2014-1016 Regular City Commission Meeting

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Summare Minutes: Regular City Commission Meeting October 16, 2014 City of Sunm. Isles Beach, Florida Attorney Coviello noted that the project complies with all aspects of the City's Zoning Code, they are not seeking any variances, they are in agreement with all findings and conditions in the Staff Report. They have met with their neighbors both north and south, and both meetings were very, positive. If the project is approved, the City will receive close to S 1 3 Million in addition to permit fees and impact fees. S6.1 Million for TDRs, S5.7 Million for the FAR bonuses. and $1 Million for the design flexibility. Bernardo Fort- Brescia, Architect. Arquitectonica, noted that he has only done one project here which is Regalia that just opened. He presented renderings of the project which is a site comprised of two properties that are combined to create a more important and impressive project for the City. It will be a more attractive more square proportioned than it would have been if there would have been two individual projects that would have been skinny and perpendicular to the waterfront. The site plan shows that the project is very tropical and organic, it is a project that almost creates a topography that appears to be natural with a series of very, soft lines beginning with the approach into the site that glides to an elevation to arrive at a monumental porte - cochere surrounded by greenery. On the water side the tower develops into a series of gardens that go down to the beach, and the parking garage is hidden. He noted that everything he is showing tonight is as of right in accordance with the Code. Mayor Edelcup opened the public hearing. Keith Oliver of Tropicana Condominium said this is a beautiful project and location but as a Tropicana resident they have endured the construction over seven (7) years, and now we are a month into the demolition of the project. They understand it has to be taken down piece by piece because of the tension on the rebar and it takes time. Right now they are working about eight (8) hours a day, from 8:00 a.m. and he asked what the timeline is for the completion of the demolition. Attorney Coviello said it is in their best interest to get this done as quickly as possible and hope to have it done by December. Having no other speakers, Mayor Edelcup closed the public hearing. Commissioner Levin said in the application they mentioned approval of modification of the existing medians to accommodate a southbound left turn lane and she asked ifhe would report on that. Civil Engineer Rudy Vargas said they have a proposed modification to the median on the southbound direction to create a left turn entrance into the project which is necessary for the proper ingress and egress. It is in compliance with the requirements of FDOT who will have to review and approve the application for the modification for the left turn signal. They have done a study and analysis based on the traffic generation for the project. Traffic Engineer Juan Espinosa said if a left turn is not here into the project the next opportunity to make a left turn is all the way back to Haulover Park. Mayor Edelcup said he thinks he saw one TvIedjool Palm Tree there, and so we will lose the one tree. Commissioner Scholl said since this is Election season he has been hearing a lot from residents about new construction and new buildings and what he explains to the residents is that our developers have rights when they buy a piece of land and they have a right to build a building, and he is usually tough on variances. He can honestly say that this is when a developer does things properly, they have two lots there and so they can build two buildings. Truthfully they might have a better economic outcome if they built two buildings but what they did was to combine the lots and they have a beautiful structure, a very organic looking building with no variances. They have got their ingress and egress lined up to a traffic light R