At the October 4 Miami Lakes Town Council meeting, council members approved two resolutions and proposals to enact legislation for homeowners protection and speeding among other items.
• Council members passed a resolution to authorize the town manager to execute a contract in the amount $791,502 to Enco for canal bank stabilization services. The contract includes $71,954 to cover unforeseen/hidden conditions that may be encountered during the performance of the work.
• Lawmakers approved a resolution to award a contract in an amount not to exceed budgeted funds to MV Contract Transportation. The contract for bus operation services is based on fixed hourly rates of $25.82.
• Council members approved Mayor Michael Pizzi’s proposal for an ordinance to protect homeowners’ quality of life from development.
The proposed Homeowner Protection and Preservation of Resources Act would require a development agreement for projects that increase density and have significant town wide traffic impact or will significantly increase lot usage on a parcel of land in a single subsection.
In addition, the proposed legislation would place a prohibition on the owner of any parcel of land that has contained a single housing unit for more than 10 years, from making application to use the same parcel for more than one unit, where the development is located in a subdivision in the past 20 years and where it will drain additional resources in the subdivision than had been used on said parcel or adjoining parcels for the prior 10 years.
Pizzi, and Councilmembers Manny Cid, Nelson Rodriguez and Tony Lama approved the mayor’s proposed act, while Vice Mayor Tim Daubert and Councilmembers Frank Mingo and Ceasar Mestre voted no.
• Lawmakers approved Councilmember Tony Lama’s proposal for town staff to work with the county to place a traffic signal at Loch Ness Drive and N.W. 67 Avenue. On Miami Lakeway South, which Lama calls “Miami Raceway South” due to the reckless amount of speeding up and down the road, he is calling for a traffic study and the purchase and installation of a solar speed limit meter.
• Council members approved Lama’s proposal to form a group of volunteers to assist senior citizens and disabled people prepare for a hurricane or tropical storm. Lama calls the group Jerry’s Squad, named after the late Jerry Schneider, whose wife broached the idea. Schneider was a U.S. Korean War veteran and a member of the Elderly Affairs Committee which will assist the town in creating such a program.
• Lawmakers approved Cid’s suggestion for town staff to research the Energy-Savings Tree Program by the Arbor Day Foundation. Cid said the free program would enhance the town’s tree planting/reforestation plan after reviewing the West Lakes reforestation program.
• Council members approved Pizzi’s proposal for town staff to create law that requires owners of undeveloped parcels to provide landscaping to avoid them from looking like eye sores that lowers property values in Miami Lakes.
• Lawmakers approved Lama’s recommendation to designate November as Alzheimer’s Disease Month.
• Council members approved Rodriguez’s proposal to honor Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez, who died when his boat crashed into the jetty that protects Government Cut on September 25. Fernandez and two of his friends died following the crash. Rodriguez said placing Fernandez’s jersey number 16 at Miami Lakes Optimist Park would honor the All-Star pitcher.