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HI EVERYBODY.I AM COMMISSIONER LAURA DOMINGUEZ, AND I'M HERE FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE.
AND JOINING ME ON THE DAY IS VICE CHAIR, UH, DAVID SUAREZ, UH, COMMISSIONER JOE MAGAZINE.
UH, COMMISSIONER ROSEN GONZALEZ IS, UM, RUNNING LATE, BUT SHE WILL BE HERE SHORTLY.
AND THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER ALEX FERNANDEZ FOR ATTENDING AS WELL.
AND ON THE DAYS WITH ME IS THE FABULOUS STEPHANIE RAY BROOKS.
AND IN FOR MARK TEXAS, WE HAVE THE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, DAVID MARTINEZ.
WE HAVE OUR FABULOUS ATTORNEY TOO.
STEPHANIE, DO YOU HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS? YES, WE HAVE A COUPLE ANNOUNCEMENTS.
THIS MEETING WILL BE A HYBRID MEETING.
UM, ANYONE THAT CHOOSES TO DIAL IN CAN CALL 1-800-188-FOUR 7 5 4 4 9 9 TO FREE AND ENTER THE WEB WEBINAR ID.
AND THEY CAN ALSO CALL 8 7 8 3 3 5 2 9 5 6.
[6. DISCUSS POTENTIALLY MOVING THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION (“PSCD”) FROM UNDER THE AUSPICE OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT BACK TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.]
OF ITEMS THAT'LL BE DEFERRED.WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER SIX WILL BE DEFERRED, ITEM NUMBER 17 AND ITEM NUMBER
[17. DISCUSSION REGARDING BEACH CONCESSIONS, REGULATIONS, AND LAYOUT TO ENSURE THAT SUFFICIENT AREA REMAINS AVAILABLE AT ALL TIMES FOR PUBLIC ENJOYMENT OF BEACHES.]
16,[16. DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTATION OF A TEXT MESSAGING SYSTEM TO FACILTATE THE REPORTING OF CODE COMPLIANCE COMPLAINTS]
ONE ITEM HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN,[7. DISCUSS THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH NEW HOPE C.O.R.P.S., INC.]
NUMBER SEVEN, AND WE HAVE A TIME CERTAIN FOR ITEM NUMBER FIVE, THAT'LL BE 10:00 AM AND THOSE ARE THE ONLY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR TODAY.ALRIGHT, SO LET'S GET STARTED.
[5. DISCUSS A POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIP WITH BEACH BOX FOR THE INSTALLATION OF BEACH BOX KIOSKS AND/OR PORTABLE LOCK BOXES ON THE CITY’S BEACHES.]
OKAY.ITEM NUMBER FIVE IS DISCUSS A POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIP WITH BEACH BOX FOR THE INSTALLATION OF BEACH BOX KIOSK OR PORTABLE LOCK BOXES ON THE CITY BEACHES.
AND TODAY WE HAVE, UH, AUSTIN FROM, UH, BEACH BOX.
UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TELL US A LITTLE, A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR PRODUCT? ABSOLUTELY.
UH, GOOD MORNING, CHAIRWOMAN DOMINGUEZ, UH, AND ESTEEM COMMISSIONERS.
UH, MY NAME IS AUSTIN NAJE, CEO, UH, AND CO-FOUNDER OF BEACH BOX.
I HAVE OVER 10 EXPER 10 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE MANAGING IT RISK FOR FORTUNE 500 COMPANIES.
UH, I'VE NOW SHIFTED MY FOCUS TO ADDRESSING SECURITY CONCERNS IN PUBLIC SPACES, UH, STARTING WITH OUR BEACHES.
I'D LIKE TO START WITH A QUICK STORY, IF THAT'S OKAY.
JUST A FEW DAYS AGO, ON DECEMBER 9TH, 2024, I MET A YOUNG WOMAN FROM CANADA VISITING MIAMI BEACH FOR HER FIRST TIME, SHE WAS EXCITED TO SOAK UP THE SUNSHINE, ENJOY THE OCEAN BREEZE, AND EMBRACE THE VIBRANT ENERGY OF OUR CITY.
THAT MORNING, SHE HEADED TO THE BEACH WITH HER FRIENDS AND LEFT HER CLUTCH NEAR NINTH AND OCEAN WHILE SHE TOOK PHOTOS IN THE WATER.
INSIDE HER CLUTCH WAS HER PASSPORT, $200 IN CASH.
HER FAVORITE LIP GLOSS, THE ESSENTIALS FOR HER MIAMI BEACH TRIP WHEN SHE RETURNED, THE CLUTCH WAS GONE HEARTBROKEN.
SHE ASKED NEARBY BEACH GOERS, INCLUDING ME FOR HELP.
THIS INCIDENT WAS ENTIRELY PREVENTABLE WITH BEACH BOX.
HER BELONGINGS WOULD'VE BEEN SECURE, ALLOWING HER TO FULLY ENJOY THE BEACH WITHOUT WORRY.
SO I HAVE A DEMONSTRATION VIDEO.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE COULD PULL IT UP FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
PJ, DO WE HAVE THE VIDEO? I MEAN, UH, WAS IT SUBMITTED BEFORE THE 24 HOUR? UH, RULE? I MEAN, IF, UH, IF NOT, I WOULD HAVE TO GO AHEAD AND SEARCH FOR IT.
UM, I WOULD NEED SOME TIME TO DO THAT.
UM, FACILITIES ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, ELIZABETH MOREAU.
DO YOU HAVE, UH, ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK? UM, YES.
I BELIEVE THAT, UM, AUSTIN HAS PROVIDED A PROPOSAL IN WHICH HE IS, UH, RECOMMENDING TO INSTALL TWO OF THESE KIOSKS THAT HOLD, UH, HOLD ABOUT 40 LOCK BOXES, UM, AT TWO LOCATIONS ON SIXTH STREET AND ALSO ON 10TH AND OCEAN.
UM, OUR ONLY REQUIREMENT IS THAT THESE KIOSKS ARE NOT VISIBLE FROM OCEAN DRIVE.
THE COST THAT HE'S PROPOSING TO RENT THESE LOCK BOXES IS RANGES FROM 20 TO $40.
AND IN, IN, PER, IN HIS PROPOSAL, HE'S ALSO RECOMMENDING A 10% BACK TO THE CITY.
THE ADMINISTRATION'S RECOMMENDATION IS IF THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE WANTS TO PURSUE THESE LOCK BOXES THAT THIS GO THROUGH A FORMAL, UH, SOLICITATION.
SO I WATCHED THE FINANCE COMMITTEE WHEN THIS WAS PROPOSED AND THERE WERE CONCERNS ABOUT THE LOCATION AND, UM, HAVING THEM BE OUT OF SIGHT.
UM, UH, THE FINANCE CHAIR IS HERE, COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE, WILL YOU PLEASE SHARE WHAT YOUR THOUGHTS WERE FROM THE MEETING? YEAH.
IT'S GREAT TO HAVE A YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR, UH, INVOLVED AND ACTIVE IN OUR CITY.
UM, I THINK SOME OF THE, UH, BIG TAKEAWAYS WERE, IT SEEMED LIKE A PRODUCT THAT WE, WE COULD GET BEHIND.
HOWEVER, WE WANTED TO BE A BIT CAUTIOUS, UH, MAYBE DIP OUR TOE IN THE WATER BEFORE JUMPING ALL THE WAY IN, UH, ESPECIALLY IN THIS AREA, WHICH TENDS TO BE CLUTTERED, UH, PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY, BUT IS ALSO OUR MOST
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PRIZED AND CHARGED HISTORIC AREA.WE WANTED TO BE A BIT NUANCED AND BALANCED BEFORE JUST DIVING IN AND, AND PLACING THESE IN MULTIPLE, MULTIPLE LOCATIONS.
UH, WITH THE PERMISSION OF, UH, MADAM CHAIR, DID, COULD YOU TALK TO, I I THINK YOU'VE KIND OF DONE STARTED OPERATIONS THUS FAR ON SOMEWHAT OF A TRIAL BASIS.
I GUESS I'D LIKE MAYBE YOUR ONE MINUTE FEEDBACK AND THEN IF WE HAD STAFF'S ONE MINUTE FEEDBACK, IF IT'S GONE WELL, IF THERE'S BEEN ANY ISSUES, WHAT TYPE OF REVENUE? BECAUSE YES, IT IS A NICE SERVICE, BUT, YOU KNOW, IT IS VERY, I DON'T WANNA SAY VALUABLE FROM A MONETARY PERSPECTIVE, BUT, UH, JUST IN TERMS OF WHAT IT, THE APPEARANCE OF THAT AREA OF OUR CITY, UH, CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, UH, INSTRUMENTAL.
SO WITH THE PERMISSION, MADAM CHAIR YES.
CAN YOU JUST GIVE A ONE MINUTE OVERVIEW OF HOW THINGS WENT AND THEN THE MOST APPLICABLE PERSON FROM OUR CITY, IF THEY COULD SHARE SOME THOUGHTS? YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
SO, UH, JUST TO ADDRESS YOUR PREVIOUS FEEDBACK FROM THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, UH, WE'RE LOOKING TO PLACE THESE NEAR PUBLIC STRUCTURES.
SO THE 10TH STREET BUILDING, WHICH IS THE TAURUS BUILDING AND THE SIXTH STREET BATHROOM.
I KNOW WE WANTED TO DO FOUR TO FIVE AT FIRST.
WE'RE NOW LOOKING TO DO JUST TWO.
UH, THE RESIDENT DISCOUNT AS MENTIONED, UH, 20%, UH, TO THE RESIDENT, UH, REVENUE SHARING WOULD BE 10% TO THE CITY.
UM, OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO RENT OVER 125 BOXES.
UH, SO 63 BOXES THE FIRST WEEK, 62 BOXES THE SECOND WEEK, UH, GENERATING REVENUE OF OVER $1,200, UM, OVER FOUR DAYS.
SO, AND THE RENTALS THAT YOU'RE DOING, IT'S WITH THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS THAT YOU HAVE WITH HOTELS.
AND THEN THIS WAS ALSO A SPECIAL EVENTS PERMIT, POPUP PERMIT THAT WE WERE RECEIVED, UH, AS WELL.
SO I HEAR FROM, UH, RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALL THE TIME ABOUT THE THEFTS THAT TAKE PLACE ON THE BEACH.
I THINK, UM, THIS IS A GOOD ITEM AND I'D LIKE TO MOVE IT AND BRING IT TO THE FULL COMMISSION.
HOW DO MY COLLEAGUES FEEL? MADAM CHAIR, IF I MAY, I JUST NEED TO CORRECT.
WE DID NOT ISSUE A POP-UP PERMIT FOR, FOR THIS ACTIVATION WHERE WE, UH, RECOMMENDED WITH THAT THIS WOULD GO THROUGH PROCUREMENT AS IT'S NOT A POPUP.
A POPUP IS ONLY FOR FOUR DAYS.
AND NOT ONLY FOR FOUR DAYS, EXCUSE ME, IT'S FOR ACTIVATING VACANT STOREFRONT SPACES.
THIS IS NOT A VACANT STOREFRONT.
AND WHAT WE RECOMMENDED IS THAT IT WENT THROUGH A PROCUREMENT PROCESS.
SO, UH, JUST TO COMMENT ON THAT, I DID GET A APPROVAL EMAIL, UH, FROM THE, THE DEPARTMENT.
AND SO WE STARTED OPERATING, UM, WITH THAT APPROVAL, IT SAID, YOU WILL BE ISSUED A, UH, THE, THE FINAL PAPERWORK IN THREE DAYS.
AND SO WE STARTED WORKING AFTER THOSE THREE DAYS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THAT WAS NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
UH, BUT YOU KNOW, WE DID START OPERATING FOR THOSE TWO WEEKS AND HAVE SINCE STOPPED.
BUT, UH, LOOKING FOR SOME DIRECTION ON HOW WE CAN CONTINUE THE PILOT BECAUSE IT'S GOING SUCCESS SUCCESSFULLY.
AND WAS IT JUST THE, UH, THE POP-UP PERMIT THIS SEEMED, WAS THIS JUST FOCUSED ON THE SECURITY BOXES? WERE THERE OTHER THINGS THAT WERE INCLUDED THAT WERE BEING RENTED? UH, IT WAS JUST THE SECURITY BOXES.
THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE BEING RENTED.
SO WE'LL SEND IT TO THE FULL COMMISSION, UM, FOR DISCUSSION, UH, THERE, AND I'LL IRON OUT WITH YOU MORE INFORMATION, UM, ABOUT WHAT WASN'T DONE CORRECTLY SO THAT WE GET IT RIGHT THE NEXT TIME.
CAN I ASK A QUESTION AB? OF COURSE.
UM, SO THERE'S TWO LOCATIONS BEING PROPOSED.
ON, UH, SIXTH STREET AGAINST THE BATHROOM AS YOU RECOMMENDED AT THE BATHROOM.
AND THEN ON 10TH STREET AGAINST THE TAUS BUILDING, UH, HEADED TO THE BEACH.
SO, SO, BECAUSE I REMEMBER ORIGINALLY WHEN IT WAS PROPOSED IT WAS GONNA BE FREESTANDING STRUCTURES.
UH, THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, A NEW STRUCTURE ON RIGHT OF WAY.
THIS WILL BE NOW AGAINST THE WORLD ATTACHED.
NOT IMPEDING PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
I FEEL MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE WITH THAT, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT YOU LISTEN TO, TO, TO, TO THAT FEEDBACK AND TO YOU AS WELL, MADAM CHAIR AS THE SPONSOR OF THIS ITEM.
THANK YOU FOR BEING SO RECEPTIVE TO THE FEEDBACK AND THAT PLACES ME IN A MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE POSITION.
ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ZOOM AND I DON'T BELIEVE THERE'S ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS IN PERSON.
IT'LL GO TO THE FULL COMMISSION.
THE NEXT COMMISSION MEETING IS FEBRUARY 3RD.
[1. DISCUSS UTILIZING 7605 COLLINS AVENUE AS A POTENTIAL BASE OF OPERATIONS FOR OCEAN RESCUE.]
ONE.ITEM NUMBER ONE IS DISCUSS UTILIZATION OF 76 0 5 COLLINS AVENUE AS A POTENTIAL BASE OF OPERATIONS FOR OCEAN RESCUE.
UH, OH, WELL, IT'S, UH, CO-SPONSORED BY, BY FIRE AS WELL.
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GONZALEZ, UH, PI, UH, VICE CHAIR SUAREZ, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TEE IT UP? YEAH.UM, VINCE, DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK A LITTLE BIT ON THAT, IF THAT'S A GOOD LOCATION? WELL, AND, AND PROBABLY HAVE FIRE COME AND, UM, AND SPEAK, UH, AS A RESULT OF RECENT EVENTS AT COMMISSION, UH, I DO BELIEVE IT WAS MOVED TO HAVE AN OPEN, UH, PUBLIC FORUM AS TO THE USE OF, UH, OF THE HOUSE.
SO I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE ON THIS TRACK, IF THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE AT THIS TIME, OR WE WAIT FOR THAT PUBLIC INPUT.
DID THE PUBLIC FORUM, UH, ALREADY TAKE PLACE? NO, MA'AM, IT HAS NOT.
IT WAS JUST, UH, UH, APPROVED AT, AT CONNECTION AND SO IT HASN'T BEEN, THE DATE HASN'T BEEN SET.
'CAUSE I RECENTLY, UM, HAD HEARD FROM RESIDENTS NEAR THE AREA.
WE USED TO HAVE REGULAR FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS UP IN NORTH BEACH, AND THOSE WERE ELIMINATED.
WE ONLY HAVE IT IN MID BEACH, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE HUNGRY IN NORTH BEACH.
AND ONE THOUGHT WOULD BE TO UTILIZE, UH, PART OF THE HOUSE FOR, UH, FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS OR STORAGE OR WHATEVER THE CASE MAY BE.
SO I THINK WE NEED TO, UH, DEFER THIS ITEM.
UM, THE NEXT PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING IS JANUARY 29TH.
YOU HAVE SAY PLEASE ADDRESS WHATEVER.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE IDEA, GNA? I MEAN, IT'S YOUR OPERATION.
I SPOKE WITH THE UNION AND WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED, UM, AS AN OPTION FOR US, WE DID A SITE VISIT.
WE, YOU KNOW, IT'S OPERATIONALLY SOUND, HOW IT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED AS, HEY, IF THIS WAS AN OPTION TO YOU, WOULD YOU GUYS LIKE IT? WELL, YEAH, BUT THERE WAS LITTLE BITS OF INFORMATION THAT WERE LEFT OUT IN THE SENSE OF IF THIS WAS GONNA BE A SHARED SPACE AND IT BEING A SHARED SPACE, IT WOULD NOT BE OPERATIONALLY SOUND WITH, YOU KNOW, 14, 15 LIFEGUARDS MEN AND WOMEN THAT NEED TO BE SEPARATED IN DIFFERENT AREAS.
UM, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE WE STOOD IF, IF IT WAS GONNA BE LIKE THAT.
THEY ALSO HAD THE FUNDING, UH, YOU KNOW, ALLOCATION FOR THE PROPERTY IN ITSELF.
THERE IS NO CURRENT ISSUES WHERE WE'RE CURRENTLY AT.
WE'VE ALREADY TAKEN MEASURES TO MOVE THE FENCE BACK.
YOU KNOW, PARKING WAS THE ISSUE ON 79TH STREET WHERE THE LIFEGUARDS ARE CURRENTLY HOUSED.
AND THEN THEY'VE INVESTED, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, UM, FACILITY THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPENING UP THERE ON 79TH STREET AS WELL.
[12. DISCUSS IMPLEMENTATION OF RAIN GARDENS AND INCREASED NATURAL VEGETATION ALONG CITY ROADWAYS TO ENHANCE STORMWATER RUNOFF]
12 'CAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, PUBLIC WORKS NEEDS TO LEAVE EARLY FOR A MEETING.SO, UH, WE'LL DO 12, FOLLOWED BY NUMBER 13.
SO, UH, STEPHANIE, NUMBER 12, ITEM NUMBER 12 IS DISCUSS IMPLEMENTATION OF RAIN GARDENS AND INCREASED NATURAL VEGETATION ALONG ROADWAYS TO ENHANCE STORM WATER RUNOFF.
AND THIS WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER SCHWARZ.
SO IF YOU WANNA TEE IT UP FOR ME, IT'S AN IDEA I BROUGHT, UM, TO THE COMMITTEE TO DISCUSS, UM, MORE NATURAL WAYS OF, OF, UM, FLOOD MITIGATION.
AND I'M ACTUALLY GONNA HAVE OUR, OUR CITY ENGINEER, CHRISTINA ORTEGA'S GONNA COME GIVE AN UPDATE ON THIS IN, IN A SECOND.
SO WE HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, WORKING ON THIS, UH, WE WANT TO PROVIDE THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO YOU SO YOU CAN, UM, YOU KNOW, SEE WHERE WE'RE AT WITH THIS ITEM, LITERALLY RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER.
IF YOU, IF WE WANT TO, UH, UH, IF CHAIR, IF THAT'S OKAY, WE COULD 13 FIRST, IF WE COULD DO THAT.
[13. DISCUSS POTENTIAL LOCATIONS FOR THE RELOCATION OF THE SANITATION DEPARTMENT’S OPERATIONS OFFICE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY LOCATED ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE 17TH STREET PARKING GARAGE.]
I WILL READ ITEM NUMBER 13.13 IS DISCUSSED POTENTIAL LOCATIONS FOR THE RELOCATION OF SANITATION DEPARTMENT'S OPERATIONS OFFICE, WHICH IS CURRENTLY LOCATED ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE 17TH STREET PARKING GARAGE.
AND THIS WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER SCHWARZ AND COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
UM, A AS YOU KNOW, AND, AND SOME OF THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE, UH, VISITED THE LOCATION THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE FOR OUR OPERATION AT 17TH STREET.
WE'RE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE, UH, THE GARAGE THERE.
UH, AND IT'S JUST A VERY LIMITED SPACE.
IT'S, IT'S PRETTY MUCH ON THE FIRST FLOOR AS YOU COME IN, UH, WHEN YOU ENTER INTO THE GARAGE.
AND IT'S A, A SMALL AREA WHERE WE HOUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, ON A DAILY BASIS FROM 80 TO OVER A HUNDRED EMPLOYEES A DAY.
UM, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL BATHROOMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY WORKING THERE ANYMORE.
WE USE, THERE ARE TWO GIANT, UM, PORTA JOHNS THAT ARE OUT THERE FOR STAFF.
SO, UM, AS AN ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN GROWING OVER
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THE LAST, YOU KNOW, FEW YEARS, IT'S, IT'S BECOMING A LITTLE BIT MORE CHALLENGING TO HAVE OUR SPLIT OPERATION.AND OUR OTHER STAFF WHERE WE KEEP OUR HEAVY EQUIPMENT IS AT TERMINAL ISLAND.
UH, AND THAT'S, BUT THAT'S ONLY ABOUT LIKE 25 OR 30 EMPLOYEES, UH, BECAUSE THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE WE CAN PARK THE, THE, THE BIGGER, YOU KNOW, PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.
SO, UH, THE, THE CHALLENGES ARE GETTING MORE DIFFICULT AND, AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY, UM, THE ABILITY FOR US TO HAVE EVERYTHING UNDER ONE ROOF WOULD BE CERTAINLY IDEAL.
UH, IT JUST, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY WE NEED A NEW HOME THAT WOULD, WOULD FIT ALL OF THAT, UM, TO DO THAT.
BUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE VERY HOPEFUL WE CAN FIND SOMETHING THAT, YOU KNOW, MAKES SENSE, UH, GOING FORWARD AND WE CAN HAVE ALL OF OUR, UH, EMPLOYEES AND IDEALLY THE ADMINISTRATION UNDER ONE ROOF.
DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS, UH, OF WHERE THEY CAN BE HOUSED? I DID HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH, UM, CITY ADMINISTRATION AND IT'S TOUGH TO FIND SPACE.
I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE PORTABLE BATHROOMS. UM, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN FOR THE BATHROOMS THAT ARE THERE TO BE FUNCTIONING.
UH, I, I, I THINK, IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, AND I, AND I WOULD, I WOULD DEFER TO, UM, PROPERTY AND FACILITIES ON, ON THAT ONE, BUT I, I BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS A CAPITAL PROJECT, UH, THAT MAY BE IN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR TO MAKE THOSE REPAIRS.
