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GOOD MORNING EVERYONE TO THE JULY 15TH, 2026 MEETING OF THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE.
I'M ALEX FERNANDEZ, THE CHAIR OF THE COMMITTEE.
I'M JOINED BY OUR VICE CHAIR AND OUR VICE MAYOR, LAURA DOMINGUEZ, OUR MEMBER COMMISSIONER MONICA MATOS SALINAS, AND OUR ALTERNATE MEMBER COMMISSIONER TANYA BOND.
I'M GOING TO PASS THE FLOOR TO OUR LIAISON, STEPHANIE RAY BROOKS, FOR THIS MORNING'S ANNOUNCEMENTS.
TODAY'S PUBLIC SAFETY NEIGHBORHOODS QUALITY AND LIFE CONTROL COMMITTEE MEETING IS A HYBRID MEETING.
THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WILL BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT IN THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WISH TO ATTEND THIS MEETING OR PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT IN PERSON MAY APPEAR AT THE COMMISSION CHAMBERS.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO WANT TO PARTICIPATE OR PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT VIRTUALLY DURING THE MEETING MAY JOIN VIA WEBINAR OR ZOOM.
WE HAVE A COUPLE OF ANNOUNCEMENTS TODAY.
WE HAVE TWO SUPPLEMENTAL ITEMS THAT WERE ADDED.
ONE WAS FOR ITEM NUMBER ONE, PRESENT AN UPDATE ON MIAMI BEACH PROMENADE MASTER PLAN.
THE SUPPLEMENTAL WAS AN EMAIL FROM MB&A AND WE HAVE A SUPPLEMENTAL FOR ITEM NUMBER SEVEN DISCUSS TAKE ACTION REGARDING A CITYWIDE REVIEW OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES TO IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES AND STREAMLINE ADVISORY FUNCTIONS.
THE SUPPLEMENTAL ITEM WAS THE FERC ITEM THAT WAS HEARD LAST WEEK AND WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER THREE AND ITEM NUMBER FOUR WILL BE HEARD AFTER 1030 A.M.
THANK YOU STEPHANIE SO WITH THAT, THE AGENDA WILL BE FOLLOWED AS PRINTED AS USUAL WITH THIS COMMITTEE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC SO THAT EVERYONE CAN FOLLOW THE MEETING.
WE ALWAYS FOLLOW THIS AGENDA AS IT IS PUBLICLY PRINTED FOR THE PUBLIC'S BENEFIT.
[ HOLD A SUTNICK CITIZENS’ FORUM AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY PUBLIC SAFTEY AND NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE MEETING TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMENT BY THE PUBLIC]
TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO THE PUBLIC FORUM.CITIZENS WISHING TO SPEAK CAN APPROACH THE PODIUM.
YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
IF YOU ARE ON ZOOM, YOU'RE WELCOME TO RAISE YOUR HAND ON ZOOM.
SO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK, YOU CAN APPROACH THE PODIUM.
FOR FAIRNESS, WE GRANT ALL MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC UP TO TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
IF YOU CAN STATE YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I'M ONE OF THE ARTIST VENDORS.
I KNOW WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ON THE MEETING AT 3 O'CLOCK AND TODAY AT 9 O'CLOCK BY ANY CHANCE.
BUT ALL I REALLY WANT TO SAY IS THAT THE CHANGE OF THE ORDINANCE AND GOING THROUGH ALL THESE EXTRA PROGRAMS THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE JUST SUBMITTING INFORMATION AND IDEAS, WHICH I UNDERSTAND.
ME, AS A MEMBER OF THE PROGRAM SINCE 2016, I DON'T LIVE IN MIAMI.
I'M A PERSON THAT I'M VERY WELL EDUCATED, SO THEY SHOULD BE HAPPY TO HAVE PEOPLE LIKE ME HERE.
WELL, THEY COULD HAVE A CHOICE.
I HAVE THE HOMELESS PEOPLE RUNNING AROUND HERE, BUT I AM ONE OF THOSE TYPE OF PERSONS.
THAT I HAVE A LOT TO BRING TO YOUR COMMUNITY EVEN IF I DON'T LIVE HERE.
SO ALL I'M ASKING IS TO BE GRANDFATHERED INTO THE PROGRAM, AND IF YOU GUYS WANT TO KEEP THE ORDINANCE THAT YOU HAVE, YOU KEEP IT, BUT BE FAIR TO THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE PROGRAM ALL THESE YEARS.
I THINK THAT'S MORE THAN FAIR.
WHEN YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT THEY HAVE DEGREES BEHIND THEIR BACK AND THEY'RE OUT THERE, AND I WAS AN AUXILIARY POLICE OFFICER FOR EIGHT YEARS IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK.
AND I'M OFFERING MY SERVICES FOR FREE TO THE CITY WHEN THEY NEED AN AMBULANCE, WHEN I NEED TO CALL FOR A HOMELESS PERSON ATTACKING ONE OF YOUR TOURISTS.
I THINK YOU SHOULD BE MORE HAPPY TO HAVING ME AROUND THAN HAVING THE OTHER OPTIONS.
AND WHAT'S THE STATUS OF THIS ITEM? IS THIS ITEM BEFORE THIS COMMITTEE? IS THIS ITEM CURRENTLY PENDING AT ANOTHER COMMITTEE? I DON'T THINK IT'S NOT AT THIS COMMITTEE.
IT'S JUST GOING BACK AND FORTH.
BACK AND FORTH, BACK AND FORTH, AND MORE THINGS GET ADDED INTO THE GAME.
REALLY, WHAT WE WERE CONCENTRATING IS THE ORDINANCE AND TO BE FAIR TO THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN IN THE PROGRAM ALL THESE YEARS AND JUST GRANDFATHER THEM IN.
I DON'T THINK THAT YOU NEED A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO SOLVE THAT.
SO I'M HEARING IT'S CURRENTLY PENDING WHERE? I WILL LOOK EXACTLY WHERE IT IS PENDING, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT LANDY'S.
I'M HEARING FROM ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES.
SO THE ITEM IS CURRENTLY PENDING AT LANDY'S.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON ZOOM, YOU'RE WELCOME TO RAISE YOUR HAND.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, COMMISSIONER MATEO SALINAS, AND COMMISSIONER BAHT.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TODAY.
I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS CHAIR OF THE MAIN BEACH CONVENTION CENTER ADVISORY BOARD.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU RECONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATION TO SUNSET THE CONVENTION CENTER ADVISORY BOARD.
THE MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER REPRESENTS A PUBLIC INVESTMENT OF APPROXIMATELY
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$650 MILLION AND REMAINS ONE OF OUR CITY'S MOST IMPORTANT ECONOMIC ENGINES.WHILE THE CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL PROJECT IS NEARING COMPLETION, I RESPECTFULLY SUBMIT THAT THE COMPLETION OF THE HOTEL IS NOT A REASON TO ELIMINATE THIS BOARD.
OUR MISSION HAS NEVER BEEN ABOUT OVERSEEING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HOTEL.
IN FACT, OUR MISSION STATES THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER ADVISORY BOARD EXISTS TO ACT IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY TO THE CITY COMMISSION ON MATTERS REGARDING OPERATION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, TO ENSURE THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION BY THE MANAGEMENT GROUP OF THE MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER, TO MONITOR AND CONSULT ON THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU WITH THE MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER, AND TO ENSURE THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF MAINTENANCE OF THE FACILITIES.
THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE NOT ENDING, THEY ARE CONTINUING.
IN MANY RESPECTS, THEY BECOME EVEN MORE IMPORTANT AS THE CONVENTION CENTER AND HOTEL BEGINS OPERATING TOGETHER.
THE BOARD'S MISSION HAS REMAINED THE SAME FROM THE DAY IT WAS CREATED, TO ADVISE THE COMMISSION ON THE ONGOING OPERATION, MANAGEMENT, MAINTENANCE, AND SUCCESS OF THIS EXTRAORDINARY PUBLIC ASSET.
IF ADMINISTRATION WORKLOAD IS THE CONCERN, THERE'S A PRACTICAL ALTERNATIVE.
RATHER THAN ELIMINATING THE BOARD, TRANSITION IT TO QUARTERLY MEETINGS CONSISTENT WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE MAJORITY OF OTHER BOARDS AND COMMITTEES.
THIS PRESERVES TRANSPARENCY, MEANINGFUL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, AND INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY INPUT WHILE REDUCING STAFF DEMANDS.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK YOU NOT TO CENSOR A BOARD WHOSE MISSION REMAINS JUST AS RELEVANT TODAY AS WHEN IT WAS ESTABLISHED.
CONSTRUCTION IS ONLY ONE CHAPTER.
STEWARDSHIP, OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, AND COUNSELABILITY ARE ONGOING MISSIONS, AND I BELIEVE THIS BOARD CONTINUES TO HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN FULFILLING THAT MISSION.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL CONSIDERATION.
THANK YOU, ROBIN, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE COMMITTEE.
I SEE MITCH NOVICK WITH HIS HAND RAISED ON ZOOM.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
MITCH NOVICK WORKING OUT IN THE HOT SUN DOING YARD WORK.
HADN'T PLANNED ON SPEAKING, SO I'M PRETTY COLD IN THAT REGARD.
I WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU ABOUT WASTE, SOMETHING I'VE SPOKEN ABOUT, WHO KNOWS, DOZENS OF TIMES OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSION BODY.
LAST WEEK, WE RECEIVED THAT WONDERFULLY DESIGNED MIAMI BEACH MAGAZINE, THAT GLOSSY MAGAZINE MADE BY OUR VERY OWN OFFICE OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION.
OUR WATER BILLS HAVE GONE UP FOR THE PAST.
A DOZEN YEARS AUTOMATICALLY EVERY OCTOBER.
ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS CHECK THEM.
OUR STAFFING HAS INCREASED BY 500 EMPLOYEES WITHIN THAT DOZEN YEARS, AND OUR BUDGET HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED.
I WOULD ASK YOU, ESPECIALLY IT BEING BUDGET SEASON, TO FOCUS IN ON THE WASTE THAT OCCURS IN OUR CITY AND BRING BACK PROSPERITY TO MIAMI BEACH AND ALLOW, NOT CHASE OUT, LONG-TERM RESIDENTS WHO CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO LIVE HERE ENTIRELY DUE TO THE WASTE THAT THE CITY HAS CREATED.
SO THAT'S MY TWO CENTS, AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND YOUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.
MICHAEL GOLDBERG, GOOD MORNING.
IF YOU UNMUTE YOURSELF, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR FERNANDEZ, VICE CHAIR DOMINGUEZ, COMMISSIONER BOTT, COMMISSIONER MATEO SALINAS.
I HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING THE CHAIR OF THE CONVENTION CENTER ADVISORY BOARD AT THE SAME TIME I WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE MIAMI BEACH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FROM 2013 TO 2016.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE POSSIBILITY OF THAT BOARD BEING SUNSETTED.
ON AUGUST 14, 2012, THE RESIDENTS OF MIAMI BEACH PASSED A 1% RESORT TAX INCREASE TO HELP THE FUNDING OF THE $650 MILLION.
RENOVATION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.
I WAS PROUD TO ACTUALLY BE THE EMCEE AT THE GROUNDBREAKING FOR THAT AND GREAT TO SEE THAT THE RESIDENTS BELIEVED THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER NEEDED A MAJOR REHAUL AS THE CONVENTION CENTER IS THE NUMBER ONE ECONOMIC DRIVER IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
ALSO PARTICIPATED IN SPEARHEADING YOU KNOW IN EDUCATING THE RESIDENTS ON THAT AND THEN OF COURSE THE HOTEL COMPONENT WHICH CAME LATER ON NOVEMBER 6 2018 THE RESIDENTS OF MIAMI BEACH MADE THE GREAT DECISION BY THE WAY, WITH A SUPER MAJORITY VOTE OF MORE THAN 60% TO TELL THE CITY IT'S OKAY TO ENTER INTO A 99-YEAR LEASE WITH THE DEVELOPERS, DAVID MARTIN AND JACKIE SOFER, TO BUILD A CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL, WHICH IS CRITICAL TO US BEING ABLE TO BID ON THE CONVENTIONS THAT WE WANT TO GET BACK, THE HEADS AND BEDS.
IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE TO TAKE THIS AWAY.
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RESIDENCE OF MIAMI BEACH, THE CONVENTION CENTER ADVISORY BOARD IS THE WAY THAT THEY STAY ENGAGED WITH IT.THEY'RE STAKEHOLDERS AND THEY HAVE TO HAVE A CONTINUED SEAT AT THE TABLE.
THIS IS PROBABLY, TO ME, ONE OF THE MOST ADVISORY BOARDS, IMPORTANT ADVISORY BOARDS THAT WE HAVE IN THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
AND I WOULD APPRECIATE, WHEN IT GETS TO THE COMMISSION, THAT THEY RECONSIDER SUNSETTING IT.
AGREEING WITH MY FRIEND AND CHAIR OF THE CCAB, ROBIN JACOBS, AT A BARE MINIMUM, GO TO A QUARTERLY MEETING, IF NOT KEEPING IT MONTHLY, BUT QUARTERLY MEETINGS WOULD WORK.
BUT PLEASE DON'T TAKE THIS AWAY FROM THE RESIDENTS AND THE STAKEHOLDERS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ALLOWING ME THE TIME TO SPEAK.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THE LAST SPEAKER, THE PREVIOUS SPEAKERS, RAISE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS THAT RELATE TO COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ WELL INTENTIONED ITEM I WILL SAY ANECDOTALLY HAVING SPOKEN TO MEMBERS AND OR FORMER MEMBERS OF THREE COMMITTEES THAT EVERYONE I'VE SPOKEN TO HAS ACTUALLY BEEN QUITE SANGUINE ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF DOING THEIR WORK IN FOUR MEETINGS PER YEAR NOW I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK OBVIOUSLY ON BEHALF OF ANY COMMITTEE AND SO I WON'T MENTION ANY NAMES BECAUSE SOME COMMITTEES MAY IN FACT BE CONSIDERING REQUESTING EXEMPTIONS TO THIS OR IN FACT A DIFFERENT STRUCTURE FOR A GIVEN COMMITTEE IN QUESTION DEPENDING ON HOW IMPORTANT IT SEES ITS ONGOING ROLE AS BEING.
I THINK THAT THAT IS REALLY THE KEY QUESTION FOR MUCH OF THE PUBLIC OR THERE ARE TWO KEY QUESTIONS.
ONE SIZE DOES NOT FIT ALL FOR COMMITTEES.
SOME MAY BE ABLE TO VERY WELL DO THEIR WORK QUARTERLY.
SOME MAY, IN FACT, NEED TO CONTINUE MEETING 11 TIMES A YEAR.
I WAS SURPRISED TO READ THAT APPARENTLY SOME COMMITTEES DO, IN FACT, MEET IN AUGUST.
BUT IN ANY CASE, A CUTTING BACK TO EVERY TWO MONTHS MAY, IN FACT, BE APPROPRIATE FOR SOME COMMITTEES.
SO I URGE YOU ALL TO CONSIDER HOW TO MAKE THIS FLEXIBLE SO THAT THERE IS NOT THE SENSE THAT RESIDENTS' VOICES ARE SOMEHOW FAILING TO BE HEARD.
I'M ALSO SOMEWHAT SURPRISED THAT THERE SEEMS TO HAVE NOT BEEN A PUSHBACK AS OPPOSED TO SUPPORT, UNDERSTANDABLY, OF COURSE, THE SUPPORT FROM STAFF, IN THAT SOME DEPARTMENTS MAY, IN FACT, WELL, DESERVE A GREATER ROLE.
AND I THINK, OF COURSE, OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY DEPARTMENT IN THAT RESPECT.
THE OTHER QUESTION THAT THIS VERY WELL-INTENTIONED ITEM RAISES IS WHERE CAN WE SAVE MORE MONEY AND MORE EFFICIENTLY, SUCH AS THROUGH OTHER MUNICIPAL EXPENSES THAT COULD BE CUT OR REDUCED.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR FERNANDEZ, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, COMMISSIONER MATEO SALINAS, AND COMMISSIONER BOTT.
CHAIR FERNANDEZ MENTIONED MY NAME IS BRUCE GOLD AND I'D LIKE TO ECHO WHAT MY CO-BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ALREADY SAID ABOUT THE MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER ADVISORY BOARD.
I RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT YOU RECONSIDER THE RECOMMENDATION TO SUNSET THE CONVENTION BOARD.
THE MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER IS NOT SIMPLY ANOTHER CITY FACILITY.
IT REPRESENTS AN INVESTMENT OF APPROXIMATELY SIX HUNDRED $250 MILLION.
AND REMAINS ONE OF THE CITY'S MOST IMPORTANT ECONOMIC ENGINES, SUPPORTING OUR HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, RETAILERS, SMALL BUSINESSES, AND THOUSANDS OF JOBS.
I BELIEVE IT IS IMPORTANT TO CLARIFY THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER BOARD HAS NEVER EXISTED TO OVERSEE THE CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL, WHERE IT'S GOING TO BE SUNSETTED AFTER THE HOTEL IS COMPLETED.
WHILE THE HOTEL HAS CERTAINLY BEEN AN IMPORTANT TOPIC OVER THE...
PAST FEW YEARS AND HAS NEVER DEFINED OUR PURPOSE.
OUR ROLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO SERVE AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN THE CONVENTION CENTER, CITY LEADERSHIP, RESIDENT NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS, THE GREATER MIAMI CONVENTION CENTER, CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU, AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO HELP ENSURE THIS REMARKABLE PUBLIC ASSET OPERATES AT ITS VERY BEST.
THE RESPONSIBILITY DOES NOT END WHEN THE HOTEL OPENS.
ITS SUCCESS DEPENDS ON CONTINUAL COLLABORATION, COMMUNICATION, AND ADAPTION.
EVERY EVENT BRINGS A NEW OPPORTUNITY, NEW CHALLENGE, AND NEW WAYS TO IMPROVE THE EXPERIENCE FOR RESIDENTS, VISITORS, MEETING PLANNERS,
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AND OUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY.OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, THE BOARD HAS HELPED BUILD TRUST WITH NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES LIKE PALM VIEW, STRENGTHEN RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN RESIDENTS AND CITY STAFF, FOSTER COLLABORATION WITH THE GMCVB, AND PROVIDE A CONSTRUCTIVE FORUM WHERE CONCERNS CAN BE ADDRESSED BEFORE THEY BECOME A PROBLEM.
HAVE TAKEN YEARS TO BUILD AND ARE AN ASSET TO THIS CITY.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR, COMMISSIONERS.
IT'S MIKE LLORENTE, 2625 COLLINS AVENUE.
AND I'M CALLING AS A PROPERTY OWNER AND A PART-TIME RESIDENT OF THE OCEAN FIRM PLAZA, WHICH IS RIGHT AT THE CENTER OF THE MIAMI BEACH.
FIRST, I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ FOR SPEARHEADING THE EFFORT TO BEAUTIFY AND IMPROVE THIS INCREDIBLE AMENITY, WHICH MY FAMILY AND I USE DAILY WHEN WE STAY AT OUR CONDO.
I JUST SAW THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA LITERALLY 20 MINUTES AGO, 30 MINUTES AGO, AND I DECIDED TO CALL BECAUSE I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED ABOUT THE RECOMMENDATION TO APPROVE WHAT IS BEING CALLED THE ORGANIC PATH.
THIS OPTION, IN MY OPINION, WOULD ELIMINATE A WIDE OPEN CLEAN PEDESTRIAN PATHWAY BY INSTALLING WHAT APPEAR TO BE KIND OF LIKE LANDSCAPED MEDIANS THROUGHOUT THE PROMENADE.
I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A SORT OF AESTHETIC AND PERSONAL CHOICE.
I PERSONALLY DON'T LIKE IT I THINK THERES A BEAUTY IN WIDE PEDESTRIAN WALKWAYS AND FEEL THAT THE PLAN WOULD INSTALL LIKE NARROW LANES ALMOST LIKE TRAFFIC LANES ALONG THE PROMENADE BUT AGAIN MY OPINION IS MINE ALONE IT'S ONE OF MANY. THE COMMITTEE MEMO SAYS 76% OF POLLED RESIDENTS PREFER THIS OPTION SO I MAYBE OUT-VOTED HERE I DONT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE POLL, HOW IT WAS CONDUCTED, HOW MANY PEOPLE PARTICIPATED, BUT I WOULD SIMPLY RESPECTFULLY REQUEST DEEP COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BEFORE UH EMBRACING A PATH FORWARD. AGAIN MAYBE THIS HAS BEEN DONE, HUNDREDS OF, MY RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORS HAVE EMBRACED THE ORGANIC PATH WHICH IS FINE, IN THAT CASE IM OUT-VOTED AND THERE'S NO PROBLEM WITH THAT BUT I WOULD SIMPLY ASK RESPECTFULLY THAT THE CITY CONDUCT EXTRA OUTREACH BEFORE TRANSFORMING THIS INCREDIBLE COMMUNITY ASSET. I AM A LITTLE BIT CONCERNED THAT THERE'VE BEEN NO PUBLIC COMMENTS ON IT, SO I JUST WANTED TO CALL AND REGISTER MY ONE OPINION OF MANY AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO INCLUDING THIS INCREDIBLE ASSET. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU MIKE ARE THERE ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK THE CITIZENS PUBLIC FORUM SEEING NONE IN PERSON, NONE IN ZOOM WITH THEIR HANDS RAISED, WE CAN GO AHEAD AND CLOSE THE PUBLIC FORUM.
PLEASE, IF YOU SAY YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I LIVE AT 650 WEST AVENUE, ALSO KNOWN AS THE FLORIDIAN.
I DID NOT INTEND TO SPEAK TODAY, BUT I AM HAPPY TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY.
I SIT ON THE BOARD OF 650 WEST.
THIS GENTLEMAN BEHIND ME ALSO DOES.
WE ARE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT THE HOPEFUL BRIDGE OR WALKWAY OVER FIFTH AND ALTON IN THAT WAY.
I KNOW THERE WERE SOME ISSUES WITH REGARDS TO FD&L AND SOME SORT OF CABLE THAT WAS A SUPER SECRET SURPRISE TO EVERYBODY.
BUT WE WANT TO JUST LET YOU KNOW THAT DEFINITELY IN OUR BUILDING AND IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, THIS IS A REALLY BIG DEAL.
HAVING THAT WALKWAY JUST IMPROVES SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
SAFETY, FOR ONE OF THEM, IF WE CHOOSE TO GO TO MONTY'S, WE HAVE TO WALK ACROSS ALTON.
THEN WE HAVE TO GO SOUTH ACROSS FIFTH.
THEN WE HAVE TO GO BACK WEST AGAIN.
THAT WHOLE INTERSECTION IS JUST A MESS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF ACCIDENTS THERE ALL THE TIME.
THE OTHER THING IS, TOO, I THINK HAVING THAT BRIDGE WOULD ALSO BENEFIT A LOT OF THE BUSINESSES ON WEST AVENUE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A LOOP.
WE DON'T HAVE A REAL THOROUGHFARE IN THAT WAY.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION THIS MORNING.
YOU CAN SAY YOUR NAME FOR THE RECORD.
I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF THE FLORIDIAN.
SO WE'RE HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE SAME THING KARA IS, BUT I'LL SPECIFICALLY TALK ABOUT THE SECURITIES THAT RELATES TO THE FLORIDIAN.
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THIS CAUSES A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR US.AS YOU KNOW RIGHT NOW, THE BRIDGE WAS DESIGNED TO DUMP OUT PEDESTRIANS INTO CANOPY PARK.
NOW, IF THERE'S AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE, IT WILL ROUTE PEOPLE DIRECTLY ONTO THE BAYWALK BEHIND BENTLEY BAY.
NOW, I'LL LET TIM CARR TALK ABOUT BENTLEY BAY BECAUSE I'M SURE HE'S GOING TO HAVE A LOT TO SAY ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THEIR BUILDING.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR OUR BUILDING IS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SPEND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON SECURITY BECAUSE OUR BUILDING IS WIDE OPEN TO THAT BAYWALK.
SO WHERE BEFORE IT WAS REASONABLE TO ASSUME THAT PEOPLE WOULD WALK THROUGH THE PARK AND ENTER ON THE NORTH SIDE OF OUR BUILDING, THEY WILL BE ENTERING ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF OUR BUILDING NOW.
SO WE HAVE A 360-DEGREE SECURITY ISSUE NOW.
IF WE DO AN ALTERNATIVE METHOD HERE.
THE FACT THAT WE'RE HERE, SAME DEVELOPER, SAME PROBLEMS, I WON'T GET INTO THAT TODAY.
YOU ALL PROBABLY HAVE THE SAME OPINIONS ABOUT THIS, RIGHT? WHAT I WILL SAY IS I ASK ONE QUESTION.
IF WE CHANGE THIS BRIDGE, WHAT'S THE PUBLIC BENEFIT? BECAUSE WE NEGOTIATED FOR THE PARK AND THE BRIDGE FOR FIVE PARKS DEVELOPMENT.
SO I'LL LEAVE YOU WITH THAT THOUGHT.
PUBLIC AND HOW DO WE LET A DEAL THAT WAS MADE A LONG TIME AGO THIS DEVELOPER OFF THE HOOK FOR THAT THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME THANK YOU AND I THINK JUST FOR THE PUBLIC BENEFIT NO ONE IS SUGGESTING THAT A DEVELOPER BE RELIEVED OF A PUBLIC OBLIGATION OR CONTRACTUAL PUBLIC BENEFIT I DON'T BELIEVE ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES WHO HAVE SPONSORED ITEMS REGARDING THIS HAVE EVER PROPOSED ANYTHING LIKE THAT SO I JUST WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT IN ANY ALTERNATIVE, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE PUBLIC EXPECTATION IS FOR THE PUBLIC TO, FOR THE DEVELOPER TO DELIVER TO THE PUBLIC WHAT WAS PROMISED TO THE PUBLIC IN A REFERENDUM AND ENTERED INTO THROUGH A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT.
WITH THAT, WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT CALLER ON ZOOM, ENDING WITH NUMBER 5600.
IF YOU CAN UNMUTE YOURSELF, YOU'LL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
IF YOU COULD PLEASE UNMUTE YOURSELF.
MY NAME IS CHRISTINA VEGA, FOUNDER OF CYBER MONEY LAUNDERING AND REAL ESTATE INVESTIGATIONS CORP.
YESTERDAY I CALLED INTO THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD HEARING REGARDING THE CNC BANK PROJECT AT 1011 5TH STREET, CASE HDB 26-0694.
I NOTIFIED THE BOARD THAT THE APPLICANT AND STREET LLC NOT ONLY LISTED IN THE INACCURATE NAME AS AN OWNER, BUT COMPLETELY OMITTED THE 50% JOINT OWNER OF THE CASE.
THIS COMMISSION MEANS THAT APPLICANT LACKS THE LEGAL STANDING AND CAPACITY TO PETITION THE CITY FOR THE APPLICATION.
BY OUR FORMAL NOTICE OF FALSE DATA, THEY APPROVED.
THE APPLICATION THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT WE SEE THE EXACT SAME FALSE LAND OWNERSHIP CLAIMS WITH THE BANK OF AMERICA PROJECT AT 1414 ALTON ROAD CASE DRB 24-1061 THEIR ZONING APPLICATION CLAIMS DCD DEVELOPMENT LC OWNS LOT 5 HOWEVER THEIR DEED LEGALLY CONVEYS ONLY LOT 6 AND 7 TO GCD MEANING THEY DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT FOR TITLE.
THEREFORE, CYBER MONEY LAUNDERING AND REAL ESTATE INVESTIGATION CORPS IS SUBMITTING THE EMERGENCY PETITION UNDER THE BANK SECRECY ACT TO THE UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF TREASURY ASKING FOR THE INJUNCTION AGAINST THE CITY, THE BANK OF AMERICA, AND PNC BANK.
SEEING NO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK.
AT THIS TIME, WE'RE GOING TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT OPPORTUNITY, AND WE'RE GOING
[1. PRESENT AN UPDATE ON THE MIAMI BEACH PROMENADE MASTER PLAN]
TO PROCEED TO ITEM NUMBER ONE.ITEM NUMBER ONE IS PRESENT AN UPDATE ON THE MIAMI BEACH PROMENADE MASTER PLAN.
THIS ITEM WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, AND CIP WILL BE PRESENTING.
THANK YOU, STEPHANIE, AND GOOD MORNING, DAVID.
I'M JUST GOING TO QUICKLY INTRODUCE THIS ITEM.
EVER SINCE BEING ELECTED, ONE OF THE RECURRING ITEMS THAT HAVE COME UP TO MY OFFICE AND I THINK TO ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES HAS BEEN THE CONDITIONS OF THE MIAMI BEACH PROMENADE THAT EXTENDS FROM...
24TH STREET TO 29TH STREET, IT RUNS PARALLEL JUST WEST OF THE BEACHWALK.
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL PROMENADE BEHIND A NUMBER OF CONDOMINIUM BUILDINGS, BUT I WOULD SAY IT'S ONE OF THESE PUBLIC AREAS IN OUR CITY THAT PROBABLY HAS HAD VERY
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LITTLE INVESTMENT AS IT RELATES TO CAPITAL OVER THE PAST 40 YEARS.A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, TOGETHER WITH MY OFFICE AND THE CITY ADMINISTRATION, WE ENGAGED IN AN EFFORT.
TO ESTABLISH THE OWNERSHIP OF THE PROMENADE AND VERIFY THROUGH TITLE THAT THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH IS THE OWNER OF THIS PROPERTY AND THAT WE CAN GO AHEAD AND ENGAGE IN IMPROVEMENTS OF THIS.
AND BACK IN 2024, WITH THE SUPPORT OF MY COLLEAGUES ON THE CITY COMMISSION, WE SECURED FUNDING TO ENGAGE IN A MASTER PLAN TO ADDRESS THE LONGSTANDING RESIDENTS' CONCERNS OF THE PROMENADE EVERYTHING FROM CLEANLINESS AND MAINTENANCE AND THE OVERALL CONDITIONS AND HOW DO WE BEAUTIFY THIS AREA.
OVER THE PAST YEAR WE'VE ENGAGED WITH CURTIS AND ROGERS TO PERFORM BOTH A FEASIBILITY STUDY AND A MASTER PLAN.
WE'VE HAD A TOTAL OF FIVE COMMUNITY MEETINGS INCLUDING AN ON-SITE CHARRETTE, ZOOMS WITH INDIVIDUAL CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATIONS, IN ADDITION TO A PUBLIC MEETING ON THIS VERY MASTER PLAN THAT WE HAD LAST WEEK AND I WANT TO THANK COMMISSIONER TANYA BHATT FOR HER PARTICIPATION IN THAT MEETING AS WELL.
SO NOW WE ARE AT THIS 50% MARK OF THIS MASTER PLAN THAT HAS BEEN VERY MUCH CHAMPIONED AND SUPPORTED BY THE MIAMI BEACH, BY THE MID-BEACH AND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION.
I WANT TO THANK THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS TEAM.
THAT HAS REALLY LED THIS EFFORT IN ENGAGING IN A BOTTOM-UP EFFORT, ENGAGING DIRECTLY WITH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, ENGAGING DIRECTLY WITH THE BROADER COMMUNITY, AND REALLY TAKING THE TIME TO SIT THROUGH MANY AND COUNTLESS HOURS OF COMMUNITY MEETINGS TO GET THE FEEDBACK FROM THE RESIDENTS TO GET THIS MASTER PLAN TO THE POINT THAT WE HAVE IT AT TODAY.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO I'LL PASS IT ALONG TO DAVID GOMEZ TO PRESENT TO US THE OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US, AND HOPEFULLY WE CAN PASS ALONG A RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL COMMISSION.
GOOD MORNING, MR. CHAIR, COMMISSIONERS, DAVID GOMEZ, DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
YOU DID A FANTASTIC JOB OF SUMMARIZING WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
WE'VE HAD NUMEROUS PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT MEETINGS AND ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS.
WE HAVE RECEIVED VOLUMINOUS FEEDBACK ON...
WHAT THE RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE TO SEE AND THEIR VISION FOR THIS SEGMENT OF THE CITY.
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO INCORPORATE THAT INTO OUR PROPOSED MASTER PLANS.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT WE ARE AT A MASTER PLAN LEVEL.
THERE WILL BE MORE TO COME ONCE WE ENGAGE A CONSULTANT FOR THE FINAL DESIGN.
THERE WILL BE MORE ENGAGEMENT.
BUT THIS IS GIVING OUR CONSULTANT DIRECTION.
ON THE TWO VIABLE OPTIONS FOR A MASTER PLAN FOR THIS SECTION, WE ARE ONLY ABOUT 50% COMPLETE WITH THAT PROCESS.
AND WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IS FOR THIS COMMITTEE AND COMMISSION TO ACCEPT OR APPROVE DIRECTION ON ONE OF THE TWO OPTIONS SO THAT WE CAN CONCLUDE THAT MASTER PLAN.
THE AND I'M NOT SURE IF PJ HAS THE PRESENTATION.
UNFORTUNATELY, OUR CONSULTANT WAS UNAVOIDABLY DETAINED, SO I'M KIND OF WINGING IT FOR HIM.
THERE WERE TWO OPTIONS THAT THEY PREPARED.
ONE, IF IT COULD BE DESCRIBED AS THE ORGANIC OPTION, ESSENTIALLY PROVIDES SOME SOFTER, MORE FREE-FLOWING PATHS AND ADDITIONAL LANDSCAPING.
HOW FAR AWAY IS THE CONSULTANT? HE SAID ABOUT AN HOUR, BUT THAT WAS ABOUT 30 MINUTES AGO.
AND I'M FINE WITH PROCEEDING IF YOU...
IF YOU PREFER I THINK THIS IS AN IMPORTANT PROJECT THAT THE RESIDENTS OF THIS AREA HAVE BEEN WAITING MANY YEARS FOR AND THIS COMMITTEE DESERVES A PROPER PRESENTATION ON WHICH WE CAN BASE OUR RECOMMENDATION TO THE COMMISSION AND SO I AM GOING TO CONTINUE TO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA TO WAIT TO GIVE TIME FOR THE CONSULTANT TO TO GET HERE BUT I NEED THE ADMINISTRATION TO PLEASE, WHEN WE HAVE THESE PRESENTATIONS, WHEN WE HAVE THESE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, IT'S FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC THAT THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS THE FIRST ITEM ON THE AGENDA.
AS YOU SAW, WE HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CALLING IN ON THIS ITEM.
