West Miami accepts flood-vulnerability study, approves Paseo park plan and city leases; radios, vehicles cleared

The City of West Miami commission on Jan. 1 accepted a Resilient Florida-funded vulnerability assessment that the city plans to use to pursue state and federal resilience grants, designated a narrow city-owned strip as the Paseo at West Miami and authorized a suite of administrative actions including a three-year lease for an art-gallery/café at 1811 Southwest 67th Avenue and purchases for police radios and vehicles.

The accepted vulnerability assessment, prepared under a Resilient Florida grant by consultant APM Environmental and Infrastructure LLC, consolidates rainfall, storm-surge and drainage data and ranks the city’s infrastructure vulnerabilities so West Miami can pursue preconstruction and construction grants. “The big takeaway here is that now the city is eligible to apply for additional funding,” consultant Dr. Samantha Danchuk told the commission.

The study’s findings, which commissioners accepted by roll call, identify southern pockets of the city with the greatest exposure in extreme and frequent rainfall events, note aging pump and lift stations and recommend targeted capital projects and mitigation strategies. Jenny Hall, the city’s grant manager, told the commission the report is intended to make the city “ready for this year’s” Resilient Florida funding cycle, which opens in July.

The commission designated the city-owned strip between Southwest 24th Street and Southwest 22nd Street along the theoretical Southwest 65th Avenue as Paseo at West Miami and directed the manager to upgrade the space within the existing budget. City Engineer (part-time architect) described the concept as a linear park and art walk with a meandering path, benches, new canopy trees, bollards at the ends and improved crosswalks at 22nd and 23rd streets. Commissioners and the engineer said staff has begun outreach to adjacent residents and will preserve existing mature trees where feasible.

Separately, the commission approved a city release to lease the underused property at 1811 Southwest 67th Avenue to local resident Adrian Lorenzo. The lease is a three-year agreement with two optional one-year renewals; the tenant will be responsible for required upgrades and approvals and has pledged to donate one sculpture for the Paseo and one mural at a city-selected location, plus offer summer art classes for the city’s youth. City staff described the tenant’s plan as an art studio with a small café and event space intended to activate a currently vacant storefront.

On public safety, the commission authorized the city manager to contract with Motorola Solutions for replacement communications equipment for the West Miami Police Department. City staff told the commission the radios are at the end of life and that the Motorola agreement (total cost cited by staff as about $250,000) includes a two-year deferred payment option that helps the city pursue grant funding. The commission also approved a vehicle acquisition plan: staff recommended leasing through Enterprise and acquiring six 2025 Chevrolet Blazers and four Ford F-150s, with an estimated departmental cost of about $9,000 per month; staff said improved fuel economy and new-vehicle warranties will reduce maintenance and repair expenses.

On land-use and local regulation, the commission held first readings on two ordinances. The first, an amendment to Ordinance 2024-16, would prohibit parking on swales on Southwest 16th Street between 60th and 62nd avenues except for residents and guests displaying residential permits; commissioners agreed to extend the proposed zone to include 16th Terrace for the second reading, which staff said will be advertised for Feb. 5, 2025. The second, an amendment to the city land-use code (Ordinance 2022-2), would ban chain-link or wood fences on property lines that run parallel and contiguous to any street; the measure passed its first reading by roll call.

The commission also authorized staff to engage a qualified firm to develop a local ordinance to ensure consistency with Miami-Dade County standards on impervious-area regulation (cited in staff materials as “section 24-15.7B61B of Miami-Dade County Code”), a step staff said allows the city to opt out of additional county reviews and preserve local plan review authority.

The commission approved a joint-use agreement draft with the Miami-Dade County School Board to permit the city permitted access to designated portions of Sylvania Heights Elementary School’s campus for recreation when school is not in session (weekends, holidays and other non-school days); staff said the draft will be returned to the school board for its review before returning to the commission for final action.

Smaller operational items included appointments to advisory bodies and boards. The commission reappointed Rolando Llanes to the Art Advisory Board, confirmed new appointments including Christina Verona to the branding board and filled vacancies on the code-enforcement/board of adjustment panel (appointments read into the record). Staff also reported ongoing water-main work on 12th Street and 63rd Avenue, more than 450 water meters replaced to date, and an elevator pit issue that may require installation of a sump pump.

During public comment and the manager’s report commissioners highlighted senior-center improvements and a recently issued $70 reduction in senior fees; the manager reported the city had paid more than $200,000 in debt early this fiscal year and said the multi-generational center is on track for early-summer completion.

Votes at a glance - Ordinance (first reading): Amend Ordinance 2024-16 to prohibit parking on swales on SW 16th St between 60th Ave and SW 62nd Ave (extendable to 16th Terrace). Outcome: Passed first reading (motion carried; second reading advertised for Feb. 5, 2025). Vote tally: voice vote recorded as “aye.” - Ordinance (first reading): Amend Ordinance 2022-2 to prohibit chain-link or wood fences on property lines parallel to streets. Outcome: Passed first reading (roll-call: Chavez yes; Blanis yes; Vice Mayor Natalie Milian Orbis no; Mayor Diaz Padron yes). - Resolution: Designate city strip as Paseo at West Miami and direct manager to upgrade within budget. Outcome: Approved (unanimous voice vote). - Resolution: Authorize development of local ordinance to align with Miami-Dade impervious-area standards (per cited county code section) and opt to retain local plan review. Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Resolution: City release/lease for 1811 SW 67th Ave to Adrian Lorenzo (three-year term with two one-year renewals; tenant obligations for upgrades; pledged sculpture, mural and summer classes). Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Resolution: Authorize Motorola Solutions contract for police communications (staff-cited cost ~$250,000; two-year deferred payments). Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Resolution: Approve vehicle acquisitions (six 2025 Chevy Blazers, four Ford F-150s; estimated $9,000/month departmental cost). Outcome: Approved (voice vote). - Resolution: Accept final vulnerability assessment report (APM Environmental); authorize manager to pursue implementation pending funding. Outcome: Approved (roll-call: unanimous yes). - Resolution: Authorize manager to execute joint-use agreement draft with Miami-Dade County School Board for Sylvania Heights Elementary School campus. Outcome: Approved (roll-call: unanimous yes). - Appointments: Multiple advisory-board and enforcement-board appointments read into the record (including Rolando Llanes reaffirmed to Art Advisory Board; Steven Rojas and Gabriel Garcia appointed to enforcement board; Christina Verona appointed to branding board). Outcome: Approved (voice votes).

What’s next Staff will advertise second readings where required and begin grant applications expected to open in July for projects identified in the vulnerability assessment. The Paseo concept will move to design/outreach, and the proposed lease and commercial improvements will proceed subject to required permits and approvals. The commission asked staff to return any item with financial implications for future commission approval.

Sources and attributions Statements and direct quotes are taken from city staff presentations, consultant remarks and commission discussion recorded in the City of West Miami commission meeting transcript. Direct quotes in this story are attributed to Dr. Samantha Danchuk (APM Environmental) and Jenny Hall (city grant manager). No conclusions or facts not in the transcript were added.