MAYBE LIZ COULD PROBABLY PERFECT, PERFECT TIMING.
SO THERE IS A CAPITAL PROJECT, IT'S ACTUALLY UNDER DESIGN.
WE EXPECT TO BREAK GROUND IN FEBRUARY, I THINK IT IS, UM, TO DO ALL THE RECONSTRUCTION FOR THE BATHROOMS THAT ARE THERE IN FEBRUARY.
AND HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE? IT SHOULD TAKE NO MORE THAN A MONTH OR TWO.
AND, UH, MAY, THIS MAY NOT BE YOUR DEPARTMENT.
HAVE ANY OTHER AREAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS POTENTIAL SITES? WE HAD CONTEMPLATED SOME TIME AGO, UM, POSSIBLY THE LOCATION AT 4 51 DADE WHERE THE PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONS IS AT.
UM, BUT NO FUR FURTHER SITES HAVE BEEN, UM, ASSESSED.
4 51 DAD PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONS.
WHERE'S 4 51 DAD? THAT'S WHERE IT'S RIGHT NEXT TO PINE TREE VICE STATION.
THAT'S WHERE THERE WOULD BE A POTENTIAL SITE FOR PUBLIC WORKS.
YOU'RE ON YOUR, YOU'RE GONNA BE, IT'S UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
NO, 4 51 DATE IS ALREADY, UM, A BUILT ENVIRONMENT.
IT'S AS OF HOW WE CAN PROBABLY RECONFIGURE THAT TO PROBABLY, UM, INCORPORATE THE SANITATION.
WE CAN CERTAINLY LOOK AT THAT.
WELL, BRAD, YOU A POSSIBILITY? TELL US, I MEAN, IS THAT LIKE A POSSIBILITY OR NO, I MEAN, IT, IT, IT'S NOT A BAD IDEA.
I MEAN, I THINK IT'S SOMETHING DEFINITELY TO EXPLORE.
IT'S CURRENTLY WHERE OUR UTILITIES OPERATION IS HOUSED OUT OF.
UM, AND THAT'S OVER APPROXIMATELY A LITTLE A HUNDRED SMART STAFF OF OUR TEAM IS, IS THERE, AND THAT'S WHERE THERE ALL OF THEIR OPERATION IS DONE CURRENTLY.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY THINK THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES THERE TO EXPAND THAT SITE.
UH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE CERTAINLY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
AND HOW, HOW MANY EMPLOYEES NEED TO BE, UH, AT THE LOCATION.
HOW MANY DO WE HAVE RIGHT NOW AT THE GARAGE? I MEAN, WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, IT'S 80 TO A HUNDRED PLUS EMPLOYEES WOW.
THAT ARE THERE IN THAT VERY SMALL AREA.
AND, AND, AND THE FOUR 50 DATE, HOW MANY RIGHT NOW? HOW MANY CAN IT HOLD? WELL, IT'S A BIG SITE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY EMPLOYEES YOU HAVE RIGHT THERE, THERE, THERE'S OVER A HUNDRED EMPLOYEES THERE CURRENTLY IN OUR UTILITY OPERATION THAT ARE THERE NOW.
WELL, IS THAT SOMETHING THAT PUBLIC WORKS DO YOU THINK WOULD BE FINE WITH, TO BE ABLE TO HOUSE EVERYTHING IN UNDER ONE ROOF? CERTAINLY.
THAT'S ALWAYS IDEAL TO HAVE EVERYTHING IN ONE SPOT.
UM, YOU KNOW, LOGISTICALLY WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT THINGS AS IT RELATES TO THE YARD BECAUSE WE'D HAVE TO BE BRINGING A LOT OF HEAVY EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, POTENTIALLY OVER THERE THAT, UH, IS NOT THERE CURRENTLY.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF HEAVY EQUIPMENT LIKE VAC TRUCKS AND SUCH THERE NOW.
SO, BUT, BUT, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, HEY, IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT, I MEAN, WE CERTAINLY ARE IN SUPPORT OF THAT.
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE EMPLOYEES ON TERMINAL ISLAND? THE, THE TERMINAL ISLAND OPERATION IS A, IS A, IS BASICALLY LIKE OUR ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATION.
AND THEN WE HAVE LIKE THE, THE HEAVY EQUIPMENT, YOU KNOW, IT'S ABOUT 25, UM, EMPLOYEES THAT ARE THERE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE COULD BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, LOSE THAT OPERATION, UH, BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT WE NECESSARILY WOULD BE ABLE TO FIT ALL OF OUR HEAVY EQUIPMENT, SAY, AT, AT THE OPERATIONS OF THAT.
SO IT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, WE CERTAINLY WOULD STILL NEED TO KEEP IN THE MIX.
I MEAN, WE REALLY WOULD HAVE TO EVALUATE THAT AS PART OF THE PROCESS.
YEAH, I'M JUST LOOKING ON THE MAP AND SEEING WHERE THE AVAILABLE, WHERE THERE ACTUALLY WOULD BE AVAILABLE.
WHERE WOULD YOU BUILD IT OUT? WOULD YOU BUILD IT OUT BEHIND THE FIRE STATION? SO YEAH, WE WILL LOOK AT THE LOT, WE WILL LOOK AT, UM, ALSO THE EXISTING BUILDING IF WE CAN OBVIOUSLY INCREASE IT.
DOES IT NEED TO BE INCREASED OR IS THERE SPACE FOR THE SANITATION FOLKS? NO, IT WOULD NEED TO BE INCREASED.
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I MEAN, ARE, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR US, THE LAKE FINE LOCA? THIS SEEMS LIKE, UH, LIKE, SORRY, BUT LIKE, WE'RE PULLING TEETH HERE,IS ANYBODY LOOKING AT OTHER LOCATIONS? WHAT IS THE PLAN FOR THIS? UH, WHAT DO YOU NEED FROM US? OBVIOUSLY WITH THREE SPONSORS AND I, I DON'T MEAN YOU, I MEAN US AS A CITY COLLECTIVELY, YOU HAVE THREE SPONSORS THAT ARE SUPPORTIVE FINDING ANOTHER LOCATION.
BUT IS THERE A PROCESS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN? ARE WE BEGINNING THAT PROCESS? IT SEEMS LIKE YOU HAVE SUPPORT, BUT YOU KNOW, IT CAN'T BE US SITTING UP HERE LOOKING AT GOOGLE MAPS, FINDING YOU A PLACE
NO, I, I I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY THE, THE ENTRY LEVEL DISCUSSION, UM, OF THIS ITEM.
AND WE APPRECIATE, YOU KNOW, THE SUPPORT FOR IT.
I THINK NOW IT, IT, IT IT'S UPON US TO, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY COME BACK WITH SOME, YOU KNOW, SUGGESTIONS OUTSIDE OF THAT LOCATION AS WELL.
AND THEN IF THAT, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER LOCATION WE COME BACK WITH THAT MAKES THE MOST SENSE, OBVIOUSLY THEN WE NEED TO START DOING, UH, ENGAGING SOME CONSULTING SERVICES AND SEEING, YOU KNOW, WHAT MAKES THE BEST FIT FOR US AT THIS POINT.
IS THE JANUARY 29TH MEETING? ENOUGH TIME? OKAY.
SO LET'S PROVE THIS, DEFER THIS TO THE JANUARY 29TH MEETING.
AND WITH THAT WE'LL GO TO NUMBER 12.
ITEM NUMBER 12 IS DISCUSS IMPLEMENTATION OF RAIN GARDENS AND INCREASED NATURAL VEGETATIONS ALONG CITY ROADWAYS TO ENHANCE STORM WATER RUNOFF.
AND THIS WILL BE SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER HORSE.
UH, CHRISTINA ORTEGA, CITY ENGINEER WITH PUBLIC WORKS.
WE, WE PROVIDED IN THE MEMO SOME, UH, UPDATES AS TO THE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN COMPLETED IN OUR CITY.
UM, THESE RETENTION SWES RAIN GARDEN SYSTEMS ARE DEFINITELY PART OF OUR TOOLBOX.
THEY ARE, UM, PART OF OUR STORM WATER MASTER PLAN AND WE ARE INCORPORATING THOSE INTO OUR PROJECTS SPECIFICALLY IN THOSE WHERE IT MAKES SENSE.
WE HAVE LEARNED SOME LESSONS AND UNDERSTAND THAT THESE WORK BEST IN AREAS WHERE THE GROUND IS SLIGHTLY HIGHER UP.
SO IN, IN THE LOWER LANE AREAS, THEY DON'T PROVIDE THE BENEFITS, UH, IN PARTICULAR DURING HIGH TIDES AND CAN ACTUALLY BECOME A, A SOURCE FOR THAT GROUNDWATER TO BUBBLE UP INTO THE STREETS.
SO, UH, WITH THAT, IS THERE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? WOULD THERE BE ANY POSSIBLE LOCATIONS THAT YOU WOULD SUGGEST HAVING SOME, WE, WE ARE LOOKING TO INCORPORATE THEM ON THE, THE, THE WAY THAT, UH, THE TOPOGRAPHY OF OUR CITY IS.
UM, ON THE EASTERN SIDE, IT'S HIGHER GROUNDS GENERALLY BETTER SUITED MM-HMM
FOR IT IN AREAS WHERE WE'RE RACING OR PROPOSING TO RACE THE ROADS.
UH, FOR EXAMPLE, CANOPY PARK IS A, IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF AN AREA WHERE IT WAS INCORPORATED WHERE THE PARK WAS RAISED.
AND WE HAVE THESE, UH, BIOSWELLS AND BIOFILTRATION SYSTEMS IN PLACE, HIGHER, UH, OFF THE GROUNDWATER WHERE IT CAN WORK.
JUST, IT WAS JUST A GOOD IDEA FOR WELL, WE CAN CLOSE IT.
UH, I APPRECIATE IT AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING, UM, A NICE RESILIENT ITEM.
UM, SO NOW WE'LL GO BACK TO OUR ORDER AND THE NEXT ITEM IS NUMBER 15.
[15. DISCUSS THE CREATION OF CODE COMPLIANCE AREA CAPTAIN POSITIONS FOR SOUTH BEACH, MID BEACH, AND NORTH BEACH]
ITEM NUMBER 15 IS DISCUSS THE CREATION OF CODE COMPLIANCE AREA CAPTAIN POSITIONS FOR SOUTH BEACH, MID BEACH AND NORTH BEACH.AND THIS WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ AND CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, TEE IT UP.
AND IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO COME TO YOUR COMMITTEE, EVEN THOUGH I'M NOT A MEMBER.
UM, SO I'M PLEASED TO PRESENT, UH, DESIGN AND REGARDING THE CREATION OF CODE COMPLIANCE AREA CAPTAINS POSITIONS FOR SOUTH BEACH FOR MID BEACH AND FOR NORTH BEACH.
UH, THIS INITIATIVE REPRESENTS A KEY STEP.
UH, I BELIEVE IN A KEY EFFORT IN ENHANCING OUR CODE COMPLIANCE, IMPROVING NEIGHBORHOOD ENGAGEMENT, AND ADDRESSING SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT HAPPEN IN SPECIFIC AREAS OF OUR CITY.
UM, INITIALLY WE BROUGHT THIS ITEM AT THE MAY COMMISSION MEETING AND I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER JOE MAGAZINE FOR JOINING ME AS A CO-SPONSOR OF IT.
AND FOLLOWING ITS APPROVAL, UH, WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS AT THE FINANCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESILIENCY COMMITTEE ON IT.
UM, THERE WAS ALSO DISCUSSIONS AT THE PERSONNEL BOARD, UH, ABOUT, ABOUT THIS ITEM AND THE PROPOSED, UH, CHANGES, UH, IN OUR AGENDA TODAY, UH, INCLUDE THE, INCLUDE AMENDING THE CURRENT CODE COMPLIANCE ADMINISTRATOR
[00:25:01]
JOB DESCRIPTION.AND THE PURPOSE OF THAT IS TO FORMALIZE THEIR ROLE AS A SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT FOR DESIGNATED DISTRICTS IN OUR CITY, SUCH AS SOUTH BEACH, MID BEACH, AND NORTH BEACH.
THIS WILL, AGAIN, ALIGN THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES WITH THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY, INCLUDING ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN NEIGHBORHOOD AND HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATIONS, ENGAGEMENTS WITH BUSINESSES, ATTENDING COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA LAY OUT SOME OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, THE AMENDED JOB DESCRIPTION REFLECTS NEW DUTIES AIMED AT IMPROVING ENGAGEMENT AND RESPONSIVENESS.
AND SOME OF THESE HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE SERVING AS A SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT FOR THEIR ASSIGNED DISTRICT, REGULAR ATTENDANCE AT COMMUNITY AND BUSINESS MEETINGS TO ADDRESS LOCAL ISSUES, ENHANCED COORDINATION OF RESOURCES TO SOLVE NEIGHBORHOOD SPECIFIC PROBLEMS. UM, AND, YOU KNOW, MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS EFFECTIVE ENFORCEMENT OF THE CITY CODE.
IN THESE, IN THESE AREAS, I SEE IT VERY SIMILAR, UM, TO, FOR EXAMPLE, CAPTAINS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
EVERYONE KNOWS THEIR CAPTAIN, UH, EVERYONE, THEY ATTEND THE MEETINGS, THEY ATTEND UM, CHAMBER MEETINGS, UH, TO ENGAGE WITH THE BUSINESSES.
THEY ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE SPECIFIC ISSUES THAT, UM, THAT EXISTS IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.
UM, I ALSO WANT TO NOTE THAT THIS INITIATIVE WILL UTILIZE EXISTING RESOURCES, SO IT'LL ASSURE THAT THERE'S NO ADDITIONAL PHYSICAL IMPACT IN, IN THE CITY.
WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, STAFF, UH, TO, UM, ADD ANYTHING ELSE THAT I MAY HAVE MISSED OF ON THIS ITEM AND TO GIVE US SOME FEEDBACK ON THE DIRECTION AND THE, AND THE RECOMMENDATION THAT YOU NEED TODAY FROM COMMITTEE.
GOOD MORNING CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
STEPHANIE NOAH, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES MANAGER WITH THE CODE COMPLIANCE DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE AMENDED THE, UH, CODE COMPLIANCE ADMINISTRATOR JOB DESCRIPTION AND PRESENTED IT AT THE PERSONNEL BOARD LAST TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10TH, AND IT WAS APPROVED SINCE THEN.
WE'VE MOVED FORWARD WITH SCHEDULING PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOT PHOTOS FOR OUR COMP, UH, CODE COMPLIANCE ADMINISTRATORS TO PLACE THEM ON OUR CITY WEBSITE AND, UH, ALONG WITH THEIR, UH, DIRECT, UM, CONTACT INFORMATION AND ASSIGN ZONES.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO THANK, UH, CODE COMPLIANCE, UH, THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT AS WELL FOR THEIR DEDICATION IN, UH, IN DEVELOPING THIS REVISED JOB DESCRIPTION AND FOR THEIR ONGOING COLLABORATION WITH THE UNION.
AS THE UNION HAS ALSO HAD TO PARTICIPATE, UH, IN BRINGING THIS INITIATIVE TO FRUITION.
I JUST WANT US TO REALIZE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE, UH, BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE THE AREA CAPTAINS WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, NOW WE'RE ADDING, UH, THIS, THIS SIMILAR LIKE POSITION THIS, THIS AREA CAPTAIN FOR CODE, WHICH IS SO IMPORTANT.
'CAUSE NOT EVERYTHING CAN FALL ON THE ARMS OF, OF POLICE.
THERE'S A LOT OF ISSUES WITH THE ENFORCEMENT OF OUR CITY CODE THAT CAN YIELD IMPROVEMENT TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND THE SAFETY OF OUR RESIDENTS.
THAT TOGETHER WITH THE AREA MANAGERS THAT WE'VE CREATED FOR EACH SECTION OF THE CITY, IS REALLY GOING TO HOPEFULLY DELIVER SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS AND EFFICIENCIES, UH, TO, TO, TO THE PERFORMANCE OF OUR, OF OUR, UH, DUTY AS A CITY AND DELIVERING A CLEANER, A SAFER, A MORE BEAUTIFUL AND RESILIENT, UH, CITY TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT MY ITEM.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IT FORWARD AND WORKING SO HARD WITH THE CO COMPLIANCE TO BRING THIS TO FRUITION.
UH, COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE, YOU ARE THE CO-SPONSOR.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD? NO, I APPRECIATE IT.
UH, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ STATED IT ALL, I JUST HOPE WHEN WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THIS, UH, WE START GETTING OUT OF KIND OF THE SILO VACUUM THINKING WHERE CODE COMPLIANCE IS JUST CODE COMPLIANCE, PUBLIC WORKS, JUST PUBLIC WORKS POLICE, JUST POLICE, AND, YOU KNOW, WE ALL TAKE A COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF THE CITY.
SO REALLY EXCITED TO GET THIS INCORPORATED.
I DON'T EVEN THINK OF THIS LIKE, UH OH, THIS IS JUST CODE COMPLIANCE FOR THE AREA, BUT THESE ARE TRUE LIKE AREA MANAGERS.
AND SO, AND IF I MAY, WHAT IS THE FEEDBACK YOU NEED TODAY FROM, UH, FROM, FROM THIS COMMITTEE? MOVE IT TO THE FULL COMMISSION, PERHAPS? UH, UH, DAVID MARTINEZ CAN GIVE US SOME GUIDANCE ON THE FEEDBACK.
I SEE THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS RECOMMENDING, UM, THAT WE PERHAPS PASS A MOTION TO SEND THIS BACK TO THE FULL COMMISSION.
SO PERHAPS IF, UH, IF COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE AS MY CO-SPONSOR, SINCE YOU'RE A MEMBER OF THE COMMITTEE AND I AM NOT, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO MOVE OUR ITEM BACK TO THE FULL COMMISSION FOR FULL APPROVAL, THAT MIGHT BE PRUDENT.
[00:30:01]
ABSOLUTELY.ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON ZOOM AND IT DOES NOT APPEAR TO HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS IN PERSON.
NOW OUR NEXT ITEM IS NUMBER THREE.
[3. DISCUSS NEXT STEPS TO ESTABLISH A MARINE PARK OR CONSERVATION AREA IN SOUTH BEACH.]
DISCUSSED.NEXT STEPS TO ESTABLISH A MARINE PARK OR CONSERVATION AREA IN SOUTH BEACH.
THIS WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, VICE MAYOR B AND COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
SO THIS ITEM WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION, THE MARINE PARK BY RESIDENTS, UM, THAT LIVE HERE IN SOUTH BEACH AND OUR DIVERS AND PASSIONATE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT.
AND WHEN I SAT DOWN WITH THEM AND MET AND SAW VIDEOS, IT WAS JUST, UH, AMAZING WHAT WE HAVE, UH, JUST ON OFF OUR SHORES.
AND I FOUND IT TO BE IMPORTANT TO WORK WITH THEM AND THE SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT, UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT IT AND DESIGNATE IT AS A MARINE PARK.
AND BEFORE I ACKNOWLEDGE OUR CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER TO SPEAK, I'D LIKE TO SHOW A VIDEO, PJ, IF YOU WOULD, UH, TEE THAT UP.
AND THIS VIDEO THAT WE WILL BE SHOWING WAS ACTUALLY TAKEN BY THE DIVERS, UH, PATRICK AND DAVE, UM, WHILE THEY WERE OUT IN THE MARINE PARK.
AND I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH EVERYBODY SO THEY CAN SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL AND WHAT WE HAVE OUT THERE RIGHT NOW.
UH, IT'S ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL TO SEE THE, UH, REEF AND MARINE LIFE THAT WE HAVE THRIVING JUST OFF OUR SHORE.
AND I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM AMY KNOWLES, OUR CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER.
I'M MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
UM, AND AGAIN, A BEAUTIFUL VIDEO.
WE ALSO GOT TO MEET WITH PATRICK AND DAVID AND REALLY APPLAUD, YOU KNOW, THEIR PASSION.
WE DID PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE LETTER TO COMMISSION, UM, BASED ON A RESOLUTION ON ALL THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF, UH, REGULATORY APPROVALS THAT, THAT WILL BE NEEDED, UM, TO, TO ACTUALLY DO THIS KIND OF MARINE PARK.
UM, BUT AGAIN, WE'RE ALSO, YOU KNOW, EXTREMELY DEDICATED AND THINK THIS IS A REALLY WONDERFUL IDEA.
CURRENTLY THERE'S AN EXISTING BOATING RESTRICTED AREAS, UM, THAT'S IN PLACE.
AND SO THE PROPOSED MARINE PARK WOULD ENCOMPASS A MUCH LARGER 16 BLOCK AREA THAT'S CURRENTLY USED BY THOSE VOTERS.
SO AGAIN, THAT REALLY BRINGS IN THE NEED FOR ALL THOSE REGULATORY APPROVALS AND, UM, INCLUDING DERM, UM, F-D-E-P-F-W-C, THE ARMOR CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND THE COAST GUARD.
SO WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO ALL OF THEM.
UM, BECAUSE OF THE COMPLEXITY OF IT, WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY WOULD NEED TO ENGAGE A COASTAL MARINE CONSULTANT TO GO AHEAD AND HELP WITH DESIGN AND PERMITTING.
UM, WE THINK THAT COULD COST ABOUT UP TO $250,000 AND, UM, THE COST OF THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION WOULD VARY BASED ON WHAT TYPE OF STRUCTURES WOULD BE NEEDED, SUCH AS SWIM AND MOORING BUOYS.
AND THE CONSULTANTS' CODE OF WORK WOULD NEED TO INCLUDE CONSTRUCTION ESTIMATES, UM, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION FOR THE CITY COMMISSION AND STAFF.
UM, WE DID HOLD, UH, A MEETING WITH OUR FELLOW DEPARTMENTS TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, THEIR THOUGHTS BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A BIG PROJECT AND THERE ARE SOME CONSIDERATIONS.
SO ENFORCEMENT AND SAFETY ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF THE PARK AND THE SAFETY OF THE PEOPLE VISITING THE PARK.
UM, SO MARINE CONTROL, OCEAN RESCUE AND PARKS AND REC, UM, ALL, YOU KNOW, SORT OF HAD SOME FEEDBACK FOR US.
IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO HAVE CLEAR BOUNDARIES OF THE PARK TO IMPLEMENT ZONING AND USAGE RESTRICTIONS.
