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AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO THE MARCH 11TH MEETING OF THE LAND USE AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE.MR. ATTORNEY, UH, WHY DON'T WE DO A ROLL CALL TO ESTABLISH QUORUM? SURE.
UM, COMMISSIONER SU SUAREZ IS PRESENT.
VICE MAYOR BOTT HERE AND CHAIRMAN FERNANDEZ PRESSING.
AND LET'S GET THE VIRTUAL PARTICIPATION NOTICE.
TODAY'S MEETING OF THE LAND USE AND SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE WILL BE CONDUCTED IN A HYBRID FORMAT WITH MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE COMMISSION, CHAMBERS AND STAFF AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC APPEARING EITHER IN PERSON OR VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM.
TO PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY THE PUBLIC MAY DIAL 1-888-475-FOUR 4 9 9 AND ENTER THE WEBINAR ID, WHICH IS 8 5 0 5 9 9 2 3 0 3 7 POUND, OR LOG INTO THE ZOOM APP AND ENTER THE WEBINAR ID, WHICH IS 8 5 0 5 9 9 2 3 0 3 7.
IF YOU'RE WISHING TO SPEAK ON AN ITEM, PLEASE CLICK THE RAISE HAND ICON IN THE ZOOM APP OR DIAL STAR NINE IF YOU ARE PARTICIPATING BY PHONE.
[11. EXPEDITE THE OPENING OF THE BAYWALK AND MOVE THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BAYWALK UP ON THE G.O. BOND PRIORITIZATION LIST AND PRESENT THE BAYWALK PLAN TO THE LUSC COMMITTEE]
[15. DISCUSS POSSIBLE AGREEMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND CONVEYANCE TO CITY OF PUBLIC PARKING GARAGE AT 1247-1255 WEST AVENUE FOR CITY GARAGE (DUAL REFERRAL TO THE FINANCE AND ECONOMIC RESILIENCY COMMITTEE).]
ATTORNEY.MR. DIRECTOR, ARE THERE ANY ADDITIONS, WITHDRAWALS, DEFERRALS TO TODAY'S PRINTED AGENDA? YES, MR. CHAIR, TWO ANNOUNCEMENTS.
ITEM NUMBER 11, WHICH IS THE ITEM PERTAINING TO THE OPENING OF THE BAY WALK AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BAY WALK ON MOVING UP THE BAY WALK AND THE GEO BOND PRIORITIZATION LIST AND UPDATES TO THE BAY WALK, PRESENTED TO THE LAND USE COMMITTEE.
THAT ITEM HAS BEEN WITHDRAWN BY THE ITEM SPONSOR AND ITEM NUMBER 15, WHICH IS TO DISCUSS A POSSIBLE AGREEMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND CONVEYANCE TO THE CITY OF A PUBLIC PARKING GARAGE AT 1247 TO 1255 WEST AVENUE FOR CITY GARAGE, THAT THIS ITEM IS BEING DEFERRED TO THE APRIL 15TH LAND USE COMMITTEE MEETING.
WITH, UH, WITH THAT, IS THERE A MOTION TO SET THE AGENDA WITH A WITHDRAWAL OF ITEM NUMBER 11 AND THE DEFERRAL OF ITEM NUMBER 15? I'LL MOVE IT.
IT'S BEEN MOVED, UH, BY COMMITTEE MEMBER SUAREZ, SECONDED BY THE VICE CHAIR.
UH, WE CAN SHOW THE AGENDA ADOPTED BY ACCLAMATION, UH, MR. DIRECTOR,
[1. DISCUSS AND REVIEW THE FINAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 2024 AD HOC HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE ADVISORY REVIEW COMMITTEE.]
LET'S INTRODUCE ITEM NUMBER ONE.ITEM NUMBER ONE IS DISCUSS AND REVIEW THE FINAL REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 2024 AD HOC HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE ADVISORY REVIEW COMMITTEE.
AND WITH ITEM NUMBER ONE, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO WITH ITEM NUMBER ONE AS PART OF ITEM NUMBER ONE, WE'RE GONNA DISCUSS ITEM TWO THROUGH SEVEN.
UM, ITEMS 2, 3, 4, 2, 3, 5, 6, AND SEVEN ARE COVERED UNDER THE INCENTIVES, UH, SECTION OF THE PRESENTATION THAT ARE CHIEF PRESERVATION OFFICERS GONNA PRESENT IT TO US.
UH, AND ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS GONNA BE COVERED UNDER THE REVIEW, UH, PROCESS.
SO, SO, YOU KNOW, THESE ITEMS, THEY'RE ALL INCORPORATED INTO THIS, AND I'M JUST GONNA INTRODUCE THIS, THIS ITEM QUICKLY BEFORE WE GO, UH, INTO OUR STAFF PRESENTATION.
SO WE ALL KNOW MIAMI BEACH IS HOME TO 14 HISTORIC DISTRICTS AND 17 INDIVIDUAL, INDIVIDUAL HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
WE HAVE 31 HISTORIC SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, ALL OF WHICH ARE CRITICAL TO OUR CITY'S HERITAGE AND CONTRIBUTE NOT ONLY TO THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF OUR CITY, BUT ALSO TO OUR STATE.
THE CITY'S HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE WAS INITIALLY ADOPTED IN 19 19 82, AND HAS BEEN IN PLACE NOW FOR OVER FOUR DECADES.
AND THROUGHOUT ITS HISTORY, IT HAS UNDERGONE SEVERAL AMENDMENTS.
HOWEVER, THE LAST COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF THE ORDINANCE WAS COMPLETED IN 2001, MEANING IT'S BEEN NEARLY 25 YEARS, UH, SINCE THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION CODE WAS LAST UPDATED ON MARCH OF LAST YEAR.
I SPONSORED A RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING THE AD HOC HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE REVIEW ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
UH, I DARE ANY ONE OF US TO SAY THAT THREE TIMES QUICKLY TO COMPREHENSIVELY REVIEW THESE REGULATIONS.
IT WAS EVIDENT THAT OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION CODE NEEDED TO BE REVIEWED AND UPDATED TO BETTER FACILITATE PRESERVATION EFFORTS AND ENSURE THE PROTECTION OF THESE IMPORTANT LANDMARKS IN OUR CITY.
ESTABLISHING THE AD HOC HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE REVIEW ADVISORY COMMITTEE WAS A CRUCIAL STEP IN ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGES FACING MANY OF OUR CITY'S HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
THE COMMITTEE WAS DESIGNED TO BE NONPOLITICAL IN NATURE AND PROFESSIONALLY DRIVEN.
IT WAS LED BY ITS CHAIR RICK LOPEZ, A PROFESSOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, AND A FORMER CHAIR OF OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD.
THE COMMITTEE WAS ALSO COMPOSED OF A DIVERSE GROUP OF COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS.
THERE WERE ACTIVISTS, THERE WERE BANKERS, THERE WERE DEVELOPERS, AND THERE WERE RESIDENTS FROM NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THIS REVIEW COMMITTEE.
THE COMMITTEE'S WORK FOCUSED ON
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IDENTIFYING WAYS TO SIMPLIFY AND ENHANCE THE PRESERVATION PROCESS AND MAKE IT EASIER TO PROTECT OUR HISTORIC ASSETS.AND THEY LOOKED INTO, INTO MANY ASPECTS OF, OF PRESERVATION INCENTIVES TO ENCOURAGE PROPERTY OWNERS TO PRESERVE HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
THEY FOCUSED ON IMPROVING THE REVIEW PROCESS AND ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW PROCESSES.
THEY DISCUSSED UPDATING EXISTING REGULATIONS.
SO TODAY WE'RE GONNA REVIEW, UH, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT AS WE'VE REVIEWED THESE, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS, WE ARE MAKING AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE OF MIAMI BEACH ENSURING THAT NOT ONLY DO WE REMAIN A VIBRANT CITY AND A CULTURALLY RICH C CITY, BUT THAT WE MAINTAINED A HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT CITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
UM, I'M GONNA INVITE NOW TO THE PODIUM, OUR CHIEF PRESERVATION OFFICER, DEBBIE, WHO WAS A LIAISON TO THIS COMMITTEE, TO GUIDE US THROUGH THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE FOR US.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
UM, BEFORE I GET STARTED, I HAD A MR. CHAIR, A REQUEST FOR FROM THE COMMITTEE'S CHAIRPERSON, UH, RICK LOPEZ, WHO WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS, IF YOU WILL.
AND MR. ATTORNEY, DO WE HAVE, UH, CHAIR LOPEZ ON THE, UH, ON THE LINE? YES.
AND HE'S ALREADY BEEN MADE A, UH, A PANELIST.
I JUST WANNA START BY RECOGNIZING THE MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THANK THEM AND YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR WORK OVER THE COURSE OF THE FIVE MONTHS, UH, FROM JUNE, 2024 TO OCTOBER, 2024 THAT, UH, THAT YOU ALL, UH, WERE, WERE WORKING ON THIS ITEM.
SO I WANNA WELCOME YOU TO OFFER SOME REMARKS.
UH, GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONER, AND GOOD AFTERNOON TO ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.
UM, I WANTED TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO, TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALLOWING US TO FORM THIS COMMITTEE.
UM, AND I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE MY, UM, FORMER, UM, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UM, WHICH AS YOU SAY, WERE, YOU KNOW, DIVERSE IN, IN TERMS OF WHERE THEY'RE COMING FROM, UM, PROFESSIONALLY.
UM, THEY INCLUDE MICHAEL GOLDBERG, WHO SERVED AS THE VICE CHAIR, ALEX WHITCOFF, ANDREW HALLIN, SCOTT NEEDLEMAN, DANIEL SERRAO, AND JAVIER NDA.
AND ALSO WANTED TO, UM, THANK YOUR, UH, CITY STAFF, UH, WHO, UH, I'VE KNOWN, GOTTEN TO KNOW FOR, FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS WHEN I WAS ON THE PRESERVATION BOARD.
BUT DURING THIS PROCESS, DEBBIE TACKETT, JAKE SERLING AND, AND NICK KELLER, JUST WERE A HUGE HELP.
AND I THINK THEY GUIDED US THROUGH WHAT WAS A VERY AMICABLE AND POSITIVE, UH, EXPERIENCE.
UM, FINDING A NUMBER OF WAYS TO STREAMLINE THE PROCESS TO, YOU KNOW, FACILITATE, UM, YOU KNOW, FOLKS, WHETHER THEY'RE COMING FROM A, YOU KNOW, SINGLE FAMILY HOUSE TO, YOU KNOW, LARGER, MORE COMPLEX PROJECTS, TO BE ABLE TO, UH, ENGAGE THE PROCESS, FIND INCENTIVES TO RESTORE AND PROTECT THEIR PROPERTIES.
AND, UH, YOU KNOW, HOPEFULLY MAKE, UH, MIAMI BEACH, UM, YOU KNOW, A, A A, YOU KNOW, KEEP IT A GREAT PLACE FOR, FOR A LONG TIME TO COME.
UM, ALSO JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT ONE OF OUR RECOMMENDATIONS, AND I KNOW YOU GUYS ARE GONNA GO THROUGH IN MORE DETAIL, BUT, UM, TO FACILITATE THE, UH, ADDITIONAL INCENTIVE PROCESS THAT WE RECOMMENDED MM-HMM
UM, WE RECOGNIZE THAT YOUR STAFF, UM, HAS A LOT ON THEIR PLATE AND WE MAY BE ADDING TO, UH, THEIR CHARGE WITH SOME OF THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
AND SO JUST WANNA POINT OUT THAT IT, IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED, UM, UM, THAT THEY MAY NEED AN EXTRA HAND OR TWO
AND SO ANYWAY, WITH THAT, THA THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING US AND ALLOWING US TO MAKE THESE RECOMMENDATIONS TO YOU TODAY.
AND, UH, AND AS WAS NOTED ON, ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS, CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, THE ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBERS THAT MAY BE NEEDED, NOT ONLY TO TO PR TO PROCESS PLANNING APPLICATIONS, BUT TO PROCESS ANY NEW INCENTIVES IS SOMETHING CERTAINLY THAT THE COMMITTEE WILL WILL CONSIDER.
UM, DEBBIE, UH, THE FLOOR IS YOUR TO PRESENT.
UM, OVER THE COURSE OF ABOUT, IT WAS ABOUT A FIVE MONTH, UH, COMMITTEE.
UH, THE COMMITTEE REALLY FOCUSED ON THREE MAIN AREAS OF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
UM, ONE WAS THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS CRITERIA.
THE SECOND AREA THEY FOCUSED ON WAS THE PROCESS, BOTH THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW PROCESS.
AND LASTLY, UM, THEY, THEY DISCUSSED AT LENGTH, UM, POSSIBLE EXISTING INCENTIVES AND POSSIBLE FUTURE INCENTIVES.
UM, I'M JUST GONNA JUMP RIGHT IN AND FEEL FREE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
'CAUSE IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION TO INTERRUPT.
[00:10:01]
THE FIRST ITEM WAS WITH REGARD TO THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS CRITERIA.UM, WITH OUR EXISTING CRITERIA, IT IS, IT IS QUITE EXTENSIVE.
I COULD NOT FIND A COMPARABLE MUNICIPALITY WITH ANYWHERE CLOSE TO THE AMOUNT OF CRITERIA THAT WE HAVE.
HOW MANY CRITERIA DO WE HAVE? WE HAVE OVER 50 CRITERIA, IF YOU TAKE EVERYTHING TOGETHER, THE SEA LEVEL RISE CRITERIA, UM, THE DEMOLITION CRITERIA, AND THEN ALL OF THE DESIGN CRITERIA.
HOW MANY DO, MOST OF OTHER CITIES HAVE? MOST OTHER HISTORIC CITIES, AND WE LOOKED AT COMPARABLE.
UM, CITIES HAVE THE 10 THAT ARE FOUND IN THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR STANDARDS FOR REHABILITATION.
SO MOST CITIES, HISTORIC CITIES HAVE 10.
AND THEY'VE BEEN ADDED TO OVER THE YEARS.
SO WHAT, UM, WE DID AS STAFF MEMBERS IS WE IDENTIFIED SOME OF THE CRITERIA THAT WE BELIEVED WERE REDUNDANT, THAT, THAT WERE OBSOLETE, OR THAT SIMPLY WERE INFORMATIONAL TYPE CRI NOT REALLY EVEN CRITERIA.
I CAN, UH, GIVE YOU SOME EXAMPLES.
FOR EXAMPLE, ON THE DEMOLITION CRITERIA, THERE WAS, THERE IS A CRITERIA THAT TALKS ABOUT IS THE DEMOLITION FOR A, A PARKING GARAGE.
AND THAT PARKING GARAGES IN THE CRI IT STATES IN THE CRITERIA, UM, PARKING GARAGES ARE NOT PERMITTED AS MAIN USE STRUCTURES ON LOTS, UM, ALONG OCEAN DRIVE OR ESPANOLA WAY.
WELL, A LOT OF THIS INFORMATION'S IN THE CODE.
THESE ARE CODE REQUIREMENTS AND AREN'T REALLY REVIEW CRITERIA FOR, FOR A LAND USE BOARD.
UM, SEVERAL OF THE OTHER, UM, CRITERIA, AGAIN, MANY OF THEM WERE REDUNDANT.
THEY WERE REPEATED THROUGHOUT.
UM, THEY'RE ALSO REDUNDANT WITH THE SECRETARY OF INTERIOR STANDARDS, WHICH WE DO HAVE IN, IN, AND WE PRESENT IT TO THE COMMITTEE.
SO WE HAVE THOSE 10 PLUS OUR LOCAL CRITERIA.
UM, AFTER A LONG DISCUSSION, UH, THE COMMITTEE DID, UH, RECOMMEND CONSOLIDATING THESE, WHICH WOULD EQUAL THE REMOVAL ABOUT 15, I THINK IT'S EITHER 15 OR 16 CRITERIA.
WE WENT THROUGH EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY.
UM, AND THEY UNANIMOUSLY AGREE THAT YES, FOR PERCEPTION PURPOSES AND FOR EASE OF, OF NOT ONLY, YOU KNOW, OUR STAFF ANALYSIS, BUT ALSO BOARD LEVEL REVIEW, UM, THAT WE SHOULD SIMPLIFY THESE.
UM, AND, AND I WOULD IMAGINE THIS ALSO HAS AN IMPACT TO APPLICANTS, UH, WHEN WE HAVE THESE REDUNDANT REQUIREMENTS IN, IN THE CODE.
THE APPLICANTS AS PART OF THEIR SUBMISSION, DO RESPOND TO ALL OF OUR CRITERIA.
UM, YOU KNOW, THEY, FOR, FOR SOME OF THE CRITERIA, THEY USUALLY SUMMARIZE, UM, IN THEIR RESPONSE INSTEAD OF LISTING THEM.
BUT WE HAVE OTHER APPLICANTS THAT ACTUALLY WILL LIST THEM OUT, UM, WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO.
COMMISSIONER BOND, VICE MAYOR, VICE MAYOR BOND, I CAN ONLY SAY THAT FOR A COUPLE MORE DAYS.
UM, SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, UM, THESE WERE, UM, UM, AGREED UPON UNANIMOUSLY.
AND, UM, STREAMLINING IS GOOD A HUNDRED PERCENT IN FAVOR OF STREAMLINING.
IT DOESN'T REDUCE THE PROTECTIONS THAT WE ARE TRYING TO, UM, KEEP FROM BEING ERODED.
UM, THE THINGS THAT ARE LISTED AS CRITERIA, FOR INSTANCE, THAT YOU, UM, SAY ALREADY IN THE CODE, UM, AND YOU, YOU MENTIONED ARE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE, LIKE ON HPB FOR INSTANCE, WOULDN'T THAT BE MORE OF A, YOU KNOW, AS A PROJECT COMES UP FOR REVIEW THAT YOU OR SOMEBODY ELSE, SOMEBODY ON STAFF WOULD SAY, JUST AS A REMINDER, THIS ISN'T THE CODE BECAUSE PEOPLE ON HPV AND DRB ARE NOT GOING TO KNOW THE INS AND OUTS OF THE CODE.
SO IT'S, IT WOULDN'T HAVE TO BE A CRITERIA, BUT IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT GETS POINTED OUT ON WHEN EACH PROJECT IS BEING CONSIDERED.
AND WE ALSO DO HAVE A CRITERIA, ANOTHER CRITERIA THAT WILL REMAIN AS PART OF THIS RECOMMENDATION THAT SAYS, IS THIS APPLICATION CONSISTENT WITH ALL APPLICABLE, UM, ZONING AND COMPREHENSIVE PLAN? UM, THE STAFF REPORT THAT WE PRESENT TO THE BOARD ALSO PREPARES A ZONING ANALYSIS AS PART OF THAT NARRATIVE.
IF THERE WERE A PROJECT THAT HIT NINE OUT OF THE 10, IT WOULD BE NOTED SOMEWHERE EITHER BY THE APPLICANT'S LAWYER OR BY STAFF SAYING, THIS HITS NINE OUTTA THE 10, HERE'S THE ONE IT DOESN'T, AND HERE'S WHY YOU'RE STILL TALKING ABOUT IT.
WE ACTUALLY RESPOND TO ALL OF THE CRITERIA IN OUR STAFF REPORTS.
SO THIS WILL, WE'LL, WE'LL SAVE A COUPLE TREES.
UM, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE, UM, THE SECOND TOPIC OF DISCUSSION.
UM, AND THIS ONE IS A BIT MORE INTENSIVE, UM, IS THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEW PROCESS.
SO CURRENTLY, JUST TO SUMMARIZE, WE HAVE A, A REVIEW PROCESS, WHICH
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IS FOCUSED AROUND WHAT'S CALLED A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS IS AN APPROVAL FOR ANY WORK THAT'S BEING DONE IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT.
SO IT'S EITHER AN EXTERIOR WORK OR WORK WITHIN A PUBLIC INTERIOR SPACE.
THERE ARE TWO TRACKS THAT REVIEW PROCESS CAN TAKE.
ONE IS AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW AND ONE IS A BOARD LEVEL REVIEW.
UM, WITH REGARD TO THE, THE FIRST DISCUSSION AND, AND SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE COMMITTEE, THEY FOCUSED ON THE EXPANSION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW AUTHORITY.
UM, CURRENTLY OUR AUTHORITY IS RELATIVELY LIMITED.
WE CAN APPROVE WINDOWS DOORS, WE CAN IMPROVE, UM, MINOR DEMOLITION FOR THINGS LIKE ACCESSIBILITY, UH, OR OTHER TYPES OF LIFE SAFETY OR BUILDING CODES.
WE CAN APPROVE SIGNAGE, WE CAN APPROVE PAINT, UM, WE CAN APPROVE A LIMITED AMOUNT WITHIN THE INTERIOR.
CERTAINLY EVERYTHING IN PUB, IN NON-PUBLIC INTERIORS MAY BE APPROVED ADMINISTRATIVELY.
UM, AND THE BOARD THOUGHT THAT THE CURRENT LIST, WHICH IS UM, IS OUTLINED IN THE APPENDIX, UM, WAS RATHER LIMITING AND WAS REQUIRING A LOT OF THESE VERY SMALL PROJECTS TO, TO GO TO THE BOARD WHEN, WHEN THE COMMITTEE FELT CONFIDENT THEY COULD BE REVIEWED ADMINISTRATIVELY.
UM, THERE'S ALSO SOME INCONSISTENCY WITH WHAT THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD STAFF CAN APPROVE ADMINISTRATIVELY AND WHAT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD STAFF CAN APPROVE ADMINISTRATIVELY.
SO SOME OF THESE SUGGESTIONS WERE TO MAKE THEM MORE CONSISTENT.
NUMBER ONE WAS, UM, SUSTAINABLE ROOFING, FOR EXAMPLE.
THAT COULD BE SOMETHING, UM, LIKE A METAL ROOF THAT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE BUILDING.
UM, BUT RIGHT NOW THEY WOULD HAVE TO GO INTO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD.
THEY COULDN'T APPLY FOR IT AND HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW.
LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S, WE HAVE THESE, UM, THE WALKTHROUGH PERMITS.
NOW, UH, WOULD YOU KNOW, WOULD ROOFING BE ALLOWED TO GO THROUGH A WALKTHROUGH PROCESS? YEAH, I, I MEAN I ALMOST CERTAINLY, I WOULD THINK A ROOF REPAIR REPLACEMENT COULD GO THROUGH A WALKTHROUGH.
AND SO, BUT IN THIS CASE, IF IT WAS A METAL ROOF, IT WOULD HAVE TO GO FIRST TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD.
AND IN THIS CASE, YOU GUYS WOULD BE ABLE TO REVIEW IT.
UM, SO THAT WAS ONE, UH, PROPERTIES, WALLS, FENCES AND GATES ARE NOT SPECIFIED AS SOMETHING THAT STAFF CAN REVIEW, UM, WITHIN HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
OUTSIDE OF HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
STAFF IS ABLE TO REVIEW IN PRACTICE BECAUSE THIS BECOMES EXTREMELY CUMBERSOME.
UM, WE HAVE APPROVED AT A STAFF LEVEL PROPERTY FENCES THAT MEET ALL OF THE MINIMUM CODE REQUIREMENTS AND THAT MEET THE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS CRITERIA.
BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S MORE OF A CLEANUP THAT I BELIEVE WOULD NEED TO BE AMENDED TO FORMALLY GIVE STAFF THAT, THAT REVIEW AUTHORITY MINOR PUBLIC INTERIOR MODIFICATIONS THAT DO NOT HARM OR DESTROY ANY SIGNIFICANT, UH, ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES WITHIN THE INTERIOR OR
SO THESE ARE LIKE HISTORIC LOBBIES.
HISTORIC LOBBIES, AND, AND IT'S A RELATIVELY COMMON APPLICATION THAT GOES TO THE BOARD.
UM, STAFF SPENDS A LOT OF TIME WITH APPLICANTS ACTUALLY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, MODIFYING THEIR PLANS.
SO BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO GO TO THE BOARD.
UM, BUT THINGS LIKE ADDING A, AN AN EXTRA DESK, UM, ADDING A SMALL BAR WITHIN THE ORIGINAL LOBBY SPACE, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS CURRENTLY DO HAVE TO GO TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD.
UM, CREATING A SMALL OPENING TO, FOR CONNECTIVITY WITHIN AN ORIGINAL WALL THAT DOESN'T HAVE ANY SIGNIFICANT FEATURES ON THE WALL, WOULD BE GOING TO THE BOARD CURRENTLY.
SO THE COMMITTEE WAS, YOU KNOW, THINKING THAT WE COULD BE SLIGHTLY MORE FLEXIBLE WITH, WITH MINOR IMPROVEMENTS TO PUBLIC INTERIORS.
SO, BECAUSE THIS IS SOMETHING THAT UNTIL WE ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS, I DIDN'T REALIZE, 'CAUSE I ALWAYS, I ALWAYS OPERATED UNDER THE PRESUMPTION THAT HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEW APPLIED TO THE EXTERIOR ELEMENTS OF THE BUILDING.
AND IN THIS CASE, IT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LEARNING, AT LEAST I'M LEARNING.
UH, NOW THAT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEW ALSO APPLIED, I GUESS LIKE IF WE'RE DEALING WITH A HISTORICAL HOTEL, LET'S SAY, APPLIES TO THE HALLWAYS, I WOULD IMAGINE NOT THE, THE CORRIDORS LIKE TO, FOR THEIR GUEST ROOMS, IT WOULD NOT APPLY IN THOSE AREAS.
IT WOULD APPLY IN THE LOBBY AREAS IF THEY HAD AN ORIGINAL DINING ROOM.
I MEAN, IF YOU LOOK AT, AT HUGE BUILDINGS LIKE THE FONTAN BLUE OR THE EDEN ROCK, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE MULTIPLE PUBLIC SPACES, UM, WHERE THEY MAY WANNA PUT, I THINK WE WORKED WITH THE EDEN ROCK.
THEY WENT THROUGH THE BOARD PROCESS.
THEY WANTED TO PUT A LITTLE STARBUCKS IN KIND OF A CORNER IN ONE OF THEIR PUBLIC, UM, SPACES.
AND THAT WOULD HAVE HAD TO HAVE GONE TO THE, UH, TO THE HPB.
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AND UNDER THIS PROCESS, THAT WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO TO THE HPB POTENTIALLY AS LONG AS THE STAFF IS ABLE TO REVIEW IT AND IT SATISFIES ALL OF THE CRITERIA.IF, IF WE DETERMINE THAT IT DOESN'T SATISFY THE SAME CRITERIA THAT THE BOARD WOULD, WOULD REVIEW, THEN WE WOULD EITHER REQUEST THAT THEY MAKE CHANGES TO IT OR SEND IT TO THE BOARD.
QUESTION TWO, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ AND THEN VICE MAYOR BON.
YOU KNOW, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, I GOT INVOLVED IN POLITICS BECAUSE OF A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
UH, UH, REMEMBER THE ADDRESS WAS THREE 10 MERIDIAN AND WE ALL REMEMBER YEAH.
THEY, WHAT THEY DID WAS NOT MINOR ON THE INSIDE, UH, INSIDE WORK.
I MEAN, THEY, THEY COMPLETELY DID A WHOLE GUT JOB.
AND I JUST WANNA KNOW WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE OR WHAT HAS CHANGED FROM THAT PARTICULAR PROJECT TO NOW.
BECAUSE IF, IF THEY WERE ABLE TO DO A COMPLETE RENOVATION INSIDE AND ON THE SIDES OF THE BUILDING IN THE BACK OF THE BUILDING AND THEY WERE NOT, THEY DIDN'T HAVE TO GO TO, TO GET A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS.
WHAT, WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE THEN AND MAY AND MAYBE YOU CAN REFERENCE IT TO THAT PROJECT.
UM, FROM WHAT I RECALL, I DON'T, I DON'T BELIEVE I REVIEWED THAT PERMIT, BUT I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE SITUATION.
UM, THAT WAS THREE 10 MERIDIAN WAS ORIGINALLY CONSTRUCTED AS A, AS AN APARTMENT BUILDING, DID NOT HAVE PUBLIC INTERIOR SPACES LIKE A, A LOBBY OR A BALLROOM OR A DINING ROOM.
UM, NON-PUBLIC INTERIOR SPACES, UH, LIKE APARTMENT UNITS.
UM, EVEN THE CORRIDORS LEADING TO THE APARTMENT UNITS, UM, ARE NOT UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE AT ALL.
SO WE DON'T REVIEW A CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS FOR THOSE AREAS OF THE BUILDING FOR THE EXTERIOR.
UM, AND FROM WHAT I RECALL, AND, AND I APOLOGIZE IF I'M NOT GETTING ALL THE FACTS STRAIGHT, THERE WAS A SIGN, A LOT OF WINDOW REPLACEMENT ON THAT BUILDING THAT IS CURRENTLY ALLOWED.
ALL WINDOW AND DOOR REPLACEMENT MAY BE REVIEWED ADMINISTRATIVELY, AS LONG AS IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE HISTORIC DESIGN.
UM, I BELIEVE THERE ALSO MAY HAVE BEEN A SEPARATE ENTRANCE ADDED FOR, THAT'S REQUIRED FOR A DA, UH, ACCESSIBILITY THAT IS ALSO SPECIFICALLY OUTLINED AS SOMETHING THAT STAFF IS ABLE TO REVIEW AND APPROVE ADMINISTRATIVELY, MINOR DEMOLITION TO ACCOMMODATE, UH, LIFE SAFETY CODES, FIRE CODES AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION, THAT'S, THAT'S MY RESPONSE.
BUT WE CAN CERTAINLY TALK LATER IF YOU WOULD LIKE.
UH, AND I DON'T KNOW, THE CITY ATTORNEY WANTS TO BE RECOGNIZED.
THE, THE ONLY THING I WOULD, I WOULD ADD, UM, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ IS I THINK THE, THE BIG ISSUE WITH THREE 10 WAS THAT THE PROPERTY OWNER EXCEEDED THE SCOPE OF WHAT COULD BE APPROVED, UH, ADMINISTRATIVELY.
IS THAT RIGHT, DEBBIE? THAT WAS THE JEFFERSON THAT WAS 3 3 3 JEFFERSON, WHICH WE DID BRING BACK TO THE BOARD.
VICE MAYOR BOT, UM, I WAS ACTUALLY GONNA REFERENCE, UM, THE PROJECT THREE 10 AS WELL.
IF SOMEBODY, UM, HAS A SITUATION WHERE THEY GET ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL TO REPLACE THE WINDOWS, AND THEY THEN ON THE JOB DECIDE INSTEAD OF, UM, HAVING FIXED WINDOWS, WE'RE GONNA HAVE SLIDERS, WOULD THEY HAVE TO COME BACK TO, BECAUSE THE, THEN THE FUNCTIONALITY CHANGES, RIGHT? SO YOU GO FROM HAVING A WINDOW THAT YOU CAN OPEN TO A DOOR, BUT THEY GOT WINDOW APPROVAL.
THEY'RE NOT THINKING ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN THIS ADDS VALUE OR I'M ALREADY HERE.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE? WHO'S GONNA KNOW? OR I JUST DON'T CARE OR INSERT REASON HERE.
THERE WOULD BE AN INSPECTION, WOULDN'T THERE? WELL, SO THAT'S THAT.
SO, SO THAT'S WHAT I'M ASKING.
SO IF, UM, TO GET THEIR FINAL CO, THERE WOULD'VE TO BE A FINAL INSPECTION THAT WOULD MATCH THE PLANS TO WHAT WAS BUILT.
SO IF SOMEBODY IS, UM, NOT LOOKING SUPER CLOSELY AND SEES THERE IS A NEW WINDOW DEMARCATED ON THE PLANS TO BE HERE AND THERE IS A NEW WINDOW HERE, AND THEY DIDN'T LOOK AT THE PLANS TO SEE, OH, IT'S A JEALOUSY WINDOW, OR IT'S THIS ONE OF THESE SUPER LONG WINDOWS THAT GOES LIKE FROM YOUR KNEES TO THE CEILING, BUT NOW IT'S ACTUALLY NOT ONE OF THOSE WINDOWS.
IT'S A SOLDER DOOR, WHICH THEN MAKES IT, I GUESS TECHNICALLY A WINDOW, BUT IT'S ALSO AN EGRESS POINT AND CHANGES THE WAY A, A BUILDING COULD BE USED, RIGHT? YOU COULD HAVE PEOPLE COMING IN AND OUT ALL OVER THE PLACE WITHOUT GOING THROUGH A CENTRAL CHECK-IN POINT IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD.
HOW WOULD THAT BE STOPPED OR RECTIFIED? SO THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS.
THERE WOULD BE INSPECTIONS AND IT WOULD LIKELY, UM, IT
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SHOULD BE CAUGHT AT AN INSPECTION NOT ONLY BY OUR PLANNING INSPECTOR, UM, WHO DOES LOOK AT IT FOR OUR DESIGN PURPOSES TO MAKE SURE IT'S CONSISTENT WITH THE PLANS, BUT THAT'S ALSO A, A BUILDING VIOLATION.BUT, AND SO THEY WOULD NEED TO BE NOT APPROVED AT CO THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED AT THAT POINT TO SUBMIT A REVISION TO THAT PERMIT.
SO NOT ONLY WOULD PLANNING REVIEW IT, BUT FIRE WOULD ALSO HAVE TO REVIEW IT.
BECAUSE BELIEVE IT OR NOT, FIRE IS VERY CONCERNED WITH WINDOW OPENINGS AND EGRESS AND HOW THEY, UM, HOW THEY OPEN.
UM, BUT IT WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH THE WHOLE REVIEW PROCESS AT THAT.
AT THE POINT IT CAME TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT, PLANNING DEPARTMENT WOULD LOOK AT IT TO MAKE SURE IT'S CONSISTENT AGAIN, WITH THE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION.
IF IT IS, WE COULD APPROVE THAT REVISION.
IF IT'S NOT, WE WOULD STOP THAT PERMIT AND SAY, YOU, YOU KNOW, WE CANNOT APPROVE THIS ADMINISTRATIVELY, IT IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH OUR CRITERIA AND YOU NEED TO FILE AN APPLICATION TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD.
AND AT THAT POINT IT WOULD BE AN AFTER THE FACT APP, UH, APPLICATION.
BUT THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO, UM, OCCUPY THE BUILDING OR LEASE OUT SPACES OR DO SHORT TERM RENTALS OR ANYTHING LIKE IT.
THEY COULD NOT USE IT UNTIL THEY RECTIFIED THE SITUATION EITHER BY BRINGING IT UP TO AN APPROVED PLAN OR TAKING OUT THE, THE WHATEVER WAS NOT BEING APPROVED.
BECAUSE, I MEAN, I DON'T, I DON'T REMEMBER, BUT I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY RIGHT NOW, WINDOWS ARE ALLOWED TO BE REVIEWED ADMINISTRATIVELY? YES.
AND SO THIS SPECIFIC CLEANUP THAT WE'RE DOING THROUGH THE RE UNANIMOUS RECOMMENDATION OF THE REVIEW COMMITTEE RELATES TO MINOR PUBLIC INTERIOR MODIFICATIONS AND A FEW OTHER SEVERAL THINGS YOU MENTIONED.
BUT, BUT, BUT RIGHT NOW THIS, THE, THE ITEM THAT WE'RE ON RELATES TO, UH, THE MINOR PUBLIC INTERIOR MODIFICATION WINDOWS IS SOMETHING THAT ALREADY EXISTS.
AND I THINK WE ALSO DID CREATE A PROCESS WHERE, WHERE THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE NOTIFIED OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW PROCESS WHEN THE WHOLE WINDOW SITUATION, AND I THINK I REMEMBER SPONSORING LEGISLATION THAT THERE HAS TO BE A POSTING, UH, AS IT RELATES TO THE THIRD AND MERIDIAN ITEM THAT CAME OUT, UH, WHEN, AT THE TIME CITIZEN SUAREZ, UH, WAS APPEARING TO US WITH THE CONCERNS HAVING TO DO WITH THAT PROJECT.
