2010-0902 Special City Commission Meeting

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Summary Minutes: Special City Commission Meeting September 2, 20 I 0 Sunny Isles Beach, Florida Mr. Crockett asked Ms. Uguccioni based on her 30+ years of experience, does this property using the professional standards used in the field of historic preservation, qualify as you have testified today, and Ms. Uguccioni said yes. [City Clerk's Note: Roxanne Feldman oJBecker and Poliakoffhanded out their power point presentation.] Mr. Poliakoff reported and gave a power point presentation on the background of Temple B'Nai Zion and the appeal. He said in 2003 that the President of the Temple was Isaac Franco who approached Rabbi Lankry about increasing membership and raising funds for the Temple, and as Rabbi Lankry began to bring in new members, the Temple began to slowly shift from a conservative Temple to a Sephardic Temple. Mr. Poliakoff said Robert Solera used to work at the City, he was going to come forward and provide testimony at the Historic Preservation Board meeting about why he believes there are underlining motives as to why we are here, and now ifMr. Solera testifies he may be subject to an Ethics complaint. Mr. Solera said to subpoena him when you get to court the next time, and he will tell you everything. So what happened at that meeting, we handed out Mr. Solera's proposed comments, and they were immediately grabbed and said that we are going to hold a copy in the City records because it is now public record. City Attorney Ottinot said he just wanted it known for the record that the City Commission invited Mr. Solera here tonight to testify but he is not here. We granted him a waiver and provided him with an opportunity to present testimony after we amended our Code to provide that opportunity. Second, staff did not grab Mr. Solera's testimony. And third, with respect to mediation, we invited your firm to mediate with us, and these are all public records, you rejected mediation. Mr. Poliakoffproceeded to read Mr. Solera's testimony into the record. Mr. Poliakoffwent over the presentation outline and introduced Architect Joseph B. Kaller, who continued the power point presentation on the history of Sunny Isles Beach, including motel row which was demolished, and a review of the existing architecture. He noted that the Ocean Palm Motel, the nation's first two-story motor court, has not been designated as historical by the City of Sunny Isles. He said the only two free standing Houses of Worship in the City are St. Mary Magdalen Church Sanctuary and the Rectory, and Temple B'Nai Zion. He also gave background on the Temple, including the existing site plan and the floor plan showing that the altar is facing west instead of east toward Jerusalem. He noted that the Temple hired Architect Kobi Karp to come up with a solution of what can be built on that site, and he showed the proposed rendering which has been designed consistently with Jewish traditions and facing east. Mayor Edelcup asked Mr. Kaller ifhe was aware of any plans that were filed with the City for this new building, and Mr. Kaller answered no. Former City employee Marla Sherman Dumas continued the power point presentation with criteria established in the National Register of Historic Places which are really the foundation for all local historic preservation, and Mayor Edelcup said that we are ruling on our own Code, whatever the National Register of Historic Places has set up is not relevant to what our Code is saying. Ms. Dumas said it is very difficult in any community to find a church that is locally designated because most of churches that are designated occur in Historic Districts 4