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MIAMI RIVER COMMISSION 
c/o Rosenstiel School
4600 Rickenbacker Cswy,
Miami, Fl. 33149
305-361-4850
Fax: 305-361-4755
  e-mail: mrc@rsmas.miami.edu

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The Miami River Commission’s Economic Development and Commerce (EDC) Working Group met at 3 PM, Tuesday, July 10, 2001, in 501 Brickell Key Drive, Suite 600.  Megan Kelly chaired the meeting.  The sign in sheet is enclosed.

Brett Bibeau stated Ignacio de la Campa, OCED, provided information about the Enterprise Zone, which encompasses the majority of the Miami River Corridor.  Mr. Campa was unable to attend the EDC meeting due to a conflict with a County Commission meeting, yet offered to provide a presentation at a later date.  The EDC reviewed the numerous incentives available from Miami-Dade County and the State of Florida through the Enterprise Zone.  Enterprise Zone incentives include, but aren’t limited to, waivers of fire, police, water, and other impact fees, ad valorem tax waivers, tax credits for employees, tax credits for construction materials, etc. The Enterprise Zone incentives are due for a sunset revision review in the near future.  The EDC passed a unanimous resolution supporting the Enterprise Zone designation and extending the benefits therein and the MRC will hear this item at an upcoming meeting

  The EDC discussed the effects the current permitting procedure has on Miami River Commerce.  For example the docks at Bassas Cargo, a Miami River shipping terminal, were damaged during a storm.  Approximately two years ago Mr. Bassas contracted a marine engineer to repair the docks.  The engineer submitted emergency permits to repair the docks damaged during a storm.  All necessary permits are yet to be approved, and the shipping terminals docks remain in disrepair.  Dr. Fran Bohnsack stated she would provide the EDC with the exact timeline of this lengthy permitting process to use as an example of how it adversely affects commerce on the Miami River.

The EDC voted unanimously to make the Tax Increment Financing Investigation a subcommittee of the Economic Development and Commerce Working Group.

David Miller stated the Miami River Commission’s 2001 Economic Report executive summary has been distributed and is available at miamirivercommission.org.  Final revisions are being put on the full economic report, which should be available at the next EDC meeting.

The EDC discussed how the number of boat slips on the Miami River may decrease as a result of the Manatee Protection Plan.  The Manatee Protection Plan prohibits any new boat slips.  If for any reason a riverfront property ceases use of a currently existing boat slip, under the Manatee Protection Plan that slip is no longer available whatsoever.  The EDC passed a unanimous resolution supporting the concept of “banking” boat slips.  If an existing boat slip ceases to be functional in one location, it may be relocated somewhere else on the Miami River, hence the total number of existing boat slips on the Miami River would remain the same.  This item will come before the MRC at an upcoming meeting.

The next EDC meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, August 21, 3 pm, 501 Brickell Key Drive, Suite 600.

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