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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM-02-1244CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA 38 INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM TO: The Honorable Mayor Manuel Diaz and DATE: November 12, 2002 FILE: Members of the City Commission SUBJECT:Discussion Item - State Legislative Process FROM: REFERENCES: i ez City Manage ENCLOSURES: Discussion concerning the City of Miami's State Legislative Agenda. GCUjr 02-1244 City of W iami 2Uu3'".Anti-Poverty" State Legislative Intttatives Community Development ✓ Model City Homeownership Zone Pilot Project The Model City Homeownership Zone Pilot Project includes the development of between 400-500 new homes over the next five years, intended to provide homeownership opportunities to residents in one of Miami's poorest and economically deprived neighborhoods. Through creative financing programs, funding will be made available to assist qualified homeowners and prospective homebuyers in the rehabilitation or purchase of a home through the City's Single Family Rehabilit8tion and Homebuyer's Financing Programs, as well as Homebuyer's Second Mortgage Financing, mortgage pre - qualification and counseling programs offered through participating partners. Budget Request: $1 Million (Part of the City of Miami's Federal Legislative Agenda) ✓ First Time Minority Homebuyers and Single Family Rehabilitation Pilot Project The dual objective of the First Time Minority Homebuyers and Single Family Rehabilitation Pilot Project is to create a successful program that is specifically designed to assist low-income families in emerging, however impoverished neighborhoods, in becoming homeowners and to provide rehabilitation for older homes whose owners need financial assistance in the repair and upkeep of their home. This unique and innovative program would target our City's poorest neighborhoods, which include Wynwood, Lemon City, Little Haiti, Allapattah and Littlie Havana. It is conceptualized that the funds allocated would be utilized to fund a "soft" second mortgage not to exceed $30,000 at an interest rate of 0%, which would fill the gap between the cost of the home and the amount of a first mortgage. Budget Request. $1 Million (Part of the City of Miami's Federal Legislative Agenda) "It should be noted that the City of Miami is looking at a variety of ways in which to provide low-income families and individuals with the opportunity to be homeowners. Both the Model City Homeownership Zone Pilot Project, which received $700,000 in federal funding and the First Time Minority Homebuyers and Single Family Rehabilitation Pilot Project, can work in tandem in offering choices and options to a bevy of poor communities in their quest to create wealth via homeownership.— Communitv Relations ✓ Miami Commission on the Status of Women The Miami Commission on the Status of Women was established by the Miami City Commission in 1973 to inspire women to desire for self-improvement and pride of being; to seek for every woman the opportunities equal to her potential; and to encourage the active involvement of women in community matters. As awesome as these mandates are, the Commission has been unable to completely accomplish its goals and fulfill its basic yet integral purpose, due to a lack of funding. Budget Request. It is recommended that the state of Florida set aside a grant pool of monies for local Commissions on the Status of Women throughout the state of Florida to apply for project funding. The grant monies could be administered via Florida Commission on the Status of Women. Economic Development ✓ Continuation of Local Co -Sponsorship — Miami River Dredging Project The Army Corps of Engineers will conduct maintenance dredging of the Federal Navigational Channel of the Miami River along its entire 5.5 -mile length, from the mouth to the salinity dam. The River has not been dredged since the creation of the channel in 1933. Maintenance dredging will restore the federal channel to its proper depth of 15 feet (at low tide) anc between 150 feet wide at its mouth to 90 feet wide in the upper section. This will greatly improve maritime commerce on the River. The project is also a significant environmental improvement project because it will remove contaminated sedimentE from the marine habitat of the River and prevent further degradation of Biscayne Bay. Budget Request. $1.5 Million. The City of Miami in conjunction with Miami -Dade County request an appropriation of $1.' million as the required share of the local sponsor contribution to this federal project for the upcoming year. The federa government is contributing nearly 80% of the $80 million dollar cost for dredging, the balance, and the local share, being spli between the state, the county and the city 02-1244 Expansion of the Enterprise Zone — Little Haiti Neighborhood and Miami River Corridor )uring the 2002 Legislative Session, the Florida Legislature passed Senate Bill 1906 that authorized local governments Miami -Dade County) to make application changes to the established boundaries of the Enterprise Zones. An additional approximately 4 square mile area of the City of Miami, comprised of portions of Little Haiti and a portion of the Miami River lorridor, suffer chronically unacceptable levels