HomeMy WebLinkAbout2016-0121 Regular City Commission Meeting 1 ' '
SUMMARY MINUTES
Regular City Commission Meeting
Thursday, January 21, 2016, 6:30 p.m.
City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida
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AGENDA
1. CALL TO ORDER/ ROLL CALL OF MEMBERS
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Scholl at 6:30 p.m. with the following officials
present:
Mayor George `Bud" Scholl City Manager Christopher J. Russo
Vice Mayor Jeanette Gatto City Attorney' Hans Ottinot
Commissioner Isaac Aelion City Clerk Jane A. Hines, MMC
Commissioner Dana Goldman Deputy City Manager Stan Morris
Commissioner Jennifer Levin
Angel Aguilar, President of Student Council
Sara Giraldo, Secretary, Student Gov't Assoc.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE/ INVOCATION
Action: Steadman Scholl,the Mayor's son, led the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag. In lieu of
the invocation tonight, Mayor Scholl said over the holidays we lost an esteemed member of
our community,Elena Baronoff;who was our International/Cultural Ambassador and a friend
to everyone sitting at the dais. She was an extraordinary woman, and she was singly
responsible for our Sister City Program. He asked for a moment of silence for her.
Mayor Scholl gave opening remarks of decorum.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
3A. Regular City Commission Meeting— December 17, 2015.
Action:Commissioner Aelion moved and Vice Mayor Gatto seconded a motion to approve
the above mentioned Summary Minutes. The motion was approved by a voice vote of
5-0 in favor.
4. ORDER OF BUSINESS (Additions/Deletions/Amendments)
4A. Request to Hear Items; Deferral: Item 6A. Corner House,deferred to February 18, 2016 at
the request of the Applicant; Additional Information: Item 5A. Mayor's State of the City
Address; and, Item 10L. Award Bid for Undergrounding.
Action: Mayor Scholl noted the above changes to the agenda.
Commissioner Aelion moved and Commissioner Levin seconded a motion to approve the
above changes to the agenda. The motion was approved by a voice vote of 5-0 in favor.
Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida
5. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
5A. Annual Report on the "State of the City" by Mayor George `Bud" Scholl.
Action: Mayor Scholl presented the annual "State of the City" Address. He said he is very
pleased to deliver this State of the City address after serving his first year as Mayor. We
have made a lot of progress this past year and he thanked his colleagues on the Commission
for their support and dedication. Additionally,nothing could get done without the hard work
of our City staff. They spend many hours going above and beyond the call of duty to ensure
everything we do flows smoothly. Notably, we lost two members of our first City
Commission this past year, Lila Kauffman and Irving Turetsky. In December, we also lost
our International Ambassador, Elena Baronoff. We thank them for their public service and
our thoughts go out to their families.
Mayor Scholl said on a personal note, this is a very special month for him, he and his wife,
Dione, are celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary and they have been fortunate to live in
Sunny Isles Beach for the past 25 of those 30 years! He noted that his wife is in the audience
tonight. The other benefit of living here is that their three children,now all in their 20's,still
look forward to coming back to Sunny Isles Beach for vacations and holidays.
Mayor Scholl reported that the City is on very firm financial ground. For the fourth year in a
row we have reduced our tax millage rate. From 2014 to 2015 our property values
experienced the highest growth rate of any city in Miami-Dade County at 18.5%. We are
approaching a collective assessed real estate value of$10 Billion, and that is on a little bit
more than one square mile of land mass which composes our City. This extraordinary tax
base has enabled us to keep the portion of property taxes that funds our City services to one
of the lowest millage rates in the County. We are still maintaining a level of services and
emergency reserve funds commensurate with what our community has come to expect.
Under our City Charter we have a Commission-Manager form of government. This means
the City Manager acts much like the CEO of a company running the day-to-day functions of
the City. While the Mayor and City Commission act more like a Chairman and a Board of
Directors establishing policy,approving budgets,passing ordinances and setting the overall
vision for the City. Over the past year, he put a renewed emphasis on ensuring that our City
is managed as the City Charter intended,and we are seeing excellent results with no turnover
of personnel within the top management positions and minimal turnover throughout the rest
of the organization. Being a municipality or a business, you need to attract and maintain
employees to carry out your initiatives.
Mayor Scholl said given this was his first full year in office, he took the opportunity to seek
out and form relationships with the Mayors of our surrounding cities. There are many issues
of common interest with our neighboring communities that when we work together,we have
a stronger opportunity for success. One issue that made headlines was the Mayors Coastal
Community Alliance to raise awareness of beach erosion. This successful alliance, and
subsequent press conference, prompted the County to provide much needed funding for
beach erosion mitigation. We have also met with our neighboring Mayors and City
Managers to ensure we have coordination on issues such as emergency evacuation and
transportation coordination.
Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beath,Florida
This past year we have been expanding our parks,educational and civic spaces as well. We
completed the acquisition of additional land on the south end of our City to continue the
Intracoastal Park system in front of the Arlen House. Also acquired was the parcel adjacent
to City Hall with which we are in the final planning stages for an expanded school, senior
meeting center and civic auditorium. The Gateway Park is nearing completion. This facility
will house a professional stage, playground with a water feature, parking garage and a new
restaurant concept. We also have an agreement in principal to acquire the lot at the entrance
to Golden Shores on 186'h Street which would fulfill our Comprehensive Plan's goal of
having a park within walking distance of every resident in the City. We recently received a
commitment from Miami-Dade County Parks Department to permit us to move the Skate
Park to the County operated Haulover Park. This initiative is also where the alliance of
Mayors have been helpful as some of our neighboring communities have indicated they will
provide support to the reestablishment of the Skate Park at Haulover Park for use of their
residents and children as well.
A mandatory update of our Comprehensive Plan is nearing completion. This update is
focused primarily on pedestrian safety and traffic mitigation. It includes provisions for
pedestrian bridges over our major roadways as well as better traffic signalization technology
to improve traffic during peak hours. With the encouragement of the Florida Department of
Transportation,this past year we have begun the process of acquiring land and easements to
accommodate the future construction of pedestrian bridges.Our studies have determined this
is one of the important initiatives we can work on for pedestrian safety and traffic mitigation.
The Comprehensive Plan amendments are also to reinforce and create policies that will
support a path to address our built environment, improve our resilience to changing
conditions, and improve coordination with external agencies. We have been making strides
in creating more opportunities for feedback from our citizens as well. The level of public
participation in this process was unprecedented. We hosted three(3) Town Hall meetings,
received approximately 400 survey responses, had several meetings of the Manager's fact-
finding group,and acquired several public comments and observations. This compilation of
information formed the foundation for the newly proposed amendments to our
Comprehensive Plan, and so we truly had public input in creating these amendments.
Over this past year our community school has continued to grow and become more
overcrowded. As Mayor, he has taken a very tough position with our County School Board
when it comes to the number of students in our school who do not live within the legal
boundaries to attend. These District Jumpers are a significant contributing factor to the
school's overcrowding. And he happens to have the President of the School Student Body
[Angel Aguilar] sitting right next to him, but he knows he is not a District Jumper. The
school expansion project is being pursued in conjunction with the Miami-Dade County
Public School system. However, our City's participation is contingent upon a concerted
effort by the school system to deal with the District Jumpers to ensure that every student who
lives within our City and has a right to attend this school, will be able to do so.
One of the busiest interior streets in the City, 174'h Street, is getting a needed makeover with
new storm and flood drainage,new sidewalks, improved lighting and new landscaping. This
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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida
project is slated to be completed in June.The planning and engineering phase of burying the
electrical and utility lines along Collins Avenue is completed. The most disruptive part of
this project,the installation of conduits on Collins Avenue,has been bid and will be awarded
tonight. This is a complex multiyear project that will still require significant cooperation
from the bordering property owners. It will bring many benefits to our City from safety to
beautification. The next area to be addressed for undergrounding will be Golden Shores.
This past year he gave the Information Technology Department a challenge that has been
coined the Mayors Technology Initiative. He met with the City Manager and Chief
Information Officer Derrick Arias and asked them to get their staffs together and come up
with their ten best ideas for the use of technology to make our residents lives easier and the
City to run more efficiently. They came up with some great ideas like sensors on our buses
so arrival times can be tracked and displayed at the bus stop, on your phone or over the
intemet. They found park benches that are also solar charging stations for phones and tablets
as well as devices that monitor critical equipment and report issues automatically. Some of
these ideas are already starting to be implemented.
This past year we also took a closer look at the various ways we communicate with our
residents and guests. We determined that expanding our Islander newsletter to a monthly
mailing and sending it out to all residents would be a more effective means of
communicating. We also publish Living magazine on a quarterly basis which is a very nice,
and popular, coffee table quality publication. Our website www.sibfl.net is always the most
current source of information for events, meeting schedules, contact information, city
services and select articles and that too has been enhanced.
Everyone knows the extraordinary number of events and activities that our City provides and
last year was no exception. Our staff did a great job and our residents enjoyed all the
traditional events including our anniversary party,sunny serenades,specialty holiday events,
movie nights, farmers markets and car shows just to name a few. However, our City
continuously evolves and we endeavor to grow with the community. This past fall we
partnered with the Sunny Isles Beach Foundation and have chosen a national consulting firm
to create the first Cultural Master Plan for the City. This plan will provide us with the ideas
and guidance to ensure we are providing cultural and entertainment experiences that best
meet the interests and needs of our residents and guests. We are very excited about
completing our Cultural Master Plan and working with the Foundation.
