HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 1984-10-19 MinutesMINUTES
OF MEETING HELD ON• OCTOBER 19, 1984
(SPECIAL)
PREPARED BY THE OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
CITY HALL
RALPH G.. ONGIE
INDEX
MINUTES OF REGULAR KUTING
I
CITY COMMISSION OF MIAMI, FLORIDA
October 19, 1984
ITEM
SUBJECT
LEGISLATION
PAGE
NO.
NO.
1
ACCEPT PROPOSED MASTER PLAN FOR
M 84-1180
1-10
DINNER KEY AND AUTHORIZE PAYMENT TO
10/19/84
BERMELLO, KURKI, VERA, INC., ARCHI-
TECTS.
2
PUBLIC HEARING: DINNER KEY MASTER
DISCUSSION
10-35
PLAN.
3
DEVELOP R.F.P.'S FOR SITE KNOWN AS
M 84-1181
35-37
MERRILL STEVENS PROPERTY FOR A
10/19/84
MARINA AND A FULL SERVICE BOAT YARD.
4
EXPRESS POLICY THAT NO PARKING
M 85-1182
37-38
STRUCTURES BE BUILT IN THE DINNER
10/19/84
KEY AREA BETWEEN SOUTH BAYSHORE
DRIVE AND THE WATERFRONT EAST OF PAN
AMERICAN DRIVE.
5
INSTRUCT CITY MANAGER TO COME BACK
M 85-1183
38-39
WITH PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE
10/19/84
DINNER KEY MASTER PLAN TO INCLUDE
GROVE SQUARE PUBLIC PLAZA IN PEACOCK
PARK.
5.1
INSTRUCT PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO
M 85-1184
39-42
FURTHER PLAN POSSIBLE MODIFICATION
10/19/84
OF MCFARLAND ROAD.
6
ACCEPT ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION
M 85-1185
42-43
FOR FULLY DEDICATED RIGHT OF WAY
10/19/84
FROM S. BAYSHORE DRIVE ACROSS FRONT-
AGE OF PROPERTIES - CORAL REEF YACHT
CLUB AND BISCAYNE BAY YACHT CLUB,
FOR BIKE PATH.
7
ACCEPT ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION
M 85-1186
43
FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ADMINISTRA-
10/19/84
TIVE PROCESS AND PARKING MANAGEMENT
COMMITTEE, SET ASIDE SPACES, PROVI-
SIONS FOR SPECIAL EVENTS, ETC.
8
AUTHORIZE CITY MANAGER TO STUDY
M 85-1187
43-44
FEASIBILITY TO AWARD ZONING BONUSES
10/19/84
FOR DEVELOPMENT OF PRIVATE AND
PUBLIC PARKING ON FUTURE BUILDINGS,
ETC.
9
APPROVE IN PRINCIPLE WITH AFOREMEN-
M 85-1188
44-46
TIONED AMENDMENTS, THE DINNER KEY
10/19/84
MASTER PLANT, DIRECTING TO BE BROUGHT
BACK FOR FINAL CONSIDERATION.
10
RELAX RESTRICTIONS ON FIREWORKS FOR
R 85-1189
46-47
THE JACKSON'S CONCERTS. 10/19/84
12
AUTHORIZE AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT R 85-1190 47-48
WITH CLIPPER PIONEERS FOR GROUPS 10/19/84
HISTORIC TIES WITH CITY AND ALLOCAT-
ING $4,500.
GRANT REQUEST FOR USE OF CITY COM- M 85-1191 48-49
MISSION CHAMBERS FROM THE DIRECTOR 10/19/84
OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST PROGRAM NOV.
29, 1984.
16M
MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
CITY COMMISSION OF MIAMI, FLORIDA
On the 19th day of October, 1984, the City Commission
of Miami, Florida, met at its regular meeting place in the
City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida in
special session to consider business of public import,
namely, the Dinner Key Master Plan.
The meeting was called to order at 5:10 O'Clock P.M. by
Mayor Maurice A. Ferre with the following members of the
Commission found to be present:
Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins
Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr.
Vice -Mayor Demetrio Perez, Jr.
Mayor Maurice A. Ferre
ABSENT:
Commissioner Joe Carollo
ALSO PRESENT:
Howard V. Gary, City Manager
Lucia Allen Dougherty, City Attorney
Matty Hirai, Assistant City Clerk
An invocation was delivered by Commissioner Miller
Dawkins who then led those present in a pledge of allegiance
to the flag.
1 ACCEPT PROPOSED MASTER PLAN FOR DINNER KEY AND AUTHORIZE
PAYMENT TO BERMELLO, KURKI, VERA, INC., ARCHITECTS
Mr. Perez: Ladies and gentlemen, anyone who wants to speak
on this issue, I would like him to come to the City Clerk
and give him the name and the address in order to call each
one of you to start this public hearing.
Mr. Plummer: Did everybody understand what he said that if
you want to speak, we would appreciate your giving your
name? I can't believe there are only three speakers.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: There were a hundred last time.
Mr. Plummer: I'm not trying to encourage anybody, I
just.... Joanne, you better come and sign up. Joanne, you
can only sign up once.
Me. Joanne Holshouser: Could I ask, I don't know, point of
order or whatever you're supposed to say at these momentous
occasions, I'm not here exactly as a speaker. I'm here to
V�M-
Mr. offer the alternate master plan.
Mr. Plummer: You're still a speaker.
Ms. Holshouser: I know.
Plummer: Can you do it quietly, without speaking?
sl 1 October 19, 1984
Ms. Holshousers I will do it very quietly, but I would like
to speak. I would, however, like to be allowed to present
the alternate plan that we have worked on and present it for
many many months.
Mr. Plummer: I still suggest you sign up as a speaker.
Ms. Holshouser: How long does that give me?
Mr. Plummer: Five minutes.
Ms. Holshouser: I would ask the privilege of the
Commission, since I have fought this for ten months now, I
would like the privilege of being able to present the
alternate master plan at this time. We've asked for this
for months, and months, and months.
Mr. Plummer: Since it would take a motion of this
Commission, let me ask you how much time you feel that would
be necessary for you to make your presentation.
Ms. Holshouser: Twenty minutes.
Mr. Plummer: I'll hold such a motion until I see how many
people speak up. I'll offer it if it isn't going to keep
us here all night.
Ms. Holshouser: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Excuse me, Mr. Plummer, if I may, Mr.
Vice Mayor, Mr. Perez, as Merrill Stevens is the center of
this Master Plan, I would request in addition to five
minutes to address the issue.
------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE FOR THE RECORD: Mayor Ferre entered meeting.
------------------------------------------------------------
Mayor Ferret I think we ought to have the presentation
first. All those who wish to speak will be signing up here,
then we will move along with the presentation, then, of the
proposal. Mr. Manager, can we... Mr. Gary, can we now have
the presentation from the administration on this?
Mr. Gary: We haven't heard it, Mr. Mayor, but we can begin.
If you prefer, we can begin. ,
Mayor Ferret Yes, I think so. I think we can listen to the
public sector aspects of it as soon as they sign up, but I
think we do need a basic presentation as to what we're t
talking about, so whenever....
Mr. Gary: Mr. Luft will be giving that presentation.
Mr. Jack Luft: Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Mayor, members of
the Commission, my name is Jack Luft. I'm with the City
Planning Department. The Dinner Key Master Plan was begun
about a year ago. It was done in an effort to attempt to
come to grips with a significant amount of change that is in
fact coming to Dinner Key. It may not immediately be
apparent, but there are already set in motion several things
that will dramatically change this area. It will create
impacts in the Dinner Key area that must be dealt with. It
was the purpose of this plan to deal with those impacts and
in the process to attempt to suggest some other ideas for
upgrading.and improving the use of the area after the manner
of which it's been used for many decades. This is not an
effort to redesign or redevelop Dinner Key. This is not a
proposal to change Dinner Key, This is a proposal to try to
si 2 October 14f 1984
ray
come to grips with the issues that have been too long
ignored and not dealt with creatively. To show you an
overview and to deal with the basic principles of what this
plan represents is Willy Bermello, who is the principle
consultant of the consultant team hired to prepare this
study. Willy.
Mr. Willy Bermello: Thank you, Jack. Mr. Mayor and
Commissioners, I'd like to summarize for you six of the
primary issues of the Dinner Key Master Plan. The first
issue is public access. Here we are considering three areas
of access. Number one is public access from the open space
system from Dinner Key to the village center of Coconut
Grove. Early on we decided that linkage needs to be
reinforced. The plan recommends that the way of doing that
basically is by widening the sidewalk along McFarland Road,
additional pedestrian improvements in terms of landscaping,
and this is done by removing some of the angle parking along
this road, so that there's more room for people to walk and
basically visually and functionally connect from Peacock to
the Main Highway/Grand Avenue intersection. In addition to
that, we suggested the removal of the parking at the base of
McFarland, which is exactly in line with the visual corridor
that leads to the water's edge and to establish a pedestrian
promenade that would go right down to the shoreline and
hopefully in the future, that can continue southward to the
south of Peacock Park and eventually on to the historic
properties to the south. In addition, the second area of
public access has to do with interconnecting the various
open space systems: Dave Kennedy in the north, Kenny Myers
Park and Peacock Park. We're doing that by recommending
what we refer to as the Bayshore Promenade, which is nothing
more than a series of walkways for people to walk, jog, ride
bicycles in a safe, comfortable, secure way. I'm sure you
have noticed there are certain portions along that route
where there are no sidewalks, where joggers, people just
strolling along will have to compete with automobiles to get
from one point to another. The third element of the public
access has to do with access to the waterfront. Basically,
we're talking about an area that extends from Monty
Trainer's on the north all the way down to the Coconut Grove
Sailing Club in the south. Why is public access so
important? It addresses a very crucial question, which is
to whom does this area belong to. I would submit to you
that I think that most of the people in this audience
tonight would probably say that this area belongs primarily
to the residents of Coconut Grove, to the people that have
been here for quite some time. Others would also say that
it belongs primarily to the boating industry, to the people
who own boats, people who work on boats, repair boats, sell
boats. Others would say that it belongs to just about
anybody that enjoys coming down to the waterfront to have a
nice time in a park. Essentially, this plan is saying that
public property of which you, as the Commission, are the
trustees of, belongs to the citizens of the City of Miami,
as well as to those people that like our area and come down
and visit us. Consequently, public access is a very
important element, and I would say the primary focal point
of the Dinner Key Master Plan. The third issue is parking
and transportation improvements. Let me say, this has
become an important issue because of what it means to a
number of people. Basically, we're saying this, and let me
go to the crux of the matter, which has to do with parking
in the Dinner Key basin area. Right now there is a
deficiency of more than 120 spaces any day of the week, any
week of the year. Most of these people that are causing the
deficiency, they're parking right now in areas that are
legally not parking areas. Consequently, the parking
problem is not readily seen. As Jack said, there are
changes that are happening and that will be happening in
sl
3
October 19, 1984
this area and those are a given. The marina is going to be
expanded to up to 575 wet slips. That increases parking
demand in the Dinner Key basin area. The Coconut Grove
Exhibit Hall will increase its participation and exhibits
throughout the year, and that will impact on the demand for
parking. It's almost a certainty that Monty Trainer will go
ahead and do something in his area and that will generate
parking for which he and the City have a contractual
agreement, so that he can accommodate that parking. There
will be additional cultural events in the Virrick Gym
facility, and that will also impact on the demand for
parking. These people have to park somewhere. That is
really what we're saying. We're saying that by 1990 there
will be a need for some 831 additional spaces that need to
be provided within that area of the Dinner Key basin. 180
of those 831 can be provided almost overnight, if we take
this area immediately outside City Hall and provide
additional compact spaces and rework the layout; but there
are about 640 spaces that we would still have no place to
put. In our study, we looked at a number of scenarios,
different alternatives as to how to deal with that
additional parking that the City will have to address in the
future. We looked at a deck surrounding the Dinner Key, the
Coconut Grove Exhibit Hall, basically two decks to provide
n
all of the parking there. Another alternative was to put it
right in front of the Coconut Grove Exhibit Hall and that
kt
would have been too close to Bayshore Drive and we rejected
it for that reason. It also became a hindrance to traffic
around the Exhibit Hall in terms of servicing the Exhibit
Hall and also the image of the Exhibit Hall from Bayshore
.:,.
Drive. The third alternative and the one that we recommend
in the plan is a long, narrow, low -structure, stepped,
'
landscaped hugging the two lease holds, the Merrill Stevens
lease and the Coconut Grove leasehold, the Grove Key Marina
leasehold. You will be hearing later from an alternative
plan presented by some neighbors. We basically worked with
them and we've agreed that as a second option, and this was
-
somewhat a modification of their plan, would be a two decked
system behind the Coconut Grove Exhibit Ball and combined
-�
with a parking structure where the northernmost hangar of
the Merrill Stevens dry dock leasehold is located. In terms
of David Kennedy Park, we basically said that this area in
==
the future will require approximately 80 more spaces, that
those spaces should be located in an area where people
®
presently park. It's an area that is not paved. We would
-
encourage that the trees, the royal palms, that are there
right now should be preserved. Basically that would be in
__-
the southernmost portion of Dave Kennedy Park, where the 80
spaces would go. Similarly, we anticipate that in terms of
Peacock Park, there would be a demand of almost 222 spaces
-_
in the future. But there was really no way in terms of the
citizens it would be acceptable; in terms of putting
-
additional spaces in that area, we think that with the
possible development by Mr. Treister to the south and some
joint sharing of private parking to the west that particular
demand in the Peacock area may be relieved. In essence, I'd
like to remind you that we are recommending that the parking
at the base of McFarland be relocated so that it parallels
and abuts the existing parking of the Coconut Grove Sailing
Club. In terms of traffic, the major recommendation of the
master plan basically says this. The intersection of
Bayshore Drive and 27th Avenue is a real chaotic situation
right now. That area which Jack is pointing to, which abuts
-
the boat ramp area, should become a one-way system at that
=
point, and then become a two-way loop around the Coconut
Grove Exhibit Hall, doing away with the barrier, which is in
the form of a sidewalk which presently connects the Exhibit
Hall with a corner of the marina. The third issue, and I'm
-
addressing the first three key issues that I think most
people are interested about, the public access, the parking
sl 4 October 190 1904
and the third one, we'll talk about the Merrill Stevens dry
dock leasehold. Basically what the plan says is that the
successful bidder -and I want to make this clear, that
neither the plan nor anybody associated with it is really
saying that Merrill Stevens should stay or they should be
the people operating the marine services there. We're
basically treating that in a generic sense. Basically what
we're saying is that there should be a full service marina
for boats over 25 feet with the emphasis being on wet
storage, minor repair, and maintenance for all of the marine
interest in the area. Our belief is that boats and
particularly the large ones, which is what this leasehold
provides services for, those boats should be stored in the
water, not in the land. In terms of major repair and long-
term storage of those boats on land, that the same kind of
procedures, which are being employed by other boat yards in
the south Florida area, should also be employed here. We're
also recommending that a twenty-f-,:•ot baywalk be a waterfront
requirement along that leasehold, both the Grove Key Marina
and the marina at Monty Trainer's area have no problems with
providing for access along the water's edge. We're also
recommending that compatible, marine -related commercial be
allowed in that leasehold. Basically, we're talking about
sundries, bait and tackle, laundry facilities, etc. We're
also saying that the northernmost hangar in that leasehold,
which consumes approximately 1.1 acres basically right now
is nothing more than an area where a few boats are being
ter°
stored in dry land, not much work is happening there.
Obviously, Merrill Stevens contends that this is an
essential part of their operations. We're basically saying
SF
that the full service marina can exist without that portion
of land and that portion of land is best suited for public
interest in terms of park and open space. It would provide
'
the only linkage of open space between Bayshore Drive and
the water's edge, from David Kennedy from the north to Kenny
-
Myers in the south. The fourth issue is lease management.
-
We're saying that the City should not enter into any lease
-
that expires beyond the year 2012. The reason for that is
very important. At that point in time is the year of
expiration of existing City leases with the farthest away
expiration date. It would give the City at that point in
--
time to have a clear picture of what they want to do with
-
all of the land within this 117 acres worth of waterfront
=-
property. We're also suggesting that there be a commonality
=_
of payment structure between similar uses. In other words,
if similar uses have a competitive paying structure;
—
similarly, that those users that can prove that they are
-_
providing a higher public benefit should not be requested to
have to pay as much as those that are mostly of a commercial
_
nature. We're recommending that a waterfront access
requirement of 20 feet be mandatory for all leaseholds.
--
We're also recommending that a Dinner Key Improvement Fund
that would come out of number one, lease payments in the
form of an override and even potentially development impact
fees, be created as a revolving fund to improve and maintain
_.®
the Dinner Key area. One of the biggest problems that we
found was a lack of maintenance and upkeep in this area,
-
particularly in the public areas. Finally, a coordinating
committee, a Dinner Key coordinating committee be created to
-
review lease negotiations, the preparations of RFP's, etc.
