Council - Regular Meeting

It's 5:30. I'll call to order the city council meeting for this January 28th, 2026. Mr. Clerk, please call the role. Councilwoman Baskin. Councilman Leon, here. Councilwoman Pal, present. Councilwoman Wilson, here. Councilwoman Julian, here. Vice Mayor Stevens, here. Mayor Harris, I'm present. Mayor, you have a quorum. Mr. Mayor, yes. Councilwoman Baskin will not be present for this evening's meeting. All right. I need a motion to excuse Councilwoman Bask. Motion. It's been moved and seconded. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposition? Showing none. Sure. Excused.

All right. We're on invocation and pledge of allegiance. Please stand. Gracious God, our father, we thank you for your grace. We thank you for your mercy. We thank you for an opportunity to gather collectively as a community. It is in this moment we pray for your wisdom, your knowledge, and your understanding as my colleagues and I prepare to discuss business that ultimately affect our people. Continue to bless the beautiful city of Miami Gardens, the residents, stakeholders, everyone that calls this city home. We ask a special blessing upon their lives. Father, we promise to give you all the praise, honor, and glory if you do all these things for us. It is in your son name I do pray. Amen. Amen. 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. I need a motion to approve the minutes. Motion second. It's been moved and seconded. All in favor signify by saying I. I.

Any opposition? Showing none. Show the minutes approved. We're on order of business. U. Are there any items need to be pulled, deleted, withdrawn? Showing none. I need a motion on the agenda. Second. Been moved and seconded. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Showing no opposition. Show the order of business. The agenda approved. Are there any special presentations, Mr. Clerk? No special presentation, Mr. Mayor.

No special presentations. We're now on public comments. So, I have Ria Hughes and Mr. Tisd Doll.

Good evening.

Good evening, Council Reuse. 3335 Northwest 180th Street, Miami Gardens, Florida 33056. I extend my condolences and prayers to the family of the young man that was shot and killed on January 24th, 2026 during a mental health crisis in the Myrtle Grove community. The budget adopted for 2026 shows the actual cost of $458,289 for Junth event held 2025. The event exceeded the allotted amount by $28,289. I ask the deers what funding documents is in place which specifically addresses where these additional funds were taken from to finalized payment of last year's Junth. As it pertains to the general obligation bond, the cost of Myrtle Grove Park renovation project has dwindled. The first cost presented in 2022 was in the amount of 5.5 million. About a year or so later, it increased to 6.5 million and the resolution approved in 2024 by this day increased the amount to 7.4 million. To date, according to the budget adopted for 2026, the cost shows 5,139,000. in attending the bond oversight committee meeting on January 13, 2026. I just say a more informative update is needed at the next bond oversight meeting. Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening.

Good evening. May Tisdah 1731 Northwest 11th Avenue. I want to talk about the fourway stop sign. They speed up. They speed up and down that road from 170 terrorist to 70 terrorist in eighth road. What's happening over there? I measured it. It's 1150 ft. But if you break it down in yardage is 360 yards. That's like a quarter of a mile. A mile is 400 yards. This is 360 yards. Nobody been over there to maintain that corner. I told you the peak hours are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 in the afternoon from 4 to 6. I would like just like to see if we can get this under control a little bit because it's the Formula One racing over there and it's I 95. Number two, I've been around to, like I told you before, I do details. I've been around to Buccaneer Park. I've been around to the groundbreaking for Walt Frasier Park and Carol City. I don't live in the Myrtle Grove area, but it been four years and nothing have been done to that park. I don't know if they're not in your circle. I don't know that y'all work for us as a resident and a taxpayer. But for four years, nothing have been done to Murder Grove. And that's ridiculous. But everything else are getting taken care of. But it's always say when we hear the pledge of lead to the flag, it's justice for all. It's not justice for all. It's justice for some. Because if I'm not in your circle,

I'm a nobody. But if I'm your I'm in your circle, I'm somebody. And as council, we got to do better. Thank you, Mr. Tiso. Are there any written communication, Mr. Clerk? No written communications. Mayor showing no written communications. Yeah. Whatever. You wanted to speak on the item, right? Yeah. We wait the item coming up. Ready. So, public comments are now closed.

