HomeMy WebLinkAboutOMNI CRA 2017-10-03 MinutesCity of Miami
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Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, October 03, 2017
5:00 PM
Temple Israel of Greater Miami
137 NE 19th Street
Miami, FL 33136
OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency
Ken Russell, Chair
Francis Suarez, Vice Chair
Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Board Member, District 1
Frank Carollo, Board Member, District 3
Keon Hardemon, Board Member, District 5
OMNI and MIDTOWN CRA OFFICE ADDRESS:
1401 N. Miami Avenue, 2"d Floor, Miami 33136
Phone: (305) 679-6868
www.miamicra.com
OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Marked Agenda October 3, 2017
CALL TO ORDER
Present: Chair Russell, Vice Chair Suarez, Commissioner Gort, Commissioner Carollo and
Commissioner Hardemon
On the 3rd day of October 2017, the Board of Commissioners of the OMNI Community
Redevelopment Agency of the City of Miami met in regular session at Temple Israel of
Greater Miami located at 137 Northeast 19th Street, Miami, Florida. The meeting was
called to order by Vice Chair Suarez at 5:12 p.m., recessed at 5:25 p.m., reconvened at
5:45 p.m., and was adjourned at 5:45 p.m.
Note for the Record: Commissioner Carollo entered the meeting at 5:22 p.m., and
Chair Russell entered the meeting at 5:45 p.m.
ALSO PRESENT:
Jason Walker, Executive Director, CRA
Isiaa Jones, Chief Legal Officer, CRA
Barnaby Min, Deputy General Counsel, CRA
Nicole N. Ewan, Assistant Clerk of the Board
Vice Chair Suarez: I should begin the meeting because we do have quorum, and
apparently I'm the Vice Chair; I did not know that. At least somebodv finds it -- my
humor today funny; two people. I'll take it, I'll take it, I'll take it. All right. So the call
to order is -- Can we first approve the meeting minutes? This is the October 3, 2017
meeting of the Omni Community Redevelopment Agency.
APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE FOLLOWING MEETING(S):
2. OMNI COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY - REGULAR MEETING -
JUN 21, 2017 5:30 PM
MOTION TO: Approve
RESULT: APPROVED
MOVER: Keon Hardemon, Board Member, District 5
SECONDER: Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Board Member, District 1
AYES: Gort, Hardemon, Suarez
ABSENT: Carollo, Russell
3. OMNI COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY - REGULAR MEETING -
JUL 27, 2017 12:00 PM
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MOTION TO: Approve
RESULT: APPROVED
MOVER: Keon Hardemon, Board Member, District 5
SECONDER: Wifredo (Willy) Gort, Board Member, District 1
AYES: Gort, Hardemon, Suarez
ABSENT: Carollo, Russell
Vice Chair Suarez: Is there a motion to approve the minutes of the June 21 meeting
and the July 27 meeting?
Board Member Hardemon: There is.
Vice Chair Suarez: Is there a second? Motion and a second. Anyone wish to be
recorded "no" on the minutes, approving -- approval of the minutes? Hearing none
and seeing none, that -- the approval of the minutes passes unanimously.
PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD
Vice Chair Suarez: Well -- Okay, let's do this: Let's open up the forum for the public to
discuss any items on the agenda. Anyone from the public wish to discuss any items on the
agenda? Seeing none, hearing none, the public discussion is closed.
OMNI CRA DISCUSSION ITEM(S)
1. OMNI CRA DISCUSSION
2971 REHABILITATION OF THE HISTORIC BANK BUILDING LOCATED AT 1367
NORTH MIAMI AVENUE.
MOTION TO: Discuss
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Discussion Item 1, please
see Discussion Item 2.
Vice Chair Suarez: Do you want us to go into the discussion items, Mr. Executive
Director? Okay, Omni CRA (Community Redevelopment Agency) Discussion Item
Number 1, rehabilitation of the historic bank building, located at 1367 North Miami
Avenue. You 're recognized.