This year we received visits from dignitaries of two of our sister cities, Taormina, Italy and
Netanya, Israel. We are working on a program to host an intern each year from one of our
sister cities,with our first intern coming from Taormina. We also have had communications
from our Sister City Hengchun, Taiwan, which has donated two Joy Perfume Trees and a
park bench which will soon be placed in Gateway Park. Additionally we have had
preliminary discussions with Punta del Este, Uruguay which would be our first Sister City in
Latin America. Named after our Sister City of Netanya, we were pleased to see the
completion and opening of the One Netanya office building. This project brought Mount
Sinai Medical Center to our City and established additional quality medical resources.
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Summay Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach.Florida
This year we experienced the occurrence of one of the most tragic events in the history of
Sunny Isles Beach when an apparent buildup of natural gas caused an explosion on the top
floor of the Chateau Beach Residences. Fortunately, no one died and all the injured have
fully recovered. The day the incident occurred, for the safety of the public, a six-block
stretch of Collins Avenue was closed in both directions for several hours. Our Police
Department, along with the Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue teams, performed an
extraordinary job in managing the conditions and ensuring everyone in the building was
located and safely evacuated. He noted the development activity that continues to bring
notoriety and economic prosperity to our City. We currently have nine (9) new projects
under construction and nine(9)projects that have received approvals but have not yet broken
ground. The development community continues to raise the bar in terms of the quality of the
architecture and amenities associated with each new building design.
5B. Certificates of Appreciation to be Presented to Allan Jonathan Gordon and to David
Braverman for their Bravery in Averting an Armed Robbery.
Action: Commissioner Aelion reported that on December 19, 2015 he and his wife were
watching television, and during the news an incident was covered that happened at a
convenience store near the University of Miami. As they were showing the video and were
looking at the two young individuals who had thwarted and apprehended an aimed man who
was robbing the store, he said to his wife that one of the guys looked like Allan. He went to
his daughter's room and told her they saw somebody that looks like Allan on television,and
she said they didn't want to tell her parents but in fact Allan and his friend David Braverman
entered the convenience store this armed man came in behind them to rob the place. It was
really heroic of them to overpower the robber until the Police had arrived.
Commissioner Aelion said sometimes you don't know how you will react when things
happen but it showed the two sons of Sunny Isles Beach, who grew up in Winston Towers,
with his daughter, their spirit and their will to save not only their own lives but the store
clerk,and potential lives of other people who may have come in. For this we wholeheartedly
want to present the Certificates of Appreciation and thank them. Mayor Scholl read the
Certificate into the record, and the Commission presented David with the Certificate.
Commissioner Aelion noted that Allan is not here tonight as he is in Chicago.
6. ZONING: ZONING HEARINGS ARE QUASI-JUDICIAL PUBLIC HEARINGS.
6A. Request of Corner House,LLC for a Commercial Office Tower on Property Located at
18590 Collins Avenue (Hearing #PZ2015-09).
Action: [City Clerk's Note: See additional action under Item 4k] This Item was deferred
at the Request of the Applicant to the February 18, 2016 City Commission Meeting.
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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida
7. ORDINANCES FOR FIRST READING
7A. Public Hearing: Sitting in as the Local Planning Agency and the City Commission, to
Consider an Ordinance Approving the Evaluation and Appraisal Report(EAR)Based
Textural Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan.
A Resolution of the Local Planning Agency of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida,
Approving the City of Sunny Isles Beach EAR-Based Textural Amendments to the City of
Sunny Isles Beach's Comprehensive Master Plan, and the Required Transmittal to the
Florida Department of Economic Opportunity in Accordance with Section 163.3191,Florida
Statutes; Providing for an Effective Date.
Action: [City Clerk's Note: Items 7A and 7A.I were heard together.] City Clerk Hines read
the title, and Planning and Zoning Administrator Claudia Hasbun reported.
Commissioner Aelion moved and Vice Mayor Gatto seconded a motion to approve the
resolution. LPA Resolution No. 2016-100 was adopted by a vote of 5-0 in favor.
7A.1 An Ordinance of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida,Adopting
the Evaluation and Appraisal Notification Letter and Report-Based Textural
Amendments to the City of Sunny Isles Beach's Comprehensive Master Plan and in
Particular, Amendments to the Community Vision Statement, Future Land Use
Element, Transportation Element, Housing Element, Recreation and Open Space
Element, Capital Improvements Element, Coastal Management Element,
Infrastructure Element, Conservation Element, Intergovernmental Coordination
Element, Educational Facilities Element, Monitoring and Evaluation Amendments;
Approving the Transmittal of the Report to the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity
in Accordance with Section 163.3191,Florida Statutes; Providing for Severability;Providing
for Repealer; Providing for Inclusion in the Code; Providing for an Effective Date.
Action: City Clerk Hines read the title, and Planning and Zoning Administrator Claudia
Hasbun reported that Jerry Bell of Bell David Planning Group is here tonight to make the
presentation. Jerry Bell gave a PowerPoint presentation on how we got to the point we are at
tonight. The project started in December 2014 and every City in the State of Florida is
required to once every seven (7) years, do an evaluation and appraisal of their adopted
Comprehensive Plan. The State has now kind of backed off on their requirements so what
they really look for at the State level now in this evaluation is to look at the State Statutes in
terms of growth management and identify any changes we need to make to the
Comprehensive Plan to address any changes and State growth management requirements.
The City decided to be a little more proactive,the City is at a point now where it is almost 20
years since the City has been incorporated. A lot has happened in the City since the first
Comprehensive Plan was done, and so the City took a broader view that this is an
opportunity to go back to make sure the Plan reflects the current state and vision of the City.
Mr. Bell said we did the Evaluation and Appraisal Letter in December of 2014, and in
accordance with the City's direction to go further than the minimum requirements, the City
created a fact-finding committee, made up of some community leaders to provide input
throughout the process. As Mayor Scholl had mentioned we did a survey that was on-line
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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida
and received about 400 responses in that survey which in their experience is very good for
this type of project. They conducted a review of the City's current Comprehensive Plan and
also held a series of public forums,in particular the Town Hall Meeting on July 9, 2015 that
was very well attended. They also had a Charrette on September 1, 2015, focusing on
transportation issues, and another Town Hall Meeting on October 6, 2015. Based on all the
input received, they drafted the report and that is the basis for the Amendments.
Mr. Bell gave a recap on the Amendments to the Comprehensive Plan: the Master Planning
document is important because it sets the stage for everything else you do in terms of
planning and zoning;the Land Development Regulations;the Capital Projects,all have to be
in accordance with the City's Comprehensive Plan, and so it really is your Master Plan.
Based on the input received through the process they took a look at the Vision Statement in
the Comprehensive Plan and saw where it may need to be revised to address the current
conditions. The first two were really in your Vision Statement and so we basically modified
it to bring it up to date, it is providing a sense of community and protecting and enhancing
your coastal resources, they both still remain very relevant. The other two they adjusted
more, the third bullet in the original Vision talked about really transforming the beachfront
and that has happened in the City,there has been dramatic redevelopment. They are advising
to talk about maintaining and enhancing your growth environment in things like landscaping
and urban design, and a whole range of mobility options for the City.
Mr. Bell went over some of the major Amendments that they are making that are detailed in
the document and the overstrike and underscore, that is actually what is being adopted and
transmitted to the State for review. The future Land Use Elements some of the key
recommendations are talking about neighborhood protection, putting in some additional
compatibility guidelines as part of the development review process. Environmentally-
friendly design and low impact development techniques. We are placing the call for
beachfront redevelopment which has largely occurred with the focus on continued
implementation of the Urban Village and Town Center strategies. For the Transportation
Element Amendments, a lot of this comes out of the Transportation Master Plan that was
kind of a parallel project. They are addressing recommendations that came out of that Plan
and also adopting a level of service standards for not only roads which is in there now but
also looking at the level of services for transit, for walking, for bicycles, etc.
Mr. Bell said for the Housing Elements, again talking about what we can do to protect and
enhance the existing residential neighborhoods and compatibility guidelines. For the
Recreation and Open Space Element,which was mentioned in the State of the City,a radius
standard calling for a park within 'A mile of all residential areas which is really within
walking distance radius. They received a lot of input about beach access as part of the public
involvement process. In terms of the Capital Improvements Element of course the City like
many places in South Florida is challenged by climate change and sea level rise. We have a
graphic that shows the impacts that could happen to the drainage system with a slight
increase in sea level. And so the policy is improvements to adapt existing infrastructure or
provide new infrastructure that is resilient to these potential impacts. For the
Intergovernmental Coordination, again we mentioned the schools, the need to coordinate
with Miami-Dade County Public Schools in the overcrowding issues, and evaluating
strategies for increasing community use of the school facilities.
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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida
Mr. Bell said the next steps after approval tonight, the first reading of the Ordinance will
authorize them to transmit this document to the State Department of Economic Opportunity,
another review agency for their review, and they will have 60 days to come back to the City
with an Objections,Recommendations,and Comments Report. They will make suggestions
for changes that need to be made to the proposed Amendments, we will then make any
changes that are necessary to address that work, and they will bring it back to the City
Commission for adoption on second reading of the Ordinance. After that the City will have a
new updated Comprehensive Plan and that is implemented through Land Development
Regulations and Capital Projects.
