From City Hall: New City Manager, Parking Rates, and More
At its final meeting in January, the Coral Gables City Commission:
Pay for the new City Manager
Voted 3-2 to approve a salary and benefits package for new city manager Alberto Parjus. Mayor Vince Lago and Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson voted against for the same reasons they voted against Parjus’ appointment: namely, that there was no search for other candidates. Lago also accused Parjus of disrespecting him, citing a conversation in which he claimed Parjus told him it was “none of [Lago’s] business” why he had accepted the promotion. The new city manager, meanwhile, alleged that that was not the language he used and that he had instead actually replied, “For personal reasons.” Commissioner Ariel Fernandez then called the mayor “a man who has made up a lot of things.” Later, Parjus read a statement detailing his excitement to work “in a spirit of collaboration with every member of the Commission… to continue to foster an environment of excellence and integrity.”
Roof Regulations
Discussed the issue of permitting approvals for metal roofs and solar panels, which some residents have been confused over. The Board of Architects will be creating a checklist clarifying parameters for approval of metal roofs so that residents have a better idea of what is likely to be approved and not.
Honoring Arva
Voted 5-0 to approve funding support in the form of $7,500 to Dade Heritage Trust for the creation of a public sculpture honoring Arva Moore Parks McCabe. The statue will be installed at the entrance to the Coral Gables Library. Parks McCabe was one of the city’s most important historians and preservationists who helped save the Biltmore Hotel, Venetian Pool, and Merrick House. She also served as the first Coral Gables Museum director, and her books detailing the history and significance of Coral Gables are beloved amongst Gableites with a penchant for the past. The sculpture, being created by a local Miami artist, was unanimously recommended by the Cultural Development Board.
Underline Art
Voted 5-0 to approve the long-term loan of five Jean Ward sculptures to the Underline, as unanimously recommended by the Arts Advisory Panel and the Cultural Development Board. Jean Ward was a University of Miami alum and a professor of art at Miami-Dade College. Despite passing away in 1985, 11 of her works live on in Coral Gables due to generous donations from her husband and niece. The Underline is the space under the Metro Mover, now being transformed into usable parks, dog runs, and recreation facilities.
State Priorities
Listened to an update from Government Affairs Manager Fernando Weiner on legislation of interest at the state level. The City of Coral Gables is opposing some preemptive state bills, generally those that it feels sees the state reaching too far into residents’ lives, including legislation that would force some residents to have door alarms and a bill that prohibits the display of flags by government entities to promote causes like autism or LGBT awareness. The city has also put forth some of its own priorities and is supporting state-wide legislation on boating and school bus safety, environmental protections, slowing the rise of insurance rates, and support for police and firefighters.
From City Hall
At its first meeting in February, the Coral Gables City Commission:
Spanish Art
Voted 5-0 to approve the donation of a work of art by Jaume Plensa as part of the Art in Public Places requirements for the mixed-use development project at 4241 Aurora Avenue. Plensa is a world-renowned Spanish artist known for his sculptures of the human form. The Arts Advisory Panel and the Cultural Development Board both unanimously approved the piece, which will feature a woman’s head cast in bronze with a marble plinth, at a cost approximately $700,000.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Voted 5-0 to approve the city’s economic development strategic plan, which includes a competitive assessment highlighting the city’s strengths and weaknesses. The strengths of Coral Gables included: the city’s image and branding, the educational levels of residents, the number of multinational corporations in the city, and its Smart City initiatives. Challenges included: a stagnant population, relatively low labor force participation rate and low growth in the population of young professionals, commuter inflow/outflow, limited vacant land, underdeveloped commercial corridors, lack of connectivity between districts and neighborhoods, and an overly expensive housing market.
Raise that Bridge
Voted 5-0 defer an item regarding two recommendations from the Waterway Advisory Board about the county’s design for a viewing area at the U.S.-1 bridge as part of the Underline project. The two recommendations were: one, to have the Commission object to the design and two, to request a 30-day extension to allow the U.S. Coast Guard to sufficient time to review the design. Waterway users want the bridge to be higher, which would allow more space for their vessels to clear the bridge – though the proposed structure is already higher than what is currently in place. A petition circulated by waterway users to accept the Board’s recommendations received 314 signatures from residents who are concerned about rising sea levels impacting the ability to use the waterway underneath the bridge. A representative from County Commissioner Raquel Regalado’s office said there will be changes made to the bridge – though what those changes are, remain to be seen. Misinformation on what has become a hot-button issue for waterway homeowners has been spreading, so there will be further informational meetings with residents before a decision is made.
Parking Rate Reduction
Voted 5-0 to implement a resident parking rate pilot program to collect relevant data and determine the long-term feasibility of a resident parking rate. The program would be available through the PayByPhone app, which handles the city’s parking. Residents who have license plates registered in Coral Gables will automatically receive the discounts.
Expediting Permits, For a Price
Voted 3-2 to develop an expedited permit review services program for a year-long trial period to allow for expedited review of certain permit applications for interior work in commercial and residential buildings. Residents can opt into the program and pay a small fee that has yet to be determined. The city manager is also now authorized to seek proposals from the city’s approved pool of consultants for plan reviews and building inspection services, and to negotiate an agreement for the expedited services. “The idea of this program is a five-day review per each round of reviews,” said Commissioner Melissa Castro, who was instrumental in creating the pilot program. “This is a white glove service that, I guarantee you, when it takes off all the cities [in South Florida] are going to piggyback off of us.”Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson, who voted against the resolution alongside Mayor Vince Lago, expressed concern for residents who don’t want to pay for an expedited program and might get lost in the shuffle. “The type of input I’ve received from residents is… they’re not willing to pay an extra free, nor should they have to pay an extra fee, to receive first-class service from our city,” said Anderson. “They pay a significant amount of money for those permit fees, and we should be delivering based upon what is already paid and not [charging] a premium for an outside provider to be able to deliver a simple interior renovation. This should not be what our city is requiring of folks to get something done on a timely basis.” Lago, as well, was concerned about how much the fees would cost, though that information won’t be available until consultants have been identified.