[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6204936,"mediaKeyId","3777559-8f9f0d76d2c37847ccf651df879851b6","parentId",3777559,"title","Votes at a glance: Coral Gables Commission actions on June 10, 2025","audioSeconds",5742,"startMs",7196000,"endMs",12938000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3777559-8f9f0d76d2c37847ccf651df879851b6&start=7196&end=12938","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3777559-8f9f0d76d2c37847ccf651df879851b6/thumbnail_7196000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6204936/Coral-Gables/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/Votes-at-a-glance-Coral-Gables-Commission-actions-on-June-10-2025","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6204936-57a76061e2304243005ad02eee8a5f10/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137679&Signature=lbffero596SC7NcfBuKfgkoRjnqnkOcupsboEBtRmvp8-4CkXQXGwOkHAsNgDHsyA~E1CuBF5q6hzpndjGVceJUawXzr5aXm4Iu9ohQVsZOVANpuXRsG~aNil6UGGU5TUwjKFg786N2K6ma7cHqFOLx5VV-YFEZruw~a6o1IY20felpYGrmIvrMwrz1LLyKhIN4C8WL9oxA8N7LjoXuoCpoIJjROXKXg1F6GEwdbh-nmDu0ZnksiD76C3Rp30EJ75x9lX5D3GzKnjt-aegGNS~SJHNhoeXfOb0q9TPp-U-eNrmZPrUgyawkCXx~NXejG-vJlsrKu53Cczr0UymCafg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City Council of Coral Gables, FL","date","2025-06-12T00:49:06.927Z","article","The Coral Gables City Commission moved through a full agenda on June 10 and adopted multiple ordinances, resolutions and appointments. Key actions the commission approved include:

- Tax Collector lease (E5): Approved a five-year lease with the Miami-Dade County Office of the Tax Collector for office space at 224 Minorca Avenue; commissioners praised the office’s shorter wait times and community services. Vote: unanimous.

- Publication changes (E7): Amended city code to use online publication in lieu of newspaper legal notices for certain special assessments; staff noted earlier digital publication saves money and keeps notices online longer than the prior one-day newspaper approach. Vote: unanimous.

- Board attendance and membership updates (E9, E10, E11): Revised attendance rules and membership criteria for multiple boards (Code Enforcement Board, Planning and Zoning Board, Historic Preservation Board and others) to treat ‘excessive absences’ consistently and require licensed professionals for certain seats; commission adopted changes intended to strengthen board continuity and expertise. Vote: unanimous.

- Tax Collector service expansion (E5 follow-up): Commissioners broadly welcomed the new local tax-collector branch that will offer motor-vehicle, property-tax and other services by appointment and an outreach program to serve homebound residents.

- EV chargers procurement (H3): City awarded an RFP for 28 new electric vehicle charging stations to Blink Network LLC (highest-ranked proposer) and directed staff to negotiate final contract terms; commissioners emphasized uptime requirements and quick-response service clauses. Vote: unanimous on award recommendation to proceed to contract negotiations.

- Grants and federal/state awards (H7, H8): Accepted a $1.07 million federal ONDCP grant to support the South Florida Money Laundering Strike Force, and accepted a state DEP grant amendment extending the City’s water-quality project timeline; both were approved unanimously.

- Appointments: The commission confirmed several advisory-board appointments, including a residential waiver appointment for the Waterway Advisory Board (G6) and multiple arts and historic board placements.

Where items were postponed or discussed: A number of items required extended debate or were clarified in public comments. The commission also scheduled follow-up and additional public-engagement steps for several adopted items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","City Commission Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The City Commission adopted a package of ordinances, resolutions and appointments on June 10 including sewer lateral code changes, a $3.1M land purchase for Salvador Park, updated publication rules for legal notices, changes to board attendance rules, a lease with the Miami-Dade Tax Collector, EV charging procurement, and grant awards.","taxTitle","Coral Gables, Miami-Dade County, Florida","taxId",51824,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6204940,"Coral Gables bans commissioners from serving as paid campaign consultants to local candidates; proposal prompts legal and enforcement questions",308,3676000,3984000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3777559-8f9f0d76d2c37847ccf651df879851b6&start=3676&end=3984","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3777559-8f9f0d76d2c37847ccf651df879851b6/thumbnail_3676000.jpg","/articles/6204940/Coral-Gables/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/Coral-Gables-bans-commissioners-from-serving-as-paid-campaign-consultants-to-local-candidates-proposal-prompts-legal-and-enforcement-questions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6204940-a790f9faa99c2376636697975cede87e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137679&Signature=eqjEqYG6vmYs-PDfGqYRvO15vTeM4jverlabU8PRy3X3BRUrj1BZdh-GgmfQLVTgd-BK0d6hqsydgWJlIx6D1cZdIcw0p~CcvxdkjFnAcYxDagvJ~TyCH7C9T-4pzzZvETQ7n-CdniX7iKan6wyp-re98rqWMtJagRRqvao-y3e~E-DspUPETEKucFEnmTraf5RzsJfv592JdX9k0ZNfZ0cI9hdO~YFb2EOHyLMS9yhUcuF-3CS3YuSgYjKYfMJh4XA-9d3cxsxTTPwnYLckpTEzG2XrgP~O1~EJtuamtiPHKGGKS7gKT~pmZ2vih8rTAzdDNi9WsE3kHZxe5wMsWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Coral Gables City Commission on June 10 approved an ordinance prohibiting city commissioners from serving as paid campaign or political consultants for candidates seeking elected office in Coral Gables.