FOR THE RESPECT OF THE COMMITTEE BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR THE RESPECT OF THE PUBLIC THAT IS PARTICIPATING IN THIS MEETING IF SOMEONE IF SOMEONE IS BEING PAID TO DO WORK ON BEHALF OF THE CITY AND THEY'RE EXPECTED TO BE PRESENT AT THE COMMITTEE THEY HAVE TO BE PRESENT AND IT'S UNFAIR YOU
[00:30:02]
KNOW TO EXPECT US TO MAKE A FORMAL RECOMMENDATION WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF THE PRESENTATION AND I APOLOGIZE ON BEHALF OF CIP AND THE CONSULTANT IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT[2. QUARTERLY UPDATES ON OPERATION CLEAN WATER AND PARK VIEW CANAL]
OKAY SO SO WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER TWO.AND ONCE THE CONSULTANT GETS HERE, WE'LL GO BACK TO THAT.
ITEM NUMBER TWO IS A QUARTERLY UPDATE ON OPERATION CLEAN WATER AND PARKVIEW CANAL.
THIS ITEM WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY AND PUBLIC WORKS WILL BE PRESENTING.
AMY KNOWLES, CHIEF RESILIENCE OFFICER.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS QUARTERLY UPDATE.
WE'RE VERY COMMITTED TO TRANSPARENT INFORMATION AND ALL THE...
INFORMATION WE HAVE ON PARKVIEW CANAL AS WE WORK ON THIS CASE.
AS YOU KNOW, SINCE 2020, WE BECAME AWARE THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE ENTEROCOCCI IN THE PARKVIEW CANAL IN NORTH BEACH.
WE HAVE 81 ACRES OF STORMWATER IN THAT WATERSHED THAT IS MAKING ITS WAY INTO A VERY SMALL CANAL THAT IS SHALLOW, THAT IS VERY ANGULAR, THAT IS PART OF A LARGER CANAL, THE TATUM WATERWAY, AND THEN PART OF THE BROADER BISCAYNE BAY.
SO URBAN CANALS DO HAVE THESE CHALLENGES.
AND WE ARE WORKING DILIGENTLY TO TRY TO GET IT TO THE POINT THAT IT IS ACTUALLY SWIMMABLE AND THAT WE CAN OPEN UP THAT CANAL KAYAK LAUNCH.
LAST TIME WE PRESENTED WE SHARED A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS.
WE SHARED INFORMATION ON THE UV DISINFECTION PROJECT FROM UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI AND WE ALSO SHARED THE EVALUATION OF PUMP STATION 23.
SO BOTH OF THOSE ITEMS WERE CONCLUDED.
WE'RE CONTINUING ADDITIONAL, MANY ADDITIONAL INITIATIVES TO MOVE FORWARD.
SO TODAY WE WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON THREE ITEMS. AND JOHN NORRIS WILL HELP ME TO PRESENT THOSE.
SPECIFICALLY, WE'LL BE FOCUSING ON THE ENHANCED WATERSHED SANITATION PLAN, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THAT ABOVE GROUND HOUSEKEEPING.
AND PJ CAN BRING UP THE PRESENTATION.
WE'LL BE FOCUSING ON HYDRODYNAMIC SEPARATORS, A WAY THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADD STORMWATER TREATMENT EARLY NEXT YEAR, KEEPING IN MIND THE SYSTEM IS SO OLD THAT THE OUTFALLS DON'T HAVE STORMWATER TREATMENT.
AND THEN WE'LL GIVE AN UPDATE ON THE WEEKLY WATER QUALITY SAMPLING RESULTS, WHICH WERE DIRECTED BY THE SPONSOR AND COMMISSION THAT WE BEGAN LAST FALL.
AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
JOHN NORRIS, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE ENHANCED WATERSHED SANITATION PLAN.
A LOT OF EXTRA SERVICE UP IN THE AREA.
THE MAIN INTENT OF THIS SERVICE IS TO REMOVE SOLIDS FROM THE STREET.
THIS INCLUDES ENHANCED MECHANICAL SWEEPING IN THE DRAINAGE BASIN, ENHANCED HAND SWEEPING.
AND THE HAND SWEEPING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN THIS AREA DUE TO THE ON-STREET PARKING.
I LIVE UP IN THIS AREA AND I SEE OUR CREWS OUT IN THE MORNING.
THEY HAVE TO GET AROUND THESE VEHICLES WHERE THE MECHANICAL SWEEPERS CANNOT ACCESS.
IN ADDITION, WE'RE SWEEPING THE...
ALLEYS WITH OUR MULTI-HULL SWEEPER WHICH IS A LITTLE BIT OF A SMALLER SWEEPER.
CRAB ALLEY AND THE AREA AROUND THE PARKVIEW CANAL HAS NEVER LOOKED BETTER.
THEY'RE PICKING UP TRASH WITH PICK STICKS, EMPTYING TRASH CANS DAILY, REPLENISHING THE PET WASTE BAGS.
SO ALL IN ALL WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO KEEP THAT AREA AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE, TO KEEP SEDIMENT AND DEBRIS FROM ENTERING THE STORM DRAIN SYSTEM.
THE REASON WE'RE DOING THAT IS BACTERIA CAN ATTACH ITSELF TO THE SEDIMENT AND DEBRIS.
SO THE MORE WE REMOVE BEFORE IT GOES DOWN THE STORM DRAIN, THE BETTER IT IS FOR THE HEALTH OF THE WATERWAY.
WE'RE ALSO EVALUATING ENVIRONMENTAL DISINFECTION OPTIONS.
THAT INCLUDES HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, WHICH WAS SUGGESTED BY UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI.
THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES TO THAT.
IT WOULD BE VERY, VERY LABOR-INTENSIVE TO ESSENTIALLY SPRAY HYDROGEN PEROXIDE.
OVER ALL OF THE IMPERVIOUS SURFACE THROUGHOUT THE NORTH BEACH BASIN THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE'RE LOOKING AT SOME OPTIONS, LOOKING AT WHERE WE CAN TARGET THAT APPLICATION TO GET THE BIGGEST BANG FOR THE BUCK, BUT IT WOULD BE VERY CHALLENGING.
IN ADDITION, WE WOULD LIKE TO KEEP THE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE FROM GOING DOWN THE STORM DRAIN, SO THAT CREATES ANOTHER CHALLENGE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT, LOOKING AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE AND TARGETED OPTIONS.
SO WE'VE GOT A PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW TO INSTALL HYDRODYNAMIC SEPARATORS IN THIS DRAINAGE BASIN.
I'VE GOT A COOL VIDEO, IT'S A VERY SHORT VIDEO THAT'S GOING TO COME UP THAT WILL EXPLAIN THIS A LOT BETTER THAN ME, BUT ESSENTIALLY THIS SYSTEM FILTERS OUT SOLIDS TO PREVENT THOSE SOLIDS, TRASH, WHATEVER THAT SOLID MIGHT BE, SEDIMENT, FROM GETTING INTO THE WATERWAYS.
[00:35:01]
THAT WILL NOT MAKE IT TO THE WATERWAY BECAUSE WE'RE REMOVING THE HOST FOR THAT BACTERIA.NOW, SOME BACTERIA WILL ALWAYS GET INTO THE WATERWAY JUST THROUGH THE WATER.
THIS WILL CAPTURE ABOUT 100% OF ALL THE FLOATABLE TRASH AND DEBRIS.
AND IT'S EASILY CLEANED UP WITH THE USE OF OUR BACK TRUCKS, WHICH WE HAVE IN PUBLIC WORKS.
SO LET ME JUST ASK YOU, SO THE CLEANSING THAT WE'RE DOING, LAST YEAR WE HAD, OR EARLIER THIS YEAR, WE HAD DR.
SOLO GABRIEL FROM UM COME AND PRESENT TO THE COMMITTEE ON THE SANITATION EFFORTS.
AND, OF COURSE, AS YOU MENTIONED, AMY, ONE OF THE KEY FINDINGS, AS WE WELL KNOW IN THE REPORT, IS THE ELEVATED LEVELS OF THE ANTHRACOXY.
ON THE UNTREATED SURFACES WITHIN THE BASIN, THE 80-ACRE BASIN.
AND PART OF THOSE FINDINGS WAS THAT THE CLEANING OF THESE SURFACES REDUCED THE FECAL BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION THAT ULTIMATELY RUNS OFF INTO THE CANAL.
THE LEVEL OF CLEANING THAT WE ARE DOING IN THE BASIN.
IS THIS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WERE THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI STUDY AND DR.
SOLO-GABRIEL? AS FAR AS THE MECHANICAL SWEEPING, HAND SWEEPING, YES.
NOW, THERE ARE SOME IDEAS THAT WERE BROUGHT FORWARD THAT ARE UNCONVENTIONAL, AND THAT WAS THE USE OF HYDROGEN PEROXIDE.
SO I WOULDN'T CALL IT SO MUCH A RECOMMENDATION.
AMY, DO YOU KNOW, WAS IT? IT REALLY IS LIKE THAT, PROBABLY THE BEST.
BEST RECOMMENDATION WE COULD DO IS TO ACTUALLY SCRUB THE SIDEWALKS AND THE STREETS IN THAT AREA.
ONE OF THE THINGS SHE POINTED OUT THAT WAS SO INTERESTING IS WHERE WE HAVE TREES, ON 73RD STREET SPECIFICALLY, WE HAVE BIRDS.
THERE ARE BIRDS SITTING IN THE TREES AND THEY ARE DOING WHAT BIRDS DO.
AND SO THERE'S ENTERIC OXIDE THAT IS LANDING ON THAT SIDEWALK AND IS ATTACHING ITSELF TO LEAVES.
SO SHE WAS REALLY ENCOURAGING THAT SCRUBBING AND THEN THAT SPRAYING WITH THE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE.
WHICH I THINK RESOURCE-WISE, LOGISTICALLY, WAS PRETTY DIFFICULT WHEN YOUR TEAM CONSIDERED THAT.
AND I THINK IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT ONE OF THE KEY FINDINGS WAS THAT STRAIGHT SWEEPING ACHIEVES A MATERIAL BASIN SCALE REDUCTION OF THESE LEVELS OF BACTERIA.
AND SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT GOING INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR, DO WE HAVE FUNDING IN PLACE TO CONTINUE? UH TO CONTINUE THIS LEVEL OF SWEEPING THAT WE NEED IN ORDER TO CONTROL THE BACTERIA THAT RUNS OFF INTO THE CANAL ABSOLUTELY WE HAVE THE FUNDING AND THE RESOURCES TO DO IT WE ARE CONSIDERING IT INDEFINITE AT THIS POINT UNTIL WE CAN IMPROVE WATER QUALITY THEN WE WILL ADJUST BACK TO NORMAL OPERATING LEVELS OKAY BEFORE WE CONTINUE WITH THE HYDRODYNAMIC SEPARATORS I'M GOING TO RECOGNIZE VICE MAYOR DOMINGUEZ.
WHERE ELSE ARE THESE HYDRODYNAMIC SEPARATORS BEING USED? I HAVE A LONG LIST OF THEM.
WE HAVE RIGHT NOW 32 OF THEM IN PLACE.
YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW THEY'RE THERE.
WE JUST RECENTLY INSTALLED ONE ON LENOX COURT.
AND HOW BIG? WHAT'S THEIR SIZE? I WOULD GUESS THEY'RE ABOUT A 10-FOOT DIAMETER.
FOR SCALE PURPOSES, YOU CAN SEE IN THIS PHOTO, THEY'RE VERY LARGE AND VERY DEEP.
AND ARE THEY NOISY? NO, NOT, ACTUALLY THERE'S NOTHING MECHANICAL ABOUT THEM.
SO YOU'LL SEE IN THE VIDEO, IT'S JUST A VORTEX THAT'S ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE STRUCTURE THAT REMOVES ALL THE SEDIMENT.
AND DOES IT OPERATE 24 HOURS A DAY OR AS NEEDED? ALWAYS OPERATING.
AND WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING, I KNOW WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON A PROCUREMENT ITEM.
TO ACQUIRE THESE HYDRIC DYNAMICS SEPARATORS AND HOW FAR OUT ARE WE BEFORE HAVING AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA TO ACQUIRE THESE? SO WE SHOULD HAVE, RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN THE INVITATION TO BID PHASE.
THE CONSTRUCTION IS ESTIMATED TO START EARLY IN 2027.
SO WE'RE GETTING VERY CLOSE TO THE INSTALLATION OF THESE.
AND SO THIS IS ABOUT 70 ACRES.
OF DRAINAGE BASIN THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
THAT'S WHY LOGISTICALLY SCRUBBING EVERY SIDEWALK ON A REGULAR BASIS WITH A DISINFECTANT WOULD BECOME VERY, VERY CHALLENGING.
WHEN YOU SAY WITH DISINFECTANT, YOU MEAN WITH A HYDROGEN PEROXIDE THAT IS BEING PROPOSED? YES, SIR.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS I ASKED YOU LAST TIME, YOU KNOW, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN, YOU KNOW, DILUTE THIS INTO THE WATER THAT'S BEING USED WITH PRESSURE CLEANERS AND
[00:40:02]
ALL THAT, AND YOU EXPRESSED SOME CHALLENGES WITH THAT.SO, THERE WOULD BE CHALLENGES BECAUSE YOU WOULD HAVE THE ADDITIONAL CHEMICAL ESSENTIALLY BEING ADDED TO THE PRESSURE WASHING.
I THINK THE BIGGEST CONCERN IS HYDROGEN PEROXIDE GOING IN THE WATERWAYS AS WELL.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS A RECOMMENDED PRACTICE, AND RIGHT NOW WE'RE STILL RESEARCHING THAT TO SEE IF THAT'S RECOMMENDED, BECAUSE IT IS A DISINFECTANT, SO IT COULD HAVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES.
WE ALSO HAVE THE NORTH SHORE D PROJECT COMING IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A MORE ROBUST...
PROJECT THAT'S GOING TO ADDRESS A LOT MORE OF THE AREA.
BUT IN THE INTERIM, THIS PROJECT WILL ADDRESS THE DIRECT DRAINAGE BASIN.
AND HERE'S ANOTHER PICTURE THAT WE JUST SAW.
THIS IS A VIDEO THAT REALLY SHOWS YOU WHAT THE HYDRODYNAMIC SEPARATOR WILL DO.
AND SO, AMY, I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM, WE'VE RECEIVED STATE FUNDING.
I BELIEVE IT WAS PART OF LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, AND WE RECEIVED CLOSE TO $500,000 FOR THE ACQUISITION OF THIS.
YES, $427,000 TOWARDS THIS THROUGH AN FDEP GRANT.
AND WE ALREADY HAVE OUR CLASS II PERMITS FROM DURHAM FOR THEIR INSTALLATION? YES, SIR.
IN AUGUST, THEY WERE ISSUED TO THE DEPARTMENT.
OKAY, SO I KNOW WE HAD ANTICIPATED EARLIER ON.
A THIRD QUARTER CONSTRUCTION DATE OF THIS YEAR FOR THESE HYDRODYNAMIC SEPARATORS.
OBVIOUSLY, WE STILL HAVEN'T PUT OUT THE PROCUREMENT FOR THEM.
SO HOW FAR AWAY DO WE ANTICIPATE BEING ABLE TO SEE THE INSTALLATION OF THIS TECHNOLOGY? WELL, SPEAKING WITH PUBLIC WORKS, THEY'RE LOOKING TO START CONSTRUCTION IN JANUARY OF 2027.
AND I BELIEVE YOU'RE IN THE INVITATION TO BID PHASE.
AND THEN THE ITEM WILL COME TO CITY COMMISSION FOR APPROVAL.
OF THE RESULTS OF THAT ITP, ITP, RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT.
GRAIN AND CONSTRUCTION SHOULD BE UNDER A YEAR TO GET ALL OF THEM INSTALLED.
OKAY, SO YOU'VE CONFIRMED FOR US THAT WE HAVE THE REQUIRED FUNDING IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET TO MAINTAIN THE ENHANCED LEVEL OF SANITATION GOING INTO THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.
WHERE ARE WE WITH THE NANOBUBBLE TECHNOLOGY? SURE, WELL THE NANOBUBBLES IS GOING TO BE A VERY, VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PLAN.
WE ARE IN THE PERMITTING PHASE.
THIS IS A TECHNOLOGY, AS YOU'RE AWARE, THAT WILL INTRODUCE OXYGEN AND OZONE INTO THE WATER BODY ITSELF AND REALLY HASTEN ALL OF THE NATURAL CLEANUP OF THE WATER.
IT'S GOING TO ADDRESS THE BACTERIA.
IT'S GOING TO CLEAR THE WATER.
IT'S GOING TO ADDRESS THE MUCK IN THE BOTTOM OF THE CANAL.
AND WE'RE IN THE PERMITTING PHASE.
WE RECEIVED THE PERMIT FROM...
THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS AND WE ARE STILL WAITING ON THE COUNTY AS WELL AS SOUTHWATER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT.
WE DO HAVE THE PROPOSAL ALREADY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF IT AND AS SOON AS WE GET THOSE PERMITS THAT WILL BE BROUGHT TO THE CITY COMMISSION THEN WE EXPECT ABOUT FIVE OR SIX MONTHS OF CONSTRUCTION AND AGAIN WE REALLY HOPE THAT THIS ALSO IS TIMED WITH THE HYDRODYNAMIC SEPARATORS FOR EARLY NEXT YEAR TO BEGIN THE CONSTRUCTION.
THANK YOU AND THAT IS ALSO BUDGETED.
AND WITHIN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
YOU'LL SEE THAT COMING FROM YOU.
I'VE GOT A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS FOR YOU GUYS.
I KNOW NOT ALL THE PARTS OF THE PLAN HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED YET, BUT A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE THIS ALL STARTED WHEN I FIRST REPORTED IT AS A RESIDENT ON PARKVIEW ISLAND.
[00:45:02]
CAN YOU ADDRESS, IS THERE SORT OF DIRECTIONAL DATA THAT INDICATES IMPROVEMENT SO FAR? CAN YOU GIVE AN UPDATE? BECAUSE I KNOW IT IS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY.A PUNCHING BAG, IF YOU WILL, THAT NOTHING CHANGES, NOTHING'S GETTING BETTER.
SO IS THERE DATA THAT YOU CAN SHARE THAT INDICATES THAT WHILE IT IS NOT COMPLETELY RESOLVED, YES, THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER AND ARE CONTINUING ON THE RIGHT TRAJECTORY, OR ARE WE NOT THERE YET? IT'S A VERY GOOD QUESTION, AND WATER QUALITY DATA IS HIGHLY VARIABLE, PARTICULARLY IN A CANAL SUCH AS THIS.
AND SO WE WISH IT WERE SIMPLE, BUT WE HAVE SEEN THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI STUDIES THAT WE'VE SEEN STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN THE CANAL.
AND WE HAVE SEEN OVERALL, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE COMPARE 2020 TO 2025, WE SAW A 76% REDUCTION IN THE AVERAGE IN TERA-COXIDES AND A 59% REDUCTION IN THE MEDIAN.
SO WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY SINCE 2020.
WE'RE NOT WHERE WE NEED TO BE, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO SHOW THE I HAVE A COUPLE SLIDES ON THE WEEKLY SAMPLING RESULTS WE'RE SEEING.
WE'RE LOOKING AT THREE IMPORTANT STANDARDS.
ONE, WE HAVE THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH STANDARD, WHICH IS THAT 70 NPN WHICH IS SWIMMABLE THAT'S WHAT THEY USE FOR THE BEACHES THAT IS WHAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET TO WE HAVE 130 THAT'S ANOTHER STANDARD WHERE WE WOULD LOVE TO REACH WHICH IS FOR CLASS 3 WATERS FOR JUST OVERALL RECREATION AND THEN EPA ALSO HAS A STANDARD FOR KAYAKING WHICH IS 371 IN TERRA COXI SO WE HAVE SOME DIFFERENT STANDARDS WE'RE GOING FOR THAT 70 IT HAS GOTTEN BETTER BUT IT IS HIGHLY VARIABLE.
IT'S VERY TIED TO RAINFALL EVENTS.
AND AGAIN, IT'S KIND OF A SLOW-MOVING CANAL, BUT WE'RE STILL WORKING AT IT AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO SO.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHOW THE SLIDES? IS THAT USEFUL? SURE.
OKAY, SO THESE ARE THE ACTUAL OUTFALLS THAT THE HYDRODYNAMIC SEPARATORS ARE GOING TO BE LOCATED.
IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THAT, WE HAVE ABOUT SEVEN OUTFALLS.
AND THESE ARE ALSO VERY TIED TO OUR SAMPLING EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING.
SO WE BEGAN WEEKLY WATER QUALITY SAMPLING AT THE DIRECTION OF THE ITEM SPONSOR AND THE CITY COMMISSION IN NOVEMBER.
AND THIS IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE MOST OF THE TIME IN CANALS THERE'S NOT A LOT OF SAMPLING DONE.
AND THIS IS GIVING US MORE INFORMATION AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO TEST OVER TIME AS WE SEE IMPROVEMENT WITH ALL OF THESE NEW THINGS WE'RE DOING.
SO WE'VE HAD 31 SAMPLING EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED IN THE ROUTINE LTCS.
THE RESULTS DO SHOW SPIKES IN THE...
FECAL INDICATOR BACTERIA LEVELS AFTER RAIN EVENTS, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE WERE ADVISED STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE UM STUDY.
SO THIS REALLY HAPPENS AND WE SEE IT, YOU KNOW, IT RAINS AND THOSE RESULTS GO RIGHT UP.
AND THEN WE DID LOOK FOR THE LOWEST WEEK, LIKE WHAT IS THE BEST WEEK WE'VE SEEN SO FAR, AND THAT WAS IN FEBRUARY AND IT WAS A VERY DRY, YOU KNOW, SUNNY WEEK AND THE WEEKLY AVERAGE AMONG THE FIVE SPOTS WAS 182.
AND EACH OF THE FIVE SPOTS IS VARIABLE IN AND OF ITSELF.
THIS IS JUST A PICTURE OF THE DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS AND IT JUST SHOWS HOW WIDELY VARIABLE THIS IS.
I MEAN WE'VE GOT MINIMUMS OF ZERO GOING ALL THE WAY UP TO OVER 24,000 WHICH IS THE HIGHEST DETECTABLE.
WE HAVE A MEDIAN THAT RANGES FROM 98 UP TO 693.
WE'RE SEEING A BIT OF AN IMPROVEMENT AT THE BISCAYNE BEACH ELEMENTARY OUTFALL.
WHICH IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT WAS IDENTIFIED AS A SIGNIFICANT HOT SPOT, AND THEN THERE WAS THAT MAJOR FORCE MAIN SPILL.
SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO TRACK THESE, BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU A PICTURE OF REALLY HOW VARIABLE THIS IS.
THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS WHAT THE MEDIAN RESULTS ARE IN COMPARISON TO THOSE TARGETS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE.
AGAIN, WE'RE SEEING THAT THERE'S A LOT MORE WORK TO DO.
WE'RE SEEING SOME IMPROVEMENTS.
WE'RE SEEING THAT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE 75TH STREET STREET, STREET END IS A VERY LARGE OUTFALL TIED TO THAT VERY LARGE WATERSHED AND WE SEE THE RESULTS BEING VERY HIGH THERE CONVERSELY WE SEE BONITA DRIVE WHICH IS RIGHT AT THE END OF PARKVIEW CANAL AND IT'S EXPERIENCING THAT FLUSHING FROM THE TATUM WATERWAY AND IT IS IN MUCH BETTER CONDITION SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THOSE AND REPORT ON THOSE AS WE IMPLEMENT OUR NEW INITIATIVES SUCH AS THE HYDROGEN HUMIC SEPARATORS AS WELL AS NANO BUBBLES WE'LL BE DOING MORE INTENSE SAMPLING.
THERE WILL BE A SAMPLING PLAN AS PART OF THAT WITH A LOT OF OTHER PARAMETERS, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT, AND THAT IS REQUIRED BY THE REGULATORY AGENCIES AS WELL.
SO WE WILL HAVE MORE INFORMATION AS THIS MOVES FORWARD.
AND LET ME JUST ASK YOU ALSO, BECAUSE I KNOW DREDGING HAS BEEN AN IMPORTANT TOPIC OF CONVERSATION.
WHERE ARE WE WITH THE PERMITTING AND WITH THE PROCESS WITH DREDGING? YES, SO DREDGING IS STILL BUDGETED.
WE HAVE THE FULL DESIGN THAT WAS PROVIDED TO US AS STAFF VERY RECENTLY.
[00:50:02]
ARE REVIEWING.AND WE'LL BE PROVIDING, AS SOON AS WE ARE COMFORTABLE WITH IT, TO THE MANAGER'S OFFICE FOR THEIR SIGNATURE SO THAT WE CAN APPLY FOR PERMITS.
IT IS QUITE COMPLEX AND A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM THE AGENCIES, OF COURSE, BUT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT.
AND I WANT TO TIE THIS TOGETHER WITH NANOBUBBLES, WITH A DISCUSSION ABOUT NANOBUBBLES.
ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED IN THIS IS THAT WITH THE INSTALLATION OF THE NANOBUBBLES, OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE IMPROVEMENT IN THE WATER QUALITY.
BUT IT ALSO, IT COULD HELP MAKE THE DREDGING MORE EFFICIENT BECAUSE OF THE MORE, IT'S NOT ONLY THE MICROBIAL CONTAMINANTS THAT THE NANOBUBBLES ADDRESS, BUT IT ALSO ADDRESSES THE PHYSICAL CLEANLINESS OF THE WATER.
YOU CAN TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT.
YEAH, SO WHAT WE'VE LEARNED ABOUT NANOBUBBLES AND THAT IN OTHER AREAS WHERE IT'S BEEN EMPLOYED, IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF EATEN THE MUCK.
SO IT HAS SUCH PROCESSES THAT IT STARTS TO ADDRESS.
THE MUCK THAT'S GATHERED AND THE CONTAMINANTS WITHIN THAT MUCK SO THAT'S REALLY REALLY PROMISING AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE YOU KNOW HOW THAT HOW THAT WORKS WE THINK NANO BUBBLES WILL MOVE FASTER THAN DREDGING SO IT'S GOING TO BE IMPORTANT TO STUDY THAT BUT IT MAY BE VERY HELPFUL FOR THE DREDGING THIS IS NOT ONLY ADDRESSING THE HARMFUL PATHOGENS BUT THE BUT BUT BUT ALSO THE I GUESS THE ALGAE GROWTH IN IN THE WATER YES ABSOLUTELY ABSOLUTELY YES SORRY, I HAD A COUPLE QUESTIONS STILL.
THE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE SCRUBBING, I KNOW IT'S LABOR INTENSIVE.
THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY MAYBE TO DO IT AT HOT SPOTS.
YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT YOU WANTED TO RIGHTLY SO STUDY TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DIDN'T AFFECT DELETERIOUSLY THE WATER QUALITY, WHICH IS IRONIC GIVEN THE TOPIC AND THE NEED FOR IT.
BUT IF IT'S COMING AS A RECOMMENDATION FROM UM, HAS THAT NOT ALREADY BEEN CONFIRMED THAT IT WOULD NOT BE HARMFUL? WELL, EVERYBODY HAS DIFFERENT SPECIALTIES, YOU KNOW, AND I THINK THAT THE PROFESSOR WOULD WANT US AS A CITY TO BE SURE THAT IT WOULD BE OKAY WITH THE REGULATORS.
SHE FELT COMFORTABLE RECOMMENDING IT.
IT TURNS INTO HYDROGEN AND WATER.
SO I THINK THAT SHE'S AN OXYGEN.
I THINK IT'S A MATTER OF HOW IS THAT GOING TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY BE PERCEIVED BY THE REGULATORY AGENCIES, AND WE DON'T WANT TO CAUSE ANY ISSUES.
SECONDLY, PART OF THE FRUSTRATION BEYOND JUST THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A CONTAMINATED CANAL IS THAT, YOU KNOW, IT HAPPENED BASICALLY MINUTES AFTER THE KAYAK LAUNCH WAS INSTALLED, WHICH IS VERY FRUSTRATING.
I HAPPEN TO LIVE WHEN I, YOU KNOW, BACK IN 2020, I WAS LIVING ACROSS FROM BONITA DRIVE, FROM THAT END OF THE STREET.
AND I KNOW THAT IT'S JUST A FEW HOUSES IN FROM INDIAN CREEK CANAL, AND IT'S EASY TO GET OUT INTO THE CLEANER WATER WITHOUT HAVING TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE ISLAND.
IS THERE A POSSIBILITY OF INSTALLING A TEMPORARY KAYAK LAUNCH ON THIS STREET END OF BONITA? BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S WORK BEING DONE THERE.
I'M NOT SURE WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN IT'S COMPLETED.
PEOPLE WOULD LAUNCH THEIR KAYAKS THERE AND TEACH THEIR DOGS HOW TO SWIM THERE.
ANYHOW, BECAUSE OF THE NATURALLY OCCURRING SLOPE AND PEOPLE COULD GRAB ONTO THE TREES THAT WERE THERE, THE SEA GRAPES, COULD WE DO SOME KIND OF FLOATING DOCK THAT'S TEMPORARY UNTIL THIS GETS CLEANED UP AND THE PERMANENT ONE GETS REOPENED? COMMISSIONER, WE'D HAVE TO REALLY LOOK INTO THAT.
I THINK IT'S A FANTASTIC IDEA.
EVEN A FLOATABLE DOCK, TEMPORARY, WOULD NEED PERMITTING.
IT WOULD HAVE TO BE DONE SAFELY AND IT WOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH A REVIEW PROCESS, EVEN A FLOATING DOCK.
COULD WE, HOW DO I DO THAT? HOW DO I, I GUESS I HAVE TO GO BACK TO COMMISSION TO BE REFERRED BACK HERE TO LOOK INTO THAT? HOW DO I? AND WHICH LOCATION IS THIS? IS THIS AN AREA THAT'S CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING CONTAMINATION? SO IT'S AT THE END OF BONITA DRIVE.
STREET END, WHICH ALREADY IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER BECAUSE OF THE INDIAN CREEK. SO IF YOU GO OUT STRAIGHT TO THE INDIAN CREEK, IT'S CIRCUMNAVIGATED.
I JUST, AND I WANT TO HEAR FROM AMY IF...
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, WE REALLY, YOU KNOW, I KNOW THERE'S TIMES WE HAVE ACHIEVED A MINIMUM OF ZERO, BUT I KNOW WE'VE ALSO ACHIEVED A MAXIMUM OF THE MAXIMUM THAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE.
AND THE AVERAGE IS NOT THAT GREAT.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
[00:55:01]
IF AMY FEELS THAT OUR NUMBERS ARE THERE TO SAFELY DO IT, 100%, YOU KNOW, I'M FOR IT BECAUSE WE WANT THE COMMUNITY TO HAVE THE AMENITY THEY'VE BEEN ASKING.I JUST WANT TO REMEMBER A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THIS SAME CONVERSATION OR SIMILAR CONVERSATION CAME UP AND I JUST HAD TO PAUSE, YOU KNOW, NOT KNOWING, OKAY, ARE WE STILL IN A FLUCTUATING STATE OF WATER QUALITY? YOU KNOW, IS IT FINE TODAY, BUT IN ANOTHER PERIOD OF THE YEAR WHEN THERE'S A DIFFERENT TYPE OF ALGAL GROWTH, A DIFFERENT TYPE AND WHATEVER EXISTING THERE DOES A WATER QUALITY THEN DETERIORATE.
SO I JUST, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO BE VERY DEFERENTIAL TO AMY.
NO, OF COURSE, BUT THIS IS JUST TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION BECAUSE THIS ISN'T SOMETHING THAT I WOULD WANT THE TEAM TO ANSWER ON THE FLY HERE TODAY.
I'D LIKE YOU GUYS TO GO BACK, TAKE A LOOK AT IT, TAKE A LOOK AT HOW LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO GET PERMITTED BECAUSE IF IT'S GOING TO BE A YEAR AND A HALF, DO YOU ANTICIPATE THAT THE RESULTS WILL BE GOOD ENOUGH IN A YEAR AND A HALF TO REOPEN THE PERMANENT KAYAK? LAUNCH, YOU KNOW, LIKE I WANT TO, I JUST WANT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT IT.
YOU UNDERSTOOD COMMISSIONER AND IT'S A VALID POINT, YOU KNOW, CANALS ARE VERY DIFFICULT LOCATIONS TO SELECT FOR THINGS LIKE THIS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE FLUSHING OF THE OCEAN.
SO A LOT OF TIMES WHEN YOU SEE KAYAK LAUNCHES AND CANALS THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY EVEN TRYING TO MEET THIS 70 TARGET THAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN PARKVIEW CANAL.
WE DO HAVE FLUCTUATION, WE HAVE VARIABLES, WE WOULD HAVE TO DIVE INTO THE DATA, PROBABLY TRACK IT OVER TIME.
WE COULDN'T SAY FOR SURE IT WOULD BE SAFE.
A LOT OF GUIDANCE FROM CITIES IN GENERAL IS THAT TWO DAYS AFTER A RAIN EVENT, PLEASE STAY OUT OF THE WATERS.
WE KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE CARRYING A LOT OF POLLUTANTS.
SO MAYBE GENERAL GUIDANCE LIKE THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO BE COMFORTABLE WITH.
SO AGAIN, OUT OF DEFERENCE TO THE REST OF THE AGENDA, I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE TIME AND PLACE TO HAVE A ROBUST CONVERSATION.
AND I WOULD LIKE YOU GUYS TO PUT SOME THOUGHT INTO IT, AND LET'S JUST COME BACK.
HEAR WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY AND SEE IF IT MAKES SENSE OR IF IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE THEN THAT'S FINE.
YEAH AS FAR AS THE NEXT QUARTERLY PRESENTATION.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE? COMMENTS? ARE THERE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE IN PERSON, NONE IN ZOOM WITH THEIR WITH THEIR HAND RAISED.
AMY, JOHN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HOW SERIOUS YOU ALL HAVE DIVED INTO THIS ISSUE.
I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGY FROM THE HYDRODYNAMIC SEPARATORS TO THE NANOBUBBLES THAT WE'RE WORKING ON, THE PROGRESS THAT WE'RE MAKING ON THE PERMITTING WITH THIS, THE FUNDING THAT WE HAVE ALLOCATED WITH THIS.
AND I KNOW WITH DURHAM, WE'RE JUST FINALIZING SOME MINOR THINGS.
IT FEELS LIKE WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR A YEAR ALREADY, AND THAT HOPEFULLY THERE'S SOME LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL WITH THAT PERMITTING.