UH, WE WOULD HAVE TO THINK ABOUT A PENALTY SYSTEM FOR ANY VIOLATIONS.
UM, AND THERE WOULD BE SOME VESSEL AND STAFFING NEEDS THAT THEY ASKED US TO BRING FORWARD, SUCH AS POTENTIALLY ADDITIONAL VESSELS AND ASSOCIATED STAFF FOR BOTH MARINE PATROL AND OCEAN RESCUE.
UM, THEY INDICATED THEY ALREADY HAVE A BIT OF A CHALLENGE MAKING SURE THAT VOTERS OBSERVE ALL OF THE RULES.
UM, TRAINING AND EDUCATION WILL BE IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE, UM, VISITING
[00:35:01]
THE PARK AND FOR DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS AND, UM, FOR HOPEFULLY VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE.WE'RE ALSO RECOMMENDING THAT A FIVE TO 10 YEAR PLAN BE PART OF THIS.
THAT WOULD INCLUDE MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS, OPERATIONAL COSTS, AND, AND OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.
UM, THINGS LIKE BUOY INSPECTIONS AND REPAIRS.
SO WE'RE JUST TRYING TO KIND OF GO IN WITH EYES, YOU KNOW, WIDE OPEN, UH, WITH, WITH WHAT THIS, WHAT THIS MAY, UM, BE FOR THE FUTURE.
SO JUST IN SHORT, THE FISCAL IMPACT, WE'RE LOOKING AT CAPITAL PROJECT REQUIREMENTS DOWN THE ROAD, BUT INITIALLY ABOUT $250,000 WOULD NEED TO BE PRIORITIZED WITHIN THE FISCAL YEAR 26 BUDGET PROCESS.
SO MY INITIAL THOUGHT IS THAT, UM, WE BRING THIS BACK TO THE FULL COMMISSION SO THAT WE CAN REFER IT TO THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, UH, FOR REVIEW.
UM, BEFORE WE TAKE PUBLIC COMMENTS, UM, MY COLLEAGUES HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE.
AND YOU MENTIONED ENFORCEMENT, AMY, WOULD IT BE OCEAN RESCUE THAT WOULD HAVE TO ENFORCE IT OR SINCE IT'S ON THE SEASIDE, WOULDN'T IT BE FWC? SO, UH, WE HEARD FROM OUR MARINE PATROL, UH, DIVISION THAT THEY WOULD, UH, PROBABLY BE EXPECTED TO HELP ENFORCE, YOU KNOW, FWC DOESN'T REALLY HAVE THE TYPE OF PRESENCE THAT WE DO LOCALLY.
UM, THEY'VE GOT VERY LIMITED STAFFING, YOU KNOW, AS YOU KNOW.
AND THEN OCEAN RESCUE WOULD REALLY BE LOOKING AT THAT LIFE SAFETY, YOU KNOW, KEEPING PEOPLE OUT THERE SAFE, PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT, YOU KNOW, SNORKELING AND DIVING AND MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, SAFE.
AND WOULD IT, ARE WE GONNA BE ABLE TO DELINEATE THE, THE AREA WITH BUOYS? IT WOULD HAVE TO BE, I MEAN, IT WOULD BE A REQUIREMENT.
WE WOULD NEED BUOYS, WATERWAY MARKERS AND ALL OF THAT WOULD NEED TO BE APPROVED FROM LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL AGENCIES.
WOULD WE EXCLUDE FISHING LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, SPEARFISHING? UM, I THINK THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE DETERMINED.
ALRIGHT, WELL WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ALLOW SPEARFISHING OF THE LIONFISH IF YOU CAN LEAVE THAT IN THERE INVASIVE.
AND THAT HAS A SEASON, RIGHT? SO IT WOULDN'T BE YEAR ROUND OR IT'S YEAR ROUND? NO, IT'S YEAR ROUND.
UH, COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ, WHAT A GREAT IDEA.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SNORKELING IT WHEN THE WATER'S A LITTLE WARMER BEING A FLORIDA NATIVE
THIS IS LIKE A LITTLE TOO COLD FOR ME RIGHT NOW, BUT I I LOVE THE IDEA.
I WONDER, CAN'T YOU JUST PIGGYBACK ON THE RE LINE AND HAVE IT ADJACENT AND USE THEIR PERMITTING? 'CAUSE THAT'S SO EXPENSIVE AND SO IT TAKES SO LONG.
SO UNFORTUNATELY COMMISSIONER, THERE'S JUST TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PROJECTS.
UM, REGULATORY AGENCIES RESPOND TO WHAT'S PUT IN FRONT OF THEM, AND THAT IS A, A VERY DIFFERENT PROJECT.
IT'S THE, YOU KNOW, THE SCULPTURE PARK AND IT'S, IT'S A LOT MORE ADVANCED IN PERMITTING.
SO, UM, IT'S JUST A VERY, A VERY DIFFERENT THING.
WELL YOU HAVE MY SUPPORT, UM, PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE WANT TO SPEAK? MADAM CHAIR? I JUST WANT, OH, OF COURSE.
COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, I'M PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU'RE SPONSORING THIS.
UH, I THINK THAT THIS WILL ATTRACT A, A NEW KIND OF TOURISM TO OUR CITY, EQUAL TOURISM, UH, AND DIVERSE WHO ARE DRAWN TO THESE PROTECTED AREAS.
UM, AND I SEE THIS $250,000 AS SUCH, SUCH A GREAT INVESTMENT BECAUSE THE RETURN WILL BE SO SIGNIFICANT, UH, TO, TO, TO THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, NOT JUST TO THE CITY.
IT, I MEAN, THIS IS GONNA INCREASE REVENUES FOR OUR BUSINESSES, FOR OUR HOTELS, FOR OUR RESTAURANTS, FOR, FOR, FOR TOUR OPERATORS.
AND I THINK ONE OF THE KEY THINGS IS THAT IT'S GONNA POSITION MIAMI BEACH AS A LEADER IN MARINE CONSERVATION.
UH, AND, UH, AND I, AND I THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE SUCH A GREAT WAY TO, TO SET US APART IN A, AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO, TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY SOLIDIFY THE TYPE OF BRAND WE WANT TO HAVE AS, AS A CITY.
SO COMMENDATIONS TO YOU, UH, FOR SPONSORING THIS, UH, I HAD MET WITH, UH, DAVID AND PATRICK.
I HAD GONE TO THE CITY ATTORNEY, TOLD THEM I WANNA WORK ON THIS.
AND THE CITY ATTORNEY TOLD ME, OH, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ IS, IS ALREADY SPONSORING THIS.
UM, BUT CON CONGRATULATIONS, THIS IS GONNA BE TRANSFORMATIVE AND EXCITING AND REALLY POSITIVE FOR OUR CITY.
I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO CO-SPONSOR.
THANK YOU FOR HEARING THIS ITEM AND AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR OFFICES'.
UM, AND JUST TO UNDERSCORE THE UNIQUENESS OF THIS SOUTH BEACH IS THE BUSIEST BEACH IN THE UNITED STATES, ARGUABLY ONE OF THE BUSIEST BEACHES IN THE WORLD.
UM, AND JUST A FEW HUNDRED FEET FROM THAT PACKED SAND OF, OF TOURISTS IS SOME OF FLORIDA'S NICEST REEF, UM, NEAR SHORE.
STORMVILLE REEFS ARE QUITE RARE IN THE WORLD.
THERE'S ONLY A FEW ISLANDS THAT HAVE THAT TO OFFER, UM, AND A FEW OTHER PARTS OF FLORIDA.
SO IT IS A VERY IMPROBABLE COMBINATION THAT OUR CITY HAS A SPACE LIKE THIS.
AND JUST TO SORT OF BRING THIS ALL BACK AND MAKE THIS FEEL MUCH MORE REALISTIC, I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF PERMITTING IS REALLY CHALLENGING.
[00:40:01]
KEY WEST HAS A SIMILAR MARINE PARK.UM, NEAR UM, 2000 THERE WAS A, A PART OF KEY WEST NEAR HIGGS BEACH, WHICH IS ALSO THEIR MOST POPULAR BEACH.
UM, SOME SWIMMERS WERE KILLED BY A BOAT, SO A BOAT WAS, WAS OPERATING VERY CLOSE TO SHORE, UM, AND KILLED THE SWIMMER.
UM, AND IN RESPONSE TO THAT, THE CITY CREATED A CITY MARINE PARK THAT, UM, ENCOMPASSED THIS, UM, CORAL AND SOME, UM, STRUCTURE.
SO THERE WAS AN OLD PIER THAT HAD COLLAPSED THAT IT WAS HAD BECOME A FISH HABITAT.
AND IT TO THIS DAY IS AN AMAZING EXAMPLE OF CITIZEN SCIENCE AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO BRING A LOT OF PEOPLE INTO THIS CORAL WORLD.
UM, FLORIDA'S REEFS ARE VERY IMPERILED RIGHT NOW.
WE'VE SEEN A 90% CORAL DIE OFF, UM, UH, FROM OUR COASTAL REEFS, WHICH IS, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE.
I MEAN, WE'RE DOWN TO 10% OF WHAT WE USED TO HAVE, UM, WITHIN OUR LIFETIMES.
UM, AND OUR LITTLE SPOT OUT HERE.
WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME, ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HERE SPENT A LOT OF TIME DIVING ON IT IS DOING PRETTY WELL.
UM, IT HAS, UM, CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES THROUGHOUT IT.
I THINK NO OTHER MAJOR CITY IN THE UNITED STATES HAS AS MANY, UM, ENDANGERED SPECIES RESIDENTS AS, AS WE CAN COUNT.
UM, I'LL REALLY UNDERSCORE THE STAGHORN CORAL THAT IS GROWING NATURALLY IN THIS SPACE AND IS THRIVING.
UM, STAGHORN CORAL IS VERY TEMPERATURE SENSITIVE AND ALL OF STAGHORN CORAL, ESSENTIALLY OFF OF FLORIDA THAT IS NOT BEING PLANTED BY A NURSERY HAS DIED.
UM, AND WE HAVE NATURALLY OCCURRING, UM, SNACK HORN THAT IS GROWING IN SOME OF THE HOTTEST WATER.
SO I THINK THAT IS JUST A, A TESTAMENT TO WHAT IS OUT THERE AND THAT THIS REALLY COULD BE A TEMPLATE FOR THE FUTURE.
UM, WE'VE DONE A LOT OF HOMEWORK WITH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
UM, WE HAVE, UH, LETTERS OF SUPPORT FROM MAYOR, UM, DAN DANIELLE, IAN KAVA, UM, STEVE BOBO FROM ALIYA, VICKI, REPRESENTATIVE VICKI LOPEZ, SENATOR CHEVRON JONES, UM, SURF WRITER.
WE'VE REALLY SORT OF TRIED TO DO THE COMMUNITY HOMEWORK FOR YOU ALL SO THAT THIS WON'T BE A SURPRISE TO ANYBODY.
SO ALWAYS HERE FOR QUESTIONS AND I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ELSE WANTS TO, WANTS TO, WANTS TO SPEAK AS WELL.
I KNOW THEY ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS AS WELL.
'CAUSE THIS WE HAVE PEOPLE ON.
DO YOU WANT TO, WE HAVE THREE CALLERS ON ZOOM.
WE HAVE CATHERINE FLEMING, IF YOU COULD PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
UM, I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
I, UH, WAS THE VICE CHAIR OF THE REEF LINE AND NOW SERVE ON THE ADVISORY BOARD.
AND I THINK WE ALL REALLY WANNA SUPPORT THIS.
UM, MOVING OUT THE SWIM BUOYS IS SOMETHING THAT THE REEF LINE WILL ALSO NEED AND, UM, WE WE'RE HAPPY TO LIKE WORK TOGETHER TO SUPPORT THIS INITIATIVE.
AND CLEARLY THE REEF LINE WILL GO ON FOR MANY MORE MILES THAN THIS, THE, THE NEON REEF.
BUT, UM, I THINK IT'S A GREAT THING TO START, UH, IN THAT AREA WITH GETTING MORE REGULATORY BUOY AND, AND SAFETY.
HI, THANK YOU CITY COMMISSIONERS AND SUSTAINABILITY OFFICE FOR SUPPORTING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MIAMI BEACH MARINE PARK.
I'M SPENCER ROBERTS, A MARINE ECOLOGIST STUDYING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI ROSEN STEEL MARINE LAB.
AND I WANNA IDENTIFY THREE MAJOR THREATS TO OUR URBAN REEF THAT ARE ACTIONABLE BY THE CITY.
FIRST, THIS REEF SUFFERS UNRELENTING FISHING DAMAGE.
I TYPICALLY DIVE ON THE JETTY WHERE I'VE SEEN MANATEES, UH, RAYS, EAGLE RAYS, SHARKS.
EVEN A MANTEL WAS SPOTTED TWO WEEKS AGO.
BUT EVERY DIVE I CUT FISHING LINES.
I FIGURED I WASN'T ALLOWED TO BRING THE DOZENS OF HOOKS I'VE REMOVED.
SO INSTEAD I MADE A 92ND VIDEO DOCUMENTING SOME OF THE FISHING GEAR I'VE TAKEN OFF THE REEF IN THE LAST YEAR.
COMMISSIONER LAURA, PLEASE GIVE IT A WATCH IF YOU HAVEN'T ON INSTAGRAM AND SHARE IT WITH YOUR COLLEAGUES.
I COULD GO ON ABOUT THE SOFT CORALS.
THE, UM, I COULD GO ABOUT ON, ABOUT THE SOFT CORALS, THE SEABIRDS, AND THE COUNTLESS FISH THAT ARE KILLED BY THIS FISHING POLLUTION.
BUT I WANNA PUT IT IN PLAIN TERMS, THIS IS A DROWNING HAZARD.
I'VE BEEN ENTANGLED UNDER WATER.
I KNOW SOME OF MY FRIENDS HAVE AS WELL.
AND, UH, THIS IS THE EASIEST THREAT TO ADDRESS BECAUSE IT'S ALREADY ILLEGAL.
THERE'S A DEDICATED FISHING PIER ON THE POINT AND VERY EXPLICIT SIGNAGE PROHIBITING WALKING ON THE JETTY, BUT NO ENFORCEMENT.
WE JUST NEED A RANGER OR A LIFEGUARD STATIONED AT SOUTH POINT TO BLOW THE WHISTLE AND ENFORCE EXISTING PUBLIC SAFETY LAWS.
I'VE SEEN THEM DO IT ACROSS THE CUT OF VIRGINIA KEY.
THIS REEF FACES INTENSE VESSEL TRAFFIC IN ADDITION TO THREATS FROM PROPELLERS AND ANCHORS OF THE CHRONIC NOISE POLLUTION JUST OUTSIDE THE SWIM BUOY LINE.
HUGE CLASS THREE VESSELS PASSED DIRECTLY OVER THE REEF.
YOU CAN HEAR THEM CLEAR DOWN THE BEACH, BUT WHAT YOU WON'T SEE ARE THE CORAL LARVAE SWIMMING THROUGH THE SURF, LISTENING FOR THE SOUNDS OF AN ECOSYSTEM.
NOISE POLLUTION IMPAIRS EVERYTHING FROM CORAL RECRUITMENT TO THE EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT OF DAMSEL FISH EGGS.
SIMPLY SETTING BACK THE BUOYS TO EXPAND THE SWIM ZONE WOULD HAVE A GREAT IMPACT TO NOT ONLY IMPROVE PUBLIC ACCESS, BUT COULD ALSO HELP HEAL THIS REEF.
LASTLY IS THE LOOMING THREAT OF DREDGING.
JUST 10 YEARS AGO, APPROXIMATELY HALF A MILLION CORAL COLONIES WERE BURIED DURING THE LAST DEEPENING OF
[00:45:01]
THE PORT OF MIAMI.AND THIS JUST SORT OF UNDERSCORES THE NEED TO HAVE THIS MARINE PARK RECOGNIZED ALL THE WAY TO THE FEDERAL LEVEL SO WE CAN PREVENT THAT KIND OF THING FROM HAPPENING AGAIN.
ANYBODY ELSE ON ZOOM? YES, DANIEL ERALDO, IF YOU CAN PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
DANIEL ERALDO WITH MIAMI DESIGN PRESERVATION LEAGUE.
WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF EXPLORING THIS CONCEPT FURTHER AND UM, I KNOW AS FAR AS THE ART DECO DISTRICT, THE DIFFERENT ACTIVATIONS THAT WE'VE SUPPORTED, LIKE WHETHER IT'S MORE MUSCLE BEACH FITNESS, WHETHER IT'S, UH, MORE EVENTS OF THE ART DECA WELCOME CENTER IN
THIS SEEMS TO GO VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH EXPANDING THE PROGRAMMING AVAILABLE TO VISITORS AND RESIDENTS.
AND WE THINK IT'S, UM, COULD BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THE CULTURAL DISTRICT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO COLLABORATING FURTHER WITH THE GROUP IN THE CITY.
UM, PATRICK RESICK, UH, THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS FOR BEING SUPPORTIVE OF THIS ITEM.
AND THANK YOU AMY, FOR ALL YOUR WORK ON, ON THIS AND FIGURING OUT THE DETAILS THAT WE HAVE.
UM, AND LIKE SPENCER MENTIONED, UH, AND DAVE MENTIONED TOO, THIS ISN'T ABOUT LIKE PREVENTING ANY SORT OF FISHING OR BOATING.
THIS IS ABOUT JUST MAKING IT SAFER FOR EVERYONE TO DO THOSE ACTIVITIES IN DIFFERENT ZONES.
SO, YOU KNOW, THE SWIMMERS AND SNUGGLERS AND PADDLE BOARDERS CAN ENJOY THE REEF.
WE HAVE A MULTIMILLION DOLLAR FISHING PAIR THAT PEOPLE CAN SELL FISH OFF OF AND PEOPLE CAN STILL BOAT.
THEY'LL JUST VOTE, YOU KNOW, A LITTLE FURTHER OUT FROM SHORE SO THAT THERE'S, EVERYONE'S ABLE TO DO THIS SAFELY.
WE WERE JUST, UH, DIVING, UH, THIS WEEKEND DURING ART WEEK.
WE WALKED OUT IN BETWEEN SCOPE AND UNTITLED AND, YOU KNOW, HAD ALL PEOPLE ASKING US, OH, WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING OUT THERE? AND NOBODY, YOU KNOW, MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE STARTING TO REALIZE THIS BEAUTIFUL NATURAL ASSET THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.
BUT EVERYONE IS SO SURPRISED THAT WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, THIS AMAZING REEF WITH TROPICAL FISH, ENDANGERED SPECIES RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD.
AND WE'RE EXCITED TO CELEBRATE THAT WITH EVERYONE AND MAKE IT A PROTECTED ZONE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THE BEAUTIFUL THING IS THE REEF IS THERE.
WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE TO GET, UM, CONSULTANTS TO HELP WITH THE PERMITTING, BUT THE LARGELY, UM, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IS TO PROTECT SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY THERE.
NOT A HUGE INVESTMENT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.
WE TALKED TO THE, UM, TEAM THAT MANAGES THIS IN KEY WEST AND THEY SAID IT'S ABOUT FOR THEIR ZONE, REPLACING THE BUOYS EVERY YEAR IS ABOUT $800.
SO REALLY MINUSCULE, UM, IN A TEMPLATE FOR US TO LOOK TO, UM, FOR CELEBRATING A SIMILAR, UM, ASSET.
AND YOU, YOU TALKED TO ONE SCIENTIST WHO WAS ALREADY HERE FROM, UM, TALKING ABOUT THIS REEF.
WE'VE WORKED WITH OTHER SCIENTISTS FROM, UM, THAT ARE GOING OUT THERE ON A WEEKLY BASIS NOW THAT THEY KNOW ABOUT THIS AND DOING RESEARCH RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD.
AND WE THINK THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES FOR, YOU KNOW, SCHOOLS TO DO LITTLE, LITTLE FIELD TRIPS OUT THERE LIKE THEY DO IN KEY WEST.
AND SO WE CAN REALLY USE THIS AS A COMMUNITY ASSET.
AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING ON DOCUMENTARY, THE FOOTAGE RIGHT NOW OF OCEAN DRIVE NEXT TO THE RE LOOKS AMAZING.
AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
AND REALLY QUICK, SPENCER'S WIFE MADE SOME LITTLE STICKERS.
I'D LOVE TO SHARE THEM WITH YOU GUYS IF, IF YOU, IF YOU'D BE WILLING TO.
THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS.
UM, IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT FOR THIS.
UM, I'M JUST AN ADVOCATE AND A DIVER HERE IN MIAMI BEACH AND I ACTUALLY LIVED IN THE FLORIDA KEYS TWO YEARS PRIOR TO THIS AND HAD A HUGE PASSION FOR THE OCEAN.
AND WHEN I STARTED DATING, UH, DIVING WITH DAVID AND PATRICK RIGHT HERE ON MIAMI BEACH, I WAS BLOWN AWAY JUST BY THE DIVERSITY OF REEF LIFE OUT THERE.
UM, AS I MENTIONED, I'VE BEEN DIVING IN THE KEYS FOR TWO YEARS AND I'VE SEEN INCREDIBLE LIFE OUT THERE AND I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR BACKYARD HERE.
UM, IT ALSO SERVES AS A NURSERY FOR THE OCEAN.
SO WHAT WE HAVE OUT THERE, THERE'S INCREDIBLE CORAL.
I BROUGHT SOME MARINE BIOLOGISTS DOWN FROM THE KEYS.
I SAID, GUYS, YOU GOTTA COME SEE THIS.
THEY'RE LIKE, THERE'S NOTHING THERE.
AND I WAS LIKE, WELL, COME SEE IT.
AND THEY DOVE IT AND THEY WERE BLOWN AWAY AND THEY WERE LIKE, THIS IS WORTH PROTECTING.
NOT ONLY JUST BECAUSE OF WHAT WE HAVE, BUT BECAUSE IT FEEDS THE REST OF THE OCEAN.
AGAIN, THESE ARE NURSERIES TO OUR FISHERMEN, TO EVERY ACTIVITY THAT'S OUT THERE IN THE OCEAN.
IT'S AN ECOSYSTEM WORTH PROTECTING.
SO JUST, I KNOW I'VE SENT YOU ALL PICTURES AND VIDEOS.
I'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT TO SHARE JUST THE INCREDIBLE BEAUTY THAT'S OUT THERE.
