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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 3:30 PM, Friday, September 28, 2001,, in 501 Brickell Key Drive, Suite 600.  Megan Kelly chaired the meeting.  The sign in sheet is enclosed.

1)  The Metro-Rail extension approaches the Miami River running southward along NW 32^nd Ave, turning southwesterly at approximately NW 28^th Street, crossing the Miami River on a fixed bridge elevated 100 feet over the 3200 block of NW North River Drive, and heads westward along NW 22^nd Street, terminating in the MIC.  (please see attached map)

2)  A Metro-rail extension approaches the Miami River running westward along NW 24^th Street, crossing the Miami River on a fixed bridge elevated 100 feet over the 3100 block of NW North River Drive and continuing westward just north of NW 22^nd Street, terminating in the MIC. (please see attached map)

3)   The Metro-Rail extension approaches the Miami River heading southward just west of NW 37^th Ave., crossing the Miami River on a fixed bridge elevated 30 feet downstream of the existing railroad, and continues south into the MIC. (please see attached map).

Cleve Jones stated the first listed option, crossing the river in the 3200 block of NW North River Drive would cut through the Antillean Marine Shipping terminal.  Antillean Marine is the largest cargo shipper on the Miami River, which is the fourth largest Port in the State, doing $4 billion of international trade in 2000.  Cranes are needed at Antillean’s Shipping terminal to load cargo containers on Antillean’s vessels.  There are setback requirements from the proposed Metro-Rail line for operating cranes.  These setbacks would cause significant problems for Antillean Marine.

The third listed option, crossing the Miami River to the east of the existing railroad would require shortening of the Federal Navigable Channel.  Cleve Jones stated this option might come quickly, because the existing Railroad crossing is in disrepair.  The leading edge of the railroad bridge has collapsed into the Miami River, forcing trains to cross at approximately 2 MPH.  Due to flight paths at Miami International Airport, the Metro-Rail’s fixed bridge in this alternative would only be elevated 30 feet above the water.  The Miami River’s shipping vessels would not be able to traverse beneath the 30-foot bridge, therefore cutting off the existing Federal Navigable Channel.  Cleve Jones stated he measured the distance between the proposed fixed bridge and the end of the Federal Navigable Channel, which is 1,200 feet on either shore.  Therefore, this proposal requires the loss of 2,400 feet of active Marine Industry riverfront, which supports the fourth largest port in the state.   

The EDC unanimously supported a tunnel to accommodate all proposed transportation links to the MIC, which cross the Miami River.  Miller stated every major City has tunnels.  Furthermore, the EDC unanimously recommended that if a tunnel were determined to be unfeasible, the following Metro-Rail extension route would be the best alternative.  Extending from the existing Earlington Heights station with a gradual turn to the south at approximately NW 25^th Ave, heading south in the median of NW 27^th Ave with a station at 32^nd Street, continuing south along NW 27^th Ave, crossing the Miami River elevated 100 feet, turning westerly on NW 15^th Street, developing a Grapeland Heights station, turning north along 37^th Ave into the MIC.  This path provides new metro-rail stations serving the Melrose and Grapeland Heights neighborhoods, and has the least impediments to the Miami River and it’s Marine Industry.  The FDOT advised the Citizens Advisory Committee that no project has ever been approved without local approval by the Citizens Advisory Committee.  The EDC requested a presentation regarding all proposed Miami River crossings at the November 5, 2001 MRC board meeting.

The EDC discussed the progress of the Urban Infill plan.  The EDC recommended the Urban Infill plan address conflicts between the City of Miami’s “Industry” zoning requirements and Miami-Dade County coastal marine facility permitting requirements.

The EDC discussed permitting restraints on The Miami River.  They reviewed the enclosed permitting time line for dock repairs at Bassas shipping terminals.  The Bassas dock was damaged by hurricane Irene in 1999.  The owner hired a marine contractor to repair the docks.  Two years and $8,039 of permit fees later, the dock repairs are still not fully permitted, and therefore the dock remains in disrepair.  The EDC will bring the Bassas permit timeline to the MRC during the November 5, 2001 board meeting.  The EDC will seek two additional permitting case studies.

The EDC requested a presentation regarding recent changes to the marine facilities and coastal permits.  A County resolution states any changes to the marine facilities permit are only to come after public hearings.  In addition, the EDC requested a presentation regarding designating the Miami River a “HUB Zone” This designation would increase Miami River boat yards ability to obtain Federal boat service contracts, i.e. local Coast Guard and Customs vessels.  Cleve Jones stated that if Jones Boat Yard had been designated a HUB Zone, he would have been awarded a federal contract he bid on.

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