Council holds business budget workshop in May

The Miami Lakes Town Council recently held a business budget workshop to detail a list of capital improvement projects targeted for the 2019-2020 fiscal year.
The plan is part of “Imagine Miami Lakes 2025,” a project widely recognized as a welcoming community with extraordinary beauty where state-of-the-art planning concepts creates vibrant hubs that are safe and friendly to all ages and mobility options which inspire the town to continue “Growing Beautifully.”
Miami Lakes is expected to operate a healthy budget for next year with a slight five percent increase in property taxes since residents’ property values increased along with the completion of the Lennar residential development projects.
Miami Lakes is scheduled to pay an increase of $275,000 for police services and $230,000 increase for bond payment.
As part of the town’s transportation master plan, Miami Lakes is seeking to develop the Safe Routes to Schools project along Miami Lakeway East from N.W. 67 Avenue to N.W. 64 Avenue. The estimated cost for the project is $1 million.
Another portion of the town’s transportation plan is to incorporate a greenway path along N.W. 60 Avenue from N.W. 154 Street to N.W. 138th Street with a price tag of $1.1 million, and extend a bridge on N.W. 59 Avenue to Miami Lakes Drive for $5.5 million.
Resurfacing and crosswalk improvements at N.W. 82 Avenue is also on the town’s priority list for next fiscal year to increase vehicular ride ability and pedestrian safety for $263,000.
Miami Lakes’ Complete Streets program includes the second part of road improvements at N.W. 60 Avenue from N.W. 154 to N.W. 138 Street.
For parks and recreation, Miami Lakes is planning to improve the 40 pocket parks with new signs to create a more uniform appearance and improve the overall aesthetic environment by creating brand recognition.
The tot-lots will also have new park benches and receptacles for a price tag of $100,000, as part of the town’s Beautification Master Plan.
For the town’s tree reforestation program in the West Lakes neighborhood, the town is planning to remove invasive swale trees and supplant them with native trees consistent with the town’s tree management program.
The price tag for the project is estimated at $100,000.
For more beautification enhancement projects, Miami Lakes is planning to improve all 40 cul-de-sacs to be more consistent and uniform with the town’s landscape palette for an estimated cost of $90,000.
For technology, Miami Lakes is planning to develop scope and specs for the virtual Town Hall and digital channels to position Miami Lakes as a model town in technology and enable most services to be available to residents online and an in compliance with ADA regulations.