, the other side is, and I said it to the city manager when we had our meeting, the way this is done, first come, first serve, I don't think this is correct. If I didn't find out about it, nobody knows about it. Hell, I'm late to the party, gentlemen. I'm going to abide by my rules. At the bare minimum, What I want is that what you guys are doing, Rosado, I have nothing against your thing. I want to help you, too. But here's the deal. I'm short $542,000, okay? Because if you, it's 21-3 between what you're asking, what the chairwoman did already, and what you're asking. It's 21-3, okay? And the total is $22,127,384. So what I'm owed is $1,369,934 with zero eight cents, okay? Meaning that there's $822,384 left for me, the way it is, but I am short $542,550. So what are we going to do about that?

Commissioner.

Yes, sir.

You said $542,550? That's correct. I will take it out of our funds specifically. I want you to understand something. I believe and work hard for all of our districts. You know that there's a contribution specifically made for Alapata, $2 million a year, out of Omni CRA that we shepherded. We all know we have many entities and different pots of money to help in all of these projects. So like you, I don't want to be in a... diametrically opposed on anything. There's enough, you know, if you believe it's an ocean with lots of fish, you believe it is an ocean. You believe it's a pond that you need to fight for everything, that's a different story. I think it's an ocean, lots of fish, and I'm happy to help you.

Commissioner Pardo, I don't understand how the Omni CRA can pledge $2 million to

Alipada because you can't use the money outside of the boundaries of the correct CRA We're pledging it back to the general fund for the administration to use in the area Okay Yes, one CRA cannot give outside of its boundary boundary so we gave through omni CRA two million dollars back to the city Who's that earmark for now?

For Alapata. Oh, what you're saying is that you couldn't go with the other way around. Right. Okay, good.

So that money is available to him today?

If he wanted it.

Okay, for Alapata.

For Alapata, correct.

But again, my argument stands because, again, if we pass RE8, there is no money for RE13. None. Zip.

Zip. Madam Chair.

Mr. Manager?

Can I provide some updated data and historical on the numbers so that we're all kind of like singing off the same sheet? If I may?

Please.

So the fund was established in 2009, and I'd like to share, if I may, the different revenue streams, how much each district has generated during the life of the fund. So District 1, generated, and I'll use estimates, please. I don't want to get into cents here, but a little over 1.3 million. District 2, a little over 21 million. District 3, almost 13 million. District 4 did not generate funds for the fund, and District 5, almost 3 million. Of that, the expenditures to date, not including the two items that are before you today. District 1 has not expended any of the dollars. District 2, $1.1 million. District 3, $12.7 million. District 4 has not expended any funds. And District 5, 5.3. With the concession that District 2 made today to District 1, That makes District 1 whole for what they're trying to accomplish. With that said, what District 4 is trying to accomplish, we now have brought the delta, the difference, to about, let's see here the exact numbers, $496,193. So after taking Commissioner Pardo's item, Out of the existing balance, we also had a deposit into the fund Tuesday afternoon that we're anticipating is going to clear. We're waiting for an e-check that was deposited into the account. of roughly $2.5 million. So between the remainder of Commissioner Pardo, what he leaves in the fund, and the additional $2.5 million that was just received that we're awaiting clearance in the fund, the delta for the District 4 project is approximately $496,000 of which the commissioner and the administration have been in conversation. And there is enough dollars between district funds and other identified revenue to cover that expense. So that's where we're at today. I just wanted to provide an update for everyone on the days. Thank you.

Okay, but it's still not equitable. It's still not equitable. Now, if you're going to tell me that you're going to find the money so that my parks, they can order the park equipment right now. Because even if you order the park equipment right now, if you had the money to order the park equipment right now, I'm looking at eight months of a closed park in my district. And I believe this is time to begin a conversation about GOB money, a bond, because we all have so much need but there's not enough money to address all of the needs. My district, Commissioner Gabela's district, we are the ones hurting for affordable housing. We are the ones, we're not building luxury housing. We need affordable housing more than anyone, and true affordable housing, because someone mentioned that today, true affordable housing, not those funky AMI numbers, you know, 60% AMI, which doesn't, our teachers. And then here's an unintended consequence of designating a project affordable because once it's billed, you get affordable housing one year and then your rent goes up. Every single year by law, because we're not a rent control state. And again, I'm just stating because if D2 gets this $15 million, they would have had $15 plus $17, $18, $15 million. I'm rounding up from the $17 that was identified. That's $18 plus another $15 when we all have need. So he should, and I'm not, he's his own advocate, but he should be grateful that you found $4 million and that D2 is 70... 30 plus million dollars out of this fund. It's not fair to the rest of us. Commissioner Pardo, I'm gonna allow you to speak. And I know, and again, this speaks to, because I want Commissioner Pardo to have what he's asking for, but I'm talking about equity throughout the city of Miami. And I'm the first to grab community benefits. I stopped the Watson Island deal to get community benefits, didn't I? because there is such a need. I ask for community benefits from every developer that comes through D5. Ask them, I have a reputation for that. I try to cobble up money for our districts because I understand that the city doesn't have the funds, but again, I can't support Commissioner Pardo getting another 15 million on top of the 18 that he already received. just because you found four for Commissioner Rosado. What about the rest of us?

Madam Chair, can I clarify some of the numbers? So first and foremost, I forgot the most important part, and that is that I think you have consensus between City Attorney, myself, and the DAIS, that we definitely urge change in the legislation that establishes a formal process as to how these funds are utilized in the future. I think we all agree unanimously, I would say, that this first come first serve basis and the way the legislation was written leaves a lot of unintended consequences so i urge all of you to come up with something that works for all the districts i am not sure where or which numbers you're alluding to but i can tell you that again as it relates to district 2 the revenue that that district has produced is 21.1 million Of that, the district without this item has only expended $1.1 million. That's why we have the balance that we have. So it's 1.1 plus the 15 that he's putting in for.

Okay, I have a report from staff for public benefits. So whoever put this report together for me, they need to come and speak to this because it says, District 2, 17,948,698. Where did that number come from? And for District 3, I have 12,916,672. Those are the deposits. That's the revenue created by each of the district. That's not how much they've expended.

The expenditures are the numbers that I shared earlier. For District 2, it's 1.155. For District 3, it's 12.728 of the 12.916.

So this came from the Planning Department's report of April 2nd.

Yeah, so just, Madam Chair, David Snow with the Planning Department, to clarify, just to add to what the manager stated, when we collect dollars from those developments that are contributing, that's those amounts you just read. So that's that total amount collected. The expenditures, and I'll read through them again, just so that we're clear, for District 2 is roughly 1.1 million, that they've received, District 3 is 12.7, and District 5 is 5.3. That's what you've received out of the trust.

What's, I'm sorry, what's the five again? Five point what, 5.3?

District 5 is 5.3.

District 1 has nothing. They have not received any.

No, District 1 and District 4 have not received any money from the public.

Can I ask you, because the 13 mill rounded off, the 12.7 mill rounded off the 13 on District 3 was not spent by this gentleman. It was spent by the prior gentleman. So how long has this program been going on and how come I find out about it? So the program... What's going on here? So the program... Carolla was the only one that was told this, and certain people, and the other... We weren't, you know, in the loop.

So, Commissioner, the program has been around since the inception of Miami 21, which was back in 2009.

But how come now... Sorry, David, I'm not putting it on you, but here's the thing. How come now is when I find out about this two weeks ago... Let me answer that question, because staff does not...

give you any, you either know it or you don't. You figure it out because they don't come to you and say, oh, by the way, we have this. That is not, this was created in 2009. I became elected in 2021. No one sat me down and said, these are your options for funding. Staff doesn't give you that information. Now, with District 3, the money has been allocated. They're not going to take the money from you. And the money hasn't been spent. So you, sir, have almost $13 million because the previous commissioner had been around since 2009 and beyond. So he knew. But we didn't. We had to figure it out. I figured it out. And that's how I got the $5 million that I got last commission meeting. And that opened the Pandora's box. And now you see what you see. But staff doesn't give you that. You got to figure that out on your own. And what you don't know, you don't know.

But listen, listen, I call the finance, I call the people, and I'm always asking, what do I got? I mean, this can't, you know, this doesn't fly, man. This can't work like this. You know, this is not, that we find out, this has been going on, okay, 2009, great. Calhoun is an expert at it because he was a commissioner for many years, and then the people that get here were not so experts. Calhoun is not an expert. You might be down there because you've been a city manager for, you know, a long time. But I'm not, you know, in tune for that. I don't think you are either. And you have to find out. That has to change. That has to change. You know what I mean? This is a flawed system, and that's why we're here today.

