Miami Tree Advisory Committee First Meeting - July 13, 2026
Miami Tree Advisory Committee First Meeting - July 13, 2026
The Tree Advisory Committee held its inaugural organizational meeting on July 13, 2026, from approximately 9:00 AM to 12:18 PM. The meeting focused on committee member introductions, process overview, sunshine law training, a high-level overview of Miami's tree regulatory framework, and planning for public workshops. Six members were present, establishing a quorum. No formal votes were taken.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Katrina Morris (Coconut Grove resident) expressed frustration that developers are overrepresented and that the public feels under threat. She questioned the choice of a workshop venue (Regatta Grove) whose contact person is a developer and urged the committee to prioritize livability over profit.
- Lindsay Kane (Miami resident, representing Miami Tree Preservation Action Committee) criticized the meeting time (9 AM Monday) as inaccessible, highlighted a surge in tree removals, and called for an audit of the Tree Trust Fund. She requested harsher penalties for violations, earlier resident notification of permits, and noted that the city's Citizens Bill of Rights is being violated.
- Trulie Burton (Executive Vice President, Builders Association of South Florida) offered to disseminate information to members and stressed the need to balance tree preservation with affordable housing. She urged calm dialogue and recommended planting the right trees in the right places.
- Silvio Pupo (Altapada resident, Climate Resilience Committee member) offered himself as a resource and requested a joint workshop between the CRC and this committee to review his proposals (Leaf and Canopy), which focus on community stewardship, tree corps, open data, and transparency of the Tree Trust Fund.
Discussion Items
- Introductions & Committee Purpose: Each member introduced themselves, their background, and hopes for the committee. Common themes: tree canopy crisis, need for balanced policy, improved process and transparency, and education of developers and architects.
- Process & Work Plan Review: Facilitators from the Consensus Center (Florida State University) explained the committee's charge: to review and recommend improvements to Chapter 17 (tree ordinance) and related policies. They described a consensus-building process using a four-point scale (wholehearted support to major reservations) rather than voting, with a final report transmitted to the City Commission. The work plan includes two rounds of public workshops (broad input in Aug–Sept 2026, then specific feedback in Dec 2026), with the committee aiming to finalize recommendations by March 2027.
- Sunshine Law Briefing: Senior Assistant City Attorney Patricia Arias provided a detailed briefing on Florida's Sunshine Law (Article I, Section 24(b) and Section 286.011), prohibiting two or more members from discussing committee business outside public meetings, including email, phone, or social gatherings. Members were reminded to take an ethics course within 90 days and to file financial interest statements.
- Overview of Tree Regulatory Framework: Sean Smith (Acting Chief of Environmental Resources, certified arborist) presented a high-level overview of Miami's tree regulations, including definitions (regulated tree: ≥2" DBH, ≥12' height; specimen tree: ≥18" DBH), permit requirements, replacement/mitigation rules (progressive chart based on total DBH removed), Tree Trust Fund (approx. $1.8 million as of May 2026), enforcement fines ($500–$1,000 per tree, up to $5,000/day for repeat violators), and the interaction with county and state laws (Chapter 24 and Florida Statute 163.045). He also highlighted the city's tree planting goals (500 trees per quarter, 20% canopy increase over 5 years) and the role of the Urban Forestry Team.
- Interview Summary Review: Facilitators presented a summary of interviews conducted with committee members and stakeholders, identifying key issues: requirements not having intended effect, permitting complexity, enforcement inconsistency, trust deficits, and need for a coordinated canopy strategy. Members noted the importance of district-specific priorities and the need for clearer staff guidance on jurisdictional issues (state/county/city roads).
- Public Workshop Planning: The committee reviewed a tentative schedule of five district workshops (first round: Aug 10–14, 2026) and an online comment portal. The format will be roundtable discussions with broad questions (e.g., what is important about trees, what issues should the city address). Members were encouraged to help publicize the workshops but cautioned not to participate in discussions due to Sunshine Law constraints. Members suggested targeting developers, single-family homeowners, and using the workshops to gauge public priorities for city spending.