Public Speakers: Jerry Bell
Commissioner Aelion noted that Mr. Bell had mentioned reaching out to the DEP regarding a
potential boardwalk on the beach. About eight(8)years ago the former Mayor formed a fact-
finding committee and after they gathered information, we went to DEP, and after six (6)
months the committee was concluded. DEP said no, and there were all kinds of reasons
including the turtles,and so what changes that now? Mr. Bell said they are aware of that and
their recommendation was to revisit it. It may not necessarily need to be a boardwalk per se,
it could be a path,it might be on another side. We are just going to look because we received
a lot of input from it. It may be that we find as the first report did that it is not feasible, and
there are no other alternatives. Mayor Scholl said we are due in two (2)or three(3)years for
a major beach renourishment project and it could add 50 to 100 feet of beach, then we don't
have the situation of it being so narrow in spots, and so he thinks that would be the time that
we could potentially revisit it.
Commissioner Goldman said she wants to commend everybody that was involved from the
outset in terms of public participation, the surveys, the depth of comments, and the
inclusiveness. She thinks this was a very participatory,very inclusive process and beyond that
there are many nuggets of good information and very visionary items that are incorporated
into these Amendments. The multimodal transportation concept, the levels of service,
bicycles, pedestrians, sidewalks, etc., really looks at the City in a different light in terms of
being able to work within the City. That is a new and very forward thinking concept where
people can shop, work,eat, live,etc. here rather than looking at this City as just a tourist stop
which historically it was. More importantly about the climate change, she is really pleased to
see the emphasis on addressing the climate change needs. She read a comment from the Daily
Business Review "Regardless of wealth, everyone in South Florida faces the potentially dire
consequences of climate change. Experts warn that if the sea rises further, flooding may
become permanent turning streets into canals, endangering access to drinking water, and
eroding the man-made beaches that have long drawn people to Miami." While that sounds a
little doomsday, it is certainly something that every policy maker, every government
personnel, every official, everybody needs to be thinking about, especially in a City such as
ours where we are a coastal City. Everybody needs to be really focused on the real
consequences of climate change, and has to be able to coordinate work with outside agencies
to do something about it because the future is now. So she really commends the inclusion of
the climate change provision into these Amendments. She is curious to see what is going to
happen with the Urban Design Manual while it is true that most of our City has been
developed already but certainly if there are any incremental changes or any policy that we can
implement, she thinks that would be very effective moving into the future.
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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida
Commissioner Levin said she just wants to reiterate everything that Commissioner Goldman
said. She has been talking to the City Manager since she got into office about climate change
and preparing for the future, and so she was very pleased to see that it was incorporated into
the Amendments. With regard to multimodal transportation,she had been advocating that for
a while now with the bicycles,the pedestrians,and she wrote articles about it trying to make it
safer to get around the City, and so she was happy to hear about that as well. One of the
things that she wanted to mention in particular and she had mentioned it to the City Manager
at one point, she believes it is out of our control because it is under the purview of numerous
agencies,is Seawalls. She knows that obviously if there is a catastrophic event a seawall may
not protect anything but to the extent that there are not seawalls in certain areas,she did a trip
around the City by boat and she noticed there were a couple of locations where there were no
seawalls. If there is a storm surge that is not too high when not otherwise breach the other
seawalls or high tides,the water that would come into the area where there is no seawall could
affect the surrounding properties and could come into the City and create a lot of damage;and
she would like to see something done about that. She doesn't know if there is anything on the
books, and she is assuming there is, that if a seawall needs to be restructured or built that the
requirements are that.they now be higher. She knows it is very difficult to get seawalls built
when you have protected areas with mangroves, is there anything going on among all the
agencies,especially at the federal level,to hurry the process along so that if a seawall needs to
be constructed, given climate change, that they can make the process go faster for doing the
mitigation and whatever needs to be done with regard to the protected areas, mangroves,
whatever. She would like to see something along those lines happen as well.
Vice Mayor Gatto said we are pretty much covered with all the comments, and she agrees
with all of that. But she just wanted to say that it was really nice to see the community get
together and participate,and she believes there were many individuals that went to more than
one Town Hall Meeting. To hear that there is a lot of apathy in Sunny Isles Beach in terms of
maybe not everybody goes out to vote, or that not everyone wants to get involved but she
didn't get that sense in this situation and so she is really proud of the citizens and she wanted
to thank you for pulling all that together.
Commissioner Aelion moved and Vice Mayor Gatto seconded a motion to approve the
Ordinance on first reading by a roll call vote of 5-0 in favor. Ordinance No. 2016-474
was adopted on first reading and will be transmitted to DEO for review, and will then
be scheduled for a second reading.
Vote: Commissioner Aelion yes
Commissioner Goldman yes
Commissioner Levin yes
Vice Mayor Gatto yes
Mayor Scholl yes
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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida
7B. Public Hearing: Sitting in as the Local Planning Agency and the City Commission, to
Consider an Ordinance Amending the Water Supply Facilities Work Plan.
A Resolution of the Local Planning Agency of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida,
Recommending to the City Commission of Sunny Isles Beach,the Ordinance Amending the
City's Adopted Comprehensive Plan to Provide for the State Mandated Requirements for a
Ten-Year Water Supply Facilities Work Plan by Amending the Infrastructure Element, the
Conservation Element, the Intergovernmental Coordination Element, and by Updating the
Water Supply Facilities Work Plan Sub-Element, and the Required Transmittal to the State
Department of Economic Opportunity; Providing for an Effective Date.
Action: [City Clerk's Note: Items 7B and 78.1 were heard together.] City Clerk Hines read
the title, and Planning and Zoning Administrator Claudia Hasbun reported.
Commissioner Aelion moved and Vice Mayor Gatto seconded a motion to approve the
resolution. LPA Resolution No. 2016-101 was adopted by a vote of 5-0 in favor.
713.1 An Ordinance of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida,Amending
the City of Sunny Isles Beach Comprehensive Plan to Provide for the State of Florida
Mandated Requirements for a Ten-Year Water Supply Facilities Work Plan by
Amending the Infrastructure Element, the Conservation Element, the Intergovernmental
Coordination Element, and by Updating the Water Supply Facilities Work Plan Sub-
Element; Providing that a Transmittal and Adoption Public Hearing will be Held; Providing
for Adoption; Providing for Severability; Providing for an Effective Date.
Action: City Clerk Hines read the title, and Planning and Zoning Administrator Claudia
Hasbun reported that this is the update Water Supply Plan done by our Consultants. She
noted that Alex David of Bell David Planning Group will be presenting.
Alex David reported that every City in Florida is required to do a Water Supply Plan. The
City did the first one about five (5) to six (6) years ago and so we are required by State
Statute to do an update. Basically what that entailed was working with the South Florida
Water Management District, Miami-Dade County WASAD, North Miami Beach, which is
where we purchase our water from, and of course reviewing the Comprehensive Plan and
previous documents. Again, this is a State-mandated process and we do have to transmit
these documents but they are required to respond in 30 days. Basically it is just an update
looking at North Miami Beach,what Capital Improvements they are doing,what the County
is doing with the water supply. We did also put in some policies about sea level rise,climate
change, and he is very glad that Commissioner Goldman and Commissioner Levin brought
this up because the worry is not just sea level rises but what it is doing to our water supply.
Our rock where our water comes from, is like Swiss cheese, and so any increase in the level
of the sea affects our drinking water and that is very much a concern of every agency.
Public Speakers: Alex David
Commissioner Aelion moved and Vice Mayor Gatto seconded a motion to approve the
Ordinance on first reading by a roll call vote of 5-0 in favor. Ordinance No. 2016-475
was adopted on first reading and will be transmitted to DEO for review, and will then
be scheduled for a second reading.
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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach.Florida
Vote: Commissioner Aelion L
Commissioner Goldman yes
Commissioner Levin yes
Vice Mayor Gatto }_es
Mayor Scholl yes
8. PUBLIC HEARINGS (Other than Ordinances for Second Reading)
None
9. ORDINANCES FOR SECOND READING (Public Hearings)
9A. An Ordinance of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida,Amending •
Ordinance No. 2015-461;Amending the City's Budget No.BA1516-01 for the 2015-2016
Fiscal Year - General Fund, Street Maintenance and Construction Fund, Building Fund,
Public Art Trust Fund, Capital Projects Fund, Stormwater Fund and Stormwater Capital
Fund; Authorizing the City Manager to Do All Things Necessary to Implement the Terms
and Conditions of this Ordinance; and Providing for an Effective Date.
(First Reading 12/17/15)
Action: City Clerk Hines read the title, and Finance Director Audra Curts-Whann reported
this is our annual carry-over of the unaudited fund balances,carry-over unliquidated purchase
orders, Capital Projects, etc. This is a routine housekeeping issue so that we amend our
budget first time through. When our Audit is complete, we will re-amend for those final
carry-over balances.
Public Speakers: None
Commissioner Aelion moved and Commissioner Levin seconded a motion to approve the
Ordinance on second reading. Ordinance No.2016-473 was adopted by a roll call vote
of 5-0 in favor.
Vote: Commissioner Aelion y
Commissioner Goldman yes
Commissioner Levin yes
Vice Mayor Gatto yes
Mayor Scholl yes
[City Clerk's Note: Item IOL was heard after Item 9A.J
Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida
10. RESOLUTIONS
[City Clerk's Note: Item IOA was heard after Item I OL, and the remainder of the agenda was
heard in order.]
