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HomeMy WebLinkAboutBack-Up DocumentsCity of Miami Legislation Resolution: R-06-0289 City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com File Number: 06-005767t Final Action Date:5/11/2006 A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION, APPROVING IN PRINCIPLE THE VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN, DATED NOVEMBER 2003, HERE AND AFTER REFERRED TO AS THE "VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN", AS A GUIDING TOOL FOR THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT AND PRESERVATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTER AND THE ECONOMIC VITALITY OF THIS SIGNIFICANTAREAAS DEFINED IN THE "VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN". WHEREAS, in November of 2003, the Virginia Key Beach Park Master Plan was completed by Wallace, Roberts and Todd, LLC, and Judson and Partners for the Virginia key Beach Park Trust; and WHEREAS, on May 3, 2006, the Planning Advisory Board, by a vote of nine to zero (9-0), recommended approval as to principle of the final draft of the Virginia Key Beach Park Master Plan, attached hereto; and WHEREAS, the Department of Planning recommended approval of the attached study; and WHEREAS, the herein Resolution has been the subject of a properly advertised public hearing before the City Commission; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA: Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are hereby adopted by reference thereto and incorporated herein as if fully set forth in this Section. Section 2. The members of the Miami City Commission approve the Virginia Key Beach Park Master Plan as a guiding tool for the future development and preservation of the Virginia Key Beach Park area as defined in the Virginia Key Beach Park Master Plan. Section 3. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its adoption and signature of the Mayor. {1} Footnotes: {1} Words and/or figures stricken through shall be deleted. Underscored words and/or figures shall be added. The remaining provisions are now in effect and remain unchanged. Asterisks indicate omitted and unchanged material. City of Miami Page 1 of I file Id: 06-00576zt (Version: 2) Printed On: 1/25/2017 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN prepared for VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK TRUST prepared by WALLACE ROBERTS 81 TODD, LLC JUDSON AND PARTNERS November 2003 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The planning process for Virginia Key Beach Park has involved many people whose participation has resulted in the Master Plan presented here, The participants include the many people who attended the city of Miami Commission meeting where the fate of the park was first brought into the public forum and the many who attended the Virginia Key Beach Park Civil Rights Task Force design charette held in December 2000 that was the outcome of that meeting. In addition, the following organizations and individuals have contributed their time, wisdom and resources to the development of this Master Plan: The Virginia Key Beach Park Trust Congresswoman Carrie Meek Miami -Dade County Commissioner Barbara Carey Schuler City of Miami Commissioner Arthur E, Teele The Friends of Virginia Key Juan Fernandez, Parks Naturalist, City of Miami Park and Recreation Department Diane Johnson, City of Miami Department of Real Estate & Economic Development Lourdes 5lazyk, City of Miami Department of Planning Sandra Vega, Architect, City of Miami Capital Improvement Department Kevin M. Kirwin, Park Manager, Crandon Park Kevin Asher, Miami Dade County Park and Recreation Department Luis Rene Perez, US Army Corps of Engineers Gary Milano, Miami Dade County Department of Natural Resources Management Richard Heisenbottle, Architect Bob Weinreb, Office of Commissioner Johnny Winton Amy Condon, Trust for Public Land Ron and Sheila Gaby Dick Dee, Illustrator Tom Graboski, Graphic Designer 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. SITE ASSESSMENT 5 2. SUMMARY OF MASTER PLAN RECOMMENDATIONS 47 3. HISTORIC PRESERVATION 55 4. COMMEMORATION AND EDUCATION... ............................................ 69 5. RECREATION 77 6. NATURAL RESOURCES PROTECTION 89 7. OPERATIONS & SUPPORT 97 APPENDIX I: HISTORIC PLANS APPENDIX II: PUBLIC PLANNING PROCESS APPENDIX III: CULTURAL CENTER PRELIMINARY PROGRAMMING REPORT 3 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT SITE ASSESSMENT 5 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT INTRODUCTION In June 1945, Virginia Beach was established in response to a direct action protest held In May 1945 at Baker's Haulover Beach, where Miami activist Judge Lawson Thomas staged a "wade -in" to demand access for African Americans to the county's whites -only beaches. Establishment of the "colored" beach was a significant early victory in the civil rights movement and the beach park served as a cherished amenity to the community until the park was transferred to the City of Miami and closed in 1982. In 2000, citizen protest against plans for development of a private ecotourism resort on the site of the historically significant beach park lead to the establish- ment of the Virginia Key Beach Park Civil Rights Task Force, The Miami City Commission established the Task Force in order to permit the public to participate in identifying an appropriate use of the park property. The Task Force held a public planning charette in which the participants reached consensus on the principles that should guide future development of the park. The Civil Rights Task Force established goals that included historic preservation, commemoration of the park's history, and provision of educational and recre- ational opportunities. In 2002, the Miami City Commission established the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust to oversee the development of the historic park property and to implement the goals established by the Task Force. The objective of this Site Assessment is to provide the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust with a general inventory and evaluation of the man-made and natural features of Virginia Key Beach Park. The site assessment is intended to serve as a basis for the preparation of the Master Plan for the park's preservation and future use and development. In 2002, Virginia Key Beach Park was listed in the National Register of Historic Places as "a property associated with events that have made a significant contribution to broad patterns of our history." The Designation was in recognition of the property's significance in the areas of Ethnic Heritage, Recreation and Social History and is based on development of the park during the period 1945-53. Features of the park dating from this period of signifi- cance, including the park's landscape setting, require preservation in order to retain the National Register designation. The site assessment reflects the Secretary of the interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and Guidefines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes for documenting the character defining features of a landscape. This methodology provides a basis for evalua- tion of continuity and change in the landscape and helps to establish the historic significance of existing landscape features. Compari- son of existing conditions with historic site plans helps to identify features of significance and integrity that contribute to the historic significance of the landscape. Safeguarding the integrity of these landscape features is a primary objective of the Master Plan. The natural resources of the site are of special significance, both as character defining features of the historic setting and as sensitive and protected natural resources of inherent value. Inventory and evaluation of these resources reflects requirements for cultural landscape evaluation according to the Secretary's Standards as well as requirements for natural resource protection, restoration, interpretation and recreational use. This site assessment provides a history of the site and and an inventory of the character defining features of the landscape with significance and integrity. The history is drawn from the following sources: National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form; Vicki L. Cole and Gary V Goodwin, Bureau of Historic Preservation, May 2002 An Archeological Survey of the Old County Park Parcel, Virginia Key, Miami, Florida; Jeff Ransom, BA John 8eriault, BA. Mark Lance, MA and Robert S. Carr, MS Archeological and Historical Conservancy, September 2001 Ecosystem Restoration Report with braft Environmental Assessment; U5 Army Corps of Engineers, February 2003 Shoreline Stabfization Report with braft Environmental Assessment; US Army Corps of Engineers, February 2003 Key Biscayne - A History of Miami's Tropical Island and the Cape Florida Lighthouse; Joan Gill Man A History of Overtown: Vibrant Early Life Followed by Social and Physical Deterioration; The Overtown Collective South Florida Historical Museum, Miami, Florida Barnacle State Historic Site, Coconut Grove, Florida Oral histories collected during the Public Site Planning Session held November 2002-May 2003 6 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT HISTORY AND CONTEXT OF THE PARK SHRIMPERS LAGOON MANGROVE PRE- SERVE LANDFILL KEY BEACH DADE MARINE INSTIT MIAMI DADE COUNTY PARK VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES • r MARINE FISHERIES BEAR CUT ATLANTIC OCEAN RICKENBACKER CAUSE WRY CRANDON MARIN Aerial map of Virginia Key Beach Park and its vicinity today BEAR CUT PRESERVE CRANDON PARK, KEY BISCAYNE 7 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT Virginia Key Beach Park seen from Bear Cut Preserve (above); 1848 map of Bear Cut THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BARRIER ISLAND Virginia Key is part of a chain of barrier islands that extend along the Florida coast from Miami south to Key West. Of the many islands in Biscayne Bay, only Virginia Key, Key Biscayne and Miami Beach are part of this natural island chain that forms the northeastern boundary of Biscayne Bay. As a barrier island, Virginia Key is part of an evolving landscape where ocean currents and hurricanes. deposit sand and sweep it away. The island chain has evolved over its known history, with Virginia Key taking shape as a separate island only in the 1830s following a hurricane that opened the Norris Cut and separated Virginia Key from Miami Beach. Manmade changes have also influenced the island. In 1896, the same year that the Flagler East Coast Railroad reached the small village of Miami, a channel was dug from Cape Florida to the Miami River and the port of Miami was opened. In 1902, Government Cut was created to establish direct ocean access to the new port and Miami quickly developed as the major seaport on Biscayne Bay. Urbanization of the bay followed, altering the landscape around the island and causing changes to the island itself. Sand dredged from Government Cut and deposited on Virginia Key has extended the once mangrove -rimmed northern tip of the island. The new channel also changed the way currents and sand move along the barrier islands. The sand that currents once carried down the Atlantic shoreline, creating the beaches and dunes that characterized Biscayne Bays three barrier islands, was swept into Government Cut or swept past it to be deposited on Key Biscayne, bypassing Virginia Key. The Key Biscayne shore developed the growing dune and marine hammock community that can be seen at Bear Cut Preserve while the beach along the Atlantic shore of Virginia Key has diminished, scoured by currents sweeping through Bear Cut and without a natural source of sand replenishment. A series of groins was placed along the shore in the 1950s and the 1970s to stabilize the beach but currents continued to erode the segment of the beach between the two stabilization projects and scoured away a cove. The island's relatively narrow, eroding beach, a lack of access and the swift currents in Bear Cut left Virginia Key less suitable than surrounding islands for resort development and as a result, Virginia Key has retained much of its natural character. The plant communities that had once occupied the entire barrier island chain along northern Biscayne Bay remain largely intact only on Virginia Key and Key Biscayne. While the mangroves of Miami Beach were cut down and their habitat filled to permit development of resorts, Virginia Key retained most of the mangroves on its western Biscayne Bay shoreline. This area has been designated a Critical Wildlife Habitat and protected from human activity of any kind. The plant communities that verge Virginia Key's Atlantic shoreline include one of the oldest surviving Coastal Band Mangrove communities in Miami Dade County. A giant Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle) can be seen near the beach in the eastern end of Virginia Key Beach Park and gives some indication of the age of this vestige of the barrier islands' original plant community. In addition to mangroves, the Atlantic shore is fringed with fresh water wetlands, tropical marine hammock, coastal strand, and sea grass communities. These plant communities provide valuable habitat areas for wildlife, including several threatened and endangered species. Federally protected species present at Virginia Key include the Hawks- bill Sea Turtle (Eretomochefys imbricata) and the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta), which nests on the island, the West Indian Manatee (Trrchecus manatus), which is frequently observed in the near off -shore waters, and the American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), which has been observed in the lake at Virginia Key Beach Park. The island also provides suitable habitat for other threatened and endangered species including the Gopher Tortoise and a variety of shore and sea bird species, including the Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork and Piping Plover. The island is a stop -over for migratory song birds. Together, the coastal plant and animal communities along the Virginia Key shore represent an important vestige of the natural heritage of Biscayne Bay. Although it retains much of its original vegetation and character, Virginia Key has been heavily impacted by human activity. Along with the large deposit of dredge spoils on its northern tip, the center of the island is occupied by a large sewage treatment plant and a 8 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT Virginia Key in the context of its urban environment. Bear Cut Preserve at Crandon Park on Key Biscayne, showing the natural condition of Miami's barrier islands. closed landfill, The mangroves on the Atlantic Ocean side of Virginia Key have also been filled in a series of projects associated with construction of the various public facilities on the island, with only isolated remnants surviving. Water channels were created within the Coastal Band as part of a mosquito control project, This and other drainage projects removed most of the original mangroves along the Sewage Treatment Plant Road and altered the water regime of the remaining mangroves. A tidal connection remains, however, and mangrove species have colonized the artificial water bodies. The entire island is heavily infested with exotic vegetation, including extensive stands of Australian Pine, which gives the island a profile very different from undisturbed barrier islands. The Bear Cut Preserve on Key Biscayne's northern tip directly opposite Virginia Key Beach Park has been cleared of exotic vegetation and bears a closer resemblance to the original natural character of the barrier islands. Virginia Key's role in the urban context is unique in that very little private development has occurred on the island. Together with the sewage plant and landfill, less unsavory public facilities dominate the island, including the publicly owned Miami Marine Stadium and recreational areas operated by Miami Dade County. A number of research institutions and schools occupy the island as well, including the National Marine Fisheries Institute, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and the MAST Academy, Miami Seaquarium is the only large private enterprise on the island. Other private enterprises include restaurants and concessions providing recreational equipment rental. Environmental groups have long advocated against private development on the island and in 1999 community activists opposed the development of a private resort on the site of the Virginia Key Beach Park, which had been closed since the park was transferred from the county to the city of Miami in the early 1980s, The Virginia Key Beach Park C ivil Rights Task Force was formed to guide land use decisions for the proposed development site, which was subsequently listed in the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of the significance of the beach park's establishment, in 1945, as the only public beach accom modations for African Americans in Miami Dade County, Virginia Key remains the only site within Miami city limits where it is possible to see the natural character of Miami's ecological context. EARLY INHABITANTS AND USES There is no archeological evidence of Native American occupation of Virginia Key. However, artifacts from the Tequesta Indians, who were the earliest inhabitants of the region have been found on Key Biscayne and at the mouth of the Miami River, where the Miami Circle indicates the location of a significant trading post or ceremonial center. In addition, Spanish records indicate that Key Biscayne, which was continuous with Virginia Key until the formation of Bear Cut, was inhabited by members of the Tequesta tribe. Spanish records refer to the island's inhabitants as Vizcaynos, after a Spanish castaway named Vizcayno who washed ashore on the island in the 1540s following the wreck of a large Spanish Galleon. Vizcayno adopted the lifestyle of the Tequesta inhabitants, took a wife and had a son before eventually returning to Spain. The island and its inhabitants were thereafter known to the Spanish by his name, which was later anglicized to Biscayne. Earlier European encounters with the island included a stop in 1513 by Ponce de Leon, who landed at Cape Florida and named the island Santa Marta. During the 17th and 18 centuries, the waters around Virginia Key were frequented by Spanish treasure ships returning to Spain from Central and South America through the Florida Straights, frequently wrecking on the reefs along the Florida coast and providing opportunities for plunder. In the late 17 century a pirate named Black Caesar operated out of Elliot Key until he was captured by the British navy together with his collaborator Blackbeard. In the early 1800s a pirate calling himself Black Caesar II plundered the region until Andrew Jackson captured him in 1828. During this time, runaway slaves, disgruntled sailors and disinherited young men gathered in wild places around Florida frequented by pirate ships and established recruiting centers. There is some indication that a recruiting settlement of this type existed on Key Biscayne. Salvaging foundered ships by less piratical means continued to be an important 9 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT Pirates once plied the waters off Virginia Key. Seminoles settled in south Florida after being expelled from north Florida. activity for early settlers in Coconut Grove, including both Bahamians and Americans. The home of one such early settler, The Barnacle State Historic Site in Coconut Grove, commands views of Biscayne Bay and the waters beyond and provides a glimpse of this era when Key Biscayne and Virginia Key were wild, outlying islands at the center of a pioneering maritime lifestyle that once characterized Miami. The islands' isolated position and access to the Caribbean Ocean continued to make for convenient landing and jumping off points for a variety of clandestine activities long after the cessation of pirate and salvage activity. According to oral histories of residents who used the beach in the 1930's during the era of prohibition, bootleggers ran rum into Miami by way of Virginia Key. AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY AT VIRGINIA KEY Virginia Key has served as a clandestine haven for African Americans throughout the last three centuries. In addition to the pirate recruiting centers that offered a means of escape to runaway slaves, there is also some suggestion that African Americans made temporary, secret encampments on Key Biscayne and possibly Virginia Key during the 19th century, where they were picked up by ships bound for Nassau. The Bahamas, where slavery was abolished in 1834, was an important destination on the "Underground Railroad." The island continues to the present to provide a landing place for refugees in search of freedom making the reverse journey from Caribbean Islands. African Americans have also participated in a long history of resistance and refuge that has frequently touched Virginia Key and its environs. During the Spanish colonial period, slavery, in its American form, was illegal in Florida and north Florida became a haven for Africans and Native Americans escaping from Georgia and South Carolina. The native tribes of north Florida, called Seminoles (possibly derived from the Spanish word eimarones, meaning runaways) included many members and allies of African descent. During the First Seminole War (1817-1818), when the Seminoles were expelled from northern Florida by Andrew Jackson, African refugees joined forces with native tribes in resistance. Transfer of Florida from Spanish to American control in 1821 introduced harsh slave policies to north Florida and during this transition, the Seminoles, including the Black Seminoles, migrated to the wilder regions of Florida, including especially the Everglades. During the Second Seminole War (1835-1842), resistance to American policies of enslavement and removal of native peoples prompted Seminole attacks on American settlers throughout Florida, including the Miami area, where the legaliza- tion of slavery permitted South Carolina planter Richard Fitzpatrick to establish and operate, with slave labor, a plantation on the Miami River. Fort Dallas, located on the north bank of the Miami River at about SE 2nd Avenue, was established on Fitzpatrick's plantation to defend it from Seminole attacks. (The slave quarters from this plantation have been relocated from their original location to Lummus Park.) The Seminole raids included an attack on early settlers at Key Biscayne, who had established a small settlement near the Cape Florida lighthouse, Miami's first built structure. Seminole resistance checked settlement in the area until the end of the Second Semi- nole War in 1842, when American settlers resumed settlement in the area. (The Wagner House, also relocated from its original location to Lummus Park, was the home of a settler who came to the area in the 1840s.) Settlement on Key Biscayne did not take hold until well into the 1950s, however and was never established on Virginia Key. The single exception to this was the Johnson family, who lived at Virginia Key Beach Park, where Mr. Johnson served as Park Superintendent. The Superintendent's house, the only private dwelling ever established on Virginia Key, was destroyed in the 1980s during filming of an episode of Miami Vice. While the Johnson family were the first official African American inhabitants of Virginia Key, the official presence of African Americans on the island had begun during World War II, when the island's long history of use by the community was factored into the way the island was used during the war effort. On May 14, 1942, a Nazi submarine sank a tanker off the coast of Key Biscayne. As American involvement in World War II geared up, Miami Beach became a major training place for soldiers, with over 500,000 soldiers trained on the beaches and barracked in the commandeered hotels. The Gulf Sea Frontier, the Seventh Naval District headquarters, the Subma- 10 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT a 1918 map of Virginia Key; the notation of a Negro Dancing Pavilion" may be a later addition. The African American com- munity boated out to Bear Cut during the 1920s and 1930s. Virginia Beach was the only beach park open to the cau African American citizens until the 1960s. s rine Chaser Training Center and a U.S. Naval Air Station to house and service blimps were all established in Miami. The hotels and beaches of Miami Beach were converted to barracks and training grounds by the Army Air Force. Because Dade County code prohibited African Americans from entering the water along the county's world-famous beaches, the US Army established segregated training facilities for black soldiers on Virginia Key, where custom had ceded an isolated segment of the shoreline to use by African Americans. A note on a map prepared in 1918 indicates a "Negro Dancing Pavilion" on the shores of Bear Cut. While this notation may be a later addition, oral histories indicate that during the 1920s and 1930s, residents of Miami visited Virginia Key by boat with some regularity, establishing an association between the island and the community. Following the war, African American soldiers returning to the United States began to demand acknowledgement of their contributions during the war effort. In 1944, the Committee on Racial Equality was formed and advocated the use of direct action protest to demand civil rights. The same year the Dade County Interracial Task Force was created and in 1945 the Negro Service Coundl was created by three Miami professionals, Judge Lawson Thomas, Dr. Ira Davis and Father John Culmer, who had been active since the 1920s as an advocate for improved living conditions for Miami's African American citizens. The trio conceived a direct action protest to demand access to the county's beaches and in May Judge Thomas staged a "Wade -in" at the whites -only beach at Baker's Haulover. Prepared to be arrested, Judge Thomas was instead invited by county officials to discuss the issues. Within a month, the Director of Parks announced a compromise — the creation of a "colored only" beach at Virginia Key. AFRICAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IN MIAMI DADE COUNTY Like other southern counties, Dade County laws included many codes designed to isolate and demean Americans of African descent. In the same year as the city of Miami's incorporation, 1896, the Supreme Court ruling in Pfessy v. Ferguson established the doctrine of "separate but equal" as a legal construct to replace the Civil Rights Act of 1875, which guaranteed equal access to public accommo- dations for all American citizens, regardless of race or origin and which the Supreme Court had nullified in 1883. The ruling opened the door for local, state and federal laws that dictated the separation of black and white society. Miami and Dade County's segregationist "Jim Crow" laws were similar to those in other regions of the southern United States. Separate residential districts for black citizens were established and withstood legal challenge. A special state legislative act in 1937 upheld the legality of segregated residential districts, limiting the areas where blacks could own property. Throughout the county, a number of black subdivisions were established to isolate the region's black citizens. One of the earliest was known as the "Central Colored District" and was located on the west side of the Florida East Coast Railroad. Workers recruited to the area from the Bahamas and the southern states to work on the new rail line were required to live in the designated district on the west side of the rail line. The self-contained town that developed within this district came to be known as "Color Town" and later as Overtown, in recognition of its location "over the tracks." Establishment of "colored only" ghettos over the tracks was a technique used throughout the United States that took advantage of the rail line in each town as a convenient and readily recognized barrier. The city's restricted "colored" districts suffered from overcrowding and a lack of public services including clean water, sanitation, paved streets, health care facilities, adequate housing and economic opportunities. In 1920, blacks made up 32 percent of the city's population but occupied only 10 percent of its space. Church leaders were active in efforts to improve living conditions within these isolated communities. Overtown, like the other segregated districts, was severely overcrowded and throughout the 1920s Father John Culmer, of St. Agnes Episcopal Church in Overtown, was instrumental in exposing the human toll taken by the city's segregation. In 1929, instigated by Father Culmer's campaign, the Miami Herald published a series of articles exposing the unhealthy living conditions in the neighborhood. National exposure of the conditions as well as increasing activism throughout the United States during the 1930s f1 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT - including the activity in Miami - influenced the New Deal policies of the Roosevelt administration. (Eleanor Roosevelt met with the community activists in Overtown on several occasions.) In response to the national attention initiated by Father Culmer, President Roosevelt sent officials from the Works Project Administration to Miami to investigate. The result was the first federally funded housing project at Liberty Square, which provided all the services that Overtown lacked and marked one of the first federal interven- tions on behalf of African Americans. Custom and manners also isolated African Americans from mainstream society and Miami's black neighborhoods coexisted with white society as a parallel, alternative society. Many of the founders of the city of Miami, including early settlers in Coconut Grove, Overtown and Lemon City, made significant investment in the creation of a community that included business, social and civic organizations as well as active churches, which played a central role in black community life and attracted members from the many neighborhoods throughout the county. Despite a degree of prosperity, black life in Miami continued through the 1930s and 1940s to be defined by restrictive laws and customs. During this period, Overtown grew, through consistent activity on the part of the community's many religious, civic, business and social organizations, into a vibrant community. Many businesses in Overtown were owned by blacks and together with a black professional community of doctors, lawyers, architects and educators, served an almost exclusively black clientele. The community also enjoyed an entertainment district centered on NW 2nd Avenue that drew national headliners - including white and black performers - to its many clubs and nightspots. The name of one such establishment, the Zebra Club acknowledged this realm of integration, as white and black patrons alike made Overtown an entertainment destination. Still, black performers of international stature who were making Miami Beach one of the hottest resort destinations in the world, were required, if black, to seek accommodation in "colored only" hotels in Overtown. Similarly, black patrons of mainstream businesses were denied full service - blacks were disallowed from trying on shoes or dresses before purchase and were denied service at "whites only" dining facilities. In addition, blacks were subjected to intimidation by white hate groups. The Ku Klux Klan was active in Miami and in 1925 held a parade on Flagler Street. While good for Overtown business, the persistence of segregation in Miami created a harsh, hostile environ- ment for black citizens. Among the restrictions and deprivations imposed on Miami's black citizens was exclusion from the county's world-famous beaches. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the community evaded this restriction by boating out to Virginia Key, where an unofficial "Negro beach" was tolerated on the isolated and inaccessible island's Bear Cut shoreline. The beach provided the community with a much needed respite from the harsh realities of life in the city of Miami. Its laid back, natural ambiance recalled the Caribbean islands, which a majority of Miami's black community counted as their place of origin. Miami's black immigrants came from the Bahamans, Trinidad, Tobago, Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti and other nations. The beach offered a place where people from all the disparate neighbor- hoods and islands could come together as one community and strengthen their bonds with one another as well as with the place they now called home. Creating a sense of belonging was difficult in a place which offered little welcome and undermined the community's sense of being at home by providing daily reminders of outsider status. The beach permitted people to reconnect with the natural world and renew their sense of belonging to a natural order that was beautiful and embracing instead of harsh, ugly and rejecting. The beauty of the natural setting and the stark contrast this made with the crowded, unhealthy conditions of the inner city neighbor- hoods was a balm for the community. Children ordinarily cooped up in the impoverished atmosphere of inner city neighborhoods were able to discover the same joys that privileged white Miamians and resort visitors enjoyed at the county's other beaches: splashing in the surf, exploring the natural world, discovering sights and experiences to fuel their curiosity and imagination. Without the pressure of white harassment, the community was able to relax and enjoy one another's company. In addition, the beach offered a place where baptisms could be performed. With no other place in the county available for this centrally important ceremony in the community's 12 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT Black Miamians waiting at a boat landing on the Miami River fora launch out to Virginia Key,. the boat ride out to the beach; the earliest park facilities included a pier and picnic area. religious life, Virginia Key filled an important gap. Church groups from throughout the county made their way to this secret, free place of refuge to enjoy this important ritual of spiritual renewal. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the beach was the community's Paradise. THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK One of the earliest victories in the post-war Civil Rights movement was the establishment of Virginia Key Beach Parkin response to the Negro Service Council protest in May of 1945. Improvements to the park made between 1945-1953 were reflective of the post-war period's optimistic spirit, The general prosperity of the post war years extended to the black community. Increasing confidence and determination regarding civil rights within the community was supported by increasing recognition by mainstream society. In 1946, the Florida Supreme Court ruled illegal the Dade County codes establishing segregated residential districts, Black contributions to the war effort were impossible to ignore and in 1948 President Harry S. Truman desegregated the American military. The direct action protest movement was gaining ground and by the mid -fifties, the Civil Rights movement lead by black religious leaders would be in full swing. The new park that ushered in this era of change encompassed the shoreline of Bear Cut which had been the community's informal refuge throughout the preceding decades. Improvements to the park at its opening in 1945 consisted of a pier, picnic tables scattered among the shade trees and a few small surplus army buildings used as a park office and changing cabanas. Access to the beach was by boat, as it had been during the previous decades. In the same year, planning was underway for a causeway linking Key Biscayne and the mainland. Rickenbacker Causeway, opened on November 9, 1947, was built by Miami Dade County in exchange for land on Key Biscayne owned by the Matheson family, who had purchased Key Biscayne in 1909 and established an unsuccessful coconut plantation. In return for the bridge, the Matheson heirs deeded 900 acres of land to the county to be used as a public park to allow (almost) all of Miami Dade county's residents to enjoy the island's unusual beauty, As plans for the Causeway and Crandon Park were being developed, plans for improvements were being generated for Virginia Key. By 1949, Virginia Beach had a paved access road from the Rickenbacker Causeway and unpaved parking facilities for 1,200 cars, as well as changing cabanas and a wood frame house for the park superintendent. A hurricane the following year destroyed all of the park structures. Plans for new facilities to replace those lost in the hurricane were designed to provide facilities identical to those at Crandon Park. Completed between 1950 and 1953, these facilities included a new, more carefully designed, paved entrance drive, a paved parking lot for 660 cars, a boat launch, rental cabins, changing cabanas, a park office and first aid station, lawn picnic areas with shelters, a concession building and bathhouse and a smaller restroom building. A concrete dance floor, surrounded by coconut palms recalled the "Negro dance pavilion" noted on the island during the beach's era of unofficial use. Also installed during this period were a carousel, identical in every detail to the carousel at C ran don Park, as well as a miniature train ride that encircled a lake, which was a scaled down version of the miniature train and zoo at Crandon Park. During this period, visitors to Virginia Key were also invited to visit Crandon Park Zoo, where separate "whites only" and "colored only" restroom facilities were provided. (These separate facilities were maintained through the 1960s, when the sepa- rate designations were changed to "men" and "women.") The park facilities surviving from this period are listed in the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of their significance in the civil rights struggle of Miami Dade County's African American community. Public expenditure for high -quality recreational facilities for African Americans initiated a significant change in the status and quality of life of the community. 13 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT 22 2a .. " A' '' ..ry _,.. ,r. 3 lc,• -1 i 1 c .� Ci 'ram ..,l.. w,t j.S O' Vir .t. r Sources: 1977 aerial photo montage, USCOE Shoreline Stabilization Project Report "4rrginia Beach Cabana Area Development. 5/9156 • Board of County Commissioners, Dade County, Florida Department of Parks R.D. Barnes, Director "Virginia Read? Proposed Lake layout and Grading Plan" 1 "=40' 6/9/58 Dade County Department of Parks tr 243 " Wrglnia Beach Pavement and Water tine Extension to Service Area" I "=40' 5/27/57 Dade County Department of Parks ze eSV o• o-�.t" r% VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK 1953 HISTORIC PLAN 1 - ENTRANCE ROAD 2 PARKING LOT 3 MAINTENANCE BUILDING 4 SUPERINTENDENT'S HOUSE 5 RENTAL CABINS 6 BOAT LAUNCH 7 DOOC 8 BATHHOUSE 9 SNACK BAR 10 DANCE FLOOR 11 PARK OFFICE 12 PICNIC SHELTER 13 CAROUSEL 14 MINITRAIN STATION, TRACKS 15 MINITRAIN TUNNEL 16 LAKE 17 PICNIC SHELTERS 18 REST -ROOMS 19 CABANAS 20 SAND PATHS 21 LAWN AND SHADE TREES 22 NATIVE VEGETATION 23 BEACH GROINS 24 COCONUT GROVE 0 14 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT WATERBODIES AND WETLAND VEGETATION MAW DADE COUNT, PARS AND PECREAi1ON 23 ORIGINAL PARK AREA NOT DEEDED TO CRY MIDAA IlN p0.0.N AHO.. � np6E Gbh SE MARINE 110� � PISHERISE 'faq, EXdnC VEGETATION y SEWA6F.7BFATM ERODED SHORELINE VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK EXISTING FEATURES 1 ENTRANCE ROAD 2 PARKING LOT 3 MAINTENANCE BUILDING SfTE 4 SUPERINTENDENT'S HOUSE SITE rr 5 RENTAL CABINS SITE * 6 BOAT LAUNCH SITE * 7 DOCK SITE * 8 BATHHOUSE 9 SNACK BAR 10 DANCE FLOOR 11 PARK OFFICE SITE * 12 PICNIC SHELTER 13 CAROUSEL 14 MINITRAIN STATION, TRACKS SITE * 15 MINITRAIN TUNNEL 16 LAKE 17 PICNIC SHELTERS 18 RESTROOMS 19 CABANAS SITE * 20 SAND PATHS 21 LAWN AND SHADE TREES 22 NATNE VEGETATION 23 BEACH GROINS 0 C' •Ib' 2ar 3:C k:7 * FEATURE LOST 15 VIRGINIA KEY &EACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT CHARACTER DEFINING FEATURES SPATIAL ORGANIZATION AND LAND PATTERNS During its period of significance and throughout its history of human use, the Atlantic Ocean shoreline has remained the central organizing element of the beach park site, with facilities and outdoor spaces all organized along the water's edge. The park is bounded on the north by a tree line and divided into two distinct areas by a lake in the center of the park, now surrounded by a dense mass of vegetation. The park's built facilities are concentrated in the area west of the lake. During the park's period of significance, the shoreline of the western area was defined by a band of coconut trees along the water's edge. This grove, of which only scattered remnants remain, was a significant feature of the park's spatial organization. The grove served as an "outdoor room" that provided a shaded area for seating and circulation that was continuous with the beach and which permitted views of the water's edge from the interior of the park. In the area east of the lake, a band of more natural coastal vegetation, since lost to shoreline erosion, separated a large open meadow from the shoreline and defined a more inward focused space. Paths and occasional breaks in the vegetation mass provided views and access to the water's edge. Cabanas occupied a position at one such break. During the time since the park's period of significance, growth of vegetation along the northern boundary of the park has separated this area from the road, to which it was formerly open. Shade tree dusters and picnic facilities were scattered on the landward side of the coastal vegetation and defined small "outdoor rooms" used as shaded picnic areas. 16 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT Historic shoreline vegetation defined "outdoor rooms": the Historic vgetation masses defied the park's spatial organization: the historic coconut grove and !awn areas oriented toward the shorelrn, coconut grove (above); Seagrape trees (below) . Native shade trees still define outdoor morns along the park's shoreline but native and exotic vegetation has replaced the coconut grove 17 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT VIEWS AND VANTAGE POINTS Views and vantage points within Virginia Key Beach Park that are character defining features of significance and integrity are those that establish the relationship of the various cultural features to the natural setting and which establish the relationship of the park to the context of the ecological and urban environment. The recreational and social importance of the park continues to be based on its natural features as a barrier island with considerable accessible shoreline and thus views that typify important characteristics of the topographical setting are key character defining features. The Atlantic Ocean provides an important backdrop from vantage points throughout the park, but especially from the shoreline. The juxtaposition of the recreational facilities with the ocean is visible from a variety of vantage points and places the recreational facilities within the unique ecological context of the region. Several vantage points within the park offer views of the natural state of the shoreline and provide an important contrast to the more manicured area in the vicinity of the concession building, restroom and carousel. These vantage points include the area of the park east of the lake and mini -train track, where remnants of vegetation typical of barrier islands remain. Views of the eastern shore of the park are evocative of natural barrier island dune and coastal hammock communities, although infestation with Australian Pine has significantly altered the character of the vegetation. No significant development is visible from within the park, establishing the park's unique place within the urban context. The park is visible within its undeveloped context from vantage points on Key Biscayne, the Rickenbacker Causeway and the water. Another significant vantage point within the park is the entrance, which is important for providing an overview of the context of the recreational facilities and their relationship to one another. The approach from Rickenbacker Causeway has been altered by adjacent development. The view from the current entrance encompasses a large area of the park and establishes its generous size as a first impression. The view includes the curving entrance drive, the manicured lawn area and parking lot within the entrance drive loop, glimpses of the ocean and park facilities, groves of shade trees and the vegetated backdrops that define the park's spatial organiza- tion. Significant backdrops from this vantage point are the vegetation lining the curving entrance drive and the mass of vegetation surrounding the lake, which conceals the eastern half of the park from view and prevents the entire park from being visible from the entrance. This "concealing" of the full extent of the park evokes a place that has significant size and complexity and supports the impression that the park is generously proportioned, with much to be discovered. This vegetation mass was not present during the park's period of significance, although a dense cluster of trees between the lake and parking area in the vicinity of the mini -train tunnel would have had the same effect. The view of the gracious curve of the entrance road as it passes around the lake and disappears is also important in establishing the generous size of the park and the leisurely character of movement through the landscape. Individual elements visible from multiple perspectives within the park are prominent landmarks representing the park's recreational function. The dance pavilion, once surrounded by a circle of coconut palms, was a significant landmark. The in -tact carousel, restroom, concession building and mini -train tunnel were also important landmarks during the park's period of significance. Foundations and other remnants remain of other important landmarks, including the cabanas, park office and mini -train tracks and station. The superintendent's house, rental cabins, pier and boat launch were important landmarks of which remnants remain off -site. Palm -shaded vantage points with views of the Atlantic Ocean were the park's most significant characteristic 18 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT No significant urban development is visible from the park. Vegeatation masses remain as a backdrop throught the park. fV 1 The Carousel is one of many remaining landmarks. SURVIVIN * ANDMARKS Concession 6 Bathou avilion icnic Shelter Minitrain Tunnel F Minitrain Station (foundation on G Cabanas (foundation only) H Picnic Shelter Picnic Shelter J Restroom ATLANTIC OCEAN BACKDROP The Atlantic Ocean remains as the park's the most significant backdrop. Landmarks include many surviving historic structures. 