The City of Miami is once again at the center of a controversy — this time over a proposed overhaul of its tree ordinance, the legislation that regulates how and when trees can be pruned or removed. While the proposal has been formally championed by Commissioner Miguel Gabela, records and public appearances suggest that the true architect may be someone else: Assistant Building Director Jose Regalado.
Regalado, who also happens to be the brother of Miami-Dade County Commissioner Raquel Regalado, has emerged as a central figure behind the scenes. As a senior official in the city’s Building Department, he has been directly involved in the development and promotion of the ordinance, including defending it at public meetings and briefing city commissioners. His fingerprints are all over this legislation.
The proposed changes are not just routine updates — they are sweeping, industry-driven rewrites that many believe weaken environmental protections in favor of the development lobby. Public records and emails, first made public by WLRN, suggest that the ordinance was crafted with extensive input from developers and building industry representatives. This has led critics to call the proposal a giveaway to private interests, disguised as regulatory reform.
Despite growing public concern, Regalado and his campaign, have remained largely silent on this issue. When Political Cortadito reached out to Regalado via phone and email to ask for transparency around the city’s Tree Trust Fund — a fund filled mostly by fees paid by developers in exchange for removing trees — he didn’t respond. The question was simple: How much money has been collected, and where has it gone?
This perceived lack of accountability echoes Regalado’s behavior during the recent Silver Bluff candidate forum, where he failed to show to answer residents’ concerns. In both cases, the public was left with more questions than answers.
The legislation’s development, its opaque origins, and the clear influence of development interests have already eroded public trust. Will they also erode trust in Regalado, who is running for the vacant District 4 seat?
