Miami-Dade Infrastructure, Innovation & Technology Committee Meeting - December 8, 2025
STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE
Miami-Dade Infrastructure, Innovation & Technology Committee Meeting - December 8, 2025
The Infrastructure, Innovation & Technology Committee of the Miami-Dade County Commission met on December 8, 2025, at 11:00 AM in Commission Chambers. Chair Oliver G. Gilbert III presided, joined by Commissioners Danielle Cohen Higgins, Vicki L. Lopez, Raquel A. Regalado, and Micky Steinberg. The committee approved the agenda with changes, including the addition of item 3L, deferral of item 3J to February 2, 2026, withdrawal of item 3B, and addition of item 3M.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Maria Magdalena Tupignan (21 Madeira Avenue, Coral Gables) spoke on item 2A regarding electric vehicles (EVs). She expressed concerns that the county is wasting taxpayer money on climate change programs, particularly the electrification of the county fleet. She stated that EVs are unreliable, prone to catching fire, require hours to charge, and would leave the county paralyzed during a hurricane. She cited a Miami Herald article reporting that South Florida’s fleet of electric buses cost $126 million and only a few are running, with most breaking down. She also argued, based on U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts, that EVs will likely increase air pollution compared to new internal combustion vehicles. Chair Gilbert ended her remarks and requested she submit written materials.
Discussion Items
- Item 1G1 – Ordinance amending Downtown Kendall Urban Center zoning district regulations regarding amenity stories and penthouse floorplate area for buildings fronting certain streets. Prime Sponsor Commissioner Raquel A. Regalado. The public hearing was opened and closed with no speakers. The item passed unanimously (5-0). Commissioner Regalado requested the item be moved to the December 2025 Board of County Commissioners (BCC) meeting.
- Item 2A – Resolution directing the County Mayor to prepare a written report on the performance of the county’s electric vehicle fleet, including a disposition plan for EVs and batteries. Co-Prime Sponsors Commissioner Roberto J. Gonzalez and Natalie Milian Orbis. Commissioner Micky Steinberg proposed an amendment to add a long-term fiscal and maintenance cost analysis to the report. Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins amended the resolution to require an analysis and briefing to commissioners rather than a written report placed on an agenda. Both amendments were accepted.
- Item 2B – Resolution directing the County Mayor to report on properties critical for county infrastructure that are not owned or controlled by the county and may need acquisition by purchase or eminent domain. Prime Sponsor Commissioner Danielle Cohen Higgins, with Co-Sponsor Vicki L. Lopez. Commissioner Cohen Higgins amended the resolution to require an analysis and briefing to commissioners rather than a written report, to avoid creating a public record of properties. Commissioner Lopez co-sponsored.
- Item 3L – Resolution approving the Second Amendment to the Interlocal Agreement for the South East Florida Regional Climate Change Compact, reducing the county's contribution to $80,000 through September 30, 2026. Prime Sponsor Commissioner Micky Steinberg. Chair Gilbert agreed to move the item to the next BCC meeting upon staff request.
Consent Calendar / Unanimous Approvals (all passed 5-0)
- Item 3A – Interlocal agreement with Village of Palmetto Bay for on-demand transportation services.
- Item 3C – Road closing petition for NE 6 Place (P-1034) filed by MOD 6 LLC and Yossi Marlow, with retention of utility easement.
- Item 3D – Interlocal agreement with City of Miami for on-demand transportation services.
- Item 3E – Supplemental agreement with Marlin Engineering, Inc. for bridge inspection and structural analysis, increasing contract amount to $1,650,000.
- Item 3F – Interlocal agreement with Florida City for on-demand transportation services.
- Item 3G – Interlocal agreement with Village of Pinecrest for on-demand transportation services.
- Item 3H – Interlocal agreement with Town of Bay Harbor Islands for on-demand transportation services (Commissioner Steinberg listed as co-sponsor).