All right. [snorts] We're now on to ordinances on for second reading of public hearing. Item [clears throat] 9.1 ordinances city council city Mard Florida amending chapter 34 article 7 section 34-233 alternatives to renaming streets and PN of the code of ordinances provided for adoption representation repealing all ordinances in conflict providing several clause provided for inclusion in the code provided for an effective date and this is sponsored by councilman region this is a public hearing all right public comments are open miss Malcolm I'm sorry miss clerk while she's walking up could you read Back to the comment card, please. Sure, Mr. Mayor.

Um, any member who any member, I'm sorry. Citizens participation is governed by section 2-60 of the city Miami Gardens code. Public comments are limited to matters within the scope of the jurisdiction of the city council. Each person other than members of the city staff who address the city council shall give their name, address, and whether the person is speaking on his or her own behalf, a group of persons or a third party. When in the determination of the presiding officer, there are many persons wishing to speak on the same proposition. The presiding officer may direct these persons to designate a representative to address the council rather than all members of such group. All speakers shall be limited to two minutes unless further time is given by the presiding officer. All remarks shall be addressed to the city council as a body and not not to any one member. No person other than city council members and the person having the floor shall be entered to enter shall be permitted to enter in any discussion without the permission of the presiding officer. No question shall be asked of the city council except through the presiding officer. Order shall be maintained if any person makes personal, irrelevant, impertinent or slanderous remarks, becomes boisterous while addressing the city council or becomes too lengthy, abusive, obscene and/or disruptive or otherwise fails to comply with the orders of the presiding officer and is declared out of order. The individual may be subject to removal by the sergeant-at-arms.

Thank you. Council, make sure we govern ourselves accordingly as well. Miss Malcolm, you you're up for public comments on this item?

Yeah. Okay. Christine Malcolm, 18910 Northwest 31st Avenue, Miami Gardens, Florida 33056. I spoke on this item at the last meeting and I'm speaking again because this is about protecting the integrity of how our city honors people. I want to be clear. Longevity in office does not equal a completed legacy. Serving for 30 years is significant. Yes. But someone is still actively holding office, still voting on policies, still influencing decisions that affect residents today. Then their story in public service is still being written. Street names are permanent historical markers. They are meant to reflect a full body of work with the benefit of hindsight, not recognition while someone is still in a position of authority. When we name a street after a sitting official, no matter how long they've served, it creates the appearance of political favoritism and self- congratulation within government. That perception alone damages public trust. This isn't about disrespect. It's about timing and standards. We should have a clear line between honoring history and participating in present- day politics. Once someone has completed their service, stepped away from office, and time has allowed the community to reflect objectively on their impact, then that conversation makes more sense. There are many ways to recognize someone who is still living and serving, but a street name should be reserved for legacies that are finished, not still in progress. Thank you.

Thank you, Councilman. You want to address anything on this item? Uh, no, I don't have any changes. I move the item. All right. The item been moved and seconded. Hold on. I need a motion on the item first. Motion. So, it's been moved and seconded. No, it's open for I didn't hear them move and second. Sorry. Yeah, it came out. Oh, okay. I hear you. Thank you. Yeah, it's open for discussion. Any discussion on from the D? Showing none. Mr. Cler. Um, Councilman Leon. Yes. Counciloman Pal. Yes. Councilwoman Wilson. Yes. Councilwoman Julian. Yes. Vice Mayor Stevens. Yes. Mayor Harris, I vote yes.

Motion passes. We're now on to item 10, resolutions of public hearing item 10.1, a resolution to the city council, city of Miami Gardens, Florida, accepting annual traffic infraction detector report provided for adoption provided for an effective date. And this is sponsored by the city manager. Mr. Manager, Mr. Mayor, vice mayor, council members. This is a report that we have to do per state statute in regards to the red speed program. I'm going to have Deputy Chief uh Nagiso give a brief summary of that report before he give the report. Public comments are open on this resolution.

