HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 2009-05-28 MinutesCity of Miami
City Hall
3500 Pan American Drive
Miami, FL 33133
www.miamigov.com
Meeting Minutes
Thursday, May 28, 2009
9:00 AM
PLANNING & ZONING
City Hall Commission Chambers
City Commission
Manuel A. Diaz, Mayor
Joe Sanchez, Chair
Michelle Spence -Jones, Vice -Chair
Angel Gonzalez, Commissioner District One
Marc David Sarnoff, Commissioner District Two
Tomas Regalado, Commissioner District Four
Pedro G. Hernandez, City Manager
Julie 0 Bru, City Attorney
Priscilla A. Thompson, City Clerk
City Commission
Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
CONTENTS
APPROVED
PR - PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
MV - MAYORAL VETOES
AM - APPROVING MINUTES
CA - CONSENT AGENDA
PH - PUBLIC HEARINGS
FR - FIRST READING ORDINANCES
RE - RESOLUTIONS
DI - DISCUSSION ITEMS
PART B
PZ - PLANNING AND ZONING ITEM(S)
M - MAYOR'S ITEMS
D1 - DISTRICT 1 ITEMS
D2 - DISTRICT 2 ITEMS
D3 - DISTRICT 3 ITEMS
D4 - DISTRICT 4 ITEMS
D5 - DISTRICT 5 ITEMS
Minutes are transcribed verbatim. Periodically, agenda items are revisited during a meeting.
"[Later...]" refers to discussions that were interrupted and later continued.
City ofMiami Page 2 Printed on 6/22/2009
City Commission
Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
9:00 A.M. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Present: Commissioner Gonzalez, Commissioner Sarnoff, Chair Sanchez, Commissioner
Regalado and Vice Chair Spence -Jones
On the 28th day ofMay 2009, the City Commission of the City ofMiami, Florida, met at its
regular meeting place in City Hall, 3500 Pan American Drive, Miami, Florida, in regular
session. The meeting was called to order by Chair Sanchez at 9:29 a.m., recessed at 11: 51 a.m.,
reconvened at 2:15 p.m., recessed at 3: 39 p.m., reconvened at 3: 55 p.m. to begin the CRA
meeting which adjourned at 4:22 p.m., reconvened at 4:22 p.m., and adjourned at 7:28 p.m.
Note for the Record: Commissioner Spence -Jones entered the Commission chambers at 9:32
a.m. and Commissioner Gonzalez entered the Commission chambers at 9:45 a.m.
Note for the Record: The CRA Board of Commissioners convened at 3:55 p.m. to begin the CRA
meeting, Board Member Regalado entered the chambers at 3: 57 p.m.
ALSO PRESENT:
Julie O. Bru, City Attorney
Pedro G. Hernandez, City Manager
Priscilla A. Thompson, City Clerk
Pamela E. Burns, Assistant City Clerk
Chair Sanchez: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. The City ofMiami Commission meeting
is being called to order. I want to welcome you to our May 28, 2009 meeting of the City of
Miami Commission in these historic chambers. The members of the City Commission are Vice
Chair Spence -Jones, Commissioner Tomas Regalado, Commissioner Angel Gonzalez,
Commissioner Marc Sarnoff, and myself Joe Sanchez, as your Chair. Also on the dais, not yet,
but he will be here, just coming in, is City Manager Pete Hernandez. Our City Attorney is Julie
O. Bru, and our City Clerk, Patricia [sic] Thompson's back. Good to have you back. We missed
you. The meeting will be opened by a prayer, which I will lead into, and then we'll have the
pledge of allegiance by Commissioner Sarnoff. At that time, hopefully, we'll get the other
Commissioners and we'll continue with the presentation.
[Later...]
Invocation and pledge of allegiance delivered.
PRESENTATIONS AND PROCLAMATIONS
PR.1 09-00627 PRESENTATION
Honoree
Presenter Protocol Item
Manoucheka Thermitus Michelle Spence -Jones Certificate of Appreciation
PRESENTED
Commissioner Spence -Jones presented certificates of appreciation to the following individuals
for their contributions and support of the City ofMiami's 2009 Haitian Heritage Month
Celebration: Manoucheka Thermitus, Dr. Liliane Delbor, Terry Riley, Chipi Morales, Kerry
Keeler, Sabrina Jackson, and Lisandra Correa.
Chair Sanchez: All right. We will now make the presentation and proclamation at this time.
Presentation made.
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
MAYORAL VETOES
Chair Sanchez: All right. We go down the order of the day, which is the agenda. At this time, I
have a letter from the Mayor, which clearly states that there are no mayoral vetoes. We take that
into the record.
APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE FOLLOWING MEETING:
Votes:
Order of the Day
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, to APPROVED
PASSED by the following vote.
Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Sarnoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez
Chair Sanchez: Then we need a motion to approve the following minutes -- well, really, only
one, Planning and Zoning meeting ofApril 23, 209 [sic]. Need a motion.
Commissioner Sarnoff So moved.
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Chair Sanchez: Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff second by Commissioner Regalado.
Discussion on the item? Hearing no discussion on the item, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay." Motion carries. Takes
care of that.
END OF APPROVING MINUTES
Chair Sanchez: All right. This is a PZ (Planning & Zoning) agenda. Just want to make sure
that we understand that the agenda is -- the order of the day is the agenda that's in front of us.
It's been properly advertised. We will go through that. We do have a CRA (Community
Redevelopment Agency) meeting, which we're trying to work things out because there's a couple
of items that we must take up before we go to the CRA. So as it looks right now is we're probably
going to take the CRA later on, or maybe at 3 or 4, so we could get some order here. Madam
Attorney, we will now begin the regular meeting. The City Attorney will state the procedures to
be followed during the Commission meeting. Madam Attorney, you're recognized for the record.
Julie O. Bru (City Attorney): Good morning, Mr. Chairman, members of the Commission, Mr.
Manager, Madam City -- Madam Clerk. Please note any person who is a lobbyist must register
with the City Clerk before appearing before the City Commission. A copy of the Code section
about lobbyists is available in the City Clerk's office. The material for each item on the agenda
is available during business hours at the City Clerk's office and on-line at www.miamigov.com.
Anyone wishing to appeal any decision made by the City Commission for any matter considered
at this meeting may need a verbatim record of the item. No cell phones or other noise -making
devices are permitted. Please silence those devices now. Any person making offensive remarks
or who becomes unruly in the Commission chambers will be barred from further attending
Commission meetings. Any person with a disability requiring auxiliary aids and services for this
meeting, please notify the City Clerk. The meeting will either end at the conclusion of
deliberation of the agenda item being considered at 10 p.m. or at the conclusion of the regularly
scheduled agenda, whichever occurs first. And the lunch recess will begin at the conclusion of
deliberation of the agenda item being considered at noon, subject to the Chairman stating, at
which time the CRA meeting will commence.
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
Chair Sanchez: All right. Thank you so much. At this time, the Chair -- the Administration will
announce which items, if any, are to be either withdrawn, deferred or submitted. Mr. City
Manager, you're recognized for the record. Is any items that you wish to pull?
Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): Mr. Chairman, Commissioners, good morning. Yes, there
is. On one item, FR.1, that I would like to, in essence, withdraw to bring it back in a different
form. We need to do some additional changes to that ordinance, and I want to have the
opportunity to do it all together at once, and then only necessitating one time for the item to
come to the City Commission.
Chair Sanchez: That's FR.1?
Mr. Hernandez: FR.1.
Chair Sanchez: All right, so you're asking for a deferral [sic]. All right. Any other items so we
could take a vote on all of them? Any other items?
Commissioner Regalado: I have --
Chair Sanchez: Yes, sir. Commissioner Regalado, you're recognized.
Commissioner Regalado: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On the consent agenda, item number 7, if
we can defer this to the next regular meeting so we can have the proper documents filled.
Chair Sanchez: Okay, so CA. 7 and FR.1. Any other item?
Mr. Hernandez: Mr. Chair, FR.1 will be a withdrawal, rather than a deferral.
Chair Sanchez: Okay. So it is a withdrawal. So, for the record, FR.1. is a withdrawal. We
don't need to take any action on that. We do need to take an action as to deferral of CA.7.
There's a motion by Commissioner Regalado. Is there a second?
Commissioner Sarnoff Second.
Chair Sanchez: Second by Commissioner Sarnoff. Any discussion on the item? Hearing none,
all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay." CA.7 has been
deferred.
[Later...]
Chair Sanchez: Let's -- well, we could take up the consent agenda. Any item on the consent
agenda -- Once again, as to the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency), there are two items
that must be taken up before we vote on the CRA, so we need to decide how we're going to do
that. That's RE.18 and PZ.17, I believe. So those two items, what I suggest is that we take the
CRA later on in the afternoon, and that way we could take those items up before we vote on --
take up the CRA.
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
CA.1 09-00485
District 4-
Commissioner
Tomas Regalado
CONSENT AGENDA
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
ALLOCATION OF FUNDS, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $2,000, TO
THE UNITY INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION INC., TO CO-SPONSOR ITS
2009 COMMUNITY EVENT; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM THE DISTRICT 4
SPECIAL EVENTS BUDGET, ACCOUNT NO. 001000.921054.6.289.
09-00485 Legislation.pdf
This Matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
R-09-0242
CA.2 09-00486 RESOLUTION
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING
Police THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDS TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT
TRAINING TRUST FUND, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED
$100,000; ALLOCATING SAID FUNDS FROM THE LAW
ENFORCEMENT TRUST FUND, AWARD NO. 1169, PROJECT NO.
19-690001 AND ACCOUNT CODE 12500.191602.540000.0000, WITH
SUCH EXPENDITURES HAVING BEEN APPROVED BY THE CHIEF
OF POLICE AS COMPLYING WITH SECTION 932.7055, FLORIDA
STATUTES, AS AMENDED.
09-00486 Legislation.pdf
09-00486 Summary Form.pdf
09-00486 E-mail.pdf
09-00486 Affidavit.pdf
09-00486-Summary Fact Sheet.pdf
This Matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
CA.3 09-00487
Department of
Capital
Improvements
Program
R-09-0243
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A
LICENSE AGREEMENT, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, WITH
BAY PARC PLAZA APARTMENTS, L.P., ALLOWING THE CITY OF MIAMI TO
USE THE LICENSE AREA FOR CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES FOR THE
NORTH BAYSHORE DRIVE DRAINAGE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT,
B-50658.
City ofMiami Page 6 Printed on 6/22/2009
City Commission
Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
09-00487 Legislation.pdf
09-00487 Exhibit 1.pdf
09-00487 Exhibit 2.pdf
09-00487 Exhibit 3.pdf
09-00487 Summary Form.pdf
This Matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
CA.4 09-00488
Department of
Purchasing
R-09-0244
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ACCEPTING THE BID
RECEIVED MARCH 16, 2009, PURSUANT TO INVITATION FOR BID NO.
131107, FROM HPI INTERNATIONAL INC., THE LOWEST RESPONSIVE
AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER, FOR THE PURCHASE OF PHOTOGRAPHIC
FILM, ON A CITYWIDE, AS -NEEDED CONTRACTUAL BASIS, FOR AN
INITIAL CONTRACT PERIOD OF ONE (1) YEAR, WITH THE OPTION TO
RENEW FOR THREE (3) ADDITIONAL ONE-YEAR PERIODS; ALLOCATING
FUNDS FROM THE VARIOUS SOURCES OF FUNDS FROM THE USER
DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES, SUBJECT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF
FUNDS AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE TIME OF NEED.
09-00488 Legislation.pdf
09-00488 Summary Form.pdf
09-00488 Tabulation of Bids.pdf
09-00488 Letter.pdf
09-00488 IFB.pdf
This Matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
CA.5 09-00494
Department of
Information
Technology
R-09-0245
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A
SOFTWARE SUPPORT AGREEMENT AND ADDENDUM THERETO
(COLLECTIVELY, "AGREEMENT"), IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED
FORM(S), WITH DAYSTAR COMPUTER SYSTEMS INC., AN ILLINOIS
CORPORATION, ("DAYSTAR"), FOR SOFTWARE SUPPORT SERVICES
AND ASSOCIATED MAINTENANCE SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE
LEGISTAR SYSTEM FOR THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE, FOR A ONE-YEAR
TERM COMMENCING JUNE 1, 2009 UNTIL MAY 30, 2010, WITH OPTIONS
TO RENEW FOR UP TO THREE (3) ADDITIONAL ONE-YEAR TERMS, AT A
PROPOSED COST FOR THE ANNUAL SOFTWARE SUPPORT FEE
AMOUNT OF TWENTY-FOUR THOUSAND, SIX HUNDRED AND
TWENTY-NINE DOLLARS ($24,629), FOR UNLIMITED SOFTWARE
SUPPORT SERVICES, WITH ANY RENEWAL TERM AMOUNTS SUBJECT
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
TO ANNUAL INCREASES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED THREE
PERCENT (3%), FOR SOFTWARE SUPPORT FEES EACH RENEWAL
TERM, AND SUBJECT TO BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT TIME OF NEED;
APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR SYSTEM UPGRADES FROM VARIOUS
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT ACCOUNTS AND STRATEGIC FUNDS;
ALLOCATING FUNDS FOR MAINTENANCE SUPPORT, FROM THE
OPERATING BUDGET OF THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY PROJECT ACCOUNT NO. 00001.251000.546000.0000.00000,
FOR THE INITIAL TERM; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER
TO NEGOTIATE AND TO EXECUTE ANY SUBSEQUENT AMENDMENTS,
AFTER CONSULTATION WITH THE CITY ATTORNEY, FOR SAID
PURPOSE.
09-00494 Legislation.pdf
09-00494 Exhibit.pdf
09-00494 Summary Form.pdf
09-00494 Pre Legislation 1.pdf
09-00494 Pre Legislation 2.pdf
This Matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
CA.6 09-00495
Department of
Parks and
Recreation
R-09-0246
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ESTABLISHING A NEW
AWARD TO FUND PROJECT 29-115025 UNDER THE SPECIAL REVENUE
PROJECT ENTITLED: "PROJECT SEARCH MIAMI," AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $14,200, CONSISTING OF A DONATION
FROM CHARLIE DELUCCA, ACCEPTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION
18-115, OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED,
TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE PROGRAMS FOR THE
DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED WHICH ARE ADMINISTERED BY THE
CITY OF MIAMI'S DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION THROUGH
ITS PROGRAMS FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES DIVISION, TO
FACILITATE THE HIRING OF A PROJECT SEARCH STUDENT TO BE
EMPLOYED IN THE CLASSIFICATION OF WORKER TRAINEE, TO WORK
FOR A ONE (1) YEAR PERIOD AT THE CITY OF MIAMI'S RIVERSIDE
CENTER BUILDING DURING THE 2009-2010 SCHOOL YEAR.
09-00495 Legislation.pdf
09-00495 Summary Form.pdf
09-00495 Letter.pdf
09-00495 Letter 2 .pdf
09-00495 Check.pdf
This Matter was ADOPTED on the Consent Agenda.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
CA.7 09-00542
R-09-0247
RESOLUTION
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
District 4- A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION CODESIGNATING
Commissioner NORTHWEST 2ND STREET FROM NORTHWEST 22ND AVENUE TO
Tomas Regalado NORTHWEST 24TH AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS "ELIZABETH BRUTONS
WAY;" FURTHER DIRECTING THE CITY MANAGER TO INSTRUCT THE
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS
RESOLUTION TO THE HEREIN DESIGNATED OFFICES.
09-00542 Legislation.pdf
09-00542 Exhibit.pdf
09-00542 Bio.pdf
09-00542 Codesignation Application.pdf
DEFERRED
A motion was made by Commissioner Regalado, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, and was
passed unanimously, to defer item CA.7 to the Commission meeting currently scheduled for June
11, 2009.
Adopted the Consent Agenda
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Vice Chair Spence -Jones, including all the
preceding items marked as having been adopted on the Consent Agenda. The motion
carried by the following vote:
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Samoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
END OF CONSENT AGENDA
Chair Sanchez: Anything else on the agenda that anyone may want to pull? If not, consent
agenda. Is there a motion to approve the consent agenda?
Commissioner Sarnoff So moved.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Second.
Chair Sanchez: Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff second by Vice Chair Spence -Jones, on the
remaining consent agenda. All right. Any discussion on the consent agenda? Hearing no
discussion on the consent agenda, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay" Motion carries. For
the record, Commissioner Gonzalez is present and we have a full Commission.
PUBLIC HEARINGS
PH.1 09-00496 RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), BY A FOUR -FIFTHS (4/5THS) AFFIRMATIVE VOTE,
AFTER AN ADVERTISED PUBLIC HEARING, RATIFYING THE CITY
MANAGER'S RECOMMENDATION, WAIVING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
COMPETITIVE BIDDING PROCEDURES FOR THE PROCUREMENT OF
SERVICES, PURSUANT TO SECTION 18-85 OF THE CODE OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER
TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT WITH LARQCON GROUP, INC., IN
SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO
EXCEED $200,000, FOR RENOVATIONS TO THE CITY OF MIAMI OWNED
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
SIMPSON PARK; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT
PROJECT NO. B-39910G; FURTHER ACCEPTING APPROXIMATELY
$750,000, IN GOODS AND SERVICES DONATED BY ENEA GARDEN
DESIGN, LARQCON GROUP, INC., AUDI, AND VARIOUS OTHER GROUPS
TO SIMPSON PARK.
09-00496 Legislation.pdf
09-00496 Exhibit.pdf
09-00496 Summary Form.pdf
09-00496 Memo 1.pdf
09-00496 Memo 2.pdf
09-00496 Notice of Public Hearing.pdf
09-00496-Su bmittal-Photo. pdf
SPONSOR:
COMMISSIONER SARNOFF
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Vice Chair Spence -Jones, that this matter
be ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Samoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
R-09-0248
Chair Sanchez: Okay. Let's take up public hearing item PH.1. PH.1 requires a four fifth
affirmative vote on the item. This is -- we are on item PH.1, which is the renovation, Simpson
Park.
Ola Aluko (Director, Capital Improvements): Good morning, Commissioners. PH.1 is a
resolution accepting donated goods and services, authorizing -- and also authorizing the
construction contract for Simpson Park. This is a two-part resolution. Goods and services were
donated by Enea Group and Audi some time in January at Simpson Park, and you can see the
renovations before you. We would like you to accept those goods and services. And secondly,
there is a second phase to this project where Audi and the Enea Group would like to continue the
project, which will be a pavilion and a wood deck within the park itself. The funds for this
project will be from the District 2 Commission office out of his quality of life dollars, which will
be in the amount of $200, 000. And we request that the City Commission accept the goods and
services and also have a four fifths affirmative vote on awarding the contract to the Larqcon
Group Construction.
Commissioner Sarnoff Mr. Chair.
Chair Sanchez: Okay. We need a motion and a second.
Commissioner Sarnoff So moved.
Chair Sanchez: Motion by --
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Second.
Chair Sanchez: -- Commissioner Sarnoff, second by the Vice Chair. You're recognized for the
record, Commissioner.
Commissioner Sarnoff I was -- I guess the word I want to use is lured into this project by the
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
Mayor's chief of staff. I don't know if Suzanna is here. But Suzanna Valdez, along with the
Mayor, did yeoman's work in attracting Audi and the others to actually start the project with
pretty much any -- without any City funding. When I went out there to see it -- and you see the
quality of the work. And I don't mean this disrespectfully of the City ofMiami, but it is
top-notch, topflight work. And Suzanna and I are going to be, along with the Mayor, trying to
get some more donations at a public -- at a fundraiser that we're going to be attending. And to
Suzanna's credit -- and I think District 2 is very judicious in its use of its quality of life funds
since we have so much left -- I've agreed to put $200, 000 toward this project, and Audi and the
others have agreed to continue their efforts at fundraising. And for those of you that don't know
the Enea Gardens Design Group, along with the Larqcon Group, they are truly the pinnacle at
what they do. There is nobody better than these folks at design. And for anybody who's been out
to the -- I guess the way to describe it is the Beach South Point project --
Mr. Aluko: South Point Beach.
Commissioner Sarnoff South Point Beach -- thank you. I mean, a lot of people come back with
absolute -- the highest compliments you can come back with for that. The Enea Gardens -- and
it's a much smaller scale -- is every bit as good or better than that group in terms of what they're
going to do. Obviously, Simpson Park is a thicket. It's a preserve, and it's not intended to
change the preserve. It's just -- the whole purpose of the beautifying of the front is to attract
people simply to walk through and have an opportunity at a green space that wasn't readily
accessible before. In addition, outside of the park, it makes it a very presentable place for
people just to sit down, take a rest. The benches there are topflight. They're not like City
benches. And I would ask everybody to affirmatively vote for what has been done out there.
And, of course, the District 2 will use its $200, 000 in its quality of life to help complete the
project. But I really want to give my compliments to the Mayor and to the Mayor's chief of staff
because I think, without Suzanna Valdez, I don't think any of this would have happened. And I
think if she leaves one fingerprint here in the City ofMiami, I think we should all remember her
for the very opening of Simpson Park.
Chair Sanchez: Further discussion? Vice Chair? On the item, I had the opportunity to go out
there when they did the opening. And let me just tell you, it's something that is -- really enhances
the park where I think the City, for quite some time, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that recognizes
Simpson Park is really a treasure for the City because that's the last hammocks that we have
available in our city. This gives it an inviting gateway for people to enjoy the park. You know, I
support the idea of partnering up with people that are going to come to the City and help us out
to improve our parks and stuff. But the concern that I have here is one that may come out and
someone may challenge later on as when we have companies that come in and want to volunteer,
want to donate their time and their efforts but later on end up getting work to finish a project, I
think that if we're not careful and the Administration's not careful, it may lead the Administration
into a slippery slope as somebody may say, well, that's the tactic that some companies are using
to fry to get work from the City. So I think we got to be very careful so we don't get the finger
pointed at as being -- and I do support -- you know, anybody who wants to come in the City and
want to partner up to improve a park and we're going to save money and we're going to improve
the park, I'm all for it. But I think we need to be very careful that later on in the future, we're not
challenged by not allowing procurement, by letting companies come in that want to just open the
doors and get in and then bring it to the Commission to have additional work done. And it's just
a concern that I have that I think that needs to be addressed by the Administration. All right. No
further discussion on the item. There's a motion and second. Public --
Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): Mr. --
Chair Sanchez: -- hearing.
Mariano Cruz: Public hearing, yes.
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
Chair Sanchez: Commissioner --
Mr. Cruz: Mariano Cruz --
Chair Sanchez: Mariano, you're recognized for the record.
Mr. Cruz: -- 1227 Northwest 26 Street. Happy day in the city. Payday(UNINTELLIGIBLE).
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) see happy faces around here. You know, I am a member of the other
committee on the bond side. When I saw this, I read the 32 pages. And I'm like you. I have a
magnifying glass with a light to check the fine print, and I like what saw here. This is very
good because I -- when my children were growing, I had property in (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
County. I used to go to the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) towers. You know, when Igo to Simpson, it
remind me of (UNINTELLIGIBLE) tower. There's a sign that say, this is the place I come to find
myself and that's why you go there. It's an oasis in the middle of the Brickell conflict and we
need that. For many years, I was the only -- and Joe, too, was here -- lobbying money for the
parks, when they were cannibalizing the Parks Department, taking money for the police and
everything. And what happened at the time? (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the river cops. We need
more parks. And that's why I am very happy to see -- I dedicate a lot of time to all of this, but
find it worthwhile. We need more parks, not more prisons, okay? That's what we need here.
And that is a good place. I used to take my children there because with four children, one
Saturday at home, we got to, you know, go to the parks, Sewell Park, Bayfront Park, all around
there. But that park was, you know, just to walk there. We got the (UNINTELLIGIBLE), the
(UNINTELLIGIBLE), everything is there, everything, like it was Dade County -- Miami -Dade --
when the people (UNINTELLIGIBLE) came here. I'd like you to -- We vote on that unanimously.
The board vote there on Tuesday. We vote for this too. Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff Mariano, you know, Horace Mann is a very famous author. He said the
fewer schools and the fewer parks you have, the more prisons you will have in the end.
Mr. Cruz: Right.
Commissioner Sarnoff He said it much more eloquently than I did, but that is a direct quote
from Horace Mann. And you are now are Horace Mann --
Mr. Cruz: Yeah.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- of the community.
Chair Sanchez: All right. Anyone else from the public?
Mr. Cruz: I believe in that.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone else?
Mr. Hernandez: Mr. Chair --
Chair Sanchez: If not, the public hearing is closed, and it comes back to a vote. Mr. Manager,
you're recognized for the record.
Mr. Hernandez: If you allow me, procedurally, to complete this item. This is a timely, sensitive
project in which we are waiving, through a four fifths, the selection of the contractor. And also
in the donation, there is design work that was done and is being donated to the City. I think, in
an abundance of caution here, that we should be adding to this item a waiver of Florida Statute
255.20 that deals with public works contracts, and Florida Statutes Section 287.055, which deals
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
10:30 A.M.
with the consultant selection process. This City Commission is empowered to allow those
waivers.
Commissioner Sarnoff Mover accept -- the mover would amend, as stated. I hope the seconder
would accept.
Chair Sanchez: Our Vice Chair, do you accept the amendments as proffered by the district
Commissioner and the City Manager?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Give me one second, just one second.
Chair Sanchez: What's the statute again?
Mr. Hernandez: It's --
Commissioner Sarnoff 255.20 --
Mr. Hernandez: -- 255.20 --
Commissioner Sarnoff -- 280 --
Mr. Hernandez: -- that deals with public works contracts.
Chair Sanchez: Mr. City Manager, what's the statute?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah, I accept it.
Chair Sanchez: Okay.
Mr. Hernandez: The first one is 255.20, with [sic] deals with public work construction
contracts. And the second one is 287.055, which deals with the consultant selection process.
Chair Sanchez: Okay.
Mr. Hernandez: And both, the City Commission is empowered to waive as part of this item, so --
Chair Sanchez: Madam Attorney, are we empowered to waive that?
Julie O. Bru (City Attorney): Madam Attorney's just found out information that Madam Attorney
didn't have previously, but think that he is correct. And there was an additional amount that
may or may not require there be a waiver of 255, so in an abundance of caution, we should go
ahead and also express that on the record.
Chair Sanchez: All right. Okay, any further discussion on the item? As amended, it is a
resolution. All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay" Motion carries.
Thank you so much.
Mr. Aluko: Thank you.
A sign language interpreter translated discussion ofltems PH2 - PH3.
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PH.2 09-00536
Department of
Community
Development
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ACCEPTING A GRANT
FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN
DEVELOPMENT IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK
GRANT -RECOVERY ACT PROGRAM FUNDS, IN THE AMOUNT OF
$2,218,946, THROUGH THE AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT
ACT OF 2009; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE
NECESSARY DOCUMENTS, IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY, TO IMPLEMENT THE ACCEPTANCE OF SAID GRANT.
09-00536 Legislation.pdf
09-00536 Summary Form.pdf
09-00536 Letter.pdf
09-00536-Email-CDBG-R Program.pdf
09-00536-Submittal-Pavment Analysis District 1.pdf
09-00536-Submittal-Pavement Analysis District 2.pdf
09-00536-Submittal-Analysis District 3.pdf
09-00536-Submittal-Analysis District 3.pdf
09-00536-Submittal-Pavement Analysis District 4.pdf
09-00536-Submittal-Pavement Analysis District 5.pdf
09-00536-Submittal-CDBG-R Notice Issued.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Vice Chair Spence -Jones, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Samoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
R-09-0261
Chair Sanchez: Okay, let's take up PH.2. PH.2 was properly advertised for 10:30. Sir, you're
recognized for the record.
George Mensah: George Mensah, director of Department of Community Development. Mr.
Chair, PH.2 is a resolution ofMiami City Commission accepting a grant from the United States
Department of Housing and Urban Development, in an amount of $2.218946 million to the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Motion.
Chair Sanchez: Okay, there is a motion by Commissioner Gonzalez. Is there a second?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Second.
Chair Sanchez: Second by the Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I just want to add (INAUDIBLE).
Chair Sanchez: All right, before we open it up for discussion, it is a public hearing resolution.
Anyone from the public wishing to address this item, please step forward and be recognized.
Seeing no one, the public hearing is closed, coming back to the Commission for discussion. Vice
Chair Spence -Jones, you're recognized on PH.2.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I'm sorry. I was thinking we were on PH3. I have no issues on this.
Chair Sanchez: All right. So there is no discussion on PH.2? Commissioner Regalado, you're
recognized on PH.2.
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Commissioner Regalado: PH 2. I sent the members of the Commission the documents that we
received on the Homeless Trust --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Commissioner Regalado: -- regarding the grants. And on all these grants, you, the City, and the
County and the Homeless Trust, are allowed to use some of the money to pay rent, utility bills, to
use that money to subsidize rent, to get new housing in terms of the deposit and the month in
advance for rental. What is it that we can do in the City?
Mr. Mensah: Mr. Commissioner, this particular funding that we're discussing today is not the
same funding that the Homeless Trust has. What the Homeless Trust has is the Housing -- HPRP
(Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re -Housing Program) --
Commissioner Regalado: George, but -- I do understand that, but what I'm saying to you is that
the attorneys and the HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) representative at
the Homeless Trust said that in all HUD funding there is a huge flexibility now with the stimulus,
totally different to the strict regulations that we had in the past. What I'm asking is can we use
some of this money for those kind of emergency. We were told that of all these fundings, we --
cities or counties are allowed to use this kind of funding for those emergencies.
Mr. Mensah: Mr. Commissioner, this particular funding, no. We have the homeless prevention
program, which allows us to be able to pay rents, deposits, and relocation, moving people out,
and even paying for hotels after 30 days for people who are homeless. That plan was -- I believe
it was approved by the City Commission last -- probably it was in the first part ofMay. That
plan is already (UNINTELLIGIBLE). We will be coming back to Commission to tell you exactly
how much -- how we're going to run that program, so we'll be coming back with that particular
program.
Commissioner Regalado: And I understand, but you need also to understand that all of the
members of the Commission, we know where the needs are. It may be that people are in need of
utility bill being paid. It may need -- but this is not homeless only. These are -- what I'm frying
to say is that these are for people living actually in rentals at this moment that have a problem
paying next month. And so what we approved maybe the perception was only it's for the
homeless program. It's not. This is what I'm trying to say to you, and I'm sure that you also are
aware. And I just hope that we will not focus in homeless program only, but also that we can
avoid people from being homeless, and that's the point. That's -- actually, that's the goal of this
money that is coming through the pipeline from the stimulus, that we can act to avoid people
from being homeless by paying rent, by paying utilities, by paying -- not mortgage, but rent and
deposit to access a new apartment.
Mr. Mensah: Mr. Commissioner, you are right. That -- those funds that the City Commission
approved the acceptance, which was about $3.3 million, will be used for exactly that purpose.
This particular funding cannot be used to pay rent. It has to be used -- (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
CDBG (Community Development Block Grant) funding, it has to be used specifically for
infrastructure development, job creation, and energy efficiency.
Commissioner Regalado: And I understand. And I just want to tell you that I have researched a
lot this stimulus program, and I will tell you that it is unprecedented. We have never before been
able to pay rentals --
Mr. Mensah: I agree.
Commissioner Regalado: -- to pay monthly rentals for people, but we can do this now with this
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
kind of money. Not with this one, but with the money that we have already. And I think that, all
of us, we ought to know because we have cases -- I'm sure that Commissioner Spence -Jones has
and Commissioner Gonzalez and Commissioner Sanchez and Commissioner
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) -- every area of the City has an issue, and there are people that have been -
- you know, 6,000 calls of evictions in the Homeless Trust hotline last month, 6,000. And they're
trying to get the data now to see how many in the City of Miami, but there're hundreds of
evictions from rentals.
Mr. Mensah: I agree.
Commissioner Regalado: We're talking rentals. So if we can only determine how soon and how
much we can use to avoid homelessness, then I think that we will be using that money the right
way.
Chair Sanchez: All right.
Commissioner Regalado: Thank you.
Chair Sanchez: Okay. Any further discussion on PH 2? Being no discussion on PH 2, it is a --
is it a resolution? It is a resolution?
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Yes.
Chair Sanchez: All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay" Motion carries.
PH.3 09-00537 RESOLUTION
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Community ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING THE CITY OF MIAMI'S ("CITY") AMENDED
Development ANNUAL ACTION PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008-2009, CITY OF MIAMI
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, ATTACHED AND
INCORPORATED; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT THE
CITY'S AMENDED ANNUAL ACTION PLAN FOR FISCAL YEAR 2008-2009,
CITY OF MIAMI DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, TO THE
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN
DEVELOPMENT FOR REVIEW AND APPROVAL.
09-00537 Legislation.pdf
09-00537-Exhibit-SUB. pdf
09-00537-Email-Substantial Amendment to the Annual Action Plan FY 2008.pdf
09-00537 Summary Form.pdf
09-00537 Pre Legislation 1.pdf
09-00537 Pre Legislation 2.pdf
09-00537 Letter.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Vice Chair Spence -Jones, that this matter
be ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Samoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
R-09-0262
Chair Sanchez: We go to PH.3. Let's get a motion and a second for the purpose of discussion.
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
Commissioner Gonzalez: Motion.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Second, discussion.
Chair Sanchez: Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, second by the Vice Chair for the purpose of
discussion. Before we open it up for discussion, public input. Anyone from the public wishing to
address this item? Seeing no one, the public hearing is closed; coming back to the Commission.
We are on PH.3.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I don't know if you want him to officially put something on the record.
Chair Sanchez: Yes.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I think he needs to do that.
George Mensah (Director, Community Development): Mr. Chair, PH.3, there was a
substitution. We added -- we attached the actual draft plan, and it was e-mailed (electronic) to
all your offices. The -- this is the actual plan, the substantial amendment that goes to HUD
(Department of Housing and Urban Development), telling HUD how we intend to use these
funds. And we are here to ask the Commission to approve the use of these funds as stated in the
draft plan.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Mr. Chairman, the only thing that I want to say to Mr. Mensah -- and
I think he's already aware of it -- regarding the issue of the facade -based program -- project
throughout my district, especially in the cultural business districts, like Wynwood, Little Haiti,
Liberty City, and Overtown, I just wanted to make sure that these particular dollars that are
allocated for our particular area will be used towards facade -based projects.
Mr. Mensah: And that is how it's been written --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Mensah: -- Madam Commissioner.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I just wanted to make sure.
Mr. Mensah: Yes.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you so much, Mr. Mensah.
Chair Sanchez: Okay. Any further discussion on PH 2 [sic], which is approving the amendment
Annual Action Plan '08/'09? That is also a resolution.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): As modified. Yes.
Chair Sanchez: As modified. We did open up --
Ms. Thompson: PH.3.
Chair Sanchez: -- to the public. The public hearing is closed, coming back to the Commission.
As modified, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay." Motion carries. And
we'll take up -- that concludes our --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Public hearings.
Chair Sanchez: -- public hearings. Thank you so much, sir.
END OF PUBLIC HEARINGS
ORDINANCE- FIRST READING
FR.1 09-00498 ORDINANCE First Reading
City Manager's AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING CHAPTER
Office 62/ARTICLE XIII, OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS
AMENDED, ENTITLED "PLANNING AND ZONING/ZONING APPROVAL FOR
TEMPORARY USES AND OCCUPANCIES; SPECIAL PERMIT REQUIRED,"
MORE PARTICULARLY BY CREATING A NEW SECTION 62-619,
PROVIDING FOR THE CONTINUED EFFECTIVENESS OF MURAL
PROGRAM; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
09-00498 Legislation.pdf
09-00498 Summary Form.pdf
RE.1 09-00500
Department of
Fire -Rescue
WITHDRAWN
END OF FIRST READING ORDINANCE
RESOLUTIONS
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ESTABLISHING A NEW
SPECIAL REVENUE PROJECT ENTITLED: "FISCAL YEAR
2009-DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FEDERAL EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT AGENCY ("FEMA"), URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE
("USAR") READINESS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT," AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS, IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,001,910, CONSISTING
OF A GRANT FROM FEMA TO BE USED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
FIRE -RESCUE TO ACQUIRE EQUIPMENT, PROVIDE TRAINING IN
APPROVED USAR TRAINING COURSES; AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO ACCEPT SAID GRANT AWARD AND TO EXECUTE THE
NECESSARY DOCUMENTS IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THE ACCEPTANCE
OF SAID GRANT AWARD.
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
09-00500 Legislation.pdf
09-00500 Summary Form.pdf
09-00500 Fund Title.pdf
09-00500 Guidance Kit.pdf
09-00500 Table of Contents.pdf
09-00500 Application Checklist.pdf
09-00500 Letter.pdf
09-00500 Prepaper Information.pdf
09-00500 Application for Federal Assistance.pdf
09-00500 Budget Information.pdf
09-00500 Assurances.pdf
09-00500 Lobbying Activities.pdf
09-00500 Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.pdf
09-00500 Purpose of Agreement.pdf
09-00500 Administration and Management.pdf
09-00500 Training.pdf
09-00500 Equipment.pdf
09-00500 Storage and Maintenance.pdf
09-00500 Budget Summary.pdf
09-00500 Position Descriptions.pdf
09-00500 South Florida Urban Search & Rescue.pdf
09-00500 Budget Clarification.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Samoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
R-09-0249
Chair Sanchez: We move on to the next item, which is PH (Public Hearing) -- well, we'll get to
PH.3 after 10:30. That's been properly advertised. Do we have the translator here?
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Not yet.
Chair Sanchez: Not yet, okay. Let's take up -- FR.1 was withdrawn. Let's take up RE.1. RE.1.
Come on. Let's try to move this -- through this agenda. All right, it's a resolution. Shorty --
Chief William Bryson (Fire): Yeah. How you doing?
Chair Sanchez: -- always a pleasure to see you, my friend.
Chief Bryson: Shorty Bryson, Fire chief. This is a annual grant amount coming from the federal
government for our USAR (Urban Search and Rescue) team. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the
agreement and the acceptance of the grant. It's about a million plus thousand dollars.
Commissioner Sarnoff So moved.
Chair Sanchez: All right. There's a motion by --
Commissioner Gonzalez: Second.
Chair Sanchez: -- Commissioner Sarnoff, second by Commissioner Gonzalez. It is a resolution.
It does not require a public hearing. Any discussion on the item? If not, all in favor, say "aye."
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay." Motion carries. RE.1
has been approved.
RE.2 09-00501 RESOLUTION
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Capital ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING AN INCREASE IN THE CONTRACT
Improvements AWARDED TO HORIZON CONTRACTORS, INC., PURSUANT TO
Program RESOLUTION NO. 08-0403, ADOPTED JULY 10, 2008, FOR THE PROJECT
ENTITLED, "TAMIAMI STORM SEWER IMPROVEMENTS, B-50706," FOR
ADDITIONAL WORK NECESSARY, IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED
$189,000, INCREASING THE CONTRACT FROM $1,079,448 TO $1,268,448;
ALLOCATING FUNDS, FOR SAID INCREASE, FROM CAPITAL
IMPROVEMENT PROJECT NO. B-50706; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AMENDMENT NO. 1, IN SUBSTANTIALLY
THE ATTACHED FORM, FOR SAID PURPOSE.
09-00501 Legislation.pdf
09-00501 Exhibit.pdf
09-00501 Summary Form.pdf
09-00501 Contract Execution Form.pdf
09-00501 Corporate Resolution.pdf
09-00501 Performance Bond.pdf
09-00501 Payment Bond.pdf
09-00501 Certificate to Corporate Principal.pdf
09-00501 Financial Statement.pdf
09-00501 Power of Attorney.pdf
09-00501 Text File Report.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Regalado, seconded by Vice Chair Spence -Jones, that this
matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Samoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
R-09-0250
Chair Sanchez: RE.2, it's also a resolution. That comes to us from the Department of Capital
Improvement [sic] Program.
Ola Aluko: Ola Aluko, director of Capital Improvements Program, City ofMiami. RE.2 is a
resolution to authorize additional services for Horizon Contractors, in the amount not to exceed
$189,000, for the Tamiami storm sewer improvements project, B-50706. These improvements
are -- were requested by the owner and also as a result of unforeseen conditions.
Chair Sanchez: All right. Is there a motion on RE --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: 2.
Chair Sanchez: -- 2?
Commissioner Regalado: Move it.
Chair Sanchez: There's a motion --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Second.
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RE.3 09-00502
Department of
Capital
Improvements
Program
Chair Sanchez: -- by Commissioner Regalado, second by the Vice Chair. Discussion on the
item? Hearing no discussion on the item, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay." Motion carries.
Resolution RE.2 has been approved. If we could work through some of these noncontroversial
items --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Chair Sanchez: -- we will get to the museums.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING AN INCREASE IN THE CONSTRUCTION
CONTRACT AWARDED TO METRO EXPRESS, INC., PURSUANT TO
RESOLUTION NO. 07-0700, ADOPTED DECEMBER 13, 2007, FOR THE
PROJECT ENTITLED, "FAIRLAWN STORM SEWER IMPROVEMENTS
PROJECT, PHASE IIB, B-50703," FOR ADDITIONAL WORK, IN AN AMOUNT
NOT TO EXCEED $128,491, INCREASING THE CONTRACT FROM
$1,886,601.20 TO $2,015,092.20; ALLOCATING FUNDS, FOR SAID
INCREASE, FROM CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT NO. B-50703;
FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE
AMENDMENT NO. 1., IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, FOR
SAID PURPOSE.
09-00502 Legislation.pdf
09-00502 Exhibit.pdf
09-00502 Summary Form.pdf
09-00502 Power of Attorney.pdf
09-00502 Contract Execution Form.pdf
09-00502 Performance Payment Bond.pdf
09-00502 Certificate as to Corporate Principal.pdf
09-00502 Text File Report.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Samoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
R-09-0251
Chair Sanchez: All right, RE.3. RE.3 is also a resolution.
Ola Aluko (Director, Capital Improvements): RE.3 --
Chair Sanchez: It comes to us from the same department. You're recognized for the record.
Mr. Aluko: Thank you. RE.3 is a resolution to authorize additional services for Metro Express
Incorporated, in the amount not to exceed $120,491, for the Fairlawn storm sewer project, phase
JIB. These additional dollars are as a result of owner -requested changes and also unforeseen
conditions during the duration of the project.
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
Chair Sanchez: All right. Need a motion.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Move it.
Chair Sanchez: Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez.
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Second.
Chair Sanchez: Second by Commissioner Regalado. Discussion on the item. We've all been
briefed on all these items, so we should cast through some of them. All right, RE.3, all in favor,
say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay." Motion carries. RE.3
has been approved.
RE.4 09-00504 RESOLUTION
Bayfront Park A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Management Trust ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
MIAMI SPORTS AND EXHIBITION AUTHORITY ("MSEA") TO EXECUTE AN
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM,
BETWEEN THE BAYFRONT PARK MANAGEMENT TRUST ("TRUST") AND
MSEA, FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE TRUST PROVIDING OPERATION AND
MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO MSEA.
09-00504 Legislation.pdf
09-00504 Exhibit.pdf
09-00504 Memo.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Samoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
R-09-0252
Chair Sanchez: We go to RE. 4. RE.4, it's a resolution, Bayfront Park Management Trust.
Tim Schmand: Tim Schmand, Bayfront Park Management Trust and Miami Sports and
Exhibition Authority, 301 North Biscayne Boulevard. This is a resolution authorizing the Trust
and MSEA (Miami Sports and Exhibition Authority) to enter into an interlocal agreement for
services provided by the Trust to MSEA. In the current year, the amount would be $141, 000
paid to the Trust, and then going forward in the future years, it would be $53, 600.
Chair Sanchez: All right. Is there a motion?
Commissioner Sarnoff I'm going to make a motion --
Commissioner Gonzalez: Motion.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- for purposes of discussion.
Chair Sanchez: All right. Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff --
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Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Chair Sanchez: -- by [sic] the purpose of discussion. It was second by Commissioner Gonzalez.
Discussion on the item. You're recognized, Commissioner Sarnoff.
Commissioner Sarnoff Tim, the $141, 000 is for past services rendered.
Mr. Schmand: Correct.
Commissioner Sarnoff And I don't have an issue with that, but going forward, I just question
what it is we're doing with MSEA and why MSEA should be incurring a $53, 000 salary or
compensation package, if you will. And no disrespect to the Bayfront Trust, but what do we
intend on doing with MSEA in perpetuity in the future? Are we just not sending bad money after
-- good money after bad?
Mr. Schmand: The directors ofMSEA and the directors of the Bayfront Park Management Trust
decided that the best way to handle MSEA was to allow the Trust to manage it into the future.
MSEA's a very interesting tool for the City ofMiami to have, and it can do things that any
private corporation in the state of Florida can do. And iMSEA should go away, it would be one
less tool for the City to have in the future. I can't predict the future, and I don't know what the
future role ofMSEA would be, but it exists, and as a result of its -- the mere result of its existence
requires that there are certain things that we undertake. We have to do an audit every year. We
have to, you know, follow all the state mandates, you know, that are required by the MSEA
organization to continue. The $53, 600 is -- you know, I negotiated with myself to get to that
number and it was a struggle. So, in the future, there may be other things thatMSEA's called
upon to do, but in the meantime, we think that's a fair price. And currently, no one on the
Bayfront Park staff has received a pay increase to handle the MSEA operations, and I don't
foresee that happening in the future.
Chair Sanchez: All right. Any further discussion on the item?
Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah. What is the current -- what, currently, does MSEA have in its
coffer, so to speak?
Mr. Schmand: We have CDT (Convention Development Tax) dollars in the amount of
$8,582,600 that are -- will be transferred to the Marlins Stadium program. And we had, up until
the beginning of this month, $2, 043, 327 in non -CDT funds. Seven hundred thousand dollars of
those funds were used to support the Melreese Golf Course project and the Caribbean
Marketplace; $393, 000 and change went to the Children's Museum. So it leaves us -- left us with
a balance of $1.3 million. In the MSEA financial statements, there's $800, 000 that's designated
for the heliport, should the MSEA Board decide, in the future, to take those funds and use it for
the heliport on Watson Island. That leaves us with half a million, 543, 000. The interlocal
agreement is 141, 000. That takes us down to 402, 000. Our operating costs to get us through the
end of the year is about $25, 000. So beginning next fiscal year, October 1, we expect to have
$377, 327 in the account; $53, 600 would then be paid to the Trust on month -- over, you know,
that fiscal year. So it would go down from the 377 to 321.
Commissioner Sarnoff And in the future, what do you project to be your revenue sources?
Mr. Schmand: Currently, there are no revenue sources for MSEA, so when these funds are
expended, there are -- that's the end of the funding for MSEA.
Commissioner Sarnoff And that's -- and that becomes sort of my point, which is why continue to
take $53, 600 from MSEA 'cause you'll last three or four or five years and then you'll have
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
nothing left?
Mr. Schmand: And one imagines -- and I can't predict the future, so I don't know -- but there are
any number of projects out there that MSEA could become involved in. And should MSEA be
called upon to act, there would have to be a revenue source identified. And at the end of the day,
ifMSEA uses up all its funds, for whatever purposes, the general fund would be responsible for
the funding ofMSEA.
Commissioner Sarnoff What type of issues is MSEA entitled to fund? Like, what is your -- I
don't want to say mission statement, but what are you allowed to fund? Obviously, you've just
funded the golf course, you've just funded the Haitian --
Mr. Schmand: Sports and exhibition spaces is, you know -- like, ifyou needed, like the quick,
you know, snapshot, we can do sports and everything related to sports and exhibition space and
everything related to exhibition space. So if-- say it was, I don't know, a convention center
proposed and they were looking for an organization that could manage the operation of a
convention center, MSEA could play that role. If there was additional museums contemplated in
the future, MSEA could play a role. And then any sports development could be a role MSEA
could play.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay, thank you.
Chair Sanchez: All right. Any further questions on RE.4? If no further questions, it's a
resolution. There's been a motion and a second. It's been discussed. All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay." RE.4 has been
approved.
Chair Sanchez: RE --
Mr. Schmand: Thank you, Commissioners.
Chair Sanchez: -- 5. Thank you.
RE.5 09-00505 RESOLUTION
Office of the City
Attorney
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
DIRECTOR OF FINANCE TO PAY TO AND ON BEHALF OF STEPHEN N.
KIRALY, SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS IMPOSED BY CHAPTER 440,
FLORIDA STATUTES, THE TOTAL SUM OF $55,750, IN FULL SETTLEMENT
OF ALL CLAIMS AND DATES OF ACCIDENT ALLEGED AGAINST THE CITY
OF MIAMI, ITS OFFICERS, AGENTS AND EMPLOYEES, WITHOUT
ADMISSION OF LIABILITY, UPON EXECUTING A SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI AND ITS
PRESENT AND FORMER OFFICERS, AGENTS, AND EMPLOYEES, FROM
ANY AND ALL CLAIMS AND DEMANDS, ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM THE
SELF-INSURANCE AND INSURANCE TRUST FUND, INDEX CODE NO.
05002.301001.515000.0000.00000.
09-00505 Legislation.pdf
09-00505 Memo 1 .pdf
09-00505 Memo 2.pdf
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Vice Chair Spence -Jones, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
RE.6 09-00506
Department of
Parks and
Recreation
R-09-0253
Julie O. Bru (City Attorney): Mr. Chairman, RE.5 is a resolution that seeks authorization for
settlement of all claims and dates of accident alleged against the City ofMiami by Stephen
Kiraly, and this is a worker's compensation claim, and the amount is not to exceed 55,750.
Chair Sanchez: All right. This is a settlement. Is there a motion?
Commissioner Sarnoff So move.
Chair Sanchez: Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff. Is there a second?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Second.
