Summary of actions taken at the October 28 regular Miami Lakes Town Council meeting:
• Councilmembers gave their final approval for an ordinance that was intended to adopt two new fees for building and zoning issues for residents.
The new measure initially increased the minimum residential permit fee from $84 to $100, but a motion was made to eliminate the increase and approved on a 6-1 vote, with Mayor Wayne Slaton dissenting.
During a workshop, councilmembers decided to raise the fees to offset the shortfall in the building and zoning departments for the current fiscal year.
The town’s building department is operating at about 95 percent cost recovery, and building permit fee revenues fell short of expenses by five percent. In an effort to move toward a 100 percent recovery operation, town staff identified the building fee categories in which the cost of providing the service exceeds the fee charged for the service – shop drawings for commercial and residential.
• Lawmakers gave their final approval to an ordinance to remove the planning and zoning schedule of application fees and cost recovery deposits, and scattered provisions regarding fees and cost recovery system from the town’s land development code.
The new measure consolidates various planning and zoning application fees and cost recovery deposits into one fee schedule, and increases fees for zoning plan review and creates a zoning inspections fee for building permits and an expediting fee for zoning letters.
Most of the changes to the fee schedule are to reflect fees/deposits that are already in place, but were not included in the schedule. However, there were some substantive changes to fees for zoning plan review which are complicated as they list over 20 different categories averaging around $20 per permit type. The adopted revision will simplify it and increase it to $35 for residential review and $70 for each commercial review.
In addition, Miami Lakes is creating a zoning inspection fee of $35 for residential permits and $70 for commercial permits since the town has recently started to conduct zoning inspections as part of the approval process.
• Lawmakers gave their initial approval for an ordinance to eliminate the town’s annual renewal registration fee for burglar alarms to alleviate administrative police resources by reducing the number of calls for false alarms.
The proposed ordinance calls for a $50 fine for the third instance of a false alarm and revises the fees for subsequent false alarm incidents for registered and unregistered alarms users.
In addition, the town eliminated the $15 registration fee for the burglar alarms.
Town staff has worked with Vice Mayor Manny Cid to revise the fee structure to alleviate police resources while at the same time eliminating the burden of an annual renewal process to residents, businesses and staff.
• Councilmembers adopted the town’s new Greenways and Trails Master Plan to help provide additional safe pedestrian and bicycle pathways throughout the 6.5 square-mile town.
Miami Lakes initiated the plan with the creation of the N.W. 170 Street Greenway and subsequently received grant funding in the amount of $35,000 from Miami-Dade County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization for the creation of Greenways and Trails Master Plan. The Town provided a grant match of $10,000 for the remaining amount.
The plan highlights five areas for commuter trail development including N.W. 77 Court, Canal Trail between Leaning Pine Drive and N.W. 67 Avenue, N.W. 67 Avenue, N.W. 87 Avenue, and N.W. 154 Street. Additional conceptual design work was prepared for each of these areas.
The trail system branches off from these major corridors to incorporate scenic areas throughout the Town’s neighborhoods. As part of the proposed plan, a feasibility study was provided where cost estimates have been provided for each of the proposed improvements. The total estimated cost of the plan improvements is $6,000,000.
Through grant funding, the Town has already made progress on key parts of this plan by obtaining funding for the Miami Lakeway Safe Routes to Schools Trail ($321,500) and the N.W. 170 Street Greenway ($355,000). The Town is also seeking grant funding for the development of the N.W. 77 Court trail to complement future improvements being made by FDOT on N.W. 77 Court, and the perimeter road along the Palmetto Expressway ($1,200,000). The Master Plan document is actionable and ready to implement over a five to ten year span.
• Councilmembers approved a resolution to waive the town’s procurement procedure to award building contracts for the construction of the new youth center at Miami Lakes Picnic Park East, and the entrance feature at N.W. 67 Avenue near N.W. 138 Street.