Public comments are open on this resolution. Any written reports about this resolution? Any No written communication, Mr. Mayor. All right. Public comments are not closed. Go ahead, Chief. Good evening, mayor, vice mayor, council, city manager. I'm just going to give you a summary of the report for the annual traffic infraction detector report. Summary of this for the period from February 26, 2025 to June 30, 2025, city of Miami Gardens recorded. Chief, can you speak in the mic, please?

I'll start over again. For the period from February 26, 2025 to June 30th, 2025, the city of Miami Gardens recorded 81,000 187 issue notices of violation. 135 notices of violation were contested. 97 notices of violations were contested and upheld. 38 notices of violation were contested and dismissed. 24,56 notices of violations were issued and as uniform traffic citations and 40,448 notices of violations were paid. The total funds collected amounted in to 1,972,614. The collection of funds were distributed in accordance with Florida State Statute 316 1896-17 and are reported persuant to Florida State Statute 316-07763C as follows $526,30 to the state of Florida, $225,44160 to the county school district and 1,21,142 to the city of Miami Gardens. In conclusion, the administration recommends the approval of this traffic infraction detection report via resolution and that a dismission to the Florida State Highway uh motor vehicle through proper channels be authorized.

All right. Thank you, Chief. I'm going to open the floor again for public comments. Are there any public comments on this report? Showing no public comments on this report. Close public comments. I need a motion on this item. It's been moved and seconded. Um any communication or discussion from the DES?

Go ahead. I just want to um thank you, say thank you to the uh city manager for working with bringing a greater uniformity of the signage and uh the the times and and things of that nature along with um even greater communication to the community regarding these. So, thank you so much, Mr. Mayor. Yes.

Thank you, Counciloman Wilson. And Mr. Mayor, just um I just want to let everyone know that we have been working closely with the school board and the county to address some of the sinus is issues, but overall the program is doing well. We've had some hiccups. We've addressed most of them and hopefully over the next couple of months, we'll have everything taken care of in place and then we'll just it'll be a smoother program come the following year. So, I just want to say thank you. Thank you, Mr. Manager. Mr. Clair, call the role, please. Councilman Leon, yes. Counciloman Pal, yes. Council Julian, yes. Vice President Davis, yes. Mayor Harris, I vote yes. Motion passes 6. We're now on to the consent agenda. I need a motion on the consent agenda. Motion.

Second. It's been moved and seconded. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Any opposition? Showing none. Show the consent agenda pass.

All right. We're now on to quasi judicial zoning hearings. Gending disclosure item 13.1 ordinance to the ordinance on first reading and public hearing 13.1.1 [clears throat] an ordinance to the city council of city Miami Gardens Florida amending article 12 off streetet parking loading and vehicular circulation requirements section 34-381 of table 1 article 2 administration section 34-50 article 9 section 34-2A7 use regulations general article 9 section 34 4-288 use permitted with extra requirements as outlined on exhibit A attached here 2 provided for adopted representation repealing all ordinances in conflict providing silly clause provided for inclusion code provided for an effective date and this is sponsored by the city manager and this is a public hearing on this item

Mr. Manager Mr. Mayor Vice Mayor council members I'm going to have Reggie White planning and zoning director give a brief presentation in regards to the parking item before you

Mr. White. Um, want to give the script. Good evening, uh, mayor and council members. Um, Reggie White, director of planning and zoning. So, welcome to the quasi judicial portion of the January 25th, uh, city council meeting. For those persons that will or may be speaking on an item on the agenda or commenting on any item, please stand up and be sworn in by the city clerk. For the applicants, your item will be called to order by agenda number and by title of your request. When your item is called, please approach the microphone and when addressed, please speak directly and clearly stating your name and address for the record and explain the reason for your request. Please note that all exhibits presented to the mayor and council will become part of public record.

