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

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

MONDAY
Jan. 8, 2007
12:00 NOON
(THIS IS A PUBLIC DOCUMENT)

Ms. Irela Bagué, Chair of the Miami River Commission (MRC), led attendees through the agenda starting at noon , Monday, January 8, 2007 , Robert King High, 1407 NW 7^th Street , Front Conference Room, Miami , Florida .

• Irela Bagué, Chair of the Miami River Commission

• Amy Gonzalez-Hernandez, designee for Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Alvarez

• Robert Ruano, designee for City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz

• Gary Winston, designee for Miami-Dade State Attorney

• Richard Dubin, President of the Miami River Marine Group

• Captain Beau Payne, designee of the Miami River Marine Group

• Dana Nottingham, Downtown Development Authority

• Sallye Jude, Neighborhood Representative, Appointed by Miami-Dade County

MRC Staff: Brett Bibeau, Managing Director

Others attending interested in the River:  

• Fran Bohnsack, Miami River Marine Group

• Lucy Perez, South Florida Water Management District

• Robert Weinreb, City of Miami

• Mark Bailey, Merrill-Stevens Yachts

• Patricia Harris

• City of Miami Marine Patrol Police Officer Gonzalez

• City of Miami Marine Patrol Police Officer Faris

• Lavinia Freeman, Trust for Public Land

I. MRC Chairperson Report: 
Chair Bagué deferred entertaining a motion on the MRC’s November 6, 2006 meeting minutes, due to lack of quorum

Chair Bagué welcomed new MRC members Governor Crist, and Senator Frederica Wilson, and thanked outgoing MRC members Governor Bush, Rep. Gus Barreiro , and Tony Garrastazu , whom were all tremendous long term MRC members and strong supporters of the River.

Chair Bagué stated she was pleased to announce the MRC and Managing Director, Brett Bibeau, are being awarded the “Miami Image Award” at the Realtors Association of Miami and the Beaches’ Installation and Awards Luncheon, Friday, February 2^nd, 11:30 at the Biltmore Hotel.

II. Consideration of Proposed Façade Treatment to Miami-Dade Water Sewer Department’s (WASD) Riverfront Pump Station #1 – Mr. Bibeau provided copies of the Miami River Corridor Urban Infill Plan’s page 53, which recommends the WASD’s riverfront pump station #1, located on NW North River and NW 3 ST, be facaded, and featured a rendition of an example aesthetic façade treatment.  Mr. Bibeau presented the WASD renditions of a proposed façade treatment to their riverfront pump station #1 building structure, featuring some of the art deco treatments from the Historic Scottish Rite Temple , located directly across the street in the designated Lummus Park Historic District.  Mr. Bibeau explained the WASD is seeking the MRC’s formal acceptance of the provided rendition.  Mr. Bibeau noted the December 2006 MRC Greenways and UIWG minutes represent favorable findings of the façade renditions to the structure, which is adjacent to a new section of the Miami River Greenway and two riverfront restaurants.  Mr. Bibeau noted the Infill Plan’s rendition included new landscaping in addition to facading the structure, and suggested the MRC recommend landscaping as a future phase.

Chair Bagué noted without quorum, the MRC was unable to consider a motion on the item, and asked if any of the present members objected to the WASD’s proposed façade treatment of the riverfront pump station #1 structure.  Hearing no objections, Chair Bagué asked MRC staff to circulate the WASD renditions with remaining members, and if there are no objections, she would indicate the MRC’s support for the proposed treatment, as suggested by the WASD.        

III. MRC Subcommittee Reports – Mr. Bibeau distributed subcommittee reports to all present MRC members.

a. Dredging Subcommittee – Chair Bagué stated Mr. Eric Buermann, Chair of the MRC’s Dredging subcommittee, was unable to attend the MRC meeting, therefore asked Mr. Bibeau to highlight components of the provided written report.  Mr. Bibeau stated   The FY ’07 Energy and Water Bill, which the Senate included $7 million for dredging, will not be adopted by Congress.  Therefore, a Continued Funding Bill is anticipated in February, which would either include the same level as the previous fiscal year, $3.5 million, or provide continued levels of funding per Army Corps program.

