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I. Discussion of Greenway
Connectors Needed on County-Owned Property on North Shore Beneath the
South Miami Avenue Bridge & Metro-Rail, South Shore Beneath the
Metro-Rail & Metro-Mover – Dr.
Martin stated if a funding source is identified, the Miami-Dade County
Public Works Department agreed to manage the construction of Miami River
Greenway connector sections on County owned public rights of way.
Dr. Martin noted he is hopeful the County will make new
appropriations for the aforementioned small greenway sections.
Lavinia Freeman, Trust for
Public
Land
, stated she is expecting to receive a draft contract with the City in
January. The concept is for
the County’s $7.5 million Miami River Greenway line item in their bond
issue to be transferred to the City of
Miami
, which would contract TPL to oversee the creation of engineering
documents, which would then be provided to the City of
Miami
which would oversee their construction using the remaining County bond
funding. Ms. Freeman noted
the draft contract will not be for a specific section of the Miami River
Greenway, which will be selected at a later date.
Ms. Freeman estimated it will take 1.5-2 years to create
engineering documents, and the remaining portion of the County’s $7.5
million bond issue would fund the construction.
Dr. Martin stated prior to Merrill-Stevens proposal to fund and
construct a publicly accessible riverwalk and on-road Greenway on both
shores from the 12 Ave Bridge to the west side of I-836, the
subcommittee was recommending the County bond funding in that County
owned area. Mr. Mark Bailey,
Merrill-Stevens, stated Merrill-Stevens remains willing to fund and
construct the aforementioned publicly accessible riverwalk, and
continues negotiations with
Miami-Dade
County
on the planned expansion. The
Greenways subcommittee therefore concurred to recommend the
County
Bond
funding be utilized for a different section of the Miami River Greenway,
which doesn’t currently have any funding potentials.
II. Discuss Future
Miami River
Greenway Governance – Mr.
Brett Bibeau, MRC Managing Director, distributed copies of the City of
Miami Commission
’s recently approved extension of the Bay Heights Special Taxing
District, which funds a City of Miami Police Department patrol of the
Bay
Heights
area 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.
Mr. Bibeau noted the special taxing district was approved by
residents of the area at referendum, and is a precedent of a Special
Taxing District providing funding for security in a specific area.
Dr. Martin stated creating of a Special Taxing District is an
option to generate re-occurring revenue to fund sufficient security
along the Miami River Greenway, yet may not be a likely solution.
Dr. Martin added regarding maintenance, the existing City Code
discussed during the GSC’s December 2006 meeting, where property
owners adjacent to the Greenway (located in public right of way) assist
with maintenance, yet the option is not his favorite, partially because
the code is difficult to enforce.
III. Status of
Miami River
Greenway Historic Markers – Mr.
Bibeau reported the 6 historic markers, funded by the Villagers Inc
grant, have been installed. Mr.
Bibeau noted the panel materials are currently draft graphic prints,
which will soon be replaced with the final porcelain enamel panels. Mr.
Bibeau stated he has received additional input on the draft historic
marker text, which will be revised in the final porcelain panels.
The Greenway’s subcommittee authorized the payment of the
MRC’s $596 cost share of the contract with Baron Sign Manufacturing.
Mr.
Bibeau reported the frame of the City of
Miami
’s previously installed historic marker post at the Miami River Inn
was missing, and asked when the porcelain enamel panels with the text
and images would be installed. Mr. Brown suggested contacting Mr.
Lionel Zapata
, City of
Miami
, whom is the project manager.
IV. Discuss Status of
Draft
Miami River
Greenway Regulatory Design
Standards – Dr. Martin
stated he e-mailed Danette Perez, City of
Miami
, whom administers the Bond Oversight Board.
Ms. Perez informed Dr. Martin that $75,000 from the City’s Bond
issue was spent in September 2005 for the creation of the Miami River
Greenway Regulatory Design Standards, which remain a draft.
Dr. Martin directed MRC staff to invite Enrique Nunez, City of
Miami Planning Department, to the next GSC meeting, because he is the
project manager for the Design Standards.
V. Update on
Miami River
Greenway Development – Ms.
Freeman stated Greenway sections B, C & E require the City of
Miami
and FDOT to execute a Lap Agreement.
Mr. Bibeau stated the owners of Garcia’s Seafood Restaurant,
located adjacent to a recently constructed section of “on-road”
Greenway, complained that the street lights were removed during
construction, and FPL is yet to install the Greenway’s new decorative
street lights. Therefore the
area is dark at night when customers walk between their parked cars and
the area’s restaurants.
VI.
Review of
Miami River
Greenway Riverwalk Cross Section – Mr.
Bibeau reported MRC staff is yet to receive any additional
development’s approved riverwalk cross sections from the City of
Miami
, as requested by MRC Chair
Irela Bagué.
VII.
Discussion of FDEP
RTP Grant
Opportunity
– Mr.
Bibeau provided a copy of the Florida Department of Environmental
Protections (FDEP) Recreational Trails Program (RTP) grant opportunity.
Mr. Bibeau stated his previous grant application to the FDEP RTP
was awarded $100,000, and he recommended the new application be for the
maximum $200,000 award to create a riverwalk section in
Lummus
Park
. Mr. Bibeau noted the City
of
Miami
and MRC are eligible applicants, and recommended wither the City of
Miami
apply or MRC apply. The GSC
noted since the City of Miami owns Lummus Park, it would be easier
through the grant, permitting, and riverwalk development process if the
grant was awarded directly to the City of Miami, with assistance from
the MRC and TPL. The GSC
added as a second choice to take advantage of this significant ST
funding opportunity, the City may choose to partner with the MRC or TPL
as the applicant, and provide the required cost share and allow the
future construction of a riverwalk in
Lummus
Park
.
VIII.
New Business – The GSC discussed the following
potential upcoming special
events along the Miami River Greenway:
-
Miami
River
Art Show: February
23-24,
Fort
Dallas
in
Lummus
Park
or the Miami River Inn
-
Miami
Riverday:
March 24, 2007
,
Jose
Marti
Park
, 11-5
-
Caribbean
June Fest: June 2007,
Lummus
Park
, if the riverfront portion of the park is cleared and replaced with
grass prior to June, yet if
Lummus
Park
remains in its current unacceptable condition for the event, the
organizers are considering moving it to
Jose
Marti
Park
.
The
GSC confirmed their next regularly scheduled second Tuesday of the month
meeting on
February 14, 2007
,
2 PM
, 1407 NW 7 ST, New Board Room.
The
meeting adjourned.
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