19 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT TOPOGRAPHY AND DRAINAGE Virginia Key Beach Park's current topography consists, as it did in the period of significance, of a very slightly sloping expanse of fill that replaced much of the natural mangrove and dunes. Around the perimeter of the park there are man-made waterbodies constructed as part of a mosquito control system. The water bodies are noted on a survey dating from the 1960s but their date of construction is not known. Large mangrove trees in this area provide evidence that natural wetland topography existed before the creation of the channels. The channels are linked to the remnants of a natural coastal band mangrove community at the eastern end of the park, which includes a small pond. A cluster of large red and black mangrove trees near the shore marks the likely location of a connection between the coastal band mangrove and the ocean. There is an artificial lake in the center of the park with a peninsula extending into its center. The lake was constructed in 1958 as an enhancement to the minitrain ride. The lake is connected via a culvert to the channel system on the north side of the entrance road. The tidal connection of this drainage system is not clear. There is no evident tidal connection between the coastal band mangrove along the entire Atlantic shoreline of Virginia Key, though the wetlands are brackish and thus may be tidally influenced, perhaps from the north via culverts under the Sewage Treatment Plant Road. The inland fill area was created incrementally in association with various building projects, including, possibly, training fields for African American soldiers during WWII. The entrance road is generally parallel to the extent of fill, which is more or less twenty yards north of the current tree line. The main recreational facilities are slightly lower than the rest of the park's inland filled area. There are two large spoils piles in the park that were placed there after the park's period of significance. Settlement of the filled areas has caused low spots and drainage problems to develop throughout the park since its period of significance. Beach sand and groins were placed along the entire length of the shore in two separate shoreline modifications. The earlier of the two shoreline projects was completed in response to damage caused to the newly established park by a hurricane in 1950 and included the wooden groins along the western portion of the shore. In the 1970s granite groins were placed along the remaining shoreline of Virginia Key with the exception of a segment within the park to the east of the wooden groins. The second of the two shoreline modification projects increased beach erosion along the park's shoreline where no groins had been placed in either project. Much of the park's beach area and significant areas of coastal vegetation have been lost. During the park's period of significance the area immediately behind the beach on the eastern end was occupied by coastal vegeta- tion. Based on the coastal vegetation that is evident in historic photographs a dune berm similar to the existing vestige east of the carousel building can be assumed to have existed within this vegetation zone. A significant area of the shoreline, visible in historic photographs, consisted of a flat sand esplanade continuous with the beach. The US Army Corps of Engineers has planned a stabiliza- tion of the shoreline to be completed as the first element in the restoration of the park. WATER FEATURES The lake at the center of the park is its only significant water feature. The lake was developed in 1958 as an enhancement of the mini -train feature and included two islands accessible from the shore by causeways. The mini -train tracks encircled the lake. In the time since the creation of the lake, mangrove vegetation has been established around the lake and obscured the causeways leading to the islands. The natural vegetation has fulfilled unrealized plans to create a "botanical garden" equal to the parallel entertainment feature at Crandon Park, where a mini -train made a circuit through the zoo and gardens. 20 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT Historic topographic and drainage features: shoreline erosion, spoils piles and settlement in filled areas have altered the historic character. Settlement has created uneven, unstable areas in lawn areas as well as low points throughout the park that flood. 21 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT A shoreline coconut grove was the park's most significant character defining feature. Only scattered trees remain. VEGETATION During the park's period of significance, its predominant vegetation consisted of extensive natural vegetation as well as park plantings that were important elements in the spatial definition of the park. Plantings included lawn areas and clusters of shade trees which were predominantly 5eagrape, Buttonwood and Ficus. A grove of mature coconut palms existed along the entire sand esplanade in the western area of the site during the 1960s and likely dates from the period of significance. The palm grove was a significant character defining feature of the site's vegetation, as well as its spatial structure. The coconut grove provided shady walking and seating areas along the shore that significantly extended the usable area of the beach. The height of the trees and the extent of the grove were both magnificent and unusual and contributed significantly to the perception of the beach as a high quality recreational setting. The grove set the park apart as a unique and valued asset of the African American community. The circle of palms surrounding the dance pavilion was also a significant feature of the parks vegetation and a visual icon of the park. Virtually no portion of the site vegetation is unaffected by invasive exotic vegetation that has established itself during the years since the park's period of significance. Human -related impacts to the site vegetation are abundantly obvious throughout the site, though there are a number of areas that contain what likely should be considered as historical remnant vegetation, i.e., vegetation that remains from the time prior to much of the site disturbance and development as a beach park. Individual trees can be identified as having been present during the park's period of significance. An important historical remant is the Coastal Band Mangrove area at the park's eastern end. Mangrove and freshwater wetlands, coastal strand and tropical marine hammock communities can all be found within the park. These plant communities include a number of rare plants such as the Biscayne Prickly Ash, broad leaf spider lily, burrowing four o'clock, necklace pod, sea lavender and the Beach Jaquemontia, which are found in the coastal strand and hammock areas. The discovery of a both a male and female specimen of the federally protected Biscayne Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum coriaceum) during exotics eradication has lead to the reestablishment of the largest colony of the species in the United States in the restoration area north of Virginia Key Beach Park. The major plant communities present on the site include: Seagrass: The Atlantic Ocean shoreline of the island is home of a seagrass bed that includes shoal grass (Halodule wrightii), manatee grass (Syrigodium fillforme) and turtle grass (Thalassia testuduinum), which provide important habitat for several endangered sea turtle species as well as manatees, wading birds and other sealife, Dune: This association is characterized by vegetation typical of coastal, sandy sites in south Florida that have little foot traffic and are within the salt -spray zone. There are a number of plant species present here that are relatively typical of this situation, including railroad vine (Ipomoea pes-caprae), scaevola (Scaevola plumien), dune sunflower (Helianthus debilis), sea purslane (Sesuvium portulacastrum), Seagrape (Cocoloba uvifera) and a limited population of sea oats (tlnfolapaniculata). These species are typical of this harsh pioneer zone. Historic photographs indicate that during the park's period of significance, this area was used as a sand espla- nade with heavy foot traffic and included little beach strand vegetation west of the cabanas. This community has an exotic species component which includes Wedelia, Brazilian pepper, earleaf acacia and Australian pine. Much of the Scaevola in this zone is the exotic species (Scaevola sericea), a listed pest species. Coastal Strand: This association is a higher -elevation area that parallels the dune. This association is heavily invaded by Australian pines and Brazilian pepper. In addition to these two species, other canopy components include Coconut, Seagrape, and Seaside Mahoe. Some plants remain from the time when the site was in use as a park, including remnants of the Coconut grove that was once here and Seagrape trees. Individual trees can be identified as having been present when the site was in use. Understory plants 22 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT include many of the species seen in the dune, as well as a strong component of coin vine. An occasional red mangrove seedling is present. The leeward side of this association generally borders on a sandy service road, and is extremely heavily invaded by exotic species. Wetland Forest: The 1999 report for the park site prepared by DERM (Draft Virginia Key Biological Evaluation:: DERM Environmentally Endangered Lands study) states that this area is tidally influenced and thus this association qualifies as jurisdictional wetlands. Based on historical aerial photographs and the 1960s survey which identifies "mosquito control ditches," it is evident that this portion of the site represents a secondary growth wetland area. The area includes remnant natural wetland vegetation as well as native and exotic species established around ditches and water bodies related to earthwork. Virtually all of the vegetation surrounding the lake, with the exception of a duster of coconut palms near the north exit of the minitrain tunnel has been established since the park's period of significance. Transects of the area between the disturbed edge and the ditch bordering the Sewage Treatment Plant Road characterize an associa- tion containing native species, including red and black mangroves —some quite large and representing historical remnant vegetation — as well as leather ferns, cabbage palms, etc. and a major component contributed by Australian pine and Brazilian pepper. As soon as the elevation drops off from the disturbed edge, leather fern begins to become a frequent component of the understory. Often, the ground is heavily covered by Australian pine needles, and this, the soil and water regime, coupled with the low light levels reaching the understory, likely contributes to the generally low species diversity in this association. There are watercourses present within portions of this association, as well as open, likely permanent, water bodies. Mixed Forest: This association is found at the eastern end of the site, approximately at the level of the southerly parking lots associ- ated with the Virginia Key Beach. The vegetation in this areas is, as all of the rest of this site, comprised of both native and exotic species. This area contains some of the species that are typical of coastal hammocks as well as of coastal band mangrove communities. Several extremely large mangrove specimens, including both Red Mangrove and a Black Mangrove, indicate an historically important remnant community, perhaps among the oldest in Miami Dade County. Disturbed Edge:. This association borders much of the open portions of the site adjacent to parking lots and other cleared and maintained areas that were modified from their original condition; earthwork, including grading and filling have contributed to the formation of this association. It is heavily invaded by exotic plant species including Brazilian pepper, crowfoot grass, colubrina, and Australian pine; it also includes many native species such as buttonwood, gray nickerbean, native morning glories. Comparison of the current treeline with historic photographs indicates that much of this association has been established since the park's period of significance. The land north of this disturbed edge slopes down rapidly. The sharpness of this edge is the result of previous land contouring rather than any naturally occurring topographic feature. Restoration of the native plant communities planned by the US Army Corps of Engineers and Miami Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management is based on removal of exotic vegetation throughout the park in addition to restoration of three natural plant communities, including Coastal Strand, Tropical Hardwood Hammock and Wetlands. A Freshwater Pond with a wetland fringe is also planned. The plant species identified by the US Army Corps of Engineers as native to the site include the following: 23 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT Coastal Strand: Seagrape and invasive Austalian Pine Mixed forest: Tropical Hardwood Hammock species, Mangroves and exotic vegetation Remnants of the original coastal band mangrove: a giant red mangrove tree WETLAND FOREST DISTURBED FOREST EDGII MANGROVE DUNE/COAST • y ��'� STRAND Exisitng Vegetation Mangroves surrounding the lake: a suitable habitat for the American Crocodile, which has been observed in the lake The pond in the mixed forest 24 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT Seagrasses am found offshore along the entire park Dune pioneer: Beach dune flower Dune pioneer sea oats PLANT SPECIES NATIVE TO VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Tidal Marsh Gulf Cordgrass Saltmarsh Cordgrass Salt Wort Saltgrass Dune Sea Oat Sea Oxeye Daisy Sea lavender Bay cedar Salt Joint Grass Inkberry Sea Purslane Baker's Cordgrass Beach Creeper Beach Elder Dune Sunflower Beach Star Coastal Strand Seven year apple Fiddlewood Key Thatch Palm Necklace pod Cocoplum Saw Palmetto Silver Palm Cabbage Palm Varnish Leaf White Indigo Berry Coral bean Cats Claw Green Buttonwood Beach Jaquemontia Seagrape Myrsine Island Mariberry Saltbush Spartina spp. Spartina alterniflora Batis maritima Distichlls spicata Uniola panrculata Borrichia frutescens Mallotonia gnaphalodes Suriana maritime Paspalum vaginatum Scaevola plumieri 5esuvium portulacastrum Spartina spp. Ernodea littaralis Iva imbricata Helianthus debi/is Remirea maritime Casasia ciusiifolia Cirharexylum fruticosum Coccothrinax morrisii Sophora tomentosa Chrysobalanus icaco 5erenoa repens Coccothrinax argentata Saba! palmetto Dodonaea viscosa Randia aculeata Erythrina herbacea Pithecellobium guadalupense Conocarpus erectus Jaquemontia reclinata Cocoloba uvifera Myrsine quianensis Ardisia escalIonioides Baccharis halimifolia Tropical Hardwood Hammock Cinnecord Strangler Fig Gumbo Limbo Florida privet Jamaica caper Lignum vitae Satin Leaf Biolly Pigeon Plum Wild Tamarind Mastic Black Torch Joewood White stopper Jamaica dogwood Coral bean Wild Coffee Spanish Stopper Soapberry Wild Lime Mahogany Wax myrtle Beautyberry Red Bay Black Ironwood Firebush Mangrove Red Mangrove Black Mangrove Acacia choriophylla Ficus aurea Bursera simaruba Forestiera segregata Capparis cynophallophora Guaiacum sanctum Chrysophyllum oliviforme Guapira dicolor Cocoloba diversifolia Lysiloma bahamensis Mastichodendron foetidissimum Amyris elemifera Jacquinia keyensis Mez. Eugenia axillaris Piscidia piscipula Erythrina herbacea Psychotria nervosa Eugenia foetida Sapindus sapponaria Zanthoxylum sp. Swietenia mahogoni Myrica cerifer Callicarpa arnericana Persea borbonia Krugiodendron ferreum Hamella patens Rhizophora mangle Avicenna germinans 25 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT The forest edge consisting primarily of pest species, has en- croached on historic lawn areas. Manicured lawn areas haw remained a part of the park landscape but undergrowth has engulfed most shade trees. Invasive pest species will be removed from the site by the US Army Corps of Engineers Srazillian Pepper (above) and Austraiiian Pine are the most pervasize pests. Historic vegetation massing: all of the park's historic vegetation has been altered by natural succession and invasion by pest species. Native and exotic species have colonized the area of the coconut grove. Historic coastal vegetation has been lost to shoreline erosion. 26 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT 1JIkT �•— rlaO NCO ILIA jaudEPIOW4 flttt/'at twt SONACC fOOP0SCD Ttrre-A•tk,itAKi #TIOrdICq TIJIM A•TTO1tII� 14.2 F UwO#CD ODOCI A Ott tTrot i[rtare0 RESTORATION CONCEPT LEGEND E xr5 TeliC Color IONS ARCA 1 • SCLiCTKi WNW; O+t c2020c2. T AMT coma& staple Vt t rattit W Itfirli 014A w • YkIC TTVE maw OT ['OrCs.PLAMrio *rn4 MIKA. HAMM et¢CTATOM 131.1 AC?, MCA 2 • Alsrallt TAIL NA!*r?Or1 N+Y/?GI. AID tILT I1t£A5 t30.87 ACI- AREA 2A - CUM /ItimeArCR PC00 AFQ NCTLAI4.2.07 ICXtL MCA 3 • RC'ATOMI ril(1!K.IL fIARmoort neemo- wo IC Altai ti.0 ACI, MCA 4 • SEtACttv1E cuitair, OI txOTICS, RAH COASTAL STRAW vtCCTAT1p1t 4111111110.0043.1 ICI. MICA S • Ofto Ct et! MICA (2.4 ACI. ltLCCT1YtLY Gst PR Etgrti. PLAIT Mrt 'rtGi TAT01 NANIMOICx C. t AC1. MCA 7 • OLm Ct0tC YECCTATM 111.4 ACl ARCA i • REAR it IC v2O2 TATOM MA ACt. MCA 11 • IIRM MAC WOE rAT1pM 13.3 ACI. PROPOSED CQ OT1DPIS &flax IYer*t Af K3 /WPC► . I+AAD‘000 rs4R10.% 1?r PC rti&1A3 3.A7 AG ?I44.1A3 &CO AC TDO.I&a LSO PC 9KIA.S IS PC TIK.3 ILA AC Tltll.i 7.1 AC Om. It.i AC CQMTAL &MA O vCOTATION (CI Clv.t Li AC Csv.1 3,* AC *kilo) WC( WO* IRilbi •TI.0.3A 0.3 PC WTLO3 2.4 AC Ki.CCtrrt MIMIC EXO1EI (IC ia.S 2.4 AC it:C.7 7.3 PC put AC MX.i 2.2 K mitiontiv2 10104C OICI4is 4 ++1201tCt1Y[ riiC o1C ■TUORKI Yt IL % US Array Corps of Engineers Resoration Concept VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT Significant historic circulation features included a sand promenade shaded by coconut trees. Sensitive native vegetation has replaced the sand esplanade Sand footpath through native vegetation leading to the beach remains from the historic period CIRCULATION Land: Vehicular circulation features dating from the period of significance include a paved entrance drive that loops around a large, open parking area and continues around the lake in the center of the park. The entrance drive and parking lot are separated by a series of planting islands surrounded by hand -cast concrete curbs. East of the lake, vehicular circulation consisted of a meandering network of sandy beaten tracks which ended at the shoreline at the extreme east end and at a parking area for approximately ten cars to the north of the cabanas. Remnants of these remain except where a large spoils pile has been placed near the shore. A track extends into the forested area at the east end of the park and links to a trail leading to the beach, During the park's period of significance, a small open area within this forested area, still visible in a 1960s aerial photograph, may have served as a parking or picnic area. A trail links this area to the STP Road along the park's northern boundary. Two wooden bridges carry the trail over wetlands and water channels. Pedestrian circulation was primarily along a network of beaten foot paths. Circulation along the western shoreline consisted of a sand esplanade within the coconut grove. The recreational facilities and parking lot were linked by paved pathways. A bus stop pull -off was located at the terminus of the main pathway leading to the water's edge. A paved road that follows the shoreline east of the spoils pile was established after the park's period of significance. The beach park's surviving circulation system is a character defining feature of the landscape that evokes the parks period of signifi- cance. The entrance drive, the large manicured lawn and the parking lot represent a landscape design aesthetic rooted in a particular time and are significant character defining site features that establish the place of the park within the social context of its era. The entrance drive, the large manicured lawn and the large parking area carried specific connotations during the park's period of signifi- cance and were an important element of the park's symbolic importance. Establishment of the park was a significant victory within the context of the civil rights struggle. As the first public beach recreation facilities for African Americans, the quality of the facilities was of great significance as an indicator of the improved status of the community. Within the context of 1950s American society, the park's entrance landscape connoted quality and therefore status. The curvilinear entrance drive was typical of well -designed public parks throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The park's well -manicured lawn, with its dearly evident requirement for diligent maintenance at public expense was a status symbol. Similarly, the large parking lot provided a showcase for the display of increasing prosperity within the community in the form of shiny new cars and was an indicator of the community's new status. This kind of symbolism was typical of post-war American society in general and had resonance for Miami -Dade County's African American community, which participated in the general post-war prosperity. The establishment of the park, and the quality of the facilities provided was part and parcel of the spirit of optimism of the park's mid-century era of accomplishment, prosperity and progress. In addition, the size of the parking lot provided evidence of a large assembly of black citizens — a significant indicator of increasing civil rights for the community, which had not previously fully enjoyed the constitutionally guaranteed right of public assembly. The "fifties" look of Virginia Key Beach Park also connotes a time when the relationship of people and their natural context was more easy-going. This is especially potent in Miami where the 'fifties represent an era before over -development transformed the region. The meandering sand roads in the eastern area of the park, the casual parking areas, the hand -cast (versus machine extruded) curbing of the parking lot islands, the lack of curbs along the roadways, all evoke a less strained relationship between the automobile and the landscape and thus a more innocent, natural rapport between people and the environment. Sea: Atlantic Ocean access and links to the Caribbean, especially links associated with flights of freedom, are character defining site features with both significance and integrity. The undeveloped character and isolation of Virginia Key's Atlantic Ocean shoreline permits uncontrolled water linkages between the barrier island and the Caribbean and the mainland of Miami. Water transportation 28 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT The entrance view has been altered by development along the entrance mad. The parking lot in the 1950s Development along the entrance road visible in the background. The parking lot is in poor condition. was the primary linkage between the uninhabited island and the mainland of Miami during the park's period of informal use as a recreational setting for African Americans until the construction of the Rickenbacker Causeway in 1947. in addition, Atlantic Ocean access played a role in the early use of Key Biscayne and Virginia Key as a recruitment center for pirate ships and as a point of embarkation for African Americans escaping to the Bahamas by ship on the Underground Railroad. The open character of the shore- line continues to permit access to the American shore for refugees from the Caribbean. Free access to an undeveloped shoreline is thus a significant feature of the historic circulation pattern of the site. Features associated with this water linkage include the entire shoreline of the site as well as structures associated with this water link with Miami, which are not in tact. These include remnants of the boat launch and pier as well as the foundation of the Superintendent's house, which served as an arrival point for visitors to the island. These structures are outside the current park boundary. The foundation of the superintendent's house is located in a county - owned parcel adjacent to the park. The boat launch, including the inlet and remnant pier, are part of the National Marine Fisheries facilities west of the park. Also associated with this historic circulation system are launch sites along the Miami River. Oral histories indicate that during the 1920s and 1930s, residents of Miami visited Virginia Key by boat with some regularity. Photographs that date from this era show residents waiting at a boat landing on the Miami River. The landing is reported to have been located at 5E 5th Avenue. Photographs and oral histories indicate that a variety of types of boat, including fishing boats and launch services, carried groups of residents to the island in the morning and returned at the end of the day to bring them back to the city. Once residents had arrived at the island, they were not able to leave until the boat returned for them. Track through the mixed forest remains from the historic period A bridge across the waterway in the mixed forest and leads to the Sewarge Treatment Plant road and parking for Virginia Key Beach (north) 29 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT Dance Pavilion Concession Building aathhouselRestoom Suikiing Carousel building STRUCTURES Many structures remain from the park's period of significance. The condition of the structures is discussed in the Preservation Plan. Structures remaining include: Dance floor (concrete slab only; coconut trees, benches and jukebox are lost) Concession Stand Carousel (structure only; carousel horses are lost) Bathroom/Restroom Building Picnic Pavilion Smaller Picnic Pavilions Restrooms Miniature Train Tunnel Remnants remain of several significant structures. ■ Park Office (foundation slab only) • Cabanas (foundation slab only) ■ Mini -train station (foundation slab only) Several structures have been lost: • Superintendent's house (foundation remains on Miami Dade County property) • Boat launch and pier (remnants remain on National Marine Fisheries property) • Rental Cabins • Mini -train and tracks Restoom Building Minitrain tunnel Fick SHelter 30 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT MiniIrain and Tracks Rental cabins Picric Shelters Rest room Cabanas '"iini-train tunnel, staion and trxics Carol el Picnic Shelter Pak once D 7 ce Pavi o Concession &:. ken -room Buildings Sraperiritendent's House Rental Cabins Pier Lost and Surfing Landmarks The park's boat launch lagoon (incorporated into the National Marine Fisheries site) with the Superintendent's House on far right. Carousel interior has been lost 31 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT SITE FURNISHINGS There are no existing furnishings of significance or integrity on the site. Photographs from the park's period of significance show that standard park furnishings were used throughout the park, including benches with a concrete support and wooden slat seat and back, wooden picnic tables, wood and metal picnic tables, metal barbecue grills, signage with wooden post and signboard with routered lettering. Several distinctive site furnishings are evident from historic photographs as well, including a white -painted wooden lifeguard stand with a flat scalloped roof, metal cabanas with canvas awnings and rustic picnic shelters with palm -trunk posts and metal roofs. 32 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT SITE CONSTRAINTS Natural Resource Protection and Environmental Agency Review: As a coastal site with significant natural resources, Virginia Key Beach Park comes under the jurisdiction of the federal, state and local regulatory agencies. All improvements made at the park will be subject to significant permitting requirements which can take extended time periods to complete. The US Army Corps of Engineers regulates coastal construction and restoration and also coordinates permit applications for the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Marine Fisheries and the Environmental Protection Agency. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) coordinates permit applications for activities that affect air and water quality, storm water management and dredging and filling through the South Florida Water Management District. In addition, DEP regulates and issues permits for activities affecting marine fisheries and protected species, including habitat areas identified as State Aquatic Preserves (including Biscayne Bay) and species protection areas, including areas of the Miami River and Biscayne Bay covered by the Manatee Protection Plan. DEP also regulates and issues permits for coastal construction seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line and regulates activity on all beaches, including off -shore Motorboat Exclusion Zones, one of which has been established for the Atlantic Shore of Virginia Key Beach. The Miami -Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management regulates and issues permits for coastal construction including docks, marinas and bulkheads and any activity affecting mangroves or tidally influenced jurisdictional wetlands. In addition, DERM regulates activities that affect protected plant species, including regulation of invasive exotic species, which it actively seeks to remove in order to protect native plant species. Protected natural resources at Virginia Key Beach Park include the site's plant communities: the Coastal Band Mangrove remnant at the park's eastern end; mangrove and freshwater wetlands, coastal strand and tropical marine hammock communities. These plant communities include a number of rare plants such as the Biscayne Prickly Ash, broad leaf spider lily, burrowing four o'clock, necklace pod, sea lavender and the Beach Jaquemontia, which are found in the coastal strand and hammock areas. These plant communties provide critical habitat areas for federally protected endangered species, including the Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretomochelys imbricata) and the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta), which nests on the island, the West Indian Manatee (Trichecus manatus), which is frequently observed in the near off shore waters, and the American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus), which has been observed in the lake at Virginia Key Beach Park. The island also provides suitable habitat for other threatened and endangered species including the Gopher Tortoise and a variety of shore and sea bird species, including the Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, Roseate Spoonbill, Wood stork and Piping Plover. The island is a stop -over for migratory song birds. Other protected resources include jurisdictional wetlands and mangroves and both on -site and off -shore water quality. Habitat protection for sea turtles includes the limitation of artifical night lighting. Because the shoreline at Virginia Key Beach Park is a turtle nesting habitat, artificial light must meet requirements for the protection of turtle hatchlings. Turtle hatchlings orient themselves to moonlight on water to guide them from the nest to the water and artificial shoreline light causes the hatchlings to head in the wrong direction. 33 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT American Crocodile Sea Turle West Indian Manatee Protected Natural Reourses Native Plant Species Mangroves and Wetlands 34 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT l‘iiFt - BEAcii (IKU# W2. 4:RE5 249, ATTENDAr11CIE t Ff/ CITIES ST''JI:EAR :314 1r01kl! ` ijtititure k; trig 'I� I'tdzrle 'F'd.L! Ifflinashated $toInt. m* c (>t) iltwi li.ott Umbrellas 4 <3lairs AI liAnKIHc }I, Itrl Statistics from the parks period of historic significance. Park "Carrying Capacity": The total number of people who can be accomodated on the Virginia Key Beach Park site is limited by a number of factors, including natural resources protection, parking capacity, lifeguard capacity, safety related to currents in Bear Cut, number of restooms, comfortable densities for events, and traffic management on Rickenbacker Causeway. Historically, the beach park accomodated as many as 2,400 people, based on the capacity of the parking lots, which was approximately 670 cars with 3-4 visitors per car. This capacity was distributed among the park's various recreational areas but was concentrated primarily along the shoreline in a combined picnidbeach area. During the period of significance, the shoreline esplanade considerably extended the usable area of the combined picnic/beach area but today establishment of native vegetation has reduced this area significantly. Daily attendance on a "peak use" day (exclusive of special cultural events) is thus limited primarily by environmental concerns that limit the overall size of picnidbeach areas appropriate within a sensitive environmental setting. This was not a concern during the park's period of significance because the primary function of the park was to accommodate all Miami Dade County African Americans. Annual attendance during the peak period was approximately 300,000 people. Crandon Park, by way of comparison, accommodates three times that number of visitors in ten times the space. Although demand for recreational opportunities at Virginia Key will likely be increased due to its special appeal as a heritage and cultural destination, it will be significantly lower than historic levels. The area of the shoreline that is potentially appropriate for swimming is limited to 2,000lf at the eastern end of the park. (The suitability of the area for swimming will require reevaluation after the shoreline stabilization project is complete.) Based on the pro- posed width of the beach and the capacity of a lifeguard to monitor a maximum of 250 people at an average density of 240sffperson, the swimming beach can accommodate up to 500 people. Group camping sites sensitively located within areas of coastal vegetation can accommodate up to 60 people (based on 15 sites with an average of 4 people per site.) Additional picnic shelters can accomodate up to 90 people, based on the potential for new shelters to be located in appropriate locations in the park. The historic picnidbeach area can accommodate up to 412 people on a peak use day, based on the historic number of picnic tables/grills and picnic shelters in the area (88 picnic tables with an average of 4 people per table and 1 large historic shelter for 30 people and 2 small shelters for 15 people per shelter). The historic picnidbeach area shoreline will accommodate spill over from the picnic areas for activities such as wading but will not accommodate people at the densities expected along swimming beaches. Shore fishing along this shoreline can accommodate up to 50 surf casters along its 2,4001f. Recreational features such as trails and interpretive facilities will be used by a small percentage of visitors and these users will overlap with beach/picnic area users. Based on current standards and environmental considerations, the total "peak use" capacity of the park's recreational facilties is approximately 1,112 people. The capacity of the existing parking far exceeds this peak demand and can easily accommodate additional vistors to an interpretive center or cultural event. The maximum size of a performance lawn is one acre based on distance to stage for the most distant viewer. A one -acre performance lawn accommodates bewteen 4,800 (based on 9sf/person as at Wolftrap Farm Park and Gosman Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach) and 12,445 people (based on 3.5 sf/person as at Bayfront Park Amphithetre in Miami). The total comfortable event density for the park is approximately 4,800, requiring 1,371 on -site parking spaces. Total parking demand for a peak event is approximately 3,560 cars. Between 1,500 and 2,000 cars can be parked on site in the parking lot, in overflow lawn areas and on the immediately adjacent STP Road ROW. Excess demand can be met in Virginia Key Beach lots further east along the STP Road and in shared, shuttle -serviced lots at adjacent facilities. Traffic management along Rickenbacker Causeway for an event of this size will require careful planning on the part of County and City officials to avoid congestion. Given the historic significance of the park as a venue for large gatherings, the development of effective traffic mangement strategies to permit successful events at Virginia Key Beach Park should be a priority. The successful management of the 250,000 visitor annual tennis event at Crandon Park sets a precedent. 35 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT tir 1A The parking lot at Virginia Key Beach Park is recognized as historically significant because It represents an improvement in the status of black citizens of Miami Dade County who prior to the establishment of the park were not able to gather in large numbers without harrassment. Park V w Areas and Access Peak Use Day Capacity Historic Picnidbeach area: Tables/grills (88 x 4 people) Large Historic Shelter 2 Small Historic Shelters Swimming Beach: Group picnicicamping sites: Additional picnic shelters: Shore fishing (non -swimming beach): Total park users - peak use day Parking Requirement Parking Capacity Daily Lot -paved 225 cars Daily Lot - grass overflow 230 cars A !EVENT ACCESS PEAK ■..■aa■uws■■s-—_E1LF.AI ■ PARKING 352 people 30 people 30 people 500 people 60 people 90 people 50 people 1,112 people 317 cars 455 cars parking requirement is based on 3-4 peoplelcar EVENT Event Day Capacity Total audience - typical event Parking Requirement Total audience - peak event Parking Requirement Parking Capacity Daily Lot -paved Daily Lot - grass overflow Event Parking Lawn STP Road ROW 225 cars 230 cars 960 cars 280 cars 4,800 people 1,371 cars 12,800 people 3,560 cars 1,695 cars 36 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT COASTAL CONSTRUCTION CONTROL LINE (CCCL) Sign blown down in the 7 950 hurricane that destroyed all of the park's original structures. II ■■• 111■■■■■■ ■■■■■Irk •Ir■ I;MEAN HIGH WATE FEMA Flood Hazard Zone Construction Requirements 37 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT Building code requirements: All construction at Virginia Key Beach Park must meet standards imposed by the site's significant flood hazard. Engineering and building requirements to meet Federal Emergency Management Administration requirements are regulated and permited through both the city of Miami Building Department and, for construction seaward of the Coastal Construction Control Line, through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The majority of the Virginia Key Beach Park site falls within "V" flood hazard zones. V zones require all construction to be on pilings, with the lowest structural member of the struction to be a minimum of 12 feet above the mean h Igh water elevation of the site (1.5") and to include "breakaway" construction at ground level to permit flood waters to flow through the pilings. A limited area along the northern boundary is within an "A" zone, which requires all habitable spaces to be elevated 12 feet above mean high water, but which permits construction to be on fill rather than on pilings. Planning and Zoning: Design of all improvements at Virginia Key Beach Park is subject to review by the City of Miami Planning Board (City Commission) and as a waterfront site requires a Class II Special Permit. In addition, improvements are subject to review by the Miami Dade County Waterfront Development Committee, the City of Miami Parks Advisory Board, and the Waterfront Advisory Board. Current zoning of the site is "Parks & Recreation" either by designation or by interpretation for the area annexed to the city but left unzoned, which is subject to the most restrictive adjacent zoning designation. Permitted uses within this designation include: Public Parks, Clinics and Day Care, Police Facilities, Marine and Marina Facilities, Educational Facilities, Cultural Facilities, museums tart galleries /exhibit spaces, Social & Entertainment Services, restaurants /cafes /retail, Entertainment Facilities. Historic Preservation Requirements: In order to protect the status of Virginia Key Beach Park as a National Register of Historic Places site, all improvements to the park must adhere to the Secretary of the interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Proper- ties and Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes. Improvements, additions and adaptive reuse of park facilties must not adversely impact the listed historic resources or impair the integrity of the Character Defining Features of the landscape inventoried in this report. Other preservation requirements are documented in the Preservation Plan. Limited building sites for new construction: Because virtually the entire site is protected as either a natural resource or historic resource, potential locations for new construction and site improvements are severely limited. Any site improvements must take into account impacts to resources and avoid, minimize and mitigate these impacts. 38 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT SITE SUITABILITIES The Virginia Key Beach Park Civil Rights Task Force public design charette findings identified four key goals for appropriate use of the historic beach park site. These goals were articulated in the Mission Statement of the Virgin la Key Beach Park Trust that was estab- lished to implement the recommendations of the task force: "To restore Virginia Key Beach Park to its original state and to create Miami's historical, environmental, cultural, recreational African -American Museum." Opportunities consistent with the Trust mission and the priorities established through the public planning process address four goals: 1. Preserving and interpreting the park's historic cultural and natural features 2. Documenting and commemorating Miami -Dade County's Black Heritage 3. Providing recreational and educational opportunities 4. Providing programs and services that overcome barriers to recreational and educational opportunity for all Miami - Dade County residents Goal 1: Preserving and interpreting the park's historic cultural and natural features The historic features of the park include structures and a landscape setting that are interconnected. Preservation, restoration and interpretation of the park can be undertaken according to best practices in historic preservation and environmentally sensitive design and operation to reestablish a park that offers an educational and enjoyable glimpse into the natural and cultural history of Miami. While the historic park structures are not distinguished, the character of the historic setting incorporating these structures can be restored to create an evocative setting with a "period" ambiance suitable to understanding the historic and natural context of the events for which the park is recognized as a significant setting. The park can be restored according to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Structures and Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes and according to best practices in environmentally sensitive design and operation. The restored landscape setting and its features can incorporate interpre- tive features that permit the entire park to serve as an outdoor museum. Goal 2: Documenting and commemorating Miami -Dade County's Black Heritage Miami's position as an important American city and international tourist destination, its role as a focal point of the western hemisphere with connections to the United States, Central and South America, and the Caribbean makes it potentially an appropriate location for a significant museum experience that has meaning for people beyond Miami -Dade County. The site is the only place within the city of Miami with an Atlantic Ocean shore, which gives it a unique link with places beyond the city. This fact, together with its proximity to other important visitor destinations on Virginia Key give it special prominence and potential. Because of this potential, the opportunity can be explored to provide a museum experience unique in the United States focusing on the African experience in America. Public input has identified a desire to recognize those who have contributed to the struggle for civil rights, to acknowledge the effect of segregation on African Americans and to memorialize those who lost their lives at Virginia Key. The park is well suited to exploring these themes since the beauty, serenity and dignity of the site can allow for a healing experience to be provided. This site also offers an opportunity to establish a gateway and anchor for other Black Heritage destinations in Miami Dade as well as historical sites around Biscayne Bay, Black Heritage tourism is a growing niche in the United States tourism market with significant potential. The state of Maryland, for example, recently committed $.30 million and half of all operating expenses fora Black Heritage museum in Baltimore in recognition of the potential for such a facility to benefit the economy 39 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT Goal 3: Providing recreational and educational opportunities Evaluation of the potential for existing and proposed uses at Virginia Key Beach Park to meet or not meet present and anticipated future recreational demand is based on information gathered from a variety of sources, including Miami Dade County Parks and Recreation staff and research as well as other sources cited in the assessment. Influences on use levels Beach utilization is influenced by six main factors: 1) custom, 2) service area or location, 3) season, 4) type of fadlities and activities available, 5) design and operation of facilities and 6) access. Miami Dade County beaches provide relevant comparisons for Virginia Key Beach Park, Of particular relevance is Crandon Beach Park, which has the same service area as Virginia Key and offers similar activities and features. Custom: Beach users in Miami Dade County tend to show a preference for a particular beach park or area of a beach based on custom. A typical user profile for the five most popular county beaches prepared by the County Parks Department showed a tendency for beach users of similar ethnic background and age to frequent the same beach. While this utilization pattern is influenced by the ethnic make up of the service area closest to the beach, as discussed further under "Proximity," this pattern is also influenced by the custom of using a beach where a level of cultural comfort exists. Haulover and Crandon attract a high proportion of teens and young singles. Other county beaches, including Miami Beach, Bill Baggs, Matheson Hammock and Homestead Bayfront Park attract a higher proportion of young families and older users. Teens and young singles use beach facilities differently than families, showing a higher preference than families for some activities such as large gatherings and loud music. Similarly, beach users of different ethnicity show preferences for different activities, Hispanics show a preference for family group gatherings lasting a half day. African Americans show a preference for all -day, large group gatherings. Proximity: A Miami Dade County study of beach preferences conducted in1986 indicated that utilization of the five most popular county beaches reflects their location in the county, both in terms of total number of users and in the typical profile of the users. Census data indicates that the population of the county has remained relatively stable in terms of density and ethnic make up, which suggests that utilization patterns have remained the same in the intervening years. Haulover Beach, located in the northeastern part of the county, attracts users from the county's northeast and northcentrai neighbor- hoods. Neighborhoods in this part of the county have a large proportion of African American residents and this is reflected in the user profile of Haulover Beach, which has the largest utilization among African Americans. Crandon Beach is located in the central -eastern part of the county and attracts users from the central and western neighborhoods, where the relatively large proportion of Hispanic residents are reflected in the user profile of the beach. Crandon, however, attracts a broad spectrum of users of all ethnicities. Season: Miami Dade County Parks and Recreation Department records indicate that beach utilization in Miami Dade County follows a seasonal pattern that reflects tourist visitation. At Haulover Beach, attendance is highest during the summer season and on week- ends. Crandon Beach shows a more seasonal pattern of utilization, with peak attendance during the Thanksgiving to January holiday period and the April -May Spring Break period. Both parks experience higher utilization on weekends and the lowest utilization during the October -Thanksgiving period. Crandon Beach attracts a larger number of seasonal tourists and one-time users as a result of its 40 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT Muwu m.and Ilk am pr adv. Cam, ell 1. • Fir1f3 and Ma[uFal Areas A..ryyr ehaul atk al Si Tel iaeA M7aaaar4T Kar 17,11a 7C.'I hair an I5ep dJyearrne HI 'EMT Caen Fhrida Sue.A3 Neu, 1torre ry I4..l.r.xrI1z.4. COMM CM" MVO, Crate. T1tWJ1114 ItlhA.efLt IM a lai Lhy • M05,-a. i4.RAa. 