AND I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY OPTIMISM.
JUST HAVING HEARD AND SEEN FROM DIFFERENT AREAS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED PERHAPS EVEN MORE SERIOUS ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN THEIR WATERWAYS AND THE EFFECTIVENESS THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY HAS HAD I CANNOT WAIT FOR US TO GET THAT FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL PERMIT FROM DURHAM AND SEE THIS TECHNOLOGY HERE BECAUSE I REALLY HAVE GREAT OPTIMISM AND TO YOU JOHN FOR YOUR WORK IN CONTINUING THE HEIGHTENED LEVEL OF SANITATION SO THAT WE IMPROVE THAT WATER QUALITY BEFORE IT RUNS OFF INTO THE CANAL SO I WANT TO THANK YOU BOTH.
WITH THAT, WE'LL PROCEED TO ITEM, SO NUMBER, ITEMS 3 AND 4 ARE GOING TO BE HEARD AFTER 1030.
HAS A CONSULTANT ARRIVED FOR, OKAY, SO THE CONSULTANT'S NOT HERE
[5. UPDATE ON TIMELINE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL AND ANTICIPATED OPENING DATE.]
YET FOR ITEM NUMBER 1.SO LET'S PROCEED TO ITEM NUMBER 5.
ITEM NUMBER 5 IS AN UPDATE ON TIMELINE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL AND ANTICIPATED OPENING DATE.
THIS ITEM WAS SPONSORED BY VICE MAYOR DOMINGUEZ AND COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, THIS IS YOUR ITEM.
SO WE'VE BEEN HEARING A LOT ABOUT THE PROGRESS.
I THINK JULY 28TH IS THE TOPPING OFF CEREMONY.
I'M GOING TO BE OUT OF TOWN, SO I WILL MISS IT.
BUT WITH THE ANTICIPATED OPENING DATE OF DECEMBER 2027.
WILL THAT BE BEFORE OUR PUZZLE DURING UM AND PLEASE TELL US ANY UPDATES HI.
YES, THE INTENT IS TO BE OPEN BEFORE ART BASEL OF 2027, AND OUR CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE IS ON TRACK, AND WE'RE TOPPING OFF NEXT WEEK.
KEVIN, HOW FAR ALONG WAS THIS? I'D BE FINE TO CLOSE THIS ITEM OUT.
OKAY, I STILL WOULD LIKE TO KEEP IT ON COMMITTEE BECAUSE I DO WANT
[01:00:01]
TO GET A COMPREHENSIVE UPDATE NEXT MONTH ON THE PARKING.I KNOW YOU ALL ARE WORKING ON FINALIZING AN AGREEMENT WITH 1691 MICHIGAN AVENUE.
THAT ACTUALLY HAS BEEN SIGNED AND IT'S COMPLETE.
IT'S BEEN SIGNED? OKAY, SO WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT? YES, SO THE UPDATES SINCE LAST MEETING ARE WE SIGNED THE PARKING AGREEMENT WITH RIVANI.
SO, AND WE SUBMITTED TO YOUR ATTENTION A MEMO SUMMARIZING ALL OF THE PARKING SPACES WITH EXACT NUMBERS THAT WE ARE COMMITTING TO HAVE ON SITE FOR EMPLOYEES AND OFF SITE AS WELL SO WE'RE COVERED FOR EMPLOYEES.
WE HAVE HOW MANY PARKING SPACES DO YOU HAVE SECURED FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES? SO WE HAVE MORE THAN WHAT WE NEED.
WE HAVE SECURED IN OUR PARKING AGREEMENT AT 1691 MICHIGAN AVENUE 300 UP TO 350 SPACES UP TO FIFTY MONTHLY SPACES AND THE ABILITY TO SCALE UP TO UP TO THREE HUNDRED.
ARE YOU GOING TO BE ABLE TO SCALE UP TO THOSE 350 SPACES ON A REGULAR BASIS OR IS THAT DEPENDING ON ON THEIR CAPACITY? IT'S DEPENDING ON OUR NEEDS.
AND WE HAVE TO COMMUNICATE IT WITHIN A MONTH AHEAD.
AND FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES, HOW MANY, IS THAT FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES OR THOSE FOR VISITORS TO THE FACILITY? IT IS INTENDED FOR EMPLOYEES.
IF WE NEED ADDITIONAL FOR VISITORS, WE MAY USE IT FOR THAT PURPOSE.
AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT COMMISSIONER MATIL-SELINAS HAD BROUGHT UP LAST NIGHT WAS RELATING TO THE COST.
AS WE KNOW THAT PARKING OFTENTIMES, PROVIDING FOR PARKING CAN BE EXPENSIVE.
AT WHAT COST IS, HAVE YOU GUYS ANALYZED THAT YET, HOW MUCH YOU'RE GOING TO CHARGE YOUR STAFF FOR PARKING? NO, WE HAVE ENGAGED A PARKING CONSULTANT THAT'S GOING TO GIVE US A REPORT IN 30 DAYS.
SO IT WILL TAKE US ACTUALLY 60 DAYS, IF THAT'S OKAY FOR US TO PRESENT TO YOU THE REPORT FROM OUR PARKING CONSULTANT TO PROVIDE THAT LEVEL OF ANALYSIS.
I'M SO GRATEFUL FOR THE PROGRESS THAT THIS TEAM HAS BEEN MAKING IN SECURING ADDITIONAL PARKING.
I WAS VERY CONCERNED ON THE IMPACT THAT THIS WAS GOING TO HAVE ON THE SURROUNDING.
PARKING GARAGES, BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE ONCE ALL THE NEW RETAIL OPENS UP ON LINCOLN ROAD, ONCE THE NEW HOTELS END UP OPENING UP ALONG COLLINS AVENUE, THERE'S JUST GOING TO BE A LOT OF EXTRA ACTIVITY COMING INTO THE AREA, WHICH IS GOING TO BE GREAT FOR OUR ECONOMY.
BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T END UP WITH A GREATER PARKING DEFICIT THAN THAT THAT WE ALREADY EXPERIENCED.
AND YOU ALL HAVE TAKEN SERIOUSLY OUR CONCERN.
AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE COMMISSIONER SALINAS I KNOW YOU HAD RAISED SOME OF THE CONCERNS I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS YOU'RE GOOD ALL RIGHT ANY UH ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM THE DAYS SEEING NONE ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM SEEING NONE IN PERSON NOT IN ZOOM WE CAN CONTINUE THIS ITEM TO OUR NEXT MEETING WHICH WOULD BE IN SEPTEMBER THANK YOU
[6. MONTHLY UPDATES ON THE STATUS OF ONGOING AND FUTURE PROJECTS INVOLVING THE USE OF THE LEONARD HOROWITZ COLOR PALETTE FOR ART DECO BUILDING RESTORATION IN COLLABORATION WITH BARBARA HULANICKI.]
WITH THAT, LET'S PROCEED TO ITEM NUMBER SIX.ITEM NUMBER SIX IS A MONTHLY UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF ONGOING AND FUTURE PROJECTS INVOLVING THE USE OF LEONARD HOROWITZ COLOR PALETTE FOR ART DECO BUILDING RESTORATIONS IN COLLABORATION WITH BARBARA HOLINICKI.
THIS ITEM WAS SPONSORED BY VICE MAYOR DOMINGUEZ.
COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, THIS IS MADAM VICE MAYOR.
LIZ, IF YOU'D LIKE TO GIVE US THE LATEST UPDATE.
COMMISSIONERS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ELIZABETH MIRO, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR PARKS, FACILITIES, FLEET, AND BEACHES.
SINCE OUR LAST MEETING, WE WERE ASKED TO GO AHEAD AND PROCEED WITH PAINTING THE REST ROUTE PAVILIONS ON THE 6TH AND 14TH STREET.
WE WILL BE GETTING THAT PROJECT IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS, SO THE COMPLETION DATE HAS BEEN MOVED A LITTLE BIT FURTHER FROM JULY 30TH TO THE FIRST WEEK OF AUGUST, AND GIVEN THAT, WE WILL GLADLY ISSUE AN LTC WITH A COMPLETED PROJECT.
AND THOSE WERE NOT THE FARBER-HULANIKI PROJECT? NO, THAT'S CORRECT.
SECONDLY, YOU ASKED US TO WORK WITH OUR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.
REGARDING OTHER PROPERTIES THAT WERE POTENTIAL CAN BE USED FOR THIS PROGRAM.
AND THEY HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED THE ART DECO PAINTING INCENTIVE PROGRAM THAT WAS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO RESOLUTION 2024-3363, WHICH ALLOWS FOR PARTIAL FUNDING UP TO 50% OR $20,000 PER APPLICATION.
AND THEY HAVE COMPLETED ONE OF THOSE PROJECTS, WHICH IS THE BEACON HOTEL AT 720 OCEAN DRIVE, WHICH WAS COMPLETED IN APRIL 2025.
I WILL DEFER TO OUR COLLEAGUES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO PROVIDE EITHER UPDATES
[01:05:02]
ON THIS PROGRAM OR, YOU KNOW, ON THE FUTURE OF THIS.AND FOR THAT PROGRAM, THAT INCLUDES BARBARA HULANIKI? YES, THAT'S CORRECT.
I THINK WE CAN CLOSE OUT THIS ITEM, AND THEN I'LL MEET WITH YOUR TEAM INDIVIDUALLY, PERIODICALLY, TO SEE FOR OPPORTUNITIES.
I THINK MAYBE IN THE LAST MEETING, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ EVEN MENTIONED LINCOLN ROAD SECTION.
THE RITZ AND SOME OF THE OTHER PLACES AS OPPORTUNITIES BUT HAPPY TO MEET WITH YOU INDIVIDUALLY IN THE COMING MONTHS ON OTHER OPPORTUNITIES ABSOLUTELY GREAT OKAY THANK YOU AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ FOR CHAMPIONING THIS I HAVE TO SAY THE PRODUCT OF THIS OF THIS ITEM THAT YOU'VE CARRIED THROUGH HAS BEEN GREAT AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL TO SEE OUR PASTEL COLORS THROUGHOUT OUR HISTORIC DISTRICTS SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP WELL, IT CAME FROM A PREVIOUS COMMISSIONER, AND I WAS HAPPY TO PICK UP THE BATON FROM HER AND CONTINUE IT ALONG WITH YOU.
[7. DISCUSS/TAKE ACTION REGARDING A CITYWIDE REVIEW OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES TO IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND STREAMLINE ADVISORY FUNCTIONS.]
THANK YOU.WITH THAT, WE CAN SHOW THIS ITEM CLOSED.
WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER SEVEN.
ITEM NUMBER SEVEN IS DISCUSS TAKE ACTION REGARDING A CITYWIDE REVIEW OF BOARDS AND COMMITTEES TO IMPROVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND STREAMLINE ADVISORY FUNCTIONS.
THIS ITEM WAS SPONSORED BY VICE MAYOR DOMINGUEZ.
THIS ITEM WAS BROUGHT UP BECAUSE A FEW MONTHS BACK I WAS HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY ADMINISTRATION AND THEY MENTIONED IN PASSING THAT WORKING ON OUR COMMITTEES TAKES UP ALMOST 50% OF THEIR WORKLOAD AT CITY HALL.
AND THAT REALLY STRUCK ME BECAUSE THAT IS A LOT OF TIME TO SPEND ON AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE TAKING AWAY FROM THEM DOING THEIR JOBS.
SO I'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE CITY CLERK.
I'VE ALSO MET WITH MARIA HERNANDEZ, OUR ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AND WE'VE COME UP WITH SOME POSSIBILITIES FOR US TO DISCUSS AND MOVE FORWARD TO THE COMMISSIONS FOR FINAL DECISIONS ON HOW THESE THINGS WORK.
GOOD MORNING, COMMITTEE MEMBERS, AND THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR, FOR THAT.
SUMMARY, SO WHAT WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DO WITH THE ITEM IS FIND A BALANCE BETWEEN THE WORKLOADS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND THE COMMITTEES THAT WE MANAGE AS AN ADMINISTRATION.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THE ITEM, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, THE VICE MAYOR HAD ASKED US TO LOOK INTO IDEAS.
OF HOW WE CAN RESTRUCTURE COMMITTEES MAYBE THAT WOULD MAXIMIZE THE USE OF STAFF RESOURCES.
SO THIS ITEM HAS BEEN PREPARED JOINTLY BETWEEN THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK AND THE ADMINISTRATION.
IT TOOK ABOUT A YEAR TO GATHER ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEEDED TO GATHER IN ORDER TO MAKE A SOUND RECOMMENDATION.
JUST SO YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 48 ADVISORY BOARDS.
AND 41 ARE RESIDENT COMMITTEES, FOUR ARE LAND USE BOARDS, WHICH ARE MORE, YOU KNOW, QUASI-JUDICIAL.
AND THEN WE HAVE THREE COMMISSION COMMITTEES, OF WHICH THIS IS ONE.
AND IT TAKES 18 ADMINISTRATIVE DEPARTMENTS, ABOUT 20,000 HOURS A YEAR, TO MANAGE ALL OF THESE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES.
BUT THAT ALSO DOES NOT INCLUDE THE TIME FROM THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE AND THE TIME FROM THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
HOW DO YOU CALCULATE THAT 20,000 NUMBER? SO WE MET WITH EVERY DEPARTMENT AND WE PASSED OUT INFORMATION.
SO THE WAY WE DID THE ANALYSIS IS WE FIRST STARTED WITH HOW MANY HOURS LONG IS...
EACH MEETING THEN IT WENT ON TO HOW MANY HOURS THE DEPARTMENT THAT STAFFS THAT MEETING SPENDS IN ITS TOTALITY MEANING EVERYTHING THEY HAVE TO DO FOR THE MEETING AND THAT AND IT'S IN THE IT'S IN THE MEMO THAT BUT NOT ALL OF OUR COMMITTEES ACHIEVE QUORUM NOT ALL OF OUR COMMITTEES ACHIEVE QUORUM AND SO I'M JUST RIGHT TO UNDERSTAND YOU HAVE YOU HAVE HOW MANY COMMITTEES WE HAVE 48 TOTAL.
AND ASSUMING THEY ALL MEET 12 TIMES A YEAR, THAT'S 576 HOURS
[01:10:03]
IF THEY'RE EACH ONE HOUR.BUT LET'S ASSUME EACH ONE MEETS, LET'S SAY, TWO HOURS.
THAT'S STILL A LOT OF ACTUAL WORK TO GET TO 20,000 HOURS.
WELL, WHAT WE FIRST OF ALL I THINK WE NEED TO GO BACK AND LOOK AT THAT NUMBER BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE.
WHEN WE SAY 20,000 HOURS, I'M NOT SAYING THAT THE INTENT OF THE ITEM IS WRONG AND THAT WE SHOULDN'T DO THESE EFFICIENCIES.
IT JUST SEEMS A LITTLE BIT EXAGGERATED TO ME.
WELL, WE SPENT A LONG TIME LOOKING AT THE DATA.
WHAT WE DID IS WE ASKED EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT TO TELL US HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED IN EVERY SINGLE MEETING PER MONTH.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT EVERY COMMITTEE MEETS.
12 TIMES A YEAR OR 11 TIMES A YEAR, BUT EACH DEPARTMENT KNOWS HOW MUCH TIME THEY HAVE SPENT IN EVERY COMMITTEE.
AND WE HAVE IT TOTALED BY DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE PERCENTAGES BY DEPARTMENT OF WHO SPENDS THE MOST TIME AND WHO SPENDS, YOU KNOW, NOT A LOT OF TIME.
IT AVERAGED, IT CAME OUT TO ABOUT 20,000.
I WANT TO SAY, YOU KNOW, 19,900 AND SOMETHING SO WE ROUNDED UP AGAIN, THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
IT DOESN'T INCLUDE THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE.
SO I'D BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION.
MAYBE WE CAN TAKE THAT TO COMMISSION WHEN WE TAKE THESE ITEMS TO COMMISSION AND WE CAN TAKE A DEEPER DIVE INTO EXACTLY HOW MUCH TIME IT IS.
BUT IT IS A LOT OF TIME AND THE COMMITTEES HAVE GROWN OVER TIME.
SO THAT'S ALSO IN EFFECT THE NUMBER OF COMMITTEES.
SO WHAT ARE YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS? SO ON THE ITEM, WHAT WE RECOMMEND ARE BASICALLY ON THE SEVERAL THINGS.
FIRST OF ALL, GENERALLY SPEAKING, WE RECOMMEND THAT THE MAJORITY, WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE RECOMMEND THAT AD HOC COMMITTEES SUNSET AFTER THEIR PURPOSE HAS BEEN SATISFIED.
AND WE ARE RECOMMENDING SOME SUN SETTING OF COURSE IS UP TO YOU ALL TO ACCEPT THAT RECOMMENDATION.
WHICH ARE THE COMMITTEES ARE RECOMMENDING TO SUNSET? WE HAVE THE IGUANA COMMITTEE WHICH ALREADY SUNSETTED ACTUALLY SUNSETTED JUST RECENTLY SO THAT ONE'S OFF WE ARE ALSO RECOMMENDING SUN SETTING OF THE HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THEY NEVER MEET SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE SUNSET WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT THE MAYOR'S 41ST STREET COMMITTEE SUNSET ONCE THE GEOBOND CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IS COMPLETED.
IT'S STILL GOING TO TAKE A WHILE.
WE HAVEN'T STARTED CONSTRUCTION.
WE ARE RECOMMENDING, WE HAD RECOMMENDED ON THE MEMO THAT THE CRA ADVISORY COMMITTEE MAYBE SUNSET AFTER THE FIVE-YEAR MASTER PLAN IS COMPLETED.
WE ALSO RECOMMENDED THAT THE CONVENTION CENTER ADVISORY BOARD SUNSET AFTER UM, THE HOTEL IS COMPLETE AND YOUR CONSTITUENTS CALLED IN ABOUT THAT.
THE PRODUCTION INDUSTRY COUNCIL, WE RECOMMEND THAT THEY SUNSET.
THEY WERE VERY NEEDED WHEN WE HAD A FILM DEPARTMENT OR A SECTION OF FILM, A SECTION OF THE TOURISM DEPARTMENT DEDICATED TO FILM.
FROM THE DEPARTMENT SO WE WOULD RECOMMEND THAT THAT REALLY HAPPENED MORE IN LIKE AN AS NEEDED BASIS AND SO THEN THE COMMISSIONER HAS PUT FORTH HER OWN RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE TRANSFER THE COMMITTEE OF THE HOMELESS TO THE POLICE CITIZENS RELATIONS COMMITTEE AND MERGE THEM BECAUSE THAT'S ANOTHER THING WE'D LIKE TO DO IS MAYBE MERGE SOME OF THESE THE AD HOC NIGHTLIFE TASK FORCE THAT COULD GO UNDER THE NEWLY FORMED SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
THE NIGHTLIFE COMMITTEE IS GOING TO NATURALLY, IT'S SUPPOSED TO SCHEDULE A SUNSET IN SEPTEMBER.
THAT COMMITTEE WAS REALLY FORMED AS A RESULT OF SPRING BREAK, AND I THINK WE HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON SPRING BREAK NOW.
SO WE RECOMMENDED THAT THAT BE SUNSETTED POTENTIALLY OR MERGED.
AND THEN WE ALSO RECOMMEND THAT ALL COMMITTEES GET CANCELED IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST BECAUSE THAT ALIGNS MORE WITH THE COMMISSION'S RECESS PERIOD.
AND THEN THE ULTIMATE THING IS FOR US TO WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT ALL COMMITTEES MEET QUARTERLY, NOT MONTHLY.
[01:15:03]
COMMITTEES.BECAUSE WE'RE RECOMMENDING ONLY, THERE'S A BUNCH OF COMMITTEES THAT ALREADY MEET QUARTERLY.
AND SOME EVEN MEET LESS THAN THAT ON AN AS-NEEDED BASIS, LIKE ONCE A YEAR OR TWICE A YEAR, DEPENDING ON WHAT THEIR FUNCTION IS.
SO THERE ARE ABOUT 21 THAT WE FEEL COULD DEFINITELY GO TO QUARTERLY, AND THEY WOULD STILL PROVIDE INPUT TO THE COMMISSION.
THEY WOULD STILL HAVE THEIR VOICE.
BUT THE WORKLOAD WOULD SUBSTANTIALLY BE REDUCED.
VICE MAYOR, ARE THERE ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU HAVE BESIDES THOSE PRESENTED BY STAFF? I'M OPEN TO HEARING WHAT MY COLLEAGUES SUGGEST ON THE DAIS, AND THEN MAYOR MINER HAD A SIMILAR STREAMLINING ITEM THAT'S GOING TO COMMISSION, SO I'D REALLY LIKE FOR THIS TO GO TO COMMISSION NEXT MONTH OR THIS MONTH, SO THAT THE TWO ITEMS CAN BE HEARD AND CONSIDERED, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO SOMETHING AND BRING SOMETHING FORWARD TO ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE EXTRA WORK THAT'S COMING ABOUT FROM MANAGING SOME OF THESE COMMITTEES.
SO I'LL JUST CHIME IN HERE A LITTLE BIT.
I'M FINE WITH SUNSETTING THE AD HOC IGUANA REMEDIATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I'M FINE SUNSETTING THE HEALTH ADVISORY COMMITTEE RALPH WHAT POLICY DO WE HAVE IN PLACE IF COMMITTEES ARE NOT MEETING EVEN IF IF SIX MONTHS GO BY IF AN ENTIRE YEAR GOES BY THERE'S NOT QUORUM OR THE COMMITTEE IS JUST SIMPLY NOT MEETING IT IS ARE WE BEING NOTIFIED OF THIS BECAUSE I DO THINK YOU KNOW REGARDLESS OF THIS IF A COMMITTEE DOESN'T MEET FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME IF IT CANNOT ACHIEVE A QUORUM THEN JUST TELL US AND WE CAN YOU KNOW THAN CONSIDER IT AT THAT TIME.
WE PUT ON EVERY AGENDA ITEM R9A THE ATTENDANCE REPORT.
SO THAT'S OUR WAY OF COMMUNICATING THAT.
THERE IS NO MECHANISM RIGHT NOW THAT'S AN EXCELLENT IDEA TO CONSIDER WHEN WE PROPOSE ORDINANCES, HAVING SOME TYPE OF AUTOMATIC RECONSIDERATION OF A COMMITTEE THAT DOESN'T MEET EVERY CERTAIN PERIOD OF TIME.
I THINK THAT THAT IS IMPORTANT THAT PERHAPS WE JUST ADOPT.
OVERARCHING POLICY THAT COMMITTEES THAT DO NOT MEET AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME IT GETS BROUGHT TO THE CITY COMMISSION FOR ITS SUNSET BECAUSE I THINK IT HELPS IT WOULD JUST CREATE THAT EFFICIENCY THAT NATURALLY OCCURRING EFFICIENCY THAT YOU'RE THAT YOU'RE SEEKING WITH THE 41ST STREET COMMITTEE I'M GONNA BE DEFERENTIAL TO THE MAYOR ON THIS BECAUSE THIS IS THE MAYOR'S 41ST STREET COMMITTEE.
I DO THINK THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF ISSUES THAT 41ST STREET HAS RELATING TO TRAFFIC, RELATING TO SAFETY, RELATING TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, RELATING TO PEDESTRIANISM, JUST TO SO MANY THINGS THAT ARE UNRELATED TO THE GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND.
I THINK JUST SEEING IT, MARIA, I CAN SEE HOW FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WE ONLY SEE IT FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF MARIA HERNANDEZ, I COULD SEE HOW 41ST STREET IT'S ABOUT GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND.
BUT IF I'M SEEING IT AS A CITY COMMISSIONER, BEYOND THE PERSPECTIVE OF THAT, THERE'S SO MUCH MORE THAT IS GOING ON WITH 41ST STREET THAT I THINK I WOULD WANT TO SEE 41ST STREET CONTINUE.
AND I ATTEND REGULARLY, AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S MORE THAN THAT THAT GOES ON.
SO, OKAY, SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE KEEP THE 41ST STREET COMMITTEE.
MARIA, TELL ME YOUR THINKING AS IT RELATES TO THE CONVENTION CENTER ADVISORY BOARD AND SUNSETTING THAT ONCE THE HOTEL IS COMPLETED.
WELL, AS YOU KNOW, I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THAT PROJECT, YOU KNOW, FROM THE PAST.
I JUST FEEL THAT ONCE THE HOTEL IS COMPLETE, AND WE HAVE COMPLETED THIS ENTIRE CAMPUS, WE'RE TURNING IT, YOU KNOW, OVER.
AND WE HAVE A LOT OF STAKEHOLDERS, MEANING OUR CONVENTION CENTER.
FREDDIE PETERSON AND THE MANAGEMENT PEOPLE OF THE CONVENTION CENTER AS WELL AS THE GREATER MIAMI VISITORS BUREAU.
I FEEL THAT IT'S UP TO THE STAFF TO REALLY MANAGE THE PROJECT AND MAKE IT SUCCESSFUL
[01:20:03]
AND DO ALL OF IT.I THINK IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY NOT TO SAY THAT I DON'T COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY RESPECT THE PEOPLE THAT CALLED IN.
RESPONSIBILITY NEEDS TO BE ON US.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A LOT OF WORK TO GET THOSE AGENDAS DONE.
I HAVE A COUPLE THOUGHTS ON THAT ONE.
CAN THAT COMMITTEE BE ROLLED UNDER, LIKE MAYBE WE APPROACH THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND SEE IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY CAN MANAGE UNDER THEIR WING? OR THE GMCVB HAS DIFFERENT COMMITTEES.
IF THE CHAMBER DOES NOT WANT TO MANAGE THAT, MAYBE UNDER THE GMCVB HAVE IT BE ONE OF THEIR COMMITTEES.
DOES THAT ALLEVIATE WORKLOAD, OR WOULD THAT STILL BE THE SAME FOR THE CITY? WELL, AS LONG AS IT'S THE STAFF THAT HAS TO STAFF THE AGENDAS, CREATE THE AGENDAS, DO THE MEETING MINUTES, MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S QUORUMS REPORTED.
YOU KNOW, ON A CONSTANT BASIS.
AS LONG AS WE HAVE TO DO THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S STILL THE WORKLOAD ON US.
AT LEAST DOING SOMETHING QUARTERLY IS A BIG CHANGE RATHER THAN MONTHLY.
MONTHLY IS EVERY THREE WEEKS, YOU KNOW, EVERY THREE WEEKS WE HAVE TO START THINKING ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS AGAIN AND AGAIN.
WE COULD TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
OF COURSE, I'D HAVE TO DO MORE RESEARCH MAYBE BEFORE THE COMMISSION MEETING.
SO WE COULD TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
AND AS YOU MENTIONED, I ALSO HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR THE PEOPLE THAT COME IN CHAMPIONING THIS COMMITTEE.
I KNOW THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE.
I'VE ATTENDED THE COMMITTEE SEVERAL TIMES AND DO UNDERSTAND ITS IMPORTANCE.
I WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE FIND A BALANCE SO WE CAN DO SOME RESEARCH BETWEEN NOW AND THE NEXT COMMITTEE.
YEAH, AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT.
I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, SINCE 1997, WE HAVE HAD A MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER ADVISORY BOARD.
MY CHALLENGE WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION, AND AGAIN, MARIA, I RESPECT YOU TREMENDOUSLY, AND WE'VE WORKED TOGETHER FOR A LONG TIME, BUT IF I'M LOOKING AT THE CONVENTION CENTER ADVISORY BOARD JUST FROM THE OPTICS OF COMPLETING THE HOTEL, THEN I GET, I UNDERSTAND.
HOW THE CONVENTION CENTER ADVISORY BOARD MIGHT NOT BE NEEDED UPON THE COMPLETION OF THE HOTEL.
BUT SINCE 1997, THE MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER ADVISORY BOARD HAS BEEN THE RESIDENT'S VOICE ON BEHALF OF RESIDENTS WHO, YOU KNOW, WHO PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO THE CITY COMMISSION ON THIS IMPORTANT ASSET, ADVISE AND GIVE INPUT ON BUDGET.
REVIEW THE MARKETING PLAN AND THE MANAGEMENT GROUP.
MONITOR THE BOOKING POLICIES AND APPROVE ANY RECOMMENDED CHANGES.
RECOMMEND ON MULTI-YEAR CONTRACTS OF THE MIAMI BEACH CONVENTION CENTER.
MONITOR MANAGEMENT AND USER CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS.
REVIEW ON A QUARTERLY BASIS THE MAINTENANCE OF BUILDINGS.
AND THEY'RE DOING THAT ON BEHALF OF WHOM? ON BEHALF OF THE RESIDENTS WHO HAVE ALSO INVESTED.
600 MILLION DOLLARS IN WHAT ARE ONE OF THE ECONOMIC ENGINES, ONE OF THE LUNGS OF OUR CITY.
AND SO I SEE THEIR ROLE TO BE BEYOND JUST THE SCOPE OF THE HOTEL AND THE RENOVATION OF THE CONVENTION CENTER, BECAUSE THAT GOES BACK 30 YEARS.
HERE WE WOULD BE SUNSETTING A 30-YEAR...
IT'S INSTITUTION IN OUR CITY, WHICH BY THE WAY IS ALSO ONE OF HIS RESPONSIBILITIES IS TO MONITOR AND CONSULT ON THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE GMCBB WITH WITH THE CONVENTION CENTER AND ENSURE WE HAVE THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF MAINTENANCE OF THE FACILITY THIS IS ONE OF THE LUNGS OF OUR CITY YOU KNOW, THIS IS WHAT KEEPS, YOU KNOW, NOT WHAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST, TRADE SHOWS COMING INTO THE CITY.
NO, HIGH-LEVEL CONVENTIONS THAT WE WANT TO COME INTO OUR CITY.
AND NOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO REACH OUR PEAK WITH THE COMPLETION OF THE HOTEL, WE'RE GOING TO SUNSET THEM.
I WANT TO THANK YOU, VICE MAYOR DOMINGUEZ, FOR, YOU KNOW, AGREEING TO PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, KEEP THIS ON A QUARTERLY BASIS.
I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE KEEP IT UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE CITY.
BECAUSE WHEN WE LOOK AT THEIR PURPOSE, THE MISSION OF THE BOARD IS TO ACT IN AN ADVISORY CAPACITY
[01:25:01]
TO WHOM? TO THE CITY COMMISSION ON MATTERS REGARDING OPERATIONS OF THE CONVENTION CENTER.AND I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD STAY UNDER THE PURVIEW OF OUR CITY GOVERNMENT.
IF I MAY, I THINK IT'S AN EXCELLENT RECOMMENDATION DOING IT QUARTERLY.
WE RECENTLY BROUGHT UP THERE'S NEW MEMBERSHIP ON THE BOARD WITH THE NEIGHBORHOODS.
THAT HAS REDUCED, AT LEAST TO ME, A LOT OF THE COMPLAINTS THAT WE WOULD GET WHEN THEY'RE INVOLVED NOW IN THE CONVENTION CENTER.
SO I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT COULD DEFINITELY WORK.
GREAT ITEM, VICE MAYOR DOMINGUEZ.
I SUPPORT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.
I DO HAVE A COUPLE MORE SUGGESTIONS, IF IT WOULD BE OKAY WITH YOU, VICE MAYOR.
SO THE FIRST SUGGESTION THAT I'D LIKE TO MAKE IS THAT THE COMMITTEE'S...
CAN ONLY DO ONE EVENT PER YEAR.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME COMMITTEES THAT HAVE MULTIPLE EVENTS PER YEAR AND THAT TAKES UP A LOT OF STAFF TIME TO SET UP AND BREAK DOWN AND THE SPEAKERS AND THE CHAIRS AND SO I'D LIKE TO PROPOSE THAT WE LIMIT THE EVENTS THAT EACH OF THESE COMMITTEES HAVE TO JUST ONCE PER YEAR.
AND I JUST HAVE A QUESTION FOR OUR ATTORNEY.
WITH THE NEW DEI BILL, CAN WE STILL HOLD EVENTS SUCH AS WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, HISPANIC AFFAIRS, HISPANIC HERITAGE? YES, ALMOST ALL OF THOSE CATEGORIES HAVE BEEN EXEMPTED FROM THE DEI STATUTE.
SO WE WOULD ANSWER THEM ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS AS THEY CAME UP.
I WOULDN'T WANT TO MAKE A BROAD STATEMENT HERE FROM THE DEIS, BUT YES, ALMOST ALL OF THEM WOULD STILL BE ALLOWED.
SO THEN I'D LIKE TO MAKE THAT SUGGESTION THAT EACH OF THE COMMITTEES DO ONE EVENT PER YEAR.
AND THEN I'D ALSO LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT...
I KNOW SOME OF OUR COMMITTEES HAVE MORE THAN SEVEN MEMBERS WHERE WE GET TO NOMINATE TWO OR THREE.
I KNOW ONE COMMITTEE ACTUALLY THEY SELF-REDUCED WHERE THEY ASKED US TO REDUCE THEM FROM 14 OR SIX, HOWEVER MANY THERE WERE, TO SEVEN MEMBERS BECAUSE THEY FELT THAT THEY COULDN'T GET ENOUGH DONE BECAUSE SO MANY MEMBERS.
THEY JUST THEY FELT LIKE IT WAS BETTER AND MORE EFFICIENT TO REDUCE.
SO I'D LIKE TO LOOK AT HAVING EACH OF THE COMMITTEES, THE RESIDENT COMMITTEES, HAVE ONLY SEVEN MEMBERS.
VERSUS 14 OR 28 OR WHATEVER NUMBER.
AND I KNOW THAT THAT MIGHT BE AN ISSUE IF WE'RE FOLDING THE HOMELESS COMMITTEE INTO THE POLICE COMMITTEE, BUT ALL THESE COMMITTEES ARE OPEN TO PUBLIC INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC.
THEY CAN ATTEND, SO IT MIGHT WORK.
MAYBE WE SUNSET THE HOMELESS COMMITTEE.
I KNOW THAT ONE DOESN'T MEET BECAUSE THERE'S NO QUORUM.
AND I KNOW ALL OF THESE COMMITTEES DO GREAT WORK.
I MEAN, THIS IS KIND OF HEARTBREAKING, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT THERE'S A WAY TO MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT, AND I THINK REDUCING THE MEMBERS WILL MAKE THINGS MORE EFFICIENT FOR THE MOST PART.
AT LEAST I'VE SEEN THAT ON THE WOMEN'S COMMITTEE THAT CHOSE THEMSELVES TO REDUCE, SO IF WE COULD LOOK AT THAT, VICE MAYOR, I'M NOT SURE WHAT YOU THINK OF THAT, BOTH OF YOU.
