Residents should help reimagine Coral Gables as a green, resilient city of the 21st century

Irecently had the honor of delivering my first State of the City Address as mayor of Coral Gables, which coincided with my fivemonth anniversary on the job. A short tenure, but enough time for a clear vision as to the future direction of our city — a path that will allow us to meet a multitude of urban challenges including growing environmental concerns, changing business models and pressing infrastructure needs.

Our city boasts a proud and enviable history, but it’s time to reimagine the future as Coral Gables’ founder George Merrick did a century ago. Reimagining entails devising strategies that will enable our city to stay ahead of the curve in meeting the demands of the 21st century.

First and foremost, is reimagining how we interact with residents. The city’s elected leaders and professional staff cannot be perceived as an aloof bureaucracy, out of step with constituents. I embarked on a 100-day listening tour last spring. More than a thousand Coral Gables residents participated. What I heard loud and clear is the need for greater civility and transparency in how we govern. This is why I initiated Open Door Fridays. Anyone seeking to speak to me is welcome to stop by — no appointment is needed. We may not always agree, but, working together, we can reimagine the direction of our city.

Technology makes active citizen participation easy. The public can now take part in City Commission meetings via Zoom. Yes, it makes for longer meetings, sometimes much longer, but it has opened a new avenue for constituents to voice their opinions.

You don’t have to be a technology geek to appreciate the significance of the city installing the first integrated, artificial intelligence-powered Smart City Pole project in the country. Located on Alhambra Circle, this innovative device is equipped with safety cameras, public wifi, and traffic and environmental sensors to provide cuttingedge data analysis that will help us improve city planning, public safety, traffic management and emergency services.

Technological advances are driving customerservice improvements. We have long known how inconvenient it is for residents, businesses and developers to come in person to apply for or check the status of permits. With a new digital platform, these tasks can be completed online — and we are able to respond more quickly.

Anyone who drives in the heavy traffic on our streets knows we must reimagine mobility strategies. Currently, the city is in the design stage for a Mobility Hub that will facilitate alternative ways of getting around, including free and shared rides. Another hub component is smart parking technology that eliminates the hunt for parking spaces. Because we envision a future with more electric vehicles, 20% of new parking spaces are being outfitted with charging stations.

Here are other ways we are reimagining our city:

A greener city. Coral Gables is known for its Mediterranean design, iconic architecture and tree canopy, but a reimagined city is a greener one with even more trees, open spaces and parks. Over the past two years, we opened five neighborhood parks; in the coming year we will begin construction of two others. Plans are in the works for the city’s first dog park as part of the Underline at the Gables Metrorail station. A reimagined future means a park or open space within a 10-minute walk of any place in the city.

Coral Gables Central Business District .No longer a collection of quiet streets dominated by retail shops, today’s downtown

Gables is a dynamic area, home to lively establishments with outdoor seating and entertainment, including a craft beer brewery and our first rooftop restaurant. Reimagining downtown means more cultural events — music, art, theater — for residents and visitors.

Sustainability and climate resiliency. The future is already here, underscored by this year’s extreme weather across the globe. Blessed with beautiful coastal neighborhoods, we must protect them from sea-level rise. Geographical assessments in vulnerable areas are now under way. We have allocated more than $6 million to a sea-level rise mitigation fund and expect to set aside $100 million by 2040.

It has been said that the best way to predict the future is to create it. My job as mayor is to work with the people of Coral Gables to reimagine that future and get on with the job of creating it.