Anthony Balzebre: Anthony Balzebre, Assistant Director, Omni CRA. We do want
to bring to your attention, we are going to craft an RFP (Request for Proposals),
with the help of the Procurement Department, for the property we just acquired this
year; historic bank building. So we will be embarking on that within the next 30 to
60 days; wanted to bring that to light. And the -- that -- same goes for the second
discussion item. We'll -- as well, working with the Procurement Department -- be
crafting an RFP for our Finding of Necessity and our eventual redevelopment plan.
Board Member Hardemon: So there is a desire to extend the life of the CRA here in
the Omni?
Jason Walker (Executive Director/Omni Community Redevelopment Agency): Yes,
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sir, which is what we want to talk to you all about during this discussion. There are
several -- as you know, the Omni CRA is -- has a lot of debt, until 2030, with the
PAC (Performing Arts Center) commitment, commitment to the tunnel. And so, we
realize that in order for us to make any substantial move towards attainable housing
within the Omni CRA District, we would possibly need to extend the lifetime to 2045.
There's a item on the agenda for a nonbinding MOU (Memorandum of
Understanding) with the School Board to look at their 10 acres in downtown Miami,
to possibly partner with them in developing those 10 acres; and putting that
property, which now is not on the tax rolls, because it's owned by the School, and
develop it into a mixed -use development that would put attainable housing within
that development, where the CRA would contribute the TIF (Tax Increment Fund) to
the deal to make that happen. In order to do that, we would need an extension of life
to 2045. We've done the financial analysis of that project, which we will talk about
in that item; that if we extend to 2045 and have that property come on the tax rolls, it
would yield approximately $500 million in new TIF money for the Omni CRA. So for
that project alone, we think it's something that we should look at for the extension.
Vice Chair Suarez: Anyone else? Any other questions on the extension? So you're
that the extension could yield an additional $500 million worth of TIF?
Mr. Walker.: Just under nine acres of School Board property --
Vice Chair Suarez: Okay.
Mr. Walker: -- by itself.
Vice Chair Suarez: That's a lot of TIF.
Mr. Walker: A lot of TIF.
Board Member Gort: We're discussing the rehab of the bank, right? Or we
(UNINTELLIGIBLE)?
Mr. Walker: No. We moved --
Vice Chair Suarez: Yeah, we kind of dovetailed into --
Mr. Walker: Yeah, yeah.
Vice Chair Suarez: -- something else.
Mr. Walker.: But it's a good conversation to have because, you know --
Board Member Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).
Vice Chair Suarez: What's that?
Board Member Gort: I was lost; sorry.
Vice Chair Suarez: Yeah, it's okay. I was kind of lost, too.
Board Member Gort: Yeah.
Vice Chair Suarez: When he started talking about the extension of the CRA, we got -
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- we started on the rehabilitation of the hank, and we ended up talking about the
extension of the CRA to 2045.
Mr. Walker: Which is the Finding of Necessity Redevelopment Plan --
Vice Chair Suarez: Okay.
Mr. Walker: -- Discussion Item Number 2.
Vice Chair Suarez: So that's Number 2?
Mr. Walker: Yep.
Vice Chair Suarez: Sorry.
Mr. Walker: So if there's any discussion on that before we move forward, it is in our
budget to find a consultant to produce that plan for us.
Vice Chair Suarez: I'm fine with that.
Mr. Walker: We did the budget after --
Vice Chair Suarez: I think we're also looking at expanding the boundaries to
include Coconut Grove, correct?
Mr. Walker: Correct.
Vice Chair Suarez: West Grove.
Mr. Walker: Correct. And that study -- that Finding of Necessity was procured by
the City of Miami, and I believe that they're in that process, and should have a
report back to the City in November, I believe.
Vice Chair Suarez: Great. Thank you.
Board Member Gort:• From my understanding, you were going to be exploring with
the County Commissioners the ability to do so?
Mr. Walker: The extension? Or the --
Board Member Gort: The expansion.
