Council - Regular Meeting

We're going to call to order this council meeting for October 8th at 5:30 p.m. Mr. Clerk, call the role, please. Councilwoman Baskin, present. Council Leon, Councilwoman Pal, present. Councilwoman Wilson, here. Councilwoman Julian, I'm here. Vice Stevens, here. Mayor Harris, you have a quorum.

Thank you, Mario. We are now on for invocation and our pledge of allegiance. Let us all stand, please. God our father, we thank you for your grace. We thank you for your mercy. We thank you for the opportunity to gather together as a community. It is in this moment, Father, we pray for your continuing knowledge, wisdom, and understanding as my colleagues and I prepare to deliberate on business that ultimately affect our people. Father, we pray that you continue to bless us with your endless peace, your joy, and all the many blessings that you have in store for us. Bless this great city of Miami Gardens, residents, stakeholders, and everyone that calls this city home. God, we ask all these things in your son name I do pray. Amen. Amen. To the flag of the stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

All right, Mr. Mayor, we're now on to approval minutes before the um city council. We have the regular city council meeting draft minutes for September 24th, 2025. Thank you, Mario. I need a motion on the minutes. Motion. It's been moved and second. All in favor signify by saying I. I. Show the minutes approved. All right, we're now on to order of business. Is there anything that need to be added or deleted from the agenda tonight? Showing none. Um, need a motion to approve the agenda. I need a motion to approve the agenda. Motion. It's been moved and second. All in favor signify by saying I.

I. Show the agenda approved. All right. There are no special presentations. We're now on to public comments. Mr. Clerk, can you please read the decorum of our chambers, please?

Sure. Vice Mayor, citizen participation is governed by section 2-6D of the city of Miami Gardens code. Public comments are limited to matters within the scope of 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 speaking on his or her own behalf, a group of persons or a third party. When in the determination of presiding officer, there are many persons wishing to speak on the same proposition, the presiding officer may direct these persons designate a representative to address the city council rather than all members of such groups. 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 to any one member. No person other than the city council member and a person's having the floor shall be permitted to enter any discussions without the permission of the presiding officer. No question shall be asked of a city council member except through the presiding officer. Order shall be maintained if any person makes personal irrelevant impertinence or slanderous remarks, becomes boisterous while addressing the city council or becomes too lengthy abuse 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, Mr. Clerk. Can the record reflect that Councilman Leon is present? Duly noted. We are now on uh to our public comments. Uh Ivan Hampton and Margaret Kendrick, you can come forward in that order, please. Hello everyone. I am Yavon Hampton and I'm coming forward because it's a couple of things. I know I have two minutes. Miss Hampton, can you state your address for the record? Yes. 211032 Northwest 39th Avenue.

Thank you. Okay. I'm coming one on the new um development that's coming in. I just have a question. When they come up, are they zoned for lighting to come out on the main drive? there's a public hearing on that item. So, okay. At the moment of the item when we switch to that quasi judicial, then you're more than welcome to speak on that item.

Okay. And the other thing is um 39th Avenue from 207th Street to 215th Street. We need speed bumps. We have children and not it's a lot of traffic come through during the whatever is happening at the stadium and it's very dangerous because they do not care and it's not just at that time. It is common place now that they will take that little shortcut and just run through this neighborhood and we have children our homes that sit on the corners and they'll lose control. We need speed bumps in there. Please, please. And that's it for me. Thank you.

Thank you. We we'll move you I'll move your uh public comment card for the quasi judicial item.

Hello. Good evening. My name is Margaret Kendrick. Live at 2724 Northwest 199th Lane. uh directly across from the um the stadium. Uh you all know where I live at. When you go down 27th Avenue and be on 199 uh street, you look to the left, you see all those different color nasty dirty roofs and when you make that turn and the first turn you make on 27th a 27th Court. Um, in our community, the first thing you see is a homeowner with torn up totes over her driveway. Also, you also see a walkway, excuse me. Also, you see um clothes on the line in the back. I understand code enforcement have a uh ordinance for clothes on line in the front, but not in the back. Showing from the street, not clothes on the line. You can have clothes on line, but showing from the street, draws hanging everywhere. Oh, you go back down 27th Avenue, see the gates are regularly tore up. Greg gates. Okay. I came here and I asked who enforces Governor Sanchez law for closed online. You guys referred me to uh DP DBPR. I sent a complaint to them. Nothing is happening. I understand that um legislatement award a million dollars for what? Clean up from potholes and drainages. Is that for the homeowners that don't have an association? See, we paying association dues and we're not getting any help because our board of directors, yes, we have board of directors. We have a association. They ain't boarding. Okay? They just taking our money in my opinion. Allegedly taking our money in my opinion. So, I came to you for help. If this if you guys are getting this million dollars to pick up potholes and other other areas, help us. You have legislation number three. 11 section um legislate number 7 117 number four share

that money to help us create a a a nice setting. Code enforcement is doing their job. I got to give it to them. Thank you. Francis Ragule and Gail Cuttingham. Right before they speak, uh Mr. Clerk, can you show that the mayor is present? Duly noted. Vice Mayor,

thank you. Good evening, 889 Northwest 214th Street 102 Miami Gardens, Florida 33169. First, let me just say thanks to our city manager in recognition of the Miami Gardens Neighborhood Watch Inc. for giving us our annual subvention which assists the various neighborhood watch in terms of having their monthly meeting. Uh that being said, we are quite familiar in discussion with many of the uh organization with regards to Miss Broadbell who lost her life as a result of those dogs. And a question being asked, what proactive measures can be taken by the city to avoid something like that in the future? The common thing that we heard is all dogs should be muzzled outside of the compound leech or unleash. The reason why and you can attest to that in terms of your observation many times whilst jogging or what have you uh we see younger people or older people or just people with these big dogs. Yes, it's on a leech, but the dogs are actually controlling that individual. If they were to get excited, you can tell they cannot contain that and hence the reason for doing so. Now, on the flip side of that, there should be a severe penalty for anyone of the animals that is found that harmed anyone because if you don't have the penalty to enforce, then there's no use in terms of having that. So, I'm just putting it out there for consideration that you can look at it and put something on the table because we cannot stop animals from being animals. But if you have irresponsible animal um owners, then they should be held accountable for what? Because to lose another life, we have seen what happened in the city of Miami uh just

this past weekend, it is a nuisance in the community and perhaps we can start from here and set an example that the rest of the communities can follow as they normally follow Miami Gardens. With that I say thank you. Thank you.

