HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem #21 - Discussion ItemTO
FROM
CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA 17
INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Honorable Mayor and Members
of the City Commission
Jose Garcia -Pedrosa
City Manager
DATE:
SUBJECT
May 12, 1998
REFERENCES
ENCLOSURES:
FILE :
Discussion Item/
Presentation on Virginia Key
For City Commission Meeting
of May 12, 1998
It is respectfully recommended that a discussion take place before the City
Commission on the matter of Virginia Key, its current status and future development.
A presentation, following the attached Presentation Outline, will be made by staff of
the Planning and Development Department, with support from other affected
departments and offices, including Asset Management, Parks and Recreation, and
Conferences, Conventions and Public Facilities. At the conclusion of the
presentation, we would ask that the Commission discuss items of general interest and
those that may require specific direction to the Administration.
BACKGROUND
In June 1987, the City Commission adopted the Virginia Key Master Plan which
established policies for the use, development and management of lands, the
protection and enhancement of natural resources, and the development of support
structures (roads, parking, utilities) and maintenance to serve this barrier island. A
copy of the Virginia Key Master Plan is enclosed for your reference.
Since 1987, the Administration has taken several steps to implement policies of the
Master Plan. These actions include issuing requests for development proposals,
seeking grants for the protection and enhancement of the beach and coastal
hammock, annexing City -owned properties into the City's jurisdictional boundaries,
and initiating zoning changes.
The Planning and Development Department will lead a presentation to provide the
Commissioners an overall picture of Virginia Key followed by an area -by -area review of
existing conditions, pertinent issues and opportunities. We hope this will stimulate a
discussion of those opportunities. It is intended that at the presentation's conclusion,
the City Commission will provide policy direction to staff as to zoning matters and the
development approach which includes prioritizing development initiatives and
defining land parcels to be offered for development.
CMC:ARW:1~J:lim
.�D
c: Arleen R. Weintraub, Assistant Director
Lourdes Slazyk, Assistant Director
D. E. Johnson, Chief of Development
Attachments:
Presentation Outline
1987 Virginia Key Master Plan
1 • �
VIRGINIA KEY
PRESENTATION TO THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
MAY 1 Z 1998
A. INTRODUCTION
1. Overview and Purpose of Presentation
2. Virginia Key Master Plan
3. Current Issues
B. AREAS OF
OPPORTUNITY
The following geographic designations have been assigned by staff to facilitate this presentation. For each
area, Staff will describe existing conditions (leases, deeds, operations by City forces & others), current
projects, zoning & land use, and, where appropriate, potential for development or enhancement.
1. Marine Stadium Basin Properties
a)
General Description & Plan Recommendations
b)
Deed Restriction
c)
City Operations - Revenues
(1) Marine Stadium Marina
(2) Marine Stadium
d)
Existing Lessees & Occupants - Revenues & Operations
(1) Miami Rowing Club
(2) Bayside Seafood Restaurant
(3) Southeast Marine Repair Shop
(4) Tony's Jet Skis
(5) Rickenbacker Marina
(5a) South Fork Restaurant (sublease)
(5b) Key Biscayne Boat Rental (sublease)
(6) Rusty Pelican Restaurant
e)
1994 & 1995 UDP's for Stadium & Boat Yard
f)
Environmental Regulations/impacts
g)
New & Corrected Zoning
2. Old County
Park Site
a)
General Description & Plan Recommendations
b)
Joint City -County Master Plan
c)
County Deed Restriction
d)
1995 Campground UDP
e)
Parking Operation for Lipton Tournament
f)
Beach Renourishment Project
(1) Safe Neighborhood Park Bonds
(2) County -wide Funding Task Force
g)
Annex Area/Need for City Zoning
3. North Point
a)
General Description & Plan Recommendations
b)
Deed Restriction - Airport & Harbors Use
c)
Existing Operations & Projects
(1) Spoil/Fill Disposal Site
(2) Solid Waste Composting Facility
(3) City/County Mitigation Project
d)
FAA Tower
4. Old Landfill
a) General Description & Plan Recommendations
b) EPA Closure
c) WKAT Tower Lease
d) Future Opportunities
(1) Regional Recreational Facilities (Joint Local Government, private Soccer)
(2) Parking & Support Facilities
(3) New Closure Requirements
5. Beach & Existina Hammock Areas
a) General Description & Plan Recommendations
b) Environmental Constraints/Opportunities
(1) Coastal Hammock Restoration
(2) Turtle Nesting Areas
(3) Dune Restoration
c) Beach Renourishment Project
d) City Beach Operation
(1) Re -opening
(2) Wind Surfing Mecca
(3) Other Opportunities
e) Zoning Correction
6. Shrimpers' Lagoon & Treatment Plant
a) General Description & Plan Recommendations
b) Water & Sewer Dept. Treatment Plant
(1) Odor Control Program
(2) Outfall Pipeline Project & Easements
c) Jimbo's
Zoning Correction
7. Critical Wildlife Area & Adjacent Environmental Lands
a) General Description & Plan Recommendations
b) Opportunities & Limitations of the CWA designation
c) Proposed Nature/Environmental Center & funding from Safe Neighborhood Park Bond
Program
d) Potential Mitigation Bank (designated sites on entire island)
C. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS/DIRECTIVES
1. Zoning Matters/Recommendations
a) Proceed with specified land use changes
b) Revise and resubmit land use changes for Shrimper's Lagoon and Marine Stadium areas.
c) Create new PR-1 zoning category
2. Development Approach/Directives
a) Packaging of UDP Parcels
(1) Large scale, national approach (Blue Ribbon Committee Report)
(2) Smaller, related use parcels
b) Implementation Priorities by Area & Approach
(1) Marine Stadium and Basin (with or without Campground)
(2) Campground (with or without Beach, beach concessions)
(3) North Point (alone or with other sites)
ATTACHMENTS
• Area Map
• Lessee Map and Matrix
• Zoning Maps
• Virginia Key Master Plan
Virginia Key Presentation Outline
VIRGINIA KEY
AREAS
LEGEND
1. Marine Stadium Basin Properties
2. Old County Park Site
3. North Point
4. Old Landfill
5. Beach & Hammock
6. Shrimpers Lagoon & Treatment Plant
7. Critical Wildlife Area & Adjacent Environmental Lands
, 2M...J74
VIRGINIA KEY
LESSEES & LICENSEES
0
5 /O s
o.
A�'
5b
4
5a
2 &3
� \ 1
V
LEGEND
Area 1 - Marine Stadium
1. Miami Rowing Club
2. Bayside Seafood Restaurant
3. Southeast Marine Repair Shop
4. Tony's Jet Skis
5. Rickenbacker Marina, Inc. (includes parking)
5a. South Fork Restaurant
5b. Key Biscayne Boat Rental
6. Biscayne Bay Restaurant
(dba, Rusty Pelican Restaurant)
8
Area 3 - North Point
7. US/Federal Aviation Administration
Area 4 - Land Fill
8. Hernstadt Broadcasting Corp
(WKAT AM Radio)
Area 6 - Shrimper's Lagoon
9. Jimbo's
� R-P,
EIVA
LESSEES AND LICENSEES ON VIRGINIA KEY
(as of 4/23/98)
MAP
KEY
TYPE OF
DATE OF
TERM
TERM
RENT
EST REVENUE
LESSEE/LICENSEE
AGRMNT
AGRMNT
(W/O OP)
(INCL OP)
EXPIRATION
RENT
INCREASES
FY '98 IRDI
AREA 1 - MARINE STADIUM
1 I Miami Rowing Club, Inc. I Lease 11/13/811 20 years 1 1 12/l/00 1 $100/yr I I $ 100
Bayside Seafood Revocable $2,500/mo
2 Restaurant License 12/21/94 1 1 mo-to-mo I Plus 8% of gross over $41 667/mo $ 30,000
Southeast Machine Revocable
3 Repair Shop License mo-to-mo $1,500/mo $ 18.000
1 4 1 Tony's Jet Skis I I I I mo-to-mo 1 14% of gross I I$ 12,000 1
IPaid
by Rickenbacker Marina in
j5bKeBiscayne
term commensurate with
accordance with % rent set forth in
I
Boat Rental
Sublease
10/29/93
Rickenbacker Lease
1/7/09
Rickenbacker lease
Page 1
LESSEES AND LICENSEES ON VIRGINIA KEY
(as of 4/23/98)
MAP
KEY
TYPE OF
DATE OF
TERM
TERM
RENTLESSEE/LICENSEE
EST REVENUE
AGRMNT
AGRMNT
(W/O OP)
(INCL OP)
EXPIRATION
RENT
INCREASES
FY '98 (RD)
$4,000/mo
OR 2.5% $ 0 - $100,000
Biscayne Bay Restaurant
3.0% $100,001 - $150,000
6
(Rusty Pelican)
Lease
2/1/70
20 years
30 years
10/1/02
5.0% $150,001 or more
$ 347,233
AREA 3 - NORTH POINT
7
U.S. Federal Aviation
Administration
Lease
6/1/94
1 year
yr to yr
til 2004
<-------
$1,208.28/mo
$ 14,500
3% on Oct 1st
each yr
AREA 4 - LANDFILL
8
WKAT
Lease
9/1/82
25 years
25 years
9/2/07
$5,854.79/mo
CPI increase;
Feb lsteach
year
$ 74,500
AREA 6 - SHRIMPERS' LAGOON
9
Jimbos
n/a
$0
$
TOTAL
$ 639,7,
* Rickenbacker Marina pays % rent due from Southfork and Key Biscayne Boat Rental.
Rickenbacker's monthly reports do not break down the gross sales allotted to subtenants.
It is estimated that revenue to the City has increased approximately $3,700/mo since the opening of Southfork.
a
r
Page 2
VIRGINIA KEY
EXISTING ZONING
Outside City L
LEGEND
CS -Conservation
PR - Parks & Recreation
C-1 - Restricted Commercial
G/I - Government & Institutional
Annex - Areas Recently Annexed (Undesignated Land Use & Zoning)
•
1>�S�
no Ai'1�1 �
z•r:.
VIRGINIA KEY
PROPOSED ZONING
LEGEND
CS -Conservation
PR - Parks & Recreation
CA - Restricted Commercial
G/I - Government & Institutional
VI RG I N IA K EY
P rep red by
THE DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
May 12, 1998
1 -MARINE STADIUM BASIN
PROPERTIES
•
1 MARI N E STADI U M BAST N
PROPERTIES
Marine Stadium:
• 18-Acre Site
• 6,500-Seat Grandstand Built for
Viewing Marine Events
• 925-Space Parking Lot
1 MARINE STADIUM BASIN
PROPERTIES
Marine Stadium:
• Premiere Facility of its Kind
When Opened in 1960's
• Deed Restriction for Marine
Stadium & Allied Purposes Only
• Stadium Closed Since Hurricane
Andrew in 1992
1 MARINE STADIUM BASIN
PROPERTIES
Water Basin:
200-Acres
• Uniquely Designed for Boat Racing
• Accommodated Other Marine Concerts and
Special Events
• 4,800 Foot Strip of Land Provides Access &
Forms Basin's Northern Edge
1 MARINE STADIUM BASIN
PROPERTIES
Marine Stadium Marina:
• 6.6-Acre Site
• 250-Slip, Dry Dock Storage Marina
City -Operated (Virginia Key Boatyard)
• 80% Occupied
• Estimated Net Revenues:
FY'98 $117, 000 FY'99 $240, 900
3
no Ar1� 1
1 MARINE STADIUM BASIN
PROPERTIES
Lessees/Licensees Revenues FY98
• Miami Rowing Club, Inc.
• Bayside Seafood Restaurant
• Southeast Machine Repair Shop
• Tony's Jet Skis
• Rickenbacker Marina (Parking)
• Rickenbacker Marina, Inc."
