From City Hall

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

At Its Meeting on September 29, the City Commission:

Offered Condolences

The Commission listened to a presentation of condolence for the bereaved family of Ynette Diaz, a 22-year employee of the city’s finance department. Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson noted that Ynette, “Took the opportunity to tell us that she was praying for us, and hoping that this commission, as well as all the employees, could come together and work together and love each other and look for the good in everybody… She will be missed.”

Listened to a Venezuelan Rescue Story

Division Chief Louie Fajardo of the Coral Gables Fire Department reported on rescue efforts by a CGFD team deployed to Venezuela to help in the wake of the recent earthquake. Despite arriving with no support – even having to syphon gas and “borrow” trucks – they were able to deploy and save a man who’d been trapped in a collapsed building. They reached him after 5 days and kept him alive with tubes of liquid until they could extract him 3.5 days later. They worked with a Chilean team after all other global units had considered the extraction too dangerous or impossible.

Accelerated Art Installations

In two related votes, the commission voted 5-0 to authorize $90,000 to build bases for Julio Larraz’s “Mars” and Agustin Cardenas’ “Le Couple” and “Untitled” sculptures, and another $92,027 for the “emergency” installation of “Mars” in time for Art Basel. Despite voting yes, Commissioner Melissa Castro made several remarks during the vote against using dollars from the Miracle Mile Streetscape fund, despite being told by the City Attorney that it violates city protocol to comment during voting.

Sealed the UM Deal, Got Centennial Park

Voted 5-0 on second reading to finalize the city’s 30-year deal with UM, which gives the city the nearly 6-acre Lee Lincoln property at Granada and Le Jeune. It will be called Centennial Park and be kept by covenant as open green space in perpetuity. The land is valued at up to $150 million. In exchange, UM can add new buildings on campus – including a teaching hospital -– and increase its enrollment. UM will also pay the city more than $1 million a year, a fee that increases annually. Mayor Lago had been negotiating with UM for nearly a decade to acquire the property. “UM had the right to development. It is now the largest park in the city,” he said. Commissioner Richard Lara called the deal with UM “a once in a lifetime opportunity” and “a wonderful partnership.”

Demanded a Seat on the Underline Board

The City Commission voted 5-0 to require a seat on the board of the Underline in exchange for maintenance funding. The Underline has asked the city to help pay for one third of the price tag for maintaining the Underline park system, which will cost $1 million a year per mile. The request had surprised the commission. “We were told before that there were no maintenance fees [for the city],” said Commissioner Arial Fernandez, that the county would pay all of it. At the budget meeting which followed the commission meeting, commissioners voted to fund $500,000 next year. Mayor Lago, an early supporter of the park, declared “I’m not going to abandon the Underline,” but wants to audit the financials and vendor agreements to see if the linear park can be maintained for less than $1,000,000 per mile. (Three miles are in Coral Gables.)

Signed Off on City Hall

Voted 5-0 to give the contract for the restoration of City Hall to Thornton Construction, which has a successful track record of constructing buildings for the city. The restoration is scheduled to begin this month, take two years, and cost $40 million.

Accepted the Red-Light Survey

Major Cordell Atherly, from the CGPD’s enforcement division, reported on the success of the Red-Light Camera Program. From July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026, police used 10 cameras stationed at six intersections to issue 2,853 citations to red light violators, from which $2,184,467 was collected. By deterring drivers from running red lights, the program is also credited with reducing traffic accidents by 26% at the intersection of Granada and U.S. 1, by 29% at U.S. 1 and Riviera, and by 62% at the intersection of Bird and Le Jeune roads.

Reprimanded Commissioner Castro

Vice Mayor Anderson asked Commissioner Castro to repay at least $1,000 she had billed the city for personal travel expenses associated with a trip to Tallahassee she had taken for a League of Cities meeting. Anderson said receipts supplied the city showed that Castro had flown to Tallahassee three days earlier to pursue the private matter of being investigated by the state ethics commission. “This is the first time I am hearing this,” said Castro, even though she referred to a blog that reported the incident. “I hope you are not getting your information from an anonymous blog,” said Castro. Anderson replied that her information came from receipts Castro had filed. “I would suggest you look at the expense forms you submitted to the city,” Anderson said.

Declined to Back Commissioner Castro

Commissioner Castro asked the commission to investigate Mayor Lago’s ability to benefit from the UM deal, since his construction company has been in the business of constructing school buildings for more than two decades. No commissioner would second the motion, and Vice Mayor Anderson pointed out the inaccuracies and legal flaws in Castro’s indictment. The mayor called Castro’s allegations ‘a political stunt” prior to the Nov. 3 election (Castro is running to retain her commission seat.) When the Mayor attempted  to move on to the next item, Commissioner Castro refused to stop talking. “You are not going to silence me… You will have to escort me out of the building.” The Mayor called a recess, and when the commission reconvened hours later, after the city budget meeting, Commissioner Castro did not attend.

