Latest News from City Hall

At its last meeting in March and at its first meeting in April, the City Commission:

ACKNOWLEDGED BUT DID NOT ENDORSE a recommendation by the Transportation Advisory Board to dedicate the entire ground floor of the new Mobility Hub to micro-mobility. Vice Mayor Michael Mena explained that rents from retailers on the ground floor will be needed to cover bond payments for the project. City Manager Peter Iglesias pointed out that the building is designed to be adaptable, and that more micro-mobility space could be added later. The city also voted 5-0 to pay an additional $640,000 (on top of $2 million) for design upgrades to the Hub and to accelerate plan completion in time to apply for federal infrastructure grants to offset rising costs for the $42 million – now as high as $60 million – project. 

DISCUSSED FOR 90 MINUTES OBJECTIONS from the Riviera Country Club about their requirement to install pavers as part of an upgrade to Blue Road in front of the private club. In the end, commissioners insisted that Riviera install and maintain the pavers, and again demanded that Riviera complete improvements to the street, now two years behind schedule. 

DECIDED NOT TO AUTHORIZE A PUBLIC referendum for a new $60 million Youth Center and adjacent Phillips Park. The proposal by Commissioner Kirk Menendez was an alternative to a comprehensive $160 million plan for the city’s entire park system. Fellow commissioners objected to property tax increases needed to pay for the project. “I will cut to the bone before I raise taxes,” declared Mayor Vince Lago. Commissioner Rhonda Anderson said that undergrounding power lines and removing septic tanks were higher priorities. 

5-0 TO PERMIT MINOR EXCEPTIONS to the zoning code for a 144 unit, 10-story mixed-use apartment building on Madeira Avenue between Salzedo and Le Jeune. Commissioners were pleased by the inclusion of a 5,200-square-foot park on the east end of the block-wide building and traffic calming devices on Madeira. Citizens objected to the destruction of affordable, two-story duplexes on the block, set back 25 to 40 feet from the street, to be replaced by a “wall” of apartments set back 10 feet. 

SUPPORTED A PROPOSAL BY COMMISSIONER Anderson to create a new dog park along the southern edge of Salvadore Park. 

LOOKED AT PROPOSED FEES FOR MEMBERSHIP in the new Coral Gables Golf and Country Club, to be run by the city. Commissioners insisted that all 2,000 memberships be offered to residents first. 

AT ITS MEETING IN EARLY APRIL, spent more than an hour honoring the community efforts to support autism awareness and local programming to help children and young adults with cognitive disabilities. 

VOTED 5-0 TO STRENGTHEN THE STANDARDS for the Mediterranean Bonus program that permits an additional 40 feet of height for buildings that are designed in true Mediterranean style. The legislation, spearheaded by Vice Mayor Mena and Commissioner Anderson, is intended to stop abuse of the program by developers. 

LISTENED TO A PLEA BY CORAL GABLES Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mark Trowbridge to extend the time period allowing restaurants to put tables on the streets outside. Currently, the permission to use parking spaces for tables ends May 30. 

ASKED THE CITY STAFF TO COME UP with recommendations for the creation of bike paths through the downtown, specifically on Alhambra, Valencia, and Andalusia. 

5-0 TO MAKE IT AGAINST THE LAW to blow leaves and other waste into the yards of neighbors or into the street “and into our drains,” said Commissioner Anderson, who proposed the ordinance. 

VOTED 5-0 TO REMOVE PERMIT FEES FOR ELECTRIC vehicle charging stations in single family homes. Also discussed increasing the requirements for new developments to include 20 percent of parking spaces capable of providing charging stations for electric vehicles. 

VOTED 4-0 TO ALLOW THE MIXED-USE project at 330 Catalonia Ave. to use its art in public places fees to purchase a 9.7-foot (with 2-foot pedestal) rainbow sculpture by artist Vaughn Spann ($700,000). The commission also approved $196,000 for artist Julio Larraz to create, at cost, a giant “Mars” slice of watermelon to be installed in Pittman Park on Merrick Way. (Above) 

LISTENED TO AN ESTIMATED $900,000 tag to refurbish Burger Bob’s diner on the Granada Golf Course. The price – up from an earlier estimate of $600,000 – so incensed Mayor Lago that he called it “gouging” and said he would personally take over the project.