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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSEOPW OMNI CRA 2002-08-22 Minutes0 CITY OF MIAMI CRA MEETING MINUTES OF MEETING HELD ON AUGUST 22, 2002 PREPARED BY THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK/CITY HALL Priscilla A. Thompson/City Clerk MINUTES OF THE REGULAR BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING OF THE COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY FOR SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST AND OMNI DISTRICTS On the 22" a day of August 2002, the Board of Directors of the Community Redevelopment Agency for the Southeast Overtown/Park West and Omni Districts of the City of Miami met at the Old Miami Arena, VIP Room, 701 Arena Boulevard, Miami, Florida. The meeting was called to order at 6:11 p.m. by Chairman Arthur E. Teele, Jr., with the following Board Members found to be present: Chairman Arthur E. Teele, Jr. Vice Chairman Johnny L. Winton Board Member Angel Gonzalez Board Member Joe Sanchez ABSENT: Board Member Tomas Regalado ALSO PRESENT: Frank Rollason, Assistant City Manager, City of Miami Alejandro Vilarello, City Attorney, City of Miami Priscilla A. Thompson, City Clerk, City of Miami Sylvia Scheider, Assistant City Clerk, City of Miami Annette Lewis, Executive Director, CRA August 22, 2002 1. AMEND INTER -LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN CITY AND OMNI COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BY ADDING $2,500,000 FROM HOMELAND DEFENSE/NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND ISSUE AND $340,136 FROM DOWNTOWN PARK IMPACT FEES AS AVAILABLE FUNDING SOURCES FOR MARGARET PACE PARK PROJECT. AMEND PHASE IB BUDGET FOR MARGARET PACE PARK PROJECT BY ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM PHASE 2, $30,157, FOR ALTERNATES A AND B FOR DESIGN SERVICE MODIFICATIONS RESULTING FROM EXPEDITING OF PROJECT. Commissioner Teele: With that, Mr. Chairman, we are going to recess the City meeting. We're going to hear, very briefly, from the Director, Ms. Lewis, and the staff on an update of where we are on Margaret Pace Park. And then we have two resolutions. These are more technical. This is to adopt the resolution that the City did, and to provide the additional funding for the acceleration of the park, in the amount of thirty thousand one hundred and fifty-seven dollars ($30,157). So, with that, Ms. Lewis, welcome and it's good to see you. Thank you. Annette Lewis (Executive Director, CRA): Thank you, sir. H. J. Ross, they're actually putting up the equipment to do a presentation. Hopefully, it's not too long. Vice Chairman Winton: Could I ask a question about the acceleration? We voted at a CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) board meeting a few months ago -- I don't remember how many -- Ms. Lewis: In May, sir. Vice Chairman Winton: For an additional hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) to speed this up to get it to Labor Day opening. Ms. Lewis: That's correct, sir. Vice Chairman Winton: Now, that didn't work because we had all the rain days. Ms. Lewis: We had (INAUDIBLE). Vice Chairman Winton: Does that mean we didn't spend the hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) because we couldn't do it? Ms. Lewis: Mr. Calas. Board Member Sanchez: He's going to be kind enough to give it back. Chairman Teele: Mr. Chairman -- Commissioner Winton, let me clarify one thing. What we voted on was -- and that resolution is contained in here. Why don't you help me by finding it. It's up to one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) -- 2 August 22, 2002 Vice Chairman Winton: Well, wait -- that's true. Chairman Teele: It was up to one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000). Vice Chairman Winton: Up to, yeah. Up to. Ms. Lewis: Actually, sir, we had done 90,000 -- 40,000 for phase IA and -- I'm sorry. Let me actually get too it, before I misspeak. Correct, it was 40,000 for the phase IB itself, and an additional 50,000 for the bathrooms, which was alternate `B", which was originally scheduled to be in phase II. Chairman Teele: Yeah, but that's not sort of the question. What is the acceleration amount of this project? Ms. Lewis: Ninety thousand, sir. Chairman Teele: OK. That's the acceleration? Ms. Lewis: That's correct. Vice Chairman Winton: And it was for those two things? Ms. Lewis: That's correct, sir. Vice Chainnan Winton: OK. And, so -- well, the bathrooms, that was a new item, so that would be gone. And