Good evening de. My name is Gail Cunningham 19001 Northwest 14th Avenue Road Miami Gardens Florida 33169.

Nice to meet you. respect of self of others the office serves. I'm a resident of the city of Miami Gardens, a registered voter who votes. As a result of your campaigning and the election process, the seven of you are publicly elected officials, public servants who are entrusted as stewards of the taxpayers monies. You are legislate policy as a result of the voice voices and concerns of the constituents. The office you occupy and serve embodies the face of our city, the people. Let's not forget your presentation of self at all times is a reflection of the city as a whole and is viewed throughout the world. Media allows for messaging voice with sound to be placed in the cloud and retrievable for view. So when words are used that are disrespectful persons are not forgotten and does not necessarily mean that it reflects on each and every one of you. But just always remember that you are the face of our city and I implore upon you each of you to review your procedures manual and what you ask of us as your constituents as the residents of the city of Miami garden that is still reflects on the day. Also, if there are behaviors that you do not expect from us, please point the finger back at yourself and this young man here who's a sergeant-at-arms and our great law enforcement agency behind us. use those particular ways of getting and making sure that we are reflected throughout this world in a positive way. We ask to be treated and heard as you are. Thank you.

Thank you, Ria Hughes and Dr. James Davis. Uh, in that order, Reu, 3335 Northwest 180th Street, Miami Gardens, Florida 33056. Good evening, council. to our publicly elected officials, public servants, stewards of our taxpayer dollars. Transparency matters in your decision-making process for it builds trust, increases accountability, and maintain public trust when making decisions based on public interest rather than your personal gains. Where there is no transparency, there is suspicion. I quote article 2 section 260G. Sergeant at arms. The chief of police of the city of Miami Gardens or his or her designate shall serve as sergeant-at-arms at all meetings of the city council. Such person persons shall carry out all lawful orders and instructions given by the preiding officer for maintaining order and decorum at the meetings. End quote. to the dez and the precided officer of the deas. Ignoring consequences can per perpetuate a negative patterns leading to a cycle of the same behaviors repeating being called a name being called a certain name being called a name by this deas on March 26 in the lobby. The term itself carries negative connotation implying a lack of intelligence or reason. No, I am not an idiot. Yes, you have the freedom to choose, but you are not free from the consequences of those choices.

Yes, you do have the freedom to choose but are not free from the consequences of those choices. Thank you. Good evening. Dr. James Davis, 1500 Northwest 154th Street, Seat 3. I'm sure you all are aware of the recent Miami Times article regarding concerns raised by myself and other residents here in our city. There needs to be a response in accountability. Now, you have to agree that there is a lot of wasteful government spending by some of our elected officials. Some of you aren't paying property taxes or your name is not tied to any property in our city. Yet, you're wastefully and irresponsibly spending money on partying events when you have families and the homeless in dire need. So, for those of you who have not read the article in the Miami Times, allow me to share some concerning issues highlighted by the report. Some council members invested in STEM and other educational initiatives for our youth, but one failed to account for securing scholarships and another allocated a substantial amount for social events.

Dr. Davis. Sir, direct your comments to the council. 15 local restaurants participated in the 2025 F1 race with one only being from I'm sorry, only four being from Miami Gardens. Dr. Davis, doctor, I'm sorry. Could you not do this? Yeah. And throw your stuff on the floor, please. All right. Well, can I have some assistance? You could put it underneath what you got. All right. The Miami Times made multiple requests for interviews and can I also buy some time back because of the interruptions? No. All right. All right. And so let me just end by there was a check that was written to or that was

direct your comments to the council sir to Thank you. There was a expenditure to your time is up. Commissioner Oliver Gilbert which is which is your time is up and so this needs to be that needs to respond to this. Thank you. Uh May Teslaw, you're next.

And Dr. Davis, if you need a response to those things, schedule an appointment with my office, please. Well, schedule appointment. You can schedule appointment with my office. I'll have them schedule appointment with you. You're welcome.

Mr. Tild, 1731 Northwest 11th Avenue. I want to commend commend uh Captain Joseph and Captain Suarez for what they've been doing on 170 terrorists. I do details when I go home and I look at the means on Thursday or Friday. I look at your chief of staff. I looked at November 13. I looked at December 11th. I looked at January the 8th. I looked at January the 22nd and every month after that, every time I'm up here speaking, he's standing by that wall up to that door. Now I feel threatened by that. I really, really feel threatened because my back is turned and I don't know what going to happen to me and why he always only stands up to that wall or that door when I speak. He's not there tonight, but I don't looked at the videos. I don't gave you the dates. And now I feel threatened. So tomorrow for my protection and to get it in black and white. I'm going to file a police report.

You don't have to wait till tomorrow. I don't care what I got to wait. Give it to me tonight. You could you you not going to talk to me like that in this office, you know, because you don't have to. every time I say something. Sir, you do not have to wait. You can file a report right now. Okay, let's do it. There's the officers right there. Okay, let's do it. All right. Given that there is no more uh public comments, uh Mr. Clerk, show that public comments are closed and Mayor Harris is now chairing the meeting. Where are we at? Right now, we're on to report to the mayor and city council. Mr. Councilwoman Julian.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Good evening, everyone. Just a couple of updates for you. I'd like to begin with our loud week, love of urban design. We are celebrating five years of celebrating culture. We return this year providing creativity, art, fashion, and music right here in Miami Gardens. If you participated last year, you um you saw that we turned the city the city hall into a whole art mecca. And so I am intentional about pushing art and art access right here in the city of Miami Gardens because I truly want this to be the place where you want to be. And so this year's theme is bloom, which symbolizes growth, expression, and the continued investment in our city's creativity creative economy. So, the events will take place right here at city hall from Wednesday, December 3rd through Saturday, December 6th, and we have a whole list of lineup and you can check out loudweek.com for tickets and for more information. We continue to amplify local voices. We want to foster collaboration and celebrate Miami Gardens as a cultural and creative hub. So, I'm looking forward to seeing you all there. Tomorrow morning, a group of us uh residents and concerned citizens are going to attend the board of county commission meeting for the fair water rates advocacy. Um for the residents who have signed up, we are asking that you are here at city hall by 7:30 because the bus will take off at 8:00. Lunch is going to be provided and at which at the same time you'll be provided your t-shirts. um to reserve your seat. Seats are already reserved. Okay. So, yes, tomorrow morning 7:45 7:30, please be here. Don't be late. If you are not here by that time 8:00, we are taking off and we will have to take off without you. So, please

