139-2001 LTC
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CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
Letter to Commission No. 13 CJ-;JocJ I
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To:
Mayor Niesen Kasdin and Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. Gonzalez Of%.
City Manager
Date: June 19, 2001
From:
Subject: Existing Vacancies on City Development Review Boards
As you may be aware, the City has a number of vacancies on its primary Development
Review Boards, including the Design Review Board (ORB), the Historic Preservation Board
(HPB) and the Planning Board (PB). These vacancies have reached a critical point as
applications are being held up, agendas are not able to be heard in their entirety and
meetings have been cancelled. Recently, the June 19, 2001 meeting of the ORB was
cancelled less than a week before the meeting, and after all application packages were
sent out, because of a lack of quorum.
These particular instances are seriously inconveniencing and impacting residents, property
owners and interested parties, as well as putting an enormous amount of undo. expense
and hardship on the applicant. The vacant categories of the relevant boards are indicated
hereto:
Historic Preservation Board
1. One at-large member who owns or manages a property or properties located in one of
the city's historic districts, and who has demonstrated interest and knowledge in urban
design and the preservation of historic buildings.
The position was previously held by Mr. Saul Gross, who resigned in February.
Desion Review Board
1. One registered landscape architect.
The position was previously held by Mr. Charles Alden, who resigned in March.
2. One citizen at large.
The position was previously held by Mr: Victor Diaz, who resigned in February.
Plannino Board
Two (2) members. Vacancies occurred when Mr. David Wallack resigned this past month,
and when Mr. Henry Kay moved out of the City.
Members of the Planning Board must have considerable experience in general business,
land development, land development practices or land issues and all members must be
residents of the City or have their main business interest in the city.
.
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Page: 2
Date: June 19. 2001
LTC - Existing Vacancies on City Development Review Boards
The most pressing need for members occurs on the Design Review and Planning Boards,
which are both coming perilously close to a short board. Currently there are only five (5)
members on each board; a minimum offour (4) members of the DRB are needed to take
action on a project and five (5) members of the Planning Board must vote in the affirmative
on matters not requiring City Commission approval. This does not leave a lot of room for
absences by the existing board members; with a short board (4 members present), all
members must vote in the affirmative in order to approve development applications.
JMG:CMC:~RM
F:\PLAN\$ALL \CM_ RESP\hpdrpbappts-2.ltc.doc
c: Christina Cuervo, Assistant City Manager
Bob Parcher, City Clerk
Jorge G. Gomez, Planning Director
Thomas R. Mooney, Design and Preservation Manager
Mercedes Lamazares, Principal Planner