Check out our Meeting notes from October 21, 2019

Hi all,

Please check out our meeting notes to see what we discussed and what you might want to be a part of in the future.

South Miami Neighbors Minutes Oct 21, 2019,  at Planet 57

In attendance:

Holly Zickler, Annick Sternberg, Fabian Kahn, Gray Read, Mari Chael

Pablo Alvarez, FIU Biscayne Campus, Sr Journalism (South Florida Media Network) Emily Gorman, OrganizingRepresentative, Sierra Club/ Ready for 100 Campaign

1—Public Space Challenge Grant awarded to the South Miami Neighbors: Painting the Rainbow:

Tasks:

--Meet w Meg Daly and get a better feeling for Art Master plan & to facilitate volunteer participation, etc.

--Meet w Bo Droga, who can add perspective on the process, etc.

--Possibility of getting additional sponsorships for materials, labor, etc. Possible Sponsors &Community partners (the list can be expanded):

South Miami Hospital FNBSM

Grass River/ Fed Realty The Underline

Sherwin Williams along Underline Ace along the Underline

Rotary

CRA/ City of South Miami Chamber South

Red Merchants

2—Garage Sale Update:

Annick & Holly spoke at last commission meeting in support of a citywide garage sale day in resident’s yards. Although the resolution did not appear on the agenda, commissioners seemed supportive. If passed, the garage sale will be scheduled for 2020 because the holidays are upon us. Date of garage sale TBA once a resolution is approved.

3—Potluck on Dec 15, Dante Fascell Park. On the issue of corporate food sponsorships: the potluck is not a venue for this.

Task: Have info at the potluck to encourage growing membership in South Miami Neighbors ($15 per family) &sponsorships on projects: SoMi Rainbow Underline/ Alternative to College Fair/ Candidates Forum

Think about and prepare a more formal sponsorship to ask for participation in the future. Develop a procedure/guidelines.

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4—Alternative to College Fair: Application to South Miami Community Center pending. Anticipated to take place in March or May 2020. Participating institutions and trades can include Port of Miami, Jorge T Baker Aviation, Mc Fatter Technical College, Robert Morgan Trade School, South Miami Police, etc.

5—Tentative date for Candidates Forum: Monday, Jan 27, 2020, is available at the Elks Club (the venue for the last Forums). Fabian is our go-to guy. This year if we wish to have food (which is optional), the cost for cleanup is $200 (non-negotiable). Do we wish to forego food?

6—Emily Gorman, representing the Sierra Club discussed the Ready for 100 Campaign, Readyfor100.org. South Miami has committed to 100% renewable energy by 2050. The city has submitted a $300,000 grant proposal to the SE Sustainability Directors Network and will learn if they will receive it by the end of November. It will be used for implementation and consulting related to the 100% Renewable commitment and other citywide sustainability efforts. If they get the grant, the goal for the next 2 years will be to set its implementation plan. (6 cities already implementing this.)

Having open communication with the community, understanding the needs and the wishes of the residents is vital to the success of the program. The South Miami Neighbors could play an important role in the communication process. Helping to identify the needs and wishes of residents, organizing with other community organizations to tap into other groups of residents and tirelessly requesting/demanding from the city to recognize what residents want and updates on their decision making and progress. We could also help organize listening sessions and bringing in experts from other cities farther along in the process.

Gray will contact the City Manager to set up a meeting to ask what is the city’s timeline for this program and how they plan to keep the residents informed. Holly will join her for the meeting.

--can be a topic for discussion at Candidates Forum & a component for Lovable Cities discussion (Holly offered to host a potluck dinner on May 6^th or 7^th 2020)

--How can we cut electricity consumption? Seal doors, windows, roofing, plant trees, add insulation (program in place in CRA to insulate houses)

--FPL customers can organize; sign up for a purchasing program (Solar Together)

--There are 2 bills in Tallahassee targeting 100% renewables statewide

--Gray hopes the grant includes newsletter w topics: recycling, composting

--Idea: CRA as the pilot area because it includes public housing, private residences with onsite solar

7—This year let’s get out there and participate in Give Miami Day, on Nov 21, https://www.givemiamiday.org. And a thought: If we participate annually we can make our membership day concurrent w Give Miami Day. Update, need a real website and not a blog. We might need to budget for that in the coming year.

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Quick! YES, YES, YES!!!!

On Aug 28 Vote YES on #240 

1. Democracy relies on the trust the people place on their elected leaders: the opinions of the majority or in this case, supermajority, is a more democratic alternative to the unanimous vote. Democracy does not work on the basis of 100% agreement.

2. Our downtown needs help. The Shops at Sunset Place, is the unique and one of a kind large parcel in our downtown by the South Miami Metrorail Station. The taller portions of the revitalized Sunset Place are along US1, our urban boulevard. New residents and inhabitants will bring much needed people to support our downtown businesses, and would help with the momentum boosting our city merchants and restaurants., This change, if implemented, will not effect residential areas; South Miami must not pass up on this opportunity

3. But it is not just up to the Shops to carry 100% of the burden for re-energizing our struggling downtown. Here are other ways the City can demonstrate it supports our downtown:

•  Allow portions of our downtown streets to open to pedestrian only traffic at certain times of the week (during the weekend, etc.), allowing businesses to spill onto the sidewalks and streets in a convivial way.

• Our current shuttle has a limited route, and there is no predicting its whereabouts. An expanded route and an app to determine its location will help. Open electric vehicles like the Downtowner with its on-demand free shuttle for South Miami residents will also assist residents to visit our downtown. We can encourage walking and biking to downtown; it’s easy to walk to destinations 15 mins or less away ("Walk 10,000 steps a day for wellness"). It’s easy to bike to destinations 1-2 miles away. Sometimes we forget that South Miami is only 3 square miles!

• Make it easy for small properties to add much needed urban, transit-served apartments, studio apartments, and additional office space. Relax parking requirements in the smaller parcels, or even allow the market to determine how much parking, if at all, to provide. That way, the City can reward property owners, future residents, and future office workers that desire to live a car-optional lifestyle.

4. Let’s ignite the spark and give the love and support for our city’s healthy downtown on August 28th! Voting YES on #240 is the path forward!

--The South Miami Neighbors board

Comment on the South Miami Intermodal Transportation plan tonight!

George Puig and Stewart Robinson of Kimley-Horn will present an update for the South Miami Intermodal Transportation Plan (encompasses bicycle and pedestrian route plans)  this evening for the Green Taskforce Meeting. Please come by to give your comments if you can. This will likely be one of the last chances for public comment. The meeting is at 6pm at City Hall.

Green South Miami

Take a look at the Green South Miami web site for information on sustainability initiatives in the City of Pleasant Living. It is the official blog of the city's Green Task Force.

Join us in Planting Trees Along Miller Road

Please mark your calendars for our upcoming Tree planting project at 9 am on Saturday July 13. We will be planting 23 Cassia bakeriana trees (w/ beautiful pink flowers in spring) and 13 large Live Oak Trees along Miller Road between 58th and 59th Avenues.  The large trees will be installed by a contractor but we would appreciate your help to install the smaller trees. Even if you aren't healthy enough to dig holes we would love to have you there just to show your support.  This project is a collaboration between Miami Dade County, TREEmendous Miami, the South Miami Green Task Force and members of South Miami Neighbors. Hopefully this will be the first of many projects.  If you have any projects in mind where you would like to see more Trees, understory plants and the birds and butterflies that accompany them, please let us know and we can work on them together.  A reminder will be posted before the planting with any additional details.