Mr. Bibeau reported authorization to execute the “Local Advanced Funds” Agreement was unanimously approved by the INLUC Committee in December and is expected to go before the Board of County Commissioners on January 25, 2007.  The project’s “Remaining Benefit to Remaining Cost” (RBRC) ratio will improve as the project moves forward, since the remaining costs would continue to decrease, while the benefits of the project are primarily contained in completing the final AS-15 at the river’s confluence with Biscayne Bay.  An improved RBRC would make it more likely to include the federal cost share balance due in the President’s budget submittal, therefore making it easier for Congress to appropriate the necessary amount.  If the available local cost share for the project is allowed to be utilized at a rate faster than the federal cost share, there is currently sufficient appropriated funding to complete AS 7-10, and in the meantime secure one or two additional federal Fiscal Year appropriations, improve the RBRC, and generate additional “left-over” and “supplemental” federal funding as the project moves forward.

Mr. Bibeau stated in summer of 2006, various elected officials and project stakeholders wrote letters to ACOE General Strock and Mr. Rob Portman, Director of the President’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in support of including the $26 million federal cost share balance due to complete the project in their FY ’08 budget submittal to Congress, which would increase the probability for Congress to appropriate the amount.  The President will release his budget in March 2007, and historically Congress has been able to add $3.5 million for the project above the president’s budget request.

Mr. Bibeau added the Dredging subcommittee’s next regularly scheduled third Wednesday of the month publicly noticed meeting will be held January 17, 10 AM, at 1407 NW 7 ST.

b. Urban Infill Working Group (UIWG) –  Chair Bagué stated Mr. Jim Murley, Chair of the UIWG, was unable to attend the MRC meeting, therefore asked Mr. Bibeau to highlight components of the provided written report. 

Mr. Bibeau stated the City of Miami ’s Planning Advisory Board will host two “ Miami 21 – Eastern Quadrant” meetings in the near future.  The UIWG’s recommendation, to create a riverfront district with different requirements than landlocked parcels, such as larger riverfront setbacks, requiring publicly accessible riverwalks, etc. hasn’t been incorporated into the draft.  Mr. Bibeau noted for example that the riverfront building setback is the “rear setback”, which in the draft “Miami 21 – Eastern Quadrant” is often only 10 feet-wide, rather than the 50-foot building setback from the riverfront formula for properties east of the NW 5 ST Bridge, as required by the City Charter.  Mr. Bibeau noted the MRC recommended the City Charter’s 50-foot building setback formula be applied river-wide, with the exception of low-density residential and marine industrial properties, where an on-road greenway rather than riverwalk is appropriate.  Mr. Dubin asked if narrow parcels were subject to the 50-foot setback regardless of width, and Mr. Bibeau replied the setback formula has an exception for properties less than 200 feet wide, the required setback becomes 25% of the properties width.  The MRC is scheduled to consider creating their advisory recommendation regarding the draft during the February 5, 2007 meeting.  Mr. Ruano asked whom the UIWG discussed their recommendation for Miami 21 to include a specific “Riverfront District”, and Mr. Bibeau replied it was discussed with Luciana Gonzalez, City of Miami Planning Department, during her presentation of the draft “Miami 21 – Eastern Quadrant” to the UIWG. 

Mr. Bibeau reported the UIWG continues to solicit any transportation recommendations for the ongoing Miami River Corridor Multi-Modal Transportation Plan, and announced the next publicly noticed and regularly scheduled second Tuesday of the month UIWG meeting will be held January 9, 10 AM, 1407 NW 7 ST.

C.  Greenways Subcommittee - Chair Bagué stated Dr. Ernie Martin , Co-Chair of the Greenways Subcommittee, was unable to attend the MRC meeting, therefore asked Co-Chair Lavinia Freeman, Trust for Public Land to provide the report.  Ms. Freeman stated she was unable to attend the MRC Greenways subcommittee’s December 2006 meeting, therefore deferred the report to Mr. Bibeau.

Mr. Bibeau reported several sections of the Miami River Greenway remain under construction.  The first six Miami River Greenway Historic Markers, funded by a grant from the Villagers, have been installed.  The temporary draft panels are scheduled to be replaced with the final porcelain enamel panels in January.  The Greenways subcommittee would like to thank the Villagers for their generous grant, and schedule an unveiling event in February.

Mr. Bibeau noted the Greenways subcommittee’s December minutes include continued research of any and all means to provide the necessary maintenance, security and special events to ensure the Greenways long term success.