the 40,000 to speed the process up? Ms. Lewis: Correct. Vice Chairman Winton: Is that gone, even though we didn't do anything to -- Cesar Calas: Commissioner Teele, basically, what it is is, if -- they had a deadline to finish up in late October. So you would add those 25 days to October to November. So, we're still accelerating and finishing up at the end of September. Vice Chairman Winton: I get it. Board Member Sanchez: State your name for the record. Mr. Calas: Cesar Calas. Chairman Teele: All right. Mr. Calas, you want to just make your presentation? And thank you very much for being here. Mr. Calas: My pleasure, sir. 3 August 22, 2002 Vice Chairman Winton: Can y'all turn that bright light out? Yeah. Can we get a -- can you turn that bright light out, and can we get a pizza? Chairman Teele: The communications people are going to have to -- can you all work on that? OK. Go right ahead, Mr. Calas. Mr. Calas: Good evening, Commissioners. First of all, we'd like to give you a little overview from when we started last year in Margaret Pace Park. That was ground zero. And, basically, here you have your master plan right here, which I'll talk about a little later, and some of the things that are going up, like the main entrance of the park, the children's playground, and basketball courts. The phase I of the park was basically all the infrastructure; putting drainage, grating, doing the land -- changing some of the landscaping around, you know, transplanting trees, doing the (INAUDIBLE), and grating of the whole park, and putting some utilities, in like water and sewer for the bathrooms, and so on and so forth. Basically, this is how it looks. The park looked like this when we started in June last year. And, you know, we -- we gave the contractor notice to proceed, and then we went right ahead and start construction. As you could see, in June, there was already a -- it's a trailer -- a tractor trailer --- Vice Chairman Winton: You've got the right light. No, no. Turn -- you had it off just before. That's it. Thank you. Chairman Teele: Just through this. Go ahead. Vice Chairman Winton: Go ahead. Mr. Calas: OK. This is some of the starting work in the park. You see they start putting the fence up, and starting to do some of the work there. Basically, you know, again, this is some of the entrances of the park, and some of the accesses that were put in for the park. Here you see some of the drainage being put in. This here, in particular, in the right one, is the -- all fall into the bay, and that gives all the infrastructure to be able to drain the park and keep it dry and send it out to Biscayne Bay. Here is how the shoreline -- this is on the north side of the park, and this is how it looks, right where the inlet is, where all the trash accumulated there, rocks and everything. This is just as it started. Again, it gives us the same area. As you can see, there's no flushing there. So all the debris accumulates there, because of the water -- the stagnant water there. Now, this is-- when we started, this is at the end of the park. And, if you will, if you look at this picture, it's right about this end of the park, right here, on the north side -- northeast corner of the park. So this is showing you that area, how it got done, was (INAUDIBLE) to prevent the debris from coming up and keeping as much in the water, as possible. Here, again, is in the north side, showing you some of the additional riffraff. You see, it was all clean. All the vegetation that was inclusive there was taken off, and it was all cleared up. And you see some of the additional riffraff back there that is being put into that area. Again, this is the plant there, showing you how it was cleared, and -- how we kept just the trees that we wanted in the park there. Here is the area at Biscayne Bay. It is -- we cleared -- we took most of the trash out there, before we started putting sand, because this area did not have riffraff. This had sand in there. As you could see, that's the installation of the sand on the east side of the park, right at the bay. And this is the finished product, where it goes right to the waterline. Now, this is a view from across 4 August 22, 2002 the inlet through the park -- on the north side of the park, so you could see all of the riffraff being put in there, and that's all finished up and really nicely done there. Then they started the grating of the park to get it to the right elevation, and this is part of the grating. Here, it continues the grating. And, finally, the