- _
The fifth issue has to do with public facilities. We're
recommending that the old Coast Guard, the Virrick Gym, be a
-
mixed use facility in terms of boxing and cultural dance
activities, that the City Hall contemplate a possible reuse
adaptation of a public nature, maybe a museum or some
similar activity, once the City Hall Chambers are relocated
to the Government Center; that the Coconut Grove Exhibit
Hall there be a consideration for expansion of banquet and
seminar facilities that could complement some of the hotel
_
facilities in the Coconut Grove area= that Pan American
sl 5 October 19, 1984
Drive be beautified; and obviously that we encourage and
continue the expansion the marina to 575 slips as additional
wet slips in other areas within the Dinner Key area. The
sixth and final issue is the reclamation of park land and
open space improvements. What we're saying here is that
there's approximately two and a half acres of land at the
base of Pan American Drive and Bayshore that needs to be
preserved, not just as a lawn area or overflow parking, but
that should be preserved in the form of a tropical garden
that becomes the gateway, the entrance to Pan American
Drive, which is of historic importance, and obviously to
City Hall. That the spoil islands be converted into
parkland and that a number of park related improvements be
made at Dave Kennedy Park, mainly of a shoreline restoration
and buffering consequence and also at Peacock Park. In
essence, those six issues, public access, parking and
transportation improvements, the Merrill Stevens leasehold,
lease management, public facilities improvements and their
use in the future, and finally the reclamation of open space
so that more than 18 acres of land that presently are just
there and not being used and not accessible to anybody in
this community be converted into parkland and open for
public use. Mr. Mayor, Commissioners, that in essence is
the summary of the master plan and overview. I'm sure Jack
and myself will be willing to answer any questions you have.
Mayor Ferre: Thank you Mr. Bermello, are there any
questions of either Mr. Luft or Mr. Bermello from the
Commission at this point?
Mr. Plummer: First question I have is that your
presentation spoke of water access from Monty Trainer's to
Peacock. Why wouldn't it be from Kennedy Park, which is the
start of the City -owned property, which has a lot of water
abutting property? Why wouldn't your water access start
there?
Mr. Bermello: Mr. Plummer, the waterfront access that I
mentioned started at Monty Trainers and ended at the Coconut
Grove Sailing Club. The reason for that is we have a series
of what we call givens, the two private clubs, Biscayne,
Coral Reef; and there is basically no feasible way, cost
wise or otherwise, along the water's edge that we could
foresee having the City or the clubs, jointly or separately,
provide for a waterfront promenade. The same problem
occurs, obviously, at the Coconut Grove Sailing Club. So we
took those two areas at either extreme at the two givens.
Between that, it's feasible; it's doable. There is cost
involved, but it's doable. With those two areas we felt
that from a physical standpoint, there were too many
encumbrances for that to be a reality.
Mr. Plummer: My next person relates to parking. Jack, show
me where you are proposing this parking structure. Now,
that's a building. Correct? Is that to be a building, and
how high?
Mr. Bermello: That will be approximately 35 feet in height,
tiered, terraced down, with landscaping on each step level
as it goes back.
Mr. Plummer: Let me just make a comment, if I may. Well,
let me ask another question. I realize that you were only
commissioned to do a study for Dinner Key or Coconut Grove
Master Plan as it relates to waterfront. I, for one, am
going to tell you that there is no way in hell I'm going to
vote for any parking structure in that area, no way.
APPLAUSE
My question to you is did you look beyond what I would say
is to the north of Bayshore Drive or any other alternative
besides something between Bayshore Drive and the water? The
al 6 October 19, 1984
other thing that I heard the other night at the Coconut
Grove meeting, whatever that... Warren Wetman had it down
there. Was there any consideration... I thought a man made
a very fine point. I think he went a little bit too far,
but I think you could possibly look into, and did you look
into... He spoke of Central Park in New York and that the
experience of that was walking through the park and that he
proposed to cut off traffic. The reason it's a happening is
that they don't allow any traffic in New York in Central
Park on Saturdays and Sundays. His proposal was to go from
Monty Trainers to the Coconut Grove Playhouse. I have to
disagree with that. I think it's a little much. I don't
think it would be practical nor could it work, but did any
consideration give, let's say on Saturdays and Sundays of
cutting off from 27th Avenue to the intersection of
McFarland and Grand. So that's two questions. One, did you
look for an alternate site north of what I would say
Tigertail. Second, did you give any consideration to the
gentleman's idea about cutting off vehicular... His point
was well taken, Mr. Mayor. That was that really your
parking needs are for week -ends. You don't need, really,
that much more parking during the five days of the week.
But the week -end was the critical. So, I guess now I've
asked three questions and I'll sit back and listen to the
answers.
Mr. Bermello: The answer to your last question is, no,.we
have not given any consideration to eliminating the traffic
or closing off traffic during certain times of the week or
the year. The answer to the first question is yes, we did
discuss with a number of property owners on the Bayshore
side area into a possible joint sharing arrangements with
their parking provisions so that the City could use their
facilities during special events. The response that we got
to those inquiries were very positive, but it's basically a
talking stage. We felt that unless the City made a policy
decision to proceed further to hinge the whole crux of the
parking issue on those inquiries and those first
preliminary discussions would be risky. But I must say that
there are at least two and possibly three developers,
property owners, who would be willing to work with the City
on that level. It could possibly reduce by about 80%, if
those arrangements are worked out, the need for a major
parking structure; could possibly, but there is a lot of
this....
Mr. Plummer: I understand. I think we've seen a great
number of times where it has been very successful in using
the tram service and rather than using your property down
here, which you have so little of, they've used the tram for
example, I think the most ultimate that we saw was the
opening of Mayfair, and it worked out very, very well. So I
would just hope that could be considered.
Mr. Luft: Commissioner, if I could just make one
observation. You have stated that under no conditions would
you support a parking garage in the location near the
Merrill Stevens leasehold.
Mr. Plummer; No, sir, I stated....
Mr. Luft: In the location that we've showed it.
Mr. Plummer: No, air, I said under no conditions would I
vote for a parking structure, a building between Bayshore
Drive and the water.
Mr. Luft: And the water, O.K., the point that Willy makes
is one worth considering, which you asked about across the
street. But the City does have now the contractual
sl 7
October 19, 1984
ANI
obligation to provide more parking for the Trainer leasehold
that we currently provide. We must provide up to 400 spaces
more. So the point we're trying to make is that the choice
is not do we have parking in Dinner Key. The point is how
do we provide the parking and if it can be done across
Bayshore, so much the better. but if it can't, we come back
again to that same question, that same dilemma, do we pave
over in a parking lot the remaining open space along
Bayshore Drive to provide that parking. It was the
conclusion of the consultant and the administration that
faced with that choice, if the other choices do not work
out, we would respectfully suggest that the value of that
open space, that land, that available potential park land,
is greater than the cost or the imposition of a three level
structure, which would preserve that open space for park
use. That's the point we make.
Mr. Plummer: I understand your point, but I disagree.
Mr. Dawkins: Mr. Luft, what do you mean when you say we
have a contractual obligation to provide parking?
Mr. Luft: There is currently in effect a contract that was
agreed upon the Monty Trainer leasehold property that
stipulates that at any time that his development or use of
his property requires additional parking to meet the zoning
code, in other words, if he were ever to expand his use of
his current property where his restaurant is, then the City
would have to provide and the map shows an area from Pan
American Drive to the Virrick Gym from Bayshore Drive to the
leasehold waterfront properties, that entire area is
outlined and a parking lot is drawn in there and it says
that the City is obligated to provide that area for as much
parking as Mr. Trainer needs to meet his development
requirements.
Mr. Dawkins: Well, when he comes for his development
requirements, cannot the Commission scale down his
development requirements not to need the parking?
APPLAUSE
Mr. Luft: I would have to say that is a question for the
Law Department to review in terms of his contract. I could
not say what you could or could not do vis-a-vis that
contract right now.
Mr. Dawkins: Madam City Attorney, in the event that this
body, sitting as a body, and a development order came before
you, us, does this body sitting as the legislative body have
a right to legislate what the parking can be in that area?
Mrs. Dougherty: You have the absolute ultimate authority
over that development under the contract. So, I haven't
reviewed the contract in this context, but I can tell you
that before he gets to develop any further, you're going to
have to amend the contract.
APPLAUSE.
Mr. Plummer: Jack, I think needs correction one statement
that you made, because I don't think there is anytime that I
have heard a proposal to expand the restaurant. I think the
proposal and the contract that you're speaking about is for
the old marine underwood property. That is not the
restaurant.
Mr. Lufts Underwood, well that's essentially... that's his
leasehold.
Mr, Plummers But that's a leasehold, which is different
than the restaurant.
sl 8 October 19, 1984
Mr. Luft: That's right.
Mr. Plummer: It is two separate contracts.
Mr. Luft: That's right, you're right, but the parking would
be for that.
Mr. Dawkins: I'm glad you raised that, Commissioner
x
Plummer, because then, you see, that doesn't make these
people think that Monty Trainer is a bad fellow, as we are
saying here trying to take something that's not his. The
restaurant isn't even involved in what we're talking about.
So let's not paint him as a bad fellow.
Mayor Ferret Any other questions from the Commission at
this point? I'm sure there will be a lot of questions and
discussion after, but I think at this point we'll now get to
the public hearing sector of it, and I will... Marilyn, are
you the first one up? Is there a particular order that you
all want to go on? Is there a presentation?
INAUDIBLE BACKGROUND COMMENTS NOT ENTERED INTO THE PUBLIC
RECORD.
Mayor Ferret It seems to me, Joanne, that we ought to
perhaps hear the alternate before we get on to the public
discussion, since there isn't... But I think she's entitled
to 20 minutes and I think she ought to make a presentation
of the alternate proposal. Yes, please, we will now hear
from the alternate proposal. Don't set the clock yet. She
wants 20 minutes.
Mr. Plummer: Maurice, do you want a motion to accept the
work of Bermello and Kurki & Vera.
Mayor Ferret Sure, I think that's just a technicality. We
need to accept the report of the architect, and that doesn't
mean that we approve it or that we're going to implement it.
Please understand those of you who are here. It just means
that we accept that the work has been completed.
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, I so move that we accept the work
as completed and the outline charged to the architect and
make a motion at this time that he be paid.
Mayor Ferret Is there a second?
Mr. Dawkins: Second.
Mayor Ferret Mr. Manager, this has your recommendation,
positive recommendation?
Mr. Gary: The motion, yes, sir.
Mayor Ferret Further discussion on the motion? Call the s
roll. '
The following motion was introduced by Commissioner
Plummer, who moved its adoptions
MOTION NO. 84-1180
A MOTION ACCEPTING PROPOSED "DINNER KEY
MASTER PLAN 1484" AS DISCUSSED AND PRESENTED
BEFORE THE CITY COMMISSION ON THIS DAT$f
FURTHER AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE CITY
MANAGER TO PAY THE FIRM OF BERMELLO, KURKI,
VERA, INC., ARCHITECTS AND URBAN DESIGNERS,
FOR PREPARATION OF SAID PLAN.
Upon being seconded by Commissioner Dawkins, the motion
was passed and adopted by the following vote -
AYES: Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins
Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr.
Vice -Mayor Demetrio J. Perez, Jr.
Mayor Maurice A. Ferre
NOES: None.
ABSENT: Commissioner Joe Carollo
2 PUBLIC HEARING: DINNER KEY MASTER PLAN
Mayor Ferre: All right, Joanne, whenever you're ready,
we're ready to listen. I think so that those of us who will
be voting on this can hear it properly, Joanne, my
recommendation is that you present your talk, your plan to
the Commission and then after you've done that, turn it
around so that those members of the public that have not
seen it, can also see it.
Ms. Joanne Holshouser: Sir, they can see it. We have one
for them.
Mr. Dawkins: May I have a point of special privilege,
please? Someone left some keys in my office, and if you are
missing your automobile keys and you were in my office, they
are in there.
------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE FOR THE RECORD: Commissioner Carollo entered meeting
at 6:02 P.M.
------------------------------------------------------------
Ms. Holshouser: I'd like to repeat for the benefit of the
Commission the story of how this plan alternate plan came
about, because I think it's important that you hear it on
the public record at this time. It has been heard at other
meetings, and it has been heard at the Planning Advisory
Board level. In late February, I attended the second of a
series of meetings, which were supposed to allow the
citizens of Coconut Grove to have input into what was going
to be done with this area in the way of a master plan. What
we saw, I'm told by a number of people, was exactly what
they had seen at the previous meeting, which was, I can only
describe as a fait accompli. The plans that have already
been made, as far as we know, infinitesimal input from the
_ public. A number of us were very upset about this. At this
meeting in City Hall, which was attended by Mr. Luft and Mr.
® McManus and Mr. Bermello, I'm not sure if other City people
- were there, there may have been, but a number of people were
very vocal about it. The Coconut Grove Civic Club later
sponsored one more meeting. We had other meetings and we
were seriously disturbed at the fact that there didn't seem
to be any way for anything that any of us said about this
precious area to be considered in this plan. I, then, went
to Mr. Sherwood Wiser of the Grand Bay Hotel and Continental
Companies as a first step in seeing if we could get some
support. I had talked to the Tigertail people and some
other civic groups, and I explained to him what this plan
was. Although I was not able to get a copy of the plan
ever, I did explain to him what it was. I asked him if he
would support us, because it seemed to us that this was
going in the wrong direction for Coconut Grove. Mr. Wiser
al 10 October 191 1904
'IN
and subsequently Mr. Margolies offered to underwrite, with
no strings attached, an alternate plan and they did so. At
the time that Taft Bradshaw accepted the commission to do
it, I was present and I want all of you to hear on the
public record that their instructions to him were very, very
succinct: keep it simple, keep it Coconut Grove, and listen
to the residents. What you have here is what Taft Bradshaw
has done doing just that. I can tell you that now the
numbers have increased. I have now talked to over 600
people individually. I talked to numbers and numbers of
groups of people. I believe that what we're talking about
represents the general feelings of people in Coconut Grove
about what they'd like to see this area be. I'm very
pleased to notice, as Mr. Bermello was talking, that he has
indeed incorporated a number of the things we suggested in
his final plan. I'm not going to go into the main things
that we dealt with and that were eventually thrown out, but
I would like to point out... Marilyn, maybe if you could
show the others on that side what I'm talking about; I'll
show the Commission. If I could just start with Peacock
Park; it's the best way to do it. What we're asking is that
the shuffle board courts... by the way I would like to say
one thing about the parks. If the City would like to bring
,
up any data about this, I will be happy to withdraw my
comments. All the people I have talked to, the consensus is
...,
-r.
they would like three things from their public parks in
4� z
Coconut Grove. They would like them to be safe; they would
like them to be clean; and they would like to see more
recreation directors and police officers in varying programs
here. We're asking that not just of this, but of all the
parks in the Grove. If the City can prove us different,
fine, but that's what the people are saying in meetings and
privately. We're saying, take out the shuffle board court;
; K
give us what Taft Bradshaw said is, "You've never had a
Village Green. Why don't you have a Village Square here?"
We've talked about that; we've talked to a number of people.
-_
That shuffle board court is basically used now for people to
hang out. I think if we could clean that area out and I
-
would like to be the first one to say the Civic Club, I
-
believe Tiegertail, Central Home Owners, and the others will
join, try to get money to go with the City in a joint effort
to put up a lovely little Village Green there. We're not
-
talking fancy folks, we're talking simple and lovely, just
an open area with some nice paving there and have an
-
attractive area for us to have some events there. We're
saying, leave Peacock Park alone. We don't need a lot of
things in Peacock Park. We just want Peacock Park to be
what it still is. It's a lovely gathering place and that is
_-
why vis-a-vis Commodore Bay, I have said, we don't want an
intrusion in here ever, ever. We're saying keep this open.
- - --
We need this open. This is a lovely place to drive. This
is the entrance to the Sailing Club. The parking is going
on over here now, folks, whenever is needed. On week -ends,
_
by the way, that is absolutely correct, the parking goes on
the green and they go away. Monday through Friday, it's
-_
lovely and green nobody bothers. I'm sure that any of the
--
events that are using that area to park on the grass would
_
be happy to help if it is damaged in any way, they'll pay
-
and I'll think that you will find it would be cheaper to put
the money for the paving, Mr. Manager, in a fund. Let that
fund draw interest, and just resod it every other year, if
-
you have to. It'll be cheaper than paving it, I think.
Keep it simple. I'm glad to see that area right now is left
basically alone, except for the parking, and we really would
like to see it left as a park. I think that if Kenny Myers
only knew -I should have called him- if he only knew how
we're whittling down his park, he's going to be left without
—
much of a park down here. The boat ramp area, we have no
_
problem. We dealt Mr. Bermello, Mr. Bradshaw and various
ones of us talked about the need for that. We have no
sl 11 October 19, 1984
s
problem with that. We believe that what Bradshaw has
suggested here and right down here you'll see a cut version
of it. In response to the need for parking, we're saying
that if you will extend -he was giving you simply an idea.