Sponsor rationale: Vice Mayor Rebeca Castro, who led the initiative, said the measure targets the specific practice of elected officials receiving compensation to run campaigns for candidates who later appear before the commission. “If you’re an elected official and you hold office, you should not be compensated to run someone’s campaign, which later will be sitting on this dais,” she said.

What the ordinance does: The text uses existing campaign-consultant definitions already in the city code and creates an express prohibition on commissioners acting as compensated campaign consultants for local candidates. The measure does not ban commissioners from volunteering or publicly supporting candidates; the prohibition is limited to compensated consulting.

Debate and legal concerns: Several commissioners supported the measure as an ethical safeguard to prevent perceived influence and quid-pro-quo risk. But others raised constitutional and enforcement concerns. Commissioner Vince Lago cautioned the ordinance could face legal challenge as it regulates a form of compensated political expression and noted ambiguity in key terms such as “serving as a consultant.” The city attorney advised the measure is a clarification of existing authority (rather than an expansion) but confirmed it carries potential legal risk and will require carefully drafted enforcement language.

Outcome and next steps: The measure passed on a 4–1 roll call (Commissioner Castro opposed). Commissioners asked the city attorney and clerk to draft clear definitions and enforcement language for the final ordinance reading and to consider registration or disclosure alternatives used by other cities (such as limiting post-campaign lobbying by paid consultants or requiring consultant registration and disclosure).

Why it matters: Supporters said the change strengthens public trust by limiting paid political activity by sitting commissioners that could create the appearance of favoritism; critics urged caution to avoid overbroad restrictions on political speech and requested precise, enforceable definitions.","The City Commission passed an ordinance forbidding elected commissioners from serving as paid campaign or political consultants to candidates for elected office in Coral Gables, with several commissioners flagging enforcement and constitutional risk but a majority voting in favor.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6204945,"Coral Gables approves purchase of Valencia Avenue parcel for Salvador Park expansion over some commissioners' objections",341,3223000,3564000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3777559-8f9f0d76d2c37847ccf651df879851b6&start=3223&end=3564","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3777559-8f9f0d76d2c37847ccf651df879851b6/thumbnail_3223000.jpg","/articles/6204945/Coral-Gables/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/Coral-Gables-approves-purchase-of-Valencia-Avenue-parcel-for-Salvador-Park-expansion-over-some-commissioners-objections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6204945-6ce20d835d8ef1fe5ee7946663802079/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137679&Signature=ROYOv-Z-Fts4LEa-HVGwuDlu3l6yG2SsLZ3ghbWjpjq5CBVv5tQ1IleODbIUYYAmxqHyPz9AxmEcFuBELJWBj~5L-OmlIVW28u9X4DaXmUmpe-onuRdr7zZYpfSU82HwNaMCbm1gjuvMr~8xSQblmIm9QolpMFKRnYzk-jNCEujelUy0vj4CKSSX4oErw1lcL-Dw8SZ60d6o11mw8P8yOGzTEN1WNld9Y43ZLbEhKVn9sM~FYjAstfcs8gGZgzpPcR6MJNpODqVTSsmyr1xWpBt0VuW1KJcvz5xDxahqmZqNATsPaijFk1iWxkQCdNkW49PUtir-76zNdNXSJjlFxg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Coral Gables City Commission voted 3–2 on June 10 to approve a purchase-and-sale agreement for an undeveloped parcel at 1031 Valencia Avenue for $3.1 million, clearing the way for a future Salvador Park expansion.

What happened: The commission considered a negotiated agreement with the property trustee. Two city-independent appraisals listed values at roughly $2.63 million and $2.9 million, the seller’s appraisal was $2.8 million, and the negotiated purchase price was $3.1 million — about 18% above the lowest appraisal and roughly 6–7% above the average of the appraisals, Commissioner Rebeca Castro said during the meeting.

Why the city wants the site: Parks staff and the mayor argued the lot is one of the last adjacent parcels to Salvador Park and would enable future expansion and programming, potentially easing current parking and space constraints at Coral Gables’ most-used park. Assistant city staff said the city has long sought the lot and that prior sellers had declined offers until the trust recently offered to sell.

Opposition and transparency concerns: Two commissioners voted against the purchase, saying the packet did not make the appraisal values or negotiation history clear enough in advance and that paying above appraised value sets a poor precedent for use of public funds. Commissioner Castro asked that future deals include clearer documentation of appraisals and negotiation steps in the meeting materials. Commissioner Lara said she remained concerned about paying roughly 18% over the lowest appraisal and voted no.

