January 18, 2024 Aventura City Commission Regular Workshop Minutes AVENTURA CITY COMMISSION
REGULAR WORKSHOP MINUTES
JANUARY 18, 2024
9:00 a.m.
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
11 :13 a.m.' The following were present: Mayor Howard S. Weinberg, Vice Mayor Paul A.
Kruss, Commissioner Amit Bloom, Commissioner Rachel S. Friedland2, Commissioner
Billy Joel, Commissioner Dr. Linda Marks, Commissioner Michael Stern, City Manager
Ronald J. Wasson, City Clerk Ellisa L. Horvath, and City Attorney Robert Meyers. As a
quorum was determined to be present, the meeting commenced.
2. Pledge of Allegiance: The Pledge was done at the Governing Board Meeting.
3. Discussion: Proposed Code Amendment to Allow, in Limited
Circumstances, Hotel Stays of 365 Days (City Manager): Mr. Wasson introduced the
item.
The following provided comments regarding a request to extend the 90-day hotel stay to
365 days by providing a new category for extended stay hotels on behalf of the TAL
Project: Matt Rosenblatt (owner) and Brian Adler, Esq. (Bilzin Sumberg Baena Price &
Axelrod LLP). Mr. Adler additionally reviewed the Glitch Bill for Live Local to provide
clarification, as well as the request to be project specific with the need for conditional use
approval.
The City Commission discussed the item including: concerns about creating a new
threshold for Live Local, the need for a written legal opinion that it could not be used by
another applicant for the threshold, conceptually it not being an issue, providing for a 6-
month stay with the ability to renew for another 6-month stay in lieu of a 12-month stay,
and impact to traffic.
Mr. Meyers provided comments regarding time needed to provide a legal opinion, Live
Local not being applicable to hotels, having further discussions with the applicant, and
the need for any changes to be done through a Code amendment.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with the item on the February City Commission Meeting Agenda for first reading and to
monitor the Glitch Bill in Tallahassee, since approval would need to be conditioned on
that legislation passing.
' The meeting started following the City Commission Special Meeting and Aventura Governing Board Meeting.
2 Participated via virtual communications media technology and telephone.
Aventura City Commission
Regular Workshop Minutes—January 18, 2024
4. Discussion: Changing the June 20, 2024 City Commission Workshop to
June 13, 2024 (City Manager): Mr. Wasson introduced the item.
Mayor Weinberg requested that the June 20th workshop be moved to June 13th, due to
his attendance at the Mayor's Conference.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to change
the June Commission Workshop to June 13, 2024.
5. Discussion: Miami-Dade Youth Governance Day (City Manager): Mr. Wasson
reported on the upcoming Miami-Dade Youth Governance Day on April 10th and
explained the concept for the student selected to shadow the Mayor for the day. He also
requested that members of the City Commission be available.
City Manager Summary: This item was provided for informational purposes.
6. Discussion: Teacher-Child Preference (City Manager/Commissioner
Friedland): Mr. Wasson reported that the item was already discussed at the Aventura
Governing Board Meeting (January 18, 2024).
City Manager Summary: None.
7. Discussion: Outdoor Basketball Courts (Mayor Weinberg): Mayor Weinberg
discussed the need for outdoor basketball courts, Mr. Wasson's continued negotiations
for land next to Veteran's Park for an outdoor court without success thus far, and the
concept to retrofit and utilize the outdoor courts at ACES for use when the school is
closed.
Mr. Wasson discussed the need to work out the security involved with doing so, since
the courts were associated with the school.
The City Commission discussed the item and the possibility of adding some other items
on the available land next to the courts.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with plans to retrofit and utilize the outdoor basketball courts at ACES. Ideas for other
items at the same location will be discussed at the February Workshop.
8. Discussion: Proposal from Gulfstream Park: Conveyance of a 3-Acre School
Site in Exchange for Entitlements (Mayor Weinberg): Mayor Weinberg reported on
the recent meetings with Gulfstream and the vision to obtain additional land there to build
a new high school, with the concept to redo the current high school building as a new
middle school, and for ACES to be exclusively an elementary school.
The City Commission discussed the item.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with the item on the February City Commission Meeting Agenda to accept the revised
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Aventura City Commission
Regular Workshop Minutes—January 18, 2024
Letter of Intent from Gulfstream.
The following provided comments on behalf of Gulfstream: Alex Serper, Vice President
of Development - The Stronach Group.
Mr. Meyers advised that the report on the 2023 Founders Day would be emailed prior to
the February Workshop.
9. City Attorney Report: Form 6 Lawsuit (City Attorney): Mr. Meyers discussed
the new requirement for Commission members to file an annual financial disclosure Form
6 (Full and Public Disclosure of Financial Interests) in lieu of Form 1 (Statement of
Financial Interests) by July 1st, recent Commission member resignations in multiple
municipalities due to the invasive nature of the form, the law firm's decision to file a lawsuit
representing at least 10 municipalities, and the cost of $10,000 should the City wish to
join that litigation.
The City Commission discussed the item including the following: the invasiveness of Form
6 as compared to Form 1 , joining the litigation, and placing the item on a future Miami-
Dade County League of Cities agenda to inform other municipalities about the litigation.
The following members of the public provided comments: Luz Weinberg (former Aventura
Commissioner).
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with the item on the February City Commission Meeting Agenda to join the litigation at a
cost of $10,000.
10. City Attorney Report: FLUEDRA Recommendations (City Attorney): Mr.
Meyers reported on the positive recommendation of the Special Magistrate as a result of
the recent hearing related to the Promenade code violation related to vacation rentals
and the need for the Commission to approve, modify or reject that recommendation, with
his recommendation to approve it.
The City Commission discussed the item.
City Manager Summary: It was the consensus of the City Commission to proceed
with the item on the February City Commission Meeting Agenda to approve the
recommendation of the Special Magistrate, as recommended by Mr. Meyers.
The following additional items were discussed:
Mayor Weinberg reported on the ability to use the transportation surtax for a water taxi
concept and requested that it be discussed in the future.
Commissioner Friedland suggested that a tree be planted next week (January 24-25,
2024) in honor of Israel Arbor Day and in commemoration of October 7, 2023, which could
be done without being a part of a religious ceremony.
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Aventura City Commission
Regular Workshop Minutes—January 18, 2024
Commissioner Kruss expressed concern on a recent walk being held in Surfside instead
of Aventura. Mr. Wasson explained the special event permit process and the inability to
accommodate the walk due to the timing constraints.
11. Adjournment: There being no further business to come before the City
Commission, the meeting was adjourned by consensus at 12.09 p.m.
QQ
- Ellisa L. Horvath, M , ity Clerk
Approved by the City Commission on February 6, 2024.
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