All right. All those interested on speaking on any of the quasi judicial raise your right stand and raise your right hand. Do you swear and affirm that testimony you provide this evening is true and correct your knowledge? I do. Thank you.

Thank you. So yes, uh the purpose for the text amendments, uh we'll start with with the first one, uh with the parking ordinance, we are requesting to reduce the parking count for the one-bedroom units to one and a half parking spaces. Uh the purpose for this reduction is that we've been bringing quite a few of items um before you um in regards to reducing the amount of parking, requesting variances um and to streamline that process, our development review process. This will allow things to go a little smoother um when we're reviewing a lot a lot of our development applications. In addition, we did a review. We looked at other cities within the area. uh two parking spaces is really in excess for onebedroom units especially when we're talking about studio apartments as well. Uh we looked at other cities like North Miami, North Miami Beach and even the county they have one and a half parking spaces per unit. Um so we find this consistent with the development standards today with ne with neighboring cities and with what we're doing here in the city of Miami Gardens. And what we also are doing too, we're increasing the administrative variance uh from 10% to 25%.

I need a motion on this item. Motion been moved and seconded. Any questions or concerns from the day? None. Uh public comments on this item is open. Public comments on this item is open. Public comments are closed. Mr. Clerk, call it. Councilwoman Wilson, yes. Council Julian, Vice Stevens, yes. Councilman Leon, yes. Councilwoman Pal, yes. Mayor Harris, I vote yes.

Motion passes 50. Or 13.2.1. Ordinance off second reading and public hearing. In order to city council of city mgard, Florida authorizing the operation of certified recovery residents residents establishing procedures for the review and approval of certified recovery residents providing a process for certified recovery residents to obtain reasonable accommodations from land use regulations amending chapter 34 article 9 section 34-2A7 use regulations generally of the code of ordinances amendments chapter 34 article 9 section 34-2A88 use permitted with extra requirements of the code of ordinances amending chapter 34 article 19 section 34-733 master use list and use definitions of the code of ordinances providing for adoption reputation repealing all ordinances in conflict providing serability clause provided for inclusion code provided for an effective date and this is sponsored by the city manager and this is a second reading public hearing

Mr. Manager Mr. Mayor vice mayor council members this is on for second reading Mr. Mr. White, do you have any further comments regarding this item? Staff's recommendation is still the same moving forward. Mayor, thank you. All right. Public comments on this item is open. [clears throat] Public comments on this item is open. Show public comments closed. Uh I need a motion on item. Motion. It's been moved and seconded. Any questions or concerns from today? Showing none, Mr. Cler, call the role, please. Vice Mayor Stevens, yes. Councilwoman, I mean, sorry, Councilman Leon, yes. Councilwoman Pal,

yes. Councilwoman Wilson, yes. Mayor Harris, I vote yes. Motion passes. 5-0. We're now on to the reports of the mayor and city council. Councilwoman Wilson, [laughter]

yes. Um, thank you very much. I just want to announce that um this in February, February 9th, we will be hosting our monthly meet Monday and our special guest will be our um mayor Daniela Lavine Cava and she will be talking to you and and bringing you updates with the county um on some very very important issues that I would encourage all of you to come out and and to welcome her to our city and those things that um you think and I think and we think that are going to be important going forward. Look forward to seeing you there. And that concludes my announcements. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman Pal. Hush.

