By Coral Gables Gazette staff

The Coral Gables City Commission meets Tuesday, March 10, at 9 a.m. at Police and Fire Headquarters, 2151 Salzedo Street, with an agenda that spans transportation, land use, public art and unfinished business on human trafficking prevention.

Commissioners will take a final vote on a golf cart ordinance poised to pass, hold a first reading on proposed density increases near the University Station Metrorail corridor, consider a $1 million public artwork at the Mobility Hub, and revisit a human trafficking training resolution that sparked a 3-2 deferral vote at the February 24 meeting.

Golf carts on city streets: a final vote appears likely

An ordinance, sponsored by Mayor Vince Lago, arrives for its second reading Tuesday. It would amend the City Code to authorize and regulate golf cart operation on designated Coral Gables streets. Second reading is typically the final step before a measure becomes law.

Golf cart ordinances have become common across Florida municipalities. Residents use them for short neighborhood trips; safety concerns remain the most frequent point of debate where golf carts mix with conventional traffic. If approved, the specific streets where carts may operate would be designated in the implementation phase following Tuesday’s vote.

University Station density: first reading on significant land-use changes

The most complex items on Tuesday’s agenda are first-reading measures that would expand allowable density and height within the University Station Rapid Transit District Overlay, a zoning framework encouraging higher-intensity development near the US-1 Metrorail corridor.

The ordinances would rezone multiple parcels in the Riviera Waterways Section, Singer Subdivision, and Riviera Section 14 from low-density residential, duplex, or commercial classifications to medium and high-density residential designations. They would add 6100 Caballero Boulevard to the overlay district and expand Transfer of Development Rights receiving sites within it. Transfer of Development Rights is a planning tool that shifts development potential from one parcel to another, concentrating density in targeted areas.

The Planning and Zoning Board recommended approval 5-0 on February 11. Because these are first-reading ordinances, a second reading and additional public comment opportunity would follow before any changes take effect. Tuesday’s hearing is the appropriate moment for residents in the Riviera and adjacent neighborhoods to engage.

Two public art proposals: Mobility Hub and Giralda Plaza

An agenda item would authorize the city to request a formal artwork proposal from Miami-born artist Hernan Bas for a permanent installation at the Mobility Hub, with an all-inclusive budget of $1 million. The commission would approve $5,000 from the Art Fund toward preparing the proposal, with the balance drawn from the Art in Public Places Reserve if the work is ultimately approved. Bas has exhibited at the New Museum in New York, the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, and at major international biennials. Tuesday’s vote is a request for a proposal.

There are two agenda items that concern the Giralda Sky Project: two temporary overhead installations for Giralda Plaza and a contract with Aver Productions for the truss system to support them, at an estimated cost of $183,829.40 for six months. The plaza has become a regular venue for outdoor dining and cultural programming; the installations would add a vertical dimension to a space that already draws consistent foot traffic.

Human trafficking training resolution returns after contentious deferral

Tuesday’s agenda includes a resolution directing the city to conduct human trafficking awareness and education programs ahead of major international events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It returns after the commission tabled a related measure on February 24 by a vote of 3-2 following nearly two hours of debate.

Commissioner Melissa Castro’s February resolution would have required fire rescue and emergency medical personnel to complete specialized human trafficking and sexual assault training within six months. Advocates from the Miami-Dade Sexual Assault Response Initiative testified in support. Police Chief Ed Hudak and Fire Chief Marcos De La Rosa outlined existing protocols that a commission majority found sufficient for now. Commissioner Ariel Fernandez pushed back on the deferral, arguing the resolution could serve as a starting point. The majority directed further consultation with city departments before any vote.

Florida ranks third nationally in reported human trafficking cases, according to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Miami-Dade County recently received more than $1 million in state funding for expanded anti-trafficking enforcement. Tuesday’s item will test whether the commission is ready to move forward.

How to follow Tuesday’s meeting

The meeting begins at 9 a.m. The public may attend in person or join via Zoom at zoom.us/j/3054466800, or by phone at (305) 461-6769, Meeting ID 3054466800. Written comments may be submitted at coralgables.com/commissionmeetings or emailed to cityclerk@coralgables.com before the meeting. The session broadcasts live at coralgables.com/cgtv and on Comcast Channel 77. The Gazette will report on Tuesday’s votes.

Meeting details

What: Coral Gables City Commission Regular Meeting

When: Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 9:00 a.m.

Where: Police and Fire Headquarters, Community Meeting Room, 2151 Salzedo Street, Coral Gables

Remote: Zoom at zoom.us/j/3054466800 or by phone at (305) 461-6769, Meeting ID: 3054466800

Broadcast: coralgables.com/cgtv and Comcast Channel 77

Comments: coralgables.com/commissionmeetings or cityclerk@coralgables.com