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HomeMy WebLinkAboutSubmittal-Greg BushVirginia Key: Do It Right After All This Time! From a Hodge Podge to a Model for a Sustainable Urban Environment Presentation of the Urban Environment League October 2009 A Master Plan for Virginia Key: A Long Time Coming: Long term Hodge Podge of Land Uses 1945: Creation of Va Key Beach Lack of coherent planning in future years. 1987: Master Plan Q�-- 1995- Voters reject RV Campground LL— 6o 2000-2003: Charrette and Master Plan for VK Beach. A success. 02004-2009?? What kind of a Master Plan process? Cost $1,000,000 jointly between City and County i Df EDSA Plan: May 2009 Intensive sports complex on old landfillLU e!55 � Large commercial complex on Marine Stadium Site 0 Docks take over Marine Stadium basin 0 N island transportation plan; overwhelming parking garages 0 Mayor Diaz: "We got rid of all those crazy parking garages. It's more passive and green now." (MH: 10/5/09) 09 00g^79- Su6v-n il�7�Cc, V're� -gUSI� UEL Coalition and Advisory Boards Respond February 6, 2007- UEL Rosenstiel Workshop Prods the City 0May 2007 Charrette: afterwards - there was a lack of additional ongoing public input. June 2009 unanimous opposition to EDSA Plan by PAB and Waterfront Board 0 September 26, 2009; Design workshop at Rusty Pelican attended by 100 People reacting to the May and September 2009 Plans. Summary of September 26 UEL/Public Critique There is exciting potential for the island blending natural, cultural, educational and recreational. Yet where is the thematic unity in the EDSA Plan? *Why is the prolonged, elusive and sporadic EDSA/City process - now artificially accelerated at the end? OEDSA Plan has moved in a positive direction since June but a delay for passage is needed to fully implement publicly endorsed ideas. What's the rush at this stage and after all this time, money and public input?. Public input has measurably improved the quality EDSA plan so far. Why give up now? General UEL Consideration: Stop considering the Marine Stadium area as a dumping ground for debris. Begin a clean up NOW! Do not create "green" placeholders for future development but plan for enhanced natural areas from previously disturbed land. Organized ongoing planning and oversight is needed for this island that could become a model of sustainable historic and environmental preservation and human scale recreation and entertainment. Watchwords: clean-up, restore, enhance, preserve. These should be the priorities. Summary of Remaining Issues that Need to be Addressed: 1. Marine Stadium guarantees; no hotels or shopping center: 02. Welcome Center '03. Landfill remediation process; testing needed. Submitted into the public record in connection with item PZ.1 on 10-08-09 2 Priscilla A. Thompson _ City Clerk '04. Thematic integration of the island '05. Sustainable development: transportation plan 06. Virginia Key Beach -commitment for museum '07. North Point: defined. limited structure; perimeter bike path *8. VK Preservation Oversight Board: to oversee deed restrictions, protection of natural environment, and limited development. Serious Process Problems: Longtime lack of respect or oversight of deed restrictions - needs to be investigated. County Att. Where did ideas come from in the May 2009 EDSA plan? More accountability needed here. Who drove the bus along the hyper -garage route? Lack of transparency: Where was the Marine stadium in the 2007 workshop? What happened to the old Governing Bd slide in May 2009? How were the stakeholders identified and consulted? Neighborhood residents? Lack of regular collaboration between the County/City Overall- Why was public input willfully ignored until now; why would people want to show up in the future. Deed Restrictions: Marine Stadium Virginia Key Beach Park North Point County Legal Dept is now examining this set of issues. To report in two weeks. 1. UEL Proposed VK Preservation/Oversight Board Need to assess the longtime neglect of the island - by the City and County. Create a Virginia Key Preservation and Development Board. Submitted into the public record in connection with item PZ.1 on 10-08-09. 3 Priscilla A. Thompson City Clerk 0A multi jurisdictional authority including reps from Miami, MD County, Key Biscayne, NPS, planning professionals, biologists, environmental and neighborhood groups. Bd would create sustainability guidelines for any building on the island; provide ongoing oversight of deed restrictions, proposed construction. 2. VK: Could be a Model of Sustainable Urban Environment 0 Virginia Key (a) Island Transportation plan - solor powered trams and (b) linkages to Key Biscayne, Miami Beach and Miami by water taxis, bus etc. Buildings created related to sea level rise? 0Environmental Standards created for any planned facility: surface parking. Bike path linkages- healthy hearts accentuated. Overseen by ongoing VK Governing Board I Marine Stadium and Marine Basin Area Guarantee needed to preserve it re: heightened adherence to deed restrictions. What are the zoning classifications? Respect guidelines of HEP Board. *What happened to the FEMA money after 1992? Provide explicit guidelines for mass and scale of Marine Stadium Village. No shopping Center.. Is the retail compatible with public purpose? Limit dry storage intrusion re view corridors and mass. What does it look like? Promote environmentally sensitive surface parking - like the approach to MIA on LeJeune Road. * Provide basin public boat ramp in an environmentally acceptable manner; coordinate with Marina; not at the North Point. 