From City Hall II

At Its First October Meeting, the City Commission:

Capped the Craft Section

Voted 5-0 to amend the zoning code to prevent loopholes in height restrictions for the so-called Craft Section, a square block bound by Le Jeune Rd., Santander Ave., Malaga Ave., and Salzedo St., just north of the San Sebastian apartments on University Drive. In 2021 it was zoned from single family to MF-2, with a cap of 45 feet. (MF-2 allows townhouses and small apartment buildings.) Because the language of MF-2 can be interpreted to permit the Mediterranean height bonus, the zoning language was re-stated to ensure a strict 45-foot height limit.

Increased Roof Usage Under the Mediterranean Bonus

The Mediterranean bonus in the city code allows buildings to exceed maximum height for architecture features such as cupolas, towers or domes, as well as equipment for elevators or AC. By a 5-0 the Commission voted to extend that bonus to enclosed areas for accessory uses, including storage areas and even cabanas or bathrooms so that the rooftop can be activated. It does not include any living units. “I think it’s a great idea for the downtown,” said Mayor Lago. “If you’re having a cocktail party up there you won’t have to go downstairs to use the bathroom.” The passage of this ordinance also avoided a lawsuit from Malaga 300, developers of a building in the Craft Section which had roof structures above 45 feet, which had previously been approved by the Board of Architects based on the Mediterranean bonus loophole now closed.

Listened to an Update by the Tax Collector

Dariel Fernandez updated the Commission on services by the Miami- Dade County Office of Tax Collector. Dispelling the bad image of the “tax collector,” Fernandez described how his office provides mobile office services for the elderly and disabled – that they come to residences to take care of issues like auto registration renewals.

Watched a Presentation for Wall Climbing

Commissioners watched a staff presentation of Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson’s idea for a wall-climbing center on the ground floor of the new Mobility Hub. The presentation explained how climbing has reached record participation in the U.S., by combining “physical activity, problem solving, personal achievement, and social interaction.” Because few such facilities exist in the area, it could be a draw for tourists and a reason for residents to celebrate family events downtown, and for young professionals to exercise after work. 

Recognized Torre Companies

The Commission congratulated Torre Companies for winning the “Keep Coral Gables Beautiful 2026 Commercial Beautification Award,” given to a local business that goes above and beyond simple maintenance to beautify their storefronts. The two-story Torre Companies building at 208 Andalusia (next to Bulla Gastrobar) is elegantly painted, spanking clean, and embedded with sculptures of butterflies in its façade. The winner is chosen by city’s sustainability advisory board. Company CEO Venny Torre kidded Mayor Lago, saying “I know [this award] is a big deal for the mayor, who has been, for years and years, trying to keep our downtown spotless – and we do our best!”

Listened to a Public Arts Update

Catherine Cathers, the city’s cultural arts specialist, updated the Commission on the city’s latest installations of permanent public art and its temporary installations to coincide with Miami Art Week and Art Basel. Among six new installations, either recently or soon to be installed, are Jaume Plensa’s Minna (in front of the Coral Gables Museum) and Lynda Benglis’ Power Tower (in front of Regency Parc). The temporary INTERVALS installations will all be along Miracle Mile and comprise five works by five local artists affiliated with Art Basel. A giant orange hand by Alexandre Arrechea, for example, will be installed in front of Barnes & Noble.

Honored a Great Architect

The Commission presented a Certificate of Recognition to architect Albert J. Socol, who designed and built several iconic buildings in the Gables, including 150 Alhambra with its futuristic curves and exterior elevator. (He also designed the James L. Knight Center and the 30-story Courthouse in downtown Miami). Socol was accompanied by Dr. Karelia Carbonell, the president of the Historic Preservation Association of Coral Gables, whose recent book “Coral Gables: The Moderns” includes photographs of Socol’s three Coral Gables buildings. The architect urged everyone to buy the book.

Exuded Pride Over Its Parks & Rec Recognition

Fred Couceyro, who heads the city’s Community Recreation Department, announced that Coral Gables had been awarded a reaccreditation by CAPRA, the national Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies. The accreditation means that Coral Gables meets the highest standards for operating a recreation department in terms of maintenance, safety, operations, planning, and programming. “It’s an arduous process, you have to provide a lot of evidence, and it has to be over a five-year period,” said Couceyro. There are 150 standards, of which 96 percent must be met. The Gables met 100 percent, becoming only one of 219 nationally accredited parks and recreation agencies out of 10,000 in the nation.

Heard Commissioner Castro’s Defense

At the previous Commission meeting, Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson asked Commissioner Melissa Castro to repay the city $1,000 dollars of the money she had been reimbursed for personal expenses while on city business in Tallahassee. Castro said she had actually saved the city money by travelling earlier than her city business required and noted that the city only reimbursed $1,667.66 of $2,226.16 in expenses she submitted. Anderson replied that what stood out was Castro’s moving to a $700 a night hotel after the city booked a $400 a night hotel. Castro said the $700 hotel room for three nights was needed because it was four miles closer to the Capitol Building.