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Home My WebLink AboutCC 1976-05-13 Discussion ItemTO• F'ROt,I: ctt' OF MrIIMAFvil. FLORIt+A INi'E11.0FFIRF MEMbRANLJ M Honorable Members of the City Commission PI W. Andrews City Manager tbAit:• Ftt t• SU9JEct• MAY 12 Status Report: Downtown Zoning Revisions Hearings REFERENCES: ENCLOSURES: This memorandum presents a status report on the Downtown Zoning Revision Hearings and outlines a future schedule. On April 23, 1975, the City Commission approved in concept the report Downtown. Miami 1973-1985: An Urban Development and Zoning Plan prepared by the consultant firm of Wallace, Mcl-1arg, Roberts and Todd. Since that time, the Planning Advisory Board has held five separate public hearings and two joint hearings, with the Commission, on the proposed Downtown Zoning Ordinance revisions. The schedule leading to Commission action on these revisions is as follows: May -September, 1976, Planning Department will: --analyze citizen comments at the various public hearings --respond to Chamber of Commerce sub -committee report --respond to recommendations of four Downtown Zoning Study Committees --prepare Departmental recommendations --provide additional documentation from the comprehensive plan October, 1976, Planning Advisory Board public hearing and recommendation to the City Commission. Novenmb r, 1976, City Counnission public hearings on PAB recommendations. The following background information summarizes all previous actions on the Downtown (and related) reports. (;.(4:7 to tAx-te Honor able Mein 3 of the City Commission MAY 121 e Wallace, Mchlarg, Roberts and Todd (WMRT) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were engaged as prime consultants by the City of Miami and Downtown Development Authority, commencing July 7, 1972, to prepare downtown zoning recommendations supported by an urban development plan to !triple, tnent previous planning studies, Subconsultants to W1vIRT were Gladstone Associates of Washington, D. C. and Haines, Lundberg and Waehler of New York City. Beiswenger-Hoch and Associates (BHA), assisted by Wilbur Smith Associates, were engaged by the Florida Department of Transportation to conduct a com- panion transportation and traffic study of the downtown including the area south of the Miami River to 8th Street. WMRT presented progress reports to a Downtown Zoning Advisory Committee on November 6, 1972; December 13, 1972; March 13, 1973; and May 9, 1973. BHA also joined the presentation of May 9, 1973. Downtown Miami, 1973-1985; An Urban Development and Zoning Plan was presented by WMRT to the Miami City Commission on December 13, 1973, and was accepted as a deliverable item in satisfaction of their contract, The Miami City Commission then appointed four downtown zoning study committees (government, land owners and developers, consumers and users, and architects and professional planners), on May 9 and June 27, 1974, to make recommendations on the plan. These committees reported their recom- mendations back to the Commission on December 17, 1974, and the Commission then directed the administration to schedule these recommendations in public hearing. The Downtown Miami: A Conceptual Transportation Plan was presented by BHA on January 16, 1974, to representatives of the Miami City Commission, County Commission. and Florida DOT, in the Main Library Auditorium in Bayfront Park. Following from that meeting the City, County and State DOT decided to form a joint technical staff to review the transportation plan chaired by Mr. P. W. Andrews, City Manager. The Joint Technical Staff Review of the conceptual plan was printed and published in July 1974. No official action has been taken approving the transportation plan. The Miami Planning Advisory Board recommended the downtown plan to the City Commission on January 22, 1975, and the Commission approved the down- town plan in concept on April 23, 1975. The ivli.azni Planning Advisory Board next considered the proposed zoning ordinance revisions and has conducted five public hearings on May 7, May 21, June 18, July 2, July 16, 1975. Joint City Commission/Planning Advisory Board meetings of February 11 and 12, 1976, were also held. to: Honorable Members of the City Commission tRO :P. W, Andrews City Manager CITY OF r AMI. FLORIDA INTER -OFFICE MEMORANDUM - ()ATE st1F71LCr. MAY 12 1076 FILE Waterborne Transportation FtEFEFtENCES: CNCLOSURES: The last memorandum to the City Commission regarding waterborne trans- portation dated February 9, 1976, stated under "Further Action to be Taken" that the administration would prepare a preliminary design for a tourist and transit boat docking facility to be located at Bicenten- nial Park. This was to be accomplished by working with the Marine Council and the designers of Bicentennial Park. The dock location in Bicentennial Park is incorporated in the design of the restaurant facility and is under construction as is Bicentennial Park itself. Until this restaurant facility is in operation, the at- tractiveness of this location cannot be assessed. Many of the potential locations for dock sites are dependant on long term development plans for the facilities and visitor projections. Realizing both the limited development of potential points of interest at this time and the expressions of concern on the part of potential operators for the viability of starting up a waterborne transportation system, the following proposal offers the most direct and timely means to initiating such a service. Proposal The City will advertise for bid proposals for a limited one year opera- tion contract during which time the potentials of a waterborne attraction and transportation system can be assessed by both the operators and the City. Additionally, the request for bid proposals will specifically allow for the operators to present alternative contractual or route/dockage con- cepts for City consideration. The proposed route and de:;tinat.ions would include Downtown at the Fort Dallas Park site. This location has the advantage of being adjacent to large areas of low rate on surface parking and close proximity to other Downtown amenities. The long range advantage to developing this site is the adjacency to the City of Miami Convention and Conference Center and the potential hotel accomodations which the Center will attract. Page 1 of 3 1' `-: 1 Honorable Members of thn City Commission HAY lire There is an existing seawall along the Fort Dallas Park Site oats currently used require a lower height docking facility* therefore* a floating dock and ramp connection would have to be provided. The route proposed would connect this Downtown site* Ocean and the Miamarina to operate as a oneway loop. exist at Seaquarium with the alternative possibility adjacent to Planet Ocean at the southeast end of the Docking facilities also exist at the Miamarina. From conversations with tour boat operators in the area, we feel there is a possibility these operators would respond to such a proposal if the City will provide adequate dock facilities. It would also require an aggressive promotional program to acquaint the community and visitors with the service and its attractiveness. City participation in the marketing program will be a further inducement to potential operators. SeaquariuM P anet Docking facilities of floating dockage Miami Marine Stadium= The following schedule would propose operating the service beginning November, 1976. During the year of operation and assessment, several additional points of intel'est and attractions could be developed in anticipation of expanding the operation: May 13 June 10, 1976 June 10, 1976 July 1, 1976 July 8, 1976 July 8 - November 1, 1976 Preparation by the Administration of requests for bid proposals for both the operation of the service and the design of docking facilities. City Commission approval to advertise for bids and services. Deadline for responses. City Commission approval of dock facilities design contract. Design and construction of dock facilities at Ft. Dallas Park including upgrading of the site for user requirements. Upgrading Mia- marina and Seaquarium docking facilties would be included. July 22, 1976 City Commission approval to negotiate contract with operator. Page 2 of 3 AYi2 irs Honorable Members of the City Commission November, 1976-November, 1977 Operation of the service and assessment of its Value to the community► Preparation of addi.. tional dock facilities by the City and private attractions anticipating expansion of the service. The proposed time schedule represents the minimum possible and will require moving ahead a compressed schedule especially related to the Fort Dallas Park site; however, assessing the winter tourist market early would allow evaluation to proceed with additional docking sites in time to expand services at the end of one year contract. Discussion with operators is continuing and preparation of bid request documents, etc., is being moved forward. cc: Honorable Maurice A. Ferre, Mayor Honorable Rose Gordon, Vice Mayor Honorable Theodore R. Gibson Honorable J. L. Plummer, Jr. Honorable Manolo Reboso Page 3 of 3