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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM-02-0874CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: The Honorable Manuel A. Diaz Mayor and Commissioners FROM: r Z I nez City anage DATE: SUBJECT: Public Appearance - Mr. Jose Milton REFERENCES: Proposal for Antonio Maceo Park ENCLOSURES: FILE: Please be advised that developer, Mr. Jose Milton has requested to appear before the City Commission to discuss his proposal for infrastructure improvements to Antonio Maceo Park, at his expense, in exchange for access through the park to his residential condominium project located on Blue Lagoon Lake adjacent to the park. Please see attached letter from Mr. Milton wherein he highlights his concerns and offer. z CAG/FKR/ds 02- 874 J. JOSE MILTON ARCHITECT 2 M. June 20, 2002 Honorable Frank Rollason Via Fax (305) 416-1019 / Mail Assistant City Manager City of Miami 444 SW 2nd. Avenue, 10". Floor Miami, FL 33130 Re: Antonio Maceo Park 1 Blue Lagoon Club Apartments Statement of Facts Dear Mr. Rollason: I am writing this letter as the owner and developer of the Blue Lagoon Club Apartments Project currently under construction adjacent to Blue Lagoon with a property address of 5099 NW 7". Street. The reason for writing this letter is to address and clarify some statements that were made at the last City Commission meeting regarding a proposal 1 submitted to the City of Miami almost two years ago regarding improvements and beautification to Antonio Maceo Park. The Blue Lagoon Club Apartments project was approved by Major Use Special Permit to allow four rental apartment towers on a five acre parcel of land. The project is currently under construction and our goal is to have residents moving into the project by spring of 2003. This is the first major project in the City of Miami/Flagami area and it is being built at an investment cost of Sixty Five Million Dollars ($65,000,000). Interestingly enough, the Flagami area pays the highest impact fees of any of the neighbors in the City, even more expensive than Brickell or Coconut Grove and represented a cost of over One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) to the project. The proposal that I made to the City of Miami is covered in the attached letter dated April 26, 2001 and was the subject of discussion at the last City Commission meeting. The Commissioner for the district, Commissioner Gonzalez, while full of good intentions, made several misrepresentations during the meeting when addressing my proposal to the City. They are as follows: Statements were made that I was requesting to take over one-third of the park area and later the reference was made that I was taking over three-fourths or 75% of the park. This is totally incorrect. The park contains 3.5 acres of land and I am not attempting to purchase one square foot. My proposal was to have an access easement through the park, which would occupy only 6% in the form of a paved road and 8% of landscaping on both sides of the road for a total area of 14% easement area of the park, with the City continuing to own 100% of the park. Out of the million dollars, plus spent on impact fees, there were approximately $200,000 of impact fees to beautify the parks in the area (i.e. Antonio Maceo Park). Further, over and above that amount, my offer is to donate $500,000 towards the beautification of the park as stated in the attached letter. At the present moment, the park is in terrible condition: The park has no toilets and as a result users often urinate in public. I have offered to donate a community center which I would build during the construction on my project, complete with toilet facilities to correct this current situation. 02-- 874 JOSE MILTON '�" PONS °E `SON °"1D' sur1E 301 .J . ARCHITECT CORAL "SLIM FL 33134 P.O. BOX 113100 M . CORAL GABLES. FL 33134 (306) e3oo 2. There is total lack of security in the park. Vandals often terrorize good citizens who wish to use the park and the police department has had difficulty controlling gang activity. I have offered to install a gatehouse on tfie easement, which would be manned with security personnel at the cost of $150,000 per year, which I would pay. This would improve the security in the park and save taxpayer's money. Further, because the guard would be onsite 24 hours a day, I have offered that this guard can assume responsibility for opening the park at dawn and closing the park at sundown, pursuant to the City's rules. 3. While there was expressions of opposition from neighbors, it is my understanding that the great majority of individuals support my proposal. I think it is unfortunate for this misinformation to reach the citizens of the City and I think the opportunity to have a full public hearing and discussion on my proposal would be the best avenue to air out any concerns to my proposal. With all these misrepresentations about my proposal, I feel my reputation has been damaged and I would request that the City give me the opportunity to address these issues in a full, open and democratic fashion. The Blue Lagoon Club Apartments Project will bring an estimated 2000 new residents to the City and create more than 100 new jobs in the project and around it, to satisfy the needs of the new residents other new jobs. This project will be paying over $1,000,000 annually in real estate taxes. Because my complex is next to the park, the immediate remedy of the terrible conditions of the park are absolutely necessary for my investment to be successful. The promises made by Commissioner Gonzalez based on his discussion with the City Manager that