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Chair Sanchez: Second by the Vice Chair. Any discussion on the settlement? Hearing no
discussion on the item, it's a resolution. All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay" RE.5 has been
approved, 5-0.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ESTABLISHING A NEW SPECIAL REVENUE PROJECT
ENTITLED: "SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN 2009"
AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THE OPERATION OF THE SAME, IN
AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $500,000, CONSISTING OF A GRANT FROM
THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE THROUGH THE
FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION; AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE AGREEMENT, IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE
ATTACHED FORM, AND ALL NECESSARY DOCUMENTS TO IMPLEMENT
THE ACCEPTANCE OF SAID GRANT, FOR THE PROVISION OF LUNCHES
AND SNACKS TO THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI'S 2009
SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM, OPERATED BY THE DEPARTMENT
OF PARKS AND RECREATION.
09-00506 Legislation.pdf
09-00506 Exhibit.pdf
09-00506 Summary Form.pdf
09-00506 List.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Vice Chair Spence -Jones, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
R-09-0254
Chair Sanchez: RE.6.
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
RE.7 09-00508
Department of
Parks and
Recreation
Ernest Burkeen: Ernest Burkeen, director of Parks and Recreation. This is a resolution
establishing a special revenue project for the Parks Department summer food service program.
Chair Sanchez: All right. RE.6, is there a motion?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Move it.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So -- second.
Chair Sanchez: There's a motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, second by the Vice Chair.
Discussion on RE.6? Hearing no discussion --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. I do have discussion.
Chair Sanchez: All right, discussion. Vice Chair, you're recognized on RE.6 for discussion.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. The only thing that I wanted to add, Mr. Burkeen, is I know that
last year we had issues with the program starting earlier, ending later, whatever the case may
be. But there was some confusion as to whether -- in the community, like when this part of the
summer food program was going on. I just want to make sure that the community is aware of
when the starting point and when the ending point is. So I don't know what you need to do to
make sure that happens because we did get phone calls in our office about people being
confused, and they depend on that food during the summer.
Mr. Burkeen: The problem was the ending, and we will make sure that we get a letter out to
indicate the beginning and ending.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, no problem. Thank you.
Chair Sanchez: Okay. Any further discussion on RE.6? Hearing no discussion on RE.6, there's
been a motion and a second. All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay." Motion has been
made, and we passed RE.6 on a 5-0 vote.
RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION ACCEPTING THE BID
RECEIVED MAY 1, 2009, PURSUANT TO INVITATION FOR BID NO. 141109,
FROM MASTER HOST D/B/A GREATER MIAMI CATERERS, THE LOWEST
RESPONSIVE AND RESPONSIBLE BIDDER, FOR THE PROVISION OF A
SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM, ON AN AS -NEEDED CONTRACTUAL
BASIS, FOR AN INITIAL PERIOD OF ONE (1) YEAR, WITH THE OPTION TO
RENEW FOR TWO (2) ADDITIONAL ONE-YEAR PERIODS; ALLOCATING
FUNDS FROM THE VARIOUS SOURCES OF FUNDS FROM THE
DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION, SUBJECT TO THE
AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND BUDGETARY APPROVAL AT THE TIME OF
NEED; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE STATE OF
FLORIDA, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, FOOD AND NUTRITION
MANAGEMENT SECTION, 2009 SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM
INVITATION TO BID AND CONTRACT DOCUMENT, IN SUBSTANTIALLY
THE ATTACHED FORM, WITH MASTER HOST D/B/A GREATER MIAMI
City ofMiami Page 26 Printed on 6/22/2009
City Commission
Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
CATERERS, FOR SAID PURPOSE.
09-00508 Legislation.pdf
09-00508 Exhibit.pdf
09-00508 Summary Form.pdf
09-00508 Award Recommendation.pdf
09-00508 Bid Tabulation.pdf
09-00508 Abstract.pdf
09-00508 Contents.pdf
09-00508 Certifications.pdf
09-00508 IFB.pdf
09-00508 Addendum NO.1.pdf
09-00508 Ten -Day Cicle Menus.pdf
09-00508 Addendum NO. 2.pdf
09-00508 License.pdf
09-00508 Certification Examination.pdf
09-00508 Liability Insurance 1.pdf
09-00508 Liability Insurance 2.pdf
09-00508 Declaration of Policy 2.pdf
09-00508 Affirmative Action Plan.pdf
09-00508 Declaration of Policy.pdf
09-00508 Workforce Analysis.pdf
09-00508 Programmatic Activities.pdf
09-00508 Minority Business.pdf
09-00508 Procurement Policy.pdf
09-00508 Procurement Procedure.pdf
09-00508 Drug -Free Workplace.pdf
09-00508 Drug Test Information.pdf
09-00508 Drug Free Policy..pdf
09-00508 Definitions.pdf
09-00508 Policy Summary.pdf
09-00508 Food Service Inspection Report.pdf
09-00508 Health Department Inspections.pdf
09-00508 Formal Sanitation Program.pdf
09-00508 News Release 1.pdf
09-00508 List.pdf
09-00508 Media News Release.pdf
09-00508 Participating Food Service Program.pdf
09-00508 SFSP Internal Controls.pdf
09-00508 Authorized Signature Form.pdf
09-00508 Review Form.pdf
09-00508 Free Meal Policy Statement.pdf
09-00508 Food and Nutrition Management.pdf
09-00508 Children Agreement.pdf
09-00508 Pre -Operational Site Visit.pdf
09-00508 New Site Information.pdf
09-00508 Self Identification.pdf
09-00508 User Authorization Form.pdf
09-00508 Enrollment Verification Form.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Samoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
R-09-0255
Chair Sanchez: Moving on to RE.7. RE.7, that's where we take the money and we allocate it.
Okay, just put something on the record for those that are watching on TV (Television).
Glenn Marcos: Good morning, Commissioners. Thank you. Glenn Marcos, Purchasing
director. You're absolutely correct. RE.6 and RE.7 are companion items. RE. 6 is the actual
special revenue allocation, and RE.7 is the expenditure. And we're seeking approval from the
City Commission to award the actual contract to Master Host d/b/a (Doing Business As) Greater
Miami Catering. This is a contract that has a term of one year, with options to renew for two
additional one-year periods. The estimated annual contract amount is $500, 000. We ended up
receiving just a sole bidder under this bid. However, if you look at your background material,
you will see that we ended up going into a best and final offer with the sole bidder, and they
ended up decreasing their prices.
Chair Sanchez: All right. Is there a motion on RE. 7?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Move it.
Chair Sanchez: Motion has been made by Commissioner Gonzalez.
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Second.
Chair Sanchez: Second by Commissioner Regalado. Any discussion on RE.7? Hearing no
discussion on the item, all in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay" Motion carries. RE.7
has been approved, 5-0.
RE.8 09-00509 RESOLUTION
Department of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
Public Works TEMPORARY PLACEMENT OF A SERIES OF TEN (10) FOOT GIBSON
GUITAR FIBERGLASS STRUCTURES WITHIN THE GREATER DOWNTOWN
MIAMI AREA, AS PART OF "THE MIAMI GUITARTOWN PROJECT," A
PUBLIC ARTS PROJECT THAT SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY THROUGH
PROCEEDS RAISED FOR LOCAL CHARITIES; SUBJECT TO APPLICABLE
PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS AND INDEMNIFICATION HOLD HARMLESS
AS APPROVED BY THE CITY MANAGER, DIRECTOR OF RISK
MANAGEMENT AND CITY ATTORNEY.
09-00509 Legislation.pdf
09-00509 Summary Form.pdf
09-00509 Executive Summary.pdf
09-00509 Member List.pdf
09-00509 Picture 1 .pdf
09-00509 Picture 2.pdf
09-00509 Picture 3.pdf
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Vice Chair Spence -Jones, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Samoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
R-09-0256
Chair Sanchez: RE.8 should be brief. It's just a presentation --
Stephanie Grindell: Stephanie Grindell, director of Public Works.
Chair Sanchez: -- and a vote.
Ms. Grindell: RE.8 is a resolution authorizing the temporary placement of a series of 35 ten foot
Gibson guitar fiberglass structures within the downtown Miami area as part of the Miami Guitar
Town project. And as you can see, here's a sample.
Chair Sanchez: All right. There it is.
Seth Gordon: Need we say more?
Chair Sanchez: The only thing that I could say is you better put a Lojack on that guitar.
Mr. Gordon: Here's the artist. He's going to sit Shiva 24 hours watching it.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Madam City Clerk -- I think she's looking to say, Seth, you need to put
your name on --
Chair Sanchez: I need --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- the record and talk on the record.
Chair Sanchez: -- names and addresses on the record.
Mr. Gordon: Okay. I'm Seth Gordon, Gordon Diaz Balart, at 150 Southeast 2nd Avenue. With
me is --
Brad Berman: I'm Brad Berman, the project manager for Gibson Guitars, at 180 Northeast 39th
Street.
Ray Corral: Ray Corral. I'm the artist, 4277 Southwest 2nd Terrace.
Chair Sanchez: Hey, great job. Beautiful. All right. Need a motion for RE.8.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Move it.
Chair Sanchez: Motion is made --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Second for discussion.
Chair Sanchez: -- by Commissioner Gonzalez, second by the Vice Chair. The item is under
discussion. Vice Chair Spence -Jones, you're recognized for the record.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: First of all, I want to commend the artist for such a wonderful project.
I think that these -- whenever we see artist -driven projects happening within neighborhoods, it
just brings exfra life to the area. So -- and the project is actually a beautiful project, and Gibson
has been a wonderful partner not just in the City ofMiami, but across the country. They've done
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
great things in communities. The only thing that I'd like to request -- and Pm going to ask Mr.
Seth Gordon to step to the mike. I know that we had a discussion about the guitars, and one of
the things that I requested was to have two of those guitars at least placed in -- one in the Little
Haiti Cultural Complex as a destination, and I'd like to see one in the Overtown area, perhaps
near the Lyric Plaza, as a part of it. I do understand it works from a sponsorship standpoint.
Mr. Gordon: Not entirely. I mean --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Gordon: -- we do need sponsorship, and so there is some correlation between the placement
of the guitars and who our sponsors are and where they would like them to be, but I'm sure we
could find some sponsors who would support your desire to have guitars there. And they -- and
one of our theories is to put the guitars along the route of the Metromover --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, okay.
Mr. Gordon: -- so that a family can come on weekends and visit all the guitars on the
Metromover. So I think that it would make sense to have guitars at those locations.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Right. I do know that there's one Metromover in the Overtown area,
so that would handle that. The only one --
Mr. Gordon: Right.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- that would not have one, of course, is Little Haiti.
Mr. Gordon: Right.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So that's the reason why I would want to request it.
Mr. Gordon: We can stretch.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Gordon: Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Chair Sanchez: Discussion on the item. Just out of curiosity, how many guitars are going to be
placed throughout the city?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Ten.
Mr. Berman: There are going to be -- no -- there's actually -- they're 10 feetguitar --
10 foot -tall guitars. It's actually a total of 32 guitars --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, good.
Mr. Berman: -- that are going to be placed all over the City ofMiami. And just to further the
point that Seth was talking about, the majority of them we do want along that Metromover path,
but we are planning on trying to bring in the other areas as well, so we're looking at probably,
you know, one or two that'll stretch down to Coconut Grove or Coral Gables in that area. They
don't all have to be along that path. The majority of them will, so --
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Chair Sanchez: Listen, I support the Metrorail because that's where people are going to see it.
That's where, you know, people are going to be walking, and they're going to have an
opportunity to take a picture with the guitar, and there's just the foot traffic there. But you got
32 guitars. I --
Mr. Berman: Thirty-two in total, yes.
Chair Sanchez: -- think that it's important that, being that we are such a diversified community -
Mr. Berman: No question.
Chair Sanchez: -- that somehow don't left -- get behind because you mentioned a couple but,
you know, you didn't mention Little Havana. There's certain areas that, you know, if you want
foot traffic and there's areas where you're going to have people that we have been working on to
try to create like tourist destinations. I think they're worthy of maybe putting a guitar out there
that you'll get --
Mr. Berman: By all means. And we're definitely open to any suggestions that --
Chair Sanchez: Okay.
Mr. Berman: -- you guys may have as well. We're very, very, you know, in favor and looking
forward to working with the City on this, so any suggestions you have, by all means, we're --
we'll definitely work with it.
Chair Sanchez: Because by -- this is a great concept. I mean, it allows us an opportunity, as
we've done in the past with different arts in public places, with the roosters -- You know, different
cities have done great with how they promoted their city. I think this is great. This -- it's a
beautiful guitar. I can imagine all the guitars, how beautiful they're going to look.
Mr. Berman: We've really had some amazing work done, yeah.
Chair Sanchez: So I think you're really going to do something to promote our city, but just -- we
feel that we don't want to be -- we don't want anybody to be left out because we want to make
sure that the entire city, not everywhere --
Mr. Berman: Right.
Chair Sanchez: -- but if you have a good, valid argument as to a place where there's people that
visit the area and there's foot traffic, consider putting a guitar --
Mr. Berman: Definitely.
Chair Sanchez: -- in those areas.
Mr. Gordon: We'd love to hear from all the members of the Commission. There are places
where you think there ought to be one that's relevant to you, that you have a special feel for --
we're talking with the Coconut Grove group about putting at least two, if not three, in the Grove.
But we'd like to have them --
Commissioner Sarnoff What's the sponsorship? I mean, what does it cost to sponsor?
Mr. Gordon: There's two levels; 2,500 and 5,500. The 5,500 is intended to give you a little bit
more sway about where they go. You know, money talks.
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Commissioner Sarnoff And you said they're ten foot -- how tall is this guitar?
Mr. Berman: This one is ten feet tall. They're all --
Commissioner Sarnoff Oh, that's a ten -foot guitar?
Mr. Berman: -- yeah -- ten feet tall.
Commissioner Sarnoff So it's just like this, just --
Mr. Berman: Exactly.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- other designs?
Mr. Berman: Yeah, exactly.
Mr. Gordon: Right.
Mr. Berman: We had -- we have -- it's actually 35 guitars in total that were done, but three will
be held until the unveiling at the auction gala towards the end of the whole project. The 32 that
are on display is all different local artists that did them. They submitted their designs and were
chosen based upon the designs. And in the end, there will be an auction gala, and all the money
will be going to local charities as well.
Commissioner Sarnoff How long will they be up for?
Mr. Berman: They'll be up for -- between three to four months in the City ofMiami.
Mr. Gordon: And also, I was reminded to point out there's another thirty -some odd guitars that
are life-size -- normal -sized guitars that have been --
Mr. Berman: Regular -sized guitars.
Mr. Gordon: -- regular -sized guitars that are -- that have been -- that are being painted by
students, art students.
Chair Sanchez: Okay.
Mr. Berman: Exactly.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: And my last question, Mr. Chairman, when do -- when will these be
placed again?
Mr. Berman: They'll be starting to be placed -- I mean, pretty much within the next few weeks.
We just need to get --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, okay.
Mr. Berman: -- permits and stuff.
Mr. Gordon: Whenever they say we can.
Mr. Berman: Yeah.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Stephanie, when will they --?
Ms. Grindell: Now we just need to work on the exact locations.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Gordon: Yeah.
Mr. Berman: Exactly.
Ms. Grindell: This was the -- this was really the main issue I needed --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No problem.
Ms. Grindell: -- addressed.
Chair Sanchez: All right. So I have a feeling that you're going to be getting calls from all the
Commissioners. All right.
Mr. Gordon: We're ready.
Chair Sanchez: All right. RE.8, there's been a motion and a second. We've discussed the item.
All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay." Motion carries. RE.8
has been approved, 5-0. Thank you.
Mr. Berman: Thank you very much.
RE.9 08-01400 RESOLUTION
City Manager's A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Office ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING, SUBJECT TO THE ENACTMENT OF
LEGISLATION AMENDING THE MIAMI ZONING ORDINANCE TO PERMIT
LED SIGNS, THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE FIRST AMENDMENT
TO SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI AND
CLEAR CHANNEL OUTDOOR, INC., IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED
FORM.
Votes:
08-01400 Legislation 5-28-09.pdf
08-01400 Exhibit 5-28-09.pdf
08-01400 Summary Form 5-28-09.pdf
08-01400-Submittal-Appeals by Outlook Media.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez, that this matter
be CONTINUED PASSED by the following vote.
Ayes: 3 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Samoff and Spence -Jones
Absent: 2 - Commissioner Sanchez and Regalado
Direction by Commissioner Sarnoff to the City Attorney requesting a Legal Services Request
(LSR) for all County codes pertaining to outdoor advertising.
Chair Sanchez: All right. RE.9, we're going to take up this afternoon.
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[Later...]
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So we have one more item to do in RE.9 -- which is RE.9, and then we
should be finish with all the REs (Resolutions), is that correct?
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): That's correct.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: And then we have -- in the PZ (Planning & Zoning) items, we only
have two items, which is PZ.3 and 4, correct?
Ms. Thompson: Correct.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: And then we would be done outside of the blue pages.
Ms. Thompson: The disirictpages, correct.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so let's take RE.9.
Pieter Bockweg (Assistant to Senior Director/Building, Planning, Zoning): Pieter Bockweg,
project manager. RE.9 is an amendment to the settlement agreement between Clear Channel
Outdoor, and the City ofMiami to allow three LED (Light Emitting Diodes) faces in exchange
for 13 structures to be removed and additional monies going towards the neighborhood
enhancement account.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Is there any comments that need to be put on the record?
Before we get started, what is the staffs position on this? I just want to be clear.
Mr. Bockweg: We are in favor.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Staff is in favor?
Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): Oh, definitely.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. All right.
Commissioner Sarnoff I'm going to make a motion to defer this. I don't think this should be
decided by three Commissioners.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. So you feel like we should all be up here?
Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah. I -- this is pretty important to the City. This is a Clear Channel
settlement, and I don't think three Commissioners should make this decision.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So you want to, what -- we want to wait --
Commissioner Sarnoff You want to go on the record?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- till all five are here?
Commissioner Sarnoff What's that?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: You want to wait 'til all five are here, right?
Commissioner Sarnoff I think this is something that we should face as a full Commission.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Commissioner Regalado: Well, I think that there's something that we should face when we have
everything in order in terms of our sign ordinance because say that if we allowed LED for
buildings who want to advertise their own product and then they go to the process. If people
were to do this in 10 buildings close to the 2 that Clear Channel wants to install, it would not be
a marketing success because you have so many. The reason that they are seeking this is because
they are unique, they are going to be taking the attention span of the people driving on I-95,
depending on the rush-hour traffic, and so -- but if you have so many in so many buildings in
downtown, people will get used to it and will not look at it as they wish because -- this is all
about number of eyes on the billboard, and I still think it's -- we need to get our ordinance in
order before we do this because if we don't, we won't be able to do the other settlement.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Can I ask a --? Is Commissioner Gonzalez coming back to the
dais anyway? Is he coming back or he went to the resfroom -- I mean, he stepped away from --
let me ask this question, Mr. City Manager, and I don't have a problem with, you know, if that's
the decision to defer it because we need to -- need everybody here, if that's the recommendation,
butt would like to at least ask a question. Mr. Manager, what has really been the hold-up? I
mean, we're now -- now we're looking at reducing -- we're actually getting less billboards than
we had the first time, is that correct?
Mr. Hernandez: Yes. I believe --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: We're going from 13 billboards down to 3, so we're actually losing
the number of billboards that are going to actually be in the City --
Mr. Hernandez: Right. My understanding --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- as a part of this whole (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Hernandez: -- is that a total number of 13 billboards or structures --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Will be gone?
Mr. Hernandez: -- will be gone, will be taken down.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. And it's your recommendation because that'll be less
billboards in the skyway?
Mr. Hernandez: No. Less billboards that today, I would say, in many cases are obtrusive, like
on Bird Road, like in the Oasis area, so it's very important to us to be able to move forward, and
the settlement provides that vehicle for us to move forward, we move billboards. The LED, I
think, is, if well spaced, an improvement over a regular billboard.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. And let me ask 'cause I know that this thing has been around
even before you actually got here, correct? And this is something that, you know, we've been
trying to -- even before I think I got here as a City Commissioner -- to resolve regarding the
original agreement with Clear Channel that has never actually been dealt with, is that correct?
Mr. Hernandez: Well --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So this -- is this our way of resolving the overall issue that --
Mr. Hernandez: Yes.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- has been lingering around for at least --
Mr. Hernandez: -- Commissioner, the Administration --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- four or five years?
Mr. Hernandez: -- is satisfied with -- it is satisfied with the item, it is satisfied with the
introduction of LEDs, with the additional payments, with the removal of billboards, and that's
why you have the item before you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. So, Commissioner Sarnoff I just want to be clear -- and we
don't have to beat a dead horse on it -- is your issue, so I know, more about not having a full
Commission or is your issue that there are some items -- that there are some things regarding
this particular item that causes you concern?
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, I'm going to make some amendments. I mean, this is not
acceptable to me, and there may be some Commissioners that would like to debate me. I'll give
you some -- and I know Dusty Melton has stayed here all day. I'd like to at least hear from him
so that we can have a record that we can refer to in the event he doesn't come back a second
time. I'll go forward with it, but to take 15,000 -- for instance, at 6.2-- to take $15, 000 per year,
to me, is laughable when you consider what an LED billboard can provide. You know, that
number should be $75, 000 per year. All existing structures -- and I've made this painfully clear
to the City Administration. You're probably tired ofgetting my e-mails (electronic). You're
probably tired ofgetting my photographs -- should look by -- look like what we described as the
Dubai billboards, and I'm not going to let any new exist -- I'm not going to let any new structures
go up that don't look like that until you can tell me it can't be and should not be built in Miami
when Dubai has to face a code of 220 mile -per -hour winds, so I would think hurricane is 160, I
think we're okay there. The distance requirements of 600 feet, you know, Mr. Manager, with all
due respect, I think it should be 1, 000 feet. Now, if those are substantial changes that people
can't live with, I think it's a good debate. Other Commissioners may think I'm right. Other
Commissioners may think I'm wrong.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Well, I think it's important that people at least hear your position on
the record so everyone's clear what your position is. So these are things that you feel that need
to be debated and worked through before we could even address it as a full body Commission. Is
that what you're saying?
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, I think the Manager's been well aware of my position for quite a
while.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Well, this is the first time I'm hearing your position --
Commissioner Sarnoff No. You couldn't hear from me.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- 'cause we can't. Right.
Mr. Hernandez: Right.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So --
Mr. Hernandez: Commissioner, the issue of the spacing, I think that your comment would be
acceptable to me --
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
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Mr. Hernandez: -- rather than 600 to go to 1, 000 foot spacing, and I think that the issue of the
aesthetical treatments is something that I also support, and any new structure should be not just
Dubai, but I think the Dubai mold has been used in the U.S. (United States), places like Arizona,
New Mexico --
Commissioner Sarnoff Correct.
Mr. Hernandez: -- so there is no reason why any new structure should be of a higher aesthetic
value. Even existing structures should be able to maybe be better -- I'm not saying to take it
down. I'm saying to better dress it up, enhance it, make it more decorative. The only
outstanding issue that we have, I believe, would be the actual compensation.
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
Mr. Hernandez: And Pieter, you told me that you had some figures from San Antonio?
Mr. Bockweg: Yeah. I have -- I reached out to San Antonio, which is a city that has a pilot
program with Clear Channel. They have 13 LED billboards up today in San Antonio, and I'll
give you some numbers as to their fee structure for -- per LED face. If you include the
inspection, the dollar per square foot, under 75 feet and then over 75 feet, and another annual
inspection, the total amount of fee going to the City of San Antonio would be almost $12, 000 per
face.
Commissioner Sarnoff Per face.
Mr. Bockweg: Per face. And I was very adamant with San Antonio in asking them what was the
general consensus not only from their Commission, but from the administration as far as what
kind of compensation they're getting; and he was very clear that they're very happy with the
compensation as compared to other cities, like Albuquerque, New Mexico, or other places in the
country. So they're -- like I said, they have 13 faces, LED, in San Antonio, and their fee struc --
well, their fees are -- totaled 11,925.
Commissioner Sarnoff Annually.
Mr. Bockweg: Annual.
Commissioner Sarnoff Per sign.
Mr. Bockweg: Per face.
Commissioner Sarnoff Per face, and I -- the only reason -- I don't mean to fence with you
because an LED face can change, so are we talking about the actual structure itself?
Mr. Bockweg: Yes, the actual --
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Mr. Bockweg: -- one-sided structure.
Commissioner Sarnoff So just because you could put seven faces up doesn't mean --
Mr. Bockweg: I refer to those as copies.
Commissioner Sarnoff Gotcha. Okay. So you think the $15, 000 is a reasonable amount
predicated upon what Albuquerque or San Antonio?
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Mr. Bockweg: Well, San -- the numbers that gave you is from San Antonio, and they have told
me that their -- in the upper echelon from all the other cities --
Mr. Hernandez: However, Commissioner, so you know, I spoke with Clear Channel yesterday,
and I asked for 25,000.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: And let me ask this question because I just also want to be clear,
guys, on what they're already paying. Because based upon my notes -- I just want to be clear --
at this point, Clear Channel is paying how much annually?
Mr. Bockweg: Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: They're already paying $250, 000 annually, and they pay into the
neighborhood enhancement program, which goes between -- since those billboards affected our
district, go in -- we split them based upon the number of billboards, which is Allapattah and my
area, which is, I believe, 50k--
Mr. Bockweg: That's correct.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- and then they pay, what, 50k per --
Mr. Bockweg: Right.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- initial billboard?
Mr. Bockweg: Under the -- ifI may, Commissioner -- settlement agreements, they were allotted
15 initial amended permits. They have, as of today, used 12 of them, for a total of $540, 000.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Plus they pay -- there's another 80,000 to the CRA
(Community Redevelopment Agency), per the settlement? That's something separate.
Mr. Bockweg: Under the amendment, they're paying $80, 000 for the settlement between -- the
lawsuit between the CRA and (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so -- we -- like at almost 600 -- close to 600 -- close to 500 and
something -- close to $600, 000 that they're either paying or have paid or something to that
affect.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Do you have --
Mr. Bockweg: More.
Commissioner Gonzalez: I'm sorry.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: And then on top of this, now we're asking for $15, 000 per --
Mr. Bockweg: Per LED face, on top of the 5,000 that they're already paying --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Bockweg: -- so it'd be a total of 20.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. So -- and Mr. City Manager is now saying we want to go up
higher on that amount?
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Mr. Hernandez: Rather than that 15, I talked to them yesterday and I asked for 25,000. They
got back to me at the end of the day yesterday and told them -- or told me, my staff that they
could not do it.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Commissioner Gonzalez: I -- I'm sorry.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: You're recognized.
Commissioner Gonzalez: How many of these billboards are going to go in my district?
Mr. Hernandez: Pieter.
Mr. Bockweg: There is not one LED face going up in your district.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Pardon me?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Not one.
Mr. Bockweg: There's not one. There's not a new -- it's not a new billboard. It's just an existing
structure. They're going to replace one side of the face, and not one is in your district.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So --
Commissioner Gonzalez: But think heard you while I was back there that you want to defer
the item --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: He say he wants to defer it.
Commissioner Gonzalez: -- right? You want to defer?
Commissioner Sarnoff I want -- but know there's someone's been here all day --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- and I'd like to hear from them.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Dusty, you want to put something on the record?
Dusty Melton: Dusty Melton, 3430 Poinciana Avenue, in the City ofMiami, and I have a brief
presentation, if it would be helpful to inform the Commission and the staff and the public. I can
do it now, but if, in the interest of time, you want me to come back after the deferral, I guarantee
you, I will be here. It's -- either way, but think it might be helpful in informing as
Commissioners meet individually with staff members to refine this matter, perhaps, for my brief
tutorial?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Well, if-- it would be nice if all five of us are here when you do it, so
if you have a full presentation that you'd like to do, Dusty, I would prefer for you to do it when
all of us are here, so --
Mr. Melton: Whatever the will of the Commission is.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- I think that's -- I don't want you to have to go through it now and
then have to go through it again.
Commissioner Sarnoff Is there -- I mean, with all due respect, is there a one -minute small
version so that I could take it back with me so that when someone sits down with me, I know what
the issues are?
Mr. Melton: Yes, sir. The very abbreviated version.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Melton: I know a little bit about sign codes in this City and in our community because I was
one of the principal authors of it. My colleague, in the writing of the sign code that governs the
City ofMiami, was Arthur E. Teele, Jr. We worked for a year and a half from early 1984 until
1985 drafting the sign code ofMiami-Dade County, and our third partner in that was County
Commissioner -- then -County Commissioner Harvey Ruvin. The ordinance that was passed in
the summer of '85 overhauling and completely rewriting the County's sign code was made a
countywide ordinance under the home rule charters, and that is the governing law in the City of
Miami. You have a municipal sign code, but it can only be more restrictive than the basic
requirements of the County code. It cannot be more permissive. Your staff did not know four
hours ago even that the County Commission amended the sign code of Dade County in 1994 to
promulgate 10 requirements for programmable signs, which are before you today in this item.
And what your Administration is suggesting you do is that you approve this item that would
allow -- that would basically validate, embrace, authorize -- you pick the verb -- behavior on the
first three Clear Channel billboards that is illegal today at those three locations. And make no
mistake about it, you look at the settlement agreement paperwork that's proposed today, it talks
about changing the message every eight times -- every eight seconds. I first brandished the
County sign code from 1985 -- and I'm going to keep it very brief -- in these chambers on April
11, 2002 at Commissioner Teele's request, and we lined up photographs -- and some will
remember -- all across the front row the evidence of the brazen behavior of the outdoor
advertising industry in violating just about every important aspect of the sign code from
billboards put next to expressways illegally, billboards placed too close to each other illegally,
billboards with faces too large illegally. And as I best recall, the photo in the very middle was a
Clear Channel billboard with a programmable sign, illegal. Twentieth Street, west side of 95.
The billboard itself was legal. The application of the programmable sign made it illegal.
Commissioner Teele sat there and courageously made the motion to declare war on the billboard
industry, his former client and mine, for their brazen violations. That was a proud day in the
history of the City ofMiami. A new manager, a year later, recommended a shameful settlement
of the litigation that was going great against Carter. A year after that, that same manager
recommended a shameful settlement with Clear Channel; and more recently, there's been a
shameful settlement with the other billboard company that Arthur E. Teele had this City sue back
in 2002. This is the law that governs the City ofMiami, notwithstanding anything in your
municipal sign code, and these are the 10 requirements that that sign and the proposed three
signs violate. You're being asked, when it comes back, if it comes back in this fashion, to
validate, approve, embrace, authorize, whatever the right word is, that, and that is illegal as we
sit and stand here today. You're being recommended to basically allow illegal behavior by the
billboard industry. This is not surprising in the City ofMiami. This City government has a rich
tradition of recidivist collaboration with the criminal element of the outdoor advertising
industry. I don't care about how much money you make off of their illegal behavior, but you
have become their business partners, their profit partners in existing criminal behavior and
proposed new technology criminal behavior, and I think it's shameful, but that's my short
version.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: You'll give us the long version the next time.
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Mr. Melton. The long version will be the next time. But what is proposed that you embrace
today is illegal at this moment pursuant to the governing statute, and your own Administration,
four hours ago, didn't even know the rules existed.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Commissioner Sarnoff Madam City Attorney, can we have an LSR (Legal Services Request) on
this? I'd like --
Mr. Hernandez: Commissioners --
Commissioner Sarnoff -- to know all about the County code.
Mr. Hernandez: -- I do appreciate the presentation by Mr. Melton. My understanding is that he
is not correct on some of the points that he stated. The 10 points that he makes reference to are
for point -of -sale signs; it's not applicable in this case. I just looked at it. Our attorneys have
similar concerns.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, I think any Commissioner sitting here would want to base their
decisions predicated upon the shoulders of our City Attorney so that we could all go before any
governing tribunal and say it's her advice.
Mr. Hernandez: I mean, Dusty --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: All right, so --
Mr. Hernandez: -- what you have just --
Mr. Melton: Are electric --
Mr. Hernandez: -- what you just gave me says --
Mr. Melton: -- programmable signs.
Mr. Hernandez: -- this provision shall apply to Class B point -of -sales signs only. You just gave
it to me.
Mr. Melton: Excuse --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Wait, wait, wait, wait.
Mr. Melton: Just a brief soliloquy.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Melton: Because --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Dusty, okay, we allowed for you to have a few minutes to --
Mr. Melton: May I just have 30 seconds?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No, no. You're going to have more than that at the next hearing. At
this point, I wanted to at least give you enough respect because you sat here all day to talk about
it. You guys should be able to work out -- you should be able to sit down with City -- with the
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City staff and with the City Attorney to work out whatever the issues or concerns. Right now, at
this point, you've already said you want to defer the item. You had a motion to defer. It seems
like that's where we are because everybody's not here now. So I have a motion. Do I have a
second?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: All right, this --
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Asking for a date, you're deferring it to?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Till the next --
Commissioner Gonzalez: Next Planning and Zoning meeting.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- C -- till the next City Commission --
Commissioner Sarnoff PZ (Planning & Zoning), yeah.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Right. Next PZ meeting, all right, because I don't want us to
go back and forth on all of this.
Mr. Melton: Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Y'all work it out. All righty, so let's --
Ms. Thompson: Vote.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Roll call.
Ms. Thompson: Vote.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Oh. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. All right, this item passed. The item is deferred. All right.
Mr. Milton: And my presentation has nothing to do with any other billboard item that may be on
your agenda today. Let me go out of my way to say that.
Commissioner Sarnoff Why didn't you stand up when we were amending the sign code? I
mean, why wouldn't you have said something at that point when we --
Mr. Melton: At what point?
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, the ordinance --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Wait, wait, wait. You can have a sidebar conversation with him.
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We're going to keep this meeting in order, okay. So can we move on to item -- your item' cause
you've been waiting here all day? Dusty, you guys can chat later.
Mr. Melton: We will.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Go through all of that.
Mr. Melton: Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, thank you.
RE.10 09-00521 RESOLUTION
Office of the City A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
Attorney DIRECTOR OF FINANCE TO PAY TO AND ON BEHALF OF ROGELIO E.
ROJAS, SUBJECT TO THE CONDITIONS IMPOSED BY CHAPTER 440,
FLORIDA STATUTES, THE TOTAL SUM OF $175,000, IN FULL
SETTLEMENT OF ALL CLAIMS AND DATES OF ACCIDENT ALLEGED
AGAINST THE CITY OF MIAMI, ITS OFFICERS, AGENTS AND EMPLOYEES,
WITHOUT ADMISSION OF LIABILITY, UPON EXECUTING A SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENT AND GENERAL RELEASE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI AND ITS
PRESENT AND FORMER OFFICERS, AGENTS, AND EMPLOYEES, FROM
ANY AND ALL CLAIMS AND DEMANDS, ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM THE
SELF-INSURANCE AND INSURANCE TRUST FUND, INDEX CODE NO.
05002.301001.515000.0000.00000.
09-00521 Legislation.pdf
09-00521 Memo 1.pdf
09-00521 Memo 2.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Samoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
R-09-0264
Chair Sanchez: RE.10, it's another settlement.
Julie O. Bru (City Attorney): Mr. Chairman, this is a --
Chair Sanchez: Can we put something on the record on RE.10?
Ms. Bru: -- resolution that seeks authorization for settlement of all claims and dates of accidents
alleged against the City ofMiami by Rogelio Rojas. This is a worker's compensation claim. The
amount is an amount not to exceed $175,000.
Commissioner Sarnoff Move it.
Chair Sanchez: All right. There's a motion by Commissioner Sarnoff --
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Chair Sanchez: -- second by Commissioner Regalado. No discussion on the item. We're on
RE.10, which is a resolution, a settlement. All in favor, say "aye."
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The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay." RE.10 has been
approved, 5-0.
RE.11 09-00450 RESOLUTION
District 3- Chair
Joe Sanchez
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION DIRECTING THE CITY
MANAGER TO REQUIRE "LABOR PEACE AGREEMENTS" AS A CONDITION
PRECEDENT TO THE ISSUANCE OR EXECUTION OF CERTAIN
CONTRACTS DEPENDENT UPON REVENUES FROM HOSPITALITY
OPERATIONS.
09-00450 Legislation.pdf
Motion by Chair Sanchez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter be
ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 2 - Commissioner Gonzalez and Sarnoff
R-09-0263
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: RE.11
Chair Sanchez: All right. RE.11, we're going to take up. RE.11 is a resolution sponsored by the
Chair. It's a resolution of the City ofMiami Commission directing the City Manager to require
labor peace agreements as a condition precedent to the insurance of [sic] execution of certain
contracts. All right. Why don't we -- let's do something. Let's table this for now and we'll bring
it up next, okay? All right. Let's try to get the ones that are not going to be controversial out of
the way and get some -- all right.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: RE.13?
Chair Sanchez: No.
[Later..]
Chair Sanchez: All right. We move on. Let's take RE.11, and then we're going to break for
lunch. We'll be back at 2, okay. So, RE.11. Now on RE.11, it's a resolution. We usually don't
allow the public. Well allow one individual to address this. Who's going to be that individual to
address this?
Brian May: I am.
Chair Sanchez: Okay. Let me pass the gavel to the Vice Chair and make a motion on RE.11.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: We have a motion on the item. Do we have a second?
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Chair Sanchez: Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. First of all, do we want to --? Mr. May, I see you here. You
want to at least officially put something on the record?
Mr. May: Yes. We'd love to, actually.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. State your name for the record.
Mr. May: Brian May, at offices 235 Catalonia Avenue, in Coral Gables, here representing Unite
Here Local 355. I want to, you know, first of all, thank Chairman Sanchez, but also thank all of
you. We've had an opportunity to meet with each one of you and your respective staffs, and we
have, over really the course of the last few months, worked on -- continuously worked on
language with the CityAttorney's Office to provide, you know, the ample amount of security for
those who wish to organize hospitality facilities in the City, as well as take into account, you
know, some of the concerns and some issues that, you know, could provide for some exceptions
that the City might want to undertake. So that being said, you know, this resolution is very
similar to the labor peace language that is in the baseball stadium management agreement that
you're a party to. It is also actually very close to the exact language of a County resolution that
was passed at Miami International Airport, which provides for the same provision, which simply
says that, you know, for the City's sake to protect its revenue streams with regards to its
proprietary interest in the City that relate to hospitality facilities, that the City's going to require
any vendor or leaseholder manager of such proprietary interest to sign a labor peace agreement
with the recognized organizing entity so that there are no work stoppages, disruption of business
as it relates to any organizing activities for workers that might take place on the City's premises.
So --
Chair Sanchez: On City -owned property.
Mr. May: On City premises, yes.
Chair Sanchez: Those are things that we need to clarify.
Mr. May: Correct. And it is -- you know, this is a very important resolution. It's extremely
important to the labor movement here in Miami -Dade. You know, the City ofMiami is, you
know, putting its policies a step forward, and we certainly appreciate that and commend all of
you and would urge its passage.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. I'd like to recognize Commissioner Sanchez, please.
Chair Sanchez: Madam Chair, this is a resolution that I take great pride in introducing and
passing. First of all, I want to thank everyone who's worked so hard to get this resolution on
board to an agreement between all parties, and I'll tell you why. Labor peace agreements are
something that are not new. They're happening throughout our great nation, and basically, it
protects the workers, the hard, decent workers of our nation who struggle everyday to make a
living. On that note, let me just say that this peace agreement protects the City's revenue stream
by preventing strikes. In other words, from work stoppage at facilities that are operated by the
City. What does this guarantee us? Well, it guarantees us, first, that we have been able to learn
from others, such as the County. The County has a labor peace agreement in the baseball
stadium and over at the airport. And basically, it guarantees us -- and this is by no mean -- as
I've been contacted by some people that says, well, this is the unions forcing us to become union
members. No, it is not. That is far from the truth. It just allows us to have a fair playing field
where, if they want to be unionized, they could do so, but it has to be a competitive field. So this
resolution that sets forth really shows how the City is maturing as we continue to provide
opportunities and progress in this city. Now the legislation that's in front of us only covers
hospitality workers. Those are people that work in hotels, motels, restaurants, bar, clubs, and
other facilities that provide convention and conferences to our community. This only applies to
new facilities or new vendor leases that the City puts forth. So I think this is a step in the right
direction, and I'm glad to see that United [sic] is here working with us to assure that this
resolution is passed. And, hopefully, other cities can see what the County and the City are doing
to make sure that we're here to protect the workers of our city. So at this time, I would make a
motion that was already made, butt make it again.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I had a motion.
Commissioner Gonzalez: I'll second --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Do we have a second?
Commissioner Gonzalez: -- the motion?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Second by Commissioner Gonzalez. Any comments, Commissioner?
Commissioner Regalado: No. I think that it's important that we have this kind of agreements
because -- and I think, you know, it needs to be expanded. On this thing that we just did on the
museums, I don't know if it would cover because it's City land, but it's not a City --
Mr. May: Right.
Commissioner Regalado: -- building --
Mr. May: Right.
Commissioner Regalado: -- but we need to understand that because more and more the people
need protection at this moment. Industries are laying off people left and right. Industries are
trying to cut down even on contracts that they already signed. We all see what General Motors
just did to the Autoworkers Union, that they have to accept many things. And because of the
economic situation, many industries, many companies would use that situation to fry to undercut
the workers. And you know, the workers are the people that move the economy. These are the
people of the people. So I'm all for it, and I think that we should expand this throughout the
City. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so we have --
Mr. May: Madam Chairwoman, could I just --?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes, you may, Mr. May.
Mr. May: I just want to recognize a couple people, if you don't mind.
Chair Sanchez: Sure.
Mr. May: Andy Maddis (phonetic), from Local 355, the president is here, as well as many of his
members here who are duly noted with their red shirts, so I wanted to recognize them as well.
And I also wanted to personally thank the City Attorney for working with us to really, you know,
address what is not always an easy legal issue to sort of work your way through. So we totally
appreciate it, and thank you very much.
Chair Sanchez: Well, people were asking was he a part of my staff 'cause he was always here at
City Hall.
Mr. May: That's true.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: With that being said, we had a motion and second. All in fa --
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Madam Vice Chair, just to make sure your record is
straight, when we recorded your original motion and seconder, we had Chairman Sanchez and
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Commissioner Regalado as the second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Ms. Thompson: So that's how I'm recording the vote.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, no problem.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So we had a motion and a second. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: This item passes.
Chair Sanchez: All right. The City ofMiami --
Mr. May: Thank you.
Chair Sanchez: -- Commission stands in recess 'til 2 o'clock, and we'll be back.
Applause.
RE.12 09-00559 RESOLUTION
District 3- Chair
Joe Sanchez
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE EXTENSION OF THE USE
AGREEMENT WITH TVM PRODUCTIONS, INC., TO ALLOW FOR THE
FILMING OF THE TELEVISION SHOW "BURN NOTICE" AT THE COCONUT
GROVE EXPOSITION CENTER UNDER SIMILAR TERMS AND CONDITIONS
OF AMENDMENT NO. 3, ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED, TO EXTEND
THROUGH 2010, AS MAY BE RENEWED BY ITS TELEVISION NETWORK.
09-00559 Legislation.pdf
09-00559 Exhibit.pdf
09-00559-Submittal-Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce Resolution.pdf
09-00559-Submittal-M3 Studios.pdf
Motion by Chair Sanchez, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez, that this matter be
ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Samoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
R-09-0265
Direction from Vice Chair Spence -Jones to the City Manager to work with the Economic
Development Division, along with other key departments, to begin to identify other locations
within the City that may be able to support the film industry.
Direction from Commissioner Regalado to the City Manager to conduct a comparative analysis
on the requirements to film videos, documentaries, movies, and still pictures in the City ofMiami
compared to Miami Beach and Orlando, and to provide a report to the City Commission.
Direction from Vice Chair Spence -Jones to the City Manager to create a task force identifying a
particular space (interrupted audio transmission due to technical difficulties)...
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Chair Sanchez: (INAUDIBLE) recess, and we're going to be taking up -- first item will be
RE.12, and that, RE.12, is pertaining to Burn Notice and the Coconut Grove Convention Center.
So we'll take up that item once we have three Commissioners; hopefully, four Commissioners.
All right, so just bear with us, and we'll call the meeting to order when we have a quorum.
[Later... ]
Chair Sanchez: All right, ladies and gentlemen, the City ofMiami Commission meeting is back
in order. (INAUDIBLE). I'll pass the gavel to the Vice Chair. As to the item that is in front of
us, let me just state --
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): I'm sorry, Chair. Do you have your microphone on?
Chair Sanchez: I'm sorry. All right, so the City ofMiami Commission meeting is back in order.
I have passed the gavel to the Vice Chair. The first item that we're going to be taking up is going
to be RE. 12. Those of you who will be speaking on the item, you need to sign in with the City
Clerk. We will, later on, get to the PZ (Planning & Zoning) items. Also, anybody that will testify
in front of the Commission must sign in to address the Commission. So at this time, I have
passed the gavel. I want to elaborate on an item that's important to our city. And I want to give
you just a little bit of history on this item. On July 24, 208 [sic], this --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I just want -- do -- are you giving a motion at the same time?
Chair Sanchez: Well, it's -- I wanted to -- I'll proffer the motion at the appropriate time. I think
that -- I want to just talk a little bit about the history and then get to it. So on July 24, 208 [sic],
this body passed a motion approving the Coconut Grove waterfront master plan, and
subsequently, passed a motion to give Fox Television show, Burn Notice, a third season. That
was done primarily to the terrific economic impact that it has to our economy, as well as the
invaluable public relationship and image -building power that the show has. Since that day, our
economy has -- in our -- not only our city, but our nation has gone through some horrible times.
And we are facing the most severe economic crisis that our country has ever faced in the last 75
years. In light of the fact, we feel that it's prudent and right to continue to provide an
opportunity on all types of stimulus that does not provide a bailout. This is not a bailout. This is
-- you've heard of shovel -ready jobs. This is camera-ready jobs. Now I want to make it very
clear, before I continue with this, that this -- we are not, in any way, revisiting the Coconut
Grove waterfront master plan. However, I think we have a great opportunity in our city, as an
industry that provides not only $23 million to our local economy and affecting each and every
one of our districts, a show that is number one in cable show, and not to mention the image;
every time that this show is seen on TV (Television), the great publicity that the City ofMiami
and Coconut Grove receives. I think it's important that if -- we have a responsibility here, is to
focus on the people we represent. And this is an industry right now that we have an obligation to
try to assist. And let me just put a couple of major things that are very important. To this day, if
we do the research -- and they've been here for three seasons, going on four -- they provide close
to $60 million to our local economy, and you could go on from -- whether it's rental cars,
whether it is lumber, food, clothing, an industry that it provides Miami to be able to make sure
that people have jobs and people are able to feed their family. Now, why is it so important that
we address this issue? Well, we need to address this issue because a series -- a session -- season
four is primarily important because what? A one -hour television drama needs approximately
100 episodes to reach full syndication. It has been 24 years since Miami Vice had that great
honor, since we have been lucky enough to have the television series go on be -- for all those
seasons. Well, we have one now today that have [sic] reached that point, and that is Burn
Notice. If we give it a fourth season, I think we could facilitate the possibility that the show will
be recognized as a worldwide syndication show, which I think benefits the City. And once again,
this is not about revisiting the Coconut Grove waterfront. I think it's important to hear from all
the Commissioners, but we have an opportunity here today, as we speak -- that have been able
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to work with the City Manager, that we've had meetings pertaining to an industry that we need to
be friendly towards, but also the Mayor and the district Commissioner. I am willing to work with
all those as we, here today, discuss this item that we're underway negotiating to possibly have a
site -- and I'm not going to mention the site -- where we can facilitate a film and production and
music industry component where Burn Notice -- and we realize that Burn Notice cannot be there
forever -- will have an opportunity to move, but it will be a smooth transition, and we will be
able to keep that TV show here in Miami. And I am going to hold back on the resolution thatl
have. I will proffer another resolution, but think it's important that we listen from the
Commissioners and from the public as to how this affects them and what is the right thing to do
for our city. So at this time, I would like to call up producer Terry Miller.
Terry Miller: Yes. Hello, everyone. Hi, fellow filmmakers --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: You --
Mr. Miller: -- and Commissioners. Thank you so much.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: You're actually recognized.
Chair Sanchez: You're recognized for the record. Please state your name, yes.
Mr. Miller: My name is Terry Miller. I'm the producer of Burn Notice, and I am humbled and
thankful to be standing before you. Just two years ago, Fox TV brought Miami a gift, and you
helped us unwrap it. You gave us the facility to begin to grow the seeds of a TV series that has
rocketed to the number -one slot in cable television. Without the City ofMiami incentivizing this
show, we may not have gotten through the pilot. Now even today, between the raindrops that
we're having right now, we are still -- we are shooting with a full cast and crew just a few miles
from this chamber on our third season. We're hoping to get a fourth. Our premiere date is June
4, which is in just a week. With a full cast and crew shooting just a few miles from this chamber,
probably shooting, I might add, with a 95 percent local cast and -- local crew and a 25 percent
local principal cast. We've got one of our principals here with us who -- Sharon Gless, who
happens to be a local resident.
Applause.
Chair Sanchez: All right.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I'm going to ask that we refrain from any handclapping, please,
because --
Mr. Miller: Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- we really want to get through --
Mr. Miller: In addition to --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- the hearing.