whole grating was finished right there. Ms. Lewis: And, sir, if you pay attention, we have the timelines on the bottom as to the start and finish date. Mr. Calas: Right down on the bottom. See, this was October of 2001. That's when the -- this project was completed, one -- phase IA. And there is a time lapse of -- from October of 2001, which was when we opened bids for phase IB. And when we actually started, which was in April 2002, that time was taken to not only accept bids, put the contract together for phase IB, go into contract negotiations. We went into the class II permit with the City, and plans processing, and we actually acquired a permit from the City on March 271h of 2002. Phase IB included all the amenities, like the basketball courts of the north -- northwest end of the site, being north that way. We have the cricket and the soccer field. We had the centerpiece of the park, the -- and then we had some additional, the children's playground. We had some volleyball courts and tennis courts. And this picture was taken in May 2002, about a month after. And you can see right here, there is already showing work there with the paths for the tennis courts. You can see some of the sidewalks in the centerpiece being done there. This is taking you to July this year, and you can see the differences. Almost, the actual -- the same angle. It's a little different, but you see all the paths, all the lightings in there, the volleyball courts, the centerpiece is in, the playground. You can see all the sidewalks taking shape, and the path for the basketball courts in there. Unidentified speaker: That's a good park (INAUDIBLE). Mr. Calas: Thank you. The basketball court right there. Now, this is a different view, again from May, and I just -- I'm doing this for a contrast, to show you how it advanced. And you can see, there was some sidewalks, and the path, we saw on the other one -- in the other one there. And you could see the -- all the light poles and the sidewalks. You see these -- this (INAUDIBLE) course right here, going around, and you can see how the development is going up. Now, we're going to go and show you some other features. These are right -- as of August this year. You're looking at about three or four days ago. And you see the tennis courts all paved. You could see this -- these are the volleyball courts, the children's playground, the centerpiece -- the entrance to the park right there, as it goes right to the bay. You could see the basketball courts right up there, which are (INAUDIBLE) ready. So, you could see that the park is way, way along. And you see all the (INAUDIBLE) is almost finished. And there's some pieces missing, like here. The bathrooms are right there. The building for the mechanical room is there. So, it's pretty much advanced as of right here. Here is some -- this is the main entrance. It's -- as you can see, all the light poles are there. This feature, it's telling you how to get in, and how to go -- if you go right through there, you go right into the bay. Right here, you see another angle. This is the mechanical room in here. And here is the basketball courts. As you could see, it's all paved, and it has the -- actually, the basket right there on already, ready to be completed. All you need is to pave the markings and the hoops in there to be finished. This is another angle that gives you a little, you know, aerial view of the entrance. As you could see, that's the main 5 August 22, 2002 entrance to the park. Here is the mechanical room, and right back here is the bathrooms there. This is the children's playground, which is right towards the middle of the park. As you could see, all the features are there. The slide is there with a mat, which allows children to go down and not get hurt. This is a special rubberized mat, which is a feature that was put into the design of the park. The sidewalks are pink, as they were designed. They have the color as you could see there. Also, this is the main entrance of the park, going all the way to the bay, and this is widened in here because you have benches and water fountains there to be put in. All these items are in there -- in the park already to be installed. This is a collage that we put together in the computer, showing you some of the features there. This is the playground, again, the entrance. The bathrooms, as you can see, all the dimensions of bathroom there. You could see the mechanical room, and how the basketball court back here is taking shape. And this is going to be