10A. A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida,Approving a
Maintenance Agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for
the Installation of Sidewalk Pavers and Landscaping at 400 Sunny Isles Beach
Boulevard, Attached Hereto as Exhibit "A"; Authorizing the Mayor to Execute Said
Agreement;Authorizing the City Attorney and the City Manager to Do All Things Necessary
to Effectuate the Terms of this Agreement; Providing for an Effective Date.
Action: City Clerk Hines read the title, and Planning and Zoning Administrator Claudia
Hasbun reported.
Public Speakers: None
Commissioner Aelion moved and Vice Mayor Gatto seconded a motion to approve the
resolution. Resolution No. 2016-2507 was adopted by a voice vote of 5-0 in favor.
10B. A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida,Approving a
Maintenance Agreement with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for
the Installation of Sidewalk Pavers at 17875, 17749,and 17555 Collins Avenue,Attached
Hereto as Exhibit"A";Authorizing the Mayor to Execute Said Agreement; Authorizing the
City Attorney and the City Manager to Do All Things Necessary to Effectuate the Terms of
this Agreement; Providing for an Effective Date.
Action: City Clerk Hines read the title, and Planning and Zoning Administrator Claudia
Hasbun reported noting this is in front of the Acqualina,The Mansions at Acqualina,and the
Pinnacle Condominium.
Public Speakers: None
Commissioner Goldman moved and Commissioner Levin seconded a motion to approve
the resolution. Resolution No. 2016-2508 was adopted by a voice vote of 5-0 in favor.
10C. A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida,Approving
Schematic Design and Design Development by Perkins+Will for Architectural Design
of the Approved Government Center Expansion, Inclusive of a 250-Seat Community
Theater Located at 18080 Collins Avenue, Attached Hereto as Exhibit"A"; Authorizing
the City Manager and City Attorney to Do All Things Necessary to Effectuate this
Resolution; Providing for an Effective Date.
Action: [City Clerk's Note: A copy of the PowerPoint Presentation was distributed.] City
Clerk Hines read the title noting the revision by adding "and design development". City
Manager Russo reported that this is as a result of City Commission comments at the October
15, 2015 Commission meeting, and this is the signoff of the Schematic Plan. He said
Architect Larry Kline is here to present this. Mayor Scholl said Larry Kline is the Architect
that designed City Hall. We felt the design of City Hall was so well done that we asked him
to come back to design the building next door.
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Public Speakers: Larry Kline, Architect; Salman Rathore, P.E.
Larry Kline, Architect with Perkins + Will, is joined here tonight by his colleagues Jackie
Candela and Carlos Elitobe, who are part of the design team that produced the City Hall. He
said they were here on October 15, 2015 to present schematic design of the Government
Center Expansion. The schematic design was well received at that meeting, and the
significant comment from that evening was the Community Theater. We had originally
programmed a 100-seat Community Theater and the response from the dais was they would
like an expanded theater, something in the neighborhood of 250 seats. They coordinated
with Cultural and Community Services Director Susan Simpson who has been great in
detailing what kind of programs they want here, everything from lectures, film, music,
Russian dance, emergency lectures for Hurricane Evacuation, and additional things.
Mr. Kline gave a PowerPoint presentation, a quick introduction of where we are today. In
October they presented schematics,and tonight they are presenting a design and development
package. If approved it would carry them into construction documents,that would take us to
April 15. 2016 going into permits, and then hopefully under construction by Summer. He
presented a 3D Model of the project and described the site, and its connectivity. The
residential to the west,the idea of enhancing and creating pedestrian passages on the site as
you move from west to east, and then a potential pedestrian bridge which is not under their
contract but they are showing it as a placeholder somewhere in that civic plaza to the north of
the Commission Chambers that would then cross above Collins Avenue. That is something
that would be great in terms of connecting residential on the west to the beach on the east.
Mr. Kline described the site plan of the existing City Hall,the expansion to the north,and we
already talked about the clear distinction between the school expansion on the west so that it
has a front door and address on Atlantic Boulevard, and the civic and office expansion with
the front door on Collins Avenue. On the ground floor, we originally had a component of
retail that would address the plaza along the Collins Avenue side. When the community
theater came about and we realized we are bringing 250 people up from the ground,drop off,
and into the community theater above, we really thought escalators were important for the
movement of people,we will have elevators of course,three cabs,but we thought the idea of
having escalators is the best way to really move that quantity of people.
Mr. Kline said in going through the program,we have a total of about 130,000 square feet of
program use and then parking of 147 cars. He noted that after his presentation, Salman
Rathore from the Corradino Group will do a presentation on the Traffic Analysis linked to
the school expansion. In going through the Building Design updates, he went through
basement level parking,ground floor of parking, lobby drop off,and then the ability to go up
to the theater. There are three (3) levels of the school, 15,000 square feet on each level,
grades 6, 7 and 8. He described the community theater which is again a 250-seat theater with
slope flooring, stage, back of house, lighting controls, audio/visual. They are meeting with
the Theater Consultant tomorrow to start the intricate design of the theater and get that input
in terms of making sure it is a very flexible space for all uses contemplated. In terms of
simple initial graphics that glazed area, the glass fronting area off of the plaza, escalators
coming up to the theater, being in the rig seating and looking back toward the stage. These
are very simple graphics, there is going to be a quality of fabric wall covering, lighting,
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acoustics that we will present to you at the next presentation.
Mr. Kline said when you get up to the top of the school there are learning gardens on the
western side, and as we move up, these are the Seniors and Multi-Purpose rooms for City
Hall. You have a capacity there as one room, or it can be subdivided with flexible moving
walls that can seat up to 200 with catered kitchen, it can be a round table configuration, or it
can be in a lecture series, each in excess of 200. On the western side of that floor is a small
fitness area for the City. The next floor will be for civic expansion, a program that we still
need to detail, and we will get to that in the next phase. The top three floors of the building
are the office,roughly 10,000 square feet each. The real difference in the renderings you will
see is that we increased the height of that component coming out on Collins Avenue to
accommodate the escalators but he thinks it is very sympathetic to the existing Government
Center in terms of the core elements reflecting the kind of dark granite that we have on the
tower, white precast and an aluminum screen. On the southern side the glass will be as
transparent as the Energy Code will allow us to make it, and as lightly reflected as possible.
Commissioner Aelion asked if he made sure there was an amendment on the reduction of the
sidewalk on the entrance to the west side of the new expansion to allow for buses to stop and
unload kids while traffic can continue. He said we had spoken about it last time and you did
actually amend it in the initial site plan drawing. Mr. Kline said we have an ability to have
that bus drop off, and Commissioner Aelion said but it still is not enough,we spoke about it
with staff and understood that yes, it is allowed by Code to reduce, because it is an internal
street and so we can actually make the sidewalk narrower so that buses can go in kind of an
inlet to drop the kids. Mr. Kline said we can do that and he thinks our other issue is that the
site is 100 feet in the north/south. We have a garage entrance and so we have less than 70
feet to work with but we can certainly do that and bring that in. Our Architect is here and
we can tell him to look at that width to make sure that the buses are accommodated.
Commissioner Aelion said the other issue is on parking, the parking spaces are in line with
the Code for the annex building. However, if there is a situation where we have an event in
the theater, and another event by the seniors at the same time, will the parking suffice for
both events? In other words, take a scenario that it is at full capacity, in the afternoon the
offices are still operating,there is an event in the theater,plus there is an event of seniors at a
gathering, do you take into account that there is enough parking for all of these events
simultaneously happening? Salman Rathore said eventually he is going to be showing the
shared parking that is acquired but lets say two events are happening at the same time and so
that has to be planned and that is what we discussed with City staff and the City Manager.
The idea was that you do not have two events happening at the same time,and so there has to
be a certain planning that needs to happen. Commissioner Aelion said that means no.
Commissioner Levin said you just gave us a new revised plan, including the one that we had
before,and based on the one we were given before, it appeared that there was no way to walk
from Collins Avenue to Atlantic Boulevard in the new property. But if you look at page 6 of
this, there is clearly a way to walk through. Why did that change? Mr. Kline said the
pedestrian passage now is going to be on the southern edge of the garage of Government
Center. He asked Commissioner Levin if she was talking about the pedestrian passage from
west to east,and Commissioner Levin said yes but on the expansion property. Mr.Kline said
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yes, there was a time when we tried to have that pedestrian passage in between the existing
and the new project. What we found was that the quality of the space with all the utilities
and infrastructure made it unpleasant. We didn't think it was the kind of pedestrian passage
that would commensurate with the quality of Government Center,and so we moved it to the
south, and it is now on the site plan.
Commissioner Levin said she was looking at the site plan that you gave us before and she
met with staff and it was a particular question that she asked because she was looking at it
and it looked like a roof overhang between the two properties, the north side of this building
and the south side of where the other building is. She specifically asked Ms. Hasbun is this
locked,you can't walk from Collins Avenue to Atlantic Boulevard,and she looked and there
was all this equipment in there and so you could not walk west to east, east to west on the
new property. Mr. Kline said that is correct. Commissioner Levin said but now on this Site
Plan it looks like there is a walkway there, and Mr. Kline said no, it is for service only.
Commissioner Levin asked what would prevent someone from walking in there, and Mr.
Kline said we are going to have it gated on the east and the west side.
