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The Miami River Commission’s (MRC) Greenways Subcommittee met on Monday, March 21, 2005 , 10 AM , at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Library Map Room.  Dr. Ernie Martin chaired the meeting. The attendance sheet is enclosed

I) Discuss Draft “ Miami River Greenway Regulatory Design Standards” -

Mr. Kevin Brown, City of Miami , noted he had submitted comments from the Miami River Commission, Trust for Public Land , and the City of Miami ’s Capital Improvements Department, to Kimley-Horn & Associates, regarding the draft “Miami River Greenway Regulatory Design Standards.” Mr. Bruno Carvalho, Kimley-Horn, and the City of Miami attendees, stated they concurred with all of the MRC’s submitted recommendations on the draft, with only two exceptions, which require further discussion and consideration at this time.

Mr. Brown stated he expected a revised draft “Miami River Greenway Regulatory Design Standards” by March 31, 2005 . In April, noted Mr. Brown, the completed draft would be presented to the Planning Advisory Board, the Historic and Environmental Preservation Board, and the Miami River Commission.  Following presentations to the City’s advisory boards, the Planning Department would bring the completed draft before the City Commission for consideration.

Mr. Patrick Hood-Daniel, City of Miami Planning Department, stated the draft “Miami River Greenway Regulatory Design Standards” would replace the Riverwalk component of the previously adopted “City of Miami Baywalk / Riverwalk Design Standards and Guidelines”.

Mr. Carvalho stated although the draft is generally consistent with the existing Miami River Greenway Action Plan, which was unanimously adopted by the City Commission in principle by resolution, and the previously adopted “The City of Miami Baywalk / Riverwalk Design Guides and Standard”, the draft “Miami River Greenway Regulatory Design Standards” are designed to further codify the conceptual principles.  Mr. Bibeau, MRC Managing Director, asked if the City Commission would consider adopting the drafted “Miami River Regulatory Design Standards” by ordinance, and Mr. Hood-Daniel stated it would most likely be adopted “in concept,” then potentially referenced in the City of Miami’s “Miami 21” rewrite of the zoning code, which is scheduled to commence in April 2005.  Mr. Hood-Daniels stated the City of Miami ’s former zoning code will be stricken and replaced by the form based “ Miami 21,” zoning code, which will divide Miami into 4 distinct quadrants.  Mr. Bibeau stated it was the MRC’s understanding from previous MRC meetings that the draft “Miami River Greenway Regulatory Design Standards” was intended to be adopted by ordinance, in order to strengthen the conceptual approval in principle by resolution of the Miami River Greenway Action Plan.

Mr. Bibeau distributed copies of the Miami River Commission’s preliminary comments on the draft “Miami River Greenway Regulatory Design Standards” for discussion.  Dr. Martin asked if the City’s required 50-foot setback in the “ Lower River ” could be extended throughout the entire river (comment 17).  Mr. Bibeau noted that the MRC Urban Infill Working Group had recommended applying the City Charter setback requirement (MM, ii, A) formula riverwide - with exemptions for properties zoned marine industrial or low-density residential, which states: “In order to preserve the city’s natural scenic beauty, to guarantee open spaces, and to protect waterfront, anything in this charter or the ordinances of the city to the contrary notwithstanding, neither the city nor any of its agencies shall issue building permits for any surface parking or enclosed structures located on Biscayne Bay or the Miami River from its mouth to the N.W. 5^th Street Bridge, which are not setback at least 50 feet from the seawall -where the depth of the lot is less than 200 feet, the setback shall be at least 25 percent of the lot depth…”  Mr. Hood-Daniel stated he would ask the City of Miami Planning Director , Ana Gelabert, to examine whether extending the setback requirement throughout the entire Miami River would be feasible. Mr. Hood-Daniel suggested potentially making the setbacks a part of the City’s Class II Special Permit requirements, rather than amending the City Charter, which requires a referendum.  

Mr. Carvalho stated in addition to extending the 50-foot setback provision riverwide, the only MRC recommendation requiring further discussion is comment 19, regarding requiring, rather than “encouraging” public access on the riverwalk.  Bibeau provided attendees with the existing City ordinances requiring public access along the riverwalk, and noted all the recent developments along the river have agreed to provide publicly accessible riverwalks, and the developers market the riverwalk as an amenity of their projects.  Mr. Hood-Daniel mentioned that the City of Miami Planning Department was against high-density development along the river, and as an Urban Planner, he was very supportive of the greenway’s goal to provide public access and connectivity throughout the River’s neighborhoods.

The MRC Greenways subcommittee thanked the City of Miami and Kimley-Horn for agreeing to immediately incorporate 48 of 50 of the MRC’s recommended revisions to the draft, and looked forward to continued discussions regarding extending the 50-foot setback riverwide (with the exception of marine industrial and low density residential areas) and further strengthening the riverwalk’s required public access.

The Greenways Subcommittee reminded the attendees that the MRC would consider the revised draft “Miami River Greenway Regulatory Design Standards” at their next meeting, April 4, 2005, noon, 1401 NW 7 ST.  The Greenways subcommittee scheduled its next meeting on Wednesday, April 13, 10 am , University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine Science, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway.

The meeting adjourned.

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