be on time and lunch will be provided. And then, uh my office is hosting our quarterly community cooking class. You know, it is free to the public. This is an opportunity for us to fellowship as a community with our residents and promote healthy eating, wellness, and togetherness right here in Miami Gardens. You can register today by contacting my office. And last, but most certainly not least, I am happy to announce that the city of Miami Gardens is participating in Give Miami Day. you know, that Give Miami Day is an initiative that I've been uh pushing ever since I got elected here at the city council and it's 24 hours of philanthropy giving to nonprofits throughout the greater Miami area that you truly believe in and that you feel that the community should invest in. And so, the Miami Gardens nonfor-profit arm, which is called Friends of Miami Gardens, we are officially participating in Give Miami Day. And so your support will help us advance workforce readiness, cultural enrichment, as well as community and economic development. For more information and to support and to find out how you can participate with us, visit givemiami.org/friendsofmiami gardens. That ends my report, Mr. Mayor.

Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilwoman Baskin.

Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Some upcoming uh community initiatives. We have the basic emergency training program which will start on October 16th. I believe we're currently at capacity for that first class. However, if you are interested in signing up, I believe the link is still open because we are hoping to have a second course. Um those that participate will receive will receive um learn strategies and first responder techniques just in case um as a result of any type of catastrophic disaster. Um, you know, we live in South Florida, so we are prone to hurricanes and tornadoes and such. So, it's good for us all to be prepared um in our own communities to respond in the event of something happening. So, that is starting on October 16th and it will end on November 29th. That's at Betty T at 6 p.m. every Thursday. Um, also starting back next week, Tuesday, my community collaboration town hall meeting. All are welcome to attend. It's not just for residents that live in residential area 1. is for all that want to come out if you have any questions or concerns about what's going on in the community. We're also open to suggestions. We also have some of our um offices that will be coming such as code enforcement and our city manager's office will be there as well. Also on October 25th, we know this is breast cancer month. Also, we are recognizing lupus awareness. So, we are having our um parading for pink and purple on October 25th at Buck Nope. At Rolling Oaks Park starting at 9:00 a.m. That is Saturday, October 25th at 9:00 a.m. All are welcome to attend. And the historic advisory committee meeting will meet on October 27th. They scheduled to meet every fourth Monday of the month. So that is also open to the public. I'm also happy to announce that so you all know I host um Manpower Mondays every first Monday of

the month. this a youth mentoring program for our young boys in the community. So, we had a financial literacy event on this past Monday on this past Monday um which was very well attended. The boys learned about investing, how to get into the stock market, learned about the difference between needs and wants. Some of them earned uh money and they were very excited about that. So, now we are starting um an event for our girls because we got a quite a few calls like what do you have going on for the girls in the community? So, we now have sheep power Mondays which will take place on the fourth Monday of every month starting on October 27th. That will also be at Buccaneer Park. And that is it. That's the end of my report. Thank you, Mr. Mayor.

Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilwoman Wilson.

Uh, yes. Um, we will um have our monthly meet Monday. Um, the date will be October 20th at 6 PM at Walt Frasier Park. Uh, Dr. Steve Gallon, our school board member for district 1, will be there to talk with our community about our educational state, the state of education here in our very own district. Um, he uh held a a town hall meeting and it was very well attended, but I know that many of you probably want to ask him um a few more questions about the the budget, about teacher, about student enrollment enrollments across our district. And I I have to tell you that we are doing a wonderful job here in District 1. But if you want to have a personal interaction with him, he has done it since I've been in office, which is almost pretty close to eight years, and he is going to continue. So, Monday, October 20th at W Frasier Park. Please plan to attend. In addition to that, we will have speaker Alicia Bethl who is um a nurse practitioner at at at Jackson Hospital and she will be there to bring you some of the most upto-date practices and resources that are available at Jackson for the treatment of breast cancer. One of the things that I do want to say is that cancer breast cancer is to be celebrated um and through instruction and through information. But as we found out with um Deion Sanders is that cancer comes in many colors and it's not just pink. And so we have the colors of cancer that we will be giving giving out information about things that you really need to take note to and go get checked out is the message. We don't know what the symptoms are of all of our cancers. And some things we are so busy with so many things that we learn to tolerate and operate in a lot of pain

and a lot of uncomfortableness. But getting checked out is a very very important part of your overall health and well-being. And it is for both men, it is for women and it is for our children because anyone and everyone can be affected. So I look forward to seeing you there. In addition to that, we have our second annual colors of cancer cancer basketball tournament. We will be playing for all of the colors of cancer. We have our local schools as well as many private schools that will be there at Betty T. Ferguson. It will begin um at 3M each day. And um we will have a a three-point uh shootout. We'll have a skills competition. It'll be prizes and giveaways. And we will also have guest speakers to give you their expertise on many of the colors of cancers that are rising and are affecting our community. And then I would say that we have hit a major milestone here. Um our very own Leslie Estates, I think it's Leslie Estates 4, was successful in getting all of the signature signatures needed to fix the roads. Thank God for that. And so we have sent those signatures up to Tallahassee. We'll get and this will be the second time that we have had to do it, but hopefully this time everything will be okay and we will be able to begin the road work there. And I would also like to take this opportunity to thank to thank Representative Felicia Robinson who worked tirelessly on trying to get the Leslie Estates which is on the north side of 199th with getting their flooding and all of that kind of stuff taken care of. And we hope um that our public works department will be able to begin the work on getting those roads and getting those streets sealed and getting the drainage in both of those

areas so that um should we have a storm that they'll be able to come out of it. Okay. Um and that concludes my announcements. Thank you very much. Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilwoman Powell.

