By Coral Gables Gazette staff
The City of Coral Gables is exploring the creation of a new taxing district in its downtown commercial core, aiming to revitalize and sustain the heart of the city’s business center. It is hosting a series of meetings next week to garner feedback from stakeholders before taking specific action.
For a quarter of a century, the City of Coral Gables leaned on its Business Improvement District to take care of the heart of its commercial business center. But in 2023, the BID was formally dissolved after a referendum approving its continued existence failed.
Although a Gables BID exists today, it is a nonprofit organization without taxing authority. In the meantime, the city’s Economic Development Department has assumed responsibility for downtown programming — including events such as Trick-or-Treat on the Mile and holiday décor — to ensure continued activity in the business district.
A comeback with a new name
But the city is now thinking about bringing a taxing authority to its central business core, once again, although with new branding. Under Florida law, only municipalities establish a district with taxing authority. The Downtown Coral Gables Partnership (DCGP), as it is being called, is currently being studied to keep the downtown area active and thriving.
How the new district would work
The organization would have the authority to issue an assessment, or tax, on property owners in downtown, with those funds being used to bolster the district. Any new taxing district would require approval from affected property owners under Florida law. The city’s Director of Economic Development Belkys Perez spoke about the city’s plans for a new taxing district at the Economic Development Board meeting on November 5.
Expanding the footprint
Among the potential changes of the new district, Perez said a future DCGP would likely be extended beyond what the original BID was, properties along Miracle Mile and parallel streets a couple blocks north and south.
“We will probably go farther south than what was there before,” Perez said. “Thinking that perhaps the boundaries would be just south of that (The Plaza). Like the previous BID, Belkys said the taxing district would have a director and possibly a staff, with a board set up to guide it.
When asked the new DCGP would fall control of the city, Perez said that it as “trending” in that direction, following the lead of similar taxing districts in Wynwood, Coconut Grove and other local areas.
Other specifics, like the estimated budget and more details of how it would operate were not yet known, Perez said.
Residents and businesses invited to weigh in
The city will host Downtown Coral Gables Partnership Roundtable sessions Wednesday through Friday, Nov. 12–14, organized by stakeholder type — including property owners, retailers, restaurants, and residents — to gather input on priorities for the district. Emails from the city’s Economic Development Partners entitled “Help Shape the Future of Downtown Coral Gables” went out to different stakeholders in early November.
Board members had more questions about the proposal and offered suggestions on how the city should propose the district, including presenting a list of perceived benefits, a projected cost to property owners, and how the new plan differs from the previous BID.
Perez encouraged board members to sign up for those meetings and inform their networks to do so also. Anyone can sign up for the Roundtable sessions, by stakeholders (property owners, retail owners, residents and restaurants by visiting the city’s website.
Lessons from the past
Mayor Vince Lago revealed plans for re-establishing a taxing district in downtown to help revitalize the central business district at his State of the City address in September. He was supportive but warned against repeating past missteps, including misrepresentation and underrepresentation of property owners in past versions.
Downtown business owners with questions can contact the city’s Economic Development Department at business@coralgables.com for additional information.
This Post Has 5 Comments
ANY CONSIDERATION OF RENEWING THE BID IS A DISASTER!
The BID in the past worked AGAINST THE BEST INTERESTS OF MIRACLE MILE.
THE BID LITERALLY STOLE HALF A MILLION DOLLARS FROM TAXPAYERS!
It was totally HIJACKED BY DEVELOPER STEVE BITTEL OF TERRANOVA !!!
Sincerely,
Jackson Rip Holmes
Miracle Mile Property Owner!
The Mile lost its convenience factor when it took away angled parking. Who wants to parallel park on a busy street? It used to be great to just pull in and back out. Parallel parking greatly reduced the number of spaces and added to congestion. The whole valet thing is an obstacle as well. I find it hard to believe that widened sidewalks offset the benefit of ease of shopping. Unless you luck out, finding a space is so difficult that you almost have to go to a garage. It went from hometown feel to city feel. I WISH they would bring back angled parking, even by reducing the street to one lane (imagine). In any case, I just gave up shopping there or going there at peak times (like lunch). Lately, it’s shocking to see SO MANY empty stores–another bad sign (with the no parking). I hear they are getting rid of the grey and white pavers in places. Those added nothing to the look. They are always dirty. The signature Coral Gables pink concrete sidewalk was better. And I miss the roses . . .
Miracle Mile is surrounded by city-owned parking garages and lots. Use them.
Why is the city planning a re-do? Voters already got rid of BID, so why BID 2.0? Whenever someone in Coral Gables doesn’t get what they want in an election or referendum (e.g. the mayor and Little Gables), they keep coming back for more bites at the apple. G’nig already.
Also, do we even need more bureaucracy and, if so, why one with such geographically-limited jurisdiction? Commissioners set tax rates for the rest of the city, so they should set these commercial rates also. That is, unless they can’t fairly set rates for the hedge funds and mega-corporate landowners who ply them with campaign contributions and other largesse. Commercial properties in Coral Gables should be subject to the same taxing authority, our commissioners, as they are the ones directly answerable to voters.
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