*Includes Southfork Restaurant
Key Biscayne Boat Rental
• Rusty Pelican Restaurant
TOTAL:
$100
$30,000
$18,000
$12,000
$1,200
$142,250
$347,233
$550,783
1 MARINE STADIUM BASIN
PROPERTIES
Proposed Zoning:
• Marine Stadium Area to New
Marine Facilities Category
• Basin Edge from Conservation
to New Parks & Recreation
Category
Str�:�rL.4
1 MARI N E STADI U M BASI N
PROPERTIES
Development Suitability:
• Potential for Government &
Institutional, Recreation,
Commercial, Marine -Related
Uses
2 - OLD COUNTY PARK SITE
2 OLD COUNTY PARK SITE
• 77-Acre Former County Park
• 2,500 Foot Beachfront Along
Bear Cut
• $1 Million Beach Renourishment
Project in Permitting
• Site is Used on Permit Basis for
Group Events & Concerts
2 OLD COUNTY PARK SITE
• Location of County -Operated
Parking for Lipton Tennis
Tournament
• County Deed Restriction for
Public Park and Campground per
Approved Master Plan
• Development Potential for
Recreation, and Campground Use
-9��r372 lam.
3 - NORTH POINT
3 NORTH POINT
• 70-Acre Bay Bottom Dredge
Deposit Site
• 3,000 Foot Waterfront Along
Norris Cut
• Miami & Miami Beach Skyline
Views
AM n
3 NORTH POINT
• Wetlands Mitigation Project
Underway
• Location of City Composting
Facility
• FAA Tower Lease Expires 2004
Estimated FY'98 Revenues
$14,500
3 NORTH POINT
• Proposed Rezoning of
Northeastern Waterfront Edge
from Conservation to Parks &
Recreation
• State Deed Restriction for
Airport & Harbors Use
• Suited for Commercial &
Recreational Redevelopment
s
4 -OLD LANDFILL
4 OLD LANDFILL
• 120-Acre Former Public Dump
Includes 15-Acre Wetland
• Closed & Capped in 1976 under
EPA Supervision
• Reuse Subject to Environmental
Testing & Remediation
f
4 OLD LANDFILL
• 2.2-Acre Site Leased to WKAT
Radio, Lease Expires 2007
FY'98 Estimated Revenues
$74,500
• Proposed Reuse for Overflow
Parking Uor Recreational Fields
5 - BEACH & HAMMOCK
7l sins- to
s
5 BEACH & HAMMOCK
• 72-Acres with 5,000 Foot Beach
• Includes 14.5-Acre Hardwood
Hammock
• Nearly 4-Acre Prime Coastal
Hammock
• Restoration Project Underway by
City
• City's Beach Closed January 1997
5 BEACH & HAMMOCK
• $1 Million Beach Renourishment
Project in Permitting
• Turtle Nesting Habitat
• Popular Area for Swimming
• World Reknow n for Wind -Surfing
• Proposed Rezoning of Sandy
Beach from Conservation to
New Parks & Recreation
Category
6 - SHRIMPERS' LAGOON
& TREATMENT PLANT
6 SHRIMPERS' LAGOON
& TREATMENT PLANT
Lagoon
• 8-Acre Lagoon with Channel to
Norris Cut
• Popular Area for Boaters and for
Film Shoots
• Manatee Protection Zone
• Jimbo's in Conservation Zone
Proposed Rezoning to New
Parks & Recreation Category
IS�►G�ts� 12
6 SHRIMPERS' LAGOON
& TREATMENT PLANT
Treatment Plant
• 115-Acre County Waste Water
Treatment Facility
• Odor Control Program Ongoing
• Outfall Pipeline Project Under
Construction
7 - CRITICAL WILDLIFE AREA
& ADJACENT LANDS
140190�
urs�—'3
7 CRITICAL WILDLIFE AREA
& ADJACENT LANDS
• 460-Acres of Mangrove, Marsh,
Tidal Flats
• State Designated Bird & Wildlife
Sanctuary
• Area Closed August through
April
7 CRITICAL WILDLIFE AREA
& ADJACENT LANDS
• Manatee Protection Zone
• No Development Permitted in
Protected Areas
• Proposed Environmental Center:
$500,000 from Park Bonds,
Proposed Rezoning from
Conservation to New Parks &
Recreation Category
KuSFc+�++
VIRGINIA KEY
PRESENTATION TO THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION
MAY 12, 1998
A. INTRODUCTION
1. Overview and Purpose of Presentation
2. Virginia Key Master Plan
3. Current Issues
B. AREAS OF
OPPORTUNITY
The following geographic designations have been assigned by staff to facilitate this presentation. For each
area, Staff will describe
existing conditions (leases, deeds, operations by City forces & others), current
projects, zoning & land use, and, where appropriate, potential for development or enhancement.
1. Marine
Stadium Basin Properties
a)
General Description & Plan Recommendations
b)
Deed Restriction
c)
City Operations - Revenues
(1) Marine Stadium Marina
(2) Marine Stadium
d)
Existing Lessees & Occupants - Revenues & Operations
(1) Miami Rowing Club
(2) Bayside Seafood Restaurant
(3) Southeast Marine Repair Shop
(4) Tony's Jet Skis
(5) Rickenbacker Marina
(5a) South Fork Restaurant (sublease)
(5b) Key Biscayne Boat Rental (sublease)
(6) Rusty Pelican Restaurant
e)
1994 & 1995 UDP's for Stadium & Boat Yard
f)
Environmental Regulations/Impacts
g)
New & Corrected Zoning
2. Old County
Park Site
a)
General Description & Plan Recommendations
b)
Joint City -County Master Plan
c)
County Deed Restriction
d)
1995 Campground UDP
e)
Parking Operation for Lipton Tournament
f)
Beach Renourishment Project
(1) Safe Neighborhood Park Bonds
(2) County -wide Funding Task Force
g)
Annex Area/Need for City Zoning
3. North Point
a) General Description & Plan Recommendations
b) Deed Restriction - Airport & Harbors Use
c) Existing Operations & Projects
(1) Spoil/Fill Disposal Site
(2) Solid Waste Composting Facility
(3) City/County Mitigation Project
d) FAA Tower
4. Old Landfill
a) General Description & Plan Recommendations
b) EPA Closure
c) WKAT Tower Lease
d) Future Opportunities
(1) Regional Recreational Facilities (Joint Local Government, private Soccer)
(2) Parking & Support Facilities
(3) New Closure Requirements
5. Beach & Existina Hammock Areas
a) General Description & Plan Recommendations
b) Environmental Constraints/Opportunities
(1) Coastal Hammock Restoration
(2) Turtle Nesting Areas
(3) Dune Restoration
c) Beach Renourishment Project
d) City Beach Operation
(1) Re -opening
(2) Wind Surfing Mecca
(3) Other Opportunities
e) Zoning Correction
6. Shrimgers' Laaoon & Treatment Plant
a) General Description & Plan Recommendations
b) Water & Sewer Dept. Treatment Plant
(1) Odor Control Program
(2) Outfall Pipeline Project & Easements
c) Jimbo's
Zoning Correction
7. Critical Wildlife Area & Adiacent Environmental Lands
a) General Description & Plan Recommendations
b) Opportunities & Limitations of the CWA designation
c) Proposed Nature/Environmental Center & funding from Safe Neighborhood Park Bond
Program
d) Potential Mitigation Bank (designated sites on entire island)
C. POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS/DIRECTIVES
1. Zoning Matters/Recommendations
a) Proceed with specified land use changes
b) Revise and resubmit land use changes for Shrimper's Lagoon and Marine Stadium areas
c) Create new PR-1 zoning category
2. Development Approach/Directives
a) Packaging of UDP Parcels
(1) Large scale, national approach (Blue Ribbon Committee Report)
(2) Smaller, related use parcels
b) Implementation Priorities by Area & Approach
(1) Marine Stadium and Basin (with or without Campground)
(2) Campground (with or without Beach, beach concessions)
(3) North Point (alone or with other sites)
ATTACHMENTS
• Area Map
• Lessee Map and Matrix
• Zoning Maps
• Virginia Key Master Plan
Virginia Key Presentation Outline
•
•
�I�S� ^040
01;1— A"72 1
VIRGINIA KEY
AREAS
LEGEND
1. Marine Stadium Basin Properties
2. Old County Park Site
3. North Point
4. Old Landfill
5. Beach & Hammock
6. Shrimpers Lagoon & Treatment Plant
7. Critical Wildlife Area & Adjacent Environmental Lands
•
oQ _172..1
VIRGINIA KEY
LESSEES & LICENSEES
LEGEND
Area 1 - Marine Stadium
1. Miami Rowing Club
2. Bayside Seafood Restaurant
3. Southeast Marine Repair Shop
4. Tony's Jet Skis
5. Rickenbacker Marina, Inc. (includes parking)
5a. South Fork Restaurant
5b. Key Biscayne Boat Rental
6. Biscayne Bay Restaurant
(dba, Rusty Pelican Restaurant)
Area 3 - North Point
7. US/Federal Aviation Administration
Area 4 - Land Fill
8. Hernstadt Broadcasting Corp
(WKAT AM Radio)
Area 6 - Shrimper's Lagoon
9. Jimbo's
LESSEES AND LICENSEES ON VIRGINIA KEY
(as of 4/23/98)
MAP
TYPE OF
DATE OF
TERM
TERM
RENT
EST REVENUE
KEY
LESSEE/LICENSEE
AGRMNT
AGRMNT
(W/O OP)
(INCL OP)
EXPIRATION
RENT
INCREASES
FY '98 (RD)
AREA 1 - MARINE STADIUM
Rickenbacker Marina
Revocable
*
(parking)
Permit
8/5/85
r-to- r
$1,200/ r
$ 1,200
5 LRickenbacker Marina Inc
Lease 1 7/1/771 20 years
30 years
1/7/09
$4,500/mo
OR Fuel $.025/gal;
Wet & dry storage 10.0%
Other: $ 0 - $20,000 3.0%
$20,000 - $50,000 2.5 %
above $50.000 2.0%
T td) Lill
•
Southfork Restaurant
Paid by Rickenbacker Marina in
(subtenant of Rickenbacker
accordance with % rent set forth in
5a
Marina)
Sublease
2/14/96
12/31/08
Rickenbackerlease
$ _
term commensurate with
5b Key Biscayne Boat Rental I Sublease 1 10/29/93 Rickenbacker Lease
Paid by Rickenbacker Marina in
accordance with % rent set forth in
1/7/09 Rickenbacker lease
Page 1
LESSEES AND LICENSEES ON VIRGINIA KEY
(as of 4123/98)
MAP TYPE OF I DATE OF TERM TERM RENT EST REVENUE
KEY LESSEE/LICENSEE I AGRMNT AGRMNT IW/O OP) (INCL OP) I EXPIRATION RENT INCREASES I FY '98 IRD)
$4,000/mo
OR 2.5% $ 0 - $100,000
Biscayne Bay Restaurant
3.0% $100,001 - $150,000
6
(Rusty Pelican)
Lease
2/1/70
20 years
30 years
10/1/02
5.0% $150,001 or more
$ 347,233
AREA 3 - NORTH POINT
U.S. Federal Aviation
yr to yr
3% on Oct 1st
7
Administration
Lease
6/1/94
1 year
ti12004
<-------
$1,208.28/mo
each yr
$ 14,500
AREA 4 - LANDFILL
CPI increase;
Feb 1st each
8
WKAT
Lease
9/1/82
25 years
25 years
9/2/07
$5,854.79/mo
year
$ 74,500
AREA 6 - SHRIMPERS' LAGOON
9 Jimbos n/a $0 $
TOTAL
V(
* Rickenbacker Marina pays % rent due from Southfork and Key Biscayne Boat Rental.
I Rickenbacker's monthly reports do not break down the gross sales allotted to subtenants.
It is estimated that revenue to the City has increased approximately $3,700/mo since the opening of Southfork.