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Ia a ,i.rk 0IT 91 r ry Tau A at, Nam 1>Ot: t I). r1 1 LI n erwpn-enebah:s,r Pair Corry �t .r MIA MI IJa DE COUNTY FLORIDA 1_ Ta ae r Black Heritage Sites + orr s gsss; R!{HMOKR u.rrr .^nor • n li Q SOCKA 1i.1t1a1I1 ▪ WEST trraf R/7 R VOMIT car erwru?+lr (fro E1OWNJY Jlf is 0YERTOWN itLAYATTAM O 4 ►fiiklM] T or;r.1 MTJ C[ZA! GAM! Fr F�1 rw MAW+ 4 FEMME i..• G6ULO! AT Lora al neutrito.4 Orr .1rpArf3rsAA a a 1• (r entel r colour • 1.7rrr.wra 41 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT proximity to other tourist destinations such as Seaquarlum. The Crandon Beach service area is the same as that of Virginia Key and therefore attendance figures provide a good indicator for demand for activities at Virginia Key. Cyclical attendance patterns can influence use levels in a variety of ways. A stable attendance level is needed to support any kind of concession. The quality of concession offerings is affected by the quality of the business opportunity. Uneven concession quality can in turn influence perceptions about the beach experience and reduce the overall appeal of the beach, lowering use levels. Heavy concentrations of users can also leave an impression that facilities in general are inadequate and reduce repeat visits. Seasonal or event related crowding can pose maintenance challenges that also influence beach use levels by turning off first time users. Type of Facilities and Activities: Use of county beaches by residents and visitors is highly influenced by the quality and type of activities and facilities. According to Miami Dade County Parks and Recreation Department research, going to the beach is the most popular recreational activity in the county. A recent opinion survey by the Trust for Public Land related to access to the waters of Biscayne Bay indicates that swimming and picnicking are the two most popular activities at county beaches. Approximately 60% of users at the most popular beaches cite swimming as the activity they enjoy; approximately 30% cite picnicking as the activity they enjoy. All other activities are enjoyed by fewer thanl0% of beach users. Use levels are higher for specialized activities available only at a specific beach park. For example, approximately 25% of Matheson Hammock users enjoy boating, fishing or paddling. A high proportion of users cite "other" as the activity they enjoy at county beaches. Activities popular at local beaches include: Swimming Picnicking Walkingllogging Motor boating Sports Beach sunning Bike Riding Fishing Special Events Wildlife Observation Eating Paddling Nature Trails Skating Playgrounds Diving/Snorkeling Swimming and picnicking are overwhelmingly the most popular activities and the demand for these activities is therefore very high among county residents. The Greater Miami Convention and Visitor Bureau indicates that going to the beach is also the most popular activity for visitors and the main reason for non -business visits to the Miami area. Similarly, swimming is the most popular activity among visitors, along with sunbathing and eating. 42 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT Swimming and eating are the two most in -demand beach activities among both visitors and residents and the availability of these activities, as well as the quality, has an overwhelming influence on the use of local beaches. The quality of the swimming experience is by far the most influential factor in attracting beach users. Miami Beach is the destination of choice for swimming in the county, for visitors and residents alike. Miami Beach is the most frequently visited beach, indicating satisfied users who are attracted by the high quality swimming experience offered. Among non-residents, Miami Beach is also the most popular beach destination. The Trust for Public Land statistics indicate that the availability of special activities and facilities also influences beach use. Matheson Hammock is the second most frequently visited beach after Miami Beach. Motorboating, fishing and paddling are the most popular activities at Matheson Hammock after swimming and picnicking and are nearly as popular as these. The high frequency of use of Matheson Hammock and the popularity of these activities suggests that repeat visitors are interested specifically in these activities. Bill Baggs attracts frequent users as well, with swimming by far the most popular activity. Trail -related activities such as biking, walking, and jogging are also popular at Bill Baggs, suggesting that repeat visitors are attracted to the availability of these activities. Crandon has been visited by almost as many county residents as the overwhelmingly popular Miami Beach, but is not as frequently revisited. Special events, such as organized picnics and sports events attract large numbers of one-time users to Crandon. While Virginia Key, including the Rickenbacker Causeway, the city beach and Virginia Key Beach Park is not among the most fre- quently visited beaches, it has attracted a high number of visitors as well as a small number of frequent users. Virginia Key has been visited by only slightly fewer county residents than Haulover or Matheson Hammock. Special activities available at Virginia Key include seaquarium, which accounts for the overall high number of county residents who have visited the island. Other activities such as windsurfing, sailing, jetski rental and special events at Virginia Key Beach Park attract smaller numbers of repeat visitors. Rickenbacker Causeway is also a dog -friendly beach. These uses are in high demand among small special interest groups. Some extremely specialized users create a strong, consistent demand for facilities that are not available widely. These include dog owners, boating and fishing enthusiasts, specialized sports participants such as windsurfers and kite sailors, and nudists, Boat launches and storage facilities, boat rental and waters appropriate for fishing account for the popularity of Matheson Hammock. Similarly, nudists account for a strong demand for the clothing optional beach at Haulover. Demand for this activity is so intense that revenue generated by the north parking lot at Haulover, which serves the clothing optional beach, supports the entire beach. Design and operation: Beach users cite the condition of facilities as an influential factor in their selection of a beach and in the frequency of their use. Well maintained facilities, such as at Miami Beach, Bill Baggs State Park and Matheson Hammock, attract repeat visitors. Maintenance issues and a lack of variety in facilities were cited by Haulover Beach stakeholders as reasons for low repeat visitation. The design of facilities is also influential. Users show a preference for parks where a theme carries through the design of all facilities in the park. In addition, design can influence the ability of users to identify recreation options and has a strong influence on their perceptions of the extent and quality of facilities. Wayfinding is an important limiting factors at all county beaches. Use patterns on Key Biscayne, for example, indicate that users show a preference for Bill Baggs State Park and that only after parking spaces at Bill Baggs are full, do use levels at Crandon rise. Unclear access points, confusing internal circulation patterns, large, centralized parking lots and the fact that the beach is not visible from the access roads or parking facilities deter visitors at Crandon. Visitors show a preference for the dear relationship between access, parking and the recreational options at Rickenbacker Causeway and Bill Baggs, where parking lots are 43 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT aligned with the beach and the visitor can see where beach space is available. Visitors also show a strong preference for minimizing the distance between their parking space and the beach. Large, centralized parking lots at Crandon are perceived as distant from the beach and tend to concentrate users within a short distance of the parking lot. As result, the central portion of Crandon Beach, near the north parking lots accessed from the first entrance to the park along Crandon Boulevard, is the most highly used while the majority of the beach, which must be accessed by foot or from the south parking lot, is largely underused, even on high use days. Similar problems exist at Haulover, where circulation and wayfinding problems concentrate users in areas of the beach that are the easiest to access while large areas are virtually unused. Large concentrations of parked cars also convey an impression of crowding on the beach, which deters some visitors. Conditions of riptides, lightning, littoral pollution, etc. can limit the number of beach users. Fluctuating factors, such as weather and pollution levels influence daily use levels but long-term factors such as currents, persistent pollution, seaweed deposits and murkiness influence the swimming experience and have an impact on overall use levels. Beach utilization is highest on clear days with low pollution levels. Access: Income level influences beach utilization. Transit -dependent, low-income county residents without cars do not use county beaches. TPL statistics indicate that a large percentage of inner city children have never visited a beach. Broader trends in the recreational marketplace Missed Opportunities: Facilities and activities that are scarce and which attract loyal followers are in high demand. Clothing Op- tional Beaches attract a highly loyal following. The scarcity of clothing optional beaches means that unmet demand for this beach activity is extremely high. This strong demand translates into revenue dollars. As noted, for example, the parking lots serving the clothing optional beach at Haulover generate sufficient revenue to support the entire beach park. The clothing optional section of Haulover Beach is close to its capacity. New Demands: Low income county residents without access to automobile transportation have low participation rates in recre- ational opportunities of all kinds, including beach going. Programs and alternative transportation options that provide access to this population are a potential generator of demand for beach activities. Beachside overnight accommodation Is in high demand throughout south Florida, as real estate and hotel prices attest. Camping sites are available at only five parks in Miami Dade County. Ecotourist type accommodations are non-existent. The feasibility study for the ecotourist campground proposed for Virginia Key lists only five comparable facilities that include overnight camping and short term rental opportunities. Only two of these were within 100 miles. The feasibility report indicated a high demand for this type of facility. Rental cabanas are in high demand at Crandon Park. In contrast to day -use cabanas, which are available as changing rooms, rental cabanas are leased annually and provide storage for recreation equipment such as beach umbrellas, chairs and bicycles. Competitive Trends: Black Heritage Tourism is a small but growing niche within the tourism industry. Heritage tourism is currently a $30 billion a year industry. The most recent Travel Industry Association report stated that as a small segment of the total tourism picture, the African -American market is a $10 billion a year market. It also stated that African Americans are more likely to visit 44 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT heritage sites and ethnic museum exhibits than any other segment of the market. (da Silva, Angela, "African American Heritage Tourism," Preservation Issues, Volume 7, Number 3) Synergy with other Black Heritage initiatives in Miami Dade County could enhance demand for this kind of experience. The Overtown Folklife Village, the Miami Dade County Black Heritage Trail, Coconut Grove's Junkanoo Festival are possible complimentary attractions that could draw Black Heritage tourists to the area, establish Miami Dade County as a Black Heritage destination and create a larger potential audience for a civil rights memorial and museum. Conclusions The poor quality of the swimming experience possible at Virginia Key Beach Park limits the park's recreational potential. Dangerous currents make parts of the beach relatively unsuitable for swimming. Although methods of improving the safety of the beach can be explored, the potential of the beach to attract and retain typical beach users is severely limited, since swimming is the primary activity enjoyed at the most popular beaches. Virginia Key Beach Park is in a poor position to compete with Miami Beach and Crandon as a swimming destination. However, attendance at other county beaches indicates that demand for well -maintained, unique activities other than swimming is also high and can take the place of swimming in meeting the recreational demands of county residents and visitors. In addition, unique activities and features increase repeat visits and help to stabilize attendance. Stable attendance reinforces the appeal of facilities by ensuring the viability of concessions and by building familiarity with the recreation options available. Design and operation of facilities can strongly influence attendance and build loyal repeat visitors. Virginia Key Beach Park is well -positioned to serve a broad spectrum of Miami Dade County residents and visitors of all ages and ethnicities, especially from the south and central areas of the county. Virginia Key Beach Park's proximity to other parks, recreation options and tourist destinations such as Seaquarium, Crandon Park, and a restored Miami Marine Stadium, enhances its potential as a recreation destination. Crandon Park alone attracts approximately one million visitors per year, with an additional quarter million attending the annual tennis and golf events held at the park. Virginia Key Beach Park will be well placed to attract a proportion of this visitation, as visitors explore the various recreation options available at Key Biscayne and Virginia Key. In addition to this "walk by" traffic, Virginia Key will also attract a loyal following of users interested in its unique features, including educational and interpretive facilities and its historical significance as a gathering place for African Americans. The park also holds high potential demand as a Black Heritage tourist destination. Because Virginia Key Beach Park is positioned to attract tourists visiting nearby destinations, it can poten- tially serve as a gateway to other Black Heritage Trail destinations in Miami Dade County including Overtown and Coconut Grove. Design and maintenance of facilities, especially those related to access such as parking and alternative transportation options and programs, are essential to ensuring that Virginia Key Beach Park fulfills its potential to meet demand for recreation. The reuse of historical facilities for both interpretation and for their historical recreational uses is a key means of realizing the park's vision. At the same time, the historical facilities can meet only a portion of the recreational demands called for by the park's mission. New uses are therefore required as well as new facilities to ensure adequate services, including sufficient restroom and concession facilities. The park can accommodate recreational facilities for most popular beach activities, including: 45 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SITE ASSESSMENT Beach areas for swimming and snorkeling Beach areas for picnicking, sunbathing, kayak launch Lawn areas for picnicking Concession facilities for dining/food sales Concession facilities for equipment Storage facilities for equipment Day -use cabanas and bath houses Trails for Walking/Jogging/Bike Riding/Skating- including dog -friendly facilities Nature trails for wildlife observation and nature study Performance venue for special events Playground area - including the historic Carousel and Mini Train Goal 4: Overcoming barriers to access The park's mission, like Crandon Beach Park, is to provide a place where all county residents can experience the healing powers of the natural world. Virginia Key Beach Park can place a special emphasis on overcoming barriers to access. The park program therefore can include features geared to enhancing access to the park for the county's low-income residents. The park's comparatively com- pact size makes it a "walkable" beach park with a variety of attractions that are easily explored on foot. In order to make beach going more convenient, affordable and enjoyable for people reliant on transit, facilities and programs can be developed that take into account all aspects of reaching and enjoying a visit to the beach. There are many reasons not to take public transit to the beach: the potential to be stuck there if the bus is unreliable, the walk from home to the bus stop to the beach with heavy and cumbersome equipment, especially after being tired by a day of activity and heat, lack of space or permission to carry equipment on the bus, the long bus ride itself, including waiting and transfers, the challenge of finding an outfit (or outfits) that will be wearable throughout the many phases of the outing, especially the return bus trip after spending a day outdoors, having wet or messy hair in public (ok for the beach, but not for the bus ride). All of these inconveniences - as well as the expense involved in overcoming them deter those dependent on public transit or with low incomes or who want to reduce their reliance on the car for environmental reasons from visiting the beach. Making the beach transit -friendly means addressing these realities. Several approaches are possible to improve the experience of getting to the beach by making it shorter, more convenient, more reliable and more fun: Extend bus routes into the park with shelters, telephones and transit information as close to amenities as possible. Provide alternative transit modes such as jitney service, organized group transportation Provide carts, buggies or wagons to facilitate carrying beach equipment to the areas of the park remote from the parking lot Partner with organizations that can sponsor transportation and supply equipment. Facilitate church groups and clubs that sponsor recreation opportunities for youth such as Optimists Club, Big Brothers and Sisters, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Sierra Club and other groups focused on environmental education. Provide facilities for sponsoring organizations that provide for equipment storage and group activities including camping. Make a wide variety of beach necessities affordably available at the park: towels, chairs, umbrellas, coolers, ice, food, recreation equipment such as bikes, rafts, fishing gear and bait, kayaks, kites etc. Provide long-term lockers for storage of personal beach gear including clothes, bikes, chairs, umbrellas, coolers, bathing suits. Provide and meticulously maintain changing rooms that offer privacy, places to store street clothes, vanity areas and showers. 46 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 47 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS EVENT ENTRANCE BRIDGE/GATE BIKE TRAIL WETLAND NATURE TRAIL WETLAND FOREST EVENT MEADOW NEW PICNIC SHELTER PLANT LORE GARDEN +MINITRAIN TRACK BRIDGE MANGROVES +LAKE +MINITRAIN TUNNEL +MINITRAIN STATION PARK OFFICE WATER PLAY +ENTRANCE ROAD +PICNIC SH ELTE TRAIL HEAD MIAMI DADE ("(?LINTY pAfil4ti TO RICKENDgO(ER ..t= CAUSEWAY Bear Cut + HISTORIC FEATURE PARKING LOT HC PARKING SOLAR GATEWAY SHORELINE PROMENADE MEMORIAL GROVE GARDEN COURT CULTURAL CENTER MAIN ENTRANCE GATE 4TP.ROAD CAROUSEL COCONUT GROVE BUS STOP DANCE FLOOR SNACK BAR BATH HOUSE POND NATURE TRAIL MANGROVE ♦ENTRANCE NEW PICNIC SHELTER PICNIC SHELTERS RESTROOM HC PARKING CABANAS PLAYGROUND Atlantic Ocean TO VIRGINIA KEY PEACH fDIACTAL TRAJ L 1-% - GROUP CAMPING AREA BEACH PAVILION SWIMMING BEACH COASTAL STRAND SHORELINE PICNIC GROVE HAMMOCK VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER SITE PLAN ❑' 300' O 48 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM SUMMARY Virginia Key Beach Park is not just another city park. Its future management and development have been the subject of an intense public involvement process that has involved every level of government from local to Federal and innumerable dedicated citizen activists, many of whom have devoted years to the protection and wise use of this unique parcel of public land. The park is one of a handful of places in Miami that people are willing to call sacred. The Virginia Key Beach Park Trust is thus charged with a unique mission: the stewardship of a park with extraordinary significance to our city and our nation as one of few sites dedicated to the commemoration of the Civil Rights movement. The Trust will face management issues related to commemoration of historic events, stewardship of natural and cultural resources, education, and recreation —and will share management duties with other public entities. Efficient and effective management of the park must be predicated on a clear understanding of how these duties are shared. As the word "trust" implies, the public will look to the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust to oversee and coordinate these activities. The master plan outlines the actions required to preserve and reuse Virginia Key Beach Park as a recreational setting and a natural and historical resource with an educational and commemorative purpose. The park is recognized as a significant place within the context of the Civil Rights movement and the master plan provides a framework for establishing the parkas a setting where the public can gain an appreciation of the goals and achievements of the Civil Rights movement. The park is also recognized as a significant vestige of the natural setting of the city of Miami and the master plan provides a framework for integrating into this setting a park program that reflects goals established by the public planning process. The park's natural resources will sustain a rare vestige of the region's unique animal and plant communities and contribute to the city's long term sustainability. The park will serve as a setting for education about both history and the natural environment. The park will play a role in meeting the recreational needs of the city as a whole and as a setting for cultural events. The development program depicted in the Master Site Plan is summarized below. Cost Estimates for the development of the park and detailed capital improvement budgets follow this summary. Detailed recommendations and descriptions are provided in separate sec- tions for Historic Preservation, Commemoration and Education, Recreation, Natural Resources Protection and Operations and Support. Cultural Center 36,000sf exhibit building with apparatus required to present video, voice recording or holographic imagery Commemorative Landscape Inscribed stone garden court terrace with Date Palms and interactive fountain Solar Gateway Memorial Walkway with inscriptions Memorial Coconut grove with markers and monuments Recreate or reinterpret the park office at its original location as an interpretive display Install interpretive displays at Bath House Replace the lost carousel horses Install interpretive text panels and historic photographs at carousel Install a Juke Box at the Dance Pavilion that plays music from 1920s-1960s Restore the Minitrain feature including train, tracks, tunnel and station Enhance the Minitrain course with interpretive, educational and play features at the station and in the landscape Replace metal cabanas and install interpretive signage 49 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Install interpretive signage, historic photographs and text in parking lot Install classic car display Install shoreline interpretive features Install natural history interpretive features Install the State Historic Marker Historic Landscape Restoration Paving, Grading and Drainage Remove/spread the spoils piles Regrade throughout the site to establish positive drainage Widen the northern spur of the entrance road to accommodate two-way traffic and bus access Renovate the parking lot Restore the parking lot adjacent to the cabanas Stripe and sign handicap accessible parking spaces in the main parking area and cabana area install 8' shoreline path with friable geotextile base, a stabilized sand wearing surface with maximum slope 1:20 Adapt the southern spur of the entrance road as a pedestrian -only path Planting Restore shade trees in planting islands around the parking lot's perimeter Plant shade trees to provide complete canopy coverage of the Restore the historic coconut grove using primarily certified -seed Cocos nucifera, var. Maypan Engage a certified arborist to evaluate and prune shade trees Plant new shade trees according to a "Tree Succession Plan" Replace lawn grasses with Paspalum Renovate the meadow with turf -block, grass -rings or similar geotextile system Restore plantings around historic buildings Enhance plantings around the Minitrain tracks Enhance the plantings along the historic mini train with barrier plantings with concealed fencing Recreation Features Trail system Shoreline promenade Paved recreation trails Nature trails Dune crossings Boardwalk at pond / mangrove area Canoe or kayak launch with access to the water bodies in the adjacent County park Informational and wayfinding signage 50 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS Beach Improvements Recreate the lifeguard stands Replace the metal cabanas Install "No Swimming" signs Install marker buoys for safe swimming area Picnic and Camping Facilities Replace and restore picnic tables and grills inside and around the historic picnic structures Install Picnic tables, benches and grills for picnic/camping areas Small shelter near the two small existing shelters Large corporate rental shelter with grill Beach Pavilion Post and rope barriers to protect natural vegetation Children's Amusement Area A water play feature with interactive water jets. Playground climbing structures Hedge theatre Climbing sculptures and interactive play features Event Meadow Electrical service vaults at temporary stage locations Operations and Support Facilities 5,000-7000 Park Office SF on pilings Water and Sewer Service: Electrical Service: Overhead electrical line burial Conversion of service risers at existing structures Telephone and high-speed Internet access Access drive from STP Road with removable bollards Security gate Bridge over wetland 51 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS COST ESTIMATE The cost estimate represents multiple phases of improvements that will be carried out over the next five years. The major elements are listed below in order of priority, beginning with in -progress projects (underlined), The cost estimate does not include soft costs. For a breakdown of costs, see the detailed capital improvement budgets for each project. Budgets for museum inprovements and park improvements are detailed on the following pages. Element Estimated Cost Authorized Funding Historic Building Restoration Sanitary Sewer Shoreline Restoration 111 Ecosystem Restoration 1135 Exotics removal & replanting Recreation Features Museum Improvements Cultural Center Commemorative Landscape Contingency (10%) Park Improvements Historic landscape restoration Operation and Support Recreation Features $2,692, 000 $100,000 $12, 580,000 $1,735,000 $1,431,500 $1,119,500 $1,117,800 $1,752,250 (excluding ACOE-1135 funded elements) Contingency (10%) $398,950 $1, 234,000 $1,000,000 $1,200,000 $3,000,000 $750,000 $3,000,000 $2,792,000 $2,000,000 $15,747,500 $5,441,000 Source (HDB) (55BIHDB) (ACOE-111) Deficit $234,000 $450,000 (ACOE-1135) $692,000 (required City match) $5,000,000 (CDT) $441,000 (SNPB) $10,306,500 $4, 388, 500 $3,250,000 (HDB+) $1,138, 505 TOTAL $26,362,000 Key to Funding HDB HDB+ SSB/HDB ACOE-111 ACOE-1135 SNPB CDT $15,441,000 $10,921,000 Sources Allocated Homeland Defense Bond - $1 M allocated from $5M authorized Authorized but not allocated Homeland Defense Bond - $4 unallocated less $750,000 earmarked to repay SSB Special Sewer Bond to be repaid from $5M authorized HDB Army Corps of Engineers Army Corps of Engineers - Requires 25% match from city; includes 5% for recreation features Safe Neighborhood Parks Bond Convention & Development Tax 52 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGETS QTY UNIT UNIT COST TOTAL CULTURAL CENTER Cultural Center Architecture 36,000 SF $250 $9,000,000 Cultural Center Landscape hardscape 60,000 SF $10 $600,000 Cultural Center Landscape softscape 4 AC $20,000 $80,000 Cultural Center furnishings and exhibits 1 ALLOW $2,100,000 $2,100,000 Interactive fountain 1 ALLOW $800,000 $800,000 CULTURAL CENTER SUBTOTAL COMMEMORATIVE LANDSCAPE Entrance gateway 1 ALLOW $100,000 $100,000 Solar Gateway 1 ALLOW 5100,000 $100,000 Memorial Walkway with inscriptions (400lf x10') 4,000 SF $10 $40,000 Bronze figures 10 EA $60,000 $600,000 Plaques, markers and monuments 12 EA $10,000 $120,000 Interpretive signageldisplays (30 points of interest) 30 EA $3,000 $90,000 Recreate park office 1 ALLOW $15,000 $15,000 Carousel horses 1 ALLOW $100,000 $100,000 Juke Box 1 ALLOW $50,000 $50,000 Minitrain ride (train and track) 1 ALLOW 5250,000 $250,000 Recreate the Minitrain station 1,000 SF $100 $100,000 Restore the Minitrain tunnel 1,200 SF $100 $120,000 Replace the Metal cabanas 10 EA $5,000 $50,000 COMMEMORATIVE LANDSCAPE SUBTOTAL HISTORIC LANDSCAPE RESTORATION Grading and soil amendments 18 AC $5,000 $90,000 Roadway renovation 7,500 SY $10 $75,000 Parking lot fill, drainage 25,800 SY $10 $258,000 Parking lot asphalt 18,000 SY $2 $36,000 Parking lot reinforced turf (includes irrigation) 7,800 SY $3 $23,400 Parking lot tree pits 65 EA $500 $32,500 Parking lot trees 130 EA $600 $78,000 Parking lot wheel blocks - (220 turf spaces + 1/2 (246) asphalt 353 EA $200 $70,600 Restore the parking lot adjacent to the cabanas (10 HC spaces) 3,000 SF $1 $3,000 Remove southern spur of the entrance road (approx. 10001f) 1 ALLOW $20,000 $20,000 Picnic grove (approx, 5 acres) 5 AC 520,000 $100,000 New shade trees 200 EA $1,000 $200,000 Replace lawn grasses with Paspalum (sprigged) 18 EA $6,000 $108,000 Miscellaneous plantings 1 ALLOW $25,000 $25,000 HISTORIC LANDSCAPE RESTORATION TOTAL $12,580, 000 $1,735,000 $1,119, 500 53 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS RECREATION FEATURES Trail System Shoreline promenade (40001f x 8') 4,000 LF $32 $128,000 Paved recreation trails (80001f@6') 8,000 LF $12 $96,000 Nature trails (80001f@6') 8,000 LF $4 $32,000 Bridges (pedestrian @351sf) 250 SF $35 $8,750 Bridges (vehicular 1@30x24) 1 ALLOW $25,000 $25,000 Dune crossings (5accessible@30x60) 9,000 5F $4 $36,000 Boardwalk at pond f mangrove area (@351sf) 600 SF $35 $21,000 Post and Rope barriers (80001f) 8,000 LF $2 $16,000 Subtotal Beach Improvements Lifeguard stands (15) Install "No swimming" signs (15 @ 500) 15 EA $3,000 $45,000 15 EA $500 $7,500 Subtotal $362, 750 $52,500 Picnic and Camping Facilities Picnic tables 100 EA $1,000 $100,000 Benches 50 EA $1,000 $50,000 Grills 100 EA $800 $80,000 Small shelter near the two small existing shelters 1 ALLOW $37,000 $37,000 Large corporate rental shelter with grill 1 ALLOW $300,000 $300,000 Beach Pavilion (5000sf) 5,000 5F $100 $500,000 Subtotal $1,067,000 Event Meadow Electrical service vaults at temporary stage locations 6 EA $5,000 $30,000 Subtotal $30,000 Children's Amusements (New) Water play feature with interactive water jets 1 ALLOW $200,000 $200,000 Playground climbing structures 2 EA $50,000 $100,000 Climbing sculptures and interactive play features 10 EA $4,000 $40,000 Subtotal $340,000 RECREATION FEATURE TOTAL $1,752,250* less $100,000 to be included in ACOE-1135 OPERATION & SUPPORT FACILITIES Park Office 7,000 $150 $1,050,000 Access drive from STP Road (2001f x 24') 4,800 $2 $9,600 Security gate at event entrance 1 $10,000 $10,000 Bridge (50 If x 24' @351sf) 1 $45,000 $45,000 Removable bollards at event entrance (4@6`oc) 4 $800 $3,200 OPERATION AND SUPPORT TOTAL $1,117,800 Site Subotal $18,305,050 Contingency $1,830,450 TOTAL $20,135,500 54 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN- HISTORIC PRESERVATION HISTORIC PRESERVATION VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN— HISTORIC PRESERVATION 17 0' 200' we, err i a A*OUSE) ,= SNACK BAR HOUSE l5i'10E FLOOR 19 BANAS VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK HISTORIC PRESERVATION 1 ENTRANCE ROA❑ LANDSCAPE 2 PARKING LOT (RESTORED - ADAPTIVE REUSE) 3 SUPERINTENDENT'S HOUSE (RECREATED) 4 BATHHOUSE (RESTORED) 5 SNACK BAR (RESTORED) 6 DANCE FLOOR (RESTORED) 7 PARK OFFICE (RECREATED) 8 PICNIC SHELTER (RESTORED) 9 CAROUSEL (RESTORED) 10 MINITRAIN STATION AND TRACKS (RECREATE I ) 11 MINITRAIN TUNNEL (RESTORED) 12 LAKE (HISTORIC DESIGN INTENT REALIZED) 13 PICNIC SHELTERS (RESTORED) 14 RESTROOMS (RESTORED) 15 CABANAS (RECREATED) 16 LAWN AN❑ SHADE TREES (RESTORED) 17 NATIVE VEGETATION (RESTORED) 18 SHORELINE (RESTORED) 19 VIEWS (RESTORED AND PROTECTED) 56 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN- HISTORIC PRESERVATION INTRODUCTION The goal of preservation of the historic site features — including both buildings and landscape setting — is to permit the public to place the events for which the site is recognized as significant into historical context. The character of the park during its period of significance was a joyful place of refuge and ease. Restoration of that setting will illustrate the achievement of one of the fundamental goals of the struggle for Civil Rights: the enjoyment of the inalienable right to the pursuit of happiness. The historic site features will provide an evocative setting for active recreational use and for the presentation of interpretive information that can illuminate the establishment of the park as a significant event in the Civil Rights movement. Proposed historic preservation measures are as follows: • Preserve and restore the landscape setting of the park and integrate new facilities and uses sensitively to protect the integrity of the setting • Preserve and restore the existing historic structures and adaptively reuse each for its original function and to present interpre- tive information • Recreate or reinterpret lost historic features within contemporary building code restrictions and use each for recreation and interpretati on • Incorporate interpretive text, period photographs and period artifacts into the park setting to provide visitors with information about the park's historic features, their use and popularity, their significance to the black community and the context of the park within American society during the period of significance Recommendations for the preservation of the site reflect the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Proper- ties and Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes and are intended to safeguard the integrity of the Character Defining Features of the Landscape. Recommendations for preservation of the Character Defining Features of the Landscape are as follows: SPATIAL ORGANIZATION AND LAND PATTERNS Orientation of all park facilities to the Atlantic Ocean shoreline is a character defining site feature with both significance and integrity that should be preserved. In addition, the division of the park into distinct "outdoor rooms" by vegetation masses has significance and integrity and can also be preserved and restored. The "outdoor room" that was formed by the coconut grove along the park's shore was a significant element of its spatial organization, providing shaded seating and circulation areas along the shoreline with uninterrupted views of the water. This spatial configuration was critical to the recreational function of the park. The integrity of the grove has dimin- ished with time. Shoreline seating areas created by clumps of Sea grape trees remain from the park's period of significance but have reduced integrity due to intrusion by exotic species. Erasion has caused the loss of shoreline vegetation in the eastern part of the site. The following treatment is recommended to preserve and restore the historic character of the site's spatial organization: • Preserve orientation of all site facilities to the Atlantic Ocean by reestablishing the shoreline as a major circulation element • Remove exotic species and reestablish shoreline vegetation in massing reflecting historic patterns • Restore the coconut grove along the entire shoreline with a combination of native palm species and Coconut palms. Integrate the palm grove with native plant communities. (See Natural Resource Protection) Site picnic tables and grills similar to the standard park furnishings used during the park's period of significance throughout the grove to reestablish it as an "outdoor room" 57 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN- HISTORIC PRESERVATION The park's historic structures offer an opportunity to present the public with an accumulation of evocative glimpses of black life during the period of significance that can put the goals and accomplishments of the American Civil Rights movement into historical perspective. Period photographs can be displayed in the restored structures together with text panels and artifacts. VIEWS/BACKDROPS Views of the Atlantic Ocean horizon, the absence of views of significant development and views of the natural character of the shoreline are among the site's most significant character defining features and should be preserved and restored. Uninterrupted views of the beach from the interior of the park and the vegetated backdrops that define the park's northern boundary are significant character defining features that should be preserved and restored. Views of the beach park site within its undeveloped context from other vantage points are also important character defining site features that should be protected, The following treatment is recom- mended to preserve and restore the historic character of the site's views and backdrops: • Stabilize vegetated backdrops by removal of invasive exotic species and replanting with appropriate native species • Screen adjacent development with vegetation massing consistent with historic patterns • Work with adjacent property owners to reduce and limit the visual impact of adjacent development • Investigate the feasibility of scenic or conservation easements for critical visual backdrops LANDMARK S/STRUCTURES Significant landmarks with integrity include all of the structures identified as contributing resources in the National Register of Historic Places nomination. In addition, significant landmarks have been lost. The following treatment is recommended to preserve and restore the historic character of the site's existing landmarks and to recreate its lost features. (See Preservation Plan for details): Carousel • Restore the carousel building • Replace the lost carousel horses • Reuse the carousel as an entertainment feature as demand dictates (See Recreation) • Use the carousel building to house significant interpretive exhibits that take advantage of the building's available wall space and secure interior protected from the dements • Present longer, more complex interpretive text panels that can be perused at leisure in a shady indoor setting • Display high quality photographs from the park's period of significance that can be enjoyed either in the context of the interpre- tive text or within the context of an entertainment feature such as images of the carousel itself, images of the landscape setting visible from the vantage point of the carousel such as the historic coconut grove and the Atlantic Ocean. Concession Building • Restore the concession building to house the operations of a concessionaire responsible for providing refreshments (See Op- eration and Support for detailed recommendations related to the operation of the concession.) • Include menu items from the park's period of significance (corn dogs, pop corn) • Provide rental of beach chairs and umbrellas of the type available during the park's period of significance Bathhouse • Restore the bathhouse to provide changing facilities and restrooms • Meticulously maintain facilities to protect the structure itself and to support park operations (See Operation and Support for detailed recommendations) • Use the bathhouse building to house significant interpretive exhibits that take advantage of the building's available wall space and secure interior protected from the elements 58 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN- HISTORIC PRESERVATION The corn dogs served at the snack bar are still remembered with relish fifty years later. Can the taste be recreated? A Juke Box like the one used at the dance floor can play pe- riod music once again, such as the songs of 1953 chart - toppers Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald. The Minitrain ride can be a place to learn about the plant lore brought to America by the African Americans and Caribbean islanders who settled in Miami Dade County. • Integrate interpretive features in the interior that illustrate the importance of the bathhouse as a means of facilitating access to the beach for the park's visitors during the period of significance when many people waked or took the bus to the park and relied on the changing facilities to make their visit feasible and dignified. Display the bathing suits and personal beach gear and grooming products that were used during the period of significance. Display period photographs of "bathing beauties" that were taken at the beach during its period of significance and which were a period mainstay of mainstream Miami from which black citizens were largely excluded until the opening of the beach. Picnic Shelters • Restore the picnic shelters for their original purpose • Restore the historic lawn and shade tree plantings around the picnic shelters (See Vegetation) • Replace and restore picnic tables and grills inside and around the structures (see Site Furnishings) Restroom Building • Restore the restroom building to serve its original function • Meticulously maintain facilities to protect the structure itself and to support park operations (See Operation and Support for detailed recommendations) Superintendent's House • Recreate, within building code restrictions, the superintendent's house at its original location. Work with Miami Dade County Park and Recreation Department to incorporate the site into the park boundary • Use the recreated structure to display significant interpretive exhibits related to Virginia Key's only official residential structure, the history of settlement and development of the barrier islands, water linkages to the park Dance Pavilion • Replace the palm trees, benches and Juke Box that were historically associated with the existing concrete dance floor • Reuse the feature as an active entertainment feature • Supply the Juke Box with music from the park's period of significance (1945-1953) as well as from the park's period of informal use by black Miamians (1920s-1930s) and from the period of the park's greatest popularity (1950s-1960s) MiniTrain • Restore the mini -train tunnel • Recreate the mini train station in its original location on the existing slab and according to the original plans with appropriate modifications for coastal construction • Recreate the mini train track • Provide controlled train -track crossing points and planted barrier plantings with concealed fencing around the entire train track • Replace the train with a train identical to or similar in appearance to the original train. Investigate energy -saving alternative power sources for the locomotive • Enhance the plantings along the historic mini train route to provide educational and interpretive interest consistent with the original design intent of the feature as an entertaining experience of the natural landscape of the park (See Recreation for detailed recommendations) • Incorporate interpretive, educational and play features within the enhanced landscape setting Bus Stop • Restore service to the bus stop (See Site 5uitabilities) • Site the State Historic Marker at this arrival point 59 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN- HISTORIC PRESERVATION Park Office • Recreate or reinterpret the park office at its original location • Adapt or reinterpret historic plans or site an appropriate surplus military building of the type originally used at the park and replaced after the hurricane of 1950, with appropriate modifications to address hurricane hazards. • Use the recreated structure to display interpretive exhibits related to the park's operation during its period of significance • Present information on visitor demographics and attendance figures highlighting the diversity of black immigrants and the role of the park in bringing large numbers of people from isolated neighborhoods together. Present information on the facilities and services provided, the wide service area of the park, operating costs and management in comparison to other beach parks. Focus interpretation on the context of the park's establishment and preservation: the segregation laws that prohibited access to county beaches for black residents, the "Wade -in" at Haulover Beach, negotiations between the Negro Service Council and county officials, the planning and design of the park including the reason for the selection of the Bear Cut beach, its use during the 1920s and 1930s and as a segregated training area for black servicemen during World War \li CTI IA- BEACH[ { Ia oa zL LU*km L ; ATTEelWIC E .AST'IAAR 2tc, 114 FAC1 r- I'1'I LT..; ltraeerlraer ti replaces (L ) 1 ar ib 'llaewe rpinin nr Xailra-ki Vaal Liucry *i it i4 i u'ies ( t'$hu .a. Vg roluriref Dillon Ika 1te i rig ,Swaim; rig fish iulrej Uall tell .s Cha�rx F+t 1r= fAn l{a Mc Lost historic structures and site furnishings can be recreated as interpretive features that tell the story of the park. Inter- pretive signage can be located throughout the site. 60 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN- HISTORIC PRESERVATION Stabilized sand and wide dune crossings should evoke the historic sense of being near the water on natural soil with- out straining the natural resources of the park CIRCULATION The entrance road, parking lot, sand esplanade and water linkages have considerable significance but limited integrity and should be restored in a manner that is consistent with protection of the natural environment and adaptive reuse of the site as an active beach park and educational setting. The sand esplanade was the primary pedestrian circulation element during the parks period of significance and should be restored as the primary circulation element of the restored park. Since the park's period of significance, the flat sand esplanade along the shoreline has evolved as a dune in some areas. Restoration to its historic condition would have negative impact on the site's natural resources and would require permitting and mitigation. Because of the importance and sensitivity of the natural shoreline resources, historic restoration of the sand esplanade should be integrated with natural resource protection. • Reestablish a shoreline promenade evocative of the historic sand esplanade • Extend the promenade along the entire shoreline of the park and provide access to palm -shaded picnic groves and dune crossings as well as other site facilities • Use a friable base to comply with coastal construction requirements and to permit service vehicle and emergency access and a stabilized sand wearing surface to provide a handicap accessible, maintainable path that looks like the historic sand espla- nade. (See Recreation for further recommendations) • Maximum slope 1:20 for handicap accessibility • Minimum width 8' for service vehicle access • Locate benches along the shoreline promenade at shady vantage points with views of the ocean • Locate interpretive features along the shoreline promenade that provide information on the plants and animals native to the shore, the Atlantic Ocean, tides, sunrise and sunset and facets of the site's history having to do with its accessible shoreline such as its possible link with the Underground Railroad, pirates, refugee landings and the Virginia Key Beach Park Civil Rights Task Force. 