YEAH, I THINK THAT'S GREAT, AND I THINK THERE'S MORE COMMENTS.
THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE, I DON'T SEE THAT IN HERE, OR AM I MISSING IT? IT'S LIKELY THAT I'M MISSING IT.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE IS NO RECOMMENDATION.
THE RECOMMENDATION WOULD BE FOR IT TO BE QUARTERLY.
THERE IS NO RECOMMENDATION TO ANYTHING BUT QUARTERLY.
I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST MY COLLEAGUE'S SUPPORT TO KEEP THE NORTH BEACH CRA ADVISORY COMMITTEE INTACT.
I AM VERY OKAY WITH IT MEETING QUARTERLY UNLESS THERE'S SOMETHING PENDING THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BUT THERE IS GOING TO BE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY COMING INTO THE CRA AND I THINK THERE IS A VERY VITAL ROLE FOR THIS ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO SORT OF SCREEN THE PROJECTS AND BE THE VOICE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO FUNNEL INFORMATION UP TO THE DAIS.
IN ORDER TO BEST STEER THIS THIS INFLUX OF CAPITAL.
10% OF IT BY LAW HAS TO GO TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE KNOW WHERE THAT 10% IS GOING.
BUT THERE'S GOING TO BE HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS COMING INTO NORTH BEACH.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT OVER THE NEXT NUMBER OF DECADES, IT'S BEING SPENT WISELY ON THINGS THAT THE RESIDENTS WANT, NOT THAT DEVELOPERS WANT.
AND I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER BOND.
IN FACT, ONE OF THE RECENT RECOMMENDATIONS WAS THE EXPANSION OF THE COMMERCIAL LEASE SUBSIDY PROGRAM THAT WE HAVE IN SOUTH BEACH.
TO COVER ALSO AREAS IN NORTH BEACH WITHIN THE CRA AND WE HAVE AN ITEM COMING TO NEXT WEEK'S CITY COMMISSION MEETING REGARDING THAT.
AND IN ADDITION TO THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S STILL GOING TO BE A BOARD OF DIRECTORS
[01:30:01]
FOR THE NORTH BEACH CRA.SO ALL THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING IS WE'RE GOING TO BE IF WE SUNSET THEM, WE'RE GOING TO BE SILENCING THE VOICE OF THE STAKEHOLDERS.
BUT THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, WHICH IS THE CITY OF THE CITY COMMISSION IS STILL GOING TO EXIST.
WELL, I'M SORRY, WE'RE HERE TO REPRESENT WHOM? THOSE RESIDENTS AND THOSE STAKEHOLDERS WHO SIT ON THAT CRA.
SO I COMPLETELY BACK YOU AND SUPPORT YOU IN KEEPING THAT ADVISORY COMMITTEE ALIVE.
SO, MARIA AND RALPH, WHEN YOU PREPARE THIS FOR NEXT WEEK, CAN YOU MAKE THAT AMENDMENT, PLEASE? SO JUST TO BE CLEAR, WHAT WE'RE DOING NEXT WEEK IS PRESENTING A RESOLUTION SAYING, HEY, GUYS, GET TO WORK.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE WON'T HAVE THOSE ORDINANCES READY.
OBVIOUSLY IN TWO DAYS AND WE HAVEN'T ADVERTISED SO THE FIRST MEETING WOULD BE IN SEPTEMBER THE RESO IS ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE COMMITTEES TO GO FORWARD OKAY AND WITH THE CHANGES THAT YOU ALL HAVE REQUESTED COMMISSIONER MATTEL SALINAS I JUST HAVE ONE CLARIFICATION THAT I WANT TO MAKE VERY CLEAR WHEN I SUGGESTED SEVEN MEMBERS ONLY I DON'T WANT ANYONE KICKED OFF I WANT IT TO BE WHEN THEIR TERM ENDS JUST LIKE THE WOMEN'S COMMISSION DID IT WHEN THEIR TERM ENDS YEAH THEN THERE'S NO OTHER SEAT THAT OPENS AND THAT WOULD WE WOULD ALSO WANT TO REVIEW EVERY COMMITTEE TO ENSURE IT WORKS FOR INSTANCE I DON'T THINK IT WOULD WORK FOR THE QUALITY OF EDUCATION COMMITTEE BECAUSE IT HAS REPRESENTATIVES OF SCHOOL SO ON THE ONES THAT DO WE WOULD COME FORTH WITH A RECOMMENDATION SO PERHAPS IDENTIFY THOSE THAT IT MIGHT BE PRUDENT TO HAVE SOME OF THE MEMBERS INSTEAD OF 14 THE ONE THING I WOULD ALSO SAY YOU KNOW AND I AND THIS IS STAFF'S RECOMMENDATION I DON'T THINK IT CAME FROM THE SPONSOR OF THE ITEM TRANSFERRING THE COMMITTEE ON HOMELESS TO THE POLICE CITIZENS RELATIONS COMMITTEE AS A SUBCOMMITTEE.
I WANT TO BE CAREFUL ON THAT BECAUSE OFTENTIMES, YOU KNOW, HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS ARE PERCEIVED AS BEING CRIMINALS AND HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS ARE NOT CRIMINALS.
OFTENTIMES SOME MAY BE CRIMINALS, BUT I THINK IF WE NOW, YOU KNOW, TAKE A COMMITTEE THAT IS HERE TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HOW DO WE ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS IN A COMPREHENSIVE WAY AND PUT THEM NOW UNDER THE PURVIEW OF THE POLICE CITIZENS COMMITTEE.
I THINK IT CREATES A BAD OPTIC AND A BAD LOOK.
ALSO, YOU KNOW, HOMELESSNESS IS A MULTI-DEPARTMENTAL ISSUE FOR MANY DEPARTMENTS TO ADDRESS.
YOU HAVE FIRE RESCUE THAT ADDRESSES IT WHEN THEY HAVE TO RESPOND AND TAKE PEOPLE IN.
YOU HAVE THE OFFICE OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES.
YOU HAVE SANITATION THAT'S INVOLVED.
YOU HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS.
I WOULD HATE TO JUST PUT THIS UNDER THE POLICE.
YOU KNOW, STIGMATIZE, YOU KNOW, CREATE A FURTHER STIGMA OF, YOU KNOW, PUTTING THEM UNDER POLICE AS, YOU KNOW, AN ISSUE OF CRIMINALITY.
AND ALSO, POLICE IS NOT THE ONLY DEPARTMENT THAT DEALS WITH HOMELESSNESS.
AND SO I THINK WE ACTUALLY DO A DISSERVICE BY PUTTING THAT ONE COMMITTEE UNDER.
UNDER THE POLICE CITIZENS RELATIONS COMMITTEE.
I'LL SHARE WHERE THAT CAME FROM.
I THINK INITIALLY WHEN THE HOMELESS COMMITTEE WAS FORMED YEARS AGO, IT WAS AN ADVOCACY COMMITTEE TO HELP THE HOMELESS.
A SHIFT CAME WHEN THE CAMPING ORDINANCE WAS PASSED AND IT NO LONGER BECAME THE ADVOCACY TO HELP THE HOMELESS.
IT CAME WITH THE ELEMENT THAT YOU DESCRIBED.
AND SINCE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS THE HOMELESS OUTREACH UM, EXPANSIVE PROGRAM.
WE THOUGHT HOUSING IT THERE MADE SENSE, BUT IF YOU DO NOT THINK THAT, I WOULD RECOMMEND ELIMINATING THE COMMITTEE ALTOGETHER BECAUSE IT'S NO LONGER WHAT THE INITIAL INTENT WAS.
I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE FOR IT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT PUTTING IT DIRECTLY UNDER THE POLICE CITIZENS RELATIONS COMMITTEE IS THE RIGHT SOLUTION.
MARIA, LET ME ASK YOU, SINCE YOU'VE DONE A LOT OF WORK INTO THIS, HOW MANY COMMITTEES DO WE HAVE? FORTY-EIGHT.
WHAT IF YOU WERE TO TELL ME WHICH ARE THE COMMITTEES THAT TAKE THE BULK OF STAFF'S TIME, THE PERCENTAGE OF STAFF TIME SUPPORTING COMMITTEES, WHICH, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE HAVE THE LAND USE BOARDS.
WE HAVE THE BREAKUP, THE PIE CHARTS.
SO 41% OF OUR TIME IS SPENT ON RESIDENT COMMITTEES.
IF YOU LOOK AT BOTH CHARTS, 41% OF THE TIME IS SPENT ON 41 COMMITTEES.
[01:35:02]
ON THREE COMMITTEES, WHICH ARE OUR COMMISSION COMMITTEES, LIKE THIS ONE.15% ARE LAND USE BOARDS, WHICH ARE FOUR COMMITTEES.
OKAY, SO 44% OF STAFF'S TIME, THAT'S THE BULK, IS SPENT ONLY ON THREE COMMITTEES.
AND THREE COMMITTEES, MY STAFF WAS DOING THE NUMBERS, AND STEPHANIE, I THINK YOU WERE LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS.
SO WE HAVE, IN GENERAL, I THINK, BETWEEN ALL THE COMMITTEES, OPEN OUT THERE ABOUT 150 REFERRALS.
FLOATING AROUND BETWEEN ALL THE COMMITTEES IS THAT ABOUT RIGHT STEPHANIE BETWEEN THE THREE OKAY SO BETWEEN THE THREE COMMITTEES WE IN ESSENCE HAVE THE SAME AMOUNT OF AGENDA ITEMS AS A CITY COMMISSION MEETING DIVIDED BETWEEN THREE DIFFERENT COMMITTEES THE STAFF HAS TO ATTEMPT AND THAT THAT IS THE ONE THAT IS THE GROUP THAT ACTUALLY TAKES UP THE MOST AMOUNT OF STAFFS TIME WHAT RECOMMENDATIONS DO YOU HAVE ON ON THE COMMISSION COMMITTEES? NONE.
IT'S UP TO THE COMMISSION TO DECIDE WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WITH THEIR OWN COMMITTEES.
IF WE ARE LOOKING, IF THE GOAL IS TO BE EFFICIENT, IF THE GOAL IS TO BE EFFICIENT, AND WE'RE SAYING, OKAY, WE ARE NOW, YOU KNOW, TAKING RESIDENTS FROM MEETING ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND GETTING THEIR FEEDBACK AND THEIR OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR LOCAL GOVERNMENT FROM BEING ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO A QUARTERLY BASIS.
I FEEL LIKE WE CAN'T IMPOSE THAT ON OUR RESIDENTS AND THEN US THAT WE ARE GENERATING THE BULK OF THAT WORK AND NOT SEE HOW WE CAN FURTHER STREAMLINE OURSELVES AS WELL.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I'M OPEN TO, YOU KNOW, WHETHER WE JUST, YOU KNOW, ELIMINATE THE COMMITTEE STRUCTURE AND WE GO TO JUST TWO COMMISSION MEETINGS A MONTH.
AND, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE YOUR MAIN MEETING AND THEN WHATEVER YOU DON'T COVER IN YOUR MAIN MEETING, THEN YOU CARRY IT OVER TO A SECOND COMMISSION MEETING SO WE CAN ACTUALLY GET THROUGH THE AGENDA OF THE CITY COMMISSION.
OR, YOU KNOW, REDUCING OUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS TO MEET QUARTERLY AND WE LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF REFERRALS THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.
SO INSTEAD OF HAVING 150 OPEN REFERRALS OUT THERE, A COMMISSIONER CANNOT HAVE, LET'S SAY, MORE THAN, YOU KNOW, FIVE OR TEN OPEN REFERRALS AT ANY GIVEN TIME BECAUSE WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT WITH 150 REFERRALS OUT THERE, THAT MEANS THAT EVERY MONTH STAFF NEEDS TO WORK ON A MEMO FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE REFERRALS.
AND THAT MEANS THAT STAFF NOT ONLY HAS TO WORK ON A MEMO ON EACH ONE OF THOSE REFERRALS, BUT STAFF HAS TO BE READY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS THAT WE MAY HAVE IF WE CHOOSE TO CALL.
ON ONE OF THOSE ITEMS THAT MAY OR MAY NOT BE CALLED AT A COMMITTEE MEETING.
AND SO I'M GOING TO PUT THIS OUT THERE TO SEE, TO SEE COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, THIS IS YOUR ITEM, BUT I WANT TO BRING IT UP AS PART OF THIS ITEM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE ASKING RESIDENTS TO RESTRUCTURE HOW THEY GO ABOUT THEIR INPUT.
AND IF OUR GOAL IS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT WITH STAFF'S TIME, I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT OURSELVES AND SEE HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THAT AS WELL.
BUT THAT'S VERY BOLD, AND I FIND IT INTERESTING.
I THINK IT'S WORTHY OF BEING INCLUDED IN THE MEMO AND MOVING THIS TO THE FULL COMMISSION SO THAT ALL OF US CAN WEIGH IN ON IT.
JUST TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
SO YOU'RE SUGGESTING THAT OUR COMMITTEES ONLY MEET QUARTERLY OR ONLY MEET ALL TOGETHER? LISTEN, IF IT WERE ME, I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST HAVE TWO COMMISSION MEETINGS A MONTH.
LET'S JUST HAVE TWO COMMISSION MEETINGS A MONTH BECAUSE RIGHT NOW.
YOU KNOW, THREE MEETINGS, THREE MEETINGS A MONTH, IN ADDITION TO THE CITY COMMISSIONING, YOU HAVE TO HAVE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, YOU HAVE DIRECTORS HERE.
HOW MANY DIRECTORS DO WE HAVE IN THE ROOM? IF THE DIRECTORS COULD RAISE THEIR HANDS.
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE, TEN, ELEVEN, TWELVE.
TWELVE DIRECTORS IN THE ROOM AND TWO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS, THE CITY CLERK.
OH, THREE ASSISTANT CITY MANAGERS IN THE ROOM.
WE HAVE TWO CHIEF DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEYS IN THE ROOM AND THE CITY CLERK.
AND NOW THIS IS NEIGHBORHOODS.
AND BY THE WAY, THAT'S NOT COUNTING THE DIRECTORS THAT WE
[01:40:02]
HAVE PARTICIPATING ON ZOOM ALSO.AND SO I FEEL THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO BE PUSHING.
FOR EFFICIENCY AND WE'RE ASKING OUR RESIDENTS TO BE EFFICIENT YOU KNOW WITH WITH STAFF'S TIME WELL I THINK WE NEED TO LEAD WE NEED TO LEAD THE WAY ON THAT AND SO I WOULD I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO PASS ALONG TO OUR COLLEAGUES YOU KNOW TWO TWO OPTIONS LET'S JUST DO AWAY WITH THE WITH WITH THE COMMITTEES AND HAVE TWO COMMISSION MEETINGS A MONTH AS THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH BY THE WAY USED TO HAVE YEARS AND YEARS AGO MIAMI BEACH USED TO HAVE TWO CITY COMMISSION MEETINGS I THINK WHEN MAYOR DERMER WAS A MAYOR I REMEMBER WE HAD TWO COMMISSION MEETINGS AND DID THEY HAVE COMMITTEES I KNOW YET I KNOW COMMITTEES EXISTED BUT THEY DID NOT EXIST THE WAY THAT THEY EXIST TODAY THEY WOULD DISCUSS ISSUES HIGH LEVEL AND YOU'LL REMEMBER MARIA WHEN YOU STARTED IN THE CITY BACK IN 2010 WHEN 10 TIMES THAT'S GOOD MEMORY YOU SEE BACK IN 2010, WHEN YOU STARTED, HOW MANY ITEMS WOULD WE HAVE IN A COMMISSION COMMITTEE AGENDA? LIKE MAYBE 10, 11? WELL, WE ACTUALLY LOOKED INTO THAT, BUT NOT IN 2010, MORE LIKE IN 2019.
2010 IS REALLY, REALLY LONG AGO.
2019 WAS KIND OF THE LAST NORMAL YEAR THAT WE HAD BEFORE COVID AND THEN EVERYTHING.
CHANGED A LITTLE BIT AFTER THAT.
BUT YES, YOU KNOW, THE COMMISSION AGENDA HAS GROWN SINCE THEN.
AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, GROWN BY A LOT.
AND YES, THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO MANAGE THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY WE NEED OUR TIME IS TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT RIGHT AND DO IT EFFICIENTLY AND DO IT CORRECTLY AND KEEP UP WITH THE DEMANDS OF THE CITY COMMISSION TODAY.
IT'S JUST COMING TO A POINT THAT WE FEEL THAT IT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, REALLY TAXING OUR TIME TO THE POINT THAT WE'RE GOING TO START MAKING MISTAKES, FAILING, NOT BEING ABLE TO REALLY BE THOROUGH.
YOU KNOW, IT COMES TO A POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST TOO MUCH.
SO IT'S GROWN BY ABOUT, YOU KNOW, 126 PERCENT.
FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, I'D MUCH RATHER SEE...
SEE US AS INDIVIDUAL COMMISSIONERS WORK WITH STAFF CLOSELY ON AN ITEM, PLACE THAT ITEM ON THE AGENDA AS AN ACTION ITEM THAT THEN GETS DISCUSSED AT THE COMMISSION AGENDA, THEN CONTINUE TO PUT THESE REFERRALS ON THE AGENDA.
BECAUSE WHAT I'VE LEARNED WITH THESE REFERRALS IS THAT OFTENTIMES WE PUT REFERRALS ON THE AGENDA TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT SOMETHING, BUT WE HAVE A DISCUSSION THAT OFTENTIMES MIGHT GIVE US AN UPDATE.
WE CAN SOLVE THE SAME THING BY REACHING OUT TO STAFF AND HAVING A MEETING WITH STAFF, HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH STAFF.
AND PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR FEEDBACK BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF STAFF FEELS THE SAME WAY.
AND MARK, FEEL FREE TO GIVE ME YOUR FEEDBACK.
BUT A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, AFTER COMMITTEES, YOU KNOW, WE ALL HAVE THE CONVERSATION.
YOU KNOW, WE'LL TALK TO SOMEONE IN ADMINISTRATION OR TO A DIRECTOR, AND WE ALL FEEL, WELL, YOU KNOW, THAT ITEM COULD HAVE REALLY JUST BEEN HANDLED.
YOU KNOW, IN A MEETING, IN A CONFERENCE ROOM, COULD HAVE JUST BEEN ADDRESSED WITH A PHONE CALL, YOU KNOW, RATHER THAN HAVING TO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A CITY ATTORNEY WRITE A REFERRAL, GET IT PULLED FROM THE AGENDA, LITIGATE IT AT COMMITTEE, THEN JUST TO HAVE IT DISCUSSED AT COMMITTEE AND THEN AGAIN AT COMMISSION.
WELL, THE ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO DO WHATEVER IT IS THAT THE CITY COMMISSION DECIDES, BUT WHEN IT COMES TO COMMISSION ITEMS, TO COMMISSION COMMITTEES, IT'S UP TO YOU ALL TO DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO BE MORE EFFICIENT OR NOT.
OF COURSE, WE WOULD BENEFIT IF YOU WOULD, BUT IT'S UP TO YOU.
IT'S NOT UP TO THE ADMINISTRATION.
I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION THEN TO MOVE THIS ITEM WITH A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION TO THE COMMISSION, INCLUDING OUR COMMENTS ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT WE DISCUSSED UP HERE, THE SUNSETTING AND THE EVENTS AND THE MEMBERS, AND THEN ALSO INCLUDE, IF YOU TWO ARE OKAY WITH IT, ELIMINATING THE COMMISSION COMMITTEES, THE THREE COMMISSION COMMITTEES.
I WOULD LOVE FEEDBACK FROM MY COLLEAGUE, COMMISSIONER BOTT, ON THAT.
YEAH, BACK WHEN I WAS ON THE BOARD OF MIAMI BEACH UNITED, WE ADVOCATED FOR A DIFFERENT WAY TO CONDUCT
[01:45:02]
COMMISSION MEETINGS.PART OF IT WAS DRIVEN BY THE DESIRE TO GET RESIDENTS MORE INVOLVED, SO THE IDEA WAS POTENTIALLY TO START LATER SO THAT MORE PEOPLE WOULD NOT HAVE TO TAKE TIME OFF OF A WORK DAY.
I KNOW SOME MUNICIPALITIES DO IT THAT WAY, BUT THE OTHER PART OF IT WAS TO SORT OF LESSEN THE IMPACT OF WHAT WAS AT THE TIME 12 HOURS PLUS FOR A SINGLE COMMISSION MEETING.
I MEAN, WE DON'T HAVE THAT ANYMORE, BUT THAT MEANS THAT WE DON'T GET THROUGH OUR ITEMS. SO I'M VERY OPEN TO DISCUSSING REALLY OVERHAULING THE WAY WE CONDUCT BUSINESS AT CITY HALL.
I WOULD DISPUTE THAT WE'RE IN A CRISIS.
I KNOW SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, NOT HERE AT THE MOMENT, BUT SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES CLAIM THAT THERE IS A DIRE CRISIS AFOOT, WHICH I DON'T SHARE THAT OPINION, BUT I THINK THE EXERCISE OF FINDING EFFICIENCIES IS A VALUABLE ONE AND PROBABLY LONG OVERDUE, SO I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE, MY COLLEAGUES HAVE HEARD ME SAY IT BECAUSE I JOKE TOO.
STAFF, I JOKE TO ALL OF US UP HERE, I MAKE FUN OF MYSELF, THAT WE ARE A MICROMANAGING COMMISSION.
AND I THINK THAT HAS BEEN THE TREND OVER THE LAST DECADE, THAT INSTEAD OF BEING A BOARD OF ADVISORS, WE ARE REALLY GETTING OUR HANDS DIRTY IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY AND WITH ALL GOOD INTENT TO TRY TO MAKE THE CITY AS GOOD AS IT CAN BE.
BUT IN THAT, YOU KNOW, THERE NEEDS TO BE A BALANCE STRUCK BETWEEN GETTING...
NEW IDEAS AND SYNERGIES AND FRESH PERSPECTIVES IN BALANCE WITH PROFESSIONALS WHO HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR THEIR CAREERS AND HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF EXPERTISE.
THERE'S ALWAYS A WAY TO DO THINGS BETTER.
AND I THINK FRESH IDEAS ALWAYS MAKE EVERY DISCUSSION BETTER.
BUT THE THREE COMMITTEE MEETINGS, COMMISSION COMMITTEE MEETINGS, PLUS A COMMISSION MEETING AS WE'VE DISCUSSED, TAKES UP AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME AND I WOULD BE VERY OPEN TO THE DISCUSSION OF GETTING RID OF THE COMMITTEE MEETINGS IN FAVOR OF TWO EFFECTIVE COMMISSION MEETINGS PER MONTH AND LIMITING THE NUMBER OF ITEMS EACH COMMISSIONER CAN BRING.
I HAD AN ITEM IRONICALLY, I HAD AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE THAT WASN'T CALLED FOR TWO PLUS YEARS AND I FINALLY GAVE UP AND WITHDREW IT AND THANKFULLY COMMISSIONER MATEO SALINAS HAD A SIMILAR ITEM WHEN SHE JOINED THE COMMISSION AND IT WAS CALLED AND WAS ADOPTED AND SO IT'S NOT IDENTICAL BUT IS VERY CLOSE AND SO THE NET EFFECT IS IS THE SAME AND I THINK THAT IS THE RIGHT DIRECTION FOR US TO MOVE IN AS WE LOOK AT OVERALL EFFICIENCIES, FINANCIAL, STAFFING.
AND OTHER EFFICIENCIES FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS ENGINE RUN MORE SMOOTHLY AND WITH BETTER RESULTS.
AND THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS, COMMISSIONER BOND.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, UNLIKE IN THE PAST, NOW WE'RE ALSO GOING TO HAVE A REGULARLY SCHEDULED, I GUESS, WHAT'S IT CALLED, THE NEW THING THAT WE APPROVED? IT'S A WORKSHOP.
A REGULARLY SCHEDULED WORKSHOP.
WHERE WE ALL GET TOGETHER WITH THE ADMINISTRATION WITH WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE AND SO AS I THINK NOW THAT WE'RE INTRODUCING THAT WORKSHOP, YOU KNOW, PERHAPS IT IS A GOOD TIME TO PASS ALONG THIS THIS ITEM THAT IT ALSO PROPOSES I WOULD SAY IF YOU'RE OPEN TO AMENDING YOUR MOTION COMMISSIONER MATOS SALINAS, YOU KNOW, LET'S PROPOSE THE ELIMINATION OF OF THE COMMITTEES.
IT SEEMS LIKE COMMISSIONER VAUGHN WAS IN FAVOR OF IT.
YEAH, AND I'LL SECOND THE ITEM.
SO ARE YOU HAPPY TO AMEND YOUR ITEM TO PROPOSE THAT? I THINK I SAID IT.
TO ELIMINATE THE COMMITTEES, THE THREE COMMISSION COMMITTEES.
BETTER OKAY ALL RIGHT SO WITH THAT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP GEO BONDS NOT JOE BOB WE'RE WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THE 41ST STREET COMMITTEE WE'RE NOT GOING TO SUNSET THAT WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THE NORTH BEACH CRA WE'RE GOING TO KEEP THE CONVENTION CENTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE WE'RE NOT GOING TO SUNSET THOSE SO THEY'LL MEET QUARTERLY INSTEAD AND WORK THEY'RE STILL THOUGHT TO BE GIVEN ON THE COMMITTEE ON OF HOMELESS.
BUT I'M GOING TO BE DEFERENTIAL TO THE ITEM SPONSOR.
WE'RE GOING TO MERGE THE AD HOC ADVISORY NIGHTLIFE COMMITTEE INTO THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE, CANCEL THE MEETINGS IN AUGUST, AND HAVE A MAXIMUM OF ONE POINT, ONE AND A HALF HOURS PER MEETING,
[01:50:01]
AND LIMIT ONE EVENT PER YEAR FOR EACH COMMITTEE.AND ALSO LOOK AT WHICH COMMITTEES CAN BE REDUCED TO SEVEN MEMBERS.
MOTION REGARDING THE COMMISSION COMMITTEES AND THE TWO COMMITTEE COMMISSION MEETINGS A MONTH WAS FOR A CARRY-OVER ONE MEETING AND A CARRYOVER MEETING MEANING THERE WOULD ONLY BE ONE AGENDA PER MONTH IS THAT CORRECT I'M SORRY YES THE THE WHAT THE UH COMMITTEE IS RECOMMENDING TO THE CITY COMMISSION REGARDING UH ENDING THESE COMMISSION COMMITTEES AND HAVING TWO COMMISSION MEETINGS A MONTH THE SECOND COMMISSION MEETING WOULD BE A CARRYOVER MEETING.
AND THERE WOULD ONLY BE ONE AGENDA PER MONTH.
YEAH, SO YOU HAVE ONE AGENDA PER MONTH.
IT'S HOW THE COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE, THE COUNTY, THEY HAVE A COUNTY COMMISSION MEETING.
AND WHEN THEY DON'T REACH ALL THE ITEMS ON THE AGENDA, THEN THEY HAVE THEIR CARRYOVER MEETING.
AND THAT WAY WE HAVE SUFFICIENT TIME TO DISCUSS THE ITEMS AT LENGTH WITHOUT HAVING TO RUSH THEM.
BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GIVING OURSELVES TWO DAYS.
AND WE WOULD DEFINITELY NEED ASSISTANCE FROM THE CLERK'S OFFICE TO DO THAT BECAUSE YOU'RE ADDING UP WORKSHOPS AND YOU'RE ADDING NOW AN ADDITIONAL MEETING.
BUT WE'RE ELIMINATING, BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE ELIMINATING.
SO I'M JUST SAYING SOME OF THAT HELP THAT YOU'RE ELIMINATING FROM SOMEWHERE, WE'RE GOING TO NEED IT AT SOME POINT.
AND THE WORKSHOP WILL BE A SHORT AGENDA.
TWO ELSE POINTS THROUGH THE CHAIR IF I MAY.
THE CLERK'S OFFICE DOES THE FOLLOW-UP, THE MINUTES, THE AFTER-ACTION.
SO NOW INSTEAD OF DOING THAT FOR ONE LONG MEETING, THERE WILL BE TWO MEETINGS PLUS THE WORKSHOP.
SO IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN WORK THROUGH.
I THINK MAYBE WE NEED TO DEFINE THE EVENT.
I KNOW THAT THE SISTER CITIES COMMITTEE HAS AN EVENT DURING OUR BASEL.
WE HAD AN EVENT WITH THE JAGUARS AS PART OF FIFA, AND THERE ARE OTHER MEANINGFUL EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE.
I WOULD HATE TO CAP THEM WHEN THE WHOLE POINT OF THAT PARTICULAR COMMITTEE IS OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUT-OF-TOWN SISTER CITIES.
WE HAVE AN EVENT ON SUNDAY, A CLEANUP WITH SOPHIE RANGEL, SO I WOULDN'T WANT TO LIMIT IT TO ONE.
JUST YET, UNTIL WE DEFINE MORE WHAT AN EVENT MEANS.
AS LONG AS A BUNCH OF STAFF TIME ISN'T, YOU KNOW, LIKE HISPANIC AFFAIRS, THERE'S JUST SO MANY DEPARTMENTS THAT ALL THROW THAT TOGETHER, AND THERE'S A COST TO IT, BUT IT SOUNDS LIKE SISTER CITIES IS DIFFERENT.
BUT WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE, THOUGH, IS ONE OVERARCHING POLICY THAT APPLIES TO ALL THE COMMITTEES, BECAUSE OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GOING TO SAY ONE POLICY APPLIES TO ONE COMMITTEE, THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE GETTING PHONE CALLS FROM THE OTHER COMMITTEES BECAUSE TO THEM THAT'S IMPORTANT.
FOR EXAMPLE, UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE A CHANGE IN STATE LAW WITH DEI ISSUES, BUT THE LGBTQ ADVISORY COMMITTEE, THEY HAVE MULTIPLE EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR AS WELL.
SO I THINK WE JUST HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE SAY, THAT THIS IS THE POLICY.
IT IS A POLICY THAT APPLIES FAIRLY ACROSS ALL THE COMMITTEES.
WE'LL DEFINE EVENTS AND HOW THOSE ARE CLARIFIED.
I'M GOING TO OPEN UP THE FLOOR TO PUBLIC COMMENT.
ANYONE WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM, FEEL FREE TO APPROACH THE PODIUM.
MEMBERS ATTENDING VIA ZOOM, FEEL FREE TO RAISE YOUR HAND.
I SEE JOHAN MOORE WITH HIS HAND RAISED.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
OH, GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU, CHAIR, FOR ALLOWING ME TO SPEAK ON THIS ISSUE AGAIN.
I'M GOING TO START WITH A BIT OF A REDUCTIO AD ABSURDUM, BUT I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO CHANNEL MITCH NOVICK HERE.
IF THE CLAIM IS THAT HALF OF STAFF'S TIME IS SPENT WORKING ON COMMITTEES AND THAT OBLIGATION IS REMOVED, THEN I CAN JUST HEAR HIM SAYING, WELL, THEN THAT GIVES US ALL THE REASON TO WHAT'S THE POLITE WORD? WELL, I DON'T KNOW, FIRE HALF THAT STAFF.
AS I SAY, THAT IS, OF COURSE, AN ABSURD REDUCTION OF THE DISCUSSION.
AND WHILE I WAS INITIALLY RATHER ALARMED AT THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT BECAUSE OF THE IMPACTS ON SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC, AS WELL AS NOT WANTING TO SEE STAFF MEMBERS FIRED SIMPLY TO SAVE MONEY, BUT I THINK IT OPENS UP SOME OPPORTUNITIES.
ARGUING FOR A WHILE THAT WE REALLY NEED TO HAVE A BROADER
[01:55:02]
BASED DISCUSSION IN LIGHT OF ALLEGED BUDGETARY RESTRICTIONS AS TO WHERE WE BEST SAVE MONEY, BUT THE PERCENTAGE OF STAFF'S TIME, COMPENSATIONS IN OTHER DEPARTMENTS BEING ALLOWED FOR, THAT IS IN FACT SAVED AS A RESULT OF, SAY, THE MORE AMBITIOUS ITEM THAT YOU ALL HAVE COBBLED TOGETHER TODAY.ALONG WITH A POLICY OF STAFF ATTRITION RATHER THAN FIRINGS, LEAD TO A SLIMMER MUNICIPAL WORKFORCE AND EITHER MORE LIMITED BUDGET OR THE POSSIBILITY OF REALLOCATION OF ASPECTS OF THE BUDGET, SAY TO HOUSING OR HISTORIC PRESERVATION OR SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL AND RESILIENCE NEEDS.
SO I JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT BEFORE YOU.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I AGREE ATTRITION SHOULD BE THE WAY TO GO, NOT FIRINGS, BUT ALSO YOU MUST CONSIDER THE SALARIES THAT OUR EMPLOYEES MAKE.
YOU KNOW, I KNOW THE SALARIES WERE RAISED YEARS AGO IN ORDER TO KEEP EMPLOYEES, BUT WHAT YOU'VE GIVEN EVERYBODY.
IT IS THAT BRIDGE TO BECOMING A MILLIONAIRE ON OUR DIME.
I DIDN'T LISTEN INTENTLY TO THE DISCUSSION.
I'M DOING SOMETHING ELSE OVER HERE.
BUT AS FAR AS THE MONTHLY MEETINGS TO MANY OF THESE COMMITTEES, I THINK PERHAPS IT SHOULD BE.
THAT THEY SHOULD MEET JUST QUARTERLY OR EVEN LESS DEPENDING ON WHAT THE NATURE OF THE COMMITTEE IS THANK YOU AGAIN THANK YOU MITCH ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM SEEING NONE IN THE ZOOM AND NONE IN PERSON WE CAN SHOW THIS ITEM ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY THANK YOU MARIA AND THANK YOU RALPH AND TO ALL THE STAFF LIAISONS I DO I DO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AND I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH WHO TAKE ON THE EXTRA RESPONSIBILITY, BECAUSE NOT ALL THE EMPLOYEES HAVE ASSIGNED A COMMITTEE THAT THEY ARE THERE TO ASSIST, BUT A SELECT FEW VOLUNTEER TO TAKE ON THAT EXTRA RESPONSIBILITY.
AND MARIA, HOW MUCH EXTRA MONEY DO THEY GET PAID FOR THAT EXTRA RESPONSIBILITY? ZERO.