$ 639,7h
Page 2
VIRGINIA KEY
PROPOSED ZONING
LEGEND
CS - Conservation
PR - Parks & Recreation
C-1 - Restricted Commercial
G/I - Government & Institutional
VIRGINIA KEY
EXISTING ZONING
LEGEND
CS -Conservation
PR - Parks & Recreation
C-1 - Restricted Commercial
G/I - Government & Institutional
Annex - Areas Recently Annexed (Undesignated Land Use & Zoning)
!y Q A M�1 ['�f �■
V I R G I N I A
M A S T E R P L A N
C I T Y 0 F M I A M I P L A N N I N G D E P A R T M E N T
CITY OF MIAMI
VIRGINIA KEY MASTER PLAN
Xavier L. Suarez, Mayor
J. L. Plummer, Vice Mayor
Joe Carollo, Commissioner
Miller J. Dawkins, Commissioner
Rosario Kennedy, Commissioner
Cesar H. Odlo, City Manager
Walter L. Pierce, Assistant City Manager
Prepared by the City of Miami Planning Department
Sergio Rodriguez, Director
Joseph W. McManus, Assistant Director
Jack Luft, Chief of Urban Design
Janet Gavarrete, Planner —in —Charge
June, 1987
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The following individuals and agencies are acknowledged for their assistance, technical review,
and guidance in support of the preparation of this document.
CITY OF MIAMI
Department of Development
John Gilchrist, Director
Juanita Shearer, Assistant Director
Parks and Public Facilities
Walter Golby, Director
C a t h v Noble, Assistant Director
Susan McKay
Max Cruz
Victor Cahill
Public Works Department
Donald W. Cather, Director
Charles Hudson
Enrique Nunez
General Services Administration
Alberto J. Armada
Harry Haines, Print Shop
John Austin
DADE COUNTY
Shoreline Development Review Committee
Dave Smith
Department of Environmental Resources Management
Dave Etman
Water and Sewer Authority
STATE OF FLORIDA
Department of Natural Resources
Department of Environmental Regulation
INTRODUCTION
1
OBJECTIVES
2
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
3
BACKGROUND
6
Geologic History
6
Environmental Conditions
7
Existing Land Use
9
Environmental Constraints
14
Jurisdictions
19
Development Suitability
23
EDGES
26
PROPOSED LAND USE
28
Public Open Space / Recreation
28
Marine Recreation
33
Commercial
39
Marine Exposition
40
Marine Research Park
41
Environmental Interpretive Center
41
Mangrove Preserve
42
Sewage Treatment Plant
43
Helistop
43
Water Taxi
43
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
44
DEVELOPMENT FUNDING
46
;ATION
INTRODUCTION
This is a master plan for Virginia
Key. The recommendations herein offer
policies for the use, development and
management of land, the protection and
enhancement of natural resources and the
development of a support structure of
roads, parking, utilities and
maintenance to serve the island.
NEED FOR A PLAN
Virginia Key is a barrier island
on Biscayne Bay with a spectacular but
fragile environment. The region has
benefited greatly from major
recreational attractions on the island;
but development of the key has resulted
in extensive damage to natural systems.
Greater demands for public activity and
facilities continue to be made, yet no
officially adopted plan to control and
direct anticipated change now exists.
1
OBJECTIVES
It is the intent of the Master
Plan for Virginia Key to:
I. Give specific direction to an
overall plan for land use that
respects the broadest public
purpose;
II. Assure that use and
development of the island is
in harmony with public laws
and natural conditions;
III. Show how a strategy of joint
public and private development
can serve the recreational and
educational needs of a diverse
population;
IV. Propose solutions to existing
and anticipated deficiencies
in infrastructure and
maintenance;
V. Produce a plan that can build
public support for future
recreation and educational
facilities and programs, and
the planned development of the
island.
SUMMARY OF
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Virginia Key master plan
proposes public policies for land use
and land management, including
development implementation and funding
strategies. Major recommendations
include:
LAND USE
■ Environmentally sensitive areas
including tidal flats, mangrove tidal
marshes, beach/dune systems, and
coastal hardwood hammocks shall be
undisturbed and undeveloped, restored
when necessary, and protected from
inappropriate public activity.
■ The open public beach area should
remain as a public park for picnic
and swimming use with limited
concessions serving park users.
■ The former Virginia Key Beach park
area should be privately developed
for active public recreational uses
and camping with an emphasis on
natural resource based activities and
open space.
■ Marine Stadium and the basin should
remain dedicated to the staging of
competitive marine sports events,
concerts, and special event
presentations, with continued
emphasis on spectator viewing from
boats.
■ The marine services area west of
Marine Stadium should remain a
boating services center, but
reorganized functionally for more
efficient boat storage and parking,
better orientation of retail services
to the waterfront and with
limitations on commercial growth due
to limited parking space.
■ The northern point of the island
(dredge spoil fill) should be
utilized for active sports and
recreation/fitness facilities that
could also serve as an international
training center. A lodging facility
should be developed to serve the
facilities.
■ The spoil fill area north of the
stadium basin should be reserved for
an environmental interpretive center
with limited public access for
educational, environmental field
studies.
■ "Shrimpers Lagoon" should be utilized
primarily for water recreational
activities (paddle boats, canoes,
etc.) with controlled access and
limited supply services for sport
fishing/commercial fishing boats.
■ The Marine Stadium basin shoreline
immediately southeast of the
grandstands could accomodate retail
food services, setback from the water
and preserving public access to the
shore.
s
3
Major competitive marine events at
the Marine Stadium should better
utilize an improved and enhanced
basin shoreline (its full length) for
spectator viewing.
■ The marine sciences park dedicated by
Dade County should remain a resource
for expansion for governmental and
educational research facilities.
■ Private marine recreational clubs
should be allowed but confined to the
Stadium basin's southeast corner.
LAND MANAGEMENT
■ The Marine Stadium should be
privately managed and promoted in
coordination with Planet Ocean and
the Seaquarium.
■ Development and management of the
former Virginia Key Beach site and
the island's north point should be
through private means defined and
controlled by the City's Unified
Development Process.
■ Commercial uses should be water
related or dependent and confined to
the waters edge to promote and
enhance the public's use and
enjoyment of the waterfront.
■ Private recreational club leases
should require active public outreach
programs designed to open
recreational opportunities to the
general public, especially the
disadvantaged, handicapped, elderly,
and youth of the region.
4
■ The former dump site/land fill should
not be developed or open to public
use until hazardous land subsidence
and methane gas generation can be
confined to safe levels.
■ Public utilization of parking for the
Marine Stadium, Planet Ocean and
Seaquarium facilities should be
managed jointly for large events, and
interconnected with a tram system.
PUBLIC ROADS AND
UTILITIES
■ The public access road serving the
beachfront recreation areas and the
treatment plant should be rebuilt and
realigned to improve safety, reduce
beach area access conflicts, permit
westerly expansion of public park
parking lots, and improve access to
the north point of the island.
■ The service road along the perimeter
of the stadium basin should be
removed from the southern shoreline
with vehicular access to the northern
rim from the public beach access
road.
■ Truck access to the sewage treatment
plant should be diverted to a new
road on the western perimeter of the
former dump site to reduce conflicts
with beach traffic.
■ Water and sewer facilities should be
extended from Rickenbacker Causeway
to the north point of the island.
■ The sewage treatment plant should
implement point source odor control
measures within three years.
IMPLEMENTATION
AND FUNDING
Development of recreational
facilities, with the exception of the
existing public beach park, should be
through joint public /private means
defined and controlled by the City's
Unified Development Process.
A special Virginia Key enterprise
fund should be established to receive
all revenues generated from
leaseholds, concessions, special use
permits, and user fees.
The Virginia Key enterprise fund
should_ finance required public
infrastructure, maintenance,
environmental enhancement, recreation
and educational programs.
5
ENVIRONMENTAL
CONDITIONS
The accompanying exhibit
Mangrove/Tidal Marsh - Red,
Environmental Conditions, identifies the
Black and White mangrove
numerous vegetative communities, natural
populate the majority of
and altered shoreline conditions, and
undisturbed shorelines. The
developed areas on the island.
largest concentration exists
between the marine stadium basir.
Coastal Hammock - Just behind
and the sewage treatment plant
the dune line on the extreme
and covers over 120 acres of
eastern shore exists a coastal
tidal marshlands. These plant
hardwood hammock. Although
species are protected by state
invaded by such exotics as
and local law in recognition of
Australian Pine and Brazilian
their productive role as habitat
Pepper, numerous extremely large
for numerous forms of marine
Seagrape trees exist. The area
life and in stabilizing
is in a trough and is slowly
shorelines.
filling in with windblown sands.
Coastal hammock looking south toward Bear Cut
7
Mangrove tidal marsh looking west
BACKGROUND
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
Virginia Key is part of the chain
of islands that begins with Miami Beach
and extends southerly past Key Biscayne
and Biscayne National Park to the
Florida Keys. Originally, it is
thought, the island was part of the
Miami Beach/Key Biscayne land mass.
Hurricanes over the past few centuries
have opened the Bear Cut and Norris Cut
channels that now sever it from
adjoining Fisher Island and Key
Biscayne. In the past 100 years, the
combined actions of storm surges and
land fill/shoreline development activity
have significantly altered the island's
size and shape.
The limestone ridge that forms
many of the islands in the Florida Keys
is submerged at this location. Virginia
Key and Key Biscayne are unique because
they are formed of quartz sand cut from
the sea floor by wave action and by
deposits from southward moving currents.
As a young, recently emerged island
built from sand deposits, it is a mobile
structure at the mercy of massive
natural forces that are changing it
constantly.
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BISCAYNE BAY IN 1770
BARRIER ISLANDS IN 1914
VIRGINIA KEY IN 1955 VIRGINIA KEY IN 1987
SOURCE: Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve Plan, 1986. 6
ENVIRONMENTAL -
4
CONDITIONS
COASTAL HAMMOCK
® MANGROVE I TIDAL MARSH
® AUSTRALIAN PINE
MEADOW
- SLUDGE FILL
® DREDGE FILL
COASTAL BEACH
UNCONTROLLED LAND FILL
- BRACKISH PONDS
® BISCAYNE SAY / GULFSTREAM
TIDAL FLATS
DEVELOPED LAND
VIRGINIA KEY
M A S T E R P L A N
Australian Pine Community - The
most prevalent plant
colonization on the island is
the Australian Pine or
Casuarina. This exotic pest
tree has invaded virtually all
areas but especially the
disturbed fill areas with saline
soils.
Meadow - Open areas of low
native grasses cover 55 acres of
the former Virginia Key beach
park along the southeastern
shoreline.
Sludge fill - Areas immediately
west and south of the sewage
treatment plant have sludge
mixed with fill material
deposited on site. Ground water
permeates this soil resulting in
a thick liquid that creates
unstable soil conditions and
potential subsidence.
Dredge fill - The northernmost
point of the key, adjacent to
the treatment plant, and the
Rickenbacker Causeway area
including the Seaquarium and the
perimeter of the Marine Stadium
are constituted of dredge spoil
fill material. Free of organic
or decomposable material, spoil
material is primarily a clean,
well drained limestone that is
the most stable soil on the
island.
Coastal Beach - Longshore
sediments (sand) carried
southward along the Atlantic
coast have built up beaches
along the east and southern
shores where tidal currents pass
through Bear Cut.
Uncontrolled Land Fill - A 112
acre area south of the sewage
treatment plant was excavated
for fill to build a base for the
treatment plant construction.
Subsequently, the excavation was
filled in with trash,
incinerator ash, plant trimmings
and sludge. The dump site was
closed in 1973 and capped and
graded with two feet of clean
soil.
Brackish Ponds - Several small
excavations remain from an
aborted effort to construct a
golf course just west of the
former Virginia Key beach area.
These ponds have been colonized
by a fringe of mangrove.
Biscayne Bay/Atlantic Ocean -
Deeper waters (6+ feet) exist as
channels for tidal flows through
Norris and Bear Cuts, and within
the Marine Stadium basin.
Tidal Flats - Shallow waters
form a shelf (-6 feet) extending
east and west of the island. It
is within these areas that
benthic communities of sea
grasses, fish and invertebrates
flourish. The grasses
8
contribute to the accumulation
of new sand deposits and thus
help stabilize shoreline
conditions.
Developed Land - Approximately
250 acres or 25% of the island
has been developed for
commercial activities, public
facilities and utilities.
