2015-0115 Regular City Commission Meeting

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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 15,2015 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida Mr. Trattner said thanks to the Sunny Isles Beach School, the demographics of Golden Shores is now younger than it has been in the past 20 years. We are also neighborhood walkers and without sidewalks our school-aged children and senior citizens have no choice but to walk through the middle of the streets day and night. They are at a constant risk of a steady stream of inconsiderate drivers who do not live in Golden Shores. Pedestrians are already endangered by the abundance of vehicles solicited by Navarro's and the surrounding construction sites. If you permit an opening at 185th Street for Publix traffic and the pull of thousands of cars that would emulate from new condominiums, you would effectively be increasing the traffic for their neighborhood by at least 500%. Not only would it increase the number of cars attempting to enter and exit at 185th Street but it would also bring in traffic at 189th and 186th Streets from Collins Avenue for drivers that wish to bypass the congestion on Collins Avenue to get to Publix,to their new condominium or to the school. Mr. Trattner said that the Commission has expressed in the past, interest in opening up access to 185th Street in order to create an emergency corridor. They have no desire to inhibit this goal provided that it is limited to only one lane and for emergencies and emergency vehicles only. This is also an opportunity to provide the added element of safety for pedestrian friendly walkway or greenway, especially benefiting school children that can avoid Collins Avenue to and from school. However,trading rights to developers for building greater density and higher floors in order for the City to gain a runway through private property will clearly compound the risk of peril for the existing residents and it would be a grave mistake. Mr.Trattner said although all the condominiums along the east side of Collins Avenue have had to accommodate ingress and egress from Collins Avenue,the properties south of 185th Street already has both Collins Avenue and 183rd Street with multiple options for ingress and egress. If the high density buildings on the east side of Collins Avenue can fully accommodate its residents with one access point, surely the low density properties, potentially built but south of 185th Street should be able to accommodate its residents and shoppers with the multiple access points that already exists,and should not need to encroach on their neighborhood through 185th Street. We are urging you not to sacrifice the rights and the life styles of the residents of Golden Shores in favor of your own agenda or of those of the developers who frankly could care less about the sanctity of their neighborhood which they worked so hard to create and safeguard in an otherwise bustling City. Juan Cruz said in conclusion that he hopes that they have illustrated that the Golden Shores neighborhood is not up to the beautification standards expected in Sunny Isles Beach, especially the landscaping and pedestrian lighting. Their utility grid is from the 1950's and they need help on approach to expedite FP&L to solve this issue. The night visibility is becoming a life safety issue, you don't see pedestrians until you are on top of them. The street extension, the residents clearly do not support bringing traffic from other areas into their walking community. They do support a one-way emergency vehicle connection and any kind of pathway for their children to not have to go to Collins Avenue. A recent traffic study graded 185th Street intersection east/west a"D"in the morning hours,and an"E"in the p.m. rush hour. He showed pictures of 185th Street where a lady in a wheelchair had attended one of their meets and greets and got the attention of Commissioner Levin rolling down 185th Street with no sidewalks, no facilities for the handicapped. What they want is for Golden Shores to look like the rest of Sunny Isles Beach. 13