the cricket area, and the two children's soccer area there. Again, I'm going to go very quickly on this. If you have any questions, let me know. This is showing the volleyball courts right here, and this is the south entrance to the park, adjacent to the women's club. Here, you see a view of the tennis courts, with the little canopy, and there is the fence already up. You see the lighting, and these are, again, the volleyball courts. This gives you an aerial view of the site, where the volleyball courts are. Right here is the tennis courts. Again, this is the south entrance, and this are right here is going to have some steps to go into the basketball courts, which are right here, and you could see all the lighting there. Again, this is the (INAUDIBLE) course. You see it's widened up there. It's about nine feet wide to be -- allow the people to run. This will be leveled off in grass so that it looks nice. It should be done, like I said, by the end of September. Again, this is the area of the volleyball courts. And this is the end of the park, northwest end of the park, where it turns into the Fingerhut property. And we've already done all that. It's jut ready to be connected to the Fingerhut property, whenever available. And this is the end of the north of the park, where it says (INAUDIBLE) course is there. This is the master plan that you approved, and the -- actually, what it does, it has four tennis courts, and the phase - - that would be in the phase II of the park. Phase I only covers two tennis courts and two volleyball courts. You'll have all the -- when we finish in September, you'll have both children's soccer fields, you'll have crickets -- Chairman Teele: Excuse me. Mr. Calas: Yes, sir. Chairman Teele: Don't get us confused, now. Mr. Calas: No, sir. Chairman Teele: Phase IB, which would be completed when, September -- by September 301hq Mr. Calas: By September 301h, sir. Chairman Teele: Does that have the four tennis courts in it? Mr. Calas: No, sir. It only has two tennis courts and two volleyball courts. 6 August 22, 2002 Ms. Lewis: But we have included the lighting for the four courts, as planned. Chairman Teele: The lighting is included? Mr. Calas: The lighting is included, yes. Chairman Teele: OK. Mr. Calas: So, basically, you know, you see that your centerpiece will be in, and all the vita courts course will be in, too, including the basketball courts. And that concludes our presentation, Ms. Lewis. Vice Chairman Winton: IB finished, again, when? November? October? Mr. Calas: No, sir. It will be finished by the end of September. Vice Chairman Winton: End of September. Mr. Calas: Yes, sir. Chairman Teele: It would have been completed by Labor Day, but for the rain -- Vice Chairman Winton: But, for the rain, right. Chairman Teele: -- rain delays. Ms. Lewis: Right, sir, the 25 rain days. Chairman Teele: OK. Mr. Calas: Any other questions I can answer? Chairman Teele: Further questions? Commissioner Winton, I want to -- because the record is not, again, fully complete in that. This project was a list of projects -- where's the Parks Director? Because somehow, you know, when you try to do -- no good deed goes unpunished. When the County bond issue, the -- Vice Chairman Winton: Neighborhoods. Chairman Teele: -- Safe Neighborhoods came down, this project was in it for what, four hundred thousand dollars ($400,000)? Albert Ruder (Director of Parks and Recreation): I think it was 300,000. Chairman Teele: Three hundred thousand dollars ($300,000). How much was Dallas in it for? Dallas -- that Dallas park, the one -- 7 August 22, 2002 Mr. Ruder: Lumus Park? Chairman Teele: Lumus, Lumus. Mr. Ruder: Lumus Park is split into two different projects, half a million for the park itself, and a million for the shoreline. There's a million and a half total, split into two different projects. Chairman Teele: And what happened was, when those projects were among other projects, we sat down with the Parks Director -- this is three years ago. You were probably the Manager then -- and agreed that this project, Johnny, was important to the redevelopment of the Omni, more so than anything else we could do. So we, basically -- and this is why the interlocal agreement -- this is not a CRA park. It is not a CRA project, OK. We took the project over from the City to expedite it, not because we want to dilly in the park business, but that we're in the development business. And we felt then, and we feel even more so now, that this park will do more to drive redevelopment