EXISTING LAND USE
Virginia Key has approximately
1,005 acres of land area. The public
use of the island and those areas which
remain in a natural or undeveloped
state, is displayed on the accompanying
exhibit, Existing Land Use.
Undeveloped Open Space - There are
150 undeveloped acres consisting
primarily of mangrove tidal
marshes and another 120 acres of
reclaimed former land fill area
which remain barren.
Public Recreation Space (closed to
public use) - The former Virginia
Key beach area, 70+ acres of land
immediately north of Rickenbacker
Causeway along Bear Cut, remains
closed to public use except for
special events. An eroding beach,
dangerous currents near shore and
a lack of park staff to supervise
the area has necessitated the
closure. Concerts are
periodically scheduled for large
groups.
Public Recreation Space (open to
public use) - The easternmost
shore of the island and the
abutting coastal hardwood hammock
was opened in June of 1986 as a 60
acre City park. Limited
concessions, parking lots and
lifeguard towers have been added
to facilitate public use.
Public Beach (open) - The new park
with 5000 feet of beachfront (see
above) and the causeway right-of-
way bordering 4500 feet along the
bay are active and heavily used
public water sports recreation
areas. Swimming, wind -surfing,
sailing, and snorkeling are a part
of the daily activities drawing
thousands of enthusiasts.
Public Beach (closed) - As stated
above, the hazardous swimming
conditions along the 3000 feet of
the former Virginia Key Beach and
the lack of funds to staff and
maintain the area has required its
closure.
9 Closed public beach and park (left) and newly opened city park and beach
EXISTING LAND
U
-
UNDEVELOPED OPEN SPACE
1
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PUBLIC RECREATION SPACE - CLOSED
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, PUBLIC RECREATION SPACE - OPEN
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PUBLIC BEACH - OPEN
PUBLIC BEACH - CLOSED
FM
DREDGE FILL AREA
SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT
PRIVATE MARINE RECREATION
-
PUBLIC MARINE EXPOSITION
PUBLIC MARINE SERVICES
-
INSTITUTIONAL MARINE RESEARCH
COMMERCIAL MARINE EXPOSITION
-
COMMERCIAL SERVICES
COMMUNICATIONS
PARKING
ROADWAY I TRANSPORTATION
S
VIRGINIA KEY
M A S T E R P L A_ ,N
Dredge Fill area - The 3t{ acre
area north of the treatment olani;
functions as a disposal area for
dredge spoil material from the
Port of Miami channel maintenance
operations. Periodically, the
limerock dredge material is sold
as fill to the private
construction industry.
Sewage Treatment Plant - One of
three serving metropolitan Dade
County, the Central 14astewater
Treatment Plant on Virginia Key
covers 115 acres. A 72 inch force
main extending to the northwest
under Biscayne Bay connects to the
mainland. The plant generates
sludge which is digested for the
North plant as well, dewatered and
dried on open beds. Disposal of
the sludge has been a continuing
issue for the treatment plant
which generates over 50 tons each
day. Heavy truck traffic serves
the plant and shares the treatment
plant access road with the newly
opened beachfront park. Dade
County maintains the road.
Private Marine Recreation - The
Miami Rowing Club, located between
Marine Stadium and Planet Ocean,
is a private club devoted to the
teaching, training and staging of
competitive rowing events. A
club -house, storage area and
pool/picnic area comprise the
facilities on the .75 acre site.
Dredge fill area (left) and treatment plant
Public Marine Exposition - Planet
Ocean - Founded by the
International Oceanographic
Foundation and now a part of the
University of Miami, Planet Ocean
is the world's largest marine
science exposition attraction.
The facility contains over 60,000
square feet of floor area and 258
parking spaces.
Commercial Marine Exposition - The
Miami Seaquarium is a privately
owned entertainment complex that
covers a 60 acre site. Specialty
shows featuring performing marine
mammals and exhibits of marine
life provide a major tourism
attraction for the region. The
land is leased from Dade County.
10
i
Public Marine Services - A 20 acre
recreational boating service area,
northwest of Marine Stadium,
provides 650 dry boat storage
spaces, 182 wet slips, boat
rentals, retail supplies, minor
repairs, a boat ramp, boat
launching and restaurant services.
A boat fuel facility is planned.
Unorganized growth in the area has
created access, circulation, and
parking problems. Inefficient use
of land for boat storage has
preempted needed parking and space
for staging racing events.
Commercial Services - Retail
services on the island are limited
to: restaurants, including
Horatio's, the Rusty Pelican and
the Sandbar, all within the
vicinity of Marine Stadium;
temporary vendor concessions along
the public recreational beaches;
and a bait & supplies stand in
"Shrimpers Lagoon" east of the
treatment plant.
Institutional Marine Research -
Dade County has reserved 65 acres
northeast of the Seaquarium for a
marine research park. Present
institutions represented with
facilities include the University
of Miami Rosenstiel School of
Marine and Atmospheric Science,
the National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOW,
and the Southeast Marine Fisheries
Center (division of NOAA in the
U.S. Department of Commerce).
Marine services and restaurants
Marine research park (upper left) and Seaquarium
Marine Stadium and the racing basin were built in 1961
Concerts have expanded stadium usage
Marine Stadium - The Marine
Stadium, a 200 acre basin and
6,500 seat grandstand expandable
by 2,500 bleacher seats, built to
stage power boat racing and
competitive marine events, is the
premiere facility of its kind on
the east coast and one of
America's finest. It could never
be duplicated in this time of
rigorous environmental laws and
permitting procedures. It has
until recent years, however,
suffered declining use as a venue
for racing events whose national
center has shifted to the Great
Lakes and Pacific Northwest.
The recent upgrading of stage
facilities and promotional efforts
for concerts and special shows has
reversed the annual financial
losses of the stadium and returned
a small profit to the City in
1986. Additional structural and
mechanical upgrading of the
facility is, however, needed to
maintain the facilities'
competitive attraction for such
events vis-a-vis new outdoor
concert amphitheaters being built
in Dade County. Existing parking
facilities for 925 cars are
inadequate for a 91000 seat
facility, (expanded with
bleachers) resulting in spillover
parking problems along
Rickenbacker Causeway.
12
mile distance separates Marine Stadium
and Seaquarium parking areas
Approximately 4,130
spaces are provided for
(excluding the treatment
i the island- A summary
g by use is listed below:
Parking Location Amount
NOAA Laboratories
280
U of M Rosensteil School
Planet Ocean
258
Miami Sequarium
917
Marine Stadium
925
Rickenbacker Causeway (beach area)
400
City Park on Virginia Key Beach
350
Restaurants/marine services area
650
Southeast Marine Fisheries
50
Roadway and Transportation -
Rickenbacker Causeway is the only
vehicular access to Virginia Key
and Key Biscayne. In 1986 the
causeway was widened to six lanes
and a new high level fixed span
five lane bridge constructed over
the intracoastal waterway. The
causeway and bridge improvement is
designed to accomodate projected
traffic demands from Virginia Key
and Key Biscayne through the year
2005. The three lanes westbound
(critical movement) have a peak
hour capacity of 3600 vehicles.
The causeway improvement also
includes extensive landscaping,
controlled vending areas, a bike
path, and designated parking areas
that have enhanced the causeways
extensive use as a waterfront
recreation area with 4500 feet of
beaches. Overflow parking from
special events at Marine Stadium
is no longer allowed on the
causeway in order to protect
landscaped areas.
Public transportation
services to the island consist of
Metrobus service at 40-60 minute
intervals with connections to the
Vizcaya Metrorail station.
Communications - WKAT radio leases
a 2.2 acre site south of the
treatment plant for a transmitting
tower (spread of tower guy wires
covers a 15 acre site).
ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSTRAINTS
A barrier island is a unique
challenge to urban growth. State and
local building codes and environmental
laws have in recent years established
legal constraints to development that
common sense, prudence and an awareness
of natural conditions should have
dictated in the past. A summary of the
factors that this plan has identified as
environmental (and legal) constraints to
use and development of the island are
listed below:
Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve
Boundary - The western shoreline
of Virginia Key from Norris cut to
the Seaquarium marks the boundary
of the aquatic preserve. In 1974,
the State of Florida adopted
legislation that established
"outstanding Florida waters" that
would be subject to stringent
regulatory review. In effect,
state agencies that provide
environmental permit review,
impose higher standards designed
to assure no degradation of water
quality in the preserves. All
permit requests must demonstrate
that below mean high water,
existing water quality will be
preserved or enhanced by requested
development actions; in practice,
a very difficult test to meet.
Mangrove/Tidal Marsh - Mean high
water covers most of the mangrove
areas shown on the accompanying
map, Environmental Constraints,
and therefore places them in the
Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve.
State law further places the
mangrove on the protected species
list. For practical purposes, all
but the most incidental
development actions within
mangrove areas are prohibited, and
those must be related to enhancing
public awareness and appreciation
of this unique and fragile
environment (such as interpretive
boardwalk trails).
Coastal Construction Control
Line - The Coastal Construction
Control Line defines that portion
of the beach/dune system that is
subject to mass movement of sand
due to a one hundred year storm
surge. The CCC line and 5000 foot
setback line calls attention to
the special hazards and impacts
associ-ated with development and
use of such property.
Construction and development
activity seaward of the CCC line
is virtually precluded with the
exception of non -habitable
structures that are considered
"disposable" (docks, life guard
towers, etc.) The CCC legislation
also imposes more rigorous
standards for design, construction
and siting of development seaward
of the CCC line. Landward of the
setback line, South Florida
building code standards are
likewise strengthened to account
for storm surge forces.
14
ocean beaches are exposed to the greatest storm surge
Federal Flood Zone Contours -
Federal Flood Zone contours apply
to special flood hazard areas
inundated by 100 year floods.
These flood hazard areas consist
of:
A Zones - Requires all
habitable space within
structures, including mobile
homes to be elevated at or
above the 100 year level
(elevation above mean high
water indicated in brackets
on Environmental Constraints
map) . __`_---- —
V Zones - Requires all new
construction and substantial
improvements to be elevated
on pilings or columns so that
lowest portion of the
structural members of the
lowest floor, excluding
pilings or columns, is
elevated to or above base
flood level.
Uncontrolled band Fill -
Approximately 120 acres of land
south of the treatment plant
constitutes a former public dump
site. Materials used to fill the
excavated area consisted primarily
of incinerator ash, plant
trimmings, and sludge with some
uncontrolled (no restrictions on
material dumped) trash and
rubbish. This fill material w a s Australian Pines have colonized most of the land fill site
placed in a small water body known
as Duck Lake (an excavation for
j fill to build the treatment plant)
15
and thus is, in part, below the
ground water level. It is
presumed that the wet ash and
sludge forms a thick liquid
substrata that makes ground
subsidence a continuing danger (a
large dump truck and a bulldozer
simply sank out of sight and were
never recovered.) The dump was
closed in 1976, and under
supervision of the Environmental
Protection Agency, a two foot cap
of clean soil was graded over the
site.
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ENVIRONMENTAL
CONSTRAINTS
® BISCAYNE BAY AQUATIC PRESERVE BOUNDARY
MANGROVE / TIDAL MARSH
COASTAL CONSTRUCTION CONTROL LINE
FEDERAL FLOOD ZONE CONTOUR Ali
UNCONTROLLED LAND FILL - MONITORED
SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT ODORS
SLUDGE DEPOSIT / DREDGE FILL
SAND SEDIMENTATION
SHORELINE EROSION
VIRGINIA KEY
M A S T E R P L A N
A second hazardous condition
is the methane gas that is
generated by decaying fill
material. A 1986 assessment of
ambient gases revealed that
methane levels are as high as 68
of subsurface gases, the highest
level in Dade County as measured
by the Department of
Environmental Resource Management
(5A is legal allowable limit).
The practical consequences of
these conditions are that
development and public use within
the fill site must be greatly
restricted (paved areas and
structures could trap pockets of
gas below or within them risking
explosive conditions) for the
foreseeable future (10-15 years)
or, an expensive process of gas
extraction must be undertaken.