Thank you, Mayor. Well, today is Healthy You podcast. If you were able to catch it, we were talking to two amazing speakers today. The first was Stefan Logan who was a former professional football play of 13 years and transitioned his um profession now into a cyclist, but his wife um had passed away from uh breast cancer. and he spoke on what it is to be a family member and gave some tips today on how to be a supporter for um individuals who are going through a cancer um journey. And his motto was we fight together and I thought that was amazing motto. And our second guest who sits in our midst and is my right hand every day is Makita Mccloon. um and she was my guest because she has battled breast cancer twice and starting as early as 35. And it's special because um we failed to realize that it it strikes early and hers and I know she doesn't mind me saying because she showed up on the show um was 35 and a second time battled it years later. And it's important to know that not everybody has insurance and we have to continue to fight um and in her case she didn't have insurance. And so it's important whenever you have the opportunity to um participate in donating for um a cancer cause and you are able to do so because she went through it twice and thank for the support she was able to not only battle it but also win and it took six months to get care and treatment without um insurance. So whenever you can uh make that um donation and moving into

donations coming up, please hold the date because even though we may talk about cancer and have a sad face, many people in this room are survivors and we are going to laugh off cancer on October 25th. I'm hosting laugh it off and we will have five amazing comedians um who will be helping us to laugh and not so much laughing at the issue but also doing healing through laughter for join me if you are available October um 25th it's going to be a laughing good fun and our next event coming up please hold the date is our thriving with diabetes for families many people um and I'm happy to say the mayor is also going to be joining me on this event and there are many of us especially in the African descent families who have diabetes and we kind of don't talk about it but we're going to learn how to treat it not only medicinal wise but also through natural healing which we're very big about. So please join me and it's a family affair because if we can start early educating about diabetes, we can kill it before it takes root. So please join me. That will be November 8th at 9:30 at the Betty T. Ferguson. And of course, we're going to be giving away a 100 free glucometers to um individuals who will be attending and giving instructions on all those injectables that everybody using, the semiglutides, the wgoi, the um all the other ones that are out there. And my final report is to remind everyone that if you have not completed your form yet for the North Miami Beach Water Settlement, please do so. Um, and if you can outside um our doors, you can pick up a card, scan the QR code, and fill out the information.

So, you have until January, but don't wait. Get that um form completed. And my health tip for today is call a cancer fighter today. It may be the seed you plant and reap. Thank you. Thank you, Councilwoman. Councilman Leon. Yes. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Uh Mr. May I want to take opportunity to thank you for allowing me to partner with you on your annual golf tournament and and uh trusting that uh we can make it a success.

I want to thank all the staff members who contributed their support and involvement in any way to the golf tournament. I want to thank the city manager's office, public affairs, parks department, and the clerk's office for all of the hard work that collectively everybody put into um it was a major success. We ran out of golf carts. the golf course had to go in and and borrow some golf carts. So, it delayed some people being able to get out onto the golf course. But needless to say, it was a very good time. The most important part is that um collectively the mayor raised $10,000, I raised $10,000, and those funds will be going to uninsured women to get mammogs in the city of Miami Gardens.

Yes.

That will pay for that. Um about two weeks ago, I I want to say more than maybe about 3 weeks ago, we had the mammogram truck here in the city of Miami Gardens. They were only supposed to take 53 women and end up taking 80. And out of that 80, uh four of them did have breast cancer, but because of early detection, you know, they won't pass away from it. Uh 23 of them needed uh emergency um visits right away. And so, you know, that was it pierced my heart. I called the city attorney to ask her what could we legally do to make sure that these women had the follow-ups that we need. So, we'll be able to bring that truck back to Miami Gardens on October 22nd and provide more mammogs for those women. So, thank you for that. Also, um I didn't know Councilwoman Julian was going to be at this press conference I was at on Monday, but we got some very vital information. her and I are going to have a a um sunshine meeting. So, this was with um Miami Day Clerk of Courts, Juan Bark King. So, the stats that we got over 13 I want to I'm sorry, over 11% of our residents have suspended license

and over 11% of our residents have suspended license. Uh in the 3305, there are 26 thou 2600. uh in the 33054 there are 3537 in 33056 they're 3416 in 33169 they're 3257 so uh I reached out to the clerk's office he is now doing a green light initiatives where they're waving fees so because of the number of people that we have in the city of Miami Gardens we're going to coordinate something special for our city um it'll be in the holidays around November when we can actually get to it we're going to bring out the DMV will be there also so their license can immediately be restored. So, uh we'll be working on that. Thank you, Councilwoman Julian. Also, there will be HIV testing um tomorrow at checkers right here. I'll be partnering with Rick Ross and their foundation uh at his checkers to do free HIV testing. And I think I'm gonna have to mention karaoke, but um we do have karaoke in the gardens coming up. And and one thing I want to say about karaoke in the gardens is year to date we have been able to get over $6,000 people registered to vote. The economic impact from year to date is about $1.6 million that our local vendors um are bringing in. So that's collectively, that's not one day, that's just year to date uh on every time we have this event to be able to bring our community together and stimulate our own economy. We weren't looking for anybody to help us, but this is just us coming together in the park and incorporating civic engagement with economic development and just family, fun, and friends. So that will be May uh no, November 1st. So that ends my report.

All right. Thank you, Councilman. And that was a great event. that we put together and the staff got to say kudos to all the staff for a great job on the golf tournament and it's going for a definitely worthy cause. So, thank you, Councilman Steven, I mean, Vice Mayor Steven.

