Title
A Resolution of the City Commission rescinding Resolution No. 2023-360, which directed City Staff to instruct Florida Power and Light (FPL) to cease the replacement of certain silver light poles.
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In June 2022, the city executed agreements with Florida Power & Light (FPL) for the replacement of 137 silver fiberglass light poles located along North and South Greenway Drives, Harlano and Wood Streets, San Amaro and Campo Sano Avenues. The approved replacement plan included the installation of black Washington concrete poles with 40-watt, 3,000 Kelvin LED fixtures.
On December 12, 2023, the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2023-360, directing City staff to instruct FPL to immediately cease the replacement of certain existing silver light poles in the northern sections of Coral Gables. Subsequently, on January 9, 2024, the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2024-03, directing the City Clerk to schedule a joint meeting of the Historic Preservation Board (HPB) and the Landmarks Advisory Board (LAB) to discuss the replacement of certain light poles.
The HPB and LAB held joint meetings on April 9, 2024, and November 20, 2024. During those meetings, the boards recommended that the City request FPL to: (1) cease the removal of all silver light poles located in residential areas north of U.S. 1; (2) reinstall silver light poles where they had recently been removed; (3) exclusively install silver light poles in residential areas north of U.S. 1; and (4) submit any future streetlight installations by either FPL or the City, other than the installation of silver light poles in those residential areas, to the Historic Preservation Board for review.
In a letter dated March 12, 2026, FPL denied the City’s request to include silver fiberglass poles, or similar alternatives, within its approved catalog of light poles. Staff subsequently determined that converting the 86 poles located along North and South Greenway Drives to City owned and maintained infrastructure would cost approximately $2.0 million, excluding ongoing electricity and maintenance expenses. By comparison, the estimated payments to FPL for those same poles over the next 20 years would total approximately $325,000.
Similarly, staff estimated that replacing all 137 poles with City-owned infrastructure would cost approximately $3.2 million, excluding electricity and maintenance costs, compared to approximately $518,000 in payments to FPL over the same 20-year period.
Based on these considerations, staff recommends that the City Commission rescind Resolution No. 2023-360 and allow FPL to proceed with the light pole replacement project in accordance with the applicable agreements and tariffs.