The additional hazard of
ground water leaching through the
fill material and contaminating
the Biscayne Aquifer water table
requires that the soil cap remain
intact and ground water runoff be
directed to the site's perimeter.
Sewage Treatment Plant Odors -
Depending on wind direction and
other climatic conditions,
unpleasant odors generated by the
treatment plant can be a
significant annoyance to the key's
visitors. Flinety percent of the
odor problem can be traced to five
point sources including the
influent chamber, aeration tanks,
secondary clarifier, and sludge
the treatment olant has not covered odor problem facilities
handler. These primary odor
problem points can be covered and
vented through chemical scrubbers
as has been done at the north and
south Dade County treatment
plants. This would eliminate all
but faint musty odors from the
sludge drying beds which is not a
noticeable problem (the mangrove
areas create tannin odors that are
often mistaken as coming from the
treatment plant). The
technological improvements
necessary to control the problem
have been identified in the County
Capital Improvement Program but
are not scheduled or funded.
•
16
Shrimpers Lagoon is filling with sand
while ocean beaches are eroding
Sand Sedimentation - The soutnward
migration of sand along the
Atlantic Coast, although
diminished considerably by the
Government Cut jetty, does
contribute to the accumulation of
sand in the vicinity of Norris
Cut. Cynthia Cove (more popularly
known as Shrimpers Lagoon) is
likewise filling with sand. Since
the former dump site (see above)
filled in Duck Lake in the 19701S
and severed the flow of water
across the island, the cove has
lost ten feet in depth and is in
danger of filling entirely in the
next decade. Development of the
north point of the island that may
include boating access from Norris
Cut and the ocean will have to
account for continuing sand
the problem, the jetties built to
halt the southerly movement of
sand sediments into Government Cut
to the north, have also cut off
Virginia Key (and Key Biscayne)
from the natural resupply of sands
that would normally renourish the
beaches. The result is sand
starvation and accelerated erosion
of their ocean beaches. As
pronounced as these erosion
problems have been in the past
twenty years, it is fortunate that
there has been no major hurricane
impacts in that period of time.
All of this underscores the
essentially transient nature of
barrier islands, the unstable
condition of their shorelines and
the necessity to restore and
protect natural dune formations.
Sludge Deposit/Dredge Fill -
Immediately west of the treatment
plant is an area that has been and
continues• to be used as a
temporary sludge storage site.
Bay bottom dredge material from
the Port -of -Miami is also
periodically deposited and then
sold to private construction
projects. Any development of this
area would require removal of
sludge contaminated soil prior to
use by the public. The State of
Florida and Dade County would
control the removal through the
permit process.
Virginia Key Beaches are constantly changing
Treatment plant and adjacent fill areas
18
JURISDICTIONS
Several Federal, ;tare, regional
and local agencies are involved in
regulating the use and development of
Virginia Key. The complex, multiple -
level review of development is directly
attributable to Virginia Key's status as
a barrier island.
As can be seen on the accompanying
map, Jurisdictions, the areas that
border the Biscayne Say Aquatic
Preserve, contain mangroves, or are
within the Coastal Construction Control
Line are subject to numerous agency
reviews and environmental laws. A
summary of those agencies and their
functions is as follows:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers -
Federal Agency - The Corps
regulates and issues permits for
Florida Department of
Environmental Regulations - State
Agency - D.E.R. regulates and
issues permits for water quality
discharges (surface and
groundwater) dredge and fill, air
quality, stormwater runoff, solid
and hazardous waste facilities,
public water systems, underground
injection control and water well
construction. The majority of the
permits are processed and issued
by the district office in West
Palm Beach. However, certain
permits for major air pollution
sources, and major dredge and fill
projects are among those issued
only from Tallahassee. Other
types of permits have been
delegated to other agencies such
as the South Florida Water
Management District or local
pollution control agencies such as
Dade County Department of
Environmental Resource Management
(DERM). The permit process time
work below mean high
water such as
varies from 90 to 120 days upon
dredging, filling,
marinas, and
receipt of a completed
all coastal construction on the
application.
island. The Corps
of Engineers
jointly regulates
and permits
Florida Department of Natural
projects with the State
Department
Resources - State Agency - D.N.R.
of Natural Resources
and the State
is responsible for the management
Department of
Environmental
of marine fisheries and State
�► Regulation. The permit process
Aquatic Preserves, beach
time varies from 120
to 180 days
management and restoration.
after receipt of
a completed
application.
I., also regulates and issues
permits for the construction of
coastal structures such as groins,
jetties, and breakwaters,
including any coastal development
19
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DREDGE FILL SITE `r
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TREATMENT PLANT I1
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RUSTY PELICAN ❑ u"
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NATIONAL ATMOSPHERIC
OCEANOGRAPHIC ADMINISTRATION
SEAQUARIUM
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI \�
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_I UNIVERSITYOF MIAMI
JURISDICTIONS '
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
FLORIDA DEPT. OF NATURAL RESOURCES (D.N.R.)
FLORIDA DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION (D.E.R.)
DADE COUNTY DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT (D.E.R.M.)
DADE COUNTY SHORELINE DEVELOPMENT
REVIEW COMMITTEE (S.D.R.C.)
US. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
FLORIDA DEPT, OF NATURAL RESOURCES
DIVISION OF BEACHES AND SHORES
DADE COUNTY S.D.R.C.
FLORIDA DEPT. OF NATURAL RESOURCES (D.N.R.)
FLORIDA DEPT. OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION (D.E.R.)
DADE COUNTY D.E.R.M.
DADE COUNTY S.D.R.C.
.DADE COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS
DADE COUNTY S.D.R.C.
I DADE COUNTY BUILDING AND ZONING DEPT. - PERMITS
r
CITY OF MIAMI BUILDING AND ZONING DEPT. - PERMITS
r— DADE COUNTY S.D.R.C.
I i LEASEHOLDS
1 USE AGREEMENTS '
J
VIRGINIA KEY
M A S T E R P L A N
which takes place seaward of a
"coastal construction control
line". The agency also grants
leases and easements across "state
sovereignty land", and all tidal
lands and lands under navigable
waters. The permit process time
varies from 90 to 120 days upon
receipt of a complete application.
Construction seaward of the
coastal construction control line
must meet special structural and
other design considerations which
provide for the protection of the
beach dune system, structure, and
adjacent properties.
Dade County Department of
Environmental Resources
Management - County Agency -
D.E.R.M. regulates and permits
coastal construction permits in
tidal waters of Dade County such
as docks, marinas, bulkheads,
uprap dredging and fillers.
Certain types of major permits
require related permits from DER,
the Army Corps of Engineers, and
DNR. This agency also regulates
and issues permits for removal or
trimming of mangroves. County
Commission Approval is also
required as part of the permit
process. The permit process time
varies from 2 weeks to over a
year - depending on the type and
scope of the project.
Dade County Shoreline Development
Review Committee - County Board -
The Shoreline Development Review
Committee reviews all development
plans and project proposals along
the shores of Biscayne Bay for
compliance with the Dade County
Shoreline Development Ordinance
adopted in 1985. In the case of
Virginia Key, review by this board
is required for any development
proposed on the entire island.
The provisions of the ordinance
require compliance with certain
design criteria and objectives
such as preservation and
enhancement of the natural,
aesthetic and recreational values
of Biscayne Bay, encouragement of
the best use of water and
shoreline, maximum public visual
and physical access to the water,
development design to respect and
address waterfront orientation,
visual corridors, buildings,
heights, side setbacks.
The bay shoreline is heavily regulated
a,
20
Dade County Building and Zoning
Department - This department
regulates and issues all building
permits for construction in areas
within Dade County on Virginia Key
(outside the Miami city limits).
Dade County Public Works
Department - All roadway
improvements to Rickenbacker
Causeway are the responsibility of
this agency. Access and utilities
serving the island must be
permitted by this agency as well.
Dade County Parks and Recreation
Department - The beach areas along
Rickenbacker Causeway come under
the responsibility of this
department in terms of
development, use, and programming
of such facilities.
City of Miami Building and Zoning
Department - This department
regulates and issues all building
permits for construction in areas
within the City of Miami corporate
limits.
City of Miami Planning
Department - The Planning
Department reviews all public and
private leases and development
proposals for compliance with City
Comprehensive Plan, and isues
Class C Permits for approval of
development design.
City of Miami Heritage
Conservation Review Board - The
H.C. Board reviews all areas in
the City designated as
Environmental Preservation
Districts. All issues of
development impacts on natural
ecological systems are reviewed by
this board.
City of Miami Leaseholds - The
City has leased properties in the
vicinity of Marine Stadium to
private commercial interests that
can provide marine and marine
related services to the general
public. Leases under the
management of the General Services
Administration Department include:
Marine Stadium Enterprises - 5.53
acres of land incorporating 400+
boat storage spaces, food
services, boating and fishing
supplies, and recreational
concessions. The lease expires in
1993•
Marina Biscayne - 20 acres
supporting a 189 slip marina, 213
dry storage boat racks, fuel
pumps, minor repair services, bait
and tackle store, and a sub -lease
to Horatio's restaurant (10,500
sq. ft. and 90 parking spaces).
The master lease expires in 1997
with two 5 year extensions
optional. The Horatio's sublease
expires in 1999 with two optional
5 year extensions.
Biscayne Bay Restaurant
Corporation - The Rusty Pelican
restaurant occupies 2.5 acres that
includes the 26,000 sq. ft.
restaurant and 277 parking spaces.
The lease expires in 1991 with two
five year extensions.
WKAT Radio - A 2.2 acre site south
of the Sewage Treatment Plant has
been leased until 2007 for a
transmission antenna. The lease
only accounts for the actual
footprint of the tower and anchors
for the guy wires, but the
facility spreads over a square
site almost 15 acres in area.
Miami Rowing Club - A twenty year
lease from 1980 to the year 2000
provides a .75 acre site for a
clubhouse and storage area housing
a private club that offers
training, instruction, and staging
of competitive rowing events.
Working agreements - An informal
working agreement (no contractual
lease) exists between the City and
the Port of Miami allowing the bay
bottom dredge material produced by
the port channel maintenance to be
deposited in the area north of the
treatment plant. Future port
development will make continuation
of this arrangement important to
the port. The City obtains
revenue from sale of the dredge
material to the construction
industry.
Majority of lesseholds are near Marine Stadium
Dredge spoil deposits from Port of Miami
22
DEVELOPMENT
SUITABILITY
The preceding chapters have
summarized existing conditions on
Virginia Key. These conditions
essentially define opportunities and
constraints for man-made changes on the
island. The accompanying map,
Development Suitability, summarizes the
overlap of legal, environmental, and
physical factors that generally
characterize how and where the island
should change.
Four levels of potential
development of the island are shown:
No Development
"Protected Environmental and Scenic
Areas"
Mangrove, tidal marshes, beaches, and
roadside corridors should have no
development. Maintenance of natural
conditions, habitats, and landscaping is
paramount.. Restoration of disturbed
areas through beach renourishment, dune
enhancement, mangrove replanting and
landscaping with native West Indian
species will be necessary to maintain
the integrity of island edges.
23
Mangrove areas are protected from development.
Low Development
"Flood Restricted- Coastal Construction
Control Zone"
Within the 350 foot wide margin of land
abutting mean high water that is subject
to normal storm surge (easterly of the
CCC Line) there should be no habitable
development and only expendable
structures (i.e. picnic shelters,
lifeguard towers) can be built. This
area also includes the shorelines of
dredge fill areas that have the
potential of enhancement as beaches.
DEVELOPMENT
SUITABILITY
® NO DEVELOPMENT - PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTAUSCENIC..
