Minutes - NBCRA Advisory Committee - September 15, 2021
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov
MEETING MINUTES
Ad Hoc North Beach Community Redevelopment Agency Advisory Committee
Wednesday, September 15, 2021
4:00 PM
Members in Attendance: Chair Jose Smith, Vice Chair Daniel Veitia, John Bowes, Romina
Orozco-Encio, Betsy Perez, Manning Salazar, and David Sexton
1. Welcome and Attendance
At 4:03 p.m., Committee Chair Jose Smith opened the meeting and greeted all attendees.
He noted that on September 17, 2021, the City Commission would be discussing the Byron
Carlyle Theater.
Chair Smith asked Asst. City Attorney Jason Jacobson to discuss a legal matter involving the
Committee. Mr. Jacobson discussed an inquiry posed by Committee member Manning
Salazar regarding whether a conflict of interest may prevent Vice Chair Daniel Veitia from
voting on matters related to the proposed development of a 72nd Street Community Complex
given Mr. Veitia’s property management business in the area with proximity to the project site.
Mr. Jacobson explained that the City Attorney’s Office determined that no voting conflict
exists.
2. Approval of Meeting Minutes
• Motion: To approve the draft meeting minutes of the July 21, 2021 Committee
meeting.
Made by: David Sexton
Seconded by: Manning Salazar
Motion passed by acclimation
3. Item for Final Approval: North Beach CRA Logo - 4:10pm
Dean Chambers, Visual Communications Manager
At 4:10 p.m., Chair Smith introduced Dean Chambers, Visual Communications Manager from
the City’s Marketing and Communication Department. Mr. Chambers described the revised
NBCRA logo which incorporated the comments made by the Committee at their previous
meeting. The Committee selected Option A of the proposed logos and requested a minor
change in color.
North Beach CRA Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes – September 15, 2021
Page 2 of 4
4. Update and Discussion: Byron Carlyle Theater
Topics - Funding, Development Options, Proposed Use, Programming and Operation
Elizabeth Miro, Facilities and Fleet Management Assistant Director provided an update on the
status of the Byron Carlyle Theater, including the proposed planning and redevelopment
options discussed at the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee.
Following an inquiry by Manning Salazar about the community survey regarding the Byron
Carlyle Theater, Kevin Puildo, Neighborhood Affairs Manager, and Dexter Peralta, North
Beach Neighborhood Affairs Coordinator, provided information about the City’s survey as
directed by the City Commission and conducted by an independent market research
consultant.
At 4:22 PM, David Martinez, Committee Co-Liaison and Capital Improvement Projects
Director, noted that a discussion item is appearing on the agenda of the September 17th, 2021
City Commission meeting which would include the proposed charrette to plan for the future
use.
The Committee discussed the type of mixed-uses which could be incorporated in a future
development on the Byron Carlyle site and whether the property would be suitable to address
the affordable housing concerns in North Beach.
• Motion: To express support for the agenda item at the September 17, 2021
meeting of the City Commission to discuss potential action and funding for a
conceptual design for the Byron Carlyle Theater.
Made by: Manning Salazar
Seconded by: Jose Smith
Motion passed: 7 - 0
At 4:50 p.m., John Elizabeth Aleman, former member of the Miami Beach City Commission,
provided her insight on the City’s past efforts to solicit interest in redevelopment of the Byron
Carlyle site.
At 4:57 p.m., Nancy Liebman, former member of the Miami Beach City Commission and
current member of the Historic Preservation Board advocated on behalf of using the Byron
Carlyle site to not only address arts, culture, and housing, but to showcase North Beach
prominence.
• Motion: To consider including affordable, workforce, and artist housing when
planning for the cultural facility at the Byron Carlyle Theater site.
Made by: Daniel Veitia
Seconded by: Romina Orozco-Encio
Motion passed: 6 to 1 (Manning Salazar voted against)
North Beach CRA Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes – September 15, 2021
Page 3 of 4
At 5:09 p.m., Rick Kendle, a member of the public and a North Beach resident, provided
commentary about a future competitive solicitation involving the Byron Carlyle site. Melissa
Gabriel, a member of the public and a North Beach resident, spoke in support of public access
to the Byron Carlyle community survey.
5. Update & Discussion: 72nd Street Community Complex
At 5:12 p.m., David Martinez, Committee Co-Liaison and Capital Improvement Projects
Director, discussed the status of the G.O. Bond project for the 72nd Street Community
Complex, including recent and upcoming relevant items at public hearing. Members of the
Committee engaged in discussion regarding the proposed project.
5:29 p.m., David Crook, a member of the public and a North Beach resident, spoke in support
of the 72nd Street Community Complex project. The Committee continued to engage in
discussion regarding the proposed project.
At 5:46 p.m., Chair Jose Smith clarified with Rickelle Williams, Committee Co-Liaison and
Economic Development Director, that the Administration did not necessarily expect that the
Committee will adopt a motion on this subject matter and the item was on the agenda as a
discussion. Following a proposed motion made by Betsy Perez regarding the 72nd Street
Community Complex project, the Committee engaged in discussion.
At 5:53 p.m., the Committee decided to elicit public comment before voting on the motion:
• Gabriel Sniman, North Beach resident, spoke in support of economic development in
North Beach.
• Bonnie and Fred Shapiro, North Beach residents, spoke in support of fiscal
responsibility with regards to use of public funds on capital projects.
• Rick Kendle, North Beach resident, provided comment on the sale of public land in
North Beach.
• Laura Veitia, a member of the G.O. Bond Oversight Committee and a North Beach
resident, spoke in support of the 72nd Street Community Complex project.
• John Elizabeth Aleman, a former member of the Miami Beach City Commission and a
Middle Beach resident, spoke in support of the 72nd Street Community Complex
project.
• Ariana Hernandez, North Beach resident, spoke against the 72nd Street Community
Complex project in its current form.
• James Quinlan, Director of the Rhythm Foundation and North Beach resident,
advocated for greater parking capacity in the vicinity of 72nd Street to address the
growing needs of North Beach’s cultural and civic amenities like the North Beach Band
Shell.
North Beach CRA Advisory Committee
Meeting Minutes – September 15, 2021
Page 4 of 4
• Motion: To express support for the 72nd Street Community Complex project, subject
to a project cost limitation of $110 million.
Made by: Betsy Perez
Seconded by: Daniel Veitia
Motion passed: 6 to 1 (Manning Salazar voted against)
At 6:13 PM, Chair Jose Smith and Manning Salazar discussed Mr. Salazar’s motion on the
floor regarding use of the sale of public lands for funding public projects in North Beach.
• Motion: Funding for the 72nd Street Community Complex should not be derived from
the sale of public property and funding for the future use of the Byron Carlyle
Theater should be appropriated prior to approving funding for project costs of the
72nd Street Community Complex which exceed the amount originally proposed in
the G.O. Bond referendum.
Made by: Manning Salazar
Seconded by: Jose Smith
Motion failed: 2 – 5 (Manning Salazar and Jose Smith voted in favor)
• Motion: Proceeds from the potential sale of public property should be allocated
equitably between the 72nd Street Community Complex project and the future use
of the Byron Carlyle Theater.
Made by: David Sexton
Seconded by: Romina Orozco-Encio
Motion passed: 7 - 0
6. Committee Member Comments
At 6:15 p.m., the Committee members provided final comments including soliciting Rickelle
Williams’ insight regarding the continuing role of Committee members in the future planning
for the North Beach CRA.
7. Adjournment
Motion to adjourn at 6:28 p.m.
Next Meeting: Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at 4:00 pm