A significant special event, the second annual Caribbean June Fest, would like to be held at Lummus Park in June, yet the riverfront area, which broke ground to construct a riverwalk in 2003 remains incomplete, and would need to be improved prior to the festival.  Mr. Ruano stated if Lummus Park is not ready by June, the event producers should consider another riverfront site, such as Jose Marti Park .  Mr. Bibeau explained the proposed event producers indicated they had met with representatives from Commissioner Spence Jones office, whom offered support for having the event in her district, which includes Lummus Park .  Mr. Ruano asked Mr. Bibeau to provide him with further details regarding the event and its organizers, and he would direct them to the appropriate City representatives.

The next regularly scheduled second Wednesday of the month Greenways subcommittee’s publicly noticed meeting will take place January 10, 2 PM, 1407 NW 7 ST.

D. Stormwater Subcommittee -  Chair Bagué recognized Ms. Sallye Jude, Chair of the MRC’s Stormwater subcommittee, whom differed to Mr. Bibeau.  Mr. Bibeau noted the subcommittee’s December 2006 minutes reflect the City Commission is expected to consider a design / build contract to dredge Wagner Creek and the Seybold Canal on February 7, 2007 .

South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) staff has indicated they would like to increase the MRC’s current contract with $15,409 for the MRC to provide the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department for continued smoke testing of the sanitary sewer system adjacent to Wagner Creek, in order to seek additional e-coli sources, which would be repaired.

The Water and Sewer Department is scheduling a meeting with the two riverfront restaurant owners adjacent to Pump Station #1, to discuss the potential of using a portion of the Station’s vacant parking lot for free valet service parking spaces, as recommended by the MRC.

The Stormwater Subcommittee is scheduled to meet Wednesday, January 10, 10 am, Miami River Inn, 118 S. River Drive .

E.  Economic Development & Commerce (EDC) Subcommittee - Chair Bagué, stated EDC co-chairs Megan Kelly and Chairman Bruno Barreiro were unable to attend the meeting, therefore asked Mr. Bibeau to provide the report.  Mr. Bibeau reported the EDC is seeking $22,170 to contract two FAU Professors to conduct a “Miami River Economic Analysis”, as authorized by the MRC Executive Board.  Mr. Gary Winston inquired about the nature and accuracy of economic figures for the Port of Miami and Port Everglades recently reported in the Miami Herald.  Ms. Amy Gonzalez Hernandez replied she would provide economic analysis information for the Port of Miami .

Mr. Bibeau reported the EDC is seeking an update from Miami-Dade regarding the response to Manager Burgess’ November 2005 memo to the Board of County Commissioners, “directing the Tax Collector’s Office and Property Appraiser Department to further evaluate the specifics of the (Working Waterfront’s) bill”, after which the Manager expects to advance a recommendation. 

F.  Public Safety - Chair Bagué recognized Mr. Winston and Mr. Ruano, Co-Chairs of the Public Safety subcommittee, and welcomed City of Miami Marine Patrol Police Officers Gonzalez and Faris.  Mr. Winston asked the Officers for a report on the status of derelict vessels on the Miami River , and Officer Gonzalez replied there is a process in place for the effective removal of vessels deemed derelict.  Mr. Robert Weinreb, City of Miami , stated the Florida Inland Navigational District (FIND), continues to provide the City of Miami with grant funding for derelict vessel removal city wide.  Mr. Gonzalez stated the Marine Patrol is currently planning waterfront public safety for major events such as the Super Bowl and the launching of a new Navy Vessel, neither of which will close navigation along the Miami River ’s federal navigable channel.  Dr. Bohnsack, Miami River Marine Group, reported the Miami River Security Committee’s next meeting will be held in February. 

IV. New Business – Chair Bagué stated Ms. Kathy Vogel’s term as a FIND board member has expired, and noted her strong support to provide FIND grant funding for projects along the Miami River , including but not limited to dredging.  Therefore Chair Bagué stated she would like to send a letter of appreciation, on behalf of the MRC, to Ms. Vogel.  The present MRC board members concurred, and Mr. Ruano suggested the letter cc the Governor.

IV. Adjournment 

There being no further business to come before the meeting, the meeting adjourned.

_____________________________Recording Secretary

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