“The greens will be fine, thanks to the efforts of Sandy (Pell), but the areas that surround the greens, where 75 percent of the game is played, need much improvement. Some tees have gone downhill and you must continue to renovate them.

    “Fairways have been an issue and managing 80 acres of them is a huge amount — the average golf course has 35-40 acres of fairways — that needs to be reduced. Reducing the size of your fairways is a necessity, as is dealing with shade problems that inhibit growing grass,” concluded Foy.

In other news, the council:

    • Proclaimed November 2012 National American Indian Heritage Month, a designation that began in this country during the Gerald Ford administration in 1976.

    • Reconvened as the Board of Appeals and unanimously approved a variance to permit air conditioning compressors in the side yard of a newly constructed home on Hunting Lodge Drive, with the condition that a foliage sound barrier also be put in place.

    • Approved unanimously a request to serve alcohol in the Rebeca Sosa Theatre by Lino Ferrer Productions for a private event to be held on Thursday, Nov. 29 from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m.

    • Approved on first reading by a 4-1 vote (Ator dissenting) an ordinance that eliminates the sunset provision and allows asphalt shingles as an approved roofing material in Miami Springs.

    • Approved on first reading by a 4-1 vote (Ator dissenting) an ordinance removing any and all references to the required participation of the Architecture Review Board in the design process of any building on Northwest 36th Street.

    • Heard the unaudited 2011-12 fourth-quarter budget reports and an update on the proposed fund balance designation.

    • Canceled the second regular council meeting next month that would have taken place on Monday, Dec. 24.