The Miami River Commission's (MRC) Economic Development and Commerce (EDC) Working Group convened on Monday, October 15, 2007, 2:30 PM, at the Robert King High New Board Room, 1407 NW 7 Street. Ms. Megan Kelly chaired the meeting. The sign in sheet is enclosed.

I. Discussion of Implementing the Short Sea Shipping Recommendation from the Adopted Miami River Corridor Multi-Modal Transportation Plan & II. Status of the “ Upper River / MIC Associated Development” Planning Process - Mr. Brett Bibeau, MRC Managing Director, briefly explained the general concept behind the short sea shipping recommendation. Mr. Bibeau stated trucks dropping off and picking up cargo containers from the Port of Miami maybe removed from the downtown streets via transferring the containers by barge to a marine industrial upper river site. Mr. Bibeau noted MRC designee Captain Beau Payne, P & L Towing, calculated a pilot program with 300 containers per barge, 4 barges per day, equates to 1,200 containers, therefore removing 1,200 trucks a day from the congested downtown streets. EDC Chair Kelly, noted the implementation of short sea shipping would accomplish two main goals: 1) remove the truck traffic off the street of Downtown Miami until the proposed Port Tunnel is completed; 2) reinforce the cargo and marine uses along the industrial Upper River. Ms. Kelly noted the Miami River Marine Group had originally proposed the idea of short sea shipping along the Miami River, and since then, the concept was included for further study in the recently MRC adopted Miami River Corridor Multi-Modal Transportation Plan , and is consistent with the MRC's recommendations for the marine industrial Upper River.

Dr. Fran Bohnsack, Miami River Marine Group, stated she and Captain Payne had met with the Port of Miami Director, port carriers and Miami-Dade County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez to discuss the possibility of creating a short sea shipping initiative in the Upper River . Dr. Bohnsack noted the Port of Miami Director seemed receptive to the idea, yet had commented that this type of transportation initiative would require a subsidy for the container's second handling. Mr. Bibeau noted he had recently discussed the short sea shipping initiative with Ms. Heidi Webb, Port of Miami Director of Business Development, whom was supportive of further considering the pilot program recommendation.

The EDC noted the far upper river areas either currently owned by Miami-Dade County or planned for eminent domain for the Earlington Heights / Miami Intermodal Center (MIC) Metro-Rail extension, maybe utilized as a consolidated freight forwarding center in conjunction with the recommended short sea shipping operations. The EDC discussed how the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) had co-funded the creation of the recently adopted Miami River Corridor Multi-Modal Transportation Plan , which included short sea shipping in its various recommendations, therefore perhaps the MPO would be interested in providing the necessary funding for a more detailed plan to implement short sea shipping as a component of the MRC recommended “Upper River / MIC Associated Development Plan”, including multi-modal connections with cargo at the Miami International Airport. Ms. Navarro asked Mr. Bibeau to send her and Marlene Avalo a summary of the proposal. Dr. Bohnsack suggested discussing the concepts with Assistant County Manager Gisella Loret, whom had to reschedule her river tour. Dr. Bohnsack added that a group of Loret constituents had recently suggested that the United States Coast Guard (USCG) impose additional bridge lockdowns, which would block the Miami River's federal navigable channel to vessels and ships, and the USCG denied the suggestion because the negative impact it would have to navigation along the Port of Miami River, which already has several bridge lock down regulations in order to facilitate vehicular movement.

Dr. Bohnsack noted she had met with Chairman Barreiro and the new owners of “Terminal One” a currently vacant once international shipping terminal west of 27 th Avenue along the river's north shore. Dr. Bohnsack stated the new owners manufacture “Mirage” recreational yachts. Dr. Bohnsack reminded the EDC that the site had formerly been considered for eminent domain by the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX), yet is no longer needed for the 112 interconnector. Dr. Bohnsack stated the “Mirage” boat manufacturer contacted DERM to renew the site's former IW 5 (Industrial Waste) permit. Dr. Bohnsack indicated although DERM had issued an IW 5 permit to the site's four previous owners, the DERM has indicated that they had issued the previous permits by mistake, and refused to renew the permit for the new owner. Dr. Bohnsack stated that the Miami-Dade County Comprehensive Plan designated this unincorporated Miami-Dade upper river area as “Marine Industrial,” and therefore could not comprehend DERM's decision.

III. Status of “ Miami River Marine Industrial Economic Analysis” – Mr. Bibeau stated that FAU professors Dr. William B. Stronge and Dr. Lenore Alpert have received all previous studies and data - as detailed in the agreement's scope of services - and are currently conducting their analysis. Mr. Bibeau noted FAU had recently submitted the first $7,500 invoice. Mr. Bibeau noted that during the EDC's July meeting, he reported that the Empowerment Zone had expressed their fully executed contract with the MRC to fund the creation of the “Miami River Marine Industrial Economic Analysis” will be paid out either from the Trust or Miami-Dade County, because of the potential for a change in the nature of the Empowerment Trust's relationship with Miami-Dade County. Mr. Bibeau explained he had spoken to Empowerment Zone Director Andre Wallace, whom clarified the contract was not being cancelled at this time, and the $17,130 remained available from either the Empowerment Trust or Miami-Dade County, and added that the Empowerment Zone contract is reimbursable. Therefore, the EDC requested that the MRC's contracted consultants move forward with their work and Mr. Bibeau process payment of the invoices to create the Miami River Marine Industrial Economic Analysis.

