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I.
Planning Studies/Presentations
A.
Presentation of
Flagler and 1st Street
Reconstruction Options -
Mr. Jeff Easley, Florida Department
of Transportation (FDOT) project development section, noted FDOT was
currently conducting its alternative evaluation process of the PD&E
(i.e. obtaining input from the community) in relation to the Flagler and
1st Street
reconstruction options. After such input has been collected, Mr. Easley
noted FDOT would host a public meeting in May 2007. Mr. Easley
introduced Mr. Rene de Huebles, FDOT, and provided the following
information regarding the engineering/environmental analysis of the
project, which will examine different build alternatives and consist of
location, design and concept approval.
Mr. Easley presented an aerial of the subject area and typical
cross sections for the two alternatives which remain under construction.
Both of the two evaluated alternatives which remain under
consideration maintain on-street parking, and one-way directions, while
the “2A” alternative includes bike lanes and the “5B: alternative
excludes bike lanes.
Mr.
Murley asked if two-waying Flagler and
1st ST
were being evaluated, consistent with smart growth and new urbanism
principles. Mr. Easley
replied that 2-waying would cause a lot of impacts. Mr. Easley explained
that business owners in the area are concerned that expanding the
right-of-way would eliminate on street parking in front of their
businesses.
Dr. Martin asked if there was an analysis that FDOT could
refer to regarding the recent 2-waying of
Flagler Street
in Downtown Miami, and Mr. Easley replied that since the street was
recently converted, more time was needed to study the subject area and
its impacts.
Mr. Easley stated construction is expected to commence
between 2011-2012, since funding for the entire project is currently
unavailable. Mr. Murley asked if
the project would address both bridges (Flagler and
1st Street
), and Mr. Easley replied that bridge analysis is outside the
project’s scope of services.
Mr.
Brett Bibeau, MRC Managing Director, reviewed the following:
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The
Flagler
Bridge
pedestrian staircase is fenced off, also blocking access to a City
of Miami Department of Off-Street Parking lot beneath I-95; Mr.
Easley and Mr. Huebles replied they had suggested FDOT include
recommending the removal of the fence in the PD&E.
-
The
City of
Miami
has construction engineering documents to build an on-road Greenway
on City owned public right-of-way beneath the 1st and
Flagler Bridges along
N. River Drive
, co-funded with an FDOT grant.
The FDOT owned riverfront public rights-of-way should be
incorporated into the project via removing
chain link fences and beautifying the area with landscaping and
painting, as recommended in the Miami
River Corridor Urban Infill Plan and the Miami
River Greenway Action Plan. Mr. Easley and Mr. Huebles replied
they had suggested FDOT include this recommendation in the PD&E,
and stated FDOT is willing to work with the City of Miami to connect
these adjacent riverfront public right of way areas in the upcoming
construction of this section of the Miami River Greenway. Mr.
Huebles added FDOT has hired to contractor to clean beneath the
Flagler and
1st ST
Bridges.
-
Tall
trucks heading east on South River Drive are striking the
undercarriage of the 1st Street Bridge, forcing them to
travel in reverse three blocks to the first possible turn off of S.
River Drive onto NW 3 ST. Therefore,
Mr. Bibeau recommended incorporating additional blinking yellow
caution lights and more advanced signage warning truckers of
clearance, so they may take a right on NW 3 ST to avoid the low
clearance.
-
Replace
the broken pedestrian light beneath 1st Street Bridge on
South River Drive; FDOT
agreed
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Incorporate
solid waste interceptors in the reconstructed storm water system of
Flagler and First, in order to keep debris from entering the River;
FDOT agreed
Mr.
Easley noted a public hearing will be held on March 7,
4 pm
at the Latin Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Jim Murley, Chair of the UIWG, stated the UIWG recommends the MRC
support the alternative with Bike lanes and on street-parking, “2A”.
Ms. Chase noted she
would place the item on the
March 5, 2007
agenda, and would forward the contact information of all MRC board
members to FDOT at least one week prior to the meeting, so that they may
submit copies of the project’s crosswalks/necessary materials in
preparation for the presentation.
B.
Presentation of
Historic East Coast Fisheries -
Mr. Bibeau reported he had
been informed that Mr. Peter Schwartz, developer of the proposed Miami
Riverhouse Lofts, had retracted his original plans for the site which
the MRC had found to be consistent with the Miami
River Corridor Urban Infill Plan. The
new proposal for the area may include some dry-stack boat storage,
therefore MRC staff invited the property owners to present their new
plans to the UIWG, and they were unavailable to attend the meeting. Dr.