These are not the dimensions right here that you have to...
that's O.K., yes, like that... these aren't the dimensions
that you have to work with, but he is suggesting a way here
that you may have a thousand
Y Y parking spaces by covering the is
existing space, by putting a deck in, and by putting a top i
deck. I think you'll find the use of that top deck,
particularly for special events other than parking, would go
up rapidly. I think the exhibition center would rejoice in
that. The area towards the bay would still be used for
outdoor dining, and we're suggesting small shops. I wantto
emphasize on the public record, we mean service shops where —
people can stock them every 24 to 48 hours with things that
marina people and people walking in the area need. We're
not talking about big, big inventories. We're talking about
five or six simple shops and the upstairs area that faces on
this promenade deck would be available for lease during
special events for their things. We think this would be a
charming and attractive use and by using heavy landscaping
on the sides, I don't think it would be ugly. I know this
talk about the view corridor from South Bayshore, we're well
aware of that. I don't think that looking at the side of a
building that is heavily landscaped would be any less
attractive than what you see now from South Bayshore. So if
we could look at that, I think it would be very attractive.
We're also suggesting that this area be paved in some
attractive paving and be looked at as an extra lovely area,
so that when this building is phased out as a City Hall, it
can go to a Pan Am museum or some other civic use, since
it's now protected and it would give us a lovely forecourt
somewhat in the manner of Viscaya, in the sense that this
would be available both as an outside entrance and as a
place for public events. What Mr. Bradshaw has suggested is
just some very simple landscaping and I'm very happy to see
that Mr. Bermello has alluded to this area also. I believe
the difference in the plans here is that what we're asking
for is a very simple Coconut Grove treatment, rather than a
formal statement of architecture. Coconut Grove was one of
the first places to settle in Miami. We'd like to keep its
very simple quality. We think that's what separates us from
the other communities. You can go a lot of places and find
all sorts of landscaping that is very formal. We'd like to
see this kept very simple and with native plantings, by the
way. This was one of the things that came about from many,
many conversations with residents. They would really love
to see native plantings and very simple nature. Bradshaw
suggests that we berm it only slightly so that cars would
not be able to intrude, but that there be pathways, so this
would be a part of Bayshore Drive visually, so people could
walk up in here. Obviously, we did not include any of the
parking structure or anything else here. We did not deal
with that. That is the City's problem with Mr. Trainer or
whomever. We simply did not suggest any parking be put
here. The mixed use for this building certainly has been
something that we said right from the start. I have spoken
before this ever happened to Elizabeth Virrick about shared
use of the building, probably two years ago. This is
something that we've been very happy about. We're not the
least bit concerned about having them excused. We don't
believe the marina sharehold should... lease area should be
taken away at all. We believe that should go as one
separate area. I'm not sure what Mr. Luft means about....
APPLAUSE.
....about access. By the way, there's copious access there.
The only thing between people and the water is cars, there
is nothing else. Mr. Bradshaw did suggest that it would be
attractive to treat this as a little village street and in
81 12 October 19, 1984
1 14
front of Mr. Trainer's place to put a nice, you know, some
sort of brick surfacing and perhaps a couple of little shops
there, which we know would be on the parking side, but I
believe that we could make some sort of negotiation that way
to give that a charming appearance and make that look like a
little street, that this was just something that would add
wz
to it. The Kennedy Park issue, I know we're fighting that
on a different forum with you all. This is a problem of the
county having asked for money for the City to do this
planning. We think also that this needs to be kept very
rX gip'
simple. Mr. Bradshaw did put in copious extra parking right
">
here. He did it in a little bit different manner than Mr.
Bermello did, and I'm not sure what Mr. Bermello's revised
plan included with that. We did talk extensively and I
believe we were in substantial agreement that this should be
left as an avenue of royal palms and the parking should go
right here. But what we're most interested in in Kennedy
�
Park is that this not be seen as a place for any more
organized activities. It was, as I think all of you
remember, a passive ark. We fought very hard for the money
p 9 Y Y
for it and Willy took me to task about the patsy park, but
in the definition that with then, we meant not organized
+
recreational activities, such as teams coming in and using
it constantly or something of that nature. That is a free
'4-
and lovely park. I'd like to speak very carefully about the
issue that has been raised repeatedly about Coconut Grove
people being selfish about this area and not wanting other
people to come. We have never suggested that other people
not come here. We would simply like to make it possible for
4 1''
them to park their cars and to move around as safely as we
x
would like to move around. We really do believe there are
4:.
ways, the tram service is a marvelous idea. I think there
are other things that we could do for off site parking.
This area is so beautiful and so simple that if we start
messing it up and putting parking on site, we're going to
have a monument to the automobile. I believe the Dinner Key
Exhibition Hall, now that Mr. Ferre has seen to it that we
have it, we fought about that many years ago and we do have
it now. Now that we have it, I'll cooperate with the
inevitable. We need to use it as much as possible. We need
-
to put programs in there that will be for the good of
Coconut Grove and for the good of the people of Miami. I
think we can do it if we put some parking around it; I think
certainly putting the other facilities in that were
suggested, the dining facilities. I'm sure you all remember
-
just a month or so ago, we came before you, Mr. Wiser, Mr.
Margolies, and a number of others came before you to suggest
_-
=_
that we use some of the bed tax money for that center. I
think this is vital to Coconut Grove. That certainly
doesn't sound like we're trying to keep people out. I think
we're trying to bring people in in the best possible sense.
I can only offer you that other communities around the
-
country are beginning to experience more and more problems.
-_
Piedmont Park in Atlanta is an area, and Baltimore C&N News
this week carried a short item on Georgetown, there are more
and more places where residents are saying "enough." I
don't want us to be in that posture here in Coconut Grove.
Please, let's get together and have something attractive,
-_
something that we can live with, that does not encourage
more parking on the water side of Bayshore Drive, something
- -
that keeps the landscaping simple. I really hope you look
carefully at the plans around Dinner Key Exhibition Center.
By the way, I want to say it right now, if you are willing
to go with what we're saying about the little tiny service
shops, would you please put in -I'm not sure what the words
are. I'm sure the City Attorney knows. -set asides, I guess,
--
it is. There are Black and White Coconut Grove merchants
=
who ought to have the dibbies on those shops. Those are the
people, I can tell you, we have got Carl Primes and
Scotties, who sell groceries in the Grove for years, those
sl 13 October 19, 1984
men ought to have a chance to be there to sell bread and
hamburger and milk and cokes and beer and things like this.
There are other things in the Grove. We're saying, set
aside those for Grove merchants and give a share of it to
the ethnic mix, we need that in the Grove. If we can do
that, we will have a place that people want to come, that
tourist magazines will write about, we'll have something
that's simple, that Coconut Grove people can be proud of. I
want to say very clearly that this thing about public access
to the bay puzzles all of us. We have public access to the
bay. All of us can go to the bay right now. It's a
question of whether you want to go to the bay or whether you
want to walk on boardwalks. Most of us really just want to
go to the bay. I think boardwalks are charming, but this
Dinner Key Master Plan as it was first given to you all,
would cost $14 million. We're offering you a very simple
plan, a plan that I believe we could do with joint ventures
with the public, supporting private developers, and general
ways of developing this area with the exception of the
parking around Dinner Key. I think that you will find that
we will work with you. We'll try to support whatever you're
doing, if we can work together on the Dinner Key parking to
make it attractive and make it workable there. But we're
asking you very clearly keep Coconut Grove marine: Leave
our leasehold as it is. We want a full service marina
there. We do not need part of the hangers removed. We want
the full service marina. We want our beautiful parks kept
as they are without any parking at all in them. We'd love
to have a new park here. Mayor Ferre, I thought what you
did last night was marvelous. I love the idea of having a
park named for Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, but I think maybe,
just maybe this would be a great park to name after Marjorie
Stoneman Douglas. This is the history of Coconut Grove,
right here from there to there. I think that would be the
most magnificent gift that we could give Marjorie and that
we could give all of us, as I said to J.L., his
grandchildren someday. I hope that you will listen to the
people who are going to speak about this and remember we
don't want to keep people out of Coconut Grove. We just
want to treat Coconut Grove kindly, while they're here.
APPLAUSE.
Mayor Ferret The next speaker will now be Marilyn Reed,
Marilyn, O.K., I'll call you up later. Garson Malcolm, Mr.
Malcolm. I'm sorry, does Merrill Stevens want to make their
presentation at this time? Would you rather do it now? Mr.
Malcolm, I've already called you up, so if you want to make
a statement, I'll respect that.
Mr. Malcolm: Well, I'm in no particular hurry.
Mayor Ferret If you don't mind waiting, then we'll let
Merrill Stevens make their presentation and then we'll call
you next.
Mr. Merrill: Mr. Mayor, I have a prepared statement that
may run in excess of three minutes in as much as...
Mayor Ferret As I understand, you had asked for twenty
minutes?
Mr. Merrill: No, sir, not twenty minutes, certainly not
more than ten minutes.
Mayor Ferret Fine, we'll give you ten minutes. If you run
a little bit over, we'll give you some more time.
Mr. Merrill.: Thank you, sir. Mr. Mayor, Commissioners, I'm
here trying to preserve Dinner Key's full service marina.
In Miami and in Coconut Grove this issue ought to be "Mom
al 14 October 19, 1984
and apple pie". But instead, once again, I'm forced to
argue against a $14 million master plan that would cut away
more than 50% of the full service boat yard and forever
alter the character of Coconut Grove, a plan whose whole
heart and soul is made of cement. Gentlemen, the
presentation that you have seen from Jack Luft has been
playing in this community now for months and it's had
terrible reviews. No amount of tinkering has changed its
basic flaws or the public's opposition to it. The Planning
Advisory Board has rejected it. The Waterfront Advisory
Board rejected it. The Coconut Grove Civic Club rejected
it. The Tigertail Association opposes it and so does the
governor's River Committee and the Marine Council and so do
the people. When citizens took a straw vote right here in
City Hall at a Planning Advisory Board meeting, the vote was
200 to 4 against this plan. I have repeatedly asked who
speaks for this plan other than the planners themselves.
Well, it turns out that its only advocate, -and I am shocked
at thisl -is the Miami Herald, which counsels you, "Don't
listen to these people here tonight. All they do is live
here." Well most members of the Planning Advisory Board do
not live in Coconut Grove, and most members of the
Waterfront Advisory Board do not live in Coconut Grove, but
they studied this plan and they did more than just reject
it. They passed almost identical resolutions that read, and
S.,,•
I quote:
"Recommending that there be a full service marina
y<'
at Dinner Key, no reduction in the present size of
the marina property, and that all the leases
=,
expire concurrently.
_-
Gentlemen, that was democracy in action, and the people
"
cheered. Let me address those arguments as they relate to
the boat yard, which is central to the character of Coconut
-
Grove. Among the excuses I've heard for cutting the Merrill
Stevens property in half, the lamest is that boat yards
--
cater to the rich. Well, first I can assure you that not
_
all boaters are rich. But those who are would be the first
to tell you that no economic system ever invented more
-
efficiently redistributes dollars than a well maintained
yacht.
e
,APPLAUSE.
You see? When you have a boat, you are helping to support
_=
dozens of people and dozens of businesses of all economic
- =
classes. True, Coconut Grove belongs to all of Miami, but I
- --
think all of Miami expects that the fight to keep Coconut
-
Grove's charm will be led by Coconut Grove residents.
There's nothing selfish or narrow-minded about Grove people
saying that $14 million could be better spent in Overtown or
Little Havana or Liberty City or just a few blocks away on
Grand Avenue. There's nothing selfish or narrow minded
about preserving the Grove's character. Boating in Miami is
__—
not just recreational. We are international business.
Nation-wide, boating brings in $11 billion a year. State-
wide, let's look at our other industries. Citrus, airline,
- -
tourism, they are all suffering. The boating industry is
-=
growing and it must have room to grow. Yet the planners
want to chop in half the only full service marina between
the Miami River and the Florida Keys. They want to use it
to help build more concrete canyons. They want to use it to
-
build more boutiques when right here in Coconut Grove store
after store doesn't know how they're going to pay next
month's rent. Gentlemen, this plan will cripple one of the
few industries that shows signs of health, an industry that
truly what Coconut Grove ought to be. And that's not far-
sighted planning. That's folly. We know our business, and
if we thought a boat yard could operate on half the property
and be truly efficient, and of course pay half the rent,
-
we'd be the fist to say so. But common sense says we can't,
because there won't be fewer boats in the futuret there are
going to be more. They won't be getting smaller: we know
sl 15 October 191 1984
they're getting bigger. They won't have less equipmentt
they're going to have more equipment that is more
sophisticated. The planners admit they did not talk to us.
They say that they talked to others in the industry. I ask
this. Who were these experts who say the boat yard does not -
need all of its property? What are their names? Did they
appear before the advisory boards? Are they here tonight?
Are their names in that master plan? Where are they? The
heart of this master plan serves only one purpose, and that
is to transfer land from one use to another. On reading
this plan, you learn an amazing thing. There is no
research, no documentation, nothing to support the idea that
the boat yard doesn't need all of its space. The planners
came out one day, never consulting us, and they counted
boats on our yard. They assumed that those same boats stay
there year round. So they jumped to a conclusion that we
cater to about 150 boat owners. That assumption was wrong.
The fact is that those boats change on a regular basis. We
service more than 3,000 boats a year. Three thousand boat
owners, thousands more guests, hundreds of craftsmen and
small businesses, countless people who come to look at and
buy boats; heads of industry, who would go to Ft. Lauderdale
or some other area if this area becomes inhospitable to
boating. Let me put the boat yard use in perspective. Over
at Peacock Park there is a soft -ball field and it sits on
nearly three acres of prime waterfront land. It doesn't
make the City a nickel of profit. Many days it's used only
two or three hours, if at all. Yet there isn't a planner or
a developer who would have the nerve to say, "Hey, let's
plow up that soft -ball field and build a parking garage
there." How do they say that thousands of boaters are less
important to this community than a few hundred soft -ball
players? Commissioners, Mr. Mayor, the full service marina
is an important amenity, just like that soft -ball field. It
adds character and it adds charm. The only real difference
is the boaters pay their own way. Through Merrill Stevens
boaters pay more than $150,000 a year to the City.
APPLAUSE.
--- The final argument we hear is that the boat yard land can be
used more efficiently. Of course, that's true. We said
that for years. We said, renew the lease and we'll put in
the capital outlays. There's no argument there, but to
argue that boat storage and boat space isn't important to a
full service marina is absurd. It reveals a profound
ignorance of boats and boat yard operation. Now I have
never suggested that the City of Miami has any obligation
whatsoever to Merrill Stevens. It's true, we had the
original idea to buy the Pan Am property and it's true that
we made it possible for the City of Miami to buy the land
we're meeting on tonight. The record will reflect that we
pay every dime and we pay it on time, but that's not my
point. If bidding is required, we will bid just like
- anybody else. We will take our chances. What I'm arguing
- — for is the boat yard property, intact, no matter who
operates it. If it is hacked up, and if the planners are
wrong, if boaters and the boating industry and the community
suffer, then it's a decision that can never be undone.
Cutting up that boat yard is like cutting down trees. Once
it's gone, there won't be any more. The public is not here
to support this plan. They want you, gentlemen, to reject
it tonight.
APPLAUSE.
Very respectfully asking that there be no more meetings that
last until midnight, no more meaningless modifications, they
want you to keep the boat yard as a boat yard full and
intact. They want you to instruct the City to start the
bidding procedures. They want you to vote this plan down
sl 16 October 191 1984
and you have their support for that. Thank you, Mr. Mayor
and Commissioners.
APPLAUSE
Mayor Ferret Mr. Malcolm, please.
Mr. Garson Malcolm= My name is Garson Malcolm and my
address is 3375 Crystal Court. It's pretty tough to follow
that act. Gentlemen, Bayshore Drive, in front of Coral Reef
Yacht. Club is flooded right now. It hasn't rained.
Bayshore between Aviation Avenue and Mercy Hospital is a
disaster; it's been crumbling for years. Old Main Highway,
from the playhouse through LeJeune Road, up through Ingraham
Highway, after every rain storm, it crumbles. In a couple
of weeks, after a couple of hundred cars have torn up their
front ends, they patch it up until the next rain storm.
Everybody I've talked to says we've got the cart before the
horse, because the priorities are all out of order. We
haven't even started on the downtown waterfront project.
Now we're going ahead with plans to tear up the Grove. The
Grove is a disaster now. On week -ends you can't drive
through the Grove. In fact where I live, I can't go to Key
Biscayne; I can't go to South Miami on week -ends because I
can't get through either direction because of traffic. if
you see a policeman around the area, they're trying to get
away from the area, instead of doing something about it.
Our priorities are all mixed up. I think this gentleman has
covered about everything else that I had in mind, but think
before you mess up the Grove any more. Thank you.
APPLAUSE.
Mr. Perez: Mrs. Reid. Mr. Howard Sutter.
Mr. Howard Sutter: My name is Howard Sutter. I've been
using the waterfront around here for about eighteen years.
