Miami Lakes is a suburb of Miami, an incorporated town and former census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. As of 2015 US Census, 30,791 people live in Miami Lakes.
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History
The development was constructed by Sengra (now the Graham Companies) beginning in 1962, on land formerly owned by Florida State Senator Ernest "Cap" Graham. The Grahams stated for many years that it would be a 30-year development, but they are still developing to this day.
The original Miami Lakes development, east of the Palmetto Expressway, was master planned by Lester Collins with curving tree-shaded roadways and numerous curving lakes, which are unusual compared to most surrounding areas with their treeless streets on a square grid and rectangular lakes. This original development, which is on the east side of the more recently designated Town of Miami Lakes, has neighborhood shopping centers, tot-lot parks, and a town center named Main Street. A significant portion of Miami Lakes is still owned by the Grahams, mostly apartment buildings, shopping centers, office buildings, and still undeveloped land. The town is an early model of the New Urbanism movement with shopping and services located in walking distance of residences as well as narrow walkable streets and plenty of neighborhood parks.
When it incorporated in December 2000, the Town of Miami Lakes became the 31st municipality in Miami-Dade County. Known as one of the youngest cities in the County, Miami Lakes is home to approximately 30,000 residents and more than 1,100 businesses.
The Master Plan began over 50 years ago, when the Graham family began development of what was their dairy farm. Unlike many cities and towns created during the early 1960s, the Grahams decided to create a master plan for the city that would allow for decades of growth, construction, and changing market conditions. Lester Collins, former Dean of the Harvard School of Architecture, was enlisted to create a Master Plan for the area that would become the center of Miami Lakes. Collins laid the foundation for an integrated community, including residential, commercial, industrial and mixed uses.
Former U.S. Senator Bob Graham, younger half brother of family patriarch William "Bill" Graham, is one of the owners, and the late publisher of the Washington Post, Katharine Graham, had a share by marriage. On December 5, 2000, Miami Lakes voted to become an incorporated town.
Geography
Miami Lakes is located at 25°54?42?N 80°19?30?W.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 6.4 square miles (17 km2). 6.0 square miles (16 km2) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km2) of it (6.73%) is water.
Demographics
As of 2010, there were 8,248 households out of which 4.2% were vacant. In 2000, 37.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.6% were married couples living together, 12.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 4.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.75 and the average family size was 3.21.
In 2000, the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 34.9% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 10.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 92.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.4 males.
As of 2009-2013, the median income for a household in the town was $63,754 and the median income for a family was $68,431. Males had a median income of $45,759 versus $31,656 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,867. About 3.8% of families and 4.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.1% of those under age 18 and 5.2% of those age 65 or over.
As of 2000, speakers of Spanish as a first language accounted for 72.41%, while English made up 24.65%, Portuguese was at 0.67%, and Urdu consisted of 0.64% of residents.
As of 2000, Miami Lakes had the twenty-second highest percentage of Arab residents in the US, with 1.10% of the US populace (tied with four other places in the US.) It had the twenty-seventh highest percentage of Colombian residents in the US, at 4.43% of the town's population, and the twelfth highest percentage of Cuban residents in the US, at 42.28% of the its population. It also had the ninety-sixth most Dominicans in the US, at 1.65%, while it had the thirty-ninth highest percentage of Nicaraguans, at 1.07% of all residents. Miami Lake's Venezuelan community had the eighteenth highest percentage of residents, which was at 1.06% (tying with several other US places, such as Tamiami, Florida.)
Government
Since its incorporation in 2000, the Town of Miami Lakes operates under a Council-Manager form of government. The Council-manager system combines the strong leadership of elected officials with the strong managerial experience of an appointed Town Manager.
The Mayor's seat is elected at-large for a four-year term. As defined in the Town's Charter, the Mayor shall preside at meetings of the Council and be a voting member of the Council. The Town Council is vested with all legislative powers of the Town. The Council consists of the Mayor and six members.
Current council members:
Mayor Manny Cid
Vice Mayor Frank Mingo-Seat 4
Councilmember Seat 1-Nelson Rodriguez
Councilmember Seat 2-Tim Daubert
Councilmember Seat 3-Marilyn Ruano
Councilmember Seat 5-Luis Collazo
Councilmember Seat 6-Ceasar Mestre
The Town of Miami Lakes held a grand opening and ribbon-cutting for their new Town Hall on April 23, 2013, located at the east end of Main Street.
On October 5, 2010, Nelson Hernandez became the youngest council member elected to the Miami Lakes Town Council at the age of 24 since the town incorporated in 2000.
The Miami-Dade Police Department operates the Northwest District Station in Miami Lakes. The station provides law enforcement services to Miami Lakes.
The Miami-Dade Fire Rescue operates Station 1 Miami Lakes & Station 64 Miami Lakes West.
Miami Lakes Government Core Values
Streamlined, People-Friendly, Innovative Government
o Make the Town Government accessible to the public
o Demonstrate a passionate commitment to customer satisfaction
o Recruit and retain empowered employees, who display a can-do, caring attitude, and take professional responsibility for their actions
o Stay focused on efficiency and cost-effectiveness
o Provide localized services with minimum duplication
o Provide effective political and managerial leadership
o Make prudent use of cutting-edge technology
o Focus on internet-based, user-friendly, interactive public communication
Veteran's Memorial
The Town of Miami Lakes has a unique indoor Veteran's Memorial located at the Royal Oaks Park Community Center. The memorial is a 50-foot-long mural that features a combination of the following media: two digitized paintings of military scenes throughout U.S. history, wood carvings, stained glass, and hand-made glass mosaics molded from leaves of Miami Lakes' trees. The centerpiece of the artwork consists of the seals from each of the US military service branches and the POW/MIA seal. The memorial was inaugurated on Memorial Day of 2011. The artists are Alfred Darmanin and Michelle Stecco.
The Veterans Memorial entitled "V is for Veterans" was unveiled in front of Miami Lakes Town Hall on Sept. 4, 2014. The artwork was created by Artist Stephanie Jaffe Werner to honor all five of the United States Military Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. A Professional Advisory Committee made up of local arts professionals was formed and with the support of the Town's Veterans Committee, selected Jaffe's artwork to adorn Town Hall and to pay tribute to the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our great country.
Education
Public Schools
Miami-Dade County Public Schools serves Miami Lakes.
- Miami Lakes K-8 Center, located in south central Miami lakes, serves the eastern half of the town (east and south of SR 826).
- Barbara Goleman High School, located in extreme western Miami Lakes, and Bob Graham Education Center, located in western Miami Lakes, serve the western half of the town (west of SR 826).
- Miami Lakes Middle School, located in front of Our Lady of the Lakes private school.
- Hialeah-Miami Lakes Senior High School located on NW 67th Ave (West 12th Ave in Hialeah)
Magnet/Vocational Schools
- Miami Lakes Educational Center, located on NW 57th Avenue (Red Road).
Private Schools
Catholic
- Our Lady of the Lakes
Non-Denominational Christian
- Dade-Christian (located outside the north entrance to Miami Lakes)
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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