And all I'm saying is that, Commissioner Pardo, all I'm saying, I'm going to let you speak. All I'm saying is that this should have been, there should have been a more equitable way that this money, was divvied up and we should not have had to figure it out on our own. That's all I'm saying with staff. I don't know who came up with that idea. First in, first out, you know, it's just not fair. It's not fair because every single district in the city of Miami has need and D1 and D5 have the most need. We've had the most need, but it doesn't discount that D2 needs a park. Of course, we all need parks, but District 5 has the most parks in the district. The most parks in the district. In the city. No, in the city. Yes, my district has the most parks in the city. And all I'm saying to my colleagues is that we should have a more equitable way to distribute this money. It's public trust dollars. Commissioner Pardo? Yay.

So, okay, so as far as District 2 goes, we're leaving $5 million there. We're taking much less than our share. But a very important aspect of District 2 that is not really being considered, when you say the word equity and you say the word need, the infrastructure that is burdened on this district is horrible. What we need, you just mentioned a bond, we need. only have 10% of our stormwater master plan funded. That's $400 million of $4 billion. It doesn't do much good to have an affordable home when you're waist deep in water. So we have to consider resiliency. We have to consider our seawalls. We have four feet seawall, six feet seawall. We're lucky we haven't had a climate event. We haven't had a hurricane. So when we talk about need, it can't just be, I understand affordability. It's a crisis in our city. But we have a silent crisis. And that's called climate resiliency. We're not. we're in trouble and we should think of it as protecting our residents and our citizens as well.

I have a seawall crumbling in my district. Crumbling. And that's the point I am making. What you are saying is not unique to District 2. We have flooding. I have a crumbling seawall. We all have issues in our district. It's not unique to District 2. I share waterfront property as well.

I'm not saying it is, but affordability isn't unique either to the other districts. We have, obviously, affordable housing needs and issues that we try to take care of as well.

You too, but nowhere near, nowhere near the amount that D1 has or D5 has. Nowhere near.

Okay, listen, Madam Chair, through the chair.

I think Commissioner Rosado wants to jump in.

Mr. Manager, could you give us the total of what's available right now prior to these two items that are being discussed? Because we talked a lot of numbers. I want to make sure we all have one number we're working from. Because I do think we can arrive at an agreement today. And I will mention, go ahead.

19.201.

That's what's available right now? Yes, sir. For the two items. And we're asking for a combined between the two of 19.8. I'm sure we can arrive at a number that makes sense. And I wanted to point something out which is new to me because I asked for information as the meeting was going on. And this is a record year for public benefits dollars. So I asked for the history of it because I've actually not seen this before. So in 2022, this is just going back over the last five years. It's older than that. But in the last five years, in 2022, 1.64 was collected. In 2023, a little bit under that was collected. In 2024, it jumped to almost 10 million. In 2025, it was over 11 million. And so far this year, in three months, we've collected 10 million dollars. So there's like a record amount of money coming just to kind of, you know, make everybody feel at ease that it seems like we're on a really good trend in terms of having dollars to be able to distribute. So this is a good sign. I didn't know this prior to this last hour or so.

Madam Chair, for the record, the money that you were referring to that was allocated to D.C. 3, that was spent by the previous commissioner and approved by this commission. So I don't have any of that money. You saw it for the record.

Okay. A staff told me that. Didn't staff tell me in my agenda briefing that that money was not spent? They did not?

I'm willing to share with you, brother. I'll help you out. I don't mind 542. I'll help him out.

I know I followed up to see if that money was encumbered and it was. And it was distributed.

It was encumbered. Has it been spent? There's a difference.

To my knowledge, it was.

Let's see.

they're getting the HUD document, the settlement document.

Okay, because I know you've had items, you know, defunded, commissioned part of.

While he figures that out, I just wanted to add, that is exactly why the stress is so bad in District 2. There are roads in the Grove that you cannot get through. The traffic, I mean, some people are taking an hour to get into their building once they're in the area. There's so much congestion and traffic and noise and development issues that, you know, The residents are up in arms, and they should be. They should be. It's not the same in other parts. I know, I get it. And they have other issues and other needs.

I agree with you, but I've got traffic in my district. We border districts.

Right, I'm not sure it's the way this is happening with development on the streets at the same time and people hearing noise at 2 a.m. and at 5 a.m. and noise waivers that need to happen because of construction pours and people that just... I mean, the level of... residents engaging with us on that issue day in, day out is huge. It shouldn't be on their backs either. Commissioner Pardo?

You know, my people would say to that that they wish that they had that problem because my people are to begin with looking for housing that they don't have. You see what I'm saying? We're arguing.

I get it.

I'm conceding that we all have need and that's why I am championing that this money is equitably distributed to all of us and not just the lion's share goes to one particular district because we all have needs, some greater than others, but we all have a need. I believe we're, Commissioner Rosado?

I do. I'm open to a breakdown of the dollars given that we have 19.2 and we have projects at hand. The project that the various speakers spoke about in my district, it is on the next school board agenda. That is the level of support that it has. It is in the vice chair of the school board's district. She is sponsoring it. And our county commissioner, who also had a staffer here, they're talking about it at the county because they've got to get an easement for Ludum Trail. It has tremendous support. I would hate to see this item deferred. I think we can come to a mathematical agreement in the next couple of minutes. If there's 19.2 and... Can I address it through the chair?

So to my math, what the three of you are asking for today, with the exception of Carona and myself...

The ask is only two. I don't have an ask on here. It's just Commissioner Pardo and Commissioner Rosado. Mine was approved last week. I mean, last commission meeting. But again, from the position that we have, we have 19 million. That's it. So if Commissioner Pardo gets his 15 and they figured out how to give Rosado his money, That leaves nothing left.

Well, the practice here has been first come, first serve. We've had our projects. We've talked about them for months. They are ready. I believe, Commissioner Rosado, you're saying you have a ready project. I want to go ahead and vote on my item. It's incredibly important to our district. We're ready. We've been working hard for many months to get here, and we're following all the rules and all the practice.

Okay, again, just because the practice has been first come, first serve, doesn't mean that that's a good practice.

And in the future, I think we should address that.

There will be no future because there's not going to be any more money.

We're getting more as we speak.

But today, there won't be any more money. And I'm saying that this money should be... distributed equitably. We can call for a vote. I'm going to be a no vote because that takes up all the money still.

I would like to call. Can I just interject here a minute? Let's be clear on this. I have a document here that says that you are asking for 15 mil, 10 and 5. And then I have another one that says Rosado is asking for 4.8. And I have another one. that you're asking for 500,000 on one side, and is that, and I'm saying it because of the math that we're doing here. That's passed already. She already got it.

I got my five.

So that's not on this commission meeting.

So the discrepancy between the requests, which is 19.8 combined, and what we have on hand, which is 19.2 is 600.

19.8 and 19.2, which is it? 19.8 and 19.2, we keep going backwards.

We're not that far apart. Could we?

The point here is, if we passed, RE8, they figured out RE13. In this moment, this snapshot, there's nothing left. I'm not going to vote for this because I believe that we should come up with something that is a little more equitable for all of the districts.

Yeah, we disagree, but I would just like to call the question.

Call for the vote. Commissioner Pardo, could we not agree to both of us a minor reduction that gets us to 19.2? If you did 14.7, I did 4.5. I just did.

I just did.

What are the numbers? We've had so many numbers. I want to make sure I get them all.

Commissioner Gabela, how much did you require? $500 million?

Okay, so I've got to rearrange. Nevertheless, okay, I thought it was $21,300 that was earmarked today, and then that would leave $827,384. But now you guys are saying it's $19,000, so let me do the math real quick.

I can go to $14,600, $14,700. I mean, I'll find some way to... plug that hole. But remember, we're leaving $5 million there already, right? So our item should be voted on right now. We've been planning this a long time. This has been the practice. I'd like to see our item voted on.

Okay, guys, I'm going to vote on the item, but I need to calculate my, you know, what's earmarked for me. I want to take care of that. I want to make sure that I'm going to get my, you know, and I'm not even arguing, you know, which I agree with the chairwoman. I agree the way this is done. This is not, you know, Correct. But I'm going to go along. Okay, but I want, you know, my stuff.

So how about we do this? Let's go on to other items while he figures out whatever he's trying to figure out. Let's move to, let's leave. RE8 and RE13 and go to other items and then we come back so you have time to figure out your numbers. Let's move along.

Is it possible to go ahead and vote on RE8 and then move the other items?

But then he has to sit here and do his math. I'm trying to give him an opportunity to do his math.

Because the other item involves the math, not this item.