LOW - FLOOD RESTRICTED - EXPENDABLE RECREATION ST~UR
MODERATE - ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE
PUBLIC RECREATION RELATED
HIGH - INSTITUTIONAL, RECREATION, SERVICE,
COMMERCIAL MARINE RELATED
RESTRICTED - POTENTIAL ENVIRONMENTAL RISK - METHANE GASH
UNSTABLE SUBSOIL
® BOATING - ACCESS, SERVICE DOCKING ACTIVE USE
VIRGINIA KEY
M A S T E R P L A N
Moderate Development
"Environmentally Sensitive — Lowland
Areas"
Two areas, the former Virginia Key Beach
Park (now closed) and the spoil fill
area north of the racing basin are
technically developable according to
environmental regulations. The
proximity of the latter to mangrove
preserves and sensitive wildlife
habitats makes development undesirable
for all but limited public educational
/environmental study facilities. The
former park site is an area of low
meadows and brackish ponds that is
covered by a " V " zone flood contour
(directly exposed to open ocean storm
surge) that imposes stringent building
requirements on all development.
Recreation related facilities and
structures are appropriate but overall
development should be limited.
High Development
"Institutional, Recreation, Service,
Commercial, and Marine Related
Facilities."
Along Rickenbacker Causeway and within
the northern point of the island exist
lands of limited environmental
sensitivity, composed of stable dredge
fill material, outside the "V" zone
contour, and westerly of the CCC Line.
These areas are considered appropriate
for development of the more complex
infrastructure required to support
institutional, commercial, marine,
service and formal recreational
facilities.
Dredge fill areas have a high development potential.
Restricted
In addition, the former dump site
can be considered "Restricted" in terms
of its development suitability. The
highly unstable subsurface conditions
and presence of methane gas seepage (see
Environmental Constraints) makes
development and public use of this site
hazardous. It is possible that methane
gas extraction procedures could be
utilized (although expensive) and
additional foundation pilings added
(also expensive) if development was
deemed necessary or desirable. General
recreational use for open public
activities (i.e. camping, hiking, field
games, parking) should be prohibited
until safe conditions can be assured.
24
Boating
For purposes of marine boating
access and associated shoreline
development for marine services, certain
segments of the Virginia Key shoreline
are appropriate. The shores bordering
both Norris Cut to the north and Bear
Cut to the south as well as the Marine
Stadium basin and "Shrimpers Lagoon"
have both sufficient water depth and
open shoreline (no mangrove/tidal flat
grass beds) to permit active power
boating and sailboat access.
EDGES
PRINCIPLES OF USE
AND TREATMENT
This plan is intended as a guide
for the use and development of Virginia
Key. Fundamental to establishing a
development policy, is the clear
assertion of principles that represent
public expectations for the care and use
of this unique and fragile resource. It
is a basic tenet of this study that
proper use of edges (beaches, road
frontages, environmental transitions,
etc.) is crucial to the realization of
an optimal plan for the overall use of
land. Creating harmonious transitions
between land and water, public and
private activities, natural and
developed properties and active and
passive environments is the planning
objective.
This plan's principles of use and
treatment of primary edges are:
I. All access to and use of the island
shall serve recreational needs.
II. All views from publicly accessible
thoroughfares shall be blue or green.
III. Natural Shorelines shall be preserved.
IV. Natural forces shall be allowed
to shape natural edges.
V. Commercial uses shall be water related
or dependent.
VI. Commercial uses shall be confined to
the water's edge to promote public
access, use and enjoyment of the water.
The following proposed policies for
the use and treatment of the island's
primary edges are based upon these
principles. They are depicted on the
accompanying graphic Edges.
■ Developed Shoreline specific
shorelines are appropriate for
marine and commercial/institutional
usage. These development edges
include the south shore of the basin
(with a landscaped setback for
recreational use east of Marine
Stadium), the Seaquarium, the
institutional research areas, the
26
Norris Cut shoreline and short
segments of Shrimpers Lagoon.
■ Landscaped Boulevard - Public
roadways should be generously
landscaped with native plant species
consistent with preserving views of
the water. Parking lots, storage
areas, utilities and concessions
should be screened from view.
■ Entrance Feature/Signage - Only at
vehicular entrance points from
Rickenbacker Causeway and the
treatment plant access road should
signage be permitted snd then
confined to indirect lit name
identification only. Multiple signs
at an entrance drive shall be
combined on a single coordinated
display. Commercial signage for
businesses and services on buildings
should not be visible from
Rickenbacker Causeway. All major
road intersections and public
facility . entrances should have
feature landscape treatment.
Protected Water - The tidal flats
west of the .island and the mangrove
marsh within Shrimpers Lagoon shall
be protected from public landside
access except as appropriate for
educational and environmental
studies.
Recreational Water - The Marine
Stadium racing basin, lagoon,
causeway shoreline and Atlantic
Ocean shoreline (north of the former
Virginia Key Beach Park) are
considered desirable public use
areas for water contact recreation.
Public access is invited.
■ Restricted Water - Along the
Seaquarium and institutional
research shorelines, public access
and use should be restricted. In
addition, the strong off -shore
currents adjacent to Virginia Key
Beach Park will require floatation
barriers to assure that public use
is confined to the shallow shelf
waters near shore (see Edges map).
0 Protected Shoreline -
Environmentally sensitive mangrove
and tidal marsh areas along the Bay
and lagoon are to be undisturbed.
0
Recreational Shoreline - The Marine
Stadium basin shoreline, causeway,
and beaches are all prime
recreational use areas, and public
access should be encouraged. The
basin's northern shore should,
however, be limited to special event
usage for spectators under
controlled access supervision. A
landscaped, publicly accessible
shore along the basin's southern
edge should be generally open to
public use and the access controlled
during special events.
EDGES
RINCIPLES OF USE AND TREATMENT
• ALL ACCESS AND USE TO SERVE RECREATIONAL NEEDS
• VIEWS SHOULD BE BLUE OR GREEN
• NATURAL SHORELINES SHOULD BE PRESERVED
• NATURAL FORCES ALLOWED TO SHAPE NATURAL EDGES
• COMMERCIAL USES ONLY AT WATER EDGE TO PROMOTE
• COMMERCIAL USES WATER DEPENDENT OR RELATED
- PROTECTED WATER -
PUBLIC ACCESS STRICLY CONTROLLED
WATER `. RECREATIONAL WATER -
PUBLIC ACCESS AND USE INVITED
CRESTRICTED WATER -
PRIVATE INSTITUTIONAL USE
PUBLIC RECREATIONAL USE RESTRICTED
® PROTECTED SHORELINE -
ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE
ISLAND RECREATIONAL SHORELINE -
PUBLIC RECREATION USE ENCOURAGED
LIMITED VENDING - NO COMMERCIAL
- DEVELOPED SHORELINE -
INSTITUTIONAL, ACTIVE, WATER RELATED
PUBLIC/PRIVATE LEASE ACTIVITIES,
LANDSCAPED BOULEVARD / SCREENING
BOULEVARDS
ENTRANCE FEATURE - SIGNAGE
VIRGINIA KEY
M A S T E R P L A N
PROPOSED LAND USE
The following policy
recommendations, as depicted on the
accompanying proposed Land Use map,
characterize the general public purpose
that each recommended land use fulfills.
While each policy addresses specific use
options, there should be flexibility in
the future in choosing which activities
or site designs best meet policy
objectives. Unlike previous studies for
Virginia Key, the details of design and
site development are left to subsequent
implementation efforts.
PUBLIC OPEN SPACE /
RECREATION
Four areas constitute the public
open space/recreation program
proposed for the island:
1) FORMER VIRGINIA KEY BEACH
Immediately east of the
marine institutional research
park, this 77 acre tract is
Virginia Key's best opportunity
for development of an active
natural resource based
recreation area. The entire
area should be privately
developed and operated under one
unified program of planning,
design, construction, leasing
and management. Examples of
suitable activity include water
theme parks (with visual
emphasis on landscaping),
equestrian parks, campgrounds,
group picnic facilities, and
large open areas suitable for
event and concert programming.
Combinations of these and
similar activities would be
desirable but would require a
master site development plan for
the entire area prior to
implementation of any one
component.
Active public use of the
area will inevitably lead to
public use of the water's edge,
including swimming. This is as
it should be. But it will be
necessary to provide a flotation
barrier off -shore to separate
and protect swimmers from
dangerous channel currents. The
only alternative is to erect an
elaborate shoreline barrier to
deny public use of the water
which this stur'y considers
impractical, visually
Former Virginia Key Beach Park is best opportunity for active recreation and camping.
28
Swift currents in Bear Cut require safety
undesirable and likely
ineffective. In addition, the
shoreline needs stabilization
through dune restoration and
beach renourishment.
Vehicular access to the
area would be confined to the
existing treatment plant access
road no access through the
marine research park) at a point
indicated on the Proposed Land
Use map. ----- �-
2) EXISTING CITY PARK/BEACH
flotation barriers for beaches. Presently in use as a
public park and swimming bead;,
the area consists of a beach,
modified by groins installed by
the Corps of Engineers, and a
hardwood hammock immediately
upland. The northern reach of
the beachfront is separated from
"Shrimpers Lagoon" to the west
by mangroves. Due to the
environmental sensitivity of
these eco-systems, the area
should remain as a natural
resource based city park devoted
to picnicking, swimming, and
passive recreation. Three
improvements arr-,, however,
needed:
A - environmental enhancement,
including renourishment of
the beach, re-establishm-,nt
of the dune system, removal
of exotic plants and
replanting of native West
Indian hardwoods within the
hammock, and mangrove
29
Former park swimming beach needs, dune restoration_
Beach renourishment and hammock restoration
is needed for new City park.
PROPOSED
LAND USE
MANGROVE PRESERVE / MANGROVE PLANTING�
® ENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETIVE CENTER
NATIVE PLANT / ANIMAL FIELD STUDIES
® LANDSCAPING
PUBLIC PARK - PASSIVE RECREATION
PUBLIC PARK - ACITVE RECREATION /PRIVATELY MANAGED
PUBLIC / PRIVATE RECREATION SERVICES
- MARINE RESEARCH PARK
BOATING STORAGE / DOCKING
PRIVATE MARINE CLUBS
- MARINE I EXPOSITION EDUCATION
R- COMMERCIAL / MARINE SERVICES
RECREATION SERVICES / CONCESSIONS
u�ww BROADCAST TOWER
HELISTOP SERVICE
SPORTS CLUB / INTERNATIONAL TRAINING. CENTER ! CAMPING
BEACHES
PUBLIC SWIMMING PROTECTED
SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT ACCESS ROAD
SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT ODOR CONTROL COVERING
PARKING
PEOPLE MOVER SHUTTLE
VIRGINIA KEY
M A S T E R P L A N
planting along the west
shore of the lagoon inlet
channel;
B - expanded parking facilities
that would require a
westerly relocation of the
existing treatment plant
access road (see Proposed
Land Use map) and the
expansion of existing
parking lots into the
vacated roadbed;
C - concessions serving park
visitors including food and
beverage vendors (portable
stands) near the beach (see
map), an open decked area
with a food concession at
the extreme northerly point
of the beach, and a rental
concession at the edge of
the lagoon for paddle boats,
canoes, and windsurfers.
3) NORRIS CUT FILL SITE
The northern point of the
island remains today a 70 acre
barren area of bay bottom dredge
deposits that is also the most
developable of the island's
ocean frontages. By grading the
mounds of spoil deposits to a
level above flood criteria (10
to 12 feet above mean high
water) there is the potential to
develop permanent recreation and
athletic facilities that could
not be built elsewhere on the
island and for which space
Road relocation to the west will make room for expanded parking.