Yes, sir. Uh let me uh let me first start off by saying listening to all of my colleagues reports um and not only just listening to the reports but participating um it does my heart well to hear all of the vital resources that we are pouring back into the community. Um it may some seem like it's a party uh but a lot of times it is just a creative way to provide the resources that's needed. For an example, when you have karaoke in the gardens that create an opportunity where local vendors can come and make more than what they would have made on their own, it speaks volume to the economic impact. When you have events like the golf tournament that raise over $20,000 to provide health care services to communities, it's important that we acknowledge. So, uh, hearing these reports tonight really did something to me for the uh, about say for the first time. But yeah, you all are we we're we're collectively we're doing great work and I just wanted to say that on yesterday and our director of educational development, Mr. Sherman Gent uh held our annual lunch and learn uh uh conversation around the educational resources that we're providing to the city of Miami Gardens residents. We had represent uh representatives from our local colleges and universities, our high school, elementary, middle, uh school principles all present um just learning about the resources and coming up with ideas on how we can continue to provide life sustaining resources to our community. So, I just wanted to shot uh uh Mr. Gent out for uh putting together a great conversation. Our city manager um was present as well and talked about the future, the present and the future of Miami Gardens. And let me just say, I'm looking forward to witnessing

everything manifest. So, thank you all for your contribution to our lunch and learn conversation um about our city university partnership and other educational programs that we have here in the city. Later that evening, we also uh partnered with the United Negro College Fund to present a scholarship of financial and financial literacy workshop. Attendees were able to learn how to find, complete, and submit UNCF scholarship applications as well as gain uh tools for ma managing money, budget for college, and making informed financial decisions. out of that conversation of educational opportunities. We're also working to put together the largest scholarship fund party here in the city of Miami Gardens. What that means is we're going to have donors come to our city and our allow our residents, our middle, I mean our high school students and residents who uh desire to seek postsecary education an opportunity to apply for scholarships on site. So, we're going to create that opportunity where everyone can come together and just make it a fun opportunity uh to receive assistance because a lot of times for all of the educators in the room, we know that the money is there. No one is applying for the or taking advantage of it. So, we're going to create that opportunity. On uh this Friday, we're hazing into the whole Carnival event uh season for all of our Caribbean islands that's represented throughout our uh city. Um, so on Friday, October 10th at the Betty T. Ferguson Recreational Center, uh, we're hosting uh the Citrus All-inclusive brunch, a tropical brunch. This is in partnership with Radiance Production. Um, tickets are on sale and Miami Gardens are receiving a discount by a way of Miami Gardens residents when you

uh, check out. And then last but not least, on Tuesday, October 28th, I invite the entire community to meet me at Cloverleaf Park. Starting at 5:30 p.m., I'll host another edition of the Vice Mayor's Impact Tour and community barbecue. We're actually going to have barbecue this time.

This tour Yeah, we're going to have some real some ribs and chicken. Mr. Manager, we know you like barbecue. Th this tour is a monthly community engagement event with the goal to bring city resources directly to the residents, food trucks, and creating open space for residents to share their issues, concerns, and ideas. So, I invite everyone to come and be a part. With that being said, Mr. Mayor, that ends my report. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Vice Mayor.

Yes. Oh, I got it. I got it. I don't I don't have a report, but I'm going to ask for SIA and Summer Benson to come up, please, to the podium. Summer, you're not coming.

Good evening, mayor, vice mayor, and council members. I'm Sia Benson and I serve as the manager of community engagement for athletics at St. Thomas University. I'm excited to share that on October 25th at 3:30 p.m. our Lady Bobcats volleyball team will be hosting a historic game as we aim to break the record for women's volleyball attendance by surpassing 2800 attendees. We'd love for the Miami Gardens community to come out and be part of the milestone moment in STU history. We've partnered with Tropical Smoothie Cafe and Hooks Fish and Chicken who will be providing exclusive coupons and discounts for all attendees. Tickets are free and each guest is welcome to bring up to 30 additional supporters to help us make history together. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak and share this with you all. And as always, stay blessed and go Bobcats.

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, CIA. Cia and Summer happen to be Mr. Benson's, our city manager's daughters. So, the proud papa is over there grinning up a storm. He's the best girl dad in the city. You deserve dad of the century award. Welcome, girls. Yeah. No. Mr. Clerk, we on the consent agenda.

No, we're on our ordinances off first reading. Item 9.1, an ordinance of the city council, city of Miami Gardens, Florida relating to elections calling the 2026 general election for council seats 2, four, and at large six. Provided for runoff election if necessary. Provided for qualification of candidates. Provided for close of election books, approving the official ballot form. Provided for notification, provided for adoption of representation, repealing all ordinances of conflict, provided for a seability clause, provided for an effective date, and this is responsible by the city clerk. M. Mr. Clerk, yes, this is our um our ordinance required um by our code to call this um general election for 2026. All right, I need a motion on this item.

Motion been moved and seconded. Any questions or concerns from the DES? No questions, just a comment. Go ahead. I don't know where eight years went that fast, but that's all. It went. Yeah. All right. Call the roll. Call the roll. Councilwoman Baskin, yes. Yes. Councilman Leon, yes. Councilwoman Pal, yes. Councilwoman Wilson, yes. Councilwoman Julian, yes. Vice Mayor Stevens, yes. Mayor Harris, I vote yes. Motion passes 70. There are no ordinances off the second reading. No resolution public hearing. We're now on the consent agenda. I'm taking the consent agenda in its entirety.

Make a motion. 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 jiujitsu zoning hearings.

All right. So we'll ordinance for first reading. Yeah, we'll have a statement coming first. Mr. Mayor. Yes. Um before he speaks, I I do want to introduce I didn't I wasn't here at the last meeting. Unfortunately, my father was in the hospital, but he's doing much better. But I wasn't able to properly introduce our new planning and zoning director, Regginal White. And Reginald will be presenting this item to you this this evening. So with a I'd like to welcome him. give him official welcome at the council chambers and introduce Regginal White, our new plan and zoning director. Thank you. All right, sir. The all eyes are on you right now for your presentation.

