Miami Gardens council tables resolution to rename Rolling Oaks Park after state senator

The Miami Gardens City Council on May 14 deferred action on Resolution 12.2, a proposal to rename Rolling Oaks Park for Senator Oscar Brannon II, after extended public comment and a contested amendment process.

The item, sponsored by Councilwoman Linda Julian, drew dozens of residents who both supported and opposed changing the park’s name. Julian told the council she would table the item to the next meeting: "I've tabled my item 12.2 to the next council meeting." The motion to move the item had been placed on the floor and an amendment to name a specific structure at Rolling Oaks Park after the senator was proposed and seconded before the council elected to defer further action.

Supporters said renaming the site would honor a longtime local figure with a record of bringing infrastructure and funding to the area. Clint John, a resident who said he grew up nearby, urged the council to approve the measure: "Please support this resolution and let's tell the story that deserves to be told." Council members who spoke in favor noted Brannon’s role in securing infrastructure and a half‑penny sales tax that funds local projects.

Opponents — including multiple Rolling Oaks residents and representatives of local homeowners associations — said the council should not rename the park without broader neighborhood outreach and historical consideration. Gail Cunningham, who said she helped plan Rolling Oaks, told the council, "We have almost a thousand trees, oaks in that park. Rolling oaks." Several speakers asked why the homeowners association and other community bodies had not been consulted before the item reached the dais.

Councilwoman Baskin, who had pulled the item earlier, proposed an amendment to limit any renaming to a specific park structure rather than the park itself: "I would like to make a motion to amend the item to name a structure at Rolling Oaks Park after Senator Oscar Brennan [Brannon]." The amendment language was refined during discussion (members suggested "center" rather than "building" to match city naming practices) and was moved and seconded, but councilmembers expressed varying views about process and community outreach before the body voted to defer.

Mayor Harris and several council members emphasized the need for clearer, consistent procedures for naming or renaming public properties. One council member recommended a public meeting or sunshine meeting to gather resident input before a final vote. Before adjourning discussion, Julian, the sponsor, said she would bring the item back at the next council meeting so the community and council could continue deliberations.

Action on the item was not finalized at the May 14 session. The council did not adopt a renaming ordinance or resolution that night; the measure was tabled to a future meeting, leaving open how the sponsor may revise the proposal when it returns.

What happened next: The item was deferred; the sponsor indicated she will return the resolution to the next council meeting, at which point council and members of the public may expect further discussion, possible amendments and a vote.