By David L. Snelling

Miami – A north central section of Miami-Dade County has been the focus of incorporation for the past 24 years, with most residents and business owners rejecting the idea of becoming a city.

But there might be renewed interest in becoming a municipality after residents supported extending the life of the North Central Miami-Dade Municipal Advisory Committee (MAC), which was created in 2001 to study the pros and cons of cityhood.

During a recent meeting, Miami-Dade County commissioners, on a 11-1 vote, allowed the MAC to resume the incorporation study to determine whether becoming a city is feasible.

Commissioner Kevin Marino Cabrera was the lone no vote. Commissioner Keon Hardemon who represents a portion of the area was absent from the dais.

The targeted area borders Northwest 125th Street, Northwest 54th Street, Northwest 37th Avenue and Interstate 95, and includes historic African American neighborhoods such as Brownsville and Gladeview.

The vicinity is home to business, industrial and residential areas including mobile home parks.

Commissioner Marleine Bastien, who represents the upper north side of the area and sponsored an ordinance to extend the life of the MAC, said residents want to learn more about the possibility of becoming a city and the benefits for homeowners and their neighborhood.

She called a town hall meeting in January at Arcola Lakes Park, where more than 100 residents turned out to discuss the incorporation issue.

“They want to learn the importance of their neighborhood… it’s something they want to see,” Bastien said at the commission meeting.

“There is more interest now to learn more about their neighborhood and homes and what they see there. There have been some challenges in the past but now the residents want us to gather the information and go through the process carefully.”

The incorporation study led by the MAC hasn’t been stable over the years.

After voters imposed term limits for county commissioners, MAC members have been appointed by four different commissioners since its debut. The county imposed a moratorium on incorporation and annexation for about five years.

The MAC hasn’t been active in the interim but Bastien said residents called her office because they want to see if incorporation is possible through a new study.

Kenneth Kilpatrick, president of the Brownsville Neighborhood Association, told commissioners that incorporation might be a good idea, especially after the community had to fend off Hialeah’s effort to annex Brownsville in 2023.

He was flanked by members of the Gladeview Civic Neighborhood Association and other HOAs in the area supporting the MAC’s study on incorporation.

Before making a decision, Kilpatrick said, residents must have all the facts on whether becoming a city is financially feasible.

“We support the study, data and facts to see if the change in our quality of life is possible,” he said. “We want the study, data, and all the other information to improve the quality of life in North Central Dade.”

Some residents oppose incorporation, saying a study is wasteful spending since the area wouldn’t be self-sufficient.

At issue is whether becoming a city would lead to another layer of bureaucracy, which could bring corruption and other problems.

Marion K. Brown, a Brownsville resident, community activist and business owner, said incorporation could lead to higher taxes and fees, a burden for senior citizens living on a fixed income.

Brown said the area currently doesn’t have a strong tax base and raising taxes is the only solution for a self-sufficient city.

“We have no permanent engine in our communities to where you can supply or come up with enough money for the taxes. The money to create the city is going to come from your taxes,” said Brown, a former Miami-Dade Commission candidate. “This will drive people out.”

Like Kilpatrick, some residents in the targeted area said incorporation might be a boon for those who would like to see faster services like road repairs, including potholes, streetlights and clean vacant and abandoned lots.

They also said becoming a city could increase property values.

“Look at Miami Gardens, they are doing well since they became a city,” said Orlando Finnie, who lives near Gladeview. “The property values increase every year and they get a lot of things done.” Jose Armando Gomez agreed. “I would like to see my property values go higher and if being a city can accomplish that, I favor it,” he said.