Okay, everybody. Just relax in your chairs. And uh No. Um the new year has started off amazingly well and um I was happy to participate. If you saw my photo on my brand new bike, just kidding. Um this Sunday I met with um Miss Sassy. They did an amazing bike ride and actually church service down at the purple church and there's like over 300 bikers. They will be coming to attend and all is invited to attend the um commemorative bike ride on the February 21st for Bessie Stringfield. So, please come attend. Breakfast starts at Bunch Park and if you have a motorcycle, we'll be riding to the um Harley Davis on 441 and continuing the celebration with their 72nd anniversary. Um, I'd like to recognize um I did a proclamation with um Universal Truth Center at the prayer breakfast on Saturday for the 10th anniversary for their pastor, Reverend Charles Taylor. And our our member, if you don't know her, her name is um Althia Tate, celebrated 75 years. And uh yes, 75 years, which um and I have to recognize her because she has extensive activity in the community. She's been a comedian. She's a singer. She's an athlete, a beauty queen, educator. Um, phenomenal life, and she continues to support everyone with morning prayers. So, she celebrates 75. So, give her a shout out. Also, um, I participated with an amazing uh, talk with the doc to give a deep dive to the freebie freebie um, for individuals who had questions and to talk about the trolley. And I want to give shout out and thanks to our deputy uh city manager, Mr. Clay, who showed up and gave the wonderful uh professor presentation so that everyone understood how the process worked. And please save the date for um March 19th. We will be

having the first self-defense and boxing class at Bunch Park for all families. And the weekend will continue with the first annual boxing tournament in the gardens. So save the date for the 19th. And remember, next Wednesday, Healthy You podcast for health tips will be given and health education. And guess what the tip is for today? All of you all who have fallen off the wagon for your New Year's resolutions, it's okay. Climb right back and start again. That's my report. Thank you. Thank you, Doc. Why did you look down here? You looked over here. Don't y'all say nothing. Y say nothing. Don't succeed. Dust yourself off and try again.

Councilman Leon, what happen if you never got on the wagon?

Um, I want to [clears throat] take this opportunity to thank a couple people. I want to thank uh the finance department, uh, the professor, Reina Nelson, uh, Cameron Benson. I had an opportunity uh, last week to speak on some panels in Tallahassee. uh the documentation that the city put together for our uh leadership panel uh our leadership meeting that we had uh well prepared us for uh Tallahassee. We were ahead of the ball on a lot of the other cities. So we actually end up passing out um the documents that you made for us uh with the eight different tax breakdowns. We were able to share that with other cities so that they can go back and create similar documents uh for their city. So, uh, it just shows you that Miami Gardens is is truly ahead. A lot of things that we're doing in this city. People are are constantly watching. We got a lot of compliments, uh, from people, Democrats, Republicans, from all over, uh, the state of Florida who are interested in what's going on here in Miami Gardens. And you'll be shocked that they're actually tracking the progress of Miami Gardens. So, I just kudos to all you and your staff. And I want to give a special shout out to our police department. We had an unfortunate situation on Sunday and and um our police department dug in and worked really hard to be able to get this rapist off the street within like 48 hours uh and bring back safety to the community and bring to those students and both universities um you know some sense of pride in being able to uh get back out there. So thank you for that. And

thank you Councilman Vice Mayor.

Yes, sir. I just want to uh Good evening, everyone. I want to uh inform us, our community, that the Miami Gardens Dream Scholarship Program is open. So, high school seniors can now apply for the scholarship. Um the information is located on our city's web page. Uh and it is very important for one to go ahead and start applying for this opportunity to be awarded the Miami Gardens Dream Scholarship. The applications are being accepted until fee uh Friday, April 17th. And then I want to make you aware that on next week, Tuesday, February 3rd, I will have host my monthly uh uh open office hours at the Betty T. Ferguson Center. So, you can come and meet with me on a one-on-one basis. That's next week, Tuesday, from 400 pm to 6:00 p.m. in our education wing. And then following that, I'll have my monthly table talk Tuesdays at Starbucks starting at 6:30 PM. And I am going to cut my report short because we have a county state of the county address to attend. So, thank you, Mr. Mayor. [laughter]

Thank you. Uh, no report. Just stay warm, guys. Stay warm out there. Uh, Mr. Mr. Manager, report. No report, mayor. Thank you, Madam Attorney. No report, Mr. Clerk. No report. I need a motion to adjourn this meeting. Motion been moved and seconded. Show this meeting adjourned. Ain't no reason ain't no reason why all meetings can't go. I know. I know. I know.