But let us... We're not going anywhere. There's no rush. Let him... Do what he needs to do instead of trying to figure it out right here.

With this math, what you've got left is $600,000.

Okay.

That's what you've got left. And I'm at 1.3, almost 1.4 if you round it up, right? So I'm at 1.369, $1,369,934.08, okay? That's what... is allotted to me without any argument, that's what I get.

I commit to get you.

That's what your district contributed.

So now the 600, if you do the 1369.

But you're not getting that, Commissioner Gabella.

934 minus, hang on a minute, people. We're short 769,000.

No, Commissioner Gabella, you're not short. You're not getting anything. That's what your district contributed. If RE8 passes and RE13 passes, you get zero. There's no more money.

Or now, until the next contribution comes in.

But he shouldn't have to wait for the next contribution.

But he doesn't have a project lined up for that money.

But the staff said you don't have to have a project lined up.

Okay, so I was going to vote on this yes based on, but apparently I've been given the wrong information.

David, could you come to the podium, please? District 1 contributed $1.3 million plus. Correct. District 1 has been allocated how much money from this public trust fund?

Zero dollars.

Zero.

So.

And if we pass REA.

So wait a minute. So I got it. But my math was, so if we are going by these numbers, then the minimum that I should be allotted would be the 1.3 because that's what my area generated. Minimum, okay? And that's what I expect. You know what I mean? So the math, we're short, what did I say? You guys, I said $769,000. That's what I'm short of. So even though I don't have a project, even though I don't care if I don't have a project, you guys aren't going to touch my money, just like I'm not touching anybody else's money. Through the chair.

But everybody's touching. Commissioner Rosado? Yes. Commissioner Pardo, the $2 million that you were referring to that would be available right away to Alapata? I mean, are those funds already in the general fund.

But that has nothing to do with this math here. That has nothing to do with this math here.

I know, but those are dollars that haven't been tapped into that are immediately available, it sounds like.

Yeah, but you know how hard I had to work for that for a year and a half? And I had a leverage of the Omni CRA. I'm sorry to say that, but I had to hold that up for like a whole year to get that Allopata CRA to pass. Why? Because the whole thing was if we had what was intended before a joint venture where the Allopata line was going to be added to the Omni CRA line, what would have happened? That the day that you have a chairman from D2, he's going to rightly protect D2. And if you had a chairman from D1, I was going to protect D1. So that wouldn't have worked out, and that's why we created...

But you also would give up a lot of money because your life would have been shorter as a CRA.

But not compared to what you guys got because you guys just floated a bond of $150 million, okay? You did that, and before that, you guys were around for 20-something years, which you were going to be sunsetted, and that's what we did. So you guys got a lot more, you know, let's not even go there, Commissioner, because if we go there, you guys, in my view, when I made the argument, you guys had fulfilled the mission with the Omni CRA was fulfilled because you cannot argue with a straight face. Nobody can argue with a straight face for me that Biscayne Boulevard is blighted like it was 15 years ago, 20 years ago. That argument could have been made 20 years ago. That argument cannot be made today. Yet, you guys got an extra, what was it, 2047?

Commissioner, remember, it's been around since 1987. There are parts of the CRA that look great. That's the work since 1987. There are parts of the CRA, including a third of Overtown, and a lot of other areas that are not there yet.

Commissioner, I understand that, but I got a lot of areas in my area that are not even close to half of what you guys have. And on top of that, I am dumped on with Cabela's House. I have the health district, which is a revolving door for everything that happens. And then on top of that, we've had the GSA, which I want to turn that around for a number of years, dumped on again. So that's the thing. Listen, I'm not the one that raised the two mil, but that math, forget about that math. That math cannot be put into this equation.

Okay, I'd just like to vote on this.

So, Commissioner Pardo, we understand you want to vote on it, but it's not ready to be voted on. I think Commissioner Escalona wants to ask a question. Commissioner Rosado still has questions. And again, with Commissioner Gabela, he's... I don't agree with his position because he's saying, just give me what I put in. And I don't believe that that is appropriate. It's certainly not appropriate.

Because we'd get $21 million.

Exactly. And that is not where I'm going. And I don't think any one of us is going to agree with that, that just whatever you put in is what you get out. And that's not the policy. And you spoke about the policy. You said first in, first out. That's not right. But the policy currently is not, you get what you put in. That's not the policy.

No, but either policy, we're okay on our item. That's my point.

Yes, either policy because it gives you the lion's share of the money, and that is not fair to the rest of the districts. So with Commissioner Gabela, I don't understand why you would want to just get 1.3 for what you put in. No, no, no.

What I want to do is, look, what I say is let's hold this off until I get the right math. That's what I say.

We're going to do math right now with him.

Commissioner Escalona?

Mr. Snow, for this money that we're referring to, District 1, how much money they put in?

So District 1 has put in roughly $1.3 million.

$1.3? Is that in the last year? That's been over the life of the fund. District 2?

District 2 is $21.1 million. District 3? $12.9 million. District 4? Zero. And District 5? 2.9. This is over the life?

Yes. Of that money, District 1, how much they have spent?

District 1 has spent $0. District 2? $1.1 million. District 3? $12.7 million.

For the record, that was before my time. District 4? Zero. And District 5? 5.3 million. So, this money was generated by the districts, right? They put in this money. The development within the districts, yes. Exactly. Exactly. What was the standard before? How did you guys, before our time, how did you proceed with this money? Was the money spent by district or was it first come, first served?

First come, first served. And the only person serving on this district that even knew about this money was Commissioner Carollo because he was here in 2009. We weren't. Staff didn't tell us about it. And based on Commissioner Pardo's reasoning, Commissioner Rosado, you should get none because your district put nothing in. But that is not what I'm advocating for because I don't believe that's fair. But based on Commissioner Pardo's argument, you should get nothing. And Commissioner Escalona, I'm not sure how much they said that you... District 3 generated, but I think it's more than what you got. And Commissioner Gabela, all you should get is 1.3. Thank you. And I don't believe that's fair or equitable. That's not fair. So if you're willing to just take the 1.3, that's on you, but I'm not. I'm not. I'm not willing to take it.

So in the hope of establishing a good working relationship... Commissioner, we can take between their resolution and our resolution, cover your part that wasn't paid. That's my point. That's what I've been trying to say.

No, no, I know what you're trying to say. See, the problem is, but even that math, the math that because you're Area generated. And now, see that math is wrong because the problem is, yes, you're area generated. But then your area doesn't have, I repeat, Camila's house, doesn't have certain issues that you guys throw over to us that cost money to fix and to put more security and more affordable housing and the rest of it. So you see what I'm saying? She is correct when she says, you know what I mean, that, yeah, okay, you generated the money, but you didn't take all the liability. You didn't take all the liability because if I'm the one over here That I got Kamala's house, and I got this, and I got that, and that's a liability. And that's all you guys. I take that in. But that's what it is. Then if you look at it that way, it's not equitable.

But that's not what it is.

Well, unless you tell me that you're now going to move Kamala's house and some of the stuff that are liabilities to me to your neck of the woods, then you can say, hey, you know what? I'm entitled to this money I generated, and here are my liabilities.

Let's be clear, this money is generated by developments that are getting variances and easements in the neighborhood. The public benefit, the public benefit is always conceptually to help those residents that are being basically hurt by the quality of life diminishing in those areas where that development happens. That development is happening in Coconut Grove, in Edgewater, in Brickell, in downtown. Those are the areas. This money is going back to that area and we are still leaving. $5 million for everyone.

Commissioner, you guys are talking about quality of life. You're not talking about the basics. You know what the basics are? Being able to sleep is a basic. Exactly. But what about walking on the street on 7th Avenue corridor at 7 o'clock at night, a family at 8 o'clock in the evening so they don't get mugged and they can do their grocery chores? That requires more money so we can put more police. That's why I'm advocating for the Alipata CRA. You're comparing apples to oranges. What you guys have over here is that, oh, you don't like the noise. I understand. I don't like noise either. But you know what? I bought my house next to the 17th Avenue thing, and so I got to take the noise because that's where I bought it. I want it to be on the river, and I'm in a corner. But you know what? I got to take the noise, you know what I mean? Because that's where I bought it. That's where I want it. Same thing here. We're talking two different things, apples and oranges. Basic needs are one thing, and... These luxuries that you're talking about? These are not luxuries, sir. I'm sorry to say. Then why do they buy them? I fail to understand why they buy them. It's like the altar thing. You know what I mean? I'm the chairman of the Bayfront Trust. And every year it's the same story. Oh, because the ultra. Well, did you do your due diligence before you bought the property? Do you go get peace and quiet in downtown? Because if it's me and I want peace and quiet, you know, common sense says that I go to the Redlands or somewhere or move out. We're not a lot of people. But do I actually go to downtown and then expect, you know, to. And now if you if you if you're there before and you bought 28 years ago before ultra came, then you know what? Then I believe you because ultra wasn't there. But after Altra's there, and I'm using that argument, I'm sorry that I'm using that argument, okay, because I don't want to pick on anybody, but it's the fact. You guys are talking about, yes, it bothers you, it bothers everybody, but you're not talking about the basics. I got a basic problem, that I got people on the street that I got to take care of, that they go into the neighborhoods, you know what I mean? And then, you know, they're not safe, and then the neighborhoods are not safe. You see what I'm saying? It's apples and oranges, folks.

