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Votes at a glance: Opa-locka commission approves several measures including lease and zoning first reading
Summary
At its Jan. 8 meeting the commission approved a resolution to allow alcohol at the State of the City event, advanced a zoning text amendment on first reading, approved renaming the police department on first reading, adopted a code cleanup on first reading and approved a lease with South Florida School of Excellence on second reading.
The City Commission took several formal actions at its Jan. 8, 2025 meeting. Key outcomes are summarized below; staff will return with follow-up items and the two required ordinance second readings where noted.
Votes at a glance
- Resolution approving serving and/or sale of alcoholic beverages at the State of the City event, to be held at Historic City Hall on Jan. 31, 2025. Moved by Vice Mayor Joseph Kelly; second by Commissioner Louis Santiago. Vote: 5-0 to approve. Staff and the city attorney said insurance and vendor permitting requirements will be part of the event approval process.
- Ordinance (first reading) to amend Article 15-31 (land development regulations) to allow construction trades and equipment storage, tow/vehicle storage, shipping container storage yards and similar uses in the I-4 zoning district. Moved by Commissioner Charlene Bass; second by Commissioner Louis Santiago. Vote: 5-0 (first reading). Staff said infrastructure permit closeout will be confirmed prior to second reading.
- Ordinance (first reading) to rename the City of Opa-locka Police Department as the "Opa-locka Police Department Timothy Holmes Headquarters." Sponsored by Commissioner Louis Santiago; motion carried on first reading 5-0. Commissioners asked staff to return with locations and placement options for signage on second reading; sponsors asked that donor/funding questions be addressed privately so the renaming itself remains funded by donations, not the general fund.
- Ordinance (first reading) amending code sections to remove statutory references requiring newspaper publication of notices (to reflect state law changes). Moved by Vice Mayor Kelly; vote: 5-0 (first reading). The clerk said the change cleans up the code to allow online and county website posting as allowed under current state law.
- Lease agreement (second reading) authorizing an interim city manager to execute a lease with SFSE LLC (doing business as South Florida School of Excellence) for space at 780 Fisherman St. The commission approved the 2-year lease (commencement Feb. 1, 2025 through Jan. 2026) by a 5-0 vote. Commissioner Joseph Kelly raised a governance concern about items already budgeted prior to formal commission approval; staff said the lease revenue was included in the current adopted budget and agreed to provide better timing and transparency on future items.
Other motions and procedural notes
- Two items (agenda item 16a2 and 16b2) were deferred to the Jan. 21 meeting at the manager's request.
Commissioners asked staff to follow up on insurance and permitting requirements for any vendor serving alcohol at city facilities, to provide maintenance and revenue numbers for the Historic City Hall RFP and to confirm infrastructure permit closeouts related to the I-4 zoning amendment before its final reading.
