A large part of that is making recommendations to the Planning Advisory Board and the Board of County Commissioners regarding residential and commercial growth as well as public facilities that impact our community.

However, as community representatives, your council's responsibilities reach beyond zoning issues to include non-zoning concerns such our community's desires, interests, and needs.

This issue of "What's Happening Doral?" will focus on some of those desires, interests, and needs that have been expressed by the citizens of Doral, and were reflected in the agenda items of our last meeting.

At our most recent non-zoning meeting, April 27, Team Metro presented their Doral report on our area's code violations. For example, Team Metro recently made Public Works aware of several unsightly piles of car tires in the Doral area. Because of their initiative, those tires were removed.

They also initiated actions to have overgrown shrubbery north of the intersection of NW 107 Ave & NW 41 Street mowed-this shrubbery limited visibility of on-coming traffic and was dangerous.

Other examples were noted as well, and even more problems are out there-why not help out? Contact Team Metro at 305 557 2172 if you see an abandoned piece of furniture, a hazardous site, or any other item that detracts from our community instead of contributing to it. If it doesn't look like it should be there, then it probably shouldn't.

We were pleased to have Lt. Gary Shimminger and Detective Manny Gonzales of the Metro Dade Police department with us that same evening. These officers, who serve our community, gave us an update on criminal activity in the area.

In general, overall crime is down an average of 16% compared to the same period last year. Detective Gonzalez felt that the participation of community Crime Watch groups most certainly helped contribute to the drop in residential crime. To learn more about setting up a Crime Watch in your neighborhood, contact Gonzalez, of Metro Dade Police at 305 471 3082.

Also giving of his time at this meeting was Community Liaison Paul Blake of Miami-Dade Fire Rescue who was there to answer any questions residents might have and update us on the status of the new fire station.

Our non-zoning meeting concluded with an open forum in which the Doral citizens present and council members alike expressed concerns they would like presented at the May 13 Conference of Community Councils, sponsored by Commissioner Miriam Alonso.

The upcoming conference exemplifies the solid, involved leadership of our commissioner-we welcome the opportunity to share our concerns with her.

Just some of the topics mentioned were the need for area parks, incorporation of Doral, the removal of unapproved, unsightly trash bins along our roadways, the desire for a community library, and the challenge of attracting churches to the Doral area. All, hopefully, will be discussed at the May 13 meeting.

Our next zoning meeting is at 6:30 PM on May 17, at the John I. Smith Elementary School, while our next non-zoning meeting is June 22.

Why not mark your calendars now? Join your Doral neighbors at the next Doral Community Council meeting.

We look forward to seeing you!