Miami-Dade Recreation and Tourism Committee Meeting - October 14, 2025
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Miami-Dade Recreation and Tourism Committee Meeting - October 14, 2025
The Recreation and Tourism Committee of the Miami-Dade County Commission met on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, at 1:00 PM in the Commission Chambers. The meeting included a public hearing on a peafowl mitigation ordinance, deferrals of two items, and approval of several grant resolutions and administrative items. All votes were unanimous.
Public Comments & Testimony
- No members of the public offered testimony during the reasonable opportunity to be heard or during the public hearing.
Discussion Items
- Item 1F1 – Park Update (Deferred): A discussion item titled "Park Update: Impact of Budget Reductions on Parks and an Update on Amelia Earhart Park" was deferred to the next committee meeting by a vote of 4-0 at the request of the prime sponsor.
- Item 1G2 – Children’s Trust Ordinance (Deferred): An ordinance to revise membership and term limits of the Children’s Trust Governing Board (Chapter 2, Article CIII of the County Code) to conform to state law (Section 125.901, Florida Statutes) was deferred to the next committee meeting following a public hearing, by a vote of 4-0.
Public Hearing – Peafowl Mitigation Ordinance (Item 1G1)
- Sponsor: Commissioner Juan Carlos Bermudez (District 12), with Commissioner Raquel A. Regalado (District 7) as co-sponsor.
- Overview: The ordinance amends Section 5-16 of the County Code to allow the county to opt out of peafowl regulations in designated unincorporated areas, and approves the District 12 Unincorporated Area Peafowl Mitigation Policy, funded entirely by district funds with no county cost.
- Debate: Commissioner Bermudez described damage caused by peafowl (roof damage, property destruction) and the need for humane removal by a state-licensed wildlife control operator. Commissioner Regalado noted that while cities like Pinecrest, South Miami, and Coral Gables have ordinances, unincorporated areas lack relief, and that peafowl populations can reach 20–40 birds per property, causing territorial aggression. She requested a friendly amendment to also include District 7 in the policy, which Commissioner Bermudez accepted.
- Amendment: The ordinance was amended to apply to both District 12 and District 7.
- Vote: The ordinance was forwarded to the Board of County Commissioners (BCC) with a favorable recommendation, following a public hearing, by a vote of 4-0.
Consent Calendar
- Items Approved Unanimously (4-0):
- Item 3A: Resolution authorizing $141,000 in Cultural Affairs Community Grants for 23 entities (FY 2024-2025 Q4).
- Item 3B: Resolution approving $269,250 in Tourist Development Council Grants (FY 2024-2025 Q3).
- Item 3C: Resolution approving reappointments of William Perry III, T. Gene Prescott, Danielle M. Torres, and City of Miami Commissioner Christine King, and appointment of Robin Libby Jacobs to the Tourist Development Council.
- Item 3D: Resolution approving $187,250 in Tourist Development Council Grants (FY 2024-2025 Q4).
- Item 3E: Resolution approving an interlocal lease agreement with Sunny Isles Beach for continued library operations at $1/year plus pro rata operating costs (initial 5-year term with renewal options).
- Item 3F: Resolution approving a lease for fleet storage for Animal Services at 3500 NW 79 Avenue, Doral (6-year estimated cost $1,784,223.73).
- Item 6A: Approval of Clerk’s Summary of Minutes for meetings of March 10, May 12, June 9, and July 7, 2025.
- The committee also voted to waive items 3A, 3B, 3D, and 3E to the next BCC meeting (a procedural step).
Key Outcomes
- Deferrals: Items 1F1 (Park Update) and 1G2 (Children’s Trust Ordinance) were deferred to the next committee meeting.
- Passed: The Peafowl Mitigation Ordinance (as amended to include District 7) was forwarded to the full BCC with a favorable recommendation, 4-0.
- Approved: All other agenda items were approved unanimously, forwarding grant funding, appointments, and leases to the BCC for final action.
- Next Steps: The committee adjourned after completing its business.
Meeting Transcript
Thank you so much. I apologize we had technical difficulties, but welcome to our recreation and tourism committee. Um today, October 14th, and um we will begin with a quick moment of silence and reflection, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by uh Keoni Mickey Republic for which she stands one for God. All right. I have no cards, I don't see anybody here for that. So reasonable opportunity to be closed is now closed. Um I know you have some changes to the agenda, city attorneys uh county attorney's office. Can you please let us know what they are? And then I have a few additions. Yes, the items to be considered today are those on the printed final agenda with the following changes. There are four add-ons, one G1 supplement, one G1 supplement number two, one G2 supplement, and one G2 supplement number two. There's also a scrivener's error discussion item one F should read park update, impact of budget reductions on parks and an update on Amelia Earhart Park. With this with these changes, a motion to set the agenda is in order. Do I have a motion? Move it. Second. Um, all in favor. Aye. Show the agenda set. With that, I have a request to defer to the next committee meeting. Items one F1 and 1G2. Having said that, is there anybody here from the public who wishes to speak on any of our public hearing items before one G2 is deferred. Okay, I don't see anybody, so that will be deferred to the next meeting. And with that, we will take one G1. Thank you for joining us. Board member Permutis. Thank you so much, Madam Chair. Uh first of all, this is uh a P foul ordinance. Excuse me, sorry. May I read the title? Sure. One G1 is an ordinance relating to animals, amending section five-16 of the code of Miami Dade County, Florida, allowing the county to opt out of regulations relating to PFOL as to any designated area in the unincorporated area, approving the district twelve unincorporated area PFOL mitigation policy and providing for the funding to implement such policy, providing several inclusion and and exclusion from the code and an effective date. I just want to co-sponsor it. Yes, yes, absolutely. Commissioner Regalado has dealt with this in her district a lot, and I'm gonna be brief. I'm not gonna show the video unless you guys want to see it because the P foul caused a lot of damage. Because not only they have they become a nuisance, but they've caused damage to property, cars, roofs, believe it or not, roofs. The lady had to replace her whole roof. Um I'm leaving it now for district twelve because we don't have a policy necessarily in in um in the county, but it's a offering relief to the residents, and obviously uh I did not know this, but uh a flock of peafowl are called a mustard. So we're trying so um without this, they are unable to seek relief. They have the petition, but uh Commissioner Regolado has done a fantastic job in our district because I know Pinecrest, South Miami, and Coral Gables all have ordinances. Uh I think the city of Miami has a process. I don't know if they have an ordinance. Um but obviously we've we're gonna contract with a responsible private entity, uh, which is newest the new essence wildlife control operator listed with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, which specialize in the uh humane removal of the PFOL and the public rights of way, which is where it really has impact. We in District 12 would dedicate funds for this purpose. Uh you can see from the memorandums both the mayors uh and and also Mr. Ray is that it's not gonna cost the county uh any money. But if you want to see the video, it's up to you. But I'm telling you when you see them, they cause a lot of damage in people's homes and they in our district, it's really been causing a great damage to the unincorporated area in District 12. So it doesn't hurt anybody.
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