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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

The SSC Agencies submitted the attached third quarter Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Report Action Item Progress reports.  The agencies made presentations and the subcommittee discussed the reports.  The South Florida Water Management District awarded the MRC $10,000 in FY ’02 and budgeted $15,000 in FY’03 to contract the services of a Miami River Clean-Up Vessel.  The City of Miami’s report stated there were no construction fees available for Water Quality Improvement Report Action Item 1 C, “Allapattah Storm Sewers”.  Bibeau stated the Plan identified $93,400 available for the project in the approved City of Miami FY ’02 CIP item # 352214, “Allapattah Storm Sewers”.  City of Miami SSC representative Jose Lago stated he would look into the status of that approved CIP item and report back to the SSC.

The SSC then had a lengthy and open discussion regarding the 9/24/02 Board of County Commissioners agenda item 6F1A, “Resolution authorizing the execution of a contract for sale and purchase between Trinity Resources, Inc. a Florida Corporation, as seller and Miami-Dade County as Buyer of approximately 3.4 acres of vacant land located between NW 5^th and NW 6^th Streets and NW 6^th and NW 7^th Avenues, or the purpose of expanding the existing maintenance facility located adjacent to the subject property.  The item was deferred to provide the MRC a presentation on October 7, 2002 regarding the proposal in order for the MRC to form the required advisory opinion to the BCC prior to their deliberation of the item, which directly impacts the River corridor.  The parcel under consideration is directly adjacent to the Greenway as planned in the BCC adopted Miami River Greenway Greenway Action Plan.  Attached is the rendering of the proposed site, provided to the SSC from the Water and Sewer Department, which includes a new sewage pump station.   

Karen Cartwright, an Overtown resident, stated her strong opposition to the proposed facility in her neighborhood.  Cartwright expressed her support for affordable housing at the proposed site.

Jim Broton, Chair of the Spring Garden Civic Association, stated he was seeking information regarding the proposal because the Association had not been afforded any outreach or information regarding the proposal.

Mr. Bill Maqzy, BAME CDC, stated they had installed utilities for an affordable housing project at a site directly adjacent to the proposed facility.  He expressed his opposition to the proposal and noted the proposal contradicted the findings of the Overtown Redevelopment Study underway at the Collins Center.  Brett Bibeau responded that the proposal was also not in accordance with the BCC approved Miami River Greenway Action Plan, nor the MRC’s adopted Strategic Plan, the Miami River Corridor Urban Infill Plan.

Michael Spetko, Gatehouse Group, stated his opposition to the proposed site, which is the most critical piece to the connection between the Miami River and the Overtown Neighborhood.  Furthermore the site is the geographic gateway between Overtown, Spring Garden, and East Little Havana.  Spetko expressed his opposition to the proposed facility and expressed his company’s interest in developing affordable housing on the site in question.

Bibeau asked if the proposed BCC resolution would be amended to reflect the site is being considered for a pump station in addition to the noted heavy equipment storage.  Furthermore, Bibeau noted the resolution stated the proposal would not require a change to the City of Miami’s existing zoning on the site, Commercial 2 (C2), yet a sewage pump station might not be an allowable use under C2.  The proposed new Pump Station Number 1’s (next to Garcia’s Seafood Restaurant) backup on NW 7^th Ave would be in addition to the required new pump station number 8, which the WASD reported to the MRC on June 10, 2002 must be located adjacent to the Miami River’s South shore, east of I-95.  As presented to the MRC, a combined Pump Station #1 backup and new Pump Station #8 may only be located within the boundary presented to the MRC on the River’s south shore, east of I-95.  

The Florida Department of Transportation is planning the replacement of the 5^th Street Bridge, yet they have not determined the precise area of the currently vacant proposed site will be required for the new bridge.  The SSC and other attendees agreed that the unknown boundaries required for the replacement of the Fifth Street in the proposed currently vacant land, is a critical piece of information required to make a fully informed decision on this issue.

Janet McAliley encouraged all attendees to make brief presentations to the MRC on October 7, 2002, 3250 SW 3^rd Ave, at noon.

Bibeau stated he had e-mailed the SSC members the draft MRC’s nomination of the Miami River to be eligible to receive Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Watershed Initiative funding to implement Action Items from the Miami River Basin Water Quality Improvement Report.  Bibeau asked for any revisions to the draft, and letters of support from all agencies (drafts of which were provided to all agencies) to be submitted to the MRC by October 14, 2002.

The next regularly scheduled Meeting of the SSC is the first Wednesday in November 6, 2002, in the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) Service Center, 172-A Flagler Street, video conference room, linking with the SFWMD’s West Palm Office.

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