SO TO ALL THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO TAKE UP THAT EXTRA WORK, TO SUPPORT OUR RESIDENTS AND MAKE SURE THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE A VOICE THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU DO TO OUR CITY AND WITH THAT WE'RE GOING TO UH DO WE HAVE THE CONSULTANTS UH OKAY SO WITH THAT I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO ITEM NUMBER UH ONE AND THEN AFTER ITEM NUMBER ONE WE'RE GOING TO GO TO ITEMS NUMBER THREE AND FOUR REGARDING THE FIFTH STREET PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE SO LET'S GO BACK TO ITEM NUMBER ONE.
ITEM NUMBER ONE IS PRESENT AN UPDATE ON THE MIAMI BEACH PROMENADE MASTER PLAN.
THIS ITEM WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
SO WHY DON'T WE PROCEED WITH THE PRESENTATION ON THE MASTER PLAN AND THE CONCEPTS THAT WE HAVE BEFORE US.
OUR CONSULTANT, RALPH FERRER FROM CURTIS AND ROGERS DESIGN STUDIOS, WAS WITH US THIS MORNING.
AND WE DO HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR YOU.
GOOD MORNING, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
THANKS FOR HAVING US HERE TO PRESENT.
WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT THIS PROJECT, WHICH WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT, THE MIAMI BEACH PROMENADE.
SO AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE PROMENADE RUNS FROM 24TH TO 29TH STREET, AND IT'S A STRETCH OF A CITY RIGHT-OF-WAY THAT RUNS BETWEEN COLLINS AVE AND THE BEACH.
AND THE GOAL IS REALLY, YOU KNOW...
REALLY OUR GOALS OVERALL IS TO REALLY IMPROVE THE CONDITION AND THE OVERALL AESTHETICS AND RESILIENCY OF THE PROMENADE, MAKING IT SAFER, MORE WALKABLE, STRENGTHENING THE RESILIENCE, CREATING REALLY A COHESIVE PROMENADE IDENTITY.
AS IT IS RIGHT NOW, IT'S KIND OF DISJOINTED IN THAT WAY, AND REALLY IMPROVING THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE ALONG THE PROMENADE.
SO HERE YOU CAN SEE AGAIN WHERE THE PROMENADE LIES AND YOU CAN SEE THAT AREA DASHED THERE FALLS REALLY WITHIN A UNIQUE CONDITION BETWEEN PRIVATE ON ONE SIDE OF THE BUILDINGS AND THEN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PROMENADE YOU HAVE THE PRIVATE AMENITY DECKS THAT BELONGS TO THE CORRESPONDING BUILDINGS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT.
SO WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR IS, WELL FIRST OF ALL WE'VE DONE A, WE'VE PERFORMED AN ASSESSMENT AND
[02:00:03]
FEASIBILITY STUDY.WE'VE PERFORMED THE TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY, GEOTECHNICAL STUDIES, SO WE'VE REALLY DONE A THOROUGH ASSESSMENT OF ALL THE CONDITIONS OF THE PROMENADE.
BUT INCLUDED IN THAT ASSESSMENT IS REALLY EXTENSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, AND IT'S REALLY BEEN SPEARHEADED WITH COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ, AND WE'VE HAD SEVERAL MEETINGS.
YOU CAN SEE HERE WE'VE HAD SIX IN TOTAL, AND WE JUST HAD ANOTHER PRESENTATION LAST WEEK.
AND WHAT WE'VE TAKEN FROM IT HERE, YOU CAN SEE HERE THE YEAS AND THE NAYS, AND WHAT PEOPLE ALONG THE PROMENADE, RESIDENTS AND OTHERS THAT USE IT, WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR.
AND THEY REALLY WANT IMPROVED SECURITY.
THEY WANT ACCESS TO THEIR MAINTENANCE ALONG THE BUILDINGS, CLEAR ACCESS TO THE AMENITY DECKS, REALLY UPGRADED PAVEMENT.
AND SOME OF THE THINGS THEY DON'T WANT IS THEY'RE CONCERNED WITH MAYBE LOITERING, MAYBE ATTRACTING TOO MANY PEOPLE, AREAS WHERE CROWDS MAY GATHER, AND LOUNGING OR FURNITURE THAT CAN ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO STAY IN LOUNGE FOR A LONG TIME.
AND THAT'S BEEN THE FEEDBACK WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING.
WE MET AT THE GOLF CLUB EARLY ON BACK IN NOVEMBER.
WE'VE HAD SEVERAL VIRTUAL MEETINGS.
WE HAD ANOTHER CHARRETTE WORKSHOP ON THE PROMENADE ITSELF WHERE PEOPLE CAME BY WHILE THEY WERE WALKING THEIR DOGS.
SO IT'S REALLY BEEN A THOROUGH ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE'VE ALSO HAD AN ONLINE SURVEY THAT RAN FROM OCTOBER THROUGH FEBRUARY.
SO LET'S GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE.
SO WHAT WE'VE TAKEN FROM ALL THESE MEETINGS IS REALLY THESE COMMUNITY PREFERENCES AND VISUAL EXAMPLES.
THEY WANT LIMITED SEATING, BUT THEY WANT SEATING IN HIGH VISIBILITY AREAS.
THEY WANT TO HAVE THEIR OWN LOCAL CHARACTER THAT REFLECTS EVERYDAY NEIGHBORHOOD USE.
THEY WANT FAMILY AND DOG FRIENDLY OPEN LAWN AREAS.
THEY WANT PROTECTIVE BOLLARDS FROM VEHICLES COMING ONTO THE PROMENADE AND ALSO REDUCING MICROMOBILITY OR HIGH SPEED HAPPENING THROUGH THE PROMENADE.
AND OF COURSE LIGHTING AND CCTV.
THEY WANT IT TO BE SUPPORTING VISIBILITY AND SAFETY.
SO WHAT WE DID IS WE DEVELOPED TWO CONCEPTS.
WE FIRST DEVELOPED CONCEPT ONE, WHICH WE CALLED ORGANIC PATHS, AND WE THEN DEVELOPED CONCEPT TWO CALLED LINEAR PATHS.
BOTH OF THESE CONCEPTS WERE BASED ON NOT JUST THE ASSESSMENT AND THE STUDY, BUT BASED ON A LOT OF THE INPUT THAT WE RECEIVED DURING THESE CHARRETTES.
AND SO WHAT WE DID IS WE CREATED THESE STRATEGIC NODES AT EVERY BUILDING.
WITH OPENINGS FOR VISIBILITY FROM THE BUILDINGS, BUT ALSO TO CREATE KIND OF A FLOWING, CURVING PROMENADE THAT WOULD DISCOURAGE HIGH SPEED.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO RECEIVED FEEDBACK ON PEOPLE WANTING IT TO STAY KIND OF HOW IT IS RIGHT NOW, WHICH IS KIND OF REALLY LIKE A STRAIGHT SHOT.
AND WE DID THAT IN THE SECOND CONCEPT, PROVIDING KIND OF A SECONDARY PATH THAT HAD GEOMETRIC CONNECTING ACCESS TO IT.
WE'LL LOOK CLOSER AT CONCEPT ONE.
AND WHAT WE DID HERE IS WE SHOW HERE KIND OF THE IMPORTANT EXIT AND ENTRY POINTS TO THE BUILDINGS AND TO THE AMENITY DECKS AND SHOWING HOW THEY CAN CIRCULATE.
THIS WAS IMPORTANT FEEDBACK WE RECEIVED.
WE ALSO IDENTIFIED THESE AREAS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED FOR PUBLIC ART AND FOR WAYFINDING ZONES.
WHAT WE NOTICED IS THERE WAS VERY REALLY A LACK OF SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING.
WHILE YOU'RE ON THE PROMENADE AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.
AND WE IDENTIFIED THESE ZONES REALLY AT THE KEY THRESHOLDS OR NODES THAT OCCUR ALONG THE PROMENADE AT THE KEY INTERSECTION.
SO THOSE ARE AREAS THAT WE IDENTIFIED.
AND WE ALSO FOUND IN THE SURVEY THAT THE ART WAS REALLY IMPORTANT TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, ALONG WITH WALKABILITY AND THE PEDESTRIAN EXPERIENCE.
SO HERE YOU CAN SEE IN THIS CONCEPT ONE, YOU CAN SEE ALL THE GOALS OF THE PROJECT BEING IMPLEMENTED IN HERE.
AND YOU CAN SEE AGAIN, IDEA IS AN ACCESSIBLE WALKWAY PAVEMENT THAT'S COHESIVE, THAT'S UNIFIED, THAT'S PERMEABLE, THAT HELPS WITH STORMWATER, BUILDING ACCESS POINTS, WASTE AND RECYCLE RECEPTACLES, DOG WASTE STATIONS, USING BIORETENTION, RAIN GARDENS AND BIORETENTION AREAS TO REALLY TREAT STORMWATER AND IMPROVE WATER QUALITY.
WITH A REALLY NATIVE, RESILIENT LANDSCAPE THAT CAN HELP IN TREATING THAT WATER AND USING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND INCREASING TREE CANOPY AND SHADE AS WELL.
SO YOU CAN SEE HERE IT IMPLEMENTED IN CONCEPT ONE.
AND THEN HERE YOU CAN SEE OTHER VIEWS OF IT.
YOU CAN SEE WHAT THE 50-FOOT PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY IS AND HOW
[02:05:01]
THAT CROSS-SECTION OF THE TYPICAL CROSS-SECTION OF THE PROMENADE WOULD OCCUR.AND THE IMAGE TO THE RIGHT, YOU CAN SEE HOW IT WOULD APPEAR AS PEOPLE LOOKING DOWN FROM THEIR BUILDINGS AT THE PROMENADE.
AND AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE CROSS STREETS, THIS ONE AT 26TH STREET, WHICH WE IDENTIFIED AS AN AREA THAT CAN HAVE REMOVABLE BOLLARDS.
WE HAD MEETINGS WITH PUBLIC WORKS, AND THEY STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING SOME ACCESS FOR SOME OF THEIR MAINTENANCE VEHICLES TO MAINTAIN THE LIGHTS AND WHATNOT.
SO ALONG WITH THIS, I MENTIONED LIGHTING.
AND WHAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU ALL HERE IS HOW WE'RE ILLUMINATING THE PROMENADE WITH THIS CONCEPT.
AND IT WILL BE A COMBINATION OF PEDESTRIAN LIGHTING, BOLLARD LIGHTING, AND THEN LANDSCAPE UP LIGHTING TO REALLY IMPROVE THE QUALITY, NOT JUST DURING THE DAY, BUT IN THE EVENING, MAKING IT SAFER AND MORE AESTHETICALLY PLEASING FOR A LOT OF THE MEMBERS OR RESIDENTS.
AND BY THE WAY, THIS WAS SOMETHING IN OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE MID-BEACH NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, WHICH I NEGLECTED TO MENTION EARLIER.
THEY'VE ALSO BEEN INVOLVED, AND THESE WERE SOMETHING THAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR, A UNIFIED VISION.
OKAY, SO NEXT YEAR WE LOOK AT CONCEPT TWO, LINEAR PATHS.
AGAIN, SAME IDEAS, MAINTAINING ACCESS TO THE BUILDINGS AND TO THE AMENITY DECKS, THE ART ZONES AND WAYFINDING ZONES, ALL PRETTY MUCH FALLING IN THE SAME PLACE, JUST IN A DIFFERENT CONCEPT.
AND WE'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, AND YOU CAN SEE, AGAIN, SAME IDEA.
WE'RE IMPLEMENTING ALL THE SAME GOALS.
IT'S JUST IN A DIFFERENT CONTEXT AND DIFFERENT GEOMETRY.
ON THIS ONE, THERE'S A MUCH WIDER PROMENADE, WHICH SOME PEOPLE REQUESTED.
AND HERE YOU CAN SEE HOW WE'RE IMPLEMENTING THE BIORETENTION, THE LIGHTING, THE CAMERA, THE ACCESS POINTS, AND SAME IDEA OF A UNIFIED, ACCESSIBLE, PERMEABLE PAVEMENT SYSTEM.
AGAIN, HERE'S THE SAME AS WE SAW WITH CONCEPT 1.
HERE YOU CAN SEE HOW IT WOULD LOOK LOOKING DOWN FROM THE BUILDINGS.
YOU SEE THE CROSS-SECTION OF THIS ONE HAVING A MUCH WIDER.
18-FOOT WIDE PATH AND THE SAME CONDITION AT THE INTERSECTIONS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUND WE WANTED TO DO WAS REALLY PROTECT THESE INTERSECTIONS AND MAKING REALLY THESE NODES AND THESE THRESHOLDS, ALMOST THESE LANDMARKS WITHIN THE PROMENADE THAT IDENTIFY WHERE YOU ARE AT, BUT ALSO PROTECT NOT JUST WITH THE BOLLARDS BUT WITH LANDSCAPE AND VEGETATION AND BUFFER FROM THE STREET.
SAME IDEA HERE, YOU CAN SEE THE LIGHTING, YOU CAN SEE HOW WE HAVE LANDSCAPE LIGHTING, THE LIGHT, BOLLARD LIGHTING, AND PEDESTRIAN LIGHTING TO ILLUMINATE.
AND ALL THIS, BY THE WAY, MAKING IT COMPLIANT WITH FWC, MEANING TURTLE FRIENDLY, AND ALSO REDUCING THE UP LIGHTING THAT'S COMING UP FROM THE PROMENADE AS IT IS RIGHT NOW THAT REALLY DISTURBS A LOT OF THE RESIDENTS.
WE'VE BEEN HEARING THAT FROM THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT.
SO IN THE END, YOU SEE, REGARDLESS OF THE CONCEPT THAT WE END UP GOING WITH, YOU CAN SEE HERE THE IMPROVEMENTS, THE LIGHTING, THE BOLLARDS, THE CCTV, THE AMENITIES, IMPROVED SIGNAGE, THE IMPROVED HARDSCAPE AND PAVEMENT, AND OF COURSE THE LANDSCAPE.
SO IN THE END, PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION BASED ON MANY FACTORS, BASED ON THE STUDY, BASED ON THE COMMUNITY INPUT THAT WE RECEIVED AND OUR OVERALL ASSESSMENT, YOU COULD SEE THE COMMUNITY POLL THAT WE HAD.
BACK IN FEBRUARY WHEN WE PRESENTED THE TWO CONCEPTS WHERE EVERYONE VOTED ON THEM, IT WAS UNANIMOUS FOR THE ORGANIC PATHS.
IT'S NOT JUST CURTIS AND ROGERS, THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE FIRM, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME CONSULTANTS THAT I DIDN'T MENTION AT THE BEGINNING FOR CIVIL ENGINEERING, FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING, FOR LIGHTING ENGINEERING, AND FOR SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING.
AND THIS IS ALSO THEIR PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION AS WELL INCLUDED IN OURS.
THE REASONS, IT'S THE IMPROVED CIRCULATION AND CONNECTIVITY AND REALLY CREATING A UNIQUE SPACE THAT REALLY IS DIFFERENT AND MORE PLEASING THAN WHAT IS THERE NOW, PROVIDING SHADE, COOLING AND MAKING IT WALKABLE, IMPROVED DRAINAGE.
THERE'S BEEN STORMWATER ISSUES.
THIS SYSTEM ALLOWS MORE AREAS FOR BIORETENTION AREAS, FOR BIOSWALES, AND FOR THE RAIN GARDENS.
IT SUPPORTS A MORE OPEN LIGHTING APPROACH, CCTV.
AND REALLY CREATES A DISTINCTIVE PROMENADE CHARACTER AND STRENGTHENS THE SENSE OF PLACE.
SO HERE YOU CAN SEE THE PROJECT TIMELINE.
YOU CAN IGNORE THE PORTION THAT SAYS JUNE WHEN WE ORIGINALLY PREPARED THIS PRESENTATION WE WERE GOING TO PRESENT IT BACK THEN.
BUT WE JUST HAD OUR 50% OUR SECOND 50% MASTER PLAN MEETING LAST WEEK AS I MENTIONED.
AND THE IDEA IS THAT WE'LL MOVE FORWARD.
FORWARD AFTER PRESENTING THIS WE'VE GIVEN OUR PROFESSIONAL RECOMMENDATION AFTER THIS MAYBE AUGUST MAYBE SEPTEMBER WE WILL HAVE THE FINAL HUNDRED PERCENT MASTER
[02:10:02]
PLAN WITH ONE OF THE CONCEPTS AND THEN AFTER THAT THAT WILL GET PRESENTED AGAIN TO STAKEHOLDERS AT THE CITY AND AND FROM THERE ON IT IT GOES ON TO TO THE CITY AND THAT'S OUR PLAN ONE OF THE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT RALPH DID NOT MENTION IS THAT PART OF THIS PROCESS WAS TO MEET WITH ALL OF THE CITY USER DEPARTMENTS, INCLUDING PD, FIRE, FACILITIES, PARKS, SANITATION, JUST TO GET THEIR FEEDBACK AS WELL ON THE LAYOUT AND THE PLAN, MORE DETAILS NEED TO BE INCORPORATED, AND OBVIOUSLY AS PART OF THE ACTUAL DESIGN, WE'LL IRON OUT A LOT OF THE NEEDS.BUT THOSE CONVERSATIONS HAVE HAPPENED AS WELL.
SO WHICH ARE THE SUB-CONSULTANT DISCIPLINES THAT HAVE BEEN ENGAGED? AS PART OF YOUR FEASIBILITY AND YOUR MASTER PLANNING? SURE.
WE STARTED OFF WITH SURVEYING.
SO WE HAVE SURVEYORS ON BOARD, GEOTECH STUDIES AND REPORTS.
WE HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING.
WE HAVE LIGHTING ENGINEERING, WHICH ALSO INCLUDES THE CCTV.
AND WE ALSO HAVE SIGNAGE AND WAYFINDING.
AND THESE SUBCONSULTANTS, THIS...
IN ADDITION TO THE PUBLIC VOTING THAT SHOWED 3 TO 1, I THINK IT WAS 75% SUPPORT FOR THE ORGANIC PATH, THESE SUB-DISCIPLINES HAVE ALSO ENDORSED THE ORGANIC PATH? YES.
TELL ME, YOU KNOW, DRAINAGE IS A BIG ISSUE IN THIS AREA TODAY.
YOU KNOW, THERE IS SOME STORM FLOODING THERE.
TELL, EXPLAIN TO ME, YOU KNOW, HOW, WHAT IS THE IMPROVEMENT THAT THE ORGANIC PATH OFFERS AS OPPOSED TO THE LINEAR PATH? IT PROVIDES MORE AREAS TO ALLOW FOR THE BIORETENTION AREAS.
SO WHAT WE'RE EMPLOYING IS TO IMPROVE THE STORMWATER MANAGEMENT USING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE AND MORE OF THESE MEDIANS THAT RUN ALONG THE PROMENADE IN ADDITION TO RAIN GARDENS THAT WOULD OCCUR ALONG THE BUILDINGS THEMSELVES.
WHAT WE FOUND IN OUR STUDY IS THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF OUTFALLS OR DOWNSPOUTS FROM THE BUILDINGS.
THAT LET OUT THEIR STORMWATER ONTO THE PROMENADE.
SO THERE ARE MOMENTS DURING HEAVY RAIN EVENTS WHERE THEY SUFFER FROM FLOODING AND THEY ALSO HAVE CURRENTLY AN IMPERVIOUS PAVEMENT SYSTEM.
SO THAT INCREASES THE STORMWATER RUNOFF.
I MEAN REALLY BOTH CONCEPTS WOULD BE DEALING WITH THESE ISSUES BUT THERE ARE SLIGHT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE IN CONCEPT ONE FOR THIS.
DAVID LET ME LET ME JUST ASK YOU BECAUSE THERE'S A NUMBER OF ITEMS THAT MB&A SENT OVER TO US WE'VE INCLUDED IT AS A SUPPLEMENT SO THAT IT TRAVELS WITH THE ITEM AS PART OF THE RECORD BUT SOME OF THE ISSUES JUST SO THAT WE KNOW AT WHAT POINT THESE ISSUES GET ADDRESSED SUCH AS THE STREET END DROP-OFFS AND ACCESS POINTS PARTICULARLY THOSE AT 23RD AND 29TH, BUT ALSO 24TH, 25TH, 26TH, 27TH, AT WHAT POINT DO THESE ACCESS POINTS GET ADDRESSED? THE CONCEPTS ON HOW THEY'RE ADDRESSED WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE 100% MASTER PLAN.
THE DETAILS ON THE EXACT SYSTEMS AND FOUNDATIONS AND OTHER STUFF, THAT'S PART OF THE DESIGN WORK.
WE DID GET THE EMAIL FROM MBNA PREVIOUSLY, AND WE HAD SHARED THAT WITH THE DESIGNERS.
TO MAKE SURE THEY ADDRESS THOSE COMMENTS.
IS THERE A WAY THAT WE COULD INCLUDE THE CONVERSATION REGARDING THE SHOWER LOCATIONS AS PART OF THIS? THE SHOWERS DO DIRECTLY ABUT THIS PROMENADE, AND I DO BELIEVE WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVE FROM THE PUBLIC, THEIR PRIORITY IS SAFETY.
AND TIED TO THAT, YOU SEE IT'S MOSTLY USED WHEN EARLY IN THE MORNING.
AND SO, OF COURSE, SAFETY IS VERY IMPORTANT.
SO PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT PEOPLE LOITERING AND THE USE OF THE SHOWERS AND ALL THAT.
YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'D LIKE US TO SEE.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ADDRESS? BECAUSE THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS THERE AT THE ENTRANCE OF THE PROMENADE FOR THESE SHOWERS.
BUT ALSO, WHERE YOU HAVE THESE BEACH ENTRANCES TO HAVE THE SHOWERS, ON THE OPPOSITE END, ON THE EAST END, YOU HAVE WATER FOUNTAINS.
AND MAYBE WE COULD SEE AS PART OF THIS PROJECT, CAN WE SWAP? SWAP THE LOCATION.
YOU HAVE THE SHOWERS MAYBE CLOSER TO THE BEACH WALK AND HAVE THE WATER FOUNTAINS CLOSER TO THE PROMENADE SO THAT YOU ADDRESS THAT CONCERN OF THE SHOWERS.
I'D LOVE IF YOU COULD EXPLORE THAT.
WE WOULD BE MORE THAN HAPPY TO LOOK AT IT WHEN THE BEACH WALK WAS FIRST CONSTRUCTED.
THE SHOWERS WERE PLACED THERE DUE TO SOME
[02:15:02]
OF THE REQUIREMENTS FROM FDEP AND THE STATE, BUT WE'RE HAPPY TO LOOK AT IT AND SEE IF WE CAN SWAP THOSE STRUCTURES.REGARDING, AND IT'S A POINT THAT COMMISSIONER BOND BROUGHT UP IN OUR LAST PUBLIC MEETING, SAPTED POLICE REVIEW OF THESE PLANTS, WHERE ARE WE? HAS THE CONSULTANT SPOKEN WITH POLICE? HAVE YOU SHOWN THEM THESE DESIGNS? HAVE YOU BEEN RECEIVING FEEDBACK? YEAH, SO WE HAD INITIAL, DURING OUR ASSESSMENT, WE HAD MEETINGS WITH POLICE AND WITH LIGHTING FROM THE CITY.
WE MET OUT ON THE PROMENADE AND WE DISCUSSED WHAT WERE THE STRATEGIC AREAS WHERE THE CCTV CAMERAS WOULD BE.
AT THAT TIME, WE WERE WORKING ON THE FEASIBILITY, SO WE DIDN'T HAVE THESE TWO CONCEPTS YET.
SO THEY HAVE NOT REVIEWED THAT, BUT WE HAVE MET WITH THEM.
SO THE IDEA IS THAT THEY WILL BE REVIEWING THE CONCEPTS.
AND IT IS PART OF THE PROCESS FOR ALL OF OUR PROJECTS THAT THEY GET SEPTET REVIEWS.
AND MY LAST QUESTION, BOLLARDS AND VAGULAR ACCESS.
AT WHAT POINT DO WE START DEFINING THE TYPE OF BOLLARD AND THE TYPE OF VAGULAR PROTECTION THAT WE PUT THERE FOR THIS? THAT REALLY IS GOING TO BE A DESIGN LEVEL DECISION ONCE WE HAVE THE PROJECT STARTED.
I THINK FOR MASTER PLAN PURPOSES, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR REALLY IS WHICH.
STREET ENDS SPECIFICALLY NEED ACCESS, WHEREAS WHICH ONES WE CAN CLOSE OFF.
ARE THERE COMMITTEE MEMBERS WITH QUESTIONS, COMMENTS? COMMISSIONER BOTT.
YEAH, I'M VERY EXCITED TO SEE THIS COME TO LIFE.
I JUST WANT TO, I KNOW THAT SEPTET IS ALWAYS A PART OF THE PROCEDURE, I GET THAT, BUT WE'RE WORKING SO HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DON'T HAVE HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS IN THE DUNES.
I DON'T WANT THEM THINKING THAT THIS IS A CUTE NEW PLACE TO UPGRADE THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH A BEAUTIFUL SORT OF WAVY PATH.
SO LET'S MAKE SURE WE JUST HAVE A REALLY GOOD EYE TO THAT WHEN YOU DO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
SO I LOOK FOR THE COMMITTEE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO RECOMMEND TO THE COMMISSION APPROVING CONCEPT ONE AND DIRECTING STAFF TO COMPLETE THE MASTER PLAN USING THIS CONCEPT.
I'M NOT ABLE TO MAKE A MOTION.
OKAY, AND ANY OPPOSITION? WE CAN SHOW THIS ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY.
MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK.
I DO OWN A PROPERTY ON TRITON TOWERS, AND MOST OF THE BUILDING DO PAY TODAY TO DO THE LANDSCAPING.
SO ONCE YOU DO ALL THIS LANDSCAPING, THE CITY IS GOING TO BE MAINTAINING ALL THAT, RIGHT? I JUST WANTED TO ASK THE QUESTION BECAUSE IF EACH BUILDING HAS A DIFFERENT LANDSCAPER, THEY MIGHT CHANGE THINGS IN THE FUTURE.
SO I'M ASSUMING ALL THIS BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPING IS GOING TO BE MAINTAINED BY THE CITY, NOT THE OWNERS.
OF THE BUILDINGS RIGHT ALONG THAT.
AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP.
I'M IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE THERE, SO IT WILL SAVE US MONEY IN THE FUTURE.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT CAME UP IN ONE OF THE MEETINGS.
DAVID, IF YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO THAT.
UNDER THE CURRENT CONFIGURATION, IT'S FAIRLY EASY AND WE FOLLOW CITY POLICIES WHERE THE PROPERTIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR RIGHT-OF-WAY SWALE AREA AND LANDSCAPE MAINTENANCE.
IN A DESIGN LIKE THIS, IT'S HARD TO DO THAT.
IT'S ESPECIALLY HARD TO GET EVERYONE TO PROVIDE THE SAME LEVEL OF MAINTENANCE ACROSS THE PROJECT.
REALLY, IT'S AN OPERATIONAL AND A POLICY DECISION THAT WILL BE PART OF THE CREATION OF THE PROJECT.
ONCE THE COMMISSION DECIDES TO ESTABLISH THE PROJECT AND FUND IT, WE'LL ESTABLISH HOW IT GETS MAINTAINED.
AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THIS IS A CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, AND WITH EVERY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT, IT'S SOMETHING OF THIS NATURE.
IT'S ALMOST LIKE WHEN YOU'RE DESIGNING A PARK.
IN ESSENCE, THAT'S KIND OF WHAT THIS FEELS LIKE.
YOU'RE ALMOST DESIGNING A PARK, SO YOU NEED TO BUDGET FOR CAPITAL RENEWAL AND REPLACEMENT.
YOU NEED TO BUDGET FOR OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT.
AND FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, ONCE YOU HAVE A PRODUCT LIKE THIS DELIVERED, IT HAS TO BE THE CITY THE ONE TO MAINTAIN IT BECAUSE YOU ALSO WANT TO PRESERVE THE QUALITY AND YOU WANT TO PRESERVE THE INVESTMENTS THAT YOU HAVE PLACED THERE.
SO, YEAH, THAT'S MY FEEDBACK ON THAT.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO COMMENT ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE IN ZOOM, NONE IN PERSON, WE CAN MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT ITEM.
[3. MONTHLY UPDATE ON THE STATUS OF THE 5TH STREET PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE AND THE MONDRIAN HOTEL/MIRADOR CONDOMINIUM BAYWALK PROJECTS]
[4. DISCUSS THE FEASIBILITY OF REPLACING THE PLANNED 5TH STREET PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE WITH AN OVER WATER CONNECTION LINKING THE BAYWALK SOUTH OF 5TH STREET WITH THE BAYWALK NORTH OF 5TH STREET.]
THANK YOU.SO SINCE WE HAD DEFERRED ITEMS THREE AND FOUR TO LATER IN THE MEETING, WHY DON'T WE GO BACK TO THOSE TWO ITEMS? ITEM NUMBER THREE AND FOUR IS MONTHLY UPDATES ON THE STATUS OF THE FIFTH STREET PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE AND THE MODERN HOTEL MIRADOR CONDOMINIUM BAYWALK PROJECT.
THIS ITEM WAS SPONSORED BY VICE MAYOR DOMINGUEZ.
[02:20:01]
AND ITEM NUMBER FOUR IS DISCUSS THE FEASIBILITY OF REPLACING THE PLANNED FIFTH STREET PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE WITH AN OVER-WATER CONNECTION LINKING THE BAYWALK SOUTH OF FIFTH STREET WITH THE BAYWALK NORTH OF FIFTH STREET.THIS ITEM WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER MATEO SALINAS.
VICE MAYOR DOMINGUEZ, IF YOU WANT TO INTRODUCE YOUR ITEM.
SO THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE ON OVER FIFTH STREET WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD BY THE LATE COMMISSIONER MARK SAMULIN.
AND I WAS PROUD TO TAKE THIS UP AND CONTINUE ON THE VISION AND LEGACY AND PUBLIC BENEFITS THAT HE HAD PROPOSED IN ORDER FOR FIVE PARK AND CANOPY PARK AND THE BAY WALK IN THE BACK TO BE PART OF A CONSIDERATION.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S PERSONALLY VERY IMPORTANT TO ME, AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE RUN INTO SOME HICCUPS WITH THE LOCATION OF THE UTILITY.
AND IN MY LATEST BRIEFING, I WAS TOLD THAT THE DEVELOPER WAS HIRING AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT TO REVIEW.
SO MY THOUGHT WOULD BE LET'S WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT COMES UP WITH AND MAYBE DEFER THIS ITEM FOR AFTER THE BREAK.
DAVID GOMEZ, DIRECTOR OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.
YOU'RE CORRECT, MADAM COMMISSIONER.
THE DEVELOPER DID HIRE AN INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT TO LOOK AT ALL ASPECTS OF THE CURRENT DESIGN, WHERE THE UTILITIES ARE, THE INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE TODAY, SO THAT THEY CAN PROVIDE A SEPARATE INFORMED OPINION ON WHATEVER CHALLENGES THERE MAY BE.
WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN THE FEEDBACK YET FROM THE DEVELOPER.
SO FOR NUMBER THREE, I'D LIKE TO MOVE IT UNTIL SEPTEMBER TO GET AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR FROM THE INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT OF WHERE THE UTILITIES CAN BE MOVED.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DEVELOPER, IS THAT A FAIR AND SAFE TIMELINE FOR THE DEVELOPER, OR IS THAT GOING TO BE IN SEPTEMBER? HE GOES, OH, I NEED SIX MORE MONTHS.
THEY HAD TOLD US PREVIOUSLY THAT THEY WOULD GET IT WITHIN A WEEK OR TWO FOR OUR REVIEW.
THEY HAVEN'T DELIVERED IT YET SO I WOULD ASSUME THAT BY SEPTEMBER WE SHOULD BE FINE.
OKAY OBVIOUSLY YOU KNOW THERE THERE WAS A COMMITMENT THAT WAS MADE TO THE PUBLIC AND ALL EFFORTS MUST BE EXHAUSTED TO DETERMINE WHETHER WE CAN DELIVER THAT COMMITMENT.
WHAT I SO I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU, COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ.
LET'S GIVE THE TIME SO THAT SO WE CAN DETERMINE THAT.
WHAT I DON'T WANT IS FOR THIS TO KEEP ON EXTENDING BEYOND SEPTEMBER BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THIS TO BE THAT BY A THOUSAND CUTS WHEN IT WHEN IT COMES TO TO THIS PROJECT.
I'M GOING TO THROW A LITTLE CURVEBALL THAT CAME TO ME THIS MORNING THAT I HAVEN'T SPOKEN WITH STAFF ABOUT.
THERE'S ONLY SOMETHING OUT THERE WITHOUT SPEAKING TO DAVID, PUTTING HIM ON THE SPOT.
IF THIS DOESN'T WORK AT THIS LOCATION, MIGHT IT BE FEASIBLE TO LOOK FURTHER EAST AT THE INTERSECTION OF ALTON ROAD AND 5TH STREET ON THE EAST SIDE, WHICH IS ALREADY PAST THE OVERPASS? IT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE THEN.
ROMERO BRITO PALM IS AT, YOU KNOW, CONNECTING FROM THERE, WHICH IS THE PUBLIC'S LOCATION, TO THE SOUTH SIDE OF FIFTH STREET.
I WOULD IMAGINE THE WIDTH MUST BE GENERALLY ABOUT THE SAME.
PERHAPS THERE MIGHT BE MORE RIGHT-OF-WAYS AVAILABLE ON EITHER END, AND WE MIGHT NOT HAVE THE SAME UTILITY ISSUES THAT WE HAVE AT THE CURRENTLY PROPOSED LOCATION.
SO, YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO PUT THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE MAYBE IT COULD BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE LOOKED INTO.
MY FIRST CONCERN WOULD BE REAL ESTATE.
WE DON'T OWN PROPERTY OUTSIDE OR ADJACENT TO THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.
I THINK THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IS ABOUT THE SAME WIDTH THERE.
THE SAME DISTRIBUTION LINE AND TRANSMISSION LINES THAT ARE IN OUR WAY NEXT TO THE SEAWALL ACTUALLY TRAVEL IN THAT DIRECTION.
SO WE'D HAVE TO LOOK AT WHERE THOSE ARE AS WELL.
I THINK BY THAT POINT, THEY'RE FURTHER OUT TOWARDS THE CENTER OF THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.
YEAH, BECAUSE THEY KIND OF CONVERGE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MAP, THEY CONVERGE TOWARDS THE MIDDLE.
SO I THINK THAT WOULD NO LONGER BE A PROBLEM, BUT I NEED TO SEE IF WE'VE GOT THE REAL ESTATE TO ACTUALLY BUILD.