Thank you so much. Uh good evening. Welcome to the Quasi judicial portion of the October 8th, 2025 city council meeting. For those persons that will be 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, 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 interested parties, please stand and raise your right hand. Do you swear to affirm? Yes. Do you swear to affirm that the testimony you provide this evening is true, correct? To the best of your knowledge? I do. All right. Thank you. May be seated. All right. We're on to item Hold on one second. Can we get these screens to uh get turned on? Can we get these screens on? All right. Go ahead, ma'am.

All right. Item 14.1, ordinances on first reading public hearing. Item 14.1.1, an ordinance of the city council, city of Miami Gardens, Florida, approving the reszoning of that certain property located at northwest corner of northwest 203rd lane and 36 court intersections in Miami Gardens, Florida. More particularly described in exhibit Attached here too from agricultural and utilities AU and PN and single family dwelling residential R1 and PN to plan development PD and PN. repealing all ordinances in conflict providing surveillance clause providing for inclusion code providing for an effective date and this is sponsored by the city manager Mr. Mayor. Yes. Can I go ahead and pull the council on um Jenny's exposure? You can.

Council members, collectively, has any council member had any exparte communications on this item? No, I haven't. No. And and collectively, do you affirm that the do you affirm the decision that you make today will be based on the evidence presented before you today? Yes. Yes.

All right. Thank you. Okay, good evening. Uh, the item before you today, uh, Blue Nest Development LLC is bringing a reszoning item to reszone the AU Agricultural and Utilities R1 single family, uh, property to a planned development. Uh, the development site is located in the northwest corner of Northwest 203 Lane and 39th Court intersections. The development site, as you see here, is in the northwest portion of Miami Gardens. Uh it's very close to a canal and it's adjacent to a single family residential community. The total site area is 26.98 gross acres. And what you see here is the subject site. Uh this is an at great view. The current site is a communication cell tower. has about seven cell towers currently on the property today. And here is the neighboring uh property and its characteristics. This community uh is adjacent to the development site. And as previously mentioned, the applicant has brought a reasonzoning application to reszone the property to a planned development uh zoning district. Um with this resoning um the purpose of the district is really to create a living environment that is responsive to the needs of their inhabitants. Also to encourage innovative approaches to design of the community and environments, encourage the integration of different housing types within a development. Provide for an efficient use of land and provide flexibility in planning design and development. The

applicant today seeks this flexibility to develop a town home community of over 200 town homes. And what you see here is a conceptual design of the town homes. They're providing a few different models um in the town home, so not every town home will look the same. And this is a conceptual design of a park they will be providing for their residents and a clubhouse and a pool which is very common for planned developments in town home communities. And this is a conceptual site plan. You can get a better understanding of the plan development and how the town homes will be arranged. They have plenty of pedestrian walkways for their residents. over 50% of the parcel is open space. Um, and out of the seven communication towers, one cell tower will will remain. And what you see here is the criteria that planning staff uses to determine if we are recommending a approval. Uh, and this is from section 34-49F. And after review and closing, um it's recommended that city council approve this resoning item of the subject property from AU agricultural and utilities and our one single family dwelling to a planned development uh district. So, thank you, mayor, vice mayor. That concludes my uh presentation and council members.

All right. Need a motion on this item. Motion been moved and seconded. is open for discussion right now and for public comments. We have one public comment card from a Miss Hampton.

Hi. Hi,

Yavon Hampton, 21032 Northwest 39th Avenue. Um, I just have one I'm sorry. I just have a question with this development. I just wanted to find out if there are going to be um intersection lights so that because the traffic is already heavy trying to come out on these streets and turning out without lights and if with the increase of residents, it will increase the volume of vehicles coming in and out. So, for safety precautions, if they could add in getting lights in those areas to come out on the main drives, 47th Avenue and 37th Avenue. That was my um dilemma.

Okay. If you give me a second, I'll have one of the de the person who representing the developers to talk to you about that. Okay. Or they'll they'll mention it right. Okay. And one other thing, sewage. Are there going to be sewage there rather than septic? Because I don't know. They'll discuss that with you. They'll discuss that right now. Mr. Mayor, hold on. Go ahead.

I just have one thing. Uh I don't know if it's to the developer or to Regginal. Um you mentioned that there were seven cell phone uh seven towers that were there and then you're going down to one. Good evening. Pedro Ganon tonight with officers at 71 Brook Avenue. That's correct. There's currently seven. We will reduce it to one. And out of those seven, how many of them are what what would I Is that going to affect our service to an extent? No, there's no service impact. What what they're doing is taking some of the communication lines that are on the other six and they're going to put it on the main tower uh that's in the middle and it's not going to impact any uh communication service or uh signals within the area.

Okay. And cosmetically, it'll fit the aesthetic. So what you guys have is a very nice project, but will that new tower fit cosmetically in or you're leaving the old tower up? So So they're leaving one tower that's currently there that's currently in the middle and they're going to take out the rest and so it's going to be the existing tower that's there and they're simply going to take some of the current boxes that are on the other towers and put it on that main tower. All right. Thank you. My pleasure. Thank you. And you can answer her question.

Absolutely. So, I want to make sure that, you know, uh, everybody is aware that when it comes to traffic signals, that's something that's outside of the purview of the city. That's something that's determined by Miami Day County. And so, as we go through the process, we have to go through the platting process. Miami Day County has to make a determination as to whether traffic signals are warranted. Uh, the young lady also raised a question earlier regarding speed tables, speed bumps within the area. Again, that's something within the purview of Miami Day County. Uh, the developer doesn't have any issues with it. we would essentially have to be in a position to demonstrate to the county that that would be warranted. Uh and for any town home project, one of the things I wanted to note is that this is all home ownership units. For these town home projects, we couldn't do septic tanks. We have to connect to water and sewer. So, we're going to bring in the infrastructure to the site in order to make sure that water and sewer um is available to the residents of this site. So, I think I've addressed any of any and all of her questions. Uh to the extent that there are any more, I'm happy to address uh any questions by this council.