4. Virginia Key Welcome Center Located in the Marine Stadium, or nearby building. It would be a modest scale introduction to island features, including bike trails, environmental features, cultural and entertainment facilities, beaches. Submitted into the public record in connection with item PZ.1 on 10-08-09 4 Priscilla A. Thompson Citv Clerk OR would include panels, small exhibits, National Park Service linkages, maps, videos, links to a series of island kiosks 5. Landfill Area Immediate testing is needed to determine real costs and timetable for environmental remediation and what structures, if any, might be permitted on the site. Design is premature. �EDSA Phase I is acceptable if and when DERM passes on remediation plan. Area should close at sundown; night time lights harm sea turtle nesting and surrounding wildlife. 6. North Point/Natural Areas Bike path around perimeter 40No corporate facility with overnight accommodations 40 Children's campground to be named for Mabel Miller, long time VK Activist 7. Historic Virginia Key Beach Park 0 Within one year, create operational funding stream in order to activate bond money provided by County for an Historical and Environmental Museum. ONo hotels are acceptable adhering to the existing deed restrictions OVK Trust to continue with limited staff for events, development/grants. Level of service overseen by VK Trust for City VK parks maintenance, natural areas. management, concession stand. Limited restaurant is acceptable S. Thematic Integration of the Island: An Urban Environment Main themes: environmental, educational, cultural/historical, passive and active recreation, entertainment- eating Submitted into the public record in connection with item PZ.1 on 10-08-09 5 Priscilla A. Thompson City Clerk Link to comparative Urban Forestry movements; marine environment Need for signage and information/orientation kiosk's around the island Bike paths Conclusion: Great strides were taken by EDSA in listening to the public voices - after loud outcry in June 2009. *Yet more detail and conceptual fine tuning needs to be accomplished in order to create a viable final Master Plan. The present plan is inadequate. *What's the rush to complete this plan after all this time and money. Let's do it right. Lets complete the process in a thoughtful manner within a defined period of time - a couple of months. Let's create a plan we can all point to with pride for many years to come. Submitted into the public record in connection with item PZ.1 on 10-08-09 6 Priscilla A. Thompson City Clerk Virginia Key: Do It Right After All This Time! From a Hodge Podge to a Model for a Sustainable Urban Environment Presentation of the Urban Environment League October 2009 A Master Plan for Virginia Key: A Long Time Coming: Long term Hodge Podge of Land Uses 0 1945: Creation of Va Key Beach Lack of coherent planning in future years. 0 1987: Master Plan 0 1995- Voters reject RV Campground 2000-2003: Charrette and Master Plan for VK Beach. A success. 2004-2009?? What kind of a Master Plan process? Cost $1,000,000 jointly between City and County EDSA Plan: May 2009 Intensive sports complex on old landfill Large commercial complex on Marine Stadium Site Docks take over Marine Stadium basin 0 N island transportation plan; overwhelming parking garages Mayor Diaz: "We got rid of all those crazy parking garages. It's more passive and green now." (MH:10/5/09) Submitted into the public record in connection with h item PZ.1 on 10-08-09 1 Priscilla A. Thompson City Clerk UEL Coalition and Advisory Boards Respond February 6, 2007- UEL Rosenstiel Workshop Prods the City May 2007 Charrette: afterwards - there was a lack of additional ongoing public input. June 2009 unanimous opposition to EDSA Plan by PAB and Waterfront Board September 26, 2009; Design workshop at Rusty Pelican attended by 100 People reacting to the May and September 2009 Plans. Summary of September 26 UEL/Public Critique There is exciting potential for the island blending natural, cultural, educational and recreational. Yet where is the thematic unity in the EDSA Plan? OWhy is the prolonged, elusive and sporadic EDSA/City process - now artificially accelerated at the end? 'OEDSA Plan has moved in a positive direction since June but a delay for passage is needed to fully implement publicly endorsed ideas. O What's the rush at this stage and after all this time, money and public input? Public input has measurably improved the quality EDSA plan so far. Why give up now? General UEL Consideration: Stop considering the Marine Stadium area as a dumping ground for debris. Begin a clean up NOW! Do not create "green" placeholders for future development but plan for enhanced natural areas from previously disturbed land. Organized ongoing planning and oversight is needed for this island that could become a model of sustainable historic and environmental preservation and human scale recreation and entertainment. Watchwords: clean-up, restore, enhance, preserve. These should be the priorities. Summary of Remaining Issues that Need to be Addressed: 1. Marine Stadium guarantees; no hotels or shopping center. '02. Welcome Center 03. Landfill remediation process; testing needed. Submitted into the public