Key Outcomes
- Committee established: Quorum achieved (6 members present). Two additional members are expected to be appointed (one replacement, one at-large).
- Next steps: Facilitators will send a poll to schedule future meetings, finalize workshop dates/locations, and provide a link to the online ethics training (virtual, July 14 at 2 PM). The presentation and interview summary will be made public.
- Requests for action: The committee acknowledged requests for a joint workshop with the Climate Resilience Committee (from Silvio Pupo) and for an audit of the Tree Trust Fund (from public comment). These will be considered in future meetings.
- No formal votes or decisions taken; the meeting was entirely organizational.
Meeting Transcript
And drainage to resolve flooding in the area, which is actually part of a larger project in the Albany area. Neighbors in the area had said the roadway really needs to be repaid, been torn up for a long time, and there's a lot of speeding on Thirty Second Avenue. So we went ahead and we did a raised intersection. So you've got beautiful new roadways behind us, you got paved brick walkways, you got things that slow you down and keep the street looking beautiful, and residents could not be happier. Good morning. Um, my name's Patricia Arias. I'm a senior assistant city attorney for the city of Miami. Um this is the first committee meeting for the tree advisory committee. And because technically we don't have a chair, I'll need everybody to say their name and say present, right? So that we could do a quorum. There's something that I have to state before the meeting begins, and then I can the presentation can start. So we'll start on that end and get to me. No, obviously once they say their name. Ian Wogan. So that we have six, so we have a quorum. Okay. So let me go ahead. Any person who's a lobbyist pursuant to chapter two, Article Six of the City Code must register with the city clerk and compliment with related city requirements for lobbyists before appearing before the tree advised ordinance advisory committee. A person may not lobby at a city official board member or staff member until registering. A copy of the city code section about lobbyists is available at the city clerk's office or online at WW Municode.com. Any person may be heard by the committee for not more than two meetings on two minutes on any proposition before the committee, unless otherwise allowed by the committee to speak for the have them speak longer. Additionally, the city will accommodate any speakers desiring to appear in person when addressing the committee. Um the trees, presumably. But if at any point in time there are different matters, that's why we set it out as items. A video of this meeting may be requested at the Office of Communications or viewed online at WWMIGov.com. Please silence all cell phones and any other noise-making devices, and any person with a disability requiring existing auxiliary aids and services for this meeting may notify the city liaison. Please know committee members may have generally been um briefed on the items on today's agenda. Today the agenda is in essence a meet and greet. Hello, how are we? How is this all going to comport? In order to ensure that the public has the ability to view the meeting, the city's communications department will broadcast the meeting. The meeting can be viewed on Miami TV, MiamiGov.com backslash TV, or Comcast 1077 within the city of Miami. The broadcast will also have closed capsiding. With that, I have finished my preliminary notes. No. Um we'll review the agenda and the process and give you each a chance to formally kind of introduce yourselves in just a minute, but I think we're gonna turn and let was gonna do a welcome first. Good morning all. With that, I turn it over to the next person on the agenda. Thank you, Ed. Uh, and again, before I go into more detail, those of the public, I think who may have arrived after I said this, there is a sign-up sheet over here if you would like to say something at the end of the meeting. There's also agendas over here uh as well. Um we're um we're gonna do some introductions. Let me start off by pointing out, especially since there are some here who may not know and had alludes to we're with the consensus center. Rafael and I are based uh with a consensus center that's based at Florida State University. We're not subject matter experts. We're not here. That's what your your role is to be. Our role is the facilitators, we're the process guys to help you have as constructive and effective conversations over a series of meetings that we've designed for you as we can. So uh Rafael, do you want to add anything to that before I move on to them? No, I think you'll get to Rafael and I will be tag teaming uh kind of things.
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