of poverty, unemployment, physical deterioration, and dis-investment, and will )enefit from incentives for business growth and job creation offered through the state of Florida's Enterprise Zone program. ✓ Expansion of the Enterprise Zone -Other Qualified Areas of the City of Miami Additional areas of the City of Miami suffer chronically unacceptable levels of poverty, unemployment, physical deterioration, and dis-investment, and will benefit from incentives for business growth and job creation offered through the State. Enterprise Zone program. We recommend that the boundary of the State designated Enterprise Zone in Miami. Florida be expanded to encompass all qualifying areas of the City not presently included in the Enterprise Zone. ✓ Real Property Tax Exemption for Municipally Owned Properties Not Under Lease to a Private Party Currently, when the City acquires properties that contain improvements that are not utilized for government purposes, they are assessed ad -valorem taxes. This causes a negative financial impact on the City's budget. As we begin to acquire more properties in connection with projects approved by the bond issuance, this financial impact will increase. To avoid this problem, the City seeks to amend the definition of "governmental purposes" as defined in F.S. Section 196.199 to add an exemption for municipally owned properties not under lease to a private party, even if same is not currently being used for governmental purpose. ✓ Extension of Parking Surcharge This proposal would provide for the parking surcharge to be extended and allow other governments to utilize the statute. Upon possible passage, the surcharge would be extended past its 6/30/06 expiration date. Public Safety After the events of September 11`", 2001, local governments across the country have begun the arduous task of assessing and re-evaluating the level of security provided at municipally owned buildings/facilities as well as reviewing citywide preparedness. The following initiatives seek to garner additional dollars to provide for increase security citywide. ✓ Homeland Defense Preparedness Initiative (Fire) The Department of Fire -Rescue, which is certainly a regional asset, needs to acquire certain resources in order to properly prepare the department to deal with the threat of terrorism. These resources will include new stations, apparatus, equipment, personnel and extensive training. In particular, the department is in need of funding to be used for the fallowing: • construction of additional fire stations • purchase fire -rescue apparatus • purchase Homeland Defense related equipment • hire additional firefighters; and • provide extensive training of personnel The Department of Fire -Rescue is involved with the Governor's Security Task Force including chairing Dade County's Critical Infrastructure Committee as well as serving as part of the Regional Executive Board. Moreover, the department's Hazardous Material Team is an asset to the community as they participate as an operational component of the County -wide Metropolitar Strike Team. This is a Response Team designed to respond to and treat the consequences of chemical or biological weapons of masE destruction. If properly staffed, equipped and trained, the City of Miami, Department of Fire -Rescue will not only bette protect and serve the citizens of Miami, but will also become a regional resource in the event of a major terrorist incident. Budget Request. $2 Million 02-1244 ✓ . Community Mental Health (6. .ar Act) This proposal wound amend Section 394.467, F.S. to add two additional criterion regarding "Involuntary Placement." The proposed amendment would allow for involuntary placement if: (1) there is a substantial likelihood that he or she has inflicted serious damage to property in the recent past or (2) has been arrested three more times, within twelve months, under circumstances where mental illness was a contributing factor leading to the arrest. The proposed change to the law would also require that the treating facility provide a case manager to any mental ill patient who may require follow up upon release. ,,ace ✓ Disposition of Traffic Fines for Maintenance of 800MHz Radio System Currently, Miami -Dade County receives funds from traffic fines in their jurisdiction for maintenance of their 800MHz radio system: Although the City of Miami established an 800 MHz system in 1985, a decade before Miami -Dade, the City currently receives no funding. This proposal would allow cities that maintain and operate their own 800MHz law enforcement radio program to receive a portion of the fines issued for non -criminal moving traffic violations that occur within their city limits to help fund its maintenance. The City expended a large amount of capital to bring the state of the art system online and continues to spend more than a quarter of a million dollars annually to operate and maintain the system. This is a fairness issue for those cities who have put their citizens''safety first and expended the capital to create these radio systems. ✓ Law Enforcement Training Facility There are insufficient training facilities available for firearms training and qualifications for law enforcement officers that confront high risk and deadly situations on a daily basis. Funding is needed to build a training facility for use by the Miami Police Dept. as well as other local, state and federal agencies. This would improve an officers' overall skill set to police effectively and the reduce loss of life and potential liability in unauthorized shooting incidents. This funding would be combined with the $10 Million bond monies allocated to the MPD to build a state of the art training center for use by other law enforcement agencies. Se.jo 7rc�� r �2 �v� _ r.