Mr. Walker: -- expansion? I think the Chairman would probably be better fit to talk
about his meetings with the County Commissioners, because I was not a part of those
meetings; Chairman Hardemon, I mean.
Vice Chair Suarez: Okay.
Board Member Hardemon: The --
Vice Chair Suarez: So that's --
Mr. Walker: I think Chairman Hardemon wanted to --
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Vice Chair Suarez: Go ahead.
Board Member Hardemon: The rehabilitation of the hank building, are you white -
boxing it, or are you --?
Mr. Walker: White -boxing it.
Board Member Hardemon: Okay.
Vice Chair Suarez: So that's Discussion Item 1 and 2.
Mr. Walker: Yep.
2. OMNI CRA DISCUSSION
3006 DISCUSION REGARDING FINDING OF NECESSITY (FON)
REDEVELOPMENT PLAN.
MOTION TO: Discuss
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Note for the Record: For additional minutes referencing Discussion Item 2, please
see Discussion Item 1.
Vice Chair Suarez: I'm assuming you want to skip CRA Resolution 1?
Jason Walker (Executive Director/Omni Community Redevelopment Agency): I
mean, if there's a appetite to pass it, we can take it up.
Vice Chair Suarez: 1 think the appetite is to skip it.
Board Member Hardemon: I'm not hungry.
Vice Chair Suarez: Number 2.
Mr. Walker: I think we may just skip the whole agenda.
Board Member Hardemon: No.
Vice Chair Suarez: Item Number 2.
Mr. Walker: Number 2 is the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) with the
School Board. It's a nonbinding MOU to further our discussions with the
development of their nine -acre site, which includes -- Adam, you can --
Adam Old (Director, Planning & Policy, Omni Community Redevelopment Agency):
All right. So this is a nonbinding MOU with the School Board. They've passed a
similar item, encouraging the two parties to work together, the CRA (Community
Redevelopment Agency) and the School Board. The basic idea is that their land is
not generating a lot of revenue or useful value for them right now. They would like
to redevelop it. We would like to put some TIF (Tax Increment Funds) revenues into
that process and work with them on redeveloping it. There's also two pieces of land
that are outside of the 10 acres that are -- this parking lot here, and Phyllis
Wheatley, which they also would like to enhance the educational -- the capacity and
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the quality of the building there. The facility is --
Board Member Hardemon: Was Phyllis Wheatley not included in the $400 million
bond issuance?
Mr. Old: I'm sorry; 1 missed that. What -- say that again?
Board Member Hardemon: There was a bond issuance that the School Board put
out. It was about $400 million.
Mr. Old: Yes. I believe Phyllis Wheatley does -- can use some of that money. The
School Board is working with the County's Public Housing & Community
Development Department, and their discussions on that site have been without us,
but we've been brought in. And we understand what they're interested in doing is a
redevelopment of the educational facility there, as well as something similar to
what's happened on Southside, where they would be able to do workforce or
affordable housing above that, and then we would come in as sort of the TIF vehicle
for the housing component and whatever commercial or retail component there
would be there, because I'm not sure that they're allowed to -- I don't know how that
bond is set up, but I think that --
Board Member Hardemon: But the Phyllis Wheatley location is an existing
structure that needs improvements; that's from what I understand. And so, I just
want to be clear, because I see that Phyllis Wheatley is kind of added in here as an
incentive to agree or come to some sort of understanding, but what I'm troubled with
is whether or not Phyllis Wheatley is actually a school location that should already
be getting resources from the bond issuance.
Mr. Walker: Let me try to clear up -- There's a building -- I don't know the address
of the building -- that is north of Phyllis Wheatley School. It's on Northwest 20th
Street. There's a contract to purchase that building. There is a parking lot behind
that building on Northwest 20th Street that's owned by the School Board. It's a
paved parking lot, so it's not actually a part of the school green grounds or the
school facility itself because from my knowledge -- and correct me if I'm wrong,
Mr. Chairman -- the CRA cannot spend money on the public school to make physical
improvements to the school, so that's not been our conversation. Our conversation
has been to participate in the developing of the privately -owned building that's on
Northwest 20th Street, and if the School Board would give -- or sell the parking lot
that's paved, that's not a part of the greenspace of the school or the physical
structure of the school, then they could build more units on that lot and that is what
we would be participating in.