I do a lot of sailing on the bay. I got my first job
working at Merrill Stevens as a sailmaker. My first job was
at Merrill Stevens in the upstairs area as a sailmaker. I
don't think there is any way that anybody against this plan
could say anything wrong up here right now, so I'm not even
nervous. I'd like to address the basic illogic of the
proposal that we've seen. Mr. Bermello -I can't even say
the man's name- proposed a baywalk from Coconut Grove
Sailing Club on up. One of the questions that came from the
Commission was "why not a cross in front of the sailing club
itself?" His answer was, "we can't do it because it
interferes too much with their operation." That ought to be
the theme of this whole plan; it interferes too much with
everybody's operation! It benefits a very, very few. We've
also heard the proponent say they wanted to cut down the
trees on the spoil islands to make parks out there. That
was the last time they spoke. That comment reflects an
ignorance of what those spoil islands are doing out there;
they're creating a harbor. The baywalk won't provide public
access. I asked myself when I see the restaurant whose
architecture could be described as a berm of dirt, where the
public access is there. You can't do it to the marina
because it interferes too much with their operation. You
cannot have a baywalk going across where you're taking big
boats and trying to put them in the water. A big issue
seems to be parking and it seems to be a question of it has
been raised about a contract responsibility to Mr. Trainer.
I was here in this room years ago when Mr. Trainer was
bidding for that place and I remember him promising that he
was going to take that underwood dock and make sure it was
still a full service marina. Where is that promise?
APPLAUSE.
There are two basic things that people hang their hats on.
one is the highest use of the property and other is public
access. I've already touched on public access with the
91 17 October 19, 1984
question of the restaurant. The highest use historically of
this area is for the marina. I don't mean just Merrill
Stevens. Mr. Trainer benefits. The Yacht Clubs benefit.
Dinner Key marina benefits. All of these places benefit by
this use of this area. This is the use of the area as
historically envisioned by the original master plan. But
that plan is very, very seldom mentioned now because we
don't get anywhere near it.. This plan is for the few people
who stand to make most money by putting up concrete and
that's what we're trying to keep out of the Grove. We are
trying to keep Coconut Grove from becoming a line of
designer jean malls. We're trying to keep Coconut Grove a
place where people can come down and enjoy. If you want
designer jean malls, and if you want something that cannot
be reversed and ultimately becomes like Worth Avenue in Palm
Beach, fine, remember it's closed half the year. Don't sell
out the people of this community. Don't sell me out; I use
the area. Don't sell these people out. They use the area.
Don't sell out our children, and I don't have any of those.
Thank you.
APPLAUSE.
Mr. Perez: Mr. John Brennan.
Mr. John Brennan: I don't, see any Honorable Mayor,
Honorable Commissioners, my name is John Brennan, 2336
Swanson Avenue. We've had a couple of tough acts to follow.
I'm going to repeat that the public has listened to Mr.
Bermello's plan. Bless his heart, he's surely been working
on it. But I have yet to be in a meeting where even a small
portion, except for the two to two hundred odd that he's had
for support has supported the plan. I saw some of the
earlier plans, and to quote Joanna, they really weren't too
many changes from the beginning to the end. I did hear a
mention a boxing gym where we were talking about a concert
center. I don't know if that has been a change or not.
However, I do know that the some of the trees that were
assigned to be planted along here, among them was an orchid
tree, which for the locals, that is a trash tree. We don't
have enough money for maintenance. We ended up pulling the
chickies down in Peacock Park. You are going to have the
Parks Department out sweeping underneath these trees. There
are fruit trees assigned on this. To get back into Kennedy
Park, we talked about planning... the plan talked about
planning, increasing about 1% of the mangrove trees out
there. I don't think that's going to benefit the park at
all. As far as the Merrill, I mean, yes, the Virrick Gym,
there is a note, plaque in the hallway that says it was
given by the federal government to the City for parks and
recreation. I think it's already stretched a little bit. I
don't think that a concert hall would fit that pattern. The
boat yards have been beat rather badly, but one of the
points we've missed is that the rivers, the City of Miami
river, is a little short on boat yards already. Tommy's
Boat Yard is on a year to year lease and nobody knows if
it's going to make it next time around. Polls Boat Yard has
a "for sale" sign on it. I didn't have the time to tour the
river: I know there are a couple of others getting ready to
unload. If you chop this particular piece of boat yard in
half, the City is going to be very, very short of property
where a boat can be maintained. I have had a boat for a
short time. I know a little teeny bit about it, but I can
tell you this, when somebody says they're going to put a
full service marina in a piece of property and they're going
to do minor repairs there, they're a little short on their
information. You don't do minor repairs in a full service
boat yard. If you're going to have a welder, you don't have
one that welds things the size of your pencil. You have to
do some serious welding, build some serious frames. You
need a decent piece of property. Most of this, Mr. Merrill,
sl 18 October 19, 1984
thank you, Mr. Merrill covered so much of this, it's pretty
tough to cover much more, but do look at the "no
trespassing" sings on the City docks the next time you hear
someone talk about public access, because there are no
trespassing signs on the ends of each of these piers that
keep the public off or are supposed to to protect the boat
owners, also to protect the public from falling in the water
and killing themselves, which would leave the City liable.
To make it real short, gentlemen, I would hope that you t
would turn this proposal down as the public has for the last
six months, I guess it's been going on. The public has
never supported, whether you are talking about the
Waterfront Board or any other group. Please turn it down,
take a look at the alternate plan in a serious vein; I think
it has an awful lot of merit. I thank you very much for
your time.
d
APPLAUSE.
Mayor Ferre: The next speaker will be Robert Trailands.
Mr. Robert Trailands: Mr. Mayor, Commissioners, I'm Robert
Trailands. I'm a writer. I've lived in Miami for 30 years.
I've dealt with boats and boating almost all my life in my
writing and living aboard and owning yachts. I've been a
customer of Merrill Stevens for some 25 years. For the last
six, almost seven years now, I've kept a boat there. Now I
have two boats there. One is my sons, which I'm also taking
care of. I know most of the people who work at the yard.
I've watched what they do. I've seen that this is one of
the prime industries in this area, because you have here a
boat yard, which is more than just a ship yard, it's a
facility that is known the world over from Antwerp to
Liverpool. In the years that I've been there, I've seen
yachtsmen and boaters and people from all over the world
-_ come in from as far away as South Africa, South America,
people who have seen their advertising and followed their
itineraries, always planning to make their stops there. In
this area, particularly in the Grove area, the yard itself
presents one facility, which I think is more important than
-- any other for one reason, as a major repair yard, it gives
the yachtsmen coming from all over a facility they can reach
in the case of an emergency or a tropical storm. For
example, in the last tropical storm that we had, the entire
area was cleared out. There wasn't any available space at
all left. Every yacht in the area went flying right to
Merrill Stevens. There wasn't a skid left; no one had any
space or anything other than what the yard had to offer.
But even more important than that, I used to write the
Arthur Godfrey Show. I did a lot of writing around with
Arthur Godfrey. He was a friend of many, many yachtsmen.
He himself was one. When he came to the yard with me some
years ago, he said if this yard ever went, there would go
_ Miami history. So this represents a place in this country
where the first Pan American clippers flew and opened up
South America, flew to South America. So we have a heritage
here to protect. That's not as important as it is to
consider the future, which we are not too familiar about in
figuring out what's going to happen. But if in the event of
a national emergency, the problem might possibly arise that
could again be taken over or demanded by Coast Guard and
possibly even the Navy Department. I've seen the Air
Force's boats into the yard many times and other government
vessels, the police boats as well as the Coast Guard yard
people come in very frequently. I ask that you please
consider, the most important thing to remember about this
that you have a boat yard. It is a major facility. It's
known the world over. The major yacht races are more or
lees launched from this area. The little ships that race in
the sea and all of the other races, this is the yard
that tley depend on. If that is to go, so is I think the
sl 19 October 19, 1984
general character of this area would also be greatly
affected. Finally, the other thing that I'd like to mention
is that fact and this is something I saw, it began on last
Good Friday, everybody here in this area went home and in
came a big barge into Monty Trainer's area and they begun to
unload huge rocks, building the piers that Monty Trainer
extended down this area. I called Tuesday the zoning
department and they said he had no permit. I also called
the army engineers. They said he had no permit. Every
attempt I made to try to find out how it was possible for
Monty Trainer to extend double the length of his piers as he
did; this nobody seemed to answer. I think if he did this
on his own volition without any permission legally or
otherwise, I think that would negate any other conditions
that would perhaps be binding you to a contractual agreement
to provide him with 400 parking spaces. Thank you very
much.
Mayor Ferre: Mr. Manager, could we have at the appropriate
time a report on the accusation that has just been made on
the legality of the extension of that and whether it was
properly permitted and whether it was legally done? The
next speaker is Mr. James Merrill.
Mr. James C. Merrill: Mr. Mayor and Commissioners, I'm
James C. Merrill. I'm here as a designated hitter only if
the prime mover in our outfit didn't make the scene and he's
done it. James was here so I'll sit down. Thank you.
APPLAUSE.
Mayor Ferre: Is that what you call team work? That's good.
All right, Monty Steel. You don't wish to say anything, Ms.
Steel? Are there any other public speakers at this time.
Oh, I'm sorry, Marilyn Reed was on television.
Ms. Marilyn Reed: It's just so you can follow what I'm
talking about. For the record, my name is Marilyn Reed. I
am representing the Friends of the Everglades. We have a
membership of 3,000. I am, as everybody knows, an
environmentalist, also specialist in r-omitting in state and
federal law. I am also representing- a Central Grove Home
Owners Association. I'd like to �egin by saying that
certainly, you should pay Mr. Bermello for his work. I have
no objection to that. That is behind us. What I'm looking
to is the implementation of this plan and whether you choose
to do that tonight. As master plan is to solve problems.
This plan creates problems. The research has been poor.
The material in the book is shot -full of errors. I want to
walk you through the waterfront part of it to explain what
I'm saying to you, and then I have two other items to touch
on very shortly, will be traffic and the Merrill Stevens.
Let me clear up something that was just mentioned. I can
assure you that Monty Trainer has his permits for the
extension of that dock. I went to public hearings on it.
Maybe some didn't know how to find out, but he did get a
permit to extend that dock several years ago. So unless
he's in some other form of violation, I know he's got the
permit for that. O.K.? Beginning with number one on the
site plan, they are recommending a dock with a structure
over it. They are trying to create a historic old
structure. You cannot get that permitted today. Before I
walk you through these seven items, early on, and I believe
Joanne gave you the date of when we all stet down at the
church, I told Mr. Bermello and Mr. Luft at the time to
please get in touch with me, to please not reinvent the
wheel and make the same errors that were made back in the
old Dinner Key Master Plan the day it was printed, it was
not permittablei most of the stuff in there was not
permittable. So we didn't want to do that again. They did
not get in touch with me at ail. They have committed the
sl 20 October 19, 1984
same error. Number one is
permittable. Number two on I
the Seminole Dock area. NC
this and Commissioners, yoL
project to straighten out tr
out of court. We got this t
included the Seminole Docks.
care of water taxis. We move
pumps out of the end, which
back to the Seminole Docks.
back up to the corps in the
What Mr. Bermello and Mr. Lu
the permits and coordinate
recommend other than what is
a dock with a structure not
our chart shows some changes in
w we went -and Mayor you know
know this- I brought you a
e mess after B.R.D. got kicked
sing designed properly and that
That is permitted. That takes
d the old B.R.D., proposed fuel
was dangerous. We moved them
You simply can't be running
tate and remodify and remodify.
Et should have done was look at
it with those permits and not
permitted. There you will cret
the water taxi, you'll get your fueling pumps, and you'll
get your various services, your shrimp, your ice, etc.
Moving out to item number 3 on the Mole Island, we got your
permits right on time for your Dinner Key at D.E.R. We had
problems at the corps. I'm going to be saying some things
here today that have not been heard before. We had some
..< people complaining to the corps about the dock on the south
side. They delayed the process, so in order to move that
up, I knew that the port of Miami needed space to plant some
mangroves. We got them all together, the permitting people,
r the port people, the City of Miami people, everybody. We
went on that island. The plans are ready now to come to you
' a all for final approval so we can move ahead with it. What
� the port will do is remove a blind spot there, which was the
problem anyway, a navigational blind spot; they will backhoe
that and use that area for some mangrove planting. So that
is in the works and that's coming to you eventually for
final permitting. Item number 4 was denied by the corps and
the D.E.R. and cannot be permitted as proposed here. Had
they bothered to check, they would have known that. What we
#_ have now is our plans, we got all the public's input in it.
It was Ron Faulkie when he was with Greenleaf and Alfredo
and your dock group and myself and we got together with the
marine people and designed some testing ideas. What they
are are pilings and some arms and we're going to put them
out there. The permitting people have told us that they
could give us a temporary permit and we'll have to monitor
it for a year. Eventually you can get an anchorage; but
it's got to be designed properly. Item number, they have
shown three docks out there. These are absolutely not
permittable; they're a navigational hazard. Two or three,
four years ago at Spencer Meredith he put a dock in and the
corps made him tear it back almost all the way. This is not
permittable. Item number b probably is not permittable
- because of the use and I don't see the agencies allowing the
width of the dock as proposed. Item number 7, and I would
call your attention to this, the Dinner Key Master Plan was
already, I mean for your marina, was already in place and
permitted when they started doing this plan, they just
picked it up and sunk it in here. The same thing applies to
the David Kennedy Park. Others have done that design.
They picked it up and put it in here. This is in trouble
right now. They got three different sets of plans. One has
been permitted by the D.E.R. The corps is having trouble
with the navigational hazards. Now they're going to send
another plan that was approved by the P.A.B. So you see,
-- these things get a little sticky, and I just wanted you to
know, this is a mess. Moving on,
APPLAUSE.
Let me jump from the waterfront. I think I've convinced you
that what they have proposed in their plan is just not
permittable; they got problems. There are ways to get good
things permitted, such as I've talked to you, Mr. Dawkins,
about the children's beach. I'm almost ready to bring_ it to
you and the Mayor and Manager and everybody else. We almost
have this ready. We got a delightful thing for you; it's
sl 21 October 19, 1984
coming. On the parking, McFarland, they proposed parallel
parking. This is the worst thing you can do on one of the
widest streets in town, because you reduce the parking area.
We don't need that. That's unacceptable and again, that's
poor planning. Come down to in front of the Coconut Grove
Sailing Club, you have good planning there now because
you're movement of traffic merges; it doesn't but in to the
full traffic. They proposed to bring the road down and butt
it into Bayshore, which is overloaded and over capacity now;
so this is not good planning. Kenny Myers Park they want to
put a skating area. We need this for trailer boats.
They're already using it for trailer boats. We need to
expand that. South Bayshore Drive from Aviation . . . .Let
me jump from the waterfront. I think I've convinced you
that what they have proposed in their plan is just not
permittable; they got problems. There are ways to get good
things permitted, such as I've talked to you, Mr. Dawkins,
about the children's beach. I'm almost ready to bring it to
you and the Mayor and Manager and everybody else. We almost
have this ready. We got a delightful thing for you; it's
coming. On the parking, McFarland, they proposed parallel
parking. This is the worst thing you can do on one of the
widest streets in town, because you reduce the parking area.
We don't need that. That's unacceptable and again, that's
poor planning. Come down to in front of the Coconut Grove
Sailing Club, you have good planning there now because
you're movement of traffic merges; it doesn't but in to the
full traffic. They proposed to bring the road down and butt
it into Bayshore, which is overloaded and over capacity now;
so this is not good planning. Kenny Myers Park they want to
put a skating area. We need this for trailer boats.
They're already using it for trailer boats. We need to
expand that. South Bayshore Drive from Aviation... In the
Master plan, they're recommending widening. That is
historically preserved and it cannot be widened. I was
instrumental in getting that state statute passed. They
should go look at the state statutes. The parking garage
they proposed at Merrill Stevens where they would want to
remove one shed, if you've looked at the sketch of it, it
looks like a mountain; it's ridiculous. It's just a big,
stepped back mountain with bushes on it. It'll probably go
three to four stories high. I'm opposed to that. Joint use
recommendation, I can't agree with that; I think it's
unacceptable. I think they went beyond their charge when
they recommended that. What I want to recommend to you as
an alternative, when I served on the task force for the
Coconut Grove Master Plan, we tried and tried to get it into
that master plan. I'm going to try again. In the back of
Blue Water Marina, there's a large area used for ground
level parking. It is perfect for a parking garage. It will
take care of all projected needs. You can walk from there
to get to the park. You can tram from there. It has
ingress and it has egress.
APPLAUSE.
You can go up; it will be hidden behind the facade of the
store fronts so it won't impact on the Grove, as we know it.
But certainly I would be for going four, five, six stories;
whatever is needed to carry the load that is needed for
those parks and remove this parking garages from the park,
use that. I think if the City administration worked on it
and talked to the property owners, that they might be able
to work out something. I would certainly hope so. I
believe they can do that. I understand that whole block is
being put together in pieces right now for development.
