2008 0221 Regular City Commission Meeting

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Summary Minutes: Regular City Commission Meeting February 21, 2008 City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida parking under the current ordinance unless we change it in March based on weight, size, etc. Mayor Edelcup said while this issue is pending, we need to do whatever you need to do as it relates to enforcement that we are not ticketing people until we have a solution for them. City Manager Szerlag asked Community Development Director Solera how many spaces are under the William Lehman Causeway, and he said a total of 500 spaces, and the construction company has 400 of those spaces. City Manager Szerlag asked where the other 100 go to, and he said that we are giving 40 spaces to the School Board and the construction site. City Manager Szerlag said he was wondering if we can carve out about 15 spaces or so because he is sympathetic but he does not want large commercial vehicles on public streets because that will generate more complaints. Mayor Edelcup said there can't be that many commercial vehicles and if you carved out 10-12 spaces you may solve the problem. Community Development Director Solera said beyond that, he would like to work with Public Works Director Rick Conner because there are some areas under the William Lehman Causeway which are being utilized with equipment, etc., and perhaps we can concentrate that equipment and material at a specific location and then we can facilitate those parking spaces as well. City Manager Szerlag said with Public Works, Community Development Director Solera can cordon off a dozen spaces tomorrow, first come, first serve, allocate them for commercial parking and we will see if that dozen spaces constitutes enough to solve the problem. Mayor Edelcup said that sounds like a good plan, we will take it from there and if we need to do more, we will address it. Commissioner Scholl said then in the meantime we are not citing anybody, and City Manager Szerlag said that there should be an extension period where perhaps a warning indicating that we do have spaces underneath the William Lehman Causeway, but at some point they will be in violation. City Attorney Ottinot said one of the points Ms. Pinkhasov raised were past citations, do you want Mr. Solera to also remedy that problem in terms of past citations, and Commissioner Scholl said yes as she got a citation because we didn't have a solution to the problem, and Mayor Edelcup said it is not fair to burden her. Mr. Solera said for her to bring the citations to them and if the time has expired he will work with Miami-Dade County to make sure that they are cleared. Ms. Pinkhasov said as for tonight, the Lehman Causeway parking lot is not ready for them, where will she park so she doesn't get penalized again, between the temple and the church? Community Development Director Solera said to park there tonight and he will make sure his people do not issue any citations until we implement the parking lot. Cultural and Human Services Director Susan Simpson said the issue is not necessarily that it is a commercial vehicle, it is that there is a 3-hour maximum at certain spaces. Mayor Edelcup asked if they are using the area behind the bank at the end of North Bay Road by the canal, and Community Development Director Solera said no we are not, and Mayor Edelcup said perhaps that can be the designated area until you can come up with an answer, and Community Development Director Solera said there are parking spaces there with meters and they can just park in that area in the meantime. Commissioner Scholl pointed out that we want to be careful that we are not running a commercial business out of a residence and these vehicles are coming and going. 27