Board Member Hardemon: Can you describe to me -- What do you mean when you
say, "The expansion of the iPrep school"? What does that mean?
Mr. Old: So that's a separate issue than Phyllis Wheatley. That would be -- The
School Board is looking to unencumber their properties on -- between Biscayne
Boulevard and 2nd, where iPrep and that parking lot are. They need a place to
move it to, so they would move it to, potentially, this parking lot here, which is a
City -owned parking lot. And the -- part of their incentive -- the City -- would be to
expand it and make seats available to residents of the Omni CRA, in a similar way
that the MAST (Maritime and Science Technology) Academy did with -- sorry --
Mr. Walker: Key Biscayne.
OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency
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Mr. Old: -- Key Biscayne.
Board Member Hardemon: So the residents of the Omni CRA.
Mr. Old: And that deal would be negotiated -- we could negotiate it to Overtown or
the Omni CRA; I'm not sure exactly. You know, this is a nonbinding first step at a
memorandum. So that's been our discussion and a housing component as well.
Mr. Walker: It would be the same as with Southside, as with Phyllis Wheatley,
where the building would -- The space is seven acres. I know that the Police
Department's been looking at that space as their number -one site for their new
police department. They're looking at the entire area; we're looking at only the
parking lot space, the three acres that consist of the parking lot, to build possibly the
expansion of iPrep, in addition to go up to build housing on this City -owned land
that's been sitting vacant for five years.
Board Member Hardemon: So they would close the iPrep current site?
Mr. Walker: Yes, sir.
Board Member Hardemon: That would be closed.
Mr. Old: Right, because I think they're sort of reaching their capacity there, and
they're interested in -- especially interested in freeing those parcels for
redevelopment as part of this bigger package of parcels, which they'd be unable to
do if iPrep had to remain in place.
Vice Chair Suarez: Any have further questions?
Board Member Gort: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)?
Vice Chair Suarez: What's that? Any further questions?
Board Member Hardemon: I don't have any questions right now.
Vice Chair Suarez: Does anyone want to make a motion? Want to wait for the
Chairman to arrive to discuss this issue further?
Mr. Walker: Sure.
Vice Chair Suarez: Okay.
OMNI CRA RESOLUTION(S)
1. OMNI CRA RESOLUTION
2972 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE OMNI
REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
("CRA") AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO EXECUTE THE
FIFTH AMENDMENT TO THE ECONOMIC INCENTIVE AGREEMENT
("INCENTIVE AGREEMENT"), IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE TO THE GENERAL
COUNSEL, WITH NR MAX MIAMI, LLC, A FLORIDA LIMITED LIABILITY
COMPANY ("DEVELOPER"), REMOVING THE CONDITION THAT THE
DEVELOPER COMPLETE THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT IMPROVEMENTS
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AS DESCRIBED IN THE INCENTIVE AGREEMENT ("COMMUNITY
IMPROVEMENTS"); INCREASING THE YEARLY CAPACITY OF TAX
INCREMENT PROVIDED TO THE DEVELOPER FROM $750,000.00 TO
$812,500.00 PER YEAR; AND FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR TO ACCEPT A PAYMENT FROM THE DEVELOPER IN AN
AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED TWO MILLION DOLLARS ($2,000,000.00) FOR
THE REMAINING VALUE OF THE COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENTS, LESS
ANY AMOUNT ALREADY EXPENDED BY THE DEVELOPER PURSUANT
TO THE INCENTIVE AGREEMENT.
MOTION TO: Discuss
RESULT: DISCUSSED
Vice Chair Suarez: Okay. Moving right along.
