WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 22, 2010

2010: The Year Of The Agreement

Recently, the Mayor and Commissioners approved a 20-year agreement with the University of Miami which will govern future development on the University’s campus. The idea of an agreement between the City and the University had been talked about for more than 15 years, but previous attempts to reach an agreement were not successful. Shortly after he assumed his duties as City Manager in the spring of 2009, Mayor Slesnick and members of the Commission asked City Manager Pat Salerno to make an agreement between the City and the University a top priority. When the City Manager presented the proposed agreement to the City Commission, the Manager said: “this Agreement will put the University and the City on a common path in making the City of Coral Gables a better place to live, now and for future generations.”

The Agreement between the City and the University addresses a comprehensive array of issues between the parties. Such agreements are not common and the City and University are now part of a select group of private universities who have such agreements with their host communities, universities like Harvard, Yale and MIT. UM President Donna Shalala characterized the Agreement as the most important accomplishment of her presidency. The City Commission called the Agreement a major milestone in the City’s history. When they voted unanimously in support of the Agreement, the Mayor and the City Commissioners called the Agreement an opportunity to make the University and the City even greater.

The Agreement includes amendments to the City’s Comprehensive Plan to provide the University with more flexibility to respond to the challenges of modern higher education, and a comprehensive re-write of the City’s zoning regulations governing future development and redevelopment on the UM campus. A key part of the zoning re-write includes important new protections for residential neighborhoods that abut the University along San Amaro and Campo Sano and a new and more comprehensive approach to mitigating any potential impacts resulting from future development on the University campus.

Another very important part of the Agreement provides for annual payments by the University to the City totaling $22 million over the life of the Agreement in exchange for the transfer of City property located wholly within the University campus and in mitigation of the potential impacts of future development. The Agreement also allows for the construction of a UHealth Center along Ponce de Leon Boulevard near the BankUnited Center to provide world-class health care services to the faculty, students and employees of the University and the residents of the City. In the Agreement, the University also agrees to contribute $100,000 to landscape the median on Ponce de Leon Boulevard adjacent to the University campus. The Agreement also provides for a number of City/University programs including special “buy one, get two” ticketing for City residents for a home, conference football game designated by the University as “Coral Gables Day,” free tickets to basketball and baseball games, free tickets for other University events, including lectures and cultural arts programming in the City, and makes faculty consultant services available to the City.

Joseph Scuotto, Chair of the South Florida Regional Planning Council, describes the Agreement as a “remarkable accomplishment” and “wonderful example of how University/City issues can be resolved on a constructive basis.” The Chair added: “if we could translate what the City and the University have been able to accomplish with this Agreement into a new approach to complex land use issues, South Florida would be a better place.”

County Approves Funds For Historic Preservation

On December 7th, the Miami-Dade County Commission approved $1,200,000 from the Historic Preservation Fund and will in the future consider an additional allocation of $300,000 for the restoration of the façade of the Biltmore Hotel. This fund is earmarked to be used solely for the restoration and rehabilitation of historic sites throughout the County. The money will be administered through an interlocal agreement between the City of Coral Gables and Miami-Dade County.

Holiday Courtesy Tickets Gives
One-Hour Extension On Expired Parking Meter

It’s the holiday season and parking in Downtown Coral Gables will get a little easier, thanks to the joyful spirit of City officials. If you lose track of time while shopping or dining in the many shops and restaurants located in the City of Coral Gables -and forget to put more money on the parking meter- don’t worry about getting a dreaded parking ticket.  From now until December 26, parking attendants will place on your windshield a Holiday Courtesy Ticket, compliments of the City Commission and the citizens of Coral Gables wishing you a happy holiday season and giving you a one-hour extension from the expiration time on the meter. These courtesy notices apply to the Downtown district from Andalusia Avenue to Giralda Avenue and from Douglas Road to LeJeune Road. For more information, contact the City of Coral Gables Parking Department at 305-460-5541.

CGTV Airs JOB Parade Live On January 2

Get ready for the best parade of the year in all South Florida, as the Junior Orange Bowl Parade comes alive in Downtown Coral Gables on Sunday, January 2, beginning this year at 4 p.m. In addition to the time change, the parade route follows a new pattern beginning at Alhambra Circle, going through Ponce de Leon Boulevard and Miracle Mile and ending just pass the grandstands at Coral Gables City Hall. Coral Gables Television hosts David Alvarez and Liane Morejon will be covering the parade live, telling viewers all about the marching bands, floats, live animals and community groups who are part of this exciting event. This year’s theme is “It’s a Jungle Out There!” welcoming everyone’s favorite monkey, Curious George, as the Parade Grand Marshall. The Junior Orange Bowl Parade is free to the public. Grandstand tickets are also being sold and can be purchased by calling 1-866-999-9735. Grandstand seats provide the best viewing angle and ticket holders are treated to a Pre-Parade show sponsored by Miami Children’s Hospital. For more information, click here.

Coral Gables Senior High Gets “A” Graded

It looks like Santa brought an early present to the Coral Gables Cavaliers. Coral Gables Senior High School received this month a coveted “A” from the Florida Department of Education, a notable improvement from previous rankings as a “C” school. This year’s grades for high schools were a combination of FCAT results and alternate measures of student achievement.  Cavalier students are in good company with other public “A” school students in the Gables like Coral Gables Elementary, Henry S. Web Lab, George Carver Elementary and Middle, and Ponce de Leon Middle.  Congratulations to Principal Adolfo Acosta, staff and teachers, students and parents and all the entire Coral Gables High School family for making the City of Coral Gables very proud!