For more information, contact us via email at
miamiriver@bellsouth.net

MIAMI RIVER COMMISSION 
c/o Robert King High
1407 NW 7 St., 
Suite D
Miami , FL   33125

  Phone 305 644 0544
Fax 305 642 1136
 

The Miami River Commission's (MRC) Urban Infill Working Group (UIWG) convened on Wednesday, September 5, 2007 , 3 PM , in the United Way Executive Conference Room, 3250 SW 3 rd Avenue . Mr. Jim Murley chaired the meeting. The attendance sheet is enclosed.

I. Planning Studies/Presentations

A. Presentation of Draft Downtown Miami Master Plan - Mr. Jim Murley , Chair of the MRC's Urban Infill Working Group (UIWG), welcomed Mr. Adam Lukin , Downtown Development Authority, whom presented a Power Point of the draft “Downtown Miami Master Plan: Urban Design & Transportation” and distributed the “2007 Downtown Miami Master Plan Executive Summary.” Mr. Lukin apologized on behalf of DDA Executive Director Dana Nottingham whom had a recent scheduling conflict and was unable to attend. Mr. Lukin addressed the following items, pertaining to the Miami River :

• Downtown Miami is broken into 12 sub-districts; the Miami River is identified as sub-district “10” (Executive Summary, page 63)
• Major project proposals include: remove port related truck traffic, Biscayne boulevard improvements and underground parking, Flagler/Brickell transit loops, I-95 Dupont Plaza ramp modifications (to gain better access to Miami River from Downtown)
• Improve Bayfront/Central Business District connectivity (promenade and baywalk connections); increase park area (+5-6 acres); reduce width from 200' to +/- 120; potential to replace median parking with underground (+/- 1000 spaces)
• New retail and activity opportunities along both sides of Biscayne Boulevard , especially in front of Bayside. General Growth Properties, Inc. proposing to build a hotel above the Bayside Marketplace parking facility
• Possibility of filling boat slip adjacent to American Airlines Arena, adjacent to Port Boulevard to create more park space; Mr. Robert Weinreb , City of Miami , suggested not filling the slip due to the current shortage of available dockage
• Construct a pedestrian bridge from Bayside Marketplace to the second level of the American Airlines Arena; The UIWG also discussed the possibility of creating a pedestrian link from bayside to proceed underneath the former Port Boulevard bridge
• Improve Flagler/Brickell transit loops and Downtown connectivity; streetcar expansion (along both sides of the river) or alternative technology; widen sidewalks, increase tree canopy recently implemented a shuttle bus/loop from Brickell to Brickell Key and another from Port Boulevard to Government Center. Ms. Helen Brown , Miami-Dade County Planning Department, asked if the shuttles were free, and Mr. Lukin replied the Brickell/Brickell Key is free, while the Government Center/Port Blvd. is $1.50.
• I-95 Dupont Plaza ramp modifications (3 alternatives). The UIWG noted the James L. Knight Convention Center area is the only entertainment / convention facility along the riverwalk and remains in alternative 2 for the area's options.
• Creation of Interpretive Urban Eco-Park (+/-19 acres)
• Improve the quality and livability of Downtown and support Downtown's economic and social activities
• Provide greater balance between mobility options
• Provide an “Urban Forest”: provide a minimum overall 15% tree coverage (=50% street tree coverage); provide for proper tree selection, placement and planting. Average City tree canopy is 5% and the City of Miami 's is .5%
• Improve stormwater run-off and drainage
• 50% Rule: 50% vehicles and 50% pedestrians
• Phase II of the Downtown Miami Master Plan will create a business plan for the Miami River (marketing and programming)

Per the request of Mr. Murley, Mr. Lukin agreed to amend the proposed Miami River Sub-district to include the Epic and One Miami, which are located on the Miami River 's federal navigable channel. Mr. Murley addressed the challenges associated with activating riverwalks and open spaces (i.e. Wind, Cima, Mint and Ivy, riverfront mixed-use development projects located on the north shore, immediately west of the South Miami Avenue Bridge; and, One Riverview Square, an office building on the north shore, east of the South Miami Avenue Bridge with vacant ground floor). Mr. Lukin noted that the Downtown Miami Master Plan planned to create a business plan to identify gaps, provide maintenance and develop programming/activities along the Miami River Greenway.

Mr. Bibeau cited page 78 of the Executive Summary: “#4 Structured parking for FP &L and City of Miami ,” and asked where he could obtain more information on that line item. Mr. Lukin replied that information is available in the plan's “backup” material.

Mr. Lukin agreed to correct the plan titles on page 27 of the Executive Summary to read: “Miami River Corridor Urban Infill Plan…the Miami River Greenway Action Plan.” Mr. Bibeau noted the MRC had recommended approval of the draft Miami 21, subject to a few conditions including but not limited to replacing “encouraging” public access along the riverwalk with “requiring” public access.