This is the ideal time to get to that company and see if you
could work out something for that parking garage. I have to
comment on the projections in here for the boat slips or for
the cars that are needed. All the figures are wrong. I
won't take up your time going into that. I've checked the
61 22 October 19, 1984
Eigures of the present number of car spaces for the Dinner
(ey Marina and for the expansion. All those figures are
,rrong.
kPPLAUSE.
low, these are documents that I got from he D.N.R. I have a
:omputer print out. This names every marina in the area.
Phere was no excuse for all the errors in here naming
narinas that are not in the Miami Harbor. Again, we've got
Eictitious information. I won't go into that in detail, but
[ think if you look through the plan, as you look through
it, watch for that; it is wrong. Mr. Luft and Mr. Bermello
2ould have gotten the same documents I got. This also
aertains to similar land leases; the information there is
wrong again. As far as Merrill Stevens goes, I'm not going
to overlap with anything that's been said about it. We have
i great deal of support for keeping Merrill Stevens Boat
lard and Repair there. What I told the P.A.B. and what I'm
joing to tell you and remind you is that for the last
several years you have gone on record in your City
'ommission minutes -I have the transcripts- of wanting to
sake this a world class marina area. We cannot do that if
ae don't have the supporting services necessary. Those
)oats will go some other county. Let's look at the Miami
liver; I'm on the governor's committee for that and we're
:oming up with a master plan. Indeed they are in trouble up
:hat river. We are going to come up with a master plan.
3ut there is a certain amount of speculative development
joing on. We are at risk for an industry that puts over a
)illion dollars a year into this community and I've checked
:hose figures too. I don't come up here and tell you
something unless I've checked it carefully. We're afraid
we're going to lose the marine industry up the river. The
governor created our committee to keep that a working river,
).K.? In 1979 you all had a plan you ordered, it was
3rought to you. It was done by Greenleaf and Talesca and
most of that couldn't be done today. You can't put what was
,ecommended there, it was on Virginia Key for boat repair
ind that sort of thing. You just couldn't get it permitted
today. We have a paucity of space up the river. Therefore,
Je need to keep this facility here. So I would urge you to
:onsider all the information and input you're getting. If
tou want a world class marina, you must have the back up
;ervices; you have to have them or they're going to go
;omeplace else and you're going to lose that economic input,
ihich does support Coconut Grove businesses, has for years,
;rocery stores, supplies, needs, and that sort of thing.
:n the book on page 109, as I said, I brought this up at the
?.A.B., and they have rejected what I'm saying about the
seed for this marine repair places and boat yards. Well, I
:eject their rejection. I'm going to tell you.
1PPLAUSE.
'here people have no knowledge of marinas, their needs.
!hey have no knowledge of state laws, federal laws. The
many errors that are in this plan indicate that there is
,3oor research and that their opinions are worthless. So I
rould ask you and urge you Commissioners to consider these
)roblems and ask you not to waste $14 million implementing
.his plan. That money, if it is available, should go to
our needy and we certainly have them. There are people in
this town that are hungry. Thank you very much.
APPLAUSE.
Mayor Ferret The next speaker will be Mr. Peter Clements,
Chairman of the Waterfront Advisory Board. Mr. Clements.
Mr. Peter Clements: Mr. Mayor, Mr. Commissioners, my name
is Peter Clements, the Chairman of the Waterfront Board, I
only came here to report the findings of the Waterfront
Advisory Board. The Waterfront Advisory Board unanimously
voted to advise the Mayor and the Commissioners to keep the
01
23 October 19, 1984
Merrill Stevens leasehold as a full service marina. Without
encroaching on any part of the property for either parking
or a boardwalk. Some of the statements that went into
making that decision were that when the proposal was first
made, I remember that one of the Commissioners asked why not
a boardwalk in front of the Coconut Grove Sailing Club. Mr.
Bermello answered that it would interfere with their
operation. if anyone here knows anything about a boat yard,
you'll find that a boardwalk would interfere much more with
the operation of a boat yard, the safe operation of a boat
yard, more than it would a yacht club. Some of the other
discussions that went against the parking garage being in
front of the Merrill Stevens property on Bayshore was that
in the past, when there was a need for hurricane emergency
storage, that area was used for putting boats on dry land.
Also some of the plan is addressing view of the bay and so
forth and the height of a parking garage is certainly...
does not fit in that area. I just want to let the
Commissioners know that the Waterfront Board was unanimous,
both this last boat... this has come before the Waterfront
Board three times in the last three years before it got to
the Commissioners. Each time it was unanimously decided
that Miami needs a full service marina on Biscayne Bay and
the area that is allotted for that is not even adequate.
Thank you.
APPLAUSE.
Mayor Ferre: Mr. Clements, did Mr. Clements leave or can we
get him back here. There is a question. He's left. There
is a question from Commissioner Plummer to Mr. Clements. Is
he coming back?
Mr. Plummer: That doesn't look like Clements.
Mayor Ferre: Mr. Clements, you move too quickly. Why don't
you come back. There is a question from Commissioner
Plummer for you.
Mr. Clements: Certainly.
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Clements, you spoke to one small segment
of the plan. Why sayeth the Waterfront Board to the rest of
the plan?
Mr. Clements: The Waterfront Board heard Mr. Faulkie and
Mr. Bermello concerning the aspect of the full service
marina and the Merrill Stevens leasehold.
Mr. Plummer: Only?
Mr. Clements: Only.
Mayor Ferre: And didn't take a position on any other part
of this waterfront plan?
Mr. Clements: As a matter of fact, when Mr. Bermello was
first hired to do this study, the Waterfront Board then
chaired by John Brennon had asked Mr. Bermello and Mr. Luft
to come to the Waterfront Board for some input before even
formulating this plan. We never could get them before the
Waterfront Board. We had breakfast with them quite
informally, but never did we have their proposal or any
input into this plan. I'm trying only to speak only for
what the Waterfront Board had any of their decisions, rather
than my personal feelings about the plan.
-` Mayor Ferre: Thank you, Mr. Clements. Are there any other
speakers at this time? There are a lot of things that we
need a response from the administration. Would you write
_i these things down. I think I want to let the public portion
sl 24 October 19, 1904
F`
is
of it continue until we finish, then we'll get the
questions. Now you may speak.
Ms. Joanne Holshouser: Thank you, I'm speaker for Monty
Steel surrender time. I'm always happy when Marilyn is here
to talk about all thq facts and the figures, because she
does it so well and she sets it out before you and it's very
clear when she talks about it. But if we could talk about
what's out there right now, what's all around us just for a
couple of minutes and think about that great, big, beautiful
open space and how precious that is to us and how close we
are to losing it, because if it is built on, the buildings
will never go away. The boardwalks will never go away. The
docks will never go away. It is so needed for all of us to
have that open space. Thirty spokes will converge in the
hub of a wheel, but the use of the cart will depend on the
part of the hub that is void. With a wall all around a clay
bowl is molded, but the use of the bowl will depend on the
part of the bowl that is void. Cutting out windows and
doors in the house as you build, but the use of the house
will depend on the space and the walls that is void. So
advantage has had from whatever is there, but usefulness
arises from whatever is not. Please leave us the usefulness
of out beautiful open spaces and let the joy arise in all of
us living there and loving our waterfront and our parks and
our empty spaces. Thank you.
APPLAUSE.
Mayor Ferre: Spencer, how many other speakers are there? I
saw several other hands. Would you please step up and write
your name, give your name to the Clerk? Any other speakers?
Those of you who wish to speak, please come up to the Clerk.
Mr. Spencer Meredith: Mr. Mayor, members of the Commission,
my name is Spencer Meredith. I'm president of Grove Key
Marina. There have been a great many comments made just
now, particularly as they relate to the Merrill Stevens
property. I think it's safe to say that there is a very
strong general consensus that everyone feels that this
property should continue as a full service marina, that it
should not be materially significantly diminished in size
and that its term of lease should run until the year 2012,
which would put it on a corresponding term with the Grove
Key Marina, the two properties would have the same term. I
personally agree with that, not just from the point of view
of Grove Key Marina, but also as someone from the marine
industry. Obviously, we all feel the same way about the
waterfront. We realize its importance. Waterfront means
boats. Boats need servicing. While we would like to
maximize Lne waterrront, it may
the golden eggs, we could maxim
this particular case, the marine
and the Merrill Stevens property
less than 10% of the total City
think that because of the futu
Marina and the other boats tha
would be a major mistake to red
reason I wanted to comment was i
go out for public bid. I th
actual necessity that instigat
first place. When the City goe
recently done that in the form
proposal. I think the public ge
for proposal as tell us what yo
other occasions goes out for so]
ask the Commission at this time
itself clear on that one point
Merrill Stevens property out f
proposal, I think there will be
think people will think, "My gol
De iixe the goose that lays
lze it out of existence. In
is represented by Grove Key
represent probably a little
is waterfront down there. I
:e growth and the Dinner Key
: are coming into the area,
ice it in any way. The real
is inevitable that property
.nk that may have been the
ad the master plan in the
i out for public bid, it has
of an R.F.P. , a request for
nerally interprets a request
i have in wind. The City on
icitations for bid. I would
to see if it's able to make
Because if it puts the
or bid on a request for a
national interest, because I
ihl We could do all knde of
$l 25
October l9, 1984
things there." Even if you put some criteria as to what it
may be# a request for proposal is far more broad in its
approach than a solicitation for bid. i don't think that
people who are in the marine industry, and that includes
Merrill Stevens or anyone else who may be interested in it,
can really compete effectively with someone who would be
able to use that property for a so called higher and better
use, i.e., greater retail, restaurants, etc. I think when
the time comes to make a decision on the part of the
Commission as to how that property should be used, it's
going to be a lot more difficult at that time. So, since
it's very clear that the public has had a chance to examine
this issue over the last many months and certainly has
expressed itself very
forcefully on it and they're
here
today and expressed themselves
that
way, I would hope
that
the Commission is able
to arrive at
a decision and when
the
time comes to put that
property out
for bid, they do it
as a
solicitation for bid,
and not as an
open edit request
for
proposal. Thank you.
APPLAUSE.
Mayor Ferre: The next speaker is Mr. Calvin Jeffries.
Mr. Calvin Jeffries: Ladies and gentlemen, I have lived at
3055 Kirk Street and Trapp Avenue for the past twenty years.
I'm well acquainted with... I have a lot of friends at the
Coconut Grove Sailing Club. I'm familiar with boats. I was
born and raised on the Chesapeake. I sailed a 28 foot skip
jack before I was ten years old. In 1939 I had to come to
Miami on business, Raily Marlem Hardware, Southwest 1st
Street and 1st Avenue, nice people. While I was here I was
invited down to Dinner Key. Where the hell is Dinner Key?
O.K., so I come to Dinner Key and here is one of the men
that worked for Raily Marlem with a nice big boat where the
sailing club is now. In 1939, that was my first trip. I
got back here every couple of years until finally it took me
to 1964 to move here. I think I live in the best place in
the U.S. of A. Now, if you're going to take and get rid of
what tourist people here, if you're going to get rid of your
marine facilities, if you're going to make it impossible for
anybody with a boat to get good service, O.K., go ahead,
you're going to spoil it. Boutiques, put them down on
McFarland or somewhere like that. You don't need them here.
You don't need anything more than what you've got except for
some additional parking which should go behind Grove Marina.
That's where they put the boats when we had the last
hurricane. I helped to pull boats and put them there. It
worked out very nicely. There's no reason that area there
could not be used for parking. No one can tell me that they
need 400 or 800 or whatever additional number of parking
spaces are, because every day in the week, I have occasion
to go to the Grove. I go down to the bank three or four
times a week. There's always plenty of parking. It's only
week -ends that you have the problem. So I ask you, please,
please don't ruin our Coconut Grovel
APPLAUSE.
Mayor Ferre: The next speaker is Catherine Marves and the
next speaker is Anne Platt. Miss Platt, you can use this
microphone, if you wish.
Ms. Catherine Marvez: Mayor and Commissioners, as I said
before this board before, I don't know very much about
statistics, parking spaces, how much footage we need back
from the bay. I live here in Coconut Grove. The home I
live in was bought over 25 years ago by my grandfather. It
is now owned by my family. That being the case, I receive
all of the out of town guests to stay in my home. I've had
people from New Zealand, people from Germany, and people
from England staying in my home as well as my family members
al 26 October 190 1984
who live here all over the United States. People who have
come here from other countries have absolutely fallen in
love with the Grove. The reason is because of the
waterfronts. I do not take these people to downtown Miami
to see parking garages and skyscrapers. I do not take these
people over on Dixie Highway to see what's gone with the
building of Metrorail. I take them to the bay, where they
can walk, where they can sit, and have a glass of wine or a
beer or whatever and where they can go and be amazed at the
boats. That is what most of them have loved. They walk
around the marina going, "Godl Wouldn't it be great to have
one of these." It is a major attraction. Why anybody would
want to put parking garages on waterfront property is beyond
me. There has got to be....
APPLAUSE.
There has got to be someplace else. It's like my cousin
said, sooner or later, we're going to have one City from
Miami over to Naples. I mean it's going to be just
buildings and parking garages. Please, do not put these
parking garages on waterfront people. This is what people
are coming to the Grove for. They are not coming here to
see parking garages on the waterfront. Everybody says we
want people to come and enjoy the Grove. We want people to
come and enjoy the waterfront. How can you ask the people
to come and enjoy parking garages? You can't. Thank you
very much.
APPLAUSE.
Mayor Ferre: The next speaker is Mr. Charlie George after
Ms. Platt.
Ms. Anne Platt: I guess it's time to talk about parking
garages. First of all, I have to say I'm very impressed
with all the work that's gone on. I worked with Jack Luft,
with Joanne, and I've been to many hearings. I'm real
impressed with the process. I got involved originally
because I can't stand the idea of a parking lot between the
bay and Bayshore Drive. Everything everybody said about
open space, that's what the Grove is all about; however, we
are growing. We're going to be developed and the cars have
to park somewhere, but in the evenings if you come down
here, you'll see the cars that are parked between the bay
and Bayshore Drive are going across the street. They're
going to the Grand Bay. They're going to Coconut Grove
Hotel. They can park free here. Why not? I do it too.
Why pay a valet? But the truth is there is a place to park
if they want to. We don't need to build them a parking
garage. I went to lunch at Monty's today. I went there at
12s30 and I had the choice of six or seven spaces. I didn't
even have to look. I realize he wants to expand. I think
his expansion is a good idea. Terremark building across the
street, Monty needs his parking at night, mainly at night.
The office building across the street on the corner of I
think it is Aviation and Bayshore, it's going to be an
office building. People in office buildings work from 9:00
to 5:00. People go to Monty's on the week -ends and they go
there from 5:00 to 10:00 or 11:00 or 12:00 or whenever he
closes. The buildings are going to be there. Let's make
them a wee bit bigger, put a parking garage in them. Work
with the developer. Give them their variance. Let the cars
park there on the week -ends and in the evenings. Monty says
he needs it at lunch. Granted, he does, but most of the
people coming to lunch are going to work in those buildings
and they've already got their car parked. We don't need to
build a parking garage for them. The excellent, excellent
part of all of this, the architect that's doing the City
planning is also doing Terremark. Let them work together
and design it. Keep the parking out of the parks. That's
it.
APPLAUSE.
Bl 27 October 19, 1984
Mr. Charlie George: Mr. Mayor and Commissioners, I'll be
brief. I've lived here all my life.
Mr. Plummer: Charlie, for the record, your name.
Mr. Charlie George: My name is Charlie George. I've lived
here all my life. I've worked here all my life. I've had
boats all my life. Merrill Stevens has been here all my
life. They do a good job. I don't think there's... I think
you'd be making a very serious mistake to reduce the full
service marina that they pr�-:ide. I think you'd be making a
big mistake if you do anything to inhibit the service that
they render to the boating community here and I would
respectfully suggest that you look at that part of the
master plan very closely. I'm not in a position to comment
on any other aspect of it. Thank you.
APPLAUSE.
Mayor Ferre: Are there any other public speakers at this
time? I will now ask of the administration.
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, I'll make a motion at this time the
public hearing be closed.
Mayor Ferre: J.L., knowing Joanne and Marilyn Reed and
Monty Steel and the others, after their comments there may
be some rebuttals and all that. Let's leave it open so
they can rebut a little bit and then we'll close it off.
For now, let's just hear from the administration and from
the architect on the rebuttal, if there is any.
Mr. Luft: I just wanted to say with regard to Mr. Clements'
comment that we specifically invited Mr. Brennan as the
Chairman of the Waterfront Board to a luncheon. We spent
hours with him talking about this. The Waterfront Board did
invite us to come before them. The only invitation we
received and we went before them with the plan. We have
gone out of our way to invite everyone involved in this area
to meet with us. I would say we have spent hundreds of
hours meeting with people. I think Mr. Merrill would have
to say of all the people in Dinner Key we've met with, I
personally have met with him more times to talk about his
issue than any other single interest in this area. Willy
has some specific answers to some points that were raised.
