2015-0521 Regular City Commission Meeting

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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting May 21,2015 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida tonight, Dimitriy Romantsoff and Tim Lobanov from the Applicant ownership, Barbara Pederzoli and Carolina Kaufmann from Revuelta Architecture, Tyler Nielson, Landscape Architect, and Richard Garcia, Traffic Consultant. He said this is a fantastic project that will contribute in a positive way towards the Collins Avenue Corridor and Sunny Isles Beach in general. This is an as-of-right project that fully complies with the Land Development Regulations and Comprehensive Plan. This project is 190 feet in height, contains 77 residential units, 162 parking spaces,a 6,000 square foot restaurant on the ground floor which is really a 4,500 square foot space with 1,500 square feet back of house, this will activate the pedestrian corridor along Collins Avenue. They are also pleased to say they are offering a Mikvah in their facility. They are utilizing three (3) bonuses as allowed by the City Code as well as TDRs. To provide some context to the project and its location, two (2)properties to the north is the Marriott Hotel recently approved by this Board. That project is 190 feet in height, over 100 hotel units, and it was approved with TDRs. South of that is the RK Shopping Plaza with surface parking. To our east is Collins Avenue and all the high-rise condo towers along the beach. Two (2) properties south of us is the Winston Towers 600 building, 23-story condominium tower well over 100 units, and also Walgreens to our south. To our west is the King David Condominium which is a 180-foot tall tower with about 90 units, the Chabad is on the first floor and that was approved with TDRs as well. Since this project is designed in accordance with the LDR regulations, it does not require any variances. The City's professional staff has reviewed their plans and Application,and determined that it does comply with the LDRs and the City's Comprehensive Plan. The Staff Report is substantial competent evidence for you to rely on to approve their Application. Mr. Wasserman said they submitted a Traffic Study that confirms the level of service will not be affected and their project will not negatively impact traffic in the area. Their Traffic Study through the City's Code and process, goes through a rigorous peer review where City Consultants review our Consultant's Report and determined our Consultant's reports are correct, our project will not affect traffic in the area. Before turning this over to the Architect he wants to make a few statements on the record. First he has the privilege of representing a really great client. He tells all his clients to go out and meet with your neighbors, the local stake holders,local resident associations,the elected officials,board members if allowed,and they really took that to heart. They went out and met with anybody and everybody that would meet with them, for example, there was a resident at King David Condo that had a concern over a design they had for the northwest corner of their project. As soon as they found out about that concern they went back to the drawing board, internalized the stairwell which was his concern, and satisfied that neighbor's concern. You will hear tonight from Rabbi Baron, the chief Rabbi of the Chabad abutting their property in support of their project. You will also hear from the King David Condo Association with whom we have a great relationship and we have been working with them over the past several weeks. You will also hear from several residents in favor of their project. Mr. Wasserman said there is a concept that this development on the west side of Collins Avenue will detract from the character of Sunny Isles Beach or Collins Avenue. He would like to state on the record and clarify that sentiment does not and should not apply to this project specifically. First and foremost this project is being built in accordance with the Code in effect at the time their client purchased the property as well as the Code in effect today. They are not asking for any variances and are developing what is otherwise as-of-right. 8