AND THAT'S NOT TO SAY THAT WE STILL WOULDN'T CONSIDER DOING THE OVERWATER FLOATING DOCKS.
IF THIS IS THE ORIGINAL OPTION
[02:25:01]
DOESN'T DOESN'T WORK OUT, BUT I WOULD LOVE FOR US TO CONSIDER THAT AS WELL.OK, OR SEE OR SEE IF IT'S EVEN WORTH CONSIDERING.
IF I DO HAVE THAT, THEN I WILL.
ARE THERE COMMISSIONER MATOS SALINAS? OK, SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS ITEM, BOTH ITEMS THREE AND FOUR TO SEPTEMBER.
OKAY, I SEE WE HAVE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM.
IF YOU'RE ATTENDING IN PERSON, FEEL FREE TO APPROACH THE PODIUM.
JAY NEWMAN, YOU'VE HAD YOUR HAND UP FOR A WHILE.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
I LIVE AT FIVE PARK, AND I'M THE PRESIDENT OF THE MASTER ASSOCIATION BOARD.
ALTHOUGH TODAY I'M SPEAKING IN MY PERSONAL CAPACITY.
I THINK THAT THE THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF MISINFORMATION AND PERHAPS DISINFORMATION PUT OUT BY TERROR GROUP DAVID MARTIN AND RUSSELL GALBOTT REGARDING THE WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO SAY IS THE INFEASIBILITY OF BUILDING THE BRIDGE AS CURRENTLY PLANNED.
PROMISES WERE MADE, A COMMITMENT WAS MADE, THE DEVELOPMENT ORDER COMMITS THE DEVELOPER UNCONDITIONALLY TO BUILD THIS PROJECT.
AND THE FACT THAT THE DEVELOPER MAY NOT HAVE DONE THE PROPER DUE DILIGENCE IS IRRELEVANT.
THERE IS, AND WHAT I WOULD PROPOSE IS THAT WHATEVER ENGINEERING AND WHATEVER...
ABOUT THE FEASIBILITY AND RELOCATING UTILITIES OR WHATEVER ELSE NEEDS TO BE DONE SHOULD BE NOW HANDLED IN A VERY PUBLIC PROCESS AND I WOULD CALL UPON THE COMMISSION TO INSTRUCT THE CITY ATTORNEY AND THE CITY MANAGER TO BEGIN TO CONSIDER IMPOSING PENALTIES ON THE DEVELOPER FOR THE FAILURE TO DELIVER THE PROJECT AS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED ALL OF THE ALL OF THE RESIDENTS OF FIVE PARK WERE INDUCED IN NO SMALL MEASURE TO BUY THEIR APARTMENTS BECAUSE OF THE PROMISE OF A BRIDGE WHICH WAS MEANT TO BE COMPLETED OVER A YEAR AGO.
IT IS AS AN ENGINEERING MATTER, IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING IN AN ARCHITECTURAL MATTER THAT IT IS INCONCEIVABLE THAT ADJUSTMENTS COULD NOT BE MADE, UTILITIES COULD NOT BE MOVED.
WHAT SEEMS TO BE TAKING PLACE IS THAT THE COST IS MAYBE MORE THAN THE DEVELOPER ANTICIPATED.
BUT HAVING SAID THAT, THEY WERE ENABLED TO BUILD A BUILDING, YOU KNOW, IN EXCHANGE FOR CERTAIN PROMISES AND THOSE PROMISES MUST BE KEPT.
AND I DO WANT THE RECORD TO REFLECT THAT FPL DID DO A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF WORK IN THE AREA IN BRINGING IN A NEW FEEDER LINE INTO THE CITY.
THIS IS A MAJOR FEEDER LINE THAT ELECTRIFIES A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF OUR CITY.
AND ANY POTENTIAL IMPACT TO THAT FEEDER LINE WOULD REPRESENT A SIGNIFICANT...
PUBLIC SAFETY THREAT AND IMPACT TO THE ECONOMY OF OUR CITY.
SO IT IS, I HEAR EVERYTHING THAT THE SPEAKER MENTIONED, AND HE'S NOT WRONG BECAUSE A PUBLIC BENEFIT WAS PROMISED, AND A PUBLIC BENEFIT OF THIS NATURE MUST BE DELIVERED.
THERE'S NO GOING AROUND THE COMMITMENT THAT WAS MADE TO THE PUBLIC, AND IF WE NOW NEED TO CONSIDER OTHER OPTIONS, I BELIEVE THAT THAT DOES RELIEVE.
THE DEVELOPER FROM THAT COMMITMENT.
BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE NEED TO WEIGH, YOU KNOW, THIS ISN'T THE DEVELOPER THAT IS SAYING WHERE THESE UTILITY LINES ARE AT.
THIS IS INDEPENDENT COMPANIES COMING IN, SOME HIRED BY THE DEVELOPER, OTHERS HIRED BY FPL, AND DOING DIGGING TO DETERMINE WHERE THESE UTILITY LINES ARE AT.
THEY DO POSE SIGNIFICANT RISK.
IN FACT, EVEN IF YOU HIT ONE OF THESE LINES, WHICH IS QUESTIONED HOW DEEPLY BURIED THEY ARE, PEOPLE COULD GET KILLED IN DOING THIS EXCAVATION.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, I SHARE THE SAME FRUSTRATION.
I'M GOING TO SPEAK WITH A CITY ATTORNEY TO DETERMINE WHAT ARE THOSE PENALTIES IN THESE DELAYS AND ALSO MAKING SURE THAT THAT, YOU KNOW.
I THINK WE ALL AGREE WITH THAT SPEAKER.
THE PUBLIC BENEFIT NEEDS TO BE DELIVERED, PERIOD.
IS THAT A BRIDGE OR IS THAT A DOCK OR A FLOATING DOCK OR WHAT IS THAT?
[02:30:04]
WE DON'T KNOW AT THAT POINT BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE STUDIES THAT HOPEFULLY SEPTEMBER WILL HAVE AN ANSWER FOR.GOOD MORNING, AND THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR EFFORTS HERE AND YOUR FEEDBACK.
AND, DAVID, I WOULD ASK THAT WHEN YOU GET THE REPORT, AND THANK YOU FOR DEFERRING TO SEPTEMBER, BECAUSE WE REALLY CAN'T MAKE AN EDUCATED DECISION UNTIL WE HEAR WHAT THE CONSULTANT HAS TO SAY.
BUT AS MY COLLEAGUE JAY NEWMAN SAID AT BYTE PARK AND GOOD NEIGHBOR, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE GET ALL THE POSSIBLE ANSWERS HERE AND ASK THEM, DON'T JUST ANALYZE THE REPORT, BUT HOW CAN THEY POSSIBLY MAKE IT HAPPEN TO CONTINUE WITH THE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE IF AT ALL POSSIBLE.
SO WHATEVER WE DO HERE AND THE COLLABORATION THAT WE ALWAYS WORK ON IS WE NEED TO GET CONNECTED BECAUSE IN OUR LIFETIME WE'D LIKE TO SEE THAT DONE.
AND SECONDLY, I WAS HOPING THAT WE COULD GO AHEAD AND TALK ABOUT THE MIRADOR PROPERTY TODAY BECAUSE THAT'S JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF SOMETHING THAT'S BUILT AND IT'S CLOSED OFF TO THE PUBLIC.
AND COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, YOU AND I WENT TO SOUTHGATE A YEAR AGO.
AND THAT'S STILL CLOSED OFF TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE OF SOME FINANCIAL SETTLEMENT GOING ON.
WE NEED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM OF ALL THIS, AND LET'S GET THESE OPEN FOR OUR RESIDENTS BECAUSE THEY DESERVE IT.
YEAH, AND I THINK WITH SOUTHGATE, OUR ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAD SENT THEM DOCUMENTS TO REVIEW, AND THEY HAVE.
AND I THINK THEY MAY HAVE JUST SENT IT BACK TO OUR ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
SO NOW THE BALL IS IN THE CITY'S COURT.
BUT LET'S TALK OFFLINE ABOUT THAT ONE.
OKAY, AND WHAT ABOUT THE MIRADOR? IT SHOULD BE OPEN.
WE MET WITH THE BUILDING MANAGER.
THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR OPENING AND CLOSING THE GATE.
WE WERE CHECKING ON A DAILY BASIS FOR TWO MONTHS, AND IT WAS OPEN EVERY DAY.
SO IF IT'S NOT OPEN, WE'LL BE HAPPY TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
AND MY OTHER QUESTION IS JUST FROM A SAFETY PERSPECTIVE.
WE'RE FINE NOT HAVING RAILINGS OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT? AND IS THAT GOING TO BE STANDARD FOR THE REST OF THE...
YEAH, IT IS NOT A CODE REQUIREMENT TO HAVE RAILINGS SO IT'S DIFFICULT FOR US TO FORCE THE DEVELOPER TO DO IT BUT IT UNDER OUR CITY PREFERENCE AND UNDER OUR CITY MODELS WE ARE INCLUDING RAILINGS ON THE OTHER SEGMENTS AND WE'LL HAVE TO SEE HOW WE HANDLE THIS ONE IF WE COME BACK IN EVERYONE, OKAY? I THINK SOMETHING STANDARDIZED WOULD BE IMPORTANT.
WHAT IS THE PENALTY TO THE PROPERTY UPON WHICH THERE IS THIS CONNECTIVITY, BUT THEY'RE NOT OPENING IT UP? OH, IT WOULD BE A CODE COMPLIANCE THING.
THAT DOESN'T SOUND TO ME TO BE ENOUGH OF A PENALTY.
A CODE COMPLIANCE VIOLATION FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS A SLAP ON THE HAND.
YOU KNOW, I GET THAT LIKE, OKAY, YOU'RE NOT MAINTAINING YOUR PROPERTY THE WAY THAT IT SHOULD BE MAINTAINED.
HERE YOU ARE DEPRIVING YOUR NEIGHBORS AND THE REST OF THE TAXPAYERS WHO OWN THAT PROPERTY OR WHO HAVE A RIGHT TO THAT PROPERTY.
YOU'RE DEPRIVING THE REST OF THE TAXPAYERS FROM ACCESS TO THIS INFANCY.
AND NO ONE PERSON OR ENTITY SHOULD BE DEPRIVING THEIR NEIGHBORS OR THE OTHER TAXPAYERS OF THE AREAS THAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO.
STRICTER DEMAND LETTER COULD WE, DEMANDS COULD WE PUT UPON THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION? I'M HAPPY TO SPEAK TO THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.
YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE FIVE PARK HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION ALSO.
HE SUMMARIZED THE SITUATION VERY WELL.
WHAT I WOULD ADD TO THAT IS THAT YOU IT'S IMPERATIVE THAT THIS PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE BE BUILT.
THIS HAS GONE ON FOR FAR TOO LONG.
SUBSTANTIAL BENEFITS FOR THOSE PROMISES WERE GIVEN AND ARE NOW BEING REAPED.
YET IT'S THE RESIDENTS WHO ARE LEFT WITHOUT A SAFE WAY TO CROSS FROM NORTH OF 5TH TO SOUTH OF 5TH.
RIGHT NOW, AND I INVITE, AND I'M SURE THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE DONE THIS, BUT I INVITE YOU ALL TO CROSS.
CROSS OVER FROM FIVE PARK TO LET'S SAY UM THE UH AREA BEHIND THE UM ICON IT IS THREE INTERSECTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE CROSSED WHICH ARE BUSY SIX LANE ALMOST HIGHWAYS IN SOME CASES THAT'S HOW QUICKLY ROAD UH CARS RATHER ARE ARE BARRELING DOWN THE ROADWAYS UM AND IF YOU HAVE A CHILD IN A STROLLER IF YOU ARE WITH UM AN ELDERLY INDIVIDUAL TRYING TO CROSS THESE INTERSECTIONS IS REALLY TAKING YOUR LIFE IN YOUR OWN HANDS.
[02:35:01]
I THINK YOU ALL KNOW THIS ALREADY, AND I JUST ASK FOR YOU TO KEEP THAT IN MIND AND STRESS THAT WE HAVE DRAGGED OUR FEET ON THIS FOR FAR TOO LONG.THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE YEARS AGO, AND WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE OVERCOME NEEDS TO BE IN AN EXPEDITED MANNER.
PLEASE CONSIDER THAT BECAUSE IT IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
AND TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE, AND LIVES ARE IN YOUR HANDS.
WITH THAT, I SEE NO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK.
WE'LL CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE'LL SHOW THIS ITEM, CONTINUED ITEMS THREE AND FOUR TO SEPTEMBER.
I'M DOING SOMETHING WITH DEBORAH AND PEL.
THERE ARE TWO ITEMS THAT WILL BE VERY QUICK.
I WAS WONDERING IF WE COULD TAKE THOSE TWO ITEMS OUT OF ORDER 10 AND 14.
WE WERE GOING TO BE RUNNING THE MEETING AFTERNOON.
THE OTHER ONES CAN BE FINISHED WITHOUT ME EVEN THOUGH I'M ON IT.
CALL AND I'M PLEASE, IN THE FUTURE, JUST LET US KNOW.
I'D LIKE TO TAKE THE AGENDA FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC IN THE ORDER IN WHICH IT IS PRINTED.
AND I KINDLY JUST ASK THE COMMITTEE FOR THAT DEFERENCE.
[10. DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTION ON THE INSTALLATION, FUNDING, AND PLANNING OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE ON NORMANDY ISLAND.]
FOR THE NEXT TIME.ITEM NUMBER 10 IS DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTION ON THE INSTALLATION, FUNDING, AND PLANNING OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE ON NORMANDY ISLAND.
THIS ITEM IS SPONSORED BY VICE MAYOR DOMINGUEZ.
SO I'M GOING TO BE CLOSING OUT THIS ITEM, BUT JUST REAL QUICKLY, I HAVE HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH WILL MCDONALD AND HIS TEAM, AND IT'S NOT REALLY FEASIBLE IN THE LOTS THAT WE PRESENTLY HAVE BECAUSE OF FLOODING AND WHERE THEY'RE LOCATED.
BUT I DO KNOW THAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES TO BRING MORE EV TO NORTH BEACH, AND THEN IF YOU COULD QUICKLY MENTION THEM, AND THEN WE'LL CLOSE OUT THIS ITEM.
WILL MCDONALD, DIRECTOR OF PARKING.
SO WE ACTUALLY GOT SOME GREAT NEWS FOR DC FAST CHARGING AS OF YESTERDAY AT 5 P.M.
IN GENERAL FOR THE BEACH AS A WHOLE.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH FPL AND OUR BUILDING DEPARTMENT, AND WE HAVE AN INITIAL APPROVAL TO INSTALL A DC FAST CHARGER AT OUR P55, WHICH IS 2600 COLLINS, THE LARGE LOT THERE.
ALSO, WE ARE ENGAGING A DIFFERENT VENDOR THAT THINKS THEY MAY BE ABLE TO ACTUALLY SOLVE SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE ARE ENCOUNTERING IN NORMANDY.
WE HAVE A MEETING WITH THEM TOMORROW WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT BECAUSE REALLY IT ALL COMES TO FLOODING AND THE ENGINEERING OF THE UNITS AND IF THEY CAN WITHSTAND FLOODING.
AND I HAVE, I'LL JUST SAY, TENTATIVE HOPE THAT IF THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT SAYS THAT THESE PEOPLE CAN DO WHAT THEY SAY THEY CAN DO, THAT WE MIGHT ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO SOLVE THAT PROBLEM AND MAKE AN IMPACT IN NORTH BEACH AND NORMANDY ISLES.
SO THE PURPOSE OF THIS ITEM WAS TO BRING AWARENESS OF THE LACK OF EV UP THERE.
I APPRECIATE HOW YOU AND YOUR TEAM HAVE EMBRACED LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPAND.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL CLOSE THE ITEM.
WE HAD ADOPTED AN ITEM, LEVEL THREE CHARGING STATIONS.
THE 2660 COLLINS AVENUE LOT WAS ONE OF THEM.
BUT WE HAVE MANY OTHER LOTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
WHERE ARE WE WITH ALL THE OTHER LOTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY? WE HAD ONE SOUTH OF 5TH.
WE HAD ONE IDENTIFIED IN NORTH BEACH AND MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT WE'VE BEEN DELAYED BY A DEVICE THAT IS NEEDED FOR THE CHARGER BECAUSE YOU'RE RUNNING HIGH VOLTAGE ELECTRICITY INTO THIS EQUIPMENT AND SO IT NEEDS TO BE ABOVE THE FLOOD ELEVATION AND THEY WERE GETTING RIGHTS OR SECURING RIGHTS, PATENTS ON A LIFT.
WHERE ARE WE WITH ALL OF THIS? SO THE PATENT WENT THROUGH AND THE CHALLENGE IS THE RULE, AND I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK, I WANT TO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR, THIS IS THE LAYMAN'S VERSION OF WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
I ONLY SPEAK IN LAYMAN'S VERSION ANYWAY, SO THAT'S ALL GOOD.
BFE PLUS ONE, WHICH IS BASE FLOOD ELEVATION.
IN THE MAJORITY OF THE LOTS, THESE ARE EIGHT FEET, AND THEN IT HAS TO BE PLUS ONE.
SO THE UNIT HAS TO BE ABOVE NINE FEET.
OR THE OTHER OPTION IS ESSENTIALLY IT CAN WITHSTAND FLOODWATERS THAT ARE BFE PLUS ONE.
SO IT CAN BE WHAT I UNDERSTAND IS FULLY SUBMERSIBLE UP TO NINE FEET.
[02:40:01]
BY APPROXIMATELY 1.2 INCHES.HOWEVER, ALL OF THE OTHER LOTS, THE STAND IS NOT ABLE TO CLEAR THAT BFE PLUS ONE.
SO IT KIND OF PUTS US BACK TO SQUARE ONE AT SIX.
CERTAIN AT THE MAJORITY OF THE LINES AND MY PROBLEM IS THAT YOU KNOW AS IT IS WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS IN THE CITY AND THE MAJORITY OF THE ONES THAT WE HAVE THEY TEND TO BE IN PRIVATE LOCATIONS AND THE WHOLE IDEA OF THIS OF THIS PARTNERSHIP THAT WE PASSED WITH FLORIDA POWER AND LIGHT WAS TO IDENTIFY PUBLIC PARKING LOTS TO TEST THEM UH AND SO AS OF WHAT I'M HEARING NOW IS THAT OUR CHALLENGE IS COMING FROM THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT THAT THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT HASN'T BEEN ABLE TO APPROVE THIS YET OR TO REVIEW THIS YET.
I SEE WE HAVE ALEX FROM THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT APPROACHING THE PODIUM.
IF YOU COULD JUST SHED SOME INSIGHTS FOR US.
GOOD MORNING, ALEX GARCIA, INTERIM BUILDING OFFICIAL.
YEAH, SO OUR LOCAL REQUIREMENT ORDINANCE IS FOR BFE PLUS ONE, WHICH IS NINE FEET, ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS.
SO ANY ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS NEED TO BE AT THAT HEIGHT.
SO A LOT OF OUR YOU KNOW PARKING AREAS ARE WELL BELOW US FROM AND FROM THE PRESENTATION THAT LIFT I BELIEVE RAISES IT I BELIEVE IT WAS SIX INCHES OR SO ABOVE FROM WHAT I WAS WHEN WE TALKED SO THAT STILL DOESN'T REACH THAT THAT REQUIREMENT.
BUT LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING BECAUSE YOU KNOW LIFTING LIFTING THESE DEVICES EIGHT FEET OR EIGHT FEET PLUS ONE OUR BASE ELEVATION FOR OUR ZONE IS 8 FEET AND THEN THE FREEBOARD IS PLUS ONE, BUT IT'S JUST THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS.
I KNOW I'VE UNDERSTOOD, BUT IT'S PRETTY HEAVY DUTY ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS AND AND SO AND SO IF THE REQUIREMENT IS YOU KNOW FOR THESE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS WOULD BE EIGHT FEET ABOVE WE'RE NOT GONNA END UP WITH ANY ELECTRIC CHARGERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THAT'S THAT AND SO AND SO WE NEED TO GO BACK AND SEE OKAY, WHAT? WHAT CAN BE WORKED AS A SOLUTION? BECAUSE IT IS A CHALLENGE.
WE'RE GOING TO SAY, I MEAN, THESE ARE PRETTY MUCH LIKE TRANSFORMERS.
NOW IMAGINE THAT TALLER THAN A HUMAN, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUT A LIFT TALLER THAN A HUMAN.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT LIFT, THEN YOU'RE PUTTING THAT TRANSFORMER.
IT MAKES SENSE IF THE ENTIRE LOT IS BFE, THE BFE LEVEL.
WELL, THEN AT THAT POINT, YOU PUT THE TRANSFORMER AT THAT HEIGHT BECAUSE THE ENTIRE LOT IS BEING RAISED TO THAT HEIGHT.
I THINK WE NEED TO GO BACK AND SEE HOW WE CAN ADDRESS THIS.
WHAT HASN'T BEEN CONTEMPLATED IS THE FACT THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO OPEN 150 PARKING SPOTS IN THE DEAUVILLE GARAGE ON FRIDAY.
THAT IS 150 SPOTS THAT WILL BE PERMANENTLY MANAGED BY THE CITY.
THAT IS A BUILT PARKING GARAGE.
AND I WOULD IMAGINE THAT THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT ON THE SECOND OR THIRD FLOOR SOME CHARGING STATIONS.
SO ACTUALLY, WE'RE ACTIVELY TALKING TO TESLA BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE A TESLA SUPERCHARGER IN OUR UM, G9 GARAGE, WHICH ARE ON PENNSYLVANIA GARAGE.
HOWEVER, IT IS NOT THE UPGRADED VERSION THAT CAN ACCEPT ANY VEHICLE, SO WE'RE ACTIVELY TALKING TO TESLA TO GET THAT UPGRADED.
I'VE SPOKEN TO EVERYONE AND SAID WE WOULD ABSOLUTELY LOVE EVERYBODY TO BE ON THE SECOND FLOORS OF OUR GARAGES BECAUSE THEN WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ALL OF OUR GARAGES ARE GOING TO BE BFE PLUS ONE.
THERE IS SOME CHALLENGES WITH THE INFRASTRUCTURE COST BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY NOW WE'RE PUTTING IN A NEW TRANSFORMER AND THEN RUNNING CONDUIT.
AND SO EVERYONE'S LOOKING AT THAT.
YOU HAVE A TRANSFORMER YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO PUT THERE.
THAT'S PART OF THE CHALLENGE, ISN'T IT? CORRECT, BECAUSE MOST OF OUR GARAGES ARE ALREADY PRETTY MUCH MAXED OUT ON THEIR LOAD, SO WE WOULD HAVE TO UPGRADE ANY ELECTRICAL SOURCE FOR ANYTHING IN OUR GARAGES, OR OBVIOUSLY ANY PARKING LOT AS WELL.
HOWEVER, I DO WANT TO GO BACK TO...
BUT IN THE PARKING LOTS IT'S EASIER BECAUSE YOU CAN DO THE DRIVING AND YOU CAN RUN THE UTILITY EASIER THAN THROUGH...
THAT IS ABSOLUTELY THE CORRECT THEORY, WHICH IS WHY EVERYBODY IS LOOKING AT PARKING LOTS.
AGAIN, WE DO HAVE A MEETING TOMORROW, I BELIEVE IT'S 1.30, WHERE WE HAD A VENDOR REACH OUT TO US THAT STATE THAT THEIR UNITS, BECAUSE THERE'S TWO OPTIONS TO MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE.
ONE IS THE INSTALLATION, AND THE ONE, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, IT IS COMPLETELY ENCAPSULATED.
SO THEY'RE SAYING THEIR ENGINEERS CAN CLAIM THAT THEIR UNITS ARE COMPLETELY FLOODPROOF.
THAT'S WHY I WANTED TO GET THEM IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE THAT SOUNDS PROBABLY HARDER THAN IN MY OPINION.
[02:45:02]
BUT I MEAN, HEY, I'M NOT AN ENGINEER, WHICH IS WHY WE INVOLVE THE PROFESSIONALS.AND IF THEY CAN DO THAT, THEN THAT COMPLETELY WIPES OUT ESSENTIALLY ANY NEED FOR LEVITATION.
AND WE COULD PROBABLY GO MOVE VERY FAST.
AND SO SO I YOU KNOW, I LIKE COMMISSIONER BOTT'S IDEA.
YOU KNOW, I THINK I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
YOU KNOW, BUT WE HAD FOR P55, 401 ALTON ROAD, WHERE WE HAD IDENTIFIED AND WE HAD PASSED LEGISLATION TO PARTNER WITH FPL.
I WAS VERY PROUD TO SPONSOR THAT LEGISLATION TO GET THESE EV CHARGING STATIONS THERE, P10 AT 14TH AND MICHIGAN.
WE HAD IDENTIFIED THAT ONE AS WELL, OBVIOUSLY ALONG THE COLLINS CONDO CORRIDOR.
26TH AND COLLINS AT LEAST THAT ONE IS MOVING FORWARD BUT YOU KNOW IF WE NEED TO SIT DOWN WITH THE BUILDING DEPARTMENT SEE WHAT WE CAN DO TO ADDRESS TO ADDRESS THE HEIGHTS OF THESE OF THESE CHARGERS BECAUSE WE NEED THE INFRASTRUCTURE AT LEAST IN NORTH BEACH WITH COMMISSIONER BONT'S INITIATIVE WITH ALL THESE PARKING SPACES WHICH THANK YOU COMMISSIONER BONT FOR LEADING TO GET ALL THOSE PARKING SPACES BECAUSE NORTH BEACH NEEDS THEM.
AT LEAST THERE, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO PUT IT ON A HIGHER FLOOR, WHICH ADDRESSES THAT ELEVATION ISSUE.
BUT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR YEARS.
AND, ALEX, WE KNOW YOU'RE THE GUY THAT'S GOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN.
SO WITH THAT, ARE THERE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NONE IN PERSON OR IN ZOOM, WE CAN SHOW THIS ITEM CLOSE? YES.
AND THEN THE NEXT ITEM IS ITEM NUMBER 14? 15.
WELL, YOU ALSO HAVE ITEM NUMBER 14.
[15. DISCUSS/TAKE ACTION REGARDING THE CITY'S PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTRACTORS AND VENDORS AND THEIR IMPACT ON PROJECT COSTS. (PROCUREMENT)]
OH, SORRY.I'M HAPPY TO CALL THE ITEM CLERK IF YOU WANT, SARAH, HERE FOR A BIT.
ITEM NUMBER 15 IS DISCUSSED TAKE ACTION REGARDING THE CITY'S PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS FOR CONTRACTORS AND VENDORS AND THEIR IMPACT ON PROJECT COSTS.
THIS ITEM WAS SPONSORED BY VICE MAYOR DOMINGUEZ.
SO I HAVE BEEN MEETING REGULARLY WITH CHRIS EVADA AND ALSO INCLUDED SOME MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY THAT HAD EXPRESSED IDEAS AND INTEREST IN OUR PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND WHAT WORRIED ME WAS THAT WE HAVE THESE MAJOR PROJECTS THAT COME UP IN OUR CITY OR OPPORTUNITIES FOR VENDORS TO BID ON AND AND THEN WE GET ONE BITTER.
AND SOMETIMES IT'S THE SAME BIDDER, AND I WANTED TO DO A DEEP DIVE ON WHY THAT WAS HAPPENING.
AND PART OF THE CASE IS WE DID HAVE SOME EXTRA RESTRICTIONS, WHICH PEOPLE OR VENDORS WOULDN'T NECESSARILY BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR BECAUSE THEIR BUSINESSES DIDN'T QUALIFY.
BUT ANOTHER THING THAT CAME UP DURING MY MEETINGS WITH THE DIRECTOR WAS THAT THE STATE PREEMPTS US ON A LOT OF THESE THINGS.
SO SOME OF OUR RESTRICTIONS THAT MAKE IT HARDER FOR BIDDERS TO COME IN AND VENDORS TO APPLY ARE GOING TO COME TO LIGHT IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.
SO, CHRISTY, I WILL ALLOW YOU TO SHARE WHAT YOU HAVE, AND THEN WE CAN MOVE THE ITEM TO THE FULL COMMISSION, SHOULD THIS COMMITTEE FEEL.
GOOD MORNING, CHAIR, COMMISSIONERS, VICE MAYOR.
CHRISTY PALA, CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER.
SO THE ITEM ENCOMPASSES A FEW RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT BEFORE I HIGHLIGHT THOSE, I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT, MR. CHAIR ALEX FERNANDEZ, YOU HAD REQUESTED THAT I SPEAK WITH THE COUNTY AND KIND OF GET A FEEL FOR WHERE THEY ARE WITH THE STRIP TASK FORCE AND ALL THAT.
I'VE BEEN FOLLOWING ALONG ALL THEIR MEETINGS, AND THEY'RE NOT YET AT THE STAGE WHERE THE FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE TASK FORCE HAVE GONE TO THE FULL BOARD.
I DO HAVE THE LIST OF THEIR FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS, BUT THE BOARD HAS NOT YET APPROVED THEM.
MY LAST CONVERSATION WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THEIR PROCUREMENT, THEIR STRATEGIC PROCUREMENT, IT WAS STATED THAT PERHAPS JULY THEY MAY HEAR IT OR SEPTEMBER.
SO I DO HAVE A SEPARATE ITEM JUST TO NOT TO DERAIL BUT JUST TO KIND OF TOUCH ON IT THAT COMMISSIONER MAGAZINE SPONSORED FOR MYSELF.
TO IMPLEMENT ANY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THE COUNTY MAKES AND TO LET YOU ALL KNOW VIA LCC 90 DAYS FOLLOWING THEIR APPROVAL OF THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO JUST TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT THAT.
SO SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU'LL SEE HERE, THE FIRST ONE IS REGARDING THE FORMAL SOLICITATIONS.
CURRENTLY, WE COME TO THE CITY COMMISSION FOR THE APPROVAL TO ISSUE RFPS, RFQS, ITNS.
[02:50:01]
THAT PROCESS AND NOT PRESENT THOSE ISSUANCES TO THE CITY COMMISSION.I ALSO CONSULTED WITH THE CITY OF MIAMI AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, AND NEITHER OF THEM DO PRESENT THEIR ISSUANCES TO THE CITY COMMISSION.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS IN BETWEEN.
SO YOU'RE SAYING RATHER THAN BRINGING THE DRAFT RFPS TO COMMISSION, YOU GUYS WOULD PUT THOSE OUT? CORRECT.
AND YOU WOULD BE NOTIFIED, AS YOU NORMALLY ARE, WHEN WE RELEASE THE CONE OF SILENCE ONCE A MONTH.
ALL THE PROJECTS ARE LISTED THERE.
OR IF YOU'RE AMENABLE TO, I MEAN, IF THERE'S SOME OTHER METHODOLOGY THAT MAY BE.
AND THE COUNTY AND THE CITY OF MIAMI, NEITHER ONE OF THEIR BODIES APPROVE THE DRAFT RFP BEFORE IT GOES OUT.
LET ME JUST ASK YOU ABOUT THAT.
YOU KNOW, THE DRAFT RFP IS THE DRAFT RFP.
I DON'T RECALL US REALLY EVER CHANGING THE DRAFT RFP.
HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT THE ISSUE OF THERE ONLY BEING ONE RESPONDENT? SO THIS KIND OF CAME ABOUT BECAUSE WE WERE ASKED TO SEE WHAT OTHER PROCESS OR THINGS THAT WE DO THAT MAYBE WE COULD STREAMLINE, AND THAT'S HOW IT CAME ABOUT.
YEAH, BECAUSE THAT CAN ADD EASILY AN EXTRA MONTH OR TWO.
POTENTIALLY THREE INTO THE PROCESS OF GETTING A SOLICITATION.
THE SECOND IS THERE'S A FEW ITEMS IN THIS ONE.
THIS ONE IS A RESULT OF A VENDOR SURVEY THAT WE DID IN 2024.
WE DO EITHER INTERNAL CUSTOMER SERVICE OR VENDOR SURVEYS ON DIFFERENT YEARS, AND THE LAST VENDOR SURVEY WE HAD WAS 2024.
WE'LL BE DOING ANOTHER ONE THIS YEAR.
THAT THEY PROVIDED US WAS A NEED FOR FASTER AND MORE RELIABLE PAYMENT METHODS.
SO I'M WORKING WITH ACTUALLY FINANCES ALREADY KIND OF DOING THIS.
IT'S INCORPORATING ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS SUCH AS ACHS.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING.
SO HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO GET.
HOPEFULLY THIS WILL BRING IN SOME MORE VENDORS IF THEY'RE SEEING THAT WE'RE ABLE TO OFFER THIS ABILITY.
AND THAT IN ESSENCE ALLOWS US TO PAY FASTER? CORRECT, YES.
THE SECOND ONE UNDER THE VENDOR SURVEY IS THAT CURRENTLY THERE'S DIFFERENT DUE DILIGENCE, VENDOR REGISTRATION, AFFIDAVITS, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO WE'RE WORKING TO CONSOLIDATE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.
WITH THE AFFIDAVITS, WE ALSO HAVE FEDERAL AFFIDAVITS THAT HAVE TO BE FILLED OUT.
SO I'M WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO TRY TO STREAMLINE AS MUCH AS WE CAN INTO PERHAPS WHAT WE HAVE THAT THE VENDORS ALL FILL OUT.
IT'S ONE QUESTIONNAIRE WITH ALL THE QUESTIONS.
SO ANYTHING WE COULD INCORPORATE INTO THERE THAT WILL HELP STREAMLINE EVERYTHING THEY HAVE TO RESPOND TO SO THEY DON'T MISS ANYTHING, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO THEM.
THEY DID MENTION THAT IT CAN BE COMPLEX, SO THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
ANOTHER RECOMMENDATION THAT WE HAD, WHICH WE ACTUALLY HELD OUR FIRST.
PROCUREMENT VENDOR FAIR WORKSHOP IN APRIL 20 20 28 20 26 THAT WAS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH WE ACTUALLY ALREADY DID ONE WE ACTUALLY HELD A VENDOR FAIR WHERE THEY COULD COME SPEAK TO THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS ALSO SPEAK TO THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT WE SHOWED THEM WHERE WE POST OUR BIDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT WE HAVE THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TALK ABOUT ANY UPCOMING PROJECTS TO HOPEFULLY GAIN SOME INTEREST FOR MORE BIDDERS AND WE ALSO HELD SOME WORKSHOPS.
