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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMCRA 2007-07-30 MinutesCity of Miami City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com Di • IN O9▪ IEP 19 1i? Meeting Minutes Monday, July 30, 2007 5:00 PM ICE PALACE (AT BIG TIME PRODUCTIONS) 59 Northwest 14th Street Miami, Florida 33136 Midtown Community Redevelopment Agency Michelle Spence -Jones, Chair Marc David Sarnoff, Vice Chair Angel Gonzalez, Commissioner Joe Sanchez, Commissioner Tomas Regalado, Commissioner CRA OFFICE ADDRESS: 49 NW 5th ST, SUITE 100, Miami, FL 33128 Phone: (305) 679-6800, Fax: (305) 679-6835 Midtown Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes July 30, 2007 Minutes are transcribed verbatim. Periodically, agenda items are revisited during a meeting. "[Later...]" refers to discussions that were interrupted and later continued. Present: Commissioner Gonzalez, Commissioner Regalado and Chair Spence -Jones Absent: Commissioner Sanchez and Vice Chair Sarnoff On the 30th day of July 2007, the Board of Directors of the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) for the Midtown District of the City of Miami met in regular session at the Ice Palace, 59 Northwest 14th Street, Miami, Florida 33136. The meeting was called to order by Chair Michelle Spence -Jones at 5:23 p.m. and was adjourned at 5:28 p.m. ALSO PRESENT: James Villacorta, Interim Executive Director, CRA Gail A. Dotson, Assistant General Counsel, CRA William R. Bloom, Special Counsel, CRA Pamela E. Burns, Assistant Clerk of the Board RESOLUTION 1. 07-00931 MCRA RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE MIDTOWN COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY ("CRA"), WITH ATTACHMENT(S), APPROVING AND ADOPTING THE CRA'S PROPOSED GENERAL OPERATING BUDGET AND TAX INCREMENT FUND BUDGET FOR THE FISCAL YEAR COMMENCING OCTOBER 1, 2007 AND ENDING SEPTEMBER 30, 2008; AND DIRECTING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF EACH BUDGET TO THE CITY OF MIAMI AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTY. Memo.pdf Legislation.pdf Motion by Commissioner Regalado, seconded by Commissioner Gonzalez, that this matter be ADOPTED PASSED by the following vote. Votes: Aye: Commissioner Gonzalez, Commissioner Regalado and Chair Spence -Jones Absent: Commissioner Sanchez and Vice Chair Sarnoff MCRA-R-07-0001 Direction by Commissioner Regalado instructing the City Clerk to research the minutes regarding the commitments made to the Wynwood community regarding the City of Miami Midtown Community Redevelopment Agency. Chair Spence -Jones: So we're going to move on -- going to jump backup again to the Commissioner subcommittees updates. James H Villacorta (Interim Executive Director, Community Redevelopment Agency): Or did you want to take the Midtown -- Chair Spence -Jones: Oh, you want to -- Mr. Villacorta: -- budget at the same time? Chair Spence -Jones: -- get Midtown out of the way? OK. Let's get Midtown out of the way, and this is item number 1, actually, not 23, correct, on Midtown's --? City of Miami Page 2 Printed on 8/15/2007 Midtown Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes July 30, 2007 Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. It's number one on the Midtown agenda just because the program used to prepare the agendas doesn't allow for all three to be on one agenda. It's Omni and Overtown, and then Midtown was separate, but it was listed as the last item in the book. Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Mr. Villacorta: Again, this is the proposed operating and tax increment budgets for the Midtown CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency). The CRA is the -- the prime mission of the CRA is to provide funds for the infrastructure bonds that were issued by the community development district. We are very limited in what else can be spent frotn that fund One percent is all of the operating budget that's allowed. In fact, the City has given us funds. This year, they'll give us $20, 000 to operate this CRA because the administrative allowance does not cover fully the cost. Again, this projection is based on conservative estimates of the TIF (Tax Increment Fund) funds to be received, and with that contribution from the City, fully covers the operations of the Midtown CRA. Chair Spence -Jones: Before we get a motion or anything on -- I do want to ask you one quick question on the Midtown CRA, andl don't know if my fellow colleagues has more information on this, but I know that in the Wynwood area especially, many of the residents there have questions or concerns about, in the beginning, when Commissioner Teele was involved in this whole issue of the Midtown CRA, that there