WE DO A POSTING FOR ALL ADMINISTRATIVE CERTIFICATE OF APPROPRIATENESS AND THOSE ARE ALSO POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE.
SO I GUESS WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO, WHETHER IT'S WINDOWS OR SOMETHING ELSE, I DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO COME IN AND SAY, OH, THEY'LL APPROVE THIS SMALL THING AND, OR THIS MM-HMM.
BUT ONCE I ACTUALLY DO IT, I'LL DO WHATEVER THE HELL I WANT.
THEY'LL, I MEAN, THEY CAN DO WHATEVER THE HELL THEY WANT, BUT THEY'LL GET CAUGHT ON THE BACK END.
THEY'LL FAIL THEIR INSPECTION.
AND, AND I'LL BE HONEST WITH YOU, GOING TO THE BOARD DOESN'T PREVENT SOMEONE FROM DOING THAT EITHER BECAUSE I'VE, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN THE BOARD APPROVE CERTAIN THINGS AND THEN AN INSPECTION HAS SHOWN THAT IT EVEN HAPPENS WITH PAINT COLORS.
WE'RE DEALING WITH THAT NOW WITH A RESTAURANT.
THEY GOT AN APPROVAL FROM ONE OF THE BOARDS ON A SPECIFIC PINK COLOR AND THE SHADE IS JUST SLIGHTLY OFF AND THEY'RE BEING FORCED TO GO BACK BEFORE THE BOARD.
AND WE ARE DEALING WITH IT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET THEIR APPROVAL BECAUSE THEIR SHADE IS SLIGHTLY OFF.
AND WE'RE ALSO DEALING IT WITH THAT HOME THAT'S BEING BUILT WITH A FENCE.
THAT'S THAT THE, THE WALL THAT'S LIKE ABUTTING THE SIDEWALK ON ALLISON, I THINK IT IS.
AND MS YES, MR. CHAIR, THAT'S, THIS IS GONNA CLEAN UP, THIS CLEANUP IS GONNA HELP WITH SITUATIONS LIKE THAT FOR SHADES OF COLOR.
I MEAN, WELL I'S VERY ONEROUS ON A, I WE, THAT'S NOT INCLUDED HERE, BUT WE DO HAVE SEPARATE LEGISLATION, UH, THAT WILL MAKE ITS WAY TO THIS COMMITTEE AT SOME POINT, HAVING TO DO WITH PAINT COLORS, UH, IN, IN HISTORIC, NOT IN HISTORIC IN COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
IS THAT CORRECT, MR. DIRECTOR? YES.
THAT'S ON THE APRIL 15TH AGENDA.
SO WE HAVE AN ITEM THAT'S GONNA BE COMING FORWARD REGARDING THAT.
UH, DEBBIE, LET'S, LET'S PROCEED.
SO I'LL MOVE ON TO THE, UH, SECOND PROCESS TOPIC, UM, THAT THE COMMITTEE HAS RECOMMENDATIONS.
I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, DID WE COVER THE MINOR WORK INVOLVING IMPROVEMENTS OF PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY? OH, EASEMENTS.
SO, UM, THE OTHER ITEMS, UM, THAT THE COMMITTEE WANTED US TO EXPLORE FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW WOULD INCLUDE MINOR WORK INVOLVING INVOLVEMENTS UPON PUBLIC RIGHTS OF WAY AND EASEMENTS.
THIS IS, UH, CONSISTENT WITH THE DESIGN REVIEW BOARD'S CRITERIA, I MEAN, AUTHORITY.
AND I THINK IT MAKES, UM, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF SENSE TO, TO GET, ESPECIALLY THESE PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS, THE SMALL MINOR THINGS, UH, REVIEWED AS AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADES ONGOING EVERY DAY, IT SEEMS. UM, THE NEXT, UH, ITEM WAS, UH, DEMOLITION AND
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RECONSTRUCTION OF ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES IN ACCORDANCE WITH AVAILABLE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION.AND THIS IS LIMITED STRICTLY JUST TO ELEMENTS.
THESE ARE ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS, WHICH ARE OFTEN, AND WE'VE, I HAVE A BUNCH OF EXAMPLES OF THIS OFTEN, YOU KNOW, PROJECTING FEATURES.
THEY COULD BE, UM, USUALLY THEY'RE CONCRETE BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE, THE PORTIONS OF THE BUILDING THAT SEEM TO HAVE STRUCTURAL DEFECTS, UM, PROJECTING ELEMENTS LIKE AN EYEBROW, AN OVERHANG.
UM, WE HAD ONE, ONE PRO PROJECT THAT JUST WENT THROUGH, OR IS CURRENTLY GOING THROUGH THE BOARD PROCESS NOW, UM, BUT HAD GONE BACK TO THE BOARD BECAUSE DURING CONSTRUCTION THEY REALIZED THAT THEIR PROJECTING PROTOCOL SHARE STRUCTURE, UM, WAS, WAS AN UNSAFE STRUCTURE.
THEY HAD TO STOP CONSTRUCTION.
THEY DELAYED PROBABLY A MONTH OR TWO AND WENT BACK TO THE BOARD WITH THE SAME DESIGN.
THEY SAID, WE JUST, WE HAVE TO RECONSTRUCT IT EXACTLY HOW YOU APPROVED IT, BUT WE, WE HAVE TO REMOVE IT AND PUT IT BACK.
AND IN THIS CASE, WE'RE, WHAT, WHAT IS BEING RECOMMENDED IS THAT THE ARCHITECTURAL FEATURE BE NO MORE THAN 20% OF THE FACADE AREA.
AND WE HAVE TO HAVE DOCUMENTATION SO THAT IT CAN BE RESTORED AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE AS TO IT WAS HOW IT WAS HISTORICALLY.
AND SO I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, I REMEMBER A WHILE BACK, MAYBE A YEAR OR TWO AGO, THERE WAS A HOTEL IN OCEAN DRIVE, ONE OF THE ICONIC HOTELS, AN OCEAN DRIVE.
AND THERE WAS CONCRETE ISSUES.
UH, IT, IT WAS, IT WAS AN ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENT THAT THEY, IT WAS A PRODUCTION THAT IT HAD CONCRETE THAT WAS FALLING.
THAT TO ME IS A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE.
BUT IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT, THEY WOULD'VE HAD TO HAVE GONE BEFORE THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD HERE, THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO GO TO YOU GUYS AND BE ABLE TO GET ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL.
AND WHAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE PAST IS WHEN YOU HAVE A, A REAL LIFE SAFETY ISSUE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T DELAY THE REMOVAL OF AN UNSAFE ELEMENT.
UM, BUT THEN WHAT YOU SEE IS ALL THESE AFTER THE FACT, RIGHT.
UM, APPLICATIONS THAT HAVE GONE TO THE BOARD AND WE BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, STAFF IS CONFIDENT THAT WE HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF APPROVING THE RECONSTRUCTION.
MEANING IT NEEDS TO BE EXACTLY EITHER HOW THE BOARD HAD APPROVED IT ORIGINALLY OR WHAT THE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTATION SHOWS.
ADMINISTRATIVELY, IF THEY WANT TO CHANGE THE ELEMENT THAT WOULD REQUIRE GOING TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD, VICE MAYOR BOND, WHAT IF, UM, THE BUILDING DOESN'T HAVE, UH, HISTORIC DOCUMENTATION OF THE ELEMENT THAT NEEDS TO BE RECREATED ONCE IT'S REMOVED? WE, WE DO A PRETTY GOOD JOB AT FINDING STUFF, BUT IF WE COULDN'T FIND, IT WOULD BE A, A CONJECTURE ELEMENT AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO PROBABLY BRING THAT TO THE BOARD.
BECAUSE PART OF THE CRITERIA WOULD BE THAT YOU HAVE ENOUGH DOCUMENTATION TO KNOW HOW IT WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED, AND SOMETIMES WE DON'T.
DEBBIE, LET'S TALK ABOUT RAILINGS.
SO THERE'S TWO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RAILINGS.
UM, THE FIRST RECOMMENDATION IS WITH REGARD TO BASICALLY ANY BUILDING, BUT SPECIFIC TO CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
UM, THE, THE COMMITTEE HAS RECOMMENDED THAT WE, THAT STAFF BE ALLOWED, UM, TO REPLACE THAT ELEMENT.
UM, PARTICULARLY IF IT WAS A WOOD RAILING, WHICH WE HAVE IN OUR HISTORIC DISTRICTS, OR A CONCRETE RAILING THAT IS, YOU KNOW, HAVING STRUCTURAL ISSUES THAT STAFF BE ABLE TO APPROVE A REPLACEMENT RAILING THAT MATCHES, AGAIN, MATCHES AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE HISTORICAL, UM, RAILING IN DESIGN FEATURES.
UM, THE SECOND RECOMMENDATION THAT I THINK IS PART OF A SEPARATE ITEM ON THE AGENDA TODAY IS WITH REGARD TO NON-CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS.
SO THESE ARE NON-CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
AND WHAT, WHAT I HAVE SEEN IN THE PAST, PROBABLY YEAR TO TWO YEARS, IS A LOT OF NON-CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS IN OUR DISTRICTS WERE BUILT IN THE LATE SIXTIES THROUGH THE 1970S, EVEN EARLY 1980S.
AND THEY HAVE THOSE CONCRETE PROJECTING BALCONIES AND MOST OF THOSE BUILDINGS ARE GOING THROUGH A RECERTIFICATION PROCESS.
AND THE RAILINGS GET FLAGGED FOR TWO, TWO DIFFERENT REASONS.
RIGHT? THEY GET FLAGGED AS PART OF THE STRUCTURAL COMPONENT OF THE RECERTIFICATION.
AND THEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS ALSO LOOKING AT THESE VERY CLOSELY, BECAUSE MOST RAILINGS THAT WERE INSTALLED ON A BUILDING BEFORE 1980 DO NOT MEET THE CURRENT HEIGHT AND REJECTION REQUIREMENTS OF CURRENT LIFE SAFETY CODES.
SO WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THESE HUGE CONCRETE RAILINGS, CONDOMINIUM OWNERS COMING TO US SAYING, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO PUT IT BACK, OR IT'S TOO HEAVY.
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YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T A GREAT DESIGN TO BEGIN WITH, RIGHT? BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALL THIS HEAVY CONCRETE ON THE OCEAN PROJECTING OUT THAT IS GONNA NEED ALL THIS MAINTENANCE FOR THE FUTURE AND WILL PROBABLY NEED TO BE REPLACED IN THE NEXT 25 YEARS AGAIN.SO WE'VE HAD SEVERAL BUILDING OWNERS AND PJ I THINK I SENT YOU A A VISUAL FOR THIS 'CAUSE IT MIGHT BE EASIER FOR FOR ME TO SHOW THEM.
SEVERAL OF THESE CONDOMINIUM BUILDINGS HAVE GONE THROUGH THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD PROCESS.
UM, THE BOARD HAS EXPRESSED, UM, YOU KNOW, FRUSTRATION AND, AND NOT WANTING TO SEE THESE TYPES OF APPLICATIONS.
UM, BUT CURRENTLY BECAUSE THEY'RE CHANGING THE DESIGN, SAY THEY WANNA TAKE THE BIG CLUNKY CONCRETE RAILING AND PUT A, A SIMPLE METAL RAIL OR ALUMINUM RAIL.
AND WE HAVE SOMETIMES PULLS OFF THAT.
I THINK 8 51 PJ MERIDIAN AVENUE WAS AN EXAMPLE.
P PJ, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE ABLE TO, I DUNNO IF IT'S EVEN DISPLAY THOSE IMAGES.
I'M PULLING UP FOR YOU RIGHT NOW.
WASN'T THERE, UM, WHEN NANCY LIEMAN, UM, WAS ON MBU AND, AND I WAS ON MBU, THERE WAS, I CAN'T REMEMBER THE DETAILS, BUT THERE WAS A BIG TO DO.
TOM, I'M SURE YOU REMEMBER 'CAUSE NANCY WAS IN YOUR OFFICE A LOT.
UM, THERE WAS A BIG TO DO ABOUT, UM, RAILINGS AND VARIANCES, FIRE CODE VARIANCES FOR HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
IT WAS KIND OF ALONG THESE LINES, BUT WASN'T EXACTLY, CAN YOU, DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS? THE WENDY RUG ORDINANCES? THE, THE BELL PLAZA ONE WAS A LITTLE DIFFERENT BECAUSE THAT'S OUTSIDE OF AN HISTORIC DISTRICT, BUT THEY WANTED TO MAINTAIN THAT RAILING DESIGN.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT DIDN'T MEET THE CURRENT REQUIREMENTS OF THE LIFE SAFETY CODE.
AND THE FIRE MARSHAL AT THE TIME HAD VERY LITTLE LATITUDE TO VARY FROM THAT BECAUSE IT WAS NOT AN HISTORIC BUILDING.
AND THE FIRE MARSHAL AT THE TIME ACTUALLY WENT TO TALLAHASSEE, LOBBIED A STATE TO CHANGE THE LAW TO ALLOW THEM TO DO IT ON THE HISTORIC PROPERTIES.
WHAT NANCY ADVOCATED WAS, UM, ALLOWING FOR RAILING DESIGN TO RETAIN, TO THE GREATEST EXTENT POSSIBLE, THE ORIGINAL HISTORIC DESIGN BY MORE LIMITED INTERVENTION.
SO FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU HAD A 30 INCH RAILING, PERHAPS YOU COULD GO TO 36 BY PUTTING A TOP BAR, BUT YOU KEEP THE REST OF THE RAILING.
OR IF THE OPENINGS ARE SO WIDE, PERHAPS YOU PUT A GLASS PANEL BEHIND IT.
AND WE'VE SEEN EXAMPLES OF THAT.
LIKE AT THE VICTOR, IF YOU GO TO THE VICTOR LOBBY, THE UPPER LEVEL RAILING, THEY PUT A GLASS PANEL TO RETAIN THE ORIGINAL RAILING, WHICH WAS STILL EXISTING.
AND IT WAS THAT, THAT ALSO APPLIED TO STAIRWELLS, I THINK.
I CAN REMEMBER SOME THINGS I HAVE TO SAY, I, I FIND THOSE, I GOT WHY IT'S DONE FOR SAFETY PURPOSES, BUT I THINK THOSE, THAT GLASS TAKES AWAY FROM THOSE HISTORIC RAILINGS.
I MEAN, KIDS WERE KIDS AND BACK THEN TOO.
I KNOW, BUT EVERYONE'S LITIGIOUS NOW.
ALL RIGHT, PJ, WERE WE ABLE TO, UH, THERE WE GO.
THERE WE HAVE 8 51 MERIDIAN, WHICH IS ON THE TOP.
I GUESS DEBBIE IS THE EXAMPLE OF CORRECT.
AND YOU CAN SEE THE, THE PREVIOUSLY EXISTING RAILINGS WERE A CAST CONCRETE LARGE BLOCK SYSTEM, UM, THAT WAS CAUSING, THAT BECOMES, UH, STRUCTURAL ISSUES ON THESE BUILDINGS.
UM, AND SO THE PICTURE BELOW IS WHAT THE BOARD HAD APPROVED AND WHAT WAS INSTALLED ON THE BUILDING.
AND, AND I THINK THE, THE RESIDENTS WERE VERY HAPPY TO
WHICH ADDED TIME AND EXPENSE TO THE RESIDENTS OF THOSE CONDOMINIUMS. CORRECT.
UM, THE NEXT, UH, THERE'S A COUPLE MORE EXAMPLES.
THIS IS, YOU KNOW, A DIFFERENT TYPOLOGY.
SO EVEN MORE RA, VULNERABLE VERA IS THE RIVIERA PLAZA CONDOMINIUM.
UH, THEY WANTED TO CHANGE, THEY'RE MASONRY AND, UM, ALUMINUM RAILINGS TO ENTIRELY GLASS.
UM, THEY WENT TO THE BOARD AND THE BOARD APPROVED THE, THE CHANGE.
AND SO EXPLAIN TO ME, BECAUSE THE RIVIERA IS, THAT'S IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT'S IN THE ARCHITECTURE DISTRICT.
IT IS, IT IS NOT IN THE ARCHITECTURAL DISTRICT, BUT IT IS IN THE COLLINS WATERFRONT HISTORIC DISTRICT.
IT'S A NON-CONTRIBUTING BUILDING.
UM, BUT NONETHELESS, THE RULES AREN'T DIFFERENT FOR NON-CONTRIBUTING OR CONTRIBUTING.
IF YOU'RE CHANGING A DESIGN ELEMENT, YOU WOULD GO THROUGH THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD PROCESS BECAUSE YOU'RE IN THE, IN A DISTRICT.
AND THE COMMITTEE, YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD A, A REALLY TALENTED CONTRACTOR WHO WORKS WITH HISTORIC BUILDINGS ON AS A MEMBER OF OUR COMMITTEE.
AND I THINK ALL OF THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO WHAT THESE LARGER CONDOMINIUMS ARE GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW WITH THEIR RECERTIFICATIONS MM-HMM
UM, AND THEY JUST FELT THAT THIS MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE SOME RELIEF TO, AND THIS, AND I MEAN, A LOT OF BUILDINGS ARE DEALING WITH THIS.
LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, YOU HAVE TRI AND TOWER.
THAT'S, THAT'S, THAT'S AROUND THERE.
YOU HAVE, UH, MARISOL TOWERS, YOU, YOU
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HAVE RIVIERA, YOU HAVE THE KING DAVID.YOU HAVE SO MANY BUILDINGS THAT ARE AROUND THEIR CLUB ATLANTIS THAT FALL WITHIN, WITHIN ONE OF THESE HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
YET THESE BUILDINGS ARE NOT HISTORIC IN NATURE, BUT THEIR RESIDENTS ARE BEING ASSESSED GREAT, GREAT AMOUNTS OF MONEY IN ORDER TO ENGAGE IN THIS WORK.
AND NOW THEY HAVE TO HIRE LOBBYISTS TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS AND THE TIME OF TAKING THIS THROUGH THROUGH A BOARD, WHICH CAN TAKE TIME AND THIS WILL STREAMLINE THAT.
I THINK YOU HAVE ANOTHER EXAMPLE.
THE LATEST EXAMPLE IS A BUILDING I'M CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THAT HAS, IS IN THE PROCESS OF SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION.
UM, IF WE COULD GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
THIS IS ANOTHER PROPERTY THAT WENT THROUGH THE BOARD PROCESS.
THE LAST ONE IS THE ONE I'M WORKING WITH NOW.
UM, SO THIS, THIS PROJECT ALSO WENT THROUGH, UM, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD PROCESS RELATIVELY RECENTLY IN 20, I THINK AT THE END OF 2023, THEY HAD GONE AND GOTTEN APPROVAL, BUT IT WAS A, YOU KNOW, VERY SIMILAR SITUATION.
IT'S KIND OF THE SAME STORY OVER AND OVER.
THEY WERE GOING, IN THIS CASE IT WAS A BIT MORE CHALLENGING.
THEY WERE GOING THROUGH A RECERTIFICATION PROCESS.
THEY HIRED A CONTRACTOR, THEY HAD CONTRACTOR ISSUES.
ONE OF THE, THE CONTRACTORS WHEN, BECAUSE THEY'RE LOOKING AT STRUCTURAL, THE STRUCTURAL REPORT FROM THE ENGINEER AND SAYING, OKAY, ALL OF THESE THINGS NEED TO BE REPAIRED.
WHEN THE CONTRACTOR WAS TRYING TO FOLLOW THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER'S DIRECTION, HE JUST REMOVED THE BALCONIES.
'CAUSE HE, IN HIS MIND, THE CONTRACTOR THOUGHT THAT THAT WAS STRUCTURAL REPAIR.
SO THIS WENT AS AN, AFTER THE FACT ALL THE, THE, THE ENTIRE SLAB, UM, IN MOST CASES FOR THIS BUILDING.
AND THE RAILINGS WERE REMOVED.
THIS PARTICULAR ONE, YOU KNOW, IS PROBABLY THE LEAST WELL DONE OF ALL OF THEM BECAUSE IT'S JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, BASIC VERTICAL PICKET.
UM, BUT THIS WENT THROUGH THE BOARD PROCESS.
THEY DELAYED A LOT OF, UH, A LOT OF THEIR CONSTRUCTION TO GET THROUGH THE BOARD PROCESS AND GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, UM, AND HEARING FROM THE RESIDENTS OF THE BUILDING, UH, THE BOARD DID APPROVE IT.
AND YOUR LAST EXAMPLE, THE LAST EXAMPLE IS, IS A BUILDING ON LENNOX THAT I'M CURRENTLY WORKING WITH NOW.
I MEAN, YOU CAN SEE THEY'RE DOING OTHER REPAIRS TO THIS BUILDING.
UM, THEY'RE IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION WHERE I THINK THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN BY AS WELL.
SO THEY'VE KIND OF PUT SOME PLYWOOD UP TO TRY AND SATISFY
THEY'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, ABOUT A, A FOUR MONTH PROCESS, UM, TO, TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO THE, IT SEEMS LIKE THE MAJORITY OF THE BUILDINGS THAT WOULD BE BENEFITING FROM THIS ARE KIND OF OUR, OUR INVENTORY OF NATURALLY AFFORDABLE, NATURALLY ACQUIRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHO NEED THE MOST HELP THE FASTEST BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING HIT WITH THE SAME ASSESSMENTS AS EVERYBODY ELSE WITH NOT TO MAKE GENERALIZATIONS, BUT WITH LIKELY LESS OPPORTUNITY TO DIP INTO THEIR POCKET BOOKS TO FIX THINGS.
SO THIS WOULD HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THAT PRESSURE.
YEAH, AND I, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I LIKE THAT THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED, IT'S NOT ONLY THE STREAMLINING OF THE PROCESS, ALLOWING THE, THE, THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO DO THAT ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW, BUT THAT THEY'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE DESIGN GUIDELINES BE DEVELOPED TO ALLOW STAFF TO APPROVE RAILING DESIGNS, ALTERNATE RAILING DESIGNS FOR NON-CONTRIBUTING BUILDINGS, BUT HAVING THAT DESIGN GUIDELINE IN PLACE MM-HMM
AS SO THAT, SO THERE'S THAT ROADMAP, OKAY, YOU MIGHT NEED TO GO AWAY FROM THIS CONCRETE.
IT MIGHT BE CONSTANTLY TO REPLICATE THAT CONCRETE.
AND WE KNOW THAT THAT CONCRETE AND THE WEIGHT ON THAT CONCRETE COULD CREATE GREATER STRUCTURAL PRESSURES IN, IN, IN THE FUTURE.
BUT WHAT IS IT THAT WE WANNA TAKE? WHAT DIRECTION DO WE WANNA GO IN? AND HAVING THAT, UH, PRE-APPROVED DESIGN GUIDELINE COULD BE HELPFUL.
WITH THAT, SHOULD WE GO INTO THE TWO STEP PROCESS? ABSOLUTELY.
I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE TWO STEP PROCESS.
AND, AND THE COMMITTEE WAS VERY EXCITED ABOUT IT TOO.
SO THE, THE TWO STEP PROCESS, WE CURRENTLY HAVE THIS PROCESS OUTLINED IN THE CODE.
UM, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE WERE, WHEN WE WERE GOING THROUGH OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE COMMITTEE, IT DAWNED ON ME THAT, HUH, YES, WE DO HAVE THIS PROCESS BECAUSE I, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T OFTEN THINK OF IT BECAUSE IT'S NEVER BEEN USED.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
IT'S NEVER BEEN USED, AT LEAST, I DON'T KNOW, TOM'S BEEN HERE LONGER THAN ME.
UM, BUT SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE ALMOST TWO DECADES, YOU KNOW, IT HASN'T BEEN USED.
SO WHEN I WAS READING THROUGH THE SECTION, IT, IT WAS VERY UNCLEAR HOW, HOW TO USE IT, WHAT
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THE REQUIREMENTS WERE, WHO WAS ELIGIBLE FOR THIS TWO STEP PROCESS.THE, THE EXISTING CODE SAYS THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD WILL DETERMINE WHO IS ELIGIBLE FOR THIS PROCESS.
WELL, IF YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO FILE THE APPLICATION, HOW DO YOU GET IN FRONT OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD TO MAKE THAT DECISION? SO THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THAT STAFF PREPARE A MUCH MORE DETAILED, UM, PROCESS FOR THIS.
UM, THEY DID BELIEVE THAT FOR THE VERY LARGE PROJECTS, THIS WOULD BE EXTREMELY BENEFICIAL.
UM, VERY LARGE PROJECTS SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, THE RALEIGH HOTEL PROJECT, THE, UM, SHORE CLUB PROJECT, THE RITZ CARLTON PROJECT, RARE, I MEAN, THEY DON'T GET REVIEWED IN, IN ONE HEARING.
AND I BROUGHT, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, I BROUGHT A VISUAL PROPERTIES WITH LOT SIZES OF ONE ACRE OR MORE.
AND I, I BROUGHT A VISUAL SO YOU CAN SEE THE MAGNITUDE OF WHAT'S REQUIRED FOR A FULL APPLICATION TO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD.
AND PJ, CAN YOU ZOOM IN ON THAT? HOW MANY PAGES? THAT'S LIKE, THIS IS, I THINK, OH, I COUNT, I HAD THE NUMBER.
UM, I THINK IT'S OVER 200 PAGES.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S JUST TO HAVE LIKE THIS PRELIMINARY FIRST REVIEW AT THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD.
BUT WE REQUIRE TO GET IN FRONT OF THE BOARD, WE REQUIRE A FULL APPLICATION.
SO THAT INCLUDES, YOU KNOW, MINUTIA DETAILS OF IN PUBLIC INTERIORS, ALL MATERIALS, EVERYTHING HAS TO BE FINALIZED TO GET IN, IN FRONT OF THE BOARD WHERE YOUR ELEVATOR'S AT, WHERE YOUR ESCAPE ROUTE IS AT.
WHEN IN REALITY WE WANNA BE FOCUSING, OKAY, YOU'RE MASSING.
HOW FAR BACK ARE YOU FROM THE SETBACKS? HOW TALL IS YOUR BUILDING? SOMETHING THAT'S MORE CONCEPTUAL FOR THAT FIRST, RIGHT.
THE, I THINK THE INTENT BEHIND OUR EXISTING TWO STEP PROCESS WAS TO PROVIDE THESE LARGER PROJECTS, UM, AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO IN FRONT OF THE BOARD AND, AND HAVE THE BOARD REALLY DELIBERATE ISSUES OF COMPATIBILITY WITH THE SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS, SCALE MASSING.
AND THAT'S OFTEN LIKE WITH, WITH MUL WITH THIS PROJECT AND WITH OTHER PROJECTS, THE BOARD ENDS UP SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON THAT.
THEY OFTEN HAVE CONDITIONS OR, OR REQUEST CHANGES.
SO IF THE APPLICANT IS SUBMITTING A FULL PACKAGE AND THE BOARD STARTS ASKING FOR SOME MODIFICATIONS TO THE LOCATION OF THE ADDITION TO THE HEIGHT OF THE ADDITION, THAT'S A RIPPLE EFFECT TO THE POINT WHERE HUNDREDS OF PAGES OF PLANS, HUNDREDS OF, AND THEN IT WOULD HAVE TO COME BACK ANYWAYS WITH A FULLY REVISED PLAN.
AND IT'S, IT'S HARD FOR THE BOARD.
UM, MORE THAN ANYTHING, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT'S HARD FOR THE BOARD TO DIGEST SO MUCH INFORMATION WHERE THEY MAY HAVE SIX OR SEVEN OTHER APPLICATIONS ON THE AGENDA WHEN THEY'RE, THEY OFTEN DON'T FOCUS ON THINGS LIKE THE DETAILS OF THE RESTORATION OF THE HISTORIC BUILDING BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH ELSE TO FOCUS IN ON THAT.
THE TWO STEP PROCESS ALLOWS THE BOARD TO APPROVE, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY A SITE PLAN WITH THE GENERAL MA WITH THE MASSING, YOU KNOW, WE'LL IT WILL REQUIRE DETAILED INFORMATION, EITHER ENGINEERED OR ARCHITECTURALLY, YOU KNOW, SIGNED AND SEALED DRAWINGS THAT ARE ACCURATE.
BUT IT WOULD NOT REQUIRE ALL OF THE VAST AMOUNT OF DETAILS.
UM, AND WE DO THINK THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL BECAUSE THEN IF THERE, THEIR SITE PLAN GETS APPROVED, THEY CAN COME BACK WITH ALL OF THOSE DETAILS IN THE BOARD.
WE'LL REALLY HAVE THE TIME AND THE ENERGY TO FOCUS ON, ON THAT.
SO WE DO THINK IT WILL, I'M SORRY.
UH, PETE DID WE, THERE'S, THERE'S SOME NOISE THAT'S COMING IN.
JUST WANTED TO ALERT IT TO YOU THROUGH THE SOUND SYSTEM.
UM, WE DO THINK IT WILL BE A HUGE ASSISTANCE IN, IN SAVING OF A LOT OF RESOURCES FOR APPLICANTS, BUT WE ALSO THINK IT'LL PROBABLY RESULT IN BETTER PROJECTS.
'CAUSE THE BOARD WILL HAVE MORE TIME AND FEEL MORE RELAXED TO, TO TAKE SMALL BITES OUT OF A PROJECT THAN TO TRY TO DIGEST THE WHOLE THING IN ONE HEARING.
UM, AND, AND THIS WOULD APPLY TO PROPERTIES ON LOT SIZES OVER AN ACRE? CORRECT.
AND PROJECTS, UH, OR DEVELOPMENTS OVER 75,000 GROSS SQUARE FEET, EITHER OR.
SO THIS IS FOR THE REALLY LARGE PROJECTS IN OUR CITY.
UM, THE NEXT RECOMMENDATION WAS WITH REGARD TO THE EXISTING TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS AND MITIGATION PLAN REQUIREMENTS.
UH, CURRENTLY THE, THE RESILIENCY CODE REQUIRES ANY PROJECT GOING BEFORE, UM, THE, THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD THAT IS OVER 5,000 GROSS NEW SQUARE FEET.
OR IF IT'S A MULTIFAMILY BUILDING THAT IS GREATER THAN FOUR NEW RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
IF YOU MEET THAT THRESHOLD, THEN YOU'RE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THE TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS AND MITIGATION PLAN,
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WHICH DOES FUNNEL THROUGH OUR TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, WHO DOES A GREAT JOB IN REVIEWING THESE.BUT IT, IT DOES ADD A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ADDITIONAL TIME.
UM, IT ALSO DOES REQUIRE THROUGH THAT PROCESS WITH TRANSPORTATION A, UM, A CONSULTANT REVIEW.
UM, AND THE COMMITTEE DID BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS, WAS BURDENSOME ON SMALLER PROJECTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, A 5,000 GROSS SQUARE FEET IS, IS NOT A, A LARGE, REMEMBER GROSS SQUARE FEET INCLUDES ANY PARKING AREAS, EXCUSE ME.
AND I'VE HEARD OVER, OVER THE YEARS, UM, THAT THIS IS THE BIGGEST DELAY THAT APPLICANTS OFTEN FACE ARE THE TRAFFIC STUDIES AND THE PEER REVIEW OF THESE TRAFFIC STUDIES.
AND RIGHT NOW, I THINK OUR, OUR REGULATIONS EVEN SAYS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE DOING AN ADDITION THAT ADDS FOUR NEW UNITS, WELL, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE IMPACT OF FOUR NEW UNITS? AND SO NOW WE'RE GONNA DELAY A PROJECT THROUGH THIS BUREAUCRACY, UH, AND CREATING, YOU KNOW, KEEPING A BURDENSOME PROCESS.
THIS WOULD ACTUALLY JUST STREAMLINE THAT, WHERE WE'RE GONNA SAY, REALLY THIS IS FOR THE LARGER PROJECTS.
DO WE REALLY NEED THESE, UM, THESE REVIEWS AND WHAT'S GONNA BE, WHAT'S GONNA BE THE, UH, THRESHOLD? THE COMMITTEE, UH, RECOMMENDED, OH, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED THE THRESHOLD BE 50,000 SQUARE FEET, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PLANNING BOARD'S, UH, CONDITIONAL USE, UH, REVIEW.
SO THERE ARE PROJECTS THAT AREN'T CAPTURED BY THE PLANNING BOARD BECAUSE THEY'RE IN RESIDENTIAL DISTRICTS.
UM, BUT THEY WOULD BE CAPTURED BY, BY HPB BECAUSE WE WOULD FOR OVER 50,000 SQUARE FEET, THE, THE RECOMMENDATION IS TO STILL REQUIRE THIS TYPE OF STUDY.
I HAVE A MACRO QUESTION FOR YOU.
WHAT FOR TOM? UM, OR WHOMEVER? UM, I'D LIKE THIS BEING CONSISTENT ACROSS OUR DIFFERENT DISCIPLINES AND OUR DIFFERENT DISTRICTS.
UM, I KNOW THAT ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL, BUT I SO CLEARLY REMEMBER IF YOU WERE ON THE PLANNING BOARD OR YOU HAD LEFT ALREADY, BUT THERE'S A RESIDENT WHO CAME, NICK, YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER, WHO WOULD COME AND WAS PULLING HIS HAIR OUT.
HE'S LIKE, IT'S JUST NOT CONSISTENT FROM BLOCK TO BLOCK, FROM DOOR TO DOOR.
AND SO THIS DOESN'T ADDRESS ALL THE ISSUES, BUT I, I REALLY LIKE THE CLEANING OUT TO MAKE IT MORE CONSISTENT.
AND SO I'M WONDERING IF WE'RE DOING THIS, ARE THERE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES TO KIND OF MAKE THINGS MORE CONSISTENT, UM, LIKE WE'RE DOING HERE IN OTHER WAYS THAT I DON'T KNOW THE CODE WELL ENOUGH TO CAPTURE? SO OBVIOUSLY THAT'S NOT A, THAT'S NOT A THING.
LIKE YES, HERE ARE FIVE EXAMPLES, BUT I WOULD PUT IT TO YOU GUYS TO MAYBE THINK ABOUT IT, TALK ABOUT IT, AND COME BACK TO US AND SAY, HERE A HANDFUL OF OTHER EXAMPLES OR OPPORTUNITIES THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE HISTORIC DISTRICTS ARE CONTRIBUTING OR WHATEVER.
BUT IT'S THE SAME ISSUE JUST IN A DIFFERENT SECTION.
SO I DUNNO IF THAT NEEDS TO BE A MOTION.
UM, OR I CAN JUST ASK YOU TO REMEMBER TO DO IT OR I DUNNO WHAT THE RIGHT PROCESS IS.
AND WE, WE CAN ALSO MEET, MEET WITH YOU IF YOU LIKE, WITH STAFF, UH, TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC ISSUES.
THE NEXT, UM, PROCESS RECOMMENDATION BY THE BOARD IS, UH, TO EXPAND THE EXISTING SECTION THAT IS ENTITLED THE SPECIAL REVIEW PROCEDURE FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
UM, CURRENTLY WE DO HAVE, UM, EXPANDED AUTHORITY TO REVIEW SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS, UM, FOR EXTERIOR CHANGES.
UM, HOWEVER, WE DO NOT HAVE EXPANDED AUTHORITY TO APPROVE ADDITIONS OVER A CERTAIN SIZE.
SO WE CAN APPROVE UP TO TWO STORY ADDITIONS.
BUT THE WAY THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION REGULATIONS WERE STRUCTURED, AND I BELIEVE THE INTENT WHEN THESE THRESHOLDS WERE PUT IN PLACE WAS FOR LARGER COMMERCIAL AND MULTI-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS.