Mr. Richard Dubin, Ameriship and President of the Miami River Marine Group, stated smaller non-union liner services are leaving Port Everglades, and considering the Miami River maintenance dredging project and Upper River plans and initiatives, those viable international shipping businesses should be interested in relocating to the Port of Miami River .

IV. Status of the Creation of a Manatee Review Committee - Ms. Navarro noted on October 2 the Board of County Commissioners adopted the ordinance sponsored by Chairman Barreiro to create the Miami-Dade County Manatee Protection Plan Review Committee. Ms. Navarro added the Chairman has issued a memo asking the County Commissioners to appoint their members for the 14 member Review Committee, as set forth in the aforementioned ordinance, within 30 days, and hopes they will be appointed by late November/early December. Ms. Navarro noted Chairman Barreiro would like the Review Committee to conclude their work within 18 months.

Dr. Bohnsack reported although in July 2007 the Board of County Commissioners approved Mr. Alberto La Madrids', Miami Yacht & Engine Works, appeal for modification of an existing Class I Permit to allow additional boats on the upland service area at 2100 NW North River Drive, the necessary permits are yet to be issued. Dr. Bohnsack added although regulations allow the use of historic pictures to demonstrate the number of vessels on a site, DERM is not considering pictures as evidence.

Ms. Navarro stated she would discuss these issues with Chairman Barreiro, including the possibility of conducting a public meeting with DERM and river stakeholders on this topic. Ms. Kelly suggested inviting the County Manager to a publicly noticed EDC meeting to present him with different case studies, thereby illustrating the magnitude of this ongoing issue which is resulting in local marine industrial businesses being lost to North Carolina , etc.

V. Discussion of Alimar River Boatyard's Use of Existing Boat Lift - The EDC welcomed Mr. Mario Hernandez, owner of Alimar on the River for the past three years, a proposed full-service marina - equipped for 10 boats and a travel lift - at 600 NW 7 th Avenue, along the east shore of the Seybold Canal, immediately south of the “humpback” Bridge. Mr. Hernandez stated he had asked DERM for their standards and guidelines for rebuilding and replacing his marina's damaged docks, yet was informed DERM has no such formal marina standards and guidelines. Mr. Hernandez noted that DERM finally agreed to reinstate the marina's former permit for a 10 boat marina, with a condition that the site's adjacent full service boatyard be separated from the upland marina area with a fence. Mr. Hernandez noted Mr. Hefty had indicated that no more than 10 boats could be at the upland marina, which is equipped with a travel lift, at any given time, although Mr. Hefty is aware additional boats will be serviced on the site's adjacent boatyard, on the opposite side of the proposed fence, which will be transported to and from the boatyard via trailer, after being taken out of and launched into the water from public boat ramps, perhaps including the one in Curtis Park on the Miami River. Mr. Hernandez stated although they had offered to install Manatee prop guards on the boats using the marina and boatyard, DERM had denied the offered condition.

EDC Chair Kelly, Ms. Navarro and Mr. Dubin stated they found the proposed commercial full service marina “Alimar on the River” consistent with the Miami River Corridor Urban Infill Plan .

VI. New Business- The following items were address/discussed:

• Per the directive of EDC Chair Kelly, Dr. Bohnsack noted she had suggested stronger enforcement of the Miami River's idle / no wake zone restriction at the Miami River Public Safety and Security meeting, as well as the possibility of creating a program for marine patrol to pull over and issue citations to boats traversing the Miami River faster than the required idle / no wake speed. Dr. Bohnsack noted she would continue to bring up this issue.
• Mr. Bibeau distributed a South Florida Business Journal article, “Miami-Dade Approves Confidential Incentive Deals” pertaining to Bertram Yacht on the Miami River 's Tamiami Canal
• Mr. Bibeau distributed a November 5, 2005 Memo from County Manager Burgess to the Honorable Board of County Commissioners, regarding “Tax Relief for Recreational and Working Properties,” and directing “the Tax Collector's Office and Property Appraiser Department to further evaluate the specifics of this bill after which time, I expect to advance a recommendation for your consideration.” Mr. Bibeau distributed an August 2007 email correspondence with Mr. Jess McCarty, Assistant County Attorney, requesting an update of this item. Mr. Bibeau noted Mr. McCarty had indicated that the Interim Tax Collector reported “The ordinance is in pretty good shape, but the manager's memo still needed some work… try(ing) to get it on the BCC agenda as soon as we can.” Mr. Bibeau noted that the County adopting their drafted ordinance, as allowed by the State's adopted “Working Waterfront Bill”, would provide tax relief and economic incentives for water dependent marine industrial businesses. Dr. Bohnsack noted that working waterfronts incentives are included in the Governor's recently proposed tax relief program.

The meeting adjourned.