Title
A Resolution of the City Commission of Coral Gables approving the City’s 2019 Legislative Priorities.
Body
Policy
PRESERVATION OF HOME RULE & PREEMPTION OF LOCAL REGULATIONS
§ Oppose legislation that would preempt local governments from legislating, regulating and acting on matters of local concern and in the interest of the health, safety and welfare of their communities.
SCHOOL SAFETY
• Support legislation that provides a sustainable funding source for the safety and security mandates of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act.
RED LIGHT CAMERAS
§ Oppose legislation that would repeal local governmental authority to use red light cameras.
TEXTING WHILE DRIVING
§ Support legislation that authorizes law enforcement officers to treat texting while driving as a primary offense.
COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES TAX AND LOCAL BUSINESS TAX PROTECTION
§ Support legislation that protects general revenues collected from the communications services tax and the local business tax.
MEDICAL MARIJUANA
§ Support legislation that provides greater local control over the zoning of medical marijuana treatment centers and cultivation and processing facilities.
MOTORIZED SCOOTERS AND DOCK-LESS BIKES
§ Support local control over dockless mobility devices and programs, and support legislation that would reconcile inconsistencies in existing Florida Law to allow the operation of motorized scooters in bicycle lanes.
TOXIC ALGAE BLOOMS
§ Support legislation that would address infrastructure and water distribution issues in and around Lake Okeechobee to reduce the risk of potentially harmful toxic algae blooms.
§ Support legislation that would fund scientific studies and oceanic monitoring of harmful algae blooms, including the red tide phenomenon.
PERMIT EXTENSION DUE TO STATE OF EMERGENCY
§ Amend Section 252.363, Florida Statutes to limit permit extensions to natural disasters rather than allowing extensions for all types of emergency declarations.
ASSAULT WEAPON AND HIGH CAPACITY MAGAZINES
§ Support legislation that would ban the sale of fully and semi-automatic assault weapons in the State of Florida.
§ Roll back the arduous penalty provisions in Section 790.33, Florida Statutes including but not limited to, the declaratory judgement provision, civil fine provision, limitation on the use of public funds, termination of employment provision and personal cause of action provision.
§ Amend Section 790.33, Florida Statutes to allow municipalities to enact common-sense zoning regulations that encompass firearms businesses.
PRINCIPLES OF INCLUSION
§ Support legislation that promotes principles of inclusion, including but not limited to, respect for the inherent dignity of individuals, non-discrimination, equality of opportunity, accessibility, equality between men and women, respect for the evolving capacities of children with disabilities and respect for the right of children with disabilities to preserve their identities.
POLYSTYRENE AND SINGLE USE PLASTIC BAGS
§ Support the amendment of Section 403.7033, Florida Statutes and Section 500.90, Florida Statutes to eliminate preemptions of local law relating to the regulation of auxiliary containers, wrappings, disposable plastic bags and polystyrene, consistent with Florida Retail Federation v. City of Coral Gables.
PLASTIC STRAWS
§ Oppose legislation that would restrict or preempt municipalities from regulating plastic straws.
SPECIAL TAXING DISTRICTS AND ANNEXATION
§ Amend Florida Law to allow “property owners” as well as “resident electors” or “qualified electors” to vote in special elections for the creation and transfer of special taxing districts and in annexation referendums.
TRANSPORTATION
§ Support legislation that preserves local control of transportation planning and provides for a more equitable transportation funding formula between municipalities and counties, including additional dedicated revenue options for municipal transportation infrastructure and transit projects.
SMALL CELL WIRELESS
§ The City of Coral Gables supports legislation that preserves the City’s ability to exercise its home rule authority to control use of its rights-of-way for communications facilities including small cell facilities, and supports the City’s ability to exercise authority over City-owned poles in the rights-of-way. The City opposes any legislation that would expand the preemption of City home rule authority already within the Advanced Wireless Infrastructure Deployment Act.
SOLAR
• Support the rights afforded under the Florida Solar Rights Act (Section 163.04, Florida Statutes).
• Oppose legislation that would limit the City’s ability to regulate aesthetics as it pertains to the installation of solar panels.
Appropriation Requests
SUPPORT FUNDING FOR STATE ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
The City of Coral Gables supports increased funding for the State Attorney’s Office to raise the starting salary of Assistant State Attorneys from $40,000 to $52,000 and increase minimum salaries for ASAs with up to 5 years of experience. Last fiscal year, the State Attorney’s Office experienced a turnover rate of 22%, emphasizing the need for competitive compensation to address the recruitment and retention crisis.
REALLOCATION OF 1.5 MILLION FOR FIRESTATION
Ensure the $1.5 million grant for the land acquisition for Fire Station 4 is reallocated for 2019-2020 budget year AND allow for creative flexibility in satisfying the “park” element of the grant.
REIMBURSE GENERAL FUND
The City of Coral Gables seeks to maintain legislative language in the Implementing Bill to the Florida Budget to allow the City to reimburse its general fund from moneys it advanced to its own special law enforcement trust fund.
PONCE DE LEON PEDESTRIAN AND MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS
The City is seeking $850k in matching funds to address the operational and safety deficiencies along the Ponce de Leon corridor.