Hold on. Let Mr. Ragu come to the podium. Is address your public comment. Okay. Uh thanks for the opportunity. Uh Commissioner Barbara Jordan while uh serving as a district 1 commissioner advocated for workforce housing

address. Oh Francis 89 Northwest Street 102 Miami Garden Florida 33169. So, as I saying, uh, Commissioner Jordan, uh, advocated for workforce housing when there's development over a certain size. Considering, uh, our need in the city for, uh, civil servants who can take advantage of that opportunity, I'm asking the developer, is there any opportunity for a set for workforce housing to the city of Miami Gardens? Mr. Ragu, make sure you fill out one of those yellow forms in reference to this item. So, with respect,

Pedro announced for the record your address, too. AB:

Absolutely. Pedro Gassan of Holland tonight with offices at 701 Bickl Avenue, and I'm a proud resident of this uh amazing city. Um, with with respect to the the issue of workforce housing, I think that that's something that and let me take a step back. I think you guys have an incredible staff. uh your staff once one made sure that we had a community meeting before we even came to council so that we could get in front of the community and hear their concerns and one of the things that we've been talking about with staff is uh the opportunity of whether we could provide for uh some aspects of workforce housing. Uh we all know why the city was incorporated. We wanted to make sure u that there was opportunities for market rate developments to ensure that there would be more taxable basis within the city. Uh and when you look at this particular site, it will go from having a taxable basis of 77 $73,000 and within the first year of operation, this would be over $1.3 million coming directly to the city. So when you have a set aside for workforce housing, recognizing what this uh young gentleman referenced, it impacts the taxes that the city receives because you have to artificially reduce the sales price. And when you when you reduce the sales price, you automatically reduce the taxes to the city, which impacts this great council's ability to provide more public goods that you've been providing to your city's residents. So, you know, I think it's a balancing act uh that we're seeking to engage in. But I can tell you that your administration has been all over it. We've have been having robust discussions about it and we're seeking to ensure that we can provide for opportunities for it while also ensuring that we can provide for the balance for the the taxable benefits to the city.

Thank you. My pleasure. But you had a question. Yes. Um will these fall under or will there be HOAs? Yes, there will be an HOA. And ma'am, you're raising your hand to speak at public comments. Yes, sir. Come on up. And you need to fill out one of these yellow cards, but I'll let you speak now and then fill out one of those yellow cards.

Hello, my name is Kathy Peacock. My address is 4345 Northwest 203rd Street. I'm here for my street, my community. We received a zoning notice. Um, we've been here since 1985 before M before Miami God, before the stadium. We've been here forever. Our family neighborhood. We're all a family here and we're proud of our neighborhood and our street. Um, we received notice that they're going to be having the zoning on 203rd Street and 42nd Avenue. And we're wondering, like he said, if it's going to be development or whatever, because it's not on this paper, but the paper that we got was for to come today for 2003rd Street and 42nd Avenue. That is all culac in a closed community. If they're going to be opening that where they open our street to all the traffic and everything we have because we're already having a lot of problems with the city city buses turning on our street. We live in a culture saying they turn on the street. They get stuck in there in the middle of the night early in the morning. I just retired. I don't like waking up early. They have to bring in the tow trucks. They're running over the neighbors mailbox. We asked city of Miami regarding to cut the tree so that they could see the stop sign and also we went to Metro bus transit and asked them to retrain the drivers to let them know not to turn on 203rd but 2003rd terrace so that they don't get the big bus stuck in a culdeac. So if they're going to open up those streets bringing in more residents we are one of the ones on north side of 199 street with the sewage and the water problems. Our streets are flooded. You could take a rowboat. So if they bringing in more community, will they be opening up our street? That is our question.

Okay. Thank you. You you had a public comment too?

Come. Any anybody else have public comments on this item? Are there any other person that has a public comment on this item? Good evening, Mayor and Council. I see Lindsay, 302 Northwest, 204 Terrace in Miami Gardens. I heard about the roads in Lesley's estate. We are in Lesley's estate phase three. We did what is required of us on that section and we don't hear nothing announced about it. We heard about um leg estate four. What about legless state three which our names had been gone in from August se early August and see I have to wear my water boot to come out because I'm still walking in in in the water over there and we don't hear all we heard is that the public works they're going to do the drainage and that and all those but we don't hear nothing about it. So,

can we We'll have somebody talk to you about Leslie estates. This is about another This is another item that's on. We'll have someone talk to you about I understand, but because I didn't want to be with you without saying it. No, no, no, no problem. No problem. No problem. I We'll get somebody to speak to you about it. That's what that table out there for, too. So if you have some questions pertaining to issues in the city, you can ask those questions outside. You had one more question. Go ahead.

This is for the city. I don't have anything about um against new development coming into the city, but I I implore you all to make sure that with this new development that our roads run smooth so that the traffic because it's horrible right now, 37th Avenue with the with the stadium, they come through our community flying. We need stop lightss coming out this new development. And if they, and this is me, if they cannot provide that, I understand he said it comes through Miami Day County, then they need to get they Miami Day County to approve lights coming out by the school, Skyway, and 37th Avenue here so that the traffic will run smoothly.

All right. Please, please. You have a question? I have a question.

Okay. Go ahead, Councilwoman. Thank you for the presentation and you actually answered my question as it relates to workforce the workforce development piece of it. Traffic is becoming a huge issue in our city and so that is one of my concerns and so I want you all to work collectively and together strategically and um innovatively to asssure that there are going to be mechanisms put in place so that traffic is not burdensome to the residents. And I want to commend you all on um being aligned with Miami Day County's septic to sewer plan because as you know Miami Day County has a plan and I think we're supposed to have the entire uh county transitions from septic to sewer within the next maybe 10 years or so and they've already started in certain neighborhoods. So I'm happy to see that this plan development is already forward thinking in doing so. And that's all I have. Mr. Mayor,

thank you. Councilwoman, Mr. Mayor, can I be recognized? Go ahead. Uh, thank you, uh, mayor. I have a question. Can we put the, uh, map back on the screen for a second, the overall floor plan? And I think, uh, Pedro, though I know you are a very proud resident of Miami Gardens, um, I think my question is more so directed to uh, our director or city manager. I just want to make sure what I'm seeing is correct.