In addition, lawmakers waived another portion of the procurement regulations to award Union General Contractors $199,000 for the construction of the structural shell of the youth center. Funding comes from the settlement agreement with the original contractor’s bond surety.
• Lawmakers approved Cid’s recommendation to urge Miami-Dade to use the increase of revenue for library taxes for the Miami Lakes branch to buy new technology, create community programs and do building upgrades.
The new tax rate generated a net revenue increase of $283,335 via Miami Lakes homeowners and businesses.
• In the town’s effort to build a dog park, Miami Lakes has secured a lease for a FDOT parcel, located at the south end of N.W. 77 Court, which is suitable for dog activities.
Town Manager Alex Rey said the site is adjacent to future proposed trail facilities.
Dog parks provide the opportunity for dogs to get vital exercise and socialization they need, which are two major factors in reducing behavior issues.
Rey said the next step is to create a conceptual plan for the dog park based on input from residents.
The proposed dog recreation area is planned to have fencing for a large dog area and a small dog area, and it will include a parking lot, water fountain and shaded picnic shelter.
The following actions were taken at the October 14 Miami Lakes Town Council regular meeting:
• Lawmakers gave their final approval for an ordinance that now establishes a $100 expedited fee for lien letters to be processed within two business days, and revise the regular lien letter fee with a standard process time of seven to ten days from $20 to $50.
Town staff’s time was assessed to ensure the proposed fees cover the cost of processing the lien letter. Based on current fully loaded hourly rates, the cost to provide the service is approximately $52.
• Councilmembers also gave their final approval for an ordinance to protect street trees by limiting the total width of driveway approaches for a circular driveway, and providing a minimum distance between driveway approaches and street trees.
The new ordinance would limit the combined width of the two approaches to 30 feet and also provides a minimum distance of ten feet between a driveway approach and the base of a street tree.
• Councilmembers executed an FPL as easement agreement for the maintenance and operation of the utility line required to accommodate the construction of the new Miami Lakes Optimist Clubhouse. The town is required to move the existing line to provide power to the Clubhouse and field lighting at the Miami Lakes Optimist Park.
The easement agreement is required to secure access for future maintenance and operation of the service line which is required to provide electrical power to service the Clubhouse and field lighting.
• Lawmakers approved a resolution to create an equity study commission, which will recommend a classification system and rate structure for business taxes.
Each member of the study commission must be a representative of the business community within Miami Lakes’ jurisdiction and each councilmember will appoint one member.
• Councilmembers approved Slaton’s request for town staff to explore creating a Town of Miami Lakes police department color guard to represent the Town at external community events and ceremonies when needed, as well as assist with the presentation of colors at town-sponsored ceremonies.
• Lawmakers approved Councilmember Tony Lama’s request for town staff to scrutinize the town’s existing regulations and allow more outdoor dining in Miami Lakes.
“I have discussed with residents and business owners the desire for more outdoor dining in our Town and I would like to direct staff to look into what existing regulations may impede our local restaurants from doing so today,” Lama said. “We have several new businesses/restaurants moving into Miami Lakes and we want to encourage this growth. Let's eliminate obstacles from businesses trying to flourish and maximize the time and dollars residents spend in our town.”
• After meeting and scrutinizing the issue of Miami Lakes possibly taking over a portion of a golf course, the Miami Lakes Par 3 Committee has recommended the town own the land and covert it to a passive park.
Committee member Carlos J. Andres told councilmembers his group evaluated the acquisition and the best option to use the land after discussing the town’s plans with The Graham Companies, which owns the property as part of Don Shula’s Golf Course.
Andres said the land should be used as a passive park for pedestrian activities, hiking and jogging, and the recreational area can be a place for historical, cultural or archeological attraction.
The passive park would be open to only Miami Lakes residents.
As for safety precautions with the power lines and poles towering over the land, Andres said FPL intends to replace all wood poles with concrete poles on the golf course by next year.