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ONE.GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO THE NOVEMBER 25TH, 2024 MEETING OF THE LAND USE AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.
UH, TODAY'S MEETING OF THE LAND USE COMMITTEE WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A HYBRID FORMAT WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS AT MIAMI BEACH CITY HALL AND STAFF, AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC APPEARING EITHER IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM.
TO PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAY DIAL 8 8 8 4 7 5 4 4 9 9 AND ENTER THE WEBINAR ID, WHICH IS 8 5 0 5 9 9 2 3 0 3 7 POUND, OR LOG INTO THE ZOOM APP AND ENTER THE WEBINAR ID, WHICH AGAIN IS 8 5 0 5 9 9 2 3 0 3 7.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM? MUST CLICK THE RAISE HAND ICON ON THE ZOOM APP, OR STAR NINE IF PARTICIPATING BY PHONE.
MR. ATTORNEY, LET'S DO A ROLL, A ROLL CALL TO ESTABLISH QUORUM.
UM, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ PRESENT.
COMMISSIONER SUAREZ IS ABSENT.
AND WE WELCOME ALSO COMMISSIONER ROSA GONZALEZ JOINING US TODAY FOR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA AND IN THE AUDIENCE WE HAVE NOT ONLY COMMISSIONER JOSEPH MAGAZINE, BUT THE JUNIOR, THE OFFICIAL JUNIOR COMMISSIONER OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH CAPRI.
HI, UH, WITH THAT MR. DIRECTOR, ARE THERE ANY CHANGES ADDED TO TODAY'S AGENDA? YES.
AND, UH, MR. CHAIR, WE'RE GONNA BE USING THE AGENDA THAT PRINTED WITH TODAY'S SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA.
[3. DISCUSS FUTURE PROGRAMMING OF WEST LOTS]
[4. DISCUSS INCENTIVES FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO RESTORE/REHABILITATE HISTORIC RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN THE FLAMINGO PARK NEIGHBORHOOD.]
[5. DISCUSS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A CONSENT AGENDA FOR LAND USE BOARD MEETINGS]
[7. DISCUSS INCENTIVES FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO RESTORE/REHABILITATE HISTORIC RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN NORTH BEACH.]
[14. ORDINANCE TO CREATE FAR, HEIGHT AND SETBACK INCENTIVES FOR NON-TRANSIENT RESIDENTIAL USES FOR PROPERTIES FRONTING 6TH STREET IN THE C-PS2 ZONING DISTRICT (DUAL REFERRAL TO THE PLANNING BOARD).]
[20. DISCUSS THE DEVELOPMENT OF DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR ALTERNATE RAILING DESIGNS FOR NON-CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS WITHIN HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND A POSSIBLE AMENDMENT TO THE CITY’S HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE TO ALLOW FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OF SUCH NEW RAILING DESIGNS THAT COMPLY WITH SUCH GUIDELINES FOR NON-CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS.]
[21. DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS OF THE CITY CODE (LDR’S) AND THE CITY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REGARDING ALLOWABLE USES AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS WITHIN THE 40TH STREET RESIDENTIAL SINGLE-FAMILY OVERLAY ONLY APPLICABLE TO RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS.]
[22. REFERRAL TO THE LAND USE AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS AN ORDINANCE INCREASING FINES AND PENALTIES FOR FREQUENT CODE VIOLATIONS THAT AFFECT RESIDENT QUALITY OF LIFE.]
SO FROM THIS AGENDA, UM, THERE ARE THREE ITEMS UNDER FUTURE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN DEFERRED SINCE THE ORIGINAL PUBLISHING OF THE AGENDA LAST THURSDAY.AND THEY ARE ITEM 20, WHICH WAS TO DISCUSS THE DEVELOPMENT OF DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR ALTERNATE RAILING DESIGNS FOR NON-CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS WITHIN HISTORIC DISTRICTS, AND A POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS TO THE CITY'S HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE TO ALLOW FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OF SUCH NEW RAILING DESIGNS.
THIS IS BEING, UH, MOVED TO A FUTURE DATE, UH, ITEM 21, WHICH WAS THE DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS OF THE CITY CODE AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN REGARDING ALLOWABLE USES AND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS WITHIN THE 40TH STREET RESIDENTIAL SINGLE FAMILY OVERLAY APPLICABLE TO RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS.
THIS IS ALSO BEING MOVED TO A FUTURE DATE.
AND THEN FINALLY, ITEM NUMBER 22, WHICH WAS A REFERRAL TO THE LAND USE COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS AN ORDINANCE INCREASING FINES AND PENALTIES FOR FREQUENT CODE VIOLATIONS THAT AFFECT RESIDENTIAL QUALITY OF LIFE.
THIS IS BEING, UH, DEFERRED TO A FUTURE DATE ON THE, UH, AGENDA THAT WAS, UH, PUBLISHED, UH, AS PART OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL TODAY.
ITEM NUMBER THREE, UH, REGARDING FUTURE PROGRAMMING OF THE WEST LOTS IS BEING DEFERRED TO A FUTURE DATE ITEM NUMBER FOUR, WHICH ARE INCENTIVES FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO RESTORE AND REHABILITATE HISTORIC RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN THE FLAMINGO PARK NEIGHBORHOOD IS BEING DEFERRED TO A SPECIAL MEETING, UH, FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION ITEMS. ITEM NUMBER FIVE, TO DISCUSS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A CONSENT AGENDA FOR LAND USE BOARD MEETINGS IS BEING DEFERRED TO A FUTURE DATE.
UM, ITEM NUMBER, UH, A NUMBER SEVEN, DISCUSS INCENTIVES FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO RESTORE AND REHABILITATE HISTORIC RESIDENTIAL APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN NORTH BEACH IS BEING DEFERRED TO A SPECIAL MEETING FOR HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
AND LASTLY, ITEM NUMBER 14, UH, WHICH IS AN ORDINANCE TO CREATE FAR HEIGHT AND SETBACK INCENTIVE FOR NON-TRANSIENT RESIDENTIAL USES ON PROPERTIES FRONTING SIXTH STREET IN THE CPS TWO ZONING DISTRICT IS BEING DEFERRED TO A FUTURE DATE.
ALL RIGHT, AND SO THOSE ITEMS NUMBER FOUR AND SEVEN, SINCE THEY'VE RELAYED ALSO TO RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE AD HOC HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEW COMMITTEE THAT WE CONVENED, THAT WE'RE GONNA TAKE ALL THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS TOGETHER, UH, AT A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE LAND USE COMMITTEE.
WITH THAT, UH, WE'RE GONNA BE TAKE, WE'RE GONNA BE TAKING ITEMS NUMBER 16, 17, AND 18, UH, OUT OF ORDER AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MEETING,
[24. DISCUSS INCENTIVES FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO RESTORE/REHABILITATE HISTORIC BUILDINGS ON COLLINS AND WASHINGTON AVE BETWEEN 5TH STREET AND LINCOLN ROAD.]
COMMISSIONER BOND, JUST, UM, FOR THE ITEMS THAT THE ITEMS THAT, UM, GOT MOVED TO A SPECIAL MEETING TO BE DISCUSSED ALL AS ONE THINGS THAT ARE CURRENTLY LISTED AS FUTURE ITEMS, WOULD THEY BE PULLED OUT AND PUT INTO THAT SPECIAL MEETING AS WELL, IF THERE ARE ANY THAT ARE RELEVANT? UH, YEAH, I'M HAPPY.I'M HAPPY IF THERE'S, THERE'S ANY, ANY RELATED ITEM TO RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE AD HOC COMMITTEE THAT WE CONVENED.
I'M HAPPY TO CONSIDER IT THERE.
THE INTENT IS TO, FOR ALL THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT CAME OUT OF THAT AD HOC COMMITTEE THAT REVIEWED OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE TO CONSIDER THEM ALL TOGETHER AT THAT SPECIAL LAND USE COMMITTEE.
'CAUSE LIKE 24, I DON'T KNOW IF, IF IT WAS REVIEWED BY THE AD HOC COMMITTEE, BUT IT SORT OF FALLS INTO THE SAME BUCKET OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO, SO IT MIGHT BE USEFUL TO SURE, YES, YES.
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24, THIS WE CAN, THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.I I, I DO BELIEVE ITEM 24 SHOULD BE PART, UH, THAT SPECIAL, UM, MEETING COMMISSIONER.
SO, UM, MR. DIRECTOR LESS, LESS, UH, LESS NOTE THAT, AND THAT IS ITEM 24 UNDER THE SUPPLEMENTAL AGENDA, CORRECT? YEAH, BOTH UNDER THE ORIGINALLY PRINTED AGENDA AND THE SUPPLEMENTAL.
WHICH ARE THE INCENTIVES TO RESTORE AND REHABILITATE BUILDINGS ON COLLINS AVENUE AND WASHINGTON AVENUE? OKAY.
UH, WITH THAT, IS THERE A MOTION TO SET THE AGENDA? I, I'LL MOVE IT.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COMMISSIONER BOT SECOND BY THE CHAIR, AND WE CAN SHOW THAT BY ACCLAMATION.
[16. INSTALLING WAYFINDING SIGNAGE TO OCEAN DRIVE FROM THE ENTRANCE TO THE CITY AT THE MACARTHUR CAUSEWAY.]
I'M GONNA JUST TAKE AGENDA, AGENDA ITEM NUMBER 16 OUT OF, OUT OF ORDER.THIS IS AN ITEM I HAD PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR THE INSTALLATION OF WAVE FINDING SIGNAGE TO OCEAN DRAWING FROM THE ENTRANCE OF THE CITY, UH, AT, AT THE MACARTHUR CAUSEWAY TOWARDS, UM, TOWARDS, TOWARDS THIS PART OF, OF THE CITY TO, UM, TO TRULY ENHANCE OUR VISITOR EXPERIENCE.
OFTENTIMES BECAUSE OF THE CHANGE OF TRAFFIC FLOW, OUR VISITORS, UM, AT TIMES END UP LOST TRYING TO GET TO OCEAN DRIVE AND OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, UH, ACTUALLY WAS ABLE TO PROACTIVELY WORK ON THIS.
WE HAVE OUR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR HERE.
UH, BRAD CONCISELY, JUST TELL US WHAT YOU WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN FERNANDEZ FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
UM, AS PART OF THE CITY'S ONGOING PROGRAM, UM, THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, UH, THIS PARTICULAR ITEM WAS INCLUDED IN IT, AND I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT ALL THE SIGNS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED.
AND I WILL SHARE PICTURES, UH, WITH THE GROUP AS WELL.
UM, BUT IT'S ALL DONE AND JUST AS IS IN YOUR PARTICULAR ITEM, SO, GREAT.
SO WITH THAT, WE CAN SHOW THIS ITEM AS COMPLETED.
AND THANK YOU FOR, FOR GETTING THOSE SIGNS INSTALLED.
I DON'T KNOW, UH, NICK, ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? NO, THERE ARE NOT.
THERE'S NOT ANY, ANY DISCUSSIONS FROM THE TABLE FROM THE, FROM THE DAYS ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, WE CAN
[17. DISCUSS AMENDING THE MIAMI BEACH RESILIENCY CODE TO WAIVE OR REDUCE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD APPLICATION FEES FOR ADDITIONS, RENOVATIONS, AND REHABILITATION OF SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES WITHIN LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS OR INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNATED HISTORIC SITES.]
MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 17.UH, LET'S INTRODUCE THE ITEM, MR. DIRECTOR.
ITEM NUMBER 17 IS DISCUSS AMENDING THE MIAMI BEACH RESILIENCY CODE TO WAIVE OR REDUCE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD APPLICATION FEES FOR ADDITIONS, RENOVATIONS, AND REHABILITATION OF SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITHIN LOCAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS OR INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNATED HISTORIC SITES.
COMMISSIONER WILSON GONZALEZ, THIS IS YOUR ITEM.
YOU'RE WELCOME TO INTRODUCE HIM.
UM, SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU LIVE IN MOST PLACES IN MID BEACH AND YOU WANNA CHANGE A WINDOW, YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GO IN FRONT OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD.
BUT WE HAVE A COUPLE OF SINGLE FAMILY NEIGHBOR, UH, SINGLE FAMILY HOME NEIGHBORHOODS IN MIAMI BEACH WHERE IF THEY WANNA DO ANYTHING AT ALL, THEY HAVE TO PAY THIS ADDED FEE IN ORDER TO GO IN FRONT OF THE HPP.
AND, UM, I UNDERSTAND WHY THEY MIGHT BE UPSET ABOUT THAT.
SO I WOULD LIKE US TO HELP THEM AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO, YOU KNOW, IMPROVE THEIR HOMES BY NOT CHARGING THEM TO GO IN FRONT OF THE HPP.
AND THIS WOULD APPLY TO PALM VIEW.
THERE'S A, YOU KNOW, A SOME HISTORIC SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, UM, ON ALTON, AND THERE'S A SMALL SINGLE FAMILY HOME HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD NEAR, UM, FLAMINGO PARK.
YOU KNOW, WHICH ONE I'M TALKING ABOUT.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE A GREAT INCENTIVE FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNERS.
COMMISSIONER AND I, AND I TRULY ALIGN WITH, WITH THE INTENT OF THIS ITEM, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND OUR INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNATED SITES, IT MAKES SENSE IF WE WANT TO PRESERVE THESE HOMES.
THIS IS A SMALL WAY, AND I THINK IT'S A NOMINAL COST TO THE CITY.
A NOMINAL COST TO THE CITY COULD AT TIMES BE A BIG COST TO THE HOMEOWNER.
SO I COMMEND YOU ON THE SPIRIT OF THIS ITEM.
UH, ARE THERE COMMENTS FROM THE DAY ON THIS ITEM COMMISSIONER BODY RECOGNIZED? UM, I, I, I LIKE THE IDEA THAT, EXCUSE ME.
I LIKE THE IDEA OF THIS TO MAKE IT EASIER.
UM, WOULD THIS BE ANY HOME, ANY SINGLE FAMILY HOME IN A CONTRI, IN A, ANY CONTRIBUTING SINGLE FAMILY HOME IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHETHER OR NOT THAT HOME HAS BEEN DESIGNATED HISTORIC SINGLE FAMILY HOMES WITHIN LOCALLY DESIGNATED DISTRICTS, BUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNATED AS HISTORIC? IS THAT RIGHT? I DON'T BELIEVE THE, UH, REFERRAL CONTEMPLATES CONTRIBUTING VERSUS NON-CONTRIBUTING.
BUT IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU WANTED TO ADD, YOU COULD CERTAINLY ADD THAT.
NO, I MEAN, I JUST THINK WE DON'T WANNA, UM, I THINK IF ANYBODY WHO'S IN A SINGLE FAMILY IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE DESIGNATED ALREADY AS AN INDIVIDUAL SITE, AND I ALSO LIKE THE FACT THAT THIS IS NOT, UM, DISPENSING WITH THE REVIEW PROCESS.
UM, IT IS, THERE'S STILL AN OPPORTUNITY TO REVIEW.
IT'S JUST MAKING IT A LESS ONEROUS
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BURDEN FOR THE, FOR THE RESIDENTS, IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THIS CORRECTLY.UM, DO YOU HAVE ANY HESITATION ON THIS? NO, WE WERE, UM, AS WE INDICATED IN THE MEMO, IT LIKELY WILL BE FAIRLY DI MINIMIS, AT LEAST IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS BASED UPON THE NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS WE'VE GOTTEN.
BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE WOULD RECOMMEND IN FAVOR OF, AND IF THE COMMITTEE'S IN FAVOR OF IT, YOU CAN SEND IT BACK TO THE COMMISSION FOR A REFERRAL TO LAND USE OR FOR THE, FOR A REFERRAL TO THE PLANNING BOARD.
AND, AND I MUST SAY THAT, THAT EVEN THOUGH IT WOULD NOT APPLY TO INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNATED SITES WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT'S, THE FACT THAT IT WOULD APPLY TO ANY HOME, UH, IN A, IN A, IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT, IT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT HELPS US PRESERVE THE CHARACTER, THE OVERALL CHARACTER OF THESE DISTRICTS, EVEN WHEN THE INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES ARE NOT DESIGNATED THEMSELVES.
UH, IS THERE A MOTION ON THE ITEM, MR. CHAIR? IF I COULD JUST MAKE ONE CLARIFICATION.
IT, IT DOES ALSO COVER INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNATED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
SO IT'S, SO IT'S ANYONE, RIGHT? WELL, BUT OUTSIDE, CORRECT? THAT'S CORRECT.
OUTSIDE, INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNATED HOMES OUTSIDE OF DISTRICT.
UM, I THINK THERE'S PUBLIC COMMENT, YES.
BUT IS THERE A FIRST MOTION ON THE ITEM? YEAH.
THE ITEM HAS BEEN PROPERLY MOVED.
AND SECOND, I SECOND MEMBERS OF SECOND BY COMMISSIONER, UH, DOMINGUEZ.
ARE THERE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM COMMISSION? YES.
DANIEL ERALDO WITH MIAMI DESIGN PRESERVATION LEAGUE.
THIS SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT IDEA TO ENCOURAGE, UM, SINGLE FAMILY HOMEOWNERS OF HISTORIC HOMES.
AND I, BUT I DO WANNA MENTION THAT IF YOU DO WANNA CHANGE A WINDOW, YOU ACTUALLY DON'T HAVE TO GO TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD.
AND THAT IS, THERE'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW PROCESS.
THAT'S ONE OF THE MANY THINGS THAT PEOPLE GET WRONG AND WHY WE HAVE SO MUCH, UH, INFORMATION OUT THERE, BUT YEAH.
UH, BUT ANYTHING LIKE A BIG ADDITION THAT, UH, WITH SIGNIFICANT DEMOLITION WOULD REQUIRE GOING THERE.
SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THIS WOULDN'T APPLY JUST A DEMOLITION BECAUSE, UM, THAT WOULD PROBABLY HAVE THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF, AND, AND, AND THIS WOULD ACTUALLY APPLY AND MR. ATTORNEY CORRECT US IF WE'RE WRONG FOR ADDITIONS, RENOVATIONS AND REHABILITATION.
BUT NOT FOR DEMOLITIONS, IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S RIGHT, YES.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? ANY ON ZOOM? NO.
THERE IS, UH, NOW THERE IS, UH, MS. NOVIK.
MITCH, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
MITCH, PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
MITCH NOVIK, THIS SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT PROGRAM.
I THINK IT SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO HISTORIC DISTRICTS SUCH AS THE FLAMINGO PARK NEIGHBORHOOD TO INCLUDE MULTI-FAMILY BUILDINGS, UH, WHERE PROPERTY OWNERS IF THEY SHOULD SEEK TO CHANGE WINDOWS OR DO ANY MODIFICATIONS, THEIR FEED TO DEATH.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? OKAY.
SEEING NONE, UH, BY ACCLIMATION, WE CAN SHOW THIS ITEM RECOMMENDED BACK TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
[18. CONSIDER AMENDING THE CITY’S LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS TO REQUIRE A 6/7TH VOTE OF THE CITY COMMISSION PRIOR TO THE ADOPTION OF ANY INCREASE IN A PROPERTY’S ZONED HEIGHT.]
UH, LET'S MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, MR. DIRECTOR.NUMBER 18 IS CONSIDER AMENDING THE CITY'S LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS TO REQUIRE A SIX SEVEN VOTE OF THE CITY COMMISSION PRIOR TO THE ADOPTION OF ANY INCREASE IN A PROPERTY ZONED HEIGHT.
COMMISSIONER WILSON GONZALEZ, THIS IS YOUR ITEM, YOU'RE WELCOME TO INTRODUCE.
SO, THINGS THAT ARE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, NOT LIKE LOVE AND MARRIAGE LAW AND ORDER, HEIGHTENED DENSITY, YOU KNOW,
YOU SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, EVERY TIME ON AN AGENDA, MOST OF THE TIME THAT I SEE.
UM, FARI ALSO HAPPEN TO SEE HEIGHT IN MANY CASES.
AND BECAUSE WE APPLY THE SIX SEVENS TO THE FAR, AND I THINK THAT'S WORKING PRETTY WELL.
'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, THINGS PASS WHEN THEY'RE GOOD PROJECTS, WHEN YOU KNOW, WHEN EVERYBODY AGREES TO THEM.