AND I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH ONE THING.
TWO DIVES AGO, UM, I WAS SORT OF EXPLORING UP BY 10TH STREET, UM, AND A BEAUTIFUL LOGGERHEAD TURTLE ENCOUNTER HAPPENED.
AND A LOGGERHEAD IS PROBABLY LIKE, IT'S JUST MASSIVE
[00:50:01]
AND IT'S AN ENDANGERED SPECIES.AND AS I WAS READING ABOUT THIS, UM, I THINK THAT SHE WAS MAYBE LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO LAY HER EGGS.
AND SO IT'S JUST A CRITICAL ECOSYSTEM OUT THERE.
UM, AND IT'S WORTH PROTECTING.
ANYBODY ELSE ON ZOOM? WE HAVE TWO MORE CALLERS ON ZOOM.
JOHN H IF YOU COULD PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
UM, I KNOW KATE FLEMING FROM RE FLYING ALREADY SPOKE.
I ALSO WANTED TO ADD ALSO ON BEHALF OF RELIEF LY OUR STRONG SUPPORT FOR THIS MARINE PARK AND MARINE CONSERVATION AREA.
I, I ECHO THE COMMENTS THAT THE COMMISSION HAS HEARD FROM MANY OTHER SPEAKERS HERE.
UM, THE FIRST INSTALLATION OF REPLAN WILL SIT DIRECTLY WITHIN THE PROS MARINE PARK AND WILL FILL A GAP IN THE, IN THE NATURAL REEF SYSTEM THAT RUNS ALONG THE COAST.
TO ME, AS A LIFE, I, I'VE BEEN DIVING ALL MY LIFE AND IT JUST, I THINK THIS DISCOVERY BY DAVID AND PATRICK OF THIS HEALTHY REEF, UM, THAT, THAT, YOU KNOW, BRIBING RIGHT OFF OUR SHORELINE IS SUCH A AMAZING RESOURCE THAT, THAT NEEDS TO BE PROTECTED.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE, THE, THE CONDITION OF THE REEF, IT'S REALLY A SUCH A GREAT RESOURCE FOR, UH, EVERY OUR RESIDENTS, TOURISTS, UH, EVERYONE TO, TO, TO REALLY ENJOY AND SOMETHING TO REALLY PROTECT.
UH, AND THE, THE EXTENSION OF THE VESSEL EXCLUSION ZONE WILL ENHANCE SAFETY FOR SWIMMERS AND SNORKELS OFF THE COAST FOR EXPLORATION OF THE NATURAL REEFS AS WELL AS THE REEF LINED STRUCTURES THAT WILL COMPLEMENT THOSE NATURAL REEFS.
SO IT'S TRULY A WIN-WIN SITUATION.
IT PROMOTES ECOTOURISM, IT ENHANCES THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT.
IT PROMOTES MARINE BIO BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY AND ENHANCES COASTAL RESILIENCY.
REAPPLYING STRONGLY SUPPORTS THE PROJECT.
AND IF, KAREN MONTY, IF YOU COULD PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
IF YOU COULD JUST UNMUTE YOURSELF.
UM, I DON'T THINK I CAN MOVE IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, THIS IS GONNA BE A, UM, THIS IS JUST GONNA BE A GREAT LANDMARK FOR, FOR OUR CITY AND A POINT OF PRIDE FOR MIAMI BEACH.
I SUGGEST THAT AS THIS GOES BACK TO COMMISSION FOR STAFF TO SEE POTENTIAL GRANTS THAT COULD SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MARINE PARK.
I, I, I HAVE TO BE CONFIDENT WHETHER IT BE, UH, FEDERAL OR STATE GRANTS, OR WHETHER IT BE PRIVATE NONPROFITS OR EVEN CORPORATE GRANTS, UH, THIS ALIGNS, UH, WITH I BELIEVE A LOT OF FUNDING THAT COULD BE OUT THERE.
AND I'M SURE THAT WOULD CHALLENGE US TO, UH, SEE HOW WE COULD COVER THOSE $250,000.
'CAUSE I, I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT THAT THERE ARE DOLLARS OUT THERE THAT COULD HELP US FUND THIS.
MADAM CHAIR, IF I COULD JUST ONE COMMENT, UH, CONGRATS.
AND, AND WHILE THIS, UH, GOES THROUGH THE PROCESS, I THINK IT'D BE GREAT IF, UH, WE COULD LIAISE AND WORK WITH OUR MARKETING TEAM TO, UH, 'CAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING WE'RE ALL PROUD OF OUR CITY.
AND I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING ALONG THE LINES OF, UH, EVEN FROM THE CORPORATE SIDE MM-HMM
WHEN YOU MENTIONED ALL THE WEAR AND TEAR THAT, THAT GETS IN THE PORT, UH, I'M HAPPY, UH, OR ANY OTHER OF US, UH, ESPECIALLY THE SPONSOR OF THIS, UH, THE PRIME SPONSOR TO HELP MAYBE LEADS WITH SOME OF THE CRUISE SHIP INDUSTRIES THAT ARE BASED HERE IN MIAMI BEACH OR IN MIAMI.
UM, AND THEY, YOU KNOW, GIVEN THE WEAR AND TEAR THAT THEY PUT ONTO THE, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE THERE, I THINK IT WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY A GREAT CORPORATE CITIZENRY IF, UH, THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, HELP, UM, FACILITATE THIS AS WELL.
SO, HAPPY TO HELP LEE, OR I'M SURE, UH, A NUMBER OF US ARE WONDERFUL.
ANYBODY ELSE ON ZOOM? WE HAVE TWO MORE CALLERS I JUST RAISED.
AND THEN WE DO NEED TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT ITEM.
SO WE'LL TAKE THESE TWO WE'LL CALLERS, WE'LL THESE TWO CALLERS.
NIKKI JORDAN, IF YOU COULD PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
HI EVERYONE, MY NAME IS NIKKI JORDAN, THANK YOU COMMITTEE FOR SUPPORTING THIS ITEM.
I'M ALSO A SOUTH BEACH RESIDENT, LIFELONG SCUBA AND FREE DIVER.
AND MYSELF AND MY PARTNER ACTUALLY MOVED TO SOUTH BEACH THREE YEARS AGO, SPECIFICALLY FOR DIVING.
UM, AND TO CONTINUE DIVING AND TO FIT DIVING INTO OUR LIFE, UM, EVEN MORE.
BUT WHILE I WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS MAGNIFICENT ECOSYSTEM THAT PATRICK AND DAVID, UM, HAVE FOUND WHILE MOVING, UH, WE MOVED TO SOUTH FLORIDA AND REALLY FREQUENTED PALM BEACH COUNTY, MARTIN COUNTY, BROWARD COUNTY, A LOT OF THE NEAR SHORE REEFS UP THERE.
UM, OBVIOUSLY AFTER DIVING YOU'RE, AS ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS SAID, VERY HUNGRY AND SPEND TIME AND SPEND MONEY AND IN THOSE OTHER PLACES.
AND WE'RE JUST SO PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO STAY SO
[00:55:01]
CLOSE AND ENJOY OUR, OUR BACKYARD ECOSYSTEM AND THEN STAY IN THIS AREA AND ENJOY, UM, THE RESTAURANTS AND THE VARIOUS, UM, OTHER, OTHER COMPANIES AND BUSINESSES HERE WHILE BEING ABLE TO MORE FREQUENTLY DIVE IN THIS AREA.UM, SO I JUST HAVE TO THANK DAVID PATRICK FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK.
UM, AND THIS COMMITTEE AS WELL FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM.
IT REALLY WILL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE, UM, DIVERS TO MOVE TO THIS AREA AND FREQUENT THIS AREA AS TOURISTS AND AGAIN, SUPPORT, UM, OTHER BUSINESSES IN THE AREA IN THE PROCESS.
DAWN, IF YOU COULD PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
I I, I THINK A BIG ISSUE WITH WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND HERE IS THE HOMELESS PEOPLE S******G IN THE WATERS.
IF WE COULD, AND WE REALLY NEED THAT TO STOP DJJ.
SO, UM, SO WILL YOU MOVE THE ITEM TO GO TO THE FULL COMMISSION FOR REFERRAL TO FERC AND WITH THE FRIENDLY AMENDMENT AT THE END? YES.
UH, SO I THINK WE'RE ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UM, ALL OF YOU ARE AMAZING FOR YOUR ADVOCACY AND FOR BRINGING THIS TO OUR ATTENTION.
ALRIGHT, SO THE NEXT ITEM WE'LL
[4. 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]
GO TO IS NUMBER FOUR.ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS DISCUSS POSSIBLE AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 54 ENTITLED FLOODS.
ARTICLE THREE ENTITLED RESILIENCE STANDARDS FOR TITLE FLOOD PROTECTION TO ENHANCE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, QUALITY, AND LIFE.
THIS WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ AND CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER.
UH, SO COMMISSIONER, LET'S SEE.
I WILL LET COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ TAKE THE LEAD HERE 'CAUSE I KNOW THAT HE'S, UM, BEEN A PROPONENT OF KEEPING ON A TIMELINE AND, AND I'LL TEE IT UP.
SO THIS IS AN ITEM THAT CAME ABOUT, UH, OF A, UH, PUBLICLY ADVERTISED SUNSHINE MEETING, UH, THAT COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ AND MYSELF AS WELL AS, UH, THAT WAS ATTENDED AS WELL BY SEVERAL OF THE AIDES OF, OF OUR COLLEAGUES AT IN THE PALM VIEW NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND THE ISSUE CAME ABOUT OF TIDAL FLOODING, UH, SPILLING INTO OUR PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAYS.
UM, THE ITEM BEFORE US TODAY IS, UM, IS, IS HOW DO WE ADDRESS THIS PUBLIC SAFETY AND QUALITY IN LIFE, UH, ISSUE IN OUR, IN OUR COMMUNITY.
AND THIS INITIATIVE SEEKS TO ENHANCE ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS SPECIFICALLY FOR T FLOODING UNDER CHAPTER 54 OF OUR CITY CODE.
UM, YOU KNOW, AS AS WE KNOW, TITLE FLOODING IS A GROWING CONCERN.
IT'S SOMETHING THAT AFFECTS US ROUTINELY, UH, ESPECIALLY, UH, DURING, UH, DURING THE FALL, UH, IS IS ESPECIALLY AN ISSUE.
AND GOD FORBID YOU HAVE A STORM LINGERING SOMEWHERE AND YOU HAVE A FULL MOON AND ALL OF A SUDDEN ROADWAYS CAN BECOME COMPLETELY INABLE.
UM, AND YOU END UP HAVING GARAGES FLOODED AND PEOPLE UNABLE TO WALK THROUGH SIDEWALKS OR EVEN AT TIMES ACCESS THEIR PROPERTY.
AND SO THIS ORDINANCE, UH, AND, AND THIS, THESE MEASURES SEEK TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE PROACTIVELY, UH, TACKLING, UH, DIS IMPACT STAFF HAS MADE A NUMBER OF RECOMMENDATIONS, UH, SHORT TERM, UH, MEASURES SUCH AS, UH, STRENGTHENING ENFORCEMENT OF SEA WALL MAINTENANCE, EXPLORING TEMPORARY FLOOD BARRIERS, WHICH BY THE WAY, WERE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL, IN MY OPINION, IN, IN PALM VIEW.
AND I WANNA THANK OUR PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, THE DIRECTOR AND THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, AS WELL AS OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, DAVID MARTIN MARTINEZ, UH, FOR, FOR DEPLOYING.
AND I, I, I DIDN'T, I MEANT TO SAY MARTINEZ, I'M SORRY.
LEAVE IT TO ME TO MESS UP A NAME,
UM, YOU KNOW, PART OF THE SHORT TERM, UH, RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE IMPROVING COORDINATION BETWEEN OUR CITY DEPARTMENTS, WHICH IS ALSO IMPORTANT.
UH, BUT ONE OF THE KEY THINGS THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT IS THE REPAIR OF SEAWALLS, OF NEGLIGENT PROPERTY OWNERS.
WHO ARE NOT CORRECTING THE DAMAGES ON THEIR SEAWALLS.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S CAUSING THIS FLOODING IN OUR PUBLIC RIGHT OF RIGHT OF WAYS.
AND SO I STRONGLY FEEL WE NEED TO BE EX EXPLORING POLICIES, AND I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE, UH, OUR CHIEF ENCY OFFICER, BUT WHAT POLICIES, UH, CAN THE CITY BE ADOPTING TO STEP IN AND REPAIR PRIVATE SEA WALLS THAT ARE CAUSING THESE, UH, PUBLIC NUISANCES? UH, AND WHAT ABILITIES COULD WE POTENTIALLY HAVE TO RECOVER THESE
[01:00:01]
COSTS, UH, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH LIENS OR OTHER MECHANISMS? BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO SOLVE THIS BEYOND JUST ISSUING VIOLATIONS.AND WHETHER THE PRIVATE PROPERTY OWNER IS NEGLIGENT AND DOESN'T DO IT, WE NEED TO STEP IN TO UPHOLD THE SAFETY AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR RESIDENTS.
AND, UM, THIS ITEM BEFORE, UH, WE ACKNOWLEDGE OUR CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER, I DO WANNA MENTION THAT, UM, A COUPLE YEARS BACK, COMMISSIONER MARK SAMUEL HAD SPONSORED THE PRIVATE PROPERTY ADAPTATION PROGRAM, AND THAT WAS WHERE A PRIVATE PROPERTY CAN APPLY FOR A MATCHING GRANT TO RECEIVE UP TO $20,000 IF THEY DID RESILIENT MEASURES IN THEIR HOMES.
UM, THE MAIN IDEA WAS FOR PEOPLE TO GET THEIR, UH, SEA WALLS, UH, DONE.
AND LAST NIGHT I ATTENDED PHASE TWO OF THE PRIVATE PROPERTY ADAPTATION PROGRAM, WHICH AMY KNOWLES AND HER TEAM KICKED OFF.
I MEAN, THE HARD WORK THAT OUR CITY HAS PUT INTO THIS PROGRAM SO THAT, UH, PRIVATE PROPERTIES CAN GET HELP WHILE MAKING THEIR HOMES MORE RESILIENT.
UM, SO THAT'S WHAT I THINK OF WHEN I SEE THIS PARTICULAR ITEM.
BUT I DO WANNA RECOGNIZE, UM, AMY KNOWLES.
UM, MADAM CHAIR AND COMMISSIONER.
YOU KNOW, AND I WAS PART OF THE ORDINANCE WHEN IT WAS FIRST DEVELOPED BACK IN 2020.
AND, UM, EVEN I THINK IN 2016, WE HAD A RESOLUTION TO ESTABLISH MINIMUM HEIGHT STANDARDS, WHICH WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST CITIES TO DO THAT, BUT IT'S DEFINITELY TIME TO DO SOME TWEAKS.
I DO WANNA MENTION THAT ONE OF THE HOMEOWNERS THAT CAME LAST NIGHT, HE SAID THE REASON HE WAS ABLE TO CONVINCE HIS CONDO ASSOCIATION THAT IT'S TIME TO DO THE SEA WALL WAS BECAUSE OF THE PRIVATE PROPERTY ADAPTATION PROGRAM.
UM, HOWEVER, HE THEN GOT A VIOLATION FROM US DURING THIS YEAR'S KING TIDES.
UM, YOU KNOW, I PERSONALLY GO ON THE POLICE BOAT WITH OUR CODE TEAM TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING FROM THE WATERSIDE.
AND HE SAID, BECAUSE HE HAD THAT LETTER, HE WAS FURTHER ABLE TO SAY, OKAY, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY AND WE WERE SELECTED, BUT WE HAVE TO FIX THIS.
WE NOW HAVE A WARNING VIOLATION.
SO WE DO HAVE ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, BUT WE DO HAVE A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING, UM, THAT WE ARE DOING RIGHT.
SO THIS ITEM WAS REALLY THOROUGHLY DISCUSSED, UM, AT THE NOVEMBER 25TH LAND USE AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE MEETING.
SO I DON'T NECESSARILY WANNA REVIEW ALL OF THOSE ITEMS. UM, BUT WE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD ACTION ITEMS THAT WE ARE WORKING ON, AND I'M, I'M HAPPY TO ADDRESS OTHER THINGS AS WELL.
UM, WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON AS STAFF IS TO BRING BACK POLICY LANGUAGE, ACTUAL RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE ORDINANCE, TO THE LAND USE COMMITTEE IN JANUARY.
AND WE WOULD BE DOING THINGS SUCH AS REQUIRING WITHIN SIX MONTHS THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER WOULD HAVE THEIR APPLICATIONS IN TO THE PERMITTING AGENCIES, UM, SUCH AS DERM AND OUR CITY.
SO THEY, THEY CAN PROVE THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON THIS.
SO WE DON'T HAVE SUCH A LONG TIME DELAY.
UM, WE ARE WORKING ON A ONE PAGER TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF INFORMATION TO, UH, THROUGH OUR CODE TEAM TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE NEXT STEPS.
PEOPLE GET A LITTLE SCARED WHEN THEY THINK ABOUT SEAWALLS.
IT'S A HUGE CAPITAL EXPENSE AND IT'S A LONG PROCESS.
SO WE ARE WORKING, UM, ON THAT.
UM, AND WE ALSO DO SEND LETTERS TO PROPERTY OWNERS, UM, ANNUALLY.
LAST YEAR WE DID A TO, TO GIVE THEM SOME GOOD INFORMATION, MAKE THEM AWARE OF THE GRANT PROGRAM, AND THEY CAN EVEN HAVE A LINK TO, UM, A, A LIDAR SERVING THAT OUR PUBLIC WORKS TEAM DID SO THEY CAN SEE WHAT THEIR ELEVATION IS.
AND WE'RE, I THINK, ONE OF THE ONLY CITIES THAT HAVE THAT, WHICH IS, WHICH IS A REALLY GOOD FEATURE FOR THEM SO THEY CAN BE EDUCATED.
UM, SO, UH, AT THIS POINT, WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE MEETING WITH THE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT DO WE DO WHEN PEOPLE DON'T FIX, UH, THE SEA WALLS? IT'S A, IT'S A CONCERN 'CAUSE IT'S A HUGE FINANCIAL LIABILITY AND THERE'S PRIVATE PROPERTY LI RIGHTS.
SO, UM, REALLY THE PURPOSE IS TO SEE WHAT CAN WE DO? HOW DO WE WORK THROUGH THOSE ISSUES? AND PERHAPS WE WOULD BE ONE OF THE FIRST CITIES THAT THAT COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
UM, A LOT OF CONSIDERATIONS THERE.
MADAM CHAIR, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
THANK YOU, AMY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK, UH, IN THIS, IN, IN THIS SITUATION.
UM, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE, ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT WE FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTER WITH SEAWALLS ARE, YOU KNOW, CRACK REPAIRS, FOOTER INSTALLATIONS, RIP WRAP, REPLACEMENT, STUFF THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE GET, THAT MIGHT NEED TO GET DONE, BUT IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JEOPARDIZING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE WALL.
ARE WE LOOKING AT DOING ANY AMENDMENTS TO CHAPTER 24 TO INCLUDE ANY EXCEPTIONS OF PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS, UH, SO THAT, SO THAT THESE REPAIRS CAN GET DONE? MM-HMM
SOME OF THE NUISANCE TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT DELAYING THROUGH BUREAUCRACY AND RED TAPE, THE PROCESS OF THESE MITIGATION EFFORTS.
UM, WE ARE, THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE SEAWALLS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
UM, EVEN NOT CONSIDERING THE, THE HEIGHT.
AND THERE ARE SITUATIONS WHERE OUR TEAM HAS SEEN APPLICATIONS WHERE PEOPLE WANNA DO SIMPLE REPAIRS.
THEY MIGHT HAVE CRACKING AND IT'S TRIGGERING THE SEAWALL ORDINANCE, MAKING
[01:05:01]
THEM BRING IT UP TO, YOU KNOW, 5.7 NAVD.'CAUSE WE DON'T WANT SEA WALLS JUST CRUMBLING INTO BISCAYNE BAY THAT'S CAUSING POLLUTION, THAT'S CAUSING, YOU KNOW, BISCAY BAY WATER QUALITY ISSUES.
SO WE ARE RECOMMENDING, AND WE'LL BRING BACK LANGUAGE ON THAT AS WELL, THAT IF THEY ARE SMALLER, SMALLER REPAIRS, LET'S LET PEOPLE GET THOSE DONE.
BUT WERE THERE LARGER REPAIRS AND IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY AND IT TRIGGERS A CERTAIN FINANCIAL THRESHOLD.
WE'RE GONNA BE REQUIRING ADDITIONAL INFORMATION TO REALLY UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE COST IS AND, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S TRIGGERED TO COME UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND, AND, AND MINUTE CHAIR.
UM, IF, IF PERHAPS BEFORE THIS COMES BACK TO LAND USE, WE COULD BE READY TO SPEAK ON SPECIFICALLY THOSE AMENDMENTS, ON THE MINOR REPAIRS.
THAT, THAT COULD BE ALLOWED TO TAKE PLACE WITHOUT TRIGGERING, UM, YOU KNOW, THE SEA WALL TO BE RAISED TO A MINIMUM ELEVATION.
UM, 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT BECOMES MORE ONEROUS, THAT'S WHAT BECOMES MORE COSTLY AND THEN GETS IN THE WAY OF US BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS A PROBLEM.
SO WE COULD FIGURE OUT A WAY THAT THEY COULD FIX CRACKS OR DO THE FOOTER INSTALLATION OR, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH A RIP RAFT WITHOUT HAVING TO RAISE THE ACTUAL ELEVATION IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK COULD STREAMLINE THE PROCESS AND SAVE COST TO OUR PROPERTY OWNERS.
WELL, I THINK WE CAN CLOSE THIS ITEM HERE IN THIS COMMITTEE.
I JUST WANTED IT HEARD, UM, TO REALLY HIGHLIGHT THE PRIVATE PROPERTY ADAPTATION AND AS A REMINDER TO EVERYBODY THAT IT'S THERE.
AND, UM, THANK YOU SO MUCH, AMY, FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK ON THIS.
YOU HAVE BEEN AMAZING AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
OKAY, SO WE'LL CLOSE THIS ITEM AND
[2. DISCUSS TIMELINE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER HEADQUARTER HOTEL AND ANTICIPATED OPENING DATE.]