Mr. Miller: -- our local cast and crew, we employ hundreds of extras from all over Miami, as
well as many off -duty police officers and security personnel. For those that may not know this,
we have resurrected the aging convention center facility and made it our home, the home of Burn
Notice, the number -one show on cable television at this moment, right in this very parking lot,
just a hundred steps from where we are standing right now. I am a local guy. I grew up in
Miami. I graduated from Killian High School and Miami -Dade Junior [sic] College. I received
my bachelor's degree from Florida International University. When I first got in this business, my
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wife and I moved to Los Angeles, where I worked on many films and TV shows. Once I
established myself as an assistant director and production manager, we decided to move back to
South Florida because this is my home. This is where my parents live. I know that I speak for
many of my fellow crew members when I say that this show is a Godsend. So many of us are out
of work. So many shows are going to other states with bigger incentive programs, but this show
stuck around. And if it wasn't for this show, many of us, myself included, would be packing up
our families and moving back to Los Angeles or New York or to some other state that offers
larger incentives. We've all been through the numbers, and you should know about all the jobs
and hotel rooms and so forth that Chairman Sanchez was just mentioning; all the lumber and
props that we buy, all the money that we spend in this town and the local economy. But consider
this, with all of Florida's industry suffering right now, here's one that's thriving. In addition, we
give the City a big "thank you" every Thursday night when we air. We celebrate the beauty and
color ofMiami in every episode. With every show that airs, more studios and filmmakers will
want to move to Miami to set up shop. This building and the surrounding area, with its hotels
and places of business right across the street, make it a perfect environment for all of our
production. We are happy here. You have been very accommodating, and you have been happy
to have us here. We want to stay here. Please help us continue producing our show, your show,
in the exhibition center, the home of Burn Notice. Our future is in your hands. Thank you very
much.
Chair Sanchez: Thank you, Terry.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank --
Commissioner Sarnoff Mr. Miller, could you stay there?
Mr. Miller: Yeah.
Commissioner Sarnoff Mr. Chair --
Chair Sanchez: Question.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Actually, we need to figure out who's chairing. Are you chairing --?
Chair Sanchez: You're chairing.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Who's chairing?
Commissioner Sarnoff Madam Chair, may I have colloquy?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: One second. Can I just ask this quick question?
Mr. Miller: Sure.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Because it seems like there's going to be a lot of people speaking on
this item. By a show of hands, how many people speaking in support of this item? Okay. Then
my next question, how many people speaking against it? There's nobody here speaking against
it?
Mr. Miller: Interesting.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So just two people? Two people speaking --
Chair Sanchez: Bill --
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- against it.
Chair Sanchez: -- is that your hand I see back there?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. This is just, you know -- I just want to put this -- we see all the
20 or 30 people that are here to actually speak on the item, and we see 2 that are against it. It is
obvious that you have the majority of the support in the room.
Mr. Miller: Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So I'm not really sure whether or not my colleagues -- do you guys
want to hear each one of these individual presentations? Would -- do you want to put it on the
record?
Mr. Miller: Could we go through just a few? It'd be wonderful.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No, no. I don't have a problem with going through a few of them.
Mr. Miller: Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: But to go through 30 of them, you -- so --
Chair Sanchez: Madam Chair, ifI may?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No. One second. I just want to know by a show of my colleagues, do
you guys want to go through each one of the individuals or, perhaps, they can, you know, maybe
pick five people out of the crowd that can speak on behalf of the show and the one -- the two that
are here in opposition can speak on it? Are you okay with that? Is everyone okay with that?
Commissioner Sarnoff That's fine.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. Producer, what's your name again?
Mr. Miller: Terry Miller.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Terry, if you can identify at least five people from your group --
Mr. Miller: Five people.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- that would be able to speak on --
Chair Sanchez: But --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- behalf of it, and then the other two that are speaking against it --
Mr. Miller: Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- that would be greatly appreciated. I think the Bureau should,
perhaps, also speak on it only because of who they are, so --
Mr. Miller: Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- Bill, if you can at least come forth as well. I just feel like for us to
go through everybody in the room right now is --
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Mr. Miller: Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: We still have a very long agenda.
Mr. Miller: Can I -- so I can pick the five? Okay, David Frank --
Chair Sanchez: Well, can I --?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: You can pick the five.
Chair Sanchez: Terry -- wait. I would like -- we have Representative Lopez-Cantera, who
fought very hard to get, in these tough economic times --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Chair Sanchez: -- in Tallahassee to increase the film industry incentive to $10.8 million. He is
here to address the Commission.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No problem. So that's one --
Chair Sanchez: I would --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- of the five, right?
Chair Sanchez: And, of course, if we could have Sharon Gless, who is --
Mr. Miller: Sharon Gless.
Chair Sanchez: -- mom.
Mr. Miller: I'd like David Frankel, if he might, who is with us, who is a director that lives here.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No problem.
Mr. Miller: And Larry Crenshaw, who is our transportation coordinator, and then Sam Tedesco.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so we have -- if those five people can at least stand up to be
recognized. And then Bill, I definitely wanted -- no. We want to hear from the Bureau.
Mr. Miller: He's speaking.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: We do want to hear from you, Bill, so you can come to the podium.
Mr. Miller: And more, if we can. There's a lot -- you can see how passionate everyone is, you
know, so --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah, and we understand -- that's the reason why I asked for a show
of hands.
Mr. Miller: If we could make it quick.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: That's why I want --
Mr. Miller: Okay.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I think we get the point, so, you know, we get the point. I don't think
we need to sit for 45 minutes to hear how much it's supported. So if you just give me the first
five, that would be awesome; the two that are not -- you know, speaking -- that are opposing it,
and then Bill, definitely, on behalf of the Bureau, because you basically work for the City and
work for us, we definitely want to hear your viewpoint. So, Mr. Producer, we'll go 'head [sic]
and start with your five here, then go to Bill and then those two.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Madam Chair, ifI may ask --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, and two minutes.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Two minutes per person. Just state your name --
Sharon Gless: Oh, I'm so sorry.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- and address for the record.
Ms. Gless: Just sort of nervous, like the Supreme Court.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No problem.
Ms. Gless: My name is Sharon Gless. I'm a 13 year resident ofMiami, and I am an actress on
the series Burn Notice.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Ms. Gless: I've come to speak -- I guess, first of all, discuss money. I'll do it quickly, butt know
money is important to everybody. And you have heard this before, but it's sort of part of my
rhetoric. Over the last three years, we have hired 90 percent all local crew; our drivers, our
crew, our caterers. Everyone -- I'm one of the four leads who is a regular. A lot of our cast is
hired from Miami. All of our extras are hired from Miami. Over the last three years, we have
brought in almost $60 million, and that's after actors are paid, after the executives are paid.
We're bringing a tremendous amount of money to this community, of which I'm very proud and
happy. I feel Burn Notice is a part of this landscape. The character ofMichael Weston is --
plays a CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) agent who's on the run. And as a Miami resident, I
would just hate to see the City fathers make him pack up his bags and move to another country
or another city. I can tell you from personal experience, my husband created Cagney and Lacey.
I married him ten years later. And he was the first producer to ever turn a warehouse into a
studio, as has been done here. We shot the pilot of Cagney and Lacey in Toronto. Right after
the pilot was shot, the series was sold. And it was a city -owned building in Tornoto that we were
renting, and he turned it into a studio, and they wanted to tear the building down after our show
was sold. We were then forced to go back to Los Angeles, where we gave $125 million in the
'80s to Los Angeles, when we'd rather have given it where we were happy.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah.
Ms. Gless: We'd like to leave our money here. We don't want to have to go anywhere. It's
common knowledge in Hollywood that one could not efficiently make a television series in
Miami. Miami Vice was unable to do that. Cagney and Lacey, at the same time, cost $5 million
less a year without it being shot here. USA has changed all that. USA has been able to bring in
a viable television series, number one in the nation, number one cable show in the nation, and
they're pulling it off financially for all of us. We could do it where we can afford it, and we could
do it with your help. And also, we don't show the underbelly ofMiami. We show the beautiful
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beaches, the beautiful bodies. We show the clubs. We show everything that's gorgeous about
Miami. My producers on Burn Notice have found a way to make things work here. Our ratings
are spectacular, our costs are competitive. It would just be a real mistake, I think, for the
forefathers ofMiami to turn their backs on us now, just when New York and L.A. (Los Angeles)
are thinking about bringing other productions here because of the example that we have laid. I
know that this is -- let me just mention, I do know that this building -- there're people here who
want to shut the building down to build, someday, a park or a glass building. But we're also
very aware that that money is not available to any of them yet. None of them have enough
money to do that project. We'd like to keep throwing these millions of dollars at you until we're
through and then you have your money raised, and then you can, please, do enjoy, whatever.
But for the interim period, we would like to be the one who brings the money to you and brings
all the visitors and the talent and the people who see this show who come to see Miami.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you so much for coming and putting your --
Chair Sanchez: Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- information on the record --
Ms. Gless: Thank you for listening to me.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- and your viewpoint. No problem. So, let's switch it up. Bill, can
you -- can we get you on this side? And then we'll go back on this side.
Bill Talbert: Sure. Thank you very much. My name is Bill Talbert, president and CEO (Chief
Executive Officer) of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau. I'm going to wear a
few different hats. I'm going to, number one, wear the hat of a City ofMiami resident, City of
Miami taxpayer, a ten-year resident of the North Grove. And I have neighbors that are involved
in this industry and -- so I'm appearing both as a resident and taxpayer, and as your sales and
marketing company. You've heard a lot of numbers here and -- if we wanted this show here, we
would all do a lot to get them here, and they're here, and we have an opportunity to keep them
here. Burn Notice is an infomercial for the City ofMiami. It is a free, largely free infomercial
for the City ofMiami. It is telecast in 206 counfries worldwide. I didn't know there were that
many counfries in the world, but in all of our feeder markets. If we were to buy all of the ads for
the last three years of this show, to buy all the spots, it would cost $70 million. What has not
been stated here -- I was home last year on a Sunday watching NBC (National Broadcasting
Company) Sports Network. What were they running? They were running spots for Burn Notice.
Why? USA Network is part of their empire. So we got free ads for this infomercial for Miami on
network television routinely every Sunday. Watch Burn Notice on Thursdays. Now I am a
shopper -- and I don't get paid to do this -- at Costco. Last year I'm going through Costco and I
look in the book section. What do I see? Burn Notice, year one. By the way, I watched this
again last night, one of the best -written shows on television. If you haven't watched these shows
-- it's exciting the way the community is portrayed,• remember, an infomercial for the City. Now
this is Costco, one of the top retailers in the country. This is year one. They don't buy this unless
this is hot. This is hot. I could go on and on and on with lots of lots of numbers. But remember,
largely free infomercial for the city we all love. Thank you very much.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Bill. State Representative Cantera.
Carlos Lopez-Cantera: Thank you, Madam Chair, Commissioners. It's always a pleasure to
address you. My name is Carlos Lopez-Cantera, state representative for District 113, which
covers Coconut Grove, office at 2300 Coral Way. I've been one of the principal supporters in
Tallahassee on the House side of these film -incentive dollars. And this year, when we had a $6
billion deficit in the state budget, we were still able to get over $10 million for these film
incentives because we have seen the returns that they have paid to our state, to our county, to
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our city, and to our community. I don't presume to interject myself into the politics of the City of
Miami. I respect you, and I respect the jobs that you do. I just say, as a resident, and as an
elected official of this area, who lives two blocks away from here and is proud to say that Burn
Notice is filmed down the street from my house and in my district, I would implore you to support
this resolution, in whatever its final version may be, to keep this TV show here in this community.
Like Mr. Talbert said, this is free advertising for our city. This is not a CSI: Miami, that you look
in the background when you're watching it and you see mountains because it's filmed in L.A.
This is actually filmed -- set in Miami and filmed in Miami, and we can't -- we don't get to say
that enough. So I urge you, strongly, please, please do what you can to keep this project in the
City, if necessary, in the convention center, but at the very least, keep it in the City because it is
something that, if we lost it, it would be a tremendous loss to our community. Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, State Representative. David Frankel, producer ofMarley
& Me.
David Frankel: Yeah. Hi. I'm David Frankel. I'm actually the director ofMarley & Me, and I
directed --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, Director.
Mr. Frankel: -- also Miami Rhapsody, and two television series, Grapevine. So I've been
writing and producing and directing entertainment in Miami for almost 20 years. And the -- I
just want to applaud the Chairman and my local Commissioner -- I'm a Coconut Grove resident
-- Mr. Sarnoff, for, I think, really trying to let us have our cake and eat it too, which is to solve
the short-term problem, but, you know, making it possible for Burn Notice to stick around for
another year while we find another facility that will make possible shooting movies occasionally,
like Marley & Me, and other projects that I'm developing to shoot in Miami and other TV series
that might come along. And I just -- the one point want to make is that the people who work in
the film industry are a dwindling resource. There were many, many more crew members when I
first came here in the 1990's. And I think it's a resource that won't replenish itself once it's gone.
And it's a valuable part of the community financially, but also -- and -- from a PR (Public
Relations) point of view, obviously, but also, from an educational point of view. And it creates
opportunities for young people, and entertainment is a big part of our cultural, and accessibility,
I think, is really important. And I would just urge the Commissioners to be aware of trying to
preserve the community of film workers for as long as possible here in Miami.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, sir. And I believe this is the last official speaker. Okay.
Sam Tedesco: My name is Sam Tedesco. I'm a location manager. And I just want to start off by
saying, first of all, the City ofMiami has always been a great friend of the film industry. We've
been before the Commission many times over the years on different projects. They've never
turned us down. They've always been extremely film friendly and tried to do whatever they could
to make it a good place to make movies. We're in a crisis right now. The industry's at a --
certainly at a tipping point with our state incentive not being woefully inadequate to compete on
a national level with all these other states that have recently introduced incentives. And the
industry has largely gone to those states. And since Marley & Me finished, which I worked on
with David, there hasn't been really a single feature film come and shoot in Florida. A lot of
companies have been closing and leaving, and individual crew members have been going
wherever they can get work. So -- and having had my first job on the first season of the TV show
Miami Vice, I think a lot of us around then remember what it was like in 1983 in Miami and
Miami Beach. And I think we can all agree that that show was responsible for the rebirth of
South Beach and affected all of South Florida in general. And I think Burn Notice is in a very
similar situation right now, and where we desperately need this kind of a boost, we're getting it
from Burn Notice. And I hope you'll support the industry now when we need you. Thank you.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, sir. And then I believe we have one more. Okay.
Graham Winick: Thank you, Madam Chair and fellow Commissioners. My name is Graham
Winick. I'm the -- here today as the president of Film Florida, the statewide nonprofit film and --
marketing and legislative support association, as well as the City ofMiami resident of 1884
Southwest 15th -- 16th Street, in Commissioner Regalado's district. So I'm a proud City resident.
I'm not going to take up too much time, but you've heard a lot of people here today talking about
the value of this industry, talking about the economic value of this industry. And above and
beyond that, I don't want to look at this as a political issue as well. I want to look at this as a
common sense issue. This industry and this show, in particular, is a gift that we in the City of
Miami have to recognize is here. The industry is not looking to challenge or change the Sasaki
waterfront plan. We think this is a wonderful plan, but we recognize that there's going to be a
delay before implementation can realistically happen beyond demolition. And we're just asking
for a way to let this evolve and develop in the interim. So the point where -- when the private
sector is ready to develop their own studios and future shows and maybe spin-offs of Burn Notice
are filming here, they'll film the new park that the Sasaki developers have created, and it'll be a
wonderful attribute for us to showcase to the world as well. Speaking on behalf of Film Florida,
we worked very hard with Representative Lopez-Cantera and the rest of the Legislature. We
worked hard with the Governor, who held a special assessment on the entertainment industry
and recognized Burn Notice as the key show in the state of Florida currently to get where we
were at, which is pretty remarkable in this climate. And I'll tell you that of that 10.8 million that
has been set aside by the State of Florida and as everyone looks for stimulus, Burn Notice,
because they are this high -impact series, gets to the front of the line, and about 4.8 of that
million will be dedicated to use here in South Florida; obviously, a lot of it here in Miami. It
would be a shame -- even though I have to speak really on behalf of the entire state -- for that
money to be spent in other parts of the state when this is something that is a guarantee that you
have here in Miami. Something like that has to be considered. And then the other thing is that
in the time -- from a timeframe perspective, there are some serious deadlines coming up. The
State of Florida accepts applications on June 15 on the incentive, and they need to know where
Burn Notice stands. FOX, similar, needs to know where they stand soon. I'll relent on the time,
andl appreciate your allowing me to speak. Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. I think we have one more -- no. We have one -- I want to get a
Coconut resident. I believe -- I understand Michelle Niemeyer is the last person. And then after
this, you know, I want to hear the opposition, and then after this -- I do understand that
everybody showed up today, and I know that you're pretty disappointed that you're not going to
be able to physically, you know, put something on the record, but will allow for you to at least
come to the mike and say who you are and, you know, who you represent. I will allow for you to
do that in a second's time. So, Michelle, you will be the last speaker in support of the project,
and then I'm going to hear from the opposition, and then I'm going to allow for the other
individuals to at least walk up to the mike and say who they are and their affiliation and whether
or not they support it or not.
Michelle Niemeyer: Hi. Michelle Niemeyer, 3400 Pan American Drive, Miami. I'm here today
in two capacities, as a resident of Coconut Grove, and as well, as a member of the board of the
Chamber of Commerce of Coconut Grove. Couple of days ago, the Chamber of Commerce
issued a resolution, which you have before you, in support of this proposition that we keep Burn
Notice in the expo center for their next season. We really feel it's important to stimulate the job,
stimulate the economy, keep the business in Coconut Grove that we're getting now from Burn
Notice. We're also getting a lot of promotion. If you look on the USA Network Web site right
now, there's a map on there and it shows the locations where they've filmed, gives the names of
the real restaurants and says "Episode Number thus and such is Jaguar," another episode shows
the Mutiny; another episode shows Le Petit Paris. They are advertising Coconut Grove
restaurants. They're doing it for places in Miami Beach. They're doing it for places in the City
ofMiami. And all of that is great publicity, as well as a great influx of cash. Now those of you
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sitting up there also know me as probably the resident most involved in the Coconut Grove
waterfront master plan. And I want to tell you -- I mean, I am no less committed to that plan
being ultimately implemented than I ever was. I think it's very important, though, that we keep in
mind that we need to come up with money to implement that plan. And until we do, it really isn't
crucial that the expo center be torn down. One of the things I'm here to ask you for is to commit
that the funds that are being paid as rent for the facility be dedicated, as the bay bottom
easements were, to the implementation of the waterfront master plan. And that's all I have to
say. I think this is a great idea, and we really want to see Burn Notice continue in Coconut
Grove. Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Ms. Niemeyer. So can I get the two people that are in
opposition of the project, please, to step on this side of the mike? The two people that are in
opposition -- Did they leave? They're not here. Oh, two -- any opposition?
Commissioner Gonzalez: No, no, no, in favor. The gentleman with the --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Plaid.
Commissioner Gonzalez: -- shirt --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. All right, this is what we're going to do because we want to get
through this really fast and then we -- you know, this is an item that I didn't think was going to
take this long -- then we bring it back to the City Commission. So if we can, real fast, if you guys
can -- whoever's -- who want -- who came to speak -- 'cause I think the power of voice is
important, so I don't want to stop you from speaking. If you can just come to the mike and say
who you are and if you support it and where you're from. That's it. Then that way we know who
you are and you had a chance. You waited. I want you to allow -- want you to be allowed to at
least say something; just say who you are, what you, you know --
Larry Crenshaw: Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- represent.
Mr. Crenshaw: My name is Larry Crenshaw, the transportation coordinator for Burn Notice,
and I'm a resident of the state of Florida, and I support it, definitely.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Elayne Keratsis: My name's Elayne Keratsis. I'm the production supervisor for Burn Notice. I
support it, but I also want you to know that FOX does also something that no other film company
does. They provide health insurance --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Wonderful.
Ms. Keratsis: -- for all the people who are not covered under their unions, which is a pretty
amazing thing. So I wanted you guys to know that everybody on our show has the benefit of
health insurance, something else we'd like to keep here.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): I'm sorry.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Let me say this. Name -- you definitely need to put your name
on the record, okay. Your name -- Does she need to go back and put it on the record?
Ms. Thompson: Yes, 'cause I didn't get the last name. The first name is Elayne --
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: You need first and last name.
Commissioner Sarnoff And the address.
Ms. Keratsis: It's K E R A T S I-S.
Commissioner Sarnoff And address.
Ms. Keratsis: 9870 East Bay Harbor Drive, Miami 33154.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. All right, let me just say this. I just want your name, where
you're from, and that you support it because, if not, then everybody's going to be talking again.
If not, then we're just going to cut it off. But I wanted to allow you the opportunity to at least say
you're here to support it. Are we clear on that? Okay. Name, where you're from, and you
support it.
Joe Lopez: Good afternoon. My name is Joe Lopez. I'm a business agent for the Teamsters
Union here representing in Miami, and we are in full support of this program and the keeping of
the facility open to keep Burn Notice here.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you very much. This side.
Maria Chavez: Hi. I'm Maria Chavez. I'm a location manager and the president of the Florida
Film Production Coalition, and we are in support of the resolution. And thank you very much.
I'm a resident of the City of Miami.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Rico James: My name is Rico James, 570 Northeast 70th Street. I work for the executive
producer of Burn Notice, and I'm in full support.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Richard Jones: My name is Richard Jones. I'm here representing a company that is locally
impacted by the film business, Unique Producers Service, Incorporated, and we're here to
support the film.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Kevin Sharpley: Hi. My name is Kevin Sharpley. I'm a local producer. I'm a production
company owner here in Miami. I'm also the chair of the Community Building Committee for the
Dade County Film and Entertainment Advisory Board, and I run an organization called
Cinevision, which supports the film industry and impendent filmmaking. And I am
wholeheartedly in support of the resolution for Burn Notice --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Mr. Sharpley: -- to stay.
George Cerchiai: Hi. My name's George Cerchiai. I represent IATSE (International Alliance
of Theatrical Stage Employees), which is the union that provides all the motion picture
technicians, the people that are actually making the movies physically, and we support this
wholeheartedly.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
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Mr. Cerchiai: Thank you.
Peggy McKinley: Peggy McKinley, film and television agent from Runways, the talent group, in
full support of retaining it here.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Cindy Kimbrough: Cindy Kimbrough with Kimbrough Entertainment Marketing. I have a
product placement agency here in Miami, and I am in support of this proposal.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Debra Miller: Debbie Miller, owner ofMidtown Video, equipment supplier for the production
community since 1984, and I'm for the resolution.
Tony Salzer: Good afternoon. Tony Salzer. I'm a local actor, and please keep Burn Notice
here. It's helped a lot of us. Thank you.
Rene Diaz: My name is Rene Diaz. I'm with NR (phonetic) Security. And on behalf of myself
and all my employees, I support this.
Chair Sanchez: Thank you.
Tom Pike: Good afternoon. My name is Tom Pike. I'm the lead teacher for film and
entertainment technology at Design and Architecture Senior High, and I support the resolution.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Katrina Morris: Hi. I'm Katrina Morris, and I am a Coconut Grove resident and an actress,
and I support the resolution.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Claudia Pascual: Good afternoon. My name is Claudia Pascual. I'm a professional makeup
artist since 1989, and I fully support this resolution.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Ivan Parron: Good afternoon. My name is Ivan Parron. I'm a local entertainment attorney and
appointee of the Miami Dade County Film and Entertainment Advisory Board, and I'm in full
support of this resolution.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Julie Balter: Hello. My name is Julie Balter. I'm the south region executive for Screen Actors
Guild. I represent the 2500 professional performers who live here locally in Florida, and we are
here in full support. Thank you for --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Ms. Balter: -- your consideration.
Cristina Figarola: Good afternoon. My name is Cristina Figarola. I'm a local resident,
full-time actress, and I support Burn Notice.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Viviana Pascual: Hi. My name is Viviana Pacual. I'm a wardrobe stylist for the film industry,
and I support the resolution.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Katia Gomez: Hi. I'm Katia Gomez. I'm a resident and also a local actress, and, of course, I'm
in support of the resolution.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Mike Stephens: Hi. My name is Mike Stephens. I'm a local actor, and I also support the
resolution.
Pilar Uribe: Hi. My name is Pilar Uribe. I'm an actress from Miami, and I am in full support
of this resolution.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Robert Lunes: Hi. My name is Robert Lunes. I'm a local actor, and I fully support this
resolution.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Mark Poliacon: Mark Poliacon (phonetic), City Works Digital Studio. We provide developing
services for the Burn Notice project, and I definitely support the resolution. Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Dan Littlejohn: My name is Dan Littlejohn. I'm a 20-year resident of Coconut Grove. I'm a
part-time still photographer for Burn Notice, and I totally support this, and I'm tired of having to
go to Atlanta and South Carolina to work.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Jeremiah Tash: Good afternoon. My name's Jeremiah Tash. I'm a writer's assistant on Burn
Notice, and I fully support.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Joann Justice: Hello. I'm Joann Justice. I'm a native Miamian, in complete support of this.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Melissa Meyer: Hi. My name is Melissa Meyer. I'm a West Grove resident. Burn Notice filmed
at my house yesterday, and it was a pleasure to see the level of community pride elevated in my
neighborhood. I'd like to see that happen again.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Chair Sanchez: Which neighborhood was that?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Coconut Grove.
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Chair Sanchez: Which neighborhood was that?
Ms. Meyer: Village West, Ohio Street -
Chair Sanchez: Thank you.
Ms. Meyer: -- and they filmed in --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Ms. Meyer: -- Margaret Street also.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Lindell Pedest: Yes. My name is Lindell Pedest, and I'm a local location manager. I worked on
the series last year, as well as I have my own production company, and I am a member of Film
Florida. I definitely support them staying.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Steve Lance: Good afternoon. I'm Steve Lance. I'm an ordained minister and executive director
of Team Respect. I work with various schools in Dade County, most notably is 2007's state
champion Booker T. Washington Tornadoes --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Hey, D5 (District 5).
Mr. Lance: -- also Stringrays as well. And I'm -- had the fortune to be a principal actor once on
Burn Notice, giving hope in the community. I fully support the show. Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Jessica Botsky: Jessica Botsky, Miami International Film Festival, and we fully support this.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Sarah Arvanites: Hi. My name is Sarah Arvanites. I'm a resident of Coconut Grove. I
graduated from UM (University ofMiami); could've moved to L.A. or New York, but decided to
stay in Miami. I work on Burn Notice, and I'm 100 percent in support of this resolution.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Pam Weiss: Hi. My name is Pam Weiss. I was born and raised in Miami. I continue to live
here. I've been working freelance in the film industry for about 15 years now, and I'd like to be
able to stay home and work. Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Michael Jarvis: Hi. My name is Michael Jarvis. I've been a location scout and manager here
since mid-80s, since Miami Vice, and full support of the show.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Kimberly Ann Jones: Hi. My name is Kimberly Ann Jones. I'm a local actor, andl support the
industry -- or Burn Notice.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you. Anybody on this side? Go 'head [sic]. Is that the last
person on that side? Okay, 'cause that -- okay.
Fabio Arber: Hello. My name is Fabio Arber. I'm a production supervisor, and I
wholeheartedly support keeping the convention center.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Mr. Arber: Thank you.
Walter Medina: Walter Medina, Florida resident, full time actor; support Burn Notice.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Frank Cuzo: Good afternoon. I'm Frank Cuzo. I represent the Sonesta Bayfront Hotel, and
we're privileged to host the Burn Notice crew from out of town and definitely support this
program.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Paul Ohanesian: Paul Ohanesian, the general manager of the Mutiny Hotel, where we filmed an
episode of Burn Notice, and we support it 100 percent.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Michael Dean Walker: Good afternoon. I'm Michael Dean Walker, a member of Screen Actors
Guild (UNINTELLIGIBLE) 477, and I am in support of keeping Burn Notice going for a little
while longer, if we could, especially in this economy, and I am for the park ultimately, but just if
we could just --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: But you support it?
Mr. Walker: I support Burn Notice at least for another season.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. I just needed the name and if you support it or you don't.
Mr. Walker: Thank you.
Rod Ball: Hello. I'm Rod Ball, a native Miamian, 30-year member of SAG (Screen Actors
Guild), and I'm in support of the resolution.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you. Last three -- two people.
Brian Gray: Brian Gray. I'm a local attorney, North Miami resident, and I fully support Burn
Notice.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Frank Andrews: My name is Frank Andrews. I'm a director/producer, born and raised here in
Miami. I'm a full-time resident of Key Biscayne. I've been there my whole life, and I full and
wholeheartedly support Burn Notice here in Miami, Florida.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you. So I think that we have given everybody the opportunity
to at least -- to put their positions on the record. So we have handled that portion of it. I'm now
going to bring it back to the City Commission. First of all, before we do anything, do we have a
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motion and a second on this item?
Chair Sanchez: We're going to hold off on the motion. Let's discuss, and then we'll -- I'll present
a motion as being the sponsor of the motion.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so we don't have a motion right now. So do --
Chair Sanchez: No.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. I'm going to open up to the district Commissioner then,
Commissioner Sarnoff.
Commissioner Sarnoff Thank you. You know, when I first took office, the City ofMiami was 55
out of 55 measured cities in terms of its park space, and we counted our cemeteries and our
median grounds. And if we doubled that number of park space, we would be 54th. So,
obviously, one of my main concerns was to improve the park space that we had available to us,
and it was primary to me. The Burn Notice should absolutely stay in Miami. The question,
inevitably, becomes where should Burn Notice stay? Should it stay in the convention center?
Should we locate alternate space? And I know that my office, along with the Mayor's office,
back as late as almost one year ago, were looking for alternate places from a private sector
standpoint to see what the private sector would do to step up to find out where we could find a
sound stage. And this was really prior to the big meltdown of the economy, and the private
sector really wasn't all that interested in stepping up primarily because we had such a low
amount of money that we were asking Burn Notice to pay for the use of the convention center.
And here's another side to the story as well, which is a sobering side. What does the convention
center really cost each and every taxpayer for the City ofMiami to keep operating? Since 2007
that Burn Notice has been there, the City ofMiami has lost $379, 899. That may not mean a lot
to you, but that's the cost offset ofyour rent. We thought we had solved that problem to some
degree when we asked Burn Notice to increase its rental use from $6,500 per month to $20, 000
per month. 'Cause, certainly, it could be said very persuasively that Burn Notice wasn't paying a
fair rent. Certainly, a production space of the size of the convention center could easily
command 60, $50, 000 per month, and I think everybody out there knows it. Lo and behold, you
look at the particular history ofyour rent payment, and you'll see that you paid $6, 500 per
month, but you paid it every month, and you paid it every month because you kept your set
design and all your equipment in the convention center. Under the terms of the new lease, you'll
spend $20, 000 per month, but only for a five -month period, so the City ofMiami will continue to
lose about $100, 000 a year just to operate the building. In addition, we went through an RFP
(Request for Proposals) process. Why? Because we do have the money to start the
implementation of the Sasaki plan. We have the money to take down the convention center, and
we have the money necessary to put out the green space and to create a small amphitheater and
start the beginnings of the Sasaki plan. So money wasn't the issue. And how do you know that?
'Cause the City Manager issued an RFP. And what's an RFP? A request for proposal from
someone to take down the convention center. What's the big deal? I guess it's not, but it's 30 or
$40, 000 the City ofMiami spent to get a person to answer our RFP. So right there you have
about 4, $450, 000 that it's cost the taxpayers for the past three years. Okay, that's our incentive
to Burn Notice to stay in the convention center. I had a very candid discussion yesterday with
Mr. Miller; thought he was very forthright. Because there are two potential sites that Burn
Notice could move to. And I asked him, I said, "Look, if everything worked the way it could
work, would you be interested in the sites?" Andl know one of the sites was e-mailed
(electronic) to Commissioner Spence -Jones. It's M3 Studios. It's right here. Another site is the
possible FTZ -- and Mr. Miller, to his absolute credit, said, "Commissioner, I really don't have a
lot of interest in anything other than the convention center. It's so easy to film here because I
walk outside and I have everything I want. Igo right out there, I have the waterfront. I have the
sailboats. So if you put me in Wynwood, or if you put me in another part ofMiami, it's not really
where I want to be." Okay, so is it about Burn Notice moving to another venue? Probably,
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truthfully not. The truth of the matter is, really, they want to be in the convention center.
Ms. Gless: Not big enough.
Commissioner Sarnoff Sorry?
Ms. Gless: The places that you're mentioning -- I'm sorry.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, just -- we need to make sure we have order. When the -- when
this comes back to the Commission, there is no interruption as the Commissioners speak, for
those that don't know. So that --
Ms. Gless: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I know, but we have to respect the Commissioners, and I would like
for him to complete his statement.
Ms. Gless: Sorry.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well -- and so Mr. Miller was very honest and candid with me and said,
"Commissioner, the only place that Burn Notice truly wants to be is in the convention center."
So there really isn't going to be an alternate place in Miami. So then I thought to myself in
some sordid jealousy -- 'cause I'll be honest with you. I'm jealous of Commissioner Gonzalez,
who has spent -- and probably has the nicest park system of any park in the districts.
Commissioner Spence -Jones just spent $33 million on Little Haiti Park. Commissioner Sanchez
just opened up Jose Marti Park, I think at a similar amount. My colleague to my right, I don't
think has any parks, like myself. And here Coconut Grove is with a plan that we spent $1.5
million on, and I thought to myself you know, it might be palatable if it was only Burn Notice
and Burn Notice was to stay here another year, maybe another two years, and Burn Notice were
to pay into a trust to allow the implementation of phase II of Sasaki. In other words, that the
rent that you pay would be held in trust to implement the Sasaki plan. And I was glad to hear
Michelle Niemeyer suggest that because I've been asking that of the City, you know, to see how
they felt about it and couldn't get a -- very much a straight answer. And it's interesting to sit
here today because I guess some people have changed their minds in six months. I'll read you
something. "There must be an appropriate location for a film studio in Miami, but the expo
center isn't it. The building is unsafe and needs extensive renovation work, if it were to be kept.
A film studio is not a water -dependent use and could be anywhere in Miami. We need park
space along the water and waterways for residents from all over the City to walk, bike, or picnic,
to get out of their small boats and enjoy being on the water. I love Burn Notice and agree we
should fry to keep it here. I also agree it would be great for Miami to have a film studio to
continue to attract this and other shows. There's no reason the Grove can't benefit from the
impact of a film studio, even if it's located in a different part of town. Burn Notice films all over
town, and we should be selling the Grove to location scouts as a place to film on location both
for this production and others. We should be positioning our hotels and rental properties as the
place to live in Miami so the cast and out-of-town crew for film productions live in the Grove
and not in South Beach as 'the Marley cast did,' and frequent our stores and restaurants. Our
residents who work in the industry will get the work, whether they -- or not the studio's at the
expo center, if the show stays in Miami. If it's not already doing so, perhaps the City could
locate an appropriate site and a way to fund a film studio in Miami. If it's in a neighborhood
with lower real estate values and economic needs (such as Overtown or Liberty City?), perhaps
there could be a funding opportunity for economic development, which would help the cost and
ultimately with keeping the tenant, which, as you know, I am sure is only paying about 6,000 a
month to use the expo center. In most cities, film studios are in warehouse districts. Maybe we
have that one that would work out for a more permanent facility." And this is signed and it's
written to the -- Mayor Diaz, and it's signed by Michelle Niemeyer, who just came here a moment
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ago supporting this, and it was sent about six months ago. So I guess things change as time goes
on. But my point is, what she says here is very, very true. Now I am absolutely okay with Burn
Notice staying, providing they pay 20,000 a month for the time they occupy the building, the
money is held in trust to implement the Sasaki plan, and we grant them that one-year extension.
Because then and then only will the Coconut Grove residents have the expectation of the
implementation of the Sasaki plan. And I want to reiterate, the City ofMiami has the money, has
the ability to raze the building, put almost four acres of park in a space that doesn't exist right
now and create an opportunity for every family in Miami to enjoy the waterfront, and what a
novel idea, a waterfront that could be seen from somebody other than a condominium because
we have closed our waterfront off. So I don't oppose what is being said here with a proviso that
the 20, 000 per month should be from the time that they occupy the building, Mr. Manager. It
should be the entire time they occupy the building. The money should be held in trust for the
implementation of the Sasaki plan, something that this board --
Chair Sanchez: For phase II.
Commissioner Sarnoff 'Cause phase I is already funded. The phase II plan is already -- Am I
incorrect in what I'm saying? Do we not have the money necessary to implement -- take down
the convention center and to green it?
Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): Yes, we do.
Commissioner Sarnoff Did you not also issue an RFP?
Mr. Hernandez: We have, actually, even a price from a contractor.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay. So I'm not mistaken when everybody says to me, "You don't have
the money, you don't have the money." You do have the money.
Mr. Hernandez: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay. But what I will not -- look, I realize I'm probably the least
popular guy in this room, but that's okay. As lawyers go, sometimes the side of right is a lonely
road. I'm not here to take Burn Notice away. What I am here to do is use you as a tool, and that
tool should be the implementation of Sasaki. The implementation of Sasaki should mean that
Miami residents should be able to see their own waterfront without living in a condominium.
You take away the convention center and everyone can enjoy the waterfront in the City ofMiami,
have a meeting place, have open-air concerts in an amphitheater, and that should be the goal of
any City Commissioner. So if that's something that can't be thought of or amended, then I would
ask to defer this item and at least allow a town hall meeting where the residents can come that
live around this community and decide what their input is. But I think they would agree one
more year of Burn Notice is certainly a very valid issue, but it should be guarded, the money that
they bring in, the $240, 000 for the 12 months that they will occupy that building, and it should
be held in trust. Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Commissioner Sarnoff. Commissioner Regalado, you're
recognized.
Commissioner Regalado: Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I think that what Commissioner
Sarnoff, the district Commissioner, has offer is a solution that could be accepted by everyone
because many, many hours were spent by residents working, drafting, opining on the Sasaki
plan. There were committees and there were meetings here, and the expectations were that we're
going to have that plan implemented in month. Everybody -- but everybody supports the film
industry, the TV industry. Actually, I am from the industry. Actually, I think that we should go
even further. And I was -- I took note of a phrase that Commissioner Sanchez said. It's an
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industry that we have an obligation to assist. I just want to make a comment. I -- in the business
that I am, in TV and radio, I meet a lot of filmmakers, producers, and people that come to Miami
to work or live in Miami and work. I know the industry. And the other day I was with a young
filmmaker from New York, Orange Production. And he was sort of sad that he couldn't work in
Miami, and he told me the story that I was surprised. He said that he had a budget to do a
musical video of $250, 000, and that he wanted to do it in Miami, actually, in the waterfront.
And he started talking to the Administration, and one of the first things that he was told is you
got to have a $1 million insurance policy. And the man said, well, but I do have insurance on my
company. I mean, this is what I do. I film all over. And, no, no. This is a separate policy that
you have to get. I believe it was either from Special Events or from Parks. I'm not sure because
he didn't remember. And then he went on telling me about different problems, and he said, you
know, I took my cell phone and I happened to know somebody in Orlando, in the visitors bureau
in Orlando. And he called and he said I'm frying to film a musical video. I need some
information. Do you guys require a $1 million insurance? No, we don't. What do you need?
Well, I need some permits and all that. We'll waive the costs. We welcome you. And the guy
went and filmed the video in the city of Orlando. And I guess that this could be a wakeup call
because it's not only about Burn Notice. It's a whole industry. The industry needs to be
welcome, but not today in City Hall, you know, or a press release. It really has to be welcome.
We need to be proactive because the film industry is the cleanest and the fastest
income producing industry for any city in the United States. It doesn't pollute. It doesn't require
a lot of work to establish the industry. They hire all kind of people. They do locals. They hire
limos for their stars. So it's a supply (UNINTELLIGIBLE) economics. And we need to be more
proactive. It's very difficult -- somebody say -- I mean, Mr. Winick, he's an expert, and he works
in Miami Beach. And in Miami Beach, you see every -- in every corner most of the day, a photo
shoot; every magazine, every agency is shooting. So Miami Beach is doing great businesses, but
so should the City ofMiami. It is important. So I would really like to see out of this resolution
the commitment from the City ofMiami, not only to extend Burn Notice, but to be really friendly;
to get rid of all these regulations and million dollars insurance requirements and permits and
what have you. It is important. If we want to do it, if we want to be friendly, we need to be
friendly. And I think that what Commissioner Sarnoff has proposed will send a clear message to
the residents of Coconut Grove that, indeed, there is a commitment from the City leaders to
implement the Sasaki plan. That money should not go disappear and evaporate in the general
fund because it will, come budget time, because of -- all of you know that cities are going to have
to take very hard decisions. It would be a message that will be very clear to the residents, and it
is what -- Commissioner Sarnoff, it's what they call a Solomonic decision. I think that Burn
Notice -- I -- when I was a war correspondent, I was in Johannesburg covering the Soweto riots,
and one night at the hotel I was watching Miami Vice in Afrikaan. I couldn't understand it, but I
sort of recognized the Miami River and all that. So it's -- you're right, Bill. It's a public relation,
but we need to follow up because every photo shoot, every musical video, it's a poster child for
the City ofMiami. So I hope that all of you will support with passion, like you're doing now, the
efforts of everyone to help us to have Miami as the film capital of the east after New York, of
course. So I am really supportive of what Commissioner Sarnoff has expressed in terms of
keeping that money as a message to the people that the plan will be implemented and that we will
have another season of Burn Notice. Thank you --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you --
Commissioner Regalado: -- Madam Chair.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- Commissioner Regalado. Any comments, Commissioner Gonzalez?
Okay, I know that you have --
Chair Sanchez: I'll close.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- a comment, but I just have a couple of questions with things that
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were asked today. First of all, I want to be clear, Mr. City Manager, it was communicated at one
time or the other that the producers of the show actually made repairs to the Coconut Grove
Convention Center. Did they put any money into the space, at all? I was told that that --
Mr. Miller: A lot.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Can you put that on the record for me, please?
Mr. Hernandez: My understanding is that they do. We are renting it as is.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No, but that's not what I asked.
Mr. Miller: Yes. We have put a lot of money into the building.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Do you know how much you've put into the building?
Mr. Miller: Exactly? No. We have repaired the roof. We've repaired the air conditioning
systems. It's leaky. We have put a lot of work into the infrastructure on the floors. And you're
right. It is as is, and that's why it was as cheap as it was.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. That's my point. You know, I just wanted to be clear. Thank
you.
Mr. Miller: May I just clarify a couple things? Just --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No, no.
Mr. Miller: No?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Because we're going to get through this 'cause --
Mr. Miller: Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- this is a zoning day, which this is taking up a lot of time already.
But -- so, to answer my question, they actually have put money into the overall building, so they -
- outside of the $6, 000 that they pay, they've also paid additional monies to at least bring the
building up to Code -- or bring it up to the stand -- or bring the building up to standards for
them to operate in. That was the whole purpose of them doing the work, correct?
Mr. Hernandez: They have done enough repairs to make it --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Be able to work in there.
Mr. Hernandez: -- to be able to use it and work, yeah.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. All right, this is -- so that was one of the questions that I had.
The amount that Commissioner Sarnoff mentioned, we're going from 6,000 to 20k per month,
that amount. Was there a comparable done, you know, other facilities --? How did we get to the
$20,000? Maybe I need to ask you. How did you get to $20,000?
Commissioner Sarnoff It would be about --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: 'Cause the Manager don't know.
Commissioner Sarnoff It's about 10,000 less than what a comparable would be.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, what were we comparing it to?
Commissioner Sarnoff You're com -- well, it's hard because there's nothing in South Florida as
large and expansive, but if you go -- What?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. I can't have no [sic] conversation from the audience. I'm just
trying to understand how'd you go from 6,000 to 20,000. I know you mentioned a place -- both
of them in my district, I believe, M3?
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: What street is M3 on?
Commissioner Sarnoff M3 is located on East -- I have it right here.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. And the other one, you kind of mumbled over, so I didn't really
know which one that one was.
Commissioner Sarnoff The FTZ (Foreign Trade Zone).
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: FTZ. What's FTZ?
Chair Sanchez: Foreign Trade Zone.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Foreign Trade Zone. So what --
Mr. Miller: Can I comment on the Foreign Trade Zone?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No more comments from the audience. I'm not -- and that is a
suggestion being made by who?
Commissioner Sarnoff No. I'm suggesting that there are alternatives out there. You're asking
me how did you arrive at the 30,000 number. Basically, we took a combination of what
California has and Arizona has, trying to dumb it down a little because California would have
been closer to 40,000 a month.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. So really, these numbers from 60 [sic] to 20,000 is the kind of
numbers that we're just kind of pulling together that we think -- it wasn't really an analysis done
based upon what is happening in the overall area already?
Unidentified Speaker: Yeah.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Because we can't compare California and Las Vegas in no way to
Miami. I'm just telling you from --
Commissioner Sarnoff I don't -- I know. I'm not saying we --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- someone that knows at least a little bit about the film industry. I
know that we can't do that because the amount, it would be -- you just can't compare the two. I
just didn't understand why we went from 6,000 to 20k. Let me finish 'cause I let everybody talk
for a long time on their issue. The other question I had -- on the neighborhood frade zone -- free
trade zone, I clearly have an issue, and that's an off -the -dais discussion so we'll have that at
another time. But I do agree with you regarding the issue of other possible areas, and my
comment to the City Manager today is to really direct the City Manager to immediately begin to
work with the Economic Development Department or division and any other key departments
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you think are necessary to begin to identify a particular area to put, perhaps, or to support a
film -related disfrict in the City ofMiami. I think it's -- we keep talking about this, and every time
there's a major film or a major project that comes, we talk about it and then it goes away. I do
know in the heart of Overtown, Ice -- the Ice Palace, Eugene Rodriguez has done an outstanding
job with his facility. They're trying to keep it alive, trying to keep things going, and has been
asking for assistance. I know that the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) is working with
him to do that, but there's several buildings in -- old buildings in the area or warehouses in the
area or new things that can be built in the area to accommodate a media/arts film type disfrict,
and I think that it's time for Miami to really take it seriously, not only when there's a problem.
So I really want to direct the City Manager -- and I know that the CRA director is here as well,
and I hopefully have the support of all my Commissioners so that we can begin to move in that
direction almost immediately because we're going to have this same problem later on, so we
need to move in that direction. The two biggest issues I have on all of this -- and then I'm going
to close and turn it back over to the person that's sponsoring the item -- is for me, it's about jobs;
and we've been saying this for the last nine months sitting on this dais after all these issues have
come up regarding the economic crisis that's happening not only in Miami, but across the
country. We sat up here and listened to different businesses, small businesses 'cause a lot of
them small like -- sounded like small businesses that came up here and put on the record that
they support this, which means it's not just them as individuals but all of the people that they
hire, everyone from makeup folks to people that actually do travel to people that are acting all
coming on the mike to state their position, and we already know the job situation is out of
control. So for me, just as I supported it from day one, for that reason, I'm supporting the issue
ofjobs again. I think, Commissioner Sarnoff, your --I know you support it; you've been talking
about it since you got on the dais, how important jobs were, so I don't think that there's a
question around that from any one of us. The other part of this is something that the -- Bill
Talbert mentioned, which is the promotion of the City. I think that because -- I know that one of
the issues came up regarding it being in Coconut Grove, and it's an issue that the Coconut Grove
residents should definitely have some sort of input on, but this particular situation is a little
different only because this is about promoting the City. It's about making sure this particular
show provides, you know, exposure not just to people in the Miami area, but people from across
the country and across the world, which, again, gives us more visibility for our city, which helps
us promote tourism and other things that we're trying to do. So those are the two big issues that
I see in the midst of all of this as to why, you know, this is something that we should definitely
consider. Mr. Producer/Director, one of the things I would like to definitely see -- which I didn't
hear a lot of it today -- is that we find a way to include inter -- some sort of a apprenticeship -type
program for young people or summer -based programs for young people so that they have the
opportunity to work as well. I mean, that is -- what we're trying to do is leverage our private
partnerships to keep our kids working and to keep people working in the neighborhoods.
Whether or not this is in the heart of Coconut Grove really does not matter because there's
people from across the City itself that can benefit as well from working on the overall show. So I
would like to at least make sure that that part is actually included as well.
Mr. Miller: That's happening.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So -- that is happening?
Mr. Miller: Yes.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. So as far as I'm concerned, it's -- this is how I feel about it. I
mean, today we had an issue come up. -- I really didn't realize this issue was going to be as big
as it was -- and we have a room full of people and nobody in opposition. And there's one thing I
know about Grovites being up here for the four years that I've been up here. When they got a
problem with something, they're here. You don't -- you won't even be able to get in here. I
thought all these people were Grovite people, okay. So I don't even think there's even a question
as to whether or not Coconut Grove residents have an issue with this 'cause it's obvious that they
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don't because they're not here. Now I do understand that the disfrict Commissioner would like to
have a town -- you're against it?
Unidentified Speaker: No. We're here -- we're for it.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, you're in support of it. So it's obviously -- stand up for a second.
No, the thumb hand. Now I know if you had a problem with it, you would be -- especially you
would have -- be on the record saying you had a problem with it, okay. So I'm saying this in
closing, you know. While I do understand, you know, that -- the Commissioner's viewpoint -- he
does want a park in his disfrict. He does want to be able to move that project ahead. I think that
we have to look beyond our own personal concerns right now and think about the people that
really need the jobs in this area right now. It's like having a bird in the hand --
Applause.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No, no, no, don't clap. -- having the bird in the hand beats -- what's
the saying, Commissioner Gonzalez? Bird in the hand beats what? One in a bush --
Chair Sanchez: Or two on a wire.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- or whatever. And I'm not saying that we -- I'm not saying that the
park should not happen right now. It should happen. I'm not saying that, at all. I do hear the
Commissioner saying, "Let Burn Notice have another strike at it" because he does not want to
stop the jobs that are available right now. But I also don't want to add an additional burden on
somebody that's actually providing us with a valuable resource, and I don't want us to start
pulling numbers just because we want to -- you know, I don't want to say -- we want to, you
know, make it tough for them because we have our own agenda in the end. I want to make sure
that if this is a number that we're going to go up to, it's something that's realistic for the
producer to actually do -- producer or director?
Mr. Miller: Producer.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Producer -- that he could actually accomplish that because, in the
end, we asking for $20, 000, guys, per month for this. But guess what? Between the small
businesses and the people that are going to be working, through the hotels that are going to be
get -- we're going to get our money back, you know.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, just understand --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So -- let --
Commissioner Sarnoff -- that he's also paid --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I didn't say nothing for none -- I sat here and list [sic] to y'all with
the 30-minute dissertations, and I didn't say not one thing. I just let everybody talk. I'm only
taking -- I'm counting myself as a matter of fact. I'm only on six minutes.