Commissioner Rosado would like to say something, but I also would like to talk about the development in District 2. From 2009, Brickell. Brickell was built. That's contributing. Not affordable housing. You can't go and live in Brickell. And the development that occurred in Coconut Grove, that is nowhere near. We didn't have... We don't have... District 1 and District 5, we don't have an area like Brickell. That's why it's so much contribution, because you've got development that happened in Brickell going into this money and the development that went in Coconut Grove for what the folks were talking about today. Hold on, Commissioner Pardo, because Commissioner Rosado wants to speak, but again, our districts couldn't contribute to this fund with development that has occurred, like the development that has occurred in District 2. Brickell is almost a whole city of its own. Commissioner Rosado?

I have a question for the attorney. Mr. Whitesong, are we able to make a motion that includes obligating dollars, the next set of dollars that come in? Because we are, as I mentioned, we're on a record year in terms of public benefits dollars coming in. Last year, we collected a little over 11. We've already collected 10 in the first three months of this year. Money's going to continue to come in. I would very much like to support my D1 colleague by making a commitment of the next $2 million automatically going to him. And then I think we should absolutely set a policy. But I think we have projects at hand I'm heading to the school board in a week and a half on the project that was discussed today. I wouldn't like to see a deferral. I think we can come to an agreement and then set a policy after today.

Commissioner Rosado, based on what's going on, you should get zero because your district put no money in. Now, if administration is going to find the $4 million that you gave, that you found for him, for District 5, I'm for it. According to this, in all of the arguments that were made, District 4 put $0 in, so District 4 should not get any, according to the arguments that have been made. Now, if you want to fine me the $4 million that you found him, I'm voting for everything. But if you can't do that, I'm stuck with this money should be distributed equitably amongst all of the districts.

Madam Chair?

Yes.

If I may, the administration did not find any money. Additional money was deposited into that account on Tuesday. So I just want to be clear.

Was that additional money that was deposited from, generated from District 4?

No, ma'am.

Okay. Based on your arguments? Correct. District 4 gets none based on your arguments. So unless you want to find an equitable way for this money to be distributed, you shouldn't get any of the money because you didn't contribute to the fund, District 4, not you specific.

Madam Chair, do you have a recommended formula? I'd just like to see us come to an agreement today.

Absolutely, I have a recommended formula. We could use the poverty guidelines that is used to distribute the community block grant dollars, which distributes the money based on the poverty ratio. Absolutely, I do.

Obviously, I don't agree at all. Wait, wait, let me finish. I've let you finish, please.

Listen, I'm the chair, but I'm just responding to you. You said you don't agree. I understand. Go ahead.

Okay. So when you talk about these expensive, luxurious condos, all of the taxes and all of that tax revenue goes to the general fund. It's all divided by five. When you talk about the impact fees that are collected... throughout the city, all of that is divided by five. That helps everybody. This specific fund is none of those pots of money. Your park can be handled in many different ways. There are many different ways to achieve that objective. In this case, it is T6 development and above. Large buildings that are making it unsafe, Commissioner Gabela, to walk on the street. Those sidewalks are pushed up. Those people walk on the highway. They can't, you know, the noise during continuous pours goes on for days, all day, all night long. These folks have families, they have kids, they work. This is undue stress for all of these areas. And I know it seems off because there are these luxurious, you know, Units, but that's not the reality of what's happening. Most of the reason they're so expensive is because they are on the water Well, guess what climate resiliency our infrastructure is horrible. Our flooding is horrible I mean, it's we can't just look at it as oh, these are luxurious condos Those luxurious condos are paying for all of us to be able to get things done in our district Those impact fees are divided throughout all of our areas It makes sense for this fund to go to the place that creates the disruption

disagree again and again I have a seawall in District 5 that is crumbling into the bay again we all have needs we all we all have needs but d1 and d5 our needs are are about shoring up housing. Our needs is about flooding. In Little San Juan, I can't even fix a park because the flooding is so bad that until the flooding is addressed in the neighborhood, I cannot address the baseball field in Roberto Clemente Park. We all have needs and all I am saying is that this money should be allocated equitably throughout districts so that we can all address the needs that we have from this fund and You have the lion's share of the contributions because D2 has built up like from stuff with Brickell. And the other, you barely have any affordable housing, which you need. I'm not saying that District 2 doesn't need it, but the contributions were made not from affordable housing projects, from Brickell, from other luxury projects. Projects that you're talking about and I'm not gonna say anything else because I think everybody else understands where I am with this I am merely saying that the money should be allocated Equitably and we should not look at who is the major contributor because again if we do d4 you get none Because you did not contribute Commissioner Pardo.

I just wanted to say while you have sea walls and similar issues remember The District 2 goes from 60th and Biscayne, the entire coastline, to Miami Beach Islands, Virginia Key, and goes all the way to the Gables Waterway. So the stress and the pressure for infrastructure in this district is unlike any other place. And the stress and the pressure of development when you pull up the New England Journal and anything, any periodical you're going to read about people moving to Miami, moving to the Grove, moving to Brickell, moving to downtown. That is tremendous disruption in quality of life.

Why do they move here, then, is my question. They know that. Why do they continue moving to where the disruption is? And then they complain about it. That's what doesn't jive with me. They're not complaining about it. It's the reality. Before you buy a property, you do your due diligence on what it's owned, what it is, whatever. And that's what astonishes me.

Anyway, I'm done.

And hold on one second. You talk about stress. I had a constituent whose car was damaged because he hit a pothole. What I'm serving in my district, we're talking about potholes. We're talking about we don't have sidewalks. We just, because of Constituent Tuesday, with a constituent coming to me and saying, ma'am, I don't have the money to fix my car because I hit this pothole. Public Works did an amazing job of repaving the street, adding sidewalks, trees, 52 trees, curb cuts for ADA compliance. It has changed the face of this neighborhood. But that's because the street was so... Poor. It was in such poor condition. Again, every district, and I bring that up because every district, every one of us can tell a tale like I just did. There is complete need. Anybody else want to say anything? I'm going to go to Commissioner Gabela, then I'm going to go back to Commissioner Rosado, then I'm going to go to Commissioner Escalona, and then I'm going to go to Commissioner Pardo.

Okay, so what I think, what today's What should happen today is, you know, because we have the leverage now, okay, that this should be, I'm not knocking it and saying we're going to take it away or, you know, or any result. What I'm saying is before we move on this, number one, let's fix the system. Let's write, let's put it in the books, what it is. None of this nonsense of first come, first serve, you know what I mean, because that lends itself to what has happened. And we do that, and then we talk about this. I'm drawing the conclusion that there are too many ifs here, too many questions to do this today. So I say you maintain your 4.9. You maintain your 15. Let's revisit. Let's get it on the books. Let's fix the ordinance or whatever it is you guys call it. And then we come back with what, you know, because now we got leverage because you guys will say, no, let's do it now. And then later on, we'll fix it. But later on, the words will be in the wind. You know what I mean? And I like to, you know, do things in an equitable manner that you give. and I give, and we all give.

Are you asking for a deferral? I don't understand what you're saying. Are you asking to defer these items?

I'm asking to defer, yeah.

Okay. Commissioner Rosado?

Yes, I wanted to hear from our city attorney. I don't think we gave him the chance to speak on this.

Yeah, so you asked whether the future funds could be allocated. We would say you can't allocate future funds. What you essentially could do is adopt a resolution saying something to the effect of the next monies that will come in will go to District 1. And or maybe... And or District 5.

But it's not only District 1. Listen, it's not only District 1. It's that change it so we don't get into this again. So nobody has a... You know what I mean? That's what I'm trying to do.

Right, and we would need to do an ordinance change to fix how you guys determined to allocate those monies. Commissioner Escalona.

Yes, I think we need to move forward and we're not moving. Let me ask you a question, Commissioner Pardo. Are you willing to go down to $13 million? $13.

Obviously, I don't want to, but what's the justification behind that?

