HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem #29 - Discussion ItemOctober 25, 1983
Use of 'r:ey
.I or Various Pol ice
Activities
(Discussion Item)
H. C. lads,- Jr.
Assistant City �ar�aE;er
Kecc:-,n,endation :
It is recomm ended that the mounted jxatrol horse stables be relocated
Vii—inia Key, with the following caveats:
(1) Iiecotnizing that the City would be occupying -
City owned property at Virginia Key valued at
$800,000, the City should receive adequate com-
pensation in the form of land of equal value or
direct pa; ,ient of w800,000 from Pletropolitan Dade
County.
(2) The County should be required to construct horse
stables on the City's designated property at no
cost to the City and subject to City design and
construction supervision.
(3) All outstanding environmental grid health issues
must be resolved to the City's satisfaction.
to
F_'ack.rround :
ibis is intended to summarize various ele,nents and proposals
relatin, to the relocation of the mounted patrol stables to Virginia
Key.
`ietropolitan Dade County desires to have the Police Department stables
relocated from the area next to the Dade County Stockade so that the
stockade can be expanded. There is a need for a 3 to 7 acre site for
stables for 24 horses, feeding; and tack room, office, groom residence,
and enclosed arena.
U�mterra Ltd. included in their preliminary rraster plan for Virginia Key
space to accoanodate police horses. In the Synterra Ltd. memorandum of
. eptember 20, 1.983 they concluded that horse stables are compatible with
their proposed riaster plan for Virginia Key. "The area where this ,use
could best be accommodated from a physical planning standpoint is located
at ti;e for-,,,er landfill site." `iiieir memorandum is further qualified with
tt:e requirement for further tests for the toxicity levels that can effect
jrac. * ` 1-rorJeS .
AdJ4" onal police training, (outdoor shooting; range) facilities were
by Zynterra t-uid it is their recommendation that the shooting
an,7 ; ipport facilities would not be a compl-�mentary use for the
Vl ,-inia it*oy site based on:
0
sensitive .:ildl�fe ! abitat:z encorrpaosD large areas of
nd Will eventually be tralisversed by nature trails anJ
ui environ;ilental stLi(Iy center. 14oise from the firin,'
r�ii:;e :roul i very likely present a disturbance not only to park
IIL'01'3, GUt to Wildlife iIl the area, includill --everal endang Bred
• lncc:::.:atible uses must Le di.3courai;ed and eventually dioccntinued to
successfully establish the proposed recreation facility. The
AitiC it of a i'irinj I'an;;e ani supportink facilities would simply
overburien the level of incompatible uses and detract from the
ulti:,�te Ucal of Virginia key as a major recreation area.
• uI'feril j the wastewater treatment plant and odors which it produces
•,:ill be a significant challenge in creating a major recreation
facility at Virginia Key that will serve the needs of .•.ia..i and Dade
Ccurity residents and tourists.
• i-ropoced dark development plans indicate relocating the entry road
ar.; i:rovidin.; pedestrian and bike trails throujthout the par,.. 'Ifiese
proposed routes will disperse park users over the majority of
ir,rinia Key and in close proximity to the proposed police training
., i 1 -o .
• ncreased parking facilities necessary to meet projected user
vex ac:, ::ould be adjacent to traininG facilities.
• _ : i; - i3 proposed at the existillf; dred;�e disposal area. Training
faCiiitieS �-oulil generate noise that would destroy the ambiance of
the camp :rounds, which are a potential source of revenue for
r,,-Lr,iu i:ey.
• Inccmpatible with a proposed ;shrimpers Village concession complex at
lagoon area.
i : it ir1 , City of ",iiami Plai-aiing Department has evaluated City property
�Ila reco:rc;inded in ranr k ordethe f'ollowinCD
locations for the horse
(1) Virginia Key
(2) hobert King HijJi Park
i,icentennial Park
(4) !etm Isle Park
N*.4. 45 gave./N.W. 1.2 -street
er the Planning I epartment's report is included with this
...... 1,Uri.
'I���.aa; ;; ��'. c;.ar•.
Cit_.• '•l.�tna�rer.
Serf;rlricrucz, Director
P4annin; Department
October 1.9, 1983
Acrenda Item - City Commission
Agenda, October 25, 1983
Police Department Horse Stables
After evaluating numerous sites, the Planning Department recommends
the following sites be considered in rank order for the location of
the Police Department horse stables.