BUT I DO THINK THAT HAVING THIS CONVERSATION AT, AT THE COMMISSION AND INCLUDING, UM, THE HEIGHT IS THE CORRECT THING TO DO, BECAUSE THE TWO OF THEM KIND OF COEXIST AS I SPEAK TO DIFFERENT DEVELOPERS AROUND TOWN, THEY DON'T JUST WANT THE FAR, THEY ALSO WANT THE HEIGHT, AND THEY DON'T REALLY WANT THE HEIGHT WITHOUT THE FAR.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES SOMEBODY WILL SAY, I WANT HEIGHT, BUT SOMEWHERE BETTER EMBEDDED IN THERE.
SO I JUST THINK THAT IT'S, UM, GOOD GOVERNMENT, IT'S HIGHER THRESHOLDS.
AS WE GROW HIGHER AND HIGHER, WE'VE ALREADY GRANTED, UM, SIGN, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT HEIGHT INCREASES AT THE LAST MEETING, DENSITY INCREASES, UM, FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, TRANSIENT TO RESIDENTIAL USE.
BUT ANYTHING ELSE COMING BEFORE US WOULD HAVE TO PASS THAT SIXTH, SEVENTH THRESHOLD.
AND I ALSO THINK IT WILL GIVE, UM, DEVELOPERS AND, AND, AND
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SOME PAUSE AND SAY, OKAY, THIS IS A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT THRESHOLD IF I WANT TO DO THIS IN MIAMI BEACH.AND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND, AND WE WOULD HAVE TO REALLY BUY IN.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? IT MEANS THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO DO SIGNIFICANT COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND GET COMPLIANCE FROM ALL OF THE NEIGHBORS.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT FROM, FROM DIFFERENT GROUPS.
AND I THINK IT WILL GO A LONG WAY TO BETTER PROJECTS AT THE END OF THE DAY.
BECAUSE WHEN SOMETIMES WHEN YOU DO HOLD A HUNDRED COMMUNITY MEETINGS TO GET A 500 STORY TOWER, YOU END UP WITH A UNANIMOUS VOTE BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE A HUNDRED OR 200 MEETINGS.
AND EVEN THEN RESIDENTS ACROSS THE CITY, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS OUTCRY, BUT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS ALSO, I THINK IT WAS 200 PUBLIC MEETINGS.
AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT THE DEVELOPER OF THIS, OF FIVE PARK SAID.
AND BY, BY THE WAY, WHERE IT STARTED OUT AND WHERE IT ENDED UP WITH CANOPY PARK, AND, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE, YOU KNOW, AND THE CROSSWALK THAT'S FINALLY BEING BUILT.
AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS WERE THERE BECAUSE OF THOSE COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
AND BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, UM, BE, BECAUSE ACTUALLY AT THE TIME IT WAS, IT WAS REALLY A, A QUESTION OF HEIGHT.
BUT WHEN IT'S GOOD, WHEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN SOMEBODY OFFERS ALL OF THESE THINGS, THEN YOU DO GAIN CONSENSUS OR AT LEAST SIX SEVENTH VOTE.
COMMISSIONER, I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THIS, COMMISSIONER.
I, THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE DAY OF WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
COMMISSIONER BOND, I THINK IT WAS 200 MEETINGS, WALKING BAREFOOT IN THE SNOW UPHILL IN BOTH DIRECTIONS.
UM, MY CONCERN IS IN THE NOT TWO DISTANT PATHS, WE'VE HAD VERY DIVIDED COMMISSIONS.
AND I WORRY IF, UM, YOU KNOW, WE CAN GENERALLY TALK THINGS OUT ON THE DAIS WITH THE CONFIGURATION OF PEOPLE WE HAVE ELECTED.
NOW, UM, I AM, MY RESERVATION IS THAT IF YOU, IF YOU HAVE A VERY DIVIDED DAY WITH PERSONALITIES THAT DON'T WANNA HEAR EACH OTHER, JUST, YOU KNOW, HAVE REFUSED TO HEAR EACH OTHER, UM, WHICH I HOPE DOESN'T HAPPEN AGAIN, AT LEAST DURING THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS, UM, I, I WORRY THAT WE MIGHT SET OURSELVES UP FOR BEING, YOU KNOW, SORT OF AT AN IMPASSE ON EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME AND NOT BEING ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD, MAKE THINGS BETTER.
UM, WHETHER OR NOT FORWARD MEANS PASSING SOMETHING, IT JUST, YOU KNOW, I, I DON'T KNOW IF WE WOULD.
I I LIKE THE IDEA, BUT I HAVE RESERVATIONS, SO I, SO, SO ON ON THAT, MR. ATTORNEY, IS THERE A LIMIT ON HEIGHT INCREASES THAT CAN BE CONTEMPLATED? AT THE MOMENT? THE, THE, THE CHARTER HAS A RESTRICTION PROHIBITING A VARIANCE OF GREATER THAN THREE FEET.
SO THE CITY COMMISSION CAN AMEND THE MAXIMUM HEIGHT FOR A ZONING DISTRICT AS A LEGISLATIVE MATTER, BUT NO VARIANCE FOR HEIGHT CAN BE GRANTED BY THE LAND USE BOARDS FOR MORE THAN THREE FEET.
FOR MORE THAN THREE FEET, WHICH IS WHY WE'VE ENDED UP WITH THESE, WITH THESE TAX AMENDMENTS.
I THINK, YOU KNOW, I I, I THINK IT IS A WELL-INTENDED PIECE OF, OF LEGISLATION.
I THINK THAT THERE'S TIMES WHEN YOU SEE AREAS THAT HAVE BEEN DEPRESSED THAT NEED SUPPORT.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE IN THE PAST HAVE USED IT AS, AS A TOOL WE'RE GONNA BE THIS, I MEAN, I'M SURE, I'M SURE AS PART OF THE DEVELOP CONVERSATION, I'M SURE WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK AT LDR AMENDMENTS, THAT THAT MIGHT CONTEMPLATE HIDE.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE A TOOL THAT WE'RE GONNA BE ABLE TO USE TO SAVE, NOT SAVE, BRING BACK, HOPEFULLY, UM, YOU KNOW, A, A PROPERTY THAT WE LOST.
UM, YOU KNOW, I THINK ABOUT, ABOUT THE DISCUSSIONS WE HAD WITH A STANTON HOTEL.
YES, IT WAS A HEIGHT INCREASE, BUT IT WAS A HEIGHT INCREASE BECAUSE OF WHAT WAS ASKED OF THE DEVELOPER TO, TO, TO, UM, AS, AS PART OF THE PROCESS.
UH, AND MR. MUNI, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT IT WAS AS A RESULT OF FEEDBACK FROM THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD THAT WE ENDED UP WITH A HEIGHT INCREASE BEFORE, BEFORE US.
AND SO, AND, AND SO IN ESSENCE, WAS THERE A HEIGHT INCREASE? THERE WAS A HEIGHT INCREASE, BUT IT WAS AS A RESULT OF FEEDBACK FROM, FROM THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD.
AND THAT HEIGHT INCREASE ULTIMATELY HELPED US PRESERVE A HISTORIC PROPERTY THAT OTHERWISE THE PROPERTY OWNER COULD HAVE DEMOLISHED AS OF RIGHT, BECAUSE OF THE PREEMPTIONS ADOPTED BY THE STATE OF FLORIDA WITH THE UNSAFE STRUCTURES ACT
[00:20:01]
AND WITH, AND WITH SUCH A DANGEROUS STATUTE EXISTING IN TALLAHASSEE.IF WE CAN USE HEIGHT INCREASE, NOMINAL HEIGHT INCREASES AS AN INCENTIVE TO PRESERVE HISTORIC ASSETS, THEN IT'S A TOOL THAT WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD HAVE AVAILABLE.
AND I'M CONCERNED THAT, AS OUR COLLEAGUE MENTIONED, UM, MAKING IT SO RESTRICTIVE AS A SIXTH SEVENTH VOTE COULD, UM, COULD, COULD GET IN THE WAY, ESPECIALLY WITHIN A DIFFERENT TYPE OF COMMISSION WHERE WE'RE NOT AS ALIGNED.
COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ? WELL, I'D LIKE TO POINT OUT THAT THE STANTON PASSED WITH THE SIXTH SEVENTH VOTE.
AND APART FROM THAT, THERE'S NOT VERY MANY TIMES THAT A HEIGHT INCREASE COMES BEFORE US WITHOUT AN ADDED FAR INCREASE.
HERE IS WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO ASK, WOULD YOU CONSIDER MOVING IT TO COMMISSION WITH NO RECOMMENDATION SO THAT WE CAN HAVE, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION SO THAT WE COULD HAVE THE CONVERSATION WITH ALL SEVEN OF US PRESENT JUST SO THAT, AND IT MIGHT NEVER GET CALLED, OR, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT TAKE MONTHS
BUT, BUT LET'S HAVE THAT CONVERSATION BECAUSE I, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT WHEN IT IS OKAY, AND THERE'S CONSENSUS, THEN IT DID PASS.
SO WHEN SOMETHING IS MODERATE AND WHEN IT'S AN INCENTIVE THAT THE MAJORITY OR THE, THE SUPER MAJORITY OF THE BODY FEELS IS CORRECT, UM, IT MOVES FORWARD.
I, YOU KNOW, I, THAT'S WHY I DON'T UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, AND, AND BY THE WAY, AS I'M LOOKING AT THE AGENDA, EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU HAVE THE FAR, YOU ALSO HAVE THE HEIGHT, YOU KNOW, SO I, YOU KNOW, BUT MAYBE, MAYBE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, MASSAGING WITH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THERE'S ADDED FAR WITH A REDUCED SETBACK AND NO HEIGHT, YOU KNOW? BUT LIKE, SO, SO WHAT I WOULD ALSO POINT OUT IS, YOU KNOW, NOT EVERY PARCEL IS THE SAME.
AND SO THERE MIGHT BE INSTANCES WHERE YOU MIGHT NEED, THROUGH THE REVIEW PROCESS, GREATER BUFFER BETWEEN PROPERTIES AND THE WAY YOU ACHIEVE THAT GREATER BUFFER BETWEEN PROPERTIES.
AND I'M JUST USING THIS AS ONE EXAMPLE, WHILE STILL ALLOWING PEOPLE TO USE THEIR FAR IS BY ALLOWING THEM TO GO HIGHER.
SO YOU MAY HAVE GREATER SETBACKS TO REDUCE CERTAIN IMPACTS.
YOU MAY HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU MAY, YOU MAY NOT WANT A BUILDING TO BE AS CLOSE TO THE NEIGHBORING PROPERTY.
SO YOU MAY SAY, OKAY, THE SETBACKS ARE GOING TO BE BIGGER, BUT THE BUILD, BUT THE BUILDING HAS TO GO HIGHER IN ORDER FOR THEM TO ACHIEVE, YOU KNOW, THEIR ABILITY TO, TO, TO USE THEIR PROPERTY RIGHTS WITHOUT TAKING AWAY PROPERTY RIGHTS FOR FROM THEM IN A WAY THAT COULD MAKE US VULNERABLE THEN TO LITIGATION.
AND SO I THINK, I, I THINK THAT THAT'S SOMETHING I, SO I CAN'T SUPPORT THIS TODAY, THE WAY THAT THIS IS WRITTEN.
I DON'T, I I DON'T THINK THAT THIS POSITIONS US WELL.
I THINK IT TAKES AWAY FLEXIBILITY FROM US.
CAN I, CAN I SUGGEST THAT MAYBE, UM, YOU, YOU CONTINUE WORKING ON THIS A LITTLE BIT AND MAYBE SEPARATE OUT PROJECTS THAT WOULD HAVE A HISTORIC REDEVELOPMENT COMPONENT? SO IF IT'S SOMEBODY COMING WITH A BRAND NEW DEVELOPMENT AND THEY JUST WANT HEIGHT AND INCREASED DENSITY, INCREASED HEIGHT, THAT WOULD REQUIRE A SIX SEVENTH VOTE.
IF IT'S SOMEBODY WHO IS TRYING TO GIVE US WHAT WE WANT, WHICH IS TO PROTECT AND REINVIGORATE A HISTORIC PROPERTY, AND WE'RE USING IT AS A WAY TO INCENTIVIZE THAT PROTECTION, THAT COULD STAY AT A FIVE SEVENTH VOTE.
SO IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS, YOU COMMISSIONER, SO WITHIN THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS FIVE SEVENS AND NEW PROJECT SIX SEVENS FOR HEIGHT OR, OR, OR EVEN IF IT'S OUTSIDE OF A HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUT IT HELPS US PRESERVE, UH, A, A, HIS, A DESIGNATED SITE OR A, OR, OR A PROPERTY OF ARCHITECTURAL SIGNIFICANCE, EVEN IF IT'S OUTSIDE OF A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE, WELL THE STANTON IS PART OF A HISTORIC DISTRICT, SO, BUT THERE WAS, OR LIKE, YOU KNOW, UM, FIVE PARK YOUR BIKE, YOUR MIC FIVE PARK WAS NOT, IS NOT, UM, DID NOT PRESERVE AN EXISTING CONTRIBUTING STRUCTURE IN ANY WAY.
AND IT GOT TREMENDOUS ADDITIONAL FAR AND AND HEIGHT.
AND, BUT THERE ARE OTHER PROJECTS AND THERE'S, THERE'S ONE COMING ON WEST AVE THAT WOULD GET TREMENDOUS ADDITIONAL HEIGHT, UM, NOT CONTRIBUTING TO ANY SIGNIFICANT, ANY HISTORIC, UM, PRESERVATION EFFORT.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER PROJECTS COMING DOWN THE PIKE POTENTIALLY ON, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY IN WASHINGTON OR, OR THE VILLE OR, UM, THAT ARE ASKING FOR THAT IN, IN EXCHANGE FOR PRESERVING OR RECONSTRUCTING IN SOME CASES, A CONTRIBUTING A VERY
[00:25:01]
IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTING HISTORIC STRUCTURE.SO TO ME, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE NOT EQUAL.
AND, AND FIVE SEVENS IS NOT NOTHING, BY THE WAY.
FIVE SEVENS IS ALREADY PRETTY, PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
BUT LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, ON FIVE PARK, HAD THERE BEEN A SIX SEVENS, WE COULD HAVE GOTTEN A WAY BETTER PROJECT, BUT THEY HAD THE FIVE VOTES SOLID.
YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? AND AT THAT POINT, YOU KNOW, TO GO AGAINST SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, ALREADY IS JUST GONNA PASS ON PRINCIPLE, WHEN THERE WERE SO MANY MEETINGS, I THINK THAT IF YOU WOULD'VE HAD THAT THRESHOLD, I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD'VE GOTTEN THE 500 FOOT TOWER.
YOU WOULDN'T HAVE, THEY WOULD'VE HAD TO BRING IT DOWN.
AND I THINK OUR RESIDENTS WOULD'VE BEEN VERY GRATEFUL.
'CAUSE I HAVE TO SAY, THE ONE THING THAT I'VE NEVER HEARD IS HOW MUCH I LIKE THE TOWER ON FIFTH STREET
NOBODY HAS EVER, EVER SAID THAT TO ME.
UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ENJOY THE PARK, FINE.
BUT ALL I HEAR IS GRIEF ABOUT THAT.
SO IF, IF THAT WOULD'VE BEEN, IF THAT WAS YOUR MOTION, IF THAT WAS YOUR MOTION, I WOULD MOVE IT WITH WHAT YOU JUST SAID TO I'M READY TO TAKE THAT.
YES, I'M READY TO TAKE WHAT I CAN GET ON THIS.
AND I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM COMMISSIONER DOMINGEZ, BUT IF THAT WOULD BE YOUR MOTION, YOU GUYS WOULD ALL SUPPORT THIS FOR NEW PROJECTS? I WOULD, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GREAT PROTECTION.
I WOULD, I WOULD SUPPORT A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT WITH, WITH THE FULL COMMISSION.
IF IT WERE BIFURCATED COMPLETELY NEW VERSUS, UM, NEW AND REHABILITATING HISTORIC, I WOULD, I WOULD, THAT, THAT'S A CONVERSATION I WOULD, UM, I COULD EXTEND TO THE BIGGER COMMISSION.
I, I, I'M NOT SURE THAT I WOULD SUPPORT IT AT THE END OF THE DAY, BUT IT'S A CONVERSATION I'D BE INTERESTED IN HAVING.
SO IT'S A, IT'S, IT'S A MOTION TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AT THE CITY COMMISSION, BUT IT'S AN AMENDED LANGUAGE.
RIGHT? SO TO MAINTAIN THE FIVE, SEVENTH FOR BRAND NEW, NO, SIX SEVENTHS.
SIX SEVENTH FOR BRAND NEW AND FIVE SEVENTH TO BE ABLE TO USE AS A HISTORIC PRESERVATION INCENTIVE.
SO THAT'S THE MOTION MOVED BY COMMISSIONER BOD SECOND.
IT'S BEEN SECOND SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ.
DID YOU GET THAT? WE'RE GONNA SHOW THAT AS SOMETHING GOING HERE.
I THINK IT'S, I THINK THAT THAT WAS A, SO I THINK THAT'S A GOOD COMPROMISE TO WHERE YOU'RE TRYING TO GO.
AND I DO THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE BIG PROJECTS COME BEFORE US.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, BECAUSE THIS, THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF LEGISLATION.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A DRAFT OF THIS, A DRAFT OF THIS ORDINANCE, COME TO THE LAND USE COMMITTEE SO WE CAN REVIEW IT.
BECAUSE THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT AMENDMENT TO OUR LDRS.
UH, SO, SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THIS COME TO OUR COMMITTEE.
AND BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, I'D LIKE TO OPEN UP THE PUBLIC, UH, THE FLOOR TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
IF THERE ARE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, UH, YOU CAN APPROACH THE PODIUM OR RAISE YOUR HAND ON ZOOM.
UM, I WANTED TO MENTION ONE ISSUE IS A CONFUSION ABOUT THE FAR INCREASE.
EVEN WE'VE HEARD ELECTED OFFICIALS SAY, WELL, NOW IT REQUIRES SIX SEVENS FOR FAR AND HEIGHT INCREASE.
AND SO I DO THINK THE PUBLIC DOES ALREADY THINK THAT'S IN PLACE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY I THINK THE, THE IDEA MADE SENSE TO MAKE IT ACROSS THE BOARD.
UH, BUT IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE, UH, TO ANALYZE THIS POTENTIAL, UH, FURTHER, AS LONG AS WE'RE NOT ENCOURAGING INCOMPATIBLE NEW DEVELOPMENT WITHIN HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
'CAUSE THAT KIND OF GOES AGAINST THE IDEA OF TRYING TO KEEP THAT LOW SCALE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY IT'LL KEEP THAT IN MIND IN YOUR DISCUSSIONS.
SO CAN I ASK ONE QUESTION? SO, TOM, COULD WE DEVELOP SOMETHING BASED ON WHAT COMMISSIONER BOT SAID AS A REFERRAL BACK TO LAND USE? AND WE'LL BRING IT TO THE, SO I'M NOT BRINGING IT BACK TO LAND USE.
I HAVE TO BRING IT AS A REFERRAL TO THE COMMISSION AGAIN, TO COME, I WOULD SAY, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT THAT, THAT THERE BE A DISCUSSION.
I, BEFORE THE ITEM COMES BACK AS A REFERRAL TO THE COMMISSIONER, I THINK, I THINK COMMISSIONER BOND, WHAT SHE MENTIONED WAS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AT THE FULL CITY COMMISSION WITH, WITH THE, WITH THE RESERVOIR COLLEAGUES.
UM, SO PERHAPS A DISCUSSION ITEM WOULD BE MOST APPROPRIATE.
UH, THEN YOU, BUT YOU WANTED IT BACK HERE IN LAND USE.
IT COULD BE A DISCUSS TAKE ACTION WHERE WE DISCUSS WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED HERE AND THEN, AND THEN THAT DRAFT LANGUAGE PASSES OF THE ORDINANCE.
IF IT PASSES, IF IT PASSES THERE, THEN THE DRAFT ORDINANCE LANGUAGE WILL COME BACK HERE.
DO WE DO DISCUSS, TAKE ACTION ON AN ORDINANCE THAT GOES INTO AN ORDINANCE? IT'S AN ORDINANCE.
SO IT'S NOT A DISCUSSION ITEM.