TIF (Tax Increment Fund) of the Omni than anything that we could do. And so, in that regard -- and I don't know if you've got it in the background -- we voted to spend the two million dollars ($2,000,000) or the one point five million dollars ($1,500,000) that we had. Ms. Lewis: That's actually 1.2, sir. Chairman Teele: One point two million dollars ($1,200,000) for this park. Dick Judy, then, came along and said, "Rescind that memo," which was the smartest thing we did, resolution, and we loaned the money to the park. In other words, the one point two million dollars ($1,200,000) -- this is four years ago -- that was earmarked for this project, turned from a grant to a loan. And from there we went forward and entered into the interlocal agreement. Now -- I mean, I will say this for the record: Dallas Park -- what is that thing called? Lumus Park. Mr. Ruder: Lumus -- Lumus Park. Chairman Teele: Have you all broke ground on that, yet? Mr. Ruder: We've done different aspects of it, yes. Chairman Teele: Have you broke ground on it? Mr. Ruder: No. Chairman Teele: So, this project will be completed before Lumus Park gets started, Johnny. And I'm just saying, you know, we take a lot of the criticism, in terms of why is it taking so long, but the fact is, we've stepped up. Now, subsequent to the loan being awarded, the bond issue came forth, and this project was an earmark project in the bond issue, which meant that the loan could be repaid. We were loaned it without collateral. In other words, the City said, "We'll take the money, but we have no ability to pay you back." So, once the bond issue came along, the CRA now stands into getting its money back. In addition, there was a fine grant, and several other entities have put in money. Fully built out, this project could be as much as four million 8 August 22, 2002 dollars ($4,000,000), if you go to phase II, to phase III. And, you know, there's a lot of controversy about whether or not you want a boardwalk or a catwalk out, and all of that stuff, but that's neither here nor there. The fact of the matter is, is that the CRA used its own resources to advance this project, and it was a right decision and it's still the right decision. And, hopefully, the project will be repaid now by the City -- Vice Chairman Winton: By the bonds. Chairman Teele: -- when it's completed. By the bond issue. Therefore, this project -- and I think the Manager and the Parks Director and Mr. Ruder -- this project, when completed, will be -- is Ruder or Mr. Ruder -- Frank Rollason, yeah. This project will be the first major project completed by the bond issue, major project. And one of the things that's sort of disconnected is that, while the CRA is driving the train, we're merely an agent for the City, in this regard. And I would ask that the City would take this project, from this point on, under advisement, in the coordination, in the celebration, et cetera. This should be about the bond issue and bond money being -- coming back into revenue stream, because, you know, we really are behind on this thing, in my way, but I don't want to get into that. And, so, one of the important issues that I wanted to raise to Commissioner Winton and to the Manager was that, as we look toward completing this project, we really should make this a major City project, as well as working with the CRA. Because it really does represent a milestone in the fact that this project is a City bond project. And I don't even know if we've got the right plaques up there, you know. Once we put it in, you know, we're still carrying it as the CRA, but it should be a bond project. Vice Chairman Winton: With plaques. Board Member Sanchez: (INAUDIBLE) Chairman Teele: With plaques. Vice Chairman Winton: That's a good idea. Chainnan Teele: And with all of that and all of that. So, I wanted to get that over to Rollason and everybody, because I really do think we have to work on that. So, with that, are there any other questions -- I'm sorry, Frank. Yes, go ahead. Frank Rollason (Assistant City Manager): Frank Rollason. We have an item coming before you today on the appropriation of the balance of the money for the park, to do just that, and -- Chairman Teele: Yeah. But I think you all need to take control of the project -- Mr. Rollason: I agree. Chairman Teele: -- in the sense that this should be a citywide kind of thing -- Vice Chairman Winton: A celebration. August 22, 2002 Chairman Teele: A celebration, because it's a major project. Mr. Rollason: Right, we agree. That's not