��i �--ri+ �=,►i� •-> vi n Budget Request: $10 Million 1-7^ ✓ Miami Police Department's Crime Scene Forensics Processing Laboratory Provide necessary funding to bring the current facility up to OSHA Standards and to allot for health and safety practices for the handling and examination of evidence. This facility is located in the urban core and would be made available for use by multiple municipal, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Improving our forensic laboratory enhances our ability to solve crimes such as homicides, sexual battery, robbery, etc. This in turn, enhances the States' ability to successfully prosecute our cases. Budget Request $300,000 ✓ Traffic Infraction Detectors Drivers that run red lights pose a significant threat to life and property. Traffic enforcement is limited due to manpower shortages. This initiative would enhance traffic enforcement efforts thus reducing the number of accidents, and loss of life and property. We would like to be able to use "traffic infraction detectors" which are devices that use a vehicle sensor installed to work in conjunction with a traffic control signal and a camera synchronized to automatically record two or more sequenced photographs of only the rear of a motor vehicle if it fails to stop when facing a steady red traffic control signal. This proposal would also authorize the automatic issuance of a traffic citation when a vehicle fails to stop at a red light. Public Facilities ✓ Dinner Key MooringlAnchorage Currently, there are over 150 vessels anchored in the City owned bay bottom at Dinner Key. These vessels are unregulated and pose a liability to the City particularly when there is a storm. Each year an average of 10-15 vessels are left derelict and become the responsibility of the City of Miami to remove so as not to pose a navigational hazard. Additionally, many of these vessels use/or seek to use City services without compensation. The City has formed a Technical Assistance Team that has studied the problem and developed a series of recommendations for the establishment of a managed anchorage/mooring program, The City of Miami seeks to regulate and manage a mooring/anchorage field at Dinner Key Marina. This proposal would amend Florida Statute to grant municipalities the right to regulate non -live -aboard vessels. The amendment would be tailored not to limit a boater's right to traverse and exercise rights of navigation in the strictest sense. The purpose of the regulation would be to accommodate the anchoring and mooring needs of boaters, while safeguarding environmental resources, navigational access and general health, safety, and welfare. 3 02-1244 ✓ ,Amendment to Professional, its Tax for the Orange Bowl Stadium This proposal would enable the City of Miami to qualify for proceeds collected from the Professional Sports Tax that can be used for the renovation and maintenance of the Orange Bowl Stadium. The OB, as it is known around the world, hosts several international soccer competitions that bring tourists to the region as well as international and national media. However, the stadium is in dire need of renovations to remain competitive and continue to be a viable venue for these types of events. Quality of Life '�- ✓ Citywide Drainage Inlet/System Cleaning There are approximately 17,000 storm water drainage inlets and interconnecting pipes located throughout the City of Miami. This system provides essential storm water drainage of the public right of way to prevent street flooding and property damage and to protect the health, safety and welfare of the residents. The existing drainage system must be maintained, including the cleaning of the inlets and interconnecting pipes, in order to operate at optimum efficiency. The City's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit requires the maintenance of the drainage system to reduce potentiai harmful pollutants from entering Biscayne Bay, the Miami River and its tributaries. This project involves the cleaning, removal and disposal of debris and sediments in -the City's drainage inlets and interconnecting pipes citywide. Clogged inlet grates and the connecting drainage pipes will be reopened to facilitate the proper flow of storm water. Total Project Cost: $3 Million Budget Request $1.5 Million ✓ Citywide Storm Sewer Mapping Program The City of Miami storm sewer records are currently stored on hand drawn plan sheets and contained in survey book ledgers. Recording and retrieving this underground information is time consuming and prone to interpretational errors. In order to properly integrate this storm water information in the monitoring and compliance portion of the City's National Pollutant bischarge Elimination System program, this information must be electronically stored. Computerized mapping will allow the City to enforce environmental compliance and permit current modeling