IT'S A, YOU MEAN YOU WANNA DISCUSS THE ORDINANCE? WHY DON'T I PUT IT THROUGH AS A REFERRAL BEFORE AND SOMEBODY DOESN'T LIKE IT.
I, I THINK I, I'LL PULL IT MYSELF.
[00:30:01]
IS A MAJOR PIECE OF POLICY, AND I THINK THIS IS A MAJOR PIECE OF POLICY THAT I THINK WE, WE SHOULD GET INPUT FROM ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES ON.UM, SO I WOULD SUGGEST PUTTING, PUTTING IT AS A DISCUSSION ITEM SO IT'S CLEAR THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE DISCUSSED, UM, TO TOGETHER WITH A, WITH A REFERRAL PERHAPS.
UM, BECAUSE YOU, AT TIMES, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING LIKE THIS, YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT IF IT DOESN'T GET PULLED, YOU KNOW? WELL, THE THING IS, OKAY, FIRST OF ALL, I COULD DO A DISCUSSION, TAKE, TAKE ACTION, BUT I MEAN, I COULD ALSO, I MEAN, PUT IT ON AS A REFERRAL BACK HERE.
I MEAN, IT'S NOT REALLY GOING ANYWHERE EXCEPT BACK HERE, BUT I HAVE TO BRING IT TO THE COMMISSION IN ORDER TO HEAR IT HERE AGAIN.
SO YOU WANTED TO HEAR IT HERE AGAIN, OR WE CAN KEEP, WE CAN KEEP THIS ITEM OPEN, UH, SO THAT YOU CAN BRING BACK, UM, SO THAT YOU CAN BRING BACK AN ORDINANCE SO THAT WE CAN, WITH THE FEEDBACK YOU'VE RECEIVED HERE AFTER YOU HAVE THE DISCUSSION AT COMMISSION, THAT MIGHT BE THE CLEANEST PROCESS.
KEEP THIS ITEM OPEN SO THAT AFTER WE HAVE THE DISCUSSION AT THE FULL COMMISSION, YOU CAN BRING BACK AN ORDINANCE FOR DISCUSSION.
LET ME RECOGNIZE THE CITY ATTORNEY.
I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, MR. CHAIRMAN, BECAUSE UNDER THE NEW COMMITTEE RULES, THE LAND USE COMMITTEE IS REQUIRED TO TRANSMIT ITS RECOMMENDATION BEFORE THE ITEM CAN BE REFERRED TO THE PLANNING BOARD.
OKAY? SO, SO LET'S KEEP THE ITEM OPEN HERE SO THAT YOU CAN COME BACK TO US WITH AN ACTUAL DRAFT ORDINANCE.
AND BEFORE YOU DO THAT, WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION PERHAPS AT THE DECEMBER 11TH CITY COMMISSION MEETING WHERE WE CAN GET INPUT FROM THE REST OF OUR COLLEAGUES.
OKAY? SO WE'RE GONNA DRAFT AN ORDINANCE FOR DISCUSSION AT THE COMMISSION MEETING, AND THEN ALSO WE'RE GONNA HAVE THE DISCUSSION HERE.
THAT'S SO MUCH DISCUSSION, ALEX.
AND WITH THAT, WE'RE GONNA MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.
SO, MR. CHAIR, JUST TO CONFIRM, IN THIS I ITEM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE IT TO THE CITY COMMISSION TO DISCUSS THE SIX SEVENS FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION AND LEAVING FIVE SEVENS IN HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND THEN WE'LL KEEP THIS AS AN ITEM DEFERRED TO A FUTURE LAND USE DATE, SO THAT THAT LEGISLATION CAN BE DISCUSSED.
AND, AND, AND BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM, THIS OPEN UP, UH, TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, MR. ATTORNEY, IS THERE ANYONE ON ZOOM? YES, WE HAVE MITCH NOVIK.
MR. CHAIR REFERENCED THE STATE PREEMPTIONS MOMENTS AGO.
UH, THE CLOCK IS TICKING, UH, REGARDING THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.
OUR FORMER CITY ATTORNEY, RECOM O OPINED NOT TO CHALLENGE IT.
WE NEED TO PROTECT MIAMI BEACH'S HOME RULE AND OUR ZONING RO RIGHTS.
AND I WOULD ASK THIS NEW COMMISSION TO RECONSIDER THAT.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE, UH, MR. ATTORNEY LES MEET, UH, UH, LATER THIS WEEK BEFORE THANKSGIVING, OF COURSE, ON THE ISSUE OF THE PREEMPTION.
[1. DISCUSS POTENTIAL INCENTIVES TO CONVERT CO-LIVING AND TRANSIENT UNITS TO APARTMENTS IN THE NORTH BEACH TCC DISTRICT]
MR. DIRECTOR, LET'S CALL ITEM NUMBER ONE.ITEM NUMBER ONE IS DISCUSS POTENTIAL INCENTIVES TO CONVERT CO-LIVING AND TRANSIENT UNITS TO APARTMENT APARTMENTS IN THE NORTH BEACH TCC DISTRICT COMMISSIONER BOT.
UH, WE'VE SPONSORED THIS ITEM TOGETHER.
YOU'D LIKE TO PRESENT ON THE ITEM.
UM, YOU KNOW WHAT, I'LL LET YOU DO THE HONORS.
WELL, UH, OUR, OUR INTENT IS TO CONSIDER INCENTIVES TO CONVERT CO-LIVING AND TRANSIENT UNITS TO APARTMENTS IN THE NORTH BEACH, TCC, UH, DISTRICT.
UM, MR. DIRECTOR, FROM WHAT I GATHER, YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T TRULY CONVERT.
IN ESSENCE, OUR HANDS ARE TIED AS COMMISSIONER BOD HAS STATED, UM, CORRECT MR. CHAIR.
AND ALSO GIVEN THE TYPE OF CONSTRUCTION THAT THESE CO-LIVING UNITS ARE, IT'S EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO MAKE THE CONSTRUCTION CHANGES THAT ARE NECESSARY IN ORDER TO CONVERT THEM.
AND, AND, AND THE GREATEST CONCERN, OF COURSE, THAT WE HAD IS THAT SHORT-TERM RENTALS OF, OF UNITS ARE ALLOWED WITHIN THIS DISTRICT.
UM, AND, AND THAT THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHAT WE WERE SEEKING.
PART OF WHAT WE WERE SEEKING TO ADDRESS, HAVING ACTUAL, UH, UNITS AVAILABLE FOR OUR FULL-TIME RESIDENCE AS, AS OPPOSED TO, AS OPPOSED TO, UH, TRANSIENT, UH, SHORT-TERM RENTAL UNITS.
UM, AND IT'S, IT'S AN UNFORTUNATE
[00:35:01]
SITUATION, BUT COMMISSIONER BOND, YOU RECOGNIZED.UM, OF THE, UM, PROJECTS THAT HAVE CO-LIVING UNITS, HAVE THEY ALL PULLED THEIR PERMITS? YES.
UH, IN ORDER FOR ANY OF THE EXISTING CO-LIVING PROJECTS TO BE ELIGIBLE, THEY HAD TO HAVE HAD OBTAINED A PERMIT BY OCTOBER ONE OF LAST YEAR, 2023.
ANY PREVIOUSLY APPROVED CO-LIVING UNITS THAT DID NOT OBTAIN A PERMIT BY THAT DATE LOST THEIR ELIGIBILITY.
AND WHAT IS THE NEXT BENCHMARK? IF THEY, THEY'VE NOW HAD THEIR PERMITS FOR A YEAR? UM, IF THEY HAVEN'T STARTED CONSTRUCTION NO, BY A CERTAIN DATE, IS THERE, IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CUT THE CUT THAT SHORT, THAT WINDOW SHORT AS WELL? IF THE PERMITS GO INTO ABANDONED STATUS OR THEY EXPIRE, WHICH TAKES HOW LONG IT CAN TAKE, UM, YEARS? UM, IT REALLY DEPENDS UPON THE PROJECT.
UM, IF A PROJECT DOES THE MINIMAL AMOUNT OF WORK NEEDED TO CALL AN INSPECTION AND FURTHER THE PERMIT, THEN THE PERMIT CAN BE EXTENDED.
IF THERE'S A GOVERNOR'S STATE OF EMERGENCY EXTENSION, A PERMIT CAN BE EXTENDED.
SO, UM, IN THOSE INSTANCES WHERE A PROJECT, UM, PURPOSELY ABANDONS THEIR CO-LIVING UNITS SAY, TO BUILD SOMETHING DIFFERENT, THEN AT THAT POINT, THOSE CO-LIVING UNITS WOULD GO AWAY.
IS THERE, CAN WE DO A SURVEY OF THE PERMITS THAT ARE OPEN AND SEE WHERE THEY ARE AND DETERMINE IF THERE'S ANY POSSIBILITY THAT SOME OF THESE MIGHT FALL OUT OF COMPLIANCE? YEAH, ALTHOUGH DIFFERENT PERMITS ARE IN DIFFERENT PHASES.
SOME OF THESE ARE NEARING COMPLETION.
OTHERS, UM, BECAUSE AGAIN, IT WAS PROJECTS THAT OBTAINED A BUILDING PERMIT PROCESS NUMBER BY OCTOBER ONE.
SO, UM, THEY HAVE AS MUCH TIME AS THE FINAL ORDER, WHICH IN MOST CASES IS EXTENDED BY THE GOVERNOR TO OBTAIN THEIR FULL BUILDING PERMIT.
AND THEN AFTER THEY OBTAIN A FULL BUILDING PERMIT, THEN THEY CAN HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO GET THE CONSTRUCTION GOING.
BUT IN TERMS OF WHICH ONES MAY NEVER MOVE FORWARD, THAT'S A LOT MORE NUANCED AND AND DIFFICULT TO PUT YOUR FINGER ON.
LET ME ASK A QUESTION, BECAUSE NOW I'M GONNA GO BACK INTO THE CONVERSATION OF THAT WE WERE HAVING EARLIER ON THE POLICY ON HEIGHT, HEIGHT AND FAR AND ALL THAT.
ASSUMING THERE'S A, WE HAVE, UM, 529 PERMITS FOR UNITS, UNITS, UNITS WITHIN, WITHIN THIS DISTRICT THAT ARE CURRENTLY PERMITTED, UH, ALLOWED TO BE USED AS TRANSIENT CO-LIVING UNITS.
COULD WE, WE, COULD WE NOT WORK ON AN ARRANGEMENT WITH THE PROPERTY OWNER, LET'S SAY, WHERE THEY WANT DO ANOTHER PRO PROJECT SOMEWHERE ELSE IN THE CITY, THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO GIVE THEM INCENTIVES, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY HEIGHT, LET'S SAY THEY NEED HEIGHT, UH, AT ANOTHER SITE THAT WE COULD SAY, WELL, LISTEN, YOUR HEIGHT IS TIED, OR THEY VOLUNTARILY PROFFERED, LET'S SAY, TO, TO, TO, TO NOT HAVE THESE UNITS IN NORTH BEACH AS TRANSIENT IN EXCHANGE FOR HEIGHT ON ANOTHER PROPERTY.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN LEGALLY DO? NICK? I THINK AN ARRANGEMENT LIKE THAT WOULD REQUIRE THE, THE COOPERATION OF THE, OF THE PROPERTY OWNER WITH THE, YOU KNOW, WITH A PERMIT TO CONSTRUCT A CO-LIVING PROJECT.
IF, IF, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WOULD BE, UM, I THINK IT'D BE UP TO ONE OF THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS TO, TO PROPOSE SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
AND THEN THAT PIECE OF LEGISLATION WOULD NEED TO BE EVALUATED BY, BY PLANNING, UM, LIKE ANY OTHER, RIGHT.
BUT THERE IS A WORLD WHERE, I MEAN, THE CITY, THIS COMMISSION HAS A ADOPTED INCENTIVES FOR THE CONVERSION OF, OF TRANSIENT, UH, DEVELOPMENT.
SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL COULD CONSIDER.
WHO OWNS THOSE? IT'S SOME, I MEAN, I, I BELIEVE IT'S, IT'S ONLY A HANDFUL OF GROUPS WHO OWN THESE, UH, THESE UNITS UP IN NORTH BEACH.
IS THAT CORRECT? THERE, THERE'S A COUPLE OF PROJECTS THAT ARE OWNED BY THE SAME DEVELOPER, UM, BUT THE OTHERS ARE DIFFERENT OWNERS.
AND WHICH ARE THE LARGER DEVELOPERS THAT, UH, HOLD THESE INTERESTS IN NORTH BEACH? UM, THE ONES WITH THE LARGER NUMBER OF CO-LIVING UNITS, WHICH WOULD BE, UM, 7 1 1 8 COLLINS, UM, 71 25 CARLISLE, AND 4 0 9 70 FIRST STREET.
AND WHO OWNS THAT? I WOULD NEED TO VERIFY
[00:40:01]
WHO, WHO THE ACTUAL OWNERSHIP ENTITY THAT IS.BUT THOSE THREE, ARE THOSE THREE ARE UM, THE SAME OWNER OR, UH, NO, THEY'RE JUST, THEY'RE LARGER DEVELOPERS.
I BELIEVE THAT, UH, 4 0 9 70 FIRST STREET AND THE CARLISLE PROJECT ARE THE SAME OR SIMILAR DEVELOPER.
BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE COLLINS AVENUE PROJECT IS A DIFFERENT DEVELOPER, AND ONE OF THEM IS, UH, IS IS CRESCENT HEIGHTS.
AND THAT'S, I I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US, FOR US AS A CITY, YOU GUYS, AS STAFF, UM, TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AS WE MIGHT GET INTEREST FROM, FROM THIS PROPERTY OWNER ON PROJECTS THAT THEY MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN DOING IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
REMIND THEM OF, OF OUR DESIRE TO CONVERT THESE TRANSIENT UNITS INTO NON-TRANSIENT UNITS.
UM, AND PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOMETHING THAT COULD BE ACCOMPLISHED.
OH, OH, COMMISSIONER BOB, YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS? I SEE YOUR WHEELS, UH, ATTORNEY YOUR HEAD.
YEAH, I, YOU KNOW, I, I LIKE THAT IDEA OF, OF SWAPPING THINGS OUT.
I, IT, AGAIN, THE DEVILS IN THE DETAILS BECAUSE UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING, 'CAUSE THEY MIGHT SAY, SURE, I'LL MAKE IT NON-TRANSIENT, BUT THEN I WANT AN EXTRA 40 STORIES.
WELL, YOU KNOW, ABSOLUTELY NOT.
UM, SO YEAH, I'D BE INTERESTED IN HAVING THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND SEEING IF THERE'S ANY, ANY APPETITE FOR, YOU KNOW, DOING A LITTLE HORSE TRADING.
UM, NOT ON THE DAYS, BUT YOU KNOW, AS, AS THEY START LOOKING AT OTHER PROJECTS, IF THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGHOUT THE CITY, BUT I DON'T WANNA TAKE OUR PROBLEM IN NORTH BEACH AND FOIST IT ONTO SOMEBODY ELSE'S NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO I'M, I'M A LITTLE BIT LEERY OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, IF IT, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF ANYBODY WANTS TO ENGENDER GOODWILL.
ANY OF THE DEVELOPERS WANNA ENGENDER GOODWILL AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? I, I'M NOT GOING TO MAKE THIS PROJECT, UM, A SHORT-TERM RENTAL PROJECT.
IT WILL BE UNUSUAL CO-LIVING SPACES FOR RETIREES OR, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN THEIR FIRST JOBS, A COUPLE OF ROOMMATES, WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT WOULD GO, YOU KNOW, MAKE A LITTLE BIT OF A DENT ON IN OUR ATTAINABLE, AFFORDABLE HOUSING CRISIS.
UM, AND SO AGAIN, WITHOUT FOISTING OUR PROBLEM ELSEWHERE, BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS A, A NATIONAL SHORTAGE AND NATIONAL CRISIS, AND IF NONE OF THE DEVELOPERS ARE HURTING FOR MONEY, LET'S JUST PUT IT THAT WAY.
SO IF THEY WANNA DO THE CITY, THEY CLAIM TO LOVE A SOLID, THIS WOULD BE A GOOD PLACE FOR THEM TO SHOW THAT.
TO MAKE SOME GOODWILL WITH, WITH THE CITY.
AND, AND, AND I WOULD SAY, I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, CO-LIVING IS A FORM OF ZONING THAT VERY PROGRESSIVE CITIES LIKE OURS HAVE EMBRACED TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE, UH, THAT, UH, THAT, THAT YOU ARE ADDRESSING COMMISSIONER, BAD OF AFFORDABILITY.
UM, OUR CHALLENGE IN MIAMI BEACH IS THAT CO-LIVING HAS BEEN PERCEIVED TO BE, TO BE TIED, NOT JUST PERCEIVED LIKE REALISTICALLY WITH WHAT WE HAVE IN FRONT OF US WITH TRANSIENT UNITS.
AND THAT IS THE CONCERN OF OUR CITY WHEN THE CO-LIVING THIS, THAT, THAT, THAT HAS BEEN PROGRESSIVELY EMBRACED FOR AFFORDABILITY IS NOW BECOMING A BUSINESS MODEL FOR TRANSIENT IN AND OUT TOURISM, UH, COMING INTO OUR, OUR, OUR CITY.
AND, UM, AND, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO, TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN KEEP THESE AS, AS FULL-TIME UNITS.
I MEAN, LOOK, I, I'M ALL FOR TRYING NEW THINGS IN THE QUEST OF TRYING TO SOLVE ISSUES, BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THESE UNITS WERE ALL APPROVED IN A BIG FLURRY.
AND, UM, AND, AND WITH SHORT TERM RENTAL, AND IF WE WANTED TO DO THIS PROPERLY, WE WOULD'VE SAID, YOU KNOW, LET'S TRY ONE PROJECT MAYBE IN THE SOUTH BEACH AREA WHERE WE'VE GOT PEOPLE, UM, WITH LIMITED MEANS, BUT WHO MIGHT SHARE WORK SCHEDULE OF BEING BAR BACKS OR WHATEVER, WHO, WHO MIGHT BE ABLE TO BE ROOMMATES OR, UM, NEAR MOUNT SINAI, UM, WHERE WE KNOW THAT, THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT SPENDING A TON OF TIME AT HOME BECAUSE THEY'RE RESIDENTS AND, AND, AND, UM, ON FELLOWSHIPS AND STUFF.
AND SO PUT THESE PROJECTS TO TEST THEM IN AREAS WHERE THEY MIGHT BE LIKELY TO SUCCEED, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WAS DONE.
THESE ARE HOTELS BY ANOTHER NAME.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE ARE CLEANING UP AS WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO DO FOR THE LAST YEAR, OTHER DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE BEFORE US.
AND SO, SHOULD WE CONCLUDE THIS ITEM? SHOULD WE KEEP THE ITEM OPEN? WHAT DO YOU THINK? I THINK PROBABLY CONCLUDE, BECAUSE IF YOU HEAR FROM ANYBODY, YOU CAN BRING IT BACK TO US.
AND, UM, BUT WE SHOULD, WE SHOULD HAVE A LIST OF WHO THESE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE.
WHO ARE THE PRINCIPLES OF THESE ENTITIES.
AND WE KNOW ONE, BUT THERE'S OTHERS.
SO THAT, SO THAT AS THEY COME FORWARD TO, AS A PLANNING DEPARTMENT FOR OTHER PROJECTS IN THE CITY, THERE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE ARE WISE IN
[00:45:01]
OUR OPPORTUNITY TO TRY TO FIND THESE CONVERSIONS BACK TO FULL-TIME RESIDENCES THAT WE DESPERATELY WANT TO ENCOURAGE IN OUR CITY.WITH THAT, ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING DONE IN PERSON? ARE THERE ANY VIA ZOOM, MR. DIRECTOR? OKAY.
WITH THAT, UH, WE'VE CONCLUDE THIS ITEM, ITEM NUMBER
[2. EXPEDITE THE OPENING OF THE BAYWALK AND MOVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BAYWALK UP ON THE G.O. BOND PRIORITIZATION LIST; AND PRESENT THE BAYWALK PLAN TO THE LUSC COMMITTEE.]
TWO, TOM.ITEM NUMBER TWO IS EXPEDITE THE OPENING OF THE BAY WALK AND MOVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BAY.
WALK UP ON THE GEO BOND PRIORITIZATION LIST AND PRESENT THE BAY WALK PLAN TO THE LUSC COMMITTEE.
