October City Hall: Lighting, Veterans Grants, Art, and More
At its second meeting in September, the Coral Gables City Commission:
THE RIGHT TYPE OF LIGHT
Voted 5-0 to provide standards and definitions in the city’s zoning code regarding lighting, largely to make lighting more friendly and less invasive. The standards approved include limiting light color temperatures to 3,000 Kelvin within or adjacent to residential neighborhoods; such light color temperatures are considered “warm light” with a yellowish glow. The standards also require the Board of Architects’ approval for illumination on the tops of multi-family and mixed-use buildings, limiting redundant lights on private property adjacent to an existing streetlight, requiring that fixtures with multiple bulbs be appropriately spaced to maintain a low ambience, providing lumen maximums for certain types of lighting fixtures, and requiring light reduction after work hours for parking lots and rooftop parking. All of these should prevent lighting from annoying neighbors.
HELP FOR VETS AND THE ELDERLY
Voted 5-0 to establish relief grant funds for veterans and seniors, offering them $100 per month to help with cost of living. Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson also recommended distributing information to veterans and seniors about the Catalyst program, which provides insulation to homeowners, reducing their electricity costs by up to 50 percent.
PRIORITIES FOR TALLAHASSEE
Voted 5-0 to adopt the city’s 2025 Legislative Priorities, which range from minor transportation problems to tackling larger issues regarding the power of municipalities. Of particular note were policies involving penalties for improperly sanctioned tree removals, tweaking the Live Local Act to provide municipalities with more information about workforce housing projects coming to their cities, and lobbying the state government to allow the city more power over decisions regarding historic home demolitions, even if they are in flood zones.
SCOOP THE POOP
Listened to a presentation on the environmental downsides of placing dog waste in trash pits, including water and air pollution, and public health concerns. The issue of “social conflict” was also discussed, as was contamination of grass (dog waste is NOT a fertilizer). Residents can
request signs to ask that dog waste not be placed in their trash pits (there is a penalty of $500 for depositing dog waste in other people’s trash pits, though not your own). Suggestions included adding more city waste dispensers and educating residents, who should use dispensers or put the waste in regular trash bags. “Once upon a time I did not realize the risks either,” said Vice Mayor Anderson, who sponsored the discussion. She called the $500 fine “a sledgehammer” and suggested a more gradual approach for fines, which was implemented in October.
At its first meeting in October, the Coral Gables City Commission:
CELEBRATING OUR SISTER CITY
Voted 5-0 to approve “Feria de Sevilla en Miami,” an annual festival traditionally held in Coral Gables’ sister city: Sevilla, Spain. The Miami version has been held in different municipalities within Miami- Dade County for the last five years. Next year’s festival will be held on Alhambra Circle between Lejeune Rd. and Ponce de Leon Blvd. on Saturday, March 8, 2025. The ticketed event will include special children’s activities, a sevillana (flamenco) masterclass, live flamenco shows, and traditional Spanish food and drinks. Gables residents will receive discounts on tickets, which start at around $37 (about $30 for residents) and children under 12 will be able to attend for free. Last year, the event drew 2,500 people to Key Biscayne.
A SMALLER MIXED-USE BUILDING
Voted 5-0 to approve a residential mixed-use project by MG Developer at 33 Alhambra Circle (above). An original design from a year ago drew controversy because of its size (12 floors and 140 units); the new reduced plans call for less than even what the zoning code permits – eight floors and 78 units. The project also included a rooftop pickleball court, which, after much discussion, was removed from the plans due to neighboring residents’ concerns over noise. City staff and the Planning and Zoning Board unanimously recommended the updated project for approval.
REPAIRING THE VENETIAN POOL
Voted 5-0 to spend $96,477 to make emergency structural repairs to the Venetian Pool’s East Tower. (Sponsored by Vice Mayor Anderson)
A NEW CITY HOLIDAY
Voted 5-0 to make Patriot Day (September 9) an official day of remembrance and an official city holiday. (Sponsored by Commissioner Kirk Menendez)
DISCOUNTS FOR BOARD VOLUNTEERS
Voted 5-0 to offer members of city boards reduced fitness membership fees at the Coral Gables War Memorial Youth Center.(Sponsored by Commissioner Menendez)
NEW LIVE-WORK BUILDINGS IN THE CRAFTS SECTION
Voted 5-0 to approve a mixed-use project at 103 Almeria Ave, 130 Almeria Ave., 152 Almeria Ave., 160 Almeria Ave., and 2701 Ponce de Leon Blvd., which will include live/work units. The approvals are for properties on Almeria just east of Ponce de Leon Blvd. and the AmTrust Bank building, an area considered part of the old Crafts Section in George Merrick’s original layout of the city.