You get $13, you get $3, $1.5, $1.5, I get nothing. I'm okay with that. But I want to move forward. We can keep fighting here, guys. 13, 3, 1.5, 1.5. That's 19.

I appreciate the spirit of compromise, but that... I need to make a contribution to the school board that exceeds that. So I get stuck. Yeah, but you put in... I understood. I understand that's the nature of the way that the city has been rezoned. I understand that. I don't have as much T6 as others do. But if you look at the poverty rate, those of us, the four of us sitting in this side, we all have a little bit above 21%. Poverty rate, District 2 is, you know, it's more affluent, right? So to the chairwoman's point... we would all get essentially the same amount of money regardless of contribution. So I'm looking for something that closes us in a little bit more than that.

I like Commissioner Gabela's idea of taking a pause, let it mature, a deferral. I will support a deferral because this is something that is more important than just getting it done right now. Nothing is going to happen to your project. It can go to the school board. They can support it and they can get the money because they're not going to put the shovel in the ground tomorrow. Let's be clear about that. So taking a pause until our next commission meeting is a prudent idea so that we can all hash this out. Trying to, because we don't solve the problem. And again, 1.5 for him and 1.5 for me. nothing for you doesn't solve the issue moving forward. And we need to address that. And yes, I know Commissioner Pardo, you don't agree with that. Commissioner Pardo.

Madam Chair, I just think it's very convenient because at the last meeting, you came in with your request. That request was first come, first serve. You got funded more than what you contribute, correct? Now, I'm here on a studied plan that has taken months where we have looked at these projects. I qualify either way. We're putting way more money than we're taking, right? And it's first come, first serve. So I don't see any reason that my resolution shouldn't be voted on and it shouldn't be passed.

Again, I disagree. And, you know, I'm following. I don't.

Can we vote?

But let me just say this, you know, the thing is, you guys keep talking about, you know, the projects ready to go, you know, how long I've been ready to go on the LFR CRA, you know, I've been at this for two years now, folks, and even the county has given me a hard time, okay, where we now might be in a legal battle, you know. So I think, you know, you know, unless you've got an emergency that you're having, you know, I mean, I don't see the you know, because you guys keep talking, I got to do this, I got to do that. I've been at this, you know, for the LFR CRA for two years, folks. So You know, when you guys tell me that you've got an emergency that has got to be done tomorrow, please, you know what I mean? Unless you can take care of my problem and help me, you know what I mean? You know, I'm inclined to Look, I think that this needs to be fixed. This needs to be fixed. Let's fix it, and then let's negotiate on what you're going to get, what he's going to get over there, and what everybody is going to get.

You shouldn't pull the rug from under me. I mean, I did all the rules. I did everything the right way.

But no one's trying to pull the rug from under you.

Inevitably, that is what is— No, it's not, Commissioner Pardo.

No, it's not. Maybe you won't get the entirety of $15 million, and we get some, but— But no one is saying that you won't get any. And we're only saying, let's take a beat and look at this. Let's take a beat. Now, if you want to vote, I'm going to vote no. I don't know what the rest of them are.

I'm willing to look at the 13 that Commissioner Escolona suggested. I'm willing to go in that direction. Let's call the question. 13 million. Okay. Can we call the question? Let's do it.

So that would be... Are you...

Say the numbers again. So my suggestion, because this is what was done in the past, et cetera, first come, first serve, whatever the case may be. Damian Pardo gets $13 million. He gets $3 million, $1.5 million, $1.5 million. If you guys don't want to move forward with that, we can get rid of REA, $13 million. We can defer the rest, and we can revisit it.

But here's the thing. If he's right and you believe that he didn't put anything into the fund, why is he getting $3 million and I'm getting $1.5 million? You see, we can argue this all day long. I'm telling you, the system's flawed. I want to change the system before we move forward. I say we negotiate this with more time. I'd like to vote on RE8.

Do I have a motion?

So moved.

Do I have a second? I have a motion and a second.

This motion is as is.

Is it as is or is it at 13?

As is. Oh no, unless, I would like. Okay, 13. I will lower mine to 13.

You will lower yours to 13. I don't think I can go as, I appreciate that. I appreciate the spirit of arriving at a consensus because I don't want to see this deferred. We have a very tangible project ready to move forward. Could I do four? Four. 13 and 4, 17, and the difference you all can sort out at the next meeting. I don't have an opinion on that.

We can defer the whole. Yeah. I'm okay with deferring it.

So, Commissioner Porter, by the looks of it, we have three not in favor of your item. Do you want a deferral?

Yeah, I have no choice. Okay.

Motion to defer to the next commission meeting.

Sorry, who's the mover?

Commissioner Pardo.

No, no, I'm not moving it. I'm actually, I mean, I have no choice, but I'm not going to vote in favor of it.

Okay, I have a motion to defer. Do I have a second? I have a motion and a second. All in favor? Aye.

One no. So I believe it's 3-2 with Commissioner Rosado and Commissioner Pardo voting no to defer RE8 right now, and the vote was on RE8 to April 23rd.

Yes. With the directive to the city manager and the administration to get this thing fixed, Yes.

To come up with legislation that more equitably.

Yeah, with the director, so the city manager, you can fix this, but when we get to it.

A more equitable distribution of the funds.

Yeah, and keep in mind, I mean, yeah.

Okay. And that leaves RE13.

I'm sorry. With more equitable distribution, how do you define equitable?

The staff will come up with it. We'll define it. Okay. Yes, the staff will come up with it. Okay. And that leaves RE13. And I'm going to vote no on RE13 because, again, District 4 didn't contribute to the fund. So you voted no. to defer it, and we're trying to come up with an equitable way for us to all have the lion's share, but your district didn't contribute anything to it, so I'm going to vote no on RE13 unless you want to defer it.

Madam Chair, respectfully, if your argument, which I think makes perfect sense, is to distribute the money according to CDBG eligibility, which is the same essentially as poverty rates, I wouldn't get Nothing. I would get actually several million dollars because I have the same CDBG eligibility rate as the three folks sitting to my immediate left.

Yes, but Commissioner Pardo is not happy about his project being deferred. So you think I'm going to be unfair, using his words, rip the rug right out of him, and then we're just going to give you the money? No, sir. No. We are a team. We're a team. It's all together, one band, one sound. Or in my case, I can't support that because I know Commissioner Pardo needs what he is asking for. And again, you're... the only one that hasn't contributed. And I'm fighting for you.

I appreciate it.

I will accept. Can I just weigh in just for one moment here? She's right. We can't not do it for him. I accept the deferral. I accept the deferral. But wait a minute. Let me just say one more thing. What I suggest moving forward, okay, to the administration, to the city manager, and all of us, let's have a little workshop, okay, with all of us together, okay, on where the monies are. Okay, the monies that are available to the districts and all of us at the same table, we have to call a session, a meeting, whatever it might be, so we can get educated on what is what here in the city of Miami. Bowering being here for 40 years or something that Carolla was, he had the experience, and God bless him for having that experience, and he got money for the districts. But some of us don't have that experience, so I think this has to be done also, okay? Because I ask all the time, what do I got? I'm always on top of that, you know what I mean? And how the plumbing, the mechanism works on the different parts. So I suggest we set up a meeting, okay? When can we set up that meeting? Let's not just talk about it. Let's do it. Let's see where all the money is and all the pot and make it available that all of us have the same knowledge. So this sort of thing doesn't happen.

Okay. If we did it early next week, we could make it onto the agenda for the next commission meeting.

I'm going to be out of town early next week. Can we make it? I'm out of town.

We can't schedule our – we can't do that on the dice because you have to schedule five. You have to coordinate five schedules.

Okay, let's do it sometime in May. Is everybody going to be here in May? I'm going to be here in May.

I'll be here. But, okay, let's – RE13, do I have a motion to defer?

So moved.

Do I have a second?

Second. Second.

All in favor?

Aye.

Motion carries. Mr. City Attorney, would you please read the title of the second reading items into the record?

Yes, Madam Chair. And my apologies, Mr. Chair. And Chair, just for the record, that's April 23rd, RE13, just for the clarification.

People, I'm not going along with anything until that is cleared up. I want to know where everything is. I have to call, and I want that meeting. I want that meeting, and I think all of you, it's going to be to your benefit so we don't become crybabies up here. Okay, let's have that meeting where all the money is, what belongs to what, and how it's allocated, how it's allotted. When can we have that meeting? Let's engrave it in stone.

Well, if we haven't had the meeting by the next commission meeting, we'll just defer the item again.

Yeah.

But that gives staff incentive to move along.

But what's the problem that we can't set a date? What's the problem that we can't set a date?