ALRIGHT, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, YOU HAVE BEEN THE CHAMPION OF OUR BAY WALK.
UH, YOU'RE WELCOME TO INTRODUCE YOUR ITEM.
UM, SO THIS IS, UH, AN ITEM TO ENSURE THAT THE BAY WALK IS, UH, COMPLETELY CONNECTED AND, UH, THERE ARE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE PRO OF THE BAY WALK THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS.
AND I'LL LET DAVID, UH, GIVE US AN UPDATE, UPDATE ON THAT.
WELCOME DAVID GOMEZ, DIRECTOR OF OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS DEPARTMENT.
UM, AS COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ MENTIONED, WE ARE PUSHING ALONG TO GET, UH, THE BAY, THE BAY WALK SYSTEM OPEN.
THE DEVELOPER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR TWO PORTIONS OF IT.
ONE IS THE SECTION BEHIND, UH, FROM 10TH TO 12TH STREET BEHIND THE MADRIN AND THE MIRROR DOOR.
THAT SECTION IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
THE LAST TIME I LOOKED, I WOULD'VE GUESSED IT WAS A LITTLE HIGHER THAN THAT BECAUSE OF SOME WEATHER, UH, ISSUES.
THEY ARE LOOKING AT A JANUARY COMPLETION FOR THAT SECTION.
THE OTHER PORTION THAT THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR DESIGNING AND CONSTRUCTION IS THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM TRYING TO GET EVERYTHING RESOLVED SO THAT THEY CAN BEGIN AS, AS WE REPORTED LAST MONTH, UH, THEY WERE DOING SOME EXPLORATORY DIGGING TO CONFIRM LOCATIONS OF UNDERGROUND UTILITIES THAT HAS BEEN COMPLETED.
UH, AT THIS TIME, THE ONLY PERMIT PENDING SO THAT THE CITY CAN MOVE FORWARD AND ISSUE AN NTP IS THE APPROVAL OF THE LIEN CLOSURE FROM FDOT.
UM, AND THE DEVELOPERS HERE TO GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHERE THAT IS IN THE PROCESS.
UH, SO EARLIER TODAY, UH, THE CITY ATTORNEY AND I MET WITH, UM, SOMEONE WHO TALKED ABOUT GRANTS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE AVAILABLE FOR PEDESTRIAN BRIDGES THAT ARE CONNECTING BAY WALKS.
ARE WE USING ANY GRANTS FOR THIS? THE ONLY FUNDING FOR THIS IS GOB FUNDING, SO THERE MIGHT BE OPPORTUNITY, UM, WE COULD TALK OFFLINE ABOUT THAT.
BUT THE PERSON THAT WE SPOKE TO WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE AND, UM, THOUGHT THAT WE COULD GET GRANT FUNDING, UH, IF WE QUALIFY, WE'RE HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT.
SO AT OUR JUNE MEETING, UM, ACTUALLY AT OUR JULY 24TH MEETING, UM, THERE WAS AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA WHERE THE DEVELOPER AGREED TO A SPECIFIC TIMELINE, UH, FOR PROGRESS OF, OF, OF THE, UM, OF THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.
WHERE ARE THEY WITH THAT TIMELINE THAT THEY COMMITTED TO EARLIER THIS YEAR? NO, THEY'RE SIGN SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND SCHEDULE.
THERE'S SEVERAL MONTHS BEHIND SCHEDULE.
WHY, EVEN THOUGH WHY, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING THE COMPLETION DATE, UM, DATE, THERE'S NO WAY THAT ANYONE CAN MAINTAIN A COMPLETION DATE IF THEY ARE SO SIGNIFICANTLY BEHIND SCHEDULE.
AND SO I NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS, BECAUSE IT'S GONNA BE SOON, FIVE YEARS THAT THIS DEVELOPER WAS GRANTED THE X EXTRA FAR FROM THE CITY, AND A PROMISE WAS MADE TO THE RESIDENTS OF THIS CITY THAT THEY WOULD HAVE A BRIDGE.
AND IN ON, ON MAY 1ST, ON MAY 1ST, THIS COMMITTEE PASSED A MOTION REGARDING THAT SCHEDULE.
AND SO AND SO, YOU KNOW, UH, I NEED I WHO'S HERE FROM THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM TO, TO, TO, TO SPEAK TO, TO US AND GIVE US ANY ASSURANCES THAT, THAT THE PUBLIC IS GONNA BE GETTING WHAT THEY WERE PROMISED.
YOU WANNA GO HECTOR? HECTOR WITH TARA AND, UH, ALICE PROBABLY ASSOCIATES WELCOME.
UM, SO I'LL YEAH, NO, GO AHEAD.
WE, FOR AT LEAST THE PAST, UM, I, I, I LOST TRACK OF HOW MANY MONTHS NOW.
UM, WE, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY, UM, NOT ONLY WITH THE CITY, BUT WITH FDOT, UM, ALSO THEIR, THEIR COUNTY PERMITS AND STATE PERMITS THAT, THAT WE HAVE TO GET.
UM, AND, AND THERE'S BEEN A, A HUGE EFFORT IN TERMS OF, UM, JUST
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THE COORDINATION EFFORTS WITH THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.UM, THEY'RE VERY SENSITIVE TO LANE CLOSURE ANALYSIS, ET CETERA.
UM, EXTRA ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN TAKEN BECAUSE OF SENSITIVITIES OF THE UTILITIES IN THE LOCATION.
SO EXTRA EXPLORATIONS THAT ARE NORMALLY DONE.
HOW ARE BEING PERFORMED JUST TO MAKE SURE, UM, WE DEFINE WHERE EVERYTHING IS AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE CITY.
THERE'S, UH, A LOT OF PERMITS THAT, THAT WE HAVE WORKED THROUGH AND GOTTEN WITH THEIR HELP, UM, THAT WEREN'T ORIGINALLY AWARE, UH, SOMETHING WE WERE AWARE OF BACK IN AUGUST.
SO, UM, BASICALLY WE'RE, WE'RE GOING THROUGH A LOT OF DUE DILIGENCE THAT, THAT IF THE CITY WERE DOING THE PROJECT BY ITSELF, THEY'D STILL BE DOING.
UM, BUT WE'RE DOING IT TOGETHER COOPERATIVELY, AND WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO THE END.
SO WE'RE IN THE, IT'S BEEN ABOUT FIVE YEARS THAT THIS WAS PROMISED TO THE PUBLIC.
MR. ATTORNEY AT THE MAY 1ST MEETING OF THIS COMMITTEE, WE PASSED A MOTION, UM, THAT, THAT IT, THAT THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION CONSIDERED THE TIMELINE AND THE BENCHMARKS PROVIDED, UH, FOR, FOR THESE TWO PROJECTS, CLEARLY ONE OF THEM IS SIGNIFICANTLY DELAYED.
WHEN DISCUSSING ANY FUTURE GRANTS OR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS WITH THIS DEVELOPER, DOES THIS DEVELOPER HAVE ANY PENDING GRANTS OR DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENTS WITH THE CITY? UM, THERE IS AN AFFILIATE OF THIS DEVELOPER THAT HAS A PENDING GRANT AGREEMENT.
AND HOW MUCH IS THAT GRANT AGREEMENT FOR? 75 MILLION PLUS INTEREST, $75 MILLION OF THE TAXPAYER'S DOLLARS THAT, THAT, THAT THE AFFILIATE DEVELOPER HAS BEFORE THE CITY.
AND I MADE IT VERY CLEAR ON MAY 1ST, I MADE IT EXTREMELY CLEAR THAT I COULD NOT SUPPORT ANYTHING ELSE UNLESS THESE COMMITMENTS WERE HELD UP TO THE PUBLIC.
BECAUSE THE PUBLIC HAS BEEN WAITING NOW FOR NEARLY FIVE YEARS.
THEY GOT THE FAR, THEY GOT THE TOWER, I THINK THEY'RE DELIVERING THE UNITS, BUT THE PUBLIC HASN'T GOTTEN THEIR BRIDGE.
AND GUESS WHAT? THE DEVELOPER IS NOW GETTING AN EXTRA $75 MILLION FROM THE TAXPAYERS.
TO ME, IT'S, IT'S UNCONSCIONABLE, IT'S UNACCEPTABLE.
AND I'M SORRY THAT YOU'RE, THAT YOU'RE, THAT YOU'RE HAVING TO COME HERE AND REPRESENT THE DEVELOPER AND, AND, AND GIVE FACE TO, TO US ON, ON THEIR BEHALF ON THIS SITUATION.
BUT MR. ATTORNEY, I WANT A LETTER TO THE, TO THE CITY MANAGER REMINDING HIM OF THIS MOTION OF THIS COMMITTEE OF THE COMMITMENTS THAT WERE PUBLICLY MADE BY THE DEVELOPER AND URGING HIM, URGING THE CITY MANAGER NOT TO SIGN THAT GRANT AGREEMENT UNTIL WE'RE MADE GOOD, UNTIL THE PUBLIC IS MADE GOOD ON THE PROMISE MADE PUBLIC HAVING TO DO WITH THE, WITH THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.
ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS FROM THE DAYS? WELL, I DON'T WANNA COMBINE THE TWO.
WE'VE JUST WENT, GONE THROUGH A LOT OF HARDSHIP WITH THAT, UM, REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT.
WE'RE IN A GOOD SPACE AND IT'S SEPARATE AND DIFFERENT FROM THIS ONE.
UM, SO I WANNA TREAT IT AS SUCH.
THEY HAVE OTHER PROJECTS COMING DOWN THE PIKE IN ALLISON PARK IN NORTH BEACH.
UM, IF YOU WANNA LOOK AT FUTURE PROJECTS AND PROSPECTIVELY HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT, I'M FINE WITH IT, BUT NOT FOR SOMETHING THAT WE JUST WENT THROUGH SO MUCH TO PASS.
YEAH, I, I SHARE MY COLLEAGUES' CONCERNS ABOUT LUMPING THEM IN TOGETHER.
UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE PROJECT FOR WHICH THE GRANT HAS JUST BEEN FINALLY, UM, SECURED AFTER WEEKS OF UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES THAT COULD HAVE MADE IT BLOW UP HAVE LONG REACHING VERY SIGNIFICANT POSITIVE EFFECTS FOR THE CITY.
MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WILL BE THROWN OFF EVERY YEAR AS SOON AS THIS PROJECT COMES ONLINE.
AS SOON AS BARRING ANY UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, 2027, THOSE FUNDS COULD BE EARMARKED TO BE USED SPECIFICALLY FOR WORKFORCE AFFORDABLE, ATTAINABLE HOUSING PROJECTS.
AND TO LINK, LINK THESE TWO, AND I, AND I SHARE YOUR FRUSTRATION, UM, AND I HEAR HOW PASSIONATE YOU ARE, BUT TO LINK THESE TWO THINGS TO, UM, TO SEND A VERY STRONG
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MESSAGE TO THE DEVELOPER ENDS UP PUTTING OUR RESIDENTS, OUR MOST VULNERABLE RESIDENTS AT FURTHER JEOPARDY.BECAUSE INSTEAD OF SOONER RATHER THAN LATER HAVING FUNDS WITH WHICH WE COULD ACQUIRE PROPERTY AND START TALKING ABOUT JOINT VENTURES OR WHATEVER TO BUILD WORKFORCE HOUSING, WE WILL BE DELAYING THAT FURTHER AND POSSIBLY BLOWING IT UP FOR GOOD.
AND I AM NOT WILLING, I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTIVE OF THAT AT THIS TIME.
AND, YOU KNOW, OTHER PROJECTS, THERE'S NOT JUST ONE DEVELOPER INVOLVED WITH THIS BRIDGE PROJECT AND EVERYTHING THAT CAME ALONG WITH IT.
AND SO I DON'T WANT TO, UM, SHOOT THE MESSENGER.
I HEAR, AND I UNDERSTAND, AND I SHARE THE FRUSTRATION WITH HOW LONG IT'S TAKING.
AND IT'S INSANE THAT IT'S NOT DONE YET.
AND I DO REMEMBER THAT MEETING IN MAY WHERE WE HAD A VERY CLEAR DIRECTIVE THAT, THAT WE NEEDED TO GET ASSURANCES BECAUSE ANYTHING FURTHER WOULD BE UNDER CONSIDERATION.
BUT THIS CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL IS TOO IMPORTANT TO THE CITY COFFERS AND TO OUR RESIDENTS AND TO OUR FUTURE, TO, TO PROTECT US AGAINST ANY FUTURE DOWNTURNS, UM, TO LINK IT TO THIS BRIDGE.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER THROUGH THE CHAIR.
I, IIII, I RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE WITH, WITH WITH MY COLLEAGUES.
I THINK WE NEED TO BE STRONG, UH, IN, IN OUR, IN OUR MESSAGE.
LISTEN, THE COUNTY WANTED A BRIDGE IN EXCHANGE FOR, FOR, FOR THE, FOR THE AGREEMENT.
THE COUNTY IS GETTING A BRIDGE FOR, FOR, FOR, FOR THE BRIGHT LINE.
NOTHING TO DO WITH THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, SOMETHING HELPING ANOTHER MUNICIPALITY.
UH, THEY'RE GETTING A BRIDGE OVER BISQUE BOULEVARD.
WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH OUR RESIDENTS? WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE NEED FOR WORKFORCE HOUSING IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH? WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH, WITH THE, WITH THE CONVENTION TOURISTS TO I SEE.
UH, WHAT DOES THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE CONVENTION TOURISM COMING INTO OUR CITY? THE BRIDGE HAS TO DO EVERYTHING WITH OUR CITY, THE BRIDGE IN OUR CITY.
THAT'S TO SERVE OUR RESIDENTS.
THAT'S A PROMISE THAT WAS MADE LONG TIME AGO.
AND WE HELD UP OUR PART OF THE PROMISE.
WE HELD UP OUR PART OF THE PROMISE.
THEY GOT THE FAR AND THEY GOT A GRANT AGREEMENT, AND NOW THEY'RE COMING FORWARD WITH ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT.
COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, THIS IS YOUR ITEM.
UH, THE, THE ITEM I GUESS WILL COME BACK NEXT MONTH.
AND, UM, IN THE MEANTIME, I'M ALSO GOING TO SIT WITH THE, UH, CITY ATTORNEY AND, UH, THE GRANTS PERSON AND DAVID SEE ABOUT POTENTIAL GRANTS FOR, UM, ANY PARTS THAT ARE NOT FUNDED YET.
AND ALSO, UH, THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.
AND ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE IN PERSON, NONE ON ZOOM.
WE CAN GO AHEAD AND CONTINUE THIS ITEM TO NEXT MONTH.
[6. DISCUSSION REGARDING POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 54, ENTITLED “FLOODS,” ARTICLE III, ENTITLED “RESILIENCE STANDARDS FOR TIDAL FLOOD PROTECTION” TO ENHANCE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE]
OKAY.ITEM NUMBER SIX IS, UH, DISCUSSION REGARDING POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 54 ENTITLED FLOODS.
ARTICLE TWO ENTITLED, RESILIENCE STANDARDS FOR TITLE FLOOD PROTECTION TO ENHANCE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISM, MECHANISMS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ.
THIS IS AN ITEM WE'RE SPONSORING TOGETHER.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE ITEM, I'LL LET YOU DO IT.
UM, THIS IS AN ITEM THAT COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ AND I, UM, OUR SPONSORING TOGETHER.
IT, IT'S, IT'S ORIGINATED BECAUSE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED IN, UH, IN PALM VIEW SPECIFICALLY.
UH, THAT WAS THE, UH, THAT WAS THE IMPETUS FOR, FOR, FOR THIS ITEM.
AND IT ASKED, UH, FOR, FOR, FOR THE ADMINISTRATION TO EXPLORE AMENDMENTS TO THE CODE THAT WOULD ENHANCE SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS TO ADDRESS THE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE, UH, CONCERNS BEING RELATED TO TIDAL FLOODING.
UM, AND I LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR RESILIENCY OFFICE TO WALK US THROUGH, UH, SOME OF THE FOCUS AREAS THAT ARE BEING, UH, IDENTIFIED AS PART OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
LINDSAY PRACTICE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT.
THE EXISTING SEAWALL ORDINANCE PROVIDES THE CITY ENFORCEMENT ABILITY TO ADDRESS OVER TOPPING AND ALSO REQUIRE ELEVATION REQUIREMENTS.
THE CODE COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT IS CURRENTLY ENFORCING THAT ORDINANCE AND IT'S PREDOMINANTLY DRIVEN BY COMPLAINTS
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AND PROACTIVE KING TIDE INSPECTIONS.WHEN A VIOLATION IS IDENTIFIED, A PROPERTY IS ISSUED A WARNING NOTICE.
AND DURING THE 2024 KING TIDE, SEASON 45 WARNING NOTICES TO PROPERTIES WITH SEA WALLS THAT WERE OVERTOPPED WERE ISSUED THE CITY'S SETTING AS A LOW BARRIER ISLAND WITH POROUS LIMESTONE, BEDROCK MAKES US VULNERABLE TO SUCH FLOODING CHALLENGES.
THE CITY COMPLETED A SEA LEVEL RISE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT IN SEPTEMBER OF 2024 THROUGH THE RESILIENT FLORIDA GRANT PROGRAM TO IDENTIFY AND PRIORITIZE OVER 67,000 CITY OWNED ASSETS THAT ARE VULNERABLE TO SUCH FLOODING.
ONE OF THE KEY VULNERABILITIES, UH, IDENTIFIED IN THAT REPORT IS THAT THE WEST OR BAY SIDE OF THE ISLAND IS AT RISK OF FLOODING DUE TO THE LOW ELEVATION OF ITS SEA WALLS.
STAFF EXPLORED THE POSSIBILITY OF REQUIRING PROPERTY OWNERS TO IMPLEMENT TEMPORARY MEASURES SUCH AS THE INSTALLATION OF FLOOD BARRIERS.
TO BE EFFECTIVE, THE GROUND SURFACE BEHIND THE SEAWALL HAS TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE BARRIER, STABLE ENOUGH TO PREVENT IT FROM SHIFTING AND ALSO BE VOID OF CRACKS THAT WOULD ALLOW WATER FROM FLOWING UNDERNEATH A SITE.
SPECIFIC SUITABILITY ASSESSMENT MAY BE NECESSARY FOR SUCH MEASURES.
STAFF ALSO EVALUATED, UH, THE IMPROVEMENT OF COORDINATION AMONG CITY DEPARTMENTS.
THIS INCLUDES CREATING A ONE PAGE DOCUMENT FOR CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS TO HAND OUT UPON ISSUING A WARNING NOTICE, IT CAN BE LOCATED ONLINE ONCE COMPLETE, AND WE COULD ALSO WORK WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AFFAIRS DIVISION TO PROVIDE THEM TO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
CURRENTLY, THE ORDINANCE REQUIRES THAT PROPERTY OWNERS INITIATE SEAWALL REPAIR OR IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN 60 DAYS OF RECEIVING SAID WARNING NOTICE.
HOWEVER, DEMONSTRATING SUCH PROGRESS CAN BE A LITTLE VAGUE.
THEREFORE, THE ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDS, IN ADDITION TO THE 60 DAY REQUIREMENT TO DEMONSTRATE PROGRESS, ADDING A SIX MONTH REQUIREMENT TO SUBMIT A BUILDING APPLICATION FOR A BUILDING, UH, PERMIT AT THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, AS WELL AS TO DURHAM.
FURTHERMORE, STAFF HAS ENCOUNTERED PROJECTS WHERE THE EXISTING SEAWALL DOES NOT MEET THE CODE REQUIRED MINIMUM ELEVATION OF FOUR FEET NAVD WHEN THE APPLICANT IS DOING LESS THAN SUBSTANTIAL REPAIRS, AT THAT POINT, THEY WOULD THEN BE REQUIRED TO TAKE ON MORE SUBSTANTIAL REPAIRS AND MEET HIGHER ELEVATIONS AND SPEND MORE MONEY ON SEA WALL REPAIRS.
THEREFORE, TO AVOID THIS, WE WOULD RECOMMEND ADDING POTENTIAL EXEMPTIONS, BUT ONLY FOR, UM, MAINTENANCE WORK SUCH AS SPA AND CRACK REPAIRS, THINGS SUCH AS A FOOTER OR RIP REP.
UM, THESE EXEMPTIONS WOULD ONLY BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF THE BUILDING PERMIT PROCESS.