- Item 3I – Award of contract to Stewart & Stevenson FDDA LLC for energy storage system batteries and dual power inverter modules for the hybrid Metrobus fleet, amount not to exceed $3,979,000, using Charter County Transportation Surtax funds.
- Item 3K – Consent orders with Florida Department of Environmental Protection for alleged violations at North District and South District Wastewater Treatment Plants. Options include civil penalties of $20,000 and $89,000 respectively, or pollution prevention projects of $30,000 and $133,500.
- Item 3M – Resolution approving the 2025 Department of Transportation and Public Works Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan (added item).
- Item 6A – Approval of the Clerk’s Summary of Minutes for the October 14, 2025, Infrastructure, Innovation, and Technology Committee meeting.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1G1 passed unanimously and was moved to the December 2025 BCC agenda.
- Item 2A was amended to include a long-term fiscal and maintenance cost analysis, and to require a briefing to commissioners instead of a written report. The balance of the agenda (including the amended 2A and 2B) was then approved unanimously.
- Item 3J (conveyance of utility easement to Florida Power & Light) was deferred to the February 2, 2026, Infrastructure, Innovation & Technology Committee meeting at the request of Commissioner Marleine Bastien.
- Item 3B (Bear Cut Bridge study agreement) was withdrawn.
- Item 3L was moved to the next BCC meeting.
The meeting was adjourned after the balance of the agenda was approved.
Meeting Transcript
Welcome to the uh 12 8 meeting of the infrastructure innovation and technology committee. I'm your committee chair, Albert Gilbert, joined by my colleagues in the day is uh reasonable opportunity to be heard is now open. Reasonable opportunity to be heard is now open. If you have something that you want to talk about that's on this agenda, come on forward, give us two minutes, and uh your name and Maria Magdalena Estufion. Please come forward. I like so much. Uh good morning to all. Thank you so much. Uh first of all, um refer to the electric vehicles. Um give me your addressing your name first. Oh, I'm so sorry. Maria Magdalena Tupignan uh 21 Madeira Avenue Correct Abels. Uh so first of all, I want to thank you. Uh uh the Commissioners Gonzalez and Commissioner Miliano Orbes for bringing up such an important subject to light, which is the issues surrounding the electric vehicles, aka EVs. So last July I sent an extensive and detailed email to Mayor Cava and this board, in which I denounced the county for throwing away the taxpayers' money on the so-called climate change programs. The electrification of the county's fleet is one of those programs. So he identified some of them. Ives are unreliable, prone to catch fire, and require hours and electricity for charge uh charging. So the whole county would be paralyzed in case of a hurricane or heavy storms. Uh never mind uh when we have that, uh, then all the electric vehicles, you know, exploding in the garages. Okay. So last February, the Miami Hero published an article. Um South Florida fleet of electric buses cost 126 million, and only a few are running. Most broke down on the under the year, and the problem is nationwide. So, contrary to what this resolution is states, EVs do not have a lower carbon footprint. The following is based on the US Energy Information Administration, which is the EIA, long-term forecast through 2050. And they say, and I quote, EVs will likely increase air pollution compared to what with the new internal components vehicle. Number two. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. But can I cut it's just one two lay two uh lines left? Well, is it gonna be one of those two lines where it's actually two lines or because generally speaking, two lines can be a warm piece, it's just a run on sentence. So I I just why don't you turn it in to them and we'll have it in writing. I'll read it. I promise you I'll read it right now. Okay, so so can I can I No the answer is no to turn it? My answer is no, no, I don't record. Yeah, no, that's I'll turn it in. Yeah, you can turn it in. But that's what that's what I'm saying. Can I have some documents to put it on the thank you? I don't have any other cards, and so reasonable opportunity to be heard is now closed. Mr. Turney. Mr. Chair, the matters before the committee today are those on the uh official agenda as well as the changes memo. The changes memo includes the addition 3L. Uh the requested deferral uh for 3J. That's Commissioner Bastien requesting deferral to the February 2nd, 2026 IIT C meeting.
openpublica.com