So I can see it over here maybe. Yes, Vice Mayor DC. It's popping up. Yeah. Okay. So it's the So right now the entrance Oh, perfect. Right now, the entrance into the property is coming along the 42 corridor. Is that correct? 20 uh 42nd Avenue. Correct. That's that's the proposed entry. Okay. And along the east side of the property, which is 35th, am I saying that? 35th uh court. Can't see it. It's kind of small right now.

39th Court. That's 39th Court. That's the east side of the property. Is there a entrance there by any chance? So, there are two entrances. One on the east and there's another on the west side. Y um and this is the proposed entrances as of now. Um remember this is a conceptual site plan. So, not a final site plan. They have not submitted for site plan right now. they they just want to provide an idea. Um so you so you can make your decision for sure.

Um but as far as the concerns with traffic, we will definitely look at that when we do our review process. Yeah, that that's the only thing that I wanted to uh address to the manager and to you all is that when you're going through this process, if we can really take a look at what the traffic overall would look like uh look like and if there's something that we can do from the city standpoint or if we need to engage with our uh government agencies from the state or the county level uh just to bring some kind of relief uh while adding to the to that area, but that's my only concern. So, Miss Manager, if you guys while you're going through that process, if you can look into that for me, I would really appreciate that. We'll do. Thank you.

We'll do. Go ahead, council woman. Your one more question. And I know it's far. I mean, it's not something that's happening right away. Just how many beds and baths you all envision for the town home. So, these town homes will be uh three bedrooms, two and a half bath between uh 1,800 and,900 feet. Sweet. Okay. All right. Thank you. Any other questions or concerns from the de? No, you had some.

You know, I thought I heard you say that the towers that it will be just one left, right? And there will be no effect on sale reception or anything like that. That is correct, Councilwoman. What we've been told by the current owners, iHeart Media, is that the way that they've consolidated the towers is in a manner in which they can preserve the service as it exists today while eliminating the other six towers. All right. And and do you know who the providers will be? The providers? Um I I I would be speculating. I think it's the current providers that are uh providing today. Thank you. Thank you, Council. Thank you. All right.

Call the role, Mr. Clerk. Councilwoman Pal, yes. Councilwoman Wilson, yes. Councilwoman Julian, yes. Vice Mayor Stevens, yes. Councilwoman Baskin, yes. Councilman Leon, yes. Mayor Harris, I vote yes. Motion passes 70. Thank you, Mayor, Vice Mayor, Council Members. We're now on to the report to the city manager, city attorney, and city clerk. Mr. Manager.

Mr. Mayor, vice mayor, and council members. I don't have a report, but I do want to uh congratulate everybody on the the golf tournament. It was a great time. I think everybody participated. The city clerk participated, the city attorney participated in their own ways. So, I I had a good time and I appreciate that. And I also just want to take hats off to CIA. Excellent job. Love you very much. wear something some you don't want to come up to the microphone and say anything. Okay, gotcha. Thank you very much. Proud papa.

Madam attorney confusing me. Mario did something wrong. Got me thinking this anyway. Okay. Anyway, I did want to say something. I hardly ever say anything. Yeah, go ahead. Um, I did give submit my quarterly report, so you all have that already, but I want to talk a little about bit about the Leslie estates thing. Um, councilwoman kind of brushed over the efforts that she's put into that project, but we've been trying to do it for 15 years. Yeah.

Trying to get it done. And so some of the limitations that we have as a city is um it's difficult for cities to spend public money on purely private things. And so because those roads in that development were privately owned unlike many of the streets in the city which are p publicly owned, we can expend funds. Uh we had a difficult time with those because being privately owned, we can't go in and just fix private roads for people. It's really their responsibility. But of course we all understood the concerns. um how bad the roads were, the fact that there were a lot of seniors. Um people couldn't afford to contribute. The HOA was dysfunctional and had been dysfunctional for a number of years. Um and it was just, you know, we all saw the problem when we had money in the budget for the problem. The manager budgeted money every year for the problem, but we had an issue when you have absent landlords trying to get them to sign over paperwork because everybody had to be on page. You couldn't have one, five owners and then one owner say, "Well, I'm not going to sign over." You don't want to condemn the property by uh way of a taking because we end up paying for their roads when we don't really want them. We want to improve the road. So, it became really like an obstacle. She took it on and she got it done. So, I have to give kudos to her because she marshaled all of the residents. We got the legal aid involved. we got I kind of stepped away from it because I just didn't have to anything else that I had to do as the city attorney once she took it on. And so it's not a small t a small thing. She brushed over it, but you really really really did a good job over there. And um that was the first model. We're going to do some more, but kudos to you for doing that.

Kudos. Way to go, Councilwoman Wilson. Way to go. Look at you. Promises made, promises kept. I just want to say thank you for saying that. It it was a um I I don't usually um say things like, you know, spend a lot of time on it, but I just want to say thank you for letting folks know that they were not forgotten. That that's the most important part. Okay. Thank you,

Mr. Mayor. And to the attorney real quick, um, is there some way that we can I guess we can have conversations about look at legislation moving forward for homeowners associations that do become defunct later on, how uh, the upcoming councils after us won't have to go through what Councilwoman Wilson went through so that we can uh, provide those services for the residents, you know, new home owners associations.

It's it's actually a good point. We can certainly look at it, but it is legislatively driven. But in the same vein, we can also look at doing something to ask our representatives if it if it's something that we can't do locally to maybe change it to make the process easier because it is a tenuous process. I can tell you that. Um, so but we definitely can look at that. So, Councilwoman Wilson, that should be part of your legacy to work on that. Thank you for the assignment, professor. No, we look at that. Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead. Go ahead, madam attorney. We'll definitely look at something. See what we could do. All right, Mr. Clerk. No report. I just appreciate the city of Miami Gardens. Have something to say.

Thank you. That being said, I need a motion to adjourn. Second. Been moved and seconded. Show this meeting ajourn. My bad.