Commissioners authorize 31-day negotiation to acquire Fisher Island fuel facility; eminent domain option reserved

Miami‑Dade County commissioners on Wednesday authorized county officials to negotiate the purchase of the Fisher Island fuel facility and directed the county attorney to prepare eminent‑domain paperwork if negotiations are unsuccessful after a 31‑day period. The motion, amended during the special meeting, passed on a 7‑4 vote.

The action responds to a pending private sale of the 9.6‑acre fuel site that county officials and cruise‑line representatives said could remove bunkering capacity essential to PortMiami operations. Jason Liberty, chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean Group, told the commission the port’s growth depends on local fuel bunkering and urged the county to “safeguard this facility for its critical maritime purpose.”

The vote directs the administration to pursue an acquisition by negotiated purchase within the 31‑day negotiation window. If negotiations fail, the county attorney is to prepare a resolution to initiate eminent‑domain court proceedings. The board’s approved parameters allow negotiated agreements to include: reimbursement of verified development‑related costs to a prospective purchaser; transfer to the county of any technical studies, drawings or plans…