IT WAS STRUCTURED TO LIMIT THE PERCENTAGE OF ANY NEW ADDITION THAT STAFF CAN REVIEW AND APPROVE ADMINISTRATIVELY TO A PERCENTAGE OF THE EXISTING SQUARE FOOT, SQUARE FEET OF THE BUILDING.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, OUR HISTORIC HOMES IN HISTORIC DISTRICTS, THEY'RE PRIMARILY IN THE WESTERN PART OF FLAMINGO PARK AND IN PALM VIEW, WELL, THESE EXISTING HOMES IN OUR HISTORIC DISTRICTS ARE VERY SMALL.
UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM THEY PROBABLY, THEY PROBABLY RANGE BETWEEN MAYBE 13 OR 1400 SQUARE FEET TO 2,500 SQUARE FEET.
SO IF YOU HAD A, A 1700 SQUARE FOOT HOME AND YOU WANTED TO DO AN ADDITION, CURRENTLY YOU'D BE ALLOWED TO DO A 300 SQUARE FOOT ADDITION.
ADMINISTRATIVELY, IT'S NOTHING.
SO IT'S NOT PROPORTIONAL, I THINK, TO, TO THE INTENT OF THAT REGULATION.
SO THE COMMITTEE, UH, DID RECOMMEND THAT
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STAFF BE ABLE TO APPROVE, UM, IN ADDITION TO THE SPECIAL REVIEW PROCEDURE THAT'S ALREADY IN PLACE TO APPROVE ADDITIONS THAT DON'T EXCEED THE ALLOWABLE SETBACKS, UM, LOT COVERAGE OR UNIT SIZE OR HEIGHT ADMINISTRATIVELY.SO, UM, PROVIDED THEY'RE NOT SUBSTANTIALLY VISIBLE FROM THE PUBLIC RIGHT OF WAY.
SO THIS WOULD WOULD NOT INCLUDE AN ADDITION AT THE FRONT OF THE PROPERTY, FOR EXAMPLE.
AND THIS IS GREAT BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT WHAT, WHAT, WHAT HAPPENS? I'M SORRY, I GOT DISTRACTED.
UM, WHAT HAPPENS IS THE MOMENT THEY HAVE TO GO BEFORE THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD, THEY'LL JUST COME IN TO REQUEST AT THE MILIAN PERMIT.
AT THAT POINT, THEY WON'T COME TO SAY, WELL, YOU KNOW, IF, IF I'M JUST GONNA GO THROUGH THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD, LET ME JUST GO AND GET EVERYTHING THAT I CAN.
IN THIS CASE, BY AVOIDING THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD TO MAKE AN ADDITION TO A HOUSE, WE, IN ESSENCE HELPING MAKE THESE HOMES MORE, MORE USABLE FOR MODERN STANDARDS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME HELPING ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO KEEP THE HOMES BY AVOIDING HAVING TO, TO GO THROUGH THE REGULATORY PROCESS OF THE BOARD.
AND THE, THE COMMITTEE HAD, UM, ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION THAT IF THIS, IF THIS SHOULD MOVE FORWARD, UM, THAT AT A MINIMUM REQUIREMENT, THE, THE PROPERTY OWNER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO SEND A MAIL NOTICE TO HIS ADJACENT, UM, NEIGHBORS TO NOTIFY THEM IN ADVANCE OF, OF ANY PERMIT BEING ISSUED.
AND, AND STAFF THINKS THAT THAT IS A, A VERY GOOD IDEA AS WELL.
AND IT'S MAINLY FLAMINGO WEST AND PARKVIEW PALMVIEW.
WE HAVE, UM, UH, TWO CLEANUP ITEMS REALLY FO UH, FINISH UP THE, THE PROCESS RECOMMENDATIONS ONE WAS TO REMOVE, UM, WHAT WE BELIEVE IS AN OBSOLETE NOTICE REQUIREMENT SPECIFIC TO CONTINUED ITEMS ON THE BOARD'S AGENDA ONLY.
UM, THIS I BELIEVE USED TO BE AN ALL FOUR LAND USE BOARD NOTICE REQUIREMENTS.
IT WAS REMOVED FROM ALL THE BOARD REQUIREMENTS, BUT IT WAS LEFT IN, UM, SPEAKING TO YOUR CONSISTENCY ISSUE LEFT IN SOMEHOW IN THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION SECTION, THIS BASICALLY SAYS IF AN ITEM IS CONTINUED, IT REQUIRES A, A NOTICE IN THE MIAMI HERALD 15 DAYS BEFORE.
UM, WE'RE NOT NOTICING IN THE HERALD IS CONSISTENCY BETWEEN THE BOARDS.
JUST TO, JUST TO MAKE A, A CONSISTENT PRO NOTICING PROCESS FOR ALL FOUR OF OUR LAND USE BOARDS.
UM, AND THE FINAL, UM, RECOMMENDATION WAS ACTUALLY BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION BY MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.
UM, MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AUTHORIZES THE CITY THROUGH ENABLING LEGISLATION TO HAVE OUR OWN HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROGRAM.
UH, COMMUNITIES THAT DO NOT WISH TO OPT INTO AN INDEPENDENT PROGRAM ARE UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY.
SO THE COUNTY HAS MINIMUM THRESHOLD REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH TO MEET IN ORDER TO HAVE AN APPROVABLE HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE.
WE, UM, SUBMIT A, A, A ANNUAL REPORT EVERY YEAR TO THE COUNTY.
THEY'RE ALWAYS VERY HAPPY WITH THE WORK WE DO, BUT THEY, THIS YEAR THEY DID POINT OUT, UH, THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT CONSISTENT WITH ONE OF THEIR MINIMUM STANDARDS AND THAT IS, UH, THE INCLUSION OF PROCEDURES TO REMOVE HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
SO THE MINUTE I FOUND OUT THAT WE WERE NOT IN COMPLIANCE WITH ONE OF THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE CHIEF OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION AT MIAMI COUNTY.
UM, SHE, UM, GAVE ME THE COUNTY'S LANGUAGE AND SAID IT, IT'S, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT TO ENCOURAGE THE REMOVAL OF DESIGNATION, IT'S JUST TO, TO HAVE A PROCESS IN THE EVENT THAT, THAT SOMEONE REQUESTS THIS.
AND BASICALLY WHAT THE COUNTY'S LANGUAGE IS.
AND, AND WHAT THE COMMITTEE HAD RECOMMENDED IS THAT IT BE THE, TO AMEND OR RESCIND ANY HISTORIC DESIGNATION.
IT, THE PROCESS SHALL COMPLY IN THE SAME MANNERS AND PROCEDURES AS THE ORIGINAL DESIGNATION.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, IN OUR HISTORIC DISTRICTS, SOMEONE WANTED TO REMOVE A DESIGNATION THAT WOULD REQUIRE HEARINGS IN FRONT OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD, A HEARING IN FRONT OF THE PLANNING BOARD, AND ULTIMATELY TWO HEARINGS BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION.
AND THAT'S JUST, THAT'S JUST FOR US TO BE IN COMPLIANCE.
IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN OUR HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORDINANCE, WE NEED TO COMPLY WITH THE COUNTY REQUIREMENT.
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SINCE WE HAVE OUR OWN HISTORIC PRESERVATION CODE TO HAVE THIS ELEMENT WITHIN IT.LET'S TALK ABOUT INCENTIVES FOR PRESERVATION SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO USE THAT SECTION OF THE CODE.
THE, THE FIRST INCENTIVE, THE, THE COMMITTEE, UM, DISCUSSED AND, AND WAS VERY POSITIVE ABOUT WOULD BE POTENTIALLY EXPANDING OUR CURRENT AD VALOREM HISTORIC TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM.
WE CURRENT, THE CITY CURRENTLY HAS A PROGRAM ELIGIBLE TO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ONLY.
UM, THE BOARD OR THE COMMITTEE WANTED TO DISCUSS EXPANDING THAT TO ALL PROPERTIES, COMMERCIAL, MULTIFAMILY, UM, PROPERTIES.
AND IT'S, IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT, 'CAUSE I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ABOUT THIS TOO.
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY CURRENTLY FOR THEIR PORTION OF THE TAXES CURRENTLY OFFERS THIS, THIS PROGRAM FOR ALL BUILDINGS WITHIN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
UM, AND THEY, YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, WOULD SUPPORT THE CITY DOING THAT.
I CONFIRMED WITH THEM THAT THEY WOULD BE OKAY WITH THAT AND THIS WOULD JUST BE FOR THE CITY'S PORTION OF THE TAXES.
SO WE DON'T SEE A, A TON OF APPLICATIONS.
I'M STILL GETTING THE FINAL DATA FROM THE COUNTY ABOUT HOW MANY APPLICATIONS THEY HAVE PROCESSED OVER THE YEARS FOR, FOR THE COUNTY'S PORTION OF THE TAXES.
UM, BUT POTENTIALLY A, A REASON WHY, MAYBE BECAUSE IT, YOU KNOW, THE COUNTY'S PORTION'S ABOUT ONE THIRD OF THE TAX BILL.
WE ARE THE SIGNIFICANT PART OF IT.
AND SO, AND SO THIS WOULD OFFER A TAX EXEMPTION FOR THE RENOVATION TO THE HISTORIC PROPERTY AND IT WOULD ALLOW FOR THE EXEMPTION OF UP TO 100% OF THE INCREASE IN TAXABLE BUILDING VALUE FOR THE IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THAT'S, SO THAT WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT.
WELL, IT'S, IT'S NOT THE PROPERTY VALUE.
IT WOULD BE THE INCREASE IN BUILDING VALUE AFTER RENOVATIONS ARE DONE.
IT COULD BE IF IT WAS A VERY LARGE PROJECT, UHHUH,
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THE CITY'S PORTION AND THE COUNTY PORTION.
AND THAT IS FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED 10 YEARS.
SO AFTER 10 YEARS, THAT WOULD GET ROLLED BACK.
THE, THE INCREASED BUILDING VALUE WOULD GET ROLLED BACK INTO THE TAX BILL FOR BOTH THE COUNTY AND THE CITY.
SO THIS IS THE SAME THING WE ALREADY DO FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, BUT EXTENDING IT FOR MULTI-FAMILY AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS.
AND THIS IS SIGNIFICANT VICE MAYOR BY, SO I, I LOVE THIS.
UM, I'M CURIOUS, NICK, MAYBE I MISUNDERSTOOD, BUT I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS FIRST ELECTED, UM, WE TALKED ABOUT HOW TO INCENTIVIZE WORKFORCE HOUSING AND HAD AN IDEA.
I BROUGHT TO YOU AN IDEA THAT WAS SIMILAR TO THIS FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT, UM, TO DEFER TAXES OR, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DIFFERENTIAL.
AND I WAS TOLD THAT WE, WE WERE PREEMPTED BY THE STATE, BUT THAT'S FOR NEW DEVELOPMENT.
SO THE QUESTION IS, AND I I DON'T WANT TO LIMIT THIS.
I THINK THIS IS GREAT 'CAUSE WE WANNA SEE MORE PRESERVATION OR REDEVELOPMENT AND, UM, AS OPPOSED TO BUILDING NEW LIKE THAT, IT WAS BY FAR THE GREENEST WAY TO REDEVELOP AND PUT MORE, BETTER HOUSING STOCK IN.
BUT IF, IF WE HAVE, IF THIS EXISTS FOR ONE TYPE OF HOUSING, WHY CAN'T WE USE THIS TO INCENTIVIZE ANOTHER TYPE OF HOUSING WHEN IT'S ON THE BOOKS? STATE LAW SPECIFICALLY PROVIDES FOR AN AD VALOREM, UH, PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION FOR, UH, IMPROVEMENTS TO HISTORIC BUILDINGS.
SO THIS, SO THIS IS, THIS IS PURSUANT TO AN EXPRESS STATUTE.
UM, MIAMI G COUNTY HAS ADOPTED AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD APPLY TO, TO ANY DEVELOPMENT.
OUR ORDINANCE ONLY APPLIES TO SINGLE FAMILY.
SO THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEE WOULD BE TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM, UM, TO, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE, YOU KNOW, THE FULL BENEFITS OF WHAT THE STATUTE ALLOWS.
I MEAN, LOOK, I THINK THIS, THIS, ALL THESE OTHER THINGS ARE REALLY GOOD.
THIS HERE, THIS WE SHOULD BE SHOUTING FROM THE ROOFTOPS.
I MEAN, TO YOUR POINT, COMMISSIONER ROSEN GONZALEZ, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT, UM, HOW TO, YOU KNOW, IS IT BETTER TO BUY NEW OR TO REDEVELOP? AND, YOU KNOW, THE, A GOOD CASE CAN BE MADE FOR EITHER DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT IF NOW PROPERTIES THAT EXIST KNOW THAT THEY CAN DO SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT UPGRADES AND EXPAND THE SIZE OF THEIR PROPERTIES.
SO YOU GO FROM BEING A SIX UNIT MULTIFAMILY BUILDING TO 10 UNIT.
AND IF A BUNCH, I MEAN, I'M THINKING JUST OF NORTH BEACH AND WE HAVE PLENTY OF THEM, UM, WITH A LITTLE BIT ROOM TO MANEUVER, RIGHT? LIKE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T WANNA HAVE NO GREEN SPACE, BUT THERE IS SOME ROOM TO MANEUVER UP THERE.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, ONE OF THE THINGS WE KEEP HEARING IS, UM, WE CAN'T DO IT.
WELL, ALL OF A SUDDEN THAT'S NO LONGER TRUE.
IF AND WHEN THIS GETS ADOPTED, I WOULD LIKE TO VERY STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT THERE IS PUBLIC OUTREACH COMMUNITY MEETINGS.
OH, THAT'S, UM, THAT'S IN THE WORKS FOR THIS.
LIKE, LIKE SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS ONE.
EVERYTHING ELSE IS GREAT, BUT THIS IS THE ONE THAT CAN REALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE AND IT CAN HAPPEN THE FASTEST
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VERSUS A NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT'LL TAKE, YOU KNOW, TWO YEARS TO GET PERMITTED AND THREE YEARS TO GET BUILT AND FIND THE FUNDING AND BUY THE LAND AND ALL THAT STUFF.AND WE'VE TRIED TO DO THIS IN THE PAST AND THERE WAS NOT THE POLITICAL WHEREWITHAL TO GET THIS TO THE FINISH LINE.
AND I HOPE THAT, THAT, THAT WITH OUR RENEWED FOCUS ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND THE CHALLENGES AND THE THREATS THAT WE SEE TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION, THAT THIS TAX EXCEPTION ON TO THE COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, TO THE MULTI-FAMILY PROPERTY THAT INVEST IN THEIR PRESERVATION, MAKE IT THE VERY BEST INCENTIVE THAT WE CAN OFFER TO PRESERVE OUR ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE IN MIAMI BEACH.
THIS IS A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME.
UM, COMMISSIONER, BUT YOU MENTIONED YOU WOULD GO FROM, LIKE, AS AN EXAMPLE, YOU GO FROM FOUR UNITS TO SIX UNITS.
HOW, HOW ARE YOU INCREASING FAR OR HOW ARE YOU ACTUALLY INCREASING UNITS? UH, IN THE EXAMPLE YOU GAVE, I MEAN, I JUST PULLED THAT OUTTA THIN AIR AND THE THING THROUGH THE CHAIR.
THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE CHAIR, THROUGH THE, UM, I JUST PULLED THAT OUT OF, UM, THIN AIR.
FOR AN EXAMPLE, IF SOMEBODY WERE LIKE, OH, I REALLY WOULD LIKE TO EX IMPROVE MY, MY BUILDING AND I HAVE ROOM TO ADD SOME UNITS, I OH, OKAY.
I JUST, I WANNA BE CLEAR THAT NO, IT'S NOT AN FAR THING.
IT'S JUST LIKE IF SOMEBODY OWNED A PROPERTY AND SAID, BOY, YOU KNOW, THESE, THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY HERE.
THERE'S ALL THIS UNUSED LAND ON THE LOT, AND I COULD DO SOMETHING HERE.
UM, OR I COULD MAKE MY PROPERTY A NICER, UM, PLACE TO LIVE.
UM, I COULD PUT IN CENTRAL AIR, I COULD REPLACE THE ROOF, BUT IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE.
BUT, BUT ALSO, BUT YOU CAN ALSO THROUGH RECONFIGURATION, INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF UNITS IN A HISTORIC BUILDING, UM, FOR AS LONG AS IS, AS IT IS CONSISTENT WITHIN THE DENSITY REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IS THAT CORRECT, MR. ATTORNEY? YES.
SO, SO, SO YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO GO FROM FOUR UNITS TO, LET'S SAY SIX UNITS THROUGH, THROUGH AN APPROVED RECONSTRUCTION FOR, FOR AS LONG AS YOU ARE WITHIN DENSITY LIMITS.
AND THAT, THAT DOES HAPPEN ON, ON A REGULAR BASIS.
FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT OUR, UM, TRANSPORTATION, OUR TRANSPORTATION STUDY REQUIREMENTS, YOU KNOW, IF YOU ADD MORE THAN FOUR UNITS TO AN EXISTING BUILDING, IT WOULD TRIGGER A TRANSPORTATION STUDY, WHICH IS, WHICH DELAYS THE PROCESS.
SO THERE IS THE ABILITY TO DO IT.
YEAH, THANK YOU MR. YEAH, IT JUST, IT JUST CAUGHT MY ATTENTION WHEN THERE WAS A MENTION OF GREEN SPACE AND, YOU KNOW, POSSIBLY ADDING MORE OVER THAT GREEN SPACE.
I, I, I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE, THIS DOESN'T ALLOW THAT ADMINISTRATIVELY TO HAPPEN.
THIS ANY, ANY ADDITION TO A PROPERTY WOULD HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE CURRENT LAND OFOUT.
YEAH, AND I'M NOT, I'M LI NOT SUGGESTING, NOR WOULD I EVER SUGGEST THAT WE PAVE PARADISE TO PUT UP A PARKING LOT OR TWO ADDITIONAL, UH, UNITS.
BUT IF YOU ARE SITTING ON A, ON A MULTIFAMILY PROPERTY IN A HISTORIC DISTRICT THAT WAS BUILT IN THE 1940S OR FIFTIES, THAT MAY NOT HAVE THE MOST BENEFICIAL USE OF SPACE ON THE LOT, AND THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING WITH IT, UM, BUT YOU'VE NEVER CONSIDERED REIMAGINING HOW TO RECONFIGURE THE SPACE BECAUSE IT DIDN'T MAKE ECONOMIC SENSE.
NOW YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION, WHEREAS BEFORE YOU NEVER DID.
AND, AND WE, BUT I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY, I JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE RECORD IS CLEAR THAT THE EXCEPTION APPLIES ONLY TO QUALIFYING IMPROVEMENTS OF THE HISTORIC PROPERTY.
SO IT WOULDN'T APPLY TO NEW CONSTRUCTION.
IT WOULD APPLY ONLY TO QUALIFYING IMPROVEMENTS, DEBBIE, IS THAT CORRECT? UM, PARTIALLY CORRECT.
JUST TO ADD TO THAT, UM, MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY, UH, TAX APPRAISER AND THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION CHIEF IS THAT SMALL ADDITIONS ATTACHED TO THE BUILDING.
SO IF YOU HAD A ROOFTOP ADDITION, OR IF YOU PUT A REAR ADDITION ON YOUR PROPERTY TO ADD ADDITIONAL UNITS, THAT POTENTIALLY COULD BE QUALIFYING AS AN IMPROVEMENT TO THE EXISTING BUILDING.
IF YOU WERE APPROVED TO BUILD AN ADDITION DETACHED, LIKE A SEPARATE LITTLE BUILDING IN THE BACK, THAT FROM MY UNDERSTANDING, WOULD NOT BE A QUALIFYING IMPROVEMENT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AS WE READ ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING SOLUTIONS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY, THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO IT, RIGHT? SO, AND A SEPARATE A DU WOULD WORK IN BAYSHORE, WHERE A LOT OF THE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ALREADY HAVE THOSE LITTLE GUEST COTTAGES IN THE BACK.
AND THAT'S A THING THAT ALREADY EXISTS.
AND WE'VE GOT LEGISLATION TO INCENTIVIZE NEW ADUS TO BE STRUCTURED.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY'S APPLIED FOR THAT, BUT THAT IS A SMALL TOOL IN OUR TOOLBOX.
IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING HERE WHERE YOU HAVE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE YOUR BUILDING HAS FOUR UNITS ON ONE SIDE AND THREE ON THE OTHER SIDE, YOU COULD POTENTIALLY
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DO A, A FOURTH LITTLE UNIT THERE.AND, AND NOW YOU HAVE ANOTHER INCREMENTAL.
AND I KNOW THIS DOESN'T MOVE THE NEEDLE, BUT IT ALL ADDS UP.
AND ANYTHING THAT WE CAN DO TO ENCOURAGE, UM, OWNERS TO THINK ABOUT HOW DO WE TAKE BETTER CARE OF OUR BUILDINGS? BECAUSE THE OTHER THING IS WE DON'T JUST WANT PEOPLE TO LIVE IN REALLY CRAPPY RUNDOWN BUILDINGS.
WE WOULD LIKE THEM TO BE ABLE TO LIVE IN AFFORDABLE PLACES WITH CENTRAL AIR AND WINDOWS THAT OPEN AND FLOORBOARDS THAT AREN'T, UM, WILDLY UNEVEN.
AND SO IF WE HAVE THINGS THAT CAN INCENTIVIZE PEOPLE TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF THEIR BUILDING, PROVIDE BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR RESIDENTS, UM, AND, AND PROTECT OUR HISTORIC CULTURE, I'M VERY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.
I, I'M TELLING, WE, WE'VE WERE IN MY BRIEFING AND I'M JUST SO PROUD OF THE WORK THAT DEBBIE HAS DONE AND OF THE COMMITTEE THAT WE PUT TOGETHER.
'CAUSE IT REALLY HAS BEEN PROFESSIONALLY DRIVEN RECOMMENDATIONS TO HELP OUR COMMUNITY AND BETTER PRESERVE OUR HISTORIC CHARACTER.
SO DEBBIE, LET'S TALK ABOUT TDRS AND, UH, TDS.
UH, THE TDR SLASH TDD, WHICH IS TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS, OR A TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT DENSITY IS, IS A MORE COMPLEX PROGRAM THAT WE DON'T CURRENTLY IN THE CITY HAVE A, A STRUCTURE FOR.
UM, AS PART OF A A, I THINK THIS WAS ITEM NUMBER TWO ON THE AGENDA TODAY.
UM, STAFF DID PREPARE A, A MEMO THAT OUTLINES, UM, AN INITIAL STRUCTURE OF HOW SUCH A PROGRAM COULD BE, UM, COULD BE PUT IN PLACE IN, IN THE CITY OF MAYA BEACH.
TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED AT THE, I BELIEVE IT WAS THE NOVEMBER LAND USE COMMITTEE, SPECIFIC TO HAVING A, A SUNSET PERIOD IN SPECIFIC TO CERTAIN AREAS.
KIND OF A SMALLER AREA, PERHAPS WAS WASHINGTON 17TH, PERHAPS.
UH, INCLUDING THIS AS PART OF THE RESIDENTIAL USE INCENTIVES WHERE WE HAVE LINCOLN ROAD, 17TH STREET AND WASHINGTON AVENUE AS A POTENTIAL.
UM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE POINTED OUT AND WE THINK IS CRITICAL BEFORE THIS, UM, GOES TOO FAR, UM, INTO ANY FORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS, IS TO, UH, HAVE AN ECONOMIC STUDY, A MARKET STUDY, UH, FOR SUCH A PROGRAM.
BEST PRACTICES THROUGHOUT, UM, THE COUNTRY HAVE ALL INDICATED THAT WITHOUT THIS TYPE OF STUDY, UM, THERE'S, THERE'S LESS LIKELIHOOD THAT ANY PROGRAM LIKE THIS WOULD BE SUCCESSFUL THERE.
THERE NEEDS TO BE A MARKET FOR NOT ONLY THE PURCHASE, BUT ALSO FOR THE SALE OF THESE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS.
THERE ALSO NEEDS TO BE APPROPRIATE, UM, RATIOS PUT IN PLACE FOR WHAT CAN BE SOLD AND WHAT CAN BE PURCHASED.
UM, SO IT IS, IT IS DIFFICULT.
THERE ALSO NEEDS TO BE A CERTAIN SATURATION LEVEL IF THERE'S TOO MANY AVAILABLE, UM, THAT THEY'RE ALSO NOT LIKELY TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
IF THERE'S TOO LITTLE AVAILABLE FOR THE NEEDS OF THE PURCHASER, THAT'S ALSO LIKELY NOT TO BE, UM, SUCCESSFUL.
THERE'S, THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS OF STRUCTURING THIS.
UM, WE HAD NOTED THAT, THAT THE TWO MAIN WAYS ARE FOR THE DEVELOPER TO MAKE A A, I MEAN, ALL OF THIS IS A PRIVATE TRANSACTION, BUT THE TWO MAIN WAYS IS, IS AT THE TIME THE DEVELOPER NEEDS THEM TO GO INDIVIDUALLY TO A PROPERTY OWNER AND PURCHASE THEM AT THE TIME HE'S GETTING HIS PROJECT APPROVED.
THE OTHER OPTION, WHICH, UM, SEEMS TO HAVE MORE SUCCESS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY IS, IS TO TREAT THEM LIKE COMMODITIES TO BASICALLY ALLOW THEM TO BE SOLD TO ANYONE AT ANY POINT.
AND HAVE, UM, WHAT A LOT OF COMMUNITIES DO IS THEY HAVE WHAT THEY CALL A TRANSFER DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS BANK, WHERE IT'S A CENTRAL LOCATION THAT HAS EITHER PURCHASED THESE, UM, AND CAN NEGOTIATE WITH, WITH DEVELOPERS TO SELL THEM.
SO IT'S, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE, I THINK THIS IS OUT OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT'S WHEELHOUSE IN TERMS OF THE EXPERTISE FOR THIS TYPE OF STUDY.
AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING THAT BEFORE WE, WE ISSUE ANY, UH, FORMAL RECOMMENDATIONS OR MORE SPECIFICITY THAT WE DO, GO AHEAD AND, AND, UH, HIRE A CONSULTANT TO PERFORM THIS STUDY.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, WHAT THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS ARE WITH, UH, WITH IMPLEMENTING A PROGRAM LIKE THESE, THE LEGAL FEES, THE MONITORING, UH, THE MARKET FACILITATION FOR IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S EVEN A MARKET FOR IT.
UM, YOU KNOW, ARE THERE BUYERS AND SELLERS AND THE RISKS INVOLVED WITH IT AND, AND EVALUATING, YOU KNOW, WHO BENEFITS MOST FROM A TDR PROGRAM AND HOW TO, UH, MITIGATE THE DISPARITIES IN ACCESSING THESE, THE, THESE PROGRAMS. SO, UM, AS PART OF THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US TODAY WOULD BE TO CONDUCT AN OVERALL ECONOMIC STUDY
[01:15:01]
ON WHAT ESTABLISHING A TDR PROGRAM COULD BE.SO WE CAN SEE WHAT THOSE ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND DRAWBACKS COULD BE AND BETTER INFORM OUR DECISION MAKING.
COMMISSIONER BON AND THEN COMMISSIONER WILSON GONZALEZ.
SO I WOULD ACTUALLY GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER THAN THAT AND I WOULD TAKE THE T-D-R-T-D-D AND TAKE IT OUT OF ALL THESE OTHER THINGS AND TREAT IT VERY SEPARATELY BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE ENTHUSIASTICALLY ENDORSING ALL OF THESE THINGS.
UM, I HAVE SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS ABOUT DOING TDRS HERE.
IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE, UM, A LOT OF UNDERDEVELOPED LAND IN THE CITY AND WE ALREADY ARE TALKING ABOUT, UM, DOING POTENTIALLY SOME VERY SPECIFIC AND DELIMITED UPZONING IN AREAS WHERE WE COULD MAYBE AFFORD TO DO THAT, WHICH THEN WOULD ALSO BE THE RECEIVING AREAS FOR ANY TDRS.
AND, AND WE HAVE A HISTORY, NOT ANYBODY HERE, BUT WE HAVE A HISTORY OF, AS A CITY OF GIVING PEOPLE AN INCH AND THEY TAKE A MILE.
AND THAT'S HOW YOU END UP WITH, YOU KNOW, A, A TOWER AT FIFTH AND ALTON THAT YOU CAN SEE FROM MID BEACH AND ANOTHER TOWER AT 72ND.
AND, UM, UH, DICKENS, I GUESS THE CROSS STREET IS THAT YOU CAN SEE ALMOST FROM MID BEACH.
AND SO, GIVEN OUR HISTORY, GIVEN THE PLAYERS IN THE MARKET, UM, AND GIVEN THE REALITY OF OUR GEOGRAPHY AND TOPOGRAPHY AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT, I DON'T THINK, AND I I'M THE FIRST TO SAY, LET'S GO EXPLORE IT.
BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THIS TDR IT SHOULD BE, UM, SOMETHING WE ENDORSE AS COMPLETELY AS THIS.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO SEPARATE IT BECAUSE THAT, AND THAT'S THE INTENT.
THE, THE, THE INTENT IS TO KEEP THAT AS A SEPARATE ITEM.
TOM, I THINK THE INTENT IS TO CONTINUE TO KEEP THAT ON THE AGENDA.
AS A SEPARATE, SO IT'S GONNA COME OUTTA THIS.
SO WHEN WE VOTE TO SAY, YES, LET'S APPROVE ALL THESE OR RECOMMEND IT, IT WILL BE ALL OF THESE EXCEPT FOR THIS.
'CAUSE THERE'S ALSO GONNA BE THE COST OF DOING A STUDY.
AND GIVEN WHAT WE KNOW, WE'RE LOSING $7 MILLION RIGHT OFF THE TOP NEXT YEAR IN OUR BUDGET BECAUSE OF THE DMV SITUATION, YOU KNOW, IS THIS $200,000 OR HALF A MILLION DOLLARS CAN BE WORTH.
AND I, I THINK THEY HAVE, THEY, THEY MAY HAVE MR. DIRECTOR, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENTAL BUDGET BECAUSE THE DOLLARS MAY EXIST POTENTIALLY FOR, TO, TO HIRE SOMEONE TO DO THIS ECONOMIC STUDY.
WE THINK THAT WE MAY HAVE THE FUNDS ALREADY.
WE DO WANT TO CONFIRM WHAT THE COST IS, AND THIS WOULD GO TO THE COMMISSION AS A RECOMMENDATION FOR THE COMMISSION TO AUTHORIZE IT.
UM, LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SINGLE FAMILY, UH, ZONING INCENTIVES.
COMMISSIONER ROSA GONZALEZ, YOU'RE CLIENT.
UM, I THINK THIS IS, NO, I, I I THINK IT'S GREAT.
I MEAN, I'M NOT ON THIS COMMITTEE, BUT I'M GLAD THAT I'M HERE TO WITNESS THIS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY, UH, COOL.
STEPHANIE, I, AND I, I DO THINK THAT THE TDRS ARE IMPORTANT 'CAUSE IT OFFERS AN ECONOMIC EXTENT.
DO I LOVE THEM? NO, BUT DO I, WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE HAVE TO, I, I, I DON'T KNOW.
THAT'S MY CONCERN, YOU KNOW, BUT, BUT, BUT IT, IT WOULD, IT COULD POTENTIALLY ENCOURAGE SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT GOING TO, UM, YOU KNOW, RENOVATE TO DO SO.
IF, IF IT, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS, AS LONG AS WE VOTED ON IT, I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A BIG PROBLEM.
BUT I DO THINK THAT THAT'S A SUPER ECONOMIC INCENTIVE.
I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WERE ABLE TO GET THE ADMINISTRATION TO AGREE TO A TAX EXEMPTION.
YOU KNOW, THIS TAX EXEMPTION IS SO POWERFUL.
I WOULD LIKE, I THINK THAT ANY BUILDING OWNER WHO BUILDS WITHIN THE ZONING THAT THEY CURRENTLY HAVE, INSTEAD OF TRYING TO GO ABOVE AND BEYOND, SHOULD GET THAT SAME TAX EXEMPTION.
NOW, I WAS TOLD THAT WE COULD NOT DO A TAX EXEMPTION NOW, BUT THIS ALREADY TAX EXEMPTION EXISTS.
IT HAS FOR, FOR AT LEAST FOR AT LEAST 15 YEARS, THIS HAS EXISTED.
WE'VE HAD IT IN MIAMI BEACH FOR A LONG TIME.
IT'S BEEN LIMITED ONLY TO SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN THE PAST.
WE'VE TRIED TO EXPAND THIS BEYOND SINGLE FAMILY HOMES.
WE HAVEN'T HAD THE POLITICAL SUPPORT TO EXPAND IT, OF COURSE, BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A TAX IMPACT AND WHAT DOES THE TAX IMPACT AFFECT.
IT AFFECTS OUR GENERAL FUND, BUT I THINK THIS PUTS OUR MONEY WHERE OUR MOUTH IS.
IT PUTS OUR MONEY WHERE OUR VALUES ARE, ARE ALIGNED.
IT PUTS OUR, IT PUTS OUR VALUES TO SAY THAT WE WANNA SUPPORT THE PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES EVEN WHEN THEY'RE NOT, EVEN WHEN THEY'RE NOT SINGLE FAMILY HOMES, THEY'RE WORTH PRESERVING.
AND WE'RE WILLING TO MAKE A 100%, UH, TAX EXEMPTION TO THE CITY, UH, ON THOSE, ON THOSE INVESTMENTS FOR A PERIOD OF 10 YEARS.
AND, AND WAIT, CAN I, 'CAUSE I'M ASKING THESE QUESTIONS HERE.
THE, THE ONLY THING THAT I WOULD ADD, AND WHAT I THINK WOULD MAKE THIS EVEN BETTER IS LIKE IF SOMEBODY WITH A HISTORIC BUILDING DECIDES THAT THEY WANNA RENOVATE IT AND THEY WANNA BUILD, AS
[01:20:01]
OF RIGHT, THEY SHOULD GET THE TAX EXEMPTION ON WHATEVER NEW, ON WHATEVER THEY ADD ON, I THINK WE'RE ALLOWED TO, TO THE PROPERTY.SO THIS, THIS, UH, THIS TAX EXEMPTION FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO EXISTING HISTORIC BUILDINGS IS SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED UNDER STATE LAW.
SO WE WOULD, WE WOULD BE LIMITED TO THE, TO THE CONFINES THAT FOR WHAT? OF, OF JUST THAT? YEAH.
EVEN IF THEY JUST PUT ON, WELL, IF THEY ADD ON A COUPLE OF UNITS AND THEY'RE STILL GETTING THE TAX EXEMPTION.
WELL, AND, AND WHAT, WHAT DEBBIE EXPLAINED IS THAT IN CERTAIN INSTANCES, UM, UH, MINOR ADDITIONS TO AN EXISTING BUILDING COULD QUALIFY, BUT, UH, YOU KNOW, A BRAND NEW, LET'S SAY A BRAND NEW BUILDING AT THE, AT THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY, THAT WOULD, THAT WOULD PROBABLY NOT QUALIFY.
HOW COULD WE, HOW COULD WE LOOK AT THAT STATUTE AND, AND SEE, BECAUSE MAYBE IF YOU KEPT THE ENTIRE HISTORIC STRUCTURE AND JUST ADDED ONTO IT, AND LET'S SAY THAT THEY HAD 50 FEET IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT.
FINE, THIS IS WHAT WE WANNA ENCOURAGE.
YOU WANNA ENCOURAGE FIVE FOOT, YOU KNOW, RESIDENT FIVE, FIVE FOOT, 50 FOOT, 75 FOOT BUILDINGS, NOT, YOU KNOW, 150, 400.
SO IF THERE WAS A WAY THAT YOU COULD LOOK AT THAT LAW AND SEE IF THEY BUILD WITHIN THE RIGHT AND THEY KEEP THE HISTORIC, YOU KNOW, AND, AND THEY RENOVATE THE HISTORIC PORTION, THEY SHOULD GET THE, THAT WOULD BE, THEY SHOULD GET THE TAX EXEMPTION.