Trolley stops will be relocated to improve operations, safety and accessibility. The overall design will enhance the pedestrian experience so that the corridor is less of a barrier and more of a public space. The project includes the installation of landscaped and irrigated medians, the conversion of angle to parallel parking with bump-outs and street resurfacing. This request is aligned with the City’s strategic objectives to '"Enhance the pedestrian experience, safety, and connectivity in the City through crosswalks and sidewalks,” and to "Improve mobility throughout the City" and “Increase mobility options to the community."
WATERWAY QUALITY ASSESSMENT AND WATERWAY DREDGING EVALUATION
The City is seeking $200k in matching funds to evaluate and monitor existing conditions of Coral Gables waterways, in connection to apparent changes in overall water quality. The project also includes planning and recommendations for dredging and erosion control within the waterways. The Public Works Department will partner with researchers from educational institutions to gather and analyze water samples for possible contaminants and causative factors. Additionally, the City will survey the waterways and provide recommendations for dredging. This is a preliminary analysis. The monitoring phase of this activity may continue for a number of years.
Under the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, the City is required to maintain its waterways. Navigation in the City's waterways is threatened by silting due to sedimentation and runoff, which also reduces the waterway's carrying-capacity and increases the likelihood of flooding during significant storm events. Additionally, runoff into the waterways may carry nutrients and pollutants as they discharge into Biscayne Bay, endangering wild life and potentially negatively impacting the water quality of the Bay and local beaches. The City's waterways are a significant aesthetic and economic resource and they merit preservation. This project aligns with the City's "Sustainability-focused Excellence" goal of providing exceptional services that enhance local and global environmental quality, enrich our local economy, and strengthen the health and well-being of our current and future residents, businesses, and visitors.
CITY HALL COMPLEX RESTORATION
The City is seeking $150,000 in matching funds for a general assessment of Coral Gables City Hall, a Local and National Historic Landmark. This will include architectural and structural assessments of present conditions and provide recommendations for stabilization, conservation, and restoration that comply with the Secretary of Interiors Standards for Rehabilitation.
CITYWIDE WATER AND ENERGY MASTER PLAN
The City is seeking $220k in matching funds for an ongoing project to optimize energy and water efficiency at City facilities by 2019, in accordance with the City's Strategic Action Plan. This project includes the following: (1) Evaluate major building systems starting with the Maintenance Facility (HVAC, lighting, building automation, water heating and building envelope) using design reviews, energy audits or retro-commissioning (RCx) techniques for opportunities to implement cost effective retrofits that reduce energy consumption. (2) Conduct a 3 month pilot project at FAC Building 7. The pilot project would entail installing a sub-meter; conducting an in-house energy assessment; identifying low-cost/no cost energy conservation measures, including, but not limited to: LED lighting, lighting controls (e.g occupancy sensors), removal of portable heaters, automatic door closers, blinds, etc.); implementing identified measures; and conducting post-measurement measurement and verification after a 12 month period. (3) Conduct energy audits at City facilities. (4) Install digital building automation controls at the City's largest buildings. (5) Upgrade flow and flush fixtures in City facilities. (6) Install LED lighting in Parking Garages 2 & 6 working with the Parking Department. (7) Utilize renewable energy where deemed appropriate depending on CIP budgets (Solar-thermal at fire stations (Station 2 completed during renovation and Station 3 would be a retrofit) & installation of a Solar Photovoltaic System at the Youth Center (during roof repair).
This project has the potential to reduce electrical consumption by 15% and water consumption by 8% below 2013 levels by the end of 2019. The overall return on investment on the project portfolio (10-year projects) is positive with a net present value of $1,912,000.
UPGRADE 911 SYSTEM (PSAP)
The City is seeking $300k in matching funds to upgrade its Public Safety Answering Point Service (PSAP). The City’s current PSAP provider will become functionally obsolete once Miami-Dade County converts to a new system. The City and County PSAP systems must communicate seamlessly to provide critical public safety services to the community.
MULTI-JURISDICTION EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER
The City is seeking $1 million in matching funds for a Multi-Jurisdiction Emergency Operations Center that will serve Coral Gables, West Miami, South Miami, Palmetto Bay, Sweetwater, Pinecrest and the University of Miami. The current EOC is small, outdated and housed in a facility that is fifty years old and lacks the necessary infrastructure to be considered hurricane- safe. The new EOC will be centrally located at the corner of Salzedo St and Alaczar in a newly constructed fortified building. Substantial completion of the construction is expected in August 2020. The Multi Jurisdiction EOC, will be directly connected to Miami-Dade County.
STORMWATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS
The City is seeking $500,000 in matching funds for the construction of storm water system improvements within the public right-of-way to address citywide flooding. The outdated stormwater system is under a number of stresses. These include aging infrastructure, gaps in the collection and disposal system, and reduced capacity due to tidal intrusion. Flooding presents life safety hazards to City residents, including but not limited to the potential for significant property damage, both private and public, automobile accidents, and the breeding of disease- carrying mosquitos in standing water. To address these critical issues the City will construct new and replace existing infrastructure, including new drains, pipes and exfiltration trenches.
FRDAP
Salvadore Park Playground Expansion - $175k requested through grant process