Martin explained the historically designated site has remained an
eyesore to the community for several years, and feared it could
potentially face “demolition by neglect”.
Mr.
Weinreb, City of
Miami
, stated he would be serving as a liaison between the City and the
MRC’s Urban Infill Working Group. Mr.
Weinreb noted he had met with DERM to discuss dry slips vs. wet slips,
because although dry slips have less impact than wet slips, the Manatee
Protection plan regulations are the same for west and dry slips. Mr.
Murley noted the city of
Aventura
was currently experiencing much success with dry stack storage. Mr.
Bibeau explained the Manatee Protection Plan would affect the future of
dry/wet slips, adding that the Board of County Commissioners is expected
to create a committee which would review and update the current manatee
protection plan. Mr. Weinreb
offered to look into the status of the East Coast Fisheries site with
relation to Code Enforcement violations, and provide any information to
the UIWG. Mr. Bibeau thanked
Mr. Robert Weinreb for his time and assistance.
C.
Presentation by Team Metro Melrose- Mr.
Bibeau noted Team Metro Melrose had requested to make a presentation
before the UIWG regarding illegal dumping, but wasn’t able to attend
the meeting. The UIWG agreed
to place the item on any future agenda requested by Team Metro Melrose.
D.
Status of the “MIC Associated Development” Planning Process –Mr.
Bibeau distributed the revised draft “Upper River Area Plan” summary
to the UIWG. The UIWG asked
Mr. Bibeau to extend the boundary on the map depicting the study area to
include
Palmer
Lake
, and accepted the document with that revision.
The UIWG directed staff to e-mail the revised final summary to
Mr. Sabrata Basu, Assistant Director of the Miami-Dade County Planning
and Zoning Department.
E.
Status of the
Miami River
Corridor Multi-Modal Transportation
Plan –
Mr. Bibeau noted he had
conducted field work with the Plan’s consultants on
January 12, 2007
. Mr.
Bibeau stated he had completed 75% of his preliminary comments on the
first complete draft. Mr. Bibeau provided the attendees with the
Plan’s draft executive summary, and his comments on the draft.
The UIWG will be provided the full 2nd draft in early
March, which will be reviewed during the UIWG’s mid-March meeting, and
possibly full the full MRC on
April 2, 2007
. Mr. Bibeau noted the item will
be presented before the MRC board in April. Mr. Murley recommended that
the plan include a timeline, concept map / rendering, and outline the
need and purpose of the Plan earlier in the executive summary.
Dr. Martin suggested each transportation improvement
recommendation identify the responsible transportation agency to bring
the each individual recommendation to fruition.
F.
Review and Discuss Updated Draft of
Miami
21 East Quadrant
–Ms. Chase noted she had
spoken to Ms. Luciana Gonzalez, City of Miami Planning Department, whom
had informed her that the
Miami
21 consultants had yet to schedule any meetings in the near future. Mr.
Murley suggested that MRC staff continue to monitor the Miami 21 public
planning process, and advocate for the UIWG’s recommended creation of
a “Riverside District” to address the specific issues related to
riverfront properties, such as increasing the waterfront’s “rear”
building setback, requiring publicly accessible riverwalks on new
mixed-use and residential developments, creating a waterfront industrial
district, etc. Mr. Weinreb stated the City of
Miami
’s legal department is
reviewing the UIWG’s “Riverside District” idea, and confirmed that
no public meetings have been scheduled. Ms. Chase stated Ms. Gonzalez
has forwarded the UIWG’s suggestion to create a “Riverfront
District” to the consultants, which she noted may be incorporated into
the
Miami
21 draft.
II.
New Business –The
UIWG reviewed and discussed the following items:
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Mr.
Murley suggested that the MRC partner with the Dade Heritage Trust
to compile an ongoing list of historic sites to be included in a
future brochure. Mr Bibeau noted the MRC’s Greenways Subcommittee
had compiled a list of areas that are appropriate for historic
marker installation, which may incorporated into the piece.
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Mr.
Bibeau noted per Mr. Murley’s e-mailed request, he is scheduling a
site visit with the Latitude on the River developer, to discuss how
their riverwalk which is nearing completion will connect to the east
with the Neo Vertika riverwalk and to the west with the 2nd
Ave Bridge riverwalk.
The
UIWG confirmed its next meeting for March 14, 2007, 10 am, New Board
Room, 1407 NW 7 ST.
The
meeting adjourned.
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