was some sort of commitments that were made from a parking perspective. Do you remember what the re -- were -- the discussions were around the parking issues on this? Commissioner Regalado: Yeah, I remember, but I don't think that it never was formalized -- Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Commissioner Regalado: -- in terms of you know, commitment of projects. Chair Spence -Jones: To the community? Commissioner Regalado: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: OK, 'cause I'm getting a lot of questions about what -- there were two things: one was there was apparently a million -dollar commitment for affordable housing projects for the residents of Midtown. I don't know if anybody has any updates on that. If -- but if you can do some research on that, Jim, because -- or do you know, Commissioner Regalado? Commissioner Regalado: Well, the only thing I know is that I haven't heard anything about affordable housing or parking. The only thing I hear about Midtown is the streetcar -- Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Commissioner Regalado: -- but I don't -- I do recall that there was an offer -- and I think it was one of the conditions --- Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Commissioner Regalado: -- that Commissioner Teele -- Chair Spence -Jones: Put in it, right? Commissioner Regalado: Yeah -- City of Miami Page 3 Printed on 8/15/2007 Midtown Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes July 30, 2007 Chair Spence -Jones: Is it --? Commissioner Regalado: -- the affordable housing fund Mr. Villacorta: This -- the creation of this CRA was handled by the City staff, and it was run by the City after it was created for the first year, and -- Chair Spence -Jones: OK. Mr. Villacorta: -- then turned over to us to operate. My understanding is that there was a discussion about affordable housing, and that it was agreed the developer would make a contribution to affordable housing that was outside the limits of this project, and this project is very -- Chair Spence -Jones: Yeah -- Mr. Villacorta: -- it has very defined boundaries. Chair Spence -Jones: -- but there was supposed to be a commitment from the developers to the Wynwood folks, and many of -- Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Commissioner Spence -Jones: -- the folks from my district, and I know a part of Sarnoffs district, is wondering where, you know, is that commitment. If there's any way you can, at least -- I don't know, Ms. City Attorney, if you guys can find out from us -- for us where is that commitment. Because even if the City created and it was turned over to us to manage and operate, you still have certain guidelines or certain things that they said that they were going to do that we want to make sure that they're doing, so can you -- Mr. Villacorta: I'll -- Commissioner Spence -Jones: -- try to get to the bottom of it? Mr. Villacorta: -- definitely look into it. My understanding is that they made a contribution of a million dollars to a development. I'll verhY that. Commissioner Regalado: We should have the City Clerk research the minutes of that meeting. I remember. I was -- it was a whole afternoon of discussion about the tax credits and the hundred million dollars and the affordable and the parking, and you know, in fact, the City has given already a lot of money for them for the infrastructure, the streetcar infrastructure. They already have it -- Mr. Villacorta: Yeah. Commissioner Regalado: -- over there. Mr. Villacorta: My understanding is that we did give money for design and construction of infrastructure -- Commissioner Regalado: In -- Mr. Villacorta: -- to -- City of Miami Page 4 Printed on 8/15/2007 Midtown Community Redevelopment Agency Meeting Minutes July 30, 2007 Commissioner Regalado: -- the plaza. Mr. Villacorta: Yes, to -- Commissioner Regalado: In the plaza. Mr. Villacorta: -- put the streetcar in. Commissioner Regalado: Just in case someday will be a streetcar. Mr. Villacorta: Yes. Chair Spence -Jones: So please, if you can let us know because I know people in -- Mr. Villacorta: Sure. Chair Spence -Jones: -- Wynwood need that million dollars. If it's somewhere, we'd like to at least be able to share. OK. Do I have a motion on this item? Did I get a motion and a second? Commissioner Regalado: I move it. Commissioner Gonzalez: Second. Chair Spence -Jones: All right. All in favor? The Commissioners (Collectively): Aye. Chair Spence -Jones: All right, moving right along. Pamela E. Burns (Assistant Clerk of the Board): Excuse me. Who was the second? Who made the second on this? Commissioner Gonzalez: I did. Ms. Burns: Thank you. I didn't hear you. Thank you. City of Miami Page 5 Printed on 8/15/2007