Commissioner Sarnoff I'm just saying he's already paid the $20, 000. He's already been -- this
is something we already passed last time, the $20, 000. They already have paid two months of
the $20, 000. All I was saying --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Can -- I'm -- Can I just finish, and I'm done?
Commissioner Sarnoff I don't know if you're aware of that.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. I'm just -- I'm done.
Commissioner Sarnoff Were you aware of that?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I'm done.
Commissioner Sarnoff I'm just asking, were you aware of that?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I'm done.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay? So at the end of the day, my support is for the project. I'm
going to ask that Commissioner Sanchez -- I know that you had -- are you going to offer or
proffer a motion at this point?
Chair Sanchez: I am prepared to present the motion at this time, yes.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So we have a motion. Do we have a --?
Chair Sanchez: Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho. Couldl be recognized, Madam Chair?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes, you may be recognized.
Chair Sanchez: Thank you. Look, we make decisions here that affect the daily lives of
individuals, such as yourselves, and we also make decisions here that affect an industry. The
eyes of the industry today is upon us, and this is a perfect opportunity for Miami to be recognized
as a film friendly city, something that, in the past, we have done horrible at, so this is a great
opportunity for us. I think that you've heard long enough, I take great pride in presenting this
resolution because I think it's of a great importance to our city with all the benefits that come our
way. Commissioner Sarnoff let me tell you thatl am committed to building that park. I am
committed to helping you accomplish what you want to accomplish in that park. I take your
friendly amendment, which was already in my resolution to be put forth, that the rent will go
directly towards the Coconut Grove master park plan, and that would be phase II. So I would
present the motion, which clearly will guarantee Burn Notice one more additional year at the
Coconut Grove Convention Center with the conditions or friendly amendments that have been
proffered. So moved.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, we have a motion. Do we have a second on this item?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Second, but let me clarify the record. In reference to this M3 studios,
that is not in District 5.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Where is that?
Commissioner Gonzalez: That's in unincorporated Dade County by Miami Jai Alai.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I didn't think it was in --
Commissioner Gonzalez: Yeah. It's not in District 5.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No problem.
Commissioner Gonzalez: The other thing that -- you know, I've been listening to these
arguments this time and the last time that we talk about it; and I know next November, we're
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going to have a new mayor in the City ofMiami, and I don't know what part of the present
administration is going to continue to be with whomever the mayor might be in November, but
do have a question, and I do have a concern. Are we going to be the only major city in the
United States without a convention center? Have anybody thought of that? Because, you know,
we're fighting for the baseball stadium, we're fighting for parks, we're fighting for open spaces,
we're fighting -- but what are we going to do -- whatever business comes to the City, we're going
to refer them to Miami Beach or we're going to get a bonus from Miami Beach to refer the
businesses to them or --?
Mr. Hernandez: No, Commissioner. I think that we in the City recognize the need for a
convention center on this side of the mainland -- on the mainland. When we have considered
other projects that had been in the works recently, it was always the thought to have a
convention center on -- as part of that project. We even -- I'll mention it, Miami WorldCenter.
When we were discussing it, the idea was to have a convention center as part of the development,
and they were also planning to have a hotel that would go with it to support it, so whenever
we're looking at projects, we're looking at that as one of the highest needs in the City. And I
think that Bill Talbert will support the fact that we have a need for such a facility here, right?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Because let me tell you. Nobody has to tell me that we are losing a lot
of business --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Commissioner Gonzalez: -- a lot of convention business --
Mr. Hernandez: Yes.
Commissioner Gonzalez: -- to Miami Beach and to Broward because we don't have a decent
convention center in the City ofMiami. I'm not saying -- I'm not implying that am in favor or
supporting to keep this old building because, you know, if we're going to keep the facility, we'll
have to demolish it and build a new facility. Butl believe that we need to start looking at the
future and start looking at, you know, finding the money, finding the resources, looking for a
place, but start thinking about building a convention center in the City ofMiami so we don't
continue to lose business to other cities and, you know -- and I mean, work for Miami because --
I mean, a lot has been said about this show being seen nationally and the exposure of the City of
Miami and how good it is for the City ofMiami, and it is good. It is very positive. It is very
good for the City ofMiami for the image to attract business, but let me tell you. We can't attract
any conventions to the City because we don't have a place to host them. We cannot -- you know,
we can't have no big meetings or large meetings in the City ofMiami because we don't have a
facility to host them, so that is something that we need to start looking at. And I hope, Mr.
Manager, that, you know -- and the future mayors -- two of the candidates are sitting at this dais
-- to start thinking about that possibility, that in the future, you know, it has to be in the mind of
the City -elected officials sitting at this dais that that is a need of the City. Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you, Commissioner Gonzalez. We have a motion. We have a
second.
Commissioner Regalado: Madam Chair, ifI may?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. You're recognized.
Commissioner Regalado: Just a matter of as a follow up, and I think that everybody agrees that
we need to support this industry, this particular project, butt would like to insist on the fact that
Miami needs to be a friendly place to the film industry. And I would like to request from the
Manager the exact details of why is required for any company to film either a video,
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documentary, movie, still pictures in the City ofMiami in comparison to the city ofMiami Beach
and the city of Orlando. I think that that would guide us in the next Commission meeting to
follow up on making sure that we do say or we do do what we say that we want to do, which is to
be a friendly -- because we have problems. And I will tell you again, I am from this industry,
and we need to be more proactive not only in attracting, but in taking care of and keeping -- the
same thing that we do for Burn Notice, which is a major show, we need to do for the magazine
pictures shoot in anyplace in the City ofMiami because it's all about the industry. So I would
respectfully request that you will have that information for all the members of the Commission
because I would like to, in the next Commission meeting, address looking at the difference the
way to help the film industry. Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff Mr. Manager.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No problem.
Commissioner Sarnoff Madam Chair, there's -- just so you know, Mr. Manager -- I think you're
aware of this -- there's a film -- a draft film ordinance that you should certainly share with
Commissioner Regalado that, you know, we believe is in first draft version that we think
promotes the film industry that has been -- a committee was put together both with our office and
Robert Parente; and while I think there's still some issues to resolve on it, it's certainly a very
good first draft. And what we ended up doing, obviously, was patterning a lot of it off the City of
Miami Beach's ordinance, and that's something I think you should share with all the
Commissioners.
Mr. Hernandez: Commissioner, I'll do both. I think it's important to share the draft of the film
ordinance and also the comparisons as to how Miami Beach or Orlando do that type of business
and how they support it so we can all see how they do it and what steps are we taking to improve
our process.
Commissioner Sarnoff Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you.
Chair Sanchez: Call the question.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. So we had a motion and a second. All in favor?
Chair Sanchez: Aye.
Commissioner Sarnoff Aye.
Commissioner Regalado: Aye.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I'd like to do a roll call, if possible? Roll call.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Roll call on your modified resolution. Commissioner
Regalado?
Commissioner Regalado: Yes.
Ms. Thompson: Commissioner Sarnoff?
Commissioner Sarnoff As modified, yes.
Ms. Thompson: Commissioner Gonzalez?
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Commissioner Gonzalez: Yes.
Ms. Thompson: Chair Sanchez?
Chair Sanchez: I will not go down in history as the Commission or the Commissioner who
kicked out the number -one cable show for the City ofMiami. Yes.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you. Vice Chair Spence -Jones?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Ms. Thompson: The modified resolution has been adopted, 5-0.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, great.
Applause.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: And we are extremely proud and excited to keep Burn Notice here one
more year in the heart ofMiami. The only thing that want to say to you, Mr. Miller, as we go
on to the next item -- Mr. City Manager, if there's any way, Mr. Miller and Mr. City Manager
and, perhaps, Economic Development, I would really like to put together some sort of task force
on identifying a particular space or --
[TECHNICAL AUDIO DIFFICULTIES AT THIS TIME]
Ms. Thompson: May have your attention, please. We're having some audio difficulty, so we're
going to need to take a five-minute recess to try to figure out --
[TECHNICAL AUDIO DIFFICULTIES AT THIS TIME]
Chair Sanchez: All right, recess is over. The City ofMiami Commission meeting is back in
order. All right, we have to announce the recess of the City meeting; we have to convene the
CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) meeting to address two issues related to the City
agenda, so at this time I will pass the gavel to the Chair of the CRA to take up those two items.
RE.13 09-00520 RESOLUTION
Office of A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Transportation ATTACHMENT(S), AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN
INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT WITH MIAMI-DADE TRANSIT), IN
SUBSTANTIALLY THE ATTACHED FORM, TO ENSURE RECEIPT OF
FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION SECTION 5307 FORMULA GRANT
FUNDS, IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,084,282, FOR A TRANSIT CAPITAL
PROJECT CURRENTLY CONSISTING OF PURCHASING RUBBER -TIRE
TROLLEY BUSES AND ANCILLARY EQUIPMENT SUCH AS SIGNAGE, BUS
BENCHES, AND BUS SHELTERS NECESSARY TO PROVIDE TRANSIT
CIRCULATOR SERVICE IN THE DOWNTOWN, BRICKELL, HEALTH
DISTRICT, ALLAPATTAH, OVERTOWN, AND CORAL WAY
NEIGHBORHOODS, MIAMI, FLORIDA (B-30668); AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO EXECUTE ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS NECESSARY TO
IMPLEMENT THE ACCEPTANCE OF SAID FUNDS; WITH FUNDS TO BE
APPROPRIATED BY SEPARATE RESOLUTION(S).
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09-00520-Legislation-SUB.pdf
09-00520 Exhibit.pdf
09-00520 Summary Form.pdf
09-00194-Submittal-MAM and MSM Lease Amendments Term Sheet.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Sanchez
R-09-0269
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: RE.13, can we get that out of the way?
Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): Yes.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Which is -- we never did the Miami -Dade Transit one, interlocal
agreement.
Jose Gonzalez (Assistant Transportation Coordinator): Good afternoon, Commissioner. Jose
Gonzalez, with the Office of Transportation. RE.13 is a resolution authorizing the City Manager
to enter into an interlocal agreement with Miami -Dade Transit to ensure the receipt of
approximately $4.1 million of federal transit funds for a City ofMiami Transit Capital project,
consisting of the purchase of rubber tire trolley vehicles to provide transit circulator service
throughout various neighborhoods in the City.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Move it.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: We had a motion.
Commissioner Sarnoff Second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Commissioner Regalado: Question.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: You're recognized.
Commissioner Regalado: Jose.
Mr. Gonzalez: Yes.
Commissioner Regalado: These are, of course, federal monies, and there's nothing that the
County can do to take it away, although they're going to take like a 5 percent?
Mr. Gonzalez: Yes, sir, for administration.
Commissioner Regalado: For administration. For administration disbursing the money, right,
because --?
Mr. Gonzalez: For their resources, for their staff 5 percent.
Commissioner Regalado: Well, the -- my point is that they will announce in June a drastic
reduction of miles in all the routes, 30, I believe, most of them in Biscayne and I think Coral Way
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and other areas. Now the question is when are we going to have this up and running in the three
corridors promised?
Mr. Gonzalez: As far as the overall trolley program, Commissioner, it really depends on the
delivery schedule for the trolley buses that the City selects. Most likely, the company that is
selected to manufacture the vehicles will not have those vehicles off the shelf so to speak, so
there will be a manufacturing time and a delivery time, and it -- and I think that will be the
critical path. We're hoping that by the end of the year, more or less, we should have at least
some of those trolley buses in hand and putting some into operation.
Commissioner Regalado: And have we figured out the cost of riding those frolley service?
Mr. Gonzalez: We are in the process of developing an operational plan, as well as a financial
plan, to detail what it will cost to operate and maintain the tentative loops.
Commissioner Regalado: Okay, here's why I ask this. In all these corridors we have bus
benches that has advertising, and sometimes the company does not have advertisers; and I have
seen that they donate, as pro bono, public service several of their advertising signs to the City.
I've seen by days and all that. So my suggestion is since on these corridors the public
transportation is going to be reduced, the period of waiting will be extended in many cases, and
people will have a harder time riding the Metro -Dade public transportation. We should at least
advertise in those corridor that the City ofMiami is working on a trolley service coming soon to
that corridor because, you know, at least the people will be, I guess, sort of happy that they will
have an alternative at least to ride to some areas within the trolley routes, but it's important
because you are going to hear -- or we are going to hear a lot of complaints come June when
this service is reduced as planned by Miami Transit Authority. So I just wanted to see if, Mr.
Manager -- Jose, you know -- because we cannot say coming soon. We have to say at least in
the fall, at least by the end of the year a new service of the City ofMiami with the frolley system
on this corridor.
Mr. Hernandez: Commissioner, I think it's a good idea, although I would like to be able to come
back to you, the City Commission, with operational plans and get some feedback from you on
those plans before I put out any advertisement.
Commissioner Regalado: No. Of course.
Mr. Hernandez: And we'll do it, you know, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) soon.
Commissioner Regalado: Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, Commissioner Regalado. Any other comments on this issue?
No other comments. I just wanted to be clear. I was -- I understood there was about 82 jobs
coming from this as well; is that right, Mr. City Manager?
Mr. Hernandez: That is my understanding, yes.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. I just want to make sure again that we always push hard to
make sure that the local folks have the opportunity to participate. And I understand from the
Transportation Department that most of these jobs will be entry-level positions, correct?
Mr. Gonzalez: Yes.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. All right, that's it. So we had a motion and a second. All in
favor?
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The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: All right, the item passes.
RE.14 09-00194 RESOLUTION
City Manager's A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Office ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING THE TERMS OF, AND AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE, A FIRST AMENDMENT TO LEASE
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY") AND THE MIAMI ART
MUSEUM OF DADE COUNTY ASSOCIATION, INC. ("MAM"), IN
SUBSTANTIALLY THE FORM ATTACHED AS "ATTACHMENT 1", AND A
FIRST AMENDMENT TO LEASE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY AND
THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, INC.("MSM"), IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE FORM
ATTACHED AS "ATTACHMENT 2" TO, AMONG OTHER THINGS, (I)
REDUCE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PARKING SPACES THAT THE
MUSEUMS ARE REQUIRED TO BUILD FOR THE MUSEUM COMPONENT
OF THE MUSEUM PARK PROJECT (MUSEUM COMPONENT) FROM 480 TO
440, (II) PROVIDE THAT THE MUSEUMS' OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE 300
PARKING SPACES, IN THE EVENT ONLY ONE (1) MUSEUM IS BUILT, IS
SUBJECT TO SUCH MUSEUM BEING ABLE TO LEASE ADDITIONAL LAND
TO ACCOMMODATE SUCH PARKING SPACES, AND (III) INCREASE THE
HEIGHT RESTRICTION OF THE MSM AND MAM BUILDINGS AS PROVIDED
IN THE AMENDMENTS.
09-00194 Legislation 5-14-09.pdf
09-00194 Exhibit 1 5-14-09.pdf
09-00194 Exhibit 2 5-14-09.pdf
09-00194 Summary Form 5-14-09.pdf
09-00194 Legislation 5-28-09.pdf
09-00194 Attachment 1.pdf
09-00194 Attachment 2.pdf
09-00194 Summary Form 5-28-09.pdf
09-00194-Submittal-MAM and MSM Lease Amendments Term Sheet.pdf
Motion by Vice Chair Spence -Jones, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this
matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 5 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Samoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
R-09-0258
Chair Sanchez: RE.14. RE.14, was that --? All right, let's go ahead with the museums, get you
out of here quick. I'm frying to move this agenda. It's a long agenda. We're trying to get some
items out of the way, so -- Mr. Mayor, are you here on the museums?
Mayor Manuel A. Diaz: We're on -- yes.
Chair Sanchez: Okay.
Mayor Diaz: But have (INAUDIBLE).
Chair Sanchez: All right. So let's take up RE.14.
Roger Hernstadt: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Roger Hernstadt, assistant city manager. RE.14
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is a resolution of the City Commission approving the terms of a amendment to the lease and
authorizing the City Manager to execute the first amendment to the lease between the City and
the Miami Art Museum and the Museum of Science. The amendment includes, among other
things, to reduce the total number of parking spaces required from 480 to 440; provides the
museums an obligation to provide 300 parking spaces in the event that only one museum is built,
subject to that museum being able to lease the additional land to accommodate the additional
space, and to increase the height restriction of the buildings, as provided in the amendment.
Chair Sanchez: All right, go ahead.
Mr. Hernstadt: And as you noticed, the museums are here in the event we have some questions.
Chair Sanchez: All right. This item -- can we get a motion and a second? Can we get a
motion? All right, I will pass --
Commissioner Regalado: Move it --
Chair Sanchez: -- the gavel --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So move.
Chair Sanchez: -- and make --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So move.
Commissioner Regalado: I will move it for discussion.
Chair Sanchez: All right. There's a motion by the Vice Chair, second by Commissioner
Regalado on RE. 14. Okay. Discussion on the item.
Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah, I have some discussion.
Chair Sanchez: Okay. Commissioner Sarnoff, you're recognized for the record.
Commissioner Sarnoff Roger, if you look at paragraph 5C, one of my concerns is, I think,
language that indicates that -- one of the things I think this Commission said before is that in the
event one of the museums is not built, that the remaining park acre site would go to park.
Mr. Hernstadt: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff And I'm not sure that your language captures that.
Mr. Hernstadt: I went over that specific point with the CityAttorney's Office, and the intent is
only to lease that additional space necessary to complete the 300 spaces. And the rest of the
area of the museum that did not go forward would be in compliance with your requirement set
forth in the lease.
Commissioner Sarnoff So it's your opinion, along with the City Attorney, that the acreage that
would be sacrificed from one of the museums not going forward would revert back to park space
to the extent that there was necessary building, if you will, for the additional parking which
would go underground?
Mr. Hernstadt: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff Would it be -- is it clear in this document that that particular acreage
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site would be green? And I mean look like a park, act like a park, feel like a park.
Mr. Hernstadt: The -- yes, it is, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay. And Madam City Attorney, you're comfortable with that
language?
Olga Ramirez-Seijas (Assistant City Attorney): Yes, Commissioner, I am. The -- that particular
provision applies only to the additional space needed to build the parking spaces in the event
that one museum does not move forward.
Commissioner Sarnoff I'm not the greatest abstract thinker, so could you tell me what that
language means in terms of what it should look like?
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: It means that the -- if one museum does not move forward, there is a
requirement under the lease that the land be -- that that particular site be kept green or used in
accordance with the park component. However, under this provision, if one museum needs
additional space that would otherwise be subject to that restriction, clearly that restriction could
not apply because that particular area would be used to accommodate the parking spaces.
Commissioner Sarnoff So what I'm taking away from this is that you're telling me the language
says in the event one museum is not built, that particular park -- let's just say it's two -- I don't
know if -- was it two acres per museums -- is that --
Mr. Hernstadt: Four acres, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- right? Or four acres per --?
Mr. Hernstadt: Four acres.
Commissioner Sarnoff Four acres.
Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): Four to each.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay, so the four -- the approximate four acres per museum, a small
percentage of that may be used to accommodate the underground parking pedestal for the
ingress and egress, I take it, of the vehicles --
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: Correct.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- so that 300 parking spaces would remain because only one museum
would be built?
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: Correct.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay, I understand.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: And Commissioner, just to clarify it, that Section 5. C [sic] makes reference
to the use of the additional parking under Section 3.3 of the development agreement, and that is
the section that talks about the accommodation of the 300 parking spaces.
Commissioner Sarnoff So I would then go from the lease to the development agreement.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: And -- exactly.
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Commissioner Sarnoff Cross-reference it at what paragraph?
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: Three point three.
Commissioner Sarnoff Three point three of the development agreement.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: Correct.
Mr. Hernstadt: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff And 3.3 of the development agreement would make clear to me, or
anyone else listening, that the park -- the four acres, or approximate four acres, would then
revert back to park and, where needed, the additional parking would be accommodated.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: The portion that would revert back to the park, you would find that in the
lease agreement. This exempts that portion of the museum land from the restriction that it be
kept green and used in accordance with the park component in order to accommodate the
additional parking spaces.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Mr. Hernstadt: And to the extent it just helps you visualize it, Commissioners, we're anticipating
that would be approximately 60 spaces, so that's how much additional land they would need.
Commissioner Sarnoff Because each museum is responsible, theoretically, for 240?
Mr. Hernstadt: It's 440 in total, so it's 220.
Commissioner Sarnoff Two twenty.
Mr. Hernstadt: So 60, 80 spaces.
Commissioner Sarnoff And the reason for the reduction in parking was why?
Mr. Hernstadt: The reason for the reduction in parking was that the original turnaround
contemplated on the FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) property -- FDOT was
putting extremely restrictive restrictions on the City with regard to the use of that property, and
therefore, it just became an exorbitant potential expense to the City and to the museums. And as
a result of that, the turnaround was relocated to what is the central plaza area between the two
museums.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Mr. Hernstadt: And that turnaround, placing it there, created a loss of approximately 40 spaces.
Commissioner Sarnoff Thank you, Roger.
Mr. Hernstadt: My pleasure.
Chair Sanchez: All right. Discussion on the item? Commissioner Regalado.
Commissioner Regalado: No, I'm fine. I think that -- I had that same question, but it's been
clear.
Chair Sanchez: Okay. Discussion on this item, which is RE.14. I just think that based on the
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presentation that we have, based on the percentage as to the height of the Museum of Science, I
think that that needs to be better explained because, based on the percentage -- and can
somebody walk us through that as to explain --?
Mr. Hernstadt: Yes, sir, Mr. Chairman. I believe the museums have some info -- a board to
show -- help you visualize that.
Chair Sanchez: Right, and that would be Roman number number 3 on the resolution, which I
think needs to be better defined and better explained because I couldn't figure out 20 percent, 40
percent of what. It just -- to me, it looked like a mathematical equation with some numbers
missing.
Gillian Thomas: Good morning, everybody. I'm Gillian Thomas, from the Miami Science
Museum, 3280 South Miami Avenue. I'm very happy to explain this. We're creating a museum
that will really be very attractive to everybody, combining a science museum and aquaria, which
are two components that will really bring many, many people to Miami. And what we're looking
at today in terms of the height is the covering over what we call the living core, which is a
combination of our wildlife center with a series of aquaria. So our main roof is at the 70 feet
above the plaza, which is the level that was anticipated. But this living core is a series of spaces
and open -topped aquaria, where people can walk around like in a garden, almost at roof level,
where there will be birds and butterflies hanging -- flying freely. So we need a slightly enhanced
lightweight cover over -- I call it a floating roof because really it's an enclosure so that you have
the impression that you're in the daylight and in the fresh air, but birds and butterflies can be
enclosed. It needs to be higher than a regular exhibition -height roof which is in the rest of that
level of the gallery. So that's why we call it the floating roof. It's a lightweight structure, which
will have the appearance of being in the daylight once you're inside it. It's not lit. It's just a
protective cover to keep the animals in and to also keep the rain out. And --
Chair Sanchez: So it's a floating roof?
Ms. Thomas: That's what we call it, a floating roof because it will look like it's something
floating over the solid of the rest of the roof. It's a lightweight sfructure.
Chair Sanchez: Not covering more than 30 percent of the roof?
Ms. Thomas: Yes. If you look on the model, it's the light-colored section that you can see. It
covers the gulfsfream tank. It covers the other tanks. It's the bit in the daylight that you walk
around. So as you emerge past the reef as you rise up to the surface of the building, you'll be
looking across this garden wildlife component and tanks out into the sea, and you'll be under this
enhanced, lightweight sfructure that will make it feel like you're in the daylight, and your birds
and butterflies will be flying around. They need a bit more height to be able to achieve that.
Thirty percent is about what you can see is the transparent structure that is there, and that's why
I put the 30 percent number in there. The other language, we just copied the language out of the
design guidelines. I think they imagined that there might be flagpoles or other items that stuck
out more.
Chair Sanchez: And also, I think it's important to put on the record that this is consistent with
the Cooper Robertson Museum Park design guidelines.
Ms. Thomas: Apart from the percentage because the percentage (UNINTELLIGIBLE) higher
was a little lower, but the rest of the language is exactly as in the Cooper Robert guidelines --
Cooper Robertson guidelines.
Chair Sanchez: All right. The other issue that I had was pertaining to the FDOT property that
we -- under this agreement, it says that the City will agree to use reasonable efforts to lease the
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FDOT area for landscaping, sculptured gardens, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. I think -- can you
elaborate a little bit on that?
Mr. Hernstadt: Yes. With regard to the other -- the remaining parcel from FP -- from FDOT,
we are continuing to have discussions with them, with our museum partners to see if there's an
agreement we can reach to utilize that land, with the hopes that it will be able to be landscaped
and made green and facilitate the reopening of the Metrorail -- hopefully, the Metrorail station,
so people can exit from the Mefrorail station at the north end of the park and walk down to the
bay walk. We just need to get more favorable terms and conditions.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well --
Mr. Hernstadt: And we're continuing to discuss that with them, with our --
Chair Sanchez: So --
Mr. Hernstadt: -- museum partners.
Chair Sanchez: -- all parties are negotiating on that?
Mr. Hernstadt: Yes, sir.
Chair Sanchez: Okay.
Commissioner Sarnoff Mr. Chair?
Chair Sanchez: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff Why -- I mean, I'm a little curious, Roger. I would think, in an absolute
sense, that they're going to reopen the Mefrorail station. I wouldn't even think that'd be on the
table.
Mr. Hernandez: Commissioner, I will say the answer to that is yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah. I was under the impression --
Mr. Hernandez: I mean, they have.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Mr. Hernstadt: I'm sorry ifI led you to believe that that wasn't going to happen.
Commissioner Sarnoff Yes. You did mislead me.
Chair Sanchez: All right. That -- I think that addresses the lease agreement on RE.4 [sic]. Any
--14, RE.14. Any other questions on RE.14 that we need to clarify? If not, there's been a
motion and a second. It is a resolution. It does not require a public hearing. Madam Clerk.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Yes. I was just waiting to find out if there're any
modifications.
Chair Sanchez: Are there any modifications or amendment to RE.14, which is a resolution?
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: No.
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Chair Sanchez: No.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: None.
Chair Sanchez: All right. All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay." Motion carries.
RE.15 09-00369 RESOLUTION
City Manager's A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Office ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING THE TERMS OF, AND AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE, A DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN
THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY"), THE MIAMI ART MUSEUM OF DADE COUNTY
ASSOCIATION, INC. ("MAM") AND THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, INC.
("MSM"), IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE FORM ATTACHED AS "EXHIBIT A", TO
PROVIDE FOR THE DESIGN, DEVELOPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION OF
THE MUSEUM PARK PROJECT ON BICENTENNIAL PARK ( "PROJECT").
09-00369 Legislation 5-14-09.pdf
09-00369 Exhibit 5-14-09.pdf
09-00369 Summary Form 5-14-09.pdf
09-00369 Legislation 5-28-09.pdf
09-00369 Exhibit 5-28-09.pdf
09-00369 Exhibits 5-28-09.pdf
09-00369 Summary Form 5-28-09.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Vice Chair Spence -Jones, that this matter
be ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Sarnoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez
R-09-0259
Direction by Vice Chair Spence -Jones to the City Manager to reach out to Miami -Dade County
regarding the City's use of the county's small business enterprise program.
Chair Sanchez: We move on to the next item, which is RE.15. RE.15 --
Roger Hernstadt (Assistant City Manager): Mr. Chairman --
Chair Sanchez: -- and that is the development agreement.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Mr. Hernstadt: Mr. Chairman, Commissioners --
Chair Sanchez: Yes, sir. You're recognized for the record.
Mr. Hernstadt: Thank you very much. Roger Hernstadt, assistant city manager. This is a
resolution approving the terms and authorizing the City Manager to execute a development
agreement between the City, the art museum and the science museum to provide for the design,
development, construction of the Museum Park project, particularly, the museum component and
-- on Bicentennial Park.
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Chair Sanchez: All right. Let's have a motion and a second for the purpose of discussion on this
item.
Commissioner Sarnoff Motion for pur --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Motion -- second.
Chair Sanchez: Commissioner Sarnoff makes the motion, second by the Vice Chair, for the
purpose of discussion on RE.15, which is the Museum Park development agreement. All right,
Commissioner Sarnoff, you're recognized for the record.
Commissioner Sarnoff My question is, more or less, devoted more to Science than it is to MAM
(Miami Art Museum) because MAM had a certain structure -- MAM's building is approximately
100,000 square feet. And I believe that they probably have the adequate funding to actually
complete the building. My question to Science is slightly different, or maybe very much the
same. Science is a 250, 000-square foot facility. My understanding through the conversations
with Science is to have what they use as a term of art fit and fit -out would be approximately
$1, 000 per square foot, which would be a $250, 000 -- if you'd like to use the word -- turnkey
operation where the doors would open. Science has, as my understanding, $175 million from the
GOB (General Obligation Bond) dedicated from the County, of which I think they've used some
of that money. And to me, there's a $75 million funding gap for a turnkey fit -and -finish museum.
My primary concern are twofold. One, will they have adequate funding to create a building that
has fit and fit -out, so not just the shell? And two, operationally, how will they be able to operate
a 250, 000-square foot facility? And really, my question is about sustainability. I, as a child,
grew up with three buildings that were half completed in Brooklyn, and that's how I always knew
we were getting home. Because, as a child's memory, from the time I was eight years old, there
were three buildings that were never completed. And the time I was 18 years old and left, there
were three buildings that were never completed. I just don't want to do that to the waterfront.
So my question is sustainability. How do we know, based on the terms and conditions of the
development agreement, which my understanding is we give them four years to build with a
seven-year deadline to complete. It seems like a very long time with a great deal of risk that a
building could, theoretically, not be completed to be a museum of science. The only reason I'm
not criticizing MAM is MAM has a much smaller structure. They have the ability to complete it.
And a museum for art is a very adaptable building in the event something were to happen. I
suspect the Museum of Science is not so adaptable and would be a little more difficult to either
assign or transfer. So how do you make the District 2 Commissioner comfortable that this is a
sustainable project in terms of the fit and fit -out, as well as the operational side of this particular
building?
Mr. Hernstadt: Commissioner, I think the best way to do that is let the executive director from
Museum of Science share their business plan with you and tell you how they plan to go forward.
Gillian Thomas: Thank you. I'm going to answer the second question first, and then come back
to the funding of the construction. So science museums around the world attract very large
numbers of people, more than any other kind of museum. They particularly attract young people
and families. Aquaria attract an even larger number of people than science museums do. So --
actually, just this last week we've had in our market analysis and visitor attendance estimates
from Lord Cultural Resources, which are a very well-known and esteemed consultant for this
kind of work. And the numbers that have come in are suggesting that in opening year we will get
over 700,000 visitors, and more than 600,000 in what's called a stabilized base year of
operations once you've got past that opening surge. There are very few combinations worldwide
that have both science museums and aquaria. One of the ones that opened recently is the
California Academy of Sciences, which, admittedly, is larger, but a large proportion of that is
research, and they have had over a million visitors. There's a lot of statistics, and I'm very
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happy to spend time with you, Commissioner Sarnoff, going through this to give you a more
detailed worldwide picture, but the size that we're going for, at 250,000 square feet with the
amount of allocation that we have into visitor experience, is the kind of size which is the most
viable in terms of operations post opening. Our current size is neither small enough to be
operated entirely by volunteers nor big enough to have the regional impact that it requires. So
this is something where size is everything in order to bring the people in. We've also created this
unique mix of external and internal exhibits that will mean that people can enjoy the climate and
environment, which is very important to South Florida, as well as enjoying the air-conditioned
spaces within it. So, actually, with regard to the future museum, I have no doubt at all that it will
be sustainable. We currently have a board member who is a specialist in investment in capital
projects working with us on our business planning for the future, and we will have a very
complex model that you can also look at in some detail and look at the implications of different
levels of visitor numbers. So, for the future, we're really comfortable. Science museums also
traditionally have a lower level of government support, sadly, than other museums simply
because they're seen as really supported by the public, and therefore, they have this ticket
component, which is a higher level than art museums do. We currently have 19 percent of our
operational costs covered by the County. We have no reason to suppose that they won't continue
to support us. They're very favorable to the Science Museum. They know what economic impact
it has in the community and also how important it is for raising educational levels.
Commissioner Sarnoff Gillian, could you --? Right there, 'cause there's a good point to have
some interplay, if you don't mind. Right now if you're at 19 percent and your operations budget
is "X, " you would agree with me your operations budget has got to become "Y" because you're
having -- what are you, an 80, 000-square foot facility now?
Ms. Thomas: Less than that, 55,000 internal, another 20,000 external.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay, so you'd be increasing your square footage almost fourfold.
Ms. Thomas: Yep.
Commissioner Sarnoff Your air-condition bill will go up fourfold.
Ms. Thomas: Ab -- well, no --
Commissioner Sarnoff Your --
Ms. Thomas: -- it won't because we're currently in a very old building with very out-of-date
equipment. One of our whole focuses is this is a very green building with renewable resources,
so we're really ramping down all our costs for opening.
Commissioner Sarnoff You agree with me that your operational costs have to go up to operate
a 250, 000-square foot building versus a 70,000?
Ms. Thomas: Absolutely, but the increase in income will go up a lot more than our operational
costs will go up.
Commissioner Sarnoff That's based on projection.
Ms. Thomas: That's based on this market analysis that's come in (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that we're
doing and worldwide experience in other science centers that science centers, when they're
bigger, are just financially more stable than smaller ones.
Commissioner Sarnoff How will you close the gap between the $175 million that it will cost you
to put, let's just say, the walls up, and the 75 million it will cost you to put the walls up to the fit
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and finish, maybe excluding the fish in the tank?
Ms. Thomas: Yeah. So, I'd just like to move on to that one now. I said I would address this one
secondly. Can I just draw attention to everybody that there're three phases to creating this
project and completing it. So, the first phase is what we call the preconstruction work that has to
happen on the site. We're working with MAM, doing joint contracts on the site survey, the
remediation studies, the traffic studies, and we're working parallel with MAM and with the City
to make sure that that whole access and site remediation happens in parallel. That's what we
call the preconstruction work. That's the number -one bit that should move ahead smoothly with
the parking and the foundations and so on. The second parcel is the walls of the building, all the
HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning), the tanks, the whole structural component
of the building, which gives you, as I described, I think, to Commissioner Sarnoff before,
everything that you need except the fish. So you have the tanks. You have the treatment for the
water. You have all the air conditioning. You have all the renewable resources. You have the
access. You have the parking. You have the plaza. You don't have the fish in the tanks. So if we
just go through it almost at a basic level, the construction costs for that shell of the building is
140 million. With the associated soft costs, it's 180 million; another 10 million would give you
the planetarium projector and all the fish and all the graphics, and then we'll be adding on the
exhibition components. I could also show you that, traditionally, fundraising for buildings of
this type happens over a period of time. You very rarely get commitment to the exhibition themes
at this stage in the proceedings. You need to have the building emerging from the ground and
something cogent that you can show to people for them to be able to buy into it in more detail.
Commissioner Sarnoff So, Gillian, did I hear you say then the fit and fit -out would be 180 or 90
million?
Ms. Thomas: No. I'm saying for that core component 'cause people have said in order that you
would -- to open your doors, what would the core component be. And the planetarium is one
component. I have to tell you if somebody gave me the money today, I wouldn't buy it today
'cause you want to wait later and to make sure you've got the right component for your latest
planetarium that's coming out. And similarly, you wouldn't be buying any of these things today.
Another 10 to 11 million would give us the appropriate fit -out for the living core and the
planetarium, and that would be not what we anticipate having at opening. We anticipate having
all of this at opening, but that was a question I was asked as to what would it cost to complete
that component.
Commissioner Sarnoff But what would the number be? Was I wrong on my number, what I just
said?
Ms. Thomas: There is 42 million in for the fit -out. We have -- what we've done on our budget --
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) would like everybody to be aware of this -- is we have fried to be extremely
cautious to integrate everything within our budget that we can think were to happen. We're not
trying to sort of give you a quick number to get past, and then come back next year and say,
"Oh, terribly sorry. We made 20 percent difference in what we're doing." So we've
incorporated in our overall budget everything we can think of to get from where we are at the
moment to get ourselves into that building, fully fitted out and fully operational. So, for example,
within our overall budget, we have 5 million just to cover that opening year, which some of our
other organizations in town didn't think of to make sure that as we run down one building and
we open the next, we have some adequate cash in hand to be able to make sure we can cover that
gap adequately 'cause it's very difficult to fundraise for a museum that you're closing down to
operate whilst you're opening a new one. So I'm comfortable. I have board members here that
can talk about the commitment that we have. In this last two weeks, I have had more than a
million that has just come in, both in the combination of an award and a corporate sector gift.
So, frankly, I've got no doubt that we're going to achieve this. It's just that we have to move
forward and not wait for too long before we get going.
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Commissioner Sarnoff Gillian, I don't mean to ask you the question again, but what is the
number with the fit and fit -out?
Ms. Thomas: The fit and fit -out budget is --
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
Ms. Thomas: -- 42 million for the exhibition.
Commissioner Sarnoff And what do I add that to? What number?
Ms. Thomas: It depends what you want to have, Commissioner Sarnoff.
Commissioner Sarnoff No. I'm not -- it's not whatl want to have. It's what you're going to
have. I'm asking you -- I heard the number 140 million. Then you told --
Ms. Thomas: That's the basic. That's right.
Commissioner Sarnoff Then you said there was going to be, I think --
Ms. Thomas: Soft costs of 40 million on that for --
Commissioner Sarnoff That's what thought I heard.
Ms. Thomas: -- the structure. So you're at 180.
Commissioner Sarnoff One eighty.
Ms. Thomas: Yeah. You add another 40 million on that --
Commissioner Sarnoff Forty-two --
Ms. Thomas: -- 42 million --
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Ms. Thomas: -- and you've got the fit and fit -out costs.
Commissioner Sarnoff Two hundred twenty-two million?
Ms. Thomas: Yes. That is the basic core fit and fit -out costs. We have other costs that we're
adding in, as you can imagine, to get to the top number, and we have some contingency
additional in there as well.
Commissioner Sarnoff So 250 million is about the right number?
Ms. Thomas: I think I'm sticking at 220, Commissioner Sarnoff. Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Two -twenty, okay.
Ms. Thomas: Yeah.
Commissioner Sarnoff And so right now you have, from the County, committed how much?
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Ms. Thomas: A hundred and seventy-five million of GOB, and we're working very hard on all
the rest.
Commissioner Sarnoff And what have you fundraised?
Ms. Thomas: We have commitments from our board of over 20 million. As I just reported, we
had another million came in this last week. I should say that we have many donors who are
really waiting for these lease agreements to go ahead. It's been a very long negotiation, which
I'm very appreciative of all the support we've had from the City, but it has been a long and
difficult negotiation, and that does cause uncertainty in donors. So I think a positive move
forward today would be extremely helpful, and I think --
Commissioner Sarnoff I understand. I just want to ask the questions. I have a few more
questions to ask, and then, you know, I'm either going to vote the way I'm going to vote or we'll
see how we go. How has the October 2008 recession affected you?
Ms. Thomas: We have quite a substantial endowment component, not for the new museum, but
just our general endowment for operations. So, like everybody else, our investments have lost, so
our operations this year have taken a hit through our endowment losses. There have been one or
two donors who have said that, yes, they are still committed, but would we come back next year.
Other than that, we've had no big impact. In fact, some people are really wanting to convert
money to make sure it's covering basic operations. So we've had some really good responses as
well to our requests to support us.
Commissioner Sarnoff And operationally, how have you been affected in terms of either your
ticket sales or County commitment?
Ms. Thomas: Well, in terms of ticket sales, actually, we had the best launch we've had in five
years.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Ms. Thomas: So I think this is more dependent because we're seen as a very good value
attraction. In March and in April, we exceeded last year, and we're very confident that we're
going to have a great summer with our Megalodon shark exhibit and CSI (Crime Scene
Investigation) insects, exploring how you date dead bodies using insects.
Commissioner Sarnoff And with regard to County funding, how has that been affected?
Ms. Thomas: The County funding has continued. Of course, this is the budget negotiation time
with the County, so any support you could give us to encourage them to enhance our operational
funding, I would appreciate it.
Commissioner Sarnoff Be more than glad to go down there with you. But my question's a little
different. How has the County funding been affected since October 2008? And by that, I mean
you indicated that 19 percent of your budget is from the County, ifI heard you correctly?
Ms. Thomas: Yes. It hasn't been affected at all.
Commissioner Sarnoff At all?
Ms. Thomas: No, not at all at the moment.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay. And you're lobbying the County presently for a higher
percentage once you make the jump to the 250, 000-square foot facility?
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Ms. Thomas: All the three museums -- it's myself it's MAA1 and it's also the history museum that
will have 25,000 square feet within our building, are working with the County to look at how we
can have some additional funding at that stage.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Ms. Thomas: The County's very supportive. Obviously, they wouldn't be wanting to give 175
million to a project that wasn't sustainable. So they share every issue that you might wish to
share, Commissioner Sarnoff probably even more so. So there is no doubt that the County and
the City wish to support this. It is going to make a major economic impact on the community,
and it's also going to really make a difference in terms of education for young people in the
community to have something that can motivate them and inspire them to go into science
technology, engineering or math careers. And many of the economic studies about our region do
show that we are falling behind the rest of the US (United States) and even more worrying, the
US is falling behind the rest of the world. So you need inspirational things like this to really
convert people to wanting to think that science and technology could help build a foundation for
the future in our region.
Commissioner Sarnoff Thank you for enduring my questions.
Chair Sanchez: All right. Question, Vice Chair?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Actually, I'll defer to Commissioner Regalado, if he has --
Chair Sanchez: All right, Commissioner Regalado.
Commissioner Regalado: Thank you. I am really sure that the public will come. I have seen
aquariums and museums in different parts of the world, and there is always a crowd for it. So I
don't have a concern about the future. My concern is how do [sic] you going to finish
construction in terms of the budget gap? That you have the same concerns that Commissioner
Sarnoff has. I -- there is no more GOB funding or no more TDT (Tourist Development Tax),
tourist development dollars, so this has to be done by yourself. You're confident that you can do
this?
Ms. Thomas: Yes. Our board is confident, and I do have board members here. I have Willie
Gomez, who is the chair of our finance committee; Trish and Dan Bell, who are the chairs of our
board, and we're confident that we can move forward. We're also getting a lot of
encouragement, as well. We've traditionally had quite substantial amounts of federal funding for
our education programs, and we've now had two awards from the Department of Energy around
the sustainability features of the building. So I do think we have some -- because of the way
we've developed and positioned the building, we've got some opportunities there, and we see no
reason why, in the future, in terms of sustainability, would we not be as successful in the future in
getting government grants and awards to support our education function, as we have been in the
past.
Commissioner Regalado: You are aware that, in the stimulus bill, there are [sic] funding for
museums throughout the United States. Have you --?
Ms. Thomas: We're looking into that, yes.
Commissioner Regalado: I have a question about your current site.
Ms. Thomas: Yes.
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Commissioner Regalado: What's going to happen to it?
Ms. Thomas: Our site belongs to the County. The site and building belongs to the County. It's
seen as part of the wider master plan for Vizcaya. So it will -- the planning is that it will go back
to Vizcaya and they may well use it as temporary exhibition spaces or, long-term, have some
completely different use for it.
Commissioner Regalado: No, but the question is -- and I know that it belongs to the County --
this is probably one of the best sites in the City ofMiami. It's right on US 1, Brickell, Miami
Avenue. It would be a sad page for the City ofMiami if that would become a storage place for
County equipment, and I'm sure that you have a responsibility because the City is giving you the
land that -- to guarantee that that site will not become an eyesore.
Ms. Thomas: Absolutely. We will do everything we can to make sure that happens. Actually,
the way we've renovated the internal aspects of the building, it now is a really great temporary
exhibition space, and Vizcaya has no temporary exhibition space of any note within their
building, so probably that's what will happen within the future. And I would, of course, do
everything I can to facilitate that happening.
Commissioner Regalado: So that will be a Vizcaya annex?
Ms. Thomas: It's a Vizcaya annex that is planned at the moment by the County as part of the
Vizcaya master plan. We're still discussing around whether some components of the wildlife
center might stay there 'cause that's very popular with the public.
Commissioner Regalado: Okay. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sanchez: All right, Vice Chair?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Mr. Chairman, I -- again, let me just make this statement, and
I'm not going to be long. But we know all -- from the very beginning, I've always supported the
Science Museum. I think that it's extremely important, especially with what's happening in the
world or in the country globally. It's exfremely important that we begin to educate not just our
children, but our families. And I believe that this can become a mechanism to do that. And -- so
I've supported it -- I always had an issue with the MAMportion of it, but like I said earlier, they
have grown on me like the fungus -- like a fungus. So I don't really have an issue. I -- the two
things that I think are exfremely important. I think, like my fellow colleague, Commissioner
Regalado, mentioned that, you know, aquariums -- I know, having a four -year -old son, you
know, visiting the one in Atlanta and even in a little place like Albany, Georgia, which has an
aquarium and a science museum -- this is something that kids truly and families fruly enjoy. And
you can't get into the aquariums because, you know, people enjoy visiting them. So I don't think
that you're going to have that -- maybe even the same kind of issues that the art museum may
have. I think it's a whole -- on a whole different level. But that's neither here nor there, and I do
understand what Commissioner Sarnoffs issues or concerns were about. My two issues -- and I
understand that they've already been included in the overall agreement -- had very much to do
with the small business portion of this and the local hirees. I believe that I had a conversation
with both museums regarding the issue of development of the facility and making sure that those
two components were included. So I'd like to -- Madam City Attorney, I want to make sure that,
in the agreement, there's language in Section 4.6 about the construction contract. I know that
there's the word that's used "intentionally," intentionally impacts the CBS (Columbia
Broadcasting System). It's very difficult to prove intentional, whether or not -- intentionally. I
wanted to replace that word with "unreasonable," because I think it's easier to prove that than it
is to improve -- I mean, to prove intention. So that's one of the things. I believe we did that in
the Marlins agreement. I'd like to see that --
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Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- language adjusted. And I don't know if it has been adjusted
already.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: No. It hasn't yet. We have a couple of amendments that we will be reading
into the record, and we'll be providing the City Clerk with a copy of them.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. And for me, it's more about making sure that we do everything
in our power to make sure the small businesses have the opportunity to participate in both
projects.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: The other part of it was, as you know, we launched, maybe about
three weeks ago, this whole Miami Works initiative in partnership with the labor unions and
South Florida Workforce and several of our mega projects. I consider these to be mega projects,
and I really wanted to make sure that, from a local hiree standpoint, we've done everything
necessary to make sure our workers are coming from the area. I know in the agreement it says
50 percent -- Is that correct, Madam City Attorney? -- and that 20 percent of them will come
from
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: Right.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- the City ofMiami. And I'm saying local hirees. I think it's
extremely important that any major project that comes up here -- us, as Commissioners, we have
to constantly push, you know, the developers, you know, the contractors to make sure that they
look at home first before they decide to look on the outside. And I know that we have it
regarding the 50 percent of the workers portion of it handled, you know, with the Dade County
portion and 20 percent from the City. But one of the things that's not included is the business
portion of here -- of it in here. I would like to see the same type of language reflected regarding
the small businesses as well. I think it's extremely important for us to do that, and l wanted to
make sure -- I know that we have a bond covenant issue regarding the GOB, but think that it's
extremely important to have both. So I'm not really sure what percentage -- maybe we can go to
20 percent of the 35 percent could come from the City ofMiami small businesses in the area. I
just want to make sure that that language is reflected.
Mr. Hernstadt: Commissioner, the -- with regard to -- you know, we're using the baseball agree
-- stadium agreement language as the new floor, basically.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Hernstadt: So with regard to that, the percentage is all based on availability. So, you know,
we could set it at 20, butl think you well know that it's really all based -- if those businesses exist
in the City ofMiami, of course, we want to use them. If they don't, we'll have to look elsewhere.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Right. And I don't have a problem with it. I know we're stuck in a
hard -- a rock and a hard place, but Roger, I really want to make sure -- you know, and I
understand that the City ofMiami, we may not have all of the businesses that can participate on
the project, but definitely, we should be able to do something in Dade County. And I'm just very
concerned -- we take this lackadaisical attitude with most -- with a lot of these projects, so we
don't go the exfra mile to make sure that we identify these businesses that can participate, and
that's my concern. So, Mr. City Manager, I would like to make sure that, you know, we work
with Glenn now, Glenn Marcos now to help him identify -- or Ola from CIP (Capital
Improvements Program) -- to help us identify these small business now so we don't have an issue
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when they get ready to get started, that they can't find the individuals. 'Cause most of the people
that come on board as contractors, when they get started, they already have a team of people
that they want to use. And a lot of times, these team of people don't come from the local area.
So I really want to make sure that there is a strong push to make sure that that happens 'cause
we have to take care of our home first before we can consider doing anything else. And then,
thirdly, my only issue was the penalties. I think that we all, sitting up here on the City
Commission, should really look at penalties being attached to project, especially major projects
where the City or the County or -- not only funds, but land is being put into projects, that there's
a penalty attached to these agreements, like we did with the Marlins, when the individuals do not
meet the goals. I mean, we can say this all day long, we want you to hire people locally and we
want you to have small businesses, you know, participate, but if there's no real penalties
attached to -- with teeth, then it's just -- we're just talking to be talking. And they're going to say,
okay, yeah, we fried and we couldn't get it. No. If we put a penalty attached to it, like we did
with the Marlins agreement, then we won't have that as an issue. So, Madam City Attorney, what
are we doing to address the penalty issue?