Because everybody's calendar is different. Okay, let's do it in May.

But let's do it at some point. So it happens. We're talking about it, and then it looks to me like we're just going to talk about it, and then we're not going to do anything about it, and then we'll have this conversation again.

Perhaps we can get it done in April. If we can, we'll do it. If we can't, we'll defer the items again.

And if folks are traveling, we can do a Teams meeting. Or something. Yeah.

Okay, so I'm going back. I want to reconsider on the amendment to his thing. I want to amend it that unless that takes place, I'm a noble and everything.

I'm going to... We're saying the same thing.

That has to take place where we get an education here on where everything is. We're saying the same thing. I think that's important.

If it doesn't happen, we'll...

So if that doesn't happen, can we not?

We'll defer it again if it doesn't happen. We're saying the same thing. George? Ready?

SR2, second reading ordinance, an ordinance of the Miami City Commission amending Chapter 18, Article 3 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida's amended City Code titled Finance City of Miami Procurement Ordinance by amending Section 18-119 titled Unsolicited Proposals to clarify the process for evaluating unsolicited proposals received by the city and providing for unsolicited proposals to be presented to the City Commission containing a severability clause and providing for an immediate effective date. An ordinance of the Miami City Commission, repealing in its entirety, ordinance number 14382, adopted on July 10, 2025, is amended by ordinance number 14422, adopted on December 11, 2025, prior to its scheduled effective date of July 15, 2026. said ordinance having abolished the Bayfront Park Management Trust and amended various sections of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended City Code, including Chapter 38, Article 3 of the City Code, titled Parks and Recreation, Bayfront Park Management Trust, Chapter 2, Article 11, Division 2, titled Administration Boards, Committees, Commissions, Standards for Creation and Review of Boards Generally, Chapter 18, Article 3, Section 18-72, titled Finance, City of Miami Procurement Ordinance, Application, and Exclusions. And Chapter 54, Article 1, Section 54-9, titled Streets and Sidewalks in General, Placing Signs, Advertisement, or Displays on Any Portion of the Public Right-of-Way, Street, or Sidewalk Surface Containing a Severability Clause and Providing for an Immediate Effective Date. SR 4. SR 4 is being substituted. To add additional language, I'll read the substituted title. In ordinance of the Miami City Commission, amending Chapter 2, Article 4 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended, City Code titled Administration Departments, more specifically by amending Division 2, titled Planning, Building, and Zoning Department, Division 3, titled Department of Fire Rescue, and Division 4, titled Resilience and Public Works Departments. Chapter 3 of the City Code, more specifically amending Article 2, titled Alarm Systems, Burglary, and Robbery Alarms, and Article 3, titled Fire Alarms. Chapter 10, Article 1, Division 1 of the City Code, titled Buildings in General, more specifically by amending Article 4, titled Registration of Vacant, Blighted, Unsecured, or Abandoned Structures and of Defaulted Mortgage Properties, and Article 5, titled Code Relief Program. Chapter 11 of the City Code titled Cable Television. Chapter 12 of the City Code titled Amusement Games or Machines. Chapter 17 of the City Code titled Environmental Preservation. More specifically, by amending Article 1 titled Tree Protection in General and Article 2 titled Environmental Preservation Districts. chapter 18 of the city code titled finance more specifically by amending article 1 titled in general and article 3 titled city of miami procurement ordinance and articles 8 titled stormwater utility fees in article 11 titled leases of city-owned submerged lands chapter 19 of the city code titled fire protection chapter 20 of the city code titled flood damage prevention Chapter 22, Article 1 of the City Code, titled Garbage and Other Solid Waste in General. Chapter 22.5 of the City Code, Green Initiatives, more specifically amending Article 6, titled Soil Erosion, Waterway Sedimentation, and Airborne Dust Generation Control. Chapter 23, Article 1 of the City Code, titled Historic Preservation, Historic Preservation. Chapter 32, Article 1, titled Merchandising, Bankruptcy, and Closing Out Sales. Chapter 35 of the City Code, titled Motor Vehicles and Traffic, more specifically by amending Article 4, titled Parking Rates, and Article 9, titled Valet Parking. Chapter 38 of the City Code titled Parks and Recreation, more specifically Article 1 titled In General and Article 4 titled Day Care Program. Chapter 39, Article 2 of the City Code titled Peddlers and Itinerant Vendors, Sidewalk and Street Vendors. Chapter 42 of the City Code titled Police, more specifically Article 1 titled In General. Chapter 53 of the City Code titled Stadiums and Convention Centers, more specifically by amending Article 1 titled In General. Article 2, Division 2, titled City Stadiums, Marine Stadium. And Article 4, titled Convention Center of the City of Miami, University of Miami, James L. Knight. Chapter 54, the City Code, titled Streets and Sidewalks, more specifically by amending Article 1, titled In General. Article 2, titled Construction, Excavation, and Repair. Article 6, titled Sidewalk and Street Cafes. Article 7, titled News Racks on Public Rights of Way. And Article 9, titled Coconut Grove Special Events District. Chapter 55 of the City Code, titled Subdivision Regulations. Chapter 57, Article 3 of the City Code, titled Vehicles for Hire, Pedicabs for Hire. And Chapter 62 of the City Code, titled Planning and Zoning. More specifically, by amending Article 1, titled In General, Article 3, titled Planning, Zoning, and Appeals Board, Article 7, titled Historic and Environmental Preservation Board, Article 12, titled Parks and Open Space Trust Fund, and Article 13, Division 8, titled Planning and Zoning Approval for Temporary Uses and Occupancies, Permit Required Temporary Banners, and Article 13, Division 9, titled Planning and Zoning Approval for Temporary Uses and Occupancies, permit required farmers market to remove the requirement for fees to be adopted by ordinance and provide for fees to be set by the city commission through resolution containing a severability clause and providing for an effective date and just for the note what was added to that the file is being substituted to include sections 20-16 35-192 35-193 38-147 38-148 and 5514 of the city code this amendment will require the um SR 4 to be reverted to a first reading, and it will be back on the April 23rd City Commission agenda.

And that will be shown as amended on first reading.

Thank you. SR 5, second reading ordinance, an ordinance of the Miami City Commission amending Chapter 18, Article 3 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, is amended City Code titled Finance City of Miami Procurement Ordinance by amending Sections 1873 and 18111 titled Definitions and Contracts of Other Governmental Entities Respectfully respectively, to define cooperative purchasing organization and authorize the city manager to utilize competitively awarded contracts of other governmental entities and cooperative purchasing organizations subject to specified conditions, reporting and commission notice for certain purchases containing a severability clause and providing for an immediate effective date. That concludes the second reading items.

Gentlemen, are there any of the second reading items that you would like to pull for discussion?

No. No.

Seeing none, may I have a motion for SR 2, 3, 4, which is first reading, and SR 5.

And that first reading is as amended.

As amended. So moved. I have a motion. Second. D1, a second from D3. But then he said it, but he said it first. All in favor? Aye.