1. Virginia Key
2. Robert Kind High Park
3, Bicentennial Park
4. fern Isle Park
5, r, 45th Avenue/NW 12th Street
Backnrnund
Metronolitan Dade Countv desires to have the Police Department stables
relocated from the area next to the Dade County Stockade so that the
stcckade can be exnanded. There is a need for a 3 to 8 acre site for
stables for 24 horses, feedinc; and tack room, office, groom residence,
enclose6 arena and K-9 kennels and training area.
Evaluation
The Planning Department looked at numerous sites including a series of
under -expressway areas under T-95. The long narrow sites under I-95
were either too confined or the overhead clearance was not sufficient.
The sites selected for further evaluation are as follows:
Virginia Ke v: A site could be located on Virginia Key landfill
irriimediatcly south of the Sewage Treatment Plant. The stables would
be buffered by Virginia Key itself: odors, if anv, from the stables
would dri`t northwest over the Sewage Treatment Plant. Consultants
for H,e Virginia Key Master Plan - Svnterra - indicate that the
stables could be integrated into the master elan and that the problem
Paqe 1 of 3
Ga r %,
October 19, 1983
�`. :-•,�Dsc;uitcs could be surmounted. Utilities would need to be
nrovide(l and V;ould be costly to operate. The stables , ould add
securit•., to the proposed camnorounds and could be a feature of the
nark develooment. This site is 5 miles from downto,-.n and Coconut
Grove. The low-level bascule bridc;es on Rickenbacker. Causeway
are scheduled to be reolacecl by high-level bascules which will
reduce the number of bridge oneninos (and travel time) considerably.
This site offers the larc1est grazincr area of all the sites
consiclered.
Rot:ert Kinc. Isiah Park: That hart of the nark north of Tamiami
Canal is presentl-v used by Boy Scouts and campers for scoutinq and
camping activities. Use of this part of the par': for the stables
would be severely disruntive to these camnina activities. The
nark itself is well buffered. Tamiami Canal and Blue Lanoon are
located to the south and east. A canal and railroad are to the
,7es.t. The narking lots of Miami Merchandise "fart are to the north.
The principal detriment of the site is location - it is 8 miles
from downtown and Coconut Grove through peak hour traffic.
Bicentennial Park: The site is north and east of the nlavinq fields
in Bicentennial nark, and 5 miles from Coconut Grove. The site is
buffered by the park itself although odors, if any., could drift
north:•.•esterly. The stables could add security to the park but they
woulcl i_)e confined by the baseball and soccer fields. The provision
of utilities and their operations would be costly. The Cite Com-
mission has previously opposed this site for the stables.
fern Tslo 'ark: Use of the west end of Fern Isle Park would provide
a tr.ian,;ular-shaved site of 3 acres, bounded by the south fork of.
the :Iiami River, SR 836 and the baseball field at fern Isle. The
site is presently used to stockpile road material for the Denartment
of Public Works; the Parks Department has no plans for the site.
There is the possibility that odors, if any, from the stables would
drift northwesterly over the south fork to a residential area (and
a potential affordable housincl site). Grazing area on the site
would be extremely limited.
45th ,t'vonuc/Nl9 12th Street Drive: The site is annroximately 5
acres in size, 5 miles from downtown and Coconut Grove and is avail-
able through County negotiations. The site is zoned RG-1/3 and
would need to be rezoned to GU. The site is buffered from the south
b�! SR 836 and the north and east by r1iami International Airport park-
i_n-r lots and Red Ton cab lot. To the west is Tamiami Canal. Odors,
if, anv, Frog the stables may still drift northwesterly toward the
airport. The horses may be adversely impacted by mosquitos from
'I'ardarld Canal and the overhead noise from landing/departures from
the ::`.,! r runway of Miami International 1lirnort; the end of the
rurn�av is 1200 feet from the site.
Pane 2 of 3
f
t
u:~ ;• ::- - and recommendation
October 19, 1933
The Plannino Department recommends the Vir.ciinia Key land`ill site
for the Police Denartment horse stables.
Per. the Cit-/County' land scrap aar.eement, the County was to provide
a site; none were acceptable to the Police Department. In this
instance, the Citv would be conveying to the County the Stockade
.)r.o„ert, with an estimated market value of $2 million and the City_
would be nrovidinq Virginia Key land valued at anpro::imately
$800,000. This $2.6million total for. City costs is not balanced
by the Count-'s informal offer of $300,000 to assist in the con-
struction and site imrnr.ovement of the horse stable facilities which
have an estimated total construction cost of no less than $500,000.
Therefore, this imbalance should be discussed further with the
County.
SR: D%,:aw
rage 3 of 3
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