AND THAT WOULD BE A REAL FINANCIAL INCENTIVE, I THINK.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S A POSSIBILITY, NICK, BUT WE CAN WELL, LET'S, LET'S CHECK IN WITH DEBBIE ON THAT.
SO WE CAN CERTAINLY HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS.
THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PROPERTY APPRAISER IS ACTUALLY THE ENTITY THAT MAKES THAT FINAL DETERMINATION OF WHAT THE VALUE OF THE QUALIFYING IMPROVEMENTS ARE AND THE COUNTY, UM, IN MY DISCUSSION, THE COUNTY ALSO HAS REGULATIONS THAT WE NEED TO FOLLOW.
I CAN CERTAINLY, AND THESE ARE DISCUSSIONS I'VE HAD PREVIOUSLY WITH IT, WITH MIAMI-DADE COUNTY TRYING TO FIGHT FOR, FOR HISTORIC SINGLE FAMILY HOMES IN ADDITIONS.
AND EVEN WITH THEIR, WITH THEIR APPLICATION, TRYING TO FIGHT TO GET MORE FOR OUR HISTORIC RENOVATIONS.
UM, SO WE CAN CERTAINLY, I CAN CERTAINLY, AS PART OF THIS MOVING, IF THIS MOVES FORWARD, HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS, UM, AND GET YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION.
BUT IT'S REALLY THE TAX APPRAISER BECAUSE I THINK THAT THAT'S, THAT'S MAKING THAT FINAL DETERMINATION.
THERE'S THREE MORE POINTS THAT WE GOTTA GET TO.
AND I JUST, THIS IS MY FINAL THING THAT I WANNA ADD.
YOU KNOW, ON SUNDAY I WAS AT THE TASTE OF THE FOUNTAIN, THE NORMANDY CIRCLE, WHICH I HADN'T BEEN TO LIKE IN SIX, SIX MONTHS OR SOMETHING.
WELL, WHAT I SAW WAS AN ORGANIC, UM, REHABILITATE, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? OR, OR ORGANIC SHOUTING ABOUT IT FOR BLOSSOMING OF THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.
AND THAT'S WHAT I ALWAYS SAID WOULD HAPPEN IF WE, YOU KNOW, IF WE HELD OFF AND DIDN'T ALLOW, YOU KNOW, AND DIDN'T ALLOW THIS TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT, WE WOULD GET THAT ORGANIC STYLE.
AND WHAT YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW IS A VERY COOL BURGEONING GASTRO BAR.
COOL JEWELRY, JEWELRY, CANDLE JEWELRY, A CANDLE SHOP OPENED.
NOW YOU HAVE LA PUBA, THAT LITTLE CAB FRENCH CABARET.
BUT AS IT RELATES TO THIS ITEM, I'M SORRY, IS THAT WE OKAY.
BUT, BUT THAT'S, BUT, BUT THAT IF WE INSIST ON STUFF LIKE THIS AND WE DON'T, WE AND WE HOLD THE LINE ON THE OTHER STUFF, THAT'S WHAT WE WILL GET.
BECAUSE THAT'S SO SPECIAL AND YOU CAN'T BUILD THAT.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER DEBBIE.
UM, THE FINAL ITEMS, WE HAVE, UH, THE SINGLE FAMILY HOME ZONING INCENTIVES.
UM, THIS IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE THAT, THAT, UH, REDUCES SETBACKS FOR ADDITIONS TO ARCHITECTURALLY SIGNIFICANT PRE 1942 HOMES THAT ARE BEING RETAINED AND RESTORED.
UM, SO THEY'RE ALLOWED TO FOLLOW THE SAME SETBACKS THAT EXIST FOR NEW ADDITIONS.
IT ALSO ALLOWS FOR ADDITIONAL, UH, LOT COVERAGE AND UNIT SIZE.
THE COMMITTEE, UM, STRONGLY ENCOURAGED THE CITY TO LOOK AT ALSO ALLOWING THESE INCENTIVES, WHICH PRIMARILY IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICTS, IT WOULD BENEFIT THE SETBACKS, UM, TO CONTINUE FOR SMALL ADDITIONS.
SO THIS CREATES CONSISTENCY, CREATES CONSISTENCY.
WITH THE EXCEPTION THE COMMITTEE WAS, WAS STRONG IN THE FACT THAT THEY DID NOT BELIEVE THE ADDITIONAL UNIT SIZE THAT'S ALLOWED OUTSIDE OF HISTORIC DISTRICTS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO HISTORIC DISTRICTS.
BUT THIS RELATES MORE TO SETBACKS AND LOCK COVERAGES.
AND, UM, FINALLY, UH, THE COMMITTEE AS REFERRED BY THE MAYOR AND COMMISSION, THE COMMITTEE DID DISCUSS, UM, TWO, UH, ITEMS THAT ARE ON TODAY'S, UM, LAND USE AGENDA.
THESE ARE THE, UM, INCENTIVES FOR PROPERTY OWNERS TO RESTORE AND REHABILITATE HISTORIC RESOURCES.
THERE'S ONE FOR NORTH BEACH AND THERE'S ONE ITEM FOR FLAMINGO PARK.
UM, SO THE COMMITTEE DISCUSSED THOSE, UM, THOSE APPLICA THOSE ITEMS. AND WHILE THEY BELIEVED THAT IT COULD BE SOMEWHAT BENEFICIAL THAT THEY, THEY STATED IT'S UNLIKELY TO REALLY MOVE THE NEEDLE BECAUSE THE FINANCIAL INCENTIVES PROVIDED, UM, WOULD
[01:25:01]
PROBABLY BE TOO LOW TO ENCOURAGE SOMEONE TO GO AHEAD AND RENOVATE THEIR ENTIRE BUILDING.UM, BUT THEY DID BELIEVE THAT THOSE IDEAS, COUPLED WITH A LARGER INCENTIVES PACKAGE WOULD BE HELPFUL.
UM, AND SO THEY WERE, UH, POSITIVE REGARDING THE INDIVIDUAL INCENTIVES, BUT AS LONG AS THEY WERE COUPLED WITH LARGER INCENTIVES TO MAKE A BIGGER IMPACT, UM, THEY BELIEVED THAT THEY WERE BENEFICIAL.
IN THEORY, THEY COULD BE, YOU KNOW, JUST, UM, UH, RECOMMENDATION NUMBER FIVE AND SIX OF THIS PACKAGE AND JUST FOLD IT INTO THIS.
SO THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO SEE DONE.
UM, THEN ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT, THAT'S UNDER THE OTHER CATEGORIES, I'M GONNA TAKE THE LIBERTY BECAUSE THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE BROUGHT IT UP, IS THE ADDITIONAL FUNDING, UH, TO, TO SUPPORT HIS HISTORIC PRESERVATION REVIEW AT THE STAFF LEVEL.
I THINK IF WE CREATE ALL THESE NEW CATEGORIES FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW, THAT NEEDS TO COME WITH SUPPORT FOR STAFF SO THAT WE DON'T END UP WITH A BACKLOG AND, AND THAT REVIEW PROCESS AS WELL FOR ANY NEW INCENTIVE PROGRAM THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE CREATED, LIKE THE AD HOC HISTORIC PRESERVATION, UM, UH, TAX EXEMPTION PROGRAM.
AND I WOULD LIKE FOR US TO CONSIDER THAT WITH THAT.
UH, DEBBIE, ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD? UM, NO, I JUST, I, I WANNA THANK, UM, I WANNA THANK YOU MR. CHAIR FOR ESTABLISHING THIS COMMITTEE.
I THINK THEY ALL DID GREAT WORK.
I WANNA THANK NICK
AND AGAIN, I, I REALLY WANT TO RECOGNIZE THIS COMMITTEE, UM, FOR, FOR, FOR A LONG TIME.
DEBBIE, I'VE SPOKEN TO YOU, TO TOM ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF CREATING THIS COMMITTEE TO UPDATE OUR 40-YEAR-OLD HISTORIC PRESERVATION CODE, BRING IT UP TO, TO, TO MODERN STANDARDS AND HELP SUPPORT PRESERVATION.
THIS COMMITTEE HAS DELIVERED SUCH EXCELLENT WORK.
AND LIKE ANY PERSON THAT SERVES IN A PUBLIC SEAT LIKE OURS, WE'RE ONLY AS GOOD AS STILLS WHO SUPPORT US.
AND YOU ARE A BIG PART OF THIS WORK, DEBBIE, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO YOU, TO NICK, UH, TO THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO TO, FOR HAVING FACILITATED THIS PROCESS.
IS THERE ANY OTHER DIALOGUE FROM TODAY, UH, REGARDING, UH, THESE RECOMMENDATIONS? I WOULD JUST ADD, UM, THIS IS EXCELLENT WORK.
AND FOR ANYBODY WHO'S NOT SEEN OR WITNESSED, UM, EXPERIENCED DEBBIE TACKETT DOING A TOUR OF A HISTORIC FACILITY RUN, DON'T WALK NEXT TIME YOU GET THE OPPORTUNITY.
SHE IS A TREASURE AND A FONT OF KNOWLEDGE AND DEEPLY LOVES WHAT SHE DOES.
UH, ARE THERE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? MR. CHAIRMAN, WE HAVE TWO HANDS UP ON ZOOM, ACTUALLY.
COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ HAS HER HANDS UP.
ALRIGHT, WE HAVE ONE OTHER HAND UP.
LET'S RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ AND THEN WE'LL RECOGNIZE THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, WELCOME.
UM, THIS HAS BEEN SUCH A GREAT DISCUSSION.
I KNOW THAT COMMISSIONER BOT AND I SUBMITTED A COUPLE ITEMS FOR THE HISTORIC ONES IN FLAMINGO PARK AND ALSO IN NORTH BEACH.
SO I'LL DO SOME MORE RESEARCH TO SEE WHAT I CAN COUPLE THOSE INCENTIVES WITH.
BUT, UH, THANK YOU TO THE CHAIR FOR BRINGING THE AD HOC COMMITTEE, AND THANK YOU TO THE AD HOC COMMITTEE AND ALSO TO DEBBIE TACKETT.
AND I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT.
COMMISSIONER BOND AND, UH, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ FOR THE ITEMS THAT YOU REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE.
UH, IT REALLY, IT REALLY WAS VERY SUBSTANTIVE.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? YES, WE HAVE KENT ROBBINS.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I HAVE A QUESTION MAYBE ADDRESSED MORE TO THE ATTORNEY THAN TO THE BOARD.
I KNOW IN THE CITY CHARTER THERE ARE SPECIFIC PROVISIONS, CONS CONCERNING GUIDELINES IN THE, OF THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD AND SPECIFIC PROHIBITIONS FROM SPECIFIC PROHIBITIONS OF, FROM THE, UH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD, UM, REDUCING THE REQUIREMENTS AND STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS, THE HBB BOARD, WITHOUT REFERRING THE MATTER TO THE, UH, TO THE ELECTORATE FOR A VOTE CITYWIDE VOTE ON THE REDUCTION OF THE REQUIREMENTS, I THINK IT WOULD HAVE TO FIRST GO TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
THE CITY COMMISSION THEN WOULD HAVE TO SET IT DOWN FOR AN ELECTION.
UM, WHAT PROVISIONS HAVE YOU CONSIDERED AS FAR AS WHICH ITEMS AS YOU'RE SUGGESTING CHANGES WOULD REQUIRE
[01:30:01]
CITYWIDE APPROVAL BY REFERENDUM? THANK YOU MR. ROBBINS, FOR YOUR, FOR, FOR YOUR QUESTIONS.UM, I THINK THAT'S, I I DON'T WANT OUR CITY ATTORNEY TO BE PLACED IN A, IN, IN A POSITION OF I WELL, UP TO YOU.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE, YOU'RE THE ATTORNEY, MR. CHAIRMAN.
I, I, UH, THE ONLY COMMENT I WOULD MAKE TO THE COMMITTEE IS THAT WE WILL ENSURE THAT ANY AMENDMENTS TO THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS THAT COME OUT OF THIS DISCUSSION COMPLY WITH APPLICABLE LAW.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE IN PERSON, NONE ON ZOOM.
UM, I SEE MOHAMMED IN, IN THE AUDIENCE.
MOHAMMED, YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE HAPPY ABOUT THIS RECOMMENDATION THOUGH,
I HAD A RESIDENT, UM, A FEW RESIDENTS, UM, BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE COMMUNITY COME TO ME BECAUSE OF SOME OF OUR DISTANCE.
OH, IS THIS, IS THIS ON ITEM ONE? ON THE NO, THIS IS ITEM 16.
YOU DON'T CALL? OH, NO, NO, NO.
OH, I JUST, NO, WE'RE NOT, BECAUSE I ONLY HAVE, I ONLY HAVE 15 MINUTES.
LEMME ME JUST CLOSE THIS ITEM.
WE HAVE ITEMS ONE THROUGH SEVEN, UM, WITH, UH, WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE, OF, OF THE COMMITTEE.
LET'S, UM, MR. ATTORNEY OR MR. DIRECTOR, SHOULD WE DO A MOTION APPROVING THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON ITEMS ONE THROUGH SEVEN FOR ITEM NUMBER TWO AND CONTINUE ITEM TWO FOR THE, FOR THE MARKET STUDY TO A FUTURE MEETING? YES.
AND, AND IF IT COULD BE BY ACCLIMATION TO BRING A DRAFT ORDINANCE TO THE CITY COMMISSION FOR A REFERRAL TO THE PLANNING BOARD IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE LUSC MEMO, WHICH REFERENCED THE REPORT THAT DEBBIE JUST PRESENTED.
IT'S MOVED BY, BY THE VICE CHAIR, SECONDED BY COMMISSIONER SCHWARZ.
I THINK BY ACCLIMATION WE CAN SHOW THAT.
UH, THANK YOU COLLEAGUES ON THAT.
AND ON THE MARKET STUDY, DO WE NEED TO MAKE A MOTION TO THE CITY COMMISSION TO CONDUCT THE MARKET STUDY TO ANALYZE THE PROS AND THE CONS OF THE LDR? YES.
OTHER, THE TDR PROGRAM? SO DO WE KNOW THE COST? LIKE HOW ARE WE MAKING A MOTION ON SOMETHING? WE'RE GONNA, WE WOULD, WE WOULD BRING THAT TO THE COMMISSION.
THEY, THE STAFF WOULD BRING THAT TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
IS THERE A MOTION ON THAT? I'LL MOVE IT.
IT'S BEEN MOVED BY COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, SECONDED BY THE CHAIR.
CAN WE SHOW THAT? ADOPTED BY ACCLAMATION.
[2. DISCUSS THE CREATION OF A TRANSFER OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS (TDR) PROGRAM FOR WASHINGTON AVENUE]
BY ACCLAMATION.AND THEN WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS THE ACTUAL CREATION OF TDR PROGRAM.
WE'RE GONNA CONTINUE THAT ITEM 'CAUSE WE'RE NOT MAKING A RECOMMENDATION.
WE NEED A STUDY TO TELL US IS THERE A MARKET DEMAND, HOW IT WOULD WORK BEFORE WE MAKE A RECOMMENDATION ON THAT.
IS THAT CORRECT, MR. DIRECTOR? THAT'S CORRECT.
SO, SO, SO WE WILL CONTINUE ITEM NUMBER TWO ON THE CREATION OF A TDR PROGRAM TO A FUTURE MEETING.
ALRIGHT, WITH THAT, DID WE CONCLUDE, UH, THIS SECTION OF OUR AGENDA AND OUT OF A COURTESY TO COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ, WHO IS VISITING US TODAY, AND WELCOME COMMISSIONERS.
IT ALWAYS GOOD TO TO TO HAVE YOU HERE.
AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE OUR GOOD FRIEND MOHAMMAD ISLAM IN THE AUDIENCE.
[16. DISCUSS THE CURRENT REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAND DEVELOPMENT REGULATIONS OF THE CITY CODE (LDRS) APPLICABLE TO TOBACCO AND VAPE SALES, INCLUDING MINIMUM DISTANCE SEPARATION AND NORTH BEACH USE RESTRICTIONS, AND POTENTIAL DISTINCTIONS BETWEEN STANDALONE TOBACCO/VAPE SHOPS AND THE SALE OF THESE PRODUCTS AS AN INCIDENTAL OR ACCESSORY USE TO A GROCERY, CONVENIENCE STORE, OR OTHER SIMILAR RETAIL USE.]
16 OUT OF ORDER.UM, OKAY, SO THIS IS ABOUT OUR DISTANCE SEPARATION, UM, IN NORTH BEACH REGARDING, UM, TOBACCO PRODUCTS.
UM, AND LET ME EXPLAIN WHY I WOULD LIKE TO LOOSEN THE RESTRICTIONS.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF PUBLIX WANTED TO RENOVATE AN EXISTING SUPERMARKET, THEY WON'T BECAUSE THEY WOULD BECOME, BECAUSE THEY'RE A NON-CONFORMING USE AND THEY WOULD LOSE THEIR RIGHT TO SELL TOBACCO.
SIMILARLY, SOME OF OUR STOREFRONTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY OPERATING AND SUCCESSFUL HAVE LICENSES, UM, IN, IN THIS CASE, I HAD A BUSINESS COME TO ME.
THEY HAVE A THRIVING BUSINESS AND IT HAPPENS TO BE A LIQUOR STORE, BUT BECAUSE OF THIS LAW, THEY CAN'T SELL, UM, TOBACCO PRODUCTS.
NOW, I UNDERSTAND, I KNOW COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S BEEN SOME BANS ACROSS THE CITY AND A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT REALLY THE DIRECTION THAT WE WANNA BE GOING IN, BUT THE QUESTION IS, DO WE REALLY WANNA PUNISH EXISTING BUSINESSES, UM, WITH THAT NON-CONFORMING USE BY, THEY HAVE A LICENSE TO SELL LIQUOR, BUT THEY CAN'T SELL THE TOBACCO PRODUCTS.
SO I SAID I WOULD BRING IT FORTH.
I'M LOOKING AT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ADMINISTRATION, UM, WHICH SAYS, DO GIVE IT AN UNFAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION.
BUT I WOULD ARGUE THAT AT A TIME WHEN WE HAVE SO MANY VACANT STOREFRONTS THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER THE FACT THAT WE MIGHT END UP HURTING BUSINESSES THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE
AND, UM, DO WE REALLY WANNA DO
[01:35:01]
THIS? AND IF I, IF WE DID WANT TO HELP OUT THIS BUSINESS OWNER, UM, TOM, I KNOW THAT WE HAD A MEETING AND WHAT WAS YOUR RECOMMENDATION? I, I KNOW WHAT YOUR RECOMMENDATION IS, BUT HOW COULD WE FIX THIS PROBLEM SO THAT WE DO NOT, UM, PUT SOMEBODY OUTTA BUSINESS OR HARM THEIR BUSINESS OR THEY HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR BUSINESS MODEL? JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE, WE'VE DONE SOME BANS THROUGH THE CHAIR.UM, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE PERSON WHO CONTACTED ME WAS IN NORTH BEACH AND IT WAS A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO.
UM, BUT THIS IS A, A SMALL BUSINESS WHO HAS A SIMILAR SITUATION.
HE ACTUALLY HAS A STATE LICENSE TO SELL TOBACCO, BUT, AND HE'S IN BETWEEN TWO STORES THAT DO SELL BEER AND TOBACCO.
HE ONLY SELLS BEER, WHATEVER EXACT DETAILS IT IS.
AND SO HE LOSES BUSINESS BECAUSE PEOPLE COME IN AND SAY, YOU WANT A SIX PACK AND A PACK OF SMOKES? AND HE'S LIKE, WELL, I CAN GIVE YOU THE BEER, BUT I CAN'T GIVE YOU THE PACK OF SMOKES.
AND SO THEY'RE LIKE, FORGET, I'M GONNA GO NEXT DOOR WHERE I CAN GET BOTH, NOT THAT I'M CONDONING ANY OF THIS BEHAVIOR OR WHATEVER, BUT THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THEY ARE LEGAL BUSINESSES.
AND SO, UM, ALEX, CHAIRMAN FERNANDEZ, I'M SORRY, ALEX, UM, CHAIRMAN FERNANDEZ STARTED THIS WORK WHEN WE WERE ON THE PLANNING.
WHAT'S THAT? NOTHING YOU'RE ROYAL HIGHNESS, UM, UH, STARTED THIS WORK WHEN WE WERE ON THE PLANNING BOARD TOGETHER AND IT WAS BORN OUT OF, UM, A A REAL DESIRE TO TIDY THINGS UP.
AND IT, IT CAUSED QUITE A RUCKUS BECAUSE IT HAD BEEN DONE IN SOUTH BEACH AND IT HADN'T BEEN DONE IN NORTH BEACH.
AND SO IT WASN'T EQUITABLE BECAUSE YOU'RE TIDYING THINGS UP IN SOUTH BEACH, BUT YOU'RE NOT TIDYING THINGS UP IN NORTH BEACH.
AND THEN PEOPLE UP IN NORTH BEACH ARE LIKE, WELL, YOU'RE DESTROYING OUR WAY OF LIFE.
THERE WAS LIKE THIS WHOLE BOY, THERE'S A LOT OF DRAMA FOR A LONG TIME ABOUT THIS AND THE ONE IN SOUTH BEACH.
AND SO I THINK THAT I, I WOULD ALMOST SUGGEST THAT WE LOOK AT IT CITYWIDE AND, AND LIKE NOT HAVE THIS DISCUSSION YET, BUT TAKE IT INTO A BIGGER, UM, A BIGGER CONVERSATION OF NOT HOW DO WE INCENTIVIZE, BUT HOW DO WE PROTECT THE BUSINESSES? 'CAUSE IF THERE'S ONE IN NORTH BEACH AND THERE'S ONE IN SOUTH BEACH, THERE MIGHT BE A HANDFUL OF OTHERS.
AND SO VERY SURGICALLY, CAREFULLY PROTECT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE LEGAL BUSINESSES SELLING LEGAL PRODUCTS.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKE, YOU KNOW, WAKE AND BAKE ON WASHINGTON AVENUE, WHICH IS NOT REALLY WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ENCOURAGE, BUT, YOU KNOW, AND MAYBE THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO, BUT I THINK IT, IT'S WORTH OF A, IT'S WORTHY OF A GROWNUP, THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT THE BUSINESSES WE'RE OPERATING, SELLING PRODUCTS WHICH ARE CURRENTLY STILL LEGAL, UM, MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ON AN EQUAL PLAYING FIELD WITHOUT UNDOING THE GOOD THAT THESE, THESE CHANGES IN BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH BEACH WERE DESIGNED TO IMPLEMENT.
AND SO I, SO I'LL JUST GIVE YOU SOME, SOME OF MY THOUGHTS.
UM, YOU KNOW, CLEARLY WE HAVE THESE ESTABLISHMENTS ALREADY EXISTING IN NORTH BEACH.
UM, YOU KNOW, AND I WAS SPEAKING WITH STAFF AND SO LIKE, LET'S SAY A PUBLIX WANTED TO GO IN OR SOME OTHER MARKET THAT HAPPENS TO SELL THIS AS ANCILLARY, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO, WELL, DO WE WANT TO PROHIBIT THAT? AND, YOU KNOW, WHILE I'M NOT EXCITED ABOUT, ABOUT THE, UM, ABOUT THE TOBACCO CIGARETTE PORTION OF THE ESTABLISHMENT, I WOULDN'T WANT TO GET IN THE WAY OF AN ESTABLISHMENT LIKE A PUBLIX BEING ABLE TO GO INTO, INTO AN AREA.
I'M NOT COMFORTABLE SAYING THAT THIS RIGHT NOW SHOULD APPLY CITYWIDE.
I'D RATHER, YOU KNOW, WE, WE RECEIVED CONTACT ABOUT THE BUSINESS IN NORTH BEACH THAT IS DEALING WITH THIS.
I'M HAPPY TO SEE HOW IT WOULD WORK IN NORTH BEACH.
UM, ARE THERE ANY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES AS, AS A RESULT OF THIS, OF THIS EXCEPTION, IS THERE ABUSE AS A RESULT OF IT? LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, YOU KNOW, SOMEONE COULD GET A LICENSE FOR A CONVENIENCE STORE AND REALLY NOT OPERATE AS A CONVENIENCE STORE AT ALL, JUST COMPLETELY OPERATE COMPLETELY AS A VAPE SHOP.
YOU, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS A VERY, YOU KNOW, BALANCED, UH, UH, ACTIVITY THERE.
SO I'M WILLING TO SEE, YOU KNOW, HOW IT WORKS IN NORTH BEACH.
UH, SEE ARE THERE ANY UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES BEFORE WE HAVE A BROADER DISCUSSION? UH, LET ME GO TO THE COMMITTEE MEMBER AND THEN I'LL GO BACK TO COMMISSIONER ROSEN GONZALEZ.
TOM, CAN YOU JUST, I WAS JUST OUT, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WENT OVER SOME OF THE, THE DETAILS OF THIS PROPOSAL.
CAN YOU LAY IT UP FOR ME PLEASE? SURE.
UM, THE PROPOSAL IS RIGHT NOW JUST TO GIVE EVERYBODY SOME BACKGROUND, AS WE STATED IN THE MEMO, UM, OUR CODE DOES NOT DISTINGUISH BETWEEN
[01:40:01]
THE RETAIL SALE OF TOBACCO AND VAPE PRODUCTS EITHER ON AN INCIDENTAL OR ANCILLARY BASIS LIKE YOU MIGHT SEE IN A PUBLIX OR A WALGREENS FROM THE TRUE TOBACCO AND VAPE STORES.SO THEY'RE ALL TREATED THE SAME.
AND CURRENTLY UNDER OUR CODE WE HAVE DISTANCE SEPARATION REQUIREMENTS CITYWIDE.
AND THEN IN NORTH BEACH THERE'S ACTUALLY A PROHIBITION ON NEW, UH, TOBACCO AND, AND VAPE DEALERS THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE NORTH BEACH COMMERCIAL CHARACTER OVERLAY.
AND THIS LEGISLATION, WHEN IT WAS ADOPTED IN 2017, WAS PURPOSELY WRITTEN VERY BROADLY AND WE INCLUDED AN AN INTENT SECTION, UM, THAT'S PERTINENT, THAT SAYS IT IS IN THE INTENT OF THIS DIVISION TO LIMIT ACCESS AND EXPOSURE OF TOBACCO AND VAPING PRODUCTS TO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS DUE TO THEIR ADDICTIVE NATURE.
AND DAMAGING EFFECTS ON HEALTH IS ALSO THE INTENT OF THIS TO LIMIT THE PROLIFERATION OF TOBACCO VAPING AND SMOKING DEVICE PRODUCT DEALERS IN AREAS WHERE THE CITY ENCOURAGES TOURISM.
AND TO, UM, MINIMIZE THE NEGATIVE IMPLICATION THAT THESE TYPES OF BUSINESSES MAY HAVE.
I BELIEVE THE PROPOSAL HERE IS TO CREATE SOME LIMITED RELIEF IN NORTH BEACH TO ALLOW FOR ENTITIES THAT SELL THESE PRODUCTS ON AN ANCILLARY OR INCIDENTAL BASIS, UM, UH, TO ALLOW THOSE TYPES OF, UM, VENUES OR ESTABLISHMENTS, UM, TO HAVE, UM, THE ABILITY TO SELL THESE.
CAN YOU GIMME AN EXAMPLE OF SOME RELIEF THAT WOULD BE PROVIDED FOR THIS? SO IF THIS, IF THERE WAS CONSENSUS, UH, AMONG THE LAND USE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON THIS, WE WOULD HAVE TO AMEND TWO SECTIONS OF THE CODE.
WE'D HAVE TO AMEND THE NORTH BEACH COMMERCIAL OVERLAY CHARACTER DISTRICT REGULATIONS.
UM, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW TOBACCO AND VAPE DEALERS ARE PROHIBITED AND WE'D HAVE TO MODIFY THOSE REGULATIONS TO ALLOW FOR SOME TYPE OF INCIDENTAL OR ANCILLARY USE.
AND THEN TWO, WE WOULD NEED TO MODIFY 7.5 0.9 REGARDING THE DISTANCE SEPARATIONS AND WE COULD MAKE DISTANCE SEPARATIONS SPECIFIC TO AREAS IN NORTH BEACH.
UM, AND BASICALLY CREATE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THOSE TYPES OF ESTABLISHMENTS THAT SOLD TOBACCO AND VAPE PRODUCTS ON A TRULY ANCILLARY OR INCIDENTAL BASIS.
AND DISTINGUISH THOSE FROM STANDALONE TOBACCO AND VAPE DEALERS THAT SOLD IT AN AS THE PRIMARY PRODUCT.
ALRIGHT, ARE YOU DONE? YEAH, I'D LIKE SOME FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS, BUT I CAN AFTER I CAN ASK YOU.
COMMISSIONER BONNER, I HAVE AN IDEA MAYBE THAT ADDRESSES SOME, SOME OF WHAT'S GOING ON THERE IS A BUSINESS, AND I DON'T WANNA CALL OUT NAMES 'CAUSE I JUST DID, AND I DON'T WANNA DO THAT AGAIN, BUT THERE'S A BUSINESS ON COLLINS THAT IS, UM, A FOOD STORE, UM, THAT SELLS VAPE PRODUCTS AND ARGUABLY MORE THAN THAT.
UM, AND NOT A FOOD STORE, LIKE A GENERAL GROCERY STORE, LIKE A FAST FOOD STORE.
SO TECHNICALLY IT'S ANCILLARY BUSINESS, BUT THEY'VE NO BUSINESS SELLING.
LIKE IF YOU GO INTO A CLOTHING STORE, YOU DON'T EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP A SIX PACK.
LIKE TECHNICALLY I GUESS YOU COULD, BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
IS THERE A WAY TO MORE NARROWLY CRAFT THIS SO THAT IF YOU'RE ALREADY SELLING ALCOHOL, YOU CAN ALSO SELL LEGAL TOBACCO PRODUCTS, BUT NOT IF YOU ARE, UM, BUT IF YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, LIKE SELLING SPORTING GOODS OR WHATEVER, YOU'RE NOT, IT'S NOT THAT WE'RE GONNA OPEN UP.
'CAUSE WHAT WE DON'T, WHAT I DON'T WANT THERE TO BE AN UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF NOW EVERYBODY CAN SELL BOOZE AND ALCOHOL IF THEY HAVE A STATE LICENSE TO DO SO.
WE DON'T WANNA EXPAND THE PROLIFERATION, WE JUST WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE ALREADY DOING BUSINESS IN THIS GENERAL AREA ARE ABLE TO COMPETE.
CAN I, CAN I
HERE, HERE IS WHAT I WOULD SAY ABOUT THIS.
I WANT, OKAY, WE HAVE SOME FOOD MARKETS ACROSS THE CITY, RIGHT? AND THEY'RE NOT GONNA IMPROVE THEIR PROPERTIES BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA WANNA HOLD ONTO THESE LICENSES.
SO WHAT ARE YOU GONNA SEE? THEY'RE GOING TO HOLD ON AND NOT DO ONE IMPROVEMENT WITH THE FEAR THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO CONTINUE THEIR BUSINESS OPERATIONS, RIGHT? SO THERE HAS TO BE A WAY TO VERY NARROW TAILOR IT FOR FOOD MARKETS.
AND IF YOU'RE SELLING ALCOHOL, ANY KIND OF ALCOHOL LIKE BEER OR WINE, I SEE.
LIKE, I I GUESS THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
IF, IF YOU, I SUPPOSE IF YOU'RE A FOOD MARKET AND YOU'RE SELLING ANY KIND OF BEER, WINE, THEN YOU COULD, UM, UPDATE, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO UPDATE YOUR CURRENT BUSINESS AND, UM, AND IF, AND, AND, AND IF THE BUSINESS HAD THE RIGHT BEFORE, BUT BASED ON THESE REGULATIONS, NO LONGER HAS THAT RIGHT.
SOMEHOW TO KEEP THAT BUSINESS OPEN.
AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU GUYS ARE GONNA CRAFT THIS, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE DO IT BY YOU UNDERSTAND THE PROBLEM WE DO CODE, IT'S IN THE CODE THAT IF YOU, IF YOU EXCEED MORE THAN 50%, UH, THEN YOU HAVE, YOU, YOU LOSE, UH, IS THAT CORRECT? YOU LOSE YOUR, UH, NON-CONFORMING
[01:45:01]
USE OR IF YOU'RE CLOSED FOR SIX MONTHS, YOU LOSE IT.AND THAT IS A PURE CODE AMENDMENT.
IS THAT CORRECT? UH, MR. ATTORNEY? THAT'S CORRECT? YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
I WANT TO, NOT TRYING TO DO YOUR JOB OR ANYTHING, BUT I THINK HE'S GONE, SO, OKAY.
OKAY, COMMISSIONER, UH, SUAREZ.
AND THEN, LET'S SEE, THERE'S A MOTION ON THIS ITEM.
UH, OKAY, SO AGAIN, THIS IS JUST FOR EXISTING BUSINESSES.
UH, IS THIS, ARE WE TRYING TO SINGLE OUT A SPECIFIC SINGLE BUSINESS IN A SPECIFIC BLOCK OR IS THIS GOING TO BE ALL OF NORTH BEACH? WHAT, WHAT, WHERE, WHAT ARE WE CARVING OUT HERE, TOM? IT WOULD DEPEND UPON WHAT THE DIRECTION OF THE COMMITTEE IS.
THE REFERRAL WAS SPECIFIC TO NORTH BEACH.
IF YOU WANTED IT TO BE FOR ALL OF NORTH BEACH, YOU COULD GIVE US THAT DIRECTION.
IF YOU WANTED IT TO BE MORE NARROWLY TAILORED TO CERTAIN BUSINESSES IN NORTH BEACH, WE COULD COME UP WITH SOME LANGUAGE AND BRING IT BACK TO YOU.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT I WILL BE INCLINED TO SEE THE MOST NARROWLY TAILORED APPROACH, POSSIBLE, MOST NARROWLY TAILORED APPROACH POSSIBLE.
AND I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU TO WORK WITH A SPONSOR.
THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY NA NARROWLY TAILORED, NOT FOR ALL OF NORTH BEACH.
AND, AND, AND I JUST WANT TO STAY, I I AM, YOU KNOW, LAST I CHECKED TOBACCO AND VAPE CAUSES CANCER.
OKAY? AND IT'S GONNA BE A STRETCH FOR ME TO VOTE ON A, ON AN, ON AN ITEM THAT'S GONNA CHANGE OUR CODE TO LOOSEN THOSE RESTRICTIONS THAT WE'VE PUT ON FOR TOBACCO AND VAPE PRODUCTS.
SO, UM, YEAH, BUT THIS, I'M NOT, I'M NOT A HARD, NO SUN CAUSES CANCER.
THE CHIPS, WE JUST NEED TO SAY, CAUSE I'M SURE HAS NOT LIKE CHEMICALS THAT CAUSE CANCER.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S PROVEN THAT IT, IT CAUSES CANCER.
AND SO IF, IF, IF THE SPONSOR WANTS MY VOTE ON, ON, ON APPROVING THIS TO CHANGE OUR CODE FOR A PRODUCT THAT IS DETRIMENTAL TO SOMEONE'S HEALTH, YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S, THAT'S IT'S, IT'S A STRETCH, UH, FOR ME.
AND, AND I, YOU KNOW, I I LOVE WORKING WITH YOU GUYS, BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT I'M JUST NOT GONNA AGREE TO.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I DON'T MIND JUST STAYING QUIET ON THIS, BUT YOU KNOW, IF I VOTE IT DOWN, BUT PLEASE DON'T HOLD IT AGAINST ME.
UM, I, I HAVE TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE WITH CIGARETTE SMOKE AND TOBACCO.
SO, UM, FOR ME, CHANGING OUR CODE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS IT, IT IS A, IT, IT'S A STRETCH.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, I I, AND AS VICE MAYOR BOB MENTIONED, I'VE, I'VE SPONSORED THESE SPECIFIC REGULATIONS.
