HomeMy WebLinkAboutR-98-0592J-98-607
6/09/98
RESOLUTION NO. 9 8- 592
A RESOLUTION DESIGNATING THE FRONTAGE OF N.W.
3RD AVENUE FROM APPROXIMATELY N.W. 8TH STREET
TO APPROXIMATELY N.W. 14TH STREET AS THE
HISTORIC OVERTOWN PRIORITY BUSINESS CORRIDOR
("CORRIDOR") FOR THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA;
AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER,
THROUGH THE APPROPRIATE CITY DEPARTMENTS, TO
WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE COMMUNITY
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO CREATE AND ESTABLISH
A PILOT PROGRAM FOR SAID CORRIDOR, FOR ADOPTION
BY THE CITY COMMISSION AND CODIFICATION, TO
INCLUDE: (1) FORMULATING REGULATIONS THAT WILL
ENCOURAGE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND
DISCOURAGE NON -BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT WITHIN
THE CORRIDOR; (2) PROVIDING INCENTIVES FOR THE
UPGRADING OF STRUCTURES AND FACADES WITHIN
THE CORRIDOR THROUGH UTILIZATION OF THE CITY' S
(i) FACADE TREATMENT PROGRAM, INCLUDING A
WAIVER OF REQUIRED 30 % MATCH, (ii) LOW -INTEREST
LOANS, (iii) CODE COMPLIANCE ASSISTANCE, AND (iv)
SIMILAR REHABILITATION ASSISTANCE; (3)
IMPLEMENTING AN ENTREPRENEURIAL JOB TRAINING
AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM SPECIFICALLY FOR THE
CORRIDOR; AND (4) STUDYING AND RECOMMENDING
AN APPROPRIATE MECHANISM FOR SELECTIVE
ACQUISITION AND DISPOSITION OF PROPERTIES THAT
MAY BE NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE THE INTENT AND
GOALS OF THE CORRIDOR; FURTHER AUTHORIZING
AND DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO IDENTIFY AT
LEAST $3,000,000.00 OF REPROGRAMMED FUNDS AND/OR
FUTURE PROGRAM INCOME FROM THE COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM;
REPROGRAMMED FUNDS FROM OTHER FEDERALLY
FUNDED ACTIVITIES, AND/OR OTHER ELIGIBLE
SOURCES FOR SAID PURPOSES, SUBJECT TO THE
APPROVAL OF THE CITY COMMISSION.
CITY COmQS9ion
MEETING OF
JU N 0 9 1998
Resolution No.
�f 174IRM
WHEREAS, for more than three decades the historic Overtown neighborhood of the City
of Miami ("Overtown") has endured multiple negative impacts as the result of highway and mass
transit construction, which have contributed to the loss of population and businesses, decline of
property values, and general degradation of conditions within Overtown, and
WHEREAS, it has become clear that past efforts toward remediation of these negative
impacts and minimal programs aimed at revitalization of Overtown have not succeeded in
effecting a positive, self-sustaining reversal of the negative trends; and
WHEREAS, continuing neglect of Overtown threatens the historic heritage and even the
basic existence of the Overtown community, deprives its citizens and businesses of the
opportunity to share in the prosperity of the metropolitan area, and fails to capitalize on the
opportunities inherent in Overtown's location within the downtown Miami area; and
WHEREAS; it is clear that revitalization of Overtown and restoration of the neighborhood
is in the best interests of the City of Miami, its citizens, and its business and financial communities;
and
WHEREAS, it is clear that revitalization must begin at the historic neighborhood center
along N.W. 3rd Avenue, with emphasis on revival and expansion of the local business community
to provide the necessary goods and services required by a residential population, attract tourists
and visitors, take advantage of the area's historic significance, and create the investment base that
will stimulate further entrepreneurial activities; and
WHEREAS, the City of Miami must take the initiative to create the environment within
which business investment can be made with confidence, and in which property owners will share
in the investment effort; and
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98- 592
WHEREAS, such initiative can take the form of a pilot program utilizing existing and new
sources of assistance in a coordinated effort to address these issues in the Overtown community,
and serve as a model for similarly distressed commercial corridors in other parts of the City of
Miami;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA:
Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are
hereby adopted by reference thereto and incorporated herein as if fully set forth in this Section.
Section 2. The area contained within the lots fronting on N.W. 3rd Avenue from its
intersection with N.W. 14th Street to its intersection with N.W. 8th Street and west along N.W.
8`h Street to N.W. 4`h Avenue, together with the appurtenant public right-of-way and other public
lands, is hereby designated as a priority business corridor for the City of Miami, Florida to be
known as "The Historic Overtown Priority Business Corridor" ("Corridor"), within which a Pilot
Program ("Corridor Pilot Program") is to be undertaken under which certain land use and
property standards shall be applied in order to: encourage business development; discourage non -
business development; make more effective use of publicly -owned or controlled properties;
require the upgrading of all structures and facades and provide assistance to property owners in
meeting these requirements; promote, manage, and encourage private investment in the Corridor
Pilot Program, and other similar activities and efforts in support of the purposes of the Corridor
Pilot Program.
