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Doral council approves $21 million settlement and land purchase to resolve 2019 road-project litigation
Summary
The City Council of Doral approved a resolution to settle litigation with Doral 10 LLC and related parties, including purchase of two parcels and contributions from a codefendant and insurers, for a total package of about $21 million.
The City Council of the City of Doral on Jan. 27 approved a resolution that settles long-running litigation with Doral 10 LLC and related parties and authorizes the city to buy two adjacent parcels owned by Doral 10 LLC as part of the agreement.
City Attorney told the council the dispute stems from a 2019 road project near Northwest 102nd Avenue, when the city’s contractor entered property owned by Doral 10 LLC and installed pilings that the landowner later alleged contained contaminants. After recent federal-court rulings and months of mediation, the parties negotiated a settlement package the city attorney said totals about $21,000,000, which includes roughly $17,200,000 for purchase of the two parcels and additional contributions from a codefendant and the city’s insurer. The attorney cautioned the dollar split was not fully finalized and said, “there’s no such thing as a perfect deal when you have a mediation,” but added he believed the agreement “is in the city’s best interest.”
The council made and adopted the resolution by roll-call vote. Councilman Rafael Pinedo moved to approve and Councilwoman Nicole Reynoso seconded. The roll call recorded votes as Yes from Pinedo, Reynoso, Councilwoman Nina Cabral, Vice Mayor Warren Porras and Mayor Christie Fraga; the motion passed.
The settlement package covers resolution of the city’s claims and counterclaims involving Doral 10 LLC and includes the city’s acquisition of two folio-numbered parcels (folio numbers provided in the staff report). The city attorney said the two parcels have different land-use designations—one residential and one commercial—and that the final purchase price and internal allocation of the $21 million package were still being finalized at the time of the hearing.
Councilman Benitez offered a brief comment commending staff; no members of the public spoke during the item. The resolution did not specify an effective date in the council discussion; the city attorney and staff will return any required documents for final administrative completion.
The approval ends active litigation between the parties as described in the staff materials and places the referenced parcels into city ownership pending closing and final paperwork.