IF A SEA WALL WAS FOUND TO BE IN VIOLATION OF OTHER AREAS OF THE ORDINANCE, SUCH AS OVER TOPPING, IT WOULD NOT APPLY THERE AND THEY WOULD STILL BE REQUIRED TO GO TO THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS.
IT WOULD ALSO BE RECOMMENDED TO REQUIRE APPLICANTS TO SUBMIT AN ITEMIZED COST OF CONSTRUCTION OR A COPY OF THE CONTRACT.
WE'VE SEEN THAT, UM, MANY TIMES THE WORK IS ESTIMATED AT $299 PER LINEAR FOOT BECAUSE $300 PER LINEAR FOOT REQUIRES MORE SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS.
SO HAVING THAT INCLUDED AS PART OF THE BUILDING PERMIT PROCESS WOULD STREAMLINE AND MAKE ENFORCEMENT, UH, A LITTLE BIT EASIER.
WE WERE ALSO ASKED TO RESEARCH THE POTENTIAL FOR THE CITY TO TAKE ON PRIVATE PROPERTIES THAT WERE, UH, NEGLECTING THEIR SEA WALLS AND CAUSING FLOODING ON OUR RIGHTS OF WAY.
ADDITIONAL RESEARCH WOULD NEED TO BE CONDUCTED WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO DETERMINE THE FEASIBILITY OF SUCH POLICY THAT WOULD ENABLE US TO PRO, UH, PER, EXCUSE ME, PERFORM THIS WORK ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND ALSO POTENTIALLY ISSUE LIENS ON SAID PROPERTIES.
SO THESE ARE THE SHORT-TERM SOLUTIONS THAT YOU HAVE JUST ENUMERATED? CORRECT.
THERE IS ANOTHER SECTION THAT ARE THE LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS, UM, AND, UH, AND, AND THEN SOME PUBLIC SAFETY RELATED CONSIDERATIONS.
BUT LET'S JUST QUICKLY GO BEFORE WE PROCEED INTO THE SOLUTIONS, GO THROUGH THE SHORT TERM, UH, SOLUTIONS.
UM, SO, SO YOU MENTIONED ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED, UM, WAS TO CREATE A ONE PAGE DOCUMENT FOR CODE COMPLIANCE TO DISTRIBUTE TO PROPERTY OWNERS LISTING THE REQUIREMENTS OF OF THE ORDINANCE.
NOW, WHAT TYPE OF OF INFORMATION ARE WE PROVIDING TO THESE PROPERTY OWNERS? RIGHT NOW? THEY GET A VIOLATION, AND THAT WARNING NOTICE IDENTIFIES WHICH PART OF THE CODE THEY WOULD BE IN VIOLATION OF, AND THEN TELLS THEM TO SUBMIT THAT PROGRESS WITHIN 60 DAYS.
IT DOESN'T OUTLINE THE COMMON NEXT STEPS OR PERMITTING FAQS.
AND THIS WOULD W WOULD IN ESSENCE HELP THEM TAKE THE NEXT STEPS TO REPAIR THEIR SEA WALLS? WE BELIEVE SO, YES.
AND TOGETHER WITHIN, YOU MENTIONED TO DEMONSTRATE PROGRESS WITHIN, WITHIN 60 DAYS, UH, OF, OF OBTAINING PROPOSALS FROM A SEAWALK CON, UH, CONTRACTOR IN ADDITION TO THE
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60 DAY REQUIREMENT FOR A PERMIT.SO RIGHT NOW, THE LANGUAGE IS A BIT VAGUE AND JUST AS TO DEMONSTRATE PROGRESS.
AND SO THAT COULD MEAN HIRING AN ENGINEER, HAVING PLANS, UM, BUT IT DOESN'T ACTUALLY ENUMERATE THE STEPS SUCH AS ACTUALLY SUBMITTING FOR PERMITS PERMIT.
SO WE BELIEVE BY ADDING A SIX MONTH REQUIREMENT TO SUBMIT, UH, PERMITTING APPLICATIONS TO THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS DERM WOULD STREAMLINE THE PROCESS AND HELP THEM MEET THE LATER TIMEFRAMES.
SO FROM THE MOMENT OF RECEIVING A VIOLATION OR A WARNING? A WARNING, SO FROM THE MOMENT OF RECEIVING A WARNING, AFTER THOSE, AFTER RECEIVING THAT WARNING, THEY WOULD HAVE SIX MONTHS TO FILE A PERMIT APPLICATION TO OUR BUILDING DEPARTMENT OR TO DERM.
AND THE 60 DAYS, THEY NEED TO SHOW 60 BETWEEN THE WARNING AND THE SIX MONTHS.
WITHIN 60 DAYS AFTER GETTING THE WARNING, THEY WOULD HAVE TO SHOW PROPOSALS FROM A CWA CONTRACTOR.
OR SOMETHING LIKE HIRING AN ENGINEER TO DETERMINE WHAT, UM, POSSIBLE OUTCOMES WOULD BE POSSIBLE FOR THEIR PROPERTY.
AND THESE, AND, AND JUST, AND JUST TO PUT IT INTO CONTEXT, THIS WOULD BE IN CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE THERE IS TIDAL FLOODING THAT IS AFFECTING THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
SO, SO, SO, SO IN ESSENCE, BECAUSE OF THE IMPACTS THAT THIS IS HAVING TO PUBLIC PROPERTY, TO THE ABILITY FOR RESIDENTS TO GO THROUGH A NEIGHBORHOOD OR THE ABILITY FOR, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE TO WALK ON A SIDEWALK OR TO USE THEIR BICYCLES ON PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAYS BECAUSE OF THAT FLOODING BEING CAUSED BY A DAMAGED SEA WALL, WE ARE TAKING, WE WOULD BE TAKING THESE, THESE STEPS TO SETTING THESE, THESE GUIDELINES AND SETTING THESE BENCHMARKS IN ESSENCE YES.
TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS COMPLIANCE WITH THESE, UH, WITH THESE IMPROVEMENTS.
IT COULD ALSO IMPROVE WATER QUALITY BECAUSE OVER TOPPING AND UNDERMINING OF A SEA WALL, UM, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT'S ON A PROPERTY AND THERE COULD BE FERTILIZERS OR SOIL, UM, MIXING WITH THE WATERS OF THE BAY.
SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE ONE PAGE DOCUMENT FOR CODE COMPLIANCE OFFICERS, THAT'S A NO BRAINER.
THIS, TO ME, THESE BENCHMARKS SEEM TO ME TO BE VERY MUCH, UH, APPROPRIATE IN, IN THE MISSION OF, OF PROTECTING OUR REPUBLIC RIGHT.
UM, THE TEMPORARY MEASURES AND THE INSTALLATION OF, UH, OF, OF FLOOD BARRIERS, EXPLAIN TO ME, EXPLAIN THAT TO ME A A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
I KNOW, I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THE CITY HAS LOOKED AT MOST RECENTLY.
WE CONSIDERED IT AS PART OF, OF, UH, POND VIEW.
UH, WE DIDN'T GO OUT THERE AND INSTALL AN ACTUAL, AN ACTUAL FLOOD BARRIER, BUT WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE A MUCK FLOOD BARRIER, PER SE.
WHAT WOULD BE THE REQUIREMENT, UH, UNDER, UNDER WHAT STAFF IS PROPOSING? SO HERE IT WOULD BE VERY SITE SPECIFIC.
SO AN INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY WOULD HAVE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT THE BARRIER THAT THEY WOULD BE PROPOSING FOR THEIR PROPERTY CAN WITHSTAND, SO THE C THE EXISTING COL WOULD HAVE TO WITHSTAND THE WEIGHT OF THE PROPOSED BARRIER.
AND SO THERE WOULD LIKELY BE AN ASSESSMENT PERIOD WITH WHATEVER THEY'D BE PROPOSING TO ENSURE THAT THERE WOULD BE NO ADDITIONAL OVER TOPPING, THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY SETTLING OF THAT BARRIER.
AND THEN ALSO NO VOIDS UNDERNEATH WHERE WATER WOULD POTENTIALLY COME UP FROM THE BOTTOM.
SO THIS WOULD ALLOW THE PROPERTY OWNER TO INSTALL A TEMPORARY BARRIER? IT WOULD, BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE VERY SITE SPECIFIC IN CASE THE WEIGHT ISN'T, UM, UH, IN CASE IT DOESN'T SETTLE PROPERLY BEHIND THAT SEA WALL.
AND RIGHT NOW, RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO INSTALL THESE BARRIERS.
THEY CAN, IF THEY WOULD LIKE, WE CAN JUST ENUMERATE IT MORE CLEARLY IN THE ORDINANCE.
AND THEN ON THE, UM, ISSUE OF THE CITY COMING IN AND MAKING REPAIRS, HOW MUCH TIME DOES THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND STAFF NEED IN ORDER TO FURTHER DISCUSS, UH, AND STUDY THE POSSIBILITY
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OF THE CITY CO COMING IN TO REPAIR THESE PRIVATE SEA WALLS THAT ARE CAUSING PUBLIC FLOODING? NU I THINK, UM, IT, IT'S THE, THE NEXT LAND USE COMMITTEE IS, IS IN JANUARY, I BELIEVE.SO I THINK THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD GIVE US TIME.
UM, IT THE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE TWO MAIN ISSUES.
ONE IS OBVIOUSLY THE CITY TAKING ON THE LIABILITY OF PERFORMING, UH, THESE KINDS OF IMPROVEMENTS ON, ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND, AND, AND ALSO THE, THE, UH, THE EXPOSURE TO THE CITY OF, UH, JUST, JUST AS A MATTER OF COST.
RIGHT? BUT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, UNLESS INTRUSIVE MATTERS TO A NEIGHBORHOOD, WE DO IT WITH GRAFFITI.
WE, WE DO IT WITH OVERGROWN GRASS, WE GO INTO THE PRIVATE PROPERTY AND WE CONDUCT THE WORK, AND THEN WE BILL AND WE LIEN THE PROPERTY OWNER IF, IF NECESSARY, WE, WE TAKE IT TO A LIEN WHEN IT COMES TO THIS THAT IS A PUBLIC FLOODING NUISANCE.
I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY WE WOULDN'T, TO ME IT SEEMS LIKE IF WE DO IT FOR SMALLER THINGS THAT AREN'T AS, AS CONCERNING TO THE SAFETY OF A NEIGHBORHOOD, THIS IS THE TYPE OF THING WE SHOULD ACTUALLY BE DOING IT ON.
AND SO I'D ENCOURAGE STAFF TO, UM, TO, TO WORK ON THIS.
I'D LIKE, I'D LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO COME BACK TO, TO US WITH ACTUAL POLICY FOR THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I THINK I, I, I THINK YOU'VE DONE GREAT WORK HERE.
UH, I THINK WE NEED TO START WITH A SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS.
I THINK WE CAN CONTINUE THIS ITEM TO NEXT MONTH TO, UH, SPEAK ON THE LONG TERM SOLUTIONS.
BUT I THINK IN THE SHORT TERM, WE NEED TO BE VERY MUCH FOCUSED HYPERFOCUSED ON THE SHORT TERM SOLUTIONS.
THOSE ARE, I THINK WE HAVE ABOUT SEVEN LOCATIONS IN THE CITY, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, STAFF.
I, I THINK THERE ARE ABOUT SEVEN LOCATIONS ON, IN THE CITY WHERE, WHERE CODE HAS IDENTIFIED PUBLIC FLOODING, NUISANCES, UH, IN ADDITION TO THOSE OVER, OVER IN PALM VIEW.
UH, SO I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS PRETTY GOOD, UH, WORK YOU'VE PUT TOGETHER AND, AND, UH, IT'D BE GREAT TO SEE ACTUAL POLICY TIED TO THESE.
COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, THANK YOU.
AND LINDSAY, I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING.
YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT IT ALSO EARLIER, UM, DURING MY BRIEFING, AND IT WAS VERY IMPRESSIVE, ALL THE DETAILS, UH, LIKE VICE MAYOR FERNANDEZ, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE POLICY AS WELL.
UM, WHEN WE HAD THE SUNSHINE MEETING, WE DID A, A WALKTHROUGH IN PALM VIEW.
AND, UM, IN THAT AREA, THE CITY'S SEA WALLS HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONE.
SO IT WAS ALSO, UM, POSITIVE TO SEE THAT WE GOT OUR, OUR SEGMENT COMPLETED.
AND, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE SHOULD DEFINITELY INCLUDE IN THAT, UH, ONE PAGE DOCUMENT IS THE GRANT PROGRAMS WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN THE CITY, UH, THAT CAN HELP, UH, OUR RESIDENTS, UH, WITH THIS COMMISSIONER BUCK.
UH, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE INITIATIVE.
I'M SORRY I WASN'T ABLE TO BE ON THAT WALK THROUGH AT THE LAST MINUTE, BUT I, UM, WITH YOUR PERMISSION, WOULD BE HAPPY TO JUMP ON AS A CO-SPONSOR.
UM, BUT I QUESTION FOR YOU, LINDSAY.
SO, UM, OBVIOUSLY NORTH BEACH ON THE WEST SIDE HAS A HUGE ISSUE HERE AS WELL, AND, UM, I SEE TIME AND AGAIN, UM, STREET ENDS DEAD ENDING INTO A SEA WALL THAT MAY BE SECURE, BUT THERE'S A GAP BETWEEN THE PRIVATE WALL AND THE CITY OWNED PROPERTY.
HOW, IS THERE SOMETHING THAT CAN BE PUT INTO HERE TO, I MEAN, THIS MIGHT NOT BE THE RIGHT PLACE FOR IT, BUT WHAT, HOW ARE WE ADDRESSING THAT IF SOMEBODY'S PRPR, WE MALL IS SUFFICIENT, BUT BECAUSE THERE'S A GAP? I MEAN, I SEE IT ON PARKVIEW ISLAND, I SEE IT ON BAY DRIVE.
UM, WE DO SEE THAT CONSISTENTLY WHERE ONE PROPERTY HAS ELEVATED THEIR SEAWALL, THEY DON'T HAVE FLOODING CONCERNS, BUT THEN A PROPERTY NEXT DOOR IS OVERTOPPED AND STILL AFFECTING THEIR PROPERTIES.
OR, OR IT MIGHT NOT BE OVERTOP, BUT THERE'S LITERALLY, YOU KNOW, SIX OR EIGHT INCH.
UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK ON.
UM, WE CAN CON CONTEMPLATE THAT WITH THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TO SEE WHAT'S POSSIBLE THERE IF THERE ARE RETAINING WALLS THAT ARE OPTIONS.
UM, BUT IF IT IS PRIVATE PROPERTIES WHERE THAT GAP WOULD BE, THEY WOULD BE HA THEY WOULD HAVE TO BE TARGETED AS PART OF THE, UH, SEA WALL ORDINANCE.
SO I WOULD, I WOULD KIND OF BIFURCATE IT THEN AND SAY, ADD INTO THIS WITH YOUR PERMISSION, UM, WHERE THERE'S A GAP THAT THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AS HERE, HERE AS WELL.
UM, AND THEN A SEPARATE, I GUESS A SEPARATE ITEM OR A SEPARATE DIRECTION FOR ADMINISTRATION TO DO A SURVEY OF WHERE THERE ARE GAPS IN THE CITY.
BECAUSE WHAT I DON'T WANT IS FOR US TO BE, UM, UM, ENSURING, DEMANDING THAT PRIVATE RESIDENTS MAINTAIN THEIR PROPERTY AND ALLEVIATE THIS, BUT WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING.
[01:15:01]
YOU KNOW, LIKE IF I SPEND A HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO FIX MY SEA WALL, BUT THAT I LIVE NEXT DOOR TO THE STREET END AND THERE'S A GAP ON THE CITY OWNED PROPERTY, I WOULD BE P****D.AND SO I DON'T WANT THAT TO BE THE CASE.
UM, SO THOSE WOULD BE MY, MY THOUGHTS.
UH, WITH THAT, I, WE CAN HAVE THIS ITEM COME BACK, UH, NEXT MONTH.
AND I'D ALSO LIKE TO NOTE IT WAS A DUAL REFERRAL TO PUBLIC SAFETY, SO IT'LL BE AT PUBLIC SAFETY NEXT MONDAY AS WELL.
[9. DISCUSS POTENTIAL UPGRADES FOR ALTON COURT (ALLEY) FROM 8TH TO 17TH STREET.]
LET'S INTRODUCE ITEM NUMBER NINTH.ITEM NUMBER NINE IS THE, UM, DISCUSSED POTENTIAL UPGRADES FOR ALTON COURT FROM EIGHTH TO 17TH STREET.
AND I SEE OUR PUBLIC WORKS, UH, AND OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT ARE HERE.
UH, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO INTRODUCE THIS ITEM.
GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN, CHAIRMAN FERNANDEZ, FELLOW COMMISSIONERS.
THIS ITEM, UH, IS BACK AND IT'S KIND OF GETTING, UH, LIFE AGAIN, THANKFULLY, UM, FROM A FEW YEARS AGO TO DISCUSS POTENTIAL UPGRADES FOR ALTON ALLEY COURT FROM EIGHTH STREET TO 17TH.
UM, FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS PERSPECTIVE, UH, WE REVIEWED THE, UH, COSTS THAT WERE PROVIDED, UH, LAST TIME FOR THIS PARTICULAR ITEM AND UPDATED THEM FOR RESURFACING, UM, SIDEWALK REPAIRS AND STRIPING, UH, WHEN DEALING WITH POTHOLES AND CRACKS THAT COULD AFFECT, UH, SAFETY AND RIDEABILITY, UH, AS WELL AS SIGNAGE.
UM, AND, UH, FROM THE OTHER PERSPECTIVE, TRANSPORTATION WILL TAKE THE OTHER PIECE AS IT RELATES TO, UH, ADDITIONAL STRIPING AS IT RELATES TO TRANSPORTATION TYPE FUNCTIONS.
AND I'LL THEN LET JOSE TALK ABOUT HIS PIECE AS WELL.
JOSE GONZALEZ, TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR AND INTERIM PARKING DIRECTOR.
SO FROM A TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY, UM, PERSPECTIVE, UH, OUR ROLE IS REALLY TO, TO PROVIDE THE STRIPING NEEDED, THE WAY FINDING SIGNAGE NEEDED FOR CYCLISTS TO KNOW THAT THIS ALLEYWAY IS AVAILABLE FOR THEIR USE.
UH, WE WANT TO DRAW PEOPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, FROM WEST AVENUE OVER TO THE ALLEYWAY.
SO THERE'S SOME WAY FINDING SIGNS INVOLVED WITH THAT AND, UH, STRIPING, YOU KNOW, THE STRIPING OF THE PAVEMENT, UH, AS WELL.
SO THE MAIN THING IS REALLY TO, TO MAKE THE ALLEYWAY, UH, BIKEABLE, IF YOU WILL.
UH, RIGHT NOW THERE ARE A LOT OF POTHOLES.
THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES THAT CAN BE ADDRESSED THROUGH A, UH, MINOR BEAUTIFICATION
WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH, JOSE.
UH, SO THIS IS AN ITEM THAT, UM, THAT I HAD FIRST INTRODUCED BACK IN 2022.
UM, WAS IT 2022, JOSE? I BELIEVE SO, YEAH.
UM, AND WE DECIDE TO PUT IT ON, YOU KNOW, THE SIDE BURNER FOR, FOR, FOR A WHILE.
BUT I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE, UH, POTENTIAL UPGRADES COULD REALLY BE POSITIVE, UH, FOR WEST AVENUE, ESPECIALLY DURING, DURING THE PHASE TWO CONSTRUCTION.
IT REALLY COULD GIVE A GREAT ALTERNATIVE FOR PEDESTRIANS AND CYCLISTS.
UM, AS WELL AS JUST EVEN OUTSIDE OF THE PHASE TWO CONSTRUCTION, IF YOU GIVE ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO RIDE ON A STREET, WHETHER IT'S PROTECTED OR NOT, WHERE YOU HAVE THOUSANDS OF CARS AS OPPOSED TO AN ALLEY WHERE IF IT'S CLEANED UP, IF IT'S LIT, IF IT'S BEAUTIFIED, YOU MIGHT ENCOUNTER A SLOW MOVING TRUCK ONCE EVERY FEW BLOCKS OR, OR, OR, OR, OR YOU MIGHT ENCOUNTER A PARKED TRUCK.