Process notes: Staff said three appraisals were on file and were added to the agenda materials; the city manager and deputy manager said negotiations spanned weeks and involved offers and counteroffers. The mayor and other commissioners argued the premium was reasonable because the parcel has unique public value adjacent to the park. The purchase closes a long-running effort to secure park expansion property, staff said.

Next steps: Staff said acquisition closes the gap to create a larger park campus if a future adjacent property also becomes available; the property will be subject to the standard public-input process for parks projects before the city programs improvements.

Votes and outcome: The item passed 3–2. Mayor Vince Lago, Vice Mayor Anderson and Commissioner Lara voted to approve; Commissioners Castro and Fernandez voted no.","The commission authorized purchase of 1031 Valencia Avenue for $3.1 million to expand Salvador Park. Three appraisals ran from $2.63M to $2.93M; two commissioners voted no, citing lack of transparency and concern about paying above appraised values.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6204950,"Coral Gables shifts responsibility for sewer laterals in right-of-way; modest fee increase approved",560,4016000,4576000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3777559-8f9f0d76d2c37847ccf651df879851b6&start=4016&end=4576","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3777559-8f9f0d76d2c37847ccf651df879851b6/thumbnail_4016000.jpg","/articles/6204950/Coral-Gables/Miami-Dade-County/Florida/Coral-Gables-shifts-responsibility-for-sewer-laterals-in-right-of-way-modest-fee-increase-approved","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6204950-11c8ba71a5c8927273491132aa3c0a5b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771137680&Signature=gRFtOZPIBnMiNegj7lgU86PMJHHJw3eAbxgPblT7Uc6fIi2TVs28RtWgMa9He7EmatwXSd2uQVATmcFaM1Aj7ut-BxIP3Gsh-OubEg0KgtaCu6GEn6CXqlIlhG4DOUahm1ffcmxLrBw5baLy-3Vg0dnNwysmyK~3bKS~ZdnGJCnPPm3vcWW2L4cO5muQXadmPNT2gUtBvvOjcSp3LQeLNySu1WaWEa-qgbxbZVbXFevVu-jV-ZplbJlm1MOTPAaKeLUSArg6vfjSudziHaU6tKQZ0ruFUCd3K2IGpIlQGLVUoVf~eXlLpGTVdrWVRdKERPk~XBuy-cM-k73mVBKFeg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Coral Gables City Commission on June 10 approved an ordinance that makes the city responsible for certain sanitary sewer laterals located in the public right-of-way and established circumstances when property owners would still be responsible.

The change, part of an amendment to city code section 78-101, applies only to gravity laterals in the public right-of-way, city staff said during the meeting. The ordinance also establishes triggers requiring lateral replacement during substantial new construction or major improvements.

Commissioner Vince Lago, the item sponsor, said the change corrects an unusual local practice that leaves homeowners responsible for laterals under public streets in other jurisdictions. “Everywhere else except in Coral Gables, the right of way is the utility’s responsibility,” a city staff member explained in the meeting.

Why it matters: City officials said the ordinance prevents long-term leaks and groundwater infiltration from deteriorating private laterals that extend under public streets. City staff estimated the patchwork private-repair practice produced deferred maintenance and frequent failures that are often difficult for property owners to address.

Payment and fiscal impact: To fund the change the commission also approved a related resolution setting a modest increase in sewer fees. Staff said the monthly increase would be “a couple of dollars per month” for a typical residential user and should raise roughly $300,000 a year to fund the city’s incremental responsibility. City staff described the fee increase as intended to be small relative to the cost of full lateral replacements, which staff said can range widely depending on location — single spot repairs are relatively inexpensive but full lateral replacements can run “anywhere between about $10,000 and $25,000–$30,000,” a staff member said.

Scope and limitations: The ordinance clarifies that the new city responsibility covers gravity-fed laterals in the right-of-way and does not apply to home sewer systems serving homes with vacuum or grinder pumps. The code text also narrows responsibility when a tree on private property causes lateral damage; in those cases owners may have some responsibility. The ordinance includes standard codification, severability and effective-date language.

Commission discussion and vote: Commissioners pushed staff to clarify how much a typical homeowner saves under the new rule and what the fiscal impact will be for the utilities fund. Staff said estimates vary by year and by the size of repair needed, reiterating the earlier cost ranges and the projected $300,000 annual revenue from the fee change. The commission adopted the ordinance on a unanimous roll call vote.","The City Commission approved an ordinance moving responsibility for gravity sewer laterals in the public right-of-way from property owners to the city, paired with a small monthly sewer fee increase to fund repairs and laterals replacement triggers tied to large building work.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Coral Gables Commission actions on June 10, 2025

Coral Gables bans commissioners from serving as paid campaign consultants to local candidates; proposal prompts legal and enforcement questions

Coral Gables approves purchase of Valencia Avenue parcel for Salvador Park expansion over some commissioners' objections

Coral Gables shifts responsibility for sewer laterals in right-of-way; modest fee increase approved