Salman Rathore, Project Manager from the Corradino Group,said we are going to be talking
about the Traffic Impact Study and Shared Parking Analysis for the Project,and he continued
with the PowerPoint presentation. With the Traffic Impact Analysis the reason is that we
want to be able to look at the impact of current and future traffic based on the proposed
Project. This is a Mixed-Use project with a Middle School, General Office Building,
Performing Arts, Civic Center/Fitness Area/Senior Facility. Before he started the analysis,
they met with different stakeholders so they could understand the project. They met with
City Staff and the Architect to understand the project,different land uses,shared parking,and
met with the City Police to understand the school traffic flow,bottlenecks,different timings
that would be beneficial from a school operations point of view.
Mr. Rathore said they met with the School Principal and got an idea of current and future
enrollment, anticipated future enrollment, drop-off and pick-up timing issues. They have
three (3)buses which cater to about 250 to 300 students, and they also met with the Miami-
Dade County School Board so they could discuss the project in general,and in particular,the
staggered school timing options for Middle School.
Mr.Rathore said data was collected from a total of eleven(11)intersections on December 1,
2015, eight (8) were un-signalized, and three (3) were signalized intersections. It revealed
that by collecting data on a certain day and time that it represented the most conservative
peak conditions. In the Traffic Analysis they looked at existing conditions,what is out there
currently,the current impact on traffic on the resounding traffic network. As far as existing
conditions, he spent half a day in the field with the Police Officers looking at the incoming
school traffic, arrival, departure, observed the traffic in the morning and midday. They saw
that Police presence was there and there were school crossing guards present. In the morning
it was about 25 to 30 minutes when the traffic was dispersed, and in the midday it was about
40 to 45 minutes when the traffic would disperse. The results of the existing conditions,five
(5)of the intersections were highlighted out of the eleven(11)which had at least one failing
approach that needs to be looked at further.
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Mr. Rathore said as part of the analysis, they looked at the future conditions which was the
current traffic + Citywide growth + proposed project traffic. They considered future and
anticipated enrollment of the school which is going to be about 2,300 students, plus the
Mixed-Use Project and they identified mitigation. Two (2) scenarios were analyzed for
mitigation, in his report he calls it Scenario 1 and Scenario 2. Scenario 1 is the current
arrival and departure time,we leave it as is, and then traffic on top of it. Scenario 2 is where
we have the best option which is the staggered option in which K-1 arrives at 8:20 a.m. and
leaves at 1:50 p.m.; grades 2 to 5 arrive at 8:35 a.m. and leaves at 3:05 p.m.; grades 6 to 8
proposed to arrive at 8:45 a.m. and leave at 3:25 p.m.. except on Wednesdays, when they
leave at 2:25 p.m. Again the results were about the same with the five (5) intersections that
showed at least one approach failing, and so we have to identify mitigation. For two
intersections Collins Avenue and 178th Street,and Collins Avenue and 183`d Street which are
both signalized, can be improved by modifying the signal timing. We don't have to do
physical improvements. For Atlantic Boulevard and 178th Street,and Atlantic Boulevard and
183`d Street which are not signalized, we are proposing that it is further evaluated to see if a
4-way stop sign can be provided or maybe a signal is warranted. For the existing vs.
Scenario 2 the Staggered School Shifts, they are proposing that it remains the same for K-1
and grades 2-5, the only place where it will be different is for Middle School grades 6 to 8,
arrival at 8:45 a.m. and departure at 3:25 p.m. except on Wednesday when the departure will
be at 2:25 p.m. It is important to keep in mind that these timings were discussed not only
with the Miami-Dade County School Board but with City Staff and especially with the Police
Officers so we can get a good idea as to what is the most appropriate and continuous time
that can be provided. That will eventually be smooth operations as far as traffic is concerned.
Mr. Rathore said they came up with some additional proposed mitigation: school staggered
hours is one he already mentioned; physical improvements like a crosswalk on Atlantic
Boulevard;educational programs for parents and community so they can send their children
to the buses; Police and traffic control presence needs to be there and probably increased;
increase bus service,currently there are three(3)buses being used and they are proposing to
increase 100% from 3 to six (6) buses, and so 450 to 500 students will be utilizing that
facility and that would make a big difference in traffic impacts, congestions, etc. They also
encourage the City to participate in the Safe Route to School (SRTS) Program.
Mr. Rathore reported on the Shared Parking Analysis.to analyze the advantage of the Mixed-
Use nature of the project and implications to shared parking usage. How much shared
parking for this land use is required, individual land uses have different timing as far as the
peak parking demand is concerned but as a whole we have to come up with shared parking.
For this project we calculated and came up with 153 number of spaces that needs to be
provided for school, office, retail and for all the other land uses.
Mr. Rathore said in conclusion for traffic our professional opinion is the staggered timing
approach, additional mitigation needs to be provided for crosswalks, a bus lane, the parents
and community needs to be educated about sending their kids to buses,the number of buses
should be increased, and the City should participate in the SRTS Program, and most
importantly the presence of Police and crossing guards is a must for a smooth pedestrian and
traffic operation. For Shared Parking Analysis as he had indicated, 153 shared parking
spaces will have to be provided for this project.
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Commissioner Aelion said if you can scroll back between the required and the revised or
adjusted to shared, for handicapped, are we talking between 189 to 153, in other words we
only have 36 parking spaces to have a full capacity? What would be the full capacity parking
if we had to advocate each space according to Code, what would be the big number? Mr.
Rathore said if you could look at it right now, it is 217, and we are providing 163 shared
parking spaces. Mr. Kline said we should add that we are providing 147 cars in the new
project garage, and we are relying on 6 cars through unity of title with its property for that
difference. Commissioner Aelion said then that is 64 shared parking spaces that are being
compromised, and Mr. Kline said your calculation on the shared, that is a reduction. Mr.
Rathore said right, we have 153 as shared, and Commissioner Aelion said then that we are
short 64 spaces under the required. Ms. Hasbun said yes, that is correct.
Commissioner Levin asked why was the decision made not to build more parking,why aren't
we just making the building bigger and making more parking available? Mr. Kline said it
came about because we decided at an additional cost to do one basement level of parking, it
is more expensive to go into the ground, and we thought then how much additional parking
can we put on the site to the north. We decided we would do one level of parking above
grade, and so that first story is parking. The school starts essentially on the second level.
When we tried to add another level of parking, then you are asking students to climb two
levels into the school. We thought it detached the function and the quality of the school too
much from the street. We realized it is urban and there is going to be a competition for
parking but at the same time there are amenities, there are shared parking, we hope there is
encouragement for shuttle buses when the theater is going and you have City Hall functions
at the same time, there needs to be that accommodation. We realize it is a challenge.
City Manager Russo said another way to look at this aside from all these counts,the reality is
fundamentally we are running everything here now that is going to be run with this addition.
When you reduce the school count by eliminating the overcrowded classroom,and you factor
in the fact that the seniors are meeting here now as it is. The one significant factor left is this
auditorium, and our challenge will be to schedule that auditorium for special events, and he
is talking special events beyond the seniors, 100 plus of them are here for lunch once a
month. When he clears out the City Hall garage to park the 60 vehicles that we have sitting
there seven(7)days a week in the lower underground level,he thinks you are going to see an
absolute marked improvement to the ability to conveniently park here in general. The
challenge is when we schedule an event above and beyond what he just said in that
auditorium. That is going to be a challenge and hopefully down the road we can achieve
some other parking. Commissioner Aelion noted also that many vehicles leave the garage
after 5:00 p.m. City Manager Russo said the one agreement that we do have, and this is a
verbal agreement but we take their word, that it will not be leased out,that is going to be the
corporate offices of the entity that is buying the three (3) floors.
Mayor Scholl noted that we also have street parking along Atlantic Boulevard, and it is an
urban landscape, so the bottom line is that we think we have got it covered but you can't go
down another level without the expense going up,and if you take it up another level you will
get kids to go up the stairs as kids don't take elevators.
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Mr. Kline said if he can elaborate to Commissioner Levin's question, when you look at the
sections that we have done one level into the earth for parking and we have come up one
level, and so we didn't see in terms of the quality of the educational space, having children
climb up two levels. By the same token, and we did explore it, could you put the school on
the ground and then put parking above. Commissioner Levin said then put the parking all the
way through. Mr. Kline said but then there is no natural light, there is no ventilation, and
Commissioner Levin said no, she meant all the way from Atlantic to Collins. Mr. Kline said
we are doing that at the basement level but we still have to set that back and have lobby and
amenities. It is a very challenging site and we are trying to squeeze every part of parking and
program that we can. He said it is very harmonious with the existing Government Center but
it is a challenge to put all that program there.
Mayor Scholl said to Larry's point, the value of the site was the fact that it is contiguous to
this building and this facility, and so we are able to leverage off above, because most of the
time at night this is empty,and so the fact that the parking here is empty at night so when we
do have programming in that auditorium they are going to park in the building, or park next
door, or park in the street, and as Larry pointed out, hopefully we will also use our
transportation system. As you know,his pet peeve is if the kids going to that school lived in
the neighborhood we wouldn't have 600 cars here in the morning. He is working on that and
obviously it made the State of the City Address as he is so frustrated about it but he is
passionate about it at the same time. He thinks how the building is designed, that they did
another great job.