IT REALLY GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY FOR PLACEMAKING ULTIMATELY.
UM, AND SO, AND, AND SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK REALLY JUST WOULD GET THIS GREAT AREA OF, OF PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, ENHANCE IT, UH, BEYOND ITS BEAUTIFICATION, BUT BE A PLACE, BE, BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PLACEMAKING AND, AND, AND COMMUNITY, UM, STAFF.
WHAT IS IT THAT YOU NEED FROM US TODAY TO HELP THIS MOVE FORWARD? MONEY
[01:20:01]
FUNDING.THE FUNDING FOR THE FUNDING TO DO THIS, FOR THIS PILOT PROJECT, HOW MUCH FUNDING DO YOU NEED FOR THE PILOT PROGRAM? I BELIEVE IT'LL BE UP TO 400,000 NOT TO EXCEED, NOT TO EXCEED $400,000.
AND, AND THE PILOT PROGRAM YOU WERE MENTIONING INCLUDES LIGHTING, UM, INCLUDES, REGRADING OF THE STREETS, INCLUDES SIGNAGE, RIGHT.
IT'LL, IT'LL INSTALL TEMPORARY PAVEMENT STRIPING AND ADVISORY SIGNAGE ALONG THE ALLEYWAY, AS WELL AS DIFFERENT ACCESS POINTS ON SIDE STREETS, OBVIOUSLY ADVISING THE MOTORISTS OF THE POTENTIAL, UH, PRESENCE OF PEDESTRIAN BICYCLISTS AND MICRO BULLY DEVICES TRAVELING IN BOTH DIRECTIONS OF THE ALLEYWAY.
AND THAT INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, WAY FINDING SIGNS TO HELP BICYCLISTS IN THE ALLEYWAY.
AND WOULD THAT ALSO INCLUDE, LET'S SAY, AT THE INTERSECTIONS, AT THE, AT THE INTERSECTIONS WHERE, WHERE ALTON COURT, LET'S SAY WHERE ALTON COURT CROSSES 10TH STREET, 13TH STREET, WOULD THE, WOULD THE PAVEMENT MARKING, UH, CONTINUE ON THOSE CROSS STREETS? YES.
AND THERE WOULD BE SIGNAGE AS WELL, BOTH SIGNAGE AND STRIPING.
AND THE, THE APPROACHES TO THE ALLEYWAY, CONCRETE APPROACHES TO THE ALLEYWAY WOULD NEED TO BE, UM, YOU KNOW, RE UH, JUST REHABILITATED.
THAT'S, THAT'S BUILT INTO THE COST.
'CAUSE WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS IS SINCE THOSE ALLEYS ARE VERY OLD, A LOT OF TRUCKS GO IN THERE.
THE CONCRETE, UM, APPROACH YES TO THE ALLEYWAY IS ALL RIPPED UP AND IT HAS HOLES AND CREVICES AND WHATNOT.
SO THE CON THAT, THAT PART OF THE SIDEWALK WOULD HAVE TO BE, UH, UPGRADED AS WELL.
UH, COLLEAGUES, UH, QUESTIONS, COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? I LOVE THIS ITEM AND JUST IF YOU ALLOW ME ONE QUICK, UH, SIDEBAR ON THIS.
SO I'VE, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH BRAD AND JAY ON, UM, AN ITEM FOR, UM, THE ALLEYS BEHIND, UH, BETWEEN OCEAN DRIVE AND COLLINS.
SO, AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT FROM THIS, BUT ARE THE ALLEYS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE, THE ALTON, UM, ALTON COURT, ARE THEY, DO THEY THE SAME ISSUES THAT THE ALLEYS THAT WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT HAVE WHERE THEY KIND OF SINK INTO THE MIDDLE AND THERE ARE PUDDLES AND THERE ARE, THERE ARE, UM, DUMPSTERS AND THEY'RE KIND OF MAN G LOOKING IN GENERAL? I WOULDN'T SAY IT'S ALL LIKE THAT.
I THINK THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY THAT SOME MAY HAVE THAT, BUT I DON'T THINK MOST OF 'EM HAVE THAT ISSUE TO THAT EXTENT AS WE LOOKED AT THE OTHER ONES THAT WE HAD LOOKED AT.
BUT, BUT I JUST WANNA CLARIFY ONE THING.
UM, CHAIRMAN FERNANDEZ ON THIS, 'CAUSE YOU HAD SAID SOMETHING AND I NEED TO CLEAR LIGHTING.
YOU SAID LIGHTING AND LIGHTING.
I, YOU KNOW, LIGHTING, ACTUALLY WE WORKED WITH FPLA NUMBER OF YEARS AGO AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE NEW, UH, LIGHTS, THE NEW MODERN LIGHTS INSTALLED ON, ON ALTON COURT.
UM, THE ENTIRE STRETCH OF ALTON COURT, ACTUALLY, I WAS STILL ON THE POLICE CITIZENS RELATIONS COMMITTEE.
I WAS THE CHAIR OF THAT COMMITTEE AT, AT THE TIME WHEN WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, SO MAYBE WE CAN TALK OFFLINE.
SO IT'S NOT TO DIVERT THE, THE COMMITTEE, BUT I, I DO WANNA SEE HOW WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DOVETAIL.
I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO GO ALL THE WAY TO WHAT THIS IS DOING, UM, BECAUSE WE HAVE OCEAN DRIVE RIGHT THERE, AND THAT IS A WHOLE PEDESTRIAN.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE'S THE BEACH WALK AND THEN THERE'S A BIKE LANE THERE.
SO I KNOW THOSE ARE COSTS SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS, BUT IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DOVETAIL SOME OF THE CLEANING UP OF, YOU KNOW, THE MESS ON THE WEST SIDE, ON THE EAST SIDE THAT TIES INTO WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR THE EAST SIDE, THEN MAYBE WE CAN FIND A WAY TO DO THAT.
WE CAN DEFINITELY TAKE A WALK.
WHAT'S THAT? WE CAN DEFINITELY TAKE A WALK.
AND, AND, AND, AND LET ME JUST, WELL, LET ME RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ AND THEN I'LL JUST FOLLOW UP WITH SOME QUESTIONS.
I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY THAT, UH, THIS IS A VERY CREATIVE APPROACH AND WITH THE WEST AVENUE PHASE TWO COMING DOWN IN THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY MESSY DOWN THERE.
AND TO HAVE PROTECTION IN THE ALLEYS, I THINK IS FANTASTIC.
AND, UM, ONTO MY NEXT COLLEAGUES
SO I JUST, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION RIGHT NOW.
UM, ALLEYWAYS ARE USED FOR TRASH COLLECTION.
IS THERE A SCHEDULE IN WHICH A TRASH COLLECTION, UH, OCCURS IN THOSE ALLEYWAYS, TRASH COLLECTION AND ALSO DELIVERIES? CLEARLY, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TRADER JOE'S, YOU HAVE WHOLE FOODS ON THE SOUTHERN AND OF IT.
UH, SO WHAT ARE THE SCHEDULES FOR THOSE DELIVERIES? I MEAN, IT'S, I MEAN, I, IT'S VERY HARD TO TELL YOU ABOUT SPECIFICS TO TRASH.
'CAUSE EVERY BUSINESS HAS, YOU KNOW, DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SERVICE.
SOME OF THEM CAN BE THREE DAYS A WEEK, SOME OF THEM CAN BE FIVE DAYS, SOME OF THEM CAN BE SEVEN.
IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE NATURE OF THE BUSINESS.
I MEAN, SO IT'S, IT'S HARD, BUT I WOULD TELL YOU MORE OF THE, BUT WE DON'T HAVE AN ACTUAL SCHEDULE A TIMEFRAME
[01:25:01]
DURING WHICH, UH, TRASH IS PICKED UP FROM THOSE ESTABLISHMENT.NO, WE DON'T BECAUSE THEY'RE ALL, THEY'RE ALL, UM, BY PRIVATE CONTRACT.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT BUSINESS OWNER A, WHAT HIS SCHEDULE IS, OR BUSINESS OWNERS C OR WHATEVER.
WE DON'T, WE HAVE NO IDEA BECAUSE WE'RE NOT A PARTY TO THOSE CONTRACTS.
AND COULD WE WORK, UM, WITH, WITH, UM, WITH THESE HAULERS ON A SCHEDULE AS IT RELATES TO THOSE ENTITIES ALONG ALTON COURT? I MEAN, I THINK WE CAN, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS MAYBE TALK TO THE BUSINESS OWNERS MORE SO ABOUT IT.
I THINK THAT THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE A BETTER APPROACH THAN NECESSARILY THE HAULERS.
BECAUSE IF THEY'RE, IF THE BUSINESS OWNERS, WELL, WE FRANCHISE 'EM.
WELL, WE, WE HOLD, WE, WE WE GIVE THEM LICENSES.
BUT IF WE HAVE, UM, YOU KNOW, PER SE IF THE SCHEDULES ARE SIMILAR FOR SOME OF THE BUSINESSES IN THE ALLEY, YOU KNOW, WE CAN MAYBE KIND OF COORDINATE THOSE EFFORTS TOGETHER WITH SOME OF THE BUSINESS OWNERS.
UM, BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY CURTAIL THE HAULER'S BEHAVIOR IN THE ALLEY.
THAT'S SOMETHING WE COULD DO WITHOUT THE BUSINESS OWNER'S.
UM, HELP, I'M SORRY, COULD YOU REPEAT THAT? WE CAN CURTAIL, IF THE, UH, HAULERS ARE NOT BEHAVING, YOU KNOW, THE WAY THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, GOING THROUGH THE ALLEYS AND MAKING A MESS OR WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING IN THERE, THAT'S, YOU KNOW, NOT IN LINE WITH WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO.
WE CAN CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, CURTAIL THEIR BEHAVIOR.
WE DON'T NEED THE BUSINESS OWNERS TO DO THAT.
ALL, ANY OTHER COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM? NO.
ARE THERE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? HELLO EVERYBODY.
LONG ONE BEEN, HAVEN'T REALLY SPOKEN SINCE IN THE NEW BUILDING IN THE NEW OFFICE YET.
I RESIDE AT EIGHT 50 15TH STREET, MIAMI BEACH.
ANYWAY, REGARDING, I THINK THIS IS A FANTASTIC IDEA.
I RIDE THE ALLEYS ALL THE TIME WITH SEA BIKE AND ALSO MY OWN BIKE.
AND, UM, AS I, THEY WERE FIRST ADDRESSING ALTON ROAD COURT, I WAS THINKING IN MY HEAD, 'CAUSE I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT COMMISSIONER BOUGHT, HAD ALREADY BEEN ADDRESSING THE ALLEYS BETWEEN, UH, OCEAN DRIVE AND COLLINS.
SO WHAT MY, MY QUE I JUST WANTED TO ADD IS TO POSSIBLY CONSIDER, OR IS IT POSSIBLE TO CONSIDER TO KEEP VEHICLES OTHER THAN SERVICE VEHICLES OUT OF THE ALLEYS AS WELL? 'CAUSE A LOT OF THE, A LOT OF CARS TRY TO TAKE DETOURS GOING THROUGH THE ALLEYS.
AND PART OF THE PURPOSE OF HAVING WHAT THEY'RE DOING, WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING IS FOR SAFETY OF THE BICYCLE OF PEOPLE OR PEDESTRIANS TOO, PERHAPS.
SO MAYBE IT COULD BE CONSIDERED TO RESTRICT NONCOMMERCIAL OR NON-DELIVERY, NON-ESSENTIAL VEHICLES FROM BEING ON THOSE PATHWAYS.
AND THEN MAYBE COULD EXPAND IT TO OTHER ALLEYS BESIDE THE TWO THAT YOU'RE ALREADY WORKING ON.
AND I'M GONNA ASK STAFF TO LOOK INTO THAT.
I DO KNOW SOME, SOME MULTI-FAMILY BUILDINGS DO HAVE THEIR GARAGE ENTRANCES FROM THE BACK.
BUT PERHAPS A WAY TO ADDRESS SOME OF WHAT YOU'RE MENTIONING IS MAYBE WE CAN IMPLEMENT, UM, SOME, SOME TRAFFIC CALMING, UH, IN THE, IN THE ALLEYWAY TO DISCOURAGE DETOUR TRAFFIC.
UM, 'CAUSE I KNOW LIKE SOMETIMES I, AND I WILL ADMIT TO THIS, SOMETIMES IF TRAFFIC IS TOO BAD ON ALTON ROAD, I WILL DETOUR ON, ON ALTON COURT AND, UH, AND IT'S
SO, SO I'LL, I'LL ASK STAFF TO LOOK INTO WAYS THAT WE CAN, I THINK IT'S DISCOURAGE THAT ULAR TRAFFIC FROM GOING IN THERE.
WELL, WE'RE, I THANK YOU FOR THAT.
I, I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY WORSE ON, UH, BETWEEN OCEAN AND COLLINS BECAUSE A LOT OF CRUISERS PEOPLE THAT ARE JUST CRUISING FOR NO REASON DECIDE TO CRUISE THERE ONCE THEY REALIZE THEY CAN'T GO ONTO OCEAN DRIVE.
I DON'T THINK IT'S QUITE AS BAD ON, ON ALTON COURT, BUT THANK YOU JULIE.
THANKS AGAIN AND THANK YOU JULIE.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? NO ONE ON ZOOM.
WITH THAT, I'M GONNA CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT, SO, UH, I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN COMMISSIONER A, UH, MOTION, UM, REFERRING THIS BACK TO THE CITY COMMISSION WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION SO THAT WE CAN EXPLORE THE FUNDING.
IT IS BEEN MOVED BY COMMISSIONER BALLOT, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
AND WE NEED CAN SECOND IT, RIGHT? YES.
AND WE NEED COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ SO THAT WE CAN DO A VOTE.
'CAUSE OTHERWISE IT'S A VOTE WITH THAT ONE.
WE NEED COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ FOR VOTE.
[01:30:01]
OKAY.ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? EMERGENCY, BUT YES.
[10. DISCUSSION REGARDING MONTHLY UPDATES ON THE G.O. BOND BEACHWALK REFORESTATION PROJECT]
GO ON TO ITEM NUMBER 10, WHICH IS A DISCUSSION ITEM.UM, ITEM NUMBER 10 IS A DISCUSSION REGARDING MONTHLY UPDATES ON THE GEO BOND BEACH WALK REFORESTATION PROJECT.
UM, SO, SO THIS IS AN ITEM THAT I'VE PLACED ON THE AGENDA, UM, JUST TO KEEP US IN THE LOOP.
I WANT US TO RECEIVE, UH, REGULAR UPDATES ON THE PROJECT'S PROGRESS AND, AND JUST, YOU KNOW, UNDERSTAND THE DIRECTION THAT THE CITY IS GOING IN WITH THIS.
CERTAINLY WE'VE RECEIVED A LOT OF FEEDBACK, UM, ESPECIALLY, UM, AS IT RELATES TO THE FACT THAT THE BEACH WALK HASN'T BEEN GENERALLY A VERY SHADED AREA.
UM, AND SO IT'S, AND SO WE HAVE SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT CERTAINLY WANT TO SEE SHADE ON, ON CERTAIN AREAS OF THE BEACH WALK, AND THEN OTHER SEGMENTS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT VERY PASSIONATELY FEEL, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT WE SHOULD BE WORKING ON DUNE RESTORATION AS OPPOSED TO, UM, WORKING ON FORESTATION OF, OF, OF THE BEACH WALK.
THERE TRULY HASN'T BEEN ANY PUBLIC POLICY DISCUSSION ON THIS.
UH, I BELIEVE STAFF, UH, INITIATED THIS APPLIED FOR A GRANT.
WE MAY HAVE APPROVED A GRANT, UH, VERY BENIGNLY ON A CONSENT AGENDA THAT WE DIDN'T REALIZE, AT LEAST I DIDN'T REALIZE WAS GOING TO TRIGGER THIS, UH, THIS, THIS BIGGER PROJECT.
AND SO, AND SO I WANTED TO GIVE STAFF THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO US, TO GIVE US THEIR VISION, UM, AND TELL US WHERE THEY ARE WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS.
GOOD AFTERNOON ONCE AGAIN, COMMISSIONERS LINDSAY PRACTICE, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENT SUSTAINABILITY.
THE GEO BOND BEACH WALK REFORESTATION PROJECT IS BEING CAREFULLY PLANNED TO ENHANCE ONE OF THE CITY'S FOREMOST ASSETS.
THE CITY ALREADY HAS ESTABLISHED CANOPY COVERAGE IN SOME BEACH WALK SECTIONS.
AS YOU MENTIONED, THIS PROJECT INTENDS TO CONTINUE SOME OF THAT FILTERED CANOPY COVERAGE.
ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECT WILL GO TO FURTHERING OUR GOALS OF INCREASING CITYWIDE CANOPY COVERAGE FROM 17 TO 22%.
THE PROJECT IS FUNDED BY BOTH A $1 MILLION US FOREST SERVICE, URBAN AND COMMUNITY FOREST GRANT, AND THE 2018 GEO BOND.
THIS IS TO PLANT APPROXIMATELY 600 TREES ALONG THE ENTIRE SEVEN MILE BEACH WALK.
THE GRANT FUNDED PORTIONS ARE LOCATED FROM FIRST TO 23RD, 29TH TO 41ST AND 71ST 87TH, BASED ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S CLIMATE AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE TOOL.
THE GRANT APPLICATION WAS APPROVED BY COMMISSION, AS YOU NOTED, AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY, THE CITY COMMISSION APPROVED THE PURCHASING OF THE TREES IN JULY OF 2024.
THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH INCLUDED A LETTER TO COMMISSION, 16,000 POSTCARDS, UPDATES TO A PROJECT, WEBSITE NOTICES, AND ALSO A DETAILED PLANTING MAP THAT ALLOWED RESIDENTS TO SEE WHAT THE PROPOSAL WAS AT THE INITIATION OF THE PROJECT.
AND THEY COULD ZOOM IN AND SEE WHAT SPECIFIC TREES AND LOCATIONS WERE PROPOSED AT THAT TIME.
PRESENTATIONS WERE ALSO PROVIDED TO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS.
THE CITY'S URBAN FORESTER WILL SPEND THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS ADDRESSING THAT FEEDBACK AND MEETING INDIVIDUALLY WITH PROPERTY OWNERS AND ASSOCIATION TO PROVIDED FEEDBACK.
SEVERAL PROPERTIES HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONTACTED, BUT WE WILL ALSO BE CONTRACTING WITH A PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER.
THE PURCHASE ORDER FOR THAT PIO WAS ISSUED LAST WEEK.
SO WE INTEND TO START DEVELOPING THE SCOPE AND WORKING ON SCHEDULING THOSE MEETINGS.
FOLLOWING THIS WEEK, WHICH IS THANKSGIVING WEEK, CITY STAFF IS REVIEWING THE PLANTING PLAN, AND WE'RE CONSIDERING THE FEEDBACK REGARDING SPECIES SELECTION, REQUESTED DISTRIBUTION, AND ALSO THE PLANTING DESIGN.
STRATEGIC TREE PLACEMENT TO AVOID CONFLICTS WITH VIEW SHEDS HAS BEEN THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE IN THIS PROJECT.
WE WILL ALSO NOT PLANT TREES ADJACENT TO ASSOCIATIONS THAT ALERT US THAT THEY DO NOT WANT TREES.
SOME RESIDENTS, AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, HAVE REACHED OUT REGARDING THE HEALTH OF NORTH BEACH OCEANSIDE PARK TREES, UH, IN THE DUNE AREA.
UM, THE PROJECT WAS INITIALLY REVIEWED BY CITY STAFF AT THE ONE YEAR WARRANTY PHASE AND THE PROJECT CLOSEOUT AND ALL TREES WERE DEEMED HEALTHY AT THAT TIME.
WE ALSO CONDUCTED A FIELD SURVEY FOLLOWING THAT PROJECT CLOSEOUT IN OCTOBER OF THIS PAST YEAR, AND FOUND 38 COMPLETELY DEAD TREES AT THAT TIME.
WE SCHEDULED A REINSPECTION FOR LATER THIS MONTH, LATER THIS MONTH, WHICH BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 22ND.
WE BELIEVE THAT WE WILL CONCLUDE THAT EVALUATION THIS WEEK.