Mr. Murley and Mr. Lukin agreed to invite the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and the planning consultants of the “Downtown Miami Master Plan” for a follow-up presentation to the UIWG in October, prior to its subsequent presentation before the full Miami River Commission board during its regularly scheduled, publicly noticed meeting on Monday, November 5, 2007, Robert King High New Board Room, 1407 NW 7 Street.

B. Update on Miami Circle - Mr. Bibeau noted he continues to participate in conference calls with Miami Circle regulatory agencies regarding the status of the Miami Circle seawall. Mr. Bibeau noted State Representative Luis Garcia , whose district includes the Circle, received a letter from FIND stating its willingness to consider a grant application as soon as it is submitted to fund half of the estimated $1.5 million seawall repair, which would therefore require a $750,000 match.

Mr. Bibeau stated that the Department of State (DOS) indicated that their plan is to provide temporary repair measures to stabilize the site's collapsed seawall, while the DOS submits a $2.5 million legislative budget request, which will be considered in May 2008, to potentially fund the final and long planned permanent repair of the Miami Circle seawall. Mr. Bibeau added that

DOS recently submitted a pre-permit application for the final sea-wall replacement permits, yet has not agreed to submit the FIND grant application, partially because they do not have the $750,000 match. Chairman Murley directed MRC staff to continue advocating for the FIND application to be made, securing the $750,000 match for the seawall replacement, and have the State accept the Related Group's written commitment to fund an construct a publicly accessible riverwalk on the Miami Circle site.

C. Status of the “Upper River/MIC Associated Development” Planning Process – Mr. Bibeau asked Ms. Helen Brown , Miami-Dade Planning Department, for the status of the county's application to the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) grant, which may provide funding for the County to create the UIWG recommended “Upper River/MIC Associated Development Plan.” Mr. Bibeau noted MRC staff had provided Ms. Brown with a CD copy of the grant application at the July UIWG meeting. Ms. Brown stated she had spoken to her director, Mr. Subrata Basu, whom had suggested that the MRC apply. MRC staff agreed to review the grant eligibility requirements and report back to the UIWG in October. Mr. Murley reported the South Florida Regional Planning Council (SFRPC) recently submitted their plan, which includes the Upper River Plan to the EDA, which makes it eligible to receive EDA funding. In addition the MRC staff will explore the federal NOAA Coastal Brownfields / Portfields potential funding opportunity for the plan.

D. Status of the Miami River Corridor Multi-Modal Transportation Plan – Mr. Bibeau noted MRC staff had mailed a CD of the revised draft final report, as well as an appendix of tables and maps of the plan's multi-modal transportation improvement recommendations along the Lower, Middle, and Upper River, to all MRC board members and designees one week prior to the Monday, September 10 MRC meeting, noon, Robert King High New Board Room. Per the request of Mr. Jim Murley , Mr. Bibeau agreed to forward a copy of the draft resolution adopting the Miami River Corridor Multi-Modal Transportation Plan to all MRC board members and designee prior to the September 10 meeting for their review.

MRC staff distributed copies of an article recently published in the Miami Herald regarding the Mississippi bridge collapse, which claimed the lives of 7 people. Mr. Bibeau noted that as a result of this tragedy, Governor Charlie Crist had asked for a report card of all bridges in the State of Florida . Mr. Bibeau reported that the NW 17 th Avenue Bridge was recently deemed structurally deficient, and was therefore shut down so that the county could initiate its immediate repair. MRC staff agreed to obtain a copy of the aforementioned bridge “report card.”

E. MRC Response to Governor Charles Crist's Executive Order Regarding Climate Change - Mr. Bibeau congratulated Chairman Murley on his recent appointment as the Vice Chair of Miami-Dade County's Council on Green Initiatives. Per Chairman Murley's direction, MRC staff distributed copies of the “State of Florida Office of the Governor Executive Order Number 07-126” regarding green initiatives. Mr. Murley recommended that the MRC, an agency created by the State of FL , encourage MRC staff, as well as hotels, restaurants, marine industries and developers along the Miami River , to work towards obtaining general consistency with the green initiatives contained in the Governor's Executive Orders, and report their findings at the next UIWG meeting.

II. Projects

A. Discussion Regarding the Status of the Historically Designated East Coast Fisheries- Mr. Bibeau noted he had received a call from Vicky Garcia Toledo, whom informed him that Mr. Peter Swartz had recently sold the property to new owners from California . Mr. Bibeau added that they would like to schedule a presentation of the developer's proposed project at the October UIWG meeting. 

III. New Business – Mr. Bibeau distributed an informational copy of the proposed “Wagner Square” mixed use and mixed income development adjacent to Wagner Creek, which is a project previously discussed by the UIWG on a recently remediated environmentally contaminated brownfields site. Mr. Bibeau and Mr. Murley agreed since the proposed development is located several blocks from the Miami River , the UIOWG nor MRC should formalize am advisory recommendation on the project.

The meeting adjourned.

 HOME    CALENDAR     ABOUT THE RIVER    ABOUT THE COMMISSION     DREDGING      GREENWAYS    URBAN INFILL PLAN  
STORMWATER RETROFITTING   MINUTES OF MEETINGS      LINKS