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: Commissioner, the Marlins agreement included penalties --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes, I know. That's what I'm saying.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: -- in connection --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: We did that in that only because we included it.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: The Marlins dealt with compliance with the Miami -Dade County small
business ordinance. The City doesn't have that ordinance. And currently, there is no agreement
in place with the County so that the City could avail itself of the County's program. This is
something that could happen in the future. But as of today, that program does not exist.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: The penalties for failure to comply with this provision, which is basically
the museum's commitment to use diligent, good faith efforts to comply with the goals that are
established, the penalty is a default under the lease. The type of monetary penalty of a
percentage, so to speak, that we used with the Marlins, we cannot include legally, in my opinion,
that kind of penalty in this document because we don't have the program, the infrastructure that
could support -- we don't have the monitoring. We don't have --
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: -- a way of objectively implementing that penalty.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No. I fully understand that, but I think that -- and I'm sure my fellow
colleagues up here would agree. I mean, you know, I understand that we don't have a SBE
(Small Business Enterprise) program like the County has. But something needs to be proffered
or something needs to be stated on the record. You know, this good faith intention stuff that --
you know, they've been -- we've been doing that for years in the City. And guess what? The
people default on it and they keep moving on. So I'm asking what are we doing -- I don't know if
the museums or individuals like to proffer -- or at least say that they're going to at least fry very,
you know -- I just think that we're waste -- I mean, we're wasting our time. What you just told me
is a waste of time. I'm just telling you. I mean --
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: Well --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- basically, you're just telling me, okay, Commissioner, you know,
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you can say it, you know, as much as you want to say it, but right -- at this point, it's not going to
mean anything.
Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): Commissioner, I think it will be important if this
Commission could, in essence, direct me to reach out to the County to ensure that we maximize
the use of their program to the best of our ability. I already sent a letter to the County Manager
about two, three weeks ago reference the stadium. And in that letter, I also mentioned the
museums; that that's another project that we have coming, and that I want to avail myself of the
use of their database, their program and their monitoring and so forth.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Well, thank you, Mr. Manager. That's what I really wanted you to
actually put on the record. So you will reach out to the County to make sure that this --
Mr. Hernandez: Yes, I will, Commissioner.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- same penalty agree -- penalties within our -- in this particular
agreement applies to -- mirrors what we've done with the other major project?
Mr. Hernandez: It will be to fry to do the same that we're doing for baseball --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, no problem.
Mr. Hernandez: -- I think, in a few words. Now --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: And that was my only issue, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to make
sure those three things were included.
Chair Sanchez: All right.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: IfI may --
Chair Sanchez: Madam Attorney --
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: -- ask something.
Chair Sanchez: -- then I'll close it off.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Sure.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: There is an issue that the small business provision that we have as written
until the City Manager reaches out to the County, there may be some issues with the GOB bonds.
So we would like to qualify the obligation that the museums have to implement this program to
the extent that it does not impair the museums' ability to obtain funding under the GOB
agreement.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No. I totally agree with that. I don't have an issue with that.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: Okay.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well -- Mr. Chair. Madam City Attorney, correct me if I'm wrong, but
unlike the Marlins Stadium, am I not correct that Museum of Science will own their building and
MAMwill own their building, the improvements?
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: Yes.
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Commissioner Sarnoff So there's going to be no ownership of the buildings by the City of
Miami or the County?
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: Correct.
Commissioner Sarnoff And in addition to that, am I not incorrect that they're even going to be
allowed to hypothecate a mor -- and place a mortgage upon the improved structures for the
interim payments by the County?
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: That is correct.
Commissioner Sarnoff So --
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: That is capped at 60 million or 50 million, depending on the type of
funding, but you are correct, Commissioner.
Commissioner Sarnoff So this is a big distinction and a difference compared to the Marlins
project, which is owned by the County.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Chair Sanchez: Okay.
Mr. Hernstadt: There are -- just for the record, Mr. Chair.
Chair Sanchez: You want to elaborate along that?
Mr. Hernstadt: Just -- no. I just wanted to make sure that everyone's aware that there's two
other very minor amendments that we need to read into the record.
Chair Sanchez: Okay, but we'll --
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: There's also -- with respect to this particular Section 3 -- 4.60, we would
like to clarify on the first sentence that the goals will be established by the County or the City
Manager.
Chair Sanchez: All right.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: And that is not clear in the document, so I would like to clarify that, and I
will proffer those amendments --
Chair Sanchez: That's --
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: -- to the City Clerk.
Chair Sanchez: -- a nonsubstantial amendment. I believe you have another amendment --
Mr. Hernstadt: Yes.
Chair Sanchez: -- that you need to put on --
Mr. Hernstadt: The 180 days. Yes, Commissioner. Section 4.2(a), it currently reads that the
museums have to submit their funding plan to us within 90 days of commencement. And we're
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going to change that 180 days to allow for some review, resubmittal, review, resubmittal, review,
resubmital and still not impact their commencement.
Chair Sanchez: All right. And that's -- now that you've put that on the record, I think -- first of
all, I think the City has come a long way in really promoting the arts in our community. This has
been a long time in the making, and every time that we have any government private partnership
such as this, it is in the best interest of government to protect the taxpayers' dollars. But by no
mean [sic] do we here or I want to see any of the museums fail. We need to work together to
assure that you're successful and you'll be able to build. Under these agreements that are here
today, the language that has been established on is items that really protect both sides. And if
you really look at the core of these agreements, what we have here in these commendments [sic]
are very simple. That the funding, which is [sic] continues to be one of the key issues here
because the last thing that any Commissioner wants here is for one museum to be built and
another one not to be built or halfway through not be built. I think it'll be an embarrassment not
only to government, us that are elected by the people, and the entities that are here. So it is in
our interest that we work together to assure that you succeed for the betterment of the residents
and the City. If you look at the language that's here -- and once again, on this agreement, I want
to take this opportunity to thank the City Manager and the Administration and the Mayor for
coming together with this agreement. It really has safeguards for the City. Of course, we need
to ask questions as to whether you're going to be getting the funding because these are tough
economic times that we know the museums rely on public donations. I mean, if you look
throughout our great nation, all museums depend on a large portion of that public donation.
However, the City provides -- the County provides funding for you for operational [sic]. We
have been blessed by the voters that have given you $175 million, and you've got great
commitments from people that want to see both museum -- or a museum go up with contributions
and commitments of $25 million. But overall, if you look at this agreement, I think the important
factor here is to address what's on these -- on this agreement. And if you look at the number -one
important factor here is that the museums must provide evidence, reasonable, satisfactory to the
City Manager, as to their funding source -- as to the funding source where the money's coming
from, how they have the money, in order to start. That assures us that you're able to start the
museum and guarantee us that you're going to have a completed museum and then operational
you could take it ftom there. And also, I'm glad to see that the 90 days have been changed to
180 days because I was very concerned with that. And I'll tell you why I'm concerned with that.
Not only do you have to go through a permitting process, you're also going to have to put
together that funding source now in these tough economic times that are pretty tough for
everyone in our community. So if you look at that, you have an opportunity to really work with
the Administration to be able to get the component of the finance put together to be able to build
the museums, whether it's the art museum or the science museum. As to the local businesses and
small, I mean, the only thing there that it mirrors the baseball stadium is just the 50 percent ftom
the County, the 20 percent ftom the City, which I think it's our responsibility to try to get as many
people as employed. Because I always say that great projects that go into neighborhoods must
benefit the neighbors and must benefit the people who live in that community. So overall, I am
very excited about this agreement. Finally, now we can look at whether it's four years -- and I
hope you -- you know, I would pray and hope that you would get both museums up in four years.
I don't see it happening in four years, but at least seven years gives you more of a leeway to try
to go out there and leverage your dollar and negotiate during these tough economic times to be
able to assure a successful museum for everyone to enjoy. And now having said that, I always
say I think we have to look into the future. And we've been given a great opportunity here to take
a park that, in the past, was not a successful park. As a matter of fact, I think we learned from
our mistakes in the past when the City ofMiami put together Bicentennial Park. And I remember
I was in high school, I believe, and the City really, when you do your homework, put a lot of
resource in promoting a park that was really -- was going to bring downtown back to life. Well,
it didn't accomplish that. Through the design or how it was done, it just didn't meet what it was
set out to be for the future ofMiami. This project certainly does that. This project, if we're able
to accomplish this, will not only be appreciated by our generation, but by many, many
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generations to come because I look forward to taking my kids -- 'cause I have a three month's
[sic] old, so I'll be taking her to the museum -- and I look forward to taking my grandchildren to
the museum and enjoying the park. So this is something that I'm very proud of. And having said
that, I am prepared to support this. I know that we have another issue -- another agreement that
we're going to have to -- there's also an amendment on the environmental agreement. Okay, so
we'll bring that one up.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: There is an environmental agreement.
Chair Sanchez: So having said that, I really believe that history will treat us kind when we're
able to accomplish this and really feature what I consider two jewels in the crowns ofMiami to
make Miami a great city, which will be great -- two great museums next to our bay. All right, so
having said that -- Yes, sir.
Commissioner Regalado: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. One final --
Chair Sanchez: Commissioner Regalado, you're recognized for the record.
Commissioner Regalado: Thank you. Olga and Roger said on the record something that we all
knew, is that the buildings will be owned by the frust of the museums. They would not be owned
by the County.
Mr. Hernstadt: Correct.
Commissioner Regalado: Is that correct?
Mr. Hernstadt: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Regalado: The land is City ofMiami land --
Mr. Hernstadt: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Regalado: -- which will be leased to the museums. So now the question is, since
this is totally different than the Marlins, what public safety agencies are going to work off -duty
on those museums once they're built, City ofMiami Police, City ofMiami Fire? Is anything,
Madam City Attorney, in the contract that will state, as it did when the American Airlines Arena
contract was done, that City ofMiami Police and Fire will be the primary off -duty service for the
museums?
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: There's nothing in the agreement to that effect. And to my knowledge, that
issue has not been discussed.
Commissioner Regalado: I'm sorry?
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: To my knowledge, that issue has not been discussed, and the agreement
doesn't include anything to that effect.
Commissioner Regalado: But that was a huge discussion item in the Marlins, so I would think
that somebody would have thought about that.
Mr. Hernstadt: Commissioner, ifI may. The museums have told me that, in terms of their
security on their property, they're looking to private security companies to provide their security
within their property; and within the City park component, we would be using the park rangers
and the City police department. To the extent they have a special event and they require off -duty
officers at night for some type of special event or et cetera, then I would think that when those
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occasions would arise, we would be expecting them to use City ofMiami police.
Commissioner Regalado: You would think, but we --
Mr. Hernandez: Commissioner, the --
Commissioner Regalado: -- do we know that?
Mr. Hernandez: -- I think the reason there is nothing stated is because it's obvious, in this case.
It's City ofMiami land, and the primary source, obviously, would be City ofMiami police and
firefighters. There is nothing to the contrary.
Commissioner Regalado: Is it possible for someone from the museums to just --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Proffer it.
Commissioner Regalado: -- you know, proffer that --
Mr. Hernandez: And also, Commissioner --
Commissioner Regalado: -- commitment?
Mr. Hernandez: -- the County is not a signatory to this agreement. This is just City ofMiami
and the museums; remains our land, the park is ours, so I think it's obvious, but --
Ms. Thomas: This would just continue our current policy, which is, for our major events, we do
have people there from the City.
Commissioner Regalado: Okay.
Chair Sanchez: All right.
Commissioner Regalado: Fair enough.
Chair Sanchez: Any further discussion? If not, we are on RE.15, as amended, for the record.
The amendment has been proffered by the City Attorney. Yes, they have, on the record.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: I will hand -deliver it to the City Clerk.
Chair Sanchez: Okay. It's a resolution. All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay." Motion carries.
RE.16 09-00370 RESOLUTION
City Manager's A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Office ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING THE TERMS OF, AND AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE, AN ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY"), THE MIAMI ART
MUSEUM OF DADE COUNTY ASSOCIATION, INC. ("MAM") AND THE
MUSEUM OF SCIENCE, INC. ("MSM"), IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE FORM
ATTACHED AS "EXHIBIT A", TO PROVIDE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SITE
ASSESSMENTS AND CORRESPONDING SITE REHABILITATION OF
BICENTENNIAL PARK (" MUSEUM PARK"), INCLUDING SPECIFICALLY THE
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CITY'S OBLIGATION TO PAY UP TO $2 MILLION TOWARD THE COST OF
ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION OF THE MAM AND MSM SITES WITHIN
MUSEUM PARK, WHICH HAVE BEEN LEASED TO MAM AND MSM FOR
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE MUSEUM COMPONENT OF THE MUSEUM
PARK PROJECT.
09-00370 Legislation 5-14-09.pdf
09-00370 Exhibit 5-14-09.pdf
09-00370 Summary Form 5-14-09.pdf
09-00370 Legislation 5-28-09.pdf
09-00370 Exhibit 5-28-09.pdf
09-00370 Summary Form 5-28-09.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter
be ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Sarnoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez
R-09-0260
A motion was made by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Regalado and was
passed unanimously, with Commissioner Gonzalez absent, directing the City Manager not to
utilize monies from the general fund to pay the City's costs for environmental remediation on the
MAM and MSM sites within Museum Park, and to report back to the Commission the funding
source.
Chair Sanchez: And we go -- we move on to RE.16, and that is the environmental agreement.
Let's take that one up.
Roger Hernstadt (Assistant City Manager): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This is a resolution of
the City Commission approving the terms and authorizing the City Manager to execute an
environmental remediation agreement between the City, the art -- Miami Art Museum, and the
Museum of Science to provide for the performance of environmental site assessments and
corresponding rehabilitation of Bicentennial Park, Museum Park to specifically include the
City's obligation to pay up to $2 million towards the cost of remediation of the MAM (Miami Art
Museum) and MSM (Miami Science Museum) sites within Museum Park.
Chair Sanchez: All right.
Commissioner Sarnoff I'll move it for purposes of discussion.
Chair Sanchez: All right. For the purpose of discussion, Commissioner --
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Chair Sanchez: -- Sarnoff makes a motion, second by Commissioner Regalado. Discussion.
You're recognized.
Commissioner Sarnoff Mr. Manager, where would the $2 million come from?
Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): Commissioner, the funding source that is anticipated
would be CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) funding.
Commissioner Sarnoff C --
Mr. Hernandez: CRA, Community Redevelopment Agency, funding.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: How's that coming from CRA when it's not in the expanded
boundaries?
Mr. Hernandez: We're now in the process of advancing -- I think it's in this City Commission
agenda -- the finding of necessity for the Omni CRA, and we'll be -- we will be pursuing that or
following that with the redevelopment plan for the Omni, and that will be part of that plan.
Commissioner Sarnoff Commissioner Spence -Jones brings up a good point, which is you're
really putting the cart before the horse. I mean, I support the boundary change, but other
Commissioners may not. And aren't you better -- does this have to be brought up today? Could
this not be brought up post -determination, maybe table it until we -- I know we're doing
something today with the boundaries, but I -- even if we change the boundaries, I think there's
still some County action that has to take place.
Mr. Hernandez: Yes. It would require City Commission action, CRA action, and then County
action. Yes, it does.
Commissioner Sarnoff Could we defer this until such time -- I mean, I don't know. I'm asking
timing wise.
Mr. Hernandez: Well, the item itself I think it's significant for the item to move forward because
it's required for site control by the museums.
Commissioner Sarnoff And --
Mr. Hernandez: The concern that you're bringing up is that we're anticipating a City funding
source for the -- our contribution.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, I may support this with CRA funding. I may not support this with
general fund. So you're asking me to look into the future of the minds of four other
Commissioners to make a determination as to what they think. You're asking me to make a vote
on a hope and a prayer so that, let's say, three Commissioners or even everyone votes against the
changed boundary, and now, all of a sudden, the funding source becomes the general fund. I
couldn't support that.
Mr. Hernandez: Right. Commissioner, maybe then we should -- we can move the item forward.
The City's responsible for a contribution up to two million on the environmental remediation of
the museum sites, if that much is needed. If less is needed, then we contribute less, but with the
funding source to be later determined and approved by the City Commission.
Chair Sanchez: Which it clearly states here that -- which will be paid by the City and provided
to the City evident that the City has the financial ability to pay the costs language. So it was
always explained to me that it wasn't going to be from the general fund. That's -- I always ask
that question. So I'm okay, as long as it's not from the general fund, which we know it's not.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, I may not be okay if it's coming from the fund balance. I mean, I
don't know that this is something I can support knowing that I either reduce the fund balance or
it comes from the general fund. And I don't want to hear about Sunshine State loans either.
Chair Sanchez: All right.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, I take -- I should say that more appropriately. I apologize. I don't
think I could support Sunshine State loans.
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Chair Sanchez: Commissioner Regalado.
Commissioner Regalado: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think that of all the issues, this is the
most important that we can decide on because it's about the immediate future of the general
fund. Yesterday on the briefing, Roger and the Manager were very gracious frying to explain,
but it's impossible to explain. It is impossible to determine where this money is coming from. We
need County action. We need City and CRA. But not only that, I mean, we need even
projections in terms of bonding and all the things that go along with the CRA that -- the property
appraisals [sic] new numbers. Everything has to do with this money. Do -- did you made [sic]
a commitment on --? Because I was told it is in the negotiation. It was negotiated that way; we
did it. Butl think that, number one, no one here wants to derail this project for two million, but
it's about fiscal responsibility. You cannot place the burden on us to say, well, you know, oh,
CRA didn't work; we need to raid the general fund. So I think, number one, the -- I was told that
they have until June 9 to come up with the response. Would the museums be able to come up
with the money if there is more than $2 million? I believe they will agree because no one is
going to abandon $500 million for 1 million or $2 million. That's not the point. It's not about
the museums. I was told also that maybe we can get a bargain and get the remediation for less
than $2 million, but we don't know. So this is not about the project. This is not about the
museum. It is about that we need to know. And I just want to understand why do we need to
rush this today if we have already approve all other contracts which they need to go out and
fundraise. We have approve the development plan, which they need to move forward. The only
issue is this remedy for the land, which is not going to happen next week. So you tell me why do
we need to do this before we know if the CRA can absorb this $2 million?
Mr. Hernandez: Commissioner, the environmental agreement, it is my understanding, is one of
the requirements for the museums to be able to have site control of the land which, in essence,
determines their ability to receive funding from the County to be able to move forward. So they
need this agreement in place, as well as the development agreement.
Commissioner Regalado: Okay. It is your understanding, but --
Mr. Hernandez: Yes.
Chair Sanchez: All right.
Commissioner Regalado: -- is it --?
Chair Sanchez: Yes. Vice Chair.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. Commissioner Sarnoff, I just want to be clear. I know that this
falls within your area, the museums. Was your question centered around waiting for the
expansion to actually happen with the FON (Finding of Necessity) and the redevelopment plan
through the County? Is that what -- was that your intention?
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, I think today, ifI'm not mistaken -- and the Manager can correct
me -- that we're going to be voting for new boundaries for the CRA.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Right.
Commissioner Sarnoff Just because we vote for that -- and correct me if I'm wrong, Mr.
Manager -- the County may not agree, for one reason or another.
Chair Sanchez: True.
Commissioner Sarnoff And if -- that's not something in our control. I mean, just look at
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Tallahassee. That's not in our control, and yet, they affect us everyday. So my -- I mean,
inevitably, we could vote for this, commit ourselves to the two -- up to $2 million. You come
back to us and, you know, having been on the board for almost three years, say, well, sorry, but
the County decided that, you know, they really needed the money and they were not in favor of --
for this reason or that reason and their fund balances are this and that, and because they needed
to re -- you know --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Can -- Commissioner Sarnoff, so would your recommendation be that
it's contingent on the County's approval? That's basically what you're saying.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, I think we have a vote in front of us which, you know, we can
certainly act today. We could table this. We, as a board and a political body, can act today, but
we can't -- you're right, we could make it contingent upon something, which may move the
County faster. It may not satisfy their need, I don't know. I mean --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I mean, we're -- only reason I'm asking the question because you
brought it up as a concern. So, you know, I'm saying, okay, well, maybe part of this is to
communicate that this is only based on whether or not it actually passes through the County, the
FON and the redevelopment plan, that then this actual item can be actually considered. But --
Commissioner Sarnoff Believe it or not --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- for the purposes -- for --
Chair Sanchez: All right.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- let me just finish --
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- for the purposes of what they need it for today, this would allow
them to at least move to the next step; also would allow for them to use their machine to push the
County or ask the County --
Chair Sanchez: Exactly.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- to really push this thing to have the support so that it does happen.
That's just more people talking to the County, as far as I'm concerned, and I think that's what we
need to have happen. I just wanted to make sure that I was clear. The second part of this,
Commissioner Regalado's point regarding the CRA -- and I know I have my CRA director here
somewhere floating around -- Jim. The second part of this concern was whether or not CRA --
and I'm talking about the Omni area -- could actually handle this $2 million -- if-- once passed,
could handle this $2 million allocation that would be necessary if the FON and redevelopment
plan has passed. Or even without, because my under -- well, it has to pass, so with that. Jim,
can you put on the record if you know, based upon the calculations and numbers that you
already know?
James Villacorta: James Villacorta, director of the City ofMiami's Community Redevelopment
Agencies. Based on the current projections from the City gill/Pamirs Budget Department and -
-Finance Department, the CRA would have the funds to do this.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: It can handle it.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well -- but you may not have --
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- but they may not have the ability --
Chair Sanchez: Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Vice Chair Spence -Jones --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Can I just finish my --
Chair Sanchez: -- you have the floor.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- statement? And then you guys can chime in and add on. I just
wanted to be -- and I know exactly where you're going to go, Commissioner Sarnoff. That's
based upon the projections that we don't know whether or not they're real projections at this
point.
Commissioner Sarnoff No, no, no, no. No.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Commissioner Sarnoff What I'm saying is, if we don't expand the boundary, we don't know, as
we sit here today, that we can go extra boundary -- extra -- outside of our boundaries.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, yeah. But that's what I just said -- or just mentioned. I'm saying
Mr. Villacorta: Yeah, assuming the finding of necessity --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Assuming that this passes in the County, I wanted to know from Jim
whether or not he knows, based upon the numbers that we already have put in place for the
Omni area, whether or not we could carry -- the CRA could carry the $2 million. And what Jim
is saying, based upon the numbers that -- the Budget Department, I'm assuming, and Ed
Marquez is stating --
Mr. Villacorta: Yes.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- that the numbers would -- the monies would be available to assist
with that $2 million cost.
Mr. Villacorta: Yes. The CRA --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Is that what you're saying? I just want --
Mr. Villacorta: -- would be able to service this commitment --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Villacorta: -- based on the current projections.
Chair Sanchez: All right.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. So, in closing, my last statement regarding the issue of the
FON, redevelopment plan passing, we're going to deal with that today, and they will push on the
County side to make it happen. If that all happens and there is dollars available to assist with
what is needed now in order for them to continue what they need to do in order to push the
project, correct?
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Mr. Villacorta: Based on the projections, yes.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. And, Mr. City Manager, as a part of the global agreement, the
Museum Parks [sic] was included in the overall global agreement, correct?
Mr. Hernandez: Yes. Yes, it was.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Which means the County will now have --
Mr. Hernandez: Well --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- an incen --
Mr. Hernandez: Right.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Which means --
Mr. Hernandez: I was going to respond to Commissioner Sarnoff that, in essence, we have no
certainty, 100 percent, that the County will approve it. However, it is part of the global
agreement, and --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. That's what I'm saying. It's part of the global agreement --
Mr. Hernandez: -- the County --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- and it's already an incentive for them. They want to see this thing
happen as well, and we've all agreed on the global agreement.
Mr. Hernandez: Right.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So it's already written -- $2 million, I believe, is also included in there
for some capital expenditures that -- I mean, it's already there. We've already voted on this
thing, so I just wanted to make sure that once FON and redevelopment plan is passed, if Jim
feels we have the capacity, and he has stated on the record that we do. That's it. That's my only
point.
Chair Sanchez: All right. Before I recognize Commissioner Regalado and Commissioner
Sarnoff, I just want to proffer a solution to this. All we have to do is just put language there it's
subject to the CRA expansion. That's it.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah.
Chair Sanchez: Commissioner Sarnoff.
Commissioner Sarnoff But is -- does that satisfy them?
Commissioner Regalado: No.
Commissioner Sarnoff Because that's a contingency that may not satisfy them.
Commissioner Regalado: No.
Commissioner Sarnoff So the question to ask Jim Villacorta is this -- Jim.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Jim.
Commissioner Sarnoff In the -- forget what events. Let's take all contingencies out of this. The
question is, right now could the CRA --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- have -- does it have adequate funding to give them $2 million?
Chair Sanchez: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Answer is yes 'cause you answered Commissioner Spence -Jones that
way.
Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Even -- not based on the projections, the income --
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
Mr. Villacorta: -- of the CRA --
Commissioner Sarnoff Now here's the second part of the question --
Mr. Villacorta: -- could cover it.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- you haven't answered. Can we take that money exfraterritorially and
put it in a park that is not within the CRA boundaries?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: We already know that. We know that that can happen.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, we --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I mean --
Commissioner Sarnoff -- actually, it's more sophisticated than that because we have asked --
Chair Sanchez: I think it can.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- right -- Gray and Robinson has issued us an opinion --
Chair Sanchez: I think it can.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- that so far has said we can go extraterritorial. That is now in front of
the Attorney General for the State of Florida, Bill McCollum. Everybody should be giving him a
call. He's running for governor. Not endorsing him; just suggesting maybe you give him a call.
And that he is inevitably going to determine whether CRA proceeds can be spent outside of their
district --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Right.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- their boundaries.
Mr. Villacorta: Yes. We've asked for an opinion not in relation to the museum but in relation to
Camillus House and the relocation --
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, we could extrapolate -- you're a lawyer --
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Mr. Villacorta: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- from that opinion as to whether we could spend CRA dollars in the
adjacent neighborhood.
Mr. Villacorta: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay. But here's our problem. They need a noncontingent scenario.
We, on this board, I suspect, don't want a scenario that could put this in the general fund.
Chair Sanchez: No.
Commissioner Sarnoff This Commissioner doesn't want it on the Sunshine State loans either.
And that's the dilemma. And the question becomes -- and with all the brain power over by the
City Manager, how do we break the logjam?
Mr. Hernandez: Commissioner, I think that this item could be approved with a subject to -- that
the contribution of the City not to exceed the two million come from another source, whether it's
CRA or other source, as long as it's not general fund.
Commissioner Sarnoff And what source could that be? I mean, Sunshine State is a loan that
gets paid back.
Mr. Hernandez: I would have to, you know, bring it up to the City Commission for your
approval, but I think that that will give us the time to explore the potential of the CRA or other
sources, and then bring it back to this City Commission for your blessing.
Commissioner Sarnoff So it would come back to us?
Mr. Hernandez: The portion of the funding. The item can be approved subject to --
Commissioner Sarnoff I got you. I --
Mr. Hernandez: -- the funding not being general fund.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- as long as -- I'm willing to -- I'm going to make the motion to approve
what you've just --
Mr. Hernandez: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- suggested, provided it comes back to this board and we learn the
source funding.
Mr. Hernandez: Yes.
Chair Sanchez: Okay. All right, because it is a requirement for them to seek site control. If we -
- if this is not worked out, then we're back at ground zero again, okay. So the recommendation
that was proffered by the City Manager, which is not to use general fund -- and he will come
back with the proper funding to be used, and we would vote on it. It's certainly acceptable to
me, but there's been a motion by Commissioner Sarnoff and we need a second. Is there a
second?
Commissioner Regalado: I will second --
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Chair Sanchez: All right.
Commissioner Regalado: -- Mr. Chairman. But I just want to know --
Chair Sanchez: You have been sec -- hold, hold, hold, hold. There's a second. It is open for
discussion. Do you want to discuss the item?
Commissioner Regalado: Yes, sir.
Chair Sanchez: All right. You're recognized for the record.
Commissioner Regalado: It's fine. We have two options: Either the Attorney General ruling,
which I'm sure that the folks from Camillus House are already lobbying the State on this matter.
This could only -- it could also be applied to the port tunnel. This could be applied to this item.
But I don't know if what the Manager said, that it's subject to all this and not general fund,
would be good enough for them to get the site. Or is it that as long as the City pays $2 million,
they get the site? That's the bottom line, right?
Mr. Hernandez: In essence, it should be okay to them and --
Chair Sanchez: It should be.
Mr. Hernandez: -- to the County as long as the City's committing to providing a contribution up
to -- or not to exceed two million.
Chair Sanchez: Exactly.
Mr. Hernandez: They -- you know, as long as we do it, they don't care about the source; we do.
Commissioner Regalado: No. I understand that, but it's not that the City -- to be clear, the City
is committing the $2 million. We're doing this right now.
Chair Sanchez: Correct.
Commissioner Regalado: So that is what they need.
Mr. Hernandez: Yes.
Commissioner Regalado: So I guess that's what we have to do.
Chair Sanchez: All right. There's a motion and a second. Can you put the amendment that is
on the -- not on the reso -- not on the motion that's on the table, but there is an amendment we
need to put on the record, which is --
Ola Ramirez-Seijas (Assistant City Attorney): Right.
Chair Sanchez: -- very important.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: Yes. We would like to -- we need to amend Section 3.B of the
environmental remediation agreement to add at the end of that sentence "and the leases shall be
deemed terminated." This is to clarify that in the event that on November -- on January 9, the
museums elect not to proceed with the remediation, it will not only terminate the ERA
(Environmental Remediation Agreement), but it's clear that the leases will be terminated. It is a
clarification.
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Chair Sanchez: All right.
Commissioner Sarnoff Can you read that again? I'm not sure I understand that.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: Okay. The document says that if the museums do not reach an agreement,
they do not elect to proceed because the cost of environmental remediation exceeds two million,
the environmental remediation agreement will be null and void, and I'm adding "and the leases
shall be deemed terminated. "
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay. That's language you're putting in now that wasn't there before?
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: It was implicit. It wasn't clear.
Commissioner Sarnoff I got you.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: You had to go through a number --
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: -- of documents, and I think something of that importance should be crystal
clear.
Chair Sanchez: It wasn't descriptive. In other words, it didn't have proper protection for the
City as to -- it's a bailout. It's just for -- if it doesn't work out, everybody goes their separate
ways.
Ms. Ramirez-Seijas: Right.
Chair Sanchez: All right. With the amendment that has been placed on the record and the
motion that has been -- received a maker -- a motion and a second, all in favor, say "aye."
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Excuse me, Chair. Are you voting on the amendment, not -
_?
Chair Sanchez: We're going to vote on the amendment, and then we're going to vote on the
resolution.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Chair Sanchez: All right. On the amendment, all in favor, say "aye.
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Anyone in opposition, having the same right, say "nay." Motion carries. And
now we vote on the resolution itself. Need a motion.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So move.
Chair Sanchez: It's a motion by the Vice Chair --
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Chair Sanchez: -- second by Commissioner Regalado. Discussion on the resolution.
Commissioner Sarnoff As amended?
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Chair Sanchez: As amended.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay. I'm just asking.
Ms. Thompson: You already had a motion.
Chair Sanchez: Huh?
Ms. Thompson: You already had a motion.
Commissioner Sarnoff That's what I'm saying. That's why I don't know why we're doing it
again. I don't mean to be deft here, but --
Chair Sanchez: Because there was a motion that was made and that motion was a motion
towards the resolution, and now the resolution is voted upon.
Ms. Thompson: And then we had a motion --
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
Ms. Thompson: -- to amend the resolution, which was put on the record --
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
Ms. Thompson: -- so we're just going to go back and vote on the original --
Commissioner Sarnoff The original motion.
Chair Sanchez: Okay.
Ms. Thompson: -- motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconding [sic] by Commissioner
Regalado.
Chair Sanchez: All right. So it was stated as an amendment to the original motion.
Ms. Thompson: Yes.
Chair Sanchez: Well, that wasn't my understanding, but since you're the Clerk and I'm not, I'm
going to do what you say. All right, so that's been voted upon for the record. Museums, thank
you so much.
Ms. Thompson: IfI may have a clarification, okay.
Chair Sanchez: As amended.
Ms. Thompson: Yes, but we had Commissioner Reg --
Commissioner Sarnoff She needs the vote.
Ms. Thompson: -- I'm sorry, Commissioner Gonzalez came in and I wanted to make sure if he
was recording a vote for this.
Commissioner Gonzalez: No, because I wasn't present.
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Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Chair Sanchez: Okay, so 4-0. All right. Let's go to PH.2 and 3, get the translator going. Thank
you for being here. All right, folks, please be quiet exiting. Thank you. Congratulations. I think
it's a win -win for the entire city.
RE.17 09-00416 RESOLUTION
City Manager's A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
Office ACCEPTANCE OF A GRANT FROM THE OMNI REDEVELOPMENT
DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("CRA"), IN AN
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $30,000, TO PROCURE THREE (3) T3 SERIES
PERSONAL MOBILITY UNITS TO BE UTILIZED BY THE CITY OF MIAMI
POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THE CRA REDEVELOPMENT AREA;
AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE GRANT
AGREEMENT AND ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE.
09-00416 Legislation.pdf
09-00416 Summary Form.pdf
WITHDRAWN
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Did we deal with RE.17, Commissioner Sarnoff your item, the
T3 personal mobility units?
Commissioner Sarnoff Oh, that's going to be -- I think it's going to be withdrawn.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so we're withdrawing that. Okay. All right, so --
Maria J. Chiaro (Deputy City Attorney): Madam --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- RE (Resolution) --
Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): Commissioner, ifwe -- if you could take RE.18, which is
the finding of necessity --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: That's what we're doing right now.
Mr. Hernandez: Oh.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. We're going to just finish up the REs, ifwe can.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Just for the record, ifI may ask, Vice Chair -- I'm sorry --
wanting to make sure RE.17 is withdrawn?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Ms. Thompson: RE.17.
Commissioner Sarnoff Yes.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
RE.18 09-00562 RESOLUTION
City Manager's A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
Office ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING THE FINDING OF NECESSITY REPORT,
ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED AS EXHIBIT "A," FOR THE AREA
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
PROPOSED TO BE INCLUDED IN THE OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT
REDEVELOPMENT AREA ("STUDY AREA"), AS MORE PARTICULARLY
DESCRIBED IN EXHIBIT "B," ATTACHED AND INCORPORATED; FINDING
THAT THE REBUILDING, REHABILITATION, CONSERVATION, AND
REDEVELOPMENT OF THE STUDY AREA IS NECESSARY IN THE
INTEREST OF THE PUBLIC HEALTH, SAFETY, MORALS, AND WELFARE
OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE CITY OF MIAMI AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTY;
FINDING THAT THE STUDY AREA CONSTITUTES A SLUM OR BLIGHTED
AREA AS DEFINED IN SECTION 163.340, FLORIDA STATUTES; DIRECTING
THE CITY MANAGER TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THE FINDING OF
NECESSITY REPORT TO MIAMI-DADE COUNTY FOR REVIEW AND
CONSIDERATION.
09-00562 Legislation.pdf
09 00562 Exhibit.pdf
09-00562-Exhibit B.pdf
09-00562 Summary Form.pdf
09-00562-Submittal-Omni CRA Proposed Expansion Map.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez, that this matter
be ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Sanchez
R-09-0257
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Let's see if we can make more time up. Let's get RE.18 out of
the way, which is the necessity report. We -- what -- we already talked about this earlier. Would
you like to put something on the record for RE.18?
Roberto E. Lavernia (Chief of Land Development, Planning Department): No.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. This is the Finding of Necessity. We already talked about this
earlier. We did it with the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency). CRA, do you need to put
something on the record?
Maria J. Chiaro (Deputy City Attorney): Just the -- the map is as amended and distributed to
you during the CRA meeting.
Commissioner Sarnoff So moved.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: We have a motion. We have a second. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: All right, this item passes.
RE.19 09-00563 RESOLUTION
City Manager's A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AUTHORIZING THE
Office ACCEPTANCE OF A GRANT FROM THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK
WEST AND OMNI REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES ("CRAS"), IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED
$344,000, TO UNDERWRITE THE COST OF A POLICE VISIBILITY
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PROGRAM FOR THE SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST AND OMNI
REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES'
DISTRICTS; AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXCEPT THE GRANT
AGREEMENT AND ALL DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE.
09-00563 Legislation.pdf
09-00563 Summary Form.pdf
09-00563 Letter.pdf
09-00563 Budget Overtime Police Services.pdf
09-00563 Pre Legislation.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Sanchez
R-09-0271
Direction by Commissioner Spence -Jones to the Administration requesting the Miami Police
Department and Community Redevelopment Agency meet to review the operational plan for the
Police Visibility Program before it is implemented in the Southeast Overtown/Park West area.
Direction by Commissioner Sarnoff to the Administration requesting that the Miami Police
Department provide a cost analysis of the resources used to patrol the clubs located next to the
Southeast/Overtown Park West Area.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, RE.19. This is the Police Visibility Program. Is the -- anybody
from the Police Department here? Anybody from staff here to talk about the Police Department?
This is the -- well, no. This is the City accepting a grant. It's not really the CRA (Community
Redevelopment Agency) accepting it.
Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): Commissioner, we're --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: The CRA is giving you the money.
Mr. Hernandez: Commissioner, this is just accepting a grant from the CRA to provide increased
patrols assistance to homeless and obtaining services from local agencies and increase the
number of special operations.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Move it.
Commissioner Sarnoff Second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: We have a motion and a second. Just some discussion on it, ifI can.
Motion, second. Discussion. Chief this is something that we've already been doing with the
CRA, so it's us just extending the program. The only thing that I do want to make sure happens
on the Southeast Overtown/Park West side of it before the program is actually implemented, we
really need to sit down with the CRA staff to devise a program that actually works for that
particular area. So I want to make sure that before any dollars are expended -- because the first
time around, a lot of the monies went into handling the club -related issues and things
surrounding the clubs and nothing went into the neighborhoods. I don't want that to happen this
time. So we need to sit down. I don't know where Jessica is from the CRA. She's the one that
works along with you and Jim. We need to sit down and devise a plan that makes sense.
Deputy Chief Frank Fernandez (Police): Absolutely. Frank Fernandez, deputy chief.
Commissioner, first of all, thank you very much for supporting the overtime, which is going to
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
help us in preventing crime there. And we'll certainly sit down with the CRA and make sure that
we review the operational plan.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, no problem.
Deputy Chief Fernandez: Okay. Thank you very much.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you very much.
Commissioner Sarnoff Wait. Commissioner, may I say --?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Chief would you make sure that you provide us a cost analysis on what
it's costing the Police -- the -- I guess the clubs is the best way to describe them on the Park West
side? I want to know how many officers you're using, what the cost of those officers are, what
they spend -- in other words, whatever they spend privately -- and I want to be able to discern
whether it's costing -- how much it's costing the taxpayers to police the clubs from the exterior.
Deputy Chief Fernandez: No problem. We'll get it done.
Commissioner Sarnoff Thanks.
Deputy Chief Fernandez: No problem.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you. Okay, so we have -- Madam Clerk, we did have a motion
and a second on this item?
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Yes. We need a vote.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: All right, this item passes. I'm just trying to clean up this agenda.
END OF RESOLUTIONS
DISCUSSION ITEM
DI.1 09-00452 DISCUSSION ITEM
Department of FINANCIAL STATEMENT PRESENTATION BY THE EXTERNAL
Finance AUDITORS FOR THE YEAR ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2008
COMPREHENSIVE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT.
09-00452 Summary Form.pdf
DEFERRED
A motion was made by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, and was
passed unanimously, with Chair Sanchez absent, to defer item DI.1 to the Commission meeting
currently scheduled for June 11, 2009.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: And let's see what else we need to make up.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Seventeen.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: We're going to -- first of all, we're going to defer DI [sic].
Commissioner Gonzalez: Second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: DI.1. Did everybody get that?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Motion to defer DI.1.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Date?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: We need a second on it.
Commissioner Sarnoff Second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Can we get a date on it, guys? When do we want to --
Administration, when do you want to see it again?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Next Commission meeting.
Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): Next coming meeting.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, no problem. Cool. All right, so let's get the --
Commissioner Gonzalez: All in favor, say "aye."
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: This item passes.
END OF DISCUSSION ITEM
PART B: PLANNING AND ZONING ITEMS
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I just want to have clarity on -- I want to fry to make up some time.
Mr. Manager, PZ.3 and 4, are they being deferred or no or is that just 5 and 6?
Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): The ones that were deferred were PZ.5 and 6.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so PZ.3 and 4 still are on?
Mr. Hernandez: Yes.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
PZ.1 06-01242mm RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING WITH CONDITIONS, A SUBSTANTIAL
MODIFICATION TO A MAJOR USE SPECIAL PERMIT PURSUANT TO
ARTICLES 9, 13, 17, AND 22 OF ZONING ORDINANCE NO. 11000, AS
AMENDED, FOR THE CIVICA TOWER PROJECT, TO BE LOCATED AT
APPROXIMATELY 1050 NORTHWEST 14TH STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA, TO
ALLOW THE FOLLOWING CHANGES TO THE ORIGINAL APPLICATION: 1)
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
TO INCREASE OFFICE SPACES FROM 390,827 SQUARE FEET TO 551,452
SQUARE FEET; 2) TO INCREASE THE RETAIL SQUARE FOOTAGE FROM
14,655 SQUARE FEET TO 16,988 SQUARE FEET; 3) TO REMOVE THE
HOTEL/RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT; 4) TO INCREASE THE PROPOSED
HEIGHT FROM 290'-0" NGVD TO 299'-11" NGVD; AND 5) TO INCREASE
THE OFF-STREET PARKING FROM 873 TO 1,456 PARKING SPACES;
PROVIDING FOR CERTAIN FLOOR AREA RATIO ("FAR") BONUSES;
MAKING FINDINGS OF FACT AND STATING CONCLUSIONS OF LAW;
PROVIDING FOR BINDING EFFECT; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
06-01242mm PAB Reso.pdf
06-01242mm CC Zoning Map.pdf
06-01242mm Aerial Map.pdf
06-01242mm Projects in the Vicinity.pdf
06-01242mm Binder Front Cover.pdf
06-01242mm Binder Inside Cover.pdf
06-01242mm Table of Contents.pdf
06-01242mm I. Project Information.pdf
06-01242mm I.A. Application for Major Use Special Permit, Addendum & Zoning Write-1
06-01242mm I.B. Disclosure of Ownership.pdf
06-01242mm I.C. Ownership Affidavit.pdf
06-01242mm I.D. Miscellaneous Documents.pdf
06-01242mm I.E. Directory of Project Principals.pdf
06-01242mm I.F. Ownership List and Mailing Labels.pdf
06-01242mm I.G. Project Data Sheet.pdf
06-01242mm I.H. City of Miami Zoning Atlas Map and Future Land Use Map.pdf
06-01242mm I.I. Prior Approved Resolution.pdf
06-01242mm II. Project Description.pdf
06-01242mm III. Supporting Documents.pdf
06-01242mm 111.1. Minority Construction Employment Plan.pdf
06-01242mm 111.2. Traffic Impact Analysis.pdf
06-01242mm 111.3. Site Utility Study.pdf
06-01242mm 111.4. Economic Impact Study.pdf
06-01242mm 111.5. Environmental Impact Analysis.pdf
06-01242mm 111.6. Survey of Property & Drawings Submitted.pdf
06-01242mm CC Analysis.pdf
06-01242mm Disclosure to Support or Withhold Objection.pdf
06-01242mm Miami -Dade Public School Concurrency.pdf
06-01242mm Miami -Dade Aviation Department Letter.pdf
06-01242mm Traffic Sufficiency Letter.pdf
06-01242mm CC Legislation (Version 2).pdf
06-01242mm Exhibit A.pdf
06-01242mm Exhibit B.pdf
06-01242mm CC 05-28-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 1050 NW 14th Street [Commissioner Angel
Gonzalez- District 1]
APPLICANT(S): A. Vicky Garcia -Toledo, Esquire, on behalf of Miami Hotel
Investments, Ltd., Owner and Swerdlow Development Company, LLC, Contract
Purchaser
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
FINDING(S):
PLANNING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval with conditions*.
PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD: Recommended approval with conditions* to
City Commission on April 15, 2009 by a vote of 7-0.
*See supporting documentation.
PURPOSE: This will allow a substantial modification of the Civica Tower
project.
Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff and Regalado
Absent: 2 - Commissioner Sanchez and Spence -Jones
R-09-0266
Commissioner Sarnoff All right. We have PZ (Planning and Zoning) -- let's -- we go back to
the original. Go back to PZ.1. Have we gone --?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Okay.
Commissioner Regalado: PZ.1.
Commissioner Sarnoff PZ.1 is here. PZ.1, ready to go?
Vicky Garcia -Toledo: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Sarnoff She looks like she's ready. I don't know what that means, but --
Ms. Garcia -Toledo: I don't know what that means either.
Commissioner Regalado: PZ.1.
Commissioner Sarnoff Go ahead, please.
Roberto E. Lavernia (Chief of Land Development, Planning): PZ.1 is a substantial modification
to the previously approved Major Use Special Permit for the Civica Tower. This modification
will do four [sic] things. One, to increase office space from 390,827 square feet to 551,452
square feet;; two, to increase the retail square footage from 14,000 to 16,000 square feet;; three,
to remove the hotel residential component; and four, to increase the proposed height from 290 to
299 and 11 inches; and five, to increase the off-street parking from 873 to 1, 456 parking spaces.
The Planning recommendation is approval with conditions and the Planning Advisory Board
recommended approval with conditions, too. Thank you.
Ms. Garcia -Toledo: Good afternoon --
Commissioner Sarnoff Please.
Ms. Garcia -Toledo: -- members of the Commission. My name is Vicky Garcia -Toledo, with the
law firm of Bilzin Sumberg, and I am appearing in front of you today regarding a substantial
modification to a previously approved MUSP (Major Use Special Permit). The MUSP that you
approved approximately two and a half years ago was really for a residential project. It was a
mixed -use project where the residential and the hotel were the primary uses, and then it had
some office and some retail. In view of the market change, in view of the needs of the health
district for additional office space, we are substantially modifying that project consistent with
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what you just heard from staff to really make it a true office medical building in the health
district, and the emphasis is removal of the residential and hotel in its entirety and dedication of
the entire project to office with additional retail. In the process of doing that, the project had to
be redesigned, and what you are seeing before you right now is that new design. I am happy to
inform you that we come to you not only with recommendation of your Planning Department, but
we also have recommendations of the Large -Scale Committee. We have recommendation of the
Internal Design Review Committee. We have recommendations, all of approvals, from the
Urban Design Review Board. And so, basically, that is the project that is in front of you. We
have satisfied all the design conditions that staff has requested from us, and we have fully
complied on that. We accept the conditions that are in the resolution of approval today. And the
architect is here. If you wish or if you have any questions, all of our consultants are here. We're
ready to do a full presentation, but I'll leave it up to you to tell me what you want.
Commissioner Sarnoff Commissioner Gonzalez? No?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Well, I don't -- I -- do we have any objections from the neighborhood?
No?
Commissioner Sarnoff All right. Let's --
Commissioner Gonzalez: I don't have any problem with it.
Commissioner Sarnoff So I don't think we need a full -- Commissioner Regalado, do you need a
full presentation?
Commissioner Regalado: No.
Commissioner Sarnoff Any members in the public wishing to be heard on this? All right, then
why don't we have a motion?
Commissioner Gonzalez: I'll move it.
Commissioner Regalado: Hey, you have someone.
Commissioner Sarnoff Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you.
011ie Lee Taylor: I did fill out a card. 011ie Lee Taylor, 1400 Northwest 10Avenue, in
Dominion Tower, across from this. I'm not saying don't do it, but do have a couple of
questions. I wanted to know, for example, when will this happen? And then I'm also concerned,
there's a couple of small businesses in the old Days Inn. It's got another -- change of name. The
hotel that's already existing there, obviously this is going to be taken out. We've already got a
new hotel under construction and another office building going on just to the south of the
Dolphin Expressway. And another concern I've got is this is going to be a major construction
project and it's going to affect traffic and tear up 14th Street again. You know, it was already
tore up and it was a lot of discombobulation with the 15-story University ofMiami building, and
the adjacent loth Avenue has just been -- and still -- like there's still some traffic problems, but
guess, if you're going to build something that substantial, maybe 20 stories, it's just something
you're going to have to deal with, butt would like to get a timeline on that, and what will be
done to protect the people that's got small businesses there. It's a pharmacist been already
relocated once. And how long will this take, was my concerns about it.
Commissioner Sarnoff All right. Can --
Commissioner Gonzalez: Vicky, can somebody answer that?
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Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah.
Ms. Garcia -Toledo: IfI may answer?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Yes.
Ms. Garcia -Toledo: Our timeline is to apply after approval, if that is your action here today -- is
to apply for demolition of the existing buildings, which we figure will take us about six months to
commence the actual physical demolition, and consfruction will be subsequent to that. As far as
the traffic issues and the parking issues during consfruction, as you know, but for the
information of the gentleman, the -- your Planning Department requires us to prepare proper
documentation to be approved by the City as to how all the consfruction activity will take place
on the site.
Commissioner Sarnoff Does that help you, sir?
Mr. Taylor: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Mr. Tailor: Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay, thank you. All right. I have just one question. It's a mere
curiosity point. How do you increase your parking so much? What modification do you have to
make to do that?
Ms. Garcia -Toledo: It's part of the --
Commissioner Sarnoff Pedestal?
Ms. Garcia -Toledo: -- requirements of the Code. We're meeting Code and then exceeding Code
somewhat because we know that in this particular area, there's an existing shortage of parking,
and so the demand will be there.
Commissioner Sarnoff And my question's a little different because -- and is it -- just a point of
curiosity 'cause you went from a huge -- well, you increased your parking by --
Ms. Garcia -Toledo: From 873 to --
Commissioner Sarnoff 14 --
Ms. Garcia -Toledo: --1,456.
Commissioner Sarnoff That's a lot of -- so you -- what do you do? You just increase your
parking pedestal to make it higher?
