HomeMy WebLinkAboutCRA-R-06-0020 Cover MemoSEOPW & Omni Board of Commissioners Meeting
June 26, 2006
SOUTHEAST OVERTOWN/PARK WEST Item 4
AND OMNI
COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES
INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM
Chairman Johnny L. Winton
and Members of the CRA Board
Date: June 16, 2006 File: 06-00919
Subject, Appropriation Resolution for Omni CRA
Water/Sewer Infrastructure Improvement
Project
From: Frank K. Rollason Reference:
Executive Director
Enclosures: Supporting Documentation;
Legislation
RECOMMENDATION.
It is recommended that the Board of Commissioners of the Omni Redevelopment District Community Redevelopment
Agency (CRA) approve and adopt the attached Resolution appropriating an initial amount of $3,500,000.00 for funding
the Omni Area Water/Sewer Infrastructure Improvement Project and further authorizing the Executive Director to
negotiate a Grant Agreement with Miami -Dade County Water and Sewer Department (WASD) to design, engineer,
and install this improvement project and further, the negotiated Agreement shall be brought back before the Board of
Directors for final approval.
JUSTIFICATION;
This project was an item before the Board on February 23, 2006, but withdrawn by the Executive Director; he had
received an e-mail from the City CIT Department that WASD would no longer be able to perform the design and
engineering portion of the project in-house and did not know what the financial impact of this change would be on the
overall budget. Since that time, the Executive Director has met with the new Director of WASD, John Renfrow, and
has been assured that the project can go forward within the proposed budget of $3.5 million. Therefore, this item is,
again, being placed before the Board for consideration. As background, the Executive Director has worked with
WASD and the City for the past two years to develop this project which ultimately resulted in a July 18, 2005 WASD
proposal letter (attached). Although City CIT originally had concerns over the expenditure of Tax Increment Funds
(TIF) for this type of project, they are now in support of this project (see attached 1/20/06 Conway letter to WASD).
This project is designed to upgrade the water/fire flow and sewer requirements to the maximum development
anticipated under Miami 21 and the Omni CRA Redevelopment Plan. Construction would concentrate on the western
portions of the CRA Area and work its way east from the FEC tracks toward the high-rise developments along
Biscayne Boulevard and North Bayshore Drive in front of Margaret Pace Park. These improvements will attract
developers on a smaller scale within the Omni CRA who otherwise may not have the financial capacity to construct
their above ground projects as well as the required in -ground infrastructure improvements. This project falls within the
current Omni CRA Redevelopment Plan's ("the Plan") Objectives — I1LC., Public Infrastructure and Amenities - to
provide adequate public utilities and services for the area's residents and businesses. Specifically, within Section
iV.C.2. — Utilities and Drainage, the Plan states, "The Omni area is presentiy provided with water and sanitary sewer
service by the Miami -Dade Water and Sewer System. Both systems contain sufficient capacity to serve future growth
in the Omni area; however, certain of the local distribution lines within the district may need to be upgraded as
redevelopment occurs." in addition, Section V.B. — Capital Improvement Projects of the Plan includes "Item No. 3 -
public infrastructure improvements including, but not limited to utilities " This project is an ideal expenditure of
TIF funds and will provide an economic
incentive to developers to go forward with their projects sooner than later. It will also eliminate project -by -project grant
requests from various developers to financially assist them in providing the needed and required water/sewer
infrastructure improvements.
FUNDING SOURCE: $3,500,000.00 from Omni TIF Account No. 686001.590320.6 .860 entitled Construction in
Progress.
FKR/eh