Commissioner Levin said the City Manager had said he was going to move all the vehicles to
the other building, and City Manager Russo said yes, we have literally about 60 vehicles
between all our various departments that are here seven(7)days a week. If you come in here
on a Saturday afternoon or early Sunday morning and count how many vehicles are in that
garage, there are a lot. If we move them out to a separate section in this sub-basement level
with the convenience of the breezeway attachment to the new building, and the access to
everything that is still going on in this building which is the majority of our government
services. He thinks it is going to feel like we freed up parking more than anything else. Mr.
Kline said the basement level parking is tandem parking, and the greatest use of that tandem
are for the Police vehicles which may not be moved as often and so when you have one car
parked in front of another it is not as great of an inconvenience.
Commissioner Levin said before she forgets, this is Sara Giraldo, she is the Secretary of the
Student Government Association over at the school, and she invited her to come tonight.
Commissioner Levin said just a couple of minor questions that she was curious about when
she was looking at the plans. Outside of the theater, there is a staircase, is that going to be a
staircase that is going to be finished and people are going to be able to walk up and down
from the first floor to the mezzanine? Mr. Kline said absolutely, we are still working on the
interior finishes and we will bring that to you at the next presentation. Right now we are
looking probably at something similar to what we have here,terrazzo for the main,it is great
as an image, it is durable, and so the escalators will take you from ground up that first level,
and then that stair will take you up an additional level into the theater.
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Commissioner Levin said it is probably premature to ask this but if it is going to be a
performing arts theater you might want to get something to drink or eat, has there been any
thought given to that? City Manager Russo said yes, and we left about 2,000 square feet.
Mr. Kline said we have a small café at the ground floor, adjacent to the escalators and the
question will be how we handle it. Commissioner Levin said then people from the theater
will have to go all the way downstairs, and City Manager Russo said it is just down the
escalator. Commissioner Levin asked if there was room in that pre-function area to have
something? Mr. Kline said we could have a small bar set up there, it could be something
permanent or even temporary. City Manager Russo said the idea was to have a small coffee
shop in that 2,000 square feet that would be open to make it economically viable. Mayor
Scholl said when we had the smaller theater we had a retail space in the ground floor, once
we decided to expand the theater, something had to give and that is what gave. What they
have is space for, we would have to have an ad hoc concession there but it wouldn't be
something permanent.
Vice Mayor Gatto said she has a traffic question, she saw a slide earlier and she thinks it was
school dispersing in the morning between 25 and 30 minutes,and then in the afternoon it was
15 minutes more, she was just curious as to why it would take longer in the afternoon. Is it
the surrounding traffic, or, from his perspective are you strictly counting cars when you
describe that, or what do you look at when you come up with those cars, kids, bodies, etc.
Mr. Rothore said we definitely are looking at cars,and since this is a Mixed-Use project,we
want to make sure that the arrival and departure that peak does not coincide with the office
peak or the other users peaks. Let's say that the office peak started at 4:15 p.m. we want to
make sure that everybody, as far as school traffic is concerned, is out before that time. Vice
Mayor Gatto asked why it takes an additional 15 minutes longer to disperse kids in the
afternoon than in the morning. Mr. Rothore said based on observation it is just from an
operation point of view, parents start arriving early and then they wait forming queues
waiting on the kids to come out. Mayor Scholl said in the afternoon they are picking up and
so they have to wait for the kids, in the morning they drop the kid off and they leave. And so
it is different if you are dropping somebody off but if the kid is not standing on the corner,
the pickup is more complex than the drop off. City Manager Russo said one factor that has
not been mentioned here yet is the later dismissal time was a strong recommendation from
the Police Department and he thinks they are our best experts being out there to know which
is better, if we are going to extend it in one direction or the other.
The Commission thanked everyone,and Mr. Kline said they are looking forward to coming
back to the Commission in April for the next presentation.
Commissioner Aelion moved and Commissioner Levin seconded a motion to approve the
resolution, as revised. Resolution No. 2016-2509 was adopted by a voice vote of 5-0 in
favor.
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10D. A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida,Approving
a Promissory Note Between the City of Sunny Isles Beach and Corner House, LLC;
Providing the City Manager and City Attorney with the Authority to Do All Things
Necessary to Effectuate this Resolution; Providing for an Effective Date.
Action: [City Clerk's Note: Item IOD was heard with related Items 10E, 10F and 10G.]
City Clerk Hines read the title, and Mayor Scholl reported.
Public Speakers: None
Commissioner Aelion moved and Commissioner Levin seconded a motion to approve the
resolution. Resolution No. 2016-2510 was adopted by a voice vote of 5-0 in favor.
10E. A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida,Approving
a Donation of Transfer of Development Rights ("TDRs") in the Amount of 75,000
Square Feet of Floor Area and 35 Dwelling Units to Corner House LLC for the
Property Located at 18801 Collins Avenue; Directing the Zoning Administrator or
Designee to Donate the Aforementioned TDRs from the TDR Bank Account Owned by the
City; Authorizing the Adjustment and Modification of the TDR Bank Account;Consenting
to the Assignment of TDRs; Providing the City Manager and the City Attorney with the
Authority to Do All Things Necessary to Effectuate this Resolution; Providing for an
Effective Date.
Action: [City Clerk's Note: Item 10E was heard with related Items 10D, 10F and 10G.]
City Clerk Hines read the title, and Mayor Scholl reported that TDRs are probably some of
the most misunderstood things in our City but basically we have an Ordinance that was
originally envisioned to whereby if somebody would like to donate to the City a piece of land
that we would like to use for a park, we are able to take the density from that land in the form
of a transferable development right or TDR and compensate the donor of the land with those
TDRs which then they can go and sell or utilize to develop in another area of the City. In
most cases,that area is the east side of Collins Avenue because with cost of construction and
the cost of land is very expensive and so what happens is those TDRs end up on the east side
of Collins Avenue. Within our Ordinance it provides the developer building a high-rise a bit
more density. Essentially what we do is take density from one area of the City and move it to
another where it might be more desirable, and this is a good example of that.
Mayor Scholl said what we were able to do is in some cases when we acquire park land
sometimes we pay cash, like for instance next door, we paid some cash and some TDRs but
normally when the donor of the property has to have a capacity to try to modify the TDRs,
and so in this case the donor of the property is a developer who is building the Varadero
Project across the street, or one of the partners in the project. And so what we were able to
do is work out a deal with that developer to acquire the land strictly for TDRs which is a non-
cash transaction for the City but provides the developer with the needed TDRs that he needs
for the Varadero Project. This is the lot on the entrance to the Golden Shores neighborhood.
He said on that City block we already have an agreement that the back half of that lot will
also be conveyed to us when the Tumberry Project breaks ground. So this is the lot on the
entrance to the Golden Shores neighborhood which is contiguous to the property that we
already made an agreement for. This would be acquired strictly for TDRs.
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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida
Mayor Scholl said we have not found a use for this property yet but our attitude is that we
have a very densely populated City in terms of high-rise development,and the more land that
we can acquire before it gets too expensive we should acquire it. He knows that this
Commission in the past year, as we talked about in the State of the City Address,acquired a
piece down in the south end of the City, we acquired the piece next door for public purpose,
and now he would recommend to the Commission that we acquire this piece in the north end
of the City. Ironically, when we looked at our Comprehensive Plan as was stated earlier
about the Amendment,our Comprehensive Plan says that if we are really doing our job every
resident in the City should be within a quarter of a mile of a park,or within walking distance
but the fact is the location of this lot, if we do the quarter mile radius between all our existing
parks,this was an area that was neglected in accordance with our Comprehensive Plan and so
it serves a dual purpose and he didn't even know that until we started to really look at it. He
was just happy to see that we might be able to acquire another piece of land for TDRs, or
accept the donation of another piece of land that ultimately can form some more green space.
Public Speakers: None
Commissioner Aelion said also this creates a buffer zone for the contrast of the east side of
Collins Avenue to the west side. The more the City acquires land for parks that is
complemented with 85%of the retail space along the same west side of Collins Avenue,will
be minimal. After this we really don't see development lining the west side of Collins
Avenue to come before us, there may be one or two exceptions. To make the residents who
live on the west side of Collins Avenue happier but also more accepting of what has
happened in recent years in light of all the building on the east side of Collins Avenue.
Commissioner Levin said she is really glad that a solution was found so that we were able to
do this because she believes that the rest of the Commission all agree that even though the
building that was proffered was a nice building it was completely out of character for the
neighborhood. She knows the residents of Golden Shores are all happy, it is a good solution.
Mayor Scholl said we have is an agreement with the owner of the property, staff has some
clean up to do, there is one more approval that is complicated and there is a fund involved
where the TDRs are going. We have all the formal approvals in place but we are waiting for
one more informal approval. If we don't get it in the next two weeks it is going to die but he
is very comfortable that we have got the approvals that we need. City Attorney Ottinot said
based on this which authorized the City Manager and City Attorney to finalize the documents
to clarify these transactions and go to the Escrow Agreement to release certain documents.
Commissioner Levin said then that everything that we approve tonight is going to be held in
escrow and if final approval on the developers side is not obtained within 20 business days
then everything becomes null and void,and Mayor Scholl said that is correct. City Attorney
Ottinot said the Escrow Agreement needs to be a separate resolution and vote. Mayor Scholl
said there was a large fund involved in New York that had to go before their Investment
Committee to approve their receipt of the TDRs. It didn't have to do with the land itself but
the Donor of the land has to be able to use the TDRs the way that they had anticipated. And
so they got a formal approval from that fund but that fund had a second Investment
Committee and so they wanted an additional informal approval.