REGARDING DIFFERENT SOFTWARE RELATED TO VENDORS LIKE BIDNET, ETC., SO THAT THEY CAN LEARN THE SYSTEM.
WE HAD THE REPRESENTATIVES FROM BIDNET ALSO THERE.
THE THIRD ITEM IS REGARDING INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS.
WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING WITH RISC TO REVIEW THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF INSURANCE.
THEY ARE TAKING A CLOSER LOOK TO SEE WHAT WE CAN STREAMLINE REGARDING INSURANCE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE APPROPRIATE TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PROJECT.
ALSO, I AM CURRENTLY WORKING WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO REVIEW THE DIFFERENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF CONTRACTS TO HOPEFULLY STREAMLINE SOME LANGUAGE AND ELIMINATE UNNECESSARY TERMS AND CONDITIONS THAT MIGHT IMPEDE OR PERHAPS DETER VENDORS FROM SUBMITTING BIDS BECAUSE THEY SEE TERMS THAT MAYBE THEY DON'T WANT TO ENGAGE IN AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
LIKE WHAT WOULD IT BE? GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE.
SOME THAT ARE VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE DON'T NECESSARILY BUDGE ON, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE CITY, OBVIOUSLY, IS THE TERMINATION FOR CONVENIENCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT MIGHT NOT BE ONE WE TOUCH, BUT MAYBE WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT DIFFERENT ONES THAT CAN HELP THE VENDOR COMMUNITY BE MORE ENGAGING.
AND THE LAST ONE IS WE HAVE AN INTERNAL PERMITTING PROCESS WITH REGULATORY DEPARTMENTS TO EXPEDITE APPROVALS FOR CITY-LED CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT ALL CONTRACTORS
[02:55:02]
ARE AWARE OF, SO WE THROUGH THE PROCUREMENT DEPARTMENT WILL MAKE SURE WE PROMOTE THAT AND HOPEFULLY GAIN MORE INTEREST BECAUSE I KNOW SOMETIMES THEY CAN GET DETERRED BASED ON THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND THINGS LIKE THAT SO THIS WILL HELP EMPHASIZE THAT THERE'S A HOPEFULLY A QUICKER PROCESS.THOSE ARE ADMINISTRATIVE THAT DON'T REQUIRE POLICY DIRECTION AND THEN WE HAVE TWO ITEMS FOR CONSIDERATION THAT ARE MORE POLICY CONSIDERATIONS FOR YOU ALL.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE REVISITING THE MINIMUM WAGE AND BENEFITS LOCAL WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS.
THIS IS UNDER OUR CITY CODE AND REQUIRES THAT IT ESTABLISHES LABOR STANDARDS FOR WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION FOR ANY CONSTRUCTION PROJECT THAT'S ABOVE $1.5 MILLION.
SO IT WILL REQUIRE ABOUT A 30% LOCAL WORKFORCE PARTICIPATION, BUT ALSO PREVAILING WAGES.
WE ARE NOW PREEMPTED BY THE STATE FOR REQUIRING PREVAILING WAGES ON ANY CONTRACTS THAT ARE NOT FEDERALLY FUNDED.
SO THIS, WE WON'T BE ABLE TO CONTINUE DOING THIS EFFECTIVE, I FORGOT WHAT THE DATE IS FOR THE...
AND THEN THE LIVING WAGE ONE ALSO...
AND THEN THE LIVING WAGE ONE IS NUMBER TWO ON THE LEGISLATIVE, WHICH IS ALSO UNDER THE SAME HOUSE BILL RESTRICTION.
WE CAN NO LONGER IMPOSE ON ANY CONTRACTS EFFECTIVE AFTER SEPTEMBER 30TH. SO I'M NOT SURE IF THIS IS TO CONSIDER, IF WE'D MAYBE LIKE TO CONSIDER ON THE CURRENT AGREEMENTS THAT ARE GRANDFATHERED IN, IF WE'D LIKE TO PERHAPS CONSIDER NOT CONTINUE TO INDEX THOSE ALONG WITH THE SEPTEMBER 30TH DEADLINE THAT THEY'RE IMPOSING ON ANY NEW CONTRACTS.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION.
SO IF YOU GUYS ARE IN AGREEMENT, I MAKE THE MOTION TO MOVE THIS TO THE FULL COMMISSION FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
SO LET ME JUST ASK THE CITY ATTORNEY IN THE PAST ON CERTAIN ISSUES WHERE IS LIVING WAGE IS VERY IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, AND PREVAILING WAGES IS IMPORTANT AS WELL, ESPECIALLY IN OUR...
AND AT TIMES WE GET PREEMPTED BY THE STATES ON THINGS, BUT I DON'T KNOW, SOMETIMES THERE'S A PREEMPTION THAT MAY HAPPEN, BUT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY CHANGE YOUR LAW BECAUSE YOU'RE NECESSARILY PREEMPTED, BECAUSE SOMETIMES THE PREEMPTION MAY CEASE TO EXIST.
AND NOW YOU'VE CHANGED THE LAW OR A PREEMPTION MAY EVENTUALLY GET CHALLENGED AND YOU WANT TO PRESERVE, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU INSTITUTED.
GIVE ME A LITTLE BIT OF GUIDANCE ON THAT AS IT RELATES TO THESE LIVING WAGE STATUTES AND ORDINANCES THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE.
WELL, YOU'RE RIGHT. JUST BECAUSE A PREEMPTION STATUTE GOES INTO EFFECT DOESN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS MEAN THAT WE WOULD REPEAL THE ORDINANCES.
ON THE BOOKS, JUST IN THE SAME WAY IF THEY'RE FOUND TO BE UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
WHAT WOULD BE ENFORCEABLE IN COURT IS IF YOU TRIED TO ENFORCE THEM. AND SO IN SOME CASES, WE MIGHT ADVISE YOU TO ACTUALLY REPEAL THE ORDINANCES.
IN SOME CASES, YOU COULD JUST LEAVE THEM ON THE BOOKS, BUT THE IMPORTANT PART WOULD BE TO NOT ENFORCE THEM. OKAY, AND THIS IS, YOU KNOW, AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS SOME OF THESE, YOU KNOW, RELATE TO PREVAILING WAGES FOR PEOPLE WHO WORK IN OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS? WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FRINGE BENEFITS FOR THESE EMPLOYEES. I THINK, YOU KNOW, AS IT IS, WE CAN'T APPLY THESE ORDINANCES, CORRECT? CORRECT.
WE'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH A FIRST. WE CAN'T APPLY IT. THERE ARE CURRENTLY ABOUT 10 PROJECTS THAT ARE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION-RELATED PREVAILING WAGES ORDINANCE, AND WE WOULD... NO LONGER BE ABLE TO ENFORCE THAT STARTING ANY CONTRACT THAT IS EXECUTED AFTER SEPTEMBER 30TH.
WITH THE LIVING WAGE ORDINANCE, THERE ARE CONTRACTS THAT HAVE BEEN SIGNED PRIOR TO, AND SOME ARE VERY LONG-TERM CONTRACTS, SO I'M NOT SURE IF WE WANT TO CONSIDER THE ONES THAT ARE GRANDFATHERED IN THAT WERE EXECUTED PRIOR TO SEPTEMBER 30TH, IF WE WOULD LIKE TO CONSIDER NOT CONTINUING TO INDEX THOSE BASED ON THAT PREEMPTION OR WE WANT TO CONTINUE INDEXING THOSE AND THEN ANYTHING THAT'S EXECUTED AFTER. DOES THE STATE LAW HAVE A SENSE OF PROVISION, THAT STATE STATUTE? NO. I HAVE IT HERE, BUT I DON'T THINK SO.
BECAUSE, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, IF LEGISLATORS COME AND GO, SESSIONS, YOU KNOW, AND EVERY SESSION, SOMETIMES, YOU KNOW, NEW SESSIONS COME
[03:00:04]
IN AND FIX THE. SOMETIMES THE BAD DEEDS OF THE PREVIOUS SESSION.AND SO THEN I WOULD HATE FOR US TO SEE REPEAL SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THESE EMPLOYEES, YOU KNOW, THAT THEY MUST GET A LIVING WAGE.
AND THESE ARE THE EMPLOYEES WHO DO JANITORIAL SERVICES, LANDSCAPING, THE PARKING ATTENDANTS, THE SECURITY OFFICERS, THE TEMPORARY LABOR AND TRASH COLLECTION AND ALL THAT.
AND THESE ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO DO DESERVE, IN MY OPINION.
A FAIR WAGE, MINIMUM WAGE, AND I WANT TO BE HOPEFUL THAT SOMEDAY THE STATE MIGHT COME IN AND SAY, OKAY, NO, WE NEED TO GO IN AND REVISIT THIS.
IN FACT, FORGET EVEN LIVING WAGE, EVEN HEAT POLICIES, HEAT POLICIES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING OUTSIDE UNDER THE GRUELING SUN, YET THERE'S ALL THESE PREEMPTIONS THAT ARE LIMITING OUR ABILITY TO.
WOULD YOU MIND DEFERRING ACTION ON THIS FOR TODAY? BECAUSE I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT BETTER WITH OUR CITY ATTORNEYS, YOU KNOW, ON THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THIS.
I KNOW THAT YOU'RE VERY SENSITIVE TO THESE ISSUES AS WELL.
YES, LET'S DEFER TO SEPTEMBER. OKAY.
SO LET'S SHOW THIS ITEM DEFERRED TO SEPTEMBER SO THAT WE CAN STUDY THIS MORE AND MAYBE ALSO GIVES TIME TO THE COUNTY.
TO CONSIDER, YOU KNOW, THE OUTCOMES OF THEIR COMMITTEE.
ALSO, YES, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THEY DO HAVE IN THE STRIP TASK FORCE DID ALSO RECOMMEND TO REPEAL THEIR LIVING WAGE.
AND SO IF THEY ACCEPT IT ALSO,
[14. DISCUSS REINSTATING THE MIAMI BEACH PET PARADE.]
I CAN SHARE THAT INFORMATION WITH YOU ALL.AND EVEN THOUGH SARAH SAID IT WAS OKAY TO DO 14.
I SUSPECT THIS MIGHT BE QUICK.
ITEM NUMBER 14 IS DISCUSSED REINSTATING THE MIAMI PEP PARADE.
THIS ITEM WAS SPONSORED BY VICE MAYOR DOMINGUEZ.
SO WE PARTICIPATED IN THE MIAMI BEACH PET PARADE.
I THINK IT WAS A COUPLE YEARS AGO WE ALLOCATED $5,000 AND COMMISSIONER BUTT, COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ AND I WERE ALL JUDGES OF THE DOGS AND CATS THAT WERE THERE.
THE MORE WE CAN DO EVENTS THAT ARE HEALTHY AND BEAUTIFUL FOR OUR COMMUNITY, I THINK IT'S A GREAT IDEA AND WANTED TO...
FIND OUT MORE FROM THE PARKS DEPARTMENT WHAT THAT WOULD ENTAIL MOVING FORWARD IF WE WANT TO DO IT AGAIN IN THE FUTURE GOOD MORNING CINDY AFTERNOON CINDY CASANOVA ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR PARKS FACILITIES FLEET AND BEACHES YES AS COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ STATED THIS EVENT ACTUALLY WAS HELD LAST YEAR MARCH OF 2025 IT WAS HELD ON OCEAN DRIVE IN LOOMIS PARK ON 14TH COURT AND IT WAS REALLY SPEARHEADED COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ CHAMPIONED THE ITEM AND IT WAS SPEARHEADED BY RESIDENTS SARAH D'ALOIS REYES AND KEN COPPELL.
IT WAS AN EVENT THAT FEATURED NOT ONLY THE PARADE BUT IT HAD THE COUNTY COME OUT FOR PET ADOPTIONS.
THERE WAS A TRICK AND TREAT CONTEST.
THERE WAS LOCAL VENDORS THAT CAME OUT.
SO IT WAS A REALLY A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR A LOT OF PET OWNERS HERE IN THE CITY.
SO WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH SARAH, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH HER, BUILDING OFF OF HER EXPERIENCE FROM LAST YEAR TO SEE WHAT WE COULD DO THIS YEAR AS A REIMAGINED PET PARADE.
AND WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE A REALLY COOL IDEA TO KIND OF TIE IT INTO THE THEME OF THE CELEBRATION THAT WE'RE DOING FOR AMERICA'S 250.
AND TO DO A PET PARADE THAT WAS MAYBE THEMED THE MIAMI BEACH PAWS OF FREEDOM PET PARADE.
WE WOULD LOOK TO TARGET SOMETHING MAYBE IN AROUND OCTOBER AS LIKE A KICKOFF TO VETERANS DAY AND THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING ALONG THOSE LINES.
FOR PURPOSES OF TIME, WHAT IS THE FISCAL ACT? $5,000, SAME AS IT WAS LAST YEAR.
I'M HAPPY TO SUPPORT THIS ITEM, SO I WAS WILLING TO MAKE A MOTION.
COULD WE TRY TO DO SOME FAST ITEMS?
[8. DISCUSS POTENTIAL OPTIONS TO IMPROVE LAST-MILE CONNECTIONS FOR FERRY RIDERS UPON ARRIVAL IN THE CITY, SUCH AS WAYFINDING SIGNAGE, TRANSIT COORDINATION, AND INFORMATION CONCERNING THE MIAMI BEACH TROLLEY AND CITIBIKE LOCATIONS.]
COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, SINCE YOU'RE STILL HERE, AND WE CALLED THREE OF YOUR ITEMS, MAYBE WE CAN CALL A FOURTH OF YOUR ITEM.ITEM NUMBER EIGHT IS DISCUSS POTENTIAL OPTIONS TO IMPROVE LAST MILE CONNECTION FOR FERRY RIDES UPON ARRIVAL IN THE CITY SUCH AS WAYFINDING SIGNAGE, TRANSIT COORDINATION, AND INFORMATION CONCERNING THE MIAMI BEACH TROLLEY AND CITY BIKE.
THIS ITEM IS SPONSORED BY VICE MAYOR DOMINGUEZ AND CO-SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER BHATT .
COMMISSIONER DOMINGUEZ, YOU SPONSORED THIS ITEM ABOUT THE CONNECTIVITY.
WHAT WAS YOUR IDEA? SO AS THE TROLLEY HAS REALLY TAKEN OFF, PARTICULARLY DOWN AT MORRIS GOOD PARK, AND IT'S
[03:05:01]
BEEN VERY POPULAR.PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CONFUSED ON WHERE TO FIND THE BUS AND WHERE TO GO NEXT AND HOW TO GET TO THE NEXT STEP IN THEIR PROCESS OF GETTING TO WHERE THEY NEED TO BE.
WHEN I HAD MY BRIEFING AND SPEAKING WITH THE DIRECTOR, HE GAVE ME SOME EXCELLENT NEWS IN THAT THE TROLLEY IS GOING TO ADD A STOP.
ON PURDY AVENUE SO PEOPLE DON'T HAVE TO NAVIGATE AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET TO THE TROLLEYS AT PUBLIX AND IF ANY OF YOU HAVE TAKEN THE TROLLEY IN THAT AREA THE PUBLIX IS ALSO WHERE THEY TAKE THEIR BREAK SO PEOPLE COULD BE GETTING OFF THE TROLLEY WALKING TO PUBLIX AND THEN THERE'S AN EMPTY TROLLEY BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THEY'RE TAKING THEIR TIME OFF SO I THINK THIS IS ENCOURAGING IT'LL BE CLOSER TO WHERE PEOPLE GET ON AND OFF THE TROLLEY AND IF YOU WANT TO SAY MORE.
THAT WOULD BE GREAT AND I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO MOVE THIS TO THE FULL COMMISSION WE COULD ACTUALLY CLOSE IT OUT THANK YOU COMMISSION I'LL BE VERY BRIEF THROUGH THE CHAIR GOOD AFTERNOON JOSE GONZALEZ TRANSPORTATION MOBILITY DIRECTOR AND VICE MAYOR I HAVE EVEN BETTER NEWS WE CAN ACTUALLY CREATE AN ADDITIONAL STOP TROLLEY STOP WITHIN THE PARKING LOT OF MURRAY SKIP PARK SO THAT WAY IT WILL ENSURE SEAMLESS CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN THE WATER TAXI THAT STOPS RIGHT THERE AT THE FLOATING DOCK AND OUR TROLLEY SERVICE SO THAT PASSENGERS WON'T EVEN HAVE TO WALK OVER TO PURDY.
IS THAT FOR BOTH LOOPS? AND THAT'S FOR LOOPS A AND B AND THAT'S THE MAP THAT WE HAVE ON PAGE 316 OF OUR AGENDA THAT SHOWS THE STOP RIGHT THERE, RIGHT OFF OF THE TROLLEY EXIT, THE WATER TAXI EXIT.
COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THE ITEM.
IS THERE ANYTHING, ANY OTHER FEEDBACK THAT YOU WANT TO PROVIDE TO THE ADMINISTRATION? NO, NO, AND MY CO-SPONSOR, COMMISSIONER BHATT , THANK YOU FOR THAT.
AND I THINK THIS WILL BE GREAT FOR THE RESIDENTS.
COMMISSIONER BHATT , ANY WANT TO ADD TO THIS? ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU.
AND THE LAST THING I'LL MENTION IS WE ALSO EXTENDED FREEBIE.
THE GEOFENCED AREA OF FREEBIE NOW EXTENDS INTO MAURICE GIBB MEMORIAL PARK SO
[9. DISCUSS TEMPORARY WAYFINDING SIGNAGE DURING CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES OF THE 41 ST STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.]
THAT YOU CAN WALK OUT OF THE WATER TAXI AND YOU CAN REQUEST A FREEBIE.ITEM NUMBER NINE IS DISCUSSED TEMPORARY WAYFINDING SIGNAGE FROM CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES OF THE 41ST STREET IMPROVEMENT PROJECT.
THIS ITEM IS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER FERNANDEZ.
AND I PLACE THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA BECAUSE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE OF THIS PROJECT, WHICH DAVID, I BELIEVE, IS SUPPOSED TO START IN JANUARY.
IN JANUARY, LOCAL BUSINESSES MAY EXPERIENCE REDUCED VISIBILITY AND ACCESSIBILITY.
AND SO I WANTED TO SHARE WITH THE 41ST STREET COMMITTEE THE SIGNAGE, GET THEIR FEEDBACK.
WE WERE ABLE TO GO THERE, PRESENT TO THEM.
AND WE GOT SOME GOOD FEEDBACK FROM THEM REGARDING THE INTEGRATION OF BRANDING FROM THE 41ST STREET BID.
HAVE WE RECEIVED THAT FEEDBACK? THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO SEND IT TO ME TODAY.
AND SO FOR CONFIRMATION, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE LOGOS OF THE BUSINESSES ON THESE SIGNS.
SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FRONTING.
FRONTING ON THE WINDSCREENS AT PHASE 41ST WILL ALSO BE PUTTING BANNERS ON THE STREET LIGHTS OKAY, AND WE'RE GONNA BE MAKING IT CLEAR THAT 41ST STREET IS OPEN TO BUSINESS DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PHASE GOING BLOCK BY BLOCK THE FIRST ONE SIDE WHETHER THE NORTH SIDE THE SCHEDULE IS ONE BLOCK AT A TIME ONE HALF OR NORTH HALF AND SOUTH HALF OR SOUTH HALF NORTH HALF HOWEVER THE CONTRACTOR WANTS TO DO THAT OKAY, DO YOU NEED OFFICIAL ACTION FROM THE COMMITTEE? I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
I THINK JUST A THE COMMITTEE ACCEPTING THE RECOMMENDATION THAT WE PROCEED WITH THE
[11. DISCUSS/TAKE ACTION: UPDATE FROM POLICE AND TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENTS ON TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN NORTH BEACH AND TRAFFIC LIGHT SYNCHRONIZATION EFFORTS.]
SIGNAGE PLAN.I'M HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE ADMINISTRATION.
I'M GOING TO SHOW THIS ADOPTED BY ACCLAMATION.
ITEM NUMBER 11. ITEM NUMBER 11 IS DISCUSS TAKE ACTION UPDATE FROM POLICE AND TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENTS ON TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN NORTH BEACH AND TRAFFIC LIGHT SYNCHRONIZATION EFFORTS.
THIS ITEM WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER BHATT AND CO-SPONSORED BY VICE MAYOR DOMINGUEZ.
SO I'LL LET JOSE DO THE HEAVY LIFTING ON THIS, BUT WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF TRAFFIC ISSUES UP NORTH BEACH SPECIFICALLY, BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY.
THE INTERSECTION FROM INDIAN CREEK TO 71ST STREET AND THEN NORTH TO DICKENS, AND THEN ALSO SOME OF THE SIDE STREETS JUST SOUTH OF THAT GOING FROM EAST TO WEST.
IT CAN TAKE 20 MINUTES GOING FROM THE CARILLON TO INDIAN CREEK, AND SO WE HAVE ALL HANDS ON DECK.
TRYING TO FIND RESOURCES AND SOLUTIONS TO AMELIORATE THAT, NOT JUST FOR NORTH BEACH, BUT ALSO WHAT WE CAN LEARN AND INSTITUTE THERE COULD
[03:10:01]
POTENTIALLY BE IMPLEMENTED THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE CITY WHERE THERE ARE OTHER HOTSPOTS.SO WITH THAT INTRO ALL TEED UP, JOSE, TAKE IT AWAY.
THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER, THROUGH THE CHAIR.
SO THIS IS A JOINT ITEM AMONGST THREE DEPARTMENTS, REALLY, TRANSPORTATION, PARKING, AND POLICE.
YOU MAY RECALL THAT WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF CONDUCTING A PILOT PROGRAM THAT'S AIMING TO OPTIMIZE ALL THE TRAFFIC, NOT ALL, BUT THE KEY TRAFFIC SIGNALS IN NORTH BEACH.
A TOTAL OF 17 DIFFERENT SIGNALIZED INTERSECTION ACROSS 71ST STREET, INDIAN CREEK DRIVE, ABBOTT AVENUE, DICKENS, HARDING, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE SIDE STREETS.
63RD, 65TH, 67TH, 73RD, 75TH, 77TH.
SO IT'S A GOOD-SIZED NETWORK OF CRITICAL INTERSECTIONS UP THERE IN NORTH BEACH THAT WE AFFECTIONATELY CALL THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE.
I'D LIKE TO CORRECT THE RECORD.
IT'S NOT VERY AFFECTIONATELY CALLED THAT AT ALL.
WE CALL IT THAT, BUT IT'S NOT AFFECTIONATE.
SO THE IDEA IS TO OPTIMIZE TRAFFIC SIGNAL TIMING, WHICH SOME OF THESE SOME OF THE CURRENT SIGNAL TIMING PLANS ARE DECADES AND DECADES AND DECADES OLD.
THEY'RE OLD, THEY'RE STALE, SO IT'S DUE TIME THAT THEY BE UPDATED.
SO WE'VE TAKEN THE LEAD, WORKING WITH MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, OF COURSE, BECAUSE THEY HAVE JURISDICTION AND PURVIEW, BUT WE'VE TAKEN THE LEAD ON THIS PILOT PROGRAM WHICH HAS COLLECTED DATA.
WHEN DO WE ANTICIPATE THAT DATA IS GOING TO BE AVAILABLE? WELL, THE DATA HAS BEEN COLLECTED.
SIGNAL TIMING PLANS HAVE ACTUALLY ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED AND WE JUST SHARED THEM WITH THE COUNTY FOR REVIEW AND HOPEFULLY IMPLEMENTATION JUST LAST WEEK IN JULY EARLY JULY.
LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING HOW OFTEN ARE WE RESYNCHRONIZING THE LIGHTS IN THE AREA? SO IT'S SUPPOSED, IT'S REALLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EITHER THE DOT OR THE COUNTY, DEPENDING ON JURISDICTION.
BUT HOW OFTEN ARE THEY BEING SYNCHRONIZED? IT'S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN EVERY THREE YEARS.
EVERY THREE YEARS? THREE, IT'S SUPPOSED TO.
BUT THE CHALLENGE IS, SO THE CHALLENGE IS THAT, I THINK, YOU KNOW, THE REAL CHALLENGE IS THAT, OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO CROSS THE STREET, YOU NEED TO PUSH THE BUTTON.
AND WHEN YOU PUSH THE BUTTON, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HOW IT WORKS.
I'M JUST A LAYPERSON, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME TO TRIGGER THE LIGHT TO STOP.
AND THEN WHEN YOU TRIGGER THE LIGHT TO STOP, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT'S EASY.
WHEN YOU DO IT SO MANY TIMES, I WOULD IMAGINE THEY LOSE SYNCHRONIZATION.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, TO HELP MANAGE TRAFFIC FLOW, EITHER YOU HAVE PUBLIC SAFETY SPECIALISTS OR YOU HAVE THE POLICE OFFICERS OUT THERE WITH THE PICKLE MANNING THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS.
AND I WOULD IMAGINE THE MORE THAT THIS HAPPENS, AND IT NEEDS TO HAPPEN, THE LIGHTS GET OUT OF SYNCHRONIZATION.
AND PERHAPS, YOU KNOW, IS THERE...
IS THERE A WAY THAT WE COULD TRY TO, YOU KNOW, NOW THAT WE HAVE THIS OPTIMIZED SIGNAL TIMING PLAN TO MAKE SURE ON A REGULAR BASIS, HOW DO WE MAKE SURE ON A REGULAR BASIS THAT THE LIGHTS ARE INDEED STILL SYNCHRONIZED TO THAT TIMING PLAN? SURE.
SO IT'S ALWAYS GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICE TO EVERY SO OFTEN COLLECT DATA AND UPDATE SIGNAL TIMING PLANS SO THAT THEY REFLECT.
ACTUAL CONDITIONS IN THE FIELD AND AS YOU MENTIONED, MR. CHAIR, THERE ARE THINGS THAT CAN THROW THE COORDINATION, AS I SAY, OFF WHACK.
IT COULD BE A VARIETY OF THINGS.
SO IT'S JUST GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICE TO DO THAT.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT WE HAVE PURCHASED DEVICES THAT COLLECT THE DATA.
THESE ARE CAMERAS THAT COLLECT THE DATA.
THESE ARE THE DEVICES THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY USING IN NORTH BEACH, BUT THEY'RE PORTABLE.
SO ONCE WE'RE DONE WITH THIS PILOT PROGRAM IN NORTH BEACH, WE CAN THEN TAKE THOSE DEVICES AND INSTALL THEM AT OTHER INTERSECTIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
SO I GUESS MY QUESTION TO YOU, JOSE, TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF THE TRAFFIC THAT COMMISSIONER BHATT IS LEADING TO ADDRESS.
HOW OFTEN ARE WE GOING OUT THERE AND CHECKING, ARE THESE LIGHTS STILL SYNCHRONIZED THE WAY THAT THEY SHOULD BE? HOW OFTEN ARE WE POLICING THAT? SO MOST RECENTLY, IT'S BEEN LESS THAN THREE YEARS.
I WOULD SAY IT'S ABOUT TWO YEARS.
BUT I THINK WE NEED TO BE DOING THIS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY LIKE ON A MONTHLY BASIS, YOU KNOW, HIGH VOLUME INTERSECTIONS, HIGH VOLUME INTERSECTIONS AND CORRIDORS LIKE THIS AREA IN NORTH BEACH OR LIKE, YOU KNOW, MID-BEACH ON 41ST STREET, AREAS OF COLLINS AVENUE.
ON A REGULAR BASIS THAT SOMEHOW WE GO OUT THERE AND WE CHECK OKAY IS THIS STILL SYNCHRONIZED YES IT IS OKAY FINE IT'S NOT SYNCHRONIZED WE NEED TO REACH
[03:15:01]
OUT TO DLC WE NEED TO REACH OUT TO THE COUNTY UM BECAUSE THIS IS YOU KNOW IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THE PLAN I THINK THAT'S GREAT WE HAVE THIS UH TIMING PLAN BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE LIGHTS STAY ON THAT PLAN AND WE CAN'T WAIT THREE YEARS TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT THAT THEY'RE STILL ON IT SO WHAT'S THAT METHOD? LIKE HOW DO WE GO OUT THERE AND CHECK TO SEE WHETHER THE LIGHTS ARE STILL SYNCHRONIZED OR NOT? THAT COULD BE DONE THROUGH A VARIETY OF WAYS.WE HAVE A TRAFFIC ENGINEER, BUT IT'S ONLY ONE PERSON WHO CAN LOOK AT IF THERE'S A PROBLEM AREA IN THE CITY.
SHE GOES INTO THE COUNTY'S SIGNAL SYSTEM AND CHECKS IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT IS OFF.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT COULD THROW COORDINATION OFF, FOR EXAMPLE, ARE BROKEN DETECTION LOOPS.
THAT HAPPENS QUITE A BIT THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHENEVER THERE'S ROADWAY WORK, CONSTRUCTION, UTILITY.
OR CONSTRUCTION WORK LIKE WHAT YOU'RE HAVING IN TOWN CENTER.
AND, IN FACT, THERE WAS A BIG DISCUSSION ABOUT THIS AT THE COUNTY A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, I THINK INVOLVING MIAMI BEACH, BECAUSE OF THE TIME, THE AMOUNT OF CONSTRUCTION THAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE CITY, THE DETECTION LOOPS.
THE DETECTION LOOPS WERE BREAKING, AND THAT WAS AFFECTING THE LIGHTING, THE LIGHTS.
AND SO WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS IT TO REPLACE THOSE DETECTION LOOPS? WE IDENTIFY THEM.
IT'S THE COUNTY'S RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR THEM.
THERE'S QUITE A SIGNIFICANT BACKLOG OF DAMAGED OR MALFUNCTIONING DETECTION LOOPS.
IN OUR CITY? THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AND IN OUR CITY, YES.
THAT CURRENTLY ARE NOT WORKING? THAT ARE CURRENTLY NOT WORKING CORRECTLY.
OKAY, FOR OUR SEPTEMBER MEETING, I'D LIKE TO, AS PART OF THIS ITEM...
GET AN UPDATE ON THAT BECAUSE THAT IS CONCERNING BUT I THINK WE ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE LIKE IN AREAS WHERE WE KNOW WE HAVE HEAVY CONSTRUCTION WE'RE MONITORING THAT.
AND IF I CAN ADD ON THAT, IF THEY'RE BEING DAMAGED OR BROKEN IRREPARABLY BY CONSTRUCTION SHOULDN'T IT BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF WHOEVER'S DOING THE CONSTRUCTION.
SO THAT IF IT'S, YOU KNOW, AND IT'S NOT THE HOTEL.
I'M JUST SAYING, FOR EXAMPLE, IF THE GRAND HYATT HAD BROKEN SOME, WOULDN'T IT BE INCUMBENT ON THEM TO REPLACE IT, THEREBY CIRCUMNAVIGATING THE COUNTY BACKLOG? THAT'S CORRECT.
THERE ARE SO MANY ISSUES THAT I HEAR.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO GET THE GREEN BACKLIT SIGNS SAYING WHAT THE STREET NUMBERS ARE REPLACED BECAUSE THERE ARE PLENTY OF THEM ALL OVER THE CITY, BUT ESPECIALLY UP IN NORTH BEACH, THAT ARE COMPLETELY ILLEGIBLE.
AND WE KEEP HEARING THAT, WELL, THE COUNTY CAN'T DO IT BECAUSE THERE'S A BACKLOG.
AND SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ISSUE IS WITH THE COUNTY, BUT WE NEED TO FIND WAYS TO WORK AROUND THAT, WHETHER WE DO IT OURSELVES AND LIKE WITH THE LANDLORD WHERE YOU FIX THE FRIDGE IN YOUR APARTMENT AND YOU JUST WITHHOLD PART OF THE NEXT MONTH'S RENT TO COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION IS BUT WE CAN'T BE RELYING ON THE COUNTY IF THE COUNTY HAS THIS BACKLOG YEAH SO SO WHEN WE COME BACK IN SEPTEMBER IT'D BE GREAT JOSE IF YOU COULD KIND OF BRING US A LIST OF THOSE DETECTION LOOPS THAT THAT MIGHT BE DAMAGED LET ME ASK YOU THIS RECENTLY I'VE BEEN RECEIVING COMPLAINTS ABOUT 69TH STREET 69TH STREET THAT AREA YOU KNOW KIND OF BETWEEN FROM HARDING UH TO TO INDIAN CREEK AND I'VE EXPERIENCED THAT.
THAT TRAFFIC MYSELF, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE GOING SOUTHBOUND ON HARDING AND YOU'RE GOING SOUTHBOUND ON ABBOTT, AND IT ALL BECOMES A CLUSTER RIGHT THERE.
IN FACT, PEOPLE EVEN TRYING TO GO WESTBOUND ON THE EASTBOUND LANES.
IS IT FEASIBLE TO LOOK AT 69TH STREET WEST OF HARDING? AND MAYBE DURING CERTAIN TIMES OF THE DAY, IF NOT PERMANENTLY, AND MAKING IT A ONE-WAY WESTBOUND STREET TO PROVIDE MORE CAPACITY FOR THE CARS SO THAT THEY DON'T END UP BLOCKING THE INTERSECTIONS.
BECAUSE WHAT'S HAPPENING IS THAT THERE ARE SO MANY CARS THAT ARE DURING PEAK HOUR THAT THEN THE PEDESTRIANS AND THE BICYCLISTS FEEL UNSAFE BECAUSE THE CROSSWALKS ARE BEING BLOCKED AND THE INTERSECTIONS BEING BLOCKED.
THE TRAFFIC, THE VEHICULAR TRAFFIC BLOCKING THE INTERSECTION IS IMPEDING PEDESTRIANS AND BICYCLISTS TOO.
DO YOU THINK THAT THERE MIGHT BE ANY FEASIBILITY IN STUDYING MAKING 69TH STREET ONE-WAY DURING CERTAIN HOURS OF THE DAY? SURE, COMMISSIONER.
IT WILL TAKE A FEASIBILITY STUDY.
IT WILL TAKE A TRAFFIC STUDY TO LOOK AT A ONE-WAY CONVERSION OF 69TH STREET, WHICH IS CURRENTLY TWO WAYS.
JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT 69TH STREET, WE'RE PAINFULLY AWARE OF THE ISSUES THAT YOU MENTIONED, AND IT IS ONE OF THE CORRIDORS THAT'S COVERED UNDER THE CURRENT OPTIMIZATION PILOT,
[03:20:01]
INCLUDING THE INTERSECTION OF 69TH AND ABBOTT, 69TH AND INDIAN CREEK, AND 69TH AND COLLINS, AND 69TH AND HARDING.SO ALL FOUR INTERSECTIONS ARE COVERED, BUT AS A TWO-WAY STREET.
