Today at City Hall: budget, UM agreement and City Hall restoration
Commissioners set the tax rate and take up the UM agreement and a City Hall contract. Plus the four charter questions on your November ballot.
Coral Gables commissioners meet twice today to settle next year's budget and tax rate, a University of Miami agreement and a nearly $40 million City Hall restoration contract. You can watch or speak at both meetings.
The commission meets at 9 a.m. and again at 5:01 p.m. Both meetings are in the Community Meeting Room at Police and Fire Headquarters, 2151 Salzedo St.
UM agreement (11 a.m.). Six related items make up the University of Miami package. Together they would:
Raise the campus's allowable development to a floor-area ratio of 1.0. Add hospital use and more retail in the campus Multi-Use Area, and expand that area. Rezone three university-owned properties at 1530 Levante Ave. and 5827 and 5855 Ponce de Leon Blvd.
The package also amends and restates the city's 2010 development agreement with UM. The Planning and Zoning Board recommended approval 6-1.
Ethics review. A resolution sponsored by Commissioner Melissa Castro would direct the city attorney to seek an independent ethics determination. The question is whether Mayor Vince Lago's relationships with Hammer Commercial Construction, and any Hammer relationship with UM, require disclosure, abstention or recusal on the UM agreement.
City Hall. Staff is asking for authority to sign a construction-management agreement with Thornton Construction for the renovation and restoration of City Hall, not to exceed $39,977,989. The Coral Gables Gazette reports that about $3 million in exterior window and door materials is being handled outside that price.
Also on the morning agenda: A discussion of initial city funding for operating and maintaining The Underline, and resolutions formally calling the Nov. 3 election.
Budget hearing (5:01 p.m.). This is the final public hearing on the fiscal 2027 budget. Commissioners will vote separately on the property-tax levy, the budget and the five-year capital plan. According to the Gazette, the proposed budget is $323.3 million, and the tax rate would stay at 5.559 mills. The new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
How to take part: You can attend in person or join by Zoom at zoom.us/j/3054466800. To join by phone, call (305) 461-6769 and enter meeting ID 3054466800. To comment in writing, use the city's e-comment page at coralgables.com/commissionmeetings, or email cityclerk@coralgables.com before the meeting starts. Both meetings air live at coralgables.com/cgtv and on Comcast Channel 77.
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Your November ballot: three races, four charter questions
Coral Gables holds a city election on Nov. 3. According to the city clerk's candidate list, the races are:
Mayor: Laureano Cancio, Jackson "Rip" Holmes and Vince Lago. Group IV: Melissa Castro and Nestor Menendez. Group V: Gonzalo Sanabria and Dominique "Nikki" Whiting.
City Attorney Cristina Suárez described the four charter questions at a Sept. 23 town hall, as reported by the Gazette:
Bidding: The threshold for public-works projects that require formal competitive bidding would rise from $25,000 to $300,000, adjusted by a construction-cost index. Residency: Candidates would have to have lived in the city for one year before qualifying closes, rather than one year before Election Day. Mayor's term: The term would go from two years to four starting with the 2028 election. The eight-year limit on consecutive service would stay the same. Parks: Selling, exchanging or leasing certain city parks, recreation facilities, golf courses or open space for 10 years or longer would require approval from 60% of voters.
Check your sample ballot for the official wording.
Key dates from Miami-Dade Elections:
Monday, Oct. 5: Voter registration deadline. Thursday, Oct. 22, 5 p.m.: Deadline to request a mail ballot. Oct. 19 to Nov. 1: Early voting at 28 sites. Nov. 3: Polls open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Mail-ballot requests expire after every general election, so you may need to file a new one.
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Faster permits for routine home projects; code complaints move to 311
A pilot program gives qualifying home permit applications a same-day review at no extra cost. To qualify for review that day, submit the application before 8 a.m. and pay the initial fees. Applications that come in later are reviewed by the end of the next business day. Qualifying applications are enrolled automatically, so there is nothing extra to file.
The program covers single-family projects such as:
Roofing, doors and windows. Exterior painting and asphalt driveways. Certain kitchen and bathroom renovations.
It excludes historic properties, work that needs structural or mechanical review, and projects using private providers.
A fast review is not a guaranteed approval. In the program's first month, the city processed 158 applications and issued 52 permits.
Separately, as of Monday you can report and track code-enforcement concerns, such as unpermitted work, through the city's 311 portal at 311.coralgables.com or the city's app. For emergencies, call 911.
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Gallery Night returns Friday
Downtown galleries and arts venues open their doors from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2. The city encourages visitors to use its trolleys or Freebee to get between stops. The Coral Gables Museum, 285 Aragon Ave., offers free admission during its monthly Gallery Nights. The Gazette reports that this month's museum program includes a free salsa class and the opening of the museum's annual Capture Coral Gables community photography exhibition.
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