Mayor Ferre: O.K., Mr,. Bermello.
Mr. Bermello: Mr. Mayor, concerning that very issue of the
Waterfront Board, I did appear here one evening at the time
that Ron Falkie made a presentation. I inquired as to
whether the board wanted at that time to hear the entire
presentation. It was a feeling of that board at that time
they wanted to discuss Merrill Stevens exclusively. Members
of the board, both Mr. Brennan and Peter Clements, have
participated on some of the meetings. They've had both
collectively and individually with Jack and I had an
opportunity to discuss the merits of the plan or their
concerns with them. Concerning some of the comments made by
Ms. Marilyn Reed, and I'll just address a few of them,
because this is not a rebuttalf I just want to clarify some
things. The structure at Peacock Park, the structure on the
water, all that it is a dock. We did say that design wise,
when it's done it should allude to a spring house that used
to be in Coconut Grove in the early days, but that it would
not have a shelter on top. She brought this out to us at
the first meeting and we agreed with her.. Concerning the
pier opposite the Virrick Gym, it's a pier basically right
above where the ramp is. Primarily because of parking and
the conflicts of use and turning movements makes that almost
91 28 October 19s 1984
inoperative and the proposed Seminole Boat ramp will be
increased, improved, and should substitute for the servicing
of that ramp. Basically, that can be permitted. Concerning
the board walk in David Kennedy Park, she is totally
correct. It is something that preceded the plan. We
basically embraced what we thought was a good idea and also
that should not have any problem in being permitted.
Concerning the docks that were mentioned opposite the
restaurant at the Grove Key Marina leasehold, we discussed
with the marina director the possibility of having
additional wet slips. It is true, it is difficult to
maneuver within that area, but we felt that some additional
spaces for short term docking facilities, the same way that
they have it over in Key Biscayne could be a possibility in
that location. Concerning the Spoil Islands and some
gentleman made the comment that the plans somewhere says
that we should cut down the trees. That's just totally
false. Nowhere in the plans are we recommending that we cut
down trees. That's crazy; we're recommending that area
become a park land and be cleaned up. We are recommending
that some of the mangroves which Marilyn Reed brought up
that they be replanted on the Bayside and that there be
restoration so that some of those Spoil Islands that have an
opportunity to be beach front, be in fact restored along
those areas. Concerning public access, we've met Admiral
Stevens on two different occasions with their
representatives and on five other occasions we have served
and went through their property of surveying operations
during week days and on week ends. At one point in time,
maybe Jimmy has forgotten about it, but there were other
people with us, he did say we can work with public access on
the waterfront. Now if you're standing right here, maybe
your memory has faltered and later you said to me that it
didn't represent the policy of your company, but at one
point, when you thought about it, you felt yes, if Grove Key
Marina puts in more boats into the water than we do and when
they're tugging a boat along, it's going less than five
miles per hour, the issue is not really safety in terms of
people walking along the water's edge. The issue is
security for the boat and equipment within the boats. That
can be handled like most businesses that have a security
problem of any kind. I do agree with Jimmy that they could
run a more efficient place. I know he says that if he had a
longer lease or if it wasn't expiring, they would have done
that a long time ago. Let me say something about the
parking garage. The plan recommends one parking garage; the
alternate plan recommended by the citizens has two parking
garages. The difference between our parking garage, which
basically is grade and two levels, and three levels, is that
we have one more level than the parking garage suggested in
the citizens' plan. The citizens plan basically puts a
parking garage in an open area where you have beautiful
views of the marine area and those boats that the lady was
talking about, and basically closes in an area that's open.
Our parking garage will be hugging in front of two buildings
that already block views of the bay. Now, J.L. , you made a
point, which was a very good one. Have we considered
alternative locations in terms of other structures, other
properties on the other side of Bayshore. I mentioned that
there were three. I believe Marilyn Reed or Joanna
mentioned Lou Water Marine, and that is one of the ones that
is being under discussion right now. Terremark is another
possibility. Our point in the master plan is saying we do
have a parking problem. As these options come available,
they need to be addressed and looked at. But what we"re
saying is please don't fall into the trap of thinking that a
problem does not exist, but maybe even other options that we
yet have not identified, and those need to be looked at
also. Frankly, I want to say that the City Planning
al 29 October 19, 1984
Department has made every possible effort of inviting and
seeking participation from the public. We have met after
hours in meetings and presentations at the P,A.B., over at
the Church; we have met individually with members of the
various boards, advisory boards that advise you as a
Commission, and other civic groups within the area. I
realize that in a number of areas there has been an impasse
in terms of parking, in terms of the issue of how much land
and what is in the highest public benefit in terms of the
leasehold of Merrill Stevens. At no point are we saying
that there should be a decrease in the amount of wet slips,
that there should be a decrease in servicing. We believe
that in that particular leasehold the same amount of
servicing could be done with a more efficiently run
operation, which could basically consume less public land.
Mayor Ferre: Does anybody wish to add any other comments?
Jim, go ahead.
Mr. Jim Merrill: I would just like to....
Mayor Ferre: Briefly now, because we're getting into short
strokes now.
Mr. Merrill: Yes, I will, and I've written it. With
respect to meeting with the planners. We did, I did, in
fact, meet with the planners, Willy Bermello, and Jack Luft,
and the gentleman from Baltimore, the economist. Was it
Clif, was that his name?
Mayor Ferre: Jimmy, let's not get involved in whomever.
Let's keep to the main basic issue. You have a lot of good
points; let's stick to the issue.
Mr. Merrill: We did meet with them, but the discussion of
cutting the marina in half never came, never came up. With
respect to the boardwalk, we did meet, after one of the
P.A.B. meetings, I was with Jack and Willy over here at the
Charthouse having a drink after the meeting and I said with
respect to the boardwalk, you'll hear no complaints from me
because they're going to come from OCEA. OCEA will not
allow you to put a boardwalk in front of a boat yard, across
a boat yard with all of those heisters going back and forth
and multi -ton yachts being hauled back and forth. With
respect to public access, we're just as open as any other
leasehold. You can come in to Merrill Stevens day, anytime
during the day when we're open, even at night when we're
open. We don't charge a cover charge or anything else.
With respect to efficiency, because our lease has expired,
we can't afford any capital expenditures into a property
that we don't have a lease on; you can understand that.
With respect to the parking garages and the aesthetics of a
parking garage, I would like to see a catalogue or a drawing
or anything of the top ten, well -designed, aesthetic parking
garages in America. Thank you.
APPLAUSE.
Ms. Joanne Holshouser: I just wanted to comment on two of
the things that were said. With all due respect to the
constant comments from Mr. Bermello and Mr. Luft about the
public input, if there has been so much attention paid to
the views of the public, why is it that so many people
oppose it and so few people are against it?
Mayor Ferre: Are for it.
Ms. Holshouser: Where are all of these hordes of people to
whom they listened? When I saw that plan in March, and as I
said, or late February, it was the second time it was given
to the public, and I believe the people who were there the
01 30 October 19, 1984
first time. Gentlemen, there were major portions of that
plan in St. Stevens shown to us which were exactly the same
that are before you now. They were done before they were
ever shown to the public, or discussed with the public. The
public has discussed them, recussed them, cussed them,
carried on, and they have not changed one jot or tittle.
Now, with all due respect, Mr. Bermello has changed some
things. I'm happy to say he liked some of the things we
suggested, but there has been damn little public input into
this plan, except what's gone on at these meetings and we've
screamed and carried on. The other point is the parking
garage. We're suggesting only one, only one surrounding the
auditorium. If any of you would like to walk out right now
and stand tonight of the corner of Pan American Drive and
Bayshore and look towards the water and tell me if you can
see the water or the mast of a boat, do so right now. I
challenge any of you. What you're going to see is a line of
junk trees that should have been taken out because they're
trash trees and the rear ends of a bunch of cars. What
we're offering you is a well landscaped parking garage that
would, if you look at this, give you a baywalk. Talk about
baywalks, we'd give you a baywalk twelve feet up that the
general public could walk up, look out at the bay and enjoy
it. If that is not a baywalk that the public can enjoy, if
that's not a view, a view corridor, tell me what you got out
there right now. Go look.
Mayor Ferret Thank you. Now, Mr. Plummer, I think I'll
accept your motion.
Mr. Plummer: I move, Mr. Mayor, that the public hearing and
the Mayor's comments close.
Mayor Ferret
the other.
Mr. Plummer:
that.
Mayor Ferret
You can move for one. I doubt if you can do
I don't know, I might get a unanimous vote on
I doubt that too.
Mr. Plummer: I make a motion at this time that the public
hearing close.
Mayor Ferret Is there a second?
Mr. Perez: Second.
Mayor Ferret Further discussion? Call the roll.
THREUPON MOTION DULY MADE AND SECONDED THE
COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC
HEARING SECTION OF THE DINNER KEY MASTER PLAN.
Mayor Ferret Now we get into questions or comments from the
Commission and I'll lead the parade Let me say that the
letter by Arvah Moore Parks that was sent to the Planning
Board on June 6th is a letter that impresses me. I want to
say at the outset of my comments that I do not think that it
is right or proper or fair to try to cast dispersions of
lack of integrity on the part of anybody that I know of. I
think that Jack Luft and Willy Bermello and those that have
been working on this have done so with integrity, with the
best interest of the community at heart. You may not agree
with what they've come up with. They may not agree with
what you've come up with. I don't think it is fair to
categorize anybody as a spoiler because they've come up with
a separate plan. I think it is not only your right and your
responsibility, but I think it is commendable that a group
of hotel owners and property owners who have something at
$1 31 October 19, 1984
stake came up with the money to pay for this plan. I don't
see anything wrong with that. I don't think there should be
any dishonest shadows cast. I don't see anything wrong with
Merrill Stevens vigorously pursuing what some people say is
their self interest. So what? That's what this country is
all about. They've got a right to protect something that
they have a long historical involvement in. So I don't
think on either side that we should get into castigating
others or trying to cast shadows of integrity on either
side. I think everybody is entitled. There are several
overriding basic questions. The first one is are we
concerned here with what is best for Miami or are we
concerned with what is best for Coconut Grove? Are we
r
concerned with what is best for the boating community? Are
we concerned with what is best for the people who walk in
the Grove and ride bicycles? Or to put it another way, can
there be consensus, can we accommodate one set of needs with
another set of needs? Or must there be a conflict? Must we
decide is there a difference between what is best for
Coconut Grove and what is best for Miami? Does there have
1+
to be a difference? Or can we somehow come to an agreement
on a give and take basis with certain provisions that I
think are not negotiable. I for one, for example, do not
believe that we should have any parking structures anywhere
near the water.
APPLAUSE .
Please, don't. I know everybody is charged up and we're all
emotional, but I really would like to just make my statement
without applause because you may also boo me when I say
something else, and I'd rather not go through that. So,
don't applaude so you don't have to boo me. I want to say
that I do not believe, I do not personally think, I'm going
to try to build consensus here if we can. I've made a list,
and I'm sure J.L. and others have their own list of things
that we should try to agree upon. First thing is I don't
think that we ought to have any parking garages on the water
and in my opinion, whatever parking structures if they're
needed, we should first of all, we should do it by a process
-_
of elimination of what is most desirable and work down from
there. The less desirable, which to me is unacceptable is a
_
parking structure on the water or near the water.
Therefore, that means the following. That we should look at
-
parking as a total Coconut Grove, Sergio, as a total Coconut
Grove approach. In other words, if we can get parking over
by Blue Waters or by the theater, the Coconut Grove
Playhouse, I think that is a heck of a lot more desirable
- -
than to have parking in the open area. If we can get
parking and come to an agreement with Terremark on the other
side of Monty's, that's a lot better than having parking on
this side of South Bayshore Drive. So we should approach
--
parking in Coconut Grove all the way from the end of Kennedy
-�
Park through the end of commercial Grove. We should look at
-
it from that perspective. Once we've looked at parking from
a global perspective of the Grove, then I think we should
look at the different areas. We do need more parking in my
_
opinion near Kennedy Park. We do need more parking in the
_-
general area of the Exhibition Hall, the Coconut Grove
Exhibition Hall. I happen to like Joanne's idea better than
-
I like the other one, but that's just a personal preference.
I think parking garages are ugly and there is no such thing
-
as a good looking parking garage. We do need parking, and
—
perhaps if we limit it to one level, I'm not too sure I
- =
could go for two levels. That might be an improvement.
They should certainly be kept in areas, as Joanne Holshouser
said, that presently have no obstruction, so that we're not
adding the obstruction to the view of the bay, but rather,
--
if we have to have any kind of a structure, it should be in
front of or behind so there won't be any more curtailment of
view corridors. With regards to the McFarland issue, there
-
I disagree with you, Joanne. There I happen to think that
sl 32 October 19, 1984
ittle road that goes down to McFarland should really become
art of the park other than a direct entrance and I would
ather have again, under the same theory that you have, the
arking behind the Coconut Grove Sailing Club, which is
lready obstructing the view, I'd rather expand that, than
o have all that parking going all the way down into the
ay. I think that's ugly and I think I like this idea of
his walk where people can...so there is a continuity from
eacock Park to Meyers Park to the boat ramp on to what. I
hink it's a great idea that Marjorie Stoneman Douglas
ark... that may be a better location for it. So I think
here ought to be some kind of continuity without children
r bicycle riders or joggers having to cross the street. So
here I disagree with you on that particular issue. But I
o agree with you on the issue of parallel parking on the
est of McFarland. I think that parallel parking may be
esthetically more acceptable, but I think you're right
hat angle parking is really a better thing to have and we
ught to leave it the way it is. So that's just a personal
reference that I have. On your suggestion of the town
quare, I think that's a great idea. I think that is
omething that deserves careful study, implementation, and
upport. I think that's a perfect location for it. It's
ust a logical place for that kind of an approach. It may
e too small, I don't know, but perhaps we want it small. I
pink that one I agree with you on. I disagree with you on
he issue of what do we do with Virrick Gym. Virrick Gym is
monstrosity at this point. It's ugly. It's hot. It's
Dmething that I... it may be historic, but frankly, that
Desn't necessarily mean we have to live with that ugly sore
pot. I think we really ought to eventually make a major
ttempt to somehow improve the aesthetic looks of that, try
D air-condition it and get multiple uses out of it. I have
3 objections to theatre presentations or music being
resented there or small dance groups. Let's face it. It's
Bver going to be a big place. I mean, you're never going
:) have more than experimental theatre there anyway. I
:)n't think... at best you can't fit more than 200 to 300
Bats in the place, even if you get the best architect to
Bsign it. I think that I happen to agree with the master
Lan's idea of trying to upgrade the usage of that. That's
rw I see that. On the issue of pedestrian walk-through and
Bdestrianization of the park and how does that conflict
ith boat yards and how about the big issue of the boat
irds and people walking on board walks and what have you.
do agree that we should maintain what is now Merrill
.evens and in the future what is Grove Key Marina as boat
3rds. I have no... I believe that strongly. I believe
iat if we remove the boat yards from there, indeed you will
Zange the character of the Grove. I think you're going to
range a lot of things. Let's define what a full service
trina is. Let me tell you what I'm against. I'm against
some wealthy northerner, and I have nothing against wealthy
northerners, but I'm against a wealthy northerner storing
his boat here for ten months out of the year without using
it and then coming here between Thanksgiving and Christmas
and taking his boat out for a ride. That's fine. I got no
problems... I mean that person has that right, but in my
opinion, not there. Because that should be a place that
should be maintained for Miamians and residents here and
people who will use that facility as much as possible. If
you're telling me of the 30,000 boat owners in South Florida
or Dade County, that nobody wants to store his boat here,
then we ought to make it a storage place for northerners to
store their boats, then if you can tell me that nobody in
Miami wants that space, then I have no objections as to
waiving that, but I think we ought to have that as a used
marina where people will use it rather than a boat storage
place. Secondly, I mean, long term boat storage place,
where a boat is kept dead for ten months out of the year or
51
33
October 19, 1984
five or six months without usage. With regards to the
marina itself, I don't think this is the location, I don't
think it's presently used that way, but if it is, it
shouldn't be in my opinion, where a boat totally dismantled
and where heavy engine repairs are done on site, where a
diesel is repaired there and that boat is kept out of the
water for two or three months. As I understand it, in
modern marina repair, you don't do that anyway. Because you
take that motor out and put it on a truck and send it to
General Motors or to Detroit Diesel or the Cummings and they
repair it or send you a new motor and you put it in. But I
just don't think that the heavy duty... I don't see anything
wrong with somebody scraping barnacles off or doing a little
}
paint job, but I do think this is not a location for a major
reconstruction of a yacht or an overhaul of that magnitude.
