2014-1120 Regular City Commission Meeting

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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting November 20.2014 City of Sunny Isles Beach.Florida Commissioner Gatto said she is concerned about the height, and she is concerned about the mixed use condo hotel. Vice Mayor Aelion said as of right has been presented here and it is very welcomed that green space is being thought of as an alternative. However, with all that is being said here and this elegant building, and the idea of having a green center also it is very unique and inviting. It has its own merit for its architecture and attractiveness both as a landmark and an entrance or exit to the City. Taking into account that the immediate community have been approached and they have no problems with it. Today it is a parking lot that sits over 100 cars for the Newport. The increase of the residential/hotel use will inevitably include the traffic in the area and he is tempted to see this as an impediment based on the prior presentation where the two of you presented the site plan. Commissioner Scholl said that Dr. Cornfeld has been a friend to this community like none other, he donated half the money for the Pier, he wrote a check for over 52 Million and we have a Pier today because of Dr. Comfeld. He met with Dr. Comfeld today and he told him that this is unfortunately one that he cannot support because he is coming off from a campaign where we just said that we are going to limit west side development. Kobi Karp is the most articulate Architect in Miami and Kobi and I have battled over these things before and we will battle over them again in the future. But unfortunately, he believes our issue is with our west side Comp Plan, and our west side Comp Plan is probably too liberal in height and it is something that we are going to have to deal with in the future but he thinks we have to hold the line on heights under any circumstances. He has confidence even without the amenities they are offering that they will come back with something that is commercially acceptable and appealable within the confines of our Plan and be within the height requirement. Commissioner Levin said she appreciates all that Dr. Cornfeld has done for the City and she loves the project, she likes the atrium, she likes the park, she thinks it is beautiful but she also has an issue with the height and the variance for the height. While we were talking about the as built here, the part in the front, if we have the park here it is not gated, and we have issues of homelessness. Kobi Karp said we could gate it, we can secure it, he will talk to Dr. Comfeld and see what his thoughts are because to give up the park is just too bad and if we can find a happy medium and keep the park and maybe get rid of the hotel function, maybe that is something that he could discuss with Dr. Comfeld as well. Commissioner Scholl asked if that would lower the building, and Kobi Karp said it wouldn't make it as of right but it would make it 230 feet instead of 270 feet. Dr. Comfeld said we are only asking for five(5) or six(6)stories and in return for that we are giving the park. \Vhat Kobi is asking for is to go from 15 stories as of right to 21 stories, and the trade-off is a park there forever. He asked what the big deal is about height,you don't want to be a concrete jungle, that is what height is all about, and this project is opposite of being a concrete jungle. To the south of us is nobody, it is just an overpass, and to the north of us it is just a 2-story shopping mall,and to the east of us is the Plaza of Americas and they are very low also. Mayor Edelcup said unfortunately people have made the assumption that the word variance is a bad word, everyone is associating it. It would have been so much better if that word had been changed to an enhancement or betterment because everyone in their right minds would recognize that a park is better than not having a park and taking the 50 feet in the front and putting it on the back really doesn't change the complexion of that area. Unfortunately we 19