THEN WE'LL GO TO NUMBER TWO.ITEM NUMBER TWO IS DISCUSSED TIMELINE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER, HEADQUARTER HOTEL ANTICIPATED OPENING DATE.
THIS WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ AND CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER FERNAND.
SO, UM, THE REASON WHY I WANTED TO BRING THIS, UH, ITEM UP AND DISCUSS IT IS I, UM, AM ON THE BOARD OF THE GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU.
AND THEIR CONCERN IS THAT, UH, OKAY, THE DEVELOPER HAS THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED, AND NOW, UM, WHEN IS HE GOING TO BREAK GROUND? IS IT GONNA BE FIRST? LIKE WE WANT EXACT INFO AND DATES AND WE'RE GOING, GOING TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE BECAUSE WE CAN'T HAVE THIS DELAYED ANY FURTHER.
WE'RE REALLY MISSING OUT, NOT HAVING IT UP AND RUNNING.
HI, MY NAME IS YVETTE BATISTA.
I'M A PROJECT MANAGER AT TARA.
WE ALSO HAVE ON THE ZOOM CALL ALI KA, WHO'S THE CFO OF BERRY, TARA AND TURNBERRY.
WE HAVE A JOINT VENTURE AND WE ARE THE DEVELOPERS OF THE HOTEL.
UM, WE ARE, AS YOU'RE ALL AWARE, WE'RE WORKING VERY DILIGENTLY ON SECURING THE FINANCE FOR THE HOTEL.
AND, UH, WE'RE CURRENTLY TARGETING TO TAKE POSSESSION IN EARLY FEBRUARY.
WE HAD SHARED A TIMELINE AS PART OF THE MEMO.
OUR OBJECTIVE HAS NOT CHANGED THE DATE.
OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO BEGIN TEST PILES IN FEBRUARY AND CONSTRUCTION IN MARCH AND HAVE THE HOTEL OPEN IN 2027.
WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DOING DUE DILIGENCE.
AND THERE, UM, AK WE HAVE AK ON THE LINE, AND HE CAN PROVIDE MORE DETAILS ON THE FINANCING PROCESS, UM, BY, WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE TO HAVE YOUR FINANCING SECURED NOW THAT YOU HAVE THE COMMITMENT, UH, FROM THE RDA, THE GRANT DEGREE? YES.
UH, WHICH WAS KEY TO, UH, TO THE FINANCING.
UH, BY WHEN DO YOU ANTICIPATE, WHAT IS THE DEADLINE TO HAVE THE FINANCING SECURE? BECAUSE THAT, I WOULD IMAGINE, UM, IT'S GONNA BE DICTATING THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS, RIGHT? SO OUR TARGET IS IS FEBRUARY FOR THE FINANCING.
I, IF SOMEBODY CAN MAKE SURE THAT, SO THAT MEANS THE MEANS SITE POSSESSION, THE FINAL SITE POSSESSION, THE LOAN CLOSING.
JUST TOLD THE LOAN CLOSING WILL BE IN FEBRUARY.
THERE ARE NUANCES THAT CAN IMPACT THE PROCESS THROUGH THE DILIGENCE WITH THE LENDERS.
BUT WE WILL KEEP YOU COMING, YOU KNOW, INFORMED OF THE PROGRESS.
WE HAVE ALI KA, UM, FROM TARA AND TURNBERRY WITH THEIR HAND RAISED.
ALI, IF YOU COULD PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
AND SORRY, SORRY NOT TO BE THERE.
NOT TO BE THERE WITH EVERYBODY TODAY.
I'M ON A JOB SITE TODAY, SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND NOISE.
UH, PER, PER INVEST DISCUSSIONS, WE'RE MOVING VERY, VERY EXPEDITIOUSLY TO ROUND OUT THE CAPITAL STACK ON THIS PROJECT.
AS SHE MENTIONED, OUR INTENTION IS TO TAKE POSSESSION IN FEBRUARY.
THE CONSTRUCTION FINANCING WILL NEED TO CLOSE SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE BOND FINANCING ON THE GRANT SIDE.
AND SO WE ARE, WE ARE OUT TO MARKET ON, ON SELLING
[01:10:01]
AND MARKETING BONDS, UM, IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO WITH REGARDS TO MA UH, MONETIZING THE GRANT FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN PROVIDED FROM THE COUNTY SIDE AND THROUGH THE RDA.SO A MARCH CLOSING IS OUR TARGET DATE.
IT MAY BE MIDDLE TO END OF MARCH.
SUBJECT TO ALL GOING, GOING AS PLANNED, WE'VE GOT TREMENDOUS ACTIVITY IN THE MARKETS FROM THE LENDER SIDE.
UH, WE'RE TALKING TO LARGE INSTITUTIONAL GROUPS ON THE MORTGAGE FINANCING, UM, AND HAVE LINED UP ALL THE BALANCE OF OUR CAPITAL STACK AND AGREEMENTS ARE IN PLACE.
SO, BUT FOR THESE HOLIDAYS THAT ARE COMING UP, OUR TEAM HAS WORKED NONSTOP THROUGH THANKSGIVING TO GET DOCUMENTS AND MATERIALS TIED UP.
WE'RE ACTIVELY MEETING WITH LENDERS NOW, AND WE HAVE SEVERAL MEETINGS SET UP IN THE SECOND WEEK OF JANUARY IN MIAMI FINALIZED TERMS MOVING TO LOAN DOCUMENTS.
AND THAT'LL TAKE PROBABLY 60 DAYS TO CLOSE SUBJECT TO THOSE DOCUMENTS GOING, GOING WELL AND THINGS, THINGS MOVING AS INTENDED IF FULLY COMMITTED.
SO IF I MAY, THROUGH, THROUGH THROUGH THE CHAIR, WHAT I'M HEARING THEN IS THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE FINALIZED CONSTRUCTION LOAN OR BOND FINANCING TERMS IN DECEMBER.
IT'S NOW GOING TO BE JANUARY AND WE'RE NOT GONNA BE HAVING CONSTRUCTION, UH, BEGIN IN MARCH.
IT SEEMS LIKE EVERYTHING IS DELAYED ABOUT A MONTH.
MARCH IS OUR DATE TO START CONSTRUCTION.
UM, AND WE, AS WE START, AS WE CLOSE ON EVERYTHING, WE WOULD START CONSTRUCTION IMMEDIATELY.
YOU'LL RECALL, YOU'LL RECALL THAT WHEN THE COUNTY APPROVED THE GRANT, THEY HAD THE CONDITION ABOUT THE EXECUTION OF AN EASEMENT WITH THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE.
RIGHT? AS YOU KNOW, OR YOU MAY NOT KNOW.
WE FINALIZED THAT ACTUALLY LAST WEEK, DECEMBER 12TH.
UM, AND AS WE, AS WE FINAL, AS WE FINALIZED AS DOCUMENTS YESTERDAY, WE'VE UNFORTUNATELY MISSED A DECEMBER DEADLINE ON OUR PUBLIC FINANCE AUTHORITY MEETINGS ON THE, ON THE, ON THE BOND FINANCING.
SO THAT'S CAUSED A TWO WEEK DELAY IN OUR TIMELINE GIVEN GIVEN HOLIDAY PERIOD.
BUT MARCH IS STILL A REALISTIC DATE.
WE'RE CONTINUING TO PUSH RELATIONSHIPS THROUGHOUT EVERY FACET OF THIS TO MAKE SURE WE HIT THAT DEADLINE.
SO OUR NEXT, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING IS JANUARY 29TH.
WOULD YOU LIKE THIS, UH, CONTINUED TO JANUARY 29TH OR GO TO THE FULL COMMISSION FOR FEBRUARY 3RD? I I THINK IT'D BE GREAT FOR IT TO COME BACK HERE IN JANUARY SO WE CAN KNOW WHERE THERE ARE IN, YOU KNOW, FINALIZING THEIR, THEIR LOAN DOCUMENTS AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE'RE STILL ON TRACK, UH, WITH POSITIVE PROGRESS.
SO, UM, NEXT ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.
[8. DISCUSS ENSURING PUBLIC PARKS, GOLF COURSES AND OTHER FACILITIES ARE AVALIABLE TO THE PUBLIC IN SOME CAPACITY AT ALL TIMES.]
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS DISCUSSED ENSURING PUBLIC PARKS, GOLF COURSES AND OTHER FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE TO PUBLIC IN SOME CAPACITY AT ALL TIMES.AND THIS WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
I'M SO EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY.
SO MANY ITEMS ON THE, ON, ON THE AGENDA.
UM, SO THIS IS AN ITEM I PLACED ON THE AGENDA.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT BE PUBLIC PARKS, GOLF COURSES, RECREATIONAL FACILITIES, THESE ARE PUBLIC PROPERTIES, UH, WHETHER THEY ARE PRO PRIVATELY MANAGED OR NOT, AND THEY'RE PRIVATE AND, AND THEY'RE PUBLIC PROPERTIES TO OFFER OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR RESIDENTS TO EXERCISE, TO ENGAGE IN SOCIAL ACTIVITY, UH, TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF OUR, OF OUR RESIDENTS.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE SPACES ARE ALWAYS AVAILABLE, UH, TO OUR RESIDENTS.
UM, AND ULTIMATELY, YOU KNOW, THE GOLF COURSE, THE, THE GOLF COURSE IS INTENDED TO BE A PUBLIC SPACE.
AND I'M CONCERNED, UM, THAT THERE HAS BEEN TIMES THAT PRIVATE ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN, HAVE BEEN ENGAGING THE GOLF COURSE THAT HAVE COMPLETELY ELIMINATED THE PUBLIC'S ABILITY TO USE THE PUBLIC GOLF COURSE.
NOW WE HAVE A PRIVATE GOLF COURSE IN MIAMI BEACH, AND IT'S A MEMBERSHIP ONLY GOLF COURSE.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS IT'S EASIER TO ACCOMMODATE THOSE TYPES OF, OF, YOU KNOW, LARGE EVENTS THERE.
BUT I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT EVEN WHEN THERE IS A COMPLETE BUYOUT OF THE GOLF COURSE, THAT THERE IS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO HAVE AREAS WHERE THE PUBLIC CAN USE, UH, THE GOLF COURSE, WHETHER IT BE THE DRIVE, THE DRIVE, IS IT CALLED THE DRIVING RANGE? THAT'S CORRECT.
THE DRIVING RANGE OR DIFFERENT AREAS.
BUT YOU KNOW, EVEN AT A TIME WHEN THERE IS A SO-CALLED BUYOUT THAT THE BUYOUT DOES NOT PUSH OUT THE PUBLIC'S ABILITY TO, TO USE, UH, THIS, UH, PUBLIC GOLF COURSE.
I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE, UH, OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, UH, TO TELL US WHAT COULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS.
GOOD MORNING, JOSE DELRICO WITH THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT.
[01:15:01]
WE, YOU KNOW, UH, HOLD OUR IN VERY HIGH REGARD, THE PUBLIC ACCESS TO OUR FACILITIES.WE WORK VERY DILIGENTLY WITH, UM, OUR STAFF MEMBERS AND WITH OUR CONTRACTED, UM, YOU KNOW, PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT THE PUBLIC HAS ACCESS TO THESE FACILITIES.
UM, GOLF IS A LITTLE BIT, UH, DIFFERENT TO, YOU KNOW, OUR, OUR TYPICAL PARKS AND RECREATIONAL AMENITIES.
UM, YOU KNOW, HISTORICALLY THE DIRECTION GIVEN BY THE COMMISSION AND, YOU KNOW, THROUGH THE ADMINISTRATION IS THAT MIAMI BEACH GOLF CLUB, UH, WOULD SERVE NOT ONLY AS A PUBLIC GOLF COURSE, BUT ALSO AN ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR MIAMI BEACH.
UM, THE GOLF COURSE WAS RENOVATED, UH, TO ITS CURRENT CONDITION CIRCA 2003.
UH, AND SUBSEQUENTLY IN CIRCA 2009, THE RENOVATIONS TOOK PLACE AT NORMANDY SHORES GOLF CLUB.
AND THE INTENTION WAS, UM, TO PROVIDE THAT ADDITIONAL ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC WHEN MIAMI BEACH IS CLOSED FOR EITHER, YOU KNOW, FULL BUYOUTS OR RESTRICTED EVENTS, YOU KNOW, UM, AND SOMETIMES EVENTS DO TAKE PLACE FOR SECURITY REASONS.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD, LET'S SAY FORMER PRESIDENTS PLAY AT MIAMI BEACH GOLF CLUB.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD, UM, SOME HIGH LEVEL, YOU KNOW, CHARITIES THROUGH, YOU KNOW, SOME OF OUR LOCAL CELEBRITIES THAT HAPPEN TO BE MIAMI BEACH RESIDENTS.
UM, AND FOR SECURITY REASONS, THEY DO CLOSE, UH, CERTAIN AREAS, UM, INCLUDING, LET'S SAY THE DRIVING RANGE, ET CETERA.
UH, WHAT WE ALWAYS DO IS WE ACCOMMODATE THAT PLAY, UH, OVER AT NORMANDY SHORES GOLF CLUB.
UM, SO WHAT WE DO, UH, AND WORK VERY CLOSELY, UH, WITH OUR TEAM IS TO ENSURE THAT THERE'S ALWAYS THE AVAILABILITY EITHER AT ONE COURSE OR THE OTHER.
UM, I WILL SAY THOUGH, THAT, UH, TOTAL CL UH, BUYOUTS ARE NOT VERY FREQUENT.
FOR EXAMPLE, WE'VE ONLY DONE TWO IN FISCAL YEAR 24 AT MEYER BEACH GOLF CLUB.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, THEY TYPICALLY LAST, UH, BETWEEN ONE TO THREE DAYS.
UM, BUT THEY, THEY, THEY ARE ECONOMIC DRIVERS.
THEY DO, YOU KNOW, UH, PUT, YOU KNOW, UH, HEADS IN BEDS, ET CETERA.
UM, SO WE DO TRY TO ACCOMMODATE AS MUCH AS WE CAN THAT PUBLIC PLAY, YOU KNOW, UM, IT'S A BALANCING ACT.
WE HAVE, UH, 225 MEMBERS, UH, MOST OF WHICH 95% ARE RESIDENTS AT MIAMI BEACH, 175 IN NORMANDY SHORES.
UH, UH, AND SO BETWEEN THE MEMBERS, BETWEEN PUBLIC PLAY, BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, TOURNAMENTS AND OUTINGS, ET CETERA, CORPORATE TYPE EVENTS, UM, WE CERTAINLY TRY TO ALWAYS, YOU KNOW, BOUNCE IT OUT SO THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU AND I COULD SAY, HEY, LET'S GO PLAY AND GET A TEE TIME TOMORROW AT MIAMI BEACH.
I JUST WOULD LIKE ENCOURAGE, UH, THE OPERATOR, UH, TO BE VERY MINDFUL THAT IT IS A PUBLIC SPACE.
IT'S NOT A PRIVATE SPACE, IT'S NOT A PRIVATELY, UH, OWNED FACILITY.
UNLIKE THE, UNLIKE THE LAGOS COUNTRY CLUB, WHICH IS PRIVATELY OWNED AND, AND MANAGED, THE PUBLIC SHOULD ALWAYS MAINTAIN A CERTAIN ABILITY TO USE, UH, THE PUBLIC SPACE.
AND, AND, AND I JUST ALSO LIKE TO FINISH STATING, UM, YOU KNOW, I ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IN THE NIGHTTIME HOURS, I HAVE BEEN, AS OF RECENTLY BEEN GETTING COMPLAINTS, WHICH I THINK HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED BY STAFF ABOUT RESIDENTS AFTER GOLFING HAS ENDED, RESIDENTS, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THEY'RE JOGGING OR, YOU KNOW, JUST WALKING THROUGH THE PARK AND ALL THAT, THEY'RE BEING KICKED OUT.
AND I HEARD OF ONE SITUATION OF A RESIDENT WHO GOT FINED, UH, FOR BEING, UH, UH, IN, IN PUBLIC SPACE, YOU KNOW, AT NIGHT.
AND THIS IS IN THE MIDDLE OF A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
UM, AND SO I, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE PUBLIC'S PROPERTY.
AND, UH, AND I DON'T WANT OUR RESIDENTS TO FEEL LIKE, YOU KNOW, A PUBLIC SPACE IS SLOWLY BEING, BEING CONVERTED INTO AN EXCLUSIVE PRIVATE SPACE WHERE THEY'RE, WHERE THEY DON'T FEEL WELCOMED, WHERE THEY'RE BEING KICKED OUT, OR AT WORSE BEING FINED.
UH, BECAUSE THAT WILL CREATE BIG PROBLEMS, UH, WITH ME.
UH, AND, UH, AND I WILL CHALLENGE THAT IN ANY WAY I CAN.
COMMISSIONER YOU, YOU ECHO OUR WORDS.
YEAH, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN GREAT.
AND I, AND I THANK YOU, JOSE, FOR BEING HERE AND, UH, OF, AND SO I JUST, I NEEDED TO PUT THAT PUBLICLY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, THIS IS A NEW THING, UH, THAT HAS HAPPENED.
AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN I GOT A PHONE CALL FROM THE BAYSHORE HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION ABOUT THIS.
I GOT, UH, PHONE CALLS FROM RESIDENTS ABOUT THIS, AND THEN I GOT A TEXT MESSAGE ABOUT A RESIDENT, UH, GETTING FINED, UH, FOR, FOR, FOR BEING IN, IN THE GOLF COURSE.
SO IT'S JUST SOMETHING I WANT US TO BE MINDFUL OF.
I REALLY OF COURSE, APPRECIATE THAT.
SO WE'LL CLOSE THIS ITEM AND WE WILL THANK YOU.
MOVE TO COMMISSIONER BOT'S ITEM, AND
[9. DISCUSS/TAKE ACTION ON ACTIVATING THE UNDERUTILIZED SPACES IN ALTOS DEL MARK PARK.]
SHE IS ON ZOOM, UH, NUMBER NINE.ITEM NUMBER NINE IS DISCUSS, TAKE ACTION.
ACTIVATING THE UNDERUTILIZED SPACE IN ALTOS DEL MAR PARK.
[01:20:01]
THIS WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER BA WHO IS ON ZOOM.UH, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TEE THIS UP? SHE JUST FELL OUT.
UH, SHE'S ON, SHE'S JUST BEEN PROMOTED AS A PANELIST, SO GIVE HER ONE SECOND TO CONNECT.
UH, I'M SORRY I HAD HOPED TO BE WITH YOU THERE IN PERSON, BUT TODAY IS FRIDAY THE 13TH, AND UNFORTUNATELY IT IS MANIFESTING ITSELF IN MY APARTMENT AS WE SPEAK.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR FORBEARANCE ON THIS.
UM, SO ALTO DEL MAR PARK IS THIS BEAUTIFUL GREEN SPACE, UM, ALONG THE, THE BEACH WALK IN NORTH BEACH.
UM, THERE'S A FABULOUS PLAYGROUND THAT IS HIGHLY UTILIZED THERE.
IF YOU DON'T KNOW IT, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO COME BY.
UM, IT IS JUST BEFORE THE NORTH SHORE OPEN SPACE PARK.
UM, AND IT IS, UM, A, A REALLY LOVELY GREEN SPACE.
UH, SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER THAT EARLIER THIS YEAR WE HAD A TERRIFIC, UM, EARTH DAY EVENT UP THERE, PUT TOGETHER BY OUR CITY MANAGEMENT TEAM AND, UH, THE SUSTAINABLE, UH, GROUP SUSTAINABILITY GROUP.
AND IT'S REALLY TERRIFIC, AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT IS, UH, UM, UNDER, TO USE THE WORD AGAIN, UNDERUTILIZED IN IN MORE MEANINGFUL WAYS, AS WELL AS A ONE DAY POPUP.
UM, WE HAVE A, UH, IT, IT WAS BUILT TO INCORPORATE SORT OF A LOW KEY AMPHITHEATER WHERE EVENTS COULD BE STAGED.
UM, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO, UM, INSTALL SOME, UH, GALLERY DISPLAY PIECES, SORT OF THE WAY THE, UM, LEMOS PARK IS HOSTING THE, UM, THE HISTORICAL DISPLAY ABOUT THE BEACH DURING WORLD WAR II.
IT WAS A TRAINING GROUNDS, AND I WOULD LIKE OUR, UH, OUR STAFF TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE CAN ENGAGE AND ACTIVATE THIS, THIS PARK PART OF OUR PARK SYSTEM IN WAYS THAT WILL PROVIDE BENEFIT TO NORTH BEACH RESIDENTS TO VISITORS.
WE INCREASINGLY SEE, UM, FOLKS COMING TO MIAMI BEACH AND CHOOSING TO STAY IN NORTH BEACH BECAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT VIBE FROM SOUTH BEACH, AND WE WANNA GIVE THEM SOME OF THE BENEFIT OF, OF, UH, UTILIZING THAT SPACE AS WELL.
SO, UM, I WILL TEE IT UP, OR I WILL TURN IT OVER, RATHER TO OUR COLLEAGUES.
THANK YOU, UH, COMMISSIONER MOTT.
I KNOW THE LAST FEW YEARS I'VE ATTENDED TURTLE FEST THERE, AND IT'S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL SPACE.
I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM OUR PARKS DEPARTMENT, CINDY CASANOVA.
GOOD MORNING, UH, CHAIR AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
CINDY CASANOVA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR THE PARKS DEPARTMENT OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
I'M ALSO JOINED BY LIZETTE ANTE, THE DIRECTOR OF THE TOURISM AND CULTURE DEPARTMENT.
UH, THE PARKS DEPARTMENT IS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF POSITIVE ACTIVATIONS IN ALTO STONER PARK.
AS THE COMMISSIONER SAID, IT IS A BEAUTIFUL PARK.
IT IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST KEPT SECRET PARKS IN NORTH BEACH.
SO WE ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF, UM, ACTIVATING THAT SPACE.
UH, WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND INITIATIVES THAT HAVE COME OUTTA COMMITTEE AND COMMISSION, SUCH AS THE ARTIST RECYCLING PROGRAM, AND, UM, ARTISTS TEMPORARY DISPLAYS IN THE PARK, AND EXHIBITS SIMILAR NATURE TO WHAT WE HAVE AT LOOMIS PARK RIGHT NOW WITH THE WORLD WAR II EXHIBIT AND WHAT IS GOING INTO BRITTANY BAY PARK WITH THE WOMEN'S EXHIBIT.
SO WE ARE SUPPORTIVE OF ACTIVATIONS OF THOSE TYPES.
IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING FAMILY FRIENDLY AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS INITIATIVES IN THE PARK, WE'VE EXPLORED SOME IDEAS OF HOSTING, UM, MORE OF OUR PARKS AND RECREATION EVENTS IN THAT PARKS.
THINGS LIKE A, A DOGGY FESTIVAL, DOGGY PALOOZA, KITE FESTIVALS, UM, UH, FANTASY THEATER ACTIVATIONS IN THE PARKS AND MOVIES IN THE PARKS.
UM, WE DID HOST OUR, UH, FIRE ON THE FOURTH EVENT THIS PAST JULY 4TH IN THE PARK, AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME THAT IT WAS HOSTED AT ALTO DELMAR PARK, AND IT WAS MET WITH OVERWHELMING POSITIVE COMMUNITY, UM, FEEDBACK.
SO IT WAS A GREAT SPACE TO HOST THE EVENT, AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO HOSTING MORE OF THOSE EVENTS IN THAT TYPE IN, IN THAT PARK.
UM, WE ARE ALSO WORKING ON SOME HEALTH AND WELL WELLNESS INITIATIVES, UM, WITH A BEACH TENNIS PROVIDER THAT HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR SPACE TO DO A POP-UP ACTIVATION AS WE DO HAVE SOME SAND VOLLEYBALL COURTS THAT COULD BE CONVERT, CONVERTED INTO TENNIS, BEACH TENNIS, UM, SPOTS.
AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THIS PROVIDER TO PROVIDE A REALLY COOL BEACH TENNIS, UM, ACTIVATION IN THAT PARK AND IN THAT, UM, VOLLEYBALL SPACE AS WELL.
SO WE DO HAVE IDEAS FOR WHAT WE CAN DO THERE.
WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO THERE.
AND I'M GONNA TURN IT OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE LIZETTE FOR, UM, ANY IDEAS ON HER END FROM THE TOURISM AND CULTURE SIDE.
BEFORE YOU SPEAK, I THINK COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ HAS A QUESTION WHY NOT LIKE A PADELL COURT THERE, OR A PICKLEBALL OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THE PARK ITSELF DOESN'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
I MEAN, SOMETHING WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT, UM, BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE PEOPLE REALLY, YOU KNOW, LOVE
[01:25:01]
IT.UH, PICKLEBALL ALL OF OUR COURTS ARE FULL, RIGHT? AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY IN NORTH BEACH, DO WE PICKLEBALL COURT IN, IN THE NORTH END.
WE HAVE, UM, SOME COURTS OVER AT THE MIAMI BEACH TENNIS CENTER, UM, AND WE HAVE SOME OF THE DUALS COURT DUAL USE COURTS AT SOME OF OUR OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS.
UM, AND I BELIEVE THERE'S A PRIVATE OPERATOR WHO'S PUT IN SOME PADELL COURTS, UM, ON NORMANDY DRIVE.
I WAS JUST GONNA ADD THAT WE AT COMMISSION YESTERDAY, UH, OR TWO DAYS AGO, DISCUSSED THAT, UM, WE WOULD INCLUDE SOME PICKLEBALL PORTS IN THE 72ND STREET COMPLEX, UM, THE TOP MOST FLOOR OF THE PARKING STRUCTURE THAT CAN BE CONVERTED TO PARKING AS NEEDED.
UM, AND ALSO JUST A REMINDER, WE DO HOLD FIRE ON THE FOURTH THERE, AND ANY COURTS WOULD KIND OF IMPEDE US ACTIVATING THAT AS IT COMES, AS IT PERTAINS TO THE TEMPORARY ART ELEMENT OF THIS ITEM.
UM, STAFF FOLLOWED UP WITH THE VILLAGE VILLAGE OF VAL HARBOR.
WHAT THEY DO IS THAT THEY PARTNER WITH A COMMERCIAL ART GALLERY TO LET THEM USE PUBLIC SPACE.
UM, WE KIND OF LOOKED AT MAYBE PARTNERING WITH ONE OF OUR CULTURAL ANCHORS OR INSTITUTIONS.
WE MET WITH THE BASS, WITH THE BOSTONIAN.
THEY DID NOT, UH, HAVE THE CAPACITY RIGHT NOW TO PARTNER ON A POTENTIAL TEMPORARY ART INSTALLATION IN ALTO ZOAR.
SO WE TOOK IT A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.
WE REACHED OUT TO FIU MIAMI BEACH URBAN STUDIOS.
THEY ACTUALLY WERE VERY EXCITED, VERY RECEPTIVE.
WE HAD A REALLY GREAT CONVERSATION OF HOW WE CAN ENGAGE FIU SCULPTURE DEPARTMENT AND HAVE THEIR STUDENTS EXHIBIT WORKS ON A TEMPORARY BASIS.
AFTER EACH SEMESTER, UH, THIS WOULD POTENTIALLY CAN HAPPEN STARTING FALL, WINTER 2025.
WE WOULD NEED TO THEN OBVIOUSLY IDENTIFY FUNDING, WHICH WE COULD DO THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR, UH, 26 BUDGET PROCESS FUNDING WOULD BE MORE TO SECURE, MAYBE TRANSPORTATION, SCULPTURES, ANY INSURANCE OR ANY COSTS.
BUT THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE AS FAR AS ADDING ANY ADDITIONAL TEMPORARY ELEMENTS OF ART IN THE PARK.
UH, SO COMMISSIONER BOT, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO WITH YOUR ITEM? UM, THANK YOU.
SO ONE OTHER THING WE CAN EXPLORE POSSIBLY, UH, IS THAT WE HAVE A WORLD CLASS, UH, PRIVATE GALLERY, UM, IN NORTH BEACH ON NORMANDY.
AND THEY WERE THE TALK OF THE TOWN IN ART BASEL LAST YEAR.
ONE OF THE MOST PHOTOGRAPHED PIECES WAS, UM, WAS, UH, FROM, FROM THE JUPITER, UH, GALLERY.
AND THIS YEAR, AGAIN, THEY HAD A TREMENDOUSLY ROBUST PROGRAM.
I WOULD SUGGEST WE MIGHT ALSO WANNA WORK, UH, REACH OUT WITH THAT TO, I CAN'T EVEN SPEAK THIS MORNING, REACH OUT TO THEM TO SEE IF THEY MIGHT HAVE ANY INTEREST.
UM, I KNOW ALSO THAT THE FOUNTAIN HEAD RESIDENCY DID A COLLABORATION WITH, UM, WITH BELL HARBOR IN THE PAST, AND THEY ALWAYS HAVE YOUNG, EMERGING LOCAL, IN SOME CASE ARTISTS.
AND THEY MIGHT BE, UM, UH, A GOOD PARTNER FOR US IN THIS AS WELL AS U LIGHT ARTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE, WE MISS THEM BEING ON LINCOLN ROAD.
MAYBE IT'S A WAY THEY BRING THEM BACK TO, TO NORTH BEACH.
SO I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE US TO, UH, PURSUE THOSE AVENUES AS WELL.
I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE THIS TO, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME THE TEAM NEEDS TO PRESENT A A, YOU KNOW, A DEFINITE PLAN OF WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN WHEN, UM, SO MAYBE CONTINUE TO FEBRUARY AND, AND, AND SEE WHAT NEEDS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED, AND THEN FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IT FUNDED AND, AND GET THE PROCESS GOING, IF THAT'S AMENABLE TO MY COLLEAGUES.
UH, STEPHANIE, WHAT IS THE DATE OF THE FEBRUARY MEETING? OUR FEBRUARY MEETING RIGHT NOW, I BELIEVE IT IS TENTATIVELY FOR THE 12TH.
SO LET'S THIS BACK FEBRUARY 12TH.
[10. DISCUSS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A BLUE LIGHT SAFETY AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM ALONG THE BEACHWALK AND BAYWALK.]
10.ITEM NUMBER 10 IS DISCUSS THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A BLUE LIGHT SAFETY AND EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM ALONG THE BEACH WALK AND BAY WALK.
THIS ITEM IS SPONSORED BY VICE MAYOR B AND CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
UM, SO THIS IS, THESE ARE THE I THE DEVICES THAT MANY OF US MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH FROM, UM, COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND OTHER SORT OF, UM, CAMPUS LIKE INSTITUTIONS.
THEY ARE STANDALONE POLES THAT HAVE BLUE LIGHT AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES BUILT INTO THEM.
AND I KNOW THAT IN MANY CASES, EVERYONE HAS A CELL PHONE, UM, AND CAN, CAN USE IT THAT WAY.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER TIMES WHERE YOU MIGHT BE OUT FOR A RUN OR FOR A BIKE RIDE AND YOU DON'T HAVE A CELL PHONE WITH YOU, OR IT GETS KNOCKED AWAY FROM YOU.
OR, YOU KNOW, CELL PHONES ARE NOT THE CURE TO EVERYTHING.
UM, I THINK THIS WOULD DO A LOT TO, UM,
[01:30:02]
LET EVERYBODY KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'VE GOT A ROBUST PUBLIC SAFETY PROGRAM IN PLACE, MORE SO THAN, THAN, UM, THEY MIGHT BE THINKING OF.AND, UM, PROVIDE YET ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO GET HELP IMMEDIATELY AND BE LOCATED.
SOMETIMES YOU'RE NOT SURE WHERE YOU ARE ON THE BEACH WALK BECAUSE THERE ISN'T SIGNAGE AT EVERY, UM, BLOCK, ALTHOUGH WE'RE, WE'RE FIXING THAT.
OR YOU'RE BETWEEN, UH, STREET ENDINGS AND, UH, YOU'RE NOT QUITE SURE WHICH STREETS YOU'RE BETWEEN.
UM, SO I'LL TURN THIS OVER TO MY COLLEAGUES AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT TO TALK ABOUT THIS, UH, A BIT MORE.
MY VISION IS TO DO A PILOT PROGRAM, UM, UP IN, AGAIN IN NORTH BEACH WHERE, UM, THERE ARE LONG STRETCHES OF, UH, SORT OF UNINHABITED AREAS WITH THE NORTH SHORE OPEN SPACE PARK, UM, AND AS SECTION IN SOUTH BEACH WHERE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT COULD DETERMINE THEY'RE, THEY'RE THE MOST CALLS FOR SERVICE.
AND THEN A SECTION, UM, IN MID BEACH WHERE, UH, SOME OF THOSE BLOCKS GET, GET LONG, UH, BUT I'LL TURN IT OVER TO OUR COLLEAGUES AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UH, GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR, COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF, UH, MAJOR ERIC GARCIA, POLICE TECHNICAL SERVICES DIVISION.
UH, SO WE CONDUCTED SOME INITIAL RESEARCH INTO CALL BOXES.
MY UNDERSTANDING, I'M SPEAKING WITH THE FIRE CHIEF, THAT THEY DO OPERATE SOME CALL BOXES TODAY.
UM, SOUTH LAKE PARK, I BELIEVE.
UM, THERE ARE SOME MAINTENANCE ISSUES, UM, THAT COME UP, UH, BECAUSE THEY'RE OUT EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS.
UM, AND THERE'S, UH, ALSO A CONCERN REGARDING, UH, HOW FREQUENTLY THE TESTING NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
UM, ASIDE FROM THAT, UM, WE'VE, WE'VE FOUND THAT THERE'S A, A, AN EX A, A PROBLEM WITH, UH, FALSE ALARMS ON THESE, UH, CALL BOXES.
UH, WE'RE CONCERNED THAT, UM, ONE ARTICLE THAT WE FOUND, UH, FROM, UH, NEW YORK REPORTED THAT UP TO 88% OF THE CALL BOX ACTIVATIONS ARE FALSE ALARMS. SO OBVIOUSLY WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, UM, THEY OBVIOUSLY, UH, PROVIDE A SENSE OF SECURITY AND REASSURANCE, UM, POTENTIALLY CRIMINAL ACTIVITY AND PROVIDE IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE AT THE COMMISSIONER BAT SAID, FOR SOMEONE WHO DOES NOT HAVE A CELL PHONE OR NEEDS IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE, UM, ENVIRONMENTALLY WHERE WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION OF FLASHING BEACON, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT, THAT WE MAY HAVE SOME RESTRICTIONS ON BASED ON, UM, OUR ENVIRONMENTAL, UH, ISSUES WITH TURTLE SEASON.
SO WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE, ANY POTENTIAL ISSUES THAT WE MAY HAVE WITH THAT.
UM, THE MEMO, UH, THE MEMO INCLUDES SOME OPTIONS THAT WE'VE HAVE, UH, DISCOVERED.
THERE'S WALL MOUNT, THERE'S SURFACE MOUNT, THERE'S PEDESTAL MOUNT OPTIONS.
UM, THERE'S, UH, DIFFERENT TYPES OF, UM, ACCESSORIES THAT WE CAN, THAT CAN BE ADDED TO CALL BOXES, INCLUDING, UH, NOT ONLY THE BEACON LIGHTS, BUT ALSO, UH, HANDSETS CAMERAS.
AND WE ACTUALLY FOUND ONE THAT INCLUDES A DEFIBRILLATOR.
SO ALL OF THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO CON THAT ARE FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
UM, THERE'S, UH, CONCERNS ABOUT POWER, UH, HOW WE WOULD POWER THESE.
UM, THEY CAN BE POWERED THROUGH, UH, THREE DIFFERENT METHODS THAT WE'VE DISCOVERED.
UH, THEY CAN BE POWERED BY SOLAR, UH, PANELS, AND THEY CAN BE POWERED BY POWER OVER ETHERNET.
UH, THERE'S ALSO OPTIONS FOR COMMUNICATIONS.
THEY CAN BE COM, THEY CAN COMMUNICATE VIA CELL CELL PHONE.
THEY CAN COMMUNICATE VIA NORMAL LANDLINE, AND THEY CAN COMMUNICATE, UH, VIA INTERNET I IP NETWORKING.
SO THE PRICE, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, VARIES GREATLY DEPENDING ON WHAT OPTIONS YOU ARE CHOSEN.
UM, BUT WE FOUND THAT FROM THE BASE, BASIC BASIC MODELS, UH, GO FROM APPROXIMATELY $2,000 AND CAN GO UP TO $10,000 OR, OR MORE FOR EACH DEVICE BASED ON THE OPTIONS CHOSEN.
SO, UH, WE'RE HERE TODAY TO, UH, GET SOME FURTHER GUIDANCE FROM THE COMMITTEE.
WHATEVER, UH, WHATEVER, UH, YOU GUYS DECIDE, WE WANT ME TO DIG DEEPER INTO, LOOK INTO, WE CAN PROVIDE SOME KIND OF, UH, MORE ACCURATE FINANCIAL QUOTE ON, ON WHAT IT WOULD COST TO CONDUCT A PILOT.
UM, JUST AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE HAVE 87 BLOCKS OF BEACH WALK, UH, BAY WALK, UH, ALSO, UH, NOT 87 BLOCKS, BUT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF BAY WALK.
SO WHATEVER, UH, THE LIMITATIONS OF THE PILOT ARE, UM, WE WILL BRING BACK, UH, SOMETHING THAT FINANCIALLY FALLS WITHIN
[01:35:01]
THE AMOUNT THAT YOU GUYS WOULD LIKE TO SEE.HEY, HOW ARE YOU? UH, FIRE CHIEF DE.
SO, YEAH, WE DO HAVE, UM, FOUR CALL BOXES AT THE FIRE STATIONS.
THAT'S WHERE WE PRIMARILY, UM, HAVE 'EM AS A BACKUP LINE, WHICH WILL GO COINCIDE WITH SHOULD ANYONE COME TO A FIRE STATION OR THE FIRE TRUCKS ARE NOT THERE FOR WHATEVER REASON, THEY PRESS THE BUTTON.
IT'S AN AUTOMATIC CALL TO THE NINE ONE ONE CENTER.
AND AS FAR AS THE MAINTENANCE, WHAT WHAT WE DO IS, UM, EVERY SUNDAY WE DO A CALL DOWN TO EVERY FIRE STATION, MAKE SURE IT'S WORKING, AND ALL THE ELEMENTS HAVE BEEN IMPACTED.
WHEN IT DOES GET IMPACT, WE HAVE TO CALL THE VENDOR TO COME OUT AND FIX IT.
AND IT CAN BE VERY LABOR INTENSIVE IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S EXPECTED FROM FIRESIDE AS FAR AS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AND HOW IT'S CONNECTED TO US WITH THE 9 1 1, UM, IT'S ALREADY SET UP TO WORK AS IT'S INTENDED, SO WE JUST ASK THAT SOMEONE HANDLES, AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO HANDLE, CALL EACH ONE INDEPENDENTLY ON A WEEKLY BASIS AS PER STATUTE TO ENSURE THAT IT'S WORKING PROPERLY.
WHAT WAS THE PERCENTAGE AGAIN OF THE, WE FOUND AN ARTICLE FALSE REPORTED FROM CITY FROM NEW YORK THAT SAID 88% OF THE CALLS FROM CALL BOXES WERE FALSE ALARMS. NOW, THAT'S NOT SAYING THAT 88% OF CALLS WERE FALSE ALARMS, BUT 88% OF CALLS FROM CALL BOXES WERE FALSE ALARMS. WERE THERE ANY STATS ON HOW EFFECTIVE IT WAS FOR THE NON, WHAT ABOUT THE 12%? THE ARTICLE DID NOT REFERENCE THOSE.
THOSE ARE OBVIOUSLY ACTUAL CALLS FOR SERVICE.
SO HOW, HOW FAR, HOW SPREAD OUT WOULD THESE CALL BOXES BE? IT JUST DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH MONEY YOU WANNA SPEND, COMMISSIONER.
THEY CAN BE PLACED AS CLOSER, AS FAR APART AS, AS YOU DETERMINE WOULD BE NECESSARY.
I MEAN, SOME OF MY THOUGHTS ARE, YOU KNOW, I, AND BY THE WAY, DO WE HAVE, DO WE HAVE CAMERAS ON POLICE CAMERAS ON THE BOARDWALK? YES.
BEACH WALK HAS CURRENT CAMERAS ON IT, AND WE'RE EXPANDING AS WE GO.
IT'S NOT FULLY COVERED YET, BUT EVERY SECTION OF THE BEACH WALK FROM ABOUT THIRD STREET TO 87TH IS FUNDED AND UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
AND WHEN WE HAVE OUR REAL TIME CRIME CENTER THAT'S GOING UP, UH, ARE THERE'S GONNA BE A LIVE PERSON LOOKING AT THOSE CAMERAS.
THERE WILL BE A LIVE PERSON MOST TIMES OF THE DAY.
UM, UH, BUT THEIR JOB IS NOT NECESSARILY TO BE LOOKING AT BEACH WALK CAMERAS FULL TIME.
THEY'RE GONNA BE OPERATING AS A, UH, TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO POLICE OPERATIONS.
WHETHER THAT BE 9 1 1 CALLS THAT ARE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY OR, OR ON THE BEACH WALK.
YEAH, I, I HAVE A LITTLE CONCERNS ABOUT THIS IDEA.
I MEAN, I, I THINK, YOU KNOW, IT, IT, IT IS GONNA BE VERY EXPENSIVE.
AND I'D, I WOULD RATHER SPEND THAT MONEY ON MORE POLICE WHO ARE DEDICATED FOR THE BEACH WALK.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, THEY PATROL ON BICYCLES, FOR EXAMPLE, UP AND DOWN THE BEACH WALK.
I, I THINK THAT'D BE A LOT MORE PROACTIVE THAN A CALL BOX THAT IS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF 88% FALSE POSITIVES.
I'D RATHER HAVE AN ACTUAL OFFICER WITH, WITH A FIREARM NEXT TO HIM, GOD FORBID HE NEEDS TO USE IT.
UM, THEN HAVING A, A BOX EVERY BLOCK AWAY, IT, IT, IT, I DON'T KNOW, IT SEEMS A LITTLE TOO MUCH.
I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT MY OTHER COLLEAGUES THINK ABOUT IT.
UH, WELL, COMMISSIONER, I, I FELT THE SAME WAY.
AND, UM, I DID INITIAL RESEARCH IN A LOT OF UNIVERSITIES ARE EVEN MOVING AWAY FROM THESE TYPES OF THINGS BECAUSE OF ALL OF THE FALSE POSITIVES.
UM, BUT, UH, RESPECTFULLY, I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM THE SPONSOR OF THE ITEM TO SEE WHAT SHE WANTS TO DO NEXT WITH IT, OR THE CO-SPONSOR, COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
HOPEFULLY, UH, COMMISSIONER BACH CAN JUMP BACK ON.
BUT WHILE I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA, STILL THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA, UH, I'M NOT GOING TO GO AGAINST IF, UH, THE PROFESSIONALS THAT DO THIS DAY IN DAY OUT ARE MAKING A RECOMMENDATION, ESPECIALLY WITH SOME OF THE OTHER, UM, TOOLS IN OUR TOOLKIT THAT'LL BE COMING ONLINE WITH THE MANNING OF THE REALTIME DATA CENTER, THE CAMERAS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
UM, IT DOES GIVE A GOOD SENSE OF SECURITY.
NOW WHETHER THAT'S WORTH THE BANG FOR THE BUCK, I'M GONNA LEAVE THAT IN THE HANDS OF THE EXPERTS.
UM, IS, IS THERE A, IS THERE AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS? I MEAN, HOW MUCH IS EACH BOX? SO, UH, UH, COMMISSIONER, UH, IT DEPENDS ON HOW MANY FEATURES WE ADD TO IT.
UM, UH, SOLAR PANELS, UM, BEACON LIGHTS, UH,
[01:40:01]
CELL PHONE COMMUNICATIONS, UH, AN A ED DEFIBRILLATOR, ALL THOSE ADD UP TO MAKE.AND ALSO, DEPENDING ON THE STYLE THAT IS SELECTED, WHAT'S THE ROLLS ROYCE OF A CALL BOX? THEY CAN GO UP TO $10,000 EACH OR ABOVE, DEPENDING ON OPTIONS.
AND, AND THIS IS PRE-CONSTRUCTION COSTS, NOT INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION COSTS.
SO, SO THE RECOMMENDATION, I WAS JUST LOOKING IT UP ONLINE, THE RECOMMENDATION IS ABOUT EVERY 500 FEET, EVERY, UM, LIGHT POLE EVERY 500 FEET.
AND HOW MANY MILES OR HOW MANY OR 8.8 LINEAR MILES.