WHAT I DON'T WANT TO DO IS HURT ANY EXISTING BUSINESS.
I DON'T WANT TO CAUSE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
AND THAT'S WHY, YOU KNOW, I'M, I'M HAPPY FOR US TO EXPLORE SOMETHING THAT IS EXTREMELY NARROWLY TAILORED.
UH, SO THAT, SO THAT WE CAN JUST, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT CAUSING UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION TO CONTINUE THIS TO NEXT MONTH AND HAVE THE, UM, THE SPONSOR WORK WITH STAFF AND MAYBE STAFF WORK WITH OTHER FOLKS TO TRY TO COME UP TO FIND A SOLUTION THAT ADDRESSES THE INTENT, WHICH IS TO NOT PUNISH EXISTING BUSINESSES, UM, WITHOUT THE, THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCE OF THE PROLIFERATION OF THINGS.
I MEAN, WE'RE TRYING TO BECOME A BLUE ZONE CITY, SO I DON'T REALLY WANNA HAVE A TON MORE VAPE SHOPS EITHER.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S, I DON'T THINK THAT'S YOUR GOAL ANYHOW.
AND, AND SO I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE GOAL IS.
I DON'T WANT TO HAVE ALL THESE PEOPLE ALL OF A SUDDEN SELLING T-SHIRTS AND VAPES.
THAT'S NOT WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO.
SO THE QUESTION IS, IS THERE, AND MAYBE THERE ISN'T A WAY TO DO IT, AND THAT THAT MIGHT BE THE ANSWER WE COME TO.
IS THERE A WAY TO GET TO EXISTING BUSINESSES WHO ALREADY HAVE, MAYBE IT'S, IT'S PEOPLE WHO ALREADY HAVE THE STATE LICENSE TO DO IT.
I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THIS TO BE ABLE TO CRAFT THIS FROM THE DAY.
SO I WOULD LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE DEFER THIS, COME BACK FOR IN A MONTH WITH BETTER INFORMATION AND FIGURE OUT IF THERE'S SOMETHING WE CAN DO OR IF THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO AND THEN PROCEED ACCORDINGLY.
BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE ANSWERS YET.
SO WHY VOTE ON IT? ALRIGHT, SO, UM, SO I, SO LET'S BRING BACK THE ITEM NEXT MONTH WITH DRAFT LANGUAGE NARROWLY TAILORED LANGUAGE, UH, AND WE CAN TAKE IT FROM THERE.
THANK YOU GUYS FOR UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORTING, AND LET'S BE CLEAR, THIS IS ABOUT SUPPORTING OUR SMALL BUSINESS COMMUNITY, EXISTING BUSINESS EXISTING BUSINESSES, KEEPING STOREFRONTS IN BUSINESS INSTEAD OF HAVING VACANCIES, WHICH LEAD TO PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUES.
AND THEY ARE UNSIGHTLY AND THEY TEND TO STAY VACANT FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
[01:50:01]
I AND I, AND I THANK YOU TO COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ AND BOUGHT FOR UNDERSTANDING AND, UM, POSSIBLY COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, UM, IN THE FUTUREBECAUSE THIS IS ABOUT, UM, WE ARE NOT JUST, WE'RE COMMUNITY OF RESIDENTS AND ALSO A COMMUNITY OF RESIDENTS WHO OWN BUSINESSES IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF PUTTING PEOPLE OUT OF BUSINESS.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
THANK YOU COMMISSIONER WILSON GONZALEZ.
WE'LL CONTINUE THIS ITEM INTO NEXT MONTH AND WE'LL HAVE DRAFT LANGUAGE AT THAT TIME.
[8. DISCUSS THE NORTH BEACH WATER QUALITY AND PARK VIEW CANAL REPORT]
ITEM NUMBER EIGHT.UH, MR. CHAIR, ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS DISCUSS THE NORTH BEACH WATER QUALITY AND PARK VIEW CANAL REPORT.
HOW COME? SO, UH, COMMISSIONER WILSON GONZALEZ, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU, IF YOU WANT TO STICK AROUND, PLEASE.
THIS IS AN ITEM, UH, WE, I SPONSORED A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, THE ORIGINAL, UH, UM, STUDY ON WATER QUALITY FOR, FOR NORTH BEACH BY DR.
UH, YOU DID THE FOLLOW UP, UH, YOU SPONSORED THE, THE FOLLOW UP STUDY.
AND, UH, WE HAVE OUR RESILIENCY DIRECTOR TODAY TO PRESENT ON THE ITEM.
AND I, I ACTUALLY GOT THE REPORT AND THIS IS FASCINATING, UM, STUFF THAT I THINK A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT I THINK YOU CAN APPLY ALSO TO OTHER AREAS IN THE CITY.
IT'S ALSO QUITE DISTURBING ONCE YOU SEE SOME OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IN OUR WATERWAYS.
BUT, UM, UH, THANK YOU FOR THE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND I'M GOING TO CHAIR MY AHAC MEETING.
START? YES, YES, COMMISSIONER BACH.
UM, NICK, IF YOU WOULD ADD ME AS A CO-SPONSOR WITH THE, UM, WITH EVERYBODY'S, UM, AGREEMENT TO THAT, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY FOR EVERYBODY LISTENING, THIS IS A HOT TOPIC AND I WOULD LIKE TO, UM, COMMEND MY COLLEAGUES FOR HAVING BROUGHT THESE ITEMS FORWARD.
AND I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND THE STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS BECAUSE THE, THEIR PREDECESSORS, AGAIN, NOT GONNA CALL ANYBODY OUT, BUT I LITERALLY, I CALLED THE CITY, I EMAILED THE CITY SAYING, MY DUDES, WHAT IS HAPPENING? THE CITYWIDE WATER QUALITY ADVISORY HAS NOT BEEN LIFTED FOR PARKVIEW ISLAND, BUT IT'S BEEN CLEARED FOR THE ENTIRE CITY.
AND WHAT I KEPT GETTING TOLD FOR MONTHS, MONTHS, NOT A COUPLE DAYS WAS, OH, IT'S JUST AN ANOMALY.
IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.
PREDECESSORS, NOT THE FOLKS HERE IN THE ROOM, BUT PREDECESSORS SAID THAT THAT WAS IN MARCH, APRIL, MAY, GOING ON OF 2020, AND IT HAS TAKEN YEARS OF POUNDING FISTS ON TABLE TABLES, RESIDENTS GETTING PERHAPS OVERLY, UM, EXERCISED, UM, COMMISSIONERS SPONSORING ACTIVITIES, FUNDING BEING SECURED THROUGH THE GENERAL BUDGET TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE ARE.
SO IT IS, I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT RESIDENTS HAD TO BASICALLY SCREAM AT THE CITY, NOT YOU GUYS, BUT HOLLER AT THE CITY TO TAKE SERIOUSLY THE FACT THAT THIS WAS NOT NORMAL.
AND WHEN RESIDENTS GET TOGETHER AND ADVOCATE, THEY CAN CHANGE THE WORLD OR AT LEAST CHANGE WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THEIR BACKYARD.
AND IT IS SO IMPORTANT THAT YOU GUYS ARE PRESENTING THIS TO US BECAUSE HAD RESIDENTS AND COMMISSIONERS NOT TAKEN THIS SERIOUSLY, AND HAD YOU GUYS NOT TAKEN THIS SERIOUSLY, WE'D STILL BE SITTING THERE BEGGING PEOPLE TO DO THE RESEARCH, TO DO THE WORK, TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S HAPPENING AND TO START FINDING SOLUTIONS.
WE ARE NOT WHERE WE NEED TO BE YET, BUT WE ARE SO MUCH CLOSER THAN WHERE WE WOULD'VE BEEN WITHOUT THIS.
SO THANK YOU AND TO COMMISSIONER ROSEN GONZALEZ, AND TO YOU GUYS, AND IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
LAST TIME I SAW YOU, WE WERE DRILLING HOLES IN A PARKING LOT.
IT WAS PERMISSIBLE, IT WAS PERMITTED.
WE WEREN'T JUST RANDOMLY DRILLING HOLES, BUT WE WERE GETTING WATER SAMPLE QUALITIES.
SO IT'S GREAT TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
UM, SO THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BADDEN.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, UH, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT I DID AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL WAS TO TEAM UP WITH OUR, UH, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT, HAVE TEAM UP WITH OUR CITY ADMINISTRATION SPECIFICALLY, UM, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF THE, OF THE DEGRADED WATER QUALITY, UM, IN, IN, UM, IN THE PARKVIEW ISLAND, UH, CANAL.
AND I REMEMBER, UH, IT WAS AN ISSUE YOU, YOU FLAGGED FOR ME WHEN I WAS RUNNING FOR OFFICE.
YEAH, I REMEMBER SITTING ON YOUR, ON YOUR, ON YOUR DECK, ON YOUR DECK, UH, WITH A GROUP OF NEIGHBORS AND YOU EDUCATING ME ON THE ISSUE.
AND IT'S WHY, UH, SPECIFICALLY BECAUSE OF YOU, UH, AND YOUR NEIGHBORS, I FELT A GREAT SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TO, TO BRING FORWARD THE FIRST STUDY, THE FUNDING WE'VE BEEN
[01:55:01]
PRIORITIZING YEAR AFTER YEAR FOR RELINING OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, WHICH AMY, I BELIEVE WE'VE BEEN ABLE THROUGH, THROUGH SOME OF THESE, UH, CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.WE'VE BEEN DOING TEMPORARY INVESTMENTS, UH, QUICK WINS, BUT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO LOWER THE, THE, UH, LEVEL OF TOXINS IN THE WATER.
AND WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TAKE IT FROM ONE NUMBER TO ONE NUMBER.
UM, IT'S A VARIATION AND ACTUALLY THE PROFESSOR WILL WILL SHOW THAT, BUT SHE'LL SHOW YOU DEFINITELY IT WAS MUCH HIGHER IN THE PAST AND NOW IT'S NOT QUITE WHERE WE NEED TO BE, BUT BETWEEN STORM EVENTS, IT'S, UH, SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER.
IT'S, IT'S LOWERED SIGNIFICANTLY WITH CLEARLY STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE.
SO WITH THAT, I WANNA RECOGNIZE YOU AND ASK YOU TO INTRODUCE YOUR ITEM.
UM, YOU KNOW, MR. CHAIR AND COMMISSIONERS AND FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF THE ITEMS AND FOR, FOR ALSO KEEPING THAT SUPPORT IN WAYS THAT MOVE US FORWARD AND KEEP US MOTIVATED, BUT, YOU KNOW, HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE.
UM, PARKVIEW CANAL IS A VERY IMPORTANT ITEM FOR OUR COMMUNITY, FOR OUR CITY, BUT ALSO US AS STAFF, AS PUBLIC SERVANTS.
UM, WHEN I CAME TO THIS POSITION, THE LAST THING I WANTED TO DO WAS TO HAVE A, A, A POLLUTED CANAL, YOU KNOW, AT MY FOOTSTEPS.
THE WHOLE STAFF BEHIND ME IS PART OF THE TEAM THAT HAS WORKED ON THIS, AND THEY'RE ALSO HERE TO, TO SHARE AND TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS FOR THIS AREA.
UM, SO WE ARE SURROUNDED BY WATER IN MIAMI BEACH.
WE KNOW THAT TRASH WASTE, BACTERIA SOURCES AND ANYTHING ON THE STREETS AND UNDERGROUND ENDS UP IN OUR WATER.
ULTIMATELY, UH, BISCAYNE BAY BAY IS ALREADY AN IMPAIRED WATER BODY.
UH, WE'VE GONE THROUGH FISH KILLS.
IT'S AT A TIPPING POINT, AND PARTICULARLY IN THE NORTHERN BAY IS LOST A HUGE AMOUNT OF SEA GRASS, WHICH IS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THIS CANAL LIES WITHIN.
SO IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT AREA.
UM, IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE MIAMI WATERKEEPER, UH, SWIM GUIDE REPORTS, YOU WILL SEE THAT IN MIAMI-DADE AND BROWARD COUNTY CANALS HAVE URBAN STORMWATER RUNOFF THAT CAUSES BACTERIAL ISSUES.
SO THIS ISN'T UNIQUE, BUT IT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
UM, THE ISSUES ARE WIDESPREAD.
UH, BEACHES TEND TO HAVE MUCH MORE, UH, STRONGER LEVELS OF CIRCULATION.
SO THE LEVELS ARE VERY STRICT THERE.
AND, YOU KNOW, BATHING AND SWIMMING IS, IS ALLOWED, BUT THAT, THAT LEVEL IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT IN THESE CANALS.
BUT AGAIN, THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT OKAY.
SO THESE CANAL, UH, LEVELS HAVE BEEN, UH, HIGH SINCE WE STARTED SAMPLING SIX YEARS AGO.
WE DON'T HAVE RESULTS BEFORE THAT.
AND, UM, WE ACTUALLY UTILIZE THE SURF RIDER RESULTS AS WELL WITHIN OUR DATA.
UM, SINCE THIS HAS BEEN SO PERSISTENT, WE'VE HAD DR.
HELENA SOLO GABRIEL, UM, TWICE.
SO SHE, SHE SPECIALIZES IN THIS FIELD OF CONTAMINATION AND INTERTIDAL ZONES.
SHE'S AN ASSOCIATE DEAN WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING.
UM, AND, UM, SHE'S REALLY RECOGNIZED NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY FOR HER WORK.
UM, NOW DUE TO THE WORK AND ALL THE SANITARY SEWER IMPROVEMENTS, SHE'S GONNA HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE IMPROVEMENTS AND THAT'S GOOD.
IT RECONFIRMED THAT STORM WATER IS THE, THE BIGGEST ISSUE THAT WE HAVE WASHING SEDIMENTS INTO THE DRAINS AND INTO THE CANALS.
UM, AS THE CHAIR MENTIONED, WE HAVE DEDICATED MORE THAN 8 MILLION OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IN PROJECTS.
SOME ARE DONE, SOME ARE ARE IN PROCESS AND SOME ARE FUTURE TO, TO REALLY FIX THIS, UM, INCLUDING A, A DREDGING, A FLUSHING ANALYSIS AS WELL.
I'M SORRY, AIMING AS SANITATION COMMISSIONER.
I'M SORRY, WHAT WAS, HOW MANY DOLLARS HAVE WE ALLOCATED? UM, MORE THAN 8 MILLION IN THE LAST FEW YEARS.
IN HOW MANY YEARS? IN THE LAST FEW YEARS? COUPLE YEARS.
AND SO WE ARE READY TO DO MORE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT GIVING UP.
SOLI GABRIEL WILL SHARE HER FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
THERE ARE 10 SELECTED RECOMMENDATIONS LISTED IN YOUR MEMO THAT SHE WILL GO OVER, UH, THAT GIVE US THE BEST CHANCES OF RESTORING THIS, UM, THIS WATER BODY.
SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DR.
IS THE PRESENTATION UP? MM-HMM
I'M GOING TO BE DESCRIBING OUR WORK LOOKING AT ENTERIC COI.
AND AS A REMINDER, ENTEROCOCCI IS A FECAL INDICATOR BACTERIA.
IT'S AN INDICATOR OF FECAL CONTAMINATION, AND IT'S USED TO ASSESS THE RISK OF GASTROINTESTINAL DISEASE WHEN IN CONTACT WITH WATER.
SPECIFICALLY, I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT ENTERIC COI IN GROUNDWATER AND STORM WATER AT THE PARKVIEW CANAL.
THIS IS A JOINT PROJECT, UM, LED BY UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI WITH COLLABORATION FROM NOAH.
AND AGAIN, I'D LIKE TO THANK THE COMMISSION AND CITY OF MIAMI BEACH FOR EVERYTHING.
UM, UH, THAT WAS DONE AND ALSO ALL THE SUPPORT THAT WAS PROVIDED.
I WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT WHEN YOU MEASURE FIB OR ENTEROCOCCI, THERE'S TWO MAIN MEASUREMENT METHODS.
IF IT GROWS, IT MEANS IT'S VIABLE, CAPABLE OF CAUSING INFECTION.
AND IT, THE CULTURE METHOD IS REQUIRED FOR STATE MONITORING.
AND THE WAY WE MEASURE GROWTH IS WE COLLECT A WATER SAMPLE, WE PUT IT INTO A TRAY, WHICH SEPARATES IT INTO WELLS, AND THEN, UM, WHEN THE BACTERIA GROW,
[02:00:01]
THEY RELEASE FLUORESCENCE AND WE COUNT THE NUMBER OF WELLS.AND THAT GIVES US A UNIT CALLED MOST PROBABLE NUMBER.
THE OTHER METHOD OF ANALYSIS IS A GENOMIC ANALYSIS BASED ON MEASURING THE DNA.
NOW, THE DNA IS NOT DEAD OR ALIVE.
IT, IT, IT'S, UM, YOU, YOU DON'T KNOW.
WE JUST KNOW THAT THE ORGANISM WAS THERE.
AND THE NICE THING ABOUT THE, UM, GENETIC ANALYSIS IS THAT IT NOT ONLY TELLS ENTEROCOCCI THAT WE MEASURE BY INTERO ONE A, WHEN WE MEASURE IT BY DNA, WE CALL IT ENTER ONE A, BUT IT ALSO GIVES US INFORMATION ABOUT DOG PRESENCE, HUMAN PRESENCE, AND BIRDS.
THE UNITS OF MEASURE ARE GENOMIC COPIES, GC, AND AGAIN, IT TELLS US WHETHER OR NOT THERE WERE DOGS CONTRIBUTING HUMANS, BIRDS.
AND WE ALSO MEASURED FOR SEAGULLS, SPECIFICALLY BOTH GENERAL BIRDS AND SEAGULLS, THE REGULATORY GUIDELINES FOR INTER COA.
I'M SORRY, JUST A QUICK QUESTION.
WHEN WE TALKED, WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE IGUANAS EVERYWHERE MM-HMM
SO WE DIDN'T, AND, AND IN PART VIEW SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE FAMILIES, OVERON RACCOONS.
WE DON'T KEEP THEM THERE, BUT THEY LIVE THERE IN THE, IN THE MANGROVES.
UM, SO, BUT THERE WE HAVE A TON OF IGUANAS.
SO THO THAT WASN'T MEASURED AS WELL THROUGH THE DNA, THEY DON'T HAVE MARKERS FOR RACCOONS YET.
BUT THEY WOULD ALSO CONTRIBUTE TO THE INTER OUTSIDE.
IN TERMS OF THE REGULATIONS, UM, THERE'S A WHOLE SLEW OF DIFFERENT GUIDELINE LEVELS.
THE GUIDELINES SET BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH FOR BATHING IN BEACHES.
IT'S NOT DESIGNATED FOR CANALS SPECIFICALLY, BUT FOR GOING IN INTO A BEACH IS 70 MPM PER HUNDRED MILLS.
THEN THERE'S ANOTHER GUIDELINE THAT'S BEEN ISSUED BY THE U-S-C-P-A, WHICH IS FOR KAYAKING IN CALM WATERS OF 371.
AND THEN THERE'S A RESEARCH FOCUSED GUIDELINE BASED ON THE MICROBIAL SOURCE TRACKING MARKERS, WHICH FOR HUMANS, UM, FOR SWIMMING PURPOSES, THEY RECOMMEND NO HIGHER THAN 525 GENOMIC COPIES PER HUNDRED MILLS, AND FOR BIRDS, NO MORE, MORE THAN 200,000.
NOW, THE PPC IS UNIQUE IN THE SENSE THAT, UM, AS AMY MENTIONED ON THE OCEAN SIDE, WE HAVE A LOT OF DILUTION, UM, AND BEACHES ON THE OCEAN SIDE TEND TO HAVE BETTER WATER QUALITY THAN BEACHES ON THE BAY SIDE.
UH, THE PC IS LOCATED ON THE BAY SIDE, AND NOT ONLY IS IT IN THE BAYSIDE, IT'S A CANAL WITHIN A CANAL.
SO IT HAS VERY RESTRICTIVE WATER FLOW.
THERE'S VERY LIMITED DILUTION.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, IT DRAINS A LARGE AREA OF EIGHT OVER 80 ACRES.
THREE QUARTERS OF THAT AREA COMES FROM EAST OF, OF THE ISLAND, AND ABOUT A QUARTER IS FROM THE ISLAND ITSELF.
AND THEN ON TO FURTHER COMPLICATE THINGS, THE, THE STORMWATER INFRASTRUCTURE WAS INSTALLED BACK IN THE THIRTIES, FORTIES, AND FIFTIES BEFORE THERE WERE REGULATIONS FOR THE FIRST FLUSH TREATMENT OF THE WATER THAT, UM, UH, COMES THROUGH IN THE STORMWATER.
SO NOW THERE IS NO TREATMENT BECAUSE OF THE TIMEFRAME OF WHEN THE STORMWATER SYSTEM WAS INSTALLED.
THERE'S NO TREATMENT FOR THAT STORMWATER, UM, THAT COMES FROM THE STREETS AND ENTERS INTO THE PVC.
UM, SO JUST TO CONFIRM, THE PIPES HERE I KNOW HAVE BEEN LINED, BUT THERE IS THE, JAY, THIS MIGHT BE PUTTING YOU ON THE POP POP QUIZ SEAT.
UM, THE, THE PIPES HAVE BEEN LINE, AND THAT'S BEEN USEFUL.
AND THAT HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY 'CAUSE I WAS STILL LIVING THERE WHEN THAT HAPPENED.
BUT, UM, AT THE OUTFALLS, THERE'S, THERE'S NO WATER CLEANING SYSTEM, IS THAT RIGHT? AND THE PIPES THEMSELVES, UNLESS THERE'S BEEN A RUPTURE, THERE, HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED SINCE THEY WERE BUILT IN 56 THROUGH YOU.
MR. CHAIRMAN, YOU'RE REFERRING TO THE STORMWATER WHEN YOU SAY ANY OF THE PIPES ON PARKVIEW? WELL, WITH, WITH THE STORMWATER, WE DON'T, WE HAVE, UH, A PROJECT UNDERWAY TO INSTALL FIL FILTRATION SYSTEMS. YEAH.
BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT THE ACTUAL AND STORMWATER TREATMENT.
BUT THE ACTUAL PIPES, THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF PIPES.
WE HAVE SANITARY SEWER, RIGHT? YEAH.
UM, PIPES THAT ARE LINED, BUT THEN THE STORMWATER PIPES ARE DIFFERENT, AND THOSE HAVE NOT BEEN LINED AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND.
AND ON THE SANITARY SEWER, WE'VE ALREADY INVESTED ON LINING, AND WE HAVE, I BELIEVE, $2.5 MILLION ALLOCATED FOR PHASE TWO.
UM, AND ACTUALLY I THINK THAT'S BEEN ABOUT 90%, UH, COMPLETE AND INVOICED.
AND THE ENGINEERING TEAM CAN SPEAK TO THAT? YES.
I'M THE REGULATORY COMPLIANCE MANAGER FOR, FOR THE CITY.
AND I OVERSEE ALL THE TRENCHES, SEWER, TRENCHES, REHABILITATION.
WE HAVE, UH, PUBLIC WORKS HAVE PRIORITIZE ALL TRENCHES REHABILITATION IN NORTH BEACH, SPECIFICALLY STARTING IN THE PARKVIEW AREA BECAUSE OF THE WATER QUALITY ISSUES, WE'VE LINED, UH, THE SEWER, UM, 95% AND REHABILITATED ALL OF THE MANHOLES.
AND THEN WE PROCEEDED TO LINE ABOUT, I WOULD SAY 95 TO 98% OF THE SEWER THAT WE CALL THE PARKVIEW EXTENDED AREA, WHICH IS 73 TO 76 FROM PARKVIEW ISLAND ALL THE
[02:05:01]
WAY TO THE OCEAN.THAT IS THE AREA THAT'S, UM, TRIBUTARY TO, UH, THAT WOULD HAVE ANY CROSS CONNECTION WITH THE STORM THAT WOULD HAVE ANY CONTAMINATION FLOW.
UH, SO THAT IS COMPLETELY LINE.
ALSO, ALL THE MANHOLES HAVE BEEN REHABILITATED, THE ONES THAT NEEDED REHABILITATION.
SO, I'M SORRY, I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THIS IN THE BRIEFING, BUT IT DIDN'T, DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME.
AND I, I KNOW I GRILLED YOU ON LOTS OF QUESTIONS, BUT IF WE'VE LINED THE SEWERS AND THAT HAS HELPED, WE HAVEN'T LINED THE STORM WATER DRAINS.
SO THERE, THERE ARE TWO POSSIBLE ISSUES.
ONE IS JUST WHERE THE WATER THAT'S IN THE STORM WATER DRAINS COMES OUT.
BUT IS THERE ALSO AN ISSUE OF, UM, LEACHING THROUGH THE PIPES THAT ARE, WERE LAID IN 1956? THEY JUST PROTECT, WHAT'S THAT? WASN'T THAT MY THOUGHT, UM, IS THAT SEWER, YEAH, THE STORM SEWER PIPES, SOMETIMES THEY'RE NOT LINED INTENTIONALLY BECAUSE YOU WANT THAT WATER TO FLOW INTO THE GROUND, AND THAT PROVIDES A LITTLE BIT OF TREATMENT.
SO THOSE ARE TYPICALLY NOT AS CRITICAL.
AND THE GROUNDWATER USUALLY IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN FINDING IN THE STUDY CLEANER, UH, IS CLEAN, IS RELATIVELY CLEAN COMPARED TO ALL THE OTHER ONE.
AND SO, EVEN THOUGH THIS HUGE AREA, AND FOR PEOPLE WATCHING AT HOME WAS THE SLIDE WITH THE LIGHT BLUE SQUARE AROUND, I DUNNO IF WE CAN, IT'S LIKE A RECTANGLE.
IF WE CAN PUT THAT SLIDE BACK UP, JUST SO PEOPLE UNDERSTAND.
UM, SO IT'S THAT LIGHT BLUE RECTANGLE TO THE, TO THE EAST OF PARKVIEW ISLAND, WHICH IS VERY DENSELY POPULATED, INCLUDING A SCHOOL FULL OF KIDS GOING TO THE BATHROOM
BUT I THINK THAT'S PART OF WHAT THE DOCTOR'S GONNA GET TO.
BUT, BUT SO ALL OF THAT STUFF IS COMING THROUGH INTO PARKVIEW, WHERE YOU'VE GOT THE ISLAND AT, AT THE CANAL, AT RIGHT ANGLES, BASICALLY.
SO WOULDN'T STORMWATER HELP WINDING THE STORMWATER? UM, UM, CANALS HELP.
THE STORMWATER PIPES HELP A LITTLE BIT.
YOU NEED DRAINAGE ON THE, FROM WHAT I GATHER, YOU NEED DRAINAGE ON THE STORM WATER BECAUSE NOT ALL THE WATER AND THE STORM DRAINAGE BASIC ITS WAY.
SO YOU NEED IT TO DRAIN, OTHERWISE IT'S GONNA POPULATE NUTRIENTS WHEN IT STAYS STAGNANT IN THERE, I WOULD IMAGINE.
SO AGAIN, THERE'S TWO KINDS OF PIPES.
THERE'S THIS SANITARY SEWER THAT COMES FROM INSIDE OF A BUILDING THAT HAS HUMAN WASTE IN IT.
THOSE ARE THE PIPES THAT HAVE TO BE LINED BECAUSE IF THEY CONTAMINATE THE GROUNDWATER OR THE STORMWATER, IT'S A MAJOR ISSUE.
WHEREAS THE STORMWATER, THE, THE THOUGHT PROCESS IS THAT IT'S NOT AS BAD AS THE HOUSE, THE, THE WASTE FROM THE HOUSE.
BUT WE'VE JUST TALKED ABOUT HOW THERE ARE BIRDS AND HOMELESS FOLKS AND DOGS AND RACCOONS AND IGUANAS, UM, WHO ARE NOT USING INDOOR PLUMBING.
AND SO THE QUESTION IS, HOW MUCH WORSE IS SEWER LINE WATER THAN STORM WATER? WATER? LET'S DO SOMETHING.
I WANNA ALLOW THE DOCTOR TO FINISH THE PRESENTATION.
LET'S, LET'S KEEP A NOTE OF OUR QUESTIONS BECAUSE I, BECAUSE I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE DOCTOR'S GONNA GO THROUGH A LOT OF DATA OF WHICH WE'VE SEEN IN OUR BRIEFINGS.
UH, BUT I WANT THE PUBLIC TO BE ABLE TO, TO, TO, TO STAY ON POINT WITH THIS AS WELL.
UM, BECAUSE WE OWE IT TO THEM FOR PURPOSES OF TRANSPARENCY TO BE ABLE TO GO THROUGH THE TRI THROUGH, THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.
THAT'S, LET'S JUST ALLOW, UH, DR.
AND I'D LIKE TO GET BACK TO THAT.
SO, UM, WE STARTED GOING OVER THE DATA THAT'S BEEN COLLECTED AND WE SEPARATED THE DATA INTO THE RED, WHICH MEANS ABOVE 70, AND THE GREEN, WHICH IS BELOW 70.
AND, UM, AS MENTIONED, AS AMY MENTIONED, THE DATA START WAS COLLECTED STARTING IN 2019.
THE, IT WAS INITIATED BECAUSE THERE WAS A WATER QUALITY STUDY OF MIAMI BEACH AT THAT TIME.
THE SEWAGE SPILL, THE BIG ONE WAS IN 2020.
UM, AND THEN THE WATER QUALITY KEPT BEING ELEVATED ABOVE THE 70, AND THEREFORE MONITORING CONTINUED.
UM, AND IT JUST DIDN'T GO DOWN.
AND IN 2022, UM, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI WAS CONTRACTED TO LOOK AT THIS IN MORE DETAIL.
AND DURING THAT TIME, AS WE WERE COLLECTING THE DATA, THE INFORMATION CITY OF MIAMI BEACH WAS VERY PROACTIVE IN MITIGATING, UM, AND IN IMPROVING AND IN CLEANING, UM, UH, THROUGH, AS BEST AS POSSIBLE THROUGH SHORT TERM MEASURES, UM, THE, THE AREA.
AND SO BY 2022, THERE'S WAS AN ENHANCEMENT OF THE MITIGATION PROCESS.
PRIOR TO THE MITIGATION, 92% OF THE SAMPLING SITES SAMPLES EXCEEDED THE 70.
AND AFTER 70% EXCEEDED, THIS DIFFERENCE IS SIGNIFICANT.
IT'S STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT.
SO THERE HAS BEEN AN IMPROVEMENT, UM, OVERALL, BUT IT'S STILL HIGH.
THERE'S STILL A LOT MORE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE.
'CAUSE THERE'S STILL A LOT OF RED.
ANOTHER ASPECT THAT, UM, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IS, LOOK, IS THE KAYAKING STANDARD.
[02:10:01]
UM, WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE IF THE FOCUS WAS ON THE KAYAKING STA STANDARD OF 370, WHICH IS GIVEN BY THE YELLOW, AND WE NOW HAVE THE NUMBER THAT WOULD STILL REMAIN RED ABOVE THE KAYAKING STANDARD.AND PRIOR TO THE INTENSE MITIGATION MEASURES OF 20 22 56 EXCEEDED THAT GUIDELINE LEVEL, WHEREAS 20% ARE NOW EXCEEDING AFTER THE FACT.
20% IS STILL A LOT, IT'S STILL HIGH.
UM, BUT AT AT LEAST IT'S, UM, CLOSER TO, TO POSSIBLY OPENING IT FOR PARTIAL USE, WHICH WOULD, COULD BE KAYAKING.
ANOTHER VERY SIGNIFICANT ASPECT THAT WE SAW BETWEEN 2022 AND 2024, UM, IS THE, THE THIN LINES HERE CORRESPOND TO 2022.
THE THICK LINES CORRESPOND TO 2024.
THE BLUE IS THE TIDE, THE THE ELEVATION.
SO WE SEE LOW TIDE COMING THROUGH, AND THE BLACK CORRESPONDS TO INTER OXIDE.
AND THIS IS BETWEEN STORM EVENTS.
AND WHAT WE SAW BETWEEN THE STORM EVENTS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT DECREASE, UM, IN THE INTER OXIDE LEVELS FROM THOUSANDS.
SO WE HAVE A LOG SCALE, THOUSANDS OF NPM PER HUNDRED MILS DOWN TO TENS AND EVEN BELOW THE 70, UM, GUIDELINE LEVEL.
SO THAT'S A, A VERY IMPORTANT IMPROVEMENT BECAUSE BEFORE IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS A GROUNDWATER SOURCE COMING IN, WHICH WAS INDICATIVE OF SEWAGE.
AND, UM, WE LOST THAT SOURCE, WHICH IS GOOD.
UM, SO WE NO LONGER SEE A GROUNDWATER SOURCE.
SO IT APPEARS AS THOUGH THE MITIGATION MEASURES TO THE SANITARY SEWER, THE, UM, THE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE AIR RELEASE VALVES, AND ALSO THE PIPELINING HAS MADE AN IMPACT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE SLIDE WHERE I WAS ASKING YOU, AMY.
SO, SO LET'S, LET'S SAY PRE, UH, THE, UH, THE SEWER UPGRADES THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, WHAT WAS THE LEVEL WE WERE AT? UH, I MEAN, WE'RE, WE'RE LOOKING THERE AT ALMOST THOUSANDS.
AND THEN IT DROPPED, YOU KNOW, TO HUNDREDS DOWN TO EVEN BELOW 70.
SO WE'VE GONE FROM THOUSANDS TO BELOW 70.
IT'S STILL NOT WHERE WE NEED TO DO, WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
BUT I WANNA HIGHLIGHT TO THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC THAT ARE WATCHING.
BUT THIS IS ONLY DURING STORM, BETWEEN STORMS AT TIDE, LOW TIDE BETWEEN, AND THAT'S, AND THAT'S, AND AT LOW TIDE IS ONE OF THE WATER IN THE CANALS REAL LOW.
SO WE'RE GETTING GROUNDWATER COMING IN.
SO IT SHOWS US THAT THE GROUNDWATER IS NO LONGER CONTAMINATING SERVING AS A SOURCE OF CONTAMINATION.
AND, AND, YOU KNOW, SO TO THE PUBLIC THAT'S BEEN ASKING US TO DO WORK YEAR AFTER YEAR, WE'VE BEEN PRIORITIZING FUNDING, AND THANK YOU, AMY, FOR GUIDING US ON THIS.
BUT WE'VE BEEN PRIORITIZING FUNDING FOR, FOR THESE SEWER IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THIS IS SHOWING US WE'RE STILL NOT WHERE WE NEED TO BE.
WE STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO IMPROVE ON, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO, YOU KNOW, STREET CLEANING AND A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.
BUT WHEN IT COMES TO THE SANITARY SEWER IMPROVEMENTS, THE NUMBERS ARE SHOWING THAT OUR INVESTMENT IS YIELDING A POSITIVE IMPROVEMENT TO THE WATER QUALITY.
AND I THINK THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT.
SO WELL AT, AT THE LEAST IT'S, IT'S MOVING IN THE CORRECT DIRECTION.
LIKE, YOU KNOW, IS IT SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH? WE COULD HAVE THAT DEBATE ALL DAY LONG, BUT IF IT WERE GOING IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, WE WOULD KNOW WE WEREN'T EVEN CLOSE TO BEING ON THE RIGHT TRACK FROM 1,200 TO 70.
IT'S SIGNIFICANT, BUT IT'S NOT ENOUGH.
BUT A GROUNDWATER SOURCE IS REALLY CONCERNING BECAUSE IT USUALLY INDICATES SEWAGE, SANITARY SEWAGE, AND THE FACT THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE THAT, EVEN THOUGH OUR NUMBERS ARE HIGH, AT LEAST IT'S NOT SANITARY SEWAGE.
COMMISSIONER SUAREZ? YES, MR. THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR.
SO THE FACT THAT WE LINED OUR PIPES, IT'S HELPING US.
