A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD/COMMUNITY AFFAIRS COMMITTEE, AT ITS JANUARY 28, 2019 MEETING, TO NAME THE NEW DOG PARK LOCATED AT THE FORMER PAR 3/FUTURE MID-BEACH COMMUNITY PARK, “JORGE R. EXPOSITO DOG PARK,” IN HONOR OF MIAMI BEACH COMMISSIONER JORGE R. EXPOSITO AND, PURSUANT TO SECTION 82-503(B) OF THE CITY CODE, SETTING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR SEPTEMBER 11, 2019, TO CONSIDER THE PROPOSAL NAMING, AND DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO PUBLISH THE APPROPRIATE PUBLIC NOTICE.

The Administration recommends that Mayor and City Commission accept the recommendation of the Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee at its January 29, 2019 meeting to name the dog park at the Par 3/Future mid-beach community park for former Miami Beach Commissioner Jorge R. Exposito, and pursuant to section 82-503(b) of the City Code, set a public hearing for September 11, 2019, to consider the naming and direct the City Clerk to publish the appropriate public notice.

BACKGROUND

At their October 23, 2018 meeting, the Hispanic Affairs Committee made a motion requesting that the City Commission identify an appropriate portion of the existing Par 3/future mid-beach community park to dedicate in honor of Jorge R. Exposito, in recognition of his contributions as a Miami Beach Commissioner (Exhibit A).

Jorge R. Exposito, who served as commissioner from 2009 to 2013, passed away in November 2018. During his tenure, one of his signature projects was the overhaul of the Bayshore Municipal Golf Course, known as the par-3 golf course.

On November 14, 2018, Commission referred a discussion regarding the placement of a commemorative plaque, or other monument or memorial, at the Par 3/ mid-beach community park in honor of former Commissioner Exposito to the Neighborhoods and Community Affairs Committee (“NCAC”).

At their December 11, 2018 meeting, the Parks and Recreational Facility Advisory Board supported the Hispanic Affairs Committee motion advocating for a commemorative feature in honor of the late Commissioner.

In honor of Jorge R. Exposito and his love for dogs, Exposito’s family identified the dog park in the Par 3/future mid-beach community park as a proper location to name in his memory (Exhibit B).

At its January 29, 2019 meeting, the NCAC unanimously approved a motion to recommend naming the dog area within the Par 3/ future community park in honor of former Commissioner Jorge R. Exposito.

ANALYSIS

Per Section 82-503(b) of the City Code, which sets forth the procedure for naming an interior portion of a public facility (including the naming of an interior portion of the park), once a proposal to rename an existing public facility is submitted to the NCAC, the NCAC shall meet to consider and review the naming, or renaming, of the public facility. After reviewing the proposal, the NCAC shall transmit its recommendation to the City Commission. Within a reasonable time after receiving the recommendation from the NCAC, the City Commission shall call a public hearing, which must be noticed in the newspaper at least 10 days prior to the hearing. The proposed name, or rename, for the subject interior portion of the public facility, must be approved by a 5/7 vote of the City Commission.