programs to be utilized in critical shed areas, thereby offering selection of the most efficient and environmentally compatible storm water drainage system. This program entails the detailed computer mapping of all storm sewers within the City into a Geographical Information System (GIS). The GIS is the basis for all data necessary to comply with the Clean Water Act and will be presented to the United States Environmental Protection Agency as part of the data package attesting to current compliance with the Clean Water Act and will assist future upgrading of the City's storm sewers. Total Project Cost: $700,000 Budget Request: $700,000 ✓ Fairway Storm Sewers The purpose of this project is to eliminate storm water flooding in a portion of the Little Haiti neighborhood in the northerly side of the City of Miami and protect the quality of the groundwater. This neighborhood contains several areas that are lower than the surrounding land and quickly flood by the trapping of storm water. Since this neighborhood does not have access to an outfall system, a new interconnected storm drainage system must be installed to take advantaged of the storage available in adjacent higher ground. This project will provide a modern drainage system for the area bordered by NW 2nd Avenue, north 73`d Street, NE 2nd Avenue and North 62nd Street. At the present time, this area is served by scattered localized drainage structures that are old and inadequate to properly drain the area. The new drainage facilities will consist of a combination of infiltration drains, grease, and oil interceptors and other pollution control structures. Total Project Cost:: $1.5 Million Budget Request. $750,000 ✓ Prevention and Alternatives Through Recreation and Computers Program (PARC) This proposal would provide computer training, homework assistance and after school recreational activities to a minimum of 40 at risk youths (1200 total) at 30 geographically dispersed and diverse parks. The program would target youth between the ages of 7 and 17 that are economically underserved and at risk; providing them with the technological tools needed to be competitive in the classroom and in the work place. Budget Request $720,000 4 02-1244 ✓ Summer Recreation Programs Due to over -crowding in the public school system, insufficient funding, and lack of adult role models, at -risk students, particularly those in elementary school, are underserved. This proposal would provide recreation and cultural experiences to a minimum of 800 youth through the City of Miami's Summer Program and Camps. This program would target youth between the ages of 7 and 12 that are economically underserved and at risk. Participants would have to register at a park facility and meet economic/at-risk guidelines. This proposal would enable one of the most disenfranchised segments of our population to take part in recreational activities readily available to others. Budget Request $320,000 ✓ Raising Readers Program Due to over -crowding in the public school system, insufficient funding, and a lack of adult role models, at -risk -students, particularly those in elementary school have been falling behind their peers, losing self-esteem, and are in the process of becoming nonproductive members of society. This proposal is an expansion of an existing pilot program that offers after- school mentoring services for 150 kindergarten through 6 grade students. The mentoring` process includes instruction in computer literacy, homework assistance, one-on-one counseling on anger management, substance abuse and staying in school. The project also includes peer counseling and home visitations by student interns who carry a caseload. Budget Request. $150,000 ✓ Year -Round Tennis Program This proposal would provide funding for a year-round program at the Ashe-Buchholz Tennis Center at Moore Park. Under this proposal, the City of Miami Parks and Recreation Department, (subject to City Commission approval), would partner with the Greater Miami Tennis Foundation, a non-profit agency, to manage the Ashe-Buchholz Tennis Center. To achieve maximum participation, the program would be marketed to approximately 1,000 in the Moore Park school area. This organization would operate the tennis programs; provide homework assistance, tutoring, and computer access to children involved in the after-school program. The organization would also develop this facility into a hub for junior tennis using a programming network in neighboring parks as feeders for this program. The GMTF, with support from the Nasdaq -100 Open and United States Tennis Association (USTA), will host prestigious tournaments such as the Orange Bowl International Junior Championship and the Pineapple King Classic, which is the pre -qualifying tournament of the Nasdaq -100 Open. Budget Request. $100,00 Regulations ✓ Authorizing municipalities (local governments) to regulate the number of Adult Living Facilities located within their jurisdictional boundaries. ✓ Abolishment of the three-person arbitration panel that decides disputes between the state's insurance chief and private companies seeking approval of rate increase requests. ✓ Reduce or eliminate the fee charged by Miami -Dade County's Unsafe Structure Board to review cases originating within the jurisdictional boundaries of the City of Miami. 021244