WOULD YOU, UM, SO IT IS COMING FROM OUR SEWAGE PIPES.
SO WHAT, WHAT, THAT'S ONLY ONE SOURCE.
BACK IN 2022, THERE WAS SOME EVIDENCE THAT GROUNDWATER WAS CONTAMINATED.
THERE WAS SOME EVIDENCE THAT THERE WAS SOME GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION.
I, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM.
WE DIDN'T, BECAUSE WHAT WE WERE LOOKING AT WAS A MIXTURE OF GROUNDWATER IN STORMWATER.
BUT AT THAT TIME, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE TIMING OF THE, UM, ELEVATED LEVELS, YOU KNOW, AT LOW TIDE WE WERE SEEING HIGHER LEVELS OF BACTERIA, IT INDICATED THAT THE GROUNDWATER WAS CONTRIBUTING.
WE DON'T, WE DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS SEWAGE OR NOT AT THAT TIME, BUT NOW WE DON'T SEE IT.
WHAT IS, WHAT IS WHAT, WHAT DOES THIS GRAPH SHOW? YOU KNOW WHAT, ACTUALLY, IF YOU COULD GIVE ME IN LIKE ONE SENTENCE, WHAT WHAT DOES THIS PROVE AS FAR AS OUR INFRASTRUCTURE? IT INDICATES THAT GROUNDWATER IS NO LONGER A SOURCE DURING LOW TIDE, WHICH SUPPORTS
[02:15:02]
NO SEWAGE CONTAMINATION, THAT THE PIPELINING HAS HAD A POSITIVE IMPACT.AND COMMISSIONER, THAT I THINK THAT'S VERY RELEVANT BECAUSE THIS WHOLE STUDY AND THE ISSUES WITH THIS CANAL, IT'S A STUDY IN NON-POINT SOURCE POLLUTION.
WE'RE TRYING TO, TO GO THE BIGGEST SOURCES FIRST AND RULE 'EM OUT.
SO YOU ALWAYS THINK IT'S GONNA BE THE SANITARY SEWER.
SO THAT'S, IT'S KIND OF LIKE GETTING TO NOW, WHAT ELSE IS IT? WHAT'S THE NEXT SOURCE? HELPS.
I'M JUST HELPS CONCERNED ABOUT ALL THE OTHER PIPES IN MIAMI BEACH WHERE THEY'RE NOT LINED.
AND YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU SEE IT IN PARKVIEW ISLAND BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A SMALL NARROW STRIP OF WATER.
BUT WHEN YOU GO TO WEST AVENUE, YOU, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T HAVE THAT, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY IT'S IN A FLUSH ZONE, BUT TO THINK THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, OUR PIPES ARE SO OLD THAT MM-HMM
WE'RE, WE'RE CONTAMINATING THE WATER POSSIBLY.
UM, YEAH, I MEAN, IT'S A REAL CONCERN.
I MEAN, THIS IS HOW MUCH OF MIAMI BEACH HAS BEEN LINED? MM-HMM
WELL, WELL, IT'S AN ENGINEERING QUESTION.
PATRICIA, DO YOU KNOW THAT OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD? THROUGH THE CHAIR? I'D, IT'S, IT'S HARD TO SAY.
WE, WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO, TO SEE WHAT HAS BEEN LINED PRIOR TO OUR TIME AND, AND TRYING TO GET THOSE RECORDS HAS BEEN HARD.
AND, AND WE'VE BEEN, WE'VE, WE'VE CONSTANTLY WORKING ON, ON, UM, VALIDATING THE, THE WORK OR THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE PRIOR TO, TO US.
BUT IT TRENCHES REHABILITATION IS, LINING OF SEWERS HAS HAPPENED SINCE THE NINETIES.
AND THE CITY HAS BEEN DOING, UM, HAS BEEN DOING TRENCHES REHABILITATION IN THE SEWER, UH, FOR ONLY, MOSTLY FOR INI ISSUES AS PART AS THE CODE WITH THE PART OF, PART OF THE COUNTY CODE.
SAY FOR WHAT KIND OF ISSUES? INI INFLOW AND INFILTRATION.
WHAT IS THAT? REDUCING, UH, INFLOW THROUGH CRACKS OR THROUGH MANHOLES AND INFILTRATION THROUGH THE PIPES.
THAT'S INI INFLOW AND INFILTRATION.
SO MOSTLY I, I, I, LINING OF PIPE IS DONE FOR THAT REASON, FOR ION I TO STOP ILU INFILTRATION OF GROUNDWATER AND RAINWATER INTO THE STORM WATER, INTO THE, INTO THE SEWER.
I GUESS MY CONCERN IS THAT NOT WITHSTANDING THE FACT THAT THE PIPE LINING HAS HAD POSITIVE IMPACT IN, IN, IN THIS AREA OF THE CITY WHERE WE NEEDED IT.
UM, AND CLEARLY WE HAVE AREAS, WE HAVE RECURRING WATER QUALITY PROBLEMS, NOT TO THE SEVERITY THAT WE SEE AT PARKVIEW ISLAND AND THE CANAL THERE, BUT WE DO HAVE, FROM TIME TO TIME, WATER QUALITY ISSUES IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
IT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT, THAT WE SHOULD BE SEEING.
AND PERHAPS WE SHOULD, UH, THIS COMMITTEE COULD ASK THE ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE US WITH A REPORT OF THOSE AREAS OF THE CITY THAT HAVE ALREADY HAD PIPELINING AREAS THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT MIGHT BE LOWER IN THE, IN THE PRIORITY LIST FOR, UH, SANITARY SEWER IMPROVEMENTS THAT PERHAPS WE COULD EXPEDITE IN THE MEANTIME, LINING IN OUR EFFORT TO, UH, TO IMPROVE OVERALL WATER QUALITY.
AND WE COULD MAKE A MOTION TO, TO REQUEST A REPORT LIKE THAT TO COME AT A FUTURE DATE, UH, TO THIS COMMITTEE THROUGH THE CHAIR.
THIS IS LITERALLY WHY WE NEED TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION ABOUT RAISING OUR SEWER RATES MM-HMM
AND FOR US TO NOT WANNA HAVE THAT CONVERSATION OR NOT WANT TO, UM, MAKE THE HARD DECISIONS FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE 60 AND 90% DESIGNED ALREADY, UM, FOR PROJECTS WHERE COSTS ARE GOING UP BY THE DAY, LITERALLY.
UM, GIVEN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS OF ECONOMIC DATA, IT IS TO ME SORT OF SHOCKING THAT, UM, WELL, THIS IS WHY WE NEED TO HAVE THE CONVERSATION ON WEDNESDAY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH, WITH THE RESPONSIBLE MANAGEMENT OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT'S NOT THE ITEM BEFORE US TODAY.
I'M GONNA RECOGNIZE THE DOCTOR TO, TO, TO CONTINUE.
AND I ALSO SAY WE TALK ABOUT WORKFORCE HOUSING AND WE, YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE THE PROPER PROCESSES IN PLACE BEFORE WE ADOPT ANYTHING THAT COULD AFFECT OUR LOW INCOME AND FIXED INCOME INDIVIDUALS, FURTHER STRENGTH THEM.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT THOSE INDIVIDUALS SO THAT WE DON'T KICK OUT OF OUR CITY INADVERTENTLY, THE VERY SAME PEOPLE WHO WE'RE TRYING TO PROTECT THROUGH OUR POLICIES, WHILE WE'RE CREATING TAX EXCEPTIONS FOR BIG DEVELOPERS WHO HAVE ABANDONED THEIR PROPERTIES, UH, SO THEY CAN PRESERVE THEIR PROPERTIES.
IT'S ALL, IT'S, IT'S NOT ABOUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT ABOUT JUST GETTING IT DONE, IT'S ABOUT GETTING IT DONE WITHOUT HURTING PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO HAVE BEEN PART OF THE FABRIC OF MIAMI BEACH AND WHO WE NEED TO PROTECT AS THEIR ELECTED OFFICIALS.
I DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU, BUT WE NEED TO PROTECT THOSE WHO,
[02:20:01]
WHO WE NEED TO, WHO DON'T HAVE A BIGGER VOICE.SO NOW IN THE 2022 STUDY, UM, WE IDENTIFIED THAT THE MAIN, THE HIGHEST LEVELS OFER OXIDE WERE WITHIN THE STORMWATER CONVEYANCE SYSTEM.
SO THAT GREEN LINE IS THE STORMWATER CONVEYING SYSTEM, AN EXAMPLE.
AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE PLANS, TAKE A CROSS SECTION VIEW.
SO YOU CUT INTO THE GROUND AND YOU LOOK AT IT FROM THE SIDE.
THIS IS AN IMAGE OF WHAT THE STORM SYSTEM LOOKS LIKE.
THE PVC CROSSES INTO THE, UH, STORM SYSTEM.
AND SO IN THE STORM SYSTEM, THERE'S A MIXTURE OF PPC WATER AND GROUNDWATER.
AND WHEN IT RAINS, THERE'S STORM WATER THAT COMES IN.
AND SO IN THAT, IN THE STORM SYSTEM, WHICH IS WHERE WE WERE SAMPLING DURING 2022, IT WAS A BIG MIX OF STORMWATER GROUNDWATER AND PPC WATER.
AND SO IN OUR 2024 STUDY, WHAT WE WANTED TO DO, WE FOCUS IS TO SEPARATE THE WATER SOURCES.
WE SEPARATELY SAMPLED THE GROUNDWATER FROM THE STORMWATER TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHERE THE INTER COX I WAS COMING FROM.
AND WE ALSO ADDED IN THE MICROBIAL SOURCE TRACKING.
SO WE COLLECTED SEPARATE SAMPLES OF STORMWATER GROUNDWATER AND PVC WATER AT DIFFERENT DEPTHS.
WE SEPARATED THOSE SAMPLES INTO THREE, UM, SPLITS.
ONE FOR INTER IDE BY CULTURE, ANOTHER FOR THE DNA ANALYSIS.
AND THE LAST ONE FOR WATER QUALITY, THIS IS JUST IMAGES OF THE DIFFERENT SAMPLING METHODS.
THE GROUNDWATER AS, UH, COMMISSIONER BOB MENTIONED WAS THROUGH DRILLING, UM, INTO THE GROUND WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO EXTRACT GROUNDWATER, STORM WATER, UM, YOU CAN SEE THERE WHERE THE GRATE WAS REMOVED.
AND THEN AT THE WATER SURFACE, THERE WAS A PERSON PHYSICALLY THERE DURING THE RAIN AND WAS ABLE TO COLLECT THE WATER BEFORE IT FELL, UM, INTO THE STORM CONVEYING SYSTEM.
AND OF COURSE, THE WATER FROM THE PVC, THESE ARE THE RESULTS FROM THE GROUNDWATER.
UM, THE GROUNDWATER, IF YOU LOOK AT IT, A LARGE PORTION OF IT IS VERY HIGH QUALITY, LESS THAN 10.
BUT THERE ARE PLACES WHERE WE HAVE HOTSPOTS.
THE MAJOR HOTSPOT IS UP BY THE BISCAY BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, UM, 24,000, OVER 24,000, WHICH THEN CAUSES TO LOOK, UM, IN THAT AREA A LITTLE BIT MORE SPECIFICALLY.
AND THEN THERE WAS OTHER AREAS THAT WERE ELEVATED IN THE HUNDREDS ALONG THE 73RD STREET CORRIDOR.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT THE STORMWATER, SO HERE, THE BIG ONE WAS 24,000, JUST ONE.
BUT IF YOU LOOK AT STORM WATER, ON THE OTHER HAND, THE LEVELS ARE ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE HIGHER.
UM, WE HAD TO CHANGE OUR DILUTION AND THE NUMBERS WENT UP TO 240,000, EVEN ABOVE 240,000.
AND THERE WERE NO, NO SAMPLES THAT WERE LESS THAN A THOUSAND.
SO THE STORM WATER, THE WATER THAT'S ON THE STREETS, IS WHAT IS REALLY CONTRIBUTING HIGH LEVELS IN ENTEROCOCCI TO THE PVC.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S BRINGING IN BACTERIA, LIKE FROM PAD WAYS FROM LITTER, EVERYTHING THAT FALLS IN THE STREET.
AND, AND NOT TO NOT, NOT TO JUMP THE SHIP, BUT WHAT, WHAT WAS THE DNA RESULT? LIKE? WHAT WAS IT MOSTLY? UM, YEAH, IT, UM, IT HAS EVERYTHING IN IT.
IS THERE ANY, WAS THERE ANY ONE MORE THAN THE OTHER? UM, WELL, UM, INTERESTINGLY IT WAS BIRD BIRDS ARE EVERYWHERE.
AND THEN PVC, THE BIRDS WERE JUST ONE OF THOSE MARKERS THAT WERE JUST PREDOMINANT AND IT'S EVERYWHERE.
SO, BUT WE ALSO SEE HUMAN AND WE ALSO SEE DOG OR LIKE, MAGNITUDE WISE, HOW MUCH MORE BIRD POOP WAS THERE THAN HUMAN AND DOG POOP? IT'S HARD TO TELL.
UM, ALL WE CAN SAY IS THAT EVERY SAMPLE SHOWED EVIDENCE OF BIRDS.
SO, UM, THE BACTERIA, OH, WE CAN SAY THAT IT WAS THEIR PRESENT.
SO WE TO DO IT QUANTITATIVELY TO SAY BIRDS ARE MORE THAN HUMANS THAT ARE MORE THAN DOGS IS DIFFICULT.
UM, I THINK IT'S BETTER TO LOOK AT THOSE RISK-BASED LEVELS.
LIKE THAT'S BECAUSE BIRDS ARE EVERYWHERE, OBVIOUSLY, RIGHT? YEAH, YEAH.
BUT THE LE UM, BUT TO LOOK AT THE LEVELS OF THE MARKER, THERE'S A RISK LEVEL FOR HUMANS OF 525, AND THEN THE BIRDS, IT'S OKAY TO GET UP TO 200,000.
SO WE CAN LOOK AT THOSE LEVELS TO SEE IF THERE'S A RISK FROM THE MICROBIAL SOURCE TRACKING MARKERS.
BUT WHAT THIS SHOWS IS THAT WE'RE, WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO MICROBIAL SOURCE TRACKING YET.
ON THIS SLIDE, WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT THE BACTERIA, THE INTER COCCI AND THE LEVELS ARE REALLY HIGH, UM, THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHED.
AND THIS IS AT THE STREET SURFACE.
AND THEN WITHIN THE CANAL OF THE CANAL, AT THE KAYAK LAUNCH, WE SEE 9,000 HUNDREDS.
BUT AT THE OUTFALL, AT THE BISCAYNE BEACH ELEMENTARY OUTFALL, UM, WE'RE SEEING ABOUT CLOSE TO 200,000, WHICH IS REALLY HIGH FOR A, A WATER BODY, UM, OF, OF A CANAL HERE.
JUST TO EMPHASIZE THE DIFFERENCES IN THE BACTERIA, THE TOTAL BACTERIA LEVEL GROUNDWATER, AGAIN, THIS IS A LOG SCALE.
[02:25:01]
IN GREEN IS LOWER THAN THE STORMWATER, WHICH IS BLUE.THE KAYAK LAUNCH AND THE BISCAY BEACH ELEMENTARY ARE IN BETWEEN.
WITH THE BISCAYNE BEACH ELEMENTARY, HIGHER THAN WHAT WE'RE SEEING AT THE KAYAK LAUNCH ARE THE NUMBERS THAT WE'RE SEEING OUT OF THE NORM.
UM, IN TERMS OF THE PVC, WE ARE WITHIN, UM, WHAT THE LITERATURE SHOWS WOULD BE CONSIDERED TYPICAL WITHIN HIGHLY URBAN AREAS.
AND USUALLY THE LITERATURE EMPHASIZES MORE CONTAMINATED SITES.
SO WE ARE, UM, CONSISTENT WITH OTHER, UM, CITIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
NOW, WITH THE MICRO SOURCE TRACKING.
CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT SIDE? SURE.
WAIT, WE'RE DOUBLE HOUSTON AND RALEIGH.
HOW'S THAT? WE'RE ALL, I, WHEN I LOOK AT THE BACTERIA LEVEL, I THINK OF LIKE ORDER OF MAGNITUDE.
SO 50 C, YOU KNOW, IF IT'S LIKE 20 200,000, THEN I WOULD SAY YES, WE'RE, WE HAVE AN ISSUE, BUT IF IT'S IN THE SAME ORDER OF MAGNITUDE, SO IF I MULTIPLY BY 10 OR DIVIDE BY 10, THE NUMBERS ARE CONSISTENT.
UM, SO DOCTOR, ONE MORE THING.
IF YOU COULD REMIND EVERYONE WHAT IS PVC WATER EXACTLY.
OH, NO, BUT THAT'S JUST THE WATER THAT'S THERE.
SO YES, THE WATER THAT WE COLLECT, THOSE ARE THE LEVEL, THE A THE MEDIAN LEVELS.
BUT YOU'RE, YOU'RE, IF YOU GO BACK TO THE OTHER SLIDE WHERE YOU HAVE THOSE TWO BIG ORANGE CIRCLES, THAT THAT'S, THAT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE, ARE YOU COLLECTING ANYWHERE ELSE BESIDES THOSE LOCATIONS? IN THE PVC? IN THIS STUDY, WE COLLECTED ONLY AT THESE LOCATIONS.
IN 2022, WE WENT ALL THE WAY AROUND.
I'M GONNA CONTINUE ON TO GET TO THE MICROBIAL SOURCE TRACKING.
THIS IS, THESE ARE THE RESULTS FOR THE CANAL.
AND THE GREEN CORRESPONDS TO THE ENTERIC OXIDE BY BOTH CULTURE AND BY DNA METHOD.
AND YOU'LL NOTICE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PINK, WHICH IS THE BIRD.
AND THE, THE LEVEL OF PINK IS VERY HIGH, UPWARDS OF 200,000, WHICH TELLS US THAT THE LEVELS OF BIRD MARKER IN THE CANAL ARE EXCESSIVE.
AND JUST FROM THE BIRD MARKER ALONE, WE WOULD NOT RECOMMEND SWIMMING, UM, IN THE CANAL.
UM, BUT WE ALSO SEE FROM THE GRAY AND ALSO THE AQUA BLUE, UH, WE SEE, UM, IMPACTS FROM BOTH HUMANS AND DOGS.
BUT THE BIRDS ARE PREDOMINANT AND THEY'RE VERY HIGH LEVELS WITHIN THE CANAL.
UM, I, I WOULD LIKE TO JUST, I, WE'RE GONNA TRY AND GET THROUGH THIS, BUT JUST SO I CAN UNDERSTAND, UM, IF, IF IT WERE, SO THE BIRDS JUST, THEY EXIST, THEY ARE AN URBAN THING.
UM, NO ONE'S GONNA GET TAKE OUT BB GUNS AND START SHOOTING THE BIRDS.
THAT'S NOT A THING THAT'S GONNA HAPPEN.
BUT IF IT WERE JUST THE BIRDS, AND WE DIDN'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT YOU'VE GOT THIS ENTIRE, I FORGET WHAT THE TERM YOU USED, BUT THIS ENTIRE RECTANGULAR AREA THAT WAS DRAINING INTO PARKVIEW CANAL, AND PARKVIEW HAS THESE RIGHT ANGLES, AND WE'VE GOT THE SCHOOL, WHICH IS A HOTSPOT.
IF IT WERE JUST THE BIRDS, IT'D BE HIGH.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'D, YOU'D TAKE YOUR CHANCES.
IT'S BIRDS THAT ARE COMPOUNDED BY ALL THESE OTHER EXACERBATING FACTORS THAT IS PUSHING US OVER THE BRINK.
WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET TO.
IT'S THE BIRDS WITH THE STORM WATER, WITH A PA WITH A PET WASTE, WITH HOMELESS.
BUT THE, THE BIRDS WOULD BE LIKE THIS BENCHMARK, LIKE NOT A BENCHMARK, THIS BASELINE.
AND IT'S ALL THESE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE INCREMENTAL, THAT ARE, YEAH.
WHEN YOU HAVE A COMBINATION OF BIRDS WITH HUMANS, THE LEVEL, THE RISKS ARE HIGHER AND THE HUMANS ARE COMING BECAUSE IT'S, THEY, ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT BIRDS INTERACTING WITH HUMANS SWIMMING IN IT, OR BIRD POOP PLUS HUMAN POOP.
HUMAN POOP, DOG POOP, AND BIRD POOP.
AND SO THE HUMAN POOP IS, BECAUSE THIS, IT'S NOT THE SEWER LINES ANYMORE.
'CAUSE WE FIX THAT SO WELL THE PUBLIC SEWER, BUT WE DON'T HAVE CONTROL OVER THE PORTION THAT IS FROM THE PERSON'S HOME TO THE PUBLIC RIGHTAWAY.
AND THE SCHOOL AND THE SCHOOL IS A HOTSPOT.
AND SO DO WE HAVE ANY SENSE OF WHETHER IT'S COMING FROM HOMES THAT AREN'T PROPERLY FIXED OR IT'S COMING FROM THE STREETS? YEAH, BUT SHE JUST SHOWED A SLIDE THAT IT'S EVERYWHERE.
IT'S COMING FROM THE STREETS, THE HUMAN SOURCE AND THE DOG SOURCE IS COMING FROM THE STREETS.
SO HUMAN POOP COMING FROM THE STREETS COMES FROM PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE SANITATION.
AND WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT UP IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE WE'VE CLEANED IT OUT A BUNCH OF TIMES.
UM, AND THERE ARE PEOPLE LIVING UNDER BRIDGES WHO ARE TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING BY NOT POOPING ON THE LAWN.
AND THIS IS WHERE, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION.
IT'S NOT, YOU KNOW, WE TRY TO BE VERY PROACTIVE ON HOW WE HANDLE HOMELESS ISSUES.
[02:30:01]
BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE JUST NEED TO HAVE A BATHROOM OPEN, YOU KNOW, TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM DOING BASIC LIFE NECESSITIES ON THE STREETS IN MANGROVES, ON OUTFALLS, OR WE DON'T WANT THEM TO BE DOING IT.SO YEAH, SO COMING BACK TO THE MICROBIAL SOURCE TRACKING, WHAT WE'RE FINDING IN THE CANAL IS ALL THREE SOURCES, A LOT OF BIRD, AND THEN DOG AND HUMANS, THIS IS THE GROUNDWATER DATA.
UM, WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THE GROUNDWATER DATA IS THAT WE DO SEE BIRD THERE, BUT LOWER LEVELS OF BIRD, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS CONTAMINATION FROM THE STORMWATER.
SO THOSE, THE STORMWATER HAS HIGH LEVELS OF BIRD, AND SO, SO DOES THE PVC WATER.
AND I BELIEVE ALL OF THAT IS MIXING UNDERGROUND AND INFLUENCING.
AND THAT'S WHY WE SEE BIRD MARKER IN THE GROUNDWATER.
BUT IF WE LOOK AT ANY OTHER SOURCES, WE DID NOT SEE ANY DOG MARKER.
THERE WAS ONE SITE THAT SHOWED SOME INDICATION OF HUMAN MARKER, BUT THE HUMAN MARKER WAS BELOW THAT 525 HUMAN, THE THRESHOLD FOR 525.
SO THE GROUNDWATER JUST HAD ONE SMALL DETECT ON THE HUMANS.
UM, AND SO THAT'S, THOSE ARE THE RESULTS THERE.
AND THEN WHEN IT COMES TO THE STORM WATER, AGAIN, WE'RE, WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF PINK.
THE STORMWATER SHOWS, UM, THIS, THIS IS THE STREET SURFACE WATER SHOWS BIRD CONTAMINATION.
WE SEE DOG AND WE SEE HUMAN, WE SEE THE GRAY BARS, AND WE SEE THE AQUA BARS, UM, THROUGHOUT THE STORMWATER AS WELL.
AND THE LEVELS OF INTER COX IN THE STORMWATER, VERY HIGH, LOOKING AT THE MICROBIAL SOURCE TRACKING IN MORE OF A SPATIAL WAY.
AGAIN, YOU SEE THE, THE PINK, WHICH IS THE BIRDS THROUGHOUT THE WATERSHED, BUT YOU ALSO SEE SOME OF THE AQUA.
AND IF WE HIGHLIGHT THE AQUA, UH, WE CAN SEE PERHAPS THAT THERE, YOU KNOW, THERE, MAYBE IT'S AROUND THE PARKS, UM, MAYBE, UM, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE HUMAN SOURCE.
IT MAY BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE PARKS.
UM, SO CAN YOU GO BACK TO THAT SLIDE FOR A SECOND, PLEASE? MM-HMM
AND THERE'S SOME REMNANTS OF DOG SOURCE IN OTHER PLACES, BUT CAN I JUST SAY THAT DRAWING LOOKS LIKE A BIRD? JUST, I HAD TO, I HAVE A FLAMINGO, MAYBE.
IS THAT WHERE A FLAMINGO? THERE YOU GO.
IS THAT WHERE THE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENT IS? WHERE THE BLUE? NO, THAT'S WHY I'M LOOKING AT IT.
UM, ALSO ANOTHER ASPECT THAT MAY BE ATTRACTING BIRDS, I JUST WANNA MENTION, IT MAY BE WORTH LOOKING AT THE BIRDS A LITTLE MORE CAREFULLY, BUT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO HAVE ANIMAL FEEDING STATIONS AND THEY, THEY'RE STILL, AND THEY FEED THE BIRDS INTENTIONALLY KEPT FEEDING.
SO YEAH, IT'S JUST SOME, I THINK IT'S, YEAH.
IT'S SO, SO I KNOW PARKVIEW ISLAND BETTER THAN I SHOULD.
SO, UM, I CAN'T SEE WHAT, UM, THE ONE THAT'S LIKE AT THE HEAD OF THE BIRD ALL THE WAY AT THE LEFT.
YEAH, THAT'S, YEAH, THAT'S MORE LIKE THE TAIL, BUT YEAH.
THAT IS, THAT IS A, THAT IS A BUILDING THAT HAS DEFICIENT PIPES, BECAUSE THAT IS A PARK, BUT THIS IS COMING OUT FROM THE STREET SURFACE.
IT HAS NOT GONE DOWN DOWN YET.
SO THIS IS WATER THAT WE'RE COLLECTING FROM THE STREET SURFACE.
BUT I'M TELLING YOU, IT'S STORM WATER.
IT'S STORM WATER THAT'S NOT IN THE, IN THE PIPES YET.
THE S MEANS STORM WATER, SO YEAH.
'CAUSE THAT PARK IS USED BY KIDS AND DOGS ALL THE TIME.
SO I'M CUR MAYBE, MAYBE FOLKS WHO ARE CAMPING OUT COME THERE AT NIGHT.
BUT I'VE NEVER, I MEAN, I LIVED THERE FOR SIX YEARS AND I NEVER SAW HOMELESS PEOPLE ON PARKVIEW ISLAND.
I, I DID SEE THEM ON THE BRIDGES CONNECTING THE ISLAND TO, UM, CRAB ALLEY.
AND, UM, AND THERE'S A BIG, NOT A BIG, THERE'S AN ISSUE THERE, BUT THERE'S A, THERE'S AN ENCAMPMENT, UM, UM, NEAR WHERE THE DOG PARK IS JUST, JUST, UH, SOUTH OF THE WATER TOWERS THERE.
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO LIVE BACK THERE ON AND OFF.
WE'VE CLEARED THAT OUT A FEW TIMES.
BUT THEN YOU LOOK AT THE ONE THAT'S LIKE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE, UM, I'M SURE THERE'S A NUMBER OR A LETTER TO IT AT LIKE A WING.
THERE'S ONE THAT'S HALF PINK AND ONE THAT'S HALF BLUE.
WHERE IS THAT? OH, YES, I SEE THAT.
WHERE, WHERE IS THAT S MEANS STORMWATER.
UM, THAT'S ON, LET'S SEE, CARLISLE AND 73RD.
LIKE, ARE PEOPLE JUST SQUATTING BETWEEN CARS AND GOING TO THE BATHROOM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT? I DON'T KNOW.
WHAT IS THE SOURCE? AND LIKE, HOW IS THAT, YOU KNOW, ELEVATED LEVEL MAKING ITS WAY THERE? ULTIMATELY THAT'S, YEAH, IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
LIKE, I WOULD'VE EXPECTED TO HAVE SEEN THOSE HALF BLUE OR QUARTER BLUE, YOU KNOW, WHERE FOLKS ARE SLEEPING AND CAMPING UNDER BRIDGES, WHATEVER.
UH, BUT COULD THAT BE A SIGN OF BROKEN PIPES SOMEWHERE?
[02:35:01]
THAT'S IT'S ON THE STREET.I HAVE A QUESTION THROUGH THE CHAIR.
UM, AND I DON'T WANT P**S OFF THE CAT PEOPLE, BUT THERE ARE ALSO A LOT OF CATS THERE.
HAVE YOU, DO YOU ALSO HAVE, HAVE YOU CHECKED FOR CATS? CAT POOP? WE DID NOT CHECK FOR CATS.
THE, THE, YEAH, THERE, THERE IS A CAT MARKER THOUGH.
CATS CAN BE IDENTIFIED, BUT THE NUMBERS WOULD BE EVEN HIGHER IF YOU WERE CHECKING FOR CATS.
THE NUMBERS WOULDN'T BE MORE, BUT THE INTER YEAH.
THE ENTIRE, BUT THE NUMBERS MIGHT BE DIFFERENT.
THE, YEAH, THE, THE PIES MAY LOOK A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
AND IS THERE A WAY TO STILL USE THE DATA THAT YOU HAVE TO SEE IF THERE'S CAT POOP THERE? THAT I HAVE TO RETEST IT, OR YOU HAVE TO, YEAH.
I MEAN, MY SENSE IS IF THERE'S DOG, THERE'S CAT.
BUT WHAT PERCENTAGE, I MEAN, WE, BECAUSE THAT'S, THAT'S, WE'RE TRYING TO IDENTIFY THE SOURCE.
WE KNOW THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A CAT POPULATION JUST GROWING AND THAT'S GROWING.
SO YOU KNOW WHY, I THINK WHY WOULDN'T, WHY WOULDN'T WE HAVE TESTED FOR THE CATS? JUST WONDERING.
BECAUSE IT'S EXPENSIVE TO ANALYZE AND IT'S VERY, YOU KNOW, IT'S TIME.
YOU KNOW, IT COSTS MORE MONEY TO DO SOME ADDITIONAL MARKERS.
UM, UM, WHAT OTHER SENSE, UM, MARKERS DIDN'T WE CONSIDER? JUST, I DON'T THINK THERE'S MUCH BE, I MEAN, THERE'S COWS AND PIG, BUT THAT'S NOT APPLICABLE TO WE NOTICED.
SO YES, THEY WERE, BUT I DON'T THINK THEY'RE, YEAH, I THINK CAT IS THE ONLY OTHER APPLICABLE ONE THAT.
AND HOW MANY, HOW MANY TIMES DID YOU SAMPLE AT THESE LOCATIONS? SOME LOCATIONS WERE EIGHT OR NINE TIMES, EIGHT OR NINE TIMES OVER A COURSE OF HOW LONG OF A STORM? UM, WE, WE WERE OUT DURING THE SUMMER.
YEAH, WE WERE OUT DURING THE SUMMER, UM, FROM, UH, MAYBE THREE TO FOUR MONTHS.
AND, AND IN BETWEEN THE PERIODS OF STORMS. SO LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S A STORM, A, IT FLUSHES OUT ALL THE CRAP ON THE FLOOR.
IT DID YOU WAIT A DAY, A WEEK, TWO WEEKS TO THE NEXT STORM? OR WHAT WAS WHENEVER WE COULD GET RAIN, UH, IT'S NOT EASY TO, TO GET, TO GET STORMS. UM, BECAUSE PREDICTIONS WERE, SO WHENEVER WE WERE ABLE TO GET A RAIN, I MEAN, THERE WERE A LOT OF MIST.
WE THOUGHT WE WERE GONNA GET RAIN.
WE WERE THERE AND IT DIDN'T SAY HAPPEN.
SO IT WAS A LOT, SOME TRIAL AND ERROR, BUT WE TRIED TO GET EVERY STORM WE POSSIBLY COULD.
YEAH, IT'S JUST CRAZY TO ME THAT THERE'S SO MUCH, SO LET'S, LET'S ALLOW THE DOCTOR TO GO TO HER NEXT SLIDE.
SO ON THE, UH, STORM WATER, THE SOURCES ARE BIRD, HUMAN AND DOG.
SO AGAIN, WE CONCLUDE THAT, UM, THE, THE INTER COX I WERE LOWER BETWEEN STORM EVENTS, ESPECIALLY AT LOW TIDE.
WE LOST OUR GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION SIGNAL, WHICH SUGGESTS THAT THE SANITARY SEWER PIPELINE AND REPAIR OF THE AIR RELEASE VALVES HAS IMPROVED, UM, WATER QUALITY.
WE BELIEVE THAT THE MAIN SOURCE, SO THE MAIN WATER TYPE CONTRIBUTING ENTERIC OXIDE TO THE PVC IS STORM WATER.
AND THE SOURCE TO THE STORM WATER COMES FROM BIRDS, HUMANS, AND DOGS AT STREET LEVEL.
UM, IN THE PVC, THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL LOAD FROM BIRDS MORE SO THAN WHAT WE SEE IN, IN THE STORMWATER.
AND WE ALSO NOTE THAT THE BISCAY BEACH ELEMENTARY OUTFALL ALSO CONTRIBUTES INTER OXIDE TO THE PVC.
I I WASN'T PLANNING ON GOING INTO DETAILS OF THE RECOMMENDATION, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF BULLET POINTS, UM, FOR STORMWATER, INCLUDING ADDRESSING OUTFALLS AND INCREASED STREET SWEEPING, ESPECIALLY ON THE EAST SIDE, UM, OF THE CATCHMENT.
UM, AND HOPEFULLY WITH INCREASED, UM, MITIGATION, SHORT TERM MEASURES, UM, WE CAN ADDRESS THE STORMWATER CONTAMINATION, UM, GROUNDWATER, I BELIEVE THAT THE GROUND, A LOT OF THE GROUNDWATER MAY BE DUE TO CONTAMINATION FROM SURFACE WATER, SO THAT WOULD HELP WITH THE GROUNDWATER.
UM, BUT REGARDLESS, THERE NEEDS TO BE A, AN, UM, CONTINUED, UM, INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM.
AND HOPEFULLY THOSE HOTSPOTS WILL BE, UM, TAKEN CARE OF.
AND THEN THE PVC ITSELF, UM, WE RECOMMEND IMPROVING THE FLUSHING OF THE PVC BY THROUGH A DREDGING AND FLUSH PROGRAM.
AND THEN ALSO IMPROVE THE WATER QUALITY, UM, FROM STORMWATER OUTFALLS, UM, IMPROVE THE SHORELINE, AND THEN ALSO CONSIDER MAYBE AS A STEP, UM, TO INCREASING USE OF THAT WATERWAY BY THINKING ABOUT, UM, THE KAYAKING GUIDELINES.
UM, YEAH, AND WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO THANK, THANK, UM, THANK YOU FOR LISTENING AND THANK YOU FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.
IT'S BEEN, UM, A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR MYSELF, FOR MY STUDENTS, UM, AND FOR ALL THE RESEARCHERS INVOLVED.
WE REALLY, I'M GUESSING WE'RE NOT DONE WITH YOU GUYS YET,
AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR, FOR YOUR WORK WITH THE FIRST STUDY, WITH THE SECOND STUDY WITH THESE, UH, FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS YOU'VE BROUGHT FORWARD TO US IS VERY ENLIGHTENING.
[02:40:01]
UM, ON THE, ON THE ISSUE OF THE SOURCE, GOING BACK WHETHER BIRDS OR HUMAN OR DOGS, UM, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THIS IS ALL BASED ON DNA.AND SO AND SO, YOU KNOW, BIRD, DNA IS BIRD, DNA? YES.