I'M ASSUMING IT WON'T BE THE WHOLE BEACH WALK, BUT THERE'S CERTAIN SECTIONS.
LIKE IN MID BEACH, RIGHT? I DUNNO, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.
SHOULD WE MOVE IT TO THE FULL COMMISSION SO THAT WE CAN REFER TO FINANCE AND GET MORE DETAILS ON COSTS AND THEN MAKE THE FINAL DECISION THERE? YEAH.
COMMISSIONER, CAN I JUMP IN? OKAY.
UM, I, I WOULD ACTUALLY LIKE TO, UM, CONTINUE THIS TILL NEXT MONTH.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GETTING AN OVERVIEW.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY, UM, RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT.
THERE ARE TOO MANY VARIABLES, AND I WOULD PREFER TO, UM, HAVE A MONTH TO WORK WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AND IDENTIFY HOW MANY WE WOULD BE CONSIDERING DOING FOR A PILOT PROGRAM.
WE'RE OBVIOUSLY NOT TALKING ABOUT PUTTING ONE EVERY 500 FEET UNTIL, AND UNLESS WE DETERMINE IF IT'S, UM, USEFUL.
I'M ALSO NOT SURE THAT NEW YORK AND AND MIAMI BEACH ARE GOING TO YIELD THE SAME EQUIVALENT NUMBER OF FALSE POSITIVES.
I'D LIKE TO HAVE A MORE IN-DEPTH CONVERSATION WITH OUR COLLEAGUES ABOUT THAT.
SO, BEFORE WE MOVE IT OUT OF THIS COMMITTEE, I'D LIKE TO HAVE ANOTHER, UM, UH, FIGHT AT THE APPLE TO TRY TO, UM, GET A MORE DEFINED PROPOSAL RATHER THAN SOMETHING THAT'S THIS NEBULOUS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE RESERVATIONS.
I UNDERSTAND THAT IT COULD GET VERY EXPENSIVE, BUT I'D LIKE TO, UM, TO NOT FINISH THIS CONVERSATION JUST YET.
WE'LL CONTINUE IT TO JANUARY 29TH.
[11. DISCUSS EXPANDING THE CAPABILITIES OF PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION TO SUPPORT CALLS REGARDING SUSPECTED HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.]
IS DISCUSS EXPANDING THE CAPABILITIES OF PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATION DIVISIONS TO SUPPORT CALLS REGARDING SUSPECTED HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.THIS WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ AND CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ.
UM, AND I'M PLEASED TO BE SPONSORING THIS ITEM, UH, WITH YOU.
WE BOTH ATTENDED A MEETING OF OUR, UM, OF, OF OUR, OH MY GOODNESS, HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL, HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE OF OUR HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE, UM, THAT HAS BEEN VERY MUCH DEDICATED AND FOCUSED ON ADDRESSING THE DEVASTATING CRIME OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
AND I WANNA HIGHLIGHT THAT OUR CITY HAS LONG BEEN COMMITTED TO ENSURING THE SAFETY AND THE WELLBEING OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS.
AND WE, IN OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT HAVE A DEDICATED UNIT SPECIFICALLY ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
AND I BELIEVE, I THINK WE MIGHT BE ONE OF THE FEW MUNICIPALITIES THAT ACTUALLY HAVE A DEDICATED, UM, UH, UNIT ON, ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
AND SO, WHILE THE INITIAL IDEA OF THIS REFERRAL, UH, PROPOSED ESTABLISHING A LOCAL HOTLINE TO ADDRESS HUMAN TRAFFICKING REPORTS, I ACTUALLY WANT TO E EMPHASIZE THAT WE ALREADY HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AND WELL ESTABLISHED, UH, SOURCE RESOURCE FOR ADDRESSING HUMAN TRAFFICKING THROUGH THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE OF HUMAN TR TRAFFICKING.
AND, AND THAT TASK FORCE AT THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL HOTLINE THAT'S ESTABLISHED.
AND THAT, UM, AND THAT DOESN'T NEED TO BE REPLICATED HERE.
UM, THIS MECHANISM IN FACT, ENSURES TIMELY AND PROFESSIONAL RESPONSES AND AVOIDS UNNECESSARY DUPLICATION OF SERVICES.
THE TRUE STRENGTH OF THE PROPOSAL THAT WE HAVE ON THE AGENDA TODAY LIES IN TRAINING OUR PSCD PERSONNEL, THE PERSONNEL AT THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION, WHO ANSWERED THE 9 1 1 CALLS AND THE NON-EMERGENCY, UH, LINE.
AND BY EQUIPPING THE STAFF WITH SKILLS TO RECOGNIZE SIGNS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING DURING CALLS, WE CAN ENHANCE, UH, THE SAFETY AND IMPROVE RESPONSE TIME AND EARLY DETECTION OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
NOT EVERYONE MIGHT HAVE THE PHONE NUMBER TO THE STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, BUT EVERYONE KNOWS 9 1 1.
AND FORTUNATELY HERE IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, OUR RESIDENTS ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH 3 0 5 6 7 3 7 9 0 1, OUR NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER.
AND WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE TAILORED, UH, TRAINING CONDUCTED BY OUR HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT TO ENSURE THAT EVERY CALL INTO OUR PSED IS HANDLED WITH THE EXPERTISE AND THE URGENCY THAT
[01:45:01]
THE ISSUES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING DEMAND.SO, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE MAJOR STEVE FELDMAN FROM OUR MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I ALSO WANNA RECOGNIZE CHIEF DENA BEO FROM OUR FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO OVERSEES, UH, THE, UH, THE, THE PSCD TO GUIDE US THROUGH THIS CONVERSATION.
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS DIVISION.
UM, COMMISSIONER, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS ITEM BECAUSE IT, I, IT HELPED US IDENTIFY, UH, WHAT WE HAD IN PLACE AND WHAT WE WANT TO DO.
UM, COINCIDENTALLY, UM, WE RAN SOME TESTS AND, AND YOU'RE CORRECT, THERE'S A LOT OF NUMBERS OUT THERE, UH, BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE AND PEOPLE WANT TO ADDRESS IT.
UH, BUT LIKE YOU STATED, THE, UH, STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS A VERY ROBUST, UH, MECHANISM IN PLACE.
UM, WE, LIKE I SAID, WE RAN SOME TESTS AND, AND THE NATIONAL HOTLINE COULD USE SOME HELP.
SO, UH, AND WE JUST ATTENDED ON WEDNESDAY, THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE, UH, MEETING AND, AND UPDATED THEM ON, ON THIS REFERRAL.
UM, OUR PLAN IS FOR, UH, JANUARY, WELL, ACTUALLY, WE HAVE A MEETING NEXT WEEK WITH THE STATE ATTORNEY, UH, AND THEIR HUMAN TRAFFICKING TASK FORCE SO THAT WE COULD LEVERAGE, UH, JANUARY, WHICH IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING, UH, AWARENESS MONTH, UH, TO, UH, BOLSTER THEIR, UM, HOTLINE NUMBER, WHICH IS 3 0 5 FIXED STOCK.
UH, AND IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE, UM, WE'RE GONNA BE LAUNCHING A CAMPAIGN FOR JANUARY IN PREPARATION OF, OF, UH, ALL THE UPCOMING, UH, GLOBAL EVENTS THAT ARE COMING TO, TO OUR AREA AND TO OUR CITY.
UM, SO WITH THAT, OUR HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT, LIKE YOU STATED, IS ONE OF THE ONLY MUNICIPALITIES IN THE COUNTY THAT HAS, THAT HAS IT.
UM, WE WILL BE TRAINING OUR PSCD PERSONNEL, UM, AND CONDUCTING, UH, MORE TRAINING TO OUR OFFICERS, UM, TO BE ABLE TO COMBAT THIS, THIS ISSUE IN THE CITY.
AND HOW OFTEN WILL OUR PSCD PERSONNEL BE TRAINED ON, ON THIS? IS THIS A ONETIME TRAINING? DOES THIS NEED TO BE A RECURRING TRAINING? UH, JUST IF YOU COULD EXPAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THAT.
SO WHAT, UH, WITH THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT, UH, AND WITH THE HELP OF, OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE, UH, WE ARE DEVELOPING A LESSON PLAN TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE TO OUR EXISTING PSCD PERSONNEL.
UH, BUT WE'RE GONNA WORK ON A TRAINING SCHEDULE TO, UH, HIGHLIGHT IT.
UM, UH, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST, UH, WE'LL COME UP WITH A SCHEDULE, AT LEAST AN ANNUAL TRAINING.
UM, AND SPECIFICALLY DURING TIMES THAT WE KNOW WE'RE A GLOBAL DESTINATION, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, CLUB WORLD CUP IS COMING, UH, F1 EVERY YEAR COMES, UH, FOR THE NEXT SEVEN YEARS LEFT FOR NOW.
UM, AND THEN, UH, FIFA WORLD CUP, WHICH WE DO EXPECT TO HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE COMING INTO THE CITY.
AND SO, AND, AND SO THAT'S GREAT THAT THAT WAS THE INTENDED PURPOSE OF THIS, OF THIS ITEM.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO PUBLICLY RECOGNIZE OUR STATE ATTORNEY, CATHERINE FERNANDEZ RONDEL, UH, ADDRESSING THE ISSUES OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING HAS TRULY BEEN A HALLMARK OF HER PUBLIC SERVICE, UH, HERE IN, IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.
AND SO THERE'S NO NEED TO DUPLICATE WHAT SHE'S ALREADY ESTABLISHED UNDER, UNDER HER JURISDICTION, BUT CERTAINLY THE TRAINING, SO THAT THOSE WHO DO CONTACT 9 1 1, OR THOSE WHO CONTACT PSCD THROUGH THE NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER, UH, CAN RECEIVE THE SAME TYPE, UH, OR, OR, OR AT LEAST A CERTAIN LEVEL OF EXPERTISE FROM THE PERSON THAT'S ANSWERING THE CALL.
UH, WOULD YOU BE ABLE TO ISSUE US AN LTC ONCE THESE, UH, TRAININGS HAVE TAKEN PLACE? ABSOLUTELY.
AND SO, MADAM CHAIR, I THINK, I THINK THE OTHER, UH, PRONG ON THIS, UH, ON THIS ITEM IS THE ESTABLISHMENTS OF A CITI WEBSITE, UM, WAS ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED IN THE, IN THE ADMINISTRATION'S MEMO, CREATING A CITI WEBPAGE DEDICATED TO RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING, ALONG WITH A MARKETING CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE THIS, THIS INITIATIVE.
UM, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE DONE THROUGH POLICE OR IF IT'S THE COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT.
WE'LL BE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN, UH, YOUR MICROPHONE.
I'M SORRY THEY TOOK YOUR ACCESS AWAY.
WE'LL BE WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS IN THE, UH, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT.
SO COMMISSIONER ECHO, KIND OF WHAT YOU SAID, I KNOW THAT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE EVER NOTICED, BUT IN, AT LEAST IN THE FEMALE'S BATHROOMS, THERE'S ALWAYS A LITTLE, UM, SIGN BEHIND THE DOOR THAT SAYS, IF YOU ARE A VICTIM OF X, YOU CAN GO BACK TO THE TABLE AND LEAVE A NAPKIN OR YOUR CUP A CERTAIN WAY.
AND THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO, UM, ASSIST WOMEN THAT HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING ASPECT OF IT.
ON THE FIRE SIDE, THAT'S A TRAINING, IT'S A, IT'S ACTUALLY A SPECIALIZED TRAINING THAT WE HAVE TO, UM, PROVIDE TO OUR PARAMEDICS BECAUSE THERE'S DIFFERENT SIGNS THAT A PATIENT WOULD DISPLAY IF THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, CAUGHT IN A COMPROMISED SITUATION, WHETHER IT'S WITH A PIMP NEARBY
[01:50:01]
OR, YOU KNOW, THEY CAN'T SAY ANYTHING.SO THOSE ARE ONGOING TRAININGS THAT THEY'VE CONTINUED TO ELABORATE ON THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'LL HAVE TO PARTNER WITH POLICE AND, YOU KNOW, GIVE THAT TO THE OTHER MEMBERS OF, OF THE CITY, WHETHER IT'S COURT OR SOMETHING.
'CAUSE YOU KNOW, MIAMI BEACH IS VERY UNIQUE.
YOU DON'T, YOU CAN LOOK AT SOMEONE AND YOU WON'T TELL, BUT CERTAIN SIGNS ARE GIVEN.
AND SO AT THE, AT THE RIGHT TIME, MADAM CHAIR, I WOULDN'T, I WOULDN'T APPRECIATE IT IF THE, IF THE COMMITTEE COULD ENTERTAIN, UH, A MOTION BACK TO THE CITY COMMISSION SUPPORTING THE TRAINING OF PSCD PERSONNEL AND THE CREATION OF THE WEBSITE AND, AND THE MARKETING CAMPAIGN, AND TO, AND TO THE MAJOR AND TO THE CHIEF, UH, KEEP US, UH, ESPECIALLY THE COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ AND I IN, IN THE LOOP, UH, ESPECIALLY AS YOU GUYS ENGAGE WITH THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE, YOU HAVE HERE TWO COMMISSIONERS WHO ARE INTERESTED IN, IN, UH, IN, IN CONTINUING TO CHI CHAMPION THIS, THIS ITEM.
SO JUST KEEP US ENGAGED AS YOU ENGAGED WITH THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE SO THAT WE'RE IN THE LOOP ON IT.
UM, I WOULD LIKE TO CO-SPONSOR THIS ITEM.
AND ALSO, THERE'S WARNING SIGNS, RIGHT? BECAUSE SOMETIMES I, I, YOU KNOW, I SAW A WOMAN COMING OUT OF A NIGHTCLUB THE OTHER DAY BEING ESCORTED BY A MAN, AND SHE LOOKED LIKE A LITTLE SLIGHTLY INEBRIATED.
AND I SAID TO MYSELF, I WONDER IF SHE JUST HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK ON HER OWN, OR IF SOMEBODY SLIPPED SOMETHING TO HER.
SO WE'RE FOLLOW, LIKE, WHEN STUFF LIKE THAT HAPPENS, ARE WE TRAINING PEOPLE TO GO UP AND ASK SOME QUESTIONS OR, YEAH, IT IS, THERE ARE DIFFERENT SIGNS, AS FAR AS I KNOW, FOR POLICE AND FIRE, UM, YOU KNOW, 'CAUSE THEY WON'T TELL YOU, THEY WON'T TELL YOU IN THE BACK OF THE RESCUE TRUCK.
AND THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS, THERE'S DIFFERENT TRAININGS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETHING, A COLLAB THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED WITH THE RESTAURANTS AND THE HOTELS THAT THEY SHOULD, IF THEY, THEY'RE NOT DOING IT, MAYBE THEY SHOULD ADOPT IT.
WHETHER IT'S PUTTING THOSE FLYERS IN THE STALLS OF A BATHROOM.
I KNOW WHEN THE AIRPORT SAYS, OH, IF YOU'RE THIS, YOU KNOW, AND BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANNA EXPOSE IT, JUST LIKE WHEN YOU CALL 9 1 1 AND YOU KNOW YOU'RE A VICTIM, YOU SAY, OH, CAN I ORDER A PIZZA? AND IT GOES DOWN THAT PATH THAT, OH, WELL, WE'RE NOT A PIZZA.
AND THEN YOU KIND OF LIKE, PICK IT UP.
AND IT ENDS UP BEING SOMEONE THAT'S A VICTIM.
AND IN HUMAN TRAFFICKING, YOU KNOW, YOU COULD PASS SOMETHING, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ OR COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, WHERE OUR HOTELS AND BARS HAVE TO OFFER THOSE DRINK TESTERS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND IF YOU HAD THAT, YOU DID PASS IT.
BUT IS IT REQUIRED? WE'RE, WE'RE ACTUALLY, UH, THAT'S ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING ON, UM, THAT ONE OF OUR LIEUTENANTS IS, IS WORKING ON THAT.
BUT TO YOUR POINT, UH, CHIEF, UM, THERE, OUT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE MEETING THAT WE HAD ON WEDNESDAY, THERE IS A, UH, CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH 18 DASH THREE, WHICH WAS PASSED IN 2017, WHICH REQUIRES, UH, ADDITIONAL TRAINING AND ADDITIONAL FLYERS, UH, TO BE POSTED AT DIFFERENT BUSINESSES THAT WERE WORKING WITH CODE, UH, IN ORDER TO PROVIDE THAT CONTENT FOR THE BUSINESSES SO THAT THEY'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE IT.
DO THOSE HAVE LITTLE BUSINESS CARDS FOR DRINK TESTERS? UM, I, UH, PASS A AFTER MEETING WITH CHIEF CLEMENTS ON IT.
SO IF WE COULD SPEED IT UP AND GET THAT DONE, I'D, WE HAVE SOME TESTERS THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT.
AND ALSO THERE, I, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD HAVE SOME SORT OF PROGRAM JUST LETTING THE GIRLS, LIKE SENIORS AT BEACH HIGH THAT ARE GOING OFF TO COLLEGE, JUST SAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS HAPPENING.
YOU COULD BE AWARE THESE DRINK TESTERS EXIST, JUST SO THAT THEY KNOW.
I MEAN, BECAUSE AT THIS POINT, YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS WHAT YOU'RE GETTING? THAT THE GUYS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GETTING RIPPED OFF THE MOST BY THE WOMEN.
DAUGHTER, MY DAUGHTER'S IN SCHOOL IN, IN EUROPE, AND THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED THERE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY, UM, GOING OUT WITH, UH, NEEDLES ONTO THE DANCE FLOOR AND THEY'RE STABBING THE GIRLS.
AND THEN TAKING THEM, UM, OUT OF THE CLUBS AND, YOU KNOW, YEAH.
THEY'RE JUST GIVING THEM A LITTLE INJECTION
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS I ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT I DON'T, UH, FORGET, IT'S NOT JUST THE TRAINING OF PSCD, BUT ALSO OF OUR PATROL DIVISION OFFICERS.
UH, 'CAUSE PERHAPS IT MIGHT NOT BE EVIDENT WHEN SOMEONE IS CALLING 9 1 1 OR NON-EMERGENCY, BUT THE PERSON WHO IS RESPONDING, GIVING THEM THE TRAINING SO THAT THEY CAN IDENTIFY IT AS WELL.
SO WHENEVER THE MOTION IS MADE, IF THAT COULD BE INCORPORATED AS WELL.
CHAIRMAN, IF I COULD JUST FOR ONE MOMENT, UH, WANNA THANK THE SPONSOR FOR HIGHLIGHTING THIS, ALL, ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS SUPPORTING THIS, BUT OUR, OUR FIRST RESPONDERS, I THINK IN RECENT MONTHS, UH, WE'VE SEEN, UH, FRONT AND CENTER HERE IN MIAMI BEACH THROUGH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT INCIDENTS THAT, UH, HUMAN TRAFFICKING CAN TAKE THE FORM OF MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
UH, WHETHER IT BE, UH, DRINKS OUT IN NIGHTCLUBS FOR AN UNSUSPECTING, UH, MAN OR WOMAN, OR, UH, PEOPLE OF TREMENDOUS POWER AND PRESTIGE USING THEIR INFLUENCE AND POSITIONS OF POWER TO, UH, MANY DIFFERENT WAYS UP AND DOWN THE GAMINA.
[01:55:01]
I'M NOT EVEN COMFORTABLE, UH, REPEATING HERE.THANK YOU FOR OUR CITY FOR BEING FOCUSED ON THIS.
SO IS THERE GONNA BE A MOTION, 'CAUSE I CAN'T MAKE A MOTION, UH, A MOTION TO, UH, TO SUPPORT THE TRAINING OF PSCD AND THE PATROL DIVISION OFFICERS ON, ON SIGNS, UH, TO IDENTIFY HUMAN TRAFFICKING.
A MOTION TO INCORPORATE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CITY WEBSITE WEBPAGE DEDICATED TO HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND THE DEDICATED MARKETING CAMPAIGN TO PUB TO PUBLICIZE THE INITIATIVES.
[14. DISCUSS TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES ON MERIDIAN AVENUE BETWEEN 42ND AND 47TH STREET, INCLUDING IDENTIFYING THE APPROPRIATE AREAS WHERE THESE MEASURES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.]
14.ITEM NUMBER 14 IS DISCUSSED TRAFFIC CALMING MEASURES ON MERIDIAN AVENUE BETWEEN 42ND STREET AND 47TH STREET, INCLUDING THE IDENTIFYING APPROPRIATE AREAS WHERE THESE AREA MEASURES WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.
THIS WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ AND CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
AND A FEW MONTHS AGO I MET WITH, UH, NEIGHBORS, UH, FROM THIS, FROM THIS AREA WHO REQUESTED THAT WE EXPLORE THE INSTALLATION OF RUBBERIZED, UH, SPEED CUSHIONS ON MERIDIAN AVENUE, UH, BETWEEN, UH, 42ND AND 47TH STREET TO REDUCE THE SPEED OF ULAR TRAFFIC, UH, AND TO INCREASE, UH, ROAD SAFETY, UH, IN THE ADVANCE OF THE INSTALLATION OF, UH, PERMANENT SPEED TABLES.
UH, SO I SEE WE HAVE O'NEILL HERE FROM OUR, UH, TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, AND I'D LIKE TO REC, UH, RECOGNIZE HIM TO WALK US THROUGH THIS ITEM.
UM, MR. CHAIR, I MEAN, UM, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, MADAM CHAIR, WE'RE MEMBERS.
O'NEILL RODRIGUEZ, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR WITH THE TRANSPORTATION I'M MOBILITY DEPARTMENT.
AS THE, UH, COMMISSIONER MENTIONED A FEW YEARS BACK, UM, THE CITY CONDUCTED A TRAFFIC CALMING STUDY.
UM, IN THE NAUTILUS NEIGHBORHOOD THAT IDENTIFIED DIFFERENT STREETS WHERE TRAFFIC CALMING WAS WARRANTED.
UM, ONE OF THOSE STREETS, UM, THAT WERE IDENTIFIED WHAT WAS MERIDIAN AVENUE FROM 41ST STREET TO 47TH STREET.
UNFORTUNATELY AT THE TIME OF THE CONSTRUCTION OR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE TRAFFIC STUDY, UM, THE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WERE ADJACENT TO THE PROPOSED SPEED TABLES WERE NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THEM, WHICH IS WHY THOSE SPEED TABLES WERE NOT IMPLEMENTED.