Ms. Garcia -Toledo: Correct.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay. All right, we have a motion and we have a second. All --
Ms. Thompson (City Clerk): I'm sorry; I don't.
Commissioner Sarnoff We don't? I thought Commissioner Regalado second. No?
Commissioner Regalado: I second it.
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Commissioner Gonzalez: I made a motion and Commissioner Regalado second it.
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry; we didn't hear it, so --
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay. We have a motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, second by
Commissioner Regalado.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff All in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Commissioner Sarnoff None opposed.
Ms. Garcia -Toledo: Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff Thank you.
PZ.2 08-01463ii RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), GRANTING THE APPEAL BY OSCAR FAMILIA,
REVERSING THE DECISION OF THE ZONING BOARD, THEREBY
GRANTING WITH CONDITIONS THE CLASS II SPECIAL PERMIT
APPLICATION NO. 08-0138, ISSUED BY THE PLANNING DIRECTOR ON
NOVEMBER 7, 2008, TO ALLOW A RESTAURANT, FOR THE PROPERTY
LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 3484 MAIN HIGHWAY, MIAMI, FLORIDA.
08-01463ii CC Zoning Map.pdf
08-01463ii Aerial Map.pdf
08-01463ii Class II Appeal Letter.pdf
08-01463ii Class II Final Decision.pdf
08-01463ii Zoning Referral.pdf
08-01463ii Hold Harmless Affidavit.pdf
08-01463ii Plans.pdf
08-01463ii ZB Reso.pdf
08-01463ii ZB Appeal Letter & Supporting Docs.pdf
08-01463ii CC Corporation Document.pdf
08-01463ii CC Warranty Deed.pdf
08-01463ii CC Legislation (Version 3).pdf
08-01463ii CC Legislation (Version 4).pdf
08-01463ii Exhibit A.pdf
08-01463ii CC 05-28-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez, that this matter
be ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Sanchez
R-09-0267
Commissioner Sarnoff All right, PZ.4. This looks like to be an appeal.
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Unidentified Speaker: What happened to 2?
Commissioner Sarnoff Probably should put it on the record.
Commissioner Regalado: Are we --?
Commissioner Sarnoff Oh, PZ (Planning and Zoning) --
Commissioner Regalado: PZ. 2.
Commissioner Sarnoff Oh, I apologize. I'm sorry. PZ.2.
Commissioner Regalado: PZ.2.
Commissioner Sarnoff See what happens when you have a temporary chairman. There's your
permanent one right there.
Roberto E. Lavernia (Chief of Land Development, Planning): For the record, Roberto Lavernia.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: PZ. 2. He can go --
Mr. Lavernia: PZ.2 is an appeal of the decision of the Zoning Board. It was a Class II original
that was appeal and take it to the Zoning Board, and the decision of the Zoning Board was
appeal [sic] and that's what you have in front of you; was continued from the March 26, 2009
and April 23, 2009 to get an agreement between parks [sic].
Commissioner Sarnoff Madam City Attorney, since this is in my district, I'm going to ask you
for some help. I would like to make sure there are -- no outdoor speaker shall be permitted at
this stage. All indoor -- all door and window installed -- installed windows must be soundproof
live music or disc jockeys shall only play if the doors and windows are closed, and interior
speakers must face the interior of the establishment. Now, is that a sustaining of the appeal or a
denying --? Is that a sustaining of the appeal --?
Maria J. Chiaro (Assistant City Attorney): It is granting the appeal --
Commissioner Sarnoff With conditions.
Ms. Chiaro: -- with conditions.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay. So I'm going to make a motion to sustain the appeal.
Ms. Chiaro: It is granting the appeal --
Commissioner Sarnoff Grant.
Ms. Chiaro: -- reversing the decision --
Commissioner Sarnoff Sustaining is granting.
Ms. Chiaro: -- of the Zoning Board.
Commissioner Sarnoff But I'll use your words, granting the appeal -
Ms. Chiaro: Reversing the decision of the Zoning Board --
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Commissioner Sarnoff -- reversing --
Ms. Chiaro: -- thereby granting the Class II Special Permit with conditions --
Commissioner Sarnoff All right.
Ms. Chiaro: -- as stated on the record.
Commissioner Sarnoff Thank you, Madam City Attorney.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Second that motion.
Commissioner Sarnoff Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Got a motion and a second on this item. Looks like they wanted to --
did you want to put something on the record, sir?
Arturo Comas: No, butt would like to say something.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Then you want to put something on the record?
Mr. Comas: No, not on the record; just to say something.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Comas: I've been here since 10 o'clock in the morning --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Can you state your name --
Mr. Comas: -- and I've been thinking --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- and address for the record.
Mr. Comas: My name is Arturo Comas, and I live in 6060 Southwest 120 Street. And I've been
remembering when I came here in 1962 out of the prison from Isla del Pino, where all my family
was waiting for me here in the Convention Center, and that is a feeling that I had the whole day
today. I know many of you don't even know what Bay of Pig [sic] is, and I know maybe you
don't even remember of the prisoners that were exchange by tractors and --
Commissioner Gonzalez: I do remember.
Mr. Comas: -- in 1962. You do?
Commissioner Gonzalez: I do.
Mr. Comas: You're an old man.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Yes, I am, believe it or not.
Mr. Comas: That's all I have to say. Thank you very much.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Thank you. So we had a motion and a second. All in favor of
this --? Any comments from the dais, at all? Any other Commissioners have any comments
regarding this item?
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Oscar Familia: Yeah, I would like to say something about -- for the record.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, so you'd like --
Mr. Familia: Yeah.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Put your name and address.
Mr. Familia: My name is Oscar Familia. I'm representing the owner, Eclectic. He's here with
us. I work on the project from the beginning; and when we submitted the plans to the Planning
Department and the Zoning Department and Building Department, we propose small windows
on the alley, and the Planning Department suggest to change for bigger -- biggest windows over
there, and we refusing saying that it's for security purpose that we don't want to have windows
over there. We has been vandalized twice. I have picture here I can show you that we have a
impact windows, but still, you know, people can break it. It's part of approval of the plans that
the window has to be there. Obviously, we don't know what to do over there because it's going
to be continue vandalize.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, you also have a great -- you have a -- you put a plywood -- I don't
want to put too much on the record because you may have done some things you shouldn't have
done, but you have provided a good opportunity for people by disguising the front of the building
while working behind it that wouldn't be a problem for you if you take away the wood. It'll be
exposed. You have a security officer right down the block from you that will be able to see, and I
think better days are in front of you, but the way it -- you've kept the building the way it is right
now, it's an excellent opportunity for anyone to hide behind that -- the great big -- I don't know.
What do you want to call it? -- wooden front you put up there?
Mr. Familia: Yeah.
Commissioner Sarnoff And that's where they're getting --
Mr. Familia: There is no access to the wall.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, I know where they're getting through and you know where they're
getting through. So, you know, I think your better days are in front of you. I mean, I was only
looking for you to have that type of window. Like I said, you have a security officer that's there
almost 20 hours a day just down the block from you, and he's -- that -- part of his walk is that
particular street. I just don't think he can see behind your plywood.
Mr. Familia: Yeah, but for the record, let me tell you.
Commissioner Sarnoff For the what?
Mr. Familia: That happen during the day. That's not at night. That's -- maybe that's for
something later on, okay? And I got some good news for the neighbors. I've been negotiate with
someone who wants to open a restaurant there.
Commissioner Sarnoff Great.
Mr. Familia: This person has something to do with a restaurant called Jules Vernes. It's in the
Eiffel Tower, one of the best restaurants over there, you know.
Commissioner Sarnoff Well, I look forward to eating there.
Mr. Familia: And his chef is called Alain Ducasse, which is considered one of the best chef so I
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hope we can provide that kind of restaurant into that place.
Commissioner Sarnoff And we'll do everything we can do in the Grove to make sure you're safe
and secure. I promise you.
Mr. Familia: Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Familia: Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff We will do our best.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: All righty.
Mr. Familia: Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So congratulations. We had a motion and a second, correct --
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Yes.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- Madam Clerk?
Ms. Thompson: But before you record the vote, I just want to check with the City Attorney.
Madam Attorney, with the granting with modifications, does that then means that the resolution
is modified?
Ms. Chiaro: Yes.
Ms. Thompson: Grant -- okay. Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Ms. Thompson: Now we need the vote. Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so we had a motion and a second. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: This item passes.
PZ.3 09-00019za RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), DENYING THE APPEAL BY AMANDA L. QUIRKE,
AFFIRMING THE DECISION OF THE ZONING BOARD, THEREBY
UPHOLDING THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR INTERPRETATION DATED
DECEMBER 8, 2008, REGARDING A PROVISION CONTAINED IN SECTION
10.4.5, OF ZONING ORDINANCE NO. 11000, AS AMENDED, THE ZONING
ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA ENTITLED "OUTDOOR
ADVERTISING SIGNS; NEW SIGNS OF OUTDOOR ADVERTISING
PROHIBITED", FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 1700
SOUTHWEST 3RD AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA.
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09-00019za CC Appeal Letter & Supporting Documents.pdf
09-00019za Aerial Map.pdf
09-00019za ZB 02-09-09 Backup Documents.pdf
09-00019za CC Legislation (Version 3).pdf
09-00019za CC Legislation (Version 4).pdf
09-0001 9za Exhibit A.pdf
09-00019za CC 05-28-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
09-00019za-Submittal-1700 SW 3rd Ave. (Sevennine) Document.pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff and Spence -Jones
Absent: 2 - Commissioner Sanchez and Regalado
R-09-0272
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: PZ.3 and 4, and then that will be it, correct, except the blue page
items?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Hopefully.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, PZ.3, and this is an appeal; someone from staff to put
something on the record. How would you like to hand --
Santiago Echemendia: Madam Chair, we have a very succinct -- I mean, we're basically going
straight to a proposed settlement, so it may --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, no problem.
Mr. Echemendia: -- avoid potentially --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No problem.
Mr. Echemendia: We -- at the Zoning -- Santiago Echemendia, 1441, on behalf of Outlook
Media of South Florida, on item PZ.3. PZ.4 is a separate item, but for purposes of this
settlement proposal, I will refer to both. At the Zoning Board hearing on the items, Lourdes
indicated -- and we're requesting building permits on two sites under a settlement agreement,
under the CBS settlement agreement. Lourdes indicated on the record, and it's in the transcript,
that she would issue the permits to CBS tomorrow. Last week we had a mediation. You may
recall that we were here before you 60 days ago. Commissioner Sarnoff moved to defer. We
have a pending state tag on the Mary May [sic] Site that expires June 22. If it expires, there will
be damages; the parties will be hurt. So in light of the comment from Lourdes back at the
Zoning Board and in light of the impasse at the mediation, we proffered to CBS on Monday that
both permits be issued to them. Their issue was that we were running away with their amended
permits. Mind you, we were just seeking building permits, but in order to cure the problem, get
the City out of the problem and not hurt anybody, we proffered to them, fine, let the permits issue
to you. You can build them, we can build them. Let the permits issue to you, CBS. Surprisingly
and interestingly, they said no. We've been having a number of discussions -- and please ask
them why they're saying no because we don't quite understand it. Earlier today -- and we thank,
you know -- Steve Helfman has been fantastic. We engaged in a colloquy the entire morning of
how can we resolve this dilemma that we're in because we feel that with what we're proposing, it
hurts no one, it gets the City out of litigation, and so what we propose were some terms -- and
Steve said, well, you know, would you be willing to indemnify us, and incidentally, Warren would
like to have it in writing because, you know, otherwise, there's too much going on. So at one
o'clock we furnished them with a four page settlement agreement. We haven't gotten any
comments. The only comment that we got was that this is not acceptable to the City at this time.
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And what does that agreement do? That agreement basically says that we agree to withdraw our
Writ ofMandamus, which is a current suit in circuit court requesting that the building permits be
issued to us. We say that -- and this is in -- on page 2 --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Santiago, can I ask -- I just want to just -- can -- do you -- I know you
talk -- I just want to ask the City Attorney one quick question before you go through -- I just want
to be -- Mr. City Attorney, 'cause you're shaking your head throughout the whole process. Are
we not hearing something we should not be hearing?
Steve Helfman: I assume that this is Mr. Echemendia's presentation.
Mr. Echemendia: It is. My opening.
Mr. Helfman: Okay. I'm not sure what it has to do with the item before you, butt wanted to give
him, before I jumped in, the opportunity to see if he was going to somehow tie this back to the
Zoning administrator's decision, which is on appeal. But it doesn't appear that we're going
there, so the answer is is that there has -- there is a ongoing piece of litigation, which the City is
a part of and which Mr. Echemendia has sued the City to compel the issuance of a permit -- two
permits. At the same time, he's brought an administrative appeal to fry to compel the
administrative issuance of the same permits. He's hopeful that either this Commission or a court
will grant him the relief that he needs. But this -- the settlement of the litigation is not before
vou. It's not properly before you.
Commissioner Sarnoff Has either party waived Florida Chapter 44 -- or has either party chap -
- waived Florida Chapter 90.409?
Mr. Helfman: No, I don't believe so.
Commissioner Sarnoff So how can we be hearing anything regarding settlement discussions?
Mr. Echemendia: No, no.
Mr. Helfman: You shouldn't be.
Mr. Echemendia: No. Please. Madam Chair, let me make my presentation. I'm in my case.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Echemendia: The settlement discussions are between us and the City. CBS is not a party to
Mr. Helfman: If he would like --
Mr. Echemendia: -- the lawsuit or to this appeal.
Mr. Helfman: Okay. If he would like to go on for a few more moments about something thatl
will advise you as irrelevant to the issue, he can certainly go on for his own due process; and we
should allow him a few moments to do that.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No. I just want --
Mr. Echemendia: Madam Chair --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I just -- I'm going to allow for you to -- I just want to make --
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Mr. Echemendia: Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- sure that we're not hearing something that we're not going to be
able to do anything about anyway.
Mr. Echemendia: Madam Chair, I would submit to you that this is a settlement like any other. I
am trying to resolve this for the City, ourselves --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Echemendia: -- CBS. We're being accused of threatening to sue the City. We don't want to
sue the City. We are here in the spirit of cooperation to suggest to you that we were trying to
come up with a settlement on the very item that's here.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Echemendia: We're on appeal. We have suggested that the issue -- that the permits issue to
CBS, for God sakes.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Echemendia: Isn't that an attempt to resolve the appeal? There is a pending writ against
the City. We are offering to withdraw that writ. The writ is against the City. CBS -- the court
has not allowed CBS to intervene just yet. This appeal is with the City, so our discussions today
took place with the City Attorney, not with CBS. What we offer in the settlement agreement --
and the only reason that I am offering the settlement agreement is to resolve the matter, and if
you don't accept it, then we get into our presentation and make our record.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Echemendia: I was hopeful that in light of your long day and in light of you all being
rational, intelligent human beings, you would realize that this is in the best interest of the City.
So what do we offer? We offer that the building permits be issued to Outlook. I mean, we can't -
- we don't mind if it gets issued to Outlook and CBS, or even CBS, but we can't force that they be
issued to CBS, by June 4 with the following condition. That the construction of the Outdoor
advertising sign will not commence until an amended permit, which is the only term used under
the settlement agreement. We are requesting a building permit and not an amended permit,
which is what CBS objects to in their letter to the City, objecting to our appeal. An amended
permit is allocated pursuant to a settlement agreement in accordance with Section 10.4.5 of the
City Code. Within three business days of the issuance of the building permit, Outlook Media will
withdraw -- voluntarily dismiss the Writ ofMandamus against the City and, moreover, as Steve
requested this morning, on page 3 of 4, Outlook will agree to indemnify and hold the City harm
less and defend the City from any action filed against the City ofMiami by CBS Outdoor, Inc.
based on the issuance of building permits for the Mary May [sic] Sign and/or the Sevennine
sign. Now, if you want us to go through a painful presentation regarding overturning Lourdes'
determination when this absolves the City of a pending Writ ofMandamus against you, unless
there is a cause of action which is the City can't settle with Outlook, there's nothing for CBS to
sue on. We're indemnifying you. We're saying that we're not getting the amended permits. In
fact, we're offering that the building permits be issued to them. We're here in the spirit of
cooperation and frying to resolve the problem. Now, if you want to have a colloquy about this
settlement agreement, which we're offering, which takes the City out of our dispute, which is
what we're attempting to do, let's have that discussion; and please ask Mr. Bittner why we get a
response, which is we don't want to accept at this time. I mean, can we engage in a constructive
discussion when we're offering everything up? This harms no one; absolves the City of pending
litigation. What happens if we get denied and we -- the Mary Mays tags lapses on June 22? I
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will be forced to sue the City and CBS. I don't want to do that. And so, please, tell me that we're
all rational people here and that what we're offering makes all the sense in the world. Now, if it
doesn't, we'd be happy to go through a two-hour presentation and end up in a second lawsuit.
Commissioner Sarnoff Sometimes it's the way you say something just as much --
Mr. Echemendia: I'm fine, Marc. I've been here all day. I have a fever. I feel really bad. I feel
-- you know, we've been left for the last item. I apologize. I mean, I've really -- we've made
every effort --
Commissioner Sarnoff You know, let me say this -- let me just say this to you. This Commission
is not used to, as rigorous as you're being -- I'm having difficulty --
Mr. Echemendia: I apologize.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- keeping my temper in line. I can imagine what Commissioner
Gonzalez is thinking, and I would imagine Commissioner Spence -Jones may have shut out what
you were saying for a while. Tone it down.
Mr. Echemendia: I apologize.
Commissioner Sarnoff Treat this Commission with a modicum of respect and make your point
as clear as you can. The only trouble I'm having with you is that you are suing the City and
you're talking about settlement discussions. That, I don't understand how you can be doing. You
went to mediation. You have a mediation privilege, which I'm not aware of CBS waiving. I don't
see how you can get into discussions with what happened at CBS in your settlement discussions
in front of the City. Ifyou can say CBS has waived its privilege, then I'd listen to you. Ifyou
would say that our City Attorney has said to us I want him to put on the record settlement
discussions that were ongoing this morning and this afternoon, I'd listen. But right now the City
Attorney's not saying that, and he's saying there's a Chapter 44 privilege, there's a Chapter
90.409 privilege.
Mr. Echemendia: Okay. Marc -- can I respond, Madam Chair?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Mr. Echemendia: And Commissioner --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes, you may.
Mr. Echemendia: -- Sarnoff, I apologize. I have to tell you that -- and this has been a
frustrating experience for me. The way that -- the reason that have gotten as emotive as I
have is that am an owner of this company. I am not just here as their attorney, so this to me is
personally important. I will be personally hurt by the actions of this Commission --
Commissioner Sarnoff You know what they say? Only a fool for a client.
Mr. Echemendia: I understand that, and have my lawyer here butt was making the
presentation. I was trying to get resolution on a proposed settlement with the City. The only
reason that we requested that the court issue the permits or have the City issue the permits is so
that they would not lapse. It was in reaction to things that were transpiring, and it was a
defensive move on our part to protect the permits. We didn't go out there purposefully attacking
the City, but rather it was in reaction to. So their -- I apologize. I'm not a litigator. I don't know
the 40 privilege, or what have you. I would submit to you that our discussions, relative to the
offer the other day and what we're discussing here in this public forum, is not a privileged
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discussion. We are making the record on what we were hopeful to be a resolution of both a Writ
ofMandamus and this pending appeal. And again, I apologize profusely for -- I feel very ill. I
have a fever. I've been sitting here all day, and frankly, I -- we have fried to be as reasonable as
we can, and frankly, do not understand how our proposal to resolve the issue, which
compromises no one, is not being heard and is not being embraced with empathy.
Amanda Quirke: Commissioner Sarnoff, just to clarify a procedural issue. We've talked a little
bit about the Writ ofMandamus that's currently pending, but as you're -- as I'm sure you're
aware, there's an exhaustion of administrative remedies issue, which is why we have come back
to the Commission. When we first had the Writ ofMandamus --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I think the Clerk needs you to put your name on the record.
Ms. Quirke: Oh, I'm sorry. Amanda Quirk, 1441 Brickell, with Tew Cardenas.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Thank you.
Ms. Quirke: The -- we have to come back to the Commission to exhaust our administrative
remedies, so the proposal is to submit what has been advertised as these two appeals. That will
move the Writ ofMandamus.
Commissioner Sarnoff Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Helfman: Okay. Let me --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Mr. City Attorney.
Mr. Helfman: Is that the end of your presentation?
Mr. Echemendia: No. We haven't even started our presentation. That was the proposal relative
to frying to settle the matter so that the City Commission doesn't have to go through a three-hour
hearing with cross-examinations that nobody's going to like, and -- but that's fine.
Mr. Helfman: The -- Mr. Echemendia and CBS are in a dispute, as you might be able to tell.
They have a civil dispute between the two of them. Unfortunately, we have been dragged into
that by a suit by Mr. Echemendia. He has sued the City to compel the issuance of a permit to
himself and his company, Outlook. And as they've told you, they have to exhaust their
administrative remedy, which is the possibility that this Commission or this City would actually
give them that permit that they're looking for. So he has appealed the denial of the permit, which
was the -- an application on both of these items for a building permit for two separate sites was
applied for.
Commissioner Sarnoff Could you explain to the Commission what a Writ ofMandamus means -
Mr. Helfman: Sure.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- because they may need to know that?
Mr. Helfman: Sure. A Writ ofMandamus is an action that a citizen may bring against a
governmental employee to compel a action which is not discretionary, but is in the ordinary
course of their -- conduct of their job, so in this instance, what they are asserting is that the
Zoning administrator, the Zoning Department, if you will, had an absolute obligation, a clear
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legal obligation -- there's no question about whether there was an obligation or not. It was just
as clear as could be the law mandated the issuance of a permit. They are claiming that the
Zoning administrator refused to give them that permit. So that's what the lawsuit is about. But
the court indicated that before they could go through with that judicial process, they needed to
come back to the City and exhaust their administrative remedies. If your Zoning administrator
made an error, then the right thing to do was to challenge her decision to the Zoning Board,
which they did; they were not successful there, and now they've taken a further appeal of that to
you, and you are here on that issue. Please do not be confused by all of this settlement stuff.
Commissioner Sarnoff So to my fellow --
Mr. Helfman: They would love for you to not hear this and be done.
Commissioner Sarnoff Can I summarize it --
Mr. Helfman: Of course.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- for my Commissioners? So what you're essentially telling us is that
Lourdes had a nondiscretionary duty and a mere ministerial act to execute something and she
failed to do so?
Mr. Helfman: No. That's their assertion, and that's what they're claiming --
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
Mr. Helfman: -- and they're saying that she failed to do that.
Commissioner Sarnoff That's why they're using a Writ ofMandamus because they're saying she
had no discretion --
Mr. Helfman: Correct.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- and she -- and we are -- and it's a ministerial duty, and please, Mr.
Judge, force Lourdes to do this ministerial duty.
Mr. Helfman: That is the essence of a mandamus claim.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Mr. Helfman: If there's any discretion in the person, it's not a mandamus action.
Commissioner Sarnoff Correct.
Mr. Helfman: So, in any event, we are here on a very, very narrow, limited issue. And there was
a period there for 60 days where the civil parties tried to work out their disputes. They haven't
been able to do it, so they need to come forward now, exhaust their administrative remedies, and
they're entitled to be heard on that. So the issue before you is whether or not Outlook is entitled
to building permits under your Code and the settlement agreements. That's what should be
addressed by Outlook at this proceeding. That is the issue that they have presented to you.
That's in their documents. We're not making that issue up. That's what they have claimed. So
they believe they're entitled to the issuance of a building permit, and we should hear from them
on that limited issue.
Ms. Quirke: Can I make a short presentation? I'm not sure which one is PZ.3 and PZ.4, but this
is for an Outdoor Advertising sign at 1700 Southwest 3rd Avenue. We refer to it as Sevennine.
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In order to get a permit to construct an outdoor advertising sign, you need a small list of things.
You need a lease or ownership interest in the site, you need local government permission, as
evidenced on FDOT (Florida Department of Transportation) Form 575, you need an FDOT tag.
The next step is a building permit. That's where we are in this process. You also need an
amended permit allocation pursuant to a settlement agreement. The City ofMiami, as you have
heard extensively today, has settlement agreements with three parties, which allocates amended
permits. It's an allocation system to track the number of permits that are being issued in the
City. We aren't there yet. What we're asking for is the building permit. Just to give you a frame
of reference where this is located, right by I-95, over by Coral Way. The building permit should
issue to Outlook Media of South Florida. CBS previously consented to the approval of the
FDOT permit application for Outlook on CBS's behalf. The City approved the FDOT form in
Outlook's name. In reliance, Outlook purchased a Hampton Inn tag and went through a process
with the Florida Department of Transportation to secure a state permit for that outdoor
advertising sign. CBS has asserted that Outlook is frying to steal one of their amended permits,
and that's not the case. You are aware that there is an ongoing dispute between CBS regard --
CBS and Outlook regarding some agreements between the private parties. However, we're not
trying to steal one of their amended permits. We're only applying for a building permit. It would
be subject to the allocation of an amended permit. You can issue that as a condition. This will
moot a pending Writ ofMandamus against the City ofMiami if the City were to issue the
building permit. The terms of the assignment of the lease, the FDOT tag, building permit or
whatever else takes place according to the allocation of amended permit, that's a business deal
between CBS and Outlook, and I'm sure the City does not want to be involved in that. So we
would respectfully request that you direct the reprocessing of the building permit. There is going
to be no liability or default under the CBS settlement agreement because we're not asserting that
we're stealing an amended permit. Amended permit is not a piece of paper. It's an allocation
system just to track the number of permits that are being issued in the City. So proper
conditions, we would request that you direct the reprocessing of the building permit with the
condition that an amended permit be allocated prior to construction of any outdoor advertising
sign and that we will not construct an LED unless otherwise authorized by the City according to
subsequently adopted regulations.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Mr. City --
Mr. Helfman: It --
Mr. Echemendia: We'll --
Mr. Helfman: Yes.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: --Attorney.
Mr. Helfman: I just have one question. Is that -- would that be the identical presentation that
you would have on the Mary Mays site also?
Mr. Echemendia: No. Mary Mays is a different site completely. It's not an identical
presentation. I think that the City's comments could -- we could incorporate into the record,
Steve, as we had discussed previously that maybe to simplify it, Lourdes's presentation does
apply to both, but our presentations are distinct particularly as it relates to the cross, et cetera,
so we'd like to -- you know, if the City wants to go with that, we can incorporate that into the
record of the next one so that they don't have to do it twice, but they are distinct items with
separate facts. You know, Mary May [sic] comes up June 22. That tag is up. Sevennine doesn't
come up for a while, so there will be different actions that come out of this relative to Mary May
[sic] that may not come up relative to Sevennine immediately, even though we have 7 -- 30 days
on Sevennine anyways, but is that why you were asking, relative to their presentation?
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Mr. Helfman: Well, I'm trying to expedite this hearing so that if you are -- if you're going to
present the same arguments with respect to Mary Mays, which is the process and why you're
entitled to it, I'm just asking. Or do you have another PowerPoint that is going to be something
different?
Mr. Echemendia: Why don't we -- at this point, we don't need to make that decision right now,
do we, because at this point we'd like to reserve time for rebuttal? Lourdes would go; she would
make her presentation, and we could then decide whether when item 4 comes up or item -- is it 4
-- I guess 4, we can then decide whether we're just incorporating by reference this into that item.
Mr. Helfman: Okay. Go ahead.
Glenn Smith: Mayl be heard, please?
Mr. Helfman: Well, not yet.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Does the City have -- I mean, does the City have to put something on
the record --
Unidentified Speaker: Yes.
Unidentified Speaker: No.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- first?
Unidentified Speaker: No.
Mr. Helfman: You're certainly --
Unidentified Speaker: No.
Mr. Helfman: Okay. This gentleman is representing CBS, and you're certainly going to be
entitled to be heard; you have an interest in this matter, but you're out of order now in terms of
when you're permitted to present. So the City staff will go now and -- you -- okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: You're recognized.
Mr. Smith: Glenn Smith, 200 East Broward Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I represent
CBS Outdoor, Inc., who has the amended permits that Outlook wants to take advantage of. And
my motion now is that it is Outlook's burden to produce evidence showing they are entitled to
granting of this appeal. This is a quasi-judicial hearing. They must present evidence to carry
their burden. They are now finished their presentation. Statements of counsel is not evidence.
What they have presented is not evidence. They have not carried their burden. Their appeal
should be summarily denied without the City being required to put on anything or CBS put on
any evidence. It's their burden. They haven't carried it.
Mr. Echemendia: Okay. Can I respond, Madam Chair, for one second?
Mr. Helfman: It's not necessary.
Mr. Echemendia: The evidence is in the record.
Mr. Helfman: We need --
Mr. Echemendia: We're introducing the record into -- yeah.
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Mr. Helfman: The Commission will decide whether there's sufficient evidence or not. That'll
ultimately be up to them. But this is not a judicial proceeding. There are rules of order here.
It's a quasi judicial proceeding, and a directed verdict, which is what you're looking for, if you
will, is not in order, and the staff can proceed, please.
Mr. Bittner: Warren Bittner, deputy City Attorney, on behalf of the City ofMiami. First, for the
record, I'd like to join in the motion that CBS just made. I thought it was well founded. As an
introductory comment, the issue before you today is whether the Zoning administrator, Lourdes
Slazyk, made a correct decision as the Zoning administrator, and my presentation will apply to
both of the items tonight, so it's the -- the issue before you is whether she made correct decisions
as the Zoning administrator. The decisions were to deny two buildings permit applications for
outdoor advertising signs submitted by Outlook Media. In this City, outdoor advertising signs
are strictly regulated under the Zoning ordinance. It is the City's position that Outlook Media
does not qualify to apply for these permits; that the Zoning administrator properly denied the
two building permit applications, and that you should deny the appeal of Outlook Media. Now,
at this point the Zoning administrator will now testify about the facts surrounding these two
applications, the provisions of the Zoning ordinance that she applied, and why she denied these
applications.
Ms. Slazyk: All right. Warren handed out these books to you, which have some tabs which I'm
going to be referring to. For the record, Lourdes Slazyk. The Administration is requesting a
denial on items PZ.3 and 4 on the agenda. With the permission of the Chair, I would like to
present the arguments for both of these at the same time because my presentation is the same,
just to save time. These appeals, as stated by the appellant, Outlook Media, in their letters,
which are under tab one in your book, are for the building permit applications for outdoor
advertising signs or billboards, one of which is the Sevennine Site at 1700 Southwest 3rd
Avenue, and for PZ.4, it is the Mary May [sic] Site, which is 1330 Northwest 2nd Court. As you
know, the Zoning ordinance lays out the zoning requirements and limitations in the City by
listing what you can do and what you can't do. In addition, the Zoning Code clearly states the
duties and the authority of the Zoning administrator. If you look at tab 2 in your book, you're
going to see Article 21, Section 2101 of the Zoning Code. This specifically states that the Zoning
administrator in the issuance or denial of permits shall not have the power to waive, vary or
modify such terms, provisions, or requirements except where specifically authorized to do so by
the Zoning ordinance and within the limitations established by the authorization. Section 2102,
Zoning administrator shall be responsible for determining whether applications for building
permits is required by the Building Code or in accord with the requirements of the ordinance.
No building permit shall be issued without certification that plans and applications conform to
the applicable regulations. Twenty-one zero two point two, if the application and plan are not in
full accord with the Zoning regulations, the application shall be denied, and the applicant
notified in writing of the reasons for the denial. Officials charged with issuance of permits or
licenses for the use of any premises of the conduct of any business, enterprise, occupation, trade
profession, or activity governed by the provisions of the Zoning ordinance shall not issue the
licenses or permits unless the use conforms to the requirements of the ordinance. That pretty
much tells you what I can do and what I can't do. In tab 9 of your book, you're going to see the
Zoning regulations that deal with the -- you're going to see the two building permit applications.
In tab 9 and 9a are the two building applications for the outdoor advertising signs that I
previously mentioned. This request was reviewed using the applicable section of the Code. Tab
3 has Section 10.4.5, which has our outdoor advertising signs. This section states, except as
otherwise provided in Articles 4 and 10 and/or the City Code or pursuant to this subsection, no
new free-standing outdoor advertising signs, as defined above, shall be allowed. Little bit
further down in that section -- so now we know no billboards are allowed in the City --
notwithstanding any provision of the Zoning ordinance to the contrary, permits for outdoor
advertising signs may be issued pursuant to a settlement agreement authorized by resolution
passed by the City Commission in conjunction with the settlement of related litigation which
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expressly authorizes issuance of such permits for said outdoor advertising signs and then only
under the terms and conditions of the settlement agreements that result in a net reduction in the
party to the settlements number of outdoor advertising signs located in the City ofMiami. Tab 4
of your books, settlement agreements. At this time there are only three settlement agreements
approved by the City Commission. These entities are permitted on a very limited basis to erect
outdoor advertising signs or billboards. The three entities are Carter, Clear Channel, and CBS.
The appellant and applicant in this case, which is Outlook Media of South Florida, does not
have a settlement agreement with the City, approved by the City Commission as required by the
Zoning Code. Accordingly and very simply, OutlookMedia's applications for building permits
were rejected because the sections of the Code that I just read to you do not allow the applicant
to put up an outdoor advertising sign in the City ofMiami.
Commissioner Sarnoff I have a question.
Ms. Slazyk: Sure.
Commissioner Sarnoff Are they assignable?
Ms. Slazyk: They are assignable, and I'm getting to that.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Ms. Slazyk: The settlement agreements allow the assignment of rights. Settlement agreement is
in your packet, and it is number 4 in your tab, okay. And I'm getting to the assignable rights.
First of all, I'm going to get to the FDOT issue. In order to actually put a billboard up in the
City ofMiami along the expressways, you need, as the appellant stated, an FDOT tag, as well as
a City ofMiami building permit. CBS wrote a letter to the City ofMiami allowing Outlook
Media to apply for FDO [sic] tags on their behalf. That is --
Commissioner Sarnoff Tab 5?
Ms. Slazyk: Yes. The FDOT applications, no outdoor advertising sign can be put up along the
expressways without both. In my letters, which is your tabs 10 and 10A, I explained that the
reasons for the denial is that the City received notice from CBS Outdoor to allow the media --
Outlook Media to apply for the outdoor advertising permits, which is the May 2 letter, tab 5.
The authorization was limited to the FDOT tags only. The City Administration has never been
notified by CBS Outdoor of any authorization to Outlook to apply for City ofMiami building
permits on their behalf.
Commissioner Sarnoff Is that all you received from Outlook Media?
Ms. Slazyk: That's the one authorizing them. We received another one rescinding the approval,
which I'm going to get to.
Commissioner Sarnoff My question is is that the extent of authorization that Outlook Media
provided to you from its principal because I guess it was acting as an agent?
Ms. Slazyk: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff CBS Outdoor. Is this the extent of the authorization the City ofMiami
was provided?
Ms. Slazyk: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
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Ms. Slazyk: The applications are tabs 6 and 6A in your packets. I signed off on these because
on that CBS's May 2 letter, they authorized them. In that -- in those applications, Outlook Media
was acting on CBS's behalf. My signature confirmed that these signs were in compliance with
all duly adopted local ordinance and has been or will be issued the necessary permits. My
signature on the applications didn't constitute an acknowledgement that the City would issue the
building permits to Outlook Media itself but rather -- yes?
Commissioner Sarnoff I'm sorry; I don't mean to interrupt you.
Ms. Slazyk: No. It's okay.
Commissioner Sarnoff So 6A -- well, I'm sorry -- yeah, I guess it's 6A, which is the Florida
Department of Transportation --
Ms. Slazyk: Application.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- and it's 57507040, which -- 044 -- 04, excuse me -- was the
application that they had indicated, the applicant or the appellant, I guess in this case, is saying
that the City ofMiami must sign on as well.
Ms. Slazyk: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff But -- you were doing so, you're saying merely, as a result of what is
labeled 5 --
Ms. Slazyk: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- which was giving authorization from the principal of CBS Outdoor to
its agent, Outlook, to apply for the FDOT permit 5750704?
Ms. Slazyk: Correct.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Ms. Slazyk: That's it. So CBS writes us a letter. They say, "We're going to let Outlook apply for
the FDOT tags on our behalf so we can sign off on those." We sign off on those. Then tab
number 7 in your book is August 26 letter from CBS to the City, and this one they withdraw their
approval rights or the assignment rights for the FDOT applications. Then tab 8, dated October
24, 2008, CBS notifies us that they are actually withdrawing certain sites from their -- the sites
which were being considered for their permits, and if you look at the second page on tab 8,
you're going to see that the Mary May [sic] Site not only did CBS withdraw their approval for
Outlook to apply on their behalf for anything related to outdoor advertising signs, they
specifically withdrew the Mary May [sic] Site from the sites they were considering for approval.
Commissioner Sarnoff Just so we'd understand in a more full basis, when you say they're
withdrawing the Mary May [sic] Site, is that one of the settlement sites that they're withdrawing?
Mr. Bittner: The settlement really didn't go into exactly what site they could have, so this was
the site that they had requested through Outlook Media, and now CBS is advising us no, they
don't want that site any more.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Ms. Slazyk: Now, in the settlement agreement, which is your tab 4, there's paragraph 19F of this
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agreement. In the settlement agreement with CBS, CBS has the right to assign its rights and
obligations to another entity. However, the assignment would only be valid if it is approved by
the City Commission. As of this moment, Outlook Media has not submitted to me any proof that
CBS Outdoor has made any assignment under the CBS settlement agreement, nor any proof that
the Commission has approved that assignment. As far as I'm aware, neither has occurred to
date either since these appeals were filed.
Commissioner Sarnoff I don't mean to be ignorant, but where are you reading?
Ms. Slazyk: That's paragraph 19F of the CBS settlement agreement.
Commissioner Sarnoff I'm having trouble finding that.
Unidentified Speaker: Page 27.
Ms. Slazyk: Twenty-seven.
Commissioner Sarnoff Oh, I see it. Okay, 19F. Okay.
Ms. Slazyk: In explaining what I think is going on here, I have an example that may help.
Imagine an R-1 property in the City ofMiami and someone comes in and files a building permit
to do a six -story apartment building on the R-1 lot. The Office of Zoning has no choice but to
deny that application because multi families are not allowed in R-1, six stories is not allowed in
R-1. There's a 25-foot height limit. The project wouldn't even be allowed by a variance because
the use is not allowed. It's just -- it's an application that can't be approved. I don't have the
discretion to do that. We give them a written statement stating why we can't approve it, and they
appeal it. It's like giving a zoning change or something by appeal. That's what I see this as.
The Zoning Code says what I can do as a Zoning adminisfrator. I can't vary the terms. It says
billboards aren't allowed unless you have a settlement agreement. They don't have a settlement
agreement. It says the party that does have a settlement agreement can assign their rights, but
that hasn't happened either. I can't see how this permit could have been granted. There is -- you
know, the FDOT applications are applications for tags. It doesn't say that that's the party that's
going to get the building permit. Something else had to have happened or CBS had to apply;
and I did say at the Zoning Board CBS has the right to apply. If CBS applies for the building
permits for these sites, if they pass the -- you know, they meet all the Building Code
requirements, they would be approved because they're authorized to do this. So that takes us
back to where we started. As the Zoning adminisfrator, I can't approve a permit that would
violate the Zoning Code. And the Zoning Board agreed. Tabs 11 and 11A in your packet is the
Zoning Board resolutions. They agreed and denied the appeals, and we ask that you uphold
that.
Mr. Echemendia: Hi. I'd like to ask Lourdes a few questions, please. Lourdes, does the -- in
determining whether to approve or deny the building permit, did you refer to the settlement
agreement as a basis?
Ms. Slazyk: No. It's not allowed by the Zoning Code. I -- it's --
Mr. Echemendia: The building permit is not allowed -- what is not allowed by the Zoning Code?
Ms. Slazyk: The Zoning ordinance does not allow an outdoor advertising sign unless you have a
settlement agreement with the City.
Mr. Echemendia: That is correct.
Ms. Slazyk: Okay.
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Mr. Echemendia: Did we -- based on our requests subject to an amended permit, are we
requesting an outdoor advertising sign or are we requesting a building permit, subject to an
amended permit under a settlement agreement? We're not requesting an amended permit --
Ms. Slazyk: I'm not sure I understand that question.
Mr. Echemendia: Are --
Ms. Slazyk: You have a building permit for an outdoor advertising sign. Whether it's under a
settlement as an amended permit is irrelevant. It's not CBS's name on the application. Maybe I
don't get your question.
Mr. Echemendia: Are we -- our request -- you kept saying that you're not allowed a billboard
unless you have a settlement agreement, but our request is not for a billboard; our request is for
a building permit subject to an amended permit under a settlement agreement. Now, we don't
have an amended permit nor do we have a settlement agreement. So if you issued the building
permit to us, we couldn't build an outdoor advertising sign, correct?
Ms. Slazyk: I'm really not sure what --
Mr. Echemendia: I think the answer is yes.
Ms. Slazyk: Yeah. I think the answer is yes, but --
Mr. Echemendia: But this is important for the record because this is the basis of your
determination, which is the very basis of our appeal. You predicated your presentation on the
fact that you need a settlement agreement in order -- and an amended permit under a settlement
agreement in order to build an outdoor advertising sign. Did Outlook Media request an outdoor
advertising sign or did they request a building permit subject to an amended permit? We have
proffered that as a condition.
Ms. Slazyk: I -- the building permit application did not say that it was a building permit as an
amended per -- all that language you just said is not in your application. It was a request for a
building permit for an outdoor advertising sign.
Mr. Echemendia: Does it change -- and -- Orlando, ifI may. I'm cross-examining her. We're in
the middle of a quasi judicial proceeding.
Ms. Slazyk: I'm not -- I don't thinkl can answer your question because I'm not sure what you
mean, so -- I can state what the facts was.
Mr. Echemendia: Well, let me restate the question again. We -- does it change your opinion
that if you were to conclude that we are not requesting a permit for a billboard, which requires a
settlement agreement?
Ms. Slazyk: I don't think it changes it be -- unless you're authorized to request an amended
permit, if that's what you're asking, you're not -- I --
Mr. Echemendia: We're not requesting an amended permit. We are requesting a building
permit subject to an amended permit. Let me just -- follow my hypothetical.
Ms. Slazyk: Doesn't change -- it's still your --
Mr. Echemendia: No. Let me -- let's --
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Ms. Slazyk: Yeah, okay.
Mr. Echemendia: -- just do a hypothetical.
Ms. Slazyk: I think I just got it --
Mr. Echemendia: Does --
Ms. Slazyk: -- and I think the answer is --
Mr. Echemendia: -- someone who requests a building permit, subject to an amended permit,
would they be allowed to build a billboard without the amended permit? I think, based on what
you said, the answer would be no. You would need a settlement agreement and an amended
permit, correct.
Ms. Slazyk: That's my understanding. I just -- the way you're stating it, I can't --
Mr. Echemendia: Okay. Let me try to restate it. The building permit does not authorize us to
build a billboard sign -- a building permit subject to an amended permit and subject to 10.4.5
does not authorize an applicant to put an outdoor advertising sign. Let's put it that way. Is that
correct?
Ms. Slazyk: That sounds correct.
Mr. Echemendia: Thank you.
Ms. Slazyk: What --
Mr. Echemendia: Thank you. That's it. Thank you. The -- are you aware that the FDOT permit
application that you signed -- and pursuant to which we expended money and acquired a lease --
that the box that you signed off on, it says, in compliance -- the outdoor advertising sign
identified in this application is in compliance with all duly adopted ordinances and has been or
will be issued the necessary permits. I'm reading from the --
Ms. Slazyk: Yes.
Mr. Echemendia: -- FDOT permit app (application) that --
Ms. Slazyk: And what I testified to was that doesn't say "who" would get those permits. It just
said the sign complies and would be issued, but the "who" is important for the City ofMiami
building permit.
Mr. Echemendia: And we --
Ms. Slazyk: Okay.
Mr. Echemendia: -- have stated on the record that we -- and you have stated on the record that
you would issue to CBS tomorrow -- and we have proffered to the Commission that we would be
happy, in order to absolve everybody of this problem, for the permit to issue to CBS tomorrow,
correct?
Ms. Slazyk: That's outside the scope of this appeal. You've offered it, yes, but that's outside --
Mr. Echemendia: Okay. That's --
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Ms. Slazyk: -- what's on appeal is whether this building permit should be issued or not.
Mr. Echemendia: Well, I'm not sure that you're the one that determines what's in- or outside of
the scope of this appeal. It'll probably be up to a judge, and hopefully, the wise discretion of this
Commission, but -- do -- does the settlement agreement refer to building permits? Is the word
"building permit" anywhere in the settlement agreement?
Ms. Slazyk: I did not read the entire settlement agreement. I don't know.
Mr. Echemendia: But your decision --
Ms. Slazyk: Warren --
Mr. Echemendia: -- to deny our building permit or request was, in part, predicated on your
review of the settlement agreement. Isn't that part of --
Ms. Slazyk: No.
Mr. Echemendia: -- what you used?
Ms. Slazyk: The fact that you don't have a settlement agreement, not what the actual settlement
agreement says.
Mr. Echemendia: Does the CBS settlement agreement, which is the one that we travel under
because we have an agreement with CBS, does that agreement refer to the word -- anywhere in
the 32 pages, does it say the word "building permit"?
Ms. Slazyk: I do not know.
Mr. Echemendia: You do not know.
Ms. Slazyk: No.
Mr. Echemendia: Would it surprise you if, in no instance, does it say the word "building
permit", but rather it simply uses the words "initial amended permit" and/or "amended
permit"?
Ms. Slazyk: I've heard that terminology before, but I'm not familiar with the whole agreement.
Mr. Echemendia: I would submit to you that the settlement agreement does not say anywhere
"building permit", but rather says "initial amended permit" or "amended permit"; and
therefore, as the interpreter and arbiter of both the Code, 10.4.5 inclusive, which is you have to
have a settlement agreement to have a building permit, and also interpreting the settlement
agreement, wouldn't you necessarily then need an amended permit to be able to pull an outdoor
advertising sign, to build an outdoor advertising sign?
Ms. Slazyk: I -- that's something I would probably request a legal opinion on to jump to that.
Mr. Echemendia: But we're appealing -- however, we're appealing your determination. Your
determination would require you to have the expertise to deny the building permit based on that
predicate.
Ms. Slazyk: I believe that the Zoning Code speaks for itself and the -- what my powers and
duties are and what that section of the Code says, and unless there is a settlement agreement, the
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permits can't be issued.
Mr. Echemendia: And I agree with you that an amended permit could not be issued, and we've
agreed to that on the record, and that would be a condition of what we are requesting. And,
again, we mean no harm to anyone. We want to resolve this for everyone. Lourdes, thank you.
That's all I needed to know. Appreciate it.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Warren.
Mr. Bittner: Next, I'd like to cross-examine Mr. Echemendia.
Mr. Echemendia: I'm here as an attorney on behalf of the applicant. As Mr. Glenn Smith
correctly pointed out, all of the argument was argument and not competent substantial evidence;
and therefore, you have absolutely no right to cross-examine me, Mr. Warren Bittner.
Mr. Bittner: Okay. Are you not here as a principal of Outlook Media?
Mr. Echemendia: I happen to be a principal. I am also the general counsel of Outlook Media,
and the record will stand on its own based on the competent substantial evidence and the
cross-examination.
Mr. Bittner: All right. If you had presented no testimony here today, I will not cross-examine
you. Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Helfman: Okay. Yeah. Let me see ifI can help you with this.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Mr. City -- what are you? Mr. City Attorney.
Mr. Helfman: Mr. Special Counsel/City Attorney.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: All right, special counsel.
Mr. Helfman: Okay. Let me see ifI can help you with this. The -- what Lourdes did or didn't do
is not really important, and I'll tell you why. You're here denovo today. You hear this matter
fresh, as though it was first presented to you like it was presented to her. I think that -- and the
issue is is Outlook Media entitled to the building permits that they have submitted for? I know
that they talk about something called "amended permits," but in the package, the application
specifically says proposed use of building construction of billboard, 75 feet, $200, 000; and it's a
City ofMiami building permit application.
Commissioner Sarnoff Where are you reading from? What section?
Mr. Helfman: I'm reading from the building permit application.
Commissioner Sarnoff Give me your tab.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: What tab?
Mr. Helfman: I have a slightly different book. Nine. We're here on two different applications,
two different appeals, so let's just deal with the first one first, and that's Sevennine. They
submitted an application in the name of Outlook Media for a building permit to construct a
billboard. Forget about the fact that the settlement agreement refers to amended and everything
else. This is a zoning issue that you have before you, okay, and it's important to remember that.
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They have applied for a building permit, submitted to the Building Department for a building
permit. And the testimony which you heard and the essence of it was that they don't have a
settlement agreement and, therefore, because they weren't a party to a settlement agreement,
their application for a building permit was rejected. The same issue is before you. It's a denovo
hearing. What her rationale was is important because it gives you some indication of why she did
it, but today you're here denovo and you get to make that decision. So the decision that's before
you is does Outlook Media have the authority to proceed forward with this pending building
permit application that they filed in their name for the construction of a billboard? That's the
question. The -- they've put on a presentation. That's the only evidence they've put into the
record. Mr. Echemendia says that his presentation is not evidence; it's simply argument. And so
they did put on a PowerPoint. That is the evidence they submitted. If you believe, based upon
the evidence that they submitted, that they stand in the shoes, if you will, of CBS, have an
assignment, have the consent of CBS, or are somehow CBS, or have a settlement agreement,
their own settlement agreement, then they're entitled to get the building permit. And if they don't,
then you make your own decision, but the Code provides that those people entitled to billboards,
which is what they ask for, must have a settlement agreement. It's not that hard. I know the
lawyers like to make it hard with all the cross-examination and everything, but this is really
simple. Your Code says you need a settlement agreement to get a billboard permit. They
applied for a billboard permit, and Lourdes simply said, as you heard, I just need your
settlement agreement.