Other than that, I do think this is the place where
maintenance ought to be done, where full service marina is
available other than the long, heavy-duty, long haul, big
ticket kind of stuff. That, I think, should be on the
river. You have a facility on the river where you're doing
that and so do others. With regard to the hangers, I don't
think there's any law that says that all of the hangers have
to be kept. I don't have any problems with the plan that
Willy, you came up with where one of those small hangers
that is not in too much use being made open space. I have
absolutely no problems with that. But that is something
,.;
that I think is something that we'll deal with when we put
this thing out for bids. With regards to the openness of
the park, in my opinion, we have precious, little, green,
waterfront space and every bit of waterfront space that we
can keep open and green is something that we're that much
ahead of. I don't think that we should take any green space
and cover it with either cement or concrete. I don't think
F<
that we should be playing around with this precious heritage
_
that we have. On the other hand, I do think that we have an
obligation to improve what we have and I have no objections
-
of turning asphalt and concrete back into green space. So
-
let's not lock ourselves into saying that since Merrill
--=
Stevens was here from year one, and since Merrill Stevens
thought of this and convinced the City to buy this property
=
from Pan American World Airways, that therefore we're stuck
with that configuration and that exact same thing for ever
and a day. I reject that. I think there may be some fine
tuning we need to get into. With regards to Marilyn's State
law problems, there I obviously, if it is a violation of
-- __
what the state marine conservation or the corps of
--
engineer's regulations if we don't have permits, obviously
-
we can't put a pier out if we don't have a permit. On the
--
other hand, if there is a possibility of getting a finger
pier out in Peacock Park, where people can sit there in the
evenings or in the afternoon and enjoy it, I don't see
_-
anything wrong with trying to do that. That doesn't do
--
anybody any harm, if we can get the permits for it
obviously. I think I've pretty well covered the highlights,
as I see them, of the issue. That is parking, open space,
full service marina, the question of Spencer, you brought
-- s
out the question of an RFP versus a specific... I think that
when we go out to bid, we should go out to bid for the use
of that space as a marina. Obviously Merrill Stevens is
going to have to compete with other people who are going to
want to compete on that basis. That is something that we
-_
ought to move along on. One last thing, you asked Jimmy,
=
where are the people that are for this? You know, we cannot
-
make this... I don't vote and I don't think anybody else
does here on this Commission, even though a lot of times
people accuse us of that. We don't vote on things based on
-
how many people applaude or boo or show up. The fact that
-
people are or aren't here, your group is a very vociferous
-
group that has very strong feelings. You've organized it.
You don't have to tell me, I know the way you made that
al 34 October 19, 1904
speech that that was a carefully thought out, carefully
written speech that you practiced on it because I got to
tell you, you were better than Ronald Reagan and Mondale put
together# i tell you, you must be, if you're not thinking
of it, maybe you might want to run for public office. That
was pretty good. You only looked down about four or five
times to catch those notes, so you had that thing memorized.
That tells me that you prepared a great deal and well you
should because this is important to you and to your family
and to your company. I think that's fine. The other people
that Willy and Jack may have talked to may not have as
strong feeling about this as you and your friends and the
people that have organized on this. But that doesn't mean
that others don't have opinions too. You happen to be more
vociferous. I need to tell you that when we vote on this,
whatever the will of this Commission is going to be, it's
going to be based on what we think is best for the community
and what is best not only for Coconut Grove, but for the
City of Miami. Now I'll open it up for anybody else who
wants to make a comment.
3. DEVELOP R.F.P.'S FOR SITE KNOWN AS MERRILL STEVENS
PROPERTY FOR A MARINA AND A FULL SERVICE BOAT YARD.
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, the only comment that I have is in
relation to the full service marina. I disagree with
Spencer Meredith. I think we should go for an RFP. I base
it on the comments that I don't necessarily feel that what
is there presently is best for this community and Jim
himself has said that if he were to be the recipient of the
bidding procedure, that he is ready to put capital
improvements into that area. I think that's the kind of
thing that we want to try to encourage, is a little bit of
imagination with the full understanding that it is a full
service marina, but we ask for people to come up with what
is best for that general location. I think .if you say with
a bidding procedure, we want just what we have there, give
us a little bit more money and we'll give you X number of
years. I don't think that benefits the Grove. I think we
can have some imaginative thinking. I think we can have
some people who can encourage different plans. I see
nothing wrong with encouraging different plans, maybe
different landscaping, different parking. I think that
would be healthy. So I don't agree with the fact that we
just want what's there duplicated for the X number of
dollars. I think that we can be imaginative. I think Jimmy
will be imaginative, because he has said on numerous
occasions that he would like to fix it up, make it better,
make it something we're all proud of. That's the kind of
RFP that we should go with.
Mayor Ferre: Any other comments? If not, I'm open for
motions.
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, I really don't know what kind of
motions you want at this particular time. I think the
consensus of everyone here and of course the vote of the
Commission will indicate that we instruct the Manager number
one, to immediately start developing an RFP or a proposal
for the property commonly known as the Merrill Stevens
property, to go out as quickly as possible, to develop a
proposal and I would so move at this time.
sl 35 October ig, 1984
ALIN
- - --
Mayor ferret Is there a second to that? In other words,
rather than dealing with the plan, your motion speaks just
to the issue of the Merrill Stevens property to go out for
bid?
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, in following your lead, I think we
take those things that are really plus items, and we'll work
our way down.
Mayor Ferre: O.K., I agree with that. Is there a second to
that motion?
Mr. Plummer: Well, I misread.
Mayor Ferre: Your motion then, let me understand it
properly, your motion was to instruct the Manager to
immediately go out for a bid.... -
Mr. Plummer: No, sir, to develop an RFP.
Mayor Ferre: I'm sorry, to develop an RFP, to come back to
the Commission for a final vote on the RFP so that this
property can be -so that what is called the Merrill Stevens
property can be bid.
Mr. Plummer: That is the usual procedure, yes.
Mayor Ferre: Does anybody want to second that motion?
Mr. Carollo: Which means that the Commission can modify
anything t:hAt the administration might put it to the RFP.
Mr. Plummer: Yes, sir.
Mr. Perez: I would like to emphasize that these people have
the opportunity to meet with through the City administration
before coming back to the City Commission.
Mr. Dawkins: The only thing I have to say is every time we
put out an RFP, everything I complain about ends up an RFP.
Mayor Ferre: Well, there is a motion without a second at
the present time.
Mr. Perez: I second.
Mayor Ferre: O.K., I was going to say you won't have to
worry about it, but now you do have to worry about it. It's
been moved and seconded. Is there further discussion? Call
the roll.
The following motion was introduced by Commissioner
Plummer, who moved its adoption:
MOTION NO. 84-1181
A MOTION INSTRUCTING THE CITY MANAGER TO
IMMEDIATELY START DEVELOPING A REQUEST FOR
PROPOSALS (R.F.P.S) FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A
MARINA, FULL SERVICE BOAT YARD AND
SUPPORTIVE INNOVATIVE USES AT THE SITE
COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE MERRILL STEVENS
PROPERTYi SAID REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS TO GO
OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLEf FURTHER
REQUESTING THE CITY MANAGER TO BRING THIS
MATTER HACK TO THE CITY COMMISSION FOR A
FINAL VOTE ON THE R.F.P.'S SO THAT SAID
PIECE OF PROPERTY MAY BE BID.
si 36 October 19, 1904
Upon being seconded by Commissioner Perez, the motion
was passed and adopted by the following vote -
AYES: Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr.
Vice --Mayor Demetrio Perez, Jr.
Mayor Maurice A. Ferre
3'^
NOES: Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins`
ABSENTs None.
-------- ------rrr-----------.r-----.ter-----------------------
4. EXPRESS POLICY THAT NO PARKING STRUCTURES BE BUILT IN
THE DINNER KEY AREA BETWEEN S. BAYSHORE DRIVE AND THE
WATERFRONT EAST OF PAN AMERICAN DRIVE.
--------------------------------------------------------
Mayor Ferre: What is the next?
Mr. Plummer: I would make a motion at this time, Mr. Mayor,
that this Commission go on record as policy that no parking
structure be placed between Bayshore Drive and the water
from Kennedy Park to Peacock Park.
Mr. Dawkins: Second.
Mr. Perez% Second.
Mayor Ferre: Now let me understand. You are saying that no
parking structure be placed on the water, you say?
Mr. Plummer: On Bayshore Drive to the water. I realize
that would be in conflict with Joanne's plan, both plans.
Mayor Ferre: I tell you, J.L., there is a second. Who
seconded that? Miller did. I got to tell you that I can't
vote for that, because I think Joanne's come up with a
reasonable plan. I think what you're doing is precluding
Joanne's plan and I don't mind your saying, and I would vote
for a motion that would not have any parking structure
anywhere from Bayshore Drive to a point halfway ... I mean
from Bayshore Drive to where the Exhibition Hall begins and
not on the waterfront.
Mr. Plummer: Mayor, if I can't get a whole cake, I will
take a half a cake, or 80%. I will accept that with the
proviso that at any time in the future that were to be a
plan, that it would have to be voted on by this Commission.
Mayor Ferre: I accept that. Is that acceptable to you
You have lost your secondl
Mr. Plummer: Oh, then I will go back to my original motion!
Mayor Ferre: No, wait a minute, there may be a second
somewhere else. I'll be happy to ... I'll tell you what, I
will second it because I think that this "all or nothing" to
not a proper way to go. I think we cannot exclude or
preclude the possibility of additional parking which is
needed in the area if you are going to improve this marina.
Mr. Dawkins: Mayor, I don't think it is a matter of "all or
nothing" at all, but there are many parking areas out here
where you do not'have to put a structure. There are parking
lots, so when you start to provide parking, we can provide
parking without parking structures. So I am saying I an for
Id 37 october 9r 1904
i
:F
parking. We need the parking, but I am against putting up
structures that will obstruct the view of the Bay.
Mr. Plummert Let me clarify my motion.
Mayor Ferre: J. L., why don't you also put in your motion,
if I may add, that no structures would substantially
increase the view corridor of the bay that exists now.
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, let me go back to Miller, first.
Let me say to you, that in no way, is this an approval of a
parking structure. It is, if in fact, a viable plan were to
be developed, we would address that individually at a later
time. The basis of my motion is, that in fact, we would
not, tonight, as a matter of policy - we would object to
anything from Bayshore Drive to the water, but keep in mind
that tomorrow, or next year, this Commission could change
that policy by a majority vote, so you could change it at
any time at a later date. I am not saying, or inferring
that they will, but I think at this particular point, 80% of
what I am looking for is better than nothing. I think we
still would have to address the other issue as an item onto
itself, and that is why I am agreeable to the Mayor's
amendment.
Mayor Ferre: Call the question.
Mr. Perez: We have a motion and a second. Do we have any
questions? If not, call the roll.
The following motion was introduced by Commissioner
Plummer, who moved its adoption:
MOTION NO. 85-1182
A MOTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION
EXPRESSING ITS POLICY THAT NO PARKING
STRUCTURES BE BUILT IN THE DINNER KEY
AREA FROM KENNEDY PARK TO PEACOCK PARK,
EITHER: (A) BETWEEN SOUTH BAYSHORE DRIVE
AND THE COCONUT GROVE EXHIBITION CENTER,
OR (B) DIRECTLY ON THE WATERFRONT EAST
OF PAN AMERICAN DRIVE.
Upon being seconded by Mayor Ferre, the motion was
passed and adopted by the following vote -
AYES: Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins
Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr.
Vice -Mayor Demetrio Perez, Jr.
Mayor Maurice A. Ferre
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
5. INSTRUCT CITY MRSAGER TO COMB BACK WITH PROPOSED
AM N r MIS TO THE DINNER KEY HASIRR PLAIN To INCLUDE
GROVE SQUARE PUBLIC PLASH IN PEACOCK PARK.
Mr. Plummer: Mr. Mayor, I make a motion at this time that
the Administration be instructed through the Parks 4
Recreation and Planning Department to come back to this
Commission as soon as possible with a Grove Square in
Peacock Park. I am not designating that particular area of
the shuffleboards. I am giving them latitude .,.
Id 38 October 191 1964
Mayor Ferret All right, that is better. That is better.
Mr. Plummert ... to come back with a plan or Maybe more
than one plan.
Mayor Ferret That is better.
Mr. Plummers And I offer that in the form of a motion.
Mayor Ferre: I think that is an improvement. Is there a
second?
Mr. Carollo: Second.
Mayor Ferre: Further discussion? All right, call the roll
on that.
The following motion was introduced by Commissioner
Plummer, who moved its adoption:
MOTION NO. 85-1183
A MOTION INSTRUCTING THE ADMINISTRATION
THROUGH THE PARKS AND RECREATION -
DEPARTMENT AND THROUGH THE PLANNING _
DEPARTMENT, TO COME BACK TO THE CITY
COMMISSION, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, WITH A
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE DINNER KEY
MASTER PLAN WHICH WOULD INCLUDE A GROVE
SQUARE PUBLIC PLAZA IN PEACOCK PARK;
FURTHER STIPULATING THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION MAY COME BACK WITH ONE OR
MORE THAN ONE PROPOSED PLANS.
Upon being seconded by Commissioner Carollo, the motion
was passed and adopted by the following vote -
AYES: Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins
Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr.
Vice -Mayor Demetrio Perez
Mayor Maurice A. Ferre
NOBS: None.
ABSENT: None.
S.1 INSTRUCT PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO FURTMR PLAT POSSIBLE
140DIFICATION OF !lCFARLA9D ROAD.
N-NrNINNNI�.-.�N�1.lNlN!!lI�I�NI�.I.YIN-�-NN!!MN!!!r
Mayor Ferre: Now, about McFarland? How are we going to
treat McFarland?
Mr. Plummer: You are speaking of the little access road? I
don't know that I will be popular on that oriel I have to
agree this should be closed off.
Mayor Ferre: I do tool
Mr. Plummer: I think it should be a part of the park. I
think the only thing that concerns me than no one spoke to
is if you do that, how will you have access into the Sailing
Club?
Mr. Plummer* Excuse me?
(INAUDIBLE BACKGROUND COMMENTS)
Mr. Plummer: No, you can hav6 access some other way.
Mayor Ferret No, you can have access to the Sailing Club.
Mr. Plummer No, Joanne, I don't agree that we need a
traffic study. You have there, possibly 15 to 18 parking
spaces? That was my greatest concern.
Ms. Holshouser: Well, McFarland you can't get in and out
... (INAUDIBLE, OFF MICROPHONE)
Mayor Ferre: Look, this is in principle, because they have
to come back with the specific, so if you are going to make
a motion, make it in principle, J. L.
Mr. Plummers Well, everything we are doing is in principle,
as far as I am concerned.
Mayor Ferret Make your motion.
Mr. Plummer: My motion would be that we close off that
portion from Bayshore Drive, which is commonly known as the
foot of McFarland.
Mayor Ferret Is there a second? I will second it.
Mr. Perez% Do we have any other comments? If not, call the
roll.
MOTION FAILED. Motion to close off portion of
McFarland a ed by the following vote:
AYES: Commissioner J. L. Plummer
Mayor Maurice A. Ferre
NOES: Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins
Vice -Mayor Demetrio Perez, Jr.
ABSENT: None
Mr. Plummer: Then I think a like motion would be in order
that a policy - the decision of this Commission that it
= remain open.
Mr. Carollo: So moved.
Mayor Ferre: All right, there is a motion and a second that
McFarland be ...
Mr. Plummer: Remain open as it is.
Mayor Ferre: ... remain open as it is.
(INAUDIBLE BACKGROUND COMMENTS)
Mayor Ferre: What is the alternate?
Ms. Holshouser: (INAUDIBLE)
Mayor Ferre* Is that acceptable?
Mr. Plummer: You can always come back later with that.
(INAUDIBLE BACKGROUND COMMENTS)
Mr. Luft: Yes, we have some alternates. We will work them,
a
14 40 October 198
Mayor Ferret Well, how do we leave this, as open, or what?
Mr. Plummers Remain open.
Mr. Luft: I think the principle is that the Sailing Club _
wants their entrance off of that, and that there is some
parking there - there are opportunities to provide access to
the park and plazas at the waterfront and we can certainly _
do better than the way it is today.
Mayor Ferret You will come back with that. Do we need a
vote on this? Do you want a motion?
Mr. Carollos I will make a motion to that.
Mr. Luft: Just like the Plaza in Peacock Park.
Mayor Ferret That we keep on working on this? i
Mr. Carollo: Sure.
Mayor Ferret Is there a second?
Mr. Plummer: Second.
Mr. Dawkins: What happened to that other motion that was
made and seconded?
Mr. Plummer: Which one?
Mr. Dawkins: The one that you made to leave the street open
and Joe seconded it.
Mr. Plummer: Oh. I don't think I am ...
Mr. Carollo: It just got scrapped.
Mr. Plummer: I don't think I can make that motion. I was
on the losing side.
Mayor Ferret So ...
Mr. Dawkins: So this is a substitute motion.
Mayor Ferre: There is a substitute motion that says that
there be some further planning and discussion to hopefully
find a middle answer, or consensus somewhere. Call the roll
on that.