NOW, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT AT THIS TIME IS REDOING, REACHING OUT AGAIN TO THOSE PROPERTY OWNERS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED.
UH, WE WENT BACK AND LOOKED AT, UH, REANALYZE, UH, THE TRAFFIC STUDY THAT WAS DONE, AND WE CAME UP WITH THREE POTENTIAL LOCATIONS WHERE, UM, WE CAN BE INSTALLING THE TRAFFIC, THE SPEED TABLES, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SPEED TABLES.
SO WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS RECOMMENDING IS PROCEEDING WITH, UH, TEMPORARY DEVICES, RUBBERIZED SPEED CUSHIONS, AND ADVANCE OF THE PERMANENT SPEED TABLES.
UM, AND THAT WAY WE CAN GO BACK TO THE POTENTIAL AFFECTED PROPERTY OWNERS, REENGAGE THEM AND SEE THERE IS SUPPORT, UM, A SECOND TIME, UH, FOR THESE PROPOSED DEVICES AND SEE WHERE WE STAND.
AND THEN THAT WAY WE CAN BACK AND PROVIDE YOU THAT FEEDBACK AND FIND A PATH FORWARD, UM, FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DEVICES.
SO CURRENTLY THE, THE, UH, SPEED LIMIT IN THIS AREA OF MERIDIAN AVENUE IS 25 MILES PER HOUR.
IS THAT CORRECT? THAT IS CORRECT.
IS THERE AN IDENTIFIED SPEEDING ISSUE? THE TRAFFIC STUDY AT THE TIME DID IDENTIFY SPEEDING ALONG MERIDAN AVENUE.
AND THE TRAFFIC STUDY THEN IDENTIFIED THAT AS A RESULT OF THE SPEEDING, THESE WERE THE LOCATIONS THAT WE NEEDED IN ORDER TO, UH, IMPROVE SAFETY? THAT IS CORRECT.
UM, I'M HAPPY FOR US TO BE REACHING OUT AGAIN, BUT I'LL JUST PUT IT OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, IF SOMETHING IS FOR SAFETY, SAFETY TAKES PRECEDENCE ABOVE EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND IF THERE IS SPEEDING IN AREAS THAT ARE VERY PEDESTRIAN IN NATURE, UH, WHERE YOU HAVE KIDS WALKING TO SCHOOL OR CYCLING, UM, AND OTHER PEDESTRIAN ACTIVITY, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT THAT TAKES PRECEDENCE.
AND, UM, AND IF THERE'S THE ABILITY TO DO A RESOLUTION TO PROCEED WITH THE, WITH THE INSTALLATION OF THE SPEED TABLES THAT BASED ON THE STUDY ARE NEEDED HERE TO IMPROVE SAFETY BECAUSE OF SPEEDING VEHICLES, I'M, I'M HAPPY FOR, UH, FOR, FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT RESOLUTION AND THAT'S WHAT'S NEEDED.
SO, UM, AS PART OF, UH, AS YOU MENTIONED COMMISSIONER, AS PART OF THE
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TRAFFIC HAULING PROCESS, WE, IN ORDER TO INSTALL A DEVICE IN FRONT OF A PROPERTY, WE NEED CONCURRENCE.HOWEVER, ON DTPW, IT DOES ALLOW, IF THERE IS NO CONCURRENCE OR FROM THE AFFECTED PROPERTY OWNER, A RESOLUTION CAN BE PASSED, UM, BY THE CITY COMMISSION, UH, IN LIEU OF, OF THE OPPOSITION.
SO IT, I DON'T KNOW IF IT IF IT'S THE WILL OF THIS COMMITTEE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COMMISSION, UH, BASED ON THE DAILY TRAFFIC VOLUME, THE 85TH PERCENTILE SPEEDING, UH, CRASH DATA AND COMPLAINTS RECEIVED FROM RESIDENTS TO PROCEED WITH A MOTION RECOMMENDING TO THE FULL CITY COMMISSION, UM, THE, THE INSTALLATION OF THE, UH, OF THE SPEED TABLES, UH, AT THE PROPOSED LOCATIONS, UH, FROM THE STUDY AND STAFF, UH, COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
UM, ANYTHING TO ADD SINCE YOU'RE A CO-SPONSOR? NO, IT JUST THAT, UH, I, I THINK THIS IS A FANTASTIC MEASURE, NOT ONLY FOR HERE BUT TO IMPLEMENT IT IN MULTIPLE AREAS.
I KNOW, UH, WE HAD, UH, DIFFERENT BUT SIMILAR DISCUSSIONS ON PINE TREE DRIVE THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE CONTINUING.
SO I THINK ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO ESSENTIALLY CONSTRUCT OR DESIGN OUR ROADWAYS THAT ARE ESSENTIALLY, UH, CONDUCIVE TO MITIGATING TRAFFIC, IT'S UNREALISTIC TO THINK EVERY SINGLE HOTSPOT THAT WE GET TOLD ABOUT, WELL JUST PUT MORE POLICE, MORE POLICE, IT HAS TO BE THROUGH BETTER URBAN PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN.
SO, UH, COMMISSIONER SU, VICE CHAIR, SUAREZ, YOU MOVED IT.
ALRIGHT, SO ALL IN FAVOR? YES.
AND MADAM CHAIR, JUST FOR CLARIFICATIONS, MOVING FORWARD WITH THE TEMPORARY RUBBERIZED SPEED CUSHIONS, RIGHT, BECAUSE AND AS OPPOSED TO THE PERMANENT ONES? PERMANENT ONES, YES.
BECAUSE THE PERMANENT ONES ARE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH THE PERMANENT ONES.
THE, THE COST IS, IS, UH, A FACTOR.
SO AS WE SEEK FUNDING FOR THE FUTURE, WE CAN PROCEED WITH THE, UH, RUBBERIZED INSTALLATION.
DO WE OWN THOSE ALREADY OR ARE THOSE GOING TO COME AT A COST? THEY WOULD BE A COST ASSOCIATED WITH THEM ONE SPEED CUSHION.
SO EVERY LOCATION REQUIRES TWO, ONE FOR EACH LANE.
SO THAT'S APPROXIMATELY $22,000, UM, PER LOCATION.
SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THREE LOCATIONS.
UM, PLUS THE COST FOR DESIGN, THAT COULD BE ROUGHLY, UM, BETWEEN 12 TO 15,000.
AND THIS IS WHAT STAFF HAS RECOMMENDED.
THIS IS WHAT WE'RE RECOMMENDING? YES.
THIS IS WHAT STAFF RECOMMENDS.
[18. DISCUSS ANALYSIS AND REMOVAL OF ALL PLACED SIGNAGE AND ROAD OBJECTS THAT ARE SUPERFLUOUS POTENTIALLY SUCH AS DIGITAL TRAFFIC MESSAGE BOARDS, CONES, BARRICADES AND OTHER ROAD SIGNAGE]
ITEM NUMBER 18.LAST ITEM NUMBER 18 IS DISCUSS ANALYSIS AND REMOVAL OF ALL PLACE SIGNAGE AND ROAD OBJECTS THAT ARE SUPER LEWIS, POTENTIALLY AS SUCH AS DIGITAL TRAFFIC MEASURE BOARDS, COES, BARRICADES, AND OTHER ROAD SIGNAGE.
THIS WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE AND CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ AND VICE MAYOR ABOVE COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THIS MADAM CHAIR.
I JUST THINK WE NEED TO TAKE BETTER PRIDE IN HOW OUR CITY LOOKS, HOW WE PRESENT OURSELVES.
AND ONE PLACE THAT THAT JUST, UH, SCREAMINGLY STANDS OUT TO ME IS IN OUR ROADWAYS, UH, RIGHT HERE AT THE END OF OUR BASEL, JUST DRIVING UP AND DOWN 17TH STREET.
I THINK WE HAVE ABOUT THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT OF THE, UH, DIGITAL, UM, BILLBOARDS OR TABLES AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
I, I GUESS WITHOUT GOING STREET BY STREET BY STREET, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF KEEPING NOTICE OF THE INVENTORY OF WHERE THINGS ARE, WHAT THEY'RE FOR.
I BROUGHT UP ON WEST AVENUE, A DIGITAL SPEED BOARD THAT NOBODY KNEW WHOSE DEPARTMENT IT WAS, WAS OUT THERE FOR YEARS, FOR YEARS, RIGHT? WE'RE, WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THE AESTHETICS OF OUR CITY, HOW OUR CITY LOOKS, AND WE JUST LIVE IN A CONSTANT STATE OF PURGATORY, RIGHT? AND MY THOUGHT WAS THAT THAT WAS ACTUALLY PUT THERE BECAUSE ON WEST AVENUE WE HAVE A ROADWAY WITH FIVE LANES OF TRAFFIC.
WHY DO WE HAVE TURN LANES ON ALMOST? I DON'T, I DON'T WANT, WE'LL, WE'LL GET FURTHER INTO THAT.
BUT WE USE OFTENTIMES, I THINK SOME OF THE SIGNAGE AS A STOP GAPP MEASURE TO SIT THERE AND ACTUALLY, UH, PROVIDE BARRIERS TO OUR TRAFFIC AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO IF YOU COULD JUST TALK ABOUT LIKE, WHAT THE PROGRAMMING AND THE PLAN IS AND WHO MANAGES THIS.
THERE ARE SIGNS OUT THERE FOR OUR BASEL.
I SAID, UH, YOU KNOW, LAST WEEK I GO, I'LL TAKE A BET HOW MANY YEARS THAT'LL BE OUT THERE.
YOU KNOW, IT IS JUST TURNED SIDEWAYS.
WHO'S MANAGING THAT? HOW DOES THE INVENTORY OF THIS GO? WHO DECIDES WHERE THEY GO? MORE IMPORTANTLY, WHO DECIDES WHEN AND WHERE THEY'RE REMOVED FROM? UM, AND MAYBE IF YOU CAN JUST GIVE US AN OVERVIEW OF WHO'S KEEPING TRACK OF THIS AND HOW WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB, BECAUSE THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THE AESTHETICS OF OUR CITY.
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I GET, UM, GOOD AFTERNOON.UM, UNI RODRIGUEZ WITH THE TRANSPORTATION ON MOBILITY DEPARTMENT.
I CAN SPEAK ON THE VARIABLE MESSAGE BOARDS THAT YOU HAVE REFERENCED ON COMMISSIONER ON 17TH STREET.
THAT WAS PART OF THE, THE PLAN THAT WAS DEPLOYED ON DURING ART WEEK.
UM, WE CURRENTLY HAVE ON, THROUGHOUT THE CITY AT STRATEGIC LOCATIONS, WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY 27 VARIABLE MESSAGE PORTS, UM, THAT SOME OF THEM HAVE EVEN CAMERAS, TEMPORARY CAMERAS WHERE WE CAN OBSERVE THE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR CITY.
THOSE 17, THOSE 27 TRAILERS ARE UTILIZED TO DISSEMINATE, UM, TRAFFIC MESSAGES AS THEY ARISE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF, UH, JU TOTAL IN THE WESTBOUND DIRECTION, THERE'S AN ACCIDENT THAT IS CLOSING MULTIPLE LANES.
WE PROGRAM ALL THOSE 27 VMSS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY LETTING THE DRIVERS KNOW THAT JULIA TOTO IS CLOSED.
SO THOSE ARE THE 27 THAT WE HAVE ON OUR INVENTORY THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
NOW, AS PART OF THE TRANSPORTATION PLAN THAT WAS PUT IN PLACE DURING ART WEEK, WE ADDED ADDITIONAL VMS, UH, FOR THAT SPECIFICALLY IN THE CONVENTION CENTER CAMPUS, UM, TO SOME OF THEM TO FIND PARKING, UM, AVAILABILITY.
UM, AL ALSO LETTING PEOPLE KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE, THE WEST SIDE WAS TWO LANES CONVERTED TO A TWO LANES.
SO LETTING THEM KNOW MORE MESSAGES TAILORED TO THE EVENT THAT WAS TAKING PLACE.
THOSE WE DO HAVE THE INVENTORY, THOSE TEMPORARY THAT WERE BROUGHT IN FOR ART WEEK, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY HAVE ALREADY BEEN REMOVED FROM OUR CITY.
NOW THERE'S SOME THAT ARE ALSO INSTALLED RIGHT NOW ON 17TH STREET IN THE WESTBOUND DIRECTION, BUT THAT IS PART OF THE CLOSURES THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN PLACE, FOR EXAMPLE, WEST AVENUE.
SO SOME OF THOSE VMSS DO NEED TO STAY BECAUSE WE'RE PART OF THE OVERALL MLT, UH, THAT IS THROUGH OUR, OUR CITY UNDERSTAND AND WITHOUT GOING, UH, BOARD BY BOARD THROUGH 27 OF THOSE, I ASK, AND I URGE THAT WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB AND HAVE A JUSTIFICATION FOR EVERY SINGLE ONE.
I DON'T WANNA KEEP GOING BACK TO THIS EXAMPLE ON WEST AVENUE, BUT IT WAS THERE FOR YEARS, YEARS AND YEARS.
AND IT WAS FOR NO OTHER REASON, NO REASON, RIGHT? IT WASN'T THE DISPLAY MESSAGES, IT WASN'T FOR A CHANGING TRAFFIC PATTERN.
THAT PORTION OF WEST AVENUE HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE.
UH, THEY ARE AESTHETICALLY VERY UNPLEASING TO THE EYE.
AND WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR SOME, I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO A HABIT.
AND IT SEEMS AS IF WE HAVE SUPPORT FOR THAT, FOR JUST HAVING THESE OUT THERE IN PURGATORY FOR NO SPECIFIC RHYME OR REASON IF THEY ARE INTO, YOU KNOW, UH, VERY IMPORTANT AND NEEDED BECAUSE THEY'RE ALERTING OF, UH, CONSTRUCTION AHEAD.
UM, BUT I SAW ONE, I DON'T KNOW IF WE MANAGED THIS ON THE MACARTHUR CAUSEWAY SAYING, UH, MIAMI BEACH AHEAD.
YEAH, I, I I THINK IF YOU'RE HEADING OVER THE CAUSEWAY, UH, EASTBOUND TOWARDS MIAMI BEACH, Y YOU KNOW THAT, AND IF NOT, YOU DON'T NEED A DIGITAL MESSAGE BOARD BECAUSE, UH, EVERY SINGLE SIGN ALREADY INDICATES THAT.
UM, SO, YOU KNOW, UPHOLDING SAFETY STANDARDS YES, UH, OF THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE, BUT LET'S REALLY TRY AND, UH, GET ON TOP OF THE MANAGEMENT OF THESE AND NOT JUST HAVE THESE HANGING IN PURGATORY.
UM, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO DO WITH THIS ITEM? UH, MAYBE DEPUTY CHIEF WANTED TO CHIME IN.
HI, MORNING EVERYONE, MADAM CHAIR COMMISSIONERS.
I JUST WANTED TO CHIME IN ON, UM, SOME OF THESE TRAILERS OUT THERE.
SOME OF THEM ARE SPEED TRAILERS, UM, DEPLOYED OUT THERE ON BEHALF OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE TYPICALLY DO THAT AT TWO WEEKS INTERVALS TO KIND OF GET AN ASSESSMENT OF HOW MANY VEHICLES OR TRAVELING THROUGH THAT PARTICULAR ROADWAY, UM, WHAT TIME OF DAY, UM, WE ARE EXPERIENCING MORE, UH, SPEEDING THAN OTHERS AND TO GET A PERCENTILE OF, OF IN RANGE OF, UM, SPEED VIOLATIONS, SO TO SPEAK.
AND THEN WE PROVIDE THAT DATA BACK TO THE MOTOR SQUAD OR, OR OTHER TRAFFIC UNITS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT SO THAT WE CAN GO OUT THERE AND ISSUE, UM, TRAFFIC CITATIONS AS AS NEEDED.
UM, COMMISSIONER, UM, IF THERE ARE ANY OF THEM THAT ARE OUT THERE FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME, WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AND WE'LL REMOVE THEM.
UM, THE IDEA IS OUT THERE, ALTON ROAD AND THE BEACH HAS SOME YES, WITH HUGE ORANGE BARRELS AROUND IT AND IT LOOKS AWFUL.
UH, THERE'S GOTTA BE SOMETHING MORE MODERN AND AESTHETICALLY AND, AND WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT THAT AS WELL, COMMISSIONER.
UM, THE IDEA IS JUST TO HAVE 'EM OUT THERE FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME AND THEN PULL 'EM BACK.
SO WE'LL BE MORE MINDFUL OF THAT.
UM, I JUST, WE DON'T WANNA, UM, INTRUDE ON, ON THE NORMAL FLOW OF TRAFFIC UNNECESSARILY.
AND, AND IF I COULD JUST, MADAM CHAIR, I GET THE SENSE THAT SOME OF THESE ARE BEING USED AS STOPGAP MEASURES FOR SAFETY PRECAUTIONS FOR POORLY DESIGNED ROADS.
I WANT TRANSPORTATION TO COME BE PROACTIVE TO ME.
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I DRIVE DOWN WEST AVENUE, I HAVE A PICTURE FROM ART BASEL.THE STREETS ARE SO WIDE, PEOPLE TURN ONE LANE INTO TWO LANES, RIGHT? I'M DRIVING DOWN THE STREET AND PEOPLE ARE PASSING ME IN THAT LANE OF TRAFFIC.
I NEED TRANSPORTATION TO BE PROACTIVE AND SIT THERE AND LOOK AT OUR STREET DESIGNS AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE NEED FROM THE COMMISSION FOR SUPPORT HERE.
WE CANNOT HAVE LANES OF TRAFFIC WHERE THEY'RE SO WIDE, THEY CAN BE USED FOR TWO CARS, RIGHT? BECAUSE WHAT THAT DOES IS IT JUST ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO SPEED.
IF WE HAVE NO NEED FOR TURNING LANES BECAUSE THE STREET IS SO INFREQUENTLY USED, RIGHT? LET'S GET RID OF THAT TURNING LANE.
WE CAN HAVE A CENTER BARRIER THAT IS AESTHETICALLY PLEASING, COULD ACTUALLY BE USED FOR RESILIENCY BECAUSE WE COULD HAVE, UH, STORM WATER AND WASTEWATER RUNOFF.
WE COULD HAVE, UH, CENTER BARRIERS LIKE WE HAVE IN, UH, UM, UH, SUNSET HARBOR FOR WITH TREES.
WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT OUR PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY, OUR ROADWAYS, ONE BETTER DESIGN THEM FOR SAFETY AND THEN MAKE THEM MORE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING AS WELL.
UM, I THINK WE CAN CLOSE THIS OUT, BUT I'M GOING TO BE PUTTING MORE OF THESE WITH THEMES LIKE THIS.
THIS WAS REALLY INTENDED TO GET US ALL ON THE SAME PAGE AND HAVE THIS AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR MIND.
WE SHOULD ALL BE TAKING PRIDE AROUND.
YES, MAINTAINING SAFETY IS THE UTMOST IMPORTANCE ISSUE.
AND IF YOU NEED THINGS TEMPORARILY, BUT NOT JUST HAVE THESE THINGS REMAIN, UH, IN PERPETUITY.
YES, I WANNA THANK THE, UH, COMMISSIONER FOR SPONSORING THIS ITEM.
UH, THESE ARE OUR PUBLIC RIGHT OF PLACE, UH, AND WE ALSO WANNA MAKE SURE THAT, THAT THEY FEEL WELCOMING, THAT THEY FEEL BEAUTIFUL.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WOULD RESPECTFULLY ASK ASIDE FROM THIS ITEM, UH, BUT RELATED, YOU KNOW, WE DO HAVE A LOT OF SIGNAGE THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
A LOT OF DUPLICATE SIGNAGE, A LOT OF SIGNAGE, UH, WITH OLD BRANDING, SOME WITH NEW BRANDING, SOME WITH OLD INFORMATION, OTHERS WITH NEW INFORMATION.
AND, UH, I KNOW, I KNOW THAT, THAT THERE'S A LOT OF GOOD WORK AND HARD WORK BEING DONE BY OUR COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING DEPARTMENT TO UPDATE THOSE.
IT'D BE GREAT TO GET AN LTC AT SOME POINT, UH, AS TO WHERE WE ARE, UH, WITH THE UPDATE OF THAT SIGNAGE.
'CAUSE I KNOW THAT THAT'S BEEN AN ONGOING EFFORT, BUT BECAUSE OF THE MASSIVE AMOUNT OF SIGNAGE WE HAVE PUT OUT THERE OVER THE YEARS, SOME OF THEM ARE REGULATORY IN NATURE AND ARE NEEDED REGULATORILY, BUT OTHERS HAVE BEEN, UH, LEGISLATED FROM THE GOVERNING BODY UP HERE AND THEY'RE, THEY'RE JUST OUT OF DATE AND THEY'RE WORKING HARD TO, TO FIX THAT.
SO I'D LOVE AN LTC AT SOME POINT ON THAT.
OKAY, WELL FIRST OFF, MANY THANKS TO MY COLLEAGUES AND I DO WANNA GIVE A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE CITY ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING SO SUPPORTIVE OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE.
THIS IS THE LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR, AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN JANUARY.
AND I WANNA THANK THE CITY FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK IN PRESENTING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR FOR THE COMMITTEE.
MADAM CHAIR, I WANNA COMMEND YOU BECAUSE YOU, YOU INHERITED A VERY LARGE DOCKET OF ITEMS. REMEMBER THE FIRST MEETING, I THINK WE HAD OVER A HUNDRED ITEMS ON THE DOCKET, AND YOU HAVE BEEN SUCH AN EFFICIENT AND PRODUCTIVE CHAIR OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD'S QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE.
AND AS THE NAME OF THE COMMITTEE ASSESS ITSELF, THIS IS WHAT, THIS IS THE WORK THAT MOST DIRECTLY IMPACTS OUR RESIDENTS QUALITY OF LIFE AND THEIR SAFETY.
AND YOU'VE HELPED ADVANCE THAT AGENDA.
AND SO I JUST WANTED TO PUBLICLY COMMEND YOU AND THANK YOU AND THE COMMITTEE FOR THE EFFICIENT WORK YOU ALL HAVE DONE OVER THE PAST YEAR.
AND THANK ALL OF YOU THAT ARE HERE ON THE DAY.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND SEE YOU, UH, JANUARY 29TH FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY'S, UH, FIRST MEETING OF THE YEAR.