Mr. Echemendia: Madam Chair, could I justget a clarification from --?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Are you finished?
Mr. Echemendia: I'm sorry.
Mr. Helfman: I'm finished, yes.
Mr. Echemendia: 'Cause I'm a little confused here. And the Code doesn't refer to billboards. It
says you need a settlement agreement relative to billboards and a 2-1, et cetera. But I'm a little
confused. I just want to understand the -- what the outside city attorney or special counsel is
saying. This proceeding, Steve, is a quasi-judicial proceeding on an appeal of Lourdes'
determination, and I'm seeking clarification. Are you suggesting that the standard is not so
much whether she erred and whether there was competent substantial evidence to support her
determination denying, or are you suggesting that it is whether there is simply competent
substantial evidence in the City Commission supporting or denying our request for a building
permit subject to an amended permit, because now you have me utterly confused? I thought that
what -- the difference between an appeal on the record is being limited to the record --
Helfman: Right.
Mr. Echemendia: -- and denovo means we can introduce new evidence, and --
Mr. Helfman: Correct.
Mr. Echemendia: -- we've, of course, introduced -- but that -- what is before them is an appeal
of her determination and whether her determination was supported by competent substantial
evidence, so just for all our benefits -- 'cause I got a little confused --
Helfman: yeah.
Mr. Echemendia: -- in what you believed to be what is before the Commission.
Mr. Helfman: It's fairly simple. When a Zoning administrator makes a decision, the first level of
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appeal goes to your Zoning Board, and the Zoning Board makes a decision. At that point you
now have a decision of a board. It's no longer Lourdes' decision, okay. A board now has made
a decision, just like an appeal's court. Once the trial court has a trial and you go to appeal's
court, then it's their decision from that point on, and you take an -- and a challenge to their
decision, so you have the same set-up in the City ofMiami. Once the Zoning administrator
makes a decision, if somebody wants to challenge it, they go to the Zoning Board. They have a
full and absolute review, okay. That happened, okay. They made a decision -- I believe it was
unanimous. I may be incorrect -- that the applicants, if you will, had not presented sufficient
evidence of a settlement agreement or an assignment of the settlement agreement or anything,
and they denied the appeal. Now they have challenged the Zoning Board's decision, okay, and
they're here before you really saying -- they should be saying, even though they're challenging
Lourdes, that the Zoning Board made a decision because this is the second level of review. They
should be saying the Zoning Board made a mistake. They should have ruled in our favor, okay.
It's still the same issue. You still get to this final level of review, which is denovo. It's not
reviewing what the Zoning Board did. It's not reviewing what Lourdes did. It gives you the
opportunity, as the City Commission, the ultimate decision on this issue. You have the power, as
though they walked in the first day and presented this to you, to look at this and to take in
evidence, new evidence if they want to introduce it, and make a decision. So I hope that clarifies
where you are. The ultimate decision is the same one that Lourdes made and the Zoning Board
made, but you're making it now for the third time in this -- in the municipal process, if you will,
and --
Commissioner Sarnoff So --
Mr. Helfman: Yes. Go ahead. I'm sorry.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- to put this in a linear argument, if you will --
Mr. Helfman: Yeah.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- one that -- I don't know -- I always like to do things in chronology.
CBS enters into a settlement agreement with the City ofMiami that appears to be dated July 18,
2008. In that settlement agreement, it provides for an assignment, but it does require in that
assignment, the assignee shall execute an agreement to be bound by the terms and conditions of
this agreement and to accept all of the rights and obligations of CBS under this agreement; and
the assignment is approved in writing by the City Commission, which approval shall not be
unreasonably withheld, delayed, or conditioned. So that is signed, as I said, on -- that's signed
May 6, 2008, two different time frames. They appeared -- Outdoor signs itMay 6, 2008. City
Manager signs it July 18, 2008. Pete, you got to get to your desk more frequently. Then, on May
2 -- so actually, before this settlement agreement is entered or at least executed by CBS, so four
days before that, they grant authority to C -- to Outlook Media of South Florida, LLC (Limited
Liability Company) as confirmation that in accordance with the terms and conditions of the yet
executed CBS settlement agreement, it consents to Outlook Media filing applications for outdoor
advertising permits with regard to Florida Department of Transportation on our behalf okay.
So then, on August 26, 2008 -- so they start just before the summer and deep into the hot summer
of 2008, CBS withdraws its consent ofMay 2, 2008. Then Outlook comes back to the City -- now
it's getting cool out -- in November 2008 and provides for a building permit for Sevennine LLC,
as Outlook being the lessee, for construction of a billboard. New construction cost $200, 000 of
344 what appears to be square feet, and it is for a sign and it is new construction. So Outlook
does that knowing they no longer have the authorization to do so, okay. All right, I think I can
rule. If you're telling me that the framework and the criteria is denovo and -- just so the record's
clear, the only thing I'm basing my opinion on is this book and the presentation by counsel that
was mere representation. I did not hear any evidence from the appellant; all I heard was
representations, so I can rule, and I'm going to make a motion to deny the appeal.
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Mr. Echemendia: Mr. Sarnoff, would -- just -- can I correct the record? What we -- it was
argument, but there is a record that is replete with competent substan -- and substantial evidence
that has been submitted to the Clerk -- for the Clerk.
Commissioner Sarnoff And let -- and -- right -- me be clear on that because I think it's very
unfair to do this to this Commission. I don't think -- although I cannot speak for Commissioner
Spence -Jones, and I don't think and I will not speak for Commissioner Gonzalez -- he has read
anything other than what's been presented to him today, and I have always thought it was very
unfair for any counsel to say, I hereby adopt and anything that's ever gone on in the City of
Miami from date in time 00 to today." We just don't work that way. I think everybody sat here
carefully, has listened. I'm telling you what I'm basing it upon. I'm basing it upon anything that
happened in front of me today. I have not taken the opportunity to read any old record before
this fribunal or any other fribunal of the City ofMiami.
Mr. Echemendia: Mr. City Attorney -- ifI may, Madam Chair?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. I just wanted you to know that we do have a motion to deny,
butt will allow you to speak, and I'll see if we have a second on that.
Mr. Echemendia: Thank you. Just for the record, it is with all due respect, Commissioner
Sarnoff, customary in zoning proceedings where there are proceedings below, even if it's denovo,
to incorporate into the record everything below. Indeed, I believe that your packet has our
appeal letter, which we believe provides the competent substantial evidence with the condition
that it be subject to an amended permit, as we've articulated, understanding that we cannot pull
a permit -- notwithstanding what the building permit says, we cannot and concede that will not
pull a permit or an amended permit because we don't have one nor have a settlement agreement
to get a settlement agreement. I would respectfully submit and ask you strongly to reconsider. I
would submit that there is competent substantial evidence in your records submitted by your
staff in your packet, based on our appeal letter that confirms that there is no competent
substantial evidence to deny the issuance of a building permit subject to an amended permit
which gives us nothing but preserve our right for the tag not to expire so that we and CBS could
deal with our issues as to who's going to build the site.
Mr. Helfman: Okay. The material that they have submitted through the course of this is part of
the record. I will tell you that I believe that certainly the material that you're relying upon in
making that motion provides an adequate defense to any challenge that might be mounted.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. So, Commissioner Sarnoff are you still --?
Commissioner Sarnoff I maintain my motion.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, he's made his -- he -- she -- he maintains his motion.
Commissioner Gonzalez, are you seconding or what?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Yeah, I'll second the motion.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so we have a motion --
Mr. Echemendia: Could we defer the item to give us some time to possibly settle? This is
Sevennine. This is not Mary May [sic]. Mary May [sic] is a much more serious issue.
Sevennine doesn't come up till December. We would be happy to defer till September; give us a
few months to try to work things out. Marc, I implore you, please. I mean, we --
Commissioner Sarnoff I thought that's what we did the last time. I thought that was the point of
the mediation.
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Mr. Echemendia: Well --
Commissioner Sarnoff I thought the point -- I mean --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I think he said for Mary May [sic] that was --
Mr. Echemendia: Mary May [sic] is different. Mary May [sic], that's the next item. On this
item, we don't mind deferring till September; give us an opportunity, please. I would implore
you. It doesn't adversely affect the City. It doesn't adversely affect -- I don't think that CBS
would find it objectionable to defer Sevennine --
Commissioner Sarnoff I got to go --
Mr. Echemendia: -- and then we can take up --
Commissioner Gonzalez: Okay. What --
Commissioner Sarnoff I have to go with the CityAttorney's advice.
Mr. Helfman: The City objects to any continuance of this item.
Commissioner Gonzalez: What you're --
Mr. Echemendia: Why would they do that?
Commissioner Gonzalez: -- requesting is a deferral?
Mr. Echemendia: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Okay.
Mr. Echemendia: It's a deferral.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Let me tell you, that was --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah, I know. That's what you're going to --
Commissioner Gonzalez: From the beginning --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Because all the --
Commissioner Gonzalez: -- that was -- my intention was to ask for a deferral because --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Nobody --
Commissioner Gonzalez: -- in a case like this one, I would like to have a full Commission
participating on -- you know, on this type of issue, and unfortunately, we don't. Like I said, you
know, I don't want anybody saying that I don't -- you know, I'm afraid to listen to the case or
make a decision on the case.
Mr. Echemendia: Actually, we're --
Commissioner Gonzalez: Are we going to defer both items?
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Mr. Echemendia: No. We're actually -- we're okay with the denial. I'm sorry. We're okay with
the denial. We'll go forward and we'll go forward. We're okay with the denial.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so we had a motion, we had a second; correct?
Ms. Thompson: Correct.
Commissioner Gonzalez: All in favor?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: This item --
Ms. Thompson: Madam Chair --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Ms. Thompson: -- your vote.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, all in favor?
Ms. Thompson: We had an "aye" and "aye."
Commissioner Sarnoff She's asking for your vote.
Ms. Thompson: Your vote.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Aye.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Aye.
Commissioner Sarnoff Aye.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah.
Ms. Thompson: Oh, thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So we've denied the appeal.
PZ.4 09-00020za RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), DENYING THE APPEAL BY AMANDA L. QUIRKE,
AFFIRMING THE DECISION OF THE ZONING BOARD, THEREBY
UPHOLDING THE ZONING ADMINISTRATOR INTERPRETATION DATED
DECEMBER 8, 2008, REGARDING A PROVISION CONTAINED IN SECTION
10.4.5, OF ZONING ORDINANCE NO. 11000, AS AMENDED, THE ZONING
ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, ENTITLED "OUTDOOR
ADVERTISING SIGNS; NEW SIGNS OF OUTDOOR ADVERTISING
PROHIBITED", FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 1330
NORTHWEST 2ND COURT, MIAMI, FLORIDA.
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09-00020za CC Appeal Letter & Supporting Documents.pdf
09-00020za Aerial Map.pdf
09-00020za ZB 02-09-09 Backup Documents.pdf
09-00020za CC Legislation (Version 3).pdf
09-00020za CC Legislation (Version 4).pdf
09-00020za Exhibit A.pdf
09-00020za CC 05-28-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
09-00020za-Submittal-1330 NW 2nd Court (Mary Mays).pdf
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff and Spence -Jones
Absent: 2 - Commissioner Sanchez and Regalado
R-09-0273
Note for the Record: Please refer to Item PZ.3 for minutes referencing Item PZ.4.
Santiago Echemendia: Okay. This one could be shorter. It could be much shorter. Mary May
[sic], I think we can incorporate, with your consent, Commissioner Sarnoff--
Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah. If it --
Echemendia: -- if we can incorporate, we're just going to submit our Mary May [sic]
presentation into the record. It's the same set offacts. Again, we're not requesting a building
permit -- I mean, we're requesting a building permit subject to an amended permit, no LED
(Light Emitting Diodes), and that was one of the conditions, of course, in the -- of the 79. It's the
same set offacts. This one is a little bit more complicated, but we'd rather, you know, rely on the
record evidence that we think there are some procedural due process issues involved in this one.
I'd like to reserve the procedural due process argument by leaving it at that and relying on what
we've submitted on the record; and with that, I think it's -- I guess we're doing this over again.
Warren Bittner (Assistant City Attorney): As the City indicated in its presentation, Lourdes'
testimony is applicable not only to the previous item, but to the item that is before you.
Mr. Echemendia: And we would like to incorporate by reference into this item the
cross-examination of Lourdes, and of course, this item has its own record, so we can go with
that.
Mr. Helfman: Well --
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Madam Chair, I need to be clear for your record. I need to
be very clear for your record because we have PZ.3, which is one item, one different file ID
(Identification), one different location from PZ.4. So for your record, I need to make sure that
all testimony given relates to both PZ.3 and PZ.4; is that correct?
Mr. Echemendia: PZ.4.
Mr. Helfman: That is correct.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Mr. Helfman: That's correct.
Mr. Echemendia: The only other thing that I would like to note on this one that is a little
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different, Commissioner Sarnoff and the other Commissioners, is that unlike the other one, this
tag expires in -- on June 22; we will lose the right, as will CBS lose the right. And so, again, we
offer it up to them that it be issued to them to preserve the right mutually. By, I believe that
explicitly, their failure to come up on the record and state otherwise, they are confirming that
they're willing to risk losing that site, and we loathe to have to go into court to seek not only the
writ, butt guess an emergency injunctive relief unfortunately. We may be left with no choice.
We were looking for an artful compromise. I do apologize to the Commissioner and the rest of
the stafffor, you know, my initial kind offeverish emotive reaction. This has been very important
to me. We thought we were reaching a reasonable compromise. I do want to thank Steven. I
think he was great today as we were having discussions regarding a possible settlement, as well
as all of our staff Orlando and Pieter, as they've gone through this process with billboards,
which is a very competitive and rigorous process. I have found out recently, you know, it's
unfortunate the decision you made in the last one. I was hopeful that because the circumstances
are a little bit different in this one in terms of us being hurt and really nobody else being hurt by
you issuing, you would consider it differently, but leave you with that, and I thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff All right, I'm going to make a motion based upon the competent and
substantial evidence of the previous hearing that we just had for PZ.2 -- 3, sorry, PZ.3, and
based upon the application ofMaryHay [sic], being dated November 3, 2008, so it would be the
same parallel assignment, authorization, and then withdrawal of authorization by CBS that
move to deny the appeal.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: (INAUDIBLE) and a second. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: This item is denied. Thank you very much.
Mr. Helfman: Thank you.
PZ.5 07-00345xc RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION WITH ATTACHMENT(S)
APPROVING A SPECIAL EXCEPTION, REQUIRING CITY COMMISSION
APPROVAL, AS LISTED IN ORDINANCE NO. 11000, AS AMENDED, THE
ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, ARTICLE 4, SECTION 401,
UNDER CONDITIONAL ACCESSORY USES ON PR -PARK, RECREATION
AND OPEN SPACES DISTRICT, TO ALLOW THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN
OFFICE BUILDING FOR THE BOAT/BROKERAGE AND MARINA BOAT
ADMINISTRATION, PER THE LEASE AND DEVELOPMENT AGREEMENT,
WITH A TIME LIMITATION OF TWELVE (12) MONTHS IN WHICH A
BUILDING PERMIT MUST BE OBTAINED, SUBJECT TO CONDITIONS, FOR
THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 2640 SOUTH BAYSHORE
DRIVE, MIAMI, FLORIDA.
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07-00345xc Analysis.PDF
07-00345xc Zoning Map.pdf
07-00345xc Aerial Map.pdf
07-00345xc Letter of Intent.pdf
07-00345xc Application & Supporting Docs.PDF
07-00345xc Plans.PDF
07-00345xc ZB Reso.PDF
07-00345xc & 07-00345ww WAB Reso.pdf
07-00345xc & 07-00345ww Exhibit A.pdf
07-00345xc CC Legislation (Version 3) - NEW.pdf
07-00345xc CC 06-25-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 2640 S Bayshore Drive [Commissioner Marc David
Sarnoff - District 2]
APPLICANT(S): Santiago D. Echemendia, Esquire, on behalf of Grove
Harbour Marina and Caribbean Marketplace, LLC, Lessee; City of Miami,
Owner
FINDING(S):
PLANNING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval with a condition*.
ZONING BOARD: Recommended approval with conditions* to City
Commission on September 8, 2008 by a vote of 5-2.
WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD: Recommended approval with conditions*
to City Commission on September 9, 2008 by a vote of 6-0. See companion
File ID 07-00345ww.
*See supporting documentation.
PURPOSE: This will allow the construction of an office building for the
boat/brokerage and marina boat administration for the Grove Harbour Marina
and Marketplace project.
NOTE: File previously known as 07-00345x.
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter
be CONTINUED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Sarnoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez
Chair Sanchez: All right. I believe that Grove Harbour is going to be continued, deferred. Let's
get that out of the way. Where are we at on that? Come on. Let's move this agenda. We've got
to move this agenda.
Santiago Echemendia: Good morning.
Chair Sanchez: You're recognized for the record.
Mr. Echemendia: Santiago Echemendia, 1441 Brickell Avenue, on behalf of Grove Harbour.
We would like to continue to the date certain of the June Commission meeting, and hopefully,
we'll have a resolution by --
Chair Sanchez: June what?
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
Mr. Echemendia: -- that time.
Chair Sanchez: Would be the second meeting of June. Do we have a date?
Mr. Echemendia: The June Planning and Zoning meeting.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): That's the 25th.
Chair Sanchez: 25th?
Ms. Thompson: Yes.
Chair Sanchez: All right. Need a motion.
Commissioner Sarnoff So moved.
Chair Sanchez: Moved by --
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Chair Sanchez: -- Commissioner Sarnoff, second by Commissioner Regalado. No discussion on
the item. All in favor, say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: And that's two of them, right, PZ --
Commissioner Regalado: PZ.5.
Mr. Echemendia: Yes, sir.
Chair Sanchez: -- 5 and 6?
Mr. Echemendia: Yes, sir.
Julie O. Bru (City Attorney): Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sanchez: Is it 5 and 6? Yes?
Ms. Bru: Okay, since the items were advertised to be heard after 10, I suggest that we also make
an announcement after 10 o'clock that those items were deferred.
Chair Sanchez: We will. We just want to fry to get this agenda --
Ms. Bru: Right.
Chair Sanchez: -- established so we could get a lot of these items out of the way. I mean, once -
Ms. Bru: Right, but in the event that somebody --
Chair Sanchez: -- again, as we get close --
Ms. Bru: -- should show up --
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Chair Sanchez: -- to August, you're going to see that the agenda will have more items, and we
need to work through the agenda in a very orderly and -- fashion. All right, so that takes care of
both of those items. We'll announce it after 10 o'clock.
PZ.6 07-00345ww RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), MAKING FINDINGS AND APPROVING A MODIFICATION
OF THE REQUIRED WATERFRONT CHARTER PROVISIONS RELATING TO
THE SETBACK, AS SET FORTH IN SECTION 3(mm)(ii-iv) OF THE CHARTER
OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED, FROM 50 FEET 0
INCHES TO 22 FEET 6 INCHES TO THE NEAREST POINT BETWEEN THE
NEW STRUCTURE AND THE BULKHEAD, FOR THE GROVE HARBOUR
MARINA AND MARKETPLACE PROJECT, TO BE LOCATED AT
APPROXIMATELY 2640 SOUTH BAYSHORE DRIVE, MIAMI, FLORIDA.
07-00345ww Zoning Map.pdf
07-00345ww Aerial Map.pdf
07-00345xc & 07-00345ww WAB Reso.pdf
07-00345ww Letter of Intent.pdf
07-00345ww Application & Supporting Docs.pdf
07-00345ww Plans.pdf
07-00345xc & 07-00345ww Exhibit A.pdf
07-00345ww CC Legislation (Version 1) - NEW.pdf
07-00345ww CC 06-25-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 2640 S Bayshore Drive [Commissioner Marc David
Sarnoff - District 2]
APPLICANT(S): Santiago D. Echemendia, Esquire, on behalf of Grove
Harbour Marina and Caribbean Marketplace, LLC, Lessee; City of Miami,
Owner
FINDING(S):
PLANNING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval.
WATERFRONT ADVISORY BOARD: Recommended approval with conditions*
to City Commission on September 9, 2008 by a vote of 6-0. See companion
File ID 07-00345xc.
*See supporting documentation.
PURPOSE: This will allow fewer setbacks than required for the Grove
Harbour Marina and Marketplace project.
Motion by Commissioner Sarnoff, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter
be CONTINUED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Sarnoff, Sanchez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Gonzalez
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing item PZ.6, please refer to item PZ.5.
PZ.7 09-000271u ORDINANCE Second Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 10544, AS AMENDED, THE
FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF THE MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE
NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, PURSUANT TO SMALL SCALE AMENDMENT
PROCEDURES, SUBJECT TO §163.3187, FLORIDA STATUTES, BY
CHANGING THE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF THE ACREAGE DESCRIBED
HEREIN OF REAL PROPERTIES LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 1400
NORTHWEST 27TH AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, FROM "DUPLEX
RESIDENTIAL" TO "RESTRICTED COMMERCIAL;" MAKING FINDINGS;
DIRECTING TRANSMITTALS TO AFFECTED AGENCIES; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
09-000271u Analysis.pdf
09-000271u Land Use Map.pdf
09-000271u Aerial Map.pdf
09-000271u PAB Reso.pdf
09-000271u School Board Concurrency.pdf
09-000271u Letter of Intent.pdf
09-000271u Application & Supporting Documentation.pdf
09-000271u CC Legislation (Version 2) - NEW.pdf
09-000271u & 09-00027zc Exhibit A.pdf
09-000271u CC SR 05-28-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 1400 NW 27th Avenue [Commissioner Angel
Gonzalez - District 1]
APPLICANT(S): Ben Fernandez, Esquire, on behalf of Tony's Standard
Services, Inc.
FINDING(S):
PLANNING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval.
PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD: Recommended approval to City Commission
on February 18, 2009 by a vote of 7-0. See companion File ID 09-00027zc.
PURPOSE: This will change the above property to "Restricted Commercial".
Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Sanchez
13067
Commissioner Gonzalez: Michelle, could you do PZ.7 and 8, which are no opposition? It's very
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: What's the -- 7 -- 8, we've already done already.
Commissioner Gonzalez: No. Seven and eight are -- haven't been done.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Seven and eight has been done, sir. Seven and eight, the Gibson
Guitars?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Seven and eight. Huh?
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: RE (Resolution)?
Commissioner Gonzalez: No, no, no.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: PZ (Planning & Zoning).
Commissioner Gonzalez: Planning and Zoning, PZ.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Well, these are quick ones. If you want to, we can. Okay, which one
would you like me to do?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Because there's nobody here in opposition.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, okay. PZ.7 and 8, no opposition on those items. Let's go ahead
and take PZ.7.
Commissioner Gonzalez: It's second reading, I believe.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Any staffing here to put something on the record?
Roberto E. Lavernia (Chief of Land Development, Planning Department): PZ.7 and 8 are also
companion items. This is second reading. It was approved on first reading on April 23.
Planning Department is recommending approval. Planning Advisory Board recommend
approval. Zoning Board recommend approval, too, and this is second reading.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Motion on PZ.7.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: We have a motion --
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- and we have a second, but we do have to open it up. Is there
anybody that'd like to put something on the record regarding this item? No. Okay, it comes
back to the Commission. We had a motion and a second. I believe this is a --
Commissioner Gonzalez: Close the public hearing and --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes. I bring it back; we close the hearing.
Commissioner Gonzalez: It's an ordinance.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: It's an ordinance.
Maria J. Chiaro (Deputy City Attorney): This is PZ.7?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Um -hum.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Maria J. Chiaro.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Roll call.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Roll call.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Roll call.
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A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Ms. Thompson: The ordinance --
Commissioner Gonzalez: Move --
Ms. Thompson: -- has been adopted on second reading, 4-0.
PZ.8 09-00027zc ORDINANCE Second Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION WITH
ATTACHMENT(S) AMENDING PAGE NO. 26, OF THE ZONING ATLAS OF
ORDINANCE NO. 11000, AS AMENDED, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI, ARTICLE 4, SECTION 401, SCHEDULE OF DISTRICT
REGULATIONS, BY CHANGING THE ZONING CLASSIFICATION FROM
"R-2" TWO-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL TO "C-1" RESTRICTED COMMERCIAL
FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 1400 NORTHWEST
27TH AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA; MAKING FINDINGS; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
09-00027zc Analysis.pdf
09-00027zc Zoning Map.pdf
09-00027zc Aerial Map.pdf
09-00027zc Letter of Intent.pdf
09-00027zc Application & Supporting Docs.pdf
09-00027zc Corporation's Power of Attorney.pdf
09-00027zc ZB Reso.pdf
09-00027zc CC Legislation (Version 2).pdf
09-000271u & 09-00027zc Exhibit A.pdf
09-00027zc CC SR 05-28-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 1400 NW 27th Avenue [Commissioner Angel
Gonzalez - District 1]
APPLICANT(S): Ben Fernandez, Esquire, on behalf of Tony's Standard
Services, Inc.
FINDING(S):
PLANNING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval.
ZONING BOARD: Recommended approval to City Commission on March 9,
2009 by a vote of 7-0. See companion File ID 09-000271u.
PURPOSE: This will change the above property to "C-1" Restricted
Commercial.
Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Sanchez
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
13068
Commissioner Gonzalez: Move PZ.8.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: PZ.8. We have a --
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- motion and a second, but I now need to open it up to the public. Is
there any comments from the public on this item? No comments. The hearing is actually closed.
Madam City Attorney.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Maria J. Chiaro.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Roll call.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Roll call.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Roll call.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Ms. Thompson: The ordinance has been adopted on second reading, 4-0.
Unidentified Speaker: Thank you.
PZ.9 09-00143zc ORDINANCE Second Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING PAGE NO.
35, OF THE ZONING ATLAS OF ORDINANCE NO. 11000, AS AMENDED,
THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, ARTICLE 4, SECTION
401, SCHEDULE OF DISTRICT REGULATIONS, BY CHANGING THE
ZONING CLASSIFICATION FROM "R-3" MULTIFAMILY MEDIUM -DENSITY
RESIDENTIAL, TO "R-3" MULTIFAMILY MEDIUM -DENSITY RESIDENTIAL
WITH AN "HP" HISTORIC PRESERVATION OVERLAY DISTRICT, FOR THE
PROPERTY LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 138 NORTHWEST 16TH
AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA; MAKING FINDINGS; CONTAINING A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
09-00143zc Analysis.pdf
09-00143zc Zoning Map.pdf
09-00143zc Aerial Map.pdf
09-00143zc PAB Reso.pdf
09-00143zc Application & Supporting Documents.pdf
09-00143zc CC Legislation (Version 2).pdf
09-00143zc CC SR 05-28-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 138 NW 16th Avenue [Commissioner Joe Sanchez
- District 3]
APPLICANT(S): Pedro G. Hernandez, City Manager, on behalf of the City of
Miami
FINDING(S):
PLANNING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval.
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PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD: Recommended approval to City Commission
on March 4, 2009 by a vote of 6-0.
PURPOSE: This will change the above property to "R-3" Multifamily
Medium -Density Residential with an "HP" Historic Preservation Overlay District.
Motion by Commissioner Regalado, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez, that this matter
be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Sanchez
13069
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, PZ.9 has no issues, I was told.
Commissioner Gonzalez: You still have --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, you --
Commissioner Gonzalez: -- I'm sorry to interrupt you, but you still have --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: RE (Resolution) --
Commissioner Gonzalez: -- RE.17.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: RE.17?
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): No. That one was withdrawn.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No. We --
Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): Withdrawn.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No. They --
Commissioner Gonzalez: That was withdrawn?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- deferred it.
Ms. Thompson: Yes.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Oh, deferred?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Okay.
Ms. Thompson: RE.9.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, so we're at PZ.9, right?
Commissioner Gonzalez: RE.9.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: RE -- PZ.9.
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Mr. Hernandez: PZ.9.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I was told that that was not a lot of controversy, right?
Ellen Uggucioni: No, ma'am. Ellen --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: You've been standing up for a minute, right?
Ms. Uggucioni: -- Uggucioni --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: You're recognized.
Ms. Uggucioni: -- Preservation officer with the Planning Department. This is a bungalow in
Little Havana. We're asking for an HP (Historic Preservation) overlay to allow offices there.
It's an RE-3 zone neighborhood. Dade Heritage Trust is the owner of the bungalow. The
tenants will be Citizens for a Better South Florida. We're asking for your recommendation of
approval, please.
Commissioner Sarnoff Isn't this Commissioner Sanchez?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff Should we be hearing this?
Commissioner Gonzalez: He's not here.
Commissioner Sarnoff Right. I mean, I wouldn't want this done to me.
Commissioner Gonzalez: No. I wouldn't --
Commissioner Regalado: It's second reading.
Commissioner Sarnoff Yeah. Is it second reading?
Becky Matkov: Yes.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: And I think he's in support, if I'm not mistaken. Mr. Manager, do you
know?
Mr. Hernandez: As far as I know, the District 3 has no issues with this item.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. So -- you guys cool with that? Can I get a motion and a
second? Do you want to put something on the record?
Commissioner Regalado: Motion.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: We have a motion. Do we have a second?
Commissioner Gonzalez: All right, I'll second it.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, we have a second.
Commissioner Gonzalez: It's a second reading.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Yeah.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Any -- did you want to put something on the record?
Ms. Matkov: Well, yes. I'm Becky Matkov, executive director of Dade Heritage Trust, and I just
am delighted that we have been able to renovate or we're in the process of renovating this
historic belvedere bungalow, the finest example of a belvedere bungalow in the City ofMiami.
We saved itfrom demolition, and we are -- have a contract to sell it to Citizens for a Better South
Florida.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Now, I remember the item.
Mr. Matkov: Yes. And you were all very supportive --
Commissioner Sarnoff No. It's a --
Mr. Matkov: -- when [sic] we appreciate that because we think it will be a wonderful use for this
historically designated bungalow.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Beautiful job.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Hernandez: Commissioner.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Beautiful job.
Ms. Matkov: Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So we had a motion and a second. All in favor?
Mr. Hernandez: IfI may. Just for your information, Commissioner Sanchez did move the item --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: The last time.
Mr. Hernandez: -- when it came to us --
Commissioner Gonzalez: First time.
Mr. Hernandez: -- on first reading.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Ms. Matkov: Yeah, he's been very supportive as well.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor?
Ms. Thompson: Second reading ordinance.
Commissioner Sarnoff It's an ordinance.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Oh.
Julie O. Bru (City Attorney): It's an ordinance.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Read it into the -- sorry.
Ms. Bru: Okay. Madam Vice Chair.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Roll call.
Ms. Thompson: Roll call. Commissioner Sarnoff?
Commissioner Sarnoff With the understanding that Commissioner Sanchez is in agreement.
Personally, I like it, but I don't like to vote without knowing what the district Commissioner says,
but I'll base my vote on what Mr. Hernandez says and also vote yes.
Ms. Thompson: Continuing with the roll call. Commissioner Gonzalez?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Yes, ma'am.
Ms. Thompson: Commissioner Regalado?
Commissioner Regalado: Yes.
Ms. Thompson: Vice Chair Spence -Jones?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Ms. Thompson: The ordinance has been adopted on second reading, 4-0.
Ms. Uggucioni: Thank you very much.
Ms. Matkov: Thank you so much.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Thank you very much. Sorry for holding you guys up today.
PZ.10 07-00216Iu1 ORDINANCE First Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 10544, AS AMENDED, THE
FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF THE MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE
NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, PURSUANT TO SMALL SCALE AMENDMENT
PROCEDURES, SUBJECT TO §163.3187, FLORIDA STATUTES, BY
CHANGING THE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF THE ACREAGE DESCRIBED
HEREIN OF REAL PROPERTY LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 5265
NORTH MIAMI AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, FROM "DUPLEX RESIDENTIAL"
TO "MAJOR INSTITUTIONAL, PUBLIC FACILITIES, TRANSPORTATION AND
UTILITIES"; MAKING FINDINGS; DIRECTING TRANSMITTALS TO
AFFECTED AGENCIES; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
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07-002161u1
07-002161u1
07-002161u1
07-002161u1
07-002161u1
07-002161u1
07-002161u1
07-002161u1
07-002161u1
Analysis.pdf
Land Use Map.pdf
Aerial Map.pdf
PAB Reso.pdf
Letter of Intent.pdf
Application & Supporting Documentation.pdf
CC Legislation (Version 2).pdf
& 07-00216zc1 Exhibit A.pdf
CC SR 06-25-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 5265 N Miami Avenue [Commissioner Michelle
Spence -Jones - District 5]
APPLICANT(S): A. Vicky Garcia -Toledo, Esquire, on behalf of Douglas
Gardens Holding Corp., Inc., a Florida Not -For -Profit Corporation, Holding
Company of Miami Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged
FINDING(S):
PLANNING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval.
PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD: Recommended approval to City Commission
on March 4, 2009 by a vote of 6-0. See companion File ID 07-00216zc1.
PURPOSE: This will change the above property to "Major Institutional, Public
Facilities, Transportation and Utilities".
Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter
be PASSED ON FIRST READING PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 2 - Commissioner Sarnoff and Sanchez
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So let's get -- can I get the Miami Jewish Home out? Are they here
still?
Commissioner Sarnoff Oh, come on.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Let me get the Miami Jewish Home out because they're -- I don't think
they're controversial items. PZ.10, PZ.11, those are your two items, right, the Jewish Home?
And do -- first of all, do we have any opposition on this item? No. Okay, good. All right, so let's
take up that. Let's start with PZ.10 first. Staff can you put something on the record.
Roberto E. Lavernia (Chief of Land Development, Planning Department): Yes. PZ.10 and
PZ.11 are companion items, request to change the future land use map of the comprehensive
plan and the zoning atlas for one lot designated duplex residential to major institutional, public
facilities, transportation and utilities for the land use and to G/I (Government/Institutional) for
the zoning. The Planning Department is recommending approval. That would be the remain
[sic] lot on that block without the designation. The Planning Advisory Board recommend
approval and the Zoning Board recommended approval also to the change.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: First of all, I want to make -- do we have a motion and a second on
this item, at all?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Motion.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I have a motion. Do I have a second?
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Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Second. Do you -- would you like to put something -- want to go
ahead and put something on the record, Ms. Toledo?
Vicky Garcia -Toledo: Just my name, Vicky Garcia -Toledo, on behalf of the Home.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Sorry for keeping you guys waiting all day long, but -- we had
a motion and a second on this item. There's no issues regarding this item with staffing, so we'd
like to officially --
Commissioner Gonzalez: Public hearing.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Sorry.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Yes, it is a first reading ordinance --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Ms. Thompson: -- so we need a public --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: No problem. I officially would like to open up. Is there any
opposition to this item, at all? Was -- anybody like to put anything on the record? All right,
going once, going twice, going three times; coming back to the dais. We had a motion and we
had a second. All in favor?
Ms. Thompson: First reading ordinance.
Maria J. Chiaro (Deputy City Attorney): I need to read the ordinance.
Commissioner Gonzalez: It's an ordinance.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, yes.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Maria J. Chiaro.
Ms. Thompson: Your --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Roll call.
Ms. Thompson: -- roll call.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Ms. Thompson: The ordinance has been passed on first reading, 3-0.
PZ.11 07-00216zc1 ORDINANCE
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING PAGE NO. 16, OF THE ZONING ATLAS OF
ORDINANCE NO. 11000, AS AMENDED, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI, ARTICLE 4, SECTION 401, SCHEDULE OF DISTRICT
REGULATIONS, BY CHANGING THE ZONING CLASSIFICATION FROM
"R-2" TWO-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL TO "G/I" GOVERNMENT AND
INSTITUTIONAL FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY
First Reading
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5265 NORTH MIAMI AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA; MAKING FINDINGS;
CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
07-00216zc1 Analysis.pdf
07-00216zc1 Zoning Map.pdf
07-00216zc1 Aerial Map.pdf
07-00216zc1 Letter of Intent.pdf
07-00216zc1 Application & Supporting Docs.pdf
07-00216zc1 ZB Reso.pdf
07-00216zc1 CC Legislation (Version 2).pdf
07-002161u1 & 07-00216zc1 Exhibit A.pdf
07-00216zc1 CC SR 06-25-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 5265 N Miami Avenue [Commissioner Michelle
Spence -Jones - District 5]
APPLICANT(S): A. Vicky Garcia -Toledo, Esquire, on behalf of Douglas
Gardens Holding Corp., Inc., a Florida Not -For -Profit Corporation, Holding
Company of Miami Jewish Home and Hospital for the Aged
FINDING(S):
PLANNING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval.
ZONING BOARD: Recommended approval to City Commission on April 13,
2009 by a vote of 6-0. See companion File ID 07-002161u1.
PURPOSE: This will change the above property to "G/I" Government and
Institutional.
Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter
be PASSED ON FIRST READING PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 2 - Commissioner Sarnoff and Sanchez
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. PZ.11.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Motion on PZ.11.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: All right. PZ.11, you want to put anything on the record for this, at
all? Can you put some --?
Roberto E. Lavernia (Chief of Land Development, Planning Department): I present both items
at the same time.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
Mr. Lavernia: I think the --
Commissioner Gonzalez: Motion.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: We have a motion. Do I have a second?
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor?
Commissioner Regalado: No, no. Ordinance.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): It's a first --
Commissioner Gonzalez: No. It's an ordinance.
Maria J Chiaro (Deputy City Attorney): Ordinance of the Miami City Commission with --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Ordinance. Please read it into the --
Ms. Thompson: Public hearing.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: It's been a long day.
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry.
Ms. Chiaro: -- attachments --
Ms. Thompson: You need to open your public hearing and --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I'd like to officially open the public hearing.
Ms. Thompson: -- close it, if there's no --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I'd like to officially close it. Madam City Attorney, please read it into
the record.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Maria J. Chiaro.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Roll call.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Roll call.
Ms. Thompson: Roll call.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Ms. Thompson: The ordinance has been -- passed on first reading, 3-0.
Ms. Garcia -Toledo: Thank you.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Congratulations. Okay.
PZ.12 08-01084Iu ORDINANCE First Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 10544, AS AMENDED, THE
FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF THE MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE
NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, PURSUANT TO SMALL SCALE AMENDMENT
PROCEDURES SUBJECT TO §163.3187, FLORIDA STATUTES, BY
CHANGING THE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF THE ACREAGE DESCRIBED
HEREIN OF REAL PROPERTIES LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 2508,
2524, 2534, 2538, 2590, 2600, 2610, AND 2620 SOUTHWEST 5TH STREET,
MIAMI, FLORIDA, FROM "SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL" AND "DUPLEX
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RESIDENTIAL" TO "MAJOR INSTITUTIONAL, PUBLIC FACILITIES,
TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITIES," EXCEPT FOR THE NORTH
TWENTY-FIVE FEET PARALLEL TO SOUTHWEST 5TH STREET, WHICH IS
TO REMAIN WITH THE "SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL" LAND USE
DESIGNATION; MAKING FINDINGS; DIRECTING TRANSMITTALS TO
AFFECTED AGENCIES; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
08-010841u Analysis.pdf
08-010841u Land Use Map.pdf
08-010841u Aerial Map.pdf
08-010841u PAB Reso.pdf
08-010841u Miami -Dade County Public School Concurrency.pdf
08-010841u Letter of Intent.pdf
08-010841u Application & Supporting Documents.pdf
08-010841u CC FR Legislation (Version 2).pdf
08-010841u & 08-01084zc Exhibit A.pdf
08-010841u CC FR 06-25-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 2508, 2524, 2534, 2538, 2590, 2600, 2610 and
2620 SW 5th Street [Commissioner Joe Sanchez - District 3]
APPLICANT(S): Tony Recio, Esquire and Gilberto Pastoriza, Esquire, on
behalf of The District Board of Trustees of Miami Dade Community College,
Florida
FINDING(S):
PLANNING DEPARTMENT: Recommended denial.
PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD: Recommended approval to City Commission
on March 18, 2009, except for the North 25 feet parallel to SW 5th Street, which
is to remain with the "Single -Family Residential" Land Use designation, by a
vote of 7-0. See companion File ID 08-01084zc.
PURPOSE: This will change the above properties to "Major Institutional, Public
Facilities, Transportation and Utilities".
Motion by Chair Sanchez, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez, that this matter be
CONTINUED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Sanchez and Regalado
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Spence -Jones
Chair Sanchez: All right, moving right along. Let's take up -- let's get a couple of -- we've had
people here from --
James Villacorta (Interim Executive Director/Community Redevelopment Agency): You have the
companion --
Chair Sanchez: Hold on.
Mr. Villacorta: -- items at the CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency).
Chair Sanchez: We got to adjourn --
Mr. Villacorta: No, no. We've adjourned the CRA meeting and now reconvened --
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(COMMENTS OFF THE RECORD.)
Chair Sanchez: Yes, we adjourn the CRA meeting and we reconvene the City ofMiami
Commission meeting.
Commissioner Gonzalez: All right.
Chair Sanchez: All right, let's take -- there's a PZ (Planning & Zoning) item here, Miami Dade
Community College. Want to get you guys out of here, all right. So let's take that item up.
Which item is that? Now, everyone who's going to speak on the item, have you checked in with
the City Clerk? What PZ item is that?
Unidentified Speaker: Twelve and thirteen.
Chair Sanchez: Thirteen. Let's get --
Unidentified Speaker: Twelve and thirteen.
Chair Sanchez: --12 and 13.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Chair.
Commissioner Gonzalez: You have to close the regular Commission meeting and open the PZ
section of the meeting.
Ms. Thompson: No.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Right?
Ms. Thompson: No.
Chair Sanchez: No, no, no, no, no.
Ms. Thompson: We have --
Chair Sanchez: We can just go --
Ms. Thompson: -- one agenda.
Chair Sanchez: Yeah, it's one agenda.
Ms. Thompson: Okay. Right, but the one thing we have not done for P&Z, we have not sworn in
individuals.
Chair Sanchez: Okay. Everyone testifying on any of the PZ items that are coming in front of the
Commission, PZ items, you need to stand up, raise your right hand, and be sworn in by the City
Clerk.
Ms. Thompson: Again, if you are testifying on any of the PZ items, which would include PZ.12
and 13, okay, I need you to please stand and raise your right hand.
The City Clerk administered oath required under City Code Section 62-1 to those persons giving
testimony on zoning issues.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
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Chair Sanchez: All right. How many will be speaking for the project? How many are going to
be speaking against the item? Three, four, okay, so -- all right, so what we want to do is limit
ourselves to two minutes, and we could hear input from everyone -- everybody, okay? Now, do
you have somebody who's going to -- an attorney on your side --? Okay, so let's give somebody
five minutes on your side to be able to speak, okay? I want to make sure that the ley -- the field
is fair for everyone. Okay. This is an ordinance on first reading, so it comes back to us on
second reading, okay, so you will have another opportunity to come back in front of the
Commission. So what we'll do in this time is we'll have the City proffer its recommendation, then
we'll have the applicant give his presentation. Once he's finished, we'll have whoever's going to
be your leader to address us -- five minutes to address us. If you need a little bit more time, I'll
give it to you, out of respect, and then we'll have the public input and everyone could speak
either for or against. Capiche? Understand? All right. All right, sir, you're recognized for the
record --
Commissioner Gonzalez: What item are we on?
Chair Sanchez: -- as the applicant. This is item 12, 12 and 13.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Twelve, okay.
Chair Sanchez: This is -- all right, Planning & Zoning recommended denial. Planning &
Zoning Board recommended approval.
Roberto E. Lavernia (Chief of Land Development, Planning Department): Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sanchez: Yes, sir.
Mr. Lavernia: May I? For the record, Roberto Lavernia, with the Planning Department. PZ.12
and 13 are companion items.
Chair Sanchez: Yes.
Mr. Lavernia: Twelve is the petition to change the future land use map of the comprehensive
plan and thirteen is to change the zoning atlas. The property are nine lots on the north side of
the block facing Southwest 5th Sfreet, designated R-1, and two lots on the south side of the block
facing Southwest 6th Sfreet, designated R-2.
Chair Sanchez: And is that -- are those two parcels already zoned G/I
(Government/Institutional) ?
Gilberto Pastoriza: Everything you see in blue here is zoned -- Gilberto Pastoriza --
Chair Sanchez: Is it zoned already G/I?
Mr. Pastoriza: -- is already zoned G/I, yeah.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): I'm sorry, Chair; if we can get the respondent's name on the
record.
Chair Sanchez: Yeah. He's going to --
Mr. Pastoriza: Gil Pastoriza --
Chair Sanchez: -- put his name --
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Mr. Pastoriza: -- at 2525 Ponce de Leon.
Mr. Lavernia: The Planning Department recommend denial of the petition for the
comprehensive plan being that it's an intrusion of more intense uses into a low -density
residential area designated R-1 and R-2 on the north and east side of the property. The PAB
(Planning Advisory Board), on February 18, recommended approval to City Commission except
the north 25 feet parallel to Southwest 5th Sfreet that remain single-family residential. That was
their recommendation. The Zoning Board -- the Planning Department recommend also denial to
the zoning change, and the Zoning Board recommend denial to the City Commission.
Chair Sanchez: Okay. Sir, you're recognized for the record.
Mr. Pastoriza: Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman, members of the Commission. Gilberto
Pastoriza, 2525 Ponce de Leon, 7th Floor, here on behalf ofMiami Dade Community College.
With me -- and they're going to give a very brief presentation -- Gina Cortes-Suarez, who's the
president of the campus; Mr. Guillermo Olmedillo, who's our Planning expert; Carlos Dougnac,
who's our architect. With us also, there's a number of students, residents, business owners, and
faculty, all of which are in support of this application; and I would like for them to please stand
and be recognized, all of those in support of the Miami Dade Community College application.
In addition, Mr. Chairman, I have a petition that was circulated by the College, which has been
signed by 189 businesses in the area, and 2,535 residents of the City of Miami who are all in
support of this application. The original application requested the comp plan amendment -- and
not -- they're both the same rationale, so I'm going to do the presentation for both items at the
same time. The original application sought the comp plan redesignation and the rezoning of the
properties that you see here in yellow. These properties were R-1 -- are R-1 and these two
properties are R-2. The original applications thought to change this property -- these properties
to government and institutional. When we went to the Planning Advisory Board, the Planning
Advisory Board made a recommendation to leave the north 25 feet along Southwest 5th Sfreet as
residential, so in essence, the application -- the recommendations from the Planning Department
or from the Zoning Board was to only rezone the south 75 feet of those lots to G/I so that you will
have, in essence, a 25-foot residential buffer along Southwest 5th Street, which is the street that
faces the single-family residence across. The College accepts that recommendation. In fact, the
College has already began working on a 25-foot linear park. What the College intends to do --
and then I'll have our architect show you some of the things that they've worked on -- is to leave
this 25 foot as a linear park for -- to be maintained by the College and for the benefit of the
public. The College met in Memorial Day. The College handed out approximately 370 notices,
and they met with a group of neighbors to go over and discuss the linear park and the
information that our architect is going to provide to you, so I would like the College architect to
do a very brief presentation on some of the concepts and some of the ideas that the College has
for that linear park.
Carlos Dougnac: Good afternoon, Madam [sic] Chair and members of the Commission. My
name is Carlos Dougnac. I'm the College architect for Miami Dade College. I reside in North
Miami Beach, Florida. The College approached me and asked me for suggestions on what to do
with that -- with the 25-foot zone that was not subject to rezoning with the intent of creating a
buffer in that area between the college and the residential property across the street, the
neighborhood. The -- you see before you some photos of the existing conditions. There is the
R-1 area that is subject to rezoning, separated by a security fence there; the existing city
sidewalk, and a five-foot strip -- landscape sfrip with a variety of frees, telephone poles, et
cetera. You see the curb cuts from the old driveways that were there from the houses that were
there. some additional shots of that same -- Now, we came up with a first solution, which was a
simple buffer, which was to take the property, rebuild the sidewalk, remove the curb cuts, and
landscape the area, provide -- a solid fence to provide a visual barrier, a landscape visual
barrier between the college and the adjacent neighborhood. My boss came back to me and said,
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"Well, let's do something nicer. Let's provide some amenities, " so we've widened the sidewalk
out to eight feet and provided some benches, and they said, "Go further still." Let's do
something that's nice for the community. Let's try to produce a useful linear park." Now, bear
in mind, you're seeing 75 -- 25 feet in depth beyond the five-foot sidewalk, but this is 450 feet
long. Our intent would be to hire a landscape architect, work with the community to develop the
appropriate amenities for this park, work with the City ofMiami and their experts to develop
something that really would be a benefit to the community. I have a shot here; you can see how
long this parcel would be where it really has a tremendous potential to provide something -- oh,
I'm sorry; it's 475 feet long by 25, correct; and if you add the sidewalk and the five-foot
landscape sfrip that belongs to the City, it's quite a useful area.
Mr. Pastoriza: It's almost one-third acres.
Mr. Dougnac: A third of an acre. So the intent of the College is really to provide something that
is a great benefit to the community as we hope the College, in general, is.
Mr. Pastoriza: Thank you. Thank you, Carlos. This application that's before you tonight is a
very important application for the College and for its successful -- continued successful
operation. The application arises from a critical need for parking in -- for -- to serve the needs
of the existing college and faculty population at the college. We hope to accomplish to -- that the
parking -- the overflow parking that now exists that this overflow parking will be then moved
within the College's property. It's taken (UNINTELLIGIBLE) the parking away from the
neighborhood, which is a constant complaint not only from the neighbors, but also the students
that find it very difficult to have parking to come to class. The approval application now
becomes even more critical and it's more necessary to the college because the College may lose
some of its parking that it has at the Flagler Dog Track. We have an agreement with the Flagler
Dog Track where we lease about 150 spaces from Flagler, and as you well know from the recent
happenings here that this Commission is very much aware with the vendors, the public vendors
of the flea market, that they were displaced from the Flagler Dog Track. We feel or we are very
concerned that we may also be displaced from Flagler Dog Track, thus losing 150 more spaces.