The following motion was introduced by Commissioner
Carollo, who moved its adoption:
MOTION NO. 85-1184
A MOTION DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO
INSTRUCT THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO
CONTINUE TO DO FURTHER PLANNING IN
CONNECTION WITH THE POSSIBLE
MODIFICATION OF MCFARLAND ROAD, IN THE
HOPES OF BEING ABLE TO FIND SOME MIDDLE
GROUND CONSENSUS AS TO ITS PROPOSED
FUTURE USE.
Upon being seconded by Commissioner Plummer, the motion
was passed and adopted by the following vote-
AYES: Commissioner Demetrio Peres, Jr.
Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins
Commissioner J, L, Plummer, Jr.
:a
Id 41 OotOber 19s 1984 3
r _�
0
Vice -Mayor Joe Carollo
Mayor Maurice A. Ferre
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
z
rrr--rr-r---------------rrrr-rrr----r-r------r-rrrr.r.��.rr�.��i z.
6. ACCEPT ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION FOR FULLY DEDICATED
RIGHT OF WAY FROM S. BAYSHORE DRIVE ACROSS FRONTAGE OF
PROPERTIES - CORAL REEF YACHT CLUB, BISCAYNE* ETC. FOR
BETTER BIKE PATH.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Mayor Ferret Well, what other issues, Jack, do we have
outstanding?
Mr. Luft: Well, we would like to see a motion urging that a
setback and an improved walkway in the front of the Coral
Reef Biscayne Yacht Club be provided to make a connection
from Kennedy Park to the rest of Dinner Key. It is a very
dangerous, unimproved area right now, with a lot of
accidents there and we would like to get that extra setback
another 15 feet and then improve and landscape that.
Mayor Ferret That is important. Does anybody have any
disagreements with that? That wasn't addressed. That is a
very important issue.
Mr. Carollo: So move that motion.
Mayor Ferret All right, is there a second?
(INAUDIBLE BACKGROUND COMMENTS)
Mayor Ferret Yes. Is there a second?
Mr. Perez: Second.
Mayor Ferret All right, further discussion? Call the roll
on that.
The following motion was introduced by Commissioner
Carollo, who moved its adoption:
MOTION NO. 85-1185
A MOTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION
ACCEPTING THE ADMINISTRATION'S
RECOMMENDATION THAT THERE BE A FULLY
DEDICATED SETBACK FROM SOUTH BAYSHORE
DRIVE ZONED RIGHT-OF-WAY AND ACROSS THE
FRONTAGE OF THE PROPERTIES OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS THE CORAL REEF YACHT CLUB AND
BISCAYNE BAY YACHT CLUB, FOR PURPOSES OF
CONSTRUCTING AN IMPROVED PEDESTRIAN/BIKE
PATH FROM KENNEDY PARK TO THE REST OF
DINNER KEY.
Upon being seconded by Commissioner Perez, the motion
was passed and adopted by the following vote
AYES$ Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins
Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr.
Vice -Mayor Demetrio Perez, Jr.
Mayor Maurice A. Ferro
r>t
-------
NOES: None.
ABSENTS None.
rrrr----------:i----rrr�.ri.rr-r�.��r.r�r�r
7. ACCEPT ADMINISTRATION RECOMMENDATION FOR ESTABLISHMENT
OF AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS AND PARKING MANAGEMENT
COMMITTEE, SET ASIDE SPACES, PROVISIONS FOR SPECIAL
EVENTS, ETC.
---------------------- ----------------------------------i--.i
Mayor Ferret All right, Jack, what else?
Mr. Luft: We would like to see the Administration have a
parking management committee, to deal with the overlap that
exists between the Marina, the Exhibition Center, the
leasehold - there are a lot of SHARED use of parking down
there, and there is a need to get an administrative
coordination of this, so that we can understand where set
aside spaces are, if there are parking fees to be charged,
how we organize that in the special events. It is not a
parking plan, but it is a process that we would like to set
in motion.
Mayor Ferret All right, is there a motion to that effect?
This is the planning process.
Mr. Plummer: So moved.
Mr. Perez: Further discussion? Call the roll.
The following motion was introduced by Commissioner
Plummer, who moved its adoption:
MOTION NO. 85-1186
A MOTION ACCEPTING THE ADMINISTRATION'S
RECOMMENDATION FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS TO INCLUDE A
PARKING MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE TO ORGANIZE
SHARED AND OVERLAP -PARKING AT DINNER
KEY; ALSO SO WE MAY UNDERSTAND WHERE
SET -ASIDE SPACES ARE, HOW WE MAY
ORGANIZE SUCH WITH SPECIAL EVENTS; ETC.
Upon being seconded by Commissioner Perez, the motion
was passed and adopted by the following vote -
AYES: Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins
Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr.
Vice -Mayor Demetrio Perez, Jr.
Mayor Maurice A. Ferre
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
S. AUTHORISE CITY HANWER TO STUDY FSRSISMITY TO Ain=
SOLLIXG B=8E8 FOR DBVXLOP=ff OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC
PARKING ON FUTURE BUILDINGS, LTC.
Mayor Ferret Are there any other issues?
14 43
Mr. Plummers Mr. Mayor, I would like to ask that a study be
done by the Planning Department at this time for the
creation of possible bonuses for any future buildings in
which they will allow private and public parking, or even
existing buildings for bonuses in which they will allow
private and public parking. I think there was a very good
point, if you are going up with an 18 story building, if in
fact we could encourage the developers to add two more
floors and those two floors would be parking. I think it is
a good mix and I think it would be only through a bonus
system that you would encourage such.
Mayor Ferret Is there a second?
Mr. Perez: Second,
Mayor Ferret Further discussion? Call the roll.
The following motion was introduced by Commissioner
Plummer, who moved its adoption:
MOTION NO. 85-1187
A MOTION AUTHORIZING AND DIRECTING THE
CITY ADMINISTRATION TO CONDUCT A STUDY
THROUGH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT ON THE
FEASIBILITY OF A SYSTEM WHICH WOULD
AWARD ZONING BONUSES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT
OF PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PARKING ON ANY
FUTURE BUILDINGS OR EVEN IN EXISTING
BUILDINGS WHICH WOULD ALLOW SUCH
COMBINED USE TO ACCOMMODATE EXCESS
PARKING IN THE DINNER KEY AREA.
Upon being seconded by Commissioner Perez, the motion
was passed and adopted by the following vote -
AYES: Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins
Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr.
Vice -Mayor Demetrio Perez, Jr.
Mayor Maurice A. Ferre
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
9. APPROVE IN PRINCIPLE WITH AFOREMENTIONED AMEBI)MEliTS, THE
DINNER KEY SULMER PLhN, DIRWrING TO BE BROUGHT BACK FOR
FINAL. CONSIDERATION.
N�.��NN�N�MNN�N ANAN�
Mayor Ferret Now, with all of these modifications, I think
we do need a resolution on the plan. Go ahead.
Mr. Luft: The question of the open space adjacent to Pan
American Drive, next to Bayshore Drive, in front of the
Exhibition Hall Center, we are suggesting in the plan that
there be a policy established that that be protected and
preserved as green landscaped open space, and not as parking
lots.
Mayor Ferret Point to me on the map what you are talking
about.
Mr. Plummer* Those two areas, there.
Mayor Ferret Well, that is exactly what we are in agreement
on. This has to be left as green open space. Well, I will
tell you, is that in here?
Mr. Lufts It is in the Master Plan,
Mayor Ferret Well, I think the thing to do now, Joanne
having corrected all those things, it seems to me now, that
we can pass on the acceptance as modified with the Master
Plan.
Ms. Holshousers Well, I just would appreciate it if the
City Attorney could comment on the fact that you are passing
the document as it is written, are you not?
Mayor Ferret As amended. As amended.
Ms. Holshousers Well, then there are a couple of things
that need to be brought up. The map shows the gym staying
where it is. Mr. Luft has discussed it and it shows the gym
staying where it is. You need a page in the document that
shows it where it is, because the original Master Plan
included tearing out that building and putting in another
building. We were never opposed sir, to the mixed use for
the boxing gym. We were opposed to replacing it, so if we
could straighten up that language, Jack - if that could be
straightened.
Mr. Lufts If there is a misunderstanding in the plan, we
will straighten that out, but all I can say is we never
proposed tearing the Virrick Gym.
Ms. Holshousers Well, the proposal for the amphitheatre is
what I am talking about - if that could be removed. The
other thing is if we could still work together on Peacock
Park on the various issues in there, because we definitely
do not want to see an adjacent person come in on this now.
Mayor Ferret That has already been covered.
Mr. Plummert It would take a public hearing.
Ms. Holshousers It hasn't all been covered, though. I
appeal to the City Attorney. You have got before you a
document that spells out certain things in Peacock Park.
Mayor Ferret Well, Joanne, we may not need to pass the
document. Is there a need to pass the document?
Mr. Gary: Mr. Mayor.
Mayor Ferre: Yes, sir.
Mr. Gary: May I suggest that because you made decisions
regarding policy that you adopt the plan with those
modifications in principle and have us come back with those
changes in the document.
Mayor Ferret That is what I was saying.
Mr. Garys Yes, sir.
Ms. Holshousers Year thank you, that is what we want.
Mayor Ferrel That is what I was saying. Mr.
no problem with that. Does somebody want
motion?
ld 45
41
Manager. I have
to slake such a
Ma
Mr. Plummers So moved.
Mayor Ferret is there a second?
Mr. Perezt Second.
Mayor Ferret Further discussion? Call the roll.
The following motion was introduced by Commissioner
Plummer, who moved its adoptions
MOTION NO. 85-1188
A MOTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION
APPROVING IN PRINCIPLE, THE DINNER KEY
MASTER PLAN WITH THE AFOREMENTIONED
AMENDMENTS; FURTHER DIRECTING THE CITY
MANAGER TO BRING BACK BEFORE THE CITY
COMMISSION SUCH MASTER PLAN, AS AMENDED,
FOR FINAL CONSIDERATION AND CONFIRMATION
BY THE COMMISSION.
Upon being seconded by Commissioner Perez, the motion
was passed and adopted by the following vote -
AYES: Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins
Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr.
Vice -Mayor Demetrio Perez, Jr.
Mayor Maurice A. Ferre
NOES: None.
ABSENTS None.
Mayor Ferret Ladies and Gentlemen, this meeting is now
ended and I thank you very much for your cooperation.
10. RELAX RESTRICTIONS ON FIREWORKS FOR THE JACKS'ON'S
CONCERTS.
Mayor Ferret We do have some pocket items at this time.
Mr. Plummer:
Mr. Mayor, I would ask that to make us in
full
- accord with the Michael Jackson's Concert, that we waive
the
- fireworks ..9
a resolution to relax the restrictions placed
on the fireworks display by Section 19- ...
Mr. Carollo:
Second.
Mr. Plummer:
I've got to read it. ... (NOTE: AT THIS POINT,
Commissioner
Plummer reads Resolution 84-1189 into
the
public record
- as shown hereinbelow) I so move.
- Mayor Ferret
Moved and seconded. Further discussion.
Call
the roll.
�
Id
44 QOtobor 19 #
CR
1
r 10
F
The following resolution was introduced by Commissioner
ummer, who moved its adoptions
RESOLUTION NO. 85-1189
A RESOLUTION TO RELAX THE RESTRICTIONS
PLACED ON PYROTECNIC DISPLAYS BY SECTION
19-184(C)3 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI, FLORIDA FOR DISPLAYS DURING THE
JACKSONS TOUR CONCERTS AT THE ORANGE
BOWL STADIUM TO COMMENCE NOT LATER THAN
10:30 P.M. ON NOVEMBER 2 AND 3, 1984 NOR
LATER THAN 10:30 P.M. ON NOVEMBER 4,
1984 IF SAID DATE IS USED AS A RAINDATE.
(Here follows body of resolution,
omitted here and on file in the Office
of the City Clerk.)
Upon being seconded by Commissioner Carollo, the
solution was passed and adopted by the following vote -
ES: Commissioner Joe Carollo
Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins
Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr.
Vice -Mayor Demetrio Perez, Jr.
Mayor Maurice A. Ferre
ES: None.
SENT: None.
. AUTHORIZE AMENDMENT TO AGRSSMSNT WITH CLIPPER PIONEERS
FOR GROUPS HISTORIC TIES WITH CITY AND ALLOCATING
$4,000.
. Dawkins: Mr. Mayor, I have one. We agreed to give
,500 to the Pan American pilots in order to help them
ing their convention here and we didn't do it so I would
ke to pass a resolution ... (NOTE: AT THIS POINT,
uommissoner Dawkins reads into the public record Resolution
84-1190, shown hereinbelow)
Mayor Ferro: $4,500?
Mr. Dawkins: Mr. Gary, do you approve this?
Mr. Gary: What I understand here, Mr. Mayor, is, just as
with I.P.M.A. asking the Afrikan Embassy we normally, to
get this conventions, we normally, when they conventions
come in town, we normally host a reception to attract these
conventions in. I think that is what Commissioner Dawkins
is recommending.
Mr. Plummer: Commissioner Dawkins, may I plead with you to
change your wording to promotion?
Mr. Gary: Yes, promotions.
Mr. Dawkins:
Mr. Plummer:
Mayor Ferret
14
Okay. Promotion and reception?
Promotional activities during their stay.
Is there a second?
47 Octotog 19, 1984
Mr. Plummert Yes, I second.
Mayor Ferre: Further discussion? Call the roll.
The following resolution was introduced by Commissioner
Dawkins, who moved its adoption:
:r
RESOLUTION NO. 85-1190 R===
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTIVE AN AGREEMENT IN A
FORM SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF THE CITY
ATTORNEY, WITH THE CLIPPER PIONEERS
INC., FOR PROMOTIONAL ACTIVITIES WITH
THE PURPOSE OF ACKNOWLEDGING AND
PROMOTING THIS GROUP'S HISTORIC TIES
WITH THE CITY OF MIAMI WITH FUNDS
THEREFOR ALLOCATED IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO
EXCEED $4,500 FROM THE CITY'S SPECIAL
PROGRAMS AND ACCOUNTS CONTINGENT FUND.
(Here follows body of resolution,
omitted here and on file in the Office
of the City Clerk.)
Upon being seconded by Commissioner Plummer, the
resolution was passed and adopted by the following vote -
AYES: Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins
Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr.
Vice -Mayor Demetrio Perez, Jr.
Mayor Maurice A. Ferre
NOES: None.
ABSENT: Commissioner Joe Carollo
12. GRR T BEQUEST FOR USE OF CITY COMMISSION C MBEBS FROM
THE DIRECTOR OF THE PUBLIC INTEREST PROGRAM NOV. 29,
1984.
Mayor Ferre: Lucia, this is a request by the Director of
the Public Interest Program with services of the Florida
Bar. They want to use the Commission Hall on Thursday,
November 29, 1984, at 10:00 A.M., and we need a resolution
"to give them the hall. Is there a motion?
Mr. Plummer: You mean in these chambers?
Mayor Ferre: In these chambers.
Mr. Plummer: So moved.
Mr. Gary: You don't need a resolution.
Mrs. Dougherty: You just need to approve it.
Mr. Gary: Just approve it, you don't need a resolution.
Mayor Ferret It has been moved and seconded, call the roll•
Id 48 October 19,
The following motion was introduced by Commissioner
Plummer who moved its adoptions
MOTION NO. 85-1191
A MOTION OF THE CITY COMMISSION PURSUANT
TO A REQUEST FROM THE DIRECTOR OF THE ?1
PUBLIC INTEREST PROGRAM AND SERVICES OF
THE FLORIDA BAR FOR USE OF THE CITY
COMMISSION CHAMBERS ON THURSDAY,
NOVEMBER 29, 1984, AT 10:00 A.M.
O'CLOCK.
Upon being seconded by Commissioner Perez, the motion
was passed and adopted by the following vote -
AYES: Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins
Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr.
Vice -Mayor Demetrio Perez, Jr.
Mayor Maurice A. Ferre
NOES: None.
ABSENT: Commissioner Joe Carollo
THERE BEING NO FURTHER BUSINESS TO COME BEFORE THE CITY
COMMISSION, THE MEETING WAS ADJOURNED AT 7:58 P.I.
Maurice A. Ferre
M A Y O R
ATTEST:
Ralph G. Ongie
CITY CLERK
ASSISTANT CITY CLERK
i
i
m
id
49
rl
DOCUMENT
I MlETINGI HAT!
OCTOBER 19, 1984
ry - . .
Lo
COMMISSION RETRIEVAL
DOCUM JT IDENTIFICATION ACTION KM1 NO
RELAX RESTRICTIONS PLACED ON PYROTECHNIC DIS-
ECTION 1DURING THE JACKSONSE TOURS CONCERTS.
OF CITY
OFMIAMI)
ORANGE BOWL STADIUM, ON NOV. 2 AND 3, 1984
AUTHORIZE CITY MANAGERfCITY ATTORNEY EXECUTE
AN AGREEMENT WITH THE CLIPPER PIONEERS INC.
TO PROMOTE THIS GROUP'S HISTORIC TIES WITH
THE CITY OF MIAMI ( NOT TO EXCEED $4,500)
FROM C. S. P. A. C. F.
84-1189
84-1190