WHAT YOU'RE ALLUDING TO IS POTENTIALLY CONVERTING IT TO A ONE-WAY STREET THAT WOULD REQUIRE A TRAFFIC STUDY.
BUT THROUGH THE CHAIR, IF I MIGHT.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WORKING WITH UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN TO DO A SORT OF HOLISTIC REIMAGINING OF HOW ALL THOSE STREETS CONVERGE AND WHAT THE BEHAVIOR IS AND HOW WE CAN MAKE THEM MORE PASSABLE.
SO AS PART OF THAT, COULD WE NOT INCORPORATE INVESTIGATING THAT AS WELL? YES, COMMISSIONER.
SO ONCE WE GET THAT IRONED OUT, BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S AN FDOT GRANT TO COVER OR A FEDERAL GRANT ACTUALLY TO COVER THAT COST.
FROM UT AUSTIN, ONCE THEY COME ON BOARD, WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THAT IS COVERED AS PART OF THEIR SCOPE.
ANYTHING ELSE WITH THIS ITEM FOR TODAY? SHOULD WE CONTINUE THIS ITEM TO SEPTEMBER? DOES THE POLICE HAVE AN UPDATE ON ANYTHING AT THIS POINT, OR PARKING, OR IS IT JUST TRANSPORTATION? NO? OKAY.
NO POLICE, AND WILL IS GONE, I THINK, SO OKAY, I GUESS WE CAN CONTINUE FOR NOW.
ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE GROWTH HAPPENING, ALL THE GROWTH THAT WE DIDN'T APPROVE.
WELL, AND I WILL SAY IT'S NOT JUST FOR NORTH BEACH BECAUSE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, CIRCUMNAVIGATE THE WHOLE CITY GOING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH AND GET STUCK THERE.
AND SO IT BACKS UP TO ALTON, YOU KNOW, DOWN 63RD.
IT BACKS UP TO COLLINS AT 41ST.
SO IT'S A WHOLE DRAMA CITYWIDE.
LET'S PROCEED TO ITEM NUMBER 12.
[12. DISCUSS ENHANCING BEACHWALK LIGHTING SOUTH OF 5TH, PARTICULARLY NEAR THE SOUTH POINTE PIER EXTENDING WEST; ALSO, INTRODUCING WRAPPING TREES IN WHITE LIGHTS EAST OF SMITH AND WOLLENSKY.]
I'M SORRY.WERE THERE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON ITEM NUMBER 11? I SEE NONE IN PERSON, NONE IN ZOOM, SO WE'LL PROCEED TO ITEM NUMBER 12.
ITEM NUMBER 12 IS DISCUSS ENHANCING BEACHWALK LIGHTING SOUTH OF FITCH, PARTICULARLY NEAR SOUTH POINT PIER EXTENDING WEST.
ALSO INTRODUCING WRAPPING TREES AND WHITE LIGHTS EAST OF SMITH AND WALENSKY.
THIS ITEM WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER MATTEO SALINAS.
ALL RIGHT COMMISSIONER SALINAS THIS IS YOUR ITEM.
SO I DID A WALK THROUGH RECENTLY WITH SOME OF THE RESIDENTS SOUTH OF 5TH AND THEY YOU KNOW HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT THE SAFETY AND THE LACK OF LIGHTING IN SOUTH POINT PARK AND ALSO NEAR SMITH AND WALENSKY.
SO I PUT THIS ITEM ON THE AGENDA TO DISCUSS WHAT CAN WE DO TO IMPROVE THE LIGHTING IN THAT AREA.
AND I HAVE SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT SOME TREE RIGHT TREE LIGHTING TREE WRAPS AND ALSO SOME OF THE EXTENDING THE BOLLARD LIGHTING THAT IS ON THE BEACH WALK EXTENDING THAT WEST ON THE CUT WALK SO JOHN I'LL LET YOU TAKE IT AWAY AND EXPLAIN WHAT YOU HAVE FOUND AND WHAT YOU HAVE OKAY, WE WERE ABLE TO LOOK AT THE TREE WRAPS ALONG IT WE'RE BASICALLY THE OCEAN DRIVE CONTINUED ITSELF THROUGH INTO THE PARK.
SO IT'D BE THE NORTH-SOUTH CORRIDOR IT'S VERY WELL SHADED VERY BEAUTIFUL TO TREE WRAP THE CENTER OF THAT WALKWAY WOULD BE ABOUT $24,000.
SOLAR WOULDN'T WORK THERE, BUT THE GOOD THING IS THAT WE HAVE A POWER SOURCE IN SOME EXISTING LIGHTING, SO THAT BROUGHT DOWN THE COST.
NOW, AS FOR EXTENDING THE BOLLARDS, AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE RIGHT ON THE WATER.
THERE'S A LOT OF PERMITTING AND AGENCIES THAT HAVE TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS.
THAT WOULD BE A MORE IN-DEPTH PROCESS OF PERMITTING AND WHATNOT, AND EVEN THE TREE WRAPS WOULD HAVE TO ADHERE TO YOU WHATEVER THE TURTLE LIGHTING ORDINANCE WOULD BE IN THAT AREA.
SO THE TREE WRAPS ARE AFFECTED BY THE TURTLE LIGHTS? YES, WE TURN THEM OFF IN LOOMIS PARK DURING TURTLE SEASON.
HOW DO WE DO IT IN LOOMIS PARK? THEY'RE NOT ELECTRIFIED DURING THE TURTLE SEASON.
ADDING THE LIGHTING MAKES SENSE IT'S HAVING TO GO IN AND DO AN AUDIT ALMOST LIKE A STUDY I GUESS YOU HAVE SOMEONE A CONSULTANT COME IN I WE DON'T HAVE ONE ON BOARD BUT THERE ARE THERE ARE SEVERAL THAT THE CITY CITY HAS USED UM SO WE LIKE TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN WITH IN-HOUSE STAFF BEFORE OCCURRING THE COST OF OF DIFFERENT CONSULTANTS BUT WE WOULD NEED TO GET IT SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BRINGING IN A CONSULTANT TO DO TREE TREE WRAPS NO I'M SORRY THE MEMO HAD TALKED ABOUT BRINGING A CONSULTANT TO LOOK AT LIGHTING AS A WHOLE.
SINCE THEN, I'VE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH THE SPONSOR SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THE TREE WRAPS SINGLE PROJECT ITEM.
HOW MUCH DOES IT SO THE TREE WRAPS, EVEN THOUGH IT'S AFFECTED BY THE TURTLE ORDINANCE, WE'RE GOING TO BE PROCEEDING WITH THAT? I PROCEED WITH GETTING A COST FOR THAT.
I WILL BE WITH STAFF, THE REGULATORY AGENCIES.
IS THERE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO AMBER LIGHTING ON THE
[03:25:01]
ON THE TREE ON THE TREE WRAP SO THAT WE HAVE THE WRAPPING WE HAVE THE LIGHTING BUT IT'S YOU KNOW A DIFFERENT HUE OF LIGHT WE CAN LOOK INTO THAT TYPICALLY WE HAVE OUR CHIEF RESILIENCY OFFICER TYPICALLY THE TREE WRAPS THAT THE RESIDENTS LIKE ARE THE WARM WHITE THE COOL WHITE BUT WE COULD CERTAINLY LOOK AT AN AMBER YEAH SO SO WHAT WE LOOK FOR IS THAT THERE'S NO VISIBLE LIGHTING FROM THE BEACH THAT'S REALLY THE THE TRIGGER AND SO FROM THE BEACH.WE DON'T WANT TO SEE ANY VISIBLE LIGHTING.
SO WE CAN EVALUATE WITH THE PARKS DEPARTMENT ON THAT.
GENERALLY JUST THE WRAPPED LIGHTS, WE CAN'T MAKE THEM TURTLE FRIENDLY BECAUSE YOU'D HAVE TO LIKE PUT A LITTLE SHIELD ON EVERY SINGLE LIGHT IF THAT MAKES SENSE EVEN IF IT'S AMBER.
SO DURING TURTLE SEASON, WE DON'T DO THOSE IF IT'S VISIBLE FROM THE BEACH.
SO THAT'S OUR CUE, BUT WE'D BE HAPPY TO TAKE A LOOK.
WELL, I WANT TO JUST ADD REAL QUICKLY THAT SO THE TREE LIGHTS THAT ARE WRAPPED THAT WILL BE NEXT TO SMITH AND WALENSKY WOULDN'T BE VISIBLE FROM THE BEACH.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY DEFINITIVELY YES OR NO BECAUSE I'M NOT THE AGENCY, BUT I DO NOT BELIEVE THEY'LL BE.
AND WE'D HAVE TO SEE IT BECAUSE WE'D HAVE TO SEE WHAT IS BLOCKING IT FROM.
THEY'RE PRETTY STRICT SOMETIMES.
FROM WHAT I GATHER, THIS IS THE AREA WEST, JUST WEST OF SMITH AND WALENSKY.
JUST EAST OF SMITH AND WOLLENSKY.
SO JUST TO CLARIFY, EVEN THE AMBER LIGHTS ARE TOO ILLUMINATED? EVEN THE AMBER LIGHTS HAVE TO BE COVERED? IF THEY'RE STRING LIGHTS, YES.
THAT'S NOT ALLOWABLE BY OUR ORDINANCE, AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO SOMEHOW BE TURTLE-FRIENDLY.
BUT AGAIN, IT HAS TO BE VISIBLE FROM THE BEACH, AND WE CAN SUPPORT YOU AND TAKE A LOOK AT THAT.
YEAH, BECAUSE I WENT OUT THERE ALSO.
IN THE SAME AREA LOOKING AT DIFFERENT THINGS FOR THAT PARK AND IT SEEMED LIKE, AND CLEARLY I'M NOT THE EXPERT, BUT IT SEEMED LIKE THE VAST MAJORITY OF IT WAS NOT VISIBLE FROM THE BEACH, SO HOPEFULLY THAT'S WHAT YOU'LL FIND AS WELL.
IN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, I MENTIONED THE REGULATORY AGENCIES, BUT THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A PRICE.
IF ALL THINGS LINE UP, $24,000, YOU GET THAT CENTER PATH LIT UP, AND IT WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM WITH THE C-TRIPS.
COMMISSIONER MATTEO SALINAS, THIS IS YOUR ITEM.
YOU CAN GUIDE US IN THE DIRECTION WE'RE HEADED.
SO, JOHN, CAN WE BIFURCATE AND MOVE FORWARD THE $24,000 INTO, YOU KNOW, FULL? MOVE THAT TO THE COMMISSION SO THAT WAY WE CAN GET STARTED ON THE TREE LIGHTS WEST OF SMITH AND WALENSKY AND THEN BIFURCATE THE LIGHTING THAT WOULD GO EAST OF SMITH AND WALENSKY AND THEN BIFURCATE THE OTHER LIGHTING THAT WOULD GO CLOSER TO THE GROUND ON THE CUT WALK.
CAN WE BIFURCATE THOSE ITEMS AND PASS THE TREE LIGHTS? SO WE WOULD TAKE SOME OF THE COMMISSION, ACCEPT A RECOMMENDATION TO MOVE FORWARD, YOU KNOW, TO RECOMMEND FUNDING FOR THE TREE LIGHTS.
WE KEEPING THE OTHER STUFF ON THIS? ON A COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION OR FOR JUST STAFF TO FURTHER EXPLORE EXTENDING THE BOLLARD LIGHTING THAT'S CURRENTLY ON THE BEACHWALK DOWN THROUGH THE PARK? I'D LOVE FOR STAFF TO JUST FURTHER EXPLORE IT BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE THE LIGHTING, THE SMALL BOLLARD LIGHTINGS THAT ARE ALL ALONG THE BEACHWALK AND I JUST WANT TO EXTEND THAT TO, YOU KNOW, WEST NOW HEADING TOWARDS SMITH AND WALENSKY AND SEE WHAT THE PRICE WOULD BE TO DO THAT.
SPECIFICALLY WHERE YOU WANT PEOPLE WALK THE PARK IF YOU LIKE BUT I'M HAPPY TO SECOND YOUR MOTION BIFURCATING THE LIKES EAST OF SMITH AND WALISKY AND SENDING THAT TO COMMISSION PERHAPS SAY WE CAN FIND FUNDING IN THE CURRENT THE CURRENT YEAR BUDGET FOR THEM.
[13. DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTION ON THE DYING TREE POPULATION IN NORTH BEACH OCEANSIDE PARK]
CAN WE SHOW THAT ADOPTED BY A COMMISSION? YEAH, OKAY GREAT AND SEE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM I KNOW ON A ZOOM AND NO ONE IN PERSON SO WE CAN MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 13.ITEM NUMBER 13 IS DISCUSS AND TAKE ACTION ON THE DYING TREE POPULATION IN NORTH BEACH OCEANSIDE PARK.
THIS ITEM IS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER BHATT.
SO THIS IS A LONG STANDING ITEM.
THERE'S SLIGHTLY LESS GOOD NEWS, BUT OVERALL IT'S BETTER THAN WE HAD ANTICIPATED, WHICH IS HAPPY MAKING.
THERE HAD BEEN A REFORESTATION EFFORT.
AND THERE IS ONE ONGOING AND WE'VE LEARNED A LOT, WE'VE TESTED A FEW THINGS, AND I THINK WE HAVE A DIRECTION IN WHICH WE CAN PROCEED.
SO WITH THAT, LINDSAY, I'LL LET YOU DO ALL THE HEAVY LIFTING.
GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS LINDSAY PRECHT, DEPUTY RESILIENCE OFFICER AND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY.
YOU TEED THAT UP PERFECTLY, SO I CAN KEEP THIS UPDATE BRIEF IF YOU'D LIKE.
SO OUR SURVIVORSHIP PERCENTAGE HAS DECREASED A BIT SINCE THE LAST UPDATE.
WE'RE AT ABOUT 65% SURVIVORSHIP.
HOWEVER, WHAT WE'VE DONE NOW IS WE ARE CONSIDERING SOME OF THOSE QUOTE-UNQUOTE DEAD TREES AS WHAT WE'D LIKE TO CALL ECOLOGICAL CULLS.
SO WE'RE CULLING THE TREES AND
[03:30:01]
SHAPING THEM IN DIFFERENT WAYS BECAUSE THEY STILL PROVIDE ENVIRONMENTAL VALUE, ROOT STABILITY, AND HABITAT.SO INSTEAD OF REMOVING CERTAIN TREES, WE ARE KEEPING THEM WITHIN THE DUNE SYSTEM.
WE WERE ALSO TASKED BY THIS COMMITTEE TO TEST FIVE DIFFERENT TREE SPECIES.
BECAUSE WE ALREADY KNOW THAT SILVER BUTTONWOODS AND SEA GRAPES DO VERY WELL AND SO WE WANTED TO TEST FIVE DIFFERENT SPECIES TO SEE HOW THEY WOULD DO SO BACK IN THE FALL WE PLANTED BAY CEDAR, JAMAICAN DOGWOOD, FALSE MASTIC, SPANISH STOPPER AND WHITE STOPPER BAY CEDAR AND JAMAICAN DOGWOOD WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR PLANTING SO FAR.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE FALSE MASTIC WENT COMPLETELY BARE IN WINTER, BUT HAS SHOWN THE REGROWTH POTENTIAL UNFORTUNATELY BOTH OF THE STOPPER SPECIES ARE STRUGGLING SO WE WOULDN'T RECOMMEND THOSE IN FUTURE PLANTINGS BUT WE HAVE LEARNED A LOT AS YOU MENTIONED COMMISSIONER SO MOVING FORWARD 81% OF OUR TREE PLANTING EFFORTS WILL INCLUDE SILVER BUTTONWOOD AND SEA GRAPE SPECIES ALONG THE BEACH WALK IN PARTICULAR BECAUSE OF THE HARSH ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS.
IN DECEMBER OF 2025 WE DID PLANT 45 ADDITIONAL TREES ALONG THIS CORRIDOR.
ALL EXCEPT TWO ARE DOING VERY WELL, AND THOSE TWO WERE ACTUALLY AS A RESULT OF VANDALISM, SO IT WASN'T ANY SORT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION.
SO PLEASE REPORT THAT, AND MORE WILL BE COMING SOON.
THERE IS AN ITEM ON NEXT WEEK'S COMMISSION AS A REGULAR PROCUREMENT ITEM TO PLANT ADDITIONAL TREES IN THIS CORRIDOR ALONG THE BEACHWALK.
AM I COMPLETELY MAKING THIS UP? DID WE TALK AT ONE POINT ABOUT EXTENDING THE WARRANTY TO TWO YEARS? AND IF WE DID, WHERE ARE WE ON THAT? THAT IS CORRECT, AND THAT WILL BE INCLUDED AS PART OF THAT PROCUREMENT ITEM.
THERE IS AN OPTION TO EXTEND TO THAT TWO-YEAR WARRANTY PERIOD JUST TO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF THAT WIGGLE ROOM TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE REPLACED UNDER THOSE CONTRACTS.
AND I THINK THAT THAT SHOULD BECOME THE STANDARD.
WITH ALL OF OUR YOU KNOW CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AND WITH ALL OF OUR GENERAL PROCUREMENT OF LANDSCAPING A TWO-YEAR TWO-YEAR WARRANTY
[16. DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE ALLEY LOCATED WEST OF THE WEST LOTS INTO A BICYCLE BOULEVARD.]
ON THIS ANYTHING ELSE WITH THIS ITEM ALL RIGHT GREAT, THANK YOU.THANK YOU SHOW THIS ITEM CLOSE YEP ALL RIGHT AND WITH THAT WE HAVE ITEM NUMBER 16 ITEM NUMBER 16 IS DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL TRANSFORMATION OF THE ALLEYS LOCATED WEST OF THE WEST LOTS INTO A BICYCLE BOULEVARD.
THIS ITEM WAS SPONSORED BY COMMISSIONER BHATT.
SO I DO WANT TO HEAR THIS ITEM.
I WANT TO SAY, THOUGH, HOWEVER, I THINK THE PRUDENT WAY TO PROCEED GOING FORWARD IS TO FOLD THIS INTO THE REIMAGINING OF THE WEST LOTS INTO A FULL-BLOWN PARK, WHERE PART OF THE SCOPE WOULD BE TO IMPROVE.
MICRO MOBILITY AND YOU KNOW ALTERNATE ACCESS BUT THAT THAT ONE MIGHT TAKE LESS TIME THAN THE OTHER I WOULD JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER WE DO FOR THE ALLEY DOES NOT BECOME SOMETHING THAT CAN'T BE REUSED AS WE REIMAGINE THE PARK.
WE CAN DISCUSS IT ON THE OTHER SIDE.
ALL RIGHT OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN JOSE GONZALEZ TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR JUST BY WAY OF VERY BRIEF BACKGROUND, COLLINS COURT IS AN ALLEYWAY BETWEEN COLLINS AVENUE AND HARDING AVENUE.
IT EXTENDS FROM 73RD STREET TO 87TH STREET, SO ABOUT A MILE, IF NOT MORE, LONG.
IT SERVES AS THE BACK OF HOUSE, LIKE MANY ALLEYS, THE BACK OF HOUSE OPERATIONS FOR BUSINESSES.
IT ALSO SERVES PRIVATE PARKING FOR COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS IN THE AREA.
AND IT HAS GOOD EAST-WEST CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN COLLINS AND HARDING AT ALL THE CROSS STREETS.
SO IT REALLY MAKES IT A VERY GOOD CANDIDATE FOR A BICYCLE BOULEVARD, GIVEN THAT THERE ARE NO BICYCLE FACILITIES ALONG COLLINS AVENUE OR HARDING AVENUE.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY IN SUPPORT OF THIS ITEM, COMMISSIONER, AND WHAT WE RECOMMENDED WAS SOME SORT OF ANALYSIS THAT WOULD LOOK AT THE VIABILITY.
LIKE WHAT WOULD IT TAKE TO CHANGE COLLINS COURT SO IT COULD BE SAFE FOR MICRO MOBILITY AND BICYCLE USERS? AND THEN JUST BECAUSE OF THE SCOPE, THE SCALE OF THIS ALLEYWAY, WE WERE ESTIMATING THAT A FEASIBILITY COST WOULD BE IN THE REALM OF APPROXIMATELY $80,000 TO $90,000.
WE'VE APPLIED FOR A PERMIT UNDER THE TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION.
IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE WE WEREN'T SELECTED UNDER THE PROGRAM
[03:35:01]
UNDER WHICH WE APPLIED, BUT WE WERE SELECTED UNDER ANOTHER PROGRAM, WHICH IS MORE, THEY CONSIDER IT MORE APPROPRIATE FOR BICYCLE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY PROJECTS.AND THE MONIES WILL BECOME AVAILABLE ON JULY 1ST OF 2027.
WE'RE TRYING TO SEE IF WE CAN EVEN INCREASE OUR ASK AND MAYBE INCREASE THE SCOPE TO INCLUDE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, IDEALLY.
WE'RE NOT SURE IF THAT'S POSSIBLE YET.
AND WHAT IS THE AMOUNT THAT HAS BEEN GRANTED? $86,500 SO FAR.
BUT THAT'S JUST FOR FEASIBILITY? FOR FEASIBILITY.
AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO DO A FEASIBILITY STUDY? SHOULDN'T BE TOO LONG.
BUT THEN WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL JULY AT LEAST TO GET STARTED.
AND THEN ONCE YOU GET THAT FEASIBILITY STUDY, WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS? WELL, THE FEASIBILITY STUDY WOULD INCLUDE CONCEPTS AS WELL.
SO WE WOULD ALREADY START DESIGNING THIS ALLEYWAY IN TERMS OF WHAT IT SHOULD LOOK LIKE, WHAT CHANGES WOULD NEED TO OCCUR.
THE FEASIBILITY STUDY WOULD BE COMPREHENSIVE.
IT WOULD LOOK AT LIGHTING, DRAINAGE, ACCESS MANAGEMENT, ALL SORTS OF ASPECTS.
I'M GOING TO DEFER TO THE SPONSOR.
I DON'T SEE LIKE WHY WE CAN'T START WORKING ON THIS LOWERING THE SPEED OF THE ALLEYWAY I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S THE SPEED OF THE ALLEYWAY NOW IF THERE IS A SPEED BUT FINDING WAYS WHETHER YOU KNOW TO LOWER THE SPEED OR PUT WAYS TO LOWER THE SPEED THERE NOW REPAVE THE WORD PLACE MIRRORS AND MARKINGS AT THE INTERSECTIONS AND BRANDING IT FOR FOR YOU KNOW BICYCLISTS AND MICRO MOBILITY.
YOU'RE SAYING WITHOUT THE PEACEFUL STAGES, MAKE THIS IMPROVEMENT? LIKE, IT'S LIKE THIS MS. YEAH.
IT'S LIKE EVERYTHING WITH GOVERNMENT IS STUDY AFTER STUDY AFTER STUDY.
AND IT'S LIKE, I THINK WHEN WE GO THERE AND YOU SEE IT'S LIKE COMMON SENSE, LIKE IT MAKES SENSE.
THE BICYCLISTS SHOULD BE USING THIS AS OPPOSED TO BEING WITH THOUSANDS OF CARS, YOU KNOW, GOING AT HIGH SPEED ON COLLINS AVENUE.
WE JUST NEED TO MAKE THE AREA MORE CONDUCIVE.
AND I HAVE A FEELING LIKE IF WE ALL GET TOGETHER, LIKE WE KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO THE ALLEYWAY RATHER THAN SPENDING, YOU KNOW, I'M GOING TO DEFER TO YOUR LEADERSHIP ON THIS.
BUT I THINK WE KIND OF KNOW PROBABLY WHAT THE STUDY IS GOING TO TELL US.
SO HOPEFULLY, IN NEXT WEEK'S MEETING, THE MAYOR WILL CALL AN ITEM THAT'S BEEN ON THE AGENDA.
THIS WILL BE THE THIRD MONTH TO APPROVE SAVINO MILLER AS THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT WHO WILL START THE PROCESS OF IMAGINING WHAT THE WEST LOTS COULD BE AS A PARK.
THAT IS GOING TO BE A TIME-CONSUMING PROJECT, EVEN IF WE GET THE GREEN LIGHT NEXT WEEK.
I THINK IT WILL PROBABLY DOVETAIL A LITTLE BIT.
I DO LIKE THIS IDEA OF LET'S AT LEAST GET, YOU KNOW, LET'S GET MIRRORS IN THERE AND SIGNAGE BECAUSE THAT'S INEXPENSIVE.
I WAS JUST UP THERE LOOKING AT SOME PARKING ISSUES.
I'M NOT EVEN SURE THAT WE NEED TO REPAVE AT THIS POINT, BUT IF WE CAN AT LEAST MAKE IT, YOU KNOW, PUT...
OKAY, SO LET'S MAYBE TAKE A QUICK LOOK UP THERE AND SEE WHAT WE CAN DO IN-HOUSE WITH OUR SORT OF REPAIRING TOOLS THAT ARE IN OUR TOOLKIT AND BUYING A HANDFUL OF MIRRORS AND GETTING THOSE...
INSTALLED AS WE GO DOWN THE PATH AT THE INTERSECTIONS.
YEAH, AND TAKING THE PATHS OF THE SIGNS THAT WE'VE USED ON THE BEACH WALK AND PUTTING THAT UP THERE AS WELL TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING LEFT AND RIGHT.
AND WE CAN HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT.
AT THE SAME TIME, GOING FORWARD WITH THE FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE BICYCLE BOULEVARD IN CONJUNCTION WITH WHAT SAVINO MILLER WILL LOOK AT HOLISTICALLY WITH THE PARK.
I THINK THAT IT HAS TO BE ONE BIG.
BUT I DO LIKE THIS IDEA OF DOING SOME SHORT FIXES.
YEAH, THAT WON'T BE EXPENSIVE AND WILL, YOU KNOW, WILL MAKE IT MUCH MORE USEFUL.
IT'S KIND OF LIKE WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH ALTON COURT.
YOU KNOW, WITH ALTON COURT, WE PUT ASIDE FUNDING TO REPAVE ALTON COURT.
AND MATTHEW, YOU WERE A PART OF THAT DISCUSSION, YOU KNOW, TO REPAVE ALTON COURT AND SEEING HOW CAN WE MAKE THE INTERSECTION SAFER, WHICH I HOPE ARE WE DOING.
I DON'T WANT TO MIX ONE TOPIC WITH THE OTHER, BUT IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE SAME IDEA.
THE INFRASTRUCTURE IS THERE, AT LEAST LOW-HANGING FRUIT THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE IT SAFE.
SO WE WILL, I MEAN, WE'RE OVERDUE FOR A MICROMOBILITY TASK FORCE MEETING ANYHOW, SO LET'S TRY AND GET ONE IN BEFORE THE END OF THE MONTH, BEFORE PEOPLE GO ON VACATION, AND LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO AND HOW WE CAN GET IT DONE SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE SHORT-TERM IMPROVEMENTS OF THE COURT? DOES THAT EVEN NEED TO HAPPEN LEGISLATIVELY OR CAN WE JUST DO IT THROUGH ADMINISTRATION? DEPENDS HOW MUCH IT COSTS, I GUESS.
[03:40:01]
DEPARTMENTS TO DO THIS IN-HOUSE REVIEW BECAUSE IT WOULD NEED TO BE A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW THAT WOULD LOOK AT DRAINAGE LIGHTING, CONFLICT POINTS, THE CONDITION OF THE PAVEMENT.RIGHT, BUT CAN WE PULL THAT TOGETHER AS SORT OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE...
TASK FORCE OR DO WE NEED IT TO BE CONVENED LEGISLATIVELY? I THINK WE NEED TO JUST DO IT AS A TASK FORCE, RIGHT? I'M HAPPY TO MAKE A MOTION SUPPORTING THE CONCEPT OF DOING THESE SHORT-TERM IMPROVEMENTS, DELEGATING TO YOU, COMMISSIONER BOB, FOR YOU TO, THIS IS YOUR ITEM, YOU KNOW, TO WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATION ON THIS.
AND IN THE EVENT THAT YOU NEED TO TAKE THIS TO COMMISSION, BECAUSE IT RISES TO THAT THRESHOLD, I, YOU KNOW, I...
I'M HAPPY FOR THE COMMITTEE TO GIVE YOU A MOTION SUPPORTING THIS CONCEPT.
BECAUSE I DO THINK THESE ARE LOW-HANGING FRUITS, IMPROVEMENTS THAT WE CAN DO TO MAKE THINGS SAFER SO THAT PEOPLE DON'T RELY ON GOING ON COLLINS AVENUE AND BEING WITH THE TRAFFIC THERE, AND ALSO JUST HELP BEAUTIFY THE AREA A LITTLE BIT MORE.
I'M HAPPY TO MAKE THAT MOTION.
AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK.
MATTHEW? WELCOME, YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES TO SPEAK.
MY NAME IS MATTHEW GOLTANOV, AND WHILE I UNDERSTAND THE INTENT BEHIND USING ALLEYS AS BICYCLE VALVES, GENERALLY I'M OPPOSED TO THE IDEA BECAUSE THE GREATEST DANGER IS NOT RIDING WITHIN THE ALLEY, IT'S CROSSING THE STREET AT EVERY BLOCK.
ALLEYS OFTEN HAVE LIMITED VISIBILITY BECAUSE OF BUILDINGS, FENCES, PARKED CARS, AND TRUCKS, DUMPSTERS, AND SERVICE VEHICLES.
THE CYCLIST CAN EMERGE FROM THE ROADWAY FROM A LOCATION WHERE DRIVERS ARE NOT EXPECTING A BICYCLE CROSSING.
IN A GRID SYSTEM, THAT CONFLICT IS REPEATED BLOCK AFTER BLOCK.
OTHER CITIES HAVE RAISED THE SAME CONCERNS.
WEST HOLLYWOOD STUDIED ALLEY BIKEWAYS AND ULTIMATELY FOUND THAT BLIND CROSSINGS, TURNING VEHICLES, POOR VISIBILITY, SERVICE ACTIVITY MADE THE CONCEPT UNSAFE AND IMPRACTICAL.
THEIR STAFF CONCLUDED THAT MAKING CROSSINGS SAFER WOULD REQUIRE MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS SUCH AS PARKING REMOVAL.
RAISED INTERSECTIONS, CURB EXTENSIONS, HIGH VISIBILITY MARKINGS, LIGHTINGS, AND PARKING REMOVAL.
HAGERSTOWN, MARYLAND ALSO DOCUMENTED PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLE CRASHES NEAR ALLEY CROSSINGS AND RECOMMENDED SIMILAR COSTLY UPGRADES FOR THE PLAN TO BE SAFE AND FEASIBLE.
BEFORE MIAMI BEACH MOVES FORWARD, THE CITY SHOULD FULLY STUDY EVERY PROPOSED CROSSING, INCLUDING SITE DISTANCES, VEHICLE SPEED, SERVICE ACTIVITY, LIGHTING, AND THE COST OF PROPER SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS.
THE PAINTED SYMBOL OR BICYCLE ROUTE SIGN IS NOT ENOUGH.
I URGE THE COMMITTEE TO PRIORITIZE PROTECTED BICYCLE FACILITIES AND TRAFFIC CALM NEIGHBORHOOD STREETS INSTEAD OF DIRECTING CYCLISTS INTO A SERIES OF POTENTIALLY UNSAFE MID-BLOCK CROSSINGS.
ANY OTHER MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO SPEAK ON THIS ITEM? SEEING NO ONE ON ZOOM AND NO ONE IN PERSON.
YOU CAN CLOSE THE PUBLIC COMMENT AND WE CAN SHOW THIS ITEM ADOPTED BY COMMISSION.
DO YOU WANT TO BRING THIS THE THE OTHER PART OF THIS ITEM BACK TO COMMITTEE OR YOU WANT TO SHOW THIS ITEM CLOSED? I GUESS WHY DON'T WE COME BACK WHEN YOU KNOW IF YOU'VE GOT MORE FUNDING FOR THE FOR THE GRANT.
NO, YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO ASK IF WE CAN GET ADDITIONAL FUNDS.
[FUTURE ITEMS]
OH, ADDITIONAL FUNDS.YEAH, AND MAYBE GIVE US AN UPDATE WHENEVER THAT IS.
BY WHEN WOULD YOU ANTICIPATE IT? I THINK BY SEPTEMBER.
OKAY, SO WE'LL TRY TO GET THIS ON THE SEPTEMBER AGENDA.
AND SINCE WE'RE ALL TOGETHER, ARE THERE ANY ITEMS THAT U.S.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE DO GET PLACED ON THE SEPTEMBER AGENDA? AND AS YOU'LL SEE, I TRIED TO, YOU KNOW, NOT PUT MORE THAN A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF ITEMS BECAUSE I DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC TO THINK.
THEN AN ITEM IS GOING TO BE HEARD AND YET WE CAN'T REACH IT.
BUT IF THERE'S ANYTHING IN SPECIFIC THAT YOU WANT TO PRIORITIZE TO MAKE SURE IT MAKES IT ON THE NEXT AGENDA.
COMMISSIONER MATTEO-SALINAS WANTS ITEM NUMBER 18 PLACED ON THE AGENDA.
CAN I GET BACK TO YOU? YEAH, THAT'S FINE.
IF WE COULD JUST LET STEPHANIE KNOW.
SO THAT I CAN PRIORITIZE THE ITEM.
I THINK GENERALLY TODAY WE WERE ABLE TO GET THROUGH 15 ITEMS. SO GENERALLY WE GET THROUGH ABOUT 12 TO 15 ITEMS. SO I TRY TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
YOU KNOW, TIMES WHEN ITEMS ARE IN PLACE ON THE AGENDA IS BECAUSE OF THAT.
BUT, YES, JUST TRY TO GET TO STEPHANIE.
[03:45:01]
WHAT DO YOU LIKE FOR SEPTEMBER? I WOULD LIKE TO SAY, NUMBER 58.COMMISSIONER MATTEO-SALINAS, ONE SITE ON NUMBER 58 ON THE AGENDA. AND ITEM NUMBER NUMBER 26, AND THEN I'LL GET BACK TO YOU. ITEM NUMBER 26, OKAY ALL RIGHT, ANY OTHER ITEMS THAT YOU WANT TO PRIORITIZE, FEEL FREE TO JUST, WITH STEPHANIE, IT'S ALL OF OUR COMMITTEE, SO FOR AS LONG AS WE HAVE THE COMMITTEES, I'M HAPPY TO PRIORITIZE YOUR ITEMS. ALL RIGHT, GUYS.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED.
HAVE A GOOD DAY.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.