Parking Advisory Board

Parking Department Conference Room

Agenda — 13 items

1. 2. Approval of November 19, 2025, Meeting Minutes Approved on Consent Agenda Pass
2. 1. SUPPORT STAFF Monica Beltran, Director of Parking, Sustainability & Mobility Services John Kowalchik, Asst. Director of Parking Operations Matthew Anderson, Asst. Director of Sustainability & Mobility Carlos Gutierrez, Parking Admin & Enforcement Supervisor Nicole Gautney, Sustainability Coordinator GUESTS: John McWilliams, Kimley-Horn Corey Garlands, Kimley-Horn Raquel Selanikio, Kimley-Horn CALL TO ORDER – the PAB began at 05:32 P.M.
3. 3. PUBLIC COMMENTS.
4. 4. Mobility & Sustainability Updates a. Asst. Director Anderson reported on the Southern Loop trolley route launched November 3, operating Monday–Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Ridership increased from 954 passengers in November to 1,346 in December, with positive feedback citing improved access to medical offices and destinations along Ponce de Leon. Freebee maintained strong usage with 6,607 passengers in December, despite typical seasonal slowdowns. b. Since 2020, the Keep Coral Gables Beautiful program has collected over 1 million pounds of debris across nearly 300 events with 36,000 participants/volunteers. The recent November 15 Recycling Drive-Thru event alone collected over 31,500 pounds of hazardous and electronic waste. The Holiday Downtown Community Cleanup attracted a smaller but dedicated group of 21 volunteers who collected 336 pounds of litter. The annual Business Recycling Drive-Thru had 86 participants dropping off 7,910 pounds of materials to be recycled or donated. The Christmas Tree Recycling program has currently processed over 450 trees this season, recycling the trees into mulch used in city parks and open spaces. A composting program is in development brought to the city by Vice Mayor Anderson, with three local vendors evaluated and a proposed drop-off site at the Coral Gables Library. A resolution on the composting program is expected within the next few upcoming Commission meetings.
5. 5. Blink EV Charge Station Contract Updates a. Director Beltran reported that six new Blink EV charging stations were installed in the Minorca Garage in mid-January at no cost to the city. The city will share revenue with Blink once the stations are in public use. Lot 20 has also been integrated into the Blink network, with additional installations planned incrementally across other lots and garages. b. Blink has also offered to support the installation of fast charging stations, and staff will evaluate suitable locations for future deployment.
6. 6. Blinkay Updates a. Mr. Gutierrez updated the Board on the Blinkay contract and rollout of a plate-based virtual permit system designed to improve permit management, enforcement efficiency, and user convenience. The system allows residents to apply and pay for permits online, eliminating physical permits and reducing fraud. Weekly coordination meetings with Blinkay are focused on data integration and customizing the back-office system based on a model used by a city in Pittsburgh. Implementation will begin in garages and lots before expanding into residential zones. By the end of March 2026, license plate recognition cameras will be installed on the city’s hybrid Ford Maverick, enabling officers to quickly scan plates and identify violations. The system also allows for temporary plate updates for permit holders during vehicle repairs or rentals without penalty when communicated to the Parking Office. Enforcement officers utilize handheld devices and portable wireless printers connected to the system for real-time citation processing, supporting a more customer service–oriented enforcement approach.
7. 7. Resident Parking Discount Program Updates a. Director Beltran informed the Board that the resident parking discount program has been extended for an additional six months. The discount applies to all parking locations where payment is made through the parking apps, and the program continues to be well utilized and positively received by residents.
8. 3. Parking Master Plan Discussion a. The city is initiating a comprehensive Parking Master Plan that will align three efforts: a parking master plan update, a multimodal master plan refresh, and a transit/trolley master plan update. These will be managed concurrently by Kimley-Horn, with John McWilliams serving as program manager, to ensure consistent goals and coordination across all transportation modes. The Parking Advisory Board will provide input throughout the process. b. The timeline is driven by data collection, which may take six months or more to account for seasonal parking patterns. Establishing an accurate parking inventory is a top priority, particularly to measure space losses from development and streetscape projects that current benchmarks do not fully capture. The initial analysis will focus on paid parking in commercial areas, with residential zones reviewed later primarily for policy considerations. The study will also evaluate whether existing parking code requirements remain adequate given increased density and vehicle ownership in newer developments. c. Technology and data integration will be central to the plan, including improved signage, potential tools for real-time parking availability and rates, and enhanced garage information. The study will also assess ride-share impacts and curbside management, building on current strategies such as delivery geofencing while addressing ongoing congestion from passenger drop-offs.
9. 8. Biltmore Hotel Parking Updates a. The Board has been informed that parking at the Biltmore Hotel is independently managed using license plate recognition and enforcement systems, with revenues dedicated to lot maintenance and hotel facility improvements. The Aragon parking lots function under a similar management structure, allowing flexible rate adjustments through hotel management agreements.
10. 10. COMMISSION ITEMS.
11. 9. Open Discussion a. Board Member De Tournay reported severely faded striping and crosswalk markings along Galiano and Aragon, including two loading zones in front of 10 Aragon where unclear markings have led to improper parking. Staff will assess conditions and prioritize repainting. b. Board Member Valdes requested clarification on city-owned parking near the University of Miami. Staff confirmed that spaces on Stanford Drive, Pavia Street, and Dickinson Drive are city-owned, signed with the city logo, and monitored by Parking Enforcement. c. Chairwoman Holian inquired about options for permit holders using temporary vehicles. Staff confirmed Blinkay allows temporary license plate entries with set end dates. She also noted poor cellular signal near the Village of Merrick Park affecting app payments. Staff advised that pay stations are available and clarified that the shopping center’s garage and lots are privately managed, not by the city.
12. 10. Adjournment The PAB adjourned at 6:49 P.M. Next Meeting: February 11, 2026 City of Coral Gables Parking Dept. 254 Minorca Ave, Suite 204, Coral Gables, FL 33134, 305-460-5540
13. 12 NOTE