[01:35:01]
INSPECTION ON THE SEVERELY DECLINING TREES, UM, DETERMINED THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL DECLINING TREES THAT WERE NOT EVIDENCED IN THE OCTOBER WALKTHROUGH.THIS MONTH, WE'LL, UH, PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING ASSESSMENT POINTS, INCLUDING COMPLETELY REMOVING DEAD TREES, UH, THAT WERE NOT IDENTIFIED IN THE INITIAL OCTOBER, UH, WALKTHROUGH, AND ALSO REVIEWING THE REMAINING TREES FOR FUTURE VIABILITY BY A THIRD PARTY ARBORIST.
LASTLY, WE WILL CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT OF THE BEACH WALK CANOPY IN SOUTH BEACH, WHERE THEY HAVE A SUCCESSFUL ECOSYSTEM AND FIND DESIGN BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES APPLICABLE TO THE REMAINING BEACH WALK SECTIONS.
AS PART OF THE NORTH BEACH DUNES, UH, EVALUATION, WE'VE IDENTIFIED SOME PLANTING STRATEGIES SUCH AS USING SEA GRAPES AND SILVER BUTTONWOOD, WHICH HAVE SHOWN TO BE HARDIER AND NOT AS, UM, SUSCEPTIBLE TO THE HARSH COASTAL ENVIRONMENT, GROUPING TREES INTO SMALLER GROUPINGS TO ENCOURAGE TREES TO PROTECT EACH OTHER, AND ALSO PROTECTING VIEW SHEDS, INSTALLING SMALLER TREES INITIALLY, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO BETTER ADAPT MORE QUICKLY TO THE HARSHER ENVIRONMENTS AND ALSO LONGER WATERING AND ESTABLISHMENT PERIODS.
THE ANTICIPATED NEW PROJECT DATE FOR PLANTING IS THE SPRING OF 2025, WHICH WOULD COINCIDE WITH THE RAINY SEASON, BUT AGAIN, IT WOULD ONLY CONCLUDE OR BEGIN, EXCUSE ME, UH, ONCE THIS, UH, COMMUNITY OUTREACH PERIOD WITH THE ASSOCIATION CONTINUES.
UM, AND THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PLANTINGS WOULD BE IN AREAS ADJACENT TO CITY ON PROPERTIES, AND WE'RE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THESE MONTHLY UPDATES TO LAND USE.
UM, I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER BON.
UM, SO THANK YOU FOR PUTTING THIS ON THE AGENDA.
I, UM, I KNOW WE'VE GOT A LOT OF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE A LOT OF CONCERNS.
I THINK YOU'VE ADDRESSED THEM, UM, IN, IN LARGE PART, BOTH BETWEEN SOME OF THEIR, THE CONVERSATIONS YOU'VE HAD AND THEN REITERATING IT HERE.
I DO HAVE A QUE A A FEW QUESTIONS SPECIFIC TO THE NORTH BEACH AREAS.
UM, YOU SAID THE WARRANTY PERIOD WAS ABOUT A YEAR LONG.
SO FOR THE, THE FUTURE TREES THAT ARE GOING TO BE PLANTED, WILL WE HAVE A LONGER WARRANTY PRO PROGRAM? BECAUSE IF THERE ARE, IF IT'S NORMAL FOR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER PERCENTAGE TO DIE OFF IN THE FIRST YEAR, BECAUSE THAT'S JUST THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS, THEN IT MUST ALSO BE NORMAL FOR AN ADDITIONAL X PERCENTAGE TO DIE OFF BETWEEN YEAR AND ONE AND TWO AS YOU, AS WE'VE SEEN, BECAUSE YOU SAID THERE WERE ANOTHER 38 TREES, I THINK.
UM, AND SO DO WE HAVE A WARRANTY PERIOD THAT WILL COVER THAT EVENTUALITY FOR THIS PROJECT GOING FORWARD? THE ONE YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD IS STANDARD, BUT WE CAN CONSIDER ELONGATING THAT TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL DIE-OFFS.
UM, BUT WHAT WE ALSO ARE SEEING IS CERTAIN TREE SPECIES HAVE DONE BETTER THAN OTHERS.
AND SO IF WE WERE REDUCE THE INITIAL PROPOSED PLANTING PALETTE TO INCLUDE THINGS LIKE SEA GRAPES AND BUTTONWOOD, THERE'S A HIGHER LIKELIHOOD OF SURVIVORSHIP.
SO THE, UM, THE APPROVAL FOR THE FUNDING THAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR, HAVE YOU, HAVE YOU BOUGHT THE TREES YET? NO, WE HAVE NOT.
SO THERE'S TIME TO, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I THINK THERE WERE, YOU KNOW, LIKE A DOZEN DIFFERENT, UM, FLORA TYPES THAT COULD BE INCLUDED.
SO MAYBE IT'LL GO DOWN TO TWO OR THREE THAT ARE SUPER SUCCESSFUL AND THAT, UM, MOST RESIDENTS FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE LIKE SEA GRAPES.
I THINK NOBODY HAS ANY ISSUE WITH SEA GRAPES ANYWHERE.
UM, ALTHOUGH THEY DON'T PROVIDE SHADE, BUT YOU KNOW, THAT IT, IT, I DON'T THINK THOSE ARE CONTENTIOUS.
UM, AND THEN YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT A LONGER PLANTING AND WATERING PERIOD FOR NEW, NEW, UM, PLANTINGS WAS THE, WAS THE INITIAL EFFORT IN NORTH BEACH DONE UNDER, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE THINK IS BEST PRACTICE? AND IT DIDN'T TURN OUT TO BE BECAUSE THERE ARE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES THAT ARE UNIQUE TO THAT AREA.
OR, UM, WHY, WHY DIDN'T WE GIVE SUFFICIENT TIME THE FIRST TIME AROUND? DID WE, YOU KNOW, VERSUS WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO THE SECOND TIME AROUND? I THINK THERE ARE MANY LESSONS LEARNED.
WE'VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THE SALT SPRAY SHEARING OFF SPECIES LIKE GUMBO LIMBO.
SO TAKING THOSE LESSONS LEARNED FOR THIS PROJECT IS IMPORTANT.
WE DO LIKE TO KEEP THE DUNES AS A NATURAL SYSTEM AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
SO THE TREES ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE BEACH WALK DID NOT INCLUDE, UM, WATERING THE WAY THAT THE TREES ON THE PARKSIDE DID, BUT AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, WE WOULD REQUIRE WATERING TRUCKS TO COME OUT MORE FREQUENTLY FOR THAT EXTENDED PERIOD.
SO WHEN WE PUT THIS TOGETHER, UM, DID WE LOOK TO OTHER COASTAL CITIES WHO HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THESE GRANTS OR DONE IT ON THEIR OWN DIME TO DO THIS KIND OF, UM, PLANTING EFFORT, WHETHER IT'S REFORESTING OR FORESTING FOR THE FIRST TIME? UM, BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE I, I HAVE A, I WON'T SAY ALL THE WAY TO A BLACK THUMB, BUT IT'S, IT'S NOT A BRIGHT GREEN THUMB, SO I'M NOT CASTING ASPERSIONS AT ALL.
BUT IT SEEMS LIKE, UM, THESE ARE THINGS WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT HAD WE TALKED TO OTHER COASTAL CITIES AND BEEN PREPARED FOR.
SO CAN YOU JUST WALK ME THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF HOW IT HAPPENED LAST TIME AND THEN HOW WE'RE GOING TO NOT HAVE IT HAPPEN THAT WAY AGAIN FOR THE NEXT TIME? DEFINITELY.
[01:40:01]
AT THE TIME WAS USING RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND THE INSTITUTE FOR REGIONAL CONSERVATION THAT PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SPECIFIC AREAS FOR COASTAL HAMMOCK ZONES.UM, WHICH THIS AREA OF THE DUNES ON THAT WESTERN SIDE OF THE DUNES, EASTERN SIDE OF THE BEACH WALK WOULD BE.
UM, SO THOSE ARE THE PLANTING PALLETS THAT WE CONSIDERED.
AND IN PRACTICE, ALL OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS SHOULD WORK.
UM, BUT AGAIN, THERE ARE LESSONS LEARNED WITH EVERY PROJECT AND THAT CAN INCLUDE, UM, DIFFERENT, UM, CHARACTERISTICS OF NORTH BEACH VERSUS SOUTH BEACH.
WE HAVE SIMILAR TREES IN SOUTH BEACH THAT ARE DOING WELL.
SO EVALUATING SITES SPECIFICALLY AND LEARNING ABOUT SHEAR.
UM, WHEN WE WERE TALKING TO THE INSTITUTE FOR REGIONAL CONSERVATION, THEY NOTED THAT SEA GRAPES ACT AS A WIND BUFFER FOR A LOT OF OTHER SPECIES.
AND SO YOU'LL SEE ABOUT FIVE FEET BELOW A SEA GRAPE, EVERYTHING ELSE IS SHEARED OFF FROM SALTS SPRAY AND WIND.
AND SO THOSE ARE IMPORTANT LESSONS TO CONSIDER MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS PROJECT.
AND, UM, FOR THOSE, UM, EITHER BUILDINGS OR INDIVIDUALS WHO REMAIN REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT, UM, THEIR VIEW SHED OR IT'S NOT AN APPROPRIATE USE OF FUNDS, IS THERE, IS THIS ALSO IN ADDITION TO TRYING TO PROVIDE SHADE? OBVIOUSLY SEA GRAPES WILL NOT PROVIDE SHADE, BUT UM, DOES IT HELP WITH THE OVERALL DESIRE TO, UM, COOL THE TEMPERATURE OF THE CITY AS A WHOLE? I MEAN, IT'S A LITTLE BIT WEIRD 'CAUSE YOU'RE ON THE OCEAN WHERE THERE'S READY A BREEZE AND A LARGE BODY OF WATER, WATER TO HELP COOL THE TEMPERATURES A LITTLE BIT.
I MEAN, IN THE IDEAL WORLD, WE WOULD GET AN EQUIVALENT GRANT IF WE COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO ABOUT PARKING.
BUT TO FOREST, UM, THIS, THE SIDE STREETS OF NORTH BEACH AND OTHER, YOU KNOW, PARTS OF, UM, YOU KNOW, SOUTH SHORE, NEAR THE COMMUNITY CENTER, UM, YOU KNOW, WHERE THERE ARE TREE DESERTS REALLY, AND, AND IT GETS VERY HOT.
WE HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT THE, THE, THE HOW, THE INTERSECTION BETWEEN PARKING AND, AND TREE CANOPY.
BUT IS THIS SUPPOSED TO HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL, UM, EFFECTS, BENEFIT BENEFITS IN ADDITION TO JUST SHADE CAN, AND CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT? THERE ARE, THEY CAN PROVIDE SAND TRAPPING WITHIN THE DUNES, ESPECIALLY THESE NATIVE SPECIES THAT WE'RE PROPOSING, ESPECIALLY THE SMALLER PALETTE THAT WE'RE, WE'RE NOW CONSIDERING, WHICH IS THE SEA GRAPES AND BUTTONWOOD.
AND THERE ARE POSSIBILITIES AND POTENTIALS FOR SEA GRAPES TO PROVIDE SHADE IF THEY'RE TRAINED AS TREES.
A LOT OF WHAT YOU SEE CURRENTLY IN THE DUNES ARE THOSE BEING CULTIVATED AT A HEDGE LAKE FORMATION.
BUT YOU CAN HAVE LARGER SEED GRAPES THAT CAN PROVIDE SHADE, UM, BUT IT IS A HARSHER ENVIRONMENT.
WE DON'T EXPECT THEM TO BE 75 FEET TALL.
SO, UM, SO THAT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT IN REGARDS TO THE ENTIRE NORTH BEACH, UM, PLANTING PROPOSALS, THERE ARE THREE ITEMS AT THE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCY COMMITTEE THAT CONTEMPLATES SOME OF THOSE, UM, ISSUES.
BUT YES, IN, IN TERMS OF THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT, THIS WOULD BE IMPORTANT FOR COOLING THE CITY AS A WHOLE.
UM, SO I'M JUST GONNA EXPRESS MY CONCERN, UH, IS THAT I, I BELIEVE THIS COULD YIELD A SUBSTANTIAL CHANGE IN CHARACTER ON, ON THE BEACH WALK.
I FEEL THAT'S, THAT'S MY, UH, PERSONAL FEELING.
I, I, I THINK THE BEACH WALK IS A, AN A, IT'S LIKE THE BEACH, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T GO TO THE BEACH SEEKING SHADE.
UH, IF YOU WANT SHADE ON THE BEACH, YOU, YOU TAKE AN UMBRELLA, YOU, YOU KNOW, YOU TAKE A CAP.
YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF THE SAME THING WITH, WITH, WITH THE BEACH WALK.
I THINK THAT THERE ARE AREAS OF THE BEACH WALK NODES, UH, THAT, THAT MIGHT BE APPROPRIATE FOR THERE TO BE PERHAPS A LITTLE BIT MORE COVERAGE, YOU KNOW? BUT IT'S VERY INTERMITTENT, IT'S NOT, NOT CREATING NOW, UH, A CANOPY NECESSARILY.
OVER, OVER, OVER THE BEACH WALK, I HAVE RECEIVED COMPLAINTS FROM INDIVIDUALS ABOUT HAVING TO DO WITH VIEWS FROM THEIR PROPERTIES, UM, AND RIPARIAN RIGHTS AS WELL.
MR. ATTORNEY, WHAT RIPARIAN RIGHTS DO CONDOMINIUMS HAVE, UH, WITH A BEACH WALK? UH, AND, AND HOW AND HOW WOULD THIS IN ANY WAY, INTRUDE WITH THAT? WELL, BASED ON THE RESEARCH THAT WAS DONE BY SOME OF THE MEMBERS OF MY TEAM, WE CAME TO THE DETERMINATION THAT THE, THAT THE CITY COULD IN FACT PLANT, UH, BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED IN TERMS OF THE HEIGHT OF THE TREES AND WHAT IMPACT IT MIGHT HAVE.
BUT I, I ALSO HEARD, UH, MS. PRT MENTION THAT IF THERE IS A CONDO BUILDING THAT DOES NOT WISH TO HAVE TREES PLANTED IN FRONT OF IT, THEN THE CITY WILL WILL NOT BE PLANTED TREES IN FRONT.
BUT YOU KNOW, SOME BUILDINGS MAY CHOOSE NOT TO HAVE IT, UM, OTHERS MAY NOT OPPOSE, OPPOSE IT, BUT IF THERE'S A REPAIRING RIGHT, LET'S SAY IT
[01:45:01]
DOESN'T, IT WOULDN'T, IT WOULDN'T HOLD THEM BACK FROM, IN THE FUTURE LITIGATING AGAINST THE CITY IF IN FACT THAT RIGHT EXISTS.WELL, THE, THE CONCLUSION THAT WE REACHED WAS THAT BASED ON THE INFORMATION PRESENTED, THE CITY COULD PROCEED.
THERE IS ALWAYS A RISK OF LITIGATION.
UM, WHEN PEOPLE WILL FILE A CLAIM, WHETHER OR NOT THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL, UH, YOU KNOW, IS, IS SOMETIMES DEPENDENT ON WHAT JUDGE, UH, IS, IS HEARING THE CASE.
BUT, BUT WE FELT COMFORTABLE THAT THE CITY WAS WITHIN ITS RIGHTS TO TO, TO PROCEED.
BUT I, I THINK THE, THE MORE PRUDENT APPROACH IS THAT IF THERE'S A, A, A BUILDING THAT DOESN'T WASH, WISH TO HAVE TREES PLANTED IN FRONT YES.
THEN THAT'S THE BETTER WAY TO DO IT.
UH, AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S, UH, THAT'S, THAT'S GENERALLY WHERE, WHERE, WHERE I'M ALIGNED WITH IS MOST CERTAINLY NO BUILDING THAT DOESN'T WANT THIS, SHOULD HAVE THIS IN FRONT OF THEM, UH, VERY, VERY SUPERFICIALLY.
I THINK WE HAVE A DEFINED CHARACTER FOR THE BEACH WALK.
THE BEACH WALK IS, IT'S A VERY SUNNY OUTDOOR PLACE, KIND OF LIKE THE BEACH.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, INTRODUCING A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF CANOPY, UH, COULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO THAT CHARACTER.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S MY FEELING.
I THINK, I THINK THOSE DOLLARS, UH, COULD BE BETTER USED IN, UM, IN, IN DOING, UH, DOING RESTORATION OR COULD BE BETTER INVESTED IN ACTUAL NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE INDIVIDUALS ARE LIVING THAT LACK, UH, THE LACK THAT CANOPY THAT THEY'VE BEEN DESPERATELY ASKING FOR.
AND WE'VE HEARD, HEARD IT FROM NORTH BEACH.
NORTH BEACH HAS ASKED US FOR, FOR, FOR TREE CANOPY TO LOWER THE TEMPERATURE OF SOME OF THESE AREAS THAT ARE JUST SO COVERED IN CONCRETE AND ASPHALT THAT IT'S VERY HOT FOR THEM.
AND MY PREFERENCE WOULD, WOULD BE FOR US TO FOCUS OUR ENERGIES IN THOSE AREAS WHERE PEOPLE ARE LIVING, WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE TREES RIGHT NOW, AS OPPOSED TO FOCUSING SO MUCH ON, ON PLANTING.
ON, ON, ON, ON THE BEACH WALK.
I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ.
AND, UH, I WANNA THANK LINDSEY IN THE DEPARTMENT AND CITY ADMINISTRATION BECAUSE, UM, WE HAVE RECEIVED A BUNCH OF REQUESTS FROM RESIDENTS AND, UH, FEEDBACK AND CRITICISM, AND YOU'VE BEEN VERY ACCOMMODATING AND, UH, WE'VE REALLY LISTENED AND THAT, UM, IS SO IMPORTANT.
SO I KNOW THAT IN CERTAIN POCKETS LIKE SOUTH OF FIFTH, THERE'S NOT GONNA BE CANOPY AND SPECIFIC BUILDINGS THAT HAD REQUESTED IT.
AND THEN JUST TODAY WE GOT SOMETHING FROM THE ALLISON PARK NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UM, AND I THINK I COPIED YOU ON THAT EMAIL.
SO, UM, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE WITH THE LISTENING.
BUT OVERALL, I THINK THE TREE CANOPY IS GREAT.
BEFORE I LIVED IN MIAMI BEACH, I LIVED IN COCONUT GROVE AND, UM, IT FELT COOLER THERE BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE SHADE AND THE TREES.
AND, UM, I'M HOPING WE CAN GET SOME PROGRESS IN MIAMI BEACH AS WELL.
UM, LINDSAY, IS THERE ANY FLEXIBILITY AND WHERE ARE THE GRANTS ARE USED? SO FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU BUY A MILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF TREES OR WHATEVER, AND YOU USE 75% OF THEM ALONG THE BEACH WALK WHERE PEOPLE WANT THEM, CAN THE 25% OF THEM BE USED SOMEPLACE ELSE IN THE CITY, IN, IN NORTH BEACH, IN NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE DESPERATE FOR A SHEET TREE CANOPY? SO THE APPLICATION, SORRY, THE MIC TURNED OFF.
UM, SO THE APPLICATION WAS FOR THE SPECIFIC AREAS IN THAT CLIMATE ECONOMIC JUSTICE TOOL.
SO IT OUTLINED THE SPECIFIC STREETS WHERE IT'D BE APPLICABLE.
WE DID REQUEST A MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE BEACH WALK SPECIFICALLY.
SO THAT'S WHAT THE GRANT SAYS TODAY.
WHEN WE INITIALLY PUT THIS OUT FOR PROCUREMENT, THE GRANT FUNDED PORTION CAME OUT TO JUST UNDER $500,000.
SO WE WOULD'VE HAD $500,000 LEFT OVER TO UTILIZE, WE WOULD HAVE TO APPROACH THE GRANT, UM, FUNDING SOURCE TO DETERMINE IF AN AMENDMENT TO THE GRANT IS POSSIBLE TO EITHER USE IN DIFFERENT AREAS OR TAKE WHATEVER'S LEFT OVER FROM THE BEACH WALK AND UTILIZE IN THE OTHER EJ COMMUNITIES.
UM, SO MAYBE THAT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER IS, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANNA FORCE THINGS INTO WHERE THEY'RE NOT WANTED.
