April 20, 2023 Aventura City Commission Regular Workshop Minutes •
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AVENTURA CITY COMMISSION
REGULAR WORKSHOP MINUTES
APRIL 20, 2023
Following 9:00 a.m. School Governing Board Meetings
Aventura Government Center
19200 W. Country Club Drive
Aventura, FL 33180
1. Call to Order/Roll Call: The meeting was called to order by Mayor Weinberg at
10:41 a.m. The following were present: Mayor Howard S. Weinberg, Vice Mayor Billy
Joel, Commissioner Amit Bloom, Commissioner Rachel S. Friedland, Commissioner Dr.
Linda Marks, Commissioner Michael Stern, City Manager Ronald J. Wasson, City Clerk
Ellisa L. Horvath, and City Attorney Robert Meyers. Commissioner Paul A. Kruss was
absent. As a quorum was determined to be present, the meeting commenced.
2. Pledge of Allegiance: The Pledge was done at the DSAHS Governing Board
Meeting.
3. Update: 2023 Legislative Update (City Attorney): Mr. Meyers reviewed an
update covering the following legislative items: Form 6, Affordable Housing, Business
Impact Estimate, Resiliency and Safe Structures Act, Condominiums and Cooperative
Associations, and Short-Term Vacation Rental Registration Program.
Mr. Meyers will provide a sample Form 6 and a workshop will be held if the law passes
to require City Commission members to file a Form 6 in lieu of the current Form 1 . The
challenge on the City's ordinance that bans vacation rentals was briefly reported on.
Commission members were encouraged to contact local legislators to inquire about their
stance on the reviewed items.
City Manager Summary: This item was provided for informational purposes.
4. Discussion: Designation of Director and Alternate Director to the Miami-
Dade County League of Cities (MDCLC) for the Period of One Year (City Manager):
Mr. Wasson explained the request from the League to provide the name of a director and
alternate to represent the City on the MDCLC Board for a year.
The City Commission discussed the wonderful job that the current director, Commissioner
Friedland, was doing and Commissioner Stern's numerous attendance at the meetings.
Aventura City Commission
Regular Workshop Minutes—April 20, 2023
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to
designate Commissioner Friedland as the Director and Commissioner Stern as the
Alternate Director for the City.
5. Discussion: Rules of Conduct at Public Meetings (City Attorney): Mr. Meyers
reviewed a draft of the proposed rules to create a written policy similar to what other
municipalities have and in line with the City Charter and resolutions addressing meeting
decorum.
The City Commission discussed the item and the need to provide written rules addressing
decorum, as well as a process to address any disruptive conduct at meetings of the City
Commission.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with a resolution providing for the rules of conduct at public meetings as presented.
6. Reappointment: Community Services Advisory Board Members (City
Manager): Mr. Wasson recommended that the following current members be reappointed
to the Board for two-year terms as proposed in the new ordinance: Bruce Davidson,
Sandra Kaplan, Donna Mairs, Daniel Naim, Jesse Potack, Marjorie Rosenblatt, and
Sherry Superfine.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with a resolution reappointing the members to the Board as presented.
7. Review: Aventura Corporate Center Modification Request (City Manager):
Mr. Wasson briefly introduced the item with proposed modifications to the project that
was approved over a year ago for Aventura Corporate Center (20801 - 20807 Biscayne
Boulevard).
Michael Marrero, Esq. (Bercow Radell Fernandez Larkin & Tapanes PLLC), explained
the change in the original plans, due to market changes with an increased demand for
high quality residential development, including the Morgan Stanley building now
remaining and moving the residential portion to Biscayne Boulevard with two buildings (1
at 24 stories and 1 at 15 stories). He reported on the traffic analysis showing an overall
reduction with the newly proposed plan.
Bernard Zyscovich, Architect (Zyscovich Architects), reviewed a presentation including
the following: site plan, second floor, amenity deck, rendering, sections, and traffic trip
generation.
Jeffrey Davis, Owner, provided comments.
The City Commission discussed the item including the following items: parking on 209th
Street, valet services, synergy with the Park Square project, a pedestrian bridge over
Biscayne Boulevard versus a crosswalk, providing more parking and a user-friendly
parking garage, towing, stacking on 207th at Park Square, incentive for the use of bikes
and scooters, and mobility plans.
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Aventura City Commission
Regular Workshop Minutes—April 20, 2023
The project will require conditional use approval (building heights and parking), as well as
legislative changes to the TC4 District and Comprehensive Plan (increased residential
units).
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission for the
item to proceed.
8. Update: Government Access Channel (City Manager): Mr. Wasson provided
an update on providing a new Government Access Channel, including the annual fees
charged for connection from the various service providers, as well as the annual charge
for close captioning meetings for ADA compliance.
The City Commission discussed the negotiation of fees and the types of programming
that could be provided on the channel.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with the Government Access Channel as discussed.
The following additional items were discussed:
Mr. Wasson reported on the following items to be on the May 2, 2023 Commission
Meeting Agenda: 1 .) the annual Florida Department of Transportation Landscaping
Agreement for the medians and 2.) an emergency full roof replacement through a state
contract at the Community Recreation Center. Consensus was provided for the two items
to be placed on the May 2nd agenda.
9. Adjournment: There being no further business to come before the City
Commission, the meeting was adjourned by consensus at 12:10 p.m.
Ellisa L. Horvath, MM , City Clerk
Approved by the City Commission on May 2, 2023.
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