carries mr city attorney could you read the first reading items titles for the record yes madam chair thank you fr1 first reading ordinance an ordinance of the miami city commission amending chapter 2 article 11 of the code of the city of miami florida is amended city code titled administration board committees commissions to combine the audit advisory committee and the finance committee into the finance and audit advisory committee committee More specifically, by repealing in its entirety Division 4, Sections 2-946 to 2-951, titled Audit Advisory Committee, further amending Division 6, Sections 2-1011 and 2-1018, creating the Finance and Audit Advisory Committee, containing a severability clause and providing for an effective date. FR2, first reading ordinance. An ordinance of the Miami City Commission amending Chapter 54 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida as amended, City Code titled Streets and Sidewalks, by creating Section 54-19 of the City Code titled Transit Shelters Use and Conduct, providing definitions and prohibited conduct at transit shelters, providing for enforcement pursuant to Chapter 2, Article 10 of the City Code, containing a severability clause and providing for an effective date. fr3 in ordinance of the miami city commission renaming the city of miami park located at 971 northwest second street miami florida and identified by folio number zero one four one three eight zero zero three zero six nine zero from ruben dario park to henderson park amending chapter 38 article one of the code of the city of miami florida is amended city code titled parks and recreation general by amending section 38-38 of the city code currently named titled naming of ruben dario park to rename the property designated therein as Henderson Park, further directing the City Manager to take all actions necessary to effectuate the renaming of the park, including the replacement of applicable signage within 30 calendar days containing a severability clause and providing for an immediate effective date. For four second read first reading ordinance in ordinance of the Miami City Commission, renaming the city of Miami owned park located at three forty two Southwest Seventh Avenue, Miami, Florida, and identified by folio number zero one zero two zero two zero three zero one oh one oh from general general Jose Francisco Marathon. Kasada Park to Riverside Park. Amending Chapter 38, Article 1 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, is amended to the Code titled Parks and Recreation General by amending Section 38-28 of the City Code, currently titled Naming of General Jose Francisco Morazón Kasada Park, to rename the property designated therein as Riverside Park. Further directing the City Manager to take any and all actions necessary to effect... effectuate the renaming of the park including the replacement of applicable signage within 30 calendar days containing a severability clause and providing for an immediate effective date fr5 first reading ordinance and ordinance of the miami city commission amending chapter 2 article 11 division 11 and 12 of the code of the city miami florida's amended city code titled administration boards committees commissions reserved more specifically by amending division 11 section 2-11 45 through division 2-11 74 of the city code to establish the accessibility advisory board board stating the board's purpose powers duties composition appointment qualifications and requirements for membership providing for officers rules of procedure meetings quorum legal and staff support assignment of personnel waivers other necessary provisions and public notice containing a celebrity clause and providing for an immediate effective date FR6, first reading ordinance, an ordinance of Miami City Commission pursuant to Resolution No. R24-0225, adopted June 18, 2024, amending Chapter 40, Article 4, Division 2 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida's amendment titled Personnel, Pension, and Retirement Plan, City of Miami Firefighters and Police Officers Retirement Trust, or particularly amending Section 40-203 to grant International Association of Firefighters members vested on September 26, 2015, the benefits in effect on September 30, 2010, and permitting firefighter members eligible for retirement to elect up to seven years in the forward Conferred Retirement Option Program based on the International Association of Firefighters Local 587 Collective Bargaining Agreement for October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2026, containing a severability clause and providing for an immediate effective date. That FR7, first reading ordinance, an ordinance of the Miami City Commission amending Chapter 10, Article 6, Amending Chapter 10, Article 6 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, as amended, City Code titled, Buildings, Unsafe Structures, to provide a waiver for qualifying senior citizens and low-income residents to the cost of recovery in unsafe structure violation cases containing a severability clause and providing for an immediate effective date. That concludes the first reading ordinances.

Gentlemen, are there any of the first reading items that you would like to pull for discussion? All right.

I don't want to pull it for discussion, and I want to applaud Commissioner Gabela for the idea of combining the audit and finance committees. The one thing about the item that makes me a little bit uncomfortable is that it has a quorum requirement that is below our other quorums. It's not majority, and I'm generally not supportive of that. So what do you suggest? Just that it be majority of the number of board members. Otherwise, the item looks very good. I'd like to offer that as a friendly amendment.

No. Accepted? Yeah. Okay. Gentlemen, any item would you like to? Okay. May I have a motion for FR1 as amended, the friendly amendment to change quorum to majority, FR2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7? So moved.

Second.

All in favor?

Aye. Aye.

Mr. City Clerk?

Thank you, Chair.

BC1, Education Advisory Board. Commissioner Escalona will be appointing Paul DeCarolis. And Miami-Dade County Public Schools is seeing confirmation of Tony Ulibarri as a non-voting member.

May I have a motion? Move.

Second.

All in favor? Aye.

Aye. BC3, Interfaith Advisory Council. Commissioner Ngobella will be appointing Pastor Obed Awagiri as a voting member and Pastor Weskar Contreras as a non-voting alternate member.

Motion? Move. I have a motion and a second. All in favor? Aye. Passes. And we have a pocket item.

Yes, PI1. And that's just the Code Enforcement Board appointment.

May I have a motion?

So moved.

Second?

Second.

All in favor? Aye. Mr. City Attorney, would you read the PZ item title for the record?

Yes, Madam Chair. PZ1, first reading ordinance, an ordinance of the Miami City Commission amending ordinance number 13114, the zoning ordinance of the City of Miami, Florida, is amended by amending Article 3, titled General to Zones, to modify the affordable and attainable mixed income transfer of development density program, making findings containing a severability clause and providing for an effective date. That concludes the PZ items.

Gentlemen, anybody want to pull this for discussion?

Yes, yeah.

Commissioner Pardo?

Yeah, I just wanted to have a friendly amendment that excludes the NCDs.

I completely agree.

Perfect.

I completely agree. May I have a motion?

And, Chair, my apologies. I believe there will be a further amendment pursuant to a substitution memo dated April 7, 2029. 2026. Okay.

Do I have a motion? So moved. I have a motion and a second. All in favor? Aye. Motion passes. As amended? As amended. Gentlemen, we have two... We have the Southeast Overtown Park West CRA meeting and we have the Virginia Key Beach Trust meeting. Would you like to break for those meetings and then lunch and come back to cover the discussion items? Because I don't think we'll get through the discussion items in like an hour and that will take us into... Yeah, I'd say we break. Okay. Okay. Yes, everybody? Okay. So at this time, the City of Miami Commission will be in recess for two hours. We are going to start the Southeast Overtown Park West CRA meeting, and then we'll move into the Virginia Key Beach Trust.

April 9th.

I am joined by my colleagues, Commissioner Rolando Escalona, Commissioner Damian Pardo, and myself. The city attorney needs to read a notice for the record.

Mr. City Attorney. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chairwoman and members of the Commission, pursuant to the provisions of Section 286.011, parentheses, eight floor statutes, I am requesting that at the City Commission meeting of April 23rd, 2026, an attorney-client session closed to the public be held for purposes of discussing the pending litigation in the matter of Joe Carollo versus the City of Miami, case number 2006-014464-CA01. Pending in the circuit court of the 11th Judicial Circuit in and for my immediate county Florida to which the city is presently a party. The subject of the meeting will be confined to settlement negotiations or strategy sessions related to litigation expenditures. This private meeting will begin at approximately 10 a.m. or soon thereafter as the commissioner's schedules permit. and conclude approximately one hour later. The session will be attended by the members of the City Commission, which include Chairwoman Christine King, Commissioners Miguel Angel Gabela, Damian Pardo, Rolando Escalona, and Rafael Rosado, City Manager James Reyes, and Outside Counsel Fabian A. Ruiz. The certified court reporter will be present to ensure that this session is fully transcribed, and the transcript will be made public upon the conclusion of the litigation. At the conclusion of the attorney-client session, the regular commission meeting will be reopened, and the person chairing the commission meeting will announce the termination of the attorney-client session. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. City Attorney. We are going to begin with our discussion items. The first discussion item, DI1. Commissioner Cabela, I believe this is your item.

Yes, it is.

Do we need the city manager?

I'll give you a call.

Mr. City Clerk, can you contact the city manager to see... The fire chief is standing in for the city manager? No, he's tracking him down. Oh. Did you see the confusion on my face?

You want to take another one up, or are we waiting?

I think we need them for all of them, though.

What's...

Mr. City Clerk, would you read your sponsorships?

Thank you, Chairwoman King. I have a few sponsor and co-sponsor announcements to make on the record. Mayor Higgins will be sponsoring RE1, FL1, and FL2. Chairwoman King will be sponsoring FL1 and FL3. Commissioner Pardo will be co-sponsoring PH13, RE7, RE12, and FR7. Commissioner Escalona will be co-sponsoring RE7. Commissioner Rosado will be co-sponsoring PH13 and RE7. Thank you, Chair.

Thank you. Our city manager is on the way, so we'll give him a few minutes. Good afternoon. We are on the discussion item one, GSA site unsolicited proposals.

Yes, Madam Chair. As you know, our office forwarded a brief summary of the three unsolicited proposals for the GSA site with some brief details. None of the three address the specific needs that the city identified of the footprint that's currently there. Subsequent to that, we also got instruction by Commissioner Cabela to move forward with an RFP. We're glad to announce that we have the drafted RFP for the GSA site that will be hand delivered

the commissioner's office for review so at this time we won't we recommend not to move forward with any of the unsolicited but rather move forward with commissioner gabella's request for an rfp for this site right and what i wanted to say was that we are looking here this is a legacy project so we are looking here may the best man win you know so let everybody come to the table and present and and then we will all get a chance to you know to talk to them to ask some questions and uh and again I think this is going to be a big deal for all of us because this is where the motor pool, public works, parks and recreation, solid waste, they all have their headquarters. My argument has always been throughout when I came with this and I saw this that that site was okay for a different era in Miami a long time ago when dirt was very cheap and you can afford to run very inefficient. in the sense that everything is spread out. And I think the time has come, like I've said before, that we have to be efficient with our resources. And everybody that comes to my office to present this plan, I have told them that the city needs have to be taken care of. What does that mean? That the GSA, the motor pool, the solid waste operation, parks and recreation, they all have to be located and taken care of in the plan. So that's what we're attempting to do. with this, that we are gonna create a revenue stream, for example, there are quite a number of proposals. There's gonna be 15, excuse me, 1,000 to 2,500 units, depending on the project that we all like. We're gonna collect property taxes on that. Right now, we're not collecting anything on that site, right? We're gonna have a newer and better, Working conditions for the people that work at GSA that I know you, Commissioner Corona, have visited. And I visited that site about a year and a half ago prior to you. And I know you have an interest in it, right? So we're going to get new facilities for them and new equipment. And also we're going to do affordable housing, right? So we're going to give from $1,000 to $2,500 all the way from affordable to workforce and a little bit of market rate. So at the end, it's a win-win situation for that site and for all of us.