Section 3. The City Manager, through the appropriate City Departments, is hereby
authorized and directed to work in conjunction with the Community Redevelopment Agency, to
prepare for adoption by the City Commission and codification, such land use, regulatory, and
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98- 592
other studies and measures as will be required to establish, implement, and support the Corridor
Pilot Program, including but not limited to the following:
A. Amendments to the Zoning Ordinance, and to other plans as necessary, to encourage
business use, restrict non -business use of land within the Corridor;
B. Regulations and urban design guidelines governing the upgrading of structures and
facades within the Corridor;
C. Assistance and incentive programs by the City of Miami and the Community
Redevelopment Agency to encourage private property owners to make improvements
to their properties, including programs utilizing (i) the City's Facade Treatment
Program, to include providing for a waiver of the 30% match requirement, (ii) Micro
Loan Pilot Business Program, (iii) capital assistance through Miami Capital
Development, Inc., (iv) Streets and Sidewalks Improvement Program, (v) low -interest
loans, (vi) code compliance and design assistance, (vii) Community Development
Block Grant assistance as may be available for an area of historic significance, and
(viii) similar rehabilitation assistance;
D. An entrepreneurial and job training and development program, specifically designed to
enhance business retention and development within the Corridor Pilot Program;
E. An analysis, recommendation and report of an appropriate mechanism for selective
acquisition and disposition of properties that may be necessary to achieve the intent
and goals of the Corridor Pilot Program, including consideration of the creation of a
development corporation;
F. Such other studies, recommendations, and proposed regulations as the City Manager
may deem necessary to carry out the purposes of this Resolution.
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98- 592
Section 4. The City Manager is hereby authorized and directed to identify and make
available for the Corridor Pilot Program at least $3,000,000.00 of Community Development
Block Grant Program funds from reprogrammed funds and/or future program income, funds from
any other activities whose funding may be re -programmed due to under -utilization of federal
funding, and/or funds from any other eligible sources, subject to the approval of the City
Commission.
Section 5. This Resolution shall become effective upon its adoption and signature of
the mayor pursuant to Section 4 (g)(5) of the City Charter and Section 2-36 of the City Code.
PASSED AND ADOPTED this 9th day of June , 1998.
JOE CAROLLO, MAYOR
In accordance with Miami Code Sec. 2-36, since the Mayor did not indicate approval of
this legislation by signing it in the designated place+ pt,ovided, said legislation no
W
becomes effective with the elapse of tc-n (10) days f ',."!:oAatteotCom sicn action
regarding same, without the Mayoy exercising -a v o.
ATTEST:
W er J. an, City Clerk
WALTER J. FOEMAN
CITY CLERK
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98 - 592
CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA 15
INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM
TO: The Honorable Mayor Joe Carollo and DATE : June 9, 1998 FILE:
Members of the City Commission
SUBJECT: Resolution: Overtown
Priority Business Corridor
Pilot Program
FROM: it Id H. Warshaw City Manager REFERENCES: City Commission Agenda Item
ENCLOSURES:
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Commission adopt the attached Resolution, designating a
portion of N.W. 3rd Avenue in the Overtown neighborhood as a Priority Business Corridor,
and directing the administration to prepare various studies and recommendations aimed at
creation of a Pilot Program for the Corridor that will revitalize the commercial base of the
Overtown neighborhood. Initial funding of $3,000,000 for the Pilot Program is requested from
reprogrammed and future Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program Income
and other eligible sources that will be subject to City Commission approval.
BACKGROUND
Dozens of studies over the past three decades have documented the decline of the Overtown
neighborhood_ resulting from a variety of influences, including devastating negative impacts
from major transportation projects. Numerous efforts by the City and other agencies to
revitalize the area have fallen short of success. The initiative proposed by this Resolution
seeks to begin afresh with a Pilot Project involving the historic commercial center of the
Overtown neighborhood—N.W. 3rd Avenue from 8th to 14th Streets —that will create a new
set of initiatives and incentives for commercial redevelopment as a stimulus to revitalization
of the surrounding area.
It is anticipated that by requiring rehabilitation of structures according to a specific set of
requirements and guidelines, packaging a variety of existing programs of financial and other
assistance, coupled with incentives for entrepreneurial efforts, this proposed concerted and
coordinated public/private partnership can achieve in a limited area what previous efforts have
not: the restoration of a revitalized commercial center for the Overtown community. Funding
of at least $3,000,000 for the Pilot Program is requested from CDBG future program income
and any other activities whose funding may be re -programmed due to under -utilization of
federal funding. Additional funds will also be sought from other eligible sources.
JGP:CMC:AW:CPT/ct
98- 592