I.  Discussion of Miami River Marine Industries Symposium Identified Action Items - Mr. Brett Bibeau, MRC Managing Director, stated two new marine industrial businesses have opened along the Miami River since the September 2004 Miami River Marine Industries Symposium.  Miami Yacht and Engine Works, a recreational boatyard and “El Sabor”, a United States Coast Guard certified shipping terminal, located at 3650 NW North River Drive (former Moby Marine), thereby increasing the total number of shipping terminals along the River to 23. Dr. Fran Bohnsack, Miami River Marine Group Executive Director, noted that another terminal was currently in the process of getting permitted. The EDC noted the opening of these three new businesses is direct evidence of the existing marine industrial business market along the Miami River .

The EDC reviewed and discussed the draft Miami-Dade County Marine Industrial Zoning Ordinance, conceptually recommended at the Miami River Marine Industries Symposium and in the Miami River Corridor Urban Infill Plan, in this “upper river” industrial area.  Dr. Bohnsack, Miami River Marine Group, noted the draft requires marine industrial businesses to include an 8-foot-wide unobstructed hedge on their property, creating a visual buffer from the adjacent River Drives, potentially conflicting with Federal Homeland Security rules and regulations, which require visual access into terminal sites.  Bohnsack stated the draft ordinance was discussed at the February Miami River Port Security meeting, and the U.S. Coast Guard is reviewing the draft ordinance at this time.

Ms. Megan Kelly commended Mr. Bibeau on his Miami River presentation at a recent Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce luncheon. Ms. Kelly urged Mr. Bibeau to seek support from the GMCC when lobbying for dredging funding in the future. Mr. Bibeau thanked Ms. Kelly, and noted the MRC’s gratefulness for the GMCC’s annual support and endorsement of the Miami River maintenance-dredging project since 2000.           

The EDC discussed several Recreational Boatyard “Action Items”, which were identified during the MRC’s September 27, 2004 Miami River Marine Industries Symposium.

Part I: Marine Protective Zoning-

The EDC noted on February 7, 2005 , the MRC adopted an amendment to the Miami River Corridor Urban Infill Plan, recommending preservation of all remaining marine industrial zoning and industrial land use within the Miami River Corridor. Mr. Bibeau stated on February 8, 2005, the City of Miami Waterfront Advisory Board unanimously voted to recommend the City of Miami adopt the Miami River Corridor Urban Infill Plan. 

Dr. Bohnsack, Miami River Marine Group, mentioned she had recently obtained a draft of the City of Miami ’s “Miami River Market Study & Economic Impact Analysis”. Dr. Bohnsack found the report to be thorough. Dr. Bohnsack noted the section related to the Miami River ’s marine industry found the Port of the Miami River to be valuable and suggested public and private investment into it.  Dr. Bohnsack stated the draft City of Miami ’s “Miami River Market Study & Economic Impact Analysis” found the “best use” of the “lower river” to be mixed-use developments, and the “best use” for the “upper river” is the marine industry.    Dr. Bohnsack added the draft City of Miami “Miami River Market Study & Economic Impact Analysis” found the “Middle” and “Upper” River areas to be incapable of sustaining an overabundance of development. Dr. Bohnsack said she would provide copies of the draft City of Miami ’s “Miami River Market Study & Economic Impact Analysis” to the MRC.

 Part II: Better Marketing of Miami River

 Mr. Gary Winston recommended the MRC “redouble their efforts” in seeking more public participation and involvement at future MRC subcommittee meetings. Mr. Bibeau stated MRC staff would expand the MRC’s current standard operating procedures regarding publicly noticing MRC meetings as directed.  Mr. Bibeau noted the MRC has always encouraged and received significant public participation, and noted the MRC’s extensive e-mail database, website, etc.  Dr. Bohnsack, MRMG, suggested posting MRC meeting dates and times during the 2005 Riverday festival to increase public awareness.  Dr. Bohnsack noted MRC member Manny Prieguez recently expressed at a MRC meeting his support for the creation of new public economic incentive programs to attract new marine industrial businesses to the Miami River .

The meeting adjourned.