Anyone else would like to weigh in on this item? Okay. DI2, the 2025 Annual Finance Committee Board Report. Is anyone here for that? Good afternoon.

Good afternoon. Good afternoon, Commissioners. Munira Daniel, Finance Director. On behalf of the Finance Committee, which is an advisory board that provides recommendations to the City Commission on long-term indebtedness, the city's investment practices for the purpose of enhancing financial policies, minimizing risk and exposure, maintaining principal funding, and improving returns on investments to ensure compliance with the city's financial integrity principles audit, the Anti-Deficiency Act, investment and debt policies, The Finance Committee met last year in 2025 to review and improve the financing proposal for a Motorola lease purchase agreement. That was the main business that they did in addition to reviewing compliance with the investment policy. And that was pretty much what the committee did last year. Are there any questions?

Thank you. You're welcome. DI3, Proposal from Fast Cleaning Solutions to the Miami River Commission.

Yeah, that's me. So Fred is going to be doing a presentation and Horacio Aguirre, the chairman,

Mayor Higgins, Chairwoman King, Commissioners Horacio, Stewart, Aguirre, thanking Commissioner Gabella for his excellent pronunciation of my name. You're getting better at it, you're good. Classes are helping. While Brett Bobo, the Executive Director, is setting up his computer for a PowerPoint presentation, I'll give you an overview. About 15 years ago, the state of Florida declared that one of the five tributaries of the Miami River namely the Wagner-Seybold Canal, which is immediately on the south side of Spring Garden, was the most contaminated body of water in the entire state of Florida. As I said earlier this morning, that contamination does not originate on the Miami River. It originates somewhere northwest of 20th Street. And it is human fecal contamination. Unfortunately, because the Wagner-Seybold Canal is very shallow, very narrow, and quite crowded, the extraordinary cleanup vessel that we call the scavenger, the red boat that's up and down the coast of Biscayne Bay and all the other waterways, Miami River, Little River can't navigate the Wagner Seabolt. So Commissioner Gabella and the Miami River Commission came up with an idea to find a service provider that creates little gadgets. And I sort of refer to them as the little vacuum cleaners, those little round things that all of us have in our homes that go underneath chairs and underneath tables and underneath counters. And if we could find remote-operated vessels like that, call them vessels, but they're really little drones, then we could clean up some of the contamination, make it manageable, and that way we could help the situation before it spreads into the Miami River. And that's what we're proposing today. And while Brett is figuring out how to set that up, I'll keep talking for another minute. We're all set, though. Are you ready? Yes, sir. Thank God, I was running out of text.

Yes, sir. Good afternoon, Honorable Mayor Higgins, Honorable Chairwoman King, and Honorable City Commission. Brett Bebo, Managing Director of the Miami River Commission with offices located at 1407 Northwest 7th Street. I'm joined today by Lieber Lopez, Lieber Lopez Jr., and Jesus Concepcion from Fast Cleaning Solutions, LLC. Wagner Creek is a canal owned by the City of Miami. On the projected map, you see Wagner Creek and Commissioner Gabela's district on Northwest 20th Street in Alapata, and then it proceeds southeast through the Health District into Chairwoman King's district in the historic Spring Garden neighborhood. Unfortunately, Wagner Creek is amongst the most polluted waterways in the state of Florida. For decades, Miami-Dade County's DERM has taken monthly water quality samples from three locations in Wagner Creek, which the overwhelming majority of the time showed massive unhealthy exceedances of bacteria. This slide. Okay, this slide is a verbatim excerpt of DERMS quarterly report to the Miami River Commission, featuring DERMS monthly water quality sample results. The maximum highest possible bacteria reading on the testing scale is 24,196. And on this slide, you'll see that in July, August, and September of 2025, there were six separate test results with the scales maximum 24,196 count of bacteria. While the state of Florida's safe bacteria standard is not to exceed 130. On this term slide, In April, May, and June of 2025, there were four separate test results of the maximum 24,196 bacteria count, when only 130 is the safe standard. And on this final DERM slide in October, November, and December of 2024, again, there were four separate tests of the maximum 24,196 bacteria count, when again, only 130 is the safe state standard. For decades, DERM, the City of Miami, Miami-Dade County Department of Water and Sewer Department, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, etc., have searched for the sources of this excessive bacteria contamination in Wagner Creek via smoke testing, dye testing, two multi-agency physical searches, and more, while we continue receiving DERM's monthly water quality sample massive failure results months after the samples are actually taken. While the City of Miami's contracted scavenger water decontamination vessel provides excellent services along the Miami River and Biscayne Bay, it is unable to navigate beneath Wagner Creek's low fixed bridges at Northwest 11th Street, etc. Therefore, is unable to provide services in the subject area. The Fast Cleaning Solutions LLC owns and operates the Bacterial Managed Water Cleaning Machine, BCMW. The BCMW oxygenates the water with ionized air and uses various filters, killing bacteria which makes the water quality safer for both the public and marine life. In addition, separate water quality testing devices sample for six parameters with results available real time online. Thankfully, Fast Cleaning Solutions LLC operated one device free of charge for an entire year from April 2024 to March 2025 in the general area of Durham's water quality testing location, Wagner Creek 2. This table, here's the bubbles in the water. Here's the machine that shoots the bubbles into the water. Here we go, this table shows DERMS water quality testing results from the testing location every month from April 2023 to March 2024, which was before the device was operating. Next to DERMS water quality testing results from the same location every month from April 2024 to March 2025, while the device was operating. And as you can see, the E. coli bacteria reduced by 82%, while the Enterococci bacteria reduced by 76%. The proposal is to deploy seven devices in Wagner Creek, plus two additional devices and three water quality testing devices, which would cost $360,000 for one year. We appreciate the City of Miami taking direct action to provide desperately needed reduction of unhealthy bacteria violations in Wagner Creek. Thank you.

Are there any questions?

I just have one. I'm wondering, you know, we've been looking at different kinds of systems to be able to do just that. And are you familiar at all with CBIN? CBIN?

Are you guys familiar with CBIN?

S-E-A-B-I-N.

Okay, never mind.

It's not seen commonly here, but I was curious.

Thank you.

Yeah, so, Commissioner, we went out there.

Oh, I'm fully supportive.

Have you seen the results?

Yeah, I'm fully supportive.

When you get there, when you guys, if you go, you'll see the difference from 50 feet from the middle. You can see night and day.

It goes to the mouth of the river, too. So the scavenger, they operate in the district. I'm a big fan. Okay. I'm a big fan.

Thank you, gentlemen. Thank you. So, city manager, we were wondering if we can find funds to fund the project with the six, I believe it's six, right, Brett? Is it six?

The current proposal is a total of nine machines, nine water quality improvement machines and three devices that test the water quality. Okay, and what's the total cost? $360,000 for one year. For one year? Yes, sir.

Commissioner, I'd like to sit down with them and discuss where they're at in terms of even perhaps where they're doing business. Other places, do we have an opportunity to piggyback off a contract or something like that? So I think it warrants us meeting. So maybe next week or the week after? Absolutely, yes. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. Our next discussion item is Downtown Development Authority. Commissioner Escalona?

Commissioner Rosado. You are the chairman of the DDA, right? Awesome. I won my election in December. I think it was last month that I requested a meeting with the executive director of the DDA. The day before the meeting, I look at the calendar, and I see that District 14 is added to the meeting. That meeting didn't occur. Then we had a sunshine meeting, because I have questions that I just want to have the proper information. because DDA overlaps over my district. For that meeting, I know you had a compromise. You couldn't come. I was informed by the clerk. The executive director didn't come either. My only question is, who is going to answer the questions that I have about the DDA?

Hello, commissioners. Christina Crespi, executive director of the Miami DDA. I'm joining on Zoom. Thank you for allowing me to do that. I believe Chris Molina is passing out the responses to Commissioner Escalona's questions.

Awesome. Right.