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MIAMI RIVER COMMISSION 
c/o Rosenstiel School
4600 Rickenbacker Cswy,
Miami, Fl. 33149
305-361-4850
Fax: 305-361-4755
  e-mail: mrc@rsmas.miami.edu

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The Miami River Commission’s Economic Development and Commerce (EDC) Working Group met at 3:00 PM, Tuesday, January 8, 2001, at the Rosenstiel School, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Dean’s Conference Room.  Cleve Jones, Jr. chaired the meeting.  The sign in sheet is enclosed.

The EDC opened with discussion of the status of the Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Zone. MRC staff has made significant progress since the Miami River Commission’s December 10, 2001 unanimous resolution to seek HUB zone designation along the Miami River, south west of 27^th Ave.  The Small Business Association (SBA) administers the HUB Zone program, and defines the criteria of HUB Zone designation on www.sba.gov/hubzone as an area located in a “Qualified Census Tract”.  The Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has determined that Census Tract “48”, the area of the Miami River corridor that is not designated a HUB zone, is a “Qualified Census Tract”.  The SBA web site states that Census Tract 48 is not a designated HUB Zone, because it is not a “Qualified Census Tract”.  Therefore, MRC staff is in the process of informing the SBA that HUD has determined Census Tract “48” to be a “Qualified Census Tract”, and henceforth should currently fit the criteria to receive HUB Zone designation.

The EDC discussed the proposed Miami River Corridor Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District.  In the December 2001 Miami River Commission’s Dredging Subcommittee meeting, Carlos Espinosa and Roman Gastesi, Miami-Dade County (local dredging project sponsor), asked the Miami River Commission to seek the creation of the proposed TIF district to fund dredging of the Miami River’s tributaries.  Therefore the Miami River Commission’s Tax Increment Financing Investigation subcommittee, which operates under the EDC Working Group, will be hosting a publicly noticed meeting on Friday, Jan 11, 2002, 2 pm, 4600 Rickenbacker Cswy., Dean’s Conference Room.  The EDC noted the importance of informing Miami River business owners and residents that the proposed TIF does not raise taxes, rather it guarantees that some of the tax revenues raised within the TIF district, are spent within the TIF district.

The EDC discussed the Miami River Commission’s Jan. 7, 2002 hearing on the Miami Intermodal Center (MIC).  David Miller stated the FDOT District 4 will be invited to make a presentation to the MRC on Feb. 4, 2002.  Since the MIC’s Environmental Impact Study (EIS) is outdated, and does not take the Miami River Dredging project into consideration, the EDC unanimously recommended the MRC request a supplemental MIC EIS. 

Cleve Jones brought three items before the EDC under new business.  First, Jones asked MRC staff to look into private property maintenance dredging areas, which are outside the Federal Navigable Channel.  Miller stated he would put the item on the Jan. 23, 2002 Dredging subcommittee agenda.  Second Jones provided the EDC an article regarding the economic benefits of the growing Mega-Yacht industry.  Bibeau stated support of the Mega-Yacht industry will be included in the Miami River Corridor Plan, and sited the vacant Florida Yacht Basin property as an example of an available Miami River property, which could suit Mega-Yachts.  Third, Jones stated he supported the “Fort Dallas Riverwalk” development on donated private property, with electrical and sanitary sewer system hook ups for boats temporarily docking on the Greenway, like at the Fort Lauderdale Riverwalk.

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