Norris Cut fill site is well suited to development.
generally does not exist in the
pools, bicycling
city's mainland park system.
track/velodrome, cyclo-
The recommended use program for
cross/moto-cross course,
this site includes:
archery/rifle ranges, and
equestrian courses. The
A - athletic facilities for
potential for State of
fitness programs,
Florida assistance in
competitive training
c
developing the facilities
programs, local club sports
would be a possibility, given
programs and competitions,
the Governors Council on
and an international
Sports and Physical Fitness
training center for olympic
continuing efforts in this
class sports. There have
direction.
been several past occasions
where city and county
These facilities and others
efforts to attract
like them would be managed,
international competitive
programmed and promoted
events of the caliber of the
through the efforts of
Caribbean or North American
regional clubs and
Games have been rejected due
associations devoted to the
to a lack of facilities
particular sport. It would
meeting sanctioned
be a condition of this plan
standards. As the recent
that any club or association
Key Biscayne Tennis Center
granted the right to operate
has demonstrated, this is an
sports/recreational
excellent location for
facilities on Virginia Key
international sports
would be required to
facilities, particularly for
maintain an out -reach
winter training of European
program of public education,
and North American athletes.
training and open
Paired with Marine Stadium,
competition, particularly
- the Olympic Sailing Center
for inner-city residents
in the Grove, and the
with limited access to such
_ potential for windsurfing
facilities. It is this
competition (Miami hosted
strategy of utilizing the
-_ 1986 National
Championships), Virginia Key
private resources of
would be an ideal location
regional sports associations
for world class sports
to expand the public's
training facilities.
opportunities for recreation
Potential sports facilities
that underlies this policy
could include
recommendation.
Norris Cut open space is ideal for
swimming/diving/water polo
active recreation facilities,
3
B - Camping and/or lodging
facilities that would serve,
in part, the above described
athletic facilities. As a
source of revenue, such
private lodging and
hospitality development
could provide a funding
source for the local share
of athletic facility capital
costs.
4) UNCONTROLLED LAND FILL
Comprising 120 acres
(including the WKAT radio tower
lease) this site has significant
development restrictions (see
Environmental Constraints). It
is recommended that no public
recreational use be made of the
site until methane gas and land
subsidence hazards can be
mitigated. Assuming that no
direct measures are taken (gas
extraction), it is estimated
that it will be ten years or
more before public use can be
accomodated. At such time, and
subject to tests confirming the
lack of hazards, the
recommended options for use
include:
A - support activities extending
the recreation programs
developed for the waterfront
recreation areas,(see
preceding sections). If
camping and equestrian
activities, for instance,
are developed in the old
Virginia Key beach area,
expanded camping and
extended riding trails could
be developed throughout the
landfill site. Viewed
another way, this site
should be considered a land
bank to be reserved for
future uses as may be
necessary to complement then
existing recreational
programs on the island.
B - Activities that would add to
the soil cover of the site
and require few structures,
such as a golf course or
field game area. 'As above,
these activities might be
considered as extending and
complementing a lodging and
sports/recreation program
developed for the northern
point of the island.
C - Remote parking facilities
for expanded public
facilities in the Marine
Stadium/Seaquarium area. As
special event parking to be
used only occasionally, it
should remain soft -surfaced
with a stabilized base
course.
D - Additional leases for
broadcast towers, or similar
non -recreational facilities
are not recommended.
Fill site should serve recreation areas
along the waterfront.
32
MARINE RECREATION
The unique dimensions of Virginia
Key that distinguish it from other
public lands and recreation space in the
region are its extraordinary natural
environment, its bay setting and
unparalleled access by water for marine
recreation programs. The following land
use policies reflect the goal of
optimizing the island's marine
recreational opportunities:
1) MARINE STADIUM AND BASIN
The future of powerboat racing in
Miami is uncertain, but has enjoyed
some renewed interest with the recent
surge in recreational motorboat
sales. Given this uncertainty, there
has been consideration of
transforming all or a part of the
basin into a marina and mooring basin
for sailboats. Projected demand for
power boat ownership raises further
questions as to the viability or need
for major new sailboat mooring areas.
Additional concerns about a
conversion of the basin to a marina
involve water quality and the present
inability of tides and currents to
adequately flush the Stadium racing
basin, an important factor in marina
design. Hurricane hazards further
reduce the attractiveness of the key
for expanded wet or dry boat storage.
Alternatives exist in Biscayne Bay,
most notably Watson Island, the Miami
River, and Dinner Key, for new and
expanded wet and dry slip storage,
but no such alternative exists for
marine racing events and water shows.
To maintain the economic
viability of the stadium, the stage
(barge) should be expanded and
permanently moored in front of
stadium (to reduce major costs in
moving it). Programmed improvements
to the stadium seating area and
support facilities must be expedited.
Seaquarium, it is recommended that a
private management/promotion service
be contracted to operate the stadium.
Stadium management should join with
the Seaquarium to better schedule
events and gain advantage of natural
promotion opportunities to package
Stadium events and visits to the
Seaquarium and Planet Ocean. This
would further reinforce the proposal
for shared parking between the three
facilities. A logical extension of
the joint promotion/shared parking
arrangement would be the physical
linkage of the three facilities (4000
feet from Marine Stadium to the
Seaquarium) with an overhead tramway
or people mover (see Proposed Land
Use graphic). Major event parking
+20,000 attendance at races) or
same -day events on the island will
require remote spillover parking that
could be accomodated on the former
dump site (see preceding discussion
of Uncontrolled Land Fill Site.)
To enhance spectator viewing for
major racing events, it is
recommended that shoreline viewing
areas southeast of the stadium and
along the opposite northern shoreline
be improved through increased
landscaping, removal of exotic plants
(Brazilian Pepper, Casuarina) and
regular maintainance and trash
removal. The access road that now
follows the perimeter of the basin
from the stadium to the northwesterly
basin terminus should be relocated to
connect with the "treatment plant
access road" (see Land Use Plan
graphic), and rebuilt north of that
A tramway linkage of Marine Stadium, Planet Ocean
and the Seaquarium is needed.
The northern shore of the basin is needed for spectator viewing.
r
34
(that could be moved
for
point. This would remove
the roads
racing events) for
the
shoreline conflict with the Rowing
relocated restaurant.
Added
Club and Planet Ocean, and
allow for
parking adjacent to
the
buses and trams to bring
spectators
stadium will serve
the
to the basin's opposite
shore for
restaurant.
major events.
d) move boat ramp to westerly
2) COMMERCIAL MARINE SERVICES edge of indented area.
Marine Stadium area provides for a
variety of commercial services that
enhance the public's access to and
use of the waterfront. The
accompanying graphic, Marine Stadium
Development_ Concept, provides
schematic recommendations for the
future use and organization of this
vital area. These include:
A) Reorganization of the boat_
storage area to:
a) condense this area by
converting the surface
storage of boats (Marine
Stadium Enterprises) to more
efficient rack storage.
b) utilize the easterly portion
of area now in surface boat
storage (adjacent to stadium
entrance drive) for parking
to serve Marine Stadium and
relocated food service (see
below).
c) relocate present restaurant
from the center of the
parking lot to the indented
shoreline west of Marine
Stadium (leasehold expan-
• sion). Add floating docks
A more efficient organization of the marine service area is needed.
35
e) provide direct vehicular
access from the stadium
entrance area to the
relocated boat ramp and
Rusty Pelican/Horatios
restaurants.
f) move the Horatio's/Rusty
Pelican entrance drive
easterly twenty five feet to
allow for landscaping and
reduced pedestrian conflicts
in front of Horatio's.
MARINE STADIUM,
DEVELOPMENT
CONCEPT
® LANDSCAPING
® MANGROVE
PARKING
BOAT STORAGE AND SERVICE
MARINE RECREATIONAL -CLUBS
MARINE RECREATIONAL -COMMERCIAL
MARINE EXPOSITION
VIRGINIA KEY
M A S T E R P L A N
g) provide landscaping of basin
shoreline along entrance
drive and parking lot for
the Rusty Pelican
restaurant.
h) limit additional restaurant
facilities from the area
that would utilize boat
service parking or restrict
the space or functioning of
boat storage, maintenance,
and service activities.
Restaurants should locate next to water's edge —
not causeway.
B) Expansion of food service
facilities along the basin
shoreline easterly of the
stadium toward the Miami Rowing
Club. Within the stadium area
there is demand for a greater
variety of food services,
particularly lower cost fare.
Such facilities should not be
located along the Rickenbacker
Causeway frontage. The
aforementioned principles of use
and treatment argue against
"strip, highway commercial" as
inconsistant with the islands
public park character. The
temptation to "take advantage"
of considerable traffic and a
roadside exposure on the
causeway would not enhance the
public's "access to and use of
the waterfront", a basic
rationale for service commercial
uses. The appropriate location
would be to set them back fifty
feet from the basin edge with a
public landscaped walk and
viewing lawn along the water,
connecting a sequence of food
services to the stadium.
Spacing of structures would have
to allow for required views
through to the water (County
Shoreline Ordinance). Parking
during non-event times would be
plentiful with direct pedestrian
access to the commercial uses
from the parking lot, and during
marine racing events the food
service areas can become an
extension of event seating and
concessions.
36
3) MARINE CLUB ACTIVITIES It is
consistent with the objectives and
principles of this plan to encourage
marine recreational clubs on
Virginia Key that add a dimension to
recreational activities which local
government cannot provide. It is,
as recommended above for
sports/athletic club activities,
important that in granting the
privilege to conduct "members -only"
activities, that "out -reach"
programs be required as a part of
club lease agreements.
Specifically, education, training,
and competitions open to the general
public must be hosted by the private
club. Programs to serve especially
the underprivileged, handicapped,
and youth that have no access to
these activities are expected.
The plan recommends that future
leases that may be granted by the
Commission be confined to the area
in the southeastern corner of the
basin as indicated on the Proposed
Land Use and also the Marine Stadium
Development Concept graphics This
particular location is the only
remaining uncommitted site on the
basin that is not constrained by
mangrove tidal marsh and affords
enough area for adequate parking.
Access should be from the existing
treatment plant access road.
3
The service drive along the waters edge should be removed.
The basin's S.E. corner could accomodate
new marine club activities.
Shrimpers Lagoon is ideal for a paddleboat concession.
A marina lease on the lagoon would require
maintaining an open channel.
4) MARINA SERVICES New marina
services should not encroach on
Marine Stadium parking facilities or
support areas. In addition to those
provided west of the Marine Stadium
area, additional boating services
are recommended near Norris Cut on
the opposite side of the island.
For twenty three years, a small
informal marina has existed in
"Shrimpers Lagoon", operated by a
past tenant of the former Port of
Miami. The potential exists to
formalize and expand the services to
fishermen - commercial, charter and
sport - with bait and tackle, food
and cruising supplies, and possible
small boat rack storage. A sport
fishing club could complement the
marina and again provide special
recreation services to the elderly,
youth and disadvantaged in the city.
A strategic benefit of this
concession would be the lease (and
practical) requirement that - the
channel access to the lagoon be kept
open with maintenance dredging. This
channel is not in the Biscayne Bay
Aquatic Preserve, and such dredging
has been permitted for this location
in the past. Without constant
dredging, the entire lagoon will
fill with sand and a recommended
recreation area for paddleboat
concessions to serve beach visitors
would be lost.
A second boating facility is
recommended in conjunction with a
potential lodging/hospitality center
proposed for the Norris Cut point.
a.
38
This facility would serve only as a
boat landing for shallow draft boats
( 4 to 6 foot water depth) visiting
or provided by the lodging. This
segment of shoreline is not in the
Biscayne Bay Aquatic Preserve, but
only a floating dock is recommended.
COMMERCIAL
Plan proposals for commercial
development of the island have been
incorporated into the preceding
sections describing open space,
marine recreation and marine
services. Commercial uses on the
island are, as stated in plan
policy, only to serve and amplify
recreational objectives and have
been presented in that light. It
is, however, recognized that on a
1000+ acre island, certain
opportunities exist to accomodate
NORRIS CUT DEVELOPMENT
One such opportunity deemed
appropriate in the overall context
of the plan is a lodging facility to
host visitors drawn to the
recreational amenities of the
island. Situated on the Norris Cut
point, and exposed to the Atlantic
Ocean, Fisher Island and the Miami
and Miami Beach skylines, a site for
development of such facilities is
shown on the Proposed Land Use
graphic. It complements well the
proposed use of the adjacent lands
for a variety of athletic training
and sports facilities.
Approximately forty acres in area
and including almost 3000 lineal
feet of waterfront, the site would
require strict development standards
to assure a design compatible with
the islands recreational activities.
Specifically, the following
development standards are
recommended:
1) Overall height limited to 50
feet above flood criteria to
preclude buildings from
intruding on views from public
park areas.
