By Coral Gables Gazette staff

A month after voicing frustration that its recommendations were being overlooked by the Coral Gables Commission, the city’s Parking Advisory Board issued a pointed message ahead of the August 26 meeting: do not give in to development pressure.

The comments came during a discussion of a proposed project in the 300 block of Aragon Avenue, which would incorporate two existing city-owned surface parking lots. Board member Blanca Famadas made her opposition clear.

“We don’t have to cave [to development], let’s make them cave in,” Famadas said.

A project tied to city-owned lots

The proposal, from Gables Place LLC in partnership with the city, is expected to be taken up at the commission meeting. The resolution would authorize City Manager Peter Iglesias to evaluate development options for the city-owned surface lots.

Parking and Mobility Services Director Monica Beltran explained that, in exchange for allowing part of the project to be built on city property, the city would receive parking spaces within new garages to be made available to the public.

Board members were not persuaded. “The trick is not to give in to them, and they cannot build anything,” Famadas said, reiterating her opposition.

Surface parking versus garages

The debate over the Aragon Avenue parcels highlights a broader divide in Coral Gables parking policy. Residents frequently express preference for surface and on-street parking, citing convenience and walkability, while developers and city planners often stress the efficiency and density of structured garages.

Beltran acknowledged that tension in her remarks, noting that residents prefer surface lots and street parking to garages. Famadas quickly pressed her on why the city was pursuing the development at all if that sentiment was so well understood.

For board members, the issue is not simply about parking spaces gained or lost, but about trust in the city’s stated priorities.

Frustration with city priorities

Vice Chair Lisa De Tournay voiced sharp criticism of the development pace in Coral Gables. “If we don’t push forward, we are just letting them ignore us,” she said. She added that she was “sickened” by the amount of construction already underway across the city.

De Tournay also renewed her criticism of the city’s decision to prioritize a mobility transportation plan over a parking master plan that had already been approved. Famadas pressed Beltran for a firm starting date for the parking plan, and Beltran said she would raise the issue with the city manager.

The tension between parking and mobility planning reflects larger debates about how Coral Gables will balance growth and transportation in its second century. The centennial has provided opportunities to rethink infrastructure, but it has also exposed the friction between development interests and resident preferences.

Seeking influence with commissioners

Board Member Stuart McGregor, who has previously expressed concern that the commission does not take the board’s recommendations seriously, urged colleagues to be more direct.

“Each of us should go to our commissioners and present the same plan,” McGregor said. “Some will say yes, some say no, some are in our pockets, some are in the pockets of others. We have to convince them that what we are presenting is actually from the community, and they are supposed to be representing the community.”

His comments underscored a broader frustration among advisory board members that their work is often treated as symbolic. The Parking Advisory Board has no direct authority; it can only recommend. When its advice is not taken up, members argue, residents are left without a meaningful channel for influencing city policy.

A commission decision ahead

The commission has yet to take a formal position on the Aragon Avenue proposal. The August 26 meeting will decide whether Iglesias is authorized to explore development options, a procedural step that could shape the city’s control over the parcels for years to come.

For some residents, the issue is larger than parking. The two surface lots represent a rare piece of city-owned land in the heart of downtown Coral Gables. Whether they remain surface parking or become part of a larger mixed-use development will signal how the commission intends to balance public space, resident needs, and private investment.