2014-1218 Regular City Commission Meeting

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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting December 18,2014 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida Commissioner Levin said her proposal is to ask the City Manager to look into a Bike-Sharing Program. She would like to see if it would work, and she would love to see a station for Broward B-Cycle and for Deco Bikes at Heritage Park,to make that connection from Miami- Dade to Broward County. It would be up to the Commission to decide how many stations we have and where we can have them throughout the City and get involved in participating in something like this for the future. It wouldn't happen overnight,and she is sure that the City of Miami spent a long time putting together their program. She would hate to say that Sunny Isles Beach doesn't do it because they don't want to without actually looking at the data and coming up with a feasibility study to see if it would work. Commissioner Goldman said she doesn't know if this is a little of the cart before the horse, from a liability or risk management standpoint. The streets are somewhat dangerous and we don't have control over Collins Avenue,our main thoroughfare,and how the roads are cut up and where these routes will be established and whether there would be any liability to the City. We all know how dangerous the roads are and how hazardous our conditions are, whether or not this is timely or if more feasibility needs to be established into the routes. Everybody would love a bicycle route but where are they, how do they exist, and what kind of risk management exists? Commissioner Levin said she understands all of that,that would be part of the program,and North Bay Road is set up for bicyclists. Commissioner Goldman asked how many people really use bicycles in Sunny Isles Beach, and Commissioner Levin said she doesn't know,the condos do not have a place to store a bicycle, and if they do it is outside and the salt air gets to them. Commissioner Goldman asked if the City sponsors it,is that an endorsement of some sort or does the responsibility go to the City? Mayor Scholl said that would have to be figured out by the staff. Vice Mayor Aelion said Collins Avenue is a State Road and we are not permitted to such sharing use,is that correct? City Manager Russo said it is permitted wherever they designate it, and frankly, when you get somewhat south of the City, he is not sure where that is. He rides his bike to Hollywood and back on Collins Avenue, and after he crosses Lehman Causeway it diverts us into a lane of traffic and then he does not know for sure how they are designating it from that point. He asked Cultural and Community Services Director Susan Simpson if she has been more involved with where that designation is,and she said she heard it goes interior,Golden Shores,and then North Bay Road. City Manager Russo said what we are talking about is to see if we can get that validated somehow to at least get the bicycle route to Publix and get it on North Bay Road all the way down to 174th Street but he doesn't think we have anything officially designated. Vice Mayor Aelion said when you come off from Lehman Causeway into Golden Shores,you still have to go on Collins Avenue and cut in and then go to the sidewalk. City Manager Russo said when you come off the Causeway you are on that side of the street, you follow literally the bike route from Hallandale into Sunny Isles Beach, you are left right in the middle of Collins Avenue. Commissioner Gatto said she is a fan of bike riding because she lived in a City where there was nothing but bike riding for many years but thinking about our situation,you mentioned about going to the mall. Is that for pleasure or getting cars off the road, meaning in lieu of shopping, getting into your car and doing shopping because she thinks it would be hard for people to do errands in place of cars. She also thinks it is very hot outside and so you would have to wear special clothing to do this. If you are thinking about doing shopping, not 22