Long Thaw on "West Aventura" Incorporation Begins (Again)

Since this Blog is focused mainly on the annexation and incorporation issues facing the "west Aventura" community, and since the committee appointed to study and make recommendations on incorporation (the NE MAC) was suspended in 2014, there hasn't been much to report on.

But in these, the coldest days of the year in Miami, preparations are underway to un-thaw the process.

On January 21 the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners (the "BCC") held an official meeting, the agenda for which is at this link.

Agenda item 4(A) relates to the NE MAC.  Don't let other people tell you what this proposed ordinance says, read it yourself, which you can do here (it's only 4 pages - you can do it).

My first reaction when I learned of this agenda item was: "why bother?"  Recall that in 2014, the BCC had declined to act on threshold issues related to annexation and incorporations, and without acting on these threshold issues (including the central issue of "mitigation payments," discussed here), the MAC was being compelled to 'put the cart before the horse.'

But this is why you have to read the full proposed ordinance.  On page 2, one of the introductory clauses reads:

WHEREAS, prior to completing its updated report, the [MAC] should review the study being conducted by PMG Associates, Inc., concerning annexations and incorporations, pursuant to its contract with Miami-Dade County (the "Study").

The significance of this, is that one of the issues the MAC asked Jorge Fernandez about repeatedly was "when will the County make a determination on the threshold issues" relating to incorporation (including mitigation).  And it looks like the County finally got around to hiring a consultant to study the issue.  So perhaps the MAC will at last be allowed to consider the issue of mitigation BEFORE making any recommendations on the viability of creating a new city by incorporation.

On page 3 of the proposed ordinance, Section 4 says that the MAC "shall review and consider the Study, prior to completing its updated report", and Section 5 says the MAC "shall complete its updated report within six months of the date that the [BCC] accepts the Study."

So for those in the community who were hoping for an up-or-down vote on the issue of a new city in 2015, it appears you will have to wait until far into 2016 (since the consultant hired to create the Study has one year to do so, and the MAC has another 6 months after that to create its updated report).

The proposed ordinance (resuscitating the MAC) will be heard and voted on next month: March 10, at 2pm, at the government building (111 NW 1st Street, 2nd Floor).