At its second meeting in October, the Coral Gables City Commission:
MORE FREEBEE
Voted 5-0 to work with Freebee on expanding its free rideshare service to needed areas such as the Biltmore and Venetian Pool. Since launching in the Gables in June 2017, Freebee has transported nearly half a million passengers and recently expanded its service hours on weekend nights. A further update will be presented at the next Commission meeting.
AGAINST AN EVERGLADES WASTE PLANT
Voted 5-0 to encourage Miami-Dade County to delay its decision on the location of a new waste-to-energy facility (an incinerator) to explore alternative, more sustainable options. The county’s previous facility was in Doral before it burned down last year. It is currently in favor of building the new incinerator in the Everglades, which may raise costs for the City of Coral Gables and add more harmful greenhouse gases to the environment.
VOTES DOWN CITIZEN CHOICE
Voted 3-2 to decline the original option for sidewalks on Alhambra Circle, as voted on by affected residents. The Commission listened to a presentation on a new option for the project, which would allow for a wider and safer sidewalk at the expense of trees to be removed. Commissioners Ariel Fernandez, Kirk Menendez, and Melissa Castro, the latter of whom sponsored the item, argued heavily in favor of “some sort of buffer” between the sidewalk and road for safety. All three voted against the original option, which did not include a buffer.
Several residents on Alhambra Circle spoke in favor of the original plan they had voted for previously, which was presented in September. A somewhat heated exchange between one resident and Commissioner Castro and a comment by Mayor Vince Lago calling the issue “politicized” led to a five-minute recess with Commissioners Fernandez and Menendez attempting to prematurely walk out of the meeting.
After the recess, Alhambra Circle residents formally submitted a petition against installing the sidewalk. “Many residents actively participated in the ballot submission process regarding this issue in July 2024,” one Alhambra homeowner said, reading from a prepared statement. “However, there has been no formal acknowledgement or transparency about the outcome of these ballots. This lack of acknowledgment undermines the democratic process.”
JOINING WITH OTHER CITIES
Listened to an update on the Florida League of Cities Policy Committee meetings. The city has five representatives on committees: Commissioner Castro is on the Development, Code Compliance, and Redevelopment Committee; Commissioner Fernandez is on the Finance and Taxation Committee; Vice Mayor Anderson is on the Intergovernmental Relations, Mobility, and Emergency Management Committee; Chelsea Granell, the mayor’s chief of staff, is on the Municipal Operations Committee; and Fernando Weiner, the city’s governmental affairs manager, is on the Utilities, Natural Resources, and Public Works Committee. The first round of meetings was held on Oct. 4 with a successive meeting coming on Nov. 8 and the final conference in early December. The city’s representatives discussed the Live Local Act, historic property demolitions, and other issues of concern with other municipalities’ representatives in Florida.
NEW PUBLIC ART
Voted 5-0 to approve the commission of a public art piece called “Power Tower” by Lynda Benglis in conjunction with the Regency Parc development project at 2601 Salzedo St. This artwork fulfills the developer’s Art in Public Places requirement and was unanimously recommended by the Arts Advisory Panel and the Cultural Development Board. Made of polished bronze, the sculpture weights over 2,000 pounds and will be featured at the front of the building. Maintenance will be the responsibility of the developer.
SINATRA AT THE PLAZA
Voted 4-0 to approve the exhibition of a new mural by artist Eduardo Kobra at The Plaza Coral Gables. The mural was unanimously recommended by both the Arts Advisory Panel and the Cultural Development Board and features famous Brazilian Bossa nova artist Tom Jobin and Frank Sinatra. Kobra’s works are featured worldwide, including in Miami’s Wynwood art district. Commissioner Castro recused herself from the vote due to her business relationship with Bradesco, the sponsor of the piece.
GRADUAL FINES FOR FECES
Voted 5-0 to add a code enforcement mechanism to the city code for illegal dumping of animal waste bags in trash pits. First-time offenders will receive a warning, followed by a $100 fine, followed by a $500 fine for repeat offenders. Previously, first-time offenders could be fined $500.
NO MORE LOOSE BIRDS
Discussed the chicken and rooster nuisance in the Gables. Because the City of Coral Gables is a bird sanctuary, these animals are protected. Commissioner Castro suggested that chickens and roosters be taken off the list of protected animals so that residents can remove them from their properties. Legislation will be brought at the next meeting to do so.
PLANS FOR THE CENTENNIAL
Listened to an update on the city’s centennial celebration plans. The celebrations will kick off on Dec. 6 with the annual holiday tree lighting outside City Hall. An oral history project featuring 100 video profiles of people who have impacted the city’s history is in the works, and celebrations will conclude with a community concert at the Venetian Pool in December 2025.
UMBRELLAS REDUX
Discussed bringing back the umbrellas art installation to Giralda Plaza. Some merchants on Giralda have volunteered to potentially divvy up the costs between them. The mayor suggested doing something different since the umbrellas have been done before.
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