FYI Miami: October 19, 2023

Bellow are some of the FYIs in this week’s edition. The entire content of this week’s FYIs and Insider sections is available by subscription only. To subscribe click here.

TURKEY POINT BONDING: County commissioners have unanimously approved $350 million in bonding under a Miami-Dade County Industrial Revenue Authority loan to Florida Power & Light Co. so that it can build a municipal sewage plant at its Turkey Point Clean Energy Center in Homestead. The plant will treat up to 15 million gallons of reclaimed water from the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department that will then be used in FPL’s natural gas plant cooling towers. The collaboration between FPL and the county facilitates county compliance with the Ocean Outfall Statute, which requires the county’s wastewater utility to beneficially reuse up to 60% of its wastewater by 2025. The county commission in 2020 approved the agreement for reclaimed water processing, treatment and use at FPL’s Turkey Point complex. FPL must repay the bond borrowing.

FILM INCENTIVES GET OK: Two romantic comedy movies already filmed by the same company for the Hallmark, UP TV network have been approved for identical $50,000 film incentive grants by Miami-Dade County commissioners. Brand New Movies LLC filmed “Just Say Yes” last November and December with over 70% of its production taking place in the county and over 70% of its cast and crew from the county, documents say. “A Missed Connection” was filmed in January and February, with 12 days of filming in Miami-Dade and employing 17 county residents for that period. Each film listed $530,000 in expenditures in Miami-Dade. County commissioners this month approved the incentive money to bring the filming here.

CITY BACKS COWORKING: The City of Miami has made efforts to streamline the zoning code for coworking and virtual office spaces, encouraging their establishment and reducing obstacles for businesses. On Oct. 12, the city commission unanimously passed the final vote on an ordinance amending the requirements for coworking and virtual offices to exempt them from sublease fees and requiring them to obtain a separate certificate of use. Previously, individual users of coworking offices would have to obtain their own certificate of use and pay an additional $105 sublease fee, which resulted in duplicative processes and costs.

GAS PRICES PLUNGE: Average gasoline prices in Miami fell 11.6 cents per gallon in the past week to $3.37, which is 28.4 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and 3.6 cents lower than a year ago, according to GasBuddy. The national average price fell 11.3 cents in the past week to $3.55, which is 29.9 cents below a month ago and 30.9 cents lower than a year ago.