AND THERE ARE DEFINITELY PLACES WHERE THEY ARE, THERE ARE, THEY ARE WANTED.
SO EVEN IF IT MEANS WE MIGHT HAVE TO AMEND THE GRANT TO RE UH, REDISTRIBUTE A LITTLE BIT, THAT MIGHT BE A GOOD SOLUTION TO EVERYBODY'S CONCERNS.
[11. DISCUSS DEDICATED BUS LANES ON WASHINGTON AVE.]
LET'S CALL UP ITEM NUMBER 11.AND, UM, COMMISSIONER BOND, YOU HAVE ITEM NUMBER 15.
IF THAT ITEM IS NOT TIME SENSITIVE, I'M GONNA END THE MEETING AFTER ITEM NUMBER 11 AND
[01:50:01]
CONTINUE.THE REMAINING ITEM NUMBER 15 IS CHANGED.
UH, REVIEW CURRENT LOADING REQUIREMENTS AND HOW TO MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF LOADING AND DELIVERIES ON TRAFFIC, CONGESTION AND QUALITY OF LIFE.
THAT'S NOT THE TIME IT'S LANGUISHING FOR A LONG TIME.
SO WE'RE GONNA END WITH ITEM NUMBER 11 AND THEN CONTINUING AND CONTINUE THE REMAINING ITEMS FOR THE NEXT MEETING.
AND, UH, MR. CHAIR, BEFORE I READ ITEM, ITEM NUMBER 11, JUST TO CONFIRM ON ITEM NUMBER 10, THAT'S GONNA BE CONTINUED TO THE JANUARY MEETING FOR THE NEXT UPDATE.
ITEM NUMBER 11 IS DISCUSS DEDICATED BUS LANES ON WASHINGTON AVENUE.
UH, SO CLEARLY, UH, OUR CITY NEEDS SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS ON BOTH REGIONAL AND LOCAL CONNECTIVITY AND, UM, AND PARTICULARLY AS WE LOOK AHEAD AT THE ZONING OF WASHINGTON AVENUE AND WHAT THAT ZONING COULD POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE, UM, WHAT IT COULD, UH, LOOK LIKE AS IN TERMS OF RESIDENTIAL HOUSING, UM, AND HOUSING THAT DOESN'T PROVIDE FOR ONSITE, UH, PARKING.
UM, THIS IS A KEY CORRIDOR FOR SOUTH BEACH, AND IT'S, AND IT'S CRUCIAL FOR, FOR THE FUTURE OF THE, OF THE AREA.
UM, AND, UH, AND FOR A LONG TIME WE'VE BEEN DISCUSSING, UM, HOW TO IMPROVE CONNECTIVITY, SPECIFICALLY A DEDICATED BUS, UH, BUS LANE, UM, AS PART OF THE BIRD NETWORK.
SO I LIKE TO RECOGNIZE JOSE GONZALEZ TO KIND OF GUIDE US, UM, WHERE WE ARE AT, UM, WITH THAT DEDICATED BUS LANE.
UH, IT'S A CONCERN THAT I HAVE GIVEN THE ZONING THAT WE'RE CONSIDERING FOR, FOR WASHINGTON AVENUE, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE THE RIGHT TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE WORKS AND PROGRESSING TO ACCOMMODATE, UH, THE RESIDENTS THAT WE HOPE TO HAVE IN THIS AREA.
UM, MR. CHAIR COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
SO DEDICATED LANES FOR BUSES ON WASHINGTON AVENUE IS A KEY COMPONENT OF THE COUNTY'S SMART PLAN, THE STRATEGIC MIAMI AREA RAPID TRANSIT PLAN.
BASICALLY THE COUNTYWIDE TRANSIT PLAN FOR, UM, FOR THE THE COUNTYWIDE TRANSIT, COUNTYWIDE TRANSIT PLAN.
UM, THE SMART PLAN PROPOSES THREE BIRT ROUTES.
BURT, UH, STANDS FOR BUS EXPRESS RAPID TRANSIT, SO THE THREE R, THE BEACH EXPRESS NORTH, THE BEACH EXPRESS CENTRAL, AND THE BEACH EXPRESS SOUTH.
THE BURT, SPECIFICALLY THE BURT ROUTE THAT PROPOSES BUS LANES ON WASHINGTON AVENUE IS THE BURT SOUTH.
UH, THE BURT SOUTH PROPOSES, UH, TO CONNECT THE MIAMI CENTRAL STATION.
THAT'S THE STATION THAT HOUSES BRIGHTLINE IN DOWNTOWN MIAMI OVER AND CONNECTING TO THE MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER THROUGH THE MACARTHUR CAUSEWAY FIT STREET AND WASHINGTON AVENUE.
SO THE COUNTY'S BEEN WORKING WITH FDOT FOR SEVERAL, FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW, DOING ALL THE ANALYSES, THE TRAFFIC ANALYSES THAT ARE REQUIRED TO REPURPOSE A LANE.
UM, IN ORDER TO REPURPOSE A LANE, THERE'S GOTTA BE A VERY DETAILED STUDY THAT FDOT FOLLOWS, WHERE YOU HAVE TO PROVE IN ESSENCE THAT, UH, THERE IS SUFFICIENT TRANSIT SERVICE ALONG THE LANE, AND THAT YOU'RE CARRYING A SUFFICIENT NUMBER OF PASSENGERS IN ORDER TO WARRANT REPURPOSING THAT LANE.
AND FROM A VEHICULAR TRAVEL LANE TO A BUS LANE, THERE HAS TO BE A, A JUSTIFICATION, IF YOU WILL.
SO FOR, FOR SOME TIME NOW, THE COUNTY AND THE DOT HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER, UH, ON THAT STUDY, THAT STUDY ALSO LOOKS AT THE IMPACTS OF A REPURPOSING.
SO IF, IF, FOR EXAMPLE, WASHINGTON AVENUE CURRENTLY HAS TWO LANES IN EACH DIRECTION, IF ONE LANE IS REPURPOSED, IF ONE LANE IN EACH DIRECTION IS REPURPOSED FOR TRANSIT, WHERE WERE, WHERE WILL THOSE VEHICLES GO? WILL THEY GO ON COLLINS? WILL THEY, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THE SIDE STREETS, FOR EXAMPLE? SO ALL THAT IS PART OF THAT STUDY.
WELL, HOPEFULLY THEY'LL GET ON THE BUS HO, HOPEFULLY.
HOPEFULLY THERE'S A MODE CHANGE AND FEWER PEOPLE DRIVE AND MORE PEOPLE TAKE, TAKE THE BUS ONCE THERE'S A DEDICATED LANE, BECAUSE THE BUS THEN WILL NOT BE STUCK IN TRAFFIC.
THAT'S THE WHOLE BENEFIT OF A BUS LANE.
HOWEVER, UM, UNFORTUNATELY THE COUNTY, THE DOT, UH, I WON'T SAY THAT THEY'VE REACHED AN IMPASSE, BUT THEY'RE, THEY HAVE NOT YET, UH, AGREED ON THE, THE FINDINGS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THAT ANALYSIS.
SO FDOT HAS RECENTLY REQUESTED THE COUNTY TO DO SOME MORE ANALYSIS, AND THE COUNTY'S IN THE PROCESS OF SCOPING OUT THAT ADDITIONAL WORK.
UM, IN THE MEANTIME, HOWEVER, THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR US.
[01:55:01]
A PROJECT THAT'S, AND I'M REFERRING TO DEDICATED BUS LANES.IT'S IN OUR TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN THAT'S, THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION.
IT'S ALSO IN THE ART DECO CULTURAL DISTRICT VISION PLAN THAT WAS ADOPTED BY THE CITY COMMISSION.
SO IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT PROJECT FOR US.
SO WE ARE PURSUING GRANT FUNDS.
UH, WE PURSUED GRANT FUNDS LAST YEAR.
UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL, BUT WE'RE GOING TO GO AHEAD AND REPACKAGE IT AND REAPPLY TO, UM, THE STATE AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR GRANT FUNDS TO AT LEAST BE ABLE TO ADVANCE THAT, THAT PIECE OF IT, THE WASHINGTON AVENUE PORTION OF THE, UH, OF THE BURT OF THE BIRD PROJECT.
IS THERE ANY ACTION THAT YOU NEED FROM THE COMMISSION OR THE COMMITTEE? UM, NOT, NOT REALLY.
MR. CHAIR, THIS IS MORE OF A, OF AN UPDATE.
UH, THE, THE COUNTY IS WORKING WITH US AS WELL.
WE REVIEWED THE TRAFFIC STUDY THAT THEY, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT THEY PREPARED.
UM, BUT THE, THE ISSUES APPEAR TO BE BETWEEN FDOT AND THE COUNTY.
SO THEY'RE TRYING TO IRON OUT THOSE, THOSE ISSUES, CONDUCT THE ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS THAT'S REQUIRED, AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, IT, THE FINDINGS AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS WILL BE POSITIVE SUPPORTING A, A DEDICATED BUS LANE ON WASHINGTON AVENUE.
HOW FAR OUT DO YOU THINK, UM, HOW FAR OUT DO YOU THINK IT'LL TAKE THEM TO I RUN OUT THEIR ISSUES AND GET THESE RECOMMENDATIONS? THEY HAVE NOT PROVIDED US WITH A, WITH A TIMELINE.
SO WE, WE, WE DON'T KNOW, BUT THEY'VE BEEN AT THIS FOR SOME TIME, COMMISSIONER BOND.
UM, SO A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE HAD RECONFIGURED WASHINGTON PRETTY SIGNIFICANTLY TO, UM, MAKE DEDICATED BIKE LINES AND IMPROVE BUS TRAFFIC AND ALL THAT STUFF.
AND DESPITE OUR BEST EFFORTS, I THINK MOST RESIDENTS WOULD SAY IT WAS NOT A RESOUNDING SUCCESS.
HOW DOES THIS, HOW IMPROVE ON THAT? WELL, THIS, THIS WOULD IN ESSENCE REPURPOSE A TRAVEL LANE AND DEDICATE IT JUST FOR, FOR BUS SERVICE.
THIS WOULD BE, UH, WE DON'T HAVE A DEDICATED BUS LANE.
WE NEVER HAD BUS SERVICE ON WASHINGTON.
WE'VE NEVER HAD, THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST.
SO, BUT WHAT WOULD WE BE DOING ABOUT PARKING AND, AND BICYCLISTS OR CYCLISTS? I MEAN, WOULD, ARE WE LOSING A, A PARKING LANE? ARE WE LOSING? NO, WE WOULD ONLY, WE, WE WOULD ONLY LOSE A VEHICULAR TRAVEL LANE.
THERE ARE NO DEDICATED BIKE LANES ON WASHINGTON.
SO WE WOULDN'T REALLY LOSE THE BIKE LANE.
WE WOULD LOSE A VEHICULAR TRAVEL LANE.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ.
AND WOULD WE LOSE IT ON, UH, BOTH SIDES, OR ARE THERE MORE STOPS ON ONE SIDE THAN THE OTHER WHERE WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO DO THAT ON BOTH? IT WOULD BE ON BOTH SIDES.
BECAUSE THE, THE BUS LANE WOULD BE THE OUTSIDE LANE OF, IN EACH DIRECTION, NORTH AND SOUTH.
SO WHERE THE, THE BUSES WILL CONTINUE TO STOP AS THEY ARE TODAY.
AND WILL THIS BE A PILOT OR IS LIKE, WHAT'S THE INTENT? 'CAUSE I DO WORRY, AS COMMISSIONER BOT SAYS, WHAT HAPPENED WITH, UH, THE BIKE LANES AND, UM, THE TRAVEL TIMES WERE INCREDIBLE.
UM, DOUBLE PARKING, IT WAS A NIGHTMARE.
AND THOSE CARS, WHEN THEY WERE PARKING, THEY WERE IN ESSENCE INTERRUPTING THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC IN ORDER TO BACK INTO A PARKING SPACE.
YOU GOT A TRA A LANE, A TRAVEL LANE, WHERE NOW YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS ARE STOPPING THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AS THEY PULL INTO THEIR PARKING SPACE.
THE DYNAMIC IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.
UM, BECAUSE IN THIS CASE, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU'RE, WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA HAVE THAT SITUATION ANYMORE BECAUSE YOU'RE, YOU'RE STILL GONNA HAVE THE BUFFER OF THE BICYCLE LANE BETWEEN THE TRAVEL LANE AND THE PARKING LANE.
IS THAT CORRECT? WELL, THERE WOULD NOT BE A DEDICATED BIKE LANE ON WASHINGTON AVENUE.
IT, IT, UH, BASICALLY THE, THE BUS WOULD OPERATE ON, ON WHAT IS TODAY THE, IN THE MIDDLE OUTSIDE TRAVEL LANE.
AND THEN WHEN IT HAS TO STOP AT, AT THE BUS STOP, IT WOULD JUST, YOU KNOW, PULL OFF AND, AND, AND STOP, UM, WHERE THE PARKING LANE IS.
IN ESSENCE, THAT'S WHERE THE BUSES WOULD STOP ON WASHINGTON AVENUE IS WHERE THE, THE, THE PARKING LANE IS.
SO THE PARKING WOULD REMAIN, THE BUS STOPS WOULD REMAIN THE ONLY DIFFERENCES.
INSTEAD OF TWO LANES FOR CARS IN EACH DIRECTION, YOU WOULD HAVE ONE, IT WOULD ONLY BE ONE PLUS THE OTHER ONE WOULD BE FOR THE BUS.
AND, AND LET'S SAY IF WE, IF WE WERE TO HAVE THIS, BECAUSE AGAIN, THE GOAL WOULD
[02:00:01]
BE IF WE, IF WE DO EVENTUALLY HAVE THIS DEDICATED BUS LANE, IS TO BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE MORE PEOPLE TRAVELING THERE WITHOUT A VEHICLE.WHAT TYPE OF HEADWAYS WOULD YOU, WOULD YOU ANTICIPATE ONE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET BY HAVING A DEDICATED BUS LANE? THE HEADWAYS WOULD NEED TO BE VERY FREQUENT.
LESS THAN 10 MINUTES IS WHAT FDOT LOOKS AT AS, UH, CRITERIA, IF YOU WILL, TO WARRANT A DEDICATED TRANSIT LANE.
BECAUSE, AND RIGHT NOW, WHAT ARE THE HEADWAYS THAT WE HAVE? UM, I, I, WELL, WE HAVE HEADWAYS.
EACH ROUTE HAS A DIFFERENT HEADWAY, RIGHT? SO OUR TROLLEYS HAVE A CERTAIN HEADWAY, IT'S ABOUT 20 MINUTES.
THE BUSES, THE COUNTY BUSES, EACH ROUTE HAS A DIFFERENT HEADWAY.
WHAT FO DOES IS THAT THEY PUT ALL THOSE HEADWAYS TOGETHER, THEY LOOK AT ALL THE ROUTES THAT OPERATE ALONG WASHINGTON AVENUE, AND THEN THEY SEE HOW FREQUENTLY BUSES TRAVEL THERE.
LIKE HOW MANY BUSES PER MINUTE.
AND IF IT MEETS THE, THE CRITERIA OF IT'S LESS THAN 10 MINUTES, THEN THAT WARRANTS A, A BUS LANE.
OTHERWISE IT MAY BE, UM, CHALLENGING TO GET O TO APPROVE A REPURPOSING OF A VEHICULAR TRAVEL LANE FOR A TRANSIT LANE IF THAT TRANSIT SERVICE, THAT VERY FREQUENT TRANSIT SERVICE IS NOT THERE.
SO, UH, IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO X TO TRY TO GET, UH, A QUICKER RESPONSE FROM FDLT ON THIS? UH, ANYTHING AT ALL THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT CAN HELP EXPEDITE THIS? UM, NO, MR. CHAIR, WE ARE IN CONSTANT COMMUNICATION, UM, YOU KNOW, WITH DTPW.
UM, AND WE'VE, WE'VE OFFERED TO HELP IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN, BUT, UH, RIGHT NOW THEY'RE, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SCOPING OUT THE ADDITIONAL EFFORT.
SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT WHAT, WHAT ADDITIONAL WORK THE COUNTY WILL NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO GET FDOT APPROVAL.
ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THIS? ARE THERE, MR. ATTORNEY, ANY COMMENTS ON ZOOM? MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? NO.
AND SEE NO ONE ON ZOOM AND I SEE NONE IN PERSON.
UM, I'M HAPPY TO, LET'S, LET'S BRING THIS ITEM BACK IN SIX MONTHS.
LET'S SEE WHERE WE ARE AT, UH, IN SIX MONTHS.
UM, YOU KNOW, IF ANYTHING DEVELOPS WITH US OVER THOSE NEXT SIX MONTHS, PLEASE UPDATE US, UH, BECAUSE WE ARE MAKING BIG POLICY DECISIONS HAVING TO DO WITH DENSITY ON WASHINGTON AVENUE.
AND THE ONE THING THAT I WOULD URGE FDLT TO CONSIDER IS TO CONSIDER THE, THE LAND DEVELOPMENT RE REGULATIONS THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING AT THE MOMENT FOR WASHINGTON AVENUE AS THEY STUDY THIS.
IT'S HARD, IT'S HARD FOR US TO CONSIDER SOME OF THESE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS THAT DO AWAY WITH PARKING REQUIREMENTS UNLESS WE KNOW THAT THERE'S GONNA BE THIS TYPE OF DEDICATED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO AS POLICY MAKERS, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO SAY YES.
LESS PASS ZONING WITH NO PARKING REQUIREMENTS WHEN I DON'T KNOW, YOU KNOW, THINKING THAT WE'RE GONNA HAVE A DEDICATED BUS LANE GOING NORTH AND SOUTH WHEN I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO EXIST.
AND SO IT'S, AND SO ONE, ONE DISCUSSION DEPENDS ON THE OTHER MM-HMM.
AND SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE, YOU KNOW, THESE POLICY DISCUSSIONS IS INCENTIVIZING RESIDENTIAL HOUSING ON, ON, UH, ON WASHINGTON AVENUE.
WE NEED FEEDBACK FROM, UH, FROM FDLT ON THE TRUE VIABILITY OF THIS ACTUALLY REALLY BEING A REALITY SOMEDAY OF THIS, UH, DEDICATED BUS LANE BEING A REALITY.
THAT'S A VERY VALID POINT AND WE'LL BRING THAT TO HAVE THOUGHT'S, ATTENTION, BECAUSE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT WASHINGTON AVENUE THE WAY THAT IT IS TODAY, BUT ALSO THE FUTURE OF WASHINGTON AVENUE.
UH, WHAT IT MAY POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE AND WHAT IT MAY POTENTIALLY LOOK LIKE AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR, FOR TRANSIT.
AND ALSO YOU CAN GIVE THEM MY FAVORITE LINE OF PLAN FOR THE CITY.
YOU WANNA BE NOT THE CITY YOU ARE CORRECT.
AND, AND, AND, AND EXACTLY THE FACT THAT SOME OF THE ZONING POLICIES THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT HAVING DROP OFF BASE, UH, FOR, FOR FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE JUST NOT OPERATING ON THEIR OWN LOOKING AT, AT THE STREET.
WE, OURSELVES AND OUR ZONING POLICY, WE NOT ONLY ARE ENCOURAGING MICRO MOBILITY, BUT TO BE ABLE TO QUALIFY FOR SOME OF THESE ZONING INCENTIVES.
MR. MOONEY, CORRECT ME IF WE'RE WRONG.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THIS ALSO INCLUDES INCENTIVES FOR BUS BASE AND, AND THAT TYPE OF FACILITY, CORRECT? YEP.
ALL RIGHT, WITH THAT, UM, WE'RE GONNA CONCLUDE TODAY'S, UH, MEETING, UH, THE REMAINDER OF THE ITEMS ARE GONNA BE CONTINUED, UH, TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
[02:05:01]
UH, I WANNA THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS PARTICIPATED, ESPECIALLY THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO, WHO HAS, UH, PARTICIPATED IN IN TODAY'S MEETING.AND THANK OUR STAFF, UH, THANK YOU, UH, FOR YOUR HARD WORK THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
YOU ALL MAKE A LOT OF SACRIFICES TO SERVE OUR CITY AND HELP OUR COMMUNITY GROW IN A RESPONSIBLE AND PROPER WAY.
AND WE OWE YOU GRATITUDE FOR YOUR SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.
TRY TO KEEP US ON THE STRAIGHT NOW.