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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAnalysisANALYSIS FOR SPECIAL EXCEPTION MIAMI SCIENCE MUSEUM 1075 BISCAYNE BOULEVARD Case No. 10-00494xc APPLICATION FOR SPECIAL EXCEPTION PERMIT SUBJECT TO COMPLIANCE WITH ZONING ORDINANCE 11000 AND CITY CODE, AS AMENDED, AND ALL APPLICABLE CRITERIA, CONSIDERATIONS AND/OR OTHER REGULATIONS. Pursuant to Ordinance 11000, as amended, the Zoning Ordinance of the City of Miami, Florida, the subject proposal for the Miami Science Museum project, located at approximately 1075 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami, Florida, has been reviewed to allow a Major Use Special Permit per Articles 9, 13 and 17, to construct an approximately 87 feet 10 inches height (N.G.V.D.) three (3) story building (with intermediate mezzanines), to be comprised of approximately 118,036 square feet of floor area of science museum with galleries, accessory social spaces, accessory shops, and accessory entertainment service cafe the project will provide 223 off-street parking spaces This Permit includes the following requests: This MAJOR USE SPECIAL PERMIT encompasses the following Special Permits and Requests: SPECIAL EXCEPTION, as per Article 4, Section 4.01, under Conditional Principal Uses of PR Parks (2), to allow supporting social and entertainment services (such as restaurants, cafes and retailing), by Special Exception with City Commission approval; CLASS II SPECIAL PERMIT, as per, ARTICLE 9, Section 908.9, Waterfront Yards, to allow anew development in waterfront yards; CLASS II SPECIAL PERMIT, as per ARTICLE 15, Section 1511, to allow any development between Biscayne Bay and the first dedicated right-of-way; CLASS II SPECIAL PERMIT, as per ARTICLE 9, Section 927, to allow temporary structures, occupancies, and uses reasonably necessary for construction such as construction fence, covered walkway and if encroaching public property must be approved by other city departments; CLASS II SPECIAL PERMIT, as per, ARTICLE 10, Section 10.5.2, to allow identification and directional signs; CLASS I SPECIAL PERMIT, as per ARTICLE 9, Section 906.9, to allow temporary carnival, festival, fair or similar type event on privately owned or City -owned land such as a ground breaking ceremony; CLASS] SPECIAL PERMIT, as per ARTICLE 9, Section 916.2.1, to allow parking for temporary special event such as ground breaking ceremonies; CLASS I SPECIAL PERMIT, as per ARTICLE 9, Section 918.2, to allow temporary off-street offsite parking for construction crews working on a residential project under construction; CLASS I SPECIAL PERMIT, as per ARTICLE 9, Section 920.1.2, to allow construction trailer(s) and other temporary construction offices such as watchman's quarters, leasing and sales centers; CLASS I SPECIAL PERMIT, as per, ARTICLE 10, Section 10.3.2, to allow temporary development signs; REQUEST, for waiver of CHAPTER 36 NOISE, Section 36-6 Construction Equipment (a) permitting the operation of construction equipment exceeding the sound level of a reading of 0.79 weighted average dab at any time and/or day subject to the City Manager Exception pursuant to Section 36-6 (c) and all the applicable criteria; REQUEST for applicable MAJOR USE SPECIAL, that the following conditions be required at the time of issuance of Shell Permit instead or at issuance of a Foundation Permit: The requirement to record in the Public Records a Declaration of Covenants and/or Restrictions providing that the ownership, operation and maintenance of all common areas and facilities will be by the property owner and/or a mandatory property owner association; And the requirement to record in the Public Records a Unity of Title or a covenant in lieu of a Unity of Title. In determining the appropriateness of the Special Exception for the proposed project the following findings have been made: • It is found that the proposed "Miami Science Museum" is part of a Master Plan also called "Museum Park Miami". • It is found that the Master Plan was approved by the City Commission on March 13, 2008 under Resolution R-08-0126 with all the same structures, features, and landscaping proposed with this Special Exception. • It is found that the "Miami Science Museum" project plans depict a new three story building of 118,036 square feet of floor area of Science Museum with galleries, service cafe, retail and Dome Theater complemented by features consisting of a entry plaza, terraces, clearing, grove, and service yard with an underground parking garage. • It is found that the Special Exception is required for the "Miami Science Museum" to establish a social and entertainment use, the service cafe, within PR "Parks, Recreation and Open Space" zoned parcel. • It is found that the service cafe is compatible with and beneficial to the area by providing an enhancing social and entertainment component to the Park. • It is found that the proposed Park will enhance the waterfront area and City with the design and cultural experience. • It is found that the underground parking area will provided 223 off-street parking spaces where 302 spaces are required, thus; there is an accompanying variance request associated with this project to waive 79 required parking spaces. • It is found that the proposed project was reviewed by the Internal Design Review Committee on June 15, 2010 and found that the Museum Park Miami is consistent with the approved Master Plan with several listed conditions below met. • It is found that a landscape plan is provided but requires further expression of the plant material and design to comply with the City's Ordinance. • It is found that no signage and lighting details were provided as part of this application. • It is found that all subordinate Special Permits (Class I and Class ll) to the Special Exception have been reviewed and found in compliance. • It is found that with respect to all additional criteria as specified in Section 1305 of the Zoning Ordinance 11000, the proposal has been reviewed and found to be in compliance. • It is found upon compliance of conditions specified below; this request will not have any adverse impacts on the surrounding area. Based on these findings, the Planning Department is recommending approval with the following conditions, which must be reviewed and approved by the Planning Department prior to the issuance of any Building permits: 1. Provide revised site plan indicating the maneuvering paths for loading vehicles. 