Board Member Hardemon: Omni Reso --
Vice Chair Suarez: Omni Resolution Number 3.
Jason Walker (Executive Director/Omni Community Redevelopment Agency):
Number 3, we probably should wait for him as well.
Vice Chair Suarez: Coming back, you're saying to wait for 3. What about number
4? Is that something that we can -- you think we can accomplish, or do you want to
wait on 4 as well?
Mr. Walker: Four minutes.
Vice Chair Suarez: Four minutes? Okay. So we want to take a brief recess?
Mr. Walker: Sure.
Vice Chair Suarez: Okay. We're in recess until the Chair arrives.
Later...
Chair Russell: We're resuming the meeting, and adjourning the meeting for lack of
quorum.
2. OMNI CRA RESOLUTION
2973 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE OMNI
REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
("CRA") AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE A NON -BINDING MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
("MOU") WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA,
A BODY CORPORATE AND POLITIC EXISTING UNDER THE LAWS OF
THE STATE OF FLORIDA ("SCHOOL BOARD"), IN A FORM ACCEPTABLE
TO THE GENERAL COUNSEL, IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE CRA'S
RESPONSIBILITY TO DIMINISH SLUM AND BLIGHT WITHIN ITS
BOUNDARIES, SPECIFICALLY BY COLLABORATING WITH THE SCHOOL
BOARD REGARDING A MIXED -USE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT INCLUSIVE
OF AFFORDABLE AND WORKFORCE HOUSING, COMMERCIAL AND/OR
RETAIL COMPONENT, PARKING IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
SURROUNDING AREA, EXPANSION OF THE (PREP SCHOOL TO BE
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OMNI Community Redevelopment Agency Marked Agenda October 3, 2017
LOCATED AT 150 NORTHEAST 19TH STREET, MIAMI, FLORIDA, AND
FURTHER ENHANCEMENTS TO THE PHILLIS WHEATLEY SCHOOL
PROPERTY LOCATED AT 1934 NW 1ST COURT, MIAMI, FLORIDA, 1801
NW 1ST PLACE, MIAMI, FLORIDA, AND 1942 NW 1ST COURT, MIAMI,
FLORIDA, AS MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED IN THE MOU.
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
3. OMNI CRA RESOLUTION
3007 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE OMNI
REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
("OMNI CRA") AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TO AMEND
THE INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT ENTERED INTO ON DECEMBER 31, 2007
BETWEEN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, THE CITY OF MIAMI, THE
SOUTHEAST/OVERTOWN PARK WEST COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT
AGENCY, AND THE OMNI CRA, SPECIFICALLY TO REMOVE ALL
CURRENT AND FUTURE OBLIGATIONS WITH RESPECT TO THE OMNI
CRA'S MONETARY CONTRIBUTION FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AT
MUSEUM PARK, AS CONTAINED IN SAID AGREEMENT.
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
4. OMNI CRA RESOLUTION
2974 A RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE OMNI
REDEVELOPMENT DISTRICT COMMUNITY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
AUTHORIZING THE ISSUANCE OF A GRANT IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO
EXCEED FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS ($500,000.00) TO THE
CITY OF MIAMI TO UNDERWRITE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH AN
ENHANCED POLICE PROGRAM WITHIN THE OMNI REDEVELOPMENT
AREA; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AT HIS DISCRETION,
TO DISBURSE FUNDS ON A REIMBURSEMENT BASIS OR DIRECTLY TO
VENDORS, UPON PRESENTATION OF INVOICES AND SATISFACTORY
DOCUMENTATION; AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF ALL
DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR SAID PURPOSE, IN A FORM
ACCEPTABLE TO GENERAL COUNSEL; ALLOCATING FUNDS FROM 2018
TIF REVENUES — 10040.920501.891000 — INTERFUND TRANSFERS.
ADJOURNMENT
RESULT: NO ACTION TAKEN
The meeting adjourned at 5:45 p.m.
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