Good Saturday morning, Palmetto Bay. This week's edition is devoted to providing the latest updates, closures, and resources to help you navigate through this time of coronavirus COVID-19 and efforts to help mitigate the spread. Please take a few minutes to thoroughly read as there have been several new items added, including our expansion of Freebee hours to facilitate pick-ups of groceries, take-out meals, etc.
First, it can't be stressed highly enough the importance of adhering to the
CDC guidelines of proper hygiene and social distancing.
By now, all of us have heard about how contact with just one infected person can spread the virus exponentially. It will take all of us working together to stay vigilant, and ultimately get on the other side of this. Have a positive story, photo or parenting tip to share?
Click here
and perhaps we'll post it on our Village social media platforms. Thanks!
Last Night:
Palmetto Bay Mayor Karyn Cunningham and Interim Village Manager Greg Truitt
extended the State of Emergency in Palmetto Bay
.
This allows the Village access to emergency financial assistance if needed as well as enabling the Village to order the closures of Village facilities and to hold Council meetings telephonically if necessary.
Listed below are the latest operational changes at Village Hall and Village parks, as well as State and County news and information.
From the State of Florida:
Yesterday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis ordered restaurant dining rooms across the state closed. Owners may keep kitchens open for takeout or delivery only. Earlier in the week, all bars and nightclubs were closed. Gymnasiums were also ordered closed.
On Tuesday, the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) announced that all K-12 schools and career and technical center campuses are to remain closed through April 15. The governor canceled
required standardized state testing this year. He said parents may hold their students back a year and that teaching hours could be modified.
Also on Tuesday, the governor announced that all of Florida’s universities will finish out their spring semesters online,
and in-person commencement ceremonies canceled.
From Miami-Dade County:
Another county order suspends the operation of
motorized mopeds or scooters and bicycles
on any public street or sidewalk within the county limits; This order does NOT apply to individually owned or used devices.
The county also called for service reduction in Public Transit. This order affects Metrorail, Metromover and Metrobus. To see adjusted schedules
click here
.
From the Village of Palmetto Bay:
During this time, Village Hall will be open Monday through Friday, from 10 am to 2 pm. Only emergency repair building permits and criminal registering services will be available during these hours. Please see below for a list of emergency building permits. All non-essential employees will be on-call from home.
Village of Palmetto Bay Parks:
In keeping with the County mandate this week to try to stop the virus transmission, all Village park facilities are closed indefinitely, along with the park and ride area at Palmetto Bay Park. Accordingly, all parking lots and restrooms are closed. Details below.
Village IBUS and Freebee Express Service to Metrorail Suspended, Freebee On-Demand Expanded:
Although direct service to the South Dadeland Metrorail Station is not available at this time, all Freebee vehicles are available for on-demand services and will take riders to the closest Metrobus station on the Transitway. And speaking of Freebee,
starting this Monday, March 23, 2020, Freebee will operate Monday through Saturday from 7 am to 7 pm. Freebee on-demand services may be called upon to pick up food orders from open restaurants in Palmetto Bay. Simply
download
the Freebee app to begin your request.
The new expanded time will allow more folks to take advantage of the on-demand service. Additionally, seniors taking advantage of
earlier shopping hours
may now use the Freebee service to go to the supermarket.
Village Hall Meeting Cancellations/Postponements:
All task force and committee meetings for the month of March are canceled. More schedule changes are likely.
Village Hall Operational Changes by Department:
Building & Permitting Department
- Only emergency permit applications will be accepted, which specifically include the following:
Building Permits:
- Re-roofs
- Slab repair as part of cast-iron replacement
- Pool barriers
- Electrical Permits
- Emergency Service panel repair/replacements
- Plumbing Permits
- Septic drain field replacements
- Cast-iron repair/replacements
- Mechanical Permits
- AC Change out
- Permit applications previously submitted for which a permit has not been issued will continue to be processed. To the extent that comments or revisions are required, such information will be provided to the applicant via email only. Revisions will not be accepted and permits will not be issued until Village Hall is fully operational. This does not apply to the emergency permits identified above.
- New sub-permits to previously-issued master permits will also be accepted.
- Inspections may only be requested via telephone by calling 305-259-1253 (leave a voice mail message please) or via email to https://inspections@palmettobay-fl.gov.
- Walk-through permits are suspended until further notice
- Expired Miami-Dade permits that are part of a real estate sale and required for closing may be closed by emailing the permit and contact information to Gladys Bilbraut at gbilbraut@palmettobay-fl.gov and to Wes Maltby at wmaltby@palmettobay-fl.gov. Please make sure to allow extra time for processing.
- Garage sale permits will cease until April 1st.
- Occupational license permits will cease until April 1st.
- No Special Event permits will be issued until April 1st.
Code Compliance Division
- Code Compliance complaints are to be reported via telephone by calling 305-259-1272 or via email to codecomp@palmettobay-fl.gov
- Complaints will be prioritized based on safety-to-life concerns. The Village will continue to respond to complaints requiring immediate attention.
Human Resources Division
- Employment applications are to be mailed to: Village Hall, ATTN: Human Resources, 9705 East Hibiscus Street, Palmetto Bay, FL 33157. Applications are not to be delivered in person.
- No interviews will be scheduled until after April 1st.
- No employment screenings will be scheduled until after April 1st.
- No on-boarding meetings will be scheduled until after April 1st.
Planning and Zoning Division
- New Planning & Zoning applications will not be accepted until after April 1st.
Parks and Recreation Department
- All Village parks are closed until further notice. Accordingly, restroom facilities and parking lots will be locked.
- Miami-Dade County parks and beaches are also closed to the public. Consequently, the Deering Estate and Bill Sadowski parks are closed.
- The Coral Reef Park Farmer's Market is closed.
Police
- Criminal registering services will be available only during the reduced Village Hall operating hours.
- Fingerprinting services are canceled until further notice
- Background check services are canceled until further notice
- Police reports are to be requested by phone by calling 305-278-4000 or online.
Public Services Department
- Freebee van services to and from the South Dadeland Metrorail Station from the Park and Ride facility at Palmetto Bay Park is suspended until further notice.
- I-Bus services to and from the South Dadeland Metrorail Station from the Park and Ride facility at St. Richard’s Church is suspended until further notice.
- Both Park and Ride facilities are closed.
- Freebee on-demand service has been expanded to help those in need of transport during this time, Monday through Saturday, 7 am - 7 pm.
Village Clerk
- Passport services are canceled through April 1st.
- Golf cart registration services are canceled through April 1st
- Public Request services are canceled through April 1st
