The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutM-98-0201CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM TO Honorable Chairman and Members of the City Commission FROM : Jose Garcia -Pedrosa, City Manager J: DATE FEB 1 I , S FILE SUBJECT: Wainwright Park Access - Ms. Rosalind Forrest REFERENCES: ENCLOSURES Miami -Dade County on February 24, 1998, at 10:00 A.M., there will be a public hearing for the purpose of receiving comments from the general public concerning additional access into the City's Wainwright Park directly from Rickenbacker Causeway. BACKGROUND This matter originated with a request from Ms. Rosalind Forrest at the October 14, 1997 Commission meeting. Thereafter, the Department of Public Works initiated a study on the feasibility of vehicular and pedestrian access to wainwright Park directly from Rickenbacker Causeway. Since the entrance to Rickenbacker Causeway is under the jurisdiction of Miami -Dade County, the County's recommendations were solicited. As stated in the enclosed responses from the Miami -Dade County Manager and Public Works Department, direct vehicular access from Rickenbacker Causeway to the Park will not be permitted by the County. Ms. Forrest has been notified of the County's decision. The City's Public Works Department has concluded an investigation of additional pedestrian -only access to the park from Rickenbacker Causeway. The entire north east side of Wainwright Park parallel to Rickenbacker Causeway is dense natural hammock. In order to construct a new concrete, asphalt or natural pedestrian path, native trees and vegetation would have to be removed. Wainwright Park has been designated as a "Natural Forest Community" by Miami -Dade County, and any tree or plant removal requires approval and a permit from the City's Public Works Department under the strict guidelines of the Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) regulations that were developed to protect natural hammocks. Additionally, a new entrance to the park will complicate perimeter security and may reduce patron safety. The Public Works and Parks Departments have determined that the existing access to Wainwright Park adequately serves the general public and provides the best protection of our natural resources and safety of park patrons. It is respectfully recommended that requests for additional access points into Wainwright Park be denied. c: Honorable Mayor Xavier L. Suarez i 98- 201 METROPOLITAN DADE WUNTY, FLORIDA F1%ECE-- IVE=D METROflADE 118 FEB - 4 AM 11: 19 I U lL I C ri A KS ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT T fi E CITY IF h; I A ��'il, r L i�+. NATURAL RESOURCES DIVISION 33 S.W. 2nd AVENUE MIAMI, FLORIDA 33130-1540 February 3, 1998 (305) 372-6789 FAX (305) 372-6630 James Kay, Director of Public Works, City of Miami Albert Ruder, Director of Parks, City of Miami 444 S.W. 2nd Ave 8th floor Miami, FL 333130 RE: Natural Forest Communities located at Alice Wainwright and Simpson Parks, City of Miami. Dear Messrs. Kay and Ruder, On December 17, 1997, The Board of County Commissioners approved the addition of Alice Wainwright and Simpson Park to the list of sites that are designated as Natural Forest Communities. Simpson Park contains 8.04 acres of tropical hardwood hammock and Alice Wainwright contains 9.8 acres of tropical hardwood hammock. Natural Forest Communities-(NFC) are defined in Section 24-3 (151) of the Miami - Dade County Code. As such, these tree and understory resources are accorded heightened protection by Section 24-60 of the County Code. Section 24-60.2(I)(A) does, however, make provision for the issuance of tree removal permits in NFC's to ensure that a property owner can make some reasonable use of the property. Miami -Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management (DERM) will retain the regulatory and permitting authority over these sites since Chapter 17 of the City of Miami Environmental Preservation Code does not address Natural Forest Communities. In order to develop or clear up to 20% of these NFCS, the City of Miami must demonstrate to DERM that all alternatives to clearing NFC vegetation have been exhausted, and that no reasonable use can be made of the property without clearing of the NFC. The amount of clearing proposed must also be the minimum required to allow a reasonable use of the property. If you can demonstrate the need to clear more than 20% of the property, please refer to Section 24=60.2(I)(B)2 (attachment 1) which provides for the development of an alternative tree and understory replacement and preservation plan, as long as the proposed plan meets the intent of Ordinance 89-8 (attachment 2). In instances where an alternative plan is approved for a property located within the Urban Development Boundary, DERM will require mitigation in the form of on -site preservation; on -site or off -site replanting, including understory replanting; or an equitable contribution to the Dade County Tree Preservation -Trust Fund. 98- 201 5 C C 0�gFcr 0 O %c7tz-_ Please contact Joy Klein of the Forest Resources Program at 372-6586, if you have any questions regarding the information provided in this letter. Sincerely, L.J John W. Renfrow, P.E. Director, Miami -Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management c: Sarah Eaton, City of Miami Historic Preservation Officer Enc. METROPOUTAN DADE ,UNTY, FLORIDA IYt�_O�ADE I %V STEPHEN P. CLARK CENTER' PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT SUITE 1610 111 N.W. tat STREET MIAMI. FLORIDA 33128-1070 (305) 375-2960 September 30, 1997 Ms. Rosalind Forrest 1541 Brickell Avenue Apt. A-1801 Miami, FL 33129 Re: Signalizatioa and Direct Access To Alice Wainwrigkt Park From Rickenbacker Causeway Dear Ms. Forrest: This is in response to your letter concerning the referenced matter. After thoroughly investigating your suggestion, we would like to inform you that from a traffic standpoint, it would be technically impossible to construct the subject connection due to the following reasons: • The installation of