improvements will be made to the park by Spring 2003, call for the installment of temporary toilets or port -a johns and a new fence. These improvements at less than $100,000 are cosmetic and will not remedy the bad conditions at the park or serve the needs of the community (this neighborhood does not have a community center). If the City wants to remedy conditions and beautify the park, they need to spend over $700,000 of which, I alone from my project, have already paid to the City over $200,000 in impact fees for parks. I hereby respectfully request the my proposal will be discussed in the open in a public hearing in front of the Commission as soon as possible. I think that it is important when someone is willing to make an offer of the magnitude of my offer and has worked with the City for over a period of two years, that the proposal should at least be made public before it is accepted or rejected. Respectfully yours, �`' Jos ilton cc: Mayor Manny Diaz Chairman Tomas Regalado Vice Chairman Johnny Winton Commissioner Arthur Teele, Jr. Commissioner Angel Gonzalez Commissioner Joe Sanchez City Manager, Carlos Gimenez 02"'. Seo 04--26,01 16:15 F.41 x'., 002 BILZIN SUMDERG DUNN BAENA PRICE & AXELRGD LLP A PARTNCR3N,P OF PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS 2500 FIRST UNION FINANCIAL CENTER 200 SOUTH CISCAYNE BOULEVAIRP • MIAMI, FLOW10A 33 1 31-2 336 TELCPMONC: (305) 374-75Y0 • WWW®YILZIN.COM FAX. (305) 374-7993 • 6AOWARO: (95.4) 356-0030 STANLEY 13. PRICE, P.A. CIRGCT DIAL (305) 390.237.4 E -NAIL 31YIC0f01121n.C4M April 26, 2001_ Hon. Carlos Gimenez City Manager, City of Miami City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33130 Re: Antonio Macco Park: Request for Easement and/or License Dear Mr. City Manager: Pursuant to the provisions of Section 29 (b) of the City of Miami Charter, this letter respectfully requests the granting of an easement and/or license to Mr. Jose Milton who is the developer of a contiguous tract of land to Antonio Maceo Park. Mr. Milton is requesting the City of Miami to grant an easement and/or license through the park to access the adjacent property owned by Mr. Milton, as well as for the construction of a gatehouse which will be manned twenty-four hours a day. As an additional consideration of the granting of the easement and/or license, my client will agree to adopt the Antonio Maceo Park and will donate a social community center, as shown on the attached plans, which will contain bathrooms, air- conditioning and parking for the social center. In addition to the foregoing, my client will agree to donate one television set, six domino tables, six domino games, twenty- four unit holders, sixteen chairs all at the estimated cost of approximately $600,000. We respectfully request that the social community center bear the name of Mr. Milton as the donor. In addition to the grant of easement and/or license, my client is fiirther respectfully requesting that the City install for the safety of the surrounding residents, a street traffic light at the park entrance, and that the City will bring the utility services to five feet inside the sidewalk within the easement location. It is further \73301111690k506597 v3 4.126/01 02-- 874 04-, M., 01 16:15 F.0 a0)3 BILZIN SUMBERG ❑uNN BAEt4A PRICE & AXELROO LLP Hon. Carlos Gimenez April 26, 2001 Page 2 understood that my client will not incur any impact fees as a result of the construction of the social center, nor will he be required to pay any permit fees for the construction of the center, which must be constructed in conformity with the South Florida Building Code. There are several obvious advantages to the surrounding community as a result of this request: I . The 24 -hour -manning of the gatehouse will provide abetter environment for the proper use of the park. The gatehouse can directly communicate with la -,,v enforcement officials if improper activities occur. 2. The persons inn the gatehouse will have the additional responsibility of closing the park at sundown each and every day, which will free up City employees, including police officers, who are presently performing that duty, and save thousands of dollars for the City. I All the improvements and the 24 hour maintenance will be paid by nTy client at an annual cost of approximately $150,000. 4. The social center is a much needed element for the surrounding community and will provide a community gathering place, wbch will further provide a sense of community in the area. My client has met with many residents in the area who are fully supportive of this plan. By copy of this letter, I am submitting these plans to Mr. Al Rudder, Director of Parks, for his review and analysis. We further wish to inform you that the District Commissioners whose communities are impacted by Antonio Maceo Park, Commissioner Willie Gort and Commissioner Tomas Regalado, have indicated their support for this proposal. We •73301111690111506591 r2 426101 02-r 874 0.1, 26.01 16: 16 F.k.Y X004 BIL21N SUMBERG DUNN BAIENA PRICE & AXELROO LLP Hon. Carlos Gimenez April 26, 2001 Pago 3 sincerely believe that this joint private/public exercise will be of great benefit to the surrounding community and will enhance the utilization and significance of Antonio Macco Park, at no additional cost to the City of Miami. We thank you for your kind consideration of this request. RmpecffWly submitted 44,J--FZZ,c c., Stanley B. Price SBP:cm ` cc: Jose Milton Commissioner Willy Gort Commissioner Tomas Regalado Frank Rollason, Asst. City Manager Albert Rudder, Director of Parks Laurie Bilberry, Asset Management Div. \73301\1 169U506597 r3 4/26101 02- 874