record in connection with item PZ.1 on 10-08-09 Priscilla A. Thompson City Cierk 2 04. Thematic integration of the island 05. Sustainable development: transportation plan 06. Virginia Key Beach -commitment for museum 07. North Point: defined limited structure, perimeter bike path 08. VK Preservation Oversight Board: to oversee deed restrictions, protection of natural environment, and limited development. Serious Process Problems: Longtime lack of respect or oversight of deed restrictions - needs to be investigated. County Att. Where did ideas come from in the May 2009 EDSA plan? More accountability needed here. Who drove the bus along the hyper -garage route? Lack of transparency: Where was the Marine stadium in the 2007 workshop? What happened to the old Governing Bd slide in May 2009? OHow were the stakeholders identified and consulted? Neighborhood residents? Lack of regular collaboration between the County/City Overall- Why was public input willfully ignored until now; why would people want to show up in the future. Deed Restrictions: Marine Stadium Virginia Key Beach Park North Point County Legal Dept is now examining this set of issues. To report in two weeks. 1. UEL Proposed VK Preservation/Oversight Board Need to assess the longtime neglect of the island - by the City and County. Create a Virginia Key Preservation and Development Board. Submitted into the public record in connection with item PZ.1 on 10-08-09 3 Priscilla A. Thompson City Clerk 0A multi jurisdictional authority including reps from Miami, MD County, Key Biscayne, NPS, planning professionals; biologists, environmental and neighborhood groups. Bd would create sustainability guidelines for any building on the island; provide ongoing oversight of deed restrictions, proposed construction. 2. VK: Could be a Model of Sustainable Urban Environment 0 Virginia Key (a) Island Transportation plan - solor powered trams and (b) linkages to Key Biscayne, Miami Beach and Miami by water taxis, bus etc. Buildings created related to sea level rise? Environmental Standards created for any planned facility: surface parking. Bike path linkages- healthy hearts accentuated. Overseen by ongoing VK Governing Board 3. Marine Stadium and Marine Basin Area Guarantee needed to preserve it re: heightened adherence to deed restrictions. What are the zoning classifications? Respect guidelines of HEP Board. What happened to the FEMA money after 1992? Provide explicit guidelines for mass and scale of Marine Stadium Village. No shopping Center. Is the retail compatible with public purpose? Limit dry storage intrusion re view corridors and mass. What does it look like? Promote environmentally sensitive surface parking - like the approach to MIA on LeJeune Road. Provide basin public boat ramp in an environmentally acceptable manner; coordinate with Marina; not at the North Point. 4. Virginia Key Welcome Center Located in the Marine Stadium, or nearby building. It would be a modest scale introduction to island features, including bike trails, environmental features, cultural and entertainment facilities, beaches. Submitted into the public record in connection with item PZ.1 on 10-08-09 4 Priscilla A. Thompson City Clerk i 0 I would include panels, small exhibits, National Park Service linkages, maps, videos, links to a series of island kiosks 5. Landfill Area Immediate testing is needed to determine real costs and timetable for environmental remediation and what structures, if any, might be permitted on the site. Design is premature. 0EDSA Phase I is acceptable if and when DERM passes on remediation plan. Area should close at sundown; night time lights harm sea turtle nesting and surrounding wildlife. 6. North Point/Natural Areas Bike path around perimeter 0 N corporate facility with overnight accommodations Children's campground to be named for Mabel Miller, long time VK Activist 7. Historic Virginia Key Beach Park *Within one year, create operational funding stream in order to activate bond money provided by County for an Historical and Environmental Museum. *No hotels are acceptable adhering to the existing deed restrictions O VK Trust to continue with limited staff for events, development/grants. Level of service overseen by VK Trust for City VK parks maintenance, natural areas management, concession stand. Limited restaurant is acceptable 8. Thematic Integration of the Island: An Urban Environment Main themes: environmental, educational, cultural/historical, passive and active recreation, entertainment- eating Submitted into the public record in connection with item PZ.1 on 10-08-09 5 j Priscilla A. Thompson City Clerk Link to comparative Urban Forestry movements; marine environment Need for signage and information/orientation kiosk's around the island Bike paths Conclusion: Great strides were taken by EDSA in listening to the public voices - after loud outcry in June 2009. *Yet more detail and conceptual fine tuning needs to be accomplished in order to create a viable final Master Plan. The present plan is inadequate. What's the rush to complete this plan after all this time and money. Let's do it right. Lets complete the process in a thoughtful manner within a defined period of time - a couple of months. Let's create a plan we can all point to with pride for many years to come. Submitted into the public record in connection with item PZ.1 on to-og`og Priscilla A. Thompson City Clerk ,1