Latest News from City Hall

In their two summer meetings, The Coral Gables City Commission: 

Voted 5-0 to adopt a new city civility code city staff. “We all need as a group to bring civility back to our discussions. We need to set an example,” said Mayor Vince Lago, who sponsored the resolution. 

Voted 5-0 to re-open the issue of putting in a bikeway along Alhambra Circle, at the suggestion of the Transportation Advisory Board, which conducted a survey of residents in the area who were in favor of re-visiting the discussion. 

Voted 5-0 to ask staff to come up with a plan and a timeline to install missing sidewalks sections of Riviera Drive, Granada,and Hardee south of U.S. 1, utilizing $2 million in available federal funding. 

Voted 5-0 to prohibit golf carts – and any other motorized vehicles – from using “shared pathways” for bicycles and pedestrians, such as Old Cutler pathways. Requested by Sue Kawalerski, president of the Coral Gables Neighborhood Association and head of the Transportation Advisory Board. 

Voted 5-0 to prohibit any political consultants working for elected city officials to do business with the city or act as lobbyists for 24 months after being hired by the elected official. The commission also voted to require that all lobbyists be listed in the commission agenda next to the items they are lobbying for. 

Voted 4-1 to permit a pilot program to allow amplified music performances on private property in the Central Business District, limited to Fridays and Saturdays until 11 p.m. and Sundays until 9 p.m. Only Commissioner Rhonda Anderson objected. (Sponsored by Commissioner Michael Mena). 

Voted 5-0 to create a blue-ribbon committee to examine the effect of the so-called Mediterranean Bonus that allows developers to exceed zoning limitations, thereby increasing the height and density of commercial buildings. (Sponsored by Commissioner Anderson). 

Voted 5-0 to extend the lease at Burger Bob’s diner on the Granada Golf Course until December 31, after numerous citizens said the city should not alter the local icon. “The community has spoken,” said Commissioner Kirk Menendez, who sponsored the resolution.

Voted 5-0 to change the land use map so that Fire House 4 can be built on Sunset Drive in a former parking lot of the Riviera Presbyterian Church, from religious to commercial use. The commissioners also asked the architects to “soften” the design from modern to Mediterranean. 

Voted 5-0 to fund Illuminate $300,000 to repeat last year’s light show, but only for 18 of the proposed 20 artists, pending further information regarding concerns about potential Communist sympathies of the remaining two artists  

Voted 5-0 to appoint a seven-person board to facilitate the organizing and publishing of the Mayor’s Strategic Priorities Plan, based on his 100 Days of Listening campaign to gather citizen input on the city’s strategic direction. 

Voted 5-0 to oppose the expansion of the county’s Rapid Transit Zones, which gives the county zoning control on major roads that cut through Coral Gables. The current Rapid Transit Zone regulations already led to the approval of a 22-story building at the Douglas Station near Ponce de Leon Boulevard at U.S. 1. 

Voted 5-0 to allow Weiss Construction to begin initial construction management for the $40 million Mobility Hub that will replace the city parking garage behind the Miracle Theatre. 

Voted 5-0 to strengthen the city’s Buy in American Program “I will not hand someone a key to the city that is made in China,” said Mayor Lago, who is waiting for new keys to be manufactured in the U.S.A. 

The commission also listened to various presentations, including: 

How the city will educate citizens about the new December 1st restrictions on disposing of cardboard in trash pits (Martha Pantin, Director of Communications & Public Affairs)

How the city should set up special “youth zones” similar to school zones, but in residential areas where kids play (Commissioner Fors) 

How CGPD detective Raiza Mardis tracked down the culprit who spray-painted anti-Jewish graffiti in the city, simultaneously solving more than a dozen other such incidents in Miami-Dade (Police Chief Ed Hudak) 

How 1,370 signatures were collected advocating saving Burger Bob’s (citizen Chase Howard)