an issue. Chairman Teele: And it's a beautiful project. Mr. Rollason: It's looking great. Chairman Teele: Commissioner is there a motion on -- Board Member Sanchez: So moved. Chairman Teele: -- on item two? Is the resolution -- Board Member Sanchez: We just voted on it already. Chairman Teele: That's the one we just voted on on the City side. Moved by Commissioner Sanchez -- Board Member Sanchez. Vice Chairman Winton: Second. Chairman Teele: Second by Board Member Winton. Is there objection? All in favor say "aye." The Board Members (Collectively): Aye. The following resolution was introduced by Board Member Sanchez, who moved for its adoption: RESOLUTION NO. OMNI 02-69 A RESOLUTION OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE OMNI COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) AMENDING THE INTER -LOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI AND OMNI COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY BY ADDING $2,500,000 FROM THE HOMELAND DEFENSE/NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND ISSUE AND $340,136 FROM THE DOWNTOWN PARK IMPACT FEES AS AVAILABLE FUNDING SOURCES FOR THE MARGARET PACE PARK PROJECT. (Here follows body of resolution, omitted here and on file in the Office of the City Clerk.) 10 August 22, 2002 Upon being seconded by Vice Chairman Winton, the resolution was passed and adopted by the following vote: AYES: Chairman Arthur E. Teele, Jr. Vice Chairman Johnny L. Winton Board Member Angel Gonzalez Board Member Joe Sanchez NAYS: None ABSENT: Board Member Tomas Regalado Chairman Teele: And then resolution three is allocating the funds from phase II, in the amount of 30,157 -- Vice Chairman Winton: So moved. Chairman Teele: Moved by Commissioner -- Board Member Sanchez: Second. Chairman Teele: -- Winton, second by Commissioner Sanchez. Is there objection? All those in favor, say "aye." The Board Members (Collectively): Aye. Chairman Teele: All opposed, no? The following resolution was introduced by Vice Chairman Winton, who moved for its adoption: RESOLUTION NO. OMNI 02-70 A RESOLUTION OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE OMNI COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) AMENDING THE PHASE IB BUDGET FOR THE MARGARET PACE PARK PROJECT BY ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM PHASE 2 IN THE AMOUNT OF $30,157 FOR ALTERNATES A AND B FOR DESIGN SERVICE MODIFICATIONS RESULTING FROM THE EXPEDITING OF THE PROJECT AS AUTHORIZED BY CRA OMNI RESOLUTION 02-40. (Here follows body of resolution, omitted here and on file in the Office of the City Clerk.) 11 August 22, 2002 Upon being seconded by Board Member Sanchez, the resolution was passed and adopted by the following vote: AYES: Chairman Arthur E. Teele, Jr. Vice Chairman Johnny L. Winton Board Member Angel Gonzalez Board Member Joe Sanchez NAYS: None ABSENT: Board Member Tomas Regalado Chairman Teele: Is there any other matter? Ms. Lewis: No, sir. Chairman Teele: Thank you very much. Is there any other matter to come before the CRA? If not, the CRA meeting is adjourned. Board Member Sanchez: Move to adjourn. Vice Chairman Winton: Second. Chairman Teele: Thank you all. Vice Chairman Winton: All in favor "aye." Board Member Sanchez: So moved. The Board Members (Collectively): Aye. The following motion was introduced by Board Member Sanchez, who moved for its adoption: OMNI MOTION NO. 02-71 SEOPW/CRA MOTION NO. 02-145 A MOTION TO ADJOURN TODAY'S COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY (CRA) MEETING. (Here follows body of motion, omitted here and on file in the Office of the City Clerk.) 12 August 22, 2002 Upon being seconded by Vice Chairman Winton, the motion was passed and adopted by the following vote: AYES: Chairman Arthur E. Teele, Jr. Vice Chairman Johnny L. Winton Board Member Angel Gonzalez Board Member Joe Sanchez NAYS: None. ABSENT: Board Member Tomas Regalado Chairman Teele: Thank you. Good job. Vice Chairman Winton: Yeah. 13 August 22, 2002 There being no further business to come before the Community Redevelopment Agency for the Southeast Overtown/Park West and Omni District, the meeting was adjourned at 6:33 p.m. ATTEST: PRISCILLA A. THOMPSON City Clerk SYLVIA S. SCHEIDER Assistant City Clerk ARTHUR E. TEELE, JR. Chairman 14 August 22, 2002 RECEIPT DATE: October 3, 2002 SUBJECT: Minutes for the June 27, 2002, July 9, 2002 and August 22, 2002 CPA 1NIeeting MAYOR DIAZ VICE CHAIRMAN WINTON COMMISSIONER GONZALEZ COMMISSIONER SANCHEZ CHAIIMAN REGALADO COMMISSIONER TEELE Received Bv: zn.