61 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN- HISTORIC PRESERVATION Water Linkages Access by boat to Virginia Key Beach was a significant character defining feature of the historic landscape. Restoration of water access can be an important method of restoring the park's historic character and interpreting its historic significance. No structures associated with this access have integrity. Compliance with conservation goals for both the sea grasses and the West Indian Manatee which feeds in the near off -shore waters of the park preclude construction of a pier or introduction of motorboat traffic into this zone. Recommen- dations for the treatment of the site's historic water linkages are as follows: • A motor boat exclusion zone established for the shoreline should be marked to ensure enforcement. • Water links to the shore should be limited to kayak and canoe access • Provide interpretation of the history and significance of the water linkages along the Shoreline Promenade Entrance Road Florida Accessibility Code requires 2% of total parking spaces to be located at the shortest safely accessible route from the facilities they serve. The location of the entrance road between the parking lot and the public facilities it serves does not permit a code compliant safely accessible route. • Adapt the southern spur of the entrance road as a pedestrian -only path to accommodate handicap access and to link the shoreline promenade to the access road from Rickenbacker Causeway • Widen the northern spur of the entrance road to accommodate two-way traffic and bus access • Use curbless asphalt roadway consistent with the historic character of the entrance road • Extend the roadway to the historic parking area adjacent to the cabanas and picnic area Parking Lot The parking lot is a listed contributing resource in the National Register. As such, the Secretary of the interior's Standards require that no action be taken that will have an adverse impact on the parking lot or the integrity of its setting. The parking lot has deteriorated during the fifty years since the park's period of significance and has limited integrity. By contemporary environmental, aesthetic and functional standards, the parking lot is of poor design quality and thus conveys an impression directly opposite the one conveyed during the park's period of significance when it represented a significant investment of public resources for the creation of top-quality facilities for African Americans. Restoration to its historic condition will have detrimental impact on other park resources. Drainage problems create flooding of the northeastern portion of the parking lot, which limits access and threatens further deterioration. Lack of shade and the unbroken expanse of asphalt make the lot uncomfortably hot and contribute to heat island effects and poor air quality. A lack of pervious areas to reduce storm water run-off contributes to flooding, impairs replenishment of the water table and increases non -point source water pollution. During the park's period of significance, the parking lot accommodated 660 cars which reflected exaggerated demand for the park's segregated recreational facilities among African Americans. Current demand levels at the park will be significantly lower, except during cultural events, but effective interpretation of this feature requires preservation of a sizable lot. The parking lot requires replace- ment with appropriate materials and methods. Because the significance and integrity of the park's natural areas limit appropriate building sites for historically compatible, functional interpretive facilities, and because the parking lot has a detrimental impact on other park resources, it is recommended that the parking lot be replaced or adaptively reused to accommodate protection of the site's natural features and to permit an interpretive center and park management office that will facilitate meaningful interpretation of the park's significance. Specific recommendations for the replacement or adaptive reuse of the parking lot are as follows: • Stabilize and upgrade the parking lot to meet environmentally sensitive design standards and reduce the impact of the parking lot on the natural resources that are the basis of the park's historic significance. • Regrade to establish positive drainage • Replace crumbling asphalt driving lanes 62 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN- HISTORIC PRESERVATION • Replace 50% of asphalt -paved parking spaces with pervious areas to decrease storm water run-off and flooding and to reduce non -point source pollution. Pervious areas can be a combination of stabilized lawn over -flow parking spaces and planting areas • Maintain the orientation of the parking lanes and the overall size and shape of the lot • Restore shade trees in planting islands around the parking lot's perimeter • Preserve and restore the hand -cast curbing used around existing tree planting islands • Plant shade trees to provide complete canopy coverage of the parking lot • Use the native canopy tree species used in the parking lot's existing tree islands (Ficus aurea) • Use hand -cast curbing for new planting islands • Provide handicap accessible parking spaces in the main parking area • Restore the parking lot adjacent to the cabanas for handicap accessible parking • Coordinate storm water management requirements with South Florida Water Management District • Convey the historic significance of the lot with in-depth interpretation of the role the parking lot played within the context of its period. Interpretation can include at a minimum interpretive signage, historic photographs and text explaining the parking lot's symbolism during the period of significance and can also include classic cars as permanent exhibits or classic car shows as temporary exhibitions as part of the park's event programming. TOPOGRAPHY AND DRAINAGE Character defining elements of the topography and drainage of the site with significance include the extent of fill, the water bodies in the wetland forest, the artificial lake and the shoreline. These should be preserved and restored. The integrity of these features is compromised by the large spoils piles located on the western and eastern ends of the shoreline and the eroded segment of the shoreline between the two existing groin systems Since the park's period of significance, settling of the filled areas of the park has caused serious drainage problems throughout the park. Flooding and ponding are evident throughout and deterioration of pavement and "lumpy" lawn surfaces are the result. The meadow in the eastern end of the park currently does not have positive drainage and has many divets and hillocks that make walking uncomfortable and contribute to drainage problems. The irregular grading and drainage of the site has implications for the water quality and storm water management. Recommendations for the treatment of the site's topographic and drainage features are as follows: • Stabilize the shoreline and wetland water regime (Army Corps of Engineer projects are planned to accomplish this stabiliza- tion.) • Remove/spread the spoils piles • Regrade throughout the site to establish positive drainage • Adapt the parking lot, as discussed under Circulation, above, to reduce water and air quality impacts • Renovate the meadow to serve as an event lawn, picnic meadow and overflow parking area for events. 63 VIRGINIA KEY REACH PARK MASTER PLAN- HISTORIC PRESERVATION The h+storic coconut grove can be integrated with native vegetation to provide habitat and recreation areas. VEGETATION The natural setting of Virginia Key is its most significant character defining feature. Protection and stabilization of the park's natural setting, especially its native vegetation, is therefore a critical aspect of its preservation and restoration as an historic site. The coconut palm grove that existed along the entire sand esplanade was a significant character defining feature of the vegetation, spatial organi- zation and circulation of the site during its period of significance. The grove provided shady walking and seating areas along the shore that significantly extended the usable area of the beach and contributed significantly to the perception of the beach as a high quality recreational setting. The circle of palms surrounding the dance pavilion was also a significant feature and a visual icon of the park. Other significant elements of the historic landscape plantings were lawn areas and shade trees located throughout the park but especially in picnic areas offering shaded vantage points with views of the Atlantic Ocean. Since its period of significance, the park landscape has undergone many changes: invasion by exotic species, natural succession of native species, natural mortality of shade trees and other ornamental plantings and, most significantly, the loss of the historic coconut grove. The natural vegetation of the site will be stabilized by removal of exotic species and replanting with native species by the US Army Corps of Engineers Ecosystem Restoration Project. The ecosystem restoration project will restore the natural areas of the site to ecological integrity but will not address the restoration of historic landscape plantings, including parking lot shade trees, ornamental plantings, picnic lawn areas and the extensive shade tree plantings that were historically an important element of the park's appeal. Parking lot shade trees are addressed above under Circula- tion. Restoration of the other elements of the historic landscape should be carried out within parameters established by the ecosystem restoration, including the exclusive use of native plants, with the exception noted below. The following recommendations are made regarding historic planting restoration: • Restore the historic coconut grove using primarily certified -seed Cocos nucifera, var. Maypan • Following ecosystem restoration, engage a certified arborist to evaluate the quality and potential longevity of remaining native shade trees and make recommendations for proper pruning and reshaping of the trees to enhance their value as picnic sites and to extend their life expectancy • Augment existing shade trees with new shade tree plantings in lawn areas and develop a "Tree Succession Plan" that plans for the replacement of mature shade trees as they age • Replace lawn grasses with Paspalum, a species identified in the US Army Corps of Engineers/DERM ecosystem restoration project as native. (See Natural Resource Protection recommendation regarding use of native plants adapted to the climate and site condi- tions that do not require irrigation.) Paspalum is the low-water use lawn grass of choice in environmentally sensitive developments, including golf courses, and provides an attractive, easy to maintain lawn surface • Restore plantings around historic buildings based on period plans, where these are available, with historically appropriate modifica- tions to the plant selections to ensure that only native species are used • Enhance plantings around the Minitrain tracks to serve as an interpretive and ornamental feature, with an emphasis on native plants. Include plants of African and Caribbean origin that are compatible with ecosystem protection (i.e. non-invasive species) to permit interpretation of African and Caribbean plant lore as part of the Minitrain experience. 64 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN- HISTORIC PRESERVATION Furnishings from the period of significance were typical park furnishings that are still in common use and will provide versatile, easy to maintain seating and cooking facilities for picnic areas SITE FURNISHINGS There are no existing furnishings of significance or integrity on the site, New furnishings in the vicinity of the historic structures should be consistent with the design of features documented from the park's period of significance. (See Recreation for more specific recommen- dations) • Use the standard park furnishings and wayfinding signage documented from the park's period of significance which are still widely available and routinely used in contemporary park settings (See Recreation for more specific recommendations) • Recreate the lifeguard stands based on historic documentation • Replace the metal cabanas with temporary structures consistent with the character of the historic features and compliant with building code requirements. • Provide furnishings and site accessories such as chairs, umbrellas and awnings that are compatible with the natural character of the setting and the park's period of significance. 65 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - HISTORIC PRESERVATION PICNIC SHELTER PARKING LOT SNACK BAR MINITRAIN DANCE PAVILION CAROUSEL RESTORED HISTORIC STRUCTURES PICNIC SHELTERS at RESTROOM CABANAS LIFEGUARD STAND VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN- HISTORIC PRESERVATION SHADED LAWNS ENTRANCE WATER ACCESS "OUTDOOR ROOMS" COCONUT GROVE RESTORED HISTORIC LANDSCAPE FEATURES 67 THIS PAGE INTENTIALLY LEFT BLANK 68 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - COMMEMORATION & EDUCATION COMMEMORATION at EDUCATION 69 0 200' $)f' SUNRISE TROPICAI. HA S ♦ HISTORIC STRUCTURES MIAMI DADE BLACK HERITAGE CIVIL RIGHTS TROP ) HAMMOCK � ' 40. BjD. AND C R,$ rH A B ITA T COASTNreaND MANGROVE f.. 1Y6i'A L' ST RAN D REFUGEE LANDINGS AND DEPARTURES * ATLANTIC OCEAN * SEA GRASSES AND MARINE LIFE V I RG IN IA KEY BEACH PARK COMMEMORATION & EDUCATION 1 CULTURAL CENTER 2 COMMEMORATIVE LANDSCAPE 3 RESTORED HISTORIC STRUCTURES 4 STATE HISTORIC MARKER 5 SENIOR CITIZENS' AREA 6 BEACH PAVILION - OUTDOOR CLASSROOM 7 HEDGE THEATRE 8 SUNRISE OBSERVATION 9 BAPTISM BEACH 10 WEDDING TERRACE 1 1 CHILDREN'S PARTY AREA 12 DANCE FLOOR 13 PICNIC AREAS 14 EVENT LAWN 15 NATURE TRAILS 16 GROUP CAMPING AREA MONUMENTS AND MARKERS NATURAL POINTS OF INTEREST ♦ HISTORIC POINTS OF INTEREST 70 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - COMMEMORATION & EDUCATION INTERPRETATION The main purpose of the public planning process has been to create a site plan that accomodates the establishment of a museum to commemorate and explain the site's historic significance. The American Association of Museums recommends that a museum effectively involve its audiences in developing public programs and exhibitions and the site planning process has provided the public the opportunity to identify themes, listed below, that are of interest and relevance to the community. • The natural history of the barrier island (including its evolutionldevelopment) • Early inhabitants and uses (Native Americans; African Americans fleeing to the Bahamas; pirates; rum runners) • African American History at Virginia Key (The 20s and 30s; World War II; The Wade -in and establishment of the park) • Miami's last natural jewel (Virginia Key's role in the urban context; The Virginia Key Beach Park Trust) • African American experience in Miami Dade County — the struggle for Civil Rights • The daily world of Miami -Dade County's African American community during the park's period of significance, including family life, entertainment and cultural expression, civic life and segregation. • Miami's African -Caribbean culture (Church life; the place of nature in African cultures, the uses and significance of plants; links to the Caribbean; festivals and celebrations) • Black contributions to Miami -Dade County History (Founders of Coconut Grove, Lemon City, Overtown; civil rights figures, etc.) The public has also identified the key features of a museum in which to discuss these themes. These are discussed below. OUTDOOR MUSEUM ENCOMPASSING THE ENTIRE SITE Virginia Key Beach Park has a uncle and fascinating story to tell its visitors. An inter -illuminating set of outdoor and indoor exhibits and programs, refined through a focused process that effectively engages the public, the Trust board, and museum experts, should together create the experience of an outdoor museum that effectively conveys the park's story to the public. The master plan identifies points of interest throughout the site that correspond with historic structures, natural features, opportunities for educational and interpretive information and opportunities for commemorative features. The park's original structures and its site features can be restored and used to house artifacts, hold performances or present exhibits, text and graphics, including the evocative photographs of the park's hey day. Inscriptions, sculpture, interactive features and artifacts such as the classic cars of the era, the juke box and music that were part of the dance pavilion experience, the foods that were served in the snack bar, the beach chairs, fashions and toys of the era can be incorpo- rated into the park setting. The presence of people actively enjoying these site features can become an important facet of the park's character and serve as a living memorial to its historic significance. (See Historic Preservation for detailed recommendations for individual historic structures.) The centerpiece of this interprepretive landscape or outdoor museum can be a facility where aspects of the site's story can be told in depth and where cultural activities can occur. A preliminary program for a cultural center building has been devel- oped to establish the size, location, program and cost of a facility that meets the site's requirements for natural and historic sensitivity and which can serve as the focal point of the museum. (See Appendix III: Preliminary Cultural Center Programming Report.) Historic preservation requirements, natural resource sensitivity and flood hazard each establish important constraints on the design of interpretive features and facilities. Protection of the integrity of the historic setting requires that interpretive features adhere to the Secretary's Standards. Interpretive features may not dominate the setting or have an adverse impact on any character defining site feature or contributing historic resource. (See Site Assessment and Historic Preservation.) Adaptive reuse of existing structures for interpretive functions would meet these standards as would a new facility that is appropriately sited and which adheres to architectural standards for historically compatible new construction. Interpretive structures that can be transformed into damaging missiles during 71 hurricanes are not appropriate within the Coastal Construction Control zone and any features located seaward of the CCCL will require permitting by the state. In addition, interpretive features must meet building code requirements for construction within Flood Hazard zones. Interpretive features can take a variety of forms that comply with these requirements and can be sited sensitively throughout the park to illustrate and evoke the history of the site. ORAL HISTORY, STORYTEWNG AND COMMUNITY Oral history plays a special role in the history of Virginia Key Beach Park, which has been transmitted orally, and interpretive features and programs should make the most of this tradition by emphasizing oral story telling and performance. Live story telling and performance can be accommodated in several places throughout the park including the cultural center, beach pavilion, event lawns, picnic areas and the hedge theatre in the children's amusement area. Seating areas that address the comfort and tastes of senior citizens can facilitate events such as the Seniors to Seniors event held at the park where senior citizens transmited their stories to high school seniors. The importance of oral history, the richness of the photographic record of the park and its historic context and the special design constraints on the site each point to the use of the ephemeral elements of sound and light as appropriate media in which to convey the park's story. Photographs of the park are extremely evocative of the park's joyful heyday while photographs and video images from the period of the park's establishment reveal both an inspiring oratorical tradition and a harsh reality that are critical to understanding the park's historical context and significance. Voice recording, video and even holographic imagery can provide complex, in-depth story- telling that minimizes the use of irreplaceable artifacts vulnerable to hurricane damage. The apparatus required to present video, voice recording or holographic imagery has the capacity to present a wide variety of images and sounds from a single apparatus that can be appropriately engineered for site conditions or replaced in case of damage without loss of unique and irreplaceable artifacts. At the same time, these ephemeral images make a powerful statement about the nature of things which are part of our collective memory but which are not written in stone. These in turn can make a poignant contrast with the things that we do chose to etch in stone. COMMEMORATIVE LANDSCAPE The Wade -in at Haulover Beach staged by Negro Service Council member Judge Lawson Thomas and the anonymous service men and longshoremen who joined him was one of the first direct action protests in the Civil Rights movement, mounted a full ten years before the Bus Boycott recognized as the initial impetus for the movement. The historic importance of the event that lead to the establishment of the beach park as well as other events in the life of Miami-Dade's African American community should be commemorated in a garden setting that celebrates the beauty of the accomplishments and of the setting. The commemorative landscape proposed is a garden linked with the cultural center. The form of the garden proposed refers to Exodus 15:22-27, Marah and Elim, in which the Israelites are led by Moses to an oasis in the desert where the water is bitter and they cannot drink it. Moses throws a piece of wood into the spring and the water becomes sweet. Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water. The garden includes a court associated with the cultural center where a grove of Date Palms is set in a terrace inscribed with appropriate texts. The court features an interactive fountain that alludes to the Wade -in by permiting visitors to wade into its waters. At the same time the fountain is intended to lighten the atmosphere of the cultural center where the frank and thorough presentation of the historical context of the movement will have a bittersweet effect. The garden court will serve the traditional function of a garden, which is to provide a transition between the interior of a building and its landscape setting. The fountain, with children actively enjoying it, will serve as a reminder that the purpose and result of the Civil Rights Movement is a joyful one and will provide an emotional "decompression 72 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - COMMEMORATION & EDUCATION chamber" that permits visitors to prepare to experience the more joyful and lighthearted elements of the outdoor museum. At the same time, the formality of the setting will prepare visitors approaching from the outdoor museum exhibits and recreation features for the more serious exhibits in the cultural center. The garden's main element is a Solar Gateway focused on the Atlantic Ocean horizon and aligned with the rising sun. The solar gateway should be a commissioned artwork from an artist and an engineer experienced with significant permitting and engineering require- ments. This feature and the walkway leading to it from the Cultural Center's garden court should be engraved with inscriptions that convey the purpose and meaning of the beach park as a living place and a symbol. The ,plantings and dune crossing associated with this feature should reinforce the alignment The gateway is symbolically aligned with the World Heritage Site at Goree Island, where the millions of Africans sent to America in slavery are memorialized at The Door of No Return, focused on the Atlantic Ocean horizon with America beyond. Markers and monuments bearing inscriptions that commemorate the achievements of Africans on the other side of that horizon should be located throughout the garden flanking the gateway. A coconut grove is proposed for this area of the garden. The message chosen by the Trust Chairwoman M. Athalie Range to convey the intent of the garden is the final testament of Florida Educator Mary McLeod Bethune: I leave you love, Key texts from the Civil Rights movement should find a place within the garden as well. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr's "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" seems especially appropriate to illuminate why the simple pleasures offered by Virginia Key Beach Park were so well appreciated in their day and represent a significant achievement in the Civil Rights movement "...We have waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God-given rights. The nations of Asia and Africa are moving with jetlike speed toward gaining political independence, but we stiff creep at horse -and -buggy pace toward gain- ing a cup of coffee at a lunch counter. Perhaps it is easy for those who have never felt the stinging dart of segregation to say, "Wait." But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and brothers at whim; when you have seen hate -filled policemen curse, kick and even kill your black brothers and sisters; when you see the vast majority of your twenty million Negro brothers smothering in an airtight cage of poverty in the midst of an affluent society; when you suddenly find your tongue twisted and your speech stammering as you seek to explain to your six -year -old daughter why she can't go to the public amusement park that has just been advertised on television, and see tears welling up in her eyes when she is told that Funtown is closed to colored children, and see ominous clouds of inferiority beginning to form in her little mental sky, and see her beginning to distort her personality by developing an unconscious bitterness toward white people; when you have to concoct an answer for a five -year -old son who is asking: "Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?"; when you take a cross -county drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you; when you are humiliated day in and day out by nagging signs reading "white" and "colored"; when your first name becomes "nigger," your middle name becomes "boy" (however old you are) and your last name becomes "John," and your wife and mother are never given the respected title "Mrs."; when you are harried by day and haunted by night by the fact that you are a Negro, living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of "nobodiness" then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait. There comes a time when the cup of endurance runs over, and men are no longer willing to be plunged into the abyss of despair. I hope, sirs, you can understand our legitimate and unavoidable impatience..." Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water. 73 TO NATURE TRAILS -� CULTURAL CENTER WITH INTERPRETIVE EXHIBITS ON HISTORY AND NATURE GARDEN COURT WITH "WADE -IN" FOUNTAIN, MONUMENTS AND MARKERS ENTRANCE GATEWAY 1, -4 • v 41 . , s� f•}, r.. . r R. 4 --�SHORELIN `PRf7 EN A D E BIKE TRAIL_ COCONUT GROVE WITH MARKERS AND MONUMENTS SOLAR GATEWA' V\F DUNE CROSSIN TO NATURE RAILS CULTURAL CENTER si COMMEMORATIVE LANDSCAPE 74 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - COMMEMORATION & EDUCATION The Atlantic Ocean horizon from The Door of No Return at Goree Island, Dakar, Senegal, through which millions of Africans were sent to America. The struggles and achieve- ments of Africans on the other side of that horizon can be commemorated at Virginia Key Beach Park in a garden that focuses on the Atlantic Ocean horizon visible through a gate- way that frames the sunrise. '',11 I iv 75 ih • if.-; ti....14,1e4 iii.,4, Too .„ , ..iff 14*116'14114,1Sli 4 ) 411° 4 4'16 1 • - --- s iddel at 1 ,;;2'" 4s4AIIP4412P0 41-v IN #: - 41P,, ,:1 .. •.- Ii_10- )- fik v....."- ,.liary. Aire,"ftriiip• Pik. ‘="-:635.i.74741-10Nraisi•Atirdir r ...,..,.,....4,.. • • \ SOLAR GATEWAY Wet VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - RECREATION RECREATION 77 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - RECREATION rF VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK RECREATION 1 SHORELINE PROMENADE 2 PICNIC SITES 3 GROUP CAMPING AREA 4 BEACH PAVILION 5 SWIMMING BEACH 6 SNORKLING 7 SHORE FISHING 8 NATURE TRAILS 9 KAYAK/CANOE LAUNCH 10 CABANAS 1 1 PLAY GROUN ❑ 12 MINITRAIN 13 CAROUSEL 14 DANCE PAVILION 15 BATHHOUSE 16 BEACH EQUIPMENT RENTAL 17 REFRESHMENTS 18 RESTROOM 19 SHADE❑ SENIOR SEATING 20 PICNIC SHELTER 0' 2©0' 78 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - RECREATION RECREATION TRAIL SYSTEM The shoreline promenade is the primary recreational feature of the park as in the park's period of historic significance. The restored park will feature an environmentally sensitive adaptation of the historic sand esplanade planted with native coastal vegetation and a restored palm grove of both native palms and coconut trees. A paved recreational path for pedestrians and bicyclists will extend along the entire shoreline of the park and link all of the park's features. The trail will connect to Rickenbacker Causeway via the entrance road and to the beach park to the north via nature trails and the STP Road. Nature trails will be incorporated in the US Army Corps of Engineers restoration project. The trail system identified in the master plan is coordinated with the location of historic pathways, roads and cleared areas assumed to have predominantly exotic vegetation cover. Following exotics removal appropriate routes through the restored ecosystems will be determined with precision, The location of the trails will be determined in the field by the landscape architect in charge of the restoration project in coordination with DERM. Points of interest and trailhead locations will also be refined following the restoration. Recommendations for trails development and improvement are as follows: • See Natural Resource Protection for recommendations related to trails layout • Coordinate points of interest and interpretive signage and features as part of an integrated, holistic interpretive program for the entire outdoor museum • Work with the Biscayne Nature Center, MAST Academy, Rosenstiel School, NOAA, and Marine Fisheries as well as city schools and the city Park and Recreation Department to develop nature interpretation that reflects the on -going programs of these institutions • Follow historic preservation recommendations for trail paving, benches, signage, fencing, boardwalks, shelters and outdoor class- room features • Extend hours of operation by reservation to take advantage of the shoreline promenade's unique vantage point for observing sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean from a setting without any trace of urban development intruding on the view. Sunrise baptism ceremonies, sunrise yoga and meditation groups should be accommodated as well as special celebrations focused on the Solar Gateway that is the focal point of the Commemorative Garden. • Coordinate with Miami Dade County Park and Recreation Department to introduce a canoe or kayak launch with access to the water bodies in the adjacent park land if these are restored for recreational access. SWIMMING AND SHORELINE ACTIVITIES Following completion of the shoreline restoration, the requirements for establishing safe swimming conditions along as much of the shoreline as possible should be explored. Preliminary studies related to the US Army Corps of Engineers Shoreline Stabilization study indicate that the shore drops off less abruptly in the area identified in the master plan as the Swimming Beach. Access to the shore for turtles and other sea life dependent of the near shore sea grass beds precludes the use of nets or cribs to physically prevent swimmers from straying into dangerous currents. Lifeguards stationed appropriately for effective monitoring should be deployed along the entire shoreline together with posted "No Swimming" signs. Only the area identified as safe for swimming should be groomed, since seaweed deposits serve as a passive deterrent to swimmers. The non -swimming areas of the beach can be used for shore fishing and baptism ceremonies, in which immersion is restricted to safe distances from the shore. As with other maintenance and operational issues, duplication of personnel and equipment needed to guard and groom the beach would not be a wise use of scare city resources. The city of Miami Park and Recreation Department has an existing management and equipment capacity established for the city beach to the north. The Trust should work with the city of Miami Park and Recreation Department to extend these services to the Trust beach, with the Trust contributing funding to support additional personnel required. 79 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - RECREATION PICNIC SITES, SEATING, CABANAS Picnicking and eating are close seconds (behind swimming) as popular beach activities and shaded picnic sites are an important feature of the historic landscape setting. Picnic tables, benches and grills compatible with the historic furnishings should be deployed throughout the park in the restored coconut grove and beneath the restored and new shade trees. The historically compatible picnic tables and benches are available with environmentally -friendly, easy -maintenance recycled plastic table tops and seats which could be used in place of wood and could incorporate a signature color combination. The same color theme can be applied to beach chairs and umbrellas as well as to cabana awnings and temporary tent -style beach cabanas and shade awnings. (See Food and Equipment Vending). Benches and tables should be located to permit easy access by senior citizens in the vicinity of the historic structures, including the cabanas. Shade, cushions, appropriate height, easy access and arrangements that encourage gathering should be considerations in the design of senior seating. Senior seating should not be the standard park equipment of the historic type since this is not easy for seniors to use but it should be compatible with the historic setting. The best shade trees should be reserved for senior seating and temporary shade canopies or awnings should be supplied where shade trees are lacking. Wheel -chair accessible seating areas should also be provided with shade and where feasible, shade trees should be made accessible to wheel chairs. Supply and maintenance of these special features should be included in the concessionaire's contract to simplify management. PICNIC SHELTERS Three historic picnic shelters will be restored. In addition, two new picnic shelters are proposed: • A small shelter near the two small existing shelters. This shelter should be compatible with the historic structures since it will be sited in close proximity. • A large corporate rental shelter with grill on the western end of the event lawn. This shelter is not near historic features and therefore does not need to comply with the historic preservation standards that apply to the small shelter but should not be visually intrusive. The design should be distinctive, however, and reflect the theme of the Beach Pavilion. BEACH PAVILION This shelter is also not constrained by the historic preservation requirements and should be a distinctive structure with the potential to become a visual icon for the park. As the "home base" for nature study programs and group camping, the pavilion should have an environmentally sensitive and regionally appropriate design theme. The beach pavilion will serve a multitude of functions and should accommodate the following program: • Outdoor classroom or story -telling venue • Trail head interpretive facility • Nature -study program group camping "home base" with storage space • Outdoor kitchen with a large outdoor fireplace or hearth suitable for both cooking and gathering around for stories or classes • Sheltered eating area • Refreshment vending area (refreshment cart or vending machines) • Bath house (See restrooms for recommendations) GROUP CAMPING The master plan proposes a group camping area near the beach pavilion to facilitate nature study and recreation access and outreach programs. The group camping area should be, like the Sand Spar Beach Camping Area at Bahia Honda State Park, carefully integrated 80 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - RECREATION with the adjacent natural vegetation with sites oriented both to the ocean and nestled beside the marine hammock vegetation. The group camping area should include: • post and rope barriers to protect natural vegetation • dune crossings at both ends and in the center of the area • a central " allee" of palm trees with a lawn to serve as a circulation spine • a staggered arrangement of individual 50' square picnidcamping sites with planting buffers separating neighboring sites Each camping site should be equipped to serve either as a picnic site for day use or an overnight site for tent camping: • a pair of palm trees spaced appropriately for hanging a hammock • a picnic table and a grill • a level, flat, rock free 16'x16' lawn or bare sand area to accommodate a four -man tent CHILDREN'S AMUSEMENT AREA The historic restoration will include two children's amusements: the Minitrain and the Carousel. The master plan proposes to group the historic features with new play features that have a strong appeal and which provide a more well-balanced play experience incorporat- ing more types of play. In addition to the passive fantasy elements of the historic amusements, the children's amusement area should include active experiences involving the imagination, social skills, exploration and learning, fantasy, drama, music, as well as climbing and running around. These enhancements are designed to boost the appeal of the historic amusements to make the children's area competi- tive with other parks as a venue for birthday parties. All play features must be compatible with preservation of the historic landscape and must not dominate the landscape setting. All play areas should be shaded to the greatest extent. New features proposed indude • A water play feature incorporating interactive water jets set in a concrete slab and surrounded by shade trees and benches reminiscent of the Dance Pavilion • A sand playground that is visually compatible with the historic landscape incorporating simple climbing structures with water themes such as boats, marine mammals, birds and reptiles native to the park and its offshore waters. The playground should be visually continuous with the nearby picnic grove and incorporate coconut trees for shade. Only structures compatible with a sand play surface should be used and these should be sited to provide handicap transfer points accessible from pathways. • A hedge theatre oriented toward the picnic lawn that can be programmed with story -telling events and dramas for children and rented as a performance venue for small events. • African and Caribbean plants should be planted along the mini -train track (as recommended for Historic Restoration of the park's vegetation) to provide the opportunity for interpretation of plant lore as part of the Minitrain adventure. • Climbing sculptures and interactive play features sited within the Minitrain's enhanced landscape. Features should have nature themes with both educational purposes and aesthetic qualities compatible with the historic landscape setting. EVENT MEADOW The meadow offers a variety of locations for temporary stage set ups that should be supplied with power vaults to accommodate a variety of stage sound and lighting systems. The meadow can also accommodate festivals, craft fairs, and other types of cultural events as well as freestyle field sports, kite flying, model airplane flying, classic cars shows, large scale tented parties, picnics, large tent camping groups, temporary carnivals, outdoor movie screenings and any other kind of activity that requires no more than a lawn and simple, removable equipment. (See Historic Restoration: Vegetation and Site Constraints: Park Carrying Capacity for details regarding restoration, event capacity and traffic and parking issues.) 81 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - RECREATION POTENTIAL LINK TO ADJACENT WETLANDS /' LINK TO RICKEN BACKER CAUSEWAY NATURE TRAILS RECREATION TRAILS TRAIL SYSTEM LINK TO VIRGINIA KEY BEACH COASTAL TRAIL VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - RECREATION DUNE CROSSING LINK TO NORTH BEACH PAVILION PICNIC GROVES NATURE OBSERVATION TRAIL ACTIVITIES BEACH ACCESS HISTORIC ENTERTAINMENT FEATURES WATER VIEWS MEMORIAL GARDEN CULTURAL CENTER LINK TO RICKENBACKER CAUSEWAY SHORELINE PROMENADE 83 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - RECREATION WATER VIEWS BEACH WATER VIEWS WATER VIEWS DUNE CROSSING NATIVE VEGETATION NATIVE VEGETATION PICNIC/TENTING SITES OUTDOOR CLASSROOM OUTDOOR KITCHEN PICNIC/TENTING SITES PICNIC 8t CAMPING FACILITIES BATHROOMS 84 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - RECREATION . , 4/ 4. ', 11,1' , ,,-„::..:,1, .., -,.. • 111„111:i.i.1.1111111litp'• ....- .111, Hi 111. r ' ik 10, .._ ‘ • '4% -,;,-- 1, w\i, •.- .), '',, i _.t,- ,---.... i* . il • _..:%6 '' 4::""1:74- I' .. .... zr-. lttPI -, 1 7 ,.. t.t.:01.1 '1 ,I,,1 ..4,z.: • 3e-Oentlik Milk 1 - - ' V.1, 1010.,....., . .N. —.in I .... ' -- ..........?..°. .....1.-.001/ II, IL %1 1... 4 i :1. S ! 11e l_ij f;...'''.....“.."."' .-:li; ----z' :—.11$ )---.1 f 1 rrF t. —.—.----.'..14•,-1 1-,,,-- 141. vi0*i "•' .a.fr.i-..i.i4jiE :a" i I4I;iN, n,E. _",L .,.--er•.- ii -',.7.i...• ..:.,:,,-,__ -,_,..-1 .1 zji.-1„....„,,,„:-1•,,'r...1t:-0.-.4...-' cileiv---,.,.i.4•k---jd--Ai r/P4" ,.i1. ,.,.- ., .. - .-- .11,.