SO, SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S NO WAY TO MESS THAT.
THERE'S NO WAY TO, IT'S LIKE 99%, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS A, A SMALL RISK OF MEASUR, YOU KNOW, MEASURING BURDEN.
BUT IT'S LIKE 90, YOU KNOW, THESE MARKERS HAVE BEEN TESTED FOR OKAY.
NO, I WAS JUST, I WAS JUST, YOU KNOW, INQUIRING ABOUT THAT.
SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE DONE A LOT.
I MEAN, I, I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S A CLEAR THING.
THERE'S, THERE'S BEEN SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENTS, UH, WITH, WITH THE EFFORTS THAT OUR PUBLIC WORKS STAFF HAS DONE WITH THE PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE OF, OF OUR CHIEF RESILIENCY OFFICER.
AND, AND, AND YOU DOCTOR, UH, THE GUIDANCE HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANT AND THE IMPROVEMENT IS CLEARLY EVIDENT IN THE STUDY RESULTS.
WHAT ARE THE MOST PRESSING THINGS THAT WE CAN DO OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS THAT WE WERE TO SAY, WE ARE GOING TO PRIORITIZE RESOURCES TO BRING THIS WATER QUALITY LEVEL THE SAME WAY WE GOT IT FROM 1200 TO 70.
WHAT ARE THE KEY THINGS WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS TO ACHIEVE THE INTENDED OUTCOMES? THERE'S A WHOLE LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS THERE, AND I, I BELIEVE THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE A LOT OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS IN ORDER TO BRING IT DOWN TO THE 70 FOCUS AREA.
UM, THERE'S SOME SHORT TERM RECOMMENDATIONS, LIKE THE STREET SWEEPING.
I KNOW IT'S VERY INTENSE ON THE ISLAND, BUT I, I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S AS INTENSE ON THE EAST SIDE, UM, WHICH REPRESENTS THREE QUARTERS OF THE CATCHMENT.
SO MAYBE INCREASING THE, THE STREET SWEEPING ON THE EAST SIDE COULD HELP.
UM, IN ADDITION, THE STREET SWEEPERS TEND TO BE THESE BIG MACHINES, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE MAY BE SOME VALUE TO ALSO HAVING MORE DETAILED CLEANING, WHERE YOU HAVE PEOPLE WITH ACTUAL POOPER SCOOPERS THAT CAN ACTUALLY PICK UP THE WASTE FROM GRASSY AREAS.
UM, MAYBE EVEN SWEEPING THE CURBS, UM, WITH, YOU KNOW, MORE DETAIL.
'CAUSE THOSE BIG MACHINES, THEY'RE GOOD FOR CLEANING, BUT BULK CLEANING.
BUT WE NEED SOME, I'VE NEVER BEEN IMPRESSED WITH THE BIG MACHINES, HONESTLY.
I, I HONESTLY WOULD SELL THOSE MACHINES BECAUSE I HONESTLY DON'T THINK THAT THEY MAKE, YOU KNOW, LET ME JUST, WELL, WELL, NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WHAT ARE THEY, THOSE MACHINES AREN'T PICKING UP BIRD POOP
RIGHT? THEY'RE CLEANING UP ALL THE STREET, WHICH IS WHERE ALL THE CONTAMINATION IS.
SO BY REMOVING SOME OF THAT DEBRIS THAT'S FROM THE STREET, THEY'RE REMOVING A LIT, SOME OF THE, THE BACTERIA.
WHAT, SO WHAT ELSE? SO, UH, STREET SWEEPING, MORE DETAILED CLEANING.
WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU SAY? UM, ANALYSIS OF THE OUT, I MEAN, WE, WE LOOKED AT THE BIG OUTFALLS.
UM, I RECOMMEND LOOKING AT SOME OF THE PRIVATE OUTFALLS AS WELL IN DOCUMENTING WHAT'S COMING IN FROM THE SMALLER PRIVATE.
HAVE WE COMMUNICATED WITH MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS YES.
AND INFORM THEM OF THE ELEVATED LEVEL OF ISSUES WE HAVE COMING FROM THEIR PROPERTY? UM, YES.
SO WE HAVE BEEN ON SITE, WE HAVE WALKED THEIR WHOLE SYSTEM WITH THEM AND SORT OF POINTED OUT DIFFERENT AREAS THAT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, SYSTEMS THAT HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED.
WE SENT A FORMAL LETTER TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS ASKING THEM TO, UH, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS THE PROBLEM.
AND THAT THEY, WE WOULD COLLABORATE AND SUPPORT THEM.
AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF, UM, BACK AND FORTH TRYING TO ASSIST THEM IN EVALUATING THEIR SYSTEM.
HAS ANY ACTION BEEN TAKEN BY THE SCHOOL BOARD REGARDING, UM, IT'S A VERY OLD SYSTEM AND THEY'VE HAD A BIG TRANSITION IN STAFF, IS KIND OF WHAT THEY, WHAT THEY TOLD US.
UM, I BELIEVE THEY DID A LITTLE BIT OF, OF WORK AND LOOKING AT THEIR MANHOLES, PATRICIA, THEY, THEY'VE DONE, THEY'VE DONE SOME.
SO BEFORE I GET INTO THE SCHOOL THING, 'CAUSE I, I'VE GOT LIKE, I FEEL LIKE I MAKE CONGRESS, I'VE WHITEBOARDS AND THINGS.
UM, THE BIRD POOPING ELEVATED SPECIFICALLY ON PARKVIEW ISLAND, LIKE GOING BACK TO THOSE, REMEMBER THAT IT'S NOT JUST SPARROWS AND SEAGULLS, BUT ONE OF THE BEAUTIES OF PARKVIEW ISLAND IS THAT IT'S MANGROVE.
AND SO YOU DON'T HEAR CARS THERE MOST OF THE TIME.
AND YOU SEE ALL THESE GORGEOUS BIRDS THAT I DON'T KNOW THE NAMES OF, BUT THE ONES WITH THE CRAZY LONG LEGS AND THE LONG BILLS AND THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE HERONS AND THE GREAT HERONS AND THE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S LIKE ALL KINDS OF BIRDS THAT, YOU KNOW WHAT, THOSE BIRDS CAN POOP IN THE WATER ON THE STREET.
THOSE BIRDS ARE, IT'S, IT'S AMAZING THAT WE SEE THEM MAKING NESTS IN THE MANGROVE THERE.
UM, WHAT I'M NOT OKAY WITH, UM, IS THE FACT THAT, UM, AND I'M GONNA TRY TO BE DIPLOMATIC ABOUT THIS, THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HAS A VERY LARGE PIECE OF PROPERTY THERE THAT IS VERY INTENSIVELY USED BY
[02:45:01]
A LOT OF PEOPLE EVERY DAY.AND ANYBODY WHO SPENT ANY TIME WITH KIDS KNOWS THAT THOSE SMALL CHILDREN OF WHOM I HAD TO GO TO THE BATHROOM ALL THE TIME, AND THEY HAVE FAILING INFRASTRUCTURE AS WELL.
AND WE KNOW THIS AND THEY KNOW THIS.
AND THEIR RESPONSE TO US IS, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN.
AND I, I KNOW THAT THEY ARE TASKED WITH MANY, MANY, MANY THINGS, BUT BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THEIR PROPERTY, AND IT IS THEIR PROPERTY WITHIN OUR CITY THAT AFFECTS OUR RESIDENCE, IS ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR.
AND IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE WE HAVE MUCH LEVERAGE, HOWEVER, DA THEY JUST, UM, ARE INTERESTED IN DOING, UM, BUILDING OUT, UM, A PARTNERSHIP WITH US TO USE THIS SITE THAT IS PART OF THE BISQUE BAY ELEMENTARY FOOTPRINT AND, UM, MAKE IT INTO, UM, A, A MORE COMMUNITY ACCESSIBLE AND USABLE FOOTPRINT WITH PLAYING FIELDS AND PLAYGROUND AND COURTS, ALL KINDS OF STUFF.
AND GUESS WHERE THIS IS? THIS IS EXACTLY, THIS IS EXACTLY WHERE WE NEED TO GET ACCESS TO DO THE WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO.
AND SO THEY'RE AT, HANG ON A SECOND.
THEY'RE ASKING US, UM, FOR FINANCIAL SUPPORT.
THEY'RE ASKING FOR US TO PARTNER WITH THEM ON DOING THIS.
WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO DO THAT WITH YOU.
AND PART OF WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS GO THERE ALL AT ONCE AND FIX WHAT NEEDS FIXING BECAUSE IN ADDITION TO WHAT IT'S DOING TO OUR WATER QUALITY AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, DO WE REALLY WANT KIDS PLAYING ON A FIELD THAT IS CONTAMINATING WITH POOP? I DON'T THINK SO.
SO LET'S DO THIS ALL TOGETHER AT ONCE WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD.
I, I'LL BE REACHING OUT TO JOE GELLER, OUR NEW SCHOOL BOARD REP, AND SUGGESTING THAT WE COLLABORATE AS PARTNERS AND NEIGHBORS TRYING TO DO RIGHT, THE RIGHT THING FOR OUR TEACHERS, OUR KIDS, OUR NEIGHBORS IN ONE FELL SWOOP.
I WOULD LOVE TO GO INTO THE STORM SYSTEM THAT THEY HAVE JUST TO TRACE IT BACK UP IF WE CAN.
THAT THAT WOULD BE PART OF WHAT WE'RE DOING.
LIKE LET'S MAKE SURE THIS IS, BUT I MEAN, I GO BACK TO THAT, THAT CHART WITH THAT GINORMOUS BLUE DOT ON THE SCHOOL SITE.
I MEAN, IF WE JUST MITIGATE THAT ALONE, ESPECIALLY TO, DUE TO ITS PROXIMITY, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT GETTING FILTERED OUT BY BEING, IT'S NOT WASHED DOWN ON THE ROADS.
IT'S NOT GETTING FILTERED OUT BY BEING SWEPT UP.
IT IS GOING INTO THE CANAL, WHICH IS ADJACENT TO IT.
THE ONLY THING SEPARATING THE SCHOOL LOT FROM THE CANAL IS CRAB ALLEY, WHICH IS IN NO GREAT SHAKES ITSELF, BUT I KNOW COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ HAS BROUGHT AN ITEM LAST YEAR AND WE'RE WORKING ON IT.
IT'S TO BEAUTIFY THAT, WHICH IS GREAT.
ANY INFRASTRUCTURE WE CAN IMPROVE.
AND THAT IS, YOU KNOW, THIS IS ALL PART AND PARCEL.
BUT, UM, SO I, I WOULD LIKE TO, I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS WE NEED TO DO, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO, SINCE THEY'RE ASKING US FOR HELP, REALLY JUMP ON THAT WITH THE, WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE ADMINISTRATION, UM, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, MARTINEZ, AND, AND, UM, OUR, OUR GENERAL MANAGER AND OUR ATTORNEYS.
AND YOU GUYS SAY WE HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING SIGNIFICANT HERE.
SO, SO LEMME JUST, UH, FOLLOW UP ON THAT BECAUSE I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT.
WE NEED THE SCHOOL BOARD TO BUY IN ON THAT.
AND I FULLY SUPPORT YOU IN ANY EFFORT YOU WANT TO BRING FORWARD TO ADDRESS THAT.
UM, AND THAT I SEE THAT AS A LONG-TERM PROJECT.
UM, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE GOTTA GET THEM ON BOARD.
DID THEY? WE GOTTA, THEY'RE ASKING FOR MONEY TODAY.
UM, BUT UM, IN THE SHORT TERM, THE SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM, CLEANING OUT THE SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM, YOU KNOW, DO WE NEED TO CLEAN OUT OUR SANITARY SEWER SYSTEM MORE FREQUENTLY? YOU MEAN THE STORM? YOU MEAN THE STORM STORM STORM CONVEYOR.
UM, IT WOULD BE GOOD TO MAYBE HAVE A PROGRAM IN PLACE WHERE MAYBE ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS THE MANHOLES ARE PULLED AND IF ANYTHING'S FOUND INSIDE THAT YEAH.
TO TAKE A LOOK AND SEE WHAT'S IN AND WHAT'S THEIR CURRENT, UM, JAY, HOW OFTEN DOES THAT GET CLEANED OUT CURRENTLY? WHAT'S THIS, WHAT'S NORMAL? UH, COMMISSIONER, MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THE STORMWATER SYSTEM IN GENERAL GETS CLEANED UP ONCE A YEAR.
UM, IN CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, OPERATIONS TODAY, WE TALKED ABOUT LOOKING AT CLEANING THE CATCH BASINS MORE FREQUENTLY, DOUBLING UP ON, ON THE TIMING OF THAT TWO, THREE TIMES EVERY SIX MONTHS.
IN ADDITION, LOOKING AT THE OUTFALLS, AT THE OUTFALL, THERE ARE SOME STRUCTURES THERE.
AND LOOKING AT, UM, ADDRESSING THOSE ON A MONTHLY BASIS, LOOKING AT CLEANING THOSE OUT.
UH, HOW ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE DOCTOR ABOUT
[02:50:01]
THE MANHOLES GOING IN, UH, ONCE EVERY TWO WEEKS AND LOOKING AT HOW OFTEN ARE WE GOING TO THOSE MANHOLES AND CLEANING THOSE? SO THE OR CATCH BASIN? YEAH.SO THAT IN ESSENCE YOU HAVE CATCH BASINS THAT ARE ON THE SIDE OF THE STREETS, THOSE ARE THE SUMPS.
THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE PROBABLY GONNA GET YOUR REST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK BY CLEANING THOSE OUT.
BECAUSE ANYTHING THAT COMES OFF IS GONNA BE LEFT IN THOSE CATCH BASINS.
SO YOU, SO WHAT IS THE FREQUENCY THAT YOU'RE SAYING THAT THAT, THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING FOR THE CATCH BASINS? WHAT TIME? THE NEXT SIX MONTHS? UM, THREE TIMES OVER THE, THE NEXT SIX MONTHS, THREE TIMES A WEEK.
THREE TIMES OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS MONTH.
IT'S EVERY OTHER, EVERY OTHER MONTH WE'LL BE OUT CLEANING THEM OUT.
RIGHT NOW THEY ONLY GET CLEANED ONCE A YEAR AND THAT'S CITYWIDE.
SO LET LET WE RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER SUAREZ.
I I, IT JUST, I, I DON'T SEE HOW CLEANING THE CATCH BASINS OUT IS GONNA STOP BIRD POOP WHEN IT STORMS AND, AND ALL THE BIRD POOP COLLECTS AND THEN IT GOES TO THE WATER
SO, BUT IT HAS A SOLID WASTE LIKE, UM, YOU KNOW, CUPS AND YEAH.
ALL OF THAT NEEDS TO, WOULD, WOULD YOU SAY THAT THE REAL CATCHALL SOLUTION WOULD BE AN INJECTION WELL AT THOSE OUTFALLS? LIKE WHAT, WHAT, WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE THE MOST SOLUTION ORIENTED PROBLEM FOR PARKVIEW ISLAND BESIDES DOING THESE AUXILIARY? THERE'S SOME DESIGNS, UM, THAT, UM, THE CITY ENGINEER, I BELIEVE HAD, HAS PUT TOGETHER FOR TREATING THE STORM SEWAGE, UM, WHICH INCLUDES A SEDIMENTATION SYSTEM FOLLOWED BY, UM, OTHER TREATMENT PROCESSES THAT THEN GO TO THE UM, PVC.
UM, I REMEMBER CHRISTINA ORTEGA WOULD DESCRIBE THOSE.
AND THAT'S FUNDED IF, IF I MAY.
SO YES, THE PUBLIC WORKS HAS A, UH, A DESIGN FOR THE OUTFALLS.
UM, AND IT'S ABOUT A $2.2 MILLION PROJECT.
IT, IT'S A TREATMENT SYSTEM AS WAS SUGGESTED.
IT'S A HYDRODYNAMIC HYDRODYNAMIC SEPARATOR.
SO IT BASICALLY SEPARATES ANYTHING THAT'S LEFT IN THERE BEFORE THAT WATER'S DISCHARGED.
RIGHT NOW IT'S IN A PERMITTING PHASE, IT'S PROBABLY GONNA TAKE ANOTHER THREE TO SIX MONTHS TO PERMIT.
AND THEN WE GO TO CONSTRUCTION, UH, HOPEFULLY TO BE COMPLETED LATE IN 2026.
AND, AND THIS IS FOR ALL THE OUTFALLS TOO? THIS IS, THIS IS FOR, I BELIEVE THERE'S TWO OUTFALLS THAT, UM, ARE EN ENTERING INTO THE, THE PVC.
SO THOSE ARE TWO MAJOR OUTFALLS THAT ARE IN THERE.
THERE'S AN O YOU KNOW, OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE UP THERE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH, UH, YOU KNOW, INCREASING THE WHOLE STORMWATER SYSTEM UP THERE ASSOCIATED WITH THE, THE TOWN CENTER NORTH SHORE D PROJECT.
AND THAT'S GONNA BE A WHOLE OTHER PROJECT, UH, WITH OTHER STORMWATER SYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
AND ALL THOSE ARE AIMED AT EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
HOW DO WE CLEAN UP THE DISCHARGE? HOW DO WE CLEAN THAT OUTFALL BEFORE IT GOES OUT THE PIPE? AND, AND JUST THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, 'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA BE SIX MONTH PERMITTING, IS THERE, IS THERE A SOLUTION THAT YOU CAN DRIP FEED INTO THE STORM WATER SYSTEM TO REMOVE THE BACTERIA BEFORE IT GOES INTO THE WATER? BESIDES, IT'S ALMOST LIKE, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A, YOU HAVE A FISH TANK, YOU KNOW, YOU CHLORINATE THE WATER AND THEN YOU PUT THE FISH OUT.
BUT ADDING CHEMICALS WILL IMPACT THE ECOSYSTEM.
BUT, UM, UV DISINFECTION MAY BE GOOD BECAUSE IT RE UH, IT UM, DOES NOT KEEP A CHE, IT'S NOT A CHEMICAL THAT'S ADDED, IT'S LIKE RADIATION RIGHT THERE AS IT'S GOING THROUGH.
UM, BUT THE WATER HAS TO BE VERY CLEAR.
WELL, WE, WE CHEMICALLY TREAT ALL THE SEWAGE WATER AT THE PLANT, RIGHT.
AND THEN IT GOES INTO THE OCEAN.
SO I MEAN, WHAT, WHAT I'M SAYING IS, IS THERE SOMETHING, IS THERE, IS THERE A CHEMICAL TREATMENT THAT WE CAN HAVE TEMPORARILY, MAYBE EVEN JUST TO TEST IT FOR A WEEK TO SEE IF IT, IF IT REMOVES ALL THE BACTERIA FROM, FROM THE, FROM THE OUTFALLS IN TRADITIONAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT? THIS CHLOR HERE, WE USE CHLORINATION CHLORINE.
I MEAN, IN TURN, IN THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT'S TREATED AT THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, THAT GOES TO AN OCEAN OUTFALL, WHICH IS MILES OFF SHORE, AND THEN THERE'S A LOT OF MIXING.
IT'S, SO, IT'S, IT'S A DIFF IT'S AS OPPOSED TO HAVING IT RIGHT HERE IN, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NEXT TO WHERE IT'S BEING DISCHARGED, THE PEOPLE ARE BE RIGHT THERE.
YOU DON'T HAVE AS MUCH DI OKAY.
SO, SO, SO THE END ALL BE ALL WOULD BE A INJECTION WELL OR A SEPARATION SYSTEM THAT, THAT, THAT'S AT THE, THE LAST STEP OF THIS STORMWATER, BUT THEY'RE WORKING ON THAT ALREADY, SO YEAH.
BUT THAT'S, THAT'S STILL PERMITTING, THAT'S STILL IN, STILL GONNA NEED CONSTRUCTION IN, IN FOR PARKVIEW AND TOWN CENTER, IF I MAY.
SO IN A WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT, YES YOU ADD CHEMICALS, YOU CHLORINATE, BUT PRIOR TO DISCHARGING TO AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA, YOU DE CHLORINATE SO THAT WHAT'S
[02:55:01]
COMING OUTTA THE PIPE WILL NOT HARM THE, THE ENVIRONMENT THAT YOU'RE DISCHARGING INTO.REALLY NOT POTENTIALLY POSSIBLE IN SHORT TERM OR IN THIS SITUATION BECAUSE WHAT YOU'RE BUILDING IS A WHOLE WATER TREATMENT.
UH, WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLAN FOR YOUR STORM WATER BECOMES A VERY EXPENSIVE VENTURE.
ANYTHING THAT WE DO WITHIN THAT STORM WATER PIPE, WE NEED TO GO TO THE REGULATORY AGENCIES, DURHAM AND GET THEIR APPROVAL TO DO IT.
THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT GONNA ALLOW US TO DO ANY KIND OF CHEMICAL ADDITION TO THAT STORM WATER FLOW, UM, BECAUSE THEY DON'T, SAME REASON THEY DON'T WANNA HARM THE ENVIRONMENT.
THE ULTIMATE IN WHAT THE THEORY IS ON MOST OF THE STORM WATER DESIGNS IS SEPARATE.
SO YOU DO THE, THE HYDRO DYNAMIC SEPARATOR OR VORTEX STRUCTURE OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT SEPARATES THE SOLIDS OUT OF THAT, UH, DISCHARGE STREAM.
YOUR FIRST FLUSH, WHICH HASN'T REALLY BEEN TALKED ABOUT HERE TONIGHT, IS THAT FIRST TWO FIRST STARTS TO RAIN.
THAT FIRST WATER THAT COMES OFF THE STREET, THAT'S THE MOST HEAVILY LAID IN WIDTH, WHETHER IT'S BACTERIA, OILS, PET PETROLEUM PRODUCTS, WHATEVER.
SO THAT FIRST FLUSH, IF YOU CAN TAKE THAT AND DIVERT IT TO AN EJECTION, WELL, RATHER THAN OUT TO THE SURFACE WATER BODY, THAT'S THE BEST YOU'RE GONNA DO.
AND THAT'S SORT OF WHAT THE CURRENT DESIGN IS TO BOTH OF THOSE TYPES OF PROJECTS IN YOUR DISCHARGE, INTO YOUR STORMWATER SYSTEM.
THAT'S WHERE THE FUTURE'S GOING.
BUT, SO, BUT, BUT, BUT THE THING IS, AND I'M SORRY, COMMISSIONER SARS, IN THE SHORT TERM, SO YOU HAVE THAT LONG-TERM PLAN IN PLACE.
THAT'S, THAT'S A, THAT'S A BIG PROJECT.
YOU HAVE THAT, HOW FAR AWAY ARE WE FROM THAT? SO THAT, THAT, THAT WOULD BE SOME OF THESE CRITICAL PROJECTS OF THE STORMWATER PROJECTS.
THAT IS WHAT, THAT'S GOING TO ENCOMPASS WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THE TWO AND A HALF MILLION, I BELIEVE THAT'S JUST THE HYDRODYNAMIC SEPARATOR.
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT'S INCLUDES AN INJECTION WELL, BUT I COULD BE WRONG.
BUT EVEN THAT, THAT, THAT CONSTRUCTION WE'RE TALKING IS THE END OF 2026.
AND ONE LAST THING, TWO, TWO QUESTIONS.
SO I'M ASSUMING THERE'S BIRDS ALSO EVERYWHERE IN MIAMI BEACH AND WHEREVER THERE'S NO INJECTION WALLS, ARE WE GONNA, IS IT SAFE TO ASSUME THAT WE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WHERE WE'RE, WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF BIRDS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE THIS SORT OF BACTERIA THAT'S GONNA BE PUMPING OUT INTO THE BAY? IT WOULD BE WORTH LOOKING AT, UH, AGAIN, AND I WANNA GO BACK TO COMMISSIONER BOT'S COMMENT ABOUT THE NATIVE BIRDS THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE WE PRESERVE VERSUS THE FERAL BIRDS.
UM, SO IT WOULD BE WORTH LOOKING, DETERMINING WHETHER OR NOT THERE'S FERAL BIRDS ALSO IN THE AREA.
WHAT'S A FERAL BIRD? LIKE, NOT, NOT NATIVE, NOT LIKE PIGEONS AND, UM, CROWS AND VULTURES.
SO, OR MAYBE VULTURE MAY BE NATIVE.
BUT MY, MY SECOND QUESTION IS, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE? YES.
WITH BIRDS, THERE'S ANIMAL FEEDING STATIONS.
SO THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO PUT BREAD AND THEN THERE'S A FLOCK OF PIGEONS.
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF REPORT OR CONCLUSION WHERE YOU HAVE A HIGH AMOUNT OF BIRD POOP THAT'S CONTRIBUTING TO IT'S BACTERIA? IT'S, IT'S BEEN OBSERVED, UM, IN THE LITERATURE IN CANADA, FOR EXAMPLE, THEY HAVE CANADA GEESE AND THERE'S BEESE AND THERE'S A CANADA GEESE THAT INFLUENCE THE BEACHES THERE.
SO THEY HAVE ISSUES WITH THE, THE BIRDS IN THAT SITUATION.
AS AN EXAMPLE, AS CANADA GEESE ARE MEAN, THEY'LL BITE YOU.
SO BIRDS ARE SOMETIMES AN ISSUE.
SO WE KNOW THAT THERE'S A LONG TERM PLAN IN PLACE, UM, WHICH IS A 2026 POTENTIALLY BEST CASE SCENARIO.
SO THE QUESTION IS IN THE SHORT TERM, JAY, DO YOU WANNA GO THROUGH YOUR LIST? WELL, WE HAVE A LITTLE LIST
UM, BUT IN ADDITION, IN ADDITION TO ADDING MORE CLEANING TO THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM, THAT, THAT SHOULD HELP.
UM, WE HAD AN IDEA TO ENGAGE THE CITY'S CLEANLINESS INDEX INSPECTORS TO TAKE A LOOK AT THOSE SPECIFIC HOTSPOTS AT THE STREET LEVEL.
UM, AND I, YOU KNOW, DID SPEAK WITH LESLIE ABOUT IT BRIEFLY, BUT PERHAPS THEY CAN BE FOCUSED ON THESE AREAS AND BE REPORTING AND THEN KIND OF FEEDING BACK TO THE SANITATION TEAM, UM, ALONG THE TATUM WATERWAY.
YOU KNOW, THERE, THERE ARE SITUATIONS WHERE PEOPLE ARE LITTERING AND THERE, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GARBAGE AND SANITATION, YOU KNOW, CAN MAYBE EVALUATE ADDING ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS ALSO INCLUDED.
UM, 'CAUSE THAT'S NOT A TRADITIONAL RIGHT OF WAY AREA.
UM, YOU KNOW, COMMUNICATIONS WISE, YOU KNOW, MY TEAM CAN WORK WITH MELISSA AND HER TEAM TO GET THE WORD OUT MORE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE CAMPAIGNS, WE CAN MARK STORM DRAINS TO LET PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S GOING RIGHT TO THE CANAL.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THIS IS HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN TERMS OF, YOU KNOW, GARBAGE AND, AND LITTER.
UH, WE ARE WORKING ON DREDGING IN MY DEPARTMENT.
UH, WE'RE GETTING AT A POINT THE FLUSHING ANALYSIS IS DONE.
WE MAY BE GOING INTO PERMITTING WITHIN THE NEXT SIX MONTHS OR SO, SO THAT THAT PROGRAM IS MOVING ALONG.
[03:00:01]
THAT, ACTUALLY, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE OKAY.IN THE MORE IMMEDIATE TIMEFRAME.
SO I'LL, I'LL TELL YOU, I, AND I LOVE THE CLEANLINESS INDEX PROGRAM, AND I THINK IT'S GREAT.
I THINK WE KNOW WHETHER IT'S CLEAN OR NOT RIGHT NOW, AND WE KNOW IT'S NOT CLEAN.
WHAT I WOULD DO IS I WOULD DO A CRISIS INTERVENTION, YOU KNOW, AND FLOOD THE AREA WITH AS MANY, NO PUN INTENDED.
FORGET ABOUT THE CLEANLINESS INDEX.
THE PUBLIC WILL TELL US WHETHER IT'S BEING CLEANED, WHETHER IT'S CLEANED OR NOT.
I THINK WE JUST NEED TO DIVERT AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO CLEAN THOSE CATCH BASINS, UH, TO, TO, TO, TO DOING THE STREET SWEEPING, UH, TO, TO, TO DOING THOSE VERY DETAILED CLEANINGS.
BECAUSE THAT'S, I, I JUST FEEL THAT'S THE LOW HANGING FRUIT.
WORKING WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD IS SOMETHING WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO DO.
THE INJECTION WELL, UH, CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO DO, IT'S GONNA TAKE TIME.
BUT WHAT IS IT THAT WE CAN DO RIGHT NOW? AND THAT IS IN OUR CONTROL AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO CLEAN THOSE CATCH BASINS, TO DO THE STREET SWEEPING, TO DO THE DETAILED CLEANING OF THE, OF, OF, OF, OF THE CURVES AND ALL OF THIS OTHER STUFF THAT WE CAN START TOMORROW IF WE, IF WE WANTED TO.
SO IF I MIGHT BUILD ON THAT, THERE ARE TWO THINGS.
ONE IS THAT IF WE DO A CONCERTED EFFORT OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS OR SO, ESPECIALLY AS WE HEAD INTO THE RAINY SEASON, WE WILL HAVE GREAT DATA TO TELL US, UM, IF THAT THOSE MEASURES ARE EFFECTIVE, CLEANING THE STREETS AND GETTING THAT RUNOFF OFF THE STREETS, OR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THE RUNOFF OF SUCH THINGS POSSIBLE.
LIKE, IT'S NOT AS DISGUSTING AS IT USED TO BE BECAUSE WE'VE HAD, YOU KNOW, CONCERTED EFFORTS AND STREETS SWEEPING IN WHATEVER ELSE WE'RE DOING.
WE'LL HAVE LIKE A BEFORE AND AN AFTER, SO SIX WEEK, SIX MONTHS OR YEAR WITH ALL THESE OTHER THINGS.
WE'LL, WE'LL HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF THOSE MEASURES ARE WORKING IN ADDITION TO THE LONGER TERM THING.
THE SECOND THING I WILL TELL YOU IS, UM, I WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH YOU AND, AND MELISSA ON THE COMMUNICATIONS PART, PART OF THIS, BECAUSE THE INITIAL PLAN THAT YOUR PREDECESSORS PUT INTO PLACE BACKFIRED SPECTACULARLY, WHICH IS BASICALLY IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH POINTING THE FINGER.
NOT LITERALLY, THIS WASN'T A FINGER POINTING SIGN, BUT IT SAID, YOU GUYS ARE NOT PICKING UP AFTER YOUR DOGS AND YOU'RE POLLUTING THE WATER, AND IF WE CATCH YOU DOING IT, UM, IT'LL BE $200.
AND EVERYONE LOOKED AT EACH OTHER AND WE'RE LIKE, THERE AREN'T THAT MANY DOGS HERE.
AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE WE'RE CLEANING UP AFTER OUR DOG.
LIKE, WHAT ARE YOU EVEN TALKING ABOUT? SO IT NEEDS TO BE A MORE NUANCED MESSAGE SO THAT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY TAKING CARE, LIKE THEY'RE NOT CHANGING THE OIL OF THEIR CAR AND SPILLING THE OLD OIL DOWN THE DRAIN, LIKE THEY KNOW IT'S A THING.
IT'S, IT'S THE WAY SOPHIE RINGLE APPROACHES BEACH CLEANUPS.
THEY'RE LIKE, THIS IS A THING YOU CAN DO TO MAKE IT BETTER.
YOU ARE NOT SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERYBODY, BUT YOU'VE GOTTA PICK YOUR STUFF UP AND LET'S WORK TOGETHER AND WE WILL HELP YOU DO IT.
BUT THIS SORT OF BIG BROTHER, IF YOU DO IT, WE'RE KILLING YOU.
AND THERE IS STILL RESIDUAL NEGATIVITY TOWARDS THAT ALL THESE YEARS LATER.
AND WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS TO P**S PEOPLE OFF.
WHAT WE DO WANT IS FOR THEM TO, TO WORK TOGETHER, TO, FOR US TO ALL ARRIVE AT A BETTER OUTCOME.
ONE, ONE LAST THING, AND I I TOTALLY FORGOT TO MENTION THIS, BUT WHEN YOU SAMPLE THE WATER IN PALMVIEW CANAL, UH, OR PARKVIEW CANAL, DID YOU, YOU FOUND ALSO HUMAN IN, IN THE WATER ITSELF? YES.
YOU KNOW, THERE IS AN ANCHORAGE OF, OF BOATS JUST SOUTH OF PARKVIEW ISLAND, AND I'M, I'M LOOKING OUT ON THE MAP, AND THERE'S PROBABLY LIKE 20, 30 BOATS.
THEY HAVE, THEY HAVE NOT MOVED IN PROBABLY A COUPLE OF YEARS.
UM, THEY BRING WATER, BUT THE WATER DISAPPEARS.
UH, IT, IT'S ONLY SAFE TO ASSUME THAT THEY'RE FLUSHING THEIR TOILETS INTO THE BAY.
UM, AND ON AN INCOMING TIDE THAT CARRIES IT JUST TO THE PARK VIEW CANAL, UH, COULD YOU SAY THAT THAT MIGHT BE CAUSING ALSO A, A, A A, A LARGE PORTION, AT LEAST OF THE HUMAN BACTERIA, GIVEN WHAT WE SEE IN THE STORMWATER? I'M PRETTY SURE IT'S COMING FROM THE STREETS.
NO, NOT TO SAY THAT IT'S NOT COMING ALSO FROM STORMWATER.
BUT I MEAN, TO TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE ON AN INCOMING TIDE, IT JUST, IT'S A VERY NARROW PASSAGE, UH, RIGHT UNDERNEATH, YOU KNOW, 70TH STREET
[03:05:01]
TO, TO, BECAUSE, AND, AND, BUT JUST LET ME FINISH THAT.YOU KNOW, THERE'S ABOUT 30 BOATS AND THEY'RE ALL FLUSHING.
UM, COULD THAT BE ALSO EXASPERATING THE ISSUE? IT COULD BE SAMPLE, IT COULD BE SAMPLED.
UM, BUT MY INTUITION TELLS ME THAT THE STREETS ARE THE BIG ONE.
AND THEN ALSO COMING BACK TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF ALL THE SOURCES.
I'M NOT AS WORRIED ABOUT THE BIRDS.
UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T SHARE AS MANY DISEASES WITH BIRD, BUT WE DO SHARE DISEASES WITH OTHER HUMANS.
WELL, BIRD FLU, AND WE'RE, YEAH.
AND WE'RE NOT GONNA BE APPRISED OF DATA THAT'S BEING COLLECTED ABOUT PER FLU.
BUT ONE THING THAT HASN'T BEEN DISCUSSED IS, UM, IN TERMS OF SHORT TERM RECOMMENDATIONS, WOULD BE TO SEE WHAT CAN BE DONE FOR THE, THE COMMUNITY THAT DOESN'T HAVE SANITATION, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
UM, THERE'S NO BATHROOMS AVAILABLE.
UM, WELL, EVEN WHEN WE GO SAMPLING, WE HAVE A HARD TIME FINDING A BATHROOM OR SOMEBODY LETTING US COME IN TO USE THE RESTROOM INTO PORT POTTIES.
I THINK, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE SHOULD NOT, YOU KNOW, SHY AWAY.
IF WE NEED TO PUT PORTA-POTTIES INTERESTING.
WE GOTTA DO IT BECAUSE WE SHOULD JUST ENFORCE OUR CAMPING LAWS.
WELL, BUT WE CANNOT EXPECT OUR POLICE OFFICERS TO BE EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME.
AND THAT'S THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE.
HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS MOVE DEPENDING ON ENFORCEMENTS LIKE WATER.
THEY GO, IF YOU DO TOO MUCH IN ONE AREA, THEY'LL GO TO THE NEXT AREA.