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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida
Commissioner Levin said so it is the receiving site, and Mayor Scholl said right, it is the
financiers of the receiving site, and he would have pulled it if he didn't think that we were
99% of the way there. All of this was going on today, and so City Attorney Ottinot has an
Escrow Agreement whereby when they get that approval but his caveat was is it 20 days or
two weeks? City Attorney Ottinot said right now it is 20 days. Mayor Scholl said we are
going to accept the donation of the property, we are going to issue the TDRs, and then we
also agree to the cash payment. They are also going to provide the City with a cash payment
in the amount of$437,000.00 within 21/4 years, and so we are getting some money back in
addition to conveying the TDRs, it is a little complex.
Mayor Scholl said when we close on this land we will get immediate control of it. In other
deals that we have done,sometimes we allow the property owner to maintain use of the land
for a year or two like we are doing for Tumberry, like we did for Dezer and the Dezer
Platinum piece. This owner is making a deal with the Dezers to sublease the Platinum piece
for the remainder of our term that we granted the Dezers with another 2%2 years. They asked
if they were still needing it,and only if they need it for the sale of the Ritz Carlton project, if
they could lease it from the City for another year, up to 18 months past the expiration of the
Dezers lease which we agreed to because we are getting this property immediately. That is
the difference, if we did it the normal way we would still have the Dezer piece tied up and
this piece would be tied up for potentially two or three years. Frankly, it cleans up the south
end too because they won't be building a sales center and knocking it down to build a
building, it will be across the street. Commissioner Aelion said eventually that property goes
to the City, and Mayor Scholl said actually we already own it,they donated that site and we
gave them TDRs, and they used those TDRs for the Armani building.
Vice Mayor Gatto congratulated Mayor Scholl on his negotiating skills because this is
amazing, if you look at all the components involved down to the Dezer's Sales Office, and
have this all completely fall into place where we avoided having an office building sticking
out in the middle of a residential area. She just wanted to make sure everyone appreciates the
effort that was done to maintain the integrity of the Golden Shores area.
Commissioner Aelion moved and Commissioner Levin seconded a motion to approve the
resolution. Resolution No. 2016-2511 was adopted by a voice vote of 5-0 in favor.
10F. A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, Approving
and Accepting a Warranty Deed for the Conveyance of Land for Public Purposes from
Corner House, LLC; Authorizing the Recording of the Deed in the Public Records of
Miami-Dade County, Florida; Authorizing the City Manager and City Attorney to Do All
Things Necessary to Effectuate the Terms of this Resolution; Providing for an Effective
Date.
Action: [City Clerk's Note: Item 10F was heard with related Items 10D, 10E and 10G.]
City Clerk Hines read the title, and Mayor Scholl reported.
Public Speakers: None
Commissioner Aelion moved and Commissioner Levin seconded a motion to approve the
resolution. Resolution No. 2016-2512 was adopted by a voice vote of 5-0 in favor.
Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach.Florida
10G. A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida.Approving a
Letter of Intent Between the City of Sunny Isles Beach and Corner House, LLC, a
Florida Limited Liability Company to Lease Property Located at 15800 Collins Avenue,
Sunny Isles Beach, in Substantially the Same Form Attached Hereto as Exhibit "A";
Providing the City Manager and the City Attorney with the Authority to Do All Things
Necessary to Effectuate this Resolution;Authorizing the Mayor to Execute the Letter of Intent
in Substantially the Same Form Attached Hereto as Exhibit "A"; Providing for an Effective
Date.
Action: [City Clerk's Note: Item 10G was heard with related Items 10D, 10E, and 10F.]
City Clerk Hines read the title, and Mayor Scholl reported.
Public Speakers: None
Commissioner Aelion moved and Commissioner Levin seconded a motion to approve the
resolution. Resolution No. 2016-2513 was adopted by a voice vote of 5-0 in favor.
[City Clerk's Note: A Resolution Approving the Escrow Agreement was added to the
Agenda as Item 1OM and was heard after Items 10D, 10E, 1OF, and 1OG.]
[City Clerk's Note: Item I OH was heard after the add-on Item 10M]
10H. A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida,Approving
the Third Amendment to the Agreement with The Weitz Company for Construction
Management Services for Gateway Park, in an Amount Not to Exceed $118,749.99,
Attached Hereto as Exhibit"A"; Authorizing the Mayor to Execute Said Amendment to the
Agreement; Authorizing the City Manager to Do All Things Necessary to Effectuate this
Resolution; Providing for an Effective Date.
Action: [City Clerk's Note: Item 10H was heard after the add-on Item 10M] City Clerk
Hines read the title, and Capital Projects Manager Elka Linton-Dorsett reported that The
Weitz Company is the City's representative for Construction Phase at Gateway Park. Based
on the on-going construction, we are requesting approval for a Third Amendment to the
contract extending the duration to March 2016,which is an additional three(3)months from
where we are right now.
Public Speakers: None
Commissioner Aelion asked where we are now with this Amendment, and Ms. Linton-
Dorsett said the initial agreement was$237,500.00,every month the fee is$39,583.33 for the
three months that were extended for right now it is an additional $118,749.99 for a total of
$395,833.32. City Manager Russo said it is not a high amount for a $20 Million contract.
Ms. Linton-Dorsett said ultimately Weitz is providing a service on the side that she thinks is
far worth the cost we are paying.
Commissioner Aelion moved and Vice Mayor Gatto seconded a motion to approve the
resolution. Resolution No. 2016-2514 was adopted by a voice vote of 5-0 in favor.
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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida
101. A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, Approving
the First Amendment to the Agreement with Ric-Man International,Inc.for the Design
and Construction of a Pedestrian Bridge at Gateway Park, in an Amount Not to Exceed .
$277,665.56, Attached Hereto as Exhibit "A"; Authorizing the Mayor to Execute Said
Amendment to the Agreement;Authorizing the City Manager to Do All Things Necessary to
Effectuate this Resolution; Providing for an Effective Date.
Action: City Clerk Hines read the title, and Capital Projects Manager Elka Linton-Dorsett
reported based on where we are at to date,the Contractor has since expended more than 259
days in the Permit Process to the outside agencies. That is far in excess of the time that the
City had allotted them. This First Amendment includes an increase in the time allotment to
make allowances for the delays in permitting. In addition,during the time that we have spent
undertaking the permits, we have seen an escalation in market prices also prompting us to
request an increase in the monetary value of the contract. Generally the construction market
prices have been going up,and there are components of the construction and design that have
not been contracted that we are now facing the market escalation for materials, such as the
electrical, the maintenance of traffic components, the concrete, etc. Additionally there is
money allocated within this Amendment to cover additional design costs from the design
team. One is for accommodation to the Gateway Park which is now constructed. When the
project was bid, Gateway Park was still a vision and everything was based on design plans.
They have also had to revise the plans based on comments from the outside agencies. With
the cost of this Amendment, the total amount not to exceed is $2,377,665.56 and puts the
new completion date at January 2017.
Public Speakers: None
Commissioner Aelion said this means that most probably, the ribbon cutting for the Park is
going to occur before or during the construction of the bridge. At our last Workshop meeting
with staff, he proposed that we don't want to infringe upon our neighbors of the Plaza of the
Americas, Porto Bellagio, and the Yacht Club so that we will have to arrange some busing
for the residents to the Park until the bridge is completed. City Manager Russo said he
thought it was a good idea,and he and Susan Simpson discussed it,and in addition to,which
is quite significant, the trips that we do make from that area can be dropped off at what
would be the open Gateway Park. In addition to that, for any special events that we have
there until the bridge is completed and open, we will run extra from that area of North Bay
Road between 172nd and Sunny Isles Boulevard. The bad news is the delay, and the good
news is with all the negative stuff that Elka just said, the total increase is about 15%.
Commissioner Goldman moved and Vice Mayor Gatto seconded a motion to approve the
resolution. Resolution No. 2016-2515 was adopted by a voice vote of 5-0 in favor.
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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida
10J. A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach. Florida.Approving
the First Amendment to the Agreement with Lynx Construction Management,LLC for
Repairs to Government Center and Heritage Park, in an Amount Not to Exceed
$120.779.34,Attached Hereto as Exhibit"A";Authorizing the Mayor to Execute Said First
Amendment to Agreement; Authorizing the City Manager to Do All Things Necessary to
Effectuate this Resolution; Providing for an Effective Date.
Action: City Clerk Hines read the title, and Capital Projects Manager Elka Linton-Dorsett
reported we have completed a large number of projects slated including the acoustics in the
Commission Chambers, some painting and stucco repair on the exterior of the Government
Center. However, the work that we have done has uncovered additional repairs that are
needed that were not included in the Scope of Work. One of these improvements will be the
addition of mechanical vents within the Heritage Park Parking Garage as well as repairs to
doors and windows within the Government Center.
Public Speakers: None
Commissioner Goldman moved and Commissioner Levin seconded a motion to approve
the resolution. Resolution No. 2016-2516 was adopted by a voice vote of 5-0 in favor.
10K. A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida,Approving a
Premium Lighting Agreement with Florida Power and Light(FPL) for the Installation
or Modification of Premium Lighting Facilities in the Golden Shores Residential
Neighborhood, in an Amount Not to Exceed $53,991.00, in Substantially the Same Form
Attached Hereto as Exhibit"A", Provided the Agreement is Approved as to Form and Legal
Sufficiency by the City Attorney; Authorizing the Mayor to Execute Said Agreement;
Authorizing the City Manager and the City Attorney to Do All Things Necessary to
Effectuate this Resolution; Providing for an Effective Date.
