Pinewood Cemetery Advisory Board

Sister Cities Conference Room - Coral Gables Museum

Agenda — 21 items

1. 1 The Pinewood Cemetery Advisory Board will be holding a meeting on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 2:30 pm EST. Members of the public may join the meeting via Zoom at https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84407410572. In addition, a dedicated phone line will be available so that any individual who does not wish (or is unable) to use Zoom may listen to and participate in the meeting. Meeting ID: 844 0741 0572 One tap mobile +17866351003,,84407410572# US (Miami) +19292056099,,84407410572# US (New York) Dial by your location +1 786 635 1003 US (Miami) +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 470 381 2552 US (Atlanta) +1 646 518 9805 US (New York) Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/koHpBvqy7 305-461-6769 (Coral Gables local number) To speak to the Pinewood Cemetery Advisory Board on an Agenda Item, please “Raise your Hand” or send a message to one of the meeting hosts using the Zoom Platform. If you joined the meeting via telephone, you can “Raise your hand” by pressing *9. The public may also comment on an item on the agenda using the City’s already-established e-comment function which may be found on the City’s website at: (www.coralgables.com/commissionmeetings) once the meeting’s agenda is published or by sending an email to cityclerk@coralgables.com prior to the start of the meeting.
2. 2 PAGE BREAK
3. I. CALL TO ORDER
4. II. ROLL CALL
5. III. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES
6. 1. PInewood Cemetery Advisory Board Meeting Minutes for February 25, 2026 26-1452 approved Pass
7. IV. OLD BUSINESS
8. 1. Pioneer Day - Saturday, April 25, 2026, 10am - Noon
9. 2. Pinewood Cemetery Commission Presentation 2026 26-1462
10. IV. NEW BUSINESS
11. 1. Advisory Board's Priority List for the Restoration of Pinewood Cemetery A. Site/Infrastructure/Landscape Removal of hazardous/invasive trees Developing a comprehensive landscape/restoration plan Improving walking paths and eliminating trip hazards. Providing ADA-accessible access to significant portions of the cemetery. Addressing parking/access. Developing appropriate native landscaping/ground cover Establishing a long-term vegetation management plan. Considering benches and other site amenities. Addressing drainage/water/infrastructure issues where appropriate. B. Cemetery/Historic Preservation Conducting a comprehensive site survey Identifying graves and unmarked burial locations. Creating an accurate cemetery/grave map. Studying historic records to identify individuals buried on the site. Correcting misplaced grave markers. Cleaning and preserving existing markers. Having a qualified conservator assess damaged monuments/tombs. Repairing/restoring historic monuments where feasible. Documenting historic conditions through photographs, maps and archival records. Using archaeological/ground-penetrating technology where appropriate. Preserving original features without creating historically inaccurate replacements.
12. VI. CITY COMMISSION ITEMS
13. 2. Restoration Philosophy - The board generally agreed that restoration should: Preserve original/historic features wherever possible. Avoid inventing features where there is no evidence of their original appearance. Use qualified specialists such as conservators, archaeologists, genealogists, arborists and landscape professionals as appropriate. Establish documentation and sequencing before undertaking major physical work. Recognize that tree removal, grave identification and monument restoration may need to occur in a specific sequence.
14. VII. DISCUSSION ITEMS
15. 3. Landscape Architect Proposal - City staff reported that a project team has been assembled, including Public Works/project-management staff, a City Service Forester and a landscape architecture firm. A site walkthrough has already occurred. The landscape architect's preliminary proposal was described as approximately $125,000–$145,000 for assessment/design/planning work, before actual tree-removal costs. The scope discussed includes: Site assessment Landscape planning Infrastructure considerations Restoration phasing Design development Identification of immediate tree-removal priorities Coordination of landscape and cemetery restoration need Approximately 15 trees on the north side were identified for potential immediate removal because of impacts to graves/markers, roots or life-safety concerns. The larger number of invasive trees would need to be addressed in a phased manner rather than removed all at once.
16. VIII. ITEMS FROM THE SECRETARY
17. 4. Restoration Priorities - The Board agreed that the existing priority list should be refined rather than attempting to finalize all priorities during the meeting. Agreed approach: Each Board member will review the existing list. Members will identify their top priorities, potentially ranking approximately 10–15 items. The results will be compiled and compared. The priorities should ultimately be organized into logical categories and/or phases. The compiled priority list will be brought back to the Board for review/finalization at a future meeting before being treated as the Board's formal priority list.
18. IX. ADJOURNMENT
19. 5. Archaeology - The Board discussed opportunities to work with: University of Miami, FIU, County archaeology resources, Genealogical organizations, Archives and historical collections, National Archives/General Land Office records. Potential uses: Ground-penetrating radar or other non-invasive survey technology. Locating unidentified graves. Establishing accurate burial locations. Researching pioneer families and property histories. Finding historic photographs and documentation. Determining the original appearance/location of monuments and site features.
20. 16 NOTE
21. 6. Historical Documents - The Board reviewed historic land records and documents associated with pioneers including Perry, Richards and Gregory. These materials may be useful for: Pioneer Day displays Future educational programming Cemetery interpretation Research into the original ownership and development of surrounding property. The board discussed organizing digitized/photographed archival documents and identify a small number of particularly useful documents for public display or future presentations.