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HomeMy WebLinkAboutOMNI CRA 2023-07-13 MinutesCity of Miami 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com 1ir .....av Ni..„. Omni C R A Meeting Minutes Thursday, July 13, 2023 9:30 AM (OR THEREAFTER) City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Alex Diaz de la Portilla, Chair, District One Joe Carollo, Vice Chair, District Three Sabina Covo, Board Member, District Two Manolo Reyes, Board Member, District Four Christine King, Board Member, District Five OMNI CRA OFFICE ADDRESS: 1401 N. Miami Avenue, 2"d Floor Miami, FL 33136 Phone: (305) 679-6868 www.miamicra.com OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes July 13, 2023 CALL TO ORDER Present: Chair Diaz de la Portilla, Vice Chair Carollo, Commissioner Covo, Commissioner Reyes and Commissioner King On the 13th day of July 2023, the Board of Commissioners of the OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Miami met in regular session at Miami City Hall located at 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida. The meeting was called to order by Chair Diaz de la Portilla at 3:30 p.m., and was adjourned at 3:41 p.m. ALSO PRESENT: H. Bert Gonzalez, Executive Director, CRA George Wysong 1I1, Deputy City Attorney Domini Gibbs-Sorey, Assistant City Attorney Todd B. Hannon, Clerk of the Board APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE FOLLOWING MEETING(S): 1. OMNI COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY - REGULAR MEETING - MAY 25, 2023 9:30 AM MOTION TO: Approve RESULT: APPROVED MOVER: Joe Carollo, Board Member, District Three SECONDER: Christine King, Board Member, District Five AYES: Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Covo, Reyes, King Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Todd, are we ready? Todd B. Hannon (Clerk of the Board): Yes, sir, good to go. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Okay. Good afternoon, everyone. I'm calling to order the July 13th, 2023 Omni Community Redevelopment Agency meeting. Let's call the roll. Everybody's here, we don't have to call it. Do I have a motion to accept the May, 25th, 2023 Omni CRA minutes? Vice Chair Carollo: So move. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Moved by Commissioner Carollo, seconded by Commissioner King. All those in favor, say "aye." The Board Members (Collectively): Aye. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Opposed, "nay." It passes. OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 1 Printed on 09/11/2023 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes July 13, 2023 OMNI CRA RESOLUTION(S) 1. OMNI CRA RESOLUTION 14267 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("CRA"), WITH ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING AND APPROVING THE FINDING OF NECESSITY REPORT PREPARED BY BUSINESSFLARE, LLC, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A" ("REPORT"), FOR THE CONTIGUOUS EXPANSION OF THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CRA TO ALLAPATTAH AND WATSON ISLAND AREAS ("STUDY AREAS"), MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "B;" AND FINDING THAT THE REBUILDING, REHABILITATION, CONSERVATION, AND REDEVELOPMENT OF THE STUDY AREA IS NECESSARY AND IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ("COUNTY"); FINDING THAT THE STUDY AREAS CONSTITUTES A SLUM OR BLIGHTED AREA AS DEFINED IN SECTION 163, FLORIDA STATUTES; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE EXTENSION OF LIFE OF THE CRA TO 2047; FURTHER APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE CRA'S 2023 AMENDED REDEVELOPMENT PLAN, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "C" ("PLAN"); AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE EXISTING INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO GENERAL COUNSEL, BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY"), MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ("COUNTY"), AND THE CRA IN ORDER TO EXPAND THE BOUNDARIES OF THE CRA TO THE STUDY AREAS AND EXTEND THE LIFE OF THE CRA TO 2047; FURTHER DIRECTING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THE STUDY AND THE PLAN TO THE CITY AND THE COUNTY FOR FURTHER LEGISLATIVE ACTION. ENACTMENT NUMBER: CRA-R-23-0030 MOTION TO: Adopt RESULT: ADOPTED MOVER: Christine King, Board Member, District Five SECONDER: Joe Carollo, Board Member, District Three AYES: Diaz de la Portilla, Carollo, Covo, King NAYS: Reyes Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Mr. Executive Director, are you ready? H. Bert Gonzalez (Executive Director, CRA): I am. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: We have one item on the agenda. Mr. Gonzalez: I am certainly ready for this. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: So, I want to recognize Mr. Bert Gonzalez, our executive director. Mr. Gonzalez: Thank you, Board, Commissioners, Chairman. We're here to present .for adoption of our extension/expansion and ILA (Interlocal Agreement) plans to the Board, followed by the city, and subsequently, to the County. The Omni CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) resolution reads as follows: A resolution of the OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 2 Printed on 09/11/2023 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes July 13, 2023 Board of Commissioners of the Omni Redevelopment District Community Redevelopment Agency, CRA, with attachments, accepting and approving the finding of necessity reports prepared by the BusinessFlare, LLC, attached and incorporated, Exhibit A (Report), for the continuous expansion of the boundaries of the CRA to Allapattah and Watson Island areas -- study areas, more particularly described in Exhibit B; and finding that the rebuilding, rehabilitation, conservation, and redevelopment of the study area is necessary and is in the best interest of the public interest, health, safety, and welfare of the residents of the City of Miami and Miami - Dade County; finding that the study areas constitutes a slum or blighted areas as defined in Section 163, Florida Statutes; further authorizing the extension of life of the CRA to 2047; further approving and adopting the CRA's 2023 Amended Redevelopment Plan, attached and incorporated as Exhibit C (Plan); and authorizing the executive director to negotiate and execute an amendment to the existing Interlocal Agreement, in a form acceptable to general counsel between the City of Miami, Miami - Dade County, and the CRA in order to expand the boundaries of the CRA to the study areas and extend the life of the CRA to 2047; further directing the executive director to transmit a copy of the study and the plan to the City and the for -- to the County for further legislative action. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you, Mr. Gonzalez. We're going to open up public comment. Is there any public comment? Any public comment on Item 1 on the CRA agenda? Seeing none, public comment is now closed. We're now at the item. Are there any -- any discussion among the members? Board Member Reyes: Yes. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Questions? Let's start with questions first. Commissioner Reyes, you're recognized, sir. Board Member Reyes: Okay. Mr. Chair, I wholeheartedly support that we extend it to Allapattah, you see, that is fine. I know that part of Watson Island was incorporated in the CRA, and that was when the tunnel was being built, and it was just to make sure that the bonds that were issued, they were paid by the tax increment funds obtained by the Omni. But I don 't see no reason to extend the other part of Watson Island. As a matter offact -- as a matter offact, I mean, there is no blight or slum there. And also, I don't -- I mean, I don't want to compromise the potential tax increment of that area and earmark it only to Allapattah whatever is going to be extended. The tax increment that is coming from the Omni area, I think it more than suffice because at this moment you are not reinvesting. You're not reinvesting and in future years, you don't have to reinvest through -- rid the area of slum and blight, you see. I -- that -- those -- that tax increment, it is invested in Allapattah, I wholeheartedly agree with it, but I don't want to compromise the future of the tax increment on this area that could be very well used by other districts of or other parts of the City, like Liberty City, Overtown, Little Havana, et cetera, et cetera. That tax increment should go to the general fund in order to be used by all residents of the city -- I mean, benefit all the neighborhoods of the City of Miami. So, if I -- I don't know if you want to reconsider that, but just leave Watson Island out for now and extend it to Allapattah using the tax increment finance and funds of the Omni in order to develop Allapattah. But leave the potential tax increment that is going to take place in Watson Island for the general fund to be used in the rest of the City. As a matter of fact, I don't think that -- I mean, it might -- it might hurt the intention of extending the CRA when you have an area that is not -- doesn't -- it is not slum and blight, you see. That could be -- that could also be -- vet), well also be an excuse for not -- I mean, when that part is included, not to accept the extension, you see. And given my experience with the old -- with the CRAs, I believe that this could be detrimental. But I cannot -- I mean, in a clear conscience, compromise or tie the potential tax increment that we are going to -- the City is going to receive by developing those -- that area of Watson Island will be millions and OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 3 Printed on 09/11/2023 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes July 13, 2023 millions of dollars or billions of dollars to that -- to a particular area and not to the general fund to benefit the ivhole city. That's my position and --1 mean -- Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you, Commissioner. Any additional comments? Vice Chair Carollo: Yes, what year --? Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner Carollo, sir. Vice Chair Carollo: I'm still vice chairman? Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, sir. Vice Chair Carollo: So, why did you --? Chair Diaz de la Portilla: I don't know because he started talking so I -- Vice Chair Carollo: Why didn't you call me first? Chair Diaz de la Portilla: I should have. I was going to but he started -- he got ahead of you. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. I just -- Board Member Reyes: (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Vice Chair Carollo: -- want to make sure that you didn't -- Chair Diaz de la Portilla: You 're recognized, Vice Chair. Vice Chair Carollo: -- treated me unfair. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, sir. Vice Chair Carollo: You're not being impartial for someone. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Of course, no. Don't worry, about that one. You're recognized. Vice Chair Carollo: Up until what year was Watson Island part of the Omni CRA? Mr. Gonzalez: Previous -- Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. Mr. Gonzalez: -- Watson Island since 2007 has been under a discussion and originally was in the original plan when the then county manager deleted it from the plans -- Board Member Reyes: Manny Diaz. Mr. Gonzalez: -- and just left the road so we -- the Omni would be burdened or be sacrificed to pay for the port tunnel. Board Member Reyes: That's right. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: I think it's 2006 or 7 when it was the last time it was -- OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 4 Printed on 09/11/2023 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes July 13, 2023 Board Member Reyes: 7. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: -- the last time it was included. Board Member Reyes: That's right. That was during Manny Diaz -- Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah, Manny Diaz's administration. Commissioner Covo: So, right -- Board Member Reyes: -- administration. Commissioner Covo: -- you mentioned -- so right be -- Chair Diaz de la Portilla: 2007. Commissioner Covo: -- after the tunnel. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: It was right after the tunnel. Right, it was to help with the bonding of the tunnel. But there -- it's not the only thing we're doing on Watson Island is the tunnel. That's already been done. Vice Chair Carollo: Well -- Chair Diaz de la Portilla: We're doing many other things that we have in mind. Vice Chair Carollo: -- he wasn 't looking for that money for the Marlins stadium at the time. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: I remember. Vice Chair Carollo: And that wonderful deal he did for us. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: I remember, horrible. Vice Chair Carollo: Yeah. Board Member Reyes: Part of it. Vice Chair Carollo: Okay. Look, the amount of dollars that right today the whole parcel of Watson Island, the whole 100 acres brings is limited. It's going to be quite a few years before that's built out there and we receive any sizeable additional contributions from that, so I have no problems in including that as part of it. Board Member Reyes: Okay. Vice Chair Carollo: If you have the Omni -- and you know, we all know what the Omni looks like. It's the same argument that could be made for the whole waterfront area of the Omni district. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Correct. Vice Chair Carollo: So, I don't see the harm financially that it would create to the City because right now it's not bringing in a huge amount of dollars. And even into the future, again, when all these wonderful ideas hopefully become a reality, we're talking about years away. OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 5 Printed on 09/11/2023 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes July 13, 2023 Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, sir. Vice Chair Carollo: So, 1 don't see any problems with it. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you, Chair. Board Member Reyes: May --? Commissioner Covo: I have one question. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: You're recognized. Commissioner Covo: You mentioned environmental infrastructure -- Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. Commissioner Covo: -- or protections. Is there a plan? Because that would be a way to actually use a redevelopment agency to make a positive impact on Watson Island. I think we need a lot of resilient projects. I mean, if you could commit to that -- Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, I can actually. We're working -- still working on the finer details of our interlocal agreement and where -- Mr. Gonzalez: That is -- that is correct, Chairman. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: -- some of our dollars are going to go. So, I can commit to - - that's definitely a concern for me too, so we are in the same page on that one. Mr. Gonzalez: That is correct. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: I can commit to doing some investment in the environmental concerns that we have for that area, absolutely. Commissioner Covo: And -- Chair Diaz de la Portilla: It's just that we're not going to -- it's not a final product yet. Commissioner Covo: Not in detail. No, but -- Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Yeah. Commissioner Covo: -- exactly. But we need to make sure -- Chair Diaz de la Portilla: But the general concept is there, yes. Commissioner Covo: -- that the environmental -- the resiliency and also the green spaces -- Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Yes. Commissioner Covo: -- and the right use of the land. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Yes, all that will be discussed. Nothing's going to happen here without it coming to this Commission, so that's going to happen. I understand that concern; I share that concern. OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 6 Printed on 09/11/2023 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes July 13, 2023 Board Member Reyes: Mr. Chair, can I just --? Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Well -- Board Member Reyes: Oh, Madam Chair. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Madam Chair, any comments? No? Board Member Reyes: Okay. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Commissioner Reyes. Board Member Reyes: Can I just make a comment on -- Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Of course, sir. You 're recognized. Board Member Reyes: -- Commissioner Carollo said? He is absolutely right. We are not receiving much now. But I am not thinking about now, I'm thinking about how can we tie the -- and handcuff the City for -- with the revenues that they are coming. I look into the future, you see. There is a lot of development that could come. And we -- if we play our right -- our cards right, it's going to be billions of dollars of development that could come into the City coffers in additional tax. That additional tax, I want it to be used in the -- I mean, towards the whole city and could benefit the whole city. That is my position. And I mean, it is only my position. If you -- it's my opinion. And if nobody else thinks like that, just get a vote and that's it, you see. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Do I have a motion to pass -- Board Member Reyes: And we don 't have to vote -- Chair Diaz de la Portilla: -- Resolution 1? Board Member Reyes: We don 't have to be going back and forth, you know. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: Do I have a motion? So moved by Commissioner King, seconded by -- Vice Chair Carollo: Second. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: -- Commissioner Carollo -- Vice Chair Carollo. All those in favor, say "aye." The Board Members (Collectively): Aye. Board Member Reyes: No. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: 4/1. Board Member Reyes: Okay, that's it. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: I think we're done. Vice Chair Carollo: Alright. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: We're -- no other business to conduct. Mr. Gonzalez: Thank you. We now need to present the item to the City. OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 7 Printed on 09/11/2023 OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes July 13, 2023 ADJOURNED Chair Diaz de la Portilla: I'm aware but we're still in -- we're in Commission -- Mr. Gonzalez: We're done. Chair Diaz de la Portilla: -- in CRA mode. Okay, the meeting is now adjourned. You can take over -- back, Madam Chairwoman. Mr. Gonzalez: Thank you, Board. The meeting adjourned at 3:41 p.m. OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Page 8 Printed on 09/11/2023