2. Provide a three-dimensional drawing or rendering of the proposal from a pedestrian view on Biscayne Boulevard showing the impact of the project and its effect on the boulevard. 3. Provide a revised site plan with dimensioned parking area indicating widths of all drive - aisles and parking stalls consistent with the City of Miami Off-street Parking Guides and Standards. 4. Provide revised plans detailing all signage and lighting for the project. 5. Provide revised plans showing enhanced materials or artistic/architectural treatment along the ground level of the building, in order to enhance the pedestrian experience. 6. Provide revised plans showing the Cafe on the Southwest corner with transparent views out to Biscayne Boulevard to activate the corner of the site and provide eyes on the street. 7. Provide large scale elevations of the ground level illustrating the effect of the building at the pedestrian level include materials and colors. 8. Provide revised plans showing details of the proposed treatment to the blank walls. 9. Provide revised landscape plan showing further development of the Level I plaza planting design beyond groundcover and grasses to incorporate mid level and taller vertical plant material that will provide and enhance human scale within the plaza.\ 10. Provide revised landscape plan showing additional shade trees along the Biscayne Boulevard back of sidewalk landscape areas and within the entry drive walkway (Parcel S-3) to create an allee shade planting and include showing further development of the planting design within Parcel S-3 to define differences between groundcover species, shrubs, and grasses. 11. Provide revised landscape plan showing further development of the planting design along the north and south building perimeters to define differences between species and plant materials. 12. Provide revised landscape plan showing screen views into the parking area with vertical plantings behind gabion terraces, and provide planters or landscape terraces along the base of the Planetarium building corner. SECTION 1305.2 Criteria Matrix *Compliance is subject to conditions Application Type: Special Exception (File No. 10-00494xc) Project Name: MIAMI SCIENCE MUSEUM Project Address: 1075 BISCAYNE BOULEVARD C, Pursuant to Section 1305.2 of the Zoning Ordinance, the specific site plan aspects of the PROJECT that have been found by the City Commission (based upon facts and reports prepared or submitted by staff or others) to adhere to the following Design Review Criteria subject to the any applicable conditions in the Development Order herein: DESIGN REVIEW CRITERIA 1) Site and Urban Planning: Applicability Compliance (1) Respond to the physical contextual environment Yes Yes* taking into consideration urban form and natural features; (2) Siting should minimize the impact of automobile Yes Yes* parking and driveways on the pedestrian environment and adjacent properties; (3) Buildings on corner lots should be oriented to the N/A - corner and public street fronts 11) Architecture and Landscape Architecture: Applicability Compliance (1) A project shall be designed to comply with all Yes Yes* applicable landscape ordinances; (2) Respond to the neighborhood context; Yes Yes (3) Create a transition in bulk and scale; Yes Yes (4) Use architectural styles and details (such as roof Yes Yes* lines and fenestration), colors and materials derivative from surrounding area; (5) Articulate the building facade vertically and Yes Yes* horizontally in intervals that conform to the existing structures in the vicinity. III) Pedestrian Oriented Development: Applicability Compliance (1) Promote pedestrian interaction; Yes Yes* (2) Design facades that respond primarily to the Yes Yes* human scale; (3) Provide active, not blank facades. Where blank Yes Yes* walls are unavoidable, they should receive design treatment. SECTION 1305.2 Criteria Matrix *Compliance is subject to conditions IV) Streetscape and Open Space: Applicability (1) Provide usable open space that allows for Yes convenient and visible pedestrian access from the public sidewalk; (2) Landscaping, including plant material, trellises, special pavements, screen walls, planters and similar features should be appropriately incorporated to enhance the project. V) Vehicular Access and Parking: (1) Design for pedestrian and vehicular safety to minimize conflict points; (2) Minimize the number and width of driveways and curb cuts; (3) Parking adjacent to a street front should be minimized and where possible should be located behind the building; (4) Use surface parking areas as district buffer. Yes Applicability Yes Yes Yes N/A Compliance Yes Yes* Compliance Yes Yes Yes* VI) Screening: Applicability Compliance (1) Provide landscaping that screen undesirable Yes Yes* elements, such as surface parking lots, and that enhances space and architecture; (2) Building sites should locate service elements like Yes Yes trash dumpster, loading docks, and mechanical equipment away from street front where possible. When elements such as dumpsters, utility meters, mechanical units and service areas cannot be located away from the street front they should be situated and screened from view to street and adjacent properties; (3) Screen parking garage structures with program N/A - uses. Where program uses are not feasible soften the garage structure with trellises, landscaping, and/or other suitable design element. SECTION 1305.2 Criteria Matrix *Compliance is subject to conditions VII) Signage and Lighting: Applicability Compliance (1) Design signage appropriate for the scale and Yes Yes* character of the project and immediate neighborhood; (2) Provide lighting as a design feature to the Yes Yes* building facade, on and around landscape areas, special building or site features, and/or signage; (3) Orient outside lighting to minimize glare to Yes Yes* adjacent properties; (4) Provide visible signage identifying building Yes Yes* addresses at the entrance(s) as a functional and aesthetic consideration. VIII) Preservation of Natural Features: ApplicabilitV Compliance (1) Preserve existing vegetation and/or geological N/A - features whenever possible. IX) Modification of Nonconformities: ApplicabilitV Compliance (1) For modifications of nonconforming structures, no N/A - increase in the degree of nonconformity shall be allowed; (2) Modifications that conform to current regulations N/A - shall be designed to conform to the scale and context of the nonconforming structure.