The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 37

Sweetwater adopts city in Caribbean By SANDRA DIBBLE Herald Staff Writer The city of Sweetwater adopted its first sister city Monday selecting Puerto Plata a city on the north coast of the Dominican Republic Council members voted unanimously to join the Washington-based Sister City International Program that links 1000 US cities with 1500 foreign cities for business government and cultural exchanges Hialeah has one sister Coral Gables has two Miami has 10 Officials in Puerto Plata very desirous of selecting a city in Dade County that would be their Marcos Kohly sister coordinator for Florida told Sweetwater council members is a lot that you both have in Puerto Plata has 85000 residents a seaport an international airport and rum distilleries Sweetwater a landlocked suburban city in West Dade has 10000 residents little industry and no airport But Puerto Plata is small community and Sweetwater is a small Kohly said And he added since most Sweetwater residents speak Spanish the cities should have no communications difficulties Kohly said it will cost Sweetwater about $200 to join the program advantages that we would obtain from such a program would be more than it would said Councilwoman Carmen Menendez In other action members voted unanimously to support development of Glades Road Park a 15-acre parcel of vacant county land near Flagler Street and SW 97th Avenue do need additional recreation for our said Councilman Jerry Pucci At suggestion members agreed to urge Metro commissioners to let Sweetwater annex the park site if the county lacks funds to develop it know there is scarcity of funds but there are said Menendez who suggested that a combination of federal county and state funds could be raised to develop the park County officials have said they have no money to spend on developing the park we had the funds it would have been developed Marty Washington property manager for Park and Recreation Department said Tuesday The council also passed on second reading an ordinance regulating the height of fences walls and hedges in Sweetwater The ordinance limits front-yard fence heights to four feet and side and rear fences to six feet in most parts of the city Fences made of materials other than ornamental masonry ornamental metal decorative wood or chain links must be approved by Planning and Zoning Board Thursday January 13 1983 The MIAMI HERALD 9.