a traffic signal demands that a location comply with certain volume requirements. It is suspected that the park will not generate enough traffic volumes to satisfy signal warrants. • Even if the signal was warranted by volume, is will be technically impossible to implement its construction due to the physical constraint of the toll plaza structure, the parking for the Causeway staff and the curvature of the roadway. • Physical characteristics and geomet-ic conditions of the roadway also prohibit any kind of vehicular direct access to the park from Rickenbacker Causeway. The significant difference in grades among the park, bike path and roadway do not allow for the proper connection. • Numerous parking spaces would need to be provided in order to justify direct access and a signal at the subject location. However, this will substantially impact the preserved area adjoining the park and in tum, will create serious environmental concerns. Please note that since the'park is under the jurisdiction of the City of Miami, we art forwarding a copy of your letter to the City so that they may consider modifications to provide pedestrian access directly to the park from the Rickenbacker Causeway or any other adjustments they may deem necessary. Equd OppoRunity/Nendkap Emp/oysNBerrk*a 98- 201 7 Ms. Rosalind Forrest Page 2. We appreciate your interest in this matter and are pleased to have had the opportunity to look into it for you. Should you need further information, please call Ms. Esther Caias, P.E., Assistant Director, Traffic & Engineering, at (305) 375-2092. Sa .\ Pedro G. Hem�e), P.E. Director cc: Jim Kay, P.E., Director City of Miami (wlattachments) C. MEMORANOU .J 1p7A7.17A vu�ns�0asurr or Honorable Jimmy Morales November 5, 1997 T O : County Commissioner DATE: SUBJECT: Direct Access to Alice Wainwright Park Armando Vidal, P.E. From Rickenbacker FROM:, County Manager Causeway With referenceto'the Rosalind Forrest presentation before the Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday, October 21, 1997,1 would like to advise you of the following: Direct Vehicular Connection to the Park: Physical characteristics and geometric conditions of the roadway prohibit any kind of vehicular direct access zo the park from Rickenbacker Causeway. The significant difference in grades among the park, bdce path and roadway do not allow for the proper connection. Furthermore, due to the physical coastmint of the toll plaza structure, the parking for the Causeway staff and the curvature of the roadway, it will be technically impossible to constrict such a connection. Direct Pedestrian Connection to the Park from Rickenbacker Caneeway: Alice Wainwright Park and its adjacent property east of Brickell Avenue and just south of - Rickenbacker Causeway is under the jurisdiction of the City of Miami. Therefore, by copy of this memo we are requesting the City of Miami to look into the possibility of such a connection and report directly back to Ms. Rosalind Forrest, 1541 Brickell Avenue, Apt. A-1801, Miami, Florida 33129. Relocation of Traffic Signal Pole at US-1 and South Miami Avenue We are willing to relocate the traffic signal pole; however, relocation of the signal pole without relocating the FP&L power pole which is located right behind the signal pole, would not be of any advantage. Therefore, we would like to hold on to this matter until a selection of an alternative for the Stallone Gate is made by the City of Miami. In this way the pole will not have to be moved twice, but once. ,98- 201 9 November 5,1997 Page 2. • Additional Sidewalk :Miami Avenue to Toll Platy The Public Works Department has looked at various alternatives for the Stallone Gate for consideration by the City of ?Miami. One of the proposed alternatives is to widen sidewalk to 8' width and construct a concrete separator, separating the pedestrww%cycle traffic from motor vehicles. • Parldng Linder the Expressway Parking area under the Expressway falls under the jurisdiction of the Florida Department of Transportation (F.D.O.T.) By copy of this letter we.are requesting the State to explore the possibility of creating a parking area and respond directly back to Ms: Rosalind Forrest. Please feel free to call my office at 375-2950 if I can be of further assistance. PGH/MMH/es cc: Jim Kay, P.H., Director Public Works, City of Miami Jose Abreu, P.E., District Secretary, FDOT 10 METROPOLITAN DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA ME� ADE October 7, 1997 Albert Ruder, Director City of Miami Parks & 444 S.W. 2 Avenue, 8th Miami, Florida 33128 Recreation Department Floor ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT 33 S.W. 2nd AVENUE MIAMI, FLORIDA 33130-1540 (305) 372-6789 Re: Simpson park (55 SW 17 Road) and Alice Wainwright park (2845 Brickell Avenue). Dear Mr. Ruder: The Department of Environmental Resources Management has recently evaluated the above -referenced natural areas for possible designation as a Natural Forest Community (NFC) and inclusion on the county's NFC maps. This designation provides an increased level of regulatory protection for environmentally sensitive forest lands in Dade County. It has been determined that approximately. 18 acres of hardwood hammock at the above -referenced properties (Simpson Hammock 8 acres/Alice Wainwright 10 acres) meet the criteria set forth in Chapter 24-3 (151) of the Metropolitan Dade County Code and therefore qualifies for designation as a Natural Forest Community. On Q _toh r l , 1g�7, the Board of County Commissioners will determine if the subject properties, along with several other natural areas throughout the county, should be designated as a Natural Forest Community and included on the NFC maps. If you have any questions concerning the above, please contact_ Jean Evoy of the DERM Uplands & Freshwater Resources Section at 372-6585. Sincerely, W ohn W. Renfrow, E., Director Environmental Resources Management OCT 14 K5 * F_CREAT1014 9 8 --�.� 201 11 LKIM oc', Civil Engineering Cost Analysis Len Helmers Contral �7KM co a. 9~8 r- 13 201