AND SO, YES, WHILE WE HAVE CAMPING LAWS AND THEY, AND THEY ARE A TOOL, WE ALSO DO KNOW THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE THERE.
YOU KNOW, PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, HOME, THE, THE, UH, POLICE NEED TO GO AND CHECK THAT AREA OUT.
BUT TO THE EXTENT THAT WE DO HAVE AN ISSUE THERE, WE SHOULD HAVE PORTA PORTA POTTIES AS WELL, OR HAVE BATHROOMS OPEN THAT, THAT, THAT, THAT INDIVIDUALS COULD ALSO USE.
LET ME JUST ASK YOU, BECAUSE YOU ALSO MENTIONED UV.
HOW CAN THAT BE USED? HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO IMPLEMENT? HOW COSTLY IS IT? I MEAN, I'VE BEEN LOOKING FOR, IN THE LITERATURE FOR IDEAS IN TERMS OF HOW TO TREAT SURFACES LIKE STREET SURFACES.
THE ONLY THING I HAVE FOUND IS WITH RESPECT TO COVID-19, WHEN THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, SPRAYING THE STREETS WITH, UM, DISINFECTANTS.
UM, SO MAYBE SOME OF THOSE TECHNOLOGIES CAN BE USED, UM, UV DISINFECTION, MAYBE WILL WORK, UM, BEEN LOOKING, UH, YOGA FACILITIES, THEY HAVE THESE SPECIAL UV LIGHTS THAT, THAT DISINFECT DISECT THE FLOORS.
UM, THAT MAY BE A POSSIBILITY AS WELL.
UM, THE WATER, IN ORDER TO DISINFECT THE WATER, YOU HAVE TO HAVE VERY LOW TURBIDITY PARTICLES IN THE WATER.
SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A QUESTION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT IT, HOW WELL IT CAN WORK WITH THE WATER, BUT MAYBE IT CAN.
BUT I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE HOMELESS ISSUE.
UM, I THINK IT WOULD BE USEFUL TO MAYBE INTERVIEW, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERTS IN, IN INTERVIEWING THE HOMELESS.
UM, ONE OF MY STUDENTS, UM, WHEN HE WAS SAMPLING, HE, HE, YOU KNOW, THE HOMELESS PERSON WENT UP TO HIM AND THEY TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, FACILITIES.
AND HE, AND THIS HOMELESS PERSON SAID, I GO INTENTIONALLY IN THE STORM SEWER, SO IT DOESN'T MESS UP THE STREET.
SO THEY THINK THEY'RE DOING A GOOD THING.
UM, SO THERE IS AN ISSUE OF ACCESS TO SANITATION FACILITIES AND MAYBE COMMUNICATING AND HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THE HOMELESS MAY HELP IDENTIFY WHAT THEY, THEY WOULD PREFER OR HOW, HOW TO HANDLE YES.
UH, HOW TO HANDLE THAT SITUATION.
IF WE, IF WE AGREE, I THINK WE NEED AN ITEM AT NEXT WEEK'S MEETING.
WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY, A PARKVIEW CANAL FOR, IT FEELS LIKE FIVE YEARS, SINCE MARCH OF 20, 25 YEARS, WE HAVE BEEN DEALING WITH AN ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCY, PARKVIEW CANAL.
WE ARE HEARING TODAY SOME VERY SUBSTANTIVE ACTION, SOME LONG-TERM FIXES, BUT ALSO SOME SHORT-TERM FIXES THAT WE CAN IMPLEMENT IF THE POLITICAL WILL IS THERE TO DO IT.
AND IT'S NOW IN OUR HANDS TO DO IT.
AND I THINK WE SHOULD BRING, UM, WE SHOULD BRING, UH, UH, AN ITEM TO WEDNESDAY'S MEETING THAT WE SHOULD ASK THE ADMINISTRATION, UH, AMY, TOGETHER WITH PUBLIC WORKS TO WORK ON, AND ALBA'S TEAM AND ALBA'S TEAM AND THE POLICE, UH, YOU KNOW, FROM, YOU KNOW, FROM INCREASED STREET AND CANAL CLEANING, UH, TO ADDRESSING THE ISSUES WITH, WITH, WITH, WITH HOMELESS, NEEDING A PLACE WHERE TO DO THEIR, THEIR, YOU KNOW, LIFE SUSTAINING ACTIVITIES AT, UM, TO ADDRESSING, UH, THE ISSUE WITH, WITH, WITH THE SCHOOL.
WE NEED AN EMERGENCY ITEM ON WEDNESDAY'S AGENDA OPERATION, CLEAN WATER.
UH, BECAUSE WE'VE, WE'VE DONE SIGNIFICANT WORK FROM THE INITIATION WHEN WE STARTED LINING THESE PIPES, AND WE'VE SEEN A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT.
BUT IF WE TRULY DEDICATE OURSELVES
[03:10:01]
TO, TO IT, AND WE GET THIS TREMENDOUS FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE GETTING, AND WE DO THE CLEANING OF THE CATCH BASINS, AND WE DO THE STREET SWEEPING, AND WE DO THE DETAILED CLEANING, AND WE LOOK AT THE OUTFALLS AND WE SEE IF WE CAN DO THE, THE, UH, UV SET SANITATION.I DON'T KNOW IF PRESSURE WASHING HELPS IN ANY WAY OR NOT.
IF FOR PRESSURE WASHING, THEN YOU'D HAVE TO PICK UP THAT WATER.
YOU HAVE TO PICK UP THAT WATER SOMEHOW, HOW IT WOULD HAVE TO BE COLLECTED INSTEAD OF, YOU CAN'T LET IT GO INTO THIS WELL STORM SYSTEM.
I AM GOING TO ASK, I'M GONNA MAKE A MOTION OF THIS COMMITTEE.
CAN WE DO IT AS CO PRIMES? LET'S DO CO PRIMES.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE THREE OF US WANT TO JOIN IN AS, AS CO PRIMES.
LISTEN, I, I'M IN FAVOR OF EVERYTHING.
I, UM, MR. CHAIR, RESPECTFULLY, I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT PUTTING PORTA POTTIES IS, IS A SOLUTION.
NO, I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
UM, WHERE YOU PUT 'EM, YOU KNOW, HOW AND, AND WHAT HAPPENS.
I'M, I'M IN FAVOR OF EVERYTHING ELSE EXCEPT PORTA POTTIES.
LET'S, LET'S LET IT BE PROFESSIONALLY DRIVEN RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT WE NEED.
WHAT, WHAT EMERGENCY MEASURES CAN WE TAKE OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS TO SEE WHAT DRASTIC IMPROVEMENTS WE CAN ACHIEVE? UH, FOR PARKVIEW ISLAND CANAL, IT'S BEEN SCREAMING FOR HELP.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO WHAT WE CAN.
WE'VE SEEN IMPROVEMENTS, BUT THERE'S MORE THAT CAN BE DONE.
UH, AND, AND, AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE, WE COULD BRING SOMETHING WEDNESDAY TO JUST IMMEDIATELY START WORKING, WORKING, GOT THE LIST AND STUFF.
WE, AND WE COULD, WE COULD, WE COULD START WEDNESDAY AND DOING IT FEELS LIKE WE'VE DONE SIGNIFICANCE.
AND IT'S LIKE THIS, IT'S LIKE THE LAST MILE THAT YOU GOTTA RUN THROUGH.
BUT I THINK IF WE PUSH OURSELVES, WE COULD GET THERE.
AND JUST ALSO, UM, COMMISSIONER SUAREZ, YOUR POINT IS NOT LOST ABOUT, UM, THE INCREASINGLY LARGE ANCHORAGE THAT'S RIGHT THERE.
I WILL TELL YOU, WHEN THIS STARTED, THERE WERE THREE OR FOUR BOATS OUT THERE, SO I DON'T THINK THEY DIDN'T START THE FIRE TO QUOTE BILLY JOEL
UM, HAVE THEY EXACERBATED IT? MAYBE.
I DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THAT.
BUT, UM, IT HAS ONLY GOTTEN REALLY BIG RECENTLY IN, YOU KNOW, OVER THE LAST YEAR.
AND I HAVE OTHER ISSUES ABOUT THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT, YOU'VE GOT OTHER PARTS OF NORTH BEACH THAT ARE AFFECTED BY WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.
I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER DEALT WITH IT, BUT, UM, I, NOT RULING ANYTHING OUT, BUT I, I WOULDN'T LOOK TO THEM AS BEING LIKE, THE PRIMARY SOURCE OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THAT VERY NARROW BEND BEHIND PARKVIEW.
UM, BECAUSE THE OTHER THING IS, IT SEEMS LIKE, AND WITHOUT BEING A WATER EXPERT, IT SEEMS LIKE WHERE THEY ARE, IT WOULD GO KIND OF PAST PARK VIEW IN THE WIDER PART PARK OF THE, THE WIDER PART OF THE TATUM CANAL, AND LIKE HAVING IT GO IN AND TAKE A HARD RIGHT TURN AND THEN A HARD LEFT TURN, AND THEN TAKE ANOTHER, LIKE IT SEEMS MORE CONVOLUTED.
YEAH, WE'LL PROBABLY JUST MIXES.
AND SO, BUT IT, WHERE THEY ARE, IT'S ALREADY SO BROAD AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT MIGHT GO OUT TO THE BAY BEFORE IT COMES BACK INTO PARK V.
SO I WANNA RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER ROSEN GONZALEZ, UH, UH, TO, TO, TO SPEAK ON THIS.
SHE, SHE, WE, WE BROUGHT THIS ITEM TOGETHER.
UH, SO COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ, YOU'RE RECOGNIZE, I BELIEVE YOUR HAND IS RAISED.
I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT I, I GOT A COPY OF THE REPORT THE OTHER DAY AND, UM, I, I PUT ONE VERY SPECIFIC ITEM ON THE AGENDA, AND I'M HOPING THAT YOU GUYS WILL, WILL SUPPORT IT.
UM, WHEN I LOOKED AT EVERYTHING THAT WE COULD DO AND WHAT WASN'T SO COMPLICATED, UM, WE'VE BEEN LOOKING AT THIS IDEA OF THE UV LIGHTING FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
SO MY RESOLUTION IS TO DIRECT, AND IT'S VERY SIMPLE.
YOURS IS MUCH MORE COMPREHENSIVE.
BUT I THINK THAT WE SHOULD PICK FIVE OF THE HOTSPOTS, HAVE THEM FIGURE OUT HOW TO RETROFIT THEM WITH THIS UV LIGHTING, AND THEN GO BACK AND TEST IN LIKE THREE MONTHS AND SEE, YOU KNOW, SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, I'M VERY HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS THAT I'M NOT HAPPY WITH THE RESULTS.
I'M, I'M HAPPY WITH THE STUDY AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT'S ACTUALLY GOING ON.
SO I THINK THAT LIKE THE, ONE OF THE SIMPLEST THINGS WE CAN DO IS TO AT LEAST START GETTING THE DATA TO SEE IF THE UV DOES ANYTHING AT ALL, YOU KNOW, SO THAT WE COULD LIKE PROCESS OF ELIMINATION.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S THE, AND THAT'S REALLY THE ONLY ITEM, YOU KNOW, THAT, THAT I BROUGHT FORTH WITH THIS, BECAUSE EVERYTHING ELSE WAS SO COMPLICATED, THE STREET SWEEPING.
AND, I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT WE CAN DO.
SO HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS WILL, YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE SUPPORTIVE OF AT LEAST THIS, YOU KNOW, THE UV LIGHTING PORTION OF THIS.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND, AND WE DID THE PRETEST, NOW WE NEED TO DO THIS INTERVENTION, WHICH IS FIVE OUTFALLS, AND THEN, UM, AND THEN DO A POST-TEST.
AND I THINK THAT WILL BE VERY TELLING.
I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT.
BUT ANYWAY, I'M GLAD THAT EVERYONE'S
[03:15:01]
WELL, AND I, AND I THINK MAYBE, MAYBE WE JUST A CONCERNED WE SHOULD PROBABLY JUST, I THINK IT'S ONE EFFORT.I THINK, I THINK WE SH I THINK WE JUST SHOULD.
IF, IF, IF YOU'RE BRINGING AN ITEM, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU JUST WANT TO LIKE, MAKE IT ALL ONE ITEM.
UH, COMMISSIONER
WE HAVE THE PRE-TEST NOW PICK FIVE HOTSPOTS, THEN POST-TEST.
AND AFTER THAT, I MEAN, LOOK, A LOT MORE COMPREHENSIVE STUFF HAS TO HAPPEN.
BUT I THINK SOMETIMES WHEN WE GET TOO COMPREHENSIVE AND WE TRY TO TACKLE EVERYTHING AT ONCE, THEN WE DON'T DO THAT MUCH.
AND, AND I THINK IT WILL GO A LONG WAY IN LOOKING AT MAYBE ONCE WE FIGURE OUT THIS UV LIGHTING THING, AND IF IT DOES WORK, YOU KNOW, THEN, THEN, THEN THAT'S A POSSIBILITY.
ONE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO BRING UP, SOMEBODY WHO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, LIVES IN THE AREA TOLD ME THAT THEY THINK THAT THE PUMP STATION HAS REALLY EXACERBATED THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THERE'S NO UV LIGHTING ON THAT PUMP STATION, AND IT PICKS UP ALL THE FILTHY WATER AND JUST INJECTS IT INTO THE CANAL AT A SUPER HIGH SPEED.
AND THEN IT JUST SITS THERE, YOU KNOW, AND WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT THAT, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY.
UM, AND, AND, AND SO THAT'S ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT WE FACE.
AND WE PROBABLY SHOULD REALLY TRY TO RETROFIT THE PUMP STATIONS WITH UV LIGHTING, BECAUSE THAT'S THE MAJORITY OF WATER THAT'S GOING INTO IN, INTO PARKVIEW, IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT.
ALRIGHT, MR. CHAIRMAN, LET ME, LET ME JUST RECOGNIZE COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, WHO ALSO HAS HER HAND RAISED ON, ON ZOOM.
UM, MR. CHAIR, UH, I ALSO HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC ITEM AND IT HAS TO DO WITH THE EPA, UH, KAYAK FOR THE CITY TO ADOPT THE EPA KAYAK GUIDELINE.
UM, AND IT'S VERY SPECIFIC TO THE KAYAK LAUNCH AND THERE'S WAY MORE TO DO, BUT THIS WOULD BE THE FIRST STEP IN, UM, POTENTIALLY UPDATING THE WATER QUALITY STANDARD FOR THAT AREA.
I, I, I WILL TELL YOU, YOU KNOW, AND, AND AMY MENTIONED THAT TO ME, UH, THE RECOMMENDATION IN THE REPORT ABOUT POSSIBLY LOWERING, UM, THAT STANDARD FOR KAYAK LAUNCHES.
UM, AND, AND WHAT, WHAT WOULD BE THE RATIONALE IN THAT, AMY? YEAH, SO THAT'S AN ITEM.
YOUR, YOUR, YOUR, YOUR MIC IS OFF.
SO THAT'S AN ITEM THAT THE PROFESSOR BROUGHT TO US THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THIS VERY STRICT STANDARD FOR BEACH BATHING AND WE'RE UTILIZING THAT FOR THIS, YOU KNOW, VERY SMALL CANAL.
AND SHE SAID IT'S SOMETHING TO CONSIDER.
SO IT WOULD BE 371, I BELIEVE MPN, WHERE PEOPLE COULD ACCESS THE KAYAK LAUNCH FOR KAYAKING AND FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THEY WOULD BE SAFE IF THEY STAY IN THEIR KAYAK.
AND IT WOULD JUST BE FOR, FOR THAT.
AND WE'D HAVE TO, IT'S JUST SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
I HAVE TO BE A LOT OF GUIDANCE.
WHEN YOU MENTIONED ONE THAT WHEN OUR BRIEFING THAT RECOMMENDATION TO ME, I JUST HAD CONCERNS BECAUSE YOU JUST HAVE TO ASSUME PEOPLE WHO ARE IN A KAYAK WILL GONNA GET WET, ARE GONNA GET WET, THEY'RE GONNA FALL OFF THEIR KAYAK, YOU KNOW, THEY MIGHT END UP IN THE WATER.
AND THAT, AND THAT TO ME IS A CONCERN.
I SEE PEOPLE TAKE DOGS ON THEIR KAYAKS MM-HMM
OR THEY OR THEIR KIDS, AND IT'S VERY EASY FOR SOMEONE TO FALL IN, IN, IN THE WATER.
AND I JUST, I JUST FOR PURPOSES OF TRANSPARENCY, UH, AND I TOLD YOU, AMY, WHEN YOU BROUGHT THAT RECOMMENDATION FORWARD, I HAD A CONCERN WITH THAT.
AND SINCE WE'RE IN A PUBLIC SETTING NOW, UH, I JUST WANT IT TO BE OUT THERE.
I'M NOT SURE I WILL BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THAT BECAUSE UNTIL, UNTIL, YOU KNOW, IT'S OKAY FOR BATHING IN THE WATER, I'M NOT SURE.
I WILL FEEL COMFORTABLE TELLING SOME SOMEONE THEY CAN KAYAK IN, IN THE WATER.
I'M SORRY, JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON SOME OF MAYBE THE TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS, AND JAY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO THIS, BUT IS THERE A TEMPORARY INJECTION, WELL, NOT AN INJECTION WELL OBVIOUSLY, BUT, UH, A CONTAINER THAT CAN DO THE HYDRAULIC PRESS ABOVE GROUND AND THEN FEED IT BACK INTO THE OUTFALL? I MEAN, IS THERE, ARE THERE, IS THERE AN ENGINEERING CONTRAPTION THAT WE CAN DO ABOVE GROUND TEMPORARILY, UM, AS A MODULAR, UH, FIX YOUR MIC.
UH, THREE, MS. CHAIRMAN, NOT TO MY KNOWLEDGE.
I KNOW THERE ARE TEMPORARY UNITS.
WE USE THEM, YOU KNOW, DURING KING TIDES ON OUR PUMPS.
WE USE THOSE SEPARATORS, UM, THE DOWNSTREAM DEFENDERS TO DO SIMILAR, YOU KNOW, TREATMENT BEFORE IT'S DISCHARGED.
UM, BUT WHERE THE STORMWATER IS COMING OFF THE STREET, ENTERING INTO CATCH BASE, AND MOST OF THAT'S BY GRAVITY.
SO IN ORDER TO TREAT THAT WATER, YOU'D HAVE TO COLLECT IT.
BRING IT ABOVE, WELL, YOU PUMP IT UP.
[03:20:01]
DRAINAGE, WE HAVE TO, UH, TAKE IT TO DURHAM, GET, GET THEIR, UH, BLESSING WITH IT.BUT WE, WE CAN EXPLORE SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND SEE IF WE CAN COME UP WITH A, A, A BENCH SCALE OR SOMETHING THAT MAY, YOU KNOW, OFFER SOME SOLUTIONS.
MAYBE PART OF THAT, PART OF OUR REQUEST FOR NEXT WEEK IS SOMETHING THAT, TO EXPLORE THAT YEAH.
ONE, I DON'T KNOW IF COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ IS STILL ON CALL, BUT I, I WAS ORIGINALLY INCLINED TO THINK ABOUT LETTING PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY COULD MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT TO KAYAK, BUT THEN I REMEMBERED THAT I WOULD SIT ON MY DECK, UM, AND WATCH PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY COMING AROUND THE BEND OF, OF PARKVIEW ISLAND CANALS, KINDA LIKE BEING ON A LAZY RIVER, RIGHT? SO THEY WOULD PUT THEIR PADDLES UP AND THEY WOULD KIND OF HAVE THEIR ARMS TRAILING THE WATER, AND IT WAS, IT WAS SO LOVELY.
AND, AND PEOPLE ON PADDLE BOARDS WOULD BE KINDA LIKE PADDLING WITH THEIR ARMS AND KIDS WOULD BE ON THEIR PADDLE BOARDS AND JUMPING IN AND OUT.
UM, AND I WOULD LITERALLY SAY, IF YOU HAVE CUTS, GET YOUR HANDS OUTTA THE WATER NOW, AND NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO SHOWER THE SECOND YOU GET HOME.
AND THAT WAS JUST ME ON MY DECK SOUNDING LIKE SOMEBODY'S SCARY OLD GRANDMOTHER, LIKE,
I WAS GONNA SAY MOM, BUT YOU SAID GRANDMOTHER.
BUT I'M LIKE, MAKE SURE YOU WASH YOUR HANDS.
BUT, YOU KNOW, AND PEOPLE ARE LIKE, OH MY GOD, THANK YOU FOR TELLING ME.
UM, SO I, I WORRY ABOUT THAT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IN CRAB VALLEY, PEOPLE TEACH THEIR DOGS TO SWIM AND PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE FISHING AND I DON'T WANNA, YOU KNOW, SO I DON'T WANNA ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO THINK THAT IT'S OKAY BECAUSE IT DOESN'T JUST STOP IT LIKE I'M GOING TO YEAH.
SO I LOVE THE IDEA, BUT I DON'T THINK WE'RE QUITE THERE YET.
AND THEN, UM, THE OTHER THING WAS, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OPERATION CLEAN WATER.
AGAIN, AN ITEM TO, OH, I KNOW WHAT IT WAS.
WELL, FIRST, OKAY, SO TWO THINGS.
UM, ONE IS HOW ABOUT THE POOP STOPS? HERE IS THE NAME OF THE OPERATION.
WHAT, WHAT IS THE OPERATION? OPERATION CLEAN WATER.
THIS IS EMERGENCY INTERVENTION.
OUR EMERGENCY INTERVENTION THERE LIKE, LIKE WHAT WE, WHAT CAN WE AGGRESSIVELY DO OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS? I'M JOKING, BUT I, BUT I ACTUALLY HAD A THING.
SO, UM, BUT IT'S NOT, IT'S BIRD POOP, THAT'S THE PROBLEM.
NO, IT'S NOT A HUMAN, IT'S NOT JUST BIRD POOP.
IT'S HUMAN, BUT IT'S, BUT IT, BUT, BUT, BUT WAIT, SO CAN BEFORE, BECAUSE WE CAN GO BACK AND FORTH ON THIS.
THERE'S TOO MUCH POOP IN THE WATER, WHETHER IT'S BIRD OR HUMAN, OR DOG OR IGUANA.
IT'S COMING FROM LOTS OF DIFFERENT PLACES.
WE GOTTA CLEAN THAT S**T UP LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY, RIGHT?
SO, UM, I WILL JUST SAY, AND I LOVE A LITTLE INTERDEPARTMENTAL RIVALRY, JAY, LOOKING AT YOU.
SO THE NEW ARCTIC THAT WE JUST UNVEILED YESTERDAY, THE GENESIS OF THAT, UM, REAL TIME CRIME CENTER THING WITH THE DRONES AND THE, THE CAMERAS ON POLES STARTED BECAUSE TWO BURGLARY DETECTIVES WERE LIKE, WE JUST DON'T KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED HERE.
WHY DON'T WE PUT SOME CAMERAS ON POLES AND TRY TO FIGURE THIS OUT LIKE 15 YEARS AGO? AND THEY DID.
AND THAT WAS THEM JERRY RIGGING STUFF.
AND THAT IS HOW WE WENT FROM THAT TO WHAT WE HAVE NOW.
AND I'M NOT SAYING I'M ENCOURAGING YOU TO JERRY RIG THINGS TOGETHER, BUT I'M JUST SAYING THEY DID IT.
AND, YOU KNOW, SO LIKE, GET TO YOUR LITTLE WORK BENCH AND START TINKERING AROUND SO WE CAN COME UP WITH SO, SO, SO LET'S, LET'S ALLOW STAFF TO PUT TOGETHER A VERY AGGRESSIVE PLAN THAT WE CAN BRING TO COMMISSION TO, TO, TO, YOU KNOW, RUN THIS, THIS FINAL STRETCH THAT WE HAVE, UM, OVER, OVER THE NEXT SIX MONTHS.
AND I THINK YOU SEE AT LEAST 3, 4, 5, I THINK FIVE COMMISSIONERS PARTICIPATING, UH, IN THIS DISCUSSION WHO I THINK WOULD BE PROBABLY VERY INCLINED, AT LEAST WITHOUT HEARING FROM OUR OTHER COLLEAGUES WHO I KNOW AND I TRUST CARE DEEPLY, UH, ABOUT THIS IS A REASON WHY WE'VE ENGAGED IN THESE STUDIES.
AND WE'RE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE GUIDANCE THAT, THAT THE DOCTOR HAS GIVEN US.
UH, NICK, LET'S OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, AND THEY'RE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THEIR ITEM.
PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND ON ZOOM.
UH, THE FIRST CALLER IS OMAR JIMENEZ.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
UH, OMAR HERE, PRESIDENT OF THE PARKVIEW ISLAND SUSTAINABLE ASSOCIATION.
UM, AS WE FOUND OUT FROM THE LTC BISCAY BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WAS IDENTIFIED AS A SEVERE CONTAMINATION HOTSPOT WITH 1 190 8,000 PARTS PER 100 MILLILITERS.
THAT'S 2,800 TIMES THE CURRENT FDOH STANDARDS.
THE BISCAY BEACH ELEMENTARY SITE TESTED 20 TIMES HIGHER THAN THE PARKVIEW KAYAK LAUNCH SITE.
IT, IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT THIS HOTSPOT IS ELIMINATED AND THIS AREA IS REMEDIATED.
THIS FURTHER REINFORCES THE NEED FOR INCREASED ABOVE GROUND SANITATION AND PARKS AND SERVICES ALONG THE SHORELINE OF THE PARKVIEW CANAL AND TATUM WATERWAY WALKWAY.
THE WALKWAY IS AN EXTENSION OF 75TH STREET.
IN THE PAST FEW WEEKS, THERE HAS BEEN A PLASTIC MESH FENCE ERECTED ALONG THE ENTIRE SHORELINE OF THE TATU WATERWAY WALKWAY, PREVENTING
[03:25:01]
ANYONE FROM ACCESSING THE SHORELINE FOR CLEANUP OF CONTAMINATED TRASH AND DEBRIS.THE KAYAK LAUNCH REMAINS CLOSED SINCE 2020, DEPRIVING RESIDENTS OF RECREATIONAL RESOURCES.
THE STUDY STATES THAT ACHIEVING FULL COMPLIANCE WITH OCEAN BEACH WATER QUALITY STANDARDS MAY BE UNREALISTIC RAISING THE NEED FOR OUR ALTERNATIVE WATER QUALITY THRESHOLDS FOR KAYAKING AND OTHER ACTIVITIES.
WE ARE GLAD TO SEE THE HYDRODYNAMIC SEPARATORS PLANNED FOR LATE 2026.
THESE ARE GOOD FOR SEDIMENT AND TRASH INTERCEPTION, BUT DO NOTHING FOR BACTERIA OR NUTRIENTS, AND MAYBE JELLYFISH UNITS ARE THE BEST WAYS TO ADDRESS THE CORE ISSUES.
YET SOME OF THESE CRITICAL PROJECTS REMAIN UNFUNDED.
THE CITY SHOULD PRIORITIZE SEEKING STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS TO EXPAND WATER TREATMENT INFRASTRUCTURE BEYOND WHAT IS CURRENTLY BUDGETED OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.
AS WE KNOW, OUR ASSOCIATION HAS CARRIED OUT AN EXTENSIVE ENGAGEMENT AND OUTREACH CAMPAIGN, PAVING THE PATH FOR MORE RESILIENT AND ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR PARKVIEW AND NORTH SHORE.
SOME OF THE PROJECTS WE FOCUSED ON HAVE BEEN THIS WATER QUALITY ISSUE, REPAIRS AND UPGRADES TO THE TAYLOR WATERWAY WALKWAY, INCLUDING RENAMING THE WALKWAY INTO NORTH SHORE'S FIRST NATURE TRAIL, AND THE RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION PROJECT FOCUSED ON THE VIABILITY OF EASTERN OYSTERS AND LEAF TREE OYSTERS IN THE PARKVIEW CANAL AND TATUM WATERWAY.
WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT REMEDIATION OF THIS AREA WOULD ALSO GREATLY BENEFIT FROM THE ADDITION OF MORE HOLISTIC APPROACHES TO THE PLAN OF ACTION TO INCLUDE AN OYSTER RESTORATION PROJECT FLOATING VEGETATION ISLANDS FOR NUTRIENT, NUTRIENT SEQUESTRATION AND WATER PURIFICATION SCATTERED ALONG THE CANAL, AND INTRODUCTION OF PLANTS AND VEGETATION THAT PURIFY THE WATER ALONG THE SHORELINE.
THE MAIN FOCUS OF THE ALTERNATIVE FO UH, HOLISTIC APPROACHES WOULD BE BASED ON BACTERIA AND NUTRIENT REMOVAL, PRO NATURAL AND ALREADY PROVEN COST-EFFECTIVE PURIFICATION AND SEQUESTRATION PROCESSES.
WE REMAIN OPTIMISTIC WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF BLUE ZONES IN MIAMI BEACH AND THE TRANSFORMATION NORTH BEACH IS GOING THROUGH.
THERE IS NO BETTER TIME TO THINK ABOUT THE INCREDIBLE OPPORTUNITIES AHEAD OF US.
OUR CITY'S ECONOMY COMES FROM TOURISM, HOSPITALITY, AND PROPERTY TAXES.
BUT WHAT WE SOMETIMES SEEM TO FORGET IS THAT OUR BIGGEST ASSET, THE ENVIRONMENT AND SAFETY OF OUR RECREATIONAL WATERWAYS ARE THE TRUE, THE TRUE ECONOMIC ENGINE OF THIS CITY.
PEOPLE MOVE HERE TO LIVE ON OR NEAR THE WATER TO BE ABLE TO RECREATE IN IT, NOT JUST LOOK AT IT AND THINK OF HOW NICE IT WOULD BE TO CR TO RECREATE IN THESE WATERS.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO CONTINUE OUR COLLABORATION WITH YOU ALL IN NORTH BEACH AND PARKVIEW ISLAND.
AND JUST ONE LAST NOTE, AS A WATERFRONT PROPERTY OWNER OF PARKVIEW, I LOOK FORWARD TO ONE DAY FINALLY BEING ABLE TO ENJOY FULL USE OF MY PROPERTY AS I INTENDED WHEN I FIRST PURCHASED MY HOME ON THIS ISLAND, WITHOUT HAVING TO THINK ABOUT THE NEGATIVE CLOUD OF UNCERTAINTY THAT HAS HAD DRASTIC IMPACTS AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON OUR SERENE ISLAND LIVES FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
AND I WANNA THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND YOUR ADVOCACY AND YOUR PASSION ON THIS ISSUE.
I CERTAINLY HAVE LEARNED A LOT FROM YOU IN OUR CONVERSATIONS AS IT RELATES TO, UH, PARKVIEW ISLAND AND PARKVIEW CANAL.
UM, AND, AND YOU'VE ALSO HIGHLIGHTED, UM, YOU KNOW, THE, THE ISSUES WITH CLEANUP AND THE ACTUAL CONDITIONS ALONG THE SHORELINE, UH, FROM 71ST STREET TO 75TH STREET.
UM, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY, I KNOW YOU'VE, YOU, YOU'VE HIGHLIGHTED THAT THE SHORELINE ALONG DICKENS, UM, IS NOT BEING CLEANED, HOW IT SHOULD BE, UM, ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS, UH, THE TRASH ACCUMULATION AND, AND, AND THE MANGROVES AND, AND, AND THE ROOTS ALONG THE TANEM, UH, WATER WATERWAY, UH, SHORELINE, UH, DUE THE DUE TO THE TIDES IS SOMETHING THAT HOPEFULLY CAN BE ADDRESSED AS PART OF OUR OPERATION CLEAN WATER THAT WE TAKE TO THE CITY COMMISSION ON, UH, NEXT WEDNESDAY.
ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? NO, SIR.
UH, WITH THAT, UH, AMY, UH, ANY ANY OTHER FEEDBACK THAT YOU NEED FROM, FROM THIS COMMITTEE? ANY OTHER INFORMATION YOU NEED TO SHARE WITH US AT THIS TIME? UM, JUST A HUGE THANK YOU FOR, UH, A HUGE THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING, UH, THE PROFESSOR, MYSELF AND THE TEAM TO PRESENT ALL THIS.
IT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION AND EVERYONE WAS SO GRACIOUS IN PREPARING FOR THIS AND, YOU KNOW, YOUR IDEAS AND TO THE STAFF TEAM, THIS WHOLE TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING ON THIS ISSUE, AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THEY'RE INCREDIBLY COMMITTED.
I ALSO WANTED TO ADD THAT THE STAFF HAS BEEN WONDERFUL, VERY RESPONSIVE.
IT'S BEEN GREAT WORKING WITH THE, THE CITY.
I MEAN, THE WORK THAT SHE HAS DONE, UM, IS JUST, JUST DROPS COMPARED TO WHAT A LARGE FIRM WOULD'VE CHARGED US IN THE LEARNING FOR HER STUDENTS.
AND THEY'VE REALLY BEEN OUTSTANDING.
[03:30:01]
YOU.AND TO ALL OF OUR STAFF, TO PUBLIC WORKS, TO OUR ENGINEERS, UH, TO EVERYONE WORKING ON THIS EFFORT, REALLY, UH, THIS IS A PRIORITY.
IT'S BEEN A LONGSTANDING PRIORITY.
UH, AND, UH, AND I KNOW WE'LL GET THROUGH THIS IF WE ALL COME TOGETHER, UH, WITH A SERIOUSNESS, CONTINUED SERIOUSNESS THAT THIS MERITS.
AND WITH THAT, UM, MR. DIRECTOR, THERE'S A NUMBER OF ITEMS WE HAVEN'T GONE INTO THAT WE, PERHAPS WE SHOULD, UH, CONTINUE TO NEXT MEETING.
AND ON THIS ONE, MR. CHAIR, ON NUMBER EIGHT, THERE WAS A RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE THIS TO THE FULL CITY COMMISSION NEXT WEDNESDAY.
DO YOU WANT TO KEEP THIS ITEM IN COMMITTEE OR CONCLUDE THIS ITEM? I, UH, I DON'T, I KNOW WE'RE WORKING ON A SEPARATE, THERE'S, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE'S MANY DIFFERENT ITEMS BEING WORKED ON.
IT SOUNDS LIKE COMMISSIONER ROSE GONZALEZ HAS AN ITEM THAT SHE'S BRINGING ON UV LIGHTING.
SOUNDS LIKE COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ HAS AN ITEM THAT, THAT SHE'S BRINGING ON THE WATER, ON THE LEVELS OF THE BACTERIA AND KAYAKING.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THE COMMITTEE IS SEPARATELY, UH, CO PRIMING, UH, OF THE OPERATION, THE OPERATION CLEAN WATER, UH, INITIATIVE AS AN EMERGENCY SIX MONTH, UH, ENHANCEMENT MEASURE.
UH, SO I THINK MIGHT BE BEST, PERHAPS LET'S KEEP THIS ITEM ON COMMITTEE.
SO THAT WE HAVE AN ITEM PARKED HERE WHERE WE CAN CONTINUE TO GET UPDATES ON OUR, ON OUR EFFORTS, MEASURE OUR PROGRESS, AND KEEP THE EXPECTATION HIGH ON THE DELIVERABLES WE EXPECT, UH, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, THE CLEANLINESS, THE MANGROVE, THE SHORELINE, MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE SERIOUSLY ADDRESSING THESE ISSUES.
MAKE THE SHOW THAT SAYS CONTINUE TO A FUTURE DATE.
JUST, JUST ON A MONTHLY BASIS, I THINK WE JUST NEED TO KEEP THIS ITEM COMING BACK ON A MONTHLY BASIS.
AND SO WITH THAT, UM, LET'S SHOW ITEMS NUMBER 9, 10, 12, 13, AND 17, DEFERRED TO OUR NEXT MEETING.
ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE GOOD OF THE ORDER? ALRIGHT, THE COMMITTEE STANDS ADJOURNED.