Action: City Clerk Hines read the title,and City Manager Russo reported this is the interim
lighting for Golden Shores. It will increase the lighting from about 30%to 40%of what it
should be of about 70%. This started because we know that the undergrounding process both
in terms of being able to properly plan it,engineer it, and for the City to have the funds to do
it is at least five (5) years away. In the interim, we had meetings over the summer with
members of the Association there and at that time he had thought we could actually get this
off the ground before the end of the summer when he realized that FPL owns those lights still
and hadn't been taken over by the City yet. It had to be engineered and approved by them.
They have now since done the engineering, and when they say "premium". they mean the
more powerful,more efficient,and better LED lighting fixtures vs.older cobra sodium vapor
lights. During their engineering they found that there were a couple of the poles that actually
holds these lights that are in bad shape and have to be replaced as well. FPL will get started
within the month, and we can get much improved lighting until we get the big project done.
Public Speakers: None
Commissioner Levin moved and Commissioner Goldman seconded a motion to approve
the resolution. Resolution No. 2016-2517 was adopted by a voice vote of 5-0 in favor.
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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida
[City Clerk's Note: Item 1OL was heard after Item 9A.]
10L. A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach, Florida, Awarding
Bid No. 15-12-02 to,and Authorizing the City Manager to Negotiate and Enter into an
Agreement with Rohl Networks,LP for the Construction of the Collins Avenue Utility
Undergrounding, in a Total Amount Not to Exceed $6,830,000.00, Provided said
Agreement is Approved as to Form and Legal Sufficiency by the City Attorney;Authorizing
the City Manager and the City Attorney to Do All Things Necessary to Effectuate this
Resolution; Providing for an Effective Date.
Action: [City Clerk's Note: This item was distributed prior to the Meeting. See additional
action under Item 4A. This item was heard after Item 9A.] City Clerk Hines read the title,
and City Manager Russo reported noting the base bid price was about$100,000.00 more than
what Consultant Paul Abbott negotiated it to$4,830,000.00. We put in here a contingency of
$500,000.00 for unforeseen things which could very easily happen, as we are talking about
the length of Collins Avenue. The additional contingency of$1,500,000.00 is the area that is
not completed with the engineering yet that Keith and Schnars are moving with FPL which is
the entire Atlantic Boulevard section which also includes some of that back alley area at the
north end through Atlantic near the school and Atlantic behind RK Shopping Center. The
main reason we need to move ahead is we have a timing materials item in the bid and this is
the estimate for that area. We cannot delay getting the work done on Collins Avenue,that is
the key, and that can begin immediately with this award.
Paul Abbot with HPF Associates, reported we had three (3) bidders, we scope reviewed the
two lower bidders. We found some anomalies within their unit prices and we asked the
bidders to go back and consider a more appropriate unit price for specific items which they
did. Rohl Networks has impeccable credentials,and has worked in conditions from as far as
the Alaskan Tundra, in sand, in permafrost area down to coastal areas in Florida and the
Carolinas. To our benefit they are using a Prime Sub-Contractor that is well known and
respected with FPL to install all of the utility conduits. We will be doing primarily the
excavation and the road repair, maintaining with their own forces as opposed to a sub, the
maintenance of traffic which we recognized what would be the most important aspect of the
project running down Collins Avenue.
Public Speakers: Paul Abbott
Mayor Scholl asked if they have worked in South Florida,and Mr.Abbott said yes,extensive
work in South Florida, not in this particular County but up and down the coast. Mayor
Scholl said as he mentioned in the State of the City,this project is going to be disruptive but
it is going to be worth it.
Commissioner Goldman moved and Vice Mayor Gatto seconded a motion to approve the
resolution. Resolution No. 2016-2518 was adopted by a voice vote of 5-0 in favor.
[City Clerk's Note: Item 10A was heard after Item 10L, and the remainder of the agenda
was heard in order.]
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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida
10M. Add-On:
A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida,Approving an
Escrow Agreement Between the City of Sunny Isles Beach and Corner House, LLC, a
Florida Limited Liability Company,for the Property Located at 18590 Collins Avenue,
in Substantially the Same Form Attached Hereto as Exhibit"A", Provided said Agreement is
Approved as to Form and Legal Sufficiency by the City Attorney; Providing the City
Manager and the City Attorney with the Authority to Do All Things Necessary to Effectuate
this Resolution; Providing for an Effective Date.
Action: [City Clerk's Note: The Escrow Agreement was distributed by City Attorney Ottinot
at the meeting. Item 10M was heard after related Items IOD, 10E, 10F, and 10G.] City
Attorney Ottinot said the City's Escrow Agent Harold Rifas prepared the Escrow Agreement.
Public Speakers: None
Commissioner Goldman moved and Commissioner Levin seconded a motion to approve
the resolution. Resolution No. 2016-2519 was adopted by a voice vote of 5-0 in favor.
11. MOTIONS
None
12. DISCUSSION ITEMS
12A. Add-On:
A Discussion to Set a Date for a Commission Workshop for the"Transportation Master
Plan".
Action: [City Clerk's Note: This item was added and heard after Item 13B.] City Manager
Russo said we are looking for a date to schedule a Workshop for the Transportation Master
Plan and are looking at the end of the day on either February 9 or 10. After discussion it was
decided to schedule the Workshop on Wednesday,February 10, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. The City
Clerk will send out an email scheduling the Workshop. Mayor Scholl asked Gabriel
Gonzalez to give the City Clerk his email address and she will send him an agenda for that
Workshop.
13. CITIZENS' FORUM: REQUESTS, PETITIONS & OTHER COMMUNICATIONS
13A. Ingrid Lehner said she is here tonight on behalf of the cats in Samson Oceanfront Park.
She has been feeding these cats now for about 12 years. The Park is being renovated and she
was asked in September to relocate the feeding place for these cats. She kept asking how the
Park was going to look like, where to put them, and she could never get a straight answer.
Two days ago the fence went up around the Park and she has not been able to get into the
Park to feed the cats. She found one of the workers from the construction company and he
had an idea to make a pedestrian gate to the south end of the fence toward the beach because
the cats are in the dune, and she could get in to feed the cats. Unfortunately this idea was
turned down by Susan Simpson, and ever since she has been trying to find a solution. The
cats will go eat maybe in another place and then they go back into the dunes all day long and
so they are locked in any ways. Right now the cats are locked in.
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Summary Minutes:Regular City Commission Meeting January 21,2016 City of Sunny Isles Beach,Florida
City Manager Russo said he knows what she is talking about. We always have access to the
beach, and right now the access is on the south side and is open. On the north side of the
south walkway that people can get to Ocean II is the total construction fence. By chance we
met out there about a week ago, and he will refer to Ingrid on this because he knows the
whole idea was to have our staff feed the cats but he Ingrid does not feel comfortable with
that. He asked her if she thinks the cats are okay in that fenced-in area or do they need some
access out of that area? Ingrid said they are okay in there. City Manager Russo said he
thinks we can make an opening into the gate that we can lock and give Ingrid the key,to feed
the cats every day. Ingrid said she goes there at 6:00 a.m. and again at 6:00 p.m. City
Manager Russo said he will meet her there at 6:00 a.m. and they will work it out.
13B. Gabriel Gonzalez said he is a Junior at the Alonso and Tracy Mourning High School.
For a long time he has been in a program at the Log Cabin called"Project Seed", mentioning
all these projects and all these concerns of pedestrian safety,all these big money projects are
great but we would like to work on the small intersections. For example the intersections
within Winston Towers or the intersection between Epicure and the Park. Those are small
intersections that he believes the safety of pedestrians are at a risk and that if we can come up
with a solution and work together to help better the community of Sunny Isles Beach,so that
the overall safety of bigger and smaller intersections can be made.
Mayor Scholl said the good news is we agree with you, the bad news is that it is not so easy
because ultimately like Collins Avenue, we don't control that road, it is a State road. What
happens is if we had our druthers we would have four-way lights where all the cars have to
stop for pedestrians to cross. FDOT does not allow us to do that because they are concerned
about keeping the traffic moving. A lot of it we just went through with the Comprehensive
Plan is considering pedestrian overpasses over Collins Avenue,and trying to mitigate traffic
and trying to create more pedestrian safety. Ironically, some of the things you are talking
about, we have been talking about now is maybe getting those flashing lights in the street
alongside the crosswalks, those types of things, and staff is working on it. He would
encourage Gabriel to send him an email and come in and talk about it,and you can invite one
or more of your classmates. We will go over that because ultimately it is something that we
all agree with, it is just the mechanism for getting it done. We are working on big projects
which in our case is pedestrian walkovers and things of that nature. But clearly even the
small intersections are going to need attention. The fact is that ten years ago people didn't
walk on the streets here and now it is loaded,and that is a good thing which is a consequence
of the fact that the City has come a long way. .
14. ADJOURNMENT
Commissioner Aelion moved and Commissioner Levin seconded a motion to adjourn the
meeting;and-Mayor Scholl adjourned it at 8:35 .m.
Respectfully submitted by:. Appr 'ed by the,City Commission on Feb. 18, 2016
•
--A s A_'.._
Jar es. MMC, City Clerk George . Scholl, Mayor
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