By Coral Gables Gazette staff

The Oct. 28 Coral Gables City Commission meeting stretched nearly eight hours as commissioners moved from policy updates to proclamations and art acquisitions. While major actions such as the City Hall restoration, UM-area development dispute, Mobility Hub approval, state tax-cut impacts, and downtown activation plan are covered in separate Gazette reports, the following highlights other key moments from the session.

Former mayor marks 45 years of Coral Gables Crime Watch

Former Mayor Dorothy Thomson returned to City Hall to mark a milestone she helped create 45 years ago—the founding of the Coral Gables Crime Watch. Speaking during a proclamation declaring Coral Gables Crime Watch Day, Thomson recalled how the organization began in 1980 after a call from Realtor Carol Fuel, who urged the city to organize residents during the upheaval of the Mariel boatlift.

Thomson said the effort started with residents serving as “additional eyes and ears” for police, at a time when some departments were wary of civilian participation. That collaboration, she said, has endured and grown over four decades. She introduced the group’s president Aaron Glasser and executive director Anna Lamb, whom commissioners later praised for their outreach and safety education.

Commissioners Ariel Fernandez, Richard Lara, and Vice Mayor Rhonda Anderson commended the organization’s longevity and Thomson’s leadership, noting its partnerships with civic clubs and its volunteer-driven programs. Thomson closed by thanking Deputy City Clerk Yoli Davis for her behind-the-scenes work on city proclamations, calling her and her colleagues “unsung heroes.” The commission then unanimously proclaimed Oct. 28 as Coral Gables Crime Watch Day.

City expands public art collection, eyes major new installations

The commission voted unanimously to acquire Le Couple (1991), a white Carrara-marble sculpture by Cuban-born artist Agustín Cárdenas, from Latin Art Corps. The Cultural Development Board recommended the purchase, funded through the city’s Art in Public Places reserve.

Arts and Culture Coordinator Catherine Cathers described Cárdenas as one of the most significant sculptors of the 20th century. Commissioners discussed possible outdoor placement—either in the Garden Paseo at 427 Biltmore Way or outside the Coral Gables Art Cinema—with staff to finalize the site through City Manager Peter Igelais’s office.

Cathers also previewed a potential acquisition of Sky Landscape II (1976) by American sculptor Louise Nevelson, calling it a large-scale welded-aluminum work that would complement the marble piece. Mayor Vince Lago said adding both artists to the city’s collection would “elevate Coral Gables’ profile in the art world.”

The discussion concluded with an update on “Intervals,” a city-sponsored Art Week installation series launching in November, featuring five international artists in partnership with major galleries, hotels, and Art Basel Miami Beach.

Commission defers decision on Obispo Avenue demolition appeal

The commission deferred a decision on an appeal seeking permission to demolish the residence at 1258 Obispo Avenue, a contributing structure within the Obispo Avenue Historic District. Property owners Javier Aila and Jennifer Ruiz appealed the Historic Preservation Board’s Sept. 18 ruling, which denied their claim of economic hardship and rejected a certificate of appropriateness for demolition.

After roughly 75 minutes of presentations and debate, the commission voted to defer the matter to Nov. 18 for further record review. Vice Mayor Anderson and Commissioner Melissa Castro cited incomplete documentation regarding appraisals and engineering reports, while Mayor Lago noted the case’s broader implications for historic property rights.

Commission revisits Bike Master Plan amid calls for safer east-west routes

Commissioners revisited the city’s Bicycle Master Plan, citing renewed resident interest in safer east-west routes. Public Works Director Hermes Diaz said previous efforts to install bike lanes—on Salzedo Street, Riviera Drive, and parts of Alhambra Circle—faced opposition from adjacent property owners over parking and traffic impacts.

One segment south of U.S. 1 on South Alhambra, advanced by resident petition, is expected to move forward in 2026. Vice Mayor Anderson said volunteers had gathered signatures from homeowners between Blue Road and U.S. 1 supporting a new route connecting the Adult Activity Center, Publix garage, and Biltmore Way, continuing north toward Hernando or Segovia. She urged updating the 2014 plan to account for major new developments and to ready designs for future grant funding.

Castro defers her ethics ordinance without explanation

Commissioner Castro deferred her own proposed ethics ordinance without explanation. The measure would amend the city’s Code of Ethics to create new anti-kickback and post-approval disclosure requirements, prohibiting elected officials from receiving benefits from developers or contractors after project approvals. It also calls for continuous disclosure obligations by officials and sworn affidavits from applicants.

Lago calls for outreach plan on upcoming referendums

Mayor Lago directed the city manager to prepare an outreach plan for the city’s eight referendums next year. Lago requested website updates, an e-news campaign, a press release, and possibly a town hall to ensure residents are well informed. He said he also plans to fund his own outreach efforts, calling the referendums “critically important.”

Kidney found for former Mayor Jim Cason

Commissioner Castro announced that former Mayor Jim Cason (2011–2017) had been matched with a kidney donor. The commissioner said Cason’s wife, Carmen, asked her to share that he entered Jackson Memorial Hospital that morning and that the outlook was promising.