At Monday’s meeting of Miami’s Tree Ordinance Advisory Committee, developers offered their proposals for rewriting the city’s tree ordinance, while a committee member challenged city staff’s claim that state law limits the city’s authority to question certain tree removals.
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City Lawyers Initially Rejected The WELL Density Transfer, Emails Show
Newly obtained records reveal months of legal objections and procedural questions before Miami officials approved an unprecedented transfer of density credits between two luxury condo projects.
Inside City Hall: Miami’s Union Contracts Have Expired. Four Things to Watch.
Miami’s last labor agreements delivered substantial raises. Now, with four contracts expired and voters approving Amendment 3’s sweeping property-tax cuts, City Hall is revealing little about what comes next — or what it might cost taxpayers.
A Note from the Newsroom
The Coconut Grove Spotlight is forging a new collaborative partnership with The Florida Trib to bring additional investigative journalism to Miami City Hall.
Inside City Hall: City Paychecks, Union Jobs
Miami’s municipal employee unions — big backers of Eileen Higgins in last fall’s mayoral election and proponents of next week’s $450 million public safety bond referendum — enjoy an unusual perk: Eight employees are excused from their city jobs to represent their unions full time, while collectively drawing more than $1 million a year in taxpayer-funded salaries.
Dead Dog Found Tethered to Cinder Blocks in Coconut Grove Waters
Miami police are investigating the disturbing discovery near Dinner Key as city commissioners prepare to consider three proposals to strengthen animal protection laws.
City Staff Withheld Budget Report Ahead of Key Vote
In the days leading up to last month’s approval of Miami’s $3.7 billion budget, a city oversight committee charged with reviewing municipal finances tried to alert commissioners to a host of potential concerns. But its report was not shared with commissioners until after the vote.
Inside City Hall: The Raises Keep Coming
A Spotlight review found that salary increases added $7.6 million to city employees’ annualized pay in just six months. And that snapshot captures only part of the story.
After Silver Bluff Damage Next Door, Madonna’s Former Estate Faces Scrutiny
Less than two years after Coconut Grove developer David Martin was cited for irreparably damaging the protected Silver Bluff outside his waterfront mansion, the owner of the property next door is seeking approval for new construction — where archaeologists have uncovered 19th-century artifacts and possible evidence of prehistoric activity.
Miami Is Moving Nearly $1 Million in Tree Money. Where Is It Going?
Commissioners will vote Thursday on shifting $996,000 out of Citywide Tree Planting and into three other projects. The move raises a larger question: How can residents track where Miami’s tree money goes?
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City Lawyers Initially Rejected The WELL Density Transfer, Emails Show
Newly obtained records reveal months of legal
