LTC 306-2005 SOUTH POINTE PARK "Dog Beach" AreaMIAMIBEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC# 306-2005
LETTER CO SSJ, F_
TO: Mayor David Dermer and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager~j~~ ~
DATE: December 13, 2005
SUBJECT: SOUTH POINTE PARK- "Dog Beach" Area
As part of the Settlement Agreement between the City of Miami Beach and the Portofino and
the Related Entities dated July 28, 2004, The Related Group is to provide seawall repairs
and coastline improvements along Government Cut from the Miami Beach Marina east to
the eastern right-of-way line of Washington Avenue.
As a result, The Related Group CTRG") obtained a permit that included seawall restoration
at the Bay Inlet and adjacent area and mitigation rip-rap at the "Beach" area located at the
termination of Washington Avenue. This permit was secured in the summer of 2005.
Prior to the installation of the rip-rap at the "Beach" area, TRG advised the City that the rip-
rap installation approved as part of the settlement agreement was not represented on the
concept plan for the park prepared by Hargreaves Associates and approved by the City
Commission. TRG requested the City to advise them if the rip-rap installation at this location
should proceed or if the construction permit should be amended. On October 14, 2005, the
City visited the site to further study the existing conditions at the "Beach" area to determine
whether to proceed with the rip-rap indicated in the permit referenced above.
Per the City's visit to the site, it was evident that the "Beach" had experienced erosion after
Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma; therefore, the staff determined that in order to stop
further erosion to the "Beach", the rip-rap needed to be installed. Please refer to photos
attached dated 10.14.05, 11.02.05 (before and after Hurricane Wilma), and 12.01.05 (new
· rip-rap). A second consideration was potential delay costs that may have been incurred if
construction was halted at this point.
Staff is aware of the community desire to have an area where dogs are able to access the
water off of Government Cut. This area is not safe for swimming due to the turbulence and
strong currents present in the waters of Government Cut. As the Park improvements are
expected to potentially result in increased visitors to the Park, staff has requested
Hargreaves to consider possible modifications to this area that would allow access to the
water while preserving the existing shoreline. It is also important, however, to make sure
that the area doeS not present itself as a "safe" area for swimming or other similar activities.
Staff and I will continue to work through this issue with the project team and interested
community members to find a reasonable solution either at this location, or an alternate one
in the general vicinity.
Please feel free to contact me for additional instruction on this issue.
JMG/TH/JECH/NM
F:\cmgr\$ALL\HEMSTREE%CIP\S-SPTPK-02-12072005-LTC.doc
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 306-2005
H
LETTER
TO: Mayor David Dermer and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager~~ ~/
DATE: December 13, 2005
SUBJECT: SOUTH POINTE PARK- "Dog Beach" Area
As part of the Settlement Agreement between the City of Miami Beach and the Portofino and
the Related Entities dated July 28, 2004, The Related Group is to provide seawall repairs
and coastline improvements along Government Cut from the Miami Beach Marina east to
the eastern right-of-way line of Washington Avenue.
As a result, The Related Group CTRG") obtained a permit that included seawall restoration
at the Bay Inlet and adjacent area and mitigation rip-rap at the "Beach" area located at the
termination of Washington Avenue. This permit was secured in the summer of 2005.
Prior to the installation of the rip-rap at the "Beach" area, TRG advised the City that the rip-
rap installation approved as part of the settlement agreement was not represented on the
concept plan for the park prepared by Hargreaves Associates and approved by the City
Commission. TRG requested the City to advise them if the rip-rap installation at this location
should proceed or if the construction permit should be amended. On October 14, 2005, the
City visited the site to further study the existing conditions at the "Beach" area to determine
whether to proceed with the rip-rap indicated in the permit referenced above.
Per the City's visit to the site, it was evident that the "Beach" had experienced erosion after
Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma; therefore, the staff determined that in order to stop
further erosion to the "Beach", the rip-rap needed to be installed. Please refer to photos
attached dated 10.14.05, 11.02.05 (before and after Hurricane Wilma), and 12.01.05 (new
. rip-rap). A second consideration was potential delay costs that may have been incurred if
construction was halted at this point.
Staff is aware of the community desire to have an area where dogs are able to access the
water off of Government Cut. This area is not safe for swimming due to the turbulence and
strong currents present in the waters of Government Cut. As the Park improvements are
expected to potentially result in increased visitors to the Park, staff has requested
Hargreaves to consider possible modifications to this area that would allow access to the
water while preserving the existing shoreline. It is also important, however, to make sure
that the area does not present itself as a "safe" area for swimming or other similar activities.
Staff and I will continue to work through this issue with the project team and interested
community members to find a reasonable solution either at this location, or an alternate one
in the general vicinity.
Please feel free to contact me for additional instruction on this issue.
JMG/TH/JECH/NM
F:\cmgr\$ALL\HEMSTREET~CIP\S-SPTPK-02-12072005-LTC.doc