Miami-Dade County and Key Colony Homeowners’ Association reach settlement agreement on future Key Biscayne library

MIAMI-DADE – On Tuesday, Oct. 5, the Miami-Dade County Board of Commissioners approved a legal settlement negotiated in part by Commissioner Raquel Regalado that helps clear the way for a new public library in Key Biscayne.

As authorized by the BCC, Regalado engaged in discussions with the board of the Key Colony Homeowners’ Association, regarding the County’s conceptual designs and plans to rebuild the existing one-story library. The 1.17-acre parcel that includes the library was once part of Key Colony and was purchased in 1979 with deed restrictions.

Residents of the neighborhood wanted to ensure that the County’s plans to build a larger, more modern library would harmonize with their neighborhood. Commissioner Regalado and Miami-Dade County Public Library System Director Ray Baker held numerous public and private meetings with the Council of the Village of Key Biscayne, Key Biscayne residents, and neighboring property owners, to present the newly developed detailed plans for the new library and to receive feedback.

“I’m absolutely thrilled by this outcome and thankful to the gracious partners on both sides who helped to make it happen,” said Commissioner Raquel Regalado. “Key Biscayne has grown so much in the past 40 years that it really needs an updated library branch that better serves their needs, with a little more space for community activities.”

As part of the settlement, the library will be no more than two stories and Key Colony will have an opportunity to review conceptual designs. Project architects are refining initial conceptual designs in anticipation of a robust community input process to begin in the coming months.