- BEACH PAVILION 85 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - RECREATION BEACH PAVILION ini • PICNIC SHELTER • OUTDOOR KITCHEN • BATH HOUSE • OUTDOOR CLASSRO lr. GROUP CAMPING PICNIC/TENTING SITES • PICNIC TABLE • GRILL • ROOM FORA TENT 86 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - RECREATION ARKING rFOR 466 S OVERFLOW PARKING FOR 300 CARS (;ACCESS CONTROL POINTS "WELL REMOVED FROM CAUSEWAY DRAMA STORIES EVENT/EMERGENC ENTRANCE TO EASE TRAFFIC MANAGEME DRAMA OVERFLOW PARKING STORIEx ON STABILIZED LAWN FOR 950 CARS FREESTYLE FIELD SPORTS LOUD MUSIC • MANY TEMPORARY STAGE LOCATIONS FOR EVENTS OF VARIOUS SIZES AND TYPES TURTLE MONITORING PROGRAM TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITIONS SPECIAL EVENT LAWN 87 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - RECREATION LAKE NATURE TRAIL MINITRAIN RIDE HEDGE THEATRE WATER PLAY GROUNDkaic‘.. wit PICNIC SHELTER PICNIC SHELTER PLAY SCULPTURE AFRICAN AND CARIBBEAN PLANT LORE SAND PLAYGROUND CHILDREN'S AMUSEMENT AREA 88 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER ELAN - NATURAL RESOURCES NATURAL RESOURCES PROTECTION 89 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - NATURAL RESOURCES LINK TO ADJACENT 10 0 0' 200' 10 r- #� 4 1 1 4 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK NATURAL RESOURCES 1 SEAGRASSES 2 PON D 3 COASTAL STRAND 4 TROPICAL MARINE HAMMOCK 5 MANGROVE 6 FRESHWATER WETLAND 7 HISTORIC LANDSCAPE - COCONUT GROVE 8 HISTORIC LANDSCAPE - SHADE TREES/LAWN 9 MOTORBOAT EXCLUSION ZONE 1 ❑ NATURE TRAIL 11 BOARDWALK 12 OUTDOOR CLASSROOM CREATED HABITAT ♦ TRAIL HEAD DUNE CROSSING 90 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - NATURAL RESOURCES NATURAL RESOURCES The United States Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps) has planned two projects designed to restore the ecological integrity of the site. These projects are funded and underway, with preliminary planning complete. Design and implementation of these projects will be coordinated with the master plan. Recommendations for integrating the project parameters established by the Corps with the master plan are discussed below. PROJECT 111 SHORELINE STABILIZATION The first project, scheduled to begin in October 2003, will restore the wooden groins stabilizing the beach and add three new wooden groins of similar design in the area of the severely eroded segment of the shore. This project will include the creation of a dune berm of approximately two feet which will parallel the shoreline in the area of the new wooden groins. The dune berm will include five breaks to permit dune crossings. Recommendations for integrating the shoreline stabilization project with the master plan are as follows: • Locate dune crossings as shown in the master plan along the shoreline promenade to correspond with other planned site features • Provide handicap accessible 1 20 maximum slope at -grade stabilized sand dune crossings similar to Sand Esplanade • Make crossings as wide as feasible to maximize views to the water • Make crossings perpendicular to the shoreline to maximize views to the water and to permit ceremonial processions for weddings and sunrise ceremonies PROJECT 1135 ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION Following stabilization of the shoreline, the Corps will undertake an ecosystem restoration project involving removal of all exotic vegeta- tion throughout the park followed by replanting with native species typical of the habitat types located in the park. Design of the ecosystem restoration project will include a detailed inventory of the plant communities on site. Ten percent of the project budget is earmarked for recreational features such as nature trails and interpretive signage. Recommendations for integrating the ecosystem restoration project with the master plan are as follows: • Protect and restore historic vegetation backdrops • Protect views of the Atlantic Ocean. Only low coastal species and Key Thatch Palm and Silver palms should be planted in the area between the historic bath house and carousel. • Follow recommendations under Historic Preservation for the Sand Esplanade. To the extent possible, given the requirement that existing vegetation be retained, alignment of the promenade should be as shown in the master plan, using long, smooth curves to provide a varied experience that passes through dense and open vegetation and moves between coastal strand and marine hammock. • Vegetation on the seaward side of the promenade should incorporate large and frequent passages of low coastal vegetation to maximize views to the water from points along the promenade. Passages of low vegetation should be coordinated with picnic sites and shoreline seating oriented to the water. • The location of vegetation masses and trails should correspond with the master plan, which identifies the general location of restoration areas by habitat type and integrates these with recreational use areas and preservation of historic features, including views. • Points of interest and trailhead locations have been identified in the master plan. Precise locations and the content of interpre- tive features at paints of interests should be determined based on the detailed inventory of site vegetation. See Commemora- 91 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - NATURAL. RESOURCES tion and Education for detailed recommendations • Amenities such as benches, boardwalks or fencing should reflect the design guidelines established for these elements in Historic Preservation. • The key feature of the commemorative garden is a special shoreline feature that will frame the rising sun. The dune crossing and shoreline promenade at this location should be aligned with the proposed feature. No dense planting should be planned in the immediate vicinity of the walkway to permit a grove of coconut trees to be integrated with retained existing vegetation in this area, • Link to the coastal nature trail established to the north of the park by the City of Miami Parks and Recreation Department and provide opportunities to interpret the area between the two parks, which includes several notably large Mangrove specimens that are of special interest since they may represent some of the oldest mangrove trees in Miami Dade County. The trail alignment here should take advantage of the interpretive possibilities of this historically important mangrove community. • The lake at the center of the park has been colonized by both exotic species and mangroves since the park's heyday, altering its character significantly. Formerly a visual focus for the historic Minitrain, the lake's dense surrounding vegetation and associ- ated wildlife has become a feature of interest in itself, Clearing of exotics should create views into the lake from its edges and expose the peninsulas extending into the lake and create opportunities for nature trails. The restored historic Minitrain will encircle the lake. Because of safety concerns related to crossing of the Minitrain tracks, access to the lake shore will be restricted to crossings at designated points. Trails accessing the lake should correspond with these controlled crossings of the Minitrain track. A boardwalk across the lake should be located to permit nature study within the context of this controlled access system and to make the most of the lake's potential as a "destination" within the park, which is reduced by the dense surrounding vegetation. • While planting of non-native Coconut palms is outside the parameters of the ecosystem restoration, native palms should be planted within the area designated in the master plan as the Shoreline Picnic Grove to enhance the ecosystem value of this area and to provide variety. Key Thatch Palm, Coccothrinax morrisii, Silver Palm, Coccothrinax argentata should be used more extensively in this area than the Cabbage Palm, Saba! palmetto. NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT Miami Dade County Department of Natural Resources Management has been instrumental in developing the restoration plan that will be implemented by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Once exotic vegetation has been removed and native plant communities reestab- lished, DERM will continue to be involved in resource protection but the on -going maintenance of the park's natural resources will be the responsibility of the Trust. The Trust's stewardship obligations will include: • Protection of restored habitats from recreation -related impacts • Control of Exotic Vegetation • Adherence to best practices in resource -sensitive design and operations • Conformance with State wildlife and water quality protection requirements (which will be determined during the permitting process that will be required for virtually all site development activities) • Promoting awareness of the value and requirements of natural resources protection The city of Miami Park and Recreation Department and Miami Dade County Park and Recreation Department control adjacent park properties. Each has either implemented or planned restoration of the natural resources on these adjacent properties. Because the natural resources of all three parks on Virginia Key are intimately related, the natural system encompassing all three would benefit from 92 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - NATURAL RESOURCES a single management program that leverages the capabilities of all of the organizations and institutions with an interest and expertise in the island's natural resources. As with other maintenance issues, duplication of personnel and equipment required to monitor and maintain the park's sensitive habitat areas as a separate entity is not a wise use of scarce city resources or an effective strategy for long- term habitat protection. However, the capacity of existing management systems to absorb the additional responsibility of managing the re -opened Virginia Key Beach Park must also be considered. Management of its natural resources is a pressing challenge for the city of Miami. With only one naturalist and a small pool of laborers responsible for exotics control for all parks within its system, the city of Miami lacks the resources to effectively manage these resources and would be strained by the addition of another park. The City of Miami Park and Recreation Department has recently initiated a master plan process for the park system that will address maintenance, operation and staffing issues related to the city's parks, including its four natural resource -based parks (Sewell Park, Alice Wainwright Park, Simpson Park and Virginia Key Beach, the beach park area north of the Historic Virginia Key Beach Park.) The City of Miami Park Master Plan should address the issue of providing adequate staffing and funding for the management of Virginia Key Beach Park as an integral component of the Virginia Key ecosystem. The Trust should actively participate in the master planning process and take the lead in exploring partnership arrangements to ensure that an effective management program is developed that incorporates all three natural areas into a single unit. Partnership responsibilities can be shared by the variety of institutions and organizations with an interest and expertise in Virginia Key's ecosystem. The Trust can bring a number of unique resources to such a partnership: • Raise funds from both governmental and private sources • Formalize and administer partnerships with a wide variety of institutions both public and private • Create education and resource -based recreation programs • Organize volunteer programs. EXOTIC VEGETATION Reestablishment of exotic vegetation should be actively guarded against. To effect this the Trust should: • Develop the expertise —whether through partnership with other institutions and organizations or by employing a park natural- ist —to monitor the park's plant communities and detect invasive plants • Routinely remove invasive pioneers before they have the chance to establish and spread to adjacent lands. • Limit park plantings to native species or proven non-invasive species WILDLIFE ISSUES Virginia Key Beach Park includes important wildlife habitat. With restoration of the plant communities, wildlife presence can be expected to increase and to bring with it the need for policies and programs to safeguard the wildlife and its habitat. The State Department of Environmental Protection and the US Fish and Wildlife Department have jurisdiction over the wildlife and will define the requirements for these measures during the permitting process. The Trust can also implement educational programs to support these measures. Crocodiles The return of this species from the brink of extinction is indicated by the increased population within the county. American Crocodiles, unlike their Australian and African cousins are docile. Popular misconceptions about the danger posed by crocodiles has a detrimental effect on the species. Public education about the gentle nature of the crocodiles can play a role in the Trust's education programs. Sea Turtles A turtle nest monitoring program is required by the State. Monitoring will identify when turtle nests are present. In addition, protection 93 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - NATURAL. RESOURCES of the quality of the turtle nesting habitat should be a primary consideration in planning activities and events: • Peak attendance should be avoided during nesting season to limit beach activity • Night time events should not be held when turtle nests are present • All events and activities that will take place on the beach should be compatible with protection of the quality of nesting habitat and reviewed with a sea turtle biologist • Site lighting should be designed to protect the integrity of turtle nesting habitat. Turtle hatchiings orient themselves to moon- light on water to guide them from the nest to the water and artificial shoreline light causes the hatchlings to head in the wrong direction. The design of site lighting should be reviewed with a turtle biologist to ensure that it conforms to turtle protection requirements. Manatees The decision to forego the restoration of the historic water link to the park is based on the more compelling public interest of compliance with the goals of the Manatee Protection Plan. The plan discourages activities that increase boat traffic in sensitive manatee habitat. While the beach park is not within the designated Manatee Protection Zone, the park's shoreline seagrass is habitat for the Manatee, among other species. In addition, the points of origin for water taxis to the park would be within the Manatee Protection Zone and thus restoration of the historic water link would increase boat traffic in this zone. The Virginia Key off -shore waters have been designated a Motorboat Exclusion Tone but the zone has not been marked. The Trust should • Work with state officials to ensure that the Motorboat Exclusion Zone is properly marked. • Actively discourage motorboat access to the shoreline SUSTAINABLE DESIGN AND OPERATIONS Virginia Key Beach Park's place in the urban context is unique. The park is an important historical remnant of the natural environment that once typified the now heavily developed Miami area. Best practices in environmentally sensitive design are therefore essential to assure that the development of the park does not adversely affect the natural resources that are fundamental to the parks significance and integrity as a both a National Register of Historic Places site and a jewel in the crown of Miami's public places. Responsible use of non-renewable resources — or sustainable design — is therefore an important tenet of the beach park's development program that reflects the Trust's mandate to provide wise stewardship of one of the city of Miami's most valued natural and cultural resources. The principles of sustainable design have been followed in the planning of the park's development program and should be followed in the design, development and operation of the park. Sustainable design requires that design, construction and operation of facilities reflect wise use of precious resources and consideration of the impacts on land, water, air, soil or living systems of the actions necessary to build and operate the park. It is recommended that the Trust adopt a standard ranking system to ensure adherence to best practices in sustainable design. The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ranking system developed by the United States Green Building Council is recommended as a method of guiding future design and operational decisions. Common sense and community values have guided the planning process toward a development program that fulfills many of the criteria established by this ranking system including minimization of development overall, preservation and enhancement of existing Florida habitats, creation of additional habitat areas, removal of exotic species and ongoing management to preclude re-establishment, encour- aging and accommodating alternative transportation modes, limited use of impervious paving and reduction of paved surfaces to reduce storm water run off, shading from trees to reduce heat island effects and protect air quality. Adoption of LEED standards will provide the 94 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - NATURAL RESOURCES Trust with a method of communicating expectations and accomplishments regarding sustainable design to consultants, city officials, the public and grant making organizations. The LEED ranking system will also provide an accepted recognition that has already helped other institutions around the country to obtain grants from environmentally conscious foundations and governmental agencies. • Consider the life -cycle cost of all improvements required to both protect the site's resources and to conserve the resources of the community at large. • Incorporate water conservation and protection measures in improvements to the parking lot, event meadow and other areas of the site and development of new facilities. As discussed under Historic Preservation, drainage is a significant issue on the site. Improvements are necessary to correct flooding problems and improve functionality throughout the site. As with all improvements on the site, environmental permitting will be required. The site's extensive jurisdictional wetlands and its critical habitat areas make storm water management and water quality issues of special importance, • Increase permeability by reducing impervious or paved areas for parking • Limit paving and roof areas throughout the site to maximize permeability • Incorporate filtration features in parking lots and new structures to cleanse run-off to reduce pollution • Incorporate "green building" techniques in all new structures according the the U5 Green Building Council "LEER" Standards • Use only low -water -use, native plant species to reduce or eliminate the need for irrigation • Irrigation during the establishment period for new plantings should be provided by water trucks and planting timed, as fea- sible, to coincide with the summer rainy season to reduce the supplemental water requirement. • Incorporate water recycling systems into the design of all new facilities to reduce the demand for municipal water. Potable water from the municipal system is required for drinking water, showers and water play features but storm water run-off collected in cisterns can be used for supplemental irrigation and to supply toilets. The Lighthouse Keeper's house at Bill Baggs State Park includes a vernacular cistern that supplied all water for South Florida's first built structure. Such cistern systems are increasingly common and car be incorporated into the design of the cultural center and the beach pavilion to supply non - potable water. • The use of an on -site treatment system for effluent can be explored to reduce the demand for potable water at the beach pavilion by providing an alternative water source for toilets. The Audubon Society's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary employs such an innovative system that uses wetland plants as part of a filtering system that supplies near potable water that is purer than the municipal water supply. Such a system could be an integral part of the Beach Pavilion's educational function and integrated with the Ecosystem Restoration. Such a system would require below ground tanks for the initial and final treatment and a small artificial wetland planted with typical freshwater wetland species. • Maintenance vehicles and mobile concession carts should be electric vehicles with a recharging station. • Solar energy provided by photovoltaic cells should be used to power any or all of the park facilities requiring electrical power but at a minimum all site lighting, ticket vending machines, interpretive features and park maintenance vehicles and vending mobiles should be powered by solar charged batteries. Because the park will not be a large energy consumer, there is some flexibility in the use of alternative energy sources for larger energy -demand features as well. Solar panels have become substantially more efficient creating energy, more common and more economical as well. Further study will determine how much of the park's energy needs can be met by solar power. 95 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - NATURAL RESOURCES THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 96 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - OPERATIONS & SUPPORT OPERATIONS at SUPPORT J? VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - OPERATIONS & SUPPORT OPERATIONS & SUPPORT While Trust administration functions can be housed in office space incorporated in the cultural center, many functions related to the day- to-day operation of the park will require separate facilities that will be required long before the funding, design, permitting and construc- tion of the center is complete. The master plan therefore proposes a 5,000-7000sf management office. The Park Office should accom- modate the following functions: • Office space for the park manager including meeting space • Break area/locker room for park staff • Storage space for limited maintenance equipment. As noted, the city of Miami Park to the north has a maintenance yard and equipment capacity that should not be duplicated on the historic site's limited and highly constrained site. • A visitor orientationlinformation and assistance space with a public telephone, an information kiosk, a lost and found and a first -aid station • A battery -charging station for solar powered maintenance vehicles • Designated Employee Parking spaces for park manager and maintenance staff • Parking space for a park maintenance truck • Overflow storage space and vending area for rental equipment including bicycles or other equipment that cannot be accom- modated in the Concession Stand's service yard or elsewhere on site. • Interpretive/trailhead information for nature and recreation trails FOOD AND EQUIPMENT VENDING The historic concession stand will offer snacks, beach chairs and umbrellas that were historically available for sale or rent, The distance between the parking lot and the swimming beach and the distance between the swimming beach and the historic concession stand are inconveniences that can diminish repeat visitation. To counteract this and in order to make beach -going as convenient as possible for those without cars to transport all the beach necessities, the master plan proposes additional refreshment vending and equipment rental facilities. A wide variety of beach necessities should be made affordably available at the park including coolers, ice, a variety of picnic items or boxed lunches as well as recreational equipment. Snacks (including corn dogs), cold drinks and equipment rental should be made available at the swimming beach and along the shoreline promenade by means of mobile refreshment carts of the type used at Crandon Park, where a Cushman cart plies the beach vending cold drinks, or by means of a more historically -appropriate type of cart that can be transported to a remote location and returned to storage at the main concession stand. Beach chairs, towels, umbrellas, coolers, rafts, boogie boards and other non -motorized water sports equipment such as snorkels, canoes or kayaks can be rented directly from beach with the attendant sheltered in a structure similar to the historic lifeguard stand. Bicycles, tricycles, scooters or, if appropri- ate security techniques could be developed, Segues could be rented at the Park Office for use on the park's recreational loop trails. Since an historically and ecologically compatible shoreline promenade would not be wide enough to accommodate passing, Surreys of the type used at Crandon Park should be avoided since they are too big. The design of the recreational trails should take these wheeled uses into account to ensure appropriate wearing surfaces. Stabilized sand wears well under foot and bicycle traffic but a sand -surfaced concrete or asphalt path might be more durable under heavy recreational use of this type. Trail traffic congestion should also be controlled by limiting the numbers of vehicles in use at one time. 98 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - OPERATIONS & SUPPORT In addition to the standard beach items that visitors might expect, Virginia Key Beach Park will offer a signature snack - the corn dog - and should investigate other opportunities to offer simple yet distinctive treats that will drive business by attracting loyalists. Eating is the second most popular beach activity and providing a quality eating experience will attract and retain loyal users. Treats should be explored that are unusual - such as fully loaded boxed lunch or family picnic baskets for sale at the concession stand- and treats that naturally attract loyalists, such as Espresso or morning coffee for sunrise visitors or Key Biscayne commuters stopping by in the morning on their way to Miami. All vendors should be managed by a single concessionaire to simplify management and to enhance the business opportunity provided to the concessionaire. Only a successful concessionaire will be capable of providing the quality of service and products required to attract and retain repeat visitors and ensure a stable attendance for the park. RESTROOMS Two historic restroom bathhouse facilities will be restored and a new facility is proposed at the beach pavilion. The beach pavilion restrooms are proposed to serve the swimming beach and the group camping area as well as trail users. The remote location of the facility introduces the potential for misuse and to guard against this, the facility should be designed to discourage malingering by desegregating the facility, omitting semi -private space, and providing unisex facilities that open directly onto the shoreline promenade. Full facility private "cabanas" can serve day users as changing areas and restrooms and overnight group -campers as complete shower and restroom facilities. Each beach pavilion cabana should include: • toilet • sink and vanity counter with mirror • shower • utility shelf/bench • clothes hook/towel rack • electric hand drier to remove the need for paper towels • floor drain • easy -maintenance surfaces and design features such as a stainless steel counters and wall partitions that do not touch the floor to facilitate floor cleaning • break -away wooden partitions to conform to coastal construction requirements • Caribbean design characteristics (See Beach Pavilion for detailed design recommendations) Impeccable restroom maintenance is vital to Virginia Key Beach Park's long-term sustainability since it is required to encourage repeat visitation. Repeat visitation will allow the park to hold its own as a popular recreation option despite its relatively small swimming area and competition from nearby Crandon Park and Bill Baggs State Park. The park's distinctive ambiance and historic significance will offer an experience with the potential to attract a small, loyal user group. Priority should be given to attracting and serving this audience since consistent visitation is crucial to many aspects of the park's operations. Measures should be taken to ensure that first time users return and that repeat visitors develop a high level of confidence in the consistency of the park's offerings. Dirty restrooms are frequently cited by visitors as the most influential deterrent of repeat visitation and therefore a commitment to superior levels of restroom maintenance should be a top priority. While this may seem an odd top priority, failure on this front has the potential to undermine all other aspects of the park's operations. Because concession operations are dependent upon a consistently visitation and thus on high levels of bathroom maintenance, this maintenance function should be included in the concessionaire's contract and diligently monitored by the Trust. 99 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - OPERATIONS & SUPPORT ACCESS AND ACCESS CONTROL Access to beach recreation, education and cultural activities is not easy for many Miami residents: it is expensive and inconvenient. Access to a car is a prime deterrent and many residents lack the financial resources to overcome this hurdle. Many lack the $4 entrance fee typical for parks. (see Site Suitabilities: Goal 4: Overcoming Barriers to Access for detailed recorn mendations for programming.) The master plan proposes several features to increase accessibility: • Make the beach "transit friendly" by extending the bus line into the park • Provide well -maintained changing facilities • Actively work with outreach organizations that provide access to non-traditional park users, including organizations such as Optimists Club, Boys and Girls Clubs, church groups and nature -related educational organizations • Eliminate the entrance fee and collect revenue at "value added" points throughout the park such as the parking lot, the cultural center, the historic amusements, the food and equipment concessions, and the rental facilities including the dance pavilion, the event lawns, the Hedge Theatre, the picnic pavilions, the Beach Pavilion, the Group Camping area, and for special events on off -hours such as sunrise events. • Enhance the business opportunity for the concessionaire (and simplify and reduce the cost of management and overhead) by permitting the concessionaire to collect all fees associated with non -rental facilities and assume all management costs associ- ated with these activities. • Automated fee collection methods should be explored to further simply management. • Actively pursue grant funding from environmentally conscious organizations to subsidize outreach programs with emphasis on education and natural resource protection • Collect revenue from "members" for special privileges such as access during off -hours ("The Sunrise Club") or long-term cabana rental. • Pursue other revenue streams to subsidize park operations. The Beach at Crandon Park is in constant use as a film and photography venue, with fees contributing to the park's operating budget. The park's wide beach, scenic coconut tree plantings and Atlantic Ocean views are therefore a valuable commodity. Once restoration is complete, Virginia Key Beach Park should actively pursue this revenue stream by accommodating media companies and maintaining the scenic character of its setting, with due diligence to the impact of filming on sensitive areas. The entire beach park — and especially key landmarks, such as the restored Dance Pavilion, the Solar Gateway and the Beach Pavilion — can be made available as a scenic backdrop but access to sensitive natural areas should be limited to prevent damage. UTILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE Improvements required are identified below for the park's major infrastructure systems. Electrical and water and sewer service improve- ments are in progress and should incorporate the recommendations below. Water and Sewer Service Water and sewer service are required for the following: • 36,000sf Cultural Center • Water features (memorial fountain, water playground) • 5,000-7,500sf Park office • Beach Pavilion (6 unisex facilities including toilet, sink and shower; sink and hose bib, drinking fountain, outdoor beach shower) • Large Picnic Shelter (sink and hose bib) 100 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK MASTER PLAN - OPERATIONS & SUPPORT Electrical Service The park is currently served by overhead electrical lines, It is recommended that these lines be buried to minimize potential storm damage and to reduce interference with trees. A cost analysis should be conducted to compare the life -cycle cost of converting electrical service connections at existing buildings to underground connections, The highest portion of the cost of utilities undergrounding is related to the modification of service risers at existing buildings. Maintaining the above ground service risers to existing buildings can reduce the cost of the underground conversion and minimize impact on the historic structures themselves. These cost savings should be compared to the long-term cost for storm damage repair to the historic structures. Underground service connections should be provided to new facilities, Electrical service is required for the following: • 36,000sf Cultural Center • 5,000-7,500sf Park office • Beach Pavilion (lighting, restroom hand dryers) • Large Picnic Shelter • Water features pump systems (memorial fountain, water playground) • Minitrain • Parking lot lighting • Pathway lighting system • Temporary Stage sound and lighting systems • Entrance Lighting • Battery recharging station for electric park maintenance vehicles and mobile concession carts 101 NPS Form 10-90D-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 () United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Section number Page SUPPLEMENTARY LISTING RECORD NRIS Reference Number: 02000681 Date Listed: 06/28/02 Property Name: Virginia Key Beach Park County: Dade Multiple Name:N/A State: FL This property is listed in the National Register of Historic Places in accordance with the attached nomination documentation subject to the following exceptions, exclusions, or amendments, notwithstanding the National Park Service certification included in the nomination documentation. to jets joa- (►)Signature of the Keeper Date of Action Amended Items in Nomination: The beach park site was planned in 1945 and the majority of the resources in the park were constructed between 1949 and 1956. A 70-foot wood tunnel, surrounded by native coral rock, is located to the northwest of the picnic pavilion and is the only surviving resource relating to the miniature train that ran through the park. The tunnel was constructed in 1956 and has been classified as a noncontributing structure since it was built after the 50 year cut-off date. However, the tunnel is consistent with the other resources in the park and the park's historic evolution and should be considered a contributing resource. In such cases as this, a justification of exceptional significance under Criterion Consideration G is not necessary. An amendment is hereby made to change the period of significance to 1945--1956. The contributing number of structures is changed to 6 and noncontributing structures is changed to 0. This information was confirmed with Barbara Mattick of the FL SHPO. DISTRIBUTION: National Register property file Nominating Authority (without nomination attachment) S Form 10-900 -90 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES REGISTRATION FORM INN REGISTER OF HISTiAIC PLACES NATIONAL PARK SERVICE OMB No. 1024-0018 This form is for use in nominating or requesting determinations for individual properties and districts. See instructions in How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (National Register Bulletin 16A). Complete each item by marking "x" in the appropriate box or by entering the information requested. If any item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions. Place additional entries and narrative items on continuation sheets (NPS Form 10-900a). Use a typewriter, word processor, or computer, to complete all items. 1. Name of Property historic name Virginia Kev Reach Park other names/site number /DA7007 2. Location street & number Fast of Biscayne Bay & North of Rickenbacker Causeway N/A ❑ not for publication city or town Miami state Florida N/A ❑ vicinity code FT, county Miami -Dade code 025 zio code 33149 3. State/Federal Agency Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended, I hereby certify that this ® nomination ❑ request for determination of eligibility meets the documentation standards for registering properties in the National Register of Historic Places and meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60. In my opinion, the property meets 0 does not meet the National Register criteria. I recommend that this property be considered significant 0 nationally 0 statewide ® locally. (0 See continuation sheet for additional comments.) ►:1 d • aG ; ASH/PO �543�c 2 Signature of certifying officiaUTitle / Date Florida State Historic Preservation Officer, Division of Historical Resources State or Federal agency and bureau In my opinion, the property 0 meets 0 does not meet the National Register criteria. (Mee continuation sheet for additional comments.) Signature of certifying official/Title Date State or Federal agency and bureau 4 National Park Service Certification I hereby certify that the property is: l]Yentered in the National Register Q/See continuation sheet ❑ determined eligible for the National Register ❑ See continuation sheet. ❑ determined not eligible for the National Register ❑ See continuation sheet. ❑ removed from the National Register. ❑ other, (explain) Signature of the Keeper Cyr) • Date of Action G/7510.1, Virginia Key Beach Park Miami -Dade, Florida Name of Property County and State 5. Classification Ownership of Property (Check as many boxes as apply) ❑ private • public -local ❑ public -State ❑ public -Federal Category of Property (Chec( only one box) ❑ buildings ❑ district ® site ❑ structure ❑ object Name of related multiple property listings (Enter "N/A" if property is not part of a multiple property listing.) N/A Number of Resources within Property (Do not include any previously listed resources in the count) Contributing Noncontributing 4 0 buildings 0 0 sites 5 1 structures 0 0 objects 9 1 total Number of contributing resources previously listed in the National Register 0 6. Function or Use Historic Functions (Enter categories from instructions) RECREATION and CULTURE/Outdoor Recreation Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions) RECREATION and CULTURE/Park 7. Description Architectural Classification (Enter categories from instructions) MASONRY VERNACULAR Materials (Enter categories from instructions) foundation CONCRETE walls CONCRETE BLOCK roof CONCRETE SLAB other WOOD GLASS BLOCK Narrative Description (Describe the historic and current condition of the property on one or more continuation sheets.) Virginia Key Beach Park Miami -Dade, Florida Name of Property County and State 8. Statement of Significance Applicable National Register Criteria (Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property for National Register listing.) A Property is associated with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. ❑ B Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past. ❑ C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction. ❑ D Property has yielded, or is likely to yield information important in prehistory or history. Criteria Considerations (Mark "x" in all the boxes that apply.) Property is: ❑ A owned by a religious institution or used for religious purposes. ❑ B removed from its original location. ❑ C a birthplace or grave. ❑ D a cemetery. ❑ E a reconstructed building, object, or structure. ❑ F a commemorative property. ❑ G less than 50 years of age or achieved significance within the past 50 years Narrative Statement of Significance (Explain the significance of the property on one or more continuation sheets.) Areas of Significance (Enter categories from instructions) RECREATION SOCIAL HISTORY ETHNIC HERITAGE: Black Period of Significance 1945-1951 Significant Dates 1945 Significant Person N/A Cultural Affiliation N/A Architect/Builder UNKNOWN 9. Major Bibliographical References Bibliography Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form on one Previous documentation on file (NPS): ❑ preliminary determination of individual listing (36 CFR 36) has been requested ❑ previously listed in the National Register ❑ previously determined eligible by the National Register ❑ designated a National Historic Landmark ❑ recorded by Historic American Buildings Survey ❑ recorded by Historic American Engineering Record or more continuation sheets.) Primary location of additional data: 0 State Historic Preservation Office ❑ Other State Agency ❑ Federal agency ❑ Local government ❑ University ❑ Other Name of Repository Virginia Key Beach Park Name of Property Miami -Dade, Florida County and State 10. Geographical Data Acreage of Property 77 acres UTM References (Place additional references on a continuation sheet.) 111171 1518141218101 121814161411101 Zone t 211171 15181Northing 41516101 121814161718101 Verbal Boundary Description (Describe the boundaries of the property on a continuation sheet.) Boundary Justification (Explain why the boundaries were selected on a continuation sheet.) 311171 1518151011101 121814161910101 Zone Easting 411171 1518151118101 1218141161714101 See continuation sheet 11. Form Prepared By name/title Vicki L. Cole, Consultant; Gary V. Goodwin, Historic Preservation Planner organization Bureau of Historic Preservation street & number R.A. Gray Building, 500 S. Bronougji Street city or town Tallahassee date May, 2002 telephone (850) 245-6333 state Florida zip code 32399-0250 Additional Documentation Submit the following items with the completed form: Continuation Sheets Maps A USGS map (7.5 or 15 minute series) indicating the property's location. A Sketch map for historic districts and properties having large acreage or numerous resources. Photographs Representative black and white photographs of the property. Additional items (check with the SHPO or FPO for any additional items) Property Owner (Complete this item at the request of SHPO or FPO.) name City of Miami, Department of Parks and Recreation street & number 444 S.W. 2nd Avenue, 8th Floor telephone (305) 416-1300 city or town Miami state Florida zip code 330708 Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and amend listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq). Estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form Is estimated to average 18.1 hours per response Including time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form, Direct comments regarding thls burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Chief, Administrative Services Division, National Park Service, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, DC 20013-7127; end the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reductions Projects (1024-0018), Washington, DC 20503. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 7 Page 1 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida SUMMARY Virginia Key Park is a large recreational park occupying 77 acres on the barrier island of Virginia Key in the City of Miami (Miami -Dade County), Florida. The site is dominated by natural and exotic tropical vegetation. Within the park are nine contributing resources and one noncontributing structure. All of the buildings are utilitarian masonry vernacular structures designed for recreational use. They include the concession stand, restrooms/bathhouse, a smaller restroom and an octagonal carousel house with carousel remnants inside. Also, five historic structures remain: an historic paved parking lot, a circular concrete slab that served as a dance pavilion, and three picnic pavilions. Additionally, the beachfront is a significant part of the setting. The one noncontributing structure is a tunnel for a miniature train that was constructed in 1956, outside of the period of significance. The site retains the majority of its historic integrity with the exception of the loss of two raised wood -framed park offices, an overnight cabin and the metal -framed cabanas. Currently, the site is closed to the public and subject to random vandalism. SETTING Virginia Key Beach Park is a 77-acre park located on the southeastern portion of the barrier island of Virginia Key. The island and the park are part of the City of Miami in Miami -Dade County. The park lies approximately 2.4 miles east of the mainland of the city. The island is situated between Fisher Island to the north and Key Biscayne to the south. The island is connected to the mainland by the Rickenbacker Causeway, which traverses the southernmost portion of the island. The park is bordered on the north and west by mangroves, to the south by a commercial complex and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. While not a part of the park, the commercial marine complex to the south, occupies land historically associated with the park that was developed into a separate complex beginning in the 1980s1. The population of Miami -Dade County is slightly over 2.25 million and the population of the City of Miami is 360,000. The African American population of the county and the city are 457,000 and 81,000, respectively. The island of Virginia Key contains both natural and man-made features. To the north of historic park is a newer beachfront park developed after the closing of the historic park in 1982. The central portion of the island contains a large trash dump and a massive sewage treatment facility. Also located on the island is a small lagoon with a collection of small wood framed buildings that constitute a small marina and restaurant. None of these sites is visible or accessible from the historic park. The main entrance to the historic park is accessed Miami Dade County Historic Preservation Board, Virginia Key Vertical File and Photographic File; Miami -Dade County Parks Department, Map Room; personal interview Mr. Walter Gene Tinnie; on -site inspection, July 23, 2001; oral interview Mrs. Athalie Range, July 24, 2001. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 7 Page 2 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida from the north side of Rickenbacker Causeway by a short paved road. Access to rest of the island is attained by a single road maintained by the county to the west of the historic park from Rickenbacker Causeway. The park is landscaped with large native and exotic vegetation (Photos #1 & 2). Coconut palms line the beachfront and other areas surrounding the central buildings (Photo #3). Large exotic trees line the walkways from the parking lot to the concession stand and the restroom/bathhouse. Large native trees and several park benches surround the parking lot. At the north end of the park, seagrape trees have encompassed the majority of the foundation where the cabanas once stood. The miniature train tunnel is heavily forested with trees covering the dirt berm on either side. CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES Parking area Large native trees and several park benches border the large paved parking area constructed in 1949 by the county. Dance Pavilion The Dance Pavilion is a simple circular poured concrete slab. The 1952 structure is 40 feet in diameter. The slab was poured in four equal "pie" shaped quarter sections (Photo #5). The slab is identical today as when it was poured in 1952. Alterations Photographic documentation indicates the dance pavilion was surrounded by coconut palms during the historic period. Concession Stand The concession stand is a 1952, one-story concrete block building with a flat built-up roof on a concrete roof slab. The large recessed concession area dominates the front of the building (Photo #6). Eight concrete block pillars support the recessed area. A three -sided counter fills the interior space of the open area. The front of the enclosed area contains a set of two over two single hung windows, a pair of entrances and a single doorway at the north end. The building contains asymmetrical fenestration and entrances. The north elevation contains a single ventilation opening. The rear (west) elevation contains a recessed central bay with a doorway and a bank of two over two single hung windows and a single doorway on the southwest corner. Iron grates cover the fenestration and doorway in the bay (Photo #10). NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 7 Page 3 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida Alterations A doorway and pass -through window on the south elevation was enclosed with concrete block after the historic period. Bathhouse/Restroom Building The 1952 bathhouse is a concrete block building that contains the original dressing rooms, showers, and restrooms. The roof is a flat wood structure with two raised monitors. The monitors are wooden and contain air vents. The north elevation contains two recessed entranceways for the men's and women's areas. The concrete block between the two entrances contains thirteen alternating rows of glass block. At the north end of both the east and west elevations are single recessed entryways. There is no fenestration on the building. Heavy native vegetation surrounds the structure on all sides (Photo #9). The interior is currently inaccessible; however, the original floor plan is intact, as is the original tile floor. Alterations: The roof has been damaged on the east elevation by an overgrown seagrape tree, but the damage is repairable. Carousel Building The 1951 Carousel structure is housed in an octagonal building constructed of concrete block, glass block and wood (Photo #11). The hip roof is covered with v-crimp metal roofing and is topped with a ventilated cupola. The ventilation openings are covered with wood louvers. Each of the eight facades measures 22' 10 %z". The large retractable bay doors dominate the elevations. At least four of the original bay doors are intact. Above the bays are concrete ventilation openings. Flanking the bays are recessed panels of glass brick. The interior is devoid of materials except for the structural support for the carousel. No riding vehicles remain at the site. Alterations Alterations are limited to the loss of several original bay doors. They have been replaced with steel and wood garage doors or plywood. The corner column glass bricks have been covered with stucco and have been painted over. This alteration appears to be reversible and a number of the riding vehicles have survived and been maintained. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 7 Page 4 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida Picnic Pavilion The Picnic Pavilion is a c.1952 utilitarian structure of simple construction (Photo #12). The flooring is a simple poured concrete slab. At the north end two concrete sono tubes support a flat concrete roof slab. The barbecue pit is constructed of rough -faced concrete blocks. Metal grills for the fuel and food remain intact. Restrooms The c.1952 concrete block restroom building displays a flat wood trussed roof with a tar and asphalt finish. The concrete block on the west elevation is imbricated and contains a single door. The north and south elevations contain the entrances to the separate restrooms. A three-quarter wall and flat room project out from the entranceways. Fenestration is irregular. Smaller Picnic Pavilions Two smaller picnic pavilions, c. 1952, are located to the southwest and west of the restrooms. Each consists of a simple concrete slab roof with two one -foot sono tubes. The barbeque pits are constructed of concrete blocks. A large poured concrete slab extends outward from each pavilion. NON-CONTRIBUTING RESOURCE Miniature Train Tunnel A 70-foot wood tunnel surrounded by native coral rock is located to the northwest of the Picnic Pavilion. Constructed at the end of the ride of a miniature train, it is the only surviving resource relating to the miniature train. The tunnel is constructed in a traditional post and beam construction with a flat wood roof over the crossbeams (Photo #13). The roots of the surrounding vegetation have compromised portions of the roofing. While original designs called for prefabricated concrete slabs for the roofing, there is no evidence these were ever included. Both ends have decorative tin flashing with wood plank opening surrounds in a zigzag design. The tunnel is approximately 8 % feet wide and approximately 8 feet high. The original track is no longer intact. The tunnel is accessible by foot, but is well hidden by vegetation. While the vegetation is much heavier than during the historic period, it has actually fulfilled the intention of the original design to provide a more exotic feel to the tunnel. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 8 Page 1 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida SUMMARY The Virginia Key Beach Park fulfills Criterion A at the local level in the area of Ethnic Heritage: Black for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. Under Criterion A, the development of the park is associated with the history of the African American population of the City of Miami and surrounding areas. The park is also significant to Social History and Recreation history of the black communities in the city and county during the 1940s and 1950s. Beginning with the incorporation of the City of Miami in 1896, the city had been a segregated community.' The creation of a beach park "for the exclusive use of Negroes" was the first public facilities dedicated to the black community and proved to be the turning point in race relations for the city. HISTORIC CONTEXT Virginia Key Virginia Key was formed from a larger peninsula as a result of a hurricane in 1835. At that time the island was much smaller than it is today. Subsequent mapping of the island indicates a steady increase in the size of the island, a result of the natural shifting of shoreline on a barrier island, infill and dredging. In 1848, Assistant U.S.Coast Surveyor Frederick H. Gerdes of the Army Corps of Topographical Engineers (TOPOGs) surveyed the unnamed island north of Key Biscayne and named it Virginia Key. In his field notes, Gerdes noted: "The Island above Key Biscayne has no name, used to belong to the mainland, but the Cut (Narrows Cut) broke through about 10 or 12 years ago." He then named it Virginia Key.2 His notes did not give a reason for his choice of the name. In his notes the following year Gerdes measured the island to be three miles long and one mile wide; subsequent notes later indicated the island to be one and a half miles long. Little is known or recorded of Virginia Key during the next two decades. However, because Union forces during the Civil War heavily blockaded Key Biscayne and Key West, it is likely that Virginia Key was also patrolled and considered government land. Virginia Key was platted and approved by the assistant in charge of the U.S. Coast Survey in December 1870 as covering sections 9,10, 15, 16, 17, 20, and 21 of T. 54, S. 42E, Florida,3 placing the land under the jurisdiction of the U. S. Department of the Interior. During the same survey, Sections 3, 4, 10, 15; portions of 21, portions of 28, and all of 32 and 33 were declared swamp and overflow under the act of September 28, 1850 (9 Stat., 519), and were patented to the State of Florida on May 4, 1885.4 1 George, Paul S., "Colored Town: Miami's Black Community". p. 441. 2 Blank, Virginia Key, p. 665 ' Letter from Commissioner F. A. Ballinger of the Department of the Interior, General Land Office to Secretary of the Interior, March 23, 1907. 4 Ibid. State received ownership in 1885. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 8 Page 2 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida Although the City of Miami was incorporated in 1896, the barrier island never experienced the extensive development of the peninsula. Lack of drinking water, a fierce tide on the southern end, shifting shorelines and the coastal weather of a barrier island all contributed to its continuing isolation. Several factors led to the enlargement of the island soon after the, turn of the twentieth century. First, the creation of Government Cut in 1909 created a second barrier island north of Virginia Key known as Fisher Island. This cut into the Biscayne Bay changed the natural tidal flow of the oceanic waters and created a bigger buildup of sand along the beaches of Virginia Key and the north end of Key Biscayne. Secondly, once the cut was made, the City of Miami deepened it to create a deep -water port for Miami. Needing a place to put the spoils, the City acquired submerged land in Biscayne Bay adjacent to Virginia Key from the State of Florida. The excavated sand was dumped on the northern and western portions of the island, thereby steadily increasing the size of the island. During the following decades, the federal lands on the island would be transferred between the Department of War and the Department of Interior several times. The Secretary of War recommended to the President on February 10, 1897 that "all lands owned by the United States" on Virginia Key, Key Biscayne and Key West be set apart for military purposes. Outgoing President Grover Cleveland approved the plan and the land was transferred to the War Department on February 11, 1897.5 The land would remain under military rule until President Woodrow Wilson, by executive order, placed the military reservation on Virginia Key under the control of the Secretary of the Interior for disposition on April 28, 1916.6 Subsequently, President Wilson removed portions of Sections 9, 17, 20 and 21 from the Department of the Interior and reserved them for naval purposes on August 23, 1918.7 Popular belief holds that there was a "Negro Dancing Pavilion" on the island in 1918, indicating use of the island by local black residents during this period of time. This belief is based on the appearance of those three words on the official U.S. Coast Survey that was conducted by 1917 by T. W. Palmer and F. C. B. Legro8 of the Department of the Interior. This map shows the land still owned by the government, portions of Sections 17, 20 and 21 that were surveyed at that time. Communication within the Department of the Interior, General Land Office demonstrated that these sections of Virginia Key were actively being used by the U.S. Naval Station of Cocoanut (sic) Grove as a target range at that time. Since this was an active military facility during wartime, it is not possible that a dancing pavilion was there at the same time. The earliest this pavilion could have been 5 Executive Order 2372, President Woodrow Wilson; Grover Cleveland would remain in office until March, 1897. 6 Executive Order 2372. 7 Executive Order 2944 8 Letter to Mr. Charles W. Atkinson, Chief of Field Division, Department of the Interior, General Land Office from the Commissioner of the General Land Office dated July 1918. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 8 Page 3 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida constructed would have been after the disposition of these lands to the State of Florida in 1924.9 Additionally, since the inspection was conducted after complaints of civilian activity on the island, dredging of sand from Bears Cut for construction concrete, it is also highly unlikely that the use of the island for dancing would have gone unnoticed. The surveyors specifically noted that the island was deserted and was devoid of any signs of human occupation. On August 11, 1924, Executive Order 4062 allowed 66.12 acres of the above noted sections to be transferred to the Department of Interior.10 This action apparently was the direct result of the building boom that was taking place in Miami at that time. The releasing of Virginia Key and lands on Key Biscayne were initiated by developers hoping to create new developments similar to Miami Beach and Coral Gables on the islands. Ownership would be transferred to the State of Florida, and eventually to Dade County Board of County Commissioners. The lands that make up the Virginia Key Beach Park are these lands. During the 1920s and `30s, the island did experience some development, but not the kind most people anticipated. Based on the rapid development of Fisher Island to the north and Key Biscayne to the south, numerous plans were proposed to develop the island for luxury residences or planned communities. However, the use of the land was soon determined by the necessities of the day. The northern and western sections of the island became home to a city dutnp. In addition, these sections increased as sand was continuously excavated from Government Cut to keep the deep -water channel open. In the 1930s, the island was home to a small group of men who sought refuge from the economic depression. Their small group of huts was on the northern end of the island, facing Fisher's Island near the present-day public beach to the north of Virginia Key Beach Park. During the 1920s, black residents had begun to visit the beaches of Virginia Key. Denied access to all the beaches along the Atlantic Ocean, the isolation of the island gave black residents an opportunity to swim away from the eyes of the police and political leaders. They gathered along the shores of Bear Cut. Over the years, the name would be corrupted to Beers Cut. While whites knew of this practice, no one objected because the waters ofthecut were treacherous and the beach was isolated. The park provided many black Miamians with their first beach experience. Throughout the 1920s and `30s, blacks usually only went to the beach once a year, with church groups. Individual churches would charter buses and travel to Broward County for a daylong picnic as there were no public beach facilities for blacks in Dade County. Family reunions were also held at the beach. During the week, school children were brought to the beach for science lessons. 9 Letters from Wegner, map on p. 6 of Virginia Key Task Beach Park Booklet. 10 Executive Order 4062. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 8 Page 4 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida The beach served as more than just a bathing beach to the black communities. Church outings and sunrise services were held on the beach. During these services, many followers were baptized by immersion in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Previously, church picnics and family reunions could only be held in Broward County, to the immediate north of Dade County, as blacks were denied access to city and county parks and all bathing facilities in Dade. The island became the focal point of new development in the spring of 1938. With a war raging in Europe, many Americans speculated that the U.S. must eventually become involved. This appears have been a factor in the development of the Virginia Key Harbor Project. Approved by the U.S. Navy, plans called for a combination airplane base and ship anchorage. The project, which would include $5 million in Federal funds, had the full support of Florida Congressman Claude Pepper and President Franklin Roosevelt. They both wrote letters of support and spoke publicly in favor of the project." The new twelve -hundred -acre complex would include "an air base, seaport ringed by hangars, shipper berth, docking facilities, channels and approaches, runways, a Concourse of the Americas, a county auditorium, offices, a hotel, warehouses, fuel tanks, a fishing pier, outdoor auditorium, tennis courts, grandstand,golf course, dance pavilion, railroad to the mainland, passenger ferries, car ferries."12 A causeway from the mainland was begun in 1941. Materials included: twenty-seven thousand barrels of cement, fifteen thousand tons of sand and twenty-two thousand tons of crushed rock worth $800,000. Pilings were sunk in the bay.13 Construction continued throughout World War II, although by then, the project had been removed from the U.S. Department of the Navy and was being funded by the new Miami Greater Area Port Authority.l4 In March 1944, the Dade County Commission gave permission to the Navy to conduct Negro training on the beach at Virginia Key. They would use the beach along Bear Cut that by then had become an accepted, though unofficial, Negro beach. This action was necessitated because of the Navy's inability to train black enlisted men in the water along the segregated beaches of Miami Beach.15 African American History Black settlement in the area today known as Miami coincided with the arrival of Europeans. Early Spanish explorers enslaved the indigenous populations to provide the manual labor needed to build new settlements. Within one hundred years, the native peoples were decimated through disease, starvation, forced enslavement 11 Blank, Key Biscayne, pp 157-159, Miami Herald article on April 20, 1941. 12 Blank, Key Biscayne, pp. 158-159 13 Blank, Key Biscayne 14 various Miami Herald articles from 1941 through 1944. 15 Dunn, Blacks in Twentieth Century Miami, p. 160. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 8 Page 5 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida and exportation to Cuba and Hispanola. African slaves were brought to Florida and the Bahamas to replace them. By the early 1800s, three distinct ethnic heritages developed among the former Africans: American slaves, black Seminoles and black Bahamians. Black Seminoles did not settle along the eastern lands of Dade County, preferring the lands to the east of the Miami River Falls known as the Everglades.16 There would be little interaction among the Seminoles and the white settlements until the turn of the twentieth century, The first recorded settlement of black Bahamians in the area was in the community of Coconut Grove in the early 1880s. Coconut Grove is located a few miles to the south of Miami. Many of these early settlers worked at the Peacock Inn, the first hotel in the area, or the surrounding farms. They formed the small community of Kebo that soon became known as Black Grove. Here, the Bahamians taught the American settlers how to clear and farm the land. The thick natural vegetation imbedded its roots in the oolitic limestone and coral rock, making it all but impossible to clear. They taught the northern settlers what could be planted, and how to cultivate crops.17 Four miles to the north of Miami was the settlement of Lemon City. It was formally settled following the Civil War with the assistance of the Freedman's Bureau. The Bureau assisted many former slaves in relocating to Lemon City from Georgia, Alabama and north Florida from 1865-1877.18 Black Bahamians also settled there during the same period, leading to a quite sizeable black community. Most of these residents were employed as laborers grubbing the pineland, building roads and railroads and harvesting coontie root. Both of these communities developed in a manner common to the south, with the white and black settlers living in separate sections of their communities. Throughout the 1880s and '90s, south Florida black communities experienced numerous changes, some more subtle than others. First, the black areas of towns developed into complete communities, with black -owned businesses and a larger number of wealthy merchants and professionals. Following the end of Reconstruction, blacks also experienced increased efforts to disenfranchise black voters. As white Democratic rule was reestablished, the Republican Party, the party of choice for most black voters, steadily lost strength and influence. Subsequently, Florida followed other southern states to legally limit the voting rights of black voters through the use of poll taxes and literacy tests.19 In 1896, the new City of Miami was incorporated. Of the 368 men who voted, 162 were black. They were, for the most part, workers on Henry Flagler's East Coast Railroad. They had cleared the land, built the railroad and 16 Porter, Black Seminoles 17 Dunn, Blacks in Twentieth Century Miami, pp. 34-44. 18 Tebeau, History of Florida, p.260; Dunn, p. 32; Peters, Lemon City 19 George, "Colored Town", pp.433, 435, Shofner, Custom, Law & History", p.289. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 8 Page 6 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida carved out streets from the wilderness. Flagler needed their numbers and votes to meet state requirements to incorporate. However, they were soon disenfranchised and allowed to vote three years later only when their numbers were needed again to move the county seat from Juno to Miami.20 The charter for Miami included provisions for a "Colored Town." The wealthy northern founders, Julia Tuttle, Henry Flagler and William Brickell, followed the traditions of the South and created a segregated city.21 Colored Town encompassed the area west from the railroad tracks near Avenue F from Sixth Street to First Street and west to Avenue H, covering approximately fifteen percent of the total area of the new city.22 Over the next twenty years, Colored Town's population varied from twenty-five percent to forty percent of the city's total population. For instance, the 1910 census of Miami indicates that blacks numbered 2,258 and constituted 42 percent of the population.23 While the population increased rapidly, the boundaries did not; boundaries were only allowed to expand slightly to the northeast after blacks began to intrude into surrounding white neighborhoods. Colored Town quickly became greatly overcrowded. There were no electric or sewer systems, no paved streets, and few instances of running water. Housing shortages and poor sanitation led to high levels of disease. Deaths were frequent and often with no solutions forthcoming from outside the borders of Colored Town. Even in these conditions, however, Colored Town prospered. By the 1910s, Colored Town would be home to all black Miamians and had a flourishing business district along Avenue G (renamed Northwest Second Avenue in the 1920s.) Kelsey Leroy Pharr, recording secretary for the Colored Board of Trade, wrote in the Miami Metropolis the following article: In the City of Miami, there are owned and controlled by race -loving Negroes; 3 drug stores, 6 refreshment parlors, 1 theatre, 17 grocery stores, 4 meat markets, 5 fish markets, 9 barber shops, 2 bicycle shops, 7 boarding houses, 2 fruit stands, 17 hackmen, 9 draymen, 4 real estate offices, 11 restaurants, 4 lunch counters, 3 insurance companies (one of which has it's [sic] home office in Miami), 1 saving association, 2 undertaking parlors (the firm of Carter and Pharr, having the only licensed colored embalmers south of St. Augustine), 12 tailor shops and pressing clubs, and two expert cutters, 1 plumber, 1 printer, 1 blacksmith shop, 2 bakeries, 1 ice dealer, 14 dressmakers, 5 shoeshine parlors, 1 milliner and dealer in notions, 1 furniture store, 1 carriage and automobile trimmer and painter, 3 20 Dunn, Black Miami in Twentieth Century Miami, p.p 58-59. This information is footnoted and credited to Thomas Fleischmann in "Black Miamians in The Miami Metropolis, 1896-1990, Tequesta, 52(1992); Porter and Dunn, The Miami Riot of 1980, p. 2; Parks and Bush, Miami the American Crossroad, p.28; 21 Parks and Bush, Miami the American Crossroad, p. 28; George, "Colored Town", p. 435. 22 Carson, Rachel, "Miami, I896-1900", Tequesta, XVI (1956), p. 8. 23 George, "Colored Town", p. 436; Porter and Dunn, p.5. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 8 Page 7 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida hair emporiums, 2 upholsterers, 2 shoe -makers, 2 livery -men, and 7 stone, wood and painting contractors. What Mr. Pharr did not note is the less reputable areas of Colored Town. At the northeastern edges were the juke joints, taverns and houses of prostitution. This vice -filled section was controlled and patrolled by white Miami, in particular, the Miami Police Department and the Dade County Sheriffs Department. There were no black police officers, and white officers only entered Colored Town to restore order or to search for a black suspected of committing a crime. This situation, combined with the blacks' inability to vote, created a dangerous racial relationship between white and black Miamians. These conditions continued to deteriorate during the 1910s and `20s. Sheriff Dan Hardie and Police Chief H. Leslie Quigg openly espoused racist views of blacks. Brutal beatings and tortures were routinely administered and just as routinely ignored. The black citizenry tried to fight back with the creation of the Colored Board of Trade, the Greater Miami Negro Civic League and a local unit of the United Negro Improvement Association under the national leadership of Marcus Garvey. Some success was made with the creation of the first black high school in 1923 and the securing by black drivers for the exclusive operation of buses and cars -for -hire in Colored Town.25 Race relations and living conditions did not improve through the 1920s. However, in 1934, an expose in the Miami Herald caught the attention of President Roosevelt. Subsequently, members of the Works Progress Administration arrived to assess the conditions. The result was the creation of what is believed to be the first federal housing project in the southeastern United States. The project was the Liberty Square Housing Project. These new dwellings had all the amenities not available in Colored Town, which by then had begun to be known as Overtown. Wealthier blacks and merchants began to move to land surrounding the project. Living conditions continued to improve throughout the 1930s and early 1940s..In 1941 when the United States entered World War II, black Miamians had begun to make substantial changes in their quality of life, including voting.26 World War II proved a pivotal point in how black Miamians viewed themselves and their potential for a better life. Thousands of black Miamians enlisted in the military, numbering approximately one third of new black enlistments in Florida. While many shipped out to be stationed across the world, other black enlisted men were stationed in Miami. Their presence increased the attention given to the earlier mentioned community organizations, and new groups were organized to aid in the war effort. Throughout the war, black servicemen caused many in the white communities to question segregation. It was difficult to explain why black servicemen who were defending the country had to be housed in separate hotels and was unable to use the hotel 24 Parks and Bush, Miami the American Crossroad, pp. 60-61. 25 Porter and Dunn, The Miami Riots of 1980, pp. 6, 9; George, "Criminal Justice in Miami"; p.157; Dunn, Blacks in Twentieth Century Miami, pp. 131-139; Parks and Bush, Miami, the American Crossroads, p. 58. 26 Porter and Dunn, p. 10; NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 8 Page 8 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida pools and the beaches. In 1944, black navy men had to be transported to Virginia Key beach for training because they were not allowed to enter the waters of Miami Beach. It was this atmosphere of thawing race relations that led to the development of Virginia Key Beach Park. From 1945 through 1960, the lives of blacks changed dramatically in Miami. The development of the federal housing project exposed to the nation the inadequacies of Colored Town. Until that time, the majority of white Miamians were completely ignorant of the living conditions within the black community. As World War II continued, new military housing was developed for black veterans. By 1944, the first multiracial task force had been created in Dade County, the Dade County Interracial Committee. The squalid conditions of Overtown were exposed. Citizens were appalled that rents were as high for these slums as in new white housing developments. Political pressure began to grow to provide adequate housing for the county's black residents and black military families. At the same time, federal courts had repeatedly begun to rule that laws that legalized segregation were unconstitutional. In April 1946, the Florida Supreme Court ruled that "Dade County's power to segregate black residential districts, which had been granted by a special act of the 1937 legislature," was illegal.27 While these judicial rulings eliminated the legal aspects of segregation, it was much more difficult to eliminate prejudice. Bombings of black homes and housing complexes escalated and racial tensions rose. The presence of the Ku Klux Klan increased in direct proportion to the attempts of black Miamians to integrate white neighborhoods. Efforts by the Congress on Racial Equality, led by G. E. Graves, focused on several fronts: buses, housing, and public facilities. By 1959, they had successfully integrated neighborhoods in Miami and Coconut Grove, forced the construction of modern housing projects and subdivisions for blacks, secured the end of segregated bus and railroad cars and facilities, won a significant contract to drive the city buses, and integrated both county and city public facilities, including beaches and pools. HISTORIC SIGNIFICANCE During the latter half of the nineteenth century, and the turn of the twentieth century, blacks and whites both enjoyed Miami's beautiful white beaches that stretched as far as the eye could see. These beaches were known collectively as Ocean Beach. Beginning in 1909 with the creation of Government Cut, the beaches were developed in earnest. As throughout the South, the rights of blacks were increasingly limited as Jim Crow laws created ever more restrictions on their movements. Jim Crow laws had been upheld in the 1896 U.S. Supreme 27 Dunn, p. 207. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 8 Page 9 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida Court decision, Plessy v. Ferguson. This ruling created the landmark ruling of "separate but equal." In the matter of swimming facilities in the greater Miami area, the separate dictate was embraced; the equal was not. When Carl Fisher began to develop Miami Beach, it was a segregated development. Blacks were completely barred from ownership, while Jews were limited to the area south of Lincoln Avenue.28 Blacks were allowed to work in the communities, but they were not allowed in the town after dark. And they were banned from the beaches at all times. Meanwhile, the City of Miami also outlawed access by blacks to most city parks and all city pools. At the same time, access to beaches along Biscayne Bay became increasingly difficult as the downtown and surrounding neighborhoods grew. By the 1910s, Jim Crow laws and actual physical access had limited the black residents to a few swimming holes near present-day Arch Creek. While blacks lived in the most prestigious city in South Florida, they were effectively barred from any swimming activities. During the 1930s, the Federal Writers' Project recorded no accesses to beaches or pools in the Miami area.29 Even when the Liberty Square Housing Project was constructed, politicians eliminated the plans for a pool. While no reason was given publicly, privately it was expressed that the white residents refused to allow federal funds to be used for such a recreational activity. Whites heavily opposed blacks bathing in public facilities. In the early twentieth century, one of Miami's most prominent black citizens sought to provide access to beaches to blacks. In 1918, Dana A. (D.A.) Dorsey purchased Fisher Island to develop a resort for Negroes. Unfortunately, the exorbitant prices and taxes on land during the Florida Land Boom of the 1920s forced Dorsey to sell the land. Blacks were once again without a beach.3° Judge John Johnson recalls that in the late 1920s and early 1930s, blacks went to a place known as Community Beach near Alton Road and Fifth Street in Miami Beach. They would park their cars on land that is today the U.S. Coast Guar Station and take a ferry the rest of the way.31 However, these excursions were only for the brave of heart, usually young men. Retired dentist Edward Braynon, Jr. noted, "They would go up there to swim. But if they were caught they'd be in big trouble."32 Other residents such as Athalie Range remember visiting Virginia Key at a place known as Bears (Beers) Cut. Here, parents watched closely because the shore had a steep drop off and a strong current.33 The extensive dredging for sand at Bear Cut during this building boom may have created these conditions. In May 1945, the Reverend John Culmer of the St. Agnes Episcopal Church, dentist Ira P. Davis, lawyer Lawson Thomas and others gathered in Davis' office. They were members of the Negro Service Council 28 Blackman, Ethan, Miami and Dade County, pp. 78-79. 29 McDonogh, Gary, The Florida Negro, A Federal Writers' Project Legacy, pp. 56-62. 3° Nielsen, p. 24. The Dana Dorsey House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. 31 "A Historic Dip" by Kirk Nielsen, Miami New Times, August 14, 1999, p. 24. 32 Nielsen, p. 25. 33 Ibid, Nielsen, p. 24. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 8 Page 10 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida (NSC), a forerunner of the Urban League of Greater Miami. They discussed the possibility of forcing the issue to allow blacks to use a beach. They discussed a "wade -in" at an all -white beach called Baker's Haulover. They wanted to force the arrest of the blacks for wading into the water at a white beach. They knew that recent decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled that segregation of public parks and lands was unconstitutional. Then, Lawson would be able to defend those arrested in court and force Dade County to provide bathing facilities for the county's black residents.34 The NSC approached a coalition of black ministers and churchgoers called the Negro Interdenominational Alliance (NIA). The NIA agreed to assist. However, on the day of the wade -in, no representatives of the NIA showed up to take part. Five members of the NSC met near the entrance to the park. There, they convinced two young black servicemen stationed on Miami Beach to go in the water with them.35 When sheriff's deputies were called to the beach, Dade County Sheriff Jimmy Sullivan ordered them not to arrest the bathers, knowing the action was indefensible in court. Instead, he related to Rev. Culmer and Lawson that County Commissioner Charles Crandon would meet with them the following morning to discuss the issue. On June 5, 1945, the Miami Herald reported that County Park Superintendent Don Martin announced plans for a Negro beach. It was to be located on the southern side of Virginia Key along Bear Cut. The construction firm of Powell Brothers from Fort Lauderdale received the contract to construct a departure dock on the Miami River along with a footbridge and a wharf on the key. Boat shuttles were provided to take bathers to the key until the completion of the Rickenbacker Causeway in 1949.36 The original structures on Virginia Key were in place in less than two months. These buildings, given their size and configuration, were probably surplused military buildings. The parking area was at first linear, parallel to the shore and extended south from the park facilities. Until recently, it was believed these structures were the ones currently located on the island. However, aerial photographs, taken between the opening of the causeway in 1949 and 1950 when the structures in the photograph are destroyed in the hurricane, indicate otherwise. Photographs showing the hurricane damage verify the foundations of the structures along the beach as shown in the aerials.37 Although some of the original structures survived the hurricane, they have subsequently been lost over time. It was such natural disasters that led the county to develop permanent structures on the island. In 1948, the county provided renourishment to the beach devastated the previous winter by a storm, constructed the newer $29,000 parking lot, and added twelve cabanas and running water. Following the hurricane of 1950, the county quickly began to reconstruct the park facilities. Plans were drawn up and approved to construct permanent 34 Nielson 35 Nielsen, personal interview with Athalie Range and Gene Tinnie, August 22, 2001. 36 Ibid, Nielsen, p. 25. 37 Miami -Dade County Historic Preservation Division, Virginia Key file NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 8 Page 11 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida facilities that included dressing and rest room facilities for men and women and a concession stand. The plans went through several revisions until being approved in 1951. By 1952, the bathhouse, concession stand and an improved parking lot with room for twelve hundred cars were completed. By 1952, the carousel was in place as well. The shoreline had been stabilized with groins extending along the entire stretch of the park. A miniature train, track and "depot" were completed sometime between 1953 and 1957 when a tunnel was added. The picnic pavilions, restrooms cabanas, superintendent house, park office and triplex cabin for overnight visitors were also in place by 1952. Virginia Key Beach Park was dedicated on August 1, 1945.38 A brochure for the park billed it as "South Florida's only improved park for the exclusive use of Negroes."39 Blacks flocked to the new county park. On any given weekend, an average of 1,100 bathers and picnickers could be found there. While crowded, the only real troubles stemmed from the long wait to get on the three daily ferries that brought visitors from the mainland. Officer George Busby maintained order on horseback. His presence is believed to be the first assignment of a black officer outside of the Overtown and Liberty City areas of Miarni. Church groups came on Sunday mornings for sunrise services. The churches also utilized the facilities for baptisms. Enid Pinkney recalls that her father, the Reverend Henry Curtis, of the Church of God, baptized white -robed adult members of his congregation in the sea. Accompanied by much shouting, crying and singing, the occasions were also cultural events. After the church services, the congregation stayed for picnics and cookouts. The park became a symbol of the new civil rights that many black Americans were just beginning to fight for. In Miami, blacks could swim freely and openly in one of the few such places in Florida. The beach park was black Miamians' inspiration to work towards the integration of other public recreational facilities, such as the Orange Bowl and golf courses. At night, the park was just as active. A jukebox was installed next to the dancing pavilion. During the day and on most weekend nights, dancing at the park was a favorite pastime for Miami blacks. During the early 1950s, the Civil Rights Movement began in earnest in the United States. But in Miami, the acquiescence of Sheriff Sullivan and the use of county funds and lands to create a recreational park had changed the dynamics of the city. Local families, churches and businesses began to move into new subdivisions designed especially for black military veterans. Other military veterans that had been stationed in Miami during the wax returned. They joined civic and fraternal organizations while their wives and children became involved 38 This is the date most often cited as the date the beach was dedicated. Marvin Dunn claims a date of August 8, 1945. Mr. Garth Reeves, editor of the Miami Times, a black newspaper insists the date was the first. 39 Virginia Beach brochure NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 8 Page 12 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida in church and school activities. They became active in the efforts to integrate other venues, such as schools, buses and lunch counters. Across Rickenbacker Causeway was the island of Key Biscayne, home of the wealthiest of Miami's residents. Near the center of the island was a beach, called Crandon Park, for the exclusive use of whites. Virginia Key Beach Park and Crandon Park were designed as mirror images of each other, separate but equal. When political pressure to increase toll revenues from the Key Biscayne Bridge increased in the early 1950s, a merry-go-round, miniature train and zoo were added to Crandon Park. Continued pressure by civic leaders from the black community ensured that a merry-go-round and miniature train were also added to Virginia Key Beach Park.4° At the height of the Civil Rights Movement in 1959, Miamians were fighting for integrated facilities. Now a recognized voting block and an influential political force, black leaders once again looked to the beaches for a solution. Civic leaders, including G.E. Graves, an Episcopal minister and future Miami commissioner, and the Reverend Theodore Gibson decided that it was time to desegregate Crandon Park also. Reverend Gibson agreed to go before the Dade County Commission to formally request the integration of the park. His appearance was repeatedly delayed that day. As they waited, members of CORE and others became impatient. Unable to wait any longer, they drove to Crandon Park shortly after noon. Led by Dr. John O. Brown, the groups, which included Miami Times publisher Garth Reeves and Oscar Range, asked to use the bathhouse, and promptly proceeded to use the facilities. As they did so, segregation officially ended for Dade County. Unable to justify segregation of public facilities, the integration of private facilities would follow. 41 The creation of Virginia Key Beach Park was the catalyst that forever changed the City of Miami and Dade County, now known as Miami -Dade County. Once blacks were legally allowed in public areas outside of what was once known as Colored Town, they embarked on a road to freedom and desegregation. Their insistence and quiet perseverance allowed them to make strides in a community deeply rooted in racial discrimination. Although legal discrimination would end in 1959 with the wade -in at Crandon Park, the battle was far from over. As a result, powerful white Miamians sought to destroy the cohesiveness of the black community. Urban renewal and federal highway projects eventually dissected the Overtown and Liberty City communities. Racial tensions grew until a series of riots in 1978 and 1980 all but destroyed the black community. Today, Virginia Key Beach Park stands as a symbol to the efforts of black Miamians to change their lives and their futures. Their efforts to integrate buses, subdivisions, railroads and voting precincts are represented by the beach that was known as the Negro Beach through the 1980s. The beach is still intact, while the historic black community has been all but leveled in the decades that followed. It is hoped that the creation of the Virginia 4° Blank, pp. 167-168. 41 Dunn, p. 215, Nielsen, p. 26. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 8 Page 13 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida Key Task Force and the Virginia Key Trust will ensure that the beach will forever survive to remind future residents of a tropical vision dreamed of and achieved by a small, dedicated group in 1945. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 9 Page 1 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida BIBLIOGRAPHY Allman, T.D.; Miami: City of the Future. New York, Atlantic Monthly Press, 1987. Blackman, E.V., Miami and Dade County, Florida: Its Settlement, Progress and Achievement. Chuluota, Florida, Mickler House, 1977. Blank, Joan Gill. Key Biscayne. Sarasota, Florida, Pineapple Press, 1996. Dunn, Marvin, Black Miami in the Twentieth Century. Gainesville, Florida, University Press of Florida, 1997. Jones, Maxine D. and Kevin M. McCarthy. African Americans in Florida. Sarasota, Florida, Pineapple Press, Inc., 1993. McDonough, Gary W., Ed., The Florida Negro: A Federal Writers' Project Legacy. Jackson, Mississippi, University Press of Mississippi, 1993. Morris, Allen and Joan Perry Morris. The Florida Handbook, 1999-2000. Tallahassee, The Peninsular Publishing Company, 1999. Muir, Helen, Miami U.S.A., Expanded Edition. Gainesville, Florida, University Press of Florida, 1957. Parks, Arva Moore and Gregory W. Bush with Laura Pincus. Miami, The American Crossroad: A Centennial Journey 1896-1996. Needham Heights, Massachusetts, Simon & Schuster Custom Publishing, 1996.. Peters, Thelma, Lemon City, Pioneering on Biscayne Bay 850-1925. Miami, FL, Banyan Books, Inc., 1976. Porter, Bruce and Marvin Dunn, The Miami Riot of 1980: Crossing the Bounds. Lexington, Massachusetts, D.C. Heath and Company, 1984. Porter, Kenneth. The Black Seminoles: A History of a Freedom -Seeking People. Gainesville, Florida, University Press of Florida, 1996. Journals, Articles, Newspapers, Letters George, Paul S., "Policing Miami's Black Community, 1896-1930," Florida Historical Quarterly 57 (1979), pp. 234-258. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 9 Page 2 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida George, Paul S., "Colored Town: Miami's Black Community, 1896-1930," Florida Historical Quarterly 56 (1978), pp. 232-250. George, Paul S., "Criminal Justice in Miami, 1896-1930" (unpublished doctoral thesis, Florida State University, 1975. Carson, Ruby Leach, "Miami, 1896-1900," Tequesta, XVII (1956). Dom, J.K., "Recollections of Early Miami", Tequesta, IX (1949). Shofner, Jerald, "Custom, Law & History: The Enduring Influence of Florida's Black Code", Florida Historical Quarterly, LV (January 1977) pp. 277-298. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 10 Page 1 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida LEGAL DESCRIPTION OF VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK A parcel of land on Virginia Key, in Biscayne Bay, Dade County, Florida, being a portion of Sections 16, 17, 20 and 21 of Township 54 South, Range 42 East, Dade County, Florida and being more particularly described as follows: Commence at the point of intersection of the centerline of Rickenbacker Causeway with the South line of said Section 17, said point intersection being 2649.97 feet N. 89°56'45" W of the Southeast comer of said Section 17, as measured along the south line of said Section 17; thence run S 45°22'07" E along the centerline of said Rickenbacker Causeway for a distance of 251.67 feet to a point of intersection with the Southwesterly prolongation of the Corporate Boundary of the City of Miami; thence run N 64°34'42" E said City of Miami Corporate Boundary and its Southwesterly prolongation and along the Southeasterly right of way line of the Sewage Treatment Plant Access Road for a distance of 2735.77 feet; to a point on the East line of said Section 17, said point also being a point on the North line of the South 1000.00 feet of said Section 16; thence run S 89°59'50" N along the North line of the South 1000.00 feet of said Section 16 for a distance of 67.23 to a point of intersection with the arc of a circular curve concave to the West, the center of which bears S 82°42'15" W from said point of intersection, said point of intersection also being the Point of Beginning of the herein described parcel, thence run Southeasterly to Southeasterly along the arc of said circular curve concave to the West, having a radius of 1650.00 feet, through a central angle of 46°'20'10", for an arc distance of 1334.38 feet to a point of reverse curvature with the arc of a circular curve to the left; thence run Southwesterly along the arc of said circular curve to the left, having a radius of 1350.00 feet, through a central angle of 21 °56'37", for an arc distance if 517.03 feet to a point of compound curvature with the are of a circular curve to the left, thence run Southwesterly to Southeasterly along the arc of said circular curve to the left, having a radius of 350.00 feet, through a central angle of 62°27'55", for an arc distance of 381.58 feet to a point of tangency with a line 25.00 feet North of and parallel with the property conveyed to the University of Miami; thence run S 45°22'07", E along a line 25.00 feet North of and parallel with the said University of Miami property for a distance of 170 feet more or less to the mean high water line of Virginia Key; thence meander Northeasterly along the mean high water line of Virginia Key for a distance of 4300 feet more or less to a point of intersection with the North line of the South 1000.00 feet of said Section 16; thence run N 89°59'50" W along the North line of the South 1000.00 feet of said Section 16 for a distance of 3200 feet more or less to the Point of Beginning. Boundary Justification: The boundary encloses the property historically associated with the park. The boundary is defined by the legal description and by current park boundaries. NPS Form 10-900-a (8-86) OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number 10 Page VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida UTM References (continued) ZONE FASTING NORTHING 5. 17 584340 2846240 NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number PHOTOS Page 1 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida PHOTOGRAPHS 1. Virginia Key Beach Park 2. Miami, Miami -Dade County 3. Vicki L. Cole 4. June, 2001 5. Tallahassee, Florida 6. Virginia Key Beach Park parking area, camera facing southwest. 7. Photo # 1 of 14 Items 1-5 are the same for the following photographs: 6. Benches adjacent to parking area, camera facing west 7. Photo #2 of 14 6. Virginia Key Beach Park beachfront and coconut palms, camera facing southeast. 7. Photo #3 of 14 6. Concession stand north elevation, camera facing south. 7. Photo #4 of 14 6. Dance pavilion, camera facing northwest. 7. Photo #5 of 14 6. Concession stand east elevation, camera facing west. 7. Photo #6 of 14 6. Concession stand east and west elevations, camera facing northwest. 7. Photo #7 of 14 6. Concession stand, bathhouse/restrooms to the left camera facing north 7. Photo #8 of 14 6. Bathhouse/restrooms, camera facing northwest. 7. Photo #9 of 14 6. Concession stand west elevation, camera facing east. 7. Photo # 10 of 14 NPS Form 10-900-a OMB Approval No. 1024-0018 (8-86) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES CONTINUATION SHEET Section number PHOTOS Page 2 VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida 6. Carousel, (interior). 7. Photo # 11 of 14 6. Picnic pavilion, camera facing northwest. 7. Photo #12 of 14 6. Miniature train tunnel, camera facing northwest 7. Photo # 13 of 14 6. Virginia Key Beach unpaved walkway, camera facing northeast. 7. Photo # 14 of 14 J VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK 1 1 Miami -Dade Cou ty, Florida r , • 19' c ci VIRGINIA KE BE 7 H PARK Miami -Dad - Cou Florida 3 „h,C•cll { { :VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK - Iiamz-Dade ounty Florida -- - { CONTRIBUTING I NONCONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHS OS VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK Miami -Dade County, Florida i t m. •�. d a mmg, aft _mow 'r� .2 am Or 6 — r Historic Virginia Key Beach Park 4020 Virginia Beach Drive Designation Report Historic anti Environmental Preservation Board City of Miami ( REPORT OFTHE CITY OF MIAMI PRESERVATION OFFICE TO THE -- .~~ ...� .,~,_'~'-_ AND ENVIRONMENTALPRESERVATION ..