|
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 – Mr.
Brett Bibeau, MRC Managing Director, noted
Mayor Carlos Alvarez
had appointed a new designee to the MRC, Mr.
Robert Villar
. Mr. Bibeau noted he had briefed Mr. Villar on MRC related issues,
including the County’s $7.5 million Miami River Greenway line item.
Mr. Bibeau noted Mr. Villar seemed to support using the County’s
available bond funding for these Miami-Dade County owned riverfront
parcels, which require riverwalk connectors between existing riverwalk
sections, prior to considering additional County appropriations for the
Greenway.
Mr.
Robert Ruano, City of
Miami
, stated he believed the County had already transferred their greenway
line item bond funding to the City of
Miami
, whom didn’t intend to use it on the County owned parcels. Ms.
Lavinia Freeman
, The Trust for
Public
Land
, stated she was not aware of any executed agreements between the County
and the City. Ms. Freeman
added she is expecting to receive a draft contract from Ms. Meredith
Nation, City of Miami, who is considering using some of the County’s
Greenway bond line item to hire TPL to oversee the creation of greenway
constriction documents, for an section yet to be determined, which the
City would then manage the construction.
Dr.
Martin noted the Board of County Commissioners had adopted a resolution
in September 2006 allowing Merrill-Stevens and
Miami-Dade
County
’s administration to negotiate terms for their expansion, including
the presented riverwalks, in addition to the adjacent proposed Related
Group’s affordable housing development in the Health District.
Dr. Martin noted that the County’s administration had agreed to
meet within 90 days to negotiate such terms and report back to the
County
Commission
, but had yet to meet. Dr. Martine asked Mr.
Mark Bailey
. Merrill-Stevens, for an update, and he replied Merrill-Stevens was
currently under negotiations with the County regarding construction of
bulkheads and riverwalks on both sides of the river, from the 12 Ave
Bridge to the west side of I-836,
II. Discuss Future
Miami River
Greenway Governance –
Dr. Martin noted since the MRC hosted the Miami River Greenways Retreat
to discuss models to provide the necessary Greenway maintenance,
security and special events, little direction or progress has been
provided by the public sector, except for DDA agreeing to include it in
their Downtown Master Plan. Mr.
Bibeau distributed copies of an email forwarded by Ms. Diane Waters,
City of
Miami Public Works
, from the Departments Director, Ms. Stephanie Grindell, regarding
maintenance of public rights-of-way and the responsibilities of adjacent
abutting property owners, as well as information pertaining to the City
of
Miami
“Litter Buster Team.” Mr. Bibeau distributed a photo of the City’s
public right-of-way across from Neo Lofts, where the MRC coordinated
volunteers
Recently
planted several new trees and grass, is in need of mowing and litter
removal. Mr. Ruano suggested
that the MRC contact
3-1-1
to report code violations and receive tracking numbers to document the
progress of such reports.
III. Status of Miami River
Greenway Historic Markers – Ms.
Ashley Chase, MRC Assistant Managing Director, reported the 6 historic
markers and draft digital prints, funded by the Villagers Inc grant,
have been installed. Ms. Chase noted that, according to the contractors,
the final porcelain enamel panels are currently under construction in
Washington
, and should be installed by next month.
IV. Discuss Status of
Draft
Miami River
Greenway Regulatory Design
Standards – Ms. Chase
noted she had spoken to Mr. Enrique Nuñez, City of Miami Planning
Department, earlier today whom had indicated that the Planning
Department is currently pinpointing and reviewing all areas that would
potentially be impacted by the regulatory design standards. Ms. Chase
added that, according to Mr. Nuñez, the design standards would not be
adopted until “
Miami
21” is completed.
V. Update on
Miami River
Greenway Development – Mr.
Kevin Brown, Consul Tech, was unable to attend, therefore the GSC
deferred to Ms. Freeman, whom stated she did not have an update at this
time.
Mr.
Bibeau distributed a series of recent photographs pertaining to greenway
development:
- New Greenway
signage installed across from Neo Lofts on South River Drive,
between 1st and Flagler Bridges depicting the following:
“Green way” misspelled: Greenway should be one word, pointing
the Greenway in one direction when it goes both ways, Stop sign down
at the corner of Flagler Street and SW South River Drive, utilities
spray painting on recently constructed on-road greenways; an empty
Greenway information kiosk. The
GSC noted they were unable to post last year’s Miami Riverday
posters in the informational kiosks, yet if possible would like to
post this year’s posters for the City sponsored free event.
- thick metal wire is
melded into new on-road greenway, on the upland side of Garcia’s
restaurant on
North River Drive
- Sign in the
riverfront portion of
Lummus
Park
stating “Lummus Landing –
Miami
, Riverfront Redevelopment B-3286, $1,444,196” which is several
years old, with surrounding uninstalled infrastructure components,
litter, homeless, broken fence, etc.
Mr.
Ruano suggested working with City Staff, including Mr. Brown and Mr.
Lionel Zapata, to address greenway signage, and contacting
3-1-1
to report code enforcement violations. Mr. Ruano noted City staff was
currently looking into the future governance and maintenance of the
Miami River Greenway. Mr.
Ruano stated the City of
Miami
is considering applying for a Florida Department of Environmental
Protection (FDEP) Office of Greenways and Trails grant to construct a
riverwalk in
Lummus
Park
. Mr. Ruano stated he will
ask the City to remove the litter depicted in the
Lummus
Park
pictures, and Dr. Martin asked if the City would remove the uninstalled
pipes, remove the broken fence and replant grass as well.
VI.
Review of
Miami River
Greenway
Riverwalk Cross Section – Ms.
Chase noted she would reach out to Mr. Peter Bockweg, City of Miami
Zoning Department, to seek assistance in obtaining the additional cross
sections, as previously requested in writing by MRC Chair Irela Bagué. Ms.
Chase distributed an update of the Riverwalk cross sections which the
City provided MRC staff and asked the GSC if they would like MRC staff
to draft a letter thanking the City of
Miami
for their assistance thus far,
and requesting the additional cross sections. Dr. Martin replied yes,
and suggested including the cross sections updated list as an attachment
to the letter.
VII.
New
Business – The GSC
discussed the following potential upcoming special events along the
Miami River Greenway:
-
Miami
River Art Show: produced by the Kona Kai Gallery and hosted by the
MRC, featuring original paintings of the Miami River’s shipping
industry by French artist Dirk Verdoorn;
Saturday, February 24, 2007, 9:30 am to 1 pm; Neo Vertika
Club Level, 690 SW 1st Court. 10% of Galleries profits
will be donated to the MRC towards construction of future Miami
River Greenway Historical Markers
-
Mr.
Bibeau noted as directed by MRC UIWG Chair
Jim Murley
, he is scheduling a meeting/walking tour with representatives of
Latitude on the River, two discuss how their riverwalk section which
is nearing completion will connect with the publicly accessible
riverwalk sections to the east at Neo Vertika, and to the west
beneath the 2nd Ave Bridge.
Mr. Bibeau noted Mr. Murley, Dr. Martin and City staff will
be invited to attend the site visit.
The
GSC confirmed their next regularly scheduled second Wednesday of the
month meeting on
March 14, 2007
,
2 PM
, 1407 NW 7 ST, New Board Room.
|