2) All beaches to be open to the
public during normal City park
hours.
3) All existing mangroves
maintained and a new dune system
and ecology established.
4) Waterfront setbacks and view
corridors in compliance with the
County Shoreline Development
Ordinance.
5) An architectural image evocative
of a Caribbean or "island"
vernacular.
6) Support facilities such as
restaurant and meeting space and
incidental retail services are
confined to not more than
fifteen percent of lodging floor
space.
7) No bulkheads
MARINE EXPOSITION
PLANET OCEAN Planet Ocean remains
an exposition center that has
potential for incorporating
educational facilities as an
extension of the University of Miami
and/or the Dade County public school
system. This plan does not make any
policy recommendations for the
facility except that future
exposition use should be promoted in
conjunction with Marine Stadium and
Seaquarium activities. A joint
management/promotion program should
consider as well a joint parking use
arrangement.
Planet Ocean needs functional and promotional linkage
to Marine Stadium and the Seaquarium.
40
•
1
SEAQUARIUM Privately owned,
outside the City's corporate limits,
and on land leased from Dade County,
this plan recommends only that
future management and promotion of
the Seaquarium should be coordinated
with the Marine Stadium. Joint
parking use agreements between the
two facilities would be an integral
part of such coordination.
MARINE RESEARCH PARK
Dade County has set aside the area
adjacent to Bear Cut as a marine
research park for development of
facilities by governmental and
educational institutions. Adequate
space exists for anticipated future
expansion of these activities and
growth should be confined to this
area. Access should remain limited
to Rickenbacker Causeway.
ENVIRONMENTAL
INTERPRETIVE CENTER
Virginia Key possesses one of
Biscayne Bay's most diverse natural
environments in the tidal flats and
mangrove marshes forming its
northern shore. It is a habitat for
hundreds of species of fish, marine
invertebrate, reptiles, amphibians,
mammals, birds, and plants; dozens
of which are on rare or endangered
species lists.
This plan recommends that the spoil
banks on the northern perimeter of
the Marine Stadium basin be reserved
as a potential laboratory for
environmental education. In an
urban setting, it would be without
parallel. Surrounded by fragile
mangrove and tidal areas and an
active migratory bird nesting site,
it is unsuitable for active
recreation use. As shown on the
accompanying graphic, Environmental
Preservation and Institutional
Development Concept, limited shelter
Spoil fill areas north of the basin offer access
to rich natural habitats.
ENVIRONMENTAL
PRESERVATION
AND
INSTITUTIONAL
DEVELOPMENT ,
CONCEPT
L
VIRGINIA KEY
M A S T E R P L A N
facilities, exhibit, and meeting
room space for an environmental
education and interpretive center
would be appropriate. Boardwalks
and canoe trails could extend the
centers reach for field studies. In
combination with the more formal
facilities planned for Key Biscayne
by a coalition of South Florida
environmental groups, this site
would provide study habitats
unavailable on Key Biscayne. Access
to the site would be limited to
special study groups under the
auspices of the Environmental
Center.
The spoil fill area is developable for a limited
environmental study center.
MANGROVE PRESERVE
The area shown on the Proposed Land
Use graphic as Mangrove Preserve
should remain in a natural state,
undeveloped, with public access
restricted to those associated with
the proposed environmental
interpretive center. Areas are also
shown along the northern basin
shoreline, on the off shore spoil
islands, and along the channel to
"Shrimpers Lagoon" where mangrove
planting can be done as mitigation
measures for development impacts
elsewhere on the island. All
mangrove areas on the plan should be
designated environmental
preservation districts under
provisions of the zoning code.
Tidal flats and mangrove preserve.
42
SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT
The Dade County Water and Sewer
Authority Central Waste Water
Treatment Facility on Virginia Key
will expand its capacity for sewage
treatment within the current site
boundaries. As a part of the plant's
continuing facilities improvements,
the covering and chemical scrubbing
of primary point source odor
emmissions should be programmed to be
completed by 1991.
Removal of the plant storage area
along the eastern site boundary (not
on WASA property) should be completed
by 1988. The currently heavy truck
traffic serving the plant (80+ trucks
per day) is expected to grow. To
minimize impacts on park users and
vehicular traffic to beach park
areas, it is recommended that a truck
access road be built by WASA from the
plant site's southwestern corner,
along the western edge of the old
land fill site, to the current access
road (see Proposed Land Use map).
This would place truck traffic west
of and out of contact with the
proposed intersections leading to
public beach recreation areas. The
current park toll gate booth just
east of Rickenbacker Causeway should
be relocated east of the proposed
truck access road. The proposed
median -divided beach access road
should provide an eastbound left turn
storage lane to the new truck access
road.
HELISTOP
To accomodate needed emergency
evacuation service, a helistop (not a
port terminal) for helicopter
landings should be provided adjacent
to Rickenbacker Causeway near the
beach access road intersection. This
location assures best emergency
vehicle access from all points on the
island. Development of this facility
should be coordinated with the
regional helistop network to be
developed by Miami International
Airport.
WATER TAXI
If private or public water taxi
service were to become a reality,
several locations are attractive
stops: the marina adjacent to the
Rusty Pelican restaurant, the
proposed docks and restaurant
facility proposed just west of Marine
Stadium, the Seaquarium/Rosenstiel
School, and the Norris Cut proposed
lodge and boat landing. Accomodating
such service is appropriate and
encouraged by this plan.
DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM
The City of Miami can not and
should not be the prime developer for
accomplishing most of the development
recommendations herein. The primary
means for achieving the majority of the
plan concepts should be through a joint
public/private partnership as provided
for in the City's Unified Development
Program (UDP) code. The accompanying
graphic, Development Program, portrays
the implementation program recommended,
the majority of which consists of UDP's.
With this plan as the conceptual guide,
the city should prepare requests for
proposals (RFP's) that would be issued
to solicit private sector offers for a
particular proposed development. A
public selection process would result in
the City Commission choosing the most
responsive proposal for contractual
negotiations leading to a formal lease
agreement and development of the desired
activity.
The following is a breakdown of
the areas for development under the
Unified Development Project Process as
defined by the City Charter and Code.
PUBLIC / PRIVATE
JOINT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Priority Location Use Action
t Former county park Active Recreation RFP/UDP
recreation area
2 Spoil bank north of Environmental RFP
the racing basin Interpretive Center
3 Shrimpers Lagoon Recreation Concession RFP for
(south shoreline) (paddle boats/ vendor
windsurfer)
4 Marine Stadium
Grandstands 8 basin
management improve-
nent
5 Boat ramp west of
Marine Stadium
6 Southeast end of
racing basin
7 Shrimpers Lagoon
(west shoreline)
8 Marine Stadium
S.E. basin shore
Marine Events RFP/UDP
Restaurant/boat docks RFP/UDP
Marine recreation/ RFP/UDP
sports club faci-
lities
Marina/Retail Marine RFP/UDP
Services -Fishing
Supplies
Restaurant Services RFP/UDP
9 Norris Cut Point Lodging/Sports RFP/UDP
dredge fill area Recreation/Services
Ci
44
Additional implementation actions
recommended include:
1) Lease Expansion - To achieve a more
efficient and proper siting of uses
in the Marine Stadium Enterprises
lease, it is recommended that upon
expiration of the current lease
contract, the next lease require
relocation of the restaurant and
condense the boat storage area as
proposed in the preceding Marine
Services section.
2) Special Use Management - To the
extent that public recreation and
sports facilities proposed for the
northern point of the island are
built with public funds, it will
require special use agreements with
private recreation clubs for
management and promotion of the
facilities.
3) City Park Development - It is
recommended that the existing public
beach and park opened in 1986 remain
as a public park managed by the City
Parks Department. Parks bond issues,
state and federal grants, and the
Virginia Key Enterprise Fund are
funding sources that should be tapped
for recommended improvements and
environmental enhancements.
4) W.A.S.A. Storage Relocation - The
Water and Sewer Authority should be
required to expedite relocation of
their existing storage area outside
the WASA site (east side) to a site
within their property.
•
M
ue
Alk
R
DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM
•
ACTIVE RECREATION
ENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETIVE CENTER
CITY/EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
MARINE STADIUM IMPROVEMEN�/S
PRIVATE PROGRAMMING/ PROM6TION
UNIFIED
RECREATION CONCESSION
DEVELOPMENT
M
BOAT LANDING
PROJECTS
�0
MARINE RECREATION/SPORTS
�....a
CLUB FACILITIES
-RETAIL
MARINE SERVICES
FISHING SUPPLIES/MARINA
-RESTAURANT
ENTERTAINMENT
EVENT SEATING
•'g
RECREATION/LODGING
4
BOAT LANDING/SERVICES
LEASE
RELOCATION/EXPANSION OF FOOD SERVICES
EXPANSION
CONSOLIDATE BOAT STORAGE/CIRCULATION
CITY PARK
PUBLIC RECREATION/FOOD CONCESSIONS
HAMMOCK/DUNE RESTORATION
SPECIAL USE
SPORTS TRAINING/RECREATION/CAMPING
MANAGEMENT
/FITNESS FACILITIES AND PROGRAMS
SPECIAL USE
PERMIT
Im
HELISTOP SERVICE
IsRECREATION
SUPPORT SERVICES
VIRGINIA KEY
M A S T E R P L A N
DEVELOPMENT
FUNDING
The above described process will
result in a substantial number of
leaseholds returning annual lease
revenues to the City. It is essential
that a Virginia Key lmprovement Fund be
established as a enterprise fund
receiving the lease and concession
revenues. The lease revenues, shown on
the map Development Funding, together
with user fees and concession revenues
provide the basis for revenue bond
funding of:
1) PUBLIC
INFRASTRUCTURE
a) A rebuilt, widened and
realigned access road from Rickenbacker
Causeway to the Norris Cut point;
b) Extension of sewer and water
facilities from the causeway to Norris
Cut point;
c) Improved public parking
facilities for recreation facilities;
d) A rebuilt and realigned
access road along the stadium basin
north shore;
2) ENVIRONMENTAL
ENHANCEMENT
a) Hammock and dune restoration
b) beach renourishment
c) Mangrove planting
d) Removal of exotic plant
species and replacement landscaping .
The enterprise fund also finances:
1) Recreation programs for public
parks, including staff;
2) Maintenance of public
facilities, utilities and lands;
3) Education programs and
facilities including the Environmental
Interpretive Center (with funding
assistance from educational and
institutional and private environmental
groups.)
46
RESORT FACILITIES
DEVELOPMENT
CAMPING
SPORTS FACILITIES
TRAINING IREC REATION
FITNE SS PROGRAMS L
MANGROVE PLANTING
SHORELINE NHANCEMENT
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RESTAURANT
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION I
a0 ��
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STUDIES CENTER
❑
RESTAURANT; MARINE
f r
SERVICES
+I
0
\
MARINE SERVICES CANOE RENTAL
MARINgIPESTAURANT
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STADIUM EXPANSION/ '
RENOVATION
FOOD SERVICES .I MILES
q ACCESS ROAD
SHORELINE ENHANCEMENT AND UTILITIES
1.8 ILCa'A yQ;
LIMITED
MARINE RECREATION
F'YB\ CLUB FACILITIES (y/'i•p'
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AND UTILITIES
MARINE EDUCATION '
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HELISTOP SERVICE'
PEOPLE MOVER SHUTTLE
'ACTIVE RECREATION
FACILITIESIPROGRAMS
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BEACH ENHANCEMENT
WATER RECREATION
MANGROVE
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< C`M
FONCESSIONS
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F�RECREA ON PROGRAMS
tSSIONS
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PRIVATE
INVESTMENT I
CITY
LEASE
REVENUES
VIRGINIA KEY
IMPROVEMENT
FUND
PUBLIC FACILITIES/PROGRAMS
ROADS, UTILITIES, PARKING, MAINTENANCE
ENVIRONMENTAL ENHANCEMENT/MITIGATION
I� RECREATION FACILITIES/PROGRAMS
1 EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS 4
VIRGINIA KEY
M A S T E R P L A N
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