---. ' BOARD ON THE -DESIGNATION OF THE � - - - _ - _���� KEY - - -'- _- BEACH -_ RK 4S~4 HISTORIC �E ' - - -' _ _ ' � Wriften by Marina Novaes November 2013 Location and site maps 1. General Information IL Statement Of Significance III. Description IV. Application of Criteria V. Bibliography VI. Photographs Contents 4 I- General Information Historic Name: Virginia Key Beach Current Name: Historic Virginia Key Beach Park Date of Inauguration: 1945 Location: 4020 Virginia Beach Drive Miami, FL 33149 Present Owner: City of Miami Present use: Park Zoning: CS Folio No.: 01-4221-000-0010, 01-4220-000-0012. 01-4216-000-0060 Boundary (Legal [Description): 21 54 42 25.06 AC GOUT LOTS 1 & 2 IN SEC LOT SIZE 1091614 SQ FT OR 11434-234 0490 3 FAU 30-4221-000-0010 20 54 42 12.234 AC M/L BEG NE COR OF SEC TH N 89 DEG VV 125.20FT SELY AD 303.27FT SWLY AD 517.03FT SELY AD 381.58FTS 45 DEG E 630FT N TO POB FAU 30-4220-000-0010 or 11434-234 0482 3 16 54 42 73,74 AC M/L S1 000FT OF 31/2 INC SUBMERGED LANDS & RIP RTS LOT SIZE IRREGULAR OR 11434-234 0470 3 Setting: Historic Virginia Key Beach Park (HVKBP) is an 82.5-acre site located 2 miles southeast of downtown Miami, Florida, and approximately 1 mile southwest of the tip of Miami Beach. It is approximately 8 miles from the northern boundary of Biscayne National Park and 40 miles from its headquarters and visitor center at Convoy Point. The park is located on the southeastern side of Virginia Key, which totals approximately 1,250 acres. Virginia Key is part of a chain of barrier islands that extends along the Florida coast from Miami south to Key West and is accessible via a toll causeway from Miami. Virginia Key is part of an evolving landscape that became its own island in the 1830s following a hurricane that separated Virginia Key from Miami Beach. In addition to natural forces, man-made changes have also influenced the island. In 1902, a channel was created near Virginia Key to establish direct ocean access to the port of Miami and subsequently it quickly developed as the major seaport on Biscayne Bay, Since the channel was created currents have scoured the Atlantic shore of Virginia Key and deposited the sand elsewhere. As a result, Virginia Key is less suitable than surrounding islands for resort development and has retained some of its natural character.' lotegrity; The Historic Virginia Key Beach Park has iritegrity of setting, feeling, design, association, and location. lAnonymous. Virginia Key Beach Park Special Resource Study, report to Congress. National Park Service. 2008. 6 II- Statement of Significance Virginia Key is part of a chain of natural barrier islands that extend from Miami to Key West along the Florida coast. Once part of Miami Beach, Virginia Key became a distinct island after a hurricane in the 1830s. Not only natural forces influenced the island's landscape but man-made interventions as well; in 1902, a channel was created near Virginia Key to establish direct ocean access to the port of Miami changing ocean currents that battered the island's Atlantic shore leaving it less attractive for resort development. Since the island wasn't developed, it was used as a landfill and deposit of dredge spoils, a sewage treatment plant was built and water channels were created as part of a mosquito control project damaging most part of the island's natural character, especially in the northern portion. In the 1950s and the 1970s a series of groins were placed along the shore to stabilize the beach but currents continued to erode its shore, consequently, unlike the surrounding islands, Virginia Key remained undeveloped and retained much of its natural mangrove In addition to the mangroves, the island's Atlantic shore is fringed with freshwater wetlands, tropical marine hammock, coastal strand, and seagrass communities. These plant communities provide valuable habitat areas for wildlife, including several threatened and endangered species.2 Federally protected species present at Virginia Key include the Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretomochelys Imbricata) and the Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta Caretta), which nests on the island, the West Indian Manatee (Trichecus mancrtus), which is frequently observed in the near offshore waters, and the American Crocodile (Crocadylus acutus), which has been observed in the lake at the Virginia Key Beach Park. The island also provides suitable habitat for other threatened and endangered species including the Gopher Tortoise and a variety of shore and seabird species, including the Peregrine Falcon, Bald Eagle, Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork and Piping Plover. Theislandis a stopover for migratory songbirds, Together, the coastal plant and animal communities along the Virginia Key shore represent an important vestige of the natural heritage of Biscayne Bay.3 Today, Virginia Key also houses the Miami Marine Stadium and recreational areas, the National Marine Fisheries Institute, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the University of Miami, Rosenstiei'School of Marine and Atmospheric Science and the MAST Academy. Miami Seaquarium is the only large private enterprise on the island, other businesses include restaurants and concessions providing recreational equipment rental. In 1999, community activists and environmental groups stopped the plans to develop a resort in the area and the Virginia Key Beach Park Civil, Right Task Force was created to monitor land use decisions.4 The Virginia Key Beach Park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002 for being associated with the history of the African American population of the City of Miami evidencing 2 City of Miami, Virginia Key Beach Park Master Flan site assessment. 2008. 3 Ibid. Ibid social history in the •segregation era. The Virginia Key Beach Park was created in 1945 as a "colored only" beach.6 The years following the Civil War were bitter for the defeated south, especially for the African American population. For most African Americans Reconstruction did not provide with either the legal protections or the material resources to ensure anything like real equality. Most black men and women had little power to resist their oppression for many decades to come.6 Laws restricting the rights given to African Americans by the constitution started to emerge and soon became a network of state and local statutes known cis the Jim Crow laws. By the first years of the twentieth century an elaborated system of racial segregation was created. Blacks and whites could not ride together in the same railroad cars, sit in the same waiting rooms, use the same washroom, eat in the same restaurants, or sit in the same theaters. Blacks had no access to many public parks, beaches, or picnic areas, and could not go to the same schools or live in neighborhoods with whites. This dark period of our history [theoretically] lasted until the 1960s.7 In Miami -Dade County, there were very few parks and beaches where African Americans were allowed. Before The Virginia Key Beach, African Americans swam and had picnics at another nearby island, today's Fisher Island. Dana A. Dorsey, a black real estate millionaire who was born in Quitman, Georgia in 1872 and moved to Miami in 1897, was first engaged in truck farming, and then began to invest in real estate. He started to purchase land and soon accumulated large blocks of real estate. Listed as the only black real estate agent in Miami in 1914,. Dorsey acquired Elliot Key and Fisher Island in which he provided access to the black population, 8 Dorsey bought Fisher Island in 1918 from Herman B. Walker and sold it to Carl Fisher in 1919.9" For decades after Fisher Island was sold, African Americans living in the Miami -Dade area had to drive all the way to a segregated becich in Dania B,each to enjoy a good day of leisure at the beach and swim in the refreshing waters of the ocean. Some black teenagers, mostly boys, would risk their lives diving in the quarry pits near Liberty City which when filled with water were "deliciously and dangerously inviting".1° Someothers, would go for a quick dip in a remote "white only" beach taking the risk of being arrested. After World War II, African Americans soldiers began to demand recognition of their contributions during the war giving the Civil Rights Movement momentum. In 1944, the Committee on Racial Equality was formed and advocated the use of direct -action 5 Cole, Vicki L. Virginia Key Beach Park— nomination report. DA7007. City of Miami. 2002. 6 Brinkley, Alan. "The unfinished Nation" — Volume I: To 1877. Columbia University. 2010 Sixth edition. 7 Brinkley, Alan. "The unfinished Nation" —Volume II: From 1865, Columbia University. 2010 - Sixth edition Eaton, Sarah and Chase, Charles. "D. A. Dorsey House" designation report. City of Miami. 1983. 9Viglucci, Andres. Orlando Sentinel. May 16, 2013. http://articles.orlandosentinel.corn/2013-05-16/traveljos- -travel-mi am I -ma nslon -20130516_1m ia rni-bea ch-ma nsion-fisher-isla nd-cl ub/2 1° Robinson, Andrea. "A beach for everyone." The Miami Herald. Feb. 16, 2008. 8 protest to demand civil rights, In Miami, the "Negm Service Council" was created in 1945 by Judge Lawson E. Thomas, Dr. Ira Davis, and Father John Culmer, who had been active since the 1920s advocating for African American rights. The trio formulated a direct -action protest plan to demand access to the county's beaches. In the summer of 1945, at the "white only" Baker's Haulover Beach, a group of African Americans led by ,Judge Thomas staged a protest, in the form of a "wade -in", against the segregation laws.11 According to The Miami Herald's article, "A beach for everyone:" Eugenia B. Thomas, widow of Lawson Thomas, did not go to the wade -in, but shared her version of the encounter: "They went into the water, and the sheriff comes out and says,'Get out of the water. Are you going to put them in jail?' Thomas asked. The deputy stammers. Thomas tells the group, 'go back into the water,' which generates more stammered protests from the deputy." No arrests were made that day, but historians later would hail the moment as the start of the civil rights movement in Miami. Shortly afterward, Eugenia Thomas said, county Commissioner Charles Crandon called Lawson Thomas's law office."Tell Thomas to come down here and we'll work something out," she said Crandon told her husband. The compromise was Virginia Beach, which opened in August 1945. The black community. Thomas said, got "the best, the prettiest beach. You look ahead and there's nothing to block you, It's just God's water."12 Mr. Gene Tinnie, The Historic Virginia Key Beach Park Trust chairman, adds to the historic occurrence: The original 1945 wade -in which was led by former Judge Lawton Thomas whose widow, Mrs. Eugenia B. Thomas was a founding Board Member of the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust in 2001, was accompanied by three courageous women who participated in the wade -in. The key people and places included both the planning the wade -in included Father Culmer, and took place at the office/home of Dr. Ira P, Davis, which was known as "The Little White House," because that is where leaders met and planned many activities and strategies for the Black Community during that time. The initial demonstration for the 11 Anonymous,, Virginia Key Beach Park --Special Resource Study, report to Congress, National Park Service, 2008. 12 Robinson, Andrea. ''`A beach for everyone." The Miami Herald. Feb. 16, 2008. 9 Black Beach was coordinated at the ILA Longshoremen's Hall (right across from the Lyric Theater), by Judge (his name, not a title) Henderson, the brother of the late Janie Reeves, Garth Reeves's (founder and owner of the Miami Times Newspaper) first wife, who just recently passed away. The wade -in itself, as we all know, took place at Baker's Haulover, the site of present day Haulover Beach, where the white -only park was to be built. The leader of the wade -in, was Atfy (future Judge) Lawson E. Thornas, who had "a bag of cash" on hand to bail out anyone who got arrested, as was the plan for the wade -in. The number of actual protesters was less than promised, but three sailors were recruited who eagerly joined. It appears they were at the USO in Overtown, near the ILA Longshoreman's Hall. One of them John Hill, is believed to have become the husband of Mrs. Mary Hill, a longtime local activist. The sheriff who responded to the wade -in (he was alerted in advance) is believed to have been THE sheriff of Dade County at the time or one of ,his officers; because he was able to reach Commissioner iCrandon by phone, and get the message, "Tell Lawson to come down here Monday morning and we'll work something out." No arrests were made during the wade-in.13 Rickenbacker Causeway was completed in 1947, before that, the black community had to make sacrifices to spend a day at the beach, the only transportation was by ferry. Nevertheless, the beach was always crowded, Wilhelmenia Franks Jennings, whose father ran ferry boats for fishermen and tourists, developed a booming business. She and her two sisters, Witlean and Marie, fell in loVe with the island. "He would take us over on the island for picnics." said Jennings, 90. She and her husband of 57 years, Sonny, spent part of their honeymoon there. In later years, they brought their families and out-of-town guests, "It seemed like we stayed all day," said her daughter, Patricia Jennings Braynon, director of the Miami -Dade Housing Finance Authority. "They would pack up picnic baskets and fake food out there. It was always a family event whenever we went."14 13 Tinnie, Gene. "Additional Content for the City of Miami Historic and Environmental Preservation Board (HEP 13oard) — Historic Virginia Key Beach Park Historic Designation Report 2013. Sent by email to staff on 10/22/2013. 14 Robinson, Andrea. "A beach for everyone' The Miami Herald. Feb. 16, 2008. 10 "Some of the special occasions di the site are documented and many are not", says Mr. Gene Tinnie, "but we know there were numerous church sodais, Easter Sunrise Services, and baptisms, as well as some annual events like the Pineapple or Coconut Festival. There was at least one major AKA Sorority gathering there as part of a larger conclave. The Beach Park highlighted such amenities as Cottages and Cabanas for rental use. Notable personalities would include WAME radio host "Butterball" who famously would water-ski at the site. Dr. Dorothy Fields, founder of the Miami -Dade Black Archives, tells the great story about Rev, Edward Graham standing in the bow of the boat as it approached the park and diving gracefully into the water, swimming to the beach and being there by the time the boat docked and the rest of the passengers disembarked. One of the boats was the "Noman," owned by Mrs. Henrietta Jennings, a member of the prominent Braynon family. And, there was Mrs, Pinkney's father, a Reverend, who conducted baptisms. Mrs. Enid Pinkney is a founding Board Member of the Trust and the Executive Director of the Historic Hampton House Trust. Some of the MOSt recognized icons of the place are not well remembered by name, Ike the mounted policeman, the train driver who kept up a lively banter with the passengers, and some of the lifeguards."15 Between 1950 and 1953, the park was improved due to a hurricane that destroyed most of its structures. The new plans were designed to provide facilities identical to those at the nearby white -only Crandon Park on Key Biscayne. The new improvements included: a paved entrance driveway, a paved parking lot for 660 cars, a boat launch, rental cabins, changing cabanas, a park office and first aid station, lawn picnic areas with shelters, a concession building and bathhouse and a smaller restroorn building. Also installed during this period were a carousel, identical in every detail to the carousel at Crandon Park, as well as a miniature train ride that encircled a lake, which was a scaled down version of the miniature train and zoo at Crandon Park.16 According to Mr, Gene Tinnie, "The Historic Mini Train currently operating on Historic Virginia Key Beach Park, "Biscayne/Virginia Rickenbacker Central" Model F7A Cab Locomotive and three Standard G-16 Passenger Coaches, SN It 1783859 manufactured by the Miniature Train Corporation (MTC) of Rensselaer, Indiana is the exact model and date the our original mini -train, The current mini -train began its life at an amusement park in New Jersey. Detailed MTC production and sales records allowed the Trust to determine how many MTC mini -trains were sold in the segregated South, and thus what a rarity it was to have one at a Black Park, 25 Tinnie, Gene, 'Additional Content for the City of Miami Historic and Environmental Preservation Board (NEP Board). — Historic Virginia Key Beach Park Historic Designation Report 2013. Sent by email to staff on 10/22/201.3. 16 Anonymous. Virginia Key Beach Park —.Special Resource Study, report to Congress. National Park Service. 2008. 11 The Historic Merry -Go -Round currently operating in the Historic Beach Park is an antique 1949 model manufactured by the Allan Herschell Company of Tonawanda, NY, SN #JRA226. The original amusement ride provided great enjoyment for many years; following the closure of the Beach Park in 1982 local rumors suggested that many of the pats and carousel horses were removed and kept as private rnementoes."17 Although civil rights laws desegregated all pubiic beaches in the 1950s, the park remained a popular destination for many African Americans. In 1982, Virginia Key Beach Park was transferred from the county to the city of Miami with the stipulation that the area be kept open and maintained as a public park and recreational area. However, the city closed the park soon after the transfer alleging the high cost of maintenance and operations. The facilities fell into disrepair.18 After being closed for more than 25 years, the park reopened on February 23, 2008. The 40 million project to restore the park was a community effort and an achievement for black Miamians. Mary Athalie Range, a civil rights activist and politician who was the first African -American to serve on the Miami City Commission, was determined to reclaim the park, her exertion led to the creation of the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust in 2001. The story of Mrs. Range's involvement is the story of Mrs. Range herself and her lifetime of activism and political engagement which earned her the respect to which all elected officials deferred. She was in her 80s when Mr. Gene Tinnie approached her about joining the cause to save the Historic Beach Park from development. Mrs. Range, after taking a day or so to think about it, decided that she could take on one more fight, especially for a cause as worthy as this one. "All the people who come to Miami should know who made this into an attractive place to come to in the first place," as she once observed. She brought more than just her name and past achievements to the table; as a successful businessvvoman she brought organizational discipline and knovvledge to the collective effort of the coalition, She also brought a wealth of experience in both politics and people skills, which was a source of very astute guidance and leadership on her part. And she brought her highly respected ability and willingness to "speak truth to power," without which the effort might not have been impossible, but would certainly have had a harder path to fruition. Tinnie, Gene. "Additional Content for the City of Miami Historic and Environmental Preservation Board (HEP Board) — Historic Virginia Key Beach Park Historic Designation Report 2013. Sent by email to staff on 10/22/2013. 18 Anonymous. Virginia Key Beach Park —Special Resource Study, report to Congress. National Park Service. 2008 12 Equally important was the nature of the effort. What was most remarkable was that the coalition was culturally diverse: historic preservationists, environmental activists, public park activists (public land for public use), across the spectrum of age, ethnicity, social class, educational levels, etc., bonding with members of the African American community, many of whom fit some or all of these categories. This was the kind of movement which Mrs. Range led' Focusing on the restoration of the 82 1/2 acre park to its former glory and promote black history awareness, •the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust has been working nonstop since its creation. Not only the restoration and assurance that the park remains public and open, the Trust has plans to create an indoor/outdoor museum experience.2° The "Free To Be Museum Center" is based on the "Free to Bee You and Me" concept created in the 1970s by award -winning actress Mario Thomas, encouraging independence and self-fulfillment trough love, solidarity and mutual assistance and respect - "the joys of creation, cooperative relationships with parents, siblings and friends." The "Free to Bee" concept challenges parents and children to take personal responsibility for their neighborhood and community. In addition, the Trust envisions the Patricia and Philip Frost Museum of Science's Wildlife Center within the park boundaries. To finalize, a few words from M. Athalie Range (1915-2006), founding chair: Virginia Key Beach was special to us because of the laws of segregation. It was the only place that welcomed us and the only place where we could be free, in a way. It was not a very good feeling to have the coast of Miami as a beach with all this beautiful water around you and you couldn't enjoy it during the days of segregation when blacks were not welcome. Signs on beaches said: No Jews, No Dogs, and No Coloreds. I remember the popcorn, comdogs and Nehi sodas. The hurdy-gurdy music of the carrousel, the whistle of the beach's mini -train, I remember how going to the beach was an all -day affair; families would pack blankets and enough food to feed a small army and while away hours at the beach dancing, swimming and fellowshipping. There were several developers and entrepreneurs who wanted to build on the beach. When we found that out, through public meetings, we had to plead with them not to let this happen. That is when we made the push to revitalize the beach as it was in those days, People don't know the history " Tinnie, Gene. "Additional Content for the City of Miami Historic and Environmental Preservation Board (1-1EP Board) — Historic Virginia Key Beach Park Historic Designation Report 2013. Sent by email to staff on 10/22/2013. 20 http://www.virginlakeybeachpark.netfnewsletters/sunr1se34.pcif 13 of South Florida. Nobody talks about the segregated beaches and golf courses. Those were our lunch counters fat the concession stand). Those are things that need to be remembered. I hope my 10 grandchildren and 10 great- grandchildren will be able to enjoy the work we're trying to accomplish today. There is a legacy here. ill- Description Views and vantage points within the Virginia Key Beach Park that are character defining features of significance and integrity are those that establish the relationship of the various cultural features to the natural setting and which establish the relationship of the park to the context of the ecological and urban environment. The recreational and social importance of fhe park continues to be based on its natural features as a barrier island with considerable accessible shoreline and thus views that' typify important characteristics of the topographical setting are key character defining features. The Atlantic Ocean provides an important backdrop from vantage points throughout the park, but especiallyfrom the shoreline. The juxtaposition of the recreational facilities with the ocean is visible from a variety of vantage points and places the recreational facilities within the unique ecological context of the region. Several vantage points within the park offer views of the natural state of the shoreline and provide an important contrast to the more manicured area in the vicinity of the concession building, restroom and carousel. These vantage points include the area of the park east of the lake and mini -train track, where remnants of vegetation typical of barrier islands remain. Views of the eastern shore of the park are evocative of natural barrier island dune and coastal hammock communities, although infestation with Australian Pine has significantly altered the character of the vegetation. No significant development is visible from within the park, establishing the park's unique place within the urban context. The park is visible within its undeveloped context from vantage points on Key Biscayne, the Rickenbacker Causeway and fhe water. Another significant vantage point within the park is the entrance, which is important for providing an overview of the context of the recreational facilities and their relationship to one another. The approach from Rickenbacker Causeway has been altered by adjacent development. The view from the current entrance encompasses a large area of the park and establishes its generous size as a first impression, The view includes the curving entrance drive, the manicured lawn area and parking lot within the entrance. drive loop, glimpses of the ocean and park facilities, groves of shade trees and the vegetated backdrops that define the park's spatial organization. Significant backdrops from this vantage point are the vegetation lining the curving entrance drive and the mass of vegetation surrounding the lake, which conceals the eastern half of the park from view and prevents the entire park from being visible from the entrance. This "concealing" of the full extent of the park evokes a place that has significant size and complexity and supports the impression that the park is generously proportioned, with much to be discovered. This vegetation mass was not present during the park's period of significance, although a dense cluster of trees between the lake and parking area in the vicinity of the mini -train tunnel would have had the same effect. The view of thegracious curve of the entrance road as it passes around the lake and disappears is also important in establishing the generous size of the park and the leisurely character of movement through the landscape. 15. Individual elements visible from multiple perspectives within the park aro prominent landmarks representing the park's recreational function. The dance pavilion, once surrounded :by ci circle of coconut palms, was a significant landmark. The intact carousel, restroom, concession building and mini -train tunnel were also important landmarks during the park's period of significance. Foundations and other remnants remain of other important landmarks, including the cabanas, park office and mini -train tracks and station. The superintendent's house, rental cabins, pier and boat launch •were important landmarks of which remnants remain off-site,21 *The description section of this report was entirely taken from the Virginia Key Beach Park Master Plan report. City of Miami. Virginia Key Beach Park Master Plan — site assessment, 2008. "Views and Vantage Points" 16 Iv- Application of Criteria for Designation The Historic Virginia Key Beach Park has significance as it relates to the historic heritage of Miami and possesses integrity of setting, feeling, design, association, and location. The property is eligible for designation as a historic site `under the criteria (1) and (3) as numbered in Sec. 23-4 (a), of Chapter 23 of the City Code. (1) Are associated in a .significant way with the life of a person important in the past; The Historic Virginia Beach Park is associated with the legacy of Mary Athalie Range, a civil rights .activist and politician who was the first African -American to serve on the Miami City Commission and was determined to reclaim the park saving it from. development, her exertion led to the creation of the Virginia Key Beach Park Trust. (3) Exemplify the historical, cultural, political, economical, or social trends of the community; The Historic Virginia Key Beach Park is associated with the social history of the black community of Miami -Dade in the segregate era. It is also significant as an environmental preservation site. 17 V- Bibliography Anonymous. Virginia Key Beach Park -Special Resource Study, report to Congress. National Park Service. 2008. Brinkley, Alan. "The Unfinished Nation" - Volume I: To 1877. Columbia University. 2010 - Sixth edition. Brinkley, Alan. "The Unfinished Nation - Volume II; From 1865, Columbia University. 2010 -Sixth edition - City of Miami. I`Site.Assessinent" - Virginia Key Beach Park Master plan. 2008. - Cole, Vicki L. "Virginia Key Beach Park" - Nomination Report. DA7007. City of •Miaml. 2002. - Eaton, Sarah and Chase, Charles. "D. A. Dorsey House" designation report. City of Miami. 1983. - Robinson, Andrea. "A beach for everyone." The Miami Herald, February 16, 2008. - Sunrise - 'The newsletter of Virginia Key Beach Park Trust" - summer/fall 2008. Vol, 8. Issue 34. htfp://www.virginiakeybeachpark.net/newsleffers/sunrise 34.pdf Tinnie, Gene. "Additional Content for the City of Miami Historic and Environmental Preservation Board (HEP Board) -Historic Virginia Key Beach Park Historic Designation Report 2013." Sent by email to staff on 10/22/2013. - Viglucci, Andres. "Historic Vanderbilt mansion gets new life on Miami's Fisher island." Orlando Sentinel. May 16, 2013. http://articles.orlandosentineLcom/2013-05-16/travel/os- travel-miami-mansion-20130516 miami-beach-mansion-fisher-island-club/2 VI- Photographs 19 20 Mimi Historic and Environmental Pres Nation Board Resolution: HEP13.R.13.062 File ID 13-01037 November 5, 2013 Item HEPB.2 Ms. Lynn B. Lewis offered the following resolution and moved its adoption: A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI HISTORIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION BOARD APPROVING THE FINAL LOCAL DESIGNATION OF AN INDIVIDUAL HISTORIC SITE AT 4020 VIRGINIA BEACH DRIVE ,(VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK). The motion was seconded by Mr. Jorge Kuperman and was passed and adopted by a vote of 6-0: Mr. Timothy A. Barber Absent Mr. David Freedman YqP Mr. Robert John Graboski Yet Mr, Gary Hecht Absent Dr. William E. Hopper Yes Mr, Jorge Kuperrnan 'Yes Ms. Lynn B. Lewis Yes Mr. Gerald C. Marston Absent Mr. Hugh Ryan. Absent Mr. Todd Tragash Yes Me aughlin Pre rvation Officer STATE OF FLORIDA ) COUNTY OFIVIIAMI,DADE ) zolvo Executi n Dat Personally appeared bacons roe, the undersigned authority, Megan McleuablIg, Preservation Officer at the Miami Historic and Environrnanial Preservation floant of the City Of Miami, Florida, and acknowledges that sha.executed the for oing Resolution, SWORN AND SUBSOIRISED BEFORE ME THIS pa) , DAY.OF 2013. 1"-rto&N \ 14) Print NotaryName P6rsOrially kriow orProducted Type and number of I.C. .producsid DId take an oath . Or Did not take an oath Nets Public tate de My Commission Explrest VANESSATIIII)1111) OMISSION I tE 10520 EXPIPIES: July ti, 2016 WQ'fionkrituu Nolaypdhunestriim 1 www.VISITFLORIDA.com www.fiheritage:com Inter -Local Agreement (template) BUILDING BETTER COMMUNITIES INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF , FLORIDA AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTY Project Name GOB Project Number THIS INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT (the "Agreement") by and between Miami -Dade County, a political subdivision of the State of Florida (the "County"), through its governing body, the Board of County Commissioners of Miami -Dade County, Florida (the "Board") and the City of , Florida, a municipal corporation organized under the laws of the State of Florida, through its governing body, the Mayor and Council of the City of , Florida (the "Municipality") is entered into this day of , 2010. WITNESSETH: WHEREAS, on July 20, 2004, the Board enacted Resolution Nos. R-912-04, R- 913-04, R-914-04, R-915-04, R-916-04, R-917-04, R-918-04 and R-919-04 authorizing the issuance of $2.926 billion in general obligation bonds for capital projects and on November 2, 2004, a majority of those voting approved the bond program (the "BBC GOB Program"); and WHEREAS, the aforementioned Resolutions include specific Countywide projects, neighborhood projects for the Unincorporated Municipal Service Area and municipalities and associated allocations for activities such as but not limited to development, improvement, rehabilitation, restoration or acquisition of real property; and WHEREAS, GOB Project Number , - J Project Name, (the "Project") is eligible for funding from the BBC GOB Program in a total amount not to exceed $xxxxx (the "Funding Allocation"); and WHEREAS, the Municipality is undertaking the completion of Project Description (the "Project") which was specifically approved as part of the BBC GOB Program or is eligible for funding from one of the programs to be funded under the BBC GOB Program and is described more specifically in Exhibit 1 to this Interlocal Agreement; and WHEREAS, the Project Name is estimated to cost $xxxxx (the "Total Project Cost") and will be funded from the BC GOB urces llsted in program xhibit 1 proceedsly and tect he to and contingent upon the availability execution of subsequent agreement(s) between the County and the Municipality; and Building Beater Communities Municipal Agreement 1 of 11 Rev 6/10 WHEREAS, pursuant to the terms of this Agreement the County has agreed to allocate Sxxxxx from the Series 2008 B Bonds for the Project (the "Funding Cycle Allocation"); and WHEREAS, the Council and Commissioners of both the County and the 'Municipality have authorized, by resolution, their respective representatives to enter into this Agreement for each Funding Cycle Allocation describing their respective roles in the funding for the Project costs with respect to such Funding Cycle Allocation, N1OVV THEREFORE, pursuant to Resolution No. R-595-05, which specifically authorizes the County Manager to execute such agreements, sub -agreements and other required contracts and documents, to expend Building Better Communities bond funds received for the purpose described in the funding request, and in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein and the mutual benefits to be derived from this Agreement, the parties hereto agree as follows: Section 1. Purpose: The purpose of this Agreement is to clarify the parties' roles and obligations regarding the funding being provided with respect to the Project. Section 2. Funding Responsibilities: a. Project Funding Plan: A Project funding plan identifying the Funding Allocation to be funded by the County solely from BBC GOB Program proceeds and the costs to be funded by the Municipality through a local funding plan or written project funding commitrnents from third parties is attached as Exhibit 1. Included shall be a projected timetable for each Funding Cycle Allocation and the amount funded to date, if any. b. Representations of the runicipality: The Municipality covenants and warrants that it has, in combination with the Funding Allocation, the amount of funding necessary for the completion of the Project. The additional sources of funding are listed in Exhibit 1. c. Responsibilities of the County: The County agrees to provide solely from BBC GOB Program proceeds for the Funding Cycle Allocation in an amount equal -to $xxxxx. This amount represents a portion of the amount necessary to complete the Project. This sum shall be provided in accordance with the reimbursement procedures contained in the County's GOB Administrative Rules attached as Attachment 1. Municipality understands and agrees that reimbursements to the Municipality will be made in accordance with federal laws. Subject to certain exceptions the applicability of which is to be reviewed on a case -by -case basis, the reimbursement allocation will be made no later than eighteen (18) months after the later of (a) the date the original expenditure is paid, or (b) the date the project is placed in service or abandoned, but in no event more than three (3) years after the original expenditure is paid by the Municipality. In the event that the Project Milestones, as defined and set forth in Exhibit 1 of this Agreement Building Better Communities Municipal Agreement 2 of 11 Rev. 6/10 are not within 10% of completion, the dollars to be funded for subsequent 1Vlilestones may be delayed for one (1) calendar year in accordance with the Administrative Rules, see Section 18 of this Agreement. Section 3e Parties, Effective Date and Term: This upon execution and shall terminate upon the completion of theeltProject,shallake includineffeg the completion of all final closeout documentation. The County delegated the responsibility of administrating this Interlocal Agreement tothe County Mayor or designee, who shalt be referred to herein as the "County Manager". Section 4. Compliance with Laws: Each party agrees to abide by and be governed by all Applicable Laws necessary for the development and completion of the Project. "Applicable Law' means any applicable law (including, without limitation, any environmental law ), administrative order, charter, tariff, resolution, order, srule, regulation, ordinance, judgment, decree, writ, injunction, franchise, guideline, authorization, or other direction or requirement of any g, certi governmental license, authority, political subdivision, or any division or department thge eofnnowtae existing hereinafter enacted, adopted, promulgated, entered, or issued. Notwithstanding the foregoing, "Applicable Laws" and "applicable laws" shall expressly include, without limitation, all applicable zoning, land use, DPI and Florida Building Code requirements anci regulations, all applicable impact fee requirements, all requirements of Florida Statutes, specifically including, but not limited to, Section 255.05 related to payment and performance bonds, Section 255.20 related to contractor selection and Section 287.055 related to competitive selection of architects and engineers, all requirements of Chapters 119 and 286 of the Florida Statutes, Section 2-11.15 of the Code (Art in Public Places), and all other applicable requirements contained in this Agreement and Attachment 1, which i. hereby incorporated in this Agreement by this reference. !s Section 5. Contractual obligation to comply with certain County requirements: All records of the Municipality and its contractors pertaining to the Project shall be maintained in Miami -Dade County and, upon reasonable notice shall be made available to representatives of the County. In addition, the Office of Inspector General of Miami -Dade County shall have access thereto for any of the purposes provided in Section 2-1076 of the Code of Miami -Dade County. The Municipality shall cause each contract to include a provision that contractor shall comply with all re uiremen s F Section 2 q maintain all files, records, accounts of expenditures for cont contracand that tor's portion or thee work and that such records shall be maintained within Miami -Dade County's p iron of geographical area and the County shall have access thereto as provided in this Agreement. The Municipality shall comply with the requirements of Florida Statutes related to retainage of funds due a contractor and shall include appropriate language in its Building Better Communities iMlunicipa! Agreement 3of'II Rev 6/10 construction contracts and shall require the contractor to include such language in its subcontracts. Ali applicable County Rules, 'Regulations, Ordinances, Resolutions, Administrative Orders, and the County Charter referenced in this Agreement are posted on the County's website. "miamidade.gov Section 6. Accounting, Financial Review, Access to Records and Audits: The Municipality shall maintain adequate records to justify all charges, expenses, and costs incurred which represent the funded portion of the Project for at least three (3) years after completion of the Project. The County shall have access to all books, records, and documents as required in this section for the purpose of inspection or auditing during normal business hours. Pursuant to Section 2-1076 of the Miami -Dade County Code, the County shall have the right to engage the services of an Independent Private -Sector inspector General ("IPSIG") to monitor and investigate compliance with the terms of this Agreement. THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL ("OIG") shall have the authority and power to review past, present and proposed County programs, accounts, records, contracts and transactions, and contracts such as this Agreement for improvements some cost of which is funded with County funds. As such, the OIG may, on a random basis, perform audits on this Agreement throughout the duration of said Agreement (hereinafter "random audits"). This random audit is separate and distinct from any other audit by the County. The OIG shall have the power to retain and coordinate the services of an IPSIG who may be engaged to perform said random audits, as well as audit, investigate, monitor, oversee, inspect, and review the operations, activities and performance and procurement process including, but not limited to, project design, establishment of bid specifications, bid submittals, activities of the Municipality and contractor and their respective officers, agents and employees, lobbyists, subcontractors, materialmen, staff and elected officials in order to ensure compliance with contract specifications and detect corruption and fraud. The OIG shall have the power to subpoena witnesses, administer oaths and require the production of records. Upon ten (10) days written notice to the Municipality (and any affected contractor and materialman) from OIG, the Municipality (and any affected contractor and materialman) shall make all requested records and documents available to the OIG for inspection and copying. The OIG shall have the power to report and/or recommend to the Board whether a particular project, program, contract or transaction is or was necessary and, if deemed necessary, whether the method used for implementing the project or program is or was efficient both financially and operationally. Monitoring of an existing project or program may include reporting whether the project is on time, within budget and in conformity with plans, specifications, and applicable law. The Building Better Communities Municipal Agreement 4of11 Rev 6/10 OIG shall have the power to analyze the need for, and reasonableness of, proposed change orders. The OIG is authorized to investigate any alleged violation by a contractor of its Code of Business Ethics, pursuant Miami -Dade County Code Section 2-8.1 The provisions in this Section shall apply to the Municipality, its contractors and their respective officers, agents and employees. The Municipality shall incorporate the provisions in this Section in all contracts and all other agreements executed by its contractors in connection with the performance of this Agreement. Any rights that the County has under this Section shall not be the basis for any liability to accrue to the County from the Municipality, its contractors or third parties for such monitoring or investigation or for the failure to have conducted such monitoring or investigation and the County shall have no obligation to exercise any of its rights for the benefit of the Municipality. Section 7. Relationship of the Parties: The parties agree that the Municipality is an independent entity responsible solely for the Project and not an agent or servant of the County. No party or its officers, elected or appointed officials, employees, agents, independent contractors or consultants shall be considered employees or agents of any other party, nor to have been authorized to incur any expense on behalf of any other party, nor to act for or to bind any other party, nor shall an employee claim any right in or entitlement to any pension, workers' compensation benefit, unemployment compensation, civil service or other employee rights or privileges granted by operation of law or otherwise, except through and against the entity by whom they are employed. Section 8. Liability: The parties to this Agreement shall riot be deemed to assume any liability for the negligent or wrongful acts, or omissions of the other party. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as a waiver, by either panty, of the liability limits established in Section 768.28 of the Florida Statutes. The Municipality acknowledges that the County, its employees, Commissioners and agents are solely providing funding assistance for the Project and are not involved in the design, construction, operation or maintenance of the Project. Section 9. 13.rreae Opt, o tun!ty ao Cure and Termination: (a) Each of the following shall constitute a default by the Municipality: (1) If the Municipality uses the Funding Cycle Allocation for costs not associated with the Project (i.e., ineligible costs), and the Municipality fails to cure its default within thirty (30) days after written notice of the default is given to the Municipality by the County; provided, however, that if not reasonably possible to cure such default within the thirty (30) day period, such cure period shall be extended for up to one hundred eighty (180) days following the date of the original notice if within thirty (30) days after such written notice the Municipality commences diligently and thereafter continues to cure. Building Better Communities Municipal Agreement 5of11 Rev 6/10 (2) If the Municipality shall breach any of the other covenants or provisions in this Agreement other than as referred to in Section 9(a)(1) and the Municipality fails to cure its default within thirty (30) days after written notice of the default is given to the Municipality by the County; provided, however, that if not reasonably possible to cure such default within the thirty (30) day period, such cure period shall be extended for up to one hundred eighty (180) days following the date of the original notice if within thirty (30) days after such written notice the Municipality commences diligently and thereafter continues to cure. (3) if the Municipality fails to complete the Project within (x) years of the effective date of the first executed Interlocal Agreement for this Project. (b) Each of the following shall constitute a default by the County: (1) If the County shall breach any of the covenants or provisions in this Agreement and the County fails to cure its default within thirty (30) days after written notice of the default is given to the County by the Municipality; provided, however, that if not reasonably possible to cure such default within the thirty (30) day period, such cure period shall be extended for up to one hundred eighty (180) days following the date of the original notice if within thirty (30) days after such written notice the County commences diligently and thereafter continues to cure. (c) Remedies: (1) Upon the occurrence of a default as provided in Section 9(a)(1) and such default is not cured within the applicable grace period, in addition to all other remedies conferred by this Agreement, the Municipality shall reimburse the County, in whole or in part as the County shall determine, all funds provided by the County hereunder. (2) Either party may institute litigation to recover damages for any default cr to obtain any other remedy at law or in equity (including specific performance, permanent, preliminary or temporary injunctive relief, and any other kind of equitable remedy). (3) Except with respect to rights and remedies expressly declared to be exclusive in this Agreement, the rights and remedies of the parties are cumulative and the exercise by any party of one or more of such rights or remedies shall not preclude the exercise by it, at the same or different times, of any other rights or remedies for the same default or any other default. (4) Any failure of a party to exercise any right or remedy as provided in this Agreement shall not he deemed a waiver by that party of any claim for damages it may have by reason of the default. Building Better Communities Municipal Agreement 6 of 11 Rev. 6/10 (d) Termination: (1) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, either party shall have the right to terminate this Agreement, by giving written notice of termination to the other party, in the event that the other party is in material breach of this Agreement. (2) Termination of this Agreement by any Party is not effective until five (5) business days following receipt of the vvritten notice of termination. (3) Upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to Section 9(d)(1) above, no party shall have any further liability or obligation to the other party except as expressly set forth in this Agreement; provided that no party shall be relieved of any liability for breach of this Agreement for events or obligations arising prior to such termination. Section 10. Litigation CostsiVenue: In the event that the Municipality or the County institutes any action or suit to enforce the provisions of this Agreement, the prevailing party in such litigation shall be entitled to reasonable costs and attorney's fees at the trial, appellate and post judgment levels. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida. The County and the Municipality agree to submit to service of process and jurisdiction of the State of Florida for any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement or a breach of this Agreement. Venue for any court action between the parties for any such controversy arising from or related to this Agreement shall be in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in and for Miami -Dade County, Florida, or in The United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, in Miami -Dade County, Florida. Section 11. Naming Rights and Advertisements: It is understood and agreed between the parties hereto that the Grantee is funded by Miami -Dade County. Further, by acceptance of these funds, the Grantee agrees that Project(s) funded by this Agreement shall recognize and adequately reference the County as a funding source. In the event that any naming rights or advertisement space is offered on a facility constructed or improved with BBC GOB Program funds, then Miami -Dade County's name, logo, and slogan shall appear on the facility not less than once and equal to half the number of times the most frequent sponsor or advertiser is named, whichever is greater. Lettering used for Miami -Dade County will be no less than 75% of the size of the largest lettering used for any sponsor or advertiser unless waived by the Board. The Municipality shall ensure that all publicity, public relations, advertisements and signs recognize and reference the County for the support of all Project(s). This is to include, but is not limited to, all posted signs, pamphlets, wall plaques, cornerstones, dedications, notices, flyers, brochures, news releases, media packages, promotions and stationery. In particular, the Municipality must include the following credit line in all promotional marketing materials related to this funding including web sites, news and press releases, public service announcements, broadcast media, pragrarris, and publications: "THIS PROJECT IS SUPPORTED BY THE BUILDING BETTE. Building Better Communities Municipal Agreement 7 of 11 Rev. 6/10 COMMUNITIES BOND PROGRAM AND THE MAYOR AND BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADB COUNTY," The use of the official County logo is permissible for the publicity purposes stated herein. The Municipality shall submit sample of mock up of such publicity or materials to the County for review and approval. The Municipality shall ensure that all media representatives, when inquiring about the Project(s) funded by the Agreement, are informed that the County is its funding source. Section 12.Notice: Any notice, consent or other communication required to be given under this Agreement shall be in writing, and shall be considered given when delivered in person or sent by facsimile or electronic mail (provided that any notice sent by facsimile or electronic mail shall simultaneously be sent personal delivery, overnight courier or certified mail as provided herein), one (1) business day after being sent by reputable overnight carrier or three (3) business days after being mailed by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the parties at the addresses set forth below (or at such other address as a party may specify by notice given pursuant to this Section to the other party): The County: George M. Burgess, County Manager Miami -Dade County, Stephen P. Clark Center 111 NW 1 Street, Suite 2910 Miami, Florida 33'128 The Municipality: Section 13. Modification and Amendment: Except as expressly permitted herein to the contrary, no modification, amendment or alteration in the terms or conditions contained herein shall be effective unless contained in a written document executed with the same formality and equal dignity herewith. Section 14. Joint Preparation: The preparation of this Agreement has been a joint effort of the parties, and the resulting document shall not, solely as a matter of judicial construction, be construed more severely against one of the parties than the other. Section 15. Headings: Captions and headings in this Agreement are for ease of reference only and do not constitute a part of this Agreement and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of any provisions herein. Section 16. Waiver: There shall be no waiver of any right related to this Agreement unless in writing and signed by the party waiving such right. No delay or failure to exercise a right under this Agreement shall impair such right or shall be construed to be a waiver thereof. Any waiver shall be limited to the particular right so waived and shall not be deemed a waiver of the same right at a later time or of any other right under this Agreement. Waiver by any party of any breach of any provision of this Agreement shall not be considered as or constitute a continuing waiver or a waiver of any other breach of the same or any other provision of this Agreement. Building Better Communities Municipal Agreement 8of11 Rev 6110 Section 17. Representation of the Municipalise: The Municipality represents that this Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and delivered by Mayor and Council, as the governing body of the City of Florida and it has granted the City Mayor of , or designee, the required power and authority to execute this Agreement. The Municipality agrees to: a) maintain the Project for a minimum of 25 years; b) agrees to govern itself, in regards to the subject Project, in accordance with Article 6 of the County Charter; c) keep the Project open safely and properly maintained for all Miami -Dade County residents; and, d) allow all Miami -Dade County residents equal access and use of the Project and not discriminate when charging facility admission fees based on where a resident resides in the County. The Municipality also agrees to accept and comply with the Administrative Rules as stated in Attachment 1 and as may hereafter be amended. Section 18. Representation of the County: The County represents that this Agreement has been duly approved, executed and delivered by the Board. as the governing body of the County, and it has granted the Miami -Dade County Manager the required power and authority to execute this Agreement. The County agrees to provide the Funding Cycle Allocation to the Municipality for the purpose of developing and improving the Project in accordance with each of the attached Exhibit Forms, incorporated herein as Exhibits A-J of Attachment 1 (Administrative Rules). Miami -Dade County shall only be obligated to reimburse the Municipality provided the Municipality is not in breach of this Agreement and the Municipality has demonstrated that it has adequate funds to complete the Project. The County shall administer, in accordance with the appropriate regulations, the funds available from the BBC GOB Program as authorized by Board Resolutions. Any and all reimbursement obligations of the County shall be fully subject to and contingent upon the availability of funding from the County for the specific purpose contained herein. The Municipality shall be solely responsible for submitting all documentation, as required by the specific Administrative Rules incorporated herein as Attachment 1, to the County Manager or his designee for this purpose. Section 19. invalidity of Provisions, Severability: Wherever possible, each provision of the Agreement shall be interpreted in such manner as to be effective and valid under applicable law, but if any provision of this Agreement shall be prohibited or invalid under applicable law, such provision shalll he ineffective to the extent of such prohibition or invalidity, without invalidating the remainder of such provision or the remaining provisions of this Agreement, provided that the material purposes of this Agreement can be determined and effectuated. Section 20. Indemnity: The Municipality does hereby agree to indemnify and hOid harmless the County to the extent and within the limitations of Section 768.28 Florida Statutes, subject to the provisions of that Statute, whereby the Municipality shall not be held liable to pay a personal injury or property damage claim or judgment by any one person which exceeds the sum of $100,000, or any claim or judgments or portions thereof, which when totaled with all other occurrences, exceeds the sum of $200,000 from any and all personal injury or Building Better Communities Municipal Agreement 9 of 11 Rev. 6/10 property damage claims, liabilities, losses or causes of action which may arise solely as a result of the negligence of the Municipality. However, nothing herein shall be deemed to indemnify the County from any liability or claim arising out of the negligent performance or failure of performance of the County or any unrelated third party. The County does hereby agree to indemnify and hold harmless the' Muniipality to the extent and within the limitations of Section 768.28 Florida Statutes, subject to the provisions of that Statute, whereby the County shall not be held liable to pay a personal injury or property damage claim or judgment by any one person which exceeds the sum of $100,000, or any claim or judgments or portions thereof, which when totaled with all other occurrences, exceeds the sum of $200,000 from any and ail personal injury or property damage claims, liabilities, tosses or causes of action which may arise solely as a result of the negligence of the County. However, nothing herein shall be deemed to indemnify the Municipality from any liability or claim arising out of the negligent performance or failure of performance of the Municipality or any unrelated third party. Section 21. Aesiignrnen:: The Municipality may not assign all or any portion of this Agreement without the prior written consent of the County. Section 22. Entirety of Agreement: This Agreement, and the attachments thereto, incorporates and includes all prior negotiations, correspondence, the c conversations, agreements, and understandings applicable it there --�+ contained in this Agreement. The parties agree that a here are no commitments, agreements, or understandings concerning the subject matter of this Agreement that are not contained in this Agreement, and that this Agreement contains the entire agreement between the parties as to ail matters contained herein. Accordingly, it is agreed that no deviation from the terms hereof shall be predicated upon any prior representations or agreements, whether oral or written. It is further agreed that any oral representations or modifications concerning this Agreement shall be of no force or effect, and that this Agreement may be modified, altered or amended only by a written amendment duly executed by both parties hereto or their authorized representatives. Building Better Communities Municipal Agreement 10 of 11 Rev. 6/10 IN WITNESS THEREOF, the parties through their duly authorized representatives hereby execute this AGREEMENT with an effective date of , 2010. City of , Florida By: City Mayor Date For the City Council, City of , Florida , CLERK Attest: By: Clerk Date MIAM1-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA By: County Mayor MIAM1-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA BY ITS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS Stephen P. Clark Center 111 NW 1 Street Miami, Florida 33128 HARVEY RUVIN, CLERK Attest: By: Deputy Clerk Date Approved by County Attorney as to form and legal sufficiency. Building Better Communities Municipal Agreement 11 of 11 Rev. 6f10 Date: To: From: Subject: Memorandum September 25 2006 Honorable Chairman _Toe A, Martinez 4.and Members, County Commissioners ueorge M. Bur 0,0 " County Mangy Resolution Authorizing the County Manager to Amend the Administrative Rules for the Building Better Communities (BBC) Bond Program with respect to Municipal Disbursements M1AMWADE COUNTY f mitt Agenda Item No. 4(D) RECO'NEV.11.11DATION It is recommended that the Bo --a of Co•.:...tj Co ii>L.Jw • (B wuru) :dirt +.1u.v attached 44JVS +ion. amending the Administrative Rules governing the Building Better Communities (BBC) General Obligation Bond pm .nm to reviso tl rieo d nwf ,Uvht.rse n. nt of Rnawl P±sr -lln^. a,t;,, s to RACKGROX N1 On May 17. 2005 the Board approved Resolution No. R-595-05 establishing the Administrative Rules for the BBC Program. The Administrative Rules currently require payments to be made to recipients exclusively on a reimbursement basis. The change requested will allow for the disbursement to municipalities of up to ninety percent (90%) of the Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond fund allocation upon execution of their interlocal agreements with the County. The remaining ten percent of the bond fund allocation will be retained in order to assure that the intended scope of the project is implemented and that the municipality is in compliance with the County's Administrative Rules, It is important to note that this change will not cause an automatic lump -sum transfer of 90% of the fund allocation in any case; 1 want to assure the Board that safeguards will be instituted to ensure proper management of advanced funding. Prior to making any advance payments, County staff will evaluate each projects performance and determine, on a case -by -case basis, that satisfactory progress has been accomplished: There will be no transfers in advance of such evaluations. As you are aware, as part of the BBC -GOB Bond Program, the County is subject to arbitrage penalties for any full '. lint spent -within three ychis iLL R" Cit1.1i respeUive UU[tu StiCC. 111 v[act [V avoid a1t IUa +S f,vat1 t1'.n, it is in the County's best interest to implement projects and expend bond proceeds as quickly as possible. This r PS[YiuaU change. to t4v Bond Program will greatly assist in 44due.'rs»a the Tian .Carbitrage pa alti in the future and reduce administrative expenses related to multiple municipal interlocal agreements. Assista'iCouut[y Manager yower, Saxe j MEMORANDUM (Revised) i n»nral�!eC,Y,i„rmanJoe A. Martinez r ATE and Members, Board of County Commissioners Aviut[ay A. L ube County Attorney SUB. ECT. Agenda item No. LVVU Please note any items checked. "4-Day Rule" ("3-Day Rifle" for committees) applicable if raised 6 weeks required between first reading and public hearing 4 weeks notification to municipal officials required prior to public hearing Deeleases re-v. toei or increases expii•#idiiures wit;wttt halaucl ig budget Budget required Statement of -fiscal impact required Bid waiver requiring County Manager's written recommendation Ordinance creatinga new board requires detailed County Manager's report for public hearing Housekeeping !tam (no policy decision required) No committee review Approved Mayor Agenda Item No. Veto Override RE SOLI ITION NO: RESnt T rr1ON 14END!NNG n nNi h IST e TIVE Rt RULES GOVERNING THE BUILDING BE ITTER COMMUNI 1TS RESPECT TO DISBURSEMENTS TO MUNICIPALITIES w i AS, this Board desires to accomplish me purposes outlined in the accompanying memorandum, a copy of which is incorporated herein by this reference, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY 'HIE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF NIIAML-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board hereby directs the County Manager to amend the Administrative Rules approved by this Board pursuant to Resolution No. R.-595-05 to allow for the disbursement to municipalities of up to ninety percent (90%) of the Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond fund allocation upon execution of the interlocal agreement and upon a determination by the County Manager that satisfactory progress is being made on the project, subject to review and approval of such amendments by the Office of the County Attorney. nitk Agenda Item No. Page No. 2. The foregoing resolution was offered by Commissioner who moved its adoption. The motion was seconded by Commissioner and upon being put to a vote, the vote was as follows: Joe A. Martinez, Chairman Dennis C. Moss, Vice -Chairman Bruno A. Barreiro Jose "Pepe" Diaz Audrey M. Edmonson Carlos A. Ginmenez Sally .A: Heyrac n_ RaarharR .[ Jorrlap Dorrin D. Rolle Natacha Seijas Katy Rphpra Sosa ��YP.T�Gl1T7 Sen. Javier D. Souto The Chairperson thereupon declared the resolution duly passed and adopted this 10th day of October; 2006. This resolution shall become effective ten (10) days after the date of its adoption unless vetoed by the Mayor, and if vetoed, shall become effective only upon an override by this Board. Approved by County Attorne to form and legal sufficiency. Jl Iv IAMI-DADS COUNTY, FLORIDA BY ITS BOARD OF COUNTY COIVIM ISSIUNERS lARVJiY KUVIN, CLBKK By: Deputy Clerk MIAMI DADS Memorandum �o�N0 Date: To: Honorable Alex Penelas, Mayor Honorable Chairperson Barbara Carey-Shuler, Ed.D. and Members, Board of County Commissioners From: George M. Burgess County Manager Subject: Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond Program Post -Election Report On November 2, Miami -Dade County made history with passage of the $2.9 billion Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond Program. Voters overwhelmingly approved each of the eight ballot questions (see attached) resulting in what is now, according to the Bond Buyer, the largest bond program of its kind in the Southeastern U.S. and the third largest in the nation. This achievement was realized only through your foresight and the enormous public outreach effort in which people from all sectors of Miami -Dade came together to do something important for us and generations to come. Your leadership in this grassroots effort was invaluable. There is now much work ahead as we move forward in creating a work plan and timeline for the next 15 years to implement the more than 300 neighborhood and regional projects comprising this bond program. In coming weeks, my office will prepare for your consideration the ordinances and resolutions necessary to continue the momentum of the program including a proposal for the formation of a citizens' advisory board to provide ongoing constituent input into the process. As you know, the County's municipalities played an important role in the development of the bond program. We will continue to work closely with the municipalities as we finalize the scheduling of all defined projects over the life of the bond program and complete the development of Interlocal Agreements for the specific projects that are part of the local component of the bond program. One year ago, recognizing the County's critical infrastructure needs, you provided the impetus to develop and place before electorate the first comprehensive, countywide bond program in more than three decades. In approving the Building Better Communities Bond Program, the voters of Miami -Dade have given us the opportunity to re -invest in our community by improving our public facilities in many important ways. I look forward to working with you to ensure that this voter confidence is rewarded by the successful implementation of the Building Better Communities projects. Finally, I also wish to join you in expressing my gratitude and recognizing the County staff who worked so tirelessly on the bond program. Attachment c: Honorable Joseph P. Farina, Chief Judge, Eleventh Judicial Circuit Honorable Harvey Ruvin, Clerk of Courts Honorable Bennett H. Brummer, Public Defender Honorable Katherine Fernandez -Rundle, State Attorney Robert A. Ginsburg, County Attorney Marvin O'Quinn, President/CEO, Public Health Trust Robert Meyers, Executive Director, Commission on Ethics and Public Trust Christopher Mazzella, Inspector General Assistant County Managers 2004 Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond Program Special Bond Election Final Tally* November 2, 2004 BOND QUESTION VOTES FOR AND AGAINST BONDS PERCENTAGE TOTAL VOTES COUNTY BOND QUESTION 1 675,652 FOR 457,168 67.66% AGAINST 218,484 32.34% COUNTY BOND QUESTION 2 679,708 FOR 449,293 66.10% AGAINST 230,415 33.90% COUNTY BOND QUESTION 3 673.405 FOR 425,122 63.13% AGAINST 248,283 36.87% COUNTY BOND QUESTION 4 672,472 FOR 430,939 64.08% AGAINST 241,533 35.92% COUNTY BOND QUESTION 5 672,852 FOR 479,451 71.26% AGAINST 193,401 28.74% COUNTY BOND QUESTION 6 657,842 FOR 383,238 58.26% AGAINST 274,604 41.74% COUNTY BOND QUESTION 7 669,321 FOR 474,398 70.88% AGAINST 194,923 29.12% COUNTY BOND QUESTION 8 674,566 FOR 441,287 65.42% AGAINST 233,279 34.58% * Source: Official Cumulative Report —November 2, 2004 General Election at http://elections.miamidade.gov/cu nu 110204.xls 1. Totals do not include over or under votes. Miami -Dade County - Bond r=rogram - Cuituie and Education rroiecis of i5/ io, i'.43 Mrvi Miami -Dade County Bond Program Culture and Education Projects Search found 104 records. You are now viewirg records 61 through 70. GOB Project # Site # Site Description GOB Funding Address 290 p #73281 # 3 1 I� & I Vizcaya Phase2-Part D Pe$t ration Seawall, Barge Natural Areas$0 V izca a - ♦ v WJ 3251 5 MIAMI JL�J 1 ♦J MIAMI AVE!lY 290 � #73282 I Vizcaya - Vizcaya Village / Vizcaya West Property i $6,017,745 3251 S MIAMI AVE I 1 290 #75280 Vizcaya - Phase 4- Renovation of Site to be Vacated by Miami Science Museum $0 3251 S MIAMI AVE 290 #77395 Vizcaya - Public Shoreline Stabiiization of NE Garden Area $25,000 3251 S MIAMI AVE , 33129 290 #70795 Vizcaya - Parent Site - Restoration of Main House and Gardens and Creation of New Educational Center at Vizcaya Village - Parent Site. $1,900,975 3251 S MIAMI AVE Parent Site 290 - #7 55 2 Vizcaya - Digitization and Digital imaging Services for Architectural Drawings and Blueprints $$ 1 37 ,064 3251 S MIAMI AVE Digitization and Digital Imaging 290 I #75656 Outdoor Statuary Conservation $1,917,790 3251 5 MIAMI AVE , 33129 290 #75657 Vizcaya - Offsite Storage of Architectural Drawings and Collection Items $342,032 3251 S MIAMI AVE Off -site Storage 1 290 I #75854 Vizcaya - Conservation Consultant $180,000 3251 S MIAMI AVE - Conservation Consultant 1 I 9 i I #iu414 I ivilaml -Construction OT a museum cultural center and improvements to the $1$,ouu,0uu auc� i http://www.miamidade.gov/bondprogram/projects-culture-and-education.asp?NAV=7 Page 1 of 2 File Number: 010713 Version: 0 Miami -Dade Legislative Item File Number: 010713 File Type: Resolution Status: Adopted Reference: R-304-01 Control: County Commission File Name: CDT FUNDS FOR CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM AT VIRGINIA Introduced: KEY PARK 3/19/2001 Requester: NONE Cost: Final Action: 3/20/2001 Agenda Date: 3/20/2001 Agenda Item Number: 9A7 Notes: Title: RESOLUTION APPROVING USE OF $5 MILLION OF PROJECTED AVAILABLE CONVENTION DEVELOPMENT TAX RECEIPTS TO FUND THE CONSTRUCTION OF A CIVIL RIGHTS MUSEUM AT VIRGINIA KEY BEACH PARK [SEE AGENDA ITEM NO. 10A5SUBSTITUTE] Indexes: CONVENTION DEVELOPMENT TAX REVENUES Sunset Provision: No Effective Date: Registered Lobbyist: None Listed Sponsors: Dr. Barbara M. Carey-Shuler, Prime Sponsor Betty T. Ferguson, Co -Sponsor Jimmy L. Morales, Co -Sponsor Natacha Seijas, Co -Sponsor Joe A. Martinez, Co -Sponsor Dennis C. Moss, Co -Sponsor Dorrin D. Rolle, Co -Sponsor Katy Sorenson, Co -Sponsor Expiration Date: Legislative History Acting Body Date Agenda Item Action Sent To Due Date Returned Pass/Fail Board of 3/20/2001 9A7 Adopted County Commissioners http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/matter.asp?matter=010713&file=false&fileAnalysis=false&yearFolder=Y2001 11/26/18. 1:37 PM Paoe 1 of WHEREAS, the Virginia Key Park Civil Rights Task Force (the "Task Force"), created by the Miami City Commission in 1999, was tasked to study and present recommendations for alternative land uses; and WHEREAS, the Task Force recommended, among other land use activities to be developed at the Park, the construction of a Civil Rights Museum; and WHEREAS, construction of a museum or exhibition hall is an eligible use of Convention Development Tax ("CDT") receipts; and WHEREAS, this Board wishes to authorize the use of $5 million of projected available CDT receipts for the construction of a Civil Rights Museum at the Park, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board hereby approves the use of $5 million of projected available CDT receipts to fund the construction of a Civil Rights Museum at the Park. Home I Agendas I Minutes I Legislative Search I Lobbyist Registration I Legislative Reports 2018 BCC Meeting Calendar I Miami -Dade County Code of Ordinances I ADA Notice 1 Home I Using Our Site I About I Phone Directory I Privacy I Disclaimer E-mail your comments, questions and suggestions to Webmaster Web Site © 2018 Miami -Dade County. All rights reserved. http://www.miamidade.gov/govaction/matter.asp?matter=010713&file=false&fileAnalysis=false&yearFolder=Y2001 11/26/18. 1:37 PM Page 3 of OFFICIAL FILE COPY CLERK OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS MIA,MI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA MFR/IN fP A 1)TTM J. I.1..L/£ 1J. t1'.0 tl JLA J.LIJ. Agenda Item No. 11(A) (6) TO: Honorable Chairman Jean Monestime DATE: May 5, 2015 and Members, Board of County Commissioners FROM: R. A. Cuevas, Jr. t..0 Uit y 11L1LJL!ICy SUBJECT: Resolution amending dmi. • trative Rules Administrative V C.� governing Economic Development Project No. i24 of the Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond Program to be applied to all new applications for funding Resolution No. R-423-15 The accompanying resolution was prepared and placed on the agenda at the request of Prime Sponsor Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava. R. A. Ct vas, Jr. County Attorney RAC/Imp • 1% Af7T'7� lf.d W £ -% T"�1.'�r Taw /r 1ViJ' 1VIU1(A1" 11 U FM (Reviced) TO: Honorable Chip frraan Jean ivforcestirrie and Members, Board of County Commissioners FROM: R. A. Cuevas, Jr. County Attorney DATE: May 5, 2015 SUBJECT: Agenda Item No. 11(A) ( E Please note any items checked. "3-Dav Rule" for committees applicable if raised 6 weeks required. between firgt reading and public hearing 4 weeks notification to reunieipal officials required prior io public hearing Decreases revenues or increases expenditures without balancing budget Budget required Statement of fiscal impact required Qrdinance creating a new board reqrdres detailed County Mayor's report for public hearing No committee review Applicable legislation requires more than a majority vote (Le., 2/3's , 3/5's , unanimous ) to approve Current information regarding funding source, index code and available balance, and available capacity (if debt is contemplated) required Approved Mayor Agenda Item No. 11(A) (6) Veto 5-5-15 Override RESOLUTION NO. R-421-15 RESOLUTION AMENDING ADMINISTRATIVE RULES GOVERNING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT NO. 124 OF THE BUILDING BETTER COMMUNITIES GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND PROGRAM TO BE APPLIED TO ALL NEW APPLICATIONS FOR FUNDING WHEREAS, Appendix A to Resolution No. R-914-04 ("Public Infrastructure Resolution") lists projects eligible for funding from the Building Better Communities General Obligation Bond Program ("Bond Program") by project number, municipal project location, Commission district, project description, street address, and project funding allocation; and WHEREAS, two of the projects listed in Appendix A to the Public Infrastructure Resolution and approved by the voters for funding include Project No= 124-Economic Development Fund ("Project 124") with a project description that states "Provide infrastructure improvements to spur economic development and attract new businesses to the community in order to create jobs" and a maximum allocation amount of $75 million for eligible (meets the legal requirements of the ballot question) public infrastructure projects ("Project 124 Fund"); and WHEREAS, in order to have a positive economic impact on job creation and to foster public infrastructure projects that will meet the needs of the County as well as local communities, it is the desire of this Board that the Bond Program's Administrative Rules for the Project 124 Fund ("Administrative Rules") be amended to provide additional criteria to be applied by the County Mayor or designee when evaluating new applications for Project 124 grants, NOW, THEREFORE, OR.E, BE IT RESOLVED BY T LM BOAR.':) OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAli a -DARE COUNTY, Y, FLORIDA that: Agenda Item No. 11(A) (6) Page No. 2 Section 1. The foregoing recitals are approved and incorporated in this Resolution. Section 2. The Administrative Rules are amended to add the following at the end of Artiria 11 Rpm —inn . A 1 — "Flig;hilitsr Rr n rementc for Proiertc"• • Does the project improve infrastructure fof a greater area of impact that can advance economic development substantially beyond the project footprint? • Is the project a target industry identified in the May 2012 One Community One Goal Strategic Report or identified by the Beacon Council, from time to time? • Does it advance green technology or energy green industry? • Does it enhance or advance transit -oriented development? • Would the proiect be vulnerable to sea level rise that would require adaptation strategies and if so, would it enntrib►►te to any overall sea level rice adaptation goals established by 'the County? Section 3. The County Mayor or designee shall apply the criteria in the amended Administrative Rules as described in Section 2 above to all new applications received by the County for Project 124 funding and shall report his findings to the Board when a new project is considered by the Board for an allocation from the Project 124 Fund. The Prime Sponsor of the foregoing resolution is Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava. It was offered by Commissioner Sally A. Heyman was seconded by Commissioner was as follows: , who moved its adoption. The motion Jean Monestime and upon being put to a vote, the vote Agenda Item No. J 1(A ) (6 ) Page No. 3 Jean Monestime, Chairman Esteban L. Bovo, Jr., Vice Chairman Bruno A. Barreiro Jose "Pepe" Diaz Sally A_ Heyman Dennis C. Moss Se,. Javier D. So'.:to Juan C. Zapata aye aye aye aye .hsvnt aye Daniella Levine Cava Audrey M. Edmonson Barbara J. Jordan Rebeca Sosa X•wier T . C'3urez aye absent aye aye aye absent absent The Chairperson thereupon declared the resolution duly passed and adopted this 5th day of May, 2015. This resolution shall become effective upon the earlier of (1) 10 days after the date of its adoption unless vetoed by the County Mayor, and if vetoed, shall become effective only nnnn p,4n nttarriclln hty thig lanarrl or ('T approval by the ('minty Mayor of this Racnliitinn and a1. filing of il_,_ a_..._.._�,l •th the- fth Tl,..._.J UIC 111111g U1 UU appro. 1 W'IIII IIIG Clerk ii the 1)VdLU. o 1: 11" V Approved by County Attorney as to form and legal sufficiency. Gerald T. Heffernan 9 iym L2 iV1IAIV1I-DADS COUNTY, FLORIDA BY ITS BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HARVEY RUVIN, CLERK Christopher Agrippa Deputy Clerk Approved Veto Override Mayor DRC(II 1 TTIf J 1VVY♦., 1 •%JCL Amended Special Item No. 8 7-20-04 OFFICIAL FILE Copv RESOLUTION NO. it—int./6( CLERK OF THE Rn.v; - - OF COOnUNTYCOMAMSSIp�Ep. nom/Inn i. DnD Lint Hurt'_ cic c Fitr+�i1a.. FL()Pins . 1. J 1L/1lfV 1 V1\ 11Vb✓11'1V V1 ODV`ani+ BOND ELECTION IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, ON NOVCMtSt K 2, 2UtI4 WITH RESPECT TU AUTHORIZATION OF NOT EXCEEDING S552,692,000 GENERAL OBLIGATION BONDS OF SAID COUNTY TO CONSTRUCT AND IMPROVE CULTURAL, IIBR�AARY AND MULTICULTURAL EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES WHEREAS, me Board of County Commissioners of iviiami-wade County, Florida line "Board") finds it necessary and appropriate and in the best interest of the County to hold a special election to authorize the issuance of General Obligation Bonds (the "Bonds") of Miami - Dade County in an amount not to exceed $552,692,000, as needed, in series from time to time, which Bonds will be secured by the full faith and credit of the County; and WHEREAS, proceeds from such Bonds will be used for various, unfunded capital projects that have been identified and delineated in Appendix A, attached to this Resolution; and WHEREAS, issuing such Bonds will stimulate the County economy and provide olssntnsnssanl• nn,. ....r,..,J........, 4111.1 Wife REAS, upon approval by ine electors of the County to issue the Bonds, the hoard will enact Bond ordinances authorizing the issuance of the Bonds so approved; and WHEREAS, the Board intends, to the extent possible, that the debt service millage required to pay the debt service on the Bonds shall not exceed the current debt service millage in any year while the Bonds are outstanding and the total principal amount of the Bonds has been fixed with that intention in mind, C 47,111E501.4181 Roc .red Special Item No. 8 A Cage Nu. 2 NOW, THEREFORE, RE IT RESOLVED 11Y THE WARD OF COUNTY iY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA: *Boa It The preamble to this Resolution and the County Manager's memorandum accompanying this Resolution are approved and incorporated by reference in this Resolution. Seetlon L A General Obligation Bond Special Election shall be held on Tuesday, November 7. 2004, for the purpose of submitting to the qualified electors of the County the questions elated in tie Notice of General Ohlip!tio' Bond Special Election set forth below in Section 3 dulls Resolution. Section 3, Notice of said General Obligation Bond Special Election shall '— published in The Miami Herald, a newspaper of general circulation in Miami -Dade County, Florida, at least twice, once in the fifth week and once in the third week prior to the week in which the election is to be held, the date of first publication in said newspaper to be at least thirty days before said election, which notice shall be substantially in the following form: c i. *tsoute, nor NOTICE OF GENERAL OBLIGATION BOND SPECIAL ELECTION BUILDING BETTER COMMUNITIES To be Held On TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2004 "411101!-n.anE COUNTY, FI °RII)A A General Obligation Bond Special Election will be held on Tuesday, November 2, 2004, for the purpose of submitting to the qualified electors of Miami -Dade County, Florida, the following question: r V eta r ■a w IIt► n o w •' nta MCTVI V 11Al YtV rvl Amended Special Item No. A TO: Honorable Chairperson Barbara Carey Shuler, Ed. D. DATE: July 20, 2004 and Memlwrc Bnard of roomy commissioners FROM: George M. ouigcss IUD,11'E r : Resolution Approving a County Manager V. Special Election for the V Building Better Communities Bond Program - To Construct ..,nil lnanrnf.g. f nl►i,ral R#919-04 Library and Multicultural Educational Facilities RECOMMENDATION It is recommended that the Board of County Commissioners (Board) approve the attached resolution «,ttinri`inn the p!acer::.ent of the Ruild.»n r.cner»1 nblinatinn Rnnrl Prnnrnn (Program) ballot question authorizing funding for projects to construct and improve cultural, library and 7.' I , ,J` .�..' November ^f /1na ballot. .. ,!` A, . rt. multicultural educational facilities on itic November 2, 2004, ballot. ll approved by the Board and the voters, the referendum will allow the County to construct and improve cultural facilities including Museum of Science, Histoncal Museum of Southern Florida. Miami Art Museum, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens and provide a Cultural Facilities Fund and Historic Preservation Fund (see Appendix A). This resolution will allow the County to issue General Obligation Bonds in an amount not to exceed $552_692 million over a multi -year period to fund improvements to the County's cultural facilities and address a number of quality of life issues in our community. i I..a:.,.. a;-... ' s.....1......1 .....a., 1. al... t'.: .,.. J ,:t.'._., fl,....-�.....- x..��i5tuarcru Civauug iinc.ttvVac iiit511:.aaira.uaa wiitl urc titiiiiia;i�sativa,a &iiuciauuaniu6 d a tvglaut Advisory Committee will be forwarded to the Board upon approval of the program by the electorate. individual debt issuances wiii aiso be subsequently forwarded for Board approval. BACKGROUND The recommended Program will provide the County with the capability of responding to the cornrn.n,tj 's le.ngs*w-ndinn YnfnnYVastif nYnitw+, nnstracture needs in u wnrehenoivc «aylab1. The attached recommended list of projects provides a multi -faceted approach, which addresses the need for facilities and infrastructure as well as economic deveiopmem concerns. Since our Community Small Business Enterprise and Community Workforce regulations will apply to the Building Better Communities projects, it is anticipated that the Program will contribute to our economy by generating a large number of jobs as well as many new and meaningful business development and training opportunities in our local community. A comprehensive report detailing our efforts to assemble a balanced Building Better Communities General t Obligation _._ Bond n_ J 1 -rt_ a t t General Obligation Bond Program is presented under separate cover. The attached resolution and corresponding project recommendations further refine the proposed Program by incorporating the Board's input from the June 24, 2004 General Obligation Bond Workshop as well as subsequent r Honorable Chairperson barbers Carey Shuler, Ed. D. and Members, Board of County Commissioners Page 2 individual follow-up meetings with Board members. We have a unique opportunity to move forward with this Program at this time. Existing debt from the Decade of rrogress bond Program, the Criminal iusnicc Bond Program and d►c Sa;c Neighborhood Parks Bond Program is being retired allowing capacity for future bond issuances while maintaining a flat millage rate for debt service. Finally, placement of the ballot question on an already scheduled General Election allows us to avoid incurring the considerable costs that would be associated with a separate election. Therefore, it is respectfully requested that the Board approve the attached resolution and allow the eiectorate to vote on critical capital impioveinent issues impacting tho cu't c of Mitmi-Dside County. Assistant County Manag4 An,.,nded Special Item No. 8 Page No. 3 BUILDING BETTER COMMUNITIES r•. s r •ran rrwr CONSTRUCT AND iiiiiROlvIECULfUi.A�.tL;BRA V, AND MULTICULTURAL EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES To construct and improve libraries. cultural facilities, and Head Start learning centers for pre-school children to offer multicultural educational opportunities aawd activities, dev.ribeA» Restrtion -No. 919.04, adopted July 20, 2004, shall Miami -Dade County Issue (ienerai Obligation Bonds to pay cost of such projects in a principal amount not exceeding S552,692,000, bearing interest not exceeding maximum legal rate, payable from ad valorem taxes? FOR BONDS AGAINST BONDS The polls at said election will be open from 7:00 o'clock A.M. until 7:00 P.M. of the same day. All Qualified electors of the County shall be entitled to vote at said special election. Said General Obligation Bond Special Election will be held at the established polling places in the several precincts, respectively, in the County as established for County -wide general elections. G�ttt.�ro a.0{ra.atV f,J. Iviiami-Dade County snail be authorized to issue the bonds coveted by the question hereinabove set forth if such issuance as to such question shall have been approved by vote of a majority of the qualified electors of Miami -Dade County voting thereon. By order of the Board of County Commissioners of Miami -Dade County, Florida. !Clerk f the Baird of reunty rnrn his inners of Clerk w v. the Baird � Miami -Dade County, Florida $ectlon 4, Touch Screen Voting Machines shall be used at such special election, and the ballot question shall appear in substantially the form set forth in the Notice of General flhtigstion Finnti Special Election in Section i of this Resolution. *MIA. 04114141 The question shall app r en the touch F.c►eens ballot aC a Cer2rate [ uv atrueaias[■ aura■ aa�r,. on --a,....... question. Those qualified electors desiring to approve irie issuance of bands shall be inst tic ed c ,wrwtSCMIRJ DOC A,..cnded Special Item No. 8 Pads No. 4 to to "FO BONDS" Mort nr.•i;ftc l el —tors desir-iaj ►o disapprove the issu-nce of tbon„tg to vote . ar ra Wv..aru Mort .�a1s,,,,Gv L,W.t•••� f,q� W vfvfrrr..v.w the ,YiYfi.r. snail be instructed to vote "AGArriS i BONDS". Section 6, Absentee paper ballots may be used by qualified electors of the County tor voting on the question at said election. The form of such absentee ballot shall be in accordance with the requirements prescribed by the general election laws, and shall have printed thereon the question hereinabove set forth, with proper place for voting either "FOR BONDS" or "AGAINST BONDS" following the statement of the question aforesaid. Section 7, A sample ballot showing the manner in which the question aforesaid shall appear on the touch screen ballot at this special election shall be published and provided in accordance with the applicable provisions of the genera! election laws. accordance with applicable provisions genera! Section [If '^► ► 1 f L..f A . ri 41 ..,..—.A..ctcd This special election on the question aluresaiu Snail ue ucw anti trurtuuC,cu in accordance with the applicable provisions of the general laws relating to special elections and the provisions of the Miami -Dade County Home Rule Charter. The County Manager, the Finance Director, the Supervisor of Elections and the Clerk of the County Commission are hereby authorized and directed to take all appropriate actions necessary to carry into effect and accomplish the provisions of this Resolution. This special election shall be a nonpartisan election. Inspectors and clerks to serve as election officials in connection with this special election shall he appointed in accordance with the provisions of the general election laws. u4�aivn Ot Thisl l •i..,. T,..fll " par .apace by tit-- !`'na►nta.. ('an..assinn /1,f0 OIJYYli,1 YlYYt1V11 O/tYf1 VY YY,f'JYY V}' 1U' trVYf,f� Vw...fuN.frb Bird as provided under tine election laws of this State, in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.07 of the Home Rule Charter. Section IOt All proceeds of the sale of the Bonds shall be delivered to the Finance Director of the County who shall deposit those proceeds in appropriate construction fund trust c (t>ruas0u283 DOC Aniended Cinorinl Isom Page No. 5 accounts, not to be commingled with other funds of the County, to be disbursed solely for the purposes set forth in this Resolution. The County, itself or through independent auditors, shall have the right at all times to audit the books and records of all beneflcianes who receive proceeds from the axle of the Bonds. Cos.+a menion►s l...*mA in A sorukvorliv A n{'►�,' Dsel„►inn. oh all ins ►t.. a.,L.'nt► "....f►.., ...►,11 *Stun y. ianV..vf *. ♦ p co uo.f. 411 Ve ryf.fn .P � .S�V*1Nf.{t.. OS.. 1 Viet *AM C►YUJWS Vl bV..f/YM.%I{N1 agrecti nis between the County and the external agencies receiving the Bond proceeds to pay the cost of such projects. Such agreements shall provide the terms and conditions for the County to release Bond proceeds to the agency and such other requirements as the County shall deem appropriate. In the event that an agency fails, without adequate reason, to commence acquisition, planning, design or construction of a project within six (6) months of the receipt of County approval to proceed w ith such project, the County shall have the option of reallocating the Bond proceeds earmarked for such project to any other projects listed in Appendix A falling within the same ballot category. All gdditinng Belt tines and stg cant modifications to individual projects to Appendix A shall require a majority vole of the Board after public hearing. Section It. Bond proceeds in an amount not to exceed P/0 of the principal amount of the Bonds shall be used to pay administrative expenses associated with managing the Bond program. The Finance Director will deposit these funds in a separate Bond Administrative Expense Fund. Section 12, The Bonds are part of an overall Bond Program pursuant to which the County is proposing to issue up to $2,925,750,000 in General Obligation Bonds ("Bond Program") upon voter approval. The intent of the County is to include a combined municipal and j (MCA component ("M1unicipal Cetetwnnen►") in Bond Program totaling 10% of the Bond t, �, � .t,.. pv .,.... / the vw.v • .v6.fsu. wwunb .o v. uv C ,*PIRESOuIli DOC Bruno A. Barreiro aye Betty T. Ferguson ,aye Joe A. Martinez absent .r,.enni C. Mtn5 a"v— Natacha Seijas rev Seo. inviVr D . SuuW absent C ,wruasourai ooc A. a Special Item No. 8 _ ♦4 r*Senu.v proceeds, net of issuance costs. 1be formula used for distribution of proceeds is based on a weighted formula 73'/. on population and 25'/. on contribution to the tax roll (based on June 1, 2004 figures) as compared to the total population and property tax roll figures for the entire County. The data for this distribution was based upon most recent Census figures as provided by the Miami -Dade County Planning Department and tax roil figures as provided by the Miami - Dade County Property Appraiser. Should a municipality incorporate after passage of this Bond program; it may petition the Board for a portion of any unallocated Bond proceeds that had been ey►.►ne�inw.d .^ ), I ..ruins. in tint thntno I IMC A nroa en rnairi in curb tn�+nirinality Nnt All of a.trtava r.vu..... . t.. J�..w r.....� . L_ individual of Bond Program ;hill lute Municipal Component hut the the ifitrrvinurrr curl➢iriruaria ur the rrv�+mu w'(Ii include a i iN[Iib1�lpl �.Vl1+IlVfa{.+aa vats in the aggregate, the overall Bond Program will include a Municipal Component that equals 10% of the Bond Program. 4e. 4M It is the intent of the County that the balance of the bond proceeds from Program net of cost of issuance (90%) shall be us d°fdI projects of countywide and/or regidittil significance. The foregoing resolution was offered by CommissionerDr. Barbara Carev-StuleAvho moved its adoption. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Katy Sorenson and upon being put to as veto, tile vete wG. a�g fnitnwc: Ur. Barbara Carey-Sbuier, Chairperson a_e Katy Sorenson, Vice -Chairperson ave Jose"Pepe" Diaz aye Sally A. Heyman aye Jimmy L. Morales aye Iln in n. Qnita mores Rebeca Sosa absent