There is a need for parking and this application fulfills that need. To the issue which is the legal
issues behind the comprehensive plan amendment and the rezoning -- and Mr. Guillermo
Olmedillo will be our expert that will talk to you about that. We feel that this application is
consistent with the City's comprehensive plans and also that is critical for the continued success
of the college as an affordable, educational facility serving the needs of the student population in
this area and the City ofMiami. It is also -- the college is also a very viable economic engine for
all those businesses that lie totally surrounding the college. I will now askMr. Olmedillo to give
you a brief presentation on the comprehensive plan issues and our consistency with the
comprehensive plan issue. Mr. Olmedillo, as you know, has extensive background in planning.
He has served stints as both the County's Planning and Zoning director and as the City Planning
and Zoning director, and some of these goals, policies, and objectives that were laid out in your
plan were initially formulated by Mr. Olmedillo and Mr. Olmedillo's staff. Mr. Olmedillo.
Guillermo Olmedillo: Good afternoon, Chairman, members of the board. Guillermo Olmedillo,
1450MadrugaAvenue, Suite 407, Coral Gables, Florida. When looking at this application, one
of the things -- the first things that looked at is, of course, the comprehensive plan, and when
you look at policy L U 1.1.12, it reads specifically: In order to encourage the development and
maintenance of educational facilities in the City ofMiami, the City's land -use policies permit
schools in all land -use classifications, except conservation, restricted parks and recreation, and
industrial. Obviously, this is expressed policy that educational facilities are welcomed in any
other land use, except for the last -- for the three that mentioned. I believe that that is founded
on traditional land -use policy that you have to have institutions around which you create
neighborhoods. That is the essence of land use planning. Now, there are a number of other
goals, objectives, and policies that will just list for the record, but essentially, let me make a
global argument rather than go through every specific one. The property's located in an area
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with existing supporting infrastructure. It is evidenced by the concurrency management analysis
prepared by your staff tells you, yes, we have the infrastructure to support this change. Another
expressed policy of the comp plan is to use land efficiently. That's what we're trying to do, try to
find -- to use the land efficiently. When you look at the map that I put up on the screen, you will
see that everything that is in red or orange, bright orange is institutional. You have Miami High,
you have the facility on 27th Avenue that belongs to the University ofMiami, you have the
college itself you have the church on Beacon Boulevard, and you have the fire department
facilities on Beacon Boulevard. So actually, this neighborhood, which goes from about 23rd
Avenue west to 27th Avenue, from Flagler Street to about 6th Street Southwest, it's already
contained a number of institutional uses, which indicates to us that it's an area that needs all
these institutional uses. And what we're proposing to you is an expansion of an existing
institutional use; therefore, the conclusion that your Planning Department reached that the
institutional use will be an intrusion into this neighborhood is not founded based that on the fact
that there is already substantial institutional uses in the neighborhood -- in the immediate
neighborhood. One of the things that we try to do was to create a more efficient use of the block.
As you can see in the packets that were issued by staff this is -- this block is already -- half of it
is already institutional use, which is where the College has facilities already established. So this
will only serve to complete the block -- the city block, which is a more efficient use of that
particular city block and which creates a better transition between the residential uses and the
institutional uses because you have not only the setbacks and the park as provided by the
exhibits that were shown to you before, but also the front setbacks for each building that are
going to be on either side of the block. So, obviously, you have a better transition that you have
if you had a back-to-back, like you have right now with the institutional use bisecting the block,
the city block. I would just list, for the sake of brevity, a number of policies -- goals, objectives,
and policy that's I believe support the amendment and also support the change of zoning.
Objective LU 1.1, Policy L U 1.1.11, Policy L U 1.1.12, Objective 1.3, Policy L U 1.3.4, Policy L U
1.3.5, Goal 3, Objective 3-1; the interpretation of future land -use maps, the Objective SS 2.5,
Goal CL1, CL1.1, 1.2, and 1.2.1, and also the intergovernmental coordination. I'm only doing
this for the purpose of the record, but to abbreviate the presentation also.
Commissioner Sarnoff (UNINTELLIGIBLE). Continue. It's fascinating.
Mr. Olmedillo: If you have any questions --
Chair Sanchez: All right.
Mr. Olmedillo: -- obviously, but think it's self-evident on the plan that I'm showing on the
screen --
Chair Sanchez: Thank you.
Mr. Olmedillo: -- institutional use is part of the neighborhood.
Mr. Pastoriza: Thank you, Mr. Olmedillo. I would like now for the president of the campus to
give you a little bit of a perspective as to who the College is and who the College serves. Mr.
[sic] Gina Cortes-Suarez, the president of the InterAmerican Campus.
Gina Cortes-Suarez: Good afternoon, honorable Commissioners. My name is Gina
Cortes-Suarez. I'm the president ofMiami-Dade College's InterAmerican campus, at 627
Southwest 27th Avenue. Good afternoon. And thank you for allowing us the time to share some
information about Miami -Dade College's InterAmerican campus. First, a very, very short
history. The seeds of the InterAmerican campus were planted in the late 1970s, when the
College was asked to respond to the higher education needs of the Little Havana community.
This effort began at several outreach centers as part of the Wolfson campus. In 1998, the state
of Florida granted what was then the InterAmerican Center, the designation of a campus. This
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was delivered on the part of the State in its recognition that Miami -Dade College indeed had the
ability to provide the residents of the community with access to much -needed affordable higher
education. To date, the campus has graduated 3,437 students with AA (Associate in Arts) and
AS (Associate in Science) degrees; an additional 154 students with bachelor's degrees, who are
all teachers, teaching in our community. Our students are 85 percent Hispanic, 66 percent
female, 83 of them work while attending college, and 54 percent of our students are the first in
their families to attend college. We know that we are the answer to their dreams.
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) those students that -- who stay in our community to attend college. Many
have no other choice. We are their choice. We take that very seriously. We know that of those
students that come to us directly from high school, 68 percent graduate from Miami Senior High
School, three blocks away from our campus, and 73 percent of our students live in the City of
Miami. So, you see, our students are certainly from our surrounding community. Their
struggles and achievements are what make us a significant beacon of hope. In addition to
preparing for their future careers, our students are busy becoming responsible citizens of our
community. The students at the InterAmerican campus have collectively worked over 9,000
hours of community service projects during this academic year alone at 70 community agencies.
We also know that we're an important part of the economic life of Little Havana. The
InterAmerican campus employs 520 individuals with a payroll which exceeds $17 million. These
employees, as well as our students, use the services and buy the goods of many of the businesses
in the community. I know that some of our neighbors are concerned regarding the future
development of our property. They worry that the College will build a facility that will not be
attractive adjoining a residential neighborhood. We have met with our neighbors to assure that
they -- what we would include them in any future planning for the development of the campus.
As you heard from our attorney, we have also shared with them preliminary concepts for the
25-foot setback which was recommended by the Planning Board. Please understand,
Miami -Dade College is presently in no financial condition to build on this property. We do not
have the finances to do so. However, when and if that changes, we will actively seek the input of
our neighbors during the planning process. Our intent is always to be responsible to the
neighborhood. The College employees the best architects who will work with us and the
neighbors to ensure that any facility we develop in the future will enhance the neighborhood.
Members of the Commission, we're committed to this. Thank you.
Chair Sanchez: Thank you.
Mr. Pastoriza: Thank you, Gina.
Chair Sanchez: All right. Wrap it up.
Mr. Pastoriza: Yes. I think that in closing, I would like to address some of the staffs
recommendations and address some of the objections. Basically, the gist of staffs objection is
that the approval of this application creates a domino effect or an intrusion into the area. In
most applications that this Commission sees, that is the case, but it's not the case on this
particular application, and I will tell you why.
Chair Sanchez: Why not?
Mr. Pastoriza: First -- I will tell you why -- the prop -- half of the property -- exactly half of the
property is already zoned G/I. Second, the acceptance of the 25-foot buffer, which will be a
linear park, but which will remain designated and zoned residential, creates a barrier on the
domino effect. In other words, in order for anybody to redesignate or zone properties to the
north of here would have to jump the residential district that we're leaving down here. And
finally, even if you were to assume that this application has and is intrusive, your own
comprehensive plan recognizes an exception to the intrusion argument --
Chair Sanchez: Public notice.
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Mr. Pastoriza: -- and that is Policy L U 1.1.12, and this is what it says. In order to encourage
the development and maintenance of educational facilities in the City ofMiami, the City's land
use policies permit schools in all land -use classifications, except conservation, public parks and
recreation, and indusfrial. There's no doubt that Miami -Dade Community College is an
educational facility; and there is no doubt that this application, this area is neither conservation,
public parks and recreation, nor indusfrial. Therefore, I would respectfully submit to you that
under the City's comprehensive plan, this application is consistent and permitted. Thank you.
And I would like to save some time --
Chair Sanchez: Thank you.
Mr. Pastoriza: -- for rebuttal.
Chair Sanchez: Yes, rebuttal.
Commissioner Gonzalez: I do have a question.
Chair Sanchez: Yes, questions. But sir, could we get you -- are you going to speak?
Andres Vazquez: Yes.
Chair Sanchez: Yes, sir. Come on up and state -- just get ready, and when we're done -- all
right.
Commissioner Gonzalez: My question, Mr. Pastoriza, what --
Mr. Pastoriza: Yes, sir.
Commissioner Gonzalez: -- are they planning to build in this --?
Mr. Pastoriza: Okay. Right now, as the College president told you, there is no funding for
anything other than parking, so --
Commissioner Gonzalez: Yeah, but what is -- what are -- I know now they don't have any
funding, like many people do. A lot of people don't have funding, and I'm not concerned about
tomorrow. I'm not concerned about next week. I'm concerned about five years from now. What
are the plans of the College with this piece of land?
Mr. Pastoriza: Well --
Chair Sanchez: Is it to expand? Is it to build?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Is it to expand with another building? Is it --?
Mr. Pastoriza: I am sure that they're going to build whatever parking facilities they need to
handle the parking crisis that they now have.
Commissioner Gonzalez: But are they only plan --?
Mr. Pastoriza: With regards to whether in the future there going to be a building there, more
classes, I cannot tell you. I don't know.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Okay. That --
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Mr. Pastoriza: I don't think the College even knows.
Commissioner Gonzalez: You just answered my question.
Chair Sanchez: Yeah. All right.
Commissioner Regalado: Can I ask a question?
Mr. Pastoriza: Yeah.
Commissioner Regalado: Are you still renting parking on Saint Michael's Church?
Mr. Pastoriza: No. We're rent -- let me tell you where we're renting parking. We're renting
parking at the Flagler Dog Track, 150 spaces at night; Wachovia Bank, 90; and Saint Matthews
Church, 60.
Commissioner Regalado: Yeah. That's what I'm asking.
Mr. Pastoriza: Yes.
Commissioner Regalado: Because you're still renting at Saint Michael's.
Mr. Pastoriza: Yeah, we're still renting there.
Commissioner Regalado: Okay.
Mr. Pastoriza: Saint Matthews.
Chair Sanchez: Saint Michael's, the church.
Commissioner Regalado: Saint Michael's.
Mr. Pastoriza: Oh, no. Saint Michael's, no. Saint Matthew's.
Commissioner Regalado: Oh, Saint Matthew's.
Mr. Pastoriza: Saint Matthew's, which is a church down on --
Commissioner Regalado: Right, right. I know (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Mr. Pastoriza: -- Beacon.
Commissioner Regalado: But l--
Mr. Pastoriza: Saint Matthew's.
Chair Sanchez: All right. If not, sir, you're on.
Mr. Vazquez: My name is Andy Vazquez, and I reside at 2540 Southwest 4th Street, and I do
appreciate the additional time. Thank you. I got this whole thing written out to kind of explain
our position, but think I'm just basically going to speak from the heart. I bought a house here
eight years ago on Southwest 4th Street, and my wife and her parents are lived on that block
since 1974. I had friends across the street from the house I now own, so I've been there since the
late '70s. When the College says that they are not an intrusion to the community, they are
exactly that, an intrusion to the community. By bringing the additional students and the building
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that they expect to build -- they have purchased and removed houses that had been there for
years. In so doing, they've actually intruded into the neighborhood. What we have here is not
considered a college town, and therefore, it cannot be attached to that land -use .1.1235,
whatever.
Chair Sanchez: LU 1.1.12.
Mr. Vazquez: That one. A college town, by definition, is a town built around an existing college.
We have quite the opposite. We have a town that's already been here, and there's a college
trying to be forced down the throats of everybody who has lived in this neighborhood for many,
many years. We have, in some cases, three generations of families living either on the same
house or on the same street. They came before the advisory board and the original meeting was
deferred. Why? Because they had never even attempted to discuss anything with the community.
It was deferred from February 18 to March 18, and on March 18, we shouldn't have even had a
meeting.
Chair Sanchez: Let me just pause there for a minute. Are you saying that they have not had an
opportunity to sit down with you and put together a plan? I mean, if they -- look, you got to be
good neighbors if it's going to work. Are you saying that the community college has not done
that yet?
Mr. Vazquez: It has not done the effort that they claim that they have done.
Chair Sanchez: All right. Then you know what? Taking into consideration that statement, what
Mr. Pastoriza: That's not --
Chair Sanchez: Okay.
Mr. Pastoriza: -- a correct statement.
Mr. Vazquez: It's a --
Chair Sanchez: All right.
Mr. Vazquez: -- very correct statement.
Chair Sanchez: Well, let's do something. I didn't anticipate this -- we got a long agenda, so
what I'm going to do -- being that it's on first reading, what I'm going to proffer is -- and give me
an opportunity to get more involved in this 'cause I just got it and I want to do my homework on
it 'cause it's a very sensitive issue. And I'm really at a point where, one, I look towards the
residents, but I -- Miami Dade Community College, I am a part of-- a product ofMiami Dade
Community College, so I want to sit down and see exactly how -- and I think that if we get an
opportunity for you to sit down with the residents again and see if they could come to an
understanding, it's not going to hurt the process. So being that it's on first reading, I'm going to
make a motion -- and I'll pass the gavel to Commissioner Sarnoff -- I will make a motion to
defer, giving you an opportunity to sit down with the concerned residents; and then when it
comes back, I think we'll be ready to make a vote on this, and I will be able to make an
intelligent vote on it, being that I will have more ample opportunity as to the subject. So I would
make a motion to defer the item.
Mr. Pastoriza: I don't have any objections to the deferral.
Chair Sanchez: Okay.
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Mr. Pastoriza: Could I just read a letter from the president of the College, that he --?
Chair Sanchez: No, we're not going to read anymore letters. We're going to go ahead and --
Mr. Pastoriza: Okay.
Chair Sanchez: -- defer the item. It doesn't kill it. It just gives us an opportunity -- I think it's
important that the residents have an opportunity to sit with Miami Dade Community College.
Some are saying that you have not had. I know that you probably have had a good reach out
with the students. I think it's important to get the five, six, seven, eight, ten people that are here,
sit in a room with them and work this out because you are a part of this community and they live
in this community. And, you know, you made a statement that said it is important -- an important
application for the College. Well, the outcome is very important to the residents. So I think with
time will give us a better understanding of how we're going to come to an agreement on this.
Mr. Vazquez: Commissioner Sanchez, I --
Chair Sanchez: Yes.
Mr. Vazquez: -- appreciate that opportunity. However, we would like, if that's going to be the
case, that the College actually present its true plan, not this fictitious -- something's going to
happen five years from now.
Chair Sanchez: Well --
Mr. Vazquez: We don't know what that is.
Chair Sanchez: -- but hold on. Let me explain something to you. What they're coming in front
of us is for a parking, okay. They're coming to -- for parking. Now, once this turn into G/I, they
could build something, but they would have to come back to the City.
Mr. Vazquez: No. They're going for a G/I now.
Chair Sanchez: Oh, no, no, no, no. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) hearings.
Mr. Vazquez: They're not going for parking now.
Chair Sanchez: All right.
Commissioner Regalado: No.
Mr. Vazquez: If they were going for parking, we wouldn't have a problem.
Chair Sanchez: Hold on.
Orlando Toledo (Senior Director, Building, Planning & Zoning): Yeah. Commissioner, as soon
as they become G/I, then they will not have to come back to --
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
Mr. Toledo: -- to City Commission --
Chair Sanchez: All right. Well, listen --
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Mr. Toledo: -- because --
Chair Sanchez: -- it is my district,• I'm going to respectfully ask that the item be deferred to the
next --
Commissioner Gonzalez: Mr. Chairman.
Chair Sanchez: -- regular -- PZ agenda.
Commissioner Sarnoff All right. Commissioner Gonzalez.
Commissioner Gonzalez: I have to agree with the gentleman. You know, there has to be a
definite plan of what is going to happen with this piece of land. I mean, you know, that --
leaving that vague of you know, just approve the land change and now we're not going to do
anything, but maybe in the future, we don't know. You know, that kind of uncertainty, you cannot
do that to a neighborhood, an established neighborhood, because -- I'm a graduate ofMiami
Dade Community College. I graduated in 1976, okay, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) site, Southwest 8th
Street and 7th Avenue, so I love the college, but also know -- I've been in this City for 50 years.
I also know that this neighborhood has been there for many, many, many years, okay, and the
building -- they acquire this building or they adopted this building to a college. I know they
have a lot of problems with parking because I have -- I know a lot of people that have gone to
that college, to that site, and they have a lot of problems with parking. I'm sure that the
neighborhood will not object to parking. I'm sure that the neighborhood will not object to
parking, but to another building because it's going to be a domino effect, you know. They will
build another building, more classrooms, and there will be more problem of parking, so the
problem will never disappear. It will be a constant problem. Thank you.
Chair Sanchez: Now, also we could suggest is -- are you willing to proffer that if you're going to
do anything else, you would bring it back to the Commission?
Mr. Pastoriza: I cannot make that proffer right now.
Chair Sanchez: Okay, so that's it. What we're going to do is let's go ahead --
Commissioner Sarnoff We have a motion --
Chair Sanchez: To defer --
Commissioner Sarnoff -- to defer. Is there a second?
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Chair Sanchez: -- giving us time.
Commissioner Sarnoff We have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? All right. All
in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Chair Sanchez: Folks --
Mr. Vazquez: Thank you, Commissioners.
Chair Sanchez: -- sorry. We'll see you back --
Maria J. Chiaro (Deputy City Attorney): That's item --
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PZ.13 08-01084zc ORDINANCE First Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING PAGE NO. 34, OF THE ZONING ATLAS OF
ORDINANCE NO. 11000, AS AMENDED, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI, ARTICLE 4, SECTION 401, SCHEDULE OF DISTRICT
REGULATIONS, BY CHANGING THE ZONING CLASSIFICATION FROM
"R-1" SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL AND "R-2" TWO-FAMILY
RESIDENTIAL TO "G/I" GOVERNMENT AND INSTITUTIONAL, FOR THE
PROPERTIES LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 2508, 2524, 2534, 2538,
2590, 2600, 2610 AND 2620 SOUTHWEST 5TH STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA;
MAKING FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND
PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
08-01084zc CC Analysis.pdf
08-010841u CC Zoning Map.pdf
08-01084zc CC Aerial Map.pdf
08-01084zc Letter of Intent.pdf
08-01084zc Application & Supporting Docs.pdf
08-01084zc ZB Resos.pdf
08-01084zc CC Legislation (Version 2).pdf
08-010841u & 08-01084zc Exhibit A.pdf
08-01084zc CC FR 06-25-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 2508, 2524, 2534, 2538, 2590, 2600, 2610 and
2620 SW 5th Street [Commissioner Joe Sanchez - District 3]
APPLICANT(S): Tony Recio, Esquire and Gilberto Pastoriza, Esquire, on
behalf of The District Board of Trustees of Miami -Dade Community College,
Florida
FINDING(S):
PLANNING DEPARTMENT: Recommended denial.
ZONING BOARD: Recommended denial to City Commission on April 13, 2009
by a vote of 3-2. Also recommended to the City Commission that the Board will
not object to an "SD-12" Overlay to achieve the parking needs of the
Miami -Dade College, by a vote of 4-1. See companion File ID 08-010841u.
PURPOSE: This will change the above properties to "G/I" Government and
Institutional.
Motion by Chair Sanchez, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez, that this matter be
CONTINUED PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Sanchez and Regalado
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Spence -Jones
Commissioner Sarnoff Want to do the same thing with PZ.13?
Chair Sanchez: All right. I think it's the right thing to do.
Mario J. Chiaro (Deputy City Attorney): It's items --
Commissioner Sarnoff Can we do the same thing with PZ.13?
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Chair Sanchez: Yeah, PZ.13. Make a motion to defer to the next PZ (Planning & Zoning)
agenda.
Commissioner Sarnoff Second.
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Second.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): So that --
Commissioner Sarnoff All in favor, please say "aye."
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
Ms. Thompson: I'm sorry; just one second. We need to make sure of something. PZ.12 and 13
are both being continued to the next P&Z meeting, which is --
Commissioner Sarnoff He said deferred.
Ms. Thompson: -- June 25.
Chair Sanchez: No, no. It's -- yeah. We'll continue it to the next one.
Ms. Thompson: The next meeting.
Chair Sanchez: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff You want continued, not deferred?
Chair Sanchez: Yes, continued. Sorry. I do apologize. I made a mistake.
Ms. Thompson: Yes.
Commissioner Sarnoff As amended.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
PZ.14 08-01086Iu ORDINANCE First Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 10544, AS AMENDED, THE
FUTURE LAND USE MAP OF THE MIAMI COMPREHENSIVE
NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, PURSUANT TO SMALL SCALE AMENDMENT
PROCEDURES, SUBJECT TO §163.3187, FLORIDA STATUTES, BY
CHANGING THE LAND USE DESIGNATION OF THE ACREAGE DESCRIBED
HEREIN OF REAL PROPERTIES LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 8055
NORTH MIAMI AVENUE AND 8102, 8112, 8128 NORTHEAST MIAMI COURT,
MIAMI, FLORIDA, FROM "OFFICE" TO "RESTRICTED COMMERCIAL";
MAKING FINDINGS; DIRECTING TRANSMITTALS TO AFFECTED
AGENCIES; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING
FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
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08-0010861u Analysis.pdf
08-010861u Land Use Map.pdf
08-010861u Aerial Map.pdf
08-010861u PAB Reso.pdf
08-0010861u Miami -Dade County School Concurrency.pdf
08-0010861u Application & Supporting Documents.pdf
08-0010861u CC Legislation (Version 2).pdf
08-0010861u & 08-01086zc Exhibit A.pdf
08-010861u CC SR 06-25-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 8055 N Miami Avenue and 8102, 8112, 8128 NE
Miami Court [Commissioner Michelle Spence -Jones - District 5]
APPLICANT(S): Kertch J. Conze, Esquire, on behalf of Josphine Mogene and
Erick St. Louis, Owners
FINDING(S):
PLANNING DEPARTMENT: Recommended denial.
PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD: Recommended denial to City Commission on
February 18, 2009 by a vote of 7-1. See companion File ID 08-01086zc.
PURPOSE: This will change the above properties to "Restricted Commercial".
Motion by Vice Chair Spence -Jones, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this
matter be PASSED ON FIRST READING PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 3 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff and Spence -Jones
Absent: 2 - Commissioner Sanchez and Regalado
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Let me ask you this, before Igo to PZ.14 and 15 -- first of all,
is there any opposition to that item, at all, PZ.14 and 15, from staff? No? Okay, so let's just take
it and let's get it out of the way. PZ.14 and 15. PZ.14 first.
Roberto E. Lavernia (Chief of Land Development, Planning Department): PZ.14 and 15 are
companion items. It's the change of the future land use map of the comprehensive plan and the
zoning change request. The Planning Department is recommending denial for intrusion of the
(UNINTELLIGIBLE) use into that area. The area is designated office and they want it restricted
commercial. Planning Advisory Board recommend denial on February 18. The Zoning Board
recommended approval of the case.
Commissioner Gonzalez: All right.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Open --
Commissioner Gonzalez: Is there a motion?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So moved.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Second. All right, it's a public hearing. Anyone in the public that
wants to address this item, please come forward to be recognized. You want to speak on the
item?
Kertch Conze: Certainly.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: It's been passed already, but go ahead.
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
Mr. Conze: I'm sorry?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: It's been passed already. Go ahead.
Mr. Conze: Good afternoon to you all. Kertch Conze, attorney of record for the owners that's
Josephine Mogene also present with me, as well as Mr. Erick Codet (phonetic). And I'm just
going to be very brief because I know we're running short on time. My client purchased this
particular property for the purpose of opening up a small take-out restaurant. As he mentioned,
it was zoned as office, and they're frying to change from office to commercial for that particular
purpose. We have submitted a covenant to the CityAttorney's Office for recommendations and
modification. And all of the corrections they've made, they are in agreement with my client; and
we brought you pictures, pretty much, showing you the area in question.
Commissioner Gonzalez: All right.
Mr. Conze: It is not -- there is not even one office there, and my client has purchased this
particular property, mortgaged her first home for the purpose of opening up this restaurant; and
we cleaned all the violations and paid the taxes, pay the insurance, pay the mortgage for up to a
year now. We just like to have your blessing in allowing her to go through with this particular
project.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: And it's in Little Haiti, right?
Commissioner Gonzalez: All right, thank you.
Mr. Conze: It is -- that is correct.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay, thank you.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Anyone else from the public? Seeing none, hearing none, the public
hearing is closed. It comes back to the Commission. It's an ordinance. Madam City Attorney,
will you read the ordinance?
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Maria J. Chiaro.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Roll call, please.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Your roll call on PZ.14.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Ms. Thompson: The ordinance has been passed on first reading, 3-0.
PZ.15 08-01086zc ORDINANCE
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), AMENDING PAGE NO. 10, OF THE ZONING ATLAS OF
ORDINANCE NO. 11000, AS AMENDED, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI, ARTICLE 4, SECTION 401, SCHEDULE OF DISTRICT
REGULATIONS, BY CHANGING THE ZONING CLASSIFICATION FROM "0"
OFFICE TO "C-1" RESTRICTED COMMERCIAL, FOR THE PROPERTIES
LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 8055 NORTH MIAMI AVENUE, 8102, 8112
AND 8128 NORTHEAST MIAMI COURT, MIAMI, FLORIDA; MAKING
FINDINGS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; AND PROVIDING FOR
AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
First Reading
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08-01086zc Analysis.pdf
08-01086zc CC Zoning Map.pdf
08-01086zc Aerial Map.pdf
08-01086zc Application & Supporting .pdf
08-01086zc ZB Reso.pdf
08-01086zc CC Legislation (Version 2).pdf
08-0010861u & 08-01086zc Exhibit A.pdf
08-01086zc CC SR 06-25-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
LOCATION: Approximately 8055 N Miami Avenue, 8102, 8112 and 8128 NE
Miami Court [Commissioner Michelle Spence -Jones - District 5]
APPLICANT(S): Kertch J. Conze, Esquire, on behalf of Josephine Mogene and
Erick St. Louis, Owners
FINDING(S):
PLANNING DEPARTMENT: Recommended denial.
ZONING BOARD: Recommended approval to City Commission on March 9,
2009 by a vote of 4-3. See companion File ID 08-010861u.
PURPOSE: This will change the above properties to "C-1" Restricted
Commercial. The applicant will proffer a covenant for these properties.
Motion by Vice Chair Spence -Jones, seconded by Commissioner Sarnoff, that this matter
be PASSED ON FIRST READING PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Sanchez
Commissioner Gonzalez: PZ.15, do we have a motion?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: So moved.
Commissioner Gonzalez: We have a motion. Is there a second?
Commissioner Sarnoff Second.
Commissioner Gonzalez: There is a second. It is a public hearing. Anyone from the public that
wants to address this item? Seeing none, hearing none, the public hearing is closed. It's also an
ordinance. Madam City Attorney.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by Deputy City Attorney Maria J. Chiaro.
Maria J Chiaro (Deputy City Attorney): We have reviewed the proffered covenant. It does not
change this ordinance, but the City Attorney has accepted the covenant as proffered.
Commissioner Gonzalez: All right. Roll call, please.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Your roll call on PZ.15 --
Commissioner Gonzalez: 15.
Ms. Thompson: -- as printed.
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Commissioner Gonzalez: As printed.
A roll call was taken, the result of which is stated above.
Ms. Thompson: The ordinance has been passed on first reading, 4-0.
PZ.16 09-00457zt ORDINANCE First Reading
AN ORDINANCE OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION AMENDING
ORDINANCE NO. 11000, AS AMENDED, THE ZONING ORDINANCE OF THE
CITY OF MIAMI, BY AMENDING ARTICLE 10, SIGN REGULATIONS, MORE
PARTICULARLY, SECTION 10.4, GENERAL REQUIREMENTS; TO
ADDRESS ISSUES AND REGULATIONS RELATED TO THE ILLUMINATION
OF OUTDOOR ADVERTISING SIGNS; CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY
CLAUSE AND PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
09-00457xt PAB Reso.pdf
09-00457zt CC Legislation (Version 3).pdf
09-00457zt CC SR 06-25-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
Votes:
LOCATION: Citywide
APPLICANT(S): Pedro G. Hernandez, City Manager, on behalf of the City of
Miami
FINDING(S):
PLANNING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval.
PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD: Recommended approval to City
Commission on May 6, 2009 by a vote of 8-0.
PURPOSE: This will address issues and regulations related to the
illumination of outdoor advertising signs.
Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter
be PASSED ON FIRST READING WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Ayes: 3 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff and Spence -Jones
Noes: 1 - Commissioner Regalado
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Sanchez
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: PZ.16, is that controversial? Okay, no problem. Lourdes.
Lourdes Slazyk (Zoning Administrator): Yes. Thank you. Lourdes Slazyk, for the record,
Zoning administrator. PZ.16 is an ordinance. We're going to request at first reading here that
the ordinance be bifurcated, and we're seeking your approval on an amendment to the Section
10.4. We want it bifurcated from the rest of the ordinance. The ordinance is doing three things.
One of the three is the 10.4 section, which basically states that any illumination of outdoor
advertising signs may only be approved as expressly provided for in each settlement agreement
for these outdoor advertising signs. That one we're going to ask you to -- we're requesting your
approval today on first reading on that; and the remainder of the amendments in this ordinance,
we're going to bifurcate and ask you to defer so we can continue working on them.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. So any questions on this item, guys? No questions? Can I get
a motion?
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Commissioner Gonzalez: Move it.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I have a motion. Do I have a second?
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: All in favor?
Commissioner Gonzalez: No. It's an ordinance.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, my goodness. I'm just -- see, this is what happens when you don't
get any sleep at night, I'm telling you.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): You need your public hearing.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I'd like to officially open the public hearing. Does anybody have any
issues on this item? All right. The item come -- the public hearing is officially closed. It comes
back to the Commission. It is an ordinance. Madam City Attorney, can you read it --
Julie O. Bru (City Attorney): Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- into --
Ms. Bru: As amended on the floor.
The Ordinance was read by title into the public record by the City Attorney.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Roll call.
Commissioner Sarnoff I'm sorry. Can I just ask a question? You have redacted out --
Ms. Slazyk: Took out the sections on the elecfronic -- the general electronic signs --
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
Ms. Slazyk: -- which is your changeable copy of elecfronic signs, and the artistic signs. Those
we're going to bifurcate as a separate ordinance. We're going to keep working on those and fry
and come up with some -- maybe tighten it up a little bit, get some information from the County,
and we will bring those -- I wanted that -- an indefinite deferral so we can continue working on
it, and we'll bring it back and readvertise it when we do that.
Commissioner Sarnoff So this is limited to what section of the --?
Ms. Slazyk: The 10.4, which I just read. I'll read it again real quick.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Ms. Slazyk: 10.4 is what deals with our outdoor advertising signs.
Commissioner Sarnoff It's that one paragraph?
Ms. Slazyk: Right, which is on page 5 of 14 --
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay, I know.
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Ms. Slazyk: -- on the ordinance.
Commissioner Sarnoff And that's all we're --
Ms. Slazyk: -- illumination of outdoor --
Commissioner Sarnoff -- amending, right?
Ms. Slazyk: Yes, that's it.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Roll call.
Commissioner Regalado: Why -- excuse me. Lourdes, why not bring --?
Ms. Slazyk: The other two?
Commissioner Regalado: Yes.
Ms. Slazyk: Submissions came up today that I think we need to check on with the County
regarding the permissibility maybe. We're still under a home rule charter with the County for
signs. I'm not sure I agree with, you know, what we heard today, but I'd like to check it out and
see if we can tighten that up and bring it back to you.
Commissioner Regalado: But why do this now?
Ms. Slazyk: Why do which one now, the first one?
Commissioner Regalado: This -- we're doing, what -- yeah.
Ms. Slazyk: The first one, the Administration wants to proceed today. Maybe the Manager can
answer that.
Pedro G. Hernandez (City Manager): Commissioner, the first one deals with the -- another item
on the agenda, which is RE.9, that, in essence, allows LED (Light Emitting Diodes) billboards to
be installed in the City. And the concern that we had with the other two elements that Lourdes
referred to is that --
Commissioner Regalado: You mean the murals and the --?
Ms. Slazyk: No. This is billboards.
Mr. Hernandez: No. It's --
Commissioner Regalado: No, I understand. But the murals, you defer.
Mr. Hernandez: Yes, I did.
Commissioner Regalado: So these are billboards.
Mr. Hernandez: Yes.
Commissioner Regalado: LED is a different thing.
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Ms. Slazyk: Yes. All this ordinance -- the ordinance before you right now, PZ.16, pretty much
states that illumination of any billboards will be as expressly authorized in each settlement
agreement. What that means is each settlement agreement that you've approved has to come
back to you on a case -by -case basis to address the illumination component. This ordinance
doesn't allow them to illuminate the billboards. It basically refers you to the settlement
agreement to do it.
Commissioner Sarnoff But --
Commissioner Regalado: Yes, it does, because if you got a Class II, you have an LED.
Ms. Slazyk: That's the part we took out. That's the one -- that's the section we took out. The
only thing we left was the 10.4.5 --
Commissioner Regalado: I know, but since you --
Ms. Slazyk: -- with the Class --
Commissioner Regalado: -- took it out --
Ms. Slazyk: Yes.
Commissioner Regalado: -- people are still doing it.
Mr. Hernandez: Commissioner, that's -- the reason that we took it out is that we want to take a
look at the potential impact citywide, and we may want to be, I don't know, maybe more strict on
the application. What Lourdes was doing in the way that this was written is to actually codify
the present process that is ongoing right now today, but I think that it's worth an effort to take a
look at it and maybe tighten it up a little bit.
Commissioner Sarnoff Do you mind ifI --?
Commissioner Regalado: No, no. Go ahead.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: You're recognized, Commissioner Sarnoff.
Commissioner Sarnoff I'm -- first of all, I'm curious. I'm curious how if the County is the
enabling legislation and if the County has not -- the premise is that the County is the enabling
legislation, very much like murals. The County -- if you're giving credence to the County's
argument that there may not be enabling legislation that allows the City to have illuminated
billboards, such as LEDs, then how can you enter into a settlement --
Commissioner Regalado: Right.
Commissioner Sarnoff -- with somebody that illumination of such outdoor advertising signs
may be approved as expressly provided in such settlement agreement -- other regulations in this
ordinance which address illumination of signs shall not generally apply to outdoor advertising
signs authorized herein. You refer them back to the settlement agreement, but if, in fact, the
County is right, then you are authorizing them in a settlement agreement to illuminate signs
without enabling legislation to do so. So how can you do that?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Madam City Attorney, I mean, I think you have some information to
add to this?
Ms. Bru: Okay. I have not discussed with anyone what the County's ordinance --
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Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Warren.
Ms. Bru: -- provides. Maybe Warren Bittner has.
Warren Bittner: Commissioner, we are not necessarily accepting --
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Mr. Bittner: -- the premise that you're referring to. We feel that the County ordinance addresses
illumination, but with respect to outdoor advertising signs, we believe we have the authority to
do what we're doing.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay. The County doesn't address illuminating or moving signs, and I
mean that by moving in terms of the message, by --
Mr. Bittner: They --
Commissioner Sarnoff -- requiring -- let me just finish. I'm not being disrespectful -- but by
requiring a certain square footage for that sign to occupy?
Mr. Bittner: I don't know about the square footage, butl can tell you that under Section 33-96
of the Dade County -- Miami -Dade County Code, they regulate flashing, moving, intermittent,
chasing, or rotating lights are prohibited. That's what they prohibit. Now, whether or not an
LED sign is intermittent, that the sign company would have to comply with the Dade County
Code. Our settlement agreements specifically provide that the sign company must comply with
all federal, state, Miami -Dade County, and City ordinances concerning illumination and other
matters.
Commissioner Sarnoff So, theoretically, even if you just put an LED sign that only had one
face, that would not be a chasing --?
Mr. Bittner: Right.
Commissioner Sarnoff Right.
Mr. Bittner: That's correct.
Commissioner Sarnoff Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Any other questions on this item?
Commissioner Regalado: I just have a question.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Sure. Go ahead.
Commissioner Regalado: On artistic signs with no advertising matter --
Ms. Slazyk: That's the other one we've removed for now.
Commissioner Regalado: Huh?
Ms. Slazyk: That's the other one that we're removing for now. That's going to be deferred.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: She bifurcated it. They removed it earlier.
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Commissioner Regalado: Yeah, I understand, but this -- would not this present a challenge to
the first amendment because you say here that artistic signs with no advertising matter. Well,
that could be graffiti, right? But this -- if we regulate this, we could be challenged on the First
Amendment, right?
Mr. Hernandez: Well, Commissioner, that's the portion that we're bifurcating out or deferring so
we can take a closer look before we bring it back to you.
Commissioner Regalado: No. I know. But the fact is that it's here, and my point is that how can
we even think that a government can regulate artistic, what do they say, signs? We can't, unless
Mr. Hernandez: Commissioner, that's probably, you know, a good reason to rethink that part of
it before we bring it back to you. That's the portion that we're taking out and bifurcating out so
we can properly --
Commissioner Regalado: I applaud you, but how did it get there on the first place?
Mr. Hernandez: I think that what Lourdes was attempting to do, she was frying to codify the way
the City today acts in the field, I would say, and I don't think that that was good enough because
we want to improve beyond the way things are today.
Commissioner Regalado: Okay.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I think we're in the middle of -- okay, any other questions? -- a roll
call, right --
Ms. Thompson: Correct.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: -- Madam City Clerk?
Ms. Thompson: Your roll call --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Roll call.
Ms. Thompson: -- on your modified first reading ordinance. Commissioner Sarnoff?
Commissioner Regalado: Yes.
Ms. Thompson: Commissioner Regalado?
Commissioner Regalado: No.
Ms. Thompson: Commissioner Gonzalez?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Yes.
Ms. Thompson: Vice Chair Spence -Jones?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes.
Ms. Thompson: The ordinance has been passed on first reading, 3-1.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay.
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PZ.17 09-00540 RESOLUTION
A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, WITH
ATTACHMENT(S), ACCEPTING AND ADOPTING THE REVISED
SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT
PLAN ("REVISED REDEVELOPMENT PLAN") PREPARED IN NOVEMBER
2004, AND REVISED IN MAY 2009, BY THE CITY OF MIAMI ("CITY")
PLANNING DEPARTMENT; ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THIS REVISED
REDEVELOPMENT PLAN IS IN CONFORMITY WITH THE CITY'S
COMPREHENSIVE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN FOR THE CITY; ACCEPTING
THE EXTENDED BOUNDARIES AS SET FORTH IN "EXHIBIT A," ATTACHED
AND INCORPORATED; INCORPORATING THESE NEW BOUNDARIES IN
THE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN; AND FILING SAID BOUNDARIES WITH A
REVISED MAP WITH THE CITY CLERK, PURSUANT TO SECTION 14-252
OF THE CODE OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA, AS AMENDED.
09-00540 Analysis.pdf
09-00540 Zoning Map.pdf
09-00540 Aerial Map.pdf
09-00540 SEOPW Redevelopment Plan May 2009 Update.pdf
EXHIBIT A - 2009 SEOPW Redev. Plan May 2009 Update-SUB.pdf
09-00540 CC Legislation (Version 2).pdf
09-00540 Exhibit A.pdf
09-00540 CC 05-28-09 Fact Sheet.pdf
LOCATION: Generally North of NW 3rd and 5th Streets, West of Interstate 95
and NW 1st Place; South of NW 22nd Street, and East of NW 7th Avenue
[Commissioner Marc David Sarnoff - District 2 and Michelle Spence -Jones -
District 5]
APPLICANT(S): Pedro G. Hernandez, City Manager, on behalf of the City of
Miami
FINDING(S):
PLANNING DEPARTMENT: Recommended approval.
PLANNING ADVISORY BOARD: Recommended approval with modifications
on May 27, 2009, vote of 7-0.
PURPOSE: This will accept and adopt the Revised Southeast Overtown/Park
West Community Redevelopment Plan and the extended boundaries.
Motion by Commissioner Gonzalez, seconded by Commissioner Regalado, that this matter
be ADOPTED WITH MODIFICATIONS PASSED by the following vote.
Votes: Ayes: 4 - Commissioner Gonzalez, Sarnoff, Regalado and Spence -Jones
Absent: 1 - Commissioner Sanchez
R-09-0270
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Let me just clear up -- clean up some more stuff. We dealt with PZ
(Planning & Zoning) --
Commissioner Gonzalez: You want to do 7 and 8?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah. I want to do 17 and get that out of the way 'cause we already
saw the redevelopment plan. Can we just go 'head [sic] and approve that?
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Commissioner Gonzalez: Motion on the -- on PZ.17.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Is there anybody from staff that needs to do anything regarding -- for
the item on PZ. 17? Does anybody need to put anything on the record?
Maria J. Chiaro (Deputy City Attorney): You can state what it is.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. This is the Community Redevelopment Plan for Southeast
Overtown/Park West, and again, we've already heard the item earlier, so do we have a motion?
Commissioner Gonzalez: Move it.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Is there a second?
Commissioner Regalado: Second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes, Madam Clerk.
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): Just wanting to check with the City Attorney again.
Because of the modifications that were made on --
Ms. Chiaro: That's on the next item.
Ms. Thompson: Okay. So PZ.17 is not modified?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: PZ -- Madam Clerk, is not what now?
Ms. Thompson: I'm trying to make sure that there's no modification to PZ --
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Are there any modifications, at all?
Gregory Gay (Planner II, Planning): There's one modification.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: What's the modification?
Mr. Gay: Gregory Gay, with the Planning Department. Actually, there's two modifications.
Ms. Chiaro: There is an amendment (UNINTELLIGIBLE) that.
Mr. Gay: The first modification is the inclusion of supported housing within the document itself
and the second modification is the changing of the boundaries between the Omni -- proposed
Omni redevelopment area and the Overtown redevelopment, excluding the area from 1st Place
to 1st Avenue, the FEC (Florida East Coast) right-of-way between 14th Street south to the
southern boundary ofI-395. Those are excluded.
Commissioner Gonzalez: Okay, move it as modified.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Move it as modified. We had a motion.
Commissioner Regalado: Yes. Second.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Had a second. All in favor?
The Commission (Collectively): Aye.
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: This item passes. So we have lost PZ.17.
END OF PLANNING AND ZONING ITEMS
MAYOR AND COMMISSIONER'S ITEMS
CITYWIDE
HONORABLE MAYOR MANUEL A. DIAZ
END OF CITYWIDE ITEMS
DISTRICT 1
COMMISSIONER ANGEL GONZALEZ
END OF DISTRICT 1
DISTRICT 2
COMMISSIONER MARC DAVID SARNOFF
D2.1 09-00512 DISCUSSION ITEM
DISCUSSION REGARDING OFF -DUTY POLICE ASSIGNMENTS.
WHO GETS THE ASSIGNMENTS?
WHO DECIDES WHO GETS THE ASSIGNMENTS?
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OFF -DUTY OFFICERS?
WHO GETS THE COMPENSATION?
D2.2 09-00546
VOLUNTARY USE OF OFF -DUTY OFFICERS.
REQUIRED USE OF OFF -DUTY OFFICERS.
09-00512 Email . 6-11-09pdf
09-00512-Submittal-Memo-City Manager.pdf
DEFERRED
Note for the Record: Item D2.1 was deferred to the Commission meeting currently scheduled for
June 11, 2009.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: (INAUDIBLE).
Priscilla A. Thompson (City Clerk): I'm sorry, Chair. We can't hear you. Is your --?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: We only have two blue page items.
Ms. Thompson: Thank you.
Commissioner Sarnoff I will table mine.
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Okay. Anything else?
DISCUSSION ITEM
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Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
DISCUSSION REGARDING GRAFFITI.
ILLEGAL GRAFFITI APPEARS TO BE ESCALATING CITYWIDE.
CERTAIN BLOCKS APPEAR TO BE UNDER SIEGE.
WHAT STEPS ARE BEING TAKEN TO STOP THIS MENACE?
HOW MUCH MONEY IS BEING BUDGETED FOR REMEDIATION OF
ILLEGAL GRAFFITI?
CODE ENFORCEMENT?
CAN THE CITY COVER ILLEGAL GRAFFITI ON PRIVATE PROPERTY?
IF YES, UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES?
"BROKEN WINDOW THEORY" OF GOVERNING.
09-00546 Email.pdf
DEFERRED
Note for the Record: Item D2.2 was deferred to the Commission meeting currently scheduled for
June 11, 2009.
Note for the Record: For minutes referencing item D2.2, please refer to item D2.1.
END OF DISTRICT 2
DISTRICT 3
CHAIR JOE SANCHEZ
END OF DISTRICT 3
DISTRICT 4
COMMISSIONER TOMAS REGALADO
END OF DISTRICT 4
DISTRICT 5
VICE CHAIR MICHELLE SPENCE-JONES
END OF DISTRICT 5
Non Agenda Items
NA.1 09-00630 DISCUSSION ITEM
DISCUSSION REGARDING THE PASSING OF REVEREND GERARD
JEAN-JUSTE.
DISCUSSED
Chair Sanchez: So if you would please rise and bow your heads as we pray -- Before we open
up with our prayer, I have some sad news for all of us. Gerard Jean Juste, a spiritual leader of
the Haitian American community, has passed away. He was a 30-year human rights crusader
on behalf of his fellow Haitian. And he's basically known throughout the community as a
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
spiritual political leader in South Florida. Today, our entire community joins with the Haitian
community as we mourn the passing of Gerard Jean Juste. We would ask for a moment of
silence in his honor. Thank you.
NA.2 09-00633 DISCUSSION ITEM
BRIEF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF INVESTIGATION CLOSEOUT MEMO
FROM THE MIAMI DADE COUNTY STATE ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
REGARDING VICE CHAIR SPENCE-JONES.
DISCUSSED
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: I just have a comment or statement in closing before we actually
adjourn, if you don't mind indulging me for a second, my colleagues? I just want to officially put
something on the record because I think it's extremely important for me to do it, so do I have
your -- everyone's --?
Commissioner Sarnoff Attention?
Vice Chair Spence -Jones: Yes, attention. First of all, I'd like to take the time to -- as you know,
I'm -- you've known over the last two years, I have gone through the mill, you know, with a lot of
issues that have gone on in the City ofMiami regarding allegations; and I just want to officially
put something on the record so that we can put it behind us and continue to work and serve this
community. First of all, I'd like to thank the Miami Dade County State Attorney's Office, Kathy
Fernandez -Rundle and Assistant State Attorney Joe Centorino for issuing a close-out memo
clearing me of any criminal activity. In spite of some people's attempt or the media's attempt to
assassinate my character, the State Attorney's Office conducted its investigation in a very
professional manner. I want to make sure everyone is aware that received a memo closing out
this two-year investigation the old-fashioned way -- I earned it. I earned it by never violating the
public's trust. I earned it by never violating my oath in office. I earned it by never forgetting
that my hand was on the Holy Bible when I was sworn in as the City ofMiami Commissioner of
Disfrict 5. Being exonerated was not a gift given to me; I earned it. I earned it by enduring two
years of headaches and heartaches for me and my family all based on lies and innuendos
designed to divert attention from others' misdoings. I would like to thank my colleagues -- and
I'm going to especially say my man -- my City Manager and all of the City staff that have
supported me in the midst of all of this stuff that was going on -- that has supported me during
these trying times. For those of you who fried to cause me harm, as a child of God, I forgive
you. At the end of the day, we all have to work to serve this community. I know that
Commissioner Gonzalez, himself knows that when these kind of things or statements are made
about you, it not only affects you as an individual, but it affects your family and it affects the
people that have elected you or have entrusted you to do a job. I'm just hoping, as of this point
on, that whatever goes on in the City ofMiami as we sit on this dais, as we work within the
community, that we be mindful of the things that we say and do because it fruly can cause harm
to individuals. And the person that actually sat in this particular chair, the one that I'm sitting
in, the D5 (Disfrict 5) Commissioner, a lot of things were said about him and a lot of things was
-- a lot of accusations were made about him, a lot of innuendos, serious investigations. I don't
know whether or not it's true or not. I can just tell you it wasn't true about me, but the
perception in the community and the perception that the media put out there, they left people
wondering whether or not it was true. Unfortunately, he was not here for his vindication. And
I'm going to say that again. Unfortunately, he was not here for his vindication because, again,
in the end, when it was all said and done, when he moved on to another higher place in life, he
was cleared. So I think that it's extremely important that before we make accusations about
individuals, that we be careful about what we say and do. And with that being said, I want to say
that it has been an honor to be able to serve over the last three and a half years. I have learned
a lot, and I look forward to learning more. And I just want to say thank you to my Clerk and
everybody else that has prayed for me, and I love each and every one of you, even though I get
mad at you most of the time, butl do want to say thatl do forgive you and I think that there's a
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City Commission
Meeting Minutes May 28, 2009
lot of power in forgiving and this is the day that I want to begin or start for -- to move past all of
this craziness. With that being said, this meeting is officially adjourned.
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